"I'm sorry, Young Master. It seems I've meddled where I shouldn't have. Please forget what I just said."

"Ah... yes..."

I answered on reflex, but the shock refused to fade.

Only after secretly playing with Yor's tail beneath the table and taking a brief Healing Time was I finally able to begin eating.

Still, they say life is full of unexpected turns.

At the very least, the meal became much more comfortable. The constant attempts to drag me into the conversation with random questions clearly meant to needle me had disappeared.

Not that nobody spoke to me at all.

Reisir and Djúpr occasionally directed a question my way.

Fortunately, none of them were difficult to answer. I could respond naturally enough, and before long the conversation began flowing smoothly. The stiff atmosphere gradually softened.

"By the way, what do Academy students do for fun with their friends these days?"

"Usually we go to Board Game Rooms, Escape Room Cafes, Arcades, or Karaoke Rooms. Places like that."

Helga answered Djúpr's question in an indifferent tone.

To me, however, those words carried tremendous significance.

Escape Room Cafes... let's set those aside for the moment.

Even without modern technology, creating something like that would be entirely possible.

But Arcades? Isn't that going way too far? Why? How? How does something like that exist in a pseudo medieval fantasy world?!

The existence of Arcades was already enough to give me a headache.

But the greatest problem was undoubtedly Karaoke Rooms.

I sincerely hoped the Original Protagonist hadn't been interested in singing.

"A board game? Like chess? Can't you play that in the dormitory lounge or a private room? What exactly is an Escape Room Cafe? And an Arcade... is that some sort of entertainment facility? How is it different from a Board Game Room? And as for singing, you can sing anywhere. Is there a reason to visit a business establishment specifically for that?"

Apparently I wasn't the only one feeling bewildered.

Djúpr tilted his head in complete incomprehension, practically radiating question marks.

"The games at a Board Game Room are different from chess. They're more focused on entertainment, and there are over a hundred different kinds. As for Escape Room Cafes..."

Helga launched into a detailed explanation.

My dear readers undoubtedly already know what those places are.

Therefore, I shall mercifully omit the explanation and record only Djúpr's reaction.

"Kids these days really have all sorts of ways to have fun. Back in my day, we'd wander around town looking at things, or maybe watch a play or visit an exhibition. At most we'd have tea together and talk about our studies."

"We still do those things. It's just that when we've set aside time specifically to have fun, we want to get excited and make some noise, so we look for places suited to that."

"I suppose the things I mentioned would seem boring compared to all of that. Still, what matters isn't what you do. It's who you do it with, isn't it? If you're with a good friend, anything can become enjoyable."

Starting from there, Djúpr began reminiscing about his Academy days.

A large portion of those memories involved Reisir's father.

The fact that the two had attended the Academy together was something I already knew from the original story, where it had been briefly mentioned.

Though honestly, it wasn't difficult to infer even without reading the original.

Before the first Demon Realm Phenomenon occurred, the Daudabiner Count's Family had been a highly prestigious household with considerable authority.

By contrast, both then and now, Djúpr's family was nothing more than a modest Baron's Family.

Given that difference in status, the Academy was probably the only place where they could have become friends.

The Reisir's father described by Djúpr was cheerful, playful, and warmhearted.

Listening to him, it became obvious where Reisir's personality came from.

This probably isn't the first time he's told this story today.

A child who had lost both parents would naturally miss them.

And Djúpr was likely the only person left who could tell that child stories about the late Count and Countess.

Everyone else who had once been connected to the couple had turned their backs on the young Reisir.

Again and again, Djúpr must have shared memories of Count Daudabiner.

And memories of the Countess as well.

So that the child wouldn't forget his parents.

So that he would remember what kind of people they had been.

So that whenever he wished, he could recall them.

"Then one day, that friend told me he had someone he wanted me to meet and brought your mother along..."

Before long, the conversation had wandered far from the original topic of "things friends do for fun."

Instead, it became the story of how Reisir's father had fallen for a freshman one year below him and, after an enthusiastic courtship, begun dating her.

The story's focus shifted entirely to the couple.

He's probably gotten into the habit after telling the same stories so many times.

Was it because he missed his parents?

Though he had likely heard it countless times already, Reisir listened to Djúpr's stories as if utterly captivated.

Perhaps influenced by her childhood friend's reaction, Helga eagerly joined in as well, showing not the slightest sign of boredom.

As for me, it was my first time hearing any of this.

There was no reason for me to be bored.

More importantly, it was fascinating.

Not because of some bizarre worldview where medieval fantasy and modern culture had been haphazardly mixed together.

Rather, because I was learning what people in a proper fantasy world did for fun and how they dated.

For someone whose primary profession was writing fantasy novels, it was incredibly valuable material.

Come to think of it, the Djúpr I saw in the original work always carried this pathetic sort of atmosphere...

Was it because Helga was still alive?

His long hair, reaching down to his chest, was tied together and draped over one shoulder.

Despite sporting the sort of hairstyle often associated with doomed side characters in subculture media, the current Djúpr felt like nothing more than a chatty middle aged man.

People who enjoyed pathetic middle aged male characters might be disappointed.

For me, however, it was an extremely welcome change.

It meant I had taken yet another step away from the despair-ridden original story.

Thanks to that, what I had expected to be a meal spent sitting on a bed of thorns became a surprisingly heartwarming experience.

After the satisfying meal came to an end, Djúpr picked up the bill.

While he was paying, I had nothing particular to do, so I stood there absentmindedly playing with Yor.

At that moment, Reisir spoke to me.

"When I pay, you always find something to complain about, but you're awfully quiet when Lord Djúpr pays."

"Because it's proper manners to accept it when an adult offers to buy you a meal."

"Karvaldr, you're surprisingly respectful toward adults, aren't you? It's a little unexpected, but somehow not unexpected at the same time... Anyway, I'm glad I discovered another one of your strengths."

"...Hmph."

I had no idea what part of that brought him joy.

Could someone with an innately positive personality really find happiness in things this trivial?

Then again, considering that in the original story his mind hadn't merely broken but been completely shattered, perhaps even the most optimistic person couldn't withstand endless misfortune.

Just as that thought crossed my mind, my breath suddenly caught in my throat.

My stomach churned.

It was the warning sign that preceded a Demon Realm Transformation.

Fortunately...

At least it happened after the meal rather than during it.

"Karvaldr, quickly. Take out your weapon."

Unlike before, Reisir did not panic.

Maintaining his composure, he scanned the surroundings while speaking.

In his hand was a spear.

Not the battered one he had used previously, but the weapon bestowed upon him during the Award Ceremony.

"I was going to do that whether you told me to or not."

Clicking my tongue, I pulled my whip from my inventory.

A sigh escaped me.

The reason was the activation method for the 【Encouragement】 skill that I had discovered during vacation.

True to its name, the skill only functioned properly when I activated it while actually offering words of encouragement.

Fortunately, when I'm using it on myself, I don't have to say it aloud.

After thinking—

Let's do our best, me! Fighting!

—and activating 【Encouragement】, I felt an overwhelming sense of embarrassment.

I knew there was nothing shameful about it.

It just felt that way.

"It appears I have experienced an Awakening as well. Was it called a Status Window? Something like that suddenly appeared before my eyes."

"Dad too?!"

Having finished paying and stepped outside the restaurant, Djúpr casually revealed his Awakening.

Helga looked shocked.

I wasn't surprised at all.

Only the timing and location have changed. Djúpr awakened in the original story too.

My readers probably skimmed past this detail without paying much attention.

The important part of Djúpr's statement was the use of the words Awakening and Status Window.

It wasn't only the term Demon Realm that had finally become established.

The era in which people officially called the Status Window a Status Window had arrived as well.

"Four Awakened..."

A serious expression settled over Djúpr's face.

"At this point, we won't be able to justify escaping the Demon Realm under the pretext of requesting reinforcements. We're in the middle of a populated district. If we delay, the human casualties and property damage will be enormous, and we'll be criticized for abandoning our responsibilities."

In the process, he also casually revealed another piece of information.

The fact that it had become publicly known that an Awakened could create an entrance into a Demon Realm.

In other words, he believed we would have to clear the Demon Realm ourselves with the people currently present.

"I don't know about casualties, but it looks like the property damage is already enormous. Ah... maybe not? If people pull out the plants that grew inside their homes and businesses and sell them, they'll probably earn more than enough to cover their losses."

Standing close beside her father, Helga offered a remark that sounded half like a joke and half serious.

As she said, plants had erupted everywhere.

Buildings and roads had been torn apart by uncontrolled growth.

And those plants were valuable.

"That's exactly why it's a bigger problem. How many people do you think will risk the danger to gather plants in hopes of recovering their losses and earning even more money?"

"Since protecting each of those people individually is practically impossible, I understand why we need to find the Boss Monster and eliminate it quickly. But Dad, have you ever actually used your ability in combat? Because I haven't."

"Yes. That's the greatest issue. If it were solely my decision, I'd prioritize your safety and tell you to leave the Demon Realm immediately. However, Reisir and Young Master Karvaldr both received awards and commendations for {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} defeating a Boss Monster and protecting students during the closing ceremony incident, didn't you?"

"Ah..."

Reisir and I already possessed a record of defeating a Boss Monster.

That meant we couldn't retreat by claiming a lack of combat capability.

Even if we fled, we would first have to make some sort of effort to locate the Boss Monster and engage it before anyone would sympathize with our position.

"Heli, it's alright for you to leave. If you're afraid of heading to the boundary of the Demon Realm alone, this father will accompany you that far."

"...But you're not leaving, are you, Dad? You're staying here."

"No matter how experienced they are at fighting monsters, those two are still young. As an adult, I'd like to contribute whatever little strength I possess. My ability should be useful in an environment like this."

"Then I'm staying too! I don't want to run away by myself!"

I knew it would turn out this way.

Reisir still hadn't openly voiced his opinion.

But he was the Original Protagonist.

Even if nobody else joined him, he would go after the Boss Monster alone.

There was no way he would turn a blind eye to the danger threatening countless people and simply run away.

He's probably staying silent because he doesn't want to take that option away from everyone else.

Since Helga died early in the original story, she never had the opportunity to play an active role.

But regardless, she was an original heroine candidate in both name and reality.

And Djúpr was one of the Original Work Companions who wandered through Demon Realms and fought alongside Reisir.

If the Original Protagonist was going to confront the Boss Monster, there was no way those two would be absent.

And I suppose... I'll have to stay and fight as well.

I could endure social criticism if necessary.

But in practically every story ever written, the character who abandons everyone else and runs away alone at a moment like this ends up meeting a terrible fate.

Still, having one of us die here would be far too unnatural from a story progression standpoint.

Considering this world exists inside a novel, perhaps the danger won't be that severe.

At least, that's what I wanted to believe.