"Hello! This may be sudden, but I'd like you to join my party!"
The girl with silky pink hair and clear, pale-garnet eyes slammed my front door open and blurted that out the instant she stepped inside.
"Sorry, wrong house."
I shut the door in her face and went back to plating my interrupted breakfast—just a simple, balanced spread.
No sooner had I turned away than the pounding started.
"Hey! Open up! If you keep ignoring me, I'll report *you* to the Knights!"
Sighing, I yanked the door open and growled, "Persistent much? Back off or—"
"...Maybe I came on a little strong. Sorry! I'm not selling anything, promise!"
"That's not the— Hey! Stop shoving your way in!"
She wedged her foot in the gap and *pushed*. The ancient door gave a pathetic *crack* and swung off its hinges.
"...Well then! Introductions first! I'm Letinoa Innocent—call me Letty!"
"You're paying for that door."
Letty plopped into my only chair like she owned the place and beamed.
*Letinoa...?* The name tickled something in the back of my head.
"Of course I'll cover the door! Better yet—join my party, [Hero of Attack]! Free housing, cute girls included! Total steal!"
*Oh.* That's where I'd heard it.
Letinoa Innocent: bearer of the [Attack] Holy Seal, chosen by the holy sword Grandberge. One of this generation's *ten* heroes—[Curse], [Swiftness], [Luck], you name it. A bumper crop. Plus rumors of a new black-haired hero floating around. People kept glaring at *my* hair like I'd stolen the title.
"Why me?" I asked.
I was a D-rank shut-in. My outings: grocery runs, odd jobs, the occasional magic-tool window-shopping. Zero fame.
"Because..." Letty's cheeks pinked. "My dream started with *you*."
She grabbed her hair, twisted it into twin tails, and tilted her head.
"...Great Bears?" I muttered.
"Yes!" She lit up. "Years ago, a black-haired adventurer saved me from a rampaging pack. He told a crying little girl: *'Only the weak cry. Become a hero—then nothing can make you cry again. Even dreams come true.'* I've never forgotten."
My soul left my body.
That "cool line" was peak middle-school syndrome. I'd even sealed a fake demon in my right hand for the full *'Ugh, my arm's burning—stay back!'* exit. I wanted to burrow into the floor and die.
Letty was still glowing. "Fate brought me to you in town! Same cloudy eyes, same slacker vibe—"
"Stalker alert."
"So? Will you join?"
"Nope."
Her smile froze.
"Come again?"
"Hard pass."
"I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"
We argued for thirty solid minutes—me stonewalling, her steamrolling. My ears rang. My will crumbled.
"...Fine. I'll join."
"YES!" Letty fist-pumped. "Party name: [Black-Haired Heroes]! Because—black hair!"
I aged ten years.
"Paperwork later?" I tried. "Come back tomorrow—"
"Today!"
"Preparations—"
"Tomorrow it is! Bye!"
The second she bounced out, I sprang into action.
Magic storage: packed. Contract: canceled via comms-crystal. Hut: empty.
"Time to ghost."
Hero parties wouldn't chase one lazy D-rank across the continent.
Right?
I bolted into the dusk, already scouting inns...
And prayed the pink-haired hurricane wouldn't track me down by morning.