The Struggle of Returning to The Other World

"Do you know him?

Mr. Sizzle, who had refrained behind Noel, asked that in a strange way.

I'm secretly surprised, too. Indeed, before, Mr. Ars had shown such a bare gesture that he knew Noel, but he didn't think he was close enough to call each other names.

"This is my colleague."

"Co-worker...... no way, this guy is a knight of the country too!?

In response to Noel, Mr. Sizzle and Mr. Elliot look away and marvel. Yeah, I get it, I get it. From what I've seen, you don't seem like a very discerning person, do you, Mr. Ars? I feel like a casual brother in the neighborhood, wandering downtown.

"I just don't know what this guy's going to do until I ask him."

"I don't like it. I'm just here to pick up Halka, who's on a pilgrimage."

Mr. Ars shrugged his shoulder with his wrist tied behind his back.

"By the way, is it time for you to untie this restraint? I'm not running, I'm not hiding, and I've decided to respect Hulka's will, so I won't force you anymore."

"There's nothing I don't trust as much as your words"

Wow, that's a bassari. Without Noel's being too cold, I just felt sorry for Mr. Ars for a little while. Well, I totally agree with what you're saying.

"Hit me. We had the same pot of rice. Tell him from Haruka."

I shake my shoulders frighteningly with Mr. Ars looking me in the eye.

"Uh, wah, me?

"Ars, don't be ridiculous."

"I'm not kidding. I'd rather have that word back to you just like that."

That's the first time I realized then that Mr. Ars' light condition did not change, but that his eyes were not laughing at all.

"... Sizzle, Elliot"

"Yes, sir"

Two people called by Noel stretch their pins and spines.

"You two go back to Master Ardina's protection. I'll take care of this."

"But"

Of course Mr. Elliott and the others can't honestly snort. They didn't even try to hide their disgruntled expressions, they tried to recruit Noel.

But I won't allow Noel to continue beyond that.

"Please. Ardina's neighborhood is too thin right now. Besides... Hulka is the only one this guy is after. I'll tell you the story."

……

Still uncomfortable, Mr. Elliott and the others looked at each other.

I can't talk about anything with me, taking it for granted. What the hell could I have said on this occasion if I was too helpless for the party's sake?

"... ok"

After a moment of silence, eventually, Mr. Elliot nodded.

Mr. Sizzle saw Mr. Elliot's face as surprised, but there is no objection.

"Me and Sizzle, we'll go back to Master Ardina once. - But please don't be impotent."

"Oh, I remember the liver"

Confirming that Noel nodded, Mr. Elliot took Mr. Sizzle's arm and muttered briefly, "Let's go." Mr. Sizzle still wanted to say something, but Mr. Elliott drags him into already starting to walk.

Their backs disappeared across the door.

"Hey, you're trusted, Noel"

Mr. Ars smiles as he says so, watching Mr. Elliott and the others leave his back. Noel did not answer that, and now he shook off once and for all the rain Shizuku dripping out of his hair.

Ugh, I'm afraid of this pressing air.

"That's Mr. Frahamti's offer."

"Come on, stop saying that like I'm the bad guy. Either that or I'm going to come and help Hulka. The previous witch will be surrounded by the current witch - you can't possibly understand what that means, can you?

……

"What are we going to do with Harka around like this, Noel? Stop sleeping around saying you can protect her no matter what happens if you keep it with you. Even now, if I had any ill intentions, Halka would be dead."

With that said, Mr. Ars showed him how to cut his own neck with his right hand.

- What, that!? Soon Mr. Ars's restraint is untied!? When I looked at him for a moment, at his feet, I noticed the remains of a rope cut off with a sharp blade rolling around. From the start, you could've gotten yourself out of custody at any time!

"I'm sorry to say this, but those guards aren't strong enough."

This was the first time for me that Mr. Ars would say something that would throw people away.

One more thing, I can poke Mr. Ars on the unknown side.

"You're the same. There are other beings you need to protect, and for that matter, Hulka will always be second. I can't protect you now, Harka. And if you do this halfway, you can't even protect Master Ardina."

"I know."

Noel, in a quiet voice, affirmed.

"I know best that everything is halfway through. I don't have the power to protect him right now."

"Then let go of Harka. Because I promise to protect her responsibly. Sure, Master Frahamti is a belly black person, but I'm pretty sure he's not going to do her harm. I'm only ordered to escort Haruka now, so unlike you, I can afford it."

I stayed on the spot and couldn't even hang around.

... right.

Mr. Ars was deliberately caught by Mr. Elliott to convince Noel. If Noel lets me go, I'll have to go back to Lady Frahamti now. Then I guess I stepped on it that it would be easy to do without resisting in vain, too.

"Or throw away Master Ardina's escort job and Hulka and I will disappear somewhere? Throw away all the trust of the guards earlier, the trust of Master Ardina, the trust of the country - turning away from reality?

- Stop it.

At that time, I was the only one who told him that in a trembling voice.

I'm surprised myself for raising my voice.

"Mr. Ars, that's not true"

Still, I couldn't pull in any more now, and I stood in front of Mr. Ars in an unreliable foothold.

"Mr. Ars is wrong. 'Cause I never thought Noel was halfway there. Noel always stood by me."

Soon I held my fist too hard and my nails were eating into my palm.

"On my second summons, I did, I've always been anxious and thoughtful. But now I thought to myself that I wanted to work on my own. I stayed away from Noel. Still, Noel kept an eye on me. And how much has been saved, Mr. Ars, you know? - I don't want to be Noel's best. Whether it's number five, six or a hundred, it doesn't matter. If you cared a little bit about me, that would be enough."

Yet I couldn't bear to be blamed for Noel by Mr. Ars, who knew nothing about it.

"I'm not sure if I want to go back to King's Capital with Mr. Ars because I don't want to bother Noel or anyone else. You can't rely on Noel, so if you're gonna say anything, I'm not gonna let you."

I stood up all at once, and then I realized I had said too much, leaving it to the momentum.

... Wow, I won't forgive you, what the hell kind of authority do I have?

Besides, I kind of got pretty embarrassed about it!?

"I know how you feel, Harka."

Mr. Ars laughed bitterly as I was turning blue or red on my own.

That smile was a proper soft one, so I secretly relieve myself while confused.

"I've known you longer than Noel. We finally know that Harka supports Noel's shadow."

But Mr. Ars goes on to say.

"Is that why you say you can't overlook him as the same man? Hulka's too kind, she's going a long way. You should be more selfish. Noel is a sloppy man."

I'm not denying what you're saying.

Noel only didn't break down calm and gently broke in between me and Mr. Ars.

Noel's big back stands in front of him. Asking how Mr. Ars was over that shoulder, he was tightening his expression again, too.

"Maybe I'm sloppy for sure. But I'm not returning this guy to Master Frahamti.... I also know I can't accompany Hulka on this witch pilgrimage. With this noise, all the more distrust will be solicited. But on the contrary, I also think that's fine. To keep you from being like Lady Frahamti - this confusion cannot be avoided."

"... what do you mean?

"Mr. Frahamti is more troublesome than Teng himself who re-summoned Haruka."

"You, you know what? Who is the person who re-summoned Harka?"

"- There is no certainty. I don't even know what's going to happen. But I think this situation makes sense right now. That's why Lord Luno sent Hulka here."

So Noel looked back at me.

"... in that sense, after all, I may be the one who 'uses' Hulka"

Seeing Noel's bittersweet face, I lost my word.

Words Noel was saying one day. Lady Frahamti is trying to trick me into finding out who did the summons, and now Noel is doing exactly the same thing.

That means...

That some of the members of this witch pilgrimage have re-summoned me?

With the shock, instantly, a pilgrimage's face crossed his head.

... No.

Sure, it wasn't impossible at all.

Nothing is the enemy of Master Ardina but the rival faction. Even in that nostalgia, there might be a human lurking trying to plunge her. Someone with malice is beside Master Ardina with a strange face. It's very sad, but it's a possibility.

But only because we have spent the next journey with everyone, even though it is short, and we have felt that everyone in our membership cares about Master Ardina. I couldn't believe there could be a traitor in this. Even Noel says there's no certainty, and it could be some kind of mistake.

Of what I'm trying to tell myself...

Oh, well, I thought.

I'm sorry, some of me will be convinced.

Mr. Luno didn't fly me here just to get me out of Lady Frahamti's hands.

(To confront me and the killer)

“The line that I want to go home needs to be told by the killer" -.

The words of Mr Luno, which I completely forgot, are now more vividly evoked.

Yes. That's what Mr. Luno has been saying since the beginning. I'm gonna fly you to where the killer is, and then you're gonna have to do something about it.

Oh... I, I had no idea what his words meant.

"So, who the hell summoned Harka?

"If you want to know, come here, too."

Noel and Mr. Ars did not make each other's gaze perfectly aligned and microscopic.

"If you're not going to come, you're going back to your owner alone."

"What if I told you I was taking Harka with my exercise of strength?

- Try it.

Noel laid his hands on the pattern of the long sword that was resting on his hips.

Mr. Ars, on the other hand, did not attempt to set up a dagger as easily as earlier. I keep my mouth shut and even look straight at Noel.

More than at the time of the Sword Trident with Mr. Elliott earlier, the air in the room was stuck.

I can't stand that air anymore, just a few steps back so I can escape.

It seems that Mr. Ars had captured the motion at the edge of his gaze.

When he loosened his shooting strong gaze and looked at me, he shrugged his shoulder.

"... oh, shit. That's right, it's bad for you to give him a dagger."

"Then what?

"Fine. I'll join you guys. I don't have to take Hulka right now, but there's going to be plenty of opportunities. Well, it's another question of whether or not your pilgrimage will allow you to accompany us."

I was secretly relieved that Mr. Ars pulled me off.

Like earlier, I don't like watching my liver just chill out that someone might get hurt.

But it was also a heavy story to take Mr. Ars back to everyone.

He's right, there's no way everyone will embrace us with a smile. Even if you managed to accept it, what's its sincerity? There may be someone in there waiting for me, the ex-witch. And maybe he's trying to fall for Master Ardina -.

- Oh. I don't want to think about it anymore.

"If that's what you decide, let's go back to the inn immediately. If you put too much time away, it's gonna be an extra hassle."

Noel laid his hand gently on my shoulder, still standing on the bar. I was sitting blurry, and that returns me all the time.

"This journey is almost over. By then, we'll have some kind of answer."

I couldn't honestly be pleased with Noel's words.