Chapter 26 _ The Grip That Rejected Him, or the Pride of a Weak Man
After returning to the inn,
I spent the next day as usual—hauling waste,
then headed to the Adventurers’ Guild
and told Frey and Iris everything that had happened.
“So… that’s the situation,” I finished.
“What should I do to make him join us?”
Frey, still in her cat form, crossed her arms and frowned.
“Hmmm… troublesome,” she muttered.
“Troublesome…?” Iris echoed.
“Yes.
He is the most troublesome kind of man,” Frey said flatly.
“What do you mean?”
“Most people possess some measure of conviction or passion,” she explained.
“But this Wilfred—
I cannot sense either.”
“On the surface, at least.”
“On the surface?”
Frey nodded slowly.
“Does it not feel as though he is hiding something?”
“As long as someone is within my barrier,
I can look back into their past with clairvoyance.”
“…Yet I cannot see his.”
“How is that possible, Master?”
“It is not unusual,” Frey replied.
“Those who erect magical wards around themselves cannot be seen.”
“…More importantly, I choose not to look.”
“Choose not to?”
“Indeed.
If someone goes to such lengths to hide something,
it is not my place to pry.”
“I could look at any time,” she added quietly.
“But I will not.”
I crossed my arms, mimicking her.
“…That makes sense.”
“I hear he prefers men,” Frey continued.
“Neither Iris nor I would earn his trust.”
“Mario.
You are the only one who can approach him.”
“But understand this—
probing another man’s heart is a life-threatening act.”
“If you lack the resolve, stop now.”
My face darkened.
“…Resolve.
To be honest… I don’t have it.”
“…As expected.”
“Why?” Iris asked softly.
“You risked your life for me.”
I looked at her, gently.
“Because you’re here.”
“…Me?”
“Yes.
For you, I was willing to throw my life away.”
“But now that I’m this close to you…”
“The thought of losing you terrifies me.”
“That fear… I hate it.”
Iris understood immediately—
both the love and the conflict—
and her expression grew complicated.
“Mario…”
“I’m sorry,” I said.
“Could you take a job with Frey today?”
“I need time alone to think.”
“…Okay.
Don’t think too hard.”
We parted ways.
Without realizing it,
my feet carried me to the outskirts of town.
To the large rock.
The same place where,
on my very first night in this world,
Roger—Wilfred—had violated me,
and where I’d collapsed in pain.
I hid in its shadow and thought.
And eventually, I reached a conclusion.
If Wilfred would not join us,
then our future did not exist.
With that resolve,
my body moved on its own.
Wilfred was there as always,
sleeping lazily despite the sun already high.
“I told you I refuse,” he said without opening his eyes.
“…Impressive,” I muttered.
“I really thought I was being careful not to wake you.”
“Hmph.
If I couldn’t notice a novice like you,
I’d be dead already.”
I frowned.
“I’m a ranger.
I’ve done scouting jobs, trained my skills.”
“Calling me a complete amateur is a bit much.”
He didn’t even look at me.
“Still an amateur.
If you have no business here, leave.”
I bowed my head.
“…I really want you to join us.”
“Payment?”
“If it’s my body…
you can have it whenever you want.”
Wilfred sat up slowly
and stared straight into my eyes.
“You’re straight,” he said.
“I’ve seen you walking with a blonde girl.”
“Why would you go that far for me?
Explain.”
I swallowed, but kept my voice steady.
“I’m a ranger, like I said.
The blonde girl is Iris—my partner. A mage.”
“You don’t need more explanation than that.”
“Have you slept with her?”
“…No.”
“I want to.
That’s exactly why I don’t want to get involved with you any further.”
“But if you don’t join us,
our party has no future.”
“She’s always losing,” I said quietly.
“You know that, don’t you?”
Wilfred looked away.
“…Yeah.
I know.”
“…She’s that pitiful woman, selling her body to survive.”
The moment I heard that—
Something snapped.
I lunged at him.
“—!!”
My right fist was caught effortlessly
by a hand like solid stone.
An overwhelming grip.
My arm wouldn’t move even a millimeter.
“You have no idea,” I shouted, shaking with rage,
“what kind of hell Iris endured!”
“You know nothing—
so don’t you dare call her ‘pitiful’!!”
I bared my teeth.
Wilfred stared at me silently for a moment,
then loosened his grip.
“…I apologize,” he said quietly.
“I take that back.”
He looked away.
“…You’ve changed.
You used to be a nauseatingly soft idealist.”
“But I still won’t join you.
Leave.”
“Can’t you at least tell me why?”
“…Go.”
“I will,” I said.
“I can’t come tomorrow because of work.”
“But I’ll be back the day after.”
“No matter how many times you come, it’s pointless.”
I turned away without waiting for a reply.
My palm throbbed where he’d grabbed it.
But that sensation—
That massive, unyielding, overwhelmingly strong man’s hand—
I knew it then.
That was the power we desperately needed
to drag our companions back from the depths of hell.
