“Ha… If you say so. Now then—”
Just as Dorothea was about to continue, they sensed activity from the inner room. The doors opened and someone stepped out.
Having noticed their presence, the newcomer called out to them.
The voice that reached their ears was like the tinkling of a silver bell, a voice like a gentle breeze—
“Is that Suimei-san?”
“Oh, Gurakis-san. We meet again.”
Looking their way was the person he’d met earlier for a decidedly unique reason, Lefille Gurakis.
Her bright red hair flowing behind her as she approached, she frowned at Suimei’s greeting, a look of shock on her face.
“What brings you here?”
“They tell me I’m to undergo an assessment of some kind.”
“…Huh?”
“Something wrong?”
“…You weren’t here to submit a request?”
“Oh…”
Facing Lefille’s surprised look, Suimei finally understood. That was what she’d meant earlier.
Back when they’d separated at the reception desk, she’d wished him well with his “commission.” She’d misunderstood. Thinking back, now he understood the reason for her words.
Wanting to dispel the misunderstanding as quickly as possible, Suimei again explained his goal.
“Actually, I’m like you Gurakis-san: I’m here to join the guild. Oh, by the way, I’m basically a mage.”
“I see now. You weren’t carrying any weapons, so I’d thought…”
“…I’m sorry. Really, really sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
Of course this had happened. Talk about reaping what you sow. The words that he’d heard not so long ago struck me deeply.
Watching the two speak with familiarity, Dorothea interrupted.
“Are you two friends?”
“No, we actually met for the first time just outside, at the reception window.”
“Oh, I see,” Dorothea replied.
Suimei then asked a question of Lefille, who had just answered Dorothea.
“Gurakis-san, how’d your assessment go?”
“Ahh, I just finished, actually.”
“And the result?”
“Not bad.”
As she replied, her eyes closed and she smiled valiantly. From the looks of it, her “not bad” wasn’t a “I managed to get by” so much as a “I didn’t have to go all out.” She didn’t look tired, nor was she breathing heavily.
Once Dorothea realized who Lefille’s opponents had been, she looked simultaneously stunned and distressed.
“You fought those two and you can still say ‘not bad’? Those two are considered real masters around here, you know?”
“Really? I just fought like normal.”
” ‘Like normal,’ is it… Lefille-san, it sure is a pity you don’t plan to stick around.”
“…? You’re heading somewhere else?” Suimei, surprised by Dorothea’s comment, unwittingly asked Lefille.
“Ah, about that—”
“Sorry to interrupt you two, but it’s about time for us to get started here. Is that alright?”
Concerned about the time, Dorothea’s question drowned out Lefille’s answer. On that note, they had spent quite some time conversing as they walked.
It seemed continuing to while away the time like this would create problems for others.