Mebius World Online – Mari’s VRMMO Diary, Embarking on a Laid-back Adventure as a Novice - Chapter 150
150. Mari-nee and The Ship Return
We watched Jade-san’s figure disappear into the palace from a distance. As we returned to the palace ourselves, we arrived just in time to see Ben-san giving a closing speech, and the banquet came to an end.
We stayed in rooms attached to the palace, reminiscent of luxury hotels seen in commercials.
The next day, amid a grand farewell, we set sail from Liberta and returned to Caldia without incident.
As the port city of Caldia came into view, Kanna-san stretched widely and muttered,
“It was a lovely vacation, but it ended on a bit of a sour note, didn’t it?”
Her gaze was fixed on Roulette-san, who was leaning on the ship’s railing, looking far into the distance with a melancholic expression.
“Should we still leave her alone?”
“This is something she has to face herself.”
“I see…”
Feeling down, I was cheered up by Kanna-san, who winked and continued brightly.
“But there is something we can do. We can act as we always do. Otherwise, it would be hard for Rourette-chan to ask for help when she needs it.”
“Kanna-san…”
As I was encouraged by her heartfelt and strong words,
“But, that one is a bit different.”
Lowering her voice, she turned her gaze from Roulette-san to another direction.
There sat Graham-san, hugging his knees, surrounded by a heavy, dark atmosphere.
“He might not be able to recover unless someone reaches out to him.”
“…Kanna-san, why did you glance at me just now?”
“It’s just your imagination.”
No, it definitely wasn’t my imagination.
The people from the Order, who were anxiously watching over Graham-san, were also looking at me.
Even though they had been reproaching him, they seemed to have become uneasy seeing how depressed he was.
“What does it mean to be comrades…”
Even if I looked up “comrades” in the dictionary, it wouldn’t explain the current situation.
With a sigh, I walked over to Graham-san.
In my mind, I recalled my exchange with Jade-san.
Honestly, there were parts where I thought, “Well said,” but everyone has their own feelings.
In the end, those feelings were acknowledged for their strength.
As I searched for the right words, I knelt in front of Graham-san.
“Graham-san.”
At my call, Graham-san’s body trembled slightly.
But there was no response.
He didn’t lift his downcast face.
After a deep breath, I voiced my thoughts.
“It’s okay.”
Slowly, I said those words.
I didn’t specify what was okay.
I didn’t know all the reasons his heart was sinking.
That’s why the words were few, but the feelings behind them were strong.
Those feelings were entrusted in the words, “It’s okay.”
Graham-san’s reaction came a few minutes later.
“Guru… Maria-san!!”
Graham-san, having lifted his face, was crying.
And it was an astonishingly intense cry.
Let’s keep it a secret that my conviction in saying “It’s okay” wavered a little.
…Really, just a little.
After that, Graham-san stood up and was surrounded by the people from the Order, who, in a complete turnaround from before, were now showering him with words of encouragement one after another.
To anyone unaware of the situation, it might have looked like a group excited to see their homeland as Caldia’s port came into view, celebrating the end of a long journey.
“I wonder if this was really okay for me…”
I quietly directed that question to the sky, but once again, there was no response from Zagreus-san…