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"Jeff, you're fired."
"…Huh?"
After returning from a quest, our party—White Lightning—had finished the usual completion report at the guild counter and were eating together in the attached cafeteria, just like always. That's when our leader, the swordsman Reid, suddenly dropped those words on me.
"You're firing me…? Reid, you're joking, right?"
We'd been through so many hardships together for a long time. Our party rank was on the verge of reaching S-rank, and we were about to join the ranks of first-class adventurers in both name and reality. To be told I was fired now, of all times… it had to be some kind of mistake.
"I know it's hard to accept reality, but this isn't a joke. Jeff, you're out."
"W-Why?! We've always worked so well together—"
"The reason is simple! You're too weak, Jeff! Listen—"
Reid then unloaded all of his complaints about me.
He said that as a magic swordsman, my sword skills were weaker than his, and I couldn't use nearly as many spells as the mage Rena. Now that the quests were getting higher rank, there was no place left for me to shine. One swordsman was more than enough.
"—! H-Hey! Rena, Nina… you two don't agree with this, right?!"
According to guild rules, removing a member required either the person's own request or a majority vote from the party. Violating that could lead to penalties like expulsion from the guild. So Reid couldn't just fire me on his own.
I stood up from my chair, looked away from Reid sitting across from me, and turned desperately to the two women on either side.
On my right sat Rena, the mage. She was a genius who could handle a huge variety of spells and had solid skill aside from her limited mana reserves. Her long black hair and cool red eyes were striking, and her beauty made her seem hard to approach at first. But she always wore a gentle smile when helping people in need with her magic, earning her the title of "Saint" from many. She was kind-hearted and often went out of her way to take care of me too.
What drew every man's eyes the most, though, was the massive bust straining against her robe. The pure white fabric that was supposed to hide her figure was pushed out dramatically, and even the slightest movement sent those heavy breasts swaying obscenely. It was said that many adventurers used the sight as eye candy and nightly material.
"S-Sorry… It's the leader's decision, so…"
"—!"
When Rena turned her face away with a pained expression, the word "fired" finally sank in heavily on my heart for the first time.
Still stunned, I looked to my left at Nina.
Nina the thief. She had all kinds of useful skills—stealing, disarming traps, picking locks, gathering information—and she supported the party brilliantly outside of combat too. In battle her attack power was low, but her speed let her toy with enemies and keep everyone safe.
With her short red hair and cat-like eyes that always narrowed when she smiled, she was the energetic mood-maker of the group. She had a teasing, provocative cuteness that made many adventurers adore her.
Like Rena, her chest was also impressively large. But unlike Rena's modest robe, Nina wore extremely revealing clothes: short shorts that left her thighs completely exposed and a chest wrap that looked more like a bikini top. As a result, not only her cleavage but more than half of her breasts were on full display, making her quite the visual treat for any guy. She claimed it was convenient for gathering information and didn't seem to mind, but she was very aware of men's stares and often teased or toyed with anyone who looked too long.
"Ehh~! I do feel bad about it, but… Jeff, you've been getting hurt a lot lately, right? And the leader's saying this too, so I think it's probably for the best…"
Her tone was completely different from Rena's, but it looked like she wasn't opposing my dismissal either.
"S-Something like this…"
I unconsciously dropped to my knees beside the table. From above me, Reid's voice rang out triumphantly.
"Got it now? You're already fired, Jeff. Oh, and we've already decided on the new member! …Hey Fana, come over here!"
When Reid called the name with a smug grin, a woman walked over from the next table.
"Let me introduce you. This is Fana the Sage. From now on, she'll be handling the magic in your place. …Though I doubt you'll ever see us again."
"Eh? Eh…?"
When I looked up, there stood a woman in a black-and-white sister outfit, looking apologetic.
She had golden blonde hair that reached her waist and gentle blue eyes. She was a beautiful woman overflowing with maternal warmth.
And of course… she also had an incredibly voluptuous chest.
Her sister robes clung tightly to her body, making her massive breasts stand out prominently. It was the kind of seductive figure that felt far more succubus than pure, saintly sage.
"If you understand, then get out of here already. We have a strategy meeting to restart the party."
I stood up quietly and looked around at the group one last time: Reid smirking, Rena looking down, Nina smiling awkwardly, and Fana blinking in confusion.
"…Fine. Thanks for everything."
Then I grabbed my belongings and walked out of the guild without looking back.
I could hear voices behind me, but—
"Eh?! Um… Reid, I was told that Jeff-san could use support magic—"
"Ah~, Fana-chan, forget about that guy already. Let's talk about our future plans instead. Tomorrow we…"
—None of it mattered anymore.
---
I took a room at an inn and climbed into bed, trying to think about what I'd do starting tomorrow. But the frustration and humiliation kept my mind from working properly.
To think I'd get kicked out by the three of them… the same three I'd been with since we were at the lowest ranks.
I knew I couldn't match Reid in swordplay or Rena in magic, so I had always kept multiple support spells on them: sword skill enhancement, mana boost, magic support, agility increase, and more. Even in battle, I used support magic to help everyone… and this was how it ended. It was so pathetic it almost made me laugh.
"…I guess I'll just go solo from now on. No more making new companions…"
I closed my eyes, released all the support spells I had been maintaining, and quietly waited for sleep to come.
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**Side Story: Fana**
The night I joined White Lightning, I lay trembling in bed.
It wasn't from excitement or anticipation. It was pure fear that I might have made a terrible mistake.
I had become an adventurer to reach an S-rank party… and even higher. I had traveled, trained, and completed harsh quests, working my way up to the Sage class through blood, sweat, and tears.
Reid's party was on the verge of S-rank, and both their guild record and reputation among adventurers were excellent. So when I was invited, I happily accepted. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine they would kick out their magic swordsman, Jeff.
I had traveled between many parties and worked with all kinds of people. I had seen beast tamers, fighters, shield users, dark mages, and more, learning their skills along the way.
Even so, "support magic" was something I had never really encountered before.
Reid said it was just minor support… but could magic that boosts other people's abilities really be dismissed so lightly?
If my bad feeling turned out to be right, this party had just expelled someone truly incredible.
I squeezed my eyes shut tightly and waited for sleep while still trembling.
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**Side Story: Rena**
I ended up banishing Jeff.
I really wanted to keep adventuring with him.
But this is my fault for being so powerless.
I knew Reid disliked Jeff, but I never thought he would go this far.
At first I opposed kicking Jeff out, but I was quietly threatened that if I didn't agree, he might kill Jeff on the next quest.
I even considered leaving the party with Jeff, but Reid warned me that if I left, he would make Jeff take the blame. In the end, there was nothing I could do.
"Jeff… I'm sorry."
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**Side Story: Nina**
Man, I feel kinda bad for Jeff.
But lately he's been getting hurt way more often, and if something bad happened on a high-rank quest, I'd never forgive myself.
Reid seems to hate Jeff, so that's probably why he kicked him out. Honestly, the only reason I sided with Reid is because his sword skills are stronger. Personality-wise, I actually liked Jeff a lot more than Reid and his creepy stares.
Ah~, I still feel kinda torn about it.
Once things cool down a bit, I'll explain everything properly and apologize. Worst case, I at least want to stay friends.
"Sigh… I wonder what Jeff's doing right now?"
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