At that moment, Oru spoke.

[Rinji-san, isn’t that Bigg-san?]

Rinji looked a bit awkward.

[……Yeah.]

The awkwardness———– I felt it too.

It was for the time before we headed to the Golden Demon Zone to level up.

Each Hero group was assigned a mentor.

The Drunken Sword Party wasn’t in charge of my group.

However, I wasn’t completely unfamiliar with them.

Now, I’m about to meet someone who knew the me from back then.

It made me feel embarrassed.

But then, sneaking away quietly here wouldn’t be right.

I decided to muster the courage to call out to Lili.

But……

[Bigg-saaaan!]

Just a fraction of a second before I could speak, Oru called out.

Lili squinted her eyes and looked our way with a sharp look.

The old warrior, Bigg, standing next to her, hearing his name being called……

[……Oru? Are you…… really Oru? And the one next to you is——–Rinji!?]

Lili’s eyes widened.

[……Eh? Oru and Rinji……]

Oru waved with a big grin.

[Hey, Bigg-san…… it’s been a while. Umm…… You look well.]

[What are you two doing here!?]

Bigg left their march and rushed over.

Other members of the Drunken Sword Party also joined in.

[Eh? By Rinji-san, you mean…… that guy, right? Along with Lili’s dad, the other frontman……?]

[Ahh, right…… You guys joined after Rinji and Oru left.]

Rinji shot a glance at Oru, softly muttering under his breath.

[This b*stard…… calling out before I’m ready……]

He looked disgruntled.

But then he quickly changed to a resigned expression and forced a smile.

Bigg was the first to greet Rinji.

[It’s been a while, former Vice-Captain.]

[……It’s been a long time, Bigg-san.]

[Fumu, you’ve turned into quite a rugged man, haven’t you?]

[And I see you’re still quite active, Bigg-san.]

[Hmph, well…… so-so, I guess.]

Lili also approached.

[Rinji-san…… do you remember me?]

[……Isn’t it me who should be asking that?]

She smiled coolly and shrugged her shoulders.

[I was still small back then, so my memory is a bit hazy… but I do remember you. It’s hard to forget someone who used to be Dad’s partner.]

Rinji looked awkward.

Looking at him, Lili added……

[Ah, about Dad……]

A tension ran through Rinji’s face.

[He isn’t angry about what happened back with Rinji-san anymore, you know.]

[……Eh?]

[Dad was really rough back then. It wouldn’t have been strange if he had chased after you to half-kill you. Even I, who was still small, remember how wild he was back then.]

[……I can’t blame him. I left the Drunken Sword Party without telling him——— without telling Guaban.]

Listening to their conversation, I gradually started to understand the situation.

Later, I was also filled in on the details.

It seemed that the Drunken Sword Party was originally a mercenary group founded by Lili’s father and Rinji.

Even back then, the name of the Drunken Sword Party was already well-known.

However, Lili’s father, Guaban, wanted to grow the party even bigger.

On the other hand, Rinji wanted to withdraw from the mercenary business.

To expand the party, their management approach became increasingly forceful during that time.

Rinji opposed that policy.

But Guaban stubbornly refused to accept Rinji’s retirement.

He always said……

“The Drunken Sword Party exists because of me and Rinji, the two frontmen of the group!”

But at one point———- Rinji disappeared with some members of the party.

Guaban’s resentment was apparently tremendous.

“I had made a firm vow with Rinji! To make the Drunken Sword Party the best mercenary group on this continent! And yet, that guy…… he left me behind without a word while I’m fulfilling our dream! Without even saying anything!?”

Two more things compounded Guaban’s grievances.

Most of the old-timers in the party followed Rinji instead.

Not only that, even Guaban’s little sister left with Rinji.

[It’s not just about your sister…… It seems particularly tough for him that most of the long-time members followed Rinji-san. It’s only because the oldest member at that time, Bigg, stayed behind that allowed him to just barely hold on.]

[……I also know I was wrong. But———-]

Rinji gazed off into the distance.

[To me back then, it seemed like Guaban had completely changed…… Not just our old comrades, he didn’t even listen to my words at all. Also…… back then, he was so focused on making the Drunken Sword Party bigger that he neglected the veterans. This no longer felt like the mercenary group I had envisioned…… that’s how I felt.]

Guaban’s sister had also become disillusioned with her brother around that time.

Rinji continued, lost in thought.

[But now that I think about it…… I should have stayed by his side a little longer and persistently tried to persuade him.]

[No…… now Dad admits, “I was wrong.”.]

[……Is he doing well?]

[After he passed the title of Captain to me and retired, he’s been quietly making poorly carved wooden sculptures. He’s lost a lot of weight compared to before and has aged considerably…… That’s why, well, Rinji-san now looked younger than him.]

With a wry smile, Lili continued.

[He doesn’t say much, but it seems Dad is reflecting on his actions back then. He seems to deeply regret how he treated Rinji-san at the time, you know? But… you know, Dad can be clumsy like that. So…… it seems like rather than hoping for a reunion now, he’s trying to forget what happened with Rinji-san.]

After that, the two fell silent for a while.

Rinji finally spoke up.

[……Is it okay if I go see him? After this battle, I want to meet him again.]

[Of course.]

Turning her gaze away, Lili smiled.

[I’m sure Dad will be happy.]

[When that happens, I’ll bring my wife and Lili-chan’s cousins along.]

[Oh, Rinji-san, you have children?]

[Yeah.]

[Heehhh……]

Again, there was a period of silence between them.

But this time, it was a somewhat calm silence.

Eventually, Rinji said quietly.

[……I’m sorry to you too, Lili-chan.]

[Hmm? No, I don’t think badly of you, Rinji-san. Besides…… the current Drunken Sword Party operates on the policy of “not overly rejecting those who come and not chasing after those who leave”. If you don’t like our policy———- if it doesn’t suit you, you can leave freely. We cherish our comrades. But I don’t want to force anyone to stay in the Drunken Sword Party. If I did, it would only make us both unhappy.]

[You seem to be running the party well, Lili-chan.]

[That said————]

Lili wore a sarcastic smile.

[Recently, it feels like our Drunken Sword Party has been used well by Vysis; that’s a shortcoming. I need to reflect on that too. Well…… I’m just grateful to the comrades who trust me and stick by me.]

Lili looked at her comrades in the Drunken Sword Party, her trust visible in her eyes.

The members of the party who were familiar with Oru were now rejoicing at their reunion.

Rinji and Lili watched that scene side by side.

[……I don’t want anyone to die.]

[I wish for that too but…… this battle, I heard Vysis’ side had been fighting desperately. So…… it might be quite a tough fight. I wonder if we can even win……]

[Don’t worry.]

Saying this, he pointed towards me.

[We’ve got this guy——– a High-rank Hero on our side.]

[Heehhh…… We have a Hero from Another World here huh…… ——–Hmm? Looking at you again, aren’t you……]

Lili’s brows furrowed.

She approached and closed the distance between us.

[We’ve already met, haven’t we?]

Yasu pulled his face back.

[It’s——– It’s been a while……]

Rinji looked surprised.

[Arehh? What? You two know each other?]

Lili pointed to me with her thumb.

[Me and the others have been called by Vysis to train them Heroes. Well, we weren’t in charge of this kid…… ———-But still…… Who are you?]

[Eh? I’m…… Tomohiro Yasu……]

Lili closed her eyes, her brows furrowing further.

She crossed her arms, desperately trying to pull together the threads of her memory.

[No… I do remember, but somehow, the you now…… seem like a different person from when we were around?]

Yasu averted his gaze.

[Actually, since then…… a lot has happened. So———]

He bowed his head.

[I’m sorry for showing a lot of unpleasant attitudes back then……]

Lili looked stunned, but her expression quickly shifted to one of understanding.

Her gaze caught Yasu’s bandages and wounds.

[……Well, you must have had a lot going on too. I’m not interested in digging it up. If you’re going to fight with us as an ally, then I have no intention of saying anything about the past. You seem more likable now anyway. I mean———- regardless of past attitudes, I know your strength. Can I count on you?]

[I- I’ll do my best.]

Lili rested her chin in her hand and saying, “That said……”, she brought her face close again.

[The Black Flame Hero from back then is the same person as this guy huh…… The same goes for Fly King, it’s strange how there are so many discrepancies between my past impressions of people and now.]

(Eh?)

[……The Fly King? Are you talking about Belzegia-san?]

[Hmm? The way you’re talking…… have you met him?]

[Yes…… I owe my life to him, so to speak……]

[Heehhh…… We’re alive here thanks to the Fly King’s arrangements as well.]

[Um, have you met Belzegia-san too, Lili-san……?]

[Hmm.]

Lili pursed her lips, as if unsettled.

[I mean, we fought him in the past, or rather…… he saved our lives——— no, actually, before that, it seems I apparently met the guy behind Belzegia’s mask? Us being saved by him was apparently because he met us back then.]

Yasu was shocked.

[Eh? That means…… you saw his real face?]

[……Yes, but……]

Lili scratched her head as if shaking off a sense of discomfort.

[When I met the boy back then, and then again when I met him as the Fly King…… It’s hard to connect them between each other. At that time, he looked completely harmless……]

A young man.

It seems Belzegia-san’s true self is younger than expected.

[Did he go by the name Belzegia back then?]

[Ah, I didn’t ask for his name…… But if you check the name he wrote down during the recruitment for the Mills Ruins expedition, you might find out his real name. Well, there’s a chance he used a fake name there too.]

[………………..]

Could it be because of that mask and the Fly King outfit?

He gave off an impression that was somewhat inhuman.

But inside, he was definitely human.

(……I hope to see him again.)

As expected, I really want to meet him again.

Just like with Sogou Ayaka———– wanting to meet him as I am now.

<Author’s Notes>

The next chapter is scheduled to be updated on Sunday, October 27th, around 9pm.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep