At the same table, four pairs of eyes fixed on Russell with utter exasperation.

  “Just what kind of damn gossip are you even paying attention to, you idiot...”

  “Russell, you really need to watch your back when you go out from now on.”

  “Take care. Don’t end up silenced.”

  “??! Wait, what did I do this time? Why’re you all saying stuff like that?!”

  Russell’s face crumpled in confusion—he had no clue why his companions were reacting this way.

  “Lucien, have your party been active in Bongisto for long?”

  “Not exactly. The four of us have spent different lengths of time here.”

  “Take me and Russell, for example.”

  Lucien gestured to Russell.

  “We’ve been here from the start—five or six years now. We’ve known each other just as long.”

  “I see. That explains why everyone at the guild tavern seemed so familiar with him.”

  “The guild tavern?”

  “N-Nothing! Don’t listen to her nonsense!”

  Russell yelped in panic, waving his hands frantically to cut her off—at the same time, he shot Hulim Heyerar a desperate, pleading look, as if to say, “Please, don’t tell them what happened at the tavern today!”

  “......”

  Come to think of it, Russell had made quite a fool of himself back then...

  “Wait, what about the guild tavern? Spill it!”

  Eileen leaned in, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

  “......It’s nothing.”

  In the end, Hulim chose not to expose Russell’s embarrassment.

  Russell’s face softened with relief.

  “Besides you and Russell, how did you and Frots end up in Bongisto?”

  “Oh, my journey here was so long!”

  Eileen replied, brightening up:

  “The day we ran into you, Hulim—that’s when I set out for Bongisto. I faced so many dangers along the way, and it took me over a year to finally get here.”

  “Then I happened to meet Lucien, who was forming a party and recruiting a rear guard. I joined right away.”

  After Eileen finished, Frots spoke up, his tone flat:

  “I’m different from them. Before Lucien formed this party, I didn’t just operate in Bongisto—I joined several parties, but they all disbanded for one reason or another... The Silver Party’s the longest I’ve stayed with any group so far.”

  This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  “......”

  “Frots, don’t say such a downer thing...”

  Eileen sighed, exasperated.

  “Ah, sorry. It just slipped out.”

  “Speaking of which, Hulim—this is your first time in Bongisto, right?” Lucien said. “You probably don’t know the city well. Would you like us to act as your guides?”

  A guide...

  Hulim thought it over.

  The guild clerk had said the advancement trial wouldn’t start for at least a few days—and she had nothing particular to do in the meantime.

  “That’d be great. Thank you all—”

  “Brother, isn’t this place really expensive? Maybe we shouldn’t stay here...”

  “Don’t worry. I earned a good sum yesterday—it won’t hurt our daily budget.”

  Before Hulim could finish, two familiar voices from the doorway caught her attention.

  She turned toward the entrance—and spotted two faces she knew.

  “Hey, isn’t that Arthur?!”

  Before Hulim could speak, Russell waved enthusiastically at the pair.

  “Over here! Come join us!”

  At the sound of Russell’s voice, Arthur glanced over.

  “Oh, it’s you, Russell—and the rest of the Silver Party, and... wait...”

  “E-Eh?! Hulim—?!”

  “Hulim Sister?”

  The moment they saw Hulim, both Arthur and Alice looked utterly shocked.

  “Wait, what? Arthur, Alice—you know Hulim?”

  Eileen asked, amazed.

  “We do! We’re all from Manacos—old friends.”

  “Oh right, Arthur graduated from that academy too. It makes sense you’d know each other.”

  Eileen nodded in understanding.

  Arthur pushed Alice’s wheelchair over to the table.

  “I never expected to run into you here, Hulim. Did you graduate?”

  “Mhm. Graduation went smoothly.”

  “That’s a relief! I heard you’d be away for a year—I was worried you’d miss graduation. Sounds like the year went well.”

  “It was fine. Just one annoying person who kept causing trouble—otherwise, everything went smoothly.”

  When Arthur and Alice reached the table, Lucien smiled and said:

  “Arthur, Alice—order whatever you want. Russell’s treating today~!”

  “Really?! Is that true?”

  Arthur gaped, then stared at Russell in disbelief.

  “Russell, you’re never this generous!”

  “Wait, don’t listen to him!”

  Russell clamped a hand over his coin purse in panic.

  “I’m not treating anyone! No way!”

  “Russell, you’re so stingy. You’re already treating us—what’s two more people?”

  Eileen teased, her tone playful.

  “Or... do you actually dislike little Alice?”

  “E-Eh?”

  Alice looked up, her sapphire eyes fixed on Russell.

  “Do you dislike me, Brother Russell?”

  “Guh—!”

  Russell looked like he’d been struck right in the chest, clutching it tightly with a pained expression. He shot Eileen a fierce glare—but she just turned her head away, acting like it wasn’t her business.

  Forcing a smile, Russell said to Alice:

  “O-Of course not! No one in the world could dislike you, Alice! Today’s on me—order anything you want, little one!”

  “Um...”

  Alice blinked, then bowed her head slightly to thank him:

  “Thank you, Brother Russell. But Aunt Clea taught me not to accept things from others for nothing.”

  “That’s right.”

  Arthur ruffled Alice’s hair, smiling.

  “I promised Alice I’d treat her to a nice meal today. If Russell pays, I’d be breaking that promise.”

  “Ugh, you two siblings...”

  Eileen shook her head, laughing.

  “Any other adventurer would be draining his wallet dry by now!”

  Lucien chimed in:

  “You two are still the same as ever! Here, Alice—what do you want to order? Don’t worry about your brother—he’s pretty good at earning coin.”

  He handed over the menu.

  Arthur took the menu and was about to pull out a chair—when Alice looked up suddenly:

  “Brother, can I sit next to Hulim Sister?”

  “Of course. Come on over.”

  Hulim slid her chair a little—though the table was spacious enough for Alice to fit without it, she wanted to make it easier for the less mobile girl to sit close.

  “Thank you, Hulim Sister.”

  Alice smiled as Arthur pushed her wheelchair beside Hulim.

  At the sight of her sweet smile, Hulim reached out and ruffled her hair.

  “Has your health gotten better, Alice?”

  “It has!” Alice nodded. “I still can’t walk on my own, but I can stand and take a few steps sometimes! Oh, and last year I heard you had to go far away to fix a problem—did you sort it out?”

  “I did.”

  Hulim nodded, then teased:

  “See? Don’t I look stronger than I used to be?”

  “Um... well...”

  Alice looked troubled.

  “Anyway, you’re all better now, right? That’s what matters to me.”

  “Haha,” Arthur laughed. “Hulim, Alice can’t tell how strong you are~.”

  “I know. I was just teasing her.”

  She ruffled Alice’s hair again.