An ordinary profession creates the world's strongest

"Don't overthink it. Repaying a favor is only natural."

Even Natsu said this with a serious expression.

"Give up! These kids are the biggest idiots in the world."

It was no longer about what Bandhu thought.

As liberators, they could not ignore this matter after hearing about it.

Therefore, rescuing Bandu and the others has become a consensus among Miledi and others.

But even so, Bandhu could not easily trust them, because the situation did not allow him to be careless, and Bandhu's life so far had not been smooth sailing.

"Don't be silly... I'm a demon, you know? And I'm going up against a nation that controls half the world. How can I trust you without any calculations or guarantees?"

He whispered:

──Even the person I trusted most in the world has changed.

After saying this, Bandu frowned and stared at Meredi.

Meredith smiled arrogantly and replied:

"Half a world? A country? Because you're a demon? It seems Ben has some misunderstanding about the 'Liberator'."

"misunderstanding?"

Bandu was surprised, thinking, "Are they just rebels who are dissatisfied with the Church? What else could they be?" Meredith stood straight with a smug smile on her face.

Then she pointed her index finger straight up to the sky.

"Although the object of our battle is the Church, it is not the Church itself, but the existence above it."

Up there... the sky. No, it's the very existence of humanity, looking down from far above.

"Are you kidding?" Bandu looked at Meredi in disbelief.

Seeing Bandu dumbfounded, Meredith declared openly in the sky where there was nowhere to hide:

"God is the enemy of us 'Liberators'! Countries and demon kings, what do they mean at this point!"

Whether it was accidental or inevitable, before the route deviated from the destination, the sun overlapped with Meredith from behind.

As if she was carrying the sun's rays on her back, no, as if she were the incarnation of the sun, Meredith spoke out her ideas loudly in the sunlight.

"Creating a world where we can live with free will, a world where we can work together with everyone! This is the 'Liberator'!"

"With someone who wants to work together..."

Those words were particularly touching, as if they melted his long-frozen heart.

"The expression on Xiaoban's face was always very sad."

"What?"

"There must be a lot of things you want to say that are painful just to say, so you can't say them even if you want to, or it's too painful to say them, right?"

"...Don't act like you know me so well."

Bandhu thinks here it comes again, what’s with her eyes?

Why was I so naturally intimidated by her aura?

Why do I feel like she sees through all my worries?

Although he wanted to ask her to stop, he couldn't say it, and Meredith continued to say:

"For example, the servants who rescued our companions, they are actually very important to you, right?"

"How is that possible? I just picked some random monsters I could find—"

"Just look at their eyes. They all have strong will. To save people, to respond to Ben's wishes, they have undoubtedly risked their lives. Am I right?"

That kind of thing was obvious as long as you looked at the footage of the visit, at least for Meredith.

"A child with eyes like that can't be an ordinary monster."

"So what if it's not?"

If rescuing Meredith's companions was simply a favor, a plea for their release, or perhaps even a hostage for safety, then there's no need to sacrifice so many of these valuable "companions." Simply abduct Ruth and the others while Marshall and the others battle the Men in Black. Even if Meredith and the others were told later that they were too busy saving the children to care about anything else, they wouldn't be able to argue.

Even so, Bandu still saved everyone, probably because he couldn't bear to watch it anymore.

So──

"Xiaoban, I think you are someone worthy of trust."

For some reason, in this situation, all he had to do was nod in agreement, but Bandu refused.

"...My purpose isn't just that."

He didn't just want to save people, he had a more shameless reason that would surely draw anger—

"I've taken all that into consideration."

“What on earth are you…”

Just how far did he see through it... Bandu couldn't help but step back, even feeling a little terrified. Meredith smiled and said to him:

"Hehe, Xiao Mi's eyes can see through everything."

Bandu was stunned, while Meredi immediately softened her expression and said:

"Ben, I'm very happy that you said you'd like to be our companion. Because I'm happy... I hope you can answer me."

Meredi asked with a hint of worry and calm realization in her eyes:

"Can I trust you that nothing sad will happen after you become my companion?"

A voice echoed in Bandu's heart, and the cold self in his heart shouted, "Just lie to her!" This was to save people and for the sake of many compatriots.

This is reasonable. You can't lose your trump card when you meet someone you've just met. Bandu knows very well that only a fool would want to cross the rapids without a safety line.

But when he came to his senses—

"...As a precaution, I've placed the Mimic's flying dragon on standby near the Demon City. Mel Melkine can ride it to our clan's hidden village."

I actually said such words.

"Xiaoban..."

"It's true that some of your companions have survived, but many others won't be able to hold on much longer. If we wait until the rescue operation is over, it's likely we won't be able to save them in time."

Bandu ignored Meredith's voice and Oscar and the others' gazes, lowered his head slightly, and spoke rapidly like a machine gun.

"I can only compromise to this extent. No matter what, we must complete the battle before the Demon King returns. If you still want me to lead you all to the hidden village, I have my own ideas—"

"Thank you, Ben."

Meredith's tone was gentle. Her voice was full of tolerance, as if she had opened her heart, which was surprising. Bandu couldn't help but look up, and was met with a brilliant smile.

Meredi flew back gracefully in the wind, and Bandu couldn't help but follow her figure with his eyes.

She landed lightly behind Bandu, then turned around so that she was face to face with Bandu and stretched out her hand to him.

This is a handshake of thanks and a proof of working together.

Bandu had a habit of looking like someone else, where he would pull his scarf up to his nose and then extend his hand rudely.

At this moment, a strong wind suddenly blew...

“Wa ...!”

Meredith let out a strange, mournful cry, ruining the pleasant atmosphere. Her scarf, blown by the wind, caught her face, choking her breath and causing her to struggle in panic. Meanwhile, Meredith was being pursued again, and Bartram's dragon swung its body wildly to deflect the wind.

Oscar and the others hurriedly climbed onto the dragon's back and were finally safe, but...Miledy fell heavily due to a slight panic.

“Waaaaaaaaa!”

Meredith performed an artistic backward roll, and in the direction of her roll was... the panicked Oscar.

“Hey, stop—Puhuh!?”

Meredith collided with the anxious Oscar, and the two tangled and fell backwards, while Sister Mel quickly dodged. Just as they were about to tumble off the dragon's back... Niz used a portal to save them. They flew out of another portal, landing on the back of Bartram's dragon and somersaulting.

"It hurts, it hurts, Oh, I'm sorry, are you okay—Ahhh!"

Meredith sat up in a bird-like position and then made a cute sound.

“Ugh!”

"Ah! Oh!? What are you doing in a place like that? You're so lewd!"

“Ugh!!”

That place is right under Meredith's butt.

In other words, Meredith is now sitting on Oscar's face.

Feeling Oscar's breath, Miledy's body couldn't help but shrink, but that caused Oscar to be in danger of suffocation.

Meredy's face was about to explode with shame.

And the gravity magic is about to explode.

"Alright, alright, if you keep going like this, it's going to be a scene not suitable for children. You guys need to respect yourselves."

Meredith's body stiffened with shame, but her reliable sister, Mel, took her back. Mel held Meredith to her chest, while Meredith buried her face in the symbol of motherhood and sobbed.

"Wuwuwuwu~~! Mei'er-sister! Oh, he's bullying me!"

"I don't want to either."

Oscar suddenly stood up, readjusted his glasses, and protested to Meredith.

"Oscar, at times like this, you should admit your mistakes readily."

Even if it was an accident, even if it didn't make sense, they were both a boy and a girl, and in this case, the boy was wrong. Natsu, with an expression reminiscent of a monk at enlightenment, tried to persuade Oscar. Oscar whispered again, "I don't want to do this either," and pushed up his glasses.

"M-Miletti, um, I was wrong..."

Although Oscar carefully admitted his mistake to Miledy, someone responded from another direction.

"Glasses, you...what are you doing to my Bartram? You pervert."

It was Bandu. He looked at Oscar, the man with glasses, with a look of contempt.

Oscar's temples suddenly showed blue veins.

"No matter how you look at it, this is an accident, right? And if you trace it back to the source, it's all the fault of that meaningless scarf of yours."

"You got something wrong with my scarf? Huh? You useless glasses!"

"You got a problem with my glasses? Huh? You useless scarf!"

This time, it was Bandu's forehead that was bulging with veins. If Oscar got angry when his glasses were teased, Bandu would get angry when his scarf was disparaged.

"Tsk, you don't even understand the benefits of a scarf. That's what's annoying about fake intellectuals. Did you think I didn't notice? Those are glasses without prescriptions, right? Do you think wearing glasses will make you look smarter, idiot?"

"You're so bold as to call me a fake intellectual. You're no better than me, are you? You act all cocky, but you know what? The less confident someone is, the more likely they are to act bravado. You've been covering your face with your scarf ever since a while ago. Is that why?"

"It's pitiful that you can't even understand this art. But since you're a scoundrel at heart, there's nothing I can do about it."

"You said it's art? How is the scarf art?"

"Don't you see this embroidery? It took three months to complete."

"Did you sew this!?"

Although he is now a mimic of Bartram, from the proud expression on his face when he explains the origin and language of the embroidered flowers, as well as the joy and pain of life expressed by the vines that sometimes entangle with them and sometimes extend straight... you can tell that the embroidery was probably done by him.

"Get it? My scarf is different from your glasses. They're different."

"Ha, my glasses aren't just any glasses. Besides, you're wearing a sleeveless top and a scarf. Are you cold or hot? Don't compare my glasses to a meaningless scarf."

"The scarf is so cool! Those prescription glasses are just tasteless!"

"The glasses are cool! The scarf is the only thing that's tasteless!"

The two exchanged "Ahhh?" and "Hmm?" Seeing the sudden taunts and curses, Meredy and the others stared wide-eyed, their gazes flickering between the two.

"Hmph! Forget it, there's no point in talking to a pervert."

"That's why I said it was an accident. Are your ears ornaments?"

"Hmph, you say that, but you're actually very happy inside, right?"

"Huh? Really? Oh?" ​​Meredith blushed and looked at Oscar. Oscar pushed his glasses up.