“You’ve earned the right to call upon these guys. You’re second only to the royal family in terms of authority.”
The young miss looked up at Reiru with a confused expression, “I don’t know what that means.”
“Yeah, me neither.”
Gio turned his gaze to the blond man who had been watching the course of events from the sidelines. Reiru absentmindedly thought that the number of people had increased again when he saw another unknown man appear out of nowhere.
“Hey, are you sure about this? Letting them do this?”
The fact that Reiru had the right to summon them was equivalent to one young commoner having enough military strength to seal the demon king.
“It doesn’t matter. It would be tactless to rebuke the hearts that made the vow. Although, I didn’t expect it to be in such a public place.”
Gio frowned as if he wasn’t convinced. He then shifted his gaze to the beastman without missing a beat.
“Why did you even give the summoning rights to Reiru?”
“Hmm, because I have an ulterior motive… just kidding! Call it, collective responsibility! Ah! Stop it, my fur is gonna fall out!!”
“You know that joke isn’t going to work on Gio. Do you have a death wish?”
Ignoring the people who were prattling on, Reiru remembered his original purpose. Which was getting signatures from the actors and going back to work with the little girl.
From the supernatural back to reality. Reiru stopped worrying about everything that had just happened.
“Gio, I don’t really understand what’s going on, but I have to go back to work soon.”
“If you are going back, go back to the little ones. They’re all waiting for you. Say goodbye to your workplace and come back with me.”
“No, I got the money from the princess and left the orphanage. That’s why I can’t go back. And now I’m working at the inn run by this young lady’s father…”
Reiru felt like there was something else he should say, but now that Gio was here, he couldn’t think of it. He had already asked him to take care of the children, and by asking him how they were doing he would no longer be an unrelated person.
Reiru reminded himself that he left knowing that he would never see the children again. Now that he was an outsider, there was nothing he could do for them no matter what he asked.
“Reiru.”
Gio’s quiet but strong stare pierced him. Gio had no intention of giving up when he had such an expression. Reiru was irritated.
The princess sent Reiru away, and Gio told Reiru to go back. If so, that’s a problem for the princess and Gio.
Reiru didn’t know why Gio was trying to bring him back, but he was haunted by the fear that he would be pursued for incomplete performance of an oral contract that involved the transfer of money.
He didn’t want to be dragged into a lovers’ quarrel between a power couple.
“Miss, let’s give up on the autographs and go home for the day. Your father will be worried if you’re late.”
The actors had probably gone home during the commotion. There was no longer anyone waiting for them. Now it would be difficult to push through the crowd that had formed for Gio and the others, and get out into the street. It would be better to get moving as soon as possible.
The little girl, however, looked up at Gio and his friends in a daze, as if she hadn’t heard Reiru’s voice.
“Reiru… Is this person the real hero?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
As he replied, Reiru gazed at Gio again.
The crowd was observing Gio and his friends from a distance. Wherein Gio stood shoulder-to-shoulder with his friends, who obviously had special presences, and instead of being overshadowed, he looked even more prominent. It’s true that he had good looks, but more than that, the aura that Gio had was special.
On the one hand, Reiru thought Gio was too strong. But on the other hand, he also thought that he was an amazing, definitely not ordinary person.
Did Gio travel with these people all the time?
Reiru inspected Gio and his friends behind him. The stories of Gio, which Reiru saw in the play and was unfamiliar with, came to mind one after another. The fiction from the stage took on substance and he was currently facing it as a raw reality.
Reiru muttered, “…You really are a hero, aren’t you? I knew it, but I feel like I’ve understood it now for the first time.”
Gio laughed a bit, “What’s with that?”
It was very rare for Gio to laugh like that. Always either expressionless or grumpy, that was Gio for Reiru.
Even when they were kids, he didn’t remember seeing Gio’s laughing face very often. And yet, it felt nostalgic, which was strange.
Reiru was glad to see him smile at the end. It felt so much better than just leaving him like that without saying a word.
“Gio, you’ve taken good care of me all this time. You’ve always helped me. Thank you. Take care.”
Reiru smiled and said goodbye in a manner befitting a farewell.
However, Gio’s face immediately returned to a scary blank expression. Reiru was exasperated by those frightening parts of Gio, but he decided not to worry about it since it was the last time.
Gio grabbed Reiru’s arm tightly as he tried to leave with the little girl.
“Ouch, hey, Gio.”
“Rei──”
Both of Gio’s blue eyes wavered as they earnestly reflected Reiru.
Reiru saw a lot of unusual things today. Gio seemed to be in distress.
Reiru didn’t want to talk to Gio any more, but he almost asked him what was wrong.
“By the way, why don’t we change places? I know it’s a little late, but there are so many people watching.”
Before he knew it, the young blond man standing right next to them leisurely smiled at Reiru.
He looked familiar somehow, but Reiru couldn’t put his finger on it. He had magnificent blond hair and fair skin. He looked to be about the same age as Reiru, but just by being there, he had a presence that seemed to subdue others.
When Reiru looked at him, Gio nodded.
“He’s His Highness the Crown Prince.”
Even though Reiru was surprised, he understood.
Indeed. He looked like the princess.
Sensing that things were about to get more complicated, Reiru gazed into the sky at a loss.
On this day, throughout the town, each and every person was talking about the fact that the real hero’s party came to this place, and that the hero’s party had knelt down before an anonymous young man and pledged their allegiance.