Tenkomori: The Homecoming Club Conquers Another World

"We had two big encounters, and each time we almost killed the target of our escort, which was a bit strange, and we wondered if we are needed to escort you, and our friends were sick in bed, and somewhere along the way, I think I made a cool vow, we never fail again, but that's about it. –Cheers!"

The chanting overlaps each other, and we raise the cups in unison.

It was a hassle, so I left the greeting to the Markant, but why did I have to do it? At least put in a request accomplishment or a get-well card. I am so glad my fathers were not here.

Valerie, one of the stars of this party, sat down in a comfortable chair and said to the returning Markant, "What the hell was that greeting!" He scolded her. Danil and Ose laughed at that.

The other participants were me, Roland, and Pavel, who had somehow managed to free up some time in his schedule.

A week had passed since then, and Valerie, who had recovered soon after, was discharged from the hospital with Pavel's permission and returned to the Fist Pavilion inn where she make her re-debut. "Battle Axe of Destruction" also did not take on any work and enjoy their vacation in a while.

I sipped my fruit water in the soft autumn sunlight.

It was the right decision to prepare more tables and chairs. There are not only sick women but also the elderly Pavel. In case you are wondering, I am also an eight-year-old child.

For a while, the party took the form of a standing buffet, but after Pavel sat down, everyone took their places at one of the tables and began to eat and drink, bringing in food and drinks without regard for the waiters. Well, commoners don't have standing parties, do they? I'm not one of them in my previous life, and even if I hadn't died, I wouldn't have had anything to do with it.

Pavel spoke to me.

He was sitting right next to me, right in front of me. I leaned back in my chair.

Pavel, who had arrived before everyone else, asked to see my concoction. He still couldn't believe it, and perhaps, surprisingly, his early arrival was a confirmation of that.

I was in the process of making a healing potion to kill time, so I invited him straight to my room to watch me complete it. He was surprised at how easily I made the potion, and he was also surprised that I made it out of common pottery. Maybe after I get used to it, I can substitute any dishware around.

"Oh, by the way, you didn't ask what kind of potions I needed. Unfortunately, I'm just starting, and all I can make are healing potions with ancillary effects. Antipyretic, detoxifying, sedating, fatiguing, and drowsy – don't you want that in your treatment?"

"That's good enough. But I will have an eye for medicines even if I can't use appraising magic. The potion made by Alter-sama is probably of standard quality. If you add the accompanying effects, it may be rather too good quality. Is it possible to lower the quality?"

"Reduce the quality, huh? I didn't think about it or even have time to think about it. Let's see if we can. There's no need to prescribe an overpriced potion for nothing."

"As you say, sir."

Pavel broke off.

As if waiting for us to finish our conversation, Valerie stood up and bowed deeply as she approached us.

"Alter-sama, I can't thank you enough for saving my life."

"Never mind. And no formalities. We're celebrating."

Valerie looked up and stared at me for some reason.

Her focus is out of her eyes. She seems to be observing my entire face.

Yeah, I guess it stands out. My face has improved a lot in a little over a week. But there are still traces of fatigue around my eyes. Today is a clear day. I guess I can see it even more clearly. Though not as bad as Valerie's.

"Well, what the hell. I did what I wanted to do. I don't regret it. I got a lot out of it."

"But …… I am just an escort. It is only an adventurer who has completed his mission and becomes irrelevant. And yet, I have caused trouble for many people."

"That's not true. If we had not encountered the Tremble Cube, a lot of travelers would die. And someone else will be infected with the Ash Vomiting Disease. It could have been me who collapsed. Would Valerie have shunned me then because I had nothing to do with it?"

"I would never do such a thing!"

Valerie immediately denies it.

"That's the way it is. I'm the same way. If Roland or "Battle Axe of Destruction" falls, I will do my best to save him. I think we established that much of a bond during that expedition, but I guess I was being selfish."

I tried to put my formless thoughts into words, but I felt a little embarrassed when I said them.

Behind me, Roland and Meredy were wiping away their streaming tears, "Finally, the little boy has a friend ……," and "But they looks like parent and child, but they're a friend……" I'll hit both of you later.

In contrast, "Battle Axe of Destruction" seemed to be overcome with emotion. That's embarrassing. When it came to Danil, his eyes were seriously moist. I was about to quickly end the conversation because my ears were getting hot, when all of a sudden, it got dark in front of me.

I couldn't breathe and there was strong pressure on my face.

What in the world–?

Valerie just hugged me.

My head was stuck in the valley of the great mountain range.

Even the back of my head was under pressure ……! I never thought it would be this much …….

Valerie is thanking me for my astonishment, but it's getting to be more and more difficult. A soft object covers my entire head and there is no room to breathe. It's like I had a similar experience a while ago. Oh, it's seriously bad. I feel like I'm dying. Happy death? I thought you were a little out of shape.

In my fading consciousness, I'm thinking about my short life and my happiness, then that happiness suddenly becomes distant.

"Because Alter-sama is going to die."

Oseh separated Valerie and me.

Oh yeah, this guy's the enemy, right?

Valerie apologized to me, embarrassed, her face stained.

I don't care, you can always finish me off.

As I waited, accepting death, Ose's gaze moved and he dropped to one knee in a panic. Following that, "Battle Axe of Destruction" also kneeled at once.

"Make yourself comfortable."

My father Urban, my mother Henriette, and my brother Lakius come to the party. I don't know about my father, but why are they all here? What about my well-being?

"I felt bad to interrupt you, but I wanted to say a word of thanks."

"Yes, you're right. And as a mother, I have to meet my son's friend."

My mother is a bit testy. I wonder if she's rooting because I was a wreck not too long ago. And my brother silently stared at a point with his eyes wide open. I know what you're thinking, brother, but grown men shouldn't be bitten. It's okay with me, I'm eight years old.

"So, who is this "adventurers"?"

The named Markant jumps up.

"Ha, it's me – me!"

"The escort mission, it was a great cause. My son was glad you had a good experience."

"Thank you for your kind words!"

I feel like I'm watching Nerio. Ah, but maybe this is the way it should be composed. Nerio is having a bit of fun, which is fine, but if everyone did this to me, I might feel like a pain in the ass. After all, he is a commoner at heart.

Father turned his gaze to Valerie.

"Looks like you've been through a lot. Are you feeling better now?"

"Yes, sir. Thanks to the efforts of Master Alter, he has survived."

"Mm, take it easy. Take good care of yourself. Pavel did a great job."

"Compared to the hard work of Alter-sama, I am nothing."

I stood there with a smile on my face for now. He shook me around a bit and I couldn't respond.

Then, as my father was saying a few words of thanks. Graham, the family butler came over to me.

His expression was somewhat puzzled.

"There is a guest here to see you."

My father asked with his eyes, and Graham looked at me.

"That, sir," he said, "is a friend of Alter-sama's."

"Are you a dwarf, by any chance?"

"I'm afraid so, sir."

"Then we are friends. I've been asking you for something. Let me through here."

"Yes, sir."

As Graham walked away, his father asked.

"Dwarves, huh? When did you two meet?"

"I was provided with the materials needed to create a cure."

"What if it's–booze?"

"It's alcohol."

My father and mother gave me an indescribable "Oh ……" look. It was very Dwarf-like. We hadn't even told the merchants about it, so they were like, "You're offering alcohol? Dwarves? He is astonished. I don't know. Incidentally, a large amount of Sacrio liquor still occupies a corner of my room. I couldn't find any use for it other than as a potion of Sharpe, and half of it was still there.

My mother gave me a worried look.

"Not much, I don't think it's something you should leave in a child's room. Even the maids have reported that Alter's room smells of alcohol, you know?"

When I looked at Meredy, she was already looking into the distance. She is pretending to be distracted by something, but there is nothing but a beautiful blue sky that way.

"Don't worry, it's always ventilated. Besides, we haven't found any stronger liquor than that one, so we need it as an ingredient."

My father and mother looked at each other and sighed, wondering if that was a good idea.

Suddenly, I looked over at my brother, thinking that he had been silent since a moment ago, and saw that his stare had turned into a glare. He was even more of a pervert. If the adventurers found it out. My brother's good name would be at stake. I don't want a pervert brother either.

Just as I was about to warn him, a voice like a cracking bell, not unlike that of a nobleman's house, roared through the hall.