Chapter 251 ... Mister. Four more beers.

Ian finished a quick organization of his remaining luggage and headed down to the first floor.

As dinner time approached, the inn’s first-floor dining hall was packed with people.

Scanning the nearby tables, Ian spotted Mika waving her hand and walked over to join her.

Having spent time on various errands, it was a bit later than their usual dinner hour.

Except for the Ian Mercenary Group’s spot, everyone else was already in the middle of their meals with food spread out before them.

As Ian took his seat, Rin waved toward the kitchen, signalining for the food to be brought out.

After ordering four dinner specials, Rin belatedly asked Mika.

"What’s on the menu today?"

"It’s bean soup."

"Ah... I’m not a fan of that."

Rin sighed as she caught glimpses of the dishes on nearby tables.

While the inn’s cooking wasn’t bad, it was always disappointing when they served a menu clearly designed to use up leftover ingredients.

On days like this, they would usually just grab something from a street stall outside, but since they had already gathered for a group dinner, they couldn’t exactly leave now.

Rin waited gloomily for the meal to arrive.

A few brief words were exchanged once Ian sat down, but the conversation quickly ran dry, leaving an awkward silence.

Eyes met and darted away repeatedly as everyone remained tight-lipped in the heavy atmosphere.

"...."

Perhaps it was because of the accident during today’s mission.

The mood of the mercenary group was somberly subdued.

Tanya, in particular, kept her mouth shut while constantly glancing at Ian, convinced that everything was her fault.

Her behavior was so obvious that even Rin and Mika couldn’t bring themselves to chat comfortably.

Sensing the dark mood, Ian looked around at his members.

For an accident to have occurred during a mission, Ian actually felt quite good about the fact that there were practically no damages... but still.

For the mercenaries, including Rin, this was their first failed expedition.

They likely viewed it as a major blunder.

Addressing the hesitant mercenaries, Ian tapped on the table to gather their attention.

"It’s on me, so order whatever you want to eat."

"...Really?"

"Yeah."

Rin, who had been staring down at the bean soup with somber eyes, looked up.

When Ian nodded, Rin carefully opened the menu.

She might have declined to be polite, but... today’s menu was bean soup after all.

Rin’s eyes quickly scanned down the list.

"Then... first, the meatballs...."

"Rin. The others need to order too, so let’s take turns picking one each."

"Ah, right."

After deliberating over Ian’s instruction and picking a dish, Rin passed the menu along.

"I’ll have the grilled mixed mushrooms."

Mika took the menu and chose her usual favorite without much thought.

She immediately handed it over to Tanya.

"Your turn, Tanya."

"Ah.... Anything is fine for me...."

"Just pick something quickly so we can order."

As Mika pressed the menu toward her, the shrinking Tanya finally took it and opened it up.

"W-well, then.... the extra-large flame-grilled steak set...."

"Mister! We’re ready to order!"

Once Tanya finished her timid order, the atmosphere at the table improved slightly, perhaps due to the anticipation of the food.

However, Tanya still had a cowed expression. Unable to join the conversation, she kept stealing glances at Ian and jumped in surprise when their eyes happened to meet.

Ian, who had been watching Tanya intently, spoke first.

"How about you, Tanya? Are you hurt?"

"No.... I’m fine. Are you alright, Captain? Because of me...."

"Yeah. No need to worry."

Tanya, who hadn’t been able to bring it up earlier out of guilt, bowed her head cautiously toward Ian.

"Um.... thank you for helping me."

"It’s nothing. As long as you aren’t hurt, that’s enough."

...This dinner is suffocating.

Watching from the side, Rin finally couldn’t take it anymore and cut in.

"It’s over and done with, so let’s stop talking about it."

Yet, there was no sign of Tanya’s guilt fading.

If simply being told to stop was enough, things wouldn’t have been like this in the first place.

Rin eventually pulled out an extreme solution.

"The mood is a bit down, so why don’t we have some drinks?"

"Drinks?"

"I don’t think we’ve ever all had a drink together like this."

Rin had only used this tactic once before, but so far, it had a 100% success rate.

It was her trump card for blowing away any interpersonal troubles.

"...Alright."

With Ian’s permission granted, four mugs were soon placed on the table.

***

The glasses were drained.

Dishes arrived, followed by several more orders of food.

As the empty mugs piled up, the stiff atmosphere at the table gradually loosened.

Mika, holding an empty glass, rambled on with a somewhat dissatisfied expression.

"So, I gave them all the allowance I’d saved up and bought the grimoire, but...."

Was this the fourth time she’d told this story?

Knowing exactly how to handle someone like this, Ian cleanly ignored her.

Instead of Ian, Rin was nodding along and listening to Mika’s story.

Turning his head, Ian spoke to Tanya, who was sitting quietly in the corner, unable to join the conversation.

"Tanya. Don’t you want to eat more?"

"Ah, yes.... I’m okay. I’m full."

Looking up at Ian for a brief moment, Tanya slowly lowered her head again.

"I’m sorry...."

This was nearly her tenth apology.

With her eyes cast down, Tanya sighed softly and muttered.

"I can’t even fight, I shouldn’t have tried to be a mercenary...."

Listening to her, Ian suddenly became curious.

He knew that Tanya had lived in a rural village.

But why had someone like her come all the way to Labyrinth to become a mercenary?

Usually, mercenaries who come to Labyrinth are those who have a dream they want to achieve despite the risks, want to earn a fortune even if it means putting their lives on the line,

Or possess grand goals that seem out of reach.

He couldn’t see any such reason in Tanya.

"Tanya, why did you decide to become a mercenary?"

Tanya looked up at Ian’s question.

After a moment of thought, she picked up her half-full glass, drained it, and set it down.

"I... I had friends."

Tanya recalled the faces of her friends, still vivid in her memory.

The hand clutching the empty glass trembled slightly.

"They asked me to become a mercenary with them, but I said no because I was scared."

You can make a lot of money working as a mercenary in Labyrinth.

If it’s there, wouldn’t we be able to save enough to open your shop in no time?

Her friends from her hometown had made the suggestion, but Tanya had flatly refused.

Being a mercenary was something she had never even imagined for herself.

But one day.

Vowing to come back with money to set up Tanya’s restaurant, her friends left her behind and headed for Labyrinth.

Unlike Tanya, they were active and loved adventure. Eventually, it was bound to happen.

"After a few months, the letters stopped. I sent letters several times first, but there was no contact, so I came to Labyrinth myself...."

Labyrinth, a major city, was a place too harsh and unfriendly for Tanya, who came from the countryside.

Tanya wandered through various parts of the city, searching for news of her friends.

"...Their names weren’t anywhere."

No matter how large Labyrinth was, active mercenaries should have been easy to find if you knew their names.

But if their names couldn’t be found anywhere by now, there was usually only one reason.

Though the processes might differ, the end for most mercenaries was largely the same.

With no one to remember them, and no one to pray for their souls.

Just a single red horizontal line crossing out a name on the guild’s roster.

That is how easily and futilely a mercenary vanishes from the world.

"...Talking about it makes me feel a bit better."

In stark contrast to Tanya’s face, which looked somewhat relieved.

The mercenaries at the next table, who had been eavesdropping out of interest,

And even the innkeeper, who made a hobby of listening to the stories of drunken guests,

All picked up their mugs in silence with expressions that said they wished they hadn’t heard that.

Tanya bowed her head.

Her face was reflected in the faint surface of the alcohol sloshing at the bottom of her empty mug.

"Would things have been different if I had followed them back then?"

Maybe her friends wouldn’t have taken on dangerous missions out of consideration for her.

Maybe she could have stopped them when a mission seemed too reckless.

Maybe.

"I wish those guys could have met someone like you, Captain...."

Tanya collapsed onto the table and fell asleep right then and there.

"Captain. So I, from that swindler...."

"...Mister. Four more beers."

Ian had thought about stopping the drinking, but he simply picked up his glass again.

***

Ian lifted his heavy eyelids while lying in bed.

Vivid sunlight leaked through the gaps in the closed windows.

Beyond the poorly soundproofed walls, he could hear the noise from the streets and the bustling first floor.

Checking the time, he saw it was well past his usual waking hour—it was almost lunch time.

He had a faint memory of stumbling back to his room and collapsing onto the bed after sending his members back to their rooms at dawn.

Ian tried to get up, but his body felt as heavy as if it were waterlogged, and he couldn’t find strength anywhere.

A throbbing, hazy headache, distinct from a hangover, began to bloom.

"Haa...."

It was a cold.