Two brave men, Senpai and Kazuki, were to go to the base they had set up earlier in the plain area.
We, the rescue team, departed later than they did. I saw them off as they departed with the knights, and I was performing my duties as deputy commander while making preparations to ensure that nothing was amiss.
"What''s wrong, Usato? Is that all you''ve got?
Of course not!
Then show me how you fight back!
With a yell from Rose, a gouging kick was fired at my side of the head.
As soon as I received the kick with my basket hand, I jumped to the side to escape the impact, and after a couple of spins on the ground, I stood up, but I immediately did a backflip and managed to avoid a crushing heel drop from directly above.
"You seem to have mastered the art of escape."
"We''re not done yet, ......!"
Rose smiles at me, sweating profusely and out of breath.
The day before we leave for the base, I have a practical training with Rose - an act that would normally make me question my mentality, but it''s now or never, because if I go over there, I won''t be able to train anymore.
"Let''s at least give him a good beating!
"Fine! I''ll give it a shot if I can!
To tell the truth, I have been fighting under extreme conditions for the past hour, so I am a bit out of sorts.
I let my impulses get the better of me, and I move toward Rose, who has her fists clenched.
"Why am I here? ......"
--with Nea, who is supporting me on my shoulder.
Nair is supporting me on my shoulder.
"--this is as far as we go."
"Yes, I think so. Thank you very much. ......
Rose looks down at me as I lie sprawled out in the middle of the training ground.
Neah is also lying on the ground in an owl-like state, completely relaxed like a stuffed animal.
"I''m definitely, definitely going to get some blood from you ......, otherwise it''s not worth it ......!"
"I know. I''ll keep my promise.
"Absolutely!"
You really need to be that careful.
Well, since I asked you to join us, I won''t refuse.
The reason why I''m having a mock battle with Rose the day before we head for the base we set up on the plain is because I wanted to get used to the moves of Rose, who has more physical abilities than I do, at the last minute.
Also, as a vice commander, it is my duty to consider the possibility of substituting for the commander in case of emergency.
I don''t know how well I would be able to replace Rose, but since no one else could do it but me, I figured I had to do it.
"I''ve cast a healing spell on you, but make sure you rest well."
"Yes, sir."
I nodded at Rose''s words, who did not look tired at all.
"Just in time, I ask you now, are you taking Bullyn to the battlefield this time?"
"...... Uh, that''s--"
Some time ago, I asked him if he would go to fight against the Demon Lord''s army.
I rather declared that he would stay behind, but he angrily tapped my foot several times, showing his intention to go to war.
I nodded at Rose''s words, remembering that ...... perhaps I had been too overprotective of Bulrin.
"Yes. I''ll take her with me."
"I see. Then I''ve had Bulrin prepare a special suit of armor for the lifeguard. You should wear it."
"What? When did you make that ......?"
While you were at the meeting with Lucvis. I had it made just in case you needed it.
Armor specially designed for Brullin.
......<? No, <> would be better?
I''ll think of a name for it later, but I''ll thank Rose.
"Thank you!"
"No need to thank me. I did it on my own. And one more thing.
Rose pulled a sentence out of the pocket of her troupe uniform.
She tossed it to me, and I saw that it had been sent by Mialak.
"Mialark ...... Commander, this is ......."
It was given to you personally. The kingdom has an official one. It says ...... well, the brave men''s weapons are not going to be ready in time for the war."
"I see. ......"
Or not in time.
No, it''s a good thing they didn''t say "no, you won''t make it here in time".
Unlike my time, Falga-sama is trying to make a brave man''s weapon from scratch, so he must be overworking himself.
Considering this, I can hardly blame her.
"It''s all right to be so gloomy. We leave tomorrow. As soon as you are ready, rest your body for tomorrow."
"Yes!"
Rose gets up, replies, and goes back to her quarters.
Rose took time out of her busy schedule to help me prepare for tomorrow. I stand up, feeling sorry and grateful.
"Well, I have a lot to do for tomorrow."
I have to continue with the preparations for a situation where the healing wizard is no longer useful due to the use up of his magic power, such as bandages and medicinal herbs for first aid.
Rather than my personal belongings, those are more important.
"Wow. ...... I forgot about the preparations. ......"
"You can rest a little longer. I''ll take care of the preparations."
"Aaaaah!"
He places Nair, who is lying on the ground like a stuffed animal, on his shoulder and activates his healing magic.
I look at the letter I received from Rose, smiling at Nair''s moaning.
"Well, before that, let''s read this one.
When he sent the letter, he had also sent a question about the basket hand in addition to the valiant man''s weapon.
He carefully unwrapped the letter and opened it to find a beautiful, flowing text.
The letter was written in a beautiful, flowing script.
This is a separate letter from the one sent to the Kingdom of Lingle, and is addressed to Usato Ken personally.
I am Leona, brave of Mialak.
I understand that this is not the time for a lengthy preamble, so I will keep it brief and to the point.
First of all, the creation of the weapons of the two heroes by the Lord Falga may not be completed in time for the attack of the Demon Lord''s army on the Kingdom of Lingle.
As soon as they are completed, they will be sent by the fastest ship in Mearaq, but there is no guarantee that they will be ready in time.
And about your question about the cage hand.
First of all, is it possible to transfer or lend your basket hand to a third party? According to Mr. Farga, it is not possible.
It is truly your exclusive equipment, and no one else can have its true performance.
The exception to this is my own , which is so because Falga-sama made it so that its shape can be changed by the bearer, but your basket hand cannot.
Your baskets cannot do that.
"-I thought it was a long shot, but I guess not."
Can''t you lend my cage hand to someone else?
It may not have unparalleled power, but it is a basket hand of extraordinary hardness on its own. I thought that if I could give it to Senpai and Kazuki, it might be able to help them, but I guess I have to give up .......
"But this Kagome, only you can use it, can''t you? It''s just hard and I think it can only be used as an armor.
"It''s enough just to be armor. Besides, it helps me manipulate magic."
If you are a senior, you will be able to use the Thunder Beast mode, and if you are Kazuki, you will be able to further enhance your superior magical manipulation.
"Ah, yes. What about putting a cuirass on his leg? That way, your technique will be even more amazing, won''t it?"
"No, this is only a cuirass, you will be in trouble if you deploy it on your legs, right?
Specifically, the legs would be forcibly transformed into the shape of a basket hand. .......
...... sounds painful just to imagine it.
In the first place, the ankle bracelet itself does not fit on the ankle.
"Well, if we can do something similar to the basket hand from the foot, I think we can do a lot of things with it.
Nair muttered in a bored tone.
It''s not that I haven''t thought about it, but the price is too high.
...... but I would have liked to try a healing kick by jumping with a healing magic bursting leg, not a healing magic bursting palm.
like this.
While I was thinking such a stupid thing, a black-haired lifeguard, Nack, comes from the entrance of the training ground.
"Hmm? Nack, what''s wrong?"
"Mr. Usato, Tong-san asked me to come and help you as soon as possible.
"Uh, okay."
I don''t want them to be the only ones getting ready, so I''ll get going too.
I''m almost recovered from the mock battle with Rose.
I get up and head for the dormitory with Nack.
"Usato-san, you are leaving tomorrow, aren''t you?
"Yes, that''s right. Is Nack going to the castle?
Yes. I''ll be the only one here, so Mr. Rose arranged it for me.
If we leave here, Nack will be all alone.
We can''t let a twelve year old boy live alone, and Rose''s decision is justified.
"To tell you the truth, I''d like to ...... follow you and the others."
"Knack ......"
"I know. I''m still a kid and I''m not as strong as you guys. I know that better than anyone.
Nack''s mutterings seemed to be somewhat stifled by his emotions as he held a healing spell in his palm.
Even as a healing wizard, I cannot take Nack, who is still inexperienced in terms of age, into battle. No matter how much manpower I have, I cannot compromise on that.
"But I thought it would be different if I just felt sorry for him.
Nack looks up at me.
"The other day, I asked Mr. Rose if I could ask you to help me at the castle.
"Help?"
Yes. There are a lot of people out of the castle right now and we are short on staff, so I was wondering if you could help me.
I see.
Now that people are gathering at the base, it is safe to say that the castle is quite shorthanded.
They have some knights left in case of an unexpected attack, but they are still very few.
"Then, I''ll leave the castle''s defense to you.
"Eh, that''s such a big deal. ....... Besides, I can''t do much ...... yet."
"Nack, you''re the one who thought this up and took action. I think that''s great."
Maybe if I were in your shoes, I couldn''t have done the same thing.
I might have stopped thinking and just did muscle training, or I might have bemoaned myself for being so helpless.
"Mr. Usato!"
"Yes?"
I was surprised to hear Nack''s voice with a determined expression on his face.
He looked up at me and opened his mouth in confusion.
"When you get back, please teach me how to do the healing punch and the healing magic bullet!
"Well, if that''s what you want to know, now is the time..."
"You idiot!"
I tried to teach her the usual way, but Nair tapped me on the cheek with her wing.
I looked at her quizzically and she looked at me in disbelief.
......That''s how it is, I thought.
I kneeled down to make eye contact with Nack and put my hands on his shoulders.
"Nack, you shouldn''t learn the art of hurting people. Even if in the end they are unharmed.
"Mr. Usato, ......"
"You still have a choice. You don''t have to become a violent healing magician like me."
I don''t know, denying oneself head-on is pretty resonant.
But I''m doing this to keep Nack from going down the wrong path. For that, I don''t care what kind of scars it may cause to my heart. ......!
"But I ......"
"Do you remember the training we did in Luxvis?"
"How could I forget? That ...... training was ......"
...... such and such?
I don''t know, it''s a strange misstatement.
Let''s not worry too much about it, yeah.
"Just like that. If you can''t find it on your own, I''ll do something about it with you."
"...... Yes!"
"Yes!" "That''s a good answer."
He nodded strongly and put his hand on Nack''s head.
He has a long way to go.
As his mentor at one time, I must see it through.
I stand up slowly and thank Nair at my shoulder.
"Thank you. Nair, I think that''s what you meant.
"No, no, but... No, no, but ...... it was a good ...... result, wasn''t it?"
"?"
Nair is whispering in a whisper, tilting his head and starting to walk again with Nack.
We leave tomorrow.
They will be temporarily away from the lifeguard base and Nack will be the only one left in the kingdom, but he will be fine.
After all, he is a friend that Rose ...... and the rest of us in the Rescue Mission recognize.