Epilogue
Several days had passed since our climactic battle with Mobile Fortress Destroyer.
And now, today…
An unusual enthusiasm pervaded the Adventurers Guild.
I doubt I have to explain why.
Every eye was turned to the Guild employee in anticipation.
“Kazuma. I know it’s been several days, but I wanted to thank you again. You came through and protected this town. Thank you…very much…! I do want to tell you sometime—about why I must protect Axel.”
So saying, Darkness, dressed in civilian clothes today, gave a shy smile. The two of us were slightly apart from the other adventurers.
I turned to her and said, “You looked pretty cool out there yourself.”
She suddenly seemed to think back to how she had acted in the face of Destroyer, not giving a single inch. “W-was I, now?” she said.
She looked away, her cheeks a faint red.
I sized up the blushing Crusader and added pointedly, “Even though you never actually did anything.”
“?!”
Still not looking at me, Darkness quavered a little.
“Come to think of it, Darkness didn’t do anything this time, did she? While I was working my butt off! I broke the magic barrier and healed Kazuma’s wounds! And I gave my MP to Megumin!”
Aqua appeared out of nowhere, but her words didn’t seem especially mean-spirited.
They made Darkness quaver again, though.
“I, of course, was a key player, letting off two Explosions in one day! The second of which, might I add, eliminated Destroyer.”
Thus said Megumin, also appearing out of nowhere and also without malice. Darkness quavered again.
“And don’t forget, Mr. Kazuma, you were quite crucial yourself! You took command of the operation, and although there were some stumbles, in the end you defeated a large golem, pulled the Coronatite out of a steel cage, gave me your MP…!”
Thus said Wiz, who had really appeared out of nowhere, her words totally devoid of any mean-spiritedness whatsoever. Darkness apparently couldn’t stand it anymore and covered her face with her hands.
“Aww, come on! What about you, Wiz? You set off a terrific Explosion, you cooled my hand down, then you teleported the Coronatite before it could blow up… I think you’re pretty much the MVP here.”
Darkness was now shaking visibly. I turned to her.
“And, uh, what about you, Miss I-will-protect-this-town? Remind us what you did.”
“Wh-what is…? What is this feeling?! Arrrgh!”
I had just about sated myself on teasing Darkness, who was now slumped on the ground, covering her face and blushing furiously, when—
The Guild Hall suddenly fell silent.
When I looked up, I could see why.
A Guild employee was standing there with a surprisingly dark expression, along with a woman with black hair, flanked by two Knights.
I got it. Destroyer wasn’t some Demon King’s general. It had terrorized towns and nations all around this world.
Naturally, the reward wouldn’t be handled by our local Guild but by knights representing the entire country.
Heck, maybe they’d come to scout us, to see if we wanted to become knights.
As all of us watched with bated breath, the woman looked straight at me. Her gaze was heavy; there was a zealous spark in her eye.
If I had to compare it to something, it would be…
Someone staring down their parents’ killer.
“Adventurer Kazuma Satou! You are suspected of sedition. I will need you to come with me.”
FIN.
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