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“As expected of you, Kanami. Or rather, I should say ‘Christ’ now, shouldn’t I?”
The voice came from above.
Just like with Teida, my guard was thin toward the sky. I seem to have a bad habit of letting my focus drop vertically right after a battle.
While I glared up in caution, Lastiara leaped down from the tavern roof.
“It’s been a while. Did I keep you waiting?”
She approached me, her long golden hair bouncing. Her outfit was the same as when she attacked me before—high-quality cloth, light and agile.
There was only one difference: a silver sword hung at her waist.
Our eyes met. As always, she had eyes that made it hard to believe she was the same species as me.
“Not particularly… I wasn’t waiting for you.”
I shot back firmly, maintaining direct eye contact with her deep golden pupils. I wasn’t the same person I was on that first day. I had grown accustomed to this world and gained the power to resist. The pressure I used to feel from her wasn’t as overwhelming as before.
Keeping my guard up, I used Focus on her.
Details about Lastiara that I couldn’t see before flooded into my mind. Level, skills, weapon—everything was top-tier.
However, she was within my range of tolerance. If I were still Level 1, she would have been ten times stronger than me. But now? She was an opponent I could definitely fight.
“How cold. Even though I’ve been waiting for this day for so long.”
“Cold? You’re the reason I was just put through hell…”
“But for you, Kanami, that wasn’t really much of a problem, was it?”
“That wasn’t… much of a problem?”
She dismissed a duel with one of humanity’s highest-class knights as if it were nothing.
“More importantly, drop the polite speech. Let’s stop acting like strangers. After all, we’re supposed to be ‘lovers’ now.”
Lastiara smiled, as if to say such formalities weren’t needed between us. Then, she had the audacity to flatly state, “We’re supposed to be.”
I tightened my guard. I had been jerked around by her selfish whims far too many times.
“Fine. I don’t feel like showing manners to someone like you anyway.”
“Hehehe. You’re quite bold now that your level is up. …Ah, I should drop the formal tone too. This grandiose way of speaking isn’t right for talking with you, Kanami.”
“Let me say this first. I won’t do as you want. Even if you attack me, I don’t plan on losing anymore.”
“How violent. I’m always acting out of goodwill and affection, you know?”
“And the result of that ‘goodwill’ was Radiant just now?”
“It was good practice, wasn’t it?”
Lastiara kept talking as if it were nothing. There wasn’t a hint of hesitation in her voice. She genuinely seemed to think that duel was trivial.
My position at the tavern.
The danger of a duel with real swords.
The impression the knights would have of me.
This girl didn’t care about any of it.
“How could that possibly be good prac—”
“If it was a false accusation you had no memory of, you could have just explained it patiently, right? But you accepted the duel. You thought, ‘I’m no match for the Celestial Knights (at this level). They’re perfect for a warm-up.’ Isn’t that right?”
“—!?”
Those golden eyes.
Was that Eye of the Pseudo-God skill seeing right through me?
There was no doubt she was reading my thoughts to some extent. Lately, I felt like I was doing nothing but dealing with people who had eye-based skills.
It made things incredibly difficult. I suddenly found myself desperately missing the pure and innocent Dia.
Seeing that I didn’t respond, Lastiara continued on her own.
“Exactly as I thought. You and Sera are simply made of different stuff. The density of the soul residing in your bodies is different. A level difference is practically non-existent. I wanted to teach you that, and I wanted to share that feeling with you. I thought it was ‘just right’ too.”
Lastiara spoke with flushed cheeks, her breathing shallow. Her eyes shone with a brilliant madness. Her tone became increasingly theatrical, revealing how intoxicated she was with her own words.
“You and I, Kanami—we live on a higher stage. The spotlight of the story is close to us. We are loved by the world, gifted, and blessed. We are the chosen ones. Soon we will be alone, with only each other by our sides—that’s why I’m saying we should take each other’s hands.”
Lastiara finished her speech and reached her hand out to me.
I had to weave my words carefully so as not to be swallowed by her insanity.
“…There might be a grain of truth in that. But it’s a narrow-minded way of looking at things. …So, what is it you actually want?”
“O-oh? That’s a weak reaction. I put a lot of thought into that recruitment pitch.”
Lastiara tilted her head as I answered calmly, refusing to be swept up in her momentum.
“See? In the end, you’re just doing this for fun. That’s why I’m only half-listening to you.”
“Hmm, I’ll admit that doing things ‘for fun’ is half of it… But I want you to believe that the other half is serious. I’m truly looking for a partner. Simply put, I want to join your Labyrinth exploration. …Won’t you become my comrade?”
“No. I refuse.”
I answered with a knee-jerk reflex, without even thinking deeply.
“That was fast! Hey, think about it a bit more! That’s way too quick!”
Lastiara waved her hands frantically. I handled her outburst with cold logic.
“Of course it is. You’re far too suspicious.”
“It wouldn’t be fun if you knew everything from the start! Wouldn’t it be more interesting if my true identity was revealed as time went on?”
“No, I’m not looking for ‘interesting’…”
“Eh? Then why are you diving into the Labyrinth?”
“That’s obvious… it’s so I can go home.”
No one was around.
Even so, someone might be listening, so I didn’t go as far as saying where exactly I intended to return. But for Lastiara, who likely knew that two worlds existed, this should be enough to get the point down.
“Eh, you’re going home?”
Lastiara replied, sounding genuinely surprised.
“Of course. It’s the only thing I’ve thought about. Ever since that day.”
“Heh… hmm. Then I think you’re going to need me even more.”
I knew what she was trying to say. Certainly, having Lastiara’s cooperation would make exploration much easier. On top of talent that rivaled Dia’s, she had abilities perfectly suited for the vanguard. Honestly, I wanted her help so badly I could taste it.
Once I acknowledged her value, my tone naturally softened.
“It’s true that having you as an ally would be reassuring… but I know too little about you. I can’t do this unless I’m certain our interests align.”
“Interests, huh… I think they do, though?”
“Then tell me. What is your goal?”
Lastiara’s goals. Healing my body on the first day. Attacking me in the middle of the night to force a level-up. Having the Celestial Knights hunt me down. Forcing a duel with a knight like Sera just to pitch herself to me.
Unless I understood the ‘why’ behind all that, I would view her as an enemy forever.
Perhaps my unwavering resolve reached her, because Lastiara’s expression shifted, and she let out a single, quiet sentence.
“I only have one goal. I want to try it. An Adventure.”
Her eyes were as straight and mad as ever. But unlike before, I felt a spark of human-like longing in them.
“You want to go on an adventure?”
“Yeah, a heart-pounding adventure. If possible, I want to enjoy the Labyrinth with people I can call comrades. Ah, but when I say comrades, it has to be people who won’t give me special treatment, okay? Also, they have to be able to keep up with me. That part’s important.”
“I certainly fit those criteria, but…”
“I’ve been bored for so long… Stuck in a cage ever since I was born. No stimulation, nothing. Just a prison where everything is provided for me. That’s why I was jealous of the people in hero stories and adventure tales. I envied a life where you lose things or gain things by your own will. I couldn’t help but be envious.”
Lastiara spoke with a flood of raw emotion. It was clear and easy to understand. It sounded like the heart’s cry of a childish, pure envy. It felt like a child’s tantrum, yet because of that, I felt there was no lie in her passion.
And I realized she reminded me of someone.
“…I think I understand your perspective now.”
“If you understand, then I want you to take responsibility. I was able to keep myself under control until I met someone fun like you, you know? But then, someone with the skill ‘Foreigner’ shows up at Level 1, battered and at their absolute limit, exploring the Labyrinth all alone—because a person that enviable existed, I couldn’t hold myself back anymore. I couldn’t stop wondering what kind of adventure the protagonist of that story was going to have. So, let me in. Please…”
It started as a demand and ended as a plea. Her posture was completely inconsistent; I could see her emotions fluctuating by the second. The more we talked, the more Lastiara’s instability was exposed.
She was terrifyingly unstable. Like a house of cards that could collapse at any moment. An immature spirit that didn’t match her mature body or high level. Judging from her story, being a typical “sheltered girl” was likely the cause. That gap gave others the impression of a child playing by crushing ants.
“…Sigh. I clearly understand now that you’re a very childish person.”
“I’m serious, Kanami. I’ll help you with your goal of ‘going home,’ so I want you to help me with my dream. Please.”
Hearing my blunt assessment, Lastiara huffed indignantly and continued the negotiation with a serious face. Seeing that, I confirmed she really was her age at heart.
It was true that Lastiara remained dangerous. However, if she wasn’t an “unknown,” I could find a way to use her. The terms of the negotiation weren’t bad either. In fact, if I could control her childishness, there was no talent as great as hers. Furthermore, if I let her go, the disadvantages would outweigh the benefits. Since she had information about me, letting her roam free meant a constant risk of leaks. It was better to keep her under my watch.
I quickly calculated the gains and losses in the short time I had. Then, I chose my words slowly.
“…Fine. I’m always welcoming of collaborators. If it’s just forming a party to see how things go—”
“Yay! Thank you!”
Before I could finish, Lastiara joyfully grabbed my hands. I let her have her way while I laid out the conditions for the party.
“But if you pull anything strange, I’ll beat you down immediately. I’ll disable you and kick you out of the party.”
If I decided I couldn’t control her, I’d silence her on the spot. I had to resolve myself to that. Though, whether I could actually pull off “silencing” her was a huge question mark.
“Okay, okay! I just want to play in the Labyrinth with Kanami. I won’t do anything weird.”
“Also, clear up the misunderstanding with Sera Radiant and the others.”
“Eh? Hmm, let’s keep that going. If the setting is that we’re lovers, I think there will be fewer pursuers. Those people over-idealize romance, so this is actually more convenient.”
Over-idealize romance? I thought love was precious too, but that seemed like a mindset ill-suited for this world. Well, no use thinking about it now. What mattered were the pursuers.
“Wait. Does that mean your family’s pursuers will always come as a set?”
“You get me, and you get practice partners too! Kanami, isn’t this a great deal!?”
So they were coming. True, at this point, I had to rate opponents of that level as mere “practice partners.” I felt like I was being a bit manipulated by Lastiara, but I might as well give it a try. If things got bad, I could just throw everything away. Above all, dueling with knights was genuinely educational. They weren’t too strong or too weak, yet they were rich in technique. And since we were protected by rules, there was no murderous intent. I chose a quick finish with Sera, but depending on the situation, I could take my time to observe their skills.
“Sigh… I guess it’s fine…”
“Yes! You just nodded! You definitely nodded!! You can’t say no later!!”
Seeing me nod vaguely, Lastiara seized the moment to grip my hands tighter and shake them.
【Lastiara Huzya has joined the party】Party Leader: Kanami Aikawasystem_
The party ‘Display’ appeared in my vision. I had been using the system somewhat aimlessly, but it seemed the conversation just now fulfilled the conditions for joining. I’d have to experiment to find the details, but for now, it seemed mutual verbal agreement was enough.
—With this, my party had four members. In just two days, it had increased by two. Well, having more people probably isn’t a bad thing… probably…
“Then, let’s head to Kanami’s base! Man, I’m so looking forward to tomorrow’s adventure—”
“Wait, wait, wait. Are you planning to follow me all the way to my house?”
“Yeah?”
Lastiara answered with a natural smile. It was a smile full of girlishness. It wasn’t androgynous like Dia’s, nor was it young like Maria’s. She was a girl around my age and about my height. It was impossible not to be conscious of her.
“H-hold on a second…! Let me think…!”
I hurriedly tried to stop her. Lastiara intended to use my house as a base. I didn’t know how party members treated each other in this world, but was sharing a lodging common? For penniless rookie explorers, it would make sense for saving money. Since we were comrades, I didn’t mind helping—but if she had money, wouldn’t it be natural to stay separately?
Actually, while I said we were comrades, I wanted to keep her at a distance during peace-time. She wasn’t a weakling like Maria.
“Kanami, not yet?”
“No, I’m just a bit taken aback… But could you not stay at my house? I don’t know how it is in this world, but in mine, it’s a bit embarrassing for a boy and girl close in age to sleep under the same roof. Let’s stay in different places. You have money, right?”
“I don’t know much about this world or Kanami’s world, so I don’t really get it… but in books, comrades always stayed at the same inn! I think that sounds more fun, and money isn’t infinite. You have to save when you can. That’s what I think.”
Lastiara didn’t know the common sense of adventurers either. However, she had learned a fair amount from books. If that was the case in the adventure tales of this world, then the adventurers here must do the same. Saving when you can—that was a value I could agree with.
“I-is that so… then I guess that’s just how it is…?”
When she attacked me while I was sleeping before, she didn’t take my life. So, I figured I didn’t have to worry about being murdered by her in my sleep. In that case, lending her a place to stay might be okay. The rest was just a matter of my own embarrassment. The issue of a beautiful girl like Lastiara being close. I was certainly happy as a guy, but those emotions were useless to me right now.
“Is it really something to worry about that much…? You could think about it more lightly, couldn’t you…?”
Unable to bear watching me agonize over it, Lastiara chimed in.
“…Fine. You can come. I have plenty of rooms, anyway.”
“Eh, plenty of rooms? It’s not an inn?”
“Yeah, I have a house. I got my hands on it just the other day.”
“Heh, that’s lucky. Though I was looking forward to a run-down inn like in the stories. Something like the place Kanami was staying before.”
“Before? You mean that place on the first day? That was an expensive inn, you know.”
“Hoooh. That means there are even more ramshackle and cramped inns than that. Sounds fun.”
Lastiara seemed to have a romanticized view of poverty. If someone truly suffering from poverty heard her, they would surely be furious. This kind of insensitivity was Lastiara’s flaw.
With our talk finished, we began preparing to head home.
“Ah, one last thing. Stop calling me Kanami. I go by Christ Eurasia here.”
“Hmm. Got it, Christ. …By the way, what does that name mean?”
“It’s the name of a famous teaching and a continent in my world. If someone who knows them hears it, they’d be very surprised.”
“I see, so it’s convenient for finding people from your home. Hehe, even if it’s a coincidence, it’s interesting. Just like me.”
“Now that you mention it, your surname is the name of the country, isn’t it? Does that mean you have royal blood? If so, I’m not going to like that.”
“Hmm. That’s true, but it’s not rare in this Allied Nation. Over a hundred powerful people and nobles call themselves Kings. This nation is governed by many Kings. It’s a remnant of how they used to absorb small countries like idiots in the past.”
“Heh… I didn’t know about this world’s history, so that’s interesting.”
“The leader of the Great Power Huzya back then was such a total idiot, it’s hilarious. It’s one of my favorite hero tales. After taking over a country, instead of killing those who called themselves King, he would praise them. He failed many times because of it, but that leader never gave up. He kept fighting for decades with only the wish to make people smile. And then—”
Lastiara looked happy as she began telling the hero’s story. Listening to her, I began the walk home. Beside me, Lastiara continued talking without tiring. Thinking it wasn’t bad to learn the history of this world, I listened to her story endlessly.
And then, I thought about what would happen after we arrived. Maria was waiting at the house. Even though we were now a four-person party, Dia, Maria, and Lastiara—each of them thought of themselves as being in a two-person party with me.
Things had become a bit complicated. I thought for a moment about how to explain it to each of them, but I immediately stopped. They’d probably just give each other a quick introduction and that would be it. It wasn’t a big deal.
Without any particular tension, I made my way toward the house where Maria was waiting.
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