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It was morning.
The streets of the capital were already bustling with activity.
The cries of merchants.
The clatter of carts.
People coming and going.
Alt was walking through it all.
Leona was by his side.
Neither of them spoke.
To be precise.
Alt was a little grumpy.
“…It’s not like I’m okay with this.”
He muttered as they walked.
Leona replied without turning around.
“I know.”
“Then couldn’t you have done something about it?”
“No.”
Her answer was immediate.
Alt let out a sigh.
Same as always.
Nothing has changed since yesterday.
No.
There’s no way it could have changed.
Before he knew it, the next six months of his life had been decided for him.
He naturally found himself thinking back to yesterday.
◇
“…Are you really sure this is okay?”
Alt said that.
He looked at Leona and the others.
He looked at Emma.
And then.
He looked at the Wings of Dawn.
“To be honest,”
“It’s all because I selfishly said I wanted to go on a journey.”
His voice was quiet.
“I intended to be back in a month.”
“But it ended up being four years.”
No one spoke up.
“I caused trouble for Emma, too.”
“I caused trouble for all of you, too.”
“I even made the Guild protect me.”
“And I made them pay the maintenance costs.”
He clenched his fist.
“And yet—”
“Now that I’m back, I’m going to be a burden on you all again.”
“As if that’s how things work.”
He meant every word.
Five years.
No, four years.
It had been a long time.
During that time.
I knew nothing.
But.
Everyone else was different.
They searched for me.
They waited for me.
They supported me.
They protected me.
And yet.
Here I was, back again, just relying on them once more.
I just couldn’t accept it.
The room fell silent.
That was when it happened.
“Alt.”
Leona spoke up.
“The past is the past.”
It was a short statement.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It’s a fact.”
Leona looked straight at Alt.
“You can’t change the past.”
“But the future is different.”
Silence.
“The future is built on the past,”
Serena continued.
“That’s exactly why—”
“We just need to make things better from here on out.”
“You really are so serious, aren’t you?”
Lilia said, sounding exasperated.
“You’re trying to shoulder everything all by yourself.”
“It’s obviously impossible to do that.”
“I’m just happy you came back.”
Mia nodded as well.
“Isn’t that enough?”
The words caught in her throat.
He couldn’t reply.
He didn’t know what to say.
“Alt,”
Emma smiled gently.
“Someday, this will all be a funny story.”
“Even the story of the Guild Master who was missing for five years.”
“I’m sure of it.”
“The day will come when we can all laugh about it together.”
Alt fell silent.
The past won’t disappear.
Nor does the fact that he caused trouble.
But.
There’s no need to give up on the future.
That, too, was a fact.
After a long silence.
Alto exhaled deeply.
“…I understand.”
Everyone looked up.
“I’ll work.”
“For six months.”
“I’ll be counting on you all.”
“However…”
He held up one finger.
“Only for half a year.”
“Half a year from now.”
“Once I’m eligible to register as an adventurer again,”
“I’ll become an adventurer once more.”
“And I’ll rebuild Wings of Dawn.”
That was the one thing he couldn’t compromise on.
Leona and the others said nothing.
They simply listened quietly.
“Then it’s settled, then.”
Emma smiled.
“The cycle will be every month and a half.”
“Leona will go first.”
“No objections, right?”
No one objected.
“……I’m counting on you.”
The moment Alt said that,
the expressions on all four of their faces softened just a little.
◇
“So, he ended up forcing his will on us after all…”
Alt grumbled.
“I just lost the argument.”
“Shut up.”
Leona smiled ever so slightly.
Just a tiny bit.
Seeing that, Alt thought to himself.
She smiles more than she used to, he thought.
While he was thinking about that.
Their destination came into view.
He stopped in his tracks without meaning to.
“…That’s huge.”
Standing right before them was a massive building.
A grand, stone-built headquarters.
He couldn’t even tell how many stories it had.
Numerous adventurers were coming and going.
A massive crest was displayed above the gate.
One of the Kingdom’s Four Great Guilds.
One of them.
The guild led by Leona.
“Of course.”
Leona says this with a hint of pride.
“Things are different now.”
Alt looks up at the building.
Five years.
Everyone has moved on.
He realized that fact all over again.
Leona places her hand on the large door.
Then she turns around.
“Come on in.”
“Starting today, for a month and a half.”
“This is your workplace.”
The heavy door slowly swung open.
At that moment.
The eyes of all the adventurers inside the guild turned toward them at once.
Alt stopped in his tracks without thinking.
“…What is it?”
He had nothing but a bad feeling.
The adventurers, too.
The receptionist, too.
The staff, too.
Everyone was looking at him.
No.
To be precise.
They were looking at Alt standing next to Leona.
He could hear whispers.
“Who is that?”
“Is he a newcomer?”
“Wait a minute.”
“It’s not normal for Lady Leona to bring someone here herself.”
“Is he a relative?”
“He’s a guy, you know?”
“So what?”
The atmosphere grew restless with murmurs.
Alt made a displeased face.
“Can I go home?”
“No.”
The answer was immediate.
“I haven’t even done anything yet.”
“You’re about to.”
Leona walked straight to the center of the guild hall.
And then.
Clap.
She clapped her hands.
In an instant, it fell silent.
She really was the Guild Master.
Everyone’s attention turned to Leona.
“Stop what you’re doing.”
Her voice was low and commanding.
“Let me introduce someone.”
The already buzzing atmosphere grew even quieter.
Alt had nothing but a bad feeling.
Leona took a step forward.
And then.
As if it were the most natural thing in the world, she grabbed Alto by the shoulder.
“Starting today, for a month and a half,”
“this man will be working at this guild.”
The adventurers’ gazes focused on him even more.
“His name is Alt.”
It was at that very moment.
The expressions of some of the adventurers changed.
“Alt…?”
“No way.”
“No, no.”
“But—”
A murmur began to spread.
Alt tilted his head.
What’s going on?
That reaction.
And then.
Leona continued.
“The former Guild Master of Wings of Dawn.”
For a moment.
The guild fell deathly silent.
No one spoke.
No.
They couldn’t speak.
And in the next instant.
“Whaaaaaaat!?”
A loud shout rang out.
“Wings of Dawn!?”
“You’ve got to be kidding me!?”
“The legendary one!?”
“No way!”
“He’s still alive!?”
“No, wait, wait, wait!”
The room instantly erupted into chaos.
Alt instinctively covered his ears.
“What do you mean, ‘legendary’?”
“It’s famous, that’s why.”
Leona said nonchalantly.
“I’ve never heard of it.”
He really hadn’t.
Then.
One of the young adventurers stepped forward.
His eyes were sparkling.
“T-the real thing!?”
“What are you talking about?”
“The Wings of Dawn!?”
“The Wings of Dawn, huh.”
“Wooooo!”
For some reason, he was excited.
The people around him had similar reactions.
Alt couldn’t understand it.
But.
Leona understood.
Five years ago.
The Wings of Dawn were known as the strongest in the kingdom.
And.
The man who trained all four of the Great Guild Masters.
That was Alt.
To the younger generation,
he was practically a legend.
“Hey.”
Alt whispered.
“What?”
“Why has it come to this?”
“Don’t you realize it?”
“No.”
Her answer was immediate.
Leona clutched her head.
It seemed she really didn’t realize it.
And then.
The rookie adventurers who had been watching that exchange
came to a single conclusion.
(He’s a more ordinary person than I thought…)
Alt could feel those gazes piercing right through him.
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