I Was the Scout for the Hero’s Party

Upon arriving in Quiln, we were able to enter with a free pass despite the chaotic situation, thanks to the request document Robin had kept.

“Th… this is… a human city…”

“Hey, hey. You’re about to drool. Close your mouth for now.”

To Depal, created by Argyle’s hands in the dreary battlefield, the sight of Quiln—established as a commercial and military strongpoint of the Metel Kingdom—seemed quite impressive.

Max, who was drooping from the intense battles that didn’t suit him and uncomfortable sleeping arrangements, gave me a weak farewell greeting.

“Brother Austin. I’ll be going now…”

“Oh, alright. Take care. Let’s definitely meet in the capital later.”

After closing Depal’s gaping mouth myself and seeing off Max who said he was going back to the Adventurer’s Guild, we headed toward the inn where Lady Alexis and I were staying.

Since Maya had discovered the location of the inn where I was staying, and because I wanted to secure lodging for Robin and Depal as well, Lady Alexis and I moved our belongings to an inn a bit farther from our original accommodation.

“Well then, Robin will need to get his luggage from his original inn… and Roymen, don’t you need to stop by the church too?”

“To permanently preserve the trophies for Him… yes, that’s right.”

Roymen answered while stroking the lycanthrope head dangling from his waist.

“…I wonder how long you’ll last at this church.”

“Pastor Hugo seems to have not yet grasped the true meaning of holy war, which I find truly regrettable.”

“No, that’s not what I… anyway, go ahead. Get some food at the church too.”

So we each took some time to rest, filled our stomachs with a late lunch, and then gathered in my new room to discuss matters.

In order to help Depal function as a proper person, we needed to somehow conceal her identity.

“First, we should give Depal a new name… Depal, do you have any name you’d prefer?”

Depal, who had been sipping juice with sparkling rabbit-like eyes, shook her head at my words.

“Hmm… I don’t have any particular name in mind.”

In that case, we would have to come up with a name for her…

The problem is, I’m terrible at creative tasks like this.

“Therefore, I hereby announce the contest for Depal’s new name!”

“…What’s with you suddenly, Robin? Do you have a name in mind already?”

“Ahem… I don’t really have a specific name in mind either, but… if we all put our heads together, don’t you think we might come up with a pretty name?”

“That’s true…”

Even though I lack talent in this area, with five heads gathered, surely we can come up with at least one decent name?

Having received my agreement, Robin clapped his hands together to focus our attention.

“Great! Then… everyone, please suggest one good name!”

And so, the contest to give Depal a new name began.

It should go… well, right?

“Gracey… has Austin still not returned?”

The Hero asked in a weak voice, but contrary to her hopes, Gracey shook her head.

“He still… doesn’t seem to have returned. I went to the inn Maya told us about early this morning, but the innkeeper said he hadn’t come back yet.”

“Is it… is it because of me? It must be because of me…”

“…Don’t say such weak things, Hero. He might simply be camping in the forest.”

“But still… hic… it must be because of me… he can’t stand the sight of me, so he’s not even entering the city…”

“Sigh…”

Seeing the Hero shedding tears again from her already swollen eyes, Gracey let out a deep sigh and stood up.

“…I’ll go check once more. Isabel, could you go with Maya to buy groceries?”

“Yes… Isabel, let’s go.”

After watching Maya and Isabel leave hand in hand, Adrien raised the Hero to her feet and headed toward the door.

“Whew… the Hero and I will go get some fresh air.”

“…Alright.”

After the Hero, who had staggered to her feet with Adrien’s help, also went outside, Gracey, left alone, calmed her troubled mind by touching the pommel of the sword at her waist.

While Gracey also felt apologetic toward Austin, as the rigid captain of the royal guard and a knight, she couldn’t understand Austin’s actions.

She sincerely believed that for a party gathered to defeat the absolute evil that is the Demon King, personal feelings should be set aside.

Feeling sorry for Austin and being able to understand his position were separate issues.

‘But it’s true that I made a mistake…’

She apologizes for her mistakes as soon as she recognizes them and doesn’t harbor lingering emotions in her heart.

Conflicts arising during group living are best resolved immediately between the parties involved.

An extreme pragmatist with an iron will that doesn’t get swayed by personal emotions in important matters.

No wonder she was called ‘wooden Gracey’ even within the royal guard.

That was the kind of woman Gracey was.

She resolved to apologize to Austin again when she met him, and if he returned to the party, she would not make the same mistakes as before.

With this determination, Gracey stopped in front of the inn where Austin was staying.

After standing at the door for a moment to calmly collect herself, Gracey’s hand pressed the door, and the well-oiled hinges opened quietly and smoothly, warmly welcoming her.

“Welcome… you again?”

Since it wasn’t the first or second time Gracey had come to the inn looking for Austin, the innkeeper, who already remembered Gracey’s face, greeted her with an indifferent attitude.

“Ahem… by any chance, has Lady Alexis and Austin…”

“Those two returned around lunchtime.”

An unexpected answer came to her question, which she had asked without much hope.

“Ex… excuse me? Are you saying Austin has returned?”

“Yes, he did return, but… let’s see… they’ve already checked out?”

Gracey’s body, which was about to climb the stairs, suddenly stopped.

“…What… did you just say…”

Whether knowing her inner thoughts or not, the innkeeper continued speaking while twirling his distinctive mustache with his finger.

“Hmm… so… ah, here it is. They packed up all their belongings and checked out about an hour ago. They probably moved to another— Hey! I’m talking here…”

Crack…

“…Oh! Goodness me. I need to organize the honey wine that came in today… I’ll excuse myself now. Haha…”

As the wooden banister Gracey was gripping split with a crack, the innkeeper trembled and quickly disappeared into the kitchen.

“…Austin. That bastard…”

With a distorted, ominous expression, Gracey immediately turned and left the inn.

“If that’s how you want to play it, I have my ways too…”

Her belief in not being swayed by personal emotions was beginning to crack.

“Umm… S-Senior…? Is that one no good either?”

“I wonder if this is reality, Robin.”

The naming contest, which had dragged on for a full two hours, was heading toward disaster, continuously producing terrible results.

“Seriously, damn it. Her current name is already strange, but are you guys really not just making fun of her?”

“Uhhh… p-please stop…”

Perhaps due to the stream of bizarre names that weren’t even remotely funny, Depal, who had been eagerly anticipating her new name with sparkling eyes, was now leaning her head against me, completely deflated.

“Making fun? We’re really thinking seriously about this!”

“Please stop putting weird food names in people’s names. Why do you keep forcibly inserting food names into human names?”

“B-but…”

If Robin ever has children in the future, they’ll probably be named ‘Butter Jelly’ or ‘Green-Horned Deer Steak.’

“Lady Alexis. You should come up with an easier name too, how do you normally call people with such complex names…”

“C-complex? That’s not…”

The names Lady Alexis suggested were all too abstract in meaning and difficult to pronounce, nothing but fancy names.

To begin with, Lady Alexis’s name, Orien, is already an unusual name, but how do nobles casually call each other by such names?

“…It’s shocking that your suggestions are the most decent ones.”

“Brother. Since these names are slight modifications of baptismal names, they are naturally sacred and beautiful.”

Since everyone’s suggestions were uniformly terrible, Roymen’s devised names seemed relatively better by comparison.

“Hmm… Rosaria or Yeriel… honestly, I wonder if such sacred names would suit Depal…”

As we spent a long time agonizing over this, evening had already passed, and it had been dark outside for quite some time.

I let out a sigh as if expelling my frustration and turned my gaze toward Depal, who was leaning her head against my shoulder listlessly.

“Hey, Depal. What kind of… name would…….”

Was today a full moon?

The moonlight, softly shining through the open window, met Depal’s transparent blue hair, creating a mysterious color.

Blue yet white… like transparent seawater… no, this is…

“…Moonlight…”

At Depal’s appearance, which was like a painting, we all stared at her with our mouths open blankly.

“…Luna.”

The name that referred to the moon goddess in ancient times.

“Luna… the moon goddess. That certainly suits her…”

Lady Alexis, sitting across from me, also nodded in agreement with my opinion, and Robin and I exchanged silent glances.

“Depal. Get up.”

“Mmm… is it done…? I’m getting sleepy now…”

Her appearance as she raised her body while whining and rubbing her eyes was nothing short of the moon goddess herself.

“Luna. From now on, your name is Luna.”