The house was now filled with Seraphina, Garrick, Roderick, and Lila, seated around a table, engaging in conversation. Meanwhile, Haruki, after his sprint to the Guild house, arrived slightly out of breath. He took a moment to compose himself before entering the bustling establishment.

As he approached the counter, the room fell into a hushed reverence. Whispers of admiration and respect circulated among the adventurers.

"Isn't that the one who took down Shozo?"

"Yes, indeed. Best not to cross him."

"I heard he was the summoned one."

"Eh? I had no idea it was him!"

"He met Lady Seraphina on his summoning, that's what I heard."

"What a lucky man. We rarely get a glimpse of Lady Seraphina."

Haruki greeted Aria warmly and inquired about the bag he had left with her.

"Hello Aria."

"Oh, Haruki! Congratulations on passing. What brings you here today?"

"I'd like to retrieve my bag that I left with you."

"Of course, just a moment." Aria retrieved the bag from under the desk and handed it over. "Here's your bag, completely untouched. I heard you'll be staying with Roderick and Lila."

"Thank you, Aria. Yes, that's right. Seraphina is there as well," Haruki confirmed, unknowingly causing a stir among the onlookers.

"What? Lady Seraphina is with them? What luck."

"I wish I were him."

"Well then, I'll be on my way. See you around, Aria."

"Take care!"

As Haruki exited the Guild House, he was confronted by a trio of adventurers, the very same group who had been discussing him earlier.

"Hey you, we have something to ask," one of them said in a threatening tone, making Haruki feel a tad uneasy. But rather than displaying fear, Haruki stood his ground and asked, "W- what is it?" The group fell silent for a moment before dropping to their knees, imploring Haruki to allow them to accompany him and meet Seraphina.

The trio's faces lit up with hope as they made their request to Haruki.

"We want you to take us to the house you'll be staying in to meet Lady Seraphina, please?" one of them pleaded, eyes shining with anticipation.

Haruki's eyes widened in surprise at their unexpected request. "Eh?!"

"Please! We want to meet her, even if it's just once!" another chimed in, their voices filled with earnest longing.

Their expressions of longing pulled at Haruki's heartstrings, prompting him to agree.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

"O-okay, okay, I understand that you want to meet Seraphina," he relented, a small smile forming at their enthusiasm.

As they made their way to the house, the trio's excitement was palpable. Haruki led the way, followed closely by the trio. They took the opportunity to introduce themselves to Haruki, their voices filled with a mix of excitement and camaraderie.

"By the way, we haven't introduced ourselves yet. You can call me Shunji," one of them began, a friendly grin on his face. "And this is my twin brother Shinji, and lastly, my long-time best friend, Kakuzo. And your name is... umm..."

There was a momentary lapse of memory, causing a brief awkward pause. However, Haruki stepped in.

"It's Haruki," they interjected with a good-natured chuckle. "This can be a bit tiring if I had a brother who forgets things we just talked about."

Shunji joined in with a sheepish laugh. "Of course it's Haruki! Ha ha ha!"

Kakuzo, ever the voice of reason, offered a kind apology to Haruki. "We're very sorry, Haruki-san. I've known them both for a long time." He leaned in closer, whispering confidentially, "Shunji tend to forget things, even after just discussing them."

Haruki nodded in understanding, his initial surprise giving way to a sense of camaraderie with the trio. "Oh," he murmured, appreciating the insight into their forgetful nature.

The house was not far, and they soon arrived.

"There's the house we'll stay for a while, Let's go," Haruki announced, and they eagerly ran towards it, reaching the door in no time. Before they entered, Haruki took a moment to offer some advice.

"Okay, so, if you speak to Seraphina, don't say anything weird to her. She might blast you guys to pieces, so be careful."

"Understood!" they chimed in unison, showing they grasped the seriousness of the situation.

"Well, let's go in," Haruki said, and they followed him inside.

Shunji couldn't help but wonder aloud, "What are we doing here again?"

"Meeting Lady Seraphina!" Shinji answered with a sigh, reminding Shunji of their purpose.

Haruki opened the door, and inside, Seraphina and the others were waiting at a table. She was the first to spot Haruki's return.

"I'm back," Haruki announced, and Seraphina's eyes lit up with a warm welcome. Then, she turned her attention to the newcomers. "Umm... You brought more friends? Who are they?"

"Yeah, they are members of SteelFury, this is umm..." Haruki hesitated as he looked at Shunji and Shinji, struggling to distinguish between them. Fortunately, Shinji stepped in to clarify.

"I'm Shinji, and he's Shunji," he offered, helping Haruki finally differentiate between the twins.

"Oh yeah. I'm honestly saying this, but I'm confused about who is the right one," Haruki admitted, earning a small chuckle from Seraphina.

"Me too, it's a bit confusing. Do you guys have something to remind us?" she inquired. Shinji didn't hesitate to respond.

"Yes we do." He pointed to a scar on his face. "This scar, I have this, but Shunji doesn't. It should be an example to remind you guys."

With everyone now seated around the expanded table, Garrick took the lead in asking about their purpose.

"So, what is the purpose you have here?"

Shunji attempted to speak but faltered, struggling to recall. Shinji stepped in to explain on his behalf.

"My brother wanted to meet Lady Seraphina," he stated. Garrick's stern expression softened.

"If you're here with bad intentions towards Seraphina, leave," Garrick warned, but Shinji quickly reassured him.

"My brother just wanted to meet Seraphina, even just once. We saw Haruki-san in the Guild before, so my brother wanted to face and follow Haruki so he could meet Seraphina. I didn't want to go with him at first, but I was forced," Shinji explained.

Shunji finally found his voice. "Y-yeah, sorry for the trouble."

Garrick, still cautious, whispered to Seraphina, suggesting she read their minds to ensure their intentions were true. Seraphina agreed and used her magic to probe their thoughts. Her eyes turned a piercing yellow as she delved into their minds, finding no signs of deception or ill intent. She quietly relayed her findings to Garrick.

"We're clear, Garrick. No threats or anything suspicious from them."

"Understood," Garrick acknowledged, standing up from his seat. "So, let's introduce each other. I'll go first..."