Facing It Is the Beginning (20)

"Well, I must say, no matter how many times I see you two, those outfits suit you wonderfully."

David said this as his eyes roved over Kururu.

With her hair tied back in a ponytail, Kururu looked elegant in her bartender uniform. She was so lovely that any man who caught sight of her would find it impossible to look away.

Rex, too, with his already handsome features, gave off a mature air in his bartender uniform, exuding an unusual allure that even other men could sense.

"Was it all right to sneak away? Aren't the nobles going to make a huge fuss?"

"Seeing Kagami-san off is far more important than that."

"I agree. Though I was the one who made us a little late."

With a nobles-only area now established in the casino, they put the two in charge of the establishment, since they were already well-known and at ease in those circles. The two were then entrusted with running the casino.

Perhaps because word had spread that they were working there with the king's approval as part of their social education, the two were never subjected to snide remarks from the nobles. If anything, they were treated quite favorably.

Rex was already handsome, so noblewomen surrounded him every day. As for Kururu, unmarried noblemen from the royal capital flocked to the casino daily to court her, seeing her as a rare chance to casually speak with a princess of another nation.

"Master. I'm thinking of abandoning the way of the sword and becoming a first-rate bartender."

"Are you sure that's what you want?"

"You said yourself that it doesn't matter what role we have, Master. Besides, a world where swords are no longer needed is coming. I'm certain of it... So being a bartender is just fine."

As he spoke, Rex gave the drink shaker he'd somehow brought along a vigorous shake.

Kururu let out a deep sigh at his tone, as if he were intoxicated with himself.

"You've changed."

Seeing Rex like that, Kagami gave a soft snort and murmured those words.

At the very least, Rex no longer had the rigid way of thinking he'd had when they first met. Kururu was the same. That alone made Kagami feel the battle in the royal capital had been worthwhile.

After the battle in the royal capital, Kururu and David decided they could remain at the castle without issue, and stayed there. Yet, for some reason, just a few days later, both of them came to see Kagami.

Apparently, the king had told them they were free to live as they pleased, to make up for all the time they'd been deprived of their freedom. Kururu had asked to work for Kagami, and that was how things had ended up as they were.

As before, David came along as her minder, but unlike last time, he didn't hover over her while keeping watch. He spent his days more like a guardian who had simply come along with her.

Kururu had asked to work for Kagami because she wanted to help bring about the peace that was sure to come in the future, and because she wanted to help him reach his goal of collecting 10,000 gold. She also wanted to stay by his side as one of his companions, and there was one more reason—

"By the way, Kagami-san, did you buy it?"

Kururu asked, gripping Kagami's arm firmly as her ponytail swayed.

"Of course. I bought it at the guild with the money I just got for completing a quest."

Kagami, for his part, showed no sign of being flustered. With a perfectly matter-of-fact expression, he took a slip of paper from the pouch at his waist.

But seeing that exchange, Alice puffed out her cheeks, looking a little displeased.

Ever since the battle in the royal capital, Kururu had become unusually touchy-feely with Kagami. She was just as clingy with him as Alice, who had always followed him around.

Kagami took it as a sign that Kururu had finally warmed up to him, but the feelings that had actually blossomed in Kururu were almost exactly the same as Alice's.

Ever since the battle in the royal capital, Alice and Kururu had been vying with each other, but Kagami's personality meant he didn't notice it at all, and they were having a lot of trouble getting through to him.

"So this is the item... It just looks like an ordinary ticket to me."

Tina snatched the ticket from where it was being waved about and murmured those words.

"Well, if the Dark Dragon and Estella are right, this should let me get to that dungeon I wandered into half a year ago."

"With something like this...?"

"Don't call it 'something like this.'"

It was still fresh in Kagami's memory how he'd gone to the quest guild, trembling as he handed over a huge bag stuffed with 10,000 gold.

As Kagami made his way to the quest guild, lugging around an unprecedented sum of money, everyone who saw him couldn't help looking tense.

And what he'd gotten in return was this small, ticket-shaped scrap of old paper.

The scrap had a section meant to be torn off. Kagami assumed that tearing it there would activate it, but he had no idea how it was actually used.

"All right, I guess I'll get going."

"Huh? You're leaving already?"

"Yeah. We don't need some tearful goodbye, right? I'll hurry up, take care of what I need to, and come back."

"You really are remarkably matter-of-fact. Though I suppose that's reassuring."

Seeing him act as usual, the Demon King smiled faintly.

The others seemed to feel the same; none of them acted reluctant to part. Instead, they all smiled, creating an atmosphere that made it easy for Kagami to set off.

"Take care, Kagami-san."

Seeing Alice smile at him, Kagami seemed to feel a little reluctant to leave. "Yeah, I'm off," he replied, affectionately ruffling her hair as if reluctant to let go.

"Um... Kagami-san! Please... please make sure you come back!"

Seeing that Kagami had decided to leave, Kururu let go of his arm and said this with a serious expression.

David began biting down on his lips with a smile, grinding his teeth in envy. Kururu was gazing at Kagami with the glistening eyes of a girl yearning for her beloved.

Seeing them acting as usual put Kagami at ease. He smiled faintly, then—

"Well then... Who knows what might happen, but I'm off!"

With that, he ripped the ticket apart in one swift motion.

At that moment, a status window appeared silently before Kagami's eyes.

The status window displayed the question, "Would you like to proceed?" along with the options "Yes" and "No." Without hesitation, Kagami touched "Yes," making his choice.

At that moment, Kagami's whole body began to glow white, and he vanished from the spot as if being erased.

"Do your best... Kagami-san."

Thinking of Kagami, who must by now have arrived at the dungeon where the Dark Dragon was, Alice murmured those words softly, praying for his safety and believing he would one day return with a smile and say, "I did it."

And then... three years passed.

Kagami never returned to the city of Valman again.