I have transferred the entire dialogue without cutting anything from it.
While drinking alone
"...And so, everyone except you has declared their participation. Haise...how is it?"
"That means I should participate too..."
Haise and Geist were drinking alone at Grandpa Gapo's food stall... Geist had once again asked Haise to participate in the "Meeting of the Seven Great Adventurers."
Haise seemed somewhat uninterested in the idea, as he slowly sipped his dwarven sake.
"Geist-san, why are you so keen to hold a meeting of the Seven Great Adventurers?"
“I want to let you seven people, who are the object of admiration for all adventurers, meet and interact with each other… that’s just the excuse. To be honest, I want to see them.”
"Want to see it?"
"Yeah. I want to see the seven strongest adventurers all together... haha, is that childish?"
"…………"
Haise said nothing and just drank his sake.
Then Grandpa Gapo served a plate of stewed deacon and placed it in front of Haise.
"Hey Haise, that's what the Geist has to say. Listen to him for once."
"...Well, that's fine."
Haise said, looking at Geist.
"But I'm just going to participate. I don't want to be given any troublesome requests or have to do all sorts of things with the seven of us."
"Yes. I'll have you answer any questions about the Six Forbidden Labyrinths and the Adventurer's Association."
"Well, if that's enough..."
Geist nodded and smiled happily.
And as I ordered another glass of sake... another new customer arrived at the stall.
"Thank you for your hard work, Geist-san."
"You're here, Sasha."
It was Sasha who had arrived. Haise was surprised and looked at Geist accusingly.
"Geist-san, did you call Sasha too?"
"Well, yeah. There's something I'd like to ask you... Haise."
""...?""
Sasha sits down next to Haise, and Grandpa Gapo places a glass of sake down his desk.
When he was given a platter of boiled dishes, he began eating with gusto.
"Mmm, it's delicious... aah, aah"
"Hahaha! Sasha, it's hot so eat it slowly!"
Geist smiles as he watches Sasha eat.
"You have truly grown. You two are my last disciples, and you have grown big and strong."
"...Yeah, well."
"Ahh... that's true."
"You two formed a duo, Reynold joined the team, Tycoon, Piazzolla, and Robin joined, and 'Sacred' was born, and then Haise left..."
""""
"We've both become S-class adventurers, and are known as " " and " ", and are now ranked first and fourth among the Seven Great Adventurers. They are the object of admiration for young adventurers, and my pride and joy."Darkness incarnateDarkstalkerSilver ValkyrieBrunhilde
""""
Haise looked away, and Sasha was obviously embarrassed.
He said it almost as if to confirm something. Geist asked again.
"I'll ask again. Haise, Sasha... you have conquered five of the Six Forbidden Labyrinths. There is only one left... what will you do once you conquer it?"
What should I do?
It was a broad question, but Haise didn't hesitate.
"I am challenging the Six Forbidden Labyrinths to prove that I am the 'strongest'. Once that proof is complete... that will be it. I will simply walk as a single adventurer."
"My goal is to conquer the Six Forbidden Labyrinths with the 'best' team. Once I achieve that goal, I will act as an adventurer and train adventurers as a clan master."
"...In other words, you have no intention of stopping your progress as an adventurer."
Hearing these words, Geist seemed somehow relieved.
Haise continues.
“Well, I have my apprentice, Claire… At first I was planning to train her to around B rank, but she has no intention of leaving me, so I’ll train her to S rank instead. Also, Ethan and Simoun are fully prepared to take over the inn, so I intend to look after them until they grow up and my grandfather retires.”
Haise drinks alcohol.
The conversation then turned to the clan "Sacred."
"More and more teams are leaving the Sacred Clan to start new clans in other places. Although the number of applications to join is increasing... we are now focusing on sending out the teams we have trained, so we are not accepting applications to join the clan. The number of teams that joined, which was about 800, has now decreased to 500. It is easier to have this number now..."
Sasha says:
Some of the teams that were members of the clan "Sacred" left to become independent. When one team graduated, several other teams also graduated, and started a new clan in a new place.
Of course, Sasha sees them off with a smile. She is feeling lonely, but she doesn't show it on her face.
The number of teams has decreased and the size of the clan has shrunk, but the number of applications to join is still more than offset by the loss.
However, they are not accepting applications at the moment.
"Eight hundred... that's quite a lot. I was so busy that I couldn't even do team activities with 'Sacred'. I'm the fourth ranked S-class adventurer, and many people have high expectations of me, so there are heaps of adventurer teams who want to join my clan, but... I'm not jack-of-all-trades, and there is a limit to how much I can tolerate. Now that it's down to five hundred, I have more leeway and have been able to do more team activities."
Recently, the Sacred team has been receiving more requests.
He leaves Clan in the care of another team and takes on a request at "Sacred."
Sasha says:
"Haise, you said before, right? That it would be good to try accepting requests individually..."
"...You, can't that be?"
"Yeah. I accepted a request solo. I defeated a monster with an S-rank by myself... Of course, Reynold and the others know about it."
"Hey, how was it?"
"Of course I defeated him. But... one person is pretty tough. It reminded me of the day when you and I were working together."
"...I see."
Haise drinks his sake... Finally, the cup is empty.
"I drank a bit too much... Geist-san, I'll be heading home soon."
"I see. I'll let you know when the date for the meeting is decided."
"Um, Haise... Geist-san, me too."
"Yeah, be careful."
Haise and Sasha left the stall.
A glass filled to the brim with sake was placed in front of the lone Geist.
"Those brats have really grown up."
"Yeah. Fufu... I feel strange. Like I'm happy, but also lonely."
"Both. He's just a kid to me."
"Huh...Grandpa Gapo, cheers."
The two of them clinked their glasses together and drank the sake in one gulp.
◇◇◇◇◇◇
Haise and Sasha were walking together.
The city is as noisy as ever at night. Adventurers drink on the main streets, tourists walk arm in arm, and residents have fun at drinking parties.
Sasha and Haise were walking side by side down this main street.
"Are you going back to the Clan?"
"No. I'm staying at the branch tonight. Tomorrow is a holiday."
"...It's another day off."
"Shut up. As I said before, the number of new teams has decreased and the burden has been lightened. Reynold and the others are also taking a break."
"Really...Are you ever invited out to play somewhere?"
"…………"
Sasha stopped dead in her tracks.
It suddenly stopped, causing Haise to stop as well.
"Haise, there's something I need to tell you."
"...What is it?"
Saying that, Sasha starts walking.
I stood next to Haise and he started walking too.
"Reynold confessed to me. He wants to go out with me with the intention of getting married."
"…………"
It felt like the hustle and bustle had temporarily disappeared.
But that's just your imagination.
Perhaps because they were enjoying their drinks, no one paid any attention to the two S-class adventurers walking side by side.
Sasha says:
"I refused."
"…………"
"Reynold is strong. He's reliable and supportive, and I think it's thanks to Reynold that the clan is what it is. I... like Reynold too."
"…………"
"But that 'like' is... the same as the likes I had with Piazzolla, Robin, and Tycoon... no, it's a slightly special 'like'. It's different from my brother's, a 'like' that's mixed with just a little bit of love."
"…………"
"I……"
"What are you trying to say?"
Haise says as he walks. Sasha doesn't stop either.
"...I don't know. But I wanted you to ask."
"…………"
"Haise, you... you mean me."
With that, Sasha left the main street.
The road between Sasha's clan branch and Haise's inn splits right where they are.
Haise looked directly at Sasha once.
"…………I don't know."
"picture……?"
"Love, liking, etc... I got stronger by throwing away all those feelings. I can't imagine myself being swayed by those kinds of feelings, I don't understand."
"...Haise."
With that, Haise disappeared into the darkness.
This is the link to the chapter.
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16817330649268045006/episodes/16818093076785225843