“How could you drink without us…….”

“I heard our team leader was here…….”

The two team members joined just as Suji and Ilaine collapsed to the floor, entangled with each other, making almost no sound.

An SSS-rank hunter falling down – it seemed like some kind of joke.

Of course, even in that moment, she managed to protect the Jack Coke without spilling a single drop.

Aside from rolling on the ground to avoid monster attacks, when was the last time she had fallen like this?

As far as Suji knew, it hadn’t happened since entering the academy.

“……Hahaha. Hahahaha.”

Suji found the fact that she had fallen so amusing that she grabbed Ilaine’s shoulder and burst out laughing.

“Ilaine, did you see? I just fell down.”

“……I saw more than that.”

At those words, Suji got up laughing, and Ilaine found himself directly receiving the piercing glares of the two hunters who had just entered.

“Ilaine, I didn’t think you were like that…….”

“How dare you do this to our truly pure team leader!”

But Ilaine was Ilaine.

He showed no sign of being flustered, just sighing and making sure Suji didn’t fall again.

“If you drink a little more of this, a new judgment will appear. Put back on the items you removed. I suggested something unnecessary.”

“Haha, what are you all doing? Sit down together. This spice of life is fun, hahaha.”

As Suji let out an oddly long laugh, Saint quickly approached and sat down next to her at the bar.

“No way. Team leader, are you drunk?”

“Haha, yes, I think so.”

“You somehow avoided the judgment.”

“Ilaine taught me the trick. Haha.”

Suji’s innocent answer made the situation even stranger.

“……Ilaine, I really didn’t think you were like that.”

“If we had come a little later…….”

While Saint and Peace were pressing Ilaine, Suji took another sip of Jack Coke.

As she saw the ‘Success’ judgment log scroll by, her mind suddenly cleared.

She leaned against the bar, finding it funny that Ilaine was being subjected to such unreasonable accusations.

‘……Ah, I really got drunk.’

Though the brief experience was certainly enjoyable, not being able to fully control her body wasn’t entirely pleasant.

But perhaps because she had been feeling down due to today’s events, she felt better sensing that Ilaine was being endlessly considerate of her.

“Ilaine.”

“Yes?”

“Thank you.”

Before Ilaine could respond, Saint and Peace eagerly jumped into the conversation.

“What’s this about? What kind of close memories did you two make in just half a day apart that you’re acting like this? And what was that situation earlier?”

“That’s what I’m saying. When I suggested drinking, everyone acted like I’d said something unspeakable. But now suddenly with the team leader, just the two of you! Huh? Am I wrong? Huh?”

“Stop talking nonsense, both of you. Here’s the menu, order for yourselves.”

As Saint and Peace were ranting, Ilaine handed over the menu as if annoyed.

The two looked like they had more to say, but seeing the appetizing food spread out on the table, they began selecting menu items with enthusiasm.

Suji didn’t want to dampen their seemingly excited mood, so she put aside the story of what happened today for a moment.

“Then, I’ll have a margarita!”

“I’ll have a highball!”

“Peace, a highball doesn’t suit you.”

“Why? I can’t drink it diluted?”

“It’s not that…… but since it’ll be detoxified anyway, is there any point in drinking it weak?”

“I’m just drinking it for the taste. Like you said, there’s no big expectation for alcohol that’ll wear off anyway.”

Saint and Peace finally put down their menus after ordering a platter each of cheese and nuts.

“So?”

“What happened?”

They both looked at Suji with eyes full of expectation.

“Before my story, tell me yours first. What did you do today? Was it nice to go outside after a long time?”

Saint shrugged her shoulders.

“Since you said you’d take care of that con artist Zero, I just checked public opinion…… confirmed news related to Gates or Waves…… ran into my younger brothers and got my allowance taken…… just an ordinary day.”

“Was there any unusual news?”

“Well, nothing major. Ah, people are still buzzing about you, team leader. If you don’t climb the Tower they make a fuss, if you do climb they make a fuss…… It’s gotten a lot less toxic than before, but still, don’t bother checking the message boards.”

Suji nodded with a bitter smile.

Such things were no longer worth worrying about.

“How about you, Peace?”

Peace sighed while running his hand through his hair.

“The day flew by looking after the kids. Since I can’t see them often, I have to play with them properly when I do.”

“Are the children doing well?”

“Whew, don’t even ask. With one at ten and one at nine…… it’s getting tough for me to play physically now. Really, they grow up in the blink of an eye.”

“You can go see them more often. Anytime, if you say so, I’ll make time for you.”

Peace shook his head.

“Isn’t it also my job to create a future where these kids can live properly?”

“That’s true.”

Saint, who had been quietly listening to Peace and Suji’s conversation, leaned in.

“But how old was Peace when he got married to have kids that big?”

“Haha, a man has his secrets. Don’t worry about it.”

“You really do this every time.”

Saint said that, but didn’t pry any further.

Being a hunter for a long time often meant there was some twisted area in one’s life. Especially for a veteran S-rank hunter who shouldn’t be short on money.

Suji just listened and nodded.

At that moment, the margarita and highball were placed on the bar table, and Saint raised her hand curiously.

“So? How was it with the team leader and Ilaine who said they were going to visit a patient?”

Suji smiled bitterly.

This wasn’t the first time all the team members had gathered to drink together, probably because she was someone who only knew the Tower and didn’t enjoy any entertainment, but also largely because she, the team leader, had been a minor all along.

Well, even if they drank, there wasn’t really anyone who could properly feel the effects anyway…….

Still, this atmosphere of gathering quietly in a bar with only team members and chatting was too nice.

To the point where it was regrettable to ruin such an atmosphere with this ridiculous story.

“Let’s come here again next time.”

“Why are you talking like that? It sounds like a death flag. Why? Did something bad happen today?”

Only then did Saint seem to sense that the reason Suji and Ilaine had suddenly gathered at the bar and were drinking was due to an unpleasant incident.

Peace, who had been enjoying the success and failure logs while taking sips of his highball, also put down his long glass of ice with a serious face.

Suji smiled bitterly and summarized the events of today.

In any case, it was something both of them needed to know.

Zero’s strange death. The fact that Priya belonged to ‘Messiah’. And the incident of Priya sending an email directly.

Each was an extraordinary event.

Their eyes, which had been growing larger with each new topic, showed disbelief when the story of Suji’s father came up at the end.

“……Is that true? Isn’t that illegal?”

“Well, he’s certainly not in his right mind…… No, he really seems crazy.”

There was a reason both of them reacted as if they couldn’t believe it.

Not bringing the affairs of the hunter world into the civilian world was one of the most prominent unwritten rules.

But Priya had violated even that in approaching Suji now.

“……Whether she really wants to recruit you or just wants to pick a fight…… Anyway, it seems she really wants the reward for this 〈Laurel〉.”

Suji nodded.

“From my perspective too, that seems to be the only certain thing.”

“If that’s the case, we can’t give it up again.”

“……No, but you can’t just burn someone to death for that? Is that even possible? How did they kill him?”

“So, about that. I’d like you to investigate ‘Messiah’ a bit. I’ve received some basic data, so you can refer to that, and I’d like you all to find more information that’s not in this data. Also about the fundamental reasons why people join.”

Saint nodded gravely.

“And I think it would be good for Peace and Ilaine to receive the map of 〈Laurel〉 together and check and run simulations. Is that okay with everyone?”

Making plans and assigning tasks to each person. This was a much more familiar routine for Suji from the beginning.

Seeing Suji skillfully carrying out her duties as team leader, the team members nodded reflexively.

“And I’ll check both a little bit together. Both ‘Messiah’ and 〈Laurel〉…… since they seem to be important issues for us right now. And…… since I need to meet Priya, I won’t be able to help directly, but I’ll definitely participate in the review stage.”

“Don’t overdo it.”

At Ilaine’s words, Suji gently shook her head.

It seemed like she was being worried about to the point where she wondered if her dignity as team leader would be compromised.