That night. Rin, Mika, and Tanya gathered secretly in one place.
It was quite late, but everyone was wide awake anyway. Their sleep patterns had been completely disrupted from staying in the dungeon for so long.
This was a common occurrence after returning from places like dungeons or labyrinths where one couldn’t see the sun and had difficulty setting a regular sleep schedule.
Furthermore, since they had spent the entire expedition resting without much to do, they weren’t tired at all; if anything, they looked full of energy.
Rin looked at the two sitting in front of her and spoke with a serious expression.
’Alright, then... let’s begin.’
’Do we really have to do this?’
It was a sudden ergency eting with only the three of them present.
Tanya, attending an ergency eting for the first ti in a while, suddenly recalled the contents of their previous etings.
...I think they were all pretty insignificant.
She only rembered instances where the reasons for holding them, the process, and the results were all underwhelming.
As if sensing the aning behind Tanya’s expression, Rin spoke with a grave face.
’This ti is a real crisis!’
’I feel like you always started that way in the past too....’
Is it really that serious?
Mika and Tanya had slightly dubious expressions.
They had agreed to go along with it because making Lia and Airi beco friends sounded fun, but still.
Seeing their expressions, Rin added an explanation.
’If they keep being on bad terms like this... um.’
However, it seed Rin hadn’t thought of a specific reason yet, as a brief mont of contemplation followed. A mont later, hitting upon a good idea, Rin spoke to the two with confidence.
’Exactly. What if Airi can’t call out Lia’s na during battle and things get dangerous!’
’Is it... really that serious?’
’Could it... be?’
Hearing Rin’s story, Mika and Tanya tilted their heads ever so slightly.
...Is that so?
While it sounded like a silly thought, they couldn’t guarantee it would absolutely never happen.
Seeing that she was getting a reaction from the two, Rin pushed more aggressively.
’Right? Let’s do it!’
Mika and Tanya nodded, their faces still filled with doubt.
And so, a full-scale plan to bring Lia and Airi closer together began to be concocted.
＊ ＊ ＊
From early morning, the other mbers sought out Lia and Airi.
Lia, who was reading a book by the window, turned her gaze toward Mika, who had suddenly co to find her.
’Lia! I have so urgent things to buy, but there’s too much.... Please help !’
’Huh? Uh... okay.’
That’s sudden.
Still, it wasn’t once or twice that everyone started things out of the blue. Lia naturally accepted Mika’s request.
Lia asked with a puzzled expression.
’What do you need to buy that there’s so much of?’
’Uh... because it’s needed for research?’
’Research?’
Since when did Mika do things like magic research?
Hearing Mika’s answer, Lia looked even more perplexed.
As Lia suspected, Mika naturally had no intention of doing anything as headache-inducing as research.
It was just a makeshift excuse she ca up with because Lia asked so suddenly. Mika stole a quick glance at her reaction.
However, after pondering with a curious face, Lia nodded.
I suppose she’s planning to start now.
Since she was almost a layperson regarding magic, she didn’t have much to say if Mika, a mage, said she was doing it.
In any case, since she said she needed urgent help, Lia nodded, closed her book, and stood up.
Similarly, Tanya used a similar thod to bring Airi along.
The five mbers of the party gathered together at the market entrance.
’So, what are the things we need to buy?’
Lia, who had co out to help with the shopping, asked Mika.
Mika stole a glance and exchanged looks with Rin. The two nodded slightly toward each other.
Soon, Mika pulled out a list prepared in advance from her pocket and handed it to Lia.
’Here it is.’
’...That’s quite a lot?’
The paper Mika handed over was densely packed with the nas of various items.
Before Lia could even say anything about it, Rin imdiately stepped forward and spoke.
’Since there’s a lot to buy, let’s split into two teams! We’ll go this way!’
’Huh? Okay....’
Leaving those words, Rin, Mika, and Tanya quickly ran off and disappeared into one side of the market.
Naturally, Lia and Airi, who were left behind, beca a team.
When Lia stole a glance at Airi standing beside her, Airi flinched and trembled.
Plan step one: Sending them on an errand together.
The plan was that while walking around the market and shopping together, they would naturally talk and beco at least a little bit closer.
The items to buy were also deliberately chosen to be things that would either take ti or be good for starting a conversation.
The three who had separated Lia and Airi watched the two secretly from a short distance away.
Lia was staring at the list Mika had handed her.
’...Why are there so many things to buy?’
Lia stared intently at the long list.
It looked like they would have to spend the whole afternoon roaming the market to buy all of this.
Well, I guess that’s why she asked. She did look quite hurried.
Thinking so, Lia read through the list once, took out a notebook, and made notes of the items to buy.
Then Lia handed that list over to Airi.
’Here. Let’s split up and buy them individually. I’ll go buy the ones over here.’
’Ye-yes.’
Airi nodded as she took the list.
And so, Lia and Airi went their separate ways.
’What are they doing?!’
The three watching from behind shouted.
Sending on an errand: Failure.
＊ ＊ ＊
’Hurry up and co in!’
’Is there really a need for all of us to go in at once? I can just do it later....’
’It’s more fun to do it together!’
Under Rin’s prodding, Lia followed her into the bathhouse with a face that said she found it botherso.
Behind them, Airi was being caught and dragged in by Mika and Tanya.
As always, they had caught and brought Airi along as she tried to run away using the excuse of being busy.
The five mbers of the Rin party from the Ian rcenary Group entered the bathhouse together for the first ti.
In the past, they had to go to public bathhouses, so they naturally bathed together. However, after they got a base, they started bathing at their own convenience, so this was the first ti they all entered together like this.
It looks nice to be together like this....
Rin suddenly had that thought, but since there was a more important purpose this ti, she saved it for another ti.
Plan step two: Having them bathe together.
Rin, who was in the tub, watched for an opportunity and then slowly stood up.
’Ah, right. I have sothing to discuss with the Captain. I’ll head out first.’
’I have urgent research to...’
’I-I also need to go to the kitchen for a bit...’
’....’
As the three left the tub one after another, Airi, who was watching the mood, also tried to stand up surreptitiously.
’Th-then I also...’
’No way!’
’Hic!’
Airi’s desperate attempt at escape was imdiately thwarted by Rin.
’Eh, wh-why ...?’
’Airi, count to 1,000 before you co out!’
’1,000...?!’
Rin, who pushed Airi back into the tub as she tried to co out, spoke to her with a stern face.
Good grief, it’s not like she’s bathing a small child. I wonder what they’ve all been up to since this morning.
Lia muttered as she watched the scene from the side.
Lia sighed as she watched the three act even more suspiciously than usual today.
After the three hurriedly left, Lia and Airi were the only ones left in the bathhouse.
Inside the bathhouse, it beca quiet in an instant.
Airi, subrged in the hot water, muttered in a small voice.
’11... 12... 13.’
...She’s actually counting.
Lia stole a glance at Airi.
Airi flinched because her eyes t Lia’s, forgot what number she was on, and eventually started counting from the beginning again.
Perhaps thinking Lia looked at her because she was being noisy, Airi’s voice beca even quieter.
And outside the bathhouse door.
The three who had left Lia and Airi behind pressed their ears against it and quietly eavesdropped on the sounds inside.
Rin was confident that this ti would definitely be an opportunity for the two to have a calm conversation.
They couldn’t bring in books or magic scrolls, so they couldn’t distract themselves. Eventually, they’d have to talk.
The place where Rin had dropped formal language and beco close with Mika and Tanya when they were newcors was also the bathhouse. This was bound to make them closer.
’....’
’....’
’....’
The three quietly eavesdropped on the sounds inside.
Not a sound could be heard from inside the bathhouse.
’...What? Can we not hear the sound from here?’
’No.... It seems like they aren’t saying anything at all?’
Lia and Airi were sitting in the tub quietly without any conversation.
Only the occasional small murmur of Airi counting numbers could be heard.
...I set the stage this much, and they’re just not saying anything.
Rin’s shock only ended a while later when Lia stood up to leave the bathhouse.
Lia stood up from the tub and spoke to Airi for the first ti.
’I’ll head out first too.’
’402... Hiek!’
Airi, who was counting numbers while looking down, jerked her head up in surprise and then bowed deeply to Lia.
’Ye-yes.... Uh.’
’402.’
’...Ah. Th-thank you. 402... 403....’
Lia finished her bath and went out first. In the end, Airi was left alone in the bathhouse.
Having them bathe together: Failure.
And so, all of Rin’s plans that continued throughout the day ended in failure.
Rin, who had hurriedly slipped away from the bathhouse to avoid being caught by Lia as she ca out, muttered with a frustrated face.
’Ugh.... I’ll definitely succeed next ti.’
’Are you going to keep doing this...?’
’Of course I have to!’
Mika and Tanya looked at Rin with weary faces.
’Rin. I told you not to bully Airi.’
’Huh? When did I ever...?’
And then, Rin was scolded by Ian, who ca to find her later.
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