Heidemarie's POV
The signal crest I planted left the Dragon's Wings party house and stopped at a cheap beginner inn. I wondered what was going on.
I activated it quickly and replayed the conversations from inside the house. The eavesdropping stone worked perfectly.
"Get lost, you scum."
Hearing it again hit hard.
That trash Chronos really said it.
I knew he was the type, but still. That's why I was against leaving Wim with people like Dragon's Wings.
Even if that's what Wim wanted, this was too cruel.
Wim seemed to be heading toward the "Tomarieda" bar.
I figured he might be planning to drink his sorrows away. Either way, I left the room and went straight after him.
"Wim!"
When I pushed open the door to Tomarieda, he looked even weaker than I expected.
That gloomy face, hunched shoulders… same as always, but worse somehow. His short black hair, clearly from immigrant roots, only made his expressions stand out more. Practical cut, but it backfired by showing every bit of how small he felt.
Harsh to say, but he really gave off that "small-timer" vibe.
The air around him was thick with nostalgia and self-loathing. Even a kid would know not to approach.
It reminded me of the old days.
I never wanted to see that version of Wim again. I'd sworn to do whatever it took to keep it from happening.
"Come in! …Oh, you must be Sue the stalker."
"Noisy cowgirl, no."
A busty cowgirl type came out to greet me, so I brushed her off.
"Wim! Um… well, you know, are you okay?"
Wim's POV
It's times like this you're glad for close friends.
Heidemarie has always been upbeat and straightforward, ever since our days back in Roerifeld. She didn't get all gloomy or overly pitying, so I could just vent without feeling worse.
She sat next to me, quietly munching steamed potatoes, listening hard.
"They didn't even give me time to hand things over properly. I left the important documents behind, so it should be fine, but Sophia doesn't seem like she's doing the support work yet. Anyway, anyone can handle it. They'll just split it up until they get used to her."
"Sophia? The one replacing you?"
"Yeah. Pretty elf girl."
"Ah, Chronos's woman."
"That's not how to put it… but yeah, probably."
I took a sip of beer.
Come to think of it, my room was the only one separate from the others.
I'd sensed an unhealthy vibe sometimes. Maybe that was it.
With me gone, it's one guy and three women. They can all go after Chronos without holding back.
…Everyone's probably happier that way.
"…Hehehe."
Thinking about it, I was always left out.
No, I didn't want to get tangled in romance drama.
But if we'd built even a little more trust, maybe this wouldn't have happened.
I suddenly noticed Heidemarie staring with wide eyes.
"You still have it." She asked. I didn't sense coldness in her voice, more worry.
"Huh?"
"The laugh."
"Oh, sorry. That was gross."
"…No. I like that laugh. It's very Wim-like. I felt sad when you tried to fix it."
"What? A lady shouldn't say she likes a guy's laugh. What if he misunderstands?"
"You can misunderstand."
"Stop it."
I'm so grateful. Really.
The alcohol started hitting. My head felt light, not good or bad, just dazed. My eyes drifted.
They landed on the tapestry hanging on the wall. Every izakaya in this country has one. It's practically the shop's symbol.
This one didn't feel very Fielbron. Probably from somewhere northern, woven with deep blue threads. From a rippling sea rises what looks like a white lizard. Head and tail facing each other, like two fingers pointing together.
I'd been here plenty of times, but I never really noticed it before.
"…So, can I ask something now?"
After a pause, she went for it.
"Why did it end up with Wim, who beat the floor boss, getting fired?"
"Buh."
She hit the exact sore spot I'd been dodging. I nearly choked.
"What's wrong?"
Grete jumped in.
"What are you talking about?"
"How long do you think we've known each other? Your story was all halting, getting stuck in places."
"No, no, you might be misunderstanding. Maybe it was just the final blow…?Look, we all united around Chronos and pulled off a miracle…"
"How unsightly, Wim. There's no way Chronos and the others could've beaten it with you just on their backs. You took it down alone."
"No no no, seriously, what? I couldn't possibly beat a floor boss by myself."
"…Well, only God and your old party really know. As long as you keep insisting, it's hard to prove."
Heidemarie stared off into the distance.
"But I can guess. I know everything about Wim."
She locked eyes with me. I couldn't speak.
"…I think it's that kind of superhuman strength that only shows up in emergencies, yeah."