I don't want to be a heroic spirit

"Where are your teammates? Oh, I'm talking about Aqua and Kazuma, because I just ran into them. It might be a bit rude to say this, but they're both problem kids who could easily get into big trouble if left unattended."

You are also one of the problem children... Nero added in his mind.

"I don't know. In fact, I didn't pay much attention to them when the party started. I was staring at Ai...Elise."

It would be really worrying if I asked you to look after Her Highness Alice…Darkness added in her mind.

Darkness wasn't worried that Nero wasn't strong enough to protect Alice. His record of defeating the Dullahan in a one-on-one fight was still shining. But, Nero's personality was really...

Nero frowned slightly as he listened to Darkness's words and placed the cup on the table.

"I suddenly feel a little worried... You stay here, I'll go find them."

With that, Nero turned and left, leaving Darkness somewhat confused.

“Isn’t that a bit exaggerated? Kazuma and Aqua are a bit… um… troublesome, but it’s not that serious, right?”

Darkness picked up her drink and took a sip, when she suddenly heard someone calling her.

It is quite difficult to distinguish the voices calling you in such a lively environment.

“Hey! Darkness!”

It sounds like Sato Kazuma?

Kazuma's seat was not difficult to find. Darkness then discovered that Kazuma had been standing on a table at some point, with his shirt completely taken off, and his cheeks seemed to be very red because he had drunk too much.

When she saw Kazuma, Darkness felt a little relieved. In fact, she was just as worried as Nero that Kazuma and Aqua, who had gone somewhere unknown, might cause some trouble. But as a teammate, she still wanted to give them more trust and save some face in front of others.

“What’s wrong? Kazuma, why did you suddenly call me? And where is Aqua? Shouldn’t you be with her?”

It's a normal question to express concern for teammates.

however……

"What do you mean by that!"

"……Eh?"

"I'm asking you what that means! Huh? You're just a erotica, aren't you supposed to offer benefits to everyone you meet? You acted so serious and normal when you came in just now. Are you possessed? Or did someone install a flush toilet in your head and flush all the plots of your books? You always show off your filthy body, but suddenly you become so feminine, do you know how incongruous it is?!"

Darkness subconsciously became excited by the "erotic" and "obscene" content, but she immediately came to her senses when she remembered that Alice was still nearby.

Now is not the time to get excited!

"This devilish man...how can he always find my pleasure point so accurately?"

Kazuma seemed to have gotten drunk after drinking with the adventurers around him, and he couldn't stop talking.

Not only him, but also the adventurers who were arm in arm with Kazuma were all acquaintances of Darkness, and they all knew Darkness's true nature.

“That’s right, Kazuma is right, that normal scary performance doesn’t suit you at all, slut Nice.”

"We all thought you were the best, the one who excitedly shouted 'Being abused by monsters is the female knight's mission'."

"What if he suddenly becomes so serious that he charms us all?"

“Shut up, everyone!!”

Seeing Alice looking over, Darkness was immediately filled with shame and anger. She rushed forward and punched each of the children, giving each of them a sound sleep like a baby.

After Nero left, he came to the backyard of the Adventurer's Guild in search of Aqua.

There are vegetables grown in the guild’s backyard, which are used when the guild cooks.

Nero also saw a half-grown saury, with only the eyes grown but not the mouth yet, and it seemed to be growing well.

...Wait a minute? Saury grown in the fields?

Nero, who was a little slow to react, found something wrong... This saury actually grew out of the field?

In the fields, rows of saury's eyes were rolling around. In the dim environment, it felt as if they were looking into the eyes of some ancient god.

"...I may not be able to eat saury anymore."

Resisting the urge to burn these evil saury with fire, Nero continued to walk deeper into the backyard.

Darkness cannot affect Nero because she can use [Emperor Privilege EX] to gain the night vision skill of this world.

She actually found Aqua in the backyard.

I saw Aqua squatting in the corner, as if burying something.

Nero turned on [Breath Blocking] and moved over, very curious about what Aqua was doing here secretly without drinking.

Then, she heard Aqua talking to herself.

"Hehehe, it's a rare opportunity to find a sucker. I definitely won't just eat meat and drink. After all, no matter how much a person can eat and drink, there's a limit to how much they can eat and drink. But I just need to bury all the wine here, and then dig it out tomorrow and take it away. I'll make a killing! Hehehe! This goddess is incredibly resourceful. Let's see if Kazuma dares to laugh at me for having a brain smaller than a frog. When I bring this expensive wine back, I'm going to drink it right in front of him and make him so envious! Wahahaha!"

Under the silent night sky, Aqua let out a hearty and triumphant laugh.

Standing behind Aqua, Nero's expression was very complicated, he didn't know whether to be angry or laugh.

"Ah...bullying fools is against the law, right?"

Soon, Aqua's recognizable wailing for mercy once again shattered the silence of the night.

“Ahhhhhhhhhh! I was wrong, I was wrong! Spare my head! Kazuma! Kazuma, where are you? Save me, Kazuma!!”

Chapter 286 Quiet Night, Anxious Youyou

It's very late.

The lingering dark clouds blocked the moonlight, and the stars were no longer visible.

Her long eyelashes trembled, and Youyou opened her eyes with great difficulty.

I went to the bathroom in the dark.

When she came back, Youyou's expression was obviously much more relaxed.

I wanted to go back to my room and continue the dream I had just had... but I stopped in front of a door.

"...This, seems to be Miss Nero and Iris's room?"

Youyou didn't have any idea about Alice and Nero sleeping in the same room.

Although Alice and Nero must have enough money to buy another room after completing so many commissions...but since they didn't do so, they must have their reasons, and Youyou doesn't intend to comment on such things.

Moreover, Nero and Alice do not object to Youyou entering their room. Alice often invites Youyou in to play chess, so Youyou does not feel isolated.

"It's so late... Miss Nero and Iris haven't slept yet?"

The people inside seemed to be talking about something. In the dark and quiet corridor, Youyou could even hear her own heartbeat clearly.

Curiosity prevented her from taking her eyes off the old door. Her intensified heartbeat made Youyou's mind suddenly dizzy and then extremely clear.

Do you want to come over and listen?

"But...this isn't right, is it?"

Youyou shook her head, constantly denying this sudden idea in her mind.

"Besides...it's so late, Miss Nero must be discussing something very important with Iris..."

No, Youyou, you must never do something that would disgust others.

At this time, I should pretend that nothing happened, leave without leaving any trace or footsteps, return to bed, cover my face with the quilt and sleep until dawn...

That's right, the book says that if you want to maintain a relationship, you must learn when to play dumb...

"Did you say goodbye properly?"

This should be Nero's voice.

She is very confident, very powerful, and very reassuring, as if nothing matters to her.

"Well... not yet. I don't know how to put it."

It was soft and sticky, a little lacking in confidence, and as crisp as an oriole singing in a valley. It was obvious that the person who spoke was Alice.

"Claire will come to pick you up tomorrow, so you must say goodbye before then. Tonight's banquet is specially held for you, and it has the meaning of a farewell party... maybe?"

"I know, Sister Nero did all this for me..."

"No, don't forget that I'm a tyrant. Everything I do is for my own pleasure, hahaha!"

A very Nero-esque answer.

"Say...goodbye."

Youyou's heart suddenly felt like it was being grabbed.

Tomorrow... Miss Nero and Alice are leaving?

Although I knew this day would come, but...

If I had left earlier and not heard these words, maybe it would have been much better, right?

"Tomorrow... Claire and Rain will be here?"

Youyou didn't know who Claire and Rain were, but she thought they were probably Alice's retainers or something like that.

"I guess it can't be hidden anymore. Claire has never stopped looking for me, and I defeated the Demon King's generals at this time. Even with Darkness's help, there's no way to keep it secret any longer."

"Sister Nero, when you see Claire tomorrow, you must not get into a conflict with her."

"You should save these words for Claire. I heard that very heroic female knight has been holding a grudge against me these days and really wants to execute me. Although she holds a grudge, it seems quite nice to have such a beautiful girl remembering me forever... Speaking of which, Alice, do you want to make a bet with me? Let's bet on whether Claire will draw her sword and strike me down the moment she appears tomorrow."

"Shouldn't... that be the case?" Alice's voice was filled with uncertainty. "After all, Sister Nero is now a hero who single-handedly defeated the Demon King's generals. No matter what, Claire wouldn't be able to do that... right?"

"That's because you don't understand your position in her heart."

What's going on? Isn't Miss Nero Alice's sister?

Logically speaking, Miss Nero's status should be higher than Alice's, right? Why would Alice's retainers say they want to execute Miss Nero?

Hmm... maybe it was just something said in anger?

Youyou felt that she might not understand the nobles' thoughts.

Youyou never doubted the sisterly relationship between Nero and Alice.

When Youyou returned to her room with a heavy and complicated mood, she immediately lay back on the bed and covered her head tightly with the pillow.

Parting is inevitable, and the more precious time is, the faster it passes.

The time spent as teammates with Alice and Nero is so unforgettable for Youyou.

It would be great if there was a magic that could turn back time... Youyou couldn't help but think so.

If only these were all just dreams, then after waking up I would find that separation is still a long way off... Youyou couldn't help but fantasize like this.

"Really... after hearing all this, how can I pretend like nothing happened and continue sleeping soundly..."

A leisurely mumbling sound came through the pillow, sounding a little muffled.

As soon as she closed her eyes, her mind kept recalling the conversations she had just heard, and recalling this precious time to her. Her active brain made her not feel sleepy at all, but became more and more awake.

"Obviously... I don't want to think about these things..."

The pillow covering my head was wet from something and felt hot.

Youyou was tormented by irritability and anxiety, and her heartbeat became deafening in the quiet night.

As time passed, the irritability that was plaguing her grew stronger and stronger.

She grabbed her pillow and dug her fingers deep into it, as if she wanted to tear it.

Youyou once thought that she could accept this separation calmly.

But now it seems that she overestimated herself... or seriously overestimated herself.

She was thinking...if they could stay together.

Let Nero and Alice stay in Axel? This seems to be the most impossible, Alice's family does not seem to allow such a thing to happen.

So, what if she went along? She stayed in Axel because Megumin was there, but Megumin had already found teammates who were willing to accept her, so it seemed like she could leave with Nero and Alice.

But there is another problem... Alice is a noble, and after spending some time with her, Youyou feels that Alice is not an ordinary noble.

Even if she is willing to go along, but... will the people around Alice be willing to accept her?

Alice's family...would they be willing to let a commoner like her become Alice's good friend?

After all, she was just an adventurer... and a novice adventurer at that.