After the brief meeting with Eldric, both the girls and I left the room and descended to the first floor. The path was marked by an unusual silence. For some reason, I found it difficult to speak with them after Eldric revealed that I had some blame in what was happening.

As I pondered over this, I was interrupted by a hand on my shoulder just before we finished descending the stairs. Turning my gaze upward, I met the eyes of Adya, Ikari, and Zephyra fixed on me. Curious about what could be happening, I focused on Adya's voice as she began to speak.

"Makoto, we want you to know that we don't believe you're to blame for this"

Said Adya, while the other two girls nodded in agreement.

"As a mage, I also understand how difficult it can be to control the flow of mana at times"

Said Zephyra. Her normally expressionless face became understanding as she looked at me. Hearing their words, a discreet smile formed on my face as I reflected on how wonderful they were as people.

"Well, anyway, this is a good opportunity for us. With the number of monsters that will come, we can earn a good amount of money"

Said Ikari, with a smile on her face. Hearing her words surprised me a bit, as she seemed genuinely excited about this situation.

"Don't you think something bad could happen?"

I asked, looking directly at Ikari. Upon hearing my words, she kept her gaze on me for a few seconds before a smile reappeared on her face.

"Well, I believe we'll find a way to deal with any problem that arises. Why worry about it now?"

Said Ikari, smiling. Hearing her words, my surprise gave way to a mixture of astonishment and disbelief. For some reason, I was starting to realize that this woman had her own pace. As I pondered over that, Adya's voice caught my attention again.

"Well, that's just how Ikari is, but it also has its positive side. We've gotten out of many dangerous situations thanks to her mindset"

Said Adya, looking at Ikari with a warm smile on her face. Upon hearing Adya's words, I also smiled, finding it amusing considering that our work usually involves a high risk of death.

"I think you might be right"

I agreed, reflecting on Adya's words. After that, Adya looked at me with a discreet smile on her face for a few seconds before speaking.

Stolen story; please report.

"Well, that's all we wanted to talk to you about. I believe we'll only see each other in battle from now on"

Her said. Saying that, Adya and her two companions descended the stairs and walked toward the guild's entrance and exit, disappearing from my sight. With a gentle smile on my face, I approached my companions who were sitting at the table. As they heard my footsteps, they all turned to me, showing curiosity about our conversations with the guild leader.

"Did something happen that we should know?"

Aoi-sensei was the first to ask. As I settled into one of the available chairs, I looked at her face and replied.

"I think so. Well, it seems that the leader of the adventurer's guild knows that I'm responsible, even if partially, for what is currently happening in the forest"

I said, letting out a discreet sigh. Honestly, with each passing day, I feel even more compelled to help the people of this town because no matter how you look at it, the problem originated from me.

"Anyway, let's help them as we agreed before. Just a reminder, both of you will provide long-range support since you're mages. Probably, me and the other adventurers will stay outside the walls fighting against the monsters"

I said, looking seriously at the girls. Even Ana had stopped eating her steak and was listening attentively to every word I said. Since none of them seemed to have any issues with the plan, we spent some time talking and eating before we set off. My ability was detecting several signatures, so I knew it wouldn't be long before the monsters arrived.

After leaving the guild, we started walking towards our inn while cheerfully discussing various topics. Since it wasn't dark yet, some people were walking along the street, and children were playing happily. My attention was captured by a group of children playing a game that reminded me of hopscotch.

A little girl, probably under eight years old, threw a stone that landed in one of the squares and immediately started jumping with enthusiasm. There wasn't a specific reason for me to be watching that scene, but I simply couldn't take my eyes off her.

As I watched attentively, I noticed that the little girl lost her balance and was about to fall. Before even realizing it, my instincts took over, and I found myself holding her in my arms, preventing her from falling. Initially surprised, the little girl soon displayed an innocent smile on her face, where a tooth was missing.

"Thank you, mister"

The little girl said, with a sweet voice. Hearing her words, a feeling of guilt engulfed me again. These children surely didn't know that something terrible was about to happen, that this could be the last time they could play like this. While these thoughts flooded my mind, Ana's voice from behind me caught my attention.

"Ma-kun?"

As I turned around, I noticed Ana looking at me with a special sparkle in her eyes. The other girls had also approached and were staring at me in the same way. Feeling a mixture of gratitude and concern, I didn't know exactly what to say in this situation. Would it be right to involve them in something dangerous because of the consequences of my actions? While these thoughts crossed my mind, I felt two cold hands gently touch my face, drawing my attention to the owner of those hands.

Ana's beautiful silver hair, combined with her ocean-blue eyes, caught my attention once again, reinforcing how lovely she was.

"I will help you, Ma-kun... after all... Ma-kun always takes care of Ana"

Ana said with a discreet smile on her face, almost imperceptible. The other girls also nodded, seeming to agree with Ana's words, and a smile formed on their faces. Upon hearing Ana's words, a smile spread across my face as I silently thanked them for being by my side.