Inside An Ad*lt Game As A Former Hero - Chapter 26

Fortunately, the town was located close to the border.

After all, if there was no town near the borders, there would be no way the guards could work on the walls.

I along with Frillite entered the town to have a drink at a tavern. Inside the tavern, there were only me, Frillite, and the tavern owner.

That’s because Frillite brought out the Hero’s plaque and so all the others backed down.

Even though there was only one tavern in the whole town, the town people retreated quietly.

Thanks to which, I was able to firsthand experience the greatness of power after a really long time.

“The ship that was sailing properly suddenly met a storm, and you guys found yourselves in the land of orcs? How did you and that orc you met by chance even formed a brother relationship in such less time?”

Frillite pressed her temples together as she asked.

When she asked me what I had been doing since I left the capital, I basically answered without any omissions, and this was her reaction.

Though I couldn’t quite well understand why she was doing that.

She looked at my calm face as I stared back at her and let out a deep sigh.

“Atleast you managed to survive. If it wasn’t for your luck, you would have died several times already, you know?”

“What luck? I got through it all on my own.”

“You really… ha ha, no. It’s all my fault for letting you go out on your own.”

“Why do I feel like you are going to say something my mother would say?”

“That’s how reckless you were!”

Frillite sprang up to her feet and reproached loudly.

“Phew, that scared me. Why are you getting so hyped up, lady? Almost spilled my drink.”

I sipped on the splattered ale on the back of my glass.

Frillite looked at me like that with an incredible expression, and as if her pulse had loosened, she floundered and sat down back on her chair.

She crossed her arms and shook her head.

“Yeah, even if it was reckless, it’s okay as long as you got out safely. I won’t say anything else. But this time you have to select your companions.”

“I’m going to do that even if you don’t tell me.”

“Sigh… I’m telling you again… Hm? You are willing to?”

“Yup. The time has come when I need to.”

The youth like vigor in my body is not like what it used to be. This meant only one thing.

That it’s time to go find the big root!

The dungeon, where the big root is resting, has strict access conditions.

First, at least one of the party members must be of level 30 or higher.

I achieved this condition a while ago while reducing the monster population on the way to the border wall with the orcs.

My level is exactly 30, so the first condition wouldn’t be a problem.

‘The problem is the second one.’

The second condition for gaining the access to the dungeon is that the party that enters the dungeon must be composed of four members.

Nothing more, nothing less.

It should be a party of exact four members.

So, I have to find three temporary companions to go with me in search of the big root plant.

Upon hearing my words, Frillite’s complexion brightened.

“Well thought out. It seems that you have also come to realize a lot of things in the meantime. Don’t worry about finding colleagues. I have inquired in the Empire…”

“You don’t have to. My companions will be solicited through the Adventurers’ Guild.”

Frillite’s expression got vague.

“Through Adventurers’ Guild? Well… if you, as a Hero, recruit companions, many outstanding adventurers will apply… But, are you sure?”

“I have no intention of revealing that I am a Hero. I’ll recruit my companions as a fellow adventurer.”

Temporary companions who will only explore the dungeon together, after that—a permanent goodbye.

Frillite frowned.

‘She also has a lot of different facial expressions.’

As we were talking, I thought of that out of nowhere. Originally, I thought she was someone with a cold personality.

I think it was explained by a game npc, about her indifferent personality and what not…

After thinking about it for a while, I listened to Frillite again.

“You’re going to recruit your companions while hiding your identity as a Hero? I don’t understand. Do you really need to? Why are you hiding your identity as a Hero in the first place?”

Why hide my identity as a Hero?

Welp, it isn’t that great of a reason.

It’s all because of the big root plant.

As soon as I reveal my Hero identity, my follow-up deeds will be scrutinized. After that I will probably be tailed by some flies. Frillite isn’t of that nature, but Gis and Lorian definitely are.

Moreover, I have to go to a dungeon to get the big root plant.

And dungeons are a kind of wonder that adventurers as well as Heroes look for with their eyes lit on.

When the flies who follow me find the ‘Big Root Dungeon’ and contact their owners, I’ll get very, very, very, very annoyed by their disturbing tricks.

This is because the dungeon where big root is resting is just as difficult to clear as it’s access conditions.

To be honest, I’m not confident in conquering it in just one try.

I don’t even know if it will be conquered at the second or at the third one…

And what if Gis and Lorian come while I’m reorganizing after a failure?

Maybe I would have to separate my attention from the dungeon and have scuffles with those punks?

…It doesn’t seem as bad as I thought, but the real problem is after that.

Just as a child’s fight becomes a parent’s fight, a Hero’s fight becomes a nation’s fight in a moment.

Others might be wondering—isn’t the solution so easy? Just kill those flies.

But that’s not a good solution either.

Just think about it.

Cloud has a docile personality, giving even his own companions to others.

That Cloud suddenly finds the tails and kills them?

The behavior itself can be packaged as having a great change after being ntred. However, my alert level in their minds will surely rise.

Then those fookers will be sending out a bunch of flies with stronger strength one after another.

Form past example, Howl, Howl, and um, Howl?

Damn mosquitoes and flies.

I haven’t slept for nights, so even my mentality feels pissed.

Yeah, right.

…actually, it doesn’t really matter if those flies come after I have obtained the big root plant. After that, it doesn’t matter if the alert level goes up or not, I’ll just kill waves after waves of those buggers.

In any case, even if there’s such a situation, I can’t tell Frillite about it.

Because it’s the same for her, a powerful monster like Hero, to go crazy about dungeons.

I said with a wistful expression on my face.

“Of course, it’s because of the worry that those guys Gis and Lorian will follow my back.”

“Are you worried about them doing something to you? If that’s the case, don’t worry. No matter how strong they are, they will not be able to harm you directly.”

“Yeah, they can’t do any harm to my body directly as you said. But can’t they interfere indirectly?”

It was a moment, as if she had remembered something, Frilite’s movements paused.

Did she remember those three women who went to another party?

If that’s the case, she doesn’t really have to worry.

If all the three original companions have ntred in the middle, I can just find three new companions. The problem is that I can’t go to pick them up at the moment.

“…you are right. Those idiots have already messed around a lot. It all makes sense now, why you are hiding your identity and why you lied about being my friend.”

Frillite sipped from her wine glass with a bitter expression.

“Yes? What does that mean?”

“Didn’t you say that? You can’t reveal your Hero’s identity because you are worried about those guys playing some tricks again?”

“No, not that. The second part. Why is that a lie?”

“?”

Frillite looked at me with her puzzled eyes.

“Isn’t that a lie too? Are we friends?”

“Weren’t we friends? Welp, I thought so.”

“Uhm??”

Frillite’s eyes filled up with embarrassment.

Yes, that’s understandable. If it were me, I’d wonder if this punk had gone crazy.

But I can’t help it.

I can’t break free from the taste of power I hadn’t tasted in a long time!

I said calmly, folding my fingers together in position to convince her.

I continued, “We drank together, worried and comforted each other, and even tried to help. There is no interruption in the conversation and our flow matches as well. Isn’t this enough to be considered friends?”

“Is that so?”

“What was that vague reaction? Did you not consider me as a friend? Well, I’m a little saddened.”

“No, that… it’s because it’s the first time that someone ever called me a friend, so…”

…?

“What are you talking about? Don’t you have any friends?”

You don’t have friends with that face?

What the fuçk?! Are you deceiving me?

As I looked at her with a mixture of surprise and astonishment, she hastily added an explanation.

“I’ve been holding a sword ever since I was a kid so I didn’t get the chance. When I was a little older, I went out to subjugate monsters to gain practical experience. So, I didn’t have the time to socialize with my peers. It wasn’t because I wasn’t sociable or something!”

“Uh… uh, yeah. Yeah, I got it. Now calm down.”

“What, what’s with that reaction?”

Frillite grumbled, frowned at me, and took a sip of her drink.

Then she grinned and muttered.

“Friend… that’s doesn’t sound half-bad.”

“Then do you recognize me as a friend?”

“Didn’t you proposed it first? It’s an offer I don’t really need to turn down.”

All right, the plan’s a success.

Now, if I run into trouble while roaming the Empire, I can sell Frillite’s name.

If I told them I was Frillite’s friend, everyone would be definitely surprised.

This is power!

There’s no obligation I owe by having this power.

Truly, a pleasure without responsibility!

Thrilled by the feast of beautiful future, I couldn’t help but tremble.

Of course, only inside.

On the outside, it’s an amiable friend, Cloud.

“That means I’m your first friend?”

“Hmm.”

“To commemorate meeting your first friend, the drinks will be on your tab!”

“All right, drink as much as you like… Wait.”

As she almost spoke with a grin, she suddenly closed her mouth as if reminiscing about something. She narrowed her eyes and started staring at me.

“Didn’t I paid for the drinks last time? Why should I buy this time too?”

…I was going to seal the deal, why are you so needlessly quick-witted, madam?

“Last time I bought it, this time you pay. I have heard that friendship is not a one-sided relationship, but a relationship of giving and receiving from both sides.”

You don’t even have friends, why do you know that?

I raised both of my hands towards her.

“I don’t have money.”

“You don’t have money?”

Frillite opened her eyes wide in shock as she asked.

Actually, it’s not that I don’t have money.

Because there’s still a lot of money I got from the Battleground Championship.

However, after deducting the amount that’s needed to be kept for Lina and Mars, even the future travel expenses are quite tight on my part.

“Are you saying that you have already used up the funds you received from your kingdom?”

“I don’t have any such funds.”

“You didn’t receive any funds? Why?”

“It’s the money I have to spit out after gobbling it. It feels dirty and cheap. If that’s the case, I rather won’t accept it.”

“That’s right, but…”

“So let’s do this. The person who loses the bet pays.”

“You want to have a bet? So, what bet?”

“What else, my lady? We are in a tarven, isn’t it already decided?”

I said raising my glass of ale.

“The one who falls first loses.”

Frilite laughed too.

“Are you going to challenge me? That’s fun. I accept it.”

Frillite and I clinked our glasses.

* * *
Cloud was confident of winning the bet. It’s because he’s never got drunk in his entire life. After rolling around several years in the battlefield, his body was capable of fighting even in state of intoxication.

But there was one thing he had forgotten.

—that his present body was not his original one.

And that getting drunk is a question of body’s tensity, and not that of mind.

No matter how strong Cloud’s mind was, he couldn’t overcome the chemical reactions that took place inside his fragile body.

From the point when Cloud’s tongue began to waver, Frillite suggested him to quit.

However, the half-drunk Cloud completely refused, and in the end he got drunk and fell to the floor.

“A little foolish…”

Tsk tsk, Frilite clicked her tongue and gazed at the fallen Cloud. Then she got out of her seat and sat down on her buttocks next to Cloud, who had fallen on the floor.

She took a deep breath as she looked at Cloud’s lucid sleeping face.

“What should I do with this guy…”

Cloud refused her help and left the Imperial Capital on his own.

After that, even though his track record became obscure, Frillite didn’t worry too much.

It was because the way he looked at her while they were drinking wine in that bar was strangely calm. There was also the though that he was a Hero, so he will do well on his own.

But why?

From what she heard today, it wasn’t. He was on an absurdly reckless strike throughout the journey. He might have just died if luck had been a bit bitter for him.

When she thought of that, she felt a chill coursing through her spine and the worries that came over rushing like a mountain of load were an extra.

How can she get this stubborn man to listen to her? What should she say to convince him to make normal companions and travel safely?

It was when she was immersed in such troubles.

“Ugh…”

Cloud, who stretched out in drunken stupor, suddenly groaned.

Frillite let out a smirk.

“You sleep so comfortably without knowing how worried others are for you.”

Feeling exasperated for no reason, she pinched Cloud’s cheek.

“Uh-ugh…”

She lightly giggled at the sound of him groaning strangely. Soon she closely looked at Cloud’s face without erasing her smile.

‘Friend…’

Frillite is the only daughter of Duke Perdiac, and the heir of one of the most prominent families in the Empire.

Since she was the only child, it seemed that she grew up receiving all kinds of comfort, but it wasn’t the truth in the least.

There were two reasons.

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The family’s style was too strict to grow up being loved and cared like a normal noble family’s lady.

Second, because of her natural talent, she was a unique Hero candidate from birth.

When she was born, she only contacted with her servants. Her attendants and maids, even her exclusive attendants, all treated her with restrained eyes, voice, and attitude.

The case with her escort knights was a little better.

As her escort knights, they were also in charge of teaching Frillite along with their escort work. They lavished praised on her when she did well.

But that was to it.

They didn’t bring up their personal stories or expressed their emotions.

This was because they represented a noble family, the Perdiac family, who regarded moderation as a virtue.

She also took it for granted.

Until she overheard about the Imperial Social Banquet.

The words she heard were beautiful.

Young gentlemen and ladies having a pleasant conversation in front of a fancy garden accompanied with luxurious cuisine, with melodious giggles blooming the environment.

Something like a heart-tickling fate felt right that instant.

Having lived her entire life in an restrained environment, everything about Imperial Social Banquet was like a fairy tale to her.

Until one day, she got an invitation to participate in the Imperial Social Banquet.

No matter how busy she was with training, she needed to get acquainted with other fellow nobles as long as she was also a noble.

Frillite waited for the social banquet with great anticipation.

But her disappointment was just as great as her expectations.

The Imperial Social Banquet was not a beautiful place to make friends.

It was just a dirty political game pool for adults.

Of course, there were still some innocent nobles of her age.

But they were reluctant to approach her. It hit the wall of her heart and pushed her so far away that now even she could notice it.

In fact, it was a matter of course, it was very natural.

Frillite herself was unaware at the start, but unravelling one layer after another—she was the only child of the Perdiac family, and also a unique Hero candidate.

She is a person who will rise to the peak of power on the continent in the future.

What if you make a mistake with such a personality and get remembered..?

She can blow both you and your whole family away form the face of earth.

It’s always the case for lower nobles to tie a string to a higher noble, but if the opponent is too overwhelming, they will be scared and run away.

Of course, in the midst of that, there were many who tried to somehow attach their straps with her, or to take advantage of her.

But those people were all smitten under Frillite’s sword.

Although she had her fantasies, she was not stupid. The degree of intent of approaching her was easily discernible.

And thanks to that, until now she had no one to call her friend.

Except for her just-made friend.

‘It’s amazing.’

When he saw her, he suddenly began to be friendly, and now he outright became her friend too. That was a really stupid act, and he knew it too.

But why?

She didn’t feel bad about it. Rather, she enjoyed it quite a lot.

‘Is it because there’s no malice?’

There didn’t seem to be much reason for Cloud to ask her to be his friend. He didn’t come to her because he wanted something from her.

No, there was.

‘It’s a thing as trivial as buying a drink.’

To be honest, to Frillite, it was like a declaration of a friendship spat out under the influence of alcohol. He drank and became brothers with an orc, so was it difficult for him to establish a friendship now?

Saying that, they seemed to be in a quite casual relationship, but she was rather willing to.

Because it was the first time someone had approached her without any ulterior motives.

‘But he’s more like a troublesome little brother than a friend.’

Not so cute, and always making others worried…

In the end, she paid for their drinks, again.

Suddenly feeling upset with her lost victory, she tried to pinch Cloud’s cheek.

It was then.

“Sorry…”

Frillite’s hand stilled at the words that came out of Cloud’s mouth.

She looked at Cloud’s face.

His eyes were full of water.

“If only I had done a little better, you guys could have…”

There was no follow-up. It was just a drop of tear dripping down. His face was full of sorrow.

‘Is he having a nightmare?’

Then what was the nightmare?

It was obvious without saying.

She could tell just by listening to his sleep talks.

“Even if you pretend not to, you care. The betrayal of those three.”

That’s why.

Not only he rejected her offer but also embarked on a reckless journey.

It was all done to forget those three.

With a bitter expression on her face, Frilite carefully trimmed Cloud’s messy hair.

A little, but Cloud’s expression relaxed.

Frillite smiled faintly.

* * *

‘Hurry, hurry up. A little faster!’

The cavalryman rushed the horse. The horse, which had already ran non-stop for dozens of miles, was already on its last legs, but he had no choice.

Because it was so urgent.

‘Why, why…!’

An Ogre appeared in the peaceful forest. Although the lords of the surrounding cities had organized a subjugation army, they alone were not capable of subjugating such a monster.

If they clash, they will probably not able to avoid annihilation.

However, fortunately, according to the recent news, Hero Frillite was in this area.

Hero Frillite who was called the Red Phantom.

If she comes to help, the result will be completely different.

The cavalryman, disembarking at the gate of the town, quickly ran to the only tavern in the town.

‘She should be somewhere here..!’

The cavalryman opened the tavern door roughly.

Then he was at a loss for words.

There were only two people in the tavern. A man and a woman, both had red hair. The man was laid out as if drunk, and the woman was gently stroking the man’s head.

‘Rumor has it that Frillite-sama has red hair…’

No way..?

“Excuse me, is this Frilite-sama?”

“Shh.”

“Yes?”

“Be quiet.”

“But, it’s very important…”

“Don’t you know what I mean by being quiet?”

When Frillite glared with her eyes, the cavalryman was forced to shut his mouth.

It’s really urgent ma’am…

If you don’t go now, everyone will die…