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Chapter 73 Part 2

【Heroes Party Side】Jannet: Am I Just Spinning On My Wheels? Was It All Too Late? Regardless, I Still Wish For My Best Friend’s Happiness

— Part 2

 

 

「——Enemy attack!」

 

I stood up when my Search Floor magic caught the reaction of a monster. Right after, I realized that I had fallen asleep until a moment ago.

My thigh collided with the table in the waiting room, making a loud thud. The impact caused a glass cup to fall over, and water spilled onto the floor.

 

Then I realized… in front of me, there’s an unfamiliar woman with orange hair and golden eyes.

She turned to me and spoke awkwardly.

 

「…Ah, umm, good morning?」

 

Unable to react immediately, I looked to my side.

There, a beautiful blonde woman was sitting with her eyes wide open, then suddenly burst out giggling.

 

「Fufu… My~ Jannet-san, aren’t you a sleepyhead. Just what kind of dream were you having? We’re still in town, you know~?」

 

「That’s rare of you, are you still tired?」

 

After Vince and Katie-san called out to me, I finally began to grasp the situation I’m in.

 

We were at the guild, and I was excited when I heard we were about to meet the new member, but I ended up falling asleep in the waiting room.

What a mistake… What’s wrong with me? Have I been overthinking things and the stress is catching up to me…?

 

The Search Floor magic had expired, and there were only humans around.

Which is only natural, we’re in the middle of town, after all.

Even though I used the magic to determine when the other party would appear, I completely missed the moment. What a blunder…

 

I’m just spinning on my wheels without getting any result…

 

「Umm… Jannet-san, is it?」

 

「Ah, yes. I’m the 【Sage】, Jannet.」

 

「I see, I see. It’s a really great party composition, huh, Katie-san!」

 

「Do you think so too, Aria? Fufu, me too.」

 

I understand two things from our current conversation.

This orange-haired woman is Aria. And…she’s of a lower status than Katie.

I’m sure this is the first time that Katie-san, who speaks politely even when dealing with rude adventurers, has ever spoken with a casual tone.

 

「For now, is “Aria-san” okay?」

 

「Yes! This Aria will do her best!」

 

Aria-san stood up, put her hand on her head, and saluted like a soldier.

Her semi-long, refreshing orange hair sways in the air.

She seems like a person whose cheerfulness is her strong point.

 

However, there’s another thing noticed.

 

(This person is… amazing.)

 

Aria-san is… big, in more ways than one.

She is about as tall as Katie-san and has a good figure.

And above all… her breasts are also big. Although they’re not as big as Katie-san’s, her body size made them look bigger than mine.

…In the span of just a few days, I have fallen from the top to the bottom in breast size ranking in the party. The stares I got for it bother me a lot, so at least it’s going to be easier for my mental state, though…

 

After observing Aria-san’s prominent appearance, I asked her what I was initially curious about.

 

「Aria-san, if it’s not too much to ask, can you tell me where you were before this?」

 

「Before this? Umm, I’ve been in the city all this time, you know?」

 

The answer is, much to my surprise, a solo adventurer living in this town.

……Seriously, her? Someone who seems to be packed with elements that make her stand out so much?

 

「My job is 【Magic Swordsman】, but as you can see, I’m more of a tough heavy-fighter kind of girl, so I would love it if you’d set aside that I’m just a girl and work me to the bone.」

 

Aria-san holds out her hand to me.

In return, I grabbed that hand in a handshake.

 

「At any rate, you sure made quite the first impression, huh?」

 

「……Please forget that already.」

 

Although I know it’s probably impossible not to laugh when someone suddenly yells out in the middle of they’re sleep.

I wonder if I was dreaming about being attacked by a monster. As with most of the dreams I’ve had in the past, I can’t recall any of the details.

……I really wish they would pretend it never happened, though.

 

When I returned to the inn, the receptionist told me that she had a letter for me from an unknown sender, so I took it and snuck out from the three and headed down the back alley.

And sure enough, the letter I received was… from the person I had been hoping for.

 

(So she earned his forgiveness…!)

 

On that small piece of paper, Emmy spelled out in minute detail the events that led to her being accepted by Russell.

From the story of Russell’s abilities to his transformation. There was also a story about a new woman who is both like a friend and a rival to her.

The letter is full of things that Emmy wants to tell me. I can’t help but chuckle as I imagine Emmy who keeps going on a tangent while trying to tell me a story.

 

Among all the things in the letter, one sentence caught my attention.

 

(Starting over as childhood friends, huh…?)

 

Apparently, she was in tears when Russell said that to her.

It looks like I’m worried for nothing.

He might not have realized it, but for a long time, he was like a prince to Emmy, who always came to save her.

And this time, too, he naturally came up with the most optimal solution and saved Emmy again.

 

(I wonder… do I also have the right to start over as a childhood friend with him?)

 

Such thoughts crossed my mind for a second… and I shook my head involuntarily.

 

——No, what are you thinking, Jannet?

Do you really think that you are qualified for that?

 

There is something I have not told Lacelle, Vince… or even Emmy.

It will be best if the day I have to tell this secret never comes.

 

Russell had chosen Emmie. Although… I’m curious about the woman Emmy said was her rival.

And then, Emmy and Russell mended their relationship and are now together.

I’m glad, it turned out this way.

 

I burned the precious memories of my friend that I hold in my hand, along with all the conflict in my heart.

Yeah, that’s right. This is for the best.

 

Now then… it’s time to return to the daily life I chose.

 

A few days later.

We were doing well in our dungeon exploration.

It wasn’t that Russell was at fault, but as expected, it was still tough to fight while protecting a low-level healer.

Finally, the party of four heroes set foot on the eleventh floor of the lower layer.

 

After confirming the dungeon’s red color, Katie-san made a suggestion.

 

「Having made it this far is already good enough. Let’s return for now and go back once we’re in better shape.」

 

No one disagreed with her suggestion, and both Vince and I nodded our heads.

Aria-san basically just listened to instructions and followed them obediently.

I think she’s a good companion.

 

Once we’re back at the inn, I begin to feel sleepy right away.

I don’t know… there’s been too much on my mind lately, so maybe the relief of knowing that Emmy is safe caused all that fatigue to come out all at once.

 

I went to bed first, and when I got up from my nap, Katie-san and Aria-san had returned.

Although not as bad as Katie-san, Aria-san also doesn’t really pay any mind to how she’s dressed, so I made sure to warn her.

……Really, I wonder just how no one had noticed this person all this time, despite going solo.

 

Everything is going well.

It’s going so well that I’m starting to worry if this is really the right choice.

 

That day, I ended up waking up from my nap again.

And the two of them had returned…

 

…Or, not?

 

I keep my voice down and walk over to the window.

While recalling the conversation I had with Emmy… I look outside through the gap in the curtains.

 

……I saw Katie-san standing there.

In the empty garden, looking at the moon.

 

「…Impossible… it was taken… it was taken… it was taken it was taken it was taken, this can’t be happening, this is unacceptable, I won’t accept it. Should I just do it early? Even though… it was one in a long time… It’s a waste, but I can’t, I can’t, I can’t let this, let this go on any longer.」

[*TL Note: No, it’s not a typo. She talks like a broken recorder here.]

 

——This is it……!

This is what Emmy was talking about….!

 

I slowly make my way to my bed while holding my mouth.

Aria-san is… sleeping, I think. Does she know about this?

What is she talking about? Taking what early? What’s in a long time? Just what is this “thing” she keeps talking about, that she, who even knows something like chantless magic, found it 『impossible』.

Was it information on Russell? But… why now of all times?

Should I have listened more carefully?

 

But the words she said next almost made my heart stop.

 

「…At least for Jannet-san, I have to get her no matter what…」

 

At this moment, I really want to pat myself on the back for not making a sound.

…It was all just my imagination. She was just talking to herself. I wasn’t found out… I think.

 

I tucked myself back into my bed.

These days I’ve been getting sleepy easily, but… I wonder if I’ll be able to sleep tonight.

 

So you’ve been fighting against this kind of anxiety, huh, Emmy?

I know it’s all too late, but now I realize just how disgusting I am for forcing you, the brightest person in our party, to carry this burdensome role while I’m sleeping peacefully at night.

……Someone so carefree like me truly doesn’t have the right to call you her best friend.

 

Even so, I wish for you, someone whom I consider my best friend, all the happiness in the world.