The Darkness Was Comfortable for Me

1 day until the 2nd group is transferred to this world.

We gathered at the living room of the residence and decided to have a strategy meeting. 

“Now then, new people are finally coming, but there’s two choices. Whether we interact with them or not.” (Jeanne)

Jeanne opens it up.

Looks like we are going to be deciding if we will get involved with them or not to begin with.

“We are the seniors here in a sense after all. Guiding the newbies…is a choice in itself.” (Jeanne)

“No, there’s the chance that the new Chosen will be aiming for our lives, so didn’t you say it was dangerous?” (Hikaru)

“I did. There’s actually danger to it. That’s why I am asking here just in case.” (Jeanne)

Jeanne said that there’s the chance that the 2nd Chosen batch will be attacking us, and I honestly do think she is right on that. 

It is clear that we already have a lot of things in our possession, and this place has different laws from that of Earth. The police force in this city is on a level you can guess, and the 2nd group can bring guns, poison, or anything. 

Especially me who has the items of everyone in the Shadow Storage. 

We have stuff that can be easily bought and money, but there’s also the valuable items like the ones that can only be bought with Points.

For example; when it comes to Barrier Stones, Jeanne, Rifreya, and I make sure to always have 3 for each one of us. 

The Dark Night Gauntlet that I have equipped can most likely be sold for quite the sum.

In the words of Jeanne, it is also possible that people with bad intentions will be attracted just from the fact that Rifreya is with us.

In the 1st Viewer Count Race, I used her appeal to reach all the way to 1st place even if for a moment. There were several hundreds of millions of viewers at that time. 

In other words, for the people on Earth, Rifreya is…a super star, including the people in the 2nd group.

There’s no reason not to be on guard. 

Actively getting involved with them can serve to keep them in check, but there’s also the risk of bringing them to threat distance. It is a difficult choice, but I…

“I…if possible, don’t want to get involved with them.” (Hikaru)

“I did expect you to say that, Kuro. And I of course don’t want to get involved either. I am not the type that is good at interacting with people. What about you, Reya?” (Jeanne)

“E-Eh? I, uhm…don’t know anything about the Chosen. If you two say you don’t want to get involved with them, isn’t that okay?” (Rifreya)

It is unanimous. Well, it is not a party with highly social people after all…

Even if not, the chances of us benefiting from getting involved with the new Chosen is low.

Of course, if it is to accept them as new party members, there are merits to it, but it would only be at the time when we can tell it is someone trustworthy. 

Even if not, there’s the chance that I am still being thought of as the murderer of Nanami and Nanami’s family. 

There’s no certainty my innocence has been proved even with Nanami reviving. Her memories could have been lost with the powerful experience of death, or the culprit could have killed her without her having the chance of seeing his face.

I myself saw the face of the culprit practically by chance. I do know his face, but it is a student of the same grade that I don’t know the name of. If I at least remembered the name, it could have been different, but there’s no point in regretting that now. 

In that sense, it is better to not undo our caution towards the 2nd group too.

“Uhm… Don’t the people of the 2nd group know that Hikaru has revived his childhood friend? How about asking about that?” (Rifreya)

The suggestion of Rifreya made my heart jump.

I have told her all my circumstances.

About Nanami having revived.

About how she could have proved my innocence.

It is true that we could tell if I ask the 2nd Chosen group, but the risk of making contact with them is too high.

In the first place, we don’t know with what conditions they are being transferred with. 

There’s the chance they can choose their transfer location, and it is not like the abilities they can get with Points are the same from the 1st group.

“Reya, I think that’s a gamble of sorts. To go into more detail, I am somewhat in the know thanks to the messages of his little sisters, but…I haven’t told Kuro. Do you know why?” (Jeanne)

“Eh, why? Can’t you tell him? Hikaru is acting as if he is okay, but he was pretty down not that long ago, you know?” (Rifreya)

“Then, Kuro, I will tell you. Your innocence has long been proved, and the criminal that killed Nanami has been arrested. The reason that people are watching you is plainly because they are interested in you.” (Jeanne)

“E…Eh?” (Hikaru)

What is Jeanne saying?

No…she said that she has been doing exchanges with Celica through messages, so Celica must have sent that to her. 

But…

“What’s the matter? With this, everything is resolved, right? How about being more happy?” (Jeanne)

“B-But…” (Hikaru)

“Not feeling the reality of it? Or…you can’t trust me?” (Jeanne)

“It is…not that…” (Hikaru)

While answering that, I was thinking the complete opposite. 

Just as she says, if that’s true, everything is solved. My chest hurts. I want to believe it. Even though I want to believe it, I…I couldn’t believe it. 

Jeanne wouldn’t lie, but…I don’t know about Celica.

She is the type of girl that always aims for the best route. 

If it is Celica…she would easily lie for the sake of her objective.

“Kuro, you were dropped into sorrow…and became distrustful of others; I understood that from the very beginning. What kind of words would resonate with a person like that? Whose words would they be able to believe? In the end, the information that I know of Earth is from messages, or hearing it from others; all uncertain sources. That’s why I told you to forget about the other side… It doesn’t matter anymore; Earth and the viewers. If there’s anything, it is only to be careful of the 2nd group. What’s important is the future from here on. I also…forgot about it. My past…everything.” (Jeanne)

Jeanne must be trying to cheer me up in her own way. 

I understand that to a painful extent. 

I covered my face.

It is as she says. 

No matter what someone says, there’s no way to prove that that’s true. 

If it is Celica and Karen, they would do their very best for my sake. 

But it also translates to ‘by any means’. They would easily do something like having all the 2nd Chosen group tell me false information. 

In that sense, Celica is a reliable little sister.

That’s why it ironically feels as if the information she gives is dramatized. 

It is as Jeanne says. 

It would be better to forget about Earth.

If I live only looking at a future with Rifreya and Jeanne…

“I don’t really get it, but if the culprit has been arrested, that’s good. Isn’t that great, Hikaru?!” (Rifreya)

Rifreya doesn’t get it that well, but she smiles brightly.

That’s right, this is everything.

In the end, no matter the information you put in, the hole opened in my heart is not going to be filled.

The current me probably would only be able to believe in the person herself, Nanami.

…That’s because she wouldn’t be influenced by Celica. 

But that won’t be happening.

I have no choice but to live my own way here. 

“Thanks, Jeanne, Rifreya. I…will try to forget about the other side. I think… it will be difficult to do so soon. Right now, it is about what to do with the 2nd group.” (Hikaru)

Jeanne grinned and Rifreya smiled.

I am a man. I can’t just be consoled the whole time. 

I have to become stronger.

I can’t endanger the whole party because of me. 

◇◆◆◆◇

In the end, the conclusion was that we will try not to make contact with the 2nd group while continuing to dive in the dungeon as much as possible to get strong quickly. 

You could say it is the policy we have had until now, but what’s important is to not make contact with them.

As long as it is not the type that is persistent, I doubt we will be meeting them.

If that doesn’t work, use Darkness Fog to run away, or hire a bodyguard to drive them away. Fortunately, we have the money, so if it is possible to resolve it with money, we can consider that. 

Well, I do feel bad for the Chosen who will be coming here with no bad intentions, but we can’t tell that apart. 

We have decided on rejecting them, so we are going to keep that. 

The only problem would be when the other party has a long range rifle to aim for me or Jeanne, but….regarding this, we have reached the conclusion that there’s no point in thinking about it. 

I don’t know if there’s anyone who would do that, and if we were to live while accounting  for that, we would be living like wanted people on the run; it is realistically impossible to deal with it. 

In the first place, if we were to live with all those factors into account, we would have to be on guard 24/7, every meal we take. We are not trusting the 2nd Chosen group, but I want to believe there’s not someone who will go that far. 

◇◆◆◆◇

It is afternoon and the promised day has come. We went to get the weapons from the store of the dwarf. 

Jeanne’s sword is 8 gold; my sword is 5 gold. 

13 gold is enough gold to build a house, but that’s how much we are earning, so you could say it is a reasonable expense. 

Good weapons being expensive is a common thing no matter the world.

The price difference between Jeanne’s sword and my katana is not because of the difficulty or complexity in the manufacturing process, but simply a matter of how much Hellfire Steel was used.

Hellfire Steel is a special metal, only handled at the Great Fire Spirit’s place, and it is far more expensive than other metals. Because of that, it prides on an abnormal degree of weight and sturdiness, and it is currently the best material to make anti-monster weapons. 

“It is rare even in my place to hammer something of this level. Hope you like it.” 

The dwarf came out from the deep part of the store carrying the soon-to-be sword of Jeanne. 

The appearance is really simple.

The width is bulky; around 10 cm.

It is in the category of a normal one-handed sword, but the blade has decently good length, and would be in the big category when it comes to one-handed swords.

“Good weight. It can’t even compare to this one.” (Jeanne)

Jeanne says while comparing the sword she was using before.

There’s not much difference in the appearance and size, but the density is a whole world apart.

“It is a Hellfire Steel sword after all. I think I did a nice job there myself. Ah, just be careful of theft, okay?” 

“I will take baths with it.” (Jeanne)

Seems like Jeanne has taken a liking to it. She unsheathed it and swung it to check it out. 

“That’s nice. I want to make a Hellfire Steel one too…” (Rifreya)

It seems like Rifreya, who came with us, also has a longing for a Hellfire Steel weapon.

“If you were to make a weapon like yours into full heavy metal, wouldn’t it be impossible to swing…? Even as it is now, it would take my all just to pick it up…” (Hikaru)

“The one I have only has Hellfire Steel in its core, but I have increased my Tier quite a bit too. We did defeat a Demon Lord. I would like to get a new one soon~. Just kidding?” (Rifreya)

“Then, let’s order it. I feel like it would be around 20 gold for yours.” (Hikaru)

That’s several houses worth of gold, but Rifreya is a DPS. There’s no doubt she should have the best weapon. However, we don’t have 20 gold. Rifreya did bring some funds with her, but it is not that much.

“Are you going to have one made too? I think your current sword is plenty good though… Test out if your Tier is enough, and if there’s the need to, I don’t mind forging one.” 

I try talking to the old man about this, but he doesn’t seem to be too into the idea. 

The greatsword of Rifreya was forged here, so he probably doesn’t find it amusing to make a new sword when it hasn’t even been 1 year. 

Rifreya swings the sword just as the old man instructed. She must pass this test or the old man won’t make her a weapon. 

It is a flowing swordplay. It is just like the first time I saw it; as if she were dancing. 

A sword style that fully utilizes the weight of the sword with centrifugal force to hit the enemy. 

“How is it?” (Rifreya)

She must have confidence. She asked the old man with eyes filled with expectation.

“Hmm, I do think you are going the right way, but it is still too soon for Hellfire Steel. I would say you are on the level where you are finally good enough for that sword. It was originally made so that you would grow into it, you know.” 

“No way…” (Rifreya)

She really has no choice but to give up if she is told that her current strength is reasonable now for the one she currently has. 

My katana and the sword of Jeanne are small, so even if the density is high, it doesn’t end up being super heavy, but with the size of Rifreya’s sword, it could end up being close to 1 ton.

Even if Rifreya is strong, that’s just pushing it. 

We got our weapons, paid for them, went back to the house, and passed our day swinging our weapons. 

We did want to test them out in the dungeon, but the Chosen are coming tomorrow. 

We decided to check the state of things inside the dungeon…if possible, in the 3rd Floor. If we look at the High Efficiency World Map, we can see how many Chosen are nearby. Considering how big the world is, as long as you can’t designate where you are transferring to, the chances of them being transferred nearby are low.

Or more like, we can only pray that’s the case. 

Please don’t come close to us. 

That was the shared sentiment of me and Jeanne.