Another bi-weekly release, and it’s late too. Man, I have really been slacking. Well, it’s Excuses Time.

The weekend of 8/7 – 8/9, I was busy with some school stuff so I couldn’t really focus too much on translating. That continued on until 8/12 where I did some final tests. Then after that, I did some translating but couldn’t finish the chapter. I got sidetracked because the recent weekend was the last weekend before my brother goes back to California. Because of that, I was hanging out with him and my sister. Other than that, I also occasionally got into my hobby of trying to make my own One Piece figures. I was working on a figure of Pica. Also, I got sidetracked from playing video games. ……Okay fine, I don’t really have an excuse for not having made a release other than me slacking off. The school thing was only a third of the reason. That still doesn’t excuse me from making a late bi-weekly release. I confess to my sin of sloth. But can I really be blamed for it. I am a person that does things according to my mood. ……Huh, yes, I can be blamed for it? Really? Oh. Well, I guess there’s no other way around it. Boil me, grill me, skin me alive, do whatever you need to to be appeased. ……Huh? Just give you the chapter already? Oh, I should do that, shouldn’t I. Well, here it is. Enjoy. And, again, sorry for the delay.

Heart of Atonement

「Here we, go. Is it alright like this?」

「Yeah. ……Sorry about that, thanks.」

「Please don’t mind it, Yashiro-kun.」

Bundling together my livingware starting with the bedding, I had Pretty Boy-kun help out in putting it on top of Silber’s back. He was a man of character that would let out the words 「I’ll help you out」 without me having to say anything.

It’s natural that he’d be popular being this.

「Kukeh」

「Damn it, getting all delighted and in high spirits like that.」

Putting the luggage on top of Silber took some time, but he cried a voice that sounded like he was in a good mood.

This little rascal, it looks like he doesn’t feel sorry for hanging me upside down and waving me around in the slightest.

「Yashiro-kun, what will you do from now on? If you have some time, won’t you meet with Akane and the others?」

That harem of Twin Tails-chan and the others huh. Even if you say that, I don’t really have any good memories in regards to Twin Tails-chan.

「Ah~…… But I guess it might be best if you don’t meet with Akane.」

When I was thinking of words to refuse him, Pretty Boy-kun wryly smiled while scratching his cheek.

What’s with that, that reaction…… I, I have a bad feeling about this……

「This was after Yashiro-kun had left but Akane was pretty worried about you. Saying various things like she had strongly said too much. ……Then, after we were introduced to Norn-san, the next time she meets you, she’ll give you punishment for making her worry! ……is what she raged on about. Probably, if you were to meet her now, you’d probably get hit with one or two shots.」

While smiling, Pretty Boy-kun said that.

Hey now, that isn’t the time for you to be smiling.

「That’s why……Let’s see, it’ll become an oral message to Akane and the others but is there anything that you want to convey to them?」

「Ah~, ……Tell them that I’m sorry for making them worry.」

It’s not like I have anything else I want to tell them.

「I got it.」

Nodding, Pretty Boy-kun held out his right hand.

「Hn? ……A handshake?」

「Yeah. During the time in Luxeria, we didn’t properly greet or see each other off, right? That’s why,」

Saying that, Pretty Boy-kun looked at me with eyes that could make one feel the strong will that was in them.

「Take care. ……Let’s meet again.」

He didn’t want to stop my journey, he sought a promise to meet again with me.

Not knowing that I was a Hero, he thought of me as a regular person with no Maryoku.

Normally, you’d probably tell someone “Stop doing such a dangerous thing”. That’s right, it’s dangerous.

This is another world. If you were to say how many times more dangerous it was, it would greatly exceed that of Japan.

Having many murderers and muggers, it was a world where it even had monsters appearing.

But, even though he know about all of that, he sent me words of blessing on my journey and said to definitely live and meet with him again.

……He really is a nice guy. I should also change my attitude otherwise it would be rude.

「Ou, see you later. ……U~m, Amagi-kun?」

「It’s fine to call me Kaito, Yashiro-kun.」

When I asked that while grabbing his hand, he replied while making a wry smile.

「In that case, you can just call me Yuu.」

「!……Got it. Yuu.」

Me and Pretty Boy-kun, no……Kaito, right here, for the first time, became not acquaintances that came together from the same world, but 『friends』.

◇

「See~ ya~!」

「Kukeh~!」

「Yeah! Be careful out there!」

「Ou!」

The boy with the same black hair as myself walked lined up next to the giant bird that had his luggage place on it.

While greatly waving his hand, he shouted out words of farewell.

Yashiro Yuu. Just a regular person that got dragged in our summoning.

Right after he told his name when we met, he went to Norn-san’s side for training, and just like that went on a journey, the boy from the same town as me.

Having learned that he had no Maryoku, he went to the Luxeria Guild’s head, Norn-san, and was taught techniques to defend himself at her side.

When I first heard that from the Princess, together with my surprise, I felt guilty.

Because he was dragged into our summoning, his way of life was greatly changed.

And then, speaking of when we were summoned, I was unable to land a hand or foot on the Mazoku Agniera and allowed a girl who dreamed of becoming a knight die.

I felt guilty. To Yuu……and to her as well.

And then, fully realizing how powerless I was, I desperately acquired strength that rivaled those Mazoku. And then, thanks to that, I was able to save him.

「Thank goodness. ……I, was able to end things without letting him die.」

Just a few days ago, there was a battle with the monsters that the Ghost-user had manipulated.

It seems that he was in the middle of that as well.

If we were slow in getting here, Yuu would’ve……And not only Yuu, a great number of people probably would have died.

「……That’s right, I forgot!」

That’s right, the reason why I got out in the middle of the reconstruction work was to go and receive the people that were going to arrive any time now.

「………Take care.」

I once again looked at the direction Yuu had left in.

Having disappeared into the street where crowds of people were coming and going, I could no longer see him.

◇

Since going through crowds of people would take time, he travelled on top of the buildings.

Something so anime-like was possible due to his body being strengthened by magic.

Continuing in the direction of the Forest of Bewilderment, when he reached the southern entrance, there were two extravagantly made carriages and the horses that pulled them.

A blond hair woman with dark skin got down from the lead carriage and turned her eyes towards Kaito.

「A lady shouldn’t be made to wait, you know?」

When that woman, who was still young and probably in the first half of her twenties, approached Kaito, she said that in a slightly joking way.

「Excuse me, I had a deep talk with an acquaintance that I hadn’t seen in a while……」

When he apologized, she giggled with an alluring smile, and then she turned her eyes towards the carriage.

「I don’t mind. We also just got here after all.」

In addition to the brown skinned woman, another person came down from the carriage.

White skin and green eyes. Beautiful green hair that reminded one of new leaves received the sunshine and shined just like jewels.

Wearing a costume similar to the so-called red and white miko clothes, a young lady, or rather, a still childish, about 8 years old if her age had to be said, short girl came down from the carriage with slowed gestures.

「Tre. Stop teasing Hero-sama.」

「Fufu. Understood, 『Witch of Time』-sama」

The green haired young girl with pointed ears and the blond haired woman seemed to be master and servant but, in some respects, an affable relationship could be seen. Like close friends, they looked like sisters……

When Kaito thought that, the young girl that was called 『Witch of Time』 turned around towards him.

「Well then, shall we go, Hero-sama.」

Eyes whose strong determination could be felt, were turned towards Kaito.