Raising the Lowest-Ranked Adventurer, the Heroic Girl – Wasn’t I Just a Substitute Old Man?

Raising the Lowest-Ranked Adventurer, the Heroic Girl – Wasn’t I Just a Substitute Old Man?

Volume 5 Chapter 64   Friends’ suggestions

“Hey hey, handsome. It’s quite enviable, holding so many flowers.”

“After not seeing each other for so long, and that’s your first comment?”

A few hours after making a request to Saeki, though it hadn’t been a month in perceived time, friends who seemed older than before had come to this research facility.

Hiro and the others were aware of the existence of this facility and my connection to it, but they had never visited before. Naturally, this place is a government facility, and the fact that I, who is not a hero or anything, is here is abnormal.

However, considering the current situation, I can’t just leave this place, and it’s not a simple matter that can be resolved with a single phone call. So, I asked if they could bring Hiro and the others here, and it seems like the request was granted. The room itself is separate from where Nina is, and it’s a proper guest room.

When these guys arrived in that room, Miyano and the others also came along to greet them. However, the first words uttered were teasing remarks about the situation of one guy and four girls.

It’s reassuring that they are still the same, but couldn’t there have been other words? Honestly…

“Well then, nice to see you again.”

After Miyano and the others finished their greetings and left the room, only the two of us remained, facing each other.

“Yeah. Though you didn’t cry tears of joy or anything.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re alive, but I had already accepted that you were dead.”

“For adventurers, it’s not strange to die at any time. Especially, well, not that we should be saying it, but you were like charging at the forefront. It was expected that something like that might happen.”

Well, that makes sense. Given the circumstances with Nina and being treated as missing, it’s only natural for them to think I had died. It’s not like these guys wouldn’t understand that.

“Really, you’re not the one to say that. You’re the root cause in the first place.”

If these guys hadn’t teamed me up with Miyano and the others, I would have quit being an adventurer a long time ago, and I wouldn’t have been involved in such a commotion. If you were to point out the main culprit behind the reason why I was believed to be dead this time, it would be these guys.

Well, it’s too late to say that now, and I don’t regret it.

“But anyway, aside from that, it was fun, right? Can’t you at least admit that it would have been boring without us?”

“…Tch.”

In response to Hiro’s words that seemed to see through my heart, I responded with a bored click of my tongue.

“Regardless, you’ve come back well.”

“Truly a ‘survivor.'”

“Good job.”

“Yeah.”

While it’s business as usual, I respond with a slight smile to the words of encouragement from my former comrades, which are a bit different from before.

“But… if the fact that this guy has come back alive gets leaked to the media, the name ‘survivor’ might really become widespread.”

“Ah, that might happen. Well, as for me, it’s not a bad thing. After all, we make all of Koo’s equipment.”

“Even if it’s custom-made.”

“But the fact that we provide it is important.”

“Now that you mention it, it’s known to the public that I was teamed up with Miyano and the others, and it’s likely known that they stopped the gate that was threatening the world. In that case, the fact that I, as one of the team members, have returned should also be known. If that’s the case, it might cause a bit of a stir. If that happens… I can only imagine a troublesome future.”

“By the way, if we were to make the specifications for Koo’s equipment public…”

“No way. If we show that, it’ll reveal all the weaknesses.”

Yasu’s family runs a company that sells equipment for adventurers, and that’s why they use Miyano and the others as advertising tools. They probably thought that promoting me would also be good for business. Well, adventurers who survive encounters with gate collapses that would normally be fatal are considered lucky charms. Having the same equipment as an adventurer who returned alive from such a dangerous gate collapse could be excellent publicity.

However, even if we were to consider showing the equipment, revealing its detailed specifications is out of the question. Adventurers may fight monsters, but that doesn’t mean they don’t fight against people.

“Well, let’s leave that kind of talk for later and just celebrate the reunion like normal for now.”

——◆◇◆◇——

“I apologize. I’m sorry to interrupt your conversation, Mr. Igami. Nina has started to fuss a bit, so could you please attend to her?”

After a while, a knock echoed, and Miyano’s voice came from the other side of the door.

“Hmm? Ah… I see. I’ll be right there.”

Checking the clock, it seemed quite some time had passed, so it couldn’t be helped.

“Nina is your daughter, right? She’s not really at the age to fuss, is she?”

“She’s still mentally unstable. Just when I came back, she’s anxious that I might disappear again.”

“Ah, I see, my bad.”

“No, I called her over here, so don’t worry about it.”

With that, we stood up, exchanged a few words, and headed out to the corridor. It turned out that not only Miyano but all four of them had come.

They explained that considering the time, Miyano and the others decided to leave together with Hiro and the rest.

“Well, we’ll come again tomorrow.”

“I don’t think there’ll be anything special even if you come… well, if you come, I’ll be waiting.”

As we exchanged final words with Miyano’s group, Hiro, for some reason, opened his mouth.

“But seriously, you’re surrounded by flowers. It’s not like you’re dating or anything…”

“No way.”

Interrupting the foolish words of a fool, I denied it. What nonsense is this guy talking about?

“If that’s the case, I’d be happy.”

“Hey.”

However, Miyano ignored my words and responded to Hiro’s statement.

‘If that’s the case, I’d be happy.’ Well, you… Certainly, I’ve been confessed to, but isn’t this a bit too forward compared to before?

“In that case, why not go on a date?”

“Huh?”

Just as I was thinking about that, now the second fool, Yasu, started saying something foolish.

“A da-date?”

Who? Me? With these guys?

“Good suggestion.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah. Koosuke is a coward who won’t move unless there’s pressure from the outside.”

“Haha, that’s quite a way to put it, Koo. Well, I… or rather, we don’t entirely disagree.”

Among Miyano and the others, who showed varying degrees of surprise in response to Yasu’s suggestion, Abe was the only one who seemed unfazed. It seems that Abe is somewhat enthusiastic about Kei’s proposal.

However, as I listened to the conversation, I covered my face with my hand and raised the other to stop the discussion.

“Wait a minute. By ‘date,’ do you mean… with these guys?”

“Is there anyone else?”

Well, yeah, but…

“Why go on a date with these guys…?”

“Well, you’re probably still struggling with it, right? What to do about your relationship with Miyano-chan and them. To figure out that relationship, how about trying to date for once? Even if it doesn’t go as far as dating, it’s okay to go on a date as if you were lovers, don’t you think?”

Just a few hours ago, I was confessed to, and not answering is quite rude. I understand that I’m putting off the problem while claiming to be struggling with what to do, just as Kei said.

To find an answer to that problem, I can’t entirely disagree with the idea of going on at least one date as Kei suggested, but… I can’t help feeling hesitant.

“Well, I understand what you’re trying to say, but… No, but think about the age.”

“And? They’re already in their twenties, and your body is roughly around 25, right? What’s the problem?”

“Oh… right, I guess I did get younger… But even so…”

I see. It’s been three years already. If that’s the case, the excuse I used before won’t work anymore.

But if that’s the case, I’m seriously running out of escape routes…

“That’s why you’re making excuses and worrying like this, right? If you don’t like it, just say no. If you accept it, decide and communicate. It’s beyond rude; it’s pitiful. Because you’re not making a decision, those four are going to waste the flower-like age of women.”

“…”

“And Koosuke, you don’t have anything to do right now, do you? Your job, home, and even your registry have been stopped.”

“No work, no home, no registry. You really don’t have anything to do, so take some time to reconsider yourself and your relationship with them, okay?”

“…”

“So, who’s going to date this guy first?”

Unable to give any response, I found myself agreeing to go on a date with Miyano and the others.

Certainly, I don’t dislike these guys. I don’t dislike them, but…