Ryan had finally returned from the demon continent.
Before reaching the tavern, Ryan felt somewhat guilty; even though he couldn't control the fact that he had been transported to the land of the demons.
And given that getting back had been a troublesome matter, he felt a lot of satisfaction as he headed out to find his companions.
Of course, he didn't know if they had actually waited for him or if they were out looking for him.
Or how they would react upon seeing him.
But there they were, with depressed faces, as they continued drinking, muttering, and shouting his name.
The discomfort of the tavern's customers was centered entirely on them.
But nobody would say anything. After all, the aura they gave off was intimidating. Their S-rank power was making itself felt.
Seeing them, Ryan couldn't help but smile.
'Wow, they really are here after all.'
He approached the table where they were. Karol followed him in her current form: mana-depleted.
"Hey Ryan, they're from your party, right? I think they're pretty drunk."
"Ryan?" Helen murmured upon hearing the name.
When she raised her gaze, she saw him. She dropped the bottle onto the floor.
And ran in Ryan's direction.
"Ryan!"
She leaped onto him, hugging him.
"Why? Where were you? Damn it, I feel so dizzy..."
Mirian had also stood up and was hugging Ryan.
Both were incredibly dizzy, barely able to stay on their feet on their own.
"Calm down, calm down, we'll talk later, but you're disturbing the customers; let's go to the bedroom."
Mirian gripped Ryan's arm tightly, but fell back into a sitting position, unable to stay on her feet.
"I... I feel sick..."
Karol stepped over and helped her up.
"Come on, I'll help you."
Ryan looked at her and replied with a faint smile.
"Thank you. I'll carry Helen."
Then, they went up the stairs. Ryan was carrying Helen on his back.
And on the other side, Karol helped Mirian as she walked.
Mirian wasn't as bad off as Helen.
When they reached the room, Ryan laid Helen on the bed, and Mirian made her way to that very same bed.
"Are you really Ryan?" Helen asked, her voice very faint. Her eyes were slightly open, surely an effect caused by the liquor and sleepiness.
In addition, the dark circles under both of their eyes made it obvious that they hadn't slept in days.
"But what have you two been doing this whole time? Why did you drink so much? I see you can't even handle your liquor."
Helen pulled Ryan by the hand, and he fell onto the bed right between the two of them.
"Shut up, you abandoned us..."
Mirian snuggled up to Ryan on one side, and Helen did on the other side.
Both began to stroke his face.
"No, I didn't abandon you, I just ran into some trouble..."
Ryan paused.
"And I came back as fast as I could; I'm sorry for worrying you."
"I don't want excuses!" Helen grabbed Ryan's face and turned it toward her; then, she kissed him.
Ryan's eyes widened in surprise, but he returned the kiss.
'I don't like taking advantage of a drunk girl, but if I stop her now, I don't know how she'll react.'
"It's not fair, Helen... I, I missed Ryan a lot too."
Mirian took his face and pulled it close to hers, separating Ryan from Helen's lips. Then, she kissed him too.
"How lewd! Do you seriously do that kind of stuff with each other?!"
"Of course not! Can't you see they're drunk?!"
"Yeah, whatever you say! I'm leaving!" Karol slammed the door shut and left the room.
"Ryan... come here, I won't let you go again."
Both pinned Ryan to the bed, hugging him tightly. They kissed his neck, cheeks, and lips repeatedly.
'This wasn't the welcome I was expecting...'
But after a moment, the caresses and kisses stopped; their breathing sounded deep and steady.
"Wow, they fell asleep."
Ryan got out of bed and watched them for a moment.
'They look completely exhausted. What on earth did they do all these days? Were they looking for me? They're such idiots.'
He had a very noticeable smile.
Knowing that he had people who cared so much about him was something that made him feel very pleasant emotions.
Ryan went to sleep as well. Helen and Mirian stayed asleep in the same bed.
Holding each other.
He left them like that; he didn't want to wake them up by moving them to different beds.
◇◇◇
At dawn, Ryan left the room after taking a shower and changing his clothes.
Helen and Mirian were still asleep. He took the opportunity to go down to the tavern to have breakfast.
"Your name is Ryan, right?"
Ryan fixed his gaze on the person who spoke to him.
"Oh, you're the guard from yesterday. How is the little guy?"
"I'm sorry to come trouble you so early. But regarding the youth you left with us yesterday, we already know where he comes from," the guard replied; next to him stood a uniformed woman as well.
"I see, but is he with his family now or in the infirmary? I'll go check if he's doing better yet."
"Yes, in fact, he is doing better. You see, the youth is the heir of a viscount from the neighboring nation, Varvylon."
"The nation of Varvylon?"
"Yes. And currently, the youth is under the care of Baron Thomas. And it is Lord Thomas who requested that we bring you to him. He wants to thank you for bringing the youth back."
'A Baron? It was a noble who handed him over in the first place, wasn't it?'
"And will this Thomas guy let me see the kid if I go?"
"Of course, that's why he invited you to go to his mansion. You'll be able to talk better over there."
'Well, I'll have to make sure that's true.'
"Ryan!" Helen came running up from behind Ryan, grabbed his arm, and hugged him.
Almost instantly, Mirian did the same.
"Ryan, you really came back! Last night I had a very weird dream about you," Helen spoke while holding onto him tightly.
"Heh, heh, now that you mention it, I had a rather strange dream too," Mirian added.
'Except that wasn't a dream!'
"I won't forgive you for being gone for so many days. Where were you? I was on the verge of going to look for you in the demon continent!"
"Helen wanted to go all the way over there, but I convinced her there was no way you could be in that place."
'But I was precisely in that exact place!'
"Then Mirian suggested that you had probably run off with some hussy..."
'Just what kind of opinion do these two have of me?'
"Don't lie! You were the one who said that!"
"Eh? What are you talking about! Of course not! It was you!"
Cough, cough.
The guard interrupted.
"Eh? And who the hell are you! Can't you see we're talking here!"
The guard frowned. And just as he was about to answer, his companion stepped forward.
"We're sorry, we didn't mean to disturb the heroes who saved the viscount's heir, but the Baron, who is a great friend of the Viscount, wants to thank you on his behalf. That is why we are here, to bring you to him."
"Ah, so that's what it was. I thought you just wanted to trouble us over the destruction of the..."
Shh!
Mirian interrupted, cutting Helen off completely.
Then she whispered in her ear:
"Shut up, will you?"
'Just what on earth did these two do now!'
The guards looked at them with suspicion, but they were there with a request; at least, it seemed they didn't want to get involved in anything else.
Upon stepping outside, a carriage was waiting.
"Hey! What took you guys so long!" Karol called out from the carriage window.
"Eh? And what are you doing here?"