In the slightly late morning, Rin ca downstairs while yawning.
Coming down to the first floor, Rin spotted Airi and Tanya sitting together at a table. Seeing the teacups placed there, it seed they were talking together.
When did those two get close?
Rin tilted her head and observed the two for a mont.
To say they were sharing a conversation, it looked more like Tanya was almost unilaterally talking to her, but still....
Airi was soone who usually avoided the mbers as much as possible due to her shyness, so just sitting in the sa spot and listening to the conversation was significant progress.
Maybe it was because they were both morning people.
Since a while ago, she had frequently seen them stuck together like this in the morning.
’What are you two doing?’
When Rin spoke to them while coming down the stairs, Airi was startled as if she had been caught with sothing she shouldn’t have seen.
And Tanya, as if it were perfect timing, pointed at Rin and spoke to Airi.
’She’s just in ti. Here, give it a try.’
Try what? As Rin waited in front of Airi with a puzzled face, Tanya continued to egg Airi on.
Eventually, Airi, who was pushed to stand in front of Rin, muttered in a very small voice.
’Ri... Rin. Hello.’
’Huh? What did you just say?’
’Hiik, I’m sorry Rin-nim!’
At Rin’s reaction, Airi let out a ’hiik’ and curled her body, but Rin moved even faster.
’Call that again!’
’I’m sorry!’
Rin pulled Airi into a hug and lifted her high up.
’Hieeek!’
To commorate Airi calling her na for the first ti, Rin lifted Airi up and spun around and around.
Ian, who had just co down the stairs, discovered that scene and montarily failed to understand what was happening.
Watching that quietly, Ian spoke softly to Rin.
’Rin. I told you not to bully the newcor.’
’I’m not bullying her! I told you we’ve beco close!’
’Hmm... Airi. If Rin is bullying you, do you want to try blinking your eyes secretly?’
Airi’s eyes started blinking at an incredible speed.
Eventually, Ian stepped in and separated Rin from her.
It was a morning where the distance between their hearts beca just a tiny bit closer.
＊ ＊ ＊
And around the afternoon after lunch.
It was a ti when everyone had left their spots for various errands, leaving Airi alone in the lounge for a while.
Ian and Rin had gone out to the guild for a brief matter, and the rest of the mbers were also elsewhere for their own tasks or personal business.
However, Airi, who had just joined the rcenary group, had no specific duties assigned yet, no hobbies, and was in a state where she had no idea what she was or wasn’t allowed to do.
In the end, she had no choice but to sit quietly in the lounge.
...Sh-should I have brought my magic book to read?
Having nothing to do, Airi was sitting still passing the ti and debating whether to go to her room when the mont ca.
With a ’bang’, the door swung open and soone suddenly entered.
’...?’
’...?’
Airi flinched and locked eyes with the person who had suddenly co in.
The person who entered was soone Airi was seeing for the first ti.
The person was quite short, looking almost like a child at a glance.
That child looked around the base, and seeing that no one else seed to be there, walked nonchalantly into the lounge.
Then, they plopped down on the sofa opposite Airi.
...Who is this?
Airi thought to herself, feeling slightly flustered.
She had lived in this rcenary base for a while now, but this was a person she was seeing for the first ti.
However, seeing how natural they were acting, she wondered if they were perhaps soone related to this rcenary group.
Thinking that, Airi first stole a glance at the child.
Similarly, that child was staring intently at Airi.
Should I try talking to them?
A thought that she didn’t usually have popped into Airi’s head.
It seed to be because she had been hearing Tanya tell her to try approaching first so she could get closer to the mbers.
Besides, the opponent was a young child. Thanks to her guard against strangers being slightly lowered, Airi mustered a bit of courage.
After a mont of hesitation, Airi carefully opened her mouth.
’Um... hello. I’m Airi.’
’Yeah, hi. I’m Frey. Call comfortably.’
Frey answered Airi with a smirk.
It was a sudden, unscheduled visit from Frey, the A-rank rcenary they had t at the vacation spot before.
’You’re a face I didn’t see last ti, are you a new mber by any chance?’
’Y-yes.... I joined a little while ago.’
Frey watched Airi intently before asking.
It was a guess made because Airi’s attitude was unmistakably that of a new mber, and her skills didn’t seem like those of a simple second-tier party mber. As expected, she was a new first-tier mber.
Hearing Frey speak as if they knew the mbers, Airi was certain the person was a child related to the rcenary group.
Could it be a child who does errands for the rcenary group?
She heard that large rcenary groups keep dedicated staff like that.
Mistakenly thinking so, Airi thought it was a fairly reasonable deduction and wore a slightly proud expression.
Since Airi had never t Frey before, it was because she couldn’t imagine who the other person was at all.
Perhaps because she completely mistook the opponent for an ordinary child.
Even Airi, who was uncomfortable around people and shy, did not maintain her guard against a child.
Airi, whose heart’s lock had loosened slightly, asked Frey.
’Fr-Frey. Do you want a cookie?’
’Oh, sure.’
Airi took out a cookie jar from the cupboard that Tanya had told her about a while ago.
Since she said she could eat whenever she wanted, it shouldn’t matter if she shared a bit.
Frey picked up a cookie Airi brought and chuckled.
’I kind of like your personality. You’re much better than the captain here.’
’Th-that is....’
Even for a child, is it okay to say that much...?
Airi flinched inwardly.
Looking at the way she spoke, they seed to be quite close. But even so, is it okay for a child who works here to speak to that extent?
While Airi was fretting and unable to answer readily, the sound of the front door opening was heard.
Ian and Rin, who had gone to the guild, had returned.
Ian discovered the guest sitting in the lounge.
’Miss Frey?’
’Hey! Why haven’t you visited!’
Frey, jumping up from her seat, shouted at Ian.
Even though she had secretly given him a coin without getting caught.
She had been waiting, thinking he would visit soon, but Ian hadn’t visited Frey once during that ti.
Ian answered Frey as if it were a misunderstanding.
’I was going to go when I had business later.’
’What business! Good grief, anyone could see that ant ’co right away’.’
As Frey plopped back down on the sofa, Ian approached and sat opposite her. Airi had already scurried away as soon as the conversation began.
’The acquisition talk is....’
’Forget that. I’ve heard the stories.’
Frey had also heard about the new type of monster that appeared during the invasion. And that Ian had taken charge of the supply of that potion.
They had beco a rcenary group that could no longer be bought with money.
I shouldn’t have listened to the vice-captain and should have bought this place no matter what according to my intuition back then.
Frey clicked her tongue softly.
’If it’s not the acquisition, then what brings you here...?’
’There’s sothing I was asked to do. By Chris.’
Frey, biting a cookie, replied while pointing at Ian.
’He said you’re doing an important investigation in the Labyrinth? He’s asking to help so you don’t get hurt in the Labyrinth no matter what.’
’Mr. Chris made such a request?’
’Yeah. He says if not, a serious problem will occur in the city.’
Frey continued the story with a face of disbelief.
’Good grief. That guy, too, has been out of the Labyrinth for a while and now he’s talking nonsense. How am I supposed to take responsibility for what happens in the Labyrinth?’
After grumbling like that for a mont, Frey looked at Ian and made a proposal.
’There are about three ways.’
’That’s surprisingly many.’
’Tell what this investigation you’re doing is. I’ll look for it instead.’
’...I cannot. I have to see it for myself to know.’
As if she hadn’t expected much anyway, Frey imdiately made the next proposal.
’Then join my rcenary group. I’ll put you in the exploration team.’
’Can you accept my command?’
’I wouldn’t like that.’
’Then that won’t work either.’
Frey, and all the other explorers, each had their own reasons for entering the Labyrinth. If they didn’t have that, for what purpose would they enter such a place?
The leadership of the exploration was an area where no one could yield to each other.
’Then there’s only one left.’
The previous two were proposals she had thought had virtually no possibility anyway.
Frey turned her head and looked at the faces of the mbers currently present, then stopped her gaze on Rin.
’It’s you.’
’Huh? , what?’
’You’re the main damage dealer. Co here.’
Rising from the sofa, Frey lightly grabbed Rin’s hand.
A flustered Rin tried to shake off the hand, but the captured hand didn’t budge at all.
What kind of strength is...?!
Startled, Rin instinctively used her maximum strength to try and break free, but Frey’s hand didn’t move an inch, as if she had been caught by so golem.
’I’m borrowing her for a bit? I’ll teach her properly and send her back.’
The final thod to make Ian’s Labyrinth expedition safe.
It was to train and strengthen the mbers entering with him.
So that they could skillfully handle any unexpected situation in the Labyrinth.
’F-for how long?’
’That’s up to you.’
Rin was caught by Frey and dragged outside.
’That’s right. Airi! Thanks for the treat. Co visit soti.’
Before going outside, Frey waved her hand toward Airi, who was in the corner of the lounge.
Rin, feeling a bad premonition, looked at Ian with an expression pleading for rescue, but the door of the base slamd shut imdiately.
Frey and Rin disappeared, and a quiet silence flowed through the base.
’U-um...!’
’Yes?’
Airi, who was watching that scene from the side, spoke to Ian while breaking into a cold sweat.
’That girl just now... no, that person... who exactly...?’
’She’s a rcenary group captain I happened to get to know.’
’C-could she be... B-rank?’
Airi, who saw how Ian was speaking politely and wondered ’what if’, asked urgently.
To think I treated soone like that in that way. Did I say anything strange during the conversation? While Airi was hurriedly looking back on her conversation with Frey, Ian answered.
’No. She’s an A-rank rcenary group.’
’Hieeek....’
Airi plopped down with a face turned pale white.
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