Chapter 1: Returning to the Academy

Ten days had passed since the No-life Gamers departed Rohzenheim, and it was now late March. The group was currently eating inside a private booth at one of Academy City’s high-end restaurants, sharing their table with the slender son of Count Hamilton, Rifol. One of the reasons Allen had invited Rifol today was to ask him what House Hamilton knew about the war’s progress on the Central Continent, as its forces had been dispatched as a part of the Ratashian contingent. In return, Allen was catching him up on the current situation in Rohzenheim.

Rifol whistled softly. “Wow, so much happened.”

“Well, that’s the gist of it, at least.” Allen shrugged. “It shouldn’t be all that different from what you already know, right?”

“Yep. My father told me how surprised he was when he found out two million monsters were attacking.”

According to Rifol, the Empire of Giamut—one of the major powers of the Five Continent Alliance—had declared victory against the Demon Lord Army attacking the Central Continent. The forces from Ratash who had been redeployed when one of the few fortresses came under attack had now begun returning to the fortresses they had been manning originally.

Rifol’s information network is as impressive as always. I see, so things are going back to normal for Ratash.

When Keel saw that Allen and Rifol’s exchange was finished, he spoke up. “By the way, thank you for taking care of my family while I was away, my lord.”

Rifol waved a hand. “Come on, you don’t need to address me by my title. We’re classmates, Keel.”

Back when Allen’s group had hurriedly departed from Academy City for Rohzenheim, they had only had less than a day to get things in order. During that limited time, they had approached Rifol and asked him to take in Keel’s younger sister and their servants; Rifol agreed on the spot. House Hamilton was the parent family of both House Granvelle and the now-defunct House Carnel—Cecil’s and Keel’s households, respectively. Just like