Chapter 107 – Epic Quest

(Hannes‘ PoV)

“Is this it?” I asked to nobody in particular.

“You found it, Hannes?” Ryne asked me while moving closer. We were doing a quest to find an item in Hermagne’s capital, but… Is this really it? It looks charred, and I’m also unsure about what it actually is…

“Well, it does look like the item described on the quest…” I said.

“Is something the matter?” Our other party members got closer to us to inspect the item, but…

“This place is too narrow! Don’t get this close while we’re in the middle of a back alley!” I told them.

When I said that, Ryne and Myra moved a bit away, but the others didn’t seem to care much…

“So, what is the item then?” Eleanor asked me.

“I’m not sure, it’s seems burnt, I can’t identify it.” I told her honestly while showing the item to everyone.

… Kellin seemed to be holding back his laughter hard. The girls of the team were wide-eyed… Meanwhile Ryne, seemed to be giving me a pitying gaze.

“Is this item troublesome?” I asked.

“… You really don’t get it?” Kellin didn’t bother with holding back his laugher as he made this reply.

“Well, yeah?” I answered honestly.

“Hannes… Are you alright?” Cherry asked me with a tone that made it clear that she was suspicious of me… What’s up with that!? Or rather, aren’t all the girls glaring at me right now!?

Kellin was laughing out loud by this point, so I turned to him, “Just tell me what it is already!”

After his laugher reduced a bit, he told me to, “Just try spreading it out a bit and look carefully at it?”

I did what he told and… “It’s some… Burnt cloth?” I asked.

Even Ryne was laughing now, and the glare of the girls was harsher now… Just what’s happening here!?

After laughing enough, Ryne finally clarified the situation, “I can’t stand this anymore… It’s a girl’s underwear, you idiot!” Eh…? “Like, they’re black panties, you get it!?”

… Why are there burnt black panties on an alley… And why is this a quest item!? “Hannes…” Eleanor was angry…

“Wait, it’s a misunderstanding, I really didn’t know about it!” She’s totally going to hit me, isn’t she…?

“Hannes must have been imagining it as if it was the Genocider’s panties.” Kellin said while laughing.

“What!? No! I was just shocked about it! This has nothing to do with that! Where did this even come from!?” I instantly replied. Besides, I’m no pervert that would go touching women’s underwear in broad daylight!

“Hanness… Give it.” Cherry told me at once.

“You’re just pitiful…” Myra commented… I’m innocent here, alright!? It’s not my fault this was a quest item!

“This is really just a misunders-“ I tried replying, but was interrupted by…

<World Announcement: Epic Quest – Western Continent Upheaval>

<Choose between fighting the war to support the kingdom or the empire, and lead one of the sides to victory>

<Additionally, one may also choose to:

1) Defeat the Chaos Apostle Rena who started the war;

2) Defeat the Neutral Party who has been causing continuous disturbances to both parties involved in the war, the Absolutely Inviolable Area;

3) Rescue First Princess Feera who has been kidnapped.>

<Further details can be obtained by checking the messages that the oracles of the temples have directly sent to all of you.>

… An Epic Quest? And Rena is the one that caused it? Why is it always that woman-

“What a bad timing!” Ryne said while giggling.

“Ah!” I just remembered I was still holding the underwear… Kellin laughed harder, “Stop laughing!” I shouted as I threw that underwear on the ground, “… Let’s just look at the quest details, alright?” I told them.

Everyone instantly agreed and we checked it out. It basically said we should participate in the war to determine the future of the world, or subdue the individuals that Seven-Colored God has been worried about… or to rescue the princess who Rena kidnapped.

“Goodness… What is that girl doing?” I asked nobody in particular.

“She really doesn’t hold back.” Kellin said, finally without laughing… Though he still has an annoying grin on his face for some reason.

“I can’t help feeling amazed by the fact that in the short time we didn’t pay attention to her, she abducted a princess and started a war.” Eleanor said with a sigh.

“Well then, Hannes?” Ryne asked me.

“… What?” I asked back.

“You’re the leader, what are we doing?” Cherry complemented his question… Isn’t it obvious though? “I mean, if it feels like it’s too much…” Does she think I’m still worried down due to finding out Rena was miss Ichijouji? That was a month ago! I’ve gotten over that already!

I gave them my most confident smile and said, loud and clear, “We’ll be the ones to beat the Genocider! That hasn’t changed, and we won’t give that spot to anybody else!”

“Well, it’s good to know the normal Hannes is still around.” Myra said.

“I guess so.” Eleanor said while sighing… What’s up with that?

“I was worried he had lost it all.” Cherry commented… Why do they have so little hope in me…?

“Alright, let’s do this Hannes!” Ryne slapped my back as he said that.

“Yeah, we got this!” I replied.

“Guess you’re finally in shape again.” Kellin said while giggling.

Seems like they really were worried about me actually rejecting the opportunity of beating Genocider in an epic quest. Seriously…

“Alright. Everyone, I’m sure you’re all annoyed at our last loss, so now is the time for our comeback!” I exclaimed.

Everyone cheered me on after saying that. We were all full of fighting spirit and we’ll not lose this time around!

… Not even to my first love.