"I'll Catch Up Later, So Go On Ahead!" I Said, and Stayed Behind in the Dungeon for Five Years. When I Returned to the Royal Capital, for Some Reason, I Had Become a Great Criminal, So I Decided to Retire. But Outstanding People Keep Gathering Around Me Though... - Episode 20: You’re Not Getting Away, Senpai

Episode 20: You’re Not Getting Away, Senpai

“Uh… um, sorry. I just reacted instinctively. What do you mean by ‘Senpai’?”

This is bad. Really bad. Seriously bad—!

I responded like normal!

Wait, does this mean Felina had already suspected I was Haruto and just baited me into confirming it? That doesn’t make sense. My appearance and voice are different from five years ago. I thought there was no way she could recognize me…!

I tried to play dumb. But Felina stared at me with half-lidded eyes, glaring silently. There was no way I could talk my way out of this one…!

“It’s too late for that. That kind of bluff won’t work anymore. You’re back, aren’t you… Senpai?”

“Ugh…”

“Why did you pretend like it was our first meeting?”

“Well…”

“Do you know how worried we were about you?”

“That’s…”

“We even made a grave for you, you know?”

“Grgh…”

“There’s so much we need to talk about. First of all—”

“S-Sorry, Felina!”

“Ah—wait a second!”

I ran.

I sprinted through the nighttime streets of Rothen and dashed straight into the forest. I truly felt sorry. But I had no idea how I was supposed to face Felina. A swirl of complex emotions stirred inside me. And before I knew it, I was fleeing.

I’m sorry, Felina… I’ll talk to you properly another time… I apologized in my heart—

But then I heard footsteps. And not just any footsteps—these were fast.

*Thud! Thud! Thud!*

Felina kicked off the ground and accelerated even more. I was already running at near full speed. Yet she was clearly gaining on me. She’s grown in the last five years too. But come on, that’s way too fast!!

“Senpaai~? You’re not getting away, okay~?”

“Eek…!”

Her eyes gleamed red like a fierce beast. They were locking onto me with deadly precision. N-No way…! I was running seriously, and yet the distance between us kept shrinking. She really has earned her nickname “Flash”.

Maybe I’d gotten cocky.

At least when it comes to speed… Felina was just a bit better than me.

“I’m not letting you go! I will catch you!”

“Uwaaaaahhh!!”

For some reason, we were having a high-speed chase through the forest at night.

This was bad…! I had to do something—

So I suddenly stopped running and concealed my presence in the shadows of a nearby tree.

I cut off all magical energy and became one with the forest. I am a tree. Yes. I am just another tree in this forest.

“Senpai~? I know you cut off your magic presence, okay? You’re stopped somewhere nearby, right? If I use physical enhancement, I’ll find you right away. Even if you move, I’ll notice. So… it’s hide and seek now, huh? Where are you, Senpai…?”

H-Hiii…! Her voice was so cold it sent chills down my spine.

I had no choice but to stay perfectly still. I was holding my breath.

The final option to escape would be teleportation magic—but that takes time to activate. Even for me, casting teleportation at this range would be impossible.

No… I finally realized. I can no longer escape from Felina.

“Sennnpaai~ Where are you~?”

Her footsteps drew closer.

Yeah… I should just accept it now.

I’d run away instinctively, but it’s time to face her properly.

I stepped out from the tree I was hiding behind. Then—

“Felina, um…”

“Senpai…! You’re not getting away!!”

“Whoa—!”

The moment she saw me, Felina launched forward and hugged me tightly. As if making sure I was really there—she held me tight. Painfully tight.

“──Welcome home, Senpai.”

“Yeah. I’m back… Felina.”

It was in that moment… that we truly reunited for the first time.

—

After that, we moved to my home, and I invited Felina inside.

“Here’s some coffee. I’ve got milk too. You want sugar, right?”

“Yes. Thank you. So this is where you’re living now, Senpai.”

Felina glanced curiously around the room.

“Yeah. It used to belong to the boss. He’s letting me stay here now.”

“I see. I knew it—you’ve always liked things simple. This place is very minimalist.”

“Yeah, that’s true.”

There was only the bare minimum of furniture. A few books the boss had lent me.

There wasn’t really any need for anything beyond a place to sleep.

That was probably something that never changed in me over the last five years.

“Mmm… this coffee is delicious.”

“You think so?”

“Yes! You were always good at cooking, Senpai. Looks like that hasn’t changed, and I’m glad.”

“I see.”

“Yes.”

“…..…”

A brief silence passed between us.

Felina and I had once been party members. This was the first real conversation we’d had in five years as Haruto and Felina.

There was a lot to talk about. A lot we wanted to ask.

I didn’t know where to begin. So I decided to start with some small talk.

“So… you kept adventuring, huh?”

“Yes… I did.”

“I heard you made it to S-Rank. That’s amazing.”

“No, not really. I’m still far behind. Compared to you, Senpai.”

“I’m not an adventurer anymore. I’m just a baker now.”

“Even so… You’re still my goal. These past five years… I’ve been chasing your shadow.”

“I see… I’m sorry. For worrying you.”

“…*Sniff*.”

Felina quietly began to cry.

Up until a moment ago, she had been running around, full of energy—but now, she had calmed down. And her emotions finally caught up to her.

A single tear fell onto the table.

“Of course I was worried. So, so much. In the first year, I truly believed you’d come back. But then the second year… the third year… hope turned into despair. After four years, we finally made a grave for you. To help us accept that you wouldn’t return.”

“…I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let it come to that.”

“No… it’s okay. Because in the end, you kept your promise. You came back.”

Though tears filled her eyes, Felina smiled.

That smile made me tear up a little too.

Talking with Felina after five years made me ashamed of myself.

They never betrayed me. I had suspected it. But now I knew it for certain.

Still, one thing continued to weigh on my mind.

“Felina. You… know that I’m considered a great criminal, right?”

“…Yes. Of course.”

Felina bit her lip. It was as if she was trying to hold back a surge of emotion.

Her eyes trembled faintly, and her expression stiffened.

It was like a mask of composure had cracked soundlessly.

Now we were getting to the heart of the matter.

There was no avoiding it anymore. I had to face the truth.

I looked straight at Felina and asked:

“Felina… tell me. Five years ago—after I disappeared—what happened in the royal capital?”

“Yes. I’ll explain everything… step by step. What happened after we parted ways, five years ago──”