Part 3
Zircon Tower City・Plaza, Evening──
A lavish victory celebration was prepared.
As if to say that it was here, a large amount of reserves were set out.
Amazingly, Diablo's group had seats next to Feusal Lord Lamnites prepared for them. Lamnites herself had not yet appeared.
Once she came, that would surely be the start of the victory celebration.
The staff officers of the army sat on the right side of the Feudal Lord seat.
And then, the left side was seats for Adventurers and those related to the Church.
It had ended up being that sort of layout. Within that left line, Diablo was in the highest position.
──Being in a seat that gets this much attention, the burden on my communication disorder heart is huge, you know!?
Rose was at his back, waiting upon him. She did not eat. Rather, since she was receiving a supply of magical power from Diablo right now, it could be said that she is in the middle of her meal.
To his left, Rem, Shera, and then Lumachina were seated.
One seat was open. Diablo asked a question.
「Where is Horun?」
Lumachina tilted her head.
「She had given her help when I was treating those that were injured though……?」
「She had come to the plaza. She had a hesitant look when we were coming up on stage though.」
──Even I didn't want to be in a place that stood out like this either after all. I sat down though since coming up to the seat but then turning it down was lame.
「Come to think of it, it kind of felt like she was worrying about something, didn't itー?」
「……Now that you mention it, she might have.」
Diablo didn't notice Horun's state at all.
He stood up.
「I will go and feel the wind for a bit.」
「Me too……」
He stopped Rem and others with one hand as they had gotten halfway up.
If all of them left, it felt like Lamnites would complain to them afterwards.
Rem nodded.
「……That's true. There is also the matter with the chapel. You could say that deepening friendly relations with the Feudal Lord and the staff officers here is an important job.」
「Ah, now I get it.」
Lumachina nodded. She was a girl ignorant of that sort of political bargaining.
Shera couldn't take her eyes off of the cooking.
「I'll, do my best, with Diablo's portion too, okay!?」
「……Be sure to bring a bit to back to the inn, got it?」
He stepped down from the stage.
It felt like his body had become immensely lighter!
「Horun～? Horun～?」
Even if he called out like that as if he were calling for a cat, there was no way she would come out.
Diablo walked along the street as part of his stroll. The main street was in revelry.
Since it was a reversal from a desperate situation, their joy was probably huge.
──I can't get close to a place like that.
She looked like she was worried about something, if that was the case……She was probably in a much quieter place.
「The inn?」
He tried going back to the inn that Lamnites prepared for them.
The dagger, 《Shadow Knife》, was there. In addition to that, the ability-strengthening type mantle and accessories, and the HP Recovery Potions were placed on the desk.
It was all of the stuff that Diablo gave her. No, only the Western clothes, the 《Treasure Mini》, wasn't left behind.
And then, even the rewarded gold coins that came from the Feudal Lord for having participated in the war, all of it was left behind.
「……What is the meaning of this?」
Did she only leave behind her adventure-use tools at the inn? It didn't feel that way.
The accessories were things that didn't need to be taken off, and if she was going bring along her old dagger, there was no reason to leave the Shadow Knife behind.
──Could it be, she doesn't plan on coming back?
Diablo clicked his tongue.
If you're going to leave, then do what you what, is what he thought.
Diablo had a trauma about people leaving him. Chasing after them was painful enough that his heart felt like it would break.
「But, if there are words of a farewell, I know that they should be heard from the person themselves. No matter how painful they are.」
──The mistake from the time with Shera, I won't have a repeat of that!
He rushed out of the inn. The sun had already set.
Voices making toasts in the victory celebration could be heard from the plaza.