The entrance to Wigarus came into view.
“So, I’m back…”
Returning to the place where I was once banished stirred up complex feelings.
I shook off the emotions.
There was no need to be sneaky anymore.
I’m not the same as I was a few days ago.
I’m not alone anymore.
And I’m not powerless.
I almost wanted to shout and show just how strong the guild really is.
“Isto-san?”
Filoé, perceptive as ever, noticed the change in my expression and called out.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Don’t worry about it. It’s nothing.”
Griffo-san’s adventurer party disbanded at the entrance of the town.
After that, Griffo-san guided us to his home.
“Whoa…”
I was so stunned by the sight of the building that I forgot to breathe.
Filoé next to me and the children observing from behind had the same reaction.
It was a grand house with a garden—or rather, a mansion.
Huge. Impressive. There was no other way to describe how overwhelming it was.
I suddenly remembered that this area was where wealthy people gathered.
“Ahhh…”
The crystal of Redelia trembled, shaking nervously.
“Master, is it really okay for a trash bin like me to be in such a grand place? Perhaps I should turn to dust and become fertilizer for the plants…”
“Don’t. That would cause us trouble.”
Griffo-san watched our reaction with a smile.
I couldn’t help but ask.
“Griffo-san, you’re a pretty amazing adventurer, aren’t you?”
“What are you talking about? You’ll have a mansion like this in no time, Isto.”
I couldn’t even begin to imagine that.
We parked Redelia at the corner of the spacious garden.
“Aah, the corner, the corner… I feel so at ease,” she said, her reaction so typical of her.
Together with the children, we entered the mansion.
We were even greeted by a maid.
Griffo-san handed over his coat naturally, looking every bit like the master of the house.
“The children will go over there. Follow her,” he said.
The kids were led upstairs, excitedly following a calm and quiet woman.
Griffo-san and I sat facing each other in the reception room.
“It’s been hectic, so you can stay here tonight. Tomorrow, we’ll head to the Guild Union.”
“Thank you so much for everything.”
“Don’t mention it. Just think of it as a testament to your good character, Isto.”
Being praised so openly made me feel a bit embarrassed.
◆◇◆
The next day.
Out of habit, I woke up early in the morning.
I checked on Redelia and even helped the maids with their chores.
They seemed a bit flustered, saying it wasn’t proper to have a guest do such things, but I wasn’t used to behaving in such a fancy mansion and felt uneasy.
Doing small chores helped me relax.
I thought to myself that I really do have a servant’s mentality.
Griffo-san was also an early riser. It seemed his daily routine included light exercise in the garden.
As expected of a veteran adventurer.
After taking a breather, I was thinking about various things in the reception room when I heard voices outside.
A little while later, Griffo-san returned with a woman.
“Sorry about that. We’ve got a guest.”
“My apologies for the sudden intrusion.”
I locked eyes with the woman.
For a full three seconds, we were both frozen.
The voice that came out of me even surprised me.
“Mitera!?”
“Isto-kun!?”
Mitera, who usually had a calm expression, was staring at me with her mouth wide open.
The tips of her soft chestnut hair swayed gently at her shoulders.
Her name was Mitera Rohl.
She was the receptionist of Guild [Barba], beloved by both the staff and adventurers—a true poster girl.
And to me, she was like an older sister.
This was because she was also from the Elpida Orphanage, and we had grown up together like siblings.
Now that I think about it, we hadn’t spoken since I left Barba.
What should I say?
While I was searching for words, Mitera suddenly hugged me.
“Isto-kun! It’s really you! Are you okay? Were you hurt?”
“M-Mitera… hold on.”
I was confused.
As a man, I was confused.
Because, well…
It wasn’t just her expression but her body that—let’s be honest—was attractive to men.
To put it bluntly… the presence of her chest!
Soft. And close. She was hugging me tightly.
“I was really worried…”
She looked up at me with teary eyes, and I couldn’t find the words to respond.
Now that I think about it, I’ve caused her so much trouble.
Even when I was being treated coldly at the guild, Mitera was the only one who stood by me.
I can only imagine how risky that was for her.
It’s been that way since our orphanage days.
She’s always been like family to me, a dear sister.
I regretted not explaining everything to her sooner.
“Sorry, Mitera.”
“Are you really sorry?”
Uh oh.
This was bad.
The teary eyes now held a dangerous edge.
I suddenly remembered—Mitera had always been scary when she was angry.
“Are you sorry?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Really?”
“Really. I’m sorry for leaving without saying anything.”
“…”
“…”
After glaring at me intensely for a while, she finally smiled.
“Good. That’s fine.”
Then she hugged me tightly once more.
“I’m so glad you’re okay.”
At that moment, footsteps came from the direction of the stairs.
Someone came up to me and hugged me from the side.
“Filoé?”
Her hair was a bit messy, probably because she had just woken up.
“Uuu…”
Filoé bit her lip in frustration as she looked up at us.
Hmm.
I’d thought this for a while, but Filoé seemed a bit childish for her age.
Mitera must have thought the same, as she spoke with a smile of amusement.
“What a cute girl.”
“Uuuuuuu!”
Tears welled up in Filoé’s eyes as she moved closer.
“Isto-san!? Who is this!?”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Mitera Rohl. I used to work with Isto Rilos-san in the same guild.”
Mitera smoothly introduced herself, stepping away from me. As expected of her.
“And why is your former colleague here?”
Filoé, having calmed down a little, asked again.
I was curious about that too.
With all eyes on her, Mitera explained.
“I’ve known Griffo-san for a while and asked him for a favor. I told him to let me know if he saw Isto-kun. When I heard that Griffo-san had returned to Wigarus yesterday, I thought I’d stop by before work to check in. And to my surprise, the person I was looking for was here. Honestly, you sure know how to worry people.”
She smiled, radiating warmth.
But—it was terrifying.
“You know such amazing people…”
Filoé muttered, and I nodded in agreement in more ways than one.
