For both the commoner parties and the noble parties, this was a painful misunderstanding.

But in the end, we were saved.

I pointed at Void’s nose.

“What do you mean ‘a huge hassle’? You came to save us just now, didn’t you? Idiot.”

“Hah! Unlike you guys, I’m in it for the money.”

Void made an unscrupulous face and formed a circle with his fingers.

“Bringing along a whole bunch of ‘precious comrades’ with you?”

“Precious? Comrades? They just followed me on their own, hahahaha.”

“You…”

How twisted could he be?

But I understood. I really did. Because it was the same way I, Blythe, spoke to my apprentice. Somehow, he really did resemble a younger Blythe. That’s why I had no comeback. He was truly twisted.

Letting others see your good intentions is embarrassing, isn’t it? Yeah, yeah.

“What’s with that smug nodding of yours?”

“Nothing.”

“If my clients die, I can’t make a living as a mercenary. Besides, it’d be a pain if your old man started glaring at me later. Those guys from Class One just tagged along. It’s just a coincidence, a coincidence.”

What a lie. You softhearted fool.

Well, I suppose the part about Kilpus making his life difficult was genuine.

“You sure talk a lot for someone who says this is just a hassle.”

“Heh. Unlike you lot, I’m quick-witted.”

That much, at least, I had to acknowledge. Seriously.

Following Squads Four and Five, most of Squads One and Two ran past Void and me, charging straight toward the dragon, which was writhing in agony from its split forehead. Running at the very back, Bernald grinned at me.

I raised my hand slightly, and his large hand gave mine a light tap as he passed.

“I’m counting on you.”

“Yeah, leave it to me.”

Seneca, leading the charge, had already engaged the dragon. The students swung their swords down with all their might. Though they each wielded their weapons furiously, most of their strikes bounced off the dragon’s scales, showing little effect.

They probably understood that. They were simply buying time.

Seneca shouted.

“Squads One and Two, move behind the dragon! Squads Four and Five, keep its attention from the front! Hold out as long as you can!”

“Got it!”

Ah, she’s good.

With its arms lost, the only attack to watch out for was its bite. Under Seneca’s command, Squads Three and Four attacked from the front to draw its gaze, then retreated as soon as it turned toward them. Immediately after, Squads One and Two attacked its back. They repeated this in rotation.

Even without effective strikes, the dragon was being pushed back and forth.

“Squads One and Two, watch out for its tail!”

As soon as Seneca shouted, the dragon’s swinging tail sent several students flying. But they quickly got back up and latched onto its back again.

It might only be stalling for time, but right now, that was invaluable. The feeling in my legs had finally returned. I could properly feel the ground beneath me.

“Hnngh!!”

Among them, one person was landing attacks that the dragon clearly hated.

Bernald. Using his massive frame, he precisely stabbed the tip of his spear into the dragon’s split forehead—something the other students couldn’t even reach with their swords.

Still, even with his size and a long spear, he could barely reach the dragon’s head. He lacked the power to pierce through.

Yet, every time he struck its forehead, the dragon let out a pained groan.

Then I noticed. She wasn’t there.

“Hey, where’s Riona!?”

“Oh, I’ve been right here for a while now.”

“Whoa!?”

She was already standing behind me.

Riona looked down at me with a delighted smile.

“You don’t have to be that surprised. But thanks for worrying about me.”

“D-Don’t just erase your presence and stand behind me! You’re an assassin—that’s not funny!”

If this were during my Blythe days, I might have reflexively slashed at her.

“Don’t worry. If I ever tried to assassinate El-tan, I’d cut off my own arms first. That’s how much I love you.”

Riona spread her arms wide with a cheerful expression. I muttered, my eyes clouded.

“…That’s heavy. Way too heavy…”

“Aww, come on…”

But it was Riona. The same old Riona, as exasperating as ever. Her uniform was stained with blood splatter and mud, but she didn’t seem injured.

I let out a relieved breath.

“Are you unharmed? No injuries?”

“Yup.”

She nodded happily with a bright smile. Unintentionally, my chest tightened. No, no, this won’t do. The older I get, the more sentimental I become. Even though I’m only ten. Or maybe it’s because I’m a child.

Either way, if I don’t want to embarrass myself, I need to keep my emotions in check.

“Hey, El-tan, did you see my message? Let’s go on a date at the café when we get back!”

“…Does it have to be now!?”

“Later’s fine too!”

Anyway, it seemed everyone was safe.

“Void, Riona. You two have fought that thing before, right?”

Void shrugged.

“Yeah, pretty much. Our attacks barely scratched it.”

“And my attacks? Not even worth mentioning~. So I had the others retreat five floors ahead while I teamed up with this delinquent to lure it away before shaking it off.”

Ah, I see.

Setting Void aside, with Riona’s Stealth Art, escaping the dragon’s pursuit wouldn’t have been too difficult. She acted like it was nothing, but she had walked a dangerously thin line.

Void picked up where Riona left off.

“And while we were running, there just happened to be an ogre’s corpse in our path, half-eaten in the stomach. This thing was propped up against the wall nearby.”

The delinquent easily lifted the ogre’s massive iron slab of a sword.

Come to think of it, Ilga had placed that blade against the wall when we first discovered it.

Its shape resembled a sword, but it was more like a bludgeon. A crude chunk of ridiculously heavy metal with nothing but a barely functional handle. Primitive, but because of that, it wouldn’t chip or break.

Still, how could a mere student wield something like that? Watching Void, I couldn’t help but be reminded of my younger self, Blythe.

Void smirked fearlessly.

“It’s a bit too heavy to swing around freely, but the effect is top-notch. Heh heh heh.”