MEMORIES AND ABU HORMUZ

Episode 16 - To Capture The Beloved

It didn't matter whether Haruhiro could lead or not. As long as he was alive, time would not stop for him. He went to bed, and the morning came again as usual, and they went again to Damroww.

They caught two Goblins off guard, and immediately injured one of them with a surprise attack. Marco and Vina face off against the wounded Goblin, while Barto and Haruhiro deal with the other one. The still-uninjured goblin equipped himself with a dented helmet, simple armor, and a shabby sword. However, he is still a formidable opponent, although in terms of strength, Barto and his size clearly have a greater advantage.

If Barto can knock himself over the Goblin, then he can win. He used enough violence to finish off his opponent, but he didn't do that. He hesitated. But, why? Is Barto scared? Of course, a fighting style like Marco was not an option, he recklessly attacked the enemy, without a second thought. But why is Barto so careful today?

Haruhiro watched as Barto and the Goblin faced each other. In the past, rarely encountered goblins who wear

helmet, but this one actually wears it. It was then that Haruhiro realized that if protected by a helmet, a direct hit to the head would not have much impact. Without a helmet, even a knife incision might give you serious injuries. Anyone would think twice about fighting the helmeted Goblins aggressively.

Last night Barto said that he wanted a helmet and protective steel plate. He never asked for anything

like a new, sharper sword, or something. What he wanted the most was armor protection. Haruhiro surmised that if he had full body armor, then he could fight with more fervor and confidence.

As for Haruhiro, he had always put himself behind the enemy, so the potential for injury was relatively small. He did not wear armor, so he greatly avoided direct attacks from opponents. A single sword was enough to put an end to his life, so he avoided the opponent's attack as much as possible

direct.

But Barto could not avoid it. His job was to attack the enemy directly, and if he tried to fight like Haruhiro by always putting himself behind the enemy, all the team formations would fall apart.

Haruhiro never realized this because what he thought about was just his own position and role

in combat. He never thought about the role of others. It never even occurred to him that the helmet was one of the mandatory protectors for a Warrior.

"Barto!" Haruhiro called out to him while grabbing the Goblin with his dagger.

When the Goblin turned her head towards him, as usual, she always Haruhiro backed away. For a moment, the Goblin hesitated to choose her target, but then the monster turned to face Barto once more. But Barto was already moving, and thrusting his giant sword at the Goblin while shouting. The sword stabbed deeply into the Goblin's stomach.

After all, living beings do not die so easily. The goblin released a high-pitched scream, and tried to swing his sword at Barto. Haruhiro had no intention of letting that happen. Positioned right behind the monster, he rushed up to him and aimed at the sword-carrying hand of the Goblin. [HIT]

The attack was not enough to cut off the Goblin's wrist, but his dagger managed to slash his opponent's bones. The goblin dropped his sword. Barto continues the chain attack by swinging his giant sword, and Goblin can only groan while banging his arm on Barto. Haruhiro grabbed onto the Goblin helmet, pulling it backwards with all his might, as if he wanted to

take that helmet off the Goblin's head. In closing, he stabbed a dagger at his opponent's throat.

Even after that, it would still take a while for the Goblins to stop moving. Udin once said that their opponents also want to continue to survive, just like them. But this was a fight to the death, so his opponent would not give his life away just like that. This fight was so grim, and it never was

effortlessly. Haruhiro and the others kill to retrieve their opponent's valuables, and they do that to pay for food and continue to survive.

Vina and Marco battle the remaining Goblins, with the support of Alice. After Alice weakens him with a spell, Marco launches a cover attack.

When Haruhiro collected the Goblin pouch after the fight was over, Lusi placed the fingers of his right hand on his forehead, and his middle finger was between the eyebrows. He did so quickly, to the point that Haruhiro barely saw him.

It was a hexagonal symbol that Udin used to form after killing his opponents, but Haruhiro did not suspect that Lusi was also required to perform a similar ritual. It seemed, the girl did not bother to perform the ritual when her opponent was killed, but then, Haruhiro realized that he was wrong. He knew nothing about the Priest. And all this time, he never tried to know it.

During the lunch break, Haruhiro tried to approach Barto.

"I'll buy you a helmet" Haruhiro said. "While I can only buy cheap ones, I will also buy armor plates for you. So, let's find a set of gear that suits you. If we can't find one that matches your body, then we should find a way to adjust its size.”

"But it ... But ... Don't you have no money to share with me ... I am indeed a troublesome person," said Barto restlessly.

"Don't worry about it. As long as I have this, I am fine for now, "Haruhiro insisted as he showed his dagger. “But if you don't have the right protectors, then the performance of all the teams is affected as well, so this is all also for my own sake. Metal armor is super expensive, so without making a lot of money, we will not be able to obtain such an object.”

"Now Vina is conscious, and Vina agrees with Haru" Vina said with a slight smile. “Vina will also help pay for Barto's armor. Let's all go shopping to buy a cute helmet!”

Alice raised her hand in fear. “And me. I don't have a lot of spare money, but I'll help.”

“I'll say it here, right now, that I can't join 1 bronze!” Marco stated that.

"alright. After all, no one expected a contribution from you," Haruhiro said, and glanced briefly at Luci.

The girl turned her gaze at a distance, as if this conversation had nothing to do with her at all. But somehow, Haruhiro had a feeling that he was a little lonely. Maybe it was just his imagination.

The next time he fought, he decided to observe Lusi. Everyone thought that the only thing Lusi did was watch from a distance while leaning on his cane. He did not do his job properly, nor did he heal them. He never had any intention of doing his job. That was their assumption towards Luci, but was it really so?

After lunch, the first group of Goblins they encountered consisted of 3 tails, and Haruhiro did not get the chance to observe Lusi as the fight progressed. After that, they did not meet the Goblins alone. Instead, they found a pair of Goblins.

When they were just about to leave Damroww Old Town, unexpectedly, they clashed with the pair of Goblins.

In shock, the fight went on chaotically. Alice and Lusi had no chance to get away at a safe enough distance, and a Goblin just pounced on Lusi.

"Useful girl!" Marco yells at Lusi as he glides to tackle the Goblin that attacked Lusi. “Stop daydreaming!”

"Are you talking to me?" reply Luci.

When the remaining Goblin jumped towards Alice, Lusi quickly turned his staff, then stabbed her with all his might. It was a Priest skill to defend himself, [SMASH]. Haruhiro had seen it because Udin also learned the technique the other day. Apparently, Lusi also paid attention to safety

his partner.

There were only two Goblins, so the fight went smoothly. When Haruhiro tries to

positioning himself behind his target, he occasionally noticed the actions of Luci. We were wrong, Haruhiro realized that. The wand is not just an axiorist. After all, he had learned the [SMASH] skill, so that he could use his wand as a weapon. Maybe he was not willing to fight on the front lines, but when the situation forced him to act, he did not hesitate to help Alice.

Moreover, his eyes never turned away from Barto until the Goblin he fought died. When Barto headed Goblin's chin hard, at that very moment, Lusi's expression became serious as he kept his eyes on his partner. Shortly after, he shook his head for a moment. The girl also decided that the injury experienced by Barto was quite mild, so it should not be given a cure immediately.

Lusi just "stands up without doing anything". He has no "intention to do his job"? No, they're wrong about that. From a distance, Lusi carefully observed the fight, and every time one of his comrades was hit by an attack, he made a decision to either cure it or not. And he can fight using his cane when needed.

When the fight was over, Alice went to Lusi and said, “Thank you for that one.”

Lusi turned.”I don't understand what you're talking about."

Does he have to answer like that? Thought Haruhiro. Suppose he responded with a normal smile,

and said “Sama-sama”, Haruhiro feels that Lusi will be very liked by girls and also guys. Not that it's hard or anything. After all, acting like that would make it easier for Lusi later on. Why should he bother showing that he hates others?

After they returned to Atalante and sold the loot today, Luci wordlessly took his share. Then, Haruhiro ventured to stop him.

"Lusi, wait a minute."

Lusi turned around while combing her hair, and her facial expression looked extremely annoyed. ”What business do you have with me now?"

Haruhiro called him just for formality. That was why, and Haruhiro was always frightened whenever communicating with the girl. Sometimes, because there was no better reason, Haruhiro thought that Luci indeed preferred to be hated by others. But right now he's their partner, right? Wouldn't it be more

good if Lusi becomes a person who is liked by his teammates? Suppose Haruhiro had more courage, this might be the best time to show that courage.

But there was no way he could say something like that. Not at the moment, and not at some point. The one facing him now was a girl named Lusi, normally he would just turn away regardless of his interlocutor. He would say, "Enough is enough. Goodbye" and he left

just.

"In fact, I have nothing to do with you, anyway." said Haruhiro, "but do you want to have dinner with us? Then go to Sherry's Store after?”

"I refuse with respect."

"Why refuse with respect?"

Lusi's gaze was fixed to the ground and his eyebrows narrowed slightly. He looked angry, but Haruhiro felt that the girl was being embarrassed.

"There is no particular reason" he replied.

"Ah, I get it. Sorry, for asking you strange questions.”

"It's okay." Lusi's frown faded, but he still didn't look up. He shook his head and began to say, "I'll ..."

Haruhiro guessed that he intended to say "I'll see you again tomorrow". To be honest, Haruhiro had never expected to hear such a remark emerge from the mouth of Lusi, who usually left them just like that without much talk. In the end, he never finished his sentence.

By cutting off the phrase "I will", he turned and walked away quickly. There was something strange with his steps, almost as if he was leaving in a panic.

Marco scoffing. “A terrible girl. Seriously.”

"really?" Barto stroked his dense chin. The beard is quite dark. “I feel something different to her today.”

Vina nodded vigorously while agreeing to it. “Different illusion today. Vina feels that she is a little bit more cute today.”

Marco glanced sideways at Vina. “Stop using the word ‘mut’ to define everything. The definition of cute is so broad, that I don't understand what you're trying to say.”

"It's okay if Marco doesn't understand it. After all, Vina doesn't care.”

"What's cute?!"

After they pacified Vina and Marco, they went to the market to find a helmet for Barto.

They found various types of scrap metal on display at an armor shop, and bought a type of "Barbute" at a low price. Barbute helmets are inexpensive because they are forged from a single sheet of metal, so the process is relatively simpler.

The helmet is shaped like the big toe of a person, with “T”-shaped openings in the eyes, nose, and mouth. At first glance, the helmet looked loose and easily skid, but the inner helmet wall covered with skin seemed to be quite tight.

The helmet fits perfectly with the large Barto's captain, but the helmet has been scratched and dented, so Marco bids it tenaciously. It was not in vain, they could finally lower the price of the helmet from 42 silver, to only 18 silver. Haruhiro paid four silvers, Vina and Alice 3 silver each, and Barto

filled the remaining 8 silvers.

the helmet dropped to just 18 silver. So, thank me!”

Vina and Alice squinted at him, and Haruhiro was slightly surprised by Marco's bragging,

but he has to admit that it might be true. If Marco had not offered it so tenaciously, they would not have been able to get such a cheap price. The price difference of 24 silver was huge for them, but thanks to Marco, they could save over 20 silver.

“Thank you, Marco.” Haruhiro said with a deliberate serious expression.

Marco's eyes widened in shock, and he turned his head to the ground. “A-As long as you realize it.

My special ability is me...... me ..... bid the price? Or, lower the price? Ah, whatever. You guys keep underestimating my abilities, so next time you have to respect me more, okay? Seriously. I'm asking for help here. Not that I was really expecting anything ..”

They plan to look for shops that sell steel plates after dinner. But after dinner, it seemed like the shop had closed, so they ended up going straight to Sherry's Shop. Susi is nowhere to be seen, and Haruhiro wonders if Lusi deliberately avoided coming tonight because he had invited her before.

"Seriously, that girl is really cute. Just like Vina" Marco said. It seems that he was disappointed that Lusi did not thank him after he saved him at the last fight. “He didn't say hello, he didn't say thank you, and he didn't apologize. Forgive me. The girl was just her sweet outer appearance alone, but her heart was rotten. She's really sexy. Although not as sexy as Elf in his Party Souma, anyway ..”

"But ..." Barto still did not take off his new helmet. Looks like he really likes it. It must be hard to drink with such conditions. “Last time Lusi healed me, she said sorry to me.”

"Stop lying, Barto," Marco replied. “He is not that kind of person.”

“I'm not lying. When I was injured in the head at that time, he touched my wound and said that he was sorry if he hurt me.”

"That's right, she ..." Haruhiro remembered now. He didn't really hear it, but Lusi must have said something to Barto. “So that was what he said at the time. He apologized ..”

"He protected me during the last fight," Alice nodded. "He's not friendly, but I don't think he's a cold-hearted person, or a bad person."

"Super cute illusion!" Vina.

"I deliberately observed Lusi today, and-" Haruhiro explained everything he saw during the last fight on all the Party members.

In his own way, it seems that Lusi did his job thoroughly and completely. It was just that, he had never told anyone about what he was thinking, and he had also frequently spoken ketus. He has a problem in his attitude, and that's what invites misunderstanding.

"I think if we try to understand why he's doing things like that,"

Haruhiro continued, "we can definitely cooperate with him. But the question is, is that enough?"

"Why do you bother to understand him?" Marco scoffed, and sipped his beer. “As long as that damn woman does her job, isn't that enough? And I'm not sure that from the beginning he was able to do his job properly!”

"How to think you're wrong" replied Haruhiro.

"Problems for you? Just ignore my opinion.”

"Don't be selfish."

“I'm not selfish, it's just, I said that the damn woman is an outsider, and I am too.”

Does Marco really feel that way? Haruhiro never realized it. Not only Lusi, it turns out Haruhiro also never tried to understand Marco well. Now he realized that Marco was like a child. If he doesn't like being ignored by others, then he should be more careful about what he says to others. The treatment that a person receives is in accordance with the treatment of that person to others.

However, telling Marco to improve his attitude is tantamount to telling him to improve his own personality. It was an easy thing to say, but hard to do. Good – bad behavior Marco also depends on the behavior of Haruhiro on him. After all, everyone has good and bad sides that must be accepted as they are.

"I'm sorry, Marco" Haruhiro apologized. “It's my fault. I'll be more careful from now on.”

"I-That's right! Y-you better be careful from now on, you idiot!”

"You don't have to call me an idiot."

“There is nothing wrong with calling you an idiot, an idiot, idiooooooot!”

"Marco ..." Haruhiro rubbed the back of his neck.

He no longer felt anger. Marco is just a boy. A bad boy, who is very bad. Rather than respond to him, it was better to just let him and leave him alone. And Haruhiro remembered that Udin had done the same.

Haruhiro sighed and looked around the shop. He noticed someone wearing a robe with the Orion symbol. It was a Cluster. He climbed the stairs to the second floor.

"Eh, I'll go to say hello to the Group."

"Whataaaa?!" Marco protest. “You plan to join Orion alone, right?! I won't let you! I will do it too!”

"I don't plan on doing anything like that. But I guess, if you want to keep me company…"

"Then, I'll go too" said Barto.

"Vina wants to follow!" Vina.

"Umm ... Then so am I" said Alice. “Here alone presumably ..”

Little heart Haruhiro wondered if it didn't matter if they crowded around greeting the man, but eventually, the five of them filled the stairs to climb up to the second floor. Gugs sees him coming before Haruhiro has a chance to say something, then he stands up from his seat.

"Well, long time no see, Haruhiro. Are they your colleagues?”

Waw. They had only met once, but it turned out that the Gugus still remembered his name correctly. Haruhiro

impressed. He also realized that around them stood the other Orion Clan members. There must have been twenty, no, more than thirty present in this place. More men, but about a third are women. All wearing Orion's white robes.

"S-Good night," Haruhiro stuttered.”Umm ..."

"Come on, come on, come here," The group invited him. “Haya, can you get a seat for them?”

"certain." The so-called Haya was a short-haired man, with a slight cleavage on his eyes, and he carried a few chairs from where he had sat before. “This.”

The group sat back down, then invited Haruhiro and the others to take seats as well. Haruhiro looked at the other members of the Orion Clan, and they were very well mannered. Instead of glaring at the newcomer with a suspicious look, the other Orion members were just chattering calmly and joking with their fellow comrades. Although Haruhiro and the others had ordered nothing, suddenly a set of drinks was delivered to their table.

Barto, Vina, Alice, and even Marco. Everything could only be stunned without a word, and they were entranced at the other Orion members.

"So, how have you been all this time, Haruhiro?" Ask Gugus. "I see you haven't bought a contract on Red MooN, but at the very least, you must have gotten used to living here, right?”

"Yes, but how do you know that I haven't bought my contract?"

"Everyone is interested in what beginners do. You work in Damroww's Old Town area, right? It seems that unbeknownst to you, there are some people who ridicule your Party as the Goblin.” Exterminator

"Ah. Well, we did not hunt anything other than Goblin ..”

The cluster fell silent for a moment, then he confirmed his sitting position. “I'm sorry to one of your colleagues.”

"Thank you." Haruhiro's gaze went down to the table, and he clasped his hands tightly.

Even the Gussets know about it. But perhaps, news of one's death could spread quickly. Atalante at first seemed like a vast giant city, but in reality, it was just a city with everything crammed together, not even much land was available in the city. That means, the world of Red MooN is just something as small as a piece of metal.

It seemed that Haruhiro would have to assume that, as the assortment of information could not be hidden, and would spread out with an instant.

Haruhiro continued, “I don't know what else to say, and I can only be sad. After all, he is a very good person.”

"Maybe I'm impressed like a show-off guy" said Gugus, “but I also know what it's like to lose a friend. Before, I also lost a friend.”

"Is that so? I don't know."

"I'll never forget that feeling." The cluster spoke in a calm tone, but in his eyes was painted a deep sadness. He looked at Haruhiro and the others in turns. “Even though you have moved on from grief, strengthened your heart, and you have embraced your friend who is still alive to continue to protect them…. The pain is still burning. Hold your best friend tight, and spend your precious time with them, because once they leave, you will never be able to get them back. There are always regrets, but work hard not to leave them..”

The hands of Haruhiro and the others patted each other's chests, while continuing to listen to the words

Cluster. Decide on the friend who is still with you today ... Had they treated Udin better, had they understood him better when he was alive . Suppose they try to understand the personality of Udin .. but what does it mean to think about it now.

But because of that, they must really take care of friends who are currently still with them, so that someday they do not end up with regrets.

Haruhiro doesn't know when he will die. So did Barto, Marco, Vina, and Alice. And Lusi too. Haruhiro wants to do his best to protect his friends, if one day his best friend dies, he has no regrets. And he also did not want his other friends to feel

the same regrets.

"Gugus, can I ask you something?" Haruhiro.

"Of course, if I can answer it, just ask."

“It's about Lusi. I saw you talking to him yesterday, and surely you also know that he is part of our Party now.”

“Yes. What happened to Lusi?”

“Can you tell us everything about him? Maybe I asked the wrong person, but even though I tried to ask Lusi, I doubt she would talk to me.”

The cluster tapped its finger on the table. “I'm sure that ... Haya better give you the answer. He and Lusi have been in the same party before.”

"really?" Haruhiro turned his gaze to the table next to him, where Haya sipped a drink from his glass.

The look of their eyes met. Haya looked at Haruhiro and nodded.