“Thank you Sora. You really… Saved Casey…”
Leila says the next morning, as soon as she sees me.
Last night Bloody Rose erred on the side of caution and ate in their room, so this is our first time seeing each other since I finished treating Casey.
I say treating, but all I really did was give her some medicine, so it doesn’t really feel like I did much. Maybe that also has to do with the fact that I wasn’t with Casey when she was really struggling.
“You should take it easy too, not just Casey. I almost didn’t recognize you.”
“…I understand.”
“Good then.”
I don’t really know what to do now.
“B-by the way, what are your plans going forward?”
I guess Leila’s feeling the same way, as she asks me what I’m going to do from now on, probably to change the subject.
We talked a little about that last night.
We were planning to go back to Majolica to deliver the medicine, but we don’t have to anymore.
“For now at least, we’re planning to go to the Republic of Eldo.”
And then we’re planning to go to the dark forest, but I don’t need to tell her that.
“The Republic of Eldo?”
“Yes. We haven’t found Eris yet, but we want to take Sera home for a while. It would be different if we had to go to Majolica to deliver the cure, but it’s pretty close if we go there from here.”
“I see…”
“But we’re going to stay here a little longer. I want to see how Casey is doing.”
I think she’ll be fine, but I want to stay here for about a week, just in case something happens.
The real problem is what we’re going to do for a whole week.
Rurika and the others were talking about accepting quests, but I can’t go away for a long period of time. I guess I’ll just work on increasing the proficiency of my skills.
I could also prepare for our journey, buying fish and stuff like that. What about buying food from stalls I’ve had my eye on?
“What about you? What are you going to do?”
“We will be going back to Majolica when Casey’s condition has improved. Oh, and there is something I want you to have.”
She says while giving me three cards.
“What are these?”
“Identification.”
They do look like guild cards.
But identification?
“For you, Mia, and Hikari. You probably don’t need it, but my father figured he might as well make it.”
“This is definitely something I wanted, but are you sure?”
I do remember talking about this with Will, but after all I’ve been given, identification too?
“Casey is like family to us.”
I guess it’s fine if I think of it as a reward for Casey’s treatment.
“All right. Thank you.”
I really did want this.
I think that eventually, when all of my problems have been solved, I’m going to need it.
But that makes me stop and think. What are my problems exactly?
Looking for Eris, definitely. But after that?
I don’t intend to go after the demon king, but if he continues to exist in this world, what happens to it?
I’ve read a little about it in the academy’s library, but I’m not even sure if those were history books or fiction, and it felt like they always ended with a hero defeating the demon king.
Is the same thing going to happen this time?
It’s kind of hard to imagine, considering how overwhelmingly strong Ignis was.
But I’m stronger than I was back then too. I wonder how strong the others who were summoned with me are at this point.
And regardless of how strong an individual is, attacking as a group is different.
Skills and magic can easily make up for a difference in numbers, but they also cost a lot.
Then what if the demon king isn’t defeated? What happens to this world?
I might need to learn more about that. I could ask Ignis if I ever met him again, but I’m honestly kind of scared of that thought.
I go back to our room, and see that everyone except Hikari and Mia are out.
I sit down on the bed I’m using, and Hikari walks over and sits next to me.
“Where are the others?”
“They said they were going to the guild to look for quests.”
We’re only leaving in a week.
I don’t really want them to accept quests too far away, especially after what happened with the bandits, but it’s not like we have to always be together.
Not to mention that those three have way more experience than me.
“I was just talking to Leila. Apparently she’s feeling a lot better.”
“In just one day?”
“Casey’s condition was influencing her a lot too. And I got this from her.”
I show them the three cards, and they look at them with confusion.
I guess showing them isn’t enough.
“They’re credentials that show we live in Majolica… Identification.”
Oh? They’re not really reacting.
Hikari is just dangling her feet like she doesn’t care.
“Hum, Sora, I know you were thinking of us when you got them, but I’m fine like this.”
“But don’t people look at you weird… I’m the one who made you a slave in the first place, but…”
“…Still. And without this…”
She says while touching her collar and looking down.
In the end, I spend the day using skills and talking about cooking, until the other three come back.
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Thanks for the treat.