"So this is... Master Ro-Ro's house..." Daichi said.
"It's huge..." Silia said, tilting her head back to look up at it.
The four of them stood before Master Ro-Ro's house. It was quite large, and everything around it was peaceful. They stood there in the deep darkness of the night.
"Would he be at home, or at the guild?" Jhed asked.
"Well then... let's go in and see," Shine said.
Daichi looked rather nervous. After all these years, he was finally about to see Ro-Ro again, and his mind was racing with thoughts.
What will I even say to Master once I see him? Will he even remember me? Will he recognize me? Daichi wondered to himself. He was overthinking it — the way anyone would when about to meet someone they deeply respected and admired.
"Come on, let's go in," Jhed said, knocking on the door.
"The door's open, come on in..." a voice shouted from inside.
"That's Master Ro-Ro's voice," Shine said.
"Let's go in then," Jhed said.
Jhed pushed the door open.
"Pur....—"
They all stepped inside. Daichi was sweating heavily.
No need to panic. He's my master. Even if he does scold me, it won't be a big deal. Calm down... calm down, Daichi, Daichi told himself.
"But how would he know someone was coming to see him?" Silia asked.
"Even I don't know that," Jhed said.
They had already stepped inside by then.
Ahead of them, on a sofa, sat the old man, Ro-Ro.
"Come, sit here, our heroes," Ro-Ro said, gesturing with his hand.
They all sat down on the sofa. Silia sat beside Jhed, with Shine and Jhed in the middle.
Daichi sat with his head lowered, hoping Ro-Ro's gaze wouldn't fall on him. But in a room with so few people, Ro-Ro would spot him easily enough.
"It's alright — no need to hide, Daichi, my boy. I already recognized you ages ago, you fool. Cough... cough..." Ro-Ro looked directly at him.
"Yes, Master."
Master remembers me... I thought he might have forgotten me. He really is remarkable — even in his old age, his memory is still so sharp, Daichi thought to himself.
"Did you really think hiding would save you from me? I know everything already — about the state of your town..."
"How did you find out...?" Daichi's eyes widened in astonishment.
"What, did you think I don't worry about my one and only student? The moment Mariana was freed, I went to check on you first. That's when I learned about the state of your town. But I didn't act on it right away, because I had a feeling Jhed and Shine would be heading there themselves. Cough... cough..." Ro-Ro broke into a fit of coughing.
Master Ro-Ro's condition seems quite poor. Last time we met, he was so fit — he'd handed me that teleportation card with his own hands. So how did his health decline so much in just a few weeks? He looks so frail now. What could have happened? Jhed wondered to himself.
His observation was accurate. Ro-Ro had been in good health the last time they'd met, but now he looked as though he'd aged a hundred years. His constant coughing was unsettling to witness.
"Are you doing alright, Master?" Daichi asked, looking quite worried.
Master's condition really doesn't look good.
"How did you know we were coming here?" Shine asked.
"I heard the crowd gathered at the city gate, and their shouting. Their voices carried all the way to the guild. Every adventurer in the guild was about to rush over to meet you all, but I stopped them," Ro-Ro said.
Ro-Ro had already known they were coming. He had already been thinking about the town's situation.