The brave Simmel wants to resign

“…”

Do I look that old now?

Xia Youjie, who was inwardly grumbling, almost had the urge to buy a mirror from the convenience store and look at himself.

Just then, the phone rang.

Xia Youjie answered the call.

"Yes, we're back."

"Yes, I know. Just bring them over."

According to procedure, he should have called the person in charge of the college at that time, who was also his class teacher, Ms. Ye'e, to come and examine and interview the sisters in the field, and determine the subsequent handling plan.

but--

"...Haa..."

Xia Youjie glanced at the Jiachang sisters behind him; the black-haired Mimiko seemed to be getting sleepy.

She rubbed her eyes and yawned, but still managed to stay awake, clutching tightly to the hem of Simmel's cloak. Simmel tried her best to talk to her along the way to keep her awake.

Xia Youjie, who was on the phone with Moth, suddenly changed the subject.

"Forget it, teacher, I'll take them to the dormitory and find them a place to sleep first."

"Hmm? Is there a problem?"

"Hey, why are you yelling so loudly?"

"Don't be angry. What do you mean by 'playing with you,' teacher? I've always respected you the most."

Xia Youjie deliberately spoke in a low voice so that Xinmeier and the others could not hear him. Then he hung up the phone on his own and sent some text messages to acquaintances.

[Shoko, I picked up two sorceress girls from outside. They have nowhere to sleep tonight, can they stay at your dorm for a while?]

Although it's 11:30 now, the message was read within ten seconds of being sent, and the reply was very concise.

OK~

"Let me take you somewhere to sleep first."

Xia Youjie put away his phone.

Can you arrange a place?

While playing with the other children, Simmel thoughtfully asked.

In the worst-case scenario, Simmel could use his extensive wilderness camping skills to create a temporary shelter for the two children.

"It's my friend's dorm room, but she doesn't live there year-round."

"That's troublesome."

At that moment, the assistant supervisor arrived at the station entrance, and the group boarded the bus to the college.

11:30 PM

The group arrived at the high school grounds.

The entire school is built against the mountain and is surprisingly large in scale. All of the buildings are Japanese-style wooden structures with upturned eaves.

Xia Youjie led the sleepy Jiachang sisters to the dormitory, but when these country girls saw the city's 'apartment', they immediately showed their curiosity, though they were very sensible.

However, having spent so much time in such terrible conditions, they needed to take a shower.

But both children have severe psychological trauma and want Simmel to be with them—naturally, Simmel will not agree, nor will Xia Youjie, who is standing nearby.

So Simmel leaned against the bathroom door, occasionally responding to the girl inside asking, "Are you still there?" Xia Youjie, not wanting to leave Simmel and the two children alone, waited with his arms crossed by the doorframe.

After a while, Xinmeier and Xia Youjie finally finished blow-drying the two children's hair.

"call...."

Looking at the Gaba sisters, who were cuddling and half asleep, Xia Youjie showed a tired expression, as if she were becoming a parent for the first time.

"You've worked hard," Simmel said with a smile.

"No, I didn't really do anything. But you seem to be very good at blow-drying hair."

"...I have some experience."

Thinking back to the magicians in his own team, the hero revealed a nostalgic and happy smile.

Xia Youjie thought to himself after seeing this.

It's like the expression of an old man basking in the sun.

..............

......

That night.

Because the two girls were unwilling to leave Simmel, Simmel simply stayed in the room—of course, she didn't go to bed, but sat cross-legged on the edge of the bed, raising her hands in a gesture like Jesus' crucifixion, holding the hands of the Kaba sisters in one hand.

Once she was sure her breathing was steady, Simmel breathed a sigh of relief and closed her eyes to rest.

He recalled what had happened that day.

Died.

Summoned by the goddess.

Originally, I planned to reincarnate and reunite with my friends in the next life, but I couldn't resist working overtime because I heard the cries for help from the vast world.

I really am...

I'm sorry, Haita.

When you are reincarnated, I will definitely bring you wine—after you have come of age.

Then came the battle with Xia Youjie...

Speaking of combat—

After being summoned, Cimer is special as a Heroic Spirit.

According to the goddess of water, he became a heroic spirit in his "last moments before death," so to be precise, he didn't die and couldn't become a spirit.

Moreover, he is a 'heroic spirit of a goddess' rather than a 'heroic spirit of human history,' so he still has room to grow.

His current physical condition is comparable to his peak, and he has also gained several 'skills' whose effects he himself is unsure of.

I'll try again when I have the chance.

The hero remembered Xia Youjie, with whom he had fought.

That boy is amazing.

It's just a gut feeling... I don't think I can easily deal with him if I don't use my 'skills'.

The hero is never the strongest, and neither is the hero team.

They were just a group of flawed but complementary people who miraculously defeated the Demon King.

I recall many memories from the past.

Simmel smiled and closed her eyes to rest.

That night, perhaps because he was buried surrounded by his companions just a day before, his dreams were filled with his teammates.

......

...

Sa.....

Sa.....

Night fell over the entire forest, and all was quiet except for the soft rustling of the evening breeze through the leaves.

In a clearing in the woods, a campfire burned quietly, the firewood crackling and popping softly, sparks drifting lazily into the dark blue night sky.

"Ha...uh, I can't drink that...you'd be crazy not to! Bring it up! Hahaha! I can handle it!"

"call--"

The monk Haita, who indulged in wine and meat, and the dwarf warrior Aize were entangled in the tent, embracing face to face, fast asleep, their bodies intertwined.

Simmel, leaning against the tree trunk and holding her sword, opened her eyes, her mind somewhat dazed.

This is...

Given his discipline as a warrior, it's impossible for him to fall asleep.

And such a lucid dream...

It's probably some kind of mechanism of the Heroic Spirits.

"woke up?"

Just as Simmel was pondering, his attention was drawn to a sound from ahead.

"...Frilian?"

"Huh? Why is it phrased as a question?"

The dreamlike white-haired beauty in their field of vision slowly raised her head and looked at Simmel.

That was the person the hero loved from the very beginning to the very end.

Her name is Frilian.

Chapter 8 Simmel: Actually, I never went to school either.

In Simmel's memory, Frilian was a girl who liked to read books with a cold expression.

Of course, after traveling together for ten years, he gradually became able to see a variety of emotions in that expressionless face.

—And Frilian isn't immune to her moments of weakness. In special circumstances, she can cry for three days and three nights straight, a display that even Simmel finds chilling.

The elf also sat curled up against the tree trunk, gently drawing her knees together and spreading a small half-book of magic on her lap.

Her long, silvery-white hair slid down her shoulders and back, her face was pale and delicate, and her fingertips lightly touched the pages of a book.