“If we analyze all the data we’ve collected and eliminate the candidates……”

“Just…… this place is the only one left.”

In Allen and Noah’s hands were stacks of tattered papers stained with handprints.

These shabby-looking old papers were the result of the Evans family’s intelligence capabilities and the Beselion family’s highly trusted reputation coming together.

In other words, this was what happened when two of the Empire’s most powerful families, counted among the top few, decided to use their strength to find the original pancake house in the Eliperum Forest.

“……Nigel will be happy, right?”

“Of course, Allen. The Nigel I know loves food, but especially when it comes to desserts, he never refuses. I’m sure he’ll enjoy it.”

All of this was to create an excuse to talk to Nigel, even if just one word…!

The two, sharing the same sense of mission, nodded their heads simultaneously and entered the store with the hearts of soldiers facing war.

Ding-a-ling~

Along with the cheerful bell sound, the scent of coffee that had permeated the store over many years greeted Allen and Noah before the owner did.

The two’s eyes sparkled at the interior, which was neat and adorably decorated with props, unlike the worn-out exterior.

This was because some data mentioned that the owner of the original pancake house loved to travel and the store was full of antiques collected from various travel destinations.

Allen and Noah quickly went to the counter and asked about the pancake ingredients.

The coffee house owner was startled for a moment, then opened his mouth.

“The ingredients that go into pancakes? Uh…… it’ll be similar to other places. Except for sprinkling almond powder at the end. Our family has a tradition of sprinkling almond powder on pancakes.”

Almond powder…!

Allen and Noah’s eyes sparkled with conviction at the appearance of an ingredient that frequently appeared in the data.

“Please pack one 3-layer pancake! We’ll give you a big tip, so make it as pretty as possible!”

Ding-a-ling~

A moment later, Allen and Noah left the coffee house carrying a milky-white box.

There were smiles on their faces that would undoubtedly be 100% satisfaction if their emotions were analyzed.

“Now that we’ve gotten the original pancakes, we just need to find Nigel!”

……However, Nigel was nowhere to be seen.

In the bookstore Nigel liked, in the small exhibition hall displaying historical records about Valein, in various souvenir shops, all sorts of dessert shops and coffee houses, etc……

They searched all the places Nigel might go, but Allen and Noah couldn’t find a single strand of Nigel’s black hair anywhere.

“At this point, I’d believe it if you told me he was running away to avoid us. Where on earth is he……”

Allen, tired from walking around, plopped down on a plaza bench.

“We have about an hour left until the gathering time, so it’s a bit awkward to go far.”

Noah stared blankly at the clock tower pointing to 4 o’clock.

“……What the. Evans and Beselion, don’t tell me you two have been looking for Ars all this time?”

At that moment, Sid Cromwell appeared from behind.

Allen, too exhausted to answer, roughly moved his head up and down.

“If that was the case, you should have told me earlier, Evans.”

At Sid’s words, Allen frantically got up from his seat and grabbed Sid’s hand. Noah also quickly approached Sid.

“Nigel! Where did Nigel go?”

Swish.

Sid’s finger pointed to the back.

“If it’s behind…… are you talking about the coffee house?”

Sid shook his head without a word.

“Then don’t tell me…… he’s in the forest?!”

Nod.

At Sid’s words, Allen and Noah simultaneously looked blankly at the tall trees.

“So give up and wait quietly until Ars comes. If you two go too, I won’t be able to handle……!”

Before Sid could finish his words, Allen and Noah entered the forest without hesitation.

“……it.”

Sid mumbled the unfinished words into the air and gave a hollow laugh.

Even if they had fought, friends were friends. The three’s actions were identical. Ignoring his concern despite his thoughtfulness, and rushing in recklessly when it came to matters related to friends.

“Please, I beg you, don’t cause any accidents and come back by 5 o’clock.”

Sid made a wish, knowing it wouldn’t come true.

Meanwhile, Nigel had come deep into the forest, completely ignoring Charlotte’s group and Sid’s advice.

Nigel, who often got lost, was different when it came to forests.

To Nigel, who had frequented the vast Tillin Forest like his own home since childhood, the forest was like a living, breathing map.

The shadows of plants that changed with time and weather, the subtle movements of animals, the similar yet subtly different appearances of trees……

All this information was naturally absorbed with each step.

“No one will ever find me here……”

Nigel chuckled and took out a cat-shaped magical tool from his pocket.

Having previously encountered Noah Beselion in Sienea, whom he thought he would never meet, Nigel no longer believed in the word ‘never’.

Meow!

When the cat’s left ear was pressed, the cat opened its eyes and drew a circle around Nigel. Now, anything that happened inside this circle would never be visible to the surroundings.

Only then did Nigel feel relieved and took out an amulet with a blue gem embedded in it from his pocket.

He was going to inject his divine power into this amulet gem and give it to Noah.

As befitting its price, the quality of the gem was not outstanding, and it had a crude appearance without special processing to absorb mana well, so it wouldn’t be able to hold much mana, but it would be enough to temporarily alleviate Noah’s injuries.

Nigel, who had taken off his ring for the first time in a long while, felt a strange sense of liberation and created a golden flame the size of a fingernail on his palm.

Nigel began injecting divine power, small yet burning like the sun, into the gem while continuously reminding himself in his mind how dense the concentration of this tiny flame was.

It took quite some time for the divine power to fill the small amulet, as he had to be mindful of various things to prevent the light of divine power from spreading beyond the range of the magical tool.

“……Finally, it’s done.”

Nigel, relieved of tension, exhaled comfortably.

Unlike before, the amulet now had a golden outline around the blue gem. Now, whenever Noah broke this gem in a crisis, Nigel’s divine power would come to his aid.

Divine power, unlike mana that only moves according to the user’s intention, had the property of trying to attach to the unstable flow of mana in the surroundings.

Now, all that remained was to hand over these reconciliation gifts to their owners under the pretext of Oliver.

It was still uncertain whether Allen and Noah would accept his apology after brazenly avoiding the situation.

‘Come to think of it, Allen must have been very disappointed that he couldn’t buy the postcard.’

The image of Allen’s sullen face naturally came to Nigel’s mind.

Also…… the words about going on a trip together after the midterm exams and having fun.

Although the trip with Charlotte was fun enough, Nigel had secretly been looking forward to the trip with Allen and Noah, so a great sense of regret remained in his heart.

The original plan for today that Nigel had made with Allen was as follows:

As soon as they had free time, they would go to the souvenir shop to buy limited edition postcards and friendship souvenirs, personally find the tree where Valein had sealed a magical beast, and then return to the shopping district to find the ‘real’ original pancake shop.

“……I wanted to eat pancakes together.”

No, come to think of it, in fact, Nigel had wanted to arrive just a moment too late to buy the limited edition postcard, put a regular paper postcard tightly in Allen’s hand as he drooped in disappointment, and laugh at the two boys who were truly, deeply crazy about Valein.

And also, during the midterm exam period, Nigel actually didn’t want to study in the student council room while listening to Oliver’s small talk.

He wanted to study together with Allen and Noah late into the night, whether in the lounge, the library, or anywhere else… eat meals together, attend classes together, and walk back to the dormitory together while chatting about trivial things, deliberately leaving behind the convenient teleportation gates.

Once the feelings that had been deeply hidden even from himself began to pour out, they were so numerous and deep that Nigel couldn’t control them.

“Why…… Why……”

Nigel mumbled a single word stupidly and tried to find the reason.

Even though it was certain that he would have a bad influence on them, why did his heart always reach out to them?

And even though it was the result he had wanted, why was he constantly feeling disappointed in them for not approaching him anymore?

What was so special and pretty about the short period of at most two months that it shook his beliefs?

“Make sure to visit Sienea, my child. It will be difficult, but you will think that you made the right choice in going.” @italics

Why did he dream of going to Sienea after listening to the words of the priest he met for the first time?

Nigel never found the reason.

Instead, he wanted to meet Allen and Noah. And there was something he really wanted to ask them.

Squeak.

Nigel’s eyes, having found a goal, sparkled with life.

Nigel strode through the forest with vigorous steps.

It was when he was about halfway out of the forest.

Nigel− Noah−

Allen’s voice was faintly heard from far away.

“……Did I mishear?”

Even hearing auditory hallucinations now. Nigel gave a hollow laugh and moved his steps again.

That’s when it happened.

“Nigel, Noah, help me!”

Allen’s voice was heard more clearly.