As the familiar town came into view, Allen let out a quiet sigh. It wasn’t a sigh of physical exhaustion, but of mental fatigue. Nothing had happened on the road since that conversation, and yet just being around Noel and the others had worn him out.
If it had been the Noel and company he knew well, it wouldn’t have been an issue. But their demeanors were different, and that made all the difference. Since everything else about them was the same, he found himself overthinking how to act around them, and that constant consideration had left him drained.
In a way, it might’ve been less tiring if something had actually happened along the way. But now, the Frontier was already within sight. There was no point in dwelling on it.
“It’s finally coming into view. So, that’s Granholm, huh?” Noel commented.
“Took long enough,” said Mylène.
“Seriously. If I knew it’d be like this, I wouldn’t have gotten involved in the first place.”
“Agreed.”
“Hey, at least try to back me up a little here.”
As he listened to their exchange, Allen’s brow twitched slightly. Strictly speaking, the Frontier town didn’t even have an official name. In fact, due to its small size and informal status, calling it a town was really just a convenient label since it wasn’t recognized as such in any official capacity.
So it wasn’t surprising that it lacked a proper name. Still, not having a name made things inconvenient. Which was why, over time, a nickname had caught on: Granholm.
It wasn’t something designated by the guild or any governing body. The name had simply spread on its own through natural usage. Its origin was unclear. But even then, that name was only ever used within the town. At the very least, it wasn’t something people unfamiliar with the Frontier should know. Yet, from the way Noel and Mylène spoke, it seemed this was their first time coming to the town. So how did they know its name?
“I guess this counts as another small difference too, doesn’t it?” Allen murmured.
“Hmm? Did you say something?” asked Noel.
“Nah. Just wondering what kind of place this is,” replied Allen.
“Is this your first time here?” asked Mylène.
“Pretty much. I’ve heard about it, so it’s not like I know nothing.”
Just like with Westfeldt, and with Noel too, even if appearances were the same, there was a good chance something would be different from what Allen knew. With that in mind, keeping his answers vague seemed like the safest course.
“Speaking of which, I never asked, but what are you going there for?” Noel asked.
“Ah, now that you mention it, I never said,” Allen answered.
Partly because no one asked, and partly because he hadn’t decided how to answer yet. But he’d had plenty of time to think on the way, and by now, he knew what to say.
“I guess it’s kind of similar to your reason? There’s someone I want to see there. Someone I’d consider...a lifesaver, in a way.”
“Hmm. That is kind of similar.”
“But in my case, it’s not really about giving thanks or anything.”
The person Allen had in mind was Anriette. It was, without a doubt, one of the reasons he was heading to the Frontier. If this really was a parallel world, then there was no guarantee Anriette even existed here. But somehow, seeing her might help him understand where he stood in this world.
“Someone important to you?”
“Hmm, yeah. I guess so.”
Thinking of Anriette, he nodded, knowing he could honestly call her important to him. Of course, Noel and the others should have been included in that category too, but...
“Is something wrong?”
“No... It’s nothing.”
Shaking his head, Allen felt a sense of certainty welling up inside him that it was time to decide how he was going to carry himself from this point on. The Frontier was, for better or worse, a place he knew well. Whatever awaited him there would undoubtedly shape the course of what came next. Hopefully, it would be something good. But somehow, he had the distinct feeling that things wouldn’t go so smoothly.
With that uneasy premonition, he let out another sigh.
“Well then, thanks for everything,” said Allen.
“Of course. You really helped us,” Noel replied.
Just like that, the moment they arrived in the Frontier, the two women casually parted ways with him. Still, that had been the plan from the start, so it wasn’t unexpected. They already had a place to stay lined up, and they seemed to know where it was too, so there was no need for further discussion. Allen had no intention of stopping them and no reason to, so he simply waved them off and watched as they walked away.
All right, then.
Once they disappeared from view, he exhaled slowly to reset his focus. There was a slight pang of loneliness, but the two of them were planning to stay in town for a while, so he’d likely see them again soon. More importantly, he didn’t have the luxury of thinking about them right now.
Hmm. I wonder... Maybe it’s just my imagination, but...
Since he’d ridden in the carriage with Noel and Mylène, it had been a while since he’d last really looked at the Frontier. Still, it hadn’t even been a full month. This place was known for changing quickly, but not that quickly. And yet, Allen couldn’t shake the feeling that the atmosphere of the town was different from the last time he’d seen it.
Well, I guess I’ll start by heading to the guild.
Honestly, Allen had debated heading to the mansion versus the guild first. But considering everything that had happened so far, he ultimately decided it would be better to go to the guild. At the end of the day, if he wanted to gather information, that was the best place to do it. Visiting the mansion could wait until after that.
With those thoughts in mind, he began to head toward the guild. Fortunately, the exterior of the town hadn’t changed from how Allen remembered it. He walked along the familiar streets, just like always. However...was it just his imagination? The faces of the townspeople passing by seemed oddly cheerful.
I see. So maybe that’s why it feels like the atmosphere is different from what I remember?
The Frontier town was, for the most part, a gathering place for people who had nowhere else to go. Many of them still lived with resilience and strength; it wasn’t as though the place had always been clouded by despair. But even so, Allen had never thought of it as a particularly cheerful place either. That contrast was likely what stirred the sense of unease in him, the feeling that the atmosphere had shifted.
Well, personally I do prefer this brighter mood, so it’s not a bad thing, but...
Still, he couldn’t help but wonder what had caused such a change. Maybe the guild would have answers to that as well.
Anyway. Enough thinking.
Before he realized it, he had reached the guild. For a moment, his feet froze in place, but only for a moment. Quickly regaining his composure, he stepped forward and opened the door.
“Ah! Welcome, sir! You’ve arrived at the Libera Branch of the Adventurer’s Guild!”
His steps stopped again, this time in pure surprise. As Allen entered the building, his eyes fell on the familiar interior. Standing there was someone who absolutely shouldn’t have been there. That unmistakable tone of voice. That familiar face. There was no doubt about it...
Lisette Belwaldt. A knight of the empire and someone who had no business being here. No, to be generous—say, giving her the benefit of the doubt—her being in this town wasn’t entirely impossible. Considering how she had been treated as a nuisance back in the empire, it wasn’t beyond the realm of possibility that she had drifted all the way out here.
But the real problem was where she was standing. She was behind the reception desk. In other words, she was the guild receptionist.
Well, I’ll be damned.
Allen managed to recover from his surprise relatively quickly, perhaps because he had already been through something similar. Compared to before, this shock was still relatively mild. After all, it didn’t hold a candle to finding out Brett had become the duke of Westfeldt.
So, basically this is the same kind of thing, huh?
Someone who shouldn’t have been there was now standing in an impossible position. In that regard, Lisette and Brett were the same. Which could only mean one thing: The abnormalities weren’t limited to the Westfeldt family.
Well, I suspected as much, to be honest.
That was probably another reason he had bounced back so fast. It had been a prediction he’d hoped wouldn’t come true, but now that it had, there was nothing to be done.
And in a way...maybe this is my chance?
Back in Westfeldt, he hadn’t been able to get much out of anyone. But if Lisette was working as a receptionist, it wouldn’t be strange to ask her questions. She might look at him funny, but so be it. Uncovering the truth took priority over appearances.
Maybe it was because he’d been thinking like that, or maybe it was just a lapse in vigilance. He had already been surprised once, so he assumed that would be the end of it. But then a voice came from very nearby.
Allen was still standing just inside the guild entrance, meaning the owner of the voice had just now walked through the door behind him. He only had to turn his head to see them. But Allen, like a statue carved from stone, couldn’t move. Because the instant he heard that voice, he already knew who it belonged to.
“Anriette...”
When the name spilled from his lips, it was half unconscious. It came out like a breath, barely a whisper, and yet, it seemed to have reached her ears.
“Huh?”
At that reaction, his body responded reflexively and he turned his gaze toward her. And he saw her, the familiar girl’s eyes looking at him like he was a complete stranger.
In that instant, Allen understood. He had to. This was not the world he knew. He was now forced to accept that undeniable truth.