Lightblade Moves

That night, the Adventurers’ Guild tavern was wrapped in a lively atmosphere.

Because a party hosted by Twilight Lightblade was being held.

Filardo greeted the adventurers.

“This is our apology for us suddenly showing up and snatching Largorin away! Drink as much as you like and clear away your frustration!”

Misha and I stood at the edge of the tavern and listened to those words.

The adventurers threw their voices at him.

“If you lose, we’ll laugh at you!”

“After doing all this, it’d be something if someone else snatched it away!”

Filardo replied to those words.

“I know it’d be a huge disgrace! That’s why I’m cornering myself like this! Sorry, but I’m a man who’s strong in adversity!”

The atmosphere was bright and soft—

Surely that was because Filardo and the others were recognized by the other adventurers.

I felt as though I was being shown their overwhelming caliber as adventurers.

Misha, beside me, opened her mouth.

“Filardo-san is interesting!”

“Yeah.”

“Do you want to become like that someday too, Ios?”

“……Can I?”

“Hmm, impossible!”

“That hurts, you know!?”

“Ios, you’re serious, after all. You might not be suited to getting casually relaxed in that nice way.”

Guh!

The analysis was so accurate that an invisible knife stabbed into my heart.

I cleared my throat with a cough. Then, in a theatrical tone—

“This is on me! Drink and make merry! Cheer on our exploits!”

When I tried saying that, Misha shivered.

“……Uuuuu…… Isn’t it cold?”

“That hurts, you know!?”

“Ah, no, I don’t mean it that way. Isn’t it cold in the real sense?”

Misha’s eyebrows formed a troubled shape as she looked toward the wall behind her.

……Certainly, the cold air coming from the wall seemed to have grown stronger by one step…… no, maybe by about two steps…….

It was then.

With a loud bang, the guild door opened.

A trembling adventurer rushed in. On the adventurer’s head and shoulders—pure-white snow had piled up.

“Hey! It suddenly got cold, and now even snow’s started falling!”

A cold wind blew in from behind the man, freezing the atmosphere in the tavern.

Clicking his tongue, the man immediately closed the door.

Everyone’s gaze turned toward the windows.

There, summer snow could be seen continuing to fall one flake after another.

Until just now, it had been cold, but snow had not been falling. In other words, what that meant was—

The looseness disappeared from Filardo’s face.

“The sortie was planned for tomorrow, but change of plans! Largorin seems lonely, so we’re going right now! You all keep enjoying yourselves!”

After saying that, Filardo left with his companions.

I exchanged looks with Misha.

“Hey, Misha—”

“Heeheehee! There’s no reason to back down here!”

We also returned to the inn, hurriedly got our equipment in order, and headed for the road leading to the mountain.

As we waited, Filardo and the others from Twilight Lightblade came over.

“Hm? You two?”

Filardo, who had noticed me, opened his mouth.

“Filardo-san, could you bring us along too? The stone monument was destroyed, right? There shouldn’t be much time. I think there are things we can help with.”

“No. Go back.”

The one who said that sharply was a heavily equipped woman—Alicia, a shield-specialized warrior who supported Lightblade’s front line together with Filardo.

“That woman you met during the Brennen Tiger hunt, there’s a possibility an agent from the Company is involved. ……If things go badly, you’ll die, you know?”

Together with those words, the sadistic smile of that woman clad in black and white surfaced in my mind.

The cold fear that revived slid down my spine.

However, even so—

I could not stop my feet because of that.

“Isn’t that exactly why you need more hands? With such a powerful enemy present, Lightblade won’t be able to easily turn its attention to other things, right?”

“Mgh!?”

Alicia bent her body backward.

……I had tried saying it in desperation, but apparently it was unexpectedly effective.

Filardo laughed softly and tapped Alicia on the shoulder.

“Well, isn’t it fine? It’s true that we’re short on hands.”

Then, he looked at us.

“But, Ios. If you want to come, I won’t stop you, but now is the time to turn back. I can’t deny the possibility that you’ll die. And we don’t have the leisure to protect you. If necessary, we’ll abandon you. ……Are you prepared?”

“Yes!”

I nodded firmly.

That went without saying. I was not standing beside Filardo to be protected. I was doing it to be useful!

Hearing my answer, Filardo nodded.

“You’re saying you won’t be a burden. There’s no loss for us. We’re bringing you along.”

“Haaah, even while saying that, you’d save them when it came down to it, wouldn’t you……”

Alicia grumbled as she followed after Filardo.

We would fight together with Lightblade.

More than joy, pressure and tension weighed down on my shoulders. Once I overcame this trial—and when I truly felt that I had been useful to Filardo, surely it would turn into my pride.

Misha and I nodded to each other and followed after the heroes.

Stepping through the snow, we climbed the mountain. The magical light Misha had lit on her staff illuminated the darkened path.

“See, they were useful, right?”

“……Well, yes.”

At Filardo’s words, Iris gave a wry smile.

Incidentally, when there was no mage, they used a Light Stick. It was a stick that lit up when twisted and could be hung from the belt at one’s waist.

It was when we had reached halfway up the mountain.

“……Hm……? What is that?”

Filardo looked up at the summit.

There, an abnormal sight was spread out. For some reason, the summit glowed faintly, and from there, fragments of red light were being absorbed into the night sky.

In a sense, it was fantastical and beautiful, but—

I felt an eeriness from the sight that should not have been possible.

When everyone had lost their words, Misha beside me muttered.

“—Huh, seriously?”

As Misha looked up at the summit, she continued in a stunned tone.

“Could that possibly be ore magic……!?”