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“Because you’ve been missing for five years,”
“Your adventurer’s license has expired.”
Silence.
“…Huh?”
Only Alt’s bewildered voice echoed through the guild.
The female Association employee didn’t change her expression in the slightest.
“Currently, Alt Rain’s adventurer registration has been revoked.”
“Wait, hold on.”
Alt instinctively raised his hand.
“Removed?”
“Yes.”
“Not just expired?”
“After the license expired, the prescribed number of years passed, so it has been completely removed.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“It’s a fact.”
Alt clutched his head.
“…Seriously?”
He couldn’t believe it.
Until five years ago, he’d been a regular adventurer.
He never imagined that his license itself would have disappeared.
“Five years ago, we also sent you a notice regarding your registration renewal.”
“Renewal?”
“Yes.”
Alt searched his memory.
That’s right.
He thought he remembered receiving such a document.
But he’d been busy back then.
Running the guild.
Quests.
Paperwork.
And preparing for his journey.
He’d planned to be back in about a month.
He could handle it when he got back.
That’s what he’d thought.
The result: five years.
“…Ah.”
Alt looked up at the ceiling.
“Is it my fault?”
“Yes, I suppose so.”
“I see.”
He couldn’t even argue back.
“What about re-registration?”
Emma asked.
The clerk checked the paperwork.
“It’s possible.”
Alt looked up.
“However—”
He had a bad feeling.
“The next registration exam will be in six months.”
Silence.
“…Six months?”
“Yes.”
“Six months?”
“Yes.”
“What am I supposed to do for six whole months?”
The staff member didn’t answer.
That was to be expected.
That wasn’t the Association’s concern.
“Well then, I’ll be going.”
The staff member bowed.
And then walked right out.
The door closed.
Silence.
Alt slumped into his chair.
“So basically, I’m unemployed now, aren’t I?”
Not being an adventurer meant he couldn’t accept quests—which meant no income.
He was completely unemployed.
“Half a year, huh…”
It hit him harder than he’d expected.
He’d just been putting on such a brave face.
“Wings of Dawn” once more.
He’d just said that.
And yet.
Unemployed.
He couldn’t bring himself to laugh.
“Come to think of it…”
Alt suddenly looked up.
“Emma.”
“Yes?”
“You haven’t filed for the dissolution of ‘Wings of Dawn,’ have you?”
Emma nodded.
“Yes.”
“We’re currently inactive, but the guild itself still exists.”
Alt felt a slight sense of relief.
“I see.”
But.
Another question immediately popped into his mind.
“Wait a minute.”
“Yes?”
“It costs money just to keep a guild active, right?”
“There’s the building, too.”
“And there are registration fees.”
“How did you manage?”
“At first, we covered it from the guild’s savings.”
Alt looked up.
“But we ran out of money after about a year.”
“A year, huh…”
That made sense.
An inactive guild has no income.
Its funds can only dwindle.
“What happened after that?”
Emma shifted her gaze slightly to the side.
“Everyone helped us out.”
“Everyone?”
“Leona and the others.”
Silence.
“…Huh?”
Alt blinked.
“The maintenance fees.”
“Maintenance fees?”
“Yes.”
“Every month.”
Alt was speechless.
“Every month?”
“Yes.”
“For four years.”
Silence.
Four years.
Leona.
Serena.
Lilia.
Mia.
Each of them had started their own guild.
They must have struggled.
They must have been busy.
And yet.
They kept this place open.
Even though there was absolutely no guarantee they’d ever come back.
“I see…”
Alt lowered his head.
His heart felt heavy.
Five years.
He’d caused them trouble.
He’d made them search for him.
He’d made them wait.
And even now.
He’s still being supported by them.
He hadn’t known anything.
Even though he’d been struggling in an unfamiliar place.
But as a result…
He’d made them shoulder it all.
“Really…”
He let out a small sigh.
“I’m such a pathetic person…”
Silence lingered for a while.
Eventually.
Alt slowly raised his head.
“I get it.”
And he stood up.
“Half a year, right?”
“I’ll get a job for now.”
Alt said that and stood up.
“I can’t just keep relying on the four of you like this.”
His voice was quiet.
But.
There was no hesitation.
“You left the guild for me, didn’t you?”
“You even covered the maintenance costs.”
“So I’ve got to do something in return.”
“First, I’ll work and make some money.”
“We’ll talk after that.”
Emma smiled, looking slightly relieved.
“That’s so typical of you, Alt-san.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
Alt scratched his head.
To be honest.
He still didn’t know what he was supposed to do.
But.
Doing nothing was the only option he couldn’t choose.
“Well.”
“I guess I’ll start by looking for a job.”
After saying that.
He muttered, as if suddenly remembering something.
“Come to think of it, I haven’t been back to my hometown village in years.”
It was at that very moment.
The air froze.
Only Alt didn’t notice.
“I wonder how Dad and Mom are doing.”
“I haven’t even stopped by to see the folks back in the village.”
“If I’m looking for work, there might be something over there, too.”
Just as he finished speaking.
He finally noticed something was wrong.
No one was speaking.
Not Leona.
Not Serena.
Not Lilia.
Not Mia.
Everyone was silent.
“…What’s going on?”
Leona spoke up.
“Rejected.”
“Huh?”
Next.
“Rejected.”
Serena.
“Rejected, then.”
Lilia.
“Rejected.”
Mia.
“Why!?”
Alt blurted out without thinking.
“What’s the problem!?”
Serena said quietly.
“Alt-san.”
“What?”
“You said something similar five years ago, didn’t you?”
Alt froze.
“…Oh.”
“‘I’m just going on a short trip.’”
“‘I’ll be right back.’”
“‘It’ll only be about a month.’”
“……”
He couldn’t argue.
Lilia let out a sigh.
“And the result?”
“Five years.”
“I see.”
Alt looked away.
Leona crossed her arms.
“Do you think he’s trustworthy?”
“This time is different!”
He replied immediately.
But.
It wasn’t convincing.
Mia muttered quietly.
“I don’t want Master to leave again.”
With those words.
Alt was at a loss for words.
He’d meant it lightly.
Really.
I’d just thought I’d go back to my hometown.
But.
For them, it’s different.
Five years ago.
I heard similar words.
And then.
I left.
I might never see them again.
Those were five years I spent thinking that.
True.
I was the one who left suddenly.
And for five years, no less.
I made them wait.
I made them search for me.
I made them worry.
On top of that.
If I were to tell them I’d be gone for another half a year…
They’d naturally want to object.
“…I’m sorry.”
Alt murmurs softly.
“I took it too lightly.”
No one told him that.
He just thought it himself.
“I wonder how much trouble I’m causing them.”
Leona and the others said nothing.
But.
They didn’t deny it either.
That was their answer.
Alt let out a deep sigh.
“I get it.”
“I’ll stay in the capital.”
“But—”
Alto gave a wry smile.
“If I’m just going to drop by for the first time in a while—”
“No.”
The answer was immediate.
“I haven’t even said anything yet!?”
“No.”
“Rejected.”
“You can’t.”
“No.”
Alt buried his face in his hands.
He couldn’t argue.
Since he’d already messed up once.
He had no credibility.
“…Alright.”
Alt exhaled as if he’d given up.
“I’ll stay in the capital.”
The four of them looked slightly relieved.
“But—”
Alt scratched his head.
“Half a year is a long time, after all.”
“I’ll have to use some old connections to find a job.”
It was at that very moment.
The atmosphere shifted.
Alt had a bad feeling.
“…What is it?”
Leona spoke up.
“There’s a place for you to work.”
Leona said.
“Huh?”
Alt looked up.
“My guild.”
Her answer was immediate.
“No—”
Alt couldn’t help but let out a wry smile.
“That’s not what I meant—”
“That’s exactly what I mean.”
Leona wouldn’t back down an inch.
“There’s nothing wrong with it.”
“It is weird, isn’t it?”
“It’s not.”
Her reply was immediate.
“We’re short-handed to begin with.”
Leona crossed her arms.
“Mission reports.”
“Contracts with the capital.”
“Budget management.”
“Training new recruits.”
“It’s a mountain of paperwork every single day.”
Alt gave a wry smile.
“It’s just the same as always.”
“Hm?”
“I went through the same thing back in the day.”
It had been the same for Wings of Dawn ever since they’d grown larger.
Assignment requests.
Income and expense reports.
Equipment management.
Training new recruits.
There were days when he spent more time at his desk than he did as an adventurer.
“Back then, I’d often try to get Leona to help out, but she’d always run away.”
Alt says.
Leona’s eyebrow twitches slightly.
“That’s why you understand, right?”
Leona continues.
“Especially when it comes to training new recruits.”
“Ah, yeah.”
Alt nods as well.
“Adventurers these days have talent.”
“But they lack experience.”
“That’s always been the case.”
“That’s why we need someone to teach them.”
Leona looked straight at Alt.
“Your swordsmanship still holds up today.”
There was not a hint of hesitation in her voice.
“Be their instructor.”
“Teach the new recruits.”
“That alone is enough to keep you busy.”
Alt scratched his head.
It wasn’t a bad offer.
In fact, it was quite realistic.
“What do you say?”
Leona asked.
Just as Alt was about to answer—
“Rejected.”
A voice rang out from the side.
A vein throbbed on Leona’s forehead.
“Serena.”
“Alt, you should come to the church.”
“Why?”
“The church is always short-handed,”
Serena replied without hesitation.
“Assisting at the infirmary.”
“Transporting supplies.”
“Organizing paperwork.”
“Helping out at the orphanage.”
“There’s plenty of work to do.”
Alt gave a wry smile.
“You seem just as busy as ever.”
“Yes.”
Serena nodded honestly.
“To be honest, we can never have enough help.”
“I suppose so.”
“Besides—”
Serena smiled slightly.
“You’re good with people, Alt.”
“Am I?”
“Yes.”
“I think the kids would be happy too.”
Alt tilted his head.
He wasn’t aware of it at all.
But.
Serena seemed to mean it.
“Rejected.”
This time it was Lilia.
“Lilia.”
“The church is out of the question.”
“Why?”
“Because the research lab is more meaningful.”
Her answer was immediate.
Lilia crossed her arms.
“Material management.”
“Maintenance of magical artifacts.”
“Research assistance.”
“Organizing records.”
“We can never have enough help.”
Alt gave a wry smile.
“You’re having a hard time too, aren’t you?”
“Of course I am.”
Lilia let out a sigh.
“It’s nothing but a hassle.”
At those words.
Alt was a little surprised.
The Lilia of the past…
She would never have said something like that.
“Well…”
Alt laughed.
“I used to be the same way.”
“Right?”
Lilia smiled slightly, too.
“That’s why you should understand.”
“Just how precious people you can trust are.”
Those words…
carried more weight than he’d expected.
Five years.
Everyone had changed.
“You two just don’t get it, do you?”
It was Mia.
She was laughing as she leaned back against the chair.
“Master’s coming to our place.”
“Why would that happen?”
“Because he’s Master, that’s why.”
“That’s not a reason.”
“It is.”
Mia said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“He’s back after five years, after all.”
“We’re going to be together from now on.”
“I don’t get it.”
“I do.”
“You…”
“So come over to my place.”
“No way.”
“Then come over every day.”
“Even less likely.”
“Then come over to my place.”
“Were you even listening?”
Alt clutched his head.
Apparently.
It didn’t look like he could expect a reasonable discussion.
“It’s normal.”
Alt let out a sigh.
“Listen up, all four of you.”
Alt spoke up.
The four who had been arguing turned toward him at the same time.
“I—”
He paused for a moment.
And then.
“I have no intention of working for any of you four.”
He said it flatly.
Silence.
Leona, too.
Serena, too.
Lilia, too.
Mia, too.
They all stared at him wide-eyed.
As if they never expected that kind of answer.
“I’ve caused you all enough trouble already, so I can’t possibly cause any more—”
She started to say that much.
“It’s not a burden.”
Leona cut her off.
Alt stopped speaking.
“Huh?”
“I said it’s not a burden.”
Leona looked straight at Alt.
“At least, I’ve never thought of it that way.”
Then.
“Me neither,”
Serena nodded.
“Not even the five years we spent searching,”
“or leaving the guild,”
“I’ve never thought of it as a burden.”
“That’s right,”
Lilia said quietly as well.
“Could you please not just assume it’s a burden?”
“But—”
“We did it because we wanted to.”
He was at a loss for words.
Mia gave a small laugh, too.
“Exactly.”
“It’s not like anyone asked us to.”
“We did it on our own.”
Alt had no reply.
He’d thought he’d been a burden.
He still thinks so.
But.
The four people standing before him felt differently.
About waiting five years.
About searching for him.
Leaving the guild behind.
All of it.
They said it was all their own choice.
“So—”
Leona crossed her arms.
“If you’re going to work, come to my guild.”
“Wait, so that’s where this is going after all?”
He retorted immediately.
But.
Not a single one of them seemed willing to back down.
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