I Was in Charge of Scouting for the Hero’s Party

21. A woman made of moonlight

When we arrived in Cologne, we were able to enter Cologne with a free pass despite the chaotic situation thanks to Robin’s request book.

“This… This is… The city of humans…”

“Hey hey. I’m going to salivate Close your mouth for now.”

In the eyes of Depal, which was created by Argyle on a dull battlefield, the appearance of Cologne, which was established as a commercial and military hub of the Kingdom of Maetel, must have been quite impressive.

Max, limp from the intense battle that didn’t suit him and the uncomfortable bed, waved goodbye to me weakly.

“Austin hyung. I’ll just go back…”

“Oh, yes. Good job. See you later in the capital.”

After closing Depal’s gaping mouth and sending Max off to return to the Adventurer’s Guild, we moved toward the inn where Princess Alexis and I were staying.

Because Maya found out the location of the inn I was staying at, and I wanted to set up Robin and Depal’s inn together, Princess Alexis and I moved our belongings to an inn a little further away from where we were staying.

“Now… Then, Robin will have to get his things out of the inn he was originally staying in… Royman, shouldn’t you also stop by the church for a bit?”

“In order to preserve forever the spoils for him… Yes.”

Royman answered while stroking the head of the lycanthrope still dangling from his waist.

“…I wonder how long you will last in this church.”

“Pastor Hugo doesn’t seem to have realized the true meaning of the sanctuary yet, so I feel very sorry too.”

“No, that’s not it… Anyway, go and come. I’m going to go to church and fill up my stomach.”

So we each had our own break time, and after filling our stomachs with a late lunch, we sat huddled together in the room I was staying in and started talking.

In order for Deval to be able to act as her human, I’ll have to cover up her identity somehow.

“First of all, I think we should start with a new name for Depal… Is there any other name you want for Depal?”

Defal, sipping juice with her eyes sparkling like a rabbit, she heard me and slapped her.

“Umm… She doesn’t have a name in mind.”

At this point, we’ll have to name it…

The thing is, I’m a sucker for things that require creativity like this.

“Therefore, we will hold a new name contest for Depal!”

“…Suddenly something, Robin. Do you have any names in mind?”

“Ahem… I don’t have a specific name in mind… But if everyone put their heads together and think about it, wouldn’t a pretty name come out?”

“Definitely…”

No matter how much I say I don’t have this kind of talent, I still have five heads gathered together, can’t I get at least one decent name?

With my consent, Robin clapped his hands and focused our attention.

“Good! Then… Everyone, please tell me a good name!”

So, a contest was held to give Depal a new name.

It’s going to be… Okay?

* * *

“Gracie…Austin isn’t back yet?”

The hero asked a question in a weak voice, but despite her wishes, Gracie shook her head.

“Still… It looks like she hasn’t returned. Early this morning, I went to the inn Maya told me about, but she said the owner said she hadn’t returned yet.”

“Me… Is it because of me? It must be because of me…”

“…Don’t say such weak words, hero. Maybe it was simply camping in the woods.”

“I’m sorry… hehehe… It’s because of me… I don’t want to see you, so I didn’t come to the city at all…”

“Haa…”

Gracie let out a deep sigh and stood up at the sight of the warrior again shedding tears from her already swollen eyes.

“…I will check it one more time and come back. Isabelle, can you go and buy groceries with Maya?”

“Yeah… Isabel, let’s go.”

Adrien, who had been watching Maya and Isabelle walk out hand in hand, raised the hero and headed for the door.

“Whoa… The warrior and I will get some fresh air.”

“…I got it.”

After even the hero, who staggered by Adrienne’s hand, went outside, left alone, Gracie calmed her troubled mind by tying the pommel of the sword on her waist.

Gracie, too, was not without feelings of pity for Austin, but as a knight and captain of the Royal Guard, she could not understand Austin’s behavior.

At the party where we gathered to subdue the wicked absolute evil called the Demon King right away, it was right to keep our personal feelings buried, because we sincerely thought that.

Feeling sorry for Austin and being able to understand Austin’s position were two different issues.

‘But it’s true that I did something wrong…’

She apologizes as soon as she finds out about her mistakes, and does not keep old feelings buried in her heart.

As for conflicts that arise during group life, it is best to resolve them immediately between the parties concerned.

An extreme pragmatist, with a steel-like mind that is not swayed by personal emotions in important matters.

Seriously, she must have been called a ‘wooden Gracie’ even within the Royal Guard.

Gracie, she was such a woman.

She said that if she ever met Austin, she would have to apologize again, and that if she came back to the party, she wouldn’t make the same mistakes as before.

Gracie, who made that resolution, stopped her steps in front of the hostel where Austin, who had arrived before he knew it, was staying.

She stood in front of her door for a moment, breathing calmly, and when Gracie’s hand pressed on the door, her well-oiled hinges opened silently and gently to welcome her.

“Welcome back… Are you here again?”

Gracie had come to her inn more than once to find her Austin, and the innkeeper, who had already remembered Gracie’s face, greeted her with a casual attitude.

“Kuhmm… Perhaps, Princess Alexis and Austin…”

“They were both back around lunchtime.”

An unexpected answer came back to the question I asked without much expectation.

“I… Really? Austin is back?”

“Yes. She’s back, but… Let’s see… You’ve already taken her room?”

Gracey’s body, which was about to climb the stairs immediately, suddenly stopped.

“…What… What did you just say…”

Whether or not she knew what she was thinking, the innkeeper continued her words while twisting her signature mustache with her fingers.

“Ummm… So… Ah, there you go. About an hour ago, I packed her things and moved out of her room. Maybe go somewhere else… Hey! People are talking…”

– Ujijik…

“…Uh… Oh! Look at my mind I have to clean up the honey wine that came in today… Excuse me. hahahaha…”

When the wooden handrail on the stairs that Gracie was holding on to cracked open, the innkeeper disappeared into the kitchen, trembling in her voice.

“…Austin. This child…”

Gracie, with a grimly distorted expression, immediately turned around and left the inn.

“If you come out like that, I have a way…”

Her conviction not to be swayed by her private feelings was cracking.

* * *

“Umm… Seo… Senior…? Isn’t that just too bad?”

“I wonder if this is real, Robin.”

The naming contest, which lasted for two hours, was heading toward catastrophe, endlessly spewing out disastrous results.

“No, f*ck. Honestly, even his name is strange now, aren’t you guys really making fun of him?”

“Hey… That… Stop it…”

Perhaps it was because of her bizarre names that didn’t even sound like a joke, Depal, who had been inflating her anticipation for her new name with her eyes sparkling, slumped and leaned her head against me.

“You’re kidding me… We’re really serious about it!”

“Please don’t put strange food names in your names. Why do you keep putting food names in people’s names?”

“That…But…”

Perhaps in the future, if Robin has children of her own, they will be named ‘Butter Jelly’ or ‘Green Horn Deer Steak’.

“Princess Alexis. Princess should give you a simpler name too, how do you usually call such difficult names…”

“I… It’s difficult… That’s…”

All the names Princess Alexis came up with were noble names that were too abstract in meaning and difficult to pronounce.

In the first place, Princess Alexis’s name, Oren, also belongs to a strange name, so how can nobles call such names without hesitation?

“…It’s shocking that the names you came up with are the best.”

“Brother. It is a name that was created by slightly modifying the baptismal name, so of course it can only be sacred and beautiful.

Since all the names that everyone came up with were lousy, relatively, the names Royman came up with looked the best.

“Hmm… Rosariani, Yeriel… To be honest, I wonder if such a holy name would suit Depal…”

As I grunted and pondered for a long time, the evening had already passed, and it was dark outside.

I let out a sigh as if I was letting go of my frustration, and leaned my head on my shoulder and turned my gaze toward the drooping Depal.

“Hey, Depal. What kind of… Name are you…”

Is today a full moon?

The moonlight, shining softly through the open window, met with Depal’s transparent blue hair, creating a mysterious color.

It’s blue and white… Like clear sea water… No, it’s…

“…Moonlight…”

At the appearance of Depal, which looked like a picture, the party including myself stared blankly at the Depal with their mouths open.

“…Luna.”

A name that used to refer to the goddess of the moon in the distant past.

“Luna… The goddess of the moon. It sure suits you…”

Princess Alexis, who was across from me, also nodded in agreement with me, and Robin and I exchanged glances without speaking.

“Depal. Wake up.”

“Ugh… Is it done…? I want to go to sleep now…”

Whining, rubbing her eyes and raising her body, she looked like the goddess of the moon itself.

“Luna. From now on, your name is Luna.”