Adventurer's Guild Café: I Was Wrongfully Exiled by the Saint, So I Will Enjoy My Second Life with My Fluffy Friends-Chapter 6.3 - Final Part: Welcome Party
“I hadn’t mentioned it because I thought it might scare you.”
Simon and I walked slowly down the quiet guild hallway side by side.
“There was a request for Duke Berta to visit and offer an apology. I already declined. There are no plans for him to come here now or in the future.”
“...”
I flinched, my shoulders trembling, and Simon spoke gently.
“It’s okay. I won’t let him get near you. I just thought there was no point in keeping it from you.”
“...Thank you.”
I didn’t need an apology from such a high-ranking noble.
I just wanted to live peacefully...
Maybe the duke wasn’t even involved in the incident.
But I no longer wanted to see anyone connected to Albert.
...At least not right now.
But was this really okay?
I hoped that my situation wouldn’t create any strain between the guild and the duke...
Noticing my unease, Simon shrugged and smiled.
“Ah, don’t worry. It’s not like the guild depends on his funding or anything.”
“...”
“If anything, the duke is the one struggling. The guild is the backbone of this country. Without connections here, he has no real power. And to have a criminal emerge from the supposedly upright Berta ducal family...”
Simon spoke with a slightly sorrowful expression.
“I know the duke well. He’s a very strict man—to himself and to others... Perhaps that’s why he couldn’t get along with his son.”
I knew nothing about the duke.
But Simon didn’t seem to harbor any particular resentment toward him.
Strangely enough, if Simon thought that way, then maybe the duke wasn’t actually a bad person.
Either way, if his son was already an adult, then no matter their blood ties, a parent wasn’t responsible for his crimes.
“...Even with parental love, even with blood ties, sometimes families just don’t work out, do they?”
Simon nodded at my quiet remark.
“Before being family, before being father and son, we are all individuals. Family ties run deep, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are always good.”
“...”
I felt the same way.
Even though I shared the name Leiria, I was somehow always alone.
Just like the Duke and Albert, my connection to that house might also be tangled in a way that could never be undone.
“Well, you already know this, don’t you?”
“Huh?”
“There are many connections in this world beyond just family.”
...That’s right.
I know that very well.
As I looked up at Simon and was about to speak—
—Paaan!
“Ah!?”
A sharp sound rang out.
Startled, I jumped as colorful paper ribbons rained down from the sky.
Before I knew it, we had arrived in front of the café, Silver Ribbon.
And for some reason, there was a large crowd gathered there.
The usual adventurers.
The guild staff.
And, strangely enough, the knights of the Staff Order.
Everyone was holding tubes, aiming them in our direction, pulling the strings attached to them.
A bursting sound.
Countless colorful ribbons.
Glittering, tiny pieces of paper.
Covered in them, I stood there, completely bewildered.
“Congratulations on your discharge, Kuu-chan!”
“Hyah!?”
The one who threw her arms around me was Ruri.
“Well, you weren’t exactly hospitalized! But I’m so glad you’re feeling better!”
“E-Eh?”
My mind was in chaos as I looked around at the lively scene.
The tables were filled with food and drinks, things that weren’t normally on the café’s menu.
Looking more closely, I saw Dan and Yan in the kitchen, busy cooking.
There was even a dwarf who was already drunk.
“E-Everyone, isn’t today supposed to be a day off...?”
“Ufufufu. Today, we’re having a welcome party for you, Kuu-chan~!”
“A welcome party...?”
“That’s right! You’re the guest of honor!”
But... Simon had just told me he had important business.
I instinctively looked up at him, only to see him playfully stick out his tongue.
“Surprises are much more fun, aren’t they?”
Still stunned, I was suddenly grabbed by Ellen and Kurona.
They pulled me right to the center of the shop.
“Kuna-san! We’re so glad you’re better! Look, everyone! The real, genuine Kuna-san is here!”
For some reason, a loud round of applause erupted.
Everyone cheered, telling me “Well done!” and “Congratulations!”
“Kuna-chan has to be here for this guild to function!”
“Yeah, without her, this place would fall apart with all these drunk fools!”
The lively chatter grew even louder, and someone even whistled with their fingers.
“Everyone...”
As I slowly regained my composure, my eyes started to feel warm.
Ruri stepped forward, grasped my hand, and spoke.
“Kuu-chan, let me officially welcome you. Welcome to Grantania, and to the Shield of the Silver Wolf King!”
Oh no...
I think I might start crying in front of everyone...
Just as I was thinking that, Ruri rummaged behind her back and pulled something out.
“Sorry for the delay! Here, this is a present for you, Kuu-chan.”
“...?”
She handed me something white.
When I unfolded it, I saw that it was a beautifully crafted, pure-white apron.
A delicate ribbon emblem was embroidered in silver thread.
“It’s the café uniform! We all match~!”
Looking closely, I saw that Ruri, Dan, and the others were all wearing aprons with the same embroidery.
Even Solaris, who had been sitting in the distance, stood up and smiled, showing off her apron.
A-amazing...
Just as I was overwhelmed with emotion, Simon placed something in my hand.
“And this is from me as well.”
“Eh?”
When I opened my hand, I found a brooch with a deep blue gemstone embedded in it.
The brooch was engraved with the profile of a wolf and a shield emblem.
...It was the brooch worn by the staff of the guild.
“Welcome to the Adventurers’ Guild, Shield of the Silver Wolf King. Everyone here welcomes you.”
“...!”
My face crumpled with emotion.
I wanted to say something, but as I clutched the apron and brooch, no words would come out.
Yet, strangely, the emotions welling up in my chest were not unpleasant.
I had always thought that tears only came in times of sorrow.
“Heh, maybe our welcome was too scary after all?”
Kiril, who was sitting in a chair drinking, laughed as he spoke.
“Well, you guys do have the faces of criminals!”
That remark made everyone groan in protest.
I couldn’t help but laugh too.
“No, that’s not it.”
I wiped my tears and looked ahead.
“I didn’t know that tears could flow from happiness too.”
I hugged the apron and brooch tightly.
—I had found a new home.
A new connection.
So, I’ll stop crying now.
Because I want to fully enjoy this fun and happy moment.
“Everyone, thank you so much.”
Wiping away my tears, I smiled.
“I’ll do my best again. I’ll work really hard.”
“Oh, just make sure you don’t overdo it.”
“Hehe... You’re right. I’ll do my best in moderation!”
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“Yes, yes, that’s the way.”
Ruri and Kiril exchanged glances and laughed.
I wiped my tears away completely and, this time, smiled brightly.
“Truly, truly... thank you.”
For giving me a place to belong.
For giving me connections.
For giving me happiness.
Really, thank you.
“What are you saying! We’re the ones who are truly happy that you’re here, Kuu-chan! Right, everyone?”
“Oooh!” Everyone raised their glasses and shouted.
I felt embarrassed, but also so happy that my tail wagged rapidly.
With a bright smile, Simon made an announcement to everyone.
“Alright, today everything is on the guild’s tab. Eat and drink as much as you like!”
“YEAH!!!!”
Cheers erupted.
As Simon clapped his hands, cheerful music began playing from somewhere. The adventurers, feeling the excitement, eagerly scrambled to grab food and drinks, diving into the feast.
“Come on, let’s eat too!”
“Yes!”
Just as we were about to take our seats at the table, a scream came from Ellen.
“Ahhhhhh!? Lulu is eating all the pizza!!!”
“Ruu?”
Lulu, who had grown a bit bigger, was still as gluttonous as ever. She stretched the cheese from the pizza, looking up with an innocent expression.
Whoa, she just ate an entire giant pizza by herself…
“What a little glutton, nya.”
“But I love pizza…”
“Roon♪”
“Don’t ‘Rooon♪’ at me!!”
Ellen said with a regretful tone.
“It’s fine, there’s still plenty more,”
Ruri said with a wry smile.
“Hey, look at this kid, she’s drowning again.”
The female swordsman chuckled and picked up the light blue fluffy chick, Lala, who was drowning in a beer glass.
“Pi?”
It seemed like Lala was drunk. When she was set down on the table, she started doing her little “piyo piyo” dance again.
The other chicks were also pecking at the food, eager to get in on the action.
“Really, such gluttons.”
“I-I’m so sorry, everyone…”
“Hehe, it’s fine. These little ones get to enjoy themselves today too.”
I gathered Lulu and the others, holding them close.
“Thank you all, too. I love you.”
“Ruu!”
“Pi!”
They rubbed their fluffy bodies against me, and it tickled so much that I couldn’t help but laugh.
“But make sure to leave some for everyone else, okay?”
As soon as I said that, the fluffballs all looked at me with an expression like they didn’t understand the language, their faces blank.
They looked like “Huh?”
“No, these little guys definitely understand what I’m saying! They’re just pretending not to understand because they want to eat it all, right?!”
Ellen stood up and shouted.
The fluffballs ignored her, darting around with incredible speed.
The table became noisy with all the shouting, and I couldn’t help but laugh so much that tears started to fall.
Living means there are plenty of sad and painful things.
Working means there are countless failures and moments of feeling down.
But I think, every time something happens, I’ll surely remember today.
Every day is tough, but there are also many fun and happy things.
The world isn’t completely dark.
The painful place I was before wasn’t everything.
No matter how dark a place I might be in, from now on, this silver ribbon will guide me.
I’ve finally found my precious place.
A happy bond tied together by the silver ribbon.
I feel like tomorrow will surely bring something good.
I need to keep my eyes open and look forward.
Because I don’t want to miss the fun, happy things.
So, I won’t cry anymore.
End of Part 1.
