Vol 1 Chapter 17 (2/2)
“Thank you, Ranta,” Haruhiro said with an deliberately serious expression
Ranta’s eyes ith surprise and he looked away towards the ground “…A—As long as you guys know it My a? Price evaluation? Whatever You guys constantly underestimate my abilities, so bea favor here Not that I really expect anything…”
They had planned to search the shops for plate armor after dinner, but it was late by the tiht to Sherry’s Mary was nowhere to be seen, and Haruhiro wondered if she purposely avoided coht because he had invited her earlier
“Seriously, that girl is anything but adorable Saoes for Yume,” Ranta said It see hiht “She doesn’t say hi, she doesn’t say thank you, she doesn’t say sorry It’s over for her All she has is good looks and nothing but good looks She’s top-class hot Not as hot as that elf in Souh…”
“B—but…” Mogzo hadn’t taken off his new helm yet It seemed that he was really into it It h “Last time she healed me, she said sorry to me Mary”
“Quit lying, Mogzo,” Ranta replied “She ain’t that kind of person”
“I’ot wounded on the head that time, she touched the cut and said she was sorry if she was hurting me”
“That’s right, she did…” Haruhiro remembered now He was out of earshot, but Mary definitely said so She was apologizing…”
“She protected ht,” shi+horu nodded “She’s not friendly, but I don’t think she’s cold-hearted, or a bad person”
“Mary’s super adorable!” Yume declared
“I made it a point to watch Mary today and—” Haruhiro explained everything he noticed froht to the others
In her oay, it seehly and completely It was just that she never told anyone what she was thinking, and that she spoke so curtly She had an attitude proble
“I think that if we s the way she does,” Haruhiro continued, “we could definitely ith her But the question is, is it enough to stop there?”
“What’s so bad about it?” Ranta scoffed, and took a big swig of beer “As long as that bitch does her job, then what’s the proble her job in the first place!”
“But you thinking that is the bigger problem,” Haruhiro replied
“How does what I think nore my opinions anyway”
“Quit whining”
“I ain’t whining, just telling it like it is That bitch is an outsider, but I’m no different”
Did Ranta really feel that way? Haruhiro had never noticed It wasn’t just Mary; Haruhiro never properlyabout it now, Ranta was like a little kid He wasn’t okay with callous treatment; but in that case he should be more careful about what he said to others Whatever treatht it upon himself
However, telling hi him to fix his personality, which was easy to say but wasn’t nearly as easily done It wasn’t like Ranta had no redeeood points too
“I’ized “It’s my bad I’ll be more careful from now on”
“T-That’s right! Y-You’d better be, idiot!”
“You didn’t have to go that far”
“There’s nothing wrong with calling an idiot an idiot, eeeeediot!”
“Ranta…” Haruhiro rubbed the back of his neck
He didn’t even feel like getting angry anyh and through Rather than respond properly, better just to say whatever and leave it there And Haruhiro recalled Manato doing exactly that
Haruhiro sighed and taking a look around the tavern, noticing so a surcoat with Orion’s sy up the stairs to the second floor
“Er, I’o say hi to shi+nohara”
“Whaaaaat?!” Ranta protested “You’re planning to join Orion all by yourself, aren’t you?! I won’t let you! I’ too!”
“I don’t plan on any such thing But I guess if you want to co…”
“Me too, then,” Mogzo said
“And Yu too!” Yume declared
“U left here all alone is…”
A small part of Haruhiro wondered if it was really okay for everyone to come, but the five of them filed up the stairs to the second floor nonetheless shi+nohara noticed hi, and stood up from his seat
“Well, it’s been a while, Haruhiro Are those your teammates?”
Wow They had only met once but shi+nohara remembered him Haruhiro was impressed He also noticed that around them stood only Orion clan members There must have been twenty, no, more than thirty present There were more males, but around a third were female Everyone hite Orion cloaks
“G-good evening,” Haruhiro stuttered “Umm…”
“Come, come, over here,” shi+nohara invited “Hayashi+, could you grab some chairs for them?”
“Sure thing” The one called Hayashi+ was a short-haired, narrow-slit eyed“Here you go”
shi+nohara sat back down and invited Haruhiro and the others to take a seat as well Haruhiro noticed the other Orion clan members were incredibly well-mannered Rather than stare at the newcohed ah Haurhiro and the others didn’t order anything, drinks were set down before them
Mogzo, Yume, shi+horu, and even Ranta Each was as silent as a mouse; everyone ed by Orion
“So, how are things going for you, Haruhiro?” shi+nohara asked “I see you haven’t bought your Criotten used to life here?”
“Yeah, but how did you know I haven’t bought my contract yet?”
“Everyone’s interested in how rookies are doing You’re working in Daht? It seems that behind your back, there are some who mock your party as ‘The Goblin Slayers’”
“Ah Well, we really don’t go after anything but goblins…”
shi+nohara was silent for a few htened in his seat “I’m sorry about your friend”
“…Thanks” Haruhiro’s gaze dropped to the table and clasped his hands tightly together
So shi+nohara even knew about that But maybe it wasn’t all that unco, Altana see behe crammed into a very limited amount of available space The small world of Crimson Moon was just a mere chip
It see as infor hidden, it would spread in an instant
Haruhiro continued, “…I don’t knohat else to say, except that I’ood person”
“I may sound ostentatious,” shi+nohara said, “but I kno it feels to lose friends I’ve lost companions before too”
“Is… that so? I don’t knohat to—”
“Never forget that feeling” shi+nohara spoke in a quiet tone, but in his eyes was a deep, deep sadness as he looked froh youthe pain, carve it well into your hearts and hold dear the companions who are with you now Hold dear the tioes, you will never be able to get it back There will always be regrets, but try your hardest not to be left with any”
Haruhiro and the other’s hands automatically went to their chests as they listened to shi+nohara’s words Hold dear the companions who are with you now… If only they had treated Manato more dearly, if only they had appreciated him more while he was still alive If only they tried to understand his now
But because of that, they had to hold dear the time they had with each other now, in order not to be left with any regrets
Haruhiro didn’t knohen he was going to die It was the sazo, Ranta, Yume, and shi+horu And Mary as well If soret not having said this, done that, not anyrets, either
“shi+nohara, can I ask you so?” Haruhiro said
“Sure, if it’s so I can help with”
“It’s about Mary I saw you talking with her yesterday and I’m sure you already know that she’s in our party now”
“Yes What about her?”
“Can you please tellperson, but even if tried to ask Mary herself, I doubt she’d talk to me”
shi+nohara tapped his finger on the table “I believe… that’s so They were in the same party once”
“…Really?” Haruhiro shi+fted his gaze to the table next to hi a drink from his tankard
Their eyes aze and nodded