Chapter 55: With My Childhood Friend

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

“Why is it that my childhood friend is always with someone?”

“…W-who knows. I wonder why.”

In response to the question from her disciple—whose eyes had lost their light—Vasily averted her gaze as she answered.

It had already been three weeks since they returned to the royal capital. The Demon Lord had been slain with the castle as his pillow, and the hunt for the remaining forces was progressing. The Demon Lord’s army was on the verge of disappearing from the continent. The countries and towns that had been occupied in the western nations were steadily collapsing, and the situation was far from one where it seemed any kind of civilized governance had ever been carried out.

It would likely take decades from now for reconstruction to be completed. While dealing with messages from acquaintances left behind at the Adventurers’ Guild and on the front lines, Vasily had been handling most of the troublesome matters such as negotiating the joint quest between Starry Sky and Dawn, as well as correspondence with the royal family. However, she had been unable to intervene in the complicated web of relationships swirling around Finn.

“Something’s strange. He was supposed to marry me, but there are so many girls around him that I don’t know. And they’re all cute with great figures, and they’re all aiming for Finn. And yet Finn hasn’t even noticed that he’s being targeted. I have to protect him, right? I’m his childhood friend. If it comes to this, I’ll just drag him back to the village by force, marry him, cut ties with the secular world, and have children. If we do that, no one can oppose us anymore, right? What do you think, Master?”

“Ummmm… I guess it depends on how Finn feels.”

“Then this really is the best option! Finn likes me, after all! Ahaha, ahahaha! Of course he likes me! If he didn’t like me, there’s no way he’d have saved me! Right, Master!? There’s no way Finn’s kindness is directed at everyone, right!? I’m special, right!!?”

(Ah… she’s broken…)

“Hahaha!”

Letting out an eerie peal of laughter, Aria grabbed her hair and clutched her head.

“U-uu… Fiiinnn…! Why did you abandon me…? Don’t leave me behind…”

“……………………”

“Uwaaaaaah! I liked you firstttt!! I’m losing to some girl who just showed up!! He’s going to be taken away!! It’s all over! My life is finished!!”

Even Vasily had no choice but to be struck speechless at the pitiful sight. To begin with, Finn wasn’t in a relationship with any particular person. But since Aria wasn’t actually dating him, anxiety constantly swirled inside her.

Emotionally unstable, and with a long-standing tendency toward delusions and assumptions, Aria spent her days fantasizing about a happy life with Finn. Then upon seeing the reality where that didn’t happen, she began imagining herself watching Finn end up with someone else from afar, and screaming in terror.

(…And she’s completely sober right now. It’s amusing and kind of cute to watch, but I wonder how men see it.)

“Heeeyyyy, Maaasteeer…”

“Yes, yes. What is it?”

“Take this seriously! What if Saint-chan or Carla-san or Astrea-san takes him away!?”

“Well, that would be the path Finn chose. All you can really do is support him, right?”

“That’s not the kind of reasonable answer I want! I can’t stand the idea of Finn choosing a woman who isn’t me!”

“Then are you going to steal him away?”

“I don’t want to do anything Finn would hateeee…!!”

“Honestly… Listen, Aria. Finn is a man. Naturally he must have preferences when it comes to women. Why don’t you ask him what he likes and try your best to match that?”

“Eh? I can’t do something that embarrassing.”

Vasily didn’t say that what she was doing right now was far more embarrassing. A maiden’s heart was complicated. Since her long-standing love had become so twisted, logical arguments simply didn’t work on Aria.

“Then what about going on a date? There’s been plenty of time since that day.”

“…But he’s always with a different woman…”

“If you just invited him normally, I think he’d come.”

“Really…? I mean, we finally met again after so long, but Finn didn’t even come to see me himself. Maybe he’s just not interested in me…”

Aria lowered her eyes as she said that. In the end, that was what had accelerated her spiral. There were many women around Finn. And in addition to them, there were many women secretly harboring feelings for him. What Aria had built up over the five years that Vasily didn’t know about was by no means small. Precisely because she understood that, Aria couldn’t bring herself to step forward boldly either.

“And somehow the Saint-chan feels strangely close to him… Unlike the others, it feels like Finn is the one closing the distance with her…”

“Is that so…?”

“It is!”

“What do you mean ‘it is’?”

“I’m saying Finn feels close to Saint-chan!”

“…Does it really look that way? If so, I’ll have to be careful.”

Saying that, Finn sat down beside Aria. The moment Aria realized it was Finn who had sat next to her, she stiffly stretched out her arms with a creaking motion, buried her face in a cushion, and collapsed onto the sofa.

“Hey Finn. How are you feeling?” 

“Extremely good. Since I haven’t been moving my body, I feel rusty, but it’s made me realize again how important rest is.”

“Your body isn’t special. Don’t push yourself.”

“Yeah, I know. …So what’s with Aria?”

“Mgh.”

Poke, poke.

Finn prodded the toes of the sprawled-out Aria. He chuckled at the completely unsexy reaction, and Aria pouted.

“Muu… pervert.”

“Want me to grab your butt?”

“Geez! Pervert!”

“I’m joking. I’m a gentleman, so I wouldn’t do that.”

“Oh really…? Even though you bathe with Carla-san?”

“That wasn’t my fault. She came in on her own.”

Aria stared at Finn with a suspicious look.

“…Well, I won’t deny it was a feast for the eyes.”

“See! See! You’re a pervert!”

“Hold on, Aria. The fact that such a perverted man surrounded by beautiful women hasn’t committed any indecent acts is proof of sincere and gentlemanly behavior no matter how you look at it.”

“…That’s true.”

Vasily nodded firmly.

“Before we’re men and women, we’re party members. Looking at them that way would be rude.”

“Oh yeah? Then what about me?”

“You’re my childhood friend.”

An instant answer. He replied so quickly there wasn’t even a moment’s hesitation.

“You’re my adorable childhood friend and a hero I’m proud of. Being born in the same village as you is the happiest thing that’s ever happened in my life.”

“Uwah… u-uhehe… I see.”

“…So then, Finn. What did you come for today?”

Leaving the completely melted Aria aside, Vasily asked about the main matter.

“I came to see Aria. Are you free?”

“Huh? Ah, well, yeah. I’m free.”

Aria blinked repeatedly, not having expected that he came for her.

“You said you were going to buy a house in the royal capital, right?”

“Ah yeah, I plan to. I was serious when I invited you too, you know?”

“About that, sorry. But, well… I was happy.”

“…Hehe. So what about me buying a house?”

“No matter how famous you are, suddenly buying a good house in the capital is impossible. Connections and networks are everything. You could use the Master’s connections as much as you want, but…”

He paused his words and glanced toward Vasily. Vasily simply shrugged and shook her head.

“You don’t seem very eager about that, so I figured I’d help out. I have someone in mind. What do you say?”

“…Is that okay?”

“You and I are close. If I can help you, I’ll gladly do it.”

“…Thank you. Finn, you’re not going anywhere, right?”

“At the moment, I have no plans to.”

“Then… I’ll accept your help.”

“Leave it to me. …Though all I’m doing is connecting you with someone I know.”

“No, I’m happy. More than anything, I’m happy that you came to help me, Finn.”

Saying that, Aria sat up and gave a goofy grin.

────

──

────

“Oh, it’s you again, Hero. I’ve heard the details from Finn. I’ll cooperate within the limits of what I can do.”

The one standing there was the Second Princess, Charlotte Bernstein. Although she wasn’t wearing the formal attire from the other day, she welcomed Aria in fashionable clothing that a country girl like her could hardly imagine.

“…Come on! Come onnn!! Come ooon!! It’s another woman again! Finn!!”

Aria snapped.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー