ROLL OVER AND DIE (「お前ごときが魔王に勝てると思うな」と勇者パーティを追放されたので、王都で気ままに暮らしたい)

Morning, Milkit.

Good morning, Master.

I'll go get changed.

Sure.

I'll be waiting, Master.

Wait, you'll keep wearing your bandages?

If they help you feel better, it's fine.

Sorry if I made you uncomfortable.

What if I say I'll take them off when it's just the two of us?

Just the two of us...

Stare...

Wh-What is it, Eterna?

You look like a teenage boy on the eve of his first date.

Wh-What kinda comparison is that? I don't get it at all!

I don't get what's happening either.

Milkit's face is fine now.

I said it was okay to take the bandages off.

Why, then, is she still bandaged up?

Oh, that? Why indeed...

Ah. I think I get it now.

Something smells nice!

It's a hot sandwich with fried eggs.

You seemed to have taken a real liking to them, Ink.

Wow! I love you, Milkit!

STAB STAB

What's this stabbing pain in my chest?

My Milkit...

STAB STAB

STAB STAB

STAB STAB

Rest in peace.

What's wrong, Flum?

Are you all right, Master?

Don't worry about her. She's just been possessed by her possessiveness.

FAMILY SOLITUDE

SOLITUDE AND FAMILY

I'm pretty sure today's job is around here.

What is this stench?

Excuse me. Let me through.

There she found grotesque monsters, still alive and writhing.

They had arms, legs, and faces,

but none of them were where they should have been,

and the numbers were all off.

These were but lumps of flesh that used to be human not long ago.

This way.

Ed and Jonny...

We'll take care of these.

You guys get the crowd away from here.

Huh? But...

We don't want any more panic.

Understood, sir.

Apparently, the Church is looking into those... things.

On paper, at least.

Normally, church knights from a nearby station show up when there's an incident.

But those guys today?

Their gear marked them as bein' way higher up the ladder.

And when I scanned them, they were pretty much all B-Rank.

They were knights from the pope's inner circle.

Meanin' those guys were here to cover up somethin' inconvenient for the Church.

The Church pulled strings to get a gag order issued.

It was swept under the rug.

This is an extraordinary case,

so they may have just sent powerful knights because of the danger involved.

We still have absolutely no clue what those things were.

Is that so...?

Also, you probably shouldn't be out and about for the time being.

Yeah. Who knows where those eyeballs could be lyin' in wait?

Eyeballs?

According to witnesses, the victims were attacked by a large flock of eyeballs.

Eyeballs attacked them... and turned them into that?

What does that even mean?

And the Church has a gag order out?

Could it be related to their secret research?

I see! So there really is a Church research facility in the capital, too!

The Church and its research...

How do I protect myself from that?

"Protect," huh?

Back when I was in the heroes' party,

I'd get targeted first because I was the weakest.

Cyrill was the one who'd always bail me out.

Now that I can fight too,

I feel like...

Cyrill must've been anxious deep down, too.

But if she was,

how was she able to fight like that?

Meanwhile, I get worried sick that I might not be up to the task.

I don't intend to pick a fight with the Church.

I just want to protect the people I care about.

I wonder what Cyrill's up to now.

We failed to reach our planned destination yet again.

This is all because I'm weak.

You don't need to feel responsible, Cyrill.

Let Jean stew in his own frustration.

I cast Flum aside, but as soon as she was gone, I lost the ability to fight.

I'm the lowest of the low.

Leave the party?

Yeah.

Flum and Eterna are both gone, anyway.

What will we do after we leave?

Well, we could travel the world and check out all my favorite sights.

That sounds like a wonderful journey. But...

"I can't pursue my own happiness until the demons are exterminated"?

Linus?

Sorry!

I looked into it!

So you know about my hometown?

Yeah. I found out it was destroyed by demons ten years ago.

Correct.

The demons stabbed, tore apart, crushed, and burned my loved ones,

and I remember every last bit of that sight.

They are disgusting monsters that can kill with a smile.

They are an evil that must be destroyed.

Maria...

I do not wish to lose anyone else who is dear to me.

Some of them are in the capital.

Th-That wouldn't happen to include a lover, would it?

They're like family to me. A younger sister, and an older and younger brother.

Is that so...?

It is.

That's odd.

I'm getting a strange reading specifically from her heart.

Say, Eterna. What are these floaty things?

Mana-Optimizing Floating Objects. They're devices that boost mana.

Devices? They're not living things?

But they're so friendly.

After years of use, they started to gain individuality.

They're like my buddies now.

Can I give them names?

If you answer my questions, sure.

I-I told you I have amnesia.

I dunno if I have the answers you want.

Just answer what you can.

Do you have a sickness of the heart or something?

Huh? My heart?

I don't think so.

Are you taking any medicine, then?

Nope.

I'm not.

Got it.

I answered your questions. Can I give this one a name now?

Like what?

Hmm... It's a Mana-Optimizing Floating Object, so...

Mofo!

Nope.

Let's eat!

Huh? Sara, those guys who always come to get you

aren't your real brothers?

Nope. I didn't have any family, so Ed and Jonny took over the role.

They're like brothers who looked after me.

Oh, that reminds me. Ed and Jonny...

They were worried about you today.

With all this dangerous stuff happening lately,

I don't want Sara out and about so much.

She doesn't listen to us no more.

It scares me how reckless she's bein'.

Hey, it's our job to keep her safe.