Chapter 286, Sova’s Inspiration

Translator: Barnnn

Editor: Silavin

 

The party pressed on with their exploration under Tsutomu’s guidance for several more hours, after which they returned without incident to the Guild. They went through the familiar motions of dividing their spoils at the reception desk. Then, as they disbanded, Biancaea turned to Tsutomu, offering a polite bow.

 

“Thank you for everything today, Tsutomu, Daryl.” She said.

 

Tsutomu shook his head. “It’s quite all right. I learned a lot as well.”

 

Biancaea’s attention then shifted to her brother. “Come on, Brother, you thank him too.”

 

“Ugh…” Smith gave a sigh. “No, I don’t think I will. And remember this, Tsutomu — I’ll catch up to you soon enough.”

 

“At the rate we’re both going,” Tsutomu said with a smirk, “I’d say you’ll need AT LEAST a year to catch up to my level.”

 

“……”

 

Smith’s face twitched with frustration at the thought that his declaration was, in fact, physically impossible. A scowl twisted his features as he opened his mouth, ready to retort, but just before the words could escape, Biancaea tugged on his arm.

 

“Come, Brother! We’re leaving. Oh, and Tsutomu, if an opportunity arises, I’d love to work with you again. Excuse us.”

 

“Hey — stop pulling me! You’ll stretch out my clothes!”

 

With that, Biancaea gave one last parting remark, dragging her brother along as though he were an unruly dog mid-bark.

 

Sova, who had been watching the scene unfold with mild amusement, turned his gaze back to Tsutomu.

 

“Honestly, I didn’t expect to be teaming up with you guys today…”

 

“Yeah, me neither,” Tsutomu shrugged. “It’s a real coincidence, considering we almost never request party matchmaking.”

 

Sova nodded, conceding the point. “That’s true… And you were right. Deep down, I already knew what was wrong with me. Just being able to confirm it today was a huge gain. I really do appreciate it.”

 

For a long time, Sova had carried an uneasy awareness that mimicking Weiss without having access to his unique skill — or blindly imitating the techniques of others — was ultimately futile. His admiration for Weiss had driven him to become an Explorer, and though he had tried to approach his idol’s greatness, he had always known that he could never fully embody that ideal. He had struggled, refusing to face the reality of his limitations, until Tsutomu’s blunt confrontation had forced him to confront it at last.

 

Tsutomu, noticing Sova’s subdued expression, waved a hand dismissively. “Well, at this point, I can only wish you good luck. You are so naturally talented that you could get by just copying Weiss, so if you take a good look at what you can do and apply it properly, you’ll climb back to Team 1 in no time. But if you don’t start pulling your weight, Pollux is going to think I have no eye for talent. In that case, I’ll totally look like a third-rate nobody…”

 

“……”

 

Sova, taken aback by the unexpected reference to an earlier evaluation from Tsutomu back at the Ealdred Crow Clan House, felt a mix of exasperation and amusement. He had not thought Tsutomu would remember that moment. A small, wry smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

 

“So in the end, you’re just looking out for yourself,” he said with a chuckle. “Daryl, don’t let him poison you.”

 

Daryl, clearly confused, glanced between the two of them. “Huh? Poison? No, that’s not… Sir Tsutomu’s a good person! …Right?”

 

“You’re asking ME? Well, I wouldn’t call him good… Not that he’s bad, either. He’s just that kind of guy.”

 

“…Fair enough.”

 

“Hey, don’t just agree with him,” Tsutomu interrupted. “This guy used to be pretty awful too, you know? Back when I first introduced the three-role system, he got all up in my face, saying something like, ‘Who the hell needs Tanks? What kind of useless trash role is that?'”

 

Daryl’s eyes went wide. “What!? Seriously!?”

 

“I didn’t say it like that. That’s an exaggeration.”

 

“The meaning wasn’t all that different, though,” Tsutomu retorted with a smirk.

 

The three of them found themselves unexpectedly lost in nostalgic conversation. Before long, Sova invited them to grab a meal together. The conversation continued on as they sat in the Guild, reminiscing about that time.

 

Though Sova had been demoted to Team 3, his reputation within the Ealdred Crow Clan remained strong. His casual conversation with Tsutomu did not go unnoticed — curious eyes followed their exchange.

 

“Well, if it isn’t Tsutomu and Sova! That’s a rare pairing,” a familiar voice rang out from across the room.

 

“Heyo! I’ll have an ale! What’s everyone else drinking?” Another voice chimed in.

 

The voices belonged to Camille and Leon, fresh from yet another defeat on the Dungeon’s fiftieth layer. Camille, without a hint of hesitation, took a seat next to Tsutomu. Leon quickly decided on his order before turning to engage with a cute waitress, his voice already in full swing as he inquired what everyone else wanted.

 

“Uh… You’re… Weiss, aren’t you?” Sova blurted out, interrupting the ongoing chatter.

 

His excitement had gotten the better of him. Until now, he had never had the opportunity to converse with Weiss in such a casual setting.

 

“……”

 

What he got, however, was what seemed an icy indifference.

 

“Ah, s-sorry! I shouldn’t have spoken to you. I must be bothering you, right? My apologies…!”

 

Alma, observing the exchange, stepped in to smooth things over.

 

“He’s not mad, so don’t worry about it,” she said. Then, she glanced over at Sova’s equipment, recognizing his style quite distinctly. “…Oh, hey, aren’t you the guy who copies Weiss? No wonder you looked familiar.”

 

Meanwhile, Tsutomu and Eunice found themselves locked in a silent battle of glares, as though they had just encountered their most bitter of enemies. Eunice’s face, however, was flushed — it was clear that what had transpired between her and Tsutomu had affected her far more than she was willing to admit, leaving her unable to carry herself as she usually did.

 

“……”

 

“……”

 

“Come on, Eunice. Sit here,” Camille offered.

 

“…Anywhere but next to him.”

 

“I don’t want to sit next to her either,” Tsutomu grumbled.

 

“……”

 

In another time, Eunice would have snapped back at Tsutomu’s offhand remark. But this time, her large fox ears drooped with a clear sense of dejection.

 

“Hey, Tsutomu. Stop bullying Eunice,” Camille said teasingly, her voice light but pointed.

 

“Ughhh…” Tsutomu let out a deep, weary sigh, clearly not in the mood for Camille’s playful jabs.

 

He realized just how much time he had spent at the Guild, and a sudden urge to leave crept up on him. Yet, when he glanced at Sova, whose face lit up with excitement from the rare opportunity to be in Weiss’s presence. Tsutomu hesitated. He did not want to ruin the moment for him.

 

“How’s the Shell Crab hunt coming along? Think you can take it down?” Tsutomu asked, attempting to shift the topic away from the uncomfortable tension around them.

 

“The final phase is brutal, but I THINK it’s doable…” Camille replied. “Oh, Daryl, mind pouring me some?”

 

“Ah, yes, of course!” Daryl, who had been sitting idly by since Sova left his side, nodded and began pouring some red wine.

 

The conversation continued, and Daryl, ever eager to keep up with Camille’s drinking pace, was quickly becoming thoroughly intoxicated.

 

As the conversation shifted, Tsutomu found himself, albeit begrudgingly, involved in the familiar routine of socializing. Camille and Leon, the two self-proclaimed ‘drunks’, didn’t hesitate to pester him, urging him to join them in a round.

 

“Come on, Sir Tsutomu, you should drink too!”

 

“That’s right! Tsutomu, you’re no fun!”

 

“Good God, you two drunks are so noisy… You both can’t even handle alcohol — why are you drinking so much!?”

 

As Camille and Daryl’s persistent pestering kept Tsutomu on edge, Eunice, still sitting nearby, held her glass with both hands, sipping her drink quietly. All the while, she could not help but steal glances at him.

 

“What?” Tsutomu finally asked, his irritation evident.

 

“N-Nothing,” Eunice quickly answered.

 

“……”

 

“…And why are YOU staring at me like that?”

 

“No reason.”

 

Seeing Eunice’s behavior so unlike her usual self, Tsutomu diverted his gaze, finding himself at a loss for words.

 

Sova, overwhelmed by the opportunity to meet his idol, pressed forward with great enthusiasm, trying to steer the conversation in a direction that would let him interact more with Weiss. Alma took on the role of a mediator, gently guiding the exchange, making sure it did not become too one-sided. Weiss, though notoriously bad at engaging in casual conversation, at least managed to respond in kind.

 

“…So he’s the one who could imitate my movements quite well? I’ve heard of him…”

 

“Yup, the very guy. He’s a fairly well-known Attacker in Ealdred Crow. Surely you recognize his name, right?”

 

“…I remember him doing well in the Winter General fight.”

 

“Ah, th-thank you so much!!”

 

“……”

 

As Sova gazed at him, full of admiration, Weiss looked just the slightest bit troubled, as though he wasn’t sure how to handle the situation.

 

By the time Tsutomu finally glanced at the time displayed on a nearby Monitor, he realized it had gotten quite late. Hastily, he jumped to his feet.

 

“It’s about time Daryl and I headed back,” he called out. “We have to be up early tomorrow.”

 

“Huhhh!?” came the groggy, utterly disbelieving response from Daryl, who was now completely intoxicated.

 

“No ‘Huhhh!’ about it,” Tsutomu shot back. “We’re leaving.”

 

With a heavy sigh, Tsutomu moved to haul the thoroughly drunk Daryl to his feet, managing, with a fair bit of effort, to maneuver him toward the exit. It had been quite some time since he had spent such a long stretch of time at the Guild, though it being a break day might have been a contributing factor.

 

The moment they arrived back at the Clan House, Tsutomu was greeted with a concerned glance from Ollie, who stood in the entryway.

 

“Welcome back…” she said, eyeing the situation carefully. “Is… everything all right?”

 

“Just getting this drunkard back here took a lot out of me,” Tsutomu grumbled.

 

“I’m hooome!!” Daryl’s called out cheerfully.

 

Even without his usual equipment, Daryl was a solidly built man — muscle-bound and heavy, almost equal to Garm in both stature and weight. As such, Tsutomu found himself practically dragging him through the door. When they finally made it inside, Daryl collapsed onto the entryway floor.

 

“I’m sorry, Miss Ollie, but can I leave Daryl to you? I’m exhausted and just want to take a bath and go to bed.”

 

“Yes, of course… However, I’d advise you to be careful when passing through the living room. You might… get bitten,” Ollie cautioned, her tone oddly grave.

 

“…?” Tsutomu blinked, his mind still hazy from the alcohol and the long hours spent at the Guild.

 

His brain sluggishly processed the warning, but he was in no state to fully comprehend it. He half-heartedly assumed that they must have gotten a new pet or something, brushing it aside as he headed toward the living room.

 

It was only as Tsutomu stepped through the door and moved toward the stairs that he felt a sharp, unexpected pain — a bite.

 

“You’re back quite late, aren’t you?”

 

…Of the verbal kind. Leleia’s voice was biting, full of unconcealed judgment.

 

“…Ah. Yeah, I guess…” Tsutomu muttered, his face stiffening as he turned toward the source of the voice.

 

Seated on the plush, Guild-provided sofa were the five members of the party currently challenging the fiftieth layer. Leleia’s eyes locked onto Tsutomu with an almost predatory gleam — and the sense of displeasure from the four behind her was almost tangible as well.

 

“Judging by your state, it seems you had a delightful time drinking. Just what party were you out with?”

 

“…Look, just hear me out for a second,” Tsutomu said, already sensing where this conversation was going.

 

At his words, Leleia’s lips twisted into a wicked smirk, the kind that could turn the air sour with the weight of unspoken words.

 

“Very well, then. Would you care to tell your story right here?”

 

[How bothersome…] Tsutomu’s inner groan was nearly audible, though he kept his composure.

 

Amy, seated casually beside the others, was filing her nails with an air of complete nonchalance. Hannah, on the other hand, stared at Tsutomu with an intensity that felt like it could cut through him. Amira looked outright irritated, while Korinna’s expression seemed troubled yet faintly amused, her smile conveying an understanding of the situation. The entire group seemed to be watching Tsutomu as though he were the subject of a trial.

 

As the tension grew thicker, Tsutomu could not shake the feeling that, while he was not entirely at fault, his situation had definitely taken a turn for the worse. He was too tired to argue or to deal with their questions, and so, with a weary sigh, he sank down onto the old sofa in front of them.

 

As Amy blew away the dust from her nail file, her gaze met Tsutomu’s.

 

“Okay, Amy, listen…” Tsutomu began. “I can understand, to some extent, why you all are upset. If I were in your shoes — having just finished an attempt at the fiftieth layer, only to come back and see your Clan’s leader drinking and having fun with a rival team — I’d probably be annoyed too.”

 

“Right, that’s exac–”

“Not yet, Hannie.”

 

Before Hannah could interject, Amy swiftly clamped a hand over her mouth. With a nod from Amy, Tsutomu continued, offering a dry smile that barely concealed his weariness.

 

“But I swear, it wasn’t just for fun — It was also a bit of enemy reconnaissance. As proof, I got some valuable intel from Camille and Leon about the later phases of the Shell Crab fight. You’ve been making it to the final phase yourselves, so this information will absolutely come in handy. I’ll compile everything and pass it to Korinna later.”

“Oh… okay,” Korinna replied, nodding in acknowledgment.

 

She had been caught in the conversation by association, and she seemed to accept Tsutomu’s explanation without further issue.

 

“I know you all have been giving your all to strategize against the Mutated Shell Crab. So, I admit that drinking and making a ruckus at the Guild was inconsiderate of me. For that, I sincerely apologize. But I need you to understand that I wasn’t just out playing around.”

“……”

 

Seeing Tsutomu bowing in apology, Korinna and Hannah exchanged glances, the tightness in their faces eased slightly. Amy, though still reluctant, wore a look that seemed to say, “Well, I guess I can let this slide…”

 

Leleia and Amira, on the other hand, still appeared displeased, their arms crossed tightly as they huffed in frustration. Yet, there was a shift in their stance — suggesting that, while they were not ready to forgive him fully, they were at least willing to accept his explanation and apology, if only begrudgingly.

 

“All right, I understand–” Leleia began, preparing to offer her own response.

 

“Sir Tsutomuuuuuu!! Let’s go back right now!!”

 

…But before she could finish, Daryl’s voice burst through the tension like a wrecking ball as he stumbled into the living room, his grin stretching wide across his face, clearly still intoxicated from earlier.

 

“Why’d we have to leave so soon!? I still wanna drink with the Guild Master! You were having fun too, weren’t you!? She was totally leaning on you, you know!? No way you didn’t notice! You two were definitely touching! Lucky you! And that Eunice girl — why’d you ignore her like that!? She looked so sad! She clearly wanted to talk to you! It’s not too late, y’know!? C’mon, let’s goooo!!”

 

“……”

 

Tsutomu could physically feel the temperature in the room drop. Whatever chance of forgiveness there had been was now completely gone.

 

[I swear, I should just blast him with an <<Air Blade>>…] Tsutomu thought, his eyes narrowing with an urge to kill — an urge he had not felt in quite a while.

 

“So, the Ancient Dragon toyed with the virgin real good, huh?” Amira coolly said.

 

“Daryl, you’re seriously pissing me off,” Hannah growled.

 

Amira and Hannah were practically radiating hostility, their glares like daggers aimed at Daryl, while Amy and Leleia’s eyes remained fixed on Tsutomu. It was as if they were not quite ready to forgive him either, and now, they saw him through a different lens — one that Daryl had made all too clear.

 

“Ohh, so it was the Guild Master and Euni-nie? Interesting…” Amy added, her voice quiet but no less biting.

 

“You claimed it wasn’t just for fun…” Leleia grumbled. “But judging from what I just heard, I think we need a lot more details, don’t we?”

 

Tsutomu’s face smoothed into an eerie calm, the kind of tranquility one might expect from a monk in deep meditation. There was no emotion — just the acceptance of a man who had resigned himself to the inevitable.

 

Silavin: Hahahaha! Ah! I’m dying!