I decided... To decline the mission.

"I'm sincerely sorry for this, Chako... But I agree with Julian."

Chako looked dejected.

Adrian seemed disappointed.

Julian agreed and didn't show any expression.

"This mission... might possibly be an S-Rank mission. Furthermore, there are various unknown factors at play here... Far too many in fact. Demons... Heretics... Another country... Any of these three are beyond our current abilities."

I took a deep breath.

"Adventurers are an unruly mob in the eyes of the government. They're deterrents. They are like mercenaries but mainly focused on monsters and treasure."

I looked at them in the eyes and said.

"Julian and I should know... We're former nobles after all. Given the situation, they should send out elites of the church but they did not. To the nobles, only S-Rank Adventurers are worthy of consideration and A-Rank adventurers are only slightly better than famed knights. They're more like talented commoners who lucked out and got strong... They treat them like hired thugs."

I look up and remember old memories.

"Nobles hire adventurers for mostly dangerous jobs with rich rewards. But it's often the case that adventurers are sent out as cannon fodder or scouts."

I gaze at Chako's eyes and said...

"This is a good example of that. A-Rank adventurers are just slightly stronger mercenaries. Life and death of their kind means nothing to nobles. So... All of us sent there are most likely there to test the waters. This theory hold greater weight since B-Rank Parties like us are being sent out as well..."

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I see the fading hope and budding despair within Chako's eyes as I said.

"I decline this mission. The risks and dangers are far too grave. We're just getting sent out as cannon fodder here..."

As I said this, I felt as if I forgot something important.

Nonetheless...

Despair hit Chako as he collapsed.

"I... I see..."

"I’m sorry."

I said as I gave a deep bow.

"I'll go ahead and report our decision."

Julian spoke carefully.

With a heavy heart, I join him.

..........................

Soon after we reported our decision, Adrian and Chako left our party.

With a sorry face, he said he can't abandon his home and his family.

Adrian joined him.

Without sufficient members in our party, Julien and I began looking for new members.

I didn't have the heart to stop those two.

We each had our own circumstances...

And neither Julian nor I can afford to risk our lives here given the duties and burdens we shoulder.

Thus... we parted ways with heavy hearts.

Within days, we soon gather up new members.

And we continued our adventures.

It was sad to part ways with old friends but we had no choice.

A few weeks later... We hear news of the event.

The entire town was killed.

There were no survivors.

Since this matter was connected to two friends of ours...

We exerted some effort to discover news about them.

And we were in grief when we learned the truth.

The bandits were in cahoots with demons under the command of a merchant.

They led a horde of demons to assault the town along with the adventurers assigned there.

The adventurers there fought to the bitter end but were ultimately annihilated along with the townsfolk.

Adrian and Chako were among those who perished.

Julian and I grieved their fates.

Afterwards, the church and various kingdoms sent out armies to destroy the great evil.

Julian and I saw this as a great opportunity to distinguish ourselves.

As we prepared for war, I can't help but think back to that day.

Had I accepted, would I have been able to prevent that calamity?

This faint regret followed into battle.

I can't afford to be careless. This war is something far greater than all of us and concerns the fate of the entire human race.

And so we went into battle.

Yet every now and then, I can't help but wonder how things would have played out if I had accepted that task.

Some part of me is relieved since that quest truly was something beyond our ability but another part of me insists that I could have done something.

And perhaps the four of us, two pairs of young men dreaming of making a name for themselves would have achieved our dreams.

And perhaps they would still be alive.

Beginning of the war