Chapter XCII - Disbanded (part 2)

"I want to go to the magic academy."

I said to Valon at his Office.

The master is incredibly busy thanks to the raid, but it was all profit to him and to the Office. The kingdom rewarded him for many things, and he was also able to sell the loot from the dungeon. But still, no matter how much money it is, work is work.

He placed down his quill and stared at me from behind his round glasses.

"Are you sure? That would mean you are quitting being an adventurer for the time being."

"I'm sure."

Seeing the determination on my face, he can only sigh.

"Alright then. Come back tomorrow to receive your letter of recommendation."

"What? That simple?"

"Listen, the headmaster is a good old buddy of mine. He was a White ranked adventurer, after all. I can assure him that you are actually a secret White ranked adventurer, and he will accept you without any fee."

Valon said as he wrote some stuff on the paper. I am still standing here with wide eyes, not believing what I just heard.

Not having any fee means... I don't have to pay a single penny! This is a jackpot!

"T-Thank you, then."

I turned around and left the room, leaving Valon with his headache.

While I was going for the exit, someone called my name right after I arrived at the bottom of the stairs.

"Rizee!!"

I turned to the diner, and found that it was Cane. He is currently having lunch with his teammates at the diner.

"Ah, who would have thought. Just got out of the hospital and already going to work."

I said as I approached them. Cane slammed his bottle on the table and lifted his hand and pointed his finger at me.

"You did something to me, didn't you!? You enchanted me with…-Whatever magic you had!"

Phew... He is actually spot on.

I placed my hands on my hips and acted dumb.

"What makes you think that?"

"Stop acting dumb!"

I turned around.

"I see. Then bye."

"W-Waaiitt!! I just want to say thank you!!"

Apparently, he just wants to thank me.

"Sure. No big deal."

Then left him standing there, frozen. I could hear his friends laughing behind him, and I left the Office.

.

After knocking on the door, I opened it and let myself in. Valey is the only one in the room right now, along with Hod on top of the bed.

"Hai."

"Hello, Rize."

I greeted Valey then sat at the other side of the room, next to the bed.

"Is he sleeping?"

I said while whispering, and Valey nodded.

"I see."

I took out a card from my pocket and showed it to her. It's my adventurer card, and the sides as well as the symbol have changed colors. It's Green now.

Valey saw me showing off, and she quickly took out her card. Every part of her card was simply Yellow.

"Damn!"

She chuckled immediately, but then I took out my mastercard.

The White ranked adventurer card for my Masked Man identity. That's right, I still have it.

"Whaatt!?"

"Sshh!!"

Her gaze then fell back to Hod, and her expression slowly became sad.

"R-Rize... You will go to the magic academy?"

"Yeah. Who told you that?"

"Everyone came here a while ago, and Hod told them."

"Ohh..."

Valey then closed her eyes, and then she spoke again.

"Everyone in the group decided to quit."

I turned my gaze to her with a widely shocked expression, but the look on her face doesn't say that she is lying.

"What?"

"With you and Hod gone, I don't think we can stay as adventurers anymore. After all, you two were our lives on being an adventurer. Without you two, it's... just not the same."

She started to tell me her reason, and so far, it's understandable.

"Plus, we always wanted to try new things in our lives that simply weren't putting our lives in danger on a daily basis. I always wanted to become a better noble, Barett wanted to be a weaponsmith or a doctor, and Cony wanted to study and learn clothings. She is still young, after all."

Out of all of us, Cony is the youngest. She is only around sixteen, and it is way too early for her to become an adventurer.

Barett is around my age, while Hod and Valey is a year above me.

"Which is why we are deciding to quit. If one of us quits, then we will all quit. Plus, we couldn't do anything while you were down there fending off hundreds of-"

"Stop."

Valey snapped out of her words. She didn't realize she was entering a wrong spot here.

"That's something not everyone can do."

"But, we are your friends… We should have been there, to help you."

"Valey..."

I wanted to tell her that with her being there, or anyone else, they will only become a hindrance.

But, I couldn't say that.

"Besides... Don't you think you deserve a better team?"

As soon as she said that, my heart sunk even deeper.

"Valey-"

"This wouldn't have happened if we were weak, would it?"

She was being very consistent on this mindset, that she and the others are weak, and that they are merely a hindrance. I'm not saying that's wrong, but to say it out loud is just…

"That's… not true and you know it. Remember when you and the others went to find me a cure? That's you guys being strong…"

"And, we wouldn't have needed to find you a cure if we didn't meet you."

"Then who will fight against the orc god?"

"Anybody else?? Are you really the option to fight him?"

"No, I'm very sure that I am the best option. Because if it's anyone else, they might-"

"Die? Get hurt?"

She finally trapped me on her point.

Where everyone else is a hindrance… but me.

I annoyingly let out a sigh and turned my gaze to the bed.

"I know you are awake, dumbass."

Hod stretches his arms and fake awaking. He slowly lifted his upper body and scratched his eyes.

"Oh, hello guys. What did I miss?"

Me and Valey went silent, so Hod can only try to cheer us up.

Obviously, he failed.

Me and Valey just stopped talking completely, and it goes all the way until she decides to just return home.

It was on that day, the Blue ranked team led by Hod had been disbanded. 

Everyone else… went on with their lives. 

As non-adventurers.