After moving one door, there was a hall that was about two turns larger than the lounge I had just been in.
Like a standing party, there were several white tables lined up, and the walls were decorated with the same white tone - in a sense, the “venue” that I imagined existed there.
"What are you doing here?
It seems that it is ready, but what exactly is the readiness?
As I stepped into the hall and murmured, Sif jumped on my shoulder.
The number of brave men is about thirteen, combined with Chisato and Rifa. Some of them don't seem to have a squire, but when combined, there will be more than twenty people here. "
Quite a lot of them.
In the meantime, move to an empty table.
I don't have a chair, so I'm going to stand and wait, but, well, that's what it is.
Yes, when I stand and wait, I'm struck by a surprise like someone hitting me from behind.
"Oops...."
Looking back, the blue-haired boy stared at me with his shoulders pressed up. [M]
Hey, where are you looking?
"Ah, you..."
Which way are you?
Yes?
One of the brave men Marina just told me to be careful... was it Hekil? There's a squire behind us.
Why did you bump into me standing next to the table at the end of the hall?
As long as I don't make any extra findings, I think it's hard to do the opposite.
And which one?
"Are you a brave man or a squire?"
"... I'm a squire."
When he answers, the boy distorts his mouth after a glance at Chisato and Rifa, who are asking about us.
"A man like you is a servant?"
The eyes were obviously ridiculed.
I see, this is what Marina said. Be careful, brave man.
I came unannounced.
"Ha, do you know what this place is like?"
……
"What are you without that character shard? Can the poor not dress badly? Hmm?"
……
"As far as that black fur ball is concerned, it looks like Tamer, but you don't even have a weapon. Does that make you a servant?"
I don't nod or talk with a smile.
It's definitely better not to make a wave like this.
Even if you make fun of my jacket, call me a black, cute fur ball, and be driven by the urge to smash a sanctioned golden finger bullet (decopin) right now.
But before that, Rifa, who was angry inside, crushed the shadow stretched to Hekil.
There will never be a small sound in the venue.
Now that I have all the attention on the spot, I will keep my smile down on you. [M]
"--- I apologize for the rudeness. If it makes you feel uncomfortable, let's go somewhere else."
"Eh, ah, ahh...."
Bye.
Fortunately, there are plenty of tables left, so we just need to move there.
Again, looking at Hekil, his servant, his brother Hart, looked down on us with regret.
Move to another table while gazing at Chisato and Rifa.
"Kate, you've endured so much...!"
"That kid...!"
"Actually, it was close!?"
Looks pretty good.
"Me too!?"
No, I'm not a man enough to get mad at you for showing up.
That kind of response came from the fact that my behavior led to the appreciation of two brave men.
"But what was that?"
"I think it's harassment, and I can say I was watching our reaction.... I don't know why I was targeted."
Is it because I still don't have enough muscle?
I intend to train with this, but the meat is difficult to attach, and above all, the height does not leave the average range.
I wonder if it's better to take protein after exercise...!
"Either way, don't get too close to anything weird. Neither I nor Rifa felt very good earlier."
"That's right... that's better."
Nod at Chisato's words.
In the meantime, we must be careful not to get involved with them.
If you decide to do so, the noisy venue will be quiet.
I wondered what it was, and when I looked around, I saw two men and women coming in from a different place than the door where we came in.
One is a tall woman with grey hair knitted in three.
Unlike the people who guided me here, they are weaving beautiful decorated robes, and I know that they are in a special position at a glance.
The other is an old man with gray hair.
However, his back stretches firmly and his steps are surprisingly unshaken.
"Amazing....."
It is also powerful enough to have an invisible presence.
The presence of the old man was more swallowed than that of the woman who was walking ahead, and the woman who had moved from all of them to a visible position uttered words with a voice that often passed by.
"--- I am very pleased that you have responded to the convening of the St. Real."
Leon was a neutral voice, but this one is a little different and cool.
Is that a husky voice?
"My name is Hilde Lugar and I am the Chief Executive Officer of the Central City of St. Réal. This summons will be a meeting with the fierce men chosen for the Brave Summon Ceremony."
Chief executive, is that the greatest man in the city?
You're not ruling the country, so you're not a king.
... but face-to-face?
You're saying you went out of your way to gather brave men here to do what happened when me and Rifa headed for the Kingdom of Filgen?
"Of course, that's not all. In the future, you will form a friendship as a comrade to deal with the Demon King Army and other threats. Sometimes they rebound against differences in values. Some of you don't like to get used to it, but..."
"--- Don't be ridiculous...!"
Angry voices and Gashan! The sound echoes in the hall.
Looking at the voice, there was a man who struck the table with enough force.
Figuero, the brave man of the Hamgard kingdom, was watched over by Marina.
Among these faces, the oldest one looks up, and he stares at Hilde with his anger exposed.
"If you think I've been forced to call you here, just to get along with strangers...? My hometown will remain desolate while I do so...!"
"Hamgard Figuero, right? I can understand what you're saying. That's why St. Real is providing enough supplies and magic tools to rebuild the Kingdom of Hamgard."
"Don't ask me that!"
Hilde doesn't answer calmly.
However, Mr. Figlo's anger not only subsided, but increased even further.
"When the country is important, why do I have to come here for this!"
The Hamgard kingdom was destroyed by the Demon King army and the Giant Beast.
It's been more than two months since the Giant Beast attacked, but we're still rebuilding.
In such a situation, I could not help but get upset if I was called here.
Then... I'm also worried about Hilde's handling.
"What's inconvenient?"
"......! What do you mean?"
"You are in the Hamgard kingdom now and you can do something about it?"
Figuero lost his words to Hilde, who leaned his neck.
"I do not underestimate your abilities. I understand that if you were chosen by the Warrior Summoning Ceremony, you have enough qualities to play the role of a warrior. But with that in mind, I'll ask."
Hilde looks at Figlo.
"How strong are you as a golden adventurer in your country?"
"... what?"
"The strength of a golden adventurer varies greatly from country to country, so this question may or may not be appropriate ---that's what it is."
... even if it's powerful, is it just enough to make up for a few golden adventurers?
Sure, you're right.
The Servant's servant, Rifa, Snow, and I are not yet strong enough.
Figuero was quite upset that he was able to understand it, even if it wasn't a word.
"It's great to have a sense of bravery. It is the feeling of that mission that leads to the will to protect the country and the people. --That's why your mission as a brave man is not to help rebuild Hamgard."
"Then what are you going to say..."
"To be a brave man."
"What?"
Not only Figlo, but everyone who was there leaked a stunned voice.
Be brave.
Aren't the people here brave?
"... I see, that's what I mean."
"... Chisato?"
But Chisato next door seemed to have figured out what she wanted to say.
But everyone around me, including me, is just confused.
"Don't get me wrong. We call them heroes to distinguish you, but most of us here aren't exactly heroes."
"Then what are we?
"--- The name Heroic Summoning Ceremony seems to be a little misunderstood by various countries, so I will take this opportunity to correct it."
Looking at the brave men and servants who were there from Figlo, she slowly and clearly continued to speak so that the child could hear them.
"You have just been chosen as brave men, not the strongest in the land. It's not because it's strong, it's because it has qualities (...), it's just because it's chosen - it doesn't do anything."
……
"What hardship and despair did you manage to keep moving forward? Defeated the attacking giant beast? Have you led your own warriors to a victory over the great evil? Heroes don't name themselves, they take shape by being honored by people."
Indeed, I thought it was true.
As a matter of course, I recognized those who were called to the Warrior Summon Ceremony as brave men, but at the time Hilde was chosen, they did nothing.
And that was true of the referee I met.
"The Heroic Summoning Ceremony only finds cultivation. There is no value in being held by a brave man who stops walking."
The hall is dominated by silence.
There was no one to deny her words.
Even Figuero, who had exposed so much anger, was just holding his tongue.
"But some of you have already accomplished your work as brave men. If you're not convinced by what I'm saying, you can talk to me."
Hilde's gaze turned towards Chisato and Rifa.
It also attracted the attention of the people around me, and even I felt uncomfortable.
Her reference to greatness would be to fighting Behemoth and defeating him.
"This is a meeting place for qualified brave people from all over the world. We have prepared a meal for you whispering."
Then, the hall door opens, and plates filled with luxury dishes are carried to the table one after another.
When I saw Reefa's eyes twitching like a beast in that sight, I smiled bitterly--fu, I felt her gaze.
———
The old man behind Mr. Hilde is looking at us.
It has been determined.
Eyes that are not powerful, but can feel a sense of urgency that does not seem like old people.
Immediately my gaze was diverted from me, but for a while I was disturbed by strange tensions, I was unable to move on the spot.