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106 – The Black Sorcerer that All Three Main Spirit Contractors Want is the Demon King Army’ Chief of Staff

The strongest. A title that sounds simple, very hard to reach, yet irresistible.

There are people who make fun of it as a childish desire, but I think that people who seriously strive for greater heights no matter how many years pass are cool. Even if their destination isn’t to be「the strongest」.

The young man in front of me is saying that we should aim for that together.

I was honestly very happy about that.

I have failed at that once, and I was a wreck.

I was able to join the Demon King Army when Milla invited me, but the fact that I was never able to recover as an Adventurer weighed heavily in my heart of hearts.

Like that time with Aerial, I am very grateful to be highly evaluated and welcomed despite being a Black Sorcerer who was kicked out of the fourth ranked party.

But also just like the time with Aerial, I cannot accept this invitation. No, perhaps it’s not the same. That man was already first ranked and I refused the invitation in a different way.

「I…」

「Nah, you don’t hafta answer right away.」

Wraith interrupted me by saying that.

「You don’t have any reason to trust me in the first place. Pretty sure you’re not that dumb. Today was just a greeting and I’m just happy for you to know how I feel.」

Smart kid.

He’s not letting the fact that he made a contract with one of the Four Great Spirits get to his head.

He doesn’t think that everything will go his way just because he has power.

「I suppose you are right.」

「Also, enough with the formalities. You’re going to be one of my allies, after all.」

…Someone’s confident…

He says that I can give him a reply later, but he already believes that the outcome is going to be positive.

But I suppose it’s quite important to have the strength of mind to be able to say such things so plainly.

「Uhh…right. Leaving aside the becoming an ally thing, I’ll be more casual.」

「Yeah. Oh and this is Fran. Her Job is Destroyer.」

A girl about the same age as him gave a quick bow of her head.

Her hair was white, almost as if it had lost its color, and red eyes. Her skin was white as porcelain, you could say she had a doll-like beauty.

A mantle covered her body from the neck down, with only her ankles being visible.

Destroyer, huh….that’s very rare.

During the war, it was a Job that manifested a lot among a portion of Demi-Humans.

If a person can quickly get better at using weapons…that person will generally be a Warrior, but a Destroyer is special.

They are not technically good at anything but they’re strong.

They don’t know any sword techniques and just swing it around randomly, but they’re strong.

They’re movements are crude and they move however they wish, but they’re strong.

That’s kinda how they are.

You could say that it’s a Job that manifests in those that specializes in combat with an ability that is impossible to categorize.

「A pleasure to meet you, my name is Lem.」

「…Just like Wraith, no need, formalities…」

Her voice is small but not small enough to go unheard.

「Sure thing.」

「Huh? Aren’t you surprised? Isn’t it your first time seeing a Destroyer?」

「It is, but a Job is just a Job.」

「…Whoa, as I thought, a person who aims to be a hero as a Black Sorcerer is really different. I agree. There are Heroes who are small fry and there are Black Sorcerers who are strong. What matters is not what you have, but what you have accomplished. In that respect, I still have a ways to go.」

He’s smiling widely. He seems to be in a good mood.

「I’m sure that if I become successful, Lem would want to become my ally!」

「This isn’t public knowledge, but I actually have a place where I’m working in now.」

「Sure sure, you have to work to live. But it’s just a job, so you should just quit and then I’ll re-employ you. Ah, don’t worry, I won’t abandon my allies. No matter what.」

……

「Thank you. But…I decided to leave the previous party on my own.」

「Did you leave without being told anything?」

「……」

「I don’t really listen to rumors, but wasn’t there some Warrior…what was his name?」

Wraith looked at Fran.

She answers.

「Alba.」

「Yeah him. He said he was the one that kicked you out. I’m not sure why, but he kinda stopped saying that suddenly. Is it true that he’s the one who started it?‘」

「…I suppose…that’s right.」

「If I were the leader, I’d reject topics like that. Although I suppose your previous Party didn’t know about your true abilities. As an ally, you have to see through it. As a leader, you have to unify them. I don’t care about what the world thinks or how we look. Once you’re my ally, you’re my ally till the end.」

He doesn’t know about my situation nor about Fenix’s feelings while taking my situation into consideration.

So that assessment isn’t wrong and his approach to it is wonderful.

I could bring up reasons like「It’s not that simple.」and so on, but I decided against it.

I’m sure Wraith knows what he’s saying.

He’s saying things easily, but they are not necessarily said lightly.

There are strong emotions in his words.

I wonder if he has something against Adventurers and the industry.

Speaking of Adventurer, I feel like I recognize him somehow.

Not he himself, but…I feel like I’ve seen someone who looks like him…

「…Fenix and I are still friends.」

In conclusion, I’ll end the topic there.

「You’re a nice guy, Lem. But nice guys finish last. It’d be great if everyone could be nice to each other, but that ain’t the case.」

…Are you really ten-years-old? I think, but I guess it’s possible to think like this after you’ve found out your Job.

When I found out that I was a Black Sorcerer, my thinking changed significantly.

The first big hard fact that makes a kid realize that they can’t keep being a kid is the Job confirming ceremony.

In his case, that doesn’t seem to be the only thing.

「While Fenix remains your best friend, the Hero Fenix removed you from the party. I won’t do that.」

…Ah, I see.

He thinks that I might have hesitations about joining my next party.

Party up with a Four Great Spirits contractor, rush up the ranks, then get thrown away.

He’s trying to reassure me that that pattern won’t repeat itself.

「I see. Thanks. I understand what you’re talking about.」

「Do you have anything else you want to ask? Oh, we’ll split the money evenly.」

「Ahaha, that is an important point. But it’s okay.」

「Hmm. Well, I guess we’ll deal with it later. Oh, and Lem-」

「Lem just got here, don’t hog him all to yourself.」

Wraith was bonked on the head.

「Ow, what the heck, Uncle Air, that hurt!」

It was Aerial.

Hmm, he did mention something about an uncle earlier. Was he referring to Aerial?

Wait…Uncle Air…?