Not long ago, Missha drew the line with me.
«I... like thin men».
«Eeet! It means you have no charm as a man!»
When we got lost in the Witch's Forest, she said this because she misinterpreted my offer of a comrade contract. Those words relieved me. They say that there is no friendship between a man and a woman. I thought that, if their tastes were that clear, we could continue being comrades without any inconvenience, even if we stayed together for a long time.
«Come, sit down quickly. If you don't eat between sleeps, it's bad for your body».
Missha's attitude towards me gradually changed. I would wake up every morning and we would eat homemade dishes together. He even accepted meat dishes. To be honest, I felt like I had a girlfriend instead of a comrade. At first I thought it was because I risked my life to save her, so she paid me back in her own way.
«...Yes. I like you. As man.»
So that was it.
«Did you know?», he asked.
«I wasn't sure.»
To be precise, I had been ignoring him for that reason. It wasn't that she brought it up herself. I didn't face this problem, saying that it could all be my mistake, because knowing it, there was only one option.
«Yes, I see...»
Watching Missha tremble as she looked at me, I realized how cowardly she was. If I had faced this problem sooner, I would have been able to solve it differently. I might as well have pushed her away with hints, if Missha's feelings hadn't grown to the point where Dwalkie told me to stop ignoring them. Yes, I'm sure that would have been the case.
«So... what do you think?»
Now there were two options: bring my body closer and light a burning fire, or put out the fire before it got bigger. The answer was already decided.
«I...»
I was an evil spirit and a gambler. I was not Bjorn Yandel, and I had not given up my hopes of returning home. But since I couldn't say that, and since Dwalkie also said that it would be cowardly to wish sincerity without showing my true self, I spoke sincerely.
«I consider you a valuable teammate».
The answer came after a few seconds. «Yeah... it's not going to work on me, huh?».
«It's the same with anyone else. I can not afford it. We don't know when we are going to die. Plus, it hasn't even been a year since I finished my coming-of-age ceremony». In many ways, this was a time when survival had to be the top priority, and Missha had to keep exploring with me. If emotions were intertwined, it would be difficult to make a rational decision when faced with a choice. This would put us both in danger. I had to face reality and draw the line. However, even if he packaged those words as best for us, the root of it all was selfishness. «I want you to consider me just a teammate».
Missha flatly rejected my offer. «No!»
«...What?»
«Why should I do that? First of all, I had no intention of revealing my feelings today, you barbaric evil! Scammer! After asking me as if you would accept it!» Missha screamed in annoyance and dug her fist into my stomach.
A slap!
The cold damage even reached my heart. Still angry, Missha continued screaming. «When have I asked you to accept my feelings? I know you're in no position to do it. But! Telling me I don't like you, that's too cruel!»
Slap! A slap! Hit!
The cold damage accumulated quickly.
«No, that...»
As I was about to say something, Missha weakly dropped her hand on my stomach. «I... I don't even want much. The way things are now is enough for me. So don't say those things. That? Why are you trying to take that away from me too...?»
The tremors were transmitted from where Missha and I were connected. I couldn't see his face because his head was bowed, but it wasn't difficult to guess his expression. I kept my mouth shut. I thought I was not qualified to offer any words or actions of comfort. A moment of silence passed and soon the tremors stopped.
Missha took a step back and looked at me with red, puffy eyes. «Tomorrow you won't eat anything», he said poisonously and left.
I stood there like a statue and watched her leave.
Crunch.
When I entered the inn, the owner sitting at the counter looked at me and clicked his tongue. «Today you did it wrong».
I knew it without hearing it.
Step step.
I went upstairs and opened the door. Bjorn Yandel's room was still narrow. For some reason, it reminded me of Hansu Lee's empty room. It was time to admit it. It wasn't because I had grown fond of what had made me weak. It's because I was weak that I didn't want to get attached.
***
The next morning, Missha, who had told me she wouldn't eat anything, came to wake me up with a healthy lunch box full of carrots in her hand. «Chew it well. Understood?»
Because of the sins I committed, I chewed them and swallowed them all. It didn't take me long to swallow them. However, seeing me roll my eyes awkwardly after the meal, Missha opened her mouth first.
«Not bad, as it is now».
«But...»
«No buts. You don't have the right to decide. So don't get so overwhelmed. I only do what I want». This was the conclusion he had to come to last night at home. There was no room for me to interfere. Missha was more mature than me. Saying this with determination had to mean that I didn't want this relationship to become more uncomfortable.
I was sure Dwalkie didn't want such an ambiguous stance, but I said, «Okay».
«Okay, so we can't talk about this from now on. Understood?»
«Understood.»
With this, the matter was settled. In reality, nothing had changed since before.
«Wash. We should leave soon.»
After eating, I quickly washed my body and went out with Missha. We headed to the meeting place, met up with our companions and went to Kommelby together. The atmosphere in the car was quite heavy.
«It's the first time we all come together». Hikurod tried his best to speak happily, but strictly speaking, not everyone was here. Now, even if we wanted to, we couldn't.
«...Let's quickly finish our business and come back».
After arriving in Kommelby, things improved. We repaired our equipment and sold what needed to be sold. Finally, we went to the central administrative office and drafted a contract to transfer Dwalkie's house to Hikurod. The reason was simple: the dwarf said he would buy it.
«...Is there any reason for you to stray from your path? I'm sure Dwalkie wouldn't want that much either».
«Hahaha! It has always been my dream to have a house. Didn't we make a lot of money this time?». I tried to dissuade him, but Hikurod's will was inflexible. «It's enough to worry. Hurry up and sign».
With the government official as notary, it was signed and Dwalkie's house became the dwarf's property. The appraised value of the house confirmed through the administrative office was 24 million stones. However, we were told it would sell 20% cheaper at auction, so we only received 5 million stones per person.
«So let's go back and have something to drink».
After finishing our business and returning to the residential area, we headed to the tavern. Then the final settlement was made. All income, including mana stones, was divided into four. Due to the costs of repairing the equipment or the cost of the consumables used in the maze, there may have been slight errors for each one, but a huge sum of money came into our hands.
Twenty-five million stones...
Although Hikurod may have only had ten million stones left after buying the house. It was also agreed that the Dragon Slayer sword and Restricted Desire that I used in the maze would be recognized as part of me.
»Did a vampire essence disappear and be replaced by an ogre essence»? It is definitely the object that man was looking for. But it happened while you were trying to save us, right?».
«I'm not shameless enough to be so greedy. If it weren't for you, he would have kept the Dragon Slayer's sword».
I felt very grateful to hear that. If we turned them into money and divided them into four, I would file for bankruptcy more than once.
«Now then, let's drink.»
After a few more drinks, I opened my mouth silently. «I guess we should start talking about the team».
A position on the team had become vacant. He was not planning to take the position, but rather leave the team to Missha.
However, Hikurod was one step faster than me. «I have something to tell everyone about it. I'm going to stop being an explorer».
«What?»
«I'm sorry I brought it up at a time like this. However, it was a decision I made after thinking about it all day yesterday, so I hope you understand.»
At the dwarf's statement, Rotmiller asked: «If you leave this job, what do you plan to do in the future?».
«I'm going to set up a blacksmith shop. That's why I bought that house. I thought it was now or never». No wonder he decided to buy Dwalkie's house. I was thinking of renovating it and setting up a forge. «Becoming an explorer was for me the closest thing to fleeing from reality. I gave up my dream because I had no talent, because at the moment I needed money to live. That's why I don't want to do anything I regret. It would be an insult to my friend».
No one dared to speak against Hikurod's determined words. We could only encourage their future.
«...I really hope your dream comes true.»
«Oh, does that mean you're the boss now? I will definitely come visit you.»
«If I need to go to the blacksmith, I can go to your store from now on.»
«Yes, that will work! Seriously, just thinking about it makes me happy! Hahaha!»
After the dwarf's resignation became a fait accompli, it was Rotmiller who resumed the conversation. «Murad, don't feel too bad about your decision. After all, I was also planning to leave the team after this exploration.»
«That? You? But why?»
«I felt like I was missing it. That's all». Hikurod said nothing in response to that brief response. Perhaps he already foresaw that reaction, because Rotmiller continued unchanged. «Actually, I told Bjorn beforehand. Although at that moment I couldn't imagine it would end like this. Now that I have made considerable money, I will take time to develop».
«...I believe that, with your diligence and perseverance, you will be able to achieve any goal».
After Hikurod's heartfelt words, his eyes focused on Missha and me. They must have wondered what we were going to do.
I briefly explained my future plans. «The two of us will form a new team. And we will reach even higher».
«Yeah, I thought you'd say that».
«Miss Karlstein has a tough road ahead of her.»
«...Well, it's my own karrrma I guess. Other than this, I can't do anything eitheraa».
We all raised our glasses and toasted the ultimate drinking party together as Team Half Ingenuity. Blessing and encouraging each other, we spend the time of farewell reminiscing about past memories. As always, time passed mercilessly, and soon the dwarf and Missha became drunk and hit their heads on the table.
«It's time to go home». I smiled regretfully at Rotmiller. At the end of a drunken party, the two of us were always left alone to fix things. We finished it Half Witty Team style until the end.
When I woke up thinking that, unlike usual, Rotmiller lowered his voice and called me as if he had waited for the two of them to fall asleep. «Bjorn, I want to ask you something».
«...Speaks».
I stared at him, feeling a strange pressure above me. Rotmiller paused and asked, «Are you an evil spirit?».
The greatest work remained for the safe dissolution of the Half-Wit Team.