Chapter 34

“They’re good parents, still thinking of their daughter even now. They’re looking to find you a husband if you’re still single. Not a bad prospect, you know?” There was a faint smile on his lips. “You think I want to return to the nobility?” I tensed, my magic staff in hand. I wasn’t about to change my mind after so many years. “So did you want to be an apothecary?” “…” I couldn’t answer. No, I’d never set out to be an apothecary. I’d wanted to live as an adventurer. But I didn’t have that right anymore, not after I’d killed Luke and Rei. “The thing is, I’m looking for a party member. A mage who knows her stuff. Wouldn’t hurt if she’s a looker, too.” The man shot me a flirtatious wink; weirdly, I didn’t feel creeped out by it. “If I tell your folks where you are, they’ll come find you, and your fun little stint as an apothecary will be over. But if I tell them I couldn’t locate you, then you can keep doing what you want—as an adventurer. What’s it gonna be?” The man pressed me for a decision. “There’s one thing I want to ask you,” I said. “Why me?” “I used to be friends with Luke and Rei. I was in their party.” My breath caught in my throat. I hadn’t known a thing about Luke and Rei’s other party members. “And I was the only survivor,” the man went on. “I need allies, Sophia. And I want you to be one of them.” Was this man still willing to fight, even after experiencing that battle? “I…don’t have any right to be an adventurer anymore.” The knowledge that I was responsible for the deaths of Luke, Rei, and all my party members kept me bound to that day ten years ago. I didn’t have it in me to continue being an adventurer all by myself. “Oh? So you are going back to the nobility?” The man broke into theatrics. “Deep down, you want those frilly dresses and sweets? Doesn’t sound like a bad life, sitting pretty and making other people do the fighting. No sweat involved. But I gotta say, it’d be a bit pathetic for you to be a pampered young miss at your age. I don’t exactly recommend it.” …Ha, I see what he’s doing. He’s trying to give me excuses. After I abandoned my life as an adventurer. “Rude. Watch your tone with me, you scoundrel. I hate rude men, you know.” “Oops, excuse me for my peasant upbringing.” He cleared his throat. “Oh, beautiful young lady, will you please accompany me? Let us sally forth once more to that barbarous battlefield.” The man extended his hand to me in an exaggerated display of noble-like pompousness. “Weeeeell,” I said, “you might have a point. I’ve forgotten all that noble etiquette. Could be tough for me to go back to being a prim and proper lady. I don’t have much of a say there.” Perhaps I’d been waiting for this—for someone like him to take me away. “And besides, I have no choice but to go back to adventuring after a rotten man threatened me.” I moved away from the counter and took the man’s hand. It was the first hand I’d touched in a long while—it felt hot against my palm. “So what is your name, good sir?” I asked in an affected tone. “It’s Leonard. Nice to have you on board, ex-pampered young lady.” The blond adventurer winked again.