I Realized Too Late (3)

"Even if it's to save the Demon King, what good would it do if Kagami-dono died in the process? I'm grateful that you're willing to go so far to save the Demon King, but it would be a problem if you died, too!"

Kagami was taken aback by Menou's unexpected words. He'd expected Menou to insist on saving the Demon King by any means necessary, but that wasn't what Menou had said.

"I'm glad you say that, but if we want to create the world where humans and demons coexist—the world we're striving for—we need money, don't we? Without 10,000 gold, we can't save the Demon King, and the world will be attacked. If that happens, it's over."

"But... there might still be another way."

"Maybe, but going there is probably the best way to make money. This whole situation has made me realize again that without money, we can't do anything. We can't deal with situations like this. It's really sunk in that even the world we're trying to create is ultimately impossible without money."

Hearing that, Menou had nothing to say. It was true, after all.

It was already a common saying in this world that money could solve eight out of ten problems, and Menou had gathered as much from the way human society worked. Now, a situation like this had arisen—one they couldn't do anything about without money.

Menou couldn't bring herself to deny Kagami, who was doing everything he could to gather money for the Demon King's sake.

"Besides, thinking about the future, it would be better to save up as much money as we can, right? I'm sure there'll be more and more things besides this that money can solve. Whether we're trying to persuade the king or win the people over, we can force a solution with money. That's how great the power of money is."

As he said that, Kagami's expression grew somewhat forlorn. His words seemed to acknowledge that he'd lost his parents because he hadn't had the money to hire a bodyguard.

"Besides, even setting money aside, I'm interested in the beings people call mythical. I just want to see one for myself."

"...Kagami-dono, understood. In that case, allow me, Menou, to accompany you."

"Huh? I'm leaving you and Alice behind, though."

Kagami said it with an expression that seemed to ask, "What are you talking about?" He truly had no intention of taking Menou along.

"Seriously...?"

At his words, Menou's face stiffened.

"Taking both of you along so suddenly would look suspicious under the circumstances. David might not be the only one watching us, you know."

"Well, that may be true, but without me, you wouldn't know the exact location, would you? Surely it'd be suspicious if both of us went, but there's nothing strange about just one of us accompanying you, Kagami-dono."

Hearing that, Kagami reconsidered. "That's true," he said, giving it some thought.

"Then I'll bring Alice."

"How much do you hate me?! I'm absolutely not letting you take Alice-sama! Even if she's a demon, you never know what could happen."

"I know. I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Well... she'd definitely say she was coming, though."

Menou could easily imagine Alice saying exactly that, and looked troubled. But they couldn't leave without telling her, so the two of them headed back to Takako's bar, fretting over what to do.

When they returned to Takako's bar, everyone except Kenta-Uros, who was waiting there, fixed their gaze on Kagami and Menou. They must have been curious about the two of them whispering together in private.

Seeing that entirely expected reaction, Kagami let out a weary sigh.

"As I mentioned earlier, we're desperately short on funds. At this rate, collecting 10,000 gold by the end of the year is a pipe dream. I've asked David to arrange for a new casino room just for VIPs to be built, but... even then, we probably won't make it in time."

"What are you planning to do?"

"I'm going to hole up in a dungeon and earn money. It'll just be Menou and me."

In response to Tina's breathless question, Kagami paused for a moment before answering.

"I object. I'm going too. It'll count as training for me as a hero, too."

"I-I'm coming too, Kagami-san!"

"I-I'm going too! You said you'd train me so I could get stronger... That was part of the deal!"

Just as he'd expected, Rex, Alice, and Kururu said exactly what he knew they would. Kagami couldn't help grimacing as if he'd bitten into something bitter.

After that, he explained that it was a dangerous dungeon and that there was no way he could take people who weren't even Level 100 along. The fact that Menou was actually over Level 176 also helped him force them to accept it.

Alice was the only one who kept arguing until the very end. But when Kagami said, "We have to save up 10,000 gold, right?" she looked a little sad and murmured, "I shouldn't have suggested it..." Even so, she reluctantly agreed, and it was decided that Kagami and Menou would set out to find the Dark Dragon in three days.