A Man's Friendship! - Women's Plotting!

Ryuji and Alan gathered inside his office, the grey skies starting to fade, with sunlight peeking through the broken clouds.

"Alan, you were a pretty useless hero, huh?"

"... Ryuji, I was young, and it was my first actual battle. Do you think I can be like those damn psychopaths we summon and claim, 'I am the chosen one.' Then start killing things with no remorse and act like it's normal to do so?"

"Eh... It happens a lot in the novels, though, right?"

Alan gave a slight snort before opening his prized glass case full of expensive spirits and liquors; for a moment, he seemed to think about the bottle. Then he turned to Ryuji after selecting a bottle that seemed to be something similar to scotch. "Well, I'll tell you honestly, those who don't feel fear and act like nothing changed after killing their first humanoid enemy. They die first and cry the most about how scared they are."