...Huh! I dozed off for a second!
Eh, where was I in the story again?
Come to think of it, it feels like it's been ages since I last returned to this point.
Well, it's probably just my imagination.
Anyway, after that, there really wasn't much else.
Despite my injured body, I had to kneel in the middle of the main street and beg Goddess Hestia for forgiveness, which left me drenched in sweat.
And even then, her fierce barrage of punches didn't let up at all. The violently shaking mid-motion that came with it was more worth watching than I expected, though.
Then, because of the shock, my already dangerous waist finally snapped completely, and I briefly passed out.
After that, Naza came with Miach and gave me emergency treatment, and I somehow survived... well, roughly that much, I guess?
"All in all, that's a happy and smooth ending."
"You've got some nerve saying that in that condition."
"Hmm... maybe?"
I answered a question with another question, and even when Welf made a disgusted face, I only shrugged.
In reality, I wasn't even physically able to twitch my shoulders, since I was buried up to my neck and couldn't move a single inch!
Well, what could I do?
Honestly, I should be grateful it ended at this level against that monstrous dwarf landlady.
Even after hitting me that hard, she had somehow managed to distribute the force with such terrifying precision that I wasn't seriously hurt anywhere, only left in intense pain before being cleanly buried in the ground in one shot. I could only genuinely admire and marvel at that skill.
As expected of a veteran former Level 6.
Besides, the dirt down here was surprisingly warm and comfortable, so it wasn't half bad.
"Meow~ Meow~"
"I never said my face was a free doodle board, though... what are you doing?"
"Ah, don't move, meow! You'll ruin Anya's masterpiece, meow!"
"If you really want to draw on me, at least pay a usage fee first. Don't be rude to someone else's precious face."
"Shut up, meow! A criminal should keep their mouth shut, meow! This is justice-based revenge, meow!"
"And what right do you have to say that when you weren't even the one involved?"
"Meow! Anya is your senior as a shop clerk, meow! Therefore Ryuu's things are Anya's things! And Anya's things are Anya's things, meow!"
"What kind of Pork Chop logic is that? Ah, I'm dizzy. I feel like I'm about to pass out..."
"Meow~ Meow~ This time I'm going to add cat whiskers here..."
"Quit it and get back to work already!"
Bang! Bang!
"Kebuk!"
"Ghk! Why me again...?"
In the end, I was punished once more by the terrifying landlady.
Sniff, can a man even live through this?
What? You're saying I brought this on myself?
Who cares about common sense like that.
Anyway, I'd better soothe this injustice and sorrow with food and drink.
"In that case, pretty waitress lady over there, one more beer, please~!"
"Yeees~ Just a moment."
Tap
The order was taken quickly.
As expected of the service spirit of a regular shop I could trust and keep coming back to.
Excellent.
But why are you putting it on the table instead of in front of me?
And there isn't even a straw!
How am I supposed to drink this like this!
At the very least, bring the glass over so I can smell the alcohol!
"Damn it, so today really is enemy territory after all. No choice. Hey, can someone with a free hand help me out..."
"Now, now! Good work, little Welf! Drink up, drink up! Drink even if it kills you!"
"W-wait! I can drink it myself, ughh!"
When did that one-eyed guy slip into the scene?
Anyway, Welf was sunk.
"Good work, Mikoto. I heard from Miach that you're supposed to rest for a while from here on out. Are you hurt anywhere? Is anything bothering you?"
"Y-yes! Takemi-sama, I-I'm quite all right, nnghyaa..."
"Hm? Hey, Mikoto!"
"Don't worry, Takemi. It's just a mild aftereffect from overusing her mind. She's simply exhausted, so let her rest properly for a few days."
"I see. That's a relief..."
Well, she really did push herself a lot for a girl who wasn't even a mage.
We'll make it up to her later.
Anyway, this side was a no-go too.
"Bell guuuuuuy~! When you got hit by that awful golem and went flying, you know! I really, really... waaahhh~!"
"Goddess, you've had too much to drink. Here, some water."
"Uu, you're so kind. As expected of my Bell-kun. Unlike some rotten bastard from somewhere else. Bell-kun, Bell guuuuuuy~"
...Yeah, I hadn't expected anything from her in the first place.
This side was impossible too!
Tiona and Tione, who had come from another Familia just to offer their congratulations, stopped by for a bit and then left, saying they had other things to do. Tiona got dragged away, of course.
In the end, nobody was left at all.
"Haah, I miss Lili."
If our cute disciple had been here, maybe things would've felt a little different.
...Just as I was thinking that.
"Hm? Ooh, it's Lili-doll! You're back!"
"Ah? Welcome back, Lili. How's your body? Are you okay?"
Our cute disciple had returned.
"Ooh, Lili! My lovely disciple! Welcome back! Come here quickly and... huh?"
Everyone, including me, welcomed Lili back warmly.
But for some reason, instead of returning the greeting like usual, she had a stiff expression and came straight toward me.
Then, despite her awkward, limping steps, she rushed right at me and opened that tiny mouth to bite my head...!
"Grrr...! Grrrrrr..."
"Ack! W-wait! I may have used a cleanliness spell, so the contamination level is close to zero, but I still haven't washed, so my hair is a mess, a-a-aagh! I'm being eaten aliveee!"
"Serves you right."
"Serves you right."
"Serves you right."
"D-damn it! This is so unfairrrrrrrrr!"
I'm not some black sea-urchin-haired unlucky guy, and Lili isn't some airheaded nun either!
But it really hurts!
...And so, while the reunited master and disciple played around together in their own friendly(?) way, a new face followed Lili into the shop.
More precisely, she had supported the injured Lili and brought her here.
But this one was also someone I knew, right?
"Gah, it's the nurse! Please, not the sterilization punch!"
"I am Amid. And judging by that mouth still spouting incomprehensible nonsense, I suspect severe brain damage as usual. I strongly recommend immediate hospitalization and surgery."
"I'm taking physical damage in real time, maaaaan!"
"It is obvious self-inflicted harm. Did you really think you could blow off someone else's arm like that and not get hit back at least this much? Personally, I think you should be smiling through far worse than this. If you insist on handling things however you like, at least confine it to your own body, you delinquent patient."
There wasn't a shred of fondness in Amid's eyes when she looked at me.
No, in a different sense from Ryuu, I was the absolute worst match for her, someone she couldn't stand to deal with at all.
We were nothing more than a therapist and patient who were happiest simply not running into each other... that was all.
"Well, I do want to praise the emergency treatment you gave her as a fellow member of a medical Familia. But even then, a minus plus a minus still gives you a minus result. In the end, the best outcome is simply for no one to get hurt or die."
"Well, if we can gain something from it like that, there's no helping it, is there?"
"...If Miach-sama and Naza-san hadn't been here too, I would've tied all of you up and thrown you onto hospital beds long ago."
"Heh, as expected of the illustrious Saint of the Battlefield. Such kindness suits that beauty of yours, bu-gyaaaagh!"
"Grrrrrr..."
"Ah, blood's coming out."
"Bwahahahaha! Serves you right, you mage bastard! That's what you get!"
"A rare sight... but that's enough. Now, please stop there too, Miss Ade. Look, there's blood right here."
"Hah, hah. See? Even if you talk like that, you're still kind..."
"This is dirty. It's gross. It's no good for an injured body at all."
"That's the reason?! Well, it's not wrong, but still!"
Ah, in the end, no one was going to lend a helping hand to this poor soul.
Faced with the cruel reality before my eyes, I despaired all on my own.
Well, if I'm being honest, I had brought this on myself.
In the end, even after Amid left, I had to keep getting chewed on—literally—throughout the after-party as a snack for everyone else.
And as one person after another grew tired and collapsed, the party gradually entered its final winding-down phase.
"Ghk. I caaaan't drink any moooore..."
"What? You're already out? How lame... Oof, then I'll take this runaway young master home. See you again next time in one piece, mage."
"Hehehe, Bell guuuuy. Mmmya mmmya..."
"Goddess, you've had too much."
"Looks like it's time to wrap things up. We should get going too. We'll take care of Mikoto. Good work, Bell Cranel."
"We should get going too. Cranel, stay with Hestia on our side tonight. The shop is a little cramped, but if we arrange things properly, there should be enough space for everyone to lie down together."
"Ah, yes. Thank you, Miach-sama. And Ryuu, we'll be heading out now. Thank you so much for everything today."
"Think nothing of it. Please get home safely, Cranel."
"Hic! Anyaaa... dummy..."
"Good grief. I never taught you to use your master's head as a pillow."
I let out a small, dry laugh as I looked at Lili, who was already completely drunk and asleep with my head as her pillow.
Seen like this, she was still just an adorable little girl.
And yet, when had she grown this much?
I felt a little lonely, but also oddly relieved.
By now, no one would dare look down on or dismiss this girl carelessly anymore.
And she herself would surely leap over such people and prove it before their eyes.
As a human being, Liliruca Arde no longer needed my help to grow any further.
From here on, what I could do for her would be nothing more than simple support.
She had always been such a sharp, capable kid from the start, after all.
"Heave-ho."
Anyway, the fun party was over, so I'd better start heading back up too.
It wasn't like I could be the only one left behind while everyone else went home.
Actually, I could've gotten out of a hole this deep long ago.
So I immediately rose back up with floating magecraft, and just then, Mia the proprietress's indifferent reminder came from behind my head.
"Hey, fill that back in before you leave."
"Yes, ma'am, yes, ma'am."
At her flat, dry words, I didn't waste a second and used magecraft to neatly restore the hole in the shop floor I'd been borrowing until just now.
The proprietress had spoken to me as if it were just a passing remark.
But if I left without properly fixing this today, then the moment the sun rose tomorrow morning, her monstrous stone-like grip would surely separate my neck from my torso.
That was sincere, with not a single ounce of exaggeration or joke.
"All right! Cleanup complete! Then I'm off! Thanks for everything today! I'll keep being a good source of income for you in the future! So please stop trying to kill me now! Good night, everyone! Pretty ladies, let's meet again next time with smiles on our faces!"
"Take care, meow~"
"Hee, Mia-mama really is letting him live after all."
"Well, judging from what he did today, he must have something to rely on."
"How about you, Ryuu? Are you okay?"
"It's fine, Syr. As long as I don't run into him if possible."
"I know what that is! In the gods' terms, that's definitely what they call a promised flag or something!"
"Shut up, you idiot daughters! Hurry up and finish the cleanup!"
"""Yeees~!"""
With the girls' booming replies behind me, I followed after the others who had already left first, with Lili on my back.
Hmm, today was a good day too!
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