(part 2)

“I’ve had enough! After defeating the Demon G.o.d you hid yourself, finally when we meet here at the capital you won’t play with me much and you don’t even invite me to dinner now. Aren’t you being a bit too cold?”(ana)

“Well, it’s tiring to spend time with you after all.”(renji)

“You’re being way too rude now.”(ana)

[Seriously.]

“You’re not faring any better than me, medal woman.”(ana)

[No such thing. I’m Renji’s partner after all.]

No wait, you. Even though you’d always get irritated when I called you my partner, why do say it so happily only at such times?

Am I the only one feeling very complicated right now? I’m glad yet can’t actually feel happy about it. Ermenhilde didn’t seem to understand my inner thoughts though. If I had a way to look at her expression, she must be making a triumphant expression right now.

“Stop fighting, both of you. You’ll get scolded by Yui-chan.”(renji)

[Muu.]

“ugh..”

I sighed seeing them both get quiet just by mentioning Yui-chan’s name. It’s amazing how they can’t win against a child. They know that Yui-chan will get sad if they fight after all; these two really are honest at heart. Well, I’m not any different though.

“It’s unfair to use Yui’s name, Renji.”(ana)

[Yeah, that’s right. It’s not fair.]

“Why are you getting along now all of sudden?”(renji)

“We are not! Right, medal woman?”

[Exactly, you insect.]

Seriously, what the h.e.l.l. While chatting with Anastasia who had already forgotten her earlier anger, I opened the wooden closet to choose some clothes. It seemed to be made of some fine quality wood as it seemed really st.u.r.dy yet was actually pretty light in weight. It took almost no effort to open the double doors. Taking out a few sets of clothes from it, I shut it back up.

Tonight we’re heading towards Toudou’s restaurant, a well-hidden yet really popular place. You’d think it’d be no problem seeing as one of the 13 heroes owns the place but due to its special location, it wasn’t normally popular. After all, it’s located in one of the back alleys with complicated structures.

On top of that, he didn’t even try to advertise the place even once. Honestly, even Utano-san said that he didn’t seem to be actually interested in doing it as actual business. By the way, I couldn’t find the place by myself either and had to ask Utano-san to show me the location on a map of the capital. That’s how well hidden it is.

“Sometime later, I’ll take you out as well okay? So let me go for today.”(renji)

“Really?”(ana)

“Probably. If I felt like it, someday.”

“So basically you won’t will you!?”

While racking my brains on deciding which clothes to choose, I lightly spoke that to Anastasia. Obviously, even my purse isn’t thick enough to take anybody out for dinner even when I don’t feel like it. While ignoring Anastasia’s voice of protest, I tried some of the shirts on me. Since it’s been almost two years from when these were made, as you’d expect, they were tight. This is troublesome; I scratched my head while looking at the mirror. It’d be difficult to arrange for a new set of clothes before the night as well now. I guess the only way left is to go to a shop and get some readymade clothes. While checking if I had enough money, I planned for tonight.

Seemingly not happy from my response, Anastasia rose up from the bed. As she seemed to be using the power of wind spirits, her skirt fluttered around, making her thin, white yet nice thighs visible. Seriously, it’s way too tempting to my eyes.

“I’ll buy a grilled orc meat stick for you from some stall while returning, okay?”

“Just die!”

What violent is things this tiny is saying. Only her looks are cute, I’m sure she’d popular with men with weird fetishes. Like Koutarou, maybe Koutarou, oh and also Koutarou. He acts like a chunni but deep inside he’s like that. While I was thinking of such things, my room’s door was knocked on. And after a moment of gap, the door was opened and Yui-chan peeked inside. Behind her was the black armoured phantom knight, KNIGHT. Did they come looking for Anastasia?

“Oh, Yui.”(ana)

“Excuse me, Renji-san.”(yui)

“Yo, what’s up yui-chan? If you were looking or Anastasia, take her back with you. She keeps on quarrelling with Ermenhilde, it’s irritating.”(renji)

“Wait, what are you saying so suddenly!?”(ana)

Anastasia raised a shout at the same time as KNIGHT closed the door behind him. Yui-cahn, with a sad expression, came closer to Anastasia floating near the bed.

How should I say this, though I am the one who incited this, even I’m feeling bad now a bit. Seeing Yui-chan like that, Anastasia lost her confident expression that she has when talking to me and ermenhilde and was looking around nervously. At times she’d look at me, but I can’t help her. Just give up.

And as KNIGHT walked behind Yui-chan like a shadow maintaining the exact same distance, it looked really surreal.

“…….Ana?”(yui)

“It, it’s not like that……..wasn’t a fight. It wasn’t a fight, right Renji? It wasn’t, right!?”

Ignoring her pleas for help, I continued trying out other clothes. As expected all of them seem a bit small………but not like I can’t wear them at all. This one should work fine, I think?

Yui-chan silently reproached Anastasia and Anastasia  constantly kept on asking for some help. KNIGHT kept silent as usual and simply stood behind Yui-chan indicating that he was clearly on Yui-chan’s side. Ermenhilde and Anastasia alone made the room feel really lively already, but now it felt even more so as I gave a wry smile. I guess the proverb that it gets noisy whenever women gather isn’t that wrong either.

“Say, Yui-chan look here for a sec, which one do you think suits me more?”(renji)

Collecting the clothes that I could wear, I asked Yui-chan for her opinion. Having been freed from Yui-chan’s gaze, Anastasia also breathed a sigh in relief. Why is she so weak only to Yui-chan? Well, I guess anyone would feel guilty on being scolded by a child.

WHile listening to Yui-chan and Ermenhilde’s opinion, I began to choose my clothes as Anastasia, probably out of boredom, flopped down back onto the bed. Since Yui-chan was here, she seemed to be paying mind to not ruin her dress this time.

“Say, Renji.”(ana)

“What?”

“Is a date with Aya, fun?”

“Well, putting the fact whether can this be even called an actual date aside, yeah, it’s fun.”

“It is definitely a date. You’re going on dinner together right?”

“Before that, where the h.e.l.l did you even learn what ‘date’ meant?”

“Just now, from Yui.”

I asked that solely to avert the topic but I was a bit surprised by the unexpected name that came from her. Yui-chan didn’t seem to mind it much either it seems. No well, she’s also 16 now I guess. It’s normal for her to be expected in such things. Should I be happy at her growth or should be worried about it? Anyway, I want to know if there is someone she likes.

When I looked towards Yui-chan, she wasn’t there anymore. When did she move? She was currently pushing down Anastasia down on the bed with a red face. Probably trying to shut her mouth but since Yui-chan isn’t exactly the physically fit type, it only looked like both of them had fallen onto each other on the bed. And on top of it, both of them wore skirts so it was pretty dangerous. Giving a cough, I averted my gaze towards the window instead but the silent pressure coming from KNIGHT and Ermenhilde was way too incredible. If it was weak hearted person, he would have gottena  seizure.

Inside this, well not really a scene of ‘carnage’ (shuraba), I simply gazed out of the window.

“It’s good that everyone’s so lively, yup.”(renji)

[Where were you looking? What were you looking? Hm??]

OI, KNIGHT-san, please don’t stand beside me while realising such intense pressure will you? Also Ermenhilde, if I looked at Yui-chan and Anastasia in that way, I won’t forgive myself first and foremost, so be at ease. Stay calm.

But still, I thought.

“Is something the matter, Renji-san?”(aya)

“No, it’s nothing.”

Wearing a tight deep blue dress and a thick shwal made of monster fur, Aya looked up towards me and talked. I should try not to get to worried of the fact that we were at a distance where our elbows basically touching each other. Normally Ermenhilde who couldn’t read the mood would speak something random just about now but currently she had been left with Utano-san for safekeeping so it was really quiet.

It was night time. As I walked along the main street, now having much less people than normal, I recalled the way to Toudou’s in my head.

“Aren’t you cold?”(renji)

“fufu, no, I’m fine.”(aya)

Saying that, Aya leaned slightly more closer towards me. While acting like I didn’t notice, I scratched my cheek with my other arm. She’s in a really good mood. If I said that out loud, I wonder what she’d say. I became a bit curious but decided against asking that and slowed my walking speed a bit.

Aya felt more taller today than usual, probably because of those high heel like shoes she’s wearing. Her untied hair swayed in the wind and shined in the faint light of the magic street lamps. Her light make up suited her much more as she was always a bit more mature than her peers.

While stealing glances of Aya’s happy face enjoying the coldness, I began to follow her swaying hair before I knew. 18 yrs old. Right between a girl and an adult woman, should I say. She’s really grown, or rather, has become really pretty. I wonder if this is how a dad seeing her daughter grow up feels like. I changed my mood while thinking of such stupid things.

“Maybe we should have hired a carriage or something.”(renji)

“Don’t worry about it. Also, do you even have that much surplus money on you?”(aya)

“Muu.”

“And anyway, isn’t it more fun to walk and talk like this?”

Being told that much, I had no way to refute it. I also think that it’s not bad to chat while walking like this. As we pa.s.sed through various pa.s.serbys, we finally reached the landmark item shop  I had been told. The alley turning inside from here is where Toudou’s restaurant is located. Aya also knew the place as she lightly pulled my sleeve to tell where we need to go.

It tickled a bit. I quickly hid my smile with my other hand as we entered the alley. It seemed pretty clean for a back alley and didn’t really feel dirty. But as expected, there were a lot less pedestrians. Expect for us, only a few more couples seemed to be walking here.

“As expected, there really are not many people here, eh?”(renji)

“True. The fact that even then Toudou-san’s restaurant became popular only shows how amazing he is at cooking.”

“yeah. That said, why did he open his restaurant in sucha  place though?”

Considering its him we’re talking about, his reason would be something like, he just wants someone to enjoy his food. The number of customers is the lesser the better.

Toudou Hiiragi. One of our comrades, and a cook. A weirdo who asked for a cooking related skill even after coming to a fantasy world. A former NEET(shut-in), and sucks at social interactions. Can’t converse properly, and keeps his thoughts to himself. But still, he put in great effort to walk with us, and travel along with all of us.

As I recalled his appearance from an year ago, we finally saw our destination.

“Finally…..”

“Huh?”(aya)

“I looked for the place many times after coming to the capital but never found it.”

Also, there was the matter of my debt to Utano-san so I put more priority/effort at earning money rather than look for Toudou’s palce as well.

While thinking that, looked at the place. It’s outer appearance was basically a stone building on a wooden frame. It seems pretty well built. Even the parts that were supposedly damaged when he bought the place have been properly reinforced. When I tried touching, I felt something that didn’t exist in this world. Is this concrete?

When I looked at Aya, she gave a vague smile. It must be Kudou who prepared this. I don’t know how she prepared things like cement etc but her ability is [item creation]. She must have made it with that. Well, there was that one time where she made bombs out stones lying on the road during our journey so I’m not really surprised by anything she does. I can only say ‘oh, cool.’ That’s it.

The name of the restaurant was [Bird of Happiness]. Since the building itself felt more like a house, the board seemed oddly out of place.

“Seems like a nice place.”(renji)

“Yes. I have come here a few times before as well. It has a great atmosphere.”

“Sounds great.”

As I entered the place, the gazes of the people inside moved towards us. But their number wasn’t big at all. Going by a glance, only 10 customers and 2 employees seemed to be there. Probably one more employee should be in the kitchen. The entrance to the kitchen was in a blind spot so I couldn’t confirm it. Probably, Toudou’s there as well. The place had two floors and I could see the stairs leading to the upper floor. Since the restaurant itself doesn’t seem to be too busy, the second floor is probably Toudou’s living room.

With a greeting, the attendant led us to our seats. By the way, the employees were in maid outfits. They even had a frilled headband which really suited them. As expected, he’s a man with taste as well.

Just when I was thinking of such things, Aya pinched the back of my hand. Her smile was more scarier than the pain, so I quickly walked to our given tables.

“Seeing as he has hired employees, I guess he’s still making profit.”(renji)

“That’s true. He didn’t do much advertising but the place got popular from word of mouth it seems.”

Saying that, Aya handed over the menu card to me. That said, the number of dishes weren’t that many.

Since this world didn’t have the concept of home delivery, there was no easy way to procure ingredients so I guess, it can’t be helped really. Since we’re in the capital, it would be easier than being in some village but still, getting things cheap would be really difficult. But still, to have a full salad on the menu, does he have some connection with a farmer family? As for meat, Orc meat…….well that’s not too difficult to get.

The rest were noodle/wheat-based type of dishes you’d never normally see in this world. Taking a glance at others, everyone seemed to be eating those as well.

“I guess dishes from our world are a rarity in this world, eh?”(renji)

“Pretty much. You can only eat such things here which is why this place got popular with connoisseurs. It’s not gotten that popular though. Dishes we can get in the castle don’t appear here either after all.”

“Well obviously.”

Well, it’d be great if it did though. As expected, it’s not easy to make a dish from another world get popular that easily. After all, things like basic ingredients etc. all are different in this world. I recall him saying something like having difficulties finding subst.i.tutes for certain things. Also, the different peculiar ways to cook things is also an obstacle. I’m not an expert but if I recall correctly, to make udon, you need wheat flour, water and salt, right?

While trying to recall the recipe that I’m pretty sure is wrong, I decided on the order. Of course, it’s wheat based type. I order Tsukimi Udon and salad and Aya ordered Carbonara pasta. Hmm but well, I wonder if its weird to order something like Udon on a date but, I really want to eat that. I wonder if Toudou would make this himself?

“Is that much enough?”(renji)

“Yes. I don’t eat that much anyway.”

“If you’re worried about my financial health, you don’t have to okay?”

“……….you sound like a father, Renji-san.”

“Now, I’m not that old……..probably. At least keep me at ‘brother’.”

“fufu. But that’s the kind of presence you have. Even Souichi sees you like that, you know.”

But being a father is really.. The person who said such a troublesome thing was laughing while seeing my reaction. Even her usual cute gesture seemed more mature just because she had kept her hair loose.

Realizing my gaze, as if trying to hide her smile, she looked down to avert her gaze. Underneath the faint light of the magic lamps, I smiled seeing Aya cutely shrink herself like that to hide her embarra.s.sment.

“Somehow, it really feels nostalgic.”(renji)

“Eh?”

At my words, her face rose back up.

“Back when we had just come to this world, like, we didn’t really talk much, did we?”(renji)

“We, well that’s………”

“Back then, even during dinners like this, I only talked to Souichi and Yayoi-chan.”

“uu..”

How should I say this, but the early Aya was shy, or rather, always built a wall between herself and others I think. I know she had complicated family circ.u.mstances, and have heard about it in detail. So I can understand why she was that way, and that’s exactly why now I can talk to her like this about it.

Aya herself was blushing recalling her own past personality.

“…….Renji-san has changed as well.”(aya)

“Really?”

“Yes.”

When she said that, I felt a bit sad in different ways. Averting my gaze to look outside the window, I gave a deep sigh.

“The me back then, what was I like?”(renji)

“Eh?”

“Aya, how did—–”

At that, I stopped my own words. How should I ask her? I couldn’t think of a way. It’s way to embarra.s.sing to ask how she came to like me. And before that, how can I act that presumptuous? If I was a woman, I’d never want to even want to hang around with such an old man.

That said, I couldn’t come up with better words. Still stuck, Aya waited for me to continue.

“——-back then, from when we were travelling, have I changed?”

In the end, I went with a safe question. While sighing at myself, I turned my gaze back to Aya. Her clear eyes were looking directly at me. As our gazes connected, I felt like I’d get overpowered by her strong eyes.

“Yes.”(aya)

Still looking at me with those strong eyes, she nodded.

“The Renji-san back then was, much more cooler.”(aya)

“Cool, is it?”

What a vague word. I can’t tell how I have changed from back then but it seems I am not as cool as I was before. Well, I can’t deny it either.  I’m still stuck with my past. But——

“I see.”(renji)

“fufu.”

This girl’s eyes, the woman who always supported me, the comrades who thought of me as a leader,——-I don’t want to betray them. I want to protect them. The movement among the demons, Solnea’s existence, the absence of the Demon G.o.d. Through these various signals, I’m sure the world is going to start moving again. At that time, I’ll have to fight alongside Ermenhilde once again. No matter how much I hate fighting, I can’t run away from it.

At that time, just like that time—–just like how I sacrificed Eru to kill the Demon G.o.d, to never lose anyone ever again. I need to resolve myself to step forward once again.

“Well, it seems I’m not cool at all right now.”(renji)

“Not really. Even now, Renji-san is still pretty cool though?”(aya)

“Be honest, you don’t have to force yourself to say it, you know? Look, your face is all red.”

“……mouu, you’re supposed to ignore such things!”

While seeing Aya pout, I laughed. Even though she’s dressed so maturely, her expressions are still childish. I guess her true appearance is that of one with childish expressions maybe. As I thought of that, she looked at me with a full wide smile.

As we kept on talking like that, our order came and was arranged on the table. The steaming Udon stimulated my hunger further. Aya’s carbonara looks delicious as well.

“I’ll work hard as well.”(renji)

“Huh?”

“Nothing. Let’s eat.”

I slurped my Udon. Aya seemed to be wanting for me to say it again but, yeah whatever, this Udon is really delicious. As expected of Toudou, he has the greatest job ever. While thinking of things like a gourmet reporter, I gave a quick glance towards Aya.

Did she give up seeing that I’m not going to repeat it again, right now she was focused at the carbonara pasta she had ordered. Seeing her small gestures like holding her hair back slightly, I felt captivated. While looking at her, I thought.

———I couldn’t become a hero.

Then at least, I could move forward with confidence. Just like before. Like an year ago.

“The tournament…….”(renji)

“Yes?”

“No, well, I was thinking maybe I could try a bit harder in the fighting tournament as well.”

I doubt just trying alone would let me win but still, I might change a bit.

That alone would have enough meaning for me.

I’m not some Hero.

But even I, once admired those Heroes.