《The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic》


 1 - the first word

    A room filled with the smell of blood.


    Crying figures.


    Laughing men.


    I stand by and watch this scene as if my heart is not in it.


    "Hyahaha! Let''s disinfect the wound...!


    "Ohhhhhh!"


    This is not disinfecting filth with fire.


    It is disinfecting the wound of a wounded soldier.


    ...... haha. Well, what else does it look like?


    "I''ve kidnapped the wounded, ----!"


    "Kyaaaahhhh!"


    Now, even Mr. Mokudanobo...... Nopo didn''t kidnap a woman, but only carried a wounded man.


    He didn''t sell them off or hurt them like a bandit.


    So I don''t even know why that female soldier is crying.


    "Hey, hey, you ...... what''s with the arm? Don''t hide it, you pig! Let me patch you up!


    "I''m sorry!


    Now that''s not funny at all.


    Because if you let an injury go unattended, it can lead to all sorts of strange germs and stuff.


    It''s not like I''m giving you a bonito or anything.


    No, my guys are all great. ...... is exactly what you need to shut your mouth.


    Actually, they''re silenced by fear.


    While I''m sitting here in a daze, one of my guys comes up to me. I turn to him with a little fear on my face.


    "Deputy Commander! I''ve put the wounded man to bed! Make him comfortable the rest of the way!"


    Hey, hey, you can''t put a wounded man to bed!


    Easing him up is not what you mean when you say .......


    In a situation like this, you have to give him a warning.


    How many times do I have to tell you to treat your patients with respect!¡¡You and you too, you worthless idiots!


    I''m sorry assistant commander!


    Oh, I''m late.


    My name is Ken Usari, and everyone calls me Usato or Vice Commander.


    I''m just an extra brave soul who was summoned to another world.


    I am now the vice-commander of an organization called the Rescue Mission.


    My specialty is healing magic, a magic that can heal any kind of injury.


    I''m very happy to work at a place where people are always smiling. .......


    "haha ......"


    How did I end up in this overly pleasant workplace when I was leading a perfectly normal high school life in my original world? ...... It started with a number of mistakes.


    It was a terrible rainy day.


    I was going home after school, feeling relaxed, when a torrential downpour interrupted my path.


    However, I had left my umbrella at home, so I could only watch the other students as they walked out into the pouring rain with their umbrellas flapping open.


    Darn, none of my classmates conveniently have two umbrellas.


    But I don''t want to get soaked in the rain and feel uncomfortable.


    "No choice. I''ll take shelter from the rain for a while and then go out."


    I''m in no hurry to leave and I don''t mind the rain.


    But the rain has not stopped for about half an hour. I let out a sigh as I sit in the rain at the entrance. Hey, you''ll hate the rain.


    Another hour goes by, and the rain clouds are covering the sky, casting shadows on the scenery around me.


    "Hmmm, it can''t get any darker than this, can it ......?"


    Two men and a woman come from the end of the hallway to the shoe closet.


    I think those two are from the ...... student council.


    The man is Kazuki Ryusen. Kazuki is a guy with a cool name. He''s tall and handsome, and has an impeccable character profile that would be perfect in a gal game.


    He is also the vice president and a classmate of mine. By all accounts, he is a perfect superhero with an overload of settings.


    He is so different from me, whose only distinguishing feature is his surname, Usato Ken.


    "...... Oh..."


    "What''s the matter, Inukami-senpai?"


    "That girl is in your class ......"


    Suzune Inukami. She is the student council president of this school and a senior in her senior year of high school. She is a dignified, well-groomed, beautiful woman with black hair.


    She is the object of admiration of all the boys in the school, for she is a brilliant, intelligent, athletic, and beautiful woman. She is also popular among some female students with special tastes.


    Rumor has it that she is dating Ryusen or not.


    She finds me at my wit''s end in the shoe box.


    "You don''t have an umbrella, do you?"


    "Eh, well, ...... yes."


    "I see, so that''s why you''ve been waiting here for it to stop raining. But it''s almost time to leave for school. ......"


    It was already that late.


    I opened my cell phone to check the time and looked outside to see that it was still raining.


    It doesn''t look like it''s going to stop yet. .......


    The idea of having my parents pick me up had crossed my mind, but neither of them worked, so I couldn''t rely on them.


    Inukami Senpai crosses his arms and makes a distressed motion.


    "Moo...... it''s against the good name of the student council to let you go home soaking wet."


    "Then, senpai, I''ll lend you my umbrella, Usato-kun, if you like."


    "I have a folding umbrella," says Ryusen, handing it to us in a friendly manner.


    I see why he is so popular among the female students for his good-naturedness.


    I talked to him for the first time since we joined the same class, but he seems to be a refreshing guy. I was a little touched that he remembered my name.


    "Thank you, Ryusen-kun."


    "Oh, come on, it''s itchy to call me ''you''. Feel free to call me Kazuki. I''m ......, too.


    "Usato is fine."


    There are a lot of guys like Ken at school.


    But I never thought I''d be called by the most handsome guy in school as a friend... I''m going to get a lot of attention from his fan girls tomorrow.


    "Then may I call you Usato-kun too?"


    "I don''t mind, okay?"


    I was so happy inside, I could die to be called by the most beautiful girl in school.


    Well, I thought today would be a bad day, but it turned out to be the opposite. I can''t believe I get to be friends with the most popular girl in school. It doesn''t happen often.


    Rain, it''s great, I wish it would rain more.


    I was the one who was so upset by the rain.


    Kazuki was happy to have made friends with me, and he was a little excited when he invited me to go home with him.


    For a moment, I felt like my heart was being grabbed by this guy, but I was just happy to have more male friends. I felt self-loathing for having doubted her, and apologized inwardly.


    Inugami-senpai did not object to my going home with him, so I decided to accompany him.


    "Are you thinking about your future career?


    "No, I''m only a sophomore.


    "Senpai, you asked me that question too, didn''t you?"


    "Hmmm, I don''t have that kind of thing, so I''m interested in other people''s things."


    Walking down a road in the pouring rain.


    Perhaps it has been raining for a long time, but strangely there are no cars passing by. Well, I guess it''s natural that people don''t want to go outside on such a rainy day. .......


    Listening to the sound of rainwater echoing around me, I feel calm.


    Strangely, it makes me feel calm. In fact, these two people must be emitting negative ions, right?


    In a relaxed mood, I ask Inukami-senpai a question that has been bothering me.


    "Inugami-senpai, haven''t you decided on a career path or something? Even though you''re in your third year?"


    "I haven''t decided."


    Isn''t that pretty bad?"


    It''s a rude question, but I''ll tell you what I honestly think. Inukami Senpai is a senior in high school and should have decided on a career path by now. .......


    He laughed bitterly at my answer.


    It''s a smile that doesn''t seem to fit the dignified student body president, Inukami-senpai.


    "That''s true, but... I can''t find anything that I want to do. ...... Even when I do find a goal, I achieve it right away. Somehow, this is not the place for me. Sometimes I feel like I''m not where I''m supposed to be."


    "You''re a great senior, Usato."


    "Indeed."


    "Oh, that wasn''t sarcasm or anything like that. ......?"


    I know," he said, looking at Kazuki and smiling.


    Inukami-senpai, whose cheeks were dyed vermillion, turned away angrily.


    "By the way, are Kazuki and Inukami-senpai dating?"


    I''m going to throw in something that suddenly caught my attention here.


    My question made both of them look at me with a puzzled expression.


    "What? No, it''s not."


    Yes, people tend to misunderstand us, but we''re just together a lot because of our job in the student council.


    Surprise, I thought they were dating too. .......


    "You''re kidding, right?"


    Haha, why are you lying here?


    Kazuki seems to be much friendlier than I had expected.


    When I told him that I thought he was a bit difficult to approach, he laughed and said, "I don''t want to hear that from you, Usato. ...... I don''t get it.


    Well, I usually only talk to certain friends. I guess I can''t blame him for thinking so.


    "...... what?"


    "Hmm?"


    The other two people stopped, looking at me suspiciously. I look behind me and see both of them holding their hands over their ears as if they were listening carefully.


    Did they hear something? I didn''t hear anything.


    "What''s wrong, you two?"


    "...... Usato, did you hear something just now? "Goooong."


    "Nothing for me. ......"


    "I heard it too. Is that ...... the sound of bells?"


    I think two other people heard it.


    "The sound of bells," Inukami-senpai said, "but there is no building near here that rings bells. And there was no way I could hear the sound of the bells over the sound of the surrounding rain.


    However, since two other people besides me actually heard the sound, I can hardly say that I heard it in my ears.


    "Are you all right, sir?"


    As I stepped closer, a geometric pattern appeared at our feet.


    My somewhat game-brained mind reflexively described the pattern in words.


    "A magic circle?"


    Magic circle, what is a magic circle in this science-dominated world?


    I look at my current situation with a head that has become too panicked to remain calm. A magic circle on the ground, pulsing and shining.


    This may be a ...... development that will open a way to another world. Under such circumstances, I was a little bit excited, even though it was unbecoming of me.


    "Kazuki, what do you think about another world?


    "What are you talking about out of the blue, Usato? What''s more, what the hell is this? Filming!"


    That''s right!


    I''m sorry, but that''s what happens when you say something incomprehensible at a time like this!


    "Usato-kun, do other worlds have magic, monsters,......, and heroes?"


    "I felt like I could get along with Inukami-senpai very well."


    Inukami-senpai is from this side of the world!


    He is definitely a reader of online novels and ranobooks.


    In the meantime, the magic circle was shining so brightly that it dazzled me. I meditated involuntarily from the glare and suddenly lost consciousness with nausea and a floating sensation that hit me.


    In my slumber, I felt the cold touch of the floor on my skin and woke up.


    I pressed my head down and put my other hand on the floor, and found that it was not the concrete of the road where I had just been, but a smooth, shiny surface.


    "......n......here,is"


    I looked around me and saw a gleaming hall.


    In front of me was a man sitting in a big chair and a few old men standing around him.


    I try to grasp the situation with my head still in a fog from sleep.


    Upon closer inspection, the man seated in the center of the throne-like area was wearing luxurious Western-style clothes and a crown on his head.


    In addition, the old men in the back are dressed like the attendants you often see in RPGs.


    Looking from the old men to the surroundings, we see a line of knight-like figures in gray armor with western swords at their waists.


    "Are you all right? Usato!"


    "Kazuki, where the hell am I?"


    Kazuki, who was standing beside me, approached me anxiously.


    Thank God, it looks like we haven''t lost each other. If Kazuki is here, then Senpai should be here too.


    I turned my eyes toward Kazuki, and saw Inukami-senpai sitting next to me, already awake.


    "I don''t know. But when I woke up, there were a lot of weird looking people around me. ......"


    "I see. Are you all right, senpai?"


    "Oh, don''t worry. No one is hurt anywhere."


    The crowned man who had been sitting so arrogantly in front of us looked at us, as if he had noticed that we were all awake.


    I was somewhat overwhelmed by his majesty or the power of his eyes.


    "It seems we are all awake."


    He seems like a very important man, but what in the world does he want with us?


    As I slowly try to comprehend my surroundings, Kazuki turns his head to the crowned man in alarm.


    Who are you people?


    "You! How dare you disrespect Master Lloyd?"


    The attendant standing next to the king-like figure raises his voice angrily at Kazuki''s irreverent manner.


    The king (?) controls such an attendant with his hand. .


    "It''s all right. It''s all right. If you are suddenly summoned to a place like this, such words will naturally come out of your mouth. Don''t get too worked up about it, Sergio.


    "But, but I understand."


    I''m sorry. I''m sorry. My vassals are very hard-headed.


    "Yes, yes, ......."


    "My name is Lloyd Brewgast Ringle. King of the Kingdom of Lingle.


    The Kingdom of Lingle. I''ve never heard of it.


    "You seem confused. I''ll be brief. You have been summoned to the Kingdom of Lingle as heroes.


    Brave men?


    Just now, I heard a small voice next to me saying, "Kitta," but I believe it wasn''t Inukami-senpai''s voice.


    Senpai, please don''t ruin my cool-beauty image any more. I''ve always admired you.


    Also, since Kazuki is doing the serious stuff, please pull your weight.


    "Yes, a brave man. A few years ago, the king of demons, the Demon King, was resurrected. The resurrected Demon Lord leads an army and is steadily expanding his power. We, the people of Lingle Kingdom, have prepared ourselves for a desperate battle, but we are still no match for the power of the Demon King''s army. We managed to repel the last attack, but we do not know what will happen next. ......Therefore, we have resorted to our last resort: ......summoning the heroes. The next time you are in a position to do this, you should be able to find a way to get the best out of your life.


    Inukami-senpai, please don''t suppress your excitement by clapping your feet next to me.


    Your image is beginning to crumble. No, it''s already crumbling. It''s a pile of rubble.


    What do you mean by "background"?


    "We can''t just summon people from other worlds without regard to who they are. That''s why the magic circle is equipped with a technique to summon those with the necessary knowledge. Did you hear the bells ringing when you were summoned?"


    "...... That''s what that sound was. But that would mean that Usato is ......."


    Kazuki looks at me. His gaze seemed to express some kind of apology.


    The sound of a bell that only those who are educated can hear, which means that I am not educated if I cannot hear it.


    So, that means ......?


    "Am I involved?"


    That''s all I can think of.


    ...... I don''t care at all, do you?¡¡Even if I don''t have any background, I have something to offer. I''m super competitive!


    They look at me with puzzled eyes......Yes, I''m out of place, I know.


    The fact that I''m involved in this is going to crack my heart open. King Lloyd noticed me struggling to hold my chest and meditated like he was serious.


    Oh no, I''m going to be treated like a useless person and kicked out. .......


    "You''re involved in this,...... I''d like to send you home, but as it stands, summoning to another world is a one-way street,...... you can bring them here, but you can''t send them back. The same goes for the other two people,......I''m really sorry,......I don''t care if you curse me."


    ...... this king is actually a very nice guy, isn''t he?


    No, I can''t say he''s a good person because he summoned a brave man and brought an unrelated person with him.


    "No, no..."


    "You''ve got to be kidding me!"


    Before I can finish, Kazuki, who is standing next to me, shouts angrily.


    The hands of the soldiers standing on either side of the king reach for the swords at his waist.


    Hey, hey, it''s nice of you to be mad at us, but let''s control it!


    What about us then!¡¡We have parents in our own world!¡¡Even senpai, even Usato. ......"


    "I''m sorry. But we are desperate too."


    Kazuki clenches his fists and takes a step forward.


    We''ve only been friends for a few hours, and what a nice guy he is. I''m too unpredictable to be serious. .......


    "Calm down, Kazuki. I''m glad you''re mad at me for my sake, but there''s no point in getting violent here, is there?"


    "Kuku............ if you say so, Usato."


    I wonder what kind of power my statement has in Kazuki.


    "I understand that it is selfish. I don''t know if I can give you anything in return for forcing you into this world. But we will find the magic that will bring you home. In the meantime, please help us ......."


    Mr. Lloyd!


    Oh----While I''ve been paying attention to Kazuki, the story is getting more and more advanced!


    I don''t mean to be general, but he''s a very good king! He''s nothing like the kings in the novels I read!


    "I am the king of a kingdom! I have a duty to protect my people! For that, I''ll bow my head as low as I can!"


    King Lloyd stood up on the spot, walked down to us, and bowed deeply to us. The king of a country bowing to a mere student.


    In the midst of this bizarre scene, Kazuki, who had become calm, slumped his shoulders as if he had given up.


    ".........I am truly sorry for my rudeness earlier. Raise your head, my king. I, too, was too upset. ......Please tell me what you have to say. First things first."


    "...... thank you for your warmth."


    Kazuki bowed to King Lloyd and nodded his head as he looked at me and Inukami-senpai.


    Inukami-senpai gave me a thumbs-up with the most innocent smile I had ever seen at school.


    I think he is enjoying this situation the most.

 2 - the second word

    In the end, Kazuki decided to accept the king''s request.


    Of course, at first Kazuki was going to refuse the request, but when he was told of the devastation caused by the Demon King, he reluctantly accepted the request, perhaps because of his natural disposition.


    In addition, Inukami Suzune, aka Inukami Senpai, did not particularly refute Kazuki''s decision. ...... Or rather, I feel that she did not intend to refute it at all.


    I don''t know why, I have no idea. .......


    "So, Kazuki, Suzune, Usato. I would like to measure your aptitude with this crystal.


    According to Ms. Welsey, the female wizard of the kingdom who guided us to this room, by raising your hand to the crystal that sits in the center of the room, you can determine your aptitude ...... in other words, the magic you can use.


    There are various kinds of magic that can be used, but the orthodox ones are "fire", "water", and "thunder".


    There are also many other types of magic, such as transference and illusion, but some of them are not specific to a particular race (?). Some of them are rarely found only in


    For me, magic means flying on a broom or casting a guardian spirit from a wand. The anticipation of being able to use magic, which I did not really feel, made my heart leap a little.


    "Then, please touch Kazuki first."


    I wondered what kind of abilities I would be able to ...... with these thoughts in my mind as I waited for my turn to come.


    "Suzune has an aptitude for yellow ...... thunderbolt magic! The amount of magic is no less than Kazuki''s!"


    "Lightning strike ...... kuhuhuh."


    Kazuki is light, and Inukami-senpai is lightning.


    Inugami-senpai, your character has already collapsed.


    Welshy says excitedly, "That''s a lot of magic. He''s a brave man, isn''t he? And then Mr. Welshy says it several times with delight, and my wet-tissue mentality breaks with pinpoint accuracy.


    Hmm? Kazuki doesn''t look happy.


    "What''s wrong, Kazuki?"


    "......," he said. "What''s the light? When you''re fighting, do you flash a light to blind the enemy?"


    "You could just beam, Mr. Kazuki, or you could have a sword that cuts with light..."


    "Would you please shut up for a minute? Inukami-senpai, you can''t destroy the world, okay?"


    This guy''s a badass.


    He''s gone crazy since he came to another world.


    "You''re very harsh, Usato-kun. I don''t mind that kind of ...... thing, do you?"


    I hate him already.


    Who said she was the most beautiful girl in school? Oh, it''s me.


    Leaving Inukami-senpai aside, Kazuki is .......


    "Yes, yes, yes, yes! It''s amazing, the magic of light! After all, it is a magic that few people can handle! Dispel evil with light! It is the best attribute that boasts unparalleled power in anti-magic combat!"


    "Oh, yeah. ......"


    "I''m looking forward to training you! Let''s go! Report to the king!


    Oh, I haven''t finished yet, have I? Forgotten?


    Mr. Welshy, who has forgotten about me, is about to take Kazuki''s hand and leave the room.


    I can''t let her leave like this, so I try to stop her, but Inukami-senpai grabs Mr. Welshie''s arm.


    "There''s someone you haven''t seen yet, isn''t there? Mr. Welsey."


    "...... who? I''m sorry! I forgot about that! Sasae..."


    "My name is Usato."


    Not being able to remember names hurts people so much. .......


    I put my hand on the crystal, feeling the rising waktekas sinking.


    As he looks at the crystal, it turns a slightly transparent green.


    "What!!!!"


    "It''s a beautiful color, just like an emerald."


    "Indeed, I couldn''t tell what color it was, just that it was glowing."


    Inukami-senpai, Kazuki looks at the crystal I touched, and says this in his mouth.


    The lightness of color represents the amount of magic power, and color is an attribute. Mr. Welshy had told me that.


    The color is slightly pale, so I guess I''m a little above average.


    This crystal is green, which means...


    "What''s wrong with ......, manipulating plants and stuff? Mr. Welsey, you make your face turn that pale ......."


    I have to tell him.


    "Yes? Why are you grabbing my hand?"


    "I have to tell them...!"


    Mr. Welshy grabs my hand in a vice-like grip and starts running.


    What? What? What the hell? Did I do something wrong?


    I arrived at the great hall where the king was.


    I am out of breath, and Mr. Welshy takes me by the hand and leads me in front of the king, while I catch my breath.


    I haven''t had a woman hold my hand since elementary school, but something is different. It''s not like I''m running as fast as I can, not like this.


    In the hall, the king, his chief advisors, and guards in armor lined up along the walls.


    "King Lloyd!


    "What''s the matter Wellsey, have you found out what aptitude Kazuki and the others have? Oh, isn''t that Usato there? What happened to the others?"


    "Kazuki and Suzune also had great qualities. But ......"


    "...... what? Usato came to this world originally because he got caught up in it. We didn''t send him here to fight, did we?"


    This king is really too good.


    Maybe it was because I felt that Ms. Welshy was unofficially calling me useless, but she doesn''t think so ...... as she is still squeezing my hand with such force.


    "No! I understand that deeply. But his aptitude for ...... that ......."


    "What is wrong with you? You don''t mean the attribute that governs the darkness, do you? Hahahahahahaha!"


    The king and the people around him suddenly burst out laughing.


    It is said that the mastery of darkness is a rare talent that few people, even those of the demon tribe, possess.


    My crystal is green, so there is no chance of that.


    But Mr. Welshy''s puzzled look increases my sense of danger.


    "It''s a healing system ......."


    "Ha ha ......? Now what?"


    "The crystals turn green, which means that I have the potential to become a healing wizard."


    Healing, magic?


    What kind of restorative magic is that?


    """......"""


    "Why are you all mute?"


    My lineage is that bad! It''s so bad I can''t laugh it off!


    Healing, by the name of it, is a healing type of ability! So why does this place have the air of a wake!


    The king looks at me and clears his throat.


    His expression was a funny mixture of joy and confusion.


    "Usato, you don''t understand what''s going on here, so let me explain it to you.


    "Oh, yes."


    "Healing wizards are rare. The strength of this system is that it can use healing magic far beyond the first aid level of healing magic that can be performed by ordinary wizards. In fact, there are several of them in this country.


    "So why ......?"


    "Well, how should I put it? ...... Well, how about sending Usato to the doctor in the castle town for training starting tomorrow!"


    The all-too-obvious change of subject is starting to scare me.


    What are these people hiding from me?


    >


    >


    "It''s a good offer. Take it, Mr. Usato."


    "Mr. Welsey, my hand is getting wetter and wetter in your grip."


    The king, dripping with sweat, looked at me and told me so. He pushes me to refer him and his attendants to a doctor. No, this is more like an order.


    And the hand that Mr. Welshy is holding is sweating, not my own. It''s the wizard woman next to me.


    "What? But I heard that there are wizards in this country with the same healing system as mine ......"


    "No, not those guys! Not in so many ways!!!! You need to be a straight-up healing wizard!"


    "Ayatollah is ......"


    Who''s Ayatollah? Someone the king considers dangerous?


    The fact that the people around me were nodding their heads indicates that this is a big deal.


    As I was about to open my mouth to agree to the dispatch of tomorrow, a guard comes in from the door of the hall, looking out of breath.


    "My king! Master Rose has arrived!


    "What! Don''t let them through! Especially now!


    "But that''s ......."


    Well, who is Rose?


    When I heard that name, people around me said to me, "Hide! Hide now!" I hear a voice calling out to me.


    Should I hide? But Mr. Welsey won''t let go of my hand.


    Just let go of me, Ms. Welsey. ...... What?" Sorry"? Why are you apologizing! As I struggle to get away from Ms. Welshy with tears in her eyes, the door to the hall is opened with a mighty bang.


    "Mr. Lloyd! Is the brave man already here?


    "Oh, no, that''s not good. ......"


    The door to the hall is opened rather roughly, and a beautiful woman with a manly tone enters. She is dressed in a white robe, much like a doctor, but the scar covering her right eye and her green hair emphasize her ferocity more than her beauty.


    The woman comes to the throne and approaches the king, who is dripping with sweat.


    Why are you surprised to see me? Is there something you don''t want me to know?"


    "Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I thought you were supposed to be on vacation right now."


    "Kahaha! I don''t take time off for my country---...... hmm? Who are you?"


    The woman called Rose glanced at me.


    Ugh, she scares me. ....... She didn''t want me to know that I have the aptitude for healing.


    "That man is not a brave man! It''s the boy who had the misfortune to get involved!"


    The king is desperate.


    "I see. ...... Oh Bohya, what''s your name?"


    "U, Usato. ......."


    "...... Usato, my name is Rose ......, just Rose. I''m the head of the Royal Rescue Mission. Nice to meet you."


    The head of the lifeguard squad? ...... I do not see this person as someone who is in the profession of saving people''s lives. Rather, he looks like a person who is in the business of cutting lives.


    It is strange that fear comes first in spite of his handsome face.


    I can feel sweat slowly seeping into my forehead.


    "Well, is it time to go? Usato is probably tired, so I''d like to give him a rest."


    "That''s true, then, Mr. Lloyd, where are the other brave men?


    "Oh, that''s ......."


    "Hey, Usato! You''re okay!


    "What happened to you running out of nowhere, Welshie?"


    Kazuki and Inukami-senpai come in through the door through which Rose entered, with Kazuki and Inukami-senpai following behind.


    I''m sorry, there''s an ogre-like being near me, so I can''t go near it.


    The king looks at Kazuki.


    "That''s them!"


    "Well, you''ve got a good look on your face."


    King Lloyd inwardly poses with guts. Rose''s interest now shifts to Kazuki and the others.


    The others let out a breath of relief so that Rose does not notice.


    "It''s okay, Kazuki."


    "...... Huh what the hell - when Mr. Welsey saw that the crystal you touched turned green and took you away with him in his blood, I thought what the hell!"


    Oh, he said it.


    "Green ......?"


    Mr. Rose looked at me and the corners of his mouth turned up in a grin.


    The king''s face pales, and mine too, of course. I''m in a crisis like I''ve never been in before. The main culprit is the man near me, Kazuki.


    I know he meant no offense, but I wish he would have ...... read the air.


    "Mr. Lloyd, may I borrow her for a moment?"


    "Wellsey! Evacuate Usato! He is now a national treasure for our country!"


    When did I become a national treasure?


    Mr. Welshy hears the king''s order, lets go of my hand, and steps in front of me holding his cane. I can''t see what''s in front of me because you are in front of me.


    I move to the side and try to look ahead, but Mr. Rose is already gone. Ms. Welshy says, "Where are you? I''m confused.


    I tried to look around too, but suddenly I felt a floating sensation and someone was holding me.


    Rose, who was standing next to me at that moment, lifted me up and held me by my side.......? I''m 5''7" tall and they lifted me up so lightly!


    "Mr. Lloyd. I will raise this boy to be a full-fledged healing wizard!"


    "Wait! Please, wait! Mister Usato is unsullied! He is a pure white healing wizard who has not yet been dyed any color...!"


    King Lloyd gets up from his chair and stops Mr. Rose who is holding me.


    But I can''t reach Mr. Rose, who is smiling broadly. What should I do? I look at Kazuki and Inukami, but they are too stunned to follow what''s going on.


    What? What is this, an abduction? In Japan! I now understand my situation anew, and I try to avoid eye contact with Rose, who is smiling at me with a ferocious smile.


    Usato has been taken away from me.


    It had been less than half a day since we had met, but he had something in common with me.


    I should have been there, but ...... forgive me, Usato-kun, I couldn''t move because you looked like a heroine when they took you away!


    "Oh, Usato is just a regular guy from another world who has nothing to do with ......."


    "Where did they take you, Usato-kun? He did say he was going to raise them up. ......"


    There''s no point in jumping out now.


    We must first ask King Lloyd, who knows what is going on.


    "......Welsey, please explain."


    "Yes. ...... Um..."


    King Lloyd sits down and asks Welshy to explain with a weary look on his face.


    He must have been exhausted from dealing with the woman named Rose.


    Welshy walks up to me and Kazuki and begins to explain as ordered by the king.


    "He was taken to a medical facility located a short distance from the castle. It is operated by a total of eight people, including the temporary commander, Master Rose, two healing wizards, and five assistants.


    "Isn''t that too few?"


    Isn''t that too little for a single life-saving team?


    If you''re going to fight demons, you''re going to need quite a few people. .......


    "Enough. Wizards, no matter what their aptitude, can use healing magic at least as a first aid measure. So he can heal his own wounds by himself. Of course, he can also ...... heal the wounds of his friends, but serious injuries cannot be healed immediately."


    "That''s where ...... comes in."


    "It''s a healing system of magic that Usato has shown aptitude for."


    Healing wounds that cannot be healed by oneself is the realm of the healing wizard ....... Does this mean that Usato has the potential to become a valuable healing wizard in this country?


    But there''s something I don''t understand. That is the reluctance to entrust Usato to Rose, the leader of the Rescue Mission.


    Why did you not want to entrust Usato to a woman named Rose?


    "...... Mr. Lloyd."


    "Fine."


    Welshy asked King Lloyd for permission.


    I knew there was something going on. .......


    "Master Rose is an expert healer. However,...... I''d like to say something,...... but his training policy for his subordinates is a little strange."


    "Strange? Specifically?"


    "Well, I don''t know all the details either, but ......<>They are strictly instructing the members of the group. There is no end to the number of members who cannot stand the discipline and run away. In fact, during a joint drill between the Guard and the Lifeguard, the soldiers on the Guard side could no longer stand Rose-sama''s instruction, and the drill ended up being conducted only for the Lifeguard."


    "If the guards can''t stand him, can we assume that this Rose person is quite capable?"


    A trained guard makes a sound, and Rose, who is conducting the training, must be competent enough to conduct it.


    King Lloyd responds to my question, rubbing his chin nostalgically.


    "Yes, he''s injured now and has been transferred to the lifeguard squadron, but before that ...... let''s not talk about this ......, he''s no match for an ordinary soldier. And when the Demon King''s army invaded, the lifeguard saved the lives of most of the soldiers. It''s almost as if it was thanks to them that we were able to defeat the Demon Lord''s army. With such achievements,...... Rose''s educational policy is not wrong,...... however,......."


    "But?"


    "What that education produces is ......... haha."


    King Lloyd, who had been listening to Welshy''s explanation on his throne, lets out a loud sigh.


    He was worried for Usato''s well being, thinking that even a king has a lot to worry about.


    Rose brought me to a large brick building a short distance from the castle.


    The sky was already dark and the surrounding woods were thick.


    Rose led me into the building, which was clean and tidy inside, with what looked like patient beds and medicines in the back.


    I looked around the clinic-like interior with a surprised and impressed look on my face.


    "This is where you''ll be sleeping from today.


    "What?"


    "Hey, you guys! New guy, come on out!


    Before I can ask any questions, Rose calls out someone in a loud, animal-like voice.


    Then, the sound of several people''s footsteps approaching from the back of the building. The first man to enter, a stern-looking man, stands tall in front of Rose.


    What is this man?


    "Welcome home, Rose''s sister!


    "Hey Alec, what happened while I was gone?"


    No one came as usual!


    "Well, that''s a good thing."


    The men came one after another, starting with the man called Alec.


    My face goes rigid at the sight of these men.


    This is the only place where the world is different. ......?


    "Let me introduce you guys. I''m Usato, and I''m going to be taking care of you from today, and I hope you guys will be good friends.


    I understand!"""I understand!


    "Yes!"


    Not "Okay"!


    I was terrified of what was to come when I saw the five evil-looking men looking at me in front of me.


    I wonder if I''ll make it back alive.

 3 - the third story

    Five evil-looking men smirking in front of me.


    For a moment, I think I''m in a bandit''s hideout, and I can''t help but look at Rose''s face.


    Rose: .......


    "Hmm? What is it, Usato? You don''t know their names? Then introduce yourselves."


    No. He doesn''t know what he''s talking about.


    I seriously doubt that this woman is afraid of the faces of the men in front of her.


    ...... Oh, I see. I''m the leader of this group, so I''m used to seeing these men''s faces.


    The men with the bad guy faces start to line up around me.¡¡You can get down on your knees anytime you want.


    "I''m Tong. I''m good at disinfecting. I''m Tong, I''m good at disinfecting.


    Tong, the tallest man in the room, steps forward and introduces himself to me in a low voice.


    He smiles a crooked smile, and I can''t stop sweating. I can''t stop sweating because he''s got a name like a f*cking meat grabber and a name like .......


    Following Tong, the other guys start introducing themselves one by one.


    "I''m Mir, nice to meet you newcomers."


    "I''m Alec, nice to meet you.


    "I''m Gomul, nice to meet you.


    "Guld, rookie."


    "Sorry, I''m sorry. ......"


    I cried.


    I know it''s not cool to cry as a high school sophomore.


    But I think anyone would cry in this situation. I was surrounded by strong-looking guys who introduced themselves to me from all directions.


    What is this ritualistic self-introduction?¡¡Anyone who doesn''t cry at this has a heart of steel!


    "Hey, you guys, don''t scare the newcomers!"


    "Ugoha!"


    Tong, one of the men surrounding me, instantly disappears from sight.


    Rose kicked him.


    Rose clutches her forehead in disgust and shouts angrily at the four men around me.


    Frankly, I''m more scared of you.


    "I don''t mind if we get along, but ...... you know that, right?"


    "Sister Rose! We were just trying to make our own welcome!


    This was supposed to be a welcome!


    The fat man, Mill''s words astonish me. I can''t help but shudder at this misplaced sense of hospitality.


    Rose, who had kicked Mill away, glares at me with eyes like a ferocious animal.


    "d*mn you, Usato! They may not be healing wizards, but they are my men. Their job is to secure the wounded in the battlefield. And there are two who can use healing magic, except me, but unfortunately they won''t be back for a while. In the meantime, I''ll show you what healing magic is.


    "What?"


    What''s your answer?


    Yes, yes!


    Okay. Okay, we''ll start training tomorrow, okay?¡¡You have a room available at ......, right in front of you?


    Is my intention to fly away somewhere?


    I''m the only one in the room.


    "Then that''s good. Ask this guy a lot of questions. It''s getting late, you guys can get some rest.


    """Hey"""


    "Yes. ......"


    "Follow me, I''ll show you your room."


    I followed Tong and was shown to my room.


    The room we were shown was a normal shared room. The room was a normal shared room. It was not cluttered, and the room had been cleared of unnecessary things. I sit down on the bed, thinking that it is very different from my room.


    Surprisingly, I expected to find chains and flamethrowers.


    "Hey, new guy."


    "Excuse me?"


    "I don''t need your honorifics, you can talk to me as you like."


    "...... got it."


    I respond to the tongs that suddenly call out to me, my body shaking with fear. This man is very tall and intimidating. Just by talking to him, I feel my energy gauge being drained.


    Tong throws me a piece of clothing in his hand that resembles a simple work uniform and says bluntly


    "Those are the clothes we use for training. There are three pairs of them. You can use them as you go. The bathroom is a little further down the hall. I''m sure your sister will tell you the details. ......


    "Oh, thank you."


    It was hard for me to stay in my school uniform all the time, so I am grateful for these clothes. Anyway, I change out of my school uniform and put my clothes away in the place Tong told me to put them.


    Tong, on the other hand, is already lying on the bed facing the opposite direction from where I am.


    "Training is hard, go to sleep," he says. Especially the healing magic training you''re going to have ...... tomorrow will be hell.


    "Jeez, hell?"


    "Healing magic can even heal your own wounds. ...... After that, even you''re not smart enough to know what you''re doing."


    "......"


    This means that you can continue on with whatever injuries you have sustained.


    The blood drains from my face, and my face looks pale.


    I can even heal my own wounds. That''s why they won''t let me rest. But Rose is the head of the Rescue Mission. I would like to learn a little before I learn healing magic from her.


    "Can you tell me about the healing wizard?"


    I was brought here to be taught healing magic.


    It''s not how I wanted it, but it''s an opportunity.


    If I can support Kazuki and Inukami-senpai, I can be useful even if I can''t fight.


    "Oh?¡¡...... I don''t have a choice. A healing wizard is a wizard who is good at healing. At worst, they are wizards who are good at nothing else.


    "No ability?"


    "You can''t use offensive magic. In battle, he is always the target. A few years ago, healing wizards were looked upon with contempt.¡¡<


    It is true that ordinary wizards can perform first aid spells.


    Considering this, it is no wonder that healing wizards who are targeted in battles are treated as unnecessary.


    In a game, I would destroy the healers first.


    "Well, actually I was the same way. I thought that healing wizards who couldn''t use offensive magic were small fry......."


    "Thought?"


    "...... I talked a little too much. I''m going to bed."


    "What?¡¡You''re too halfway there."


    Go to sleep!¡¡f*ck you!"


    Tongue yelled as he lay there.


    You didn''t have to yell.


    I was emotionally scarred by the yell, and I was in bed, shedding a few tears as I prepared for the training that was to take place tomorrow.


    "Healing magic. I can''t picture it at all, even though you said something about hell. ......"


    Magic to heal someone.


    From what I''ve heard, that''s what my magic is supposed to do, but from what Tong told me, tomorrow''s training for healing magic is not going to be easy.


    But I have a chance to train my magic, even if it is not the way I want it.


    Tomorrow, I will try my best in my own way.

 4 - CHAPTER IV TRAINING DIARY

    Mr. Rose asked me to write a diary, so I''m going to start writing one today.


    I can''t handle the characters over here, but the fact that I''m the only one who can read it means that I can keep it secret.


    I''m going to write down my daily frustrations here.


    Training Day 1


    For now, I will describe today''s events.


    The training that Tong told me was hell yesterday turned out to be easier than I thought it would be.


    The first thing to do was to feel the magic, and this task was easy. The feeling of something warm rising up in the center of your chest is said to be the sensation of magic power. Rose told me that the next thing I had to do was to let that magic out of my body.


    After we finished practicing magic, the next thing I did was to learn more about this world.


    He sat me down at the desk, handed me a thick book, and told me only to . He was a teacher who said some crazy things to me.


    There is no way I can read the letters of this world!¡¡I retorted, and he yelled at me.


    According to Rose, a person who is summoned by a hero is automatically enchanted with the magic of transliteration. I opened the book and was surprised to find that I could indeed read the words of the book.


    Once again, I was amazed at the power of magic.


    It seems that there are creatures called demons in this world. I felt like I was in an RPG. I screamed out in joy and Rose hit me.


    It hurt so much.


    While I was reading the book silently, I learned that there are various races in this world.


    Some of them are elves, beastmen, and other races that you might see in video games.


    I also learned that there are many other countries besides the Kingdom of Lingle. Most of them are human.


    Mr. Rose sits silently in front of me while I silently read a thick book.


    I was under so much pressure.


    But if this kind of training continues every day, maybe I can do it, too.


    I''m worried about the way Tong looked at me like I was some poor guy. ......


    Well, I''ll have to train hard again tomorrow.


    Day 2


    I''ve ridden a lot.


    Third day


    They made me run until my muscles were so sore that I couldn''t move at all.


    They don''t give me any rest, if I fall down, Mr. Rose heals my body and makes me run.


    I never say thank you. He''s really crazy, because he says things like "train your legs so you don''t die" and "feel the magic while you run.


    When I told him that I was not his slave, he said, "Do it with the will to die, and I''ll heal you when you die. Even death is no rest in front of him.


    Next, I said, "My legs are falling apart! and he slapped me on the thigh without saying a word. As I rolled over in pain, the pain in my leg was gone.


    "I forced you to get rid of the muscle pain, now your leg is healed. Now run, you trash."......


    Day 4


    Today, I met up with the rest of the group.


    It was more than just muscle training. It was more like a soldier''s drill than a lifeguard''s drill.


    They were running as fast as they could, making funny shouts. Naturally, I was left behind.


    Mr. Rose''s voice said to me, "Hey, there''s a bug that''s lagging behind. Hey, there''s a bug that''s lagging behind.


    Kazuki, help me!


    Day 5


    Kazuki and Inukami-senpai came to me, as if my sos of the heart had reached them.


    They are training at the castle. They are training mainly in sword and sorcery.


    The teachers are a wizard named Welshy and a corps leader named Sigurth.


    I know Mr. Welshy and Mr. Sigurth is a very strict but good man.


    Also, a princess named Celia, the daughter of the king, is going to accompany Kazuki for his training.


    She is kind like the king, and according to my senior, she is a very lovely person.


    I can''t say anything.


    Huh?¡¡Is there a difference in the world between where Kazuki and I are?


    Why is ours the end of the century, while Kazuki and his senpai are in a legitimate fantasy?


    They asked me what I was doing, but I told them I was running.


    Everyone looked at me with a questioning look, but only Inukami-senpai gasped when he saw my legs.


    He asked me to touch them a little, but I ignored him because he was breathing too hard.


    They are working hard. I should do the same.


    Day 6


    Today we run again.


    While running, you notice a faint greenish light gathering in your hand.


    I think to myself at that moment. "Do I need this now?" I thought.


    Mr. Rose was a cold-blooded, devilish old hag again today.


    I can only write such bad words because I can''t read.


    Day 7


    I''m sorry for the bad words.


    Day 8


    I cancel the words of two days ago, healing magic is very necessary.


    Day 9


    Healing is very necessary


    Day 10


    I can feel my heart is in turmoil.


    Since I can release the healing magic out of my body, no matter how hard they make me run, I don''t get tired anymore.


    I''m getting more and more exhausted day by day... I wonder if it''s me .......


    I can''t even say "Ms. Rose" anymore. ...... I''ll just call her Rose now.


    Something hurts in my leg, but a healing spell cured it.


    Day 11


    A new menu has been added today.


    Push-ups.


    I''m told to do 1,000 pushups for now, so I do them without hesitation while healing myself with healing magic.


    For some reason, Rose looked satisfied with my performance. I wonder if there was something on my face.


    Day 12


    After running from morning to noon, we did push-ups until night.


    Other than that, there''s nothing much to write about. If I had to say, I''d say ...... that I''m feeling somewhat light.


    Day 13


    I don''t know what they realized, but they put a weight on my body...... and it was very, very heavy.


    I didn''t see the guards pulling me back when they saw me running.


    Day 14


    Tong''s son of a b*tc* ate my lunch.


    I''ll never forgive that bastard. ......!


    It''s been two weeks since the start of training.


    What did I come here for?

 5 - the fifth story

    About three weeks have passed since Kazuki and I were summoned to this world.


    Perhaps it is because I have been in training for the past three weeks that I have been able to fight to a certain extent, but I have not experienced a real battle with demons.


    Now that the morning training is over, I am having lunch in the shade of a tree in one of the training grounds.


    "Kazuki-kun, you have become much stronger.


    "Haha, I''m no match for my senpai."


    Over the past two weeks, Kazuki has grown at an extraordinary rate.


    Of course, I have also become strong enough to compete with Sigurth, the strongest knight in the Kingdom of Lingle, and Welshy, the most talented wizard in the world.


    I knew that they were holding back, but I still remember that they were quite surprised.


    But it was not enough for me.


    There is not enough romance in the magic of this country. Just a few strong electric blasts and there was a storm of applause. Kazuki would have blushed red and been embarrassed, but not me.


    I want to be more free-thinking and use magic.


    "I guess I''ll just have to make it myself, won''t I?"


    What''s wrong?¡¡Suzune.


    Oh, no. I seem to have lost my train of thought.


    The blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl who just called out to me is the real daughter of King Lloyd, Celia Burgast Lingle.


    As to why someone like her is here, the time goes back to after Mr. Usato was taken away by Rose.


    King Lloyd found it difficult to bring Mr. Usato back.


    He then assigned Kazuki and I to be educated by Sigurth, the Commander of the Royal Guard, and Welshy, a wizard who was reputed to be one of the most skilled wizards in the kingdom.


    King Lloyd introduced us to his daughter Celia, who was about her age, and this was the beginning of our friendship with her.


    "......"


    Kazuki has finished his lunch and is looking out from the castle.


    Hmmm...is he worried about Mr. Usato, judging from his somber expression?


    "......Usato, I wonder how he is doing now."


    Really, it''s easy to understand.


    The last time I saw you, Usato, you looked very worn out.


    Either life in another world was not so comfortable for him, or the lifeguard training was so harsh. ..........


    "What kind of person is Usato-sama?"


    Celia, who was interested in Mr. Usato, asked me about him.


    I try to answer her, but Kazuki starts talking about him first, beating his chest.


    He is a friend who came to this world with me. We became friends shortly before we were summoned.


    "From the way you were so happy, it seems that it''s true that you don''t have any male friends, Kazuki."


    "No, you''re wrong!¡¡I have at least one or two guy friends. ......


    Celia giggles at Kazuki, who mutters confidently, "I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it. Well, I know what I''m talking about.


    Considering Kazuki''s school scene, I guess Usato is an important friend of Kazuki''s, even if they have known each other for a short time.


    "A friend? Where did he go?"


    "Some place called the Lifeguard Corps?¡¡I think it''s ......."


    "Kyu, a lifeguard?


    "......?¡¡That''s right, senpai."


    "Yes, that''s right."


    Now I remember that I had some doubts about the way Usato-kun seemed to be acting after our previous meeting.


    I have some knowledge about the structure of the body ......, that is, the structure of muscles, because in my former world I enjoyed various sports.


    When I met him before, his legs were developed in a way that I had never seen them before.


    His upper body muscles had also been trained to match his legs, and they were not muscles that could be trained in just one week.


    I thought it was amazing, but at the same time I had my doubts.


    Rapid growth in a short period of time is bad for the body, considering that aspect...


    "I''m worried about you. ......"


    "Senior?"


    No, it''s nothing. Celia, you were surprised earlier when you heard about the lifeguard squad. ...... did something happen to you there?"


    Her surprise earlier was unusual.


    "No, well, ...... recently there have been some strange rumors about a lifeguard squad that have been spreading around the castle. ......"


    "What ...... kind of rumor?"


    Celia knows something about the rumors about the lifeguard.


    She hasn''t made eye contact with us since she heard Usato''s story.


    She spins her words in a mumbling voice.


    "It''s just a rumor,...... but it''s rumored that a newcomer to the lifeguard corps is silently performing training ...... that even the members of the lifeguard corps would be upset about. I overheard a member of the guard rumoring about it,......"


    ..........


    "......... something is really starting to worry me. Why don''t we end today''s training here and go check on Usato-kun?"


    "Yes, let''s go."


    "Oh, I''ll go with you."


    Kazuki nodded, his face tightening as he felt his facial muscles stiffen.


    Kazuki nodded, his face tightening as well.


    After taking the afternoon off from training, Kazuki and I, along with Celia, were on our way to the lifeguard station where Usato was staying. It was dangerous to leave the princess of a country outside the castle, so Sigurth was with us as an escort.


    The place where the lifeguard''s quarters are located is overgrown with trees, and as befits a place on the outskirts of a kingdom, there is not a soul to be seen.


    Usato was supposed to be in front of the dormitory before, but he was nowhere to be seen.


    "Is this where Usato-sama is?"


    "Yes, but he''s not here ......."


    Isn''t this afternoon training now?"


    "Well, let''s see if we can find him. If we''re in the way, we can just go home. Sigurth, can you show us the way?


    "Yes, sir. Okay. Please follow me.


    I don''t intend to stay long as I just want to see what''s going on. Sigurth leads the way through the thick foliage to the lifeguard training area.


    Celia''s eyes sparkle as she talks to Kazuki, looking around with a fresh look in her eyes, as if the outside scenery is new to her, since she always sees only the castle.


    "Wow, isn''t it amazing, Mr. Kazuki!


    "Yes, it is."


    "Celia-sama, don''t stay too far from me ......"


    "Sigurth is too overprotective!"


    She is the princess of a country. No wonder Sigurth is so overprotective.


    Kazuki apologizes apologetically to Sigurth who walks in front of him with a troubled look on his face.


    "I''m sorry, Mr. Sigurth."


    "No, don''t worry about it. I also have some business to attend to in Rose. ...... There is a training area just up ahead. I''m sure that''s where Usato-sama is.


    "I see!"


    He looks in the direction Sigurth pointed.


    It has been less than two weeks since we last met, and I wonder how he has grown in that time.


    A training ground in the midst of nature. A good size for a small group of elite lifeguards.


    In the center of the place, Usato is doing push-ups, but Kazuki, who is watching from next to him, does not shout with joy.


    The same was true for me.


    ""......""


    "What''s the matter? Gentlemen, what in the world is going on in front of--?"


    Celia peeked ahead from behind and was as speechless as we were.


    The scene that unfolded before us was--,


    "Nuh-guh-guh......!"


    "Hey, you''re slowing down. Are you a caterpillar? Don''t make a sound just because you added more weights."


    Who said anything about raising the volume?


    Don''t waste your breath.


    Usato does push-ups with a desperate look on his face.


    If that were all, it would not be so strange, but the problem is the large block of rock on his back.


    I estimate that it weighs about 50 kilograms.¡¡That is what is being carried on the back of Usato.


    And then there is the figure of Rose, the leader of the rescue team, sitting arrogantly on the rock.


    "...... ding!"


    "What the hell, I just heard you click your tongue!"


    I just heard that mild-mannered Usato-kun click his tongue. Is he really Usato-kun, or is he possessed by some evil spirit or something?


    "I was so surprised at how light Mr. Rose was. ...... I couldn''t help but click my tongue."


    "Oh, you say that so sweetly. If you can afford it, I''m sure you''ll have no problem adding more weights!"


    Rose gets down on the ground and puts a block of rock on the ground nearby.


    Rose smiles broadly at Usato, who grits his teeth and continues to push up against the rock.


    "You''re getting pretty good for my taste, aren''t you? I''m sure we''ll be able to put him in there soon. ...... hmm?¡¡You guys are ......."


    Kazuki rubs his eyes and thinks he is dreaming this scene.


    No wonder, the mild-mannered Mr. Usato is now doing push-ups with a glare in his eyes. It''s no wonder he wants to escape from reality.


    But only Sigulus, the Knight Commander, has an angry look on his face and walks up to Rose.


    "Hey, Sigurth. What''s the matter?¡¡You brought a hero and a princess to a place like this."


    What are you doing?


    "What?"


    I said, what are you doing?¡¡How dare you destroy the future of these young men!


    Sigurth grabs Rose by the chest.


    No wonder Sigurth is angry, what Rose is doing to Mr. Usato is not what one would call training. It is rather a hardship.


    Rose grabs Sigurth''s arm expressionlessly as he grabs her by the chest. His hand is twisted and twisted by the pure force of the grip alone.


    "Let go of me! I don''t mind your chivalry, but don''t force it on me. I have my ways. Besides, he''s to be my right hand man.¡¡If you don''t handle this lightly, I''ll be in trouble.


    "Your right hand ......?"


    Yes, he''s a bargain I finally found. He''s got a good competitive streak, he won''t give in, and he''s got my seal of approval for being able to keep up with my training."


    I look into Rose''s eyes and take an involuntary step back.


    Her eyes were filled with strength. Her determination to do what she had to do and never to compromise could not be more evident.


    Undaunted, Sigurth brushes Rose''s hand away.


    "You freak!¡¡The king has asked me to return you to the army, but from the looks of you I''m afraid that''s not going to happen!"


    Ha ha, I can''t open my right eye anyway.


    Nonsense!


    Rose says, pointing to her right eye, which has a scar across the length of its length and won''t open.


    Is she refusing to return to the army because of the scar on her right eye? ......


    Sigurth comes back to us with a sniffle and approaches Celia with a worried look on his face.


    I''m going to go cool off a bit. Princess, please stay close to Kazuki-sama.


    "Yeah, yeah. ......"


    I''ll be back as soon as I calm down."


    Sigures says this to Celia and disappears into the woods.


    He is probably aware that he will get into a fight with Rose if he stays here any longer.


    "Well, now that Sigurth is gone. Do the hero and the princess want to talk about this?"


    "It''s not about this. Hey, what do you mean you want me as your right hand man?¡¡When I become your right hand man, I''ll give you my right punch, Mr. Rose. If you want my right hand, just give me your face and I''ll be happy to give it to you!


    "But first, why don''t I give you a present?¡¡...... and I''d love to, but I''m going back first."


    Rose, who had her right fist ready for Usato-kun, looked at us and walked toward the dormitory as if she had changed her mind.


    She watches his back and approaches Usato, who is standing up tall with the weight on his back down on the ground.


    "Are you all right?¡¡"Are you all right, Mr. Usato?


    "I''m fine. ...... who''s this?"


    Usato tilts his head when he sees Celia, who has come with Kazuki.


    "My name is Celia Burgast Lingle. Please call me Celia, Mr. Usato.


    "Yes, Mr. ...... and Mr. Lloyd''s ......?"


    Yes. Yes, I''m his daughter.


    When Usato hears that she is the daughter of a king, he panics a little. He is not used to being addressed by a woman he has never met before.


    Kazuki was actually confused.


    Celia tells the panicked Usato to "please treat me normally," and he nods his head reluctantly.


    "By the way, how do you think Kazuki and the others are doing in their training?¡¡I can see that everyone is getting stronger. ......"


    ""......""


    "What, why are you mute?"


    I can''t say.


    I can''t tell you that our training is not as hard as Usato''s. ....... No, it''s not as tough as Usato''s training, though, is it?


    In fact, our training is carefully designed to avoid physical damage and to improve our fighting ability efficiently, but Usato''s training is different.


    It is a dangerous training that goes beyond the limits of what the body is capable of. Only a healing wizard who can heal his own body can do this.


    From the outlandish training and rumors that have been circulating for the past three weeks... I''d say he''s been training for three weeks.


    His physique does not seem to have changed much, but I could already see that his body had undergone a tremendous evolution over the past three weeks, something that is unthinkable to the average person.


    Intrigued by this, I did not hesitate to put my hand on his T-shirt.


    "Excuse me, Usato-kun."


    "What?¡¡What''s the matter, Inukami-senpai ......?


    He rolled up the clothes Usato was wearing.


    Celia''s face, who was watching the scene, flushed red at my action.


    "...... I see."


    The result of the healing magic that forced me to heal the muscle damage caused by excessive training, these dense muscle fibers, as well as the endurance, will be able to draw unusual power.


    "You look different. Usato-kun, you have amazing muscles. ......!"


    "Aren''t you excited, Inukami-senpai?"


    "No, no, I''m ...... impressed that you''ve done so well in such a short period of time."


    No, you really did a good job of torturing him.


    Suzune-sama,...... what''s wrong?"


    "I''m sorry Celia, I don''t understand either. I''m sorry Celia, I don''t know either.


    Perhaps fed up with my refusal to leave him, Usato forcibly pulled me off him with both arms.


    I''m a little disappointed, but I''ll back off for the time being.


    There''s no point in letting him hate me.


    "Huh. But I''m glad to see that everyone is doing well.


    "Usato looks ...... fine."


    "Ha-ha-ha, that''s all I''ve got going for me these days."


    Usato smiles cheerfully without showing any sign of fatigue.


    ...... seems to be okay, the training is what it is, but he is adapting well here.


    Deciding that there is nothing to worry about, we try to leave to look for Sigurth, who is walking away.


    "Well, it looks like our fears were unfounded, so I''d better get back.


    "Worried?¡¡Well, okay. I''ll come to you this time. I''d like to see the training at the castle.


    "Yes, please come to ......."


    Celia shuddered as she heard Usato''s distant look as he looked toward the castle, and whispered, "Oh, my God.


    She did not want him to see too much of the training at the castle, as she thought that the level of training of the knights was the same as that of the lifeguard corps. Perhaps it would have been demoralizing for the knight.


    When the conversation was over and I was about to go looking for Sigurth, a big man came from the woods with what looked like a lunch box in one hand.


    "He is ......."


    "You know him, Usato?"


    >


    I saw a vein appear on Usato''s forehead.


    I had known Usato for a short time, but I knew him to be a mild-mannered person. For a moment, I thought it was a bad dream to see him looking like an ogre like he was now.


    But reality was cruel.


    Because Usato-kun spoke out of turn to the tall man.


    "Who the hell do you think you are, holding my lunch box!¡¡You little wooden idiot!¡¡Use that brain of yours and remember what happened a week ago!


    "Ah!¡¡I don''t know what you''re talking about!¡¡Try to put it in words I, an idiot, can understand!


    "If you try to make it any clearer, you''ll sound like a baby. Oh, I see... Tong has a head full of cotton, not brains!"


    You son of a b*tc*!


    Tong''s head is full of cotton candy. ----!


    Give me your head!


    I''ll take it!


    "Oh, is that Usato?¡¡......?¡¡Now he''s laughing and talking. ......


    "Hang on, Mr. Kazuki!¡¡How can I help ...... Suzune-sama!"


    "Hell can change even a person''s mind. ...... is cruel."


    "This is not the time to get lost in emotion!¡¡Forget Sigurth, get Master Kazuki to the castle ...... quickly!"


    I look behind me, lending a shoulder to Kazuki-kun, whose eyes have gone somewhat vacant.


    He is fighting with a strong-looking man, and he looks so different from his mild-mannered appearance earlier that it is hard to imagine that he has changed, but he looks somewhat natural.


    "Well, you''ve found your place. ......"


    I was a little envious to see him finding his place in the unknown world before anyone else.

 6 - the sixth story

    It has been a month since Rose sent me to the lifeguard.


    During that time, my body has undergone a great deal of change.


    First of all, my physical abilities have improved dramatically. I know this is the result of the hellish training.


    Starting from running, push-ups, sit-ups, and so on, I worked out every part of my body step by step. By completing this course, I was qualified for the first time to be a member of a lifeguard.


    According to Rose, the reason for the thorough training of the body is to escape from the enemy as quickly as possible on the battlefield. Not just to escape, but to be able to reach near full speed with a number of wounded on my back.


    "The faster you can move, the faster you can help", Rose used to say during training.


    A normal person would think, "That''s right," but it is very difficult to do. They literally carry wounded people who have been left on the battlefield. It is meaningless unless you have the guts and the ability to do it.


    After a month of training, I had come to understand this, and I was determined to do my best in today''s training, but...


    "I''m going outside."


    Yes, it wasn''t a training session. Please give me back my motivation.


    ......, the sad reality is that the only places I know in this world are the castle where I was summoned and the Lifeguard Corps.


    I was abducted here on the day I was summoned.


    I don''t know the purpose, but I''m going to follow Rose for now.


    The other members of the group do not come here because they are working on the compulsory menu of voluntary training.


    I feel sorry for them, I sneer at the tough guys inwardly.


    Take this.


    Rose handed me a backpack-like object about my height.


    I ask, "What is this?" Rose says nothing and walks out the door toward the town.


    Hmm?¡¡What''s up, Tongs? You look at me like I''m a soldier on my way to the dead.


    "What''s up? Come quickly."


    Rose is waiting for me at the entrance.


    I have a bad feeling about this. I have a bad feeling about this.


    I have no choice but to obey her, though, because it would be too much trouble if I disobey her.


    I''ll just have to go along with it.


    My first visit to the city was a new one for me.


    It is not full of machines like in the original world, but it is lined with stores similar to the markets I saw when I was a child.


    "The Kingdom of Lingle is a country of commerce. Many people from other countries come here to work.


    "I see. ...... Oh."


    A girl with ears like a fox sells spiky fruits in a store.


    Is that a beastman?


    I''ve heard about them, but seeing them in front of my eyes, I''m impressed.


    "Don''t stare too closely at the beastman, you idiot. I know they''re rare for you, but they''re so uncomfortable for them that in the land of the beastmen they can be captured immediately."


    "Oh, I''m sorry."


    Surely, it''s rude to look at me like that, since I''m not a freak show.


    When I tried to look away from the beastman girl, our eyes met unexpectedly. The girl with wide eyes is staring at my face. ...... This is--,


    "...... Pretty is justice, isn''t it?"


    "Huh?¡¡What are you talking about?¡¡You''re not making any sense."


    "Ade?"


    Please don''t poke me in the head.


    Hmm?¡¡But the only beastman I''ve seen so far is the girl from earlier. .......


    "If they come from other countries to work, shouldn''t there be more subhumans and beasts?"


    "It is relatively easy for subhumans to enter this country. Master Lloyd is a kind-hearted man. ...... but there are problems along the way. Thieves, kidnappers, assassins, and such scum are on the lookout. Some of the subhumans, especially the beastmen, have valuable abilities. And with their good looks, they can be sold for a lot of money as slaves.


    "Slaves ......"


    "Of course we don''t have slavery in this country, but there are places that do ....... Do you understand?"


    "Well, in a manner of speaking..."


    I understand, but I am not convinced. Slavery is something I, as an ordinary person, will never understand!


    I looked at the world map the other day, and the beastmen''s kingdom is far away from the Lingle Kingdom.


    "So it''s hell for them to come here too?"


    "Yes. Let''s go to ...... and go to the next place."


    As usual, I don''t understand where Rose wants to go.


    Suddenly I feel a gaze on me and look back at the fox beastman. She is still looking at me.


    A girl who stares at me intently, not averting her gaze for a moment.


    ......It''s a little creepy, let''s get out of here.


    After that, I followed Rose without once looking back.


    I was so excited to see her.


    We arrived at the big door past the market.


    Is there another town ahead? Wow, a double structure. .......


    ...... this is different. Out of the kingdom!


    Rose talks to the guard guarding the door. I''ve noticed something in the past month. Rose has a habit of flying a gun whenever she talks to someone.


    Because right now the gate guard is freaking out.


    "Hey, good to see you, Thomas."


    Mr. Rose, how can I help you today?


    I thought I''d show my men what''s out there.


    Which translates to "open the door."


    As one would expect from Rose, she scares the hell out of the gatekeepers just by being there.


    "I''m coming!"


    "Oh!"


    "Mr. Rose, you''re a total thug. Oh, it''s nothing.


    After a month together, you know how long it takes to lose your temper.


    The gatekeepers open the door with a gleam in their eyes. I casually bow to the gatekeeper as I go through the door.


    "Mr. Rose, where are you headed now?"


    "The forest where the demons live."


    "What?"


    It''s about two hours from here.


    I''m sorry. I don''t know you.


    You don''t mean to tell me that this big bag of stuff is a camp set?


    Do you want me to spend my days in a monster-infested forest?


    Rose completely ignores me as she walks down the mountain path.


    No, wait! I haven''t been told to live a life of survival yet!¡¡Don''t give up hope!


    We''re here!


    Something dimly lit, a forest stretches out before us.


    I look over the cliff into the forest and see Rose with her arms crossed behind her back.


    "This forest is so called the . Do not return until you have hunted a grand grizzly here. I don''t care how long."


    I was given a survival life and some kind of assignment.


    Grand grizzly bear is a dangerous bear demon that blue grizzly bears grow into after living for a hundred years!¡¡I read in a book that it''s a very dangerous bear!¡¡You don''t like me, do you!


    "No, I don''t hate you.


    Bullshit!


    "Oh, bother. Just get to the point. Don''t come back until you''ve hunted the bear. You could take down a grand grizzly with ease. I''ve given you valuables and food, understood?


    Know what?¡¡No, no, don''t lift me up!


    I shake my head vigorously to the side, but without a care in the world, Rose lifts me up by the backpack she''s carrying.


    She''s so strong!


    Uraa!


    "Aaaaahhhhh!"


    He spins around in the air and is thrown off.


    Moreover, perhaps because Rose''s arm strength is too strong, the momentum doesn''t subside at all. Am I going to die like this?


    Cause of death...thrown by the leader of the rescue squad.


    This is ridiculous.


    The momentum is slowing down, and the mountain begins to fall. Below us is a forest of trees.


    I can''t die! .......


    I change my balance in the air so that I''m facing the sky. On my back is a big backpack. I use it to cushion the impact. With my arms protecting my face and bracing for impact, I am literally thrown into the monster-infested forest of "Ringle''s Darkness.


    I was literally thrown into the monster-infested forest of "Lingle''s Darkness.


    The impact of the landing was less than expected.


    The trees of the forest cushioned my landing, but it was also thanks to this uselessly large backpack.


    But I will never be grateful to her. She will probably throw me in here again unless I hunt a ground grizzly.


    "As much as it pains me, Rose is right. We''ll just have to take down the grand grizzly."


    It''s only a two-meter bear.


    I''ve lived through hell and back, so a bear is easy for me...


    >


    "What ......?"


    From somewhere in the forest, I hear the yelp of a large beast. Then footsteps approaching.


    I run away from the place with the speed of a hare. Only in Usari!


    "I guess force is the one thing a man cannot defeat a beast!¡¡I think we should use our brains and tactics to defeat them!"


    >


    "They''re chasing us!


    I looked behind me and saw a three-meter-long white-furred bear, a grand grizzly, running toward me as fast as he could.


    We encountered our target as soon as we entered the forest, but it was much scarier than we had imagined.


    I''ve never seen a bear with claws and fangs that big, even at the zoo!


    What to do, what to do, what to do!


    What to do when you encounter a bear.


    1,Pretending to be dead...... has some credibility in the sense of urban legend, but if you do anything, you might get eaten.


    Second, take a bell to scare it away...... don''t have one.


    Three, I''m confident in my ...... legs to escape.


    I''ve decided on a plan. We have to run!


    I''ll run. A bear can''t match my speed!


    >


    It''s following us!¡¡Yeah!"


    I don''t have to look back to know he''s following us.


    I remember now that I have seen on TV that wild bears can reach speeds of 40 to 60 kilometers per hour.


    That is, if this bear is as fast as that, or even faster than that, ...... is not so bad.


    "...... good one, you bear! It''s you and me, one on one!¡¡If you want to eat me, follow me! I''m going to pull you away!¡¡Come on. ----"


    >


    >


    >


    "It''s not fair to increase the ...... number!"


    It''s not fair!


    I turned around and saw a white-furred bear and two blue-furred bears running side by side. When did they grow?


    Is it a Matryoshka?


    d*mn it!¡¡This backpack is in the way!


    But I can''t take it down. It''s supposed to contain the survival gear we need to survive here.


    It must weigh about 100 kilos. I don''t know what they packed in there to make it weigh that much, but it''s Rose. I''m sure there''s something in there.


    But you know what?


    "How long do I have to run away ......"


    <<<<<>>>>>


    I mean, will I ever get out of this forest alive?

 7 - Seventh Episode

    The night I was tossed into the monster-infested Dangerous Forest at Rose.


    I was resting on a tree in my underwear.


    It''s been a few hours since sunset, and judging from my empty stomach, I''d say it''s about 8:00 or 9:00 p.m.


    It is pitch black around me. All I can rely on is the light of the moon, which is several times larger than that of the original world. Nocturnal monsters are active, or perhaps they are, and we can hear their noisy cries.


    "...... can''t even light a fire."


    If you light a fire, the monster might notice you.


    There is a possibility that they would be afraid of fire and would not come close to us, but unfortunately, I had only portable food, a water bottle about the size of a PET bottle, a knife with a blade about 20 cm long, a pen, and a notebook in my backpack.


    In the first place, there were no tools for lighting a fire.


    I didn''t expect the contents to be mostly portable food. ......I know we don''t have to worry about food, but is this safe?


    "No, it''s not okay."


    I can''t help muttering to myself.


    The branch I am currently sitting on is very thick and strong enough to support the weight of my backpack on my back.


    After running and hiding from the ground grizzly and the blue grizzly for about three hours, I questioned the bears that never dispersed, and finally came to the conclusion that they were being chased by a scent.


    If so, I thought I could wash off the scent of their bodies with water, so I looked for a place where there was a body of water. I soon found a place that looked like a waterfall and jumped into it without hesitation.


    As a result, the bear was scattered, but my clothes were soaked.


    "......"


    What should we do now?


    Our ultimate goal is to take down the grand grizzly. But no matter how confident I am in my physical abilities, I can''t make full use of my body.


    What then?


    "So far, all I''ve been able to use is ......"


    A knife, a notebook, a pen.


    For the time being, I put on a pair of pants that are still dry and put the knife in my belt.


    "To defeat an enemy, you must first know who you are dealing with. ......The pen is mightier than the sword."


    For now, we make a plan and use our current location as our base of operations.


    Fortunately, there is a river near this place. I''m worried about parasites, but I hope there aren''t any at this point.


    "It''s not a good start ...... but ...... I''ll get over it."


    He deploys a weak healing spell on his fatigued body and rests.


    Before he does so, he pulls a knife from his ---- waist and slashes it horizontally at the tree he is riding on.


    "Day 1......"


    Thrown into the forest, my one-man battle begins.


    I am in the forest, alone, and the battle begins.


    The next morning, having poured out hard portable rations with water from my canteen, I was equipped with a T-shirt, long pants, a canteen, and a knife, and was moving through the forest with my head down.


    In my pocket, I have a notebook and a pen ready to go at any moment.


    "...... where are you?"


    He marks the trees with his knife and searches his surroundings.


    I washed myself in the river before coming here, so I shouldn''t have to worry about the smell ......, but it won''t matter if they find me.


    "........."


    There are many other monsters in this forest besides the grand and blue grizzlies.


    But I have only found the grand grizzly and the blue grizzly. Well, I''m sure I''ll meet other monsters anyway.


    ".........!¡¡This is ......"


    Three scratches on a tree.


    Claw marks from something large. The size of these marks suggest that this could be the ground grizzly from yesterday.


    We need to search around carefully. .......


    Just as I turn around and start to walk, I hear a rustling sound in the grass in front of me.


    "What?


    What''s there?


    I slowly pull out my knife and approach the shadows where the noise is coming from.


    I roughly wipe the sweat from my forehead. If it''s a violent guy, I run away immediately.


    Swallowing spit gulpingly, I move the opposite hand from the one holding the knife through the grass... ----


    "Kyu ......"


    There it was, a black furball.


    "What the hell is this ...... rabbit, right?"


    What looked like a ball of fur was a black rabbit.


    A species not listed in the book Rose had given me.


    A rabbit with ears that stood up like antennae and black fur.


    The rabbit lies on the ground and looks at me with red eyes.


    Dull ...... eyes ....... I am almost moved by its adorable appearance, but I hold my breath and check the rabbit that seems to be unable to move.


    "Are you hurt?"


    "Kyu."


    The rabbit nods its head.


    I dare not get into the fact that the language is understood. This is a different world, so there is no use in thinking with the common sense of the original world.


    I walk up to the rabbit and see where it is injured.


    There is a cut on his leg, maybe he was hit by a monster.


    "Hold still."


    A pale green light is emitted from his hand and placed over the wound on his hind leg.


    After a few seconds, you remove your hand and the wound disappears without a trace.


    This is the result of my training, and although I used it almost exclusively on myself, I was surprised at how fast it heals from a third party''s point of view.


    When I think of this aspect, I realize once again that this magic is extraordinary.


    I healed you. Please don''t hurt yourself again.


    I leave the rabbit.


    I''m tempted to take her home with me, but my goal is to take down the grand grizzly... I don''t have time for rabbits.


    However, the rabbit comes closer to me as I move away.


    I silently take a step back, and the rabbit approaches me. ......What''s this?


    "Look, look, if you stay with me, the grand grizzly will attack you. Or do you know where the Grand Grizzly is?"


    "...... squeak."


    The rabbit shakes its head as if to say, "Come here," and starts running.


    I wonder what kind of a flowery old man he is, but I follow him to see if I can find him.


    This rabbit seemed to be something reliable ---- though I had no proof, it seemed so naturally.


    "Kyu-----!"


    A rabbit moves through the forest, bouncing noiselessly. In the midst of this, you notice that its ears are stretched out and pointing in one direction, like an antenna.


    ...... do you think those ears are acting like a radar?


    After about 10 minutes of chasing the rabbit, the rabbit suddenly stops.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "Squeak."


    "Whoa!¡¡What the hell?"


    Suddenly, a rabbit rises from my feet to my shoulders.


    Its black fur tickles my neck. And it''s not as heavy as I thought.


    What''s wrong with her? She''s too cute!


    The rabbit folds its ears forward, suggesting something.


    "Kyu!"


    "...... look ahead?"


    This rabbit knows what I''m talking about.


    But I forgive it because it''s cute.


    It rustles through the bushes ahead and looks ahead. There is a dark cave and two blue grizzlies......?


    "Oh, no!"


    Hold your mouth.


    If I scream now, those bears will know. That cave is their den.


    I talk quietly to the rabbit on my shoulder.


    "...... Thanks for your help."


    The rabbit starts grooming its fur as if embarrassed by my words.


    You shy little thing.


    Now that I know where the cave is, I take out my notebook and pen.


    "Kyu?"


    "Hmm, what''s this?"


    You can''t fight a bear and win easily.


    Then we have to take advantage of his opening. Then...


    "Observation Diary."


    Now, let''s start a diary of our lives: ......!

 8 - Eighth Forest Diary

    The second day of life in the monster-infested forest.


    Before going to bed, I would like to write about the ecology of the grand grizzly and blue grizzly that I have been writing about today.


    It is a little dark since the only light I can rely on is moonlight, but I will try to write.


    I wonder if I have developed a habit of writing in the past month. I feel restless if I don''t keep a diary.


    Day 2.


    Guided by a black-furred rabbit, we arrive at the desired monster''s home.


    There were two blue grizzlies and a grand grizzly.


    One of the blue grizzlies was small and its behavior looked like that of a child. The other was larger and probably a parent.


    I had read in a book that grand grizzlies live in groups. ...... I wondered if this was a group of grizzlies.


    After an hour or so of observation, not much progress was made, so I cut it off.


    As usual, I had a rabbit on my shoulder, but I forgive it for being ...... cute.


    Day 3.


    On the third day, I observed the habitat again.


    As usual, there is no movement.


    There is nothing unusual to note, so I''ll leave it at that for now.


    I wonder what this rabbit is that is following me. ...... It speaks my language and has an inherent ability to sense danger, which is very useful.


    The questions are endless.


    But it''s cute, so I don''t mind.


    Day 4


    I have a stomach ache.


    The fifth day


    I knew the water was bad.


    The rabbit by my side was very reassuring as I suffered from a stomachache.


    In the afternoon, feeling better, I went to watch the bears.


    I kept an eye on the tree tops, and it seemed that they had gone hunting today. I hadn''t seen him for a day, but it feels like it''s been a long time.


    The hunting was like a small blue grizzly bear accompanied by a grand grizzly bear. It''s kind of comforting.


    I learned from what I saw today that they eat basically anything.


    They easily killed a boar demon, <>, that had developed hind legs.


    Can that guy really be defeated?


    Day Six


    Today I was attacked by a monster.


    It was on the way back from showing a black rabbit where clean water gushes out. Suddenly, the rabbit started shaking.


    Then a huge snake like an Aardvark appeared. I don''t know its name, so I''ll just call it Gigatsuchinoko, or Giganoko for short. It was a huge snake with a thick body, about 7 meters long.


    It did not snake like a snake, but ran straight, which terrified me from the bottom of my heart. Of course, I ran away. It was chasing me very persistently, but I managed to escape.


    I took a detour from the original route. Just as a precaution.


    Something''s wrong with that snake. It seemed different from the monsters in this forest.


    And the black rabbit was scared. He was fine with the grand grizzly... .......


    I don''t know much about the monsters in this forest. Something terrible is going on here.


    Seventh day


    Nothing unusual about the bears today.


    Oh man, I''ve been here for a week now and I''m starting to wonder why I''m here at all.


    Day 8


    I was attacked by gigantopods again.


    It was not far from where I am based now.


    I found him deep in the forest ...... and he moved his base after me? Then he''s totally out to get me. I can''t let him eat me.


    We''d better take out the grand grizzly early.


    I have a bad feeling about this.


    Day 9


    The rabbits had been frightened since this morning, so I rested myself on the tree today.


    The water we have brought is running low, but it''s no substitute for life.


    But isn''t this rabbit a little too friendly to me? I don''t know how much I healed his wounds, but I don''t know if he''ll miss me this much.


    To be honest, I''d like to take it home.


    If I don''t see Giganoko tomorrow, I''ll go bear hunting.


    In the end, I was unable to hunt a grand grizzly bear on the tenth day.


    It is not that my desperate plan failed. I didn''t even ...... execute it in the first place.


    Because ------ there was a corpse of a grand grizzly bear, cruelly devoured, right in front of me.

 9 - the ninth episode

    --- A corpse so violated that the word "brutal" can be applied to it.


    It was the demon Rose had told me to defeat, a grand grizzly bear. Its limbs were broken in twisted directions, and there were scars all over its body as if it had been bitten by some large creature.


    Another blue grizzly bear was left in the same condition.


    "......This is not happening."


    "Coo ......"


    "This is not a good idea. ......"


    It is a bittersweet sight to see the two demons, not even eaten, just cruelly slaughtered.


    It is not because they have been robbed.


    It was something else that made me angry.


    "...... Rose is going to kill me."


    I didn''t see the bear killed myself. But it is obvious to anyone who sees it that it has been almost unilaterally overrun, as it is so obviously destroyed.


    I know of only one bear in the area that could do that to a grand grizzly. That snake looks like an Aardvark.


    If the grand grizzly that was the reason I was thrown into these woods was killed, I can''t prove to Rose that I killed it.


    "Cu......"


    "......Yeah,yah,yah,yah,......!"


    I might be able to pull some fangs or something out of this bear and bring it to Rose to fool her into clearing it up, but she''s such a horseshit b*tc*.


    If she suspects my behavior, she''ll get to the truth in no time.


    I hit the tree as if I were going to hit her. I hear a creaking sound, but I am too confused to pay attention to it.


    Then, unable to think calmly, I hear a rabbit''s cry for attention.


    "What?¡¡Is that him?


    I try to put strength into my legs to run away immediately, but a small blue shadow comes out of the bushes and I let my guard down.


    "Guu......"


    A blue grizzly bear cub?


    Out came a blue grizzly about a meter in diameter.


    It squeals sadly as it approaches the carcasses of the two bears, paying no attention to me.


    ".........gu......"


    "......"


    I''m not a very admired person.


    I have never helped people with good intentions, nor have I ever wronged them with bad intentions. I was just an ordinary high school boy who did nothing. Even though Rose tortured me a lot and made me halfway strong, my essence remained the same.


    No matter how hard I try, I am still a high school boy who hates to lose.


    I am a sore loser, and I don''t like admitting defeat to Rose.


    I don''t like that he took my prize.


    I don''t like that my determination is in vain.


    But more than that, I don''t like the sight of the sad-sounding little bear in front of ...... me.


    "Hey."


    "Ggh!"


    I know it''s a contradiction.


    I''m supposed to be the one who takes down the grand grizzly. I may have created the situation.


    But..,


    "We will avenge our enemies. So watch. I''ll give you the best snake meat I''ve ever tasted."


    This is my complacency. I''ll take down that snake.


    This time I won''t run away, I''ll fight.


    -With a firm resolve, I turn my back on the little bear and set out to face my most vicious enemy yet.

 10 - the tenth story

    A region far from the Kingdom of Lingle, covered by black clouds.


    In a place that is not fit for human habitation, towering high above the land is an eerie castle.


    "......... hmmm."


    The lord of the castle is a handsome man sitting in a heavily decorated chair.


    He is surrounded by a dimly lit, aged throne-like interior.


    A tall, red-haired woman kneels before him. The woman was hardly human in appearance, with brown skin, shoulder-length red hair, and a well-defined face, but most striking were the twisted horns on her head.


    The man slowly opened his mouth to the red-haired woman, who appeared to be his retainer.


    "How is the invasion of the Lingle Kingdom coming along?"


    "Everything is going well. We have our troops in place and are steadily preparing for the invasion, and will soon be able to begin our march.


    The woman, who appeared to be a retainer, did not seem offended by the arrogant man''s attitude and replied in a casual manner.


    "Well, ...... is fine. Back off."


    "Ha."


    The woman, bowing her head reverently, obeys the man''s order and leaves the room.


    The woman exhales as she leaves the room, as if all her tension has been released.


    "I''m still a little choked up about talking with the Demon Lord."


    "Are you sure?¡¡You''re the commander of the Third Army, the Commander of the Third Army, you can''t say that. ......"


    "...... Hulk, huh?"


    From behind the complaining woman, a man with horns like a sheep''s head, Hyrulk, spoke to her in a broken tone.


    "I don''t mind. The demon king is a generous man, and he doesn''t care a bit about my level of disrespect. How about you, then?¡¡Master Demonologist?


    Don''t call me such a strange name. We''re in the same class, so you can call me Hulk."


    "Hmmm ......"


    Hulk pokes his head in annoyance at the woman who walks away as if she has no interest in him.


    "Ha-ha-ha, to answer your earlier question, ...... I have completed the prototype of the magical monster."


    "Oh, how''s it coming?"


    "Well, it''s got a powerful venom, a big frame, and sharp fangs. And a beauty that transcends the borders of life itself. ......


    What''s its name?


    "Demonic Monster Prototype 72, Barzinak!¡¡My masterpiece!


    "Hmm?¡¡Hmm? That''s the same name as the 71 you were talking about before, right?¡¡What happened to it?


    The woman wonders about Hulk''s words and calls out to him. He sits down on the ground with his eyes downcast.


    "Oh, that boy. He was successfully repulsed by the leader of that country''s army during the previous march on the Kingdom of Lingle and has never been seen again. ....... At that time, I felt like I had lost my own child.


    "Sigurth, the Lord Commander. If he''s good enough, he can fight them off.


    The image in the woman''s mind is that of a knight reaping his enemies with a martial sword wrapped in flames.


    "But there was a more troublesome group than him in the last battle.


    "Uh, I don''t know much about them as a technician, but you mean the "kidnappers"?"


    "Yes, those guys. Soldiers who are on the battlefield but don''t fight. I can''t tell you how much trouble they gave me in the last battle. ......"


    A woman with a bitter look on her face as she recalls her earlier march to the Kingdom of Lingle. The failure of the previous invasion had hurt her pride so much.


    Hulk, who has a question for the woman with a bitter expression on his face, asks her a question with a curious look on his face.


    "Well, why don''t we just kill them first?"


    "...... can''t do that. They are very stubborn. Besides, even moving around with a wounded man in your arms is not much different than normal. Besides, their boss is ......"


    Who''s the boss?


    "........."


    I looked at the woman with a frown and clenched teeth and wondered what had happened to her boss. The woman begins to explain on her own, leaving Hulk to wonder about such things.


    "Their boss is a master of healing magic."


    "......I see, you mean to heal the injured brought by your men in a safe place. ......"


    "That''s what his men do. He will personally go out into the battlefield and heal the wounded on the spot. ...... The d*mned thing is that no matter how much he is attacked, he can heal the wounded and fatigued in the blink of an eye, so invulnerable that he can be mistaken for a non-human being. The healing speed is so fast that it is impossible for ordinary recovery magic. At the root of it all is a rare and inconspicuous magic called healing magic. It keeps his body in tip-top shape."


    "......... If used in such a way, there is no way the body of an ordinary human being could withstand it."


    Even Hulk is not called Doctor of Demons.


    He is also familiar with the structure of the human body, as he has even included humans in his research. From what she has told us, no matter how much she has shown her ability beyond human limits, there is no way that an ordinary human being can endure the pain of musculature, bones, and internal organs.


    And anyone who tries to do so must be a daredevil and reckless.


    "The problem is that I endure it. He is a monster who only lost his right eye in a killing spree with my master before the Demon Lord returned!


    "You know that the First Legion ...... is a monster, don''t you?"


    "...... I don''t know, I don''t know anything about that."


    Hulk sighs at the woman who is determined to keep her mouth shut.


    "You must be ...... pretty skilled to survive against ...... your master."


    "Huh, the new guy in my unit doesn''t believe my story for a second. "Huh, the new guys in my unit don''t believe me for a second, but they''re going to get a taste of what it''s like during the next invasion.


    "You''re telling me that much ......"


    "But I, myself, will avenge ...... Master''s ...... death in the next invasion by avenging ...... him by taking on ...... Rose."


    The woman turns her head in the direction of the kingdom of Lingle, leaving Hulk to mutter casually, "Your master is alive, though.


    "In the name of Amira Berghlet!


    "Your role this time is to lead the troops, you can''t go to the front ......."


    "Oh, .........."

 11 - the eleventh episode

    The night I had declared to the blue grizzly kid that I was going to kill the snake, I was up in the tree, shaving a simple spear out of a handy branch with a knife.


    I don''t know if this improvised weapon will work.


    But I have no knowledge of making traps, and the only weapons I have are my knife and my fists.


    So I need something that can be used as a weapon.


    "Well, it''s done."


    It''s just a simple spear with a pointed end, but it''s pretty sharp.


    I place it close at hand and lean my back against the tree to prevent it from falling under the tree.


    I am used to this hard bed, but I still miss the soft bed.


    "I wonder how Kazuki and Inukami-senpai are doing. ......"


    "Kyu?"


    "Haha, you''ve been following me all along after all. ......"


    I pet the rabbit that looks into my face.


    It''s a strange rabbit. Biologically, existentially. Come to think of it, I owe my survival to this rabbit.


    "Tomorrow, I may put you in danger. ......


    The rabbit nodded his head.


    Satisfied with his answer, I slowly lean back against the tree and close my eyelids.


    I need to rest my body before the battle.


    I have to get some rest before the battle.


    The next day, I was looking for the snake, using the rabbit as a radar.


    All I carried was a makeshift spear and a knife, and I left all other burdens behind.


    Of course, I had washed my body and removed the smell, so there was no need to worry about being recognized by the smell.


    Everything is ready, all we have to do is find the snake.


    "Kyu!"


    What''s wrong?"


    The rabbit shudders.


    You''re facing straight ahead, your hand sweating as you hold your spear. With the utmost caution, you make your way through the bushes, trying not to make a sound.


    "Is that the sound of something fighting?"


    I hear a sound. It is very loud.


    A violent noise, as if a tree is being felled.


    I slowly parted the bushes, paying attention to the sound, and peeked ahead to see a huge snake that looked like an aardvark, which I had been looking for.


    I gasp, but then I spot another creature near the snake. It was the blue grizzly bear cub I had seen yesterday.


    "He ......!"


    "Squish!"


    He was covered in wounds, but he was still not dead, probably due to his small size, but he was already in a state of extreme fatigue and in no condition to move.


    What should we do?¡¡Should we leave? Or should I just bite my finger and wait until the snake makes an opening?


    Your best bet is the latter, but that''s .......


    "It''s not cool, is it?"


    "?"


    "You get off."


    He lowers the rabbit to the ground and re-grips the spear with both hands.


    I''m ready, of course I''m not ready to die. I''m ready to kill the snake that''s out there, bullying the weaker ones.


    Let''s go!


    Compared to this intimidation... it''s nothing compared to Rose''s.


    I know how scary that evil, cold-blooded woman is.


    I''m not afraid of anything!


    >


    >


    Both of them are startled by my loud voice.


    The snake seems to be hesitating whether to go for me or the bear. This is my chance. But a spear will never penetrate those big armor-like scales.


    What then?¡¡There''s only one thing to do...


    "Come on!"


    With one full-throated step, you approach the snake as if you were closing in on it. The closer I get, the bigger the snake is, and the teeth that can be seen from its mouth are so big that one bite would kill me.


    Hmm?¡¡My eyes go dark. .......


    >


    "Whoa!"


    A huge mouth closes in front of you with a snap.


    If you hadn''t backed out, you''d be dead. ......!


    But I''ve been waiting for this moment. He spins around on the spot and thrusts out a spear held upside down in his right arm with a voice.


    "Eat this!¡¡You stupid snake!"


    With a coarse and uncharacteristic remark, the spear was thrust out and pierced deep into the snake''s right eye.


    I''m going to stab it all the way to the root and pierce it from the inside!¡¡With this thought, I pushed out with all my strength into my arm...,


    "Kishaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!"


    "What?¡¡Gah!"


    The next moment, my body is blown away with a tremendous impact.


    I almost lose consciousness, but I manage to stay conscious by reflexively putting on healing magic and starting to heal my wounds.


    I look at the snake as I am slammed into a tree and slide down to the ground. I see the snake with its tail swishing at me, its eyes pierced by spears and its eyes turned one-eyed.


    "Gosh,......, a tail,......!"


    "fshrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ......"


    I''m an idiot. That weird snake would have been the first to come up with the idea to at least use its tail.


    But the wounds healed quickly with healing magic.


    That snake would have lost half its vision if it didn''t have a pit organ or something. Compared to that, this kind of attack is nothing to me.


    After all the wounds are healed, I quickly stand up and pull the knife from my waist.


    "Is that all you got? It doesn''t work at all!


    I aim at his blind spot on the right side.


    Just as I run to the snake''s blind spot, the snake is rushing toward me at the same time.


    It''s easy to avoid him if he''s coming at you with momentum. As you had expected, you reach the blind spot on the left side, that is, the blind spot of his right eye that has been crushed.


    However, he stops suddenly and turns his head toward me.


    "---?


    Instantly, his mouth, which looks like it''s cut all the way down to his cheek, twists as if he''s sneering at me.


    Seeing that smile, I realize that I''ve fallen right into the snake''s trap.


    I was naive.


    I thought he was just a snake running wild. But this one was clearly different. This one thinks and acts, this one thinks and is tyrannical. He thinks and kills.


    He enjoys ......... tormenting.


    He opens his big mouth, and this time his teeth catch me in the left arm and shoulder.


    "Gghhhhhhhhhh!"


    I screamed as the teeth bit into my left shoulder.


    I managed to escape with only my left arm because I quickly stuck out my left hand. And, strangely enough, it didn''t bite off my arm. He is rolling his serpent-like eyes, too.


    "¡«¡«¡«¡«!"


    "Heh heh!"


    Of course, in my outstretched left hand is a knife. It''s stuck in the maxillary part of his mouth, which is not protected by his solid scales.


    "Hah ...... hah ...... hah ...... hah ...... f*ck ......."


    My shoulder hurts...... but I''m used to the pain.


    I force my right arm into the teeth of my mandible, which are digging into my shoulder, and exert myself.


    "Geez, I''m not going to let you beat me ......!"


    "Shhhh, shhhh, shhhh, shhhh..."


    He puts his jaws on me as if he won''t let me go.


    I''ve been training in hell since I came to this world, and I''m confident in my abilities.


    I''ve been training in hell ever since I came to this world, and I''m confident in my strength. ......¡¡I can''t do it with one arm, not with both arms, my left arm will really be separated from me forever!


    I''m losing feeling in my left hand. I keep trying to heal it with healing magic, but I can''t bring back the blood that has flowed out.


    "Hmm?¡¡...... and ......?¡¡I see... ......!!!"


    I twist the knife I had stuck inside the snake''s mouth as hard as I can to gouge out the wound.


    Sure enough, the snake loosens its teeth to bite me in pain.


    "There you go!"


    I take that moment, pry open my mouth, and pull out my left arm.


    I back up, holding my arm covered in blood and the snake''s saliva. The snake is squirming in agony from the intense pain in its mouth.


    I have a chance to follow up, but unfortunately I left my knife in the snake''s mouth. Now my weapon is gone.


    But there is still hope.


    "...... is the only place you want to go."


    Aimed at the part of the head that''s high up in the air.


    We won''t give him time to recover.


    With that in mind, he tries to run, but his legs are too weak.


    "d*mn, I can''t ...... see!"


    The vision is wavering, and with it, the limbs are losing strength.


    There was an emergency healing. My left hand is not elevated, but it will heal soon.


    Then there''s only one possible explanation.


    Poison.


    Poison is too cowardly for such a big guy.


    But maybe this is our last chance. We can''t let him go just because he''s poisoned.


    I''ll cover my entire body with as much magical power as I can muster to ease the poison that''s ravaging my body.


    If the poison is hurting you from the inside, you just have to fix it from the inside. Feeling intense pain all over my body, I kick the ground with my legs and run toward the snake.


    "Gghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!


    The snake notices my screaming and trying to come at it and tries to wag its tail at me. I can''t avoid it, but it doesn''t matter. I can''t avoid it, but it doesn''t matter.


    Just as the tail strikes me, a blue mass breaks in front of me.


    >


    "You ......"


    The blue grizzly''s eyes look at me for a moment as it catches my tail, making a pained sound.


    Did you save me?


    I look into the blue grizzly''s eyes as it looks straight at me, then silently turns back to the snake.


    Its head is out of my reach. If it is out of my reach, I climb up through the body.


    The snake''s rampaging movements threaten to shake me off, but I cling to it.


    When I reach the top of his head, I grab the spear that is stuck in his right eye with my right hand.


    "This is the end!"


    He puts all his strength into his right arm and pushes the spear into the head.


    The snake shakes its head and tries to shake me off, but when I thrust it with more force, it stops moving and falls to the ground with a thud.


    I am thrown to the ground, lying on my back, looking at the snake with sideways eyes.


    "Ha,ha,ha,ha,...... I did it. ......"


    <>


    A scarred blue grizzly bear cub comes near me.


    I''m afraid he''s going to eat me, but he doesn''t seem hostile, so I guess I''ll be okay.


    The blue grizzly cub sits down beside me, looks into my face, and makes one more sound.


    "Aren''t you glad you got ...... an enemy too?"


    I wonder what this little bear is going to do now, if he can survive in these woods.


    No, don''t worry about that. He even stood up to that snake. With that much guts, he should be qualified to be the boss of this forest.


    <>


    But, to my relieved ears, I hear the sound I least want to hear.


    "What?¡¡...... lie, right?"


    The snake slithers up.


    It was a painful sight, but its eyes were filled with hatred, and its gaze was fixed on me.


    >


    "Run, run, run!"


    A little bear bites my clothes with its teeth and pulls me out.


    You should have left me and run away. ......!¡¡I cry because my immobile body is too weak to move. Is this where it''s going to end? ......!


    Kazuki, Inukami-senpai, Ou, Celia-sama, Tong and the rest...... Rose.


    Yes, it''s all Rose''s fault. She can be forgiven for being a little vindictive at the end.


    "d*mn you, you bastard -----!¡¡Older ----!¡¡Violent woman-----!¡¡Ogre!"


    "Sha......aaaah!"


    "When I die, I will definitely come out as a monster...!"


    A snake with its mouth wide open approaches us.


    I''m done. I feel refreshed. I''m over it. I''ll curse you in hell, Rose. But I can''t bring this little bear into it. I''m the only one who has to die.


    "Enough, I''ll let you--"


    Just as you are about to tell the little bear to leave, a serpent with a big mouth opens right in front of you and is crushed by "something" that comes from the sky above.


    What?


    "What? You piece of ...... shit should have just stayed dead. ......"


    A green-haired woman pulling her foot out of the head of a snake that had crushed it with her foot. And an all-too-familiar black rabbit on her shoulder.


    I and the little bear were stunned on the spot.


    But after a few seconds, I realized what was happening and my whole body shook.


    Not from the joy of my rescue, but from the fear of the woman reigning in front of me.


    "Hey, Usato. You did good."


    "Lo, Rose-sama ......!"


    I couldn''t help but call her "like," but I guess it''s only natural to call someone like when the empress reigns over you.


    While I tremble in fear, Rose smiles at me as she strokes the black rabbit on her shoulder.


    "No, no, I would have been in danger if he hadn''t informed me."


    "That rabbit ......"


    "An, rabbit?¡¡What are you talking about, he''s not a rabbit, he''s my pet Kukuru, the demon that used to watch over you."


    "Yeah. ......"


    That was the moment my healing turned demonic.


    Rose speaks so that I can hear her as she kicks the snake at her feet in a condescending manner.


    "No, I was on the edge of the forest in case something happened to you. I didn''t think that the monster that Sigurth failed to kill during the last invasion had escaped into the woods. Well, I did my best to stay out of it."


    "Invasion?¡¡Of the Demon Lord''s army?


    Did he see me being chased by that snake? ......


    I''m getting used to this devilry.


    "Yes, but I didn''t expect a grand grizzly to be killed. The grand grizzly is the boss of this forest.


    "Huh?¡¡So you wanted me to fight the forest boss in my first demon fight?


    What an ogre!¡¡You bastard!


    No! You''re wrong... you son of a b*tc*!


    "You''re a dead man!"


    "I''m not gonna be able to kill him, because there''s no way I''m gonna be able to kill him, so I''m gonna challenge him to a grand grizzly and get him back, and then I''m gonna put him in a real fight with a superior opponent, and then I''m gonna give him seven days to get out. ......"


    "I thought?"


    "You were turning out to be a lot more interesting than I thought you would be, and I was curious to see where this was going, so I let you continue."


    What, ...... my actions to live were strangling me?


    Rose approaches me dejectedly. Please do something about it.


    >


    A blue grizzly bear cub comes between me and Rose.


    "Hmm, is this a blue grizzly bear cub?¡¡Does he like you?"


    "Oh, yeah?"


    I feel a little bit of a bond with this little bear.


    "You''re just like me. Hey, you."


    A little bear shivers when Rose calls out to him.


    I guess even animals are intimidated by Rose, who is absolutely strong.


    "Carry this mortal."


    "What?¡¡What are you talking about?¡¡You can''t have monsters in the kingdom!


    I''m allowed! You''re allowed! And I was just about to bring Kukul back to me. I don''t care if he''s with us.


    That''s absurd, I still doubt that this little bear will even come with me. ...... Hmm? Why are you lifting my body up, little bear?


    >


    "What~~ you''re kind of getting into it too? Don''t you want to be out in the woods with your parents?"


    The little bear, perhaps sensing my words, responds with a shaking of his body. For some reason, he seems to feel indebted to me.


    Letting out an involuntary sigh, I finally ask Rose a question that has been bothering me.


    "That rabbit ......, why was it injured?"


    "Oh? I''m just trying to keep you on your toes, and I''ve got this guy playing a trick on me."


    Don''t be so confident, Mr. Rabbit. My heart is being chipped away at by your confidence. And now I know why I can understand you. It was all at Rose''s mercy. ...... I''m crying.


    "Well..."


    Rose lifts the little bear carrying me on her back.


    Oh, God, this man scares me. I''m on the verge of tears, and Rose turns around with a smile on her face and a blue streak on her forehead...


    "Oh, by the way, you said something to me, didn''t you? What was it? Demon animal? Older? Violent woman? The Ogre? I''m 25, remember? You''ll be ready when I get back, won''t you?"


    Now I know that my biggest enemy is not that snake, but .......


    "Shhhh, rounding up to 30, right?"


    "...... think you won''t sleep today."


    It was the leader of this scary group.

 12 - the twelfth episode

    At last, from the jungle of hell(?) I was finally able to return to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    I was poisoned by snakes and injured, but Rose''s healing magic cured me of everything. I would not have been able to heal myself like this now.


    Thinking about it, I was made to realize once again that Rose''s healing magic is truly amazing.


    After I returned to the kingdom, I realized that I had spent a very long time in the mountains, even though I had only been in the mountains for about ten days.


    Right now, I am taking a blue grizzly bear cub, named "Bulrin", to an old stable near the lifeguard''s quarters to heal his wounds with healing magic.


    His blue fur is bushy and soft to the touch.


    "Hmmm, I think it''s a nice name, don''t you? Hey, Bulrin."


    No, I really think "Bullyn" is a good name.


    Taking "bull" and "ri" from "blue grizzly" and "Bullyn" from "blue grizzly", it is a cute name like some local character.


    I guess it''s at times like this that my sense of style comes out.


    I nodded my head and put my hand on his head, and he nodded his head as if he was nodding to my words,


    "......... kaput."


    He bit my hand with a snap.


    ...... Well, he seems to be very happy to get my name. Ha-ha-ha, is he bleeding beyond a sweet bite?


    The ongoing biting of my hand, Bulrin, has been safely admitted to the kingdom.


    I honestly thought I would be kicked out, but Rose told me that monsters who follow humans like Kukuru, the black rabbit, will be granted the right to stay in the kingdom after a few days of observation, as long as they are safe to some extent.


    I heard that you have to write a difficult report for that ......, but Rose will take care of that.


    I can''t really dislike him because I can rely on him at times like this, even though he has only a scary side. .......


    "That''s that. ......"


    "Kyu?"


    "It''s you, you traitorous ...... rabbit."


    "Kyu~"


    "...... because there''s no point in tilting your pretty little head, is there?"


    It''s a secret that for a moment I was so taken by his cuteness that I almost forgave him.


    Rose''s pet "Kukuru" came with me and Bulrin.


    Rose tells me that it is a rather rare kind of monster, and its name as a demon is Noir Rabbit.


    I have a grudge against this rabbit.


    He played with my pure heart. I like the fact that he went to the trouble of pretending to be injured to get close to me ......, though he''s too healthy for his master..,


    "But it doesn''t add up. I thought Rose''s pets were ...... dragons and other legendary dangerous creatures, but it''s not fair that they''re ...... cute!"


    "Gua!"


    "Ow!¡¡Sorry!¡¡Sorry!" "Bulrin''s cute too!"


    I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry!¡¡So don''t hit my shin!


    Kukuru, who had been looking at me curiously, looks behind me, then squeals and jumps toward the back of the room.


    I turn around to see Rose with Kukuru on her shoulder.


    "Oh, good boy!"


    "Mr. Rose, ......"


    "Oh, I finished the report properly. The bear is now the property of the rescue squad.


    "...... property, huh?"


    Well, I guess you could say that.


    This place isn''t free for the taking, and we still have to feed Bullyn. We''re going to have to get him to work.


    With that in mind, I turned to Bulrin and found him with his head in a lump of straw. His blue body seems to be trembling.


    Bulllin, you. ....... I don''t care how scared you are of Rose, you can''t do that.


    "Well, that''s the end of the story about the bear. I''m here to talk about the son of a b*tc*."


    "A failure?"


    You mean that snake.


    Does "failure" mean ......, literally, or does it mean something else?


    "I encountered that monster deep in the forest when I was guided to a place of clean water by that ...... kukuru.


    "I see. He was healing his wounds and building up his strength in a place where we couldn''t find him ......... but not enough to kill a grand grizzly ......."


    "You know, ......"


    "What is it?"


    "How dangerous was the grand grizzly?¡¡I only know about it from knowledge. ......"


    This was my main concern.


    I genuinely want to know how dangerous a place I was being thrown into.


    Rose crosses her arms uncomfortably at my question.


    "Yes. A squadron of this country''s best and brightest could not have done this."


    "Are you stupid?


    What?


    "I''m sorry."


    I immediately apologized. I should have lost if I retreated here, but I reflexively apologized. ......!


    I think about it, I''m not saying I''m great, but I must have done my best, didn''t I?


    When I casually asked Rose about it, surprisingly her answer was neither abusive nor critical.


    "......You passed, or more than passed, this time. You may have failed to defeat him, but you have cornered that failure. You''re qualified."


    What qualifications?


    To stand on the same battlefield as me. You may not have the fundamentals yet, but you''ve got something different from all the other healing wizards out there.


    "What''s different?"


    "The body''s ability to withstand pain, the physicality, and the ......"


    Rose puts her fist on my chest.


    "Mental toughness, that''s what the other two healing wizards under my command couldn''t get. You should be proud."


    "I''m not sure I''m aware of that. ...... hmm?¡¡Two healing wizards?"


    That reminds me, there are two other healing wizards in the medical corps besides Rose.


    However, I have never seen them since I was thrown into the Rescue Mission.


    "They are weak, so they run a clinic in the city.


    "Yeah, so ......"


    I envy .......


    Those people don''t have to go through Rose''s training. .......


    "Those guys are the emergency rearguard, the other five are to retrieve the wounded, and you and I will be in the vanguard to treat the wounded."


    "I''m the vanguard?


    Of course you are. You''re just like me.


    "What at ......?"


    We don''t have time for this. The Demon Lords will be here soon. They''ll probably come after me aggressively to make sure I don''t make the same mistake they did last time. That''s where you, the hidden gem, come in.


    In other words, I may be the trump card ...... against the Demon Lord''s army, which is an exaggeration, or I may be more like a tease to fool them.


    Can I play such a big role?


    In the midst of a fight for life or death, will I be able to maintain a normal state of mind?


    Rose, seeing the darkened expression on my face and sensing my feelings, continues to weave her words.


    "It''s no use worrying about it. But be prepared, there will surely be brave men and women sent out to the battlefield.


    "What?


    Kazuki, Inukami-senpai.


    They''re not like me. They''re real heroes. It''s only natural that they''ll have to fight against the Demon Lord''s army.


    Even if the king stops them from going into battle, the two of them will definitely go to the battlefield.


    What about me?


    To be honest, I don''t want to join the war. But I am more concerned about losing my friends in this world.


    But I don''t know if I''m stubborn or what, but if the two of us are going to go, I don''t like it if I don''t go either, since I''m in the same situation. I don''t want to be the only one in a safe place while they are trying their best.


    I''m just being selfish like a child, but one thing is for sure, I can''t turn a blind eye to it.


    I look at Rose with a serious expression.


    "I don''t ...... fight."


    "Oh."


    And I don''t kill my enemies.


    "Oh."


    "But I will save everyone."


    "That''s fine, we''re a rescue squad, we don''t have to kill them either. We save people. We beat up and take the self-sacrificing, death-hungry bastards, snatch the ones about to be killed by the enemy from the side, and let the ones about to die live even if they die. That''s what we do. ...... understand?¡¡Newbie. Talk idealistically all you want, but that''s what we, the lifeguards, are supposed to do."


    I have power.


    It''s not the power to kill them, but the power to keep them alive. Until now, I have been in limbo, unable to decide my path, but now, at this moment, with his words, I have made up my mind.


    The battlefield is a merciless place where people can easily die.


    But if my power can be the power to save someone''s life in such a place, I will step forward without hesitation.


    I raised my voice to respond to her words.


    "Yes, Commander!


    At this moment, I became a member of the rescue team for the first time.

 13 - the thirteenth episode

    After I expressed my determination to Rose, I was punished after all.


    She was still angry at me for saying bad things about her, so she locked me up and put me through a hell of a muscle training program. I have no recollection of last night, so it must have been a horrible experience.


    I found myself in my own bed, sharing a room with Tong.


    My face is pale with the incomprehension that my body is neither injured nor tired, but my mind is exhausted.


    "What the hell did they do to me? ......"


    "Oh, you''re up, Usato."


    "Tongs, it''s been a while since I''ve seen your face."


    When I got up from the bed, there was Tong, a strong-looking colleague of mine.


    What a bad day to wake up and see this unfortunate face that even a child would run away from.


    "Huh. ......"


    "Hey, why are you sighing there? I was hoping you''d be a little more mature after being thrown into the woods. I guess there''s not much hope for me now.


    Pull it out, tough guy, I''m only quiet when I''m not with Tong and the other four.


    After I had finished getting dressed while exchanging some light banter with Tong, I went to the cafeteria to have breakfast and then went outside the dormitory.


    On my way out, I fill a bucket with fruit that I borrowed from the cafeteria and take it to the stables where Bulrin is staying.


    I looked into the stables and saw a blue grizzly bear, Bulrin, lying on a bed of straw.


    "Hey, Bullyn, are you awake?"


    ".........gu?"


    He just woke up.


    He stroked him, and then he took a bucket of fruit that looked like an apple and put it in front of him.


    He puts his nose close to the fruit and sniffs it, then opens his big mouth and takes a bite of the fruit.


    "Good, good."


    "Huff ...... huff."


    After chewing slowly and swallowing, he offers another fruit to Bulrin. He offers another fruit, not forgetting to stroke it with his other hand.


    Hmmm... he is so docile and has such a cozy fur.


    It must have been very weird for the others to see me smiling and giving him the fruit.


    "There you are. I''ve been looking all over for you."


    "Commander?¡¡What''s going on?¡¡It''s not time for training yet.


    A grim-faced Rose came in through the entrance.


    I try not to worry too much about it, since it is usual for me to look grumpy.


    "What''s ...... that guy''s name for today''s training?"


    "You mean Bullring?"


    "Bull ...... Lynn?¡¡Is that his name?"


    When Rose asks me what Bullyn''s name is, I tell her his name.


    Rose rolls her eyes as if they were saucers. It was a rare look, so I felt a little refreshed.


    "Are you sure you want to call him that?"


    "Yes, isn''t it a good name?¡¡Hey, Bulrin."


    "Kapk."


    He bites my hand as I reach out to pat him on the head.


    I''m sure he''s just embarrassed.


    It''s her way of showing her affection.


    "Look, he likes it too."


    "Oh, yeah?¡¡Well, then, from today on, this Bulgarian will be training with you."


    Me and Bulrin?


    Bulrin, who has freed his hand from the bite, tilts his head and looks up at Rose.


    "He''s a member of the lifeguard squad, too," Rose says. Shouldn''t he be part of your training?


    "Well, can he?¡¡"Can you go?


    When I threw a few words at him, he naturally understood and let out a cry, as if to inspire himself.


    "I think I can make it.


    "We''re running out of time. Come on, let''s go."


    I take Bullyn and Rose out of the stable.


    For some reason, I am excited to be training for the first time in a long time.


    ......... Am I being trained?


    I''m being trained?


    "Okay, Usato. Run with the bull...... phosphorus on your back."


    "Yes?"


    I was curious as to why he was reluctant to mention Bullyn''s name, but I was more interested in the other part of the story.


    Why were you carrying him and not running with him?


    "Don''t talk back to me, we''re going to run with the burin on top of the weights."


    And the weights?


    "Of course not.¡¡The bear is a little heavier than a man, so it''s just right. It''s a simulation exercise to simulate a real battle. Pretend the bear is a person in need of rescue and keep running. Don''t cut any corners, just like in a real fight."


    "...... huh, I understand. ......"


    Wear a vest-like jacket with weights.


    I lift it up as if I were carrying a burin, feeling the nostalgic weight of it on my body.


    It''s light at all, I can do this.


    "Are you okay?¡¡"Burin?"


    "Gua."


    Bullein lightly slaps me on the head.


    I felt a warm sensation as my upper body was wrapped in his soft fur.


    I sit down in the shade of a tree and call out to Rose, who has pulled out a thick book.


    "Hmph, Commander, I''ll show you the combination of me and Bulrin!


    "Stop talking nonsense and get moving!"


    Rose''s tone of voice was clearly irritated, and I sensed that this was not a good idea, so I leaned forward slightly and started to run.


    The route we take is through the woods around the training grounds where we usually practice.


    The route is through the woods around the training grounds where we always practice.


    ...... I feel light. Did survival life in the forest strengthen my body? Or are my muscles and bones toughened by the effects of the rapid healing from the fight with the snake?


    "That''s a cartoonish story, isn''t it?


    "Guh?"


    "Oh, I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I was talking about this."


    While running, the healing magic is deployed like a thin film covering the entire body.


    It is less effective than when concentrated, but it is able to heal universally according to the strength of its magic. Without it, I would not have been able to keep up with Rose''s training.


    I have been running at a constant speed for about two hours since I started, and I still do not feel tired. I am conserving my magical energy, in fact, I would not be able to stay here if I were to make any noise at this rate.


    "I can still go ......"


    It had been about four hours since we started running.


    After that time, I began to feel some discomfort in my body.


    My legs felt heavy and I could hardly breathe. I still had enough strength, but something was preventing my body from moving.


    "......"


    My back is shaking with worry, but I can''t react to it.


    My body gets heavier and heavier, and I run slower and slower. When the sun was just overhead, I finally fell down on the spot and lay down on my back after setting Bulrin down.


    "Huh, huh, huh ...... what the ...... is this ......?"


    Before you know it, you are running out of magic.


    If it only restores fatigue, it should keep even after half a day of use. .......


    As I was lying on my back, Rose, who was reading a book in the shade of a tree, came up to me and looked into my face.


    "Do you understand?¡¡That''s how strong you are, assuming you can carry a person on your back."


    "Assuming ...... you did?"


    "The human body is a funny thing, the degree of fatigue depends on the stress. Even emotions like tension, fear, and frustration can cause fatigue in the human body. Assuming that the burin you are carrying is a human being, you will surely run out of strength in a shorter time than usual when you are running normally on the battlefield.


    "Then what do I do?"


    "Get used to it. Or develop the mentality and judgment not to be intimidated. We''re going to start this training today. Here!


    Rose puts her green-lit hand on my head.


    A warm glow envelops me, and at the same time, the fatigue leaves my body. I may not regain my magic, but I can recover enough to stand on my own.


    "Thank you very much."


    "For now, try to recover your magic. We''ll do the same this afternoon."


    ...... What a caring guy this guy is.


    I heard he stayed in the forest while I was in the forest instead of going back to his kingdom.


    Also, he loves animals.


    "The Commander is ......"


    "Hmm?"


    You''re a tsundere, aren''t you?


    What''s that word?


    "No, it''s nothing."


    I decided to keep these words to myself, since it would be bad for them to be known.


    "...... is fine, go for a run around the castle and the castle town this afternoon."


    "...... what?¡¡You mean, with a burin on your back?"


    "What else is there?"


    Wouldn''t that attract too much attention?

 14 - Fourteenth episode

    This is the second time I visited the castle town.


    There were many shadows of people on the street, so we had to slow down.


    Rose told us to get used to running among people.


    However, running through the city with a bullring on your back attracts a lot of attention.


    Normally, people in town would be intimidated by the presence of this monster, but for some reason, they didn''t seem intimidated at all, on the contrary, they looked at me with a "here we go again" expression.


    Why aren''t they making such a fuss? Hey, Burlyn?"


    From the outside, I look like a strange boy wearing a funny vest over my training uniform and carrying a big bear on my back.


    I would definitely call the police.


    I am aware that I am so strange that I would think so myself.


    "Well, it''s okay if he doesn''t make a fuss. I can concentrate better that way."


    The castle town is quite big, and having been here only once, I am forced to run along the main street with people instead of the small alleys. If I get lost, I can just use the big castle as a landmark.


    But there are many stores. I wonder if that fruit is a specialty, judging from the many fruits that I brought up to Berlin in the morning. I''ll ask Tong later.


    <


    When I passed by here before, I looked at this place with a blank stare, but I could also smell the fragrance wafting through the air.


    As I run through the stalls, I see that there are many different kinds of food sold here and there, each with its own unique shape and form.


    But what is it anyway?


    The voices I''ve been hearing... They sound like they''re getting closer and closer, and then they''re moving away. Maybe it''s because I''m running, but it''s strange that they''re getting closer.


    Is it calling for someone?


    I wonder and turn around..,


    <>


    A skinny man lying on the ground, about 10 meters away, as if he had run out of energy.


    I am stunned by the scene before me, but then I hear the sound of a bullfinches behind me, and I come to my senses and walk toward the prone man.


    I put my palm on the man''s back and pour healing magic into him.


    "Are you all right, ......?"


    "Kehach ...... finally ...... noticed you ......."


    This guy wants something from me.


    I cast a healing spell and raise myself up. The skinny man gets up apologetically, his face turning blue. He has beautiful blond hair and is quite good looking, but the shadows and sand on his face make him look very sorry.


    He still looks sick, so for now he stops at the end of the main street. I make him sit on a wooden box that is left there.


    "How are you feeling?"


    "Oh, no, I''m sorry. ......"


    "No need to thank me. What do you want from me?"


    The man, whose face has regained some of its animation, barks his head in embarrassment.


    "No~, I just wanted to say hello to my junior. I couldn''t help chasing after him.


    "Juniors are ......."


    "Huh?¡¡Didn''t the Commander tell you?"


    Juniors?¡¡The only senior people I can think of in this world are my fellow tongs in the lifeguard squad.


    Those tough guys don''t deserve to be called seniors, so I wouldn''t nominate them.


    Then there''s this guy at .......


    "He''s the only one who uses healing magic besides me and the group leader!"


    "Ha-ha-ha, Commander. You didn''t tell us much about us, did you? Then let me introduce myself. I''m Olga Fleur, 23 years old. Please feel free to call me Olga.


    My name is Usato. I am a new member of the rescue team. It''s nice to meet you, Olga-san.


    This man is a healer like me.


    From what Rose told me, he is not in charge of the front line, but of logistics support.


    "I''m sorry for interrupting your training. I was walking here to get some medicine and saw a lifeguard carrying a blue grizzly bear on his back. ....... And he didn''t look familiar, so I thought maybe he was the new guy I asked about."


    "So that''s what it was. ...... hmm? How did you know I was from the lifeguard squad?"


    I know he thought I was a strange man with a bear on his back, but he couldn''t have known that I was a member of the lifeguard squad.


    How did they know?


    "Ha-ha-ha, that''s the outfit you''re wearing. That training uniform is a special one that only members of the lifeguard corps are allowed to wear. See the red embroidery on it?


    "What?¡¡...... Oh, that''s right."


    A red flower is sewn into the thigh of his pants.


    I hadn''t paid attention to it before, but I guess Olga saw it and decided that I was a member of the rescue team.


    "And by the way, we often get tongs running around here," she said. The townspeople are used to seeing them.


    "I see, that''s why I wasn''t too surprised to see me and Bulrin ......."


    "I was a bit taken aback by the blue grizzly kids, though. ...... haha."


    If there were a bunch of guys that dense running around town, I wouldn''t make much of an impact with a bear on my back. Well, all mysteries are solved.


    I pat the head of Bulrin, who is looking at me curiously, and turn my attention to Olga.


    He smiles, looks at me and opens his mouth.


    "I''m still surprised. I never thought I could keep up with you. We couldn''t keep up with you at all.


    "No, no, I was desperate too. ...... hmm?¡¡When you say "we", you mean the other one who can use healing magic ......, right?"


    "Yes, she''s my sister, five years younger than me. We don''t train together, but we run a clinic.


    We are siblings who use healing magic. I guess magical aptitude runs in the family.


    "Yes, brother and sister. ......"


    "But we''re still a rescue squad. In case of emergency, we treat the wounded under the command of the Commander.


    I see, instead of training, we open a clinic in the castle town, and when war breaks out, we will be in the rear to heal our allies. He''s got a lot on his mind, doesn''t he?


    But if Olga is a healing magician like me, why didn''t she heal herself when she chased after me?


    "Can''t you heal yourself, Olga-san?"


    "Ah, that''s the thing, I''m not good at healing my own injuries. On the other hand, I am very good at healing others, but I couldn''t keep up with the Commander''s training because of my physical weakness. ...... My sister is another reason."


    "I didn''t know that. ......"


    There seems to be a difference between what magic can do and what it cannot do.


    Olga and his sister, I would like to visit their clinic when I have time.


    I stand up, carrying Burlin on my back.


    "Well, I''d better get back to my training. Then I''d better go back to training.


    "I''m sorry for interrupting you, Usato-kun."


    "No, no, it was nice talking to you too, Olga-san."


    We can''t rest too long.


    I''m sure they won''t be mad at me if I tell them why, but I just want to take my training seriously.


    "Oh, I have one last question."


    "Yes?"


    Olga-san calls out to me and I turn around. There is Olga-san with a serious expression on her face, not the smiling face I saw earlier.


    "I don''t want you to hate Rose-san too much. He''s pretty rough, but he''s kind of ...... clumsy, so ......"


    Here, when he called "Mr. Rose" instead of "Mr. Commander," he must have meant Rose as an individual, not Rose as a commander.


    Then the answer is obvious.


    It is all right. I don''t hate you from the beginning!¡¡Maybe some other time!"


    He was a strict, rough, and devilish leader, but somehow I couldn''t hate him.


    Although I wanted to express a grudge or two against him for dropping me in the forest, it was a good thing that I could not see Bulrin if I had not gone to the forest.


    I''m sorry about the Grand Grizzly though. ...... But it scares me to think if that snake had left the forest and attacked this kingdom.


    ".........It would have been a good thing in that sense."


    He turns around and starts running.


    Let''s go around to the castle next, where Kazuki and his senpai would be at this time of the day. It''s been a while since I''ve seen them.


    I''m going to go to ......, but I don''t think it''s a good idea to take Bulrin inside the castle.


    I''m sure he''ll be fine.


    As I watch the boy running away with the blue grizzly bear cub on his back, I am lost in thought.


    "I can''t believe that the same type of healing wizard as the Commander was a boy like that. ......"


    Not sharp like me, but a well-balanced healer. In fact, the healing spells he cast on me had a perfect effect.


    I''m still in my twenties, but I''m getting a little emotional.


    I look up at the sky as I sit on the wooden box that Usato has prepared for me.


    "So you finally found it, Commander. ...... You won''t be the only one on the next battlefield."


    Looks like my sister''s here.


    You don''t have to look so desperate just because you''re worried about her. ....... She''s a real pain in the ass.


    "Big brother!¡¡Are you dying to go out alone?


    "I''m not that frail!"


    "What?¡¡You''re my brother!"


    What, don''t you think you''re being too harsh by making it sound like I''m a poor person?


    No, no, no, don''t worry about that too much, I have to tell my lovely sister about today''s new encounter.


    "I met an interesting girl today," she said.


    "Yeah?"


    You should meet him.


    I''m sure things will get interesting from now on.

 15 - the fifteenth episode

    After I left Olga, I ran around the castle town and then headed toward the castle to run around the castle as Rose had told me.


    On the way, I attracted a lot of attention, but as soon as they saw what I was wearing, they looked at me with a look of dismay.


    Is it safe to assume that the odd behavior of the lifeguards has become a regular occurrence?


    I wonder where they mean by "around the castle". Personally, I would like to run inside the castle, but with Bulrin riding on my back, I don''t think we can enter the castle so easily.


    With this in mind, I run around the castle and reach the entrance to the castle from the castle wall.


    I didn''t have time to look at it when Rose kidnapped me and took me out of the castle, but I knew that the door protecting the castle is very massive.


    I am intimidated by the power of the door and walk up to the place where the guard is.


    The guard looks at me with a wary expression for a moment, but then changes his expression when he sees what I am wearing.


    "Are you Usato-dono of the rescue team?"


    "Yes, but ......"


    You''re a cheerful guy.


    What brings you here today?


    "I''d like to go inside the castle walls. ...... Do you think it''s safe for her to go in?"


    I''m going to ask him if he can get into the castle.


    "It''s a blue grizzly bear cub. Master Rose has already given us permission, so it should be no problem!


    "Yes!¡¡You allow monsters on the castle grounds?


    "I''m sure it won''t be a problem, since Master Rose has guaranteed their safety.


    When did Rose get permission ...... after I returned to the kingdom?


    If she got permission to let Bulrin into the castle in the process of writing the report, she might have expected me to take Bulrin to the castle.


    Besides, this man trusts me. Who the hell is Rose?


    I don''t know anything about her except that she''s the head of the Rescue Mission.


    Is it okay if I join you?


    "Yes, you may. Please, come in."


    With Bullyn on his back, he enters the castle grounds through the open door.


    If ...... he should attack anyone in the castle, I will do everything in my power to stop him.


    Don''t get violent, okay?


    G~!"


    You''re a bit of a dawdler, aren''t you, boy? Do you really know what you''re doing?"


    Bulrin is completely relaxed on my back.


    From the look of him, I don''t think we have much to worry about.


    We do not go inside the castle, but run around the grounds. My destination is the training grounds of the castle. I have never been there, but I vaguely remember some of the features of the training grounds from what Kazuki and the others have told me.


    "I heard it''s a big open space.


    I feel like giving myself a hard time for relying on such a thing, but unfortunately this is the only clue I have, so I have no choice but to bear with it.


    At any rate, if we go around the castle, we can find most of them. With this in mind, I find a large open space ahead of me.


    Perhaps that is the training ground.


    "......"


    There were many knights training with wooden swords in the training area. The scene was very impressive, probably because the battle with the Demon King''s army was coming soon.


    As I approach the training ground and look around the whole training ground, I catch a sight of a dark-haired girl standing at the edge of the field.


    Is that Inukami-senpai?


    "Inukami-senpai!


    ¡ñ


    I, Suzune Inukami, am currently developing a special move.


    A special move is literally a technique that kills. It is called "Hisshikara" which means "must kill" in Japanese. Since the training of magic has been roughly completed, I decided to polish up my technique.


    However, it is nonsense to say "special move" if it is just a simple thunderbolt, it is no different from ordinary ones.


    I hear that boys are more knowledgeable about such things, but I can''t rely on Kazuki. He doesn''t care about such things.


    <


    "Hmm?"


    I haven''t heard that voice in a long time.


    I turn toward the voice and see my other friend, Usato, who came to this world, running toward me.


    My body stiffens like a stone at the sight of him.


    On Usato''s back was a blue bear.


    "Usato, is that bear on your back ......?"


    "Oh, he is the cub of a demon called a blue grizzly bear. It''s a quiet one and won''t attack people, okay?


    With these words, Usato lowers the bear to the ground and strokes its head while crouching down.


    I wonder why Usato is with a demon child.


    "Actually, I was living for about 10 days in a forest full of monsters. After all that happened, this child took to me and followed me.


    "Oh, I didn''t know that. That''s why I couldn''t see you when I went to the lifeguard station.


    In a forest full of monsters, it is tempting to ask for more information. But I don''t think we should ask too many questions.


    I am more interested in why he came here.


    "Did he come to see me today?"


    "Kazuki and my senpai came over to my side before, so I decided to stop by here on my way to training. ......?¡¡Kazuki is not here?"


    I asked him a question as a prank, but he brushed off my question.


    A little shocked, I answer his question.


    "Kazuki-kun went out of the kingdom earlier today to gain experience in fighting monsters. Maybe he and Usato have crossed paths?"


    "Oh, I see. ...... And what about you, senpai?"


    I''m not going to let both of you brave souls leave the kingdom, so I''m staying at home. I''m not worried about Kazuki, Sigurth is with me. Celia''s been in a bad mood since Kazuki''s absence this morning, though.


    "Ha-ha-ha, that''s tough, but it''s good to know that you don''t have to worry if you have someone to accompany you."


    When I said this, Usato-kun let out a breath of relief.


    Hmmm, you are very considerate of your friends.


    But you know what I''m still wondering..,


    "Grrr~"


    "Hmm?¡¡Are you getting sleepy already, Bulrin? You''re not tired at all since you''ve hardly moved at all. ......"


    This bear.


    A bear in the wild. I''ve never seen anything like it before, but in the flesh, it''s very cute. It reminds me of the pandas I saw when I was a child.


    According to one theory, bears are considered to be ferocious creatures, and are viewed as objects of fear by the general public. But the bear lying in front of me, sleepily rubbing its eyes, is not an object of fear.


    No, let me assure you, it is cute.


    "Usato-kun, may I touch it?


    "Don''t make such a loud voice. You scared me.


    I''m sorry.


    I was so excited.


    I must suppress it more!


    "It''s okay if you touch me. If you get bitten, I''ll fix it.


    "If you get bit.¡¡That''s a scary thing to say. ......"


    But I got my word.


    I put my hands out in front of me with my heart pounding.


    How fortuitous it is to be in contact with animals in another world.


    Just as my hand comes close to the bear''s head, ---- it slaps my hand away.


    "Oh ......"


    What is this emptiness? It''s like I''ve ruined the moment I''ve been waiting for.


    As I stare in dismay at my hand being knocked off, Usato-kun speaks to me awkwardly.


    He''s shy!"


    "I''m not depressed!¡¡I''m just a little excited by the momentary contact!


    Don''t think like me!


    I envy you, Usato. ......!


    Yes, that''s right. If you call his name, he''ll be less cautious and let you touch him!


    "Well then, what''s his name?"


    "I''m Bullring."


    Bull......lin?


    Is that a name?¡¡...... is a nice name. It''s tasteful.


    Surely, to get to know each other, we should call each other by our names to make each other less cautious. I put my hand out in front of me and call out his name in the brightest voice I have ever heard.


    "Come on, Bulrin!"


    "Kaboom!"


    Bullyn bites my hand. It was a sweet bite, so there was no blood, but I got drool all over my freed hand.


    Usato, is this how Bulrin is hiding his embarrassment?¡¡My hand is warm.


    "Hey, Usato, do you know what a bear pot is?"


    "No, you don''t!"


    I''m kidding.


    He wipes his drool-stained hands with a handkerchief and looks at Bulrin.


    d*mn, if I were a conventional heroine, I''d have animals like me... ......


    "Maybe you have a dirty mind..."


    "Hmm, then why don''t you touch it, Usato-kun?"


    "Okay. I''ll show you the bond between me and Bulrin, right Bulrin?


    "Gulp!"


    Since Bulrin bit him, we can assume that you, Usato, have a dirty mind, too.


    But, despite being bitten by Bulrin, Usato is smiling. His bitten hand seems to be a little reddish, but I don''t mind.


    This must be Usato-kun''s love too. ......


    After a while, Usato pulled his hand out of Burlyn''s mouth and turned to me with a cool look on his face. I wonder if it hurts?


    "By the way, senpai, what were you doing here?"


    "You''re so abrupt. ......


    Training?


    What am I going to do? I can''t tell them I was thinking of a special move.


    If it were known that I was worrying about such a thing while Usato was seriously training, I would lose all face as a senior student.


    "Well, I was training in magic.


    "I didn''t know that. Since you are my senior, I thought you were thinking of some original technique or something.


    Usato, are you an esper?


    Have I done something so careless that you would think so?


    But this is a good opportunity to casually ask for a hint of the technique.


    I pose the question to Usato-kun. Usato-kun looks at me with a quizzical expression, but he answers my question with a determined attitude.


    After about ten minutes of conversation, Usato stands up as if he had just remembered and walks over to Bulrin.


    "Well, I''d better get going."


    "Oh, you''re leaving already?"


    "I have a training session. I''ll be back. Come on, Bulrin, don''t sleep, get up .......


    Usato lifts up Bulrin and carries him on his back.


    Even though he is a child, he is growing up ...... to be able to lift a big giant with ease.


    I feel a little sad to see him go, but I don''t have to be so pessimistic because I can go back to him again.


    "Good luck, Usato-kun."


    "Yes, please do your best to come up with some good tricks."


    "What?


    See you later.


    Before he can say anything back, Usato runs out of the training hall.


    ......Totally, you''ve got me by the horns. Well, I guess they''ll notice if I keep asking the same question over and over again.


    "Well, I''ll try a little harder."


    But I wonder if you have noticed that Usato-kun is becoming more and more frank with me.


    Well, never mind, it''s nothing to worry about and I don''t feel bad about it.

 16 - the sixteenth episode

    A few days have passed since I visited Inukami-senpai for training.


    I have become accustomed to running with the bullion on my back, and the consumption of magic power has decreased.


    I thought I had grown up to a certain extent, but Rose told me that I still had a long way to go. Hasn''t Rose ever heard of the phrase "praise and develop"?


    No, I don''t want to be praised.


    As usual, I go about my training as usual. Today, Rose has gone to the castle on personal business, so it''s a rare day for me to train alone.


    The training is the same as before, jogging with Bullyn on my back. I''m getting used to carrying the burin on my back, and the training is not so hard anymore. ...... Is this lazy bear sleeping on my back getting any exercise?


    As the owner, I am worried that he may not get enough exercise. .......


    With this concern in mind, I finished the morning training and returned to the dormitory. I was starting to get hungry and thought I might have some lunch.


    After moving Burlin to the stable for the time being, I went into the dining room of the quarters and found ----


    "...... hmm?¡¡Hey, isn''t that Usato?"


    "You come here to grab a bite for lunch or something?"


    "What''s up, mil and gomul?"


    In the cafeteria were my senior members, Mil and Gomul.


    I was told to treat them as if they were my tongs, so there was no need to use honorifics.


    In fact, they are not doing anything to be treated with respect.


    "What do you mean, you''re still a cocky little boy, aren''t you, Gomul?"


    "Indeed."


    The short, fat guy is Mir, and Gomul is a little taller and stouter than me. Both are as strong-looking as Tong.


    Moreover, they look like evil schemers from the outside. They are not bad guys in character, but not in looks.


    "I came here for lunch, but if you don''t have ......, that''s okay."


    From the looks of it, there are no bento boxes or any other food.


    If there is no food, I don''t care if there is fruit. After all, they had been living in the forest for about 10 days with only portable food. The taste of food has become a secondary concern for me, probably because of my focus on eating efficiently.


    I am now eating like an ascetic in high school.


    "Hey, wait a minute, Usato. Just as well, you should eat my food."


    "Cooking?"


    It sure smelled good, but could Mille ever cook?


    As I''m wondering why, Gomul, with a confident expression on his face, opens his mouth toward me.


    "It''s surprisingly good, isn''t it?¡¡His cooking is surprisingly good.


    What do you mean by "unexpectedly"? But it''s a dish I''ve made through trial and error. The more people who eat it, the better.


    "Well, I''ll eat ...... if you insist."


    I thought Alec was in charge of cooking until now,...... but I didn''t know Mir could cook too. I didn''t know that because I had never seen him cook at all.


    As for the taste, Gomul has assured me that it tastes good. ----


    "Usato is going to eat too, so I''m going to the kitchen.


    "Yeah, sure."


    Mill goes to the back of the kitchen.


    With Mill gone, it''s just me and Gomul in the cafeteria. Gomul and I don''t get along, but we''re not bad friends. Unlike Tong, who shares the same room with me, we don''t talk much except when we eat.


    I try to talk to Gomul with a fake smile as much as I can, since we are all going to be on the battlefield together.


    "What about the others?"


    "They are training separately from us, right?¡¡Basically, our training is more flexible than Usato''s. That''s why we train in two separate teams.


    "Oh, I see. ...... Gomul eat Mir''s food a lot?"


    "Yeah, right? It was just before you came that I found him cooking behind my back. That''s when I had my first meal. That''s how it all started."


    I see, you haven''t been eating them for that long.


    Cooking in hiding...... well, I wonder why they are cooking in hiding. Is there a special reason, or is it simply because he is not a good cook?


    "Why was Mir cooking in secret?"


    "An?¡¡I don''t know much about it myself, but he''s been interested in cooking for quite some time.¡¡He hid it because he didn''t think it''s good enough to eat."


    "Well, since Gomul says it''s delicious, I think you should be more confident in yourself. ......"


    Is he surprisingly hard on himself?


    However small and fat he may be, he is a man who has shown athleticism that belies his physique when we have trained together. Do not underestimate him, and the same goes for Gomul in front of you.


    "I got it!"


    "Oh, here you are. I''ve been waiting for you!"


    "...... soup?"


    Mill brought a wooden bowl of soup similar to curry.


    It definitely smells good, a little different from Alec''s cooking. ......The smell is almost like sesame oil.


    I gulp hard at the "it" that is placed in front of me and Gomul. First impression is good, but it is the taste that counts.


    "Hehe, I found some good salt in the kitchen, and this time I used a lot of it.


    Is salt supposed to be used in abundance?


    Mil''s words make me a little uneasy. Does this man know the absolute conditions for handling the seasoning "Sashisuso"? No, if only we had those seasonings in this world. .......


    While I was stiff with a spoon in my hand, Gomul was holding the bowl with enthusiasm and trying to scoop up "something" like curry with the spoon and bring it to his mouth.


    "......"


    "Well, let''s eat!


    First, let him taste the poison and then eat it.


    Gomul takes a bite, chews it slowly, and swallows it down. ----


    "Mmmm----y!"


    --- he suddenly began to shout.


    I was shocked to see him holding the bowl and shoveling the contents into his mouth.


    "Yum!¡¡I love this taste. I can eat as many cups as I want!


    "Is it really that good ......?"


    What are you talking about?¡¡Eat up, you too, or I''ll take it!


    This excitement is not a compliment.


    I move my eyes from the bowl of gomul to the soup in my hand and scoop it up with a spoon. The stewy texture almost stops your hand, but you decide to take it to your mouth.


    "...... gulp!"


    Don''t be intimidated here. Don''t think in terms of the cuisine of the original world. This is a great dish,......, and if you eat it, you will find something delicious about it!


    Snap the spoon into your mouth.


    I notice that Mir and Gomul are looking at me with expectant eyes.


    The taste in my mouth is ------


    "...... what do you think?"


    "It''s good, isn''t it?"


    First of all, it was spicy like licking seawater, and an unusual salty taste overtook my mouth.


    This is no good.


    This is not only delicious, but it''s also destroying my taste buds. He said he used a lot of salt, but this is obviously too much.


    In addition to that, there are some solids that appear from time to time in the spiciness that lays waste to my palate. The strong feeling of a foreign substance, as if potato starch had been hardened with water and thrown in as it was, made me nauseous.


    But since I am in front of my co-workers, I try desperately to hold back and swallow it, but at that point, the solid substance shows its useless stickiness and clings to my throat.


    What is this poison trying to kill me?


    Even after it finally passes my throat, the unpleasant sensation of its presence and a heartburn-like sensation keep on attacking me without pause.


    I drop the spoon and plop down on the table.


    "What''s wrong, Usato?"


    "It''s too good to be true, isn''t it?"


    "...... you little..."


    <>


    I want to say --- I want to smash this object A in his face right now.


    But I can''t speak now because my throat hurts. What the heck, even if I cast a healing spell on my stomach and esophagus, they won''t heal. Object A sitting in my stomach keeps destroying my stomach. .......


    I might die.


    "He''s not talking?¡¡And you''re shaking.


    "Well, that''s good. Can I have another one?"


    Yeah!


    How can Gomul''s a**h*les eat such a toxic substance that promotes the destruction of the human body and not worry about it at all?


    ...... I remember he always complained that Alec''s food tasted "bland".


    Is that why?¡¡He just likes strong flavored food. ...... And then he eats Mir''s food, which is strong flavored, and raves about it. Perhaps Mill himself is unaware of the strong flavors of his food, but no one ever warned him, and he got bogged down in the mud, and that''s how I came to be what I am today. .......


    I can''t forgive him. I''ll never forgive that bastard.


    "Hey, I just got home!"


    What?¡¡Looks like Rose is back from the castle.


    I have to stop them from cooking right now, but unfortunately I can''t speak.


    Rose comes into the dining room, she must have had an audience with the king, she looks somewhat tired.


    "...... what''s up Usato, a new trick?"


    It''s amazing in a way to hear those words coming out of your mouth when you see me now, Rose.


    Gomul talks to Rose who is sitting next to me for some reason.


    "Have you had lunch yet, sister?"


    "No, not yet."


    "Well then, try some of Mil''s cooking. It''s delicious.


    I want to stop. But there''s a part of me that wants to see Rose fainting in agony.


    d*mn it, should I keep quiet here ...... or should I tell her of the danger and keep up appearances as a subordinate?


    Now I''m forced to make a choice I haven''t had to make since I came to this world.


    My conclusion is ----


    ¡ñ


    "Please, eat it while it''s hot."


    "What? It looks normal."


    I knew it was no match for a personal grudge.


    It''s not my fault, it''s Mill and Gomul''s fault. I''m the victim, that''s all right.


    So whatever tragedy happens, I won''t be harmed. It''s like the first person to die in a detective story.


    I turn my head toward Rose, who is still lying on the table, casting a healing spell on my stomach, which is constantly telling me how much pain I''m in.


    d*mn, she doesn''t seem to have the slightest doubt in her mind. I wonder how long that look will last?


    He doesn''t realize that what he''s about to eat is a poison that will damage his stomach.


    "...... I don''t blame you."


    Rose normally brings the deleterious substance to her mouth.


    After a few seconds, she feels something strange in her mouth and stiffens. After a few seconds, he grabs Gomul and Mir, who are looking at him expectantly.


    It is, after all, an iron claw. But I have never seen such an iron claw. It''s not supposed to lift a grown man with one hand.


    "To ......?¡¡...... sister ...... go?"


    "Hey, ......, you got it!"


    "Did you make me eat this?"


    What?


    "You got some nerve. ...... I''ll cook it for you this time. You''re the one who made it.""What?""You''re the one who made it."


    Hiiiiiiiiiiiii?"


    I''ll spare you the rest of the story.


    It was too painful for me to watch my friends being punished.


    But Rose, I must say, you never let your face get all twisted .......


    I was the victim of both Mir and Gomul, and I didn''t receive any scolding.


    However, it is a pity that my afternoon training was ruined because of a single sip of the deleterious substance I drank.


    ......... Huh?¡¡I wonder why he thought it was a pity...normally he would be happy about it.


    "What about Mir and Gomul?¡¡You''re wasting your dinner."


    At night, Alec prepares dinner and tilts his head when he notices that Mir and Gomul are gone.


    Rose, sitting at the end of the long table, opens her mouth with a grim expression.


    They''re going to skip dinner. That''s all they did. Hey, Usato?"


    Rose glanced at me.


    I smile awkwardly, trying not to look frightened, and answer.


    "Yes, ha ha ha. You shouldn''t treat food so poorly after all...".


    Mil, Gomul, I''ll never forget you guys.

 17 - the seventeenth episode

    Hey, wake up.


    "Huh?"


    The morning after I was fed a ghoulish substance by Mir and Gomul.


    I was awakened by someone. Well, in this case, it would be more accurate to say that I was kicked awake rather than knocked awake.


    As I fell out of bed and groaned, I turned my eyes toward the assailant who had disturbed my sleep, and there was Rose, a beautiful green-haired woman, looking down at me with folded arms and grim eyes.


    "What''s going on? ...... It''s still dark outside. ......"


    "Get dressed, I''ll tell you what happened later."


    After saying this, he immediately walks out the door.


    Ah, you''re a stormy one. .......


    With a foggy head, I finish getting dressed.


    I know that if I resist too much, I''ll provoke his anger, and I don''t want to end up like Mil and Gomul did yesterday.


    "I have to get out of here. ......"


    After putting on my training clothes, I leave my room and head toward the entrance to the dormitory.


    At the entrance I see Rose with her arms crossed.


    Rose finds me and throws a square object at me.


    Is this a backpack?¡¡It''s smaller than the last one.


    "Take it."


    "What?¡¡I''m a little confused about the situation. ......"


    "I just received word from Master Lloyd that you are to accompany the brave men in their training."


    What about .........?


    "No, the brave ones are ...... Inukami-senpai and Kazuki, right?"


    "Kazuki the Brave has already gone to train outside of the country, in the same way as you. You will be accompanied by Inukami the Brave.


    Training outside the country with my senpai?¡¡Why weren''t you and Sigurth there when I was ...... Kazuki? I think we should leave it to them.


    As if sensing my question, Rose sighs and restrains her forehead.


    "......I was notified to accompany you to the training of the brave Kazuki as soon as you returned from the forest,...... but it would be unreasonable to send you there when you were mentally exhausted from fighting that snake,....... I refused. So yesterday, Kazuki the Brave came back, and now it''s Inukami''s turn. Well, I turned down that offer yesterday too,...... but if Lloyd-sama asks me again and again, I have no choice but to fold."


    That''s why you looked so tired yesterday. .......


    Well, it''s obvious that I''m a liability after returning from the forest. I should be thankful for Rose''s concern.


    ...... so you''re going out with Inukami-senpai and the soldiers of the kingdom.


    "I see you understand the general situation. Then let''s head for the gate.


    "Yes, I understand. ...... Oh, and Bulrin is ......"


    You can take him if you want."


    It''s still dark outside.


    I''m going to the stable to pick up Bulrin, it''s a chance to get outside and give him some exercise, which he hasn''t been getting enough of lately.


    "Hey, wake up, Bullyn."


    "Guffaw~"


    "Whoa, he''s not getting up. Oh, for God''s sake, get up and walk!


    He moves the backpack to the front, not to the back, and puts Bulrin on his back. He sleeps so comfortably ...... that my back is a special seat for him.


    I get out of the stable and head for the gate leading out of the kingdom with Rose, while screaming at Bulrin for not waking up.


    I was so excited to see her.


    After passing through the castle town, which is not very popular due to the early morning, Rose and I arrive at the door leading out of the kingdom. There we see Inukami-senpai and two soldiers standing near her.


    "...... isn''t that you, Usato-kun?"


    In addition to Inukami-senpai, there was a cheerful guard whom she had met in front of the castle and a man with a robe over his head.


    The cheerful one was a man with short red hair, giving a fresh impression.


    The other was a taciturn man with slightly long bangs who was wrapped in a black robe. They look suspicious, but I decide that they are the ones who are in charge of the escort.


    "No way, the last person to follow me is ......."


    Maybe it''s me.


    If I am the last, that means there will be four members including me.


    Not too many, not too few, just the right number.


    Rose looks around at everyone including me, and then turns to Mr. Thomas, the guard protecting the door from us ---- or so, and asks him to open the door.


    Naturally, Mr. Thomas is frightened but opens the door.


    "Go on," he says.


    "Don''t you have something more to say ......?"


    "Hmm?¡¡You want me to say something?"


    ...... is good.


    Rose smiles a nice smile and shrugs her shoulders.


    "...... your teacher is a tough guy."


    Inukami-senpai muttered a small, sorry sound, and my shoulders slumped as I walked through the gates and out of the kingdom.


    ¡ñ


    "How was Kazuki?"


    "I think he had a pretty hard time. He is not used to this type of competition, and he has been sleeping since yesterday.


    "I hope you''re okay. ......"


    We, four of us and one animal, walked out of the Lingle Kingdom on a cleared road, exchanging some light chit-chat.


    We were told that there are not many monsters around here, and that we would not be attacked unless we had a serious problem. In fact, Rose and I were not attacked.


    The two guards walk in front of us, ready to respond to any monster attack at any time. They are knights, I must say, and their concentration is extraordinary. I can see that they have the ability to take me lightly.


    "...... will not Burlyn wake up?"


    "Yes?"


    "I''m asking if there''s any chance of that happening."


    What is this senpai saying out of the blue? ...... I look at him with cold eyes as he wriggles his hands and breathes heavily.


    "I''m not awake. ......


    The moment I said that, Inukami-senpai reached for Bulrin''s head with blinding speed.


    A sudden attack(?). I reflexively swat his hand away with my right hand.


    Inukami-senpai holds his own hand and looks incredulous.


    It happened in a few seconds.


    "Why?


    No, that''s my line. No, that''s my line. >>I''m the one who asked "Why? Why did you suddenly and reflexively knock him off?


    "You slap a girl''s hand and you''re so discouraged. ...... Well, you''re awake!"


    What for?


    I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m not sure what to make of it either.


    Oh my God, he''s finally awake....


    I call out to the two guards walking in front of me and set him down on the ground.


    "Walk like a man, will you?


    "Goo!"


    Sighing as he staggers along on his quadrupedal steps.


    He soon wakes up and is able to walk normally, so I tell the two guards that he is fine and ask them to move forward.


    But then..,


    "Bulrin, I''ll ...... carry you on my back!¡¡Come on, come on!"


    No, really, you-- Oh, no!¡¡The blue grizzly is a huge bear, and I''d say his cub, Bulrin, weighs as much as any wild bear living in Japan, which is to say, as much as two grown men.


    In addition to that, he is so sleepy right now that he could have mistaken me for him and fallen onto Inukami-senpai''s back...


    "Guh~"


    "Geez. ----"


    "Sen-sen-pai?"


    I thought I just heard a voice that didn''t sound like a flower girl in high school, but I''ll forget it.


    But I''ll forget about it. I have to rescue Inugami-senpai, who is about to be crushed by Bulrin, as soon as possible...!


    "No, I''m sorry, Usato-kun. I thought I had a chance.


    "I don''t know what you think you''re taking a chance on, but please don''t get hurt when you''re not fighting."


    He hurriedly retreated from the burin and rescued his seniors.


    He was tougher than I expected, but he might have injuries on bones, internal organs, and other parts of his body that I couldn''t see, so I cast a healing spell on him as I went on my way.


    "Suzune-sama, are you all right ......?"


    "I''m fine, and Usato-kun is with me. Wow, you look amazing, I feel so much lighter.


    "Huh~"


    The magic is exercised while placing a hand on the senior''s shoulder, there is no ulterior motive, not even the slightest.


    Rather, it is more of a sense of dismay. ......I thought I was a perfect person in my original world, but how did I end up like this? How did I come to be this way when I was a perfect human being in my original world? Or have I really gone crazy? Maybe the real senior is this way: .......


    "Things are not as they used to be. Hey, Bullyn.


    "Gu~~"


    He''s cute.


    Inukami-senpai seems to be okay, so I take my hand off his shoulder.


    ...... I didn''t ask you where we''re going.


    Excuse me.


    "Yes?"


    The guard turns at the sound of my voice.


    He must be a very skilled man, since he is in charge of such an important place as the entrance to the castle. With this in mind, I ask him about our destination.


    "Where are you going now?"


    "Near the plains, where there are many monsters. There are a lot of monsters there because it is near the forest that is said to be the Darkness of Lingle.


    The monsters that come out of the forest where Rose threw me out.


    When I was in the forest, I mostly ran away from them or passed them by. I didn''t run into too many monsters, but that forest is pretty big, so there must have been a lot of monsters there.


    How long will it take you to get there?


    "Well, we should be there by ...... noon or so."


    At this pace, unlike the time in Rose, we''re four people and one dog. It is only natural that our steps would be slow. .......


    However, from this route, I guess we will pass near the forest. ...... It''s only been a few days, but I feel a little nostalgic.


    Especially in Burlin----


    "Gu?"


    No, I won''t say it.


    He followed me because he had something on his mind. I don''t have to ask, and I don''t think it''s worth it. There''s no point in digging.


    I was looking at Brulin, when suddenly he tapped me on the shoulder and I looked in his direction.


    Sure enough, it''s Inukami-senpai.


    "I knew you''d let me touch him..."


    "Enough, please!"


    That''s enough. I won''t help you if you crush me again.


    I won''t help you if you get crushed again.


    We are well on our way, a few hours after leaving the kingdom, and as we approach the forest, two people walking ahead of us suddenly stop in their tracks.


    "...... lots of reactions ahead."


    "Demons or ......?"


    "Something''s coming."


    "It looks like it."


    A person in a robe is accurately capturing "something" coming from the front.


    Then, a large number of black shadows are coming from the front with a cloud of dust. I am absolutely stunned at the sight of them. They are bipedal creatures, wearing unclean clothes and carrying weapons.


    "......... Thieves."


    "It''s a bandit!¡¡Both of you, stay back!


    Mr. Usato!


    No way. ......


    Inukami-senpai''s first real opponent was not a demon but a ---- human.

 18 - the 18th episode

    Men came running from the end of the road surrounded by trees, emitting a cloud of dust.


    They were dressed in clothes that lacked any semblance of cleanliness, and in their hands were a Western sword and a knife, both of which were noticeably shattered.


    A group of about fifteen men stopped about ten meters in front of us.


    A guard holding a sword and a man in black robes holding his hand in front of him. Inukami-senpai, though nervous, also has his hand on the sword at his waist. I was somewhat calm as the bandits were smirking and smirking frivolously at me.


    "Heh heh heh, you''re so lucky to find your prey in a place like this!¡¡Hey bro!"


    Hey, head!""""""""""""


    The leader of the group, a strongly built skinhead man, says this to his henchmen.


    I don''t know why, but I don''t feel scared at all, even though I usually feel scared.


    "Heh heh. You guys, if you don''t want to get hurt, you''re going to have to give me something for the money."


    I''m not giving it to you!


    "You sure you want to do this?¡¡Do you think you can beat these numbers? If you do, you''re a laughingstock.


    The bandits are laughing their crude high-sounding laughs.


    Inukami-senpai, who is standing next to me, slowly tugs at the hem of my dress.


    ...... I see that Inukami-senpai is a girl, too. I''m sure you''ll be frightened if you suddenly find yourself in front of a bunch of men laughing at you in a vulgar way.


    Usato-kun, Usato-kun... that''s a real bandit!


    "You''re really something!"


    You don''t look scared at all. Inukami-senpai was Inukami-senpai after all.


    The man who was arguing with the guard holding a sword looked at me and Inukami-senpai, and the corner of his mouth twisted into a grin.


    "d*mn, d*mn......... the guy in the back looks like he''s got some good stuff too... I can''t let this one pass me by.


    "You!¡¡You''re a f*cking tramp! ......!


    "Gaijin?¡¡That''s a compliment for us!¡¡......... hmm?¡¡There''s a demon in here. ......


    A man catches sight of Bulrin near me. I watch him for a few seconds, and then his face turns blue and he scowls.


    What is it?¡¡Is it really so strange for a human to have a monster with him?


    "A blue grizzly!¡¡What a thing you got with you!


    "......?¡¡"You''re actually awesome, right, Brillin?"


    "Yes, I am."


    "Of course," sniffs Bulrin, "I''m sure you''re right.


    I wish you would have improved on your routine before you started behaving like that.


    As he looks from him to the man, he sees the man being comforted by his own henchman.


    He''s just a kid!¡¡We can do it too!


    That''s right!


    "You guys ...... are right. We''re not afraid of anything beyond the plains!¡¡Let''s go, boys!


    Is there any dignity in a head being consoled by his henchmen? I mean, did these bandits cross the plains?¡¡Is that why their equipment and clothes are in tatters?


    But we are the ones who will be attacked, and we have no intention of taking it easy on them. The two guards take up positions to intercept the bandits who are coming at us with swords and knives. To be honest, I can''t fight, all I can do is run around to avoid being taken hostage.


    I also put a thin layer of healing magic on my legs and try to move backwards..,


    "Yes!"


    With a light voice, a purple electric ray is released, passing between the two guards and striking one of the henchmen. One of the henchmen who was hit by the electric shock falls to the ground, shaking on the spot.


    Next to me is Inukami-senpai, who is holding his hand like a finger gun.


    Is it her lightning magic? The guard looks back at me and praises Inukami-senpai with a gallant smile on his face.


    "She''s brilliant. Suzune-sama!¡¡Hehe, it looks like we won''t have much to do!


    Indeed, it looks like the guard will not have much to do, but I wonder if the people who were directly hit by the electric shocks will be all right.


    "Senpai! You didn''t kill them, did you?


    "Of course, of course. ...... maybe."


    Why are you stuttering? I''m scared.


    The bandits stop dead in their tracks. One of the henchmen is fearfully checking to see if the man who was hit by the electric shock is alive or dead.


    "Yes, he''s alive. ......"


    A relieved senior can be heard.


    But this is a good check. At this rate, if we can get the senpai to keep on producing electricity, we can easily get rid of the bandits.


    If that''s the case, let''s have our senpai fire more and more electric blasts at them!


    Inukami-senpai! Knock ''em off!


    "Will you stop talking like that?"


    ---Inukami-senpai, who, despite saying so, fires a series of electric blasts from his fingertips.


    One by one, two more henchmen sink into the ground. Frankly speaking, there is nothing for us to do. They run into us on their own, and the blasts hit them on their own.


    The senior who can make a criminal comatose with an electric shock is just like...


    "It''s a human stun gun. ...... No, it''s a human lantern eel."


    "If you say that again, I''ll be very angry!


    Gradually the bandits are reduced to about a third of their number, and there are only five of them left. When he sees his own henchmen lying on the ground, Okashira points at Inukami-senpai and shouts in a voice large enough to match his physique: "Inukami-senpai!


    "It''s not fair that you use magic!


    ......That kind of thing is not nice to hear.


    And I think I know why I was able to keep my cool when I saw the bandits. They don''t have scary faces at all. If Rose is 10 and Tongs is 6, these guys are 2.


    I was convinced. All that''s left is to sink the head and the rest of the henchmen. The rest will be out of harm''s way if Inukami-senpai takes care of them. ----


    "...... something else is coming."


    What?


    The black-robed man sensed something again. My eyes don''t see anything, but I can certainly hear a lot of footsteps. They are not normal footsteps, but jumping footsteps.


    Mr. Kurokurobe can sense the enemy, but he doesn''t seem to know the direction from which they are coming.


    "...... is coming!"


    My eyes catch sight of the confused looking head in front of me being blown away by a red boar that comes flying out from the right side.


    "......,Suzune-dono,Suzune-dono,it''s a fall boar,get away from me!"


    What are they doing here? Their habitat should be much further away!


    The abnormally developed hind legs and red hair...... that boar is a fall boar?


    And they''re not coming alone, they''re coming in packs. The two guards seem to be avoiding them, but then three of them come rushing out of the bushes at Inukami-senpai and me.


    I quickly call out Bulrin''s name.


    "Bulrin!


    "Guoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"


    Bulrin stands on his hind legs and opens his arms wide to threaten the fallboa. However, the fall boa, which has gained momentum, does not stop. One of the fallboars was stopped by Bulrin, but two more came charging toward me and Inukami.


    I''m not a problem, I know I''m strong. But senpai is different, I have to protect her. ---- I think so and try to protect her, but she stands in front of me, her palm up, and fires a powerful electric shock.


    "Inukami-senpai?


    Usato-kun, watch out!


    The electric shot hits one of the fallboars, but the other one ducks. Inukami-senpai tries to fire another electric shot.


    In my vision, I see a fall boa with its hind legs swelled up to many times its size.


    "Mazu!"


    Fallbores are characterized by their strong hind legs, which give them powerful jumping ability.


    The rush from its hind legs, which are built up over time, launches its opponents high into the air. Inukami Senpai''s blitz will not reach the target in time. Moreover, this boar is only looking at Inukami-senpai. Is it instinctive fear, or does it judge her to be more dangerous than me?


    I can avoid it, but Inukami-senpai can''t.


    Of course not. She was a normal high school girl in her old world. I wouldn''t even have been able to move if I hadn''t known about her biology.


    "d*mn!"


    I quickly grab Inukami-senpai''s shoulders and switch them so that my back is against the fallboa, and move so that I can be a shield for Inukami-senpai.


    If Inukami-senpai can''t avoid it, I''ll have to take it. ......!¡¡I can heal some injuries!


    A few moments later, I get a strong impact on my back,---- and I am pushed upward by Inukami-senpai.


    "Gahah ...... ha!"


    "............oh."


    Luckily, the rush hit my backpack. Still biting down on the pain that threatens to tear my body apart, I immediately cast a healing spell and maintain my nearly broken consciousness. Inukami-senpai---is out cold!


    "Senpai ......!!!!"


    He holds Inukami-senpai as if to protect his head as he falls to the ground. The leaves piled up beneath him act as a cushion to cushion the impact. Unfortunately, the slope is very steep.


    d*mn, that''s a bad place to fall. He rolls down the steep slope with too much force to stop. The backpack is ripped off at the back, and the body hits the ground.


    "Aaaaahhhh!"


    My vision goes black and I am thrown into the air. The feeling of floating is followed by a powerful current ---- that sends me into the river. The force of the water is too strong for Inukami-senpai to get to the shore. As you are at a loss and let the current take you, the scenery around you changes to something familiar.


    ------This really looks familiar.


    Yes, this is where I jumped into the river to escape from the grand grizzlies the day Rose threw me into the woods.


    I mean, just up ahead, there''s ----


    "You know, there''s a waterfall. ......"


    But once over the falls, the current should slow down.


    If I were alone, I would have to be prepared for Inukami-senpai, who is now unconscious.......


    I see a break in the river in front of me, a waterfall,......, and holding Inukami firmly in my arms, I fall from the waterfall, enduring the water pressure and raging current that threatens to crush me.

 19 - the nineteenth episode

    It was an uninteresting life.


    Family, buildings, school, classmates, friends, everything was in black and white and I was bored beyond my control.


    I hated myself for being able to do anything. That''s why I asked others about their "future" ...... what they want to be or don''t want to be, I couldn''t find what I want to do because I can do anything, so I was envious of others'' <.


    I like fiction, fantasy, science fiction, ...... I was excited by the main characters who live out their fantasy worlds. I loved romance, suspense, and stories that were far from ...... reality, not history.


    To sum up, I was attracted to unreal things that were different from reality.


    I wanted to escape from the expectations of my parents, from the jealousy of my brother, from the envy of others, from all the eyes that were on me.


    I even wanted to get away from any connection with the world.


    >


    My brother, who is one year younger than me, said these words to me.


    He cursed me with tears in his eyes and a tremble in his voice.


    I was supposed to treat him as a normal older sister.


    Where did I go wrong?


    No, that''s just an excuse. My parents'' words that they always referred to me. My brother''s heart was worn out by the constant comparisons.


    I know they didn''t mean to hurt my parents. Because of that, their words were the sharpest blade in my brother''s heart.


    He wanted love from his parents. And when he didn''t get it, he abused me, that''s all.


    Yes, it was all my fault.


    If I pretend I can''t do it, because I''m here ...... I''m only trying to look good on the outside, I wish I could just disappear somewhere far away .......


    I wish I could just disappear somewhere far away.


    "......a...... is"


    I had a bad dream.


    I wake up feeling uncomfortable in my lazy body and notice that my clothes are wet for some reason.


    Looking around, I see overgrown trees and a gently flowing river.


    What in the world am I doing here?¡¡As I recall, I went out with Usato and the others to train in the kingdom early in the morning, and we encountered bandits, and then we were attacked by monsters ...... and ......,


    "Yes!¡¡Mr. Usato!"


    Finally remembering everything, I turn pale and look for Usato-kun, the man who protected me.


    "........."


    "Thank God ...... was there ......"


    Usato-kun was lying on his face, passed out, right next to me.


    His clothes are covered with countless scratches.


    He took a direct hit from the monster while protecting me, and we were both launched into the sky. I have no memory of what happened after that, but I guess he must have fallen into the river after that and ended up here.


    If that''s the case..,


    "Usato-kun, you carried me and brought me here ......"


    I looked upstream at the gently flowing river and saw a large waterfall with a 20-meter drop that roared and splashed loudly.


    "Sorry ......"


    It must have been hard work to bring them here.


    I had to find a safe place for now --- I lifted up Usato''s body from under me and tried to carry him on my back.


    Ugh, he is so heavy. .......


    "I am a woman who always returns the favor she receives. ......


    And it''s my fault that he came to this world in the first place.


    That''s why he must not die.


    Stay strong, Usato-kun!


    Inukami-senpai! Inukami-senpai. I just woke up.


    "Isn''t it too early to get up ......"


    All my determination has been in vain.


    Usato-kun wakes up from his faint and gets off my back, moving his body to check if he is hurt. His whole body is enveloped in a pale green aura, indicating that he is using healing magic.


    But, Usato, where should I direct this misplaced determination?


    I think I said something quite embarrassing.


    "Are you all right, Inukami-senpai?"


    "That''s more my line. ......"


    "I''m fine. I''m used to it.


    Maybe it''s something I shouldn''t get used to.


    But it''s awkward. I thought I was protecting Usato from the demons, but in the end, it was me who was protected.


    It was not worth it.


    "...... Inukami-senpai, let me first explain the current situation."


    "E...... ah, ah."


    With a serious expression on his face, Usato-kun talks to me and explains where he is.


    According to his story, Usato-kun and I were hit by a rushing attack from a boar monster called a fall boa, and after being blown into the forest, we fell into a river and came to the shore near the basin of a slow-flowing waterfall.


    At that time, Usato fainted from exhaustion. .......


    It is roughly the same as my prediction, but it was a very hard work for Usato.


    "...... sorry, Usato-kun."


    "Please don''t apologize. I did it on my own. I''ll explain where I am now.


    Even if I did, I''d still care.


    But I can''t stay depressed forever, so I try to keep my cool on the surface.


    "This forest. This is the forest where I survived for about 10 days, a place called <>.


    "This is the ...... you were talking about."


    Then isn''t this place pretty bad?


    I''m glad we weren''t attacked by demons while you and I were out cold.


    "Then we need to get out of here right away. ......"


    "It''s dangerous. If you look at the sky, this place will be dark soon. No matter how strong you are, you can''t take on monsters that could come from anywhere, can you?"


    "Ugh. ......"


    It''s true that I can''t fight against the monsters that attack me in the dark.


    So let''s move when it''s light.


    "But while it''s dark, ......"


    "I used to live in a tree to escape from the monsters'' eyes.


    "I''ve never climbed a tree, so I''m not sure."


    They didn''t let me play that game.


    If I were to fall out of a tree, I might die, even though Usato was used to climbing trees.


    At my words, Usato was troubled as he folded his arms.


    After a moment of long consideration, I came up with an answer,


    "Well, then, let''s do it here."


    "Yes?


    Usato said, pointing to the ground.


    Aren''t there going to be a lot of monsters at night?


    "There''s a waterfront nearby here. If we go out of our way to find a base, we will only be attacked by monsters.


    "Yes, that''s true. ......"


    "Then it''s settled then."


    Usato-kun began to gather leaves and branches in front of me, as if he were a pro at it. Soon, a large pile of leaves and branches appeared, and I wondered what in the world Usato was up to. I''ve never been camping much, so I can''t help him.


    "Inukami-senpai, please make a fire with your magic. I''m sure most of the monsters will be afraid of fire and won''t come near us if we make a bonfire.


    "Oh, I see. I understand."


    We did as Usato-kun asked us to do, and we fired electric blasts at the piles of tree branches to start a fire.


    The warm fire burns large and smoky. I put my hands on the fire and they feel warm. I felt a chill because my clothes were wet.


    "Senpai, where is your baggage?"


    "Yeah, I''ve got a backpack and a sword."


    Fortunately, we have some clothes so we can change if we are not too wet.


    Besides clothes, I have a knife and a map. The map is useless, but the knife is useful.


    I looked further into my backpack and found some dry clothes.


    "Thank goodness. They are dry.


    "Why don''t you go and change?¡¡My clothes dry quickly, so don''t worry about it.


    "Okay. I''ll get my ...... sword and knife out first."


    He places them in front of Usato''s eyes and moves to a place where he might change with his clothes.


    As he does so, he says a few words to Usato-kun, as he had promised.


    "Don''t peek at me, okay?"


    "What?"


    His reaction hurt my feelings a little.


    I was a little hurt by his reaction.


    The change of clothes he brought with him was a kind of jersey that he would wear to school. It was not what I was used to wearing, but I couldn''t complain.


    Even Usato was putting up with wet clothes.


    It is dark around us, and the pale flame of the campfire illuminates our surroundings. In the forest, beastly voices are echoing ......, probably the voices of demons, but I am still afraid that I might be attacked.


    How could Usato live in such a forest for ten days?


    "......I''m hungry, aren''t you?"


    "Yes, I do."


    "Actually, I haven''t eaten anything since this morning."


    Indeed, I have not eaten anything, probably because I left the kingdom early in the morning.


    I didn''t have any food because the two people who were escorting me had it with them. Even if we were to gather food, it would be too dark for us to find food, and we would end up becoming food for the monsters.


    At the moment the word "dead end" comes to my mind, I notice that Usato-kun is looking at me.


    "......What is it, Mr. Usato?"


    "Senpai ......, there''s a river, isn''t there?"


    What?¡¡What about it?


    ¡ñ


    A waterfall that rumbles loudly.


    Dipping both hands into the gently flowing river. I turn around and look at Usato-kun, who has taken his distance from me.


    "Is this okay?"


    "I''m okay with evacuation. I''m ready to go to the bathroom at any time.


    Evacuation means ...... well, never mind.


    I meditate, feel the magic in my body, and gather the magic in my arms.


    Without releasing it immediately, I accumulate it and then release it all at once. The released magic power turns into thunder and is released from the hands dipped in the river as if overflowing.


    After a momentary discharge, a fish-like creature floats up around the place where the hands were immersed.


    "Ha, ha, catching fish with magic. ......"


    Slightly dejected, I turned back to Usato-kun and..,


    "No, really, I''m glad you were there, senpai. ......"


    He was very much praised. No, he was rather impressed.


    No offense. I don''t feel bad, but I can''t ...... be honestly happy.


    After that, I tried to cook and eat the two fish that surfaced so that I could eat them.


    Since they were only gutted and grilled, the taste was not very flattering, but it satisfied my hunger.


    "Well, it''s different when Inukami-senpai is around, isn''t it?"


    "No, no, no, you''re overreacting."


    "If Inukami-senpai is with me, I think I can live for another three months."


    "What?¡¡Is that so?"


    You''re so shy.


    Two is better than one. But you''re too direct, Usato.


    I was embarrassed.


    "Yes, you can light a fire and catch fish. I want one of these in my house.


    "Am I some kind of appliance or something?"


    The degree of directness was different.


    However, it''s not right for a senior to be played by a junior, so I should show my dignity as a senior here.


    "That''s terrible, Usato-kun. What do you think I am?"


    "...... weirdo?"


    Geez, ......!


    What I said to myself came back to me twice as loud as before. How do you see me, Usato?¡¡But looking back at my past actions, I''m frustrated that you would say that!¡¡But when you say it to my face, it hurts me a lot!


    As I am depressed for a while by Usato-kun''s "strange man" comment, Usato-kun, who was watching the fire, sighs and urges me to take a rest.


    It''s already dark, so I think it''s time to go to bed.¡¡I''ll watch the fire.


    "No, no, I can''t leave it only to you, Usato-kun, I''m ......".


    "If you''re ......, we can take turns watching. I''ll wake you up when the time is right, so please stay in bed until then."


    If you insist, I''ll take you at your word, Usato-kun.


    But I won''t be fooled. You are not going to wake me up in the morning, are you?


    As a man who has read many books, your behavior is easy for me to understand. ......!


    Such kindness is counterproductive for me. It only makes me feel guilty.


    But it is also true that I am tired. Let''s take a short rest as you say, Usato, and take over when the time is right.


    "Oh, I''ll take a little rest then. ...... Don''t attack me."


    "I don''t have a ......."


    "!?"


    You don''t have to say it like that.


    As soon as I lay down, sleep comes back to me.


    I''m just going to get some, some rest, I don''t intend to sleep deeply. Ruminating this in my head, my consciousness gradually faded away and I fell asleep.


    "Inukami-senpai, you''re up.


    "......... how many times do you have to exceed my expectations?"


    It was still dark. I was woken up normally.


    Usato, you, you, you, you, ......!

 20 - the twentieth episode

    After waking Inukami-senpai up to take over the fire, I lay down to rest.


    "Moo, Usato-kun, you should know what the high road is. I was supposed to wake up and take my turn, but ...... how far you go beyond what I expected."


    "That''s the job of Kazuki and his senpai, and staying up all night is nonsense. Sometimes, a well-meaning act can turn out to be just meddling.


    "That''s true, but ......"


    If it is Kazuki, not sleeping when your magic is not at full strength will affect you later on.


    Rest when you can, that''s one of the things I''ve learned since I joined the rescue squad.


    "But you looked like you were going to sleep till morning..."


    "Ugh."


    He says this to his senpai and meditates.


    I can still hear the monster''s cries, but Inukami-senpai is awake, so I guess it''s all right.


    I''m sure he''ll be fine.


    "Usato-kun, ...... are you still awake?"


    "Is it .........?"


    It must have been about ten minutes after we took turns, and my ears caught Inukami-senpai''s clear voice from my slumber.


    I turned my body toward Inukami-senpai, writhing.


    "How did you feel when you were summoned to this world?


    What was the intention of this question?


    Was it a casual question, or did he have something on his mind? Or is it a question of guilt for having involved me in the summoning of a brave man?


    "I don''t ...... know, Rose''s training is hard, and I have to look at the faces of my handsome colleagues every day ...... and the thought of fighting the First Demon Army still doesn''t seem realistic to me.


    "Do you want to go home?"


    "...... hmm, that''s a difficult question."


    I want to go home and I don''t want to go home. It is a contradictory feeling, but I do not want to give up my ability of healing magic that I have cultivated in this world. And it is also painful to think that I will be leaving the people I have met in this world. I have lived a short but intense life.


    But of course I worry about my family.


    As I hesitate, Inukami-senpai says something to me in a voice that sounds as if she is in distress.


    I don''t want to go home.


    I don''t know how much meaning is packed into those words. First of all, I think that you should talk to Kazuki, not to me.


    I am sure that I can''t give you the kind of answer that you are looking for.


    But I will answer your question.


    "Isn''t it okay?"


    "Why don''t you ask ......?"


    "Do you want me to?"


    "I want you to listen."


    You don''t have to be so direct.


    And why are you so brazen?


    "No, thanks. It''s too much trouble. I''m sleepy."


    "Well, how difficult is it for you to refuse to go that far ......, Usato-kun?"


    Difficulty? This isn''t a game.


    You can guess why I don''t want to go home anyway. When we were summoned, Inukami-senpai was the most lively of the three of us. That''s what I''m saying.


    Her place is not in the original world but in this world.


    If senpai has no regrets for her former world, I will respect that.


    "...... huh, I feel like an idiot for being so nervous."


    "Do you get nervous, Inukami-senpai?"


    "Hmm, that''s a little rude. I''m human, I get nervous too.


    Inukami-senpai looks at me as I lie down.


    I turn over to get away from his gaze and turn my back to the fire. Now that we''ve finished talking, let''s go to bed.


    "Hmmm, you are so normal..."


    As my consciousness gradually became cloudy, I heard the voice of my senpai muttering happily in my ear.


    I was so happy to hear his voice.


    The next morning, we were walking out of the forest at sunrise.


    I vaguely remember the direction we took when we left the forest with Rose.


    I am confident in my sense of direction.


    "I was wondering if ...... Burlyn can''t follow our scent?"


    "If we hadn''t fallen into the river, they would have come, unfortunately."


    I hope that little eater didn''t give the guards too much trouble.


    Our steps are slow. There are two reasons.


    The first is to move without making a loud noise so that the monsters won''t notice us. This time, we don''t have Kukuru, who was here last time, so the monsters can''t detect us.


    Secondly, we must not lose our direction of movement, since the forest is full of tall trees, we will be lost in no time. To avoid such a situation, it is important to be aware of your surroundings as you move.


    This is what Rose told me in her book.


    After a few moments of walking carefully along the path, Inukami-senpai catches sight of "something" flying over the trees in the middle of the still invisible exit.


    "Up there, Usato-kun!"


    !


    I looked up after my senpai, and there was a swarm of small, poisonous green, monkey-like monsters. That''s ----


    Venom Monkey.


    Do you know it?


    "No, I''ve only seen it in ...... books, but I''ve never seen it before."


    The Venom Monkey is, as the name suggests, a venomous monkey monster.


    According to the book, it is mild-mannered. It is said that in order to win the food competition, it willingly ate poisonous berries, and thus developed a powerful paralyzing venom in its body.


    Their green fur, discolored by the poison they eat, is a deterrent to their natural enemies. In addition, its claws and fangs contain the paralyzing poison.


    I have never seen a venom monkey in the flesh, so I was fascinated by the sight of the venom monkeys climbing from tree to tree.


    At that moment, a baby venom monkey comes down from the herd in front of me and my senpai. The little monkey, who is probably a child and has no fear of humans, looks at me and Inukami-senpai curiously.


    ......Yeah, I should warn you about this.


    "Inukami-senpai, this monkey is poisonous, so please don''t touch it.


    "Look, I''m not afraid."


    "Hey, listen."


    No, this senior.


    I forgot to speak respectfully, but more than that, my head ached for Inukami-senpai who carelessly held out her hand to the little monkey. In order to stop her strange behavior, I grab her arm to keep her away from me.


    "You can''t do that!¡¡You''re going to get poisoned!"


    "...... even if I become poisoned, it''s my own fault for getting drunk on the poison of her cuteness!"


    "Will you please stop saying things you don''t understand......?"


    Don''t waste your time looking good.


    Yeah, I''m a senior girl, so I can''t hold back too hard.


    Inukami-senpai extends her hand to him, and the little monkey tilts his head curiously. The senior smirks at the sight of him, but...


    "Kick!"


    With a snap, the little monkey bites Senpai''s index finger. He froze with a smile on his face, but I wasn''t too surprised since I had expected this.


    I say in my mind ...... that I''m not surprised at all.


    Understanding the situation, Senpai smiles awkwardly at the little monkey who is still biting him----


    "See, I''m not afraid."


    "Kick ------!!!!"


    The little monkey ran away.


    No, it would be more correct to say that he has returned to the herd.


    In front of me, Inukami-senpai''s back is covered with a melancholy look. Without saying a word, I put my hand on her shoulder to cure the poison injected into her when she bit me.


    I was so sad.


    "Inukami-senpai, there''s no point in being depressed. ...... there are better monsters for senpai."


    "......"


    Right after I finished healing his body, he was walking out of the forest, but perhaps he was too shocked by what had just happened, he kept his head down and didn''t look up.


    Let''s be honest, it''s a pain in the ass. So, I let it go.


    After some time passed without either of us saying anything, Inukami-senpai, perhaps unable to bear the silence, spoke to me as she walked in front of me.


    "Aren''t you going to comfort me?"


    "It''s a pain in the ass."


    "......"


    End of conversation.


    I feel a little sorry for him, but I dare to cut the conversation off because it seems to be getting bogged down.


    The number of trees is getting smaller and smaller. At this rate, we will be out of the forest soon.


    "Senpai, we''ll be out of here soon..."


    "d*mn ...... for talking to me just at the right moment! You know when to strike, Usato-kun.


    What are you talking about? He turns his head forward, passing by Inukami-senpai who is making a fuss all by himself.


    But as I turned my head forward, I saw a blue mass in my field of vision.


    What''s wrong, Usato-kun? Stop ...... and see what''s ...... in front of you."


    "You''re kidding me. ......, you''ve come this far."


    Blue grizzly ......, a dangerous species by no means.


    A blue grizzly bear of moderate size was scraping its claws on a tree, sharpening them.


    "I''m going to go around. Don''t hug or lick the wrong one.


    "You don''t think I''m some kind of pervert or something, do you?"


    "......"


    "Silence!"


    I move backward without making a sound, trying to avoid being noticed by the blue grizzly. Luckily, the blue grizzly is too absorbed in sharpening its claws to notice you.


    Okay, if I keep moving away from the blue grizzly and make a wide circle...,


    "Usato, there''s another one behind you: ......"


    "There are two of them ......!"


    I was so focused on the one in front that I didn''t notice the other one approaching from behind. d*mn, if only Kukul were here at a time like this.......


    The animal, which had been preoccupied with sharpening its nails, noticed us and came closer to us.


    I was caught between them.


    They are fast and have good noses, so they follow us everywhere. Unless there is a river nearby, we will be back in the forest again.


    What do we do?¡¡Run with him?


    Or do I take the bait?¡¡No, they may target Inukami-senpai.


    Do I use my firepower to knock them off?¡¡No, that would turn this whole area into a sea of fire.


    Then why don''t we fight them?


    Rose said I could beat a grand grizzly, I don''t know if that''s true or not, but ...... it''s not a bad idea to try. If not, I''ll run away.


    "Can you beat him if he''s only one horse, sir?"


    "...... maybe, I could."


    "Well, I''ll hold one of them. I''ll hold one while you take the other. Let''s take them down one by one.


    "Okay. ...... be careful."


    Inukami-senpai is in the rear and I am in the front.


    I stand in front of the snarling blue grizzly.


    I haven''t been in a real battle since the serpent, except for the fallboar. I have no knife or spear now. But strangely I am not afraid. I wonder if not being alone makes me mentally stronger.


    As I slowly approach, the blue grizzly stands up on two legs and raises its arms threateningly. It''s a strange feeling, reminding me of the time Rose threw me into the woods.


    "Phew. ......"


    Taking a slow, deep breath, he cloaks his body in a thin layer of healing magic. He drops to his haunches and tackles the blue grizzly bear head-on at full speed.


    With a rumbling sound, the tackle strikes the blue grizzly directly in the torso.


    "Oh!


    The blue grizzly swings its arms around and swings its claws at me in my bosom, but its attacks don''t hit me because it is too close to me.


    I put my arms around the blue grizzly''s torso and move my legs forward as if to push its huge body out of the way.


    "Gugu......Gugu......"


    After all, the strength of an adult blue grizzly bear, which is twice as big as Bullyn, is not to be underestimated. Their weight is also comparable to that of Bulrin''s.


    But I have these legs that have been running all my life!


    Clenching my teeth as hard as I can, I try to make the blue grizzly bear fall back, one step at a time. I''ve been running my whole life, morning, noon and night. As long as you can ...... and never give up ......!


    The arms around the blue grizzly''s torso also get stronger and stronger,----- and the huge blue body is lifted up only by the strength of the arms. The sound of bones creaking and pain coming from both arms is ignored and healed with healing magic.


    "Gua!¡¡Aaaaah!!!"


    You start to run, holding the blue grizzly up.


    Every part of his body aches. My body cannot bear the burden of the Blue Grizzly.


    Even so, I will not release my arm.


    I have to get him home safely. So..,


    "Down!"


    With a mighty thud, the entire blue grizzly slams into the tree. With a powerful crash, I am thrown into the air and roll around, letting the inertial forces take over.


    "Huh---...... I thought I was going to die. But Rose was right. ......


    I lay sprawled out on the ground and look in the direction of the tree that hit the blue grizzly.


    There is a blue grizzly bear lying helplessly on the ground, and a tree that has been broken askew. I pick myself up, relieved that the blue grizzly is not dead.


    For the time being, I heal the sore spot with healing magic in order to recover at least. As soon as I can move my body, I should go to Inukami-senpai. .......


    As I was about to stand up, a blinding electric shock burst into the area where Inukami-senpai would be, brightly illuminating the surroundings even in the daytime.


    "...... I guess I didn''t need to worry."


    I think so, and sit down again.


    Inugami-senpai will be here soon. I wish I could go first, but my body is shaky from lifting the blue grizzly in an impossible position.


    The wound will heal soon, but I am mentally exhausted.


    "Usato!"


    Sure enough, Inukami-senpai has arrived. His clothes are stained with dirt, but he waves his hand, reassured that there is no noticeable injury. He comes running toward me as I sit down, rolling his eyes at the blue grizzly that is passed out near the broken tree.


    "Are you okay!"


    "I''m fine. ...... What about Inukami-senpai? Did you ...... kill him?"


    I didn''t kill him, I just knocked him out.


    As a matter of fact, we don''t want to kill too many of the same monsters as Bullein. It seems that Inukami-senpai felt the same way.


    Now, I''m going to leave this place before the blue grizzly I stunned wakes up. ------


    <<>


    "This voice is ......."


    "It''s the voice of the guard. ......"


    I''m not sure if he was looking for us from the exit of the forest, or if he was looking for us day and night, but it seems that the blinding electric shocks that Inukami-senpai had released earlier had caught the attention of the guard who was searching around this area.


    I walk in the direction of the voice with Inukami-senpai on my shoulder. It had been a very long two days, longer than the last time in some ways.


    "......I''m tired."


    "I had a great time. ...... Usato-kun."


    Are you serious?


    Normally I would have misunderstood, but since it''s my senpai, I won''t worry too much about it.


    >


    With a flowery smile on my face, I looked at my senpai with a sideways glance and waved weakly at the battered guard and Bulrin who had found us.

 21 - Twenty-first Episode

    Inukami-senpai and I were able to return safely to the kingdom.


    After that, the guard and Bulrin found us, and we joined the search party dispatched from the Lingle Kingdom and returned safely to the Lingle Kingdom.


    The guard felt a strong sense of responsibility for the fact that Inukami-senpai and I had gotten separated, and he and Bulrin worked day and night to find us. The other Mr. Black Robe returned to the kingdom once with the bandits he had caught, and went to report our disappearance.


    I''ll have to thank the guard and the black-robed man later.


    After returning to the Kingdom of Lingle, we went to the castle to tell the king that we are safe. I asked the guard to take care of Bulrin. We had become good friends before I knew it. Although someone tried to touch him and got hit back. .......


    When I entered the hall where the king was with Inukami-senpai, there was the king, an old man called Sergio who was with the king when we were summoned, Rose, and Mr. Sigurth.


    There were no guards to protect us. I guess that''s how much they trust us.


    "Oh ...... Usato ...... Suzune, how, how you are safe and sound ......."


    The king, upon seeing us, lets out a breath of relief and sits down deeply on his throne as if exhausted. If you look closely, you can see a faint shadow under the king''s eyes. I guess I made him worry a lot.


    For the time being, I was about to open my mouth to apologize for making him go through all this trouble, but Inukami-senpai spoke up before I could.


    I''m sorry for the trouble I caused you.


    "No, no need to apologize. No need to apologize. I''m sorry about that, Usato. I should have told him to join the training with Suzune. ......"


    King, you are too good a human being.


    I manage to reply to his honest words, though I am still a little hesitant.


    "No, I''m ......, I''m fine. I''m kind of used to this kind of thing by now. ......"


    "Used to it?"


    Gibberish.


    If I''m honest here, I could get in trouble.


    "Oh, no, it''s nothing! I used to go to the forest in my original world!"


    "Oh, I see. ......"


    Why did I just defend Rose?


    ...... You don''t think Rose has trained me to a spiritual level?


    Suddenly, I look at Rose, and sure enough, there is the matriarch with a wry smile on her face.


    This tremendous sense of defeat. .......


    "d*mn."


    "Usato-kun?"


    "It''s nothing. ...... Yes, nothing."


    Inukami-senpai can''t be distracted.


    "...... time, Usato, how is your training at the lifeguard squad going?"


    Here comes the hardest question to answer: ----!


    I had managed to fool them earlier, but I didn''t expect such a question. ......What are we going to do, I have to admit I''m more on edge than I was when I was dealing with the blue grizzlies. Rose is here too, and depending on how you answer the question, you may have to prepare yourself for what happens next.


    "Ju......... is going well, sir."


    "Well, ...... I was actually worried about you. "Oh, well, good, ...... good."


    My heart hurts.


    The well-meaning heart inside me crushes me with its weight. While I was suffering from a guilty conscience, Mr. Sergio, who was standing next to the king, said something to the king.


    "King Lloyd, it''s time to ......".


    "I know what you mean, Sergio. ...... Usato, Suzune. You must be tired. Rest now."


    We ask the king''s permission and leave the hall.


    However, Rose was the same as usual,---- but Sergio''s and Sigurth''s faces were somewhat grim,...... . I could tell by his expression that he was relieved that we were back, but it seemed like he was worried about something else.


    "......I hope I''m imagining things."


    "Usatot! Senpai!!!!"


    "Wait a minute, Kazuki-sama~"


    "Kazuki ni Celia-sama ......"


    As I was walking with Inukami-senpai through the castle, Kazuki and Celia-sama came running breathlessly ahead of us. I''m sorry I made you worry.


    "Long time no see, Kazuki.


    "It''s been a long time! When I woke up, I heard that Usato and my senpai had been attacked by monsters and were missing. ...... I ...... was so worried!"


    "Oh, I''m sorry."


    I''m really sorry.


    Celia-sama, who had been talking with Inukami-senpai, smiles at our exchange. She is a princess, her every move is so graceful.


    "Kazuki-sama ran out of the house when she heard that Suzune-sama and the others were missing, didn''t she?


    "Ah! Don''t say that!"


    "Ha-ha-ha, you''re a daredevil too, Mr. Kazuki."


    A senior student teases Kazuki in a way that makes the place lively.


    Then I''ll do the same ----


    "Inukami-senpai, didn''t Little Monkey hate you?"


    "Yeah, that''s ...... a bad idea, Usato-kun!"


    "Usato, who''s a little monkey?"


    "Actually, ...... Inukamiyak ----"


    "It''s nothing.


    Inukami-senpai will cover your mouth. You don''t like being exposed that much, do you, senpai? But I''ll tell Kazuki casually later.


    Both Kazuki and Celia-sama are tilting their heads at the impatient way he''s holding me down. But what did Celia-sama think? After looking at me and Kazuki alternately, she shifted her gaze to Kazuki.


    "You two are very close."


    "Indeed it is. ......"


    It seems that the princess is mistaken. Kazuki doesn''t seem to realize it, but...


    If we don''t deny it before he gets on the wrong track and makes things worse, we could end up in trouble.


    In fact, the corners of his mouth twisted into a crescent moon as he held me back.


    "No, I don''t."


    !"


    I said this, and he backed away as if shocked by my words. No, because ...... you could at least be a little more ...... self-effacing.


    "Well, that''s too bad.


    Celia gives a smile that doesn''t look regretful at all. I guess girls still love to talk about love even if the world has changed. Not that I''m talking about love, of course!


    "Oh, yes, Usato. Rose-san is amazing, isn''t she?"


    "What the heck is that?


    I didn''t expect Kazuki to mention Rose''s name. ...... That man and Kazuki should have almost no connection.


    I wait for Kazuki''s next words with trepidation. If he says, "I admire you, Mr. Rose, so please let me join the rescue team! If he offered, I would have to stop Kazuki even if it meant knocking him out.


    "I ran out to go look for Usato and the others, and Rose seized me in front of the castle gate,...... and I really went for it,...... but I couldn''t get a hold of her."


    "He''s so out of his league. ......"


    She can easily carry me and Bulrin on her back, and she can sink a snake with a single blow after it has been painstakingly chased to the brink of death. .......


    Kazuki is beginning to think of her as a hero, and my expression hardens.


    No, no, no, Kazuki,...... she''s not a hero, she''s a healer, not a healer.

 22 - Twenty-second Episode

    The hall after Usato and Inukami leave.


    Rose, Sigurth, and Sergio, who remain in the hall, look at Lloyd, who is sitting on the throne with his arms crossed.


    "...... have you learned anything about the fallboar that attacked Usato and the others?"


    "We don''t know much about that yet, but ......"


    Fallbores are monsters that inhabit "forests" and "plains" intensively. It attacked Usato and the others who had not yet arrived at the plains. If it had been a coincidence, he would not have summoned Rose, the leader of the Rescue Mission, and Sigurth, the leader of the Order of the Knights.


    At Lloyd''s words, Sergio, who was standing behind him, stepped forward and expressed his opinion.


    "I have just crossed the plain and questioned the bandits who attacked the brave men. They said that there were fewer monsters than usual. The words of sinners from neighboring lands are not credible enough to be believed.


    No, I believe you. ...... From what the bandits said, the fact that there were fewer monsters in the plains area means that they fled the area, so where did they run to? It''s obvious ...... that something scary is coming in the opposite direction."


    Lloyd says, holding his forehead as Sergio speaks.


    It''s finally here. The coming enemy is ...... not going to take advantage of our country like they did in the last battle. They will march in with the intention of taking the Kingdom of Lingle with all their might.


    Sigurth, who had remained silent, speaks rudely to Lloyd, who is still pondering.


    "Is it the Demon King''s army ......?"


    "Yes. They are coming at last."


    The invaders, led by a disfigured monster with a different race in tow, are about to attack the Kingdom of Lingle. We would like to avoid a war if possible, but we know from the previous invasion that it is futile.


    "Commander Sigurth, inform all commanders to keep their ...... forces ready and ready to move at any moment."


    "Ha! Yes, sir, I have your orders, sir!


    "Mm ......"


    Sigurth responds strongly to Lloyd''s order, and Lloyd nods his head in satisfaction. Sigurth then bows reverently and leaves the hall to prepare his troops.


    Lloyd then turns his attention to Rose, a woman who, in contrast to Sigurth, has her back to the wall and her arms crossed.


    "Rose ......"


    "I understand, Master Lloyd. I should go and check on the status of the invasion of the Demon Lord''s army, right?"


    "...... sorry."


    "Don''t worry about it. I''m aware that I have the fastest legs in the country. I''m sure the place to look is at the back of the plains, near the border?"


    "Yeah, it''s probably somewhere around there ......, though we''d prefer it if you weren''t here."


    There is a road that divides the plains into three countries.


    The first is the Kingdom of Lingle, the second is a neighboring kingdom, and the third is the "Demon King''s Domain," which is located across the monster-infested zone by a large river. It used to be a dangerous area known as the "Kouro Pass," but it was quickly taken over with the advent of the Demon Lord.


    Well then, I''ll leave when it gets dark.


    "What, at night? Isn''t it dangerous! Lord Rose!


    I know Sergio will stop him.


    If the Demon Lord''s army is really closing in, it is safe to assume that monsters are pouring into the area in large numbers. But the way is the Kingdom of Lingle, former battalion commander Rose ---- most of the monsters would literally be kicked to the ground.


    "Rose,......, will you return to your old position as battalion commander?"


    Rose turns her back on me and starts to walk away, but I can''t help but throw those words at her.


    I knew she would say no, but I couldn''t help but ask her a question.


    "I''m not going back to ....... Besides, I''m not as beautiful as you think I am, Mr. Lloyd.


    "I still think about what happened ----."


    "It''s still with me, I''ll never forget it. This scar won''t let me forget they''re dead."


    Rose''s tone gradually slips as she points to her right eye, which has not opened. On the surface, she refuses to come back to the hospital because of her right eye, but I wonder if "the incident" has left a scar so deep that it could be called a tragedy for her.


    "Now would be a good time for me to tell you why I created the rescue team.


    "It''s ...... what?"


    Rose''s one-eyed gaze fixed on Lloyd''s. He almost shivers at the jade green eyes that seem to draw him in, but he stares back at her as the king and ...... lord of a kingdom.


    The lifeguard who helped win the last battle. It was Lloyd who admitted its existence, but Rose herself has not told him why it exists. The reason for their existence is certainly secondary to their desire to save lives. It seems to me that this woman has a different purpose.


    "I am ----"


    He covers his right eye with his right hand, his shoulders shake as if he is laughing, and the corners of his mouth twitch. The words were unexpected by both Lloyd and Sergio,


    "I want a man who won''t die."


    "A man who never dies, that''s what she wants." Unreal," Lloyd thought, and at the same time, he had an image of a boy in his mind.

 23 - Twenty-third episode

    Yesterday, Rose came back after returning to her dormitory and went out for the night.


    Before she left, she gave me the day off. .......


    "Why am I going to the castle town ......?"


    In my hand is a piece of notepaper and a letter given to me by Rose. The note has a beautiful map drawn on it.


    But it attracts no attention. You may be wearing a training suit, but you are not training, and you do not have Bullyn with you.


    <>


    Is it unusual for a lifeguard to be walking normally?


    I''ve become so poisoned that I''m no longer surprised by that.


    I follow the map and walk through the whispers around me. Rose said it wasn''t that difficult to find the place, but .......


    "Is that it?"


    Among the stores, I see a white brick building.


    The map points to the place, but is it safe to go in?¡¡It seems to me that it is somewhat difficult to enter.


    At any rate, as I headed in the direction of the building, a familiar golden hair and "tail" crossed my vision.


    "Hmm?"


    A foxy beast girl stares at me from about 10 meters away.


    What is it?¡¡This look that seems to see right through my thoughts... .......


    "......, let''s go, let''s go."


    Something tells me I shouldn''t get involved with that girl.


    I walk up to the door and pull it open. The girl is still looking at me, but I enter the store and close the door. I look around the room, trying to calm my racing heart.


    The place is spotlessly clean and neat.


    It looks like a lifeguard''s quarters, I think, and decide to call someone for the time being.


    "......Sorry!"


    <<< Yes! >>


    I heard a lively girl''s voice coming from the back of the room, and a few seconds later, a girl appeared in front of me at a run.


    She was a little shorter than me, with semi-short blonde hair.


    Her hair color gave me a sense of deja vu.


    Hello!¡¡Can I help you at the Fleur Clinic?"


    "...... Fleur!¡¡I have a letter for you from Rose. ......"


    "What!¡¡Really? !"


    Fleur was the name of Olga and her sister, the other healers besides Rose and me.


    So this must be the clinic that Olga runs.


    I hand the letter Rose gave me to the girl in front of me.


    "Thank you!¡¡May I ask your name?


    My name is Usato, Usato Ken.


    "Usato ......?¡¡I remember hearing that name from my brother. ...... Oh, you must be the new guy who works for Mr. Rose!"


    Yes, that''s right.


    You''re looking good, by the way.


    She seems to have the girl power to fit in in her original world.


    Maybe this girl is Ms. Olga''s sister.


    "I am Ulle Fleur! Let''s see, I''m ...... eighteen years old!"


    "I''m seventeen ......?"


    "You''re ......... one year younger than me!"


    It is similar to Ms. Olga to say her age after introducing herself.


    "And you, Olga?"


    "My brother is in the back, examining a patient. Usato, would you like to observe?"


    He is examining a patient.


    I have never seen any healing magic other than mine and Rose''s, so it would be nice to see it. I hope it will be helpful for me.


    "Well, I''ll take your word for it. ......"


    Well, follow me!


    Uluru-san leads us to the back of the room. He opens one of the doors a little and calls me with his hand while talking to me in a hushed voice.


    Don''t raise your voice too much, okay?¡¡It''s easy to get distracted. ......"


    "Okay."


    Uluru urges me to look in through the door.


    Through the crack, I see Olga and a child lying on a ...... bed. A mother-like figure is holding the child''s hand, so is the child suffering from some kind of illness?


    "The child got sick from some strange germs from where he was injured some days ago. ...... symptoms were so severe that the child''s mother came to visit us at our clinic.


    "I see. ......"


    <>


    Green magic power gathers in Olga''s hands.


    A healing light that glows dark green while remaining transparent. I can tell because I use the same magic, that healing magic is a little different from mine, especially the intensity of the magic - not a lot, but the color is deep and dark.


    I hold the magic gathered in my hands over the child''s abdomen and head. The healing magic spreads like a wave from the two points, covering the child''s body. The magic is so smooth, I can''t do it myself.


    After a few seconds, Olga removes her hand from the child''s head and ----


    <>


    >


    "It''s amazing ......"


    It healed so fast. The mother bows her head again and again to the child, who, in contrast to his earlier weakened state, appears to be in good health. Olga-san looks troubled, but from my point of view, it was a perfect healing magic. I could never duplicate that kind of delicacy.


    After that, Ms. Olga saw the mother and child off and returned to the restaurant, smiling at me with a fresh expression on her face.


    "Hello, Usato.


    "Hello, Olga-san."


    "Yes, yes, I''m glad you''re here. Uluru said hello, didn''t he?"


    "Yes, I did. Usato, since we can''t talk standing up, let''s sit down and talk.


    Uluru urges me to sit in a wooden chair. Olga and Uluru sit across the table from each other.


    "You delivered the letter from Rose, didn''t you? Thank you."


    No, I don''t need to thank you so much. I was thinking of coming here once myself.


    Actually, I''m glad I came. It was nice to see Olga''s healing magic and ...... maybe Rose wanted me to see this?


    "Hey, Usato!¡¡How are all the lifesavers doing?"


    Tongs?¡¡I don''t think they''ve changed much.


    I see... nothing has changed. Well then..."


    As I answer her questions with a wry smile, Uluru-san, who asks a lot of questions, as if it is unusual for someone other than a patient to visit the center, says something to Olga-san, who was smiling and watching from the sidelines.


    "Usato-kun, why don''t you come work here sometime?"


    "What?"


    Usato, you''re busy training with Rose-san!


    "Ha-ha-ha, is that so?"


    ...... hmmm, maybe that''s not such a bad idea.


    It might be a good idea to learn from Olga''s magic. But we have to train. If I ask Rose, will she give me permission for a day or so?


    "I''d love to, but I''ll have to ask the Commander about that.


    "I expect a good answer. It''s not easy for the two of us to run a business together either. ......"


    "My brother is too poor!"


    "Ha-ha-ha, you''re so harsh."


    You guys are so close. As someone who has no siblings, I envy them. By the way, I heard that Olga-san couldn''t keep up with Rose-san''s training, I wonder if Uluru-san is the same?


    Or maybe she was not so good at healing magic as Olga was?


    "Why did you give up your training, Uluru-san?"


    "Hmm?¡¡There''s also the reason that I couldn''t endure Rose''s training,......, but the reason I finally decided to give up was..."


    Uluru-san points her index finger at Olga-san, who scratches her head with a bitter smile, and sighs with the kind of expression a mother would give to a handful of children.


    "I was worried about my brother."


    "Ha ha ha ...... no face."


    It''s not my fault that I thought Uluru-san was like a big sister to me.


    After that, we had a few small talks, and before I knew it, it was lunchtime. She invites me to have lunch with her, but I decline, as I don''t want to be that much of a help to her.


    "See you later, Usato-kun.


    "Come again!"


    "Yes, thank you very much for today."


    Olga and Uluru see me off and I leave the clinic. I''ve been training and holed up in the mountains for a long time, but sometimes a day off isn''t so bad. It''s really peaceful.


    Maybe it''s a sign that something great is about to happen.


    I''m not sure.


    "Usato-kun. There aren''t many kids your age, so I''m looking forward to seeing you again."


    "Ha ha ......"


    After seeing Mr. Usato off, I pick up the letter from Ms. Rose.


    It''s so nice of Mr. Rose to send me a letter. There must be something important in it.


    I take the letter out of the envelope and open it nervously. It says: ----


    "......!!!"


    "What''s wrong? Big brother."


    Oh my God. .......


    Are you telling me that you are almost there?


    My sister was looking at me with a worried look on her face, as if her impatience was showing on her face. I''m a bad brother to make her anxious. ......


    "I guess I''ll be seeing you again soon, Usato-kun. ......"


    But I can''t say that in reality.


    I''m not going to say that.


    After leaving the clinic, I wandered around the stalls.


    Yes, it''s not bad to take a walk like this. I''ve been running all the time, so it''s refreshing.


    "Maybe I should buy something to eat......, but I don''t have any money......."


    Let''s go back to the lodge for a while.


    I turn on my heel and start to walk toward the dormitory when suddenly someone grabs my arm.


    "What?


    I looked at the hand that grabbed me and saw that the girl I had seen when I entered the clinic, a fox beastman, was there before I knew it.


    She stares at me with inorganic eyes, and I almost scream.


    The girl grabs my hand and starts to speak in a small voice while looking into my eyes.


    ".........<


    "What? ----?


    Instantly, the vision goes dark, as if tinged with noise. What has this girl done?


    With the illusion that my head is being jumbled up, an image appears in my mind.


    Plains as far as the eye can see.


    Subhumans with weapons.


    A figure in pitch-black armor


    Kazuki and Inukami-senpai sinking in a pool of blood


    "Oh my God!"


    I screamed. I shoved the girl''s hand away as hard as I could and ran as fast as I could.


    The scene was so real.


    Feeling nauseous from the "scene that seemed so real," I turned around. There was a beast girl holding her forehead with her hand as if she was writhing in pain.


    Your eyes meet hers. ---- The girl moves her mouth and says something.


    "You owe ...... me a big favor ...... and I need you to repay ...... it."


    I never looked back after that.


    When I returned to my lodgings, I wrapped myself in my futon and tried to forget what I had just seen.

 24 - Twenty-fourth episode

    Plains, near the border. In the Demon Lord''s territory across the great river, a large number of inhuman soldiers were building a huge bridge.


    The group was the Demon Lord''s Army, a thousand strong army that had come a long way to invade the Kingdom of Lingle.


    The leader of the army, Amira Bergeret, the leader of the Third Army, shouts to inspire herself in the face of the impending battle.


    The bridge is almost finished!¡¡We are the Devil King''s lance, and we will devote our strength to it!


    The soldiers roar in response to her voice.


    The knight in black armor sighs in exasperation as Amira nods in satisfaction.


    "You''re getting a little overzealous, Commander. Frankly, it''s annoying.


    "That said, ...... there''s nothing wrong with being excited. What''s more, how dare you call your superior officer a pain in the ass!


    I''m sorry. I''m just frustrated that I''ve been sent to such an uninteresting battlefield.


    Amira, who was looking pale and scared as her subordinate muttered this in an unmotivated manner.


    However, no one blames the soldier in black armor for his irreverent attitude toward the leader of the army.


    "......Well, that''s all right. But, technically, you are my subordinate. You''ll follow my orders, won''t you?"


    "I know."


    The soldier in black armor turns on his heel and walks away.


    The soldier turns on his heel and walks away.


    "Well,...... it''s good that he''s competent, but he''s a hard man to deal with,...... but once the battle starts, you''ll have to follow him whether you want to or not."


    "I see you''re having a hard time."


    "Hulk, or ...... okay?¡¡Don''t I have to babysit your favorite?"


    Hulk, a demon, walks up to her with a wry smile on his face.


    His favorite is the demon he has created, Barzinak. It is the strategic weapon of this invasion.


    "Don''t be sarcastic ......, how''s your progress?"


    "From the looks of it, ...... it should be ready in a few more hours."


    Amira mutters as she looks sideways at the bridge that is being built.


    The bridge is made of half cut trees---the rest is an assortment of magically created materials. It is not very strong, but it should be enough for a large number of people to cross.


    "But you know ...... if we destroy this bridge now, there will be many problems. It would be bad for morale.


    "They''re watching the other side of the river at all hours to make sure that doesn''t happen, aren''t they? ...... don''t say anything too sinister."


    "Ha-ha-ha, sorry. ----"


    <>


    "Huh?"


    A moment ----,something thick and stick-like falling from the front hits the bridge that is being built. The stick-shaped object that pierced deeply into the bridge was a large tree.


    The bridge is cracked and crumbles from the part where the stick pierced the bridge.


    "What the ......! What the hell is going on! The bridge.


    The soldiers, Amira, and Hulk were all stunned by what had happened in the blink of an eye. However, when she came to herself, she spotted a figure in the distance, far beyond the other side of the river.


    The only person with that hair color that Amira knows of is the one that her ---- mentor told her about.


    The angry, maniacal yells were directed at the human-shaped demon laughing on the other side of the river.


    "What the hell is going on here? ......"


    I can''t get the image of the fox girl out of my head.


    I can''t get the image of the fox girl out of my head. ...... What fun do you have watching your friends covered in blood at all hours of the day?


    What did the girl want to tell me?


    Do I need you to return the favor?


    What was their intention in contacting me?


    Rose told me that some beastmen have special abilities. If that''s the case, is the girl''s magic to make others see illusions?¡¡Or is it .......


    "Did she show you the future ......?"


    Is there such a thing?¡¡No, there is still too much I don''t know about magic in this world. I can''t say for sure that there is no such thing as magic.


    But why did you show it to me? I wonder if that scene was a real event, then Kazuki and Inukami-senpai will be able to ----.


    "No. No, no, no!"


    I jump out of bed and shake my head. The outside view from the window is tinted in a deep red.


    I let out a loud sigh and lie back on the bed, staring at the ceiling.


    "...... I''m getting annoyed because I don''t understand so much."


    Why should I be so bothered by being sold a favor ......?


    If you think about it and you still don''t have an answer, you should ask them directly.


    ......Good, let''s just grab him and talk to him for now.


    "Where are you, little girl?


    I''ll be the wind.


    The fact that my thoughts are slightly perverted has nothing to do with the fact that I have a grudge against the fox girl.


    I run out of the inn and run toward the castle town.


    First, I head toward the place where I was grabbed. I probably look like a pervert of a rather strange classification as I run through the town with an indescribable look on my face, but the residents of this town don''t mind at all. After all, I now have a permit for eccentricity in the form of a training suit.


    In fact, it would look rather strange if I were to act normally.


    "They''re not here!"


    There''s no place where the girl was just now.


    Next is the stall where we first saw the fox girl. We can talk to someone at that stall...


    It''s closed!


    It''s not even open to begin with.


    Next, back alleys: ----


    "It''s too big to see!"


    Am I stupid or .......


    But no matter where I looked, I couldn''t find the fox girl.


    I asked people on the street, but they all said they didn''t know her, and it was even more hurtful that they didn''t make eye contact with me. Well, now that I''ve searched most of the main streets, let''s go to the last place.


    "The gate to the outside of the kingdom. ......"


    Of course, I''m not holding my breath.


    But it''s possible that they are actually there where you think they are not. Or rather, I left a hopeful place called the gate for the last time.


    "No fox beastmen come here, right?"


    "I know, right?"


    I knew it, I knew there were no dreams, no hope. .......


    I start to walk towards the town with my shoulders drooping from the excitement I had been feeling.


    "......I couldn''t even hear what he had to say after all. ......"


    I wondered why I couldn''t find it after all that searching, I searched everywhere I could, and as fast as I could in the city ......, which is crazy.


    I foresaw the future and my pursuit (?). Like ...... that you''re escaping from?


    "How is such a convenient thing possible?


    What do you mean, there''s no way?


    What?


    Behind me, I hear the voice of the demon leader who went out last night.


    But I''m not afraid. I''m used to this by now. I slowly turn around... and there''s Rose, covered in dust and sand all over her body.


    ......I don''t know what to say, but I''ll say something.


    "You''re a good commander, even the sand sticks to you!


    "Well, it''s nice to hear you say that. ...... Give me your face and I''ll smash it."


    "Gnooooooo ......!"


    My face is going to ...... explode.


    I was ironclawed in the face and hung in midair.


    No, I''m really sorry. Please don''t do this.


    I have a report to make to the castle. Come with me."


    "Oh, come on, do whatever you have to do."


    I am released from the iron claw, but I am held and carried like a prisoner of war.


    Am I a stuffed animal or something?


    "You said something earlier about there being no way, ...... what were you doing?"


    "Uh, that''s because I was looking for someone."


    "...... Huh?"


    "What''s going on here? Well, for some reason, I was looking for a blonde-haired beastie girl."


    Come to think of it, this guy seems to know a lot about this castle town. It wouldn''t hurt to ask him.


    "...... Oh, you mean that beastman? What happened to ...... that girl when you were talking nonsense?"


    At this point, let''s put aside any misunderstandings Rose may have, since they are troublesome.


    "What do you know about the girl?"


    ".........Two years ago, a girl came to this country by herself. I was surprised that a daughter of a beast, who had just turned twelve, came to this country all by herself, but ...... that''s all I know."


    Alone, a twelve year old beastie child?


    If that''s true, that''s a hell of a thing, that fox girl. I''m not so sure I could catch her if I wanted to.


    "Huh. ......"


    "......I''m not one to meddle in people''s hobbies,...... but, you know, don''t do it, okay?"


    "Now that you''re showing your kind side, I''m not sure what to do with it. ......"


    Ouch ...... seldom-seen pity hurts!!!!


    Go back to the Rose you''ve always been! This is not the kindest Rose I''ve ever seen!


    I was emotionally devastated, but Rose took me in her arms and led me to the castle.


    I was so broken down.


    With me in her arms, Rose steps into the great hall where the king is.


    She seemed to like the ease with which I was being carried, and had no intention of letting me down at all.


    "Rose? Why do you want to ...... Usato?"


    "I have a report. The Demon Lord''s army is advancing near the border.


    "Oh, I knew you were coming! What is the status of the Demon Lord''s army?


    The Demon King''s army has finally arrived! I wondered why Rose was covered in dust...was it because she was on a scouting mission all by herself?


    But the fact that the Demon Lord''s army is approaching doesn''t feel real to me. Is this because I''m still thinking with the common sense of the original world, ...... or is it simply because I have no sense of crisis?


    "They seem to be building a hastily constructed bridge to cross the river..."


    "My God! Kuk...... then the demon king''s army would immediately ----"


    "I tore it down before it was finished. That should buy us a few more days."


    "........., you''ve done well."


    I wonder if he knows what reconnaissance means. .......


    The king''s expression is hardened beyond admiration,---- but it''s great, our Commander-in-Chief.


    "Tomorrow, I will inform the people of the invasion of the Demon King''s army. I really appreciate your hard work today. I''m sorry I put you in harm''s way ......."


    "Never mind, then..."


    After saying this to the king, Rose leaves the hall.


    With her, I, too, leave as a matter of course.


    "Do you understand, Usato?"


    "Well, ...... yes."


    By "understood," do you mean the situation where the Demon Lord''s army is coming?


    I don''t know her intention, but she must have had something in mind.


    "Before the war starts, there are a few things you need to pay attention to.


    "Be careful?"


    Yeah, important things. We''ll talk about it in the dormitory, not here.


    What is there to be careful about?


    But that''s not what I care about right now.


    Sir, I think it''s time to get off.


    "...... I forgot."


    I think that''s terrible.

 25 - the twenty-fifth episode

    After reporting that the Demon King''s army was approaching the kingdom, Rose had returned to the lifeguard quarters with me.


    I went back to my room, and after a short pause, I headed for the Commander''s room where Rose was staying.


    The room of the leader is located at the back of the second floor. I have never visited there, but she is always there except for training.


    You arrive at the door of the Commander''s office and knock on it three times.


    "Excuse me, this is Usato.


    <>


    Excuse me.


    Hearing voices inside the room, I open the door and enter the room.


    Inside the room was several times cleaner and tidier than he had expected. The bookshelves were lined with books on various subjects, and there were stacks of papers on the desk.


    Rose is sitting in a chair with her elbows on the desk. Her hair looks somehow wet, probably after a shower. There was a lot of dust and sand on her hair.


    "Sit down."


    "Yes, sir."


    Rose urges me to sit in the chair that is placed incongruously in front of the desk. I feel uncomfortable because I am facing her.


    "...... Just so I''m clear, you understand your role, don''t you?"


    "Well, I should be in the vanguard like the commander, treating the wounded."


    "You seem to remember it well. So, let''s talk about it in detail, shall we? ...... First of all, when the battle starts, you and I will not be in the vanguard at the beginning."


    In the first stage, that means you have to go after that. One might think that it would be better if we had been there from the beginning, but I guess we will have to wait and see what Rose has to say before we can think about it.


    "In the meantime, Tong and the others will leave and take the wounded to the base where there are four of us healing magicians, including Olga and Uluru, who are at the infirmary where I sent you today to deliver the letter, and we will begin the healing process.


    Why didn''t you answer first?"


    "You, what''s a healing wizard doing in the early stages of a battle with no wounded? In addition to confusing the vanguard, you''ll also be a good target.


    "Oh, yes, that''s true."


    I hadn''t thought that far ahead. It is true that there are not so many wounded in the early stages of the battle. If there are no wounded to treat, we have no role to play.


    So we would leave it to Tong and the others at the beginning, and we would stay in the rear to treat the wounded and rush to the front line when the time was right.


    If you''re going to be in the vanguard, there''s one thing that''s most important.


    "Important?"


    "Yes, it''s important. This is something I can tell you, too, ...... that you don''t want to help the wrong people."


    "...... Is that it? Don''t help your enemy or something like that?"


    What is it that is so obvious? I don''t understand how you can help someone who attacked you for no reason.


    "Ah, it may sound like that, but it''s not. What I''m saying is don''t carelessly heal the wounded."


    "What does that mean ......?"


    For example, there is a soldier who is slightly wounded and continues fighting. What happens if you go up to him to help him?"


    "...... I''d be in the way of the people who are fighting, wouldn''t I?"


    "That''s why. Even if you''re in the vanguard of a healing activity, you can''t heal everyone.


    I see. So we should support our allies while being careful not to get in their way. Makes sense.


    "Now, the first part of the story is over. Now let''s talk about you.


    "Me?"


    Wasn''t it me you were talking about earlier?


    But somehow I get the feeling that this isn''t the usual Rose. Even before we got to the castle. She''s more spindly than usual. I wonder what kind of change of heart it is, or if it''s a raise it and then drop it strategy. .......


    Hmm? Something flew in...


    Whoa!


    That''s the uniform of the lifeguard. Try it on."


    "What? ......?"


    He tossed me a coat-like garment that resembled a lab coat. On the right breast is embroidered a red flower, the symbol of the Lifeguard Corps. In addition, the fabric is smooth and sturdy like fine leather. This is the same dress that Rose always wears.


    "It''s a special outfit, tailored to stand out in a vanguard battle," she says. It''s made to be durable and water repellent. I give it to you."


    "Oh, thank you."


    These clothes must be very expensive. Don''t ask me what it''s made of.


    ...... I''m starting to feel a little happy. I slip my arms into the sleeves and close the front with the clasp. I put it on and found it to be surprisingly lightweight and easy to move around in. It is also comfortable to wear.


    "......Wow, you look pretty good. All the workout you''ve been doing is worth it.


    "Ugh. ......"


    When did this guy get so close to me ...... I didn''t even hear his footsteps.


    Rose reaches out and puts her hand on my cheek. I can''t move as if I''m in bondage.


    This is not fear.


    Something like a sense of duty is restraining my body against my will.


    "Black for the Tongs, gray for the Fleur siblings. And do you know what it means to wear white like me?¡¡In case you''re wondering, we were originally only going to make two of these."


    "Yes, why?"


    "Huh, it''s too early for you to know."


    "What?"


    A moment later, I feel a shock on my neck and my vision spins around.


    I knew Rose was Rose.


    In my fading consciousness, I felt relieved for some reason.


    ¡ñ


    "...... I knew it, Rose is terrible!"


    <>


    "...... what''s that?"


    When I woke up, I found myself in my bed. Next to me was Tong, snoring in his sleep.


    There, on the wall, hangs the coat ......, or rather, the trousers, that Rose gave me.


    I wondered if it was Rose who put me here ...... and Rose who hung it on the wall?


    "Gunno, I don''t know if she''s a tsundere or not. ...... Speaking of which, I thought I heard someone other than me yelling just now. ......"


    I''m pretty sure it was "Whoa!" I heard a man''s voice saying, "I''m sorry, I can''t hear you.


    <


    There''s a voice at the window. ...... It''s the second floor.


    People shouldn''t be coming in here...


    "Kazuki!"


    I couldn''t help it, my voice went backwards.


    I rubbed my eyes, thinking I was sleepwalking, but when I looked again, I saw Kazuki''s figure in front of me, stuck to the window handle.


    At first, he opens the window and jumps down.


    "Let''s talk downstairs for now!"


    "Ah, ah!"


    There was no way he was going to let Kazuki into the room with Tong.


    Besides, it would be terrible if Rose knew that I was up at this hour.


    I take Kazuki downstairs and move to a place far away from the lodge. The moonlight is bright enough to make it easy for me to walk around without having to worry about my footing.


    "So, what do you want at this time of night? ......Well, no way,......I don''t have that kind of taste!"


    "...... What are you talking about, Usato?"


    "I''m sorry, my heart is rotten."


    You are too pure. You are so ...... different from Inukami-senpai.


    I moved to the training ground where we always train and sat down on the ground to listen to Kazuki''s story.


    "Haha, he''s a strange guy~ he reacts the same way as my senpai.


    Inukami-senpai.


    I''m sorry for your loss. But you''re not funny, Kazuki. It''s just that Inukami and I have dirty minds.


    ......, I got sidetracked from what I was going to ask you at first.


    What are you doing here after all?


    "...... night, the king told me that the battle against the demon king''s army was about to begin."


    "Oh."


    The Demon King or the ...... King is also quick to tell.


    Inukami-senpai notwithstanding, it''s no wonder Kazuki feels uneasy.


    "Senpai was a little confused, but he soon got better,...... but I kept thinking about the battle,...... and I couldn''t sleep at night,...... and when I came to my senses,...... I was so worried about the battle,...... that I couldn''t sleep at night. I slipped out of the castle and went to ...... and visited Usato for some reason."


    "......"


    "I''m trying to calm down, but I''ve run away. ......usato...... me. ......"


    Kazuki turns around and his face is illuminated by the moonlight. He is usually a handsome, dignified man, but his expression is somewhat weak.


    "I''m afraid to fight."


    Let me just say this in my heart.


    Why are you consulting me and not Inukami-senpai? .......

 26 - Twenty-sixth episode

    "I''m afraid to fight," were the feeble words that came out of Kazuki''s mouth.


    Such a reaction would be natural. And we were high school students in our original world when we were summoned. It was expected that Kazuki would feel the same way, except for Inukami-senpai.


    He is not the heroic hero or the unprincipled hero in the story, he is just an ordinary boy.


    "When I went to train outside the kingdom and fought ...... monsters, I was really scared. I almost lost my footing when I saw the monster for the first time."


    "......"


    "But when I was attacked, when I fought ...... desperately ...... and defeated the attacker. I realized once again how optimistic I had been about this world. ......"


    "...... calm down, Kazuki."


    Unlike Inukami-senpai, Kazuki is too sensitive.


    In the case of Inukami-senpai, he has accepted this world, but Kazuki, perhaps because he has become vaguely familiar with this world, has overthought it more than necessary and has been crushed by his own imagination.


    In fact, Kazuki in front of me is so emotional that his light magic is illuminating the surroundings as if leaking out from his hands. He realizes what I''ve said, and he stops the light, but his expression still remains dark.


    "I''m sure that the demon king''s army is going to attack me with the intention of killing me ...... and I''m unbearably afraid of that. But the people of this kingdom were kind to me, cheering me on. They expected me to ...... and that''s what hurts me more than anything right now."


    The anguish of being brave. People look at you with envy and worship you just because you are a brave man. I am not sure how much of a burden that is for Kazuki, but I am sure the weight of it is extraordinary.


    So there is only one word I can say to him.


    "You don''t have to fight, Kazuki."


    "What about ......?"


    It does not matter at this point how much damage this conversation will cause to our future strength.


    Those of us who are involved do not have to fight for this country. Kazuki has that right, no matter how heartless it may be.


    "Because ...... nobody wants to die. I totally understand."


    "Hey, wait a minute! If I don''t fight, what about Usato?


    I''ll get out. I''m not going to die.


    There are other reasons.


    For the people in the lifeguard squad, for Olga, for Uluru, for Rose after .........


    "That''s not the point! You''re not afraid to die, even Usato!"


    "Don''t talk about me!"


    What?


    I know I''m getting a little rough, but I''m going to let it go.


    "It''s not about me, it''s about you! You''re afraid to fight! Then, you know, you can run away! Neither I nor ...... maybe Inukami-senpai, nor the King, nor Sergio, nor Welshy, nor Sigurth, nor Celia-sama, nor anyone else is blaming you!"


    ".........a......"


    Oh no, did I say that a little too much?


    Kazuki, you''re lying face down, covering your eyes with your hands.


    What a pathetic guy I am.


    I can''t believe I''ve been so blind to my surroundings. ...... I was only looking out for myself after all. I just did the same thing as others, thinking I was good enough to do something I didn''t know what to do with. It''s always been that way.


    I became vice president because everyone wanted me to. I fought the demon army because everyone wanted me to. I''ve always, always, always, always, always, always lived my life according to my surroundings. I was willing to do what everyone wanted. I hope it''s just my imagination that the majority of "everyone" was female.


    So when Usato told me that I didn''t have to fight, the first thing I did was ask about him. If he had said, "I don''t fight," I would have chosen not to fight.


    But he asked me what I wanted to do.


    "......I''m afraid to fight...... but..."


    At first I was angry.


    I was angry at first, because he had called me here without my permission and asked me to become a brave man and fight against the Demon King''s army. ...... But everyone in this country is a very good person.


    The king, Celia,...... and everyone else are all warm people with no secrets. So I can''t stand to put them in danger.


    That''s why,...... too small a reason,...... but I--.


    I don''t want them to die."


    Kazuki had been silent for a while, and I was beginning to think that it was time to apologize to him, shaking inside, when I heard him mutter something in my ear. < he said, deciding to ......?


    "......I''m still scared. But you know,...... I''ll give it a try."


    ...... seems to have made up its mind.


    I''m not sure what kind of answer he came up with, but if it makes sense to Kazuki, I won''t say anything. I''m not qualified to say anything more than .......


    "I see."


    "Thanks, Usato."


    "We''re friends, don''t worry about it."


    "............ Oh, God!"


    Ha, I''m so embarrassed!


    If there''s a hole, I want to get in it. This is not my character at all! I feel like I was a much drier character. ----! And don''t, don''t look so glum, there''s no turning back now.


    "Heh heh, I''d better get back to the castle. I''m sorry I woke you up at night. I''ll figure out the rest on my own.


    Good luck.


    Good night, then."


    Kazuki runs down the moonlit road. His back looked tougher than before.


    I watch him until he is out of sight, and then I see him stretch out his arms and walk back to his quarters. I have another training session tomorrow in preparation for the invasion of the Demon Lord''s army. I have to go to bed soon.


    "I''m so ...... sleepy, I''ll go back to bed."


    "Oh no, is that what you call male friendship? I''ve seen some pretty good things."


    A voice behind me.


    But I know who it is and I don''t look back. I call out to him anyway.


    "I''m sorry, but I''m too sleepy to give you any attention. ...... Could you please do it tomorrow if you can, Inukami-senpai. ......"


    I didn''t recognize him at all, but I figured he could have been here, so I wasn''t that surprised.


    "......Hey? Isn''t your reaction funny? This is the place to say, "Hey, why is Suzune-senpai here? And "Oh my gosh!!! It''s Suzutan!" And I thought you were about to raise your voice!"


    "Please don''t change my name for my senpai without my permission ......, anyway, you''re my senpai, so you must have noticed something strange about Kazuki''s behavior ......."


    I never called her "Suzune-senpai" or "Suzutan".


    As you can see, Kazuki is in a state of deep thought, and there is no way that Inukami-senpai, the student council president, would not have noticed it. Probably, he had followed Kazuki who had run out of the castle in the middle of the night.


    If he was there, he should have come out from the beginning. ...... Well, in a way, he must have read the air.


    "Hey, Usato-kun, you seem to be kind of dry with me, don''t you? Did I do something to offend you? Let me know if you can, and I''ll fix it right away."


    "Why are you so desperate ...... or why don''t you go back to the castle ......?"


    "...... I''m about to cry."


    You must be joking.


    I don''t know, maybe a senior cries.


    No, I''m thinking of getting down on my knees if she actually cries, but as long as she says to herself "I''m going to cry soon," I think she''ll be fine.


    I was about to start walking, but the appearance of Inukami-senpai made me stop my legs again.


    Inugami-senpai is standing next to me, looking up at the moon and muttering emotionally.


    Kazuki-kun seems to have blown it. He lacked initiative in a different sense. ......"


    "......I ...... really wanted you to run away. I really wanted Kazuki to ...... escape."


    What he said to Kazuki was his real intention.


    If you don''t want to fight, you don''t have to fight. What is so sad that we have to send you to a place where you risk death?


    As I looked in the direction Kazuki ran, Inukami-senpai put his hand on my shoulder.


    "......Usato, don''t you want ...... me to fight?"


    "That''s right, of course. But I don''t think you don''t want to fight.


    "......... So if I say I don''t want to fight, you''re going to comfort me!"


    "What are you talking about?"


    "Hmmm, I''ve finally lost the honorific."


    I don''t recognize him anymore.


    After all, Kazuki and Inukami-senpai are fundamentally different.


    "I won''t comfort him, because Inukami-senpai is a senior. If you''re a senior, you don''t need to be comforted by someone younger than you, do you?


    "Mhmm, it has nothing to do with seniors or anything. ......"


    "Kazuki is my classmate and friend. That''s all that matters to me."


    He turns his back on Inukami-senpai and starts walking toward his dormitory. When he turns his back a little, he sees a senior standing and looking down.


    ......I may have said that a little too harshly. I should follow up. I feel bad.


    But..."


    "Usato-kun, you are a little too difficult to conquer. Show us more dere. ...... hmm? Were you just about to say something?"


    "......... is nothing."


    "I see. I''m going to ...... go back to the castle now too. ...... good night."


    "Good night, senpai."


    I was silent when Inukami-senpai''s words came over my words, and after I left her, I quickly returned to the dormitory.


    I wonder what Inukami-senpai wants to do with me. I''m really curious about it.

 27 - Twenty-seventh Episode

    The next day, the king himself announced that the Demon King''s army was advancing, and the word spread throughout the kingdom. The soldiers cowered nervously and the people grew anxious.


    The king''s countermeasure against the Demon King''s army was to intercept the Demon King''s army in the plain area.


    Under the command of Mr. Sigurth, the Commander of the Royal Knights, he commanded an army led by two brave men, Kazuki and Inukami. Whether or not they could win the war is not certain, but the presence of the heroes and the lifeguards could definitely be the deciding factor between victory and defeat in this war.


    In other words, the responsibility lies on my shoulders as well, as I am in the vanguard. It would have been unimaginable when I was an ordinary high school student in the original world.


    After the King''s proclamation, all of us in the rescue squad were gathered into the cafeteria by Rose.


    We are gathered, but Rose doesn''t say anything. She was standing in front of us with her arms folded and her eyes closed thoughtfully, as if waiting for something.


    "Sister, what the ........."


    Alec, who is getting impatient, asks a question in a reserved manner.


    "Hmm? ...... Oh, I''m waiting for someone who hasn''t come yet."


    "Not here?"


    <>


    Two men and a woman come into the cafeteria. Olga and Uluru, so Rose has been waiting for them.


    Uluru-san looks around nostalgically and gives a friendly smile and a small wave when he catches sight of me. ...... I don''t know what to say back to him.


    "You''ve come at a good time. Sit down."


    "Yes."


    "Okay. It''s been a long time, guys.


    Uluru-san greets Tong and the others casually, as if he has no fear. He''s an amazing guy, even though they are so strong that normal girls would run away screaming. But when he is in the same space as the Tongs, his worldview seems different from theirs. In the sense of a different colorful picture of the end-of-the-century hyachers and the pretty maidens.


    Uluru and Olga sitting next to me. When I sat down, they said to me, "It''s been a long time since yesterday," to which I could only give a wry smile, not knowing how to reply. I couldn''t know what to say, so I had to smile. I don''t want to say something that I don''t want him to say and get a strange reaction.


    But now we are all here. Isn''t this the first time since I came to this world?


    "Now that we''re all here, let''s start talking."


    Is it still about the upcoming war?


    Olga and Uluru also heard about it from the king in the morning.


    "As you know, the Demon Lord''s army is coming. ...... Well, I guess they''re working hard to build bridges now, but they''re still coming."


    You destroyed it.


    How can one person destroy a bridge by himself, no matter how many rivers are on the other side?


    I''d throw a tree or something at it.


    "Two days later, the Royal Army marches into the plains to repel the Demon King''s Army. The rescue team will accompany them and take up a position on the plain. ......


    "Yes!"


    >


    Guys, your replies are still weird. Olga''s and Uluru''s voices have been drowned out.


    "...... Especially, Usato and Uluru are in their first war. Keep your heads up."


    Wasn''t Mr. Uluru in the last war? ...... Then was Mr. Olga the only one healing the wounded in the last war?


    If it was a few years ago,......, Uluru is still in middle school age. That''s too young age to let her participate in the war.


    At that point Rose''s story is over and dismissed.


    "Hey Olga, I need to talk to you."


    Yes? I understand."


    As we leave the cafeteria, Ms. Olga is called by Rose.


    As I was about to leave the cafeteria, Mr. Uluru grabbed my arm unexpectedly.


    "What is it ......?"


    "I think my brother wants to talk to Mr. Rose, so I''m free.


    "Are you free ......?"


    "Usato,...... I heard you were running around town with a blue grizzly."


    Yes, but...


    I''d like to see it.


    "Uh ......"


    "I bet he''s cute!"


    "They are ferocious. ......"


    "........."


    "This way: ......"


    "Thanks!"


    I''m weak, me! If it were Inukami-senpai, I could somehow fool him. ....... I know she''s the same age as Inukami-senpai, but she''s so different from him! d*mn, she''s good.


    With a smiling Uluru in tow, we visit the stable where Bulrin is staying.


    Inside the stable, there is a small bear lying down and stretching out his mouth. I think he''s getting a little bigger. ...... It''s time to give him some serious exercise.


    Mr. Uluru catches sight of Bullyn and unexpectedly approaches him, opens his arms and...


    "Oh, look out!"


    "Cute!"


    No, in this case. Inukami-senpai would be a better choice, but Uluru-san is the other party, and the degree of innocence is a world apart. With his pure desire to protect others without any ulterior motive, I''m sure even the great Mr. Bulrin would allow anyone other than me and the guard (and Rose) to touch him.


    >


    "Hep!"


    "Mr. Ullrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!"


    He was repulsed by Bullein. He flails his arms and blows Mr. Uluru into a bundle of straw. Bulllyn, you ...... are going so far over the edge, who do you think you are, anyway?


    I pull Mr. Uluru out of the pile of straw in a hurry, and he looks shocked and grabs me by the shoulders. He does not seem to be hurt as he was not hit that hard.


    His eyes seem to be moistening somewhat, but I don''t want to mention that too much.


    "...... Usato-kun."


    "Yes, yes. ......"


    "You stroke it."


    "Okay. So please let go of my hand on your shoulder."


    My nails are ...... digging in and it hurts. How frustrated are you, Mr. Uluru?


    At any rate, I reach out and pat him normally.


    "Here."


    "Well, then, me too!"


    Uluru''s right hand is instantly knocked off. Uluru-san stares at his right hand, which has lost its way, with tears in his eyes, and makes a scratchy motion on his head as if to cover his mistake.


    I''m sorry about my bullyn.


    But relief comes to the despondent Uluru-san. A familiar little black animal jumps onto her shoulder.


    "......Kuku,Kukuru-chan......"


    <<< Kyu? >>


    Yes, Noir Rabbit. And Rose''s faithful pet, Kukuru.


    The monster who played with my innocence. Kukuru''s head tilting is adorable.


    "Kukuru!"


    "Thanks ...... for the comfort."


    "Squeak."


    "Oh..."


    Uluru-san tries to rub her cheek against Kukuru. But the little animal jumped off her shoulder and moved to my shoulder. Can''t you read the air a little, you rabbit? Worst of all, my right hand is on Bulrin and my left shoulder is on Kukul. And in front of me is a stunned, open-mouthed Uluru.


    Silence reigns.


    >


    .


    You shut up.


    Oh, man, this is awkward. Very awkward. Follow me on ....... I can''t think of the right words. Inukami-senpai... Inukami-senpai... would have been able to break out of this situation easily...


    "...... Ugh."


    I''m on the verge of collapse...!


    It''s all the fault of the rabbit that''s relaxing on my shoulder. I pick it up with my right hand and offer it to Mr. Uluru. Kukuru... it''s useless to look at him with such dull eyes.


    Uluru takes Kukul in a silent embrace with both hands.


    "My dear, Bulrin is in a bad mood today... Let''s go outside! Mr. Uluru!"


    "......"


    Uluru silently walks outside with Kukul in his arms.


    For the time being, he walks toward the dormitory. Uluru-san is still silent, and I can''t hide my shudder. What''s with this guy? He''s totally different from before.


    "Hey, Usato-kun..."


    "Hiya ......"


    Mr. Uluru calls out to me unexpectedly. It''s not my fault that my voice went all backwards.


    "Mr. Rose is a scary guy, isn''t he?"


    "What are you talking about?


    "You say that a lot, Usato. ......"


    What I mean by "scary" depends on how much time I have to talk about her.


    Fine, I''ll tell you how scary she is.


    "Oh..."


    "Because, you know, when we came in, that guy ...... followed our training like he was obsessed with something. He couldn''t ...... keep up with my brother''s training, so we went our separate ways, but ...... Mr. Rose was so scary at that time. That man never talks about anything, so ......"


    "I never cared about ...... at all. ......"


    At first I thought that training policy was Rose''s default.


    "Maybe it''s still the same."


    "Yes, I''m fine now, but at first I really thought I was going to die!


    Mr. Uluru laughs at my words.


    It''s no laughing matter for me, Mr. Uluru. We exchange a word or two, and as we near the entrance to the dormitory, Uluru sets Krull down on the ground and turns back to me.


    "As far as I''m concerned, Usato-kun. He is a very vulnerable person.


    "No, you don''t."


    Haha, I think that''s a terrible answer.


    What did I mean by vulnerable ....... She laughs at me, who can''t help but feel so uncomfortable that I forget what it even means.


    "Well, you know, he''s really a devil! He may have softened his attitude recently, but that''s only on occasion, and basically I''m being treated like he wants me to be treated!


    "Oh, um, Usato-kun?"


    "I can''t tell you how hard it was for me when I was thrown into the woods. ...... I was a little touched that you were waiting in the woods, but that was that, and this is this! I thought I was going to die then! And I''m surprised that she''s 25 years old! I thought you were in your late twenties because you were so wasted and mature!"


    "......I''m sorry for your loss, Usato."


    Why are you apologizing there -----? My head was grabbed with tremendous force. ----


    "Ouch! I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry!


    "You can say whatever you like, can''t you? A "A"?"


    Mr. Uluru at the front gate, Rose at the back gate. I mean, how long have you been here? I looked at Rose behind me with a sideways glance and saw Kukulu on her shoulder ----- You again! Are you as black inside as you look!


    Rose and Mr. Uluru start talking while I am in too much pain to speak.


    "......... I guess I''m going to have to give you a little moxa."


    "Please don''t torment him too much, Mr. Rose."


    "That''s impossible. ...... Olga is waiting for you inside. I''ve told him everything he needs to know.


    Okay, see you later, Usato-kun.


    Mr. Uluru abandoned me ......!


    Rose, holding me in her arms, my body weak from the grip on my head, takes me into the dormitory with a pale streak on her forehead.


    This easy ...... feeling again.

 28 - Twenty-eighth episode

    Now, we, the rescue team, were on our way to the plains in a horse-drawn wagon.


    Rose and Usato-kun were driving the carriage, and I was a little relieved to see that Usato-kun seemed to have established a trustworthy relationship with Rose, despite his reluctance to do so.


    Outside the carriage were many armed soldiers. They are about 1,500 knights who have been trained for the battle against the Demon King''s army.


    The Demon Tribe, which makes up the majority of the Demon King''s army, has physical and magical abilities that are unmatched by humans. Even if they are outnumbered according to the report, we cannot let our guard down. This is understood by all who go to the battlefield.


    As for why we are the only ones riding in the wagons, the story is simple. We do not want to fatigue those of us who play an important role on the battlefield. I thought Mr. Rose would refuse the offer, but it may have been a result of his concern for my frail body.


    There are seven of us in the carriage, my sister Uluru, Tong and the other five.


    The inside is surprisingly spacious, though it should be ...... less cramped.


    "......"


    "Big brother?"


    Sister, haven''t you noticed how strange this space is?


    As was the case last time, before a battle, the tongs would always start talking to their colleagues with a wry smile on their faces as if to boost their morale.


    "Speaking of which, what have they been talking about since a while ago?"


    "Uh, let''s see, ...... that''s ......."


    My sister, who was sitting in the direction of the train, did not seem to hear Tongs'' conversation, probably because it was drowned out by the sound of the carriage. Should I say this is a blessing or not?


    <<>


    >


    "......... says we won''t be defeated by the Demon Lord''s army."


    "Hmm, what else?"


    You still ask ...... sometimes I get fed up with my sister''s purity.


    <>


    >


    "......... says he''ll definitely help the injured."


    "That''s not a very nice thing to say."


    If you know what I''m talking about, don''t ask. .......


    Besides, Alec. Wounded people aren''t kidnapped, they''re brought to us. It''s useless to say .......


    But their success is immeasurable. In the blink of an eye, they throw the terrified wounded into their strongholds and run out to the battlefield to find the next ...... wounded. They are the best soldiers in a sense that they are the best .......


    I looked at my sister and saw her with her ear to the wall listening to something.


    "What are you listening to?"


    "Shh! You can''t hear me!"


    "......"


    I''m sure you can tell me. ...... Following my sister''s lead, I listen carefully and hear a faint voice in front of me. It is probably Rose''s and Usato''s voice.


    "...... it''s not good to eavesdrop, okay?"


    "Uh, I know, but... I''m just curious."


    I know how you feel, but I don''t think it''s a good idea.


    There is no possibility that Rose-san and Usato-kun will have such a relationship. You see, unnecessary curiosity can destroy you.


    "Big brother, you don''t understand the heart of a girl at all!"


    "B...... woman?"


    "........."


    I was surprised that my sister had a girlish mind at her age, but she took my surprise for granted and gave me a glare. Oh no, I''ve offended her. Even though it was before the war. .......


    "I was just trying to make you feel better, ...... but you''re so slow, brother!"


    "Sorry, sorry. ......"


    "You''re going to get stuck when the time comes!"


    It is true that ...... my body gets stuck in the face of the unexpected. It was the same when the Demon Lord''s army attacked us before. My legs trembled and I was frightened in front of the wounded who were being carried in like a stream. I was the only one who could heal them. With such a sense of mission and heavy responsibility, I supported my heart that was about to break and desperately did my job.


    Now, I feel inadequate for letting my sister carry that burden ......, but at the same time, I feel relieved that I am not alone.


    "What''s wrong? You suddenly shut up and ......"


    "......, it''s nothing."


    You can''t keep yourself clean all the time.


    It''s hard to be alone, that''s what everyone thinks. Just like I was. ...... so is he. That''s why he wanted her.


    "Usato-kun, you''re the one ......"


    No, this is not something I can get involved in unintentionally.


    I''m... a failure.


    Three days have passed since the bridge was destroyed.


    The bridge was nearly completed, but it was destroyed so easily that it had to be rebuilt from scratch.


    Amira grits her teeth at this unexpected turn of events.


    "d*mn ...... how long will it take!


    <<< tomorrow at dawn: ......>>


    "Hurry up!"


    A seething anger burns through her at the words of her powerless subordinate. Gradually, with a self-mocking smile on her face, she begins to talk to herself, as if to ridicule herself.


    She knew she had made such a blunder. If she had kept a close watch on the other side of the river, she could have prevented the bridge from being destroyed. She despairs of herself for not taking such a simple measure.


    "My morale is lowered ...... and my march has been delayed ....... I''m not the leader of the 3rd Corps.


    "Excuse me, can I go home now, I''m tired."


    "Shut up, I don''t have time for you right now. ......"


    He throws words of rejection without effort at the black-armored knight who comes near him, complaining.


    The black knight, who still maintains his attitude in the face of her apparent depression, sits there looking depressed.


    "You know, I could have been left waiting in a place like this,......, I would have left long ago too if it wasn''t for the orders of the 2nd corps commander.


    "Who in their right mind would sadly take a rude man like you under their command. First of all, it was your second corps commander who sent you, the most elite of the elite."


    The Black Knight is not a subordinate of Amira''s Legion, but a soldier sent by the Second Legion.


    The reason why he was sent was "to gain experience." It was obvious that this was just a pretext, but there was no reason for him to refuse, so he agreed to join, but....


    "Well, I don''t care if they''re going to give me a lot of time off after this march is over," he said.


    "If that slacker ...... has time to give his men a day off, he should be working himself."


    With this man, there is that boss.


    The commander of the 2nd Corps that Amira knows is a madman who doesn''t do his job well. As a fellow corps commander, he is a pathetic man.


    But even his subordinates are capable. Even a man like him is said to be unbeatable in his unit.


    "......Ha, that''s enough. We''ll begin the march tomorrow as soon as the bridge is completed. You and <> will reave the enemy. You''ll be responsible for boosting ...... morale."


    "Yes, sir."


    "At least answer me properly."


    As if refusing to engage in further conversation, Amira herself leaves the Black Knight''s side and goes to direct the construction of the bridge.


    The black knight, who has been sitting on the ground watching her back, falls to the ground, still behaving in an unmotivated manner.


    "...... is nonsense. Battles are just going to attack on their own and end on their own......... even these decorative swords..."


    With a clang, he throws the sword at his waist to the ground.


    If Amira had been here, she might have been outraged, but unfortunately she was not here.


    "It''s always boring, it''s always depressing. ...... It''s a good laugh to reap your enemies."


    The armor covering the black knight shimmers like a shimmering shimmering flame. The figure wearing the armor, which is biologically fluid as if it were not armor, looks at his own hands and smiles faintly into his mouth, which is bare from the armor.


    "I don''t have the power to reap my enemies, but ...... I''m an idiot, demon king, legionnaire, demon tribe, human, everyone ...... ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha."


    The exposed mouth of the handsome man lets out a laugh as if he had lost his mind.


    His appearance is not that of a knight. The figure wearing a strange shimmering black sludge-like substance looks like a ----


    "It doesn''t do anything to me."


    He looked like a demon.

 29 - Twenty-ninth episode

    Plains. A dangerous place with many monsters.


    It is in such a place that the Royal Army has set up camp. Of course, as a rescue mission, we set up a kind of clinic there. A simple bed on a wagon, a kind of tent with a roof that can be erected by putting up a post, and other things. We have brought most of what we thought would be useful.


    But I asked Bulrin to stay behind. If there was a conflict, he might be attacked by his allies.


    It was dusk, and I was sitting in a chair in the lifeguard clinic while the soldiers took turns keeping watch. The wooden chair is not very comfortable, but I shouldn''t worry too much.


    There is nothing to do.


    Rose is at Sigurth''s and Tong and the others are sleeping. Olga and Uluru are with the soldiers.


    Those tough guys are sleeping peacefully when they don''t know when the Demon Lord''s army is coming.... What''s this? They''re resting in case of emergency.


    Rose told me to take a rest too.


    I don''t know what "rest" means.


    I know I''m thinking crazy things. But when I think about it, have I ever intentionally rested since I came to this world? No, I don''t.


    I fell asleep during training, I fell asleep when I was thrown into the forest, and I didn''t take a specific break when I came to the forest with Inukami-senpai.


    And even on the first day off I got, I hardly feel like I rested.


    In my original world, I could have immediately answered that taking a rest meant slacking off, playing games, and sleeping. I wonder how much I have become accustomed to this world.


    Excuse me!


    "Yeah?"


    A man in armor comes into the tent. I can tell by his cheerful voice that he is the guard. He is the one who found me and Inukami-senpai.


    "Oh, Usato-dono! Where are the others?"


    "He''s not here right now, okay? The Commander will be back in a little while. ......"


    "No, I came here to tell you something!"


    The guard, straightening his back, bowed toward us.


    I wonder what he means by "something." ...... Is it something important?


    "I, Alc Girdle, have been entrusted with the responsibility of escorting the lifeguard in this battle! I will protect you even if it costs me my life!


    "......, yes, thank you. Mr. Aruk ......"


    He is a good man after all.


    You can tell by his actions, not his sentiments. This place could be the first target of the enemy, and I wanted to leave it in the hands of someone I could trust if possible.


    "I''m in the middle of a fight, I''m going into battle too. So I need my people to help me."


    "Leave it to ourselves! Then I''ll take the watch!


    Good luck."


    Mr. Aruk takes a final bow before exiting the tent. Well, he was a very energetic person until the end, I hope he doesn''t get injured in this battle.


    I look at the exit from which Mr. Aruk went out for a while, and then I sit back in my chair again and take a rest. It might be said that I''m not so easy to relax before the battle, but for me, doing nothing is the best thing to do. As they say, "idle time is not idle time". I guess this moment is like a "vacation" for me.


    I stare up at the sky for a while, and then someone comes into the tent again.


    The person who entered the tent with his beautiful long black hair shaking ...... Inukami-senpai looks at me, smiles a cool smile, and comes closer to me.


    "Hello, Usato-kun."


    "Hello, Inukami-senpai."


    The senior who approached me was clad in shining white and silver armor. It was a type of light armor that seemed to emphasize ease of movement.


    He noticed my gaze and turned his chest proudly.


    "Hmm, is this it? This is. ...... want to know? You want to know, don''t you?"


    "Okay."


    "You''ll want to know. Then I''ll tell you! Special!!!!"


    Are you listening to people?


    "This armor is enchanted to support my lightning magic! And on top of that, it''s made in such a way that it doesn''t impede my movement!"


    "You look happy."


    Of course!


    He''s so distorted.


    It''s a little ...... depressing to see him brag like a child.


    "Hmm, how''s that ---- going?"


    "You don''t have girl power, do you?"


    "What ...... are you talking about?"


    "But it''s unthinkable for a normal girl to be happy to receive a suit of armor.


    "No,...... it''s not, Usato-kun,...... I like pretty things too!"


    I know that.


    You have been trying very hard to get in touch with Berlin. But you were knocked down and sometimes almost crushed.


    Yes! It''s your fault, Usato, for taking all the healings!


    "Yes! Is it my fault!"


    "So why don''t you be my healer!"


    "I''m sorry, I don''t really understand what you mean."


    What''s with that "If not Bullyn, there''s always Usato" quote modification?


    He gets up slowly from his chair and moves away from Inukami, feeling fear for some reason as Inukami comes closer and closer to him.


    "I think it''s because it''s before the fight!


    "I don''t think so."


    "Stubborn! But I will not back down today, Usato!"


    "I''m not pushing or pulling from the beginning."


    "Hmmm, I know what I''m talking about! That''s your shy ...... I mean tsk tsk!"


    I don''t know why he''s not running wild, but if you look closely, you can see that his eyes are out of focus.


    But he is conscious, and that''s what''s so bad. It''s just like you said, Inukami-senpai. ......


    "Calm down, senpai. You''re not right now.


    There''s nothing funny about that.


    "...... are you okay?"


    Oh no, something is seriously wrong.


    I wonder if Inukami-senpai was also scared of this battle. Or is it wrong if he didn''t? Even Inukami-senpai is a high school girl in her former world. Even though she was acting tough on the surface, she must have been quite scared inside.


    "I''m hoping for a situation where I can get a hold of Usato-kun who resists reluctantly.


    "No, you''re wrong. You''re crazy from the start.


    Oh, he''s not afraid in the slightest. He''s definitely broken. He must have left some screws in his head back in his own world.


    "I told you, I''m not crazy."


    "...... understand. All right, let''s stop right there. People are talking creatures. Let''s have a dialogue.


    Even Inukami-senpai is the student body president who embodied seriousness in his former world. I''m sure he''ll talk calmly.


    You see, even now, after making a slightly distressed movement ----


    "Sometimes you have to use brute force."


    "Kazukiiiiiii!!! Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    I have to call for help right now ....... I can''t find anything to beat Inukami-senpai other than his arm strength and physical strength. Calling Rose would be a bit pathetic, so I call Kazuki, who is another way to counter him.


    If you can hear my voice, please help me. My friend Kazuki.


    "Usato, what''s wrong?


    "You''re really here!"


    Kazuki, clad in heavy armor unlike Inukami-senpai, comes into the tent with a bloodthirsty look on his face. I was impressed by his speed.


    Kazuki spots Inukami-senpai and points at her as if he has finally found her.


    "......! Inukami-senpai! You were here! I''ve been looking for you! Sigurth-san said to gather for a strategy meeting. ......"


    "Don''t worry, I''ll be there as soon as I get my hands on Mr. Usato."


    "What are you talking about?"


    Is this guy trying to hide it?


    Kazuki, too, is puzzled and tilts his head.


    "Inukami-senpai''s in a panic right now! Take him away now, Kazuki!"


    "I don''t know what it is, but ...... that''s what Usato said! I get it!!!!"


    So how much influence do my words have in Kazuki''s mind? But nice call on your part," Kazuki said as he strangled Inukami-senpai and dragged her out of the tent.


    "Hmm, I guess you''re the biggest obstacle! Let go of me, Mr. Kazuki!"


    What are you doing?


    You''re right, Kazuki. What are you really doing, Inukami-senpai?


    Don''t look at me like you''re trying to help me.


    Hanase~!


    Well, goodbye, Usato!


    "Thanks, Kazuki."


    Inukami-senpai left like a storm. I should be thankful to Kazuki, even though there was no way I would have been able to ...... hold Inukami-senpai back by sheer force.


    He''s not a bad guy. We get along surprisingly well, and he doesn''t have a bad personality. In fact, I like him because he is not too perfect.


    But I don''t know why he wants me, I don''t know why he likes me, and I don''t remember having a clear flag with him like in some gal-games. I don''t have the conversation skills or the energy to do so.


    "Hmm, I don''t know."


    The case is a cold case.


    Well, I don''t have time to think about such frivolous matters now. We don''t know exactly how long we have to wait for the people who are scouting to come back before we can fight.


    We have to stay strong. But Rose said. The time when the Demon Lord''s army will build the bridge and come pouring in here will probably be...


    "Tomorrow morning at ......."


    We have to be ready.

 30 - the thirtieth episode

    Tomorrow morning, as I look out over this vast plain, I will place my trembling right hand on the sword the king gave me.


    "Don''t worry...... don''t worry......"


    I say the words to myself to drown out my anxiety.


    The war begins just as the shadow of the Demon Lord''s army appears. To be honest, I wish the Demon Lord''s army had never come. If they don''t come, we won''t have to fight them and we won''t lose the people we''ve come to know in this world.


    My role as a hero and my senpai''s role is to intercept the enemy soldiers with magic at the beginning of the war and open the way to the enemy general together with our allies, and if possible, to defeat the enemy general. If it is possible, it is ....... Sigurth said this with emphasis, ...... perhaps out of concern for our safety. He was the leader of the corps and he felt guilty about sending us former civilians to fight.


    "Kazuki, take it easy. If you don''t want to fight, go to the back ----."


    The senior member of the group standing next to me says this to me as if he is trying to help me.


    "Don''t worry. Don''t worry about me.


    "That''s what I say, though. ......"


    "Aren''t you anxious about a lot of things, too?"


    "I''m feeling anxious,...... but, and I don''t mean to say this at a time like this,...... but I''m honestly elated."


    Uplifting? I followed her as vice-president in her former world, but I have not seen many senpai use such vague language.


    But ...... I somehow understand what senpai means. That''s why I--


    "I don''t know how you feel, senior."


    "Hmmm, I guess you''re right. ...... Usato says I''m a "weirdo". I just have a different head than normal.


    "Weirdo? Did Usato say that?"


    Oh my, Usato said such a thing to his senpai.


    "Oh, about the time when me and Usato-kun went missing. ...... Well, it''s not something to talk about now. We''ll talk about it when we get back safely."


    "When you get back, you''ll go to ......?"


    "Now you have a reason to go home, don''t you?"


    The senior smiles at me smugly.


    I guess he is the only one who can make such an expression even in such a tense situation. At worst, he might be said to lack a sense of tension, but at ...... best, he is dependable.


    "Yes, and ...... I have someone waiting for my return."


    "......Kazuki-kun, I don''t think that line is a good idea."


    What do you mean?


    "What? Oh, don''t worry about it. ...... Yeah, don''t worry about it."


    I can''t hide my doubts as her face turns blue and her eyes shift toward the plains. Did I say something strange?


    As soon as I try to question her slightly suspicious behavior, a strong chill runs through my body. I involuntarily turn my eyes beyond the plain.


    But there is still no sign of the Demon Lord''s army. I know that they are getting closer, though .......


    Senpai is also looking at the end of the plain with a tense look on his face.


    Senpai!


    "......, you''re here."


    Probably, Mr. Sigurth must have noticed it.


    In fact, as soon as he felt the chill, messages were being sent out to each of the troops. As per the plan, the soldiers specializing in magic begin to go out to the vanguard.


    "...... we''ll be ready too!"


    I know!


    I take a slow, deep breath, catch my breath, and increase my magical power.


    My magic is light ...... and I''m not sure how well this magic will work against the Demon Lord''s army, but I''ll give it a try ....... I let my body get used to the sensation of power circulating through my body.


    It''s something I''ll never get used to. I can''t get used to feeling magic.


    <>


    Mr. Sigurth, who is in command in the rear, is raising his voice to boost the morale of the soldiers. The soldiers'' eyes gradually become sharper in response to his voice.


    >


    The anxiety in their eyes disappeared, and they raised their voices together with Sigurth-san, who was inspiring the soldiers. The sight of about 1,500 soldiers shouting so loudly that the earth shakes is nothing short of spectacular.


    "........."


    Amidst the clamor that shakes the eardrums of the people, a black shadow casts itself on a hillside in the plain. The shadow is very small, and perhaps it is because of the distance, but it is a pitch black shadow that reminds me of darkness.


    "What is that ...... that ......?"


    The shadows gradually increase as if in an avalanche.


    The figures are clearly different from human beings, and although they have some things in common, they are different in many ways. Some have horns, others have brown skin.


    But all of them are ...... human-shaped.


    "No way ...... that''s not much different from a human being. ......"


    They came from the depths of the plain, shouting with the same fury as we do, and rushing toward us with their weapons at the ready.


    I thought they would look more like monsters. I thought they had six arms, or many heads, or even no shape to begin with, like an amoeba. ...... Can you attack such a thing? They''re in human form. ...... They should be able to attack something like that. ----


    <>


    "Ha!"


    Sigurth''s loud voice brought me back to reality, and I shook my head to shake off any weak thoughts that came into my head and turned my attention to the Demon Lord''s army that was sprinting toward us.


    The first spear is us. Can you do it?"


    "I''ll do it, I''ll do it. ...... I''ll do it, I''ve got to do it!"


    He turns his palm forward and converges his magical power.


    I''ve used it against monsters, but this is the first time I''ve used it against a human ...... form, but if I hesitate, I''ll be killed. We have no choice.


    "No hard feelings ......."


    The soldiers in the vanguard, who are working magic, follow our lead and start holding their palms out in front of them to release their magic.


    Once they are within range, they release their magic at once.


    "The first move has to be loud and hard!"


    Senpai, too, is gushing thunder from all over her body. She seems ready, too.


    I''m ready to unleash my magic too. ...... The others are ready too. We''re ready to intercept them, but ...... the Demon Lord''s army''s footsteps continue unabated. Their reckless advance is like a suicide mission.


    <>


    The distance between the Demon King''s army and the Kingdom''s army is getting narrower and narrower. I can''t back out now, I grit my teeth, my eyes wide open, and I ----


    <>


    With all his might, he unleashes a white, glowing light magic beam forward. After a slight delay, the various systems of magic unleashed by the Kingdom''s army rushed toward the Demon King''s army.


    "...... has begun?"


    A loud explosion was heard outside. And then loud angry shouts and noises, which I guessed signaled the start of the war.


    Now we, the lifeguards, are lining up in a single file in front of Rose, the leader of the group.


    "As you know,......, those with healing magic should stay here and those with black clothes should bring the wounded to the battlefield first."


    >


    The tough-looking men in black jackets raise their voices with authority.


    But isn''t the design of their clothes strange? Clothing that looks like a jacket and is black in color makes ...... a total criminal. Honestly, wouldn''t anyone cry if they were caught by these guys?


    "Gray suits will be here all the time. But in case of emergency, get out."


    >


    Ms. Olga and Mr. Uluru, wearing gray clothes similar in shape to Rose''s and mine.


    These are the two important people at the heart of this place.


    "So, you and I will be on the front line as the battle progresses."


    "Yes, sir."


    "Okay, well, let''s get started: ...... Tongu, Alec, Mir, Gomul, Guld, please."


    >


    "Phew, go on then. Come back alive like last time."


    The strong men shout in unison.


    I may not have to worry about them, but I''m still a little concerned. I don''t ...... think they''re going to get hit by the Demon Lord''s army.


    Tongs are running out of the doorway with a bang. After watching them, we stayed in the tent for the time being.


    "I wonder if Senpai and Kazuki are okay. ...... I think it''s safe to say that the battle has already begun. ......"


    "Worried about your friends?"


    "Mr. Uluru, ......, of course I''m worried about you, because you''re my friend."


    "I''m worried about ...... Usato-kun!"


    "What ---- does that mean?"


    Just as I was about to question her words, a strong-looking man comes rushing into the tent.


    That man is Tong, one of the members of our rescue team. He walks toward us, carrying a sobbing woman on his shoulders with ease.


    "I''ve got her!


    ""Too soon!""


    I hear Uluru''s voice.


    No, it hasn''t even been five minutes since the battle started.


    "Of course not, it''s war. Injuries are normal. ...... are coming in droves. Tongue, leave him with Usato and bring in the next wounded."


    "Hey! Hey, Usato, you got it?


    "Oh, oh."


    A female soldier is taken care of by Tong. Her body is ...... covered with deep knife wounds on her shoulders and legs.


    "Ugh,...... face,scary,......"


    "Poor guy, he must be crying from the pain. ...... Yeah, he must be. It''s okay now, the pain will go away."


    "Usato, you can''t turn away from reality. ......"


    I can''t hear you.


    For some reason, I persistently reject the female soldier who tries to cling to me, but I hold my hand over the wound and pour healing magic into it. A wound like this will heal in no time.


    The wound is healed in just a few seconds.


    "Are you all right?"


    "...... you''ve been ...... so and so, after being wounded in battle, after a ...... failed operation, after a ...... The Demon Lord''s army made a suicide attack, and through illusionary magic, ...... a large monster kidnapped ...... the black enemy and-- --"


    "Please calm down a little."


    His memory seems to have been clouded by shock. It may be temporary, but ...... the mission failed, the hallucinogenic magic, the big monster and the black enemy...


    ...... black enemy...... in black armor----


    "Ah!!!!!!!"


    A pain shoots through my head. My brain replayed the visions shown to me by the beastman''s daughter.


    Why am I remembering this scene now? ...... This is like really ----


    "It''s like Kazuki and his senpai are going to die. ......


    "Usato-kun! Help me over here!


    "Oh~~~ God! I understand!


    I''m sure they''ll be fine, Kazuki and Senpai. They''re stronger than me by a mile. They won''t be so easily beaten.


    But what if ...... if two people''s lives are in danger, I''ll ----


    "I''ve got to do it."


    It''s my job to heal the wounded, and it''s my job to protect the lives of my allies .......

 31 - the 31st episode

    Usato and his team were treating the wounded who were being brought in.


    The situation on the battlefield, which had just begun, was moving at a dizzying pace.


    A magical attack from the Kingdom''s army was unleashed at the very beginning of the battle. It was powerful enough to reduce the strength of the Demon King''s army.


    However, the attack on the Demon King''s army, which seemed to hit directly, failed. Just before the direct hit, the Demon Lord''s army vanished like a mist.


    Witnessing the scene from afar, Knight Commander Sigurth grits his teeth.


    Illusion magic. Magic that creates illusions in its target, but on this scale it is far too large." Sigurth muttered bitterly as he directed his army, looking at the real Demon Lord''s army coming from the dust raised by the magic attack.


    The Royal Army''s first magical attack fails, and the battle shifts to a war of attrition between the Royal Army and the Demon Lord''s Army.


    The Royal Army and the Demon Army fight with swords, bows, and magic. The soldiers of the Royal Army, who are different from each other in terms of race and physical strength, fall one after another under the attacks of the Demon Army. In addition, the demonic monsters and are laying waste to the Royal Army at the front line.


    The soldiers of the Demon King''s army are convinced.


    .


    The demons, whose morale had been lowered by the destruction of the bridge, find that their army has the advantage, and their morale is boosted as they attack the Royal Army even more fiercely.


    However, two humans stand in the way of their advance.


    Kazuki and Inukami, two heroes summoned from another world. The two men and women, clad in light and thunderbolts, may appear to be teenagers, but the magical power and fighting prowess they contain are unparalleled in the Kingdom''s army.


    The demons, unaware of the existence of the heroes, were horrified by their overwhelming magic and fighting power.


    However, the war situation is still in favor of the Demon King''s army, as there is no way that the formation can be reversed with the work of only two men.


    If the war continues as it is, the defeat of the Kingdom''s army will be assured.


    The Demon King''s army is fighting the battle to its advantage.


    It may have been a little while after the war started when a soldier belonging to ...... the Demon King''s Army notices something unusual. An anomaly that would never happen on the battlefield in the midst of a conflagration.


    The young Demon Lord soldier lowers his hand with his sword and looks around in dismay.


    There is none. The things that are always present on the battlefield are absent in this area.


    "There are no bodies. ......"


    There are no bodies. No, there are my compatriots lying on the ground. But the most important thing is that there is no human being. No matter how much the soldiers look around, all they see are humans and demons engaged in a fierce battle.


    Only their compatriots are lying on the ground, not the human bodies of their enemies.


    It is too abnormal. The red blood stains on the ground make the soldiers even more terrified.


    Gradually, his comrades notice the anomaly, and their expressions harden, just as he does.


    "What the ......... have we fallen under some kind of strange human magic ......?"


    I can understand why you would want to say that, but your enemy, the humans, will not wait for you.


    Even when you are confused, they will attack you without any regard. The human side does not care about this unusual situation at all.


    It is safe to assume that they are fully aware of this situation.


    He was very angry. Being a true Demonist, he was humiliated more than anything to be outwitted by a human without knowing why.


    His eyes flashed with blood and he flicked back the sword of a Royal Army soldier who attacked him.


    "What have you done, you barbarian!


    "There''s no reason to answer ......."


    He shouts angrily and slashes at a Royal soldier.


    His angry blow is easily avoided, and his sword is aimed at him when he is out of position. The Royal Guards are not an enemy to be underestimated, despite their race.


    The male demon who had forgotten this fact in his mind prepared himself for death.


    However, a demon tribe intervenes between him and the Royal Guardsman.


    "You fool. ......"


    The sword, which was swung down to reap the life of the Demon King''s soldier, was blocked by the leader of his unit, who cut down the Kingdom soldier in an instant.


    The captain stares at the male devil with a glare, and a blue streak appears on his forehead, and he shouts at him even though he is in the middle of a battle.


    "What are you doing, you idiot! Have you forgotten the advice of the Commander of the Belvedere Corps?


    "Loyalty ...... advice?"


    "Hmm, I guess the new recruits don''t care ...... about me, my men are pathetic. The superiority of race can blind the eyes of soldiers to this extent. ......"


    Bellegred Legionnaire''s Advice?


    As I was falling on my buttocks, I saw a Kingdom soldier, whom the captain had just cut down, move with a jerk. He had a deep laceration running from his chest to his side. Even he, a new recruit, knew that he would surely die in time.


    "Listen, Berggred told us to be on the lookout for kidnappers. And ......---- if you can!"


    A moment later, the captain senses something and swings his sword sideways.


    A black shadow appeared at the edge of his vision. A voice of doubt is raised as the presence passes by like the wind.


    "What ......?"


    "I''ve been hit. ...... I should have put a stop to it. ......"


    Just as he is about to say this, he notices that the Kingdom soldier who was suffering in front of him has suddenly vanished.


    "d*mn, are they really human?"


    "What ...... is it, now ...... the human you just defeated, and now there''s a shadowy thing... ..."


    "It''s a monster, kill it at every opportunity. And make no mistake, our army is not absolutely superior. ......"


    Earlier, the captain called you a kidnapper.


    The commander of the 3rd Bellegred Corps told me that they are the worst enemy of ...... his army, carrying out and healing wounded enemy soldiers with eye-popping speed in the midst of battle.


    There is no way any human could move with the blinding speed of a demon tribe that is superior to humans.


    He, who had decided on the superiority or inferiority of the two races, did not believe her mysterious story.


    But they do exist. The reality is that they are invisible and there are no dead bodies of enemy soldiers.


    They come at him one after another, their numbers showing no sign of abating. Like a spring, they come from the rear endlessly.


    Somehow, he was terrified ...... of the human race. .......


    "...... sure, it''s a monster."


    The Royal Guardsman wakes up with the sensation of being shaken by something.


    He dodged a sword wielded by a demon tribe and attacked it, but was cut down by another demon tribe without knowing why. The wound was so deep that it was obvious that he could not be saved by recovery magic alone. But from what I can see now, it seems that he is still alive.


    I thought it was too late, but he is alive.


    Perhaps it is because the lifeguard saved me.


    In fact, the fat man running with himself on his shoulders is also a member of the rescue team.


    I should thank him ...... and turn my face to the man who is carrying me.


    "Oh,...... thanks,----."


    "Hmm? I guess you''re awake!"


    "Hic ...... sorry ......"


    A small, fat man with a round face turned toward us, Mill.


    I should have thanked him, but I immediately apologized. But I put my hand on the wound, telling myself that this is inevitable .......


    "Ow!"


    "Don''t move, you idiot! You just stay put and don''t move! You''re going to die!


    "...... yes."


    His speech is completely that of a bandit, but you can see that he is concerned for the soldier''s wellbeing.


    The blood has been stopped. He probably continued to cast restorative spells on the soldier, and gave him some emergency medical attention.


    "......YoYoYo!


    "......a......kya."


    The man who is carrying her lifts one of the female soldiers up on his opposite arm. He does so while running. The soldier, who was bleeding from the forehead, realizes her situation and looks at the fat man''s face...


    "The Afterlife ......?"


    He seems to be delirious.


    Let''s leave him alone for a moment, this must be the nature of a healing wizard.


    I would have thought that carrying two on your back would have slowed you down a bit, but your momentum has not slowed down at all. They run and sometimes leap across the battlefield. The scenery around them changes as if it were flowing.


    It is no wonder that the demon king''s army, engrossed in fighting, is oblivious to their presence as they run across the battlefield at high speed.


    "----I''m going back soon!


    Mill takes one look at the soldiers and then speeds up.


    The destination is a tent set up near the main camp where the healing wizards are. Once there, he can heal his wounds and go back into battle.


    "......!


    "How did you ...... do that?"


    Mill stops to see if he has found something. Ahead of his eyes, he sees many fallen Kingdom soldiers. They are still breathing, which means they can still be saved. While ...... is saving them, the soldiers who are carrying them now will reach the limit of their strength, and at worst, they will die.


    In this situation where he had to make a ruthless choice, Mill remained calm. He saw his friends out of the corner of his eye.


    "Alec!


    "Aah!"


    Without warning, he throws a soldier and a female soldier on his shoulders as Alec heads toward the tent carrying three wounded men.


    "......What?


    "Geez!"


    The two injured men, who were suddenly thrown into the air, were so badly treated that they could not speak. Alec catches them with one arm as they spin around in his spinning vision. Alec spins around to catch the recoil from the weight of the two, and turns his head toward the miller who threw the wounded man.


    "Don''t throw the wounded man! You idiot!"


    You two, for God''s sake!


    "...... owe me one!"


    "Han, I''ll make you eat my food when you''re done!"


    Mill, who has just thrown a wounded man, grimaces and runs in the direction of the many wounded people.


    Alec smiles the same smile as Mill and carries the five people back.


    "Heh, I don''t want it. I don''t want your cooking. ......


    With his mouth agape, he checks on the safety of the stunned soldiers and runs to the tent where Rose is. He makes his way through the hurriedly moving soldiers, reaches the tent, and enters.


    Inside are four people with healing magic who are working to heal the injured.


    "You brought them, Alec!


    "Usato, hurry up and heal him. It would be a nuisance to have you die in a place like this.


    "Hey! You''ve got a soldier with white eyes!


    "You can complain to the mill. I don''t give a shit.


    "Huh, well, ...... put the wounded man on the empty bed. Be careful."


    Who would have thought that just a few months ago, a man who was so frightened in front of Alec and his friends would grow up to be so cocky? Alec smiles, as if it''s funny, remembering the man he was then, and puts the wounded man down on the empty bed.


    "......"


    "What''s so funny?"


    "Well, you''re turning into a very cocky little brat, aren''t you?"


    Leave him alone. Go help the soldier.


    "Hey, hey, hey."


    Turning his back on Usato, who is casting healing magic on the soldiers with a sweaty forehead, Alec runs out onto the battlefield.


    Five members of the group are on the intensifying battlefield. Those who know the current situation would agree that there is "an overwhelming shortage of manpower. It is true that ...... even if the damage is kept to a minimum, there will be no small number of casualties, and some lives cannot be saved.


    But they are not pessimistic about it.


    Sometimes it is because we are trying to save lives, but only those that we could not save.


    "Heh, ......"


    Tong, Mir, Alec, Gomul, and Guld run on the battlefield and kidnap soldiers.


    Until the "two best of the best" go off to battle. ----

 32 - the 32nd episode

    Fighting is fun.


    It fills my heart.


    Oh, it''s so inappropriate...... friends, soldiers, kingdoms are fighting together and I am standing on the battlefield with the abnormal thought of enjoying the situation.


    But I don''t kill my enemies because I still have a sense of humanity,...... or simply because I went out to the battlefield with no good preparation.


    It is also true that I have an aversion to the act of killing. We are fighting with the same "morals" as in the original world.


    It is laughable that I, who do not want to go back to my world, am still bound by "common sense" that is totally different from this world. ...... It is really, really laughable. You may look pretty on the outside, but on the inside you are just ugly, dirty and cunning...... like a stuffed animal with mud inside.......


    "......... ha."


    >


    In the middle of the fight --- a soldier of the demon king''s army thrusts a fork-like stick-shaped spear toward us.


    If it hits you, it will hurt, if it hits you, it will hurt you, if it hits you, you might die. The threat, filled with such a murderous intent that I could tell at a glance, was thrusting toward my heart.


    Death is in the air. But that doesn''t stop me. No, I can''t even stop.


    "Ha ha ha ........."


    <


    Twisting and turning, I dodge the spears and place my hand on the enemy soldier''s armored abdomen.


    I use my sword only for defense, because I don''t have the strength to cut through the armor without the physical strength of Sigurth.


    Therefore, my attack is inevitably a magic attack.


    And conveniently, my magic is , which is very effective against living creatures.


    "Huh!


    >


    But in using such a useful "tool" as magic, I have the greatest disregard for life.


    I am neither prepared to kill nor to be killed, and I am standing on the battlefield with no resolve. ...... It is no wonder that I call this a disregard for life.


    Kazuki is going into battle with determination.


    He is standing on his feet, facing his weakness and enduring his fear.


    Usato-kun is walking on a path completely opposite to mine.


    ...... No, in the big picture, he is just like me. He is neither ready to kill nor to be killed, that much is the same. But other than that, we are completely different. He is honest and competitive, though he seems to be somewhat apathetic. His indifferent attitude toward me is probably based on some understanding of my feelings.


    "Ah, Usato-kun ........."


    I''m lost in thought. This world is wonderful - even if people call me a psycho, I enjoy the world I live in now, full of new encounters, unknowns, hopes, and the impossible.


    That''s why I have to survive in this battlefield.


    Next.


    We look at the fallen enemy soldiers and look for the next enemy.


    Before I knew it, there were no more enemies around me. They are looking at me warily.


    I hope this will dissuade them, but...


    "Kazuki-kun ......"


    He was fighting.


    Swinging his sword, he cut through the enemy. There was something devilish in his appearance, but ...... I could feel more passion from him.


    His magic is not a convenient ability like mine.


    Light magic---magic against demons that can cripple them with a single blow. In this war, his ability would be quite advantageous. But for Kazuki, it would be a burden.


    "Huh, huh, huh, huh..."


    The fact that they can disable a fighter without question means that they can''t take it easy on him.


    If the opponent had not been a demon, he would have still had room to go easy on him.


    If he had been a "crazy person" like me, I would have been able to take it easy on him and make him unable to fight.


    If he attacked me with the intent to kill, the one who was attacked would have responded with the appropriate hostility and intent to kill.


    I run up to Kazuki-kun, keeping an eye on my surroundings, and attack one of the demons he was dealing with with an electric shock, disabling him from fighting.


    "Are you okay?"


    "Yes,...... but it''s hard. Mentally.


    "You can back off if you want."


    "Don''t worry about it. I can still ...... do it."


    This is a waste of time.


    He''s stubborn beyond belief. He is prone to self-loathing.


    But that is both his weakness and his strength. Being able to understand what''s wrong with you is not something you can do very often.


    "Okay, but if it gets too tight, you can leave."


    "......"


    After saying this to him, he draws his sword and runs toward the enemy soldiers.


    Kazuki runs after me.


    It seems that the battle is not over yet.


    I wonder how many wounded I have already treated since the start of the battle.


    As I get used to the smell of blood, Rose, who has healed the wounds of the soldiers she has taken on, mutters something to me as she heals the wounded soldiers who are being replaced in a hurry.


    "I guess it''s time to go to ......."


    Starting with her words, Olga''s expression tightened.


    "Are you going? ...... Mr. Rose."


    "You idiot, call me Commander here, Olga."


    A few seconds after I heard Rose''s words, I understood on my own.


    Ah, I have to go to the battlefield now, too.


    I have enough magic power, and I feel no physical discomfort.


    The white uniform I was given is still in good condition. This is the proof of my responsibility now. And my pride.


    What do you think, Usato? Are you ready for this?


    Suddenly, the wave of wounded is interrupted.


    In the middle of it all, Rose asks me with her usual ferocious smile.


    It''s not a question I ask lightly, it''s a test---I don''t need her to tell me why at a time like this. I intuitively understand that now is the only time I can answer this question.


    "Of course. I was trained to be your right hand man.


    "Yeah, well, ...... you''re that kind of guy. Then you have nothing to worry about.


    "You''re worried about me? I''m surprised."


    "You ...... are not talking less. ...... Well. Olga, Uluru, you''re in charge here. If the enemy comes here you''ll be the first to run. I don''t have to tell you why.


    The most important thing for the rear of the ship.


    If you encounter the enemy, be the first to flee.


    Aside from Rose and me, the two of you are not physically strong, so if you find yourself in a dangerous situation, you should run away as soon as possible.


    "I understand. Don''t worry about us. Help others as much as you want.


    "Please don''t get hurt."


    "Oh."


    Rose turns her back to Olga and Uluru and waves lightly.


    It''s a very simple gesture, but somehow I think it''s her way of expressing her intentions. It''s not very honest of her, though I don''t have the personality to say so.


    "Well, Olga-san, Uluru-san. I''ll do my best to make sure this is not the last time I see you.


    "Take care ......"


    "If you''re in danger, run away, Usato. ...... and come back safely."


    Thank you, Ms. Olga, Mr. Uluru.


    Turning away from them, I leave the tent to follow Rose, who has gone on ahead of me.


    "Come on, let''s get going!"


    Unexpectedly, Rose was waiting outside the tent.


    I silently follow her, arms folded and looking very grumpy.


    As we leave the tent, we receive a pep talk from the guard ...... Aruk, and after hearing from the soldiers about the current war situation, we leave the tent.


    I walk one step behind Rose, suppressing my racing heartbeat.


    It is only a short distance to the place where the battle is taking place, and I can say that this time is my last rest.


    As I walk, feeling the sweat slowly seeping into my forehead, Rose, who is walking in front of me, glances at me with one eye and speaks to me.


    ".........I''ll give you one last piece of advice before you go out into the battlefield."


    "Yes?¡¡Advai......s?"


    "I was talking about you anyway. You can''t hurt someone in human form, can you?"


    "No, it''s ...... my job to help people."


    "You''d have to be a very stupid idiot if you said the same thing when cornered."


    ...... No, I didn''t even think of that, let alone hurt it. I was thinking that if I was attacked, I could heal quickly and just focus on avoiding it. .......


    "Well, I''ve got some great advice for you, you idiot. ...... No, I''m going to teach you a trick, you hear me? I''m only gonna say this once."


    "......... yes."


    "It''s-- --------"


    from the mouth of Rose.


    The technique was too violent, too savage, too crude, too unprecedented ---- to know what it wanted to do.


    It was pointless to use it, and even if it worked, it would probably knock him out.


    But the "technique" was a description of the wrong use of healing magic.


    But the wrong use was ----


    "Isn''t this perfect for me?"


    "Well, that''s good to know."


    "Don''t tell me you''ve been thinking about it for me or something?"


    "......, there''s no way that''s possible."


    "Thank you very much."


    "......... oh."


    Rabbits are timid.


    That''s why I don''t use this technique, and even if I did, it would be in a way harmless to the other party.


    Rose turns around, satisfied with my answer.


    The battlefield is just a stone''s throw away.


    The sounds of animal-like voices and human voices echo through the air, and a cloud of dust dances in the air.


    I am not afraid of the battlefield in the presence of this reliable man.


    "Come on, Usato!"


    Yes, Commander!


    Me and Rose run.


    I take one look at Rose, who runs silently in a different direction from me, and we fly at once to the front line of the battlefield. Rose covers a different place from me.


    The smell of blood, blood, blood. I''m used to it. I won''t stand still for this! Ignore the incoming Demon Army soldiers, and leave all the wounded inside to my trusted companions.


    Straight ahead, straight ahead, straight ahead.


    "This is the battlefield ......"


    Keep a strong heart.


    Never be swallowed up.


    The front line was literally all-out warfare. Is this what a bloodbath is like?


    It was a battle so fierce that there was no time to even recover.


    But in the midst of it all, I knew what I had to do. Immediately I see two seriously wounded people in my vision. I run with all the strength I can muster in my legs.


    My dynamic vision has been trained in the forest.


    My physical strength was trained in the training.


    I learned to run among people in the city.


    Fatigue is solved by magic.


    Healing magic is at its best today.


    I run through the crowded crowd of people and demons and take the shortest route to the first injured person and carry him up.


    "What?¡¡You''re the one with the healing magic!


    "......"


    A nearby demon tribe is swinging an axe at us, but it is too late. The fear and intimidation are less than that of the snake, but it''s bearable.


    Fighting is not my fight. My fight is to help others.


    With one person in my arms, I dodge and ignore the demon who attacks me, and reach the next injured person without difficulty, carrying him with my other arm.


    "Uu...... you?"


    He''s conscious. A wound like this will heal in a few seconds.


    The other has already finished treating his wounds, but he too is conscious. He is also conscious.


    The other one has already been treated. Please do not move.


    He moves one step away from the front line and dismounts the two men carrying him.


    They looked at me with surprised faces as I rubbed their wounded places, but I didn''t have time to worry about them.


    But this is not the time to worry about it. I have to get back soon.


    "I''m fine now. If you still have any physical problems, please move back from the front line.


    With these words, I go back to the front line.


    I will not let anyone within my reach die.


    Also on the front lines, at the same time as Usato''s departure.


    Inukami and Kazuki were facing a formidable enemy.


    <


    A knight in black armor that moves and undulates like a living creature. The unnatural sheen of his armor gives the viewer an intense sense of discomfort and fear.


    It is no ordinary armor.


    In fact, he (?) There are soldiers of the Royal Army lying around him as well, all of whom are bleeding profusely.


    "Looks like we''re going to have to deal with this guy. ......"


    "I''m ......."


    He''s a real badass, but I''ll take him down here.

 33 - the thirteenth episode

    It was too sudden.


    He came out in front of us as if he was weaving his way through the demon tribe.


    The moment I saw him, I felt a sense of disgust. His black armor was shimmering, his red eyes glimpsed through the cracks of his armor.


    What''s this feeling ...... as if I''m being forced to turn malicious... No, I have to keep my composure, or this thing is going to attack me any minute.


    Everybody move!


    I will tell the soldiers who are with me and Mr. Kazuki to do so. I also speak out, suppressing the hostility and fighting spirit that wells up from deep within me.


    "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!


    ! Kazuki!


    "Wait! Mr. Kazuki-kun!"


    "Please let me go! We have to take him down right here, right now! I''m gonna kill him. I''m gonna kill him!


    "Be cool!"


    It was a good thing that I grabbed Kazuki by the shoulders and stopped him, but several other soldiers and a squad leader were heading toward the black knight with hatred in their eyes.


    The soldiers behind me, who were lucky enough to hear my voice, were astonished at the actions of their comrades and their own commander.


    "Stop, you too!


    No matter how strongly I shouted for them to stop, they did not.


    Even when the enemy soldiers of the Kingdom approach, the Black Knight and the soldiers of the Demon King''s Army surrounding him do not move. This attitude, which could be perceived as either calmness or indifference, exacerbated my uneasiness.


    I was stuck in a state of immobility.


    Not because of my incomprehensible hatred for the black knight, but because of this incomprehensible feeling of discomfort.


    <>


    "Die!"


    One of the soldiers approaches the Black Knight and swings his heavy sword down from above to cut the Black Knight in two.


    The sword swings down and makes a deep cut into the armor.


    A blow that would normally kill him, but the black knight does not move from his spot, still writhing in his eerie armor.


    <>


    "DAAA!!!!"


    Two soldiers catch up with the first soldier and shout angrily, simultaneously thrusting their sharp spears into the black knight and stabbing him through.


    <>


    You, here!


    Then, as if to make a final stop, the commander of the squadron, leading one of the squadrons, points a large sword as tall as he is at the black knight, ready to stab him, and runs with a speed unimaginable for his huge frame.


    His ability to lead a company is real. No matter what kind of suggestion is put on his mind, his career and ability to serve as a soldier in the Royal Army are not to be underestimated.


    Like a heavy tank, his thrusts are like being sucked into the abdomen of the black knight who is pierced by two spears.


    He pushes the large, deeply thrust sword further into the knight, and the commander glares at the black knight.


    "I''m not sure what kind of magic you used, ...... but if I bury you before you use it, ----"


    This is the first time a voice is heard from the black knight.


    His voice is neutral, like a man''s or a woman''s, flat and lifeless, which makes the listener''s heart flutter.


    <<>


    "What?"


    <


    At the same moment, the black armor distorts and the part of the armor that protects the chest transforms into spikes and attacks the unit leader.


    "......!


    "Captain!


    He quickly falls back and escapes.


    His men surrounding the black knight scream in agony, but he rises without incident, draws the sword at his waist, and gives orders to his men.


    "Be on your guard! He''s not down yet! We''ll surround him and push him through!


    Yes!""""""


    "Senpai! I''ll join you!


    "Oh, hey, Kazuki! ......, we don''t have a choice! You guys, come on!"


    Kazuki-kun shakes off my hand and runs off to join the troop leaders surrounding the Black Knight.


    I''m glad to see that you''ve started to speak your mind, but ...... you''re a little bit too rash! There is a difference between bravery and courage, Mr. Kazuki!


    The soldiers behind him and the others follow him a little later than Mr. Kazuki.


    But in a way, this is our chance. He must be mortally wounded, and unless he has a healing magician or is immortal, he will not survive.


    <


    The black knight, who has pulled out the great sword and spear that were thrust into him, snaps his wrists as if he is no longer interested in the commander and his men who attacked him from the surroundings, and mutters a few words to them.


    <>>>


    A moment later, red blood splatters.


    Suddenly, the commander and three of his men fall to the ground like threadbare marionettes, blood pouring from their bodies.


    There was no sign of why ......... they had attacked.


    There was no sign of a magical attack.


    In a moment, equivalent to the blink of an eye, the four elites sank into a pool of blood.


    "Inukami, senpai,...... what is that,......?"


    "I don''t know, but you shouldn''t bypass it. ......"


    Kazuki, who had stopped in his tracks after seeing the devastation wrought by the Black Knight, waved his arms and asked me this question.


    I don''t know, maybe he would have drawn his sword from his waist and attacked the commanders with blinding speed. Or maybe he had used wind magic to create a weasel-like vacuum blade, or maybe he had been shown some elaborate illusion ......, but even a fool knows not to approach unintentionally.


    But if we retreat now, the other soldiers will follow the example of the commanders.


    "Looks like we''re going to have to deal with this guy. ......"


    "I''m ......."


    <


    They seem to be willing to do it.


    In a way, it''s a good thing, because if we can keep his eyes glued to us, he won''t be able to keep his eyes on anyone else.


    I call out to the soldier behind me, careful to keep my eyes on the black knight.


    "Can you guys take care of the demons around him? You don''t have to beat them by force. Just hold on until Kazuki and I defeat him.


    "Leave it to me, my brave friend. I will definitely carry out your orders.


    "You can count on me. ......"


    Now I can concentrate on fighting without worrying about attacks from behind.


    I stand next to Kazuki, sword at the ready.


    The black knight stands as usual. Is this a sign of confidence, or is it a sign that he is not ready to fight?


    I''ll make the first move!


    "You don''t know what''s out there. ...... Don''t let them hit you directly! And right after Kazuki-kun releases his magic, you guys head for the surrounding demon tribe!"


    ""Yes!""


    Kazuki-kun, switching his sword to his left hand, points his palm at the black knight.


    If my blitz was a wide-range type, Kazuki-kun''s was a single-pointed, concentrated type, not the kind of technique that diffused light magic over a wide area, which failed to work at the beginning of the war, but a concentrated light magic power in his palm that had a tremendous penetrating power, so much so that it could be mistaken for a beam.


    "No matter how fast you are, you cannot avoid light!¡¡Go!"


    A sphere of light as large as a marble generated in his palm is shot out at the black knight.


    It hits the shoulder of the black knight who is standing on a stick. As the light penetrates, smoke billows out from a small hole in the shoulder, as if scorching the atmosphere.


    From the looks of it, they don''t seem to have put up with it. I thought the demons'' weakness was light... what kind of magic are they using?


    And the scratches on the armor the captains gave him are gone.


    "Kazuki-kun ......"


    No, the light isn''t working.


    >>>


    The same words I used when I defeated my commander.


    <>? What did those words mean? ----


    "Gu,ah,...... ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah."


    Kazuki-kun suddenly screams in agony and falls to his knees on the ground, holding his left shoulder.


    "Kazuki-kun, what''s wrong?


    "My shoulder is ...... burning pain in my shoulder ......."


    "Your shoulder ......?"


    When I looked, I saw blood seeping through a gap in the armor near the shoulder.


    What the hell did they do to you? You sent something flying through the gap in your armor! No, I don''t feel anything shot through my armor. This is...


    "Directly ...... from the inside?"


    "Senpai! ...... I''m fine."


    Kazuki stands up while casting a recovery spell on his own shoulder.


    The recovery magic is only a first aid treatment, not a full-fledged cure like sewing up a wound, but just a disinfectant and a bandage.


    With time, it is possible to heal the wound to as close to a perfect state as possible. ----


    "Hmph!"


    The black mass swung at me and Kazuki-kun as if to reave us, and we block it with the belly of our slender swords. The black mass was extending from the black knight''s arm. ......It can also change its shape and attack. ......It is troublesome, though we have not even found out the mysterious attack of the other party.


    <>


    "What''s the pity?"


    That''s creepy before it''s creepy.


    It''s like fighting a monster that doesn''t belong here.

 34 - the 34th episode

    The battle between Lingle''s army and the Demon King''s army was turning into a confusing battle.


    The battlefield was complicated by the mixing of both sides, and despite the presence of lifeguards, many casualties lay on the ground.


    I was working hard to treat the wounded, wiping sweat from my forehead with the sleeve of my coat as I endured the pressure of being in a constant state of tension on the battlefield.


    "---I''m not completely healed. Please take it easy as much as possible."


    He leaves the soldier who has been treated and looks for the next wounded person.


    The smell of death and blood wafting from all around me, friend or foe, almost makes me throw up in my stomach, but I swallow desperately and keep moving forward with my feet.


    "...... I knew it. d*mn ......!"


    People can die,......!


    It''s war, my ego can''t save all the lives!¡¡If I had done a bad job, I could have rolled on the ground and died. ......!


    Even in the fear of death, my petty willpower makes me move my body.


    I can''t just stand idly by on this battlefield where Inukami-senpai and Kazuki are doing their best.


    "Ugh!"


    At that moment, I suddenly felt a pain in my head,


    The sight of Inukami-senpai and Kazuki being killed in my field of vision.


    He quickly activates his healing magic, but neither the pain nor his vision heals.


    "Ouch! ......"


    You can''t stand still on the battlefield!


    At a time like this!


    A soldier with horns on his head swung his axe sideways at me.


    I quickly roll to the side to avoid it, but the axe slices through my right arm like a gouge.


    "d*mn ......!"


    The wound itself is not serious, but the headache doesn''t stop.


    What is this ......!¡¡Don''t tell me that Inukami-senpai and Kazuki are in some kind of danger!


    If so, we must go there immediately.


    "Ugh......"


    Ignoring the enemy soldiers, I tried to run, but due to unstable visibility, I tripped and fell on the dead bodies of the enemy soldiers lying on the ground.


    "Die!


    The demon who had run to a position where he could look down at me shouted something and then swung down his axe.


    Even the best healing magic is useless against an attack that can kill you instantly. If that happens, I won''t be able to save Kazuki and my senpai.


    I protect my head with my arms, bracing myself for the impact.


    Usato!


    Gah!


    At the moment I prepared for the pain, the knight I had just saved kicked away the demon who was about to attack me and stabbed him with the sword he was holding.


    "Usato-dono!¡¡Are you okay!"


    "Yes, soldier. ...... Oh, thank you very much."


    Oh, that was close.


    As I thanked the knight and breathed a sigh of relief, I remembered my headache.


    "Oh, yes!¡¡Do you know where the two brave men are?


    "Brave men?¡¡They''re in the middle of the front line...


    Thank you!


    Watch out!


    Yes, sir!


    It''s not far from here.


    You thank the knight and start running. If the headache I just had is an omen, I have to go now.


    Stay safe, Senpai, Kazuki!


    Kazuki!


    >


    "Senpai!"


    "Calm down, Kazuki, it''s not a good idea to attack too carelessly."


    The attack on Kazuki''s shoulder was made directly on his armor and clothing.


    And the three men led by the commander who attacked the black knight fell down as well, spewing blood from their bodies.


    When he transformed his armor and attacked, he used the word <. Normally, I would have thought it meant something else, but there was no way he could have hit them with such a blatant ambush. In other words, he was not trying to hit the target, but to achieve some other purpose.


    One of the possibilities is .......


    "......... Every scratch on that black armor will be returned."


    >


    "......"


    A black knight who does not doubt his superiority even though he has been exposed for what he is.


    That''s true. Even if you know your ability, you don''t know how to exploit it.


    Probably, a blow will be recognized as a wound, and a slash is out of the question.


    Against this thing that returns all our attacks, our only recourse was to avoid combat.


    <


    "...... will have to do. Either way, the others can''t handle this guy."


    "But if he''s right and he can bounce back from any attack, then our attacks won''t be able to hit him..."


    "It''s a matter of taste. Listen to me, Kazuki. I know it''s a little risky, but I''d like to try something."


    I whisper in Kazuki''s ear so he can''t hear me.


    From the word <>, it seems that he cannot reflect attacks unless certain conditions are met. Let''s start with the possibility of being attacked.


    After informing Kazuki of the plan, he sends the soldiers behind him to cover the perimeter.


    "---Can you do it?"


    "Senpai, it''s too dangerous. ......


    "If it comes to that, Usato-kun will fix you up."


    He holds up a slender sword while speaking lightly.


    Kazuki is the main player in this operation, and I have to be the only one to support him.


    "Let''s go, Mr. Kazuki! ......!"


    I run toward the black knight first, and Kazuki-kun follows.


    "I can''t just back out!"


    The black knight transforms his armor and stretches out tentacle-like tentacles as if to pierce us, but if we fight back, he will attack us back.


    You duck low to avoid it, and at the same time, you hurl the lightning magic you''ve generated on the sphere at his feet.


    "Now ......!"


    A cloud of dust rises up, blocking his view.


    Kazuki and I will take advantage of the smoke and surprise him as planned. If the attack passes, the out-of-sight attack will be effective.


    "!!!"


    I slash at his shoulder, keeping my voice down, then turn around and slash his back with a shallow diagonal slash. Instantly, heat rushes to his shoulder, and something warm spreads from his shoulder under his clothes.


    Kazuki seems to have failed as far as the blood running down his cheek.


    >


    Kazuki-kun!


    Yes!


    I bite my teeth when the black knight smiles happily without knowing my concern.


    He''s not going to let us go, and it''s hopeless that we can''t fight back.


    Usato-kun, who can heal himself no matter what kind of wounds he receives, seems to go on regardless, but I, who am not as accustomed to pain as he is, can''t help but stop in my tracks.


    "Haha, so I''m still a modern person."


    Coming from a peaceful world, I have never suffered such an injury. So it hurts---in fact, the wound on my shoulder hurts so much that I''m about to cry.


    "Hmm?¡¡Shoulder?"


    I just sliced his shoulder and his back.


    Then I should have felt pain in my back, too, but the attack was not returned.


    The first blow was struck by me first, and the second one by Kazuki almost at the same time. But Kazuki''s attack was reflected, but not mine.


    "No way. ...... Kazuki! I''ll do it once!"


    "I''ll do it once!" "Okay,.........!"


    He gushes lightning into his leg and bends down on the spot.


    Perhaps you''ll get one chance, Kazuki, I''m counting on you.


    I''ll take care of it.


    I think the older man has come up with something.


    I have no idea how he will fight against this foul opponent, but if he decides he can do it, I''ll just go along with it.


    I block the black knight''s attack, concentrating so that I can release my light magic at any time.


    >


    "Shut up!"


    He catches the attacks with the belly of his sword and flings it away.


    It''s hard not to be able to intercept, but now that my senpai is trying to do something, I''ll just do what I can.


    <>


    "G-Guh-"


    He catches a black mass like a hammer with his sword.


    There is a creaking sound from his arm and shoulder, but if he writhes in pain and forgets how to think calmly, it will take him away in an instant. But you can''t just sit here defending yourself.


    No attack is allowed, but... I will attack in other ways!


    You deflect the attack and sheathe the sword you have been using for defense. The opponent tilts his head at my actions, but I do not care, as I gather light into my hands and clap my palms together as if to applaud.


    "If you want to blind me!


    <>


    A strong flash of light illuminates the surroundings, a technique that is not very like you, but it is very effective for your opponent.


    Even an opponent who is immune to light will be vulnerable to it.


    Sure enough, the black knight is holding the place where his eyes are with his arm.


    In order to keep the distance, you kick the black knight in the abdomen as hard as you can.


    "Gah ...... this doesn''t work either?"


    He feels a pain in his stomach as if he had been punched, but he does not take his eyes off the black knight.


    The black knight seems to return the pain to us, but he can''t return the impact. He staggers a little, but then he picks himself up, claps his hands with a slightly surprised expression, and starts laughing.


    <>


    "I don''t know what an idiot is..."


    Just as I was about to say that, a startling sight appeared before my eyes.


    Suddenly, a silver object sprouts from the black knight''s chest.


    The older man, who had moved behind the black knight at high speed with lightning magic, thrust his sword into its torso.


    >


    "Not returned"? Is this the right ......?"


    My mind went blank when I saw my senpai thrusting his sword into the black knight with a nonchalant look on his face, but it only lasted for a moment, and I soon realized something was wrong. I can''t see anything wrong with Inukami-senpai.


    "It''s working!"


    Senpai took advantage of the moment I blinded the black knight, moved behind him, and stabbed him with his slim sword.


    I am not sure why, but with the first attack, she realized something and made herself fight against the black knight as a decoy to create an opening for herself.


    "Kazuki!¡¡Your attack should work now!"


    She saw the black liquid flowing through the gap in his armor, and being sure that her attack had passed, she thrust her sword deeper and shouted at him.


    ---You''re the best!


    Swallowing down his words of praise, he pulls his sword out of its scabbard and runs to finish him off.


    "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!


    >


    If we can defeat him, we can reduce his strength at once and also lower his opponent''s morale. We can turn the tide of the war around at once and bring this terrible battle to an end!


    He holds his sword at his waist and raises it to slice vertically.


    >


    Just as I heard such a jokey voice that didn''t fit the occasion, I raised my sword and found it thrust into my stomach.


    I looked at the black knight and saw that his chest was not pierced by the sword, and instead, he fell to the ground, bleeding.


    In his hand, he held a Western sword that he must have pulled from his waist. .......


    "G...... how,......?"


    <


    "What the hell, it''s ......."


    It''s a monster.


    No one can beat it. I fall to the ground, coughing up blood, and try to pick up my sword, but the blood pours out of my abdomen, and my arm loses strength.


    No!


    I can''t get any strength.


    "......Sorry, Usato."


    I''m not going to ......... make it home.


    I''m not going home.


    I look around as I look down at the two fallen heroes.


    The knights of Lingle''s army are demoralized as the heroes fall. And the soldiers of the Demon King''s Army are gaining momentum.


    I am fed up with this simple and comical scene.


    <


    I don''t see the value in this war anymore.


    It always was.


    From birth, no one can even hurt you. Demons, humans, parents... no one can hurt me and they have left me.


    <


    He draws his sword backhanded and points it at the still-breathing female hero.


    She stares at me in pain as she clutches her abdomen, but that doesn''t help a bit, and I aim the sword in my opposite hand firmly at her heart.


    The blade falls down to the heart.


    Oh, it''s all over," I thought despondently,


    "I won''t let you!"


    >


    A childish scream, not suited to the battlefield, shakes the eardrums.


    I let out a stupid cry and turned my head in the direction of the voice, and a shock that I wasn''t supposed to feel hit me in the cheek.


    ----It''s there!

 35 - the 35th episode

    Inukami-senpai and Kazuki were lying on the ground, and a knight in black armor was trying to stop them. My mind went blank as I caught a glimpse of a scene that resembled that scene.


    "I didn''t make it ......!¡¡No, I made it!


    After I beat the black knight to death, I immediately approach Inukami-senpai and Kazuki and cast a healing spell on them.


    Inukami was pierced through the chest, and Kazuki was pierced through the abdomen by a sword like Inukami''s. Inukami''s chest was pierced through, and Kazuki''s abdomen was pierced through by a sword like Inukami''s.


    Normally, they could have died from these serious wounds, but I can save them. ......!


    "Umm, Sato-kun. I never thought I''d have such a hallucination at the verge of death. ......Ah, at least a hallucination...he called me Suzutan for the last time. ......"


    "Inukami-senpai, you have more time than I thought. Then I''ll give priority to Kazuki''s treatment.


    "Wait a minute, wait a minute, I''m pretty bad myself, I''ve got a hole in my chest."


    How can you be so foolish in this situation?


    But she''s right. The injuries are bad enough.


    Even if the wound is too serious ......... to be healed in time by ordinary magic, it will be healed in no time. First of all, we need to heal the unconscious Kazuki''s wounds..,


    "Usato, ...... behind you!"


    "!"


    The older man''s voice made me reflexively grab the two of them and jump away from the scene.


    As I activate healing magic on both arms, I look at where I was, and there is a black knight, breathing hard, slamming his sword down on the spot where I was, looking down at me. A chill runs down my spine at the threat to my life.


    "Oh, no, thank you very much for ....... Senpai."


    "Oh, no, don''t worry, you''ve got me too. It''s a perk."


    You''re a real blur, you know that?


    She has recovered enough to speak, or at least to feel comfortable enough to speak, and she makes a crazy remark in spite of the battlefield.


    "What the hell? ......"


    "Hmm?"


    The black knight in front of me mutters something while lowering his sword. As I change my gaze from Inukami-senpai, the black knight, who had been lying on his face, looks up.


    "What the hell, you ......!"


    "Your mask..."


    The black armor I hit him with crumbles away, revealing only half of the black knight''s true face. I can tell by her appearance and the silver hair that flits about in the area I can see that she is not a human girl.


    I''m more interested in ...... why Senpai is so surprised.


    I''m sorry, I don''t understand why Inukami-senpai and the enemy are surprised.


    "The black knight uses a tremendous amount of magic to return attacks with his magical armor. I and the knights who are lying here were hit by it ......."


    "What the hell is that? Isn''t that a foul ......?"


    He looks at the fallen soldiers, wary of the black knight. All of them have wounds as if they had been cut by blades, so it seems that Inukami-senpai was not lying when he said that they had been knocked down by returning attacks.


    They are still breathing, so we can save them.


    As one would expect from a skilled knight, people in this world are truly amazing.


    Inukami-senpai, please take care of Kazuki.


    "Usato-kun?"


    After most of the treatment, I put them down and looked at the black knight.


    The fact that he is made of magic probably means that his lineage is and that he has the same rare ability as me, and that he is better suited for fighting than I am.


    The black knight holds his red, swollen cheeks and turns his angry eyes on me.


    "......... wow."


    This is a different kind of bad person from Inukami-senpai.


    Why, after the bear, the snake, and Rose, he''s the next in danger.


    But I can''t be perplexed. To tell you the truth I don''t want to fight but if we don''t do something soon the knights'' lives will be in danger.


    He puts healing magic on his body and takes a step forward.


    Usato-kun?


    I''ll hold him back.


    If they attack back, it doesn''t matter to me, because I can even heal my own injuries. I''ll throw them far away or restrain them and incapacitate them.


    No, no!¡¡I don''t care how you do it!


    With the voice of my senpai at my back, I quickly close in on the black knight.


    The black knight---no, she swings at me from the side with her huge arm transformed from her armor.


    It is a monotonous attack, but I guess it has a function to repel attacks.


    I might get hit by it, but I can''t take the pain or the wound to some extent anyway, so I just flick it off with my right foot.


    "Nnnn!"


    I feel an uncomfortable sensation on the sole of my foot, and pop my arm. The pain is not ...... a dud, huh?


    "What?


    Why are you so surprised that you attacked ......?


    But there''s no pain. It''s not like he''s out of magic ......, but maybe he''s not using it right now. That''s an opportunity, though.


    He spins around and swings his right fist at the black knight. He thinks he''s being defended, but his left fist is the real target!


    "Gah!"


    "...... that?"


    He took a right fist without even defending himself.


    Maybe he''s not that strong?


    No, maybe this is another one of his tricks. As long as I''m attacking him, he can''t do any damage. I''ll pull him out of this place at once.


    I grab the black knight by the collar and try to throw him in the right direction, but the hard feel of the armor in my hand disappears. When you look at your hand, you see that a sludgy black liquid is spilling out of your hand. What is this armor? I don''t understand it at all.


    "Ugh ...... you incomprehensible bastard!"


    "Oh, my God."


    I find that another arm is right in front of me, so I jump away from the spot to Inukami-senpai''s side. No grabbing, so it''s impossible to throw him away from the spot.


    Then we have no choice but to stop him.


    "Inukami-senpai, do you have anything to tie him up with?


    "There is no such thing here ......... but, Usato-kun---"


    "Oh, don''t get me wrong. I''m not into that kind of thing."


    "Let me finish: ....... But why did you say that ......?"


    "If you don''t have a ......, I guess that''s okay."


    He takes off his lifeguard uniform and holds the collar with his left hand.


    His eyes are fixed on the black knight, who is mumbling something to himself as he turns his head.


    "I''m sorry, Commander.


    He takes a big step forward, feeling the coat with his left hand as he mutters a few words. As I run toward him, holding the coat, the black knight transforms his armor into a needle and thrusts it toward me.


    "Die!"


    He told me to die, and I did!


    I catch the needle with my palm in front of my face.


    Blood spurts from the wound, but he grits his teeth, holds on, and pulls the needle toward him with all his might.


    "What?


    The black knight is knocked down, but he still glares at you, draws his sword, and swings it at you from an unsteady position.


    "Watch out!


    He dodges the sword thrust at his face by leaning his upper body to the side, and strikes his elbow at the empty left side of his body.


    It''s a blow that won''t impede my action even if it''s returned, but I don''t think it''s that effective....


    "Ugh......!"


    The black knight takes a step backward as if he were dizzy.


    Is this working? ...... don''t know if this guy is strong or weak.


    No time to think about it, even if it feels so weak now, it is in fact a monster that has overpowered Inukami-senpai and Kazuki. We''ll push him off before he recovers.


    He slams the coat of his left hand down on the black knight from above, grabs both cuffs of the coat, and binds the black knight''s body tightly so that it is wrapped around him.


    "Got him!


    Now he is neutralized. If the attack doesn''t work, just catch him!


    He tells Inukami-senpai that the black knight is safe as he shows her the black knight wrapped in the coat with only his face showing.


    But Inukami-senpai is frozen, her eyes darting around.


    "What?¡¡Usato-kun, are you all right?


    "No, not really. ...... But we have to fix these people as soon as possible!"


    I''m not sure what Inukami-senpai''s question means, but the important thing is to heal the seriously wounded soldiers.¡¡The black knight on my shoulder is a little bit in the way, but I can''t let him go now, so I''ll heal the knights with him on my shoulder.


    "d*mn! Get off me! You son of a b*tc*!


    I really wish you''d stop fussing over my shoulder, but I''ll bear with it for now.


    It''s a bad idea to give the knight your coat of arms and go off to war. If you are not careful, he may not recognize you as Rose''s subordinate.


    What have you done?


    "What did you do ......"


    "They don''t usually give them back! Why not! It''s this easy ......."


    He is delirious.


    Apparently, Inukami-senpai was surprised that I was fighting this guy like a normal person. Moreover, I just noticed that this girl is not affected by my magic.


    I don''t know why, but I guess it has something to do with it. ...... maybe.


    "I''m not going to answer you."


    "Gosh ......."


    No, the truth is that we don''t know the reason or anything.


    But I can tell you one thing: I was just attacking ...... Rose as he told me to.

 36 - the 36th episode

    Usato''s capture of the black knight, the mainstay of the enemy army, had a tremendous impact on the Demon King''s army.


    At the same time that the morale of the opponents was lowered, the Kingdom Army, which had been on the ropes, moved to the offensive in one fell swoop.


    Now, I am lending my shoulder to Kazuki-kun, and together with a few soldiers, I am guarding Usato-kun, who is devoting himself to medical treatment. It is a surreal sight to see Usato''s black knight restrained by his group uniform on his shoulder, and he is healing the knights at a tremendous speed with a nonchalant look on his face.


    Let me ask you something, Usato. Tell me what you did.


    "......I understand, but ...... we don''t have much time, do we?"


    Usato-kun, who has restrained the black knight without a moment''s thought.


    What he did was a simple combat. ---Well, it was a rather crude fight. But the point he was trying to make was anything but simple.


    Usato-kun did not care at all about the black knight''s ability.


    "Senpai, I didn''t do anything particularly difficult ......, I don''t even know why I did it. On the contrary, what did I do ......?"


    "No, you asked me the opposite: ...... I just saw you punching and kicking ......."


    A black knight with the amazing ability to return any attack to the opponent .


    Its iron-clad defenses and counter-attack capabilities are unparalleled in history, making it a dangerous magic.


    But it was broken by Usato-kun''s fist. He himself does not know why he was able to break through the Black Knight''s ability. That is why he does not understand how extraordinary he has done.


    "No, I hit him with a healing spell, didn''t I?"


    "...... yeah?"


    Did you hit him while doing the healing ......?


    "That doesn''t make any sense, ...... because in the end, the other person will be healed, too. ......"


    "Yes, it makes no sense at all. That''s why I don''t even know why this guy is hurt.


    Usato exhales a sigh as he looks at the black knight who is standing on his shoulder, exclaiming, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry.


    I don''t understand the point of healing while hitting in the first place. It is very intriguing that Usato does not want to hurt the other person, but that is not the answer to the question.


    Usato-kun, sensing what I was thinking, continued to spin his words.


    "Rose told me that if it''s enough to knock the opponent unconscious, I can heal him by punching him. I''m a timid person, so I don''t like to hurt them. ......


    "Hmm? Hmm? Usato-kun, something feels different ......"


    "What? What''s so funny? The injury itself will be healed, but pain and shock are still understood, so if I stun them properly, they can''t move without hurting me either. Well, I used it a few times in this battle to fight them off. ...... Oh, it''s just my selfishness, I''m not a die-hard."


    Usato-kun: ....... You are very poisoned. I don''t know how to say this, but you are being poisoned by the hyah-ha-ha part of this world.


    "...... hmm."


    Heal while you hit.


    Armor that returns when it hurts.


    Usato and the Black Knight, there must be a connection between their magic.


    He just hit him.


    <


    Is such a technique useful? It is a strange punch that makes one want to ask, "Why is he doing this? It is quite a perversion, but since the technique is intended to neutralize the enemy without hurting him, it does not matter how much he punches or kicks in the process, as long as he is healed in the end. This is exactly the kind of "jump-thinking. You can call it perverted.


    "Senpai. Didn''t you just think I was rude?


    "No, no?"


    The reason why his fist broke through the armor of invincibility is probably due to the characteristics of the black knight''s armor.


    It is only a hypothesis, but the condition to reflect the attack is that the armor must have a scratch on it. Whenever the armor is hit by a blow or a slash, the armor is always marked with a scar. As long as the user, the black knight, recognizes the wound, he can return it to his opponent. I know this because I have experienced it myself.


    In fact, the wound on my chest was returned after a few seconds. In other words, it must be the type that is triggered manually, not automatically.


    But in any case, this armor, which is so nasty and invincible, had a hole in it.


    Healing magic is the ability to heal living things.


    If the black knight''s armor was inorganic, it would have made no sense, but if it was an armor of magical power generated by the black knight, it would be a different story.


    From my estimation, the process of Usato''s fist breaking through the armor can be divided into three parts.


    In the first stage, the healing magic is activated as soon as the fist strikes the armor.


    In the second stage, the part directly hit by the fist is rapidly healed by the healing magic. Therefore, the fist penetrates through the armor while healing it, and the armor, which is extremely strong, is no longer judged as an external enemy, and it easily breaks through.


    In the third step, the fist, having used up the healing magic deployed in the arm in an instant, strikes the black knight directly in the flesh as a normal blow.


    It is a completely absurd guess, but judging from the black knight''s face peeking through the gap in his coat, he must be thinking the same thing as I am.


    "......You''re a good man, Usato-kun."


    "No, I don''t want to be convinced on my own. ...... I mean, what are we going to do about this guy? I can''t stay here forever either."


    Pointing to the black knight on his shoulder, Usato slowly stands up.


    I look at his side and see the soldiers who had been suffering lying down with peaceful expressions on their faces. It''s early, I thought when he healed my wounds, but this is a different level from ordinary recovery magic.


    "That guy will probably be treated as a prisoner of war."


    "...... They won''t do anything terrible to you or anything, will they?"


    I don''t think King Lloyd would like that."


    That''s a gentle king. He may interrogate you, but he won''t hurt you.


    ...... But there is something that has been bothering me for some time now...


    "How long will you carry the black knight, or rather, her?"


    I wonder if it wouldn''t be a problem if you put her down.


    This uniform is like a mark on the battlefield. It''s how the knights know I''m a lifeguard. ......


    "I see, I''ll have them bring something to restrain you then ...... and ......."


    And?"


    "Thank you, thank you for coming. If you hadn''t come, I''d be dead.


    In fact, it was fatal. It hurt like hell, and I will never forget the feeling of the blood draining from my body. And the thought of ......<> occupied my mind with regret.


    Will I die with nothing left, will I die with nothing done, will I die here and let my friends die, will I die here and not be able to keep my promise?


    These thoughts were going through my mind over and over and over again when you appeared.


    "Of course I''m coming, Inukami-senpai is an important and strange senior, and Kazuki is my friend."


    "......... hmm?"


    "More importantly, senpai. The enemy is slowly retreating. Maybe it''s because we caught this guy, but ...... one more push and we''ll have the advantage."


    ...... I feel like I just got called "weird senior" for some reason.


    No, no, that doesn''t matter now. But Usato-kun is right, we are pushing. Perhaps, the leader of the Sigurth Army would have a fight on his hands.


    "Inukami-sama! Master Kazuki is awake!"


    !


    Hearing the soldier''s voice, Usato-kun and I immediately rushed to Kazuki''s side. Kazuki smiled at Usato-kun and me as he rubbed his abdomen that had been healed.


    "Are you all right, Kazuki!"


    "Haha, looks like Usato did it. ...... Thanks. Thank you very much.


    "I''m sorry, if I hadn''t made such a foolhardy maneuver, I wouldn''t have gotten hurt like that. ......"


    "Please don''t apologize. ...... I had to deal with the black knight."


    He slapped his cheek as if to wake himself up from sleep, and then put his sword back in its scabbard.


    "Yes! Senpai, the battle is still going on. Let''s go join the front line!"


    Is it safe to move? I don''t have to ask you this. My chest wound is completely closed, as I have no pain. Once again, Usato really saved my life.


    ...... healed me from my wounds. .........


    "Usato-kun, you have to take responsibility for this..."


    "What are you talking nonsense?"


    While talking to Mr. Usato-kun about how stupid I am, I check the war situation.


    The Royal Army is pushing slightly. If things continue as they are, we should be able to end this battle with a victory, but ...... it won''t be that easy.


    "Let''s do something before the Demon King''s army does something to us. Kazuki, can you go?


    "I''ll be fine!"


    I''ll head for the front as soon as I get this guy back in custody.


    "Well then, I guess we''ll have to part ways with Usato here for now."


    He means a lot to this fight in a different way than we do, and we can''t keep him tied up here forever.


    He took the rope he had asked the soldier for and tied up the black knight, who had grown very docile.


    "......It''s a bit, well, very immoral, isn''t it?"


    "I don''t have that kind of taste."


    Finally, when there is no longer any danger of escape, the coat used to restrain him is undone. He shakes off the weight of the coat and, after checking to make sure that nothing is torn, he pulls his arms through the sleeves of the coat and puts it on with vigor.


    "Whew, that should do it."


    "What should we do with him, Usato-dono?"


    "I can''t decide on my own, so I''ll have to leave it to the commander of ...... Sigurth''s army. I have to go to the front, so may I ask you to watch him until the decision is made so that he cannot escape?


    "Yes, sir!"


    One of the soldiers replied in high spirits, and Usato-kun nodded his head in annoyance, but then looked at Kazuki-kun and me and his expression changed to a serious one.


    "Senpai, Kazuki. Please try not to get hurt as much as you did earlier. Even my healing magic is not a universal one that can heal the dead.


    "All right. I''ll take it as easy as I can, Usato.


    Perhaps reassured by my words, Usato-kun turned his back to me and started to race toward the front line. I, along with Kazuki, will also prepare to leave the front line.


    "Hang in there, Usato-kun.


    As I was about to turn to the soldier, looking at his back and muttering to myself ----.


    >


    >


    In an instant, a woman with beautiful green hair appeared in front of me and grabbed Usato-kun by the collar of his coat and forced him to stop running.

 37 - Thirty-seventh Episode

    Suddenly, a woman appeared, grabbed me by the collar and pulled me up.


    Her ogre-like eyes, her overwhelming presence, her beautiful appearance, and her ferocious temperament. Yes, this woman is the worst of the worst...


    "What''s this all about? Explain the situation. Usato."


    My mentor and boss, Rose, the head of the Rescue Mission.


    She grabs me by the head and puts me down, slightly irritated.


    "So, what happened?"


    "Well, let''s see..."


    When I tell her what happened, she folds her arms and thinks about something.


    What should I do? I''m so scared. I wonder if I''m going to get my head blown off...... or if I''m just going to be thrown into the enemy camp.


    "I heard that the brave man was dying, so I came here and found out that ...... you had finished the whole thing."


    "I''m sorry. ......"


    No need to apologize. You did a good job."


    "...... What is the Commander going to do now?"


    "Yes. ......"


    The leader of the group took one look at Inukami Senpai and the others behind him.


    He will probably go back to the front line, but ...... we must ask him to make a decision.


    "It''s time to revive the heroes and capture the enemy''s main force,...... and the discord in the other side''s coordination,......."


    Yes?


    Let''s get back to the base.


    "...... Yes!


    The sudden declaration of retreat confuses them. Does returning to the main camp, that is, to Uluru''s group, mean that we no longer have to move around in the vanguard?


    "They don''t need us here anymore. The situation is getting worse, so unless the other side plays some hidden ball, we should be okay now. From here on, we will be in the way as we run on the battlefield.


    "So you''re going back to the rear for another round of treatment?"


    "Yeah."


    That makes sense. I''ll go with Rose.


    Even if I have to fall back, I have work to do. I feel relieved that I don''t have to run through the bloody battlefield anymore, but I''m more worried about Senpai and Kazuki, who still have to fight.


    I turn my eyes away from Rose and call out to the two who are about to join the front. Both of them are wearing bloodstained armor and clothes, but their complexion is normal. ---They are healing well. I judge that to be the case, and with a sense of relief, I speak in support of the two men.


    "Kazuki, senpai, I''m going back first. You mustn''t die. You''re a braver man than I am, so please do something great, like blowing up the demon king''s army, and come back with your hands raised.


    "I know. You gave me a life, now I will treasure it.


    "Be careful, Usato."


    I smiled at Kazuki''s slightly heavy words and Kazuki''s concern for me, and after bowing to the soldiers as if to ask for them, I ran toward the rear guard with Rose.


    "Thank God you''re alive."


    "What?"


    I heard Rose, who was running ahead of me at an extraordinary speed, mutter something, but it was drowned out by the voices of the battlefield and I could not hear it.


    I couldn''t hear it because it was drowned out by the voices of the battlefield.


    "What? He''s been captured by the enemy!


    Meanwhile, Amira, the leader of the Third Army in the main camp of the Demon Lord''s Army, fell down from her chair when she heard the report that the black knight who had gone to intercept the heroes had unexpectedly been captured.


    Impossible, she thought.


    The Black Knight''s abilities are well known among the Demon Lord''s army. It has overwhelming defense and counterattack, and can turn the armor it wears into a weapon and manipulate it. She is the owner of a rare magic that is troublesome, at least for a person like herself who excels in power, and whose compatibility forces her to take a back seat.


    "Are you a brave man?


    No, he seems to be a member of a group called the Rescue Mission that appeared in the previous battle, since he is wearing a white team uniform.


    "White coat ...... Rose or ......."


    Rose, the healing magician I had heard about from my mentor, comes to mind.


    She can heal any wound in no time at all, so it should be easy to catch the black knight.


    However, the words out of the soldier''s mouth exceeded her expectations.


    "According to the soldier, it is not Rose, but a boy with black hair.


    "Another one says ...... shit."


    Just one man had been able to heal our front line allies, and now there was another.


    And he''s even able to capture the black knight. It''s no different than if Rose thought there was one more.


    In addition, the fact that the Black Knight, the vanguard of the Demon King''s army, who boasted overwhelming power, has been captured, has demoralized the Demon King''s army.


    "Hulk ...... lower Vasilinak. Retreat."


    "...... are you serious?"


    Hulk is playing with the magic circle that remotely controls Vazirinak. He looks at me quizzically as he does so, but I have no choice but to say this.


    "I should probably leave, but I don''t think the men can stand it. And even Sigurth hasn''t left yet.


    "...... indeed. We can''t help soldiers who can''t ...... help themselves because we are not born with a demon tribe that uses such useful magic as healing magic."


    Only humans are born with healing magic. The magical qualities that can be awakened by demons and humans are different. I don''t know how they came to be like that, but it is ironic.


    I take full responsibility. Hulk, your snake will be useful in the next battle. But now it will be a hindrance to the retreating soldiers.


    "Okay. But, Amira. You''re not wrong. The humans are just too strong this time. ......?


    Hulk, who was manipulating the magic circle, looks tense.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "...... brave men."


    The magic circle in Hurrukh''s hand, with his forehead restrained, showed the two heroes through Vasilinak''s vision.


    The two heroic figures were seen through the vision of Vasilinak.


    Vazirinak, a magical creature.


    The creature that Usato had fought to the death in the forest. Just as the enhanced version was rampaging against the knights, a ray of light struck the serpent, which was spreading poison and stench, right between its eyebrows with a burst of sound.


    "The enemy is pulling away..."


    "Does that mean it''s almost over?"


    "...... quite easily, but I''m sure they''ll attack again."


    Two warriors clad in divine magic. They look battered and bloodied, but there are no significant wounds anywhere, and they look at Vasilinak, who smiles slightly and roars.


    The knights gasp and boast at the sight of the two men standing fearlessly with the monster in front of them. It is as if a heroic tale is about to begin right before their eyes.


    "Come on, we can''t show our disappointment anymore..."


    "Yeah, let''s just do as Usato says and end this battle by blowing this guy up."


    >


    Clad in thunder and light and clutching their swords, the two heroes run gallantly.


    For the sake of their best friends who are waiting for their return, and for the kind people who have welcomed them warmly in this world...


    The two brave souls run.


    A large snake and a light are seen where the vanguard is.


    Perhaps there is a demon of the same type as the serpent we met in the forest. I''m not worried about senpai and Kazuki fighting against it though ....... They are brave men, after all. I don''t think that the snake that was so weak against me will ever be able to beat them.


    Usato! Stop slacking off!


    "Shut up! I ain''t slacking off!


    He shouted this to the tongs that brought the wounded, and laid them down on the linen-covered ground and used his healing magic on them. There were fewer deaths than I expected, well, it''s not surprising since Olga''s healing magic is as effective as Rose''s,...... but you can rest assured that she can heal illnesses and injuries in almost seconds.


    "But," she said,......, "I don''t think so."


    "Are you okay?"


    A hand is placed on the shoulder of a macho knight with a large wound on his shoulder. Judging from his pale face, it is probably poison, probably from the snake.


    It can only be healed with antidote magic, but healing magic is possible. I close the wound on the shoulder in a few tens of seconds, and then put my hands on the shoulder and the side of the body and use healing magic to spread the healing magic all over the body.


    ".........I''m getting a little tired, aren''t I?"


    I''ve been running all day. How could I have run so fast to help people? To the ordinary me of the previous world, it would have been like saying, <>It must be so strange that people are seriously worried.


    "Uh-uh. ......"


    Apparently, the knight who was treating him noticed. The toxins in his body seem to have faded away, so let''s treat the next person for now.


    "Ki, you''re the lifeguard ......, I see I was saved ......, thank you."


    "I''m just glad you''re alive. You''ll have to stay in bed a little longer, you''re not well enough to move yet."


    He gets up on the spot and looks for the next healer. The base is overflowing with injured people. Looking around at them, I feel a sense of unease. My healing magic is to heal people''s wounds, and its true value lies in healing. But I hate to see people hurting and hurting each other.


    It''s kind of selfish of me, growing up in a peaceful place.


    "Hmm?"


    A loud flash of lightning and a pillar of light illuminated the battlefield where the front line soldiers were fighting. When the light subsides, I see a charred snake lying helplessly on the ground.


    "Looks like it''s done."


    "...... I guess so."


    I agree with what Rose mutters as she comes near me looking at the battlefield. With the serpent''s death, the wedge that had held the rest of the Demon Lord''s army together is now removed, and they are pulling back to the border of the plain area where the great river is located.


    "Aren''t you going to chase them or something?"


    "You idiot, the battle is won, but when it comes to the strength of our forces, we are overwhelmingly outnumbered. We don''t want to waste time and make unnecessary sacrifices, so we can be ready for the next one."


    "Are you coming back ......?"


    Rose answered silently to my words and put her palm on the wound of the injured knight who had just been brought in. I tried to speak to her, thinking that I would take her place, but she stopped me with her hand.


    "Well done, Usato! I can say that this battle was won because you saved the hero.


    "The Commander was coming right after me, so he would have been saved anyway."


    "No, the brave man was surely dead."


    She gently healed the knight''s wounds without a trace in a few seconds or so, then brushed his bangs back and looked at me.


    "Well done."


    "......"


    She was the kind of person who could give compliments to others. But I don''t know, I''m quite happy. I don''t know if it''s worth the hell I''ve been through, but it''s like he''s telling me that all my efforts haven''t been in vain.


    Summoned to another world.


    Taken by Rose.


    I joined a group of tough guys.


    And suddenly I''m training for hell.


    Thrown into the woods.


    Chased by bears.


    I almost died fighting a snake.


    I met Bullyn.


    I washed up in the forest with Inukami-senpai.


    I met Uluru and Olga.


    And then we got into a fight. .......


    "...... that?"


    I found my cheeks wet. I wipe them with the sleeve of my coat, but the constant stream is flowing from my eyes. I don''t really want to cry, but the tears start coming out on their own.


    Then something covers my head. The hood of the white coat I was wearing, and Rose put it on me. I look up and see the green hair of Rose, who is slightly taller than me.


    "What, you''re more like a child than I thought," she says.


    "Well, I''m only 17."


    Thinking back, I was probably very anxious when I came here. I didn''t realize it because things were happening so fast, but Rose''s one word broke all my inhibitions.


    "The battlefield was very scary. The demons were terrifying, I saw a lot of dead people, and it was already hard. ......


    But I made a lot of < with people.


    Inukami-senpai, Kazuki, Master Lloyd and everyone at the castle.


    The idiots of the lifeguard squad, Rose, Uluru, and Olga. I''m so happy for the many connections I''ve made since coming to this world. It''s such a shame that I''m such an ordinary, normal person .......


    As soon as the magic was launched, signifying the end of the battle, I said to Rose: "I''m so happy to be here.


    "It was nice to meet you ...... and help you ......."


    Rose''s eyes widened a little in surprise at these words, and then she smiled gently as if she were chuckling.


    But then my legs wobbled, as if I had reached my limit. I tried to put strength into my legs, but there was no strength at all, and as I was about to collapse in my slowly blurring thoughts, Rose grabbed me around the waist and carried me on her shoulders.


    "Oh ......re?"


    "You''ve been holding it together for a long time. Rest now, Usato, but the next time you wake up, you''ll be in trouble."


    My thoughts slowly drifted off to sleep, questioning Rose''s words as she giggled at what was so funny. .......

 38 - the 38th episode

    As a result, the war against the Demon King''s army was won for the time being.


    Our losses were not small by any means, but we were honestly happy that there were so many survivors. It was because I felt that what we, the rescue team, had done was not in vain.


    After I fainted ......, I heard that it was quite hard work, carrying the wounded who couldn''t move, retrieving abandoned weapons to prevent them from being misused, and postwar processing? I heard that he was mainly involved in something called


    Tong was the first one to complain to me when I woke up after about three days of sleep, so there is no doubt about it. But I''m really glad that everyone in the rescue team is okay. I''m really glad that Uluru-san and Olga-san weren''t physically strong, let alone brainy guys like Tong.


    The day after I woke up, Kazuki and Inukami-senpai were receiving some kind of medals in front of the people and the king.


    As I was clapping my hands thinking how great it was, Rose and I were also called by name and asked to go up on the stage. Why me? I looked at Rose in confusion and confusion, and she smiled at me with a very bad smile on her face and slapped me on the back, forcing me to move forward.


    When I stood on the stage, I received a huge cheer from the people, or rather the knights. I bowed to them, and Rose gave me a fist bump and tearfully presented me with a medal for my services in the war.


    What was it for, anyway? I asked him about it, and he said it was for contributing to the war situation by capturing an enemy leader and saving many soldiers. <


    Well, after a week or so, I was able to get back to my normal life, and I was now in the cabin with Bulrin, talking about what had happened in this war. Blue grizzlies are intelligent creatures, so I heard that they can understand human language if they try hard enough. So I talk to him quite often, but he just grunts like a cow and yelps.


    "Hey, Bulrin. I''ve already had a hard time..."


    "Gua."


    "I should have taken you with me. I mean, we''re going to get some exercise, you''re starting to forget how wild you are."


    He patted him on the head and forced him to stand up. I usually run with him on my back, but sometimes I let him walk. He''s getting bigger and bigger, and if he gets too fat, he''ll be nothing more than a large meal.


    Just in time for the king''s call, let''s take him with us.


    "Come on, Bulrin."


    "Guar!"


    , he starts to walk next to me. I smile at the sight of him walking so slowly, and I chew on a moment of normalcy. As I walk with him in a good mood, I see a figure running toward me from the entrance of the lifeguard station.


    "Oh, Usato-kun!


    "Mr. Uluru."


    Uluru-san, a girl my age who uses the same healing magic as me, ran up to me waving her hand.


    "Are you feeling okay now?"


    "Yes, I slept well, and I''m all better."


    "Good! I was already very worried about you and Rose when you were out ...... Oh, and hello to you too, Bulrin-chan."


    Mr. Uluru gives a small wave and Bulrin turns his head away. Mr. Uluru, who had been damaged by this behavior but recovered, turns to me with a twitchy smile.


    "Well, are you going for a walk?"


    No, the king has summoned me. I''m going to ...... let him walk around a bit afterwards."


    "...... haha, be careful when you go into town!"


    "What? What does that mean ......?"


    "I''ve got my brother waiting for me, so I''d better get home...!"


    ...... as if to escape any further pursuit. What the hell is going on in this town? Could it be that the townspeople are angry about those they couldn''t save? Those who died in the battle were given a generous burial in the kingdom''s cemetery, of course I was there. ...... I guess there are some people who would hate me. I can''t deny that I wasn''t good enough.


    I''ll take their grudges with a grain of salt.


    I arrive at the gate of the castle, knowing inwardly that the bereaved families will blame me. At the large white gate, surrounded by a large canal and walls, there were two knights in heavy armor and a red-haired guard,...... Alc Girdle.


    When he saw me, he ran up to me with a pleased look on his face.


    "Usato-sama, how are you feeling?"


    I''m fine now. Aruk-san also seems to be okay from what I ...... saw.


    The fact that he is guarding the gates now, not long after the battle, means that Mr. Aruk has not suffered any serious injuries. I have to thank Mr. Alc for protecting Uluru, Olga and the others.


    "Once again, ...... Mr. Aruk. Thank you for protecting us."


    "No! It is only natural for us to protect the lifeguards who are the key to the battle and who are very important to us! In fact, it is we who should be thanking you!"


    Mr. Aruk waved his hand to the side and bowed his head, and the knights behind him took off their helmets and bowed their heads with great vigor. I was startled by this sudden action, and Mr. Arc, with his head still down, started to talk to me.


    "Thanks to Usato-dono and Rose-dono, I ...... was able to return home alive!


    "No,...... there are many people I couldn''t help either,......"


    "Still, there are many of my colleagues who wouldn''t be here if it weren''t for ...... you!"


    "Ah,ya ...... u ...... just keep your head up."


    I am at a loss for words of thanks, which I am not accustomed to, but I make Aruk and the knights behind me raise their heads. Well, it''s hard not to be happy to be thanked, but mine is a kind of selfishness. But I''m just being selfish.


    I pat the head of Bulrin, who is stretched out like he''s not busy, and try to find some safe words to say to him.


    I could never have done it alone. When I was almost killed by the demons on the battlefield many times, the soldiers saved my life. So it''s mutual."


    After saying this, Mr. Aruk smiled and scratched his head.


    "I see, you are an interesting man after all, Usato-dono. ...... Ah! If you''re here, it means you have business at the castle! I''ll open it right away!"


    "Oh, that''s right, I forgot about that ......."


    As soon as they remember, the knights open the castle door. I thank them and walk with Bulrin to the castle grounds beyond the door.


    The place is as spacious as ever.


    We walk along the cobblestone-paved path and enter the castle through the castle entrance with the knights on guard. Of course, I leave Bulrin outside. He''s a surprisingly quiet guy, so he should be fine.


    After that, I was guided by a maid to the king''s place by the castle, and the knights on guard all over the place thanked me terribly. ......This is a castle, but I wonder if this is what Uluru-san meant when he said "be careful"? At this rate inside the castle, the town looks like it''s going to be a disaster.


    "Oh, Usato."


    "Hello, King Lloyd."


    The maid led me into the king''s room, where I found King Lloyd and Master Sergio looking at me with kind expressions. The only other person in the room is Sigurth, the corps commander. ......


    Usato, I''m sorry to call you on such short notice.


    No, that''s fine. So ...... why did you bring me here today?"


    "That''s ...... Sigurth."


    "Ha ......"


    The leader of the Sigurth Legion stepped forward and looked at me as King Lloyd looked at him. He still has a very handsome face, but I think he has kind eyes ....... He is very different from our tough guys.


    I mean, Rose looks beautiful but her atmosphere is scary, so it''s hard for me to judge her. Maybe that smile she showed after the battle with the Demon King''s army was her own kind of dereliction.


    "Do you remember a person who seems to be an officer of the Demon Lord''s army that Usato-sama captured?"


    "Yeah, yeah. ......"


    It was that ...... guy with the white hair, right? I wasn''t sure if it was a man or a woman, but Inukami-senpai told me later that she was able to defeat him because he was unable to regenerate after taking my blows on top of his armor, which was pierced by my healing magic, so if you think about it, me, Rose ...... Uluru and Olga would have been able to defeat him. Since it was physically impossible to do so,...... it meant that there were practically only two people who could defeat him.


    Why did you give it to me ...... though? No way. ......


    "Did you commit suicide?"


    It''s possible. There are cases where people are convinced that the Kingdom of Lingle will not do it, but they are afraid of being treated so badly by their captors that they will voluntarily choose death if they have to choose the pain.


    Maybe that black knight is afraid of that too. ......


    "No, sir. He submitted to interrogation with surprising ease."


    "Huh?"


    "I can understand your disappointment. I was there myself."


    Mr. Sigurth put his hand on my forehead as if he sympathized with my reaction. But if he was so easily interrogated, why did he call me here?


    "It seems that the one called the Black Knight does not have much loyalty to the Demon Lord''s army. He was reluctant, but he did share some information that could be useful to us.


    But isn''t it dangerous?


    Of course, we don''t trust everything, but we are aware that such information exists.


    That''s right. I don''t need to tell Mr. Sigurth that I should suspect some kind of trap ...... when he is responding to my interrogation without any resistance, and as I ruminate over the story, I don''t know more and more why I was called.


    "Why did you call me?"


    "The black knight wouldn''t let me see Master Usato."


    "......... Huh!"


    "A meeting with Usato ...... is the condition."


    "What? But Mr. Lloyd! I just caught him!"


    "Just caught," he said simply, "but ...... Usato caught a monster that could overpower two brave men, and perhaps no other knights in this kingdom but you and Rose can fight the Black Knight."


    "Ehh ......"


    King Lloyd''s words confuse me. Of course, why do I have to meet with the leader of the demon tribe who must have a grudge against me? I''m not that thick-skinned. .......


    "During the interrogation, the black knight offered certain conditions in exchange for providing us with important information.


    "That, Mister Usato, was to set up a dialogue with you."


    "...... and hoho......"


    It seems that even after the battle is over, I am still in the middle of the mayhem.


    His shoulders slump dejectedly.


    "Just so you know, ...... that important information is ......."


    "I''ll have to tell Usato."


    Of course, we have to ask.


    It''s a pretty important role, after all.


    "The magical systems and abilities of the commanders of the 3rd and 2nd legions of the Demon Lord Army.


    ............ is that an absurd and dangerous piece of information?


    ¡ñ


    The sound of footsteps echoing into the basement echoes around us. I am surrounded by Sigurth and a few knights, and so far you would think I would be protected by some very reliable people.


    But .......


    "Don''t worry, Usato. I''ll at least be your shield!


    "It''s good that you know you can''t win, but I don''t think you''re looking too far back. ......"


    For some reason, Inukami-senpai is following us.


    No, I''m glad he''s concerned about me. But to be honest, I can''t help but think that it''s going to be more complicated if Inugami-senpai comes.


    By the way, Kazuki and Celia are spending time together. Thank you very much! I don''t care if Kazuki is a rear-ender, please let it explode for a long time.


    "In fact, the only two people who can counter it are Usato-kun and Rose-san," he said.


    "It''s not the kind of magic that hurts the other person. ......"


    To be honest, I was thinking of knocking her out even then, or rather, she is actually very seriously wounded now, after eating my fist with my healing magic gone. ......?


    ..........


    "Mr. Sigurth!!! Did you treat the black knight or something!"


    "No, actually, he was wearing black armor the whole time. ...... What''s wrong? Was he injured in any way? It didn''t look very much like that. ......"


    "......usato-kun."


    "...... Oh no."


    Inukami-senpai understood, too, and his face turned blue as if it was very bad. The attacks I made on the black knight''s torso were a fist to the face, a fist to the torso, and an elbow to the side.


    I''m not proud of it,...... but I can break at least a rock these days. I started running at the same time as Inukami-senpai, and ran down to the basement. I don''t think running is going to help now. .......


    "......!"


    Ahead of us on the landing is a soldier guarding a cage. And behind them, at the edge of the cage, there was a knight in black armor, looking like a knight in the dark, crouching.


    "What is it, Usato-dono?


    >


    In response to the voice of the knight on guard, I stood up and looked through the gap in the armor at Inukami-senpai and myself. The darkness makes it look very eerie, but I can tell.


    The slight smell of iron in the air. Is he just leaving his injury untreated?


    "...... you''re hurt, man."


    <<< What? Yeah, I do. But it''s okay. That''s what this is, right? Pain, right? >>


    A muffled voice comes from within the armor of the black knight. I thought his voice sounded like that of a joyful child.


    Inukami-senpai also sensed the emotion in his voice and grabbed the sleeve of my garment.


    "Usato-kun, she''s an unconscious dominatrix. ......"


    "You need to shut up for a minute ...... so why did you call me?"


    <>


    The black knight sighs as he wobbles unsteadily, holding his side.


    That''s it. He''s a pervert just like Inukami-senpai.


    "Knight, please give me the key."


    Usato-sama!


    Hey, Usato-kun!


    It''s impossible to miss a wounded man against a lifeguard. Maybe the injury on his side affects his internal organs. Inukami-senpai is holding my arm and trying to stop me with a twitching expression on his face, but to tell the truth, his physical strength is beyond mine.


    As I try to get the knight to hand over the key to me, Sigurth arrives late. He looks at us and the black knight, and says something to me as if he is dumbfounded.


    "What in the world is going on here? ......"


    "Mr. Sigurth, actually, Usato-kun is ......"


    I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it.


    I see that healing wizard in front of me. The brave woman seems to be holding his arm and stopping him, but he is pointing at me with a great expression and appealing something to the big knight.


    At that moment, another strange wobble strikes my body.


    In a few days, the wounds on my face and stomach have healed. But this side of my body still insists on sharp pain.


    I have never had such an injury before. I guess this is what he means by <.


    He rubs his side lovingly and turns his attention to the boy in front of him.


    A healing wizard, a rare magic unique to humans. His ability is simply to heal, that''s all. I overheard the knight''s conversation with a human ...... disciple named Rose, whom the Third Legion leader was unusually wary of.


    I had taken a disregard ...... for a restorative wizard, but I was dealt a severe blow back. I had no idea that he would defeat my black magic head-on.


    This guy, this guy hurt me.


    He caused me pain.


    Defeated me.


    He freed me from the messy place that is the demon army.


    I''m coming in!


    >


    A man enters through the door of the cage, which is opened with a clank. The healing wizard in front of me must be trying to do something to me, because I see a brave man behind him who is breathing tiredly and a corps commander who is trying to kill me.


    >


    "Give me your hand."


    <<< What? ......Why? >>


    "I told you to let me out!"


    >


    I involuntarily hold out my hand to the healing wizard, whose mild-mannered expression turns into a devilish look. What, the healers of the Lingle Kingdom have even learned the art of killing? Even I, who am usually used to being yelled at, was scared for a moment.


    The healing wizard gently grabs my outstretched hand and wraps both hands in a dark healing magic light. The cage covering my hands does not see the healing magic as harmful and allows it to pass through, allowing the healer''s hands to touch mine.


    My hand is enveloped in a warm light, and it spreads from my arm to my shoulder, from my shoulder to my head, to my chest, to my waist.


    "I''m healing, you know."


    >


    Don''t take away my pain, I thought, and tried to shake his hand away, but the hand wrapped gently around me didn''t move like a vise. The other hand is placed on the left cheek where the healer had struck him.


    "I tell you, it doesn''t feel good to have you die. ....... I''m not going to let a person''s death drag me down. I''m not a strong man, and I''m not a gentle man. In the end, this is just my complacency, so shut up and be healed."


    The hand that penetrated the armor and was placed on his cheek was unbelievably warm. I touch the hand that has touched me, the hand that no one, not even my parents, have ever refused to touch me before.


    "Usato-dono ......!"


    "......... it''s okay. ...... maybe."


    "That''s not a line you say with confidence!"


    I don''t know how to express the feelings that well up inside me. The light of the healing magic that surrounds me, the warmth of my skin that is different from that of the demons, all of it unknown to me, all of it something that I have been helplessly longing for.


    "......Hmmm..."


    The hand that had been touching my cheek relaxes, and the healing magic that had enveloped me fades away. The pain in my side is gone, as if it had never happened. It lasted only a few tens of seconds, and I felt no discomfort. But the hand that was touching me naturally does not leave my side.


    "Excuse me, can you let go of me ......, I''m scared..."


    <>


    ?"


    "Can you just touch me a little bit longer?"


    The hand touching his cheek is wet. No, the other cheek is wet as well. Without understanding why, I release the helmet and touch the wet spot with the opposite hand of the one I am holding.


    "Huh. ....... If she cries, I can''t say no. ......"


    Well, I''m shedding tears. .......


    I felt as if I was seeing a for the first time when I looked at the man who was scratching his cheeks in annoyance, his thin shiny silver hair flickering vaguely in my vision.


    ¡ñ


    After that, the black knight, or rather the silver-haired brown girl, gave me the information honestly.


    I don''t know if she was satisfied with my talk, but it seems to have been useful for King Lloyd. I was now on my way out of the basement, on my way to the outside of the castle after reporting to the king, and as I was going with my senpai who was going to follow me outside, he turned around with a faint smile on his face.


    "Indeed, Usato-kun, you are indeed the man I have been looking up to ...... to flag an enemy."


    "I was just doing my job, I''m not the kind of guy who gets love flags. ......


    "No, no, I don''t know about that!"


    "Shhhh, I think I may have ...... taken it a little too far, even though we are ...... enemies."


    When I saw her face on the battlefield, I had a faint idea that she was a woman, but I had no idea that she was not much older than me. She was wearing that armor that made her look so big that you couldn''t tell from the outside, but ...... Sigurth and the others were rolling their eyes.


    "You shouldn''t touch ...... a woman''s face so easily, even to heal her."


    "Because I punched ...... in the face, didn''t I? To be more specific, it''s a zdong with the power to stun a blue grizzly bear, right?"


    "...... that''s a quandary, I feel sorry for you."


    We were enemies, but now we are prisoners of war. Now that he''s willing to be interrogated without any warlike intent, he''s hardly a clear enemy, and I''d hate to leave him to die with his wounds. There is no choice but to abandon him, considering his mental condition and the guilt he will feel.


    But when Inukami-senpai and Kazuki were stabbed,...... I was really mad.


    "I was actually really angry at that time. I thought they had been killed,...... but the fact that they are alive like this makes me feel very grateful."


    "That''s a little over the top ......, but that''s what''s good about you."


    The senior clapped him on the shoulder and walked out of the castle in a good mood.


    I follow him out of the castle, and a huge blue body comes rushing toward us from the area where the training grounds are, accompanied by the sound of heavy footsteps.


    "Ooooh...!"


    !


    With a grunt of "hmmmmm", he catches the huge blue body of Bulrin, lowers him to the ground, and walks with him. I think Inukami-senpai is looking at me with his mouth gaping open. ......


    "Something funny?"


    "No, no, no, no! I''d be surprised if you could catch a burin as big as a brown bear!"


    "Ah, you get used to it. You''re going to ...... town, aren''t you?"


    "Gua."


    "Something tells me that Usato-kun is getting a little far away ......."


    I''ve been feeling very strange since the fight. I can''t sit still for some reason. I find myself doing push-ups. Then Rose says to me, "Shut up in the middle of the night! >>I get kicked off as hard as I can. It''s my fault for doing strength training at night.


    "But Bulrin is still cute as ever. ......"


    "Guah~"


    Bulrin flutters away from the hand of a senior who tries to pet him. ......Why are you so stubborn and won''t let me pet you? You allow it to some extent with me, but ...... well, I guess you have to earn some trust, don''t you?


    "Maybe senpai should put on a disguise or something when we go into town."


    "You too, Usato. You are also a hero to the people of this country ...... or even to us."


    It''s sad that I can''t say I''m overreacting ......, so I try to put on my coat hat and give up my disguise, realizing that the presence of the bullring shows me who I really am anyway.


    My senpai has her hair tied into a braid. It looks good on her, but I feel she might take advantage of me if I praise her, so I make no comment. .......


    "We''re going to town, aren''t we?"


    "Yes. I met Uluru-san before coming to the castle, so I thought I''d say hello to Olga-san as well."


    "As I recall, he has the same healing magic as you, right?"


    "Unlike me, she is not physically strong, but on the other hand, Olga''s healing magic is more powerful than mine.


    "Heh, ......."


    I heard that Olga also collapsed after the battle. He woke up earlier than I did, according to the story, but I''m still a little worried about his frail body. I''m sure he''ll be fine now that Uluru is here, but you should at least show your face to him.


    I say goodbye to Mr. Ark at the gate and walk down the road to the town.


    By the way: .......


    "Burlyn, shall we go back to the forest for a while?"


    "Gua?"


    "The forest, you mean that forest?"


    Inukami-senpai looks at me and Bulrin with an expression of disgust. She does not have a good impression of Bulrin''s hometown.


    "I''m going to build a grave for Bulrin''s family. When a hexenbiest dies, it turns into magic element and disappears. ...... but I thought a grave would be important."


    "The graves of Bullyn''s parents, ......, are certainly important."


    "Guar ......"


    I stroke the nose of Bulrin, who barks in a hushed voice, as if he somehow understands what I am saying. I guess he is remembering his father, a grand grizzly, and his mother, a blue grizzly.


    Bulrin is growing up fast, but he is still a child. Maybe he should have a memorial service for his family in the woods back home.


    "I don''t know when I''ll be able to do that, because I don''t think I''ll be able to leave here ......, but maybe I''ll go there when the war is over. ......... ?"


    "What''s wrong?"


    There is a blonde girl at the entrance to the city. There are many people with various hair colors in this world due to the existence of magic, but when I saw her, I felt the corners of my mouth turn up.


    She was looking at the town with her back to me, and her head was covered with triangular ears. And a tail, which means that she is one of the few beastmen in this kingdom.


    I started running on the spot.


    "I found it!


    Usato-kun!


    I started running with my feet dug into the ground, closing the distance of a few dozen meters in a few steps, and then, as if in anticipation, I lifted the flank of the beastman girl who turned to me and shouted, "You''ve got to go!


    "I''m going to tell you a story!


    The girl who showed me the prediction of the scene of their deaths rolled her eyes at me and mumbled something in her mouth as if she was trying to say something, then said one word in a clear voice.


    "---You''re alive, then you''ll pay for it. A healing wizard."


    "Huh?"


    I hear Senpai and Bulrin running up behind me, and as I make eye contact with the girl who is staring at me blankly, I feel a chill in my heart at her words.


    The beast girl, unaware of my chills, squeezes out .......


    "Save my mother,......."


    That''s what he said.

 39 - CHAPTER I CHARACTER

    Main Characters


    Takeshi Usari


    A 17-year-old high school boy who is called by those around him. When he was in his original world, he had friends and lived a normal life without any complaints, but then he was summoned to another world with Kazuki and Inukami, and in a sense, he is an unfortunate boy.


    He is a member of a lifeguard team, and his magic is healing.


    He is taught directly by his teacher, Rose. He has mastered healing magic in an unusual way.


    Suzune Inukami


    A high school girl, one year older than Usato, who is called by those around her.


    She is the only girl who was happy to be summoned from another world, and she has no interest in her original world. Her usual behavior is nothing short of <<< strange> to Usato, but in fact, she speaks normally to almost everyone except Usato and Kazuki.


    She is a member of the Royal Guard, and her magic is lightning.


    Kazuki Ryusen


    A high school boy in the same class as Usato, who is called by those around him.


    He is a passionate man with a strong sense of compassion. He is popular among girls because of his good looks, but his popularity has caused him to be kept at a certain distance from boys. He himself is more interested in same-s*x friends with whom he can have fun than in female friends, which gives him an indescribable sense of sadness.


    Like Inukami, he belongs to the Knight Corps, and his magic is light.


    The Kingdom of Lingle.


    Lloyd Brewgast Lingle.


    King of the Kingdom of Lingle.


    He is a kind ruler who sincerely wishes for the happiness of his people. He feels sorry that he summoned Usato and his friends even though he was cornered, and that he depends on them, but at the same time, he feels the utmost gratitude to them.


    Sergio


    Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lingle.


    He believes in supporting Lloyd, who cannot be ruthless enough.


    Sigurth


    Knight Commander of the Kingdom of Lingle.


    He is the strongest swordsman in the current Ringle Kingdom.


    He is the sword master of Kazuki and Inukami.


    Welshy.


    A mage in the service of the Kingdom of Lingle.


    Despite his timid nature, he is one of the most famous wizards in the Kingdom of Lingle and is the one who taught Kazuki and Inukami magic.


    Celia Burgast Lingle


    Daughter of King Lloyd, Princess of the Kingdom of Lingle.


    A girl who is attracted to Kazuki.


    Alc Gardel


    Knight of the Kingdom of Lingle.


    He had a strong sense of responsibility and searched day and night for Usato and Inukami, who had disappeared.


    During the battle against the Demon King''s army, he was chosen to escort the Life Guards.


    The Lifeguard.


    Rose.


    Lifeguard, White Clothing


    The leader of the lifeguard squadron, she is a woman of mystery. According to Usato, she is a woman with a kindness that is not at all pleasing, although she is a dreadful S. She is a woman with a kindness that is not at all pleasing, although she is a dreadful S. However, she is trusted by the members of the rescue squad, including Usato. Although she herself does not show it, she has a great deal of trust in the members of the Rescue Mission, and she pays special attention to Usato.


    She is so capable that Lloyd and others have invited her to be the leader of the corps, but her actual status is unknown.


    Alec


    Lifeguard, black


    He has a strong face, but surprisingly, he has common sense.


    MIL


    Lifeguard, black


    A chef with a deranged sense of taste.


    A fearsome character who nearly destroyed Usato''s stomach.


    Tong


    Lifeguard, black


    A member of the group who lives in the same room with Usato.


    He is the member who has the closest relationship with Usato.


    Gomuru


    Lifeguard, black


    A member of the group who has a crazy sense of taste.


    Guld


    Lifeguard, black.


    He is sometimes mistaken for a demon because of his small size and stocky appearance.


    Olga Fleur


    Lifeguard, gray.


    He has healing magic, but due to his weak body, he is unable to keep up with Rose''s training and now works quietly at a clinic in the castle town. His skills in healing magic exceed those of Usato, but he is not good at healing his own body.


    Uluru Fleur


    Lifeguard, Ash Clothing


    He has healing magic and cares for his frail brother at the clinic. Since he is only one year older than Usato, he is always concerned about him. She has no romantic feelings for Usato and considers him like a younger brother.


    Kukuru


    A demon that follows Rose.


    A noir rabbit, a rare kind of demon. When Usato was thrown into the forest, Rose entrusted him with the task of monitoring and assisting him ......, but his cute appearance deceived Usato, and he was very much distressed.


    Kukuru follows Rose, but he is also fond of Usato.


    Bulrin


    A demon that follows Usato.


    A powerful demon named Blue Grizzly. His parents were killed by Baljinak, an artificial demon left by the Demon Lord''s army, and he tries to avenge his parents'' death, but is saved by Usato. While she has a loyal side that is indebted to Usato, she also shows a hard side that instinctively holds evil feelings and will not be swayed by anyone who treats her unfairly.


    The Demon King''s Army


    Demon King


    A king who plans to invade the continent.


    His goals and ideology are currently unknown.


    Amira Bellegred


    Commander of the Third Legion of the Demon Army.


    He was the one who was entrusted with the invasion of Ringle Kingdom, but he suffered a painful defeat due to his subordinates'' lack of awareness of the rescue teams and his own inexperience.


    He is said to be a legionnaire, but his actual condition is unknown.


    Hulk


    Doctor of Demons.


    He is a madman who loves to create demons and dotes on the demons he has created.


    He is the creator of Vazirinak.


    Black Knight


    A demon tribe that deals with a unique magic that transfers [wounds] inflicted by armor to the opponent.


    They are almost unbeatable in battle. He was captured by the Lingle Kingdom''s army after being defeated by Usato''s healing magic, with which he was incompatible, even though he drove Kazuki and Inukami to near-death.


    Other


    A fox beast of a girl


    A beastman girl who showed Usato strange images.


    She tries to get Usato to save Kazuki and Inukami, and demands compensation from him for saving them.

 40 - the 39th episode

    Save my mother, said the beast girl.


    Her eyes, which seemed to be expressionless, held a stout heart. .......


    And then she said the price. I guess she was talking about the price for making me show her that kind of prediction and saving Inukami-senpai and Kazuki. It is true that if I had not had that premonition, I might not have been able to save them and the Lingle Kingdom Army might have lost.


    Having come to this understanding, I took Bulrin and Inukami-senpai with me for the time being and moved toward the dormitory of the lifeguard squad without entering the town. Here, no one in the city would listen to us, and I trust all the people here. Besides, few people get hurt here.


    What better place to tell a secret?


    After taking Bulrin back to the hut, I lead the beast girl to the cafeteria and sit her down, and Inukami and I sit in front of her.


    "Well, why don''t you tell us a story?"


    "Hey, Usato-kun. I don''t understand the flow of the conversation at all. ...... but who is this fox-eared girl? He''s cute. Can I pet him?"


    "......... you were the only one I could count on."


    Just me?


    "Leave it, or ...... Usato, you enjoy tormenting me, don''t you? Fine, if you don''t mind me getting excited, go ahead."


    I''m talking about something important right now, so give me a minute. What do you mean I was the only one who could help you? If you want to ask a healing wizard for a favor, I guess you can ask Olga and Uluru at the clinic for a quick favor: .......


    "My name is Amako. As you can see, I am a fox beastman. I know you, Usato, who uses strange healing magic."


    "I''m aware that I''m using it in an odd way, but ...... well, that''s okay. I have a lot of questions for you. Why ...... did you show me that thing?"


    That, of course, is the vision of Inukami-senpai and Kazuki being killed by the black knight. That was the beginning of all this.


    Amako, the girl who kept her mouth shut for a moment at my words, glanced anxiously at Inukami-senpai before turning to me and opening her mouth as if she had made up her mind.


    "If I hadn''t done that, this kingdom would have been lost. The brave men were dead, the kingdom was defeated, and the country was in ruins ...... and everything was being overrun."


    "...... what do you think?"


    "You may not be wrong. If Usato hadn''t come at that time, Kazuki and I would have died for sure. I don''t mean to sound egotistical, but the morale of the Kingdom''s army would have been lowered, and as a result, the Demon King''s army would have been pushed to the brink of defeat."


    So it was quite a tightrope walk.


    I apparently changed the fate of the battle, too, can you say? What an important role I was casually assigned. It makes me shiver to think of it.


    "...... there are people here who have helped me, and above all, I couldn''t lose you after I finally found you."


    "So I''m correct in assuming that your magic is a special kind of magic that is unique to beastmen?"


    "Yes."


    Perhaps a future prediction.


    And probably quite accurate.


    "I''ve known for a year that the battle would be lost. So before the battle began, I searched ...... for a healer of healing magic who could cure any disease or wound."


    "If you knew you were going to lose, why didn''t you just walk out of here? You saved my life, and I say to you, it would have been better for me to flee to a safer place than to stay in a country where I know I will perish."


    "Senpai, outside the kingdom, beastmen are a target. Maybe they couldn''t leave even if they wanted to.


    "Except in ...... this country,...... the beastmen are oppressed for ...... that alone... ..."


    He gave a small nod at my words. Maybe, but they must have been scared to death before they came to this kingdom. I don''t know where he came from, but in countries outside the kingdom, slaves are traded.


    Even if he had a premonition, he''s a helpless child. It is rather amazing that he has come this far.


    "I come from a land of beasts."


    "You''re a long way from here. ......"


    "I didn''t think it would be hard. I was trying to save my mother."


    Is your mother sick?


    "......Yes, they say you can''t heal normally...... all the time and never wake up."


    So that''s why you''re a healing wizard.


    "No healing wizard can be born from a beastman ...... because it is only a human magic ......, but no one anywhere showed me a future that would come to heal my mother."


    "......... discrimination, huh? Humans have an exclusive side. ......"


    The older man growled in annoyance, but I was thinking about something different from him. Amako had visited many countries in search of healing wizards, probably using her precognition to overcome the dangers.


    If she was so useful, wouldn''t the powers that be in the beastmen''s lands give her up easily? Amako continues to weave her words as I ponder.


    "But I found three of the few healing wizards ...... and two of them showed me a future in which they would come with me to help my mother."


    "Olga-san, Uluru-san, and the Commander ......?"


    "Yes, but they would come, but they couldn''t."


    "No?"


    "The people at the clinic couldn''t fight, so the ...... scary people would listen to me ...... but they didn''t come with me."


    "...... ah ......"


    Somehow it made sense to me, certainly Ms. Olga and Mr. Uluru would not be able to endure the long trip. And Rose is a leader of an organization, he can''t leave the place carelessly. Or rather, he might say "I don''t believe it" and leave them alone.


    "So that''s why I''ve been chosen."


    "You came with me. And I saw at first glance that you could change the future, that you could change the future of the destruction of the kingdom, that you were the one who would come to save my mother ......, so I showed you the future."


    "Is it so easy to show ......? I had a huge headache."


    "It takes a lot of magic to show someone ...... that, after that, I slept for three days and three nights, we both did."


    That''s why you couldn''t find her after that.


    But if you think about it, this girl saved Senpai and Kazuki''s lives. In addition, for the people of the kingdom, too. .......


    I''d like to help them, but this is a bigger problem than I expected, the land of beastmen is supposed to be exclusive to humans as far as I know. It would be better not to act rashly before we know the position of this girl in the land of the beastmen.


    "In the meantime, I should talk to the king. ...... Maybe I can''t make a decision on my own. Will you be there when I explain the situation to Mr. Lloyd?"


    "Of course I''ll come."


    "Okay, let''s start with the Commander. You stay here for now, senior staff.


    He should be in the Commander''s office at this time.


    I get out of my chair and think as I walk. Now, how do I explain this? .......


    ¡ñ


    Usato-kun walked out of the cafeteria with a tired look on his face. I was left with Amako, a fox beast sitting politely in front of me.


    ...... she''s so cute, she looks like a doll. She''s a real fox girl, can I touch her, or should I touch her---I almost forgot. Watch out, watch out.


    First of all, let''s summarize what we''ve learned from our conversation earlier.


    It took a lot of work to get here from the beastmen''s country.


    This girl is trying to get Usato-kun to heal her mother who is ill in the land of the beastmen.


    And to do that, he showed Usato-kun the future in which we would die, and changed history so that this kingdom would be destroyed.


    And in exchange, he wants us to cooperate with him.


    "You could have asked Usato-kun for his cooperation without saying anything, couldn''t you?"


    "...... I would have done that before I came here, but now that I''m involved with the people here, I can''t."


    "I see. ......"


    The kingdom ruled by the kind-hearted Master Lloyd is strangely peaceful. Everyone is kind, and there is no discrimination, making it a unique country of its own. When this girl came here, she probably thought she was surrounded by enemies.


    "This country is kinder to me than my homeland. There is no discrimination and people treat each other without discrimination. ...... But my mother is suffering back home, so I have to take ...... Usato with me... ..."


    A monologue spun out in a series of snippets. He is not as brisk as he was with Usato-kun, but he sounds somewhat frightened of me. ...... I wonder if this girl doesn''t think well of me.


    "......I couldn''t believe my eyes when I found Usato. I didn''t think I would find a way to prevent the destruction of the kingdom in this way."


    "What exactly is your magic? But there is a range, isn''t there?


    He even predicted that the battle would be lost a year ago. That''s a pretty big area to cover.


    "It''s very vague. I don''t always see very far into the future. But when I''m sleeping, or at random times, I can see ...... a year or six months into the future. And I can see two different futures for people who have the potential to change the future. Only that person can show the future in a way that allows him to choose it.


    I see, so you showed Usato-kun the future in which we would die, and he prevented us from doing so. But is it normal for a beastman to be able to predict the future? It''s pretty amazing magic, even from my point of view."


    "It has something to do with my bloodline."


    "...... bloodline?"


    "My family specializes in the recitation of time. My mother also used to use the magic of prediction, but she said that my prediction was the greatest in the family."


    "......"


    ...... the beastmen might be bloodthirsty looking for this girl.


    This is getting to be a problem. Probably the reason why this girl was rejected by Mr. Rose in the future she saw is because she was in some important position in the beastman''s country. If she is asked such a proposal at the time of the Demon King''s invasion, she would have no choice but to refuse.


    "...... Well, the decision is yours, Usato."


    He''s a man who can''t say no for whatever reason, probably.


    Maybe.


    "A fox beastman asked me to come to his hometown to heal his mother."


    "That''s the short version."


    In the Commander''s office, a neat and tidy room, Rose, a green-haired beauty sitting on a wooden chair in front of me and holding her head down, lets out a troublesome sigh after hearing about Amako.


    "......Totally, you''ve also brought us a troublesome problem,......I can''t really tell the difference between a beastman and a beastman,......That''s right, the princess of the time poem,...... Don''t f*ck with me. ......"


    "...... Princess of Time?"


    What a nasty name!


    "There are a very small number of beastmen who practice a rare kind of magic called Time Wing. They have the ability to foretell and communicate disasters to the beastmen. ...... If he''s in the Lingle Kingdom, the beastmen may turn against us. It''s crazy."


    At a time of emergency, when the Demon Lord''s army is invading?


    I''m sure the humans are more of a nuisance to the beastmen than the Demon Lords.


    I never thought Amaco would be in such an important position. Good thing I consulted Rose, because if I had gone outside the kingdom, I might have been in trouble.


    "...... would like to hear from the Commander."


    I''d say no, but I can''t make a decision without first talking to Master Lloyd. I don''t think we''ll get an audience today ...... or even for the next few days. Mr. Lloyd is also working to coordinate with other countries.


    I guess I won''t be able to get an audience for a while, then what position should I be in? Should I try to get some more information from Amaco ...... or should I train and prepare?


    "Meanwhile, you train. If Master Lloyd allows you to go to the beastmen''s country, you''ll have no choice but to defend yourself. I will train you again. There won''t be any wounded here anyway.


    I don''t mind if you do.


    I guess I''ve gotten used to it now that I don''t look so bad. I''m almost discouraged for a moment because I''m so used to it, but then I remember that I''m in the Commander''s office with Rose, and I hold my ground.


    I don''t want to get angry at a time like this.


    "Can I go to the Lingle Forest?"


    "Yeah, why?"


    "I was just thinking of making a grave for my parents in Bullyn. ......"


    "You can go to the tomb, or ......."


    "What? You don''t think it''s a good idea? I thought the leader of the group would immediately reject her, a devilish woman without blood or tears."


    In fact, this guy would be a great choice for a


    Suddenly, Rose, who rarely smiles, grabs me by the face with unusual speed.


    "Usato, I''m glad you''re becoming less reserved!"


    "Ugh, if you''re happy, don''t iron claw me, ada ada ada ada ......."


    He was lifted up with one hand and struggled. What the hell did I do? I was just being honest. After a few dozen seconds of hellish contemplation, I was finally let down, and Rose looked down at me like I was a piece of filth.


    "If you wanted a word of mercy so bad, why don''t you just say it?


    "I''ve already been punished with no mercy ...... enough to the point where I won''t recover immediately even if I use healing magic ......."


    How much power does this woman have? She''s a little bit of an amazon. I get up, swearing inwardly, and turn to Rose, who has sat up in her chair.


    "You should go to the forest as soon as possible. Don''t be food for the demons, okay?


    "I''ll be fine, I guess."


    And if the worst happens, we can just run away.


    We have not escaped from the Grand Grizzly for long. Poison and injuries can be cured with healing magic, and as long as you bring some food with you, you can survive without a fire starter.


    I''m used to ...... that water.


    I''ll tell that to senpai and amako who are waiting for me downstairs.


    "Yeah."


    With a bow, he leaves the office and descends to the lower floor. I enter the cafeteria holding my face which is ironclawed by Rose, and I see Inukami-senpai trying hard to talk to Amako.


    She has blonde hair that is clearly different from her dyed ...... blonde hair, and a body that is one size smaller than Inukami''s. He looks about 13 or 14 years old.


    I really wonder how she made it this far on her own.


    "......Yeah, it''s going to take me a little while."


    She looked at me and then said, "I''m sorry. She must have foreseen what I was going to say, because I didn''t have to tell her. Inukami-senpai is really confused.


    "......You can see it in each other''s eyes, can''t you? Even to such a tender little girl..."


    "It will only take longer to get an audience with Master Lloyd. I assure you it won''t be anything criminal."


    You want to turn me into a criminal? No, I don''t know if there is a value of pedophile in this world, but .......


    After shuddering at my words, the senior looked at me and looked away sadly.


    "You''ve been treating me too carelessly lately, haven''t you? It''s time to start crying, okay?"


    As long as you can say that, it''s all right. The fact that you became so careless in the first place means that you have become friends with your seniors, doesn''t it?"


    "......Something is different from my perception of friendship, Usato-kun."


    Unlike my senpai''s friendship as a playmate, mine is a friendship in the sense of affection. It''s better to be able to be with someone like this without hesitation than to have a senior who is a "high peak" like before.


    What will you ...... do from now on?


    "I didn''t think I''d be able to get there soon, so I''m going to go home ...... for the day."


    "Oh, by the way, where do you live?"


    "I''m staying at my grandmother''s fruit stand."


    "...... there."


    I remember you were selling spiky fruits in town before Rose threw you out into the woods. You''ve been living there until now, that means you''ve been treated reasonably well.


    I don''t know what I''m going to do, I can go to the city now or I can continue my training. But if I follow the gaze of my senpai who is looking at me expectantly next to me, I would like to .......


    "I was thinking of going to the city too, so I''ll walk you home.


    "Yes."


    "Inukami-senpai, you''re going too, right?"


    "Of course."


    He takes off his lifeguard jacket and puts it on a chair so as not to stand out, and puts on plain clothes. We''ll leave Bullin behind. The time to exercise him is when we go to the forest. That''s when we will awaken him to the wildness.


    Usato.


    "Yes?"


    While I was quietly plotting my plan to make Bulgaria wild, Amako moved in front of me and stared into my eyes. I was thinking something silly like, "People from other worlds have such beautiful eyes.


    "Thank you."


    He said this with a faint smile on his face.


    I don''t know what he meant by "thank you".


    Maybe it was for helping my mother.


    Maybe it was for coming with me.


    Maybe it''s for saving my kingdom.


    Maybe it''s about giving me a ride.


    But whatever it was, I knew what I would say.


    "Thank you very much."


    This girl was the reason I didn''t lose my senpai and Kazuki.


    We continue walking toward the town with Inukami-senpai, who has a strange expression on her face, and Amako, who has no expression on her face but her steps are a little light.


    When we arrived at the entrance of the town, Amako turned to me and Inukami-senpai as if to warn us.


    "I forgot to tell you ...... that Usato and Inukami will be surrounded by everyone."


    ""What ......?""


    Amako turns and runs forward. Inukami-senpai tapped me weakly on the shoulder as I watched her disappear into the city at a speed that exceeded that of a normal person due to the fact that she is a beast. I knew I shouldn''t have worn a hasty disguise. The people on the street who spotted us had a look of joy on their faces and some of them started stuffing the store''s wares into bags of some sort.


    "Amako, I wish you had told me about that earlier. ......"


    "Usato-kun, I wonder what this looks like to people around you. ...... lover?"


    "Master and squire. Or rather, be a little more impatient."


    I''m not exactly a city runner myself, and I know how much people in town interact with each other, so I''m painfully familiar with the power of solidarity in such situations.


    I let out a big sigh and strengthened my resolve for the commotion that was about to come.

 41 - the 40th episode

    My visions of the future are hazy.


    Usually I can see only enough, and even then I have to work my magic very hard on the spot, and even if I can see for more than a year with a sudden vision, I don''t know the timing of it. There are two special futures for those who have the possibility of branching out ...... but that doesn''t help much.


    Unstable but quite useful magic in everyday life. But I have not appreciated this magic much since I was born.


    It was not until I was seven years old that I understood my magic. I understood what was going to happen, dreams I had in my sleep started happening to me in reality, and other unusual things started happening to me. Of course, I was happy. I was so proud of my power.


    But my mother nailed me to ...... not to tell anyone about the magic. My power was stronger and more dangerous than my mother''s, so she didn''t want anyone to target me for it.


    Maybe because I was a child, or maybe because I didn''t understand what was going on. I still vividly remember that when I asked my mother, she simply said, "It''s a gift from God, and you should use it for yourself.


    My mother is an amazing person. She could see into any future and her predictions were never wrong. The king of the beastmen and the adults around her f¨ºted my mother and her family to worship her. As a child, I didn''t mind it, but my mother didn''t take it so well.


    Life was good.


    People around me looked at me with envy.


    I was happy to be with my mother, whom I loved.


    That''s why I wanted to help her. I thought I could use this power to help my mother, so when I was 10 years old, I asked my mother once again if I could use magic. And she said...


    ---<>


    I still remember the look on my mother''s face when she said that. She hugged me painfully and held my forehead ...... bitterly, as if she was saying goodbye to me for the rest of her life.


    And a few days later,...... my mother ----.


    "Amako-chan!"


    "Ha."


    He looks up, recognizing the familiar husky voice. In front of me, I see waves of people walking down the main street of the city, and a large spiky fruit called apacho, a specialty of the Kingdom of Lingle. Yes, I was now tending to my store. .......


    "Are you okay? Amako-chan."


    "Sarla, I''m sorry. ...... I was spacing out."


    Actually, I was sleeping, but I don''t want to cause you unnecessary worry, so I''ll keep quiet for now. Mr. Sarla is the person who picked me up when I first came to this country, and I owe him a great debt of gratitude.


    To tell the truth, I was a wreck when I came here ....... I was lucky enough to find a carriage and jumped on it, but I ran out of energy and fell asleep there. The next time I woke up I found myself in bed in Sarla''s house.


    I was told later that I had gotten into a carriage that was loaded with apaccio for Sarla''s store. I was distrustful of people and had an extraordinary hostility toward Mr. Sarla.


    But....


    "Are you sure you''re all right? Do you want to take the rest of the day off?"


    "Oh, no, ...... I''m fine."


    This man and the people of the city saved my life. I''ve been hiding and running and running and running, but not in this place. I''ve been to many human countries, but I''ve never been to a country ...... so different from the outside.


    So when I''m here, ...... I don''t want to go back.


    I don''t want to go back to that country that tries to use my power against my mother whom I want to save. But I want to save my mother, because that is why I left my country to find a healing wizard.


    But to go to a country where people are still doing what they did to my mother is ----.


    "Oh, isn''t that you, Usato-sama?"


    "What?"


    I looked toward the main street at Sarla''s words and saw a large bag? I was carrying something like a blue grizzly ...... burin? I see Usato walking toward the gate leading to the outside with a demon called "The Demon.


    "He''s a normal kid from all appearances,...... but it''s true that my nephew was saved thanks to him,......."


    "I don''t think that''s normal."


    Ha-ha-ha! I certainly wondered what was going on when I was running here with a big demon on my back! But that''s normal for a rescue team led by Master Rose."


    I wonder how many terrible things the lifeguard squad did before I came. It''s been at least a year since I was put in charge of this place, and I''m not always in charge of the store, so I''ve only seen Usato practicing. .......


    I have only seen Usato at practice. ...... But when I think about it, I only know that I have seen him in the predictions and have seen him running at this place.


    I''ve only spoken to him face to face recently, and I only know a very rough idea of Usato, that he can do healing magic and has great physical abilities. I know he is a kind person like Sarla, but somewhere deep down I don''t trust Usato. I am afraid that he will betray me at some point, that he will try to sell me in a hand basket.


    A deep-seated fear in my heart refuses to let me believe in Usato.


    "......Sarla, may I go with you for a moment, Mr. Usato ......?"


    I don''t think I can go on like this.


    I am sure that Usato understands the danger he is taking in going to my hometown to heal my mother. But it''s not right that I can''t trust Usato when I''m the one he''s trying to help. Just as Sarla and the others in the town have come to me, now I must learn to come to them myself. .......


    "With Usato? Oh, I remember we talked about it yesterday. Amako asked Master Usato to heal her mother. Go ahead, go ahead. I''m sure you''ll be fine with Usato-sama."


    "Yes."


    But don''t take it too hard."


    I was lucky that not too many people were coming today. I hurried back to my room and prepared to go out, heading for the gate where Usato was probably headed.


    As I do so, I remember to say a word to Sarla.


    I never imagined before that I could walk in front of people without covering my ears and tail, but now I can run around in the presence of people normally, albeit with some caution. I wonder what my friends back home would do if they knew about this, and then I realize that I am no longer qualified to face even my friends back home, and I let out a dejected sigh.


    As you run down the road leading to the gate, you see Usato and Bulrin''s backs.


    "Wait!"


    "......... hmm? Amaco, isn''t it? What''s wrong?


    "Guo?"


    When I stopped him, he spun around and tilted his head curiously despite his large backpack. I approach Usato''s side a little reservedly and express my willingness to follow him.


    "Oh, you want to follow me? No, it''s not safe."


    "Where are you going? ...... forest with ...... demons?"


    The foreshortened image that suddenly appeared in my field of vision reveals where Usato is planning to go. It is a forest of demons called the , where many demons are said to live. This is where Usato is going with Bulrin.


    "Foreknowledge is useful, isn''t it?


    With these words, Usato told me his purpose for going to the forest. I thought it was an important matter with such a big baggage, but it was simply to put up the graves of a grand grizzly bear and a blue grizzly bear, Bullin''s parents.


    When a demon dies, its magical power becomes magical elements and returns to the earth. The element then transforms into new demons, and this process repeats itself to form a kind of ecosystem.


    According to the way of thinking, death for demons is not death at all. But regardless of such thoughts, Usato is going to build a tomb for his mother and father in Bulgaria.


    I''m going with you.


    "It''s going to take you late. ......? Besides, the people at the store would be worried ......."


    "The demons won''t attack you if I''m here, I know when they''re coming, and I''m capable of fighting them. Besides, Auntie says I''ll be safe if I stay with Usato. ......


    "I''d say it''s fine, but it''s still ...... ummm, it''s really dangerous. ......Brulin."


    Usato, who called out Bulrin''s name and made eye contact with her, spoke to her in a voice just barely audible to me. ...... He seems to be telling her to protect me, but she just squeaks with a nonchalant expression on her face.


    I stand up and stand up, but he is too far away from me to see me, so I move closer to him and touch his head lightly.


    "...... you''re kidding me,......, Burlyn!"


    Usato was more than a little surprised, but Bulrin, on the other hand, was stroking him pleasantly with his eyes narrowed, just as he does when he is with Usato.


    We beastmen are able to read the general emotions of demons and animals, perhaps because we have a little bit of animal in us, but this girl is very quiet and trusts Usato very much.


    "I see, he reacts to evil feelings, Bulrin."


    "Guah~!"


    "So Inukami-senpai and Uluru-san are out. ...... You''re the only one the Commander has ever allowed to pet him. It''s like I petted you to shut you up with my intimidation. ...... that''s right."


    Usato nodded his head in agreement. But then, as if he had an idea, Usato came up to me and said, "Excuse me," before picking me up from petting Bulrin and placing me on his back as he stood up on all fours.


    "I guess there''s no danger here, right?"


    "......"


    Usato is actually simple? I''ll keep that to myself. It would be better not to say that I am a faster runner or something like that, because I''m sure Usato is worried about me too. .......


    I put my hand on his back, which is surprisingly stable. Soft and sturdy, he is the son of a grand grizzly, the king of the forest and the top of the bear family.


    When I think about it, it seems unusual that such a magical beast would follow Usato, a human. I pat him, wondering why he is following Usato, but all I hear is a pleasant purr in return.


    "Let''s go then, I want to be back by the end of the day if possible.


    With a light step, he moves toward the gate leading to the outside. Bulrin begins to walk slowly along with Usato.


    I sway with him, but it''s not that painful, it''s more like being swayed on a horse. In short, it is comfortable. .......


    Hi, I''m Usato.


    "Ah, Mr. Usato! What can I do for you today?


    "Actually, I have to go outside ...... and I have permission from the Commander."


    Usato handed something that looked like a letter to the guard. The guard looked at it and nodded with a smile and motioned for the other guard behind him to open the door.


    "Yes, I checked. I''m sure Usato-sama will be fine, but please be careful.


    "Uh, Mr. Thomas, right? Thank you."


    I thanked the guard who called me Thomas, and Usato walked out of the gate beckoning me to come. As I step out of the gate in the bullring, the door closes with a rush and the surrounding area is instantly quiet, a far cry from the kingdom.


    For some reason, Usato stretches his arms and legs and stares off into the distance. Why is he doing preparatory exercises? I would like to ask him, but I have many more questions to ask Usato.


    I know it is too selfish to ask, but I would like to find out what Usato is all about. I want to know if I can really trust him. .......


    "Usato."


    "Nsho...... what''s going on?"


    Tell me about your story with Bullyn.


    "Bullring and me? I don''t mind, but ...... why?"


    "I trust you very much, Usato."


    When he said this, Usato looked at Bulrin with a happy expression on his face. There was no malice in his eyes, no desire to take advantage of him or anything like that. He is genuinely happy that Bulrin loves him.


    Usato, who is now in a slightly better mood, lets his legs stretch as if they were snapping, and then he takes a deep breath while stretching as tall as he can. Then, after a small jump on the spot, he looks at me and Bulrin and points in the direction we are going.


    "Come on, Amaco. Hold on tight to Bulrin. Just in case I''m the one who''s in tune with him, I''ll take care of you, but stick to him even if you have to, just in case something happens.


    "...... What? Usato, what are you saying? Are you going to run from here?"


    That makes it sound like we''re running from here. That''s impossible, because the forest is located in a place where it would take at least a short run for hours. It seems strange to go to such lengths to reduce our strength when we risk being attacked there.


    Are you ...... kidding me when you say you''ll be home by the end of the day, or are you serious ......?


    "What? That''s what I''m saying."


    Even a beast who is so skilled at running must be very tired after traveling long distances, but this man is seriously trying to run. I try to secretly predict the future, but I am bewildered by the scene that will come to me in a few seconds.


    "I''m coming for you, Burlyn! ...... Run for your life, you f*cker!"


    "Geeaaa--!"


    "Kya......"


    He rushes to climb over and grab hold of the hairs on Bulrin''s back. Usato''s sudden shout of anger sends Bulrin running and away from the gate of the castle at once.


    The blue grizzly is also a very fast runner, and a creature that walks on four legs is fast, while a human walking on two legs is different in terms of body structure. .......


    "At this pace, we''ll be there in an hour and a bit. ......?"


    "What?


    Usato is running alongside him with a nonchalant look on his face. I had heard on the street that the lifesaving team''s training focuses on running, but when I saw him, I could not believe it.


    They are certainly different from the healing wizards I have seen in other countries. In every country, due to the discrimination based on the superiority of magic, there were few people who had a decent personality. ...... In addition, there were even people who hated their own healing magic and wanted to capture me and sell me to a slaver the moment they saw me.


    Considering this, Usato was the most suitable person for the job in terms of personality, and he was strong enough to endure the journey.


    Are you all right, Bulgarian?


    Grua!


    He was kicking the ground with a happy look on his face, perhaps because he was able to run in nature for the first time in a long time. Meanwhile, I, on his back, am enduring the shaking.


    "Okay, let''s go as fast as we can. ......"


    "How can you run ...... normally?"


    While being held desperately by Bulrin, he raises his voice and directs his questions as best he can to Usato, who is running alongside him. What did Usato think? He tilted his head and looked at me curiously as he ran.


    "If you''re a beastman, this is no reason for you to do this ......?"


    "There are some beastmen, but what amazes me is that there are people who can run this fast. ......!"


    "There are plenty of people faster than me. ......I''m not sure I''m running that fast right now because I''m working on getting back into shape from running with Bullyn."


    I was surprised to see Usato''s serious and surprised expression on his face.


    I wonder what kind of recognition he had for the beastmen. Rather, it is out of the ordinary to say that he is getting back on track after clearly exceeding the speed of a human being.


    The definition of a person is about to be overturned. ......


    With these thoughts in mind, I keep my face close to Bulrin''s fur to protect myself from the gusty wind, and wait until we reach our destination, the .


    "By the way, you wanted to ask me about my encounter with Bulrin..."


    "Sorry, not now."


    Usato did not want to be different from other healing magicians, but he also did not want to be different from the common sensibilities.

 42 - 41st episode

    "I finally made it to ......."


    Wiping the sweat from my forehead with my sleeve, I look at the dark forest in front of me. Next to him is Bulrin and Amaco, who is riding on his back. She seems to be a beast, so she won''t get faint immediately like humans do. ......


    When I look at the forest in front of ......, the thought comes to mind. It is a very emotional forest for me. The first time I was thrown by Rose and entered there, the second time I was blown away by the rush of the fallboar and jumped into the river and drifted into the forest. .......


    "Well, I don''t have that many good memories."


    Rather, I have nothing but bad memories. I really thought I was going to die from the giant snake, and when I got a stomach ache, I almost died in terms of dignity and pain. Well, this is still the place where Bulrin and I met for the first time. There are many bad memories, but it is also a very emotional place.


    By the way: .......


    "Bulrin, I just realized something very important: ......"


    "Duh?"


    "I don''t know the location of the cave you lived in."


    "I thought you came here after you knew where it was. ......?"


    To be honest, I don''t even know what this whole forest looks like. He looked at me with a kind of stupid look in his eyes and then gave me an unreserved bear punch on my leg. You''re hurting me, you son of a b*tc*!


    I was about to give him a hand gash when he gave me an unprovoked punch, but then I thought of Amako, who is on Bulrin''s back, and reluctantly put down my hand.


    "Guh~!"


    "Huh, Bulrin. I''m sorry, please."


    , sniffs his nose, and looks out into the forest. He is a blue grizzly bear who has grown up in this forest, which is like a playground for him. I follow him as he begins to walk at a slow, leisurely pace.


    "This place hasn''t changed at all, has it?


    "I''ve never been here before, but it''s kind of a spooky place ......"


    "Not once you get used to it. From the outside it looks dark because of the dense trees, but inside the forest there is surprisingly enough daylight that it''s not crippling.


    "......I didn''t mean it that way. ......"


    Amaco, who is clearly taken aback, squints at me with a look of amazement in his eyes. Did I say something funny?


    "This forest is thick with magical elements...... that humans don''t understand, but for a beastman with five keen senses like me, it''s a place where just being here is enough to make you feel itchy."


    "Heh."


    Is it a somewhat painful place for a beast with acute senses? Then let''s just build a grave for my parents in Bulgaria and get the hell out of here. He''s acting tough, but he''s just a kid. We can''t let him get away with too much.


    How long was Usato here when he met Bulrin?


    "What, like 10 days?"


    I''ve forgotten a lot of it, but I think that''s about right.


    I think that''s about how long it took me to get there...I don''t remember much, but I think that''s about it...I think that''s how long it took me to get there...I think that''s how long it took me to get there...I think that''s how long it took me to get there...I think that''s how long it took me to get there... ....


    "Kuku,kuku ......"


    "Usato? What''s wrong?"


    I shouldn''t, I can''t help but let out a black smile at the unreasonableness of that moment. I immediately made a smile and looked at Amako. Oh no, it was my fault, this girl has normal sensibilities unlike her senpai, I can''t go on like this.


    "I''m on a bit of a binge when I enter this forest! I feel like I want to blow every blue grizzly out there!"


    This time, instead of a twitch of the face, the burin that was carrying her was distanced from her. Even I don''t have the arm strength to blow away a blue grizzly single-handedly. But even if I told him that, he wouldn''t believe me.


    .........This is what happens when you do things you''re not used to doing.


    I''m getting smarter again, next time I''ll try to drown things out in a way that will make the kids happy.


    After walking for a while in the woods, I found a familiar mark carved on a tree. I put my hand on it and feel nostalgic.


    "It''s been more than a month since I first came here... ...... with the war with the Demon Lords and all, it feels like a long time ago..."


    This is a marker I carved so I wouldn''t get lost in this forest.


    If this marker is close to the one I remember, it means that there is a grand grizzly bear nest nearby.


    Come on, let''s go.


    "Gua ......"


    Are you worried?


    I pat the head of Bulrin, who is making a quieter noise than usual, and look at the location of the cave where the nest is located. After defeating the giant snake, he carried me out of the forest without going to the cave. I guess he did not want to face the death of those two snakes.


    He was too sudden to understand their deaths, and he was only challenged by his resentment towards the snakes and...


    ---I was going to... die.


    "They''re your mother and father, aren''t they? Then at least say goodbye, you idiot. ...... you''re my partner, and you''re going on a trip to help Amaco''s mom, too. So, reassure him before too much time passes."


    I have learned many things from witnessing the burials of those I could not save in the battle against the Demon Lord''s army. I learned that I am not good enough, and many other things, but the first thing I thought ...... is that I need someone to help me.


    I''m sure those tough guys will work well together, but I don''t like it. Rose? I''ll die. On the other hand, we''ve been through a lot together. He''s still slower than me, but he''s got more potential than I do, so I''m not complaining.


    "Gruaaaah!"


    With a single cry, Bulrin steps forward. I try to follow him, feeling relieved at his steady steps, but before I know it, Amako gets off Bulrin''s back and looks at me as if she wants to say something to me.


    "......You''re really going to help my mother. ......"


    "What?"


    You didn''t believe me?


    I was slightly hurt by Amaco''s words, but started walking with her in the direction that Bullyn had gone.


    "I''m sorry ...... it''s not that I don''t believe you or anything, it''s just that ...... something was going so well that I couldn''t believe it ......"


    "Oh, that''s what I meant."


    Have you never met a healing wizard like me before? I don''t know much about healing wizards, because the only type of healing wizards I''ve ever met are Rose or Olga.


    I guess I should ask.


    "What kind of healing wizards have you met besides me?"


    "Not so interesting to hear, though, is it?"


    "......... let me hear it."


    Amako''s expression quiets down slightly, but I would like to ask her at this time. I don''t know much about healing magic in general.


    You know, when I first came to the Rescue Mission, Tong mentioned something about healing magic ...... that didn''t have a very good reputation in this world.


    "There was one healing wizard in the magical city of Lucvis, a neighbor of the Lingle Kingdom."


    "Magic City ......?"


    "A city with an academy for the cultivation of magic. It is not an individual country like the Kingdom of Lingle, but is made up of people from all over the world.


    "Is it like ...... foreign students? Amaco there?"


    "I snuck in. It was easy enough to use foreknowledge and exploit a hole in the security system."


    Aggressive, this girl. She''s got guts to go out on her own to save her mother, but most of all, she has extraordinary energy. Combined with her magic of foreseeing the future, she may be invincible when it comes to secrecy.


    "The man I was about to meet was a tormentor. In the city of magic, it is the ability to work powerful magic and the scarcity of ...... healing magic that makes it a rare ability for humans. ......


    "I can heal ...... poisons and wounds, but it''s only ...... rare?"


    "If the magic is only to heal wounds, it can be used. Most wizards don''t even fight against poison."


    Is there a need or not? According to the story, magic can be used to heal wounds regardless of aptitude. So you''re saying we can''t use healing magic that has the same effect.


    Then isn''t it also known that healing magic can heal certain diseases?


    "......... because it is rare for people to be able to use that much ...... because there are doctors who can cure illnesses without relying on magic, so they don''t seem to think it''s that important."


    "There are doctors in this world, too. ......"


    I''ve never fixed a disease myself, but I saw how difficult it was at Olga''s clinic. The sick person''s body is covered with a high concentration of magical power so that it permeates the sick person''s body and heals him.


    It is not an external harm like injuries or poison, but a physical harm.


    "Both subhumans and beastmen go there. I heard it''s dangerous if you''re not very good. ...... I was under the care of a beastman there for a little while. But he left soon after. ......"


    "I see... ...... And this person who claims to be able to use healing magic?"


    "He wasn''t the kind of person who ...... would listen to me very much, and he didn''t even look at me when I predicted ...... that he would be able to help me."


    "Oh, so much for ......."


    Is there such a thing as torment in any world? You might want to have Rose shackle you once, if you can only measure your worth by how good you are at magic.


    ---Maybe you should have Rose shackle the healer...


    She could turn a tormented boy into a Shura in a month or so.


    As I''m reminiscing about Rose''s training, Bulrin stops walking in front of me. In front of him is a thicket of bushes. He stares at it and suddenly lets out a roar.


    "Grua!


    "What''s wrong?"


    ...... If you look closely, you''ll see the bushes I was peeking through to observe the grand grizzly bear. Not even bothering to answer my question, Bulrin jumps into the bushes without looking at me. Amako and I follow him and wade through the bushes to a wide open space.


    There is the cave where Bulrin was born and raised, and where his parents died. The cave is supposed to be empty now that the grand grizzly is gone, but Bulrin is staring at the back of the cave and growling.


    I was not quite sure what was going on, but when I saw the creature that came out from the back of the cave that Bulrin was staring at, I understood.


    "Grua......!"


    Two blue grizzlies, perhaps a couple? It came out of the place where Bullyn used to live. He stands in front of Amaco and begins to cast a healing spell, his legs half open so that he can escape at any moment. He''s bigger than Bullyn, but if he can''t escape, he''ll just have to deal with .......


    "Bullring, calm down!"


    I call out to him, but he doesn''t seem to back away. One of the blue grizzly bears on the other side of the road is also threatening to move toward me as if on alert. I''m not particularly scared, but I don''t want to be attacked by the amaco, and even though I have foresight, it doesn''t mean that there are no contingencies.


    I look at one wary bear and then at the other---a blue grizzly, one size larger than the other, looks at me, squeals in fright, and backs away. ......... hmm?


    "Usato, that blue grizzly is scared."


    "Scared?"


    What is there in me to be afraid of? He doesn''t have a tough face like Tong, and his face is pretty normal. Don''t tell me you have an aura of intimidating people around you like Rose?


    There''s nothing like being scared of a blue grizzly ....... The only time I''ve ever met a blue grizzly was when I met two blue grizzlies on my way back from a trip to the woods with my mother and Inukami-senpai, both of whom are now dead.


    "Maybe it''s not ...... the blue grizzly I knocked out?"


    If you look closely, you''ll see a striking resemblance to the blue grizzly I tackled down, both in size and appearance. No wonder it frightens me.


    Anyway, I wave at it lightly, and it shakes its body and backs up further. ......How scared am I?


    ".........!


    "Stop it, Usato, you''re scaring me."


    Why was I just now pissed off?


    While I was looking at the two dogs in front of me with a slight sense of unreasonableness, one of them, a blue grizzly, who was threatening me, yelled at Bulrin, and Bulrin yelled back in response. The exchange went on and on, and I could do nothing but stand there, not knowing what to do.


    After a few minutes of this exchange, the yelping stopped and the two blue grizzlies suddenly let down their guard on Bulrin.


    ...... resolved, or not?


    "I think it''s over. And Brulin''s not mad at me anymore."


    "I envy you for knowing how I feel."


    That''s a skill Inukami-senpai would want very much. I look at the two blue grizzlies, who are staring at me but seem to have let their guard down for the moment. I wonder if Blue Grizzly introduced me to them.


    In case you''re wondering, Bulrin was also the son of a grand grizzly bear boss who was also the head of the forest. He may have had some say in the matter. I wonder what he explained to the blue grizzly who is scared of me at ....... I think he''s even more frightened than before.


    "Usato, what did you really do?"


    "I just knocked him out with a normal ...... body blow."


    "No normal human being could stun a blue grizzly with a body blow."


    Inukami-senpai didn''t pull it off, but Amako pulled it off again. When I told him that I had only managed to knock him out and that I hadn''t done anything that great, he pulled back even more.


    I don''t know what''s normal in this world anymore. Why? In a world of sword and sorcery, there must be a lot of people who can do this.


    "Well... ...... for now. Shall we make a tomb?


    "......... guru."


    I dropped my backpack and nodded.


    "Good."


    The graves were very easy to make. As a high school student, there was no way I could make a real grave, so I was allowed to make a relatively simple one. A cross-shaped piece of wood made from a combination of reasonable boards is thrust deep into a pile of earth made near the cave, and a lot of fruits are attached to the base of the cross.


    Make two of them, one large and one small, and kneel down in front of the larger grave.


    Grand grizzly, Rose had told me I would beat him, but in the end I couldn''t. As a result, I just ran around in the woods with him until dark.


    "...... you''re the one I wanted to beat."


    "What are you talking about?"


    "Grua ......"


    You guys are getting along great.


    I guess they''ve already said their goodbyes. Even if it is the first time, he knows that it is his parents'' grave. That''s why...


    "Quah."


    "Hmm?"


    A mysterious paw scratching at my leg. I looked down at my feet and saw a blue grizzly bear cub, much younger than Bulrin, gnawing on my leg. What a cute little guy. I''m not a sucker for all things cute, but the little blue grizzly bear, looking like a mascot, has taken me by surprise.


    As I lifted the bear as gently as I could, the blue grizzly, who was back in his cave, looked at me and shouted angrily.


    Maybe this is the cub of the two. We slowly lower the little bear down and urge him to go back to his parents before a fight breaks out.


    "Here we go!"


    "Quah?"


    "You know, if I were Inukami-senpai, I''d be in trouble, wouldn''t I?"


    It''s mainly Inukami-senpai who will be in trouble, though! I feel happy to see the little bear following my words and going back to his parents, while thinking to myself, "I''m getting ready to go home.


    "There''s another one, a baby blue grizzly, isn''t there?"


    I looked back at Amako''s voice, who was watching the cave, and saw the little bear that had just hung in the cave being carried away by the parent blue grizzly in its mouth, with another little bear following close behind, as if following its parent.


    "The magical elements returned to the earth will be reborn as new life, right?


    "It''s more like ''born'' than ''resurrected''."


    "Yes, indeed."


    A sentence from the book, just one of many theories, does not seem so wrong when I see scenes like this. On the other hand, Burlyn is sitting lonely, as if he is comparing himself with the little bear.


    "Well, let''s go home, Bulrin."


    "......gau"


    He rises slowly on all fours, takes one look at the cave, and walks slowly back the way he came. Now he has no more regrets. I brought him here because I am not sure I can say anything very thoughtful, but I did not expect to find another blue grizzly bear in the cave where Bulrin was.


    It was not a very pleasant experience for Amaco who followed me. As a result, all he did was come to the forest, made a grave for Bulrin''s parents, and met the two blue grizzlies and their children.


    "Amaco wasn''t much fun, was he?"


    "No, I''m glad I came. I got to know Usato better."


    About me, huh? Maybe they were suspicious of me. ...... Well, the problem is getting home. I remember the way, but I don''t know if I can make it home before dark.


    The sun is setting, so we have to hurry a little.


    "Usato, are you going to take the Bullring on the way back?"


    "What? Impossible, huh?"


    "......"


    I wondered why he was so silent on the way to the airport, but I guess the back of the bullring was harder than I thought. It seemed to me that there would be a lot of vibration. What shall we do then?


    "...... should I carry him?"


    "I don''t like ......... that."


    He turned his head away and told me so. I was a 14-year-old girl, after all, even if she was mature, and if she had taken me up on the offer, I might have refused the offer myself.


    If it had been Inukami-senpai, I would have bit the bullet. She is not so reserved. I think that''s a good thing, though.


    "I''m the one who followed you.


    "Then I''ll come back late."


    It''s okay if I''m a little late, I''ll be the one to get pissed off if something goes wrong. Riding on the back of the bullring, Amako looks at something in the air and is in a daze.


    Maybe he is looking into the future, though he has not noticed it until now. Maybe she is trying to detect danger in advance by using her magic on Bulrin''s back like this.


    I look at her and suddenly think.


    "The Outside Country ......"


    The country outside where Amaco would have gone. A place that is somehow different from the Kingdom of Lingle. ......I wonder how I should behave if I were to go there. Should I hide the fact that I''m a healing wizard, hide the fact that I''m from another world, or face it head-on without hiding anything? .......


    "Let it be what it will be."


    Let those who would look down on healing magic say so. I have a duty to make sure that they do not lose sight of the purpose. Amako, who saved my senpai and Kazuki, asked me to save her mother, and I can never betray her.


    So, in return for saving my friend, I will save your mother. ......


    ......Well, although I''m thinking about it, it''s Lloyd-sama who decides whether or not to go.

 43 - Forty-second Episode

    After setting up the grave of my parents in Bulurin, we were able to return safely from the forest by the time it was dark. We explained the situation to Sarla, Amaco''s guardian, who gave us more spiky fruits called apaccio than we could hold. .......


    I felt bad to refuse, so I brought it back to the lifeguard''s lodgings and gave it to Alec, and it was served as a dessert for dinner tonight. He''s the cook of the lifeguard squad, and a decent guy among the tough guys. He''s a world of difference compared to the guys who cook up the crap.


    And today, I was at the training ground with Rose. The usual weights are attached to our lifeguard uniforms, and we''re doing our exercises so that we''re ready to go at any moment. On the other hand, Rose, who was quietly crossing her arms in front of me, had been looking at me with a thoughtful expression on her face.


    "It''s been a while since I''ve given you any training, but I don''t have anything to say ...... about healing magic.


    "Huh? But I still probably can''t cure diseases or anything complicated. ......"


    "You''ll get used to it and you''ll be able to do it on your own. Either way, you can''t do it now."


    If you are told so clearly that you cannot do something, you can give up. Then, what should I do? Are you going to tell me to train hard? I ran yesterday and got back in shape for the most part, but I''ve also gained a lot of strength and muscle power.


    "Physically and mentally, I''m ...... not as good as I could be, but I''ll take it for now."


    Correction, I''m not even close to Rose.


    I wonder how far she wants me to go.


    "Well, what do you want me to do?"


    Rose then moves away from me a little and starts to do some kind of preparatory exercise, putting her arms around me. I have a very bad feeling about this.


    "I''m going to hit you now."


    "......... haha, you must be joking."


    Now I''m going to hit you so fast you won''t be able to react. Avoid or defend yourself."


    "You don''t like me, do you? If I take a punch from you, I''m going to explode!


    In my mind''s eye, I see a snake whose head was crushed by Rose. If it were to eat that power that easily pierced through its scales, which I felt were ineffective even with my own strength, a person of normal strength would surely end up dead.


    "You rely too much on healing magic. Well, I''m the one who trained you that way, ...... but it''s time for you to take the next step."


    How can there be such an unreasonable step up! As soon as I tried to run away like a hare, I was immediately grabbed by the hood and prevented from doing so.


    "No, no...! He''s going to kill me! Amakko, did you not see this future coming?


    "If you''re going out there, you''re a little too vulnerable,...... so far you''ve been able to get by with a broken arm, but healing magic doesn''t work on curses that act on wounds,...... learn to evade them."


    I''m not even sure I can avoid it before evading it, what''s the level that I can''t react, speed = power, maybe this guy won''t even stop short because he has healing magic.


    "Well, I''m not an ogre either. I''ll take it lightly at first."


    "No, you shouldn''t have tried to hit your subordinate in the first place. Are you crazy? ............ Oh, I''m sorry."


    "Right! You really want me to do it! I''m glad you''re so dedicated to your training!


    Why did my mouth move against my will? Rose shakes her hand holding me, laughing in response, and puts on her healing magic with all her might.


    With a momentary sense of levitation, I am thrown to the ground about ten meters away, but I twist just in time to land and protect my heart, stomach, and face with my arms at the same time.


    "So don''t defend yourself!"


    "That''s absurd. -----"


    At that moment, the biggest shock of my life hits me as if it were sewn through the gap between my arms. At the same time, my vision shifted and I felt a floating sensation as if my surroundings were spinning around me, as if the top and bottom were inverted.


    Maybe I will tell my story later.


    I will probably tell you later that I have never been more shocked. ..........


    What?


    When I got up, I found myself under a tree on the training ground. The shade gently enveloped me. ...... It was a nice feeling. So there was no (one-sided) clash with Rose.


    Too much training. What a nightmare. My impression of Rose, which has been getting better lately, has become much worse. I shouldn''t be, I ...... know Uluru said, she''s a vulnerable person if I''m always afraid of her, yeah.


    "You''re up, let''s do it again."


    ......... Let''s not run away from reality.


    What I was thinking and what Mr. Uluru was saying were just delusions that never existed. Let''s face reality.


    It will be a little easier.


    "......... Yes."


    Yeah. ...... I know I shouldn''t dismiss it as a dream just because there''s nothing wrong with my body. Rose, you''re a master of taking good care of yourself. You''re too good for me.


    You''re too good for me. I wish someone would take your place.


    "Don''t worry, I was a little easy on you earlier. There''s nothing wrong with you, right?


    "Thank you for ......."


    All this time I thought you were a real monster.


    I ended up taking Rose''s fists for the rest of the day. A few times it looked like I might be able to avoid her, but each time Rose would speed up her fists and knock me from one end of the training ground to the other. I was terrified that she was going easy on me with this, but my ...... endurance had improved.


    After two or three days of this, it was too much. I feel like I can withstand most attacks now. In my original world, I would be able to withstand a missile.


    I''m 170 tall, you know. I weigh a fair amount,...... and I''m not afraid of any kind of powerful attack if I''m being hit by a fist that blasts me from one end of the training ground to the other or even beyond it. The second half of the game is already a critical hit the moment you turn your attention to evade. ......I think he''s forgotten the purpose of the training.


    ---So after four days of training with Rose, I went to the castle to get some rest. The reason I was given a day off was because Rose had some business to attend to, so I had a day off from training.


    I came to the castle on my day off, but I had nothing special to do, so I went to visit someone I was somewhat curious about.


    "So, the Commander is terrible. He beat me up."


    >


    "No, I was just wondering how you''re doing."


    The black knight is staring at me as I complain in front of the cage. He is sitting in the corner of the jail in his black armor, not showing his face like before.


    ...... She seems to have been quiet since then, but it is said that the people of the kingdom are at a loss to decide what to do with the black knight. There have been radical opinions that the black knight should be killed if he''s dangerous, but Master Lloyd stubbornly refuses to give permission.


    It can be said that Master Lloyd''s judgment is not so good, but I personally agree with it. I personally agree with it. I don''t want the death penalty or anything like that to happen in this peaceful country.


    And there may have been people who were injured by the black knight, but most of them were recovered and healed by me and the tough guys of the lifeguard corps. Perhaps it was fortunate that Inukami-senpai and Kazuki were in battle for so long.


    What are you going to do now?


    <


    "Is that what you want?"


    It is true, but what is really going to happen? Well, the reason I care is that I am somewhat responsible because I am the one who captured him. I''d hate to see him executed for that.


    "Hmm?"


    "......, okay, I get it."


    He gets up and leaves the cage as he is told.


    Is it possible to talk to Rose about it once? But Rose seemed to be working on something about the black knight, so maybe I don''t need to do anything.


    As I move around the castle, I see a shadow outside the castle, swinging a sword. That is probably Kazuki. I move outside the castle to give him a little look as he is swinging his sword.


    When I get close enough, I see Kazuki swinging and gasping for air with the sound of the wind howling in his face.


    "Hmph!"


    Kazuki seems to be doing his best. I moved to the shade of a tree, feeling bad for interrupting him, and there was Lady Celia, smiling at Kazuki as he was swinging.


    "Hello, Mr. Usato.


    "Hello, Miss Celia, how long has Kazuki been doing this?"


    "It''s been about an hour. I''m worried about your physical fitness. ......I wonder if the battle with the Demon King''s Army has had an effect on you. ......Since then, you seem to have been more enthusiastic about your training.


    "Hey, something doesn''t feel right. ...... Isn''t training supposed to be exhausting?"


    "...... Um, are you okay? I''m afraid of my eyes. ......"


    Eyes? What''s wrong with my eyes? I look at Kazuki, wondering why Celia is smiling bitterly with a blue face. Kazuki must be doing his best, since he looks so handsome swinging his iron sword. .......


    "---Hey? Usato ......?"


    Kazuki noticed me next to Master Celia. He returned the sword he had been swinging to its sheath, picked up a cloth he had left nearby, and came running toward me, wiping the sweat off his face.


    "It''s been a long time!


    "I''ve been a little busy with training myself."


    I don''t know if I''d call that training.


    "Inukami-senpai told me that you are going to the beastman''s country for the sake of the beastman''s children who live in this country."


    "I guess I''ll have to let Mr. Lloyd decide that. But I''d like to help him if I can.


    "About that: ......"


    Lady Celia looks at me and Kazuki with an expression as if she wants to say something. Being Master Lloyd''s daughter, she might know something about such things.


    "I am sure that Usato-sama''s wish to go to the land of the beastmen will be granted.


    ".........Wait a minute. It''s that simple.


    It''s only been a week or so, and you''ve already made your decision to that point. No, it''s too soon, there''s probably something going on.


    "Your father is going to send a letter to fight a single threat, the Demon Lord''s army, in cooperation with other nations. Unfortunately, we did not get any cooperation in the battle before Kazuki-sama, Inukami-sama, and Usato-sama arrived, but things are a little different in the battle ahead ......."


    "Things are different ......?"


    "We succeeded in repelling the Demon Lord''s army, but when we opened our eyes, we found that even with the power of Kazuki-sama and Inukami-sama, we were only able to win a hard victory. In addition, the original casualties must have been immeasurably high.


    "If Usato hadn''t saved me, I would have been there ......."


    At this point, Kazuki felt as if he had made a mistake and held his mouth shut. What''s wrong with him? He''s worried about Celia, who''s standing next to him, and he doesn''t tell her that he almost died?


    ...... Well, we should think more about the letter that Master Lloyd is going to send. If Amaco''s story was not a lie, then it is safe to say that the last battle was a battle that was doomed to be lost.


    Perhaps if we appeal to the surrounding nations about the danger of the Demon Lord''s army, they might lend us a hand.


    "......... but it would be difficult in countries where there are beastmen. ...... probably hates humans and would be fine if they could help Amako''s mother. ......"


    "We have not decided yet, but we will send letters to each country. It may be a hardship for Usato-sama as well. ......"


    "I''m also a servant of this country, so I don''t have to go through that much trouble."


    It will be much easier than training with Rose. ......Well, I feel like I''m being judged on the basis of my training with Rose. ......It''s okay, though, because it''s not a wrong criterion.


    I''m sure Mr. Lloyd will give you more details. Well, I''m going home now.


    "Oh, you''re leaving already?


    "Hmph, Master Kazuki, Master Usato must be busy."


    Not that I was busy today, but seeing Kazuki training made me feel like I had to do something too. I had no idea that my role of going to the land of the beastmen to heal Amako''s mother would turn into a request for cooperation from other countries.


    But I know that I will play an important role in the fight against the Demon Lord''s army. This is the front line, so to speak, the closest country to the territory controlled by the Demon Lord, and that''s why we need the help of other countries...


    Maybe they don''t know the threat of the Demon Lord''s invasion yet.


    Right now, this country is in the beginning of the early stages of summoning to another world --- the stage where the people of the world who have forgotten the threat of the Demon King are learning about the fear and threat of the Demon King.


    If not for Kazuki, Inukami-senpai, and ...... Amako, we might have become a smoke signal to let people know about the threat of the Demon Lord.


    "......Well, Mr. Kazuki, may I ask you to elaborate on what you just said?"


    "Ha, ha ha ha ...... sorry."


    My legs naturally turned toward the training ground of the lifeguard corps, while I smiled as I listened to their question and answer from behind me.


    Today, that healing wizard, Usato, came to see me.


    After complaining to me for a long time, he simply left. I wonder what he wanted to do. I wonder if he came to see if I would run away.


    I don''t have any intention of running away, because even if I do, I''ll be in trouble with both the kingdom and the Demon Lord''s army.


    On the other hand, the death penalty would be a bit of a problem.


    If I''m bound by a restraint that seals my magic power, I''ll be helplessly nullified, but I don''t like the idea of being killed by force. If it looks like he''s going to be killed off, I might kill the king as a distraction before the healing magician arrives.


    >


    --- What are these people here? No torture, lax security. Are they trying to lock us in? It''s very irritating that it''s so tight. They need to get it right, whether they want us to leave or not.


    The craziest person I can think of is Usato.


    He healed my injuries and came all the way to see me just now, acting in a way that can only be described as a crazy person.


    What are we going to do now? ......


    He undoes his armor and exposes his skin to the open air. The air of the prison is neither warm nor cold, and I lean my back against the wall behind me and think.


    If I go back to the demon army, I will be back to my boring life, but if I stay here, I will be stuck in a prison cell. I don''t mind that, but I don''t like the fact that Usato keeps coming to see me. I''ve never had anyone treat me like that before, so today I''m a little bitter about it.


    "......?"


    At the top of the stairs in front of the jail, you hear someone descending the stairs. Could it be a knight on guard duty? No, they always wear armor, so you should be able to hear a distinctive metallic sound. But all I hear is footsteps.


    You magically form your armor to cover your head and stare at the end of the stairs.


    I see a white coat in the darkness and a green-haired woman wearing it. She has a scar over one eye that fits the description of the person Usato had complained about earlier, the leader of the group. She is the one whom the leader of the Third Army had been watching out for, and is the only other healer besides Usato.


    "Yo."


    <>


    Life Brigade, Commander Rose.


    "Master Lloyd asked me to come here, and I found ...... him to be quite ...... quiet."


    She grabbed a wooden chair that the guards had set up nearby and moved it to the front of the jail, and sat down roughly.


    The corner of her mouth twisted and she looked at me with a look that told me she was truly Usato''s superior.


    "I''m going to give you two choices," she said.


    <>


    "One is to spend the rest of my life here. ....... That''s fine, but Master Lloyd has another alternative for me."


    He bends one of his two raised fingers and shows us his raised index finger. What the hell is he trying to say? You''re going to kill me, you know. .......


    "Hey, hey, hey, don''t be too quick, you impatient bastard. Yo."


    The woman in front of me stood up casually, opened the door of the cage with the key she had taken out of her pocket, and came into the cage. Rose, who stood in front of me as I sat down, looked down at me and .......


    "Lloyd-sama has come up with an alternative plan, a very troublesome one... I''m going to crush your guts and make you a true demon, not a true human being."


    <>


    At that moment, there is a tremendous shock to the head and the armor vanishes in an instant. Reflexively, I look up, feeling tears welling up in my eyes, and see Rose looking down at me admiringly, her hands in the shape of swords.


    "I see, I guess the healing magic really works ......, but well, either way, it''s in my way now."


    The pain is not a problem, but my head is still wobbling and my armor is being lifted. What is this woman? Oh no, not many demons have been this violent. She is covered with a more powerful healing magic than Usato, and in an instant the armor that grabbed her dissipates, along with the armor on her chest. Rose, who had nothing left to hold on to, grabbed the collar of her dress and something snapped into place around her neck in an instant.


    As soon as she felt the discomfort in her neck, most of the magic power flowing from the center of her body stopped, and all of her armor disappeared.


    "Hey, stop ......"


    A magical tool that seals out magic. It is supposed to be a rare tool, but because it was applied so casually, I panicked a little, and I cringed in fear of the woman in front of me.


    "To be honest, you don''t have the right to veto this. This country doesn''t have time to worry about you right now. So I''ll take you on my own."


    "Ah, ugh, lies. ......"


    "From today on, as a lowly lifeguard, I''m going to crush your guts, so get ready for it."


    It''s too sudden a turn of events for me to follow. I mean, this country has never been so naive. I felt a fear that I had never felt before in my life, as Rose carried me lightly up to the top of the mountain.


    "Bulleen! One more round!"


    "Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!"


    Back at the training ground, I was running with Bullyn. I usually use healing magic to run, but this time I tried to run without using healing magic.


    I don''t have any particular reason, but I have recently learned that experimenting is one of the best parts of training.


    I can feel the fatigue building up in my body when I run without using healing magic. I think I now understand why Rose said I was doing well, and that I was relying too much on healing magic. .......


    I need to be able to move without healing magic. If there is an enemy or a demon that blocks the magic like R!G, then the only thing I can rely on is my body.


    "...... I see, the Commander wanted me to notice this so he could beat me up!"


    Healing magic is important. But the lifeguard is a bodybuilder. ...... I now realize that the training I''ve been doing as basic as possible is the best training I can do. ----


    "No, no, no, you idiot."


    "What the hell?


    Rose appeared out of nowhere and kicked me in the side as I ran. I spin around three times and get up. Rose looks at me like I''m an idiot and then sighs.


    "I told you to take the rest of the day off."


    "No, well, ...... something just happened to move naturally. ...... hmm?"


    Someone is being carried on Rose''s shoulders. It''s not moving, but it''s breathing, so it''s alive, though apparently not for dinner tonight or anything. ...... I''d be scared if it was dinner.


    But still, the silver hair looks familiar,...... it''s kind of like the contents of the black knight imprisoned in the basement of the castle,..........


    The girl in front of me dropped the silver-haired girl on her shoulder carelessly on the grassy ground. The girl who was dropped turned pale and looked around in confusion, and then she looked at my face and exclaimed.


    And then I was also stunned.


    What kind of person are you bringing with you? Isn''t this the girl who''s inside the black knight!"


    "Demon tribe is interesting, these guys are pretty sturdy and worth training."


    "No, no, no, no."


    "I can''t do anything as far as I''m blocking the magic power. Well, I''ll keep an eye on him myself just in case.


    Then I''m sure you''ll be fine.


    What? You should''ve said so earlier! You''ve already startled me for nothing! I look at her, stunned, watching the exchange between Rose and me.


    "......What does this mean,......What about me,......?"


    "Anyway, do you want to start writing in your journal today?"


    Maybe you''ll want to escape from reality in your diary for a few days.

 44 - the 43rd episode

    Day 1


    I don''t know what this means, but I will try to write down what happened today. It has been years since I have written anything, but I remember surprisingly much.


    Today, I was forcibly taken out of the prison by that woman and brought to a place called Kyumeidan. Even now, a fetters are still placed around my neck to seal my magic, but I can never get them off. They have been deformed ever since the clasps were put on. When he realized that he could not even remove it, he was stunned, and when he woke up, he found Usato''s face. I was amused by his stupid face.


    That''s all that happened today.


    Tomorrow, I heard that Rose will be required to go through a training session, but I guess I don''t have to be too nervous about it since it''s too easy for me, a demon, to go through such a training session with a human.


    The second day


    I thought I was going to die today.


    I was wrong. I thought it was a human training, but the premise was wrong. It was a grueling exercise in which we had to run an obviously excessive distance with the ogre species Tong, Alec, and the goblin species named Mir, Gomul, and Guld.


    Let''s just say that these guys were stone monsters, and they claimed to be human. ...... Perhaps they were demons tamed by Rose.


    Poor things, to think they know they are human.


    I may have more physical strength than a human, but not much more than the rest of the demon tribe. By the time the sun rose overhead, I collapsed from exhaustion. I don''t know if she was aiming for me or not, but Rose came just in time and slapped me on the leg, forcing me to stand up on my feet and run. The pain went away, but another pain came over me.


    I heard something , but I couldn''t care less, because for some reason the air in front of me was too loud.


    It''s hell here, I want to go back to jail.


    The third day


    I can''t move my body.


    Fourth day


    She''s not human. She''s crazy, kicking me when I can''t move and making me run.


    Why is Usato smiling?


    It''s crazy that she always does this.


    Fifth day


    Today I ran with Usato.


    But it''s funny, Usato never seems to be out of breath even though we are running together with Ogre and Goblin species. I was in so much pain, but isn''t Usato human too? I''m convinced that a creature that can defeat me can''t be human,...... but then I realize that the healing magic can only be awakened in humans.


    Usato is human but not human.


    That''s how I interpreted it.


    Day 6


    By the way, as soon as the training started, there was a sound of something crashing from deep in the forest. Every time this happens, I see birds fly away in unison and a large tree in the distance shakes as if something has crashed into it.


    Tomorrow, I''ll take a rest pretending to be tired and go to see what''s going on.


    I''m good at skipping work.


    Seventh day


    Day 8


    Sorry for cheating and skipping.


    Ninth day


    Believe it or not, Rose was training to hit Usato with her fists with unusual force. Usato was hit by the fist and spun around and hit the trees, bounced on the ground several times, and finally stopped.


    I thought he was dead.


    Even an ogre with superior strength cannot hit a person with such a sound. The blow literally struck him squarely in the center of his body. But Usato just got up normally, holding his stomach with the light of his healing magic and looking like he was in pain.


    I could not believe what I was witnessing. I have to write this here to stay conscious. I wonder if this is the demon king''s territory, although what is happening is beyond the scope of the demon king''s territory.


    I feel like I''m going crazy.


    The 10th day


    For some reason, they thought he was interested in Usato''s training.


    At dinner, Rose told me that I could accompany her to Usato''s training tomorrow.


    To tell the truth, I could not give him a satisfactory answer because I had used all my strength to go with the goblins and ogres. But this could be an opportunity.


    I could see Usato''s training, which had been unknown to me ever since I came here unwillingly.


    For some reason, Usato was vehemently opposed to the idea, but ...... he probably doesn''t want me to know.


    It feels good to see his face like that.


    I''m tired today, but I''m going to sleep with a good feeling.


    "........."


    With a snap, he closes the diary he brought by mistake, opens it again to check its contents, and closes it.


    It seems that I am still in my dream. ---Someone please wake me up, even if it''s by force. I''m being tortured in the name of training that is unfolding before my eyes. .......


    "That''s why I told you to avoid it! You''re just getting good at taking it over and over again!"


    "You keep changing the trajectory of your fist when I try to avoid you! How the hell am I supposed to avoid that thing?


    You can''t avoid it when you see it!"


    Usato, who had been knocked far back by Rose, gets up with a nonchalant look on his face and dares Rose to do something terrible with his expression. Having the fear of the woman etched into my mind over the past few days, I can''t help but be puzzled by Usato''s refusal to change his attitude even after being grabbed by her face as he tries to bite her with gusto.


    "d*mn, I''ll do it again. ......"


    "Nah, I''m the one who wants to stick my tongue out, already. ......"


    Both sides return to their positions, frustrated. The distance, ten meters. Rose squints at Usato, who stands with his legs half a step apart.


    These are not human eyes. Perhaps the leader of the third corps was stronger than he had thought, to fight a monster like that head-on. It''s partly because of our compatibility, but I''m confident that I can never beat him.


    While I''m in a state of slight escape from reality, Rose disappears.


    This time I could not see her at all. At first I could manage to see her.


    She immediately looks at Usato.


    "Bubba!"


    "......What, you dodged it?"


    Usato was avoiding Rose''s fist that moved in an instant by turning himself. It is hard to believe, but did he avoid Rose''s fist after he saw it? Either way, it is deviating from human reactions.


    "Yes, we did it..."


    Be on your guard.


    Whoa!


    "Yeah, yeah. ......"


    When Usato finally avoided the fist and a look of joy crossed his face, a merciless kick was delivered to his abdomen. A "ba-gowah" sound, which should not be made against a human body, echoed through the air, and at the same time, he spun wildly in the air, drawing a beautiful parabolic line and bouncing four times on the ground before falling down. .......


    This is truly the work of a demon.


    "Are you all right? Usato ......"


    I was so worried that I didn''t know what to expect. But Usato stands up quickly, clutching his abdomen. He is still shaking, as if he had sustained some damage.


    At first, I run up to him to check on him. As soon as I get close to him, however, he looks up with a start, and even though I''m nearby, he raises both of his fists to the sky and lets out a yell...


    "......Yay ----! I dodged it!


    That''s what he shouted.


    "Oh my God, ......!"


    I was surprised at how suddenly and loudly he shouted, but I was surprised that he didn''t ...... endure it at all.


    "Well done ......, now you don''t need me to hit you anymore. You can go back to your training."


    Usato bowed to Rose, who was smiling with her arms folded. Rose went back to her dormitory as if she had something to do, but she said that all she had to do was to do the training that Usato instructed her to do.


    "Well, I didn''t expect her to change the trajectory of her fist. ...... Rose is a monster after all."


    "I hope you realize that you have one foot in that monster, too. ......"


    "Hmm? What did you say?"


    ---I let out a heavy sigh at his words and see Usato moving toward the edge of the training center. He sits down, and as he approaches Usato, who is taking what looks like a jacket out of a bag-like thing, he puts it on and stands up.


    "Well, since you''re here today, I guess I''ll run a little more conservatively. ...... Oh, by the way, I know it''s pretty late, but you didn''t ask."


    What?


    Your name.


    "Wow, that''s a hell of a new one. ......"


    "No, because even if I wanted to ask you, you''d go right to bed after dinner and all that. ......"


    It''s true, but it''s kind of frustrating that not once in the past ten days did people think it was an inconvenience that I didn''t know their names. .......


    "Name, huh? ......"


    Maybe it was because most of them called me the Black Knight, but the only time I was called by name was by that second corps commander. I''m sure I taught Rose here, but if I recall, he never called me by my name in front of Usato.


    It''s been a long time since I''ve been prompted to say my name by another person.


    "Fe...... ferrum. My parents used to call me Fell."


    Usato nodded once at the words, which were uttered with some nervousness. .......


    "Ferm. Well then, get ready for a run."


    "......... hey."


    "Hmm?"


    That''s it?


    "......... what?"


    I don''t like ...... response because it is too indifferent. I don''t like it very much and I''m very annoyed. ......At first, I kick Usato''s leg with my toe and start to do the preparation exercises. The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that the first time you kick a toe, you''re going to get a little sore. This guy .......


    "What are you going to do? I should run light, right?"


    "Don''t be stupid. I''ve learned to keep up with those monsters.


    You can''t just keep up with them.


    "What about ......?"


    He says this with a smile, as if he''s taking a joke from me, and runs off lightly as if bouncing. I am not so auspicious as to remain silent when someone makes fun of me. I run after Usato, aware of the natural contortion of the corners of my mouth.


    "You know, I didn''t like you for a long time ......."


    "Ha ha, I don''t get along with people well enough to be liked."


    "......!"


    He speeds up to overtake Usato and mutters something along with a pissed off smile.


    I''ve been here for the past ten days and I know he''s a monster.


    "...... d*mn!"


    "Oh, hey, I''m in charge of pacing..."


    "Shut up!"


    --- I''ll pull you apart at will.


    I''m going to teach that cocky healer the difference between demons and humans. ......


    "...... Hey, Usato."


    "Yes?"


    "What happened to that slacker you put in charge?"


    After the training was over, we were having dinner together at the lifeguard''s dormitory when Rose noticed that the seat next to mine---Ferme''s seat---was empty and asked me about it. I chuckled and scratched my cheek at her question.


    "No, I kind of fell down," she said.


    "Collapsed?"


    "I let him heal properly and then laid him down in his room, so he''ll be fine."


    "......... huh ...... it will be troublesome if he collapses tomorrow. You can take him some food later."


    She pressed her forehead in disgust and said in a small voice, "Are you a tsundere ......?" I look at the seat next to me.


    Ferrum---I''ve got a name for her, but she''s more of a child than I thought. For some reason, she''s got some sort of rivalry going on with me. ...... she tried so hard to keep me away from her today that she collapsed and passed out.


    "Ha ha, she fell down! Usato doesn''t know how to take it easy!"


    I was just running normally.


    "Your normal is on a crazy level, at least you''re not human."


    "Shut up! I''m still more human than the Commander!


    I can''t keep quiet when people treat me like a monster! He stood up vigorously, glaring at Gomul, who had just said rude words to him.


    I look behind me and see a wooden spoon stuck in the wall with a bee-yin, and when I look forward, I see Rose smiling and glaring at me. I make eye contact with Gomul silently and sit down quietly.


    ......I wonder if a smile can frighten people so much? I mean, was a wooden spoon sharp enough to pierce a wall?


    "From what I''ve seen over the past ten days, he''s probably not very strong for a demon, but I don''t see any problem with that. How are you going to train him?


    Alec turned to Rose and said something to her as he brought the food to his mouth in a gesture that was not quite as well mannered as it appeared.


    "A little girl like that, soaked in the performance of magic, will grow up on her own if you just give her a moderate setback. Hey, Tong."


    "...... give me a break."


    Tong looks away from Rose, looking uncomfortable. Tong is a long-time member of the rescue team, so he''s been through a lot, probably.


    "Tongue, what did you do to the leader?"


    "Shut up, it''s none of your business."


    I asked, but was rebuffed. I guessed he had an embarrassing past that he did not want to reveal. I''ll ask Alec or someone else later and make fun of him. I stuff the last slice of bread in my mouth, fill it with soup, drink some water and take a breath.


    "...... whew..."


    "Usato."


    "Yes? What now?"


    Rose called out to me again, and I turned to her.


    What is it this time, a new training? No ...... more hardship than that ...... should be.


    "Early tomorrow morning, go to the castle. Master Lloyd wants to speak with you and the other two heroes."


    "What? Which means ......"


    "Yeah. ...... finally decided what the country is going to do."


    So the day is not far off when you will be sending out letters. ...... I''m glad I finished my training with Rose before then. I''ve grown a lot in endurance and reflexes, and I''m at a point now where I won''t die unless I''m attacked by someone of a certain caliber.


    "I should take Amako with me, right?"


    "Yeah."


    I should visit Sarla''s first thing in the morning and pick up Amaco.


    I think about what I''m going to do while clearing away the plates in my hand. The neighboring mage city is a concern, but we need to pay more attention to the inevitable danger zones, villages, hamlets, and rugged mountains.


    "You have to know the terrain: ......"


    Tomorrow, I will ask Mr. Welshy or someone to show us a map to the land of the beastmen. Amako will be there, so we don''t have to worry about the route, but it would be good to know.


    "Well then, I''ll head for the castle tomorrow. Thank you for the food.


    He lowers the dishes and leaves the dining room.


    I''ll go to bed early because I have to be up early tomorrow. But first I have to feed Ferrum, who is still sleeping, his dinner.


    "...... wake him up."


    There should be nothing wrong with you. The healing magic that heals sickness, fatigue and wounds works basically on anything other than curses, mental fatigue and other conceptual problems. I can only heal simply as I have not mastered it for a long time, but Rose has said at some point that "you are the same type of healing magic as I am".


    ......, so it seems that Ferrum is currently just coasting along. I''m not the kind of devil to force someone to wake up and run when she''s passed out like Rose, so I let her sleep in the bed, but... considering what she''s going to do tomorrow, it''s better to wake her up.


    I stand in front of the room where I put her to bed and knock. The room she lives in now used to be a storage room, and was used by Uluru and Olga before. The day after Ferrum''s arrival, I cleaned the room enough for her to live there for the time being, but I hope it is not a mess. ......?


    "Are you still sleeping ...... haha ......?"


    Since there was no response, I wondered if he was still awake. You open the door with a big sigh and see a silver-haired girl sitting at a wooden desk lit by candlelight in a corner of the room with no signs of life, writing something.


    "......"


    He seems to be writing frantically, but I wish he had come downstairs earlier if he was awake. I approach her, who is still shaking her head and groaning from time to time, as if she hasn''t noticed me coming into the room, and call out to her.


    "Hey. Fermoo."


    "Whoa!"


    I pick up the notebook that fell at my feet and look at the cover, while smiling bitterly at the former black knight who fell off the chair with such force that it almost sounds onomatopoeic.


    It''s the diary I gave him. I''m a little happy to know that you still use it. ......


    "Are you all right?"


    "Hey, guess whose fault it is. ......


    I reach out to him, but he brushes me off and gets up on his own. Then he found my notebook in my hand, and his mouth started to move.


    "You''re using this, aren''t you?


    "Give it back!"


    No, I gave it to you, but it was originally mine, okay? You are quite honest to write a diary for us. Maybe she wasn''t a bad girl to begin with. ...... If you treat him right, he''s just a kid of your age.


    "You haven''t looked inside, have you? If I saw you looking, I''d kill you."


    Except that they try to kill you easily. Either way, she can''t do it with most of her magic locked up, and she''s not a good match. The fact that I''m competitive on the run is a big reason why I''m out in a big way, though.


    "You''re going to eat dinner, right? If you don''t eat, you''ll throw up tomorrow from hunger."


    "...... Don''t tell me you''re going to throw up. I''ll eat."


    What was wrong with him? He turned his face into a pout, turned away, and walked out of the room. I saw that he had his diary in his pocket, which made me laugh a little. .......


    "Well, I''m glad you''re having a good life here."


    It seems that the tongs that look like outsiders have been accepted, and there seems to be no need to worry about fights or anything. As for the training, I was able to endure it, and she is physically strong, unlike Olga. She has a tendency to slack off a bit, but I''m sure Rose will be able to correct that by force.


    The only question is---if Kazuki and Inukami-senpai will forgive her or not. ....... It is not easy to forgive someone who almost killed you once, even if it is past time. Or rather....


    "How long are you going to stay in my room? Get the hell out of here!


    "Yes, yes."


    I''m worried about how that senior Inukami will react: .......

 45 - Forty-fourth episode

    I''ve never been in a castle before.


    Amako, the fox beastie, is standing next to me, looking up at the castle and exclaiming in admiration. With her in tow, I had visited the castle early yesterday morning, just as Rose had told me to.


    I greet the guard as I always do before entering the castle. As soon as we enter, the two maids bow and welcome us into the castle.


    "Usato-sama ...... and your companion, isn''t it? We will take you to King Lloyd.


    Usato''s amazing, isn''t he?


    "Don''t say that like it''s a surprise, I''m aware that it doesn''t suit me either."


    I smile awkwardly, not being used to being addressed. I walk down the familiar aisle and am immediately ushered into the hall where the king is. The maid opens the door and I go in as she urges me. I see Mr. Lloyd, Sergio, many knights, Sigurth and Welshy. Kazuki and Inukami-senpai were there.


    "Oh, you''ve come, Usato-dono."


    It''s been a few days.


    Is she the amaco in question?


    Mr. Lloyd''s kind eyes turn to Amako, who is standing next to him. She is a little jumpy, but looks at Mr. Lloyd and gives a small nod.


    "......Well, now that everyone is here, I''d like to talk about the reason why I gathered you all here today. I would like you to listen to it in Kazuki''s place, Usato-dono.


    "Okay, here we go, Amako."


    "Uh-huh."


    Perhaps he was nervous, but when I tapped him lightly on the shoulder, he looked at me and replied with a peep and a taut tail. I wonder if meeting the king of a country is nerve-wracking, though I''ve met him so many times that I''m not so nervous anymore.


    I move with Amako to the end of the hall where Inukami-senpai and Kazuki are.


    "Hey, Usato-kun."


    Yo, Usato.


    "Long time no see, glad to see you both are doing well."


    I don''t know, I feel like both of us have changed a little bit in the past ten days. It seems trivial, but I wonder if they were also training ...... because they heard they might be going on a trip?


    "The thing that I asked everyone to get together ...... about is to send another letter to other countries asking for their cooperation. This is the conclusion that I, along with the ministers and the corps commanders,...... have come to: the second battle against the Demon Lords was more difficult than the first. The brave men and women who helped us were in danger of dying, and without the presence of the lifeguards, the casualties would have been too many to count."


    His expression quelled, Master Lloyd paused for a moment and then looked around the hall. I also look around lightly, but no one has an expression of disagreement with the king''s words. ...... Rather, they are tightened up as if they have made a decision.


    And a country was formed, a country that embodied the character of the Lord Lloyd.


    "We should take action too. We have been frightened by immediate threats for a long time, and even if they reject us, we, who are exposed to the threat of the Demon King, must communicate that threat and unite. The letter will be sent to the majority of the countries on the continent in fifteen days.


    A large number of people on a continent, that''s a lot of people to move to send a single letter.


    And since they refused to cooperate the first time, it is safe to assume that just sending a letter will not be effective. If that''s the case...


    "Inukami-dono, Kazuki-dono..."


    A person in a special position, i.e., a brave man.


    And you, Usato.


    "Yes, I''m the one who ...... that..."


    As I nodded my head, my name was called and I was taken aback.


    Inukami-senpai, Kazuki, and Sigurth-san were also nodding their heads, as if it were natural, and it seemed that no one was opposed to the idea. No, I knew they were going to send a letter, but in my case, they were going to send it to a less influential country. .......


    I was about to say something to the king when I heard Amako, who was just as dumbfounded as I was, muttering, "Usato ...... was great ....... ---.


    "I''m sorry, I''ve given you all a hard time."


    No, we care about the people of this country, and we will gladly accept the responsibility.


    "Hmmm, I wonder if I can go to many different countries. ...... sounds like a lot of work but a lot of fun. You think so too, don''t you, Usato?"


    "......... Yes, that''s right."


    I have no objection to going, but I let out a small sigh so that others will not know that I have been entrusted with such an important role.


    Perhaps unaware of my feelings, Lloyd-sama''s mouth breaks into a smile and he turns his attention to me and Amako.


    "I am sorry, Usato-dono. But the place you send your letters is somewhat special.


    "Special ......?"


    I''ll explain that later, but for now, ......, I''ve told everyone what I need to tell you. This meeting is now over, but the ...... braves, Usato, Amako, Welshy and Sigurth are to remain here."


    At this point, Mr. Lloyd cut the conversation short and brought the meeting to a close.


    They left in a line, but I, Amako, Inukami-senpai, Kazuki, Sigurth and Welshy did not leave and remained there, looking at Master Lloyd. ...... hmm? There are three people who look unfamiliar to me, but I wonder who they are .......


    As you tilt your head and look at the trio, your eyes meet one of them and he winks at you. I wait for the king''s words with the impression that he is a very friendly person.


    The king''s words are


    "First, Amaco. First of all, Amako, thank you for saving our country from a future of destruction.


    "What?


    When all the people who had been there were gone, Master Lloyd suddenly bowed his head to Amako and thanked her. Mr. Lloyd''s sudden action made Sergio and Mr. Welshy very upset, but the one who was most upset was none other than Amaco.


    "I couldn''t say this publicly in front of everyone, but I want to help you as much as I can, even if it''s not enough to repay you."


    "See you at ......."


    "The last place where you will receive a letter, Mr. Usato, is Mearrauk, the Land of Water."


    ! ...... is that..."


    "A city on the water, located in the center of a great river that crosses this continent, and far beyond on the other side of the river... is the land of the beastmen."


    I see, that''s why Master Lloyd arranged for me to go to the land of the beastmen under the guise of sending me a letter to this country called Mialark. .......


    "But the road is a hard one,...... and I''m sorry to tell you that, Usato-dono,......."


    "It''s a favor I''m asking of you, and I''m happy to oblige."


    "......Thank you."


    In fact, it is we who should be thanking you. I am sure that Lloyd has gone through a lot of trouble to make this impossible request come true, and I cannot thank him enough.


    ......And yet, it is a country located on the water. ......Is it a not so big country if it is on the river? Or does it mean it''s a great big river like a lake and it''s located in the center of it? .......


    "Now, as for the country to which I am sending the letter, ...... Alfi, you are to send a letter to Lord Usat."


    "Yes, sir! It was Mr. Usato and ...... Amako, wasn''t it? This way please.


    A woman with flaxen hair tied in a braid, dressed like a scholar, urges us out of the hall.


    I have never met this woman before. I''ve been to the castle many times, but I''ve never met her before, so she must be an outsider. Or is he someone we''ve never met by chance? .......


    As we bowed to Master Lloyd and Inukami-senpai and walked out into the passageway of the castle, a woman walking in front of us in a good mood turned to me and Amako with a bouncy voice.


    "We haven''t met before, have we? My name is Alfie, and I am a scholar in this country. Well, I''m a scholar, but I do a wide range of research. To put it simply, I compile literature that can lead to the development of this country and propose it to Lloyd as a project, or I accumulate knowledge for emergencies. ...... You can think of me as a person! This time, I would like to teach you about the geography of the country to which you are going to send the letter. Oh, but it''s not that difficult. The roads are well-made, so as long as you watch out for monsters and bandits, you should be able to finish handing over all the letters in a few months.


    "Usato, he''s talking too long.


    Alfie-san, who had just finished telling me everything he wanted to talk about in rapid succession, was walking ahead of me, smiling and laughing at Amako''s words. He is a very strong character. But I understood what he wanted and all that. In short, he is going to tell me a lot about the geography and the country to which I am going to send the letter.


    Alfie walks in front of me toward the edge of the castle, which I have never been to before. When we came to a part of the castle with few windows, she stopped in front of a large wooden door, turned to me with a smile and indicated the wooden door with her hand.


    "Here it is. This is the private room given to me, but I think the other rooms are probably used by my colleagues, so please feel free to come in.


    "Huh. ......."


    We entered the room as we were led, and were confronted with a horrendous sight of a room with a frightening amount of papers and books piled up to the point of almost reaching the ceiling.


    They set up a chair and a table for us while brushing away the papers and books scattered on the floor with their hands, as if to make way for us.


    Amako and I sat down in the chairs, puzzled, and Alfie-san, who was rummaging through what looked like a bookshelf, took out a large sheet of paper from a large book and dusted it off.


    "Well, here''s a map, a map, a map ...... and here it is. Okay, I''ll explain it to you.


    A map spread out on a desk in a mess? Alfie pointed at the map and began to explain it.


    "This Lingle Kingdom, where we live now, is the closest place to the demon king''s territory.


    He points to a large green area, a mark away from the plains where he probably fought the Demon Lord''s army. There are some forests and small villages around, but there is certainly no large country nearby.


    "And the place where the Demon Lord rules is on the other side of the great river that runs through the plains, and they came across the river. ......"


    "I see."


    "First of all, I would like to point out that the places where you, Usato-sama, and the heroes are heading are the same only at the beginning."


    "The same?"


    If each of us is going to hand over a letter, shouldn''t we go separately?


    "I understand your doubts. However, since the route from the Kingdom of Lingle requires a steep road, we have asked them to take the safer route, even if it is a bit of a detour, in order to emphasize safety. Therefore, the journey to deliver the letter will start from here, from the magical city of Lukvis.


    The magical city of Lucvis. I think it''s the place where one of the country''s healing wizards is located, right? And I heard that there''s a beastman who hid Amaco from us. .......


    "Of course, I''ll give the letter to Lucvis. There are some of the best people on the continent when it comes to magic there. But there''s also a lot of discrimination based on magical qualities, so be careful, Usato-sama. I''m worried that you, who have been taught healing magic by ...... Rose-sama, might inadvertently knock out a student."


    Amako giggles at Alfie''s mischievous grin.


    I''m not laughing.


    "Your joke is too harsh. I''m not that much of a monster.


    "...... what?"


    I just heard a surprising voice next to me, but I ignored it. I''m definitely human. I''m not strong enough to make people fly like pinballs like Rose, and I''m not the kind of animal that can heal an unconscious person and make him run.


    It''s funny how everyone in the rescue squad thinks I''m the same as Rose.


    "You seem to live up to your reputation, calling Rose a monster. Now, after you deliver the letter in Lucvis, you will have to visit three countries to deliver it."


    "Three," he said, "is that four if you add the land of the beastmen. ......


    "Oh, no, sir. The number includes the beastmen''s countries. The number is nominally two, but in the case of Usato-sama, it is somewhat special, so I will include the beastmen''s country in the number. One is the final destination, Mearaq, which is located here.


    He then pointed to a large river that had widened into a circular shape with a country-like mark placed in the center of it.


    ---That''s a long way from the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "After handing a letter to the queen who rules this place and ...... after that, it''s ...... here, a short distance away from Luxvis. Samariar, the land of prayer."


    "Samaritan ......!"


    Amaco''s tail flicks up as if he is trembling at the mention of the name. What''s in this country? ...... what is it. I have a very bad feeling about this.


    "This is ...... the country that is most likely to cooperate with us in some ways, but ...... I''m a little uncomfortable with subhumans."


    Excessive, you mean.


    That''s what I mean. Therefore, I would like you to be very careful when you enter this country. ...... It may be safe for you to enter, but it would be better not to take you to the king if you are to have an audience with him. ...... We who know the situation are truly sorry, but Samaria is located in a different direction from the country where Kazuki-sama and Inukami-sama are headed. ......"


    "No, don''t apologize. I''m happy to help."


    A land of prayer, sounds like a very religious place. ...... I hope it''s ok. I''m an atheist, so I don''t think I''ll be affected by such things, but if the king is a strong subhuman exclusivist, plus he finds out about Amaco, we could be in big trouble.


    "But isn''t it surprisingly small? I can''t believe we''re only sending three."


    We can''t spend too much time on this. The other countries will be sent by knights in other positions, who will be responsible for them. And the kings of the countries to which you and Usato will go directly are all difficult people and will not cooperate so easily. But it is impossible to fight against the Demon King without their cooperation.


    "......"


    "That is why the Kingdom of Lingle is showing its sincerity and determination by sending its mainstay heroes and Usato-sama."


    ......I''m not a great responsibility.


    "...... I don''t know if I can show my sincerity just by showing up."


    "It depends on how good you are. You may not realize it, but there is no one in this country who does not know you. The lifeguard saved everyone''s life. I am sure that the rumors have spread to other countries as well. Believed or not, ......"


    "I''m not at all happy about being famous. ......"


    He exhales a sigh and slumps his shoulders. I hope the rumors don''t spread on their own.


    Oh well, I guess I''ll just have to wait and see.


    "So, about the land of the beastmen......... I must confess that we don''t know much about it. We only know enough to get a ride to the other side of the river on a ship from Mearaq. ......"


    Don''t worry about that, I''ll explain it to Usato.


    I see, that''s a relief. We are a closed country, so we only had documents from a long time ago.


    I''m sure that''s true. After all, this is one of the families that has suffered the most from the existence of man. There''s no way they can interact with each other.


    But the beastmen''s country is quite far away. In that case, how many people would come with us? To be honest, I would like someone who can deal with me, the burin I will be taking with me, and the beastman Amaco in case of an emergency, or at least someone with common sense to come along.


    How many people are you planning to bring on the trip?


    "I prefer to have as few people as possible, so about five people. But perhaps you would prefer fewer, Usato-sama. You are so capable of running on the battlefield that it would be difficult for you to move if there are too many people.


    "No, well, ......, that''s right."


    You''ve hit the nail on the head.


    This guy pretty much knows what I''m thinking.


    "And ...... there was talk of having her accompany the heroes, but the country of the beastmen to which they would eventually head is becoming increasingly wary of slavery and discrimination, which has become more noticeable in recent years, and for that reason the heroes with their potentially high combat power would be hostile even if Amako-sama were present. In the end, there were only about one or two people, mainly Usato-sama, ...... because they might be regarded as being attacked and immediately attacked."


    "No, in my case, as long as someone with some knowledge and common sense follows me, I''ll be fine. If too many people come, the beastmen might be too extreme in their responses.


    As long as Amako is nodding her head, it seems that I am not mistaken. Then who would come to me ...... I''d like someone strong enough to stand up to the bandits. .......


    .........Ah. That man might be trustworthy.


    "Well, about the person who will come with me,...... how about Alc Girdle?"


    "Alc Girdle ...... Oh, the guard! I see... He''s the one. He is surprisingly knowledgeable. ...... Hmmm, Usato-sama has a good eye."


    Aruk-san, the cool red-haired guard, is a trustworthy guy who won''t be defeated by bandits and protected us in the battle against the Demon Lord''s army. Besides, he''s a great guy and a bright, sensible person.


    "I''ll check with him after this. I''m sure he''ll take care of it right then and there. ...... Well, I''m done explaining ...... and there''s no more,...... Oh, I forgot. After we go to the land of the beasts."


    "After you go to ......? Well, I guess we have to go back here."


    I completely forgot.


    Yes, we have to go back here. I''ve been thinking beastmen''s country, beastmen''s country.


    "The way back is simple. We just have to go back to Lucvis and go from there. I could send you a letter on the way back as well, but I can''t let you go that far.


    "It''s going to be a very tasteless return trip. ......"


    Well, it''s ...... easier than going, right? I don''t know how to say this without knowing if we''ll be able to complete our mission properly.


    Alfie-san, after bowing to me and Amako, went to the hall where Master Lloyd was to report the situation.


    I was told that I could go home for the time being, so I let myself go home quietly.


    I wanted to see my senpai and Kazuki, but I knew they would probably have their own thoughts after hearing about our trip, so I would have to leave it for another day. Fortunately, there is still time, since the departure is in about half a month.


    "---That''s why."


    "Hmm."


    After dropping Amako off at Sarla''s store, I tell Rose, who is watching Ferrum''s training at the training ground, about what Master Lloyd said and about the country I''m going to travel to.


    "You''re going to a very complicated country, aren''t you? I''m sure you''ll be fine."


    "Are you sure you''re that optimistic ......?"


    "What, are you worried?"


    Rose looks at me with a smile on her face and I let out a sigh with a feeling of resignation.


    "It''s not as bad as coming here for the first time and training with the Commander.


    You say that...


    "Hey, hey, hey, I''m not on ignore or ......."


    He laughed in a funny way and scratched his cheek when he saw FERM doing push-ups under the leader of the group. Why does he look like he''s in such pain when he''s only got Rose on him? I was a rock when I was your age, too.


    "Well, good luck with that. I was a lot harder."


    "What? If you can do it, then of course I can do it. ......Kuku, if you can do it, then of course I can do it. ......


    Sweating profusely, he frantically moves his arms and performs push-ups. Rose, who is on top of Ferrum, ruffles her hair and crosses her legs in disgust. .......


    "I''m going to take him to the soon, so you''ll have to look after him while I''m gone."


    "Isn''t it ...... early?"


    "He''s just trying to take it easy right away. We''ll have to put him in a place where he won''t be able to do that.


    This ogre intends to forcefully correct his laziness.


    "...... Well, it doesn''t matter what time of year it is, it''s a path we all go down."


    "Your time is special. He''s a little short on guts, though, so I''m going to leave him until the last minute."


    He''s too busy doing push-ups to notice, but tomorrow Ferrum will know hell and unreasonableness. But I don''t think he''ll be any worse off than I am, so that should be a relief. ......


    "I''m ...... ha......."


    The sudden over pace of the exercise made Ferme fall to the ground like a slumped over person, and her collapse inevitably made Rose, who was sitting on a chair, feel like she was sitting on a chair, so she-- -.


    "...... tsk again...... how many times has this happened? Get up, give me 500 more pushups, you waste of a meal!"


    "Guffaw ......"


    "Wow, ...... she''s already gotten up so many times and now she''s pushing herself too hard? ......"


    Rose stood up and began to spew abuse as she fell to the ground, her shoulders shaking slightly, and her feet covered in healing magic.


    I heard what sounded like crying, so I silently bowed to Rose and left the place. If I don''t do something, I''m going to get caught in the middle of this. I don''t mind training, but maybe something sad will happen to Ferrum that will make him hate me for a long time.


    "...... Yeah, good luck."


    She probably won''t hear me .......

 46 - the 45th episode

    The day after Mr. Lloyd expressed his intention to send a letter to each country, the sun was just about to rise when I heard the familiar scream of a girl as I was feeding him breakfast in the hut where Bulrin was staying. Somewhat guessing what was going on, I went outside the hut with Bulrin and found Rose carrying a large backpack and holding an unconscious Ferrum in her arms.


    I wonder if she was like that when I was there, though she didn''t faint as a matter of course. From a third person''s point of view, it looks endlessly bizarre. Hmm? Rose is coming over here, huh?


    Cue.


    "Whoa."


    Something jumped onto my shoulder from behind with a whomp, black fur and lovely red eyes. Oh, yeah, Rose was looking for this guy.


    "Kukul, the Commander wants to see you."


    It seems that he is going to make a play to help Ferrum who will go to the in the future like I did. In fact, I was saved by his sensing ability, but it''s kind of ...... hateful to think that it''s a first.


    But I wonder if the fact that he is still riding on my shoulder means that he is fond of me to a certain extent.


    While I was thinking so deeply, Kukuru jumped down from my shoulder with a flutter, and with a moderate agility, he slipped up to Rose''s feet... .........A picture of a carnivore (Rose) and a herbivore (Kukuru)... ....


    Well, I won''t be back for a while.


    Yes! Have a good day!


    I couldn''t help but respond in honorifics as he stared at me with a glare. Rose seemed to be annoyed by my response, but soon decided that it didn''t matter and walked with Kukul toward the gate leading outside.


    She''s not a bad person, but she''s too scary. .......


    "Guru ......"


    At my feet, a burin is punching my legs, as if to say, "Give me my food now, you b*tc*!


    "You want some of this, you little foodie?"


    "Huff ...... hahuff ......."


    He holds a piece of fruit in his hand and brings it to Bullyn''s mouth to feed it to him. Before, was he going to eat her fingers? I was horrified, but surprisingly, I was not. Blue grizzlies are said to be omnivores, but they are demons that do not gobble up their prey out of habit.


    "......... what should we do while the Commander is away?"


    I think about what I will do before I leave while feeding fruit to Bulrin. Including today, we have 15 days. Normally it is best to train and stay in shape, but ...... that is not enough to change too much.


    Rather, the physical aspect can be trained during the trip. So, isn''t it important to do what you can only do here?


    What can I do only here, study?


    That''s okay to a certain extent, as long as you''ve read the book Rose gave you carefully. It should be all right as long as you understand it universally.


    Then, martial arts or swordsmanship?


    I don''t think I can learn much in ten days or so, since I have no fighting experience other than punching and kicking to begin with. But it''s good to take a stab at it, so I''ll think about this too.


    "And then there''s ...... healing magic, right?"


    I have only healed wounds and muscle fatigue, so I don''t really understand it well, but I think that in these ten days that Rose has been away, I should gain a better understanding of healing magic and know how to use it.


    Fortunately, there are people in this country who use healing magic as great as Rose.


    Maybe I''ll go there after I finish my training for now."


    "Google ......"


    "Hmm? Oh, I''m sorry, my hand was stopped."


    He takes out another piece of fruit and gives it to Bulrin, while thinking about the future.


    Olga should know better and will be able to tell us more about it. Well, let''s finish training earlier than usual and go to the clinic.


    "Inukami-sama, where are you headed?"


    Hmm? It''s just as far as the lifeguard station."


    The sun had risen and I had a short break, so I was on my way to the lifeguard station where Usato-kun was staying. As I was passing through the gates of the castle, I was approached by Mr. Aruk, who was guarding the castle.


    "Are you at Usato-sama''s place?


    "Yes, yes."


    He speaks in a junior-like manner, with a strong accent at the end of his words, and I nodded my head in agreement.


    Alc Girdle, he is one of the knights guarding the gates, the heart of the castle''s defense, and one of the knights that Sigurth-san looks up to. He seems to be an unusual person who does not serve as a knight of the guard or a captain, but is in charge of guarding the castle gate himself.


    Well, otherwise he would not have been chosen to accompany me out of the kingdom. I know how honest and straight-forward he is, because after that time Mr. Aruk spared no sleep to look for us, even though I had carelessly involved Usato-kun and he had gone missing.


    "I saw Usato-sama heading for the city just now.


    "Is that so?"


    Well, I guess I''d better head for the city then. ......It''s like I''m going to see you, Usato-kun, isn''t it?


    I wanted to ask you about the school of magic in the magical city of Lucvis. Where should I go to vent my passionate feelings for this otherworldly magic academy city....


    What do you know about Lucvis, Mr. Alc?


    "It''s hard to say it''s a nice place, but I think ...... Lucvis is a great place to learn magic."


    "When you say ......, Aruk, you mean ......."


    "I also studied magic at one time in Lucvis. I was only good at magic and swords, and I just barely graduated!


    Aruk-san laughed in a fresh voice that sounded like he was having a breakdown. However, even from my point of view, I think that Mr. Aruk is strong in his own way. I''ve heard that he uses fire magic, and he''s also quite good with a sword. .......


    I tilted my head and groaned, and then, as if he must have guessed what I was thinking, he said to me, "Mr. Alk''s colleague? Two knight-like men, arms folded, nodded their heads and muttered something to each other.


    "Even if you say you have a special skill, Mr. Aruk, you are not good at archery or stick fighting, aren''t you? Inukami-sama, he can even become a knight of the Kingsguard if he wants to.


    "Yes, I''ve always wondered why they don''t move up. Hurry up and get promoted!


    "Oh, you guys. ......"


    "Hmm? What does that mean?"


    He was upset by the killer pass from his colleagues and returned to his normal self, so I asked him a question just to make him feel better. Aruk-san saw my smile and waved his hand to the side with a wry smile, but he seemed to realize that he could not get away with it and lowered his arm as if he was weak and scratched his helmet as if he was embarrassed.


    "I''m pretty clumsy, so I can only protect ...... one thing."


    "Then why not a knight of the Kingsguard?"


    The knights of the Kingsguard protect their master, King Lloyd. Is that not enough?


    No, the Kingsguard can flexibly change the target of their protection around Mr. Lloyd. I''m too clumsy to handle such a situation. That''s why I''m protecting this place.


    He quickly turns his face toward the gate.


    The high, solid walls of the city stand tall and impenetrable.


    "If you defend this place, no one will be able to get through. So no one can hurt the people of the castle. If they get past the gates, though, it''s the end!


    Aruk-san scratched his head mischievously, but I secretly shivered at the sight of him.


    He was at the school, which means he was a student.


    Swords and magic were his specialties.


    A flame magician.


    Clumsy.


    The ......... hero.


    The guard who has all the elements of a hero, Alc Gardel.


    He is handsome in a different way from Kazuki. .......


    But I''ll leave the castle guarding to my colleague for the time being.


    "What?"


    I wonder what that means.


    As I tilted my head in doubt, Aruk-san suddenly stood up straight, his legs in regular alignment....


    "I am Alc Girdle. I am pleased to assist you on your journey with Usato-sama, a member of the rescue team!


    He said this in a clear voice.


    "......... what?"


    Haha, I am surprised myself. After all, the castle officials told me about this yesterday.


    It''s no wonder they sound so crazy. I''m surprised that you had already decided on a knight to accompany you as of yesterday. You are a shrewd man, Mr. Usato. And I hate that you chose him because he is so capable.


    No, he must have noticed that Aruk-san exudes a hero''s temperament.


    "You''re a good one, Usato-kun, you''re a complete loser, ...... Aruk-san. Please take care of Usato-kun."


    "Yes!"


    With an overwhelming sense of defeat, he walks toward the city.


    With him, Usato will be fine. If the enemy is not too strong, Usato-kun will be able to escape in one piece. And with Amako, who can foretell the future, he would be even safer.


    The party is so ironclad that I wonder how we can beat them.


    So the problem is me.


    I''m going to Calm Helio, a land of heroes. It''s not far from here, but it''s going to be a hassle. ...... mainly because I''m too popular!


    "...... no, it''s depressing."


    Just hearing about it makes me sick to my stomach. But I have to go there because I''m a brave man and I''m sure they will help me if I go there.


    After finishing my training in the morning, I was alone at a clinic in the city. They don''t make a fuss when they see me like before, but I can still feel their warm and ticklish stares.


    Well, I used to run with a burin on my back, so I don''t feel any different.


    Anyway: .......


    "Hello!"


    I knock lightly on the door of the clinic and greet them. The room is as clean as ever, just like the lifeguard station, and I feel deeply moved since I haven''t been here for quite a while. Then a girl comes running from the back of the clinic with a familiar voice.


    "Welcome to ......, isn''t that Usato-kun?"


    "Hello, Mr. Uluru. I wanted to see Olga today. ...... are you busy?"


    No, I''m fine. It''s a good day when I don''t have any patients coming in.


    A good day, huh? Surely a day when no patients come in means no one gets hurt. ......Yes, it''s a good day indeed. I follow Uluru who is in a good mood and smiling, and explain to him the purpose of my visit.


    "Well, I think it''s a good idea to give my brother some healing magic ....... That''s all you''ve got going for you!"


    Surprisingly, Mr. Uluru is very strict with Ms. Olga.


    No, she''s probably a pretty spiteful girl.


    "But, like your brother, Usato-kun is also quite a big deal, isn''t he? I heard that you were doing kumite with Mr. Rose this time.


    "What? No, sir."


    "What? Oh, ...... ah, hahaha, that''s for sure. If I had a kumite with Mr. Rose..."


    You just got beat up one way or the other.


    "What do you mean, ''I''ll die ......''?"


    Kumite is still a one-sided beating. I endured like a tortoise and tried my best to avoid the blow.


    "Well, I did my best. But now that it''s over, I think that the leader was pretty easy on me. Because I''m still alive. ...... but why is there a rumor that the leader and I had a kumite?"


    "...... hahaha, hahaha, a kid who wondered about the sound that was echoing in the lifeguard training area said he saw Usato-kun fighting with Rose-san. ......"


    So that''s the rumor, Rose and I had a fight ...... when I was desperately pleading for my life? I remember I begged for my life, throwing away my honorifics and everything else.


    But they still let me continue training.


    "I''m so sorry you had a hard time. ...... Oh, here''s the room where your brother is."


    "Thank you."


    Uluru-san tapped on the door and said in a rather loud voice to the door, and then a voice that sounded a bit tired said .


    As I opened the door and entered, I saw a man sitting on a chair attached to a desk in a corner of the simple room.


    "I''m sorry to bother you in your sickbed, Ms. Olga.


    "I don''t mind, it''s my little pleasure to meet people.


    Olga Fleur, Uluru''s brother. She is a master of healing magic as good as Rose, and the owner of this clinic.


    The one I''m about to ask to teach me.


    "I see. Before I set out on my journey, I''d like you to teach me some healing magic ......."


    I explained to him why I was here and that I would be sending letters to various countries. He nodded his head and thought about something, but he did not seem to be in a mood to refuse.


    But I don''t think you need to ask me to teach you. Usato-kun, you will soon become a better healing magician than me, right?"


    "Still, now that Mr. Rose has gone to the forest, I would like to ask you to teach me."


    "Ummm......... I''m not as strong as you, Usato, and, uh, healing is all I have."


    Mr. Olga folded his arms and groaned in distress.


    Uluru-san raises his hand as if offering advice to Olga-san.


    "Well then, let''s compare our healing magic. Usato, you don''t mind, do you?


    "It''s all right."


    "Well, let''s try it!"


    "They don''t listen to me ...... haha."


    Olga-san puts her hand forward with a wry smile and Uluru-san looks at me with a big smile, and then I release healing magic from my palm too.


    The color of my healing magic is light green, the same color as when I measured the magic system with a crystal.


    Uluru''s is a slightly darker green than mine, but not by much. But Olga is .......


    "...... after all."


    It is dark, a green similar to the color of young leaves, although it retains some transparency. Come to think of it, Rose''s healing magic is a darker green than mine, and a lighter green than Olga''s is now.


    "Ms. Olga, how do you always work your magic? I don''t really pay attention to it and it''s such a light green color. ......"


    "It''s the same for me. In my case, it''s a little different from Usato''s and Uluru''s healing magic, it''s something I was born with.


    "Born to be ......"


    "But this thick healing magic is so effective that it can cure diseases. But I''m not very good at casting healing magic myself. ...... hahaha."


    ---Maybe there is a phase that can be fixed by the intensity of the color?


    I look at the light of the healing magic that I have been somehow emitting and slowly clench my fist. The light in my fist is still the same pale green color that it has been since I first used healing magic in this world.


    "As far as I know, curing illnesses with healing magic is different in many ways, it doesn''t simply heal external injuries, but heals illnesses the body. ...... okay? It doesn''t cure, it heals."


    "...... I don''t really know, but am I correct in recognizing that your brother''s healing magic is one step ahead of ours?"


    "Yes, I think you are right."


    One step ahead of my healing magic: .......


    Rose might know something, but somehow I feel like this is something I need to do myself. If the difference between Olga''s and my healing magic is the depth of color, then if my healing magic is simply the same color as Olga''s, then I should be able to cure diseases, right?


    The girlfriend I know would be .......


    "......"


    --- I''ll just put the magic into it without increasing the magic power...


    The light of healing that had been overflowing is now just enough to cover the surface of his hand, and he begins to apply magic power to it, which he does not usually do. I thought that if it was too thin, I should increase the concentration of magic power, so I tried it, but ...... it''s kind of plain.


    But I feel that the color is changing somewhat as the magic power gushes out like an electric shock.


    "What are you doing, Usato-kun?"


    "Huh? I''m just adding magic power."


    Without taking my eyes off my hands, I continue to pour magic power into them, and gradually the healing green light covering the surface of my hands turns deeper and deeper in color. At the moment I thought that I could go,......, Olga-san, who was looking at my hand next to me, gulped and grabbed my arm at the same time.


    "Usato-kun! You need to stop that right now!!!!"


    "Heh?"


    You almost made it! ---Just as I was about to say the words, my right hand, which had been adding magic power, burst into flames. --Fresh blood was spattering.


    "Huh. ......"


    About an hour has passed since the light gushed from my hand.


    After that, my hands were indeed covered with a dark-colored healing magic. But in the next moment, my hand could not withstand the accumulated power, and it exploded. It is not that my hand itself exploded when I say that it burst, but rather that a kind of cut was made on my hand and the magic power leaked out from it.


    What surprised me here is that the healing magic that I had deployed did not work. Of course, if I had applied normal healing magic after the injury, it would have healed as usual.


    After healing my own wounds, I realized that my method was a rather dangerous attempt. Uluru-san cried hard and Olga-san scolded me. But there was something to be gained.


    "The range of healing magic depends on the concentration.


    That''s the rule I''ve come up with this time. And there is one more thing I found out. The darker the color of the healing magic is, the more it cannot heal its own body, which is a disadvantage.


    In fact, when the accumulated healing magic burst, the healing magic in its dark state could not heal the wounds on my hands. In addition, it makes sense that Ms. Olga, who was born with thick healing magic, was not good at applying healing magic to herself.


    "It''s worth a try."


    Repeat a few times and you''ll get a feel for it. Perhaps if we increase the intensity of our magical power, we will be able to heal the injured as quickly as Olga and Rose, and we will be able to heal people with illnesses that we had thought were difficult to heal.


    As for the training from now on, we should be able to select and use the density of magic power stably.


    For this purpose, please visit .......


    "I guess it''s just a matter of practice."


    Once again, I gather the healing light in my right hand and make it more concentrated.


    The good thing about this new training is that you can do it anywhere. But I can''t afford to get my hands all bloody again and cause trouble, so I turn on my heel to go to the training ground and look behind me. .......


    "Usato-kun!


    "Isn''t that your senior? ......"


    Inukami-senpai found me as I turned around, smiling and waving to me. She ran up to me, a happy expression on her face, and spoke to me somewhat excitedly.


    "This is sudden, but how did you recognize Aruk-san''s heroic nature?


    "What are you talking about out of the blue?"


    That''s really sudden, senpai.


    ---Well, I was thinking of going home for some new training, but let''s hang out in town a little longer. Senpai, you seem to be pushing yourself very hard...... or is it the same as usual?


    "Wait a minute. ...... Soo---ha---ha---ha---ha---ha. --...... okay, fine."


    "Is it such a bother to talk to me, ...... Usato-kun?"


    "No, it''s not like that."


    I do think about it a little.


    But I don''t hate it that much, so I don''t say it out loud.

 47 - the 46th episode

    Rose and Ferrum, who had been in the forest, returned.


    It''s been about 10 days. Ferm spent about the same amount of time in the forest as I did.


    When Ferm came back from the forest, he looked like he was tired of everything in the world. He mumbled hollowly <, so he must have suffered the same thing as I did by that devilish rabbit. I was okay with it because I had Bulrin with me.


    But I feel that Ferrum is mentally tougher now that he''s back. But it''s just a feeling, not necessarily true.


    And while Rose and Ferrum were in the forest, something changed.


    First of all, Master Lloyd made a big announcement that he was going to send a letter to each country. Well, this is the same process as the war against the Demon King''s army, so it''s not so much of a change for the kingdom, but for me it wasn''t so much of a fuss.


    The other thing was that Mr. Aruk came to tell me that he would come with me on my trip. I told Mr. Alc back at the castle to keep the number of people to a minimum, just in case there are too many people and it is difficult to move. ...... I wonder what will happen there.


    I think that moving with too many people will cause a lot of harm,...... and I will let those who know better decide the general discretion.


    Meanwhile, I had been training in healing magic all the time until Rose returned.


    The results were not so good, to say the least. It''s difficult to control and I can''t keep my magic power. This is now the realm of intuition, fixing the clamping concentration in the form where one''s own magical power is most stable.


    It is endlessly difficult to do so, and it can be maintained for a few seconds, but that''s it.


    "It''s so hard!"


    Sitting on a rock used for weights in the training grounds, I diligently kneaded my magic, but it never seemed to stabilize.


    It might be the first time since I came to this world that I can''t show any significant progress even though I am leaving for my trip tomorrow.


    I''ve been able to run thanks to Rose, and I''ve been able to use healing magic. There have been times when I felt it was too hard and I wanted to run away, but I''ve been able to do my best because the results are worth the effort.


    "It''s not going to be enough, is it? ......"


    You sit on the floor and gather magic power in your hands to make the color of the pigment darker, but it easily fades away this time, perhaps because you are not concentrating enough.


    I guess he was not the kind of guy who could be cured in ten days or so.


    "Hey, Usato!"


    "Yes, ......, Commander? What''s wrong?"


    I jumped down from the rock and turned toward the direction I heard the voice, and there she was, Rose, the leader of our group.


    I wondered, was she confused? She reacted in a way I had never seen before, silently approaching me and grabbing my hand that was covering her healing magic.


    "When did you learn to add magic to your magic?"


    "I''m sorry! Did he seem like he shouldn''t have done something!"


    Answer the question.


    What did I do wrong? Olga-san was angry, so I guess the training was dangerous. I''ll just have to tell the truth as Rose said.


    "Oh, I was just trying to see if I could deepen the color of the magic in my own way by watching Olga-san''s healing magic!


    "Olgaa? Did you do that when you saw ...... his magic?"


    I let go of my scared arm, and Rose folded her arms and looked at me thoughtfully. After a few seconds of silence, Rose grins, the corners of her mouth twisted into a crescent moon, her hands covering her eyes, and she begins to laugh in a low voice.


    "Kuh,hahaha......"


    "Um, what''s wrong?"


    Have you finally lost your mind?


    As I was thinking rude things like "I''ve finally lost my mind," Rose put her hand on my head and smiled at me with a wonderful smile after she had finished laughing for a while.


    It was too good to be true, but it was a scary smile. ...... I had never seen such a smile before. Naturally I let my arms free and prepared for the pain so that I was ready for anything to happen. But Rose, while I''m scared, pats me on the head and smiles again with satisfaction.


    "It''s like a healing magic property. You''ve probably noticed that the darker the pigment, the stronger the healing power it gives you, and the weaker the healing power it has over you.


    "...... I knew you were right."


    "I didn''t think you could still do it. If you use it in the wrong situation, you can die. ...... Well, it''s not easy, but you can learn a few things if you do it enough. I didn''t expect you to find out on your own, though."


    --- I mean, it''s no surprise that you think things aren''t going well, and that it''s a very time-consuming training program. I felt like I could do my best.


    "Do you have any tips for ......?"


    "Do it by the numbers, there are no shortcuts in this. There are no shortcuts. It''s the same as before. If you could do it before, you can do it again.


    So there is no other way, no tips, no tricks, no such thing...just keep working hard like you have been doing. .......


    I finally realized that I could make progress and clenched my open hand tightly.


    I''m not sure why Rose came here,......, I wonder if she came here because she saw my magic? Did you come here for something else because you were surprised?


    "Yes, I forgot to tell you that the ...... letter is due tomorrow. And I''ve been told what time you''re leaving tomorrow ......, but since you don''t seem to like seeing me off, you''ll be waiting for me at the gate tomorrow morning. You can take Amaco with you.


    "Oh, yes, yes, I understand."


    The heroes will be here shortly. Meet them there and go on your journey."


    Does "seeing off" mean that the people of the country will see us off? The image I have of them is riding on horses and walking through the city with cheers, but I certainly don''t like it much. I don''t think Senpai and Kazuki will be able to escape.


    "What about luggage?"


    "Take your lifeguard clothes and coat, the rest is just the bare necessities. ...... If you''re taking that bear with you, make sure he has something too. It''s enough to strap him down, right?"


    The bare minimum of luggage...... I think I''ll just take the book Rose gave me, a knife, a notebook, and some sorry-ass portable food. The rest will likely be brought by others.


    "Is there anything else you want to ask me?"


    For the time being, no.


    "Well, then there''s one thing you need to know before you leave here tomorrow."


    "? What is ......?"


    Maybe he''s giving us advice because the outside world is full of dangers. Basically, Rose''s words are never wrong, so I braced myself and listened attentively. She raised her fist in front of me and smiled ferociously.


    "When you get involved with someone who looks down on healing magic, you can ---- feel free to beat them to a pulp."


    "That''s not a good idea!"


    Mr. Alfie said no, so... You never know if this guy has a low boiling point or a high one, and you never know what he might do at any moment.


    "I don''t know what kind of a person he is who only measures his superiority or inferiority by superficial things. It''s better to knock them out once to bring them back to their senses."


    "Yeah, yeah. ......"


    At any rate, I accept their kind words, and we have several dangerous conversations after that.


    "---and you''ve told them most of the story. You get ready for tomorrow. It''s too late after dark."


    "Yes."


    I''m going back. ...... The trip to the letter will affect you in some way, for better or worse. ---I''m counting on you, Usato.


    After casually mumbling something like that, she walked out of the training area.


    Looking at her back, I muttered to myself as if ruminating over her casually mumbled words.


    "Are you expecting me? ...... I''m so happy, d*mn it."


    I''ve never been such an easy guy. Or am I happy because it was Rose who complimented me? ...... Maybe so, after all I trust that man.


    As a teacher in this world, I may respect him the most in a way.


    Well, there is a possibility that I think like this because Rose has tamed me.


    "Well, now that I''ve heard what we''re going to do tomorrow, let''s get ready..."


    Slowly, I walk toward the dormitory, standing tall. I should get a leather belt to go with my bullein.


    But as I am walking out of the gate, I stop when I notice someone in the shadow of one of the trees growing in front of me. I immediately knew who it was because I looked closely and saw that his shoulder-length silver hair was slightly sticking out.


    "What are you doing? Ferrum."


    "Ugh. ......"


    After a giggle is heard, a silver-haired, brown-skinned girl with the most intense stare in her eyes comes out of the shadows of the trees. She has shoulder-length silver hair, a pair of fish-eye eyes, and is wearing a sports uniform with the distinctive lifeguard flower embroidered on it.


    She looks away from me, awkwardly puts her hands behind her back and opens her mouth.


    "Even though I got the day off, I can''t go to the city, so I thought I''d take a walk and ...... you were there."


    "Oh, I see. But why are you hiding?"


    He may be quiet now, but last time I checked, we were enemies. That''s no way to go to town. I don''t care how tolerant these people are.


    Because they don''t like you.


    Why do they hate me so much?


    Well, you can hate me for capturing you from the demon army: ....... I guess it doesn''t matter if he hates me...anyway, I have to get ready for tomorrow. It''s too late to do anything after dark.


    Oh, well... It''s your day off, you should rest your body. ......"


    "Wait."


    ?"


    As I walk past Ferrum, he suddenly grabs me by the arm.


    "Are you going somewhere tomorrow?"


    "Huh? Oh, didn''t I mention that?"


    "Tell me about .........."


    "What?"


    "I said tell me where we''re going!


    ......Hating, questioning, busy girl. I briefly explain to her about the trip to deliver the letter, while thinking that she is being very desperate to get at me.


    After I finished some of the story, she tried to get close to me angrily, but stopped immediately and turned her head down.


    "What''s wrong? Oh, maybe you miss me because I''m not..."


    "........."


    He silently kicks me in the shin.


    I don''t know why, but this girl kicks my leg whenever she doesn''t like something. I am used to this kind of pain, so I don''t show it on the surface, but it hurts to the extent that it makes me numb, probably because of the power of the demons.


    It was supposed to be a joke, but I wonder if he really misses me.


    "......Kuku!"


    "Hey, you can''t really..."


    "It''s not fair that you''re the only one getting out of this hellhole!"


    "Oh, yeah. ......"


    She looks at me for a moment, then kicks my leg again in frustration and runs off in a different direction than I was going.


    I was a little pissed off because she kicked me with more force the second time.


    "......"


    I almost start to think more like Rose, but I have a good head start here, so I calm myself down and look at her calmly as she runs away.


    I can catch up with her if I want to ......, but I think it''s better to leave her alone. I''ve already decided that I''m going on this trip, and there''s nothing I can do to change it now. I might as well have said, "You''re going to suffer here, you screwed-up b*tc*," as a kick in the leg.


    What the hell is this?


    I''m in hell. It''s so much easier to live in the woods without the grand grizzly and the snake. You know what? I could only sleep shallowly at night because I was afraid of demons, you know?


    "Huh. ......"


    ...... Well, let''s just keep an open mind, forgive her, and turn to the preparations. I don''t know if it''s thanks to her or not, but my steps are a little lighter now.


    I thought to myself as I walked toward the dormitory.

 48 - Forty-seventh Episode

    On the morning of the day I was to leave on my journey to deliver the letter, I was standing in front of the fruit stand where Amaco lived, just before the people of this country started to wake up.


    "You''ll get used to it soon, so be patient. ......"


    I was dressed very conspicuously in my lifeguard''s bright white coat and backpack full of necessities, but what stood out more was Bulrin, who was moaning and groaning beside me.


    A belt is wrapped around his body to hold his baggage in place without interfering with his movement. I tried to carry his baggage as much as possible, but he seemed to be a little cranky because of the unfamiliar belt.


    I pat his nose with a wry smile and look at the fruit stand.


    Amako and Sarla come out from the back of the store. I am too far away from the store to hear them, but Mr. Sarla says a word or two to Amako and then hugs her gently. Amako''s eyes blinked in surprise, but she immediately turned her head down with her tail and shoulders shaking.


    "---?"


    It must be hard for Amaco and Sarla.


    I watched them with a sad feeling, trying not to disturb them as much as possible.


    ---Please take care of her...


    Somehow, I understood what was being said. I cannot say anything with much certainty, but I have to protect this. Sarla is the one who has been protecting Amaco so far. In that case, she has entrusted me with the important task of protecting Amako.


    I will deliver the letter, I will travel, I will heal Amaco''s mother, and I will protect Amaco.


    "...... is heavy."


    I say these words to myself and look at Amako, who walks up to me at Sarla''s urging. I hate myself for not knowing what to say to Amako, whose eyes are moist, but as I try desperately to come up with words to say, she tugs at the hem of my dress.


    "Hmm?"


    "You don''t have to say anything witty, but thank you ......."


    She looks a few seconds into the future and smiles slightly when she sees my face, which has a blank expression on it.


    A few seconds later, I realize that I have been teased and start walking away, letting out a sigh that could be interpreted as relief or exhaustion.


    "Usato."


    "What now?"


    Just as I begin to walk to the gate at a slow, measured pace with Amako, I am approached by her.


    "Is it okay if I come back here again?"


    "........."


    What does that mean?


    Are you not going to come back here again? Or does it mean I can''t come back?


    When I tilt my head to the side, Amako starts to weave her words with a slight downward glance.


    "You can come back anytime you want. ...... I''ve already said that this is my home. ......"


    "That''s what Sarla said, right?"


    "......Yeah, but I don''t know if I''ll be able to come back. Maybe I''ll never be able to come back."


    Once, Rose called Amako . This may have something to do with it, but maybe Amako''s position is in a much more important place than I thought.


    Once I understood this, I could not say anything to Amako, who looked down. I could not even think of words of consolation for her, as I did not fully understand the magnitude of what was imposed on her.


    "I''m so pathetic.


    Muttering this to myself in self-mockery, I looked at the gate that came into view before me and quickened my pace slightly.


    "Has Usato gone? ......"


    In the leader''s room of the lifeguard squad''s dormitory, Rose looked outside and muttered something like that. Ahead of her eyes, there stood a solid gate separating the country from the outside world, and the only way to travel between the country and the outside world was through it.


    Through that gate, Usato is going to the outside world today.


    The outside world is not as sweet as the Kingdom of Lingle.


    Some areas are inhabited by ferocious monsters.


    There are roads guarded by bandits.


    There are bastards who buy and sell for a living.


    Somehow she knew this would happen at some point, but she wasn''t too worried about Usato. She didn''t want to train him in such a way that the bastards would get him, and she thought it wouldn''t be a bad idea to let him see the outside world, gain some experience, see and feel it with his own eyes...


    "......kuku......"


    Her smile deepens as she puts her hand on the window.


    To be honest, Usato had turned out better than I had expected. It is no exaggeration to say that he has the audacity to go through Rose''s harsh training at the edge of humanity without any difficulty now.


    When I first met him in the kingdom, I was impressed by his slightly pathetic face, a boy with nothing more spectacular than the two brave men, and nothing more captivating than the high spirits of the others. Even when I first trained with him, he was inferior to even Uluru.


    However, Usato has adapted to the situation with great skill.


    It all started when he fought with that half-baked snake. A threat found in the harsh environment of the forest. Usato, who tried to fight when he did not have to, would have been a fool in the eyes of others. The idea that a healing magician would even try to fight is wrong in the first place.


    ---That''s fine...


    While Usato was fighting with the snake, Rose looked at him half exultantly and said, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry. It is not the perception that healing wizards fight that is wrong, but the perception that they cannot fight that is wrong.


    ---A warrior who keeps moving until his magic runs out.


    Rose''s goal, the end point of healing magic.


    She seeks a subordinate who will never die. An immortal fighter who, no matter how he is cut, punched, prodded, crushed, or broken, never stops moving, never decays, no matter what the circumstances.


    "Hmm?"


    As you look out the window, you see a familiar silver-haired girl leaving the dormitory. Rose laughs at the sight of her as she walks cautiously around her.


    She slowly sits up and goes to grab the idiot...


    "Excuse me."


    "Oh?"


    ---There was a knock at the door, and a rather sullen voice was heard.


    A tall, strong-looking man, Alec, bowed and entered.


    "What is it?"


    "Excuse me, I can''t see Ferrum anywhere. ......?"


    "Oh, I see."


    She looks out the window, her mouth twisted into an animal-like grin, and sees Ferrum sneaking around in hiding, trying to get out of the lifeguard''s quarters. He is carrying a not-so-large package on his back, which suggests that he is planning to take advantage of Usato''s departure to leave as well. .......


    ---I can''t let him out yet at this stage.


    "So he''s planning to leave after Usato?"


    I''m sure.


    He opens the window, hangs up his legs, and jumps down.


    Rose, whose physical abilities far exceed those of ordinary people, landed in front of Ferrum, who was suspiciously on his way out, with a single leap.


    Ferrum, who had been walking slowly and timidly, stood cowering for a moment, unable to comprehend the situation, when Rose suddenly landed in front of him. .......


    "......!"


    "Well, wait."


    As soon as he came to himself, he turned his back on Rose and ran.


    But sure enough, she grabs me by the collar and lifts me up with one hand.


    "I''m sorry ......!"


    "I don''t know why you''re apologizing now."


    Ferme''s face is even paler than before, and his legs and arms are weak. It''s no wonder she responds with such humility, given her usually pompous attitude.


    The one who grabs her by the collar and lifts her up is Rose, the demon who lives in hell. She knows that she will be beaten to a pulp immediately if she behaves in such a manner.


    "You were going to go after Usato. ......"


    "No, no. ......"


    "What''s the difference, huh?"


    He smiles at Ferrum, whose voice trembles as he raises his pitiful voice, and walks toward the dormitory.


    It is not that there was no other way but to let Usato take care of him. I thought it would be a good opportunity for Ferrum, who has a tendency to be naive, to get to know the common sense of human beings, but I decided that since it was so important that Usato was in charge this time, I couldn''t let him take the hindrances with him.


    "In any case, you can''t even get past the gate, let alone the gatekeeper, now, can you?"


    "......, even I ......"


    "I''m what?"


    "It''s nothing. ......"


    He tries to argue, but realizes that the anger he feels behind him has grown louder, and his face turns pale and he lowers his shoulders in disappointment.


    "Now, I''m going to have to punish the idiot who tried to leave this place on his own.


    "......hi"


    I knew that Rose would not forgive me if I begged for my life. Ferrum had seen Usato do it once, and he had been beaten to death without question. Even she, who had nothing to be afraid of when she was in the demon army, is now so frightened that she shudders with fear.


    I hate you, ...... Usato.


    She mutters a grudge against Usato who left here, and is taken away to the training ground called Hell.


    Alec, who was watching from outside the window, said with some dismay, "As usual," and returned to his own training.


    It must have been about half an hour after his arrival at the gate.


    I was waiting in front of the castle when I saw a group of people on horseback.


    There were about a dozen of them, I guess. While I was watching the group, a young man emerged from the carriage being pulled by the group and waved to me.


    "Usatoh!"


    "Oh, Kazuki."


    I hadn''t heard anything about the means of transportation, but I was told that we would be going to Lucvis by horse-drawn carriage. If you look closely, you can see a few knights in light armor around the carriage, protecting it. Among them, I can see Mr. Aruk.


    "Bulrin, you can''t ride ......, are you okay?"


    "Gu ......!"


    I''m hit in the leg, as if to say, "No, you can''t be all right.


    "You''re getting less and less reserved, aren''t you?


    "Usato is too sturdy."


    "Guh."


    Amako nodded her head in agreement with Bulrin''s words. Irritated by Bulrin''s words, I bumped the tip of his nose and started to walk toward the carriage approaching us.


    Behind me, I can hear the serious threats and Amako''s impatient voice, just like the first time I met Bulrin, but I ignore them.


    "Good morning, Mr. Aruk."


    "Good morning!"


    In the blink of an eye, he dismounts from his horse, puts his fist on his chest, and greets me in return. As I was thinking that he was as energetic as ever, Mr. Alc comes over to me and holds out both of his hands.


    "I will load your baggage myself, and you and your companion can go to the carriage.


    "Oh, thank you very much. So, where''s Bullyn? ......?"


    "I''m sorry, but you''ll have to travel outside with us."


    I knew it, well ...... I don''t expect Burlyn to get into the carriage. I move with Amako toward the entrance of the carriage, handing the luggage on my back to Mr. Alc --- before removing the luggage from Burlyn, who glares at me with eyes that seem to be trying to tell me something.


    "Don''t bother Mr. Aruk too much, okay?"


    "...... grua."


    "What''s with the ''I can''t guarantee it'' squeal?"


    ...... maybe okay. If something goes wrong, I can just go outside.


    I hand the luggage to a nearby knight and enter the carriage. The inside of the carriage was spacious enough to accommodate about ten people, and it looked much more modest than I had imagined.


    After a quick look around, I looked toward the back of the car and saw Kazuki, Inukami-senpai, and Ms. Welshy, a woman with long light blue hair wearing a white robe, sitting there.


    "Good morning. Good morning, everyone.


    I greet them anyway. The three people in front of me greeted me and Amako in return.


    "It''s been a long time since we spoke, Mr. Usato."


    Yes, Mr. Welshy. Are you with us on this journey?


    I was very impressed with you.


    The way you ran out of the house in a panic when you saw my magical abilities, and the way you were so scared of Rose.


    "Yes, I felt too bad to leave everything to the heroes, so I''ll help you too, up to Lucvis.


    "I see. ......"


    I didn''t think you''d let us go alone, but you''ve been very generous to send Welshy, the kingdom''s resident wizard, to help us.


    "As for me, I''m glad to have you here, Mr. Welshy."


    No, no, no, my power is very small.


    "You are the master of magic for me and my senpai, you should be more confident."


    I''d like to have a little bit of his little animal-like aura. Rose has such a predator-like aura that she scares everyone who stares at her.


    As I was thinking about the nonsense that would surely get me beaten to a pulp if I said it in front of her, Amako, who was standing uncomfortably silent next to me, tugged at the hem of my coat. When I looked at Amako, she was looking at Mr. Welshy with anxious eyes.


    I guessed what was going on, and called out to Amako, who was standing next to me.


    "He''ll be fine. I should be more worried about my senpai.


    "......... yeah."


    "Hm? Now you''re casually treating me like I''m a dangerous person. ......?"


    I let Inukami-senpai''s words pass through my mouth with an unconvinced look on my face.


    As I lean my back against the wall of the carriage, I hear the sound of the whole carriage shaking and the wheels turning.


    "It looks like it''s starting to walk.


    "Yes, ...... Mr. Welsey. The letter?


    I''ve taken good care of it.


    Mr. Welsey takes out something resembling several letters from a rather small backpack-like object.


    "As Suzune-sama and Kazuki-sama have already confirmed, these are the letters that we are going to give to the countries. I am keeping them for now, but I will distribute them to each of you when you depart from Lucvis, so you don''t have to worry about them now.


    "When you leave? Don''t you give the letter to Lukvis?"


    I will give the letter to Lucvis only. But that doesn''t change the fact that Suzune and the others will be with him.


    ...... In other words, am I correct in assuming that Mr. Welsey will set the example for us at first? That would be great. It''s not like you can just meet some bigwig, hand him a letter, and say goodbye.


    I was quite worried because I was not used to such a thing, not to mention Kazuki and my senpai who were in the student council in the original world.


    I felt relieved to know that my worries were gone for the time being, and I leaned my back against the backrest and looked out the carriage window with a relaxed body. Outside, I could only see green trees. It will still look familiar at this distance, but in a few hours it will be something I have never seen before.


    The beginning of a journey---a new place.


    A great adventure full of unknowns and dangers.


    I wonder what will happen to me now that I have become familiar with this world, for better or for worse, and as the carriage pulls me along, I ponder my future journey.

 49 - the 48th episode

    The neighboring kingdom of Lingle, Lucvis.


    The huge building, which could be mistaken for a castle, is itself a place to learn magic, where the highest authority in Lukvis, the principal or principal in my world, is located. The children who visit the school learn the basics of unsystematic magic and other magic systems, sometimes competing with each other to hone their skills in battle.


    According to Mr. Aruk, besides magic, they can learn swordsmanship, martial arts, and other skills.


    Mr. Welshy says that wizards who graduate with excellent grades are generally powerful magicians.


    According to Amako, it is not uncommon for people to be discriminated against because of their innate magical abilities.


    There are not so many magic systems that can be classified into different categories. When distinguishing between the superiority and inferiority of wizards of the same lineage, the amount of innate magical power, sense, and skill are required. These can be compensated for with effort, but the lineage that one is born with cannot be changed no matter how hard one tries.


    "......"


    The night of the sixth day after our departure from the Kingdom of Lingle.


    I stood in front of the burning wood and thought about my destination, Lucvis. Everyone is already resting except for the knight who has been assigned to watch over us. I really need to sleep for tomorrow, but I can''t sleep at all thinking about Lucvis, where we are supposed to arrive tomorrow.


    "Mr. Alc, you should take it easy..."


    "No, no, no, I''ve had enough rest for a while now.


    He sits down in front of me and smiles briskly. He noticed me getting out of the carriage because I couldn''t sleep, and he was talking to me, as if he cared about me.


    I knew that he is a very polite and kind man. Perhaps it''s because of his occupation as a knight, but he''s also very polite and easy to talk to. He seems like a person who would be a committee chairman or something in his former world.


    "Aruk-san is ......"


    "Yes?"


    You were in Luxvis, weren''t you?"


    He started talking about "heroes" and "novels" and other things that I couldn''t understand, but when I asked him about it, his expression turned a little sour.


    Was it something I shouldn''t ask him?


    "...... yeah."


    "I''m sorry, am I not allowed to ask you that?"


    "No, it''s not like that."


    Mr. Alc waved his hand to the side as if in a panic, and looked at me again as if he was going to shoot me again with the sword at his waist propped up beside him.


    "Perhaps ...... you will find out soon, so let me tell you now while I still can."


    "Tomorrow, you''ll know?"


    "Yes, you have heard from Amaco that Lucvis discriminates based on the magic of the lineage, haven''t you?"


    "...... well."


    It''s a terrible story, but at the same time, I feel as if it were someone else''s problem.


    Kazuki and Inukami-senpai seemed to be somewhat indignant, but I guess it is someone else''s business.


    "Discrimination based on the magic of the lineage is terrible, ...... but there is another one that is just as bad, discrimination against subhumans."


    Discrimination against subhumans? Isn''t it not only in Lucvis but also in other countries? At least that''s what I''ve heard.


    "The people who come to Luxembourg have many goals, they work hard in their studies, to ...... become knights, to become wealthy. ...... I could go on for a long time if I told you everything I know, but I won''t, It is important to note that some visitors to Lucvis are prepared to be persecuted because of their race, and some are subhuman."


    "You know that you will be in danger?"


    Yes, that''s what makes Luxvis so valuable.


    In my world, Luxembourg would be an elite school with a high standard of living.


    But from what I''ve heard, I don''t think it''s worth it. Why bother training in magic, it''s hell. I can''t imagine going through the trouble of physical training with no intellectual component, where you get punched and knocked around, get up and knocked around, and kicked when you think you''ve dodged a bullet.


    It''s like going to school to get punched by a subhuman.


    "You look like you don''t know."


    "Well, yes. I don''t understand.


    "They have a job to do, even if it''s dangerous. Although the sale and persecution of subhumans is superficially forbidden in Lukvis, there are always students from all over the continent ...... who are not so interested in discrimination against subhumans, as well as those who dislike it to an excessive degree."


    Mr. Aruk, with a wry smile on his face, throws the dead tree branches piled up beside him into the firewood. His expression, which was faintly reflected in the light of the campfire, which was burning and becoming brighter and brighter, looked somewhat sad.


    "It is the best place to learn magic, but the worst place for a very few people. To be honest, I never liked it there."


    "...... sorry."


    Oh, no! I meant no disrespect to Mr. Usato! I wanted to help you, so I thought it over and took on the responsibility of escorting you."


    Even so, I am the one who asked you to bring him back to Lucvis, which is the worst place you said. I am very sorry.


    By the way, how do you perceive subhumans, Usato-dono?


    "Recognition? Hmm."


    Different from people? But the only subhumans I''ve met and talked to are Amako, a beast, and Ferrum, a demon. Look at those two .......


    "Not really."


    Maybe I''ve been poisoned too much, or maybe it''s because I have a demon leader who is much more of a monster than a subhuman, but I don''t think it''s that scary or frightening. I think the members of the lifeguard squad are more monster than the subhumans, since they were treated as demons by Ferrum.


    But what happened to Aruk-san? He slightly rolled his eyes at my words, and the next moment he started laughing with a loud voice, which is not like him.


    "Ha-ha-ha-ha!"


    "Yeah, yeah. ......"


    What was so unbearable that he suppressed the voice that leaked out of his mouth. I don''t know what I said that was so funny. I didn''t say anything beautiful or derogatory. I wonder why Mr. Aruk is laughing.


    "Nothing in particular," he says. That''s exactly what Usato-dono would say.


    "It''s like me. ......"


    Yes, just like you. That must be why Amako-dono feels at ease with you, ...... who treats subhumans as human beings."


    In other words, the difference in perception from the people in this world is so great that they laughed at me. I''ve read so many fantasy novels that I''m not afraid of subhumans.


    In the first place, we were brought from another world, and the consciousness of people living in this world is quite different from ours, isn''t it? In a world where everything I see seems alien to me, magic, subhumans, and everything else seem to be of the same standard. But for the people in this world, magic is something that they take for granted, and subhumans are scary and frightening.


    "I''m not a very good person, even though I''m like me.


    "You are a good person, Usato-dono. You just aren''t aware of it.


    Please don''t lift me up. You''ll get carried away.


    "Ha-ha-ha, you''re on a bit of a roll, aren''t you?


    Mr. Aruk''s expression softens considerably after the previous exchange, and he smiles pleasantly. He does not seem as stiff and polite as he did in the beginning, but now he seems rather frank.


    Usato and Aruku have become a little friendlier.


    Something like a message played in my head. I''m sure I''m imagining it.


    "Hmm?"


    "What''s wrong?"


    As I stared at the dark plain in a daze, listening to the crackling of leaves and branches burning, Mr. Alc, who was sitting with a campfire between us, tilted his head and looked right behind me.


    I turn my head to look behind me, wondering about Mr. Alc who is staring at the place where the wagon is staying.


    "It seems that there is another person who cannot sleep.


    The door that I had closed when I left the carriage was opened, and a girl was peeking out from behind the door as if she was listening to me. She turns around, meets my eyes, and walks up to me.


    "Can''t you sleep?"


    "You too, Usato."


    Amako, the girl who sat next to me, stared at the fire as I did. From close up, I could see her glossy blonde hair reflecting in the faint light of the campfire.


    But why so late at night? I was supposed to be sleeping soundly next to my senpai, but Amako was supposed to be sleeping soundly next to me.


    "I woke up because ...... Inukami hugged me."


    "Ha-ha-ha, that''s ...... tough for Amako-dono, isn''t it?"


    "Not at all."


    Amako smiles a little, as if she knows that Senpai also had bad intentions. I''m going to ...... put him and Amako to bed apart afterwards.


    What were you talking about?


    About tomorrow, I guess.


    I should not talk about the discrimination against subhumans, so I will explain it lightly while omitting it. Well, I think you got the gist of what I was talking about since I explained it really simply.


    "Do you remember Usato? He said I''ve been to Lucvis."


    "Hmm? I remember. As I recall, ...... a beastie who goes there hid me, right?"


    "Was that so?"


    Mr. Arque looked at Amako with some surprise in his eyes and she nodded her head.


    "I don''t know if he''s still there or not, but ...... when you''re done with Usato''s business, can I go see him?"


    "Me too?"


    "...... yeah."


    Me too. ....... What if he looks scary? No, I don''t think it''ll be more than Rose, but it''ll still be heartbreaking. But I guess, since he is a beastman living in Lucvis, which is not so safe for subhumans, he must be reasonably strong and can use special magic like Amaco.


    Well, we''ll have to ask permission first.


    "Is it okay if I go? Mr. Aruk."


    "I''m sure you''ll be fine. After we give them the letter, we will have to stay, albeit temporarily, until a decision is made, so we will have plenty of time. We may get a little held up, but if that''s OK with you, we''ll be at ......."


    "I can totally wait."


    "Then that won''t be a problem."


    I look at her sideways as she holds her knee happily, perhaps because she might see an old friend. She has been living away from her own people for a long time now. It must have been hell before she came to Sarla''s place.


    When I was Amako''s age, I was a wimpy little boy who cried when I wouldn''t go on a trip.


    I laugh, comparing myself as a small child with Amako next to me.


    "I''m getting sleepy now. ......"


    Perhaps I feel somewhat better after having exchanged a few words with Mr. Aruk, and I am getting sleepy. I was thinking that I could stay up all night, but as I was getting up to go to sleep, Aruk-san, who was standing in front of me, called out to me as if to stop me.


    Look next to me, Usato-dono.


    "Next door?"


    I was so lost in my thoughts that I did not notice that Amako, who was standing next to me, was lying on her knees, breathing a small sleep. She was asleep, but before I knew it, she was holding the hem of my dress, so I guessed that Mr. Aruk must have noticed and stopped her so as not to wake her up.


    "I guess she feels safest around you, after all."


    "I see. ...... Well, I guess I''ll sleep here. What about you, Aruk?"


    "I''ll be changing watch in a little while, so ...... you''re going to sleep sitting up?"


    I''m used to it. I''ll be fine.


    When I was in the forest, I didn''t lie down so that I could escape at any time if I was attacked by a demon, and I''ve become quite comfortable with this. ...... I''m not a very good sleeper, though. I lay down Amako, who was still sleeping sitting up, and put on the dumplings I had folded near her.


    "Well, I''ll look forward to seeing you tomorrow.


    "My pleasure."


    After exchanging words with Mr. Aruk, I think about how long it''s been since I slept outside and meditate on something rather silly, and then close my eyes. I guess I was too tired to realize it, and my consciousness gradually faded away more easily than I had expected.


    I was tired beyond my awareness, and my consciousness was slowly fading away.


    "---kun."


    Someone is calling my name.


    I wonder who is calling my name. I open my eyes in a deep sleep. I wonder how long I''ve been lying there, though I''m sure I fell asleep sitting up with Amako, who had fallen asleep in front of the fire. And my head is wrapped in something soft like a pillow.


    "Hey, Usato-kun."


    "Hmm."


    I see someone peering at me with a head that doesn''t work.


    Even my brain, which is not working well, could recognize the person immediately.


    "Oh ...... what is it ...... Inukami-senpai?"


    "Hey, hey, you could have given me a more innocent reaction to a knee pillow!


    I get up from my senpai''s lap and look outside. It is quite bright, and it seems that I have overslept. I look around the coach and see that everyone is already awake except for Amako, who went to bed at the same time as me, and greets me when I wake up.


    "Did you bring me here, Kazuki?"


    "Hmm? Yeah, but you don''t have to thank me. It was a little heavy, but it didn''t take that long."


    Even so, I can''t believe I slept through the night. I guess it''s different to rest in the company of people you can trust. When I was staying at the rescue team, I was living under the unspoken understanding that oversleeping was not allowed, so it has been a while since I slept and woke up with such a relaxed mind.


    "Usato, do something about your senpai, will you?


    "Inukami-senpai?"


    Kazuki looks from Kazuki, who smiles bitterly, to his senpai.


    Sure enough, he was stroking Amako''s head, who was sleeping on the opposite side of the room from me, as if he was unfaithful to me.


    "That''s so rude, isn''t it? You can''t get aroused by a beautiful girl falling on your lap.


    "Because I can see your soul, and I feel it''s too bad that you call yourself a beautiful girl. ......"


    Well, to be honest, she is an exceptionally beautiful girl.


    And if you ask me if I was happy when she fell on her knees, I will answer loudly that I was happy. But I''m not the kind of fish that would be caught by a blind fishhook.


    "But Amako was telling me that she couldn''t sleep because you were hugging her."


    "Ugh, it can''t be helped that he''s cute!"


    "You don''t even have an excuse. ......... Well, don''t be so unfaithful. I''m not saying I wasn''t happy either. Maybe."


    He clears his throat and removes his hand from Amako''s, as if my words had put him in a better mood.


    "You''re not being honest at all, are you? Usato-kun.


    "Usato is surprisingly twisted, you know."


    You two are too honest. I''m the normal one."


    When I said that, they all said the same thing, "That''s not true. Hmmm...are they saying that my sensibilities are not normal?


    "I can''t help but feel a little uncomfortable that Usato-sama is normal.


    "Even Mr. Welshy is at ......."


    Mr. Welsey, who had just been looking over the letter, looks up with a wry smile on his face and says so. If Amako were awake right now, she''d be all over me for not being normal.


    Now I sit deep in my chair, as if I''m being unfaithful, and do the exercise to manipulate the concentration of magic that Rose told me to practice.


    "It''s still not normal," she says.


    "No, it''s not that hard, is it? This."


    Ms. Welsey is still saying that to me as usual. She says this every time I do this exercise. She says it''s not something someone who''s only been practicing magic for a few months would do. But it''s not that hard.


    Anyone can do it if they know how. Ms. Welshy then tells me that .......


    "That''s why I''m telling you. It''s a dangerous practice even if it''s easy, because if you''re not good at it, your hands will get shredded by the outburst of uncontrollable magic. It''s a good thing I''m a healing magician. ....... You should do such a thing after you learn to handle magic better..."


    I feel my smile tug at Mr. Welshy as he spits out words one after another like a sermon, and I manipulate the density of the magic power.


    The original light green color changes to a slightly less pigmented green than that of Ms. Olga, and then returns to the original color repeatedly. To be honest, I don''t really feel it because I can''t see any visible results, but Mr. Welshy says that I''m doing pretty well.


    "I wonder if I can do it, too. ......"


    "The seniors are a bit lax in some areas, so you shouldn''t ......"


    "It won''t be a problem if we have Usato-kun, right?"


    No, no, no, I''m saying this as a matter of course, but I''m too occupied with myself and if my senpai learns it easily, I''ll never recover from it.


    Also, I genuinely don''t want my senpai to do anything dangerous. I didn''t react so much because I''m used to it, but when my hand was cut by a burst of magic power, it hurt a lot.


    I''m not sure if the older student, who was a high school girl at one point in her life, would be able to endure it.


    "No! Suzune-sama!


    "That''s good, Welshy. I''m sure you think so too, Kazuki."


    "Well, ...... I''m interested, but if Usato is stopping me, I might as well not do it."


    I still think Kazuki has too much trust in me ...... which is not a bad thing. I wish we had gotten to know each other sooner in the old world. I''m really sorry I''ve been thinking every day that you should explode.


    "Mmmm, I don''t want to annoy you too much, Usato-kun."


    I can''t tell you how much trouble I''m already in.


    I let out a light sigh at my senpai, who has grown more mature after all this time.


    ......I was wondering how long I''ve been asleep? I was told I''d be in Luxvis by the end of the day. .......


    "Speaking of which, how much longer?"


    "In Lukvis? From the ...... progress we''ve made, it looks like we''ll get there about the time the ...... sun is just above us."


    If so, I''d say we''re about an hour away. I don''t know, there are no clocks in this world.


    There''s the student town, the subhuman relations, the lineage magic, and Amaco''s acquaintance, but ...... in a way, the thing I''m most concerned about is-- --.


    "The Healing Wizard of Lucvis."


    That''s all there is to it.

 50 - 49th episode

    After about a week of uneasy ride in the carriage, we arrived at Lucvis without any trouble thanks to Amaco''s foresight. No, we were attacked by monsters, but Mr. Welshy told us that the encounter rate was totally different.


    Well, it is partly because of the presence of Bulrin, who is a strong member of his race, but still, Amako''s magic was too useful.


    We arrived at the gate of Lucvis, and I looked out of the window of the carriage to see the whole view of the big gate.


    "It''s beautiful. ......"


    While the gates of the Lingle Kingdom looked old and solid, this one is a gorgeous gate with a black base color and colorful decorations. The magic circle-like engravings on the gate suggest that it may be more than just a gate. It may not be what it seems. .......


    "It feels like a school."


    "It''s not at all like what we used to go to, though..."


    "That''s true."


    Kazuki, who also looked out the window at the castle gate, nodded.


    Now Welshy and the guards are talking to the gate guard to let us through, but we''ll have to be careful once we get in. We''re here with the Lingle Kingdom on our shoulders, and we can''t afford to get ourselves in trouble.


    "Senpai, please be careful. Don''t ever start a fight with them, okay?


    "Well, ...... I''m a former student body president who took discipline very seriously, so I wouldn''t do something like that ...... like a street riot...don''t you trust me that much?"


    "That''s because I''m the former student body president."


    A senior with a strong sense of justice would jump in if he saw a student being persecuted.


    I admire that kind of belief.


    "Amako also wears the cloak I just gave you, okay? And don''t move your tail as much as possible."


    Don''t worry, I''m used to it.


    Amaco is deeply clad in a white cloak of the same shade as mine. She will not go to the castle, but wait in the carriage with Mr. Aruk and the others. She is waiting in the carriage with Mr. Alc and the others, because she feels safer with them than with us, who are on an important mission and cannot be free.


    We are going with Mr. Welshy, Kazuki, senpai, and myself.


    "I have your permission, we''re going into Lukvis!


    The carriage starts running again as soon as Ms. Welsey''s cheerful voice is heard from outside. At the same time, the huge gate rises upwards, revealing the inside of the city.


    Buildings stand in a row.


    They vary in size from large to small, but all of them exude an air of purity, as if they were white and school-like. The buildings are not like the buildings in my world, but are more like Western architecture.


    The overall impression is similar to that of the streets of the Lingle Kingdom, with straight avenues and roads between the buildings.


    Stalls are open like in the Kingdom of Lingle. But the vendors are children of the same age, dressed in robes as if they were in uniform. Most of the people walking down the street are dressed the same way.


    Adults were only a few in number, and it was quite an odd sight.


    "This is the magical city of ......."


    To be honest, I had not expected a place where children were given so much freedom. I thought a school would be built on a certain amount of rules like in the original world, but this place is more like a college than a high school.


    "We can''t have horse-drawn carriages running around town, so we''ll have to walk from here."


    "Ah, yes. ...... What about Bullein?"


    The Blue Grizzly will take you and your horse to the stables. His presence would attract too much attention.


    Well, I''m glad I didn''t take him to the city and scare him off. With relief, we follow Mr. Welsey''s directions and get out of the carriage. The luggage can be left in the wagon for now ....... The knight will be on guard so we don''t have to worry about them being stolen.


    "But still ......"


    I don''t like the way you''re looking at me.


    We are still near the inside of the gate, and already kids who look like students are gathering around, looking curious. They are all wearing dark robes ......, but I can''t see any other attire. I feel out of place in my white trousers. .......


    "...... hmm?"


    "What''s up? Usato ......"


    "No, just ......."


    There was a boy among them, staring at me. He was staring at me with eyes as if he were avenging his parents, and his robe was somewhat soot-stained.


    However, it is an everyday occurrence for me to be stared at with that level of power. I was not particularly afraid of him, and when I met his eyes, he shivered and ran away quickly.


    "Kazuki, do you think I ...... have bad eyesight?"


    When I asked Kazuki about it, he looked at me with a puzzled look and said, "I''ve become more frightened or more dignified.


    I thought I was at the furthest place from being dignified, but I was a little happy to hear Kazuki say so.


    "Dignified, huh? I was told I was timid, but to be told such a thing is ...... moving. ......"


    Next to me, Amako is muttering "......... when I''m scared, I''m really scared," but I can''t hear her at all.


    As I was shaking with emotion, Mr. Welshy stood in front of us and pointed across the main street. At the end of the street, we see the largest and most prominent building in the city.


    The destination is not far from here. The knights will wait here. We are on our way to give you the letter.


    "Yes, Amaco. Take good care of Brulin.


    "I''m not particularly worried, but be careful."


    She could at least be concerned about me. ...... No, it''s Amako''s words, in a way the most trustworthy, so maybe it''s her own way of giving me a pep talk.


    I told myself that, and after bowing to the knights who saw us off, we started walking down the main street with Welshie at the head of the group.


    "Our armor is strong and cheap! We are proud to sell it! This is the place to buy! Carl Guna Armor Store!"


    "The quality of the dried meat is second to none! Don''t underestimate them just because you''re a student!"


    "Sell me anything. In some cases, you can even barter!


    There really are a lot of different kinds of stores.


    I know it must be a lot of work for a kid to run a business, but I can''t help but marvel when I see kids younger than me calling out for help.


    "Kids who don''t have money at their disposal are working outside of class. It is the adult merchants who are in charge, but it is the many students who live here who work as their hands and feet.


    "Wow, that sounds like a part-time job."


    Interesting. Working alongside your studies is just like our world.


    I slow down a little so that I don''t fall behind Ms. Welshy, and look around the landscape of Luxembourg.


    I really don''t want to think that there is any discrimination in such a vibrant city. I see people on the street, or rather children of the same age, laughing and looking at the stalls, and I think to myself, "Is there no such thing in this country? I think.


    "What do your seniors think? You must be very interested in this kind of thing,......, eh?"


    I wonder what Kazuki and his senpai think about this place so far.


    Let''s ask them a few questions. ...... is that it?


    "Kazuki, Mr. Welshy, what about ...... senpai?"


    "What? Senpai? ...... that?"


    "If you''re Inukami-sama, there''s no ...... next door!"


    "...... can''t that guy just sit still a little bit!"


    <<>


    I look behind me, my cheeks twitching, to see my senpai who has been gone for less than ten minutes since we started walking, and I hear a small crowd and a familiar voice. I can''t see him, but I somehow guessed it.


    I silently turn my back to Kazuki and Ms. Welshy, whose cheeks are also twitching, and head toward the senpai who has attracted my attention.


    She is a beautiful girl, unfortunately, who is raising her voice with abnormally high tension.


    But still a disappointment. It has changed my image of her to a very bad one.


    Excuse me, that''s my companion! I''m sorry, but he''s with me!


    I weave my way through the crowd of robed onlookers and make my way to my senpai. He sighs as he weaves his way through the waves of people who have gathered to the point where he can no longer see what is in front of him.


    You really, really enjoy this world too much. You''re so unattached to your original world that it''s almost a wonder you''re still here. I think I''m pretty good at it too, but I''m not as good as you.


    A little later ......


    I finally made it to where I could see my senpai. She was looking around licking her eyes, holding up some kind of protective gear. ......... You''ve forgotten what you came to this country for!


    I keep her childish glee in my sights and speed up my steps a little ......, but perhaps I shouldn''t have done so, as I bump into one of the onlookers who suddenly interrupts me.


    "Oh, wow!"


    "Oh, I''m sorry!"


    I was feeling awkward inside when she fell down on her backside, but when I saw her slitted eyes looking up at me, I gulped.


    She looks up at me and gasps when she sees my long slits in her eyes. She has a robe over her head like a hood, so I can only see her face, but I guess she is wearing a cloak on such a sunny day, so that must be it. I thought I wouldn''t see him yet, but under the circumstances, I''ll pretend I don''t notice him.


    I don''t want to get into trouble at this stage. It''s not funny if I get into trouble and get kicked out before I hand over the letter.


    "...... are you okay?"


    The person who has collapsed takes my hand, though his slit eyes roll back in his head. The person who has fallen down takes my hand, though his slitted eyes roll back. Then he keeps his mouth shut for a moment as if he is satisfied with my whole body, and stands up slowly.


    "You''re an unusual person, aren''t you?


    "No, ...... unusual, no, he''s an unusual person. ......"


    I''m from another world. I''m from another world, and I''m a very unusual person for someone from this world. The man stood up, brushed the dust off his robe, took one look at my face, and held his hand out to the side as if to say, "Don''t worry.


    "You''re not hurt, you were just pushed.


    "Good, I''d really like to apologize, but I''m in a hurry right now. ......"


    I guess I should at least apologize, but now I have to go back to Mr. Welshy and Kazuki with my senpai who is frolicking like a child in front of me.


    I apologize again and go back to my senpai. .......


    "Wait!"


    With a crunch, I almost hear an onomatopoeic sound as my right arm is grabbed and I am pulled in as hard as I can.


    When I turned around, I found that the person whose eyes were sharper than ever in the cloak was sniffing my arm, which pulled my face close to it. I don''t mean to be lewd, but I felt something like anger or even murder, so much so that I couldn''t have such an impression.


    "---You smell like you know me.


    "...... what the hell is that?"


    For the sake of the trip, I can''t say that the men haven''t wiped themselves since yesterday.


    He is probably the one who is holding my arm...... or she, judging from his voice. The she is talking about is not the same thing. If there is a...


    "Don''t play dumb. ...... why do I smell like someone I know from you?"


    "...... hmm? Maybe you''re the one Amako was talking about who used to treat me so well..."


    As soon as he said that, his right arm was grabbed and squeezed like a vise. What power! It''s not as strong as Rose''s, but it''s strong enough. At least, not human strength.


    He pulls me to take him out of this place, but I can''t leave, so I put up a fight, and he sounds puzzled, and then begins to exude a swarthy air.


    "Ah! ...... not moving,...... I knew it, Amako is already ...... and now it''s me....... !


    "Wait, there''s been a huge misunderstanding. Let''s just calm down, okay?"


    "Can you calm down ......?"


    There''s some kind of weird misunderstanding. Specifically, I''ve become a total a**h*le to the person in front of me.


    Before I know it, I see her in front of me, her gauntleted left arm ready to draw from the cloak she wears. The onlookers around me must have noticed this, too, because they look at the gauntlet, let out an exclamation, and move away.


    Hey, help me, students!


    "Slave traders? Thieves? Or are they the famous ringleader''s tough-guy kidnappers?"


    I''m sorry, that last one''s probably my colleague.


    That''s a different kidnapper.


    Hey, really, calm down! I''m ...... a friend of Amaco''s!


    "Friends, that''s a convenient word for humans. ......


    "Yeah, yeah. ......"


    Before he can finish his words, the air around him gathers around his fists as his arms tighten. You can''t see it with your eyes ......, but you can hear a distinctive wind noise coming from his fist, and you notice it even if you don''t want to.


    This is not good. I try to break free from the grip on my right arm to escape, but the hand gripped like a vise can be moved, but it does not come off. He''s got more strength than me, but his grip is too strong.


    "Huh!


    A steel-wrapped fist is fired at the abdomen, as if swinging. As the fist is being unleashed, the cloak is pulled off her head, exposing her true face and the ears growing out of her head.


    Her brownish hair is tied back in a slicked-back bun, and her ears are pointed.


    I feel a little irrational at the anger on her handsome face, which still has a childish appearance, but I accept her fist with my free hand.


    "Mmm."


    A fist strikes, and a shock pierces my palm.


    A month ago, I would have fainted in agony for a few seconds. ....... But now that I have endured the hell of sandbag training, a blow of this magnitude is still not strong enough to cause me to faint in agony.


    A few moments after the direct hit, a blade-like object came out from the fist and sliced the hand that caught the fist.


    "Ouch!


    Fresh blood splatters from his palm ......, but he immediately closes the wound with healing magic. It feels as if you have been cut by a sharp blade, but the healing magic heals faster than a shallow cut on the skin.


    "You ...... catch ...... it, no, it''s healed? You''re not human ......!"


    "I''m a human being!"


    That''s really rude! I''m still human! The real monster is an irrational demon king named Rose!


    He seemed to be creeped out by the fact that I was standing upright without changing my color as I received the fist, and his expression colored with anger and a little fear, he let go of my right arm and moved backward to look at me with his fist ready.


    "............, I''m too conspicuous here. ......"


    She seemed to have noticed the eyes on her, and she looked as if she was biting down on a bitter bug.


    She put her hood back on deeply, glared at me and said, "I remember your face," and ran to the back alley.


    "...... want to follow?"


    I am confident that I could catch up with him if I wanted to. But it''s not a good position for me to be in, since I have the important task of handing over the letter.


    ...... I think I should not chase after them and report to Amaco later. He said he knew you, so you can ask him to clear up the misunderstanding. Or at worst, we could force him to talk us out of it.


    "I don''t know if this is good news for me, but it''s good news for Amaco."


    He even said he was the one who treated me well.


    ...... I''m sorry you''re getting so much attention. For some reason, I shake off the blood on my hands and walk up to my senpai, who still hasn''t cooled down from the excitement, and call out to him, though he looks at me rudely as if I''m some kind of monster.


    Wow, this person didn''t notice me at all. Kazuki and the others probably didn''t see me, but I hoped this person who was nearby would have noticed me.


    "Senpai!"


    "Hmm, Usato-kun, just in time. Look at this. I didn''t expect it to be so elaborately made."


    "Senpai."


    "Well, I''ve been using a sword, but I''ve also been trying to use a bow and ............ wow, okay, I''ll go ...... so just keep a blank stare on your face. Stop looking at me ......."


    He put his armor back in his hand and walked silently behind me to Mr. Welshy and Kazuki.


    Fortunately, the commotion earlier seemed to have been lost in the crowd and neither Mr. Welshy nor Kazuki saw the exchange between me and the girl who looked like a beastman. I was glad that neither Mr. Welshy nor Kazuki saw the exchange between me and the girl who looked like a beastman, since I was going to give them a letter now and it would be bad for them to know that I had been harmed by one of their students.


    "I brought her to you. ......"


    "Inukami-sama, ...... you should be aware that you have been entrusted with a somewhat more serious task. ......"


    "Oh, no, I''m sorry, I''m sorry. I couldn''t help it."


    "Don''t bother us too much, ...... you were the chairman of the board even if you are not. ...... Usato, are you all right?"


    "I''m fine, I''m a little tired, but it was nothing more than bringing ...... senpai."


    We walked again, watching the exchange between Kazuki, who looked stunned, and Inukami-senpai, who looked shocked.


    We got into trouble as soon as we arrived in Lukvis, so I''ll try not to say anything unnecessary next time.


    After a dozen minutes of walking again, we finally arrived at our destination, a large white building. The more we looked at it, the bigger it was, but it did not look like a castle like in the Kingdom of Lingle, but more like a school building.


    "Is this the ......?"


    Yes, this is the center of Luxvis. This is the Magic City... the Magic Academy of Lukvis.


    This is the first place to hand over the letter. To be honest, I was a bit nervous because this place exceeded my expectations.


    The quizzical glances I see around me from students are also a bit painful. I hear voices like "What''s up with these guys" and "There''s a guy with a low profile. ......Yes,......You are so right, I can''t argue with you. .......


    Can you let me in?


    "Yes, when I came here, I asked the guards to give me a message. ......"


    "You mean they''re coming to meet us at ......?"


    I wonder how they will treat us. There is a possibility that they will treat us roughly, but we are emissaries from a neighboring country. I hope they will treat us moderately, not too generously...


    "That''s a nice outfit you''re wearing."


    "Whoa!


    The voice that blows like a whisper in your ear startles you. You jump away from the room with a creepy feeling that you have never experienced before.


    Did Inukami-senpai commit another murderous act?¡¡No, it was a different voice. I turned toward the voice, and there was a gray-haired boy, slightly shorter than me, with a soft smile on his face.


    "Well, ...... I''m sorry to have startled you. Are you the messengers from the Kingdom of Lingle?


    Yes, yes. Yes, yes. Then you must be ......."


    "Yes, my name is Halfa, and I was guided here by the headmaster of the school.


    He flipped his black robe and bowed reverently. ......Halfa......? I thought he was a boy, but he has a neutral face and is taller than I am, if not shorter. Moreover, the robe covering his body makes it hard to tell him apart.


    ......No, it''s more puzzling that I couldn''t even notice that he was close to my ear. I''m not so relaxed in a place I''m visiting for the first time, no matter how many people are around me.


    At least I''m not just a guide. .......


    "......Usato,...... if he were a boy, he''d be a boy''s girl!"


    "Sir, I''m losing my cool right now. Please be quiet for a while.


    "More harsh than ever!"


    This guy needs to understand the meaning of the word "mature" a little bit before we can have a conversation. .......


    I followed Mr. Halfa, who began walking ahead of me and showing me around, into the school. Inside is a sunlit plaza, with the school buildings lined up around the plaza.


    There, students in robes are spending their time reading books, talking, and practicing magic. The school scene that Inukami-senpai and I ...... probably had in our minds'' eye was spreading across our field of vision.


    "Wow ......"


    It is just as I imagined it would be, the daily life of a magical school.


    Fantastic, vibrant, or should I say ...... youthful, am I an old man or what?


    "You seem to be interested in them."


    Mr. Halfa, who was walking in front of us, called out to us. His voice did not have the same clingy quality as when he whispered in my ear.


    "It''s not something we''re used to. I''m sorry if I was rude."


    No, no, it''s not impolite. You are more than welcome. They must be proud to be of interest to people like you.


    Halfa''s casual words.


    At his words, the senior''s eyes narrowed slightly and Kazuki and Ms. Welshy rolled their eyes in surprise.


    I was not so surprised.


    Because it was Kazuki and Senpai.


    "Did the dean tell you about us?"


    "No, but I knew from the way he carried himself and the flow of his magic that he was no ordinary man ...... and--"


    He spun around, turned around, looked at me, and quickly pointed a raised finger toward my body.


    I wondered if there was something behind me. ...... I turned around and saw no one.


    ...... me? No, I have only a little more magic than normal, and I have a single outstanding strain of magic, healing magic, which may or may not be a strong point for a wizard.


    The only thing that stands out about me is my uniform, which is the proof that I am a member of the Lifeguard Corps.


    "The Lingle Kingdom Rescue Mission, heretic healing wizard in white, the second of the two.


    "Oh, you know me? Heresy is more like ...... than ......."


    Heresy...... would be.


    I can heal wounds, but the way I use it is very different from the way I use ...... No, Rose''s healing magic is used in a crazy way, so to speak: breaking my body, healing it, breaking it, healing it, and repeating the process. It is this repetition that has made me the person I am today.


    Well, I admit that I am not normal.


    But I didn''t think it was really transmitted to other countries. In fact, from what I''ve heard, the rumors about healing magic are just unbelievable. .......


    "Actually, I didn''t believe them until I saw them with my own eyes. I didn''t believe it until I saw it with my own eyes. But ...... what you may have in terms of magic power compared to the other two, you make up for it with your surprisingly natural and flawless distribution of magic power all over your body. This is no ordinary feat.


    "[You can] see magic?"


    Pointing to his own eyes, he nodded to Welshy''s words.


    What is "demon''s eyesight"?


    "Magic vision is a kind of magic eye, a kind of rare system of magic like Usato-sama''s that can see the magic flowing and drifting in living things and the atmosphere.


    "So you know who we are. ......"


    I''m good at seeing the flow of magic ...... but if it''s the same type of systemic magic as mine, then, conversely, that''s all you can do, isn''t it? It''s too early to draw ............ conclusions. I have a feeling that this person should not be trusted in the usual way.


    "......Well, well, let''s hurry up a bit. I can''t be late since I''ve been asked by the headmaster to show you around.


    He took a glance at senpai, Kazuki, and me in turn, smiled slightly, and started walking in the front again.


    His steps are somewhat light, but I still can''t ...... get rid of my anxiety.


    "Usato-kun."


    The senior taps his shoulder with a finger and turns him to face me.


    I look at Mr. Halfa walking in front of me, but my attention turns to the senior student next to me.


    "He''s wearing a catsuit, isn''t he? I don''t like it.


    "Is that what you call homophobia? ...... makes sense."


    "I''m not wearing it right now!"


    I replied in a flirtatious manner and got a rather shocking answer.......What, you mean that you used to wear a cat before?


    No,...... I think about it, now that I talk to him casually, but I never talked to him or saw him in my previous world.


    Back then, he was a real, real high profile person. ...... Now he''s this friendly and unfortunate.


    I think I like her better this way.


    "Hmm, what did you say, Usato-kun?"


    "It''s nothing. Please look forward.


    Before I knew it, the students were out of sight, and only our footsteps echoed in the hallway.


    I was thinking that this place is as big as a castle in the Kingdom of Lingle when Mr. Halfa, who was walking in the front, stopped.


    This is the headmaster''s office.


    Then he turns to the door, taps it with his hand, and says simply, "Mr. Dean, I have brought you here. After a few seconds or so, he responds with a rather stilted "", and Mr. Halfa smiles at me and opens the door. The headmaster''s room was revealed.


    Stepping into the room, the first thing I saw was a dazzling gold color.


    The woman sitting comfortably in the chair, who exceeded my expectations of her aged appearance, gave us a friendly smile as if she were welcoming a friend who has been with us for 10 years...


    "Welcome to Lucvis. I welcome you all."


    ---He said so.

 51 - the 50th episode

    You are being watched.


    That was my first thought the moment I was exposed to the gaze of the woman in front of me.


    She looked at Mr. Halfa, who was standing in front of the door behind us, with a mild expression on her face against the light, and said words of thanks in a gentle voice that sounded like a bell ringing.


    "Thank you for your hard work. Halfa."


    "Yes. I''ll be outside."


    He bows and leaves, taking a glance at Mr. Halfa before looking again at the woman who seems to be the head of the school. ......I don''t mean to be malicious, but she is interested in me. The interest is not in me, but in the two people next to me, Inukami-senpai and Kazuki.


    Feeling somewhat uncomfortable with the woman who smiles at me cheerfully, I turn my attention to Ms. Welshy who takes a step forward.


    The woman looked at her as she stepped forward, and the corners of her mouth relaxed as if she missed her.


    "I''m sorry for the unexpected visit. And it''s been a long time, Dean Gladys."


    "It''s been so long. It''s nice to see you, Welshy, if you don''t mind introducing me to the girls in the back."


    Of course. Good day, ladies and gentlemen.


    Ms. Welsey takes a step to the side at the urging of a woman called Gladys. She is either a familiar face, or perhaps it is strange that she, an expert in magic, has nothing to do with a place that fosters magic.


    We three open our mouths to introduce ourselves to each other, somehow knowing that the two of us know each other.


    "Inukami Suzune, it''s a pleasure to meet you.


    My name is Ryusen Kazuki.


    My name is Ken Usato.


    "...... You are a very talented bunch of kids. My name is Ira Gladys, and I''m in charge here at Lucvis.


    The woman who looked over at us with a nod of admiration at the divider, Ira Gladys.


    She was the one who ruled the city from the academy to the city. She looks a little older than Rose.


    "So, you''re not here just to say hello, are you?"


    Of course. I came here today to inform you about the crisis that is looming on this continent ......."


    He takes the letter from his pocket and carefully hands it to Ms. Gladys.


    She opens it quietly and looks it over.


    It may seem like a quick and easy thing to say, but this is a school where children attend.


    So the letter is not asking for help in the battle, but for a certain amount of support, but I wonder if it will be perceived in a negative way. If they take it as a draft, it will be a pain to explain. .......


    "........."


    After a few moments of silence, when the sound of the paper being snatched was heard rather loudly and I was just trembling with fear, Gladys-san let out a light sigh, leaned back in her chair and put down the letter in her hand.


    "I see, the demon king''s army. ...... I heard that the battle was won?"


    "It was a battle we were sure to lose. We won thanks to the efforts of the hero here, the healer here, and one other person, I would say."


    By "the other one," you mean Amako. I heard it would have been really bad without her...I must have crossed a dangerous bridge, really.


    "Huh......... I wonder if I can take it as a sign that Lloyd is serious when he sends us two brave men..."


    "Yes, I''ve learned the hard way that sending a letter that is nothing more than a letter is meaningless.


    "You''re reckless. Well, that''s one of his beauties.


    She slowly put the letter on the desk after reading most of it and folded her arms as if in distress, and looked at Kazuki and Inukami-senpai again.


    "If you know that he is a brave man, it makes sense that he is so well-trained. It''s only natural since they were selected from another world. And ...... the other guy, judging by his clothes, is he from her unit ......?"


    She looked at me somewhat quizzically, and I could sense that she thought I was out of place here. Of course, the two of us had the qualities of heroes who would be able to cause even natural disasters, while I had flawed healing magic, and I would not be appreciated unless I was skilled in seeing magic like Mr. Halfa whom I had just met.


    No, I''m far inferior to him in terms of qualities, so in a sense, he''s right.


    "He is a healing magician just like Master Rose and a person from another world just like the heroes, that''s why he is here.


    Gladys, who had guessed what Mr. Gladys was trying to say, explained about me as if Mr. Welshy was adding to her ......, but upon hearing the explanation, Gladys rolled her eyes and looked at my whole body.


    "I thought maybe you were wearing the same white clothes as her,...... but I see. I guess looks can be deceiving.


    ...... wait a minute.


    You seem to know something about Rose, but I don''t. I''m not the kind of devil who doesn''t raise an eyebrow when someone suffers, and I''m not the kind of person who is a doormat. People are not what they seem ...... because I am exactly what I seem.


    When I complained a bit about being perceived as unreasonable, Gladys''s expression turned even more grim and she was holding her forehead.


    "May I wait a little? I need time to discuss ...... my own decision if you show this much determination. Or are you traveling in a hurry?"


    No, we are only making a request, and you have the right to make the decision. So we will stay here until a formal decision is made.


    "Yes, we''ll arrange the accommodations for you. We can''t treat our guests so poorly."


    Thank you for your kindness.


    ...... Things are going surprisingly smoothly.


    The more they talk to me, the more room they give me, and they even arrange lodging for me. I wonder if my trip will go like this ....... The end goal is not a human-friendly place.


    "Well, I guess we''ll just have to wait and see."


    "Yeah, there''s nothing else to do."


    I whisper back to Kazuki''s words, relieved. It may take a little time, but everything is going well for now. He also introduced me to a place to stay, so all''s well that ends well.


    As I was feeling tired and nervous without realizing it, I saw Gladys muttering something to the shiny stone in her hand, and the next moment, Mr. Halfa, who was outside the room, came in with a greeting.


    "Well, ...... then, Halfa. May I ask you to help me find a place to stay and show me around?"


    "Leave it to me. Then please follow me.


    After bowing, he turns around with his shoulder-length gray hair swinging behind him and opens the double doors with light steps, motioning us to move outside. We bowed and were about to leave when Gladys''s smile deepened, as if an idea had just occurred to her.


    "Oh, by the way, would you like to take a look at our classes for a few days until the decision is made? I think you and your outstanding abilities will be an inspiration to the students here. Of course, you may refuse."


    Uh, that kind of suggestion strikes some people as....


    "Are you sure?


    "Suzune-sama!"


    As expected, the senpai bites, seemingly in delight, but Kazuki and I laugh. Gladys is also surprised by the unexpected bite.


    "Look, calm down, senpai. ...... I''m sorry, I''m not a patient person. It''s been hard work getting here. ......"


    "Oh, let go of me, Usato-kun! You''re a pushy ......, don''t you like it when you go all the way ......!"


    "Yes, yes."


    He grabs Inukami-senpai''s arm and pulls her closer to him. She seems to be saying something crazy as usual, but there is no need to know much about it. I don''t need to know too much about it, since I''m afraid that being here any longer might make me out to be the older one, and I''ll let Ms. Gladys still have the impression of being a polite person.


    It is better that way.


    "I beg your pardon then."


    With that, I pulled Inukami-senpai''s arm and left the room as if following Mr. Halfa. Kazuki and Mr. Welshy are looking at me as if they are seeing something amazing, but I guess it''s just my imagination. I''m sure it''s just my imagination.


    Mr. Halfa showed me to an inn, which is located just a stone''s throw away from the school.


    According to Mr. Halfa''s story as he was leaving, it seems that Gladys had taken the knights into consideration and had prepared a room for each of them.


    I''m glad that Aruk and the others can rest in peace ...... since they''ve been protecting us all along.


    I hope you can rest your body and mind in these few days.


    Now that we know where we are going to stay, let''s do what we need to do next.


    First of all, I have to fulfill the wish of my girlfriend who has been waiting for me the longest. I look at Senpai and Kazuki as they enter the inn, and I call out to Welshy-san, who is also about to enter the inn.


    "Ms. Welsey, I''ll tell Mr. Aruk and the others where we are. And ...... thank you for your help today on our behalf."


    I have to go see my friends at Amaco.


    I say this to Ms. Welshy, thinking to myself, and she smiles awkwardly and paws at her cheeks. I wondered why she looked so apologetic. ......


    "It''s no big deal. Usato-sama is in more trouble than I am. .........


    "I''ll be fine. And even though it''s hard, it''s a decision I made on my own, and it''s my way of repaying the Kingdom of Lingle for treating me so well."


    "...... Suzune-sama and Kazuki-sama said the same thing: ......"


    She said this with an apologetic expression on her face, and I finally understood that she was upset that Mr. Welshy had summoned us.


    ......We have already come to a conclusion about what we summoned her to do. Neither I nor Kazuki nor Inukami-senpai nor anyone else in Lingle Kingdom has any grudge against anyone. We had to summon them, and they treated us better than that.


    "I am happy to have met Mr. Welshy and many other people. I got along very well with a nice guy like Kazuki and a beautiful person like Inukami-senpai. That''s enough for me."


    "You shouldn''t say that in front of ...... Suzune-sama."


    Yes, that''s right, so this is a private conversation.


    "Hmph, I understand."


    Ms. Welshy''s voice does not sound as gloomy as it did a few minutes ago, when she said this with a smile that had been awkward.


    I''m glad you''re feeling better, but I really don''t want you to tell my senpai that what I said earlier was too harsh even for me. I sound like a playboy now.


    "Well, ......, I''m off then."


    "Yes, go ahead."


    In a complete change from the imposing attitude I had displayed earlier, I turn my back on Ms. Welsey and start walking away. I shouldn''t be following a beautiful woman, which is out of character for me. I feel embarrassed right afterwards.


    Feeling a little heat on my face, I walk back the way I came from the gate.


    It''s almost dusk, and the street is less popular than it was in the daytime, so it''s a little less lively than in the daytime.


    "Hmm?"


    A group of people in robes enter an alley. Among them is the boy who was staring at me like an enemy of his parents when I arrived here.


    I can''t read his expression because he is lying on his head, but I know he is not the only one.


    "......"


    ......I was curious and peeked at the end of the alley he turned down, and saw a group of people in robes playing like children with magic coming out of their palms. The boy only watched the magic flying around with a blank expression on his face, but there was nothing else funny about it.


    Except for the magic flying around, it was the same kind of park scene we have seen in our world.


    "...... Is it my imagination?"


    I was getting ready to think that maybe I was being bullied or something, but it seems that it was just an unwanted concern. Maybe I''ve been a little too nervous since that beastman attacked me.


    Since there is nothing to be done by staying here any longer, I turn back to the main street and walk towards the gate.


    I walk back to the main street and towards the gate. ...... The girl who just came in had a robe full of soot, unlike the others. The other girls, who were the same age or older than Amako, had clean robes. I don''t know what to say about that, but I don''t know why it bothers me so much.


    It''s like something is stuck in my teeth.


    I''m not sure if I should mention ...... the girl who was staring at me with such resentment. I don''t want to get in trouble for being a jerk, and I don''t want to get into a situation where I have to shut her up, like Rose said.


    "Whoa."


    In the meantime, we arrived near the gate.


    I walk up to the stables where the carriages are and find Aruk-san and Amako and the others. I wave my hand in the direction of the stables, relieved to see that Bulrin is also quiet.


    "Usato-dono!"


    Aruk-san noticed us and waved to us.


    ...... Let''s get the story together in our heads so we can talk about today''s events while we still can.


    "---Oh, I see, an inn in front of the school. I know that place."


    I had nothing to explain, surprisingly.


    I was able to hand over the letter without any trouble, but they said it would take some time, which meant that they had decided where we would all be staying in the meantime.


    When I explained this with a glance at Amako who was standing next to me, Aruk-san folded his arms for a moment and smiled after a moment of hesitation.


    "You don''t have to worry about us. The inn that Usato-sama mentioned is in a familiar place to me, so I don''t need to show you the way. So please go with Amako to her friend''s place. If you haven''t seen your friend in a while, you will want to see him as soon as possible, won''t you?"


    "Mr. Aruk, ...... look, Amako also thanked Mr. Aruk."


    "Thank you ......, Mr. Alc,"


    Amako, you can call me "sir" too, okay? I''m older than you, by the way.


    I was about to whisper a few words, but Amako turned to me before I could say anything.


    "It''s kind of embarrassing to call you ''san'', Usato.


    "Hey, what do you mean by that?"


    It seems to me that he said this because he had foreseen it, but did he mean it in terms of likability? Or do you mean that you don''t like it when people call me "Ms."? ...... wait, my thinking is getting more senior, calm down me, what you need to do now is to go meet Amako''s friends.


    I''ll leave a couple of guards here with you, so if something goes wrong, you can ask them to pass the word on. We''ll take care of the rest in Bulgaria.


    "Thank you for everything at ....... So let''s take Mr. Aruk at his word, Amaco.


    "Yes, this way then."


    I knew that Mr. Aruk is a dependable, capable man.


    After saying goodbye to Mr. Aruk for the time being, Amako takes my hand and we walk into the city. Amako is also in a good mood, and we can see her tail, which is hidden by a white cloak, wagging.


    ...... but there is something I have to tell Amako.


    About the beastman who was attacked during the day.


    "Uh, Amako, there''s something I need to tell you before we go to your friend''s place. ......"


    They live close by, so we''ll be there soon. I want to introduce you to Usato as soon as possible."


    "No, I mean ......"


    They are so happy, I can''t even stop them. What am I going to do? I''m making a terrible first impression. If the person I''m about to meet is the one who hit me during the day, I might be attacked the moment I see him.


    As I agonize over what to do, I realize that before I know it, I''ve turned from a wide street into a narrow alley, and the street has suddenly darkened, and I''m scared.


    "Here."


    In front of me was a battered house with pale light leaking through the windows. The structure seems solid enough not to collapse, but the dark atmosphere gives an eerie feeling. It was like a conversion from Western architecture to a rundown Japanese property.


    I wonder if people really live here.


    "For us, this kind of place is more convenient to live in."


    "Oh, I see."


    No one would think of going to such a dingy, eerie place. The location and appearance anticipate this.


    ...... but it''s bad for me to be unpopular right now.


    It''s because there is a possibility that my girlfriend, who was obviously not serious during the day, will go all out to attack me.


    "......Amako, I''ll be here, enjoy your private reunion. I''m just happy to see you happy."


    "What are you talking about? Usato is going to meet him too. I don''t ...... make excuses...... don''t mind if Usato is with me...... he''s not in the way...... weird What are you hiding, Usato?"


    "...... You are a surprisingly natural conversationalist and conversation destroyer. I think you got everything I was trying to say."


    They understand the conversation that is about to take place. It''s easy because it saves me the trouble of talking, usually. Oh, the fact that she knows what I''m going to say next and squashes my excuses makes me realize that I''ll never win an argument with this girl.


    Foreknowledge is too useful, I wish I could use foreknowledge magic to ...... Rose, my body doesn''t react to it.


    "Huh, okay, I''ll talk ...... about it."


    I told Amaco what happened during the day.


    When I told him about the ears and the hair, he said that he was the one I wanted to meet and held his head in his hands. Then he was again taken aback by the fact that I had caught his fist.


    How many times do I have to be pulled away by you?


    "I understand. Stay behind me, Usato, and I''ll clear up the misunderstanding.


    "What kind of person would I be to give a younger girl trouble ......?"


    She stands in front of me with a sigh and knocks on the door of the old house.


    ...... But there was no response, and just as I thought there was no response, Amako, who was standing in front of the door, suddenly jerked and jumped to the side without telling me anything.


    ...... to? Why did you jump--


    "You tracked me here, you monster... ----!


    "Ah ...... I see. ......"


    Just as Amako jumped back next to the door, the door was kicked down and someone with a broom attacked me. I was dismayed to hear the familiar voice and see a cleaning tool being swung down at me, but I cast a healing spell.


    Just after Amako flew to the side, the door was kicked down, and the beastman''s girlfriend jumped in to slam her broom into me without pause. I can see the anger in her slitted eyes, which tells me that she is not in a state to listen to me like she did during the daytime.


    So Amako saw this coming and flew to the side.


    Yeah, this is dangerous. But I wish he would have at least said something.


    "Huh. ......"


    He takes a step back and moves away from the broom swinging down at him, ducking to the side. The other party seems to be in a state of excitement. pointed at me.


    "I don''t know what kind of monster you are, but I''m not going to let you mess with my friends here!


    "Wait, first of all, I have a correction. I''m human. I don''t like it when people say I''m a monster, a monster, a monster, because it makes me feel like one.


    "A self-regenerating humanoid ogre would be anything but a monster! And you say you''re human! Don''t be ridiculous! I can tell the difference between a person and a monster!


    "...... There are some things you can say and some things you can''t say. You can''t ever tell someone about an ogre or anything like that, okay? If it weren''t for me, you''d be in big trouble, wouldn''t you?"


    What kind of creature is a self-regenerating humanoid ogre? Even I''m not sure what kind of creature that is, but I''m pissed.


    Amako, please clear up the misunderstanding. ...... Why are you scared to look me in the face? Why is the beastman in front of you stepping back as if he had seen something terrible?


    I couldn''t be calmer.


    I don''t know if I can get help from Amaco. But she''s not going to listen to me in her current state of excitement, even if I mention Amako. It would just add fuel to the fire.


    Then I''ll have to handle this situation on my own. ......


    I''ll just have to try to get her to listen to me. ......


    He concentrates the healing magic in his fist while spreading the healing magic thinly over his body. I''ll use my secret technique, the healing punch, a punch filled with kindness that won''t leave any injuries, to make him quiet and then get him to listen to me.


    This is the perfect technique for me, as it is a great way to incapacitate my opponent with no lasting effects.


    "Woo ......"


    "......¥Ã"


    For some reason, my opponent has taken another step back, but I can''t let the stalemate continue, so I''m going to break his broom and hit him first.


    "Let''s go! ......"


    He leaps forward, stamping his foot as hard as he can to close the distance at once. He closes the distance to her in front of him at once and raises his fist with magical power...


    "Usato, stop!


    !"


    Amaco interrupts me as I jump out of the car. Surprised by the sudden interruption, I obey her voice and slam my foot down on the ground and apply the brakes. She looks up at me as I come to a stop in front of Amako and holds up both palms in front of her as if to admonish me.


    "No, Usato."


    "No, ...... I was just trying to get him to calm down for now."


    "No matter how much it heals, it doesn''t, it''s still heartbreaking."


    I wonder what I look like to Amako. I can''t and won''t do anything traumatic.


    "......I''m really afraid of not being aware of it."


    "Hmm?"


    "It''s nothing. I''ll take care of the rest."


    ...... Well, now that Amako is out, let''s leave the rest to her. Thanks to Amako''s intervention, the beastmen have finally calmed down.


    "...... that voice...... is Amako?


    The girl in the back of the room looked stunned by the voice coming from the girl hiding behind the hood, and dropped the broom in her hand to the ground.


    "Long time no see, Kiriha."


    Meanwhile, Amako slowly removed the hood of her cloak when she heard her name called.


    She called out her friend''s name nostalgically, revealing golden hair and triangular ears reminiscent of a fox, then took one look at me and spoke words of reassurance to the girl called Kiriha.


    "This person is not an enemy. ...... after all, a human being."


    ............Hey, what do you mean "just in case"?

 52 - the 51st episode

    "Sorry! I was wrong!


    I was finally able to clear up the misunderstanding of the girl called Kiriha, but what happened after that was very difficult. She blamed herself for having attacked me, even though it was a misunderstanding.


    She blamed herself so hard for attacking me, even though it was a misunderstanding, that I might be able to help her mother.


    She is now on her knees, but it''s not comfortable for me at all. And I am surprised that the act of getting down on my knees exists in another world.


    "Don''t worry, Usato doesn''t mind. He''s a twisted but kind person.


    "But I''ve done a lot of terrible things. ......"


    "I know it''s too much to be cynical, but Amako is right, I don''t care anymore, you had your reasons. And as you can see, I''m unharmed."


    He crouched down in front of her on his knees and showed her the hand that had been cut off during the day. The magic has left no trace of the wound, so it remains clean. She raises her upper body, takes my hand, looks at it closely, and lets out a sigh of admiration.


    "It makes sense when you see it when you know it''s healing magic, but ...... a true wielder is this great ...... there''s no trace of it."


    "Do you know anyone besides me?"


    "As far as I''m concerned, I know people who don''t use it."


    As far as I''m concerned, if you don''t use ...... magic here, that''s a good thing. I''d ask for more details if I could, but since Kirija let go of my hand and raised her face, which had been downcast a moment ago, I''ll save that for later.


    The reason we are here is not to demand an apology. We''re here to take Amako to see her friends. So let''s cut this petty talk about whether or not I was attacked out of here.


    "Like I said, I don''t care anymore. I myself understand the public''s perception of animals. So I think it''s understandable that you might misunderstand me as a human and attack me as . ....... And I''ve been confusing you, too.


    I acted too rashly.


    I didn''t need to take that fist, and I should have used more words to make my case. I was greedy, wanting to test my strength that I had grown through training.


    I''m still a work in progress, and I''m still far from being the man Rose says I am.


    I''m still a work in progress, and I''m far from being the man Rose says I am. I was so scared of what he would ask for. I''m surprised Amako brought you here. He really is ...... a strange man."


    "My eyes are not deceiving me."


    "Surely there''s nothing wrong with Amaco''s eyes."


    She finally gets up and starts to brush the dust off her clothes and tail.


    She is dressed in a sober color instead of the robe she used to wear during the day, probably because she had been in the house earlier. The ears on her exposed head are visible, as is her tail.


    The tail is white all over and slightly brown at the end. ......It is neither a fox nor a dog, what kind of beastman is it? The wind blade looks like a scythe, so maybe a weasel? I can''t say for sure. I can''t introduce her to Inukami-senpai.


    Usato, it''s rude to look at me like that.


    "Ha-ha-ha, sorry, sorry."


    "You really are a strange person. Most people who see me look at me and they don''t like it."


    I''m not from this world.


    Besides, there are a lot of people in my world who like "chemomimi" and cute things like that, so there are probably fewer people who don''t like them.


    As I''m thinking about this nonsense, I notice that she finally stands up and holds out her hand to me. I look at her and see her scratching her cheeks in embarrassment.


    I wonder if Amako beside me urged me to shake her hand ......?


    A little embarrassed, he shook the proffered hand.


    ".........Yeah, I didn''t introduce myself. I''m Kiriha and I''m a senior at the school.


    I''m Usato, a healing wizard in the Lingle Kingdom''s lifeguard corps. Well, this is our handshake to make up.


    Now Amako can finally talk to Kiriha.


    "Oh, no. I was in the middle of making dinner. The guys who went out will be back soon, so ......... would you like to have dinner with us? I''d like to apologize for that."


    ---Just as I was about to say that, Kiriha spoke to me as if she had just remembered.


    "Dinner. ......"


    It''s a little early for me, but I might be out at ...... or at the inn. ....... It might be awkward for the people who live here who will be back soon, and Amako might be better off without me if she''s with her friends.


    "Um, ......, hmm?"


    When I tried to stop her to say no, Amako tugged at the sleeve of my troupe uniform. She looked up at me, and when I turned to face her, Amako looked at me pleadingly, though expressionlessly.


    "Do you want some, Usato?"


    ..........


    "......No wonder ........."


    I have a soft spot for Amako.


    Maybe it''s because Sarla has entrusted her to me, or maybe it''s because I don''t want her to feel lonely.


    Kiriha, who saw the exchange between me and Amako, is already ready to prepare a meal, including me, and I don''t know if I have a choice but not to eat now. .......


    "You don''t have to worry about us. We''re not going to be a huge group, but we''re going to put our best foot forward.


    Kiriha said this as she lifted the door she had kicked in, and Amako and I stepped into the building where they were living.


    ---The inside of the building was decorated in a similar way to the dormitory of the lifeguard squad where I was staying. It is not very spacious, but as we enter, we see a table that seats about ten people and a staircase leading up to the top.


    "It''s a nice ...... place."


    "Sarcasm? Or did you honestly think so?"


    "I lived in a similar place in the Kingdom of Lingle. I honestly think it''s a nice place, it''s very reassuring."


    I wonder how Ferrum is, I hope he is eating well. I hope she is eating well. I know she is probably getting beat up by Rose for slacking off, but she is my junior. Let''s at least wish him well in our hearts. In my heart.


    "What are you doing out of your mind? Let''s go ...... in quickly, shall we?"


    "Nn...... oh, I''m sorry."


    I guess I was a little fuzzy. He takes one look at Kiriha, who is propped up against the door behind him, and walks over to where the table and chairs are. Hmm, there''s steam coming out of the back of the room. ...... I guess that''s the cooking area.


    "Ha ha ha ...... I guess I went too far kicking the door down..."


    "You always think too much, Kiriha. You almost hit me too. Or rather, I was."


    "So sorry ...... I''ll make dinner, feel free to sit down. I''ll be ready in a minute."


    Kiriha, perhaps unable to bear Amako''s cold stare, runs into the kitchen. Laughing at the situation, she does as she is told and sits down on a nearby chair to take a breath.


    Then, Amako sits down in front of me across the desk. I wonder if he sat in the same place when he stayed here before. He puts his hand on the wooden table and touches it nostalgically, looking deeply moved.


    "Good for you, Amaco."


    "...... thank you Usato, for bringing me here."


    "I didn''t help your mother, so I''m not thanking you yet."


    "But thank you for .........."


    ......Wow, I don''t know how to react when you say that with such a mysterious expression on your face. I haven''t done a single thing you''ve asked of me yet.


    She who informed me of the destruction of the kingdom, the death of my best friend, and saved many people, albeit indirectly.


    Thanks to you, I have no place to go back to in this world.


    I did not lose my friends and comrades.


    I''m the one who should be thanking you.


    "You saved my two friends and many others. So I''m going to repay you ...... as best I can."


    "As much as possible. ...... Usato is really twisted."


    So I''m not cynical, I''m just normal.


    Amako replied with the same answer as she had given to Kazuki and Inukami during the day. Amako smiled at me with a smile that wasn''t unlike hers.


    "Just when she finally started to smile, she does this. I''m really starting to get twisted."


    "If it gets any more twisted, I''ll be in trouble."


    You''ve got to say it. .......


    I''m glad to see that you''ve come a long way from the dull girl you were when I first met you.


    Now let''s see how we can give her a shot. ...... Theoretical conversation is useless against Amako, who can predict your conversation. If you are going to do it, you have to develop the conversation with foresight.


    I decided to give it a try and tried to talk to Amako, but she was looking behind me, toward the entrance where the broken door was propped up.


    I looked behind me and saw someone standing right in front of the door.


    "What? The door is ...... something ...... of ......?"


    "Oh, I''m hungry. Hm? What''s the matter with you stopping at such a place ............! Who the hell are you?


    Standing there were two beast-like girls and a boy.


    One was a girl about Amako''s age with cat-like ears and tail, and the other was a boy slightly shorter than me with the same features as Kiriha.


    The girl was stunned to see me and Amako, but when the boy caught sight of me, he spread his legs wide and turned hostile. The legs are equipped with leg armor with a design similar to the cage that Kiriha had on her arms.


    I am tired of being attacked again, so I surrender before things get complicated.


    Wait a minute, I''m here as Amako''s escort! I''m not a shady person!"


    I''m used to the pain, but it hasn''t gone away or lessened it.


    I don''t want to get hurt if I can avoid it.


    "What, amaco? If you''re going to lie, you need a more clever lie: ...... ......."


    The boy was about to attack me regardless of what I said, but when he saw Amako behind me, his brownish ears perked up and he pointed at her with an astonished expression on his face.


    "Amako! You! You''re alive!


    The boy''s eyes widen even more as he seems to know Amako, while she only raises her hand in a rather light-hearted manner. The girl, not knowing Amako, hides behind the boy and peeks in on her.


    Both must be beastmen ....... On the other hand, if humans lived here, the boy in front of her would not react like this.


    "Hey, long time no see, Kyou. The people there aren''t the enemy."


    "You''re not the enemy, you''re just ...... suspicious to look at!"


    "...... sure it''s suspicious, but ...... don''t say anything bad about him."


    I wonder if he followed up on ...... that he was suspicious.


    I have just discovered a weakness of healing magic, that it does not work on emotional wounds. I''m used to being abused, but this kind of casual abuse works. ....... I see...... doubtful, I like this troupe uniform. .......


    "d*mn. ......"


    Amako stared at me with a bitter look, and the shivering boy stared at me dejectedly. I didn''t expect him to trust me right away like Kiriha did, but this is deeper than I thought.


    Well, it''s okay that I''m not here to put him in a good mood. The important thing is whether or not he can take care of Amaco for the duration of my stay.


    Amako would feel safer in the company of his friends than in the inn where we were living, and the boy who was still staring at me seemed to be concerned about Amako''s safety, so leaving him here for the time being would be the least of our worries.


    "So he''s a healing magician then? I don''t know if I can handle this nymphomaniac!"


    He pointed at me and made some strange accusations, as if he didn''t understand what I was talking about.


    I didn''t have anything to say, so I kept silent. Amako looked annoyed and tried to say something ----


    "That''s exactly what you need to worry about, Kyou. He''s not like the healing wizards we know."


    "Sis ......?


    Kiriha came into the room as if to interrupt the conversation, holding a plate of food in both hands, and said proudly, "I''ll be back soon.


    He was holding a plate of food in his hands.


    This is my brother Kyou and this is Satsuki who came here about a year ago. Well, I didn''t expect you back so soon, so things got a little complicated.


    Afterwards, we were sitting around the table eating a meal that Kiriha had cooked for us. During this time, Amako introduces me to the two men and women sitting in front of us, Kyou and Satsuki. ...... Kyou doesn''t like me and stares at me while he takes a piece of bread into his mouth.


    It''s funny, I''ve already introduced myself to him and gotten Kiriha to clear up the misunderstanding, so why does he still have hostile feelings toward me?


    "Hey, hey, I know you''re worried about Amako, but don''t stare at her so much."


    "Don''t you think ...... sis is suspicious ......?"


    "Of course I thought so. But I trust Amako, and more importantly, she''s nothing like the people we''ve met. He reaches out to us even when he knows we''re animals, he doesn''t get sick when he sees our tails and ears, and most importantly, he doesn''t ask for anything in return ....... Weird, isn''t it?"


    Kiriha says this happily to the two of them who are standing next to Amako with their hands on my shoulders, as if my presence is a rarity. Kyou looks as if he is saying, "This guy is ....... I mean, ...... why is this girl poking at me like that? Does he like Amaco? I can''t say I don''t have ..........


    She''s got the looks to be cute, even if she''s gotten a little sassy.


    He looks at Amako, who is eating bread with a sideways glance, and pours a spoonful of soup into his mouth with a light sigh.


    "Hmm? This soup is delicious.


    It is mild, like potato soup, with just the right amount of saltiness. It''s a taste that can''t even be compared to the food of that man with a broken sense of taste.


    "...... haha, I''ve never been complimented by a human before. Yeah, this place is weird too."


    I was surprised when I gave him a compliment because it was delicious, and then he called me weird again.


    What is it with me, that I have to be called strange no matter what I do? I don''t understand beastman table manners, I''ll ask Amako to teach me later.


    I made up my mind and was about to eat the soup when Kyou, who was sitting in front of me, stood up from his chair with a clank.


    "...... I know this healing wizard is not like anyone I know. I''ll admit it for now,...... but if he does something weird to my sister, Satsuki and Amako, be prepared,......."


    As soon as I stood up, Kyou turned on me with unparalleled hostility and said, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry.


    I don''t know what he has been through here, but either way, he must have had a good reason to be hostile toward humans.


    "Frankly, I don''t care if you trust me or not."


    "...... what the ......?"


    "I came here with Amaco because I was wondering if I could stay with you guys for a little while."


    "What? ...... is that so?"


    Amaco, I thought you knew what you were doing.


    I exchange a glance with Kyou, who looks at me quizzically, while he is looking at me with a puzzled look on his face. He makes eye contact with me, looks away awkwardly, and sits down in his chair. He doesn''t say anything, but turns his head to the side to face Kiriha.


    "Kiriha, can you take care of Amako while we are in Luxembourg? I think I''d feel a lot more comfortable at your place than at ours."


    "You are more than welcome! There''s plenty of room to rot, and one or two more people to feed won''t make a difference."


    "Yes, good. ......"


    It is much better to be with your own people, even if only for a little while, than to be among people of a different race.


    ......And, as important guests in this country, we are bound to attract attention. It''s not a good thing for Amaco to be exposed in the middle of all this.


    I guess it doesn''t matter that we are the center of attention, but some insolent person might try to catch Amaco.


    "Then we''ll have to prepare for both of us."


    Let Kiriha take care of it.


    He will protect Amako, and more importantly, he has Kyou, Satsuki, and the rest of the beastmen. If they''re here, then there''s no need for me to step in... wait a minute.


    "For two?"


    For two? Who''s two people do you count besides Amako?


    I sounded dumbfounded, and when I looked at Kiriha in confusion, she said, "Oh, no? He looked as if he wanted to say, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry.


    "Aren''t you staying here too?"


    "What about .........?"


    I lost my voice at the truly surprising words.


    "Sis! You can''t do that with stones! It''s ...... not a good idea to let him stay!


    Kyou, who stood up again as if to speak for my stunned words, said to Kiriha, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry.


    I don''t know how he interpreted my decision to stay, but ......Kyo, please tell him for me who still can''t speak well because I''m still in shock.


    "No, no, because it would be better for Amako if he stayed with us. Don''t worry, don''t worry, don''t worry. If he wanted to do something to us, he would have done it by now. ...... Amako would be better off with him, wouldn''t she?"


    "a,amaco......"


    "........."


    Kiriha, who has brushed off Kyou''s objections, asks Amako that question. Kyou calls her name in a shaky voice, but Amako looks at me several times in confusion.


    Amako, you''re about 14 years old, so you don''t need me to be there with you like a parent or guardian, do you? First of all, there''s no way Amako would say she''d rather be with me than...


    "......... if it''s okay with Usato."


    No way, Amako. .......


    I drop the spoon in my hand. On the other hand, if I were here, you might not be able to relax with your friends. .......


    "Usato, Amako says this, what are you going to do?"


    I look next to her and see Kiriha with a mischievous smile on her face, Kyou looking at me with jealous eyes, and Satsuki, a girl who is staring at me and pecking at a piece of bread.


    One of them doesn''t make eye contact with me, and the other three are staring at me with single-minded devotion. ...... I wonder what''s going on, I''m blocked in all directions.


    What is it about the way you say it? What do you mean if it''s okay with me? .......


    "......I''ll have to ask the knight to pass on a message ...... as soon as possible."


    How could I refuse if you talk to me like that?

 53 - Fifty-second Episode

    Our house is located on the edge of Lukvis.


    That''s where we live, out of sight of humans and less likely to be ransacked when we''re not home. When my siblings and I arrived here, someone who had been here before us showed us around. ...... Of course, he was a beastman.


    At first, we thought that among so many people, there might be one who would accept us. .......


    After all, Luxembourg is a big city with tens of thousands of people from all over the continent, it''s not surprising that a few of them are tolerant of beastmen. With such faint hope, we left the hidden village where we were born and passed through the gates of Lukvis to learn magic.


    We wanted to learn magic, which everyone in our family said we were talented at, and we wanted to make friends with other than the children of our village.


    But it wasn''t long before I realized that I was a fool for having such hopes.


    On the surface, persecution of subhumans is forbidden in Luxvis. Although this policy makes it impossible for such things to happen, even if nothing is done to me, I still feel alone, as if I am standing on a needle in a haystack.


    Distrust.


    Contempt.


    Fear.


    An environment that does not allow you to make friends with others.


    The pressure to be alone.


    Here, as a ...... beastman, I could show my worth as a wizard not by my friendships, not by my power, but only by the strength of my magic.


    Yes, Luxembourg was a great place to hone my magic and skills. Yes, I was made to understand, that man can make peace with man, but to them the beastmen were not even .


    People who are only superficial, people who are part of a group, people who are simply indifferent.


    I was exposed to many strange stares, and it made me feel very sad.


    The people who came to visit me also tried to be alone.


    I would not get involved with humans.


    Not to get used to each other.


    Trust no one.


    They were not weak-minded like me who could not be alone.


    They never get involved with anyone, they just learn magic. Like wary beasts, they did not expect anything from people, that''s what they were.


    ---Oh, I should have ...... done it this way...


    I don''t know when.


    I started hiding my ears to attract attention when I walked outside, and I began to hone my magical skills .......


    .


    <


    --- that''s what I told myself in the lonely dormitory where it was just me and my siblings.


    After repeating this over and over again, a beast girl came to Lucvis.


    Amako, a mysterious girl who recites the future, comes not from a hidden village like us, but from the home country where there is hatred for humans in particular. She says that she is looking for a healing magician from her home country, far, far away, to save her mother.


    Healing magic is a unique magic that can only be used by humans. I thought it was impossible to get a human to cooperate. In fact, it seems that the healing wizards here have refused to cooperate.


    <


    But the boy would not give up. He wanted to save his mother, so he wouldn''t stop, even if it was dangerous.


    It must have been hard for her to come this far,...... and dangerous,......, but Kyou stopped her till the end, but I couldn''t stop her.


    I wonder if I''m doing as well as Amako.


    I wonder if I can try to believe in people.


    I wonder if there are people who can get along with beastmen without worrying about their surroundings.


    I still don''t know the answer.


    I thought I had given the answer a long time ago, but I didn''t think it was the answer.


    I guess I''m still thinking about it.


    I''m sure I still think that someday... there will be someone who will befriend me...


    "...... morning or ......"


    I wake up to the sound of bells announcing morning in this city.


    I feel as if I had a nostalgic dream ....... I almost forgot what kind of dream it was, but somehow I think half of it was unpleasant.


    I get up from my hard bed and stroke my rough tail.


    When I have groomed it to some extent, I get up from the bed and get dressed quickly to get ready for breakfast, then leave my room.


    The living room is just outside the door, but today it is different from usual.


    "What''s that? What''s wrong, Satsuki? It''s so early in the morning."


    Satsuki, a beastman who came from the same hidden village as Kyou and me about a year ago, was peering out from in front of the entrance I had broken last night.


    When Satsuki noticed me approaching, she put her index finger to her mouth and made a silent gesture.


    I wonder what''s ...... wrong. I''m going to take a peek to see what she''s looking at.


    I look in the direction she is looking from behind Satsuki, who is looking out, writing something with interest.


    >


    >


    "..............."


    Why is this human doing push-ups so early in the morning? ...... Amaco is also on his back with an innocent look on his face.


    "It''s great Kiriha, he''s been doing it since the sun came up. And he doesn''t look tired at all. What the hell is going on! I can''t believe it''s a person!"


    Ever since the sun came up? If you''re doing this without a break, you''re even less like a normal human being. It''s strange that you can take my rock-crushing fists head-on.


    Is it the result of his unrelenting training, or is that his power? I can''t imagine how hard that tireless training must be.


    But I''m more interested in .......


    "Satsuki...... have you been observing Usato all morning?"


    "Yes!"


    ......The problem is that Satsuki, who has just smiled so radiantly in front of me, is showing so much interest.


    This girl is quiet in front of others, but at the drop of a hat, she turns into a different person and writes down the events in the notebook she always carries with her. According to him, it is a notebook where he writes down anything mysterious or inexplicable.


    In other words, Usato is a mysterious and inexplicable person to Satsuki.


    Usually he''s a really ...... quiet boy, but when he''s like this, he just has to be left alone. She has been silent ever since Usato and Amako arrived yesterday, but I guess she was so interested in them that she didn''t have time to talk.


    "Well, in moderation. ......"


    "I know."


    I leave Satsuki in the shadow of the entrance and go to the kitchen.


    First we prepare breakfast. Usually it''s a simple task, but today Usato and Amako are here. Let''s make it right. As I pick up the ingredients in the kitchen, I suddenly remember what Usato said to me yesterday when we were eating.


    "......... delicious, huh?"


    He said "delicious." I don''t think I have the virile personality to be embarrassed by such a compliment, but I am sure I was surprised.


    Although I had told Kyou at that time that Usato could be trusted, the truth was that I myself still did not fully trust him. That''s why I sat right next to Usato so that I would be safe no matter what happened, and I let him eat the food that I ...... made by the beastman. Normal people don''t want to eat food made by beastmen, and they don''t say it tastes good either.


    "You''re really just saying that ...... I am."


    I still feel very low that I can''t trust Usato, who forgave me for cutting up his hand, even though it was healed by healing magic, and for saying such terrible things to him.


    "........., yes, breakfast."


    Satsuki''s classes start early. And I have to wake up Kyou soon to take Satsuki to the school.


    If I continue to cook slowly, the two of us will have to skip breakfast. I''ve decided to make it today, so I have to do it. .......


    After I finished the breakfast, Satsuki and I sat down to have breakfast with Kyou who got up late. Usato was a little late because he was a little sweaty, but it seemed like it had been a long time since we had such a lively breakfast.


    "Hey you! If you do anything weird to my sister, I ain''t gonna let you get away with it!"


    Kyou finished his breakfast and said to Usato, who was drinking water at his desk while preparing to go to the school, as if to nail him.


    I chuckled at my brother''s overprotectiveness, but decided to offer a helping hand to Usato, who was pawing his cheeks in annoyance.


    "Kyou, isn''t it about time? If you don''t get Satsuki and go to the school soon, you''ll be late."


    "What? Is it that time already? ...... Satsuki! Let''s go, let''s go, let''s go, let''s go! ...... how late are you writing!"


    "......, I''m going to watch a little more..."


    My words made him pale, and Kyou, still in his robe, grabbed Satsuki by the collar, who was still jotting down notes about Usato in her notebook, and ran out of the house.


    Usato watched them disappear toward the town and turned his head to look at them with a questioning look on his face.


    "Kiriha, are Kyou and Satsuki learning magic in the same place? You look like you''re a different age."


    "Uh, ......."


    That''s a fair question.


    Kyou is 17 like me, and Satsuki is 12, so their ages are different to begin with. They must be wondering why Kyou and Satsuki left together, and why I''m still here.


    "I have Kyou take Satsuki to the school. Satsuki is still a little girl. ....... Kyou and I are in the same class at school, but I have a lot of things to do before I leave home."


    I''ve asked Kyou to be my chaperone in case I get into trouble with bullies or something.


    Our classes start later than Satsuki''s, so it''s more convenient for us.


    "So Kiriha will be leaving for the school in a little while too ......"


    "That''s going to happen. ...... What about Usato and Amako? Do you want to wait here?"


    No, we''ll go to the stables near the gate. No, we''re going to the stables near the gate. There are some people who came here with us and we''re going to meet them. ...... Amako is okay with that, right?"


    "Yes."


    By "the people I came with," I assume you mean the people who were at the place where Usato went to tell them after dinner last night that he was staying here, so I don''t have to worry about their whereabouts.


    But they won''t be wandering around the city all night either, so I''ll be back early.


    As I was washing the dishes, thinking about tonight''s dinner, Usato, who was wearing white clothes similar to the coat hanging on the wall, called out to me.


    "Yes, thank you for the change of clothes. I washed them before dinner and hung them out to dry. ...... is it okay?"


    "You didn''t have to worry about it. I was just lending you some of Kyou''s clothes, nothing more than you need to thank me for."


    But then he looks outside and sees the clothes drying neatly on the floor.


    He is surprisingly meticulous ......, a far cry from the boy I saw yesterday who had a frightening look on his face. He was terrifying yesterday, I know humanoid auger is an overstatement,............ but he would never look like that. I never thought I''d be pressured by the sight of a human face. .......


    "......You look blue, are you okay?"


    "Oh, yeah,......, I''m fine,...... yeah,...... I''m fine."


    Amako was worried about me, because I had been showing it on my face without realizing it.


    She told me a lot about Usato yesterday, ...... that he''s not a bad guy and that the Lingle Kingdom, where Amako stayed for two years, is a better place than I could ever imagine. .......


    He dips his still-shaking hands in the cold water and regains his composure. When I finally regained my composure, Usato, who was in the living room, came out of the entrance of the kitchen.


    "We''d better get going," he said.


    "I''m off, Kiriha."


    He and Amako, who is behind him, also put on a white cloak and say so to me.


    To my eyes, they seemed to be friends with nothing out of the ordinary. I had thought how much I had thought that would never happen, but now that I see them in front of me, ......I feel an inexpressible feeling.


    "...... haha, have a good day!"


    I said this in a voice that sounded a little off-kilter, and I''m sure I had an expression that contained both a smile and a hint of anxiety. Usato only tilted his head slightly, but Amako would have definitely been suspicious. She is a sharp and intelligent girl, regardless of her foreknowledge.


    "--I guess I should get ready too. ......"


    I met the friend I wanted to meet.


    And yet, strangely enough, my heart is still not clear.


    A message from my senpai?


    Gua?


    The knight told me as I moved from the inn where Kiriha was staying to the stables where Bulrin and the knights were staying, and as I was serving breakfast to a sleepy-looking Bulrin.


    It seems that the knight who asked the seniors to tell them about me last night was asked to do so by Inukami-senpai on his way home.


    "Yes, something like that, when Usato-dono arrives, he wants us to come to the place of the heroes."


    "So, you mean the ...... inn."


    I had been planning to go, but I was afraid of the reaction of my senpai.


    I hope he doesn''t get upset over something ...... like that.


    "Is it urgent? ......Since he''s a senior, he''s expecting me to be here in the morning, so I''d better get there early."


    I have to explain to them that I changed the place where I am staying without their permission without meeting them in person.


    "Amako, can you stay here today and take care of Bulrin?"


    "Hmm, it''s okay. I don''t mind being with her. ......"


    She crouched down and stroked Bullyn''s nose as he ate a piece of fruit in a good mood.


    I''m sure this place will keep Amako busy, and there are some trustworthy knights here who can take care of her if anything should happen to her.


    I say goodbye to Amako and the knights for the time being and run out of the place.


    The destination is the inn in front of the school where the seniors are, a place you can reach in a few minutes if you run fast enough. I got a general idea of the distance yesterday, and as long as I don''t get caught in the crowd, I should be able to proceed fairly smoothly.


    But running through the city, even if it''s just a short run, I''d like to do some running with weights like I did when I was in the Lingle Kingdom. I don''t have any weights with me, so I can only do a normal run, but if I can get Bulrin to go around with me, I might be able to ...... No, not before I run, because that would freak out the people here. .......


    "Maybe I''ll ask Gladys to do that for me. ......"


    In the meantime, I heard that there is such a thing as a messenger, so maybe you can get permission from him.


    I don''t know if the general term "messenger" applies to my relationship with Bulrin, but it''s worth a try if you ask and ask.


    I don''t know if this applies to me in general, but it''s worth a try if you ask and ask.


    "......, this is ......."


    Perhaps because I was running in a daze, I found myself in front of an alley where a group of what appeared to be students from the school had entered yesterday. Normally, I would have continued running without paying attention to them, but I stopped when I noticed a crowd of people on the other side of the alley.


    I wondered what was going on. They seemed to be onlookers, but I wondered if there was something in the center of them.


    Driven by my curiosity, I walk into the alley in front of me and approach the crowd.


    "Oh, those guys ...... are doing terrible things to me again."


    "Why don''t you just leave him alone? ......"


    "But we wouldn''t want to get caught in the middle of it either. ......"


    ...... some kind of disturbing conversation could be heard in the crowd.


    I walked a little faster to get to where they were and was surprised when I caught something in the center of their conversation out of the corner of my eye.


    "............!"


    One of the group that entered this alley yesterday, a boy in soot-stained robes, was lying in tattered condition.


    I quickly approached him and picked him up, trying to heal him with healing magic, but an onlooker who was watching from a short distance away told me not to worry.


    "I don''t know who he is, but he''s going to be fine, no need for healing magic".


    "You''re hurt, you''re hurt!


    He''s a healing wizard. Look, it''s dirty, but there''s not a scratch on it, is there?


    "What?


    A boy who looks like a student onlooker points at me, and I look at him again.


    To the onlooker, he is a ragged man covered in scars. ...... No, there is no scar if you wipe the dirt off his cheek.


    Is this really the healing wizard ......? This girl who was staring at me yesterday? I don''t get it. How the hell did this happen?


    "You said earlier that this girl is a healing magician, right? What happened?"


    "You''re a newcomer, aren''t you? ......Well, it''s no wonder he doesn''t know, he''s on the radar of a lot of troublesome people. ......Every time he does this, he''s entrusted with healing magic to do this and that."


    Healing magic is not for sandbagging, except for training.


    I had no idea that I had already met the Lucvis healer I had been interested in. And they''re hurting you to this degree: .......... No, not to this extent, not to this extent.


    "It''s a complicated thing to face,......, let''s wake him up anyway."


    I shake his shoulders and try to wake him up.


    I want to make sure he is safe and sound, just to see if he regains consciousness. If he doesn''t wake up with no wounds, it''s too bad, even though I had nothing to do with it.


    ".........U........."


    "Oh ......"


    I shook his shoulder for a dozen seconds or so, and he slowly blinked his eyes with a faint moan.


    He seems to be okay, as he regained consciousness surprisingly easily. ...... I wonder if it was an unnecessary worry.


    I''m not sure how I feel now..."


    "Pssst! Let go of me!


    "Whoa!"


    The moment he woke up and had me in his sight, he brushed off my hand on his shoulder. I was a little surprised at the sudden rejection, but the boy looked at the clear blue sky and somehow became impatient.


    "The time is ........."


    "Oh, hey, wait a minute..."


    Somehow, the boy did not listen to my voice and ran out to the main street.


    His impatience was unusual. ...... I wondered if he had something important to say to me. But I didn''t think he''d reject me. ......Maybe that''s how distrustful he''s become of people. ......


    I wonder if it means that he is so distrustful of human beings.


    "......Well, what to do now?"


    My wish to meet a healing wizard outside the Lingle Kingdom has come true, but it''s kind of frustrating. I''m not so good that I can''t turn a blind eye to bullies, but I can''t afford to be unsympathetic.


    I can''t do anything about it, or rather, I don''t have the power to do anything about it. If anything, I''m in a position in this city where I, as a healing magician, might be able to do something about it.


    I guess I''ll join up with my seniors now.


    Let''s talk to senpai and Kazuki first.


    I don''t know what to do, so it''s quicker to get their opinions.


    Then I''ll go to them right away...


    <


    >


    I look back at the familiar voice behind me and clearly see two beautiful men and women in the alley leading from the plaza to the main street.


    They are Inukami-senpai and Kazuki.


    "...... didn''t we have to go there?"


    Kazuki is waving at me cheerfully, and I smile sincerely as I walk toward them.


    As expected, Inukami-senpai looked at me with dissatisfaction as I changed the place to stay without telling her.


    Of course, Kazuki was laughing as much as I was.


    "You''re right, Usato-kun! If you''re going to stay at Amako''s friend''s house, I wish you''d take me with you!"


    "Don''t be so snotty and reckless. I''ve been through a lot myself. ......"


    It looks like Kyou''s heartache will be half as bad as it was when the quintessential seniors came to visit. ....... I know he''s not a bad guy, so I don''t want to take him as far as possible until I get some trust from him.


    "But aren''t the seniors supposed to be at the inn?"


    "I came with him when he said he was going to pick up Usato. But if I could have met him here, it would have saved me a lot of trouble."


    "Hmm? What is it?"


    Maybe the school has already decided on a response or .......


    I was told it would take quite a while for a decision to be made. .......


    Perhaps sensing my doubts, a senior student with a proud face approached me excitedly.


    "Last night, the headmaster of Gladys School asked me if I would like to visit the school. So take Usato-kun with you."


    "A tour? ......"


    I remember you said something like that yesterday on the way back from handing over the letter.


    I see, Mr. Gladys was also impressed when she saw that my senpai had taken an interest in it. Is it because I''m a small-minded person that I feel uneasy about being treated so well?


    "I was wondering about that, too, and I''ll go."


    I knew you would say so, Usato-kun. Then let''s get going."


    Inukami-senpai grabs Kazuki and me by the hand and starts to walk quickly toward the school. I wonder how much he was looking forward to it. A senior.


    "I''m glad you''re enjoying yourself. ......"


    But you''re looking forward to it, aren''t you, Usato?"


    "I can''t hide anything from ...... Kazuki. ......"


    After seeing Kazuki''s happiness when he nodded at my words, I looked at my senpai walking in front of me. He looks very happy. Of course,...... this is a school city that trains wizards from another world. The dark side of the city is more than outweighed by the romance and fantasy that abound here.


    I''ll get to what I want to talk about later. It''s not too late for us who have been summoned here ...... to have the kind of fun among friends that we couldn''t have in our original world.

 54 - the 53rd episode

    The senior pulled our hands, and her legs did not stop, but kept going in a straight line until they reached near the entrance of the school.


    As we looked around the school, we saw Mr. Halfa coming out of the entrance without any sign of him, just like when we first met him, so we immediately walked up to him near the entrance and talked to him.


    "It''s been a while since yesterday, Mr. Halfa.


    Good morning, Mr. Usato. I heard that you stayed at a different hotel yesterday.


    I was fine. ...... just in case."


    ?"


    I can''t tell you that the landlord cursed me out and almost attacked me.


    I give a wry smile back to Mr. Halfa, who tilts his head while keeping a smile on his face.


    "Hmmm......... Well, I''m glad to hear you''re all right. Well then, I guess Inukami-san is waiting for you too, so I''ll show you around right away.


    I follow him, relieved that Mr. Halfa does not seem to be suspicious and turns around to start showing me the way.


    We pass through the same plaza that we saw yesterday, but perhaps because it is morning, it is a bit deserted without the students that we saw yesterday.


    Maybe they have classes at a certain time, like in the school in our old world.


    I wonder what they are teaching.


    "I thought you were talking about magic and its applications."


    "That''s part of it, but there are many other areas of study besides magic, such as martial arts and academics. Some of the graduates are adventurers, knights, and scholars, so they are given the opportunity to study these fields.


    It''s more like a college than a high school. .......


    It''s amazing that the system is the same in the original world and here, where you learn what you want to learn according to your career.


    After a few minutes of casual chatting in the school building, we came to a corridor lined with wooden doors with plates engraved with the letters of this world. Mr. Halfa, walking ahead of me with a thoughtful expression on his face, spotted one of the doors and turned to look at me.


    "In this room here, the basic course of magic is being taught, and this is the first class for those who come here to learn magic. Of course, I also took this class."


    "I''m interested in what it''s like because the basics of magic...... me and my seniors were taught the basics by Mr. Welsey."


    I don''t know how I learned. I only remember that I was running all the time. ...... I think Rose told me to "feel the magic while running" when she was training me to use magic.


    Now I don''t understand how I came to be able to use magic.


    "But unfortunately ...... the place you are looking for is not here, but to observe a class I belong to."


    "Halfa''s?"


    "Yes, my class is having a practical training in magic today, and I was wondering if you could observe or participate in the training.


    "Do you mind if we join you? It might get in the way of the training, you know?"


    "It''s okay, the headmaster has given his permission."


    Kazuki and Inukami-senpai may participate, but not me. Practical training of magic is supposed to practice the offensive power of magic. My healing magic can heal, but it can''t destroy.


    If physical attacks are possible, I can punch and kick, but that''s not magic, that''s just violence.


    "Usato-san, are you not going to participate?"


    "I''m ...... you see, healing magic. It doesn''t make any sense for me to go out there."


    "I see... ...... too bad."


    Why the obvious pouting? You felt a little guilty when he became so depressed that you could see it.


    What does he expect from me, a healing wizard? ...... I am what I am, a wizard who can only run, hit, or heal.


    It''s time to show what you can do,...... Usato-kun."


    Inukami-senpai started to say such a thing proudly at this point.


    As usual, your words and actions toward me are outrageous, which is a relief in a way.


    "That''s why I can''t use magic like you and Kazuki. All I can do is punch and kick ......."


    "...... I think those punches and kicks are too evil. ......"


    I thought I heard a senior mutter something, but I didn''t quite catch it.


    ......No, I actually heard it. I know how to take it easy.


    But I don''t really want to show my magic-based techniques to those who use the royal magic, because they are no different from physical attacks.


    "Hmm, I spent a little too much time. Shall we move on?"


    With a regretful smile on his face, Mr. Halfa turns around and begins to walk to the end of the aisle.


    I wonder why he looked so disappointed when I told him that I would not participate in the practical training of magic, even though he would rather watch the training of the brave men Kazuki and Inukami-senpai than me.


    Could it be that there is a reason why he wants me to participate ......?


    "You''re reading too much into it. ......"


    I can''t find any reason or value in letting me join.


    "I guess I''m just being self-conscious." I smiled as I walked with Kazuki and my senpai behind Halfa-san.


    The scenery changed from a neat passageway to the outside.


    We moved from the school''s entrance to a large plaza, where we were finally able to witness the school''s .


    Instead of a scene of individual magic flying freely as we had seen in the school''s plaza, the students of the school, the wizards, were shooting their own magic at the designated targets.


    <>


    The boy I saw first shot a fireball from his hand and hit a white target the size of a log on the ground in front of him, sending sparks flying, while the girl practicing next to him put her hand on the ground and sent sparks flying from the ground.


    It was not as free as the square I saw yesterday. The spirit and everything is totally different.


    "¡«¡«¡«¡«!!!!"


    "Senpai, I know you''re happy, but please don''t hit me."


    It''s hard to be a senior now.


    It''s so hard that I don''t even need to tell you what''s hard.


    He was so elated that he was on the verge of screaming, and he looked at my face and hit me on the shoulder, appealing to me for something. To tell the truth, it''s very depressing.


    "Kazuki, do something about this senior ......"


    "Ha-ha-ha, that''s impossible. You can''t. Good luck."


    You don''t have to say it with such a happy smile. .......


    As I was being irritated by my senpai, who had been abandoned by Kazuki and was still excited, Mr. Halfa turned around and led me to a place where I could look over the students training at the school.


    This is the class I belong to. But today is a joint training day with the lower class students, so not all of you are my classmates.


    "Underclassmen? ......You''re right, some of the kids are a size smaller than others. ......"


    Indeed, if you look closely, you can see children who are about two or three years older than the others observing next to those who look like upperclassmen.


    "...... hmm?"


    At the edge of the square I saw a familiar face practicing magic. Are those ...... Kyou and Kiriha? Were they in the same class as Mr. Halfa?


    Kiriha thrust out her hand armor and shot multiple blades of wind to slice the target, while Kyou created a large blade of wind different from Kiriha''s by kicking up his leg equipped with a leg armor, and slashed the target diagonally.


    "Kaze ka ......"


    I looked at them casually, thinking how cool they were, and Kyou over there noticed me, too. He was surprised, but not from a distance, and he called out to Kiriha, who was standing next to him, pointing at me and making her face towards me.


    I waved to Kiriha as she turned to face me, and she gave me a small wave back with a stunned look in her eyes.


    "Do you know them?"


    As I turned toward Kiriha and the others, Mr. Halfa, who was standing diagonally in front of me, asked me such a question in a surprised voice. I answered, "I know them," trying not to read too much into it, and he looked at me admiringly for some reason.


    "Kyou and Kiriha rarely get involved with humans, ...... so I''m quite surprised, to be honest. They just treat me like crap when I try to talk to them.


    Is that how it is in the academy? ...... Well, it''s not something I should get involved in.


    I tried to look at Kirija and the others without thinking about it, but the older student, who had somehow regained her composure, tapped me lightly on the shoulder.


    "Those two are Amako''s friends?"


    I guessed he was trying not to let Mr. Halfa hear, so he whispered to me, and I responded in a hushed voice.


    "Yes.


    "Nice animal ears. Introduce me later."


    "No, thank you."


    I smile and answer immediately. I can''t let you, who is always in high spirits, destroy the trust I''ve just gained.


    "Why! Why, Usato-kun!" While I was having such an exchange with a senior student who grabbed my shoulder and shook me, a woman dressed differently from the students came running up to where we were.


    "Halfa, you brought me!"


    She is tall and looks like a teacher.


    Mr. Halfa stood at an angle and turned toward us as if to introduce the woman who had come up to him.


    "This is our teacher..."


    "I''m Kara."


    She reminds me of Rose in a manly way. No,...... she doesn''t seem as rough as that one.


    "I''ve heard about you from Principal Gladys. Welcome from the Kingdom of Lingle. Have a good look around today, and if you''re interested, you''re welcome to join us. If you are interested, you are welcome to join us. You have been on the front lines of the battle against the Demon King''s army, and you may be a good inspiration for our students.


    "Stimulus? We''re not that kind of ......."


    "I know that Halfa and the headmaster here have a good eye. And your magic master."


    Kara looks at me after saying "master" quickly.


    Wow, she seems to know Rose ......, I thought, not in a rough way, but definitely in a friendly way. I''ll try to put a good face on this guy, if I piss him off he might iron claw me like Rose did.


    d*mn, I have to be bound by the spell of Rose even though I''m in a neighboring country. ...... but it''s frustrating that I don''t hate it that much.


    I should introduce her to my students before I do that,......."


    While I was fainting inside, Carla turned around behind me and said, ">I raised my voice so loudly that the whole plaza could hear me. At her voice, the students practicing on the playground gathered in front of her.


    They looked at us strangers strangely.


    "It''s a joint training with the underclassmen, but three wizards from the Kingdom of Lingle are going to observe today. Don''t underestimate them because they are not students here. They are stronger than you and are used to real battles.


    The students tensed up, but there were a few stinky glances ...... among them, and the majority of those glances were directed at me. Let''s just say that Kyou is also looking at me that way.


    In fact, anyone would wonder why I, an average looking guy, would be in the middle of the beautiful Kazuki and his senpai. In fact, I''m not sad at all since they are stronger and more experienced in actual combat than I am.


    >


    I heard such a voice among the crowd.


    What time are you talking about yesterday? If it''s daytime, that language is malicious. As expected, I received suspicious stares from several students who misunderstood the meaning of <>.


    "Did something happen yesterday?"


    "There was a misunderstanding. ......"


    Kazuki, who is standing next to me, answers my question while holding his forehead.


    I guess you could call it rust ...... from my own body, but in that situation, it''s no wonder that someone might have seen me, and I''m glad that Senpai and Kazuki didn''t have any suspicions.


    ---But the relief was short-lived.


    But my relief was short-lived. I heard such a voice coming from one of the lower classmen. A girl with twin-tail hair, whose voice was young and high-pitched, but who still looked at us as a suspicious-looking person, raised her hand and said to Ms. Cara, "I''m sorry, I don''t understand.


    When Ms. Kara saw the girl, she clicked her tongue and held her mouth.


    "...... little girl."


    In a voice just barely audible enough for me to hear...hey teacher.


    I got a chill just like Rose''s when I heard that voice. What ...... was that dusky voice that sent more chills down my spine than that piercing look of suspicion? Kara, you''re scaring me.


    No, Kara''s scary doesn''t matter right now. ......No, it doesn''t matter, but ...... this situation is a little awkward, and what''s awkward is that the first person you want to make a move in a situation like this is... -He''s not...


    "I don''t care! Okay, let''s do it! Where do you want me to cast my magic!


    "......... ha ......"


    You made one mistake, girl. You have made one mistake, girl. You have legally incited a brave young man with an extraordinary passion for fantasy into training.


    Kara-san''s forehead was involuntarily held back as she saw her senpai stepping forward with enthusiasm, smiling broadly as he loudly gave his permission for her to participate in the training.


    The content of the training is simple: to hit a white log-like target that is resistant to magical attacks with magical attacks.


    I thought that this training would be no different from ordinary magic training, but this training was a little different from what I had expected.


    "Well, this wooden sword is a bit difficult to use. ......"


    "It''s specially made to withstand magic, so bear with me if it''s a bit hard to handle."


    Magic with weapons.


    Anything is possible, whether it''s with a fist, a sword, or a cudgel. Of course, it might be easier to understand if you think of it as a projectile with a high degree of freedom, since it is possible to use only the power of a single attack with magic.


    If you remember well, the students here could hurt the target but could not destroy it. They must be so strong and resistant to magic.


    The senpai standing in front of one of the targets set up in the training ground, and the students behind him waiting for the senpai to perform his magic, among them are Halfa and Kiriha.


    And a little further away from the students are me and Kazuki.


    "Hey, Kazuki, ......"


    "Hmm?"


    "Senpai, do you want to go easy on ...... ......?"


    "...... will do it, he was our senior."


    I would have been relieved if you hadn''t said that while looking away from the scene before you.


    "But I think ...... senpai couldn''t forgive Usato for making fun of him, no matter how he did it."


    "...... senior staff members are ......."


    I was a little touched that my senpai would come out for me .......


    He turns his hand with the wooden sword around and around, gushing out electric shocks, and looks at Senpai who is readying himself triumphantly.


    "No, wait, wait!"


    Impression is good, but it is not an answer that senpai is allowed to train without any restraint. I tried to call out to him to at least take it easy on me, but he was already running away.


    "Shoo!


    She rushed toward the target with a light running start and instantly came within a stone''s throw of the target, and then she thrust her wooden sword, which was covered with electric shocks drawn like a bow and arrow, with great vigor.


    The students who were watching the performance did not seem to understand what was happening because she was so quick that they mistook her for lightning, but they finally understood that she had attacked the target when the older student pierced the target with the wooden sword.


    >


    No wonder one of the students sounded so crazy.


    Even I, who had just finished training with Rose, could finally catch it.


    "It''s not over yet!


    What did he think? He let go of the wooden sword he had thrust into the target and jumped backward. The wooden sword still retains the magic power of the electric shock that Senpai seemed to have sent to it, and it is still discharging even after it leaves his hand.


    Senpai, who had retreated backward to some extent, held out his open hand to the wooden sword with a proud expression on his face, and then...


    "An extra blow!"


    With words that seem to be a decisive statement, he turns his open hand into the shape of a finger gun and shoots an electric shock from the tip of his finger, hitting the wooden sword directly. The wooden sword that received a direct hit from the electric shock emitted a blinding electric discharge, as if it were going to explode.


    When the dazzled eyes returned to normal after a few seconds, the target and the specially made wooden sword that had been there a moment ago were transformed into charcoal. .......


    "........."


    It''s too much!


    I''ve been silently watching this for a long time, but who told you to go this far! Or rather, what was that horrible technique you just used! If a person gets hit by that thing, there won''t be a trace left!


    While the surrounding students were speechless at the sight before their eyes, the senior student himself was nodding his head with his arms folded as if he had accomplished something, ignoring the bewilderment of those around him.


    "That''s the brave man from the Kingdom of Lingle, he''s more than I expected. ...... how about you guys? How would you like to follow in her footsteps and break a few of our students'' noses?"


    In the silent training hall, Kara-san walked toward Kazuki and me without showing the slightest sign of surprise, and said something like that to us.


    "I don''t use that kind of magic. ......"


    "In this training, anything goes, whether it''s swords or bodywork, as long as magic is used. No one would normally try to smash a target with their bare hands, but ......."


    This is completely obvious.


    But my intention is firm, I have to do it after my seniors and with how much the bar is raised. I''m not going to do it. ...... I''m going to ask Kazuki to appear here instead of me.


    I''d rather have Kazuki go instead of me. It''s more flashy than my magic."


    "Well, I think Usato is flashy in many ways. ...... Well, if Usato doesn''t want to go, I''ll go instead. I''ve always wanted to try it.


    I''m starting to feel bad for Kazuki, as if I forced him into it. .......


    But how can you call my magic flashy, when it doesn''t explode or have any power, it''s just plain. As I wondered what Kazuki meant by flashy, I saw that he had been given training instructions by Ms. Kara.


    "Okay, if you''re going to do this, use the target next to Inukami. You can break it as well as Inukami.


    "No, this time I ask only for magic."


    Kazuki walks to the target without a wooden sword like his senpai.


    Inukami Senpai came back to replace Kazuki. She had a satisfied look on her face as she approached next to me, attracting the attention of many students.


    "Next is Kazuki-kun or ...... Usato-kun is not going to appear after all?"


    "Too high a hurdle, you want me to shoot that target?"


    "...... hmmm, it can''t be done, can it? They''re like paper compared to the blue grizzlies and demons we saw in the forest."


    It''s hard to know how to react to such an outlandish example. First of all, I didn''t shoot a blue grizzly, and the demons didn''t shoot ...... Ferrum as well, although they did beat him to death with a healing punch. I may have ...... well have shattered her armor, though.


    "......oh."


    Kazuki stood in front of the target and, without warning, produced three balls of light about the size of a ping-pong ball made of magic power.


    The students were even more excited about this powerful and rare light-based magic than they were about their seniors, but Kazuki was concentrating on operating the balls of light, and did not look away from his palm.


    "Hmmm, I''ve never seen that before."


    "Are you trying to control magic remotely? ...... Interesting idea. It''s an interesting idea. It''s a good example for our students who like to shoot like crazy."


    Kara admires the light ball that Kazuki is handling.


    For my part, I am amazed that it is possible to remotely manipulate magic. I''ve always thought that Kazuki''s light and my healing magic light would dissipate if I detached it from myself, unlike things that exist like fire or lightning,......, but I wonder if I can make it fly if I try hard enough.


    It would be useful to be able to heal people in the distance like a healing magic bullet.


    <


    Kazuki waves his hand and sends a light bullet toward the target.


    The light ball still seems to be under Kazuki''s control, and flies awkwardly but surely toward the target, and then stalls above it.


    <>


    Kazuki saw the light bullets stalled upward, and as soon as he grasped his upraised hand and swung it down, three magic bullets rained down on the target below at a tremendous speed.


    Kazuki''s technique was not as flashy as his senpai, but rather rather seemed rather plain. But it gave me the impression that it was even more dangerous than his senpai.


    After all, the light bullets that landed on the target did not explode or explode, but pierced into the ground (??????) as if hollowing out the target.


    "It seems that Kazuki-kun has found a way to compensate for his weakness after his battle with the Black Knight. ......"


    "......... yeah,......"


    What a pair of ghastly tricks you two have devised!


    The magic performed by the two heroes---it was enough to awaken their suspicion, and they all looked at Senpai and Kazuki in awe.


    "I didn''t mention it, but ...... these two are the brave men of the Lingle Kingdom, strong men who have passed through the ordeal of fighting the Demon King''s army. ...... and the other one, of course."


    You had to bring me out here.


    All eyes that had been focused on Senpai and Kazuki were now focused on me.


    <>


    What a terrible thing to be told.


    It''s partly because I''m the only one who hasn''t performed magic, but I wonder what it''s like to be called such a blah blah blah just because of my appearance. Fortunately, Kazuki, who came back here, does not hear my voice.


    >


    At last, such a question came to Ms. Kara.


    She looked at me with a sideways glance, holding her forehead. I guess she knows how these students will react after ...... my magic is revealed to them, and that''s why she has such a troublesome expression on her face. .......


    I guess it is the reaction of the students that is troublesome, not me at all. I''m sure he understands what it means when he knows that I''m Rose''s disciple.


    "Huh. ......"


    It can''t be helped.


    Once Senpai and Kazuki have revealed their magic, there is no choice but for me, the only one left, not to reveal it. I can''t help but let out a sigh, but I guess it was inevitable when I came to see this class anyway.


    You can''t hide it from me. .......


    I let out a sigh, straighten up the collar of my trousers, and take a step forward.


    "I''m a healing wizard in the Lingle Kingdom''s lifeguard corps.


    Now, what kind of response will I get?


    I''ve grown up in a world of unreason and abuse, so a little taunting won''t hurt me a bit.

 55 - the 54th episode

    Halfa brought Usato and his friends.


    He appeared while Kyou and I were practicing magic and waved to us.


    Kyou, of course, did not wave back, but I waved back enough so that the others would not notice. Why are you here? I thought that I was going to be able to see them, but then I remembered that Ms. Cara had told us before class that there would be some guests coming to observe us, and I immediately understood that these guests were Usato and his friends.


    When Dr. Cara introduced Usato and his friends, she provocatively said that they were more experienced and stronger than us students at the school. It would have been obvious that there would have been a backlash, and our class is remarkably full of such people.


    I didn''t know how good the other two were, but as for Usato, I didn''t know if I could beat him or not. He is as strong or stronger than me. He can heal any injury in an instant. No matter how much I cut him up with wind magic, he would rise up as long as his magic lasted, and it would be nothing short of a nightmare for him to attack me with a force greater than that of a beastman.


    But during the discussion, he brought up the story of how I had fist-bumped Usato yesterday in the city. This made Usato suspicious of me, and I also got a sharp look from Ms. Carla. It''s okay to be angry at me because I deserved it, but it was my miscalculation that I had made the problem child of the lower class --- Meena --- get on her nerves.


    That evil young lady has a very rotten temperament.


    She and her cronies have been torturing the same healing magic user as Usato for several years, and the school is at a loss to punish her because of her family background.


    With a wicked smile on her face, she said something that was simply <.


    She was the one who was going to expose them if they didn''t do so well. People around her seemed to know what she was thinking, but no one tried to stop her, probably because they wanted to know what Usato and the others were capable of.


    I couldn''t even ...... stop them.


    I didn''t want to talk to the guys in this finished class, and even Halfa, the only one I could talk to, wouldn''t do anything (??????) in a case like this.


    However, the magic of Usato''s two friends changed all their expectations and ours.


    A girl who wields lightning magic, which is the most destructive magic I have ever seen.


    A boy who skillfully manipulates the rare magic of light.


    ---I guess that''s what they mean when they say they are astonished. At any rate, the two who were with Usato were the two heroes that Amako had mentioned.


    It should have ended there.


    They should have convinced the two heroes to let them go back to their training without telling anyone.


    <


    His words changed the consciousness of those around him.


    For the worse, of course. Kyou, who was standing next to me, held his head, and of course I did too.


    My class is a bunch of firepower idiots.


    With one exception, they think it''s enough if their magic is somehow powerful. I have no intention of making fun of healing magic, but for my classmates who don''t know him, the impression that those who use healing magic are poor is firmly established.


    <>


    As expected, the fire-power idiots start to knock them down.


    And that evil lady would not miss this great opportunity...


    He started to say something like that.


    Usato kept smiling and replied in a hushed voice, "Oh, no, I''m in trouble. The light magician next to him, however, suddenly began to strangle the other brave warrior from behind.


    We could not understand what was happening because Usato did not change his facial expression at all, but Kyou and I, who have good hearing, could faintly hear the conversation between Usato and the two heroes.


    >


    <


    If it weren''t for ......... the tolerance of brave men who use light magic, it seems that Meena would be in a lot of trouble right now.


    But the slow and vicious young lady would never have noticed that, and she quickly raises her hand and steps forward.


    Kara-sensei! I''d like to have a magic battle with her, if you don''t mind.


    "...... a mock-up?"


    "Yes, if I''m going to have a mock battle with a healer who can fight demons, I don''t have to worry about getting hurt, do I?"


    ...... disgusting little girl.


    That''s like telling Usato to be a good <.


    Her fire-based bursting magic, which is not very powerful but good for hurting people moderately, must be a manifestation of her rotten nature.


    "Well, a simulation ...... would be nice. You can do it."


    "What?"


    "Usato, this is a mock battle using magic. Can you do it?


    "Yeah, yeah,...... well, I can do that,......"


    --- But this time, you have picked the wrong fight.


    The healing magician she knew and the healing magician named Usato were literally on different levels. No normal healer would even think of fighting me head-on, much less someone with more power than me, a beast.


    "Sis, is he going to be okay?


    --- My brother is a gentle boy after all.


    He looks at his brother with a complicated look on his face and says, "Usato will be fine. I don''t think that burst magic, which is not as powerful as my wind magic, will work on Usato.


    I''m relieved to see that it''s only Meena who''s taking the short cut, and I''m about to ...... see what happens when someone from our class steps out in front of Usato and Ms. Cara.


    "Excuse me, may I take your place as the opponent for this mock battle?"


    "What?


    I was surprised, but I guess it was understandable.


    The only exception to our class, Haruha, the only man with a superior magic eye who does not use offensive magic, suddenly came out of nowhere to join Usato and Mina in a mock battle.


    Before I knew it, I was in a mock battle.


    I really don''t know how I ended up in this situation. It''s supposed to be a mock battle with a twin-tailed girl who is looking at me provocatively, but I honestly don''t know how much I can take it easy on her.


    Moreover, Haruha-san wants to participate in the next mock battle.


    "Oh, that ...... Haruha-san ...... is going to replace ......."


    "...... Oh, don''t worry. We will not fight you. It''s not even worth it.


    His eyes were glowing a suspiciously pale purple as he coldly said this to the twin-tailed girl who had questioned Halfa in a frightened manner.


    "Usato-san, would you mind?"


    "......Ummm, well, ...... be easy on me?"


    The other party is said to have a magic eye that can see the flow of magic power, so they won''t use any particularly strong magic.


    We can get through this by just running around. Worst case scenario, we can just hit him with a healing punch and knock him out.


    "Where should I hold a mock battle?


    "Do it in the middle of the training area, the target might get in the way, but ...... you''ll have to be patient there."


    I wonder if there is a reason why Kara, who had a nasty smile on her face earlier, now looks excited as if she is about to see something interesting.


    After Mr. Halfa left, it was obvious that the students were getting a buzz. ....... I was pretty much a no-brainer, but maybe I''ve done something wrong?


    You''ll see if you try .......


    "Okay, you two, I''m off to the simulation for now."


    "Good luck, Usato."


    "Good luck, Mr. Usato, for me."


    Thank you, Kazuki.


    "Huh?"


    I roll up the sleeves of my troupe uniform and begin to do some light preparation exercises.


    ......I don''t know how to respond to senpai who can''t survive without his frequent blurbs, even I don''t know how to respond to him sometimes.


    As I stretch out my arms and legs, I look at Mr. Halfa, who is selecting a weapon for the mock battle.


    I don''t need a weapon, I''ve used a spear once but it''s not safe to stab someone and hurt them.


    "Hey!


    "Hmm? ...... that?"


    From among the group of students, Keogh comes toward us with a gait that sounds like footsteps. He seems to be getting a lot of attention from his classmates, but is he ...... okay?


    "Are you sure you''re okay talking to me?"


    "I really don''t want to, but I came all the way to ...... to warn you!"


    "...... advice? You''re me?"


    I don''t know how he got that idea, but I thought he didn''t like me. I looked at Kiriha, who was following behind me, to see what was going on, but she, like Kyou, had a serious expression on her face.


    What''s going on with you two?


    "The guy you''re about to fight, Halfa, looks like a good guy on the outside, but on the inside he''s a crazy bastard who won''t take it easy on you at all."


    "If something happens, Amako will be in trouble,usato ....... I won''t say anything bad about it, so don''t fight the simulation with Halfa. The Halfa is too dangerous to be a simulation partner.


    "I don''t care what you say. ......"


    I would if I could, but I guess I can''t stop now.


    If word spread that I had quit because I was too cowardly to fight a mock battle with a student, the name of the Lifeguard Corps would be ruined and my future travels might be hindered.


    Above all, if word got out that I had run away from the mock battle because I was scared of Rhodes in the neighboring country, I would surely be punished worse than death. I don''t want that, I don''t want Rose to be angry with me, to punish me, or to disappoint me.


    "Both of you are ...... taking my advice, but I''m not going to stop," he said. As long as I''m wearing this outfit, I can''t lose."


    I can''t lose in a punishing way .......


    ".........The only criteria he uses to distinguish between people is whether they are strong or weak. He can drive a wizard to the point of irreversibility without even a hint of effort. Do you understand?"


    "Don''t worry, not as much as my master."


    I can''t go down unless I can knock a person out for dozens of yards.


    And after listening to the two of you, I agree with what you said about Mr. Halfa.


    The sticky voice that crawled up my back when he first approached me, the way he acted when he found out I was a healing magician of the rescue squad, the way he looked disappointed that I didn''t participate in the training... he was observing me to see if I would be suitable for his eyes. You mean that he was.


    "Well, Mr. Usato. Are you ready?


    As I moved away from Kiriha and the others to the middle of the training ground, Halfa-san came to me with slow steps. In his hand he holds a wooden stick ...... about his height, or rather a club, and he is still smiling as he spins it around.


    Now that smile looks fierce.


    "...... don''t worry, you can do it."


    "Oh, I see. ...... Dr. Kara, please signal for us to begin."


    Carla nods and we face each other. I spread my legs shoulder-width apart, but Halfa held his club out in front of him with his hand on it and took a low posture.


    The purple glow of magic in his eyes gradually grew in intensity.


    I felt a chill in his eyes as they glowed suspiciously, but I wrapped myself in healing magic as I always do.


    I hope I can control my strength in this battle, but first of all, let''s make use of the training we''ve had so far. First of all, avoid attacks. Avoid all attacks you can avoid. And if possible, let''s test how much I''ve increased the concentration of healing magic over the past few days.


    "Okay, I''ll give you the signal!"


    Why do you look so happy?


    As if to signal us to begin, Kara-san raised one hand and glanced at me and Halfa alternately, then stepped out of the room and swung her raised arm down.


    "Begin!


    Her voice shook my eardrums, shaking the tense air, and at that moment, I jumped backward with all my might.


    At the same time as I jumped, Halfa-san, who had jumped out at the same time as the mock battle started, was swinging her club down at the spot where I had just been.


    "What? This one jumped out faster than the other one. ......!"


    "I''m confident in my ability to escape!"


    "Then I''ll catch you!"


    Halfa jumps out with his club outstretched to me as I land about 10 meters behind him. He''s fast, I think this is the first time I''ve ever seen him this fast, even though he''s neither a demon nor a beast, nor even an exception like Kazuki or Inukami, who are both brave men.


    Rose and the tough guys? That one is too exceptional to be included in the comparison.


    "Pfft!"


    "Oops."


    The club is thrust at his neck, and he avoids it by turning his body.


    The club is thrust out for the neck without mercy, or is it? If you are not hit properly, you will faint in agony.


    He leaps to the side while flailing to avoid the continuous blows of the clubs...


    "I won''t let you!"


    ---I tried to jump, but as if he knew what he was going to do, he spun me around and inserted his club between my legs and swatted me off my feet.


    If I don''t do this, I''m going to get a painful blow. .......


    I roll from the broken position, put my hands on the ground, and jump up and down with only my arms'' strength.


    "It''s harder than you can imagine. ......"


    "I''m thinking the same thing ...... yo!"


    They continue to club us, probably to give us no chance to rest.


    I turn to the side and try to avoid this one as I did before,......, but somehow the thrust to my face stops just in time and turns into a cleave to me as I turn to the side.


    It''s as if he''s anticipating my moves, really hard to do!


    !"


    I bent down to avoid the club cleave in a hurry, and the next thing I saw was Mr. Halfa''s knee aimed at my face.


    "Your aim is too good!


    Just before the knee hits the tip of his nose, he twists his body to avoid the knee kick.


    Kiriha and Kyou are going to try to stop him. It''s too dangerous! If I hadn''t been trained by Rose, I would have tried to knock out Halfa-san with a push. ......!


    "And..."


    They''ve been anticipating my moves for a while now. Does it have something to do with the fact that my initial move was so fast from the first attack? Either way, it''s a pain in the ass. Rose has trained me to evade, but if the attack is launched before I can avoid it, it''s pretty hard to avoid. .......


    As I avoid Halfa''s pursuit attack, even if just barely, I can''t figure out why he is predicting my move, although I try to think about it.


    "You''re a terrifying person,...... really,...... you''re unscathed after all this,......!"


    "We''re not getting anywhere. ......"


    Mr. Halfa still continues to roll out the cudgel.


    I can''t get close to Mr. Halfa because of the club, but...


    "Hoo---......"


    Don''t just take Rose''s word for it, I don''t just do as I''m told, I''m resourceful!


    After exhaling slowly, he concentrates his healing magic on his upraised arms and catches the club swung down with his crossed arms.


    It may hurt a little, but it''s not a sword or a spear!


    "...... magic power in your hands ......! What!!!!!!"


    I throw an upper kick at Mr. Halfa, who looks at my arms and shouts in astonishment, but he easily leaps backward and takes a distance from me.


    But it was my turn to chase after him.


    I close the distance with a leap and throw a leaping kick before Mr. Halfa moves back and sets up his club.


    "d*mn. ......"


    "You dodged it!


    The kick is evaded just before it hits.


    It is better to act on the assumption that they can read our movements. Halfa''s eyes have been unnaturally fixed on me since a while ago. ....... Well, let''s hope it''s not as foully accurate as Amako''s prediction of the future...


    "I''m going to have to go in with a bang!"


    I was able to achieve my goal of jumping into the pocket.


    Mr. Halfa seemed to regain his composure immediately and thrust the club back to me. I would say it was a good decision, but this time I did not avoid the attack. If you can predict it, do it! I don''t care if you can predict it or not, I''m going to attack. ......


    With a fist other than the one that has been imbued with magic power, I flick the club that has been thrust toward my face and shift the direction of the club. The tip of the displaced club cuts my cheek, and blood spurts from my cheek, but it''s nothing to be concerned about.


    I swung my fist toward Mr. Halfa''s abdomen.


    "Gah ......!


    The fist that I launched at Halfa''s abdomen was blocked by something hard, but I continued to swing my fist.


    The force of his fist sends Halfa flying through the air,...... and although he is not as far away as he was when he was hit by Rose, I too saw a scene similar to what I just saw.... ......Ah.......


    "Oh no......"


    Am I an idiot!


    Why the Rose standard!


    Why did I go to the trouble of punching him out when I only needed to knock him out!


    Even if I hit him with a healing magic, this is not a good idea. I''m going to add to the saga that Amako will be so disappointed in.


    I rush to help Halfa-san, who is about to fall to the ground. However, as if betraying my impatience, Halfa-san maneuvers himself in the air and lands on the ground without a hitch, then gets down on his knees.


    "Ha ha ha ...... This is the first time I''ve thought I was going to die in a mock battle. ......"


    "Sorry! I guess I was just a little bit wrong, or maybe I''m just used to people flying. ......"


    Huh? Just now, out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw the students of the school, Kiriha and Kyou, turn blue with expressions that said, "No way!" .......


    "If I didn''t have this, I would have been in danger. ......


    He showed me the club in his hands, which had been cut in half.


    ...... So he guarded my fist with the club that he put back just before it hit me. How did he manage to defend himself in time? At least he''s much stronger than the wooden demon tribe, isn''t he?


    While I was secretly admiring him, Mr. Halfa, who wielded the club that had been broken in half like a double sword, held them up to me again.


    "It''s not the end yet. It can''t be the end. ...... You are stronger than I imagined, and you have a strength that is far too alluring---fortunately, thanks to your healing magic, it''s not much. There is no damage."


    I wish I could end it here, but Halfa seems to be still willing to do so. I''d like to stop now, but ...... that''s not going to happen, and that''s the hard part.


    "Huh. ......"


    I open my fist with healing magic and place it on my cheek where it was cut earlier to heal the wound. After confirming that the wound was cleanly gone, I ready my fist at Mr. Halfa, whose smile is somehow twitching.

 56 - the 55th episode

    I think I have the upper hand.


    But Halfa''s weapon has changed. He is holding a club split in half with both hands, which means he has two weapons and more moves.


    His reach has shortened, but he has become more of a nuisance.


    "Shatter or ......"


    From the feeling I had earlier, it doesn''t take much force to break it, and a few more shots should easily disable it.


    I''m concerned that the students watching the game have been silent as if they were at a wake, but for now, let''s just think about disabling Halfa-san in front of us.


    I''ve had enough of being scared every time someone tries to hit me in the face and neck.


    "I''m glad you''re finally willing to do this."


    "I''ve been ...... motivated from the start."


    "You must be joking. ...... even I can understand the difference between our abilities. You have surpassed me with your extraordinary physical abilities alone. But still, you are not even fighting on your own ground. ...... I am truly sorry. Your main task is to heal and help people,...... but this is also my task."


    ...... role?


    What do you mean, "role"? This mock battle was not requested by Mr. Halfa of his own volition, was it? The regret in his voice makes it even more difficult to understand his meaning.


    No, the role is not important right now. Now Mr. Halfa''s eyes have changed from sadness to a fierceness that reminds me of a beast.


    He holds up his two-hand club with a familiar hand, as if he is waiting for me to attack. And when he looks at me with his eyes filled with purple magic, I wonder if there is a trick in his eyes after all.


    "If he''s waiting for me to attack, he''s waiting for me to attack ......"


    We have to go, huh?


    If we continue to stare at each other, time will just pass, so it would be quicker to get out of the way.


    I jump on the spot and try to find the right time to leap out. Whether I''m aiming for a counter or defending myself, there''s nothing I can do to change the situation.


    Run and hit---that''s all I can do.


    "Shoo!"


    With Mr. Halfa in sight, I leap diagonally to the right and flank him. As I had expected, Mr. Halfa''s eyes catch my image, but I don''t care as I thrust out my fist filled with healing magic.


    Halfa catches my fist with two clubs, and at the same time, he leaps backward to avoid the impact.


    "d*mn!"


    "........."


    The way you reacted is unnatural.


    Her eyes follow my direction, but the reaction of Halfa''s body is clearly delayed. He chases after me and continues to kick me, but this time, he can see me, or maybe because he can see me, he avoids me and even counter-attacks.


    ".........mm"


    I tilt my head back to avoid the club and take a step back to look at him once more.


    I''m supposed to be pushing him, but I don''t feel like my attacks are getting through. Somehow, I think that if Mr. Halfa keeps on defending and evading, I will not be able to beat him.


    "I can never win with my physical strength, speed, and stamina ......, but there are plenty of ways I can use them!"


    "Please don''t look at me like I''m fighting some kind of monstrous monster!"


    I''m the middle boss in R.G.?


    But as I said, he has his ways. Sweat beads on his forehead as he parries my fists and kicks like a turtle in its shell, proud of its iron-clad defense.


    It''s troublesome that he''s keeping his distance from me at the same time he''s parrying. .......


    "Is it because I''m an amateur that my attacks are being parried so far ......?"


    As a complete amateur when it comes to martial arts, are my moves that easy to read?


    "Then you can go to ......."


    Anticipating that he would be passed off, he throws a direct kick at Mr. Halfa.


    As expected, the kick is caught and the force of the kick is passed off as he leaps backward, but he steps forward regardless and closes the distance as he leaps backward with his momentum.


    "Ah! So that''s how it''s going to be!


    You''re not going to get away with this, are you?


    Even an amateur like me can catch them at this distance!


    This time, he clenches his fist tightly, anticipating that it will be defended by the cudgel.


    Having fought this hard, I know he doesn''t need to hold back ...... so!


    "I''ll crush you!"


    That club in the way!


    I swing my fist at him with more force than when I hit Mr. Halfa earlier.


    Aim at the club, not the torso, and crush the obstacle first.


    The fist, swung down from above, is aimed at him, right in front of his eyes,


    "Whoo-hoo..."


    ?


    --- but just before the target, Mr. Halfa, landed on the ground, he kicked (?????) an object behind him, adjusted his stance, and avoided my fist by twisting his body.


    "Behind you, I got it!"


    "Gooo!"


    With a twisting motion, he turned behind me and delivered a centrifugal club blow to my back.


    It was not much of a pain, but the blow was more than enough to boost my strained fist, which had lost its target.


    My fist, which I had lost the timing to stop, hit the object that Mr. Halfa had just kicked to evade.


    A hard but resilient feeling that was clearly not biological enveloped my fist for a moment, but my energized fist could not absorb it with its resilience, and it went right through it.


    "......... and ......"


    That''s when I finally realize what I hit.


    It was white in color and shaped like a larger log, and it was striking the ground with great force, the same that Senpai and Kazuki had destroyed just a moment ago.


    "........."


    >


    >


    <


    He quickly turns away from Halfa and looks at his senpai.


    Kiriha is shaking and trembling, and Kyou is worried about her, as if to say, "What''s wrong with her?


    Kara-san is smiling at me as if to say, "Did you see that?


    The students looking at me as if I were a monster.


    Kazuki''s eyes are shining as he looks at me.


    And then there''s the senior who gives me the thumbs-up with the most smug look on his face.


    "...... this is the one that was almost broken by accident. ......"


    He spits out some lame excuses and tries to pull his arm out of the target that he has just broken through.


    ---I mean, can''t you pull it out?


    "I won''t miss it!"


    Mr. Halfa comes running up behind me as if he were an opportunity.


    "Hey, wait a minute! TIME! I can''t pull it out."


    "Use everything you can! I didn''t think it would go through, but ...... that''s my strategy too!"


    What kind of haphazard strategy is that?


    While we were struggling, Mr. Halfa attacked.


    It''s not good for me to keep my arm out of the target. However, he is not so easy to handle with only his right hand and leg. Rather, it is almost a dead end when he is forced into a situation where he cannot move freely.


    ---No, no, no! There is no such a stupid deadlock! Rose would kill me if I won or lost like this!


    "Noooooooo!"


    He high-kicks Haruha in the side of the head and blows her away. It seems to be defended, but it buys him some time. In that short time, I will pull out the target that this arm can''t pull out!


    He puts his right arm under the impaled left arm and lifts it up with all his might.


    >


    You there senpai, shut up a bit!


    The target, with its teeth clenched and its legs straining so hard that it dug its legs into the ground, had remained as immovable as a telephone pole until a few moments ago, but gradually cracks were carved in the ground and it began to sway unsteadily.


    "OLLAH!!!!!!!"


    He watched for the moment when the strike became too soft, and with his right hand, which was attached to his left arm, he struck the target as if to move it, and pulled it up all at once.


    The target was struck shallower than expected, and the one-meter-long root of the target came out. The target was out of the ground, but my arm was still stuck in the target, and Mr. Halfa, who had regained his position, was already trying to swing his club at me.


    "You can''t take me so easily!


    As soon as I turned around, I swung my left arm at the target, which was impaled on my left arm, and moved away from Mr. Halfa, who was trying to approach me. He avoided the target with light steps and looked at me and the target in which his left arm was stuck with a bitter smile on his face.


    "What a strange ...... thing to pull out the whole target. ......"


    Who would have thought this would happen. I''m surprised, too.


    But the target was buried in the shallow end, so I guess it was easier to pull out than I thought...


    <<< Even a target reinforced with fixed magic can be pulled out! You easily exceeded my expectations! >>


    "......Huff,puff...... I had a hard time pulling it out of the stone, too......."


    It just so happens that this target was not magically reinforced, Kara. So don''t make it so big.


    But I''m surprised you kicked the target and came up behind me. His superior fighting skills, as well as his ability to use everything around him to his advantage, is a strength that I can see why Kiriha and the others are worried about him.


    The most troublesome thing about him is that he can read my moves perfectly. First of all, I have to do something about that reading.


    "Speaking of which, ......"


    As I forcibly pulled my left arm out of the target, I cooled my slightly hot head and remembered something.


    It was when Mr. Welshy told me that Halfa''s <>, a magic of the magic eye system, can see the flow of magic power regardless of people or objects.


    I was too caught up in Amako''s foreknowledge to pay attention to his magical eye system magic, which I can only say I was too careless. .......


    If the application of this magical vision is Amako''s prediction of the future---nay, the attack---then you can understand the reason why my every move is foreseen.


    When we first met, Mr. Halfa said that the magic flowing through my body was very smooth.


    In other words, you can even see the flow of magic when I am not using magic. What does it matter, if the that I have been thinking about and the that he is seeing now in the fight are different in meaning...... -John


    "It''s worth checking out: ......"


    No attack can be decisive if the attacker is anticipating the attack.


    On the other hand, the method of defeating a blue grizzly bear without question, as we did with the one we met in the forest, is too dangerous against Mr. Halfa, who is a human being. The other way of using my power is also dangerous.


    This is the only way.


    "......You''re going to do something!"


    I lightly clench my fist with my left hand, which is covered with healing magic, and approach Mr. Halfa.


    There is no need to attack him... all I want to make sure of is...


    "Here it is: ......"


    He transfers the magic power of the healing spell from his left hand to his right foot.


    After transferring the magical power in an amount that is not noticeable to the naked eye, he strikes his left fist. It is just a telephone punch. It is fast and powerful, but it is a fist of a level that Mr. Halfa can easily pass off. .......


    "Ah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


    But what happened? Mr. Halfa blinked his eyes unexpectedly, and then rushed to defend himself against my fist. He seemed to have succeeded in parrying my fist just in time to defend himself.


    ---I could read it somehow.


    "It''s not only the flow of magic power that you can see with your magic vision, is it?"


    "......... did you notice ......?"


    He quickly lowered his two cudgels and let out a breath of air as if he were about to give up.


    "You know that magic flows through the human body in a circulatory ...... and you know this, don''t you?"


    Haruha-san was surprisingly honest in revealing the truth, as if it would not be a problem if I told her.


    As you say, it would normally not matter if they found out or not. The only countermeasure against someone who can predict your movements is to blind them.


    "The magic power that flows like a slow river causes <> depending on the activation of the magic and the movement of the user. ....... I have been watching your movements by watching this < ......, although my weakness is that I can''t do anything if I am surpassed by a single body like yours. ......"


    I had predicted that it was reacting to the movement of magic power, but ...... I guess it''s a .


    I tried to move the magic power in a strange way on purpose and was able to induce confusion in Mr. Halfa.


    Look at me, who had figured out that the attack had been read before. Mr. Halfa pointed the tip of his club at me again.


    "But I won''t fall for such a blatant feint anymore. I''m not finished yet. ...... I can fight. ......"


    "......... no, I''ll finish next time."


    If you''re trying to read my moves by looking at my magic, we''ll talk soon.


    If you don''t fall for a simple feint, I have the perfect trump card for you. It is a bit risky, but I am sure it will be very effective against him who sees the flow of magic.


    I run toward Mr. Halfa as I did before, hoping to win the game with my next attack.


    "...... no matter how fast you are, you can''t go straight ahead so many times!"


    I know that. But when I use a move like this, it''s best if I''m right in front of you... in the center of your field of vision!


    When Mr. Halfa made a stance as if he was going to intercept me, I did not stop my legs and raised my right hand with healing magic in it in front of me so that he could see it.


    "I''m not going to fall for a feint..."


    "Even this?"


    I pour as much magic as I can into my right hand, where the healing magic is active. The light green color turns darker, like ink being spilt, and my right hand glows.


    "What?


    It was a simple matter of dazzling him with the magic vision of Mr. Halfa. And his eyes are too sensitive to track my movements.


    As I swung my right hand to the side, his gaze was focused on my right hand as if against his will.


    "---Hah!


    The strategy because you have too good an eye.


    Since you are < enough to follow my movements with your eyes, there is no way you can avoid following the movements of my right hand, which is enveloped in the light of a powerful healing magic.


    I approach Mr. Halfa at once, who shows a fatal gap, and kick away his club with my kick and unleash my fist.


    What?


    My fist, which was thrust out like an uppercut, was faster than his defense and just barely made contact with his jaw, stopping him.


    I look at his face, inwardly fearful of whether or not he will continue the fight with my fist on the verge of stopping...


    "Ha, ha ha ha ha ...... no way, it''s so easy ...... to give up so easily ...... and so easily ....... I''ve been completely defeated."


    He finally admitted defeat by holding his fist at me and raised his hands as if to say, "I give up.


    It was finally over, it really was a paper-thin game in many ways. .......


    "......!"


    I take a sigh of relief and pull my fist, and in my relief, I notice that my right arm is tormented by a buzzing pain.


    I looked and saw that my hand was bleeding.


    My inexperienced hand must not have been able to bear the load of the instantaneous addition of magic power. I healed the wound on my hand immediately by applying healing magic, and slowly closed my right palm, which was now completely clean.


    "But the wounds are not as many as before.


    I''m growing up.


    At least more than before.


    I felt a certain sense of growth, and I gave an uncharacteristically small gut-punch.


    "Well, I knew you would do it, Usato-kun.


    After the mock battle, just as I returned to the front of the group, I received some not-so-happy words from my senpai.


    I looked around and saw the students looking at me with a buzz, and Mr. Halfa lined up among them with a satisfied smile on his face.


    I found out one issue after fighting with him.


    That is, when fighting against a human being, I should not be too hard on my opponent. If demons and monsters were to hit people based on their standards, they would be in big trouble. I had fought only against demons and monsters until now, so this time, I was not able to I understood it well in the fight with a human being.


    "Ha ......"


    "I know your character very well. But a demonstration needs to be as flashy as this, don''t you think?"


    "Demo ...... what is it?"


    When I asked him this question, he only smiled meaningfully.


    If you know something, please tell me without hesitation. .......


    "Both of you, that was a great fight you just had. I didn''t think I would see the final gateway for wizards, the addition of magical power---the strengthening of the lineage---even if it''s not yet completed."


    I try to question the senior again, but he keeps his mouth shut when Dr. Kara starts to speak.


    She seems surprised at the magical additions I''ve made, but the other students don''t seem to know what she''s talking about.


    "Oh, by the way, I haven''t taught you yet: ....... Lineage enhancement is a technique to enhance the concentration of magic power. If you hone this technique, even a poor fire wizard will be able to control a great fire in no time.


    Strengthening the Lineage of Healing Magic ......? The other magic has other enhancements?


    I don''t know, but that''s not my problem.


    "Then why don''t you just teach me quickly? ...... This system enhancement is not something that should be handled by inexperienced wizards. The magic power that you have added will run out of control and explode if you''re not careful. You must be very skilled in the use of magic..."


    As I was listening to the conversation, Kara, who was walking in front of the students with her arms folded, came up to me. She looked at me, the corners of her mouth twisted up, and she suddenly put her hand on my shoulder and looked around at all the students again...


    "Only those who can continue to train, no matter how badly their hands are shredded, no matter how badly they are wounded, will be able to continue to train without regard for that. ....... I hope you got to see some good stuff today. It''s a good thing we get to see you useless healing wizards < as you call it."


    --- He said so.


    He''s totally inciting her. Some of the people are completely glaring at me, and the twin-tailed girl who first tried to challenge me to a mock battle is looking at me with crazy bloodshot eyes.


    "Hm ......?"


    At the entrance of the school building, a little behind the students who are gazing at me, there is a boy who is looking at me dumbfounded. There was a small ...... boy in sooty robes, a healer like me.


    Our eyes meet. He didn''t stare at me like he had when I first came here, but the way he looked at me was almost like looking at something unbelievable.


    "Excuse me, Miss Carla?"


    "Leave him alone, for now."


    She must have noticed, because she immediately responded in the same way.


    Whatever Kara''s or Halfa''s intentions were, my action may have been careless.


    I might have been able to charm the power of healing magic without intending to. But I had not even the slightest idea of the consequences of this action on the man whose name I did not know. .......

 57 - the 56th episode

    "Well, ......, cheer up, Mr. Usato."


    "Oh, I''ve never seen Usato fighting before, but it was awesome."


    I was currently lying on the floor of the cafeteria to which I had been led after my class tour at the Magic Academy. The cafeteria of the school is a brick building with a fairly large space as it is called a cafeteria of the school. After finishing my lunch at random, I could take a short break here, but I still regretted my careless behavior in the mock battle.


    "I don''t know why I''m so unthinking ...... I''m getting tired of being so careless ......."


    I think you two would be called heroes with great magic, but in my case, no matter how you look at it, my fighting style is not that of a wizard, and above all, my healing magic is not well-received.


    It would not be surprising if rumors of my magic are rife with tails.


    "It''s the same for us. We didn''t think it through, and that''s why we had to leave ......."


    "I let my emotions get the better of me. I''m sorry."


    "Please don''t apologize. I chose to participate in the event."


    You two may have caused this problem, but it could have been avoided if I had just covered my tracks.


    It is wrong to blame them for that. The question is, how will I affect this school? The only thing I can think of is that the girl who is a healer like me will get more attention.


    ...... I''ll have to tell them about him first.


    For now, I''ll explain about the healing wizard Lucvis met in the park. Kazuki listened to me with a thoughtful expression on his face, but Inukami-senpai tilted his head with his arms crossed, as if he had something on his mind.


    "What do you want to do?"


    "Huh?"


    "You want to help that healing wizard? Or do you want them to stop being tormented?"


    It sounds like the same thing, but it is not.


    The first is to make sure that we will not be harmed in the future, and the second is just a stopgap measure until we leave here.


    "To be honest, I myself don''t know. But I''m not a fool enough to let something like that go."


    "...... Well, I couldn''t keep quiet when Mr. Usato made fun of me. It''s a little different, but it''s pretty much the same thing.


    "How can you say such embarrassing lines without batting an eye? ......"


    "You''re already a very important member of our team, so it''s only natural that we should care about you."


    He turns away, covering his mouth with his hand at the sudden words.


    >I try not to make eye contact with Kazuki, who admonishes her with a teasing senior and <> with a wry smile.


    Why does this unfortunate senior make such a surprise move?


    It''s too cowardly to do so out of the blue.


    I turn my head away from her and look to the side, and then she seems to remember something and puts her hands on my shoulders with a kind expression on her face. What''s with this kind of intertwining? Unlike before, I get the feeling that it''s very troublesome.


    "Oh, by the way, Usato-kun, I''m going to be at the place you''re staying today..."


    No, you can''t do that.


    "You could have just said okay with the flow of things! Look, I''m a good senior!"


    Speak for yourself.


    "Please be patient with the luxurious food and bedding at the inn."


    "I don''t want fancy food or beds, I just want to live with ...... fantasy!"


    "Don''t worry. You are a fantasy in your words and actions."


    What''s with you living with fantasy?


    She let out a sigh of exasperation, and seeing that I was hard to convince, she suddenly stood up and grabbed me by both shoulders. All eyes were on me.


    "Hey,...... please hold it down. I''m not trying to be mean to you.


    "Kiriha said ask Usato!"


    When did you make contact?


    Was it during training! Either way, it''s too smart.


    And Kiriha is throwing everything she''s got at me!


    "Senpai, please calm down! Usato is in trouble too, so please stop!"


    Kazuki comes to stop him.


    In the past, this would have been enough to stop him, but this time he was not so lucky.


    "I''m not going to stop, I''m not going to back down this time, I''m not going to ...... back down this time, hmm?


    The senior who was holding my shoulder looked behind me and tilted his head.


    I can only say that it''s amazing that he immediately became calm after being in such a confused state a moment ago, but I wonder if there is someone behind him. I also turned my head in the direction he was facing.


    "You seem to be having a good time.


    "What are you doing here ......?"


    Ms. Gladys, a woman with golden hair, and Ms. Welsey, who was standing behind her, looked at me and my senpai with curious eyes.


    They sit next to Kazuki, who is sitting in front of us, as if they are looking for us.


    I guess they are not here for ...... lunch.


    I owe you guys an apology.


    "Apologize? Why?"


    I have no idea. Why should I expect you to apologize, Gladys? I think I should be the one to apologize for causing such a commotion.


    She looked around at us once, not caring at all about the attention she was getting from the students in the cafeteria.


    "Yesterday, right after you left, we gathered the teachers here to discuss an agreement with the Kingdom of Lingle against the threat of the Demon Lord''s army.


    Why is that an apology to us?"


    Did something end badly for us?


    "That''s because ...... some of the teachers were negative about the content of the letter. They were skeptical about the existence of a brave man and wondered if the Demon Lord''s army was that strong. I had my doubts. Many said that you are not worth believing, that you are here to protect the children of this country.


    "...... We may be emissaries from a neighboring country, but we are strangers. We can''t complain if we are suspected."


    "But you know, that''s all just a front. They had only seen the battle in the stories of the Demon King''s army, and the Demon King seemed like a very powerful enemy to them. That''s why they opposed him so desperately ...... but if the Kingdom of Lingle had lost the battle against the Demon King''s Army in the last battle, the next country to be attacked would be the neighboring country of Lukvis."


    That''s true.


    If you think about it, after the Lingle Kingdom fell into the hands of the Demon King, the Demon King''s army that marched into the Lingle Kingdom would try to increase its power more and more using the Lingle Kingdom as a new base. I don''t think that Lucvis, which has many inexperienced wizards who don''t know how to fight, has the strength to fight.


    I wonder if Gladys knew that.


    "No amount of verbal appeals can convey the power of your people. I''ve decided to go to Wellesley and try something a little more unreasonable."


    That''s how you got us to participate in the students'' training, right?


    Were you aware of that?"


    "When Mr. Usato was fighting, there were a lot of people in the building who were looking at him, so I kind of knew what was going on.


    Is that what you meant by the demonstration I gave after the battle with Mr. Halfa? She is very reliable in such a situation.


    However, I wish she would have told me such a thing beforehand. Even though it was necessary, it was hard to fight with Mr. Halfa, and I attracted more attention than necessary. ...... No, I think he''s right about the attention: .......


    Gladys puts her hand over her mouth as if to giggle at the senior''s words. In contrast to this gesture, which shows her seniority, the atmosphere of the room suggests a kind of mischievousness.


    "I''m sorry for deceiving you. But you have exceeded all expectations, and even the teachers who had objected have had to shut up now that they have a glimpse of your abilities. ....... I didn''t think you''d be able to destroy something magically fixed with your bare hands.


    I wonder if it''s not normal to pull that thing out.


    I knew that my strength was getting stronger through daily training, but I did not expect it to be this strong. I am now keenly aware of the importance of continuing with the basics.


    As I was convincing myself in my mind, Mr. Welshy suddenly remembered something, tapped the desk, stood up suddenly, and looked at me with a desperate look on his face.


    "Usato-sama! I told you yesterday! Adding more magic is dangerous! You''re using that ...... so violently ...... wrong!"


    "Well, Mr. Welshy, let''s look at it the other way around. That''s how I fight."


    "Don''t talk to me like Rose!"


    I''m still okay with that because I haven''t reached her dimension yet.


    I decided to calm Mr. Welshy down and ask him some questions about what Gladys had said earlier.


    "Did Mr. Halfa work for you?"


    Yes, but not the girl who challenged you first. Only Halfa helped us."


    Not the first girl. ...... So you''re saying that Mr. Halfa saw that the girl had asked me to fight a mock battle, and he intervened. So was Kara in on it too ......?


    From the way she is acting, it seems like she would give permission for anything even if she wasn''t told about it.


    "......I''m really glad we left it in his hands. If it had been anyone other than him, we would have been finished before we could measure his abilities. ......It''s her man, he can''t fly a person with a single fist without any assistance.


    "...... haha, I''m not ready yet. The last training I did was more than ten times as hard as Halfa''s. And if I dodged, they kicked me in the face. I''m not sure how unreasonable this is."


    At first I thought I was going to die, but once I got used to it, I was fine.


    I think it''s probably because my brain is numb to the pain or something.


    "...... so,so......"


    "Usato-sama, you are ......"


    Oh, I was just about to laugh.


    I was hoping for a "Rose, how stupid can you be? Even Gladys, who had been smiling earlier, turned back to a straight face. And Welshy was looking at me with a look like <


    "Wow, Rose-san. ......"


    "Who is he, that man? ......"


    Kazuki and his senpai also have their own reactions. I created a strange atmosphere even though I was not conscious of it.


    "Oh, yes, Mr. Gladys. I have a favor to ask you."


    "What is it? If it''s not too much, I can allow it. ......"


    "Not the Bullein ......, but the messenger I have with me? Can I let my demons walk in this city?"


    "There are a lot of kids here who have their own messengers, so that''s fine."


    All right, you''ve got my permission.


    Wait for me, Bulrin. Today is the last day you can coast. We''ll get you running strong tomorrow.


    I was a little excited to know that I would be able to train with her, but for some reason Ms. Welshy was reserved when I turned to her.


    "Um, Usato-sama. Brulin is not a messenger, is she?"


    "......Eh, is that so?"


    Oh, my God.


    So what am I supposed to say about Bullyn from now on? .......


    "What do you mean? Wellsey."


    "Well, Usato-sama, we don''t have a contract with any messengers. Or perhaps it would be more correct to say that there is no need.


    "No need?"


    Does a messenger contract literally mean making a contract with a messenger? I don''t know what you mean by "no need", but I don''t know what you mean by "no need".


    "In the case of a messenger contract, the blood of the master and the blood of the demon must be the medium of the contract. In addition, there is a strict condition that the demon must surrender to the master.


    "What, do messengers have to go through a lot of steps ......?"


    I didn''t realize that the conditions for creating a messenger were so cumbersome, it wasn''t something you could just write down in a contract and go.


    I don''t want to bring him to his knees, and even if I don''t do that, he won''t betray me.


    "There is no master-slave relationship between you and Master Usato and Master Bulrin. Yes, ...... it may be more like a friendship."


    "Wow, that''s great. What kind of demon is ...... with a demon without a messenger contract?"


    Blue grizzly.


    "............ hmm?"


    "? I''m ...... a blue grizzly."


    For some reason, he asked me why, and when I answered again, Gladys froze. Ms. Welsey''s head was in her hands as if to say, "I knew it. Why does it seem like something I said is funny?


    I wonder at the unreasonableness of the meaning.


    Uluru once said that blue grizzly bears do not easily get attached to people. Or is it because they are dangerous demons and can''t be used as messengers?


    "Well, if you''re not in any danger, you''ll be fine. Just be careful not to go on a rampage.


    "Oh, I understand. I''ll take him down if it comes to that.


    "It''s amazing how ...... I would normally suspect a lie, but when you say it, I don''t think so. ......"


    I heard Mr. Gladys mumbling something, but ...... I got permission to let Bullyn walk anyway. The training will be much different with Bulrin, we can use him as a weight.


    "Senpai, Kazuki, what are you going to do after this?"


    "Well, why don''t we go to Bullein''s? Now that we have permission, let''s go see him."


    I''m a little tired, so I''m going back to the inn. I''m a little tired so I''m going back to the inn.


    Kazuki is going home first. I''m wondering why he said that after looking at me and my senpai alternately,...... but let''s go see Bulrin like he said. I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to get to the inn to pick up my belongings before I go.


    Well, that''s why we''re going back.


    Yes, you can come back if you want. ...... Oh, and there''s a monthly magic simulation in a week, it''s a competitive test of strength and you''ll get to see a lot of magic, so if you''re interested come and watch."


    "One week or ......"


    "There is still a lot of discussion going on about the letter. I''m sure you''ll be busy, so if you feel like it, why don''t you come?"


    A competitive mock-up, that sounds interesting.


    We stood up, bowed to Gladys, and left to go outside the school.


    Wait for me, Bulrin ......, don''t think you can stay here forever.


    Usato and the others are leaving the cafeteria.


    I was watching them off with Principal Gladys, and when I saw that they were out of sight, I questioned her next to me.


    "Is it okay if I don''t tell you?"


    "He was also troubled, and it would be better not to tell you now. The fact that his mock battle with Halfa had any meaning other than to convince the teachers is ......."


    Of course, the purpose was to let the teachers understand what you are capable of. This plan worked out beautifully, with Suzune''s overwhelming offensive power, Kazuki''s precise attacks with his elaborate magic bullets, and Usato''s combat fighting with his speed and power that is surpassing that of a human being, utilizing his healing magic at an oblique angle.


    I did not expect him to make a disruptive attack using the lineage enhancement, so when he did it to Mr. Halfa, I literally felt a chill down my spine.


    "............"


    "We need a spark to change the mindsets of our power, magic, and race-obsessed students, Welshie. That''s why I asked Usato, a healing magician, and Halfa, a magician''s eye, to be the spark."


    It was no accident that Mr. Halfa and Master Usato fought.


    Normally, he should have had them fight against Suzune-sama and Kazuki-sama, who were stronger magicians than him, but Principal Gladys did not dare to do so, because she wanted her students to see their fight.


    "......Healing magic can only heal and seeing magic can only see, these two types of magic have different systems, but they are the same in nature. That''s why their battle was worth showing to the students, or rather to the people who live here."


    A mock battle to change entrenched ideas.


    I can say that it was very effective. The students who had been judging the superiority of powerful rare magic and the amount of magical power were forced to realize that those who wielded the magic they had looked down upon were far stronger than they were.


    It is a forced method, but it seems to me to be the most effective correction possible.


    However, it was heartbreaking to proceed without telling Usato and the others, even if it was partly for the sake of the letter.


    "Hmph...... Usato''s behavior is too unexpected. I can''t believe that after all the trouble I went through to get you a place to stay, you ended up staying in a different place. ...... And you told me that this is where the beastmen live. ...... They hate people who live here, and yet they are so happy to be here. ......A truly strange girl......"


    "Ah, ha ha ha ......"


    She giggles as if nothing could be funnier, and Welshy lets out a laugh as well.


    The sensibilities of these three people summoned from another world are truly out of step with their own perceptions. Their eyes light up like a child''s when they touch this world and see everything they see.


    Especially when we see Amako-sama, a ...... beastman, working with Usato-sama, we can see that she is really relying on him. It is a sight that we would never see under normal circumstances.


    "I hope that he will change the wrong ideas of this country, because he does not avoid creatures different from human beings. I want him to understand ...... that any magic is a shining gem in the rough, that he should not waste the talent he has cultivated, and that people can grow as far as they want."


    As the person in charge of this city, the eyes of Dean Gladys were kind as she said this.


    She herself may have felt itchy to leave the responsibility to them alone, but she was the head of this city, and even if she wanted to improve the situation of the school, she could not do so carelessly because of her position as the head of the school. That''s why she borrowed their help outside of the country---because she wanted to accomplish it even if she had to prove her power to them.


    However, her gentle expression immediately changed to one of reluctance, and she restrained her hand on her forehead as if in distress.


    "The problem is, I''m worried that the kids who saw today''s simulation might do something ...... prematurely. ......"


    After saying goodbye to Gladys and Welshy, Inukami-senpai and I left Kazuki in front of the inn and headed towards the stables where Bulrin, Amako, and the knights were.


    In the middle of this, a very happy senpai was walking next to me, but I was worried that he might go somewhere with his eyes on some strange product as he did when he first came through here.


    "The girl who is a healing magician like you was in the class of the underclassmen who were in the morning training, wasn''t she?"


    Yes, you were very surprised to see me. I guess he was surprised to see a familiar face with the same healing magic as his own, right?


    "Maybe surprised is more like it, since you are so far removed from yourself, right? If I didn''t know any better, I would think that you don''t look like a healing magician when you are fighting. I guess you finally learned that when Kara said you were a healing wizard."


    That''s one way to look at it.


    I am aware that I don''t look like a healing magician, but I can understand that expression on her face if she knew me because of Carla.


    But why was she in such a hurry when she woke up from her faint? Was it because he was going to be late for class? It seems odd, though, if you''ve been tormented for several years, you''d want to get out of a place like this as soon as possible. If you have any other reasons, you can find them at .......


    "........."


    No, let''s not get our imaginations stretched too far.


    I walk in silence, and my senpai senses it, too, and walks along without saying a word. It is late afternoon and the main street is crowded with people. People are whispering to each other about me and Inukami-senpai, as if they are whispering about us.


    My group uniform stands out at times like this. It is natural, since it was made to stand out, but at times like this, I feel a bit bitter about its design.


    "Your clothes stand out.


    "Should I take it off?"


    No, no, that''s not necessary. I know that your clothes are not only fashionable but also meaningful. I''d rather wear them myself."


    "No, you can''t."


    If you want to lend it to me, that''s fine, but they can''t make one just like mine.


    It seems that none of these clothes have been made except the other one Rose is wearing, and I don''t know what the material they are made of is made from.


    I''m sure they are made of some strange fabric that is neither leather nor cloth, but...


    "Usato-kun ...... ago"


    "Yes?"


    My senpai urges me to look ahead. I followed her and looked ahead, and there I saw a crowd of people gathered in a familiar alley. At the end of that alley was the square where the country''s healing wizard had fainted that morning.


    ......I have a bad feeling about this.


    Let''s go!


    "Oh, my God, Usato-kun!


    Immediately, he rushes to the crowd in front of the alley and peeks into the alley through the people. What I heard was a roar, as if something had exploded.


    Normally, there is no explosion. I tried to run away from the scene, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a man who had gathered around the healer boy in the morning.


    "Oh, you''re that funny looking guy from the morning ......"


    "What happened?


    "Hic, oh, the morning guy is getting hurt again. ....... And more than I''ve ever seen before. ......"


    Is it me or .......


    I didn''t expect such an uproar so soon, but if they want to take it out on me, they should have aimed directly at me. ......


    The anger at myself that is welling up inside makes me calm down. First, let''s get past these onlookers to the plaza.


    "Senpai! I''ll go first!"


    Usato-kun!


    We alternately kick the walls of the alley and jump over the onlookers at once. I can hear someone''s startled voice below me, but although I''m calm now, I don''t think I''m going to be quiet.


    I land on the ground, and at last I can see the plaza.


    In the square is that boy with the healing magic and --- that''s the girl with twin-tails who challenged me to a mock battle at ...... the first time! And then there are the men and women who seem to be his cronies.


    "If you''re hiding your abilities, why don''t you just let them out?"


    "...... I''m not ...... ......."


    A girl with an orange sphere in her hand, slightly different from a fireball, smiles wickedly at her group of cronies and shoots the sphere at the boy.


    The boy, on the other hand, is lying on the ground in a worse state than he was in the morning. That expression ...... is out of magic!


    What would happen if you hit him with magic while he''s almost alive and out of magic. ...... Does that kid know that!


    "Oh no, that''s not good. ......!"


    He hurriedly takes off his troupe uniform, wraps it around his right hand, and starts running as fast as he can.


    I reach the boy in a few steps and wave my right arm wrapped around my trousers at the fireball that is approaching me. Instantly, the fireball explodes and a small plume of black smoke envelops me for a moment.


    <>


    But it''s not much magic. It is not powerful enough to scorch a troupe''s clothes, but it is powerful enough to cause serious injury if a person is hit by it.


    I shake off the black smoke with my hand, put back on my troupe uniform, and turn to the boy behind me before the stunned group in front of me. As I had expected, the boy looks up at me as if dumbfounded, and I hold out my hand to activate my healing magic.


    "I knew it, you''re out of magic. ...... I''m amazed you managed to stay conscious.


    "Hey, what''s ...... with me, Ona ...... Ji ......?"


    The boy, perhaps at his limit, passes out in the middle of casting a healing spell. He has light burns and a blue bruise on his face, probably from being hit by a ....... If you turn up his clothes, you can see his injuries as much as you like. .......


    The problem is that he is a healing magician and he was injured beyond his ability to heal himself. How many minutes, or even hours, did he last? It is even possible that the mock battle started right after we finished.


    "Hey, ......, don''t do anything on your own."


    First of all, let''s heal everything, including fatigue.


    If we are not careful, there might be an injury that will last a lifetime.


    But how can you use magic so lightly against a human being? The knights I knew in the Lingle Kingdom had good morals. ...... I''m not forcing the students here to use magic for the sake of the country, but this kind of thing isn''t right for a human being to do.


    "Hey!"


    "Oh ......?"


    I responded in a slightly raspy voice, perhaps irritated myself.


    The boy who had grabbed me by the shoulders and called out to me turned around, and when he saw my face, he lost his voice and backed away.


    "If you don''t like it, why don''t you just tell me directly ......"


    "Or, I think you''re mistaken, ...... he and I are friends. You are not involved, can you please stay out of it?"


    "Well, I don''t care if ......... is..."


    This is it.


    I''m so screwed, I don''t know what to do.


    It would be better if we could just knock them all out and be done with it.


    Don''t be ...... too shortsighted. I look at them in front of me, telling myself over and over again to stay calm.


    Five ......?


    "Healing magic isn''t just a convenient magic for ...... your exasperation, you know?"


    I''ve learned.


    Hell, pain and respect.


    I''ve helped so many people with the magic she taught me.


    And I''m not a sandbag.


    "I''m not here for your stupid self-esteem in the first place. I, for one, don''t give a shit if you''re irritating or annoying on a regular basis. ....... Even if you are so ignorant that you don''t know how much injury a burst of magic can cause to a living person."


    "Ignorant, huh?"


    You''re a lickspittle.


    Do you think I''ll back down at the mere mention of the word "friend"?


    You think I''m going to let you off the hook for that?


    Do you think you''ll be forgiven if you put on an innocent face?


    "Don''t get ...... carried away with a healing wizard who just followed a brave man..."


    "My boss, a healing wizard, once said to me..."


    Maybe I''m more prone to anger than I thought. Even in my original world, I rarely got really angry, and the only time I''ve ever been shown something this disgusting was when I saw a bad movie.


    But this is just wrong. Anger that is clearly different from the one I felt when Ferrum tried to kill my senpai and Kazuki is spreading in my heart.


    I put my left hand on the tree planted just nearby and exert myself. The part where I put my hand is distorted and the whole tree trembles.


    "When you get involved with a person who looks down on healing magic, feel free to kick his ass," he says. That''s exactly what you''re doing. ....... Above all, friend is not a word you can use as an excuse to ...... get out of the situation."


    A piece of wood is crushed into pieces and dropped onto the ground with a crack.


    With that, the girl, who had been so bossy, drops back as if frightened. Her expression is tinged with fear of me.


    "A healing wizard who just followed a brave man is a ......? Shall I put you all through the same thing as this girl? You little girls who can''t do anything without a crowd. ......"


    When they take a step closer, their faces turn even paler. Some of them even have tears in their eyes. I see this and slowly relax my shoulders and let the tension go.


    ......I think that if I scare them this much, they will be quiet for a while. My last line, which mimicked Rose''s tone a little, seemed to be very effective.


    I''m not mature enough to get emotional and raise my hand to a younger girl, and in my experience, once you instill fear in someone, they won''t try to rebel. The next time he does something like that, he can bring Bulrin with him and do the same thing with even more fierceness.


    ...... But I''m not so sure I''d be willing to make a threat. ...... Is that the end of the matter, for now? Now if only I could get the boy who is passed out behind me to a place where he can lie down....


    Calm down, Usato.


    Hmm?


    Finally, an older man came out of the crowd and put his hand on my shoulder to calm me down.


    Just in time, now that the situation is under control, let''s talk about where to take this girl.


    "Oh, you''re the senior? Just now..."


    "You guys seem to want to make an enemy of healing wizards ...... at all, meritocracy has gone so far it''s just a detriment."


    But Senpai, without hearing my words, turned to the girls and said these words to them in a provocative manner.


    Senpai, don''t tell me you think ...... I''m really mad?


    The senior member of the group steps forward in front of me in high spirits. The girl, who had been somewhat less frightened by the appearance of the more sane looking senpai, looked back at him with a miffed expression on her face.


    "He and I are strangers. And we are in charge of the future of our country...so we can''t touch you......... frustratingly... Don''t ...... get me wrong, it''s not us who should be taking you down."


    Don''t lay a hand on them, the older man says with a wry smile, as if to nail the girls who were trying to set the tone with those words.


    I understand why you are angry, but I would be very happy if you could notice my confusion in the back.


    "What the hell is going on?


    "We''re having a competitive mock-up in a week, right?"


    "What! There''s no way you can win! I can''t believe you and your monster and your hero!


    "Hey."


    "Hi!


    That''s a funny reaction for calling me a monster. At least it''s not a reaction to a person.


    My skin has peeled back to reveal my lack of reserve. I may have been a complete enemy to this girl in the first place, but .......


    I''m more concerned about what Senpai said about the once-a-month mock battle. I don''t know what her intentions are, but unlike the mock battle during the day, aren''t we not allowed to participate in the official school event?


    "......... It''s not me or Usato-kun who''s leaving. It''s the boy you were beating up earlier."


    "...... is, huh? You think the guy lying there can beat me?"


    Wait a minute......I don''t understand what Senpai''s intentions are at all......It could be a terrible one-sided game if we let him fight. The boy is out cold to begin with, and I can''t say anything after I''ve threatened him.


    The girl looked down at the fallen boy and glared at senpai, but she put a thin smile on her face as if she had no idea what was going on and indicated me, who was behind her, with her thumb.


    "I''ll make him stronger than you in a week. ---"In a week, I''ll make him stronger than you... this Usato-kun."


    "What? ...... Huh!"


    Me?


    Surprised by the sudden throw of the whole situation, I immediately turned to my senpai and spoke to him in a subdued voice to find out what was going on.


    He said, "Wait a minute, what do you mean?


    It''s best to let the person himself solve these problems. I know it''s a bit rough, but I can''t think of a better way.


    "That''s true, but ......"


    "And when it comes to healing magic, you understand it better than anyone in this city, so you''re the right person for the job."


    Train him? It''s only seven days...... No, I can''t do today and the day of the mock battle because I''m out cold, so it''s really only five days.


    I think you''d have to put him through at least as much hell as I did in order to train him.


    But if you ask me if there is any other way other than ...... threats and this, I can''t think of anything else. ....... Stand up to bullies on your own. In a way, this may be the most effective and most difficult way to stop a boy from being bullied.


    Taking the silence as an acknowledgement, the older student turns around and begins to ramble on in an even more exaggerated manner.


    You are free to take it or leave it. If you are afraid of losing ...... to him, the healing wizard, you don''t have to ...... take it, do you?"


    "Ha, just kidding. If he loses, brace yourself. ....... I don''t care if he''s a hero or an emissary of the Kingdom of Lingle, I''m going to make him ...... pay!"


    > the girl said with a dismissive tone, and walked away with her giggling and sarcastic cronies down a different street from the alley leading to the main street.


    All that was left was a group of onlookers peering at us, a boy lying on the ground, and us. I let out a sigh, thinking that I had gotten myself into trouble again.


    "Well, I was in a hurry when I saw you losing your temper, Usato-kun. If you had touched them here, it would have been more than a letter.


    "Hey!"


    "Aaah!


    At any rate, I''ll give you a light hand to thank you for taking the liberty of talking to me. I know he was doing it out of the goodness of his heart, but I felt like I had to do it anyway.


    What are you doing?


    I tried to do it lightly, but he looked up at me with tears in his eyes and his head held back.


    I felt something immoral, but I knew intuitively that it was a feeling I should not be aware of, so I explained without worrying.


    "Senpai, I was angry, but I didn''t mean to raise my hand.


    "Huh? You looked ......,ha,ha,ha,...... terrifying."


    "I''m thinking of lightly threatening them to stop."


    <>


    >


    <>


    <>


    ..........


    Well, I guess my acting ability was that great. I didn''t think I''d be so much of a hit with the uninvolved onlookers, but...


    But the proposal made by my senpai is still the one that will lead to the best result. The ...... problem is that this girl doesn''t seem to be interested in the competition."


    "I''m sorry that I made that ...... decision on my own, but I don''t think it''s any of my business."


    "...... indeed."


    It''s only natural that you would feel the need to do something when you see the situation.


    Especially if you are a senior staff member.


    "I''m glad that the monthly competition is just as I imagined. If I had been wrong, I would have been greatly embarrassed.


    "Why are you so haphazard about all of this ......?"


    While being appalled at the senior''s inadequacy in some areas, I check the boy''s body for any other injuries.


    No amount of healing magic can heal physical defects or mental wounds.


    If he is out of magic power as he was just now, he might die if he is hit by an explosive magic.


    ......I have heard that there is nothing more terrifying than a child with a weapon, but it really is terrifying. They release magic that can hurt people with a smile on their face.


    After making sure there are no wounds left, he picks up the unconscious boy and slings him over his shoulder.


    "He''s light."


    The weight of the boy, which is out of proportion to his age, seems to express the suffering he has gone through, and an unknowable feeling wells up in my heart.


    There are many ways to strengthen a healing wizard, ...... but first we have to make sure that this boy is willing.

 58 - the 57th episode

    "......Why is it so crowded when I come back ......?"


    I didn''t know where the boy, a healing magician, lived, so I carried him into the dormitory where Kiriha and the others lived. Now I am being questioned by Kiriha and Kyou in the room where the boy is sleeping. To be honest, I am glad that I let him sleep in the room I am renting, but I am honestly at a loss as to how to explain this to Kiriha, the landlord of the house.


    "I don''t blame you for bringing the boy here. I know he doesn''t look okay no matter how you look at him. ......"


    "It''s really helpful. ......"


    "So, what the hell is wrong with him? You brought him here for a reason."


    Pointing at the boy lying on the bed, Kyou demanded an explanation, so I decided to tell him what had happened in the square today. As I continued my explanation, the expressions on Kyou and Kiriha''s faces turned bitter.


    "Usato, that''s Meena. ......"


    "I don''t know if I should tell you this, but do you like getting into trouble?"


    "Shush, that''s rude! I don''t like being involved in this either!"


    I''m surprised, I never thought I''d be taken aback by Kyou. If anything, Inukami-senpai was the one who planned the incident at the plaza.


    But more than that, that girl was named Meena. She seemed to be a bit arrogant or egoistic, but was she who she said she was? ......Kiriha and Kyou''s expressions make them seem like pretty bad kids.


    "Huh. ...... So, who''s this Meena?"


    "She''s the daughter of a nobleman. . ...... She''s a little girl who doesn''t have a very good reputation."


    "......"


    "Maybe, but didn''t you see Usato when he saved the girl? He''s the kind of guy who laughs and casts magic no matter how hurt he is. He must have been brought up with a lot of pampering. ...... He doesn''t have a shred of common sense."


    "And vindictive to boot. What''s the worst that can happen if someone catches your eye?"


    Kiriha also came at me the first time we met, but she did it to protect herself and her friends. And for good reason.


    But this girl Meena has no morals. Her cronies seem to be laughing at her and enjoying it, but from our point of view, it''s very bad. Frankly speaking, if we don''t care about the boy''s situation, we should probably shackle them and make them unable to stand up to us, but that is not a fundamental solution, as you say.


    Well, I''ll give it a try.


    "Are you okay? Even if you say you''ll make him stronger in a week, that''s only five days, if you subtract today and the seventh day of the week, isn''t it?"


    "Just in case, but that doesn''t mean there isn''t a way. You''d have to be pretty reckless, though."


    "You''re a reckless ......."


    "I''ll give him the training I got from my boss. Fortunately, he can start with healing magic, so it''s not as painful as it was for me, but it''s still ...... reckless."


    I think it''s a lot easier for them because they start from a different place than I did.


    But the important thing is his will, and if he refuses to fight, I won''t force him.


    If she says she can''t, I will go apologize to the girl later. ...... though it is scary that she said scary things about making her pay.


    "First of all, this girl has to wake up before we can start."


    "......... Then I have one more question for you, okay?"


    Hmm? I don''t mind."


    Unlike before, Kiriha is trying to ask a question with a subtle expression on her face. I look away from her eyes, wondering if there is something else on my mind.


    Sighing as I dare not make eye contact with her, Kiriha opens the door behind her.


    >


    <<>


    "Hey, what are you doing?"


    Through the open door, I hear a familiar voice from the living room, and a voice that sounds familiar but is clearly too different in intensity.


    It was a bad idea to bring my senpai here, even if it had to be done. For Kiriha and Kyou, who are beastmen, the increase in the number of people other than me would not be very favorable.


    I wonder why he is chatting with Satsuki rather than ....... Satsuki is smiling differently from her morning reticence, and I wonder what she ...... did to him. .......


    "Amako told me about the brave man, so I know he''s not a bad guy. But... I never thought that Satsuki and I would be so compatible."


    "I don''t know, I''m not very good with that woman. ......"


    Kyou muttered something like that in a dejected manner.


    Probably, he had been talked to by some high-spirited senpai before he came to this room. He is an older guy, so it would be easy for him to take the younger Kyou''s words of resistance in his stride.


    "It''s true that he''s not a bad person, in fact he''s a very good person. ......... Yeah, I''ll let you go home in a little while."


    No, I''ll treat you to dinner at least. You came all this way and ......... won''t turn me down, will you?"


    I was curious as to why she was so anxious to hear my answer, but when I told her that I was sure she wouldn''t mind, she gave me a relieved smile and mumbled, "I''m glad.


    I am not sure what to make of those words and wonder a little, but since Kiriha has left the room to prepare for dinner, there is no way for me to ask her what she meant by those words. The only people left in the room were me, Kyou, and the boy who was still sleeping.


    "Well..."


    The only thing I can do is to check on the boy and take care of him, but I feel strangely uncomfortable. Maybe it''s because Kyou is leaning his back against the wall next to the door, staring at me from behind.


    Hey...


    Hmm?"


    After a moment of silence that pervades the room, Kyou calls out to me in a reserved voice. I wondered if he was just casually calling out to me, but I answered him back with a blank look in the direction of the sleeping boy.


    I replied in a casual way, wondering if he was just trying to talk to me. I said some selfish things when I first met you.


    ".........E."


    Kyou''s sudden apology makes me turn back to him. He looked away without making eye contact with me, scratching his cheeks in embarrassment.


    I was simply surprised by his statement, which was a complete change from his previous attitude, and he started to speak in a whispered manner.


    "At first ...... I doubted if a poor guy like you could protect Amako. But then I saw you fight today and it made me change my mind. You are not a weak healing wizard, I''m sorry to say. ......Amako was right to choose you."


    ......In this case, I guess you could call it a blessing in disguise.


    The simulation with Mr. Halfa had a surprising effect. Not only did it cause trouble, but it also made him recognize me. When I first came here, I said I didn''t care about him, but I didn''t want to be on bad terms with him all the time. So I''m glad he said that.


    I can''t help but smile at him, the hostile look in his eyes from last night is long gone.


    "What are you laughing at ......?"


    "Well, I was just thinking how much you really like Amako."


    Besides, the fact that he is really worried about Amako makes me smile.


    "Huh?"


    But the response I got back was neither embarrassment nor anger, but confusion. He turned his head toward me and looked at me with a dumbfounded expression, as if to say, "What are you talking about?


    His reaction was a little different from what I expected, and I couldn''t help but think, "Oh, no? I let out a stunned voice.


    "I think you''re mistaken, I don''t like Amako.


    "Really, I thought you liked Amako."


    I thought so, because I was a little too worried about Amako, but was I wrong?


    I folded my arms and thought about it, and Kyou let out a sigh of exasperation and opened his mouth, muttering, "It can''t be helped ......." I thought about it for a moment, and then I heard him say, "I''m sorry, I can''t help it.


    "The reason I was concerned about Amako was ...... because when we met Amako, he was a very dangerous guy. If he just walked off like that, he would just disappear.


    "...... Amaco is ......?"


    "I couldn''t leave him alone, that''s what I thought, but I couldn''t stop Amako. God d*mn it, it''s important to help your mother, but if you''re going to be a failure yourself, you''ve got nothing to lose. ......


    It must have been a very hard road for her to come to distant Lucvis, after having traveled from one country to another. Just listening to some of Kyou''s stories, it is easy to see how dangerous she must have been at the time.


    I think the two years she spent in Lingle Kingdom not only gave her a safe place but also a time to heal her devastated heart.


    "I hated to admit it, but you''re the only one who can help Amako''s mother, and you''re the only one who can help Amako herself. ...... I would never be able to do that. So ...... Usato, please."


    I nodded firmly at his words.


    Kyou was kinder and more honest than I had expected. When I think back to the mock battle with Mr. Halfa, he was the first one to give me advice.


    All the things he said were harsh words to me, but in fact, they were all out of concern for my friends. He just looks a little rough, but he is a very kind person at heart.


    "......... but why should I like Amako? He''s younger than me, and in all likelihood, he''s too poor ------ for his age!"


    Suddenly, Kyou shouts loudly and jumps from his spot. He screamed so loudly that I was so startled that I involuntarily fell to my knees, and he was crouching on the spot with his buttocks held back and an expression of anguish on his face.


    The thought of an attack by someone or something like that crossed my mind, but my fears were quickly put to rest the next moment. Amako was looking down at him from behind with a blank expression on her face.


    "......Kyo, if you say any more, I''ll get angry."


    "Oh, Amako,...... you,...... grabbing the tail as hard as you can is a foul,...... isn''t it?"


    Amako looked down at him with her hands wagging, and her eyes radiated an intimidating sense of emptiness. She has a different kind of intimidation than usual. ......Kyo has caught Amako''s disdain. .......


    I''ve heard that such topics are forbidden to women, but I never thought Amako would be like this......I''ll stop teasing Amako from now on, I don''t want to be like that.


    I''m not going to be like that. I''m not going to be like that. I''m not going to be like that. I can only be horrified at the way Amako uses her precognition magic to the extent that it is impossible for him to escape.


    "Wait a minute!"


    "Who''s poor? Sometimes even I can''t stand it. If you say it again, you''ll get away with it.


    Amako looks down at Kyou with cold eyes, and Kyou sounds frightened.


    "I''m sorry! I''m sorry!


    Kyou holds his tail down and humbly begs for Amako''s forgiveness. There is no sign of the grace he had shown earlier when he apologized to me. It''s an empty scene to watch. .......


    I was secretly shuddering, but I realized that there was nothing Kyou could do at this point, so I felt a little sorry for him and decided to offer him a helping hand.


    "Ah, Amako? What can I do for you?"


    "...... yeah."


    "Kyou, can I ask you to go check on my senior instead of me? I''ll talk to Amako for a bit."


    "Wow, I get it."


    Kyou gets up, slumps his shoulders, and walks out of the room. I feel sorry for him, but I can''t help feeling sorry for him when I see his sorrowful backside.


    Amako, who was able to leave the room thanks to my quick thinking, looks at me silently as he walks away. Amako looks at me with a quizzical gaze, and I gently turn my face up at an angle, avoiding eye contact.


    "........."


    "What, what ......?"


    "Nothing ......, I just thought it would be time to wake the kid up."


    She stares at him silently for a few seconds, but then turns her gaze toward the sleeping boy and says, "I''m sorry. She doesn''t seem to have a premonition, but her tone includes something.


    "Do you know him?"


    "...... I''ve seen you face to face with a prediction."


    What was she like?


    "Poor little girl who couldn''t get anyone to believe in her, who couldn''t trust anyone anymore. I saw him two years ago in a prophecy and he was a man who just enjoyed his situation. He''s younger than me and he''s living in the ...... hard now."


    ...... heavy?


    I don''t think I''m at a level where I can do anything about it. ......? Rose would consider forcing me to do something about it, but I don''t think I''m capable of the tyranny of that man.


    "Don''t worry, Usato can do it."


    "That''s easy for you to say."


    It''s no use saying it''s impossible now.


    We have to talk to him first, and ask him what he wants. Amako, who had been looking into the boy''s face, pulls a wooden chair from the corner of the room and sits down next to me.


    "I''m up."


    Amako turned to me and said this with her hood up.


    I nodded to her and turned my body toward the boy, judging that this time she said it because she had seen it in her premonition. After a few seconds, the sleeping boy opens his eyes with a roar.


    His eyes, peering out from his messily cut hair, are darkly shaded, and upon closer inspection, they look as if he has not eaten enough food. His eyes, which do not seem to be in good health, are fixed on me and Amako with a glare.


    "........."


    "........."


    "........."


    Everyone, including me, is silent.


    I said that I wouldn''t know until I talked to him, but up close, his eyes are very powerful, and the hair just barely covering his eyes makes him look even scarier than before. To be honest, I thought he was staring at me when I first saw him at the gate, but I might have been mistaken. It''s such a strong eye power that I think so.


    ......Well, I''m used to it, so I don''t mind.


    "Do you remember what happened during the day?"


    "...... u ...... un"


    "What''s your name?"


    "Knack ....... You are ...... Usato, right? We use the same healing magic ......, although I don''t know who''s next to me ......."


    "If you''ve been watching the simulation with Halfa, it''s only natural that you know me. ...... Oh, don''t worry about this guy next to me. ...... first I''ll explain what happened after you passed out. Listen to me calmly."


    "Yes, yes. ......"


    After he fainted, Inukami-senpai explained in detail about the game he had arranged. His face turns blue as if the blood is draining from his face.


    When he finished speaking, he hugged his body with his arms and started to tremble, not hiding his fear.


    "Oh, my God, why did I do that? ......"


    As expected, Nack is in shock.


    That reaction is understandable. I feel responsible for having arranged the match on my own. But his situation was even more dangerous than that.


    You were in danger if I didn''t.


    "That''s because I''m a healing wizard ......."


    "No, you were in a lot of pain when I got here, weren''t you? I don''t know how long you had been hurt, but Meena tried to attack you even more after you had used her so much that you ran out of magic power. I assure you ......, you would have died if Meena had continued to shoot you with her magic."


    You don''t skip school to do that.


    The idea that a group of students would attack until they run out of magic is so appalling that it makes me wonder if the students here have any free time.


    "......!"


    "But I''m the one who caused ......... you to be hurt so much. My careless actions put you in danger. I''m so sorry."


    Put your hands on your knees and bow your head.


    Nack is flustered by my bowing, but it''s only natural that I should apologize. Perhaps the assault by the gang of tormentors was not so extreme. If it was like that every time, this boy would be dead by now.


    I have hurt Meena''s pride by showing my power as a healing wizard in this magical land of Luxvis. But when she saw that she couldn''t touch me after I had defeated Halfa, she turned her unspeakable anger toward the same healer, ...... Nack.


    "I''m ...... fine now that you saved me! So look up, please ......."


    He looks up at the sound of Nack''s panicked voice.


    This is my responsibility, that''s why I have to let him choose. I look up and make eye contact with him,


    "Okay, Nack, I''m going to ask you point-blank. Can you fight ...... Meena in a week?"


    "............"


    "Answer honestly."


    The boy turns his head and grips the cloth that covers him tightly. The way he does this, as if he is trying to suppress some kind of emotion, makes me feel inexpressible, but I wait for the boy, Nack, to open his mouth.


    "I can''t ......."


    "...... can I ask you why?"


    It''s not that I can''t, it''s that I can''t.


    When I ask him why, tilting my head at his obvious rejection, he lights a healing magic light in his hand and shows it to me.


    "You are a proper (?????) healing magician, aren''t you ......? My defective healing magic can''t ...... do that."


    "Defective ......?"


    Defective? Is it not the healing magic that is called that, but the healing magic that Nack deals with that is called that?


    What do you mean, do you mean literally defective, or do you mean something else? ......Seeing my confusion, he looked at his palm and began to weave his words with a frustrated expression on his face.


    "I can only heal myself,...... I could have healed myself before I came here,...... but I can''t do it anymore,......."


    No longer able to exercise healing magic on others?


    Sort of the opposite of the side effects of strengthening a lineage of healing magic: ......? Not that it''s possible, since you''re not the kind of girl who strengthens her lineage the way I do, but....


    "...... since when?"


    "I noticed it about a year ago,...... when I was bullied by Meena and her friends as usual,...... and on my way home I saw someone''s messenger who was hurt... ...and so..."


    "You learned that healing magic doesn''t work on anyone but yourself ......?"


    Nack nodded at my words. Looking next to me, I see that Amako is also puzzled, which means that she did not expect this.


    But why can''t I use my healing magic on others? I have never heard of such a case from Rose. Is it because the concentration of magic has become extremely low? ...... No, it is not all of a sudden, he is not born with it like Olga, and above all, the light of healing magic in his hand is not so different from mine.


    A possible possibility is something psychogenic ...... due to group bullying?


    "........."


    ...... Try not to think too much about it.


    I''m not sure I can stay calm if I think about it any more. Now I have more to think about than where his healing magic lies.


    "Healing magic is just magic that heals people, so ...... my magic is broken ...... and I can''t use it anymore ......."


    "Usato ......"


    Amako looked up at me with concern, as if she sensed the situation was bad. ......, but it was not necessary for him to heal others for the training that we would be doing tomorrow.


    I smile at Nack, who looks down with a gloomy expression on his face, and put my hand on his shoulder.


    "It''s okay. You don''t need healing magic to heal others to make you strong.


    "What?"


    "I am asking you if you are ready to fight Meena ...... and if you are willing to endure my training for five days."


    The problem is not healing magic, but the problem of preparedness---truthfully, the training you are about to undertake tomorrow is going to be hell for you. ...... on a rather unbelievable level.


    That doesn''t mean I''m going to cut you any slack, nor will I speak kindly of you. I am asking you now if you have the will and the determination to complete such a rigorous training to the end.


    Besides...


    "Broken and unusable? Defective? Magic that only heals people? And ...... that I''m a proper healing wizard? You''re missing the point. Knack, you''re trying too hard to use healing magic correctly."


    You can''t be wrong.


    I am not a proper healing wizard. The truly proper healing wizards are people like Olga and Uluru, who specialize only in healing people.


    "The first thing I did in the training given to me by my mentor was just to heal myself. So ...... that''s all you need to do. If you can do that, it''s more than enough to train you to beat up the people who have been beating you up."


    "Huh? ...... what?"


    Perhaps my words were too shocking, but Nack''s mouth is half open and he is stunned.


    I laugh and continue to spin the rest of the story.


    "Well, it''s not like I''m going to teach ...... you healing magic. I''m talking about training you to a level where you can overpower that little girl in five days.


    "I''m going to ...... meena?"


    Of course, it won''t be easy. Starting tomorrow, the training I''m going to put you through is going to be unimaginably difficult. You may vomit blood, you may cry, you may faint, but my healing magic will not let you do it. I ask you again, Nack, are you ready to fight Meena?"


    I may have exaggerated the bloodletting, but I wasn''t lying. I didn''t puke. ...... I didn''t puke, so it''s okay.


    After a dozen or so seconds of silence, Nack, who had been keeping his mouth shut, opens it with a hint of discretion.


    "Well,...... it sounds like you''re more afraid of training than fighting Meena,......"


    .................. yeah.


    "...... can''t deny it."


    "Usato ......"


    Amako, don''t look at me like I''m some kind of a disappointment.


    The fact of the matter is, the only way to make your knuckles stronger is to train them with the Rose Seal like I did. Or rather, it''s the only way, since I don''t know of any other magical training. But it''s definitely easier than mine, so you should be fine.


    "Well, well, ...... if you don''t like it, I''ll come to you. So you don''t have to choose to fight."


    "........."


    Nack, I''m not going to say anything no matter what the answer is.


    I know I''m in a position to train you to win, but the truth is that I don''t want you to go through the same hell I went through in training.


    Running, fainting, healing, and running, and repeating the cycle endlessly, is the basis of being a healing magician in a rescue squad. The real hell of this is that there is no end in sight. The mental anguish of having to run endlessly from morning to night without a break. The discomfort of feeling pain in your legs even though you are not tired or injured by the healing magic.


    ---The grueling training that wears out the spirit.


    But it is always accompanied by results. ...... is very complicated.


    "Can I still win ......?"


    "Never say never. But the results are always worth the decision. I''m proof of that."


    I don''t train to beat people up. I mean, that would kill Nack.


    Hearing my words, Nack looks up at me as if he has made up his mind, even though he seems to hesitate a little. His eyes were still dark and stagnant, but there seemed to be a faint light in them.


    "I''ll do it. ....... I''ll do it,...... I''ll beat Meena,...... so make me,...... make me strong... ...!"


    "Well said!"


    I don''t think I can take Rose''s place, but as a fellow healing magician, I will train him ...... to become a healing magician with the seal of the Rescue Mission.


    I vowed to do so.


    "Training starts tomorrow. Make sure you get proper nutrition and a good night''s sleep today."


    He decides to fight Meena, but the first problem is Nack''s physical condition.


    He probably hadn''t eaten anything as far as he was concerned. His complexion is much improved by the healing magic, but he is noticeably unhealthy to the extent that the healing magic cannot compensate for it.


    Eating is important because healing magic can cure fatigue but it cannot compensate for nutrition.


    After my training, I too have realized the importance of nutrition. The feeling that every cell in my body was already screaming for food, I even cried at dinner on the day the training started in earnest. Well, it was no exaggeration to say that when the tongs took my food away from me, it was the most angry I''ve felt since I came to this world.


    "The ......"


    As you are lost in nostalgic memories, you suddenly notice Nack looking around you. I forgot to explain to him where this place is, .......


    "Where is this ......?"


    "Uh."


    How do I explain it?


    Can I honestly tell them that this is the house where Kiriha and the other ...... beastmen''s children live?


    I can see that this girl is not the kind of girl who mistreats subhumans, but I don''t know what to do.


    Usato.


    "Hmm, what''s wrong, Amako?"


    She tugs at the hem of my dress, as she always does, and I turn to her when she calls me. She tried to point at the door, but froze as if to say, "I can''t see you, I can''t see you, I can''t see you.


    "I''m sorry, I''m late."


    What?


    Just as I was about to ask him back, the door behind me was opened with a mighty bang and someone entered. At that point, I turned my head, although I had already guessed many things.


    I see my senpai holding Satsuki and smiling as he opens the door.


    "Usato-kun! Can I take this girl home! ......... is ...... that?"


    "I said no! Are you really a brave man? Usatot stop!"


    And Kyou, with a gravelly voice behind her, calls out for help.


    She looks at me with a huge smile on her face and returns to her normal face as soon as she notices Nack getting up. Amako has her head in her hands, and Nack looks at Satsuki who is being held by her senpai, Kyou behind her, and Amako next to her who has taken off her hood in disgust, alternating between them and me with his mouth closed and cracking up.


    Seeing me sitting in front of the knacker, he realized it was a bad idea, so he put Satsuki down in his arms and put his hand on my head, embarrassed for some reason, as if to say "te hehe"...


    "I''m sorry, okay?"


    ---He said so.


    Needless to say, it took a long time to explain the situation to the confused Nack.

 59 - the 58th episode

    Usato brought Nack, a boy who is a healing magician.


    The reason why he brought Nack with him was because of the fear and a bit of confusion in his eyes when he looked at us beastmen. However, we couldn''t let him go home in his weakened state, so we decided to let him stay the night.


    I had seen Nack many times during our joint training sessions, and although we did not need to introduce ourselves, he was very difficult for me to get to know him. We were the only ones who could avoid him because he was a beast, but Nack himself was the boy who had suffered the most from Meena, and that alone could be a reason for us to avoid him.


    It''s just a matter of him being difficult to deal with, so it''s nothing to worry about, but the problem is that Usato says he will train Nack to a level where he can defeat Meena within five days.


    Meena is still one of the stronger ones in her age group. Even though she is still in her infancy, she uses bursting magic, a magic that is instantaneously more powerful than normal fire magic. Unlike Usato, whose physical ability is unparalleled, Nack is, I am sorry to say it, but he is just a little weak.


    How can we bring him up to Meena''s level? ....... I am wondering what kind of training Usato will give to Nack, who is beyond our expectations in every sense of the word, even though I think it is impossible in real life.


    "......... I think you said yesterday that you were in the city. ......"


    Each student''s day at the academy is different.


    With a certain amount of required classes, you are free to learn what you want to learn, which means that if you adjust well, you can finish your classes faster than normal.


    "Do you really train in a city like this?"


    "That''s what you said yesterday."


    My siblings and I have about the same classes, so we start and end at about the same time.


    After finishing the day''s classes in the early afternoon, Kyou and I came to check on Usato, who was training a boy named Nack in the city of Lucvis.


    I don''t know what kind of training he is doing, but from the stoicism I saw in Usato early yesterday morning, it must be very hard. Besides, it is hard to imagine that he is a serious fighter, considering the monstrous strength he showed in his fight with Halfa.


    Either way, it is a bit of a scary thing to see.


    "You didn''t see Usato and the other one in the morning, did you, sis?"


    "Yeah, at least Usato and Nack were out for some kind of training before I woke up."


    The bread that I left on the table at Usato''s request yesterday was gone, so it seems that they ate breakfast, and Amako, who woke up later, also ate her usual breakfast. He said he was going to the stables and left.


    It was nice to have breakfast with the three of us, Kyou and Satsuki,...... in a sense the original number of people, but I thought it was surprising that I felt a little lonely. Perhaps I thought so because last night was noisy in many ways with the addition of the strange and brave Inukami.


    "Satsuki is with Inukami?"


    What surprised me the most last night was that Satsuki and Inukami hit it off so well and were as noisy as fish in water.


    He looked as if he was biting a bitter bug and suppressed his forehead when I asked him a question.


    "Ah,<>"He says ...... why does that guy never stop when he starts running? ......"


    "Well, well, Inukami''s only going to be here for a short time, so there''s no harm in seeing him a lot while you can. ......"


    A brave, albeit strange man, will surely have a positive influence on Satsuki.


    But I was surprised at one more thing. That is that Kyou seems to have opened up a bit to Usato ...... people.


    I know that Kyou has been exposed to a lot of malice here and he doesn''t have a favorable opinion of humans, and unlike me, his personality tends to show it, but since last night, he has surprisingly lost his thorn in Usato''s side.


    "What? Stare at my face."


    "...... no, it''s nothing."


    He''s always been the gentler brother.


    In fact, he''s probably been pushing himself too hard, judging from his sharp attitude.


    I''m glad, I honestly think so, but on the other hand, what about myself? I also wonder.


    "Hmm? I suddenly remembered that you were so scared yesterday when Haruha was hit in the stomach by Usato and when you pierced that target, what was that all about?"


    "Yesterday? ......"


    What Kyou''s sudden words reminded me of the scene yesterday when Halfa was hit by Usato like a thrown ball, and how he penetrated that sturdy target with his bare hands and pulled it out of the ground.


    When I met Usato for the first time, I couldn''t stop shaking thinking that I might have been like that.


    The problem is that he stepped into the room with the same force as when he attacked me, and Amako came to stop him after that.


    If she hadn''t stopped me, I might have been in a lot of trouble. ...... with or without the healing magic.


    "...... nothing."


    "I hope it''s nothing. ...... I hope it''s okay."


    I may have sounded a little implicit, but that''s OK.


    Kyou looked at me sideways with a little doubt in his eyes, but quickly looked forward. I look forward with a little relief, too, and notice something a little strange in the town.


    "............ what is it?"


    "Surely there''s ...... something wrong."


    The shopkeepers and students at the end of the street are looking at the end of the street where we are walking and gossiping about something.


    .........What''s going on? It''s usually a lively street, so it''s not surprising that it''s noisy, but this noise is something different.


    "......... eh?"


    "Kyou?"


    Kyou, who is standing next to me, looks ahead and makes a disgusted sound, so I look in his direction.


    There was a man with gray hair and a smiling face that stood out in the middle of the busy street.


    "Halfa ......"


    "Hmm, well, well, well."


    I couldn''t help but call out his name in a disgusted voice.


    The man who had a mock battle with Usato the other day, Halfa.


    My siblings and I are not good with him. We don''t like him because of his unrelenting and bent meritocratic way of fighting as a wizard, and we are most uncomfortable with his heterogeneity in trying to be friendly to everyone as long as they are strong.


    Haruha, who noticed me and Kyou with a subtle expression on his face as well as Kyou''s, smiles at me and comes closer to me with his hand raised, even though I look at him with a sour expression on my face.


    "Hey you two, are you going home?"


    He''s as uninhibited as ever.


    But why is Halfa here, so far from the school? He lives in a dormitory on campus, so he should rarely come this way.


    "......... Oh, you didn''t get hurt yesterday, did you?"


    "Don''t worry, Usato-san, all of your attacks are safe with healing magic.


    <<> he said with some glee, rubbing his own arm, reminding me once again that this man is a combat maniac.


    What I am wondering is why this maniac is here.


    "So, what are you doing here? Did the dean ask you to do this?"


    It is rare for him to come here since he lives in the campus. I know him well enough to know that he is not the type to use magic tools or anything like that, and I have not heard that he needs something for his class.


    Possibly the headmaster''s order.


    Halfa''s magic vision is useful in many ways. He can see various things such as the amount and flow of magic power. It is a rare magic that is not originally used in battle but is quite useful among some researchers of magic.


    He is one of the few students who are trusted by the headmaster of the Gladys School, coupled with his own abilities. Perhaps it is natural to assume that Halpha, who rarely comes this far, came here at the headmaster''s order.


    He smiled and nodded at our question, then looked at the street as he spoke back to us.


    As you can guess. The headmaster asked me to call Mr. Usato on a moment''s notice. ......"


    "What''s the urgent ......?"


    "You don''t know?"


    Tilt your head back and you''ll see Halfa''s surprise.


    Did Usato do something so bad that the dean called him in? No, he doesn''t seem like the kind of person who would try to cause a commotion on his own. I''m not sure if it''s just a matter of ...... being a bit of a natural, or if it''s just a matter of chance.


    "I myself don''t understand the details of the situation, but I heard that he has been running around this town since early morning, and something like a complaint ...... reached the headmaster''s ears."


    "......"


    "......"


    What the hell is he ...... doing?


    Running around? All over town? And running around so much that there are complaints. ...... What?


    "The level of trouble you''re causing here is extraordinary. What the hell did Usato do?"


    I have no idea either.


    With its young generation of children, Luxembourg is a noisier place than in other countries. Magic is everywhere in the city, but people go about their daily lives without a care in the world.


    "I''ve heard that they will be coming through here soon, so I''m waiting for them.


    That''s why you''re here.


    "Yes, it''s hard to find Usato-san running around the town.


    Halfa, who was bobbing his head in annoyance as if to say, "Oh, no.


    "You talk a lot today, don''t you?


    "Oh?"


    "To be honest, I''m very surprised, because most of the time when I try to talk to him, he doesn''t even speak to me properly."


    "........."


    Sure ...... we talked normally, but it certainly wasn''t every day that I talked this much with Halfa.


    Neither Kyou nor I have any friends in our class. We all knew each other to the extent that we knew each other, but Harfa was the only one who liked to talk to us willingly.


    The exception is Ms. Carla, who is a teacher who does not discriminate, which is rare among humans, but she is not particularly friendly.


    I still hate talking to you. If you want to have a real conversation with us, stop grinning.


    "Ha-ha-ha, you''re as harsh as ever."


    Hurufa sniffs and smiles annoyed at Kyou''s words.


    He''s right, it''s probably unusual for us to talk to people like this, as we usually ignore or only have minimal conversations with people when they talk to us.


    Maybe it was because of the arrival of Amako and Usato, though I was unconsciously unaware of it.


    It had only been two days since we met, but their presence had an impact on me and Kyou in no small way.


    >


    >


    >


    While I''m lost in a kind of sentimentality, I hear a voice that sounds like a shout from the far end of the street.


    What is it? As I wondered why, I saw a few students with messengers around me, who hid their own messengers behind their backs and started to sound frightened.


    "What? What''s going on? What is this reaction, like when a dangerous demon approaches?


    "Why is everyone hiding their messengers?"


    What, what? Kyou and I looked around puzzled.


    A strange atmosphere clearly pervaded the place, and then the sound of dull footsteps gradually approached with the growing clamor.


    It was similar to the sound of an approaching monster larger than a human being. It would be impossible in a town like this, but I pull my arms out of my robes and put out my cage hand ready to fight at any moment.


    I look down the street so that I can see the end of the street with Kyou, who is also on alert, but there is nothing at the ...... end of the street but a large gate.


    I mean, why are you following me?"


    "Oh, no, I was curious too. ......"


    He looks forward again, glaring a little at Halfa, who has followed him without a hand. The boulevard leads all the way to the city gates, so we can see all the way to the end of the street. Even if there are some people, they are clearly visible with the eyes of a beast.


    As I look ahead, something small jumps out from around a corner.


    >


    "Hmm? What is that? ......"


    "Knack ......?"


    The small something that popped out was a knacker.


    He runs out onto the main street where we are, almost falling down, but he turns around and starts to run with dangerous gait.


    His face was in a terrible state, with tears and snot running down his nose. Anyway, I had a bad premonition when I saw him running toward us like a maniac.


    I was suspicious, but my thoughts stopped when I saw a blue blob appear behind him, coming out of the corner where Nack had just run out.


    The blue and white mass emerged from the corner, hit the ground as if it was about to be gouged out of the ground, stopped abruptly, and turned around to face me.


    "What the ...... eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"


    I was exposed to the glances of and that poured toward me, and as soon as I finally understood what had appeared, I let out a cry that I could not suppress.


    Two eyes that seemed to overlap each other.


    Blue and white.


    The strange and monstrous pale blue and white giant that chased after the boy who was running away in terror with an expressionless face.


    It was Usato himself, an exotic healing wizard, who was lightly carrying a large bear demon on his back and chasing after the boy who was fleeing in a desperate attempt to escape.


    The boy was a young boy who was running away from a huge bear.


    "Mr. Gladys is calling me?"


    We caught a glimpse of Usato''s shocking training.


    Halfa stopped Usato, who was about to continue his training without noticing us, and told him that the headmaster had called him.


    Hearing this, Usato crossed his arms in distress as he stroked the blue grizzly bear that had been lowered from his back.


    ".........I understand. Then I''ll be on my way.


    "I''d appreciate it if you would. ......... So, is he all right?"


    "Hmm? You mean the knack?"


    Halfa looked somewhat puzzled at Nack, who was lying unconscious and powerless on the back of a blue grizzly bear.


    Nack had been running away from Usato in a desperate attempt to escape, but when Usato stopped him, he looked relieved and fell to the ground with the same expression on his face.


    "It''s all right. I''ve only let him run for half a day, and I''ve cast a healing spell on him, so I don''t think he''ll need to worry. I just took a break and I''m sure I''ll be fine after a little rest.


    "No, no, no, no, that''s not what I meant.


    I knew this was not a normal way to train, but this was obviously not funny!


    What kind of training takes only half a day! You don''t have to do that if all you want to do is build up your strength! And the way you say you''re taking a break now, it sounds like you''ve been running continuously since the wee hours of the morning!


    First of all, the blue grizzly is a famous ferocious and powerful magical beast! Not a demon you can put on your back!


    As I was shouting this inwardly, even my own personality was disintegrating, the demon in front of me looked as if he didn''t understand what was being said for a moment and pawed his cheeks as if he was troubled.


    "Well, no, ...... I''m not an ogre."


    Usato looked at me with a puzzled look on his face, but then he smiled bitterly and said something like that.


    What? No way! He really thinks so.


    I and Kyou are pulling back, while Haruha, with an impressed smile on his face, just nods his head with a distant look in his eyes.


    "............Yes, that''s great Usato-san."


    "You don''t give up thinking ......!"


    As much as it pains me to say it, I will not allow you, the most sane person in this situation, excluding Kyou, to turn a blind eye to reality. ......


    I mean, it''s not like it''s a stone''s throw or anything. No wonder the students on the street are up in arms.


    Basically, we here rarely fight wild monsters. And when we do fight them, it''s usually with demons or messengers of little strength. Powerful demons such as the blue grizzly live in areas of high magical elements, so you can''t see them. Even if they were to meet them, their thick skin, sharp claws, and huge bodies would usually kill them helplessly.


    But what is this perverted healing wizard who was running through the town with dull footsteps, carrying such a being lightly on his back right in front of me now? I doubt if he is human as a premise. .......


    "Huh ...... oh ...... geeh ............ ugh."


    And is he OK, even though he''s passed out and about to die?


    It''s more like torture or punishment than training.


    Usato swallowed the words that were about to come out of his throat and looked at me suspiciously with a twitchy smile on his face, and then, as if he had just thought of something, he put his hand on the head of the blue grizzly bear standing beside him.


    "Burin......, his name is my partner who came to this city with me, and yesterday I finally got permission from Gladys to take him out."


    "Gruaaaah."


    " he says, somewhat out of place, and pats the head of Bulrin, who squeaks. The petted Bulrin, on the other hand, slams his arm against Usato''s leg, as if he is bothering him.


    Even after the blue grizzly gives him a smack on the leg that sounds like an inaudible thud, he pulls back even more when he sees the calm look on his face.


    "I know what you mean about the bullring," he says. Why are you chasing him around in broad daylight with a demon on your back? When you said "hard training," I imagined something else. No, you''re doing something pretty crazy, too.


    "As for the bullring, it''s an added bonus because it''s also my training. As for running, the only way to make Nack stronger in five days was to limit his training."


    Extra ...... that that?


    The sight of Usato and the blue grizzly overlapping and charging at each other with more force than I''ve ever seen before was a scream. .......


    "I don''t have enough time to do the training I''m required to do, and I''m not ruthless enough myself, so it''s not enough. And it''s not enough to train my whole body all the time. So I decided to train his legs only. It''s not that hard since all we have to do is just run. No one yells at you, no one kicks you, you are allowed to faint, you can cry and beg for forgiveness and they won''t listen to you.


    , Usato said, smiling without seeming to be laughing.


    The magnificence on his face makes me realize that a real healing magician is a terrible thing.


    When I get back home, I will tell everyone that healing wizards are terrible.


    "Well, if I train my legs, I can escape and gain strength. The foundation of the Lingle Kingdom Rescue Mission, of which I am a member, begins with running. It''s thanks to that training that I''m alive today, and it''s thanks to that training that I''ve been able to save so many people. ......... But, well, I wouldn''t want Nack to do the same thing I did."


    What did you do, by the way, Usato?


    "We were left in a demon-infested forest for about ten days and not allowed to leave until we hunted a grand grizzly bear, we had to do endless push-ups with weights on top of us, we had to train to avoid the commander''s fists, and the rest..."


    "...... No, that''s enough."


    "How the hell did you stay alive until now, you ......?"


    I wonder if he''s really human. I am having an experience that makes me doubt that I am a good person. The Commander is the one who taught Usato healing magic, right? Aren''t you a demon in human skin ......?


    Usato gave me a troubled smile as my cheeks twitched.


    "In the beginning, there were many times when I felt like running away. But it was all necessary and I don''t regret it ....... I can say for sure that it was thanks to the training that I met Bulrin."


    So many things have happened, is that what you''re saying?


    I''m very curious about how you came to have the relationship with the blue grizzly that you have today, but I''m sure it must have been epic. The trust between them has been built to the point that we can see it from the side of their eyes.


    The relationship between one person and one animal is different from that of a master and his messenger.


    In my vision of him and the blue grizzly bear, I was in a daze...


    "I like it."


    I unconsciously mumbled something like that.


    Kyou and Halfa both looked at me as if they heard my voice. I don''t want Haruha to be distracted by my voice, let alone Kyou''s, so I hurriedly wave my hand to the side as if I''m trying to make it up to him.


    "Oh, ...... no, I just thought the girl was cute. ......"


    "Oh, seriously, sis. Aren''t you scared?"


    To tell the truth, I regretted why I made such an attempt to make things right after I said it.


    Kyou was pulling away while saying "wow", and Usato was like, "I know, isn''t he cute? Do you want to touch it?" He shifted his body to show us his bullyn. The bullfinches sniffed and stared at me.


    ..........


    He sniffs and glares at you. "I ...... don''t think so, not now. Usato has to meet the headmaster too, he''s busy, isn''t he?"


    "......... that''s true too. I''ve got knack for training, so maybe we can do it some other time."


    I am relieved inside.


    It takes a certain amount of courage to touch a big demon, no matter how gentle you are assured that it is.


    "I''d better get going. Do you want to join Gladys, Halfa?"


    I have a few things I want to buy, so I guess this is goodbye for today.


    "I see, well then, Kiriha and Kyou, we''ll be leaving ...... after dark today, so I''m sorry, but would you mind preparing Nack''s dinner as well?"


    "No problem, one or two more people won''t make much difference."


    "Thank you. Let''s go, Burlyn.


    He thanks her with a look of relief on his face and turns his body toward the school with a word to her.


    A white-clad boy healer and a large bear demon begin to walk side by side, with the other healer on their backs, like a ...... prey they have caught. It''s ...... kind of bizarre, isn''t it?


    I felt exhausted even though we hadn''t been talking for that long. .......


    "You''re amazing in so many ways, Usato. ......"


    "Yes, but I think that''s the kind of awesomeness we shouldn''t emulate ......."


    Next to Kyou who was marveling, I couldn''t help but mutter something like that as I looked at the back of one person and one animal who were walking ahead of me.


    I could not help but mutter something like that.


    We parted ways with Kiriha and the others we had met during Nack''s training, and Bulrin and I took the unconscious Nack with us to the Luxvis Academy where Gladys was staying.


    I made Nack and Bulrin, the fainted demon, wait outside, and moved to the headmaster''s office inside the school.


    "It''s a mess."


    "Huh."


    Gladys''s words sounded puzzled.


    I knew that training in the city was too much,......, I did it in the same way as the Lingle Kingdom, but I guess it was not enough.


    I''m sorry, next time I''ll run it somewhere else.


    "That''s not what I meant. ......? You know, maybe you don''t understand?"


    "...... that you trained in the city, right? As for Brulin, I got permission yesterday and ...... that''s about the only thing I can think of ......."


    "I did give you permission to take the blue grizzlies out! And you carried it on your own back instead of letting it walk! And who would have expected them to run through the city as it is!"


    ......It was certainly unusual when I thought about it.


    I guess I got used to the people of the Lingle Kingdom. Well, it''s a magical city with lots of people parading around with their demons, so I thought it might be okay to run. ......


    "I''m a little distraught,............ your story reached me as well. I know what happened yesterday and I have a pretty good idea what''s going on, but I was wondering if you could tell me what led you to do what you did?"


    "Okay."


    I will briefly explain the process from the commotion in the plaza yesterday to helping Nack with his training.


    When I had finished explaining most of the details, Gladys lightly held her eyes and looked puzzled.


    "I''m ...... sorry. I''m sorry that one of our students has caused you so much trouble."


    "No, it''s just that I kind of poked my head in on my own ......."


    "Even without that, it''s our fault for letting her ...... Meena Riassia''s antics go unchecked."


    Is that little girl enough of a problem for Ms. Gladys?


    I thought she had the air of a little general, but it seems that Nack''s presence on her radar is more troublesome than I had expected.


    "Couldn''t the school have said something?"


    "It''s complicated. We''re in charge of the school, and any misbehavior toward the daughter of a family that supports us would be a betrayal of trust. Nobles are a tricky lot, they exchange information through various channels, and a scandal in the school would mean the propagation of the same ....... Luxembourg is not a nation of individuals. It is maintained by donations from many nobles and voters.


    "So you''re saying you can''t carelessly warn or instruct the boy?"


    Yes, you can.


    What the hell is that?


    It''s too much of a mess, and I understand why Gladys and the others can''t be so forceful. The very survival of this city is at stake. But it''s not right for Meena to do whatever she wants.


    If this is the school of my former world, Meena is a selfish problem child and the aristocratic parents behind her are monster parents. If this is the school of my former world, there are still some redeeming features.


    But not Luxembourg School. Without the backing of the nobles and other voters, the city cannot be maintained.


    Luxembourg is a lot like the schools of the world you came from. No, it is so similar that it does not seem to fit in with its surroundings. It''s kind of ironic to say it, but I frankly feel that we are too far ahead of our time.


    "...... need a place to train him to be a healing wizard, don''t you?"


    Gladys, who had been silent for a while, suddenly asks a question.


    "......Well, yes. I thought it would be best to avoid running through the city, so I thought I would find another place.


    "Then you can use the training grounds. At least you will be able to train him in a better environment than running around the city. As the director of this school, I can''t interfere in the private battles between the students, but I personally support the boy who is a healing magician. It may seem convenient for him, but..."


    It''s certainly a convenient story.


    There is no excuse for turning a blind eye to Meena''s antics, even if we couldn''t touch her. But I don''t have the right to scream at her for that, and I don''t blame her for it. Gladys knows what she''s doing without me having to tell her.


    Let''s turn our thoughts to the new training ground.


    The training ground is where Halfa and I fought yesterday. It''s a pretty big place and I think it''s safe to let Nack and Bulrin run around.


    I asked several times how long I could use it and whether or not students attending classes would come. They told me that the training area is always open a week before the monthly mock battle, so I could use it until the school closes, and also that the use of it for classes is restricted for the same reason, so I could use it as much as I wanted.


    "...... Then let''s get back to training as soon as possible. I''m sorry for making a scene, Gladys.


    "Don''t run through the city again."


    She smiles softly, waves her hand lightly, bows, opens the door, and walks out.


    Now it''s time to wake up Nack, who has fallen asleep, and resume the training. I''m sure Nack will be fine now that he''s had a good rest for a while, and I''ll do what I can to test things out on the side of Nack''s training. It''s a magic academy after all, and it wouldn''t be a bad idea to refine my own healing magic and lineage enhancement.


    Smiling at how much I love training, I walk back the way I came.


    Then I see a familiar tall woman walking ahead of me.


    "Hello, Ms. Carla.


    "Oh, it''s Usato. What''s the matter, did you have something to do with the principal?


    It''s not so much an errand as a summons. I''ve already finished.


    A woman with a manly tone reminiscent of Rose, Ms. Carla.


    Well, if she''s passing through here, she must be here for Gladys. It would be bad to interrupt her, so let''s cut the conversation short and hurry on.


    We bow our heads lightly and go on past her. As I was about to go to Nack and Bullein, Kara changed her direction for some reason and stepped in line with me.


    I went to ....... Why?


    "Well,......"


    "Can I talk to you for a minute? ...... Oh, don''t worry about me. I''m in no hurry to get to the headmaster."


    That''s fine, but it makes me ...... nervous, a little uncomfortable to have a slightly curvier Rose next to me.


    Besides, if this person wants to talk to me privately, I can only think of one thing.


    "As I''m sure you''ve realized by now, I know your mentor."


    "......, right?"


    I can only think of her as my boss and mentor.


    She seems to have a good understanding of healing magic, so I was curious about her as well. I''ll take this opportunity to ask her about it.


    "If you know the Commander, were you in the Lingle Kingdom?"


    Yes, I used to be a knight of the Lingle Kingdom though I teach here now. I used to be a knight in the Kingdom of Lingle and that''s how I knew her, Rose. She was the youngest woman to make it to the rank of captain at that time, and she was my idol and my goal.


    I had somehow noticed that you had been in a certain position before you joined the lifeguard corps, but battalion commander was such a great position. That''s not surprising considering Rose''s current abilities.


    She''s basically unreasonable.


    Did you know him?


    "Yes, I did. It''s been over five years, but I still remember her. I wasn''t her subordinate, but I had taken lessons from her a few times. She was strong, and her physical abilities, which she had trained so hard, easily shattered even a steel sword. ......"


    "Wow, how much of a monster is she?"


    I''ve never smashed steel with my bare hands. It''s just that I haven''t had the chance, but even if I were asked to do it, I''m not sure I could do it unless it was a tree or a rock.


    As I was making a bitter face as if I had been turned off by Rose''s amazing saga, Kara-san gave a joyful laugh when she saw me like that.


    "You say that?¡¡In my opinion, you are one of the best, aren''t you?¡¡First of all, you should understand that you are no longer an ordinary person after you have survived her training in healing magic.


    "I''m only half a man. At least to the Commander.


    I am a little miffed when he says that I, too, am a monster.


    It is true that I understand how strong my body has become. But to put me in the same category as Rose is both disrespectful to her and not acceptable to me.


    It''s not that I want to be as strong as her, I respect her stance as a lifesaver in my own way, and my current goal is to have her recognize me as a healing magician.


    I am far from the passing line she has set for me right now. It''s frustrating.


    "From my point of view, you are more than capable. At least, I''ve never seen anything as old as you with that much lineage enhancement."


    "......... How did the Commander come to join the Rescue Mission? He used to be a battalion commander, a great position, right?"


    There is nothing more gratuitous than unearned praise.


    I am embarrassed to be praised any more, but I try to change the subject. However, perhaps she didn''t like what she heard, Kara''s expression turned into one of surprise for a moment.


    "Uh, did I ask you something bad ......?"


    "No,...... she created an organization called the Lifeguard Corps before the Demon King came back to life. The Kingdom of Lingle had been in a skirmish with the Demon Lords before that. We never initiated them, but we were incompatible from the start, and it was not uncommon for us to pull out our swords the moment we met.


    Had there been trouble with the demon tribe before the Demon King''s resurrection?


    As I look down the quiet corridor, I try to picture the peaceful scene of the Lingle Kingdom at that time. ......It looks like things haven''t changed as much as I thought they would. It seems to be as bustling as ever.


    "It was still peaceful, even though there were still conflicts with the subhumans. But if it hadn''t been for that ........."


    "That thing?"


    "...... No."


    Kara-san replied with a cough to cover up her question. What''s with that attitude, as if she''s hiding something. I suspect, I suspect, Ms. Kara!


    I was about to open my mouth to ask her if I should question her, when she stopped walking next to me.


    When I turned around, I saw a mysterious-looking Carla looking at me with distant eyes.


    "I knew I shouldn''t talk about this," she said. If you want to hear about it, you should hear it from her. But I can tell you this, you are very important to ......... Rose."


    "Such an overreaction ......."


    I don''t think he''s joking.


    What in the world has happened to the Rose she knows?


    I don''t ...... know, and no matter how much I think about it, I have no idea. First of all, what do you mean I''m important? It doesn''t suit me to say that I''m an important member ......, but I understand it better when you say it like that.


    While I was thinking about this, Kara-san was walking in the opposite direction. I watch her flutter her hand and disappear down the hallway, stunned.


    "............ Ha! I shouldn''t have stopped!


    I run out of time to train my knack.


    I need to give him a light run today to get his body used to it. At least tomorrow I should be able to do both healing magic and running at the same time.


    I turned around and hurried ahead at a trot.


    I guess my conversation with Kara has taken up more time than I expected, because within a minute I reach Bulrin near the entrance and Nack on his back like a bedding.


    "Sorry to keep you waiting, Bulrin. ...... Now we have to wake up Nack."


    After a few minutes of rest, I should be good to go.


    You''re right, I''m naive. Rose certainly wouldn''t have let him rest this long.


    Sleeping, drooling, with white eyes? After a few seconds of shaking Nack, Nack woke up with a groan.


    "Are you okay?"


    "Oh, is that ...... Usato? Oh, I ...... was sleeping and why ...... did I have a scary dream right now ...... about a monster chasing me to death...? ......"


    "Hmm?"


    I don''t know what''s going on.


    You say you''re having nightmares, but I''ve heard that people who sleep for short periods of time are more likely to have nightmares, so I guess I don''t need to worry about it. I feel fine by the looks of it, so I guess I''d better get moving.


    Let''s get going.


    "What?"


    "You''re going to do ......, aren''t you?"


    Nack looks at me and stiffens.


    He tilts his head at me as if he has no idea what I''m talking about. He finally realizes that he is on the back of Bulrin and stiffens again when he sees Bulrin''s back on which he is holding his hand.


    Nack looks at me with a slow, almost onomatopoeic movement.


    "Do what?"


    "To continue the training."


    A moment later, the light vanished from Nack''s eyes.

 60 - the 59th episode

    The first day of training at NAC was not so bad.


    The first problem was physical fitness. This will be addressed in the next four days, and we are not looking for him to be fast. We are looking for patience and endurance to keep moving continuously, and ultimately to develop that part of his body.


    And the most important part of his body, the healing magic.


    It seems to be difficult for an unaccustomed wizard to use healing magic while running, and even Nack was struggling with it. In my case, I was forced to learn to run and feel magic at the same time, but now I think I understand the meaning of it. For him, who is accustomed to healing magic to some extent, it must be very difficult to exercise it while running.


    "Well, if you get used to it, you can manage it to some extent. ......


    Early in the morning of the second day of training, I was standing at the edge of the Luxvis Academy training ground, looking at Nack who was being chased by Bulrin, and thinking about the results of the current training and the points to be improved.


    Amako is sitting on the ground next to me, wearing the hood of her cloak. She had been with the knights in the stables for the past few days, but now that Bulrin had been sent out to train, she seemed to have gotten bored and had come to watch me and Nack train.


    "Worst case scenario, I''ll use Rose''s training compulsion continuation demon cure magic,...... but I have a guilty conscience about using it,......."


    "The name doesn''t sound very sane to me. ......"


    "Ha-ha-ha, how can he be decent? Because he''s the leader of the group.


    "And Usato, who is trying to use it as a last resort, is not sane either. ......"


    Don''t be rude, he trained me more than yesterday, I don''t even know the magic word. I mean, he kept moving my legs endlessly, fainting repeatedly while healing magic couldn''t even cure fatigue.


    Compared to that, I''m a gentle man.


    Amako, who is sitting next to me standing up, looks at me with a pitiful look.


    "Don''t mix up Nack and Usato!"


    "Hey, don''t talk as if I was crazy before I learned magic.


    "I can only assume that you were crazy from the start when you finally overcame such an absurd training."


    "........."


    Oh, I''m not crazy, am I?


    But I was training so hard that my memory is a little hazy, and I think I was in a pretty rough spot.


    ......Well, let''s put that aside and switch to the knuckleheads. I turn my attention back to him, who is running to escape the gaze of Amako, who is still looking at me with pity. I look at Nack, who is breathing hard and being chased by Bulrin.


    Nack is slowly slowing down. Bulrin sees that Nack has visibly slowed down and is trying to take it easy by slowing down to an unnoticeable degree.


    No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. The enemy of training is to take it easy.


    "Nack, you''re slowing down! You''re not having a good time! If you''re a Hexenbiest, show us what you''re made of!


    He shouts angrily at Bulrin as he warns Nack.


    For some reason, the one who had gently warned him, Knack, had tears in his eyes and was breathing heavily, and his running speed increased rapidly. Bulrin, on the other hand, gave a carefree cry of "Yes, yes, I understand," and started running at the same speed as Nack.


    In the end, both of them ran as fast as they could, but why did Nack run as fast as ......, if not Bulrin?


    As I was craning my neck, Amako, who had her hands on her head to restrain her ears, looked at Nack running as fast as he could and muttered to me in dismay.


    "To be honest, I was surprised. I''m really pulled. Usato is trying to be nice, but from Nack''s point of view, it''s natural for him to be desperate because of the possibility of that thing being directed at him. ....... That''s the way it''s done, Usato. How many times have you surprised me on this trip?"


    "What kind of convincing is that!"


    I was nodding my head.


    I''m glad that ...... was able to motivate Nack in the end.


    At worst, it is no problem to run at any pace. Unlike Ferrum, Nack is a healing magician, so even if he faints in the worst case, he would be able to heal himself unconsciously by activating his healing magic. It may be natural for him to grow up like that considering the environment he is surrounded by, but it is not enough that it works automatically.


    "The result we are looking for in these five days is to get him accustomed to strengthen his physical strength and to be able to use healing magic at the same time. ...... Amako, can you predict while running?"


    "In a manner of speaking. But in my case it is a magic that requires concentration, so even if I could do it, I would only be able to see a little bit ahead."


    "I was trained to use magic while running, so I don''t know about that part. So tell me. Is the training I''m asking Nack for now wrong?"


    "........."


    Amako growls in annoyance at me as I ask this question without taking my eyes off Nack.


    "To be honest, I don''t know, it''s unprecedented. All I can tell you is that it is wrong for a ...... healing wizard to train a wizard who is not supposed to fight to fight. But the results that Usato is looking for make sense, even though his methods are harsh, unreasonable, and crazy. ...... unreasonable and crazy, but..."


    "You don''t have to tell me twice!"


    You''ve been pretty harsh before, haven''t you?


    Still, it''s enough that you don''t say it''s unprecedented, or that you''ve never ...... been able to do it.


    Then let''s keep doing it. Training never betrays you, and I am the one who understands it best.


    Well, I''ll just have to do my best.


    Now that we are in the right place, the training ground, I''ll try to apply the healing magic I''ve been thinking about since yesterday while paying attention to Nack.


    What are you going to do?


    "I thought I''d see if I could make the healing magic fly."


    Can you make the magic bullets fly purely, not like Kazuki did yesterday, where he manipulated them in all directions to attack his opponents?


    You may wonder what I am going to do with the ability to make the light of healing magic fly, but my answer to that question is simply that I would like to explore my own way of using healing magic.


    "There is an unrelated magic that throws a ball of magic power, is what Usato is trying to do something similar?"


    "Something like that. I always deploy healing magic on my body in the form of a covering. Inevitably, when I heal someone, I have to get somewhat close. So I thought if I could hone my skills to send some of the magic flying, I''d have a lot more at my disposal."


    What I am currently doing with healing magic is that I am covering my whole body with healing magic like Nack who is running now, and I am healing my body''s fatigue one by one. In contrast, what I am going to do now is something that Rose probably did not intend to teach me ...... or did not need to teach me in my present condition.


    If Rose were here, I might be able to get her precise advice, but as she is not here, I have to seek it by myself.


    I close my eyes and slowly raise my right arm to release the light of healing magic. I am proud to say that I am more skillful than others in handling magic power. I gather the magic power in my palm and form it into a sphere.


    The release is the same as when you use healing magic, all that remains is how close you can make it to the sphere you imagine. .......


    "......"


    Inukami-senpai sent out an electric shock like a discharge from the palm of his hand.


    Kazuki created a magical sphere of light around him.


    I imagine a beautiful green sphere. There is no need to add more magic power as in the case of lineage reinforcement, just gradually join the collected magic power together...


    I can feel the solid magic power in my palm.


    If you open your eyes and look at the palm of your hand, you will see .......


    "It''s surprisingly easy ...... something of a letdown ......."


    A sphere floated in my palm just as I had imagined.


    It was not as difficult as I thought. What? I thought it would be more tame. ....... I turned to Amako questioningly and she let out an exasperated sigh.


    "Of course. ...... It''s fundamental to being a wizard to have a sphere of magic at hand. Humans and us beastmen are no different in that basic ....... It would be strange if we hadn''t been doing it until now."


    It''s basic blasting is the basis of healing magic. .......


    I look at the sphere in my hand while looking away from Amaco. Floating in the air, it moves to follow the movement of my hand.


    ...... Okay.


    "What?


    "Tsk."


    They know.


    I tried to use the healing magic sphere on Amaco, but he jumped back just before the sphere touched him. Amako took some distance from me and turned to me, a look of surprise on her face.


    "Did you just try to push it on me ......?"


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about. Do you think I would do something like that to you? No, that''s impossible."


    "You clearly had a tongue lashing, and who else but Usato''s healing magic could make my body suddenly glow green in the future ......?"


    Your body glows green ......?


    I see, so it will heal for the amount of magic power contained in it when it hits, this is very convenient. The healing magic that recovers may heal faster than the healing magic that radiates, but since this sphere is accumulating, the amount of recovery is constant, but that makes it possible to apply a first aid level of healing magic to the whole body in an instant.


    "Oh no, I''m sorry. Somehow the magic in my hand seems to have flown towards Amako.


    "Mh......."


    Anyway, now that I''ve succeeded in getting even with Amako, I''ll move on to the application. It''s been a while since I''ve had a chance to get back into the groove with my former world''s bad friends, so I''m personally very happy about that.


    I laugh and laugh off Amako''s glare at me, and look at the target about ten meters away from me.


    "Well, you can make it fly if you move it in such a way that the magic power is released.


    Then, he thrusts out the palm of his hand, and tries to shoot out a ball of magic generated in his palm. After all, the manipulation of magic is a matter of image, feeling, and familiarity. If you operate it in the same way as usual, there should be no difficulty in shooting out the magic power.


    Just as I had planned... Pow! The magic bullet is released with a characteristic popping sound.


    The magic bullet is released from his palm with a moderate force, and he can''t help but let out an exclamation of admiration.


    "Oh ...... oh?"


    The magic bullet, which was released with great force, slowed down as it moved away from the target, and by the time it reached the target, it had slowed down considerably.


    The result was the same even after several attempts: the bullet decelerated and disappeared with the light at the same time as it was fired.


    ".........Why?"


    "Usato doesn''t seem to be very good at releasing magic."


    "Is there something you''re not good at, or is this ......?"


    Here comes the fatal flaw exposed.


    I''m not that good at flying magic,......, but the initial momentum was certainly great, and the initial momentum was just the momentum of sticking out my arm that made it go faster. What''s that, too much conceitedness? .......


    "Wait a minute. ......"


    The only initial momentum is my outstretched arm.


    Then, can''t I manage it with some force? There is no need to shoot out from a restrained position in the first place. The fact that I do not have the talent to cast magic in the first place is enough to close off the path to growth in a proper way. Then, why don''t I just use my own methods to bring this sphere up to a practical level?


    My way.


    In other words, by brute force.


    "Usato, you should give up on this because it''s just a matter of your talent. Usato is already strong enough.


    "There''s still a way to ...... Amaco ......."


    "Yes."


    He concentrates his magic power on his hand again and forms a sphere.


    He clasps the floating sphere in his palm as if to wrap it around himself, and swings his upper body away from the sphere.


    I don''t need the talent to fly magic, I''m not that good to give up on such a thing! He swings his arm down and simultaneously throws a magic bullet toward the target.


    "Oh, ......!"


    "Ehh..."


    The sphere of healing magic that he threw at the target did not decelerate and hit the target with tremendous force --- instead, it flew backward and hit another target without decelerating, scattering a green light.


    The thrower''s aim is not so good. Well, I wasn''t much of a ball player in my original world, so it''s no wonder my hit rate is low. This is just another case of training, I guess.


    I exhale and look at the place where the magic bullet hit. It''s about 20 meters away from the target, or it may hit a target a little farther, depending on the target. Though it won''t be able to hit a target too far, since I''m throwing a magic bullet without any weight, relying on my arm strength.


    "That''s perfect."


    "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Throwing weightless magic power. ......"


    "This is my own technique, a healing magic bullet."


    Amako, who was shaking her body like a metronome and muttering to herself in a daze, laughed at him and turned her attention to Nack.


    He is still running with Bulrin as before, but he stumbles and loses his balance.


    "Oh ......"


    I leap forward, keeping my eyes on him as he is about to fall, as he would if he were running at that pace. I close the distance between us and support Nack, who has fallen forward.


    "Are you okay? Nack."


    "Huh ...... huh ...... sorry, sorry ......"


    I have not run out of ...... magic power, so it is natural to assume that I have lost the concentration to exercise healing magic due to exhaustion. I put my hand on his back and cast a healing spell.


    His color gradually improves as he breathes heavily.


    "Is it still difficult to do healing magic and run at the same time?"


    Yes,...... it''s not impossible. But if I''m not careful, it unravels quickly. ......


    "......It''s just a matter of getting used to it. I didn''t learn it overnight either, so let''s not be hasty and be careful. There are still four days left.


    It could be said that we only have four days. Worst-case scenario would be to have him use his healing magic only when he is injured and let him concentrate on evasion by letting his physical strength do the rest, but that would leave too big a gap while he is using his healing magic.


    ...... if he doesn''t make it in time.


    Nack is doing a good job. At least he has taken time off from his important studies to train. I''m sure his commitment to training is genuine. But no matter how serious he is, there is always a worst-case scenario.


    When I was at a loss for what to say to him, he let out an exclamation and looked around the entrance of the training ground.


    I turned to see a girl with distinctive twin-tail hair smiling at Nack, who was being supported by me.


    That distinctive hair, Meena or ....... I wondered if she was going to practice magic in this training ground, but she turned on her heel and walked toward the inside of the school, smiling at Nack.


    "You''re just here to chill out, what a girl!"


    You have a bad personality. And to just watch and go home, is it a sign of confidence that you can win without doing anything special?


    Either way, it doesn''t change the fact that I don''t like it. Quietly calming my anger, I pick up Nack''s healed body.


    When Nack gets up, he holds his face with one hand and turns his back to me.


    "He''s always like that. He taunts me, taunts me, taunts me. But he''s more ...... magical and everything than me, so I can''t say anything back to him. ......"


    "Nack, don''t worry about it."


    "I do care. Because we weren''t like this ...... before, before we were kicked out of here. ......It''s just healing magic, but we''ve all changed, we''re different. I don''t want to be in this place, but this is the only place I can go back to. ......"


    ...... no place to go back to?


    Does this mean I have to go to Luxembourg?


    I tilted my head at his words, but Nack spun the words regardless. I could see the sadness in his expression as he spewed his words at me.


    "Usato-san, will this training make me stronger? Can you beat ...... Meena? I really ...... don''t know how I could be such a..."


    Nack realized what he was saying and suddenly fell silent.


    After a moment of silence, Nack opens his mouth as if to mend it.


    I''m sorry. I said something I didn''t understand. ...... Please don''t mind what I said before."


    No, it bothers me.


    You act like you have more serious problems than fighting with Mina.


    "I am grateful to you, Usato. But all I''ve been doing the last two days is just running,...... and I know it''s very rude to doubt,...... but I don''t see the point of this training."


    "No..."


    I couldn''t help but hold my mouth as his back was turned in thought.


    I was surprised at myself for almost spontaneously saying, "You should be training instead of worrying about such things.


    No, I''ve been poisoned by Rose. It''s too much to be merciless to him who has so many things to deal with.


    Taking a deep breath, I erase the devilish words that just popped into my mind and replace them with gentle words to rebuke him.


    "It''s not whether you can win, it''s whether you will win. And Meena is underestimating you. This is not a bad thing for you. The more careless you are, the more open you are. The only way to gain the offensive power to exploit that opening is to train your body. So let''s ...... work hard."


    "You''re going to work hard, is that it? ......."


    He nodded with his back to me and started running. I looked at him with mixed feelings and woke up Bulrin who was casually trying to skip work at my side while I felt something stuck in his words.


    "Don''t skip work, don''t skip work!"


    "Guu ......"


    "Come on, you won''t be able to keep up with the knacker."


    After forcing him to his feet, we push him out and make him run again. I look at the back of Bulrin and Nack running in front of him and suddenly think.


    I wonder if this is what Rose saw when she watched me and Bulrin training together.


    When I look at the training scene with those strong men, I see nothing but monsters running in formation, but when I see him and Bulrin, who are younger than me, running, I feel strange.


    "A master and an apprentice, huh?


    I muttered casually and moved out of his way as he ran.


    I should have realized it at that moment.


    His monologue, the weakness and anguish he showed when Meena mocked him, I had thought that the only way to solve it was to make him strong enough to defeat Meena.


    But I was wrong.


    I knew that the darkness that he was suffering from was much more painful and cruel than I had thought Inukami-senpai would be.


    I realized this early in the morning on the third day of training.


    At first I thought he was practicing on his own.


    I had not seen him in the bedroom that Kiriha and her family had lent me.


    But he was not in the training hall either. Well, did you get too absorbed in your self-training and fell behind? I waited for about an hour with my arms folded in laughter, waiting with Bullein.


    When Nack does not show up at all, Amako, who is late, points out the problem to him and he finally realizes it.


    He finally realizes that Nack has run away from the training....

 61 - the 60th episode

    I ran away.


    Training was hard.


    I didn''t want to fight Meena.


    I didn''t want to waste any more effort.


    I didn''t want to be made fun of.


    There are ...... many reasons, many excuses.


    All of them are pathetic and make me realize how small and weak I am. Maybe I have been that way since I woke up to the magic of healing, or maybe I was destined to be an oppressed being from the very beginning of my life.


    "U......"


    A dark, narrow, unpopular alleyway.


    Sitting in the alleyway, which is so inaccessible that not even subhumans can pass through, I just stare at the ground, tormented by the feeling of helplessness.


    Whenever I feel like being bullied by Meena and her friends, I always run away to this place. This is my secret place where no one knows or wants to come near me. No one knows that there is such a road, and even if I remember it, I forget it soon, it seems to me a place where I feel more at home than any other place.


    "Ugh ...... ugh!"


    In such a place, I cry as usual.


    I weep in this place where no one comes, without shame or shame.


    Usually I cry because I am tormented, but today the reason for crying is different.


    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry ......, I''m sorry ......."


    I ran away.


    Not from Mr. Usato ...... but from Mina.


    I was terrified by her face yesterday, the way she looked down on me, mocked me, her innocent smile that showed no mercy at all. I understood. I understood the insanity and obsession hidden in her joyful expression, as if I had been imprinted with the years of abuse I had been subjected to.


    My body trembled. Undeniably, any glimmer of hope of victory was crushed.


    I thought I could grow. I thought I could grow up, be accepted by everyone, and become as strong as Usato, even though my life had been turned upside down by the nasty magic of healing .......


    That''s how I managed to endure the hard training.


    Even when I almost fainted, I gritted my teeth and persevered.


    Even when I was chased by a blue grizzly, I pushed down my fear and ran desperately.


    I tried hard not to let Usato-san''s abusive voice be directed at me.


    But the innocent malevolence of Meena cooled me down at once.


    What''s the point of training just to run?


    What''s the point of training your legs?


    Why do I have to do healing magic while running?


    Why do I have to go through all this pain and challenge myself to a game I can''t win?


    No.


    It''s all a convenient excuse.


    Usato''s training was meaningful. The proof is that my legs and body are so light that I can notice a distinct difference from the person I was a few days ago. My physical strength has also improved remarkably.


    This is the result of only two days of training. Usato''s training was not wrong, it was clearly me who was wrong.


    Yesterday, I would have been running by now, but here I am, sitting in a place like this, crying pathetically and despairing on my own.


    "......I''m an idiot. ......"


    I''m afraid to fight Meena.


    I''m more afraid of fighting her than anything.


    If I lose, I''ll be punished even worse. I can''t imagine it getting much worse, but I wouldn''t be surprised if Meena shows far more cruelty than I can imagine.


    So be it.


    If I''m the only one who suffers the misfortune ......, but if I lose, Usato and one of the brave men will be made to pay for it by Meena. Because you made me play the game like I was going to run away,.......


    "I didn''t want you to get your hopes up. ......


    I should not have clung to hope if this was going to happen.


    I should have just let myself get hurt.


    I should have been the only one hurt.


    Then no one would expect anything from me, and I wouldn''t expect anything from anyone.


    I wouldn''t have had to deal with Usato, or the heroes, or Kiriha the beastman who ...... lent me a place to sleep.


    "......ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"


    I couldn''t stop crying thinking about it.


    It brought back memories of the past two days.


    All I had done was hard training.


    Even if such hard training was forced by good intentions, it was the first time in a long time that I was touched by someone''s kindness.


    Usato-san was trying to train me, even though I was a failure.


    He never gave up on me, even though I was using a useless healing magic.


    He encouraged me as I fell unconscious over and over again.


    He carried me back to Kiriha-san''s dormitory when I was too tired to go home by myself, and served me warm meals.


    I have fond memories of being stunned to see Usato-san, who was enjoying chatting and laughing with me, transcending the boundaries between beastmen and humans.


    Kiriha, Kyou, and Satsuki didn''t seem to mind.


    I remembered that the dinner I usually had alone was so much more colorful when we all ate together.


    "Oh......a......a......a......a!"


    I destroyed those memories and the future that could have been.


    I let go of a happy moment so that I could forget the warm memories of my abominable family.


    This time I have nothing left.


    All I can do is wait for Meena to punish me.


    But this is my fault for giving up. At least I won''t cause trouble for Usato and the others. If I alone can keep Meena away from Usato and the others at any cost, that''s all I have to do.


    "......!"


    He swallows a sob and wipes his eyes frantically.


    Let''s go. I may not be a beast, but I''ll do whatever it takes.


    It''s better to choose the best future where no one but me gets hurt than to challenge Meena with a broken heart and be miserable in defeat.


    "I gotta go. ......"


    "Okay, I''ve got it."


    "Yeah. ......"


    Just as I was about to get up on my knees, a voice, so bright that it seemed out of place, echoed through the dark alleyway.


    I sat down on the ground again, and when I turned my head in the direction of the voice, I saw a boy in a white coat standing there, standing out of place in the ...... dark space.


    His face is too dark to see, but his lips naturally move at the sound of his voice and the way he stands.


    "Usato,Mr......."


    ¡ñ


    Finding Knack was very easy.


    I would have had to run all over town to find him by myself, but with Bulrin and Amako, it was a different story.


    The first thing to do is to follow the knack with Bulrin''s nose. We can''t pinpoint the exact location of the knack by just following the scent, but we go around to the places where we think the knack will land. While we are doing this, Amako looks into the future in case <.


    We narrow down the area with Bulrin''s nose and search for the knacker who would be within the area narrowed down by Amako''s prediction. It''s a perfect coordination ......, even though I''m not helping at all.


    As a result, we were able to find Nack in a short time, but when we first found him, I was quite upset because he was sobbing and crying with a stifled voice.


    Was the training that hard! No way. ...... I tried to be as gentle as possible.


    The fact that they take breaks every so often makes them more conscientious than Rose, but wait a minute, isn''t it normal to take breaks in the first place?


    ..........


    I try to have a one-on-one discussion with him, while pushing the little fox and the little bear who are looking at me accusingly behind me out of the alley for now.


    I talk to him as lightly as possible and sit down next to him to make it easier for us to talk after seeing his reaction.


    I look at Nack, who has turned his head down after having me in his sight, escaping from the reality that the ground in the back alley is cool and cold because the sun is not shining, and he remains lying down as if he is uncomfortable to face me.


    "Oh, yeah, ...... what, so?"


    "It''s such a small city. It''s no big deal for us to find you."


    I didn''t do anything myself.


    Nack looks up at me with incredulous eyes and smiles to himself.


    "I''m sorry. I guess I was a little too hard on you. I''m not used to teaching people anything, so I shouldn''t have done that at all.


    "No, no ......, that''s not it. I ran away not because of you, Usato, but because I wasn''t ready ...... to fight Mina and I got scared ......."


    "You got scared ......?"


    You''re not sick of training?


    Then why were you crying here? As I tilted my head and wondered why he was crying, he began to tell me why he was crying here.


    As I listened to him, I realized that his fear ...... of Meena, something more like an imprint, had deeper roots than I had imagined. It was enough to break his heart once he had made up his mind, just by meeting her face to face.


    It''s something I can''t even imagine.


    "Was Meena tormenting you because you are a healing magician?"


    For the past two days, I didn''t dare ask. But if things have gone this far, you should know.


    "......... back home, we were just acquaintances. However, my family was close to each other. ......"


    If you are only acquaintances and your family members are close to each other ...... Huh? I heard that Meena is the daughter of a nobleman, but maybe Nack is too?


    No, but even if it is, it makes more sense. If Nack''s house belonged to a noble family, he would be treated the same way as Meena.


    But in reality, it is the complete opposite.


    "As you are wondering, Usato, I come from a wealthy family. I am aware that I had a reasonably good life before I came here."


    "So what?"


    Most of the people in my family are awakened to the water magic of their lineage. My mother, who married the man who was my father, was deliberately chosen to be a wizard with a water lineage. ...... Naturally, I was supposed to learn water lineage magic under the guidance of a wizard instructor my father hired. ......"


    "...... healing magic?"


    Yes, on my ninth birthday before I came here, my sister and I were going to find out what kind of magic we could use. Naturally, my parents thought that both my sister and I would be in the water line of magic. ....... But the results showed that only my sister showed an aptitude for the water system."


    His self-mocking smile was somehow hollow.


    At this point in the story, the worst possible scenario emerges.


    Looking at Nack''s current situation, a foreigner born into an aristocracy that prides itself on family and blood, his parents probably would have .......


    "Then my daily life changed. My father and mother, who were so kind to me, became cold as if they had changed, and I couldn''t see my sister, with whom I was so close. ...... haha, I feel like an idiot, don''t I? I''m not sure if it''s a good thing that I''m not a good person or not, but I''m not sure. So they ended up kicking me out of the house and putting me in Luxembourg. At that point, I had nowhere to go. ...... but my heart was lighter than when I was in the mansion. I was finally released, or so I thought. ......


    I wonder if the reason Nack was so upset when I first met him was because he was desperately trying to take his classes to avoid being kicked out of the school, which was probably his last place.


    It was understandable for him to be in such a panic since his place was at stake.


    But for him, even the school, his last place, could not be a place of ease.


    "So Meena, who I didn''t get along with very well, took you in, you know, ......."


    "I don''t know why Meena torments me. I have a lot of ideas that it''s because of my parents or because of healing magic, but either way, I ...... don''t want to go back to ...... my old house."


    "........."


    Heavy .......


    Why do all the people I know have such heavy worries? Is it my constitution to attract such people like Kazuki and Amako? If so, it''s too bad for my mental health.


    Even if that were the case, abandoning him when you hear about his problems would not be an option.


    "So you''re saying that Meena is a pain in the ass who doesn''t get along with you, but for some reason she''s bothering you, is that right?"


    "No, it''s not that cute. ......"


    "I also found out that your parents are pretty stupid. We know you have nowhere else to go. So what are you going to do now? When you graduate from here and have to leave, what will you ...... do?"


    "Well, that''s ......."


    This world is tougher than you think.


    It''s easy to forget when looking at the Kingdom of Lingle, a country ruled by a peaceful and kind king, but in other countries, you have to be very careful with slave trafficking, bandits, demons, and even moving from one country to another.


    In such a situation, if you ask him if he can stand on his own with only one skill, healing magic, without any contacts or connections, he would answer that it would be quite difficult.


    He knew that, too, and looked at the ground with a distorted expression on his face.


    I smile at him and slowly stand up.


    "You should come to the lifeguard."


    "...... eh."


    "I told you about the lifeguard service, didn''t I? There are three more healing wizards like you and me, and one of them is different from you ......? Well, they have similar healing magic. It''s a nice place to live if you don''t mind the ...... unreasonableness of the Commander and the petty complaints of his fellow demon tribe members and the noise of the monsters."


    From what I have seen of him over the past two days, he should be able to handle the level of training at FERM with some getting used to.


    As for the healing magic, if he can heal his body, he can become a lifeguard in black just like those tough guys. Either way, Rose would not refuse.


    "If you can''t, you could try coming to the Kingdom of Lingle. A friend of mine, a healing wizard, wants to help out at the clinic. If you don''t want to go through the training at the lifeguard station, you can start from scratch there.


    He will do well with Olga and Uluru.


    Even Nack''s healing magic might be restored.


    "Wait a minute! Oh, what about the fight between me and Meena! If I don''t fight like this, Usato-san will ......"


    "Well, we don''t have to go to all the trouble of getting what we deserve, and if we can threaten them to a certain extent and keep them quiet, we''ll be fine."


    "Yeah, yeah, yeah!"


    Frankly speaking, I didn''t need to accept Meena''s retribution, and in any case, I was thinking of overstepping my bounds if the demand was unreasonable. Well, it was only a last resort.


    To be honest, a nobleman is just a little girl without the power of his family, and I''m willing to be very ...... hard-hearted, even though it pains me greatly.


    I''m not sure how much I''m going to be able to do.


    I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do it.


    I''ll make a place for you to come home. So don''t worry about it. It would be foolish to be crushed by idiots who mistake magic for fashion or something, wouldn''t it? You should be happy where you can make the most of what you have."


    "........."


    "I can''t take you directly to the Kingdom of Lingle because I''m on a very important trip. So I''ll write you a letter instead. ...... I''m not used to writing yet, so it might take me a little while."


    He takes a breath and looks down at Nack.


    Now, after all this time, I''m starting to wonder if it''s safe to go ahead with this on my own. Olga and Uluru will be fine. But it''s Rose... "Since when did you become a member of this group? I can only feel fear because there is a very high possibility that they will get angry and beat me up.


    I wonder if I''m going to be treated badly when I get back safely?


    ......So, let''s not think about that.


    "Now that you mention it, what are you going to do?"


    "...... Are you sure you want to ......?"


    "No, it''s your choice. It''s your choice. I''m just trying to show you the way.


    Just as Rose did for me when I came to this world, now I will show you the way.


    Nack looks up at me and holds out his hand. His eyes widen at the sight of the offered hand, and he wipes his eyes with his sleeve before approaching the hand fearfully, stopping just before he does so.


    "I''m going to fight Meena after all. ......"


    "You don''t have to do this, okay?"


    Don''t bother taking the risk.


    He shakes his head slowly at my words, and his red, swollen eyes look straight at me. His eyes, dark and stagnant, had changed from gloomy and gloomy to reassuring and reassuring, with a faint light in them.


    "I''m not qualified to go to Usato-san''s place now. I''m not going to be satisfied until I''ve cut the ties with her and can face her properly. That''s why I''m going to ......."


    After a pause, he grabs my proffered hand and stands up.


    "Give me ...... my training!


    For the first time, I felt as if Nack and I were on the same page.


    Maybe it was just my imagination, but I didn''t mind the feeling of our intentions meshing so tightly.


    Then ...... I''ll stop projecting myself onto him and being naive. This naivete is not in Nack''s best interest, and it''s rather rude to go easy on him.


    "Fine. But this time I won''t be nice. I won''t stop when you pass out or when you want to stop. If you faint, I''ll knock you back up, and if your leg stops moving, I''ll fix it. No matter what happens, I''ll keep moving you as long as your magic power lasts."


    "Yes, ............, I''ll do it! I won''t whine or complain anymore!"


    What''s the pause?


    I felt like our intentions were about to be separated for a moment.


    ...... Well, let''s not worry about that.


    "Well, let''s get out of this dark place as soon as possible. We''ll start training when we get back to the academy.


    "Yes, sir!"


    We head out of the dark alley toward the street where Bullyn and Amaco are.


    There are only three days left to train the knacker, including today. I''ve lost a little time, but it doesn''t matter. Nack is motivated and I can train him without worrying about him.


    My experience has made me reluctant to use such a method as Rose''s, but his willingness to use it has made the idea of sparing him go away once and for all.


    But I wonder if I can train like Rose. ............. No, you can''t, you do. Knack trusts me. It''s kind of my mission to reciprocate that trust.


    Let''s put aside all good intentions, all compassion and sympathy.


    Let''s be fierce for him.


    I don''t care if he calls me an outcast.


    All the running techniques that were given to me were put into my body, not my head.


    Three days left, I''m going to be a ---- devil-dozer.


    "...... Ugh, I''m getting chills ......."


    "?"


    Nack, who is walking next to me, suddenly turns pale, and I wonder what''s wrong.

 62 - 61st episode

    "Sis, I hear Usato is up to something again."


    Kyou said something like that to me at the end of the school day.


    My only response was a subtle "not again ......" expression on my face, but then I wondered what he had done this time. That ton of healing wizardry is .......


    "As I recall, he was making a lot of noise this morning about Nack not being there, too. ...... Does that have something to do with it?"


    "I don''t know. But I overheard him say he''s pretty pissed off."


    "He''s pissed ......? Usato?"


    They look scared, but for some reason I can''t imagine them being angry. Well, I guess they are training at a rented training ground, so I''ll go check it out and see what''s going on. I have seen Usato running with a blue grizzly on his back once, so I am not surprised anymore.


    I pack my baggage and move toward the training area where Usato and the others are likely to be.


    As we move forward without much conversation since it is not that far away, we notice that all the students on the road pass each other with a complicated expression on their faces.


    "......?"


    I wonder, but it is nothing to be concerned about, so I continue on my way.


    Soon we arrive at the entrance of the training area. There are quite a few students near the entrance, all of them looking at the center of the training area, as if they are paying attention to something.


    I look around and see Amako, a blonde girl with a familiar cloak sitting in the shade of a tree near the entrance.


    He tries to call out to her, but he is mortified when he sees her face.


    Her eyes are somewhat enlightened, as if she is looking into the distance. I felt a great sense of discomfort in her eyes, which seemed to have a different blankness to them than usual, and as I tilted my head, Kyou, who was following behind me, tapped me on the shoulder.


    "Hey, sis. ......"


    "Hmm, what''s wrong?"


    "Is that ......?"


    For some reason, Kyou, who had turned pale, was shaking his finger and pointing toward the training area. What is it? He turns his head in that direction and exclaims, "I can''t believe I''m doing this.


    "......"


    Oddly enough, it is the same reaction as the day before yesterday.


    But this time, the power was different.


    After all, ---- Usato was smiling a miserable smile as he stomped on Nack''s back, who was lying on the ground.


    "...... And you think you''re running seriously with that? Do you think that makes you a full-fledged healing wizard? Come on, you can still run, right? ...... Get up quick, you slow wretch. Do you know how much time is being wasted while you''re lying there in a heap?"


    "Ha, hahi ...... yes."


    The boy, his feet covered with a thin layer of healing magic light, has moved off Nack''s back, and now Usato is urging him to get up on his toes. With his pleased grin and his abuse of even the fallen, he was a different man from the still mild-mannered one of yesterday.


    Nack gets up with a grunt and tearfully runs as Usato urges him to do. Usato is staring at him from behind, as if stabbing him in the back.


    He is gritting his teeth, tapping the ground with his toes in frustration, his teeth peeking out from between his lips like an animal, and his eyes glaring like a hawk''s. The look on his face is indescribable.


    Of course I was confused by his abnormality.


    "What? Hey, hey, who is that?"


    "Sis, I can''t believe it, but it''s ...... Usato."


    That thing? Maybe some ogre snuck into the academy?


    I mean, there''s hardly any trace of him! No, you look the same, but you''ve been replaced inside and out! I''m more surprised than I was two days ago! What happened between this morning and now! At least when I saw you this morning, you were normal!


    Confused and unable to believe that the person in front of me was really Usato, a more frightened-looking Usato leaps from his upright position with blinding speed.


    I quickly followed him with my eyes, and he leapt and moved behind Nack, who was running, and kicked him lightly as if pushing his back with the flat of his foot as he ran with tears in his eyes. .........?


    "Ugh!"


    "You can''t do this, Nack. We need to work on our healing magic."


    Looking down at him with cold eyes, Usato grabbed Nack''s head and forced him to face him.


    "I told you to be aware of your magic, didn''t I? So what, you''re serious about ...... concentrating to the extent that you can unravel it with a little poking, right? If you''re serious about it, I''d like to see you show a little of your true colors, Nack."


    "...... but ......, I''m not used to it. ......"


    "Hmm? It''s been two days, remember? --- Do you really think that''s a reason? Unlike me, you''re starting from a place of learning magic, so you should be able to do it much faster. Yesterday I would have forgiven you, but not today. What I''m looking for from you is not the word ."


    The tone of his voice is as warm as ever, but his voice is so cold that it makes one shiver.


    It has an intimidating, chilling effect that sends a chill down my spine. Usato smiles at Nack, who shivers and looks away.


    "You said that, didn''t you? You said you wanted to beat up that cocky little b*tc* and pay her back for everything she''s done."


    "Well, you can''t say that much ......."


    "What?"


    "Yes, I said it! Meena, I want to smash you so bad! I want to beat them to a pulp!


    Nack replies in a hushed voice with his head in his hands.


    The content of the conversation is so disturbing that I shudder regardless of whether or not there is a point of contention. It was such a spectacular scene that even she could not help but feel sorry for him, as if Meena had seen it.


    In fact, the students who had gathered here for the purpose of training were all speechless, looking at Usato and Nack.


    "I see...I see...but...but...but...but...but...but... Are you really serious about what you do? From my point of view, you''re doing your best, right? But, you know, my training doesn''t require a lot of hard work."


    Nack looks as if he doesn''t understand Usato''s words.


    I myself don''t understand what he is trying to say. What does he mean that we don''t have to work hard?


    "I don''t mind the word ''hard work'' either. But that''s not the point. It''s not about the training that makes you feel like trying hard. That''s not the way to train to be a healing wizard. What''s the use of trying if it''s just hard and painful training? You just get sick of it, don''t you? Nothing is more useless than relying on abstract words to support oneself. So there is no need for a sense of accomplishment, no need for a sense of fulfillment, no need for words of exertion, nothing but the results obtained through the benefits of healing magic."


    Usato said quickly.


    I see, so you are asking me to be a puppet who just trains hard without thinking. ....... I honestly think it''s a very ...... efficient and terrifying way of thinking, to cut off everything you gain along the way and to use all of that training as a source of your own strength.


    But if we continue such training, we will surely run away from it. At least I would run away. I am sure all the students here must feel the same way.


    "Don''t try so hard. You''ve got to give it your all so you can''t even feel that way. Are you a lickspittle healing wizard if you don''t give it your all? What you''re doing is simple, all you have to do is run without losing focus. There''s nothing to get used to. Or are you saying I''m crazy to look left while looking right? If you don''t have time to come up with some lame excuse like it''s impossible because you''re not used to it, just go for it."


    "d*mn, ugh. ............"


    "I will make you strong. I''m going to heal you as best I can, no matter how much you get hurt in the process. But if you go into this with that kind of half-hearted desire for results---I''ll stop being so hard on you. I feel like an idiot for helping you half-heartedly.


    "I''m not ...... halfway, I''m not halfway!"


    Then give it your all. You have no strength, no endurance, and less than average reflexes, so there''s only so much you can do. Do what you can, even if you can''t. If you can''t do it alone, we''ll do it together.


    He roughly releases his grip on Nack''s head and slowly raises himself up from his half-sitting position and looks down at Nack. I can''t see his face from here, but he must have a very serious expression on his face, because I can see Nack looking up at him.


    "Come on, get up. If you don''t stand up here, you''ll be a failure in the truest sense of the word.


    Knack, maybe you could break.


    The training that Usato has shown you is, so to speak, extremely dangerous and without regard for yourself. Even if your body is fine thanks to the healing magic, there is no way your mind can endure it.


    It is rather strange that Usato would have been able to overcome it.


    Unlike our thoughts, however, Nack roughly wiped away the tears from his eyes and stared back at Usato with a fearful look in his eyes.


    "! ......I''ll do it,......I''ll do it,......I''ll do it,......I''ll do it,......I''ll do it,......I''ll do it,......I''ll do it!


    Nack gritted his teeth tightly, shook off Usato''s hand, and started to run, almost staggering.


    Although he is running dangerously, a faint but shimmering green aura surrounds his body, indicating that he is concentrating on what Usato said.


    His attitude toward training is clearly different from yesterday''s. .......


    "Kukku...... kuuuuuuuwaaaaaaah!!!!"


    Desperate.


    There is no better word to describe him right now.


    Usato, who had been staring at him with his arms folded behind his back, exhaled in relief and returned to his usual gentle face with a reassuring smile.


    It seems like a touching scene, but for those of us who are watching, the situation seems to have been resolved without us knowing what was going on.


    "Hm, this is a very nostalgic scene. ......"


    ! ...... sir."


    A tall woman, Ms. Carla, appears near us, still stuck in confusion and shock. She is a teacher of magic who is in charge of our class. She has a somewhat difficult personality, but she is one of those rare teachers who treats both beasts and humans equally, and is therefore a person who is looked up to by her peers who attend this school.


    She has a happy smile on her face, but does she know the reason why Usato is like this ......?


    As I look at her questioningly, the teacher turns to me, perhaps noticing my gaze.


    "Hmm, Kiriha and Kyou? ...... I see, you''re the two who were staying with Usato, aren''t you?"


    "...... yes."


    There is nothing too strange about knowing that Usato is sleeping in our dormitory.


    The question is ...... what the teacher thinks about it. The teacher smiles at me when I get all defensive.


    "You don''t have to be so cautious, I won''t do anything. I don''t think there''s anything wrong with that.


    "...... Usato is human and we''re beastmen, right? It''s pretty funny from someone else''s point of view, isn''t it?"


    "You guys don''t mind having him stay at your place, do you? That gives you a general idea of how he treats people. You''ve never met anyone like that before."


    I can''t say anything back.


    Certainly there has never been anyone as messed up as Usato and Suzune. Kyou is getting used to being Usato, but there''s still something about him that I can''t get over. It''s not a bad feeling, that''s for sure, but it''s definitely something frustrating.


    As I was struggling with these complicated feelings and distorting my expression, the teacher turned his attention to Usato again.


    "That was probably an act. His teacher was more devilish than Usato because of his hands and legs. But even with that, he looks enough to remind me of her. It''s a pleasure to see them ...... as they don''t look so much alike, but they are so much alike. ......"


    "What, acting ......? Are you saying that was on purpose?"


    And he casually said something outrageous, this guy.


    The person who is more awesome than that Usato who is spewing out curses that make the air tremble with an ogre-like expression is the person who imposed the reckless training that he mentioned during the first day of training, right?


    ...... I can no longer see my master as a human being.


    "It''s impossible to strengthen in a short period of time without doing so. In fact, his training yesterday was too gentle. I don''t know what happened to him, but I think he is finally training like a healing magician. It''s a sight I was used to seeing when I was in the Kingdom of Lingle, ...... but to see it now here in Lucvis, it''s very emotional."


    "Wow. ......."


    I think there is a clear discrepancy between what she says is typical training for a healing magician and what we know is typical training for a healing magician.


    "Either way, the next three days, including today, are sure to be fruitful for him. Well, it''s inevitable that his personality will be corrected a little. Ha-ha-ha-ha."


    He says this jokingly and smiles pleasantly.


    It is a joke that I would understand if I were to see a spectacular training in front of me like this. I smile at Kyou, who, like me, is unable to take a joke as a joke, and my eyes shift to the setting sun.


    "I think I''d better go home now. ...... It''s going to take a while for Usato and the others to get there."


    I''ll go pick up Satsuki.


    I''ll take care of it.


    I''m glad I came to watch Usato''s training, but it took longer than I thought it would. I''m still tempted to watch him, but I think it''s time to go home.


    I''ll leave it to Kyou to pick up Satsuki from school. ......Amako should probably go home with Usato and Nack, given the way she''s been acting. I''ll just bow to the teacher and leave.


    "Stop running around like a fool! Run as fast as you can!


    "Aaaaah!"


    "...... I''ll make more dinner tonight."


    Somehow, that''s what I thought when I saw Nack running like a maniac.


    In the end, Usato, Nack, and Amako came home just after I had finished cooking dinner. By that time, Kyou and Satsuki had already returned, so it was inevitably a dinner of the six of us.


    But .......


    "Ugh, wow ...... it''s delicious ...... aagh ...... I''m alive ......"


    "Na, nak ...... there''s no need to eat anything while crying."


    Nack returned home while being carried by Usato, and as soon as he woke up, he brought the dinner he had prepared to his mouth. As he was shoveling down his soup with tears and snot running down his nose, I was having mixed feelings about whether I should be happy for him or not, when I saw Usato sitting opposite him smiling at me.


    "Ha-ha-ha, you''re overreacting, Nack."


    "No, no, no, it''s your fault. I mean, your personality is totally different from when you were training."


    "I was pretending to be my master. It was intentional, wasn''t it?


    "You didn''t do it on purpose! You were happy to do it, you know!"


    "Shush, that''s rude! I hope you don''t lump me in with those sadists! Amaco! Tell that to Kyou! You''ve met the Commander before, haven''t you!"


    "Frogs are frogs, aren''t they?"


    "Hey, what does that mean?"


    "It''s a beastman''s word! It means "blood is blood" or something like that!


    "Thank you, Satsuki. But you know, that''s not what I meant. I meant why Amako said that to me. ......"


    "Oh, that way? Then Usato''s master is like an ogre."


    "...... Let''s not make it sound like I looked like an ogre in training, from the way we''ve been talking. Right?"


    No, you''re an ogre.


    "Yes, it''s an ogre."


    Kyou, let''s go outside for a minute.


    Why am I the only one?


    The dining table was lively with gibberish. Nack is in the middle of it all, not paying attention to the noise, and he''s shoveling his food into his mouth, so I sigh, put down the scoop in my hand, and ask him what''s on my mind.


    Is Nack going to be okay?


    "Ugh ...... okay, what do you mean?"


    "I was just wondering if you''re not afraid of Usato, since he trained you so hard."


    I wonder if he is not disgusted by all that training.


    Nack''s eyes widened a little at my words, and he turned to me and opened his mouth, troubled.


    It''s true that I''m scared, but it''s also what I wanted.


    "...... I see."


    Nack is thinking in his own way, too.


    Moreover, the look in his eyes has clearly changed from the first time we saw him to something stronger.


    Something must have happened between this morning and noon.


    "And we think that Usato-san from the training session and Usato-san now are different people."


    "Oh, yeah, ......."


    I felt as if all the light had gone out of Nack''s eyes at once.


    As my cheeks twitched at the sight of Nack''s dry smile with no light in his eyes, Usato, who was playing with the other three, turned his head toward Nack who was talking with me as if he remembered something.


    "Oh, yes. Nack, I have something for you.


    "Something I should give you? Is it something related to ...... training?"


    Hmmm, something similar. Maybe you don''t need it, but just take it.


    With that, he took a stack of papers ...... out of his pocket and held out a notebook to Nack.


    "...... what do you use this for?"


    "It''s a diary. I recommend that you start writing in it today if you can, but you don''t have to if you don''t want to."


    "Oh, so the training of a healing wizard requires you to write in a diary. Is that it? Like writing down a record of your growth and development?"


    "Ha-ha-ha, it''s not that cool. It''s not that cool. It''s more like a trick to get through hard training. I also kept doing it because the Commander told me to, but thanks to the ...... diary, I was able to keep training and not lose sight of myself."


    "? ...... not lose yourself?"


    "Why do you keep a diary? Mr. Usato."


    I thought a diary was for writing about yourself, not losing yourself.


    "To escape the reality of the training that''s coming. Well, maybe Nack, who only has two days, doesn''t need it."


    "......"


    That''s not a diary: .......


    I can''t put it in any other words, but I assure you. It''s a diary, not a journal. ......usato


    Nack looks at the diary he was given with a puzzled look on his face.


    Usato is pondering over it as if he misses it while he is puzzled.


    Seeing the two of them who have established such an uneven master-disciple relationship, I was a little anxious about the training that Nack would be given tomorrow.


    Afterwards, the noisy and lively dinner was over.


    While everyone was free to go back to their rooms, I quickly finished cleaning up the dinner, and checked and prepared for tomorrow''s breakfast. I am the only one who can cook, so I am in charge of all the food in this dormitory.


    Therefore, if I am not careful, I might end up skipping a meal, which is a terrible situation, and I have to be careful how I manage the money to buy food since it is limited.


    Well, money is not so much of a problem for me since I work with Kyou at a restaurant owned by a suburbanite whom I have a good relationship with.


    "......Got it. ......Ummmmm..."


    I finish getting ready for tomorrow and slowly stretch out.


    Now what am I going to do after this? I could go back to my room and study, or I could take a quick bath and go to bed since I have an early start tomorrow.


    With a sigh of relief, you leave the kitchen for the living room with its tables.


    "Nobody''s here ......?"


    Everyone has gone to their rooms, so it''s not surprising that no one''s here. I remember Nack took that diary with him when he went back to his room.


    I wonder if he will write in it since Usato gave it to him. I wonder if he''ll write it down correctly since he''s so meticulous, despite his bad eyesight.


    Smiling at the thought, I head for my room to get a change of clothes.


    "...... is there someone outside ......?"


    I hear a bang, like something exploding, and turn toward the door leading outside.


    ...... thieves? But no one has ever come all the way to this place before, and there''s hardly anything worth stealing. With the basket hand on the wall attached only to his right arm, he puts his hand on the door and slowly peeks in through the opening.


    In the space outside, lit only by the moonlight, you see a figure.


    "......?"


    He grips his right arm with a basket hand in front of the suspicious figure he sees.


    However, as my eyes gradually became accustomed to the darkness, the figure was revealed to me, and I involuntarily lost my composure as to the true identity of the figure.


    "What is it ...... Usato? ......"


    "Hmm? Hey, isn''t that Kiriha? What''s wrong?"


    Usato, who turned his head to look at us, tilted his head to see if he noticed that we had opened the door. I''m glad I''m not the thief.


    I wish you wouldn''t worry me unnecessarily anymore.


    It''s natural to be concerned when you hear noises outside. What were you doing out there?


    I was practicing a little magic.


    This late?


    Usato and Nack would normally be in bed by now.


    "I was thinking of using it in tomorrow''s training, so I thought I''d practice it while I still can."


    "Healing magic? You already used it."


    When I was running the knacker, or when he fainted.


    He smiled confidently at my words and suddenly raised his right hand and began to knead his magic. Green magic overflowed from his hand and formed into a sphere, which settled in his hand. Obviously, this is not the cloaking magic that Usato had used when he was fighting Halfa, but a release magic similar to mine and Kyou''s. .......


    So Usato was practicing to release healing magic as a magic bullet.


    When I was convinced, Usato suddenly grabbed the magic bullet in his hand, twisted his upper body, and shook his head...


    "Hmmm!


    "...... throws ......, eh?"


    What kind of magic bullets do you send out!


    The magic bullet, which was sent out in a too absurd way, hit the wooden box in front of him with great force, making the popping sound we heard earlier, and then it scattered to pieces.


    Stunned, I looked at the spot where the magic bullet had struck, and for some reason, Usato had a proud expression on his face. He told me that he had no talent for releasing magic power, so he had to make do with brute force, and that''s how he ended up in such a mess.


    Magic is not something that can be managed by brute force. .......


    "Just right. Kiriha, stand there for a moment. I''ll see if it works.


    "No, I don''t want to! Because it''s clearly caged in physical power!"


    "It''s healing magic, it''ll work."


    "There''s no way I can take a fastball like that just because it''s healing magic! What kind of super power do you have to throw it to make it fly like that?


    "Well, it''s just ...... arm strength."


    I still think this guy is a monster. .......


    He never ceases to amaze me with the crazy things he can do with his sunny face.


    "Wow, I''ve been surprised ever since you came to ......."


    "You keep surprising me, ......, you keep doing things that surprise me."


    When we first met him, but when he was fighting with Halfa, when he was training with Nack, and when he came here with Amako, he behaved in ways that I never expected.


    You never know what he will do.


    .......


    "I thought all humans were cold."


    Just because they have different ears and tails from other people doesn''t make them human.


    Even that Halfa is not so different because the standard of distinction is not beast or human but strong or weak, and I still can''t believe that we are having a human-like discussion with a human like Usato now.


    "As for me, I thought I was treating him normally. ......"


    "It''s funny because you can treat them normally. I heard that to most people, beastmen are not people at all."


    "...... I don''t think so."


    That''s the way it is in this city, or even in this world. On the contrary, I wonder why Usato can talk to us like that.


    I look at his troubled expression and think, "What the hell.


    He did nothing wrong. I was about to say a few words of apology, but before I could open my mouth, Usato, sitting on top of the crate that had just been hit with a magic bullet, interrupted me with a nostalgic remark.


    "It''s common sense in this world,...... but I''m not from this world, so it doesn''t matter."


    "...... Huh!"


    The words were so unrealistic that I sounded stunned.


    "It''s called summoning the brave, and I''m the one who got caught up in the two brave men who were summoned to the Kingdom of Lingle and got summoned.


    "Brave man means ...... that you really were as brave as the story says!"


    "? What else is on ......?"


    What else is it? ...... It has been a human custom for the last few hundred years that those who have distinguished themselves in battle or those who have been personally chosen by the king of a country are revered as those who are worthy of the name of "hero. At least that''s what my students think.


    Even now, there are a very few who have the of brave. However, they are not truly brave, but only a title.


    However, the heroes Usato is referring to --- Inukami and Kazuki --- are genuine heroes summoned from another world, just like the heroes who sealed the Demon King hundreds of years ago and single-handedly kicked out an army of demons. And if Usato himself was born in the same world as the heroes, then his extraordinary power makes some sense.


    "So you got caught up in a hero who came from another world. ...... I can see why you''re so strong."


    "Ha-ha-ha, I''m different. I just have a little more magic power than most people, and what I have now is the result of my training.


    "I think that''s the problem."


    It is frightening that you have no special talents, yet you are as good as the bravest of the brave.


    When I think about it, it''s funny to compare Usato, who has only physical attacks, with a brave warrior who has a powerful system of magic, but I can''t help but think about it.


    "I digress. Well, what I''m trying to say is that I, who come from a different world, don''t understand the discrimination in this world either. I mean, there are no demons or subhumans in my former world, so it''s rather rare to find people like you.


    "...... even more so, aren''t you afraid? You can read about me at ......."


    I''m surprised that there are no subhumans or demons, but if that were the case, wouldn''t they be rather uncomfortable with me and Amako, who are subhumans they''ve never seen before?


    "I''m not afraid.


    But Usato brushes off our words.


    "We have unusual ears and a tail that humans don''t have. Our eyes and noses are many times better than humans, and our ...... arms are strong enough to put a big crack in a big rock."


    "I could smash you to pieces like that, too."


    Well, I didn''t say shattered. ......?


    No, no, no, don''t let them push you.


    "You look more like a demon than a man. ......! Some demons actually speak human language! No matter how human they look, they are definitely different! We are!


    "Then I''m an ogre, too. Because, as you said, if I have a part that''s not human, then I''m like a demon.


    "You''re a monster ...... like an ogre, but you''re a human being."


    "Now, I''m really bothered that you just reworded it as monster, but let''s leave it at that. ......"


    His eyebrows twitch, but he turns his body toward us with his arms crossed.


    "To be honest, I don''t care what you call humans or beasts. That''s why I can''t make sense of your endless questions and answers, and no matter how many times I repeat them, my perception will never change.


    After all, I don''t even feel bad feelings from Usato.


    He smiled a smile that remained benign, regardless of our first meeting.


    "To me, you''re nothing but a cosplay girl with ears and a tail."


    "Huh? Kosupure?"


    "......I''ve moved a little bit of Inukami-senpai''s bad side. ...... Forget what I said earlier. ......"


    "? ...... well, okay."


    "...... Kohon. Kiriha, I somehow guessed that you''re in some kind of trouble. But I dare say that to me, human, beast, and demon are no different. I am out of tune with the people of this world from the very beginning, and I don''t think I need to be in tune with them. Inukami-senpai would have answered your question whether he is afraid of me<<> and "


    "......Huh,huh,......What''s that, you''re trying to impersonate Inukami?"


    "Don''t ever tell him. He''s the kind of person who blushes at this kind of thing. ......"


    Usato, who raised his voice a little and tried to imitate Inukami''s subtle resemblance, couldn''t help but smile. I should have been frustrated and suspicious earlier. .......


    "I see. ......"


    Maybe my worries over the past few days were just that simple.


    I was afraid to recall the feelings I had when I came to Lukvis, feelings that I had almost forgotten, like when I still had hope for the human existence, unlike now.


    I had seen so much of the worst in humanity that I didn''t want to be betrayed, and I didn''t want to be abandoned by the people I had believed in. I tried my best not to trust people and not to let them into my heart, but in the back of my mind, I kept having conflicting feelings of .


    I guess I was thinking too much. ......


    When Usato and Amako appeared in front of me with these thoughts in my mind, they easily awakened feelings that had been smoldering in the back of my mind. I had been mired in doubt and suspicion since then, but now I finally understood my feelings and the person of Usato.


    You are a strange person after all. Your magic is not normal, and your attitude towards us is not normal. And when you''re training, you''re beyond weird, you''re just abnormal.


    "Yeah, ...... too scattered ......."


    "That''s still a compliment. It''s because of you that Amako found you and Nack is now able to stand up to you. And I get to talk to you like this."


    "I don''t feel like I''m being praised, but ...... well, whatever."


    I found out too late, but it''s not too late.


    I''ve been waiting for this for years.


    It was my purest wish when I came here.


    I want a human friend.


    A childish, childish, foolish wish, but I no longer have the faith that it will come true.


    But if I can make it come true now, in the reality in front of me, I can ...... step forward once again.


    First of all, ...... let''s try our best to make friends with this strange person in front of us.

 63 - 62nd episode

    Training Diary


    Third day


    I decided to write a diary since Usato asked me to do so.


    Today is the day I was reborn. It may look good when I write it like this, but in reality, I was frightened by Mina and ran away from her, and finally got to the starting point with the help of Usato-san. I am still a coward and a cowardly boy, and I am still not satisfied with the training that Mr. Usato has given me.


    But at last I have started.


    I wondered if the lifeguard group that Mr. Usato recommended was really the right place for me to go. After all, it was a place where Mr. Usato belonged, and I wondered if it would be a nuisance for someone like me to join. In hindsight, I can''t help but imagine such things. All I know is that Usato''s mentor is a terrible person, but I wonder how it really is. If I have a faint hope, I hope that the harshness of Mr. Usato is the harshness of that person. I know that this is a hope that will probably be shattered.


    Let me write about the training.


    First of all, the training was tougher than Meena''s bullying.


    Yesterday''s training made me realize how much Usato had taken it easy on me. He may be pretending to be an actor, but I''m sure it''s just another side of him. I don''t think he is acting, because he yells so much and grumbles so much even when I am not watching him. I wonder what kind of acting he is doing, considering that every time he makes a mistake, he is rolled, abused, trampled on and then healed with healing magic.


    Usato-san during training is a monster, and Usato-san outside of training is a human being, and that''s how he has come to stand in my mind.


    I''m writing my diary now, but my hands are shaking just writing this. There is nothing wrong with my body, in fact, I am in perfect physical condition because my healing magic is in full effect. The trembling is probably due to fear, the difference between the good and evil sides of Usato-san makes me feel more uneasy than ever.


    I can''t stop shaking to think that behind that smile, he is thinking about tomorrow''s training schedule, and now my legs can''t stop shaking to think how much his disrespect to Usato-san in his mild-mannered state will affect tomorrow''s training.


    No, I don''t have the energy to write anymore.


    This is the end of my diary for the third day of training.


    Fourth day


    I''m sorry, I''m inexperienced.


    I passed out in the hallway with my diary in my hand.


    This is the first time I have ever fainted with a pen in one hand and a diary in the other. The panicked voice of Mr. Kyou left a strong impression on my memory.


    Let''s get myself together and write.


    Today''s training started with cursing.


    According to Usato-san, I have an incredibly low endurance. I have the same endurance as an ordinary person, but for Usato-san''s healing magician, my body is as good as paper, and if I was hit by the leader of the lifeguard squad, my bones would shatter into pieces. So, today I trained to counter this, along with training to develop my magical power.


    I''m finally starting to feel the magic properly and I''m getting a good feeling about it.


    I thought I could use healing magic consistently now.


    Wrong.


    Too different.


    Yesterday I thought I wrote that I had started anew, but I stand corrected. I hadn''t even started. The very fact that I could feel the magic was the beginning of the full-scale training of Usato''s healing magic.


    The training became more intense.


    The abuse became more intense.


    And most of all, the training itself had changed so much that I, who had been optimistic before the training, almost died.


    The new training is to simply avoid magic bullets. The training is based on the reversal of the idea that you should not be hit by attacks to compensate for your weakness in durability. ...... but .......


    His healing magic is used too wrongly.


    Why does he throw magic bullets at us?


    Why is he throwing magic bullets at us?


    I''m sure she was born in the wrong family.


    His ball speed is faster than Meena''s...


    What is she training to fight?


    And for some reason, if you hit him, he blows you away with a magic bullet, and if you hit him, he yells at you saying, "Don''t take it," and when you say you can''t, he grabs you by the chest and says, "I was a fist! It''s still better to be a magic bullet! >>I was left with nothing to say.


    It''s a healing magic bullet, so there''s no pain or anything, but there is an impact, so it''s really bad to feel the impact as if you''ve been punched.


    But maybe I can do it because I''m a healing magician too.


    I''ll give it a try.


    I can''t.


    It''s not something you can send off with your arm strength in the first place, and I should have come to the conclusion that it''s something only she can do when she can make such a big impact with a magic bullet that has no weight to begin with.


    I wonder how strong he really is.


    Of course, the training did not end here.


    Except for a break to restore Usato''s magic power, we were forced to dodge magic bullets endlessly throughout the day.


    I think this training is really mind-bogglingly awesome. After all, I never get tired. If you are hit by a magic bullet that is filled with healing magic, you will recover as much as the magic power contained in it, so you can keep moving. Moreover, I was able to feel the magic power more than yesterday because most of the magic bullets hit me directly, so the healing magic is constantly being used on my body, though unwillingly.


    That said, Usato''s magic power seemed to be depleted quickly and he was on the verge of running out of magic power by the time the training was over.


    He is also depressed as if his mind, not his body, is worn out. I''ve heard in class that the state of mind affects the body, and I think that''s exactly what''s happening to me right now.


    I don''t care about anything anymore, and in fact, even when I''m writing this diary, I feel like I don''t care about anything at all. I''m in such a bad state that I can only think about how to survive tomorrow''s training rather than fighting with Meena.


    No.


    I don''t know, but I can''t.


    I''m going to bed. End of journal.


    Fifth day


    Last day of training.


    All I could think about was training.


    I didn''t care about the onlookers in my line of sight, or the people who were tormenting me.


    In the end, I could only avoid a few of Usato''s magic bullets.


    Usato-san was <>I''ve had enough of this.


    Thank you.


    Mr. Usato.


    And be prepared.


    Mina.


    It''s not personal, it''s not revenge, it''s not payback.


    It''s just a way for me to break the ties that bind me to you and look forward, so that I can stand beside you as a member of the Rescue Mission. And this is something I have not told you, but I believe that this game is for me to say goodbye to my parents and my abominable house. I''m not going to give in to ...... any more so that I can start my own life without being trapped by magic, good or bad.


    I will defeat Meena.


    I''m going to put everything I''ve got on the line and I''m going to blow her away.


    "........."


    After reading that, I closed the diary that had fallen open in front of Nack''s room.


    Then I thought. The boy who had seemed so timid a few days ago had turned into a boy worthy of his sharp eyes.


    "Are you sure about this, ......?"


    The boy has already gone to fight Meena.


    I am on my way there now, but it is not hard to imagine the horror of the mock battle that will take place today for the girl named Meena.


    "...... I''m sure Usato will take care of it. I''m sure Usato will take care of it.


    Even if you are seriously injured, Usato will take care of it.


    He nodded his head in an escape from reality, put the diary he had picked up on the desk in his room, and started to get ready to go to Kyou and Satsuki, who were waiting for him at the school.


    Today is the day of the battle between Nack and Meena.


    Amako and I were standing in front of the entrance to the school, which was crowded with students. I left Nack a little while ago, and Bulrin is staying at the stables. This is because, apart from Nack, who has a match coming up, I can''t bring Bulrin, who is a demon, into the crowd.


    When I told Amako why I didn''t bring Bulrin with me, she was astonished that I could be so considerate ......, but being the forgiving person that I am, I forgave her with a healing magic bump. Amaco fainting in agony with his forehead held down? I don''t know.


    Usatoh!


    "Oh, here he comes."


    As I was gliding past Amako, who was glaring at me with a grim look in her eyes, I heard a voice calling me.


    I turn my head toward the voice and see Inukami-senpai and Kazuki walking toward me. The reason why we were waiting here, is because we were waiting for our senpai and Kazuki.


    We had not seen them for a long time during the training with Nack, so we were worried that they might do whatever they wanted, but we also wanted to see them.


    "Hello, Usato-kun. It''s been a few days, I guess you could say. ......What''s wrong with Amako?"


    "Usato torments me..."


    "It''s been a few days! How is Kazuki, too?"


    "Ah! Sounds like Usato had a rough time of it too!"


    Amako was about to ask for help from a troublesome person, so I intercepted her and greeted Kazuki at the same time. Kazuki smiles at me, as if he has heard from his senpai.


    He is a fresh and handsome guy with a dazzling smile as ever. .......


    How are you doing over there?


    "I''ve been practicing magic in the big library and other things I can do only here at ....... I really wanted to bring Usato along, but there were ...... circumstances, so it couldn''t be helped."


    "I know you''re busy training for the NAC, so I thought I''d do my best to stay out of your way. I''ve been trying to avoid seeing you as much as possible."


    "Oh, I didn''t realize that. ...... I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to make you feel uncomfortable."


    But good.


    Even though it was an act, I didn''t want you to see my abuse of Rose''s image. I don''t know about myself, but I think I looked horrible to Kiriha and the others.


    "What about Ms. Welsey?"


    "She said she was looking for Gladys. Maybe it has something to do with the letter?"


    It''s true that it''s been more than a week since I gave them the letter, so they may have come to a conclusion by now. I was worried about the result of the letter ...... during the training, but I am relieved to see that today has come without any problems.


    Shall we go then? It''s still early.


    It''s never too early to start. Let''s go."


    "I''m really curious to see what kind of fights the kids Usato trained will be able to do.


    What we are going to see is a mock battle between Nack and Mina.


    I have trained enough in the past five days to be able to fight, but there is nothing more I can do. The rest is up to Nack himself.


    "......Amako, what are you doing? Are you going to leave me here ......?"


    "You ...... will never forgive me. ...... will never forgive me. ...... will never forgive me."


    You''re really overreacting with all this bumping and poking.


    I lifted Amako, who was still looking at me with a bitter look, aside and walked alongside Kazuki and my senpai. I know it looks surreal walking with a hooded girl under my arm, but I don''t care because I''ve had enough of those stares since I started knuckle-dragging here.


    "Usato-kun, is Nack okay?"


    Amako was being held in his arms as he was being held by his senpai, and the senpai asked him about it while looking at him quizzically.


    "I''m fine. I think I did everything I could do.


    "Does that have anything to do with the way people look at you ......?"


    "...... Well, you know."


    He''s on to us now, this senior.


    He smiles a blas¨¦ smile and looks around, and all the students whose eyes meet his quickly look away. What''s with that reaction, am I some kind of a thug or something?


    "You must have surprised these people with all that great training!"


    "Oh, I don''t know if ...... it''s great or not. I''ve had my share of training. Don''t look at me like you just found something interesting. My own training is just running, dodging magic bullets, and other simple things. ......"


    "That''s putting it mildly. ......"


    Shut up, you little fox.


    He smiles awkwardly at the smiling Kazuki, but shakes the amako in his arms as if to get back at least a little bit.


    Get drunk, get drunk! While I was rocking her with such thoughts in my mind, I noticed that she was staring at me and Amako with her eyes narrowed quizzically.


    "You seem to be getting along very well with her, don''t you?


    "What? Well, we were together to a certain extent."


    "Together, together? ......"


    What was he doing that was so crazy? The senior who was walking in front of me turned his head once and then suddenly turned around and looked at me with his fingers intertwined in his hands and his eyes slightly upward.


    "......I''m jealous of you,......I''m jealous of you."


    In the original world, a senior who is a beautiful girl who deserves the word "pretty" would look up at you and make you swoon, regardless of your gender. In fact, I''m confident that I would have swooned too if I had been in my original world .......


    I''m sure I''d have a stroke too. So, Kazuki, what were you doing practicing magic?"


    Such a girlish act now won''t change your disappointment.


    I go through the senpai who froze looking up at me and proceed down the aisle with Kazuki.


    "Hmm? I know. I was trying to make it easier to use that thing I showed you when I hit the target before. It''s just that it''s hard to concentrate on the controls, you know?


    I can''t even cast a spell. But if you look at it another way, you might be able to solve the problem in a surprising way, you know?"


    "Please wait a minute!


    As I was walking happily talking with Kazuki, my senpai, who was still frozen behind me, suddenly grabbed my shoulder with such force that I could have heard an onomatopoeic sound.


    What''s the matter with you, you''re bothering me.


    You should have reacted more! Are you dead or are you!"


    "I''m going to be rude. I''d have a crush on you all the time if you weren''t so calculating. I''m in love with you in a moment.


    "It would be rude to just say <>! I''m a beautiful girl! Be more primly shy!"


    "Please realize that it''s bad enough that you''re aware of it and you''re doing it ......"


    It''s not that she calls herself a beautiful girl, but she is in fact a beautiful girl no matter who you look at her, and it''s amazing that you can''t deny it. But I''m not so stupid as to fall into the obvious trap, and more than anything, her frustrated face is funny ....... No, no, no, no, I''m not, I''ve been pretending to be Rose, and my mind has turned sadistic too.


    The actual "I''m not a fan of the way you look at me" look is a little bit more than just a look of a person''s face, it''s a look of a person''s heart.


    "Yes, yes, I''m thrilled. Is this okay? Then let''s go ahead."


    "Kuh ...... what a humiliation ...... I feel like I''m becoming more S than before ...... without even thinking about it."


    I followed suit, letting my senpai walk away with her cheeks flushed bright red and groaning.


    Then Kazuki, who had been watching us, smiled even brighter.


    "Haha, you and Usato are good friends after all. I feel at ease watching them."


    "......Yes, I feel at ease with the two of you."


    I reply without denying his words.


    I want to be honest at times like this, even if he says I''m cynical.


    ...... Oh no, now my face is hot. I knew I shouldn''t have said such an outlandish thing. I try to make him face forward and hold his face with my hand so that he can''t see Amako who is holding him.


    "Usato, what''s wrong? Hold your face and ...... grow horns or something?"


    I''ve calmed down. You''ve just made me calm down.


    What kind of monster does this little fox think I am?


    I can''t grow horns or anything because I''m human, right?


    There were many students gathered in the training hall.


    A mock battle between two students is already taking place in a four-sided frame in the center of the training ground, and the students are watching the battle as if they are surrounded by the students.


    >


    >


    "Oh, so this is what it looks like."


    After dropping Amako off at the spot, I slowly looked for a place where I could watch the mock battle with the seniors.


    The two students fighting were both holding wooden swords in their hands, and with a yell, they were unleashing different kinds of magic and engaging in sword fights with each other. The older student, who was watching the battle with great interest, looked back at me as if he was thinking something.


    "So this is what it''s like for a magician to fight a mock battle. It''s different from the kind of competition that Usato-kun and Halfa-kun are used to.


    "There aren''t many wizards who are as physical as me to begin with, so this is rather normal."


    Mr. Halfa is a fighter who uses the anticipation of the magic eye.


    I use healing magic and physical strength.


    In my case, it is so savage that it could be called a fighting technique, but at this point it would be wrong to measure it by the standards of a normal wizard.


    "I''ve heard that there are many ways to fight by combining magic and weapons. I don''t see many people like Usato using their bare hands."


    "Haha, I don''t need a weapon in the first place."


    As a lifeguard, I don''t really need a blade.


    Now that I''ve mastered a new technique called "healing magic bullet," I don''t need an ordinary sword anymore. Rather, my modern senses and the feeling I got from using the wooden spear I used when I fought the serpent made me think that blades are not for me.


    However, I would like to have a basket hand like the one used by Kiriha.


    I was not necessarily begging for anything, but I was thinking like that as I walked around and looked for a place where I could watch the games. Students who noticed us walking around looked at us strangely, and a boy with familiar gray hair approached us.


    "You are all here together, aren''t you?


    "Hello, Mr. Halfa."


    "Are you here to watch the mock battle, too?"


    He greets Mr. Halfa as he approaches with a soft smile.


    I have seen you several times during the training with Nack, but I haven''t talked to you since the first day of training, right?


    "Yes, I like these kinds of events, so I came here to see them. ......I really want to attend, but my partner always abstains. ...... hahahaha."


    "...... so and so."


    I guess I''m just afraid of you, who only goes for the sharpest points. .......


    In fact, I had many close calls when I was fighting with Mr. Halfa. I laugh at him as he cries out in disappointment, and move to the spot where he was just now.


    "I think I can see better here. It''s the only place that was mysteriously empty.


    "Yes, it''s much easier to see now that you''re here, isn''t it?"


    .........What''s with the way you make it sound like I''m intimidated by the students around me. I''m not, am I? You''re scared of Mr. Halfa, aren''t you? I''m afraid of kryptonite attacks! When I looked around with my cheeks twitching, they again looked away and kept their distance from me.


    "Nah, I don''t get it. ......"


    "What did you really do? It''s obvious that there is awe in the way they look at you."


    "Oh, you don''t know? Mr. Usato is here... ugh."


    When he almost slips up, Halfa immediately steps in front of him, covers his mouth, and gestures for him to be quiet by holding up his own index finger.


    This is a secret. He nodded his head, his face turning blue, and I turned to him with a clear expression on my face.


    "Nothing happened here, did it?"


    "......Yes, nothing happened."


    "......... I doubt it! The whole exchange we just had is suspicious in so many ways, and what in the world did you do while we weren''t meeting!"


    The senior staff member, perhaps unable to cover up his mistake, comes in breathing hard.


    I knew he was not the kind of person who could be fooled by force, but what should I do? ....... I try to think of a way to get rid of him, but Kazuki restrains me before I can think of a way to get rid of him.


    "Let''s not pry too much into it. Even Usato has one or two things he doesn''t want you to know.


    "Gu,mmm ......, you''re right,......."


    I don''t mind if they find out, but it''s better that they don''t know.


    I was thankful to Kazuki for restraining my thoughts, but as I turned my attention back to the simulation, Harufa-san started talking to me.


    "...... Usato-san. Is that girl ......?"


    He is looking at Amako, who is standing behind me like she is hiding.


    "Hmm? Yeah, she''s kind of like a fellow traveler, isn''t she?


    "You have similar magic to me. But it is different, white magic power seems to gather in your eyes, is it more advanced magic vision than mine from your senses? I saw her at ...... Nack-kun''s training, what is she ......?"


    "...... hmmm."


    "...... No, if you don''t want to say anything, that''s fine. I understand best the difficulties of magic related to the magic eye.


    Thank you for being so perceptive.


    Amako''s prediction is a beastman-specific magic, so those who know it will recognize it at once.


    But Halfa''s magic eye is amazing. He can guess the approximate answer just by looking at the magic power of Amako''s eyes. Maybe he even has a guess that his magical eye is a kind of precognition.


    "Let''s change the subject. I have a message from Kiriha, and she asked me to tell you if I see Usato and the others.


    "From Kiriha and the others?"


    "He said that he and his friends are supporting them in another place because it would be bad for their appearance if they were with them."


    "I see. ...... Thank you. Thank you for telling me.


    No, no, no. I myself am glad that she is doing this, as she is not usually so dependent on humans to pass on messages.


    I wonder if there has been some kind of change of heart, I go through Halfa''s words as she looks at me smiling.


    Kiriha and her friends are watching from another place. ...... Unlike Amako, I hide my face and they immediately recognize me. It''s a little disappointing that we can''t see them together, but it can''t be helped.


    I wonder when the mock battle of the knack is going to be, but from what I heard this morning, it should be soon since I didn''t hear that there were so many participants in this mock battle.


    The battle going on in front of me is about to end, so I looked around the training ground to see a boy with short black hair and a girl with distinctive twin-tail hair standing side by side near the entrance to the school building of the training ground.


    "Ah, there they are."


    "You must be Nack. And there''s that girl Meena."


    Senpai also found them, blinking his eyes as he looked at the two in a row.


    I was worried that Nack would be frightened by Meena and slow down his movements during the mock battle, but from the looks of him now, it seems that I don''t have to worry about him. She is talking to Nack as if she is provoking him, but he is staring at the place where the mock battle is taking place without moving an inch.


    Perhaps it is not so much the result of the training, but rather the side effect of the mental friction, which is working in a positive way. I was a little too hard on him, but I guess that''s all for the best.


    Now all we have to do is to defeat the girl.


    The bell rings to signal the end of the simulation.


    The two students leave with cheers, and Nack and Meena with their silver shields stand on the battlefield.


    Looking at their proud expressions, it seems that they are relieved to have the shield as an absolute defense, but if you underestimate Nack, you will get hurt.


    In the first place, healing people is not the only kind of healing magic, and she is the one who made Nack''s healing magic in such a way. You will learn what that means at ....... After all, he can''t use healing magic on others, and I didn''t teach him the healing punch, a technique that won''t hurt them. If he is not careful, he may be seriously injured by Nack''s bare-handed attack.


    "That''s why I''m here. So go ahead and give him what he wants, Nack. The heartless parents who abandoned you, the people who scoffed at you, all of them can''t keep up with you now---none of them can keep up with your speed."


    Let''s see the fruits of your labor of the last five days, today at this time.

 64 - the 63rd episode

    "---You''ve got a lot of hubris."


    Now the game between me and Meena begins. The two older students who were fighting in front of me now shook hands in praise of each other. I can say that it was a battle worth praising each other for, and I myself have dreamed of fighting someone with such ordinary magic many times.


    It was a dream that never came true, but in spite of the fact that I have a different form of magic, a form of healing magic, I am able to be here.


    Looking around a little, I see Usato-san in his white trousers standing out amongst the black robed students.


    "No matter how hard I try, I can''t change. The fact that my uncles abandoned me, the fact that I was separated from my beloved sister, and the fact that there is still a world of difference between you and me in magic is a fact that I can''t control.


    Yes, I had a sister.


    A sister who was separated from me because of a stupid family rule.


    I''m sure she''s living happily ever after, surrounded by the smiling faces of her parents. I don''t envy her, after all, she was my only sister, the only one I considered family until the end. I wonder what she knows about me. ...... I bet she''s just telling herself that she''s doing her best alone in a faraway place or something convenient. I don''t know why they are so desperate to hide my existence, but it doesn''t matter now.


    "Meena, I don''t care anymore. I don''t care about returning to the nobility, I don''t care about getting back at you, I don''t care about ......"


    "You would voluntarily give up your position as a nobleman? You could still start over here, but you would foolishly abandon this proud name of nobility? Nac ...... Nac Argalles."


    "Don''t say funny things. I''ve already been abandoned by my ...... uncles, as you call them. I''ve been a stranger to those idiots since they put me in here."


    "...... then why are you standing in front of me? You know my magic painfully well, but let me tell you, ...... I''ve been taking it easy on you, haven''t I? You''re not so stupid that you don''t know that, are you?"


    I''m sure you''re right.


    She''s happy to hurt people, but she''s not going to hit them with a real burst of magic. She only casts her magic in a way that causes maximum pain. That''s what she''s been doing to me.


    Her reaction is so predictable that I can''t help but smile.


    "Are you crazy?"


    "---I really didn''t have to keep my promise to you. After all, you showed me the way ...... but not with me now. I admired that impossibly big back of yours, and I''m ashamed to admit that I want to be on the same side as that man. I''m not crazy, meena, I''ve finally found it. I finally found something worth risking my life for: ......"


    Before I met Usato, I had nothing.


    I was just trying desperately not to get kicked out of the place I was in, trying desperately to live the day. I was living empty days with no future, and he showed me the way ...... to hope.


    No matter what kind of abuse and discipline I receive, I will never change my gratitude. Someday, I hope to grow up to be a strong healing magician like Usato, and to be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with him in the lifeguard corps.


    "Are you talking about that monstrous man who wears the skin of a healing wizard? It''s insane to think I want to be on the same side as that thing. I''m sad that you want to be a different creature.


    "He certainly has the strength of a monster, I''ll give him that. But whatever strength he has is only violence if the person who uses it is helpless. Just like the bursting magic you''re dealing with."


    "Heh, ......."


    She lifts the corners of her eyes.


    But after the three days I''ve been in the city, that kind of anger is nothing to me.


    "I''m going to beat you, Meena, and say goodbye to the man I''ve become and get out of the cage that is Lucvis. ......"


    It''s still a little ways down the road, but after this mock battle is over and I''ve finished my preparations, I''ll leave Luxvis and go to the Kingdom of Lingle. I have little reason to stay here and no ...... friends. But ...... I don''t know if they are friends or not, but I think it will be really hard for me to leave Kiriha and the others.


    It''s hard to know that I can''t repay them for all the things they did for me, even though they welcomed me awkwardly, as someone who should be hated.


    My words must have been a shock to her, because her eyes widened and her expression changed from one of mockery to one of narrowing and swallowing, and she glared at me.


    "...... leave here? Without my permission? ...... funny joke, Nack. That''s exactly what you call hubris at its finest, isn''t it? I was going to let it hurt a little, but then I changed my mind ....... Fortunately, my uncles have given me the word that I''m free to go."


    I can point fingers.


    "I will keep you as my slave for the rest of your life after you cry and beg for forgiveness and turn me into a rag. Wouldn''t that be an honor?"


    "You''re a selfish guy ......, or have you always been a selfish guy ......?"


    If this discussion would have helped, we wouldn''t be in this situation in the first place. I don''t want to be Meena''s slave for the rest of my life, and I don''t want to be stuck here forever. Once again, I exhale and concentrate.


    As if in response to my half-step forward, Meena holds up a large silver and white shield and begins to release magic into her hand.


    I am no longer afraid of you.


    "Go ahead and say it. "Say it, my sweet, poor little outcast."


    There''s nothing to say.


    It''s time to show Usato what I''ve learned in the past five days.


    Standing in the center of the training ground, where a strange silence reigned, I looked at Meena and kicked the ground as hard as I could as soon as she released her magic.


    A scarlet sphere is generated from Meena''s palm.


    magic. It is a rare type of fire magic, characterized by an instantaneous explosion of heated air that burns and blows away the target. It is not a good match for me, since I have only physical means of attack.


    Moreover, Mina has a shield.


    This is quite troublesome. Perhaps that shield is not meant to defend against my attacks. It''s more likely to protect me from my own bursting magic. By having enough defense to withstand magic, she makes up for her weakness of self-destruction by bursting magic.


    With that in mind, I kick the ground again and jump to the side.


    "......"


    A few moments later, a burst magic bullet lands on the ground where I had just been, causing a small explosion. Observing the power of the explosion, I turn to Mina and see her looking at me with a startled expression.


    "You ......"


    "I wasn''t playing around either! Come on!


    "Don''t lick me ......!"


    The magic bullets that followed were generated and released.


    Meena is right, the power of the magic bullet is much stronger than the one that hit me. I''m not happy at all, but it seems that Meena was really holding back when she was < with me.


    But she is by far the slowest.


    Less than half of the magic bullets that Usato throws. To tell the truth, it''s funny to quote her, but I can''t help but think like this.


    "Too slow ......!"


    He runs from one end of the training ground to the other, anticipating and avoiding the approaching magic bullets by twisting his body as soon as he comes to a stop.


    Seeing an opportunity to stop, he dodges a magic bullet by crouching down---and at the same time, he picks up a pebble near his feet.


    He throws the pebble he just picked up at the magic bullet that was sent toward his feet, which he was about to blast without a moment''s delay, explodes before it hits the ground, and he leaps backward to land in time with the blast.


    "I got the result, indeed. ...... Usato-san."


    Even as he brushes off the dust, he realizes his power.


    I am not conceited. I am not, but I am filled with gratitude.


    I thought it was magic I couldn''t use, magic that wouldn''t benefit anyone, so I couldn''t be happier to have it be a part of my power in this way. ......


    "Wow!


    Even while I was shaking with emotion, Mina''s magic bullets were flying.


    I can tell how angry she is at my words earlier when she shoots at me despite the poor visibility caused by the dust cloud in the aftermath of her magic bullets. ......


    On the other hand, this is an opportunity.


    The fact that I''m shooting magic bullets at them without even trying to guess means that Mina hasn''t seen me. I can say that I know the position of Meena who is shooting magic bullets at me.


    That''s why!


    A direct hit from a burst of magic could knock me out with a single blow if I am not durable. But unless I get close to her, I''ll never be able to defeat her.


    That''s why I''m going.


    I thrust my right palm into the ground, and put all my strength into my legs.


    Let''s go! Me!"


    He inspires himself to run, kicking the ground as hard as he can with his eyes fixed on Mina, who is probably at the end of the cloud of sand.


    It''s suicide to run into the magic bullets that keep being fired, but right now Mina is just shooting wildly in the direction where I''m supposed to be. If I keep going like this, I might collide with one of the magic bullets, but I didn''t start running without thinking .......


    "Oh ......!"


    I jumped up half as high as a person and broke through the wall of dust and smoke, and leaped out in front of Meena''s eyes.


    "...... what?"


    "Eat me!"


    The momentum never stops.


    He charges at Meena as if he were falling at an angle, and then, with a dumb look on his face, he steps out with his right leg like a flying kick toward her.


    "What? Fei ......!"


    Quickly, she thrust the tip of her shield into the ground and hid behind it to catch our kick--- but that level of shield cannot protect me from my, my five days of effort!


    A steel plate can''t stop my kick!


    "No, no, no! ...... Kyah!"


    Using the twist of his body, he twists in another kick and kicks her with his shield, which he thrusts into the ground.


    She is blown away and falls down to the ground, and I brush the dust from her clothes while landing on the ground without taking my eyes off of her.


    "I won''t give in to you anymore! Meena Riassia! I will sever my ties with you here and now!"


    This is my power.


    This is the power of you, that man you made fun of, and me!


    He shouts to her as she gets up, propping up the shield against which he has jabbed his finger. She is bleeding from the edge of her mouth, as if she had cut herself when she was knocked to the ground, but otherwise appears uninjured thanks to the shield. However, the shield she used for protection is nicely dented in the middle, and a small crack-like thing is spreading from that part.


    But still Meena stands up.


    "Ha! Great ......, I''m going to make you regret making me take you seriously ......!"


    She stood up with her shield, which had a beautiful dent in the middle, as a support and wiped her mouth roughly, then glared at us with bloodshot eyes. Her eyes are intense, with a hint of murder mixed with anger, and I take a stance without fear.


    From here on, it''s a fight to the death with the girl I don''t know...


    "He''s getting stronger, isn''t he?


    The senior member, who had been watching the attack and defense between Nack and Meena, muttered with deep emotion.


    Looking around, everyone, including the supposed teacher, keeps his or her mouth shut.


    Of course, I had trained him with as much Rose discipline as I could reproduce. It makes me a little proud to see my apprentice grow.


    "He has become stronger because of his training. But it''s his strength that has allowed him to go through the rigorous training to the end."


    It was a painful experience for me, and I was very hurt myself.


    But Nack did a great job. It was only five days of training, but the last three days were the most intense I had ever planned to do.


    I look at Nack now, running around the training ground, dodging magic bullets, and cross my arms.


    "I heard from my senpai that it was only five days of training, but ...... it''s amazing. From the look of that blow she just landed, I''d say that girl Meena would fall over if she got one good hit.


    "No, I should have made up my mind earlier."


    What? Why?


    Kazuki turns around in surprise.


    Without looking away from the fight between Nack and Mina, I share my analysis.


    "The fact that this Meena girl reacts faster than expected is one thing, but honestly speaking, Nack''s only advantage is his legs. Unlike me, her arm strength is below average, so I think it''s safe to say that the kick she just landed is the best Nack can do at the moment.


    But that shield is hard despite its appearance. I think it weighs a certain amount, so it might even exceed Nack''s in terms of arm strength.


    It hurts that he couldn''t break the shield. ....... Maybe meena is not stupid and there will be no next time, Nack.


    "Well, the rest is true. Knack is not so durable... If we are not good enough, we might be sunk by a single blow. Well, I can''t beat him up to build up his endurance.


    "If you hit me, Nack will die!


    "Ha ha ha ...... ha ha ha!"


    I don''t know, I hit him once or twice yesterday to intercept him.


    But I cast a healing spell on him, so he''s safe. Nack himself woke up with a calm look on his face.


    He is upset inside, but doesn''t show it. If people knew about this, they would definitely be shocked. ......


    "Don''t lie. Usato, don''t lie. You should tell the truth and be pulled in."


    This little fox .......


    He smiles and holds up his finger so that the seniors can''t see it. Amako, who had been hiding behind my body, turns pale and quickly puts her hand on her forehead and hides her face with my uniform, which I have pulled on.


    It''s going to stretch. .......


    I let out a sigh when Amako hides her head with her bandage like a turban.


    "Hah ...... well, if it''s durability, meena is the same. If either one of them gets a good blow, the game is over. And Meena, who is fighting against Nack, is showing her fighting spirit even though she is taking Nack''s blow head-on, so it is obvious that she is not just a bully either. My guess is that once you give her a good blow, she''ll be too scared to move."


    "Meena is a pretty good one for a kid her age. She is a bit overconfident, but she is a wizard who understands the characteristics of her magic and prefers to fight defensively with her shield and magic as her main tools. I wonder why she is afraid of me with such ability. ...... I have no end of questions."


    Mr. Halfa...... says that your way of fighting is the natural enemy of wizards and that it is natural for them to be afraid of you because your way of fighting itself is dangerous. .......


    But a wizard with magic and a shield.


    That''s a problem. Breaking his shield would give him an advantage in a fight, but Nack doesn''t have much in the way of shield-breaking.


    "---But Nack is an evasive wizard. He may have lost some battles, but he has also won some. In fact, the training we''ve given him in the last three days is like a countermeasure against a wizard who uses magic bullets a lot."


    Finding a way beyond evasion, he physically overpowers the wizard.


    It is an improved version of Rose''s sandbag training, or should I dare call it Usato''s shooting training. The new technique, evasion training with healing magic bullets, has trained Nack''s evasion ability against attacks with a long and medium range reach, so it is safe to say that ordinary magic bullets will have no effect on him.


    However, since it is only magic bullets that are ineffective, the secondary effects cannot be prevented, which is one of the weak points of this training.


    "Be on your guard. No matter how strong you get, your weak point is that you''re not very good at getting hit. If you get hit by it, it will be ...... tougher."


    Healing magic can heal wounds, but it cannot erase pain.


    You''re not as hard-hitting as I am. You should be aware that even the slightest error of judgment can be fatal.


    You''re fast!


    A burning-colored magic bullet flies toward you.


    We avoid them without stopping and look for an opportunity to attack. However, the density of the magic projectile is clearly different from the previous one, perhaps to prevent the surprise attack from the dust cloud. Perhaps because of this, the bursts are smaller and more concentrated, making them more troublesome, instead of exploding in a wide area as soon as they land.


    "Gah! ...... can''t we just lose it all? ......!"


    Hot winds generated by the magic bursting behind them were blown in as if to scorch their backs. Even the secondary power is enhanced from the previous one. ....... The injuries are not as bad as I thought they would be, but the pain is still gnawing at my psyche, with or without the healing magic.


    "I envy you for being able to keep shooting like such an idiot. ......!"


    "It''s a natural talent, isn''t it? I''m a genius!


    I guess the words of a young lady who is clearly one of the best in her age group are different.


    She''s confident. A brilliant woman who was born to be superior to others, never imagining that she could lose.


    I, on the other hand, am a dropout who was abandoned by my family.


    I have no magic powers and bad eyesight. But there are things I can do.


    Let''s go!


    I will keep running until I run out of magic power with these legs that have been trained to the point of stupidity.


    I try to approach Meena, who is holding a shield, while dodging magic bullets. As a matter of course, Meena shoots magic bullets at me, but from my point of view, which is accustomed to the speed of Usato''s healing magic bullets, the power of the bullets is only a threat to me.


    I run in a zigzag pattern as if kicking the ground, and close in on her at once.


    "Beyond the range of ......!"


    Burst magic cannot be used in close proximity because it engulfs the user, Mina herself. When I exploit this weakness and get her in front of me, I know I will win.


    A single blow--even a kick--could easily cripple the slender Meena. I leap toward her unprotected right side as she hides behind her shield. He had anticipated that she would block his vision and defend herself, so he decided to take advantage of the moment to make his move.


    "I got it..."


    With conviction, I kicked ---- and at that moment, I saw Mina smiling through the gap between her arms that held her shield in place. No, she''s not just laughing, she''s looking at me,......! He looks at me as if he knew what I was going to do.


    I felt a chill like I''ve never felt before and tried to suppress the kick I was about to deliver, but the next moment I took my mind off of her...and then...bang...my unprotected head was hit.


    "But ......!"


    For a moment, his vision goes dark and he almost falls over, but he grits his teeth and holds on desperately.


    d*mn, what did they do to you? I held my aching head down with my hand and stared at Meena... but what I saw was a wall of silver and white rushing toward me at a tremendous speed.


    "d*mn ......!


    He was able to react to the thing that came at him head-on, but his body did not move against his reaction. Unprotected, he is hit by Meena''s shield and rolls on the ground, writhing in pain.


    "You really are an idiot, aren''t you? ......


    She is holding up her shield and smiling, looking down at us as she writhes in pain.


    The shield, did she swing it and hit me before I could kick it ......? And then, when I was frightened, he lunged at me with his shield?


    "A shield is not just a means of defense. At least for me. ...... Well, this kind of thing only works the first time, but it''s a great way to trick them."


    "But ...... ha......."


    She looked down at us with a relaxed movement as she lightly lifted her shield.


    Blood drips down her brow from a cut on her forehead. I try to use my healing magic, but my vision wobbles from the blow to my head and I can''t concentrate properly. If I can''t concentrate, the effect of the healing magic is less than half---I can''t heal the wounds that will heal soon.


    He kneels on the ground and stares at Meena.


    "I''m telling you, just because your legs and eyes are better doesn''t mean you can beat me. A wizard must understand his own system of magic before choosing his fighting style. And of course, the compatibility of the opponent. You and I have the worst ...... chemistry. What makes you think you can beat me? I thought you understood ...... at least how to tell who you can win against and who you can''t."


    Who can win and who can''t win...... you think she''s the absolute winner for me like Mr. Halfa is for the students here......?


    "But I give you my compliments. You''ve done a great job. I''m honestly surprised that you''ve come this far in just one week. Well? If you admit defeat now, I can make a special effort to forgive you, you don''t want to feel any more pain, do you?"


    "......."


    I was honestly quite surprised at the honest praise without a hint of mockery.


    I was also surprised at how sweet the words sounded. After all, it seemed that if I admitted defeat here, I would be forgiven, and perhaps the environment would be better than when I was tormented .......


    But my answer remains the same.


    "No."


    Better than before? That''s just naive. Certainly, the fact that I had made Meena, who had always looked down on me, recognize my ability gave me a slight sense of fulfillment. I''d be lying if I said I wasn''t happy. Because her words could be taken as a recognition of my ability, so to speak.


    But that''s all.


    That doesn''t change the absolute power relationship between me and her, and it doesn''t change the daily life of being oppressed by her.


    I''m the bottom and she''s the top---a relationship that can never be reversed.


    "Hmm. ......"


    "I''m here to blow you away. There''s no way I''m going to admit defeat. ...... Maybe if I give in, I''ll be a loser for the rest of my life. ...... So I don''t want to give in anymore. I don''t want to give in anymore, not to my parents, not to you. ...... Sure, admitting defeat here might make my old shitty life a little bit better, but I''m not going to give in anymore. But that would mean wasting five days with Usato-san by myself. I''m not going to let that happen."


    "...... something to cherish that much? Not just a one-week relationship?"


    "Oh ...... it''s only been a week ......! You gave me more than I could ever thank you for in that short time! It was hard and painful and I wanted to run away ...... and I was happy ......!"


    I didn''t want to expect anything from others.


    I didn''t want others to expect me.


    My parents gave up on me, and I couldn''t trust anyone with my heart. ...... They trained me to be here now, even though I was not a very good learner.


    They believe in my victory, and that''s more than enough reason for me not to admit defeat.


    "You made me believe that I can believe again ...... after living at the bottom of my life since the day I woke up to that nasty magic called healing magic! That''s why I''ll never give in to you, even in a losing situation like this!"


    "...... ha, you say. Is that what you say when your head bleeds like an idiot? Shouldn''t you think more about your situation before you choose your words?"


    "Don''t forget, I''m a healing wizard ...... and this is nothing!"


    He gets up from a kneeling position.


    My wounds are healed, ironically enough, and the question and answer I had just received had given me time to heal. I wipe the blood from my forehead with my hand and scatter it on the ground.


    I can still fight.


    "Yes, it can''t be helped. Let''s continue at ......."


    "What!"


    She turns her palm toward you, her eyes glaring at you sharply. I quickly jump away from her and distance myself from her, so she won''t hit me again like she did before.


    A burst of magic is shot into the place where I was before, causing a small explosion, and Mina releases it.


    "I''m going to change my ways."


    "What about ......?"


    "I thought I could hit you if I just shot at you while pushing you, but you''re more stubborn than I thought, and it''s harder than I thought to catch you. ...... so I''m going to change my approach."


    She then thrusts the shield in her hand into the ground and raises her hands to shoulder height to create a new magic bullet.


    But instead of a single sphere as before, there are five smaller magic bullets floating on the palm of each of her hands.


    Cold sweat runs down my face as I realize the attack that is about to take place.


    "I may not be able to do the monstrous feats of a brave warrior, but I can do this. I don''t aim at the target, but concentrate on the direction you are in and keep throwing. The released magic explodes in a chain of bursts, leaving a trail of destruction regardless of whether you can escape or not.


    Ten magic bullets with both hands together.


    With a wry smile on her face, she spreads her arms and jumps away from the scene.


    "Run if you can. ......"


    At the same moment, a series of blasts hit my body.

 65 - the 64th episode

    >


    Nack screams in agony as he is hit by the aftermath of Meena''s bursting magic, but he keeps running. However, no matter how fast he runs, he is unable to escape from the wave of Mina''s bursting magic that causes destruction over a wide area.


    "Usato! Is that girl going to be okay!"


    "Usato-kun ......"


    Kazuki and his senpai are looking at us with concern.


    "---The magic Mina is using is just bursting magic, so to speak. It is not the kind of system enhancement that Usato-san uses, but it is a magic bullet with a certain amount of power. She generates and disperses several of them. However, though simple, its power is powerful ...... and no matter how fast her legs are, she will inevitably be at a disadvantage if her escape route is limited. Usato, this is ...... a stone."


    Halfa is right that the limited escape route would be hopeless for Nack.


    "Usato ...... are you okay?"


    Even Amako, who is grabbing the group uniform, is looking at Nack with the same eyes as Kazuki and his senpai.


    Yeah, it''s not okay. Not okay at all.


    "So what? It''s just that we don''t have a safe place to go."


    There''s no limit to how much you can do.


    The way I pointed you in the direction of the lifeguard. There''s nowhere to rest, nowhere safe on a lifeguard run. We have to operate in a situation where blades and magic can strike from all directions at any moment, and this is nothing compared to the odds.


    Nack, what are you thinking about right now as you try to avoid Meena''s attack?


    To avoid?


    To see an opportunity?


    To wait for the opponent to tire?


    At least, after the surprise attack earlier, it''s obvious that you lack the will to defeat Meena on your own.


    Don''t play with me, Nack.


    <<< What? >>


    I could hear the crazy voices of the people around me, not only the seniors, but I was so angry that I didn''t care about them.


    I didn''t train you to run away.


    I trained you to win.


    I didn''t train you to run away as a stopgap measure. You can''t be a lifeguard just to run away, you have to fulfill your mission to help people no matter what the situation.


    "It''s not like me, but I''ll at least send them a word of support. ......"


    As soon as I took a breath, Amaco, who was grabbing the group uniform, hissed! The head''s ears are restrained with a surprised "ah-ha" sound. Senpai, Kazuki, and Halfa roll their eyes and look at me to see what I''m going to do.


    I took a breath without caring and...


    The air is hot.


    My lungs ache from the air I inhale.


    "Gah......!


    But that doesn''t stop my legs from running.


    No, if I stop, I''ll be hit by a burst of magic in the blink of an eye, and I''ll let go of consciousness.


    Don''t stop yet, no matter how much Mina can''t keep shooting that much magic. Endure, endure, endure, endure, and we''ll win in one fell swoop.


    "---That''s the way you should look."


    "UGGH......AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"


    A magic bursts near his feet, and a stone blows off and hits him on the right shoulder. I twist my right half of my body backward to escape the impact, but I cannot avoid the hot wind that follows. He is hit squarely in the face by the hot wind, and rolls to the ground with all his might, letting out a moan.


    "That''s why you''re like that."


    Perhaps because I was rolling on the ground due to the hot wind, I could not recognize Meena''s voice which I could hear faintly.


    But I can hear her voice differently than usual, without any emotion in it.


    "You can''t ...... be that miserable forever and ever."


    I can''t just roll over, I use the momentum to get up and leave. The next moment, multiple hot winds blow again right in front of me.


    Unexpectedly, he hides his face with his arms, jumps backward and runs.


    There is no time to heal all of his injuries, so he focuses only on healing the bare minimum and avoiding the magic bullets that will be fired at him.


    "So I''m going to make sure you don''t get up again ....... I''m going to make sure you never have the stupid idea of leaving---thoroughly!


    "......!"


    No, don''t look at Meena.


    Only look at the incoming magic bullet, or you''ll ...... get hit by it and end up here. Grit your teeth and run.


    To escape,...... to not lose,.......


    "I''m not losing,...... I''m not losing,......!"


    "...... You''re the one who''s always defending yourself! It''s funny that you think you can beat me here! Why can''t you understand that! Why don''t you just accept it and fight it! Why don''t you--"


    "Shut up!"


    I scream at her high-pitched voice, which is unrecognizable over the sound of the explosion and just grates on my ears, and concentrate on avoiding her.


    No, evasion is too lazy, running away...


    <>


    ""!!!""


    A voice echoes as if it were being pounded into my head.


    The voice made even Meena, or rather everyone watching here, stop moving and look in the direction of the voice. I looked in the direction I heard the voice, shaking myself, and there was Usato standing there with his arms crossed, his eyes filled with rage.


    "Usato-san!"


    I call out his name in a voice that is so shrill that I am surprised at myself.


    I was afraid of what he would say to me, because he was so angry that I could see it.


    "Don''t run away. Don''t run away, fight.


    After saying that, Usato-san fell silent.


    I could not help but be stunned by his too-simple support and abuse. Meena looked at me and Ms. Usato''s faces alternately, as if she was puzzled as well.


    I know there is no special meaning.


    It means exactly what it says, and there is no other word that works better for me than this one.


    "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha ...... that''s absurd ......."


    Don''t run away, huh?


    What does that mean after all the training they gave us to be evasive? At first I was miffed at such a thought, but then I remembered my previous actions and felt ashamed.


    What Usato-san was saying and what I was thinking were completely different.


    The first time I was running away to win the fight, and the second time I was running away from Meena''s attack just a moment ago. At first I was breathing like I''m going to beat her, but now I was really scared of Meena and all I was thinking about was running away from ...... her.


    I was the one who was licking my chops, and Meena was the one who really wanted to take me down.


    "You really are an a**h*le. I''m ......."


    I said all the right things and kept running away.


    I could have endured any injury if I wanted to. But I didn''t want ...... to hurt, I didn''t want to lose, I didn''t want to face Meena head-on, so I ran away.


    I was uncool, I was ugly, and yet I was still the same old me.


    "But..."


    Slap both cheeks as hard as you can.


    I''m awake now. I''m not running away from Meena anymore.


    "Thank you!


    I''m sure people don''t understand the meaning of your words, Usato.


    Maybe I look like the worst kind of master who is forcing himself on me when I am in desperate need of help. I myself don''t even think that a little bit, but in fact, it''s not true at all.


    You know me well and I know your kindness and severity. That''s why I understood. He told me that I shouldn''t run away and that I should stand up to him. ...... So I''m going to stand up to Meena, just like he said.


    "---That''s a crazy thing to say. Under the circumstances."


    You''re the best teacher I''ve ever had. I was on the run, and he helped me to stand up to him."


    "Yes, but... But don''t think that makes you better than me, okay?


    Ten lumps of magical power generated in Meena''s hands.


    She must be ready to unleash them at a moment''s notice. If I had been here a moment ago, I would have already left, but not now.


    "Whoo ......"


    Concentrate and put healing magic all over your body.


    The healing magic that I had deployed only minimally before is now deployed with all my might.


    I will defeat you.


    "Don''t tell me what you can''t do, okay?"


    "Oh, I won''t say it again. So ...... this is the last time."


    I''m gonna run.


    He runs in the direction where Meena is, not to avoid her, but to defeat her. She sprays magic bullets all over the place, but I don''t run anymore. I am ready to face any burst of magic, no matter how powerful it is.


    I hold my arms crossed as if to protect my face and push forward.


    Oh, oh, oh!


    The first bursts of magic scatter gravel and pebbles, hurting my body, but that doesn''t stop my legs from running. This pain is nothing compared to the long years of suffering I have endured from my tormentors.


    "Oh, ...... oh!


    The next burst of hot wind.


    The heat is like a burning sensation all over my body, but this is nothing compared to the feeling of loss from being abandoned by my parents.


    Before you know it, there are unstoppable tears streaming from your eyes, but you continue to use your healing magic and push on...


    "Nack you, ......! Tsk!


    The last thing that was released with a clash of tongues was a magic bullet coming straight at me. It was created on the spur of the moment, so it doesn''t look that powerful, but it''s big, and it''s powerful enough to knock me out.


    Normally, I should avoid it.


    But I am a healing wizard, a wizard who can overcome any adversity and absurdity with just my body.


    I can endure pain as much as I want!


    As he runs, he rips off his tattered shirt, wraps it around his right fist, and swings at it.


    "Crush me!


    "Hey!"


    He slams his right fist into a magic bullet.


    The explosion flame engulfs me, and I feel a pain as if my throat is burning and I have a hard time breathing, which is still different from before. The pain is so great that I can''t even scream, but I am still conscious.


    "-----!


    With his scarred right hand, barely covered with rags, he dispels the flames and drowns out the burst of magic. He swings his arm away, and there she is, wide-eyed and holding her shield.


    At last they face each other.


    At last we face each other.


    Facing her head-on, I realize.


    I was afraid of Meena.


    Everything I wrote in my diary and everything I said to you was a bluff to hide my fear of you. I''m the one who fooled myself into thinking that I was a coward, and at the end of the day, I''m the one who ran away unconsciously.


    "aaaaaaaaahhh!


    He struggles to regain his footing, which is shaking and almost tangled, and steps out.


    I can''t raise my leg for kicking, and I can''t raise my right hand either.


    But that doesn''t mean I can''t do anything. I don''t have to endure those tricks, I have my body! I have legs that can run!


    With a shrill yell, he steps strongly on the ground and runs toward the girl in front of him.


    "What can you do with a body like that? Stop it already or you''ll die!"


    He steps out as fast as he can and runs like he''s going to fall down.


    By all accounts, you look like you can''t do anything.


    But I''m sure you''ll be able to handle any situation with just your body!


    And this is my big step towards becoming a member of the rescue squad!


    He hits Meena''s shield with a body blow with all his might!


    "Body hit... gosh!"


    A body blow is not as powerful as a kick.


    He hits the shield wall with as much force as he can, and a bad sound can be heard from his left shoulder, but he does not care about Meena who is holding on behind the shield, and he steps forward and pushes into it.


    The tip of the shield is stuck in the ground, but he does not pay attention to it and continues on his way.


    I was scared of you! I never wanted to see your face! You remind me of the ...... aristocrat I was when I had parents who still loved me!"


    "......!!!!"


    Tears still welling up in my eyes.


    Meena sees my face from behind her shield and just lets out a muffled sound as if she is trying to hold it together.


    "But I''m ending it here today! From ...... today onwards, I''m ...... from today onwards!!!! The lifeguard''s ......!!!!!!"


    Monologue, whatever.


    I just have to make a statement to say goodbye to you and the past.


    "I''m going to be a healing wizard!


    As he shouted this and pushed the shield further into the ground, a crack extending from the depressed center of the shield reached the part of the shield that was pierced into the ground---and broke it in half.


    With the shield split in half and nothing left to stop me, I hit Meena with my full body blow.


    "Haa...... haa......"


    Meena was blown away by the body blow and slammed to the ground.


    She watches the scene breathlessly and falls to her knees. I have little magic power, my body aches, and I''m tired of everything.


    "......Yay...... did we win this......?"


    Looking around me with slightly blurred vision, I see the students who are clamming up as if they cannot accept the scene in front of them, and Usato exhaling in relief.


    Oh, so I won.


    Strangely enough, apart from the joy of victory, there was a greater sense of relief.


    "Not yet ......, it''s not over yet ......"


    "What?


    Meena, who had been lying on the ground, was spitting blood from her mouth and pointing her magic-filled hand at me with eyes that showed an unusual fixation.


    I tried to brace myself, but I couldn''t do so. On the contrary, my legs lost their strength and I sat up.


    "You can''t beat me. I can''t let you out of my sight. ......!"


    "Why ......?"


    Why are you so reluctant to put me on ......?


    Why me? There''s someone else out there besides me. I don''t understand why you''re so obsessed with me. I cower in fear.


    Nack! Get away from me!


    Mr. Halfa?


    Mr. Halfa is screaming in blood.


    Why is she screaming in such a panic at me, whom she hasn''t talked to that much? In a daze, I turn to Mina and see her trying to do something by gathering magic power in her hands again.


    But something is different. Instead of concentrating magic bullets in her palm, she is gathering magic power in her hand... just like Usato was doing.


    "Nack! Lineage enhancement! Hold on, I''m coming there!


    "...... what?"


    Lineage Enhancement.


    As I recall, Dr. Kara said it was a difficult technique used by skilled wizards. But the fact that Meena is doing it and Halfa and Usato are turning pale is quite a dangerous thing, isn''t it?


    Especially Mina who deals with bursting magic. If the magic of her innate magical power and bursting magic make her go out of control by strengthening her system, not only me but also the people here will not be able to get away with it.


    We have to run.


    If we don''t run, we''ll get caught in the explosion and die.


    I think to myself, and as I try to stand up, I realize...


    "...... is..."


    This is not the time to be stunned.


    This is not the time to be thinking about running away. .......


    Even if the people who live here have abandoned me before... that''s no reason not to help them. That''s what makes you a failure.


    Nack! What are you--?"


    He looks once at Mr. Usato who is about to run toward us, and then runs toward Mina. His left arm is useless because of the broken shoulder, so he has to use his right hand, which is burned. Using all of his remaining magic power, he puts all of his magic power into his right arm, and he forces his shaking knees to stand up.


    "I''m not going to let go of ...... you ......! I can''t let you out of there. ......"


    The excessive magic contained in her hands lacerates them as if to hurt them, and they overflow. She cries out in pain, and I run, still trying to defeat her with unspeakable feelings.


    She can''t be allowed to die, even though she''s been torturing me. I must save everyone, including her. To do that, I have to knock her out.


    Usato is still far away---I have to end this.


    "Let''s end it. ......"


    I immediately get in front of her and just shake my raised fist down. She looks up at me with the same obsessive look in her eyes that she has sometimes had when she has looked at me.


    At that moment, her hand shines brightly... but I also light up my right fist with healing magic and swing my fist down at her.


    "---oh!"


    I felt a solid response in my fist, and then a light spread across my hazy vision.


    I don''t know if it was mine or Meena''s magic light.


    But it is a light that makes me feel ...... nostalgic. I guess because I had exerted all my strength and magic, my vision was blurred by the light, and my body collapsed.


    When I was about to fall to the ground, someone supported me.


    When my vision finally cleared, I looked at the person who was supporting me and...


    "Nack, are you okay?


    "Mr. Usato ......"


    Usato-san, sweat beading on his forehead, exhaled in relief and held me in his arms. I could feel a warm aura coming from his arms, and it seemed that he was performing a healing spell on me.


    "Thank God you''re all right. Your injuries are not serious ...... and I will heal you as soon as possible.


    "Meena is ......"


    "I''m fine. You knocked me out, and the magic in my body lost its directionality and fizzled out."


    You made it in time.


    I thought I could just knock him out, but now that I think about it, I''m pretty sure I crossed a dangerous bridge. I now realize the situation I was in, and I feel a cold sensation in my core.


    "Thanks to you, I was able to save everyone, including me. You should be proud."


    "I really ......"


    "Yeah, I''m well qualified to be in the lifeguard squad. And..."


    Usato-san lifts me up, still unable to move, and turns me to face the direction where I can see Mina.


    I look in the direction of Meena, who is unconscious. But I notice something different from what I saw before.


    "Your healing magic seems to have returned to its original form.


    "...... yeah."


    The wound is gone.


    The wounds I inflicted in the fight earlier, and the wounds that Meena inflicted by strengthening her own lineage, are gone as if they had never been there in the first place.


    Seeing her safe and sound, I can''t help but look at Usato''s face.


    "It wasn''t me, was it? By the time I got there first, she was already healed. So you did this too. I don''t know the theory, but ...... your desire to help made it possible for others to use healing magic again, didn''t it?"


    "The desire to help: ......"


    "That''s the most important thing for us healing wizards to have. That''s what you got back at the end. You have broken the bonds of the past and saved her and those around you who have mistreated you.


    When I heard Usato-san''s words, I put magic power into my right hand.


    I was almost out of magic power, so I could only use healing magic on my fingertips, but a small green light floated firmly from my fingertips. I thought that it was something very important, so I held on to the light as if to wrap it in my arms.


    "I''ve been with you all my life,...... but I can only think of myself in hard times,...... and I''ve suffered so much that I don''t care about others,...... I put it away without realizing it,...... but now,...... I''m finally back,...... and I''ll never let it go again. I''ll never forget this ...... again."


    He presses his clenched fist to his forehead and speaks to Usato in a hushed voice.


    Usato-san listens to me silently, smiles softly, and starts walking away with me in his arms.


    "I''m sure you can endure more training than you did yesterday, and I''m sure the Commander will allow you to join the group without any complaints. You''ve done a good job ...... at any rate.


    "......?"


    "Now, here come the people who want to be the first to congratulate you on your victory."


    He wipes away his tears and looks where Usato-san is walking.


    Then I saw the people who had supported me until now coming toward me.

 66 - the 65th episode

    The game between Nack and Meena ended with Nack''s victory.


    Although he tried to use Meena''s system enhancement forcibly, Nack''s healing magic returned to its original form, and it is safe to say that he was able to solve his own problems.


    I really want to see him grow up more in this city before I leave, but the day after the battle between Nack and Meena, I, Inukami-senpai, Kazuki, and Welshy were summoned by Mr. Gladys.


    "First of all, I would like to thank you. Thank you, Usato."


    "Heh?"


    I was summoned to the dean''s office, where I was suddenly bowed down.


    I was a bit nervous and tried to ask for help from Kazuki and Inukami-senpai, but before I could ask for help, a very knowledgeable Welshie-san smiled at me and spoke to me.


    "Principal Gladys wanted to change the mindset of the students at this school."


    "Huh ......?"


    "Magic relies on innate talent. The number of children with this belief has been increasing at the school.


    "We did not like the situation where people gave up on improving their own abilities and blamed everything on their talents. You ...... have changed that, you and Nack. Many of our students have changed their minds after seeing how Nack faced the wall of talent head on and broke it down, even if in different ways.


    ......I''m not really aware of it, but I guess my actions have had an impact on a lot of students in this city.


    "And it has also changed the mindset of us teachers. No one doubts your ability anymore. Who can say that the Demon Lord''s army is weak when even those of you who are so strong had a hard time?


    "!¡¡Well then, Mr. Gladys!¡¡The decision on the letter can be found at ......."


    "Yes."


    Gladys-san nodded at Kazuki''s words and looked around at all of us before opening her mouth.


    "Luxvis will form a cooperative relationship with the Kingdom of Lingle."


    I was happy to hear those words, but at the same time I felt a little sad.


    Not because I was sad that I had formed a cooperative relationship with Lukvis, but because I was sad to say goodbye to Kiriha and the others who had become good friends with me in this city.


    "Thank you, Dean. We will see you later today at ......."


    If the letter has been answered, then our goal is to pass the letter on to the next country.


    So we have to get out of here.


    I said goodbye to Mr. Gladys and left the president''s office, and after being seen off by Kara and Halfa, who had come to the entrance of the school, I parted from the seniors.


    I headed for the dormitory where Kiriha and the others were waiting for Amako.


    The school is closed for the day because it is the day after the mock battle, so I know that Kiriha and the others will be there. And since Nack, who collapsed from exhaustion yesterday, is sleeping in their dormitory, he is also there. So I don''t have to worry about leaving without saying goodbye, but my heart is still heavy.


    With heavy steps, I arrive at the dormitory and explain to Kiriha and the others who have welcomed me that I am leaving today. Fortunately, Nack seemed to be awake and was listening to my story in silence.


    "I see, so you are leaving today..."


    I felt sorry for Kiriha and the others who had come to the front of the dormitory, but I said something back to them.


    "Yeah, I''m sorry for coming out of nowhere."


    "It''s all right, it''s an important mission, isn''t it? If that''s the case, I can''t help it."


    Kiriha cries her shoulders out in disappointment.


    Seeing her, I take the cloth bag that Mr. Welshy made me carry before I came here out of the pocket of my trousers and hold it out in front of her.


    "Here, for letting me stay here. I didn''t prepare it for you.


    "Oh, no, I''m sorry. I didn''t do that much.


    "You''ve been very helpful, if I do say so myself. Nack even let me stay the night, and most of all, I had a great week with you guys."


    I don''t mean to flatter or exaggerate.


    It was a bit of a hectic week, but it was a good time.


    "Well, we already know you''re stubborn, don''t we? I''ll just give up and take it. ......"


    Thank you.


    I couldn''t bear to just eat and leave without giving anything back.


    "You were a really weird person, you know. ......"


    "Of course, you''re the one who''s coming with me, after all."


    Amako, I think that''s a bit harsh.


    And it''s not something to be proud of, is it?


    "I''m sure you''re right, ......."


    "Deny it. ......"


    "You''re right, you can''t deny it. It''s how we got to know you, so I guess it''s not so bad to be different."


    She smiles at Kiriha, who smiles at her with a smile that is somewhat softer than when we first met.


    So much has happened, I feel like I''ve been here so long that this past week feels like a very long time.


    "I wasn''t sure what was going to happen at first. I was wondering what would happen at first, but seeing you like this ...... made me think that it''s not so bad to try to believe in people again."


    "Kyou ......, you are ......."


    "That doesn''t mean I''m going to open up so easily. But if only there was someone like you who would treat us normally."


    Kyou, who turned away with a pouty face, said so.


    When I let out a giggle at his words, he turns his face red and yells at me.


    "Don''t laugh!¡¡I know what I''m saying stinks too!


    "You''re a shy guy, aren''t you?"


    "Shut up, amako! I''ll never say this again!¡¡d*mn, why did I say such an embarrassing thing ...... d*mn it ......"


    "...... are you crying?"


    "Who''s crying?


    I apologize to Kyou, who turns around as if to say "sorry, sorry," and Satsuki smiles innocently at me. I bent down to meet her eyes and clenched both fists.


    "Usato!¡¡Come back here again when your trip is over!¡¡And tell me even more amazing and strange stories!¡¡And tell Suzune and Kazuki that you''ll see them again!


    "Yes, I will tell them. But don''t annoy Kiriha and Kyou too much.


    "Yes!"


    I nodded at Satsuki''s words as she bounced happily.


    You really have a huge range of tension, I thought you were a quieter girl at first.


    Receiving the parting greetings from the three beastmen who have been so kind to me, I feel that it was worth coming here, even if the purpose of handing over the letter is not included in it.


    "Nack".


    "......"


    Finally, I call out to Nack, who has been nodding his head since a while ago.


    He remains motionless with his head down, but slowly looks up when I call his name.


    "Mr. Usato,...... I have to admit that your training was hard and painful for me."


    "Yeah."


    "At first I thought what a crazy thing to do."


    "......Uh,yeah."


    "I really thought it was a monster that was using some kind of horrible magic, not healing magic."


    "Oh, wait a minute."


    Oh, no.


    This isn''t a goodbye speech, it''s a complaint about me, isn''t it?¡¡I think I know how Rose feels when she hears me complaining, but I wish I didn''t.


    "But now I can say that none of it was a waste of time. The hard training, the healing magic, and the things you taught me were all essential for me to win over Meena."


    "Knack ......"


    "I want to be stronger. I want to become stronger and be like you. Usato, I found you. I found a way to live without being tied down by my family, by Meena, by anyone."


    With yesterday''s victory, he now has the chance to walk a new path, free of his old ties. It is up to him to make the most of it.


    But when he says he wants to be like me, it''s a little embarrassing.


    "I''m going to go to the Kingdom of Lingle and join the lifeguard!¡¡I''ll endure even harder training than I do now!¡¡I''ll take the abuse!"


    "......I''m not ready. My physical abilities are not up to the Commander''s ideal, and my lineage strengthening is still in its infancy. To be honest, compared to the Commander, I''m not even close to him. ...... But still, do you want to be like me?"


    "You are my mentor and ...... my back to follow!"


    ...... I see.


    Then I can''t go on like this. I have to get fitter than I am now and keep working harder than ever so that I can be Nack''s target.


    He takes out a letter that he has been keeping in the pocket of his uniform and presents it to Nack.


    The letter is in a rectangular envelope, and in the lower right corner of the envelope is written in slightly distorted letters the words <> in short.


    "I think it will be all right if I give you this letter. The one who wears the same uniform as me and has the appearance of a predator is the leader. Well, I think you will recognize him at a glance.


    "Yes!"


    Nack received the letter with great care.


    I''m not sure if he''ll be able to handle the lifeguard training, or if he''ll be able to maintain his composure under Rose''s irrationality, but I''m sure Nack will be fine.


    ......I''d better get going.


    I have Inukami-senpai and Kazuki and the others waiting for me, so I urge Amako to get going. Amako nods her head, looks at Kiriha and the others, and takes a deep breath.


    "It''s good to see you and Kiriha again. Thank you for everything you''ve done for us.


    "I''m glad to see Amako in good health, too. If you ever get lonely, come to my house, Amaco is always welcome."


    "...... yeah."


    Amako''s mouth breaks into a smile, but she turns her head at an angle, as if she is embarrassed to be seen smiling at me.


    Just like Sarla''s house, you now have another place to go back to.


    I turn to the four of them, muttering to myself, "That''s great, isn''t it?


    Kiriha, Kyou, Satsuki, take care of yourselves. Knack will ...... not need to say goodbye, so I''ll just say ...... see you again."


    "You too, Usato. Well, if you''re ever in the neighborhood, drop by. We''ll be here for the time being.


    "Make sure you save Amako''s mother."


    See you later, Usato!


    I''ll be waiting for you in the Lingle Kingdom!


    With these words from each of them, Amako and I left the dormitory where Kiriha and the others were staying.


    It''s sad to say goodbye, but it doesn''t mean we won''t see each other again.


    "He''s gone, isn''t he?"


    "Yeah, he''s gone."


    Nack muttered to Usato and Amako as he looked off their backs, and Kyou answered him.


    It was a very short week, but I think it was the most meaningful time I have ever had. It reminded me of my long-forgotten desire to make friends with humans, and above all, it was the first time I made a human friend.


    "Are you going to the Lingle Kingdom soon?"


    "......I would love to, but I still have things to do."


    What else is there?


    I turn to Nack and see him holding a letter in his hand, tucking it into his pocket with great care.


    "I thought I''d send my parents a goodbye letter ...... and quit school ......, and then I thought I''d finally meet Meena ......."


    "I don''t think you should."


    "Yeah, I don''t know what they''ll do to me."


    I agree.


    I, Kyou, and Satsuki stopped Nack at once.


    It''s too dangerous to meet Meena after yesterday''s game. If he is not careful, he could be hit by magic on the spot.


    But Nack just shakes his head in annoyance, as if he knew what was coming.


    "You''re right, I don''t know what they''ll do to me. I''m sure I don''t know what they''ll do to me. ......What Meena did to me is not something I can easily forgive. But whether you forgive me or not, I''m not ...... going to forgive you."


    "I''m ......?"


    I wanted to talk to you.


    At the end of the game, Nack was the only one who could see Meena running amok from close up. No one else in the room could see or hear her.


    But the sound of Meena''s voice that reached my beastly ears was not full of confidence, but it sounded as if she was clinging to someone who was going far away. Considering this, it is not hard to understand why Nack is concerned about her.


    Do what you want, Nack. "Do what you want, but when you leave here, stop by here. I''ll see you out."


    "Of course. In fact, the people who are closest to me here are only the Kiriha''s."


    "I''m a beast, but I think that''s pretty weird ......."


    Indeed.


    ...... somehow I''ve come to be able to talk normally with Nack, whom Usato brought with him. At first it was as if we were talking through Usato, but before I knew it, we were able to have a normal conversation without it.


    Really, it was just a matter of when.


    "I can''t help it if it''s weird. After all, I am Usato''s disciple.


    "Ha, you''re right."


    Seeing Kyou patting Nack''s back in a funny way, Satsuki and I naturally laugh as well.


    I had been wondering if humans and beasts could really get along, but it was so much easier when we were able to come to terms with each other like this.


    "......!"


    Stifling the sudden surge of emotion, I turn my body once more in the direction of where Usato and Amako have gone.


    I don''t know when I will see them again.


    Still, I could not think that I might never see them again. Amako had Usato, and Usato had Amako, so there was nothing to worry about.


    "I''m looking forward to our next meeting."


    But the next time we meet, I''d like it if Amako''s mom is saved, Usato''s trip is over, and I''m ...... a little more open-minded than I am now.


    I''m going to try to do something different in my own way until then.


    After saying goodbye to Kiriha and the others, Amako and I moved to the gate leading outside.


    Waiting for us were Inukami-senpai, Kazuki, Welshy, and the knights.


    As we were to be divided into three groups for our departure, each knight was making preparations, and Alc, who would accompany us, was loading his luggage on one of the horses.


    "Mr. Alc, is that horse ......?"


    "I thought I''d have him carry it since it''s going to be a bit of a big load for the trip. He is a good horse, if a bit old. And he''s smart, so I''m sure he won''t slow you down on your journey."


    "Okay, well, ......, nice to meet you."


    He purred pleasantly as I stroked his slightly blackish brown fur.


    I''ve never touched a horse before, but it''s so smooth. It''s a little different from a brindle.


    ...... Well, I can''t leave the preparations to Mr. Aruk forever.


    I''ll help you.


    No, no, I''m fine. Mr. Welshy has something more important to discuss with you before we leave, so let''s get to it first.


    An important talk from Mr. Welsey?


    I don''t know, let''s just go.


    "Okay. Amako, will you go get Bullyn? He''s probably still sleeping."


    "Yeah, okay."


    Leaving Aruk and Amako to get ready, I move to the area near the carriage where Mr. Welshy and the others are.


    As far as I can see, they are not talking about anything important yet. Were they waiting for me? Thinking this, I call out to him.


    "I''m sorry, I''m late."


    "I didn''t wait that long, but did you get to say goodbye?"


    He nods at his senpai''s words and passes on the message from Satsuki to his senpai and Kazuki.


    "......I see, yes, thank you for telling them."


    I''ll see you soon."


    "Usato is right, it''s not like it''s goodbye for life, so I''m sure we''ll see each other again. Satsuki said we would see each other again.


    "......You''re right, we''ll come back to see you when it''s all over. We''ll come back to see you when we''ve finished everything.


    Kazuki''s words and mine brought him back to his senses.


    Mr. Welshy, who had been silently watching us, opened his mouth at the right moment.


    "It looks like everyone is here. I know that you have experienced many things here in Luxembourg. But this is only the beginning of your journey. The long journey begins here.


    We keep silent so as not to miss Ms. Welshy''s voice.


    "Suzune is to the north, Kazuki is to the west, and Usato is to the east. It''s very unfortunate for us, but we have to rely on you to inform the Lingle Kingdom ...... of the crisis on this continent. But you are willing to help us regardless of that. ......"


    She is frustrated by the fact that she is dependent on us, but after taking a deep breath, she smiles kindly at me.


    Suzune-sama, Kazuki-sama, and Usato-sama, please be safe. I sincerely hope that you will all return safely to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "They will come back. After all, Kazuki and I are the brave ones and Usato is an immortal lifesaver!


    "I''m not immortal, though. ......


    Kazuki stepped forward and looked at her with eyes full of power.


    "Our home in this world is in the Kingdom of Lingle. There are many people waiting for our return. So please wait for us. We''ll succeed in getting the letter and getting the other countries to cooperate, and then we''ll go home. ......"


    "...... yes?"


    Ms. Welshy''s eyes welled up at Kazuki''s words, and she bowed one last time before walking away from us. We looked at each other as we watched her go.


    "Senpai, Kazuki, I know it''s a tough journey, but hang in there," she said.


    "Oh, come on, that''s our line, Usato, it''s the hardest thing you''ve ever had to do."


    "That''s right. You have to go to the land of the beastmen. ......"


    I know it''s dangerous, but we''ve already made our decision.


    Besides, my interactions with Kiriha and the others have made me a little more positive about the beastmen''s country.


    "Well, it will turn out the way it''s supposed to. Just because I got along with Kirija and the others here doesn''t mean there is no hope for me.


    "To be" ...... huh, I don''t know if you''re really sketchy or not. Be really careful, okay?¡¡If you''re in any kind of danger, I''ll come running from wherever I am."


    I don''t know how to react because it doesn''t sound like a joke when he says it like that.


    "Then I''ll come running too."


    "Ka,kazuki......"


    "Of course. It''s my role as your friend to come to you in a pinch. Just like Usato who rushed to me and my senpai in our time of need when we were about to die during the battle against the Demon King''s army."


    "...... Ugh, you can''t deny it when they put that out there. ......"


    "Hmph, Kazuki and I both owe our lives to you. It''s only natural that I want to help you."


    ......Totally, you two owe me too much.


    But I''m sure there is a part of me that is glad to hear that you''re here to help me.


    So..,


    "Let''s not part ways so bitterly."


    "Right. Let''s send each other off with a smile!


    They look at each other, wishing each other a successful trip and a happy reunion.


    "...... we won''t say goodbye. So, let''s ...... see you three again!"


    ""Yes!""


    Inukami-senpai''s confident, fearless smile and Kazuki''s gentle, warm smile.


    I was caught up in their smiles and replied in response to Inukami-senpai''s words, hoping that the three of us would meet again.


    "Usato, are you done?"


    Amako asked me as I parted from them and moved to join Aruk and the others who were preparing for the event.


    "Yes, I don''t need to say any more words. Mr. Aruk, are you ready to leave?


    "Yes, I''m ready."


    Mr. Alc pulls on the reins of his horse, which is loaded with the luggage for the trip on its back.


    Senpai and Kazuki would be accompanied by several knights, but for me it would be just Amako, Mr. Alc, Bulrin, and my dark brown horse.


    But this number is just right for me, whether I run or walk.


    After getting ready, we move to the gate and line up next to the two groups of senpai and kazuki who have already lined up. Then the big door in front of us gradually opens.


    "Let''s get going. ......"


    As soon as the gate is completely opened, the other two groups begin to walk, cued by the voices of Kazuki and Inukami-senpai, who are in the lead.


    I wave them off as they go their separate ways, then turn around and look at Aruk-san, Amako, and Bulrin before looking forward once more.


    ......The long but short time in Lukvis has come to an end.


    Kazuki and my senpai have gone their separate ways, and I am traveling with a new group of friends.


    I would be lying if I said I was not anxious. But I''m honestly excited about it all. Countries, monsters, people, and landscapes outside of the Lingle Kingdom. I''m not Inukami-senpai, but there are fantasies waiting for us that we haven''t seen yet.


    "Let''s go!"


    I said these words of excitement and started to walk, stamping my feet on the ground.

 67 - character introduction

    Name Nac Argalles


    Lineage: Healing


    A boy who is a healing magic user whom Usato met in Lukvis.


    Although he is of noble birth, he was half-abandoned and sent to the Magic Academy of Lukvis because of his awakening to healing magic.


    He has always been reserved and shy, but his childhood friend Meena''s constant bullying has turned him into a mean and backward persona.


    She is determined to break away from Meena and her family, who have been abusing her, and to follow the path of the lifeguard corps, as suggested by Usato.


    Name: Meena Riassia


    Genealogy: Fire (bursting)


    She is a strong, dynamic, and egotistical girl, for better or worse.


    She is a childhood friend of Nack''s and was the one who bullied him in Luxvis.


    She has been trying to encourage Nack, who just accepts the situation surrounding him and does not take any action, until she finds herself at a point where she cannot turn back.


    After his defeat by Nack, his cronies stopped approaching him, but he does not mind at all. On the contrary, he is working hard on his magical training and plans to follow Nack to the Kingdom of Lingle after his graduation from the school.


    Name Kiriha


    Lineage Wind


    Weasel beastie student at Lukvis.


    She came to Lukvis with her younger brother, Kyou, with the ideal of getting along with humans, but she has given up trying to get along with humans after realizing the reality of the situation.


    She has given up trying to get along with humans when she realizes the reality of the situation. She met a man who reminded her of the ideal she had always had of , and she decided to live her school life with hope.


    She wears baskets on both arms when she works magic.


    Name: Kyou


    Genealogy Wind


    Weasel beastie student at Lukvis.


    He has a rough tone, but he is a kind-hearted boy at heart.


    At first, he is hostile toward Usato, but when he decides to fight against Halfa, he tries to persuade him not to do so.


    He wears leg armor on both feet when he works magic.


    Name: Satsuki


    Lineage Not shown


    A feline beastman enrolled in Luxvis.


    He is curious, and has a habit of observing things that interest him.


    He entered Lukvis alone from a beastman''s hiding place, and shares his life with Kiriha and Kyou, whom he met through many twists and turns.


    Name: Halfa


    Lineage: Demon''s Eye


    A student at Lukvis.


    He is a student in the same class as Kiriha and Kyou, a boy with distinctive gray hair who is in charge of the class.


    He has magic vision that allows him to see the flow of magic power, and his specialty is to anticipate the opponent''s movements by watching the fluctuation of his opponent''s magic power, always making the first move and giving the opponent an unavoidable attack. Although magic vision is not originally used for combat, Haruha has raised it to a level where it can be used in actual combat with his physical ability and experience.


    He is feared by ordinary students because he has a realist side that precisely targets the weak points of his opponents in battle.


    He tries to keep a smile on his face to be friendly with his classmates, but his fake smile is one of the reasons why they avoid him.


    Name: Kara


    Lineage Not shown


    A teacher in Lukvis.


    He is strict in his teaching, but his students trust him because he evaluates them equally.


    He is also one of the teachers who is concerned about the talent-based philosophy of the students who attend Lukvis, and he has always wanted to do something about it.


    He seems to be an acquaintance of Rose''s, but their relationship is currently unknown.


    Name Gladys


    Lineage Not shown


    He is the chief executive of the magical city of Lucvis and the dean of the magical academy Lucvis.


    He is concerned about the increasing number of students who abandon hard work due to the trend of talent supremacy, and is working behind the scenes to change that philosophy.


    Although he knew Nack, he was unable to intervene in his problem of being bullied by Meena, a noblewoman, because of his position as the head of Luxvis, which is supported by other countries and nobles.


    When Nack went to the kingdom of Lingle, he helped her to go to the neighboring kingdom.

 68 - sixty-sixth episode

    I was in the center of a large, dark, eerie room.


    There was an expensive-looking carpet under my feet and a disproportionately beautiful chandelier overhead, but everything was falling apart, and upon closer inspection, the entire room had been reduced to rubble, and where there would have been a window, it had been entirely hollowed out, revealing a pitch-black view outside.


    I did not question why I was here. I just looked closely so as not to miss what was in front of me, and I saw Usato and Aruk-san in the room I was in.


    But Aruk-san is looking at Usato with his sword propped up as if he is very tired.


    And Usato is standing with his back to me, talking to someone.


    <>


    To whom am I speaking?


    From where I am, I can''t see who is in front of Usato. Someone whose face I cannot see seems to be injured and is leaning his back against the wall.


    Upon closer inspection, I see that Usato is in tatters. The uniform he is wearing is not torn, but it is heavily sooted and stained. There are traces of blood from his temple to his chin, as if he had been in a fierce battle.


    After saying something to the person in front of him, Usato approaches someone in front of him and crouches down.


    At that moment, the person in front of him is slightly visible. For a brief moment, the darkness enveloped him, and he could not make out the face, but when his mouth twisted like a crescent moon and his sharp fangs peeked out, <>''s vision shook dramatically.


    >


    shouted as I tried to leap forward.


    At the same time, , his back against the wall, pulls out a dagger out of nowhere and thrusts it at Usato. Whether he was stabbed or not is impossible to tell from his back.


    ---I can see drops of blood trickling down to Usato''s feet, though I don''t know if he was stabbed or not.


    My vision blurs.


    I reach for the scene that is fading away from my sight as if I''m falling asleep, but my vision is out of reach.


    I want to know what happens next.


    What happened to Usato?


    Did he get hurt?


    Is he all right?


    He''s alive, isn''t he?


    Am I going to be ...... alone again?


    Terrifying images spin around and around in my head, making me helplessly afraid.


    My is always the same. It always ends up at the crucial point, at the important point, always. They ignore my will, they only show the scene they want to show, and then it''s over. They never show the next scene or the one before that.


    So every time I wake up, I feel helplessly frustrated that I can do nothing but watch. .......


    I wonder if my mother had this feeling all the time.


    I have to face the irresistible reality and the future...... unreasonableness in the name of fate.......


    "What?¡¡Did you dream that someone stabbed me?"


    "Yes."


    Amako told me about her dream, and I frowned in disgust.


    We had been traveling smoothly without encountering any bandits or demons for a few days since we left Lukvis. Amako''s prediction was enough to cloud the future of our journey.


    Amako''s prediction was sure to come true.


    The future will never be the same without her intervention. Just like when she urged me to avert a future of destruction for the kingdom. .......


    "Is that true?¡¡Amaco.


    "I don''t know when, but I kind of know it''s not far in the future."


    Amaco nodded at Mr. Aruk''s words as he pulled his horse.


    "Where were you stabbed?"


    "...... don''t know. I think it was in the stomach or the side.


    Belly and flanks. .......


    "That looks painful. ......"


    "...... yeah."


    "......"


    "......, that''s it?"


    "What?"


    Why would I be scared of being stabbed in the gut?


    I had more pain when I fought that snake, and even if you get stabbed, it''s a pretty small knife, so unless it''s a bad hit, you can heal and fight back right away.


    To be honest, I''m more afraid of the commander''s fist.


    Did you know, Amako, that if a person keeps getting hit beyond his limits, he will not feel anything?


    "......No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!"


    "It can be cured with healing magic. ......"


    We''ve been through poison before with that snake, so we should be fine.


    "There was blood and stuff. ......"


    How long?


    "......... just a little bit."


    A little bit is within the range of a scratch.


    "No problem."


    "......"


    "Wait a minute, don''t give me that look."


    He looked at me as if he was looking at a foreigner whom he did not understand.


    Why is he treated like a monster just because he is resistant to poison and injury?


    ......,I mean, if you think about it, he looks like a monster, but I think there are ways to say he''s even better than that.


    "But you might want to be careful. Considering the situation that Amako mentioned, we are sure to be in trouble in the near future.


    "Yes, well, there''s only so much you can do because of what''s going to happen. ....... Amaco, can you change that prediction like you did with me?"


    I ask Amako, who is standing next to me, and she shakes her head.


    So I''m going to get knifed anyway, I guess.


    "Should I work on my abs while I''m at it? No, I''ll break them before I get stabbed?¡¡Wouldn''t it be faster to beat up the person who stabs you?¡¡What do you think, Amako?"


    "Why are you trying to overturn it when it''s been confirmed: ......"


    That''s true, but if listening to this prediction is part of the process that will lead to the future that Amaco saw, then we should do what we are going to do.


    It is much better than not doing it and regretting it.


    "Well, training for the time being. You''re going to do it, right, Bulrin?"


    "Gah!"


    You wanna do it, too?


    That''s my boy.


    I look at Amako, laughing at Bulrin, who seems to be happy to see me walking around and punching my leg. I''ve been thinking for a while now that Amako is a little thin. I''ve been thinking for a little while now that Amako is a little thin, but maybe she needs to work out for the rest of her journey.


    "How about you, Amaco?¡¡"You should get stronger, it will help you if something happens to you."


    "Absolutely not."


    I didn''t think you''d like it that much.


    I was mildly shocked by Amako''s clear refusal and distance from me, while Bulrin still punched me in the leg.


    And Aruk-san smiling at the exchange.


    The journey of the three of us and one dog was going well like this.


    "Mr. Alc, we haven''t reached Samaritan yet, have we?


    At night, we sit by the side of the road by the fire and wait for the morning. When it gets dark, the moonlight is the only light we can rely on, and the monsters are more active. And since it would be too dangerous to travel if we fall off a cliff while walking along the road at night, we take turns to keep the fire going when it gets dark.


    Amako lies down on her back against Bulrin, who is already asleep.


    It was still early in the morning, so I asked Mr. Aruku, who was setting a dead tree on fire, about our future journey.


    "We still have a long way to go, don''t we?"


    Our next destination, Samaria, is still far away.


    Well, there are no cars or bullet trains in this world, so it is only natural that it takes time to go to faraway countries. We knew that, but there is another problem.


    Food and water are essential for traveling.


    Water can be found in the rivers, but food is getting scarcer and scarcer, so it would be nice if we could get it from somewhere. .......


    "We are running low on food, so is there somewhere we can get some?"


    "Yes. ...... Well, there should be a village not far from here where we can get some food to share."


    I nodded at Aruk-san''s words as I looked at the map he pulled out of his leather bag.


    Stopping by a village is very exciting, just like R!


    "Well, if worst comes to worst and we''re in need of food, me and Bulrin will hunt some fish or animals for you.


    "Guh."


    "Don''t be a pain in the ass. You''re the one who eats the most."


    "Ha-ha-ha, I''m counting on you."


    He lightly slaps Bulrin on the head.


    You''re the one who eats the most! You should at least hunt like a former wild Hexenbiest.


    "But, umm... ......"


    Mr. Aruk looks at the map again and snarls.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "I have heard some strange rumors around this village.


    "Mysterious rumor?"


    Not in the village, but in the area?¡¡What kind of rumor is it? When I asked him, he turned to me and opened his mouth with a mysterious expression on his face.


    "It seems that some skilled knights, adventurers, and bandits have suddenly disappeared," he says.


    "Isn''t that strange and dangerous rumor ......?"


    Disappearing is pretty disturbing.


    Is it a case of "godforsakenness" in our world?¡¡Summoning to another world is similar, but there are many possible reasons for disappearing in this world.


    Captured by bandits, attacked by monsters, falling off a cliff, etc. .......


    No, they disappear, but after a few months ...... or a few years at most, they reappear with a face like a dazed child."


    "What''s that? Were they all right?"


    It sure is strange...... no, it''s creepy to me.


    I wonder where they were and what they were doing while they were gone.


    "I only know rumors, but they all seem to have lost their memories of the period of time they were gone.


    "Lose ...... your memory?"


    "There is a lot of speculation that he has crossed time, or that someone has stolen his memory. ......"


    "Considering the possibility of some rare magic, it seems to me that any possibility is possible.


    In the world where he/she used to be, it would be a case of missing or being hidden by the gods, but in this world, there is something out of the ordinary called magic, so it''s not impossible.


    To tell the truth, I am not good at this kind of stories.


    I am not good at horror stories in general, such as ghosts. I''m afraid of ghosts because I feel that there is nothing I can do if they appear in front of me. And I can''t hit them.


    Aruk-san noticed my slightly pale face, and with a reassuring smile on his face, he slowly waved his hand to the side.


    "Well, I haven''t heard any rumors of anyone disappearing in the last few years, so I think you''ll be fine, don''t you?¡¡As far as I''m concerned, I think it''s just a rumor spread by merchants and bandits for the fun of it.


    "Oh, I see. ......"


    Good. If it hasn''t happened in the last few years, we''re okay.


    I was imagining that we were caught in a "godforsaken" situation when we were passing by, but if that''s the case, there''s nothing to be afraid of.


    There is no need for horror in a fantasy world, and there shouldn''t be.


    Ghosts, in general. ----.


    "Gu ......"


    A sleepy-looking Bulrin lets out a small groan and looks into the bushes.


    "Mr. Aruk!"


    "Yes. ......"


    He stands up, making eye contact with Mr. Arc, who has taken the sword from beside him.


    There is something in the bushes just beyond Bullein''s view.


    Either it is a monster or someone who tried to attack us in our sleep. ...... Either way, it doesn''t seem to be trying to be friendly with us as it hides and listens to us.


    Leaving Amako, who is still sleeping, in the hands of Bulrin, Mr. Ark and I slowly approach the bushes with our hands on the hilts of our swords.


    "......"


    When you find one, hit it with a healing punch anyway.


    If they are not hostile, I apologize later.


    If it''s a monster, I just stun it and leave it alone.


    If it is a ghost, carry everyone and run away.


    I put healing magic on my fist and go ahead of them, then quickly put my hand on the bush and...,


    "Ho, ho, ho!"


    "Whoa!"


    ---Just as I was about to do that, a black object came flying out of me.


    You pull your fist and look at it as it flies away upward.


    "An owl. ......?"


    With large wings and a round silhouette, the black owl disappeared into the forest with a very high pitched hooting sound.


    Aruk-san, who was watching the owl as I was, lowers his hand on the hilt and smiles.


    "......It seems I was a bit overconcerned."


    "Ha-ha-ha ...... I see."


    Perhaps because I am still new to traveling, I was too tense as Mr. Aruk said.


    Maybe I should move with a little more composure. It would be a real shame if we were so tense all the time that we let our guard down at the most important moment. .......


    As I sat down at the place where I had just sat, I was thinking about this, and something that had just occurred to me.


    "I mean,...... do owls sound like that?"


    And why did it fly from the bushes, or rather from the ground?


    I don''t know what a real owl sounds like, nor do I know its habits, but for some strange reason, it bothered me, and I stared casually at the dark forest where the owl had disappeared.

 69 - the 67th episode

    The next day, we were on our way to a nearby village to get some food to share.


    Aruk-san was walking with his horse a little behind, Burlyn, Amako and I in front of him, and I thought that our journey would continue as usual today, but ...... today was a little different.


    "......!"


    "Mister Amaco?"


    What''s wrong?


    Suddenly, Amaco puts his hands over his ears.


    I wonder if his beastly ears, which are so different from human ears, caught something. I, too, put my hands over my ears and focus my attention, trying to hear the distant voices.


    >


    A woman ...... No, a girl''s voice?


    I stop and listen more closely. Then there is a rustle in the trees and a voice that sounds like a scream...


    <>


    Usato!


    I know!


    You hear a girl scream for help, and you start to run.


    I don''t know what''s going on, but I know it''s an emergency. If we all move together, it will be too late, so I, the fastest, go ahead to help her. Amako and the others can come later.


    We climbed up the gentle slope surrounded by trees at full speed, and at the end of the slope, we saw several figures. I looked into the distance and saw a girl of about the same age surrounded by a group of people wearing tattered clothes.


    "There they are!"


    They don''t seem to have harmed her yet, but from the looks of the people around her, they don''t seem to be normal people. They have pale skin and lifeless eyes.


    If we don''t help them as soon as possible, we don''t know what they will do to us.


    Get down!


    I say to the girl who notices me running toward her and tries to call for help, and I throw the magic bullet I''ve created at her with all my might.


    The magic bullet flies straight at the man surrounding the girl and hits him directly, engulfing about two people and blowing them away.


    I reached the group while they were still in the air, and I took the girl in my arms and fell back at once to make sure she was safe and sound.


    "Are you okay?¡¡Are you hurt?


    Are you hurt? What happened to ...... that ...... just now?"


    A girl looks up at you with dazed eyes.


    She has shoulder-length brownish hair and beautiful amber eyes. She was frightened, so she gazes at me with moist eyes, and I gasp.


    "......!"


    I don''t know what happened, but I fell in love with her.


    I''m not the type to fall in love at first sight with a girl I just met. Am I losing my tolerance for normal girls because I''ve been involved with too many women with strange personalities?


    Shaking off the evil thoughts, I set the girl down on the ground.


    "Stay behind me. My friends will be here soon. ...... I''ll take care of these guys."


    Yes, yes. ......


    The problem is the group in front of me.


    They are not bandits by the looks of them, nor are they monsters of any kind.


    Their clothes are as tattered as a hobo''s, and their arms are slung over their heads. And lifeless eyes staring at you through the gaps in his bangs.


    So you''re a pervert. ....... There are perverts in every world, aren''t there?


    "Why did you try to attack her? ......


    Ignores attempts at dialogue.


    The ones who were hit by the healing magic bullets are standing up as if nothing happened.


    ...... threaten them.


    "Those guys are ........."


    "I don''t know what you were trying to do to this girl, but if you get any closer, you''re going to get your arm ripped off. If you don''t like it, tell me why you were going to attack this girl, and if anyone was planning to do it... be prepared, you scum."


    "......"


    "...... hmm?¡¡What is it now?


    "Nothing, nothing, nothing."


    When I turned around, I saw a girl with a pale face shaking her head.


    It seems that I had threatened not the group in front of me but the girl behind me.


    On the other hand, the group in front of me was not intimidated by my words, but instead came closer to me.


    "huh ......"


    Exhaling a sigh, I make the gasping girl back up and silently put healing magic in my fist.


    "Ugh!"


    "I can''t help it. ...... Don''t feel bad!¡¡You back off!


    Hi ...... yes!


    With an eerie roar, he grabs one of the perverts who attacked him by the arm and pulls him back as hard as he can, striking him in the gut with a fist covered in healing magic.


    He swings his fist lightly and punches the pervert five meters away. He slowly readjusts his outstretched fist as the pervert slams to the ground, rolls around, and goes limp and quiet.


    What do you think ......?¡¡It''s a gentle blow. It should be enough to knock him out.


    "What do you mean ......?"


    Behind me, there is a girl who is very upset, but I guess she is surprised at the power of my fist.


    I look at the guy I punched away, feeling a little sad that I''ve gotten used to that reaction.


    ......So hard, was he hiding a steel plate or something?¡¡Sorry to say, but it didn''t feel like hitting a person.


    Feeling the discomfort in his fist, he turns his attention to the rest of the guys ......, but is surprised to see the guy he punched get up with a slithering motion.


    "You''re up,......, you''re sturdy, aren''t you!"


    His abdomen is caved in!


    Why?¡¡I didn''t put that much power into it. And my healing magic can''t have worked.


    No, wait! How can you even stand up?


    Ugh!"""Ugh!"""


    "d*mn ......"


    The suspicious people who had been standing eerily still attacked us in numbers.


    Confused, I responded with my fists covered in healing magic, but they were all unusually hard and fragile. It is as if I am punching a tree trunk.


    Are these guys magic-incapable?¡¡Are they not human but some kind of creature?


    Either way..,


    "Healing punches don''t work: ......"


    "Geez!"


    I was shocked as I hit one of them who jumped at me with a healing punch.


    I never thought my technique would be blocked in such a way. .......


    An enemy whose healing magic doesn''t work, and can''t even be stunned.


    "I am ......


    "Ugh!"


    He kicks two of them together with a spinning kick, grabs the arm of one that tries to grab him from the side, and swings him around, knocking him to the ground.


    "What should I do? ......"


    "Aghaah!"


    As soon as he releases his grip on the arm, the magic bullet generated in his palm strikes the face of the other one that is attacking him from behind. New technique, Healing Eye Blindness, --- he delivers a fist to the target, who is blinded by a gentle blinding blow to the eyes with a healing magic bullet, and crashes it into a nearby tree.


    "...... no effect of healing magic can be seen, or ......."


    I watch them all get up in unison, sighing for the second time today.


    Healing Punch...... no, I didn''t think an attack with healing magic could be broken so quickly. What in the world are these guys? Are they some kind of race?¡¡Either way, it''s still creepy.


    "Why don''t you just hit him!¡¡Are you stupid, Usato?


    "No, I know, but... ......"


    "Geez!"


    Amako, who was knocked down to the ground by a suspicious person who jumped at her with a sword, yelled back at her, her breath coming in shaky gasps.


    I''m not obsessed with the healing punch, so there are plenty of ways to do it. The healing punch is just a punch that I can hit with a certain amount of force and the opponent will still be safe, so if you care about the opponent, you can just restrain him or knock him down.


    "You''ve done it again with a bang. ...... Usato-sama."


    "Yes. Huh..."


    I hear Mr. Aruk''s troubled voice when he sees the scene in front of him and exhale in relief.


    I have learned from fighting them that they are strong in arms but slow in everything else.


    They are not like demons or humans. They seem to me to be ravenous beasts, grunting and lashing out, just trying to get a bite of the prey in front of them.


    Who are these people?


    "......Usato-dono''s healing magic doesn''t work, and their bodies are in shambles,...... I''ve never seen them before, but perhaps they are--"


    Injured, but not bleeding, they get up again and again.


    Mr. Aruk looked at them and said one word, a name that could be applied to them.


    Zombie.


    It was the name of a famous monster in my former world.


    "Zombie, is it? ......"


    "A corpse that moves even after death. No matter what wounds it sustains, it continues to move, and although it is slow, it has a strength that exceeds the limits of humans.


    Demons, not humans.


    I know a little about zombies in this world. I know only from the text, but zombies as monsters are dead people who are summoned by a specific monster and controlled by it as a puppet.


    There is no such thing as infection and of course a scratch or a bite does not turn you into a zombie.


    "So, if this guy is a zombie, then there is a being somewhere controlling ......?"


    "Probably."


    Either way, it makes sense why healing magic doesn''t work. Since zombies are mediated by dead humans, it is only natural that healing magic that works on living creatures would not work on them.


    I release the healing spells on my limbs.


    No further healing magic is needed. The only thing left to do now is to sink them through purely physical combat.


    "Their effective means of attack are attacks with holy power, such as Kazuki-sama''s light magic, and..."


    Aruk-san, who had stepped in front of me, drew his sword and unsheathed it.


    A line of flame runs from the blade and strikes the zombie in front of me, causing it to burst into flames.


    This is a flame magic. He lit a magical flame at the tip of his sword and released it at the same time he drew his sword. ....... Cool, I guess this is what a stylish sword drawer looks like.


    While I was secretly admiring Aruk-san''s technique, the individual who was directly hit by the flames and the zombies around him changed their expressionless faces and started to moan as if they were shivering in fear.


    "Geez, ah......aaaah!"


    "They are weak against fire. Leave the rest to me."


    "...... please."


    The zombies'' faces are distorted with fear as they run away like spiders from the fire that Mr. Aruk has just unleashed.


    Are zombies vulnerable to fire because they are zombies? Well, they certainly felt like dead wood, so it can''t be helped that they are easily flammable. ......?


    "Well, anyway,...... Amako, is the girl all right?"


    "Yeah,...... I don''t think she''s hurt."


    "Guar."


    She turns around and asks Amako and Bulrin, who were protecting her, if the girl is safe.


    I mean, Amako, I knew you hide your face with a hood when you are dealing with people other than us. Well, it''s better that way in order not to cause unnecessary friction in the current situation.


    "Thank you for rescuing me from a dangerous situation ......, my name is Nair!¡¡Thank you for the ......!"


    "Oh, oh ......"


    The zombies are gone and the fear seems to have faded.


    Her dazzling smile made me involuntarily avert my gaze.


    "Are you the girl who lives in the nearby village?"


    "Yes."


    The girl who was almost attacked by a group of zombies, Nair.


    She is a resident of a nearby village, and she was in that situation when she encountered zombies outside the village in search of medicinal herbs, and we were lucky enough to save her and she survived.


    Now she wants to thank us for our help, so we are guiding her to the village.


    Surprisingly, this girl was not afraid of the Bulgarian people. The students in Lukvis were so scared of him that they would have been scared of us if they saw him, but Neah did not show any sign of fear, in fact she even smiled.


    ......They may have the audacity to go outside the village by themselves, and they may also have a lot more guts than we thought.


    Usato, you have great magic, don''t you?


    "Yeah?¡¡Great magic ......?"


    "I''ve never seen anyone who can make zombies fly so easily or make magic bullets fly so fast. Is it a physical strengthening type of magic?¡¡Or are you using the wind system to increase your speed?¡¡No, is it a rare magic of the gravity system?


    Is it correct to assume that I am being told that I am inhuman in a roundabout way?


    "Pfft......"


    Amaco, did you just laugh?


    Amako, who hides her face with the hood on her head and shakes her shoulders, glares at me once and smiles awkwardly at Mr. Nair, who turns his sparkling eyes on her.


    The smile that reminds me of innocence is too dazzling for my dirty mind. .......


    I''m a healer,......," he said.


    "......... is?¡¡Healing,wizard,...... but a healing wizard is not a magic that heals people,......"


    "So, that ...... earlier was usually solved with just fighting, so I didn''t use much magic."


    When I say this, Nair rolls her eyes. I guess she had no idea that the magic she was using was the healing magic that is said to have no other function than to heal.


    "I mean, ......, you just said ........."


    "It''s not hard to be surprised at all the magic-less meatballs ....... Usato is a brainy healing magician."


    Patience, I''m in front of Nair. ......... I''ll punish Amako later. .........


    "Ha-ha-ha, you''re right about him using magic in unconventional ways, but it''s true that many lives have been saved thanks to him."


    Nair came back to himself after Aruk-san''s exquisite follow-up and turned his head to look at me, perhaps thinking that he had been rude to me.


    "No!¡¡I was just surprised. I didn''t mean to make fun of you or anything!


    "Ummm...yes. I don''t mind.


    I reply to Nair, who is getting upset when she comes at me with a desperate look on her face. For some reason, I can''t make eye contact with this girl.


    She is not as curious as Inukami-senpai, nor as vivacious and cheerful as Uluru-san. If I had to say something, I would say that she reminds me of an abandoned puppy.


    At best, they are protective. At worst, it''s mocking.


    "Close, close, close."


    "What!¡¡I''m sorry. ......"


    Nair realizes that he was close enough to breathe on her, and takes about three steps backward, his face turning bright red. I felt the heat on my face as she did so.


    Hey, come on, you don''t think this is ...... a little...?


    "Hmph!"


    "Ugh!¡¡Amako, what the hell are you doing?


    "...... Usato will be cheated by a woman in the future. I''m sure of it."


    "Huh?


    What the hell is that?¡¡If someone else said that to me, I''d think it was jealousy, but if you said it to me, I''d be worried!¡¡Suddenly, Amako kicks me in the shin with her foot-knife, and I can''t hide my shudder at her words.


    "You''re too flirty. I can''t stand to watch it.


    "Oh, no, you don''t. I''m more interested in whether or not the fact that I''m being tricked is foreknowledge.


    "......"


    Why did you stop talking there?


    Nair smiles a little awkwardly, as if she has calmed down after seeing the exchange between me and Amako.


    "I haven''t met anyone outside of the village in a long time, so I might be a little excited.


    "You mean there haven''t been many visitors to the village in a long time?"


    A shadow appeared on Nair''s face at Mr. Arc''s words.


    After a moment of silence, Ms. Nair, who had been keeping her mouth shut, opens her mouth with a sad look on her face.


    "That''s right. ....... Zombies have started to appear and ...... we are also annoyed because of it."


    I certainly wouldn''t want to stop by a village with those creeps hanging around nearby. But then again, that would probably make life difficult for the merchants, too.


    I should have guessed that when such an ordinary girl comes to pick medicinal herbs by herself.


    I should have guessed that she went to pick medicinal herbs with reckless abandon. .......


    "Do you know why the zombies came out?"


    "...... No, we have no idea."


    You don''t even know why.


    If we knew who was responsible for the zombie outbreak, there would be a lot of things we could do.


    "We''re at ......."


    Nair''s words brought me back to myself as I looked ahead.


    I too looked ahead and saw the entrance to a small village with a few old houses. Although small, it was larger than I had expected, and looked more like a rural village in my former world.


    That''s where I was born and raised. That is the village of Iava.


    Nair''s face showed relief, perhaps because she was finally able to return to her village.


    A closer look around the village revealed that, unlike the Lingle Kingdom and Lukvis, the outer walls were only separated from the inside by a simple wooden fence, and the buildings did not look sturdy either, but rather like slightly old wooden structures.


    "Neah!


    An old woman came running toward us with a voice calling for Neah from the village. I looked at her, thinking that she was probably related to Mr. Nair, and she, like the woman, ran out of the place.


    "Tetra-san!"


    "Good. ....... We were very worried when you went silently out of the village. ......"


    An elderly woman gently hugs Ms. Nair.


    "I''m sorry, but ...... we are short of medicinal herbs. ......"


    "I''m fine with medicine. ....... I almost sent the young men of the village looking for it. Anyway, I''m glad you''re back safe. So, are those people back there ......?"


    "They are the ones who helped me when I was almost attacked by zombies. Gentlemen, this is Tetra. They are like my ...... parents."


    Nair breaks his embrace with the woman, turns his body toward us, and introduces us.


    Tetra looked at us suspiciously for a moment, but when she heard that we had helped Nair, she immediately returned to her kind face and bowed to us.


    Thank you so much for saving her. She is really a ballsy girl and it ...... must have been very hard for her. I don''t know how to thank you ......."


    "Hey, hey, Tetra-san!¡¡You''re talking about me in front of my guests!"


    She tries to stop him, her cheeks turning red as he talks about Nair in a sad tone.


    I was a little concerned about the word "parental figure" earlier, but after seeing their exchange, I thought it was nothing to be concerned about.


    "No, we''re just doing what we''re supposed to do!


    Oh, that line sounds so commonplace.


    Rather, I was surprised at myself for being able to say it so naturally, something I would like to say in real life.


    Let''s go into the village for now. Let''s talk about it first!


    "That''s true. The three of you, the ...... horse, and the blue grizzly bear''s kid, right?¡¡I think we should move those two horses to the stables in the village.


    We enter the village with Tetra and Nair.


    There were many villagers in the village, except for the two of them, who were tilling their fields or taking care of their horses and cows.


    As Mr. Nair had said, it was unusual for people to visit here, and the villagers paid attention to us as we entered the village.


    We are travelers. We would appreciate it if you could share with us some food and other things if possible. ......"


    "Don''t be shy. You look tired from your long journey. Why don''t you stay here for a day or so?"


    "No, I''m in a hurry. Besides, we don''t want to cause you any trouble.


    Tetra shakes her head slowly at Aruk''s words.


    Our task is to deliver letters to each country. We can''t be bothered for a day, no matter how much we thank him for his kindness. Mr. Aruk is right, our feelings are enough.


    It''s better to rest when you can. You have a small child. It is better to be well rested and fully prepared for the trip than to collapse and be stranded at the critical moment.


    "But ......"


    "Besides, you''d better accept the kindness of your old hag."


    Tetra smiles with a cheerful smile and Aruk smiles with a resigned smile.


    Nair, who is standing next to me, is also smiling.


    I guess age is always a strong factor no matter where you go in the world.


    "I''m a little kid...... little kid...... I''m fourteen years old......"


    Amaco is secretly shocked.


    Well, I''m so small that I don''t look like a 14 year old from the outside.


    .......


    "kookku......"


    "...... Usato, did you just laugh?"


    "No, no, I didn''t laugh at all."


    "......"


    Amako is amused as she punches him in the back without saying a word.


    I never forget the humiliation I have received at any time. ...... almost always!¡¡And I will return it when I can ...... only to those who can return it!


    I smile but sneer inwardly, and then Aruk-san speaks to me.


    "Usato-sama, she''s right that you''re tired from your trip, so I''ll let you stay with us for a day."


    "...... my healing magic can cure physical fatigue, but not mental ones."


    Even though I''m used to sleeping on the ground, it doesn''t mean I don''t get stressed.


    I feel a little sorry, but I''ll take advantage of Tetra''s and Nair''s kindness. I show my approval to Tetra, and she nods her head in satisfaction.


    "Good, good. Well then, first of all, let me show you where the two horses and the blue grizzly bear sleep.


    I''ve heard that good deeds can do more good than good deeds, and I may be wrong. I thought so when I saw Tetra-san with a kind smile on her face.


    After taking Bulrin and his horse to the stables, we were invited to the house where Nair and Tetra lived.


    The house was a large two-story wooden house, a bit spacious, and to my surprise there was enough room for the three of us to be assigned to different rooms.


    I was left with a strong impression of Nair''s slightly sad expression as she said this with a wry smile.


    We rested for a while in the private room we were led to, and when the sky was darkening, Nair visited our room and told us that dinner was ready.


    When I went downstairs with Alc and Amako, I found a table that could seat about six people with warm dishes prepared by Nair and Tetra.


    When Mr. Alk, myself, and Amako sat down in that order, Tetra, who was sitting in front of us, tilted her head and looked at Amako. She was still wearing a hood to cover her ears.


    "Well, why do you keep wearing the hood all the time, little girl ......?"


    "......"


    "...... Oh, ya ...... that''s ......"


    We''ve been together so long that I completely forgot that Amaco is a beast. Nair and Tetra tilt their heads in doubt as I and Aruk stiffen in front of the dining table.


    Amako, however, silently removes her hood.


    "Hey, Amako, you!


    Amako, with her glossy blond hair and fox ears exposed, looks at us in astonishment and shakes her head as if to say there is nothing to worry about.


    "They''ll be fine. I saw them."


    You saw? You had a premonition?


    When I hurriedly looked at Tetra and Nair, Tetra''s eyes widened slightly, and Nair held her mouth with her hands and looked even wider than Tetra''s.


    Anyone would be surprised if a girl with animal ears suddenly appeared in front of them!¡¡And you....


    "Ha ha ha ...... This is a surprise. I didn''t expect such a pretty girl to be hiding."


    "Yeah, yeah. ......"


    Tetra-san, who laughed with a lively smile, made an unintentional sound of dismay.


    "Humans and beasts are the same, the only difference is that we have tails or we don''t. I''m not so narrow-minded as to make a problem out of it, and above all, I''m not so ungrateful as to treat Nair''s benefactor with disdain."


    > he said, nodding at Tetra''s words.


    He is a bold person in many ways. I wonder if this kind of person is called aloof. Either way, it seems that Amako can spend her time without worrying too much while she is here.


    "I''m really surprised that you''re a beastman, Amako-san.


    Nair looks at Amako with an exclamation of "Wow! There is no malice in his eyes, and it is clear that he is looking at Amako with genuine interest.


    "When I came here, I thought Usato and Amako were very good friends. Now I see that they have a strange relationship. You don''t often hear of humans and beasts working together."


    "Well, I''m aware that it''s unusual."


    I''ve been called weird a lot in Lukvis.


    But from our point of view, your reactions are more unusual. I haven''t seen anyone who hates subhumans up close yet, so I don''t know how much they hate them, but I know that your friendly reactions are different from the others.


    "Let''s talk about it later and have dinner first. The hot meal we just made will get cold."


    "That''s true, too. Please enjoy your meal!


    The two of us extend our hands to our food as they recommend.


    The warm soup was very tasty since I had only eaten this cold dried meat and fruits. Tetra told me that N¨¦a had made this soup for me, and I knew that she would make a good wife for me in the future.


    ......, am I an old man?


    Thanks for the soup. It was very delicious.


    "No, no, you''re overreacting."


    When I finished eating and said this to Neah, who had cooked dinner for me, she turned her head down, her cheeks turning vermilion, as if she was not accustomed to being praised.


    ......It''s something I''m not used to. The first thing you need to do is to make sure that you have a good understanding of what you are doing and how you are doing it.


    There''s Rose, senpai, Kiriha...... and Kara too. All of them had some kind of strong part in them.


    "About those zombies, ......, when did they start appearing in this neighborhood?"


    "They are ......"


    While Ms. Tetra was cleaning up the dishes, Mr. Alk asked Ms. Nair about it.


    What is it about zombies that bothers you?


    Zombies are not naturally occurring monsters. They are monsters created by someone and their behavior is determined by their creator.


    "Mr. Alc?"


    "......"


    Mr. Alk talks to Ms. Nair, who has fallen silent as if in a deep thought, as if to ask her a question. I have no idea what Mr. Alc is trying to say, but I know that he is not the kind of person who would be harsh with a girl.


    I''ll just leave it to him and keep my mouth shut.


    "You really know, don''t you?¡¡Probably everyone in this village knows who created the zombies."


    "......"


    "Mr. Nair, I know you don''t want to involve us in this, but can I ask you something?"


    She was upset, and I realized what Mr. Aruk was trying to get out of her.


    At first, when I asked her about the zombies, she replied that she . But that was a lie out of her concern for us, she really knew who created the zombies and probably knew where they were.


    "...... and ......."


    I noticed that Nair, who was lying on his face, was spinning his words in broken sentences.


    Maybe if Mr. Aruk and I knew the truth, we might try to defeat him who created the zombies. ......No, I''m sure I would try to defeat him somehow or other even though I''m grumbling about it.


    I don''t want you to do that, Nair..,


    "Please help the village, help us ......."


    Her tearful voice pleading for help overlapped with Amako''s next to her.

 70 - the 68th episode

    The dark night sky is colored vermilion by the rising sun.


    The sun is the same in every world. It is one of the few things in common with the original world. While watching the scenery from the side, I was preparing for my morning training in front of Nair''s house.


    The reason why I was training early in the morning was because I had to go to bed early and wake up early for the trip, and I had an idea to do the training in the morning, which I would not be able to do during the trip.


    "......"


    After completing a few preparatory exercises, he approached a nearby tree and looked up at a leg-thick branch about three meters high. He taps it lightly with his fist to see if it is sturdy enough.


    Yeah, it looks fine.


    "Huh. ......"


    He lightly kicks up the trunk, grabs the branch above his head, and lifts himself up at once, hanging his legs on the branch and turning upside down. Then he starts doing sit-ups.


    This is the method of training that I have adopted after thinking that strengthening the muscles of the torso is indispensable from the future that Amako saw, but I am not sure if it is effective after all. But it is not meaningless.


    Besides, it has certainly given me a reason to devote myself to the training, even if I don''t mention Amaco''s prediction.


    "Help me ...... please ......?"


    As I repeat the sit-ups, I think about last night.


    I think of the mastermind behind the situation she mentioned and how we made our decision on the matter.


    I think about the way we made our decision on the issue.


    "Please help our village, help us ......."


    When she said this with tears in her eyes, the first emotion I felt was confusion.


    But that did not mean that I was surprised that the people living here were in such a desperate situation, but rather that I wondered if I should simply accept her words of <>.


    We are not traveling to help people. We are traveling for our country, for the people who live on this continent. If we help everyone on the road and fail to achieve our original goal, it will not be a matter of me alone taking responsibility.


    As the one in charge of the letter, I have to refuse her request for help.


    But as a member of the lifeguard team, a group that is in charge of saving lives, I have to save her and the villagers.


    "First, let me talk to you. First things first."


    Nair wiped her eyes and nodded.


    "The zombies appeared out of nowhere about two years ago. They came out of a cemetery on the outskirts of the village ...... where some of the villagers were buried and suddenly turned into zombies and came back to life."


    What about the zombies that came back?


    "They destroyed the village, injured many people, and then went out of ......."


    He suddenly appeared two years ago, which must be the time when the Demon King was resurrected. There might be some connection with the demon king''s awakening.


    And the zombies are from the people who died in this village.


    That''s in bad taste. Even if they need the corpses, it''s just bad taste to go to the trouble of using the corpses that the villagers would have given a good burial, and to let them destroy the village.


    "They''ve been attacking us and passing merchants and travelers without a second thought for a long time. It has made this village almost deserted and the fear of ...... when they might attack has taken the smiles off our faces."


    "What kind of behavioral principles do these zombies operate on ......?"


    I don''t know. I don''t know.


    Nea shakes her head as she crosses her arms thoughtfully at Aruk''s words.


    But then she spins the words < and turns her head to where the window is.


    "I know that the mastermind who is controlling them lives in a Western-style house a short distance from the village."


    Her gaze is directed toward the pitch-black darkness of the night, but beyond that is probably the Western-style house she is referring to.


    "But there are a lot of zombies roaming around the mansion day and night. And we can''t ...... take him down."


    "He?"


    The man who created all those zombies?


    Nair, who knew who we were calling him, looked around at the three of us and then opened his mouth as if he had made up his mind.


    Necromancer. The king of the dead, a demon who can control corpses, lives in a Western-style house."


    Necromancer.


    Also known as a necromancer, it is a demon that is as close to a person as possible. Their ability to resurrect the dead and use them as messengers makes them dangerous demons, capable of controlling not only humans, but also subhumans, beasts, and even corpses.


    The main characteristics of Necromancers are their great magical power and their ability to control the dead at will.


    I let out a sigh for the umpteenth time today as I briefly summarize Aruk-san''s explanation in my mind.


    "Of course these people will have a hard time against a necromancer. The zombies that are now roaming around with their prescribed orders would be a very troublesome opponent if they were led and attacked by a Necromancer, a leader.


    "Mr. Aruk, how strong is the necromancer himself?"


    "The body is not so strong. But the strength of necromancer is group battle. Zombies are pawns that can keep moving as long as they can function. Even though I am a fire magician, my magical power is not infinite, so I am sure that I will be at a disadvantage in a prolonged battle.


    ...... In short, the generals in chess are necromancers, and the infantrymen who never fall are zombies.


    They are a pain in the ass. We don''t know how many zombies there are.


    I had no idea that I would have to deal with such a dangerous monster as a necromancer, though I could have dealt with bandits and thieves in any number of ways. If we were to focus on a long term battle, we could take out the zombies little by little and finally defeat the necromancer, but we can''t stand still for long. A solution in a short period of time is not likely.


    "The ......"


    "Hmm?"


    Mr. Nair, who had remained silent, approached me.


    "I still like ......."


    "Okay?"


    We''re fine. Usato and his friends saved us once from a dangerous situation, and now we are asking for their help again. ....... So, no more."


    I can feel my cheeks twitch as she says this in a somber, broken voice.


    I can''t leave her alone. ....... If she says that to me with such a despairing look on her face and I say yes, I''ll be crushed with guilt.


    When I tried to talk to Mr. Aruk to ask for his judgment, he opened his mouth faster than that.


    The decision is yours. You have the right to make the decision and I will follow it.


    It''s my decision. .......


    It is natural that Mr. Aruk''s position as an escort would lead him to do so, but it is difficult to say.


    Do you have a chance?


    "In a sense, yes. But it is essential for Usato-dono and Amako-dono to play an active role. ......"


    Me and Amako?


    I don''t know why it''s that combination, but if there''s a chance of winning, I might give it a try.


    But before that, we need to confirm Amako''s intention too. .......


    "What do you think Amako should do?"


    "......I''ll go along with whatever Usato decides. But I would like to help her.


    You say you want to obey, yet you want to help. .......


    I get glances from both sides and let out a sigh.


    I look ahead and see Nair anxiously awaiting my words. Abandonment is not an option here. If I abandon her now, I will regret it for the rest of my life.


    "Nair-san, does this necromancer have any effect on physical attacks?"


    What?¡¡Well, it has substance, so I think it will ...... work.


    My only concern is gone.


    I look at Nair and raise my hands to chest level and clench my fists.


    "If I can beat him, I can beat him. Let''s just get rid of this annoying necromancer and leave this village in peace.


    I don''t feel good about letting a demon with a bad taste run wild, using the buried people as puppets and putting the village in danger.


    Nair''s mouth curled into a smile at my words. The situation in the village was so urgent that it worried me to see him trembling with emotion.


    "Thank you, thank you, ....... I''ve been anxious ...... and scared ......."


    "Oh, don''t cry, don''t cry."


    It''s okay to be happy, but please don''t cry.


    With a trembling voice, I call out to her, puzzled, as she restrains her hands to hide her face.


    "I''ve heard your story."


    "......!¡¡Mr. Tetra."


    Tetra came into the room wiping her hands.


    Nair''s eyes are red and swollen, and she looks at Tetra, who is sitting next to her.


    "It seems that things have been progressing while I was gone, but I''ve got the general gist of it. Thank you. Thank you ...... for trying to help not only this girl but also us strangers, but we can''t leave it to you alone either.


    What do you mean?


    I had thought that Aruk, myself, Amako and Bulrin would support us, but Tetra didn''t seem to want us to be the only ones doing it.


    When I asked her back, she looked up and smiled softly.


    "Tomorrow, I''ll go to the village head and ask him to help the young people of the village to defeat the monsters that live in that dreary house," she said. ......Well, the more the merrier, don''t you think?"


    Yes, the more people we have, the more successful the operation will be.


    If we can get the cooperation of the villagers, the success rate of Mr. Aruk''s plan will increase.


    However, zombies and necromancers. This is quite a dangerous journey for a stopover village.


    The first time I went to the village, I was surprised to see the zombies.


    After that, we returned to our rooms and rested.


    As for me, I was able to rest on a soft bed for the first time in a long time, which helped me to get rid of a lot of fatigue from the trip, and Amako was able to rest without worrying about her beastman status, so it was honestly a good decision to take advantage of Nair''s and Tetra''s kindness.


    I thanked them both inwardly and continued my training.


    "Hu...... Hu...... Hu...... Hu...... Hu...... Hu...... Hu...... Hu...... Hu...... Hu......


    As for me, I want to be as prepared as I can be, since I have to deal with the troublesome necromancer.


    For now, it''s muscle training.


    Relentless training will never betray you.


    Deep, fast, and hot, I will continue to train my body for the results that lie beyond fatigue and strain.


    "Am I too much into training, or am I ......?"


    Well, it''s a little late for that now, isn''t it?


    Dozens of minutes of repeated sit-ups and healing spells without a break.


    When my body has warmed up just right, I climb down from the tree and stretch slowly.


    "Yeah, ......, it''s a lot brighter now."


    I noticed that my surroundings had become much brighter and I had a clear view of the entire village, which I had not paid attention to until yesterday.


    "It looks like a peaceful village. ......"


    It was an ordinary village with no rough spots.


    But there are people who are putting this peaceful village in danger.


    ...... No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.


    "Well, let''s do it."


    After taking a deep breath, he jumps again to the branch overhead and tries to do another pull-up, this time with only one arm... but he sees someone peering at him from behind a door, so he drops to the ground.


    Who could it be at this early hour? As I tilted my head and turned toward the door, they must have noticed that I was aware of their presence, because they opened the door and appeared.


    "Mr. Nair?"


    "I''m sorry. ......"


    It was Ms. Nair who came out.


    Why is it so early in the day for her to .......


    "Oh, sorry. Did I wake you up?"


    "Oh, no!¡¡I usually wake up at this time too, so I noticed that you weren''t in your room, so I went to ......."


    "Ha-ha-ha. Calm down. I know what''s going on."


    So you noticed me training outside and were watching.


    I guess, from her personality, she didn''t know when to call out to me, so she couldn''t get out of the room, right?


    She took a deep breath and calmed herself down, then looked at me and spoke to me in a curious manner.


    "Do you always work out?"


    "Yes, I do."


    "Well, I''m sorry if I''m wrong. Usato-san, are you moving your body and exercising healing magic at the same time?"


    "Well, not exactly."


    At the beginning I did, but not recently.


    After the arrival of the Demon Lord''s army, we changed our policy a little and decided not to use healing magic when we are forging.


    "Healing magic can cure fatigue, so it''s good that I don''t get tired at all, but it''s not efficient to use healing magic after I''ve applied a load. Besides, it''s not worth training."


    "So you''d like to ......?"


    We don''t use healing magic for normal training, but when the limit is reached, we reapply the healing magic and repeat the process again.


    It''s like destruction and rebirth all over again, isn''t it?¡¡It sounds a little too cool.


    "When you feel you''ve reached your limit, cast healing magic, and when you feel you''ve reached your limit again, cast healing magic, and repeat the cycle."


    "I never thought I''d use healing magic like that. ............ is so inhuman. ......"


    "Hmm?"


    I asked her, and she waved her hand and said it was nothing.


    I heard her voice that I shouldn''t have. Was that really her voice?¡¡Is she actually a hard person with a quiet face?¡¡......I try not to think about it.


    I try to keep my composure so that she doesn''t realize how upset I am inside.


    "By the way, what country are you from, Usato-san?


    "What?¡¡Where are you from?


    There is no way I can say, "I''m from another world.


    Unlike Kiriha and the others, with whom I could trust each other to some extent, it would be better not to tell her about my involvement in the summoning to another world, since I had just met her yesterday.


    The Kingdom of Lingle.


    "It''s not far from here ......, but why travel?¡¡I know you''re heading to Samariar from the fact that you tried to pass through here, but you don''t look like a merchant or ......."


    "Hmm."


    I don''t know where to go with this: .......


    For now, I don''t need to tell you about Amaco''s premonition and your mother. Then, it would be enough to tell them that I am traveling to deliver a letter to the Demon Lord''s army to let them know of the danger they are in.


    I will explain briefly about the battle against the Demon Lord''s army and my subsequent assignment to deliver the letter, as well as what happened in Lucvis.


    Of course, I have left out my story.


    "It''s quite a journey, isn''t it ......?"


    "Yes, it is. But we still have to do it. After all, if we do nothing, not only our country but the entire continent may be endangered by the Demon King.


    "The Demon King, a being defeated by a hero long before I was born. ......"


    Before I was born? ...... hundreds of years ago, so it''s not surprising that I wasn''t born.


    But I wonder what kind of heroes Senpai and Kazuki were before they were born. I only know that he was a legendary person who defeated a demon king, but I wonder how strong he was.


    I wonder how strong he was. He''s just a fairy tale now, so I guess there''s no way to know.


    "And the demon tribe is ...... terrifying to think that they will attack us in large numbers."


    "Even the demons aren''t as scary as you might expect when you meet them, you know?¡¡I mean, the demons we have in our care are just a bunch of loser hicks.


    Come to think of it, I wonder how he will react when he meets Nack.


    I wonder if he''s going to snub him like he''s a senior. ...... Nack is also a serious guy, so I wonder if he''s going to respond to him in a normal way and get carried away. I can imagine him losing his dignity when Rose threatens him.


    I laugh at the thought.


    "So you know not only beastmen like Amako-san, but also demon people? I don''t mean to be rude, but I thought it was unusual.


    "I''m aware of that. From the moment I started working for the Commander, or rather my master, I''ve been like a rare animal."


    I''m getting sad to hear myself say that.


    What a rare beast. .......


    "But I envy you."


    "...... envy?"


    While I was secretly depressed, Mr. Nair looked at the distant scenery with a troubled expression on his face.


    Hmm?¡¡What''s going on?


    "I have lived here since I was born. I''m so used to seeing this scenery that I''m tired of it, and I know every face and number of people in the village. Therefore, only people from outside can tell me things that I don''t know. They satisfy my thirst for knowledge and my curiosity. ......"


    "Didn''t Tetra-san tell you?"


    She seems to have a lot of life experience.


    She giggled at my words, looked at me with eyes that did not smile at all, and opened her mouth emotionlessly.


    "......Tetra-san has taught me countless important things since I can remember, since she found me without my parents. But even that has its limits. Knowledge is a treasure that continues to overflow in this world. ....... You have an important mission, but you are free to live in the outside world. That''s why I envy you ......."


    "............"


    Oh, heavy.


    After Nack, Nair too. I''m not a counselor, so how come I get to know people who have problems?


    I mean, he came out to me that he hasn''t had parents since he can remember, and now he''s jealous of me.


    Is this the mindset of a young man who wants to escape from the countryside?¡¡What the hell do you want from me?¡¡Healing magic can''t heal a broken heart, can it?


    "Oh, ......, I''m sorry for saying such a strange thing!¡¡You didn''t do anything wrong, Usato. ......


    No, I was too insensitive. I''m sorry."


    She comes to her senses, turns slightly pale, and bows her head deeply, and I apologize to her.


    It is the most awkward thing ever. ......It''s all the necromancer''s fault, since the zombies he controls are the reason why people don''t come from outside anymore.


    "...... then I''ll continue my training."


    "Yes, yes."


    She seemed to have breakfast to prepare as well, so she bowed to me once more and walked quickly back toward her house.


    "Knowledge, huh?"


    As I watched her back, I muttered something like that.


    It is true that there is no space in this village where one can study with satisfaction. For her, even the small talk of travelers and merchants must have been information to learn about the outside world.


    It was not easy to say to her, "Why don''t you go outside?


    She was a girl, about the same age as me. It was too irresponsible to ask her to go outside alone where she might encounter bandits and monsters.


    "Well, the first problem is the necromancer..."


    I muttered to myself as I jumped up again to the branch above me and resumed my training.


    At noon, Tetra had arranged for me and Aruk to be invited to the house of the village chief, the leader of the village.


    Since Amako had to cover her head with a hood every time she went out in public, she was staying at home with Nair, and this discussion was to be held with me, Alc, Tetra, the village chief, and a man who looked like a young man from the village, a total of five people.


    Perhaps Tetra had told him in advance that we were trying to defeat the necromancer, but the discussion began without much explanation..,


    "......We appreciate the offer, but ...... honestly, we don''t agree to let you fight that demon."


    The village headman, an old man with a big beard, said this with a sullen expression on his face.


    "Why is that?"


    "Because if we are not careful, the necromancer will destroy our village. And above all, I do not know how strong you are.


    You don''t want to make things worse by accidentally messing with them.


    What do you say, Mr. Alc?¡¡I looked at Mr. Aruk with a sideways glance, and he began to speak in a soft tone with his hand on the sheath of his sword, as if he had anticipated what the village head would say.


    "I am good at fire magic, which zombies are not good at. And since Usato-dono next to me has the physical ability to unilaterally overrun a group of zombies by himself, I would say that he surpasses even the most skilled wizards in terms of combat power alone.


    "You can get that zombie to ......!"


    "A girl like this could take a zombie and turn it into a one-sided ......"


    Mr. Aruk, I don''t think ...... overrun is a good way to put it. It''s not wrong, but it''s the wrong word.


    You see, the chief and the guy behind me are staring at me with their eyes peeled off. .......


    "Tetra, is it true what they say?"


    "I didn''t see it, but I heard that Nea was watching them."


    "...... I don''t think that girl would lie. ......"


    The village chief folds his arms and groans at Tetra''s words.


    "Hmmm, how are you ...... going to defeat the necromancer?"


    "It''s a diversion."


    Diversion?


    Yes, I''ll take on the zombies as a decoy while Usato-sama and his other friend will get through the zombie net. Once we infiltrate the Western-style house undetected, we will defeat the necromancer as soon as we find him. ...... is the plan.


    A surprisingly simple plan.


    Yet simple enough to be easy.


    "Is it that easy to get into that mansion ......?"


    That''s all right. I have a friend who has excellent detection magic.


    Amaco''s magic can help here: .......


    She can easily get through the security hole with her precognition, and she has some idea of the movements of the zombies in the house.


    Then, I could just give the necromancer, who is looking for a diversion, a good whack in the back and that would be the end of it.


    What do you think?¡¡I think it''s a strategy with a good chance of winning. ......?"


    "......"


    The village head fell silent for a while at Mr. Aruk''s words, but after about ten seconds of silence, he opened his mouth.


    "We were helpless. ....... We were powerless to defeat the necromancers or even the zombies, and if we did defeat the zombies, the next time they retaliated in large numbers, causing many injuries. ......"


    "......retaliation......"


    "And the zombies have ...... our parents and friends. It''s hard to deal with them. ....... But even more terrifying is the fact that after I die, my dead body will attack my grandchildren, my son, my wife, my friends, and the villagers I have been protecting.


    "Village Chief: ......"


    The village people in the background look somber at the somber voice of the village chief.


    It must be quite scary ...... to have your body attack people you know after you die. And this man is holding a zombie that maybe ...... he knew.


    "I''m sick of it. I can''t let that monster do what it wants any more....... The dead should rest in peace. Usato, Aruk, I''m begging you. Let me help you."


    "I hope not. But if you are in danger, please pull back."


    The village head puts his hands on the table and bows deeply.


    I know. ...... must be tough to have to fight with the corpses of people you knew and treated like dolls. The necromancer''s ability is in bad taste.


    Now, assuming we can get the cooperation of the village, I have one thing on my mind.


    "Mr. Aruk, when are you going to sneak into the house?"


    "No, it''s better to break in at night because zombies are more active during the day. Besides, the darker it is, the easier it will be for Usato-dono to sneak in.


    After dark. While the chances of being found by zombies are reduced, there is no guarantee that they will never find you.


    And a Western-style house is a staple of horror stories. Even if you know in advance that a necromancer has taken up residence there, you still have to be afraid.


    "So the attack is tonight?"


    Yes.


    The village headman turned back to the villagers behind him when he saw Mr. Alc nodding.


    "Talk to the men in the village. "Tell the men of the village that we are going to defeat the hated necromancer tonight. But do not force them. Call only those who are ready to fight. Of course, you are no exception.


    "Yes, but the chief is ......"


    "I, as head of the village, will see them fight."


    "............ understand. I''ll go talk to the others!"


    The villagers nodded at the mayor''s words, bowed to him, and ran outside.


    Now we have the cooperation of the villagers. All we have to do now is to be ready for the night. .......


    He looks out the window. Although the forest blocks the view from here, there is a mansion where a demon who controls the dead lives. The way is blocked by a large number of zombies, all of them strong-armed and very stubborn.


    "Wait for me, Necromancer!"


    Leave the zombies to Mr. Aruk and the villagers. Me and Amako... we''re going to beat up the dastardly necromancer.


    He brushes his bangs back in a warlike but superficially nonchalant manner.


    "......What a formidable ...... figure."


    "You really look like Rose. That''s exactly what I''m talking about, Mr. Usato.


    I wondered what they thought when they saw me, the village chief cowering and Aruk-san''s voice cracking with fear.


    What''s with the "reliable look" and the resemblance to Rose?


    I don''t look that scary ...... maybe.

 71 - sixty-nineth episode

    At night, the daylight fades and the forest is shrouded in darkness.


    There is no moonlight, perhaps because the moon is hidden by clouds. Normally, the absence of moonlight, the only source of light, would make me feel gloomy, but tonight is different. It is the perfect time to take down the necromancer.


    I, Amako, and Ark were waiting for the chief and the others at the entrance of the forest, and I was frankly surprised to see him and the people behind him.


    "I didn''t expect such a large gathering."


    A dozen men with farming tools and old swords, led by the village chief, came nervously toward us.


    "They didn''t think the situation was that good," said the chief. But we didn''t have the courage to face it alone. It is thanks to you that we were able to show our will to fight like this.


    I was embarrassed by the village head''s words, but I was also more determined.


    Even if I could get the cooperation of the villagers, if I failed to defeat the Necromancer, the Necromancer''s anger would be directed directly at the villagers.


    In that case, I have no choice but to crush the limbs of the roaming zombies and block their movements, though it pains me to do so. Since Mr. Aruk''s magical power is limited, I have no choice but to take the initiative.


    Besides..,


    "Chief, I''m late to tell you this, but I''m good at recovery magic. So please bring the injured to me after you defeat the necromancer. I can heal them immediately.


    "Thank you, Usato-dono ...... for your concern."


    Since we can''t reveal that he is a healing magician before the battle, we will go as far as to say that he is good at recovery magic.


    The village chief''s face is filled with a sense of relief, knowing that even if someone is injured, there is someone who can heal them. After the conversation between the chief and me was over, Mr. Aruku started talking to the chief and the men in the village behind us.


    I guessed that he was explaining to them about tonight''s mission. Mr. Aruk, who knows how to act in a group because of his position as a knight, is a reliable person.


    As I was watching them with this thought in my mind, Amako, her head completely covered by a cloak, looked up at me and spoke to me.


    "Usato, are you taking Bulrin with you?"


    "I''m sorry, but he''s not staying with us tonight because I know he''ll scare the villagers if I tell them he''s one of ours," said Amako. I''m sorry, but I''m not going to be home tonight.¡¡I''m counting on your magic today."


    "Not at all. Besides, I have good night vision, so I can be counted on in the dark.


    "Ha-ha-ha, that''s great."


    Even though I am accustomed to the darkness of Lingle, I cannot navigate in total darkness without losing my way. In this respect, the eyes of Amako, the beastman, are truly dependable.


    "This is our first time fighting together, but I think I can work well with you."


    "......Yes. It''s my first time."


    What, is he nervous?


    Usually he would say


    ......I''m going to make a joke to relieve some of the tension.


    "Well, from what I''ve heard about the necromancer''s ability, I don''t think he''ll be too much trouble, but if you''re ever in a pinch..."


    "What if?"


    I''ll put you on my back.


    "Huh?"


    I''ve never heard you sound so cold.


    I waved my hand to the side and held up my index finger, explaining to you in great detail what "my idea of today''s sorcery" is.


    You predict, I move and attack. It''s simple, but I think it''s an unbeatable combination.


    "......"


    "To do that, I need you to concentrate on the prediction. If you can only predict for a short moment while moving, I can carry you and take the role of moving for you. Then you tell me what the enemy will do next, what to do, and how to move.


    "......"


    "With reflexes and foreknowledge, you anticipate your opponent''s actions at once and strike the best blow. In other words, if you and I work together, we will be the best.


    "......"


    "...... sorry."


    Amako looks up at me expressionlessly from behind her hood and freaks me out.


    I can''t see his face, so his eyes, which are shining so brightly, stand out in my mind and frighten me. I silently turned my face away from him.


    I am very curious that the top of her head, which is her ear, is moving.


    "Usato-san!


    "Hmm?"


    Suddenly, a voice calls me.


    I turn my head and see Nair running toward me. The faint light from the house and the torches of the villagers make it look somewhat brighter, but it is still dark.


    She came running up to me at a steady pace, looking at me as she caught her breath,


    "Ew!"


    ---He suddenly hugged me.


    The sudden embrace, which I did not expect, made me go beyond being nervous, and I became calm and asked for help.


    However, while Aruk-san, the village chief, and half of the villagers ......, or rather adults in their thirties and forties, look at me smiling, the other half, young people in their twenties, look at me with a resentful gaze.


    And Amako looks up at me and exclaims, "I''m not going to let them get away with this.


    "......"


    This is not my role. .......


    It''s the role of Kazuki and the others. This situation is so incomprehensible that I don''t even have time to feel it anymore. I mean, why did she suddenly hug me?


    There is no such a thing as a sweet story that she fell in love with you because of the suspension bridge effect. The situation in this village is not the time to have such a flirtatious feeling, and moreover, it is unthinkable that she would have more than affection for me after knowing me for only a day.


    Even if it''s love at first sight, it''s just a passing fancy. It is not the kind of feeling she would have for me, who has to leave.


    For now, I grab her shoulders and release her arms around my back.


    I try to keep the feeling of regret in my heart.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll be fine."


    "......... what?"


    What''s with that reaction?


    Her eyes widen in confusion, but I don''t care.


    "I will defeat the necromancer who is tormenting the people of this village. I will save this village, its inhabitants, and the corpses being controlled by the necromancer. So please wait here in peace.


    "Thank you ............... for ....... Really, you have done so much for us ......."


    For some reason, Mr. Nair was upset by my words and bowed his head several times, then moved a little further away from me.


    On the one hand, I felt that it would be a terrible thing if my senpai found out about our embrace, but on the other hand, I felt that I had done a very regrettable thing.


    In fact, I have been beaten up, kicked in the legs, and abused by women, but I have never been treated in such a gentle manner by a hugger.


    Thinking about it any longer makes me tear up at what Rose has done to me, so I turn to Mr. Alc and the village headman and ask them to leave.


    "Mr. Aruk. It''s time for us to leave."


    "...... I see. Is everyone ready?


    Mr. Aruk said, and the villagers raised their torches in a brave voice.


    The spirits are high. All we have to do now is to defeat the hated necromancer.


    We didn''t run into any zombies along the way, to the point of being eerie.


    I don''t know if they''re concentrated around the house or if they''re just scattered around and left to their own devices.


    But we were able to get close enough to the house to be able to see it without anyone getting hurt. The house had an eerie presence, and I could see a few zombie-like figures around it. It is probably safe to assume that there are more of them lurking around than can be seen.


    Aruk-san, who was walking at the front with a torch, stopped and turned to me and Amako.


    "Let''s split up here. We will attract the zombies from the front of the building and you two will try to break into the building.


    I understand. Let''s go, Amako.


    "Yeah."


    "Be careful, Mister Usato."


    "The chief and everyone else, please take it easy."


    Amako and the chief and the people of the village see us off, and we walk out of the cleared road into the dark wooded area with the trees.


    It''s dark, after all.


    "Amako, lead the way."


    "Yeah. ...... so we don''t get separated, okay?"


    I know, I know.


    I remove my cloak and follow Amako in front of me, clenching my fists so that I will be ready to intercept the zombies no matter when we encounter them.


    "Usato, stop!"


    Amako''s voice was subdued as she stopped her legs and bent down.


    A few seconds later, you hear a rustling in the bushes nearby, and then a zombie passes by with a grunt.


    If it hadn''t been for ...... Amaco, we would have definitely found him.


    Foreknowledge is a powerful thing after all.


    >


    The loud voices of men can be heard coming from behind us.


    Looking behind us, we see the light of several torches a short distance away from the entrance of the Western-style house, and the men of the village and Mr. Alc shouting to inspire us.


    Hearing their voices, the zombies that had been passing nearby turned their eyes towards Mr. Alc and the others, and headed towards them, moving sluggishly like canaries attracted by the light.


    "...... I see that Mr. Arck and the others have started a diversion."


    "Let''s take this opportunity and keep moving."


    So far, so good.


    Now it''s up to me and Amaco.


    We resume our movement with renewed vigilance. We go around to the back of the building, make sure the zombies can''t see us, exit the woods, and approach the window.


    I put my hand on the window without making a sound, and it opens without any resistance.


    ...... seems to be unlocked.


    I don''t know how to say this to a monster, but you''re being careless.


    It could be a trap, but we don''t have a choice but to back out now. Once we''re in it, we''re in it.


    I enter the house with Amako.


    The room we enter is unnaturally clean, and the cleanliness of the room makes us feel eerie.


    "...... There are some of them..."


    From outside the room, the distinctive roar of zombies can be heard not far away. I approach the door and motion for Amako to make a premonition under my breath.


    "They''re not right outside. Outside the door is a hallway. It''s very wide, but I walked down it and found a turn ......."


    There''s a wide hallway outside, and if you try to go on from there, you''ll run into them around the corner.


    I''d really like to avoid that, but I don''t want to get into trouble later.


    "Okay, then, let''s neutralize him quickly and move on.


    He walks over to the window and pulls off the dusty curtains. He slings it over his shoulder, approaches the door again, and puts his hand on the doorknob.


    It''s very painful now that I know ...... where the zombies are coming from, but I have to do it.


    "Amako, tell me when they''re coming."


    "...... will take care of it."


    They nod to each other and open the door at the same time. Amako instructs them to move toward the corner of the corridor.


    If we know that there will be no zombies by this point, we can take drastic action. They will lie in ambush at the corner and wait for Amako''s instructions.


    "Usato, now."


    As soon as she said those words, I leapt out of the corner without hesitation and slammed two unarmed fists into the shoulders of the zombie whose eyes met mine.


    To keep it from blowing away, I stomped down on one of its floating legs as hard as I could, and swung my leg like a reaver, breaking both knees.


    Finally, he wraps the curtain around his shoulders and wraps it around his mouth to disable him.


    Below me lay a zombie, its limbs shattered, its mouth sealed shut when it tried to scream, and unable to do so.


    "...... don''t be so sure!"


    Amako, her face pale from the momentary occurrence, said to me.


    I just hit him with my eyes, held him down with my toe, and broke his knee with a kick, that''s all.


    I can ............ do that, you know.


    "I couldn''t see him at all. One minute the zombie was blown off his shoulders and the next he was on the ground with a broken leg. I thought Usato had finally knocked the zombie down with his spirit. ......"


    "What kind of super creature do you think I am ......?¡¡Hahaha, it''s just that you have eyes and a body to go with my image, that''s all. Hahahaha."


    Ugh," he says, lifting up the zombie lying on the floor while watching Amako''s mouth twisted sideways.


    It''s true that even a living person can do this if they want to incapacitate a zombie without mercy or restraint. Halfa-san can probably do the same thing. But that doesn''t mean I''d ever seriously hit a human ...... probably.


    I throw the tied up zombie into a nearby room and resume my search inside the building.


    Oh, I''m not much of a ...... fighter at all.


    The inside of the house is much larger than I had expected, and the security is surprisingly sparse.


    We haven''t seen any zombies since our first encounter.


    However, the fact that the building has been cleaned up to some extent suggests that someone has done the cleaning.


    "Well, whoever lives here seems to have a hobby of collecting antiques."


    He is amazed as he taps his fist on the armors neatly displayed at the end of the hallway.


    I would not have reacted this way if there had been a line of the same type of armor. The ones in front of us now are all different in design, and they all have swords, morning stars, and.......,


    "And what''s this ...... called a halberd?¡¡A normal person can''t even hold a weapon this big."


    A spear with an axe blade that is well over my height.


    The armor that holds the halberd is also quite large, measuring two meters in length.


    There is absolutely nothing in common between them in terms of armor and weapons. While I was walking down the aisle with the misguided impression that it looked like a museum, Amako, who was looking at the armor, suddenly opened her mouth.


    "I don''t think it''s that old. I''ve seen armor like that before when I was traveling."


    This means that they are not antiques, but rather relatively new items that have been placed here for some reason.


    Is the lack of uniformity in the shape of the armor simply the taste of the owner of this house, or...?


    "I wonder if it has something to do with that ...... rumor that Aruk-san mentioned ......."


    Strange disappearances that have not happened in the last few years.


    If the mysterious rumors about the sudden disappearance of talented people have something to do with the scene in front of us, then the disappearances and everything else could be the work of a necromancer.


    But there is one thing that doesn''t make sense.


    Why didn''t Mr. Nair and the villagers tell us about it ......?"


    Of course, this is assuming that the villagers know about the rumors.


    At least if there had been disappearances in this area a few years ago, the villagers living here would associate them with the work of necromancers. But from what I''ve heard, they don''t seem to know anything about that.


    ...... if I''m overthinking this.


    "Wait."


    "...... what''s wrong?"


    "There''s a room up ahead with a light. ......"


    As I was walking down the corridor, Amako stopped me unexpectedly and said something like that.


    A room with a light. Is it time to face the necromancer at last?¡¡As I walked cautiously down the path, I saw a door with a light leaking through the crack.


    Is there a Necromancer inside?


    "No. ......"


    Amako reacts puzzled, as if she had seen what was going on in the room.


    Did he sense it?¡¡While Amako continues her prediction, she approaches the door and opens it.


    The first thing he sees is a small light of a magical tool and..,


    "What the ......?


    The books are spread out like a library, almost reaching the ceiling.


    Upset by the sheer volume of books, too many for a private individual to own, he enters, walks up to where the grimoire is placed, and picks up one of the piles of books.


    The book is brownish all over, and when he turns it over, the title of the book catches his eye.


    "The Records of the Brave Men of Ka......gui."


    The first author''s name is illegible, but it seems to be a book, or rather a notebook, about a brave man.


    The author probably does not refer to Senpai and Kazuki, but to the previous generation of brave men. Intrigued, I open the notebook.


    He carefully rolls up the fragile pages, which look as if they might crumble if handled roughly, but most of the pages are worm-eaten in places, so he cannot read them well.


    "Can''t you read it? ....... I mean, it''s hard to read what you can read just by looking at the pages.


    As he was about to close his notebook, a sentence caught his eye and he stopped his hand.


    It is a sentence written in large letters in an unnatural blank space in the center of the page.


    ---He hated men and loved us.


    He means the brave man, right?¡¡So he hated man and loved some other ...... race?¡¡I have no idea. I don''t even know if what is in this book is true or not.


    But I''m curious, so I''ll take it with me.


    With a slight feeling of avoidance, he puts the book in his hand into the breast pocket of his coat. You feel guilty, even though you are dealing with a necromancer. .......


    You casually pick up another book and look through it.


    But..,


    "Huh?¡¡I can''t read it. ...... that''s weird."


    Unlike the previous notebook, there is nothing written on the cover or spine of this ...... suspiciously black book.


    In the first place, when we are summoned to this world, we are supposed to be enchanted to understand languages. And at least I can read and write, but I can''t read the words in this book.


    When I look through other books, I can read them normally.


    This means that there is something wrong with this book.


    "Amako, can you read this?


    "Hmm?¡¡What is this?"


    He gives the book to Amako, who has been concentrating on the prediction.


    Amako immediately opens the book and looks through it, but the next moment her eyes widen and she looks at me in disbelief. I wondered if she had found something strange, and when I called out to Amako, who was obviously reacting in an unusual way, she opened her mouth in a slightly trembling voice.


    "You''re lying ...... Usato, this is a book on ...... witchcraft."


    "...... witchcraft?¡¡You can read that?"


    I replied in a voice that was so unfamiliar to me in this world that I couldn''t help but sound dumbfounded.


    "No, I can''t read it. But because I can''t read it, I know it''s a book on witchcraft."


    "How did Amaco know it was that ...... book on witchcraft?"


    "I saw one once in the archives back home and it''s ...... just like that one. ...... Usato, it''s right that you can''t read it."


    Unreadable is right?


    What do you mean?¡¡I don''t think anyone can understand that, can they?


    "Usato, this is not good. Maybe the Necromancer is a demon who deals in magic."


    "...... Is that bad?"


    "It''s not that bad. ......"


    Her impatience makes me realize how serious the situation is.


    "Witchcraft. It''s so difficult that an ordinary person could spend his life trying to handle one field of magic if he was lucky. But in other words, it is a that can be mastered with long years of effort."


    ......That''s too hard to handle if you put your life on the line.


    Who made such a thing? At least whoever made it is not a human being.


    "Witchcraft was considered at one time to be something like lineage enhancement, but ...... there is no one who can handle it nowadays. Because it is much more meaningful to master the magic you have than to spend time on something you don''t know if you can learn.


    "That''s true, isn''t it?"


    Even I, who had never heard the word "magic" before, recognized it immediately.


    It means that magic is a flawed technology for human beings. The degree of difficulty in learning it makes it obvious that it is not something that people should try.


    But the enemy we''re after now is not human.


    How long do necromancers live?


    Many times longer than humans, that''s for sure.


    ...... I guess so.


    And what''s worse, we don''t know what kind of magic this book is about, and we don''t know how many books on magic there are in this study.


    I don''t know how much witchcraft can do, but it is not something to be underestimated.


    "We''ll find out soon enough. I have a bad feeling about this."


    "Yeah. ......"


    Witchcraft is a mysterious entity.


    How does it affect us? With a vague sense of uneasiness, I left the study with Amako and headed back to the search for the Necromancer.


    A little time has passed since Usato and Amako broke into the Western-style house.


    The villagers and I gathered the zombies around the house, and with my fire magic as our main weapon, we defeated the zombies.


    Fortunately, no one is hurt and we are able to divert the zombies smoothly. .......


    "...... funny."


    I am not complaining that things are going too smoothly. It''s just that the zombies are moving too much the way we want them to.


    This aggravating and uncomfortable feeling makes me feel inexpressibly uneasy.


    "I feel like I''m being tested. ......"


    He cuts down the attacking zombies with his flame-clad sword. Around them, villagers push the zombies away with farming tools, while the sword-bearers are limbed and immobilized.


    Most of the zombies were immobilized, but ...... there are still more zombies coming out. As I was taking a breath and wiping the sweat from my forehead, the village chief with his old sword approached me from behind.


    "You''re good at this, Mister Alc.


    No, I could not have handled it alone. It is only with your help that I can wield my power to the fullest.


    Thanks to the people of the village, I can safely fight the zombies in front of me without being attacked from behind.


    And even though I am clumsy, if I can focus on the enemy in front of me, I can protect the people of my village.


    "......Dono Usato, are you doing well ......?"


    I''m sure he''ll be fine.


    "...... you trust."


    Of course. Of course.


    I know that he is a warrior who has fought on the battlefields of many demons, and I know that he has a strong spirit that will not yield to any opponent.


    I do not believe in the slightest that he would be fooled by a necromancer.


    But it is about time for us to go to his aid. Even if Mr. Usato cannot find the Necromancer, we can help them by making a conspicuous move in the building.


    He tells the village chief behind him that he is going to storm the Western-style house.


    "Chief, as soon as we kill the zombies here, let''s get into the Western-style house. There are probably zombies inside the house as well.


    "......---"


    "......Mayor?"


    I was suspicious of the village chief, who didn''t react, and just as I was about to turn around, the hilt of the sword he must have swung down struck me on the wrist, knocking the sword away.


    "......!¡¡The village... everyone?¡¡What the...?


    I was startled by the sudden violence and reflexively tried to move away, but even the men from the village I had just been fighting with held my hands and feet down.


    "Gu......, what''s going on!¡¡This is not a betrayal......, this is ........."


    I called out to the village chief who was restraining my arms, but his eyes were vacant and he held me down with such tremendous force that I could not believe he was an old man, and I was unable to shake him off.


    It was the same for the others who held me down.


    "Are you being manipulated ......!


    The villagers did not lead us into a trap.


    It was the manipulators of the villagers who set us up.


    If that is the case, then we have been..,


    "......, Mister Usato!"


    We must warn Usato and Amako, who are probably still in the Western-style house. ......


    I try to scream, but the manipulated villagers hold me down and force me to my knees.


    "d*mn it, ......!"


    "Just as funny as I thought."


    A voice from behind.


    I couldn''t turn around with my head held down, but the sound of approaching footsteps and the voice froze me in my tracks.


    I found myself surrounded by zombies, staring back at me, motionless, like servants waiting for their master''s orders. .......


    And I know of only one such demon that can control a living ...... person.


    "So that''s what this is about,......!¡¡You, you were the ...... Necromancer!¡¡And..."


    "Kuku, kuku. ...... are very bright. I''m sure I''ll be hearing a lot of good things from you."


    As if to prevent me from saying any more, one of my captors holds my head down and forcibly exposes my neck.


    "......!"


    But you''re not the main attraction today.


    A third party approached me from behind and plunged his fangs into my bound neck.


    At the same time, my consciousness gradually faded away.


    "Oh, my ........."


    He must have leaned against the fangs in his neck, and was implanted with a suggestion. If the "she" behind me is who I think she is, then I''m at her mercy, conscious or not.


    But I can no longer resist.


    "Usato-dono ...... Amako-dono ....... I''m sorry, sir. If only I had ...... realized it sooner. ......"


    The restraints holding his limbs are released, and he falls to the ground.


    In a moment, in the space between my fading consciousness, I..,


    I saw a girl with blood red eyes and a terrible smile on her face.

 72 - the seventieth.

    After leaving the room that looked like a study, we decided to check every room in the museum with a fine-tooth comb.


    We had Amako predict the room in front of the room we stopped by, and if no one was there, we went to the next room. This is a simple method, since we do not have time to search every room for Mr. Aruk, who is outside.


    However, no matter where I looked, I could not find the Necromancer.


    When Amako looked at the large hall in the center of the third floor, she looked slightly agitated.¡¡But she was not there after all.


    "Usato, the room you just left: ......"


    "Hmm?"


    "......, no, it''s nothing."


    I wonder if they are concerned about the hall we just saw.


    I took a peek inside, but I think it was just a large room with nothing special about it.


    With Amako beside me, I think about the current situation.


    Maybe the necromancer has already escaped. I don''t know how he was noticed, but judging from the magical equipment left on in the study, there was someone in that room, and whoever was there ran away as soon as we entered the building. It''s natural to think so.


    However, it is too early to say that they are already gone, so we will continue our search. .......


    "So all that''s left is ...... here."


    The place is on the first floor.


    Amako and I looked at a door attached to the floor. Was it a basement door?¡¡I crouched down and looked at the door, which probably led to the basement, and then I looked at Amako.


    It was dark and I couldn''t see anything. There is no light anywhere.


    "...... was it a pantry or something?¡¡Well, whatever, let''s open it."


    Holding the ring-shaped metal fittings, he opens the door.


    Instantly, dust, mold, and some kind of strange smell rushes up from the basement and settles on my face. The smell that comes to mind when I think of beastly smells is that of burin, but this smell is something that combines the smells of decay, beastly, and musty.


    In other words, it stinks like hell.


    "Geez, what''s this? Is there a stuffed ...... or something in here?¡¡Amako, are you okay?"


    "I''m fine, it smells a little ......


    He looks at Amako, who is holding her mouth and nose with the hem of her cloak, and returns his gaze to the back of the open door.


    It''s dark as a flash. From the corner of my eye, the little light in the darkened room does not allow me to see how large the basement is.


    Let''s take a peek inside for now.


    I open the half-open door to the end, and peek inside with my hand on the floor.


    It is dark in the basement, and I cannot see anything even if I strain my eyes.


    But..,


    "There''s something big in there."


    I feel a kind of presence or a sign of presence. You can''t see it, but it''s there.


    Yes, it is. Wouldn''t it be better to have Amako take a look at it instead of me? She has better night vision than I do.


    "Amako, look. Not a prediction, just a normal one."


    Amako nodded her head and looked into the darkness as I did.


    Now, I could only vaguely sense it, but what about Amako? I guessed that the large object was probably an antique of some kind, which would explain the musty smell.


    As I watched Amako peering into the basement, she suddenly shook and her hand slipped.


    "Oh!


    I hurriedly plucked up the collar of Amako''s cloak like a cat, and brought her down to the ground, where she fell weak.


    What are you doing? I thought, and was about to talk to her when she suddenly hugged me in her arms.


    Is hugging people popular today?¡¡I was about to say something sarcastic and off the point when I noticed Amako''s body was shaking.


    "Amako, what ...... did you see?"


    "......!"


    It must have been quite a shock. Amako is silent, with her head pressed against her troupe''s uniform.


    This is the kind of thing that frightens her so much. Shouldn''t we check it out?¡¡The people in the village could be in danger.


    We can get some light if we bring the grimoire from the library. As I was about to stand up with Amako holding me by the arm, she stopped me by putting more strength into her hand that had been silently holding my arm.


    Her eyes seemed to be trying hard to stop me, as if she had a premonition of what I was going to do.


    "Usato,......Dame,......Gotta go."


    "No, I need to check this place out anyway. ......"


    Our eyes met.


    ...... with whom?


    In this case, with what?


    "It''s not a creature. It''s something else, something terrible. I''ve seen a lot of things, but I''ve never seen anything that scary. That''s why you shouldn''t go to ......."


    "...... okay."


    I reluctantly obey Amaco''s appeal with clinging eyes.


    I should probably check on her sooner rather than later, but I can''t just leave her there now.


    He slowly closes the basement door and turns to her.


    "It''s all right now, ...... we''ll find another place."


    "............"


    That was a mistake.


    Even though I didn''t understand, I guess I showed him something quite shocking. Despite her mature personality, Amako is still a 14-year-old girl. It is natural for her to be afraid of scary things in accordance with her age.


    Although she was disgusted by her own carelessness, she stood up. Amako seemed to have calmed down a lot, and when she took her hand off my arm and stood up, she apologized to me apologetically.


    "I''m sorry, I was being selfish."


    "I don''t care. I''m not so small-minded that I''d be offended by something like that after all this time."


    "...... you''re always mad at me for the littlest things."


    That''s because you''re being cheeky.


    She smiles at me awkwardly and turns her attention to the search for the necromancer.


    There are few rooms left to search. When we''ve checked most of them, we''ll meet up with Aruk and the others.


    Where are the Necromancers?


    No, do necromancers exist here in the first place?¡¡But the situation of this house makes it certain that someone is living here.


    I don''t think that the stories of the villagers who suffered from the zombies controlled by the Necromancer are false. .......


    There are so many things we don''t know.


    I was about to walk out, clutching my forehead, when I realized something.


    "......What?"


    What''s going on?"


    "Is there no sound coming from outside?"


    The voices of Mr. Aruk and the villagers, who have been working as a diversion for the zombies, have somehow stopped. It''s strange that we can''t hear the faint sounds of battle, but not the voices.


    Either the zombies have been mostly taken care of, or, as much as I hate to think it, Aruk and the villagers have been killed by the zombies. .......


    Amako is thinking the same thing as I am, and she has a stern look on her face.


    "Change of plans. Let''s head for Aruk and the others!"


    "Yes!"


    We run toward the exit.


    Finding the necromancer is important, but our friends and the villagers are more important!


    I put my hand on the doorknob to open the door, but just as I''m about to do so, a number of dead branch-like hands are inserted through the slight opening, and a large number of zombies come rushing in from the outside.


    "Tsk......!!!!"


    We were ambushed!


    I grabbed Amako by the collar, who couldn''t react in time, and immediately kicked the zombie directly in the abdomen, pushing it through the door. It wasn''t very powerful, but I succeeded in knocking it down with a couple of zombies behind it. I jumped backward while still holding Amako in my arms.


    I noticed that I could hear the screams of zombies coming from all over the building.


    I don''t know where they were hiding, but..,


    "Amaco, you''re shaking a little!"


    "Whoa!"


    We gotta get out of here first.


    With Amako under my arm, I run up the stairs, dodging the zombies coming at me from the front and from both sides.


    Luckily, the upper floors do not seem to be so crowded, so we head for the door of the third-floor hall at the top of the stairs. The door looks very expensive, but I don''t care, I just kick it down and jump in.


    The hall is as deserted as before, and no zombies are to be seen.


    "I''m trapped. ......usato


    This is the third floor. There''s nowhere to run.


    I can hear the sound of zombies rushing in behind me, so I''m sure I''ll be surrounded even if I go back now.


    "Huh..."


    "What are we going to do?¡¡What if I predict the zombies and try to get out where there aren''t many zombies?"


    "That won''t be necessary. There''s a quicker way to get out of here.


    The placement of the lurking zombies suggests an artificial intention, as if they intentionally created an escape route to the third floor. But first of all, there is no way I would be intimidated by something as high as the third floor.


    Who do you think you are, my master?¡¡He''s the one who threw me off the cliff when I had just learned magic.


    Don''t think you''ve got me cornered on three floors. ......


    "...... wait a minute."


    Amako opened her mouth in a trembling voice.


    I was afraid of heights......... huh, I guess you''re a girl after all, you have a cute little fear of heights too. Inukami-senpai would have fainted in agony. But there''s no time to stand still in this situation.


    I can''t land on the ground with Amako by my side, so I hold her back and knees with both hands and start to run a little further away from the window.


    "Don''t worry. I won''t let you go. I won''t let you go.


    You can''t say that in a nice way.


    Let''s go!¡¡Amako-o!¡¡Don''t bite your tongue!


    Listen to me.


    He runs forward and leaps out of the third-story window with great speed.


    Amako lets out an inaudible scream.


    There are no zombies below her, and she lands about fifteen meters away from the building. The weight of the two zombies is too much for Amako to bear, and she feels a slightly numbing impact on her body.


    "Phew......... escape succeeded."


    He immediately casts a healing spell on himself and Amako, who is in his arms, while rechecking the safety of his surroundings. No zombies are visible around the pavilion or in the surrounding woods.


    "It seems that most of the zombies are still inside the pavilion. Let''s find the others while we can, shall we?


    "Whoa, whoa, whoa... ......"


    "............ poor thing."


    You must have been really scared of zombies. Yeah, I can''t help it.


    We put down the distraught Amako and walk with her toward the road where the village is.


    We find a figure lying near the woods. We rush over to him and see that it''s someone we know.


    "Mr. Aruk!"


    There was Mr. Alc sleeping as if he had died, with a small amount of blood running down his neck.


    "Are you all right?


    I cast a healing spell on him, and he showed no sign of waking up even though he was completely healed.


    Every time I called out to him, he moaned as if something was bothering him. What is the wound on his neck?¡¡They have already been healed by the healing magic, but two wounds on his neck as if he had been bitten by something.


    Maybe these wounds are the reason why Mr. Aruk is like this.


    What happened to him? And where are the people from the village?


    Maybe they ran away. So, Mr. Alc is alone. ......"


    "......"


    Amako muttered bitterly, her words undeniable.


    He ran away, huh?


    The most likely possibility is that Mr. Aruk escaped from the villagers and was fighting alone. He is not the kind of person who would be killed by zombies, so a powerful enemy we did not expect has appeared.


    But this is not..,


    "......!"


    Just as I''m thinking that much, I hear a rustling in the bushes nearby. Zombies?¡¡I thought, "Zombies!" and then I saw... the villagers I thought had escaped.


    Amako saw the villagers and immediately hid behind me, covering herself deeply with her cloak. I decided to call out to the village headman to get a grasp of the situation.


    "Chief!¡¡Are you all right?


    "Ah, ah...... more importantly, where is Aruk-dono......?"


    "I''ve recovered from my injuries, but I can''t say for sure at this point. What happened to you?


    Everyone''s expression turned to a frown.


    The village head said that while they were fighting off the zombies, another monster attacked them from behind. The monster was so strong and hard that the weapons the villagers had were no match for it.


    Mr. Aruku, who prioritized the safety of the villagers, told the chief and the others to run away and fought the monster alone. .......


    "......"


    Is it true?


    Mr. Alc was in charge of the gates of the castle in the Kingdom of Lingle.


    He takes pride in protecting people, and if he really wanted to fight, he would use his fire magic to protect the villagers. However, looking around him, there is no sign of a struggle. Especially with that flaming sword flash he showed when he fought the zombies.


    Moreover, the wound on his neck is on the side of his collarbone. If this powerful monster bit him, he was bitten from behind. It is hard to believe that he could be taken from behind so easily.


    "...... leave this to us and go back to the village first. I''ll carry Aruk-san.


    "U, Usato-dono is ......"


    "We haven''t found the necromancer yet. And the monster that attacked Mr. Aruk may be wandering around nearby. It is possible that the village may be ....... So, please go back first.


    When he says this, the chief and the villagers are dismayed.


    I don''t know if it is because they are worried about an attack on their village or because of my unexpected behavior.


    ...... What I have to do now is to hide Mr. Arc and Amako in the bushes where no one can find them and go to crush their limbs so that the zombies will not come to the village to retaliate, as I had thought they would if the necromancer was not there.


    I don''t like it, but I have to do what I have to do.


    "Now, go back to your village and reassure your family."


    "........."


    "Hmm?"


    There''s no answer.


    Suspicious, he turns around.


    But at that moment, his torso, arms, and legs freeze as if bound by something.


    "............!"


    My body''s stuck?


    More precisely, you are immobile from the neck down.


    I look at my body and see purple-glowing black patterns stretching across my torso and limbs. The patterns flowed as if they were binding my body, covering not only my group uniform but also the shoes I was wearing.


    What is this?


    When did you get this ......?


    What?¡¡Usato, what''s wrong?


    Amako notices something wrong with me and comes up to me.


    But for some reason, some of the villagers nearby suddenly attacked her. Amako immediately avoids the villagers'' hands with her precognition, but her expression turns to one of astonishment.


    They are unconscious!


    "What?¡¡Does that mean they are being controlled?


    Necromancers can only control the dead.


    But the villagers and the village chief must be living people. ......?


    <>


    "!!!"


    A laugh that was neither from the chief nor from the village.


    The voice was coming from the direction of the pavilion, from the window of the third-floor hall from which Amako and I had just emerged. A figure is sitting on the edge of the window, as if he had been there from the beginning. He is smiling at me, who cannot move, and at Amako, who is surrounded by the villagers.


    At that moment, the moonlight, which had been blocked by clouds, shines on the whole western-style house. With it, the figure sitting in the window of the house becomes clearer.


    Her hair is as long as her shoulders.


    But the brown hair I know has been painted jet black, and her eyes have turned a suspicious red in the darkness.


    "Neah, Ms. ......?"


    "Yes, Mr. Usato."


    She was still wearing the same clothes she had worn when she came here, but I couldn''t help but hide my confusion at her change in mood and everything else.


    "......, why are you ......?"


    Don''t you see that?


    Nair is sitting on the third floor of a Western-style house.


    That''s where we were looking for the necromancer. The fact that she is sitting there makes me think, as much as I hate to admit it, that she is the one, or one of the ones, who has caused all this.


    "Did you do it, Mr. Aruk ......?"


    "Huh-huh, yes. But you''re calmer than I thought you''d be, aren''t you? I thought you''d be more upset. ......


    I want to panic, but I can''t because my body is tied up with something I don''t understand.


    This is not good. If the people in the village are unconscious, maybe they are being manipulated by this girl in front of them. Or, more likely, they are being manipulated.


    Their eyes behind me are so vacant. .......


    I look at Amako, who is diagonally behind me, and ask her to leave.


    "...... Amako, run!"


    "But, Usato is ......."


    "Don''t make me say it again!¡¡Get the hell out of here!¡¡With me and Mr. Aruk trapped, who else can handle this situation?


    "I understand!"


    Amako nodded her head in confusion and ran toward the village.


    The villagers who are being controlled do not move.


    Amako looks at the villagers with a sideways glance and then shifts her gaze to Mr. Nair who is sitting on top of the Western-style house in a good mood.


    "Shouldn''t we go after them?"


    "Hmm, she can wait. I''m interested in the beastman boy, even if he has good senses."


    Well, Nair, ...... Nair doesn''t know about Amaco''s magic.


    Good thing we kept it a secret. If he had been interested, Amako might have been in danger.


    So what did you do to me?


    "I just blocked your body. With zombies and them, it''s hard to take you by surprise."


    She then proudly shows me her palm. The same patterns as the ones on my body are floating on her hand, glowing suspiciously.


    "This is a binding spell, it''s very, very hard to make, but the more time you put into it, the stronger and harder it binds the object. It was hard work, you know?¡¡I had to put in six hours ............, which is just about the limit of what I can put in!¡¡That''s how long it took me to make it. Well, you have no idea what I''m talking about.


    Nair suddenly extinguished the magic in her palm and lightly jumped down from the third-floor window. As she jumped down, black bat-like wings appeared from her back and she landed lightly on the ground.


    At this point, I understood that this girl was not normal.


    The patterns on her body are more a kind of witchcraft than sorcery. I was followed when she hugged me before I came here.


    I thought it was strange at that moment. .......


    "So this is witchcraft. It''s not as easy to use as I''ve heard.


    "......How do you know that?"


    .............


    "There was a book on witchcraft in the study, and there was even a light on, so I thought ......"


    "...... lie, did you forget to turn it off?"


    "What?"


    "What?" "Nothing. I don''t have to explain myself, do I?¡¡Yes, I''m a demon who can do magic.


    She''s a strong girl, but she''s out of her depth.


    But..,


    "Of all people, you''re the demon?"


    I can''t hide my shock that someone who was an ordinary girl in the village is a demon.


    No, even now that she has walked up to me like this, she still looks like a human being. She smiles prettily and points at herself, as if enjoying our confusion.


    "There are demons that look like people, you know?¡¡There are only a few of them.


    "So you''re the necromancer ......?"


    "Half right. Because no normal necromancer can control a living human being.


    Yes, it is.


    But the book Rose gave me doesn''t mention any demons that can control people.


    I am half necromancer and the other half another demon.


    "Ha ha ha, what''s that? Don''t tell me you''re a vampire with a bite on your neck?"


    "......"


    "...... sorry."


    I feel bad for Nair, who froze with a smile on his face.


    I didn''t think you were really a vampire. They are so rare that they weren''t even mentioned in the books.


    Half necromancer, half vampire. Well, if the imaginary vampires of my world and the vampires of this world are close to each other, they might be able to control people who have sucked their blood, have tremendous strength, or have some kind of shape-shifting ability.


    For now, we know that they have the ability to manipulate people.


    "You really are a strange person. You don''t seem to be afraid of me at all, even when I''m blocking your movements like this. ......"


    "Don''t lift me up too much, I''m not much of a person."


    As for fear, I''ve just developed a tolerance for it because I''ve lived under one roof with beings that are more terrifying than that.


    But what''s so funny about what I said is that Nea bursts out laughing.


    "You''re not much of a person, are you?¡¡I''m not. I''m not, because it''s no small feat to defeat my servant with pure physical strength alone. And I''d have to resist my charms. I''m a mess."


    "...... charms?"


    "Charms. It''s my vampiric ability. Most people would fall for it and become enraptured. ...... What kind of mind is that?¡¡What kind of mind is this?


    Are you saying that my crush was all your ability?


    Or rather, that embrace was also a way to put a spell on me to stop me from moving.


    ............ is unforgivable.


    "Hey, why are you more angry than when you betrayed me? ......"


    That''s what happens when you play with naivete.


    Anyway, from that moment on, Nair''s self-induced drama had begun. She''s a bad actor, isn''t she?


    "...... what the hell are you going to do to me?"


    "You''re going to have to talk to me."


    "Talking to?¡¡You?


    What, you don''t want to suck my blood or feed on me or anything, you just want me to talk to you?


    ...... No, that''s not why he''d go to such lengths. There must be some other reason.


    Nair, who had her hands clasped behind her back in front of my eyes, comes close enough to reach me and looks up at me with a big smile on her face.


    "I told you, didn''t I?¡¡I want knowledge. I don''t want it on paper or in a book, I want to know the memories that people have made on this journey called life. But not just anyone. I want to know about you. I want to know what kind of life you''ve led, what kind of trials you''ve gone through, how you came to have such extraordinary powers. ......"


    I''m not necessarily going to tell you that.


    "I''ll tell you. I''ll tell you, because I command you to tell me.


    Nair peeks his fangs with a smile.


    You''re going to bite me and manipulate me just like you did Mr. Alc. So you mean the people of this village were bitten too?


    Wait, how long have you been doing this?


    "Hmm, about 200 years ago?¡¡That''s how long I''ve been a village girl. ......"


    "...... then, Tetra, you can go to ......"


    "Tetra? Uh, it''s more like I''m her parent. Rather, everyone in the village is my puppet, and their memories and feelings are mine to control. That''s why it''s a lie that I don''t have parents, and it''s a complete lie that Tetra is a surrogate parent.¡¡She thinks of me as if I were her daughter because of the memories she has imprinted on me.


    "......"


    Nea''s words, uttered so matter-of-factly, stunned me.


    Two hundred years, that would explain the number of pieces of armor in that Western-style house. During that time, no one has noticed ...... or if they did, their memories have been manipulated or they have been enslaved, just like now, time and time again. That is the truth of the rumor that Mr. Aruk told me.


    This is insane.


    However, it does not mean that he does not understand me, so I try to persuade him, including "stalling for time".


    "...... got it. I''ll be your friend."


    "Oh?¡¡I''m glad we don''t have to manipulate you, because it''s quick and easy for us.


    I don''t mind talking to you.


    But not now.


    Can''t we wait until after our trip?


    Hmm?


    We''re on a very important mission. It is for the future of this continent, as I told you yesterday. So please wait for us until then. If you want, I can make a contract with your magic. I''ll see you again."


    Of course, they are ready to overthrow us.


    I''m going to visit you with Rose, the great demon king of terror, and all his tough guys.


    But I don''t know how she took my words, but she started to cackle with her cheeks held back, and her cheeks stained with a stinky odor.


    "I''ve never had such a bold confession before.


    "That''s not a confession!"


    Am I a dominatrix if I confess my feelings while tied up?


    Nair laughs at my comment.


    But no... I can''t wait that long. I want to know what''s inside your head as soon as possible.


    "...... this continent is at stake."


    I''m a demon, and I don''t care about the Demon Lord.


    Why not?


    ? I insist. ?


    You b*tc*.


    I''m gonna beat you, you little b*tc*.


    What?


    "What?" - "Nah, it''s nothing."


    I was just being myself with a smile on my face. Fortunately, he thought I heard him wrong and rubbed his eyes at my face. It seems that this girl is not going to let me go no matter what.


    "......I might be able to let you go sooner if you speak up on your own volition, right?¡¡Oh, of course, I''m assuming you''re a blood sucker, so you''ll know immediately if I''m lying by my implication."


    "Assuming I obey you docilely, ...... how soon will you let me go?"


    "Hmm, when I lose interest?"


    A normal person would be happy to accept that offer, but I''ve been summoned from another world.


    In order to tell my story to this girl, I have to tell her about the other world, no matter what. For him, the unknown is a treasure. If I tell her about the other world, I will be trapped by her for the rest of my life.


    I must avoid that at all costs. .......


    "...... Is there any other way?"


    "Why not?¡¡Why can''t you just go along with me and I''ll let you go?"


    "......"


    "You can''t answer my question."


    He grabs me by the lapels of my trousers and pulls me closer.


    Nair looks up at me, perhaps because of the height difference, and her eyes turn inquisitive as she makes eye contact with me. She is not wearing the charm she says, but I can''t turn away from her as she probes my inner self.


    "Well, after you tell me that , I''ll enjoy a tea party with you when you come back to your senses."


    After what felt like an unusually long exchange of gazes, seconds or even minutes, Nair suddenly smiled a bewitching smile and came up behind me, grabbing me by both shoulders and leaning in close.


    It was like a vampire sucking blood from a human being, just like in the stories,


    "You''ve got to be kidding me. ......!!!"


    He strained his right arm as hard as he could.


    The inside of my arm creaks, and I feel an electric shock of pain in my arm.


    But it is healed instantly by the healing magic, and he tries to move it without caring. The instantaneous intense pain and recovery is repeated over and over again, and gradually the binding of the pattern on my right arm is slowing down, and it is gradually cracking and breaking.


    I can go...!¡¡I can''t move freely yet, but I manage to put my right hand on her neck where she is trying to bite me, and I let her bite my hand.


    Her fangs are in the back of my hand, and the blood is drained, but there is nothing wrong with my body. Apparently, to control a human being, you have to bite her neck.


    "Ugh!¡¡Whaamde?


    I''m not so naive as to let you bite me so easily!


    "I''m not so naive as to let you bite me so easily!"


    Nair removes his mouth from my biting hand and backs away.


    I didn''t think I could break the spell with brute force, but I''ll give it a try. I break the restraints on both legs as well as my right arm.


    "A well-trained body never fails me after all. ......!


    "By force ......?¡¡No way!


    I turn my feet toward Mr. Arc, leaving Nair staring at me in amazement, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth.


    I have to get out of here, I can''t wait for any more help. The binding spell is still in effect, but as long as I can move my legs, I can move forward.


    I can''t let him get away!¡¡Catch me!


    I head toward Aruk-san, and the villagers Nair has manipulated jump on me. I can''t move fast enough to fight back or evade them, and they hold on to me, but I grit my teeth and drag the villagers away.


    Even though I am bound, do you think such a clinging will work on me, a lifesaver who carries wounded people? I''ve been through this kind of weight many, many times.


    But it might be too much .......


    As I was inwardly whimpering, Aruk-san, who was standing right in front of me, got up.


    "Mr. Aruk!¡¡You noticed!¡¡Help me ...... and ......."


    "............"


    "Uh, are you being controlled?"


    The reply was a tackle to my torso.


    Oh no, no, no, no, no, no!¡¡If Mr. Alc is in Nair''s hands, we can''t leave this place. No, even without that, I can''t do anything if I can''t manage this situation.


    <<<<<>>>>>


    "Gee ......"


    And even zombies were gathering in droves from the pavilion.


    If the zombies seize me, I''m finished.


    Just when the words "all is not well" were in my mind...,


    "Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!"


    A roar reminiscent of a ferocious beast echoed around us.


    Nair was bewildered by the voice, but I knew who it was.


    "At last, you''ve brought me to ......."


    Now that Mr. Aruk and I are stuck, he is the only one who has the strength to handle this situation. Understanding this, Amako left me and went to call him.


    His footsteps are already close by.


    Then I know what I have to say.


    "Bullin!¡¡Do it for me. ----!


    "Gruaaaahhh!"


    With a mighty roar, the blue monster Bulrin, the Blue Grizzly, appeared. On his back is Amako, who called him.


    Perhaps hearing my voice, the blue grizzly did not slow down at all, and struck me, who was being held down by the villagers, with all his strength.


    The villagers, including Mr. Aruk, and I are blown away by his powerful body blow, but just before we hit the ground, we fall on the back of Bulrin, who had moved to the landing spot in advance.


    I fell on my back and thanked them both in a broken voice, with Amako supporting me.


    "That''s my partner. Amako thanks ...... too."


    "Guh."


    Of course, he is happy to hear Bulrin''s voice, which makes him smile.


    "Well, let''s get the hell out of here."


    "But ......"


    Mr. Aruk---I was about to say so, but stopped myself.


    I can''t help Mr. Aruk now. Amako knows this and bites her lip desperately to keep her emotions from showing.


    I can''t help you now, but... I''ll get him out.


    I declare, moving only my head as I am carried on Bulrin''s back, looking at Nair who is staring at me in amazement.


    "Tomorrow night, I''m going to go get my friends back ...... and I''ll leave Aruk with you until then. Nair."


    After saying this to N¨¦a, who instantly glares at me, Bulrin turns his back on the pavilion and runs away.


    The village is in danger from the Necromancer.


    It was a garden to satisfy the knowledge of a demon named Nair.


    We must fight against a powerful enemy who possesses the blood and abilities of both a necromancer and a vampire.

 73 - the 71st episode

    We escaped from the Western-style house where Nair and his friends were staying and hid ourselves in the woods near the village.


    The reason why we hid in the woods is because we thought that all the people in the village were under Nair''s control.


    If we carelessly returned to the village, the changed villagers might come to get us. No matter how unkillable the healing punch may be, the villagers are innocent people. Even if we can heal them, we don''t want to hurt them as much as possible.


    Besides, when I was on Bulrin''s back, I was still bound by the spell Nair had cast on me.


    Seeing my body still unable to move, I am reminded once again of the tremendous power of magic. At any rate, even my right arm and both legs, which would have broken the formula, could not be moved completely.


    I ran away to the forest and decided to rest for the time being, since I could not help Mr. Aruk at this point.


    I was tired from the exchange with Nair, and above all, I was overstrained from the excessive use of magic power when I broke the restraints.


    And then..,


    "Morning."


    When I woke up, the first thing I saw was Bulrin''s face, drooling sloppily. I looked behind my head, which was enveloped in an unusually soft feeling, and saw that I was using the softness of Bullyn''s back as a pillow.


    Reflexively, I try to put out my hand to push away his face, but remembering what happened last night, I bring my hand to his head and stroke his head.


    "Thanks, man. You saved my life."


    "Guffaw."


    Bullring moaned and sniffed pleasantly.


    Satisfied with this, I pulled out my left hand that was stroking ...... my left hand?


    "Oh, it''s moving."


    If you look closely, you can see that the patterns covering the body have disappeared.


    Is it safe to assume that the binding spell will disappear with the passage of time?¡¡I had imagined that the magic spells would be permanent, but I was pleasantly surprised.


    I did not have to destroy the formulas one by one.


    I get up and check my condition. There is nothing wrong with me, I don''t feel like anything has been done to me except for the restraints, and I am feeling rather well.


    "Haha, I don''t think that magic can be trained like a restraint ......"


    I thought it would be kind of nice to work out.


    I''m not M, though.


    So where''s Amaco?¡¡I thought she went into the forest with us, but did she go to the village by herself?


    No, she hasn''t traveled a long way by any means. She must have much more experience than me.


    So I sat down by the burin again and decided to wait for Amako.


    After a few minutes of waiting, Amako emerged from a nearby bush. I walked up to her, relieved to see her with leaves in her hair, but not injured or dirty in appearance.


    "You''re awake. ...... body move?"


    "It''s nothing to worry about anymore. I''m fine as you can see."


    Amako, as relieved as I was, opened a package that seemed to be wrapped in a cloak in her hand.


    Inside the package were several fruits resembling apples, and she took one of them and offered it to me.


    "I thought you might be hungry. ......"


    "!¡¡Thank you."


    If Amako brought me these, I should be fine. She used to work in a fruit shop, and she seems to know a lot about such things.


    I wipe the surface of the fruit with my robe and bite into it, thanking Amako.


    The sweet and sour taste of the fruit fills my mouth.


    Yes, it''s delicious. I tell her this, and Amako takes out a piece of fruit and bites into it too.


    "......If it''s okay for Usato to eat. I guess I''m okay too.


    "You''ve got a great natural tongue!"


    That''s what happens when you take advantage of kindness.


    Even if the healing magic cures you, what hurts still hurts, right?¡¡Right?


    Amako puts a piece of fruit near his face and sits down next to me.


    "So, how are we going to save Aruk-san?"


    "The zombies and the manipulated villagers are not the enemy. The problem is Nair''s ability as a demon and his magic.


    Half necromancer, half vampire.


    No way...that''s what I call an unexpected twist of fate.


    She''s been playing the village girl for 200 years. Her tearful words... Her words of gratitude... were all lies. It would be a lie if I say that I am not shocked by it, though it is natural for her to do so, since she has set it all up.


    But the problem is that her own fighting ability is unknown.


    So far we know that she is a necromancer and can control the dead.


    And as a vampire, she can control the living with her blood. A charm that enchants those who make eye contact with her.


    And last but not least, the ability to work magic.


    "To be honest, even I had a hard time with the magic restraints that I spent so much time on. I think Brulin will be ...... just fine, but you might be able to stop him even with an improvised one."


    "...... be careful."


    "Yeah. I saw that there are conditions for that magic to work. She didn''t say it herself, but I think it means you have to touch ...... the object."


    Otherwise, he would not have gone to the trouble of hugging me. She definitely wanted to get me then. Then we can assume that she did what she did to make me more sure that she would let my guard down.


    If that is the case, it''s a simple matter.


    All I have to do is not to be touched by her.


    If they are in perfect condition, they can cope with any number of attacks by villagers and zombies.


    The problem is that there is a possibility that the magic she possesses is not limited to [restraint] alone. If she has lived for 200 years, she can use at least one more magic.


    "I don''t know if I can use other magic. But we can''t save Aruk-san if we are afraid. And even Aruk-san..."


    "They could be manipulating us, turning us into their enemies, right?"


    "...... yeah."


    Nair will certainly manipulate Mr. Alc.


    And if he can make suggestions to the villagers, he can make suggestions to Mr. Aruku. If we are not careful, we will have to consider a confrontation with Mr. Aruk in his full strength.


    That would be a disaster.


    ...... Wait!¡¡Mr. Alc is already bitten and under Nair''s control. Would she use him only as a means to fight?


    No, perhaps the first thing she will do is to search Mr. Alc''s own memory under her control, and then..,


    "Oh no. ......"


    "What?"


    "They know about you and me. ......"


    I am a human caught up in an otherworldly summoning.


    Amako as a beastman who can use a special kind of magic called precognition magic.


    I have no idea what she will do when she finds out. The only thing I do know is that she has never given up on us after she found out about it.


    "Huh. ......"


    If she was just a healer with strong power, they would still underestimate us, but if they knew we were from another world, she would try desperately to catch us.


    What a hassle!


    "Well, whatever will be will be."


    Grab another piece of fruit and eat.


    Now get some rest and get yourself in good shape.


    ...... I remember that I have a notebook in my uniform that I brought from the Western-style house.


    He picks up the fruit, puts his right hand into the pocket of his uniform, and takes the tattered notebook in his hand.


    Amako tilted her head when she saw the notebook in my hand.


    "What''s that?"


    "I think it''s a book ...... that describes the previous generation of heroes."


    I haven''t checked the contents carefully, so I don''t know if this is really about a brave man or not.


    There is still time before night.


    I don''t want to think about it, but I might not be able to read it again, so I might as well look at least a little.


    Without thinking, I start to flip through the notebook.


    I started to flip through the notebook without any idea of what I was doing.


    The first thing I have to note about him is that he does not like to have himself documented.


    He does not like to be praised for his achievements.


    For him, achievement means the number of lives he has taken.


    It is unimaginably painful for him to be praised for having survived over so many corpses.


    But I, a bystander, could not help but write about what happened to him because I knew that his wrong image would be passed on to future generations.


    He was alone.


    No friends, no one who understood.


    No home, no hometown, no family, nowhere.


    His hands are stained red with blood as he has walked the dark path alone, overcoming many corpses.


    He will be called a hero by humans and subhumans alike.


    But I hope someone reading this understands.


    There are no heroes anywhere. A hero is a self-made idol. No matter how powerful he is... he is still a human being.


    What I am about to write is the story of one man, and a record of our "sins" that will be atoned for in the distant future.


    I am not a human being, but a human being who has no choice.


    "There''s too much of a reason for this. ......"


    After reading that much, I took a breath.


    What is this? The darkness of the brave is too deep. Even though I rolled up the pages at random and read through the parts that I could read, it consistently dwelled on the feelings of the brave man and the deeds he must have done.


    I don''t know who wrote this, but I can tell that he was very close to the previous heroes.


    "I heard that the previous heroes also dealt with the Demon King, but I don''t think it''s quite the same now as it was then."


    At least from what I can read in the memoirs, the old demon king''s army did quite a lot of terrible things.


    They used captured people as a source of magical power, brainwashing, bribing, and anyway, they mainly used surprise attacks instead of just advancing like they do now.


    Wow, this is not just a village, but a country that is set up to be betrayed. Are the current and the old demon king really the same person?¡¡What he''s doing is so radical that it''s almost heaven and earth.


    He who is called the hero defeats every one of his schemes.


    However, the text is not filled with joy or anything, but just describes what happened and the facts of the matter. This is similar to the feeling of reading a history book.


    "It must have been a hard time. ...... really."


    Well, I can only sympathize with them now, although I know the situation of those days.


    But still, .......


    "I guess the brave ones were loved by the subhumans."


    "I heard so. I don''t know about that, but back home, people hated humans, but I''ve never heard of anyone hating a brave man.


    Amako''s words prompted me to read the text of my notebook again.


    I can''t tell from this notebook what the heroes did to the people of Asia, but I guess it means that they did something that endeared them to the people of Asia.


    "...... hmm?"


    There is a small note inserted in the notebook.


    When you open the page, you see a hand-drawn picture, and the words, though written, are almost illegible. However, it is not worm-eaten, so it is not impossible to read if an expert examines it.


    "Crocodile? Lizard?¡¡No, it has wings."


    Its mouth, which is split into cheeks, spits out what looks like flames, and the wings that sprout from its back are drawn as sharp as blades.


    It was not a skillful drawing, but the picture gave me a strange and eerie feeling.


    There was a note on the page next to the picture, which was probably modified by the owner so that Nair could read it. I turned my attention to it.


    I looked at it.


    His breath corrupts everything, his claws crack the earth, his tail wags the mountains.


    It is a monster, an evil dragon that walks the path of evil. When he passes through the forest, the vegetation dies and all living creatures are devoured. If he passes through the land, the water rots and all who live in it are slain without cause.


    But the monster was defeated by him.


    The battle took place in Samaria. Suddenly, the evil dragon descends upon him, spreading poison and destruction all around him.


    As we have seen, his magic was extremely powerful, but his attacks were meaningless in front of the powerful scales of the evil dragon.


    The battle continued for three days and three nights.


    I myself did not see the battle during that time. But I saw the moment he put the finishing blow to the evil dragon.


    He himself plunged into the dragon''s mouth, and in its scale-less belly, he pierced its heart with the dagger that he had poured his power into, and ended its life. Or, to use his terminology, he contained it.


    According to him, the creature cannot be killed now.


    In fact, even after he was stabbed through the heart and died, that evil dragon, which had not disappeared but continued to exist as particles like a demon, could only be described as eerie.


    I can''t decide whether the evil dragon is a dangerous existence that he who has buried many demons and monsters says he can''t kill it, or whether he who has driven the evil dragon to the point where it can''t act should be called out of standard.


    In the center of the square where rubbles were scattered, I looked up at the Evil Dragon who was standing upright and had died, and I had a certain concern.


    I wondered if it was not that he could not be killed, but that he had not been killed.¡¡It is a foolish question to even think about. .......


    When I asked this question, he did not say anything.


    I did not know what that silence meant.


    I did not know what he meant by that silence.


    "......"


    An evil dragon on the path of evil.


    It''s a common existence in fantasy, but please don''t let it appear in front of us. If what is written in this notebook is true, I am no match for him. Maybe I can''t win even if my senpai and Kazuki are together.


    Considering this, the hero who defeated this evil dragon by himself must have been really out of the ordinary.


    ......The previous generation of heroes were really cheat. Yeah, I''m sure there''s a novel like this out there somewhere.


    "Why was Nair researching such a thing?"


    I don''t know her well, but I don''t understand why she would pinpoint this part of the story.


    Or maybe she simply looked into it on a whim.


    It doesn''t matter.


    "Usato."


    "What''s wrong?"


    Suddenly Amako, the girl next to me, called out.


    She put away her open notebook and turned to me.


    Last night, didn''t you see the hall in that pavilion?


    "Yes, what about it?"


    You mean that room on the third floor where we jumped off the roof.


    I saw that room and I thought ......... It looked like the place I saw in the prediction. ......


    "It''s ......."


    Today''s mission to rescue Mr. Aruk is going to be an uneasy one. Since only Amako can see the prediction, the hall she saw yesterday was not so disturbing to me, since I only know what she saw through word of mouth.


    "Maybe I''m mistaken. The whole room was in shambles, and above all, I''m a bit fuzzy about that room myself ......."


    That''s why you were puzzled when you saw the room.


    I was looking for a necromancer at the time, so I guess they were trying not to confuse me with careless words.


    He is a clumsy boy to be so careful.


    However, if the scene Amako saw and the location of that hall are the same, then she who seems to be the owner of that place is the one who was lying in front of me.


    "So that means it''s Nea who stabbed me. ......"


    "Maybe ......"


    I''ve decided. I''m going to disable that little b*tc* with a healing punch the moment I see her.


    Amako''s face turns down as she makes this decision in her mind.


    "Usato said not to worry because she has healing magic, but ...... she can handle magic, so if she gets cursed ........."


    "......"


    Curse, huh?


    Such a thought had never occurred to me.


    I can understand Amako''s concern, considering that I fell into her trap so easily yesterday.


    But fear is not the only way to move forward. I know it is necessary to hesitate, but now that Mr. Aruk is trapped, we have to go to his rescue no matter what.


    He smiles at her to cheer her up.


    I can''t be defeated by a curse, can I?¡¡I managed it yesterday by brute force. Don''t worry."


    "......Usato is a freak, a freak who does things that normal people don''t think about, but he''s still a human being, so ...... I''m worried about him."


    "Okay, you can worry about me a little longer."


    This guy said that to me with a look of great concern on his face.


    I let out a big sigh and lean against the still sleeping Bulrin.


    "You''re too tied up in your predictions," he said.


    "......, but I''ve never been wrong."


    Because I''ve never been wrong.


    What you saw was a real and definite future. But it is your subjective vision.


    I''m not denying what Amaco is saying, but I don''t think it''s right to be so pessimistic.


    "You saw my blood dripping, but you didn''t see me being stabbed directly, did you?¡¡Maybe that blood was from the person who tried to stab me."


    The man was sitting with his back against the wall, and you couldn''t see him with your back to me, could you?


    "You see, a prediction can unfold in any number of ways, depending on how you look at it."


    "How many ......?"


    "First of all, there is no way I could have avoided the knife that the wounded man pulled out. Even if it was about to stab me, I''m confident that I''d snap it off immediately.


    I saw it and had enough time to avoid it.


    I won''t say whether it was my arm or my knife that broke, but I don''t think that my current physical strength would have prevented me from doing so. Wounds and fatigue can be healed with healing magic, and I can react to Rose''s fist even if she catches me by surprise, so I can deal with her after I have her in my sight.


    "But, Usato might get stabbed, too, right?"


    "Yes, that''s right. That''s one way to look at it. But don''t you think there''s still hope for <> from <>?"


    "Ugh, that''s ...... absurd."


    He smiles at the unfaithful Amako.


    To be honest, I can understand why Amako is worried.


    It is not a pleasant feeling to be the only one who can see the future.


    From the way she says it, the future she can see may not always be the one she wants. And you can''t do anything about it. I am tormented by such a feeling of helplessness.


    Amako, when she was in the Kingdom of Lingle, must have spent her days with such feelings.


    But now she is not alone.


    "Trust me. I believe in you."


    "...... can I trust you that it''s going to be okay?"


    "Of course."


    Inwardly, he nodded his head at Amako, slightly regretting that he had said something embarrassing, but not letting it show.


    It is embarrassing to say these words, no matter how sincere they may be.


    "......Then, I''ll have a little more faith ...... in you."


    He nodded in satisfaction at Amako''s words.


    Then, Amako suddenly stood up and looked at me with a serious expression.


    "It''s time to help Mr. Aruk, let''s do that thing.


    "What''s that?"


    "...... you said it yourself, don''t you remember?"


    I feel as if Amako''s trust in me has been shattered.


    I fold my arms and think under Amako''s cold stare.


    What is that thing?¡¡When he says he is going to help Mr. Aruk, does that mean he has some kind of a plan?


    "...... diversionary tactics?"


    "No. ...... I, I, I ...... will ...... give Usato... ......"


    Amako''s cheeks are tinted and her lips are twisted, and I am puzzled.


    I finally understood what she was trying to say when I thought that you had told me...


    In other words, Amako is suggesting that we do something like the combination I mentioned.


    "I see, that''s it. I was kidding when I said that. ......"


    "Are you kidding me, ......?"


    Amako is shocked, and then she is shocked outright.


    I was joking at the time, I''m sure. But it was a perfectly legitimate idea. However, Amako''s will is indispensable to do it.


    "No, not now. I don''t think it''s a bad strategy, considering what happened last night. If you''re willing, of course.


    "I want to help you, Aruk-san. Besides, I''ve decided to trust you."


    "I see."


    Then we''re good.


    If you and I work together, we can get to Nair in one fell swoop. And this time we''ll have Bulrin with us, so we''ll need him to do a lot of cleaving too.


    We''ll do it at night. We''ve got a plan. Now I''m just worried about how Nair will react when he finds out about me and Amako.


    "Hmm. Oh, where did I go? ......"


    I tilt my head as I go through the stacks of books in my study.


    While searching for something missing in the study where Usato and Amako would have been yesterday, he noticed that a notebook was missing.


    I know I was too careless to leave the room without turning off the light, since I had temporarily fainted due to exhaustion from making a binding spell for Usato and depletion of magic power, but I never thought I would have to go through such a trouble.


    I emerge from the pile of books and give up looking for my notebook while adjusting my disheveled hair.


    "It''s one of the few records of my bravery. Did they take it? It''s just a dirty little notebook to a normal person. Oh, God. I still wanted to look something up. ......"


    I sit in my familiar old chair with my arms crossed, thinking.


    I wonder why Usato, or maybe Amako, took my notebook with him.


    "Out of curiosity?¡¡The girl?¡¡Not a book on magic, which would be worth more if sold, but a notebook of unknown authenticity with no historical value?"


    Or was there enough in the notebook to make him interested?


    Brave men are worshipped by mankind.


    The hero who single-handedly defeated the resurrected Demon King and his army. I had heard that there was a country that worshipped such a being with delusion, but I am sure it was not the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "It does not seem to me that he is delusional about heroes. He doesn''t seem to be interested in such things. ...... Amaco is a possibility. Because he''s a beast, and I don''t know what he''s thinking.


    Either way, it''s still taken.


    Fortunately, I have a source who knows why they took the notebook with the information about the brave men.


    Leaning back against the armrest, I relax and look at , who is diagonally behind me.


    "Hey, what do you think?¡¡"Hey, Mr. Aruk."


    "........."


    I call out to Aruk, who is standing with vacant eyes in front of the study door. Now that he is under my vampiric control, I can tell him anything.


    I can ask him about births, experiences, friendships, everything.


    It is better to ask him while he is conscious, but after two days of observation, I have learned that Alc is a man with a strong heart who never betrays his friends.


    As a human being, he is likable, but as a demon, he is quite troublesome to me.


    "Why do you think Usato was interested in the notebook of a brave man?"


    I ask him, trying to make a suggestion.


    He replies in a hushed voice.


    "Usato-sama has a connection with the heroes.


    "What about ............?"


    I jumped up from my chair and knocked over a nearby stack of books with a mighty thud.


    A connection to a brave man?¡¡What''s that? What''s so interesting?


    Is it that?¡¡It''s not some crackpot who''s been given the nickname of "brave"?¡¡I ask him in a trembling voice and he shakes his head.


    "More details! ......Ah!¡¡No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Let me ask you about Amako first.


    Let''s get to know Amako first and then ask about Usato. His story is too stimulating for the knowledge I have had for the past two hundred years.


    Let us start with Amako, a rare beastman.


    "Amako is a beastman..."


    I know that. Leave that part out.


    She came to the Kingdom of Lingle to save her mother from ...... the land of the beastmen."


    "Hmm. Mother."


    My mother, it''s a distant memory.


    My mother, a necromancer, was killed by a human when I was old enough to remember her. So was my father, a vampire. I have nothing against humans, and I think it is worse to have done evil things that humans would have retaliated against me.


    But aside from that, from that land, the Kingdom of Lingle.


    I think she''s a great girl, but that''s all.


    "The magic I work with is ......"


    It''s a sensing system, isn''t it?¡¡You left that out too...


    No, it is a lie to deceive you.


    "What, you were so good to them and they didn''t trust you?"


    I can''t say anything now that I''ve been so deceitful.


    I didn''t feel that they had seen through me, but did you think that they had been on the lookout for me from that point on?


    Then what''s Amako''s magic?


    "She sees the future. She''s a user of precognition magic.


    "......"


    No kidding?¡¡I asked Aruk with an expression so contorted that even I knew it was him, but his answer remained the same.


    Prediction magic is a rare strain of magic that only some of the beastmen can manifest. Those who possess this magic are valuable to the people of the country where the beastmen live, and are called the princess of the beastmen tribe who recites the future, the Time Wing.


    A human who is related to a brave man and a princess of the Wing of Time?


    What kind of combination is that? That''s unusual.


    In a voice trembling with elation, I ask Arukh a question that gets to the heart of the matter.


    "Who are you people, or ...... Usato?¡¡Are you human?


    "Who are you, or rather, Usato-dono?


    I am a human who came from another world with a brave warrior.


    For a moment I did not understand Aruk''s words.


    Then a possibility surfaced in my mind.


    .


    The transfer magic, or should I say a ritual using magic in this case, that brings those with the qualities of heroes from other worlds to this world, which gave birth to heroes.


    It took place.


    "Ah!"


    Another world. Another world, another world, another world.


    What a wonderful unknown. Finally I understood why Usato was so stubborn about not talking to me.


    It''s a good thing he didn''t.


    If I had known this, I would never have let him go.


    I would have tied him here like a treasure.


    A world different from this one, a world full of mysteries that even I, living 300 years ago, cannot imagine.


    At first it was just a sideshow. I thought it was just a doll to kill the boredom.


    But after the first encounter, it turned into interest.


    And now my feelings have turned into an obsession.


    Tell me more about him.


    "...... Yes."


    Summoned to the Kingdom of Lingle with two brave men.


    They joined an organization called the Life Company, where they underwent rigorous training.


    He establishes a pure trusting relationship with the Blue Grizzly, a magical beast, without the use of a magical contract.


    He goes into battle against the Demon King''s army as a member of the Rescue Mission, and saves many people.


    In the end, he neutralizes one of the main forces of the Demon Lord''s army.


    The more I hear about him, the more I want him.


    The more I hear about him, the more I want to have him. It is unbelievable that this happened within the past year.


    "We''ll get him! Oh, but not zombies and villagers. Aruk-san, does Usato have any special magic?"


    "Usato''s weapon is pure physical strength. Healing magic is only an element of his body. The only person I know who surpasses him in physical ability is his master.


    "Wow, that''s great!"


    When I came back to the house and saw a zombie with both arms shattered and a broken leg, I was honestly surprised.


    If a zombie can be taken out in a split second without even a scream, a human with arms less strong than a zombie''s would not last a second.


    I could try to take some time to create a binding spell, but after what happened last night, I don''t think they would play the same trick on me.


    But can I go out there myself and win?¡¡I can''t.


    My magic is not suited for battle, and above all, there is no way I can match such a strong man in strength.


    "...... That''s right. Why don''t you use that thing?


    It''s the only collection of my late father''s in the house.


    The one that inspired me to look into the notebooks of the brave.


    Unable to suppress my impulse, I run out of the study and down to the first floor at once. At the top of the stairs, there is a basement door that is closed tightly against the floor. I open the basement door, which is eerily illuminated by the sunlight from the sky, without any hesitation.


    "I thought I''d never use it, but it''s a monster that only you can catch, isn''t it?


    Muttering to myself, I jump down to the basement, look up at it exposed to the sunlight coming through the cracks in the ceiling, and sneer.


    No zombies, no humans, no demons.


    Then..,


    "Ah!"


    A huge body that could reach the ceiling.


    A gaping maw.


    Gouged out right eye.


    Clipped wings.


    The corpse of a one-winged, one-eyed monster stood calmly in front of me.

 74 - 72nd Episode

    At night, Burlin and I were preparing for the night at a place in the center of the village and the Western-style house.


    We knew that we had to do some preparation work before we went to the Western-style house in Neah, so we were preparing as much as we could in the free time we had.


    "Bulrin, there are a lot of enemies outside and inside. Be careful."


    "Guar."


    I''m glad to hear you''re not worried.


    ...... probably have zombies roaming around and inside the Western-style house.


    I don''t know if there are people being controlled by them or not, but if they''re here too, we''re going to be stuck if we try to sneak in.


    "Usato, I''ve seen the people in the village."


    How was it?


    Just then, Amako, who I had asked to go check on the villagers, returned.


    Her report would determine whether or not we would be able to give it our all.


    "They were all there. Maybe he''s not trying to get the villagers involved.


    "...... I see. Nair is trying to deal with us with just Aruk and the zombies. Either they think that''s all we need, or she has enough hidden gems that we don''t need to take hostages. ......"


    Either way, we are still going to help Mr. Aruk.


    If the villagers are gone, we''ll go all out.


    "The horses were fine, and I think the luggage at Tetra''s house will be fine too. And this..."


    Amaco held out what looked like a cloth belt. It looked as if it had been torn from a curtain or something, and was frayed in places.


    I took it and confirmed her intention once again.


    "Are you sure you are okay?¡¡Is it really okay?


    "I want to help Aruk-san, too. Besides, I''m used to it no matter how crazy Usato can be.


    These words are filled with power, which is hard to imagine from a girl who said, "I''m scared," when she jumped down from the third floor last night.


    Without saying a word, I turn my back to her and crouch down. Then Amako came up to me silently from behind, put her hands around my neck, and jumped lightly on my back. I stood up slowly after confirming that Amako had my legs tightly wrapped around her waist and my body firmly secured.


    "This is not as much of a problem as I thought it would be.


    Simply put, I gave Amako a piggyback ride.


    This was me and Amako''s plan. Amako predicts, and I move. If we work well together, we can create a combination that will make it impossible for any opponent to attack us.


    "All right, let''s just use the cloth to hold him in place."


    With the cloth I received, I fix the waist and torso parts of the body, but not too tightly.


    ......It is still lightweight in spite of its petite appearance. As for the weight, it''s as good as nothing to me.


    "Is there anything painful about it?


    "...... Usato, you don''t feel anything."


    "What?¡¡...... haha, you''re about 3 years too early to worry about that kind of thing..."


    The arms around my neck tighten and tighten.


    It''s hard to hold your breath, don''t do that. ....... I tap the hand around his neck with my face turning blue, and he loosens his arm as if he is satisfied.


    "There won''t be a next time."


    "...... what? Uh, yes."


    Amako, who was breathing hard, put her mouth close to my ear and muttered one word in the coldest voice she could have possibly uttered.


    I couldn''t help but respond with a trembling voice, "What is this?¡¡Amako has my life and death in her hands without my knowledge?


    I''ve heard that a woman''s anger is terrible, but I didn''t want to find out at a time like this.


    "Bullein. Are you ready?"


    "Grua!"


    Bulrin''s huge blue body shakes and he lets out a yell.


    Looks like he''s ready too.


    "Amako, concentrate on your prediction. As long as I am here, no attack or interference will be able to reach you.


    Don''t worry, I''m not worried.


    Good.


    I will join Bulrin and turn toward the Western-style house where Nair is.


    The plan is simple: we beat up Nair and free Aruk and the zombies in one fell swoop.


    I''m not going to say for sure if I''m going to free the villagers ...... because there are still some questions that remain in my mind.


    I don''t know how she intended to live as Nea, the village girl, for 200 years, taking the place of Tetra''s daughter.


    But regardless of that, I will have my people back.


    "Come on ......, let''s go!"


    Gooooooooooooo...!


    Amako''s hold on me grows stronger, and at the same time, I step out of the way.


    As soon as I start running, I see a Western-style house.


    On the third floor of the Western-style house, the only light is on in the hall where Amako and I jumped down last night, so I know that she is inviting us to that place.


    I can see dozens of zombies around the Western-style house, but that doesn''t matter to me now. I''m not the one they''re after.


    "Bulrin!¡¡I''ll take care of the exterminators!


    "Grua!"


    Bullynn jumps out in front of me and pushes forward, hitting the zombies that block his way. The scene was like a car accident. If it weren''t for the zombies, I''m sure he would have been seriously injured.


    However, they are zombies who can keep moving as long as they have a body. Even if their bones are broken or dented, they will get up again and again.


    We don''t have time to deal with them all.


    We leave the outside to Bulrin, and Amako and I charge straight into the Western-style house.


    "Don''t think I''ll be polite and knock before I go in!


    We kick down the carefully repaired door and blow away all the zombies standing by inside.


    Three on the right, one on the left, and three on the stairs.


    "Okay, I''ll hit him."


    As soon as he hears Amako''s brief instructions, he slams his fists into the four zombies coming at him simultaneously from both sides, sending them crashing into the wall.


    It would be easier to deal with them if we knew where they were coming from in advance.


    "Keep going up."


    As you run up the stairs, three zombies appear, just as you predicted.


    I calmly grab the hand of one of the zombies that reaches out and swing it around with my arm, knocking the two zombies to the ground and disabling them.


    "Straight down the line. Third floor, no one in front of the door."


    I see. So there''s no one here.


    Amako''s words make him climb the stairs even faster, and he hits the brakes before the third floor.


    "Hey, Usato, what are you...?"


    "Hey, it''s just a hello. It''s just a small thing.


    Amako is puzzled, but he does not care, and he squeezes his fist.


    He is not concerned about Amako''s confusion, but he is still squeezing his fist.


    And how could I not be angry?


    "I''m here as promised!¡¡You''re a vampire shut-in!"


    I slam my fist into the wooden door with a yell.


    The fist, swung with no effort, did not break through the door, but instead blew away the clasp that had held it there.


    >


    Nair, who had been behind the door, was probably waiting for us with a relaxed expression on her face, but when the door suddenly blew in her face, she screamed in horror and fell to the floor.


    The door crashed into the window of the hall and made a huge hole in it.


    "Oh, wow, my mansion is in ...... hey, hey!¡¡There''s a way to get in!¡¡It was hard to fix it!


    I don''t give a shit!¡¡I don''t have time for you!¡¡I''ll hit you before you do something!


    What?


    Nair, who is blaming me for the incident, turns his fist into a sword and tries to knock me unconscious.


    "Usato, no!


    No!


    Amako stops me as I approach N¨¦a and raise my sword.


    At the same time I heard that voice, I noticed someone approaching from the side, and when I rushed away from Nair, I saw a sword that must have been swung with all its might, piercing the spot where I had been just a moment before.


    Her red hair shining in the darkness, the sword shining in a dull color.


    And heavy armor that I had not worn before I came here.


    Mr. Aruku stood protecting Nair, who was breathing hard, and looked at us with vacant eyes.


    "Oh, that was close. "Oh, that was a close one....¡¡The tables have turned.


    She got up with a good look on her face and casually hid behind Mr. Alc and gave us a provocative smile.


    I tried to make a move, thinking that I could take away Nair''s consciousness, but Alc''s body shifted in the direction I tried to jump out of the way.


    "......You''re not going to let me go, Mr. Alc?"


    "......"


    Mute---.


    He is trying to protect the object he is supposed to protect, even if it is under Nair''s control. Having served for many years as a guard at the gates of the Kingdom of Lingle, his <> is not easily outmaneuvered.


    "Well, ......, I''ll be d*mned."


    With a sigh, I lower my hand, thinking that it is impossible to attack Nair any further.


    She looked at Amako, whom I was carrying, and tilted her head.


    "You guys are dressed like ....... I see, Amako is concentrating on her prediction.


    "...... you got it out of Mr. Aruk?"


    Of course. And I heard about Usato, too.


    I knew they knew.


    It would have been nice if we could have defeated them on our first contact before things got any more complicated.


    I heard you were summoned from another world.


    "That''s right. I don''t belong here. I really didn''t want you to know, but I had no choice.


    We''ll take the straight and narrow approach, first knocking Mr. Alk out and then hitting Nair.


    To do that..,


    "Amaco, I''m sorry to rush you, but I''m going to have to ask you to step down for a minute."


    "...... got it."


    I can deal with zombies, but it''s tough for me to deal with Mr. Arc in this limited space with Amako on my back.


    I myself don''t know how powerful his real flame magic is yet.


    The first thing that comes to mind is Mina''s bursting magic that she used against Nack in Lucvis. If he unleashes a wide-area magic like the one she is dealing with, it is impossible to say that Amako, who is on my back, will be unharmed, not to mention me.


    Amako gets down and moves into a fighting position, and Aruk silently holds up his sword as I do so.


    "---You know I won''t take it easy on you.¡¡I''ve heard all about your heroism, your strength, and your sturdiness from Alc, so I''m going to make him fight for real. Besides, I lent him a little help too.


    "Did you lend a hand ......?"


    Did you do something to ...... Mr. Aruk?¡¡Does it mean anything to you that you put him in that hideous armor?


    Looking at him, he looks the same except for his vacant eyes and the armor covering his body.


    I guess you never know until you fight, huh?


    Do it.


    "Whoo!!!!"


    At the same time as her voice, Aruk-san, who had dropped to the ground at once, jumped toward us.


    The surface of the sword is covered with flames, and it is clear that it contains a cutting edge that can easily cut down anything it strikes.


    "Aruk-san! ......!"


    "......"


    He evades a downward blow from above by stepping backward, and clings healing magic to his fist.


    My healing magic is useless against zombies, but it is effective against living ones. I will use my healing punch to knock them unconscious at once.


    To do so, I have to get past his sword and jump into his pocket.


    In the game with Mr. Halfa at the school, I could take it because he was using a club, but this time he is using a sword, which can cut you if it hits you. It''s a simple thing, but it makes all the difference.


    Besides, Mr. Aruk is a master of sword. If you jump in carelessly, you might get a fatal wound.


    Bubba!


    A flaming sword slashes up from below, grazing the tip of my nose.


    If you get hit by that, you won''t survive the burn. Nair may not want to kill me, but he seems to be willing to kill me more than half.


    I''m confident that I can heal myself with healing magic even if I''m half-dead. But I don''t want to be cut by a flaming sword.


    At this point, let''s abandon all compassion and mercy for Mr. Aruk and knock him out at once.


    I''m sorry. I''ll hit him.


    I jumped into his pocket, grabbed his right hand holding the sword, and then slammed a healing punch with my left hand into his chestplate, being careful of the aftermath of the flaming sword.


    A solid response and impact pierced through Mr. Aruk''s body.


    "With this..."


    It''s decided, I try to put it into words, but a mysterious pattern appears on his breastplate.


    The pattern is similar to the one that appeared when I was restrained. It flickered as if it was moving around the breastplate to his feet.


    It''s as if the attack I gave to Aruk-san was directly swept outward..,


    "No way!¡¡---What the...!"


    Taking advantage of the momentary lull in my agitation, Alc-san puts his left hand, which is different from the one holding the sword, on my abdomen.


    Oh no, I thought to myself, but it was too late.


    "d*mn ......!"


    Just as I was about to wrap my entire body in agonizing healing magic, a compressed fireball was ejected from Aruk-san''s palm, and a shock hit my body.


    The impact of the fireball into my abdomen was more than enough to blow me away, and I was helplessly slammed into the wall next to the door I had kicked through, and slammed back against the armor that was still on display.


    "......!"


    "Usato!"


    Amako rushes toward him in a panic, but he uses his hands to restrain her and gets up.


    The bandage on his abdomen is black and sooty, but there are no holes in it, nor are there any scratches.


    Since the only thing that passed through him was the impact, and he was not burned or anything, there is no need to apply healing magic. .......


    "...... I didn''t think that not even a healing punch or fist would work. ......"


    "Well, why are you almost unharmed ......?"


    I can only answer that question by saying that I train hard.


    I''ve withstood Rose''s fist in the first place, so I don''t think it''s that big of a shock. But what is that armor that Aruk-san is made to wear?¡¡I know that he is not a vampire and a necromancer.


    The first thing I can tell from the pattern is that..,


    "Witchcraft, the second ......"


    "Correct!"


    Nair, who was happy to have been guessed, sticks his index finger at me with a big smile on his face.


    "The armor he''s wearing is covered with my special <>. The performance is simple, all the attacks I put into the formula are repelled. But it has a disadvantage, I can only put in one resistance, and it has to be limited, so the effect and the range are not that great. ...... is a poor magic that is so useless that it has few chances to be used."


    It''s not easy to use, you know.


    It''s the worst kind of magic I''ve ever seen. If all the blows with my fists and kicks with my legs will be swept away, there''s nothing I can do.


    She puts her hand over her mouth, the corners of her mouth twisted into a crescent moon.


    "If you want to make Aruk-san immobilized, just take the sword or axe there and attack him, okay?¡¡After that, let''s see. Maybe you can use some offensive magic!¡¡That''s if you''re willing to kill Aruk-san!¡¡Hahahahahaha!


    ...... means that physical attack with body art is useless, so we should stop him with other weapons that can kill him. That''s impossible, of course.


    And you know that I can''t use offensive magic, and yet you cite it so mean-spiritedly, you must be holding on to the fact that I tried to settle this first.


    And he''s trying to stir things up with a really nasty smile on his face.


    "Huh---. After magic, you''ve blocked my body art as well. As a matter of fact, there''s nothing I can do about it now.


    Then I suggest you give up. Even if you defeat Mr. Aruk, I still have a trump card left. No matter what you do in this situation, my victory is still assured.


    Give up,...... I give up.


    ...... ha.


    "Don''t be stupid, little girl. I won''t give up on you. I won''t give up on you. Don''t think I''ll stop just because you can''t use your fists or your kicks.


    He strips off the arm of the armor he has broken off and fits it on both arms.


    Iron cuirasses. I don''t think I can withstand it so many times, but it should be able to catch Aruk-san''s flaming sword.


    He ruffles his hair with his cuirassed hands and glares at Nair, who is standing behind Mr. Aruku.


    "You seem to know me only by knowledge, but you can''t possibly know everything I''ve learned since I came to this world, everything she''s taught me."


    "......, that''s why I caught you---"


    "You think I''m going to force you to ask?¡¡That is if you can catch him. And I''ll tell you one thing you don''t know. I''m a... competitive guy."


    Now, I''ve never been on the receiving end of a blade before, let alone dodged one.


    One moment of carelessness can be fatal. ......!


    I slammed both fists together to make sure I was in good shape, took a deep breath, and readied my fists to face Aruk-san again.

 75 - the 73rd episode

    "Amaco, stay back ......."


    I look at Mr. Arque, who is holding his sword in his right eye, telling him to stay away from Amako, who is looking at me with concern. Armor covers his entire body. At first glance, it seems to be just a piece of armor, but it is covered with a spell that makes it resistant to almost all blows to it.


    It is safe to assume that blows with the limbs and the associated impact are also nullified.


    Then, the only way that would work is to stop him with a weapon attack, a weapon that can kill or injure Mr. Arc, but it would be too dangerous to save him.


    "---then..."


    If we can''t do anything at the moment, we will try to find a way to help him in the fight.


    The only way to do that is to stay close to him and attack him. We will evade him, parry with our cuirass, and find a way out.


    He thrusts his right hand forward, his left hand at his waist, and his right foot half a step forward so that he can move it at any time. No matter what kind of attack comes, you will be ready for it.


    "Come on!


    As if in response to my voice, he raises his sword and rushes forward to slash at me.


    In response, I catch the sword in my line of sight as it swings down, and I strike the tip of the sword with my right fist, which is fitted with a hand armor, and deflect it slightly to the right.


    At the same time as the flaming sword makes contact with the cuirass, a small spark is produced.


    "What?


    "Too late!"


    I tell him this as his eyes widen slightly with a vacant look in them.


    ---I''m scared to death, but inside I''m still scared.


    I''m terrified of blades, and having to go to the trouble of engaging in melee combat is causing me a great deal of stress.


    But no one can help Mr. Aruk but me.


    For his sake as well as for ours, we must not fall back.


    I have to do it. ---I have to...!


    He turns his sword to the right and swings it in a side swipe, avoiding the blow by crouching down.


    At the same time as he does this, I reach into his pocket, pull his shoulder armor as hard as I can, and knee him in the abdomen.


    I look at his armor to see if it works, but it does not.


    It seems that even a blow by holding him down is within the range of his resistance.


    "!¡¡Oops!


    He notices Mr. Aruk gathering magic power in his hands and immediately moves away from him.


    I don''t want to be blown away by the magic power again. I was almost unharmed before, but even I can''t be unharmed if he hits me on my unprotected face.


    Before I can regain my position, Aruk-san comes at me again.


    "You''re not giving me any time to rest!


    The red-hot sword sprays sparks of fire and swings at me over and over again. Those who can avoid the attacks, avoid them, and those who can be repelled by their hand-arms, take them as they are, and stay on the defensive.


    It is hot. Every time he swings his sword, I feel suffocation and a stinging sensation on my skin.


    But I continue to take his attacks regardless.


    I repel his slashes with my right fist with my cuirass, and I avoid his thrusts by twisting my body, and I block his breathless barrage of blows with my cuirass.


    However, his right arm, which was protecting him from the sword, was hot...?


    "Hot!"


    It''s red hot!


    Seeing the reddish discoloration on the back of his hand and arm, he hurriedly removes the cuirass and throws it to the floor. If he had kept them on, they would have been destroyed or badly burned for sure.


    I''m not burned, but it''s still not a good idea to be repeatedly hit by it.


    It would have been a different story if I had been facing a normal sword. .......


    "Hmph, hmph,...... indeed, fire is a tricky thing."


    He deflects the sword with the cuirass of his left arm while casting healing magic on his right hand and blowing on it with his breath.


    "What!"


    "??...... hmm?"


    In the middle of this, I saw his arm tremble slightly.


    His movements became somewhat jerky along with it. Seeing him like that, I made a guess.


    "Is he reaching the limit of his physical strength? ......


    It is an inevitable problem when people move. In my case, the limit is a little bit higher than others, but a normal person would have a hard time exercising with almost no breathing. Moreover, it is natural that Aruk-san, who is attacking me, is more fatigued than I am, who is concentrating on defense.


    Normally, he would leave me at this point and try to catch his breath and recover his strength. But Nair is in control of his body. He will not stop his sword until he has completed her command.


    "If I''m not being manipulated ......"


    I wouldn''t have let you realize my physical limitations.


    He would have played with me in technical combat, which I am not good at, instead of this kind of muddy melee.


    I avoid his slightly dulled sword without looking at it, and shift my gaze to Nair.


    "a"


    Seeing me on the defensive, he seemed to be in a very good mood, as if he thought he was winning.


    ---I''m sure of it. She is not very good at fighting.


    When I was about to strike the first blow, she was very frightened because she was aware that she could be easily defeated by my attack.


    If that were the case, I would be able to strike her before her body is destroyed, but Mr. Aruk in front of me would not allow me to do so.


    "......!¡¡Yes."


    Let''s think about it the other way around.


    If we can''t attack them directly, we can do it by other means.


    If that''s the way it''s going to be!


    !"


    I turn my attention back to Mr. Aruk again, and with enough force to knock him off the floor, I dive into his pocket, slam my fist into his chestplate as if gouging it out from underneath, and push him up.


    The force and impact are nullified, but the force to push him up should not be....


    "Here!¡¡---- Prepare yourself!¡¡Neah!"


    "...... what?¡¡Me?"


    I glared at her as she let out a crazy voice, and I slammed my fist into Mr. Arc''s armor, knocking him to the window where Nair was standing.


    Of course, Mr. Arc was unharmed inside.


    But I wonder if someone who will be crushed by it will be safe. ......?


    "Oh, what?¡¡Still aiming at me,...... Ah, Mr. Aruk!¡¡Stop!


    Stop!


    But just before he hit Nair, Mr. Alk stabbed his sword into the floor and hit the brakes to stop his momentum and he fell. Mr. Arcu''s armor makes a clattering sound as he falls without being able to catch himself.


    He was stopped by ......, and he stopped in a very unreasonable position. That''s how impatient he was.


    "d*mn. ......


    "What the hell is this guy, he''s crazy. ....... How much more is he trying to get to me when there are other ways to get to me ......."


    What do you mean, "crazy"?


    Well, never mind, I''ll do it as many times as I have to. With that thought, I tried to ready my fist again, but I saw Aruk-san get up from the impossible position he had fallen to the floor with a grunt.


    "Ugh... ......"


    "......"


    ---It''s working.


    I didn''t hit him.


    Maybe the damage he took when he fell under the weight of his armor and his own weight ......?


    If my guess is right, I''m starting to understand a little more about the spell of resistance.


    "So, you''re saying that the spell of resistance is really a spell that makes you resistant "only" to blows. ...... that''s a quick story. I''m going to hit Mr. Arc to you just like I just did. I''m going to drive Mr. Arc into a corner until he passes out.


    "...... fellow, right?¡¡I don''t know if you''re capable of ...... hitting him over and over again."


    Your voice is getting a little hoarse, ne''er-do-well.


    I nod without hesitation at her words and ready my fists.


    "I have to do it. One of the reasons I was on the defensive was to keep Aruk from cutting me and Amako. I don''t want to hurt us and make him regret it, that''s why ----"


    Stop Mr. Aruk.


    Nair''s face tightened slightly at my words, and she held her palm up to Mr. Alc and moved her mouth to say something. I turned my attention to Amako in the corner of the room, but she shook her head as if she did not hear me either.


    "It would have been better to end it here. For both of you.


    "...... what do you mean?"


    Before she can answer, Mr. Alc comes forward.


    He seems to have regained some breathing room, but his movements are still jerky. No matter what measures she takes, she will continue to use the same method as before...?


    Suddenly, Mr. Aruk shoots a large fireball from his palm.


    I was surprised that she used fire in the pavilion, but I hurriedly created a healing magic bullet and hit the fireball, causing it to explode and cancel it out.


    "What, what is it ......?"


    I was fighting to keep the fire away from my surroundings as much as possible, but suddenly you started to use fire.


    Is it dazzling ......?"


    I watch for his sword as I am enveloped by the blast generated by the fireball. Then, something is coming straight at my neck.


    I try to flick it with my left hand, but contrary to my expectation, it grabs my arm, which I hold up in defense.


    "!?¡¡Mr. Aruk!


    He pulls my arm from his grasp and swings it around with great force.


    My legs came off the floor, and my arms were pulled as he pulled me down..,


    "Whoa, whoa, whoa!"


    I was thrown from the third floor.


    Below me, I can see Bulrin riding on a horse and beating up on the zombies who have become immobilized.


    Feeling somewhat shocked at what I have just seen, I adjust my stance in mid-air and land on the ground.


    I look to the side to see Bulrin approaching me, and I think of her left behind on the third floor.


    "Amako is ......!"


    I look up to call out to her on the third floor, but I see Mr. Alc coming downstairs, grabbing the ledge of the window.


    If she continues to deal with him, she will not be able to confirm Amako''s safety. No, I know that the girl has a thick skull, but I''m still worried about her.


    Should we ignore him or ......?¡¡No, if Bulrin here is against Mr. Aruk, he might kill him if he''s not careful.


    "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Go to Amaco''s."


    Gua?


    Take care of her.


    Perhaps he heard my urgent voice, he let out a cry and ran into the pavilion. Perhaps Amako would be safe as long as Bulrin went. I know that Amako is not the type of girl who would be caught by zombies, and I am not worried about that.


    The problem is..,


    "I just don''t understand what you''re trying to do at all."


    "Hmph."


    He says these words to Nair, who has been sitting on a helicopter on the roof of a Western-style house for some time now.


    She is looking down at me with her purple-lit palm facing the ground.


    "I don''t think I can beat you just by dropping you from the third floor. I''ve asked Aruk to change the location a bit, where he can wield his power to his heart''s content.


    At that moment, the sword that Alc-san was standing in front of me gushed out with a fire that was a far cry from the one I had just seen.


    The flaming sword, which had been quietly glowing red as if clad indoors, glowed brightly as if it were completely different from before, releasing so much heat that even those of us at a distance could feel the heat.


    "I heard that he himself doesn''t like to use this kind of magic. "He himself doesn''t like using this kind of magic, he says, since the disastrous results of his cuts are so far from the way he wants them to be. Well, if you get cut by a sword like this, you won''t get much more than a burn.


    Nair scoffs.


    On the other hand, I was reminded of the image of Meena that I had seen in Luxvis when I saw Mr. Alc with a burning flame on his sword.


    The power and range of the sword were exceptional, but it felt strange to see me, a healer, and Alc-san, a flame wielder, outside the house.


    "It''s like a re-creation of Nack and Meena. Then, as his master, I have to get over this fire.


    I smile, remembering how Nack swallowed all his fear and trepidation and stood up to Meena.


    Unfortunately, I already know how to attack the spell of resistance that Nair is talking about.


    If punching and kicking are useless, we just have to use other methods of attack,


    Besides, it was a mistake to let me out of the house, that''s all I can say.


    "When you were planning your strategy to fight me, Mr. Aruk must have advised you to do so. .


    "......What about it?¡¡In this situation, it''s obvious that you, who can only punch and kick, have an advantage over Aruk-san, who can create a wide range of explosive flames."


    "That''s why you don''t know what you''re talking about.


    Don''t you dare lick the lifeguard, Rose trained me.


    Running, not hitting or kicking, is what I''m all about. Here I don''t have to worry about stepping through the floor or injuring the nearest amaco.


    "Mr. Aruk, I''m coming to help you."


    "What!¡¡Cleave!


    At the same time as Nair''s words, Mr. Arc swung his sword, which was covered in flames, sideways and released a fan of flames. I step out of the ground as hard as I can, leap with a running start, and leap over the fan-shaped flames.


    "---There is no ceiling and there are no walls.


    As soon as he lands, I run to the side and try to approach him from the side.


    However, I fail because Mr. Aruk creates a wall of flames at the direction of Nair, who catches sight of me from above.


    "Then, go faster...!"


    I turn my body around and start to run to increase my speed.


    In the meantime, all the flames that are shot out are hitting and missing far behind me. I try to aim and hit as Nair instructed, but that is a bad move when dealing with me.


    "Too late,...... too late!"


    I can''t be in a controlled state.


    I shouldn''t be repeating the same attack like a robot.


    It would be easier to stop my legs if I use a power move like Mina''s, by scattering magic bullets that burst in all directions, or by creating a way for me to escape, luring me there, and then hitting me at once.


    "Yes!"


    I change direction and turn toward Mr. Aruk.


    Nair has lost sight of me, and Mr. Alc is looking in the wrong direction.


    I approach him before he notices me and cut off his consciousness...!


    I close the distance in one breath and try to grab him, but at that moment, he suddenly turns around and catches me in his eyes.


    "What?


    He noticed me, no, he reacted to me. ......?


    Did his knightly instincts kick in unconsciously?¡¡Aruk-san turns his head around and quickly swings his sword down at an angle.


    Should he step back or should he go---he hesitates for a moment as he sees the sword approaching, but then he quickly changes his mind and holds his left arm out wide to the right.


    He meets the flaming sword with his left fist covered with his cuirass.


    It would be unthinkable under normal circumstances, but my master was a monster who could shatter a steel sword with his bare hands...,


    "If he can do it, I can do it!"


    I strike the sword that is about to cut my head off with my back fist with the back of my left hand with a twist of my body.


    I am her disciple and subordinate, there is no reason why I can''t do it since I have the advantage of wearing the hand armor!


    "Aaaaah!"


    The flames emitted from the sword turn the cuirass red and make it hot.


    He endures the suffocation and the heat, but he does not weaken the force he has put into his arm.


    "Break it off!


    With a crack at the base of the blade, he swings his back fist out.


    The blade, which had been covered with flames, snapped off at the base and pierced the ground, leaving a residue of flames.


    "---It hurts a little!


    It''s not over yet.


    I took a step closer to Mr. Aruk, and grabbed his arm and the collar of his breastplate, without punching or kicking him.


    This is the way of life against the spell of resistance.


    It was an impact other than a blow. That is, a throw.


    It was neither judo nor aikido, but just pure force to lift up Aruk-san''s body..,


    "Soooo!"


    "Gah!"


    He hits the ground with a mighty thud.


    A large crack appears in the ground, and the sound of armor creaking can be heard.


    I hear his grief and pain in my heart, but after confirming that he has fainted, I pour healing magic into him to heal the damage caused by the throw.


    I hit him on the ground, taking care not to drop him on his head, but it seems that the impact was enough to knock him out.


    "Whew..."


    I slowly catch my breath as I remove my hand from Mr. Aruk''s.


    The idea of throwing and then healing is a good one, isn''t it?


    The healing punch heals while punching. But this is a technique to heal after throwing.


    I call it "Healing Throw".


    What a practical technique you''ve developed. .......


    ...... Anyway, we were able to knock Aruk-san out with this. I can''t say I''m out of the brainwashing yet, but that should be ok once I defeat Nair.


    "Well..."


    He throws away the cuirass of his left hand and looks up to where Nair is, applying healing magic to his reddened hand.


    However, Nair, who had supposedly lost her pawn, Aruk-san, was not the least bit upset by this situation. She looks down at me with a relaxed expression on her face, as if she had been expecting this, and I feel a chill.


    "You''re the only one left."


    "Oh, really?"


    "...... you can''t fight me, no matter how many zombies you try. Now you give up."


    "Not a match. Not if it''s just a zombie. If it''s just a zombie.


    ---Wait a minute, what is she doing with her palms facing the ground?


    I don''t see any magic pattern. It looks like she''s just sending her magic power into the ground... right under the pavilion.


    Is she trying to bring back the zombies? ......¡¡If they are just zombies, they are not my enemy as I said before. Or is he trying to resurrect a powerful demon like Bulrin as a zombie?


    But I can''t find such a corpse anywhere...?


    "Amaco saw ...... in the basement."


    The only place I never saw.


    A place where something must have happened to scare the hell out of Amako.


    Just as I was coming to that thought, a loud crushing sound and a tremor echoed from the Western-style house.


    "What the hell?"


    I looked toward the Western-style house in surprise, and saw the sound of something constantly pushing up from below, and the creaking of the Western-style house accompanying the sound.


    What is happening ......?


    While I was stunned by the sequence of events that I could not understand at all, a blue mass came out of the entrance of the Western-style house.


    "Usato!


    "Amako!¡¡Bulrin, you saved me!"


    Amako gets off his back and asks him about the situation, while praising Bulrin for bringing Amako here.


    "Amako, what the hell is ...... going on?"


    "......I don''t like to think about it, but maybe that thing I saw ...... is going to happen."


    "What''s going to happen?¡¡"What''s going to happen?"


    I''m sure something bad has been woken up, but I don''t know what it is.


    Amako''s face turns blue and she looks toward the Western-style house.


    "It had big, sharp teeth and ...... one eye that was full of hatred. Maybe it was..."


    As if to interrupt her words, a huge hand with sharp claws sprang out from the ground floor of the Western-style house visible through the door. An arm with large claws that looked more like sharply pointed rocks than claws.


    Another arm was forcibly inserted through the hole, widening the hole even further and destroying the museum, a sight that was enough to make me exclaim.


    "Ha-ha-ha-ha!"


    Nair was laughing maniacally, floating in the air with the wings on her back, despite the destruction of the mansion.


    Seeing this out of the ordinary being, I glared at her and questioned her.


    "Nair......!¡¡What have you awakened!


    What have I awakened?¡¡Of course, I awakened something that can defeat you.


    "......."


    It''s fanatical to this point: .......


    I can''t believe you woke that thing up and tried to get me.


    ---G-G-g-g-g-g-g-ve...


    A shrill voice was heard from the pavilion.


    After a moment of silence, the center of the first floor of the Western-style house burst open with a cloud of dust.


    I stare at the ground floor of the Western-style house, blocking the flying pieces of wood.


    What jumped into view through the smoke and sand was..,


    No, no, no, no.


    Huge, bloated paws.


    Only one wing left.


    Black eyes, hideous.


    A large body with many scars.


    I still couldn''t believe what I was seeing, even though I was holding my nose against the sudden stench of decay.


    >


    With a harsh, unpleasant sound as if the air had leaked out, the evil dragon, who was on the path of evil, let out a heaven-shaking roar to devour us, its adversaries.

 76 - 74th episode

    Resurrection of the evil dragon.


    The awakening of the treacherous divine dragon.


    Its heaven-shaking roar shakes the plants and trees, and all living creatures in the wild tremble with fear.


    Few people in this age know of the evil dragon.


    Because their deeds were so fearless that people avoided them, they have not been recorded, and there are only a few people who have passed them down to future generations. If there are any survivors, they are probably only portrayed as demons who died before the heroic tales of heroic heroes.


    But he knows.


    He who has awakened from the seal of hundreds of years, the king of the demon tribe---the Demon King.


    As soon as the roar of the evil dragon resounded, he, sitting in the demon king''s domain, perceived the presence of the evil dragon before anyone else.


    "......!"


    "How are you doing?¡¡How are you doing, Demon Lord?


    The lady attendant at his side was the first to notice the change in him and spoke to him.


    The demon king put his hand on his forehead, let out a sly grin, and turned to the lady-in-waiting with a good mood.


    "No, I felt the waves of a dragon that I have missed for a long time.


    "Dragon vibrations, sir?¡¡So you mean dragons ......?


    "There are dragons in this time, aren''t there?¡¡There''s only one ...... alive, maybe two. Interesting sideshow. Is this his work, too?


    The Demon King mutters to himself.


    The maid of honor listens to him, though she wonders about him.


    From the day I started working as the Witch King''s lady-in-waiting, I have learned that he surprisingly places a high value on interaction with others. His words are pleasant and captivating.


    Perhaps because of her natural awe, few people would be willing to take on such a daunting position as the Demon King''s chambermaid, but she took on the role of the Demon King''s chambermaid of her own volition.


    However, she cannot hide her bewilderment at the words of the Demon Lord, who goes one rank above and beyond her expectations.


    "Before I was sealed, she must have already been killed like me. He left behind a polite form.


    "Huh. ......"


    "The power is unstable. Did someone wake you up? There''s some impure magic mixed in. Either way, it seems to be imperfectly evoked and weakened.


    The demon king closes his eyes and speaks happily.


    I wonder if he is sensing the waves of a distant dragon, but as a lady-in-waiting, the word "dragon" is the only word that comes to mind when I hear the word "dragon''s waves.


    After all, the existence of dragons has hardly been confirmed at present.


    "Well, let me ask you a question in a shallow way. I don''t really understand what you are talking about. ......"


    "Evil dragon. A spiteful being born with nothing but power."


    "Evil Dragon ......"


    "He''s a nasty one. A stupid creature that doesn''t listen, that doesn''t think, that follows only its own instincts, that was born with wisdom but has given up its intelligence."


    --- I can''t imagine.


    I didn''t even know such a being existed until now, and the fact that it has awakened somewhere and is now rampaging around is somewhat unrealistic.


    All he has in his mind is destruction and hatred. We used him once, but in one night, three countries were reduced to ashes. I will never use it again."


    "...... that''s a terrible thing, isn''t it?"


    It is extraordinary that three nations can perish in a single night.


    She herself knew of some of the invasions that the Demon Lord had made before he was sealed, but still, no operation had ever destroyed so many countries in a single night.


    "It''s easy to use him. All we have to do is give him a place to destroy. But if you try to take the reins, he''ll come right back to bite you. He is so powerful that even I would have a hard time killing him.


    I am reminded again that this person is out of the ordinary, not only because he does not say he cannot do it there, but also because he does not say he cannot do it.


    However, the evil dragon that he called a bone-breaking existence, could it be harmful not only to human beings but also to our own demonic race?


    "Then, isn''t it dangerous to leave them unchecked ......?"


    "Don''t worry. I told you they are weakening. His power is far less than it was at its peak. He will decay on his own without my intervention."


    Decay is a terrible thing," the demon king says with exaggerated movements.


    I can tell from his expression that he is not the least bit worried, but he immediately puts his hand to his chin in a huff.


    "But if they are left unchecked, they will probably die a lot. Hundreds of years of sealing and physical deterioration have simplified even the most thoughtful man''s thinking. His destructive impulses will be spurred on and his hatred will be directed at those who sealed him. The hero of this generation --- his kin, if he left a child. And two heroes summoned from the same world as him. Or, more precisely, anyone who has a close "scent" of him will surely be the object of his hatred.


    "It''s like ......"


    "Like a beast"?¡¡Yes, a beast. There is no creature more loyal to its instincts, more fearless, more arrogant, more meaningless to this world. But on the other hand, no creature is as pure as he is. I despise him from the bottom of my heart, but I have a certain appreciation for him---that''s why he should have died. He should have been put to death by a brave man.


    "It was a brave man who sealed it, wasn''t it?¡¡Maybe he just couldn''t beat them."


    "Speak nonsense. How could that brave man fail to slay the evil dragon? It''s not that he couldn''t... it''s that he didn''t.


    "Huh. ......?"


    I don''t understand.


    The maid of honor was a little confused. Just by listening to the demon king''s story, she could tell that the evil dragon was quite a nuisance. It would be even more so for human beings.


    But why did the heroes seal the evil dragon when they could have defeated it?¡¡I wonder what his intention was.


    Perhaps sensing the slight tilt of her head, he points to himself as if to explain to her.


    "You are just like me. He and I were both kept alive, albeit in different ways.


    "The Mad King let you live?¡¡By a brave man? ......?"


    "By a brave man. That''s why I was sealed alive.


    And, though it may be disrespectful to say so, the brave man had power over the Demon King, did he?


    The heroes of the Evil Dragon and the Demon King were punished in the form of sealing by the heart of warmth and mercy.


    It is normal to think so.


    If that is true..,


    "It seems that the brave man is a very sweet man."


    I chose my words.


    I chose my words because I honestly felt that it was foolish to show mercy to an enemy, even to the Demon King.


    However, the Demon Lord, perhaps anticipating her words, smiled a biting smile.


    "Kukuk, sweet ...... I see, sweet ......."


    "Demon Lord ......?"


    His shoulders shake, and the maid of honor is puzzled.


    He laughs a bit, then leans back against his throne and speaks pleasantly to her as she stands by his side.


    "What is your name?"


    "E....... My name is Ciel.


    "Then Ciel. As of this day, you are my personal maid of honor."


    "......... is?"


    Suddenly, he''s declaring himself exclusive.


    And the exclusive servant of the Demon King, who stands at the top of the demon tribe.


    She stiffens at the mention of something that is too much for her, a maid of honor, but the Demon King, on the other hand, is in a good mood and smiles.


    The demon king, on the other hand, is in a good mood. If there is no one to talk to, there is nothing to do. You, on the other hand, respond to me in an interesting way. After all, the people here are too pure.


    "That sounds to me like you are saying that I am not pure ......."


    "That''s what I''m saying."


    With a crazy feeling of unconvincing yet honored, the maid of honor, Ciel, bows deeply. She has learned firsthand that the Demon Lord is a much more thoughtful and unprecedented man than she had imagined.


    The demon king is a very good man.


    "Okay, let''s run away."


    "Yeah, let''s do that."


    "Guh."


    Our judgment was quick when we saw the evil dragon that Nair had awakened as a zombie.


    Amako immediately jumped on Bulrin''s back and I turned around carrying the unconscious Alc.


    I don''t have time to deal with that thing.


    There''s no use in fighting. Running away is the best way to win.


    "Ha ha ha!¡¡Nah!¡¡I tried my best to turn this evil dragon into a zombie, but it was a mistake!¡¡Do you think you can catch me with that big thing?¡¡You''re a shut-in!¡¡You''re a little shit!


    "Hey ......?


    Anyway, I''m going to give him a little flare-up to get back at him for all he''s done.


    We''ve done what we came for when we saved Aruk-san. The villagers are still under her control, but in other words, they can live in safety because they are under her control.


    Then they can leave the village now.


    As we head towards the village to pick up our horses, we notice a strange wind around us.


    "---!¡¡The wind is behind ......?"


    It is being pulled in.


    With a bad premonition, you look back and see an evil dragon taking a deep breath.


    Is that the only way a dragon can take a big breath or something ......?


    "Turn around, Bulrin!


    He calls out to Bulrin, who stands still and looks at the evil dragon so that he can respond to the attack from behind. The Evil Dragon''s throat is swollen from sucking in so much air, and purple smoke is leaking out of the edges of his mouth and the wound on his throat like a locomotive.


    "Come on if you want to throw up ......!"


    As I prepared myself, thinking of the worst-case scenario of shaking and reaving my danbuku, the Evil Dragon stopped sucking air and raised its head...,


    "-------!"


    With an inaudible roar, it spat a large purple mass high into the sky.


    I and Bulrin fell to the ground in a panic. The spewed mass went over our heads and fell into the woods behind us. As it fell, a sludge-like spray and an unbelievably strong odor were scattered around us.


    "Well, it''s a dragon after all, so it breathes breath or something. ...... I''m a little impressed. ......"


    What am I impressed by?


    It''s not impossible to avoid a breath of that magnitude. As I turn my head to carry Mr. Aruk back on my back and hurry ahead, I see the spot where the breath just fell and I am absolutely mortified.


    The trees that had been growing lushly before were dying in the blink of an eye---was this rotting?¡¡And that smell ......!


    "Shit, it''s poison!"


    Slight dizziness and nausea. I immediately clamp my mouth shut and put on healing magic.


    I look next to Amako, whose face is turning pale from the poison. Bulrin seems to be okay, but if he gets any closer to that sludge, he''ll be in danger too. Especially Aruk-san who is unconscious.


    "Amaco, don''t worry, we''ll fix him."


    "...... sorry."


    He lifts Amako off of Bullein''s back and casts a healing spell on her with Mr. Arc on her shoulder.


    We need to get away from that evil dragon as soon as possible....


    The sludge is then spread to cover the area around the pavilion, leaving no place to escape to.


    "You''re not going to let me escape, are you? ......!


    The sludge is dropped in such a way as to block our way.


    The evil dragon stops spitting sludge when I stop, and its one-eyed eyes narrow suspiciously. It looks as if it is sizing me up, and then looks down at me---mocking me.


    I recognized those eyes.


    They are exactly the same eyes as the snakes I fought in the forest of Ringle.


    He enjoys tormenting his opponents and takes great pleasure in doing so.


    "Come on, get him, Usato!¡¡Ha-ha-ha-ha!"


    That little girl doesn''t get it, does she?


    Fed up with her telling me to capture her with a huge smile on her face, I put Aruk-san and Amako on the back of Bulrin, who is groaning next to me, after I finish healing them.


    I put my hand on her body and cast a healing spell on her.


    "Protect them away from the poisonous ...... gas ...... miasma. ......No, I really need your help, but I can''t leave you two alone."


    "Usato ......"


    "Don''t worry about Amaco either. I''m just going to hit him and see if I can beat him."


    "Let''s not judge by hitting first. Okay?"


    I never thought I''d hear such a gentle reminder at a time like this.


    I mean, it''s more like the criteria for judging whether or not I can hit him is whether or not I can hit him.


    That''s a bad sign. ......


    Bulrin nods reluctantly at my words.


    "Vgoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"


    The evil dragon can''t wait.


    Looking at that notebook, I''ll never be able to beat him.


    But I can''t avoid fighting it if I''m going to escape. If Mr. Aruk had stayed awake, I might have been able to burn away the sludge with flames, but that''s impossible now that he can''t move.


    "I''m scared. ......"


    I let out a weak cry and jump lightly on the spot.


    I haven''t had this kind of fear since the forest. That terrible snake that killed the grand grizzly, when I was more inexperienced than I am now, when I first became aware of death.


    "First you hit me, then I''ll hit you."


    The enemy may change, but what we do remains the same.


    Even an evil dragon is a zombie now. They may not be as strong as their handbooks say they are.


    With such faint hope, we run toward the evil dragon that is approaching us with a roar.


    The size of the dragon is about 15 meters, which is about the height of the fourth or fifth floor of an apartment building.


    The way it crawls on the ground is slow and sluggish like a wounded beast, but the wound does not matter when it has turned into a zombie.


    When he gets close to the Evil Dragon, the Evil Dragon swings his enlarged arms wide.


    "It''s not just big...!"


    It swings at me, and I duck to avoid it.


    The tremendous wind pressure makes me think that even I would be able to withstand a direct hit.


    Or rather, I should consider that its attack is almost lethal to an ordinary human being.


    "VVUGGGGGHHHHHH!"


    "That''s a creepy voice. ......"


    The insects are grinding something, and the guy who makes a buzzing, unpleasant sound is a little reluctant to look at you.


    I''m not sure if it''s because the voice sounds like it''s laughing, or because ...... despite being manipulated as a zombie, there''s something about it that feels like it''s trying to do something.


    This time, instead of a side swipe, a huge arm swung down as if it were slamming down from above.


    "Whoa!


    I quickly backpedal to avoid it, but when I see the claws digging into the ground, I can''t stop sweating.


    Worst of all, it didn''t stop after just one time, and now it started swinging its claws at me with both arms like a spoiled child.


    "Whoa, whoa, whoa!"


    Am I a mole?¡¡I roll to avoid the claws as if I am playing whack-a-mole, and try to get close to it, but the strong wind pressure generated when I swing down makes it difficult for me to get close to it.


    This is not good...I feel this is not good, and once I have gained some distance, I shout to Nair who is flying in the sky.


    "Hey!


    "Hey!" "Are you ready to give up?"


    "I''m not giving up!¡¡I''m not giving up at all!


    "Of course not. I''m in control of a soulless corpse?¡¡And my zombies never disobey my orders!


    "Oh, yeah, ......, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah."


    So we can assume that he is now being moved by Nair''s will?


    Hmmm, I see.


    I throw a healing magic bullet at Nair without hesitation.


    "Healing Blindness!


    "What?¡¡What eye?


    Although there was a problem with the accuracy of the hit, it hit well. Unlike Aruk''s time, we''re dealing with zombies. If we stop her movement, they will stop on their own.


    I took one look at Nair, who let out a girlish scream and fell to the roof of the pavilion in a wriggling heap like a mosquito falling from a mosquito coil, and looked at the evil dragon who had stopped moving and clenched my fist as hard as I could.


    "An enemy that has stopped moving is no better than a sandbag.


    No healing magic is needed.


    Strike with all your heart and soul.


    Drawing my right fist as if drawing a bow, I plunge straight into the dragon that has stopped moving.


    The black scales in front of me remind me of the snake, but I am different from that time.


    I have trained and grown up in my own way.


    That''s why..,


    "Eat me!"


    I ran as fast as I could, putting all my weight on my fist, and for the first time in this world, I thrust my fist with all my strength, and it went into the chest of the evil dragon without a single inch of error.


    ---Yusha, Onaji...


    ---Kolos...

 77 - the 75th episode

    The punch that he delivered with all his might pierced the Evil Dragon''s chest.


    To tell the truth, I myself do not know how powerful my real blow is. But it was a punch that could have blown a zombie''s shoulder off with no effort at all. I''m sure it''s something I could never use against a normal human being.


    But..,


    "......, you''re so hard. ......!"


    The response from the fist was surprisingly weak.


    It was as if he had been hit with a hard, thick rubber. Unlike the armor with which Nair had cast a spell, the impact was taken as it was, and the sensation disappeared as if it were escaping somewhere else.


    The moment the words "my fists don''t work" came to my mind, a sentence from the notebook in my pocket came to my mind.


    That attack was meaningless in front of the powerful scales of the evil dragon.


    It''s not that I forgot.


    But I had the optimistic thought that a creature hundreds of years old could not have deteriorated. In fact, they may have deteriorated. But even so, the body of the evil dragon was so hard that my fists could not penetrate it.


    "...... hmm?"


    I was so upset that I was unaware of it, but I tried to withdraw my fist before Nair could recover, when I felt a thumping sound like a heartbeat through my fist.


    I thought I was imagining it, but as I went to check again, suddenly the moonlight shining on me was interrupted by "something".


    I was still ...... moaning and groaning in agony.


    The zombie she''s supposed to be controlling won''t move on its own.


    For some reason, she tells herself, clenching her fists and looking up to see if there is something blocking the moonlight.


    "......!"


    Our eyes met.


    The evil dragon, who turned his face to the side and was peering at me from above with his uncollapsed eye, and I, who looked up at him, met our gazes.


    The dry and cracked eyeballs showed a certain will, and the breath coming out from the edge of the mouth had an unpleasant smell of death and decay.


    "......"


    Oh no.


    I don''t know what it is, but it''s bad.


    Even more than the snake, this thing is a more dangerous creature than I had imagined---no, I''m not even sure I''d describe it as a creature. I don''t know how to describe it, I don''t have the vocabulary.


    But I think there is a saying, "A frog stares at a snake.


    Because that''s exactly what I am now. Just looking down at me with these fearless eyes, I can''t move as if I''m in bondage.


    It''s not good, I''m completely submerged. Whether he has a will or not, if Nair gets up, I in front of him will be crushed by the evil dragon without any way to do anything.


    "Ugh ...... humph!"


    I pull out my fist, which is still thrusting, and smash it into his forehead.


    I am knocked unconscious for a moment, but my body and mind, both of which had been tense, are restored to normal for the time being.


    "Yes!


    Perhaps because of the rough treatment, fresh blood flowed from my forehead, and the area between my eyebrows and my chin were stained bright red, but there was no problem as long as I could heal it with healing magic.


    I wipe off the blood with my hand and move away from the evil dragon who is looking at me without moving an inch.


    "Well, what shall we do?"


    The poison is bad, the claws are bad, and the tail probably hurts too.


    The fists don''t seem to be effective either, so it''s hopeless for me to defeat this guy.


    --- Then let''s take down Nair.


    If she''s right and this thing is really "under her control as a zombie", we can end this battle by hitting the source.


    And unlike Ms. Aruk, this guy is not as fast, though his attacks are more aggressive. It will not be able to interfere with our attempts to attack Nair.


    With this in mind, I was about to shift my fighting style from a one-on-one battle with the evil dragon to punishing Nair just enough, when the evil dragon that had been watching me unnaturally turned its head in the other direction.


    "haaai,chi-niku ......,minra,holobobu?¡¡What the hell is he talking about?"


    I don''t know if it''s just a zombie moan, but he''s facing diagonally behind me, in the direction of the road leading to the Western-style house.


    ...... homing instinct?¡¡Or is he looking in the direction of the place where he has a connection with the brave man?


    Do zombies do that?


    But according to my notebook, the last place he died was Samaria. That''s the opposite direction, and the only village is the one where Tetra lives.


    "Oh, well. Let''s just ignore this guy. There''s nothing we can do about it anyway."


    He starts to run lightly from the spot and runs toward the half-destroyed Western-style house.


    I cross the street next to the evil dragon zombie, keeping a wary eye on him.


    Since they don''t react to anything in particular, I guess I can assume that they are really doing as Nair ordered. With some relief, he makes a leap to the second floor of the Western-style house to go up at once.


    At that moment..,


    "Giggle."


    A wrinkled laugh is heard, and at the same time, Evil Dragon''s throat swells up.


    "Oh, shit. ......!"


    It was a trap!


    I tried to get away from him, thinking that he was trying to spit out that corrosive sludge nearby, but for some reason he was not looking at me.


    He was sucking air with his throat puffed out as if he did not care about me.


    The wind was blowing wildly around the dragon, and I was exposed to it. I could not understand what was going on, and I was just puzzled as I held on to the edge of the second floor.


    Then I heard the voice of Amako, who had sheltered me at a distance.


    Looking in the direction where I heard her voice, I see her desperately trying to tell me something in the place where Burlyn and Mr. Aruk are, where the miasma is much thinner.


    "---!!!¡¡---!!!!"


    "......, what, it''s windy. ......"


    I can''t understand what you''re saying over the sound of the wind howling.


    I watch the movement of her mouth, protecting my arms from getting sand in my eyes.


    I''m not sure what she''s saying, but I can''t make out what she''s saying. ...to?


    ......,You''re kidding!


    "You can''t do this!"


    The moment he understood her words, he kicked the wall and plunged into the dragon''s face.


    I clenched my left fist in the wind, and with a clear hostility different from my previous fist, I punched the lower jaw where the crushed eye of the evil dragon was located hard.


    With a "dogwaa" sound, the lower jaw shifted to the left and purple miasma leaked out from the Evil Dragon''s mouth, enveloping me in its miasma.


    "U......"


    While being poisoned, I use healing magic and land on the ground.


    However, it does not heal immediately, and I fall to the ground. He coughs up blood and wipes his mouth.


    "I''m used to it, but poison is still painful. ......"


    I grumble as I heal my poisoned body and wounded parts, and I look at the evil dragon that I beat up as I sit down.


    The evil dragon was hit in the lower jaw and held its mouth with its arm, and fell to the ground, crashing into the Western-style house behind me while rampaging around.


    He did not fall down. He just hit him on the jaw and shook his head, but he got up soon.


    "I''ve got to get up, too. ......"


    We can''t just let him go.


    We had to take him down here, no matter what.


    We heal him of his poison and get up. Then Amaco, who had left Bulrin, came running toward us, his face bloodied.


    "I''m glad you got the message. ......!"


    "Oh, thank you. I would have missed it if you hadn''t been there. Even for ...... that son of a b*tc*.


    Despite my presence, he targeted the village with Tetra and the village chief.


    The reason why he was looking at an angle behind me earlier was because he could see the village with a bright light in the darkness.


    I don''t know why he did it. But I''m sure it wasn''t Nair.


    She would never think of killing the people of a village that she uses for no reason. Rather, she is just an unfortunate child, except for her strong attachment to what she wants.


    "Evil dragon, I guess I underestimated him. Hey, Amako, I finally understand what he was talking about earlier.


    He said these words while looking at the village.


    I didn''t understand it at that moment, but seeing the evil nature of this evil dragon, I fully understood its meaning.


    Destroy, flesh and blood, destroy them all. In other words, he''s a man of destructive impulses. So far, he''s been watching me to see if he can use me as a plaything. But when he found a better plaything behind me, he went for it."


    Apparently, I was not good enough for him, because he never attacked me.


    "It seems that Nair has brought back from the dead a very bad guy. ...... Fortunately or unfortunately, she''s still holding her face and writhing around, not really understanding the situation."


    You really went out of your way to make me feel bad.


    In this case, you could say it''s Nair, or the brave men who came before him who didn''t completely bury this nuisance. Anyway, I no longer have the option of running away from this guy.


    "It''s not that my fists are completely ineffective. Look, Amako, his jaw joint is dislocated and he can''t close his mouth. The outer shell is hard, but the bones inside are not so hard. Even I could crush it."


    "...... Usato, let''s run away."


    "...... is?"


    Amako stops me from going to the evil dragon, who clenches his fists and grunts, tugging at the hem of my trousers as I try to go.


    "What do you mean run away? What do you mean you''re running away? Besides ...... we''re stuck in the sludge that bastard spit out."


    "The trees in the back are still rotting, so maybe we can get out. Usato, I''m worried about the people in the village too, but not everything can be managed. ......"


    "......"


    "That''s not normal. No matter how great Usato is, it''s not something he can handle. ......"


    Indeed, the power of the evil dragon is unknown.


    It would be foolish to try to fight it. But I can''t think of leaving it alone.


    Did you see Amako? She tried to drop a lump of poison on the village without hesitation. It''s so poisonous that even I couldn''t move for a while. If a child or a woman inhaled it, she would die in a few minutes.


    And the sludge is so toxic that it rots the trees and plants.


    You were going to drop it on a village, but what if it gets dropped on Lukvis or the Kingdom of Lingle?¡¡Lingle Kingdom has a lifeguard squadron, but Lukvis has too many children to deal with.


    "What if that poison-spewing thing goes out of control and attacks nearby countries? If that evil dragon is like the one I know, he''ll wreak endless destruction. That''s more than a demon king''s army can do.


    "......, but Usato will die. ......"


    I did not say the easy words, "I will not die. Rather, I could not find any words that would reassure her in this situation.


    Instead, I put my hand on Amako''s head once, just for the sake of it.


    ---nothing of any particular significance. But I felt my fear of the evil dragon eased a little.


    "We''re going to get caught up here."


    Her expression turned somber, she nodded her head and ran toward the direction of Bullyn.


    Well, now that I feel a lot lighter, let''s do this.


    "Hmm?"


    When she turns toward the evil dragon, she sees him standing still in an unnatural state.


    I''m shaking slightly ...... is something blocking my movement?¡¡I tilted my head and found Nair on the roof, staring at me with a red face.


    She holds her nose and sticks her index finger at me.


    I''ll never forgive you!¡¡You keep coming after me over and over again. What do you have against me?


    I only have a grudge against her.


    Well, I can understand why you would want to say that, but....


    I see, it''s true that Nair can control it. It seems that my confusing her earlier caused her to loosen her zombie bondage, and the control of her body has been transferred to the evil dragon.


    I might be able to ...... manage it if I can still somehow convince her.


    "Nair, it has a soul. It''s a monster you can''t handle. You''d better put him back in the body while you still can."


    We''re in a very dangerous situation.


    If her upset is enough to bring the evil dragon''s consciousness to the surface, we can''t just attack Nair.


    Maybe it is slowly moving away from the zombie she controls now.


    "You think I''m going to fall for that lie?"


    "Earlier he tried to poison the village, not me. If I hadn''t stopped him, Tetra and the others would be poisoned and dead right now.


    "...... So, it doesn''t matter to me if it''s true. I''m a demon who has lived for 300 years, why should I worry about humans?¡¡Or rather, did you think you could upset me with such words?"


    "Huh. ......"


    I''m upset as hell, though.


    She''s a pain in the ass. She''s not much older than me.


    Are we done here?¡¡Then go."


    "I didn''t even get to talk to him, though: ......"


    The evil dragon follows Nair''s order and stares at us with his jaw hanging open.


    Then he began to breathe heavily on the spot, as if he was thinking something. What was he trying to do?


    As I was bracing myself to avoid approaching him, the evil dragon raised his head and looked up.


    "......, no way!"


    Nair''s order was to attack me.


    Then it doesn''t matter what happens in the process, as long as the attack on me finally goes through.


    Inhaling and opening my lower jaw, I understood what he was going to do.


    "Nah!¡¡Get away from there right now!


    "What?"


    I put on all my healing magic and run out of the place at the same time.


    Instantly, like a volcano erupting, purple miasma overflows from the evil dragon''s mouth and envelops the area around it.


    I don''t care if it''s an enemy or not.


    If anything happens to her now, the fetters that hold the evil dragon back will be released.


    Without hesitation, he plunges into the miasma to get to her.


    But as soon as I enter the miasma, my body is hit by a tremendous shock.


    "--- but ......?


    I saw a tail that was wriggling like a snake.


    I was lured ......?¡¡It was impossible to catch me normally, so he narrowed his vision and tried to ...... me.


    I''m blown away by a painful blow in the midst of the miasma and poisonous air.


    Then, as I roll on the ground, its whip-like tail slams down on me again.


    "Ouch ......!


    d*mn, I managed to defend myself in time, but the poison and injuries made it hard to concentrate ......!


    This guy is not normal to escape from Nair''s spell and at the same time to attack me at the same time! I need to get out of his attack range as soon as possible.


    I try to get up while continuing to cast healing magic, but the evil dragon comes close enough to look down at me and holds me down with its big arms.


    "KU......"


    "Kk, kaka ...... kaka."


    The evil dragon can''t speak well, probably because his jaw is off, but I can tell that he''s making fun of me.


    However, he didn''t like the fact that I couldn''t speak well, so he held down the dislodged jaw with the arm opposite to the one holding me down, and with a gurgling sound, the jaw was put back in its original position.


    "Goroz."


    "...... What, you got a talking head, you?"


    A hushed, wrinkled voice emanates from the evil dragon''s mouth.


    I sarcastically reply to him while thinking of his voice as unpleasant, and the evil dragon, the edges of his mouth twisted into a smile, comes closer to my face, which I finally catch.


    "---Yusha, ha, gorozu. Not a drop of blood will remain."


    Huh?¡¡A brave man?¡¡You mean the last hero, right?


    Why are you talking to me like that ......?¡¡Don''t tell me he thinks I''m brave?


    "......, no. ...... I''m not a brave man."


    "You''re a brave man, Zingai."


    No way you''re wrong!!!!


    I''m not a brave man, I''m just a regular guy who got caught in the middle of all this.


    And Zingai is not a person!¡¡Are you saying that you are a brave man based on that criteria?


    I can''t hide my shock at the unreasonable misunderstanding rather than the fact that the evil dragon was able to speak.


    "Dakara, Goros..."


    But this is a very bad situation.


    I think desperately about how to resolve this situation while holding down my paw, which has been trying to crush me for a while now.


    But before I can do so, the evil dragon grabs me and lifts me up, and moves into a position to swing his arms up, which makes me realize that I can''t take it easy, so I prepare myself for the impact that is about to come.


    "Oh no, I''m going to die..."


    The next moment, my whole body was hit with a shock equal to or greater than the shock of being hit by the leader of the group.

 78 - seventy-sixth

    The miasma exhaled by the evil dragon enveloped the area around the mansion.


    Seeing this scene, Usato shouted to Nair to run away and jumped into the noxious air.


    Usato has healing magic, so he''ll be fine, he''s strong. As he watches the situation, a black figure leaps out from above the mansion, which is enveloped in the noxious air.


    It''s Nair.


    She had inhaled a small amount of the evil dragon''s miasma, and was looking into the miasma with a puzzled expression on her face, coughing and shedding tears.


    "How absurd ...... to drag me into this ......."


    ...... don''t have time for that woman right now.


    I''m going to turn my attention to the miasma. I wonder what is happening to him now that he has entered a space so poisonous that no normal person can stand it.


    Then, the upper part of the noxious air shakes slightly, and something pops out.


    Out came the huge arm of the evil dragon. But when he saw what was in its hand, he felt a chill that froze the blood in his body.


    "Usato!


    Usato was grabbed by the evil dragon.


    I was upset to see him unable to move, but in the next moment, that upset turned into fear.


    The evil dragon swung him up as if he were a pebble and slammed him into the Western-style house.


    "......A"


    He was thrown onto the roof of the Western-style building with an extraordinary force, and he went through the roof, the third floor, and the second floor, and hit the ground with a huge impact on the first floor and an earth tremor that echoed all the way down to here.


    There is no way a human being could have withstood that.


    A human being would have been torn to pieces if he had been hit by such a thing.


    Usato is dead?¡¡---He falls to his knees, unable to accept the reality before him.


    "No, I didn''t see this. ...... Usato couldn''t have been hit in a place like this. ......"


    I did not foresee his death.


    I have not yet encountered the scene I predicted.


    As if to myself, I spin my words and try to move toward the Western-style house where he might have fallen.


    But Bulrin, who was watching the situation with me, stops me.


    "Bulrin ......?"


    "Guh!"


    The emotion I felt from the man in front of me was neither anger nor sadness, but something akin to trust.


    "Don''t you worry?"


    Bullin nodded his head in agreement and turned toward the Western-style house where Usato had been dropped. He nodded his head in agreement and turned toward the Western-style house where Usato had been dropped.


    I have only heard stories about how Usato and Bulrin met. It was said that he and Usato fought a snake demon that killed Bulrin''s parents in a place called Ringle''s Darkness, and in the end it was Usato''s master who put the final blow to the snake, but it was still a spectacular encounter.


    Perhaps it is because they have been through the ordeal together that Bulrin understands this.


    Usato is not the kind of person who will be killed so easily.


    "That''s right. I shouldn''t be upset. Usato will be fine, he won''t be beaten up like that."


    I''ve only known him for a short time, but I''ve seen him do amazing things. He may have moved in ways that were very un-human, he may have had sudden personality changes, he may have done mean things, and he may have been a bit of a jerk, but he never once betrayed me.


    It''s the same now.


    I have to trust him.


    I have to trust him to do what I have to do.


    "Thank you. "Thank you, Bullein, that calmed me down."


    If we go near the mansion where the miasma is spreading now, we will be poisoned.


    Even if Usato is safe, we will disturb him. Therefore, I will stay here to protect Mr. Aruk with Bulrin while foreseeing the movements of the evil dragon.


    Trusting that he will be safe, I stand back and look at the evil dragon surrounded by the miasma from the Western-style house. Near the miasma, a bewildered Nair is staring at the spot where Usato was knocked down.


    "V......v,gah,gah,gahi."


    At the same time as the deafening voice is heard, the miasma is blown away and an evil dragon appears. On its back, only one of its wings is spread wide, indicating that it has blown away the surrounding miasma.


    The dragon looks at the Western-style house where he had hit Usato, clears his throat happily, and raises his arms in the air.


    After such an attack, he still wants to attack Usato ......!¡¡Any more and his survival would be doomed.


    "Stop it!


    I almost shouted to stop him, but Nair, who was flying in the sky, stopped the evil dragon before I could.


    At the sound of her voice, the dragon froze as if it were in bondage.


    "You are forbidden to attack any further without my permission."


    "V......vvv."


    "You''ve done it with such flair. I''m a mess. I think I''ll sleep in the village today. Hmmm...first we have to treat Usato...?¡¡Shall we bite him first? ......"


    She looks thoughtful as she points her magic-filled hand at the motionless evil dragon.


    She turned her head toward the evil dragon again, tilting her head quizzically and shining more suspiciously with the magic power in her hand.


    "......It''s true that they are different from ordinary zombies, but that''s all. As long as you''re under my control, you''re just my puppet. Once I release your powers, you''ll be nothing more than a corpse."


    The body of the evil dragon convulses. Then purple magic power, the same as Nair''s magic power, flows from the Evil Dragon''s body back to him.


    It is as if the fetters holding the dragon''s body together are disappearing. Necromancers manipulate corpses by putting magic into their containers.


    If we follow this principle, can we assume that Nair is now returning his own magical power that he injected into the evil dragon to himself?


    In about ten seconds or so, the evil dragon''s body is drained of its magic power, and its twitching body movements are completely silenced. Nair, who saw the evil dragon returned to a mere corpse, exhaled loudly after looking at it for a while.


    "Huh---. What the.... It''s just a corpse after all. What''s with the evil dragon, Usato? You''ve got me all worked up. Now let''s go get him!


    She turns her back to the evil dragon and I look at her and look at Bulrin.


    Without the evil dragon, all that''s left is Nair and the zombies, and that''s enough for me and Bulrin to take down. From the looks of it, it would take a lot of magic for her to turn the evil dragon into a zombie again, and there is no way I can beat her up in the meantime.


    ...... I can''t help but feel that I''m thinking a bit like Usato, but I think this is the best solution for the situation we''re in.


    I go to the Western-style house without her noticing.


    But while I''m doing so, the evil dragon''s one-eyed eye behind Nair comes into view.


    "......!"


    Jet-black eyes reflecting the moonlight.


    As soon as he saw the eyes gleam, the arm of the evil dragon suddenly lifted up and grabbed Nair, who had turned away from him.


    "---!¡¡Why?


    "The fetters are gone. The magic is out of the way. The hero was killed!"


    He spoke ......!


    More importantly, Nair should have de-zombified the evil dragon. How can the dragon still be moving?


    "Thank you for the spirit of death. If you don''t revive him, he''ll be rotting for another 300 years.


    "Resurrect me! ...... You were a corpse!¡¡A dead body has no soul!¡¡You don''t have a soul ......!


    "I don''t know. It doesn''t matter. I''m here, and that''s all that matters.


    Holding Nair in his hands, the evil dragon stood his large body upright and looked around in a certain direction. Nair, who was in the Evil Dragon''s hand, also saw something in the direction the Evil Dragon was looking, and her face turned pale.


    There is a village in the direction the dragon is looking.


    It is the place where Neah used to spend her days as a village girl.


    "If I am revived in this world, there is one thing I will do. Destroy them and kill them all equally."


    "Stop ......!!!"


    Why?


    "Oh, that place is mine, please don''t do anything."


    Nair said this to the evil dragon, who tilted his head.


    "You think humans are food for you?¡¡Your father and I are aware of your village. A place where scum waste their lives like cattle, waiting for their turn to be eaten."


    "......, yes. That village is mine. It''s my pantry, so I don''t want you to touch it.


    Nair looked as if she was biting a bitter bug when the evil dragon told her so.


    However, Evil Dragon laughed snidely at her words, and put strength into his hand that was holding hers.


    "Ugh,gu......"


    "I don''t care, Koros, you''ll destroy my village, my country, my continent, everything!"


    "Don''t ...... touch me. I''m the one who brought him back from the dead, remember?"


    "V, gah, gah, gah, gah, ...... know. You''re a bat.


    The evil dragon laughed unpleasantly and threw Nair down to the third floor of the Western-style stairwell as if he were throwing away trash. The evil dragon grabbed her and, unable to move, slammed her to the floor of the third floor, and she disappeared from sight.


    I don''t know, nor do I want to know, what she was feeling when she defended the village.


    I don''t need to worry about her, since she is the root cause, but now that Nair, the only means to stop the evil dragon, has been killed, the situation is hopeless.


    What should we do?


    I see nothing but the end result of being killed by the evil dragon, even if I try to predict how to face it.


    When the evil dragon looks at us, it looks at us with black eyes, and our bodies become motionless as if we were in bondage.


    The moment the word "killed" crossed my mind --- the wall of the first floor of the Western-style house where Nair was hit just now blows out from the inside, and something comes flying out.


    The something raised a spear with a blade attached to it and slammed it down on the evil dragon''s lower jaw.


    "!!?"


    Payback for what you just did to me!


    The dragon tilts sideways.


    A white trouser suit that is swept away by the wind.


    In his hand is a spear with an axe-like blade.


    He lifts the long spear lightly and turns around as he lands on the ground.


    "Are you all right?


    I am happy that he came.


    But when I saw his face, I let out a word other than joy.


    "Oh my God!


    His face was covered with blood and his eyes had turned into a horrifyingly swarthy look.


    I was so scared.


    The evil dragon slammed me into the pavilion, and I managed to stay conscious despite the tremendous impact. Looking down, I saw my body buried in the rubble, and looking up, I saw a pavilion that had been blown sky-high.


    I had been hit by a magnificent blow. My body hurts all over, and I can''t move at all.


    I move the debris out of the way while continuing to cast healing magic, and as I stand up, I feel a pain in my right shoulder, which has not come up since a few minutes ago.


    "Ouch!"


    I must have dislocated my shoulder from the impact of the fall earlier.


    I''ve experienced dislocations several times in training with Rose, but this one hurts the most. It doesn''t heal by itself even if I use healing magic.


    I put my left hand on my right shoulder and grit my teeth to endure the pain.


    I put all my strength into my left arm, and as soon as the bone is re-fitted, I immediately use healing magic to heal the injured shoulder and its surrounding area.


    "Ggghh......"


    While turning his arm around, he checks for any other major injuries besides the shoulder.


    There are no other significant injuries. He has a small cut on his head that is bleeding, but nothing serious.


    Having experienced the same kind of force in my training with Rose, the blow I just received is still in the range of being okay.


    ...... is not funny. It''s not funny at all.


    "My body is fine, but I don''t know if I can ...... take him down."


    Poison is nasty, but he''s smart too.


    I have learned the hard way that there is little chance of winning by a straightforward attack when my attacks don''t work. I wish I had a weakness or something. .......


    Suddenly I remember the notebook I took out of Nair''s study.


    I heard that the previous heroes defeated him by jumping into his mouth and piercing his heart with a blade from inside. In other words, the attack from inside should be effective.


    But the evil dragon is a zombie. Their internal organs can''t be moving."


    And it''s a corpse that''s been sitting there for hundreds of years. Their internal organs may have gone beyond rotting to crumbling.


    ---No,


    "Wait a minute. Then why did I hit him when I ......"


    ...... need to check it again.


    Perhaps we can slay the evil dragon in the same way as the last hero.


    If that''s the case, let''s go outside right away.


    As I move the debris from my feet and head for the exit leading outside, my armor, which was barely holding its shape, collapses beside me, and the long spear in my hand falls to the ground with a high-pitched clang.


    "...... this."


    The halberd is more than two meters long. It must have been used by a very large man, and when you hold it, you can see that it is quite heavy, as if it has an iron core inside.


    I guess you have to be prepared for such a thing against a ...... monster.


    Fortunately, it''s just the right weight for me to wield...?


    What the hell?


    As I pick up the halberd, I hear a sound like something falling above the building.


    Thinking "No way," I entered a nearby room and looked out the window to see an evil dragon right under my nose. Moreover, Amako and the others are right in front of his eyes.


    "This is no time to be leisurely. ......!"


    That son of a b*tc*, now he''s going to try to touch one of mine. ......!


    He steps away from the window and clutches the halberd on his shoulder with both hands.


    I can''t afford to go through the doorway. I''m going to destroy it!


    He swings the halberd sideways with all his might. Glass and walls shatter with a loud shattering sound, and I leap out of the way without looking at them, readying my weapon again and leaping at once toward the evil dragon.


    "Payback for what I just did!


    And then, I slam the halberd into the side-facing Evil Dragon''s lower jaw with a full swing. Perhaps the unexpected blow had an effect, for several sharp teeth shatter from the Evil Dragon''s lower jaw, and it falls to the ground.


    "Are you okay?


    I call out to Amako and the others to make sure they are safe, but for some reason she turns pale when she sees my face.


    "Oh my God!


    I don''t think that''s a good reaction to see a person''s face.


    I was a bit irrational about her reaction, but I immediately turned to the evil dragon and tried to attack it.


    He had already gotten up and was staring at me with eyes full of hatred, spewing miasma from his mouth.


    "Are you still alive, you brave warrior?


    "Ha!¡¡You''ve become so talkative!¡¡You little lizard!


    He dodges the angry claws and slams the halberd held in both hands into the dragon''s side. However, it is also bounced off just like a fist, and has no effect.


    I guess even a blade won''t work, how hard is this thing?


    "With this!


    Switching his weapon to his left hand, he throws a series of healing magic bullets generated in his right palm at the Evil Dragon''s eyes, destroying its vision. With a small burst of sound, the Evil Dragon, whose vision has been destroyed, cries out in confusion and swings his arms around wildly.


    However, I, who was immediately behind him diagonally, was not hit.


    "Hey!"


    I kick the evil dragon in the back leg, knocking it off balance and making it fall down.


    With a thud, the ground shakes, and the huge body of the evil dragon falls down. At that moment, I saw that the Evil Dragon''s chest was exposed in an unprotected state, and I thrust my halberd into the ground and close in on the Evil Dragon with no hands on the ground.


    "If I''m right ------!!!"


    Unlike the first time when I had struck with my fist, I strike the bottom of my palm into the Evil Dragon''s chest.


    It doesn''t have much effect because I don''t put that much power into it, but... the sure heartbeat I feel in my palm makes me change my suspicion into confidence.


    After all, his heart is beating.


    I don''t know how, but what I do know for sure is that this thing has a definite weakness. Then we can defeat him by entering his body and destroying his heart in the same way as the previous heroes did.


    Then let''s get on with it. ......


    The moment he tries to move to the mouth to avoid the limbs of the evil dragon struggling to get up, he loses strength in his legs and his body loses its balance with a jerk.


    I guess I still haven''t completely healed ............!!!


    I''ve used too much healing magic and physical strength up to this point, or perhaps the effectiveness of the healing magic and my judgment have become too dull!


    "You!¡¡I''m just like him!


    ......


    And now he knows our plan. It''s a tactic he used to beat himself. He must have realized what I was trying to do at first glance. It''s just a pain in the ass to be so simple-minded and clever. ......!


    I clucked my tongue at the evil dragon, which began to emit even higher concentrations of miasma from its mouth, probably to prevent it from entering my body, and retrieved the halberd I had stuck nearby and moved away from the evil dragon, down to where Amako and the others were.


    "Are you all right?¡¡Usato!


    Amako runs up to him.


    He kneels down and replies to her words while reapplying healing magic to his body.


    "......I''m not too okay, to be honest. ......"


    Maybe the poison and the earlier injuries have affected me more than I thought. I still have some time to spare, but my speed of recovery is definitely slowing down. The evidence of this is that my leg, which I thought was completely healed, has developed an abnormality.


    This makes it impossible for me to enter the body, which is filled with the highest concentration of the noxious gas. Perhaps my healing magic will run out before then and I will die.


    "What about ...... Nair?"


    "She was hit by an evil dragon and went to the pavilion. ...... I don''t think he was able to stop it."


    "Oh, yeah. ......"


    She didn''t make it either.


    In the meantime, I''ll just tell Amako and Bulrin quickly about the dragon''s weakness. I''ll have to figure out my next move before he''s alerted to my presence.


    She frowns when I tell her that the Evil Dragon''s weak point is the heart, even though it is a rough description.


    "I know the heart is the weak point. But how do we attack it ......?"


    "That''s the problem. Look at him, he''s ...... being cautious because he knows I''m going for the heart. On the other hand, it''s probably the most important part, but I can''t go in through the mouth, which is the only way to get in, because he''s too careful."


    The truth is, it should have been decided a while ago,...... I really hate my lack of precision.


    ...... can''t help but feel sorry for myself. I''m going to attack his heart somehow.


    "I''m going to shove it in his mouth with a poisoned mind, one way or the other. ......"


    "Even though you''re exhausted enough to let me know ....... Don''t take a method that you don''t know will save you. ......"


    "But I can only go over the poison ...... no, I''m sorry."


    Amako looks at me sadly and changes her mind.


    We must not take the easy path of self-sacrifice. For her sake and for mine, I must live to continue my journey again.


    Besides, I don''t know what Rose will do to me if she finds out that I''m about to give up my life. Even if I go to the other world, she is going to beat me up.


    We should try to find another way, since they are going to make a move soon, and we should try to find a way to fight and make our way as always...,


    "Usato, Tono ......"


    "!"


    Suddenly, I heard a voice behind me.


    I turned around to see Mr. Aruk getting up with Bulrin as his support.


    Perhaps he had been freed from his brainwashing, but there was a definite light in his eyes.


    "You''re awake!¡¡Mr. Aruk!


    "Yes. ...... I know what''s going on. I was vaguely conscious while I was being manipulated. ....... I also understood the seriousness of the situation when I heard what you just said.


    He then took off his armour and stood up, looking at me with eyes that showed a strong will.


    I have an idea.

 79 - seventy-seventh episode

    Let''s go, Bullein!


    Grua!


    Bulrin and I challenge the evil dragon together.


    The Evil Dragon was wondering as we came toward it, but it raised its head high and roared in order to crush us, its adversaries. I split up with Bulrin and moved to the Evil Dragon''s side, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw him with Amako and muttered a few words.


    "I''m counting on you, Mr. Aruk. ......"


    When Mr. Alc woke up, his first order of business was to create a diversion for the evil dragon.


    I and Bulrin distracted the evil dragon and bought time. It is quite difficult to attract the evil dragon alone, but we can do it with Bulrin.


    "You don''t have to attack me!"


    Guh!


    Bulrin replies as if he knows what he''s doing.


    He is happy to finally be able to run wild to his heart''s content, jumping to avoid the attacks from the evil dragon. I myself am also occasionally hitting the Evil Dragon with my fists as a check to make it turn its attention toward me.


    The important thing is not to do too much damage, but to keep the focus on "now".


    "Too much trouble!¡¡Chokomakato!


    The bigger the swing, the bigger the opening!¡¡Bully!


    he shouts as he crouches down to avoid a side-swipe with his right claw. Then, from the open right side, Bulrin hits Evil Dragon in the side with a ferocious body blow, shaking his huge body greatly. As soon as his gaze is diverted, I slam my fist into the dragon''s arm, knocking him down as hard as I can.


    "Nice one, Bulrin!


    After all, two are better than one...... or in this case, one and one?


    This is only the second time I''ve fought with this guy, but we''ve spent some time together. So I know Bulrin and he knows me.


    I couldn''t ask for a better friend.


    Either I or Bulrin will always move to be in the sight of the evil dragon, and if either of us is distracted, we will attack. Since he only has eyes on one side, he cannot react to an attack from a blind spot.


    "I guess this is a kind of combination ......."


    Alone, I could not even get close to it, but with my companions, I could overwhelm, if not kill, the evil dragon with such ease.


    ...... Well, we can''t touch the evil dragon that still has a miasma (miasma noxious gas) in its mouth, so we can''t really do anything decisive.


    "Don''t think you can defeat me with that much!¡¡Even if you are a brave warrior, you can''t reach him!¡¡You''re weaker than he is!


    "You evil dragons are so talkative!¡¡Does he become more talkative after sleeping for hundreds of years?


    "~~~!!!"


    He says lightly, avoiding the sludge that is spewed out like a backflip.


    I have the upper hand when it comes to provocation. My vocabulary of invective has increased dramatically since I joined the rescue squad.


    Besides, this guy is easy to deal with because he is not a rabble rouser.


    I can''t take any of his crazy attacks!¡¡No hero could penetrate my body!¡¡Your cripples, who are far inferior to the heroes, will not be able to hurt me at all!"


    "...... ha, just say it, you dunce. You''re just a little girl, aren''t you afraid of being resisted?¡¡Huh?"


    "I''m not afraid of you!"


    This guy reminds me of him. That snake we fought in the forest of Ringle.


    In the end, it was Rose who put an end to him. If she hadn''t come, I''m sure Bulrin and I would be dead.


    It was because of that experience that I was able to experience death and find my partner, Bullyn. But in hindsight, I think I was very disappointed.


    I felt sorry for myself that I would have died without her help at the end.


    But now that I am fighting together with Bulrin, I feel that this fight with the evil dragon is infinitely similar to the fight with the snake. The only difference is that we have two more friends to rely on.


    Besides, you said earlier that not even a brave man could pierce it?


    You were strong when you were alive. You must have been powerful beyond my imagination since you''re strong enough even now, even though you''re probably deteriorating, right?¡¡But...!"


    I leap high and slam a roundhouse kick into the Evil Dragon''s throat, using Bulrin''s back as a springboard.


    The miasma spewed out like a fountain, and the dragon, his hands on the ground in agony, looked at me as I landed in front of him with a shocked look on his face.


    "Kuh,Ga ......"


    "To me, who knows the real heroes, you''re nothing more than a lizard, now that you''ve deteriorated."


    The woman I know would have burned the evil dragon from the inside out, poison and all, with a flood of lightning.


    The man I know would have skillfully manipulated the divine light bullets of light to conquer the evil dragon.


    Knowing the two of them, this evil dragon that is being held back by someone like me is looking more and more ridiculous.


    "V, v, v, geez, maaaaaaaa!"


    The evil dragon, its throat crushed, just dripping with miasma, lunges at me like it wants to bite me to pieces. I don''t have the endurance to stick it in the mouth of the sludge and the extremely high concentration of the noxious gas.


    If it bites me, the force of its jaws and the poison would kill me in less than ten seconds.


    But..,


    "Is it okay?¡¡Just look at me?"

 80 - 78th Episode

    ¡ñ


    Father said that the living are our food.


    Mother said dead men are our toys.


    I was born of a great vampire father and a necromancer mother. My father and mother were delighted to see that I had inherited only the best of both worlds.


    The way a vampire is, the way a necromancer is.


    They taught me many things, such as the instincts of a demon and the absolute antagonism between humans and vampires.


    My parents were very kind. There was no loneliness in our life together, which is now a distant memory, and we were happy.


    But then my parents were killed by humans.


    It was when I was ten years old.


    They were killed because they were considered harmful by humans, and they returned to the earth as demon elements and disappeared.


    In retrospect, it was only natural. My father and mother had gone too far. They deviated from the food chain and took too many human lives for fun.


    All that was left to me as a young child was my mother''s library, the small village that my father ruled, and the large mansion where we lived.


    I did not know what to do.


    Revenge?¡¡I could only sob for days, because the person who had killed them had already died in vengeance and I saw no point in doing so.


    But the empty house was too big and I, a vampire, a demon of the night, was afraid of the darkness alone.


    So I had no choice.


    I was lonely.


    Because a longing akin to hunger came over me on an impulse.


    Unable to bear the loneliness, I took refuge as a daughter in the village where my father ruled.


    My first thought was what a weak creature we are. Children cry when they are injured, and even adults can be seriously injured easily when attacked by demons.


    However, strangely enough, I did not feel lonely in this strange life together with humans.


    At first, I was the sister of the eldest daughter of a family,


    The second time as a young girl living alone,


    The third time was as the older sister of a girl who had lost her parents,


    The fourth time was as an owl watching over the village,


    The fifth time, as the daughter of another family,


    The sixth time, as a substitute for her parents who have no relatives,


    The seventh time was as her daughter who lost her daughter and husband,


    I have spent three hundred years, a long time, playing with my memories and blending in.


    In that time, I have mastered three magic arts and have read most of the books in my library. But I have grown tired of this small world in which I only go back and forth between the house and the village.


    I felt that I had reached the limit of listening to people''s memories, which I had started two hundred years ago.


    There is no stimulation. Everyone leads a normal life, and there is almost no one who can tell me a pleasant story that makes my heart beat.


    So I won''t miss this time.


    A healing wizard from another world and a Time Winged Princess with a rare precognition magic.


    We will catch them by any means necessary.


    That''s what I thought...


    "---keho, ah, I''m going to end up like my father and mother, aren''t I? ......"


    I can''t move. I can barely move my body, but I can only move my right arm. The power of the evil dragon is so great that just a slight grip on my hand has caused such serious injuries.


    How could Usato survive being attacked by such a monster? He was squeezed and crushed just like this, and to think that he was attacked more than me and fought a fierce battle outside makes me realize that he is not an ordinary human being after all.


    "Usato has defeated the evil dragon. ......"


    Just a few moments ago, the ominous presence that I could feel from outside disappeared.


    I lean my body against the cracked wall as if relieved by the fact that the evil dragon has been defeated.


    It would be wrong to think such a thing after my trump card was defeated, but I couldn''t help but think so. I was the one who was foolish enough to revive the evil dragon, and I was also the one who was trapped in the current situation by the evil dragon.


    Perhaps they will come here.


    To defeat the harmful demon that is me.


    ......


    After all, I was just like my father and mother who played with humans and ended up getting killed.


    I manipulate the living and the dead, catch the visitors, restrain them, and when I get tired of it, I wipe their memories and let them go. I didn''t think I had done anything to deserve such a grudge, but what I was doing was no different from what my parents had done, although to a different ...... degree.


    Maybe they don''t need me anymore."


    I was in the mood to just disappear.


    He was driven into a corner by an evil dragon that he had revived in a fit of anger, and the dragon was eventually defeated by Usato and his friends. There was no miscalculation in the development up to the revival of the evil dragon. If there was one, it was that he did not understand that the evil dragon was a monster that was more riddled with destruction and death than he thought.


    He had underestimated it.


    He thought it was a soulless corpse, a stuffed specimen that had been abandoned for hundreds of years. It may sound like an excuse, but I had never seen or heard of a corpse with a soul before. A soul is something that resides in a living body. In other words, the body is a vessel that is moved by the element of life, and the soul is contained in that vessel.


    "......Someone, by design,...... bound the soul of the evil dragon to this world. ......"


    It is natural to think so.


    It is usually impossible to bind a soul to this world. But there is someone who could do it. A legendary hero of this continent, a monster whose mighty power sealed even the Devil King.


    If his actions are recorded in his notebook without exaggeration or exaggeration, it might have been easy for him to seal up his soul.


    There is no way to know for sure.


    "It''s none of my business anyway. It''s ...... now."


    There is no point in thinking about people who have been dead for hundreds of years now.


    Looking only at the results, my village was almost destroyed because of my shallow self ...... that''s all.


    "I don''t want it."


    When I say these words, I am instantly reminded of the distant memory of being left alone in this mansion.


    I was crying in fear of loneliness after my parents were killed.


    What would happen to the village if I, the girl named Nair, disappeared... I suddenly think of such a thing, and I instantly feel foolish, and a self-mocking smile comes to my face.


    What will be left when a being that was never there at all disappears?


    You said it yourself a moment ago, you don''t need yourself anymore. I have no more use for that village, no more need to spread zombies.


    I''m going to be killed here anyway.


    "......!"


    Footsteps on the stairs.


    I swallow hard at the sound echoing from below, but I can hardly move with my body, so I can''t escape.


    I slowly close my eyes, as if accepting my fate.


    I slowly meditate, as if accepting my fate.


    I ascend the stairs of a dark Western-style house.


    Aruk-san and Usato are following behind me as I walk with my prediction. Bulrin is waiting for me outside in case of emergency.


    "Aruk-san, I think you should stay with Bulrin. ......"


    Usato says to Mr. Arc.


    I was a little concerned and turned around to see Mr. Arc climbing the stairs with the sword in its scabbard that had just fallen into the pavilion, and he was smiling.


    "No, my magic power is about to run out, but it doesn''t hinder me in any way to move my body. You have been fighting for a long time, haven''t you, Mr. Usato?¡¡Your body is ......."


    I''m ...... still fine. I still have a little bit of magic left in me."


    He frowns slightly at the words, "I''m still okay.


    He was in a series of battles against strong opponents such as Mr. Aruk, who was being manipulated, and the evil dragon. Moreover, since the evil dragon had a nasty attack of poison, Usato was worn out mentally and physically more than I had thought.


    "And I myself have to settle the matter. I have to meet her, the one who started all this trouble."


    Before entering the mansion, I told Usato, who was performing a temporary healing spell on everyone, about the exchange that took place when Nair was captured by the evil dragon.


    He listened to me silently, but I don''t know what he was thinking. ...... that will be clear as soon as we ascend these stairs.


    Nair is at the end of the stairs.


    And..,


    "...... no doubt."


    The scene I saw in the premonition is approaching.


    The scarred wall, the shattered chandelier, the blown-out window---Nea is the one who has been lying in Usato''s shadow, leaning against the wall.


    Usato must have known that.


    He''s a loose cannon, but he''s not stupid. He is aware that the situation I have told him about the foreknowledge matches up with the situation that will come to pass.


    And he is going to go to Nair.


    "Just up ahead..."


    Looking toward the end of the stairs, Usato mutters to himself.


    I climb the stairs once more, bracing myself, and arrive in front of the hall on the third floor, the place where Nair is supposed to be. I step into the room that Usato kicked out when we entered.


    Then, there was..,


    "There you are."


    Leaning against the cracked wall, a battered Nair was staring at us with a wan smile on her face.


    "...... you look like you''ve been beaten up pretty bad."


    "That''s exactly what I''m going to say to you."


    He lets out a sigh of exasperation and moves to the front of Nair.


    He is about to call out a warning when she approaches him too carelessly, but then he sees N¨¦a laughing sarcastically and gulps.


    She had been hit by an evil dragon and was in no danger of being seriously wounded. It may be that she is not an endurance demon, but her forehead was soaked in bright red blood, her left hand and both legs were painfully swollen, and she was apparently unable to move at all.


    "Huh... you''ve really put me through a lot," she said.


    Usato, on the other hand, was also quite upset.


    His uniform was covered with soot, and his forehead and cheeks showed traces of blood.


    "You don''t look too angry for a ......."


    "What?¡¡Of course he''s mad, right?"


    Usato''s teasing smile instantly turns serious.


    We couldn''t see his face, but Nea, who was standing right in front of us, had a shocked expression on her face, a few tears in her eyes, and her injured body began to shake and shake.


    "Because of you, I almost ruined an important trip, and you tried to make Mr. Alc do something irreversible, and above all..."


    Then, pausing for a moment, Usato crosses his arms and says to the trembling girl, "I''m sorry, but I''m not sure I can do this.


    "I can''t forgive you for putting so many lives in danger by bringing that evil dragon back to life.


    What would have happened if Usato had not been able to slay the evil dragon?


    I was the first one to suggest him to run away with me, but if he had done so, many people might have been killed by the evil dragon.


    I guess he can''t forgive Nair for reviving such an evil dragon with an easy heart.


    "......"


    "You didn''t think it would come to that, did you?¡¡But there was more to it than that, you know."


    Nea keeps her mouth shut.


    Usato sighs again.


    "...... why did you protect the village from the evil dragon?¡¡Were the people living in that village not just puppets?"


    "...... Yes, they were."


    "Then why didn''t you use them?¡¡You could have easily caught me with the villagers'' lives on the line. Aruk told you about me, didn''t he?¡¡He told you that I''m a member of a rescue organization called the Lifeguard Corps, and that I can''t be touched if I''m being held hostage by villagers who are just being manipulated.


    That''s for sure.


    All I could think of was how he manipulated the evil dragon, but if Nair takes the lives of the villagers as hostages, even Usato will have no choice but to follow him. Even his healing punch can''t save all those people at once.


    "We don''t need them. That''s just what I decided. ...... and as it turns out, it was a bad decision. ......"


    "Hmm."


    Usato gives a quizzical look.


    Nair smiles a self-mocking smile and spins the words.


    "It wasn''t supposed to be like this. ...... If only he had been able to control him properly, everything would have been fine. ......"


    "Ha, that''s not true. Either way, we can''t let zombies that only do what they''re told do to us. I''d have you shot down before you could give the order."


    "You''re a real monster..."


    Don''t change the subject.


    "......, what the hell was that?¡¡What do you want me to say?


    Nair''s voice was raised in confusion at his unintelligible words.


    Usato is completely unperturbed by her flailing.


    "You regret it, don''t you? You must be regretting it, being in this situation.


    "That''s it!¡¡...... I agree. But I did everything in my power to get what I wanted. I may regret my actions, but I''m not sorry..."


    "No, it''s not. That''s not the kind of regret I''m talking about. You regret bringing the evil dragon back to life, but it''s not because you couldn''t catch me.


    He stares at her with a horrified gasp, as if he is certain of what he is doing.


    "What you regret is that you put the people of the village in danger."


    "...... Why should I care about them?"


    "If you were just a tool, you wouldn''t be trying so hard to convince the evil dragon. I''ve fought him and I know he''s scary as hell.¡¡You must really care about your village to worry about a guy like that in front of you, right?"


    "Taisetsu ......?¡¡No, no, that''s my ......."


    Nea is visibly upset by Usato''s words.


    Sighing at this, Usato muttered quietly, "I don''t like it.


    As I wonder what he''s not comfortable with, he takes a light breath and opens his mouth to a flustered N¨¦a.


    "You should have known that right away. You should have known right away what to go for first when the evil dragon is released. That village where the people are gathered will be trampled, chewed, poisoned, rotted, and laid waste beyond recognition by the evil dragon. If you breathe in the poison he releases, your body will be destroyed from the inside out, your throat will sore, your lungs will melt, and in the end you will be unable to breathe, and you will die in agony. His arms and tail are so strong that they crack the ground, and even a grown man will be crushed by their blows. And the most troublesome thing about him is his cunning and brutality. Every living thing in front of his eyes is an object of destruction and slaughter, whether it be an old man, woman, or child. ----"


    "Stop ......!!!"


    You imagined the scene he described.


    Nea, whose expression had changed to one of grief, interrupted Usato, snarling like a child. He is not happy either, and ruffles his hair in regret.


    But we know that Nair did not want to fight with the villagers in mind. Even with that, I can''t say that what she tried to do to us didn''t happen, but now that I see her scared in front of me, I feel a little sorry for the poor girl.


    But..,


    "You''re an idiot."


    That one word made me feel as if I had been hit over the head with a sledgehammer.


    It was because the prediction I had seen three days ago coincided with the words he had just uttered. I quickly looked around me and saw Mr. Aruk propping up his sword nearby and the full moon peering through a gaping hole in the rubble-strewn hall.


    "If you regret this, why didn''t you see it sooner? What you wanted was already in your hands. But you were willing to let it go. Regardless of your intentions."


    In spite of my frustration, he spins his words again as I predicted.


    I call his name and try to stop him, but he is in front of me, waiting for me with his palm without looking back at me.


    Usato knows that what happened in the prediction is going to come true ......, but why did he bother to jump in himself .......


    Confused but unable to move, Usato comes up to Nea.


    I''m not trying to kill you.


    "...... what?"


    "What''s with the surprised look on your face?"


    He cowered his shoulders in disappointment and crouched down to make eye contact with Nair in a languid manner.


    "You''re the one who asked me to defeat the necromancer," he said. At that point, the request no longer made any sense. But if you can swear to me never to kidnap anyone like this again, you can go on living as Nair, the daughter of that village.


    I''ll check in on you from time to time, okay?¡¡He said in a playful way, and Nea rolled her eyes.


    Maybe the future of Usato''s stabbing has changed?


    The future changes, something that had never happened in the prognosis without a choice, but there are always exceptions. Maybe this is it.


    "I am ...... the daughter of the village."


    She turns over and mumbles something.


    But her relief is short-lived, as she looks down from Usato''s back, and her mouth, hidden by her bangs, is as twisted as a crescent moon.


    "Usato!


    In Nair''s right hand, a sharp object like a blade is seen, and it is wielded.


    At the same time, Usato''s left hand moves at an alarming speed. The future has changed---I see a drop of blood at his feet as I panic at what has happened at the moment of my impossible speculation.


    I rush to get close enough to see them with Mr. Aruk.


    However, what I saw was not what I had expected.


    "What were you ...... going to do now ......?"


    "Huh?¡¡What did you do?


    I saw that Usato''s hand was definitely holding Nea''s hand.


    It looked like a blade, but it was her claw, extended about 20 centimeters, and the point was not at Usato, but at her throat.


    The blood dripped down Usato''s hand from the claw that was slightly stuck in her throat.


    "Usato-dono, what in the world is this? ......"


    "...... this guy tried to stick this in his own neck."


    He says this irritably and shows a fingernail that has slightly wounded Nair''s throat.


    The situation seems to suggest that Nair was trying to commit suicide.


    I don''t understand at all how he could have committed such a murderous act, but it was not a premonition that Usato would be stabbed in the first place. Relieved at this, I look at their interaction.


    "How much more do you have to make fun of me when I was prepared to be killed just like your father and mother?¡¡And you want me to live as a village girl?¡¡You are mistaken if you think I can go back now after putting that place in danger."


    "Huh. ......."


    Usato sighs in a troublesome manner.


    Nea, on the other hand, smiles wryly despite being stopped from committing suicide.


    "So, I finally made up my mind after you stopped me."


    "...... what?¡¡Of what?"


    "Blood is information, a contract, a price---I would be dead if you hadn''t grabbed my hand. But you took my hand, and with your hand covered in your own blood, you fulfilled another condition."


    "Huh?"


    Nair retracts her outstretched claws and grabs Usato''s hand.


    I was also tilting my head, not knowing what she was going to do.


    "---Demon and man, the one who abandons and the one who reveres, let us make an old covenant now with the proof of each other''s blood.


    "Wait a minute, what is that disturbing incantation?"


    At that moment, a large white light emitted from Usato''s hand, which was held back by Nair.


    This familiar light, this light---I turn to look at the she is about to invoke and my blood turns to my face.


    The contract she is about to make will not harm Usato.


    But it could be more trouble than it''s worth.


    "Usato!¡¡Get away from him, he''s...?


    I run to her side and try to pull her away, but she suddenly stops moving. She looks at the floor and sees that the magic that restrained Usato has been activated through the carpet on her floor.


    When did this guy ......?¡¡What a persistence ......!


    Where''s Aruk?¡¡I saw Mr. Aruk, who was also trying to run to her, holding his head and trying to fight against something.


    You!¡¡You!


    "I''m just trying to get him to calm down a little.


    "What!"


    "Oh, you don''t mind, do you?¡¡If I hit you like this, you''ll die.¡¡I''m... I don''t think you have enough magic left to hit me dead, do you?"


    "d*mn. ......"


    She replied with a spit of blood and laughed at Usato, who was shaking his fist with a pained expression on his face.


    "You''ll be sorry you missed me!¡¡I''m going to haunt you for the rest of your life!


    "Huh?¡¡What''s with that disturbing line?¡¡Let go of me!¡¡Get off me!¡¡Get your claws off me!


    Usato tries to untangle himself from Nea, who is smiling with her mouth wide open and covered in blood, but he digs his claws in deeper, as if he won''t let that happen.


    At that moment, the light emanating from their hands became brighter and brighter, illuminating the entire hall as if it were a dark night.

 81 - the 79th episode

    The long night with the commotion caused by the half-vampire, half-necromancer, Nair, came to an end.


    I, too, was nearing the limit of my physical strength, so I fell down as if I had fainted, and the next time I woke up, I was on the bed in the village where we were staying.


    While we were sleeping, Mr. Aruk and the others seemed to have set the Western-style house on fire and burned it down, leaving only the blackened skeleton of the house, a large number of burned books and ashes, the remains of the evil dragon.


    After spending the next day recovering from our exhaustion and magic, we went to greet the village chief in order to leave the village.


    "Even so, you don''t need all the people in the village to send us off. ......"


    "How could I be so ungrateful as to send my benefactor off without a fight? Thanks to the necromancer''s disappearance, the zombies that used to roam around the village are gone. Now we can live in peace.


    I looked behind the village chief who had come to see us off, and saw that the people of the village had come to see us off.


    Some of them handed a large bag to Mr. Aruk, who was loading the baggage in the back.


    "I''ve been given so much food. ......"


    "I''d rather not give you more than I have."


    I am sorry to take any more of your money.


    With his hands full of vegetables, he gently declines the kindness of the villagers who approach him. In the middle of this, you notice a woman approaching you with a beaming smile on her face.


    "Tetra-san!"


    "Hi, I see you''re feeling better now."


    Yes, thanks to you.


    The old woman who raised her hand to Frank was not standing next to the village girl.


    I frowned at this, but decided to ask her something that had been bothering me for a long time.


    "Um, I don''t mean to be rude, but ....... Did you live alone in that big house?"


    "Hahaha, it''s nothing rude or anything. I''ve been living there alone for twenty years now. My husband and daughter were killed by demons ...... and I''ve been alone in that house ever since."


    Alone all the time. You really have forgotten.


    But I finally understood the part of her words that stuck with me. What a puppet you are! You''ve been so hateful to me and yet so lenient.


    I knew what I wanted to know and was about to bow to Tetra-san, but... she stopped me involuntarily with a somewhat sad expression on her face.


    "But you know, it''s very strange. That house where I used to live alone suddenly seemed to be much bigger yesterday. I wondered if I''d finally become a demented person.


    "...... No, you are still very much alive. Tetra."


    With unspeakable emotion in my heart at her words, I turn around this time and get ready to go.


    d*mn, I can''t do this. I guess one''s memories are not so easily erased. I see the evidence of this in front of my eyes now, and I suppress the feelings that well up in my chest.


    Then, Amako tugs at the hem of my uniform, as if she had heard my conversation with her.


    "...... Don''t worry. I''m not such a crybaby as to cry over sentimentality. I''m not."


    "No, I don''t mean that Usato is crying or anything, I was just wondering when you were leaving."


    "Can I have my sentimentality back?¡¡You know?"


    I thought you cared about me.


    I can feel the hot feelings in my heart sinking.


    "I won''t say anything because it''s his choice. If you look at the process, he got what he deserved."


    "That''s harsh. ...... Well, yes, it is."


    "And ......."


    For some reason, Amako looks at me sharply.


    What''s with that defiant look?


    "Usato is Usato too. Aren''t you a little too soft on your enemies?


    I''m not too soft on them. I''m the one who''s supposed to be helping them, you know?¡¡I''m just not asked to be ruthless.


    "But that doesn''t mean I don''t like the way it ended."


    I agree with you, but you don''t seem to like it very much.


    ......Well, that''s not important right now. Now I have to finish my preparations.


    We check our belongings and put the food and other things we got on the back of the burin. That should be enough to last us until Samaritan.


    "Ark! We are ready!


    We''re just about done here!


    I look at Mr. Alk, who has firmly secured the luggage to the horses, and turn to the villagers again.


    "Well then, I wish you all the best in your short stay here.


    "Yes, you should visit us again if you can. Yes, you can visit us again if you can. We will offer you more hospitality then. Until then, we wish you a safe trip.


    I''ll be back, or ...... yeah, I''ll be here some other time.


    I wave to the villagers and depart, feeling not quite satisfied.


    The villagers are getting farther and farther away. Among them, the village girl named Neah is nowhere to be found. No one wonders why, and they act as if the girl had been nowhere to be found from the beginning.


    They probably don''t even know the whole story.


    That they were being manipulated,


    And the identity of the Necromancer,


    And why the zombies were roaming around the village,


    Unknowingly, a girl disappeared from the village without a trace.


    "Ho!"


    Just as the village disappears from sight, a small black owl lands on my shoulder.


    The little black owl, the size of my palm, folds its large wings, disproportionate to its tiny frame, and hoots.


    I continued walking, not questioning the fact that owls were flying in the daytime, muttering to myself.


    "Was this the right thing to do?"


    "...... ho."


    "Nea, you erased the memory of those people ...... and you''re really glad you did that ......."


    "Ho."


    "...... hey."


    Without hesitation, I grab the little owl that jumped on my shoulder and hang it upside down. The owl is visibly flustered, and when I look at it, it blatantly looks away.


    This guy: .......


    You shake the owl vertically, and the owl, with its eyes rolling back and forth, suddenly lets out a girlish yelp.


    "No, no, no!¡¡Stop swinging upside down!


    If you can talk, don''t play dumb. You''re making me sound like a weirdo who talks to birds.


    "But I''m an owl now!¡¡Normal owls don''t talk!¡¡Ho-ho-ho!


    "You''re noisy. A normal owl doesn''t hoot all the time. And don''t give me that fake answer."


    I don''t know much about owl biology, but I do know that they don''t make that kind of deliberate hooting sound.


    The owl struggling in my hand now is the girl who disappeared in the village, the demon Nair, who was supposed to have been defeated as a necromancer.


    She flaps her wings and I let out a sigh of exasperation and let go of her hand as if to throw it forward. The freed owl flaps its tiny wings and stays on Bulrin''s back, and with a bang and a flash of light, it turns into a dark-haired, red-eyed girl.


    "Huh, are you sure you want to follow me?"


    Of course. Because the deal is already done."


    She tilts her head cutely and shows her right palm. In the center of her palm, a magic circle-like pattern is carved like a tattoo.


    And my left hand has the same pattern as hers. There is nothing drawn on my left palm now, but if I put my magic power into it, a purple imprint will appear on my palm.


    "How did this happen? ......"


    "I told you I''d be stuck with you for the rest of my life, didn''t I?"


    "Then why did you have to burn down the house you lived in?"


    The contract she made with me that night---it was neither a curse nor a spell, but a simple messenger contract. However, the contract she used was not the one that is commonly used today, but the one that was used hundreds of years ago before it was drastically changed. It was a very malicious one that allowed her to forcibly establish a contractual relationship with me without my consent as long as there was a price in blood.


    The trouble with this contract was that it was more binding than the simplified messenger contracts of today, and could not be easily dissolved.


    It is true that Nair is a demon. It is no wonder that she is able to make a messenger contract.


    But I never thought that she would go to such an extreme as to become a messenger herself. Moreover, while I was unconscious, he erased the memories of the people in the village and burned down the Western-style house where he used to live... I was surprised that he was completely preparing to follow us.


    "Hmph, what''s the use of keeping a house we don''t need to live in anymore?¡¡Besides, I brought the most important things with me.


    He then opened the bag on the back of Berlin, and found several books with black spines.


    I thought I saw a bag I didn''t recognize ......, but it turned out to be your baggage. It looks like a book on witchcraft. I guess they are too valuable to burn down the museum.


    "Ah, well... So why were you in owl form?"


    "Well, he looks like a demon. And cuter than anything else."


    "If you''re a vampire, you''re probably a bat or something."


    "No. I don''t want to suck blood as an animal. If I''m going to transform, I want to be a cute creature.


    Do you have a bad impression of bats?


    Well, in any case, owls are certainly lovely on the outside, but you''re a real mess on the inside in more ways than one.


    I can''t help but notice the similarity between Rose and Kukuru in terms of having a black creature as a partner.


    I look sideways at Nair, who is humming happily and petting Bulrin. Perhaps because they are both demons, or perhaps he has instinctively decided that she has no ill feelings toward him, Bulrin is left to his own devices with a sullen expression on his face.


    "I''m looking forward to working with you, master."


    "Hmph!"


    Amako, who had just been walking next to me with a pouty face, smashed her toe-kick into Nair''s shin, who said this with a big smile. Kyan!¡¡with a pitiful cry, and Neah falls off Burlyn''s back.


    What the hell are you doing out of the blue!


    Don''t get carried away. Bats!


    "A bat?¡¡A beastman against me, a demon against ...... me, first I''ll show you who''s better!"


    Nair leaps at Amako as if to return the favor, but Amako, anticipating this, avoids him by flailing and swatting him away with her foot.


    ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!¡¡Naea unintentionally performs a dynamic head sliding move. After a few seconds of silence, she gets up, wiping her eyes, and begins to wrestle with Amako, sobbing.


    It''s like watching a catfight, except it''s actually a fight between a vampire and a fox.


    Well, let''s leave it at that. There''s a saying that the more they fight, the better they get along.


    "I''ve got a weird guy attached to me. ......"


    Ha-ha-ha, it''s getting lively.


    "Mr. Aruk, you must be on the opposite side."


    They manipulated us into doing what they wanted us to do.


    "We are going to travel together whether we like it or not. I can''t let my feelings alone bring them into discord. Besides, she has already been punished.


    Punishment, huh?


    If being hurt by the evil dragon is a punishment, and the act of erasing the memories of the villagers with her own hands is a punishment, then maybe she has been punished enough.


    "As for the rest, yes, her power will be useful in the journey ahead. That''s what I thought."


    He nodded his head in agreement with Aruk''s words.


    She deals with binding spells, resistance spells, and magic that is generally not suited for attacks, but I think she can help us to neutralize our opponents or protect us from attacks.


    "No, wait! If you dare to have me perform binding spells on you, you can train me even while you are spending normal time ......."


    "I did not even entertain that idea. The idea of using the art of restraint as a restraint for oneself is something that ...... ordinary people would never have thought of."


    Is that a compliment?¡¡No, I''m sure it''s a compliment.


    As I was chuckling at his words, Nair, who had been scrambling behind me, jumped on my shoulder in the form of an owl. I don''t need to ask who won, since they are covered in dust and have fled to us.


    "......, yes."


    Suddenly, I remembered that I had that thing in my pocket and took it out.


    Amako looks at the object from behind and exclaims in surprise.


    "It was inside the body of the evil dragon. ......"


    "Oh, in my world, it''s a blade called a sword."


    A small sword in a leather scabbard that the villagers had helped me find.


    Nair looked at the sword, which gave him a strange feeling of power just by holding it in his hand, and when he heard that it was inside the body of the evil dragon, he rolled his eyes with interest.


    "You wrote that in your diary. Usato, you should keep that with you.


    "Hmm?¡¡Why?"


    It''s a weapon used by a brave warrior. Maybe there will come a time when it will come in handy.


    Is this gonna help?


    I don''t use blades, so there''s no limit to how often I''ll have to use it. On the other hand, if I let Amako carry it, the weight of the sword might be a burden for her, and Mr. Aruku already has a replacement for the broken sword.


    ......All the same, I''ll just stick it in my waistband.


    It can be used to peel fruits and vegetables.


    He let out a sigh and tucked the small sword into his belt at his waist.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "Nah, nothing. Nothing."


    No longer manipulating life and death to drown her loneliness, she has abandoned her stronghold and set out for the outside world.


    It does not matter by what means or for what reason.


    This reminds me of the early morning conversation I had with her as Neah, the village girl. I think that she was finally able to step out of her search for knowledge.


    The girl who controls life and death is no longer in the house.


    The girl who protected the village is gone.


    The only one here now is..,


    "A good-natured messenger, I guess."


    He''s a bit of a pain in the ass and a bit of a loudmouth, though.

 82 - Silent talk, after the evil dragon disappeared,

    "---Mu."


    It was a little while after I heard that the evil dragon had awakened.


    Ciel, who was chatting with the Demon King, noticed that something was wrong with the Demon King who choked up. She thought it was a bit rude to ask him if he could make such a face, but she decided to ask him about the reason for his confusion, as she was his personal maid of honor.


    "How can I help you?


    "The evil dragon is dead, huh?"


    "Huh. ......"


    "I''m sorry, I shouldn''t have said that. It''s a little stupid to call someone dead who is already dead. In this case, it would be more correct to say that they have finally returned to what they should be.


    "In its natural state?"


    I''m back in my element. Like a demon.


    It seems that the fearsome dragon has just vanished.


    When Ciel wonders why he is so surprised, he sits down deep in his chair with his mouth pursed in a tight smile, ignoring Ciel''s question.


    "He didn''t die naturally, did he? He must have had enough extra magic power to run rampant for at least another month. But it came back as magical elements, that''s how decrepit his body was?¡¡No, he''s not the kind of guy who decays in a few hundred years. ---There''s only one possible explanation. Someone overthrew him.


    "...... If you say you defeated him, is he a brave man?¡¡From what I''ve heard, he has tremendous power.


    Two brave men from the Kingdom of Lingle, two men who inflicted great damage on the Demon King''s army.


    If they are the ones I''ve heard of, they should be able to take care of the weakened Evil Dragon. When I mentioned this to them, they closed their eyes and slowly shook their heads.


    "The brave men of the Kingdom of Lingle. It is true that this place is relatively close to the place where the evil dragon was resurrected, but it''s not the same. Those with the qualities of a hero emit a characteristic wave of magical power.


    "......"


    Wait a minute," said Ciel, feeling uncomfortable with the Demon Lord''s statement.


    The Demon Lord should have been in the castle from the moment he woke up. How could he be aware of the two brave men''s magical power?


    "Nah, nothing to worry about. It''s a little tiring, but if you concentrate, it''s easy to detect magic over a long distance.


    "...... is horseshit. So you''re saying that it''s easy for the Demon Lord to find out the whereabouts of the heroes. ......


    No, detecting magic over long distances is equivalent to finding a single star in the night sky. Even if it has some characteristics, it will be difficult to find it if it is buried among the many, since I am only detecting it by brute force. As for the heroes, they only learned the wave of magic power when they invaded the Kingdom of Lingle.


    And this is very tiring. I usually don''t use it at all, so it''s useless," mutters the demon king.


    Ciel can only marvel at the Demon Lord''s ability to detect magic by brute force.


    "But if there is an exception, it would be when the magic power with a strong character like ...... dragon is emitted. The magic of a dragon is relatively easy to detect because of its strong presence."


    So you were able to determine the number of dragons in existence.


    Certainly, a dragon that has lived for a long time must have more pure magic power and a tremendous presence than a human whose blood is mixed with human blood.


    Let''s return to the story. The evil dragon was slain by someone... it must have been a human who slayed it.


    "Human, is it? ......"


    "Five magical reactions were seen around the evil dragon. A necromancer-vampire hybrid, a hexenbiest, a beastman with precognition magic, a human with fire magic---and a human with healing magic."


    "What''s with that collection of the illicit ......?"


    The only decent ones are people with fire magic.


    A half-demon, a beastman with precognition magic, and a healing magician. The people who make my head hurt to listen to are concentrated around the evil dragon.


    "...... did they slay the evil dragon in a circus? You know, like ...... dying of laughter."


    "Your jokes are funny. Your jokes are so funny, I''m getting sick to my stomach just listening to them. I''m looking forward to the next one."


    I am not at all happy to hear that without even a flicker of expression on my face.


    Ciel''s cheeks turn red and she writhes in shame.


    "I don''t care how we defeated the evil dragon anymore. What is interesting is that it was a mixture of races that defeated it. At least before I was sealed, man was a foolish creature who claimed to be the top of his race. I thought that was still the case, but ...... it seems that some people are just as crazy as he is."


    Placing his hand on his forehead, the demon king slowly stands up and looks away.


    He slowly stands up and looks in the direction of the black ceiling, but I guess he can see something else.


    But this is only the beginning.


    At this moment, Ciel witnesses a face colored by the struggle of the Demon King.


    A fierce smile that is both childlike in its innocence and powerful enough to send chills down one''s spine.


    The roar of the evil dragon will spread across the continent and cause many great changes. A forbidding curse that is terrible to behold. The divine dragons and their bloodlines who live in this world, and our own demonic race as well. It will be interesting, Ciel. War, the struggle that was repeated long ago, will begin again in this world.


    Ciel could not respond to the Demon King''s words and remained silent.


    Without paying attention to her, the Demon Lord''s voice echoes in the dimly lit hall as he quietly smiles.

 83 - A Disciple of Silent Story to the Kingdom of Ringle

    Kingdom of Lingle.


    A vibrant country with thriving commerce and threatened by the Demon Lord''s army.


    It is also the home of the lifeguard squadron to which my mentor, Usato, belongs.


    The merchant''s carriage carried me here, and although I was a bit intimidated by my first visit to this land, I walked steadily through the gates of the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "Thank you very much for taking me here.


    "I don''t mind. It''s been a long time since I''ve been on a trip with you, and I''ve had a lot of fun.


    After thanking the merchant for bringing me here from Lucvis, I brace myself and step into the city of the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "At last, we''re here. ......"


    It didn''t take long to get here.


    I gave my resignation letter directly to the principal of Gladys and left the school, sent a letter to my parents thanking them for raising me and breaking off the relationship, and had a short talk with Meena, the last person to call me.


    To my surprise, the Principal Gladys accepted my letter of withdrawal as if she knew what to expect. She apologized to me, saying that she was sorry for not being able to do anything for me.


    I was surprised that she apologized so suddenly, but she was the head of the school that accepted me, and I myself knew the power of the nobles well, so I forgave her, although I was still very confused. It would have been better if that had been the end of it, but the headmaster was not satisfied with that and arranged for me to be transported with him to a merchant whose destination was the Kingdom of Lingle.


    I was quite happy to hear this, since I had been planning to look for him myself.


    And then the discussion with Meena.


    This was ...... not meaningless for me, I think. In the end, we had a falling out,...... and we didn''t get along, so I don''t think there will be a falling out.


    The only regret I have is that I wanted to stay with Kyou and the others a little longer.


    They were the first people I could talk honestly with after coming to this country, so when I left Luxembourg, I cried without shame or shame.


    "Oh ......"


    The view was of a vibrant city, and unlike a country like Lukvis with a high percentage of children, the number of adults was higher.


    It is a free place, different from my hometown, where there are no ties between the nobility and the commoners. I take a deep breath to suppress my elation as soon as I feel the atmosphere of the Lingle Kingdom on my skin.


    ......I shouldn''t, I didn''t come here to enjoy the scenery.


    I take out the letter that I have put in my bag carefully and remember once again the reason why I came here.


    "...... Okay."


    The letter of introduction given to Mr. Usato.


    The first thing to do is to give this to the head of the rescue team. In order to do so, we must first know the location of the lifeguard company.


    At first, you approach a nearby store and talk to a young man selling fruits to ask him to tell you where it is.


    Excuse me, sir.


    "Hmm?¡¡What''s up, kid? You look like you''re from outside ......."


    "I''m from the neighboring country of Luxvis, may I ask for directions?"


    "Ha-ha-ha, don''t be so afraid. So, where do you want to know?


    When I nervously asked him, I received a generous response from him.


    I feel embarrassed by his words, but I ask him where he wants to go.


    "Where is the lifeguard station?"


    "A lifeguard?¡¡Is there something wrong with you?


    "No, that''s not what I meant. ......"


    "Then who wants to be healed?¡¡If so, the infirmary is closer than the ambulance corps, right?"


    It seems that I was mistaken for a traveler in search of healing magic.


    In times like this, it''s important to clearly assert your opinion. .......


    I''m not very good at it, but I''ll try to be brave enough to do it. I''m not the same as before.


    I want to join a rescue squad and I want to know where it is. So what''s wrong with ...... for the location of the lifeguard squad instead of the clinic?"


    The next moment I said this in a louder voice than I had expected, the people around me stopped moving, including the brother who was smiling in front of me.


    The people around him stopped moving.¡¡What?" When I was puzzled and confused, the older brother grabbed both of my shoulders firmly. The people around me started to rush to him as well.


    "You shouldn''t do that, kid.


    "You''re still young. You''re still young. You don''t have to push yourself so hard ......."


    "If you''re looking for a place to work, I''ll hire you. ....... Don''t be desperate."


    "Boy, you''re a brave kid. But you don''t have to go down that road.


    Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!


    The man I was just talking to, the old man sitting silently nearby, the woman tending bar, the knight passing by, the people around me who heard what I said, they all stop me like crazy.


    I know they are all saying these things out of the pure kindness of their hearts, but... Mr. Usato?¡¡How do they know you are a lifeguard?¡¡That''s it!¡¡It''s like stopping a warrior going to his death!


    "I can understand your admiration for the lifeguard. They are like heroes to us, the people of the kingdom. But they live in a different world from ours. ...... There are children who have seen them running with magical beasts on their backs, running with strange yells, and even seeing them blown to bits by the fists of Master Rose, the leader of the lifeguard squad.


    Some of the behaviors look familiar.


    I mean, you almost said "Mr. Usato," didn''t you?


    I nodded my head with a shudder at the sight of Mr. Usato, who was running with Bulrin on his back in the Lingle Kingdom.


    "Um, are you talking about Mr. Usato?"


    "Well, you know. ......He...... Usato-sama was a particularly out of the ordinary person. He was a man of unspeakable strength. He really was a messed up boy. ......"


    The older brother with the distant look in his eyes.


    What the hell did he do? I''m curious, but I don''t want to ask him, because I''m afraid that my barely remaining common sense will be shattered if I do.


    "Who introduced you to him?¡¡I can''t believe I would recommend a lifeguard to a girl like you as a prank. ....... I can''t forgive them for playing with your courage and for trying to make fun of the lifeguard ......"


    I looked at the indignant brother and at the people nodding their heads in agreement with him, and I thought to myself once again, "I''m not going to let this happen again.


    I knew that the rescue squad was a great place.


    But I mustn''t let them get the wrong idea.


    "It was Usato-san who introduced us!¡¡And I''m a healing magician, you know ......."


    I was at a loss for words after saying all that. I was at a loss for words because I had just revealed myself as a healing magician.


    Both in my hometown and in Luxembourg, I received cold stares of contempt and disappointment.


    I was afraid of the reactions of the people in front of me, thinking that if I were to receive such stares here, too, the reactions I received were surprising to me.


    "Introduction from Usato-sama!¡¡I''m sorry, I misunderstood you.


    "Uh, ......, yes."


    I was surprised, but that direction is totally different from that of Lukvis.


    I''m not scorned, I''m not looked down upon, but rather I''m bewildered by a feeling that is almost joyful.


    Looking around me, I see that the people of the town, who have learned that I was introduced by Mr. Usato, have relaxed the desperate expressions on their faces.


    It''s not that I didn''t believe what Usato-san had told me about the Kingdom of Lingle, but I felt uneasy. I wondered what people around me thought of the group where healing magic was active, and how they treated me.


    Seeing the people in front of me actually taking their feelings seriously made me think that this country is a kind place that accepts a healing magic user like me.


    "I thought I knew from seeing you, Usato-sama, that appearances are not always what they seem. I guess I''m still stuck in the common sense too. ......"


    "No, I just didn''t say enough. ......"


    I think it''s okay to stay stuck in the norm. Even though I''ve only been here for a short time, I know how outlandish the lifeguards, including you, usually are.


    Puzzled by your brother''s words, I looked around me and saw that everyone in the town had relaxed their desperate expressions and were relieved to see me.


    "If Usato-sama introduced you to me, you have nothing to worry about."


    "If Usato-sama approves of her, it seems she''ll be fine."


    "That''s normal for you. No, ...... I''ll be like them eventually..."


    The misunderstandings are surprisingly clearing up.


    Usato, how much have you really done in this country....... I have a feeling that you are gaining trust in a different direction.


    "Hey, do you want to go to the lifeguard?"


    "!¡¡...... yeah, yeah. Yes, I do."


    I was still puzzled by the reactions of the people around me when a voice spoke to me.


    I turned my head to see a woman who looked to be about Usato''s age, her eyes sparkling with curiosity, and before I knew it, she was standing right next to me.


    She nodded her head and turned to her brother who was standing in front of me.


    "Excuse me. I''ll take her to the rescue squad.


    "Hm?¡¡Oh!¡¡It''s Olga''s sister!¡¡I feel safer knowing you''re taking me with you. Good luck, kid!


    ?¡¡Judging from her reaction, I wonder if the woman next to her is somehow related to the rescue team.


    She is a kind person as long as she is showing us the way.


    Let''s go!


    "Yes, yes."


    But it''ll get us to the lifeguard station.


    With that in mind, I leave the place, waving to the people who were there.


    I was so happy to see them.


    "Hello!¡¡I''m Uluru, I''m 18 years old!¡¡What''s your name?"


    As soon as we started walking, Uluru introduced herself and asked me my name.


    "Eh, nah, I''m Nack Arga......, no, I''m Nack... I''m 12 years old!


    Argalles, about to say his name as an aristocrat, quickly reiterates it.


    I''ve given up my name as a nobleman, so now I''m just Nack. Uluru-san smiles a big smile and starts patting my head gently as he walks away.


    "Hmmm...you must be Nack...you''re 12 years old...that''s great!"


    "Hey, hey, ......."


    Embarrassed by his reaction to a child, he moves the hand on his head away.


    "Nn, I''m sorry. Kukuru-chan doesn''t let me pet her anymore, so I just ......."


    "Kukuru-chan?"


    "No, I''m talking about this one and that one."


    Uluru-san waves his hand deceptively to the side.


    "You were introduced to Lingle by Usato-kun, weren''t you?"


    "Yes. ...... You''ve heard about it?"


    "That''s right. I was walking around town and I wanted to join the rescue squad!¡¡I''d be crazy not to be interested!"


    I didn''t know you were that loud.


    I feel a little embarrassed now, and my cheeks heat up. Uluru-san smiles at me and continues to talk to me.


    "Usato-kun was an interesting boy, wasn''t he?"


    "...... Yes. He was a great guy. And he was also my benefactor.


    "Benefactor?¡¡What did he do?


    He trained me. He chased me, kicked me, cursed at me a lot, but now I''m filled with gratitude.


    "Wait a minute, your sister doesn''t understand how that process leads to gratitude. ......"


    d*mn, just the content of the training makes it sound like Mr. Usato is a person who does terrible things.


    Uluru-san is drawing back, muttering, "Oh no, Usato''s training policy is similar to someone else''s. ......."


    Wow, I have to change the subject .......


    "Uluru-san, what is your relationship with Usato-san?"


    I boldly ask him, since he seems to be familiar with me, unlike the way he calls me or the honorific titles he uses with the people in the city.


    "Relationship?¡¡Hmm, a reliable sister?¡¡That might be an exaggeration. ....... We are still friends."


    "I see. ......"


    But it''s been less than six months since we got to know each other. I''ve grown up so fast that I can''t even recognize you. I guess I had to hurry to become strong because the Demon King''s army was going to attack us.


    The Demon King''s Army, the army of the demon tribe''s country ruled by the Demon King who is trying to invade the Lingle Kingdom. In the battle that took place just a few days ago, Usato and his mentor, the leader of the lifeguard corps, ran on the battlefield and healed many people.


    With only three days of training, I would not have lasted more than three minutes in the battlefield as a member of the lifeguard corps.


    I am about to join them.


    "Uluru-san, objectively speaking, do you think I am suitable to join the rescue team?"


    I was so anxious that I asked Uluru-san a pathetic question.


    Uluru-san, walking next to me, folded his arms and groaned in distress, then answered my question with an awkward smile.


    "Hmm?¡¡I don''t know."


    "......I see. ......"


    Should I be happy that I wasn''t told I couldn''t join the lifeguard corps?


    "But I think the fact that Usato recommended it was because he thought you had potential."


    "Is it a prospect ......?"


    "That boy knows more than anyone how hard the Commander''s training is. He is a healer just like the Commander and he is strong enough to overcome his rigorous training. If he sent you here, it is because he judged that your heart is strong enough to endure the Commander''s training."


    ...... heart enough to withstand training.


    "I still don''t know Nack very well. I don''t know Nack well yet, but if Usato recommended him for the rescue team, I''m sure he''ll be fine. You''ll have to decide for yourself if it''s appropriate."


    Yes, it was none other than Mr. Usato who recommended me.


    He even wrote me a letter of introduction. There''s no turning back now, I''m already here.


    "If you can, then do it while you still can. ...... is the only time you can afford to worry."


    "What?"


    Well, we''re almost there, Mr. Nack!


    Didn''t he just casually mutter something scary?


    I have to prepare myself for what''s going to happen next.¡¡I follow Uluru-san who is humming a tune as he moves along the road, ignoring my impatience.


    As we continue on our way, the cityscape, which used to be filled with buildings, gradually becomes less and less, and more and more trees with greenery growing on them. And at the end of the road, there was a road leading into the woods and a wooden gate separating this place from the town.


    On the wooden gate, there was a short inscription with the words...,


    "Life-saving ...... group."


    ---The sign said...


    Uluru-san nodded happily at my murmur, walked up to the gate, and opened his arms wide as if to welcome me as I walked through.


    "Well, welcome to the lifeguard mission, Mr. Nack. I''d love to show you around, but I''ll stop here!¡¡I look forward to seeing you next as a member of the rescue squad!


    "...... friends?¡¡You''re not kidding!


    "Well then, I''ll take care of the rest!"


    Before I could reply to him, Uluru-san was heading for the city. I was stunned to see her gone in the blink of an eye, but then I remembered the conversation we had just had and couldn''t help but laugh.


    "Ha, ha, ha, I wonder if there are many people with strong personalities in the lifeguards. ......"


    Usato-san, who looks normal at a glance, but when it comes to training, he becomes extreme in his words and actions as if he has changed.


    ---Wait a minute... Did Uluru just say "take care of the rest"?¡¡Was he talking to me?¡¡It sounded more like he was talking behind my back,


    "Hey."


    "!!!"


    As I look toward the city, someone suddenly approaches me from behind and lifts my collar. I am hung up as if I had been pinched by a cat, and I look behind me, scared by a loud voice from behind.


    There was..,


    "You lost, kid?"


    "I shouldn''t, I shouldn''t ...... let a kid like you come to a place like this."


    There were two men, both with frighteningly dark faces.


    Both were unusually large, and their moods and expressions were not normal.


    The man who lifted up his collar, perhaps trying to smile at us, spoke to us with the corners of his mouth twisted into a more twisted shape than ever, but his voice was too powerful to be heard.


    "He......f......"


    I''ve got a guy who has a thick face before his personality!


    I''m so scared!


    He''s as scary as Usato when he''s angry!


    "Mil, your face is already scary, so don''t scare me any more.


    What do you mean "fearless"?¡¡You''re no different than me!


    I''m aware of it, you idiot.


    And I''m aware of it!


    My shoulders were shaking, but I remembered the letter clutched in my hand and decided to show it to the strong-looking people in front of me.


    As Mr. Uluru said, if this place is called a lifeguard station, then these people must be members of the lifeguard station. Besides, their atmosphere is slightly similar to that of Usato''s. .......


    "Oh, um, ...... here, here, here, here, here, here, here..."


    "An?¡¡A letter?¡¡You brought it all the way here?¡¡......!"


    The letter is received by a man who is unusually kind for a man with a stern face.


    He looks at me quizzically, but when he sees the name on the letter, his eyes widen.


    "What''s up, Alec?"


    "It''s from Usato. It''s for the Commander."


    "Oh, he''s doing well, isn''t he? Well, he sent me a letter, so I''m sure he''s fine!


    With a snap, the hand is removed from the collar and lowered to the ground.


    I manage to land on the ground, and the man called Alec crouches down so that we can look at each other.


    "I see Uluru sent you, are you a ...... applicant?"


    "...... yes!"


    "Yes!" "Good. Then you should give this directly to the leader.


    After returning the letter to me, Mr. Alec said one word to me, "Follow me," and went on his way without waiting for my reply.


    The other man, called Mir, urges me to walk with a light shove on my back.


    A path leads me to the end of the forest, and at the end of the path is the leader of the rescue team that Usato-san had mentioned.


    I gulp down some spit and brace myself.


    I gulped and braced myself.


    "So this is what a lifeguard quarters looks like ......"


    Alec and Mir showed us to the lifeguard station.


    They said, "I''ll go get the leader and you wait for him," and walked away from the inn to another direction, so I had to wait alone in front of the inn entrance.


    "This place looks a bit like Kyou-san''s place, doesn''t it?"


    Looking at this rather old building, it seems similar to the dormitory where Keogh and his friends lived in Luxvis.


    While I was immersed in a nostalgic feeling, even though it hasn''t been that long since I left there, someone comes from the direction Alec and Mir walked.


    Is it them coming back?¡¡I turned my head and saw not two large men but a long-haired woman approaching me, dragging something with her.


    "......"


    I feel a chill.


    This is similar to the feeling I had when Usato-san seriously tried to train me.


    I keep my eyes on the woman with a vague chill, but when I see her coming out of the shadows of the trees into the sunlight, I can''t help but let out a gasp of surprise.


    "What, what, what, what?


    The right arm holding the collar of a girl with beautiful green hair and a white uniform just like Usato''s, and white hair and brown hair.


    The woman was dragging a girl who seemed to be a demon fainting with white eyes.


    Her bangs covered her right eye and her eyes were sharp as if they were shooting at us. What surprised me the most was that she was giving off a predator-like atmosphere, just as Usato said.


    This is the man ...... for sure. He looks somewhat like Usato, I can say with certainty that he is the one.


    "Oh, so you''re the one who wants to join us."


    The head of the rescue team, Mr. Rose .......


    She is the mentor and boss of Ms. Usato, and the person who organizes the rescue team that I am about to join.


    She calls out to me, and with one hand she tosses the girl she''s dragging onto the grass nearby, carelessly.


    "Geez, what''s this place?¡¡Ugh, I can''t remember. ......"


    As soon as she was dropped on the grass, a girl who seemed to be a demon got up holding her head.


    She seems to be confused, but the leader of the group just looks at the girl and opens his mouth in a troublesome manner.


    "Rest a little.


    "!?¡¡Yes, yes!¡¡I''ll do my best to rest!


    The girl looks surprised at the word "rest" for a moment, but then sits down on the grass and relaxes.


    What does it mean to rest at all ......?¡¡No, no, this is not the time to worry about such things.


    First of all, I held out the letter in my hand to the woman in front of me.


    "My name is Nack!¡¡I''m a healing magician and I came here after being introduced by ...... Usato!


    "......"


    However, there was no response to the letter I offered.


    Did I do something wrong?¡¡As I fearfully tried to look up, I felt a tremendous shock on my forehead, and I was blown backwards with a force.


    "Gigg ...... oh?


    As I landed on my feet, holding my forehead, I saw Mr. Rose with his fingers open, smiling at me in amusement.


    Was that a deco ...... pin ...... that was just done to me?¡¡No way, it was so powerful I thought it was going to blow my head off.


    "Hmm, interesting. The groundwork seems to be laid. By the looks of it, did Usato train you?¡¡Then I guess this is your letter of introduction."


    She laughs at my fear, and shows me the letter in her other hand, the one she took from my hand before I knew what happened to it.


    Then, she comes to rest nearby. Then, a girl who was resting (?) nearby stands up and approaches Rose.


    "What''s wrong with Usato?¡¡Is he coming back?


    "Shut up, later!"


    "Boo!"


    The girl gets bumped.


    The blow was obviously more powerful than the one I had received, and she was blown backwards as far as she could go, slipping into her former position and passing out as she fell.


    At this moment, I came to understand that an unintentional remark = unreasonableness.


    Ignoring the girl who had been blown away, the leader of the group came close to me, who was too scared to move, and made eye contact with me just like Alec did.


    "I''ll tell you one thing, I''m not as nice as he is. Whether you cry out, beg for your life, or fall down, I will not show you mercy. The rescue squad is in charge of people''s lives. We don''t take it easy and we don''t compromise. If you''re okay with that... then you''re a member of the Rescue Mission (here) from today."


    No lies, no exaggeration.


    This man is as good as his word and will show me no mercy. The look in her eyes made me understand that, even if I didn''t want to.


    ...... but what does that matter?


    I knew that when I was trained by Usato.


    I''m ready for it.


    I''m ready.


    From now on.


    Not as a nobleman... not as an oppressed student in Luxembourg... but as a knacker of the lifeguard corps.


    From now on... my life, my life alone, can finally begin.

 84 - character introduction

    Name Nair


    Race Demon (vampire/necromancer)


    Sorcery binding spells, resistance spells, ? spells


    A hybrid of vampire and necromancer.


    A lonely girl who lost her parents when she was 10 years old.


    She hated loneliness, so she sneaked into the village where her vampire father kept her as a food source and lived there for about three hundred years, changing her appearance as she went.


    During that time, she manipulated travelers who visited the village to gain knowledge of the outside world, but she repeatedly returned them to their former places after a short period of time without killing them. He was always fond of accumulating knowledge, and in the course of 200 years, he dabbled in magic and mastered three kinds of sorcery.


    After unleashing the evil dragon and endangering her most cherished place, she realized that she should not be in this place and decided to leave it.


    Name Tetra


    Lineage Not shown


    A woman who lived with Neah in a house in a village.


    She met Neah when she was less than 10 years old. She was abandoned by her parents and wandering in the forest when Nair found her and raised her as a surrogate parent.


    She grew up, got married, had a child, and lived a happy life, but twenty years ago, her husband and child were killed by a demon.


    She is now alone in the world, and a girl who has disappeared from her memory is by her side.


    Tetra''s life had been marked by tragedy, but she was never alone.


    And after Usato and the others had left, she lived her unchanged life in the house that had become so large, with the help of the people around her.


    She was aware of this.


    But he dared not ask her about it because he knew that she was a parental figure for him, a kind one who had filled the wounds in his heart.

 85 - the 80th episode

    In many ways, the journey with our new friend, Neah, was a difficult one.


    First of all, she is a triple-threat: noisy, troublesome, and a screw-up. And she and Amako are constantly quarreling--or perhaps it could be said that Nair is a one-woman team if we include the fact that Amako is not at all concerned with Nair''s situation.


    Either way, she is still a noisy one.


    It''s been a few days since we left the village, and we''re glad to see that she''s gotten somewhat used to the trip and has regained her composure, but..,


    "Hey, tell me about Usato''s world."


    Suddenly, Nair, who was riding on my shoulder in owl form, said something like that to me as if she remembered me.


    "Huh. ......"


    The words and the slight excitement in his voice make me think, "I don''t like this.


    It''s not that I don''t like talking about it. The reason why she wanted to capture me in the first place was to ask me about the other world, so it is rather late for her to ask me this favor.


    But I wonder if I should talk about the other world to this nea who is devoted to what she is interested in.


    I guess there is a high possibility that he will ...... lose his inhibitions and ask me questions at all hours of the day and night.


    "Come on, tell me something. You''re not busy just walking around, are you?"


    And why is this guy so bossy for nothing?


    I mean, you''re not walking.


    You''re just sitting on my shoulder.


    Nair flaps his wings at my cheeks, which annoys me a little more than usual, but he puts a smile on his face.


    "Well, let me tell you about vampires in my world.


    "Well!¡¡A vampire from another world?


    Nair bites when he hears that they are the same as him.


    Okay, you''ve got me. Let me tease you a little.


    "Vampires in my world can lift a large rock with ease. They can drain you of blood just by looking at you. And they''re monsters of the dark who fly like swallows through the night sky, sneaking into homes and slurping up the living blood of the dead."


    "......Hey,...... you''re pretty good at that..."


    "No, there''s more: they shoot rays of light out of their eyes, they spit poison out of their mouths like an evil dragon, they grow huge, and they can turn into a mist that can pass through any wall. I think vampires are the most dangerous creatures of all.


    "Is that really a vampire?


    Of course it''s not true. How could there be such a thing as a vampire?


    But Nair, whose small body trembles as if she believes my words in a hushed voice, is clearly dismayed to find that the vampires of this other world are far more monstrous than she had expected.


    I don''t know, it''s just so much fun to watch.


    "Ugh, you''re kidding me, right?¡¡Vampires are not such monsters, are they?¡¡What, am I some kind of a crappy vampire?"


    "Well, it''s not true."


    "...... eh."


    You''re more of a disappointment than a loser, though.


    "Keeeeeeee!¡¡You''ve got some nerve plotting against me!"


    Nair opens her wings as if to express her anger at being made fun of, and tries to poke me in the head with her beak.


    But just as her beak was about to hit my head, her body stiffened as if she was bound by something, and she slipped off my shoulder.


    I catch her with my left hand as she falls with a pitiful cry, and look down in dismay at Naea, who is rolling her eyes on my palm.


    "Hey, hey, hey, hey! You forgot the restriction that I, the master, cannot be harmed. ......"


    I just forgot!


    You''re the one who put it there. You can''t forget.


    Nair cannot harm me.


    The messenger contract she and I have signed has various restrictions and functions, one of which is that she cannot do any harm to the Lord.


    The scope and standard of harm is solely at the discretion of my master, so with my permission, Neah can use her magic against me and make me drink her blood, her food.


    Now I don''t have to worry about her biting me unless I give her permission ......, but I didn''t think she would forget .......


    "Bird head......"


    "What did you just say, iron-faced fox?


    Amako blurted out, and Nair overreacted.


    Amako, who was walking with Bulrin in front of me on my left, looks back at me and opens her mouth to N¨¦a with an expression of exasperation.


    I''m just telling you the truth. I know why you don''t walk with Usato. Because you forget after three steps.


    "Hmph, hmph. I''ve been following you on your ...... journey and you''ve been making me look like a fool for so long, but I can''t take it anymore!¡¡Ho-ho!


    Nair leaps out of my palm and charges at Amako with tremendous speed.


    Amako, on the other hand, just tilts her head to avoid Naea''s face and grabs her by the neck and throws her toward me, spinning her arms in a wide circle.


    In a few seconds she is back in the air, her transformation is broken, and she rolls to my feet on the ground.


    I wonder how many times I have to repeat the same exchange with her before she learns the lesson. ......


    "d*mn, d*mn ...... next time, next time ......."


    "I appreciate your guts, but it''s hard to beat Amaco when he anticipates your moves, isn''t it?¡¡Besides, with your appearance, it''s obvious that you''re going to lose..."


    "Shut up, shut up!¡¡It''s your fault for lying, Usato!¡¡Why did you lie?¡¡Why are you being so mean to me?


    "You don''t have to regress to infantile rage ....... Oh, I''m sorry."


    It''s my fault.


    But why do you go so far as to have Amako hit back at you just for teasing her a little? I''m surprised he got back at me like it was a game of catch.


    Nair wipes his eyes and turns into an owl again and jumps on my shoulder.


    "So, you''re staying on my shoulder after all."


    "Hmph, I''m Usato''s messenger, so this is the best place for me."


    For the past few days, Mr. Alc, Bulrin, and the horse have been staying on the horse, but finally they are staying on my shoulders.


    It seems that she has taken a special place on my shoulder. It doesn''t bother me so much as long as I don''t make too much noise, but sometimes it itches my ears and neck when she spreads her wings or something.


    Also, Amako''s gaze becomes strangely intense.


    "Hmm, that''s right. ......"


    By the way, Nair is a messenger demon, but what about the fact that she can take human form?


    In this case, I wonder how it will be recognized in Samaritan, where there is a strong public opinion against subhumans, and I guess if you say you are a messenger, they will treat you as such. .......


    In such a case, it is best to ask Mr. Aruk.


    "Mr. Aruk!


    "Yes?"


    I call out to Mr. Alc, who is pulling the horse in front of me, and he slows down so that he can ride alongside me.


    I point to Nair on my shoulder and ask him what''s on my mind.


    "About this guy, is it safe to put a humanoid demon inside Samaria, even if it has a contract with a messenger?"


    "Well, it should be okay if it''s a messenger demon. But since humanoid demons like Nair are quite rare, I honestly can''t make a judgment. Perhaps she could be recognized as a subhuman that Samaritan hates. ......"


    I''ve heard that Samaritan doesn''t have good feelings about subhumans, but it''s a total pain in the ass to have to hide the existence of not only Amaco, but also the demon Nea.


    "Of course."


    Next to my disappointed face, Nair is beaming with pride for some reason.


    "A humanoid demon is intelligent enough to understand human language. In other words, a smart and amazing demon like me is as close to a subhuman as possible!


    "Now, I''m regretting having let you accompany me on this journey. ....... What''s that?¡¡If I''m not careful, you might think I''m taking a slave with me. ......


    "...... haha, that''s a possibility. ......"


    You''re lying.


    We''re carrying a hell of a lot of baggage.


    She forced you to sign a contract with her, and now she treats you like you have a slave. .......


    And Naea''s transformation is easier to break than you might think. Amako''s hand that grabbed Neah just a moment ago can easily change back to her original form.


    If this were in the city of Samaritan, it would be too late to deliver the letter.


    At best, he would be driven out of the kingdom. At worst, Nair would be targeted and we''d be caught.


    "It''s okay as long as they don''t know. As long as I stay an owl, I''ll be fine.


    "At least stay humanoid ......"


    "Well, it''s easier this way because I don''t have to walk."


    Why did you make him an owl if he''s disguised as a bird and doesn''t fly?


    And the fact that she confidently says <, which is basically a disappointment, is just plain unsettling. I''m sure she''ll be away when I give her the letter, since this naive girl with all her knowledge will probably do something wrong after entering the country.


    "Mr. Aruk, should Amako and Nair be separated during the audience?¡¡I''m a little nervous about putting these two dogs and monkeys together, but it''s better than putting them in the castle with us, isn''t it?"


    "Yes, it is. That would be better. I''ll ask you two to stay with Bulrin when I deliver the letter. Is that all right with you two?"


    No."


    You guys get along great.


    I suppose that attitude is understandable, given what I''ve seen of you over the past few days.


    As my shoulders slump in anticipation, Amako unexpectedly tugs at the sleeve of my group uniform. When I looked at him, he looked up at me and started to talk to me in a hesitant manner.


    "But..." he said. I''ll just go to ......."


    "Amaco ......"


    You''re too good.


    You''re so understanding, it''s almost starting to worry me.


    "Nah, you''re too..."


    "No, why should I stay with this cheeky little beastie?"


    What a pain in the ass. It''s hard to tell who''s older.


    If there''s no other way, we''ll have to play hardball.


    I quickly walk up to Bulrin, who is walking in front of me, and pat him on the head.


    "You''re a good man, Amako. I think he''s a good guy, don''t you?¡¡Unlike some other guy, he''s not selfish.


    "Gua ......"


    "Well, how about some meat for dinner tonight?¡¡You''ve been eating nothing but fruits lately, you want something to give you a boost once in a while, right?¡¡I''ve got some good chicken."


    "Peek!"


    Nair''s head immediately tries to fly off his right shoulder, but his left hand restrains him.


    I slowly turned my eyes toward him with a smile on my face, and saw an owl with tears in its eyes, shaking and wincing.


    "Ah, ah...!¡¡Suddenly I was wondering if I could wait with him!


    "Oh, yeah?¡¡I''m glad you understand."


    In a cheerful voice, he agrees to stay with Amako.


    He nods his head and moves his left hand from holding Nair.


    Now free to move, she shakes her head and exclaims in confusion.


    "Ho-ho-ho. Why do you threaten me like this so openly?¡¡Is my common sense wrong?¡¡Or is there something wrong with Usato?


    "Don''t worry, you''re just crazy."


    "Ha-ha-ha, Mister Usato is as eccentric as ever."


    "It''s not that cute and quirky!"


    Amako says this with a blank expression on her face, while Aruk-san laughs gleefully.


    Amako''s blank expression and Mr. Aruk''s cheerful laugh are the only things that make the joke about the chicken a threat. But being too selfish will only slow them down, so they have to resort to such measures.


    "Well, now that I''ve told you, I''ll make sure you stay at home."


    "Hmph. Why are you so afraid of being discovered? If they find you, why don''t I just erase your memory?"


    "It''s only a last resort. If things get out of hand and there is really and truly no other way, I will have to rely on your abilities."


    However, her ability to erase memories is not enough if she is exposed in a crowded place, even if it is only a few people.


    The disadvantage is that if she uses her ability in the wrong way, she could make her position even worse.


    "Your ability seems to be useful, but it is difficult to use.


    "Hmm, what''s that expression? I''m the best of the best when it comes to versatility!¡¡The Necromancer''s ability to control the dead and her magic!¡¡Vampire charms, the ability to control the living, and shape-shifting!¡¡And the three magic arts I have mastered over the past 300 years!"


    That''s a lot of magic. It''s quite extraordinary for someone like me who can only use healing magic.


    Even so, there is no need to have the ability to control the dead and the living while traveling. If it were to be discovered that you used it, it might be thought that you manipulated them into cooperating with you when you gave them the letter.


    ......Actually, the only thing that Nair could use in his journey is magic....


    "Three?¡¡I thought you only had two magic skills, restraint and resistance.¡¡And they''re pretty useless.


    "Usability is superfluous. But you''ve got a good point.


    Nair''s voice becomes smiling, as if to say, "I''m glad you asked me.


    Besides restraints and resistance, I can use one more magic? Isn''t it pretty amazing to know three magic skills that a person can learn for almost a lifetime?


    "Yes, this is... This is an important magic that every magician has to learn at first.


    "Well, since you say so, it must be a great magic.


    "Yes, yes, my third magic, it is..."


    Nair pauses, takes a breath, and opens her little mouth with a look full of herself.


    "Release... I mean, release!


    "...... Oh, oh."


    It was unexpectedly sober. .......


    She seemed to be unhappy with my reaction, but then she said, "Ho-ho-ho!¡¡She seemed to be displeased with my reaction and let out a slightly angry squeal.


    "What''s with that reaction!¡¡A sorceress who can do a liberation spell is amazing!


    No, I''m not sure what you mean by liberation.


    I am rather surprised that such a magic exists.


    I was rather surprised that such a magic existed.¡¡In principle, magic can only be released spontaneously or continue to work semi-permanently!¡¡That''s why the magic of breaking the spell is the first and most important magic you need to learn!


    I see, that''s why the binding spell she cast on me disappeared after some time.


    If it was a semi-permanent spell as she said, then I would have remained bound until she released me.


    Including that, I would say that the liberation spell, which plays the role of breaking the spell, is an important magic.


    But..,


    "How long does it take to learn that?"


    If it takes so long to learn it, won''t he die before he learns the other magic while he is learning this liberation spell?


    Nair, who seemed to think my question was valid, said, "It''s a natural question for a human," but then she opened her eyes and spread one of her wings wide for me to see.


    "Whoa!¡¡What''s with the ......?"


    "Only 40 years!¡¡That''s pretty fast for magic!¡¡I don''t know if I can do too complicated magic, but I can do a simple one in an instant!"


    I guess 40 years is just a blink of an eye for a demon of longevity, right?


    But from a human''s point of view, even if you study right after birth, you will become an uncle no matter how fast you learn.


    Is it worth it?


    "...... Will you ever have a chance to use that magic?"


    "Of course there is. There are magicians in every country, aren''t there?¡¡If they are involved in witchcraft, they must have books on spells and magic.


    "Huh?"


    A sorcerer?¡¡What''s that? Are there such people in every country?


    I tilted my head and looked at Mr. Aruk silently, who was shaking his head with a wry smile.


    When I looked at Nair again, he was boasting about the magic he had learned, as if magic was in common use.


    The inference that can be drawn from this is...,


    "No way. ......"


    Don''t you know that ...... nea that magic in this world is almost in decline?


    It''s possible. She''s the kind of girl who''s been holed up in a village and a Western house since she was born. She may only know that magic is a rather rare skill.


    If so, it would be too much to tell her the reality. After all, I would have to tell her the fact that I spent 40 years of my life for a nearly meaningless magic.


    "Hey, Usato..."


    "Amako, don''t say it. Don''t tell him. He looks so happy. ......"


    I stop Amako''s words and turn my head away from her, looking at Nea who is in a good mood on my shoulder.


    I can''t tell her that magic is almost in decline and that I rarely have a chance to use spells. And I casually ask her if she''s only ever used her own magic.


    For Nair, it''s as if this is the first time he''s had a chance to brag about his magic, which makes it all the more painful.


    What do you think?¡¡Usato, I''m great, aren''t I?"


    "Yeah, you''re ...... a great guy."


    Don''t look at me with such confident eyes.


    You''re making me feel even more sorry for you.


    "Of course I do. ...... Why won''t you make eye contact with me?"


    Trying to avoid eye contact with Nair, I look ahead and see the city at the end of the street --- a large walled city in the distance.


    I point in the direction of what appears to be a city.


    "Oh, I see something!


    At my words, Nair, who was about to ask me a question, and Amako and Mr. Aruku, who were walking nearby, also looked at the end of the road.


    The town beyond our line of sight is separated by a wall, but we can see what appears to be a castle and a slender building as tall as the castle.


    The city looks very similar to the streets of the Kingdom of Lingle, so that must be our first destination.


    "So that''s Samaria, huh?


    It had been more than ten days since we left Lukvis, and despite the trouble with Neah, we had finally reached our first destination, Samariar.

 86 - 81st episode

    Samariar.


    We have finally arrived at the place called the land of prayer.


    It took a lot of hard work to get here, but I guess you could say that the real work begins now for me. Unlike the time in Lucvis, this time I alone have to hand over the letter to the ruler of Samaritan.


    When we arrived at the outer gate of Samaritan, we first talked to the guard to be allowed to enter the gate.


    We asked Amako to wear a white cloak and Nea to change her appearance to that of a human being, the girl who had welcomed us as village girls. And Bulrin took the role of a messenger instead of Nair.


    The guard seemed to get defensive when he saw her, but I managed to get him to allow me to enter the town by appealing to him that Bulrin was a harmless demon. However, I was concerned that the guard was acting somewhat strangely at that time.


    "From the Kingdom of Lingle: ....... ......!¡¡Okay. You may proceed, the demon is not allowed to enter the city, but you may leave it with your horse at the stables near the outer gate."


    One of the guards, who looked from Brulin to me and rolled his eyes in astonishment, let us through with surprising ease.


    I was glad that he let us through, but it was a little creepy that he didn''t say anything or ask us why we had come to his country.


    "......Something''s strange. I wonder if they knew about me ......."


    I mutter to myself as I prepare the straw so that Mr. Aruk and I can bring Burlyn and his horse into the stables near the gate that the guard had told us about.


    The guard''s reaction just now clearly seemed to have changed his attitude when he saw Bulrin and I---no, I mean, when he saw my group uniform.


    "I can''t say that there is no possibility, can I?¡¡The news of the march of the Demon Lord''s army must have been known to many countries, and the activities of the rescue team must have been reported to many people.


    Even if it is ......, it doesn''t mean that the content is believed.


    After all, healing magic is a magic that is not well regarded. If you hear that a person who uses such magic runs around the battlefield with abnormal physical ability and saves many people, will they believe you?


    I wonder if it''s worth worrying about ...... every time.


    Let''s take comfort in the fact that we''ve entered the kingdom without incident.


    "...... huh. Still, I''m glad Nair didn''t get himself into trouble......."


    "Aren''t you too worried about her?"


    "It''s not an exaggeration to say that I brought her here, so I''ll at least take care of her."


    She had accepted death, and I had saved her life.


    It is the responsibility of the rescue team to take responsibility for my own life and the lives of others, so in a sense it is only natural that I should take responsibility for her life.


    "She seems to be acting fine on her journey, but in reality, she must be full of anxiety about the outside world, which she has never left since she was born.


    "Indeed, yes."


    "That''s why I..."


    "Hey, Usatoh, you''re late!"


    ...... now he''s talking about you, but he''s not so happy about it.


    Hearing her cheerful voice, I let out a sigh of exasperation.


    "...... huh!"


    "Ha-ha-ha. Come on, Nair and Amako-dono are probably waiting for us, so let''s get this over with."


    After clearing away the straw to make room for Bulrin to move freely, Mr. Aruk and I move outside where Nair and Amako are, and bring Bulrin and his horse inside the stables.


    Bulrin let out a single languid whinny and lay down on the spot we had made for him, then curled up like a bun and started to goo-goo sleep.


    "Well, what''s next?¡¡Shall we continue to the castle?"


    After entering the stables and watching Bulrin fall asleep, I turned back to Mr. Aruk and asked him about his plans for the next few days.


    I was thinking that we could look for a place to stay later, and that a tour of the town would not be a priority.


    "No, I have someplace to go first.


    "Heh?¡¡Where is it?"


    "I have to go to the Kingdom of Lingle to inform them of our arrival in Samaliar. ......"


    How would we tell the Lingle Kingdom, so far away from here, that we had arrived?


    Mr. Aruk looks doubtful at my reaction, but soon realizes the reason for it and puts on an apologetic expression.


    "Ah, it seems that you didn''t have a chance to use it in Lingle Kingdom, and it was natural that you didn''t know about it in Luxorvis since Mr. Welshy sent it to you.


    Use?¡¡Send?¡¡What?


    I tilt my head and look at Amako and Nair, who mutter "I didn''t know ......" and Nair, who tilts her head and puts her index finger on her chin just like me.


    Okay, so Nair doesn''t know. Quite the reclusive vampire.


    "It''s probably easier to show you than to explain. Follow me."


    He then urged us to go to the city of Samaria and the large silver bell hanging from the top of a conspicuous tower, which gave off an unusual presence.


    The bell was a large silver bell hanging from the top of a prominent tower.


    I followed Alc''s lead and entered the city.


    The streets of Samariat were full of fancy tools for sale, unlike the more commercial streets of the Lingle Kingdom.


    The population is as large as in the Kingdom of Lingle, and the city is full of vitality.


    As we were walking along the crowded street, being careful not to get separated from Amako and Nair, Mr. Alc, who was walking in front of us, started talking to us.


    "Samaria is better known as the Land of Prayer, but it is also one of the most famous countries for making magical tools, isn''t it?


    "Well, I mean, most of what you see here is from ......."


    "It is a magical tool. They are designed for everyday use, so they are not very expensive.


    Magic tools, something I''m not familiar with from the Lingle Kingdom, but to see so many of them lined up in front of the store is a sight to behold.


    Maybe some kind of magical tool to make fire?¡¡If we get lost again, we can live quite well with fire.


    "I used to love the tools here. It''s useful because you can spend a lot of time with little magic power.


    "You never left the village, did you?¡¡How did you get this?"


    "Tetra said she had to go to Samaria, so I bought it for her."


    I''m not a grandson asking his grandmother for a souvenir.


    As I''m looking around happily and amazed at the vampire, someone bumps into me from behind.


    You stumble a little and turn around..,


    "and ...... Amaco?¡¡What''s up?"


    "......"


    Amako was leaning against me, clutching the hem of her trousers.


    She seems to be somewhat nervous, though I can''t see her because she is hidden by her cloak.


    I looked around at her unusual behavior---and soon found the cause.


    "Is that her? ......"


    What I found was a boy in clean clothes.


    Not just any boy.


    He was sitting on a chair, but there was an iron collar around his neck.


    "A slave ......?"


    As he placed his hand on Amaco''s head to reassure him, he was confronted with the reality of another world, one that he had never faced in the Kingdom of Lingle or in Lucvis.


    A human being bought by a human being.


    I''d be lying if I said I didn''t have some feelings about it, but this is another reality that I have to accept in order to live in this world.


    While I was thinking about this, my eyes suddenly meet the eyes of a boy who seems to be a slave. The boy gave me a friendly smile and waved me a small hand.


    Amako, who was trying not to look at the slave behind me, held the hem of my hand tighter.


    "If you''re worried, you can hold on to it forever."


    "...... yeah."


    There were no slaves or merchants besides the boy.


    Perhaps the boy was already someone''s property and had been bought.


    Amako is so nervous because she imagines the commotion that will occur when she is revealed as a beast .......


    Because he has been living in the Lingle Kingdom, where slavery is not a reality, he is afraid of Samaritan, a country where slavery is a part of everyday life.


    "I''m sorry, I didn''t give it enough thought. It was not a place where slaves were so overtly present before. ......"


    "No, it was something I had to face."


    Mr. Arque notices Amaco''s condition and looks apologetic, but I can''t say I blame him since it''s something I''ll have to face at some point.


    "So, Mr. Alc. Where are you headed now?"


    "Uh, yes. I''m already in front of you...


    At that moment, interrupting Mr. Aruk''s words, multiple blue shadows crossed his field of vision as if gliding from the sky.


    I involuntarily jerked my head back, but when I turned my head in the direction the shadows crossed, I saw a blue bird perched on the roof of the second floor of a house a short distance away.


    "A pigeon?"


    A blue pigeon-like creature. There were many more of them in a row, all of them carrying a small backpack on their backs.


    While looking at the pigeons with curiosity, you see what looks like a signboard a little lower down on the second floor where the pigeons are.


    A pigeon holding a letter in its mouth, and next to it, in large letters, the words <>.


    "Hoo bird?¡¡Mr. Aruk, could it be?


    Yes, that''s the first place to go.


    I see what Mr. Aruk meant when he said "send.


    "A sending lodge, Huberd. There we will first inform them of our arrival in the Kingdom of Lingle.


    Hoo-bird---I heard the name and looked at the blue pigeons once more and let out an exclamation of admiration.


    ¡ñ


    The term "sending inn hoo-bird" is a generic name for a group of people who send letters, etc., and it is said to refer to a group of people who use hoo-birds, demons that look very much like pigeons that serve as messengers.


    In the original world, a "sender" is a post office, and a "hoo-bird" is like a deliveryman, enabling the exchange of information over long distances by having letters and other items carried in a backpack attached to the back of the hoo-bird that acts as a deliveryman.


    "Are they different from ordinary birds?"


    "Foo birds are different from ordinary birds, they are as fast as the wind. And because they are demons, they are very strong and can carry a certain amount of weight with ease.


    "Wow."


    "Also, the name ''sending inn'' doesn''t mean a place for humans to stay, but a house for hoo-birds."


    "So it''s not for humans, but for hoofbirds. I see.


    While Mr. Aruk was sending out the letter, I waited outside and listened to Amako''s story about the hoo-bird, which was very interesting.


    I had never thought that they were helping people as messengers since I had only read their names and ecology in books.


    While I was just interested in the ecology of the hoo-bird, Nair pushed Amako aside and came over to talk to me next.


    "The ecology of the hoo-bird is interesting, but what''s interesting is that those kids have a contract with their messengers.


    "Hmm?¡¡What''s so different about a messenger contract?"


    "There are so many differences."


    I thought they were all the same, but from Nair''s point of view, they are very different.


    "In their case, it''s not a one-to-one contract, but a contract shared by the master of each hooverbird. Because there are so many people sharing the covenant, no matter where you are in the country, the Lord for the hooverbird is there."


    "Because we share, we can pass letters to each other. ......? I mean, how do you know that?"


    Did you look it up yourself?


    Or did you just look at the hoo-bird and realize how the messenger contract works?


    "A long time ago, I caught a staff member of the inn and asked him about it. I just remembered it when I saw those kids."


    "This guy you''re talking about is ......"


    You forced me to listen to you?


    Wait a minute. After hearing about the hoo-bird life and how it works, I realized that I didn''t have to hand Nack the letter, did I?


    If I had sent it normally, I could have let Rose know in advance that Nack was coming. ......?


    .......


    Sorry Nack. Maybe he will not bother to read my letter and do something unreasonable to you, but good luck. .......


    "Thank you for your patience. I have sent the report to the Kingdom of Lingle. And I''ve got something interesting for you."


    While I was wishing the best of luck to my apprentice who was far away, Mr. Aruk, who had sent me the letter, came out of the building holding a piece of paper.


    "Something interesting?"


    "Here it is. It is about your friend, Mr. Usato.


    "Really?


    Friends, you mean senpai and Kazuki!


    Surprised, I look over the paper that Mr. Aruk showed me.


    There are stories about Inukami-senpai and Kazuki, who are active in their respective countries. There are few details, but they have made it to the main round of the dueling tournament!¡¡and "Defeat the devil bull!¡¡and "defeating a demon bull" are some of the more disturbing words, so it seems that the two are having an epic journey.


    "After reading this article, I don''t think that evil dragons are so important. Yeah."


    "I don''t think so. ......"


    "That''s not true. ......"


    "That''s not true."


    You don''t have to be such a total dick. .......


    But you two are doing a great job.


    Seeing them both doing so well makes me feel like I have to do my best.


    Hey, what kind of people are the brave ones?


    "Well, ah, ...... they are..."


    "I knew it!" "A monster like Usato!"


    Who''s the monster? Who''s the monster?


    Immediately, Nair, who was interested in the two brave men, came up to me with a childlike gleam in her eyes, but when she tried to treat me, a pure human being, as a monster, I gave her a weak decoupin.


    Of course, I made sure that her transformation would not be broken.


    Neah groaned, holding her forehead.


    "Oh no!¡¡What are you doing?¡¡I thought your head was going to fly off!


    "Don''t worry. I''m going easy on you.


    Rose could give a man a decapitation that would blow him away.


    "Usato''s going easy on us is not easy on him. ...... And you just did that before you said it. ......


    "Hmm?¡¡What is it, Amaco?


    She mumbled something to me and when I turned to look at her, she pulled her cloak over her head to protect her forehead.


    ......Well, let''s let that one slide.


    I''m a little relieved to see that she can afford to make light talk now...


    ---Goooo...


    "Whoa!"


    Your shoulders shake in surprise as you look in the direction of the loud noise.


    The bells in the tower, as tall as the castle, were ringing over and over again.


    "I''m surprised ......, what?"


    As I frown at the sound, which vibrates through the air, I notice that the noisy surroundings have become quieter.


    I looked around and saw that the people of Samaritan had started to kneel down on the spot and pray silently.


    "What the hell is this? ......"


    I was puzzled by the sight of everyone praying except for us, when Mr. Alc came up to me and whispered in a small voice, "I''m sorry.


    This is why we are in the land of prayer.


    "Honestly, it''s bizarre. ......"


    "...... I agree. For those of us who have been in other countries, this scene may be a bit unfamiliar."


    It is more like faith than prayer.


    Even children are praying desperately for something with their little hands.


    A land of prayer, something I didn''t think anything of when I first heard about it, but now, as I look at all the people in front of me, all bent down on their knees in silence, it seems... bizarre.


    "It''s ...... kind of weird," he said.


    Nair, who was looking at the tower with a somewhat disgusted expression on her face, muttered something like that.


    "What''s wrong?¡¡Are you about to be purified by the sound of the bells?"


    "I''m not that evil. ......


    I''m aware that I''m evil there. .......


    Suddenly the bells stop ringing, a little startled by the fact. At the same time, the people who had been praying begin to move, and the streets return to the lively atmosphere they had just experienced.


    It is a surprisingly quick transition.


    "Well then, Mr. Usato. After we take them back to Bulgaria, we will go to Samaritan''s castle.


    "Yes, ......, yes. I''ve already sent you a letter.


    Yes, yes, don''t forget to give them the letter.


    I almost forgot because of the impact of Samaritan.


    I check my luggage to make sure that the three letters and the spare are in order.


    They are there. Now it''s time to send Amako, N¨¦a, and the extra baggage back to Bulrin''s place.


    "Okay, Amako, Neah. I''m going to drop you guys off at Bullyn''s place now..."


    I turn around, but Nair and Amako are nowhere to be seen.


    Huh?¡¡Huh?¡¡They were both talking to each other a moment ago, and then suddenly they''re gone.


    "Don''t tell me they wandered off somewhere like Inukami-senpai?"


    No, how is it possible for Amako to go away without telling us anything, let alone Nair?


    Maybe she was kidnapped by someone?¡¡No, she''s not the only one.


    This is Samaria, a country that abhors subhumans.


    The thought of her disappearing somewhere in a country like that... a bad thought crossed my mind.


    Mr. Aruk, you two!


    ...... Let''s put off the letter and look for them.


    I nodded at Mr. Aruk''s words.


    It''s too late if something goes wrong.


    The letter is important, but it is more important to find our friends who are not here now than to give it to them whenever they want.


    I tried to leave the place to look for Amako and Nair, but Mr. Aruk grabbed my arm as I started to walk away.


    "...... Usato-dono, please stop!"


    "What''s the matter?


    "Look behind you."


    As Mr. Aruk urged me to turn around, I saw several knights walking in formation from the direction of the castle.


    That alone was not enough reason for Mr. Alc to stop me, but the first knight who formed a line and came toward me had clearly caught me and Mr. Alc in his gaze.


    A man with a long sword, dressed in a combination of robes and armor---a man with black hair interspersed with gray---stepped in front of me and Mr. Alc and slowly opened his mouth in a low, heavy voice.


    "May I have a word with you?"


    "...... yeah."


    What is it with these people?


    It was obvious that they saw me and Mr. Aruk and approached us.


    I just want to listen to what they have to say and look for them. The man bowed reverently as he replied.


    "---I assume you are Usato-sama, a healing magician belonging to the Lingle Kingdom''s Lifeguard Corps.


    "......"


    How do you know who I am ......?


    I haven''t been to the castle yet, and I''m sure I haven''t told the guards that I''m from the Kingdom of Lingle.


    Do these people have anything to do with the disappearance of the two?


    "Calm down, Usato-sama."


    "Mr. Aruk, ......, but..."


    They are the Knights of Samaritan. And ......."


    He grips my shoulder and admonishes me, but then his gaze turns to the sword at the waist of the man standing in front of him.


    On the hilt of the long, ceremonial-looking sword is a large, almost awkwardly large orb that flashes at regular intervals.


    Mr. Arque looks at the sword for a few seconds and then lowers his voice so that the men in front of him do not hear him.


    "......I understand why Amako-dono left here."


    "What ......?"


    "I can''t tell you why in front of them, but they are safe. So please, let''s keep this quiet."


    "...... yes."


    He unclenches his fists and relaxes his shoulders.


    From what Mr. Aruk said, it seems that Amako left here with Nair by herself.


    ...... is it because you met with these people?¡¡It makes sense that Amako had some kind of premonition and came to the conclusion that she and Nair should not encounter these people, and thus she left me and Mr. Aruk.


    At the very least, they are not people you can trust so easily.


    At any rate, if they start some kind of hard-line tactics after just talking with us, we should just respond accordingly.


    "...... Who are you?"


    "...... Excuse me, my name is knight-errant Fegnis. I''m here to welcome you from the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "Welcome?¡¡Well, why in the world?


    It''s not like he''s a knight major or a corps commander, but is he in some kind of superior position at ......?


    Either way, it is too suspicious that he knows my identity completely.


    At my question, the man who calls himself Fegnis smiles more benignly and slowly opens his mouth.


    "My king, Lucas Urd Samaritan, wishes to meet with you.


    "What? ...... Huh?"


    The King of Samaritan wants to meet with me.


    Not only me, but even Mr. Alc was surprised at this extraordinary story.

 87 - Eighty-second Episode

    The King of Samaritan is calling me.


    It sounds simple enough in words, but this is an unusual situation.


    Why do you want to see me?


    "It is not good for our king not to entertain guests from other lands. Besides, he''s a bit ...... eccentric and has ideas that are beyond our grasp.


    I don''t know how to respond to the words uttered with a chuckle.


    It was not an answer at all, and in many ways it made me feel uneasy to hear that the king was an eccentric.


    ......I''m worried about Amako and Nair, but it''s not good to turn these people away now and make a bad impression on us. If we do a bad job, it will affect the response to the letter.


    The choice I have to make in this situation is...,


    "...... Mr. Aruk, I''ll take care of Amaco and Nair."


    I give him the letter and he finds them.


    "Are you going alone?"


    Mr. Alc looks at me with worried eyes.


    Well, I guess he must be worried about me going alone to give them the letter. I''m worried about whether I''ll be able to handle it myself.


    Don''t worry. I''m not worried about handing the letter alone either.


    "I''m not worried about the letter. I''m not worried about the letter. What I''m more concerned about is ......."


    Mr. Arque glanced at Mr. Fegnis and the others who were waiting for our response, and his expression changed to a stern one as he spun his words.


    "Perhaps there is a reason why they contacted Mr. Usato. I don''t know what it is, but we should be very careful.


    "...... Yes."


    A reason to make contact with me, huh?


    It seems to me that only healing magic is worthwhile. ...... I wonder if there is someone who wants me to heal them like Amako asked me to do.


    Anyway, I''ll take precautions as Aruk says.


    "Have you finished your consultation?


    "Yes. I will go to ...... alone. Is that all right with you?


    I turn to Mr. Fegnis and tell him I understand.


    His eyes widen slightly at the answer "just me," and he looks both surprised and relieved.


    He looks both surprised and relieved. I would say it''s rather convenient, wouldn''t you?¡¡The king has ordered me to bring you alone.


    "One?¡¡You want me to go alone?


    Yes, just you.


    "......"


    ...... is not good!


    Ordering them to bring you alone is like telling them you have a completely different agenda!


    Did I do something to draw attention to myself?¡¡I''ve done some pretty daring things in Lingle Kingdom and Luxvis, so I''m sure I have a lot of ideas about it. .......


    But now that I''ve said I''ll go, I can''t refuse now.


    Surrounded by knights, I let out a small sigh, and after glancing at Ark behind me, I started walking down the road leading to Samarriar''s castle.


    I let out a small sigh and glanced at Mr. Arc behind me.


    Lord Usato is surrounded by the knights of Samariat and taken away.


    As I silently watched his back, I wondered why they--the king of Samariat--wanted to set up a meeting with Usato.


    And he had clearly asked me to come alone, a request that would obviously leave the decision to him alone. If the treatment was for the wounded or sick, he might accept it without hesitation. It is partly because his healing magic is far more powerful than recovery magic, but it is also because of his own pride and pride as a lifeguard.


    "That was close ......!"


    Amako!


    Amako and Nair appear from the alleyway behind us, their expressions of frustration on their faces.


    I immediately approach her side to check on her safety.


    Are you hurt?


    I''m fine.


    "I''m not okay. He pulled me out of nowhere and I hit my head. ......"


    Nair is rubbing her head with teary eyes, but she too does not appear to be badly hurt.


    From her words, it is safe to assume that Amako was the one who took her out.


    "After all, Amako-dono disappeared by himself, didn''t he? ......"


    "Yes. I felt bad for Usato, but he could have been in trouble if I hadn''t. ......"


    "That long sword?"


    "...... I don''t know either. But I''m glad I was more focused than usual. If only I hadn''t had a premonition that Nair''s transformation would suddenly be undone,...... and I hadn''t panicked and taken her into the back alley to hide. ......"


    The long sword carried by the knight-errant, who called himself Fagnis, was no ordinary sword at first glance. It was because it looked like it was emitting some kind of magic power from the orb at the end of the hilt.


    I don''t have a magic eye, so I can''t be sure, but judging from Amako''s reaction, my guess is not far off.


    "I have heard that there is a sword named ......<>. <


    "So you''ve uncovered my of transformation. ......"


    Given Samaritan''s national culture, the Sword of Truth could not be more appropriate.


    After all, to them, subhumans are "monsters disguised as humans. Of course, it is not true that subhumans disguise themselves as people, but it is effective against demons like Nair who can change their appearance.


    I do not know if the knight-errant Fegnis was aware of Nair''s presence and approached him or not, but the only thing I can say is that Lord Usato had to go to the castle alone, as ordered by King Samarriar.


    "What are you going to do now, Mr. Arc?"


    "...... let''s wait. We will find a place to stay and wait for Usato before he comes back.


    "What if he doesn''t come back?¡¡Wouldn''t it be better if I turned into an owl and followed him?"


    "That is not the way to go now, not when there is a knight in chief who can force you to untransform."


    If she is to be sent to the castle, it will be in the event that Usato-dono has not returned for more than two days.


    Personally, I would like her to come back as soon as possible, but it depends on what the King of Samaritan will say to her.


    I cannot help you from outside.


    "......Good luck, Lord Usato."


    Now all I can do is wait, and with an itch in my heart, I mutter a few words to myself as I look at the castle in the distance.


    I was so nervous.


    After a dozen minutes of walking with Mr. Fegnis and some knights, we arrived in front of the castle of Samarriar.


    Normally, I would have enjoyed the view of the city and the big tower in the background, but the knights surrounding me and the gazes of the Samariaritans watching me made it difficult to do so.


    As I silently followed them, thinking that I felt like I was being taken away, the scenery changed from the streets of Samaritan to the castle.


    "We will be arriving at the throne shortly.


    "Yes."


    Red carpets, gleaming artifacts adorning the aisles.


    As I follow Mr. Fegnis, my eyes wander around the castle, which looks similar to the familiar castle of the Kingdom of Lingle but is completely different, I see a large door.


    That is the door to the hall where the king resides.


    As I was led to the door with bated breath, a woman wearing a dress similar to a maid''s outfit approached me by the door.


    She said, "I am sorry to bother you, but if you have any sharp knives or weapons such as swords or daggers, I would be happy to take them from you.


    The maid offers me something like a deep-bottomed tray.


    Since I was meeting the king of a country, I expected something like that, so I quietly took out the small sword that came out of the body of the evil dragon, which I had stuck in my waist belt, and placed it gently in the tray.


    It''s not really a weapon,....... It''s just a sharp fruit knife, so you can leave it with me.


    "It''s ......"


    The small sword wrapped in a leather scabbard on the tray looked awkward, but Mr. Fegnis looked at it intently.


    It looked to be a short sword of about 40 centimeters, but it seemed to be a weapon that had belonged to a brave warrior, and I wondered if anyone who knew anything about it would be able to tell that it was a great work of art.


    What''s wrong?


    "...... No, don''t worry about it."


    He comes to himself and puts his hand on the large double-opening door in front of him and opens it.


    As I stepped into the hall, Mr. Fagunis urged me to enter, and the first thing that met my eyes was the luxurious and gorgeous interior and --- a mature man sitting on a throne.


    "Hello there, you''ve come. Welcome to Samaritan. It is my great pleasure to welcome you here."


    The symbol of a king, a man with a pure white robe and a golden crown hanging haphazardly from the elbow of his throne, his legs crossed, his elbows leaning forward, his mouth slackens and he smiles when he sees me.


    "My name is Lucas Urd Samaritan, and I am the king of this land."


    A big smile with no hint of evil.


    The man''s atmosphere, or perhaps I should say his spirit, makes my legs naturally move back.


    I had the impression that this man was not a bad person, but at the same time, for some reason, I felt that I should not trust him.


    I was not sure if I should trust him or not.


    Lucas Urd Samaritan.


    King of Samaritan, to whom I will give the letter.


    He was not humble or mild-mannered like the king of Lingulu, but rather a man of action who said what he wanted to say without hesitation.


    At best, he was an unconventional person, and at worst, he seemed to me to be a king who did not look like a king. I can''t say this, though. .......


    "Hmmm... he wants to form a coalition against the Demon King''s army... ....... You''re still a sweet guy. Don''t you think so too?


    "Yes, yes. ......"


    I don''t like to answer, and I think you''re being too frank.


    And then, before I could start a conversation, I was urged to hand over the letter and was made to sit on the chair offered by the maid.


    What''s that?¡¡That''s not at all what I expected.


    It''s totally different from the model that Ms. Welshy showed me.


    Mr. Lucas, it''s not at all what I expected. .......


    Seeing my confusion, Mr. Fegnis, who was standing by Mr. Lucas'' side, opens his mouth as if to rebuke him.


    "King, please refrain from such behavior. ......


    "Oh, I''m sorry. You''re on the side of the Lingle Kingdom. But I''m going out on a limb here. Lloyd has no ambition. This letter is no different. It doesn''t say anything threatening. In an appeal like this, it''s important to strike fear into the hearts of the people, even if it''s a little exaggerated. But there is none. <<>, such sweet words that are equivalent to loving a flower are all that is written.


    ......I don''t know about you, but I''m sure it''s sweet.


    I knew only vaguely about the contents of the letter, but if it was written by the king, it made some sense. He would never use threatening words.


    "But he is still capable. But he''s still a king if the people approve of him. A country ruled by a man who puts the people first must be a very comfortable place to live. Don''t you think?"


    "...... Yes."


    I know the king and the kingdom of Lingle very well.


    Perhaps they have an old-fashioned relationship?¡¡I''ve always imagined the interaction between the kings to be awkward, so I can''t imagine them getting along very well. .......


    "Being admired by everyone is one of the most important elements required of a king," he said. ......You don''t have to do this and that like I do, everyone will follow Lloyd."


    "The king is well-loved."


    "I''ve cut a lot of people out of my life. If he is a king supported by his people, I am a king built on what I have cut down. I envy you the prestige of a king like him, who can talk about ideals and make them come true. ......Oh, I envy you. No, do you mean envy in this case?¡¡Or hateful?¡¡Either way, I''m sure you''re standing in a different place than I am. ......"


    Master Lucas mutters in a melancholy voice and carefully folds up the letter.


    I straighten my back and wait for him to say something about the letter.


    Maybe he will suggest that I take some time off, so I should tell him that I will stay in the country.


    I accept.


    "What ......?"


    However, contrary to my expectations, what Lucas said was an approval.


    I was stunned by the shock that it was so easily done.


    "Um, what?"


    Didn''t you hear me?¡¡Let''s take the letter. We Samaritan will send an army to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "...... is?¡¡......, aren''t you making up your mind too soon?¡¡Can''t we talk about it some more or ......?"


    "We don''t need to talk about it!"


    He spreads his arms grandly and looks around the hall.


    Mr. Fegnis and the maids beside him are all smiling in a manner that is at once dismayed and annoyed.


    It is as if they are accustomed to the king''s remarks. .......


    "It would be strange if you didn''t get it after reading this, wouldn''t it?¡¡The demon king''s army?¡¡An army of demons that laid waste to the entire continent hundreds of years ago is about to plunge the continent into darkness once again. Unless you have a good reason, there''s no reason not to cooperate.


    "But you turned it down the first time. ......"


    "The first invasion was because we had not gathered enough information against the Demon King''s army. But after the second repulse, when the summoned hero was mortally wounded, the threat of the Demon Lord''s army rose to the highest level in my mind. I was convinced that if we let the Demon Lords go unchecked, we would be in trouble."


    I guess those who understand understand the danger of the Demon Army.


    I was a bit suspicious that he accepted so easily, but ironically, the fact that two brave men, Kazuki and his senpai, were in a pinch may have hastened Lucas-sama''s decision.


    "Thank you very much for agreeing to do this."


    I send my thanks.


    Okay, despite some misgivings, we''ve succeeded in getting Samaritan to cooperate. At this rate, we may be able to shorten our trip significantly.


    But..,


    "Well, now that you''ve done your part here, let''s talk about me."


    --- That is, if it ends easily.


    I handed the letter to Mr. Fegnis, who put his hand on the armrest and muttered to himself, "I knew it.


    For him, the letter is just a side story.


    The main topic is, I don''t know what ...... will come up from now on, but I''ve been warned by Mr. Aruk, so let''s think carefully and choose our words carefully so as not to say anything careless.


    What do you want me to do?


    "Well, it seems that he knew that we had something in mind when we called you here."


    Mr. Lucas nodded his head in admiration and said, "You are very perceptive.


    I know you well.


    "That''s because I heard that the rumors of the Rescue Mission spread after the battle with the Demon King''s Army. ......"


    "I''m talking about you guys from the other world."


    "!!!?"


    "A brave who wears the light of the sun to purge evil, a female brave who shoots electric shocks and dances on the battlefield like lightning---two people with the qualities of heroes summoned from another world, and an unfortunate boy who got caught up in their summoning."


    "......, how did you know about that?"


    If they are known as the heroes of the other world, do they even know that I was summoned together with them?


    I was more surprised that they were interested in me.


    "Isn''t it natural to send a secret agent to another country?¡¡Knowing the internal situation of other countries and responding to it flexibly is one of the ways to avoid unnecessary conflicts. ......Well, I don''t know if it is necessary in this warless world. ......"


    I didn''t think that there were spies from other countries checking up on us ......, but why are you telling me about it?¡¡From what I''ve heard, I can only assume that you''re here for Senpai and Kazuki.


    "You want two brave men?¡¡So you want me ......?"


    "No. We don''t need a brave man. Sure, you''re right, we do need overwhelming individuals. But not that one. I must not have that thing, for if I did, I would surely be seduced by its power."


    I was a little ticked off that he made them sound like they were dangerous, but I kind of get what he''s saying.


    Senpai and Kazuki are strong. Unlike me, who force them to develop their potential by hurting their bodies, they are geniuses who grow at an abnormally fast pace through their own talents and hard work.


    If someone other than the king were to have such a force like these two... it would be a terrible thing to even imagine.


    But if we don''t need them, the question becomes even deeper.


    "Then why did you call me, a healing magician?¡¡If you take away the part about being a friend of a brave man, the only use for me is healing magic, right?"


    "Use value. Yes, I know, that''s a bad way to put it. I''d use you, but you''re almost always replaceable. As a hostage, as a bargaining chip, as any knight in the kingdom of Lingle. But..."


    But..." Master Lucas continued, his eyes filled with strong will.


    "You are the one and only one who received the art of healing magic from Rose, the Commander of the Rescue Mission. That''s why I want you, the healing magician.


    "...... you''re buying too much."


    It was barely an answer.


    Because I had not imagined it. He had never imagined that he would be the one to be recruited, not his seniors or Kazuki.


    Wasn''t there some kind of mistake?¡¡With a faint hope, I manage to answer the question.


    "Healing magic is a kind of magic that is considered useless or unusable by many people. I don''t think it can be of any use to Lucas-sama, even if I can move a little.


    Master Lucas, whose expression had turned into a mad one, laughed bitterly at these words.


    "Useless?¡¡Useless?¡¡Outrageous!¡¡That''s because we haven''t had any conflicts in the last few hundred years!¡¡Is it more useful because anyone can use recovery magic?¡¡No, no, no, no, that''s the thinking of stupid people.


    Mr. Lucas shakes his head repeatedly, as if to say, "Alas!


    He spins his words in a loud voice that echoes through the hall as if he were making a speech.


    "You are too shortsighted and foolish, what brings you to such a thought?¡¡You can heal any injury, you know?¡¡A skilled healing wizard can even cure illness!¡¡No need for doctors to give medicines, no need to suffer in the process of healing---it''s a wonderful magic, I appreciate it."


    "...... Uh, uh, thank you. But then, why don''t you just use another healing wizard besides me ......?"


    "Not just any healing wizard will do. ---What I want is the healing magic of a woman named Rose who has achieved the one exception. She has fought on the battlefields and saved many people. I want a healing wizard who embodies the ideals of a child''s imagination.


    Rose''s healing magic.


    Ordinary healing magic and the healing magic that she and I handle are not the same. Rose has established a combination of healing magic and physical ability, a result of crazy training.


    That is what he is looking for.


    "Of course I''ve tried everything. I''ve hired a number of rare healing wizards and tried to make them like Rose and you... but even the grownups have fled the scene. Even though what she''s doing is the same training she''s putting her people through."


    "Of course they will run away. How can a normal person not be disgusted by that kind of training?


    You''ve endured.


    "I didn''t endure. They made me endure. When I said I didn''t want to do it, I got yelled at and my hands were ...... all over the place.


    "...... are you okay?¡¡It''s not too hard, is it?"


    The king is worried about me.


    What''s going on?¡¡What''s that kindness in the eyes of the maid and Mr. Fegnis?


    I cough to break the gloomy atmosphere.


    "Oh, my..." I cough. If you''re going to make such an offer, you''ll have to go through the leader first.


    "That''s impossible. I don''t think I can talk to her.


    "......"


    I was unintentionally convinced. ......!


    I''m sure that if I said that to Rose, she would have shackled me while refusing and then said, <>I can even imagine myself being chastised.


    "Either way, I have no intention of leaving the Kingdom of Lingle. But even if I accept your invitation, what am I supposed to do in this country?


    "I was going to ask you to form a unit. Of course, I''ll give you a space where you can train without any worries and I''ll provide you with everything you need.


    "......That''s an extraordinary amount of treatment."


    "I hope you think you''re worth it. I''ve found a few countries that have been acting suspiciously since the Demon Army left, and it''s so disturbing that I wanted to do something about it.


    You mean that you recruited me to prepare for a fight with someone other than the Demon Lord''s army?


    That''s why you''re planning to treat me unusually.


    I don''t have the ambition to have my own unit or anything like that, and I can''t think of much that I need.


    "A space where I can train without worry, that''s very appealing to me, but I''m not so keen on the idea of ...... having my own unit."


    "......We''ll treat you better than the Kingdom of Lingle, but is that still not good enough?"


    "Yes, I still want to be his subordinate and I have friends I promised to reunite with in the Lingle Kingdom. Besides, he hasn''t even accepted me as a full-fledged man yet, and I''m afraid I''ll have too much to handle with my own unit.


    "...... I see."


    Mr. Lucas sits deeply in his chair at my words.


    I am not accustomed to using honorifics, so my speech is a bit rough in places, but I got what I wanted to say.


    All I have to do now is to wait for his/her response.


    As I wait for their reaction, Lucas-sama folds his arms and growls in annoyance, then lets out a sigh and looks up.


    "But you know, I can''t just accept a refusal once and say <..."


    As soon as those words are uttered with a wry smile, the doors of the hall are opened with a mighty rush and a dozen or so knights enter, surrounding me as I sit there.


    ......They are trying to force me to accept if I refuse, aren''t they?


    I didn''t want to make things too difficult for you after you accepted my letter, but if you want to do it, I''ll take it. I slowly lifted my hips, ready to move at any moment, and turned my eyes to Master Lucas... but I thought he had a big smile on his face, but he looked puzzled when he saw the knights surrounding me.


    "Hey, Fegnis, isn''t this a little too early for you?¡¡And what''s with all these people?¡¡It''s like I''m the bad guy. Look at his face ......, he looks like Rose."


    "I''m sorry. But if you don''t mind my saying, I think you''re bad enough as it is."


    "You tell me. ....... Oh, don''t get me wrong, I''m not trying to force your approval."


    "Yes, ......, is that so?"


    "You guys can go back now. Come on.


    I can''t help but be puzzled when Master Lucas shooed all the knights around us out of the hall.


    Well, anyway, I''m glad it didn''t turn out to be a rough one. ......?


    "I wouldn''t do such a dirty thing as forcing them to obey me. All I''m suggesting is that you give yourself a little time to think."


    "Time to think?¡¡...... how much time?"


    "Well, how about three days to a week?¡¡I''d say about three days to a week, just enough to keep you on the road, okay?¡¡During that time, you can get to know our country and we can get to know you better."


    To be honest, I should decline, but since they have accepted my letter, I can''t ruin their mood by refusing.


    Well, a week or so should be all right.


    I was originally planning to stay here for that long.


    I understand. I will stay with you for a few days.


    "Well, once that''s decided, I''ll invite your traveling companions to stay at the finest accommodations. I''ll see to it that there are no inconveniences for you on your return."


    ...... hmm?¡¡Until I come back?


    Did I mishear you?¡¡You make it sound like I''m sleeping somewhere else.


    "Um..."


    You there, show him the way to the garden.


    "Yes, sir. Mr. Usato, this way. I''ll show you the way.


    Oh, yes, I mean, what is the garden?


    I''d like to go to the finest inn in the world, if possible.


    I''d like to sleep on a soft futon.


    But perhaps he is too happy to let me stay here, or perhaps Master Lucas has poured a glass of alcohol from wherever he got it and doesn''t notice my voice.


    Is he really okay with drinking alcohol in the middle of the day?


    "......I''m in some kind of trouble. ......"


    I wanted to at least check with Mr. Aruk to see if Amako and Nair had been found.


    ...... Wait?


    If you think about it, Master Lucas sent a spy to find out about us. Of course, he must know who we are going with on our trip. Then, doesn''t that mean that he knows that Amaco, the beastman, is one of our traveling companions?


    As soon as this thought occurred to me, I felt a bad sweat and wondered why they didn''t use it to threaten me.


    "No, you''re wrong. ......"


    You knew you would never get real cooperation from me if you tried to threaten me like that.


    With that in mind, I guess I can trust you for the time being.


    I let out a sigh as I followed the maid out of the hall, and walked wearily down the long castle path.


    "We have arrived. This is the garden."


    "...... wow ......"


    The maid led us to a place on the outskirts of the castle, a garden surrounded by the castle walls.


    Normally, I would ask myself where to stay outdoors, but the sight in front of me made me let out an exclamation of amazement.


    There was a large circular transparent dome in the middle of the vast garden, and a beautiful two-story white house was built inside the dome.


    What is this?


    It''s a ward made of magic tools. It is a very useful thing that separates the space between the outside and the inside, so it can protect you from the wind and rain without having to go inside.


    "Wow, I didn''t know you could make this kind of magical tool. ......"


    When I heard the word "warding," I had a false impression that it would lock me in, but judging from the maid''s smile, it didn''t seem to be the case. With a sense of relief, I move to the door that seems to be the entrance to the circular ward.


    There are two guards standing in front of the silver door, which is made to be fitted into the ward, and when they see me and the maid, they bow reverently and make way for us.


    When they see me and the maid, they bow reverently and make way for us. As for the food, ......, I''m sure it will be fine, so you don''t have to worry about it.


    "What''s all right?"


    Nothing.


    "But you look ...... pale."


    "Nothing, sir."


    "...... yes."


    For some reason, I am pressured by the power of the maid, who turns blue in the face while holding her stomach.


    Tilting my head, I enter the ward through the open door.


    "If you need anything, please ask the butler who is in charge of this place. I am standing nearby, so please call me through the knight.


    "Okay. ...... Well, for now, should I meet the butler here?"


    "......Yes, that''s right. It would be better to meet him first."


    First?¡¡Is there someone else besides the butler?


    I was curious about what she said, and was about to ask her about it, when suddenly, the door of the white house in the ward was opened slowly, and I turned my attention to it. --- breath held.


    "......!"


    What I saw was a morbid white.


    A girl whose skin, hair, and even her clothes were white.


    She looked at the maid behind her and me in front of her, alternately smiling at me with an innocent smile on her face.


    When I saw her smile, I thought --- we look alike.


    Her smile, which was free of any evil intentions, reminded me somehow of Lucas''s smile.


    She rushed up to me and happily grabbed my hand with her long glove, which was about the length of my arm, as if she was shaking my hand and shook it vertically.


    "Hello!"


    "Oh, yes, uh, you are ......."


    "Hello!"


    "...... hello!"


    "We have been looking forward to your arrival. Well, U......U......UZATO!¡¡Yes, you are Uzato!


    "......"


    This is the first time I''ve ever been forced to say hello to someone and then abused. I''ve never been hit before.


    Hearing the maid''s voice hurriedly correcting my name behind my back, I look up at the sky surrounded by wards, holding my eyes in a state of mental shock.

 88 - 83rd episode

    A girl I met at the castle of Samaliar.


    When she realized her mistake by the maid''s words, she bowed her head and ran into the white house.


    The maid led me to a wooden table and chairs in front of the building and asked me to sit down.


    The maid went back to the castle right after that, but should I wait until the girl came?


    I don''t think she''s going to come out anytime soon, given her earlier flustered state. .......


    "It''s a pretty big place, isn''t it? ......


    If you look around, you will see a white house, a pond, and trees. The semi-transparent boundary covering the surrounding area does not seem too oppressive.


    I guess it means that this place is both outside and inside.


    "An inn where you can feel nature" is an exaggeration. It''s a very relaxing space.


    I lean back in my chair and relax while I wait for the girl.


    I have successfully delivered the letter, but it looks like I will have to stay here for a little while. It''s not an unnecessary ...... hassle, after all, it''s my job to keep Samaritan in a good mood.


    "...... solicitation, huh?"


    I have my own unit in Samaria.


    In my current inexperience, I can''t imagine that at all.


    But if I defeat the Demon King''s army and the Demon King by a few years from now, and if I am accepted by Rose and become a full-fledged member, what should my next goal be?


    "......"


    I know that not everything will turn out the way I imagined, but I can''t help but imagine a future where we, the lifeguard corps, and Kazuki and his senpai, the heroes, will no longer have to fight.


    Right now, I''m busy with the letter and the Demon Lord''s Army, but after everything is over, I''ll have to think for myself and move forward, not on the path dictated by the mission or by my girlfriend.


    When I think about it..,


    "...... is a possibility. Maybe we can go to Samaritan''s Alley."


    Of course, that''s not now.


    Only if the Demon Lord''s army is defeated, the Kingdom of Lingle is at peace, and Rose is recognized as a full-fledged healing wizard.


    ......I can also think about the idea of creating a Samaritan''s Rescue Mission in the sense that I would be on my own.


    I can''t do it now, but I can pass on my experience and knowledge as a healing magician that Rose taught me in this world to other oppressed healing magic users like Nack....


    It is an ideal that Rose would probably dismiss with the word , but it somehow fits in my mind.


    "To do that, I have to make this world peaceful. ......"


    I looked up at the sky with a wry smile, and before I knew it, the sky had turned to the color of sunset, and in a few moments, it would be night.


    I casually get up from my chair and stretch my back.


    The light coming in from outside of the warding illuminates the white house, turning it orange.


    "Woo...... hmm?"


    There is something in the shadow of the house.


    I was somewhat curious about it, so I decided to leave the place and move closer to the shadow.


    As I got closer, I found a stone built on the ground. It was a pure white color with not a scratch on it.


    Is this a ...... grave?¡¡It looks like a monument. But there is no writing on it. The surface is so smooth that it looks shiny, and there is no writing anywhere on it.


    "......I''d better not touch it too much."


    I''m curious, but I probably shouldn''t touch it without her permission since she lives here.


    Especially if it''s a grave.


    "Oh, there she is!


    !"


    I hear a voice from behind me and turn around to see a white girl with her hands on the wall of the house, breathing a sigh of relief. ......The more I look at her again, the more I get the impression that she is <>. She is probably a little older than Amako.


    She put her hands behind her back as if to hide something. I questioned her and apologized to her for walking out without permission.


    She puts her hand behind her back as if to hide something. I''m sorry for moving around without permission. ......"


    "No, no!¡¡It''s my fault for keeping you waiting ...... for so long.


    A girl peeking at me while her hands are intertwined with my hands.


    Her behavior reminds me of the image of Nair, a former village girl who used to be a bit of a b*tc*.


    "My name is Eva Urd Samariar!¡¡I''m so sorry that I mistook your name earlier!


    "...... No, it''s okay, I don''t care anymore."


    Oh, you mean your name.


    It''s not an easy name to get wrong, but it happens once in a while, doesn''t it? No, I''ve never been called Uzato.


    But I don''t want to be a pain in the ass for getting a name wrong.


    "You may already know my name, but my name is Usato Ken. I''m like an emissary from the Kingdom of Lingle ....... From your ...... name, are you the daughter of Master Lucas?"


    I''m not used to using honorifics, so I feel like I''m saying "sir" a lot.


    The girl who frowns slightly at my honorifics, which may or may not be correct---Eva-sama.


    Inwardly, I regret my mistake ......, and she opens her mouth with a slight tone of dissatisfaction mixed in.


    "...... Yes, I did. I am your father''s daughter. But I have no power as a princess, so you don''t have to speak to me in honorifics, do you?¡¡If anything, your father has asked me to entertain you."


    No power?¡¡You''re a princess?


    Or, more importantly, did Mr. Lucas ask her to entertain him in advance?


    ...... I feel like I''m dancing on his hand.


    If possible, I''d like to draw the line at respectful speech at the very least, but from the looks of her, I''m not sure that''s possible. .......


    I understand ....... I''ll stop using honorifics. Let''s see, Eva ......?"


    "Eva is fine. Usato-san!


    She gives me a big, carefree smile, and I can''t help but flinch.


    This is the type of smile that shows innocence and heartfelt joy in a single-minded way---this is a girl with a personality very close to Kazuki''s. ......!


    A girl who doesn''t try to cheat like Nair, just pure and innocent---honestly, she''s not easy to deal with for a skeptical and dirty-minded person like me.


    And besides. I''ve been wondering what I''ve been seeing behind her since a while ago.


    "Um, I''ve been wondering... ......"


    "Yes?"


    She tilts her head cutely and points to an object slightly visible from behind Eva''s back.


    "What is that rope behind you used for ......?"


    "What?¡¡Oh, uh, that ......."


    When I asked her this, she put a rough rope in her hand in front of me as if she had just been discovered.


    It is a moderately thick rope. It''s the kind of rope that hostages are often tied up with in movies .......


    "I thought that Usato-san had run away because of my misbehavior."


    "......"


    "But I don''t need this anymore. Because you''re here, Usato."


    She tosses the rope at my feet with a plop and puts her hand on her cheek happily with cloudless eyes. I smile at her.


    What''s with that elementary school kid''s idea of trial and error to keep a little cat from escaping when it wanders into your yard by accident? It''s still cute when it''s a cat, but when it''s a person, it turns bizarre all at once.


    "Ha-ha-ha-ha. Don''t tell me you''re trying to catch me with that?"


    "No way!¡¡You would never do such a thing to your friend!


    Wait a minute. It''s one thing if you''ve been designated as my friend, but we hadn''t even been introduced before we met here, right?¡¡At that point, you could have tied me up!


    I want to ask him about it, but I''m afraid of what kind of answer I''ll get.


    Natural?¡¡Natural?¡¡Or is she a woman with one or two quirks?


    I''m not a woman with a history of trouble with women, am I?¡¡Of course not in a sweet way, but in a distressed way.


    "Well, don''t talk about that. Let''s have dinner. I''ve prepared a lot of delicious food for you tonight, so please look forward to it!"


    "Yes, yes. I''m hungry!


    Let''s not think about this any more.


    This girl is not evil like Nair.


    I told myself as I walked through the darkened garden with her hand in mine.


    I returned with Eva to the table set up in front of the building, where there was a light from a magical tool that had not been lit before, and a man preparing plates and cups by the table.


    When he noticed Eva and I, he bowed reverently and went back inside the house. He carried what looked like a square piece of food on a rectangular plate in both hands and placed it in the center of the table.


    "Princess! Your dinner is ready.


    "Thank you, Eiri. Please feel free to sit down, Usato.


    She sits in the chair that the butler has pulled out for her, and I follow her words and sit in the chair in front of her.


    In front of me is a white square of food, just like at home, and around it are these bite-sized pieces of fruit.


    Could it be a cake?¡¡This?¡¡Cakes have existed in the original world for a long time, so it is not impossible, but it is surprising to see something so similar.


    While I was surprised by the sweetness that I was not familiar with in this world, the butler came up to me.


    I apologize for the delay in greeting you. My name is Eiri, the butler.


    "Oh, thank you, it''s my pleasure."


    "We would like to welcome you to Samariat, and as the Princess asked us to welcome you here, we have prepared a very special dinner for you.


    "Thank you very much."


    Eiri, the butler, offers me a cup of tea.


    He does not look like a butler in his cook''s outfit, but I thought it was strange that he wears a butler''s uniform when he cooks, so I did not mind so much.


    But then again, I didn''t care that much. .......


    "It''s all about sweetness, isn''t it? ......"


    Cake, fruit and tea.


    There are only a few kinds of cakes, but they are not whole cakes, but big rectangular cakes that are often seen in foreign countries.


    Excuse me. Do you have anything else besides cakes?¡¡Vegetables, for example. ......"


    "?¡¡Usato, we don''t eat cake and vegetables together, do we?¡¡Vegetables are for breakfast and cake is for dinner.


    Is it called cake in this world too?


    Or is it a translation spell that was applied when I summoned the brave men to reproduce the word in a language I am familiar with? ...... Well, it doesn''t matter.


    "...... for lunch?"


    "Meat. For good health, we must eat a well-balanced diet.


    Isn''t that biased in many ways ......?¡¡I don''t think that way of eating is balanced.


    Besides, if you eat such a big slice of cake with max sugar content for dinner, your stomach will be in trouble. As a member of a rescue team, I don''t like to have extra flesh on my body, and I don''t really have a sweet tooth to begin with.


    I don''t know what I should do, it would be bad to disrespect her good intentions. .......


    "What''s wrong?¡¡Feel free to eat it."


    "......Bon app¨¦tit."


    At first, I just take a bite.


    The sweetness spreads in your mouth, and it is the first candy you have ever eaten in this world. An inexpressible feeling of euphoria wells up inside me, as if my travel-weary body is being soothed.


    "Sweet ......"


    It''s good, but the quantity is a problem.


    The cake on the platter, which is so generously presented that a mere scoop with a fork does not diminish it at all, has a tremendous presence. The amount of cake is almost giving me heartburn, but I can''t leave it behind, so I silently take it into my mouth.


    Unlike me, Eva is eating her cake with good manners.


    Looking at her, I wonder why this girl is here. This place is not reserved for me by any stretch of the imagination. This place is for her.


    Is she trapped here?


    Or is there a reason she has to be here?


    With her sickly white hair and skin, I wonder if she has some kind of disease. Maybe the quickest way to find out is to ask her directly, but her carefree smile makes it impossible for me to do so.


    "?¡¡What''s wrong, Mr. Usato? Look at my face."


    "Hmm. It''s nothing."


    She tilts her head at me, and I move my fork, which had stopped, again.


    I finish all the cake on my plate, meeting Eva''s smiling gaze.


    "It was delicious!"


    "I know, I know. There''s plenty more to go around, so eat up!"


    She looks at Eiri and he tries to put a larger slice of cake on my plate.


    I refuse to eat more than this, as it would be too much for my heartburn and calories.


    "No, I''m full," he says.


    "I see...... there''s so much more...... to come."


    Eva shows her palm to Mr. Eiri and refuses his offer.


    However, she immediately looked at the cake on the table and my face alternately with a look of shock, and then turned her head down as if she were depressed.


    "I''m sorry. I can''t eat so many cakes, can I? I was so excited that I didn''t think about you. ...... This cake is a specialty of Samaritan and my favorite food. So I thought I would ...... give it to you too, but the thought just got ahead of me. ......"


    The voice gradually becomes quieter and quieter, and I feel incredibly guilty.


    Oh my God, this girl is directly tormenting my conscience. ......!¡¡She has a pure heart just like Kazuki. I can''t feel any evilness in him, which sets him apart from Inukami and Nair.


    --- Can I get at least one more plate of food? .......


    "Eiri-san. Can I have another one, please? ......"


    "What?¡¡Usato-san ......?"


    "On second thought, I wasn''t full yet."


    For some reason, Eiri looks at me with sympathy, and while tilting her head, she puts a new serving of cake in her mouth. A sweet taste spreads in my mouth, but I wash it down with a cup of tea.


    Ah, why am I so easily influenced by emotions? Maybe it''s Japanese nature that I can''t say NO clearly. .......


    "You are very kind. Usato-san.


    "Well, in moderation."


    But I''m really glad it seems to suit your taste. I was worried about the people who come here because they leave right after we serve them dinner. I guess people outside don''t like sweets so much. ......"


    It is natural that some people are surprised by the intense sweetness of the cake, since they seldom eat cake, although they don''t say so.


    "I don''t dislike it so much. I haven''t eaten something this sweet in a long time."


    Specifically, not since I was in my world.


    "I''m glad to hear it. I''m glad you like the taste of this country''s specialty. ......"


    Ha-ha-ha. What if I don''t like sweets? Would you have served something else in that case?"


    Let me ask you something that''s been bothering me, just to be a little mean.


    How come the people who visited here before I got here left right away? If it''s a food problem, it would have been enough if they served something else.


    If they still left after that, it might be safe to assume that there was something wrong with the food, or perhaps, if I may be so rude, with Eiri''s cooking.


    Well, what kind of a problem could there be with such a kind girl..,


    "Of course, you''ll eat until you like it."


    "What?"


    I must have misheard, but I think I heard some pretty crazy words coming out of his mouth.


    No way, no way, there was no way she would say something about forcing him to eat with the same smile as before.


    "Do not leave food behind. Do not like or dislike. Do not forget to be grateful for food. This is common sense. And also---I want you to like Samaritan, the country that your father made so big."


    Eva stared at me with her unclouded--no, too unclouded--eyes.


    I felt something insane in her eyes, and it took my breath away.


    "That''s why I''m going to do my best. Even if you don''t like me, I''ll do my best until you like me. That''s the least I can do as the princess of this country.


    "......"


    "But you don''t have to!¡¡It''s not like you don''t like cake!"


    "Yes, ......, that''s right."


    I know why you left. .......


    Eva, no. No, no. That''s not you trying, that''s the person telling you to try. Pure madness... that''s what I sensed in her at that moment.


    She is pure.


    Because she is pure, she accepts words and situations as they are. With such a girl in front of me, all I could do was to quietly pick at the mountain of cake.


    In the end, I ate all of my second helping of cake.


    The last one was almost stuffed by my own strength, but after I ate it, I realized how much I had messed up.


    I imagine what would happen to my body after a week of eating like this---I imagine how fat I would get, and at the same time, how I anticipate Rose''s reaction to the sight of me.


    --- You will be shown all kinds of hell on earth. ......


    "I have to burn......I have to burn......"


    The sight of me doing push-ups with all my might while muttering like a gibberish is probably the most bizarre thing I''ve ever seen. In any case, even though Eiri has led me to my room, I''m still doing muscle training in the garden inside the boundary.


    The only way to burn the calories I have taken in is to exercise.


    I don''t know how much exercise I should do, but if I do three times as much as usual, I should be fine.


    "Ugh ......"


    I''m doing push-ups at a faster pace than usual, which is putting a tremendous load on my whole body, but it''s still not enough to burn off the calories from the cake I just ate.


    Slightly out of breath, he switches from push-ups to sit-ups.


    "So this is what Lucas-sama wants ......."


    He''s trying to make me mentally hunt me down...to get me to give up by means of picky eating.


    It''s a very roundabout trick, but the fact that Eva, the instigator, is doing it with the best of intentions makes it all the worse.


    "Um, ...... Usato-sama..."


    "Hmm?¡¡What''s up, Eiri?


    Eiri-san appears before me doing sit-ups with a somewhat puzzled look on his face.


    He looks outside when it is completely dark and calls out to me in a concerned tone.


    "I think it''s time for you to go to bed. ....... It seems like you have been repeating the same thing for more than two hours already. ...... Were you really tired from your trip?"


    "...... As for physical exhaustion, for me it''s almost non-existent. I''m still fine."


    I''m not lying.


    Healing magic can take away physical fatigue so that we can keep moving as long as our magic lasts.


    "Eiri, you can take a rest without me too, right?"


    "I appreciate your concern, but ...... I''m afraid I can''t rest until you return to your room, Usato-sama.


    "Huh?¡¡No, you don''t need to worry about me...


    "Look over there."


    Eiri shakes her head slowly and puts her hand behind my back.


    I turn around and see Eva, a girl peering at me in the shadow of a white house---lit by the light of a magical tool. Her eyes sparkle with curiosity, and she stares at me without moving closer to me.


    Her blank, horror-movie-like appearance scared me out of my wits.


    "......I didn''t notice it. ......Have you been watching me from there the whole time?¡¡You should have talked to me. ......"


    "I guess he thought he shouldn''t bother you. She is modest and very kind."


    Gentle, she certainly is a gentle girl.


    But even with all that, she''s still a different kind of girl in my eyes.


    "Usato-sama. You may have been irritated with the princess. But could you please stay here for a little while longer?¡¡The princess is a curious person, ...... but she doesn''t mean to offend you."


    "I understand that. But even if she doesn''t mean to offend, her words and actions are too ......."


    Out of line, you say?


    "......, well, yes."


    Perhaps it is more accurate to say that they are out of step than out of the ordinary.


    It might be more correct to say that they are innocent children who try to do exactly what they are told.


    It might be more accurate to say that he is an innocent child who tries to do exactly what he is told to do. But this is the only place she knows.


    "Is this the inside of this ward?"


    Yes. It always has been and always will be... There are reasons why we have to do this, and she accepts it. But for her, who only knows this small world, all common sense and values are not acquired in life, but only through the process of education..."


    ......I see, what we learn in our daily lives by interacting with others, we are forced to learn in a way that makes us deviate from the norm.


    Then, it may be natural for them to be like that.


    No wonder they are so innocent.


    I grew up without any exposure to malice, so I don''t know the meaning of right and wrong.


    "---I ...... wanted her to be free from such a small world. The rest of her ......."


    Eiri?


    I''m sorry. I can''t say any more.


    Eiri''s face turned sour and she kept her mouth shut. It would be difficult to get any more information about Eva from him. I should ask someone who might know later, or maybe I should ask Mr. Lucas. .......


    And why she has to be here. Is she sick or something?¡¡That''s the first thing I think when I see her gray hair. ...... Maybe Master Lucas let her in here because he wanted me to heal her?


    I turned around again and saw Eva looking at me the same as before and waving her hand in a small gesture.


    "The princess likes to write in her diary," she said.


    "Oh, really?"


    Eiri suddenly muttered something like that when she saw Eva.


    Hearing the word "diary", I felt a little familiarity with her.


    She writes in her diary every day about her daily joys and new encounters, wishing to record the proof of her life so far. She is so healthy and ...... so fragile that I want to do something about it, but I can''t do anything ......."


    ...... Oh, what''s that?¡¡The purpose of the diary is totally different from mine. It''s not for escaping reality. .......


    It has a weight that makes me feel as if it''s something serious.


    While I was puzzled by the difference between her diary and mine, Eiri-san walked up to me and grabbed me by both shoulders.


    "Whoa!¡¡What?


    "Usato-sama. Please stay here for a little while longer. No, if you can, will you stay here for the rest of your life?


    What?


    For the rest of your life?¡¡We obviously just skipped a few steps, didn''t we?


    The butler just asked me to do something more out of the blue than what Master Lucas suggested!


    Eiri-san, who had lost her iron mask and changed her expression to a devilish one, as if she couldn''t see my astonishment, squeezed her voice urgently.


    "It''s very rare that you don''t shudder at the princess. ....... All my colleagues can''t keep up with the princess, ...... but even the guests I invite to the hotel leave without staying a night because they can''t stand the princess''s hospitality... A blunt person like that is extremely valuable!"


    "Will you stop casually calling me insensitive!


    It''s true that I''m insensitive to pain, but I''m not insensitive to anything else.


    And I can''t be insensitive for the rest of my life. But I''m willing to stay for a week or so, as Lucas said. Before I do that, I''ll have to ask Master Lucas about the situation with Aruk and the others, and if I could meet with them.


    "Oh, you two seem to be having a good time!¡¡What were you talking about?¡¡May I join you?


    How do I look like I''m having fun in this exchange ......?


    Eva couldn''t stand to watch the exchange between me and Eiri and jumped out of the room.


    Seeing her like that, I expected the next few days to be intense in many ways.

 89 - eighty-fourth episode

    Day 2446


    Today is a special day for our guests.


    Earlier, your father told me to give him the best hospitality I could, but I made the mistake of getting the name of a new acquaintance wrong.


    How could I, how could I, how could I fail at the first step when first impressions are so important? I don''t know what I should look like when I meet him--Usato-san.


    But I can''t stay like this forever.


    Usato-san has been waiting for me outside. Staying in my room like this now, writing down my anxieties, won''t change anything.


    Don''t misbehave.


    Do not make mistakes.


    We must be hospitable.


    You must know him.


    You have to get to know them.


    I feel very happy right now.


    Because Mr. Usato is staying here for a little while longer. I was worried because people who come here usually leave soon.


    He is very funny and a great guy who can keep working out for hours after dinner. And I''m so glad that he and Eiri got along so well right away.


    The next few days are going to be very fruitful for me.


    But I''m also worried that he might leave here when we''re all asleep.


    Let''s go see his room before the sun comes up.


    Early to bed and early to rise is important, so it shouldn''t be a problem.


    Have a great day.


    Good night.


    Day 2447


    Today was a normal day since Usato spent half of the day at the castle.


    No, it was not.


    Today, before the sun came up, I went to check on Usato''s room and found him gone.


    Seeing the clean bed and the deserted room, I thought of the worst.


    I rushed out of the room to find that Usato-san had started his morning training this early in the morning!


    I thought he had run away, but he was right there.


    He wasn''t a liar.


    When he looked at me, his face was very pale, but I guess that was because he was freezing in the morning cold. It was very strange of him to get up so early on such a cold morning and do something so physical.


    After that, as I wrote in the beginning, Usato went to the castle.


    I went about my daily routine, cleaning the house, the garden, the pond, the flower beds, polishing my mother''s grave, and so on.


    Usato came home when the sun was slightly tilted from overhead, right?


    He was checking on the safety of his friends who had visited Samaritan with him. He seemed relieved, so they were probably all right.


    I suggested that they could come to ...... if they wanted, but Mr. Usato immediately turned pale and waved his hands to the side saying, "Don''t worry, don''t worry".


    Why did he refuse?


    I was going to offer him more hospitality than he had just received.


    Well, it was another wonderful day.


    Good night.


    Day 2448


    Today was a day when the house was even cleaner than usual.


    Usato-san asked me if there was anything he could do for me after his early morning training, just as he did yesterday.


    I was thinking that I couldn''t let him do that ......, but Eiri asked me to help him clean the place.


    I thought about it and realized that I had always cleaned by myself or with Eiri, so this was the first time for me to do it with someone other than Eiri.


    As I am writing this diary, I realized that I was so happy to be with someone else at that time that I had never thought of that idea.


    However, I disagreed with Usato''s suggestion to "share the cleaning work".


    I thought it would be better for everyone to clean the same place at such a time, because it would be cleaner.


    For some reason, I thought I saw no light in Usato''s eyes, but he said not to worry about it, so I guess it must be all right.


    Everyday is different when I look at him.


    I wish he would stay here more often.


    Have a great day.


    Good night.


    Good night.


    Three days have passed since my visit to Samarriar''s castle.


    During that time, I asked Lucas-sama to ask some questions to make sure Aruk and the others were safe, but when I heard that there was a man and two girls staying at the inn, I was relieved to know that Amako and N¨¦a were both safe.


    On the other hand, these three days had worn me out in many ways.


    I could feel her eyes on me no matter where I was in this ward. It was not a big place, so it might not be so bad, but when I turned around, she was hiding behind a tree or a house and staring at me.


    I can''t tell you how many times I paled at the sight that made me want to sneer at her, and more than anything, I can''t say anything because the way this girl looked at me was like an innocent child''s eyes, without any malice or anything.


    "Huh."


    Morning of the fourth day.


    I had gone outside to do my daily strength training.


    Looking up at the whitening sky, I take a deep breath and try to do my usual routine, but I can''t help but check behind me, because I''ve been lightly afraid of her existence for the past three days.


    She was ephemeral---or perhaps you could say she had no presence.


    At first I was able to dismiss it as my imagination, but it was unusual for me to be repeatedly caught behind her without being aware of her presence.


    "......Who the hell is she, ......?"


    Sick or not.


    I once tried to cast a normal healing spell on her with a glove, but it had no effect. I am sure that it is not from something external such as an injury.


    The only remaining possibilities are internal, like a disease, or something else. .......


    "We could try to strengthen the system ...... or not at all."


    I have not yet fully mastered the use of lineage enhancement. It would be better not to use it while there is a danger of a magical outburst.


    I walk around the garden, pondering what to do.


    Then, I notice that someone is sitting in front of the place where the white stone monument is.


    "...... Eva?"


    No, it''s bigger than her. Then, is it Eiri or ......?


    I can''t see much because of the morning haze, so I try to get closer to the monument. As I get a little closer, I can clearly see a figure sitting in front of the monument.


    The man who was sitting on his haunches in front of the monument --- his luxurious robe was placed on the ground without hesitation, and he was smiling kindly at the silent monument.


    "Mr. Lucas?"


    "Yes?¡¡Oh, Usato. You''re early."


    "Huh. ......"


    King of Samaritan, Lucas Urd Samaritan.


    He turned around and approached us casually.


    "What''s wrong?¡¡It''s so early in the morning.


    "As a king, I have to get up before everyone else to show that I''m a king... but that''s just the way it is, and I can''t get any free time during the day, so here I am."


    Lucas looks at the stone monument.


    I have been too shy to ask him for the past three days, but what is this monument?


    Eva had been polishing it with great care, so I know it is important.


    Perhaps sensing my question, Master Lucas turned his gaze from the monument to me and slowly opened his mouth.


    "This is ...... the tomb of my wife, Eliza Urd Samariar."


    "Tomb ......"


    There is no one here, though. This grave is just for my own self-satisfaction and a small consolation for the child who never knew her mother.


    With a self-mocking smile, Master Lucas reaches into the tomb and places his hand on the glossy surface.


    The pure white surface of the tomb is surprisingly smooth, with not a single irregularity.


    "This is where her name was carved," he says.


    "Was it carved ......?¡¡But nothing ......."


    "Well, I called an engraver all the way from the neighboring country and had him engrave it beautifully. ...... she polishes it every day with such care, look, it''s so scraped off you can''t even see the name."


    "Every day, sir?"


    Yes, every day. I have been polishing Eliza''s grave every single day for ten years since I was five years old. ......"


    That''s why he was polishing it so carefully.


    And he did it every single day for ten years, to the point that the engraved letters were scraped off and crushed. .......


    "How can I say that, you know, you''re a very healthy ......."


    "Hahaha, I can see you are choosing your words. You should honestly tell me, it''s heavy."


    No, that''s what I thought, but there was no way I could say something like that behind his daughter''s back in front of her father.


    Master Lucas looked amused at my silence, but when he looked up at the brightening sky, he muttered, "Yes," and looked at me.


    "I had him make breakfast, would you like to join me?"


    "......"


    I don''t know, I was thinking that Eiri would make breakfast for me, and more importantly, I would do my morning strength training. No, we can do strength training after we eat.


    Lucas made you prepare breakfast: ....... It''s not that the food Eiri-san makes is bad, but I''m getting tired of the same menu every time. I know I''ve only been here for about three days, but I''m not sure if I should be saying this or not... .......


    "Don''t worry. The food they have the cooks prepare is just the usual stuff."


    I''ll be happy to go.


    "You have a good personality, you know that?"


    Master Lucas smiles at my immediate answer, stands up, brushes the dirt off his robe, and looks behind me.


    "Is that okay then?¡¡Eva?"


    "Yes?"


    With his words, I turn around to see Eva staring intently at me through the slightly open back door, her white hair familiar to me.


    She smiles happily at Lucas''s words, nods her head and waves her hand.


    Since when... well, I''m used to it. She really doesn''t show any sign of life. When she comes this far, I suspect that she is using some kind of magic.


    "It''s gotten pretty... ......"


    "What?"


    "Hmm, it''s nothing. Now that we have the princess''s permission, let''s get moving."


    "Ha, ha ......"


    Mr. Lucas spun around and started walking in the direction of the exit of the ward.


    I couldn''t help but listen back, but the words I had just heard were...,


    "Ki,haku?"


    Kihaku_...... spirit, or is it thin?


    I felt an inexpressible tug at his words and the bitter expression on Master Lucas''s face, but I followed behind him as he went on ahead.


    I was so excited to see him.


    The breakfast that Master Lucas had prepared for us was unexpectedly ordinary.


    It was not a long table with many plates of food on it, as you often see in movies, but a normal sized table with just the right amount of food.


    However, since this was a king''s meal, the table, plates, and even the forks were all expensive-looking, and the food was the most sumptuous breakfast I have ever had in this world.


    As for the food, it was easily the most sumptuous breakfast I had ever eaten in this world. Besides me, who was seated across from Mr. Lucas, there were only a few knights standing by the wall, who seemed to be on guard, but no one else was around.


    Even though it was early in the morning, the lack of security made me think that there was a possibility of assassination or kidnapping.


    "Excuse me, are you sure that you can get by with so few people watching over you?"


    Do you think you will harm me?


    "No, that''s not possible. ......


    Then don''t worry. Then don''t worry. If you are more cautious than you should be, you won''t be able to trust us. Besides, these knights here are good men. I wouldn''t think of assassinating them, and I won''t let you. ............ right, right?"


    What are you going to do if you''re worried after you say it?


    Lucas turns to the knight standing by the wall and asks him, "What are you worried about? The knights all have a troubled look on their faces.


    This kind of frankness is also different from the king of Lingle Kingdom.


    "So, how are your three days there?


    "...... I''m having a good time. Your daughter has helped me a lot."


    He answers Mr. Lucas''s question with an affectionate smile.


    I am not lying. It is true that she has helped me a lot.


    Well, she may be a little too much, but she''s still a healthy person. But I didn''t think she''d last three days. I was prepared to let you stay at the castle if you didn''t want to."


    "What about ......?¡¡You didn''t think I''d make a sound, so you made me stay there?"


    "Ha-ha-ha."


    Don''t laugh and fool yourself. .......


    "Why would I change it now?"


    "Yes, but..."


    "Then why don''t you? He''s really not here.¡¡There really isn''t anyone who understands her abnormality and still wants to live with her. Everyone ran away from her because she creeped them out with her common sense and insanity. ......"


    Wielding common sense and treating people insanely---yes, that couldn''t be a more apt description of Eva.


    I''ve been involved with some troublesome people in various ways, such as the lifeguard corps and my seniors, and I have a certain tolerance for them, so maybe I was okay with it.


    But what I''m wondering is why Lucas-sama wanted me to meet Eva at the last minute. It''s not like he takes everyone who visits him to see Eva.


    "Why did you let me meet her in the first place ......?"


    "No, I don''t have a good reason. If I had to say, I was hoping that he would take a daughter and come to my country.


    "Isn''t the idea a little too aggressive ......?"


    It was more of a planned set-up than I thought. ......?¡¡Could it be that one mistake could send you straight to the graveyard of your life?


    He''s the kind of person who says horrible things while eating breakfast with a nonchalant look on his face.


    "What are you talking about? I was made king by the former king in that high-handed way. I didn''t feel alive at the time, but I''m still king at my age, so I''m doing all right. Besides, she looks just like Eliza when she was young, with a few character defects, but she is good-natured, strong-willed, and above all, beautiful.


    "I don''t know if you can say that. ......"


    You can''t be that afraid.


    Moreover, they casually resemble each other in their difficult personalities. ...... Could it be that they have inherited these traits?¡¡He may have had a hard time in many ways, as he seems to be looking at things a little far away from Lucas.


    But...,


    "I don''t think we should ignore Eva''s wishes, do you?"


    And mine, too.


    "I thought it wouldn''t be a bad idea to give up my daughter to bring in someone like you."


    "Offering" is such a nice way of putting it. ......


    "We use everything we can. If it leads to the future of this kingdom... of Samaritan, I don''t care if you call me an outcast."


    That doesn''t mean you''d give up your own daughter. .......


    I have no intention of marrying her in the first place. I have no intention of marrying her in the first place, not only because I''m ignoring her wishes, but also because I myself have no intention of coming here at the moment.


    "The same goes for slaves and beastmen. The climate of hostility toward slave ownership and beastmen is a kind of camouflage to prevent people from complaining about the national government, which is necessary for Samaritan, so we have adopted it. ---- Sorry for you, though, traveling with a beastly girl."


    "......"


    "Oh, don''t be angry. Don''t be angry with me. I was the one who instructed you to hide me at the inn so that I wouldn''t be seen by the people. I didn''t mean to take you hostage. It''s a fool''s errand to make people follow you by holding them hostage, and you''ll be punished severely at some point.


    I stared at him when he suddenly mentioned Amaco.


    I let out a breath to calm down and relax my shoulders.


    "Slaves are excellent labor, but we make sure that they follow the minimum rules for dealing with slaves in this country. We forbid any kind of violence, unjust punishment, or excessive labor to slaves---If I see such a person, I make sure he or she is immediately captured."


    "You don''t think slaves will be unhappy here?"


    "I didn''t go that far. They would be unhappy enough if there was an event that reduced them to slavery in the first place. ----but, well, ...... yes, I would at least like them to work in my country without being unhappy."


    Master Lucas''s words reminded me of a boy I had seen before I came here, who seemed to be a slave.


    He sat down politely, smiled at me innocently and waved his hand, but I did not feel that he was unhappy.


    I can''t say for sure because I still don''t know much about this country and that boy, but I''m starting to think that Samaritan is still a friendly country for slaves than I thought.


    "Haha, well, I''m honestly glad it''s not what I imagined it would be."


    "For my part, I was afraid of you looking at me with a blank expression all the time. I was afraid that if you got out of line, even Fegnis wouldn''t be able to stop you.


    Ha-ha-ha, that''s an exaggeration.


    "A little ogre that keeps moving as long as its magic lasts is nothing short of a nightmare. Besides, you could disable the knight almost instantly if you wanted to, couldn''t you?¡¡Even if we were to take you down in numbers, I have no idea how many people we would have to mobilize to catch you with your quickness.


    The way you''re dealing with me, it''s like you''re trying to capture a ferocious monster.


    "Ha-ha-ha. What a monster! The more I think about it, the more I feel like I can''t catch you!¡¡You''re the second Rose!


    Is that a compliment?


    Of course!


    I don''t feel like I''m being praised at all, being casually referred to as the second Rose or a monster.


    Moreover, they are quite overrated. Even I have no choice but to run away if I am attacked by a crowd of knights. If I have to fight them off,...... I can just stun them one by one with a healing punch,......?¡¡The most important thing to keep in mind is that you should not be afraid to use the same kind of magic to attack people.


    "...... Anyway, you don''t have any particular purpose in bringing me to see Eva?"


    "Yes, I do. I was hoping for the best, but I knew that your personality would make it impossible, so I really just sort of let you meet with her. Well, in the end, I am personally satisfied because I was able to give Eva a good memory."


    "Memories: ......"


    I nod my head as Master Lucas''s face breaks into a smile.


    He cares about Eva, I know that. But he still tries to give her up to me, his precious daughter, and lets her live in that ward.


    I had considered the possibility that they wanted me to see Eva because they wanted me to heal her with healing magic, but that was not the case either.


    Is it that they think I can''t do it?


    Or is there another reason why she is in the castle?


    I can''t get a clear answer just by passively listening to her.


    Then..,


    "Mr. Lucas, I was wondering if you might be able to ......"


    "Hmm?¡¡What is it?"


    My healing magic might be able to cure Eva.


    This should give you a rough answer.


    Either it can be cured, or it can''t be cured, or it doesn''t need to be cured.


    Master Lucas, who had been looking at me mildly, stiffens at my words, but he spins his words without caring.


    But I can''t do it now. I am ashamed to say that I myself am still inexperienced in many aspects of healing magic, and I cannot say that I am skilled enough to cure illnesses. However, if I can master the strengthening of the lineage of healing magic that I am currently mastering, I can cure the illness that is eating away at her..."


    "Usato."


    A quiet, commanding voice called my name with a sharp snap.


    I stop speaking because of the force of the voice and look at Master Lucas, and he opens his mouth with a somewhat sad expression.


    "I appreciate your goodwill very much, but... it''s not possible. It''s not that simple."


    "......If I''m not strong enough, there are people in the Lingle Kingdom who can strengthen the lineage of healing magic. I''m sure they can ...... help you."


    "No. No, no. Eva''s body has a problem, but it''s not a disease. If it wasn''t, who would want to keep her in a place like that, teaching her not to have any hope in the outside world? ---You''re a really good guy, Usat. You have a kind heart to succeed her. But this..."


    With a self-mocking sneer on his face, Master Lucas pauses before leaning back against the backrest as if to relax, and then, without effort..,


    "...... this is a sin. It has nothing to do with her, it''s an unreasonable and too wrong---the curse of death that consumes the royal family of Samaritan."


    He said.

 90 - eighty-fifth episode

    A curse that consumes royalty.


    His words with a somber look on his face reminded me of what Rose had told me before.


    "Healing magic cannot cure a curse.


    Even healing magic, which can heal injuries, illnesses, and anything that can be considered harmful to the body, cannot cure the phenomenon of curses.


    "You see..."


    King, it''s time to go.


    What kind of a curse is this that is consuming the royal family?


    How does the curse affect Eva?


    As if to interrupt my questioning, Mr. Fegnis, who had entered the room before I knew it, spoke to Master Lucas.


    "Good God, you''ve always been so hard to read the air, Fegnis. ......Usato, I''m sorry, but I''m going back to my job as king."


    "...... yes."


    If you don''t have time, I guess it can''t be helped. .......


    If I get another chance, I''ll ask him.


    "I enjoyed our discussion, even if it ended on a somber note. ---Fegnis, please send Usato on his way, because he will have a hard time getting lost here."


    "Yes, sir. But you speak as if you have experience.


    "...... first time, only first time."


    So you''ve been lost before.


    It''s true that the inside of a castle is like a labyrinth, so it''s not surprising to get lost. When I was in the Kingdom of Lingle, I lived in the dormitory of the lifeguard corps, and when I visited the castle, I was guided by maids and knights, so I never got lost...


    Then take good care of my daughter.


    "The way you said that, it sounds a little malicious, but you don''t have ...... any other intentions, do you?"


    "No, I''m just ...... joking."


    Don''t go from smiling to making a straight face afterwards, it doesn''t sound like a joke. ......!


    Seeing me with a twitch of my smile, Master Lukas returned to his mild smile and walked out of the room with his escort knights, laughing like a child who had just played a successful prank.


    I, who was left behind, let out a light sigh as I stand up and turn to Mr. Fegnis who is waiting for me by his side.


    "Mr. Fegnis. Please show me the way.


    I understand. Then, please follow me."


    Mr. Fegnis gives me a bitter smile of sympathy, turns around and starts walking down the path that leads to the garden where Eva lives.


    As I follow him, I think about the curse that Master Lucas mentioned.


    Curse.


    As far as I know from the original world, it is a spiritual phenomenon in which resentment and envy have an actual harmful effect.


    Or, a means by which a vengeful spirit, evil spirit, earth-bound spirit, specter, sorcerer, etc. torments others and literally curses them to death.


    This is the type of horror stories that I am not good at.


    As far as I know in this world, it is the physical curse that Rose mentioned.


    And the magic that Nair mentioned. For example, binding spells that bind a person''s body with a spell. But I know very little about the magic of this world.


    If any of these are the curse that is consuming the royalty of Eva-Samaritan... then it is possible that it is the one that Nair is dealing with, and that it is the one that is affecting the royal family of Samaritan. Is it witchcraft ......?¡¡From what I''ve heard, there are many kinds of magic in this world. If magic is not in decline now, but in the past when it was common, it would not be surprising to find a magician who could curse and kill people.


    ...... Wait a minute, if it is a curse similar to sorcery that is taking over Eva''s body, then Nair''s liberation spell might come in handy..,


    "---Sato-sama. ......usato-sama."


    "What?¡¡What''s wrong?


    I was lost in my thoughts when I heard Mr. Fegnis'' voice walking in front of me.


    How was your interview with the king?


    "The interview? ......I think it was a good experience for me to understand the thoughts and personality of Lucas, the King of Samaritan, even though I was only a passive listener.


    When I honestly answer F¨¦gnis'' question, he puts his hand on his chin and says, "Hmmm.


    "The king must have had a good time."


    "As for me, I didn''t have anything interesting or interesting to talk about at all. ......"


    No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. In fact, today''s king was different from usual.


    "Different?"


    What, he doesn''t usually talk much?¡¡Or was he acting in that frank manner?


    As I was wondering, Mr. Fegnis, who slowed down his pace to walk alongside me, raised his index finger.


    "Do you remember the king when we talked about slaves?"


    "?¡¡Yes, it was just a few minutes ago."


    We use slaves and beastmen to improve the country,...... right?


    What does it matter?


    "I was very surprised by the king''s words at that time. His Majesty, who usually only speaks of practical things, revealed that he wants his country''s slaves to be happy. It''s impossible for those of us who know His Majesty in his everyday life.


    "I see. Why are you telling me ...... such a thing?"


    "You may be a child who doesn''t know politics, but it may also be because you are ...... Rose''s disciple."


    Because you''re her prot¨¦g¨¦?


    ...... Do they think that if they say something bad, they will get some kind of retribution?


    Rose, however, if that''s how you feel about me, I''m going to have to turn around and go clear up this misunderstanding right now. .......


    "Your Majesty does not speak of your ideals because you have given up on them. I think it''s because she has given up, that she has been talking about her ideals, and she has been realizing them, and she has been hiding her "true feelings" from you for a long time. ......


    "...... I''m not the same as the Commander. We are nothing alike."


    I haven''t grown up enough to be able to compare myself with him.


    I am not that unreasonable in my physical abilities and personality.


    However, Mr. Fegnis gives a small laugh at my words.


    "Hm, I would say so, but after what you did in Luxembourg, I don''t think so."


    "U......"


    The report in Lukvis is about Nack''s training, isn''t it?


    I don''t know who or where it came from, but maybe it was a mistake to have him train in public as a Rose impersonator.


    Maybe the rest of the world got the wrong image of me from ...... and I''m in serious, reputational trouble?


    "The King has done everything he could for Samariat since Lady Eliza disappeared. He has done everything for her who loved this country and for Eva who lives here now..."


    As soon as Mr. Fagunis had said those words, a loud "gong" sounded from outside the castle.


    Looking out the window of the passageway, the silver bell at the top of the large tower in front of the castle was ringing, reflecting the sun''s rays.


    I was surprised by the sound of the bell, which was much louder than the one in Lukvis, which also had a similar bell, when Mr. Fegnis, who had stopped to look at the tower through the window as I did, quietly opened his mouth.


    "A few hundred years ago ......"


    "Yes?"


    "Hundreds of years ago."


    I listen to his words, wondering at his quiet, hesitant tone.


    "Samaria suffered a great calamity."


    "......"


    "Many people died, castles, houses, everything was destroyed, the worst event since the founding of Samaritan. It was a long time ago, but we have not forgotten it and we have told our stories until now."


    Is it correct to say that Samaria was once nearly destroyed?


    The fact that it is thriving now means that it has managed to recover.


    "Just when everyone was about to despair and abandon the country, the king of Samaria built that tower in the hope of restoring the country and hope."


    "Why did you build such a big tower in spite of the disaster?"


    "I heard that many people were against it, but the king wanted to show people that there was hope. As a result, the tower became an object of hope---no, an object of worship."


    "......I see, it is called the land of prayer. ......"


    "Yes. That''s how Samaria came to be called the Land of Prayer."


    A centuries-old disaster, huh?


    I can think of one.


    ---The battle between the evil dragon and the previous hero.


    The battle to the death that took place in the land of Samaritan. There is no doubt that the battle of the heroes of the past who faced the evil dragon at full strength would cause tremendous damage to the surrounding area.


    Once again, as I nodded my head while muttering, "I see," I noticed something unusual about him as he gazed intently at the tower, which had already ceased to ring.


    "But that is not what the king wanted at that time. The hope that he tried to show us---the one and only ...... that everyone worships and shudders at---that was only the result of that process. What we sought was..."


    "Mr. Fegnis, ......?"


    He is muttering more to himself than talking to me.


    When I speak to him, he comes back to himself and bows his head to me, holding his hands on his head apologetically.


    "......I am sorry. I was a bit absorbed in my position as knight-errant ...... and my family background is closely related to that tower."


    "As far as I''m concerned, it''s an interesting story, so I don''t mind.


    I am glad you feel that way.


    After that, we started walking again and Mr. Fegnis and I arrived at the garden without any problems.


    As usual, two knights are standing at the entrance of the ward where Eva lives, but when I look at Mr. Fegnis who is standing next to me, his legs are aligned and his back is straight.


    As soon as I have the two knights in my sight, Mr. Fegnis stops walking, turns around, reaches into his pocket and pulls out something.


    It was the small sword that I had left with him when I came to the castle of Samarriar.


    "Usato-sama, I would like to give you back something that was entrusted to me when I invited you to this castle.


    "Um, ...... are you sure?¡¡It''s a knife, and I don''t ...... want to bring it into Eva''s presence."


    "I''m sure it will be fine. Your fist is stronger than the blade.


    Well, I only use a small knife for cutting fruits. It is unlikely that you would use it in battle.


    He takes the small sword offered to him and checks it for any damage.


    "That looks like quite a piece of work, where on earth did you get it?


    "What?¡¡Uh, uh, it was given to me by the people of the village where we stopped before going to ...... Samaliar. ......Why do you ask that?"


    "I''m a swordsman too, it''s part of my job to know if a sword is good or bad. From my point of view, the sword is too beautiful and complicated to have been made by ...... dwarves?¡¡It is clearly made by a different process than a normal forged steel sword. It''s a vague word, but it''s like a-- an extraordinary sword, out of this world, isn''t it?


    "Well, come on?¡¡I don''t know much about it because it was given to me. ......"


    "......"


    Why the silence?


    I thought it was unusual because it was the weapon of the previous generation of heroes, but would they say that the manufacturing process is different when it''s a Japanese sword? Is a Japanese sword really that great a thing?¡¡As an amateur, I have no idea how great this little sword is.


    I put my sword in my belt and tuck it under the hem of my uniform, looking away from Mr. Fegnis''s quizzical gaze.


    "Well, thank you very much for walking me here."


    "...... don''t mind. It''s only natural to be courteous to our guests. I''m going back to my patrol now."


    With that, Mr. Fegnis bowed deeply and went back toward the castle.


    While I was relieved that he did not pursue me too much about the sword, I was glad that I had not told him about the evil dragon and the previous heroes.


    I don''t know why I thought so, but it seemed dangerous.


    "...... Samaritan to the evil dragon, huh? Shall I go back and read my notebook again ......?"


    He puts his hand on the notebook of the previous generation of heroes, which has been kept in the pocket of the lining of his troupe uniform.


    Perhaps there is a connection between the evil dragon and Eva''s curse. ...... If it is a curse that is causing the death of the royal family, the cause is not in the present, but in the past.


    Let''s start with the possibilities.


    Folding my arms, I walk in the direction of the wards, thinking..,


    "Hmm?"


    --- you see something black cross the edge of your vision, and you stop.


    The shadow was black and disproportionate to the sunlit garden.


    You turn your eyes and see a familiar black bird perched on a branch of a tree planted in the garden. The black bird, which was staring at me with a somewhat dismayed gaze---when it met my gaze, it flapped its wings and flew toward me.


    Silently, I raised my right arm to make it easier for the owl to stay, and it stayed there as if it were slowly landing.


    The owl proudly flutters on my arm and opens its tiny beak with great enthusiasm.


    "Hmph, ooza..."


    "Okay, you''ve come to the right place, Nea. Did Mr. Aruk send you?¡¡Well, take your time. In the meantime, I''ll try to persuade the knight to let you in.


    "Heh?"


    I''d like to greet her again, but I can''t do that in front of the knights, so I put my hand lightly on her head and make her close her mouth.


    "What?¡¡Wait, just hear me out. ...... Why are you being so pushy after three days of not seeing me?


    Well, you really came at the right time.


    You might be able to tell us a lot about Eva. Maybe, just maybe, the spell of liberation that you thought was useless will see the light of day.


    With a flabbergasted N¨¦a in tow, I start walking toward the garden---the place where Eva and Eiri are.


    "......Ah..."


    I completely failed to consider Eva''s reaction when she saw Nair.


    She would definitely be interested in him, but... well, contact is inevitable for her to check him out, so this is just another test, yes.

 91 - Eighty-sixth episode

    The first thing I did after meeting up with Nair was to negotiate with the knight on guard.


    It was not that difficult to negotiate. I told him that she was my messenger, transformed into a small owl, and as long as I proved that she was harmless, he let me through without any suspicion.


    I entered the ward with N¨¦a on my shoulder, who was still a bit dazed and confused, and found Eva tending to the flowerbeds inside the ward.


    Eiri is probably indoors, but in a way it''s a good thing that he is not here.


    I talk to N¨¦a, keeping my voice as low as possible, since she does not seem to have noticed me yet.


    "Nair, I''ll tell you what''s going on later, but I need you to check on her for me, okay?"


    "What?¡¡Why would I do that?


    It''s important. It''s important.


    "...... Okay, I get it."


    Nair nodded grudgingly.


    Nair knows magic, so she must know something about it. I nod to her and walk up to Eva, who is humming and playing with her flowerbeds.


    Eva notices my footsteps and turns her head to look at me and N¨¦a on my shoulder with a flowery smile on her face.


    "Welcome back, Usato-san. Who is she?¡¡...... No, sir?¡¡You can''t pick up a living thing so carelessly and send it back to where it belongs."


    She sounded like a mother gently telling off a child who had picked up a cat.


    The reaction was somewhat different from what I had expected.¡¡I responded with a somewhat different reaction than I had expected.


    "Ha-ha-ha, how good it would have been if I could have let you go home.


    "!!!?"


    Why did you say that?¡¡Nair turned to me with a look as if to say, "Why did you say that?


    No, you almost forced me to follow you.


    ......Saving the jokes for now, let me explain to her about Neah.


    "I didn''t pick her up, she''s my messenger."


    "A messenger?¡¡The boy?


    Yes, he got attached to me a while ago and we made a contract for him to be my messenger. I left him with my friends in town while I was here, but he seemed to miss me so much that he came here.


    It''s more like being followed than being missed.


    "Um... A messenger demon is a demon, right?"


    "?¡¡......Yes, they are, aren''t they?"


    "Wow. ....... I''ve never seen a demon before. Wow, they are totally different from ordinary birds, aren''t they?"


    Eva''s eyes light up and she bends down to look at Nair.


    Neah, too, stretches her round body proudly, as if she is not satisfied. If an eagle or a hawk had done so, they would have looked cool, but the almost egg-shaped Neah looks cute even when she stretches out.


    But, it''s the first time I''ve seen a demon, huh?


    It''s probably an unusual thing for a person living in this world. .......


    Humans and demons are far from each other. Powerful demons are only found in places with a high concentration of magical elements, but ordinary demons are closely related to humans as messengers like Huberd.


    She''s been living here all her life, but she''s never been exposed to them.


    What''s your name?


    Her name is Nair. She''s a little shy, but she''s a quiet girl.


    It''s just the opposite of my nature!


    I let out this thought in my mind, but kept my expression.


    "So your name is Neah-chan..."


    "Do you want to ...... touch it?"


    "Are you sure?


    I was so happy that she came close to me, and I looked at N¨¦a, but she was still leaning over me.


    I haven''t told her about the curse yet, but I''m sure she''ll notice if there''s something wrong with Eva.


    She speaks to Eva, trying to keep her voice down so that Eva does not hear her.


    "Neah, I''m counting on you."


    "Haw."


    Nair slaps me on the cheek as if to say, "I got it," and jumps on Eva''s shoulder.


    Eva looks ticklish, but as soon as she sees Nair on her shoulder, her mouth breaks into a smile.


    "She''s a very quiet girl, isn''t she?"


    "Ho."


    "...... Okay."


    Hmm?


    Eva takes off her long, dirt-covered gloves and holds out her hand to N¨¦a, who is standing on her shoulder. She looks somewhat nervous, and N¨¦a lets out one more squeal, then jumps up and down lightly, and rests her hand on top of Eva''s. Eva''s hand is now on Eva''s shoulder, and N¨¦a''s hand is now on Eva''s shoulder.


    Eva exclaims, "Wow!


    "Cute ......"


    If I didn''t know who Nair is, I would feel at home in this situation.


    But seeing her usual disappointment and cheekiness, I can''t help but think otherwise.


    "Are you going to live here too, Neah?"


    "I was thinking of asking you and Eiri for permission. ....... If not, I''ll just..."


    No!¡¡No! No problem at all!¡¡Eiri will forgive me!¡¡I will!


    "Oh, oh..."


    I''ll let you go, princess.


    Eva laughs as she says these words with a force that doesn''t match her appearance.


    Maybe Eiri won''t say no, and we can let N¨¦a stay here without raising any suspicion.


    "Yes. What does she eat?¡¡Is she a carnivore because she is a demon? ....... Neah, would you prefer meat?


    Eva asks Neah with a thoughtful expression on her face.


    Neah is here as an owl''s messenger. So, she doesn''t react too bluntly when he speaks to her...


    "Ho!¡¡Ho-ho-ho!"


    "Well, you want meat!¡¡I understand!"


    ---He takes back his words. What a cash cow. He reacted like a fish taking the bait.


    Nair, who flapped her wings, seemed to be pleased with Eva''s reaction and let out a small guttural sound, then turned her head to stare at me with a glare and let out a smile mixed with a sneer.


    "......"


    "?¡¡Usato-san, I hear a strange sound coming from your hand. ...... is everything okay?"


    "Hm?¡¡Oh, I''m fine, I''m fine."


    He seemed to have unconsciously raised his fist and made a noise.


    She looked at me suspiciously as I lowered my fist to deceive her, then looked down at Nair on her palm again and smiled dazzlingly.


    "I hope you''re looking forward to dinner today!"


    "Ho!"


    "I''ll catch lots of rats for you, Neah!"


    ".........E,ho?"


    "Oh, but do owls eat insects?¡¡I''ll catch them just in case, fortunately I saw a lot of them in the flower beds just now. ......"


    Nair''s body, which had been mocking us, stiffened like a stone.


    ---Yes, owls are birds of prey.


    In the wild, their food is nothing but small animals. Common sense tells us that she would not feed human food to owls, so her next step is to "forage" for food.


    And this princess always does what she says she will do. She will catch rats and insects that she decides to feed Neah by any means necessary. ......In that case, Eiri will stop her from catching rats, or the knight outside will have to work hard to catch rats in the castle.


    But I feel sorry for them that they are made to eat rats and bugs even if they are in a good mood. I''m going to give him a helping hand since he''s my messenger and my friend, even if he''s such a good-natured one.


    Eva, she eats everything, so she''ll be fine on the same diet as us.


    "Oh, really?"


    "They''re owls, but they''re demons. Sometimes they eat different things than normal animals.


    I guess they are vampires, but they ate fruits during our journey, and when they invited us to their village dressed as village girls, they ate normal human food.


    She turns her eyes to me and gives me a moist look as if to say thank you for saving her life. I let out a sigh and put my arm out in front of me as if to come back to her.


    "Come on, come back here."


    "Ho."


    Nair moves from Eva''s hand to my shoulder.


    From the looks of ...... her, it doesn''t look like there''s anything wrong, but I''ll ask her about that later. For now, I need a place and time to explain the situation to Neah.


    I''m going to go to my room to rest for a while. Is it okay if I bring Neah inside?"


    "If she gets dirty, she just needs to be cleaned up, that''s all. Is there anything you need for Neah? If so, we can get it for you. ......"


    "Thank you. But I don''t think I need it at the moment."


    An owl might need a perch or something, but this guy doesn''t.


    He enters the house with a light wave to Eva. Nair, who had moved to her shoulder, closes her eyes in relief.


    "Whew, what a b*tc*."


    "That''s what you get for getting carried away. You got what you deserved, you got what you deserved."


    "Who thinks they''re going to feed you insects and rats when they say ''meat''?¡¡No, no. That''s not the point!


    No?


    No? - No, that''s not what you just said, is it?


    As I walk down the street to my room, keeping my voice as low as possible, Nair says a few words to me in a languid, unimportant way.


    "That girl, she''s disappearing," she says.


    "What about ......?"


    Is it fading?


    It''s not being eroded, it''s disappearing.


    I couldn''t help but stop and look at her sideways as she was absentmindedly stretching out her mouth, and I was bewildered by the inexpressible emotion I felt.


    I was puzzled by the inexpressible emotion I felt.


    "I came here because, as you said, Aruk asked me to."


    In her room, Nair, who had returned to her human form, sat leaning back in the chair provided in her room and said these words.


    But was it because of Mr. Fagunis'' sword that Amako and Nair disappeared when I was taken to the castle? A magical tool to reveal N¨¦a''s transformation, I''ll have to be careful while she''s here. .......


    "......What have you been doing since I went to the castle?"


    "The guys from the castle got in touch with me right away and took me to the inn. I was suspicious at first, but now that you''re being treated so well, I think the king here might be genuinely welcoming.


    "As Master Lucas told me, or ......."


    I had heard from the people at the castle that everything was fine, but I was relieved to hear him say so.


    "That little fox ...... Amako was looking a little worried out of character, wasn''t she?"


    "I see. ....... But I''m glad to hear he''s doing well.


    "It''s not good here. Why have you been here for three days?¡¡You don''t look like you''ve been captured, but you''re trapped in this elaborate magical ward. And that girl---...... you don''t think she''s involved in some kind of trouble, do you?"


    No, no. It''s not that she''s involved, it''s more that she''s about to get involved. ......


    "Huh?"


    I rest my chin on the back of the chair, look away from Nea''s questioning gaze, and explain how we got to this point.


    He accepted the letter so easily.


    That I have been recruited as a healing wizard of Samaritan.


    That I will be living in the castle for a little while.


    Meeting Eva, Princess of Samariat.


    That she is under some kind of curse.


    I explain the main points briefly and Nair lets out a sigh of exasperation.


    "You are a real softy, you know that? It''s one thing to be loyal to this country, but to try to save a troublesome girl like that ...... is honestly stupid, barker."


    I don''t know, it annoys me a lot when he calls me an idiot.


    I suppress the reflexive urge to retaliate with a bump, cross my arms, and look at Nair, who is smiling at me.


    "Usato has a tendency to get himself into trouble, doesn''t he? I had just appealed to his emotions and he fell right into my trap.


    "I didn''t go into it myself. People get into trouble from over there. I mean, you''re the only one who can tell me anything about how you set me up. That was mostly your screw-up that got us into trouble. You got what you deserved."


    "Shut up!¡¡I don''t care!¡¡I''m good!"


    What an arrogant son of a b*tc*.


    But whether it''s Nack or Nair, trouble always comes from the other side.


    Are we destined for trouble?¡¡Or am I about to get myself into trouble without realizing it?


    "I know, but you''d better stay out of it this time."


    "......Why?¡¡You know what''s eating her?"


    I think she said something quite meaningful earlier, but I wonder if there is a deeper meaning to it.


    But Nair raises her hands lightly and lets out a small sigh, as if she can''t help herself.


    "No, you can''t possibly know."


    "...... is!¡¡You were acting so confident when you don''t know!"


    "It''s not possible to know just by making contact with them!¡¡...... Okay?¡¡She''s not under a curse or anything, she''s disappearing. That''s all you need to know."


    The word "cease to exist" was uttered by Nair before he came to this room.


    I thought it was just a metaphor, but did she mean what she said?¡¡No, I don''t understand.


    "...... Wait a minute, she was right there. What do you mean by cease to exist?"


    "Huh. ......."


    At my question, Nea raised herself up from her chair in a tedious manner, raised her hands to the level of her chest, and made small fists.


    "The soul and the body are strongly connected. Without the body, the soul cannot stay in this world. Without the soul, the body cannot move in this world. The exception to this rule is necromancers like myself, but the soul and the body are the most important elements in the matter of "life".


    Nair with his hands clenched into fists, hands folded.


    Body and soul---but what does this have to do with Eva?


    "But she is suffering from a strange phenomenon that deviates even from the rules.


    "Is that what you call disappearing?¡¡But from what you say, it sounds like Eva has nothing to do with the curse at all. ......"


    "I didn''t go that far. There are different kinds of magic. ...... that girl, her soul and her body --- both are disappearing."


    I don''t understand more and more.


    What could have caused such a disappearance of soul and body?


    "This is an anomaly. No, it''s not an anomaly. The realm of the soul and the body is a realm in which no ordinary human being should meddle, and that is exactly the field of witchcraft that I deal with."


    "Witchcraft ......"


    "Moreover, these types of phenomena can be ''cursed''. If that happens, it''s not worth the trip, is it?¡¡I''m interested in it myself, but I''m not stupid enough to fall into a trap I can see.


    Are you trying to say that the phenomenon of the curse shifting --- that Eva''s existence disappears --- could happen to me as well?


    "...... can''t you do something about it with your liberation spell?"


    "I doubt that the curse is even cast by magic in the first place, and most importantly, I can''t see the formula, so I can''t use it."


    The magic of liberation was more difficult to handle than I had imagined. No, I knew that, as I had expected it to be.


    At present, even Nair can''t do anything about it ....... This is a different kind of trouble from that of the evil dragon.


    "Why is Usato trying to save that girl?"


    What?"


    Nair suddenly asked me such a question.


    The unexpected question made me, who had been lost in my thoughts, let out a dumbfounded voice.


    "We''ve only seen each other for about three days anyway, so we''re almost strangers, aren''t we?¡¡Why do you have to go through all that trouble for her?¡¡I don''t want to.¡¡I even signed a contract with her to be her messenger, and now she''s gone because you messed up."


    The reason I''m going this far, huh?


    To be honest, I have no obligation or obligation to help Eva.


    But the reason I went to such lengths to help her was simple.


    "Because I wanted to help her. That''s all."


    "Huh?¡¡That''s it?"


    "I''m not saying it''s because we''re a rescue squad or anything. I felt sorry for her, and I felt sorry for her, and I wanted to help her.


    This world is big.


    There are magic, demons, people, subhumans, and many natural environments.


    It is a strange thing to have to disappear without knowing such a world, without being allowed to know it.


    As a person from another world, I was "glad" to have come to this world.


    When I cried at her words after the battle against the demon king''s army, I thanked from the bottom of my heart for meeting the people of this world.


    But she is doomed to disappear in such a small and suffocating place, without knowing or being allowed to know the outside.


    How can such a crazy story be?


    Nair rolls her eyes at my words and shrugs her shoulders in disgust.


    "...... huh? You really are a strange and selfish person. I can see why the little fox is worried. You never know what he''ll do if you let him out of your sight for a moment.


    "Don''t talk to me like I''m a child in need of help."


    "If anything, you''re worse than a child. That''s what I see, isn''t it?¡¡You look like you''ve fallen for a crazy woman.


    That''s a misleading way of putting it!


    It reminds me of what Amako said to me one day about being cheated by women.


    "Well, I''ve been the victim of such a person too, so I guess we''re the same. ......"


    "......nea?"


    "I''ll help you for a little while. Usato is too dangerous to watch alone.


    Nair turns away shyly, and a smile naturally breaks out on her face.


    "Ha-ha-ha, thank you. That''s reassuring."


    He''s not a bad kid, even if he''s not always honest.


    Once again, I am relieved to be able to join her, and I lean back against the door behind me and relax.


    "Speaking of which, why have you been leaning against the door all this time?¡¡Why don''t you just come inside?"


    "No, I have to do it this way so I don''t see Eva approaching. Basically, she''s so absent-minded that it''s not uncommon for her to be caught behind you before you know it. Worst of all, I can feel her eyes on me even when I''m resting in my room, so it''s quite difficult.


    "What kind of life have you been leading for the past three days, Usato!¡¡What has Usato been doing for the past three days?


    Maybe.


    But even if that''s the case, the scary thing is that she doesn''t know it.


    Well, once you get used to it, you won''t have any inconvenience.


    Nair''s face turns pale when I continue to say this.


    I laugh at her and think about what I should do with her from now on.

 92 - the eighty-seventh episode

    Dinner with a new collaborator, Neah.


    N¨¦a, who lived in a village near Samariat, seemed to know Samariat''s famous cakes and was beating her little wings against me with squeals of delight over the large portion of cakes.


    But, as I expected, she had eaten so much that she couldn''t move, and I was so disgusted that I stopped Eva from adding more cake to her plate, not realizing that she had eaten too much.


    ......I''m beginning to wonder if Nair''s getting on with herself is her thing.


    I tell her, lying on the desk in her owl form, "Of course not! She says angrily, "Of course not!


    And then night. When everyone was probably asleep, I was looking at my notebook, which had information about the previous heroes, by the small light of a candle.


    "...... no good, I can''t read it at all".


    I cannot understand the whole sentence at all, perhaps because it is worm-eaten in some places.


    I''ve been trying to read through my notebook like this to find the connection between the evil dragon and Eva''s curse, but I haven''t made any progress.


    Even Nair said, "I don''t think there is any connection at all. Even Nair says, "It doesn''t matter at all, does it?


    "Whew, whew... ......"


    "Why is he occupying my bed in the first place?"


    I would like her to sleep as an owl, but of all people, she is sleeping in her original form---a girl with black hair.


    I didn''t even have time to stop her.


    I sigh as I pull the covers over her, wondering what she''s dreaming about, and she gives me a lazy smile.


    "Well, it was really nice of you to come."


    I''ll tolerate it for today.


    I can sleep sitting up. He sits back in his chair and reads his notebook again.


    "According to what Nair has deciphered, there were many casualties before the previous heroes slayed the evil dragon.


    Others say that some Samaritans were buried alive in the rubble until the battle was over.


    That does not have anything to do with the curse, so this is not relevant either.


    "...... I really think Nea is right, it may not have anything to do with it."


    It might be better to discard the connection between the evil dragon and the curse and look for other causes.


    Tomorrow, I''ll ask Nair to tell Aruk and Amako about my situation and Eva, and then I''ll ask Eiri and others about it.


    I''ll do what I can, since Nair is the one who depends on me for magic.


    "Amako, he will be angry.


    Maybe he''s already angry.


    She''s scary when she''s angry. ....... It is similar to the law that people who rarely get angry are afraid when they lose their temper.


    When Neah hears about my story tomorrow, she will be very upset.


    I wonder if Mr. Aruk will laugh it off?


    Either way, I know I''ll have to apologize for worrying her the next time I see her.


    "...... huh?"


    I''ve been worrying too much myself.


    He puts his notebook on the desk and covers his eyes with his hand.


    "I think I''d better go to bed. ......"


    My eyes are getting tired and I have morning practice tomorrow.


    He stands up languidly and picks up his work clothes that are hanging on the chair.


    I''ll at least hang them on the wall before I go to bed, I think, and as I''m moving to the wall, I stop by a window I pass.


    "Hmm? ......What''s that?"


    Someone can be seen at the moonlit window.


    At this hour?¡¡Is it a ghost?¡¡My heart suddenly starts to beat faster, but when I look closely, I realize that the figure is someone I know.


    "Eva ......?"


    Why?¡¡She would have been asleep by now.


    She is sitting in front of the pond in the boundary with a somewhat melancholy expression on her face, staring intently at the surface of the water.


    ......I have to admit, I''m kind of scared.


    She would never break her own rule of going to bed early and getting up early. When she is out at this hour of the night without telling Eiri, it is safe to assume that something strange is going on.


    To be more specific, she is being manipulated by ghosts, or something in the occult direction.


    As long as there is a concept of soul in this world, we cannot deny the existence of ghosts.


    Should we go to ......?¡¡Wait a minute. Neah,......, that''s right, Neah."


    He moves from the window toward the bed where Nair is sleeping.


    Two people. Having Neah, who is strong in soul relations, is a godsend. Only for vampires!


    ...... I''m losing my cool, I''m losing my cool.


    "Nair, hey, wake up. Wake up."


    "...... hihi,hihi......"


    I shake her shoulders and try to wake her up, but she is sound asleep and shows no sign of waking up.


    Rather, she wrapped herself in the futon I put on her and moved to the edge of the bed as if she would not wake up.


    You, you... .......


    In a movie, you''d be the first one to be attacked by a ghost.


    Ghosts can''t hit you, so you can''t fight them off.


    "...... It''s no use. I''ll go alone. ......"


    Nair won''t wake up like this.


    Then I''ll just have to be hungry too.


    Eva might just be out at this hour because she couldn''t sleep. There''s no need to be so uptight.


    Remember what she''s done in the past, what she''s done.


    If there''s a reason, she''ll do it, that''s who she is, Eva Urd Samaritan.


    I think this over and over again, as if in my mind, then I put on my troupe uniform and open the door.


    I left my sword still attached to my uniform.


    As I wipe myself off, I notice the small sword that I had left attached to my uniform so that it would not get in the way, and I think to myself, "Oh no, I''m not going to do that. But if I go back to my room at this point, I am afraid that my firm resolution will be shaken, so I decide to go on.


    But why in the world is Eva outside at this hour?


    Is something wrong? ....... Even without the occult, I''m worried, knowing what I know about curses.


    It was surprisingly bright outside, thanks to the full moon overhead.


    I get out of the house and walk slowly to the place where I can see Eva from the window.


    With some nervousness and fear, I move to a position where I can see the back of the house where the pond is located... and I find Eva in the same position as before.


    Her profile, staring intently at the surface of the pond, does not give the impression that she is being manipulated or unconscious, but instead..,


    "...... Eva?"


    "Usato-san ......"


    --- I was crying.


    She was crying as she looked at her reflection in the surface of the pond.


    "......!"


    She was stunned to see my face, which must have had a look of surprise on it, but when she noticed tears running down her cheeks, she wiped her tears in a panicked manner as if she had just made a mistake.


    Crying alone in a place like this is not normal. Worried about Eva, I walk up to her and slowly crouch down.


    "I''m sorry."


    In a small, thin voice, she apologizes without a trace of context.


    Why should I apologize?¡¡She has done nothing wrong.


    "I knew you were coming, Usato-san.


    "What?"


    You knew?


    That I would come to you outside?


    "Your room had a light on, didn''t it?"


    ...... I see, that''s how you knew I was awake.


    Looking at the second floor where my room is located, there is indeed a small light from a candle flickering outside. That way, it''s obvious that I''m awake.


    Is that an apology for making me come all the way outside .......


    "So why were you crying at this hour?"


    "......That''s ......"


    She turns over as if to say something, then slowly sits down on the ground and holds her knees.


    I sat cross-legged so that it would be easier for her to talk to me, and continued to try to ask her questions.


    "Did something sad happen to you?


    "Nothing sad. ....... I have my father, Eiri, Usato, Nea, and even the people of the ...... castle are kind to me. That''s why I''m so happy right now."


    "Then why?"


    "That''s ......."


    She glances at me and opens her mouth as if determined.


    "I had a dream. A very scary dream. ......"


    "You dreamed ......? If it''s a scary dream, I can understand why you might want to cry."


    I''ve heard a lot of stories about people having nightmares. I once had a dream that Rose from training came into my dream, and I was doing push-ups on the bed in my sleep.


    There is nothing more eerie and terrifying than a nightmare that you don''t remember.


    The feeling of not knowing what to be afraid of, of not knowing where the fear is coming from, coming out of the depths of your chest, is very frightening.


    "A lot of people are angry around me."


    "Do you see angry ...... faces?"


    "No, they are all black figures and everyone is angry with me in the middle ...... and it is a dream that goes on and on."


    "That''s a scary dream. But who''s going to be mad at you? You haven''t done anything wrong."


    As Master Lucas said today, Eva is a good girl.


    She is not the kind of person who would want to hurt anyone, and there is no one who could talk to her that way in the first place.


    Eva''s lips trembled as if she wanted to say something to me.


    I was a little concerned about that, but soon she started to speak, so I listened to her.


    "I have this dream when I forget, but every time I have it, I''m here, near your mother. I feel that if I am here, I am not alone. ......"


    "So that''s why you were here. ......"


    Even if there is no one inside, that grave is still very important to her.


    I can see that you really care about your mother''s grave.


    "But today''s dream was somehow different. I was still scared, but there was someone who protected me, you know?¡¡A lot of them."


    "Oh, someone who protected me in my dream. That''s nice."


    Since dreams are the realm of the unconscious, does the fact that they change mean that something in her psyche has changed?¡¡Either way, it''s good to have someone to protect you.


    "That''s the thing. To my surprise, one of them had the same face as mine. But was he a little bit taller?¡¡I couldn''t see their faces, but they stood around me and protected me when I was crouched down.


    "The same face ...... as you?"


    "I''m sure because I saw it here. I''ve seen my own face for years, there''s no way I could mistake it!


    For some reason, Eva points confidently at the surface of the water and smiles as she says this.


    I see, that''s why I was staring at the surface of the pond earlier.


    "Well, scary dreams don''t happen so many times in a row. Next time you go to bed, you will have a pleasant dream. I can''t ...... guarantee that, though."


    "Hmph, I hope so ...... really ......."


    Eva giggles.


    Now that you''re smiling, I guess it''s all right, huh?¡¡I''ll stay with her a little longer, and when she gets sleepy, I''ll send her back to the house.


    I think about chatting with her and killing some time until then, when I notice Eva has stopped smiling.


    "......Usato-san, you''re going to leave here in a few minutes, aren''t you?"


    "Well, yes. I have some things I have to do.


    In a few days I have to leave for the next country.


    I want to do something about Eva by then, but time is running out and I have to give up.


    I want to save Eva, but I have the important task of delivering the letter and the mission to heal Amako''s mother.


    I cannot neglect them.


    Eva looked sad at my answer and clasped her hands around her knees.


    "......I probably won''t see you again, Usato-san."


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "...... I''ll be gone soon."


    If you''re going away ......, you''re talking about a curse here.


    Not so unexpected. There is no way that she who is cursed is unaware of the curse.


    It is rather natural.


    "You already know that, Usato-san. I am cursed. Just like your mother, I am the one who will eventually disappear without a trace.


    Disappearing.


    I cannot imagine how much intention was put into those words.


    I can barely offer words of comfort to her words of sorrow.


    "You might still make it, right?"


    "It''s impossible. ......I know, I can feel myself fading away. And I..."


    She releases the hand holding her knees and removes a white long glove bag from her right hand.


    I am puzzled by the white hand that I saw when I picked up N¨¦a during the day---a plain, ordinary hand---but Eva finally realizes that something is wrong with her as she holds up her right hand as if holding it up to the moonlight.


    "......, this is ......."


    "Do you understand?"


    My hand is transparent ......!


    When she flips her hand to the ground, only the shadow of her right hand is gone, from the elbow to the end.


    Disappearance of existence---this was the first time I came to understand what I had vaguely recognized.


    This was not just a curse, but something as terrifying and mysterious as Nair had said.


    "It''s only my right hand now. But eventually my whole body will become like this... and in the end I will disappear as if nothing had happened ......... that''s the kind of curse it is."


    Finally, I was able to see the curse that consumes Eva.


    It was far more cruel than I had imagined.


    When I heard that existence disappears, all I could imagine was the faint disappearance of a person. But this is something worse, a visible change.


    You acted as if nothing had happened in front of me even though this phenomenon was happening to you. .......


    I should have been scared to death.


    I should have been filled with the desire to cry.


    She kept smiling.


    I look at her face, stunned.


    She smiled sadly and stood up with her right arm hidden, then turned to me and bowed deeply.


    "I''m sorry."


    "......Why are you apologizing?"


    I can understand why I would apologize for being so blunt, but I don''t understand why you''re apologizing here.


    She raised her head, looked down a little, and said the reason.


    I am a bad girl after all. Even though I''m convinced in my head, in my heart I''m trying to keep you here. I wanted to keep this happy life going,...... and I was trying to take advantage of your kindness,...... by showing you this disgusting thing to get your sympathy,......."


    "Eva ......"


    "I deserve to be abused for trying to put my own feelings first."


    Sure, I felt sorry for him.


    I wanted to help.


    I wanted to do something.


    But that''s just what I thought, and your feeling is natural for a human being, isn''t it?


    That''s not true.


    "No, sir."


    You have done nothing wrong. It''s natural to want to be kind. No one can be alone when they''re in pain or when they''re sad.


    "Then will you stay here?¡¡Will you stay with me until I disappear?¡¡Can I take advantage of your kindness?"


    She looks down at me, her eyes shaking.


    To be honest, my response is obvious. There are too many things I have to do to fulfill her wish.


    Sitting up, I turn my body toward Eva, put my hands on my knees and bow my head.


    "......Sorry, I can''t do that. I have to continue my journey."


    "...... head up, please."


    I raise my head at her words.


    I was prepared for any kind of reaction, but when I looked up, I saw Eva bowing more deeply than before.


    "Thank you very much. Thank you for your honesty. ...... Now I can give up."


    "......¥Ã"


    When she looked up, she had the expression of a doll with a smile on her face.


    Alarm bells ring in the back of my mind.


    Was the answer she had just given so important to her ......!


    "I knew it was true. I knew I shouldn''t keep you here because of my selfishness. But when I heard what you said, I finally came to my senses."


    "...... wait, Eva."


    "I''m fine now. I''m sorry to keep you up this late."


    With that, she turns around and heads back inside.


    I can''t let her go.


    Should I just tell her that I am working to help her?


    But, if we haven''t even found a clue to the solution, we might give her unnecessary hope.


    No, whether I reveal or not, I have to stop her now!


    You rush to your feet and reach out your hand.


    Eva!


    "Eva!


    His outstretched hand grabs her right hand.


    She looked back at me with a tear-stained face, and just as I was about to say something to her, the small sword at my waist suddenly began to tremble.


    "What?


    ------v,gh,gh,gh,gh,gh,gh,gh,gh,gh,gh,gh,gh,gh!


    Ugh!


    A familiar, terrifying roar echoed in his head along with a headache.


    The roar is much louder and fiercer than I remember.


    The headache soon subsides, but I notice that Eva''s hand, which I am holding, is unusually cold.


    I look up and see that she is holding her head with her left hand as I am.


    "Eva, it''s okay..."


    "Usato,san...... away,......"


    "Get away from me. .... ...?


    "---"


    She tries to channel healing magic from her right hand, but her head drops and her strength slips away.


    As soon as I tried to get close enough to her to hold her, her body floated up without warning.


    "What the ...... hell is going on?


    "---I won''t allow it."


    Eva!


    I won''t forgive you and neither will the king.


    Her tone is unlike her.


    I am convinced that I hear her voice coming out of her mouth, a voice with many layers of eeriness.


    "You''re the one with the curse."


    "Ah, brave one! Why did we have to die? Why did they abandon us? Why did you not save us, O foolish king, addicted to power? We would still be alive.


    "...... can''t you understand a word I''m saying?"


    "So we will not forget. We remember our anger, our fear, our despair, our hatred. We curse eternity.


    As soon as someone or something controlling Eva says these words, her body, which had been suspended in mid-air, slowly lands on the ground.


    But at that moment...


    "But the suffering of hundreds of years is coming to an end. Here, in the presence of a hero and a king, we are finally free."


    "What?


    --- Something jumped out of her body, bound to a translucent chain from the ground.

 93 - Eighty-eighth episode

    Eva''s body and something connected to her by translucent chains protruding from the ground.


    They are writhing and emitting an eerie moaning sound.


    "Why of all things are skeletons? ......


    "A,a,......aaa!"


    In chains is a human skeleton. The lower half of the body is missing, leaving only the torso and head. Around the neck of the skeleton is an iron collar, which clanks and clanks.


    The way it clatters its teeth as if it is mocking me is beyond scary.


    "And there are so many of them. ......!"


    In addition, they are coming out of the ground and Eva''s body like they are overflowing.


    There are about 20 or so of them. ......?¡¡There are some skeletons with their heads sticking out of the ground, but somehow no more seem to be coming out.


    "Surrender yourselves, and be held captive for us. Go, my brothers, eat and be eaten for your release."


    Come on!


    Skeletons float up around Eva and rush toward me.


    I quickly get into position, but I wonder if my physical attacks will work on them.


    "I''ll just hit them and find out!


    It''s the same as with the evil dragons.


    We won''t know for sure until we take them on.


    He thrusts his fist at one of the skeletons that comes charging ahead of him and hits it directly on the skull.


    "M......"


    His forehead cracks open from the direct hit, but he lets out a deafening laugh, and soon returns to normal, enveloped in pale blue flames.


    The attack works, but it has no effect.


    He continues to cluck his tongue as he dodges the skeleton, which comes barreling toward him with its mouth open as if it is about to bite him.


    The speed is moderate, the strength fragile, but it is quickly repaired.


    Around her, skeletons on chains are circling like snakes coiled around a snake, and several of them are standing next to her, peering at me.


    I feel an inexpressible queasiness at being stared at by these hollow, eyeless figures, and I strike down the skeletons that attack me with my sword.


    "Think, think, think. ......"


    How can we save her from those chain skeletons?


    Is it simply a matter of removing all of them? Or should we wake her up?


    But her consciousness has been taken over by the curse. How can we wake her up in such a state?¡¡I don''t think we can manage it by force as usual.


    "Close!"


    You roll to avoid the skeleton, which spreads its arms wide and tries to bite you.


    What the hell are these guys?


    They may be cursed, but they have a will. Moreover, they hate the king---probably the royal family of Samaritan and the previous heroes.


    "My God! They''ve mistaken us for the heroes before us again! The heroes before us are a plague!


    He turns his upper body backward, and at the same time, he kicks the skeleton''s torso up over his head and somersaults. While he is doing this, the skeletons come at him at once.


    There is no end in sight.


    Zombies were ineffective against healing punches, but these skeletons are ineffective against even physical attacks, let alone healing magic. If we crush them halfway, they will repair themselves and attack us again.


    Even I can''t keep them from losing for long.


    "If they don''t go down with one hit... smash them to pieces!"


    They''re cursed... it won''t be a problem even if we really try, like we did with the evil dragons.


    Besides, they''re the ones who''ve been eating Eva''s body. There''s no need to go easy on them.


    I stop trying to avoid them and leap forward with enough force to step through the cobblestones of the garden, grabbing the heads of the two skeletons.


    "Aa,aa......"


    "a......i......ta"


    "That''s what my master is good at. ...... take it!"


    He grabs the skeleton''s head and slams it into the cobblestone pavement.


    The skeleton shatters into particles with a cracking sound.


    Secret technique, Rose''s Iron Claw......No, Rose wouldn''t go this far, but I added my own twist to it, and this is what I came up with.


    "O......Oh!


    You''re next!


    The skeleton continued to come at him from the side, and he grabbed it with a swing of his arm, letting his momentum carry him into a tree planted nearby.


    The skeleton''s upper body is shattered.


    The two skeletons that he had just slammed into the ground seem to be regenerating gradually, but it seems to be taking much longer than before.


    It seems that the skeletons will take a long time to regenerate after being crushed so much.


    "Shaa......aaa!"


    Oops.


    He continues to crush the three skeletons that attacked him in the same manner, breaking them into pieces so that they are difficult to regenerate.


    It''s easy once you know how to deal with them.


    Sometimes it''s easier, though, because they only bite or grab at you.


    "Okay, let''s keep crushing them like this. ...... hmm?"


    I clap my hands and look at the remaining skeletons to determine my next target, but they''re floating around me.


    Surrounded?¡¡No, this is ...... a different emotion, less hostile than the one I felt earlier.


    "Are you afraid?"


    I nod my head at the skeleton, which is looking at me hesitantly.


    ...... Do they have a will?


    "Well, it doesn''t matter. Either way, when they attacked me without question, I knew they weren''t the kind of people who could understand my language.


    If they stop coming that way, I won''t hesitate to help Eva.


    I turn my body in the direction of the manipulated Eva, keeping an eye on my surroundings just in case.


    Several skeletons are circling around Eva, just as before, and..,


    "...... wait a minute."


    Is the skeleton that was standing next to Eva, watching us, gone?


    Did I count wrong?¡¡No, we must have figured out how many skeletons there were during the fight.


    Is it gone ......?¡¡Did I defeat the skeletons so that they can no longer exist?¡¡But the skeleton I just crushed is regenerating slowly.


    A few of the many skeletons generated by the curse have vanished---a minor anomaly, but not something to be ignored.


    There is a possibility that they have escaped from here and attacked Eiri and the people in the castle.


    Thinking of this possibility, I was about to step toward Eva to rescue her as soon as possible, when suddenly a white arm shot out from the ground and grabbed my leg.


    "---?


    "a......haha......"


    Two skeletons emerged from the ground as if passing through.


    They grabbed my legs tightly with their thin arms and started laughing.


    No way!¡¡I didn''t think they could attack through the ground from such a distance. I had thought that the curses were coming out from under Eva''s feet, so I wasn''t paying attention to her feet at all.


    d*mn, by making me immobilized, the skeletons floating around me started to move again. ......!


    "You''re good at surprise attacks, aren''t you? ......!¡¡But don''t be screaming when we catch you!"


    He stomps on the leg he''s grabbed and rips off the restraints.


    But while I was distracted by the skeleton on my leg, one of the skeletons grabbed my arm and bit me with its rattling teeth.


    I feel a squeezing pain on my trousers.


    ---help me.......


    ---Let me help you.......


    ---I want to stay, I want to stay.......


    "G-G-Gh, ah, ah!"


    What, I have the same headache as before......!


    And something else was pouring into my head. ....... Don''t tell me that these guys were aiming to bite me instead of attacking me from the beginning. ......!


    The pain in my head makes me lose the strength to unshake the skeleton. As if they had seen the opportunity, the skeletons that had been watching me around the room all intertwined with my body at once and bit me vigorously.


    As if my vision was splitting, several images and voices were forcibly projected onto the screen, and I screamed in anguish.


    "Ugh,ugh,...... get away from me,......"


    The force of the bite is not that strong.


    The nausea and the headache are more intense than the voices rushing through my head and the scenes I''ve never seen before---it''s as if I''m being shown dozens of different views at the same time.


    "Oh no, this could be bad. ......


    The first attack I''ve ever had...


    They''re going to weaken me mentally.


    The way I''ve been fighting, I can''t ...... win.


    What are you obsessed with?¡¡You''re a handful!


    A voice like the ringing of a bell falls from above my head, as I''m knocked back and forth by my blurred vision.


    Something rests on my shoulder.


    The next moment, a familiar purple pattern runs across my body.


    "Yeeee!


    "Hee-hee!"


    The pattern spread throughout my body, and the skeletons that were clinging to me were blown away.


    With that, the headache vanished as if it were a lie, and his vision returned to normal.


    Shaking my head, I stand up and thank the owl on my shoulder --- her.


    "Huh, huh, huh. ...... Thank you, thank you for saving my life. Thanks for the help.


    "What''s more, how could you let this happen when I wasn''t looking at you?¡¡What did you do to activate the curse?


    That''s what I want to know.


    Nair, who pointed at Eva with his wings and appealed for an explanation of the situation, laughed bitterly and breathed a sigh of relief.


    If you hadn''t come along, it would have been really close .......


    "I''ll explain in a minute. But that''s..."


    "Ah, ah!"


    "Uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh!"


    Fighting them, though.


    I caught sight of the skeleton, which glared at me and N¨¦a and snapped its chains and teeth angrily, and I regulated my ragged breathing and readied my fists.


    Saved by Nair, I explained what had just happened as I dodged the skeleton''s attack.


    During this time, Nair was casting a spell on my body, so that every time I was attacked by a skeleton, a purple pattern would appear on my uniform.


    The skeleton that had been biting me earlier had been flipped off, so I wondered if this was some kind of liberation spell.¡¡I had thought inwardly that it would be useless, but it turns out to be useful in unexpected ways.


    "I see... I see..."


    "If you have found a solution, I wish you would tell me about it right away!"


    I say desperately to Nair, who is quietly pondering on my shoulder, while I am fighting off a large number of skeletons that are attacking me with my fists. I mean, why aren''t you moving at all even though you''re on my shoulder ......!


    You''re moving pretty fast, but you don''t seem to be falling at all.


    "Usato, the solution to this is simple. Just cast the spell I''m currently casting on Usato into the girl.


    "...... is it that simple?"


    Yes, the corpses with bad taste are summoned here through the medium of the girl. Once we disable her, we''re all set.


    "So you''re saying that if we can get her, the relay, away from the curse, they''ll disappear?"


    "That''s right!¡¡Come on, you know what I''m talking about!


    Why do I get a compliment now?


    Do I look that stupid to you, me?


    But this is a solution I would never have thought of. Once again, I''m glad she''s here.


    ...... If Eva is the relay, is it safe to assume that the main curse is somewhere else?


    "But it''s your job to cast the spell."


    I thought you were going to do it!¡¡...... I can''t do magic."


    "I know that. But not if you''re one with me now. Raise your hands, Usato.


    Once I have distanced myself from the skeletons, I do as she asks and raise my hands.


    Then a purple pattern of magic travels from N¨¦a''s small body to mine, down my arms and gathers in my hands.


    "This is ......."


    "I activate the magic and channel it into your body. All you have to do is shake your fist without thinking. The binding spell should disable any skeletons that get in your way for a short time.


    "This is exactly what the devil''s gold is ......!!!"


    He clenches his magic-covered hands and stares at the skeletons in front of him.


    I myself know well the power of the binding spell. If I can cast this on the skeleton, I can seal it even if it regenerates.


    "But the moment I cast the spell, I have to break the spell I''m casting on you. At that moment, you will be defenseless."


    "...... don''t worry about me. The pain is not unbearable."


    "That''s a crazy thing to say. ....... Well, here they come!¡¡It''s our first attempt, but let''s make it work!"


    "Yeah!"


    I respond to her pep talk and leap out as fast as I can in the direction Eva is.


    I strike one of the skeletons floating in the air like a wall with my left fist, drawing it in wide.


    "Huh!"


    The skeletons, which had been blown away with shattered particles, were bound by the binding spell and began to shake and twitch as they hit the ground.


    The magic of the left hand that hit the skeleton was consumed by the previous blow, but Nair replenishes it immediately.


    I mean, this is, well....


    Combined with the healing punch, I can make an amazing technique that combines restraint and healing. .......


    "Ugh, eww..."


    Concentrate on your magic!¡¡The next one is coming!


    I thought that too, but don''t say it out loud.


    But this way, even if it regenerates, it can be immobilized without question. Even if it''s only for a short time, it''s more than enough for me.


    I charge forward in a straight line toward Eva, swinging my fists and dropping the attacking skeletons like they are winged insects. I close the distance to Eva at once and call out to N¨¦a, who is continuing to use her magic next to me.


    "N¨¦a, get ready!


    "I know, I know!


    N¨¦a tilts her small head slightly at the sound of my voice, but Eva''s figure is already close at hand.


    The skeleton that I first hexed is probably on the move, so let''s get her out of this curse quickly.


    He opens his left fist, which is not accompanied by the binding spell, and puts his left hand on Eva''s head as soon as she stops in front of him.


    Now!


    "Let''s go, break the spell!"


    As soon as Nair activates the spell, the magic covering my body disappears...?¡¡Why do you put a spell on a spell?


    I question Nair''s action, but my thoughts are forcibly interrupted by a skeleton approaching from behind, entangling my body and biting me.


    "Ku,gu......ne,a."


    "Set the target to <!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!¡¡I will use the art of defiance to repel it!¡¡With this..."


    The magic invoked by Nair flows into her from her left hand, which is touching Eva''s head in her headache-stricken, shaky vision.


    When the magic spreads to cover Eva''s entire body, the skeletons around her disappear to the ground as if something is dragging them down.


    The one that had been biting me likewise removes its teeth as if it were losing its strength, and then it weakly disappears.


    "...... Eva!"


    With the skeletons gone, she is freed and falls forward.


    As I lay her on the ground in my arms, I noticed something was wrong with her.


    "Her hair has turned ...... blue,......Nea, this is ......."


    Eva''s pure white hair turned blue and fresh, as if she was regaining her color.


    And the magic that N¨¦a had cast on her still hangs on.


    What''s going on, what''s happening to her? .......


    As she is just puzzled by the scene in front of her, Nair jumps down from her shoulder and looks at Eva thoughtfully.


    "Maybe it''s because I ripped off the guys who were sucking the existence out of this girl ......."


    "So why does your hair change color ......?"


    "I guess that means it was blue to begin with."


    Was it because of the curse that her hair was pure white?


    Can we assume that she is now free from the curse?


    Is she safe now?


    "...... No."


    "Why?¡¡Didn''t you exorcise Eva''s curse?"


    At my words, Nea, who had been standing beside me, shakes her head slowly.


    "No, I didn''t. I cast a spell of resistance. She''s only resistant to the curse now, and once it''s lifted, the ones from before will ...... come back."


    "...... that this is only a stopgap ......?"


    So they''re not going to let it end so easily.


    I guess there''s nothing else to do but to strike at the root of the curse.


    We''ve finally got them by the tail. I won''t let them get away with this! I''ll break the curse and save Eva!


    "...... I think I''m getting the idea. I think I''ve figured out what this curse is.


    What?¡¡Nair, it''s...


    Usato-sama!


    ""!!!""


    I was about to ask her about the curse when Eiri-san, dressed in his nightgown, came running out of the door of the house with a bloodthirsty look on his face, and she and I both shut our mouths.


    I think to myself, this is not like him, who is always so calm and collected.


    "Eiri-san, ...... this is..."


    Oh no, under the circumstances it could look as if I had harmed Eva.


    I don''t know how to explain it.


    I was upset, but I was thinking of some way to explain to Eiri, when he came running toward me and stopped in his tracks.


    "...... Eliza, sir?"


    "What?"


    He looked at Eva''s face and mumbled something like that. He immediately looked up and rubbed his eyes and looked at me who was holding her close to me.


    "......, I saw what was happening from the window!¡¡I know that Usato-sama saved the princess!¡¡Anyway!¡¡Take her to her bedroom!"


    Yes, yes!


    I picked Eva up and walked toward the house as Eiri instructed,


    "...... Oh, shit. Those bones. ......"


    I look at my shadow created by the moonlight and swear in a way that is unlike me.


    There is nothing wrong with my own shadow.


    But the shadow of her that I am holding is more than half of her body gone.


    The few remaining shadows seemed to point to the rest of her life, and I couldn''t help but realize that things were going to get worse.

 94 - the eighty-ninth episode

    After Nair''s magic had removed the cursed skeletons that had been eating away at Eva''s body, I carried her to the bedroom as Eiri had instructed me to do.


    She is dead asleep, but still breathing.


    She is ...... but visibly weak.


    "......I wonder if she''ll ever wake up."


    Eiri has gone to the castle to inform the others about the incident, so she is not here.


    I slowly meditate and talk to Nea, seeing her illuminated by the moonlight coming in through the window.


    "N¨¦a, how long does the magic of resistance last?"


    "About half a day. But it will last as long as I keep adding magic to it. But that''s not..."


    "It''s not a radical solution ......, is it?"


    Nair nodded in agreement.


    The only reason Eva is safe now is because she has a resistance spell that can repel the curse. If it were to be broken, she would become weaker and weaker... and then disappear.


    "Even if she regains consciousness, she will not be able to live properly. And Usato can''t be tied to this country forever."


    "......Yes. We don''t have much time.


    That is why it is preferable to settle the matter in a short period of time.


    Fortunately, we''ve got them by the tail. The skeleton was saying strange things during the last battle and Nair seems to have noticed something.


    Nair, you said you knew what this curse was. Will you tell me?"


    "Sure. But that doesn''t mean we know the whole truth, does it?


    I don''t care.


    What we need now is information about the skeleton.


    I need to hear anything, no matter how trivial it may seem.


    Usato, it was a curse, not a curse. Oh, but is it a curse, too?¡¡If you include the secondary effects, yes, but the main part is that one. ......"


    "...... Hmm, hmm?¡¡I''m sorry, I don''t understand."


    At least break it down for me so I can understand.


    I don''t understand enough about curses and stuff like that.


    "I said I understood too, but I''m not sure. What I do know for sure is that those skeletons are disembodied souls.


    "Disembodied souls?"


    "Disembodied souls?¡¡Ghosts.


    "...... what?¡¡I''m sorry, what did you just say?"


    "?¡¡A ghost. A ghost, a wandering, willful energy entity in search of a body."


    "......"


    Never have I heard so many facts that I wish I hadn''t.


    I mean, are those guys ghosts?¡¡I punched them hard, but the thought of them being ghosts now scares me later. .......


    Not noticing my tight smile, Nair spins her words.


    "They cursed the royal family and the previous generation of heroes---well, the reason they cursed Usato for being mistaken for the previous generation of heroes was because they had a grudge against him."


    "...... I know that when I hear what they say and do. But why were they saying things like, in my case, if I''m trapped, I''ll be released?"


    "That''s the point, that''s the point."


    Nair thrust her wings toward me as if to point.


    What''s so important?¡¡The skeleton''s words?


    "You said a soul without a body can''t stay in this world, right?¡¡But that skeleton stays. That means there''s something holding that skeleton''s soul to this world.


    "What ...... you mean, if we destroy that something, we can unleash the skeletons that are eating away at Eva?"


    "I don''t mean to be rude, but yes. If we''re lucky, the stolen beings and souls may come back.


    Thinking back, those skeletons were collared and chained.


    Is that the "something" that binds those skeletons?


    What I don''t understand is how that something is binding the souls to this world.


    "Maybe some kind of witchcraft?¡¡I mean, what else could it be? ......"


    "It''s funny because it''s magic. They don''t usually last that long."


    "You said before that magic either disappears over time or works semi-permanently."


    As I recall, this is what she told me before I visited Samaritan --- when she was teaching me about the magic of liberation.


    "Yes. But for magic to work, it needs fuel, magic power. The longer the years, the more magic is needed."


    "...... I mean, that one?¡¡You mean a demon like you who can use magic is behind this curse?"


    It''s possible.


    ...... Possibility that demons other than Nair are involved?


    The possibility of having a clear enemy makes things easier for me, but I also have to consider the damage to my surroundings.


    As I crossed my arms and groaned in worry, Nair, who had not finished talking to me, bent her wings and raised her index finger as if to raise it.


    "There is another possibility," she said.


    "Another one?"


    "It is to create a system that can supply magic power from the outside without a magician. Basically, magic can be activated by anyone''s magical power once the framework is created, so it can continue to move on its own even if appropriate magical power is supplied from the outside. Once the mechanism is created, it will never disappear, and it is possible to continue exercising magic almost permanently.


    "...... I see."


    I have no idea.


    What you are saying is that if we create a system that supplies the magic power to fuel the magic so that it doesn''t disappear on its own, we can do without a magician. ......?


    "......I don''t know if it''s the same demon as me or if it''s working on a system that someone made a long time ago, but I feel sorry for it."


    "...... about Eva?"


    No, I mean her soul.


    The skeleton?


    I let out a doubtful voice at her words, but Nair looks out the window sadly and mutters to herself.


    "Because the soul without a body wants to be liberated. And he looks crazy, doesn''t he?¡¡Wanting to be released, wanting a body, wanting to live again... dozens, maybe hundreds of duplicated thoughts are distorted and attacking this girl who is the target of the curse.


    "...... are you taking away Eva''s existence because you want a living body?"


    What in the world are those skeletons?


    If they want a living body, it means they used to be human. Come to think of it, the way they looked at me in fear when I was fighting them off was a human-like reaction, too.


    And the words that echoed in my head when I was bitten... some of them were the voices of children.


    A voice begging for help, wanting to stay, and..,


    "Brave man."


    He takes out the small sword of the previous hero from his waist and puts it on his hand and looks at it.


    "When I touched her hand, it trembled terribly. It was as if it was reacting to something.


    It''s not a coincidence, is it?


    "I did tremble. And then Eva and all the skeletons started pouring out of her and her surroundings, and the battle began. Maybe that''s it. Maybe it was this sword that made them call me brave. It doesn''t make sense otherwise.


    I am not a brave man.


    I can say that with certainty. Because two other heroes have already been summoned besides me, and I have not heard the sound of the bell that only those who are summoned hear when they are summoned.


    "Huh, I never thought I''d be called brave not only by an evil dragon but also by a ghost. ....... I''m not a brave man!


    "From my point of view, I''m brave enough. You''ll be a brave man for sure if you join this country.¡¡You have that much power.


    Kiriha told me this once.


    Being a hero in this world has two meanings.


    There are those who are summoned from other worlds like Kazuki and Inukami-senpai, and those who are recognized for their valor in this world, given titles, and become heroes.


    In either case, I don''t want the title of hero. Even now, I don''t know what kind of trouble I''ll get into when I get it.


    "Certainly ....... Usato seems to be the type of person who gets involved and gets himself into trouble. Maybe he shouldn''t be a hero with a title only."


    "I wish I hadn''t convinced him. ......"


    Nea''s words are met with disappointment.


    Well, I can''t argue with him, since I''m the one who''s getting myself into trouble this time.


    ......Now, let''s get back to my thoughts.


    After all, it was this little sword that triggered Eva''s curse. I can say that it is my fault that she is now in this situation, because I myself unintentionally grabbed her hand with this knife in my hand.


    I feel sorry for my carelessness, but I gained something.


    I go over in my mind the contents of the notebook I left in my room.


    "You know the story of the evil dragon that threatened to destroy ...... Samaliar a long time ago, and the brave warrior who defeated it, don''t you?"


    The contents of that notebook.


    "Oh ....... This story definitely happened. And I think this event is strongly connected to Eva''s curse.


    "I''d like to say ...... that it''s not. Well, I guess you can''t say that it''s irrelevant if I listen to you. ....... I want to forget about that evil dragon, but why does it keep popping up here?"


    "I don''t want to be reminded of it either."


    I''ve been in a lot of pain, and I''ve had a lot of trouble.


    Nair was almost killed in one of them.


    But now is not the time to look away. I heard the voice of the evil dragon that Nair had revived... a far more powerful, fearless, and domineering cry than the evil dragon I had met was nowhere to be found in my memory.


    "Mr. Fagunis also said that Samaria suffered a great disaster a long time ago, so there is no doubt about it. I''m sure that the evil dragon and the previous heroes are related to Eva''s curse.


    "Fegnis?¡¡Who''s that?


    Oh, Nair didn''t know.


    She tilts her head and I explain to her about Mr. Fegnis. When I told her he was the one who had taken me to the castle, she remembered him and gave me a look of disgust.


    She is not a bad person, so I tell her that he explained to me about Samaria and the tower, and that he gave me back my little sword, to improve my image at least.


    "...... Usato, don''t let him get near me."


    "I know."


    "Later, you''re being too careless. You should be more suspicious.


    "So you''re following Amaco''s lead."


    "Samaritan''s Tower, huh? Heh, it was built to restore the city after the defeat of the evil dragon. ....... He is a king with a lot of time on his hands. ......


    Nair ignores my quip and ponders what to do.


    I think it''s rude ...... to say that I''m too deceived, but it''s true that I was deceived by the owl in front of me, and as a result, I had to fight against a manipulated and fully armed Mr. Aruku and an evil dragon.


    Remembering this, I slowly droop my head.


    ...... hmm?


    "---,nea. There''s someone here, keep quiet."


    "Ryokai."


    Nair was mumbling something, but when she heard the sound of footsteps coming up, she jumped on my shoulder and hooted like an owl as if she was playing the role of a messenger owl.


    Soon after that, the castle doctor came rushing out of the door.¡¡A group of people like the castle doctor and wizards like Ms. Welsey come in through the door. They are probably the ones who have been called in to examine Eva''s condition.


    I step out of the way so as not to disturb them, lean my back against the wall next to the door and relax my shoulders.


    Then, Eiri-san came walking toward me at a slow pace from the stairs leading to the lower floor.


    "...... Mr. Usato."


    "Yes?"


    "Mr. Lucas wants to see you."


    "...... understand."


    Well, of course they''ll call you.


    I would have come to you if you hadn''t called me.


    According to Mr. Eiri, Mr. Lucas has already arrived at the ward and is waiting outside. You did not see Eva''s face?¡¡When I asked her if she had seen Eva''s face, she said no,


    "I am sure that Master Lucas is also shocked."


    ---He said...


    Shock, huh? That''s what you''d expect if your precious daughter collapsed.


    Your question was a bit insensitive.


    "Was the pattern on the princess done by you?"


    "......!"


    I couldn''t hide my agitation at the sudden question.


    I stare at Eiri walking in front of me and involuntarily stop, but I come to my senses when Nair on my shoulder taps me lightly on the cheek and I start walking again.


    Yes, Eiri has seen me casting a spell on Eva. It''s not surprising that she is aware of it.


    ...... what to do.


    I can''t keep her quiet, so I might as well explain to her what''s going on.


    "Don''t worry. I don''t mean to blame you. I know what''s going on. I know that that pattern is protecting your life right now. ......"


    "......"


    "To begin with, it''s not at all like any curse I know of. When I see that the princess''s hair has regained its original color, I know that the pattern is keeping the curse away from her."


    Knowing Eiri''s mother, who was under the same curse as Eva, it is not surprising that she would notice Nair''s magic, which seems to have different symptoms than before.


    Frankly, I am glad that she did not think that I had harmed Eva. If I had, I''d have been stuck in a situation where I couldn''t help her in the worst possible way. .......


    "The curse that is consuming the princess''s body is a terrible curse that takes away her color, her presence, and in the end, she will disappear from everything. It has never happened before that she, under such a curse, suddenly returns to her original form."


    "By her original appearance, do you mean the hair she had as a child?"


    "Yes, she had beautiful hair, just like Eliza, and she was so cheerful and smiling, as if she were a living replica of her.


    Eiri said these words as if immersed in a memory.


    But he stopped in front of the door leading outside.


    "Eiri?"


    "......I really thought I would never see the same princess again as I did when I was a child. I thought that she would disappear just like Eliza, without being able to say goodbye to anyone."


    Disappearing without anyone knowing---that must be very painful.


    For the person and the people around him or her.


    "I can do nothing but be a butler. I am a weak man who has never wielded magic or a sword in my 30 years of life. Even so, as a butler, I have done my best so that the princess could live without inconvenience. But now I have nothing to do for the princess. ...... I am so frustrated by that. ......"


    "...... Eiri, you are not a weak person."


    His voice trembles, denying his words.


    I have gotten to know Eiri well over the past few days.


    She is a great cook, an amazing person who can handle any kind of household chores, and a person who cares very much about Eva.


    He is a great cook, a great housekeeper, and a man who cares for Eva very much... He is a man who has watched her grow up for a long time, and there is no way he can be called a weak man.


    "Even if you don''t fight, the fact remains that you have supported Eva until today. So you... please pray for Eva''s safety as you have always done."


    "Mr. Usato, ......"


    "So, being the physical type, I''ll break her curse."


    "What ...... break?¡¡What in the world are you ......?"


    I step forward to cross next to him.


    If I''ve dared this much, all I have to do now is move forward.


    But as I turn my head, the owl on my shoulder taps me lightly on the wing, and I turn to the side to see a pouting, beak-tipped nea directing me with her wings.


    "Ho!"


    "Oh, sorry, I''m not the only one."


    Smiling at her self-confidence, I put my hand on the doorknob, turn around and say, "I''m not going to do it.


    "We''ll take care of her curse," she says.


    After saying these words, I opened the door to the outside with Eiri''s surprised face on my back.


    Outside was the pitch-dark garden and the view of the castle, which had been lit up by the previous commotion.


    Without any hesitation, I walk to the grave of Eva''s mother---Lucas'' wife, Lady Eliza.


    "...... have you come?"


    He was sitting cross-legged in front of the grave as before.


    He mumbled to me without looking back at me, and I approached him without hesitation and opened my mouth.


    "Mr. Lucas, I need to talk to you."


    Now, here''s the deal.

 95 - the 90th episode

    It is the fifth day since Usato went to the castle.


    It was also the day after Nair went to see Usato.


    Aruk and I stayed in the room of the inn to avoid going out as much as possible, but we were worried about Usato who did not come back for a long time.


    "Usato, I wonder if he is okay. ......"


    "I think he can handle most things, but if he doesn''t come back for five days, you might want to consider that something is wrong."


    Usually we are in separate rooms, but when we talk like this we sit at the end of the big dining room on the first floor.


    Nea is away with Usato right now, but I told the workers that she is resting in her room because she is not feeling well, so there is no problem.


    But..,


    "I''m worried about Usato, but this situation is also strange. I''m worried about Usato too, but this situation is also strange. And yet, no one is kicking me out or telling the knights."


    "Aside from Nair, the fact that he knows who Lord Amaco is and does nothing about it suggests ...... that King Samaritan knew about us in advance."


    Mr. Arque puts his hand on his chin thoughtfully and says so, keeping his voice down so that others cannot hear him.


    In addition, Mr. Alc said that the purpose of the king of Samaritan might be Usat.


    "But that probably doesn''t mean that he doesn''t know about the Kingdom of Lingle and our actions up to Lukvis --- and about the ne''er-do-wells we made friends with on our journey."


    "...... I know it''s annoying, but I guess that means he''s been working in places we didn''t expect him to."


    You have to admit that the fact that a loud, brazen vampire with a friendly attitude toward Usato is helpful.


    The image of Nair''s taunting smile flashed in my mind, and I pressed my temples to calm myself down.


    "Anyway, we''ll just have to wait for Nair to come back ......"


    "Yes, sir. If we know that Usato is being held prisoner, then we may consider going to the castle. It is only a last resort. ......


    "Can Usato be captured?"


    "....... hahahahaha, even Usato-dono is a human being."


    I wonder what the pause is now.


    But Usato is not a man who can be captured by ordinary means.


    He is fast, strong, and very stubborn.


    He has the guts to fight even against an evil dragon.


    If he has a weakness, it is .......


    "He can''t turn a blind eye, or ......"


    I, Nack, the victims of the evil dragon, and Nair cannot turn a blind eye.


    He may deny that he is such a good-natured person, but he cannot ignore the calls for help. And he can''t just overlook those who are suffering.


    I think this is what is dangerous about Usato.


    "...... Maybe he is being seduced by the Princess of Samaritan, just like Lady Kazuki. I overheard that she is quite beautiful. Ha-ha-ha."


    "......"


    "Oh, yes, I''m kidding. I''m sorry."


    Aruk-san''s cheerful smile, intended to cheer me up after I had become somber, unintentionally caused me to lose my facial expression.


    "Usato is not so fashionable because strange people like him."


    Kazuki and Welshy, Kiriha and some others are normal and kind people, but Suzune, Halfa, Nea, and maybe Rose and the people of the rescue squad are liked by people who are a little dangerous in many ways, so what Alc said is not impossible.


    "I hope I''m not in trouble. ......"


    "That''s what it''s already become, isn''t it?"


    "!!!?"


    I look up at the third person''s voice and turn in its direction.


    There, Nair, who had gone to the castle in the form of an owl, was standing in front of the entrance to the dining hall, smiling and waving at me in the form of a village girl.


    Nair, who had gone to Usato''s place, returns.


    She looked somewhat languid as she approached the table where Mr. Alc and I were sitting, and she sat down on the chair that Mr. Alc had pulled out without hesitation, and leaned her body against the table as if she had lost her strength.


    I call out to her.


    "So, what happened?"


    "Well, I don''t know. I should tell her, but I''m too tired...".


    .......


    "Hmph."


    "Ow!"


    He silently formed his hand into a hand-knife and slammed it down on Nair''s head with a rather serious effort.


    Nair fell down from the chair holding his head and fell down.


    "What are you doing?¡¡I was just trying to make fun of you!


    "I don''t need that, just talk to me. Next time I''ll put my tail between your legs.


    "Puncture? You''re really starting to get on my nerves, aren''t you?


    I think it''s understandable to be annoyed when he makes it clear that he''s in trouble, and then he makes it sound like he doesn''t want to talk about it.


    "Now, now, now, please calm down. Nair is probably tired, so why don''t we talk over lunch for now?


    "Yes, yes. I''ve been working so hard and I''m hungry and I''m tired. So why don''t you get your hands off me ......!"


    "......"


    I nodded reluctantly at Mr. Aruk''s words, sat back in my chair, and put my cloak on deeply again.


    It''s no use. He certainly looks tired.


    Mr. Aruk asked the innkeeper for lunch, and a hot lunch for three people was soon brought to the table, as if he had prepared it beforehand.


    "So, about Usato, he is now involved in some trouble, to tell you the truth. And a rather troublesome one at that.


    I held my forehead as Nea poked at her salad with a fork and said, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry.


    Why are you getting into trouble while we''re just a few minutes away from ......usato.


    What''s going on?


    Have you heard of the Princess of Samaritan?


    ...... only by rumor. She''s the daughter of King Samaritan, who has never been seen?


    "Yes. Usato lived with her for four days until yesterday. By arrangement with the King of Samaritan.


    What are you doing, Usato ......!


    This time, he is holding his head and feeling inexpressible to Usato in the castle. How is he supposed to live with the princess of a country? At least, that''s not the way an emissary is treated.


    Nair explained briefly why Usato had been invited to the castle.


    "I see, so the reason you invited Usato to the castle was to extract him ......?"


    "Yes, that''s right. He refused to be extracted. Instead, he had to stay at the castle for a few days.


    It''s about Usato. He must have agreed to the letter for some reason, like he couldn''t ignore the other party''s kindness after he had accepted the letter.


    "That''s not important. The problem is the princess-Eva Urd-Samarial.


    "What''s wrong with her?¡¡Don''t tell me that the princess has fallen in love with Usato-dono ......?"


    "If she had, she''d still be cute!"


    Nair slowly shakes her head at Mr. Aruku''s half-smiling words.


    "She was cursed. A troublesome curse that neither healing magic nor curing spells can do anything about.


    "Curse ....... Is it like the magic of Neah?"


    "It''s more ghoulish than witchcraft. Curses, made up in ways that most sane minds would not dream of doing, are poisoning her body."


    "...... Usato, are you trying to help that person?"


    When I ask this, the woman in front of me slumps her shoulders in disgust.


    Somehow I could tell by the way she looked at him that she knew what he was doing.


    "I implicitly told him to leave me alone, but he wanted to help me like a child, so I''ve been scrambling around the castle until now. He''s never learned his lesson even though he''s been attacked by a curse once.


    "Attacked by the ...... curse?¡¡Do you mean that the curse has a will?"


    "Well, that''s the complicated part. Well, this is something I have to explain. I need to know it in order for you to help me.


    Help?


    Does Nair''s return have a purpose other than to explain Usato''s situation?


    "From now on, I will tell you the true nature of the curse that has been affecting Eva Ould Samaritan. Then you will help me with my perfect plan to destroy the curse once and for all."


    ¡ñ


    "Dear Lucas, I''m going to be direct with you. I am trying to break the Eva curse. So please tell me what the curse is.


    "What?"


    That''s too direct!¡¡I''m not the only one who thought that.


    I was astonished by Usato''s first words when I visited him to find out from Lucas the true nature of the curse of Eva Ould Samaritan.


    Lucas, the man in front of me who seemed to be the king of Samaritan, also turned his back and opened his mouth in shock at Usato''s sudden words.


    "Usato, what are you talking about all of a sudden?¡¡I was so surprised that I forgot why I called you here!


    "I don''t mean to make a joke."


    When Usato says this in a quiet voice, Lucas''s expression changes from surprise to a serious one. He had been sitting in front of the grave and slowly stood up, locking eyes with Usato.


    "...... what do you mean? Does breaking the curse mean saving Eva?"


    "I will help her."


    "This is not a problem that can be solved by brute force. You know that best, don''t you, who have faced the curse?"


    "Yes, I know that it is not something that can be solved by brute force alone. That''s why I have this.


    Usato looked at me and raised his fist.


    I read his intention and cast a spell on Usato''s hand. Lucas rolled his eyes at the purple pattern that appeared on his hand.


    "Is that, by any chance, ...... magic?"


    "Did you know that ....... I''m using my own magic, but... me and this guy can break even curses.


    It was as if he could break the curse with me, which made me feel a little funny.


    Does it mean that Usato trusts me that much?


    As I was feeling a little proud, Lucas, who was standing in front of me, sat down slowly on the ground with a stunned look on his face and gave a small laugh.


    "Ha, ha...ha...ha...ha...ha...ha...ha... My country''s information network is still not up to scratch either. ....... I never dreamed that you could handle magic. Does this mean that Eva is alive today thanks to your magic?"


    "Yes. But that''s only a stopgap measure. The only way to break the root cause is to destroy the curse itself.


    "So you want to ask me what the curse is."


    When Usato nodded his head, Lucas covered his forehead with his hand.


    "To be honest, I didn''t think you would survive. She will disappear from my life just like she did. Yes, I thought I was prepared for that. ......"


    Then he breaks off and continues to speak, his voice shaking a little.


    But I still can''t do it. I can''t give up, forever and ever, the image of Eliza who couldn''t say goodbye flickers in my mind. But if she is gone too, I no longer need to be king... I will hate her and the country she loved, Samariar... ..."


    I think I might understand this man''s feelings a little.


    Human life is short, and for me, having spent all my life in that village disguised as a human being, death comes to me suddenly one day.


    Old age, illness, being attacked by demons, or losing one''s life, there are many reasons, but no matter which one it is, it is always painful to lose someone who lived so close to you.


    I would never say such a thing in front of Usato and his friends. ......


    Usato listened to his monologue in silence. Lucas turned his eyes from the weak appearance he had earlier and opened them with a look of power.


    "Usato, what I am about to tell you is a disgrace to the royal family of Samaritan. It is the story of a fool who was possessed by greed, who was only looking for immediate profit, and who ended up binding not only himself but also his children and grandchildren with the curse of death. But I don''t know if this story will help you. Do you still want to hear it?


    "Yes, because it is necessary."


    Lucas finally felt ready to talk and sat cross-legged facing Usato.


    "Do you know that several hundred years ago, Samaria suffered a great disaster?"


    The battle between the evil dragon and the brave warrior?


    ...... doesn''t surprise me anymore. I would have thought you''d know that much. I know."


    Lucas spun his words with a slight pout on his cheeks at the knowledge that Usato already knew about the evil dragon and the heroes.


    "The battle between the heroes and the evil dragon ended with the heroes'' victory---this is the history that people in the castle know to some extent. This is the end of the history known to some people in the castle. The problem is what happens after that.


    "Beyond: ......"


    "After the battle, all that was left were ruins, wounded and poisoned people and knights who could not move properly. Aside from the buildings, it is said that the wounded were injured enough to be able to move again, if not completely, if they were treated immediately."


    Still, there must have been many deaths.


    If brave men had not appeared, the country of Samaritan might not be here today.


    "But then, the king did not see the broken city or the injured people.


    "If he didn''t see ......, what did he see?"


    The king of a country did not care about his ruined country or his wounded people. That is an unbecoming behavior for a king. A king in a normal state of mind would never do such a foolish thing.


    Then there must be a good reason.


    For example..,


    "Brave man. The king was fascinated by the power of the superhuman who defeated the evil dragon who wielded overwhelming power."


    --- the power to mesmerize others.


    The hero''s appearance must have seemed more divine and fascinating than anything else, as he defeated the monster that was so out of the ordinary, an evil dragon in a state of full health, a power beyond human understanding.


    With power, no one can defeat you, with power, you will not be overrun, with power, you will not be frightened...with power, no one can defeat you, with power, you will not be overrun, with power, you will not be frightened. The child''s logic led the king to desire the power of a brave man. But the king could not keep the heroes in the country by ordinary means, and when it was impossible to persuade or restrain them, he thought of another way.


    "Magic."


    Yes, witchcraft. It''s a lost art now, but back then there were human magicians everywhere. There was only one sorcerer in Samaritan. The king wanted to use him to create a spell to bind the heroes to the kingdom.


    "Ho ......"


    What a stupid idea.


    Witchcraft is not something that should be in the realm of easy access by humans. Any attempt to change the nature of magic, even if one could handle it, would invite danger.


    In order to prevent this, there is an insurance policy called liberation magic.


    ...... Hmm?¡¡Lost?


    "Ho, ho?"


    "What is it, Nea? I''m talking to you now, please be quiet."


    Well, I think I just heard Lucas say something I can''t quite make out.


    I tapped him lightly on the shoulder with my wing, but he rebuked me in a low voice.


    Without noticing our exchange, Lucas spun the rest of his speech.


    "But there is no way that a monster the size of a hero can be bound by ordinary magic. After all, the most powerful being who has defeated even an evil dragon should not be able to resist the magic of a single sorcerer.


    "Well, he''s slaying an evil dragon, isn''t he?"


    I myself know firsthand the fear of evil dragons.


    It was so strong even when it had been deteriorating as a corpse for many years. It is not surprising to think that in its fully recovered state, it has the power to easily overrun even a single country.


    "Normally, I would have given up the plan right there. Even if they were attracted by the power, they would have known that it was impossible to capture a brave man. It should have been, but the king was literally not normal."


    What the hell did this king do?


    "If you don''t have enough power, increase it. If it''s not big enough, make it bigger. To bind the overwhelming number of brave men, a suitable price must be paid... and for that, the king did the most foolish and unwise thing he could have done.


    "The thing you should not do most...... consideration...... No way!"


    To rule a mighty power, one must have the power to match.


    If the power of a single sorcerer alone is not enough to subdue the might of a hero... then the means are naturally limited.


    Sacrifice.


    Well, I guess you''re right.


    Human life has more energy than magic. Dozens or hundreds of them together would be a tremendous force.


    I was thinking calmly, but Usato was not so calm. He was clenching his fists and shaking his shoulders in anger.


    "A large number of wounded people, as many as five hundred, who had been damaged by the evil dragon, were used alive as dependents to strengthen the magic. The souls of men and women, young and old, were taken from them, and they all died as mute bodies. ......


    "This is ridiculous ......!"


    "I agree. But in his quest for power, the king has misplaced the priorities of those he protects. A country is only as good as its people, and the king sacrificed the people he was supposed to protect in favor of the prosperity of the country.


    "So, did you catch the heroes?"


    "No, they didn''t catch him.


    "What''s that, that sounds like ......."


    "Dogs die, don''t they?¡¡That''s the right word. The king''s plan to capture the heroes has been defeated, and all that remains are hundreds of corpses and the magic that continues to be invoked without accomplishing its goal. And the sorcery turned into a curse that consumed the royal family.


    That is the true nature of the curse that was consuming the girl.


    Perhaps those skeletons are the souls of the people of Samaria who were sacrificed to capture the heroes, and the magician who chained them up was the magician who bound their souls to Samaria.


    What happened to the sorcerer who created the curse?


    "He was executed. He was the one who had the Samaritan''s Tower built under the guise of restoration after the spell failed. ....... The king who executed the sorcerer also disappeared because of a curse.


    That''s not what Usato told me.


    I heard that the tower was built by the king of Samaritan, but he says it was built by a sorcerer. Maybe Usato heard wrong, but the difference is huge.


    If the king made it, we are still in the doubtful stage, but if the sorcerer had it made, it means something.


    "......Nea, what have you found out?"


    Usato asked in a hushed voice.


    I looked at him, nodded my head, and squeaked.


    I know what the curse is.


    I had thought that it was the same curse that had taken her body and soul, but I was wrong.


    It was the people of Samaria who had sacrificed her body, and it was the people of Samaria who had taken her soul---no, it was the curse of witchcraft that had bound her to this place called Samaria, to be exact.


    If my binding spells are those that bind the body, then the magic that the sorcerers of Samaria mastered hundreds of years ago is the magic that binds the soul. What a vicious magic you have learned!


    That''s all I know about curses.


    Thank you for telling me.


    I''m the one who should thank you. You showed me hope when I had given up. If there is anything else I can do for you, please let me know and I will do my best to help you. ......


    USATO thanked Lukas once more, bowed deeply, and left the room.


    "Anyway, next, let''s find the location of the curse''s main body."


    I''ll take care of that. It''s easier for me to move around alone, and more importantly, Usato needs to be in good shape first.


    "...... got it. You got it? I''m counting on you."


    He nodded confidently to Usato, and his thoughts were racing.


    Now that he is completely sure of the curse''s true nature, he does not need Usato''s help in what to do next.


    First of all---let''s start by looking for the curse itself, just as Usato said.


    I am sure that you will be able to find it.


    That''s why.


    "The curse of Samaritan''s people. That''s quite a messy story.


    We now have a better understanding of the nature of the curse that Usato and Nair are attempting to deal with.


    However, I have one question after listening to Nair''s story.


    Why are you here?¡¡Aren''t you supposed to be looking for the curse right now?"


    "Of course I would have found it right away. You know what?¡¡I''m an expert on curses.¡¡I''m here for another reason.


    "...... Then what is it?¡¡What''s the reason?"


    Nair cowered his shoulders in disgust, and although I was a little irritated, I calmly asked him a question.


    Nair put down her fork and put on a proud expression on her face and pointed out the window.


    "There it is."


    "...... that?"


    I look in the direction she points and see a white tower rising in the center of the country.


    It is the tower of Samaria, which rings a bell that I have heard many times since I came to this country. I wonder what is on it, which is seen as an object of prayer by the people living in Samariyar.


    How could the curse remain in force for hundreds of years? The answer is close at hand, and it''s so simple. Well, Usato can''t leave because he has to break the curse on the castle. So I''ve decided to do this job with you.


    "......Nea, what the hell are you doing?"


    Nea smiled wickedly at Aruk-san''s words and said...,


    "Tonight, we''re going to destroy the symbol of hope in Samaritan."


    He said such a preposterous thing.

 96 - 91st episode

    A few hours have passed since Nair visited Amako and her family during the day.


    The sun has already set, and the castle seen from the window of the house in the boundary is dappled with the light of torches.


    Eva still lay awake in bed in front of me, and I sat in a chair next to the bed, watching to see if the spells cast on her would be broken.


    "......I hope Nair is doing well ......"


    She looked pretty bad, so I think she''ll be okay, but her tendency to screw up at the most crucial moments makes me nervous.


    "Well, this is when you have to trust."


    I''ll be on my own and stick to her plan.


    First, I will rest my body as Nair first instructed.


    Next, I''ll keep an eye on Eva to make sure that the resistance spell I''ve cast on her won''t disappear by some accident.


    Then, if the light of the resistance spell has faded, take her outside the ward and wait for Nair to come back.


    When I gave her these three instructions, Nair said, "Even you, with all your brains, can remember this much, can''t you? I gave her a healing bump in return, and she cried with joy.


    "...... is getting a lot weaker, isn''t it?"


    The light of the resistant spells protecting Eva as she sleeps on her bed is weaker than it was when I saw her during the day.


    "It''s about time."


    Let''s get her out of here as planned.


    However, I have to destroy the curse, so Eiri, the butler, will be the one to carry her out.


    I thought it would be better to ask Master Lucas for help from the other knights, but Nair refused, so it is just me, Nair, and Eiri who are going to destroy the curse.


    Eiri has already offered to help us, so all we have to do is to call him.


    "---Mr. Usato, excuse me."


    There''s a knock at the door.


    Hmm?¡¡Is it Eiri?


    "Just in time. I was about to go get him. ....... What''s going on?¡¡What''s going on, Eiri?"


    Mr. Eiri had a rather bitter expression on his face when he opened the door.


    I wondered about him, but when Mr. Eiri took a step back before the door and shifted to the side, I understood why.


    "Hey, I''m here."


    "What about ......?¡¡Mr. Lucas?"


    Mr. Lucas appeared suddenly from behind Eiri''s back.


    What?¡¡Why?¡¡I''ve been trying to do what Nair told me to do quietly, and I didn''t tell him about the mission. .......


    Why are you here?


    "Eiri told me. We''re going to break the curse tonight, aren''t we?"


    I quickly look at Eiri and see that he too has a scowl on his face. From the look on his face, it seems that he had not expected Lucas himself to come here, even though he had reported it.


    Eiri-san bows apologetically to me and closes the door.


    "Mr. Lucas ......"


    "Don''t tell everyone, Usato. I am a father before I am a king. I can''t stand idly by while I save the life of my precious daughter.


    "But what would happen to this country if something happened to Master Lucas?


    "I''m sure the good minister will take care of it, no matter what happens to me. They are the ones who have supported me for decades. I trust them enough to take care of me no matter what happens to me.


    That''s not the point!


    Lucas laughed so brightly that I held my head down, not knowing what to say to him.


    I felt like I couldn''t say anything else. .......


    "But Usato, wandering around the castle without permission is not a very good thing. If you had been suspected, you could have been captured by the knights at the worst possible time.


    "......I was hoping that the situation could be resolved without anyone making a fuss. ......"


    It''s not that I didn''t think about getting caught. But the curse is a powerful mental attack, and you never know what might happen if you get the wrong people together.


    Especially a knight who might have a sword. If their minds can''t take it anymore, they might get confused and fight each other.


    "...... Mr. Lucas, what about your guards?"


    Of course. I have Fognis and four knights with me outside the wards.


    Yes, I see.


    Mr. Fegnis is here. I hope it doesn''t turn out like Nair said.


    But if he''s here, so be it.


    "...... Please stay away from the main source of the curse as much as possible. Let me be the only one to go near it and let the knights protect Eva.


    Are you sure you can handle this?


    The curse is a powerful psychological attack. I''m probably the only one who can handle it.


    Or, more precisely, only Nair, who deals with the magic of resistance.


    Now I''m giving magic to Eva, but it has a disadvantage that it can only be given to one target, so when I destroy the curse, Eva''s magic must be lifted and I must put on the magic of resistance.


    For now, let''s move on with Eva."


    "...... is it safe to move Eva?"


    "If the spell is broken, the curse will come from anywhere. So it''s safer to have her near me, where she''ll be the priority target.


    Once again, if the curse is triggered using Eva as a medium, her existence will surely disappear.


    I have a plan in case the curse strikes Eva before it strikes me, but I don''t want to do it if I can help it.


    Praying inwardly that this will not happen, I put on my coat that was hanging on the chair and get ready.


    "---Dad,...... Usato?"


    ""!?"""


    I heard a small voice in my ear as I was getting ready.


    I turned around at the same time as Mr. Lucas and saw Eva lying on the bed with her eyes thinly open.


    "Eva, are you all right?"


    "Uh ...... I''m fine. What the hell happened?


    she asked as she slowly sat up, seeing the face of Master Lucas approaching her.


    Don''t you remember?¡¡Is your memory muddled?


    "Oh, and what is your father doing here?¡¡Isn''t he busy with his work?"


    "...... hahaha, I''ve already finished my work."


    "Oh, really?¡¡Then we''re together today."


    Eva let out a happy smile.


    But when she picked up her hair, which was shaking in her vision, she let out a cry of surprise.


    "My hair is turning blue!


    Come to think of it, she didn''t know that her hair had changed color.


    Since I can''t upset her by telling her about the curse out of the blue, I''ll just say that the color was changed by the magic I used for some reason.


    She tilted her head and played with her blue hair, then looked up as if she had just remembered something.


    "---Oh, if your father is here, we have to get ready to entertain him right now!"


    She moves the futon off and gets up, slowly putting her feet down on the floor.


    "...... eh."


    "Eva, you don''t have to do too much ...... Eva?"


    I noticed that her movement stopped unnaturally as she lowered her legs from the bed, and I looked at her with a little self-consciousness.


    Her eyes were looking down, and when I looked at the other end of her gaze, I saw..,


    "No shadow, no ......?"


    "!!!"


    Oh shit ......!


    The shadow created by the moonlight formed only the dress she was wearing and --- only half of her body remained.


    Eva looked up and saw me in the dress that seemed to be floating unnaturally, and she started shaking as if she was hugging her own body.


    "Eva, what''s wrong? Are you okay?


    "Don''t touch me!¡¡Don''t touch me! Don''t touch me!


    Eva crawls away from Lucas, who tries to put his hand on her shoulder. She moves to the window, looks at me and mutters in a small voice, ".


    From the looks of her, it seems that she was still conscious when she was being controlled by the curse.


    It''s not surprising that she would end up like this, since her body had been taken over by someone she didn''t know and she had heard the vindictive voices of the people of Samariat, just like me.


    "Usato, what should I do? ......"


    "Master Lucas, I''ll take care of it."


    I say this to Mr. Lucas, who is upset and unsure of what to do, and take a step forward.


    I''m not sure, but I have to calm her down.


    "Don''t come near me, Usato-san! I''ll get another curse. ......


    She held her head in her hands as she approached the bed.


    I think the curse was triggered by my touching her at that moment.


    It''s a bad curse, but she seems to think that if I touch her, someone will be hurt badly.


    When she sees that I won''t come any closer, she looks up.


    "I ...... don''t want you to go away.¡¡I don''t want you to go away with me. ...... believe me, please."


    "...... don''t worry, I believe in you."


    Those skeletons, you don''t think she told them that if they made me disappear, we could be together?


    I know you''re desperate to be free from the curse, but I can''t forgive you.


    Suppressing my anger, I talk to her calmly.


    "You were just taken over by the curse at that time.


    "......."


    "Now that I''ve used magic to keep you away from the curse, you don''t have to worry about being manipulated. So you don''t have to worry. Here."


    She holds out her right palm in front of Eva, who is hiding it as if she were holding her hand.


    She sees my hand and her eyes and slowly reaches out her trembling hand as if she is frightened.


    I pull my hand back in confusion, but a cool hand is placed on my palm.


    "Ah ......"


    When the curse was triggered, it was because I touched her hand, but now that the curse has been banished by the magic of resistance, nothing happens when I touch her.


    Now that ......nea is gone, it''s only a matter of time.


    "Hey, it''s okay, right?"


    "...... yes."


    She let out a faint breath of relief and squeezed my hand.


    Thank God, she seems to have calmed down, but... this is so embarrassing. I''m so embarrassed by my behavior now that I feel the urge to kick myself right here and now.


    Usato.


    "...... Yes?¡¡Yes?


    As I was fainting in agony from the embarrassment inside, I noticed that Master Lucas was standing next to me, looking down at me intently.


    I change my gaze from Mr. Lucas to Eva, and my face turns pale.


    "Well, this is, uh..."


    Holding the hand of the princess of a country, even if it was necessary, was beyond insane.


    Even her father, Lucas, had joked about taking a wife, but in a situation like this, he could have said, "Why are you touching my daughter''s hand?" ......!


    "Do you still don''t want to take my daughter?"


    "What?"


    Are you talking about that?


    I was wondering what he was going to say when he looked at me with a blank expression on his face.


    Eva and I looked up in surprise, and Lucas-sama, who had just smiled at us, continued to speak.


    "Well, it''s at times like this that you can see what true feelings are. I am impressed. I must admit that I am impressed. Take care of my daughter, Usato.


    "Please don''t make it sound like you were reluctant to ......"


    I think I was in a ...... mess of a mood.


    I was so much in the mood that I couldn''t find a single element of a stubborn father in anything I said or did.


    "Well, let''s talk about this after I save my daughter.


    "...... what?¡¡You''re not going to make a joke out of this?"


    Something terrible awaited me after I saved Eva.


    "Well, father, what ...... do you mean by saving ......?"


    "Now Usato is going to break your curse."


    "Mr. Usato, you are ......"


    "Well, anyway, I''ll explain the details as we go."


    Master Lucas crouched down in front of Eva, who looked at me dumbfounded, and put his hands on her back and knees and lifted her up.


    Shall I hold her up halfway?¡¡I asked him,


    "I''ll take care of this. ......Maybe we should ...... no, let''s get out of here anyway."


    "...... Okay. Then please follow behind me.


    I knew what Master Lucas was going to say.


    Failure to destroy the curse would mean that I would be bound to this castle with my soul, and she would disappear.


    "I won''t let you be the last!"


    I have no intention of failing.


    I will do everything in my power to break the curse of Samaritan... I walk out the door with even more determination.

 97 - ninety-second episode

    I asked Eiri to look after Eva and Lucas left the house, and we met up with Fegnis and the four knights who were waiting for us outside the boundary.


    "Usato-sama, where should we go now?"


    The curse is near the throne. The curse is located near the throne, so let''s move closer to the throne. Mr. Fagunis, would it be all right if I ask you to show me the way?¡¡Actually, I''m not sure how to get to ...... the throne. ......"


    "...... understand."


    When Mr. Fegnis came up to me and Master Lucas, he gave instructions to the knights behind him and they started walking toward the castle with him in the lead.


    We entered the castle through the warding garden and walked along the passageway illuminated by the lights of the magic tools.


    "Usato, it''s a little late to ask this, but what does ...... the curse look like?¡¡Eiri told me about it, but it''s too abstract for me to understand at this point.


    "Yes, ......."


    I looked at Eva with a sideways glance at Mr. Lucas''s question and then thought back to last night.


    The skeletons were ...... simply put, skeletons with only the upper half of their bodies, with collars around their necks and chains extending from them.


    "Poor souls in chains......?


    "Chains, is that the curse the sorcerer has placed on us?"


    "Perhaps, yes. They want the living bodies of Eva''s ...... Samaritan royalty. Their resentment is so strong because they were deprived of their lives for selfish reasons, and at the same time they want to be free from the curse that binds them to the land of Samaria for hundreds of years. These two wishes have muddled together and Eva is now in this state. ......"


    When I said these words, Eva looked sad.


    "Poor people."


    "...... I guess so."


    I said the same thing as Nair, but in her case, it has a different meaning since her life is in danger from those poor people.


    I guess it''s her kindness that she still feels sorry for me.


    "One last thing. This is what I found out while I was fighting them, they were looking for a brave man. If they could capture a brave man, their souls would be freed and they would be free.


    "Will that set you free?"


    "I don''t know. But if that happens, there is a strong possibility that I, who am mistaken for a hero, will be bound to Samaritan and Eva will disappear as well.


    "......"


    Master Lucas, his face contorted as if he didn''t want to imagine it, reasserts his hold on Eva.


    "Hmm?¡¡Wait a minute, you may have extraordinary power, but you are not a brave man. Why did the curse react?"


    "That''s ......"


    Are you sure?¡¡I''m saying this in his presence.


    Nair told me not to stir things up until we go destroy the curse. ...... No, the opposite is true. I have to say it here.


    I show Master Lucas the small sword at my belt.


    The reason is this.


    Usato, why do you have that?


    "......"


    Mr. Lucas looks astonished.


    Seeing his reaction, I call out to Mr. Fegnis, who is walking in front of me.


    "Mr. Fegnis, I told you before, didn''t I?¡¡This is an out-of-this-world sword."


    "......Yes, indeed."


    "Ha-ha-ha. Hey, hey, hey, Fegnis. Did you give it to him?¡¡Usato may be a trusted guest, but he''s not from this country. And it''s unheard of for a man to return a weapon in a castle.


    Mr. Lucas laughs as he talks to Mr. Fegnis, but he still doesn''t look back at him.


    I turn to Mr. Lucas again.


    "Master Lucas, let me check. Is this the knife you authorized me to give you?


    "No, no, but ......?"


    So I can return it without your permission?


    "I trust you, but Eva is nearby. I trust you, but Eva is nearby. I can''t just give it to her without permission.


    In other words, Mr. Fegnis is acting on his own.


    ...... should be on the lookout. The knights around us can''t be trusted if they work for Mr. Faegnis.


    Sir Lucas, please step back.


    Hmm? What''s going on?


    ......


    He stops Mr. Lucas with his hand and stops his footsteps.


    His eyes never leave Mr. Fegnis, who has stopped as we did.


    "Usato, aren''t we going to destroy the curse now?¡¡What the hell is going on? ......


    "The situation has changed. Please hold on to Eva tightly, because things could get rough."


    Slowly and cautiously, he backs away from Mr. Fegnis and the knights.


    The knights seem to be upset, but I can''t tell if it is because of my behavior or something else.


    "Please stay away from us, too. If you approach us, we will beat you up without question.


    He doesn''t take a stance and only uses words to threaten.


    Still no hostility toward the knights. The only clear suspect now is Mr. Fegnis, who still turns his back on us.


    "Usato-san, are you okay ......?"


    Eva, who was standing behind me, spoke to me uneasily.


    I reply as gently as I can without looking back.


    "Yes, don''t worry. No matter what happens from now on, I will protect you and Mr. Lucas.


    In truth, it would be better if Nea were wrong.


    But if Mr. Fegnis is doing what Nair says, I can never trust him to have my back.


    That''s why I''m going to find out now if he''s a friend or a foe.


    "The suspicions I have about you now may just be a mistake. I wish I were, too, but my suspicions are deepened by what Mr. Lucas just said at ......."


    Why did he return the knife to me without permission?


    It was unusual. Even if I was recognized as a trustworthy person, it''s not normal to give swords to someone in a castle.


    Especially when I was near Eva, the princess.


    Why did you give me back the sword?


    "......"


    "Perhaps you understood more deeply than Lucas-sama about the curse of the evil dragon and the heroes ...... no, the curse?"


    "......"


    "......If we assume that you know that and you returned this to me: ...... you were willing to let Eva fall into danger?"


    "......"


    Silence on all questions.


    Even Lucas and Eva, who had been sent to the back of the room, seem to have finally grasped the situation and are holding their breath, muttering in disbelief.


    "Did you give this to me on your own initiative or did you really give it to me out of kindness? If you don''t make that clear to me right here and now... I can''t trust you.


    He says this with his eyes downcast.


    Then Mr. Fegnis put his hand over his eyes.


    "Before that, may I ask you a question?"


    "What is ......?"


    Is it real?


    "......"


    I think we''ve established that. The fact that Mr. Fegnis wants to know the identity of this small knife, rather than words to prove his innocence, is because he has a reason and value enough to ask it.


    I thrust the small sword in my hand forward and open my mouth.


    "This is a sword that was handled by a true hero.


    "......!¡¡......Kuku,KukuKuku."


    Mr. Fegnis'' shoulders tremble as he turns his back to us.


    "Ha-ha-ha-ha!¡¡I see, I see!¡¡I was right after all!"


    I was horrified to see him laughing with joy, unlike his previous calm and polite appearance.


    "At first, I was only speculating. The sword he was handling!¡¡A sword that had been missing for hundreds of years, I never thought it would turn up like this. ......!"


    "Usato,...... am I ...... dreaming?"


    Master Lucas is shocked to see Mr. Fegnis in a different state of mind.


    Even I, who only saw it from the sidelines, could see that there was a solid relationship of trust between Master Lucas and Mr. Feknis. It must have looked strange to Mr. Lucas to see Mr. Fegnis, whom he trusts so much, laughing like he has lost his usual calmness.


    "No, Master Lucas. This is not a dream."


    Now Mr. Fegnis has a negative side that even Mr. Lucas did not know.


    Now that he has been revealed..,


    "Mr. Fegnis intentionally set the curse in motion. He is our enemy."


    I clench my fists and glare at him, still exultant in front of me.


    He is shaking with joy and doesn''t seem to care that we are upset.


    "That''s great, ......!¡¡My family''s long-cherished dream finally comes true!¡¡A man from the same hometown as the hero was chosen!¡¡And in my generation!¡¡I''ve never been so lucky!


    "My family, or ......"


    Not the king who tried to bind the brave to the country .......


    Then there is only one answer.


    You are the descendant of the sorcerer who tried to cast a spell on the brave?


    Yes, that is correct. Yes, that''s right. You are a man of valor. You have a wonderful eye.


    A sorcerer who was executed after his magic was invoked.


    According to Lucas''s story, only the king of the time was enchanted by the hero, but there was no way that a sorcerer who invoked magic with sacrifices could be ordinary.


    There was another who had been seduced by the power of the brave.


    "Hey ......, don''t tell me ...... you''re ........."


    "I was not deceiving you. I was not learning magic just because I am a descendant. ...... If I may say so, my father kept telling me about the greatness of the heroes since I was a child."


    Mr. Fegnis turns around after saying this to the astonished Mr. Lucas.


    His face, eyes wide open and teeth bared in a smile, was a look that could not be imagined from his usual calm and collected appearance.


    "Our family respects brave men. Because we respect them, we want them to be the hope of Samaritan. It is for this hope that we have kept the curse alive. And then, in my generation, you appeared."


    Mr. Fegnis pointing at me.


    "Master Usato, you are the one this kingdom needs. You carry the sword of the brave, and you stand against the curse. You are worthy of the name of hero.


    "...... I am not a brave man."


    "But I have the qualities. It is true that the curse reacted to your sword. But it was your power that overpowered the curse and even pulled it away from the princess.


    You saw me fight with the curse.


    I guess I was lucky that she didn''t know I was talking to Nair and that I was using magic on her.


    "And the curse successfully recognized you as a brave man. ....... If you had been an ordinary person, easily trapped, I would have waited for the next brave man to appear. But you showed your fighting spirit and fought!¡¡To save the princess!¡¡What would you call this if you did not call it noble?¡¡I''m convinced!¡¡You are absolutely necessary for this kingdom!


    His voice got louder and louder, and I felt a bad sweat.


    He is a fanatic. He is seeking only his own purpose without considering the damage to others around him.


    So this is the true nature of Mr. Fegnis. I can''t deny that he''s gullible, like Nair said. I wish it was just a bad guy who came out of the woodwork.


    But this guy doesn''t think he''s evil. That''s what''s really bad.


    "Why ...... why ...... why ...... fegnis."


    A very upset Mr. Lucas asked Mr. Fegnis with a tremor in his voice.


    Hearing these words, Mr. Feknis calmed his agitated feelings and smiled softly.


    "My king. I have done nothing wrong. He is what Samaritan needs. For the sake of this country, I have decided that he should be bound by a curse.


    That is not for you to judge!


    Mr. Lucas shouted at Mr. Fegnis, raising his voice.


    He is in shock that Mr. Fegnis, whom he trusted, has betrayed him.


    It is understandable that he cannot keep his cool.


    "Did you know about the curse?"


    "Yes, it is our family''s duty to protect the curse.


    "......¥Ã"


    Master Lucas looked a little hesitant before continuing with his question.


    "Were you able to save Eliza?¡¡Knowing the curse that even the royal family had never known, didn''t you know the means to ...... eliminate that curse?"


    Mr. Fegnis did not argue with these words, only a sad expression appeared on his face.


    "I was also deeply saddened by what happened to Lady Eliza."


    ...... What the hell, that''s...


    The attitude and expression on her face as if to say that Eva''s mother''s disappearance was inevitable.


    I wondered if Master Lucas felt the same way as I did, and his hand trembled as he held Eva in his arms, and he raised his voice.


    "...... Is that all?¡¡You, who were the closest to me,......!¡¡You who watched her life disappear!¡¡You who knew everything and just watched!¡¡Don''t play with me, Fegnis!¡¡Eliza was murdered by a zealot blinded by valor!¡¡You stole the mother from this child!!!!"


    "Curses are not evil. They just want to be freed. If you are bound to this land, your captive souls will be freed. And they will forgive the royal family of Samaritan and the curse will disappear. All will be well."


    "I don''t give a d*mn about that nonsense!¡¡What about my daughter?


    I''m afraid there''s nothing we can do.


    Eva''s hands tremble as she grips Master Lucas''s clothes.


    ......This man is definitely not compatible with me.


    Just the fact that he''s smiling so faintly in front of me right now gives me the urge to wipe him out of my sight.


    "Ah!"


    Don''t let your ...... emotions get the better of you.


    You shouldn''t have to fight.


    Clenching his fists tightly, he desperately suppresses his emotions..,


    "O king, don''t think so big about breaking the curse. The princess is a necessary sacrifice for the future of Samaritan.


    "Oh?"


    ---But with those words, I couldn''t hold back my emotions any longer.


    What did he just say?


    Did he just say "necessary sacrifice"?


    Of all people, he''s abandoning her with such convenient words?


    "If you''re going to put her through any more pain, let''s just leave her happy..."


    I silently punch the stone wall that was within my reach.


    With a loud bang, a large crack appears and the window shatters. With that, Mr. Fagunis shut his mouth and put his hand on the sword at his waist.


    "You''re still happy, aren''t you?"


    "......!"


    His voice is surprisingly low, and Mr. Fegnis and the knights around him shudder as they lower their heads.


    I don''t care if he''s a knight-errant or not.


    I tried to convince him to cooperate with us, but that''s enough.


    That fool who says it''s a necessary sacrifice, he''ll never be the same after you beat him up, will he?


    Then I''ll beat the rottenness out of him.


    "......"


    I''m sure I have an angry look on my face right now.


    I was so mad that I knew it even if no one pointed it out to me.


    "Usato, wait!


    Just as I was about to clench my fists and advance toward Mr. Fegnis without question, a voice from behind me stopped me in my tracks.


    I looked behind me and saw Mr. Lucas with a surprisingly calm expression on his face.


    "Thank you for getting angry with me for Eva''s sake. But I have to answer for this.


    "...... sorry, I couldn''t stay calm."


    "Ha-ha-ha, it''s okay. To be honest, I was almost furious too, but thanks to you, who was even more furious than I was, I was able to keep my cool. ......I''m so glad you''re on my side. I am so glad that you are on my side.


    He cools his head at Master Lucas''s words and shifts to the side so that he can get a good look at Mr. Fegnis.


    Holding Eva up in his arms, Master Lucas slowly took a step in front of me and began to speak in a strong tone of voice.


    "Fegnis. I did not become king for Samaritan. I became king for Eliza. I became king because of her. I became king because she told me that she loved this country. So, when she disappeared, ...... I was not supposed to be king."


    Master Lucas'' gaze turns to Eva in his arms.


    "But she was born. I knew that a hard fate awaited her, but I am so glad that she was born. That''s why I decided to do my best as king once again for her sake. I hoped she would smile like Eliza. I hope she will be happy in this country.


    "Father ......"


    "Right now, he''s the reason I should be king. Not for Samaritan, by any means."


    Is that why Master Lucas became king?


    I don''t know if it''s a bit rude of me to think that it''s just like him, but from my point of view, the image of Master Lucas seemed to overlap with that of the king of Lingle, whom he described as an ideal king.


    "Faegnis, you are my enemy. You have been my right hand man for many years, and I am sorry to say it, but from this day on you are a traitor."


    "You don''t think I''m going to change my mind?"


    Don''t make me say it again. Don''t make me say it again. I, the king, give you permission. When I''m done with that nuisance, I''ll go destroy the curse.


    I was a little disappointed when Mr. Lucas quickly stepped back and started to say so.


    I don''t mind at all, since I don''t intend to make him fight at all.


    "Even if it''s ......, it''s impossible to break the curse. Even if Usato-sama had mastered magic, the magic here is very special.


    "You won''t know unless you try."


    I crossed my arms and said this, and Mr. Fegnis looked at me with pitying eyes.


    "It''s true that you can do most things on your own. You have the strength and will to do it, but you can''t control this ---- because you are all alone.


    Mr. F¨¦gnis raised his hand above his head, and the knights around him drew their swords silently.


    I knew that the knights who followed him were the ones who were under the control of Mr. Fegnis.


    Well, I knew that when I had been watching Mr. Fagunis'' story without being surprised.


    "No matter how powerful you are, you can only do so much on your own."


    "Ha, ha ha ha ......"


    Oh, yeah. He thinks I''m going to deal with the curse all by myself.


    That''s why he was being so strangely bull-headed earlier.


    I''m sure he''s just assuming that I''m incapable of destroying the curse, and that he''s going to concentrate on Lucas-sama and Eva in order to defeat me when I show an opening, but... he''s being too naive.


    "hahahahaha ......"


    "Usato?"


    "Usato, did you get too angry and go crazy?"


    "No, I''m not mad or anything, it''s just a real masterpiece. ......"


    Eva and Mr. Lucas look forward, waving their hands to the side in confusion and assuring them that there is nothing to worry about.


    It''s true, I can''t do everything by myself. When I feel like I''m going to lose, I always need someone else''s help.


    The same goes for this curse.


    If it were up to me alone, I would have been trapped by the curse along with Eva by now.


    The only reason I''m not now is because I have my friends.


    What''s so funny?


    What''s funny?¡¡One minute you''re talking nonsense, and the next you''re using force?¡¡What a family, these are the ones who kept the vicious curse alive. All this talk about Samaritan''s cause and all they want to do is fulfill their own desires, how can this not be funny?"


    "......!"


    What a brave man.


    What a family mission.


    What''s in it for Samaritan.


    You''re sacrificing the most precious thing in your life for it.


    Mr. Fagunis, you''re making three mistakes.


    What''s that?


    First, there is no such thing as a necessary sacrifice.


    Sacrifices that cause someone to grieve are not called necessary.


    I would never have peace based on sacrifice.


    "And secondly, I am not a brave man.


    Why should I be the brave one when there are real brave ones?


    I''m best suited for the lifeguard corps.


    "......What''s the third thing?"


    I was about to answer when a black owl jumped onto my shoulder from the darkness behind me.


    I smiled at the owl that hooted and hooted, and looked at Mr. Phegnis again.


    "That means I''m not alone."


    At that moment, a red light, different from the moonlight, shone through the window on the side of Mr. Fegnis and me.


    Mr. Fagunis and the knights, whose eyes widened in astonishment, looked ahead to see the huge bell on the tower of Samaritan, which had been cut in half with a bright red heat.


    I smiled wickedly at the sight of Mr. Fagunis and the knights in dismay and..,


    "Now, I''ve destroyed your precious ''hope''. Can you still afford to look so smug?"


    ---I said.

 98 - the thirteenth episode

    A large bell was burning brightly in front of me.


    I let out an exclamation of admiration at the sight.


    "Wow. ......"


    "Guar."


    Currently, Mr. Ark and I are at the top of the tower where a large silver bell hangs.


    I was watching the silver bell melting and burning on Bulrin''s back, and I spoke to Mr. Arc, who was sheathing his sword, which was covered with flames, a short distance away.


    "...... Is this going to be all right?¡¡I broke the bell of an important tower. ......"


    "Ha-ha-ha, probably not. I don''t know what to do.


    He laughs at me and I drop my shoulders and take off my cloak.


    What we did tonight was to destroy the bells installed in the tower of Samaritan. To be honest, I was suspicious at first because Nair suggested it, but when Usato said it was necessary to destroy the curse, I decided to help.


    What we did was simple.


    First of all, we needed a little strength, so we left the inn and brought Bulrin from the stables without anyone noticing with a precognition spell.


    Then, to prevent the guards from rushing to our place after breaking the bell, I anticipate the actions of the knights guarding the tower in advance and ask Aruk and Bulrin to stun them.


    Finally, when everything is ready, Alc-san cuts the bells in two with a powerful fire magic.


    Nair is convinced of the success of his plan when Mr. Alc has his sword covered with flames,


    <


    He then flew toward the castle.


    "I think it''s time to get out of here. ......"


    Having destroyed the bells, we must leave. The guards outside would not be unaware that the bell in the center of the kingdom had been destroyed, even at night.


    When I tried to talk to Mr. Alc to prepare for our escape, he looked at the still red-hot bell and his expression turned sullen.


    "...... Mr. Alc. I thought you didn''t really like using the fire you just ......?"


    "Yes, I do. I don''t mean to be smug, but my flame is too dangerous."


    When Mr. Alc was being manipulated by Nair, she said something about Mr. Alc not really liking to use his flame.


    "It is fortunate that when he was being controlled by Nair, he was only spreading the flames.


    Indeed, the flames that he released without being controlled by Nair seemed to be concentrated to the utmost power of the flames on his sword.


    It is obvious how much power is contained in the sword when it can easily cut such a large bell in two.


    I can understand why the mild-mannered Mr. Aruk does not want to use this flame.


    "But ......"


    He stood up, lifted the scabbard with a click, smiled benignly, and opened his mouth.


    "If my power is needed to help others, I will gladly wield it.


    "I see. ...... but don''t be too hard on yourself, okay?"


    "Ha-ha-ha, tell that to Usato-dono."


    I smile in reply to Aruk''s words.


    I''m sure ...... that Usato is absolutely reckless.


    He will try to do what he has to do as he did when he fought against the evil dragon.


    "gu......"


    "Yeah, I know. Usato will be fine."


    I pat the head of Bulrin, who groans softly, and look at the castle, which can be seen not far from here.


    Usato is there now.


    "That''s all we can do. "Come back safely, Usato!"


    I muttered to him as he tried to help someone at a distance.


    I was trying to help someone in a remote place.


    "What did you do ......!?"


    Mr. Fegnis glared at me and pulled out his sword and pointed the tip at me.


    "What did you do?¡¡My friends destroyed the keystone of Samaritan''s Tower.


    "That''s not what I meant!¡¡Your people should have been guarded by my men!"


    Mr. Fegnis''s polite tone of voice is broken, and I cower my shoulders in dismay.


    "All of them?¡¡That''s a really funny joke. Maybe you simply weren''t watching carefully enough?"


    Actually, I hadn''t heard how Nair was going to break the bell, so I''m feeling a little nervous inside.


    I gave him a wry smile so that he would not realize it and gave him a bitter look when I told Mr. Fegnis.


    "That''s not possible. ....... ......!"


    "Hmm?"


    But he immediately looked at Nair, who was on his shoulder, and pulled out the sword at his waist.


    Then, holding the sword in his opposite hand, he puts his hand on the sphere at the bottom of the hilt and points it toward us.


    "Sword!¡¡Reveal his falsehood!"


    With a chant, the orb on the hilt glows with a bright light.


    The owl, illuminated by the light, slowly left my shoulder and with a pop, transformed into a dark-haired, red-eyed vampire girl.


    "Oh my, it looks like she''s unmorphed!"


    """!?""""


    Everyone present opens their eyes and looks at the black-haired, red-eyed girl---nea.


    ......I see, so this is how Neah''s transformation is released. It''s a good thing we didn''t run into Mr. Fegnis when we were working together.


    "Nenea, Nenea-chan has turned into a human!


    "H-h-h-h, I''m not surprised anymore. Yes, it''s not strange at all that an owl turned into a person ......."


    I''ll explain everything to the two confused parents and their children in the back later, but for now, let''s focus on Mr. and Mrs. Fegnis in front of us.


    "Humans...... or demons!¡¡And what''s more, it''s a girl called Neah who used to be a member of Usato-sama''s group!


    "You finally noticed. You really underestimate us too much, don''t you?¡¡Do you think a mere girl can join a party of beasts, demons, knights, and monsters?


    Oh, no?¡¡Did I have a monster in my group?


    Nair laughs at Fegnis and the others'' dismay, as if to mock them.


    Mr. Fegnis, perhaps unable to bear the sight of them, shakes his shoulders in frustration and turns his attention from Nair to us.


    There is no such thing as a demon that can transform into a human!¡¡What in the world did you bring to this castle, Usato-sama!


    What?¡¡As you can see, it''s just a demon, isn''t it?¡¡What else could it be?


    A highly intelligent demon can''t be a man!¡¡Are you so insane that you don''t know that?


    Well, Mr. Fegnis is right.


    While I was thinking that I should just answer him properly, Nair, who had been listening to Mr. Fegnis'' words, came forward a little ahead of me with her arms folded.


    "You don''t understand, do you? What the hell have you seen in him?¡¡What have you seen in him?¡¡Usato is an insane person.


    You''re being rude, son.


    How can I be called insane when you''re the one who signed the contract without permission?


    Anyway... You were trying to trap Usato into believing that he was a being within the realm of your common sense, weren''t you?"


    "......"


    "The source of the curse is outside, so Usato can''t do it alone?¡¡No matter how strong he is, this brainy healing wizard is just a child, and he can only run if he is separated from his friends?"


    Just because I''m only seventeen years old doesn''t mean I''m that stupid.


    You''re actually right though.


    "Hey."


    Why would you admit that?


    "But I''m here to tell you that it''s impossible for Usato to be trapped under a vicious curse. In other words, Usato can''t do anything without me!


    That''s an exaggeration.


    "~~~!¡¡Don''t you think that decoupage is a bit much?


    Neah is holding her forehead with teary eyes.


    I''m taking it pretty easy on her, and she has healing magic, so she should be fine, but ...... she''s overreacting.


    "...... that bell is ......, do you know what that bell is for!¡¡It''s the hope of this country!"


    "It''s not hope. It''s not just a supply device that gathers magic and sends it to the curse. How dare you turn it into such a big deal?


    "......"


    Ms. Fegnis is frightened by Nair''s words as she says this while rubbing her forehead.


    "Wait a minute, what do you mean by ...... feeder?"


    Master Lucas, who had been standing in stunned silence in the back, asked N¨¦a fearfully.


    Nair cowered at the question.


    "It''s just as you say. The tower has been giving the curse its magic power for a long time.


    "You don''t mean to say that that tower we''ve always believed in has ...... tormented the royal family ...... and Eliza and Eva ....... But where does the magic come from?¡¡If it''s a supply, it has to come from somewhere, right?"


    Nair nodded at his words and replied in a bored tone.


    "Prayer.


    "Prayer, huh?"


    "When you pray to it, a little bit of magic is sucked out of you and collected in the bell at the top of the tower. The people of Samariat prayed for the future of the kingdom and that''s why it''s called the land of prayer, but I didn''t think they were supplying the curse that was consuming the royal family. ...... Ironic story, isn''t it?"


    The magic tool or something is used to absorb a small amount of magic power from the prayed-for object and supply it to the cursed object.


    The curse that binds hundreds of souls requires a great deal of magical power to continue to function. To compensate, the tower was made an object of worship and a symbol of hope for the people of Samaria.


    Nair is right, it is ironic.


    "How did you, ......, notice that?"


    Mr. Fegnis looks astonished, as if he didn''t expect to be noticed.


    "Huh?¡¡I noticed that as soon as Usato told me about you. I could feel the creepy feeling about the bells from the first time I heard them.


    So that''s why when you came here, you said that it was weird to see that tower.


    After all, I almost had to ask for Nair''s help.


    I''ll thank you after this matter is settled, but for now let''s deal with Mr. Fegnis in front of us.


    I asked him in a slow tone of voice, trying to calm my mind.


    "The curse will eventually disappear when the bell, the source of supply, is destroyed. But it is very unlikely that Eva''s life and body will be restored. The only way to save Eva is for us to go and destroy the curse ourselves. So..."


    We cannot waste time and magic power in unnecessary battles.


    Once we destroy that tower, we have reached the time limit of the extinction of the curse.


    "---This is the last warning. If you still have a conscience, let it pass.


    "......"


    Mr. Fegnis does not move his face even a little at my words, but raises his right hand slowly and silently.


    As if on cue, the knights under his command draw their swords and turn on us.


    "You don''t want to let me through, do you?"


    If you turn your swords on us, we will deal with you accordingly.


    "Hah ...... Mr. Lucas."


    "...... fine. He''s no longer a knight in the service of his country. He''s a traitor obsessed with delusion. Beat him without reservation.


    After a final check with Master Lucas behind me, I look at Nea, who is standing next to me.


    She smiles broadly and with a pop she transforms into an owl and jumps on my shoulder, activating her magic.


    "Let''s do this. Neah."


    "What a bunch of idiots. Do you think this is enough to defeat the monster next to me?


    "Stop treating me like I''m a monster naturally. ......"


    "Hmph."


    I also activate my healing magic, and a green light of healing magic and a purple pattern covering it appear in both hands.


    After a day''s rest, I''m in good physical condition and my magic is strong.


    The people we are going to fight now are those who are partly responsible for creating the current situation. If they are going to stand in our way, then we have no choice but to use force to break through.


    "Soooooo ......!"


    We must win first!


    I take a slow, deep breath, and in one gulp, I''m close to one of the knights who still hasn''t taken a stance.


    I meet eyes with the knight who is very upset, perhaps not expecting me to rush into him out of nowhere.


    "What?


    You''re too slow!


    What?


    He slams his fist into the knight''s abdomen as he rushes to ready his sword.


    The knight''s eyes go white as he clutches his abdomen, and he falls to the ground shaking and trembling, unable to move due to the binding magic.


    A fist of restraining spells and healing magic, the healing restraining punch...... No, let''s call it the healing restraining fist because it''s not a good word.


    "First one ...... hmm?"


    """"......""""


    The remaining four knights stop moving and look at me in horror.


    What is it?¡¡That look, as if they were looking at a vicious demon. .......


    You look seriously wounded, but you are unharmed.¡¡In fact, thanks to the healing magic, I''m even healthier than before.


    "Don''t worry. You should be in good health. So please don''t worry about getting hit.


    "He''s a total villain in word and deed. ....... I''ve always thought of him as a bit of a monster, but he''s really quite a beast when it comes to fighting against other people.


    I think Nair is saying something, but then the knights start to draw their swords again and I ready my fists.


    "Don''t fight them alone!¡¡Surround them and limit their movements!


    Mr. Fegnis, who is holding his sword behind me, gives me a command, and the four knights spread out to surround me.


    I can''t be surrounded so easily, so I jump forward in response.


    "No matter how vicious your physical abilities are!


    Not with these numbers!


    Two of them jumped to the left and right, and two of them came straight at me to attract my attention.


    I approach the two in front of me at once, grab one knight by the elbow and the other by the breastplate, and swing him around by brute force. As I do so, I slam him to the floor so that the startled knight next to him is also involved, and cast a healing and restraining spell on him.


    "Gu ......!?"


    "Uh-oh!


    "Healing throw, healing and restraining throw,......, now there are three of us."


    ""Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!""


    "......!"


    I let go of the stunned knight, and now two knights attack from the left and right.


    I calmly create a healing magic bullet and throw it at the knight coming from the left.


    "Hmph!


    "Whoo!¡¡What''s wrong with your eyes ......?


    "Hm?"


    What?¡¡It''s good that you blinded him, but he''s unnaturally rigid.


    That''s not fair!


    While your eyes are on the writhing knight on your left, the fifth knight comes in with a sharp thrust.


    "I''m sorry, but I''m not a knight.


    As soon as he said these words in a small voice, he half-jumped to avoid the thrust and slammed a healing restraining fist as a counterattack.


    I look down at the knight who falls to his knees and turn around.


    I have to stun the knight who just hit me with a healing magic bullet,......?


    "...... he''s already out cold."


    He is kind of falling down with his face held down and the whites of his eyes peeled back. And his face is covered with tears and snot.


    What''s going on?¡¡He was just hit by a healing magic bullet, so he should have been able to fight at all.


    ...... Don''t tell me that he was hit by a healing magic bullet as well..,


    "Whoa!"


    Ow!


    Somehow, I was distracted by the unconscious knight and didn''t notice Mr. Fegnis'' attack until too late.


    I immediately backed up and prepared my fist, while Nair, who was on my shoulder, slapped my cheek angrily.


    "Usato, what are you just standing there like that?¡¡I''m weak, not you!


    "No, it hurts when I get cut by a sword, too.


    "It usually doesn''t end in pain!¡¡You idiot!"


    You dodged it, you don''t have to get so mad at me. .......


    He quells Nair''s anger and turns to Mr. Phegnis.


    You are the last one.


    "Why ......?"


    In a small voice, Mr. Fegnis mumbles something.


    "Yes?"


    Why?¡¡Why do you want to be a lifeguard of the Lingle Kingdom when you have so much power?¡¡I''m sure you could do a lot of good if you got the right position!¡¡You could help many people!"


    He said these words so desperately that a sigh escaped his lips.


    The many people he is referring to are only the people of Samaritan, and no one else. It''s great that he only cares about the people in his own country, but to me, his words sounded so selfish.


    "I knew it, you don''t understand."


    "What ......?"


    "I''m in the Rescue Mission because that''s my home. And it doesn''t matter what my position is, my reasons for doing what I do are always simple."


    He takes one look at Master Lucas and Eva behind him, then looks forward and smiles shyly.


    "I''m here now because I want to save them and I don''t want them to die."


    At the time of the war against the Demon King''s Army, at the time of Senpai and Kazuki, at the time of Amako, at the time of Nack, and at the time of Nair, we all acted with the same feelings.


    We don''t need any more reasons.


    "......"


    At my words, Mr. Fegnis, with a somewhat resigned expression on his face, readied his sword.


    I also put on healing magic, and produced a healing magic bullet in my right hand.


    Nair then cast a binding spell on his hand, and I understood why the knight who had been hit by the healing magic bullet had collapsed.


    "I''ll finish it in a moment."


    "I am not so weak that I can be beaten so easily ......!"


    No, you''ll end up with nothing.


    I throw a healing magic bullet at Mr. Fegnis and run towards him at the same time.


    I know that trick!¡¡If only I could read the trajectory!¡¡Huh!"


    I swing my sword to the side and cut through the bullet with precision.


    "I''m sure it is."


    You, who are called the knight in chief, can cut off at least the healing magic bullet I threw at you. And since it is a piece of healing magic, it will heal you.


    But that''s only if the healing magic bullet is an ordinary one.


    "---Gu-uh-uh!


    As Fagunis cuts away the healing magic bullet, both of his arms holding the sword are enveloped in the light of healing magic, and at the same time, they are bound by a purple pattern---a binding technique.


    "I told you. I''m not alone. ......!"


    You''re crazy!


    He slams his healing fist three times into Mr. Fegnis, who cries out in agony as his arms fail to move.


    Mr. Fegnis, who has been completely blocked from moving by the three shots of restraint spells, stands erect and does not move.


    "You''ve fainted!"


    The royalty who sought the brave were tormented by a terrible curse, and the sorcerer''s family who sought the brave kept the curse in place for hundreds of years for the next brave.


    Depending on how you look at it, this man may have been trapped under Samaritan''s curse.


    Usato!


    "Hmm?¡¡What''s wrong?"


    I was a bit distressed to see Mr. Fegnis standing and fainting, when Nair, who was a bit withdrawn, called out to me.


    "Don''t tell me you gave your ...... magic bullet the characteristics of magic?"


    "I did it unconsciously,...... but I guess you can do it if you try.


    What I did was simple: I added the effect of a binding spell to a healing magic bullet.


    If the bullet hits the target, it can restrict the opponent''s movement for a short period of time.


    Maybe that knight who fainted without knowing it was hit in the face by a healing magic bullet with a binding spell and fainted from the fear of not being able to move his face at all.


    I''m afraid I''ve devised such a terrible trick myself.


    "Wow, I don''t use magic or anything like that, so I didn''t know this, but ...... Usato really does things that are way beyond what I expected. ...... The idea is to disable the opponent."


    "But they''re ultimately unharmed, so why not?"


    "Yeah, ...... I don''t have that idea. ......"


    I feel some sense of unreasonableness in the ne''er-do-wells who are admiring, or rather, don''t like the idea of being admired.


    Well, I''m used to being pulled down by someone. Anyway, in addition to the Healing Restraining Fist and Healing Restraining Throw, you have created another new developmental technique.


    I''ll have to come up with a new name for this one: ......!


    I''ll call it the Healing Restraint Bullet.


    "Usato has a devastatingly poor sense of naming things. ......"


    Nair''s exasperated comment hurt my feelings a little.


    But now I can finally confront the curse.


    "...... Yes. Are Mr. Lucas and Eva hurt or something?"


    I turn around to make sure that the two people behind me have not been harmed during the fight with Mr. Fegnis and the others. The two people behind me look stunned, but their eyes immediately sparkle when they see Eva, who is being held up by Mr. Lucas.


    "Usato-san, you are so human!¡¡You really are amazing!"


    "......"


    "Hey, Eva!¡¡How can you be so honest?


    I just realized.


    It''s much more piercing to be told with a respectful look than to be told that I''m not human enough with a look of dismay.


    I poke Nair who is laughing on my shoulder, and my shoulders slump a little.


    "......Lucas, what should we do about Mr. Fegnis and the others?"


    "They won''t wake up for a while from the looks of things, so we can leave them alone for now. We don''t have time to waste.


    "Yes, sir."


    We certainly don''t have time to waste now.


    Since we have broken the bell that supplies the magic power, the curse of the main body might be extinguished. If the curse is extinguished before it is destroyed, the royal family and people of Samaria will be freed from the curse, but Eva, whose body and soul have already been taken from her, will remain deprived forever.


    Such a situation must be avoided at all costs.


    Let''s move on then. I''ll explain about her on the way.


    I point to Nair and say so, and Master Lucas nods.


    We started to move forward to the end of the corridor, leaving the fainted Mr. Fegnis and the others behind.

 99 - ninety-fourth episode

    After defeating Mr. Fegnis, I was going through the castle, explaining to Lucas and Eva about Nair, the messenger who had disguised herself as an owl along the way.


    When I explained that Nair was half vampire and half necromancer, Mr. Lucas was very surprised.


    Eva, on the other hand, seemed to be intrigued by N¨¦a''s transformation from an owl to a human.


    "So N¨¦a, you know the exact location of the curse, don''t you?"


    "Of course I do. That''s why I''m leading you here, isn''t it?


    N¨¦a walks ahead in the form of a dark-haired, red-eyed girl.


    Our footsteps echo through the castle, which is lit only by the light of our magic tools.


    "Usato, I''m sure you know this, but let me make sure of something, okay?"


    "Yes?"


    "You two behind me, you should listen too."


    Nea called out to me as she faced forward.


    "It''s me and Usato who will deal with the curse. You two can just watch from the back."


    "...... I agree. Frankly, I''m only the king, and all I can do is watch."


    If you know what you''re doing, fine. Then let''s talk about the next time you fail to destroy a curse, shall we?"


    "Hey, Nea. ......


    Seeing Master Lucas tense up at these words, he warns Nair.


    But she looks at me as if she is glaring at me.


    "There is no guarantee that the curse can be broken. So you have to be prepared for the worst."


    "---But..."


    "Don''t worry, Usato. ...... keep going."


    Mr. Lucas has a serious expression on his face.


    Nair opened his mouth quietly.


    "......Because you broke the bell that was the source of the magic power, the curse is on its way to extinction. Extinction is not a bad thing. No souls will be trapped and no Samaritan will be cursed. But Eva, your taken existence and soul will be lost forever."


    "...... I see. That means I won''t be able to live much longer. ......"


    Her life has been cut so short that she may not even live a year at worst.


    Eva grits her teeth as she mutters this in anguish.


    "Well, this softy is trying to destroy the curse in order to prevent that from happening. But if it fails,...... for example, if it is difficult to destroy the curse, or if Usato is in danger, I will give up on destroying the curse."


    If you find yourself in a situation where there is nothing you can do about the curse, you have no choice but to pull out.


    "The risk is too great to begin with. We need Eva to stay close to us in order to recover her soul and her existence. But my resistance spell can only be cast on either Usato or Eva. And if the curse has a clear intention, it will always target Eva, who will be unprotected. ...... No amount of Usato can overwhelm hundreds of curses, can it?"


    "......Yeah."


    "...... Don''t look so unconvinced. I don''t like it either. If I''m going to ...... help you, I''m going to do my best."


    I let out a giggle from the frown on my face when Nea says this as she looks forward awkwardly.


    We were enemies just a few days ago, but now that I''ve gotten to know her, she''s quite human.


    Eva speaks to me with a somewhat happy expression on her face as she smiles at N¨¦a walking in front of her.


    "Usato-san and N¨¦a, you are very good friends, aren''t you?


    "Not exactly good friends. It''s more like trust."


    "Hmph. ......"


    Eva smiles a small smile, but it lacks power.


    Maybe her body is not strong enough. If she does not regain her existence and life, she will have to live a short life without being able to move.


    "Can I help you? ......?"


    I smile awkwardly at Eva, who looks at me worriedly as I fall silent.


    I don''t even want to think about what happens after I fail.


    I don''t want to think about what happens after I fail, but there is no guarantee that I will succeed one hundred percent of the time.


    Nair is right, I have to go and destroy the curse, considering the worst case scenario.


    "Here we are!"


    Lost in thought, Nair stops in front of a large door.


    She stopped at ......!


    "This door is ......."


    Master Lucas''s eyes widen in astonishment when he sees the door illuminated by the light of the grimoire.


    "Don''t tell me ...... that this is the place ......!"


    "Yes. Yes. It was very easy to find. The king at that time had a strong sense of self-promotion.


    There it is-- the throne.


    When I was invited to this castle, the first place I met Master Lucas was where the curse that has been consuming the royal family of Samaritan was hidden.


    "It was so close, but ...... I, we couldn''t notice it ......?"


    Stepping into the hall where the throne is located, Nair walks without hesitation to the back wall where the throne is placed. She touches the wall thoughtfully with her hand, nods her head, looks at me, and opens her mouth.


    Usato, will you tear down this wall for me?


    "Usato, will you tear down this wall for me?" "Don''t make it sound like I deserve to tear down the wall. ...... Well, I''ll try."


    It looks like a solid wall, but is it easy to break?


    I was a little worried about whether I could break the wall or not, but I started to run and kicked straight into the hard wall, and my foot penetrated into the wall more easily than I expected and the wall collapsed.


    At the end of the collapsed wall, there is a spiral staircase leading to the back of the room, and an eerie wind is blowing.


    "The reason why it broke unexpectedly easily was because there was such a space behind the wall. ......"


    Since it was the king of the time who ordered the binding of the heroes, it is only natural that the body of the curse should be placed in a familiar place.


    No wonder it was so easy to break...


    "No, it''s not that easy to break the wall. ......"


    "Wow, Usato, you are awesome. ......"


    "......"


    There''s a certain d¨¦j¨¤ vu in the reactions of the two people behind me: .......


    Why does it remind me of the situation when I hit the target with Lukvis?


    ...... No, no, no, let''s change our minds.


    "Okay. Neah, turn into an owl. And Lucas, please stay behind me and don''t let go of Eva."


    "Yes, sir."


    With a pop, Neah transforms and rides on my shoulder.


    Master Lucas also holds Eva as if he is nervous, and steps back behind me.


    "Well, there''s a big curse under here. You better brace yourself, Usato.


    "Yeah, I''ll hit it as hard as I can."


    Clenching my fists tightly, I said these words and began to descend the stairs, trying not to lose my footing.


    I started to walk down the stairs, trying not to lose my footing.


    A hidden room behind the throne.


    We stepped into the spiral staircase inside the room, and nervously descended the stairs.


    Nair had somehow managed to smuggle a magical tool from inside the castle to illuminate our steps as we descended the staircase.


    I take a deep breath and step into the space where the light is leaking out.


    "......!¡¡This is ......."


    The space where the light was leaking out was an altar-like place.


    The whole place was covered with dust, but it was large enough to accommodate dozens of people. On the altar at the back was a crystal ball emitting a green light, as if to worship something.


    Perhaps that is the core of the curse.


    Nair doesn''t have to tell us. I can see magical patterns moving in the crystal as if they were blending together, and above all, I can feel a bad vibe coming from it.


    And then..,


    "......usato"


    "Yeah, he''s here. And there are more of them than yesterday.


    I know because I faced the curse last night.


    It feels rough and weird, like a lot of stares directed at us.


    It''s like we''re in the stomach of a curse.


    "......"


    Eva, are you okay?


    Eva gasps, as if she senses the same thing I do.


    Eva throws her voice at me as if she is trying to shake me off.


    "Mr. Usato,...... I know ...... what this feels like."


    "You know?"


    I ask Eva without turning around, and her voice trembles with fear.


    It''s the same as in the dream. The same people who have been throwing words of hate at me and ......."


    "You don''t have to talk. I understand what you''re trying to say."


    "...... yes."


    So the curse is what was giving her nightmares.


    I knew that the people of Samaritan had a lot of resentment towards her, but how dare they try to hunt her down even in her dreams?


    "...... wait. Then ......."


    Who were the people who protected her in the dream that the curse may have shown her?


    The people of Samaritan, who have a grudge against the royal family, would never protect Eva.


    Could it be..,


    "Usato!¡¡I was right, the curse has a core!¡¡Let''s destroy it before the curse gets into full swing!"


    "......, yeah."


    Nair sees the crystal on the altar and flaps her wings excitedly as she says so.


    "Can you break it just by punching it?¡¡Don''t you have to break the spell?"


    "I was thinking of using it, but I don''t need it. The crystal is a wedge that binds the soul to the world. Unlike magic, it was made by man, so if you break it, the souls that were bound to it will be released. ......


    I''m a little nervous, but if that''s what she wants, I''ll go along with it.


    But it''s very like me to break it with my fist in the end. .......


    "I''ve been saying I''ll destroy it, destroy it, destroy it, but in the end, I''ll do it with force. ......!


    "What are you talking about now when all you can do is force ......"


    That''s rude. I''ve been thinking about it a lot when I hit you, you know?


    Well, it''s quicker because you don''t have to think about it. Just smash the crystal in front of you without thinking.


    As if sensing our purpose, skeletons appear from all over the hall in numbers far greater than those of last night.


    >


    >


    "They''re gathering in the straw. ......!¡¡Nair, we''ll take care of them in a moment!¡¡Switch your resistance spells to me at the right time!¡¡Master Lucas, Eva will be defenseless for a moment!¡¡Call me if there''s any danger!"


    "Okay. You take care!


    Yes, sir!


    I touch Eva''s shoulder lightly as she is lifted up by Lucas-sama.


    With my resistance spells in place, I can ignore the skeletons'' interference and go for the shortest distance to destroy the curse. That may leave Eva unprotected, but I''ll destroy her before that happens. ......!


    Now!


    Shh!


    Nair''s spell is activated, and she leaps forward as fast as she can as the resistance spell covering Eva''s body pops.


    "Let''s go, N¨¦a!"


    I know!


    And then, her body is covered with resistance spells and her hands are covered with restraint spells.


    The skeletons start to move in response to my sudden leap, but their movements are slow.


    Some skeletons reach out from the ground..,


    The skeletons attacking from the ceiling..,


    All of them can''t keep up with my speed.


    "Hmph!"


    "Gui,a......?


    I deal with the skeleton floating in front of me with my healing restraining fist without any difficulty, and I squeeze my right arm as hard as I can and clench my fist tightly.


    The distance to the altar is almost at hand.


    All I have to do now is to directly hit it with my fist. ......!


    That''s it!


    He clenches his fist tightly and swings it down toward the altar.


    But that was as far as it went.


    "Aaaaaaah!"


    "Gu, kii."


    What?


    Jingling!¡¡Then, several skeletons came in between the fist and the crystal, as if they were a wall.


    The fist that was supposed to hit the crystal was blocked by the wall of skeletons, and the direction of the fist was shifted.


    What the hell?¡¡The skeletons are being pulled by the chains connected to the wall. ......?


    "What''s going on?¡¡What do you mean? ! Now the chains are moving, apparently without their will!¡¡Usato, step back!¡¡I think I may have made a terrible mistake..."


    "It doesn''t matter if you pull back!¡¡I''ll hit him again!¡¡Hey!


    Listen to me!


    If you can''t stop me, don''t let me stop you.


    He raises his fist again and tries to swing it down again, but the skeletons break in just like before, but this time he doesn''t care if they block him, he''s going to pound them with both arms until they break!


    Ignoring Nair''s attempts to stop me, I thrust my right fist out...,


    "No, no, no!"


    "Ah!"


    A small, child-sized skeleton. It is pulled not in front of my fist, but in front of my face. It''s not a scream, but a plea, and my fist stops in agitation.


    They even use this kind of move on me. ......!


    I pull my fist out and back away from him, and an agitated NEA turns to me.


    "This is unexpected. I wish she was just willing. But this ...... is clearly something else that is disturbing us, something with a different will than the skeletons that want to be liberated!"


    "Something other than a skeleton? ...... d*mn it!"


    While avoiding the skeletons attacking from all around, I look at the skeletons guarding the altar in front of me---nay, being guarded.


    The chains attached to those collars. They are forcibly moving the skeletons from the ceiling and walls. They are being forcibly pulled in front of the altar as if they were slaves, and I feel an inexpressible anger.


    "You''ve got to be kidding me. ......!"


    Is that what this is?¡¡That there is an entity that is taking advantage of the people of Samaritan who are suffering from the curse that has bound their souls?


    If we think it really is there and we can stop it from destroying the altar, what then?


    As it is, no matter how many dozens or hundreds of skeletons you may summon, they cannot stop me, protected by the magic of Nair.


    The only way to make me see an opening...


    Usato, there''s a curse on us!


    Eva!


    I turn around just as I hear Lucas-sama''s impatient voice coming from behind me.


    Eva is surrounded by many skeletons, and Master Lucas is holding her in his arms as if to protect her.


    "I''m coming!


    She turns to help, but suddenly her leg movement is impeded and she almost falls down.


    Looking at his legs, he sees that the chains connected to the skeleton have somehow been wrapped around his legs.


    "d*mn you!


    The spell of resistance is limited to only <, so it cannot prevent anything else from happening.


    We can break the chains immediately, but while we do so, Eva will be in danger.


    Moreover, countless skeletons are on their way to you as well, to stop you in your tracks.


    ......There''s no time to lose!


    Nair, release the spell on me!


    What?¡¡You''ve got to be kidding me!¡¡You know what will happen if I lift the spell that''s protecting you here!


    Please!


    ......¡¡I know what will happen!¡¡How did I become such a good-natured messenger!¡¡d*mn!¡¡Don''t you ever die!


    The resistance spells on me are lifted, leaving me defenseless against the curse.


    I grab Nair who is standing on my shoulder.


    "I apologize while I still can!¡¡I''m sorry!


    "What?¡¡Why are you holding me and swinging me over your head ......?¡¡This can''t be..."


    Take care of Eva and Mr. Lucas!


    He throws Nair, who is holding it lightly, toward Eva and Mr. Lucas with great force. Hyah~?¡¡Nair exclaims, but he quickly untransforms back into his original vampire form and lands near them.


    She glares at them with teary eyes and waves to Eva and Master Lucas, who roll their eyes, and then activates her magic to keep the curse away.


    "......?


    I''m not long relieved when a skeleton with chains around my legs bites my leg and I get the same headache I had last night.


    Immediately, I stomp the skeletons at my feet and shoot them down with my fists as they come at me from all directions.


    ---Kaka, kaka...


    Every time a heap of shattered skeletons grows at his feet, he hears a snort of laughter tinged with derision.


    ---ka-kaka-kaka.


    Compared to last night, the number and the playback speed are much faster.


    I can''t get to them in time, and there are two skeletons attached to my back and legs, their teeth baring down on me.


    "---or ......!¡¡This thing won''t stop me with the same pain!"


    --- ka!


    I shake off the skeletons entangled in my body and smash them with a roundhouse kick, then grab a handful of skeletons and smash several of them together on the ground, shattering them.


    ---I grab a handful of skeletons and slam them to the ground and smash them to pieces...Is that too much to hope for?


    "......!


    A voice echoes in my head, not a sneer.


    I try to find the owner of the voice, but the next moment, skeletons around me, holding the chains around their necks, all throw the chains at me at the same time.


    "d*mn, this is ......!"


    The chains flew at me from front to back and from left to right, moving like living creatures, and as if they had seen an opportunity to take advantage of my momentary inability to move due to the restraints on my limbs, the skeletons that I had just shot down bit down on my entire body.


    "Gah,aagh......"


    Skeletons entwining and biting with both arms.


    The pain is so extraordinary compared to last night that I can hardly stand up properly and fall to my knees.


    "Mr. Usato!"


    I hear a sneer from who-knows-who.


    Eva''s voice calling my name.


    The skeletons that attacked me filled my vision, and the next scene they showed me was literally a scene of death.

 100 - - 95th episode.

    "I don''t have to say it: ......!!!"


    Usato is being swallowed by a skeleton right in front of me.


    As I watched him, unable to move, I suppressed my desire to rescue him immediately and continued to cast spells on Lucas and Eva.


    "Nea, Usato-san is ......!"


    "Worry about yourself now!¡¡If you leave me now, you''ll end up like Usato!"


    The spell of resistance can only be cast on one subject.


    It is only because I am touching Lucas and Eva now that the spell of resistance is in effect, and if either Lucas or Eva leaves me, they will be out of the effect range of the spell of resistance.


    "I''m sorry. I can''t fight, and I''m slowing you down, and that''s why Usato is ......."


    "You can''t kill Usato just like that!¡¡Don''t say things that make me anxious!


    I shout at Lucas, who has a pessimistic expression on his face behind me, but in reality I am in a great deal of hurry.


    Usato is ridiculously strong against physical attacks, but weak against mental attacks.


    He was suffering from the mental attacks of only a few skeletons last night, and now he is afraid that his heart might be broken by the attacks of countless skeletons.


    My master is finished here, and I, the messenger without a master, will be a stray demon just like before.


    "......


    I wonder what they are thinking, me too.


    I was ready to die before I became Usato''s messenger.


    There''s nowhere to go now. If anything, my position as Usato''s messenger is where I belong now.


    Perhaps it is not a bad idea to give up my life here and now, even if only for a short time, for the sake of the one who made me decide to go out into the outside world.


    "---I''ll stay with you until the end. I''ll fulfill my role as a messenger whether I succeed or fail!


    Gee!


    Gah!


    I''ll show you something special!


    I smile faintly at the skeleton that throws the chain at me, just as I did when I caught Usato, and I put more magic power into my resistance spells.


    Then, the pattern of the spell of resistance that covers the three of us floats up and turns into a spherical boundary.


    "You can do it, go ahead and do it ......!"


    This way, neither the skeleton nor the chain, which is the curse itself, can be touched. Instead, the magic will be completely fixed to the spot, and it will use a lot of magic power, but it should be very effective against these guys.


    "Ji,a......!


    The chains thrown by the skeletons are all repelled by the warding.


    Some of them hit us with force, but that doesn''t make sense either.


    "Nair-chan!¡¡You''re just trying to protect us. ......"


    "I''m only going this far because Usato said he would help you!¡¡So you just stand there and watch!"


    To withstand the impact of the incoming skeletons, she thrusts her hands forward and concentrates on maintaining her magic.


    Resistance spells are indeed powerful magic, but they are by no means unbreakable. It can withstand as many attacks as it can withstand, but it is not so strong against other attacks.


    Therefore, I have to reinforce the load of impact and weight with my magic power. ......!


    "......!!!"


    As I endure the onslaught of skeletons, a figure appears from the floor in front of the altar, giving off a distinctly different atmosphere from the skeletons I''ve seen before.


    It was still a skeleton, but it was holding a tattered robe and a staff that must have been very expensive, and it was speaking with clattering teeth.


    "You finally showed yourself ......!"


    <


    Suddenly, the man in front of you raises his hand, and the chain around the skeleton''s neck is yanked back, forcing the attack to stop.


    It''s a whim, though in reality it''s just a sign of victory.


    And, unlike the others, he can speak the language, and the fact that he stopped the attack means that he can manipulate the curse to some extent.


    And from the word "my long-cherished wish"..,


    "You''re a vindictive son of a b*tc*, sorcerer. It''s insane to bind a dead man''s soul to a curse under the guise of a death sentence."


    "Sorcerer," huh?¡¡You don''t think he''s the sorcerer who was executed by the king for sacrificing his people to witchcraft?


    No wonder Lucas is surprised.


    He wouldn''t expect a man who lived hundreds of years ago to be so obsessed with a brave man that he would bind himself to a curse.


    "It''s a strange story if you think about it. It was the king and the sorcerer who sacrificed the people of Samaria to the curse, but for some reason only the royal family was cursed. The curse should have been placed on the sorcerer''s descendants, the Faegnis family. Because you shifted the direction of the curse to the royal family only. ...... isn''t that right?"


    <<


    That means that Fegnis was also being used by this death squad.


    So the teaching that makes him so obsessed with the heroes is like a curse.


    What are you going to do with Usato?¡¡Either way... you are doomed to extinction. Even if you are sure of your victory, it is only temporary.


    <<>


    ?¡¡What''s so funny?


    The sorcerer, his shoulders shaking, turns his hollow eyes toward us and emits a chilling voice.


    .


    "...... what do you mean?"


    "That is an act out of this world''s reason. ......!¡¡The dead are not allowed to come back to life!¡¡And moreover, a dead person is not allowed to take over a living ...... person!


    You mean to say that the purpose was not to bind Usato to Samaritan, but to take over his body?


    The mental attack that Usato is now being subjected to by the skeletons.


    Dozens or hundreds of thoughts at once would break a normal person''s heart.


    When the skeletons see my bloodshot face, they start giggling again.


    <


    "Well then, Usato, go to ......!"


    <


    Immediately, he sees Usato surrounded by skeletons.


    We can''t see him because he is surrounded by so many skeletons, but in there, we are being shown the hatred and abominable memories of the people of Samaritan for a long time.


    No sane person would last a minute. ......


    "Please stop ...... why are you doing that ......?"


    Eva asks the magician in a low voice.


    The sorceress snickers and scoffs.


    "Yes. You can''t bind a brave man who slays an evil dragon with your magic."


    It is true that magic is powerful, but it is easily defeated by a far superior opponent.


    And this is a brave warrior who defeated even an evil dragon. He must have tremendous strength, and above all, there is no way that he is an existence only by his strength.


    "Then use your failures as a stepping stone to..."


    Here, for the first time, a voice filled with emotion emanates from the sorcerer.


    Eva shudders at the sound of his voice.


    The magician''s next words were the worst and most evasive I could have imagined.


    <


    .......


    I must say, this guy is a real monster.


    He sacrificed the lives of so many innocent people for this, that even he himself became only a soul and a part of the curse. .......


    <<< Now, if you will be a sacrifice for the curse, you can be with the healing wizard, right?¡¡And you can see your missing mother.


    "......, no!¡¡You are still doing your best!¡¡There is no way I can give up living here now!"


    <


    "......What the hell are you talking about!"


    I swear at the magician''s words.


    He seems to be saying something kind like mercy, but it''s as if he''s saying that we''re supposed to turn it off anyway. The fact that he can only say such words that narrow down our options shows that this sorcerer is an outcast who is far away from the word mercy.


    You will never be a brave man.


    At that moment, Lucas said something like that to the magician.


    The words, uttered calmly, were filled with quiet anger.


    >


    "You will never be a brave man if you can only speak like that."


    <>


    No, it''s not. You''re attracted only to power, but I''ll tell you!"


    Lucas steps forward forcefully and moves to my side.


    I silently move to the side and face the magician so that he can speak more easily.


    "It is not the power that matters, but the mind of the one who wields it. I understood this when I got to know a part of Usato. He has great power, but he uses it to save, not to overrun. You have no idea how difficult that is, do you?"


    <<< So what?¡¡Does your ambition or your creed make you a brave man?¡¡That is too foolish a thought.


    "You''re the one who''s stupid. What do you worship the brave? All you worship is their power. ......!"


    The sorcerer is caught off guard by Lucas''s words and stammers a little.


    Regardless, he spins the rest of his words.


    I am sure that the brave men who slayed the evil dragon also risked their lives to fight for their people. But you and the king of that time made it meaningless. And yet, instead of regretting it, you continued to use the souls of the people you sacrificed for hundreds of years. ...... How can a man be a brave man if he tramples on human dignity like that!


    ...... Indeed, the heroes of the previous generation must have fought for the people of Samaria, who were being tormented by the evil dragon. He fought without sleep and finally plunged into the mouth of the evil dragon and plunged his sword into its heart.


    But when the battle was over, what awaited him was the betrayal from the country he was supposed to have saved and the corpses of the people he was supposed to have saved who were sacrificed to bind him.


    No wonder he is so disgusted with humans. ......


    "I had given up hope that I could save my daughter, but thanks to him I am here now. He said he would help me, so I can keep hope alive. ...... Can you do that?¡¡Can you give people hope?¡¡Can you do that to a coward who sacrificed hundreds of innocent people and then used even their souls to take over ...... Usato''s body!!!"


    The sorcerer does not utter a word as Lucas says this with emotion.


    Instead, the taunts that had been clattering from earlier were gone, and only the eerie atmosphere was noticeable.


    "What?"


    As soon as the sorcerer''s arm moves, he casts a spell on the boundary that had been restraining him, and activates it.


    Instantly, the skeletons, whose movements had been blocked by the chains, rushed toward the wards at once.


    "Ugh... ......"


    Nair!


    Are you okay?


    Stay back!


    The onslaught of skeletons was caught by the warding, and I made Lucas and Eva back away, worried about me as I screamed in pain.


    "I know what you mean, I don''t need you to tell me that. ......!


    I grit my teeth and say this to him.


    What you are doing now is just stalling for time.


    "Hmph, for such a thing, it''s taken you quite a while to break Usato''s spirit. ......!"


    It has been many minutes since Usato was captured by the skeletons, but they have not moved away from him at all.


    Doesn''t that mean that Usato hasn''t given up yet?


    Looking at the mute magician, I am convinced that the fact that Usato has been able to endure until now is something he never expected.


    "......ff"


    I don''t know, I can''t help but smile at his words in spite of the hopelessness of the situation.


    "You''re so funny now. It''s ...... aggravating to see you in such a state of triumph, getting carried away, and being so ugly that it''s almost unbearable to watch, but it really is similar to my situation back then."


    I am sure that from the point of view of Usato and the others, I looked just like I looked at the magician in front of me. Just like me, who had underestimated my opponent when my plan had worked, and who had suffered the consequences.


    A scheme hatched by a little guy like you will definitely fall apart. The person you''re trying to get now is a man who can do extraordinary things that can''t be measured by ordinary scales. You will be seriously injured if you think things will go your way. ......!


    Normal people don''t use healing magic in battle, and they don''t try to fight an evil dragon head on.


    First of all, the assumption that the man is made up of only his strong body is wrong.


    This sorcerer does not understand that.


    The magician raises his arms in a gesture of frustration.


    Hundreds of chains extend from the floor in response to his movements, and skeletons appear, many more than ever before.


    "You are a real outcast ......!"


    <>


    I can''t even keep up with my own magic if I''m hit by so many attacks all at the same time.


    But now I have no choice but to defend myself.


    The hopelessness of the situation makes my heart break, but even so, I desperately try to shake myself up and put my magical power into the wards.


    <


    "Hoo!!!!!!"


    <<<<<>>>>>


    Floating skeletons rush to my wards.


    I meditate to prepare for the coming shock and strain.


    >


    <>


    "......?"


    But the coming impact never came.


    The skeletons'' voices, too, have changed from bestial cries to a mixture of astonishment and bewilderment.


    I slowly open my eyes, still puzzled..,


    "......What the hell is this?"


    --- In front of me, a translucent white figure floated in front of me, standing as if protecting us from the skeletons.


    If you look closely, you will see that not only in front of us, but there were several white figures surrounding us, protecting us from the onslaught of the skeletons.


    The white figures were not in front of us, but surrounded us.


    "Are you protecting us ......?"


    Suddenly, a white figure appeared.


    The one that caught my attention the most was a female figure with long hair who was protecting us from the skeletons with her arms outstretched in front of her.


    The white light was the same as the other figures, but her waist-length hair was colored blue and her appearance was somewhat similar to that of Eva, who was in the arms of Lucas behind her.


    "You came, you came. ......"


    "Do you know what this is?¡¡Eva."


    I ask Eva, who says this happily, about the white figure in front of her.


    These people are not bad people. They are kind people who have always protected me from scary dreams. ......"


    He protected me from scary dreams. .......


    I wonder if these are the ones who were protecting her mind from the curse of Samaritan''s people who were trying to drive her into a mental corner?


    Why did they come out now?


    Could it be that they jumped out of the curse because of Eva''s crisis?


    "Father, it''s all right now!¡¡These people will protect you!"


    "......"


    "...... father?"


    Lucas stares at the white figure in front of me, as if he didn''t hear Eva''s words.


    Lucas stares for a moment, then gasps, his voice shaking with tears as he tightens his hands on Eva and opens his mouth.


    "Oh, I see...... that''s right, you''ve been watching her grow up close to you, even though her body is gone. ....... I am still no match for you, after all. I guess you didn''t need to say goodbye, because you were always with Eva. ......"


    Lucas''s voice trembles, and the blue-haired woman turns her head and smiles kindly at him.


    Eva blinks when she hears Lucas'' words.


    I see, this woman is Lucas''s .......


    That means that the figures around her are the royalty of the past that have been erased by the curse, right?


    >


    Just then, the sorcerer''s angry voice echoes through the hall.


    >


    With these words, the sorcerer pulled up more chains and sent more skeletons rushing into the shadows.


    >


    The sorcerer is right, the royalty around them are not enough to stop the skeletons.


    In fact, every time we catch a skeleton, its white shadow flickers like smoke and its figure changes to a dim one.


    The female figure before us is no exception. However, the woman, who seems to pay no attention to the skeletons'' attacks, turns her head toward us again and slowly moves her lips.


    <>>


    "What?"


    I don''t hear a voice.


    I can''t hear her voice, but I''m sure she''s trying to tell us something.


    What the hell is .......


    He''s saying it''s okay ......


    "Eva, do you understand what he''s saying?"


    "Yes, yes. Yes, I have a vague idea. ......


    Is she able to communicate to some extent because she was protecting Eva from the curse?¡¡Or is it simply that this woman is her child''s---that''s what we should think about now.


    What''s okay? The situation is still as much as before, and I don''t think so at all, even if I am told that everything is okay in such a situation.


    To my concern, the woman smiled kindly, as if to reassure me, and then spun a short sentence.


    <>


    "He''s already awake, so ......?"


    I nod my head in confusion as Eva tells me this.


    Woke up, in this situation, I mean .......


    >


    "Gosh, that''s annoying ...... that guy ......."


    The sorcerer, whose true nature has been exposed, laughs with no decency at all.


    I glared at the magician to say something back, but... I saw the skeletons surrounding Usato behind the magician scatter apart as if they were spiders, and I realized that I had just said something like that. I understand the meaning of the woman''s words.


    >


    A figure approaches from behind the magician, who is smiling, unaware of the unusual situation happening behind him.


    As soon as we see him clearly, somehow the skeletons that were attacking us gradually slow down. By the time he is close behind the sorcerer, the skeletons are so weakened that they are forced to hit us with their wards while they are still pulled by their chains.


    "......That''s right, you''re late getting up,......, huh?"


    I was elated to hear him talk lightly, but I shuddered when I saw him lying on the ground.


    I could feel his anger even from a distance, and I could see his arms were so strong that his blood vessels were floating.


    "Hey!


    <>


    With a dusky voice, a hand reaches out from behind the smiling magician and grabs his head.


    >


    "What''s wrong?¡¡Smile. Like an idiot. You have to laugh while you still can..."


    He slammed the sorcerer''s head into the floor with enough force to send him crashing to the floor.


    Looking down with cold eyes at the large shattering of the floor and the sorcerer''s shattered skull, Usato smiles and clenches his fist, as he always does.


    "You''ll never laugh again, will you?"


    A traveler from somewhere once told me that people naturally smile when they are really angry, and I guess that''s what Usato is doing right now.


    He was completely pissed off, and I was really glad from the bottom of my heart that Usato had not done anything to lose his temper so much.

 101 - - 96th episode.

    I was swallowed by the skeletons, and when I next woke up, I was in a completely white space all around me.


    The people of Samaritan, who were standing around me in the center of this white space, were hurling countless cries of hatred at me.


    And as I listened to the cries of resentment, I was also shown the memories of the people of Samaria, which were projected on top of each other in an overlapping pattern. We were forced to watch scenes of people roasted by fire, suffering from hunger, crying in the rubble, and trembling with fear of death.


    I grit my teeth, suffering from a headache, unable to look away from the sights that are drilled directly into my head.


    "Ugh, ugh ......"


    First, we were shown the memory of a man suffering from the poison.


    The man who had been suffering from the poison of the evil dragon, his lungs rotting and unable to breathe properly, was sacrificed and his soul was drained just when he thought he could finally show signs of recovery and return to his family.


    >


    "......gu......!"


    Next, we are shown the memory of a woman who witnessed the death of her beloved family in front of her eyes.


    She has lost everything that mattered to her, she has lost all hope for life, she is still trapped in a curse on her soul, but she longs for her family whom she cannot see yet, and she longs for their release.


    "Gah, guh ......"


    Next is the memory of a knight who fought to protect his people from an evil dragon.


    No matter how hard he tried, he was hit by the poison of the evil dragon and miraculously survived, but his soul was drained by the merciless king and the sorcerer.


    <>


    "......¥Ã"


    The skeletons'' vindictive cries are piled on top of each other and pounded into my head.


    Memories of those who were severely injured by the attack of the evil dragon.


    Memories of people whose souls were drained by the atrocious kings and sorcerers, and who died.


    Memories of happy days turned into hell in an instant.


    In the midst of suffering, the scene changes further.


    A pile of rubble fills your field of vision, and a small hand is covered in soot and dirt.


    The subject of the vision --- a girl cries inaudibly.


    ---Guggaooooooooooooooooooooo!


    The scream of an evil dragon shakes the air.


    The girl, who had fallen down due to the impact, looked beyond the voice, and saw an evil dragon, stronger and more hideous than in my memory, staring at a man standing in front of her, exhaling poisonous breath.


    The man wearing adventurer-like clothes and armor, with a long sword and a small sword in sheaths disproportionate to his appearance at his waist, was undaunted by the evil dragon''s yell.


    ---What are you?


    ---.......


    The evil dragon swung its large tail sideways at the silent man.


    With tremendous force, the tail approaches, turning the surrounding buildings into rubble.


    In response, the man---withdrawing a small sword from his waist, the same as the one I have, he headed for the tail, which was sure to contain a vicious power.


    The girl who stood there stunned was hit by a cloud of dust and the impact of the tail hitting the man.


    The girl, who rolled on the ground due to the shock, saw a man who had caught the tail of the evil dragon with his fist holding a small sword, leaving her uninjured.


    ---What the...?


    ----System reinforcement, sealed.


    As the man muttered this, a sphere like Kazuki''s magic bullet softly floated out of the blade of the small sword that had caught him. The sphere returns to the blade of the small sword, and this time the blade itself is charged with a golden light.


    The man then holds the light-emitting small sword in his opposite hand and thrusts it into his own abdomen.


    ---Dissolution.


    At the same time, the man pulls the small sword in his left hand out of his abdomen. For some reason, there is neither a wound nor a blood mark on the man''s abdomen, even though he himself stabbed himself with the small sword.


    ---!


    Without warning, the man runs toward the evil dragon.


    His speed is unimaginably fast for a man of his slender frame, and the ground gouges out with every step he takes.


    The evil dragon opens its large mouth and breathes out a poisonous breath at the approaching man.


    ---Seal.


    The poison, however, vanishes as if sucked out of the man just as the hero turns the hilt of the long sword at his waist.


    The hero strikes the dragon in the chest with his left hand holding the small sword.


    The mere force of his fist, without any magic power in it, blasts the huge body of the evil dragon and sends it flying through the air.


    ---Ggwaaaaaaaaaaah!


    --- Rot in your own poison, monster!


    The hero, having retracted his small sword, draws his long sword, grips it with both hands, and holds it in the upper stance.


    ---Release!


    He cries out and brings the sword down, sending a purple shockwave through the blade.


    The girl who was lying on the ground watching the man''s blow that cut through even the dark cloudy sky fainted with a feeling similar to fear or longing, and did not wake up.


    >


    "......gu......"


    Skeletons---no, they are the ones who inflict their prenatal suffering on me in my prenatal form.


    Some people still wished to live, some wanted to see their loved ones, some felt resentment for having left behind their precious family members who had died... I had been forced to listen to hundreds of such regretful voices, and to tell the truth, my head felt like it was going to fall off.


    <<<<<>>>>>


    <<<<<>>>>>


    It''s your fault <<<<<< >>>>>>


    <<<<<>>>>>


    <<<<<>>>>>


    <<<<<< atone>>>>>>


    The vindictive voices of those around you intensify.


    The headache intensifies and you can no longer stand properly. I get on my knees and hands on the ground, and my hands and feet are slowly buried in the white ground.


    "If I just go to sleep, will I be ...... released from this ...... haha?"


    I don''t think I can stand it anymore.


    I feel like my head is going to explode and I don''t even know if I''m looking forward or down anymore.


    My spirit is shattered after having been forced to see the dead over and over and over again, and being told bitter things about it each time.


    The thought grows inside of me that it''s okay to give up, that it''s okay to get comfortable.


    But..,


    "---- shut up, shut up."


    That is no reason to collapse now.


    He tells the skeletons, forcing them to pull their sunken limbs out of the ground and stagger to their feet.


    ---What the...?


    The skeletons are shaken by my words.


    I was a dead man just a moment ago, so it''s understandable that they''re surprised to see me stand up out of nowhere.


    I am indeed a corpse. My head hurts like hell, and my consciousness is fading.


    I slowly stare at my surroundings while straining my legs that are about to collapse at any moment, and let out the best voice I can muster at the moment.


    "What do you want me to do by showing you this?¡¡Did you want to be pitied?¡¡Do you want me to take you prisoner?¡¡You''ve got to be kidding me. ......!¡¡I''m not saying you should accept death. I''m not saying you should accept death, but you can''t harm Eva who is living in the present!


    My head hurts so much that I don''t even understand what I''m thinking and talking about.


    Still, I have to say out what I honestly think.


    "She ...... Eva doesn''t ...... know anything yet ......!¡¡She has spent her whole life in this world, in a very small boundary, and she has decided that it''s her world!¡¡Still smile and ......!"


    You don''t really want to disappear.


    You want to live more.


    You don''t want to live more, and you don''t want to force yourself to accept an unreasonable ...... story.


    "I wanted her to know the outside world!¡¡Not even a few trees planted!¡¡Not a flower in a small flowerbed!¡¡Not a pond with not a single fish swimming in it!¡¡The world he had seen so far was so small. ......!¡¡I want you to know that it''s a big world out there, so I''m going to break the curse that binds you!"


    I know this because I come from the original world.


    This world is amazing. Swords and magic, monsters, and all sorts of unknowns. I was anxious because I didn''t know so many things, but I was excited to know that great things were waiting for me that I could never experience in my original world.


    So I decided to..,


    "To not let you die, to not end up not knowing what''s out there: ......!¡¡I will help her!¡¡And I''m going to destroy all the curses that have been tormenting you ......---"


    Slowly, he raises his clenched fist upward and gathers his strength.


    "Shut up and be saved!"


    I shouted and slammed my fist into the white ground as hard as I could. The people of Samaritan who had surrounded me disappeared, and the white space itself shattered like glass as cracks appeared from the ground where I had hit.


    My consciousness woke up as if I was rising out of the water.


    I remove my hands from around my head, open my closed eyes, and at the same time, I thrust out my arms vigorously as if to shake off the skeletons attached to my body...


    I opened my eyes.


    I crushed the head of the weird skeleton right after I woke up, and I looked down at the skeleton, snapping my hands.


    "He''s got a cane and he''s wearing a robe, so that means he''s the mastermind, right?¡¡Neah."


    Pointing to the skeleton whose skull is being reconstructed, I ask Nair why and she takes a step back as if frightened.


    "......"


    "Neah?"


    What?¡¡Uh, yes. That''s the sorcerer ...... who is the cause of the curse.


    ......Leaving aside why I used honorifics, I guess I was right after all.


    I had a distinctly different feeling from the other skeletons, and more malicious than resentful, so I had a feeling it might be him.


    While I was asking Nair about the identity of this robed skeleton, Master Lucas with Eva in his arms walked up to stand next to Nair.


    "Usato-san!¡¡You are safe!


    "Yes, I''m fine. Is Lucas-sama safe too?


    "Yes, thanks to N¨¦a and the girls, I''m not hurt or anything.


    I see. ......, uh, they''re ......."


    Could it be the translucent figures around Nair and the others?


    They look more like ghosts than skeletons, which is a little scary.


    "These are the royalty of Samaritan, the generations that the curse has bound."


    "...... I see."


    Nair''s words make me shift my gaze to the only figure that remains clear---a woman who looks exactly like Eva, and she smiles at me with a cheerful smile similar to hers.


    When Eva told me her story, I had expected that the royal family members who had been erased by the curse were protecting Eva, so I was not too surprised.


    "Oh?"


    I realized that the skeleton in the robe --- the sorcerer --- had staggered to his feet, as if the head I had shattered had finished regenerating.


    Nair had told me that he had bound his soul to the curse by being executed himself, but how could he have done that for so long?


    I feel more disgust than anger. .......


    I press my forehead, and the sorcerer points at me, his teeth shaking.


    >


    "...... you''re talking about the memories the people of Samaritan showed you?¡¡I don''t know what your purpose was in showing them to me, but how would I know? I snapped and you shut up. That''s all."


    "No, no, no, you can''t shut him up like that. How did you lose your temper? ......"


    It''s true in a nutshell.


    I laugh bitterly at Nair, who has somehow reverted to his owl form and jumped onto my shoulder.


    The sorcerer, scratching his head, is confused, looking around at the skeletons and shouting, "I don''t understand a word I''m saying.


    >


    The chains around the skeletons'' necks are yanked hard.


    But the skeletons remain motionless. They are watching the situation with their hands hanging down, as if ignoring the sorcerer''s order.


    "What''s the matter?


    <>


    The chains jerk even louder, but the skeleton still refuses to obey the sorcerer''s commands.


    "I guess you all finally get it now. What you''re saying is a lie. ......"


    <<>


    No, it''s not.


    I know what I hear in their voices and in their memories.


    It''s not just hate. They were all clinging to someone because they wanted to be free of their suffering. They were asking for help because they were in pain, and they kept following orders because they couldn''t do anything about this suffering on their own.


    "The reason why they are doing this now, when they can''t speak from the outside, is because Usato was pulled into the same spiritual world as them, and he changed them in some way there?¡¡It makes sense when you think about it that way. ...... It''s not a proper way to go about it when you risk breaking their hearts. That''s what Usato is all about."


    "......"


    That was not my intention at all, so I don''t want to be called quirky.


    But I guess it wasn''t a bad thing that I was trapped with the skeletons, even if only temporarily.


    There is no more soul left to follow you. I will break the curse here and save Eva and all the trapped souls. ......Nea, I''ll decide."


    "Yes, let''s get this over with."


    He clenches his fists and glares sharply at the sorcerer.


    The sorcerer backs away as if in a daze at the sight of me, but he shakes himself and leaps at me with an animal-like snarl.


    <>


    Usato, look out!


    Usato?


    I put my right hand out to the side to reassure Eva and Lucas-sama, who are panicked by the magician''s sudden attack, and I grab the magician by the neck with great force.


    At the same time, I feel a dull pain in my head, but it is insignificant now, so I ignore it and lift the magician up with one hand.


    "I''m used to that level of mental attack.


    >


    "I''m used to it."


    The sorcerer twists his arms around his captor''s right hand in an attempt to escape, but his strength is weak.


    >


    "My body is mine. If you want it, you''ll have to work on it in the next life. It will be much easier than preparing for hundreds of years."


    With these words, he swings the struggling sorcerer by the neck and throws him forward with all his might.


    He takes the hero''s small sword from his waist and covers the blade with healing magic and binding spells.


    Gripping the hilt tightly, I throw it at the flying sorcerer, aiming at the altar.


    >


    "If you want a hero so badly, I''ll give it to you!"


    The small sword, spinning in a green trajectory, strikes the sorcerer directly in the forehead without missing a beat, and the momentum of the strike sews the sorcerer and the altar crystal behind him to the ground.


    "I will take back what was taken from me!¡¡Sorcerer!"


    I ready my right fist and take a giant step toward the altar.


    The sorcerer shakes his body pleadingly as he sees me approaching.


    "It''s too late to regret it now!¡¡You had plenty of chances to repent! If you are the one who created this curse, then share your fate with it until the very end!"


    >


    "Hey!"


    My fist strikes the handle of the small sword that is thrust straight into the sorcerer''s forehead, shattering the sorcerer''s head with the crystal.


    Instantly, light floods from the shattered crystal and many human souls are released into the hall.


    Looking behind, the chains around the necks of the skeletons in the room are also shattered, and like the other souls, they are transformed into human souls and disappear.


    <<>


    The shattered body of the sorcerer is also transformed into a human soul.


    I smile as I see the human soul ascending to the ceiling with a wailing cry.


    "Go train yourself again, if you can be reborn.


    "Is that supposed to be cool?¡¡You don''t have very good taste, do you?"


    "......"


    My peers'' tweets to me are cold, man. .......


    I''m really pissed off.


    Nair, who has been staring at me with a glare, releases her tension and lets out a sigh of relief.


    "Well, I''ll tell Amako and the others about Usato''s line earlier and we''ll call it a day.


    "......No, not yet, apparently."


    "What?"


    He says and turns to Eva and Master Lucas.


    They looked up at a blue-haired woman.


    As the other royal souls disappear one after another, the blue-haired woman --- Lady Eliza --- smiles a farewell smile and slowly reaches out her hand to Eva''s blue hair and caresses it gently.


    "Oh ......"


    Then, light streamed into Eva from the hand that caressed her head.


    Seeing Eva rolling her eyes at what had happened to her, Eliza-sama let out a giggle and muttered something small, then turned into a human soul and returned to the heavens as if she had no more regrets.


    "Father, I ...... have a ...... body."


    "What?"


    Eva''s words made Master Lucas rush to put her down by a nearby light, and when he illuminated her shadow, he saw that the shadow she had lost more than half of her body before coming here had all been restored.


    Seeing her shadow restored, Eva sits down on the ground and touches the floor where her shadow had been.


    You saved me, didn''t you, mother? She always looked after me ...... and I wasn''t unhappy at all. Your father and mother have always been with me. ......"


    "Oh ...... ah, yes, that''s right. You''re not unhappy. You can live like a human being now. ......


    Eva and Mr. Lucas are in tears, trembling with joy.


    I watch them from a distance, and fall to the floor with relief.


    The case is finally closed.


    Eva and the souls of the people of Samaritan are saved.


    "Neah, you saved my life this time. And thank you for keeping Master Lucas and Eva safe while I was stuck here."


    "Hmmm, you should be more grateful. Oh, yeah. Can''t you give me something to thank me for that?¡¡Specifically, blood.


    "Ha ha ha, okay, okay."


    I''m really tired this time.


    Mentally, I may be more tired than I was at the time of the evil dragon.


    "...... glad I could help. ......"


    The fact that Eva is smiling now with a reasonable smile makes me more than happy.

 102 - - The 97th Episode

    After breaking the curse, I returned from the altar to the hall where the throne was located, probably due to exhaustion, and soon after I fell asleep and passed out.


    When I next awoke, it was the sixth night.


    When I awoke, I found Amako by my bed, looking at me anxiously, and Alc and Nair sitting a little further away from me.


    It seems that Amako and the others were allowed to enter the castle after that, and they had been watching me in the room where I was sleeping.


    I was glad that breaking the bell was not a crime.


    However, Amako told me that I was too reckless and that I should not be overconfident no matter how sturdy I am.


    I accepted her words and apologized firmly to Amako and Mr. Aruk.


    I really owe you a big debt, and I can''t thank you enough.


    I did it on my own."


    The morning after the day I woke up, we were in the hall where the throne was located.


    The wall I had broken was hidden by a cloth, and in front of it sat Master Lucas on his throne, with Eva next to him.


    The reason we are here is to greet our departure today from Samaritan to the next country --- the floating city of Mearraq.


    Amako and Alc were sitting next to me, and Nair was dozing on my shoulder as an owl.


    "You''re going to have a hard time now, aren''t you Lucas-sama?"


    I would like to say that there is a happy ending with no more people suffering from the curse, but it is not all right to break the main body of the curse.


    Unless something is done about Mr. Fegnis''s family and those who were inspired by them, such as the knights under his command, the same kind of thing might happen again.


    "Ha ha, it''s a lot easier than it used to be. We have captured Fegnis and his knights, who were the first to administer the curse. All we have to do now is to find out who was involved in this.


    "Mr. Fegnis and ....... How are you doing now?"


    He''s the one who relied on the curse so much.


    I wonder how he reacted when he found out it was broken.


    "...... He was, you know, a shell of a man when he found out that the curse was broken. And he was devastated to learn that it was his own ancestors who had been responsible for it all, who had used the souls of countless people. He is locked up in the dungeon for now, but it will take time for him to recover."


    "I see. ......"


    It must be hard for you, Master Lucas.


    To have to treat someone you have trusted for so many years as a traitor who has deceived you overnight.


    "...... Let''s change the subject. As for the letter, Samaritan will cooperate with the Kingdom of Lingle, as I said in my first answer. Let''s protect this continent from the Demon Lord''s army together.


    "Thank you very much!"


    I felt happier than when I first received the letter.


    Maybe it was because I had gotten to know Master Lucas'' personality over the past seven days, or maybe I was just happy to hear his sincere words.


    Either way, it means that I have successfully fulfilled one of my tasks.


    "Usato, thanks to you I did not lose my Eva. Without you, I probably would have given up my duties as king in desperation. Thank you so much."


    I did what I wanted to do and I did it.


    I didn''t do it for payback or anything.


    I just did what I really wanted to do.


    "Humble" doesn''t begin to cover it. That''s who you are. Yeah, yeah, that''s who you are. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you''re the guy I can trust."


    "...... can I trust you?"


    I don''t know, I suddenly have a bad feeling about this. .......


    What does "trustworthy" mean?


    Nodding his head, Lucas relaxed his shoulders, looked at Eva, and then looked at me.


    "So, Usato, this is the main question: ......"


    "Thank you for the past seven days. I''ll be on my way soon, so..."


    I guessed.


    I had a great guess.


    Sensing that I was in danger in more ways than one, I smiled, bowed, and turned around.


    Amako and Aruk-san were following me, looking puzzled, but I was in too much of a hurry to answer their questions.


    But Lucas-sama must have anticipated this, because with a snap of his fingers, the maids stand in front of me.


    "No, no, no, Usato. "No, no, Usato. There''s no need to rush. It wouldn''t hurt to hear the story out, would it?"


    There is a saying in my world that time is money. In other words, time is worth more than money.


    Well, that''s a good word. But what I''m about to tell you is well worth it.


    I try to pass between the maids while explaining a proverb I''ve already memorized, but they smile and refuse to let me pass.


    What is it that drives them to such an extent?


    If they were knights, I could force my way through .......


    d*mn, that''s Lucas! He knows my character and he knows how to deal with me. ......!


    "Hey, Usato. What''s wrong?"


    Amako, I need your help. If you don''t help me, I may be trapped in a situation worse than a curse.


    "Huh?¡¡What are you talking about?


    Of course. If someone said that to you, you''d tilt your head back, wouldn''t you?


    While I was tilting my head at Amako, Master Lucas, who had just stepped down from the throne, came over to talk to me.


    "Usato, I have talked about bringing you into my country, but I''m not going to do that.


    "...... what?¡¡...... is, yes."


    Not what I expected ......?


    He stops and turns to Master Lucas, who grins and raises a clenched fist.


    "Usato, are you going to be Eva''s son-in-law and follow in my footsteps?


    .......


    "......I don''t mean to be rude. What the hell do you think you''re doing?


    I used to be a knight myself. I used to be one of the knights.¡¡If you don''t have the guts, you can''t do the job!


    You can''t be the king with such force!


    "Oh, come on, I''m right here in front of you to prove it!"


    The conversation is taking a funny turn.


    Why did he go from pulling me in to asking me to take over?


    While I was at a loss as to how to react, Amako tugged at the hem of my troupe uniform.


    "Hey, Usato. What do you mean?¡¡What are you talking about?¡¡Explain it to me!"


    "Calm down, Amako."


    I''m calm. I''m very, very calm. I couldn''t be more calm.


    Amako looks up at me with a blank expression on her face.


    "Ha ha ha. You''re good, Usato-sama."


    Mr. Aruk just laughs.


    He seems to be having fun thinking it''s someone else''s problem. ....... I can''t laugh because I feel like I''m being pushed into a corner more and more.


    "Usato-san......"


    "Eva. You should say something to her, too!¡¡You don''t want to get engaged out of the blue, do you?


    "Don''t you like me, Usato?"


    "......?


    Are you ready for it?


    She asked me with a very anxious look on her face, which confused me even more.


    To be honest, I''m glad that she likes me, but it''s too risky for me to agree with her because she''s dangerous in many ways. ......!


    Amako''s sharp eyes and Lucas''s expectant glances only intensify.


    "But it''s okay."


    "...... what?"


    She intertwines her fingers in front of her chest and smiles a flowery smile.


    "I don''t care if you don''t like me. It doesn''t matter if you don''t like me, because what I do won''t change.


    "What do you mean, you won''t change?"


    What?¡¡Is this d¨¦j¨¤ vu?


    "I''ll do my best until you like me. That''s the solution."


    Instead of a solution, I''m about to enter the labyrinth that is the graveyard of life.


    It''s more like a manly confession that''s gone full circle. .......


    "I really want to accompany you on your journey and see things with you. But that would be a nuisance to you. So, this is goodbye for now. The next time we meet, I would like to touch many things that I have never touched before, and I would like to grow up more."


    She smiles, and I don''t know what to do.


    My mind is racing with thoughts of the days I spent in the same place with her.


    Confused, I bow deeply to Eva who smiles at me.


    "And friends first, please!"


    What kind of a response is this, like a girl rejecting a boy''s confession?


    It''s not that I don''t appreciate her straightforwardness.


    But now that we are engaged, I have no choice but to give this chicken-shit answer, considering the future developments and the mission that I have to fulfill now.


    On the one hand, I am self-deprecating, thinking what a coward I am, and on the other hand, I am hoping that it is just a suspension bridge effect.


    "Yes, that''s right. It''s insane to suddenly get engaged. It''s important to start with something small. I don''t mind if it starts with a friend ......."


    I don''t know, Eva''s words scare me a little.


    It''s like a predator with an eagle eye.


    Master Lucas is also muttering with a faraway look in his eyes, "Oh, she is just like Eliza.


    "Well then, we''d better get going!"


    "Oh, wait, Usato!"


    I bow deeply to her and to Lucas-sama, and then, with a rather serious step, I pass through the maid''s gap and try to quickly walk out of the throne.


    "Oh my God, Master Lucas!"


    But before he can do so, Eiri, the butler, enters the throne from the entrance holding several sheets of paper.


    As he enters the throne, my shoulder bumps into his, and the paper slips out of his hand and falls at my feet.


    I picked it up and was about to hand it to Mr. Eiri when I saw the words written in large letters on the paper.


    "What the hell is this?


    I screamed loudly, which is not like me, and stiffened on the spot with the paper in my hand.


    Amako and the others who were behind me saw what was wrong with me and hurriedly looked at the paper in their hands, and they stiffened as I did.


    The text that astonished us was...


    ---Prince''s proposal of marriage is refused!¡¡The rumored female heroine is in love with the healer wizard Usato! ---The prince''s love interest is Usato, a healer and magician!


    It was Inukami-senpai''s covering fire from afar.


    He brilliantly helped to accelerate my critical situation.


    "What are you doing, that senpai... ......"


    What the hell are you doing, senpai?¡¡What are you really doing?


    Why did you mention my name there, no matter how much trouble you were in because of his marriage proposal?¡¡I''m in the same situation myself, so I understand how you feel!


    I''m sure it''s not my imagination that I saw the smiling face of my senpai in my mind.


    "And is that me?¡¡Is it me?


    Underneath the large headline was what looked like a portrait of me.


    But the only thing that matched was my hair style, and from the hair down, the rest of my face had been sculpted into an astonishingly beautiful shape. This rose-sucking nobleman has a nose so sharp that he looks like he could punch a hole in the wall.


    Moreover, my trademark, if I may say so, is the aristocrat-like decoration on my uniform, which is almost unmodern. .......


    "If the leader and the strongmen of the lifeguard corps see this, they will make fun of me. ......"


    And now there''s Nack in the rescue squad.


    His reaction when he sees this is too frightening.


    Mainly because of his dignity as a master.


    Rose, I''m sure he''s going to grin when he sees this.


    "Oh, my God, oh, my God, oh, my God... ......"


    "Usato, it''s okay. Usato now is better than this. This picture doesn''t look ferocious at all, he''s just a human being.


    I wonder if Amako is following me.


    I feel like he is telling me, in a roundabout way, that it would be more correct to draw me like an ogre.


    "Ho-ho-ho, I see, Eva, it seems that you have to defeat your rival in order to win him.


    I''ll still do my best!


    "Ha-ha-ha, that''s the spirit!¡¡I''ll be happy to help you.


    Lucas-sama, who looked over the other piece of paper, perhaps having received it from Eiri-san, is also escalating in a manner that shows his parental stupidity.


    "Hmmm, you''re annoying,...... I''m still tired, so don''t make a fuss,......, hmm?¡¡Usato, what''s that paper..."


    Mini healing magic bullet!


    "Bgyafu!"


    Nair wakes up on his shoulder and is knocked unconscious by a healing magic bullet that is sent flying in the air like a decapitation.


    I''m sorry, but I can''t let you know about this portrait.


    "You can''t be here. ......"


    Unable to stand still any longer, I run out of the castle to get away from the situation.


    Behind me, Master Lucas and Eva are waving me off with bright smiles on their faces. Part of me is happy to see them both smiling from the bottom of their hearts, but the last thing I want to do is get engaged or follow in their footsteps or any of the other ridiculous things that have happened in the last few days.


    I don''t know what to do!


    "Usato!¡¡Nair''s eyes are white and she''s sticking to your clothes, is she all right?¡¡Hey!


    Even though I had broken a curse that had lasted for hundreds of years with my friends, there are still some things that are beyond my control.


    I realize this keenly as I fly out of the castle and look up at the sky.

 103 - - In those days, the two brave men...

    When one makes an irreversible mistake, one gives up thinking.


    The only thing a person can do when he or she is unable to think is to move forward without thinking.


    Even if you are wrong, you cannot stop moving forward.


    Because not moving forward will only make the situation worse.


    The words we spit out can neither be erased nor put back. The feelings I have for him are now known by many people, and I can''t fake them or pretend to have them.


    What should I do?


    I don''t know how to .......


    "Suzune-san. Please get back on your feet! Today is the day of departure!


    "Krumia, I''m in the depths of despair. So please leave me alone for a little while longer."


    I respond to the voice calling me, my face pressed against the pillow, as my mind is conjuring up an escapist poem.


    I am at an inn in the country of Calm Helio.


    In that country, where I have strong faith in the heroes of the past, I have made a great mistake.


    To be more specific, the fact that I have feelings for you, Usato-kun, has spread not only in this country but all over the continent.


    But it was not on purpose.


    It was just a slip of the tongue, or rather, I lost control and came out with a lot of things out loud. .......


    "Oh my God, I''m so embarrassed just remembering it, I don''t know why I said that!"


    "Huh. ......"


    It all started when we received a request to take down a huge bull that was trying to break down the walls that covered Calm Helio.


    We were able to defeat the bull, though we had a hard time, but what came after that was very difficult.


    To my surprise, the prince of Calmherio, Kyle Lark Calmherio, asked me to marry him. And in the middle of Kahm Helio''s country... in the midst of so many people''s eyes.


    "So what''s the matter with you?


    I am lying on my side on the bed, and the only female knight accompanying me --- Krumia --- is appalled.


    She is easy to talk to, unlike the other knights because of our age, but she doesn''t seem to have the heart to comfort me in my heartbreak.


    "Oh my God, how long are you going to stay in shock? I''m a knight myself, but Suzune-san''s refusal made me feel better, didn''t it?


    "You may be relieved, but I have been writhing in shame ever since I realized my gaffe!


    "That''s exactly what you deserve, isn''t it?


    "Well, what do you mean you deserved it? ......!¡¡You are a knight!¡¡You could have consoled me or worried about me a little!


    "I don''t think I should go that far."


    Why?


    "Just because."


    What, you''re going to turn me down because of something? .......


    "Anyway, the town has calmed down a lot, so now is the perfect time."


    "Really?"


    Are you sure? His father, His Majesty, allowed him to leave in the first place, so he should have no problem leaving. ....... He was rather happy, wasn''t he?¡¡I heard that the prince was roaming around town and doing whatever he wanted.


    That''s true, but...


    But I''m glad it didn''t become a problem.


    If he had tried to force me to marry her, I would have seriously resisted him, but I''m really glad that the king didn''t want to make a problem of it.


    "So, but won''t the kids point at you like, ''Oh, he''s the one who shook the oji''?


    "What kind of kids? Please move already!


    "U, but ......"


    Right now, there are articles posted all over the place outside that have been spread by the press in this country.


    And for some reason, there is a portrait of Usato-kun that doesn''t look like this one: .......


    Sighing at me still wrapped in the futon, Krumia mutters a small "It can''t be helped" and clears her throat deliberately.


    "I don''t feel sorry for him,......, since he made it so easy for me to refuse and then asked me to marry him. What was it?¡¡?¡¡He is very passionate.


    "Ohhhhhh!"


    I exclaim as Krumia''s words bring to mind my gaffe the other day.


    Oh, you''re saying that now?


    "<


    "Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"


    "<


    "Aieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"


    I rolled over, my face redder than ever.


    As I rolled up the futon and pillow and suffered from the overflowing shame, a smiling Kulmir continued to speak.


    "<>It was cool too."


    "Heeheeheehee?"


    Stop it, stop it. ......!


    No matter how much I like it, that''s a pretty black history. ......!


    Finally, he fell off the bed, slammed into the wall, and stopped without effort, wrapped in the futon.


    "But when you said that I didn''t deserve a healing wizard and that you were better than such a weakling, of course I wanted to say all kinds of things to you!


    "We feel the same way.


    Krumea, who had pulled the covers off me when I stopped, frowned, as if remembering the prince''s words at that time.


    "Usato-sama, no, the lifeguard is very special to us knights. Without them, our friends and colleagues would have never returned. It is unforgivable to undermine them just because of their healing magic, because they think they know everything.


    Krumia said this with a serious expression on her face.


    In the battle against the Demon Lord''s army, you saved many knights.


    And now he is traveling on the same mission as Kazuki and I.


    .......


    "......Oh, you''ve given up?"


    "Yes, I see. Now that I know that both Usato and Kazuki are working hard, I can''t stand still like this.


    "......<>"


    "Stop coming back to fold me while I''m getting back on my feet!"


    Of all people, you can''t say that in front of him even if you wanted to. ......!


    "It''s a different kind of buzz, you know?¡¡Mostly among women."


    "I didn''t want it to be a topic of conversation. ...... Maybe that''s why Usato-kun''s drawings were so aristocratic. ......"


    "I think it''s because they beautified the original Lord Usato to make him more popular with the ladies."


    "......I don''t like Usato-kun dressed up like that. ......"


    When I first saw his picture, I felt a little bad. Somehow, I felt that his attractiveness was covered with unnecessary decorations.


    Krumea gives me a sullen look as I become grumpy.


    "From my point of view, I think it''s a good match, don''t you?¡¡But whether or not you will understand my feelings is another matter. Suzune-san, when you say things like that to Usato-dono, you say them in jest, so I can''t tell if you''re serious or not.


    "G, because I have to include some kind of a phrase to say this in front of you, Usato-kun."


    "Oh, you are surprisingly maidenly, aren''t you?"


    "I''m always a girl!"


    "...... eh?"


    Why do you look so surprised?


    Krumia giggles as she gets up from the bed in surprise.


    "Well, I''m glad to see you''re back on your feet. Now please get ready, we will leave while the sun is still high in the sky.


    "......I''ve packed my bags in advance, so it won''t take that long ...... haha ......"


    I''ve already stepped on it.


    Krumia is a very silent girl when she''s in battle and shoots her bow and arrow, but when she''s not, she''s the kind of girl who enjoys making fun of people.


    I let out a sigh as Krumea leaves the room with a smile on her face, and I get dressed and grab the doorknob.


    "...... okay."


    There''s no turning back now.


    I cannot change the fact that my refusal of the prince''s marriage proposal to Usato-kun has spread all over the continent.


    To tell you the truth, I still feel so embarrassed that I want to wriggle around, but think about it the other way around.


    ---I''m just going to let it go on.


    I can do it, I can do it, Suzune. I won''t give up ......!"


    She decides and opens the door.


    "<>"


    "What?¡¡I told you to stop!


    Kurumia, who had been waiting next to the door, falls forward at his words.


    The resolve he has just pledged shakes strongly.


    Preparing myself to be teased with this story for a while to come, I give Krumea, who is giggling, an electric shock chop as punishment.


    ¡ñ


    "Ha-ha-ha, you''re a daring one, too, senpai."


    Just as I was leaving the first country I visited, I saw the words on a piece of paper delivered to my lodgings and my cheeks began to tear.


    I''ve been involved in dueling tournaments and all sorts of things, but I guess my senpai is in a lot of trouble too.


    "You are in a lot of trouble too, Usato-dono.


    "You think so too, Hilt?"


    "Yes."


    The big knight walking a little ahead of me, Hilt.


    He is a reliable companion who carries the vanguard in any situation and keeps his opponents at bay with his skillful spear-handling, which is unimaginable for a man of his stature.


    He has a cheerful personality and has helped me many times on this trip with his softness and good-naturedness.


    When he saw the article I was holding, he smiled pleasantly.


    "So you''re finally getting serious about your seniority, huh?"


    "I don''t know much about love affairs, but I''m sure this is not what you intended."


    "...... sure . Senpai seems to be a bit reserved while appearing bold."


    Whenever I talk with Usato, I joke around a little, so he seems to take it as a joke.


    "Well, it''s pretty obvious from my point of view..."


    "I guess the only one who doesn''t notice is you."


    The knights who are following behind us also laugh when I let out a laugh with Hilt.


    "However, it may be a little too much for Suzune-dono, but ...... Usato-dono is easily liked by women, isn''t he? Not by his looks, but by his actions. Even as a man, I can respect his way of being a lifeguard."


    Hilt''s words make sense to me.


    Usato''s actions are cool.


    When he says he will do something, he will do it, and when I learned that he was training to help Nack, who was suffering from bullying in Luxvis, I thought it was really, really cool.


    "Well, I don''t think I have to say anything about what''s going to happen between you and Usato. Even if it ends up any way, I''ll still be friends with Usato and Senpai, you know. ......"


    "It''s great to have a friend who has your back. I''m sure that both Usato and Suzune feel the same way as Kazuki does."


    Is that so?


    Yes, I''m sure.


    He scratches his cheeks in embarrassment at Hilt''s words with a gentle smile.


    After a few moments of talking with Usato about his senpai, Hilt turns around on his horse as if he had just remembered.


    "Kazuki-dono," he said. How far have you and the princess progressed?


    "Well, you''re talking about that again ......."


    "That''s fine. We are knights of the Kingdom of Lingle, how could we not be curious about the affair with His Majesty''s daughter?


    I managed to dodge the question when he asked me before, but this time it''s going to be difficult.


    I scratch my cheek in embarrassment.


    "No, no, I just promised ...... to come back safely. ......


    "Hohoho."


    "Hey, why are you smiling like that?¡¡And behind your back!"


    Hilt and the others, who are my reliable companions for the journey ahead, are a real pain in the ass in this situation.


    I felt my face heat up as I saw them smirking at me as if they knew something, and I began to desperately try to explain to them that I had nothing to do with her.

 104 - - The Nack and the Ferm

    Mr. Usato.


    Where are you now?


    Is it Samaritan? Or have you already arrived in Mearaq?


    Either way, I sincerely hope that your trip will end safely. But I believe that you can easily overcome any adversity and hardship.


    Just like when you reached out to me when I was at rock bottom and helped me to stand up on my own. .......


    Anyway, it has been about a month since I joined the rescue team as an apprentice.


    The daily life of the rescue team has been both demanding and fulfilling for me.


    At first I was scared of Alec''s face, but when I got to know them, they were very nice and kind to me, a junior member.


    I often talk with Mr. Uluru who sometimes comes to the rescue team.


    But every time I see him, he asks me, "Are you okay?¡¡Hasn''t your personality changed?¡¡Has he become like Usato-kun?" He asks me. To be honest, I''d like to ask him how I can become like Usato. ......


    And Mr. Rose.


    I know what I''m talking about when I''m trained by him. ......


    Usato, you were so kind......!


    He cared for me so much......!


    Once, when Mr. Ferrum and I were dropped into the demon-infested forest, I was really prepared to die.


    I got out of the forest in three days, but I couldn''t hide my shudder at the fact that Usato-san had been in that forest for ten days and was seriously trying to hunt a grand grizzly bear.


    And...


    "Hey, what are you writing?"


    I was writing a letter near the lifeguard''s quarters when someone approached me.


    I turned around and saw Mr. Ferrum, a colleague of mine in the rescue team, looking at me with stern eyes.


    "What?¡¡Oh, it''s a letter for you, Mr. Usato. I heard that Huberd always comes to tell you when you arrive at the destination country, so I thought I''d ask him to send mine.


    "Hmm, you must really admire him."


    Yes. He''s the man of my dreams.


    I wouldn''t be where I am today if it weren''t for him.


    Then you should respect me, too.


    "Huh? You should talk in your sleep.


    "What?"


    Huh?"


    I quickly put the letter in my pocket and stood up.


    "Hey!¡¡You''re my junior, you should respect me!"


    "What are you doing acting like a senior when you substituted your junior for Mr. Rose?¡¡I''ll never respect you, Alec and the others!


    What the hell!


    I often quarrel with Mr. Ferrum who is four years older than me.


    At first I was scared of him because of his horns, but after being beaten up by Mr. Rose over and over again with him, I stopped being afraid of him.


    Rather, I am half afraid of Mr. Rose.


    Now I am so afraid of him that I can''t even resist him.


    "You''re so young!"


    "Shut up!¡¡You have horns like a sheep!"


    "You call me a sheep!" "You call me a sheep! ......?¡¡I''m a sheep for lack of a better word!


    "Yes, you are!¡¡I think your twisted horns show your true character!


    "Mwah!¡¡I''ll never forgive you!¡¡I won''t be quiet just because you''re younger than me!¡¡I''m going to carve the black knight''s fear into your heart!"


    We started to fight each other.


    But since Mr. Ferrum''s physical abilities other than leg strength are overwhelmingly superior to mine, he grabs me by the cheek and pulls me away without a second thought.


    I grab her cheeks as well.


    "Gu,fy......halyasee......"


    "Hotchkotch, you''re the one. ......"


    A back-and-forth battle, with neither side backing down.


    But neither I nor Mr. Ferrum would let go of my hand.


    This is because the pain is much more bearable than Rose''s punishment. But so is Mr. Ferrum...so this is a battle of wills to see who will break.


    We can''t lose..,


    "Shut up, you guys."


    "Yi!"


    "Taa!"


    At that moment, we heard the voice of a terrifying demon near Mr. Ferrum and I, and at the same time, a tremendous blow fell on our heads.


    I crouched down, unable to speak out from the pain, and Mr. Ferrum, who was in front of me, was also holding his head with tears in his eyes.


    I was so shocked by the fistbones ...... after I had removed all sign of this!


    Mr. Rose ......"""


    "Don''t fight over stupid shit. What''s our motto?


    Don''t fight over shit!


    There will be no next time.


    Yes!


    Mr. Ferrum and I, both of whom have a deep-seated fear of Mr. Rose, apologize in unison, unable to disobey him.


    Rose sighs in exasperation and pulls out a piece of paper from her pocket and holds it out to me.


    "I''ve got something interesting for you," she says.


    "Something interesting?"


    "What''s ......?¡¡It''s...


    You''ll have to wait and see. Okay, I''m going back inside. Don''t make a fuss.


    A form handed to me by Rose, who seemed to be in a good mood.


    When I took it, Rose let out a small smile and walked toward the lifeguard''s quarters.


    "What''s this?"


    "That''s what that woman hands me with a smile. It must be something terrible."


    We can''t rule out that possibility.


    Maybe there is a training menu on which we are to be beaten to hell from now on.


    I looked over the paper handed to me with trepidation, and there was Usato''s name on it.


    "......E, you refuse the prince''s marriage proposal?¡¡The rumored female heroine is a healing magician?¡¡Usato-san?¡¡What?


    Don''t tell me the female heroine is Suzune?


    Even though I''ve only met her a few times, Usato and Suzune seem to be good friends, but I''m surprised that she has feelings for Usato. .......


    I wonder how Usato-san feels about this.


    I''m sure he won''t mind, but he must be in trouble.


    "But ......"


    There''s something that looks like Usato''s portrait under the headline, but .......


    "But what is this? This is not Usato."


    If you want to make a portrait of Mr. Usato, he should look more like a demon.


    He''s not a noble man.


    "Mr. Ferrum. What do you think of this?¡¡It doesn''t look like Mr. Usato, does it?"


    "...... hmph."


    "Ah."


    Mr. Ferrum snatched the paper out of my hand and tore it to pieces with great force.


    I panicked when I saw the pieces of paper fall to the ground.


    "What?¡¡What are you doing?¡¡I was going to save it because it was your article!


    "I was annoyed because you seemed to be having fun."


    "What is the reason?¡¡Oh, so disjointedly ......"


    "Shut up. I really don''t like the way he''s traveling so fluently while I''m suffering right now."


    I let out a sigh as Mr. Ferrum turns away with a frustrated look on his face.


    But that doesn''t mean you have to break it. .......


    "Usato-san, you''re not playing around either, are you?"


    I don''t know anything about humans. I''m a demon.


    Well, from Mr. Ferrum''s point of view, who is a demon, it may not matter what Mr. Usato''s mission is, as he is working for the peace of human beings. ...... but I think this person''s mission is different.


    "Are you sulking, by any chance?"


    "What?


    Mr. Ferrum is a bit surprised.


    As I recall, Tong told me that Mr. Ferrum used to be a soldier of the Devil King''s army, and he was also a black knight, a very terrible person. Usato beat him up and caught him,...... but looking at his attitude toward Usato, he seemed more like a child who was left alone to look after the house rather than hating him.


    "I knew it. I knew it. He''s probably sulking because he thinks Usato-san is going to be taken away by Suzune-san!


    "Hmph!"


    What?


    Ferrum-san''s head butt hit me directly on the head.


    Her head, which has been hit by Rose''s fist more than anyone else''s, is so hard that stars are flying all over my field of vision.


    "Look. I haven''t forgotten what he did to me."


    "~~~!¡¡We used to be enemies, so it can''t be helped. ...... And yet you''re always complaining and being a pain in the ass."


    "...... you think what would happen if Rose punched you in the face and then beat you with an octopus?"


    You''d be a piece of meat.


    What are you asking me that''s so obvious?


    Mr. Ferrum says this while holding his forehead, and his face turns serious.


    "Usato did that to me.


    "I''m sorry. I think that''s something you should hold on to."


    "Hey!" in the distance. I thought I heard Usato''s voice in the distance.


    "And I need to know more about him.


    "What?¡¡I thought you didn''t like me because of your usual attitude. ......"


    I thought I wouldn''t like him in the least, but apparently not.


    Mr. Ferrum becomes more grumpy at my words.


    "He''s a puzzle to me," he says. He healed me when I was his enemy, and after that he came to me in the cage with a light heart and made small talk with me. He wasn''t even afraid of me when I came in here, you know?¡¡......It''s natural to want to know how you can behave like that towards someone you''ve been killing each other."


    "......"


    Usato-san killing each other ......?


    No, he didn''t.


    "I don''t think it''s a killing match for you, Mr. Usato."


    "Huh?"


    He wasn''t running around the battlefield doing that. He came here to help people in accordance with the philosophy of this place and this rescue mission. I don''t know the situation when Mr. Ferrum and Mr. Usato fought, but I think Mr. Usato fought to save someone ...... maybe ...... no, I definitely think so."


    There is no way that Mr. Usato would use his power to kill his opponent.


    If he did, there is a possibility that Mr. Ferrum would not be alive today.


    Usato''s fist without healing magic would be dangerous to a human being. .......


    "Is that what you mean?¡¡Does that mean he didn''t care about me in the first place?"


    "No, I don''t think that''s what it means.


    "Kuhkuhkuhkuh ...... that explains his attitude of not taking a shine to me. He didn''t know how I was feeling, but he, he, he,...... f*ck him, that monster!¡¡d*mn, next time I see him, I''ll make sure I get even with him!"


    "...... Oh, shit."


    Mr. Ferrum, who is completely bloodied up, is stomping his feet on the ground and talking about his resentment toward Mr. Usato.


    It''s good to see you enjoying yourself so much, but if you make any more noise, you''ll get ----,


    Just when I think it''s time to stop Mr. Ferrum, someone stutters down behind us.


    ""......""


    Mr. Ferrum and I stop moving.


    There''s someone behind us.


    No, I don''t have to look. The shadow cast by the sunlight coming in from behind us shows an all too familiar silhouette.


    As soon as I looked fearfully behind me, a hand was thrust out so fast that I couldn''t follow it with my eyes, and it grabbed me and Mr. Ferrum''s head.


    "How many times have I told you not to make a fuss?¡¡Is that it?¡¡Can''t you learn?¡¡Or do you want to spend your vacation training?¡¡That''s a good attitude. Shall I give you five times what you want?


    "Oh, no, no, no, no, no, I''m ...... going to grab you by the head.


    "I have almost nothing to do with this...?"


    "If you don''t understand, it''s best to let them understand."


    It''s not about making them understand, it''s about controlling them with fear.


    Mr. Ferrum and I were both grabbed by the face and struggled.


    It''s a wonder that Mr. Rose can''t even faint, perhaps because he''s moderately controlled.


    "Now, we''re going to have a fun, fun training session. You''ll be happy, won''t you?


    ...... Usato.


    This is my lifeguard routine.


    It sure was a hell of a place to be.


    But I don''t know.


    Living here, I feel like I can be a different person than I was before.

 105 - - What is a quiet curse????

    "Ciel, what do you think a curse is?"


    Suddenly, the demon king asked me such a question as he stood behind me.


    After taking care of everything, I was just standing behind the throne where the Demon Lord was sitting, so I thought seriously about the question before answering it so as not to give a strange answer.


    Is a curse a grudge?¡¡I am aware that it is something that is directed at a certain object, such as "I hate that person, I hate this person, etc. ......"


    "Hmm, it''s not funny, but ...... that''s one form of cursing."


    I could not say, "I am not expected to be funny.


    The demon king is a generous man, so he is more than willing to tolerate a few gaffes, but I''m afraid that my boss, the chief maid of honor, will find out about it.


    I''m afraid of her complaints.


    I have a hard time listening to her lectures with no expression on her face.


    What''s the matter?¡¡What''s wrong?


    "Oh, no. I was just wondering why all of a sudden you were talking about curses. ......"


    How could he have known my face without even taking a glance at it? And did I look so weird that I was a moron?


    I hurriedly reply to the Demon Lord who spoke to me without looking at me.


    "A while ago, you told me about the evil dragon, didn''t you?


    "Yes.


    "I was wondering about the humans there. The place where I expected them to go leads me to the story of the curse."


    Evil dragons.


    A story about a time when the world''s most fearsome dragons came back to life, albeit temporarily.


    By humans, I assume you mean a strange group of people led by a healing wizard.


    Samariar. A kingdom now called the Land of Prayer. I''m sure it''s not a kingdom with such a lofty name as the Land of Prayer.


    What do you mean by that?


    "Because it is the place where the most powerful curse I know of was placed on the heroes, a curse that will never be lifted."


    An unbreakable curse?


    As I nodded my head, the Demon Lord let out a sound as if recalling those days and put on his cheekbone.


    "The battle between the heroes and the evil dragon took place in Samaria. Did I tell you that?


    Yes, well, ...... yes.


    "From my point of view at the time, it was obvious that the contest would end in victory for the heroes. After all, he had been given powerful weapons by the divine dragon. In addition, his mental state was extremely dangerous, so I knew that the possibility of victory by the evil dragon was infinitesimally small.


    What do you mean, "in danger"?


    Desperation. A string of betrayals, the heartless voices of the people who could not be saved... it''s a miracle that someone who was already leaning towards our side, the side that destroys humans, tried to save Samaritan, no matter what his intentions were. It was such a good deed."


    Harm is inflicted from the human side.


    Even a brave man who risked his life for the sake of mankind.


    Even I, who did not have much understanding, could understand that the brave men of that time were driven to a corner.


    As a result, he saved Samaritan. Many words of gratitude were addressed to him after he had slain the evil dragon. Thank you for saving my life. Thank you for slaying the evil dragon. With such mere words, the heart of the wounded hero was healed, if only slightly.


    "It''s not a happy story when you consider that the heroes find hope in humans and bring harm to the demons."


    "Hoo ......"


    The Demon Lord let out a small laugh at my words.


    "But that was only a trick. In the end, the humans we saved were sacrificed to magic by snobs blinded by the power of the heroes and died.


    "That''s ...... terrible, isn''t it? Man betrays even his own savior.


    "That''s human nature. But here''s the worst part.


    The story itself is a tale of a hero''s misfortune, but the demon king seems quite amused as he tells it.


    "The many senseless sacrifices have left the hero with a curse that can never be broken."


    "Is it a curse ...... witchcraft?"


    No, it''s not that simple. No, it''s not that simple. If you want to make him suffer a proper spell, you have to unleash five or more spells on top of each other to make it work. Half-hearted magic will be returned as it is.


    "How much bullshit was that ......?"


    "How could you seal me up if you weren''t so full of shit?"


    Hearing this again, I realize that the heroes who fought against the Demon Lord were truly extraordinary beings.


    "I digress. ...... Curses have many meanings. Expectations from others, hatred, jealousy, feelings directed at us turn into burdens and wear away our spirit. That is what was directed at the brave man. And then..."


    The Demon Lord breaks off there and stares boredly into the void.


    "The brave man who was killed for his own greed, who should have saved the people he saved, was struck with a sense of emptiness that his past battles had become meaningless, and with regret that people who should not have died had been killed because he was a brave man. It became a curse that would never leave him, no matter how hard he tried to shake it off."


    Indeed, Samaria could be called a land of curses.


    But why do the humans who lived before the Demon Lord was sealed away want to oppress their own kind with such impunity?


    We demons have our troubles, but nothing like that.


    Maybe it is because we have an absolute ruler, the Demon Lord, but either way, I still don''t understand the human race.


    What happened to the brave men after that?


    "Nothing much. He just reaped the benefits of our demon king''s army and fought me and was victorious. That''s all."


    .......


    "Is that really all there is to it?"


    "......"


    I suddenly wondered. I wondered if the Demon Lord was hiding something.


    Of course, I don''t think that the Demon Lord would do anything to betray us Demons. In the first place, if he had given up on us, the Demon Lord''s territory would already be a waste of land.


    At my words, the Demon Lord puts his hand over his mouth in amusement.


    "As I thought, I never get bored talking with you. You are the only one who would question me in this demon lord''s territory, aren''t you, Ciel?


    "Uh, uh, I''m sorry about that ...... outburst. ......"


    "Don''t bow down to me."


    I raise my head at the words of the Demon Lord.


    Thinking back on it, it was a question that I had no intention of asking. Fortunately, the Witch King forgave me, but if the chief chamberlain finds out, he will give me a double hard time of a lecture and a complaint.


    If that happens...well, let''s not imagine it.


    As I was shaking my shoulders alone behind the Demon Lord, he started to spin out his words in his usual cold tone.


    "This is a little difficult to put into words. To put it simply --- the brave man held out hope for the future of the human species. Even if they are foolish and unbearable to look at now, people and ideas change as time goes by. They gave up on the present, which is nothing but despair, and looked to the future."


    When you say future, do you mean now?


    I don''t know.¡¡I don''t know. He''s cursed, after all. He can think of the future and the past, but he can''t do more than that. ...... No, could he if he wanted to?¡¡Well, now that he''s dead, there''s no way to be sure."


    "......"


    To be honest, I don''t really understand it.


    I tried to understand about the heroes, but I could not understand well what the Demon Lord said.


    After all, what did that brave man think of appearing in front of the Demon Lord, and for what purpose did he try to defeat the Demon Lord? ...... But one thing I can say, that is...,


    "But in the end, I guess you could say that he chose humans ......."


    "To me, it''s a foolish thought. Human nature never changes, and the future dreamed of by those whose lives have been consumed by fools is the same as it was in the past."


    In the end, he sealed the Demon Lord for the humans.


    Whatever your intentions may be, it is an unchangeable fact.


    "...... Either way, it doesn''t matter to those of you who live in the present. My battle with him is over. It is you, of all people, who have built the history of the demon tribe until I awoke from the seal. All I have to do now that I have awakened in this time is to let you win... that''s all.


    Saying this, the demon king slowly gets up from his seat.


    I was about to speak to him, wondering what he was going to do, but he turned his head in my direction before I could speak to him.


    "Ciel, call the commander of the second legion.


    Yes, yes. But what are you going to do?


    I don''t want to continue to have only humans and demons fighting each other. I think it''s time we gave them a chance to fight back.


    "...... them?"


    What the hell are they talking about?


    At least it''s not humans and demons.


    "Well, well, well. I hope they haven''t lost their fangs after a few hundred years.


    He does not answer my question, but smiles coldly at me.


    As I watched him from behind, I thought rudely, "I guess I don''t know what the Demon Lord is thinking," and arranged to call the commander of the 2nd Legion as ordered.

 106 - - character introduction

    Name Lucas Urd Samariar


    Lineage Not shown


    King of Samaria.


    Unlike Lloyd of Lingle, he is a pragmatic and thoughtful man, but he is also an eccentric king in that he speaks to people in a friendly manner without a formal atmosphere.


    While he admires Lloyd as a king who can talk about ideals and realize them, he also envies Lloyd, calling himself a king who stands above those he has cut down.


    He is worried that his daughter, Eva, will one day disappear due to a curse, and works behind the scenes to create happy memories for her. In reality, he has not fully accepted the reality of Eva''s disappearance and intends to step down from his position as King of Samaria once she is gone.


    He was originally a knight in the service of the royal family, but he experienced a reverse Cinderella story when he fell in love with the princess of the time, Eliza, and became the king after causing a great uproar that shook the whole country.


    He has been planning for Usato to become a king as well.


    Name: Eva Urd Samariat


    Genealogy Not shown


    Princess of the Kingdom of Samariat.


    She is a fragile, fragile girl with pure white hair, but in reality, she is a very aggressive girl.


    She has been deprived of her existence by a curse that has been consuming the royal family of Samariar, and her entire body is destined to disappear without a trace if the curse continues to progress.


    She understands this and accepts that it cannot be helped.


    Since the curse will kill her if she goes outside the castle, from the day she was born, her world has been limited to the house built in the garden and the wards that surround it.


    Because she has learned common sense only at face value instead of acquiring it, she often takes it to extremes, and those who enter the house where she lives, carried by Lucas, leave the place in less than half a day.


    Now that she is able to live freely thanks to the efforts of Usato and others, she is finally able to lead a normal life as a human being.


    Name Eiri


    Lineage Not shown


    Steward of the Kingdom of Samaritan.


    The only one who can take care of Eva, he is a veteran butler.


    He is the one who remembers Eva''s mother, Eliza, before she disappeared and has been watching over her since she was a child.


    He has been watching Eva''s growth since she was a child. He feels helpless to do anything but watch her disappear due to the curse, and he has become depressed to the point of self-loathing.


    His future work as a butler will be dominated by Eva''s life as a normal girl, but ...... that is what Eiri herself would have most sincerely wished for and would have been most pleased with.


    Name: FEGNIS


    Lineage Not shown


    Chief Knight of the Kingdom of Samaria.


    He is the right-hand man of Lucas, who possesses a special sword that reveals the identity of those who disguise themselves.


    On the surface, he is a model of a knight who is loyal to the king and performs his duties diligently, but in reality, he is the descendant of a sorcerer who was captivated by the previous hero, who protects the curse that is consuming the royal family of Samaria.


    However, unlike the sorcerer and the king of that time, who was drowned in the charm of power and committed violent acts, his principle of action is "all for the kingdom of Samaritan".


    With a brave man, Samaritan will be protected from any calamity.


    With a brave man, many people would not have to shed blood, and they would be able to live their days happily.


    The life of a good man has been distorted by the sorcerer''s delusional belief in brave men.


    In this sense, it may be said that the family lineage of Fagunis was distorted by the existence of the sorcerer.


    For F¨¦gnis, the loyalty he swore to Lucas was not false, and his friendship was undeniably genuine.


    Name Eliza Urd Samariar


    Lineage Not shown


    Former queen of the Kingdom of Samaliar.


    Wife of Lucas, whose body was made to disappear when Eva was born as a comfort to the souls bound by the curse.


    She was bound by the curse like all the others, but she nevertheless protected her daughter Eva together with the royalty of the past generations from the souls that were trying to consume her spirit.


    In the battle against the sorcerer, she appeared and fought off the people of Samariar, whose souls were bound, who were about to attack Eva and her family, and finally she was able to return all that had been taken from Eva and finally she was able to fall asleep.


    Even though she had lost her body and her soul was bound, she continued to watch over her beloved daughter''s growth as a mother.

 107 - - The 98th Episode

    The trip to the water city of Mearaq was uneventful.


    Thanks to Amako''s foresight, we were able to avoid battles with demons as much as possible, there were no traps like in Neah, and we were able to replenish our food supply in the villages we passed by.


    I guess I''m getting used to traveling.¡¡We were able to enjoy the trip enough to think "I''m getting used to traveling" or "I''m enjoying the scenery around me" --- but at the last minute, we were about to get into trouble.


    I wonder why this is happening!


    >


    >


    Now, we are running... well, it''s me, Bulrin, and the horse with Mr. Alc on it, but that''s not the problem.


    A herd of demons is chasing us at a great speed behind us.


    Normally, it''s not often that we encounter such a large number of demons, but it happened all of a sudden. Even if Amako had foreseen it, the swarm was so large that it could not be avoided.


    "Usato, look ahead!¡¡If you fall here they''ll catch up with you!


    Don''t you forget that Amako and I are here!


    As I was running in a daze, Nair on my shoulder and Amako on my back shouted impatiently.


    I mean, I want Nea to fly away normally, but I wonder if she ever thought of that in this situation ......?


    "Usato-dono, we are almost at Mearaak!¡¡Once we get on the boat, the demons shouldn''t be able to get into the lake!"


    I answer to Mr. Aruk who is riding his horse.


    I understand!¡¡If worst comes to worst and they catch up with us, I will stop them!¡¡If they try to catch up with us, I''ll stop them!


    "Grua!"


    "...... please!¡¡Please don''t do anything rash!"


    If I run as fast as I can, I''ll leave both Bulrin and the horse behind.


    I''m trying to match my speed to prevent that from happening, but when the time comes, I''ll take on the demons. They are wild beasts after all. If I punch them in the nose, they''ll lose their will to fight and go home.


    And even if I can''t drive them back, I should be able to hold off the horde of demons for a few minutes if I can keep them at a standstill. .......


    "But why would such a large number of demons attack ......?"


    I look in the direction where Mearaak is supposed to be while running to keep my breathing steady.


    This number is unusual.


    They are so many that it''s safe to say that all the demons in the area are gathered here.


    "...... You don''t think it''s because of that voice, do you?"


    That voice we heard may have been the beginning of all this trouble.


    The time when we heard that voice goes back to just before our journey, which seemed to be going smoothly, turned into an escape from demons in an instant.


    I was in the middle of a journey.


    Master Lucas''s shocking statement.


    Eva''s too straight feelings.


    And the senior''s covering fire from afar.


    We ran away from Samaria as if we were running away from them and headed for the next country we were going to visit --- the floating city of Mearrauk.


    "Oh, my God, what''s going to happen to me? ......"


    "Usato, you keep saying the same thing, but you should give up now."


    Two weeks after leaving Samaritan''s Alley.


    I muttered the same thing every time I remembered my senior''s article.


    "But you know what, there are sketches like this out there, right?¡¡I''m afraid that if people see me in real life, they''ll say I''m definitely not what they imagined. ......"


    "You worry too much. Besides, the good thing about Usato is not his looks.


    I can''t be honestly happy about that follow-up because it could mean a lot of different things. .......


    If I get a strange impression from the mi-arrak I''m on my way to, it could hinder the delivery of the letter or cause me a great deal of psychological damage.


    Besides..,


    "Pupu, you are always a masterpiece!¡¡Your nose and your sparkling smile!¡¡It''s too funny that you don''t look like Usato at all!"


    "......"


    It''s depressing how the owl, dexterously holding the article about my seniors and me with its wings, teases me every time I read it.


    And it has been like this for the past two weeks since we left Samaritan''s Alley.


    I wonder if he is still bitter about me knocking him out.


    "...... hmph!"


    "Kyan!"


    Amako grabbed Neah.


    Amako starts spinning the hand that grabbed Neah around and around. The person whose hand is being spun is screaming inaudibly.


    The two are now fighting. I shift my gaze to Mr. Aruk who is pulling the horse.


    "Mr. Alc. Mialak is a city on a lake, right?


    Yes, Mialark is a city located on a lake in the center of the great river that runs through this continent.


    The place where we are going to deliver the letter, Mialak.


    It looks like a water city in my image, but what is it really like?


    We have to pass through Mearaak to get to our final destination, the land of the beastmen, so we need to know a little bit about it.


    "So, are there many boats?"


    "Well, are there a lot of boats?" "There are quite a few boats in Mialak, since the fishing industry is very active there. Some of them are designed mainly for battles against water-dwelling monsters. If you want to get to the other side of the coast where the land of the beastmen is located safely, the best way is to take a ship of Mearrak.


    "Well, can''t we just swim across?¡¡Or find a bridge or something. ......"


    If you avoid the lake and swim in the river, or find a bridge and cross it, you don''t have to take a boat in Mearaq, do you?


    It''s a bit simplistic, but it''s not impossible.


    Aruk slowly shook his head at my words.


    "In the water, humans are no match for demons. Even if we succeed in swimming across the river, what awaits us is the territory of the demon king and the beastmen, a place where humans are not allowed to venture, so no bridges have been built.


    "The Demon Lords...... don''t tell me they built a big bridge when they attacked the Lingle Kingdom. ......"


    "Yes, that''s right. That''s because no bridge had been built to connect the two sides of the river in the first place."


    I see, it is true that the human side doesn''t need to go all the way into the demon king''s territory or the place where the beastmen live, so there is no need to build a bridge. .......


    Anyway, it has been mentioned a little bit about demons living in the water. .......


    I''d like to meet them even just once, since I''ve only met demons living on land so far.


    In the original world, kappa or something like that?


    Ah, yes. Mearaak has a reputation for its delicious fish dishes.


    "Fish dishes?"


    I wonder if it''s freshwater fish, since it''s called a lake.


    No, it is said to be close to the sea, so there might be saltwater fish as well. Like sea bass or salmon in the original world.


    I don''t think we''ll be able to eat them as sashimi, but I''m still looking forward to it.


    After all, I''ve eaten only grilled river fish recently, and I seldom get to eat real fish dishes.


    Perhaps my excitement at the fish dishes in Mialak was reflected in my face, because Mr. Alc smiled when he saw my face.


    "When you visit Mearaq, shall we go for a fish dinner?¡¡From what I''ve heard, fish dishes in Mialak have a reputation for being very tasty.


    "That''s good. I''m looking forward to seeing it when I get there.


    "Ha-ha-ha, I''m looking forward to it too."


    Oh, but what about Burlin?


    I look next to him and see a bear with an expectant look in his eyes.


    "Oh, I know, I know. I''ll bring some fish for Bulrin later. The biggest one you can find, okay?"


    "Grrrr!"


    You''re a cash cow.


    Nair, covered in dust, jumps onto my shoulder with teary eyes from behind as I pat him with a wry smile.


    Amako comes alongside me, wiping her forehead with her hand.


    I smile at her as if I''ve done it all, but I can''t hide my shudder at the fact that I''ve single-handedly won a victory over Nair.


    "Huh. Usato, what were you talking about?"


    "Isn''t it strange, this fox, after he''s mistreated me so much!"


    The nea on his shoulder flaps her wings in protest to Amako.


    "Shut up, do you want to be circled again?"


    "What?¡¡You''re putting Usato in danger, aren''t you!


    "Hey, what? What do you mean my dangerous part?


    I was just told that I''m dangerous.


    What do you mean by "dangerous part"? It hurts my feelings when people talk about me like I''m dangerous.


    "...... I don''t mind. I don''t care if I end up like Usato.


    "I''m not good!¡¡Are you willing to become a monster in human form?


    "Hey, can you be more subtle about it?"


    Amako''s reply is so blunt that Nea is shocked, but I wonder why the most damage is done to me, the one who is not participating in the conversation.


    And I know I''ve been called a lot of names, but I''m an established person in my own category, you know?


    I''m just a little overtrained, that''s all.


    So, Usato. So, the question you just asked me: ......."


    "Hmm?¡¡Yeah, I was talking about Mearaak."


    "Hmm."


    You don''t seem interested.


    "It''s a nice place. It''s a human city near the beastmen''s country, so there''s no blatant discrimination like in Samaritan''s. There are only a few ......, but there are also beastmen coming and going."


    "Well, do you know anyone there?"


    "No. I didn''t have a lot of time then. ......"


    "......"


    Well, Mialak was the first place this girl visited after she left the land of the beastmen.


    He must have been so eager to save his mother that he didn''t have time to look at the scenery around him.


    ......I may have been a little too insensitive.


    ......I was different then and I am different now.


    Amako mutters a few words.


    "I was alone for a long time,...... but I met Kirija and the others, the people of the Lingle Kingdom,...... and now I''m with Usato and the others, so I''m not bitter at all."


    "I see."


    "Yes."


    She gives me a small smile and I smile at her.


    I''m not alone.


    Hearing her say that reassured me.


    I am no longer the lonely girl I was when I was traveling alone. Now I have me, Mr. Alk, Neah, and even Bulrin.


    I want to make sure she has a smile on her face long after this journey is over. .......


    "......?"


    "What''s the matter, Amako?¡¡You stopped all of a sudden."


    "Someone''s fighting. ......"


    Amaco stops with his hands over his ears.


    Someone is fighting, huh?


    Hearing Amako''s words, Mr. Aruku puts his hand on the hilt of his sword to warn the others.


    I stop and check the situation with Amako, keeping my eyes ahead.


    "Are you saying there is a battle going on ahead?"


    "It sounds like iron being hammered...... and the sound of something shattering......."


    "Shattering"?¡¡The ground?


    "Not exactly, maybe. It''s more like the sound of glass or ice shattering. ......"


    I listen carefully, but I can''t hear if the sound is so loud that the beastman''s ears can barely detect it.


    Is someone being attacked?


    It is possible that the traveling merchants are being attacked by bandits, but ...... the scariest possibility is that it was a trap to lure us out to help... but first we need to check. We won''t know for sure.


    "Neah, why don''t you fly over and see what''s going on?"


    ......


    If she can fly, she can go and assess the situation without danger.


    Nair spreads her wings wide in a bothersome manner, looks up at the sky, and begins to flap her wings slowly.


    ---Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!


    ?"


    Suddenly, what sounds like a loud yell is heard from up ahead.


    It sounds like an animal, yet the voice is so powerful that everyone except for me and Mr. Arc shakes.


    Nair, who was just about to fly, stiffened in mid-air and was about to fall headlong to the ground, so I hurried to catch her.


    "Neah, what''s wrong?


    "......, the scream was carried by a wave of magic power. ...... What''s ahead of us is not just a creature!"


    "Wave ......?"


    It doesn''t seem to have any effect on me and Aruk-san, but it seems to have affected Bulrin, Nair, the horse, and the beastman Amako.


    Is it like an ultrasound that only creatures with sharper senses than humans can understand......?


    I didn''t hear it, so I don''t know much about it. .......


    "Hey, guys, run ......"


    "Amaco?"


    Amako mutters in a trembling voice, a look of astonishment on her face.


    As she spoke, Bulrin turned around, staring deep into the forest and growled.


    ......It can''t be a coincidence, can it?


    The magic power contained in the screams just now is causing the demons in this area to run amok!


    What?¡¡You mean they''re losing their minds?


    A strong-willed demon can handle it, but a wild demon can''t resist these vibrations!¡¡Run away now!


    Does that mean all the demons around here are in a state of confusion?


    And it''s coming towards us! ...... No, we have to escape anyway!


    Let''s run!¡¡Amaco?


    "......!"


    Next to me, I see Amako shivering in her own arms.


    Is he cowering?


    Should I just shove him backward to buy some time?¡¡No. Then the demons that couldn''t hold them back will attack Amako and the others. With Amako stuck in this situation, it''s almost impossible for me to stop all the demons by myself.


    ...... It can''t be helped.


    Stay still!


    What?


    With Nair on my shoulders, I run off with Amako in my arms.


    "Mr. Aruk!¡¡Please let the horse run!


    "Yes, sir!


    Mr. Alc gets on the horse, pulls on the reins, and the horse starts to run briskly.


    Burlyn is a bold man by nature, so he follows behind me, seemingly unconcerned with the effects of my earlier yell.


    A horde of demons is already rushing up behind us.


    But they are not a swarm, but a mixture of various kinds of demons, but they don''t fight with each other, keeping only us in their line of sight, and trying to attack us.


    Their eyes are bloodshot, so I guess they think we are their prey, but ...... this is too crazy.


    "What the hell is going on here......!"


    I was frustrated by the obviously unusual situation, but I had no choice but to push on down the road with Amako in my arms.

 108 - - ninety-ninth episode.

    A herd of demons chased us for several minutes.


    The herd of monsters is still after us, and their number seems to be increasing, not decreasing.


    Perhaps the demons are gathering in the area, but it''s nothing but a nuisance for those of us who are being chased by .......


    But that doesn''t mean there is no solution.


    If we keep going, we will eventually reach the lake where Mearaak is located. Once there, we can take a boat across the lake. Even the demons won''t be able to get into the lake, so as long as we can get to the lake, we''re all set.


    "We are running out of trees!¡¡We are almost there!¡¡Are you all right, Mr. Usato?


    I''m fine, I''m fine!


    "No, it''s funny that you''re fine, since you''re running alongside of Bulrin and his horse.


    Ignoring Nea, who is muttering on her shoulder, I check on the safety of Amako, who is on my back, and Bulrin, who is running next to me.


    At any rate, I am relieved to see that none of them seem to be hurt in any way.


    "Usato, something jumps out from in front of us. ......!


    "Is it a demon? ......!"


    I was relieved for a moment, and then Amako, who had predicted the situation a few seconds later, put her hand around my neck and told me so in my ear.


    Nair, too, must have heard this, because she activates her magic on my shoulder and sends a binding spell to my right hand. I immediately create a healing magic bullet in my right palm, and as soon as the frown in front of me shakes, I throw it as if to release a healing restraining bullet.


    There is no time to stand still, if they try to block us, I will forcibly pry them open.


    "Ooooooh!¡¡Whoa!¡¡ohohohoh?


    ......


    As soon as it leapt out of the bushes about fifteen meters away, a healing restraining bullet struck it, a humanoid monster.


    It was a humanoid monster. It was a humanoid monster.


    The ferocious-looking demon looks like a muscular human being to the naked eye, but its reddish skin and the large club in its hand indicate that it is a demon, not a human being.


    As I get a clearer view of the stiffened figure of the man who has been hit by the healing bullet, I have a strange feeling about the demon in front of me.


    Muscular.


    Savage weapons.


    A face as terrifying as an ogre''s.


    Huh? ......Wait a minute, could this be .......


    "An ogre?¡¡Why is this guy-- Usato?


    "Am I being identified with this ......?


    Was I being described as this guy?


    This is more like those tough guys!


    I, who had never known what an ogre looked like before, felt an inexpressible sense of unreasonableness inside and clenched my fists even tighter than before.


    "Whoa, whoa, whoa!


    "Usato!¡¡You''re free of your restraints!¡¡This is no ordinary opponent...


    Shut up! Amako!


    Hold it right there, the Ogre can''t react.


    Hearing Amako''s prediction, I stepped forward, separating Bulrin and the horse for a moment, and at once entered the ogre''s bosom, thrusting a powerful healing punch into its dove tail.


    "Wait, you''re going straight into him?


    I''m not this savage!¡¡Eat me!


    Listen to me for a second!


    The fist thrusts soundlessly, and the ogre lets out a moan as if it is gasping for air, its eyes flashing white.


    As soon as it slows down, I grab the ogre''s right arm, turn around, and throw it into the crowd of demons that are closing in on us.


    The ogre falls, crushing the lead demon, which slows down the speed of the herd.


    I smile as I brush my bangs back at the sight.


    "......That''s totally rude, isn''t it? It''s rude of you to treat me like such a monster. ......"


    "Yeah ...... it''s not an ogre anymore. It''s something more than an ogre."


    "Oh, what?¡¡I thought ogres were supposed to be as dangerous as Bullein. ...... Am I crazy?"


    I start running again, ignoring the voices on my shoulders and in my back.


    But ...... well, the ogre was pretty tough looking too, but not as tough as Rose. They are not intimidating at all, and if they can be sunk by a blow from a fist, I''m more afraid of the tough guys.


    They''re stronger than I am as a healer.


    But there''s one thing that worries me.


    Nair, do ogres usually appear near where people live?


    "Uh, no. No. They usually only come out in areas where there is a high concentration of magical elements. Maybe it was affected by the roar that brought it out of its dwelling place. ...... It''s obviously not normal."


    Maybe this has something to do with the voice I heard earlier.


    In the meantime, after we enter Mialak and secure our safety, we should tell this to the Queen of Mialak. If there is an entity that has a strong influence on demons walking around Mialark, it could have a bad influence not only on us, but on Mialark as well.


    I can see Mialak now!


    I can see Mearrak!


    Aruk-san''s voice brought me back to myself and I looked ahead.


    The trees are gone and a white city can be seen in front of the open landscape. It is not as big as Samaritan, but it is still a big city.


    "......usato"


    "Hmm?¡¡Amako, it''s okay. We''ll be on the boat soon.


    "No, no. ......"


    Amako puts her hand on my shoulder and starts to look into the distance, her eyes widening as if she sees something incredible.


    Curious, I turn my head and look in the direction she is looking, but all I can see is the mia lark on the lake, shining white in the sunlight,


    "Wait a minute."


    White light is good.


    But why isn''t the surface of the lake moving?


    I accelerate to grasp the situation and move to a place where I can see the whole lake.


    As I approached the lake, the first thing I felt was a chill.


    I felt the temperature drop at once, as if the season had changed at that spot, and I looked around in frustration.


    "What''s going on here ......!"


    It''s frozen!


    What was waiting for us when we arrived at the water city of Mearaq...,


    It was no longer a beautiful water city surrounded by lakes, but a silver world dominated by ice and transformed without a shadow of a floating city.


    The city is now a silver world, dominated by ice, and without a shadow of a floating city.


    The lake has frozen over.


    The lake has frozen over, and over a very large area.


    I was completely familiar with the world of fantasy, but I couldn''t help but be struck by this spectacle.


    "There can''t be any boats out there ......!¡¡Mr. Aruk!¡¡I''m going to stop them. Please go directly to Mearaq with Amako and Bulrin!


    If he runs normally, his horse will catch up with them.


    There''s no way to say that there''s no possibility that one of the demons might be flying something at us, so we have to stop them here first.


    "I''m sure you''ll be fine ...... Usato-dono, but ......!"


    I''ll leave as soon as I''m stuck, so I''ll be fine!


    "...... understand!¡¡Don''t push yourself too hard!"


    Aruk-san nodded with a bitter expression.


    I nodded to him, and I lowered Amako on my back and put her on the back of Bulrin who was standing beside me.


    "Bulrin, take care of Amaco!"


    "Gruaaaah!"


    "...... don''t worry, but make sure you come back."


    "Oh!"


    I watched as the horse with Bulrin and Ark rode off toward Mialak, and then turned to face forward to catch Neah, who had flapped her wings to follow them.


    "N¨¦a, you''re stuck with me!"


    "No, I don''t want to!¡¡Who would want to fight in that place?¡¡Why don''t you two monsters go fight amongst yourselves?


    Monsters get along. .......


    He''s a little annoyed, but keeps smiling.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll protect you."


    "If you want to protect me, you''re going to have to let go of me!¡¡That line sounds insane when you say it now.


    "Hey, it''ll only be for a minute or two. I''m just talking about beating them up and distracting them.


    That''s not what I''m worried about.


    So much for idle chatter.


    He takes a half-step forward, fists ready, ready to run at any moment.


    First, you hit the lead ogre and gather hostility.


    Then, when you pick off other demons, keep your distance from them and try to evade them. Let''s sink the ones we can by hit-and-away.


    "Okay..."


    At that moment, a tremendous crushing sound echoes from behind us.


    "!!!?"


    What is it this time?


    I turned around to see what was going on, and saw two figures in the frozen lake about 30 meters away from me. One was a tall man with a naked upper body and hair so long that it was hard to believe he was a man. The other was clad in cracked armor and of indistinguishable s*x.


    The man holds a large double-bladed axe with a silvery-white sheen in his hand, and he is staring at the armored figure with his arms lowered as if he were slouched and weak.


    The man in armor on the other hand---perhaps struck by some tremendous force on the surface of the frozen lake, lets out a groan at the center of the shattered ice and glares at the long-haired man.


    Judging from the situation, these two must be the ones who were making the battle noises that Amako mentioned..,


    "......The movement of the herd of demons has stopped......?"


    I looked at the demons, and they were shaking as if they were fighting, running away from the place.


    I poke Nair, who is frozen on my shoulder, with a bad feeling as the demons run away into the forest as if they don''t want to be noticed by the terrifying beings.


    "Are you okay, N¨¦a?"


    "Hmph, hmph. I don''t know what that thing is, but let''s go after Aruk and the others as soon as possible. With the speed of the horses and the burin, they''ll be in Mialak in no time, and there''s no reason for us to be here anymore. ......"


    I''m upset.


    Nair, who knows nothing about discipline?


    It''s true that Aruk''s horse and Bulrin will get us to Mialak in no time --- but I''ve never seen her so frightened.


    "Ugh, ugh ......"


    "---"


    A long-haired man slowly walks up to a man in armor who is slammed against the ice and unable to move. The axe in his hand is raised lightly,


    "First!"


    Usato!


    Reflexively, he leaps forward.


    The man with the long hair doesn''t look normal. I don''t know if the man in the armor is one of them or not, but I''m not so much of an a**h*le that I''d miss a man about to be killed.


    I light a healing spell in my fist, close the distance immediately, and at the same time, I slam a healed punch with a controlled healing punch into the abdomen of the axe-wielding longhaired man, punching him hard and loud.


    At that moment, I feel a strange sensation in my fist.


    "......!"


    What''s that, hard?


    It''s not blocked by muscles, nor does it feel like hitting a zombie.


    It feels as if I''ve hit a hard scale like an evil dragon or a snake, and while I''m puzzled, I turn around and call out to the armored man who looks up at me dumbfounded.


    "Did you hit ......?¡¡I lightly ...... him."


    Can you move?


    "Uh, ah, ah... ......, ouch."


    The man in armor holding his leg. Your voice is higher pitched than ...... imagined.


    I can''t see his expression, but I''m sure he''s injured everywhere.


    We must heal his injuries immediately with healing magic.


    So I thought and went to him. I run up to him and try to cast a healing spell, but he grabs my hand firmly.


    "Get out of here, ......!¡¡No matter how successful the surprise attack is, he will get up soon. ......!


    What do you mean, "get up?"


    Usato!¡¡Behind you!


    I hear Nea''s voice and the sound of something crushing behind me, and then I feel something wind its way toward me. I immediately turn around and see a long-haired man about to slam his fist into me.


    I immediately thrust my right palm forward to catch the man''s fist.


    "---!"


    "---!" "M......!"


    A shock pierces through my fist.


    Surprised by the unexpected power of the fist, he puts strength into his legs and withstands the impact, catching the fist in the opposite direction.


    The long-haired man looks into his eyes with a blank expression on his face.


    "---!?!!"


    "Lie ...... caught it, did you ......?"


    For some reason, the armored man behind you looks surprised too, but let''s focus on what''s in front of us now.


    Their eyes seem to have no intent, but I sense hostility. ---It seems that we are the enemy.


    Then..,


    "I''ll fix you up, just keep flying!"


    He pulls back his fist and throws a kick with his left leg, which he pulls backward.


    But the long-haired man catches the kick with his axe arm. The man puts all his strength to kick the axe away from the defender, but the kick is completely stopped by the man''s tremendous physical strength.


    ---He caught me head-on!


    The long-haired man puts his arm into the fist that I''m holding. I also put my foot into the ice and tried to compete with him, but the other guy''s physical strength is also quite strong, and the ice, which is my foothold, gets a big crack.


    "......GGG......!?"


    What power,......!


    If you let up even a little bit, you''ll lose!


    It''s as strong as me,...... maybe even stronger.


    "You''re competing with Usato''s stupid power!


    "Don''t talk about relaxing, support me!"


    Nair activates her magic and pours a restraining spell from her fist to stop her movement for a moment.


    "---!?!!"


    "Hmph!"


    Taking advantage of this opportunity, he hits the chest with a healing restraining fist thrust up from below, striking him even harder than before and forcing him to move away from the foe.


    It''s good that you hit him, but the fist doesn''t seem to have done much damage.


    Shaking my left hand, I let out an impatient voice.


    "What''s with that guy, he''s not human ......?"


    "Hey, are you serious?¡¡Do you understand that those words will come back to you?"


    .......


    "Even I could barely compete with him. ......!¡¡d*mn ......, I should have trained harder if this is what I had to do. ......!"


    "No, I didn''t. You should know that there''s something wrong with you when you''re the antagonist."


    I can''t hear Nair''s words as I am biting a bitter bug on my face.


    I can''t hear her.


    I don''t have time to heal the man in armor, because he''ll probably be up ...... soon.


    Wary of the longhaired man''s attack, I lift the man in armor by his back and knees.


    "What are you ...... doing?"


    I''m going to get out of here.


    You''re the only one who can leave!¡¡He''s in armor. ...... He''s not so naive that he can carry himself away!"


    Does this guy know who the long-haired man is?


    Then we''ll have to ask him later.


    "Don''t worry. I''m used to it."


    "What do you mean ''familiar'' ......?


    You leave the scene as fast as you can with the armored man in your arms.


    Carrying people is what I do as a lifesaver. It is no different even if he is wearing armor. In fact, all the knights were wearing armor at the time of the battle of the demon king''s army, so there is no reason for me to run after lifting this person up.


    Besides, there''s no way I, a healing magic user, would run away without leaving the wounded. ......!


    "Isn''t pain ...... the restorative magic?"


    "It''s healing magic. The injury is nothing serious and will be healed in no time!


    Are you a healing magician?¡¡And you''re dealing with him?


    Yes. ......!


    You hear a loud noise behind you, and then you hear something coming at you, shattering the ice.


    I don''t know what it is, but don''t think you can catch up with me on foot. ......!¡¡As I speed up my steps, the presence moves further and further away from me.


    The man in the armor I''m holding gasps, as if he can see behind me.


    "Who are you, ......?"


    "I am Usato. I am a messenger from the Kingdom of Lingle, an ordinary healing magician. I''ve come to give an important letter to Mialark. ....... Who are you?


    Nair on your shoulder whispering, "There''s no such thing as normal ......," but you ignore her and ask the armored man who leans forward.


    Then he shakes his helmet as if to say something.


    "I am Leo...?¡¡Get away from him!


    The armored man''s panicked voice makes you jump back reflexively.


    The next moment, a large pillar of ice shoots up from the sky, piercing the spot where I had just been. The icicles burst like shotgun pellets, spewing out a tremendous amount of cold air.


    I move my eyes wide open in surprise and look in the direction from which the icicles have come, and there I see a long-haired man approaching me with a double-bladed axe, followed by a huge ice pillar falling from the sky. Lots of icicles...,


    "Nnea, resistance spell!"


    "It''s already done!"


    I don''t care if I''m hit by those shotgunned icicles, Nair and the armored man are in danger!


    I, who am probably immune to the ice gravels and wrapped in magic, concentrate on avoiding the falling icicles.


    "......,what the hell!¡¡This is beyond the realm of magic!


    "I can feel great power from that axe, but it''s not the ...... kind of power!


    He supports the armored man with only one hand while knocking down a shotgun pellet with the other.


    By the time all the icicles had fallen, the long-haired man who had pulled him away was quite close to the man.


    "I''m sorry, I got you into our fight. ......"


    The armored man in his arms said weakly.


    In contrast, the long-haired man thrust his axe vigorously into the icy ground, took a deep breath, and shouted angrily in a loud voice that could not be imagined from his expressionless face.


    "Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!


    "......, this guy..."


    I knew he was the one who was making the demons run wild. ......!


    And the ice you just saw, is that the same thing that froze this lake?


    He is ready to move at any moment.


    His name is Kalon.


    The armored man in my arms shivers as if he were looking at something tragic, and mutters something in a voice that only I can hear.


    "He was originally supposed to be a human ...... hero."


    "Originally" was human.


    I was supposed to be a hero.


    With those words, I couldn''t help but realize that this situation was as bad as it could possibly get.

 109 - - The 100th.

    "I was supposed to be a brave ......!"


    The first thing that came to mind when the man in armor said that was the image of Senpai and Kazuki.


    But I immediately reject that idea.


    Their inhuman physique, body, and magic clearly do not belong to the humans of the original world. In fact, the hardness of his skin and his strength are not something that can be acquired overnight.


    In fact, I would be surprised if such a superhuman was from the same world as mine.


    "By brave, do you mean that he was supposed to be chosen in this country?"


    "......Yes, that''s right."


    Brave in this world means two things.


    Those with the qualities of a hero summoned from another world, like Senpai and Kazuki.


    And a person who is given the title of "hero" by the state and becomes a hero.


    In this case, the man with the long hair --- Mr. Karon --- is the latter.


    "Even so, that power of his ...... Mr. Karon is beyond the scope of man ......."


    "I''m sure they don''t want to be told only by you. ......"


    You''re noisy.


    But the question is, what do we do now?


    "I''d like to pull out of this, but ...... won''t let me. ......!"


    I take a half step forward and look at Mr. Caron, who is carrying an axe and staring at me.


    Even if I turn my back to him now, the icicle from earlier will fly at me. On the other hand, if I stay here, he will attack me.


    In the meantime, Mr. Karon puts his hands on the icy ground like an animal.


    "Come on, ......!"


    "You say ''Usato''!¡¡Put me down!¡¡I don''t want to get in your way!


    The guy in the armor, I think it''s Leo ......?¡¡His voice is a little high and husky, but his name is male.


    His injuries were completely healed, so I put him down.


    I don''t know you very well. I''m also curious about the conversation you''re having with the strange creature on your shoulder, but I''m ...... sure you''re not a bad guy."


    "What do you mean, ''curious''?¡¡I''m an owl!


    No, you''re a vampire.


    I look at the man in armor who has moved a little behind me.


    I''ll tell you what happened with him and Mearaak later. First, I need your help to get out of this situation.


    Still in his cracked armor, Leo turns his palm toward Mr. Karon.


    With no weapons, is he going to fight with magic?


    ...... who was fighting him alone just now, I''m counting on you to fight with me.


    "......Thank you. I''m honestly very grateful.


    "!!!?¡¡I''m ...... being depended on...... and I''m ......?"


    "Hmm?¡¡......!"


    For a moment, I felt a sense of disappointment and a strange sense of motivation coming from him behind me, but when I saw Mr. Karon putting strength into his legs, I changed my mind and jumped forward as well.


    My first move is much faster than his!


    I shoot a healing bullet under Mr. Karon''s foot and close the distance by stepping forward as hard as I can. Mr. Karon, perhaps trying to intercept me as I come toward him, tries to leap at me, but then my healing bullet hits his right leg, which he is not paying attention to, and he is thrown off his stance.


    "I''m used to dealing with hard opponents!


    Basically, hard guys don''t defend themselves!


    I''ve already learned that in the fight against the evil dragon!


    "Neah!¡¡I''m going to knock you unconscious!


    ---!


    He plays with speed and keeps on killing the attackers.


    He continuously strikes with his healing restraining fists, blocking their movement..,


    "Ah!"


    However, he senses a tremendous cold air from Mr. Karon''s axe and retracts his outstretched arm.


    The next moment, an axe swung with force passed by the place where his arm had been.


    "Oh my God, he''s taking it with him!


    Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh.


    "Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!"


    I don''t feel the weight of the axe---I evade the onslaught of Mr. Karon, who wields it as if he were swinging a wooden stick.


    If I am hit, I will be seriously injured or even killed instantly.


    In addition to the slash, there is another problem, the cold. I can manage with healing magic for now, but if I continue to be exposed to the cold air, I won''t be able to move properly.


    Every time the axe is swung, a strong cold air is emitted, taking away my body heat.


    "Nea ...... resistant spell. ......!"


    "To the cold!¡¡Or is it a slash...?"


    An axe snatches in front of my face. I turned my head quickly, so it didn''t hit me, but ...... that was chilling.


    Probably, Nair, who was at the same height as my face, was hit by the axe as well. She looked pale regardless of the cold.


    "Slash, slash!"


    "Oh, ...... it''s a slash!"


    The slash is no longer effective on me now that the resistance spell has been activated, but to be honest, I don''t want to take the axe myself, so I''ll just take advantage of the opportunity and attack.


    As he clenches his fist and tries to check his opponent, an ice flake comes out from behind him and hits Mr. Karon''s hand holding the axe.


    The ice shards, despite their appearance, spread wide and sewn Mr. Karon''s hand and the ground with ice.


    "......?


    Usato, now!


    Looking behind him, Leo''s hand is raised in the air.


    Did he just aim at the handle of the swinging axe and shoot accurately?


    He compresses his hands with ice magic and sends out two ice magic bullets in quick succession, hitting Mr. Karon''s legs, further restraining him.


    "Thank you!¡¡Nair!¡¡We''ll be solidified by the numbers!


    "Oh, how many times have I had to go along with your recklessness!


    A fist covered with a binding spell.


    Each blow has only a little binding power, but if you hit them in succession, the binding power will be great!


    I step forward and swing my fist at Mr. Karon, who is about to make a move while shattering the ice.


    "OHHH!"


    I hit him eighteen times with my fists in a single attack.


    I couldn''t go any further because of the danger of breaking Mr. Karon''s body.


    However, the binding spell seemed to have worked even with just that, and the layers of binding spells had been activated in Mr. Karon''s limbs when he was hit by me.


    "Hu---......"


    "Well, uh, do you feel like you should admire this guy for being able to eat this monster''s fist and keep his figure?"


    Nair''s puzzled words make me worry that I''ve gone a little overboard.


    The feeling in my fist is still the same as if I had punched the scales of an evil dragon---although the damage itself doesn''t seem to have done much damage. .......


    "Let''s get into Mia Lark. If left unchecked, this man will soon go berserk, and frankly, we can only restrain him now."


    "...... Unusually, you are looking at the situation calmly. You''re not all about the rush. ......"


    Rush is superfluous.


    Wary of Mr. Kallon''s immobility, I back up and urge the man in armor to enter Mearaq.


    But..,


    "......ooo......"


    "!¡¡Can you move?


    "Usato, I''ll cover you again!¡¡I''ll cover you again..."


    "Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo ......!"


    The roar was so strong that it shook the air.


    I sense something unusual in his voice.


    With that, something like horns grow out of the man''s head.


    "What ......?¡¡Horns?


    A tail is growing out of his head too!


    Two white horns grow from the side of his head and a blue dragon-like tail grows from his waist.


    As if in response to his own transformation, Mr. Karon cries out, his eyes bloodshot.


    This is a dragon!¡¡How did a human become a dragon?


    "Oh no, it''s too soon ......!¡¡There''s still time!


    What do you mean?


    I ask Mr. Leo, but he doesn''t answer me, probably because he is upset by the sudden situation.


    In the meantime, Mr. Karon, who has finished his transformation, raises his axe with a stronger cold air than before.


    The rush of the tremendous magic power is so strong that he can feel it on his skin, and he quickly shoves Nair on his shoulder into the bosom of his troupe uniform. I heard a "Pugyafu" sound as he did so, but now was not the time to be worrying about her, so I stood in front of the shaken Leo-san and protected his face and abdomen with both arms.


    The next moment, a blast of wind and cold air, which could have been mistaken for a snowstorm, blew us away from the axe that had been swung down.


    "Gghhhhhhhh!"


    "Hyaaa~~~!"


    I was blown away and, fortunately or unfortunately, was knocked backwards onto the icy ground near the gates of Mearaq''s castle.


    Nea is safe because she has a little scream in her inside pocket, ...... mine not so much.


    "d*mn, what the hell is he ......!¡¡It''s not normal for him to blow off the cold air alone. ......!"


    My body is too cold to move properly.


    I don''t think I''m frozen, but I''m so cold that my arms and legs don''t work properly.


    "......Leo is ......"


    He was blown away with me, and he is lying on his face a little behind me.


    I want to get him out of there right away, but first I have to heal my body..,


    "Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!"


    Oh, they''re still coming after me!


    My cheeks twitch as Mr. Karon raises his axe and falls toward me.


    It would be fatal if I were to be attacked in this situation... but no amount of healing magic can keep me out of the cold.


    Even if I ask Nair to build up her resistance to cold, she won''t make it in time.


    If we don''t do something, certain death awaits us.


    "I can''t die here. ......!!!"


    He forces himself to use healing magic on his cold leg, and tries to stand up.


    If this cold is enough to completely disable me, I would have died a long time ago. ......!


    I thought, and scolded my shivering body as I stood up. When I looked up, Mr. Karon had already started to swing his axe.


    I''m ready to ...... take him on!


    I clench my fist, which is filled with the spell of resistance, as hard as I can and swing it.


    ---Boom!


    "---!!!?"


    "...... to?"


    But before my fist and Mr. Karon''s fist could make contact, something blocked the axe that Mr. Karon swung down, and it was bounced away.


    Mr. Karon landed on the ground and continued to swing his axes, but all of them were blocked by something like a transparent wall, and no attack could get through.


    "Is this a boundary?"


    Looking closely, I saw that there was a translucent light-blue boundary between me and Mr. Karon, and that it was not only in front of me, but also covering Mearaak.


    Even the wards that had trapped Eva in Samaria were not as big as this.


    Who in the world .......


    "Usato-dono!


    Mr. Aruk!


    Aruk-san comes down from the wall near the gate.


    Did he leave Amako and Bulrin in ...... Mialak?


    "Are you all right?¡¡I''ll warm you with my fire now!


    "No, I''m fine. No, I''m fine. I''m more concerned about the guy who''s passed out in there. ......


    Mr. Karon can''t touch us anymore.


    The wards are more solid than they look, and his power is unimpressive. The problem is Leo, who got blown up along with me. Still paralyzed from the cold, but able to move a lot, I pick up the unconscious Leo and cast a healing spell on him.


    As I am pouring magic power into him, frowning at the coldness of his armor, Alc moves next to me and creates a flame in his palm.


    "Mr. Aruk ......"


    "It is your bad habit to be patient, Usato-dono. Please rely on me a little more."


    "...... thank you."


    The heat from the flames warms my cold body.


    I look at Mr. Arc and smile, and move to the gate of Mialark, where I think Mr. Arc came from.


    In the middle of this movement, a black owl flies out of my uniform, gasping for breath.


    "Pfft, Usato!¡¡You''re choking me to death!


    "Oh, I''m sorry. I forgot."


    "Not bad, huh?"


    I was just trying to help you.


    If you had been hit by that blizzard, you might have been blown far away from here instead of frozen.


    What is going on in Mearaq, anyway?


    The man with horns and a tail, Mr. Karon.


    Mr. Leo in full body armor.


    And the strange quietness of Mialak, where not a single person is seen in the midst of such a disaster.


    "...... either way."


    I look at Mr. Karon, who is outside the boundary behind me.


    There I see him glaring at me with a single-minded focus and snarling like an animal.


    To tell the truth, I was the one who would have lost if I had continued. I was saved by chance by the warding, but I don''t even want to imagine what would have happened if that hadn''t been the case.


    "I''m not good at fighting after all. ......"


    I don''t want to fight anymore if I can help it.


    On the other hand, I had a feeling that I would have to fight against Mr. Karon, no matter what it took.


    I had a feeling that I would have to fight with Mr. Karon no matter what.


    After entering the water city of Mearaq and meeting up with Amaco and Bulrin, I was struck by how deserted the streets were.


    No stores were open, and there were no people.


    I had a bad feeling at the sight of so many people, and looked at Mr. Aruk next to me.


    "Mr. Aruk, this is ......."


    "Yes, for some reason, there''s no one in sight."


    Don''t tell me that the people here were done in by Mr. Karon ......?¡¡No, there would have to be blood or some other sign that they were ransacked.


    "Amako, I don''t smell blood or ......"


    "No, not at all."


    That means Mr. Karon didn''t do it.


    Then why? Under the circumstances, it is possible that there is no one in the castle beyond our line of sight.


    "......Gruar."


    "Usato, Burlin says there''s no sign of anyone around here."


    Okay.


    Maybe this isn''t about the letter. .......


    I don''t think it''s worthwhile to give a letter to Mearaq if he''s in such a situation.


    "Mister Usato, why don''t you look for the person who put up the wards?"


    "Yes?"


    Even if the warding was done by magic tools, it must have taken a human hand to make it work that well. If we can find that person, we may be able to understand this mysterious situation.


    "Right. Aruk is right. Let''s first look for the person who made the wards. Currently, the only person who seems to be related to Mearaq has been knocked out by the blow he received earlier.


    Nair, who is dressed as a village girl, agrees with Aruk-san''s words and glances at the armored man on my back.


    It is true that what we need to do now is to assess the situation.


    Well, with Nair, Amako, and Bulrin, who have better senses than humans, we''ll find them soon enough.


    "That won''t be necessary."


    "!"


    A muffled voice echoes from behind me.


    It seems that Mr. Leo has awakened from his stupor.


    I put him down for the time being, and he nods dejectedly at the sight of his cracked and dented armor.


    "I''m sorry. I''ve been rescued again.


    "Are you all right?¡¡Do you feel any pain?


    "No, I feel strangely fine. No, I''m strangely unaffected. In fact, I''m surprised I''m not more tired than I already am. I am ashamed of myself for having underestimated the healing magic until now. I am so grateful to ...... for your help."


    He bows his head and I feel a little embarrassed.


    But when Leo lifts his head next, I freeze.


    "But a skilled user of healing magic is truly amazing!¡¡I never thought that you could not only catch his fist easily but also hit him with your fist!


    "Heh, heh, well, it''s no big deal ......."


    Leo''s words make my cheeks twitch.


    I''m sorry, but ordinary healing wizards aren''t very good at physical combat. It would be wrong to try to hit them.


    Hey, that little fox and owl behind you! I know you''re trying to hold back but I know you''re laughing, okay?


    "And yet you''re ...... pathetic."


    "Your emotions rise and fall so fast. ......"


    Emotional instability.


    Is she pretty young under that armor?¡¡He''s a little taller than me, so maybe we''re closer in age than I thought.


    So, Leo...


    "...... yourself?"


    "What?"


    Did I get the name wrong?


    No, but I thought you introduced yourself as Leo earlier. .......


    "......F, if we''ve fought together, even though we''ve never met, we call each other by our nicknames. ......That''s how it works, right?"


    "No, I mean..."


    "Don''t tell everyone. I''ll call you Usato. It''s easier to call you this way than the other way around.


    "Uh, yes, that''s right."


    Let''s not even get into the name thing, because it''s already a hassle.


    He is wearing a helmet, so I can''t see his expression, but he must be very happy to see me because he is nodding his head with his arms folded.


    It was something we didn''t intend.


    "You want to know what kind of situation Mialak is in now, don''t you?"


    "Yes."


    "...... We''ll talk more about it at the castle. I''ve got some things I need to report."


    "At the castle?¡¡Are there still people here?"


    Leo nodded at Aruk''s words.


    "Yes, though not many of them. ...... follow me and I will guide you to the castle.


    "Can I take the blue grizzly with me to Burlin ......?"


    "......Are those bears demons, after all?¡¡And a blue grizzly? ...... If you don''t want to attack people, that''s fine, but you can''t go inside ...... the castle, can you?"


    "Guh."


    Here''s a bullring.


    I somehow understood what he was saying, so I spoke for Mr. Leo.


    "He says he''s fine.


    "Yeah, I see. ......"


    Leo backed away awkwardly, turned around awkwardly, and started to walk toward the castle with a clattering sound.


    We followed him, and Amako, who had moved to stand next to me, looked up at me.


    "Usato, have you noticed?"


    "Yes.¡¡What''s ......?"


    "That man ......."


    Amako''s gaze turns to Leo.


    He''s aware of what?¡¡Could it be something serious?


    What about him?


    "He''s ...... ah, I don''t know, I don''t know. Yeah, I''m fine. It''s nothing."


    What''s bothering you so much?


    Amako smiled a little and turned around to walk next to me.


    You never make it clear what you mean, so I don''t know what you mean. ....... Well, if you say it''s okay, I guess it''s okay.


    I followed Leo with my friends, feeling a little confused.

 110 - - The hundredth.

    The road to the castle in Mearaq was very quiet.


    No one was around, and even the goods for sale were abandoned. ...... It was as if people had disappeared at some point, and one could sense a sense of disquiet.


    "Mr. Leo."


    As I was walking with Mr. Aruk and others in the city where silence reigns, I call out to Mr. Leo, a man in armor who is walking in front of me.


    "Yes, what is it?"


    "Don''t you want to take off your helmet?"


    "!?


    I have been a little concerned about his reluctance to take off his helmet since a while ago.


    When he heard my question, he suddenly pressed his head with his hand.


    "Oh, it was rude of me to keep my face hidden for so long. I''m sorry, I''ll take it off now.


    Leo-san immediately tries to remove his own helmet.


    However, contrary to his expectation, the helmet does not come off as if it is caught on something.


    "Oh, what?¡¡It won''t come off?¡¡Mmmmmm... ......!"


    Leo-san grabs his head and tries to pull it up.


    Perhaps his armor got distorted in the battle with Mr. Karon, and it got stuck on his helmet and wouldn''t come off.


    Leo-san started to jump up and down on the spot, and when he noticed our eyes on him, he turned his head to us impatiently.


    His voice seemed to be trembling.


    "I''ll have you take it off at the castle.


    "Yes, that would be better. ......"


    Leo, looking embarrassed, turned around and started walking again.


    He is mumbling something like "I''ve done it ......" or "I may be dead".


    He is probably summarizing his report to the castle. He seems serious.


    "Is he more mischievous than I thought?"


    "He seems to be. It''s very rare to have such a naturally friendly personality.


    Mr. Alc nodded at my words.


    I had just met Leo, but I had various impressions of him.


    He was reliable, serious, kind and concerned about me more than himself, and his friendly personality ...... made me feel a little disappointed, but I guess that was just my imagination.


    Not every person I meet is a disappointment.


    "When I say disappointing, I mean ......"


    "...... An?¡¡What?"


    I casually look at Nair, who is walking diagonally in front of me, and he gives me a stern look.


    .......


    "Huh ......"


    "Hey!¡¡Sighing in someone''s face is not nice! I didn''t do anything!


    "No, it''s just... ...... you''re a disappointment. ......"


    "I don''t want to be told by the most disappointing person!¡¡You are a devil, a brainless, insensitive monster of a man!"


    "Stop slamming all the abuse you can think of into me, it''s pretty heartbreaking."


    I have to complain about the bad language.


    What do you mean by "insensitive"?


    I''m proud to say that my reflexes have reached the realm of being too sharp, not to mention my demons and brains.


    "If you are talking about the sense of pain, I can feel pain normally. It''s just that I endure it. It''s all about spirit, spirit. You can endure it if you don''t lose your mind.


    "I hope you realize that there''s something wrong with you when you''re able to hold your own with your spirit. ......"


    "We are creatures that get stronger every time we go through pain. ......"


    Tremendous muscle pain from training.


    The pain of continuous overuse, ignoring the screaming muscles.


    Injuries and poison from fighting snakes.


    The evasive maneuvers of being one-sidedly beaten by Rose.


    Injuries from the fight against the evil dragon.


    The mental attack at Samaritan''s Head.


    All of it was no small thing, but I endured it and overcame it.


    "Oh, you still think you''re human?"


    But the vampire in the village girl''s skin had the nerve to respond to my words with such a response.


    "That''s a pretty hurtful reaction..."


    "No, because ...... common sense tells you that a normal human being wouldn''t first cause an ogre to faint in agony with a single blow. ....... Besides, when you can withstand hundreds of years of Samaritan''s hatred, you''re a monster, aren''t you?"


    He''s not kidding.


    I''m really pulling for ......!¡¡I almost cried at her reaction.


    "Nah, don''t do that. Usato is hurt too, you know?"


    "Amako ......!"


    I knew you were on my side, Amako.


    Amako hugged my arms with both of hers and glared at N¨¦a.


    Usato is still human. He''s still human.


    "Hey, why did you say that twice?"


    "Hey, why did you say that twice?" "Because I''m a human being, you know," he said meaningfully.


    I don''t just transform into another creature at some point, okay?


    Amako tilted her head cutely at my appealing gaze.


    "?"


    "No, don''t tilt your head. Why do you look like you really don''t know?"


    Amako, that''s not a follow-up.


    I mean, I don''t think so.


    I guess that''s what you call stepping on my toes.


    "We''re almost at the castle. ...... Oh, Usato, what''s wrong?¡¡Don''t tell me you got hurt somewhere in the fight earlier?


    "My body is fine, but my heart ...... hurts."


    I''m usually shocked when I''m pulled over in a normal situation, even though my spirit is supposed to have been strengthened by Samaritan''s Rule.


    I told Leo that I was fine, and then turned my attention to the castle of Mearaq, which was approaching nearby.


    It looks like a castle similar to those of Lingle Kingdom and Samaritan. It looks a bit light blue in color, maybe?


    There is someone here that Leo wants me to meet.


    "Well, we have a lot of questions we want to ask him..."


    The water around Mearaq is frozen.


    Why is the mysterious man, Mr. Karon, running amok?


    And we, who are involved in this, have to hear about what is happening to Mr. Karon.


    I am sure that you will be able to find out more.


    Leo led us to the castle.


    As we moved to the front gate of the castle, a person who looked like a castle maid greeted us and Leo. However, no one came out of the castle except for her.


    As soon as she saw Mr. Leo, she turned pale and ran to him.


    "---Are you safe?


    "Yes, as you can see, I''m not hurt."


    "You look like a wreck!"


    "Oh, no, I''m fine. I''m in there."


    "Oh, really? ....... Um, what about you guys?"


    The maid was relieved, but when she noticed us behind her, she gave a quizzical look.


    Probably because of the presence of the demon Bulrin. Normally, she seems to be quite fluent, but to ordinary people, she is a ferocious demon, a blue grizzly, so it''s understandable that they are wary of her.


    "They saved us when we were in danger. I can assure you that they are not enemies.


    Thanks to Leo''s immediate action of telling the maid about us, there was no need to be alarmed.


    "Usato, I''ll let her show you the rest. I have to take off this armor."


    "Oh, yes. Yes, sir.


    "Well, you''ll be seeing me soon."


    Leo puts his hand on my shoulder, smiles, and walks toward the castle.


    After seeing Leo off, the maid turned around and bowed reverently.


    "Well then, everyone. This way please. Ah, the messenger ......?¡¡May I ...... ask you to take the blue grizzly into the stables?


    Yes, that''s fine.


    After placing Bulrin in the stables on the castle grounds, I ask the maid to take me inside the castle.


    The inside of the castle was as unpopular as the outside.


    "Is there no one here either ......?"


    "Not really, is it?¡¡Not so much, it seems. There are some people here, though they are quite few.


    Hearing Nair''s words, he looks around the castle.


    More and more I don''t understand what''s going on. It seems strange that there are so few people in the castle, as well as outside. If the people of Mearaak had been erased by Mr. Karon outside, it would be more convincing, but... how could he do such a thing with his ice powers?


    "Why did you all come to Mialak?"


    We came from the Kingdom of Lingle on a mission. But when we arrived, the water around Mialark was frozen and an unidentified man was running amok. ......What the hell happened?"


    "......"


    When Mr. Aruk asked the maid, she fell silent.


    After a moment of silence, she opened her mouth hesitantly.


    "I don''t understand ...... the details of the situation. I don''t, but ...... it started about a month ago."


    "One month ......"


    Before we arrived in Samaritan?


    That''s when all the commotion started.


    "One night, one of the knights suddenly went berserk. As if he had lost his mind, he started attacking the people around him and was immediately seized by the surrounding knights and put in jail.


    Perhaps that knight is Mr. Karon.


    But what does it mean that he suddenly went on a rampage?


    "I thought that after a while he would return to normal and we would be back to our usual peaceful routine ......, but he never came to his senses anytime soon. Moreover, his power seemed to be increasing day by day. ....... And then---"


    "...... and?"


    "Exactly two weeks ago, he broke out of his cage. He took Mialak''s powerful armor, and in the blink of an eye he rendered the knights impotent and ready to do anything to destroy them.


    "It wasn''t just the power of that axe. ......"


    The axe that Mr. Karon was holding --- it was covered with powerful cold air, so I thought it was the cause of his transformation, but he had been changing even before that.


    And that was two weeks ago. .......


    That''s when we left Samaritan, so he must have gone straight to Mearaq without noticing anything wrong with him.


    Well, that''s just bad luck.


    "So, did they send him to ......?"


    "No." "So, did they send him to ? The people in Mearaq let him go to a neighboring country.


    "...... what?"


    You let them go to a neighboring country while Mr. Kalon is running amok outside?


    Is that possible ......?


    When I was puzzled by the maid''s explanation, she stopped walking in front of me and turned around. There was a big door on our side and she put her palm on the door.


    JoOusama will tell you the details.


    "Queen ......?"


    She says this and opens the door.


    At the far end of the hall beyond the door was a woman sitting on a throne.


    She was about the same age as Rose or older. However, her tired expression and the dark circles around her eyes made her look older than she was.


    She is dressed in a royal blue costume and a staff as clear as ice. The woman who looked at us as if squinting her eyes looked at us with interest.


    "You ...... are the ones he was talking about, aren''t you?"


    "......!"


    I was puzzled when she looked at me and said those words.


    She talks as if she knows me. And this time, she didn''t sound like she had done her research on me before like she did in Samaritan.


    As my eyes widen in astonishment, the queen slowly rises from her throne.


    Welcome to Mialark, I am Norn Elad Mialark, Queen of Mialark. First of all, let me say that I cannot... welcome you with open arms.


    An obvious rejection by the queen, Norn Erad Mialak.


    These words convinced me that the handing over of the letter would not be so easy.


    I was not surprised at all.


    "I know I am not welcome. I know it''s not welcome, but we''ve been caught in the middle of all this for no reason. Can you tell us what''s going on first?"


    After receiving a clear rejection, Mr. Aruk was talking to Mr. Norn instead of me, who did not know how to start the conversation.


    At his words, Norn-sama''s shoulders drooped as if he was drooping, and he opened his mouth in a small voice.


    His voice was weak and did not sound as dignified as it had earlier.


    "I understand. I know that I should be welcoming you to our home, but ...... the time is not right. I''m sorry if I sounded harsh ......."


    Master Norn''s face is shadowed and his arms are lowered in a slumped position.


    Her appearance reminded me more of a tired office worker than a queen. Confused by the difference between the queen I had expected and the queen in front of me, I waited for her next words.


    "I haven''t slept properly for about a week, and to be honest, I''m quite irritated ......."


    "Yeah, yeah. ......"


    I''m not surprised you''re grumpy for such a less-than-expected reason. .......


    She puts down her expensive-looking cane carelessly and sits down roughly in her chair, pressing her eyes sleepily. If you look closely, you can see a bottle-like object lying beside the throne.


    ......What is that,...... alcohol?


    As I stare at the empty bottle, Nea and Amako, who are standing next to me, hold their noses and frown.


    "Ugh, Usato,...... that''s a potion. And it has this strong smell ...... that helps to make you sleepy. ......"


    "Wow, potions are supposed to be expensive, but that''s a great use of them. ......"


    I''ve never heard of potions before, but I see that they are like nutritional drinks to make you sleepy.


    Hearing Amako''s words, the queen, smiling emptily, grabs a bottle with the contents beside her and swallows it down.


    Seeing her, the maid behind her rushes to her.


    "No, Norn-sama!¡¡How many times have I told you that excessive consumption of potions is bad for your health?¡¡Please go back to sleep, even if it''s only for three hours!


    No, no!¡¡You would never wake me up in three hours!¡¡I can''t sleep even for a day!¡¡Gabo-gabo-gabo!"


    "Oh, all at once?¡¡No!"


    The queen gulping down the potion, and the maid trying to stop her in a panic.


    ...... Honestly speaking, for someone like me who has met king-like kings such as Lucas and Lloyd, the young Norn in front of me looked quite strange.


    Or rather, I was quite taken aback.


    "Why should I be on the verge of extinction when I''ve only been queen for a short time.........ugh......"


    Finally, he started whining in spite of our presence.


    I let out a sigh and step forward.


    "Excuse me, sir.


    "What, what is it? ......"


    I call out to her, a ghostly apparition that ruins any sense of dignity I had at first.


    She must really be a very beautiful woman. Her shadows and fatigue are ruining her, though.


    "Shall I cast a healing spell?"


    "...... huh?"


    What?¡¡What''s with that face?


    Seeing Mr. Norn and the maid as if they had found a savior, for some reason I felt more tired than them.


    I guess it will be a while before I hear what happened.

 111 - - The 12th.

    The person waiting for us at the castle in Mearaq was the potion-drinking queen.


    At first I was a bit taken aback, but considering the circumstances surrounding her and her country, it was understandable.


    After casting a healing spell on her, we introduced ourselves once again and were in front of Master Norn as before.


    "I am sorry for being so rude to you.


    "No, it''s a situation, and we don''t mind.


    Mr. Norn''s face has changed from the exhausted expression he had earlier to a look of contentment.


    Perhaps the healing magic had worked, for although he still had some dark circles, the tired look was completely gone.


    "But I was blinded by the healing magic. I never imagined that it would be so beneficial. ...... I wonder if I could keep working without sleep or rest if I had it?¡¡When this mess is over, I''m going to gather some healing wizards and ......"


    "You can heal the body, but you cannot heal the mind. No matter how much you can move your body, if your mind is too tired to support it, you will eventually collapse.


    The healing magic may be kind to the body, but it is not kind to the mind.


    If we continue to work without sleep or rest, forcing our bodies to heal with healing magic, we will lose our minds.


    The queen looked disappointed at my words and played with the potion beside her with her palm.


    "I thought I didn''t need to rely on potions anymore, but I guess I still do..."


    "Master Norn. You should first stay away from the potions rather than look for the healing wizard."


    The maid standing behind Master Norn gave him some advice, but he did not listen to her at all and put the potion in his pocket with great care.


    Is this man seriously addicted to potions?


    It seems to me that it''s too late for her to put the potion in her pocket instead of putting it down.


    "Now, you are the messengers from the Kingdom of Lingle, right?


    Yes. Yes. We have come to Mearaq for a specific purpose. ......Well then, Mister Usato..."


    At Mr. Aruk''s urging, I take out a letter from my pocket and awkwardly hand it to Mr. Norn.


    She opened the letter, looked it over silently, and let out a small sigh.


    "...... the Demon King, huh?"


    Perhaps, for once, it will be impossible to get him to cooperate. Not because they will refuse, but because this country is not up to it.


    However, I thought I should let them know that the threat of the Demon King was approaching, so I handed them the letter.


    "A boy in white will come to visit you. ...... He was right, wasn''t he?"


    "...... what?"


    "I''m going to hold off on this answer."


    Withhold?¡¡You''re not gonna say no?


    My guess was that he would refuse right away, but I wondered what his intention was in putting the offer on hold.


    Looking at the person next to me, Mr. Aruk seemed to be confused.


    "We are facing a crisis in Mearaq right now. It is no coincidence that you have come at such a time. You came here by choice. And I knew you would come.


    "......!"


    "But I didn''t believe it. How could anyone think of going into Mearaq now that he''s out there? If they had, they would have been iced to death by now.


    The way she said it, it sounded like she expected us to come before we came here.


    And it sounds like she didn''t anticipate it herself, but someone else.


    "And yet you have come this far. That''s why I have to tell you that you have come this far. The beginning of the disaster that befell this city, the tragedy that suddenly befell the man with the dragon''s power..."


    After saying these words, Mr. Norn continues to weave his words.


    "The one who is raging outside used to be a knight of Mearrak. His name is Karon. ...... From the look on your face, you''ve already heard this story from her, haven''t you?"


    Her?¡¡Oh, you mean the maid.


    I nod in agreement with Norn-sama.


    "So you''ve already given me a rough explanation. Then let''s talk about him in detail first.


    She nodded and resumed her explanation.


    "He was just a young man who did not have the dragon''s power like that until recently.


    "You mean you were a normal human being?"


    That''s not true. He was no ordinary man. He may have been just a young man, but his origins were complicated.


    Complicated?


    That''s a vague way of putting it: .......


    "He was a good knight. He was a skilled warrior, thoughtful, and could have been one of the city''s bravest men. In fact, there was a great deal of noise about which of the two candidates, he or the other chosen one, would be honored with the name of hero."


    Is this where Leo''s statement that he was supposed to be a brave man came from?


    But if he was that good, why did he go out of control?


    While I was tilting my head, Mr. Norn spun the next words.


    "At that time, something happened to him---he held his head as if he was enduring something, and he became so delirious that he injured a knight who was nearby.


    And you were thrown in jail?


    "Yes, it took a long time to lock him up, even with several men to hold him down, but we still managed to get him into the sturdiest cage in Mialak. But that cage was ultimately only a ...... stall."


    Exactly two weeks ago --- if he has been imprisoned for a month, that means that in half a month Mr. Karon has escaped from Mearaq.


    "He escaped from the prison and went to the treasure room as if he had been drawn there by something. There he picked up the treasure of Mialark-the strongest and freest weapon in the world, with power and potential comparable to the sword used by the heroes who overthrew the Demon King.


    "Equivalent to the weapons of the brave ......!"


    He unconsciously puts his hand on the small sword of the brave man at his waist.


    Nowadays, I know how to use it for cutting fruits or stabbing a grudge in the forehead, but I know how the original users fought with it.


    The battle between a brave man and an evil dragon shown by the spirit of Samaritan.


    The previous hero strengthened himself by sticking a small sword into his body. Moreover, for some reason, he had shown such a monstrous power that he surpassed the power of the evil dragon in its prime with just that much reinforcement.


    Does Mr. Karon have a weapon that displays such extraordinary power? .......


    "Is that what that axe is? ......"


    "That''s not an axe. When he uses it, it is transformed into the shape of an axe, but in its original form it is just a stick. The maker says ---<


    "Not an axe, but a staff."


    So the form of the axe is the most suitable form of armament for Mr. Karon now.


    With that kind of power, it makes sense. The blow of the axe, which was more forceful than a half-baked sword or spear, chilled me to the bone.


    "It''s great that he can handle a weapon that is normally reserved for the wand''s chosen bearer, but it''s hard to be happy when he''s in such a state. On the contrary, things have gotten out of hand."


    "So he froze the water around Mearaq?"


    Mr. Norn nodded in reply to Aruk''s question.


    He could freeze such a large mass of water. I''m glad he didn''t send it out when Leo and I were fighting. We would have gotten away with it if we had been hit by something of that magnitude head on.


    ...... No, maybe that was the snowstorm-like attack that was unleashed after Mr. Karon''s body transformed?¡¡But it would not have been powerful enough to freeze the lake.


    "It was he himself who froze the area around the city. But that''s just the result of his unchecked power overflowing. He would never have been able to wield that much power while he was running amok. ...... if his power is not unleashed to the next level."


    "...... that ......"


    "Well, he estimates he has about half a month to spare, so we should still be okay."


    Norn-sama smiles at us and we look at each other, as if to say, "Don''t worry.


    Maybe when he was fighting me---he grew horns and a tail, which can be seen as the next stage of his liberation. It makes sense that the blizzard wasn''t powerful enough to freeze the water around us because he was shooting a lot of icicles at us before that.


    ...... but it''s very hard to say.


    It''s very awkward to tell her that she had been so exhausted before I cast a healing spell on her, and that Mr. Karon has already awakened to the next stage of his life.


    Say it, Usato.


    "Usato, tell him."


    "Usato-sama, please."


    It''s hard when my friends throw themselves at you at the critical moment.


    I understand that Mr. Aruk says that I should report to him after the fight, but Nair and Amako seem to be completely bothered by it.


    "Norn-sama!"


    "Yes?¡¡What is it?¡¡Usato, you look so mysterious.


    Mr. Karon has already awakened. He now has horns on his head and a dragon tail on his waist. So I think that ...... is a pretty bad situation."


    "...... what?"


    Norn-sama, frozen in place, his voice shaking sadly.


    "Have you awakened already?"


    "Yes.


    I nodded, and she held her head.


    "Calm down, calm down, Norn. "Calm down, calm down, Norn. It''s not out of control yet. If we can deal with him by then, we can still get back on our feet. ......


    Norn-sama began to mumble something, and a strange melancholy seemed to be in the air.


    But it was not only her, we were in trouble as well. Whether we stay in this country or leave it, a conflict with Mr. Karon is inevitable.


    When that happens, will I be able to stand up to him who has awakened to a higher level?


    In addition, he has a weapon in his hand that is equal to the weapons of a brave man.


    I also have a weapon of a brave man, but it is meaningless because I am not the bearer of it.


    No, there are more unclear points in Master Norn''s story.


    Where does Mr. Karon''s power come from?¡¡His magic is beyond the range of a single person''s magical power. His magic power to cause a blizzard and freeze all the water around him was more than even Inukami-senpai and Kazuki, who are out of the standard that I know of.


    >


    "...... hmm?"


    A familiar voice echoed from the door of the hall.


    Master Norn, hearing the voice, looked up from his prone position and let out a smile, as if welcoming the person outside the door.


    "Come in."


    I was a little confused when I saw someone quietly open the door and walk in.


    From the sound of her voice, I thought it was Leo, but contrary to my expectations, it was a woman who entered.


    She had waist-length, beautiful blond hair tied in a single knot, and eyes as sharp as a hawk''s. She looked like a woman.


    Dressed in light armor and a long skirt, she entered the hall, bowed politely and naturally, and walked up to us.


    "Hu......"


    "?"


    She smiles, pats me on the shoulder, and walks up to the throne where Norn-sama sits and kneels down.


    Suddenly, she taps me on the shoulder, and I tilt my head back, not understanding why.


    I wonder why he is so friendly. It was as if I was greeting a friend.


    Is that normal in this city?


    "I''m glad you''re back safe and sound."


    "You''re too kind."


    "You are the only knight who can stand against Caron. If we lose you now, there will be no one left to fight him. Thank you for coming back. Knight Leona."


    Your name is Leona.


    She must be a very strong knight if she was fighting against Mr. Karon.


    ...... hmm?¡¡Just a few minutes ago, Mr. Karon was fighting with me and Leo, I wonder if he was fighting too?


    "He has achieved the awakening of his power."


    "Usato told me. How strong is Kalon in your eyes?


    "He is more ferocious than before his awakening, and his physical strength seems to have increased accordingly. I''m sorry, I was knocked unconscious in an instant immediately after awakening, so I can''t give you exact information. ......"


    "A knight of your stature can be ...... in an instant, and that''s not good."


    Norn-sama frowned when she heard Leona''s report.


    Leona, still on her knees, looks up and takes one look at me for a moment.


    "I must be honest. I was about to be defeated by Kalon, who even before his awakening, had been forced to defend himself against me.


    "Is he that strong?"


    Yes, I''m standing here alive because of him here--Usato.


    Hmm?


    Why is my name popping out of Leona''s mouth?


    "What do you mean, thanks to him?¡¡He is supposed to be a healing magician, so he should not have any means to fight. ......"


    "No, he was able to fight Kalon with only his healing magic and his own physical abilities, and he even saved me when I was knocked out."


    "......usato, is that true ......usato?"


    Lady Norn was speaking to me, but my head, still confused, could not recognize her words.


    With my confused head, I look at Leona.


    She tilted her head to meet my gaze.


    "Excuse me, Leo, you are ......, aren''t you?"


    "Hmm, what the hell, now..."


    "You were a woman?"


    "......"


    The maid and the Norn in front of Mr. Leo froze in a daze.


    Leo --- Leona''s face went stiff with a smile on her face.


    After a few moments of silence, Leo-san slowly approached me and grabbed my shoulders with all his might.


    "Don''t tell me you thought I was a man?¡¡Until now?"


    "Yes, you were tall, and your voice was muffled through your armor, so I thought ...... you were a man."


    "You''re tall ......, who called me Leo?"


    "Well, I thought that was your name."


    After saying this, Leo-san---Leona-san removes her hand from his shoulder without effort.


    I tried to apologize to her first, but she shook her shoulders and squeezed my voice out.


    "It''s okay. Usato."


    "No, um, ......."


    "I''m the one who made the mistake. Yes, you did. He''s taller than you, and he''s wearing full body armor, so it''s understandable that you''d mistake him for a man. And you have such an unfeminine tone and such a manly personality. ....... So no need to apologize. Yes, I was the only one who got carried away. I was soaring like a child at the age of 20."


    I don''t know what to say to Leona, who is looking down at an angle and smiling wickedly with a face like she is about to cry.


    Sadly, I feel it is not my fault that this emotionally unstable reaction has convinced me that this person is Leo.


    I feel as if the eyes of Mr. Norn and the maid have become stern.


    If I look behind me, they look at me like >Nair and Aruk-san are giving me a look.


    And then..,


    "Amaco, you knew, didn''t you?"


    "Yes."


    If you knew, tell me about it: .......


    No, it''s my fault for misunderstanding.


    I was exposed to the stares of everyone here, and I was thinking about how I should apologize to Leona first.

 112 - - The 13th.

    Leo is actually a woman and her name is Leona.


    I had made a terrible mistake and managed to calm her down by apologizing desperately to her shocked girlfriend.


    "......So, Usato. Did you battle with the awakened Kalon?"


    "Yes, well,...... just in case."


    He nodded at Norn-sama''s words, who looked a little tired from the commotion he had just witnessed.


    I say that we had a battle, but I only tried to hit him back, even though he was blown away by the blizzard and was unable to move.


    I don''t know if it can be called a battle approximately, but if my information is useful, I''d better tell you.


    "I feel the same way as Leo ......na. The horns and the tail made him look even more wild. Maybe I will be defeated by him next time I fight him. ......"


    In fact, even before his awakening, his arm strength was equal to or greater than mine.


    If his strength has increased, the only thing I currently have over him is the speed of my legs. Then, I should train to improve my speed and muscle strength for the possibility of our next encounter.


    As I folded my arms and thought about our training plan, Master Norn tilted his head.


    "Did I hear him wrong?¡¡It sounded to me as if Usato had equal power with him before his awakening.


    "...... what?"


    Oh, shit.


    What a grave. I should have said it more bluntly.


    It''s not good to tell the fact that they competed with each other by force of arms, no matter what.


    "...... No way, it''s just a figure of speech..."


    "Hmph, no need to be modest, Usato. I saw it with my own eyes. I saw with my own eyes how you were overwhelming Kalon with your physical abilities alone. ......"


    I quickly tried to cover it up, but Leona, who had regained her composure, corrected me.


    Leona-san smiled a biting smile and clenched her fists tightly, as if she remembered the scene when we were fighting.


    "Even though he is carrying me, he runs on the ice like the wind, not only pulling Kalon away from me, but also ......!¡¡He avoided all of Kalon''s ice spears and even knocked off the flying debris with his bare hands. ......!


    "Le, Leona,......?"


    "I was watching his battle as a backup, and I can say that his ability to sense danger and his agility in evading an axe that was being swung at him in all directions in front of him was almost perfect, and his avoidance was particularly human.


    You seem to be very enthusiastic about this ......?


    I appreciate you introducing me, but I don''t think you need to explain me that much. I know it''s true, but it''s embarrassing to hear it again. .......


    Norn-sama, who was slightly taken back by Leona''s passionate speech, widened her eyes and shifted her gaze to me.


    "I knew he wasn''t just a man, but the Lingle Kingdom has sent us a hell of a lot of people. ....... It''s obviously not normal to compete with Kalon in that condition. Are you perhaps one of the lifeguards I''ve heard so much about?"


    "...... Yes."


    This person, like Ms. Gladys and Mr. Lucas, does not seem to know about Rose, but he seems to know about the lifeguard group through rumors.


    ...... though I''m a little afraid to ask about that lifeguard rumor.


    "Deal."


    "......?"


    Norn-sama looked at me and nodded once.


    The words she muttered made me wonder a little.


    "I finally understand why he was expecting you."


    "Him?¡¡Who is it?


    The word "he" that Mr. Norn has been referring to since a while ago.


    At first I thought he meant Mr. Karon or Mr. Leo, but obviously not.


    It is as if he has anticipated our visit and is aware of Mr. Karon''s current situation.


    "I''ll take you to him now. ...... Leona"


    Master Norn stood up from his throne and spoke to Leona.


    "I will take Usato and the others to see him. You are coming with us."


    "And what about Kalon?"


    "Yes, I will have to reveal everything."


    Leona frowned slightly at Mr. Norn''s words, but soon returned to a serious expression and moved to stand right next to us.


    At the same time, Norn-sama also walked up to us.


    "Master Norn, what in the world are you doing ......?"


    "This is a secret place in Mearaq that is normally only shown to those of special status. I will take you there."


    Secret place ......?


    I wonder if "he" is in such a place, Mr. Norn.


    "The one who will meet you there is the creator of the armor that Karon holds, and also the creator of the sword held by the hero who vanquished the Demon King.


    "!!?"


    The one who created the weapons of the brave?


    That would be the creator of the small sword I''m holding right now ......?


    "Wait a minute. The hero who defeated the Demon King was hundreds of years ago, wasn''t he?¡¡How could a normal human being live that long? ......"


    It reminds me of Nea, who is a little behind me.


    It is impossible for a human, but it is possible for a demon like Nair, who is more intelligent than humans and has a longer life span than humans.


    "Yes. It is not human beings who will see you now.


    I mumbled, and the Norn answered by striking the floor three times with the staff in his hand.


    Then a blue pattern appeared on the ground and disappeared as my feet sank into the ground. I turned my head toward Nair as quickly as I could.


    She was holding her hand on the floor where the blue pattern was floating with a stern look on her face.


    "Nair, what is this?"


    "Yes, witchcraft. Yes, it''s magic... and it''s very old and very well hidden. It must be quite a trickster down there ...... if I can''t see it. I''m sorry to say, but they''re better at it than I am."


    While I try to keep my voice as low as possible and talk to Nair, our bodies continue to move down through the floor.


    Looking overhead, I saw the maid waving us off from where the floor used to be translucent.


    The scaffolding continued to descend.


    In the middle of this, Master Norn, who had been staring at his staff, looked up.


    We still have some time before we reach the bottom. If you have any questions before then, just ask.


    What you want to ask ......?


    The most important question I want to ask is about the person I''m going to meet, but that''s OK, I''ll find out soon enough.


    While I was thinking about what to ask, Mr. Aruk spoke to Master Norn.


    "My Queen, may I ask you a question?"


    "As many as you can answer.


    So, how were the people living in this city relocated to neighboring countries?¡¡With Lord Kalon on the rampage, it would take a lot of time and effort to move even a small number of people while keeping them hidden.


    Come to think of it, I have not been briefed on how the people of Mearaq were sent to the neighboring country.


    Although it is a city, the number of people living there is not small.


    And ice, not water, surrounds them. No matter how many people a boat can carry, it is useless if the surface of the water is frozen.


    In such a situation, how did they get the people of Mearaq out of the country?


    "In moving the people from here, I first asked Leona to stop Kalon, and while she was stopping him, I moved all the people."


    ...... isn''t that a bit of a quandary?


    I didn''t say it out loud, but I was dubious about such a brief and crude explanation.


    Seeing our reaction, Norn-sama smiled as if he was troubled.


    "I''m sure you won''t be convinced by this explanation. It''s true that this has been a foolhardy plan so far, but with the help of the man we are about to meet, we have succeeded in this foolhardy plan.


    The Norn raised the staff in his hand as if to show it to us.


    In the center of the staff was a jewel with jagged triangular scales, emitting a light similar to that of the wards covering Mear¨¢k.


    "Don''t tell me this is the magic tool that created the wards?"


    "Yes. To be precise, it is a tool that combines magic and witchcraft. This is also his creation, a special staff that has been handed down to us royalty.


    In other words, is it safe to say that the wand that Master Norn is holding is the last fortress to protect this city of Mearaq?


    When I heard that the wand emanated a large outer field, I thought it would be a more grandiose device, but it is quite compact.


    "This wand can create a wide-area ward when I, the wielder, put my magical power into it. It is limited to use only in this city under his control, but with my magical power, I can create wards of a certain strength in any shape or form."


    A magical tool that can only be used in limited places, but is reasonably effective.


    It is quite extraordinary that it can be activated continuously by one person''s magic power.


    When you were drinking the potion earlier, you were throwing it away. .......


    "I have moved the people safely by creating a boundary between them and Kalon. But some of the demons in the forest have gone berserk under the influence of Kalon''s spirit, so I have sent most of my knights as guards. That''s why there are only a few in the castle now.


    "I see. ......"


    The reason why there are no knights of Mearaq is because they left together to escort those who are on the move from the demons that have gone berserk.


    The knights can''t go back to the city because of Mr. Karon''s presence.


    It''s a difficult situation.


    "So, you were practically alone in dealing with Mr. Karon, weren''t you?


    "I was on the defensive from start to finish. I was on the defensive from the beginning to the end.


    "Still, I think it''s great."


    There was no way she could be weak after facing such a big enemy as Mr. Karon without any help from anyone.


    Leona was flustered by my words and turned her face away from me awkwardly.


    "No, no, if I had done better in the first place, I might have been able to do something before he awakened. ......"


    "Don''t be too down on yourself, you''re doing great."


    As if concerned about Leona''s still self-deprecating attitude, Master Norn called out to her.


    "Your modesty is your strength, but it is also your weakness. What you need now is confidence. If you have it, you will be a member of Mearaq..."


    "Master Norn, ......!"


    Leona interrupted Master Norn''s words, her voice sounding bitter.


    She immediately bowed her head at her rude attitude, but her expression turned severe.


    I did not understand what Master Norn was about to say, but I understood that what he said after that was not good for Leona.


    "There seems to be a reason for this..."


    "Yes, I guess so."


    I nodded to Aruk-san''s mutterings as he watched the exchange between the two.


    I''m concerned about it, but it''s not a problem we should get involved in. This is a matter for Master Norn and Leona, master and follower.


    "We are about to reach the bottom level.


    The voice of Mr. Norn is slightly downcast.


    Looking beneath my feet at the sound of her voice, I could see that the blue glowing patterns of magic were slowly losing their light.


    "He said to me," she said. <


    As I gazed at the silently descending floor, Master Norn spoke these words as if to himself.


    "I have seen you with my own eyes and you seem ...... to be worthy of trust. Still, I must warn you."


    "Caution?¡¡Is there something I should be aware of?"


    Yes. When you see him, don''t be scared. He may look a little big and scary, he may be intimidating, and he may act and speak very superior, but he is a kind ...... person at heart?¡¡So ......"


    Is it ...... Rose, with her scary face, unnecessarily intimidating, and her words and deeds from the top?


    No, there''s no unreasonableness in it.


    No, I''m fine with that. I don''t think I''d go beyond that scary face or Rose, though.


    "I know someone like that. I''m fine."


    Even though the person you are about to meet is an outsider, there is no way that anyone could be scarier than Rose.


    I mean, is there anyone in the world more terrifying than Rose?¡¡I even wonder if there is a more terrifying being in the world than Rose.


    "I don''t think so. There is no one like him. No, there can''t be.


    "What?"


    I couldn''t help but ask her back.


    Is he really that great?


    Could she be more than Rose ......?¡¡No, no, it could be that she is great in another sense, not in Rose''s standard.


    While I was thinking so, the scenery around me was changing.


    What had been nothing but a series of bright blue walls has now transformed into an incredibly large cave.


    "Oh ......"


    An exclamation escaped my mouth unintentionally.


    The ceiling and width of the cave are unusually wide. There were fountains like springs everywhere in the cave, and blue light was leaking from the bottom of the fountains, illuminating the inside of the cave.


    It was a fantastic sight.


    I was surprised that there was a space underground, but I did not expect to see such a beautiful view.


    This is the pride and legacy of Mearaq. ."


    "It''s amazing, isn''t it? That''s all I can say."


    The Norns smile a little at my words and turn their eyes to the fountain, which shines with a blue radiance.


    The water in this fountain is special. It looks like just shining water, but if you drink it, you will gain immense power.


    "Great power?¡¡That water has such an effect ......, but how can it be so sweet?"


    Yes. This water is poison to all living things. Water doesn''t give power, it draws it. The source of that power is life---turns life into power. And what is most harmful to human beings is that this water does not only give power."


    Turning life into power.


    As far as I''m concerned, it doesn''t sound like a good thing.


    "Easily-obtained power can make a person''s mind go crazy. To drink this water means to give in to our weakness and turn away from the reality in front of us. The power that comes out of it makes the mind lose its composure and calmness, turning it into an outlaw who only wields power..."


    Scaffolding arrives at the cave.


    Norn-sama, who had moved ahead of us, his eyes still dazzled by the surrounding scenery, reached into a nearby fountain and scooped up a small handful of water.


    "<>...... If you drink this water, it will be so potent that it will destroy your mind and body. That is why we, the royalty, keep this place guarded so that the will not misuse the Fountain."


    A fountain of power.


    I am sure that if its existence were ever made known, there would be no end to the number of people who would want it.


    Just by listening to the story, I understood that the beautiful spring in front of me was a dangerous one.


    "...... I will show you where he is."


    The Norns scoop up some water into their hands, return it to the spring, and walk to the end of the cave.


    I followed her in silence, and she stopped in front of a large fountain.


    But the spring is empty.


    Where is this "he" that Master Norn speaks of?


    "...... is here."


    "Neah?"


    Nair muttered in a nervous voice.


    I looked at her, and she was staring at the fountain.


    "She''s definitely here. We know this presence ....... Amako, you feel this presence too, don''t you?"


    "...... yes."


    I don''t know what Nair and Amako are feeling, and I don''t know what Mr. Aruk and I are feeling.


    However, it is obvious from the tense expressions on their faces that there is something in the fountain.


    "---I have brought them here. Please, show yourself to us."


    When Master Norn says this, after a moment of silence, the water in the fountain swells from the center and a huge "something" rises to the surface.


    At that moment, a presence so strong that even I could sense it emanated from the object in front of me, and I immediately stood in front of Amako and lightly clenched my fists.


    "Oh, come on, you''re kidding me. ......"


    Nair was right, we knew.


    That was two months ago.


    That''s how I found out about the previous generation of heroes.


    The dragon of disaster that she had awakened.


    "---"


    But when it appeared, it looked different from the "evil dragon" we knew.


    Two of its four wings were shredded in half,


    The large tail is missing a tip, as if it had been cut off,


    Its scales were cracked and more than half of its claws were missing,


    The mane extending from his neck and beard from his lower jaw were painted a stark white.


    The dragon, dripping water from the fountain, looked down at us as we stared up at him, too stunned to even speak.


    "---Welcome, Gentiles! My half has taken care of you."


    He," the old blue dragon, said to me in a voice that reminded me of an old man''s. "He," the old blue dragon said to me, in a voice that reminded me of an old man''s. "He," the old blue dragon said to me, "is a man.

 113 - - Fourteenth.

    "---Welcome, Gentiles. My half has been a great help to you."


    An old blue dragon, different from the evil dragons, wearing a calm atmosphere.


    Its clear blue eyes caught mine.


    The other half...


    The first thing that came to mind when I heard that word was the image of the evil dragon.


    A monster that had been sealed away in its corpse for hundreds of years, a being that we had only been able to defeat by joining forces.


    "My name is Farga, the divine dragon. I am a dragon who loves harmony and peace.


    The old dragon, who called himself "Farga," shook his body to dispel the water from his body, and came up to the land with slow movements.


    The dragon was perhaps a little larger than an evil dragon.


    To us human beings, it is quite large.


    "There is no need to disguise your appearance before me. I have no intention of harming you here.


    "......amako,nea"


    Farga...... No, now that I understand the meaning of Master Farga''s words, I tell Amako and Nea to take off their disguises.


    I decide that it is better to follow the words of Mr. Farga for the time being, although Mr. Norn and Ms. Leona are present here.


    Amako takes off her cloak, and Nair returns from being a village girl to her true demon form.


    Norn and Leona are astonished at these two.


    "What the .........?"


    "Don''t get upset, inexperienced boy, this is no surprise."


    "Oh, you''re surprised, aren''t you?"


    "Nonsense! That''s why you''re inexperienced! You''re an immature girl. How long do you think you can stay a princess?


    "Ugh! ......"


    Norn is depressed by his harsh words.


    Leona, on the other hand, was surprised but immediately nodded her head as if she understood.


    "I see, now I understand why Usato had extraordinary power. ...... In other words, you too..."


    "No, no, I''m a normal human being."


    "...... what?¡¡Is that so?"


    I know I interrupted him, but what was he trying to say?


    Well, I can sort of guess. .......


    "Kohon. This is the divine dragon he wants you to meet, Master Farga."


    Norn-sama, who had been depressed a moment ago, introduces us to Falga-sama.


    Master Farga, who had been listening to her introduction in silence, began to speak without pause as soon as she had finished.


    "Usato. I have been waiting for your arrival."


    "You''ve been waiting for ......?"


    "Yes, because what''s going on here is not unrelated to you and your friends."


    "Not irrelevant ......?"


    At the words of Mr. Farga, Norn, who was standing by his side, gave him a doubtful look.


    Is this something he has not even told her?


    No, it''s more like ...... that this matter is not irrelevant to us?


    Either way, it seems certain that we will be involved in this matter.


    "First of all, let''s make sure that you beat my other half.


    "......Yes, that''s right. It was not by my power alone, but we slayed the evil dragon. As proof..."


    He takes out from his waist a small sword of a brave man in a scabbard and shows it to Master Farga.


    Perhaps he would recognize it at a glance, for it is his own creation.


    "A sword I created for him. I think it''s called ...... Katana. The fact that one of the two swords is here is proof that you defeated him. But I still find it hard to believe. To have defeated half of me with the body of a man... ......"


    The old dragon shifted his gaze from the small sword to mine and observed me with great interest.


    "I have no special background, no outstanding talents other than healing magic, and nothing special in my bloodline. However, what has defeated my half-body is the power of spirit that can be seen at a glance... I see, your power lies in your unbreakable spirit.


    "I am not as strong as you say. In the end, my fists were not able to defeat the evil dragon. ...... I was able to defeat the evil dragon because I joined forces with my friends."


    I feel that I have been told that my mental strength is like a monster, but I wanted to make it clear that I did not defeat the evil dragon by myself.


    The evil dragon was weakened, but still powerful. It was thanks to my friends that I was able to confront it and achieve victory.


    He looked straight at the old dragon and nodded his head in deep emotion.


    "It has to be so. It is only those who can stand united against a powerful enemy. In that respect, you are better than that young fellow.


    "Young man ......?"


    I mean the owner of that katana.


    At these words, he looks at the small sword.


    How dare you call the previous generation''s heroes "youngsters!" .......


    "That ......"


    "What an immature man."


    While I was looking at the small sword, Norn-sama spoke to Falga-sama in a reserved manner.


    His expression seemed somewhat puzzled.


    "What is an evil dragon ......?¡¡I heard that he is one half of you. ...... Do you mean to say that there is another being like you?"


    Mr. Falga nodded at Norn''s words.


    "Yes, he is here. And he is deeply involved in this matter.


    "Then why, until now, ......?"


    "Knowing will only cause unnecessary impatience. Impatience clouds your judgment and endangers those around you. Until this day, all you had to do was to protect the city and let those without power escape.


    "......"


    The Norns are silent.


    After a few moments of silence, she looks up with a worried look on her face.


    "......This one wasn''t about the dragon factor of Kalon going out of control, was it?"


    "That''s not wrong. But the difference lies in whether the outburst was caused by internal or external factors."


    Mr. Karon''s outburst was caused by the dragon factor ......?


    Wait, so you are saying that Mr. Karon was under the influence of the dragon factor that was hidden inside him, causing him to grow a tail and horns?


    But the reason for that is...


    "Ah..."


    Hmm?¡¡What''s up, Neah?"


    "Nah, nah, it''s nothing."


    Nair noticed something and started to get upset.


    I was the only one who had noticed something wrong with her, so the old dragon continued to spin his words.


    The dragon in Kalon did not awaken spontaneously. It was strongly influenced from the outside and forced to awaken. A month ago."


    "......"


    Now even I understand.


    No wonder Nair is so upset. Or rather, she is partly to blame for this.


    About a month ago, when Mr. Karon started to go berserk---we were fighting an evil dragon.


    "My half-body. Kalon was forced to wake up by the wave that was released when the evil dragon awakened.


    The old dragon''s words startled Lady Norn and Leona, but Amako and Arcu both looked at Nair, who was standing next to me.


    Nair''s face turned pale when she saw the three of them, including me, looking at her.


    I was surprised at the words of the old dragon.


    The evil dragon was awakened by the power of the necromancer.


    At one point, many people''s lives were almost in danger, but we defeated the Evil Dragon before it could be killed... or so we thought.


    "The evil dragon ...... was the one that triggered Kalon''s outburst ......."


    "Not exactly."


    Mr. Falga denies Mr. Norn''s mutterings.


    "It was definitely the evil dragon that triggered it. But the dragon factor that lies dormant in Kalon cannot be awakened easily. The dragon''s power is not so weak that it can be awakened by the roar of a weakened evil dragon.


    Then why did he go berserk?


    It was triggered by the evil dragon, but there was another trigger.


    It is safe to assume that some other influential entity had an effect on him before the dragon awakened.


    Mr. Farga?¡¡No, there is no way he would do such a thing.


    Then, the only possible entity that I know of is...


    "...... the resurrection of the Demon Lord?"


    "Yes. The dragon factor of Kalon was awakened at the same time as the awakening of someone as powerful as him. But when I say awakened, I mean awakened in the right form. Normally, with the slow awakening, the dragon''s power should have been mastered, but... here was an unusual situation in which an evil dragon awakened."


    What should have been a slow acclimation process was done all at once, and Mr. Karon, unable to bear it, went berserk. ......?


    "Now, Kalon is driven by the same destructive impulse as the evil dragon. Currently, it is directed only at the city, but if it were to be directed at any other place, ...... disaster would not be spared."


    "......"


    The reason for this is the resurrection of the Demon King, but none of this would have happened if the Evil Dragon had not been resurrected.


    Rather, if the evil dragon had not come back to life, Mr. Karon might have been a trump card against the Demon King. The power of the dragon, and the qualities to be chosen for powerful armors---everything about his first-class abilities---his daily life was destroyed by Nair, who revived the evil dragon with a light heart.


    "...... haha ......"


    If we keep quiet, he may not be held responsible.


    But Lady Farga would know that it was Nair who revived the evil dragon.


    I don''t know why he doesn''t say anything, but...he has to get his act together.


    "...... before that."


    He looks at Mr. Aruk and Amako.


    Amako let out a sigh of exasperation, as if she knew what I was going to do, and Ark-san nodded at me with a smile as usual.


    I really appreciate you going along with my recklessness. .......


    "Mr. Norn, Ms. Leona. This one is our fault.


    "...... Usato?"


    What are you talking about? ......


    He takes one look at Nea, who looks up at him with a start.


    Nair revived the evil dragon, but he''s one of us now.


    She''s a sassy, good-natured, and a bit of a pain in the ass, but she''s saved us many times.


    If it weren''t for her, I might not be here now.


    She''s the one who saved Eva''s life.


    So there''s no way we can put the blame on her alone now.


    "We slayed the evil dragon, but it all started when one of our current friends carelessly brought it back to life to capture us.


    "It''s ......."


    "That''s her, Neah, who''s standing next to me right now."


    Nair''s face turns blue in a panic at my words.


    Norn-sama looked confused or uncomprehending, while Leona-san had a stern expression on her face.


    "But now he is one of mine. But he is one of mine now, so I can''t put all the blame on him alone.


    "Then what?¡¡Usato.


    This is where Mr. Farga asked me this question.


    As if he had predicted the question, I replied clearly.


    We will help you stop Mr. Karon.


    In the first place, it is impossible to ignore the situation that Mr. Karon might become the second evil dragon.


    "Hmmm, inexperienced one. "Hmm, inexperienced person.¡¡Are you going to take it or not?"


    "Yes, I''ll take ....... I need your help."


    The stunned Norn returned in a hurry.


    Mr. Farga sighs and looks at her.


    "Usato! Kalon''s outburst is no doubt partly due to your companion, but I would like to thank you for your help.


    "...... Why is that?"


    You are to be blamed, but you are not to be thanked.


    I''ve defeated the half-brother of Master Farga, if you can call him half-body.


    He would not have awakened for another 300 years. He was sealed with such a strong seal. If the seal had been broken as it was, I would not have been able to stop him even three hundred years later. No, to begin with, there is no proof that there is anyone who can stop him who has completely forgotten himself and turned into a complete disaster in the world 300 years later. --- If we were not careful, two-thirds of the continent could have been killed off.


    "......"


    Master Norn and Leona are turning blue.


    I, who had actually met them, also frowned thinking of the possibility that the evil dragon had really gone on a rampage without reason.


    It was only because it was still halfway conscious and intelligent that it was able to survive that much destruction.


    What if it had continued to destroy without regard to the true meaning of the word?


    What if he had spread his poison in any place he chose?


    What if he had charged into the country with his mighty power and iron-clad scales that nothing could penetrate, with a strength that even armies could not match?


    Surely, no one would be able to defeat the evil dragon.


    "And ...... he is still half of me, though he has fallen into evil. It is not a very pleasant story that only his soul is bound to this world in such a form. He who has died must rest in peace, as must he who has done all that is evil.


    Lady Farga''s words were somewhat sad as she spoke of the evil dragon.


    "I understand the purpose for which the young man bound his soul to this world, and I understand the reason for it, but either way, it is no reason for the living to play with the souls of the dead."


    "Do you know why a brave man bound the soul of an evil dragon to this world?"


    Nair asked, the blood finally returning to her face.


    Even she was interested in the actions of the heroes.


    "Of course. But I am not kind enough to tell you that. There is no point in telling you what the young man is going to do now. No, ...... it would render his deeds as a brave man meaningless."


    ...... So you have nothing to say about the brave.


    But if the evil dragon will wake up from the seal in 300 years --- what the brave man was trying to do may have affected the future.


    "You don''t need to understand this now. You''ll know sooner or later as you face the threat of the Demon King. More than that..."


    After a pause, Mr. Farga turned his attention back to me.


    "There is one thing I want to make sure of in order for you to stop Kalon.


    "You want to make sure of something?"


    "Yes, I don''t know how well you can fight. It is true that you and your companions have defeated the evil dragon. But I want to see what you can do on your own.


    "...... understand. Then how can we be sure?"


    "Well, shall I be Usato''s partner?"


    When I asked him how he would test my skills, Leona came forward to be my opponent.


    "In my opinion, he has a power that no ordinary knight can match. I may not be strong enough, but if you see a glimpse of his ability..."


    "No, you don''t fight Usato."


    With a snap, Leona''s words were interrupted.


    Mr. Farga stares at Leona with a somewhat stern expression on his face.


    It is true that you are the best partner for Usato. But just because you are the best, doesn''t mean you are the best. If you have doubts about your position, if you have doubts in your mind, you will not be able to show your true ability.


    "It''s ......."


    "In a fight, you would win. But in a match, you will surely lose. Unless you are satisfied with the "position" you are in now and are willing to fulfill the duties of that position, there is nothing to talk about."


    "......"


    Ms. Falga looked at me from Leona who had fallen silent.


    Is Leona lost?¡¡I was surprised at the fact that she had been able to fight against Mr. Karon and still hadn''t shown more strength than she was capable of.


    "I will prepare your opponent with my magic.


    "Do you use magic to create opponents for me to fight ......?"


    No, no. It''s not about creating. It''s "to summon."


    ...... Huh?¡¡I have a very bad feeling about this.


    My sixth sense is ringing an alarm bell.


    Not caring that I was still sweating, Falga silently activated her magic from her big hand and touched the tip of her cracked nail to the fountain.


    Then the water from the fountain formed a circle and emerged from the surface of the water.


    "This is the spell of the mirror image. This is the magic of the mirror that reflects the subject and brings the person reflected in the subject''s mind to this place for three minutes.


    "...... magic that works on space-time and ...... what a horseshit ......."


    Nair looked in the mirror and muttered something like that in a daze.


    However, Lord Farga sniffs as if there is no reason for this.


    "If the evil dragon is the dragon of power, I am the dragon of knowledge. I cannot wield power that acts directly, but the magic I have mastered through my wisdom is my greatest weapon. It is easy for me to connect space to space.


    It is certainly a bullshit magic to summon someone from far away, even if it is limited to three minutes only.


    A divine dragon must have a lifespan many times---nay, dozens of times longer, so it would not be surprising if he has learned countless magic tricks.


    "I will limit the number of people I will summon from now on..."


    "What, limited?¡¡Don''t I get to choose?"


    What''s the point? It''s no good if he can''t fight you to a certain extent.


    It''s true, but .......


    Well, even if I''m dealing with demons, what I''m going to do won''t change. Fortunately, I haven''t used much magic power, and I should be able to fight for about three minutes.


    For now, I try to calm my mind and not to panic, and take a deep breath.


    "The target condition is limited to--->. But those who have already died or have no intention of fighting are exempt from the conditions."


    The angriest ......?¡¡Those who are willing to fight: ......?


    The evil dragon and the snake are gone, and Ferrum is probably not willing to fight me ......, and neither is Mr. Fegnis.


    Wait a minute, I think I know one person.


    "What''s wrong Usato,...... your face is so blue,......?"


    "Nah, I''m about to get beat to a pulp."


    "Huh?¡¡I can''t imagine you getting beat up!"


    You can only say that because you don''t know her.


    At least she''s a lot stronger than I am, and she''s relentless.


    No, I am taking it easy on her, but even with that, she is still a force to be reckoned with.


    "Usato, are you okay?"


    "Don''t worry, Amako.


    Amako and Mr. Aruk look at me with concern, knowing who is likely to appear in the future.


    Someone who would fit all the criteria.


    Someone I had beaten up many times in training..,


    I''ve turned my anger against you many times in training..,


    Speaking of someone who is fully willing to fight: .......


    "So, I''m calling you out. Are you ready?"


    "What?


    Too soon?


    Wait a minute. If I''m not mistaken, there''s a possibility of not only a mock battle but a massacre of unimaginable proportions...?


    When Mr. Farga puts magic power into the mirror, light is emitted from the surface of the transparent mirror.


    When the light subsides, the mirror reflects a different scenery from that of the dimly lit cave.


    "---Ah, ah, ah......"


    Beyond the mirror...


    A familiar dark-haired boy and a familiar silver-haired girl lying on the ground.


    And there was Rose, my teacher and boss, the leader of the Rescue Mission, looking down at them with a ghastly smile on her face.

 114 - - The 15th.

    For me, she is someone I look up to.


    She is my mentor who showed me the way to become a member of the rescue team, even though I had vague ideas about how I could help Inukami-senpai and Kazuki.


    However, she is certainly a person whom I respect, but at the same time, she is a person whom I do not like.


    It is not that I dislike her personality.


    Those of you who have trained directly with her know that she does not like to bully people. All of her actions, no matter what they were, were an integral part of my development.


    Her kindness will probably only be understood by those who knew her well.


    Her rough and violent behavior was the cause in the first place, but in fact, she understood and taught me to value and cherish life most of all.


    So why am I not good at this?


    It''s obvious. Because I am the worst match for her in the fight.


    This is not about liking or disliking.


    Snakes, black knights, Halfa, evil dragons, curses.


    I have fought with the help of my friends at times, but I can''t think of any vision to beat her who is overwhelmingly superior to me in physical ability alone.


    Now that I have started my journey and have realized how much I have grown, I have a new understanding of how much Rose is capable of.


    "I wonder if I can last ten seconds. ......"


    "Usato, is that your master?¡¡My demon instincts have been telling me to run away right now, could this be her fault ......?"


    The person at the other end of the mirror is the profile of Rose, whom I haven''t seen in a long time.


    Oh, she''s looking good.


    Yeah, she''s got a big smile on her face, so it''s only natural that she''s doing well.


    I''m happy for her, but I''m not happy at all. .......


    "Mr. Farga, can you see this scene from there?"


    No, it is not visible from there. No, you are not seeing it from there. You are only seeing it from a narrow space. The mirror appears only when it is activated.


    In other words, Rose cannot see this mirror.


    I was a little worried that Rose would try to destroy the mirror as if she were a deadly enemy.


    I wish that would happen. ......


    "Usato, your eyes, your eyes are dead......"


    "This is unexpected. I didn''t expect Rose to ...... tell you what happened, Mr. Usato, and she can''t ...... do it either. I''m sorry, but I don''t see any other way but to fight her.


    Even Mr. Aruk has given up.


    I know, if she hears that Rose is going to fight me, she might say, "Oh, I''ll see if she''s grown up," and happily come at me.


    As I look in the mirror, knowing that I am losing the life in my eyes, I suddenly see two figures lying at her feet.


    Silver hair and distinctive horns---one of them must be Ferrum. He is lying on his stomach and not saying a word, so I guess he is pretending to be dead. However, there is no way that Rose can understand such an act, and she is shaking her body shakily as she has been cursed by him since a while ago.


    And the other dark-haired boy...


    "...... I see. Haha ......."


    Nack, the boy I met in Luxvis who is a healing magician.


    He was trained by Rose in the lifeguard corps I belonged to.


    You made it into the lifeguard corps, Nack. That''s the best news I''ve heard all day.


    Normally, I would be happy with all hands on deck, but I can''t be too happy about what''s about to happen.


    "I guess I''ll just have to make up my mind ...... and I''ll just have to make up my mind ......."


    I think the opposite.


    What I''m about to do now is a game to show Rose how much I''ve grown on this trip.


    It''s my chance to give Rose a shot in the arm.


    With this thought, my fighting spirit is ignited and I look in the mirror, ready to fight Rose.


    At that moment, however, I saw Rose in the mirror with her fist outstretched with a blank expression on her face.


    "...... what?"


    With a whimper, my fist passes through the mirror.


    But we, who had heard about Lord Farga and his magic, who were activating the mirror, could not help but be stunned to see Rose checking her fist in the mirror.


    "Master Farga, you can''t see the mirror from over there, can you ......?"


    "...... I''m sure you''re right."


    "That guy, I can sense his presence normally. ......"


    "......"


    Please say something, Mr. Farga.


    Moreover, the person at the other end of the mirror senses the mirror''s presence only by intuition.


    As I feel my burning fighting spirit sinking away, I realize once again that my master is an extraordinary person.


    "Usato ...... who the hell is she ......?"


    Leona-san asked me with a look of disbelief on her face.


    Norn-sama and Falga-sama looked at me as if they wanted to know about her in the mirror.


    I take a small deep breath and open my mouth.


    "She is Rose, Commander of the Lingle Kingdom Rescue Mission. She''s my mentor, my boss, and a ...... bundle of unreasonableness."


    Unreasonable.


    There was no more appropriate word to describe her.


    Your master. Then I understand.


    Hearing Rose''s introduction, Lady Farga muttered in a convincing manner.


    "My magic exists, though it cannot be detected. Those who have a keen intuition and are sensitive to changes in their surroundings should be able to detect the existence of magic. Not many can."


    It''s not impossible to notice, but it''s hard to notice.


    Is it possible that Rose is surprisingly aware of her surroundings and can respond to the slightest change in her surroundings?


    Either way, she is certainly very human.


    Nair looked at me with a somewhat detached look when he heard what Mr. Farga had said.


    "Wow, I guess the master of monsters is a monster. And even more so than Usato... It''s just like the apprentice is like his master..."


    "You''re going to meet him sooner or later, okay?¡¡By the way, when you return to the Kingdom of Lingle, you''ll be in the custody of the Lifeguard Corps, and as my messenger, you''ll be under Rose''s discipline, too."


    "I''m sorry. Don''t look at me with those lightless eyes. I''m really sorry.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll be with you then. You''re not alone."


    "The situation doesn''t match what you''re saying or doing!¡¡Your eyes aren''t smiling ...... at all!


    He smiles at Nair, who makes fun of him.


    She apologizes to me with tears in her eyes as if she is frightened, but it is impossible for me to avoid her squeezing me since it has been a given since I became a messenger that I would take her along with me.


    "As far as I''m concerned, all I want is to see what you can do. I am willing to find another partner for that."


    "...... No, I''d be happy to arrange a handshake. With the Commander.


    It''s too much trouble to fight another opponent now.


    Besides, it would be too awkward to call Mr. Halfa and Mr. Fegnis here now.


    Mr. Fegnis is not even in a condition to fight right now.


    Personally, I think the reason why the man I was most upset with was not reflected in the mirror was because he was not in the right frame of mind to fight in the first place.


    "It''s settled. Then I will now summon the being I have projected into your mind. You have three minutes.


    Yes, sir.


    The mirror reflecting Rose, Ferrum, and Nack is lit up.


    I gulp and take a step forward, but then I stop and turn to Amako.


    "Amako, even if I''m a piece of meat, I''ll still help ...... your mother. ......"


    "Usato...... that''s not funny at all, that joke......."


    "I hope it''s a joke."


    I don''t think we''ll get any chunks of meat, but we might have to be prepared for bones and entrails.


    This is an opponent that we should never take a chance on.


    I tighten my resolve, clench my fists, and turn to face the mirror, which is enveloped in light.


    "I will show the results of my daily training here."


    And I will survive today. ......!


    With a backward glance, the mirror turns blue in front of me as I prepare myself for the day ahead.


    Then, Rose''s reflection in the mirror and my eyes, standing in front of her, meet. Then Nack, who was about to get up behind her, looks at me with a surprised expression and says something.


    The space between here and the Kingdom of Lingle is connected.


    Now that the spaces are connected, the mirror-image spell works its magic.


    "---!"


    The mirror shines even more brightly, and a human figure, enveloped in light, leaps out from the mirror''s surface.


    The figure appears to fall to the ground with a thud. The light subsides, and the entire image of the figure becomes clear.


    "Gus...... d*mn that violent b*tc*...... I''ll definitely get even with her someday,...... he?"


    Out of the mirror emerges not Rose, but a silver-haired, red-eyed girl with horns like a sheep.


    "...... demons!¡¡Norn-sama, please step back!"


    Leona, who recognized her immediately as a demoness, stepped in front of Norn-sama and put her hand on the hilt of her sword.


    Wiping away her tears, the girl looks around with a stunned expression on her face and fixes her gaze on me.


    Why are you in front of me?


    "That''s my question. Ferrum.


    Formerly a member of the Devil''s Army, now a member of the Rescue Mission, Ferrum.


    For some reason, she has been summoned here as my opponent.


    I''m not sure what to do.


    The one who was summoned was not the leader of the ogres, but Ferrum, a demon tribe belonging to the lifeguard corps.


    She has silver hair and horns, and when she sees my face, the corners of her mouth twists into a grin and she stands up with a wry smile.


    "I never thought I''d see you in my dreams. ...... I never thought I''d be lucky enough to have Rose knock me out. Hmph."


    "What, you''re happy to be knocked out by the Commander?"


    "No, of course not!


    FERM yells at him, his face turning red as he pulls away.


    "Even in your dreams, your attitude doesn''t change. ......!¡¡You should be a little more afraid of me!"


    "...... scared of you?


    "~~~!"


    What was wrong with my reaction?


    Leona and Norn, who had been watching her warily, looked dumbfounded, while Falga watched the exchange between me and Ferrum as if observing.


    "I don''t care if you''re dreaming or hallucinating!¡¡Just let me hit you once!


    "Why are you so belligerent when we haven''t seen each other in so long ......?"


    While I was paying attention to each of their reactions, Ferm clenched his fist and attacked me, abandoning his thoughts earlier.


    I thought she didn''t want to fight me, but she actually did want to fight me.


    Besides, she could not have been a better target for my anger. After all, she is the black knight who had driven Senpai and Kazuki to the brink of death.


    Well, I am by far the one to blame for calling her out without permission. I''ll take her fist here. If it will give you an idea of what''s going on around you, then...,


    "Burn to death!¡¡Monster!"


    Huh!


    Geef!


    I was so annoyed by his words, which sounded as if he was trying to exterminate a demon, that I reflexively gave him a counter healing decapitation.


    After the decapitation, I suddenly noticed that Ferrum was on the ground, holding his forehead and slumping down.


    I knew this was a bad idea and immediately apologized to him.


    "I''m sorry, Ferrum!"


    "Don''t be silly. Why do healing wizards always go for my forehead ......?"


    I don''t know about that, but maybe it''s because it''s easier than hitting a normal person?


    Master Farga saw the exchange between me and Ferrum and narrowed his eyes at Ferrum who had been summoned.


    "---It''s sealed. In addition, this wave. ...... a user of dark magic. Just as well he''s belligerent ......."


    "Master Farga, ......?"


    Usato, continue. If he''s a master of dark magic he must be capable. ---I''ll remove the fetters.


    "Wait a minute..."


    Before I could finish, Farga-sama activated a magic spell on the ground and easily removed the magical seal around Ferrum''s neck.


    Moreover, he carefully unlocked the lock after almost restoring the distorted keyhole.


    FERUM gets up with his hands on his neck as the magical tool that had sealed his own magic is removed.


    "I don''t know what it is, but I can hit you with this ......!"


    "Yeah. ......


    You need to take stock of your surroundings a little .......


    Why do they only have eyes for me? .......


    Ferm, on the brink of war, laughed and cast a spell.


    Then, from her shadow, a black fluid crawls up and takes the form of armor.


    "Dark magic ......?"


    The knight in shining armor who once drove even two brave men to their deaths.


    And now it appears before me again.


    Her magical ability is reversal. It is an extremely unreasonable technique that returns the attack to the attacker.


    "Magic is back, and there''s no way I can lose to her after all those hellish days. ......!¡¡Prepare yourself, Usato!


    Ferrum comes charging toward us with a clattering sound.


    Surely, she had trained with the lifeguard. And Rose was almost watching her. She may not be as well-trained as I am, but she''s certainly had a lot of training.


    Let''s not underestimate her here and use our healing punches.


    Just as I was about to ready my fist, Ferrum, who had been making a clattering sound, stumbled to his feet and fell down on the spot.


    She slid headlong in front of me, and I honestly wondered where I should point my fist.


    "Uh-uh, d*mn, that''s heavy!"


    "Uh, uh... ......"


    I can''t help but be stunned when Ferrum complained as he got up.


    Although she is lighter now, she can no longer fight wearing armor as she used to do.


    In a sense, that may be natural.


    Because of her ability, her fighting style is naturally a wait-and-see posture. She does not have the option of wearing light armor, as she does not have to take the trouble to initiate a fight herself.


    "I don''t think that black knight ...... is a bit complicated for me. ......"


    "I knew he was there, but ...... what a pity. ......"


    "Dark magic is supposed to be powerful magic, but so far it doesn''t look like it."


    My companions looked at Ferrum, who was getting up shivering with a subtle expression on his face, and each of them muttered something like that.


    "I can''t wear something this heavy!"


    "No, you don''t have to try so hard to fight.


    "Shut up! Shut up!


    What are you going to do?


    Standing up, Ferrum''s armor flows back into his own shadow and ...... no, it''s going back, but not all the way. The shape of her armor is gradually changing, and then it changes into something else.


    Is she changing her armor to a form best suited for her current lightweight body?¡¡But it is still very thin ......, more like a cloak or a coat than an armor.


    "......A"


    Seeing Ferme''s "armor" nearing completion, I noticed something and naturally smiled.


    When Ferrum saw me laughing, he thought I was making fun of him, and angrily attacked me.


    What''s so funny?


    "No, I''m not making fun of you or anything. ....... But what you''re wearing right now..."


    It was not armor, but black clothing.


    It had the appearance of a thick coat, black gloves and a hood over its head.


    "That''s a lifeguard uniform, isn''t it? And it''s the same one I''m wearing.


    What?¡¡That''s not ...... why I wear more lightweight armor ....... Hey, hey!


    She laughed in disbelief and looked at the armor she was wearing, her eyes widening and her face turning red in dismay.


    Ferrum has created a new uniform, the uniform of a lifeguard.


    It was not a fin-de-si¨¨cle one like the tough guys, but a blackened version of the one I was wearing.


    "No, no, this is ......."


    "Ha ha ha."


    "Wow, don''t laugh!¡¡d*mn it, why can''t I turn it back on?


    FERUM''s black uniform is quivering and shaking, but its shape remains unchanged, as if it were fixed in place.


    Farga-sama let out an exhale of surprise at this situation, but I was curious as to why the magic under her control was not working as she wanted it to.


    "I can''t put it back ......!¡¡I''ll fight her like this!"


    Ferme, who had given up on trying to change his black outfit into another form, raised his fist and came at me.


    Her movements were faster and sharper than when she was wearing the black knight''s armor. Just by watching her movements for a moment, I could tell how much training she had put in over the past few months.


    Even if it was forced upon her, it was FERUM''s strength that she had been able to continue to do so.


    That is why I met her fist head-on with my left palm, which was covered with healing magic.


    "---What?


    "Nice punch, Ferm! You''ve done well so far.


    Strong fists. I was so happy to see that, that I slammed my hand sword, which was covered with healing magic as well as my left hand, into Ferrum, knocking him unconscious.


    I make Ferme lie down, who has collapsed with a frustrated expression on her face.


    The black band uniform that covered her body disappears as if it were unraveling on the ground.


    But..,


    "...... Usato, your hands are black.


    "What?¡¡...... Whoa!


    Nea''s words startled him as he looked at his own hands.


    My hands were covered by the magic that had covered Ferrum''s body. The magic of FERUM, which had blended with my hands and the sleeves of my troupe uniform, soon returned to her, but I was quite surprised to find that my hands had suddenly turned completely black.


    It must have disappeared after I released the healing spell, but this had never happened when I had fought her before.


    I wonder what happened to her. .......


    "...... looks like it''s over. Just in time. Let''s return those demons to where they belong.


    "Oh, can you fix her magic tools too?"


    Yes, no problem.


    It is hard to imagine that Ferrum would cause any damage to his surroundings now, but he must keep his magic gear on for the safety of the people of the Lingle Kingdom.


    I check the grimoire around Ferrum''s neck again, and carry her to the mirror.


    "...... Oh!"


    At that moment, three minutes have elapsed from the activation time of the spell, and Ferme''s body is once again enveloped in light.


    The mirror in front of him shines and once again shows the images of Rose and Nack.


    Rose was just meditating and crossing her arms, while Nack was staring at the place where the mirror would appear, as if he was waiting for it to appear next.


    As soon as Ferme was drawn to the mirror with the light, Rose, whose eyes were wide open, threw something at him.


    The something that flew at a tremendous speed entered the surface of the mirror at the same time as it appeared, and flew into the space where I was.


    "----, that was close. It flew like a shuriken.


    "Uh, did you just ...... something?"


    "Yeah, I think the leader threw something at me. A ...... folded piece of paper and a ...... letter?"


    I catch it with a snap, and I get a lot of suspicious stares from the people around me.


    I wish they would stop looking at me as if I was crazy for catching the letter without any trouble. ......Anyway, why did Rose throw a letter at me?


    I opened the letter with my head tilted back and saw a brief sentence.


    <


    It was a sentence that made me feel clumsy.


    I was happy to see such a simple sentence. I was not embarrassed or anything like that, I was just happy.


    "The other one is a letter from ...... Nack."


    This seems a bit long to read here, so I''ll read it later.


    I put the letter in my pocket and look up at Mr. Farga, suddenly relaxing.


    "It was a bit much to call it a fight, but ...... let''s fight again, shall we?"


    For my part, I was satisfied to see my junior''s growth, but the fight earlier was too poor to be a battle.


    But Farga shook his head slowly at my words.


    "No need. I know your power."


    "...... let''s see."


    "Dark magic is a special kind of magic that reflects the user''s spirit. Most of the users who are doomed to solitude are the ones who never allow anyone to enter their hearts and who keep to themselves. Therefore, many wizards of the dark lineage are good at strong defense, which means not to show one''s heart to others, and counter, which means rejection of others.


    ...... I have no idea what you mean, are you trying to say that dark magic is special?


    "The one you summoned trusted you, even though he was violent. That means that you have done something worthy of it. The fact that you have opened your heart to the dark one... that alone should be enough to measure your power."


    "Ferm is opening up to me ......?"


    I think he told me to expose myself to death or something...is that Ferrum''s way of opening up to me?


    "...... is radical."


    "I don''t think it''s radical, I think it''s just not being honest, you know?"


    "Is that so?"


    "Yeah, I think so. I think so.


    Amako nodded her head.


    He just can''t be honest.


    It''s kind of like her to think so.


    "Usato, there is one more reason why I have tested you, and that is to confirm your power.


    Another thing, sir.


    His katana, the one you carry, to see if you should carry it.


    To see if I should carry the small sword of the brave?


    No, no, I shouldn''t have this. Because I''m not a brave man.


    "I give it back to you, its maker. I am not the original owner of this sword and I cannot handle its power.


    No, you have undergone the proper trials and pulled it out of his heart. From that moment on, you are its sole owner. ---After that, it is yours to keep for yourself."


    "......!¡¡Mr. Farga!¡¡Your body is now ......."


    When Lady Norn hears what Mr. Farga said, she tries to stop him with a panicked look on her face.


    But Lady Farga silences her with a sharp look.


    "Don''t misunderstand me, immature one. I will not use my two remaining wings here. I do not create weapons. There is no need to separate my body, since I have one wing in Usato''s hand.


    What the hell does that mean?


    I don''t know what he means.


    I don''t want you to make me a weapon if it will kill Mr. Farga. .......


    "Every piece of armor I make is made from a part of me. The staff of the novice is made from my claws and scales, the staff of Kalon is made from my tail. And the two swords that the heroes of the past used are two of my four wings."


    "...... So you mean to say that the one wing you speak of is literally and originally a part of your body? ......"


    "Yes. The original is a part of me, and it is easy to rebuild it, no matter how many centuries pass.


    Armor made from parts of the body of a divine dragon.


    Two of the two pairs of wings on Master Farga''s back are shredded, probably because they were used as materials for the heroes'' weapons.


    Of course they will be extremely powerful.


    The final form will be decided by your heart. All I have to do is to return the katana to the previous stage. But even that will take time, maybe three to five days.


    "...... understand. Thank you very much."


    It is indeed hard to be unarmed when dealing with Mr. Karon.


    Moreover, if I knew that the weapons he was using were those of a brave warrior, I would have to be on the same level as him to be able to compete with him.


    I hold out my small sword to Mr. Farga.


    "Yes, I have received it. I''ll get right to work, inexperienced man. I know it''s hard for you, but you have to keep your wards up. If you should lose consciousness, ask for Usato, the healing magician.


    I understand. I will definitely protect you.


    Norn-sama clutched his wand tightly.


    Her eyes showed an extraordinary resolve.


    Falga looked at her with a compassionate gaze, and then turned her attention to Leona.


    "You will train hard together with Usato. You are a capable knight, but you lack too many things.


    "...... yes."


    Leona replied in a heavy voice, as if she herself had understood.


    Mr. Farga narrowed his eyes at her response and continued to speak.


    If you do not agree with your position, your situation, and everything else, you will surely be killed by Kalon in the next battle. This is not a threat, but a certainty of the future if you do not change.


    "......, but I will."


    Then, silencing Leona''s attempt to argue with him with her eyes, Farga-sama said the rest of the words with a sense of intimidation.


    "I dare to say something to your stubbornness. Leona the Brave". A knight who depends on others for the meaning of his existence and cannot affirm himself. Understand that you will die an ignominious death if you cannot acknowledge your own existence.


    "......!¡¡...... is,yes."


    She nodded her head with a pained expression and looked at me for a moment.


    Her face looked as if she did not want me to hear that she was a hero.


    "Brave man."


    Kalon, the dragon man who was to become a hero.


    Leona, the knight who denied being a hero.


    Norn, the queen who sacrificed herself to protect the city.


    And Falga, the divine dragon who is the counterpart of the evil dragon.


    Faced with such a unique group of people and the problems they face, I couldn''t help but foresee that not everything that happens in the future will be easy to end.

 115 - - The 16th.

    After the meeting with Mr. Farga, we returned to the castle from the underground fountain to help stop Mr. Karon.


    Norn was fired up to protect the city, and Leona was depressed in contrast to her, which made me somewhat uneasy, but we decided to rest in the room allocated to each of us for the day.


    "As expected of a guest room in a castle, it''s no less luxurious. ......"


    The room I was given was very spacious and luxurious.


    I was used to the rustic rooms of the lifeguard''s quarters, Kirija''s dormitory, and Eva''s house in the ward, so it was hard to feel at home in such a luxurious room.


    "......Well, I''ll be here for the time being, so I guess I''ll have to get used to it."


    After three to five days, after which Master Farga will remake the armor of the brave men for my exclusive use.


    The shape of the weapon, its ability is determined by my mind......, but I guess it means that it will be changed into the most suitable weapon for me, like the one Karon-san has.


    "The right weapon for me, you know..."


    ...... blunt weapon?


    Or something that can make use of my quick feet?


    If it''s something I''m looking for personally...,


    "I want something that can protect me."


    It is easy to hurt someone with any weapon, but it is difficult to defend against any attack.


    Especially, Mr. Karon''s attack is so powerful that a single blow can be fatal. It is not a good idea to go up against him without a weapon.


    "First of all, we must think about how to deal with Mr. Karon before using weapons.


    A close encounter with him can be literally grueling.


    I am confident that I can buy as much time as I can if I just try to evade and intercept, but that won''t be enough to defeat Mr. Karon.


    The most ideal way is to taunt him at close range and deliver a powerful blow to knock him unconscious.


    A half-hearted blow cannot penetrate his body.


    Perhaps the decisive blow against him would be to strike him with a serious fist, as I did to Evil Dragon. His body is as hard as the dragon''s, but not as hard as the dragon''s. That''s what I felt when I actually put my fists on him.


    But can I really put my fist on him, a human being, like I did on the evil dragon?


    It''s too dangerous to give him an attack without ...... giving him a little warning."


    If you are not careful, you will not be able to recover.


    There is a possibility that he will die before his healing magic can cure him.


    No, can you deliver a big blow while avoiding his attack in the first place?¡¡It is highly doubtful that Mr. Karon would allow us to save our strength in a situation where a moment''s gap could be fatal.


    "There is still time. Let''s think of countermeasures while training.


    For the time being, tomorrow we will practice force control and evasion drills in anticipation of Mr. Karon''s attack.


    After making plans for tomorrow, I lay down on my bed to rest, when suddenly there was a knock at my room door.


    "Usato, are you awake?"


    "Yes, I''m awake."


    It''s Amako''s voice.


    He gets up from the bed and invites Amako into his room.


    What''s going on?¡¡I ask as I set a chair and a table for her to sit at. Amako replies simply, "I was just having some free time.


    "Also, I didn''t feel comfortable in such a big room."


    "Ha-ha-ha, I know what you mean. I know that feeling."


    If the room is too big, it''s hard to relax.


    Chuckling at her words, I sit down in the chair I moved myself.


    "Did you see Neah and Mr. Alk when you came here?"


    "Mr. Alc was cleaning his sword and Nair was already asleep.


    Isn''t he going to bed early?


    I feel like going to bed early and getting up early is becoming a daily routine for a vampire.


    Normal nighttime activity time is supposed to be at night, but lately Nair spends more time during the daytime. She is gradually becoming healthier and healthier, and I can''t help but notice the ambiguous look on her face.


    "I was tired, wasn''t I?¡¡I knew it."


    "I''m sure you''re right. I''m sure you''re tired from your trip, but after what happened today, I''m sure you are."


    I had Nair''s help during the battle with Mr. Karon.


    To be honest, I might have been in danger without her spell of resistance.


    ...... Since there is nothing we can do against the cold air, we will have to rely on Nair''s magic.


    "......I''ll help you this time."


    I had been thinking about it for a while, and Amako said something like that to me.


    I immediately understood that her words meant that she would join in the fight against Mr. Karon.


    "......Amako."


    "It''s okay. I won''t do anything dangerous, I''ll just try to do what I can. Besides, Usato is ...... so reckless that ...... I''m very worried about him."


    It is true that I might do something reckless this time, too.


    From the outside looking in, I''m really walking a tightrope, aren''t I?


    At the time of the evil dragon, I fought alone and got a painful blow, and at the time of the Samaritan''s Curse, I failed to notice the existence of the sorcerer and was almost destroyed by the souls bound by the curse.


    The more I think about it, the more I realize that I''ve been doing things that she should have been worried about.


    "Ha-ha-ha, I''m sorry. I''m sorry for worrying you all the time."


    "...... Yeah. You should take better care of yourself. No matter how strong your body is, it will be ruined one day. ...... maybe?"


    I wonder why he said "maybe" and then added a question mark.


    Amako looks at me with a subtle expression on her face.


    "I want Usato to save my mother, but I don''t want him to sacrifice himself for her."


    "I have no intention of sacrificing myself. I have a lot of work to do.


    I''m going to save Amako''s mother, finish the trip safely, and then reunite with Inukami-senpai and Kazuki in the Lingle Kingdom.


    There are more, but I can''t collapse until I accomplish them first.


    "Besides, tomorrow we will start training to be ready to fight against Mr. Karon. Aruk-san will join us and Leona-san will work with us, so we should be able to achieve some success."


    "I hope so. ......"


    "Is there something on your mind?"


    When I asked Amako, who had a subtle expression on her face, she looked away from me as if she was having a hard time saying something.


    "I have a feeling that those people are still hiding something ...... from us.


    "What are you hiding?"


    "I don''t know what it is, but ......"


    ......Hiding things, huh?


    Leona and her friends are hiding something.


    One possibility is that it is something they don''t want us in other countries to know, but what is it?¡¡It must be related to Mr. Karon for sure. ...... hmm?¡¡Come to think of it...,


    "How did Mr. Karon have the dragon factor?"


    It was explained to me that he is not an ordinary human being. I was told that he was not an ordinary human being, but he never told me the reason why he had the dragon factor.


    That may not be the most important part, but if the Fargas are intentionally hiding the source of his power, it makes me ...... a little uneasy.


    "Amako, is it possible to have a story about a person transforming into another species?"


    "...... No. I have never heard of such a story. That''s why it''s quite strange that Kalon is transforming into a dragon.


    "Is that funny?"


    "If there is, it''s a curse. Or ...... it might have something to do with his blood. If his ancestors had subhuman blood, it would be the same as if a few generations later a person would be born with subhuman blood.


    "...... heh."


    This means that what Mr. Karon has in him is the dragon factor, which means that he has a dragon in his blood.


    It sounds like a myth or a fairy tale.


    "Well, no matter what Mr. Karon''s bloodline is, it doesn''t change the fact that we are going to fight. We might be able to learn that the Norns are hiding something from us sooner or later, so we shouldn''t worry too much about it.


    "That''s true, too."


    Amako nodded her head.


    Yes, we do not need to know why there is a dragon factor in Mr. Karon at present.


    The problem is that his body is being strengthened by his transformation into a dragon body. Probably, his body must have been transformed into a dragon, triggered by the outburst of the evil dragon on the night he was awakened.


    When he woke up, he had the "ferociousness" of a dragon, and when he left his prison, he had the "monstrous power" and solid "scales" of a dragon.


    And today---the first change is that he has awakened to the tail and horns of the dragon.


    "...... Either way, it''s not a good idea to let this go on much longer."


    It could get any more out of hand.


    "Speaking of which. The demon people who were summoned from the Lingle Kingdom today are ....... Is he a black knight after all?"


    "Hmm?¡¡Yes, that''s right.


    I had been thinking about it for a while when Amako asked me about it.


    Amako had seen the black knight in her premonition, but she had never met Ferrum, who was inside of the black knight.


    "He was kind of different from what I expected."


    "Ha-ha-ha, that''s what I thought when I talked to her."


    "What''s he like?¡¡From what I saw today, she seems like a strong person. ......"


    I talked to Amaco about Ferrum.


    I explained briefly how he had fought on the battlefield as a black knight, the exchange in jail after his capture, and how he had joined the lifeguard corps.


    "He''s such a foolhardy boy that he leaves his own injuries alone. Well, she''s my junior too, so I was a little worried if she was doing well in the rescue squad. Today, after seeing him for the first time in a while, I''m glad to see he''s doing well.


    And I didn''t expect your armor to be shaped like the uniform of the lifeguard corps.


    Does it mean that he didn''t actually dislike life in the rescue squad that much, even though he said "No, I hate it"?¡¡I would be happy if that were the case.


    "......"


    "......?"


    Amako looked at me quizzically, her mouth tearing up at the fact that Ferrum was doing so well.


    "...... Usato?"


    "Hmm?"


    "You''re more of a womanizer than I thought."


    "Wait a minute. Where did you learn that word?¡¡I''m not mad at you, just tell me."


    Upset, I lean forward and protest in a commanding tone.


    It''s too obvious. It''s shocking to hear Amako say that to me, even if it''s only half-jokingly said by a senior colleague.


    I''m about to cry.


    No, I was already crying.


    I don''t understand why I''m called a womanizer when I''ve never made a move on the opposite s*x in the first place.


    "Because that''s the only way I can think of."


    "No, no, no, why are you sulking there? I''d rather be sulked at than you!


    Amako''s mouth is agape.


    I try my best to make excuses, but her stony eyes remain fixed on me.


    I then tried to prove my innocence with gestures, but in the end, I ended up getting the dishonorable title of "Usato is unaware" from Amako.


    The story ends with Amako''s disgraceful title of "Usato is unaware.


    The next day I visited Mearaq.


    After resting my body in a large unfamiliar room, I was served breakfast made by the maid, and then went to the training hall of the castle in Mialark.


    Amako went to feed Bulrin and Nair didn''t want to go outside, so the maid took us to the place where Mialark''s books were kept.


    Mialak''s training area was larger than I had expected, and as I stood there, I began to do some light preparatory exercises.


    "Whew!"


    He is not dressed in his company uniform, but in the uniform he wears for training in the lifeguard corps.


    I wear this kind of clothes because I can move around as much as I like, even if I get dirty.


    "Well, we can''t just do what we always do ......, we have to set a proper goal."


    Instead of training in the dark, as we do every day, this time we will set clear guidelines.


    Mr. Karon, whom we are going to face, is not so naive that he can be defeated by just taking appropriate countermeasures. We should not take the easy way of thinking that we should train our muscles because we will be defeated by our strength.


    We should go to ......, but the fact is that we don''t know what we should do first.


    "Mr. Usato..."


    Can I help you?¡¡Mr. Aruk.


    As I was twisting my head in thought, Aruk-san approached me.


    He was wearing the same simple clothes as I was, and he was holding a wooden sword in his hand instead of a serious one, as if he was in training as usual.


    "Since you seem to be in trouble, I thought I would give you a piece of advice.


    Thank you. I can train myself, but I don''t know what to do if I want to fight. ......"


    My fighting style is a combination of amateurish physical fighting and surprise attacks with healing magic bullets.


    I don''t have any solid techniques, and I''m just a fighter.


    "No, in the case of Usato-dono, although he has the art of fighting, he didn''t have to learn the art of fighting, so in a way it can''t be helped, can it?


    "Is that so?"


    Yes. But it doesn''t mean that problems like the battle with the evil dragon, the curse of Samaritan, and ...... this battle with Lord Karon won''t happen in the future. In order to protect yourself, you need to learn the art of fighting.


    Indeed, our next destination is the land of the beastmen.


    A land of subhumans who hate humans. There''s no way nothing can happen to us in such a country.


    Even then, we may not be able to get through the battle using only our physical abilities.


    Mr. Aruk, please teach me how to fight.


    Mr. Aruk nodded at my words.


    He is a first-class knight. It is much better to study with him than to train alone.


    "Well then, I would like to check your moves first, so let''s play a hand-to-hand combat.


    "What, out of the blue?"


    "Yes, I have to see it to believe it."


    ......This is the second time I''ve fought you, Mr. Aruk.


    The first time was when he was manipulated by Nair, but that time he didn''t show his true ability, so we can''t measure his strength.


    "Please use magic and be as serious as possible. Otherwise, it will be meaningless.


    "Well, are you sure you''re serious?"


    "If something goes wrong, I''ll ask Usato-dono to heal you."


    Mr. Aruk said this jokingly, but the fact that magic is used means that Mr. Aruk will also use fire magic.


    His ability backed up by his solid experience and skills must be quite strong.


    Let''s not let our guard down here, and let''s just borrow his chest and challenge him.


    Taking a small deep breath, I look over at Mr. Aruk who is checking the condition of his wooden sword, and move to the center of the training area where no damage will occur.


    "---Wait a minute."


    Hmm?"


    But just as we were about to step into the center of the training ground, a woman appeared from the castle.


    "What, Leona?"


    "...... sorry to interrupt."


    She walked up to me with her blonde hair tied in one knot, and she---Leona-san took one look at me with a slightly thoughtful expression, and then she spoke to Mr. Alc.


    "Mister Aruk, can you leave that role ...... to me?"


    "What?"


    I was wondering if Leona-san, rather than Aruk-san, would be interested in a handshake with me.


    I wondered why she would make such a proposal, but then I remembered what Mr. Farga said to Leona yesterday, and that''s why I thought of it.


    "For my part, it is a proposal I would not have wished to make, since I would be able to get your thoughts as a knight. ...... Usato-dono?"


    I don''t mind either.


    I know that Leona is a strong person, and so does ALC. There is no way that she is lacking for an opponent who can fight head-on with Mr. Karon.


    ......And, although it is my personal feeling, I feel that this person is dangerous and can''t be left alone.


    I don''t know what kind of problems she has, but I can''t start without stepping in first.


    "Thank you for granting me this absurd request."


    She bowed beautifully and walked to the center of the training ground with the wooden sword she already had in her hand.


    As I watched her walk away, Aruk-san spoke to me.


    "She''s quite a skilled person," he said. I am sure that she is more experienced and skilled than Usato-dono. Be on your guard and fight your own battle.


    "How I fight: ......Yes, I understand."


    It might be a good opportunity to see how well my way of fighting works in the current situation.


    Unlike the first time, my opponent is not Aruk, but still, he might be a good opponent for me to meet with because he does not know Leona''s moves at all.


    "Let''s give it a try.


    I muttered to myself, and braced myself as I headed for the center of the training ground where Leona was.

 116 - - Seventeenth.

    No matter how formidable the enemy may be, we will not back down.


    Believing in his own strength, he pushes forward.


    A noble warrior with undivided kindness.


    This is how I envisioned a brave man.


    He---Karon---would have been the one who deserved this title.


    Unlike a knight like me, who is good at dexterity, he is the strongest and the best knight in Mearaq, with a beautiful swordsmanship that combines boldness and delicacy, and with outstanding commanding ability.


    The title that should have been given to him was given to me.


    The honor of valor was nothing but a weight on me.


    I myself understood that it was inevitable.


    Even so, Kalon, one of the most powerful men in Mialak, had awakened to the power of the dragon, had run amok, and was beyond anyone''s control, and someone other than Kalon must be the emotional support of Mialak.


    And I, his next candidate, was chosen.


    I was chosen because I am just a good hand at it. ---That''s all there is to it.


    There is a boy standing before me now.


    Usato, a messenger from the Kingdom of Ringle.


    He is facing me without weapons or anything, and he still looks like an ordinary boy who can be found anywhere.


    When I first saw him, I was on the verge of being stopped by Kalon. At the time, I only saw him as a boy who had gotten into a fight, and I warned him to run away immediately, but my perception of him soon changed.


    He had struck Kalon with his fist with his own body.


    I know better than anyone how extraordinary it is to beat Kalon, who has the power of a dragon. I would have understood if it had been a big man, but to see it done by a boy younger than myself left me in awe and astonishment.


    <


    Those were the words that Mr. Farga said to me after Usato and the others returned from the meeting with Mr. Farga yesterday.


    I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut at his words.


    He fights with Usato.


    What is he fighting for?


    What is he putting into his fist?


    I want to know, so I have made up my mind to fight him and I am standing here now.


    "Leona-san. May I confirm the rules for you?


    "What?¡¡Uh-huh.


    I nodded in response to Aruk''s words.


    He nodded in response to my reply and stood at a position about halfway between me and Usato.


    "Basically, I use a blade-drawn weapon. Magic can also be used. Fighting seriously is preferable, but please do not get seriously injured. Usato-dono is particularly careless about injuries.


    "Uh, okay."


    "Acknowledged."


    I''ll give the signal. If I find it dangerous, I will stop you.


    With these words, he left the scene.


    Seriously, huh?


    I have never fought against a healing wizard before, but I did not expect to be so nervous in a mere hand-to-hand combat. His fist is powerful enough to knock a normal person unconscious with a single blow. And when you consider that it is unleashed with such astonishing agility, it is clear that he is not an opponent you can fight with impunity.


    But..,


    "It''s not that I can''t handle it."


    Watching his movements up close, albeit briefly, I immediately recognized it.


    I immediately recognized what he lacked, a fragile part of him, a weakness.


    Perhaps it is difficult to explain. It is not something that can be compensated for overnight, but something that is acquired through practice and actual combat.


    "Well then, thank you very much for your cooperation. Ms. Leona.


    "Yes, it''s my pleasure."


    After bowing to us, Usato readied his fist and took a half-step backward.


    I bowed back to him, gripped my wooden sword with both hands, and held it horizontally with the tip facing him.


    "Well then..."


    Aruk-dono''s voice echoes through the quiet training hall.


    Usato''s eyes, which were watching us without caution, turned sharp.


    He has changed from an ordinary boy to a fighter.


    The air in the training hall gradually becomes tense, and after looking at each other once in turn, Aruk-dono slowly raises his hand upward..,


    "---Start!


    --- and swung down forcefully.


    At that moment, as I was about to fight, Usato was already raising his fist in the air in front of me.


    "Ah!"


    He closed the gap in one breath!


    The overwhelming speed of his initial attack and his extraordinary reflexes sent chills down my spine.


    "But!"


    In a sense, I had expected this.


    I evade his fist, which is advancing to puncture my torso with precision, by stepping out at an angle as if I were sliding.


    "In front of you!"


    There!


    He has overwhelmingly superior reflexes, so he has no time to raise his wooden sword.


    With my wooden sword at the ready, I slam my shoulder into his body with an empty fist, knocking him out of his stance. Usato''s face, narrowed enough to catch his breath, reflects the look of astonishment on his face.


    I push Usato out of the way with all my might and deliver a thrust at him as he falls to the side.


    "Whoa ......!¡¡Oh, shit!


    "I knew you''d avoid it."


    However, the thrust that disoriented him was also avoided by him who leaned his body to the side as quickly as he could.


    It''s hard to catch him with a normal attack ......, so we have no choice but to use magic.


    I switch my swords from both hands to my right hand, hide my left hand behind my back so that he cannot see it, and swing the wooden sword in my right hand at him.


    He flicks my sword with his fist and tries to get into my pocket again, but at the same time, I throw the ice magic I have generated from behind my back out of his sight and under his feet.


    "What?¡¡When did you do that?


    The ice solidifies under his feet, and he finally stops moving.


    As if to take advantage of this momentary lull, I raise my wooden sword to the upper level and swing it at him. I swung down with the hope that this would be enough to decide the outcome of the fight...,


    "This much!"


    "This much!¡¡He pulled his foot out of the ground?


    Surprisingly, Usato pulled out his foot from the ground sewn with ice and avoided my wooden sword just before it hit him, and then he backturned and moved away from me.


    "Phew ......, after all, Leona-san is strong ......."


    That''s our line. If I had been a better player, I would have lost in the first move."


    Amazing physical ability and reflexes.


    His ability, seen up close, was nothing short of amazing. Moreover, his power is not something that is easily acquired, but something that is the result of a bloody discipline.


    "......What a waste, isn''t it?"


    I spontaneously muttered to myself.


    Usato''s fighting style is similar to that of an amateur.


    He attacks at close range and avoids attacks when they come. His fighting style, which is not skillful at all, is easy to understand from my point of view.


    Even when he avoids my attacks, his movements are a little too exaggerated.


    If he has such a good reflexes and such a good physical sight that he can flick a sword with his fist, he should be able to avoid my attacks with a minimum of movement, without making such an exaggerated move.


    "And ......"


    The biggest waste is his fist.


    The attacks that he launches with his physical ability are certainly very powerful, but not all of the power can be contained in his fists.


    His arms and legs are raised in a messy manner, and his posture is disordered during the attack, so that the force is not concentrated in his fists, and the power escapes.


    It is a terrible story that such a fist is powerful enough to sink an ordinary knight, but such a flawless behavior and fist cannot defeat Kalon.


    "......"


    The worst possibility I can imagine.


    It is that the opponent he fights in the future will see his weakness as I do and strike a fatal counterattack at the most inopportune time.


    Kalon, who is currently out of his wits, is no exception.


    Even if he loses his reason, there is no possibility that he will fight with the insight and skill he had before he lost his reason.


    "Leona?"


    "...... yeah, let''s continue."


    For now, let''s continue to work with him.


    He generates several magic bullets in his left hand and looks at Usato.


    "Close combat with you is chilling. Let''s keep a little distance from each other.


    Then I will only approach you if I have to.


    Usato readied his fist in the same stance as before.


    I wield the magic bullet in my left hand as if to reave it, and fix it so that it floats in the air in front of me. The magic bullet fixed in midair changes its shape and turns into a dagger of ice.


    "The blade will be crushed, but it will hurt when it hits you!


    As soon as he falls back, five ice daggers shoot out at Usato.


    One of the main characteristics of ice magic is its versatility.


    It can be used as a magic bullet to freeze the opponent, or it can be created in the form of daggers and shot out, as it is now.


    "I didn''t know magic could do this ......!"


    The ice dagger is shot out, and Usato leaps to the side to avoid it and continues to shoot daggers at it.


    Usato moves fast, but he is easy to read.


    He changes his position so that he can''t get too close to us, and limits his escape by firing the dagger first at the place where he is likely to leap out. ......!


    "It''s ...... really awesome that he still doesn''t hit us!"


    "I''m trying so hard to avoid it!


    Usato, who had dropped the dagger with his hand, which he couldn''t evade in time, came barreling toward us at a furious pace.


    Terrifyingly, he is trying to get close to us, knocking off all the ice daggers that are coming toward him.


    "All at once!"


    "How could I have not seen you coming?


    At that moment, Usato''s right arm freezes, as if he had knocked the dagger away.


    "It''s not just daggers I''m sending down!"


    By weaving magic bullets into the myriad of daggers he shoots out, he has taken advantage of his intercepting maneuver.


    I''m sorry, but I''m going to have to use this opportunity to ice you.


    "d*mn it!¡¡No, I can go!"


    But Usato did something I had not expected.


    He looked at his icy hands for a moment, but then he turned his attention to me and started running toward me again, ignoring his frozen right arm.


    "What?


    He didn''t stop, but instead came at me with a counter-intuitive look on his face as he continued to fire daggers and magic bullets at me... but as if he didn''t care that the ice covering his hands was getting bigger with the magic bullets, he continued to fire daggers and magic bullets at me, and then he fired again at me. He is advancing toward us, blocking the bullets with his frozen right arm.


    "What, what?¡¡You can''t expect that!¡¡I mean, are you still coming at me?


    He is supposed to be covered from the elbow to the tip, but he is swinging his arms around, trying to hit me.


    Deciding that I can''t hold him back any longer with magic bullets, I ready my sword and charge at him.


    "Hmph!"


    I catch his ice-covered fist with the belly of my wooden sword.


    "Ugh ......!"


    You manage to fling his fist backward, frowning at the creaking sound of the wooden sword.


    My hand was numb from the momentary impact, but he was already in front of me, his unfrozen left fist poised for a right tame.


    "Let''s go, Leona!"


    "Let''s go, Leona!"


    I felt a bad premonition as I saw his posture as if he was going to make a backhanded attack instead of a blow, but I also made a thrust with all my strength with my numb hand.


    At this moment, however, I notice that his gaze is focused not on me, but on the wooden sword that he has thrust at me.


    "I''m going to break it!"


    "Nah. ......"


    His left fist, swung out, smashed the center of the wooden sword, which had been weakened by the blow earlier, with precision.


    I let out a cry of astonishment at his skill, which was the result of his dynamic vision and his sword-fearless spirit.


    "Now..."


    "No, I''m not done with you yet!¡¡Usato!


    I am not an easy opponent to lose my will to fight just because my weapon is gone.


    Immediately I throw the broken wooden sword in front of him, and step into his pocket as if to sneak into his arms.


    He is momentarily blinded by the wooden sword thrown in front of him, and he hurriedly flicks it with his left arm.


    "There!"


    He then strikes his left arm with a magic bullet, sewing his torso and left arm together with ice.


    The restraints would be broken in an instant, but that would be enough of an opening for me!


    "Cold! ......, I won''t let you!"


    You avoid the right arm that is thrust out in a desperate attempt to get out of the way.


    Without stopping his forward momentum, he puts his hand on his right arm as he passes by, and at the same time, he pushes off with his foot.


    "If you get confused, no matter how much you ......!"


    She clamps her arms around his right arm and slams him to the ground, pinning his back against her body.


    Usato is completely pinned by his right arm and is forced to the ground so that he cannot move. He let out a yelp of surprise at the technique applied to him.


    "A joint technique?


    "I don''t know what a kansetsu waza is, but it''s a form of interpersonal combat used when one loses one''s sword.


    "Oh, I see. ......"


    When I say this while leaning on Usato''s back, he replies awkwardly with a slight blush on his cheeks.


    Did I harden it a little too much?


    But I have to ask him to be patient, because if I put any more pressure on his shoulder, it might come off.


    "I''m glad I managed to hold you down. ....... I had to do this to stop you: ......"


    If I had made even one mistake, I would have been the one on the ground.


    Despite my calm tone, I struggled to calm my racing heart.


    The way he snapped the wooden sword.


    Perhaps he could do the same with an iron sword. Otherwise, he would not have been able to do it with certainty.


    "No, I''m not finished yet."


    "...... what?"


    I let out a stunned sound at the words of Usato, who was strapped under me.


    ......Usato is still trying to continue in this situation?¡¡Normally he would not want to continue in this situation, but he is still fighting.


    "If I''m serious about this, I can''t lose just because of this, ALC hasn''t stopped me, and the game is still on.


    "Hey, wait a minute, if you continue like this, your shoulder bone will come off!


    "I''m used to having my shoulder dislocated, so..."


    While still restrained, Usato broke the ice on his left arm and placed his hand on the ground.


    My cheeks twitched as he gradually raised himself up without showing it on his face, even though there must have been tremendous pain in the shoulder I was holding fast.


    At that moment I remembered the words of Mr. Farga.


    We won the match when we held him off.


    But this is not a match, but a real fight between him and me. Even if we subdue him with our techniques, if he has the strength to handle the situation, the match will continue.


    "......"


    His right arm, which should have had no strength, moves back in front of him.


    He has more than just physical ability and reflexes. What was truly frightening was his mental toughness to endure any kind of pain.


    "Hmph!"


    He stands up to about mid-rise and swings his right arm that I am holding down.


    I gave up and jumped down from him. Usato checked his condition as he rotated his free right arm, smiled a smile that could be described as ferocious, and readied his fist.


    "Come on, let''s continue."


    The smile was enough to remind him of the smile of the woman called Rose who had been projected by the magic of Master Farga yesterday.

 117 - - Eighteenth.

    A handshake with Leona.


    I have to say that so far I have been at the mercy of her moves.


    ...... I didn''t expect to be so much at the mercy of someone who really fights with skill.


    "You can''t hit me just by hitting me. This."


    He looks at Leona-san, who is out of his line of sight, as he shatters the ice on his right arm with his sword.


    Leona''s fighting style is a tricky one, using ice magic and swordsmanship.


    Probably, when she fought against Mr. Karon, she had used the same strategy to survive his attacks.


    "I didn''t mean to underestimate him. ......"


    She was stronger than I expected, I guess.


    I take a small deep breath to calm down and open my free right hand.


    I can''t beat her by punching and kicking like I have been doing so far.


    "Leona-san. I''m glad I fought you today.


    What''s going on?¡¡Suddenly?"


    Leona, who had been frowning at my sudden words, is puzzled.


    "I still have a lot to learn. I still have a lot to learn. I don''t have enough training and I don''t know anything about fighting techniques. My fighting style up until now has been only brute force with violence and a well-trained body."


    Even when I was on the verge of defeat, I was able to beat them by joining forces with my friends.


    But there may come a time in the future when I will have to fight alone, without being able to rely on my friends.


    "I have realized my immaturity. All I have to do now is to try to make up for it."


    "......You''re very positive. You are ......"


    "Otherwise, I wouldn''t be here."


    If I didn''t have a positive attitude, I''d be broken somewhere right now.


    Leona''s lips move in a small gesture as if she is trying to say something. It seems as if she mumbled something, but the mumbling did not reach my ears due to the distance between us.


    ......I was a little curious, but I''ll ask her about it later.


    I changed my mind and readied my fist.


    "Now, if they can read my attack, it would be counterproductive to play tricks on them.


    There is nothing more dangerous than a false blade.


    So, I''m going to smash her reason by breaking through head-on without any tricks.


    Leona-san is bracing herself for me, as I lower myself a little. She has no weapon or anything in her hand, but I don''t underestimate her enough to let my guard down.


    I''m going to ......!


    I kick the ground as hard as I can and head toward Leona-san.


    If you don''t fight close enough, she will take advantage of you. I''m going to take her down with a single blow!


    I won''t hesitate to use my power!


    I won''t hesitate to use my power!


    Clenching my fists, I get in close in one breath, and Leona swings her ice sword, which could easily be mistaken for a great sword, at me.


    The sword, which is emitting a frost-like substance, is approaching me with a speed that her slender arms seem to be incapable of wielding.


    "If you rebuild it, I''ll break it again!"


    "If you can do that!¡¡Break it down and show me!"


    It doesn''t matter how big it is or what it''s made of.


    He swings his fist at the approaching sword and tries to break it... but just as his fist touches the sword, the blade pops like a balloon.


    "!?¡¡burst......"


    The blade bursts open, and a huge amount of frost covers my upper body, turning my vision completely white.


    ......, a sword without substance!¡¡The purpose is not to attack, but to destroy my vision!


    Just as I come to that thought, I hear the sound of something continuously striking each other above my head.


    "Swords!¡¡Seize it!"


    With a voice, something falls from overhead.


    With my vision covered in white, I jump backward as quickly as I can, and swords made of ice fall like crossed swords to the ground in front of me with a clattering sound.


    Blinding and restraining to block my movement ......!


    His techniques are too diverse!


    "No time to rest!¡¡Usato!"


    I know!


    Leona grabbed the ice sword she had created from her palm and slashed at me.


    I immediately ready my fists to intercept her, but my smile tightens when I see three ice swords floating behind her.


    "I have to do this much for you ......!"


    "Kuh!"


    As soon as I evade her slash, three ice swords attack me as if they were chasing me.


    The movements are monotonous, but the disparate timing of the attacks is quite disorienting.


    "Will they still respond to this?


    I''m desperate, though!


    In effect, they had to deal with four swords.


    Leona is the one who is going to strike the blow, but the ice swords that attack around me at different times don''t give me a chance to counterattack.


    Somehow, I manage to fight off the attacks and break the ice sword that Leona swung at me, but it is soon repaired from the broken part.


    I know, right? It''s ice, so it can be repaired immediately.


    Let''s stop destroying weapons and hit Leona directly. We can''t do anything at this point and we''ll be pushed aside.


    Hmph!


    He shatters one of the ice swords with his powerful fist and hits the main body of Leona.


    I leap from the spot to avoid the other two, and as I leap, I half-turn in mid-air and execute a heel drop with momentum, just in time for Leona''s attack.


    However, the ice sword I had just shattered transformed into a circle and deployed as a shield in front of Leona, blocking my kick.


    "What?


    "Not by force!"


    I was blocked only for a moment.


    However, Leona-san took advantage of that split-second gap and stepped toward me at once, directly striking my empty torso with a thrust that carried a lot of momentum.


    I quickly grabbed the tip of the ice sword, but the momentum didn''t stop and it pierced into my dove tail, leaving me motionless in mid-air as I was blown backward with all my might.


    "......!"


    I barely managed to defend myself in time, but the momentum of the thrust was not enough to kill me, and I landed on the ground, spinning once.


    This is the same magic bullet maneuver that Kazuki demonstrated in Lukvis.


    She is attacking it with three swords ...... and she herself is joining in the attack.


    Kazuki is stronger in power, but when it comes to technique, Leona is superior to her seniors at Lukvis and to Kazuki. ......!


    "Oh, that was a close ...... call."


    When I look up, I see a number of ice swords falling on me.


    I quickly roll to the side to avoid them, but they keep falling toward me.


    "They''re coming to take me down hard, aren''t they ......!¡¡Leona!"


    I can''t get anywhere at this rate, so I generate a large healing magic bullet with my palm and throw it at the ice sword that is falling toward me, knocking it off in one fell swoop.


    "......!¡¡I''ve been dropped!


    "I''m not going to spare any of my own!"


    I, a healing magic user, throw a healing magic bullet to Leona, who is upset that I broke the ice sword in the air.


    Even though she would have been hit by a normal opponent, Leona would have easily deflected it. In fact, the same was the case with Mr. Fegnis, the chief knight of Samaritan''s Head.


    So, I try to approach her without any restraint, following the healing magic bullet.


    "Magic bullet ......!


    After blocking the healing magic bullet with her manipulated ice sword, Leona-san created an additional ice sword and shot it out.


    I am sure that the ice swords that are about to rain down on me are interwoven with magic bullets that stop my movement. And unlike the previous dagger, the ice sword is falling as if it is being pulled toward me.


    In order to keep moving and to get closer to Leona..,


    "All you have to do is avoid all of them!"


    I have trained eyes and body.


    Then all I have to do is trust them and push forward.


    Instead of hesitating, I take a giant step forward.


    "Oh, ......!"


    I catch the ice swords that rain down like rain with my eyes and avoid them as I run.


    The ground is gouged and shards of ice are flying in the air, but I keep moving forward with all my might, and ahead of me, I see Leona with a shocked expression on her face.


    "Ah!


    I''ve got her!"


    I shake my fist at her, dispelling the cold air with my hand and holding my fist at my waist.


    My fist is blocked by layers and layers of ice shields in the air, but regardless of that, I swing my fist out and hit Leona directly with the shields.


    "What the hell? ......"


    "You''re shallow or ......!"


    You jumped backwards and let the power flow through you!¡¡Then I''ll hit him directly next time!


    He raises his fist and tries to strike again.


    Leona looked at me in pain as she landed on the ground. She threw away the half-broken ice sword that she must have used for defense, and meditated.


    "I guess I''ll just have to use it. ......"


    She muttered quietly and began to put her magic power into both palms.


    She did not just put magic into her palms as she had done in the past. The color of the clear and beautiful light blue magic power became darker as the magic power was poured into her palms.


    "I won''t let you do it!


    With that, I understood what she was going to do.


    That''s why I had to stop her.


    She kicks the ground with all her might and tries to close the distance at once, but at that moment, her magical power changes into a dense color much faster than mine.


    "OLA!"


    I''m going to finish her before she does something to me.


    At the same moment as she lowers her fist, Leona puts her hands on the ground in a surprisingly calm motion and mutters these words in a voice that I doubt I can hear.


    "---strengthening of the system."


    Instantly, a wall of intense cold air appeared between me and Leona.


    A wall of cold air appeared between me and Leona.


    Strengthening the lineage with ice magic.


    The brave Ms. Leona created a wall of ice by strengthening her lineage.


    The ice wall was so transparent that one could not even tell that there was a wall there.


    However, I immediately understood that it was not just a wall, because of the intense cold air it emitted.


    "--First!¡¡......GGUGH!"


    Before I hit the ice wall that appeared just before my fist was about to swing down, I thrust my foot into the ground as hard as I could and applied the brakes.


    My foot hurts intensely, but I still manage to stop one step short of hitting the ice wall.


    "......!?"


    It''s not enough to be in pain if you crash head-on into a wall like this!¡¡There is a possibility that your whole consciousness will be blown away!


    What kind of timing is this guy using?


    Leona, who was beyond the clear ice, was breathing on her shoulder and looking at me with a frustrated expression on her face.


    "...... is this the ...... way to go?"


    If I continue to go around ......, I can beat Leona.


    The game is as good as decided.


    She made a last ditch effort to strengthen her lineage, and it failed.


    ......If you care about winning, you can go directly to Ms. Leona. .......


    "No, you''re wrong. ......!"


    There is no way she can bypass him now.


    This is Leona''s trump card.


    That''s why I want to know how much my current power ...... fists can penetrate. ......!


    I''m coming!¡¡Leona!"


    "......!¡¡Usato, what are you--?"


    I''m not so concerned about winning that I can''t keep my fists up in the air in front of it.


    I slammed my fist into the ice wall with the fist I could muster in my current position.


    OLLA!


    A powerful sound like a metal clash echoed through the training hall.


    The ice wall is so cold that my breath turns white and I can feel the freezing coldness in my fist.


    This is the real fist that I can make right now.


    He slowly releases his right hand and looks at the place where he hit.


    There is...,


    "......!¡¡Ha ha ......"


    The ice wall, which he had slammed with all his might, was there without a single crack.


    It was different from the time of the evil dragon. This wall was so solid that I was even convinced that I would never be able to break it.


    Strengthening the ice magic system.


    Leona''s strain enhancement is to create an ice wall that no one can break.


    No, with a user as skilled as she is, even a simple hard wall would turn into something extremely troublesome. In fact, if it weren''t for me, I would have been seriously injured by the ice wall that was put up at that time, crashing head-on into it.


    "I, too, still need more training. ......"


    Once again aware of my inexperience, I look at Leona, who has remained motionless with her hands on the ground since a moment ago.


    Through the ice wall, I can see that she is swaying her upper body dizzily, as if she is about to fall down,


    "Leona?


    I rush to her side and support her, and she looks a little unfocused and apologetic with her eyes.


    I tell Mr. Aruk, who rushes over to me as well as myself with her supported, that the handshake is over.


    "Leona-san, are you all right?"


    "I''m sorry. ...... I''m running out of magic power. I think I pushed myself a little too hard. ....... You should feel better in a while. ......


    It''s true that with all that magic, it''s not surprising if you''re on the verge of running out of magic.


    Besides, strengthening the lineage uses more magic power than normal magic.


    For the time being, I apply a healing magic to cure the fatigue.


    "That''s great! Leona''s lineage enhancement. I didn''t think that it would prevent even my full strength.


    "Ha-ha-ha, even Kalon can''t break it. It''s also the only technique I''m proud of. ...... though it failed too."


    Leona, who was now much paler, laughed weakly as she looked up at the ice wall that still continued to exist.


    "If we had hit such a strong wall head on, it would have been you who would have won.


    "......, you didn''t hit me."


    "Well, I had to use force to stop it."


    To tell the truth, my leg was under considerable stress at the moment I stopped.


    I could have healed it instantly with healing magic, but one wrong move and I might have been knocked unconscious by the impact of crashing into the wall.


    ......It''s not even funny that I fainted from the impact of my own crash. .......


    "Are you all right?


    "Yeah, I''m just a little out of magic. ....... Thanks Usato, I''m fine now. ......


    Leona said to Aruk, who came running to her, and stood up by herself, though she was still wobbly.


    After confirming that Leona and I were not seriously injured, Alc-san relaxed his shoulders as if reassured.


    "Well, I wasn''t sure when to stop you. When Usato-sama hit Leona-san in a devilish manner, I was ready to stop you at any time, but I guess that wasn''t necessary.


    "Did I look that scary?"


    I''m becoming more and more of a monster with my expressions. .......


    Aruk-san, who laughed at my somber depression, looked at the ice wall created by Leona''s lineage enhancement with a sideways glance and let out an exclamation of admiration.


    "It''s a lineage enhancement that excels in defense. From the looks of it, she has created ice free of any impurities, is that correct?"


    "Ah, yes. You understand it very well. ......"


    Aruk, who considered this with his chin resting on his chin, was affirmed by Leona.


    Ice without any impurities, huh? I don''t know what it is, but I''m sure it''s a stronger substance than I thought, since it was created by magic power.


    "It is a substance that can even block Usato-dono''s fist. ......"


    "Well, I don''t think it will break at all. I''ve never seen anything like this before.


    "You are the proud knight of Mearaq."


    Leona looks a little offended by Aruk''s complimentary words.


    Perhaps sensing something in her, Mr. Alc stops speaking and turns his gaze toward me.


    "Well, Usato-sama. Did you gain anything from your meeting with Leona?


    Did you gain anything from your meeting with Leona?


    I nodded to Mr. Aruk''s words.


    "I have power, but I don''t know how to use it. Fighting with Leona-san made me realize how much I had been fighting by senses and strength.


    It is enough to understand that. It is important to be aware of what you are doing.


    I am an amateur when it comes to fighting.


    But I can''t stay an amateur forever.


    "There is no limit to how long I can train. You, Usato, will learn only the basics of fighting. In your case, if you have the right posture and attitude, you will become even stronger than you are now.


    "Attitude and attitude."


    "You are a little too strong, Usato-dono. First of all, you must learn to control your power.


    Control of power.


    Is that what I need to become even stronger than I am now?


    Then I''ll just have to learn it. I''m sure I''ll need it for the rest of my journey.


    "I will help you. I will do my best to make up for what you lack in this period of time.


    "With Leona''s help, we are a hundred strong. I''m counting on you.


    "Well, I''m ...... that good to be told that."


    I nodded at Leona''s slightly reddened words, turned to face them again, slapped my cheeks to get into the spirit, and bowed my head as hard as I could.


    "I''m looking forward to working with you!"


    These few days, until the special armor is ready....


    I will train again to gain new strength in this place.

 118 - - The nineteenth.

    The night of the fight with Leona.


    I was still at the training ground, training alone.


    The training was not so strenuous, but slow and quiet, different from the way I had been doing it before.


    "Strike without unnecessary force."


    He kept his feet half a step apart, his sides tightened, and his fists pushed out not only with his arms but also with his entire body.


    Muttering to yourself, you thrust your fist out slowly and forcefully.


    .


    Aruk-san and Leona-san told me that I had too much power.


    It is true that I have been driven by my power.


    Until now, I have been able to defeat my opponents only with pure physical strength, so I did not consider it as a problem, but against an opponent like Leona, who plays with me only with pure skills, I am nothing but a sitting duck.


    "...... It''s a shoken-tsuki, though, no matter how you look at it."


    In the end, I ended up in a stance similar to the Shokken Strike used in Karate, but Aruk-san says that this stance is the one in which the strongest blow can be made.


    "Stand your feet on the ground," he said. That''s a good way to put it."


    The image is that of transmitting power by twisting the body, and finally striking with the fist.


    Aruk-san compared my fist to a mallet.


    He said that my fists are large and powerful, but they are meant to blow away the enemy.


    And what I should aim for from now on is a piercing, spear-like blow.


    An attack that "pierces" the core of the opponent, rather than spreading out.


    <


    It is my ideal attack now. ...... that will surely send the opponent''s consciousness flying and easily break down even his defenses.


    "Phew......"


    But it is difficult.


    It is impossible to change in a short period of time what we have been doing until now, without changing our consciousness.


    Of course, I don''t think I can do it right the first time.


    I''m not as good at fighting or sword fighting as I used to be, and I''ll have to work steadily as I always have.


    "Well, everything is a challenge. ......


    There are no shortcuts in training.


    No training is wasted.


    The muscles I have trained will never betray me.


    In other words, I can only do what I can do now by continuing to train.


    I took another deep breath and was about to ready my fist again when something fell from the sky onto my shoulder.


    "Hmm?¡¡Nair?"


    "You look like you have a lot of free time to train!"


    I looked over my shoulder and saw Nair there, transformed into a black owl.


    I look at her with folded wings at my side, take a breath, and retract my fist.


    What''s wrong?¡¡You''re going to lock yourself in the library after dinner. ......"


    "Oh, um, yes. I was on my way and I saw Usato, so I came to check on him. I thought he might be training alone."


    "I''m sorry, I''ve been lonely."


    He replies with his mouth a little agape.


    "What were you doing at ......?"


    "What do you mean, training?"


    I asked him what he was training for.


    It''s rare that Nair shows interest in my training.


    Normally she seems to be uninterested, but I wonder what kind of wind she is blowing.


    "Is it a posture ...... training?¡¡I feel like I''m going back to the basics ...... to master the winning technique, one-pointed healing magic Seiken."


    "Wow, what an ostentatious name ......, you''re going to kill him, to say the least. To be more specific, a wind tunnel will form where you hit him. What, is that a technique that kills the opponent once and then brings him back to life?"


    No!


    That''s some kind of crazy move!


    It''s too scary!


    This is also a training for power control, so you don''t have to worry about it.


    "Force control. That''s a pretty messed up ...... order. From my point of view, isn''t that the first training you should learn?"


    ...... well, when you get to be as good as I am.


    "My eyes are really swimming. ......"


    "Gosh. ......"


    I was training to run, not to fight, so I couldn''t think about controlling my strength.


    I take a deep breath and squeeze my fist into my waistband as if to fool myself, making excuses inwardly.


    He takes a step forward with his left leg and assumes a half-stance.


    "Hmph!"


    As he exhales, he thrusts out his right arm, which is drawn back to his waist.


    The fist, which is drawn out from the hip position, rotates half-rotate and breaks wind.


    "......"


    I slowly pull back my fist and pull my foot back, releasing the tension.


    Nair, who was watching me on her shoulder, nodded her head meaningfully.


    "I don''t know, but I''m pretty sure it wasn''t by force."


    "I guess it would be nice if it did, but I''m not there yet. ......"


    What we are doing now is mainly to correct our posture. Eventually, we should be able to do this in combat.


    "Huh, how strong do you want to be in the end, Usato?¡¡If you don''t start weighing yourself soon, you''ll become a monster above all monsters."


    "What''s a better monster than a monster? ......"


    I mean, am I already a monster? .......


    Finality, I hadn''t thought of that. I still want to grow up to be recognized by Rose as a goal, but if I want to combine it with my current training, I have to .......


    "I want to be able to push and reason my way through a situation."


    If you can''t break through by force alone, then you must strike the most appropriate blow after assessing the opponent''s attack with your eyes, and if the opponent can''t be overcome by logic alone, then you must strike him by force.


    In other words, you should be able to fight by using both.


    At my words, Nair puts her wings to her mouth as if to draw back.


    "That should never be compatible. ......"


    "It''s not impossible, is it?"


    For that to happen, though, I''d have to be able to do the other training with Leona well.


    I''ve done that one a few times before, so it shouldn''t be too hard.


    "Well, you might have to do that with that dragon guy Kalon..."


    "Yes, it is. But I don''t think I can win on my own.


    I''m not bragging.


    I am just a person who is not physically capable of doing anything. For me, there are more things that I cannot do.


    I have friends I can count on.


    "Does that include me?"


    What?¡¡What are you talking about? That''s a pretty new question.


    "What?"


    I regretted it fiercely after I said the words.


    I realized that I had said something rather embarrassing to Nair.


    Why does my mouth move like this, with my spinal reflex?


    "......"


    "...... ne, nea?"


    N¨¦a, who had turned her head slightly at my words, dropped from my shoulder and, with a flash of light, took on the form of a vampire, a dark-haired, red-eyed girl, and looked me straight in the eye.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "I knew I had to tell you. ......"


    ...... what?


    I wonder what he would say to me in such a formal manner. I have no idea.


    Don''t tell me that Nair didn''t even consider me as one of his friends or something?¡¡If so, I''d be quite shocked. .......


    "Thanks."


    But contrary to my imagination, the words she mumbled were her thanks to me.


    I don''t understand the meaning of her words, and I let out a crazy voice.


    "What?"


    "It was my fault, and you took the responsibility to cover for me."


    .......


    Ruminating over her words in my head, I silently approach her and put my hand on her head.


    "......"


    "U, Usato ......?"


    I looked at her puzzled, and with a stern expression on my face, I poured healing magic into her head as if to wrap it around.


    The cheeks were slightly reddening, and Nair''s eyes were glazed over.


    I''m not sure what to say.¡¡I don''t have a fever or anything!¡¡You''re so rude sometimes!


    "......?


    Don''t be surprised!


    Nair shakes off my hand and is indignant with anger that has no place to go.


    Maybe he was really expressing his gratitude in an honest manner earlier. ......?


    "No, I''m just surprised that you could thank me so honestly ...... and wondered if there might be something wrong with you. ......"


    "The way you worry about me makes me very angry. ......"


    "No, I''m sorry, I''m sorry."


    I apologize to her for my sulking, and she turns to look at me with her arms crossed, as if she has regained some of her good mood.


    But I never thought I''d see the day when Nair would thank me.


    I had thought that she would never say such words because she is not an honest girl, but I guess she has grown up in the course of our journey, hasn''t she?


    Or did she think I was the kind of guy who would abandon you without a second thought?¡¡I''m a little offended by that.


    "That''s not true. But Usato has an important trip to make, and Amako has a goal to help her mother, so abandoning me was the best thing ...... to do in that situation. ......"


    "That''s exactly the wrong move. I''m not going to move on without my fellow travelers."


    If I had abandoned Nair right then and there, I would have regretted it for sure.


    I would probably feel so guilty that I would drag it out for the rest of my life.


    I don''t want that, and I consider myself a part of her traveling companions.


    "Besides, I''m sure Miss Farga knew all about it, didn''t she?"


    "I knew that too. I knew that, too... I felt it was almost pointless to hide anything from him. ......"


    Mr. Farga made me choose.


    I don''t know what his intentions were, but I can say for sure that he didn''t force me to fight to the end.


    "Well, it''s like the dish that eats the poison," he said. Now that I have made you a member, I, your master, must take responsibility for you."


    "What''s that ...... about me being poison?"


    "It means that I accept you, all your problems and everything."


    When I say this, Nair seems to be at a loss for words and falls silent.


    Huh?¡¡Is that not what I meant in the first place?


    Well, I guess she understood the nuance of my words, so it doesn''t matter.


    He stands up tall on the spot and relaxes his arms. Even though we had a dinner break, I was tired of doing the same training continuously from noon onward.


    "Well, I''d better call it a day. Let''s go back to the castle.


    "...... yeah, yeah."


    "?"


    I walk toward the castle, tilting my head at Nair, who for some reason is not very articulate.


    Then Nair, who had somehow transformed into an owl, silently flies to my shoulder. I wonder a little about her meekness, but it doesn''t bother me too much, so I enter the castle with N¨¦a.


    We walk through the castle corridors in silence for a while, and then I spot a maid carrying a wooden box in front of us.


    "Ah, Mr. Usato. And you must be N¨¦a. Good evening."


    Good evening. What are you doing here?"


    We exchange greetings and I look at the crate she is holding.


    It looks like it contains a lot of empty bottles. ...... Could these be potions?


    The maid looks a little disappointed at my question.


    "It''s an empty bottle of potion. I am disposing of the ones that Master Norn used.


    "Are you all right, Master Norn?"


    Only the Norns can maintain the wards of Mearrak.


    My healing magic has taken care of that, but it''s not enough.


    "He has a strong sense of responsibility, ...... so he may be weak, but he never gives up. In fact, the potion''s effect is minimal. Before Usato-sama came, I was really close to my limit.


    "I see. ......"


    Yesterday, when I met Master Norn for the first time, he was indeed in a terrible state.


    His face was devoid of life, dark circles were visible under his eyes, and he was so exhausted that it was a wonder he could even stand.


    "I can''t help it. Master Norn''s will is firm ......, so all I can do now is take care of myself."


    "...... why did you stay?"


    Why didn''t this man run away like the others?


    That can be said for all the people left in this castle except for the maid.


    "Simply because Master Norn and Leona couldn''t leave him alone ....... I was told to run away with everyone else, but I found myself still here."


    "I wonder if Master Norn and Leona were planning to fight here alone at first ......."


    With Mr. Farga there, it would be three people to be exact, but it would still be reckless.


    Don''t tell me that Mr. Farga knew we were coming?¡¡......It''s possible, he could have been waiting for us beforehand.


    "You two are too stubborn. You should have relied a little on us who are close to you, but you say that you are the only one who can do it all,...... and Leona has been pushing herself even harder than Norn,......."


    The maid is so angry that you can almost hear her onomatopoeia. But her anger was also purely out of concern for Lady Norn and Leona.


    ......Leona is pushing herself too hard, huh?


    Maybe it has something to do with the fact that yesterday Mr. Farga called her "Leona the Brave". Why did Ms. Leona, who has the title of "brave", call Ms. Karon "who was supposed to be brave"? ......It''s a topic that I, as an outsider, can''t carelessly get into, but...... ...... hmmm.


    "Oh, yes!¡¡I was going to ask you something next time I see you!"


    "Yes?¡¡What is it?


    Seeing me groaning in annoyance, the maid, perhaps remembering something, starts to talk to me.


    She nodded and pulled out a piece of paper from her skirt pocket with a smile on her face.


    It was a slightly brownish paper.


    It was filled with writing, and in the middle of it, in large letters, there was a big ...... something ...... .......


    ......This is ......!


    This "article", which could not be mistaken for anything else, made a big impact on my mind,


    "Hey, I''m feeling a little sick, so why don''t you go to your room and ......?"


    I grasped the situation with a speed that even Amako''s precognition magic could not match, and tried to retreat, but at the same time my body was bound by a binding spell that Nair had invoked on my shoulders.


    Suddenly my body is immobilized, and I stiffen, unable to break the binding spell due to my agitation.


    "Let''s listen to me a little more! Hey, Usatoh!"


    "Ne, neaaa...... you betrayed us, ......!"


    "What?¡¡What are you talking about?¡¡What do you want to ask the maid, Usato?"


    Over my shoulder, I see a burly-looking owl.


    The maid tilts her head at our exchange, but at a word from Nea, her smile returns to her face and she shows me a carefully folded piece of paper.


    "I found this this morning!¡¡This is about you, isn''t it, Usato-sama!¡¡The healing magician who promised the hero a future!¡¡The portrait was totally different, but I''m very interested in it!"


    The maid''s words, which showed no hint of evil intentions, pierced deeply into my soul.


    She showed me the article about my senior and me.


    I was so shocked and embarrassed that my face repeatedly turned blue and red.


    "Hahaha ......, it''s just a rumor. There''s no way that I''m a match for a brave man.


    "...... hmmm. I see. ...... Let''s put it that way."


    I barely managed to fake it, but the maid still stared at me with suspicious eyes, and the next moment she was smiling again, carefully putting away the article in her hand.


    Did you manage to fool me ......?


    It''s just like you to attack me directly from a faraway place. .......


    And there''s even a strange rumor about us having "pledged our future to each other" or something!


    What is this, already known all over the continent?¡¡I''m so embarrassed I''m tempted to roll around on the spot!


    I wonder what my senpai in the distant place thinks about this article.


    I parted from the maid after exchanging a few words with her, and with a small sigh, I walked down the passageway illuminated by the lights of the magic tools.

 119 - - The hundredth.

    It was my fourth day in Mearaq.


    It was my third day of training and I was having a mock battle with Leona.


    The day before yesterday, Leona and I had been fighting as seriously as possible, but yesterday''s simulation was different from the one the day before yesterday.


    "Eyes!¡¡Usato!


    Yes!


    What we''re doing is training her to perform a series of evasive and offensive moves.


    I avoid Leona''s sword with minimal movement.


    In return, I stop my attacks without hitting Leona, and repeat it over and over again.


    It would be easier to understand if I say that it is as if I am being trained directly into my body to avoid the next attack, instead of being conscious of the exaggerated evasion as I usually do.


    "---"


    But this is surprisingly difficult, and the moment I think about the next attack, a wooden sword swung sideways grazes my temple.


    He clucks his tongue and avoids the next slash by taking a half step to the side.


    There is no need to avoid it too far. I watch not only the movement of the sword, but all of Leona''s movements, anticipating her next action and avoiding it with the minimum of movement.


    I remember the time when I was fighting against Mr. Alc who was controlled by Nair.


    At that time, I dared to see off his attack and bounced it off with my cuirass so as not to hurt him, but this time, I guess this fighting style is a development of that.


    "......, though!"


    In this training, I have two restrictions.


    One is that I am not allowed to flick Leona''s sword with my fist, and the other is that I am not allowed to step out of a circle with a radius of about one meter below my feet.


    The first one was not so tight, but the second one was more difficult than I imagined to avoid Leona''s attack in a narrow space.


    In fact, until I got used to it, I was getting hit with bokosuka (wooden swords), causing countless bumps that I had to heal with healing magic.


    "There ......!"


    I avoided Leona''s sword several times and stepped lightly into her bosom with minimal movement, making my fist stop just short of her abdomen.


    After a few seconds of silence, we both lowered our swords and fists and relaxed.


    "Well done, I guess."


    "...... No, not at all."


    Leona looked troubled at my words.


    "Don''t be so disappointed. I, for one, continue to be amazed at your physical prowess. As you may have noticed, I''ve been trying to mislead you with occasional feints, but ...... you''re a ...... guy."


    "Yes?"


    "Yes?" "I was afraid that you would respond to all my feints."


    Fe...feints?


    I didn''t even notice.


    I thought he was moving in a way that he was trying to be obtrusive, but I didn''t realize he was doing it unconsciously.


    Your "eye" is really amazing. I must be putting you through some pretty crazy training, but when it comes to ...... avoidance, you''ve already got plenty of it."


    "Ha-ha-ha, that''s it, isn''t it? It''s thanks to my teacher."


    Of course, you''d get better at avoidance after such Spartan-like training.


    I remember the hellish training days when Rose beat me endlessly and made me learn evasion before I left for the journey to deliver the letter: .......


    At the time, I wondered if such reckless training would help me.¡¡But after the trip, I realized how much Rose''s training helped me.


    ......Well, I got beat up a lot.


    "Usato, are you okay?¡¡Did I hurt you by any chance?¡¡Do you want me to take you to the infirmary?"


    "......?¡¡Oh, I''m quite all right. I was just remembering my training days with my master.


    "I see. ...... how fierce were your training days with your master? ....... No, a woman who exudes such pressure. It must have been far beyond my imagination. ......"


    Leona is looking at my face and pulling away.


    I feel sad that I am used to this reaction.


    "I guess the training is going well. The foundation has been laid, so you learn quickly.


    "What''s next?"


    Same as before. We''re going to make your body remember today''s moves. It will make your movements faster and less wasteful.


    Training to reduce waste, huh?


    If you think about it, the less you spend on avoidance, the less you waste your magic and energy. This may be an effective training in that aspect as well.


    "But first, let''s take a short break..."


    "Oh, I''m fine.


    There''s still an hour or so before lunch, and I''ve got plenty of time to spare physically.


    Besides, ALC will be watching our training in the afternoon, and I''d like to do what I can while I still can. .......


    But Leona shakes her head.


    "Since yesterday you have been training from morning till night, haven''t you?¡¡Even though you have healing magic and extraordinary physical strength, you must not overdo it. If you are too tense, you will not be able to do what you can do.


    I nodded my head, somewhat understanding Leona''s last words.


    She has a point.


    Maybe she''s a little impatient. .......


    I relaxed my shoulders and turned to Leona.


    "Well, is it okay if I go and have a look around the city?"


    "Sure, why not?¡¡There is no one in town right now. ......


    "I was just wondering if I could go for a walk with the blue grizzly ...... blue grizzly for a bit."


    "With the Blue Grizzly ......"


    Leona''s expression is a mixture of bewilderment and curiosity as she recalls the sight of Bulrin, who is currently coasting in the stables of Mearaq.


    Perhaps, as a knight of Mearrak, she knows what kind of a monster the blue grizzly is, and that''s why she is interested in Bulrin, a self-defeating bear who has forgotten his wildness.


    "Usato."


    "Yes?"


    As I was contemplating this, Leona-san looked back at me as if she had made up her mind and called out to me.


    "Would you mind if I accompany you?¡¡If you don''t mind, I can at least give you some directions. ......"


    "That''s totally fine. I would rather not have to worry about getting lost.


    Besides, you can learn about the city of Mearaq, even though there are no people there.


    I nodded at Leona''s offer and moved with her toward the stables where Bulrin was staying.


    Inside the stables, there was a sleeping Bulrin, curled up like a Marimo, and when he noticed that I was nearby, he turned his sleepy eyes toward me and stretched out his head.


    "Hey, Bulleen. I''m going for a walk. Wake up!"


    "guffaw......"


    "Hey, hey, hey, ......"


    You''ll be coasting too much: .......


    I''m going to have to get him out of there.


    I shook his huge blue body, forcing him to wake up, and he shook me, his eyes glazed over, and then he came around behind me and jumped on my back.


    "Whoa!¡¡You''re getting heavy!"


    I was thinking about putting him on a diet, when he, who had gained more weight than before, tapped me on the shoulder with his paw with a big sigh, completely putting all of his weight on me.


    I wondered if he was telling me that if I wanted to take him out, I should take him out on my back.


    "Guu......"


    "......You can''t help it, at all. I''ll put you down when you wake up, okay?¡¡......Yo!"


    I nodded sleepily, and I carried him on my back out of the stables.


    Leona was waiting for me outside the stables and let out a little scream when she saw me and Bulrin.


    "What?¡¡Why are you carrying Blue Gris ...... on your back?


    "No, he still looked sleepy.


    "That sounds like an answer, but it''s not!¡¡I mean, aren''t you heavy?


    "I''m used to it. Let''s go.


    "Uh, ah, ah ......?"


    She looks at me and Brulin alternately and walks out of the castle with Leona, who is looking at her with a hundred faces.


    As usual, the streets of Mearaq are deserted and empty.


    "It''s so quiet, isn''t it?"


    "Yeah."


    Leona looked at the city of Mearaq and nodded her head mysteriously.


    "This place used to be crowded with many people, ...... but now it has become so deserted that not a shadow of it can be seen. As someone who lives here, I wish you could have seen the real city of Mearaq."


    "I would have liked to have seen it if I could have ....... I also wanted to try the fish dish that Mialak is said to be famous for."


    "Hmph. ......"


    Leona smiles at my words.


    We walk around Mialak for a while, listening to Leona''s guide.


    When I came here, I didn''t have time to see the city after Mr. Karon attacked me, but I guessed that this place must be a rich and prosperous place with many people.


    The benefits of Mearaq''s abundant fishery resources must be immeasurable.


    "Gululu".


    "It looks like Bulrin wanted to eat Mialak''s fish, too."


    Even Bulrin, on his back, is smiling and snarling ruefully.


    Leona-san let out a funny laugh at my smiling at him.


    "I''m sorry. It''s funny, but you look so natural with the burin on your back."


    "Nature...... well, yes. In the Kingdom of Lingle and in Lucvis, they were running with bullring on their backs.


    "Oh, yeah?¡¡I thought today was the first time. ......"


    The first time was when Rose told me to get used to running with someone on my back.


    I don''t feel too bad about it, since I have my whole back covered with fluffy stuff.


    "I thought I had been a knight for a long time, but I''ve never seen anyone who has such a heart to heart with demons as you do. From what I''ve heard, you haven''t even made a contract with a demon?


    "If anything, it''s Nair who''s the messenger. It''s more like Nair is the messenger.


    "Her. I heard from Mr. Farga that she is a mixture of a vampire and a necromancer. ...... Is it unheard of for a humanoid demon to voluntarily make a contract with a human?"


    Master Farga knew about Nair''s race.


    But now that you mention it again Leona, it has been a strange journey indeed. Instead of making a contract with Bulrin, who is supposed to be a demon, she was almost forced to make a contract with Nair.


    No, seriously, it''s not normal. .......


    "You have surprised me many times since we first met. When I first met you, I thought you were a child, but when I opened my eyes, I found a series of things that were so out of the ordinary. ......"


    What is normal for me, must be full of surprises for Leona and Lady Norn.


    It may be that I myself am from a different world and have different common sense, or it may be that my life in the other world so far has been a little different from others.


    "The most surprising of all was that you defeated the same divine dragon as Falga-sama."


    "You mean the evil dragon?"


    "Yes, though its existence was hidden from me until the day I met you. ....... I learned more about the evil dragon from Mr. Farga and found it to be truly terrifying.


    Every time I think of the evil dragon, I wish I never had to fight it again.


    It was such an evil, malevolent monster.


    "I''m sure I won''t be able to fight in front of that evil dragon.


    Leona''s words stopped my thoughts for a moment.


    Leona-san will not be able to fight in front of the evil dragon?


    What does that mean? Looking at her strength, she should be capable enough to stop the evil dragon, even if she can''t make a decisive move against it.


    I talk to Leona, who is smiling awkwardly with a somber look on her face.


    "Oh no, if Leona-san can fight with Karon-san, she can ......."


    "It''s not a question of whether you can fight or not. I''m not as strong as you think I am. No matter who wants me, no matter who adores me, no matter how much ...... they expect me to be, I am weak, as fragile and shattered as ice ......."


    To be honest, I was somewhat aware that Leona was troubled.


    But I still want to say this. It''s heavy, it''s heavy,...... Leona,.......


    That''s not what you should be talking to me about. It''s not for me. It''s for the maids and the Norns.


    "I can fight because I am the only one who can. The title of hero was also chosen for me by accident, perhaps because the best knight, Kalon, went out of control. ......"


    "Master Norn would not have chosen you to be a hero for such a crude reason."


    "Yes, I know. I know. ...... I know."


    Leona says the words as if to herself.


    I cannot face her as she walks next to me. I don''t know what to say to her.


    "...... mind if we take a little detour?"


    "What?¡¡Yes, but where?


    After a moment of silence, I nodded to Leona who asked me that.


    She changed her destination and headed for the gate we had entered when we first came to this city. Leona silently walks out of the city through the gate.


    I followed her with Bulrin on my back, and beyond that I saw the wards that Norn-sama had made and the pure white silver world.


    "...... you''re still frozen."


    Water surface around the frozen city of Mearaq.


    The water reflected the sun''s rays, creating a fantastic scene, but at the center of the scene was a long-haired man with a naked upper body who stood erect and did not move, Mr. Karon, who radiated an unusual presence.


    Mr. Karon, who was standing at the center of the scene, was standing erect and motionless, his upper body naked and long-haired.


    "Bulrin, you want to get off?"


    "guffaw......"


    He puts down the snarling Bulrin on his back and looks at Mr. Karon, who is standing on the ice again.


    "What is he doing now?"


    "He''s sleeping. Or, to be more precise, he is stopped.


    He has not moved an inch with his eyes closed.


    His face is calm, not the ferociousness he showed when we met a few days ago.


    "He suppresses his power like that when he is not fighting. In addition, when he is in that state, he maintains a space where the power of the ice can be fully exerted by pouring his magical power into the surrounding ice."


    Is there such a secret that the ice doesn''t melt? .......


    I had assumed that it would melt someday, but this means that Mialark won''t even be able to move his ship unless we defeat him.


    "And if he finds out now?"


    "If he finds out now, he''ll come at us. He only attacks those who enter his icy domain. Mearrak is no exception. If it were not for Master Norn''s warding, this place would have been destroyed by now.


    "......"


    If Master Norn falls, will Mr. Karon come to attack us immediately?


    But is the only reason to attack this place because of the presence of people?¡¡I know it''s not very nice to say, but he should be able to leave Mearaq and run wild, but he is stubbornly staying here and targeting Mearaq.


    It''s as if there is something in Mialak that attracts him. ----


    "No. ......"


    Let''s not be so coy.


    Either way, we must stop Mr. Karon for the sake of the people of Mearaq and Nair, that is a given.


    I stopped thinking and looked at Mr. Karon who was standing there silently.


    "Karon is my fellow knight," she said.


    "What?¡¡Is that so?"


    "Oh, yeah. We see each other a lot.


    I knew that we knew each other because we were knights, but we were in the same class.


    Maybe they were more or less acquainted with each other.


    "He was the best knight who tried to do good for others and be strong for his people."


    He was an amazing man.


    "He had a funny personality, too. He was a nice young man, well-liked by all. It''s not like me to say it, but ...... he was the ideal knight that everyone thought he was."


    I wonder if his personality is similar to Kazuki''s. If so, he seems to have a pleasant personality.


    Leona''s bitter expression turns into a troubled smile when she talks about Mr. Karon.


    "And he was a winner in life, too, you know?¡¡He was my classmate and he was already married.


    "Well, when you say we''re in the same class, you mean we''re ...... around 20 years old, right?"


    Is it not unusual for a 20 year old to be in the same room with a 20 year old?


    I don''t know what the standard is in this world, but it doesn''t change the fact that I''m young.


    "So, Mr. Karon''s wife is ......?"


    "She was safely evacuated to a neighboring country. But with her husband, Kalon, in such a state, I don''t think she can be assured. ......"


    ...... do they know each other?


    From the tone of voice, it could be taken that way,...... but I''d rather not ask because I''m sorry to offend you by asking you something so inept.


    I am sure Mr. Karon''s wife wishes him well.


    I know from Leona''s story that he is not a bad guy, even though he is out of control now.


    "Then we should help him too, for the sake of Mr. Karon''s wife."


    "...... is ......"


    "?¡¡What''s wrong?"


    No, I''m sorry. I just thought your straight talk is very ...... pleasing to me."


    Leona smiles without power.


    I did not know how much emotion was put into those words.


    But considering the part of anguish that Leona-san showed and the fact that Mr. Karon has someone waiting for his return, her mission as a hero to save Mearaak and her current situation where she has to save Mr. Karon must be a painful one.


    "Shall we go back now?"


    "...... yes."


    Leona looked at the sun rising above us, nodded at her words, and walked with Bulrin along the path we had originally taken.


    "......"


    Before returning, he glances once at the place where Mr. Karon is.


    He was standing alone on the vast expanse of ice, not a trace of the roughness he had displayed when he was fighting me.


    "Gwah!"


    "Hmm? Yeah, let''s go."


    Bulrin urged me to turn around and head toward the castle.


    Can I stop Mr. Karon?


    I had a vague doubt in my mind as I looked at Mr. Karon, and with a slight frown on my face, I followed Leona''s back, who looked somewhat forlorn.

 120 - - The 11th

    The night of the day I strolled the streets of Mearaq with Bullein on my back.


    After the afternoon training with Mr. Aruk, I rested myself on the sofa in the center of my room and thought about today''s training.


    My training is going well.


    The evasion that I had practiced with Leona was not so difficult since I had already established the foundation for it. However, it takes a lot of time to correct my posture and fighting style during battle, and I will not be able to learn it overnight.


    For sure, you will not be ready by the time you fight with Mr. Karon.


    Up to now, my body has been able to follow the movements I imagined in my mind, but when the technical aspect is added to this image, the difficulty will increase dramatically.


    In the long run, we are making good progress, but it is almost impossible to learn in a short period of time.


    Let''s not be too hasty in our training.


    "Now, we need to strengthen our lineage.


    After seeing Leona''s lineage enhancement, I was reevaluating my own lineage enhancement.


    I had been practicing for a long time since I left the Kingdom of Lingle, and I had become much more stable in the past few months.


    I was able to keep my magic power in a dense state, and my hands were no longer covered with scratches.


    "I''m almost finished, I should be ......"


    But I was not aware that this was an enhancement of the healing magic system.


    Something was different.


    My healing magic is not the beautiful green healing magic like Olga''s that I saw at the clinic in the Kingdom of Lingle. The color is much closer, but something is missing (???????).


    I light the light of healing magic in my palm and stare at it.


    "I asked Leona-san about it, but she didn''t give me an answer.


    Today, I asked Leona about lineage enhancement.


    When she saw my inexperienced training, she was depressed and said "I''m going to lose my confidence ......", but when I asked her how she practiced training, her face turned blue.


    >


    It doesn''t matter at this point that Leona''s straightforward words made me a little depressed.


    According to her, strengthening one''s lineage is something to be learned with utmost care, not something to be practiced forcibly with the help of healing magic effects like I do.


    To tell you the truth, it''s a little too late for that, I said with a wry smile, and Leona gave me a look as if she was looking at something unidentifiable.


    In the end, Leona did not know what she was missing when she saw my enhanced lineage of healing magic. In fact, from her point of view, my enhancement of my lineage is almost (...) working, but I am not convinced.


    "......I''m still far from being on my own."


    In my mind''s eye, I see my mentor in the Kingdom of Lingle.


    I am only half a member of the group to Rose, and I have yet to become her ideal healing wizard.


    Recognizing and acknowledging this fact once again, I raise myself from the sofa and give her a hard slap on the cheek.


    I have to work harder!


    It''s not like me to be weak.


    If there''s one thing I''ve learned at the Lifeguard Corps, it''s to stay positive.


    I have survived my training with the paradoxical idea that there is peace after hell, and this level of adversity is nothing to me.


    "I think Usato is trying too hard. ......"


    "Hm?"


    A voice from behind startles you.


    I turn around to see Amako standing in front of the door behind me with a dazed look on her face.


    "You startled me, didn''t you? You should have at least knocked. ......


    I did. It was Usato who didn''t notice.


    You were so absorbed in your thoughts that you didn''t notice the knocking.


    Anyway, he gets up from the sofa and lets Amako into the room.


    "So, what''s going on?"


    "I was a little worried because I thought you were acting a little strange ...... but you seem to be all right now."


    I''m sorry I made you worry.


    Amako sits in her chair as she did the other day, and I am a little glad to hear her say that.


    Well, nothing can start if you keep worrying. I just decided to do what I can do for now. Like working out."


    "I''m not sure why you work out when you''re just trying to do what you can. ...... but yes, that''s typical of Usato."


    "What do you mean by ''just like me''? ......"


    I wonder what kind of perception Amako has of me.


    Laughing awkwardly and swallowing down the question that was about to come out of my throat, I turn the conversation to another topic and we engage in conversation.


    Amako seemed to have come to check on me, and when she realized that I wasn''t worried, she relaxed her shoulders and made some casual chitchat with me.


    "So, Leona, are you all right?"


    Amako asked me unexpectedly during our conversation.


    Her eyes widened at the unexpected question, and I asked her what the question really meant.


    "Are you okay?"


    "She seems to be having a hard time too. ......"


    Oh, tough.


    He''s certainly been plagued with a lot of problems.


    About Mr. Karon, about the brave man, and ...... she is suffering more than I think.


    "Falga-sama said that Leona will be killed by Kalon if things continue as they are, I don''t know what''s wrong with her now, but I think it''s something that shouldn''t be ...... ignored."


    "......"


    I remember the warning that Miss Falga gave to Leona in the basement of the castle.


    "You are a knight who depends on others for the meaning of his existence and cannot affirm himself. You must understand that if you cannot acknowledge your own existence, you will die a horrible death.


    A deep, haunting voice.


    A knight who cannot affirm himself.


    I''m sure that''s Leona who can''t admit she''s brave. .......


    "...... I don''t think I can do anything about it."


    I am a healing wizard, and I do not have the power to solve people''s problems or heal their wounds.


    For some reason, I am often asked for such advice and stories in my travels, but I have never been able to solve them with my own agenda.


    "I don''t think you have to try."


    "What?"


    I couldn''t help but ask back at Amako''s words.


    "Usato is best as he is."


    "Amako ......"


    I should just be me.


    I felt as if he had said this to me in words, and I was somewhat moved.


    I see, I am the best as I am. .......


    "Usato may be thoughtless, insensitive, and a little bit insensitive, but that''s the good part as well as the bad part of him.


    "You''re ruining it!"


    What''s the good part?


    How can you find the good in the words "thoughtless, insensitive, and insensitive"?


    You said the other day that I''m insensitive, but you added thoughtlessness and insensitivity to that!


    "?"?"


    "Yes. Why do you look so curious there ......?"


    Amako''s expression twitches as she looks at me shivering and wondering. I wonder if she has already decided that I am an unthinking, insensitive and insensitive man.


    I have to explain to her and change her perception of me. .......


    I cough deliberately and turn to Amako to start a conversation.


    Just then, however, there is a light tap on the door of my room.


    Who could it be, ......Nea or Mr. Alc at this hour?


    "Are you there, Usato-sama?


    the maid''s voice.


    I open the door, startled by her panicked voice, which is out of character for her calm personality.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Oh my God!


    At the other end of the door, I see a maid who is a little out of breath.


    What in the world could be so serious?


    What is the matter? Is something terrible happening?¡¡But I don''t hear anything from outside. .............


    Despite my confusion, she took a small deep breath, calmed down, took my hand and came closer to me.


    "No, no, no......"


    "Go on?"


    Is he going to ride something?


    I tilted my head at the out-of-breath maid''s words.


    "Master Norn has collapsed!"


    What?


    The Queen of Mialark, Master Norn, has collapsed.


    The collapse of Master Norn means that the wards that have protected Mialark from Mr. Karon until now will disappear.


    If the wards disappear, Mr. Karon will come here.


    If that happens, we will have to fight a decisive battle unprepared.


    Having come to this understanding, I asked the maid to guide me to the place where Master Norn was.


    I asked the maid to lead me to the place where Master Norn was.


    When Amako and I learned that Lady Norn had collapsed, we rushed with the maid toward the hall where she had collapsed.


    I should have called Leona, but the time was critical, so I went to help her as soon as I could, but...,


    "You know what, you''re overreacting just because you fell down. ......"


    When we arrived at the hall, we found Master Norn holding his forehead with a stunned expression on his face.


    I had heard that he had collapsed, and I had been surprised to see him sitting on his throne with a carefree expression on his face, as I had thought he was in a critical condition.


    "I''m glad you''re worried about me, but could you at least listen to what I have to say? ....... I mean, I fell down, but I only stumbled a little, and you''ve already turned bloody and called for help ......."


    "I''m sorry, too. ......"


    As it turned out, the maid was mistaken when she said that Master Norn had fallen down.


    The maid, who happened to see the scene, misunderstood that Norn-sama had fallen down due to overwork, and hurriedly called me, a healing magician, for help.


    "I apologize for the trouble, Usato-san and Amako-san."


    "No, I am more relieved to hear that Norn-sama is all right."


    "I don''t mind either."


    The maid bows deeply and Amako and I wave our hands to the side. We had expected the worst, so we were glad that she was safe, even if it was a wasted effort.


    Besides, even though she tripped and fell down, she has been maintaining the warding for days without sleep or rest. It doesn''t mean that she just stumbled by carelessness.


    In fact, Norn-sama looks pale.


    Her healing magic should have cured her of her physical problems, but she looks somewhat gaunt. It is not because of his physical condition, but because of his mental exhaustion that he looks so thin.


    I think I should put a healing spell on her at ....... It would only be a consolation.


    "Norn-sama, shall I cast a healing spell on him?¡¡I can heal you if you are only physically tired. ......"


    "......, right. May I ask you for a favor?"


    Norn-sama gave his hand to me with slow movements.


    I touched his hand as roughly as possible and applied healing magic to him. The green light of the healing magic enveloped her body and healed her tired body.


    Master Norn, whose complexion had improved somewhat by the healing magic, opened his mouth somewhat awkwardly when he saw the maid still looking worried.


    "You can go back to your work now. I''m fine, I mean, I''m sorry for worrying you.


    "!¡¡Yes!"


    The maid replied with a smile, bowed politely, and walked out of the hall rather quickly.


    After seeing her back silently off, Master Norn spoke to me standing beside her as if muttering to himself.


    "She does most of the work in this castle."


    "...... most of it, sir?"


    "Not all of them, of course, but they certainly do the minimum necessary to keep the castle running. Besides ...... her, everyone who has stayed behind in the castle has been there for me when I tried to defend the country alone."


    I tried to protect my country alone.


    I can''t even imagine how determined he was.


    It is no small feat of strength to spare no time for sleep and to continue defending our country even now.


    "I didn''t want them to stay in the castle. Or Leona, for that matter."


    "You were going to fight alone?"


    "I knew better than anyone that it was impossible. I am not a fighter, no matter how well I can use the magical tools that Falga-sama gave me. I couldn''t hold a sword or a spear, so I had no choice but to simply create a ward here and continue to maintain the status quo. ......"


    Looking at the staff in her hand, Lady Norn smiles a self-mocking smile.


    Her shoulders slumped, and she let out a listless sigh, leaning back further against her throne.


    She looked more like an ordinary woman than a queen.


    "If this is what it''s going to be like, I should have studied harder or practiced swordplay a little more. I didn''t think I''d regret not taking the castle''s super tedious education later on!"


    "Yeah, yeah. ......"


    I don''t know how to answer you like a student before an exam like that.


    I''m more troubled by the fact that I can sympathize with them as a former high school student.


    "At that time, I didn''t really know what it was like to be a queen, but when I became one, I was forced to understand ...... whether I wanted to or not."


    What?


    I have to protect everyone. It''s like they say, when you change your position, you change your mind. I became queen half-heartedly, but when I saw the city of Mearaq from the castle, I finally realized the weight of my role as queen.


    "The weight of the role ......"


    I have had a similar experience, though from a different perspective.


    When I was a member of the lifeguard squadron, the burden of the lives of the knights fighting on the battlefield rested on my shoulders.


    I am sure that Norn-sama is in such a situation now.


    "I was informed about Lady Falga only after I became queen.


    "Oh, really?"


    Yes, that''s right. The existence of the Lady Farga is revealed only to the queen and those of special status. It is impossible for you, who are from another country, to meet him.


    Certainly, a dragon with power equal to that of an evil dragon deserves to be kept in secrecy.


    "When I first heard Master Farga''s voice, I thought I had lost my mind. I was resting on my throne, just as I am now, when out of nowhere I heard a voice saying, .


    "Ha-ha-ha, that''s a surprise."


    Out of nowhere? Does it sound like it''s echoing in your head?


    Whatever it sounds like, anyone would be surprised to hear voices like the ones I heard in the basement.


    "But I''ve made it this far thanks to Falga''s help. Whenever I felt like I was losing my mind while maintaining the wards, Falga would always call out to me, and I would later realize that all the harsh words she said to me were said for my sake.


    ...... convinced me a little.


    I wonder how Master Norn was able to keep the wards in place until I came here.


    Even potions have their limits. But still, she was able to keep it up because Master Farga was helping her.


    "Usato, that''s enough. Thank you."


    Yes, how are you doing?


    "I''m much better now, thanks to you."


    I nodded at Master Norn''s words with a thin smile and let go of her hand.


    Although I have only cured her of her physical fatigue, some of the brightness has returned to her face.


    "I''ve made you complain a little, haven''t I?


    "No, no, no, I was thinking about some things myself, and on the contrary, I was worried about whether I was the right person for you to talk to.


    "No, it''s not like that. Your healing magic is one thing, but just talking to you like this is helping me a lot.


    Now that Norn-sama is doing his best to maintain the wards, the least I can do is to cast healing magic on him, or at least talk to him.


    I''m glad it helped.


    "Well, Amako, I think it''s time to go back to my room."


    "Yeah, I''m getting sleepy too."


    Amako and I look at each other and exchange words.


    I think to myself, "I''m going to sleep for tomorrow," and as I''m about to say goodbye to Master Norn, I notice that she is looking at me and Amako.


    Why are you traveling with your beast girlfriend?


    "With Amako?"


    Suddenly, Master Norn asked me such a question.


    I growl at his words, and I wonder what he was thinking, for a startled look appears on his face.


    "Don''t be offended, I''m genuinely interested in the fact that a beastman is traveling together with a human being.


    "Oh, that''s what you mean."


    Certainly, a normal person would question the fact that Amako, a beast, and I are working together.


    "Hmmm, Amako..."


    "Okay, I''ll talk to him."


    Amako decided that it was okay to talk, so I told Master Norn that one of the purposes of our trip was "to go to the land of the beastmen to help Amako''s mother".


    When Norn-sama heard the purpose of our trip, he rolled his eyes in surprise, and a troubled look appeared on his face.


    "The land of the beastmen. ....... I understand, but I wouldn''t recommend it.


    "Is it too dangerous for me, a human, to go there?"


    "That''s one thing, but the beasts are acting strangely these days."


    Mearaq is the closest human country to the land of the beastmen.


    The words of Master Norn, the ruler of such a place, made me a little uneasy.


    "What do you mean it''s strange?"


    "The beasts that never left their own lands before have suddenly started to appear before humans.


    "Suddenly ......?¡¡You mean they showed up in a place where people live?"


    "They didn''t seem to interfere with us that much, but there were reports that they were looking for something."


    They were looking for something?


    If they were going to operate in human territory, knowing the risk of being caught by bandits or slavers, weren''t they looking for ...... something more?


    I crossed my arms and was deep in thought when Amako took my free hand in hers and brought me back to myself.


    I was a little surprised and looked at Amako, because it was rare for her to hold my hand, although she often pulls the hem of my clothes.


    "What''s wrong Amako...... Amako?"


    "......"


    There was Amako, lying on her face, holding my hand.


    I guess he didn''t hold my hand because he was sleepy ....... His shoulders are shaking, and more than anything, his hand is tight in my hand.


    Could it be that the beasts were looking for--


    "...... No."


    Now it''s about Amaco.


    It might not be a good idea for her to talk about the land of the beastmen.


    "Master Norn."


    Wait a minute.


    "What?"


    I was about to end the conversation for Amako''s sake when Master Norn pressed his temples.


    She closed her eyes and fell silent, nodding her head in agreement with what someone was saying. She was probably listening to what Mr. Farga had to say.


    She opened her eyes, looked at me with a serious expression and opened her mouth.


    "......usato. Falga-sama says that your armor is finished."


    "......!?"


    Norn-sama''s lowered voice startled me.


    The small sword of a brave man that I gave to Master Farga has returned as my own personal armor.


    I wonder what shape it will take,


    What kind of power does it hold?


    Thinking about it once again, I felt more anxiety than anticipation.

 121 - - The twelfth.

    My armor is complete.


    When Amako and I heard the news from Mr. Farga, we first went to call for Mr. Aruku and Nair, who were resting in their room. Mr. Alc was awake, but Nair did not come out even though we knocked on the door of his room.


    I turned the doorknob and found the door unlocked, so I went in to find her lying on her bed with all her limbs thrown out.


    I was disgusted by her carelessness and decided that it would be difficult to wake her up in this state, so I covered her with the bedclothes and left the room.


    In the end, the three of us (me, Amako, and Aruk-san) came back to the hall where the throne was located.


    The only person waiting for us in the throne room was Norn. Where is Leona?¡¡I asked her if Leona was waiting for him, and she said that she had already gone to see Falga.


    We headed for the basement as soon as we arrived at the hall.


    We stand on the floor in the center of the hall and go down to the basement like an elevator. When we arrived at the basement in a few minutes, we saw the large body of Mr. Farga and Ms. Leona standing in front of him.


    Was they talking about something?


    Master Farga took one look at us as we came down to the basement, let out a deep sigh, which was not like him, and spoke to Leona, who was slightly downcast.


    "Leona. Don''t forget what I just told you. If that''s what you want to do, go ahead. But understand that it is an abhorrent practice."


    "...... Yes."


    She bowed silently and looked back at me, seemingly a little overwhelmed.


    Perhaps Norn-sama thought the same thing as I did, but he approached Leona with a worried expression on his face.


    "Leona, what were you talking to Mr. Farga about?"


    "About the next battle with Kalon. She was scolding me for saying something unworthy of her earlier. Don''t worry, it won''t affect what we are going to talk about.


    "...... so."


    About the battle with Mr. Karon, huh?


    I''m sure he''s not lying, but it''s still a little bit tricky.


    Norn-sama doesn''t seem to be able to explain anything either. .......


    "We have been waiting for you, Usato.


    "Sorry to keep you waiting. So, I heard you finished my armor. ......"


    Not exactly finished, but one step closer. It is you who will complete it."


    Me?


    Don''t tell me this is going to be technical?


    Pointing at myself in surprise, Mr. Farga continues to speak.


    Don''t worry, what you have to do is not so difficult. The important thing is to have a clear intention. What kind of power you seek, and how you will handle it, will be the core of your desire that will give form to your armor.


    A silver sphere flies out from Mr. Farga''s mouth and floats around him.


    Perhaps that was the small sword of the brave I had given him.


    The sphere stopped in front of Farga, and then it came in front of me. I received it with my right palm and felt a strange sensation from the sphere, which had no definite shape.


    "I wonder what my armor will look like. ...... What do you think Amako will look like?"


    "A club, a mallet, a morningstar, an iron ball."


    "Can you tell me why it''s a blunt instrument?¡¡Okay?"


    Now I know what kind of image Amako has of me.


    I think I''d fit right in with the blunt objects, but I''m not savage enough to have that image of me.


    "Ha-ha-ha, Usato-dono seems to be good with shields and such.


    "I can also think of an armament that takes advantage of his agility: ....... Hmmm, Usato has so many possible candidates for armors, it''s hard to predict what he will come up with. ......"


    On the other hand, Leona and Aruk are serious about predicting my armor.


    In fact, I myself do not know exactly what kind of armor I want. I have an image, but I am not sure if it is the right armor for me.


    "Mr. Farga, after this ......"


    "Just remember. Just remember what you are, what you have been. Then my fragments will naturally take the form that best suits you."


    "My,path......"


    I meditate, feeling the presence of the sphere on my palm.


    The beginning of my path so far began on the day I was involved in Inukami-senpai''s and Kazuki''s summoning of the heroes.


    On the day I arrived in this world, I joined the lifeguard corps.


    Trained by Rose, I ran through the battlefield for the people fighting for the Kingdom of Lingle. As a member of the lifeguard corps, my deepest desire was to help those who were hurt, to prevent anyone from being saddened by someone''s death, to be recognized by Rose ......, and to help Inukami-senpai and Kazuki.


    In Lukvis, he met Nack.


    He was suffering from Mina''s abuse, and I pointed the way to the rescue squad. It was the same way that Rose told me what I should do in this world.


    The evil dragon we fought on our journey to Samaritan.


    The resurrection of the evil dragon, which was also the cause of this incident, was at one time a major event that almost put many lives in danger. In the end, Amako, Mr. Arc, and Bulrin joined forces to defeat the evil dragon, and the matter was resolved without the loss of any lives.


    And then, the curse of Samaritan.


    The Princess of Samaritan, Eva, struggled to destroy the curse that had been eating away at her body. All this was caused by a sorceress who had been seduced by the existence of a hero, but in the end it was resolved by freeing the souls of the people and the royal family of Samaria who were trapped by the curse and by restoring Eva''s stolen body.


    It was a long but short road.


    I was seriously injured, my spirit was almost destroyed, and my life in this other world was filled with so many ups and downs that it is hard to imagine, but strangely enough, I didn''t think it was hard.


    In any case, I met many people in this world.


    The countless connections I have made with people, just off the top of my head, are proof that my journey so far has not been in vain.


    So, I want to cherish those relationships.


    I don''t want the power to hurt someone or to defeat someone.


    I want the power to protect. The kind of power that can repel any threat as long as I can reach it.


    "......The sphere of Usato''s hand changes shape: ......"


    I open my closed eyes at the sound of Amako''s voice.


    The sphere on my palm was shining and flowing, covering me from my elbow to the end. I was strangely calm at what would normally have been a startling sight.


    After about ten seconds, the light that covered me from my elbow to the tip of my hand emitted a rainbow-colored light, and then dissipated into the air as if it had burst into flames. What remained on my arm was a silver basket hand.


    There were no fancy decorations other than the scale-like patterns of Falga, and there were almost no gaps, but I did not feel at all that it was difficult to move it.


    "This is my ......."


    It is more like an armor than a weapon, but in a way this shape was to be expected.


    I tried to rotate my wrists to test it out, but it was still much easier to move than it looked.


    "......As I thought, you are different from that young fellow, aren''t you?"


    "Mr. Farga?"


    Let''s see what you''ve got.


    Yes, sir.


    He shows his right hand to Falga-sama, who looks at him with deep emotion.


    His eyes showed a magical pattern, which brightly illuminated the hand.


    After staring at the hand for a few seconds, the expression on the face of Mr. Farga became slightly distorted. Is something wrong?¡¡Then, Farga-sama, who had erased the magic from his eyes, opened his big mouth and started to laugh.


    "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"


    "!?!!"


    "Lies!¡¡Falga-sama laughed!


    Not only us, but also Leona and Norn who knew him were astonished to see Farga-sama laughing so loudly that it echoed in the basement.


    Finally, after a while, Master Farga looks down at us and says in an amused voice, "I''m so happy!


    I''m sorry. It was so unexpected that I couldn''t hold it in. It''s been a long time since I''ve opened my big mouth and laughed. I thought my heart had withered away and that I would never laugh again, but you never know what might happen.


    "Oh, um, is something wrong ......?"


    Oh, no, I''ve made Shenlong laugh.


    The evil dragon was giggling vulgarly, but I didn''t think that I had not only surprised but also made Mr. Farga laugh.


    Could it be that this is not a good thing?


    As I was worried, Falga-sama pointed at my cage hand in a rather good mood.


    The baskets you have created are incomparably strong and impenetrable. High heat, cold air, and even magic cannot pass through it. Simply put, it''s just an incredibly hard basket hand. That''s all."


    "You said it so simply, didn''t you?


    "Normally, this armor would be branded as a piece of junk. That''s just as well. A basketsuke that is merely hard has too limited a use. But if you are the one to handle it, it''s a different story. Leona, you who fought Usato, you know what I''m talking about."


    Leona nodded mysteriously at the sound of Mr. Farga''s voice.


    "This is exactly the cage hand for you. If you are able to detect threats with your excellent kinetic vision and reflexes, and can repel powerful forces with your physical strength, you will be able to handle it more than adequately.


    ......I think I''m finally starting to understand my fighting style.


    This cage is not an offensive weapon, but a shield that repels the attack of the opponent.


    Being impervious to everything, it can grab even the blade of Mr. Karon''s cold-air-clad axe.


    Best of all, it can be integrated into these few days of training without a problem.


    "So, you mean to say that this is an invincible handbag that is impervious to everything?"


    "Of course not only that. You can try to put some magic power into the hand.


    "?¡¡Yes. ......!?"


    I put the healing magic into the cage hand as Farga-sama told me, and immediately understood the difference.


    The magic is more smoothly manipulated than before!


    I can make a healing magic bullet in less than a second, and I can put a considerable amount of healing magic in my palm.


    What''s that?¡¡Isn''t this something that can be done in various ways if we can devise some ways to manipulate the magic power?


    A bursting palm of healing magic for emergency evasion, or a random bullet of healing magic for group battles.


    I told you.¡¡A basket hand for you.


    "But isn''t this ...... plain?"


    "I''m not complaining, am I?"


    No, but...


    It''s just a hard basket hand that assists in the manipulation of magic.


    It''s just like me... I can only use healing magic.


    "Up until now, everyone to whom I have given a piece of my body has created powerful weapons. The young one is a pair of swords that contain and release all things. The runaway Kalon took hold of them and transformed them into an axe that freezes all things. And yet you have created a cage that is merely hard, with no offensive power at all. You can''t help but laugh at this."


    "Uh, uh, ......."


    "I''m not trying to put you down. In fact, I even admire you for the way you are. You have created a weapon to protect, not to harm, Kalon the dragon, and you are certainly qualified to possess my weapon.


    I don''t have that big of an idea to praise you for. .......


    It''s just that I didn''t have an image of myself as a strong force. .......


    "Well, even if I had a big weapon, it would be a waste of treasure, and I would probably hesitate to ...... use it. If that''s the case, I think it''s much better to hit like me. ......"


    "Yeah. Yes, that''s more like Usato."


    Oh, no, I dug my own grave.


    When I tried to insist that I had not done anything that would be praiseworthy, Amako caught me off guard.


    Moreover, she is standing by my side, tilting her head curiously at me as I falter in my statement.


    "I entrust you with a piece of me. It was originally the gift of a brave man, but now it belongs to you.


    "Yes."


    "Take my piece with you on your journey ahead. It will be a pleasure to see what happens to someone I recognize."


    Once I saw my own basket hand, I nodded clearly to Mr. Farga.


    Master Farga meditates with a satisfied look in his eyes and opens his mouth to us in a quiet voice.


    Then we are done talking. You can take the rest of the day off now.


    With these words, Mr. Farga ended the conversation.


    We followed his words and moved from the basement back to the surface ......, but I froze for a moment when I saw the basket hand on his right arm.


    Amako tilted her head at me after I had been silent for a few seconds looking at the hand.


    "Usato, what''s wrong?"


    "Sorry, I''ll be back in a minute."


    "What?


    I run back to Mr. Farga, who is about to return to the fountain.


    Amako and the others, worried about my condition, chase after me from behind, but I show Farga the basket hand on my right arm as he turns to look at me.


    "Um, ...... excuse me. How do you remove this?¡¡I don''t think it comes off normally. ......


    "I must say, you''re not tight, are you? ......"


    "Usato, that''s not going to happen. ......"


    I was worried about the basket hand that was almost one piece with the arm and what if it remained like this forever, but Mr. Farga and Amako behind me looked at me with dismay.

 122 - - The 13th.

    Just a hard basket hand.


    The completed armor had a performance that was too simple.


    It is not a weapon that can wreak havoc over a wide area, nor a weapon that can deliver a lethal blow to an opponent, but a protective armor.


    I feel bad that the weapon used by the heroes has turned out like this, but I liked this cage hand.


    On the morning of the day after I received the hand from Mr. Farga, I was having a mock battle with Mr. Aruku using the hand. A mock battle with Mr. Aruku, who wields flames.


    Moreover, this time I was fighting not with a wooden sword but with an iron sword with the blade smashed.


    He is able to show a technical fighting style with a sword covered with flames, and like Leona-san, he must be a natural enemy of mine.


    "Hu......!"


    Without clenching my fist, I let my right hand form a hand sword and thrust it in front of me, playing Aruk-san''s flaming sword with my right hand.


    He deflects the swing from above with his palm and catches the cleave with his arm.


    He feels no pain, no heat, no sensation at all in his popped hand. This way, I won''t be unable to use it due to the heat, like when I fought against Mr. Arc who was controlled by Nair.


    "So this is what this thing can do!"


    The left arm is always ready for a fist strike, while the right arm is used solely for defense.


    This was becoming my new way of fighting in this mock battle.


    "I knew you were hard ......!"


    I''m surprised too!


    Aruk-san also seemed to be surprised at the hardness of the baskets.


    As for me, the rest of my arms are hot, of course, but I''m not directly exposed to the flames, so it''s bearable at all.


    "That''s great!¡¡Usato-sama!


    "You too, Mr. Aruk!"


    However, unlike the previous fight, Aruk-san himself is not being controlled by anyone, and is able to fight at his best.


    When I tried to get into his pocket after repelling his attacks with my basket hand and seeing through the attacks that I could avoid, he easily pulled back and slashed at me with his sword as if he was trying to re-position himself.


    I was surprised at how skillful Aruk-san''s fighting style was that he did not step in more than necessary.


    "Can you avoid this!


    "Can you avoid it?


    As I flicked the sword with my fist, Aruk-san generated multiple magic bullets in his palm and threw them at me all at once.


    The wide-range magic bullets that Meena used in Lukvis!¡¡I wasn''t surprised that Aruk-san could also use them, but at such a short distance?


    "But!¡¡I have this!"


    This baskets are not only hard.


    Thanks to this cage which assists me in manipulating magic power, I have added a new technique to my healing magic.


    I put the magic power in my right palm and direct it to the approaching magic bullet.


    "Pop!"


    Hey!


    The compressed magic explodes from my palm, and all the magic bullets fired by Mr. Arc are detonated.


    This is the new healing magic Bursting Palm.


    As a result of trial and error, we came up with this technique which is both evasive and defensive at close range.


    I couldn''t use it until now due to various problems, but thanks to this cage hand, I can finally use it in actual battle.


    "Let''s go, Mr. Aruk!"


    What are you doing, Usato?


    "Whoa!¡¡Leona!


    As I was clearing away the dust with my right hand to continue the simulation, Leona came flying in from the side and grabbed me by both shoulders as hard as she could, her blood boiling.


    Aruk-san was also stunned with his sword at the ready, but Leona-san lifted up my right arm and checked if I was hurt.


    "What a dangerous use of magic power you are!¡¡You''re using your magical power in such a dangerous way!


    "Ah, yes. It''s okay. My right arm is unharmed by the basket hand.


    "You''re a ...... now, you know that?"


    Ah, Leona, who can handle lineage enhancement, has noticed the principle of my healing magic bursting palm. .......


    Leona-san, who looked indignant or puzzled by my words, was approached by Aruk-san, who had his sword in his hand.


    "Um, Leona-san. What did you do just now, Usato-dono?¡¡It looked to me as if he released a tremendous amount of magic power from his palm. ......"


    "Usato literally burst his magic. It is an insane act from someone who can handle ...... lineage reinforcement, an intentional outburst of magical power, which is the drawback of lineage reinforcement. ......"


    Yes, the reason why the healing magic bursting palm could not be used is because it is a technique to intentionally cause a burst of magic power.


    When I used to do it without baskets, my palms were covered with blood and it took time to put magic power into my palms, so I thought I couldn''t use it in a real battle.


    However, Leona-san, who felt threatened by my action, tightened her grip on my shoulder and came closer to my face.


    "What, what, why are you willing to do such a dangerous thing!¡¡Even if you have a basket hand, there is always a contingency!¡¡Falga''s weapon isn''t perfect either! There''s a possibility that the lost magic power could flow back!


    I nodded, overwhelmed by Leona''s desperate words.


    She seemed to calm down and looked a little tired.


    "Usato, the next time you do something like this, please tell us ...... not only for your sake but also for my heart. System reinforcement is a really dangerous technology."


    I''m sorry. I''ll be careful."


    You''ve been nailed a lot before by Mr. Welsey. .......


    ...... I got angry with him, but at least I know that this technique is useful enough.


    The effect itself is simply an explosion of compressed magic on the palm, and the power itself is only enough to lightly blow a person away, and the range is only about 1 or 2 meters.


    However, it has the same uses as a healing magic bullet, such as releasing it on the ground to levitate oneself, using it when one is immobilized, or shooting it into an opponent.


    The other advantage of healing magic is that it can heal an injured person''s whole body in an instant, as it is supposed to ......?


    "But when I tried it before, my hands were covered with wounds and it was hard, but now I have a basket hand, so I can use it in real combat. You know, I can gather up magic power in an instant!"


    "I wonder what kind of idea you have to come up with to use the outburst of magic power. ......"


    Leona''s shoulders slumped, and she removed her hand from my shoulder.


    "Usato, Mister Aruk, I''m sorry for interrupting your mock battle."


    "I don''t mind. I was getting excited about the fight with Usato-dono. I''m glad you stopped me.


    Aruk-san smiles briskly at Leona-san, who looks apologetic.


    You say scary things with a cool face.


    But in Mr. Aruk''s case, he seems to be really passionate when he really wants to do something. The flame he showed when he was being controlled by Nair. It''s not a reinforcement, but his original magic that he usually suppresses.


    If Aruk-san, who is still in his right mind, uses that flame, I have to be serious too, but his power is very reliable to fight against Kalon-san, who manipulates ice.


    "How did you feel when you tried using the Kagote, Usato-sama?"


    "It felt surprisingly comfortable."


    He nodded his head in satisfaction at Aruk''s words.


    At first I was not sure if I would be able to handle it well since it was the first time for me to use it in battle, but it was integrated into my fighting style as if it had existed from the beginning.


    It was as if this baskets hand had already existed in the first place.


    "I thought I needed to get used to it, but I guess I don''t need to."


    My new way of fighting.


    It is a close combat that combines evasion and defense.


    I use healing magic bullets and bursting palm magic to catch my opponent off guard and strike the biggest blow I can.


    ......It''s the same as before, isn''t it?¡¡I can''t really deny that. .......


    As I was thinking this and smiling, Leona, who was listening to the conversation between me and Aruk, put her hand on her chin.


    "So you''re ready to fight Kalon now?"


    "Yes."


    Leona and I nodded our heads at her words.


    Evasive maneuvers that minimize wasted movement.


    Defense with a basket hand.


    Resistance to cold air with the spell of resistance.


    With these three things, we finally have the conditions to fight Kalon head-on.


    "Norn-sama, who is maintaining the warding, is nearing his limit. ...... Usato, Mister Arc, let''s think of a strategy to fight Kalon tonight."


    "...... is Master Norn going to be all right?"


    "He''s putting on a good face, but I think he''s close to his limit."


    Yesterday, the healing magic healed my body of its fatigue, but it has not healed my exhausted mind at all.


    Considering that he had been working tirelessly to maintain the wards before our arrival, and has continued to do so until today,...... it would not be surprising if Master Norn were to collapse at any moment.


    Now that my armor was complete and ready, I knew what to do next.


    "I understand. Let''s think about a plan tonight.


    The battle with Mr. Karon is near.


    When I was aware of this, I naturally put more strength into the hand in which the cage hand was fitted.


    I was so close to the battle with Mr. Karon that I naturally put my hands on the cage.


    After completing the training, I was leaving the training ground, looking at my own cage hand.


    As I was entering the castle from the training grounds, a black owl, Nair, jumped on me.


    "Hmm?¡¡Nair. Have you been watching me?"


    "...... yeah. I was bored, but I was watching.


    I smile at N¨¦a, who says this to me in a somewhat sullen tone, and I change the iron bracelet on my right arm into an iron bracelet, reminding myself to "go back.


    I had wondered how to change it back yesterday, but I thought it would be useful to be able to change it back at any time at my will.


    If I wanted to, I could equip it on my left arm as well, and it would be quite nice not to have to carry it around as a cage hand.


    Also, it looks cool.


    When I go back to the Ringle Kingdom, I want to show my senpai the scene of wearing a basketsuke and make a smug face.


    "How do you like my new baskets, Neah?"


    "Isn''t it perfect for you?"


    Imagining his senior''s reaction, I asked Nair about his new basket hand, to which he replied in a curt tone.


    "I don''t know, I wasn''t there, but you know!


    Nair stares at me with a glare and a stronger ending, and I let out a sigh of disgust.


    N¨¦a is angry at me for not waking her up last night when I had finished my cage hand.


    She was sulking and sulking until now, after she had angrily told me that she was the only one who was left out, and that she had wanted to see the moment when my kagome was made.


    "I apologized for not waking you up," he said.


    "I didn''t have any feelings at all. I mean, how could I be the only one left out?"


    "Because you didn''t wake up."


    You should have woken me up with more energy!¡¡I wanted to see the brave man''s sword turn into a cage hand!


    What do you mean "wake me up"?


    Should I give him a pinprick or something? ....... I''m sure they''ll complain about that, though.


    "It''s because you went to bed so early, isn''t it? I always thought you lead a healthy life from a human point of view, but an unhealthy life as a night demon.


    "Gu, that''s because ...... there''s no one to talk to at night. ......"


    "What?"


    "What?" "Nothing!"


    You''re a busy girl, whispering, turning red and getting angry.


    But since I was looking forward to seeing you, it''s my fault for not waking you up, so I apologize again.


    "Well, I''m really sorry."


    "...... is all I need to know."


    "But I didn''t think the reason you went to bed early was because you were lonely by yourself."


    "~~!!!"


    I can hear him whispering in my ear, even if I don''t like it. But surprisingly, Nair also has a childish side to her.


    I walk through the castle, smiling at N¨¦a as she pats me on the head with her wings.


    I am used to walking in the castle and make my way through the corridors to my room without hesitation. However, I stop when I suddenly hear a ringing in my ears.


    "---?"


    ---I need to talk to you.


    The voice I heard along with the ringing in my ears was the voice of Master Farga.


    Seeing that I had stopped with my head held down, Nair called out to me.


    Usato, did you just do something to me?¡¡For a moment your magic was disturbed.


    "...... Oh. I hear the voice of Mr. Farga''s voice directly in my head: ...... he wants to talk to me about something."


    Is this about today''s strategy meeting?


    If so, he should be talking to Master Norn, not me. .......


    If he called me directly, does he want to talk about something he doesn''t want anyone to hear?


    "Nair, I''m going to Master Farga''s. ......"


    "I''m coming with you. I''m going with you today.


    He''s got a lot of guts.


    Even if I tried to take him back to his room, he''d force me to follow him. Well, I''m sure Lady Farga will forgive us even if Nair is with us.


    Smiling at her stubbornness, I turn back the way I came and head for the hall where there is a path leading to Master Farga.

 123 - - The 14th.

    When I was summoned by Mr. Farga, I went with Nair to the hall where the throne is located.


    Normally, the Norns would be in the hall, but this time there was no one there.


    As I moved to the center of the hall, the scaffold sank to the floor by itself and we headed toward the basement.


    I guessed that Farga had moved the scaffold remotely, but it seemed to me that she had finally called me alone.


    "Is there something you don''t want people to hear?¡¡No, but is there such a thing only with Miss Farga?"


    "I don''t know. A divine dragon is a demon of the same race as an evil dragon. I don''t know what he''s thinking inside. Old demons are cunning and mean and smart and really nasty.


    "You''re very persuasive when you say it: ......"


    It''s a boomerang that sticks with great force, but .......


    From N¨¦a''s point of view, Lady Farga is old enough, but from my point of view as a human, N¨¦a, who is three hundred years old, is also long-lived enough. .......


    I don''t dare to say it for his sake, but....


    While we are chatting about other things, we arrive at the basement and find Master Farga emerging from the fountain. When he notices my arrival, he slowly looks up and sees Nair on my shoulder.


    "You have come too?


    "Can''t I come?"


    "No, I don''t mind."


    Master Farga looked at me as he replied to N¨¦a''s grumpy look.


    "I called Usato here this time for a specific purpose."


    "Purpose?"


    Mr. Farga nodded at my words.


    What happened to him yesterday?¡¡And why did he go to the trouble of talking directly to my head?


    "The battle with Kalon is near. You who go into battle with a piece of me will be forced to go head to head with him.


    "Yes, I know. ......"


    Whatever today''s strategy is decided upon, it will be my role to hold Mr. Karon down.


    But what does it matter?


    "I fear that you and Kalon may make a mistake and lose your lives."


    "...... misplaced?


    "There is no clear difference between you and Kalon in a melee fight. It is a terrible thing to say, but you are trying to follow someone who has lost his reason but is awakening into a dragon with only his body and his kagome.


    I feel like I''m being treated like a monster.


    But I guess I''m wrong. ....... I don''t want to end up like that, but Falga-sama says that it is possible.


    "I don''t think it''s possible that this survival specialist will die. ......?"


    "Nea,...... I''m talking about something important right now. This is not the time for jokes."


    "I''m not kidding at all. ....... That look of disgust on your face is so disgusting!


    I really wish you wouldn''t interrupt my important conversation.


    He turns to Farga-sama, ignoring Nair who is blabbering on his shoulder in disagreement.


    "So, you didn''t call me here just to give me advice, did you?"


    "Yes. You just have to keep what I just said in mind. I called you here, too, to take a peek into your memories.


    "My memories?"


    What good are they?


    Perhaps, like Nair, he wants to know about other worlds?


    As I tilted my head, Mr. Farga continued to speak.


    "What you see are the memories of the brave men you know.


    "Are you talking about Inukami-senpai and Kazuki ...... the heroes of the Lingle Kingdom?"


    Yes. I''m afraid we''ll never meet the heroes of the Lingle Kingdom in person. Before you go off to battle, I would like to know what you know of the heroes of the Lingle Kingdom.


    Inukami-senpai and Kazuki.


    I don''t know everything about them either, but I wonder what Falga-sama would do if he knew about them.


    Unlike Nair, I have a feeling that this lady is not trying to look into my memories to satisfy her thirst for knowledge.


    In the first place, can''t this person keep track of my senpai and Kazuki who are far away from me?


    "The reason I know what a brave man looks like is to see if he is worthy of making my armor.


    "Isn''t that a very serious thing? I wonder if my memory will be enough.


    If Master Farga creates a weapon for the both of you, it will be called a true "Weapon of the Brave".


    It has to be you. There is no one more qualified than you, who will be most trusted."


    "...... understand."


    When you say it like that, I have no choice but to nod.


    But, I remember my senpai and Kazuki.


    Kazuki seems to be my best friend in general, but my senpai is .......


    I remember him as a man who is always on the edge of his seat, or as a man who throws his work away and lets it go free, or as a man who runs wild with his desires. .......


    .......


    "......Farga-sama, let me tell you in advance that one of the brave men is a very strange man. But he is a good person!¡¡Please understand that and look at my memory ......!"


    "Uh-huh?"


    "If you said that to me with a bitter look on your face, I''d think you''d have a bad feeling about it. ....... I mean, is the brave man Usato knows such a freak......?"


    I''m not sure how to describe it, but I''m sure it''s not a bad idea.


    He is not a bad person, though he has his share of weirdness. In fact, he is a very nice person.


    He has a record of spreading an unbelievable story about me and my senpai all over the continent. But I don''t think of him lightly enough to dislike him because of that.


    I''ll get even with him when I get back to ......!


    "...... then, let''s see what you remember."


    What am I doing?


    Just picture it. Not as a brave man, but as a friend to you.


    When Falga said this, a pattern of magic appeared in her eyes.


    They are different in shape from the ones of yesterday, so I guess they are meant to look into my memories.


    Knowing that there is no danger, I close my eyes and try to picture the two of them as Farga said.


    ......The first thing I remember is ......Yes.


    I remember from that rainy day, when I was an ordinary high school student and I met them for the first time.


    I remember the first time I met them.


    Mr. Farga spent about half an hour looking at his memory.


    For my part, I was in a strange daydream-like sensation, so I thought it had been much longer. When I opened my eyes, I found Nair on my shoulder, stretched out his arms, as if he was not busy, and Falga was breathing deeply.


    "You seem to have been blessed with good fortune," he said.


    "Yes, I''m too good for it, though."


    "Needless to say, the brave man you know has the right qualities to be entrusted with a piece of me."


    Good.


    I''m glad you didn''t tell me that I''m not worthy to be entrusted with your armor because I''m not like the average brave. .......


    I am relieved to hear that Kazuki and my senpai will be entrusted with my armor.


    All that remains is for me to create the nucleus and entrust it to them.


    "......"


    Create and entrust, huh?


    I still remember how Master Norn panicked when I was making the hero''s sword into mine.


    To create a powerful weapon, we must use a part of Falga''s body. Mine is an exception, but from the performance of the other weapons, it is not just a matter of separating the body from the body.


    Looking at the strength of the weapons of Mr. Karon and the previous generation of heroes, it may be that the power itself is separated from the body.


    The reason why Norn-sama was in such a hurry was because he was afraid that Falga-sama''s action would have a great impact on his body. .......


    "...... No."


    Nothing I can say will stop Mr. Farga.


    He knows that, and he is going to entrust the two of you with his armor. He is the one who supported the Norns in maintaining the boundary by himself.


    I cannot read his intentions, but I can say without a doubt that Master Farga is on the side of mankind.


    He is cooperating with us human beings, even detaching his own body from us.


    "Master Falga loves humans, doesn''t she?"


    I don''t mean to be rude, but that''s what I said.


    Falga''s eyes widen at my words. After about ten seconds of silence, he opened his mouth heavily.


    "I have to tell you something," he said.


    "What?"


    "Where did the dragon factor that lies within Kalon come from?"


    The source of Mr. Karon''s dragon power: ......!


    I had not expected that it was not Norn or Leona, but Farga herself who would reveal it to me.


    "In conclusion, Kalon is like my offspring.


    "Huh?"


    Nair, on his shoulder, is astonished.


    Seeing Nair''s reaction, Master Farga smiles pleasantly.


    "In that respect, I am close to you. A mixture of human and dragon. The dragon''s blood is infinitesimally thin, but its potential will not fade, and will be passed on.


    Certainly, it is close to Nair, the half-vampire, half-necromancer.


    But I didn''t think it surprising.


    I thought that since he has the dragon factor, he must have some kind of blood in him. I didn''t think it was Falga''s, though. ......


    "How did your power get into Kalon''s body?"


    Nair''s question made Lady Farga lower her voice a little.


    "The reason goes back to the time when the Demon King was defeated and sealed by the heroes of the previous generation.


    "If the Demon King was sealed, does that mean it was hundreds of years ago?"


    Yes.


    You don''t mean back that far, do you?


    This may be a more difficult problem than I thought.


    "After the demon king was sealed away, I lost sight of the value of human existence. I am the divine dragon who presides over harmony and peace, and humans are the evil that disturbs them, aren''t they?¡¡Was it right for me to lend my power to the existence of human beings who repeatedly fight, betray their own kind, oppress other kinds of people, and bring destruction meaninglessly?¡¡I questioned even my own actions, and at that time I had lost sight of what I was supposed to be.


    "You are, are you? ......"


    "So fierce was the conflict between the demon king''s army and humans in the past."


    I don''t want to imagine such a conflict ...... that the divine dragon, Lord Falga, would question humans.


    "So what happened?"


    "I, who had almost lost sight of my own existence, transformed into human form and entered a city in order to once again determine the value of human beings. Not as Farga the divine dragon, but as Farga the mere human being."


    You became human in order to know humans.


    Or rather, did he take on human form like Nair? I had thought that Nair''s transformation was unique to vampires, but did Falga-sama transform herself by magic or something?


    "The city was in a terrible state, still bearing the scars of the battle with the Demon Lord. The city is full of wounded people and there is not enough food to eat. But even so, the people there were not despairing and were living day by day without giving up."


    People who live in spite of despair.


    Perhaps the sight was indescribable to Mr. Farga, who had almost lost sight of himself.


    "As I was watching these people, a person approached me. That was how I met her.


    "She?¡¡Could it be that person is Mr. Karon''s ......?"


    "Yes."


    When he spoke of "her," Mr. Farga''s tone was gentle.


    Perhaps remembering a memory from long ago, Falga, whose mouth was slightly twisted, continued to speak.


    "Through my encounter with her, I have come to know more deeply the existence of human beings. It has been a pleasant experience for me, a long time ago. It was a pleasant experience for me, because human life is full of surprises.


    "......"


    I don''t know how many years Master Farga has lived.


    I don''t know, but I felt a kind of weight in his words about human life. Not in a bad way, but in a way that made me feel the preciousness of life.


    "I, who had beheld her at first, forgot my duty as a divine dragon, and enjoyed the life of a human being. After decades of bearing children and becoming a human parent, I watched her die, and then ...... became the divine dragon that protected her hometown of Mearrauk."


    "...... is just like me, isn''t it?"


    "Hmm?"


    Nair, who was standing on my shoulder, muttered something like that when she heard Lady Farga''s words.


    The girl on my shoulder immediately turned her head away as if to deceive me, but I heard her say that they looked alike.


    ......The words reminded me of the village where she had been.


    In that village, Nair had played the role of a resident for over two hundred years. I have not heard the details of why, but I could guess her feelings from her words.


    Lady Farga has been watching over the place where people live as a divine dragon.


    Nair, who must have spent time together with the villagers in the village where they live, disguising her own appearance.


    Indeed, the resemblance is striking.


    "...... originally, Kalon could have been stopped before he went out of control."


    "What?


    I was lost in my thoughts, when I was shaken by the unexpected words of Mr. Farga, who whispered to me as if spilling out.


    Does it mean that Mialak was spared from such a disaster if we were able to stop him before he went out of control?


    "Whether the dragon''s power is about to be awakened or not, he is still a human being. If he had been awake for a short time, he could have been suffocated by magic ......, but he couldn''t."


    "Mr. Farga, ......"


    "Kalon is the trump card against the Demon Lord. If he can fully possess my power and the armor I have created, his power will be unparalleled. Besides, there are two heroes summoned from another world. If we cooperate with them and face them, we can defeat the Demon King.


    The power that can defeat the Demon King.


    If he inherits the power of the divine dragon, Lord Farga, his power may be equal ...... or even greater than that of the heroes Kazuki and his senpai.


    In fact, in terms of physical strength, he was equal to or greater than me.


    However, that is only a pretense.


    "What?"


    What''s the point of ......?


    "No matter how much you try to make up reasons, it doesn''t change the fact that you couldn''t kill Karon. I could not make up my mind. I could not make up my mind to kill Kalon, my own offspring.


    "...... that''s!"


    Isn''t that something that can''t be helped ......?


    It''s impossible to make up your mind when you have to kill a being who is no less than your son.


    I knew this would happen to my people sooner or later. If what he is going to do is what I think it is, this event cannot be avoided. ...... Even though I knew this, I could not be so ruthless. Because no matter how many generations pass, her image still remains in Kalon. That alone is enough to shake my resolve again and again.


    I can''t say anything to Mr. Farga, who said these words with his eyes downcast and regretful.


    There was no way she could kill the people of Mearaq, her own descendants, whom she had watched over until now.


    "The only reason Kalon is here is to kill me."


    Master Farga?


    He has killed the source of his power and is freeing himself from his instincts. If he does so, he will become a second evil dragon, capable of destroying everything in sight.


    "The second evil dragon?


    I was wondering why Mr. Karon was staying here, but he was staying because Mr. Farga was here?


    In other words, if Master Farga is killed, the runaway Mr. Kalon will be released from Mialak ......!¡¡If Mr. Karon goes on a rampage in such a state, it''s not a level of trouble!


    Master Farga, seeing my and Nair''s frustration, cast down his eyes.


    "Dragons are more fragile creatures than you humans can imagine. No matter how strong and intelligent they may be, they are not superior in spirit. It is a weak creature that can easily be turned into a monster like my other half if it is engulfed by power, a monster whose only goal is to destroy and kill ......."


    Are you like that?


    "Yes, I have been caught up in my emotions and misjudged. I should have killed Kalon then if I cared about the future of mankind.


    No, it''s not.


    Nair interrupted Lady Farga''s words.


    I looked at her on her shoulder in surprise, and she was looking at me with strong-willed eyes.


    "That''s not true. If I did that, you wouldn''t want to live. You didn''t kill her because you didn''t want to, and you shouldn''t regret it."


    "Nair ......?"


    "I think it''s wrong of me to be part of the cause. But it''s too early for you to regret this. Kalon is still alive, Mearaq has not been destroyed, and we are still alive.


    Lady Farga falls silent at Nair''s words.


    We cannot tell from her expression what she is thinking.


    "I know how it feels to regret what you have done and to want to die. I almost lost something important to me when I made a fool of myself. But thanks to this good-natured person, I didn''t. There is still hope because of ......."


    So ......nea is changing on this journey.


    Although it has only been a month, the changes have not been small.


    "Neah is right."


    I look up at Mr. Farga, just as she does.


    Yes, there was no way we could give up while there was still a chance to save Mr. Karon.


    I had planned to help him from the beginning, but now that I heard about Leona and Mr. Farga, that feeling has become unshakable.


    "We are here. We won''t let a second evil dragon be born, and we will save Mr. Karon."


    "...... you are willing to do it even if it''s difficult?"


    "I''m a lifeguard. I''m a lifeguard. I''m willing to do something reckless like that.


    We have always done reckless things.


    This time is no different.


    Mr. Karon has people waiting for him to come home and people who don''t want him to die.


    That is enough reason for me to want to help him.


    "......As I said, you are a strong man. That is why you are able to move forward so foolishly.


    Master Farga looked down at me and Nair, his expression becoming calm.


    "You have the qualities of a brave man, but you are not. A brave man is one who fights and wins, while you fight and save others. That may be why it is fortunate for us that you have come to us instead of a brave man.


    "Well, I can''t believe they lifted you up that high: ......"


    Kyu, your sudden praise made me itchy.


    As I was a little embarrassed and was scratching my cheeks to hide my embarrassment, Farga-sama meditated as if troubled, and then opened her mouth.


    I have nothing more to hide. I have something I need you to do for me.


    "What?¡¡What do you want me to do?


    I need you to save someone.


    I want you to save me? ...... It''s funny that you should say that again in the context of this conversation, but--,


    "You mean Mr. Karon?"


    "No, not Mr. Karon. I know I don''t have to hope so after what you just said."


    His words sounded somewhat funny, and I tilted my head.


    It is true that I am determined to help Mr. Karon even if he does not wish me to do so.


    If ...... is the case, then who ...... is Mr. Farga going to save?


    "The one who is on his own mission, trying to solve everything by himself. She has been dragging herself along without shaking off the doubts that torment her, and she has decided to do the worst possible thing.


    "Worst means?"


    "I have a scoop of the Forbidden Fountain in my hand, and I am about to strike a blow against those who would bring danger to this city."


    "......."


    At these words, I look at the fountain beneath Lady Farga''s feet.


    The Fountain of Kureha.


    Water that makes people crazy.


    A poison that turns life into power.


    The water of the fountain that brings ruin and madness to those who seek its power, "she", as Master Farga calls it, has obtained.


    You don''t mean ......?


    That''s what she was talking about yesterday!


    Finally, I realized the true nature of the strange feeling I had for her. ...... No, I have realized it!


    Amako is right, what an insensitive guy I am!


    A little bit of thought would have revealed to me how mentally trapped she was!


    "......!"


    "My words and Norn''s words cannot reach her, who is trapped by her mission and has chosen to carry it out alone. But your words can still reach her."


    He was worried about me today.


    Told me to take it easy.


    Don''t let them worry you.


    I couldn''t imagine that she, who had been so kind to me as if she cared about my recklessness, was about to do the most reckless thing of all.


    "Usato, I want you to save Leona. Only you can do this, who never wished to be a brave man."


    She''s going to die.


    She''s going to give her life to stop Mr. Karon.

 124 - - The 15th.

    Leona took water from the Kureha Fountain.


    Once drunk, it gives the user immense power, but instead it is a poison that corrodes the body.


    "If you desire it with greed and karma, your heart will be torn asunder, and your body will rot in pain.


    I heard these words from the Lady Norn.


    Greed and karma, I know that she did not intend to use the Kureha Fountain with such evil intentions.


    Leona must have been prepared for this and asked Lady Farga for help.


    ...... Honestly, I don''t know what to say to Leona.


    Knowing her determination, should I stop her?


    Do I confront her with my anger and force her to stop when she tries to confront Mr. Karon head-on?


    I can''t say anything about this until I talk to her more.


    "Well then, tomorrow at noon we will start the battle with Kalon."


    After the talk with Mr. Farga, a strategy meeting was held at night to prepare for the battle against Mr. Karon.


    We gathered together: myself, Amako, Alc, Nair, Master Norn, and Leona.


    The general plan for the battle to be held at noon tomorrow was as follows: I and Nair would take the lead in holding off Mr. Karon, while Leona and Mr. Alc would cover for me.


    The first thing we have to do against Mr. Karon is to pull the axe made by Mr. Farga away from him.


    This is a countermeasure to block his out-of-the-ordinary ice magic, which is one of the elements that make him such a threat.


    After pulling the axe away from him, we will drive him to the point where he will be unable to fight. It will be very difficult to drive Mr. Karon out of combat, but it is not impossible if we work together.


    And supporting us in the battle will be Master Norn, Amako, and Bulrin.


    Norn-sama is in charge of setting up wards to prevent wild monsters from interfering with the battle between us and Mr. Karon, and Amako is in charge of predicting the danger to us and Mr. Karon''s movement from outside the wards, and telling us about it.


    Bulrin is in charge of Amako''s protection.


    I thought that if it was just me and Bulrin, but if I teamed up with Aruk and Leona, Bulrin would be more of a hindrance to us.


    "What''s wrong?¡¡Usato?"


    After the strategy meeting was over, everyone went back to their rooms, and Leona noticed my gaze and tilted her head.


    I frowned at her expression of concern for me, which was the same as usual, and after I hurriedly pressed my mouth shut, I turned to her with an awkward smile.


    "Ha-ha-ha, it''s nothing."


    "...... I see."


    I don''t know how to start.


    I mean, I can''t talk to Leona in this place where Master Norn is still there.


    After I managed to fool Leona, I had no choice but to leave the room as if I were running away.


    I had no choice but to leave the room as if I were running away.


    I left my room and went to the training area, not to my room.


    The darkened training hall was illuminated by the moonlight and the light from the magical tools leaking from the castle, and I sat down at the edge of the training hall with a chilly night breeze blowing.


    "Huh."


    Mr. Farga asked me to save Leona.


    But I don''t know how to stop her.


    It is not simply a matter of confiscating the water from the Kureha Fountain that Leona has in her possession. If I do that, she will become desperate.


    On the other hand, if we let her fight with Mr. Karon, Leona will not hesitate to use the water to fight with him.


    "That''s difficult."


    To tell you the truth, why don''t you rely on me!¡¡but it''s also my fault that I didn''t realize it until I was in this situation.


    "......!"


    I clench my fists tightly against my own inadequacy.


    I couldn''t forgive myself for having trained so much together, for knowing Leona''s problems, and still not being able to understand the anguish she was in.


    "Usato, are you okay?"


    "......!"


    I heard a voice from behind me and turned to see Leona.


    Unlike during training, she had taken off her armor and changed into a long black skirt.


    "Leona-san, why ......"


    "You''ve been acting a little strange. I was worried, so I came to check on you."


    Leona smiles shyly.


    She does not look as if she is prepared to die tomorrow.


    "What''s really wrong?¡¡Don''t tell me you have something on your mind about tomorrow.


    "Lady Farga told me. That you took the water from the Kureha Fountain.


    "......."


    I stand up and approach Leona behind her.


    She looks down at me awkwardly, and when I am close enough to reach her, I continue to spin my words.


    "Leona-san. Are you going to have a fight with Mr. Karon?


    "...... I thought Master Norn would come to stop me. ....... So it was you that Master Farga chose."


    Leona smiles a self-mocking smile.


    ...... Though she didn''t say it in words, her demeanor suggests that Lady Farga''s words were true.


    I knew it was not a lie, only for him, but I hoped it was a lie.


    "He really knows. I can''t believe he guessed the person I least wanted him to know. ......"


    "The ...... you most didn''t want me to know about?"


    "You dazzled me with your straightness and your willingness to do the right thing more than anyone I''ve ever known. When I''m with you, I''m jealous of you somewhere and I wish I could be as straight as you. Every time I see you, I have the urge to throw away this water ......"


    From the pocket of her skirt she pulls out a clear liquid in a small bottle.


    Water from the spring of Kureha. The amount was quite small, but the vial had an unusual presence.


    "I am a fool. For whatever reason, I reached for the forbidden spring. At that point I was seduced by its power.


    That''s not true.


    I wanted to say that, but the words never made it into my voice.


    She was right, Leona was the one who had reached out to the fountain for whatever reason. It was her own choice, her own decision.


    We cannot twist that decision with words of consolation.


    "Leona, will you please reconsider?¡¡You don''t have to give up your life. You''ve trained for tomorrow.


    "......"


    "And yet you are willing to give up your own life to defeat Mr. Karon. ...... Are you saying that all the training you have done with me and Mr. Aruk until today is in vain?"


    I don''t want to sound like I''m blaming you, but it can''t be helped at this point.


    I have to know what kind of will Leona-san had to make in order to be prepared to fight with me, even if I have to be a little aggressive.


    Leona looked down silently at my words, but then smiled as if she had given up.


    "I really ...... envy you the strength of your heart," she said.


    "What?"


    "My training days with you guys were not in vain. In fact, you''ve grown remarkably fast and strong, even to the point of being able to fight Kalon. I am sure that if you and I were to have a real fight today, you would win for sure."


    "Then--"


    "But that''s not enough. No matter how good you are at fighting Kalon, if he gets stronger during the fight, even a stronger you will not be able to defeat him."


    I can''t say for sure that it''s impossible.


    In fact, when I fought Mr. Karon for the first time, he awakened and showed a glimpse of a dragon and overwhelmed me and Leona, even though there was still some time left.


    There is no guarantee that something similar will not happen tomorrow.


    "And even though we are ready to fight Kalon, the chances of defeating him remain slim. If tomorrow''s operation doesn''t work "decisively" on him, we will be left with nothing to do. ......


    "So, you yourself are going to use the power of the Kureha Fountain to win the game ......?"


    "Yes."


    Leona''s guess is not wrong.


    It is true that I have the power to fight with Mr. Karon, but I do not have the decisive power to defeat him.


    "The truth is, I was not without hope. There was a time when I thought that we might be able to defeat Kalon together with you guys. But when I thought of the worst-case scenario, my ...... feet naturally turned toward the fountain."


    "...... Leona, you are ......"


    "Usato, you are the one who should not die here. With the threat of the Demon King, a great battle is inevitable. In that battle, you are the one who can save many people, and you should not die here.


    I''m just a kid who can only look forward, who''s just a daredevil.


    But Leona doesn''t think so.


    My words cannot reach her because of her firm will.


    "But..."


    "Usato. You have to understand. I''m ...... a brave man. ......!"


    Just as I was about to say something to stop Leona, she grabbed me by the collar and pulled me toward her.


    I was so startled that I closed my mouth, and Leona''s eyes met mine.


    Her eyes, which had been hidden by her bangs, were filled with tears.


    "Please don''t keep me any longer,......, every time I hear your words, it shakes my resolve,......!"


    "Why did you go to such lengths ......?"


    "I am the hero of this country, I must protect it!¡¡I must protect Mearaq, the place where everyone can go home!¡¡For that I must kill Kalon!"


    You are not fighting alone!


    Her words make me contradict her.


    "Yes, I am, but ...... just because I''m not alone doesn''t mean I can''t win!¡¡No matter how strong your body is, you are still a human being!¡¡If you get beheaded, you''re dead!"


    "Why don''t you just avoid getting beheaded!"


    That''s not the point!


    What kind of problem is it then!¡¡How can being a brave man be a reason to give up your life!


    I could see that I was getting hotter and hotter.


    I am angry at this person.


    I am angry at this person who puts others first and never thinks about himself.


    I am the same way, but this person has no will to live. That''s what I can''t stand.


    I am a brave man!¡¡I have to protect the place where everyone goes home! I don''t want Master Norn, Master Falga, ...... Usato, I don''t want you to die!"


    "I feel the same way!¡¡But I''m the only one who is not in the "place where everyone goes home" as you call it!¡¡Isn''t that too sad?


    "......!"


    What is a brave man?


    I''m sure that Falga and Norn didn''t choose you to be brave in order to force you to do such a thing.


    Leona falls silent at my appeal. She looks dismayed, but I can see the stubborn determination in her tear-filled eyes.


    She is not going to change her mind no matter what.


    "You''re willing to kill Mr. Karon in exchange for your life if you can stop ...... him?"


    I''d be fine with that.


    "Even if Mr. Karon has someone waiting for him?"


    He told me about his wife.


    I still remember Leona''s nostalgic words. I am sure that this must have been a precious memory for Leona.


    However, Leona''s mouth twisted into a smile and she turned her head down.


    "......Ah."


    The moment I heard that response, my face lost all expression.


    My heart, which had been empty for a moment, was filled with a different kind of anger.


    "Enough!"


    "......!"


    "I don''t give a shit!"


    I yell at her, forgetting even the honorific.


    I know I shouldn''t force my ideas on her. I know that, but I can''t keep quiet when she says something like that with that kind of expression on her face. ......!


    I know that look. The girl in Samaritan, the girl under the curse, had the same look on her face.


    Leona has the exact same expression as Eva, who was suppressing her emotions and forcing herself to accept her fading destiny.


    "You must be really scared and unbearable!¡¡You want to escape!¡¡And you, you''re the one who''s ......!¡¡You''re going to kill Mr. Karon and die to make yourself comfortable!"


    No, no, that''s not ......!


    "If I kill Mr. Karon and die, that''s all I have to do!¡¡I will be responsible for killing him and I will disappear!¡¡Then peace will return to Mearaq, isn''t that what you''re saying?


    I yank Leona''s hand, which is gripping my chest, off with my left arm.


    I look at Leona, who is startled by this, and I spit out my words with even more determination.


    "No matter how much you accept death, I don''t accept it. I will never let you throw your life away in front of me!


    "......!"


    Look me in the eye!


    Leona''s eyes flicker as she hears my words.


    I will not allow her to look away from me here.


    Once I have suppressed my feelings, taken a deep breath, and calmed down, I spin my words as if to say them to her.


    "Ms. Leona, ....... I could not have made it to Mearaak by myself.


    "What ......?"


    "It was the same when I ran the battlefield for the first time, when I fought the evil dragon, and when I struggled to break the curse in Samaritan. I have moved forward with the help and support of others."


    Rose, who saved me from being killed by a snake in the forest of Lingle.


    The knight who saved me when I was about to be killed by a soldier of the demon king''s army.


    My friends who helped me to fight against the evil dragon and to break the curse of Samaritan.


    Without them, I might have died somewhere.


    "There is only so much one person can do. So you don''t have to carry everything by yourself, it''s okay to ask someone around you for help."


    I released the hand that was still clutching my chest and reached out to Leona, who was sitting up.


    "Here are Master Norn, the maids ......, everyone in the castle, and of course us. If you ask for help, everyone will give you a hand. So please reach out to us."


    "...... hand?"


    She looked up at me and stared at my hand, dumbfounded.


    Her hand, which she had lifted to shoulder height, trembled as if she were wondering if she could hold on to it.


    "Am I ...... allowed to ask for help?"


    "Yes, you can ask for help as much as you want."


    I grab Leona''s shaking hand.


    The cold touch of her hand startled me a little, but I looked at her and saw that she was still looking at my hand and shedding tears.


    I wondered if I had changed her mind.


    Rather, I feel guilty for making an older woman cry.


    "Leona-san, can you stand up?"


    Wiping her eyes and nodding silently, I helped her to her feet and took a glance at the vial she was holding.


    ......I should probably confiscate it or smash the vial right here and now, but there''s no point if she goes back to fetching water from the spring.


    "You can keep the water. You can keep the water, but don''t use it as long as I am alive. Even if you break my limbs or destroy my body, I will stop you and help you.


    "How did you ...... get there ......?"


    You are a very kind and clumsy person.


    I know people who are different in many ways, but who are similar in that way. Like that person who was violent, irrational, and devilishly scary, but had a certain gentleness about her.


    This is all I have to say. I have nothing more to say to you. You can think about the rest at ...... and come up with your own answer."


    After saying this without answering the question, I turned my back to Leona, who was looking at me puzzledly, and left the place.


    I don''t know how tonight''s exchange will affect tomorrow.


    If my words had not reached her, she would drink water from the fountain tomorrow. If that happens, she will turn into a monster who is only driven by her own power.


    But if she changes her mind, she will fight against Mr. Karon without drinking water from the fountain. If Leona would then rely on us to fight her, she would be a very strong ally.


    In the end, all I could do was to let her choose, not to save her.


    "......I wish I could have said it better. ......"


    As we left the training area and entered the entrance to the castle, he held his forehead and complained.


    In the end, I just let my emotions get the better of me and I made Leona cry.


    I may have hurt her with my words, and instead of trying to persuade her, I may have driven her into a corner.


    Thinking of that, I''m getting fed up with my emotional self.


    "It would be more like you if you didn''t say such nice things.


    "...... hmm?"


    In my self-loathing, a figure appeared from the shadows near the entrance.


    I looked at the figure and saw that it was Amako with an owl, Nair, on her head.


    "As much as it pains me, Neah is right. Usato.


    "Wait a minute, what''s so funny?¡¡Don''t you like the fact that I agree with you?¡¡Then I''m annoyed too.


    "Shut up, furball."


    "Ke, furball?¡¡I''m a cute little owl, and you call me a hairball for nothing?


    I don''t know why they have Nair on their heads, but I have a pretty good idea why they''re here.


    ......I''m sorry I made you worry again.


    I chuckle inwardly and open my mouth to them as they start to bicker.


    "Where''s Aruk-san?"


    "He was here a while ago, but after seeing the exchange between Leona and Usato, he felt relieved and went back to his room.


    "Maybe he read the atmosphere? Usato looked very distressed.


    "Aruk-san is always taking care of me. ......"


    I really don''t deserve a traveling companion like that.


    ...... not alone, huh.


    I know I said it myself, but it''s true.

 125 - - The 16th.

    The day of the battle with Mr. Karon.


    We were preparing for the battle in front of the gates of Mearaq.


    It was not a big preparation, but just to check our physical condition and the condition of our cages, which were the key to our defense.


    "I can''t believe they prepared something like this for us. ......"


    "I heard that Master Norn arranged this, but I am surprised that he could make such a thing in such a short period of time."


    I look at the shoes I am wearing and am impressed.


    The shoes he is wearing now are not the ones he usually wears, but the ones with non-slip soles.


    They are the shoes that Master Norn has provided for us who fight on the icy ground.


    When did he find out the size of our feet?


    With these shoes we will be able to fight with Mr. Karon on a stable footing.


    I was worried about fighting on the ice, but with these shoes, I am sure I will be fine.


    ......The foothold problem is solved, but we still have one more problem.


    "Leona, you haven''t come yet. ......"


    Leona is the only one who has yet to show up.


    According to the maid, she said she would come a little later. ...... I''m worried that I might have done something to Leona because of my forceful words yesterday.


    "You''ve got a bitter look on your face before a fight. It''s not like you."


    Nair, who was standing on my shoulder, said something like that to me as my expression darkened.


    "No, if Leona doesn''t show up--"


    "That''s not going to happen. Leona, who gave her life to fight for us, would not be afraid to do so now. I don''t know why she''s late, though."


    Certainly, Leona, you would not give up.


    Whatever ...... choice you make, she''ll be here.


    "You cared about her too much. ......"


    ......I may be feeling a little vulnerable before the battle with Mr. Karon.


    Let''s change the subject here to ease my nerves.


    "By the way. Yesterday, I had a thought about my cage hand.


    "...... idea?¡¡Is it ...... a way to cause no injury, only pain?"


    "That''s interesting. Can I try it on you now?"


    "No, I''m just kidding!¡¡So stop clanking your cage in my ear!"


    No, I''m just kidding.


    Nair apologizes to me with all her might, and I lower my right arm which I have brought up to her ear.


    I don''t need to be so scared... maybe I shouldn''t have made a straight face. ....... Well, let''s get back to the story anyway.


    "I thought of a name. This basket hand..."


    "...... heh, heh."


    I don''t like Nair''s reaction a bit, but whatever.


    I figured that I would need a name for my own personal weapon. I can''t keep calling it the silver basket hand, so I thought of a proper name.


    It''s for me.


    A basket hand that fits on my right hand.


    The combination of these two factors led me to decide on the name of my Kagote.


    It is..,


    "It''s a heel gauntlet: ......!"


    "Wow, that''s stupid."


    "......"


    What could be more poignant?


    Even before the fight with Mr. Karon, I feel as if I have done the most damage today.


    "I mean, it''s just a basket hand in itself, so it doesn''t need a name, does it?"


    "Gosh."


    I am at a loss for words after being told the most obvious thing.


    While I was unable to say anything back to Nair, Amako, who must have heard what we were saying, came up to me with Bulrin.


    Amako, you know how cool this name is straight out of the box,


    "I honestly don''t think the heel gauntlet is ......."


    Shocked by Amako''s words, I at least looked at Mr. Aruk and he laughed. His reaction made me realize that the name "Kagome" is not so subtle, and my shoulders slump.


    However, my depression was short-lived as I looked up to see a figure appear at the gates of Mearaq.


    It was Leona, wearing the same armor as when we first met. I wonder if she has removed the helmet from her head, but I notice that her straight eyes are fixed on me.


    "......"


    Leona-san walked up to me with a serious expression on her face, and when she stood in front of me, she bowed her head vigorously.


    I was taken aback by her sudden action.


    "Um, Leona-san?"


    "I''ve been thinking about it ever since. I''ve been thinking about what I''m ready to do and what you said.


    She looked up and took out a vial of spring water from a jute bag attached to her armor, then looked at it and spun the words.


    "You didn''t take this water away from me because you respected my commitment."


    She has no ill intentions. What she has is a firm resolve.


    I should not ignore her determination and take away her water.


    I have been ...... though this was just for my own self-satisfaction.


    "It''s easy to use this ...... but to fight through the fear of losing and the fear of fighting is more difficult than anything else. I can''t do it with ...... my weak heart. I''m sure I''ll break in the middle of the road. So--"


    Leona''s gaze turns to Aruk, Amako, Bulrin, Nair, and finally back to me.


    "I want you to fight with me. I know it''s not fair of me to say this, since I''ve been making a desperate plan to hide it from you and the others. Still, I want to fight to protect this place."


    Leona bows her head more deeply than before.


    I don''t need to think, I don''t need to check with my friends.


    "Let''s fight. We will fight... all of us, including you.


    "Usato ......!"


    And I told you, didn''t I?¡¡You can count on me.


    If you reach out to us, we will always reach out to you.


    Leona, you have decided to fight with us and not alone.


    All that remains is for us to join forces to fight Mr. Karon and win.


    We will win the battle.


    Leona joined us, and we stepped out of the gates and out of the ice-covered Mialak, ready to go.


    Outside the city, which is covered by Norn''s wards, we see Mr. Karon, who is lying dead with his eyes closed. Perhaps, if he senses even the slightest change in his surroundings, he will wake up immediately and go into battle readiness.


    The ...... operation will be executed when Mr. Norn makes the new wards.


    We will hold off Mr. Karon who tries to attack us when the city is unprotected, and in the meantime, Mr. Norn will create a ward covering Mr. Karon and us.


    This is the first step of the plan.


    The first task is to succeed up to this point.


    Well...


    The bracelet on his right arm is deployed.


    With a light clank, the hand from the elbow to the tip is enveloped in silver. After checking the condition of my right arm, I ask Nair on my shoulder to cast a spell of resistance.


    "Nair, cast cold resistance.


    "Yes, okay."


    From the top of my shoulders, my entire body becomes resistant to cold air.


    This will nullify the cold air emitted from Mr. Karon''s axe.


    "Usato, you know this, but be careful not to hit me. Unlike you, I am not strong.


    "I know. I won''t let them attack you. At least not until you let go of that axe of yours that''s emitting cold air.


    I will be the one actively fighting Mr. Karon.


    It''s quite dangerous to take his attacks head-on, but I haven''t been playing around all week.


    Training to be lean in my movements.


    It''s simple, but it''s made a big difference in my moves. ......


    --I think I''m ready.


    "......!¡¡That''s the voice."


    The voice of Lady Farga echoing in my head.


    Looking around, it seems that everyone else can hear it too. ,


    --I''ve seen you fight. My power does not extend beyond the city, but I can make my voice heard.


    --Kalon is strong. From the point of view of the human species, his power is nothing short of extraordinary. But that does not make you inferior.


    The words of Mr. Farga echoed heavily in my heart.


    But at this moment his voice sounded very reassuring.


    --Together we have the strength of men.


    --If we can do that, we can defeat even the divine dragon.


    "Yes, ......!"


    I respond strongly to the voice echoing in my head.


    This is the seal of approval from the divine dragon who created the weapons of the brave. There is no reason why we can''t do our best after being told this much!


    --Norn temporarily releases the warding.


    Ripples appear and flicker on the boundary that separates the city of Mearaq from the outside world.


    Perhaps sensing this, Mr. Karon, who had not moved until now, looks up vigorously and turns his sharp eyes toward us.


    "Usato!"


    Leona called my name and I turned to her.


    "Let me tell you something now. Whatever the outcome, I will always be grateful to you. I am here now because of your words.


    "......Don''t say such an ominous thing about any outcome."


    "Yes, that''s true. I was still feeling a little vulnerable."


    She smiled softly and put on the helmet she carried under her arm.


    I also turned my head forward and focused my attention on Mr. Karon. The shimmering wards disappear as particles from above.


    "......"


    A city without people, Mearaq.


    The dragon man who threatens the city, Mr. Karon.


    The divine dragon, Mr. Farga, watches over the people from deep underground.


    And the evil dragon leaves behind a trail of misfortune.


    Thinking back, our journey so far has involved evil dragons.


    From the time we fought in the village where Nair lives, to the battle between the heroes and the evil dragon that led to the creation of the curse of Samariatar. And this time, under the influence of the evil dragon, Mr. Karon was forced to awaken the dragon factor of the divine dragon, Falga-sama, and went out of control.


    "We have to settle this ......"


    The connection with the evil dragon is severed.


    And save both Mr. Karon and Mearaq.


    "Gaaaah!"


    As soon as the warding disappears, Mr. Karon, raising his axe, leaps toward us with a yell.


    I am the first to react to his movement, clenching my fist tightly and kicking the icy ground as he does.


    The first step of the plan, to create a battlefield for him and us: ......!


    To do that, all I have to do is--,


    "I''ll hold you down!"


    As I run on the icy ground, Mr. Karon, swinging his axe, shoots a big icicle that he showed me when we first fought.


    An attack that at first I had no choice but to avoid. It is still the same, but now I am not fighting alone.


    The icicle that was about to strike me is broken by a fan-shaped flame that comes flying from behind and dissolves into vapor.


    "I''ll take care of the ice magic!"


    Aruk-san, who deals with flame magic, can cancel out the ice magic.


    Convinced of this, I glared at Mr. Karon, who was ten steps away from me. He is already about to swing his axe, to which I squeeze my right fist.


    Mr. Karon, who has awakened as a dragon, is more powerful than I am. If I were to take him head-on, he would crush me, no matter how hard my kagote may be.


    Gah!


    Here!


    Stopping just in front of me, I firmly saw off the axe as it swung down, and I hit the side of the blade with my fist at an angle. I slam my left fist into Mr. Karon''s torso, which was opened wide by the impact from the side of the axe, causing him to turn backward.


    Having succeeded in delivering the first blow, I squeeze my left fist without looking away from him and take a stance to show my right fist to my opponent.


    "uuuu......!¡¡Uhhhhh!


    Mr. Karon, who is glaring at me and roaring angrily, attacks me again, but I keep on repelling his axe with my basket hand and counterattack with my left fist.


    However, perhaps he has learned from the previous attack, he stays on the edge and strikes me with the arm that does not hold the axe.


    "I can see that too!"


    I ducked and snatched a fist on his left cheek and slammed my left fist into his unprotected jaw.


    Just as his body wobbles, I place my right hand, which is fitted with a basket hand, on his unprotected abdomen.


    "Healing Magic Bursting Palm ......!"


    A shock of unpowered magic is emitted from the right palm, and this time it blasts Mr. Karon''s body away.


    As I keep my eyes fixed on him, who rolls around on the icy ground because he can''t catch himself, a new circular transparent ward created by Norn-sama is created in a radius of 100 meters centered on the place where he and I are.


    "Phew. ....... We will make a place for you and me to fight. At least the first step of the operation is clear."


    Now there is no danger of Mr. Karon escaping.


    Besides, I have proven that I can fight against Mr. Karon.


    This week of training has not been in vain,


    "Oh my God, that was scary!¡¡What a way to fight!¡¡You!"


    "Whoa!"


    Nair, who had been silent until then, started to make noises in my ear.


    Without taking my eyes off Mr. Karon, I call out to her.


    "No, you didn''t hit me, did you?"


    "It''s too scary that a fist can pass through the opposite space I''m in!


    It is true that the fist passed through the left side of my face when I dodged the attack earlier, but Nair is on my right shoulder. I was thinking about her too, but she didn''t like it.


    ......I wish I could have pulled the axe away from Mr. Karon during the attack earlier, but I couldn''t go that far. I should have been able to pull the axe away from Mr. Karon earlier, but I couldn''t go that far. If I got greedy, I would have risked receiving an irreversible blow.


    As I was watching Mr. Karon who stood up slowly holding his head, Mr. Ark and Ms. Leona arrived from behind.


    "Are you all right, Mr. Usato?"


    "Yes, I am. Yes, I''m fighting just fine.


    This is where the real work begins.


    With just me on my own, I''ll have to repeat the same battle I just went through, but with Aruk and Leona covering me, the situation will be tilted in our favor.


    "Usato, as I predicted, his axe is releasing a tremendous amount of cold air. Maybe Leona and Alc won''t be able to get close enough.


    "So much for ......."


    "If we get too close without magic, we won''t be able to move properly."


    I hadn''t noticed it due to the resistance spells, but it seems that there is more cold air emanating from the axe than I had expected.


    I am the only one who can get close to Mr. Karon now.


    "Aruk-san, Leona-san. I guess I have no choice but to pull the axe away from Mr. Karon as I had planned.


    "It would seem so."


    "So much cold at this distance. My armor can''t protect me from it any longer."


    ......It''s about time for Mr. Caron to make his move.


    I step out in front of them, my fists ready, and call out to the two behind me.


    "Aruk, you take care of the cold air and ice magic, and Leona, you limit Mr. Karon''s movements. I will pull his axe away from him.


    Yes, sir!


    I''m on it. I''ll take care of it. You take care of yourself.


    Two voices respond to my words.


    Hearing their voices, I jumped forward, kicking the icy ground to attack Mr. Karon.

 126 - - The 17th.

    The "staff" created by Mr. Farga was transformed into an "axe" in the hands of Mr. Karon.


    It gave Mr. Karon the power of powerful cold air.


    It was the biggest threat to us.


    "Hmph!"


    My cage hand and Mr. Karon''s axe collided with each other, and a high-pitched metallic sound echoed within the boundary.


    The axe was bounced off of my basket hand and was swept away at an angle, but Mr. Karon swung it up with force and tried to slam it into me again. Against an attack that could have been fatal if I had received even a single blow, I dealt with it with my basket hand, rather than meeting it head-on.


    "Gah!"


    Oops!


    I lean my body sideways to avoid Mr. Karon''s arm, which was trying to grab the collar of my uniform.


    Instead of taking all of his attacks, I avoid the ones I can avoid with the least amount of movement, and when an opening appears, I strike him with my fist to break his pace.


    "I''m not done yet!"


    I am able to fight so far thanks to my training, but also thanks to the presence of Mr. Farga''s cage hand.


    Although she is playing with it in a way that she can parry Mr. Karon''s axe, she doesn''t seem to be intimidated by it.


    I want to go home!¡¡Why am I here, oh no!"


    "Because without you, there won''t even be a fight!"


    Nair is crying and whining in my ear, but I''m grateful that she''s still maintaining her magic.


    Mr. Karon''s axe emits a tremendous amount of cold air. With horns and a tail, he has awakened even further, and the cold air emanating from him is probably even greater than when I first fought with him.


    Now I am protected from the cold air by Nair''s magic, but that is not the case for Leona and Aruk who cannot cast a resistance spell.


    That''s why I have to pull the axe away from him first.


    "Woooo!"


    "Usato!¡¡He''s magically creating ice gravel!


    "......, you can do that from this distance!"


    He caught the axe with his left hand on his right arm, and several ice pebbles were generated behind Mr. Karon.


    It''s really too much bullshit to be able to exercise this much magic without any preliminary movements. ......!


    I had no choice but to back away when they were shot out at high speed, but in the next moment, all the ice gravels were drowned out by the fire that Mr. Aruk shot out from his side.


    "I won''t let you!"


    Guh, gah!


    I''m your opponent!


    Kalon slams his sword into Aruk, who is holding the flaming sword in both hands, as he tries to aim at him.


    He is wobbled by the unexpected blow, and he thrusts his fist out from his waist, as if twisting it, and strikes him directly in the dove-tail.


    Mr. Karon should have been blown away by the force of the fist, but before he knew it, both of his legs were frozen in ice.


    Looking behind him, he sees Leona, who has one hand on the ground and is activating her magic.


    "Usato, now!"


    "Thank you!"


    Karon, whose feet are sewn into the ground with ice and unable to move, is swinging his axe around in confusion, creating ice made of magic power, but Aruk is taking care of it all, and the ice crumbling under his feet is being made anew as Leona pours her magic power into it.


    "Gaaaah!"


    "Mwah!"


    Mr. Karon swung his axe, which he had been wielding recklessly, at me.


    He attacked me from an incomplete position.


    I immediately reacted to his action and caught the blade of the axe with my right palm without hesitation.


    A heavy impact on my palm - but not enough to crush me with the whole cage.


    "......!"


    There''s no way I can be crushed by such a crude attack!


    But that doesn''t mean I have to accept it!


    I apologized inwardly at the sound of Nair''s voice, who sounded as if she was about to start crying. I gripped the blade tightly with my basket hand and clenched my left fist tightly.


    Arc did the magic, Leona was under my feet, and I stopped his axe arm!


    "Neah!¡¡Can you do the binding spell?


    I''ve got more than enough!


    Yes!¡¡Let''s do it!


    Yes!


    I''ve never dared to use binding spells before.


    The binding spells would have worked if I had hit him with several layers, but that would only have temporarily blocked Mr. Karon''s movement.


    So, Nair and I changed our minds.


    We decided to make the binding spell not to stop his movement but to restrict it.


    A purple pattern appears on my fist from N¨¦a.


    "Aim at his shoulder!


    I slam my fist not into Mr. Karon''s torso, but into the joint of the shoulder of the one holding the axe.


    His body is very hard.


    This is because his skin and muscles have been transformed into those of a dragon, but he is still a human being. He can be weakened by impacting his joints, and his shoulder movements can be restricted by binding spells.


    The time of the force being released and the time that the restraining spell is functioning is only for a moment..,


    "There!"


    For me, that one moment is enough!


    As soon as his hand relaxes, I kick him in the right hand from below. The kick hit Mr. Karon directly on the wrist, and with the force of the kick, he swung his leg out and kicked the axe away.


    "Now we can''t use the power of Master Farga''s armor!"


    The axe spun and flew away. As the axe leaves his hand, it is enveloped in light, and the blade disappears, leaving only the handle.


    Perhaps, that is the original form of the "staff" of the weapon made by Mr. Farga.


    Gaaaaahhh!


    I''m sorry!¡¡I can''t hold it any longer!


    Leona releases her hand from the ground as Mr. Karon starts to lash out even more.


    Before the restraints on his legs are completely broken, I kick him in the opposite direction from where the axe flew. I will not let him use his weapon again.


    "Mr. Aruk!¡¡"


    "Yes!"


    Mr. Alc, with his sword covered in flames, shot flames on the icy ground between Mr. Karon and us, creating a large mist of vapor that blocked his view.


    I took a deep breath to calm down as I saw Mr. Karon''s figure dimly visible through the fog.


    "I have gained the strength to hold Mr. Karon back, I have created a place for him to fight, and I have made him let go of the weapons he holds ......."


    With Master Farga''s weapons out of his hands, he is left with only one means of combat: hand-to-hand combat.


    In addition, he cannot radiate the intense cold air that keeps others away.


    There is nothing to protect him now!¡¡We can win if we push through at once as we have planned. ......!"


    At my words, Nair on my shoulder and Leona and Ark, who had come up to just behind me, nodded their heads.


    The third step of the plan.


    It is to take away Mr. Karon''s consciousness.


    It''s a risky plan that may or may not succeed, but now that we''ve come this far, we have no choice but to accomplish it!


    Once I take a deep breath to calm down, I take a deep breath and raise my voice so that Mr. Karon, who is beyond the fog, can hear me.


    I''m here!¡¡Come on, I''ll play with you as long as you want!


    He dares Mr. Karon, who is beyond the fog.


    He growls angrily, threatening me, and leaps toward me on instinct.


    He was a wild boar.


    When he is this faithful to his instincts, no matter how strong he is, he is easy to handle.


    "You''re just like the old me, ......!"


    I don''t like it, but I can see why Evil Dragon used similar tactics.


    Just rush in and hit. I guess I was really vulnerable because I didn''t understand my own weakness.


    But..,


    Not now!"


    As he was about to strike me, I calmly dodged to the side and circled back, slamming him with a kick with all my might.


    "GAAAAHHHHH!"


    The attack on his back didn''t have much effect on him, and he thrust his arm into the icy ground, trying to forcefully change direction toward me.


    I know that my kick is not enough.


    The reason I lured Mr. Karon out in the first place is to lure him to this place.


    In the last step, I''m only a decoy.


    "-- reinforcement..."


    At the moment when the interesting voice was heard from the front of Mr. Karon, a wall of ice created by Leona appeared directly in front of him.


    Mr. Karon was unable to react to the sudden appearance of the ice wall, and he crashed into the wall from his face.


    He seems to be in a lot of pain because of the force with which he jumped out and the force with which I kicked him. Sweating with cold sweat, I instruct Nair to cast a binding spell on my palm.


    "Gu, ah, gi......!"


    Usato!


    Yes!


    At the sound of Leona''s voice, I placed my palm with the binding spell on Kalon''s back as he tried to stand up with a cry of anguish, and bound his body.


    He tries to turn his head to look at me with a look of disgust, but I hold him down with my other arm.


    "I''m sorry, but I''m not the one who''s going to beat you."


    I may have the power to fight Mr. Karon now, but I don''t have the power to defeat him.


    Leona''s lineage enhancement is not an offensive tool.


    Nair''s binding spells can only stop him for a few seconds.


    But not him.


    His flaming sword, which could easily cut even the bells of Samaritan, can hurt Mr. Karon, who has not yet fully awakened to dragonhood!


    "Now!¡¡Mr. Aruk!¡¡I''ll heal your wounds!"


    The ice wall created by Leona to strengthen the system collapses, and Mr. Aruk appears, holding a dazzling red sword.


    Everything is a prelude to the best blow.


    With a strong sense of will, he swings down the flaming sword from the upper position with great force.


    "Haaah!"


    The flaming sword with red trails cut through Mr. Karon''s body without fail.


    "Haaah!


    It was my physical ability and Aruk-san''s flame magic that cut through the evil dragon''s scales.


    The evil dragon had deteriorated over the centuries, but the scales covering its body boasted a certain strength.


    The skin of Mr. Karon, who is awakened as a dragon, also had the strength of dragon scales. However, even the scales of a dragon are not as strong as those of an evil dragon.


    "---agh!"


    The air sliced through the air in front of me, and intense heat slammed into me as I held Mr. Karon down.


    I involuntarily meditate, but when I still keep my grip on his arm, his body suddenly weakens.


    I hurriedly support him, and then I let him lie on the ground with only his upper body upright.


    "Mr. Karon!"


    I looked at his body with my eyes closed and saw that he had cuts from his shoulders to his thighs.


    He is not bleeding much, probably because he was cut by the flaming sword, but even including that, the wounds are shallow.


    "And ......"


    The horns on Mr. Karon''s head and the cracks in his tail are gradually appearing.


    Is it safe to assume that ...... his power as a dragon is fading away?


    I saw the remnants of his dragon power shattering like a piece of candy, and asked Nair to check it out.


    "Nair, is Mr. Karon alright?"


    "...... is not life-threatening. He is breathing and his heart is beating, so he is alive. And his own magic is returning to normal.


    Nea looks around Mr. Karon''s body and is reassured by his words.


    "Usato, is Karon alright?


    Leona and Aruk come running to me as I support him.


    I look up at her as I apply healing magic to his wounds.


    "He''s okay, he''s alive!


    "I see. I''m really ...... happy for you."


    Leona is relieved that Mr. Karon is alive.


    I, too, feel relieved and turn to Mr. Arc, who has put away his sword.


    "Thanks to Mr. Aruk''s good care, the wound is not too bad. I think I can heal it soon.


    "I am surprised at how well I was able to adjust. After all, when you are depended on, you have more power than you think you do.


    He smiles at me with a fresh smile, and I smile along with him.


    The tension was gone, and fatigue was beginning to take over my body, but I was glad that I could finish the battle with Mr. Karon in the best possible way, with a lot of energy left over.


    "......That''s all over with, I guess."


    It was a hard fight, albeit a short one.


    There was no one at fault in this whole mess.


    Mr. Karon had let the power of the dragon that lay dormant inside him run wild. There is no will of his own, and he has become an incarnation of the dragon that wreaks violence on those around him, and can be called a "disaster.


    Therefore, I am very glad that we could save him.


    Now we just need to heal his wounds completely..,


    "Well, you know."


    "What?


    Mr. Karon, who is supporting me with his arm, grabs me by the lapel of my uniform.


    His sudden action almost makes me ready my fist, but I see a clear intention in his eyes as he looks up at me, and I lower my fist.


    He spoke to me with a pained expression on his face.


    "--Ni-Ge......ro. The monster inside me is still ...... ......."


    "Mr. Karon, your consciousness is ......!"


    Usato!


    "......, Amako. What''s the matter, you''re in such a hurry ......?"


    When Amako shifted her gaze from Mr. Karon, who had said this in a broken voice, she raised her voice on the back of the burin.


    "Get away from him!"


    "What?"


    "I''m not done with you yet!¡¡The dragon inside him is still awake!"


    "...... No way!"


    Usato!¡¡Kalon''s magic is swelling!


    The next moment he hears Nea''s panicked voice, the collar in his grasp is yanked with extraordinary force.


    I immediately turned my eyes to Mr. Karon, whose eyes were red and bloodshot, and he was about to slam his fist into my face.


    This is not good. ......?


    "Ggh!"


    Kyaaaah!


    I quickly catch his fist by protecting my shoulder nair and face with both arms, but I am still thrown backward by his power and hit the ground.


    ---What the hell is this power......!¡¡This is nothing compared to what I just saw!


    His fist is swung off with his defensive cage.


    Confused by the obvious increase in his power, I stood up to find that Mr. Karon, who had punched me, was in agony, clawing at his body.


    "G-Gaaaaahhhh!"


    His screams of agony and pain caused both Leona and Aruk, who were trying to help me, to stiffen.


    I myself could not hide my bewilderment at his unusual behavior.


    Then I heard the voice of Mr. Farga in my head.


    --This can''t be .......


    "Master Farga!¡¡What in the world is going on!"


    --...... he''s going to make his next awakening. He''s gathering power inside that should be released outside and forcibly amplifying it.


    Forcibly? Can Mr. Karon''s body endure such a thing?


    Every time he scratches his body, cracks run through his whole body.


    But on the other hand, his horns and tail, which were on the verge of shattering, are transformed into a tougher form.


    "You mean the power inside that you release outside ......, that''s the magic power Kalon released when he awakened, right?¡¡There''s no way the human body can withstand such a large amount of magic power being forcibly suppressed inside the body!"


    "Your body can''t stand it, if you do that, Kalon-san?


    I hurriedly looked back at Mr. Karon, but his appearance was very different from before.


    He looked more like a dragon.


    His body was covered with cracks as if broken glass had been shattered, and his appearance was painful.


    His horns were longer and more twisted, his tail was longer and more powerful, and most striking of all were the two "wings" that sprouted from his back.


    Wings large enough to cover his entire body sprouted from his back.


    "Dora, Gon."


    His appearance had changed to such an extent that there is no other way to describe it.


    As I and N¨¦a were stunned, Falga-sama spoke to us in my head in a tone of voice as if he were looking at something painful.


    --The power of a pure dragon is too strong for humans. So, Kalon had to be slowly awakened to become accustomed to its power. But this is ...... too violent an awakening.


    "What is going to happen to Mr. Karon, ......?"


    --...... Kalon''s body was unable to keep up with the dragon factor that was transforming his body,.......


    For a moment, Mr. Farga hesitated to speak.


    But then, pushing down her emotions, she spoke them.


    --Collapse, collapse.


    The battle to save Mr. Karon and Mearaak.


    The unusual incident that happened to Mr. Karon in the middle of the battle made his survival hopeless.

 127 - - Eighteenth Episode.

    The power of the dragon that lies dormant inside Mr. Karon has gone out of control.


    Mr. Karon''s body cannot withstand the pure power of the dragon and collapses. But even in such a state, his will to fight shows no sign of waning.


    "Master Farga, is there any way to save Mr. Karon yet?"


    --......In his current state, the dragon''s power should be suppressed if his consciousness is completely taken away. He is now a dragon, albeit imperfectly, but at the same time his body is fragile from the disintegration. Your fist will work well enough, but on the other hand, his power has increased greatly.


    Even a blow from me would be dangerous.


    And his body is fragile .......


    I hope my healing punch will cancel out the damage and only allow the impact to pass through, but if Mr. Karon''s body has collapsed more than I and Mr. Farga think--..,


    "...... system reinforcement, huh?"


    We have to rely on unfinished work.


    Even with the use of a basket hand to assist in the manipulation of magic power, the strengthening of the system could not be completed. I didn''t think I''d be using the lineage enhancement during the fight, so I put it off until later, but I should have practiced it more if it was going to be important here .......


    "There is no point in feeling sorry for myself. Let''s do what we can do now."


    I look at my palms, clench my fists, and return my gaze to Mr. Karon again.


    Mr. Karon, who had undergone further transformation into a dragon, let out an exhale with a roar that was hard to believe to be human.


    "Shhh ......"


    "...... hmm?"


    Mr. Karon''s wings start to move slowly.


    ...... Are you trying to fly?¡¡No, no, no, no...even though he has grown wings, can he fly right away?


    Either way, we can''t wait too long!


    I raised my voice when I saw Mr. Karon moving his wings and straining his legs.


    Please don''t let me fly!


    If he could fly, Nair would be the only one among us who could fly. There is no way N¨¦a can handle him, and there is no way her little body can make me fly.


    If he flies in the sky, we will have nothing left to do.


    I''ll hold him to the ground!


    Leona creates three ice daggers in her hands and shoots them at Mr. Karon''s feet. The daggers hit Ms. Karon''s right leg and turned into a block of ice, sewing the ground and the leg together.


    Leona, who had thrown the daggers in succession and solidified the ice binding on her wings, left leg, and arms, shouted so that Alc and I could hear her.


    "Now Kalon has no axe to create ice!¡¡Let''s fold up like this!"


    "Yes!"


    "Leave it to me! ......!"


    Aruk-san uses his flame-embedded sword and I clench my fists as hard as I can as we head toward Kalon-san, who is being restrained.


    The method is the same as before!


    I reap his consciousness!¡¡And I''ll heal any injuries in the process!


    Come on!


    "You''re going even if you don''t want to!¡¡Then you have to do it!


    Considering Mr. Karon''s body, I start to strike him with healing punches.


    However, my fist and Aruk''s sword hit Mr. Karon...at that moment, the ice that was restraining his body shattered at once.


    "What?


    He was destroyed so easily?


    He was freed from the ice shackles and swung his sharp wings like blades. His wings are as sharp and hard as razors, and he hurriedly raises his right arm to defend himself.


    There were two clashing noises, as if two metal objects were hitting each other.


    One is the sound of my cage hand popping the wing, and the other is the sound of Aruk-san blocking it with his sword.


    "d*mn, I didn''t expect this ......!"


    "Mr. Aruk!


    However, Mr. Alc''s sword, which he used for defense, was broken in the middle because it could not endure the hardness of the wings.


    Mr. Karon is aiming at Mr. Arc, not at me!


    His tightly clenched fist is released at Mr. Arc!


    "Gah!"


    I won''t let him!


    I slam a healing magic bullet into him from behind to stop him.


    However, Mr. Karon, who didn''t care about my healing magic bullet, slammed his fist into Mr. Arc.


    "Gah ......?


    "Mr. Aruk!


    His fist, which I could barely catch with my eyes, shattered the hilt of Mr. Aruk''s sword, which he held defensively, and punched his torso with a huge blow.


    Mr. Alc was knocked to the icy ground, and he was completely unconscious.


    I can''t tell how injured he is from here. I want to rush to his rescue, but--..,


    "That''s not going to happen. ......!"


    In front of me is a snarling Mr. Karon. He seems to have shifted his target from Mr. Aruk to me, and glares at me with a frightening expression on his face.


    I''m worried about Mr. Aruk. ...... I''m worried about him!¡¡I can''t show any opening in front of this man!


    Gah!


    I''ll deal with you the same way I dealt with you before!


    It''s faster and stronger, but it moves the same. I can still follow it with my eyes.


    He bounces his fist at an angle to Mr. Karon''s fist.


    As he tries to strike a blow with all his might, something sharp jumps out from behind Mr. Karon.


    It is the blue wings on Mr. Karon''s back. The wing comes close to pin me down, and I pull my fist away from Mr. Karon in a panic.


    "Usato!¡¡Those wings are dangerous too!


    I know, but!


    Too many moves ......!


    I can handle Mr. Karon''s fists and kicks, but I can''t focus on the attack when he adds his wings to the mix.


    I can''t turn to the offensive against Mr. Karon''s incessant onslaught, and I''m slowly retreating backwards.


    "Ta-da!"


    "G......!"


    Just as my attention was diverted to the wings, Mr. Karon''s hand, which was thrust up from below, flicked my right arm upward with great force.


    As my right arm, which is the cornerstone of my defense, was popped, my torso was left defenseless, and Mr. Karon''s sharp wings were closing in on me.


    "Shit!"


    I can''t reach the basket hand in time, I''ll have to catch it with my left!


    Leona, accompanied by two ice swords, flicked Mr. Karon''s wing from the side.


    "I''m with you!"


    Thank you!


    While the wings were being flicked, I took Mr. Karon''s arm and threw him to the ground, and then I moved away with Leona.


    There is a risk of flying, but I don''t want to run into the same kind of trouble as before.


    Let''s just calm down and catch our breath.


    "Those wings are a nuisance. I can barely prevent it.


    "It''s amazing what you can do. I can''t follow his attacks with my eyes. Unless you can predict the trajectory of the attack like I did earlier, ...... which you can''t do that many times."


    ...... now Mr. Karon has become a real nuisance.


    Not only has his power increased, but his movements are much better.


    The weakened Evil Dragon is superior in strength, but now Mr. Karon is probably superior in agility.


    "To tell you the truth, I am unable to meet Kalon''s attack head-on. In front of his attack, an ordinary


    The armor is as good as scrap paper."


    Leona showed me her sword, and I saw a crack in the blade.


    It was almost broken after just one contact. .......


    As with Aruk-san''s sword, armor is useless against Kalon-san now.


    "But with your cage hand, you can fight Kalon without it being broken."


    "...... yeah."


    My cage hand did not break even when exposed to Mr. Karon''s current attack.


    It''s a hopeless situation, but it doesn''t mean I can''t fight.


    But it is difficult for me and Leona to go on the offensive against his onslaught. Even the ice restraints are meaningless in front of him now, and my defense with my cage hand is not enough to deal with the too many moves of Mr. Karon.


    ......I''m not sure if I can handle Mr. Karon''s power, but let''s try that one.


    "......Usato,Kalon is going to attack us soon."


    "Leona, can you take care of the wings?"


    "I can, but what do you have in mind?"


    I nodded at Leona''s words, who had been alerted by Mr. Karon''s movements, and shifted my attention to Nair on my shoulder.


    "Nair, I need you to make me resistant to blows.


    "Oh, no, are you kidding me?¡¡Don''t tell me you''re going to catch that?¡¡Even if it''s a resistance spell, there''s a limit..."


    Please.


    "......Oh my God, I get it!"


    The cold resistance spell on me is removed, and a new resistance spell against blows is applied.


    The moment my resistance to cold air is removed, a chilly air envelops me.


    Understanding my thoughts, Leona throws her own broken sword and creates a sword of ice in each hand.


    "I''m telling you, you can''t defend against Kalon''s attacks more than once!¡¡You will only be able to withstand a few!


    Enough!¡¡Leona!


    Yes!


    I''m the first one to jump out.


    I hear Leona''s footsteps a little later, and I focus on Mr. Karon in front of me.


    He had been leaning forward to run into me, and he was taken aback by my charge, but he quickly regained his composure and unleashed his tightly clenched fist in a careless manner.


    I would have avoided or played it, but not now.


    Without hesitation, I catch Mr. Karon''s fist with my left hand.


    "What?


    I got you!


    Now that I''m immune to blows, Mr. Karon''s fists don''t work on me.


    As I catch his fist easily, Mr. Karon attacks me aggressively, but his blows are blocked by the spell of resistance.


    The ice sword created by Leona blocks the wings that come at me from Mr. Karon''s back.


    The resistance spell will only work for a few blows, and Leona''s ice sword won''t last that long, so it''s now or never!


    "OLLA!"


    I pull my fist as hard as I can, and deliver a healing punch to his dove tail.


    "Gee!


    The fist that went straight into his dove tail was deeply pierced, and the light of the healing magic spread through his body.


    I felt a solid response, but the next moment I felt a shattering of glass from my fist. I felt something wrong and pulled my fist back as quickly as I could.


    At the same time, Mr. Karon, writhing in pain, stumbled backward and moaned.


    "G-G-Geeaaaahhhhhh!


    Is this not enough?


    If I hit him any harder, it would be too dangerous, no matter how much healing magic I have.


    On the other hand, it''s impossible to knock Mr. Karon out with a fist like this.


    "What?¡¡Usato!


    While I was hesitating with the suffering Mr. Karon in front of me, I heard Leona''s panicked voice behind me.


    Her voice brought me back to myself, and I felt something touch my right leg.


    "What?


    I looked down at my feet and saw that Mr. Karon''s tail was wrapped tightly around my leg with tremendous force.


    I looked at Mr. Karon in a cold sweat, and saw him holding his tail where I had hit him, baring his teeth. I could see that he was completely pissed off and his eyes were bloodshot and he was directing his anger at me.


    "Neah, get away from me!"


    "Kya!¡¡Usato?


    "G-G-Gaaaah!"


    As quickly as I could, I yanked Nair off of me and threw her over my shoulder. The next moment, Mr. Karon''s tail, which had become entangled in my leg, whipped around my body like a whip, and slammed me into the icy ground.


    The unexpected attack made it impossible for me to breathe for a moment.


    "G,haha......"


    "Usato!¡¡Now, help--"


    "Gah!"


    Leona tries to save me from being slammed to the ground, but Mr. Karon spins around and slams his tail on Leona, as if he had expected this.


    The unexpected blow knocked her to the icy ground as well as Mr. Aruk, and she stopped moving without a sound.


    "Even Leona-san is ......!"


    I hesitated, and she was hit by Mr. Karon''s blow.


    ......, this is no time for regrets!¡¡I have to get into position quickly...,


    "Gah!"


    As I tried to get up, I saw Mr. Karon leaping up and spreading his big wings, falling down toward me.


    I cluck my tongue at his constant attacks, as if he doesn''t want to give me any time to rest.


    "d*mn!¡¡You''re so thorough!"


    I''m not going to be crushed like this!


    I look up, protecting my face and chest with my arms, and catch the arm that Mr. Karon throws down at me.


    My body creaks under the impact, but I try to endure it... but I hear a crunch from the ice on my back!¡¡from the ice on my back, and my thoughts start to panic again.


    "Now, more trouble!


    If I don''t do something, I''ll be thrown headlong into the lake under the ice!


    After fighting so hard, it would be really embarrassing to fall into the cold water and get stuck, and I don''t know what to look like to Aruk-san and Leona-san!


    "Gah!


    "It''s better than this!¡¡Hmph!


    Seeing Mr. Karon trying to throw his hand down at me, I slam my right elbow into the cracked ground as hard as I can to defend myself, and avoid his hand as a reaction.


    Mr. Karon''s hand slams into the icy ground, not mine.


    My elbow and Mr. Karon''s blow must have exceeded the limit, and the icy ground on my back shattered into pieces, and I fell headlong into the lake below.


    "Soooo--!"


    I inhaled as hard as I could and fell into the water with a mighty splash.


    The first thing I felt was the cold that chilled me to the core and the fear of the unfathomable depth of the lake.


    The inside of the lake was amazingly clear and beautiful, but we had to go back to the land immediately.


    This is no ordinary lake. This is a lake that exists in another world, a place where demons live.


    If I were to be attacked by a demon and dragged into the lake, it would be difficult even for me to come back alive. And I don''t want to be attacked by Mr. Karon in the water.


    I head for the surface of the water where the sun is shining, hoping to reach land as soon as possible.


    "Gabobo!


    Gabobo!


    But Mr. Karon grabs my leg and pulls me into the water, which makes the surface of the water go away.


    He is really persistent!


    If you are in pain, why don''t you just go for the top!


    You cannot fight Mr. Karon underwater. But even so, Mr. Karon doesn''t let go of me, he pulls me to my feet, grabs my left arm as hard as he can, and punches me in the stomach with his other hand.


    "Gah! ......!"


    The force of his fist is lessened by the fact that I am underwater, but still, I take his fist seriously and let out a lungful of air.


    Ouch!¡¡Now that the effect of the resistance spell has worn off due to Nair''s absence, I can''t take this kind of fist repeatedly!


    Feeling threatened by the suffocation, I kneaded magic power in my right arm, which was not in his grasp, and thrust it at his face, activating the healing magic Bursting Palm, temporarily destroying his vision.


    "---"


    At the moment his hand loosens, I release the healing magic Bursting Palm again with my basket hand pointing downward, turning it into propulsion and rushing toward the surface of the water.


    "......ggg!"


    I can''t hold my breath because of the fist I just received in my stomach.


    The surface of the water is right under my nose, but it seems endlessly far away.


    Just when I was about to give up, someone''s hand reaches out to me from the sunlit water.


    Not an adult''s hand, but a small, delicate hand,


    "......!?"


    I held the air leaking out of my mouth with my hand and grabbed the hand stretched out from the water with my other hand.


    Then, the hand is pulled with a force that is unimaginable for such a small arm.


    As I am pulled up onto the ice above the lake, I take a deep breath and thank Amako, who is still holding my hand with both of hers and gasping for air, and Bulrin, who is eating her cloak.


    "Ha, ha ......, I thought I was going to die," she says. Thank you, Amako. And Bulrin, too.


    "As soon as I saw the prediction, I asked Master Norn to help me get inside the warding, but I''m so glad I got there in time. ......"


    You saw the prediction that I would fall into the lake and came to my rescue.


    If she hadn''t come to my rescue, I would have been in real danger.


    I stood up, trying to catch my breath and heal my aching stomach, and the ne''er-do-well who had just ripped me off came down on my shoulder.


    "I want to complain a lot about how you treated me, but I''ll get to that later. ...... Did you beat Kalon?"


    "No, not yet..."


    Before I could finish to Nair, something shot out of the lake high into the sky.


    Mr. Karon opened his large wings in mid-air and looked down at us.


    "......"


    "As you can see, we''re not there yet."


    Nair exclaims.


    Despite his cracked body, Mr. Karon still looks healthy.


    "Amaco, stay away from here with Bulrin."


    "...... are you okay?"


    I''m not out of moves. I''ll give it a shot.


    He cannot be cured by healing magic unless we can do something about the dragon''s power to injure his body.


    The only way to knock him out is to hit him with a powerful healing punch, but that would destroy his body and cause him to die. ......


    I''ll have to strengthen the ...... system and do something at the last minute.


    Amako looks like she wants to say something at my words, but then she takes one look at Mr. Karon, who looks like he''s about to attack her, nods a little, and leaves with Bulrin.


    Fortunately, Mr. Karon is not interested in Amako or he is still staring only at me.


    "......Nea, I''m sorry, but I need you to fight with me just a little bit longer."


    "How can you say no to me after all this time? I''ll fight with you until you die. I don''t think you''ll go that easily. ......


    "Ha-ha, you''re so kind."


    He smiles at Nair''s lighthearted comment and takes a stance.


    Both Aruk and Leona were knocked unconscious by Kalon''s attack.


    In effect, it is me and Nair who have to deal with him.


    ......If the reinforcement does not succeed and we can''t save Mr. Karon--..,


    "Woooo ......!"


    It''s coming!


    Oh, God.


    Mr. Karon flapped his big wings against me, who had covered my entire body with healing magic, taking all possible precautions.


    This is practically the last battle.


    ......I, too, will be ready.


    "Jaaaaaaaah!"


    "Come on, come on!"


    Mr. Karon comes at us from the sky with great force.


    I look up at him, my basket hand pointed at him, and shout to inspire myself.

 128 - - The Nineteenth.

    Caron was a man who deserves my respect as well.


    Strong, kind, and loved by all, he was the ideal of a knight.


    .


    I have had such a man say some rather rude things to me.


    When we were informed of his appointment as a brave man shortly before he was engulfed by the dragon factor and went berserk, what he said to me as part of the conversation was enough to make me upset.


    I know he is not a sarcastic man. I was angry because he meant what he said, but I suppressed my desire to argue with him and asked him why he said that.


    .


    First of all, I will never be chosen as a brave man.


    Although my name is mentioned as a candidate, it is actually Kalon who will receive the title of hero.


    Kalon gave me a disgusted look.


    <


    I could not agree more with Kalon.


    I am not that flexible in my thinking, and I cannot take the name of "brave" so lightly.


    It was my childhood dream, a symbol of hope to save people.


    In the end, the conversation ended without any reply.


    I do not know what Kalon wanted to say now that he has gone out of control.


    I don''t know what he was trying to say now that he has lost control.


    "U......gu"


    I awoke to the cold of the ice, and a stabbing pain in my side made me writhe in agony.


    Looking at my body, I saw a large dent in the armor of my torso where I felt the pain.


    I raised myself up, astonished that my reasonably sturdy armor had been deformed so much, and removed my upper body armor, finally throwing my helmet to the ground and holding my head down.


    "Why did I ...... ...... in such a place?"


    My memory is a little fuzzy as to how I hit my head.


    I must have hit my side, for my stomach is in great pain.


    Why am I injured?¡¡And I thought I was outside of Mearaq with Kalon--no, no....


    As his hazy thoughts become clearer, he remembers that he is fighting alongside Usato and the others.


    "Yes, I am with Kalon!"


    Just before I fainted, I saw Usato knocked to the ground by Kalon''s tail.


    I was trying to save him when he was knocked unconscious by Kalon''s tail.


    "Where is Usato?


    I looked around and found Amako a short distance away from me carrying the unconscious Lord Aruku on the back of the burin.


    I heal my aching side with recovery magic and get up to call out to Amako, only to find her looking up at me with a worried expression on her face.


    "Up ......?"


    I look in the same direction she is looking and see a blue mass flying in the sky.


    It looks like a large bird, though it is not visible from a distance, and it seems to be wandering around in the boundary.


    "Kalon, is that you?"


    The blue mass falls headlong to the ground, but just before it hits the icy ground, it changes direction and flies in a gliding direction just above the ground.


    When I could finally see it, I was so astonished that I lost my voice.


    >


    >


    <>


    "...... yeah,yeah......"


    Usato clinging to Kalon flying gliding over the icy ground and Nea screaming on his shoulder . I let go at the sight of their unrealistic appearance.


    ......Oh, you look better than I thought you would.......


    However, Kalon grabbed Usato by the clothes and threw him with all his might. He lands on his feet, puts healing magic into his right hand, and swings a fist at Kalon, but just before he hits Kalon, he pulls back his fist.


    >


    "Usato ......?"


    What the hell is he trying to do?


    Was he putting magic into his right hand because he was trying to strengthen his lineage?¡¡But I believe that his lineage enhancement was not yet completed.


    Why is he trying to make Kalon do it now?


    No way, is he still trying to save Kalon?


    "That''s stupid ......."


    I heard Master Farga''s words too.


    His body is out of control and he is on the verge of destruction.


    As a proof, when Usato hit him, his body shattered despite the healing magic he had cast on it.


    Usato, who saw the collapse of his body up close, must have known that he could not save Kalon. He should have known that, but he did not give up, and he was facing the fierce attacks of Kalon, who had turned into a dragon, even though he was covered with wounds.


    Even if there is healing magic, magic with powerful healing power, there is a limit.


    Nevertheless, Usato is not giving up and is trying to complete his incomplete lineage enhancement in the midst of the battle.


    What makes you go that far?


    Is it the idea of the lifeguard that drives you to such a struggle?


    What makes you go that far? .......


    "Just stop it, please. ......"


    I whisper to him as he gets hurt.


    I want to save Karon, too.


    But he''s broken to the point where I can''t help him anymore.


    "You don''t have to go that far. ......"


    My voice does not reach him.


    I try to run away, but my aching side prevents me.


    If not for this injury, I would still be able to fight, but all I can do now is watch with my fingers crossed.


    Tears well up in my eyes as I feel ashamed of my inability to do anything.


    In my despair, the vial fell to the ground, as if there was a hole in the bag attached to my waist from the previous attack.


    "This is ......."


    The vial contained water from the spring of Kureha.


    This is the power that he decided not to use when he decided to fight with Usato and the others.


    "......If I use this water. I''ll take Kalon ......."


    With trembling hands, he picks up the vial and stares at it.


    With the power of this water, I can fight Kalon without worrying about my wounds. In return, I will die, and so will Kalon.


    But I can save Usato and the others, and I can bring peace to Mearaq.


    Usato will not have to get his hands dirty.


    If my life could do that, it would be more than enough.


    "......"


    I am already prepared.


    My sacrifice alone will save us all.


    I can help him who saved my heart.


    I will not drink this water as long as Usato lives. I know I am betraying his words, but I still do not want him to die.


    I open the lid of the vial and bring it to my mouth.


    Once I swallow this water, I will no longer be a person.


    <


    Just as the vial is about to touch my lips, the words of Usato from last night come back to my mind and I stop tipping the vial.


    "I am ......."


    He tried to stop me from dying.


    He wanted to fight with me.


    I was pathetic, I was ugly, I was uncool, and he relied on me to .......


    I choose to betray him and die..,


    "Ah!"


    He throws down the vial he was about to bring to his mouth.


    The vial is smashed against the ice, shattered into pieces, and all the water inside spills out.


    There was no way I could do it.


    Yesterday, I would have drank the water without hesitation for the sake of my mission. But now, Usato was still fighting.


    There was no way I could betray his words in front of him, who was looking straight ahead with his eyes in a hopeless situation, as if he would break my heart.


    Having abandoned the vials and the best means of protecting this city, I had abandoned my duty as a brave man.


    From now on, I will no longer fight as a hero of Mearaq.


    I am sorry, Master Norn, Master Falga.


    If I were to fulfill my duty as a hero, I would risk my life to defeat Kalon and bring peace to Mialak, but I can no longer do so.


    Now the man who cared for me and tried to save me is in danger.


    As a knight, I fight for my dear friends who are fighting today."


    I know I''m late in giving you an answer, but it''s not too late.


    Usato is still fighting and has not given up.


    Then I, who have decided to fight with him, cannot give up either.


    I can still do something ......!"


    I can stand on these legs and I can do magic.


    Without looking at the shattered vial, I slowly start walking in the direction of Usato and Karon.


    Just then - something glows very close to where I am standing.


    "What? ......?"


    It was stuck in the icy ground, and at first glance it looked like nothing more than an iron rod, but it was the "staff" that Kalon wielded as an axe.


    The staff flickered and glowed faintly, as if inviting me to join it.


    A supreme weapon, whose true power can only be wielded by those who are worthy of it.


    "Are you calling me?"


    The closer we get, the more intense the light becomes.


    ...... I never thought that I, who renounced fighting as a brave man, would be qualified to handle the armor of the Lord Falga. I thought how ironic it was, but at the same time it made me realize how much I had been bound by the word "brave".


    "Is this what you wanted to say?" ......


    I was bound by the name of "brave," and I was trying to act in a way that would lead me away from the brave man I was trying to be.


    What will I accomplish with my power?


    To move according to one''s own will, instead of following in the shadow of the hero whom I admired and becoming a martyr to his mission.


    Forgetting the pain in my side, I clutch my staff with both hands and take a slow, deep breath.


    "Piece of the divine dragon! Let my thoughts take shape."


    The staff glows with the same beautiful radiance as Usato''s cage hand.


    It is not a mighty weapon that can kill Karon.


    What we seek is a weapon to save and protect, just like him.


    "This is my desire."


    It was a spear.


    The staff was the same as before the transformation, but the tip of the spear had a simple shape with a transparent ice-like blade attached to it.


    It is placed in his hand and he grips it tightly.


    ---......Leona.


    "Dear Falga, I have finally found the answer. I will fight with him--Usato--not on a heroic mission, but on my own will.


    I put into words my feelings for Mr. Farga as they echo in my mind.


    Silenced for a breath, Farga-sama spoke to me in a gentle voice.


    ---If you have found the answer, then follow it. The spear is the divine spear of ice that holds all things together. Unleash it, along with your former doubts, and bring this battle to an end.


    Yes!


    He flips the spear around and takes a throwing stance.


    His target is Kalon, who is flying through the air and about to attack Usato. Facing him, Usato still tries to use his lineage enhancement, but fails at every attempt.


    "Now I understand why your lineage enhancement is incomplete."


    Like me, he is too tied down by the word "lineage enhancement.


    "I want to help you, too. That''s why..."


    With my sights firmly set on my goal, I put all the magic I have into my spear. Then eight ice spears formed by magic are generated around me.


    The spear in my hand is transformed into a glowing spear just like the ice spears.


    "Ikkeeeee!"


    I shouted and threw the spear at Kalon with all my strength.


    Nine shining spears.


    They emit a beautiful and powerful light, and are shot toward Kalon.


    The spears were thrown at Kalon.


    The battle between me and Mr. Karon was turning into a war of attrition.


    I was searching for a way out by using healing magic and cutting down on my physical strength, and Mr. Karon was trying to kill me while disintegrating his own body.


    The battle, in which both of us were cutting down on each other, was enough to shake my will to save Mr. Karon.


    After healing my right shoulder with healing magic, I looked up at Mr. Karon flying in the sky and let out a sigh.


    "Ouch... ....... It''s really troublesome when you''re flying so high in the sky. Nair, can''t you grab me and fly?"


    "Don''t be absurd. You''re heavier than you look, there''s no way I can lift you with my strength.


    "Yes, indeed."


    I try to exchange pleasantries with Nair, but this is nothing more than an escape from reality.


    The advantage of being able to fly is tougher than I thought. While he is flying, we can only wait for him to attack us.


    Once, I tried to hold on to Mr. Karon and drag him into the ground battle, but honestly, I don''t want to do it again.


    "Usato, look at that!"


    "Oh, Mr. Karon is here!"


    Nair rushes to the sky on his shoulder and points his wing to the sky.


    Quickly, he held up his fists and looked up at the sky to see nine shiny, glowing things moving through the sky.


    They were moving toward Mr. Karon, who was flying around the sky in all directions.


    "Ah!¡¡Aaaaah!"


    Mr. Karon immediately sensed the presence of the light and flapped his wings to avoid it. However, the nine lights turned toward the location of the fleeing Mr. Karon as if they had a will of their own.


    One of the lights pierced through Mr. Karon''s wing as he was still trying to escape. The light turned into a spear with a transparent tip and knocked him down to the ground and sewed him to the icy ground.


    The next eight lights pierced into the icy ground as if to hold him down, as if to block his movement, and turned him into a spear made of ice different from the first one.


    "Gee, gah!"


    "Wow, I can''t believe that even that Kalon''s power can''t shatter it. ......"


    What amazed me was the strength of the spear, which completely contained even Mr. Karon''s power, which far exceeded mine.


    I recognized the handle of the spear that was stuck in Mr. Karon''s wing.


    The handle of the spear, which was of a simple shape unlike the ice spear, had the same pattern as the one that Mr. Karon used as an axe.


    "This spear, I don''t think this is the one Mr. Karon used ......, and this ice, I don''t think this is the one!"


    There is only one person who can create ice this strong.


    I turned my face in the direction the light came from and called out his name with conviction.


    Leona!


    "Usato!¡¡I''ve stopped Kalon!¡¡You must save him with your power!


    Leona was on her knees, breathing on her shoulders.


    I look at my own hands and a pained expression appears on my face as I hear her words, holding my side.


    "The reinforcement of the system that you asked for was not successful. ......!¡¡I can''t help Mr. Karon anymore ......!"


    "No, no!¡¡Your lineage enhancement is already completed!"


    Completed!


    You mean to say that my current enhancement is in a state of completion?


    "If that''s the case, then you can''t help Mr. Karon even more ......"


    "You are too obsessed with the success of the reinforcement!¡¡What you should be looking at is not your own magical power!"


    She broke off, took a deep breath, and raised her voice so that her voice reached me firmly.


    "What you should be looking at is the sufferer of the moment, isn''t it!


    What you should be looking at is the one who suffers now!


    It is not magic that you should see.


    I look from my own trembling hands to Mr. Karon, who is bound and struggling.


    That''s right.


    I was so intent on succeeding in strengthening the system that I didn''t look at the "person" who needed to be healed at all.


    "I''m an idiot!¡¡I''ve been training too much and I''ve become a real brainiac!


    "What, after all this time?


    Yeah, it''s really too late for that!¡¡I said I would help you, but I myself forgot the most important thing!


    I can''t blame Rose for not noticing this. No, I''d rather have her beat me up for being so stupid that I couldn''t notice such an obvious thing.


    I was thinking only about the success of my own lineage enhancement, not about his suffering now.


    "Of course you can''t do it. Because, when I tried to help you, all I wanted to do was to heal you. So I didn''t even think about how to fix you."


    Strengthening the lineage of healing magic is the highest level of restorative magic that even heals illness.


    When I saw Ms. Olga exercising her healing magic at the clinic in the Kingdom of Lingle, she was facing the patient head-on and applying healing magic.


    Doctors and healing wizards are the same.


    Without facing them, there is no way to know how to heal them.


    I had forgotten the most important thing as a lifeguard and a healer.


    Then you know what you have to do, don''t you?


    Yeah, Leona reminded me. I will never forget."


    I looked at Mr. Karon again from the front.


    His body was shattered, writhing in agony. The "human" I was supposed to heal was right in front of me.


    As I walk up to him who is being restrained, I create a systemic reinforcement in my left hand.


    I concentrate on Mr. Karon, not on the reinforcement, while I knead the magic power in my left hand. What I lacked was the awareness of the object to be healed.


    I look at the person and imagine how I want to heal him.


    "--Okay."


    At that moment, something that had been missing in the reinforcement of the lineage up to that point was firmly in place.


    Although it was a small amount of magic power, it had a certain dark green glow to it.


    This is the true form of my lineage enhancement.


    A beautiful deep blue, just like Olga''s.


    I clenched the light of the lineage enhancement overflowing from my left hand, made a fist, and held it at my waist.


    "I will save you. For all those who wish you well. ......!!!"


    I stepped forward with my left foot, and with the rotation of my hips, I fired my left fist with momentum into Mr. Karon''s torso.


    The fist, which was drawn out with a green trajectory of systemic reinforcement, was slammed into his chest with a wind noise.


    "---Kagaaaa!"


    As the fist slams into him, a large crack runs through his entire body, but the enhanced healing magic heals the cracks in his entire body in an instant at a speed unmatched by any healing magic up to now.


    "...... Mr. Caron?"


    The question is whether he was able to knock him out.


    The system reinforcement was successful, but I still don''t know if I was able to knock Mr. Karon out completely.


    I call out to him after he has been immobilized by my fist.


    At that moment, Mr. Karon''s horns, wings, and tail, which were his characteristics as a dragon, are shattered into pieces and he returns to his human form.


    "Leona!¡¡Release the restraints!


    "Okay!"


    Leona, who was close by, pulled out the spear that was stuck in Mr. Karon''s side, and all the ice spears that restrained him were shattered.


    I hurriedly supported him as he was about to fall to the ground, and asked Nair to check if there was anything wrong with his body.


    "--I''m all right now. There is no disturbance of magic, and the dragon factor in him seems to have been completely silenced.


    "...... Well, that''s good to know."


    "Well, even though it''s a lineage enhancement, when you use it, it really does look like something else."


    It''s like a new technique that combines fist with the enhanced lineage of healing magic, right?


    It would be difficult to incorporate the lineage enhancement into the healing magic bullet, but as a healing magician, this is the best technique for me.


    "This is the Miracle Technique which is the combination of the lineage enhancement and my fist. I guess you could call it Hisei Okuyoshi, One Point Concentration Healing Magic Shoken, or simply Hisei Shoken, Healing Punch, right?"


    "Every time I think about it, you have miraculously poor taste in naming things. Well, isn''t that childish part of you charming?"


    "......"


    What do you mean by childish .......


    This reaction seems to me to be a beauty of style.


    No time to be sober and depressed. ....... The battle is over and I''m getting tired, but my part in it is not over yet.


    I see Amako running toward me with Bulrin and Aruk on her back. I wave to her and turn my body toward Leona, who is standing beside me with her spear as a support.


    "Leona-san, you seem to be hurt, so I''m going to heal you.


    "Uh, ah, ah... Please."


    I touch Leona''s hand and cast a healing spell on it.


    Her face, which had been frowning in pain, gradually eases.


    "That spear is the staff that Mr. Karon used, isn''t it?"


    "Yes. It seems that I have been chosen just like Kalon.


    Chuckling, Leona looked deeply moved when she saw the spear she was holding in one hand.


    "I have stopped chasing the shadows of the heroes I had been longing for."


    "What?"


    "A hero who fights with his mission and leaves his own life behind him. That was the heroic figure ...... that I longed to be, but that idea changed when I fought alongside you."


    A hero who fights at the cost of his own life.


    Hearing those words reminded me of Leona''s appearance last night.


    What she was going to do was not a mistake. The way she was going to protect Mearaq might have been the best solution.


    But as a lifeguard, I could not approve of what she was doing.


    "From now on, I will continue on my path as the brave Leona, with my own will and no one else''s."


    Does this mean that Leona has found her path?


    I don''t know what kind of change I could have made in her by fighting with me, but I am sure it is not a bad thing.


    "Sometimes Usato. What is a brave man for you?


    "What?¡¡What is a brave man to me?


    I don''t understand your question, but for me, the heroes are ...... Inukami-senpai and Kazuki.


    They are my friends whom I promised to meet again. ...... Is it hard to convey the meaning?¡¡I''m a little embarrassed to say this, but I''m going to say it plainly.


    "You''re a dear friend, aren''t you?"


    "...... hmmm, I see. It''s not the answer I was expecting, but it''s a good one.


    Leona looked at me with a puzzled look, but then immediately smiled with a somewhat happy smile.


    "I wish I could be as brave as you are."


    "Huh?¡¡What does that mean?


    "Ah, ah!¡¡The warding will be lifted!¡¡Usato!


    Leona smiles at me, and when I try to ask her a question, Nair suddenly shouts out.


    Surprised by her voice, I look at the wards around us and see that they are being lifted, as if to let us know that Mr. Karon has been rescued safely.


    Now Mialak is saved and Mr. Karon is saved.


    We were also battered and bruised, but we were happy that we made it through without a single person missing.

 129 - - The 120th.

    I was able to save Mr. Karon safely, and after healing Leona''s and Aruk''s injuries, I returned to the castle in Mialak to rest.


    I should have immediately reported to the throne where Master Norn was ...... but when she learned that Mialark had been saved by saving Mr. Karon, she fell asleep with a big smile on her face. I heard.


    Master Norn had been working tirelessly to keep the wards in place, and knowing that, we decided to wait for her to wake up.


    "I''m sorry. I couldn''t resist the intense sleepiness when I felt relieved. ......"


    "We got some rest, and we don''t mind at all.


    Two days later, when we heard the news that Master Norn had awakened, we were summoned to the underground where the Fountain of Kureha was located, where Master Falga was.


    Waiting for us at the fountain were Master Norn and Falga. They were Mr. Norn and Ms. Falga.


    Thanks to your help, Mialak was saved. And you even saved Kalon''s life, which was not supposed to be saved, and for that I can only say thank you.


    "I thank you, too. Without you, we would not have been able to stop Kalon.


    "Yeah, uh, ......, I''m so glad no one was killed!"


    I reply shyly to Norn and Falga''s words.


    Looking back, I think we did something quite reckless this time.


    Mr. Karon in his disintegrated state definitely had the power to kill me. Before that, without the help of Leona, Aruk, Amako, and Nair, I would not be here now.


    I was able to pull off a paper-thin ending ...... that I could never have done on my own.


    "Speaking of which, are the people from Mearaq going to be able to come back here?"


    Yes. Yes. Yesterday the people of the castle sent word to their neighbors who are taking care of the people. They should be back here in two weeks.


    "So you can go home. ......Good. ......"


    After all, it must be hard not being able to go home for almost a month.


    Norn-sama smiled at me with relief and took a piece of paper out of his pocket and showed it to me.


    It was a letter that I had given to her when we visited Mearaq.


    "At first I withheld my answer to the letter, but I have no doubt that you have done so much for this country. I, Norn Erad Mialak, as queen, will accept the letter."


    "Um, ...... are you sure you''re okay?"


    I was more confused than pleased when Master Norn said that.


    I was glad that he accepted the letter, but I wondered if I could easily accept the letter under the current circumstances in Mearaq.


    Perhaps sensing my doubts, Falga, who is standing by Norn''s side, slowly opens his mouth.


    The Demon King is a powerful being. We must unite against him. Now that the crisis in Mialak is over, there is no reason to refuse the letter.


    Does Lady Farga think that we should accept the contents of the letter because she knows the Demon King who fought against the previous heroes?


    I wonder how strong a being the Demon King is. ......


    It is certain that he was at least as strong as the previous generation of heroes, who were at least as strong as the previous generation of heroes who were at least as strong as the previous generation of heroes.


    "You don''t need to worry. The ice around the city is melting now that Kalon''s power has been suppressed. It will take some time, but Mearaq will be able to return to its former vigorous state.


    "If that''s the case, you can visit ......."


    As if to compose myself, I looked up and bowed to Norn and Falga, thanking them for accepting my letter.


    This was the third time after Lukvis and Samaritan, but I still felt embarrassed.


    Behind me, Nair said, "Wow, it doesn''t suit you," but I''ll hold it in for now and get back at her later.


    "That''s all I have to say about the letter, Usato, but I have something to tell you.


    What is it?


    The armaments of your friends, the two heroes.


    "......!"


    I saw Inukami-senpai and Kazuki in my memory, is it about the two armors that Master Farga makes?


    "As soon as Mialark is restored, we will produce the weapons, but I thought I should tell you that unlike your baskets, they will be made from scratch, so it will take quite a while to make them."


    "I understand. Please do not be too reckless, Mr. Farga.


    The armor that Master Farga creates is a product of his power.


    In other words, each time he creates a weapon, it is a burden on his body, so he should not be too hard on himself.


    Perhaps sensing Norn''s anxious look, Falga''s mouth quirks into a smile.


    "Don''t worry. You will not die just because your strength is reduced. I will be here forever. And I told you.¡¡I''ll watch over you too. At least, I won''t die until I see what happens to you."


    Oh, you were serious about that? .......


    What do I do, does it mean that Mr. Farga is paying attention to my every move?¡¡Or is he watching what I do from now on?


    I''m afraid of both.


    "Usato, you are paid a lot of attention by unusual people, aren''t you?


    "I''m not normal myself, but..."


    "You''re not normal either, are you, little fox?"


    A fight is about to break out behind me, but I can''t help but be reminded of what Nair said.


    I''m even beginning to think that most of the people I''ve met so far are somehow out of the ordinary.


    There are also a lot of people with common sense, like Kazuki and Aruk-san, ......?


    "Are you guys leaving here today?"


    "Yes. I''ve received a reply to my letter and I''m well rested, so as soon as I''ve packed my bags, I''ll be on my way to my next destination.


    "I''m sorry. I wanted to thank you for everything. ......"


    A disappointed Norn.


    Even though Mr. Karon''s outburst has stopped and peace has returned to Mearrauk, not everything is back to normal. We must rebuild the interior of the city, which has fallen into disrepair due to the loss of people.


    We will only be a nuisance if we stay too long.


    Our next stop is the land of the beastmen, right?


    Yes.


    I nodded to Mr. Farga''s words.


    The final goal of our journey, and the reason why Amako asked for my help---the land of the beastmen.


    "You should be careful. Something strange is about to happen in that place.


    "Strange, sir?"


    I don''t know what the beasts are doing. But I can tell you one thing, many of them still hate us. I''m sure you will be fine, but we must be careful.


    Strange, huh?


    Does it have something to do with the mysterious behavior of the beasts mentioned by Mr. Norn?


    I hope it''s not a bad thing,......, but we''ll have to go there first.


    If we''re going to help Amako''s mother, it''s a given that we''re going to the beastmen''s country.


    I''ll keep that in mind.


    "Mm."


    He nodded at my words and his beautiful blue eyes widened.


    "Usato. The end of your journey around the continent is near, but your adventure in this world is not over yet. In the process, you will be troubled and suffer, but I am confident that your heart will not be broken, as you have never given up and tried to save Kalon until the end."


    Our journey ends when we reach the land of the beastmen.


    After completing our mission of handing over the letter and saving Amaco''s mother, we must return to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    Not caring that I was a bit preoccupied, Falga-sama continued to speak.


    "Once there was a man who suffered between hope and despair."


    ...... I think I have a vague idea of who the man is that Falga is talking about.


    A hero who defeated the Demon King and a man who was betrayed by others.


    I listen to his words silently.


    "The man who continued to be betrayed by others, who continued to fight even though his heart was nearly broken, had come to hope not for the present, but for the future."


    "You mean that even if the present sucks, the future will be different ......?¡¡That''s too vague. ......


    "The man''s situation was so bad that he knew it was right."


    ...... Yes, of course.


    The curse that was consuming the royalty in Samaria was the souls of those whom the heroes had once saved in the battle against the evil dragon.


    The people he saved were killed because of him.


    That alone should have been tragic enough, but considering the circumstances surrounding the previous heroes, it is not surprising that something even worse happened.


    "In his despair, the man put his hope in the future. But for him, that hope was--"


    Then, as if to pause for a moment, Mr. Farga closes his eyes sadly.


    The next time he opened his eyes, his words were not directed at the hero, but at me.


    "Usato, I want you to believe in people until the end. No matter how angry you may be, no matter how disappointed you may be, never let yourself fall into hatred and darkness."


    "...... Yes."


    I can''t even imagine now what it''s like to hate, but I''ll keep Master Farga''s words firmly in my mind.


    Satisfied with my answer, Farga let out a sigh as if releasing the tension and shifted her gaze from me to Norn.


    "Yes. I have nothing to say. Norn."


    "Yes. Well, since you are leaving here today, I will at least give you something to help you on your journey."


    "Oh, thank you."


    Food and water are essential for traveling.


    I hear it''s a bit far to the land of the beastmen, so let''s take what we can get.


    "And I will arrange a ship for you to return to the Lingle Kingdom. The ice will have melted by the time you get here, and we can take the boat down the river and bring you closer to the Lingle Kingdom.


    So the way back will be easier than the way there?¡¡That would be nice, but first we have to get to the beastmen''s country.


    It has been a really long week.


    But what I have realized here has not been in vain. I learned my own way of fighting, the cage that Mr. Farga made for me, and I learned how to strengthen the lineage of healing magic.


    And Leona was able to follow her own path of heroism.


    "Oh, by the way, where is Leona?"


    When I tilted my head and wondered why I had not seen her today, Norn-sama answered my question.


    "I asked Leona to see you all off before you leave here.


    "Is that so?"


    You''re going to see me off.


    Good. We won''t have to say goodbye without seeing each other at the end.


    I wanted to thank her again for reminding me that I had forgotten something important as a person who helps people.


    Fortunately, I had the opportunity to do so, and after saying goodbye to Norn and Falga, I returned to the ground to prepare for my journey.


    I was so relieved to have the opportunity to say goodbye to Master Norn and Master Farga.


    After getting ready to leave for the land of the beastmen, we woke up Bulrin who was coasting in the stables by the castle, said goodbye to the maid who had taken care of us until today, and departed from the castle.


    According to the maid, Leona is waiting for us at the castle gate.


    As soon as I went out to the place where I could see the gate, I noticed two figures at the inner door of the gate.


    I thought Leona was the only one who came to see me off, but I wondered if there was another person there.


    As I approached, I could clearly see Leona''s figure and another person.


    "......A"


    Next to Ms. Leona was a man supporting himself with a cane.


    The man looked familiar. Or rather, it was not only familiar, but it was Mr. Karon, the man with whom I had just had a mortal encounter the other day.


    "Oh!¡¡You''re here!"


    Mr. Karon, a man who had cut his long hair short, turned to us and waved his hand in our direction.


    Leona saw him, pressed her forehead against his and sighed.


    "Kalon, don''t push yourself too hard. You just woke up today."


    "I''m fine. I know."


    Mr. Karon, who replied to Leona in such a way, was a person with a fresh atmosphere unlike when he was out of control.


    He looked at us as we arrived at the gate and smiled a friendly smile.


    "As you probably already know, I am Kalon. I used to be a knight of Mearaq. I am very sorry for what happened. And thank you, I would have destroyed my home with my own hands if it weren''t for you."


    "Uh, uh, ......, uh, are you all right?"


    Mr. Karon bows his head deeply to me and I get flustered, so I quickly ask him if there is anything wrong with his body.


    After all, I am not used to being thanked face to face.


    "Thanks to your healing magic, I haven''t been injured at all. I didn''t expect to be beaten up while being healed by your healing magic. Ha-ha-ha."


    "Did you have a memory of the fight?"


    I ask him if he has any memory of the fight, upset that Mr. Karon remembers hitting him in the process of rescuing him.


    He nodded to my question.


    "Yes, I had a memory, though it was a very short one. I remember the damage you did to the people of Mearaq, the fight with Leona ......, and the way you tried to save me at the cost of your own life."


    "......I was just being reckless. Leona and my friends have saved my life many times, and I couldn''t have saved you alone.


    "It''s great to have friends who are willing to help you even when you''re reckless."


    What a pleasant personality!


    I can see why Leona is an ideal knight.


    Now that I know his personality, I ask him a question that has been on my mind.


    "What are you going to do now, Mr. Karon?"


    "Well, ...... first of all, I have to atone for my sins. I myself am the one who put Mearaq in danger, even if it was because of the dragon power that lies dormant inside me that went out of control. I will be punished accordingly after Mialak is restored."


    It would be nice if the crisis in Mearaq was over, but Mr. Karon cannot be blamed for his outburst.


    As a matter of fact, I''m sure Master Norn and Master Farga will make things easier for him because of the reason. .......


    "Besides, I can''t be a knight anymore."


    "What? Why?"


    You can''t be a knight. ......?


    As I tilt my head, Mr. Karon shows me the staff in his hand.


    "I can''t knead magic anymore. Maybe that''s why I can''t walk properly without it. Well, it''s not so hard to live a normal life, but my body has become too fragile to fight as a knight."


    "...... I wonder if you mean that the temporary and forced awakening has put a tremendous strain on Kalon''s body......?¡¡It has even reached a stage where even Usato''s lineage enhancement cannot heal it. ......"


    I fall silent as Nea murmurs behind me.


    If I had helped him earlier, this might not have happened. It may be arrogant of me, but that''s what I think.


    "It''s not your fault. It was always a crazy idea for a man to turn into a dragon. I lost my power of magic after that change, that''s all. ...... And besides, even without me you have someone to rely on. Like the serious lady knight next to me.


    "Don''t call me funny names."


    Leona glared at Mr. Karon with a jealous look.


    He turned his gaze away from her and put his hand on my shoulder.


    "So, there is no need for you to worry. What you did was not wrong."


    "...... yes."


    "Okay!¡¡That''s it from me!¡¡Leona. You had something you wanted to say to them too, didn''t you?


    "I was the one who was supposed to see them off in the first place. ......"


    Leona took her hand off my shoulder and looked at Mr. Karon, who stepped back, as if she was disgusted with him, and stepped forward to replace him.


    "......"


    "......"


    "......"


    "...... uh."


    Why are you silent ......?


    The first time I saw him, he was looking straight at me, but his gaze gradually shifted downward.


    "Leona-san?"


    "......, I''m sorry!¡¡The words I was thinking about disappeared in my head. ......!"


    "Oh, come on, Leona. That''s not true."


    "Shut up, Kalon!


    Leona yells at Mr. Karon, her face reddening.


    I laugh at her and try to talk to her to relieve the tension.


    "Your spear! It suits you very well.


    "What?¡¡Is that so?"


    "Yes. Yes, it''s very cool.


    In Leona''s hands, the weapon has been transformed into the shape of a spear.


    It is so much cooler than my too-simple baskets.


    ......If my armor were a spear instead of a basket hand,...... no, it would be better not to imagine it.


    I can only imagine me wielding it with force.


    "Or is it cool ......?"


    "Was it wrong to be cool to women ......?"


    "No!¡¡I''m glad to hear that, but there''s a little complication: ......


    "Complicated ......?"


    Should I have just said "beautiful" or "straight to the point"?¡¡But it was so uncharacteristic of me to use such a harsh line that I would later writhe in shame.


    Leona clears her throat.


    Her voice trembled a little, but she opened her mouth.


    "Well, I wanted to talk to you guys one last time."


    Leona nodded her head and looked around at each of us.


    "......I was lost when I first met you guys. A person like me was not fit to be a hero. But as a hero I must protect Mearaq. No matter where I went, it was a dead end. ...... It was in this situation that I met you."


    "Me?"


    "It was shocking. The way you fight, the strength of your heart. And the way he can communicate with beasts and demons. ......


    "Can I honestly call you a freak?


    "Hey, there are some things you can say and some things you can''t. Okay?"


    Nair nodded her head, holding her forehead as she smiled at me.


    When I take my eyes off her, she says, "Hey, does it look like we''re having a heart-to-heart?¡¡Right? she pleaded to Leona with teary eyes, but Leona only smiled wryly.


    "Seeing you like that, I had a selfish thought and tried to take measures without taking care of myself. I cannot let you die in the battle against Kalon. I did not want Norn, Falga, or the rest of the people in the castle to get hurt, so I decided to ...... give my life to defeat Kalon."


    As Leona said these words, Kalon, who was standing behind her, put on a sorrowful expression and put strength into his hand holding his staff.


    "I was ready to die and you were the one who stopped me. You are not alone, you need someone to help you. I didn''t realize how simple it was, but now I do. Usato, you taught me to depend on you. If you can''t do it alone, you can count on someone next to you. If someone is suffering, reach out to them. I am standing here today because of your words and your actions."


    "Well..."


    "No, I don''t think so. I think you''d be modest about it."


    Leona nailed me before I could say, "No, it''s not true.


    I wonder how she understood my words. ...... Are you that easy to understand?


    Leona smiled at my silence.


    "You are easy to understand, aren''t you?


    "Oh, easy to understand?¡¡Amako, am I that obvious?"


    "Yes. I can turn into an ogre or a person.


    I think that''s a mistake. It''s not that he''s prone to show his face, it''s that he''s changed.


    I mean, is my face a mask or something?


    Amako continues to speak to me as I am in a state of shock.


    "Nah, I''m kidding. But Usato is easy to understand what you are thinking.


    "That''s how I see it from Amaco''s point of view. ......"


    "Ha-ha-ha, Mister Usato is very expressive."


    A, even Mr. Aruk: .......


    I thought I was good at making facial expressions, but I guess I''m not so good at it under normal circumstances.


    "Well, I''m going to miss your interactions, ...... but it''s time for me to say goodbye."


    "Yes, I guess so."


    I nodded to Leona''s words.


    We can''t stay here talking forever.


    Besides, we will be here again when we return to the Kingdom of Lingle, so it won''t be a very long goodbye.


    "I know you guys have a rough road ahead of you ......, but I still wish you all the best on your journey."


    "Good luck to you too, Leona. Take care, Mr. Caron.


    "Yeah, I''m looking forward to the next time I see you."


    After exchanging parting words with Leona and Karon, we leave them and walk out of Mearaq.


    "Oh, yeah."


    "?¡¡What''s wrong, Usato?"


    "There was still something I forgot to tell Leona."


    I stop, turn around, and look at Leona who is seeing me off.


    Leona looked puzzled when I suddenly turned around, and I said to her the words I had been planning to say to her.


    "Leona, you are a hero to me, too!


    "......?


    "Well then!"


    Yesterday, I thought about what Leona had said.


    But the answer came to me immediately. My dear friend ......, that''s what she meant.


    Leona looked surprised at my words and then turned her head down to hide her face with her bangs. I wanted to say this one last thing to her, so I turned around and walked away without waiting for her answer.


    "I knew it, Usato is unaware."


    "As much as it pains me, I agree. It''s a kind of charade, isn''t it?


    "What did you just see that made you so sure?


    Amako and Nair get along with each other only in such a situation, and I feel unreasonable.


    The incarnation of the dragon that had been rampaging in Mearaq had been subdued, and peace had returned.


    All that remains now is to wait for the people of Mearaq to return and rebuild.


    But our journey is not over yet. Having completed our mission in Lukvis, Samariar, and Mialark, we are now headed for a place that is difficult for humans to enter---the land of the beastmen.


    In order to deliver the letter and save Amako''s mother, we are now on our way to our final destination.

 130 - - After a quiet reunion - in a neighboring country

    A quiet story of the ferme, after the reunion


    I wake up in the morning as is my custom, Rose makes me run until I collapse during the day, and at night I write in my diary and fall asleep.


    That''s my lifeguard routine as usual.


    The next time I opened my eyes, I saw Usato in front of me.


    It seemed so real, but I decided that I was dreaming.


    He was now on a trip to deliver a letter or something. There was no way he could appear in front of me without warning.


    I came to the conclusion that he was not, and I punched him in the face.


    In my dreams, I should be able to beat up Usato ......, but somehow, just like before, he still manages to knock me unconscious.


    "How long are you going to sleep?"


    "What the hell?"


    I woke up with a tremendous shock on my forehead.


    I guess I should say I was awakened, but I already know who woke me up, so I get up, writhing in pain.


    In front of me was Rose with her finger at the ready and Nack looking into my face.


    "By the looks of it, I guess you''ve been talking to Usato over there.


    "Over there?¡¡What, Usato ......?"


    "...... will take a ten-minute break. You should rest in the meantime.


    Rest?¡¡You''re a bloodthirsty b*tc*!¡¡I nodded my head.


    After saying this, Rose turned her head toward the dormitory and Nack, who was tilting his head, called out to her.


    Are you going somewhere?¡¡Mr. Rose?"


    "I have to go to the castle. I''m sure you''ll be fine, but you know if ...... I skip it, right?"


    The look on his face was intimidating, even to a demon, and like me, Nack shook his head several times.


    It''s not surprising that this woman would know that I''ve been slacking off, even if she wasn''t watching me. Or rather, she has detected it several times.


    I look away from Rose and sit down on the ground, relaxing my shoulders.


    "Whew... ....... Mr. Ferrum, how is Usato-san?"


    "Huh?¡¡What are you talking about?


    "What?¡¡I mean, didn''t they call you because of some kind of magic?"


    ...... hmm?


    I don''t understand what Nack''s question means.


    I tilted my head and Nack began to explain what had happened to me.


    He said that I was pulled into Usato''s place by magic and came back unconscious.


    .......


    "That wasn''t a dream!"


    "...... are you an idiot, Mr. Ferrum?"


    "Shut up!"


    I yelled at Nack, who seemed to be taken aback, and recalled the exchange with Usato once more.


    I think there was someone else in the room besides Usato.


    Usato, too, was aghast at my belligerence, but in the end, I got bumped and smacked on the head...,


    "So I''ve been knocked unconscious by him again. ......!¡¡d*mn!¡¡What''s with the "good job"!¡¡I''m not at all happy to hear you praise me!


    As I stomp the ground in exasperation, I notice Nack looking at me smiling.


    "What the hell? He looks at me with a sickening smile. ......"


    "No, I mean, I ...... kind of feel like you''re just like me, Mr. Ferrum. ......"


    "Huh?¡¡What do you mean by that?"


    "I won''t say, because I''ll deny it anyway. Now, it''s time to resume training. I''m afraid of what''ll happen if we skip it.


    "......"


    What''s the same with this guy?¡¡Are you trying to confuse me by saying something I don''t understand?


    I''m not going to play along, so I''m going back to my training. ......I don''t want Rose to find out that I skipped training and beat me to a pulp.


    ......So, come to think of it--,


    "......What was that about ......?"


    When Usato touched the armor I made with my magic, it felt like something strange ...... happened.


    It''s as if the armor has started moving on its own.


    In the first place, it is strange that my armor can change its shape against my will. That never happened to me when I was in the Demon Lord''s army.


    "I guess I shouldn''t worry about it. I''ve been sealed in my magic again anyway.


    The magic fixture around my neck, which I thought had been removed, has somehow been restored.


    Now that I can''t use magic, there is no point in thinking about the anomaly.


    "Next time I see you, I''ll show you ......!"


    "What have you been mumbling all this time?¡¡Stop wasting your time and get back to your training."


    I know!


    Don''t go any further!


    He yells at Nack, who looks like a fool, and starts to run.


    You''ll see, you monster in human skin! Next time I see you, I''m going to make you stronger than you are today and give you a hard time. ......!


    With this determination, I focus my mind on my training.


    I''m going to be a great trainer.


    A quiet tale of Suzune, in a neighboring country


    Kingdom of Glarial.


    That was the third country we visited to deliver the letter.


    Delivering the letter was surprisingly easy. But instead, we received a request from the king of Glarial.


    "Save Mearaq from danger."


    Mialark is a city located next to the Kingdom of Glarial.


    When we came to the Kingdom of Glarial, there was already a problem in that city.


    A certain knight belonging to Mialark had gone berserk, freezing the water around Mialark and trying to destroy the city.


    The people of Mialark are now taking refuge in the Kingdom of Glarial.


    Even though it is a city, the number of people living in Mialark is not small. The Kingdom of Glarial is trying to save food and supplies as much as possible and is sharing them with the people of Mialark, but it will not be able to do so for much longer.


    At this rate, we will have to abandon the people of Mialark.


    It was at this moment, when we had to make a cruel decision, that we appeared before King Glarial.


    "Usato-kun ......"


    We are still in contact with the castle in Mearaq by hoo-bird.


    When we arrived at the kingdom of Glarial, Usato and his friends had already arrived at Mialark and were working to stop the runaway knights.


    I was relieved to hear that they have not changed at all. ......


    "Are you worried?"


    "......Yes, of course I''m worried."


    Krumia comes up next to me as I watch the people of Mearaq resting in a makeshift tent outside the gates of the Kingdom of Glarial.


    "I was told that the knight who is running amok is the one who would have been given the title of hero. Such a person is running amok while turning into a dragon. ......I''m afraid something might happen to you, Usato-kun. ......"


    I am not aware of what is happening in Mearaq either.


    But I can imagine how serious the situation is when I hear that a person who has turned into a dragon is on the rampage.


    Dragons are portrayed as powerful beings in all stories. It should be no different in this world.


    "So, what are your real feelings?"


    "I''m too shy to let you see me."


    He covers his face with his hands and writhes in shame at Krumia''s words.


    I''ve done a lot of things to get to this point ......!


    And now that the rumors are spreading, I''m in a lot of trouble......!


    "Usato-sama is also in trouble. Perhaps it''s because of the unique nature of being a healing magician, but the rumors are getting trailed, and it''s getting worse and worse."


    "Ugh ......"


    "You know what? There are rumors that he beat up demons with his bare hands, that he blinds them with his healing magic, and finally there are rumors that those who are hit by Usato-sama become immobile as if they were in bondage......."


    "......"


    In the past few months, Usato-kun has been treated like a superhuman.


    And he''s supposed to be some kind of sorcerer,...... and he doesn''t use healing magic to blind people,...... he''s not supposed to do that.


    "The truth is, I know you''ll be fine, Usato-kun,......!¡¡But I don''t know what I should look like when I meet him. Maybe, definitely, definitely, Usato-kun is planning to get back at me. I''m too shy to meet him first, and I can''t make up my mind ......."


    "...... is a pain in the ass."


    "Isn''t it terrible?"


    I''m aware that I''m a pain in the ass, but it hurts the most when you say it to my face!


    Krumea cowered her shoulders in disgust at my words.


    "I don''t care about your girlishness. We are going to help Usato-sama, that''s all.


    "Gugu, my squire is too strict ......"


    "Besides, there are those who are suffering now. We can''t just turn a blind eye to that. Can''t we?"


    "...... I know. That''s why you''re getting ready to leave.


    "But you were running away from reality."


    "Ugh, that''s ......."


    She really hits a sore spot, doesn''t she?


    But it''s still true. From the very beginning, there is no option for me not to go to Mearaq because I have no face to show to Mr. Usato-kun.


    Right now, in front of me are the people of Mialark who cannot go home, and behind me are the people of the Kingdom of Glarial who are doing everything in their power to help them.


    For the time being, I must put my personal feelings aside and do something about the problems in Mialark,


    "O brave one!"


    Hmm?"


    As I was about to signal my friends to leave for Mialark, a knight of the Kingdom of Glarial came running toward us in a great hurry from the castle.


    I wondered why he looked so happy, but I spoke to the knight, who was breathing hard.


    What''s wrong?¡¡I was about to leave for Mearaq ......."


    There is no need for that. ......!¡¡The crisis in Mearaq has passed today!


    What?


    Here!


    The knight held out a letter that Mialak must have sent by hooverbird.


    He opened the letter and looked through it, wondering... It contained the news that Usato and his friends had succeeded in stopping the knight who had been rampaging in Mialak.


    "Well, Usato-kun did it. That''s great of you, Usato-kun."


    "He is a man who exceeds our imagination in every way. Maybe I should have followed you after all. ......


    "Will you stop saying that so I can hear you!¡¡You''re hurting me!


    Krumia replies, "I''m only joking." He looks at the news with a slumped shoulder.


    He looks at the news with his shoulders drooped. ...... If the crisis in Mearaq is over, then there is no need for me to go. I''m a little sad that I won''t be able to see you anymore, Usato, but I''m really glad that Mialak is saved.


    As I read through the news, half happy and half regretful, a sentence caught my attention.


    "Hmmm?¡¡A right arm shining in silver?¡¡Usato, the healing wizard who runs on the ice with a black messenger: ......?"


    Hmm? ...... hmm?


    Ah, what''s that?¡¡What does that mean?¡¡Does he have any silver equipment on his right arm?¡¡Is he running on the ice with a black messenger...... Burlyn?¡¡But he wasn''t black. .......


    The person who sent the message, perhaps trying to lend credibility to the report, included a handwritten picture to make it easier to understand.


    It showed Usato and his friends as they had been when they had parted in Luxembourg.


    However, on his right arm, there was an overly cool-looking cage hand, to put it mildly.


    In addition, on his right shoulder was an owl that was too cute, to say the least.


    ......?


    "No, you are really good. You managed it without us even having to go there, didn''t you, Suzune-san? ...... Suzune-san?"


    "......Zuzu, that''s not fair!"


    What?"


    Krumea let out a crazy voice at my words.


    But I shook my shoulders so much that I didn''t care about that.


    Leaving aside the fact that he was wearing a basket hand, which I had not seen in Lukvis, it was not fair that he was carrying a cute little owl on his shoulder even though Bulrin was there, Usato!¡¡I''ve never even met a messenger before,...... and I''m jealous of you,......!


    "I wonder, Usato-kun, if you''re not traveling in another world with me!"


    I wonder what kind of journey you are on, Usato,......!


    I dread to think how much you will have grown when I see you again. .......

 131 - - The Threat of the Silent Kings Army

    I, Amira Bergeret, was forced to flee the battle against the Kingdom of Lingle.


    Having been stripped of my position as Commander of the Third Legion, I have chosen to fight as a mere soldier.


    I realized through the defeat of the humans and the words of the Demon Lord that the reason why I should fight was not to defeat Rose, the opponent with whom I had a history, but for the sake of the Demon Lord, and by extension, the demon clans.


    I had been training as a soldier for the battle to come, but my situation changed when the second legionnaire summoned me.


    He told me that he had given me a special order and that I should join him.


    I have no complaints about the mission. If the Devil King has given you an order, it is the duty of those who belong to the Devil King''s Army to carry it out, no matter what it entails, even if it means risking your own life.


    But the problem was that I had to temporarily become the subordinate of the Commander of the 2nd Legion and take on this task.


    "Assistant Corps Commander Berglet. Are you tired?


    Deputy Commander, II Corps.


    That was the temporary position given to me, a mere soldier.


    My brow wrinkles as he calls me that, and I reply with sarcasm to the man walking in front of me.


    "Oh, I''m tired of being with you.


    "Oops, sorry about that."


    I let out a sigh for the umpteenth time as the man fluently calls out to me while I am holding my forehead.


    The man with the horns and brown skin characteristic of the demon tribe, and wearing not even armor but a black outfit, utters a token apology for my abuse, and turns to face forward again.


    Koga Dingal, Commander of the 2nd Legion of the Demon King''s Army.


    It sounds good to say that he is a genius at the age of 17, holding the title of Commander of the Legion, but in reality, he is a lazy person who entrusts his subordinates with tasks other than combat.


    "Huh ......"


    We are now leaving the demon king''s territory and moving through the green valley.


    The man in front of me and I are accompanied by five men, who are following behind us for now, but their faces are beginning to show signs of fatigue.


    "Hey, I think it''s time to give my men a rest. At this rate, they will collapse before they cross the valley.


    "Hmm?¡¡Yeah, I guess so.


    Without breaking a sweat, he tells his men to take a break and sits down on the trunk of the nearest tree.


    I take one look at my men who are taking a break and give him a quizzical look.


    "...... Are you sure this is the right number of men to have under your command?¡¡You could have brought more, couldn''t you?"


    "This mission is not about intimidation. We''re just going to see if the beastmen can be used or not.


    The order from the Witch King is to "see if the beastmen are capable of fighting against humans.


    With the help of the Demon King, we can fight against the human army even in our current state, but it is better to have more than enough. Beastmen who have a close relationship with humans are likely to cooperate with us demons, but they are not worth joining us if they are going to be a hindrance.


    For this reason, the Witch King sent Koga, the commander of the 2nd Legion, as a messenger and ordered him to assess the beastmen.


    ...... but I still have my doubts about whether he chose the right man for the job.


    "It''s possible they''re hostile, isn''t it?"


    "There''s me and you, a current corps commander and an ex-corps commander. We''re probably overpowered.


    Don''t be too quick to lick their lips or they''ll scoop you off your feet.


    "That''s funny, that''s good."


    I am annoyed with Koga who smiles a sly smile, but I can only let out a sigh because I understand that it makes no sense to be angry with this guy.


    "Besides, this place can''t be crossed by a large group of people. This is the realm of demons, and there are a lot of powerful demons here. I don''t want to provoke them and get into trouble.


    "...... indeed."


    This is not the domain of humans or demons, but of demons.


    You can get to the beastmen''s country through this place without crossing the great river, but the danger of being killed by demons will increase. Considering this, I can understand the idea of an elite few.


    "Well, with you around, I don''t have to worry about my men, so it''s easy."


    "......"


    ......He''s going to leave all instructions and other things to me from now on, isn''t he?


    Is this why he brought me here almost by force to make me deputy commander to increase our strength?


    This man has the ability to live up to his name as a corps commander and is trusted by his subordinates, probably due to his vivacious personality. That is quite a bad thing.


    "You look like you really don''t like it. ...... Don''t forget you owe me a debt, don''t you?¡¡I haven''t forgotten that you made my treasured child a prisoner of the Lingle Kingdom.


    "G...... know."


    I suppose he is referring to the black knight who was sent by the 2nd Legion during the battle against the Ringle Kingdom and was taken prisoner.


    I myself had never thought that a black knight with such a foul counter would be taken prisoner.


    "Well, I didn''t think that my treasured ...... ferrum would be captured either. Even though he''s a dark magic user like me, his magic is very different.


    Dark magic with the property of <>.


    The magic of the black knight that returns wounds to its opponents was supposed to be invincible, capable of inflicting fatal wounds on any formidable foe.


    I am sure that K?ga was thinking the same thing as I was when he sent his forces of black knights to us.


    "That''s why I was so surprised when I heard that he was defeated by a human. I couldn''t believe he was beaten by a healing wizard. Why would someone who heals allies beat up a vicious dark wizard? I thought.


    "Hey, aren''t you worried? They''re your men, aren''t they?"


    How can you laugh when your men are being held captive?


    He glares at KOGA sharply at his impertinence.


    "I''m not that worried. I''m even considering the possibility that they are turning on the other side.


    "...... Why, how can you say that?"


    "Because that''s all the Demon Army is to him. Fighting in the Demon Lord''s Army is not for the sake of the Demon Lord, but for his own sake, and he just wanted an environment where he could wield his power to the fullest."


    When you put it that way, it seemed that the black knight was fighting for himself rather than for the Demon Lord''s army.


    As a matter of fact, he was fighting for himself rather than for the Demon Lord''s army.¡¡I don''t force others to fight for the Demon Lord, but I would have liked to know what reason he was fighting for. .......


    At that time, I was so occupied with my position as the Commander of the Legion that all I remember is yelling at the Black Knight.


    Now that I am not a legionnaire anymore, maybe there are things I can talk about more now that I have calmed down.


    "You dark wizards..." he said. Everyone needs someone who understands them.


    "Understanders?"


    From the day you''re born, you''re raised to be an abomination, to be feared. If you''re raised like that, you''ll naturally develop a twisted personality.


    Like you?


    I''m lucky I''m not in the public eye yet.


    With a sly smile on his face, Koger looked at his palm.


    He was smiling in profile, but his eyes seemed to be vacant, as if he were looking into the distance.


    "That''s why, if there is someone in the Kingdom of Lingle who could be an ''understanding'' person for Ferrum, he won''t come back to the Demon Lord''s Army," he said. That''s the reason why he exists there.


    A reason to exist, huh?


    It''s not as simple as just being a traitor.


    It is because we, the demon tribe, are the ones who have created such an environment by shunning the users of dark magic. Normally, it would not be surprising if we gave up on the demon tribe.


    I cross my arms in distress and Koga looks at me as if suddenly remembering.


    "What I''m more concerned about is the healer who beat up Ferrum and the two heroes..."


    "...... That''s just a bitter memory for me."


    The second healer and the two heroes.


    The one who restored the heroes whom the Black Knight had driven out of combat to almost full recovery and brought them back to the front.


    The two heroes who wielded lightning magic and light magic, powerful and matchless magic, and defeated the serpent demon Barzinak, who was the main force of the Demon Lord''s army.


    Their existence is nothing but a trauma to me.


    The two heroes are one thing, but to have another almost invulnerable healer is the worst of all.


    Koga seemed to be very interested in the situation, and instead of his usual lethargic attitude, he was talking to me in a very curious manner.


    "I have heard from a soldier who went to the war that the healer and the two heroes... I was even more surprised to hear that they were not much older than me.


    "...... Huh?¡¡That''s a coincidence."


    "Really?¡¡I''m thinking there''s some kind of connection between the healer and the hero."


    More than his age, I wonder where the healer identical to Rose, who was not present at the battle two years ago, has sprung from.


    "But you are very dedicated, aren''t you?"


    "I''m not so much enthusiastic, it''s just that I''d like to fight ...... when I get a chance."


    "...... is rare. It''s unusual for you to say such a thing."


    Sure, sure.


    I was honestly surprised to hear this guy, who is so reluctant to fight, say that he wanted to fight.


    "All I want to do is fight my nemesis, that''s all I want to do," he said. Currently, the only candidates are a brave man and a healer. ...... Well, I don''t have much hope for the healer."


    My nemesis.


    My impression of this guy, who had seemed so lethargic, has changed a little.


    "...... Has this nemesis ever existed?"


    No, I don''t. You have to at least have the guts to go toe to toe with me.


    "Hmph, anyone who tries to fight you at close range is just a fool."


    Coga nodded deeply at my words and smiled wryly.


    His smile was more belligerent than I had ever imagined from his open-mindedness.


    "That''s fine, you fool. I love that kind of thing."


    "Coga, you--"


    At that moment, as if interrupting my voice, I heard the yelp of a demon.


    Coga stood up slowly and urged me and my men to stand up.


    "There''s no need to waste time fighting demons. You''ve rested long enough, haven''t you?¡¡Then let''s move on."


    "...... yeah."


    He nodded at Koga''s words, got up with his men, and started walking down the steep path again.


    "Every dark magic user needs someone who understands him.


    Coga himself spoke these words, and if they are true for anyone, it is him..,


    "...... No, let''s focus on the mission."


    Now is not the time for such thoughts.


    Shaking off my thoughts, I turned my attention to the scenery before me and stamped my feet on the ground in order to carry out the task that the Demon Lord had ordered me to do.

 132 - - character introduction

    Name Leona


    Genealogy Ice


    A brave warrior from the water city of Mialak.


    A woman with low self-esteem, she is a skilled manipulator of the ice system.


    She believes that she is not fit to be a hero, and that Kalon is the one who should be the hero, so she avoids calling herself a hero.


    However, at the young age of 20, when she was able to handle the systemic enhancement, it can be said that Leona was also qualified to be a hero in Mialak.


    In this chapter, her strong sense of responsibility and low self-esteem made her desperate, and she reached for the fountain that turns life into power and was about to make a desperate suicide attack on the out-of-control Kalon.


    At one point, she tried to drink the spring water again for Mialak, but when she saw Usato and the others fighting without giving up, she chose to fight not as a "hero who sacrifices himself to save others" but as a "knight who fights together with his friends".


    The hero''s staff, which recognized her determination, changed its form into a spear and was hurled into the battlefield as nine arrows of light to save Usato and Kalon.


    After the battle with Kalon, she admitted that she was a hero, and decided to search for her own way of being a hero, rather than to become the ideal hero she had envisioned.


    Name Norn Erad Mialak


    Lineage Not shown


    Queen of Mialak.


    A woman who had the misfortune to have Kalon run amok in her early days on the throne. She is endowed with a < by the divine dragon Falga, and is able to form powerful wards within a limited area.


    As the Queen of Mialark, she spent her sleepless nights defending her country and helping her people escape, but the stressful conditions prevented her from getting a proper night''s sleep, and she had to reach for a potion to induce a restful night''s sleep.


    Just as she was about to fall into a state of mental instability due to frustration and anxiety, Usato and his friends came to visit her.


    Norn has taken on the responsibility of protecting her country and her people by becoming queen.


    Despite her anxiety, she continued to protect Mialak with faith in tomorrow, an act befitting a queen.


    Name: Falga


    Race Dragon


    A divine dragon that lives underground in Mialak.


    Like the evil dragon, it was born with supernatural power. Usually it quietly watches over the earth in the that exists deep underground in Mialark, and sometimes gives advice to the rulers of Mialark so that they will not stray from the path.


    While the evil dragons possess poison and vicious powers, Falga possesses innate wisdom and a wide variety of magical arts. In addition, she is able to separate her body to create powerful weapons, but the strain on her body is immeasurable, as it is equivalent to separating her own power.


    Having witnessed the battle between the Demon King and the previous generation of heroes long ago, he almost lost sight of the value of human beings for a time, but after meeting a woman in Mialark and learning the wonder of humanity, he later became the divine dragon of Mialark, watching over the earth.


    Name Kalon


    Race Human/Dragon


    Lineage Ice


    The pride of Mialak.


    He was a knight of outstanding ability and was greatly trusted by those around him, but the power of the dragon that lay dormant in him caused him to lose control of himself and run amok.


    In his runaway state, he is driven by the same destructive impulse as the evil dragon, and he continues to stay around Mialark in order to kill Farga, the source of his power.


    In his true nature, he is a friendly young man who likes to make fun of others and gives advice to Leona, who tends to be preoccupied with various things.


    After he woke up from his outburst, he was unable to formulate magic power due to the aftereffects, and could not walk properly without a cane, but Kalon himself does not care that much about this.


    He was most happy that he had not let his precious place in Mialak and his beloved wife fall into his hands, even though he had lost so much.

 133 - - The 121st.

    In Mialak, we fought against the knight Karon, who had turned into a dragon man.


    He had lost his mind and went out of control and possessed tremendous power, but with the help of Leona, a brave woman from Mialak, we were able to end the battle without sacrificing any of our lives.


    The battle was a series of tightrope walking, but we gained a lot.


    We were able to complete the reinforcement of the healing magic system. The reason why we could not complete the enhancement was that I had forgotten my "original intention" as a lifeguard. The conditions for this are now in place.


    Our final destination, the land of the beasts.


    Departing from Mearaq, we crossed the frozen lake and entered the territory of the beastmen.


    "I knew it, beastmen don''t make roads or anything. ......"


    A little more than a week after we left Mearaq, we were making our way through a thick forest of trees.


    There are almost no roads here. So if it weren''t for Amako, who was leading the way, we would have been lost here by now.


    "Yes. "Yes. Because there is the danger of an ambush if there is a path. That''s why we beastmen don''t make fixed paths, but only place landmarks."


    Often I found scratches carved into trees and piles of stones, which I guessed were the markers Amaco was talking about.


    I have no idea what those markers mean, but .......


    Nair, who had been listening to Amako''s story on my shoulder, opens her mouth in a languid manner.


    "Well, beastmen are a troublesome race, aren''t they? From what I''ve heard, they live deep in the mountains where it''s difficult to reach, don''t they?¡¡And they don''t make roads, they only have primitive landmarks. ...... It seems like not only a different culture, but even a different time period."


    "I don''t deny it. In fact, it''s a pain in the ass."


    "Yes, I admit it more easily than I thought. It''s your hometown, after all. ......"


    Amako, who answered that she was not interested in talking about her hometown, was surprised by Nair''s response.


    We beastmen have been trying to develop in a different direction from humans. In the process, we have built our own culture by cutting out everything that is not necessary for our development.


    "Hmmm, that''s interesting. I would like to see a culture different from ours with my own eyes if ...... it is possible."


    "It''s not as interesting as you might imagine, Mr. Aruk."


    ......Amaco''s expression has not been good since leaving Mialak.


    The reason for this may have something to do with what Norn-sama told him in Mialak.


    "The beasts are looking for something."


    I think that "something" is Amaco. Of course, I don''t know for sure, but otherwise there is no reason for Amako to be so frightened.


    "Usato, you look so difficult."


    "Hmm, sorry. I was just lost in thought."


    Amako was worried about me, but I could see it on her face.


    I wonder if it is easy for her to read what I am thinking from my facial expression.


    Should I always have a smile on my face like Mr. Halfa?¡¡...... No, I don''t want to do the same as him, because if I do it that way, people will worry about me in a different way.


    ......Let''s return our thoughts to the land of the beasts.


    "Mr. Alc, I''ve been thinking about something ever since we left Mialak."


    What is it?


    The letter.


    I call out to Alc, who is pulling his horse, and touch the package that contains the last letter.


    So far, I have given letters to three places, Lucvis, Samariar, and Mearaq, but the last destination is different from the previous ones in every way, including the circumstances.


    "It would be better not to give them ...... after all, wouldn''t it?"


    The relationship between beastmen and humans is not very good.


    As Mr. Farga said before leaving Mialak, beastmen hate humans. It is impossible for us human beings to give them a letter asking for their help.


    In fact, they might think that we are trying to incite them.


    I''m sure they won''t react very well."


    "Yes, that''s right. ......"


    "But we won''t know for sure until we go there. Not many people have entered the land of the beastmen. Most of them enter for evil purposes, but not you."


    Mr. Arque turns his attention to Amako, who is standing next to me.


    "You have come this far for the sake of Amako''s mother. That is undeniable goodness and sincerity. The beastmen merely responded to hostility with hostility. If we can approach them, we may be able to create a situation in which we can offer our cooperation.


    "...... Aruk, you''re right, not all beastmen are incapable of understanding what they''re talking about. Many of them are hard-headed, but some of them will understand you if you talk to them properly.


    Compromise, huh?


    ...... reminds me of the first time I talked to Amaco.


    I caught Amako who showed me a prediction that Kazuki and my senpai would be killed by Ferrum, and that was the beginning of our path to this point.


    It has been less than half a year since then, but so many things have happened that it seems like many years ago.


    As I was feeling somewhat sentimental, Nair, who was standing on my shoulder, let out a sigh of exasperation.


    "I''m sure you''ll be fine as usual. Because you''re such a freak that you can befriend demons like me and Bulrin, aren''t you?¡¡It''s just a little creepy that you''re so anxious about meeting a beast after all this time.


    "That''s a terrible thing to say, Nair, ...... and I was seriously worried about it. ......"


    "Ho-ho-ho, I laugh at your seriousness. You''re just a random ...... Oh, I''m sorry!¡¡Stop pointing your finger at me!"


    She silently takes up a bumping posture and covers her face with her wings, looking at me through the gap between them.


    I''m sure she wants to get along with ......, though.


    I don''t want to say it out loud because he might deny it to the fullest.


    I''m actually thinking that Usato-dono might be okay with it.


    "It''s okay. ......."


    He tilts his head at Mr. Aruk, who says in an unusually vague manner.


    "The journey so far has not been an easy one. You have overcome so many challenges that you might have broken down at some point, and here you are today.


    "haha ....... I think I''ve taken the liberty of sticking my neck out on some of them though. I''ve really been a nuisance to you, ALC. ......"


    I think that I have really caused a lot of trouble objectively, such as being manipulated by Nair, having the historical bells of Samaritan destroyed, and fighting together with a powerful enemy named Mr. Karon.


    I do not regret following you at all.¡¡In fact, it was so full of adventure that I am glad I did.


    I am at a loss for what to say to Mr. Aruk, who said so refreshingly.


    I am truly blessed with friends. .......


    I know I keep saying this, but I''ve been involved in a lot of troublesome situations.


    Normally, you would want to get away from me as a troublemaker.


    "......"


    He looks at Nair on his shoulder and Amaco and Bulrin walking behind him.


    Amako has come along to help her mother and has done so without complaint.


    Nea has been ...... following me, even though I''ve given her a lot of trouble, if I do say so myself.


    I think he is my partner, and in a way, the person I feel the closest to.


    "Usato, your eyes are kind. Are you okay?"


    "No, I''m just scared... ......, be a little positive."


    "Guffaw~"


    "What do you guys think I am?


    Just when I was getting a little sentimental, here it is!


    Nair is really scared of me!


    What''s wrong with my kind eyes? Is it like Rose is being nice to me without warning?


    I got goosebumps when I imagined .......


    It kind of reminds me again that Rose is the best fit for my image of her as she has been so far. The sad part is that I''ve gotten used to it.


    "Hmm?¡¡Mr. Aruk, you have two swords, don''t you?


    "Oh, is that it?"


    I suddenly see the sword that Mr. Aruk is equipped with and tilt my head.


    On his waist, in addition to the sword he always carries, there was another rather small sword.


    "I got it as a spare sword, just in case. Considering what I''ve been through, I thought one sword would not be enough.


    "Oh ...... sure."


    I broke his sword at the time of the evil dragon, and it was shattered by Mr. Karon''s wing this time, too.


    So I think it is a good idea to have a spare sword.


    "I would hate to have my sword broken at the critical moment and not be able to do anything."


    "Haha ......"


    A flame knight who skillfully wields two swords, one large and one small: ...... he is so cool.


    What would have happened if I had been able to use magic other than healing magic?


    I can''t help but giggle at the thought of myself training as an ordinary wizard without ever meeting Rose.


    I can''t imagine myself dealing with water or fire magic.


    Let''s give it a try, shall we?¡¡Objectively speaking, what kind of magic am I using?


    "Amako, n¨¦a. Can you imagine me using magic other than healing magic?


    I ask them, and after a few moments of hesitation, they turn to me with subtle expressions on their faces.


    "Punching, maybe ......?"


    Or throwing?


    "Hey, you said you were dealing with magic, didn''t you?¡¡Why are we only talking about physical combat?"


    Did I say it wrong ......?


    Or is that it?¡¡Is it because of the way I fight in the first place?


    "---, Usato!"


    What''s wrong?


    As I was pondering my future direction, Amako''s ears suddenly perked up and she turned around with a startled look on her face.


    Something is flying at me from diagonally up on my right!


    "What?"


    Amako''s words cause him to look up diagonally.


    A moment later, I hear the sound of the wind and see two arrows coming toward my torso, threatening to pierce my body.


    "Hmph!"


    Reflexively, I deployed my right arm cage and grabbed the two arrows that flew toward my torso.


    This is less than the speed of an awakened Mr. Karon''s fist.


    But why did the arrow hit me?


    "Hey, amako. Would the arrow have hit him if you hadn''t warned me?"


    "No. I couldn''t catch it, but I could have dodged it.


    "Yeah, but you can still avoid it. ......"


    Instead, nair was swept to the ground.


    "Why?


    I''ll leave aside N¨¦a, who is looking at me with a big grin, for now, let''s talk about the assailants who have been trying to kill me.


    If he had mistaken me for someone else and shot an arrow at me, I could have let it go peacefully, but...,


    "Not so fast ......!"


    He continues to grab the arrow that was shot at me again, snaps it off, and throws it to the ground.


    It''s clearly aiming only at me.


    If I''m not mistaken, it''s clearly hostile.


    There!


    I feel the presence of someone in the direction from where the arrow was shot. Perhaps the person who shot the arrow at me is a beastman.


    I''ll have to fight back, since I don''t stand a chance if I keep getting shot at.


    I generate a healing magic bullet with all my might in my right hand and throw it as hard as I can in the direction of the presence. The healing magic bullet flies straight and crashes into a leafy branch a little distance away, and scatters to pieces.


    >A pathetic voice echoes through the air.


    "d*mn, you missed ......!"


    "Usato, your face! Your eyes look like you''re in trouble.


    ...... sudden attack has made my words and actions rough.


    I take a small deep breath, and once I''ve calmed down, I look around for other arrows.


    "Usato-dono, are you all right?


    "Yes. But I can''t believe he suddenly shot an arrow at me. ....... I knew it, but this is the normal way to deal with humans. ......!¡¡d*mn ......!"


    "I can''t help but be surprised that you think you''re being treated like a human being when you grabbed the arrow without a care in the world and even fought back. ......"


    I ignore Nea''s words and stare hard in the direction of the arrow-shooter.


    Then, a rustling sound!¡¡I hear a loud rustling sound, and then I hear something moving in the bushes.


    Amako, who was staring in the same direction as I was, points in the direction of the sound.


    "Usato, go get that girl.


    "That boy?¡¡Do you know him by any chance?"


    "Yeah. ...... maybe."


    Maybe.


    Well, we don''t want to get in trouble for calling our friends. Let''s just get him to clear up the misunderstanding.


    Aruk-san!¡¡Let''s go, Nair!


    "Okay, okay. ......"


    They''re probably bestial.


    We can''t just half-heartedly go after them.


    But if I''m going to run with my feet on the ground... that''s what I''m good at.

 134 - - The 122nd.

    The assailant who shot an arrow at me.


    Amako asked me to chase after him, and I was running through the trees.


    Aruk and the others must be chasing after me, but I would get lost if I ran too far away from them. If I am to catch him, I must do it as calmly and quickly as possible.


    But this is the beastmen''s home ground. There are too many trees for me to run as fast as I can.


    "The trees are in the way ......!¡¡I can''t run fast enough ......!"


    "What are you talking crazy about?


    Yes, the distance itself is getting closer, but only by a little bit.


    The beastman running in front of me is faster than I expected. From her back, she looks like a girl, but from the gray ears and tail that I can see, I wonder if she is a wolf beastman.


    Even my legs, which had managed to escape from Rose when she threw me into the forest and played hell tag with a grand grizzly bear, could only keep up with her little by little.


    "Huh, I guess I''m not ready for this yet. ......"


    All right, let''s go back to the drawing board and add some running to our training today.


    A smile naturally forms around my mouth as I realize my future training plan.


    How could they catch up to me?¡¡Help me!


    "Hey, I wonder what you look like to that beast now. ......"


    "......"


    Huh?¡¡I''m the one whose life was threatened, aren''t I?


    How come they are the ones asking for help?


    ...... should do something before we instill any more fear in them.


    He grips his right hand, which still has the cage attached, and stares ahead.


    "Nah, hold on!"


    "What the ...... Kya!?"


    He leans forward, steps down hard on his right leg, and leaps out of the water with a mighty leap.


    Seeing me rushing toward her at a high speed, the beast girl, her face turning blue, avoids my hand that tries to catch her with her amazing reflexes.


    Unable to stop with the same momentum, I walk right past her... but..,


    "But!"


    "Hi!"


    I slam my right back fist into a tree and change direction, turning my attention to the beastman girl.


    I finally caught up with her. She must be able to understand me if I''m this close!


    I try to smile as much as I can and talk to the girl so as not to scare her.


    "Calm down!¡¡I''m human, but I won''t hurt you!


    "No, you''re lying!¡¡How can a human move like that!¡¡I know what you are, you monster disguised as a human!


    With tearful eyes, the beast girl climbed up the tree behind me with the ease of a cat, and moved from tree to tree with the agility of a monkey.


    Looking up at her, I couldn''t help but let out a sigh.


    "Nea, I think she knows who you are."


    "No, I think it''s you. I mean, I''m an owl now."


    "......"


    Oh, that''s right.


    It''s quite a feeling to be treated like a demon by a girl you''ve almost never met before.


    It''s funny, I tried to smile as much as I could.


    "......I can''t let her get away with this. Nair, prepare a binding spell.


    "Healing magic restraining bullet?¡¡At that distance, even you can''t hit them.


    "A few bad shots don''t hurt anyone."


    Huh?


    He produces several small healing magic bullets from his right palm.


    Now that I am assisted in the manipulation of magic by the basket hand, my healing magic bullets are enhanced.


    Originally, this technique was designed to heal multiple wounded people in a melee situation, but if Nair''s binding spell is added to it, it changes into a technique that can cast a binding spell on multiple enemies.


    The name of this technique is--,


    "Healing Magic Ranbun!"


    The magic bullets are thrown in the direction of the girl with force.


    The magic bullets leave my hand, split up as if they were popping, and hit the area around the tree the girl jumped over with a thudding sound.


    The girl crouched down on the branch of the tree and screamed in grief.


    "My hand, my hand, I can''t move!¡¡Wheeeeeee!


    "Oh, my God, I''m so sorry. ......"


    Nair is a bit surprised, but the healing magic bullet is a basically harmless technique.


    Like the healing magic bullet, this technique does not have the power to kill or injure the opponent. All that exists is a healing spell that is gentle to the body and a restraining spell that only disables the body for a moment.


    And the girl was hit directly in the right arm, and her arm was temporarily restrained.


    A momentary gap, but more than enough for me.


    "I''m going to have to ask you to come down from there!"


    I''m going to knock you off!


    I charge at the tree where the girl is, as fast as I can.


    Even if I climb up the tree, she will run away while I''m up there. But there is no way I can convince her.


    Then, I have no choice but to force her to come down, even though I don''t want to.


    "Hmph!"


    With all my might, I jump and kick the tree, shaking it violently.


    The girl is shaken off the tree just enough to break it, and falls headlong to the ground, but I catch her with both arms.


    "The operation has succeeded, hasn''t it?


    "You''re even more of a monster now that you''re in Mialak, you ......."


    Why do people have to say that when all I did was throw and run and kick ......?


    Oh, right.


    We need to find out if the girl who caught him is safe. I cast a healing spell on her as soon as I caught her, but I''ll be in trouble if something happens to her.


    Are you okay?¡¡I''m sorry. I have to do this much to talk to you. ......?"


    "---"


    "That ......."


    The girl who caught him had her eyes white.


    She remained motionless and motionless. Nair noticed the girl''s condition and looked into her face quizzically, then turned to me awkwardly.


    "You''ve fainted, haven''t you?"


    "......"


    This is similar to the symptoms of the injured knights who were brought by the strongmen during the war against the Demon Lord''s army.


    They look as if they have seen something terrible and are stained with fear. ...... I see.


    "Poor guy, he must have been scared of falling from such a high place."


    "You definitely know what you''re talking about, don''t you?¡¡It''s obviously your fault, isn''t it?


    You''re putting me on the same level as those face weapons!¡¡I don''t care how much you think you can get away with it!


    Why do you have to be so angry?


    I''ve been called a monster many times, but I won''t be silenced by the real monster faces of the rescue squad.


    I''m still human.


    With the unconscious girl in my arms, the bickering that had begun continued until Amako and the others arrived.


    Amako and the others arrived.


    We were able to catch the beast girl unconscious, though unwillingly, and we temporarily rested there, waiting for her to wake up.


    In the meantime, we talked to Amako, who told us that the girl was also an acquaintance of Amako.


    The girl''s name was Rinka.


    She is a wolf beastman with gray ears and tail, and was a friend of mine before I left the beastman country. As for why she was aiming an arrow at me, I guess she was trying to save Amako who was with a human.


    Now that I know why she attacked me, I still have one question.


    Why did she target me?


    The girl fainting in front of me tried to take me down first.


    If she had only targeted me by accident, that would have been the end of it, but it was obvious that she was concentrating only on me, and that''s what bothered me.


    Amako took one look at the passed out Linka, who was using Burlyn''s relaxed body as a pillow, and looked back at me with a worried expression on her face.


    "Maybe it''s because Usato seemed the weakest?"


    "What?"


    "The Linka I know wouldn''t hurt an animal unnecessarily. On the other hand, Usato looks normal, so he probably thought it would be better to go for Usato compared to Aruk, who looks strong from the atmosphere.


    "I see. Usato looks weak. But when you open the door, he''s a monster who grabs an arrow on sight.


    "You guys don''t think it''s right to emphasize that, do you?¡¡Why do I have to take so much flak from my own side?"


    I cry sometimes too, you know?


    No, I''m aware that I look weak.


    "I wonder if I can be like the Commander and not get shot by an arrow out of nowhere. ......"


    He is always in a predator-like mood, and his eyes are always on the shooter.


    When I tried to imitate Rose as I imagined her while brushing my hair, the three in front of me turned pale in unison.


    "Usato, I''m sorry. It''s fine the way it is."


    "I''m sorry. You don''t have to change.


    "Usato-dono, now is the best time for you."


    It''s creepy that Aruk-san is suddenly so nice to me, though.


    What?¡¡Did I look that bad?¡¡I didn''t even know I looked that bad.


    "...... everyone, Linka''s going to wake up."


    Amako turns to Linka. Apparently he saw her wake up in his premonition.


    Amako quickly moved to stand beside Linka, hiding us, and gently shook her shoulder.


    "Linka, are you okay?"


    "Ugh, ugh,...... the monster, the monster is chasing me,...... ugh, yeah, what is it?"


    Linka opened her eyes in a swoon and stiffened when she saw Amako''s face, then sat up quickly and hugged her.


    She couldn''t see us, but was sobbing with relief.


    "Ah, Amako, it''s been a long time!"


    "Hey, long time no see, Rinka."


    I had heard that they were the same age, but Amako was shorter than him, so he couldn''t get out of it and was left to do as he was told.


    "You were captured by that human-skinned monster, and you escaped!


    That''s a terrible thing to say at the outset.


    No, actually...


    What the hell was that?¡¡How could he catch up with me, the fastest beast of the wolf tribe, and he even had the cunning to try to trick me, and he even used magic to curse me, so, so, so ...... I was scared, so, so ...... ugh! ......"


    "Yes, it was scary. I know exactly what you mean."


    That''s a terrible thing to say.


    Don''t you agree with me, Amako?


    I slap Nair, who''s laughing beside me, with a decapitating slap, dismayed by Rinka''s words that cut into my mentality.


    Let''s just wait until she calms down.


    After a few minutes of watching Amako comforting the crying Linka, she finally stops crying, and then Amako starts talking about us.


    "Linka, I know there are a lot of things you want to know about me, but there is something I want you to know first."


    "Yeah, anything?"


    "Well, look behind you."


    "What''s behind ......?"


    Linka follows Amako''s words and turns around.


    Her eyes meet mine with what I assume is a subtle expression on her face.


    I awkwardly apologize to her as her face goes stone cold with a beaming smile.


    "No, I''m sorry about that ...... earlier, okay?"


    "--"


    "I didn''t mean to scare you. ...... hmm?"


    "...... Linka?"


    Amako taps her on the shoulder as she remains frozen and motionless. She still doesn''t respond, and Amako lets out a sigh and looks at me with a stern stare.


    "She''s passed out again. ...... Usato, what did you do to Linka?"


    "I just pulled him down from the tree.


    I can''t tell him that I caught him by kicking him down a tree after I upset him by hitting him with a healing magic bullet.


    "No, you didn''t. I hit him with a magic bullet with a binding spell and kicked him out of the tree to catch him."


    "I know you can''t help it, but that''s too much ......."


    Nair exposed me as soon as he could.


    Amako was right, even though she was the one who had shot the arrow at me, I had gone too far.


    "Anyway, let''s wake her up again. This time I''ll tell you about Usato and then we''ll meet face to face. Usato and the others will stay a little far away.


    "Okay."


    Disgusted by my treatment of something so completely horrible, I follow Amako''s words and leave the place.


    After a few minutes or so, Rinka wakes up once more and says almost the same words to Amako as before. She added a new voice of fear, saying that she had given him a nightmare and that she had tried to trick him again, but she did not need to be told the reason why.


    After explaining what had happened to us, Amaco took Linka by the hand and led her to where we were.


    "......Ho, are you sure you''re okay?¡¡Amako."


    "Yeah, I''m fine. We''ve traveled this far together, so you can trust me."


    She is still anxious, shrinking down to hide behind Amako''s back, but Amako is too small for her, so she is not able to hide at all.


    I have been trying to hide myself from her, but she is too small to hide at all. ......Amako is too small for her age, I guess. She doesn''t look the same age as the girl in the back.


    As I was thinking about this, Aruk-san approached the frightened Linka and made eye contact with her.


    "Nice to meet you, my name is Arc, and I am traveling with Amako-sama.


    Nice to meet you. I''m Linka.


    I''m Nair. I''m the demon you say is disguised as a man.


    What?¡¡It''s me!


    Guar!


    "Huh?¡¡Why is there a blue grizzly here?


    Each person introduces himself/herself (?) So I''ll do the same.


    I''m going to make a good impression by being a 100% smiley brother, which will dispel the image I have so far.


    I don''t want to scare my friends from Amako.


    "My name is Usato. I''m Amako''s..."


    "I''m sorry. I''m not scared, don''t be mad ......!"


    I had only said his name, but he was so scared.


    That''s funny. I heard that Amako explained about me too.


    "Amako. How do I explain this to him?¡¡I''m not mad at you, just tell me the truth."


    "I told him roughly what kind of journey I''ve been on."


    "Ah, that makes sense. That''s the kind of reaction you get when you find out that the person you''re fighting with has had an extraordinary journey. ....... I''m sure the beastman would know about Kalon''s outburst."


    Yeah, I didn''t solve it alone. .......


    I guess my first impression of you gives me a bad image of you.


    "Oh, I told him you''re human."


    "I''ve always thought that you''ve been poisoned by Usato too, ......."


    For some reason, Nea was taken aback when Amako said this confidently.


    I wish she would question the fact that she has to prove that she is human.


    ......I hope they don''t scare me off. For now, it''s good to know that I have met Linka, an acquaintance of Amaco''s.


    It''s better than if she doesn''t like me, and that makes me feel a lot better.


    I let out a small sigh when I see Linka, who is still wary of me and does not come out from behind Amako''s back.

 135 - - 123rd episode.

    The wolf beastman, Rinka.


    The girl with triangular ears and shoulder-length gray hair was my friend before she left the beastman country.


    I was reunited with a friend I hadn''t seen in two years.


    It all started with the arrow that Rinka shot at Usato.


    I knew at first glance that she did not intend to kill him.


    It was just two arrows to wound him and distract him. He was probably trying to take me out with his wolf beastly agility, while everyone else was in a panic and confused.


    But unfortunately, the target of Linka was not an ordinary one.


    Usato has such extraordinary reflexes that even if I did not tell him about my prediction, he would have just barely detected it and dodged the arrow. He could easily grab the arrow.


    Even from my point of view as someone who knows him, I was more stunned than surprised, "Oh, he has finally gone this far ......", but from the point of view of Rinka, who knows nothing about him, it would be truly incomprehensible.


    When Usato fired back with a healing magic bullet, I heard her screams of fear and realized that the attacker was Rinka, and I immediately understood that she had attacked Usato because of me.


    I thought I should talk to her immediately to clear up the misunderstanding and asked Usato, the fastest man on foot, to catch her.


    I went to ...... and--,


    "A,amaco ...... are you sure you''re okay?"


    It seems that Usato was trying harder than I thought he would.


    After that introduction, Linka had led us to the hidden village where she lived.


    He could have gone directly to the country where his mother lived, but he decided it would be better to go to the hidden village first to gather information.


    "I''m human. And a healing magician, too?¡¡I don''t have any dangerous abilities, not to mention physical ones.


    "Healing wizards throw magic bullets?¡¡I''m a beast, so it''s kind of magical when it catches up with me. ......"


    "......"


    Split and bound?¡¡I don''t know what that is.


    Usato, have you made up some new tricks?


    "Huh. ......"


    I asked him to help me, believing that Usato could catch the wolf beastman running through the forest, but I didn''t think ...... that he would be so traumatized.


    But Linka is to blame in this case.


    "But don''t you think Linka shouldn''t have attacked him out of the blue?¡¡From the outside, I don''t think it looks like I''m being held captive.


    "But, I can''t think of any reason for a human to be working with a beastman other than being caught. ......"


    Indeed, Linka is right.


    The only reason I can think of for humans and beasts to be working together is a bad one.


    And this is a beastman''s territory. From his point of view, it might have looked like he was forcing us to lead the way to the beastman''s country.


    "But ......"


    I casually glance behind me and look at Usato and the others who are following behind me and Rinka.


    Aruk was still pulling his horse, but Usato had Nair on his shoulder and was talking to Bulrin.


    "Bulrin, hey, do you think I should show more kindness?"


    "Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr..."


    "Ha-ha-ha, you say the funniest things."


    "Guffaw."


    "I''m sorry, I haven''t been able to take care of you lately."


    It is pitiful that Usato is so devastated that he can''t have a natural conversation with Bulrin.


    Bulrin looks a little annoyed, but happy.


    "I''m talking to a blue grizzly... ......!"


    But that''s what''s so scary about it. .......


    ......No, I don''t want Usato to remain misunderstood either.


    "I''ve been looking for a healing wizard who could help my mother ever since I left the land of the beastmen."


    "...... was that so?"


    "Yes, I feel bad about leaving without telling you. But I didn''t have time to wait.


    After Mom''s fall, it was clear that things were about to change around me.


    I sensed something strange about it and ran away from the beastmen''s country. Of course, my purpose was to find a healing magician who could help my mother, but I also wanted to protect myself.


    "I didn''t understand it because I was still small, but ...... the adults at that time were a little scary. I can understand why they were upset because Amako was gone. In fact, I was upset too,...... but I didn''t think there were even people who were angry."


    "......"


    Something might have been about to happen when Mom fell.


    I almost got caught up in it, but somehow I didn''t. In that sense, it was probably a good thing that I left the land of the beasts.


    "After I left the land of the beasts, I have seen many places. I have not had happy memories, but I have made friends among the beastmen. And the last place I visited, the Kingdom of Lingle, was full of people who were nice to me as a beastman."


    Kiriha, Kyou''s sister and brother, and Satsuki became friends in Lukvis.


    In Lingle Kingdom, Sarla and many people who let me live there for two years.


    The journey from the Land of the Beastmen was full of hardships, but the encounters I had after arriving in the Kingdom of Lingle were the most precious memories for me.


    "That''s where I met Usato."


    With him?


    "A lot has happened since then."


    He showed Usato the future in which Suzune and Kazuki would die, and averted the worst possible future.


    Then, in return, he asked Usato to help him save his mother ......, which he did, and they set off on their journey.


    The rest of the story is kind of sketchy, but since I told it to Linka, it really doesn''t need to be explained, but a lot happened.


    "But this is how I was able to return home to my mother."


    With Usato, I might be able to heal my mother.


    Moreover, his healing magic has been awakened to a stronger system after the battle in Mearaq.


    If it is due to injury or illness, he can almost certainly heal ........,


    "Linka."


    Hmm?


    Mom, you''re gonna be okay, right?¡¡She''s ...... alive, right?


    Two years is a long time, but it''s a short time.


    If you''re under the protection of the beasts, I can assure you that you''ll be fine, but that doesn''t mean that unforeseen circumstances won''t happen.


    If something had happened to my mother... if she had died or something, then ...... I would have no reason to be here.


    A topic I have unconsciously avoided asking about.


    I was clearly worried, and Linka gave me a reassuring smile.


    Don''t worry!¡¡Amako''s mother is alive!¡¡She hasn''t woken up yet, but she''s still ......."


    "...... is all I need to know."


    Thank God. I''m really glad. ......


    My life and my journey with Usato were not meaningless.


    "Amako must have had a tough couple of years!"


    How was Linka?"


    The conversation has gotten a little dark, so let''s change the subject.


    I wonder what she did while I was gone.


    "Hmm?¡¡My father asked me to move from the mainland to a hidden village, and I was practicing hunting in earnest. I guess people are too picky back home. They told me to be polite, or that I should be gorgeous because I''m a girl.


    "I don''t think glamour is the most appropriate thing for Rinca."


    "Shut up!¡¡I know what I''m doing!


    She turns red in the face and I laugh at her.


    I see, Linka is living in a hidden village now.


    I have seen her father only a few times, but I remember that he was close to my mother.


    I don''t remember what he was like at all.


    "Amako, you haven''t changed your height or anything!"


    "What?"


    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry. ......"


    When he mentions his own complex, he glares at me.


    Two years ago, he would have been about the same height. And yet, in just two years, this girl has grown by a full head.


    What is the absurdity of this, when I have hardly grown at all?


    Where did my growth spurt go?


    "Amako, you''ve got really scary eyes now. They were glaring.


    "Maybe it''s the influence of Usato."


    "Isn''t that a bad influence ......?"


    Rinka looks at Usato with frightened eyes.


    Usato, who meets her gaze, smiles bitterly and slumps his shoulders.


    I''m sorry, Usato. Instead of clearing up the misunderstanding, I made it worse.


    "Oh, we''re almost at the hidden village. I''ll talk to the elders for now, so wait outside!


    I looked up to see a deep thicket in front of me and a narrow beast trail that I could only see if I strained my eyes.


    It seemed that we had arrived near the hidden village where Rinka lived while we were talking.


    The question is whether the beasts living in the hidden village will accept Usato and his friends or not.


    I am not sure if the beasts living in the Hidden Village will accept Usato and his friends.


    Linka led us to a wooded area, where trees were growing thick.


    At first glance, it looked like a deep forest with no settlements, but after Linka told us to wait here, she went into the forest by herself.


    "Speaking of the hidden village ......, I heard that Kiriha and the others are also from the hidden village."


    "Yeah. Yes. But I don''t think they live here, though, do they?¡¡I heard there are many hidden villages.


    Kiriha, Kyou, and Satsuki.


    The sister and brother of the beast who took care of us in Lukvis and a girl.


    It''s only been a little while, but I wonder if those three are doing well.


    "Kiriha?¡¡Who''s that?


    They are the beastmen who took care of me in Luxvis before I met you.


    "Hmmm, a beastman in a magic academy. Well, normally I would be surprised, but it''s not so much of a surprise if I think it''s because I''m Usato.


    What do you think I am?


    Well, I made you a little wary when we first met, but I think we got along quite well in the end. When I go back to Lingle Kingdom and settle down, I''ll visit you again, right?


    "Amako, how was your first conversation with your friend in a while?"


    "As usual, I was fine."


    Rinca, the girl who was Amako''s friend before she ran away from the beastmen''s country.


    I heard that you had a talk with her on the way here, and I am glad to see that you seem to be getting along well with her.


    I''m glad to see that they seem to be getting along well. ...... though I don''t know why she got a bad impression of me when she was doing that.


    "From the back, they looked like sisters."


    "...... Is that what you''re trying to say, that I''m smaller?"


    Shit, I stepped on some kind of mine.


    I was going to connect it to "They looked like they were close enough to be sisters. .......


    As I was feeling uncomfortable with Amako looking at me with a glare, Nair, who was on my shoulder, pointed at Amako with her wing and started laughing.


    "P-pooh!¡¡You''re fourteen years old, aren''t you!¡¡You''re short for a 14 year old!"


    "......"


    "I''ve been thinking that for a while now, but I knew you were small!¡¡Well, don''t you think you''ll have a growth spurt if you wait a little longer?¡¡I can''t guarantee that he''ll grow, though!"


    "......"


    Amako''s eyes are set, but will she be okay?


    No, Nair.


    Nair, who has taken the brunt of Amako''s anger, leaps forward and is grabbed by Amako''s outstretched hand.


    "Kyafu!


    "I''ll never, never forgive you!"


    "Hi, ah, Usato, help me, Kyaaaah!"


    Amako, expressionless, grabbed Nair and started swinging him around.


    Naea asks me for help, but it''s her fault for agitating the situation, so I let it go.


    The two of them are getting along well (?). While they are having a good time, I''ll talk to Mr. Aruk about the future.


    "Mr. Aruk. If we can''t get into the hidden village, we''ll stay outside, right?


    I guess so. Considering the relationship between beastmen and humans, it''s not surprising if that''s the case.


    If that is the case, the worst that can happen is that Amako will be allowed to stay in the hiding place.


    If possible, it would be better if Nair went with him.


    ......I''m worried about starting a fight like the one that is going on in front of us right now, but since there is a possibility that Aruk and I won''t be able to enter, we have to ask him to be patient.


    "......I guess our positions are reversed here, Amaco and us."


    "Yes."


    Just as beastmen have to shrug their shoulders in the realm inhabited by humans, humans will feel the same way in the realm inhabited by beastmen.


    I have not yet had the chance to get to know the beastmen who live here in earnest, but I have been feeling a strange sense of discomfort.


    "......I think I know a little bit about how Amako feels."


    How lonely and painful it must have been for her to go through the human realm all by herself.


    I don''t fully understand it all yet, but I feel like I know a part of her suffering.


    "Usato."


    While I was feeling mysterious, Amako, who was waving Nair around, called my name.


    At the sound of his voice, Mr. Aruk and I sensed something strange around us.


    "We''re surrounded ......, aren''t we?"


    "Yes, there are quite a few of them, but please don''t be hostile."


    Before we knew it, we were surrounded by multiple signs.


    Perhaps they are aiming arrows or something at us, but they are keeping a certain distance from us and not approaching us.


    There is a possibility that they will attack us without question.


    What should I do? I can intercept them with a bow and arrow by myself and Mr. Arc, but what action should I take after that?


    Do we use healing punches to incapacitate them all so that we can talk to them?


    Or, do I use the healing magic random bullet to disturb them, and then carry everyone away from the scene?


    "What are you going to do, Usato? What are you going to do, Usato?


    I know, but... I know, but let''s wait and see what they say first.


    Nair, who has returned to my shoulder before I know it, casually clasps a restraining spell around my fist.


    Just as I was getting ready to intercept, two figures appeared from behind the woods where Rinka had disappeared.


    One of the figures was Linka, who had just left for the hidden village.


    The other was a bearded, elderly male beastman.


    "Sorry for the rough welcome. This is an unprecedented situation. I have taken up arms as a precaution.


    The old man looked at each of us, one at a time, not letting his guard down, and finally rolled his eyes at Amako.


    "It seems that what Linka said is true. I didn''t believe it at first glance, but ......"


    "You didn''t believe me?


    Linka is shocked at the old man''s words, almost onomatopoeic.


    "Who would believe that Amako had returned with a human and a blue grizzly? I thought it was another prank against me.


    You said it would be different this time!


    You don''t know how many times I''ve been fooled by that!¡¡It''s no laughing matter when my grandson stops your heart!


    Well, let''s see, does that mean Linka was a wolf-girl, not a wolf-boy?


    The old man turns his head toward us again and tells the people surrounding us to put away their weapons.


    "I have not seen you since I was a child, Amako. I am Cagalli, head of this hidden village and grandfather of this wild girl.


    Linka''s grandfather, if you look closely, his ears and tail resemble those of a wolf, just like Linka''s.


    "We have many questions, but first let me show you where we live.


    "Uh, Usato and the others are at ......."


    Of course, we''ll invite the humans there, too."


    Mr. Cagalli smiled softly, as if to reassure Amako, who looked anxious.


    ......It is good that we could avoid unnecessary conflict for the time being.


    Relieved with our current situation, we were invited to the hidden village where the beastmen lived under the guidance of Mr. Cagalli and Rinca.

 136 - - The 124th.

    "So this is the hiding place: ......"


    The beastman''s hiding place to which Mr. Cagalli, a wolf beastman, invited me was a surprisingly spacious place.


    The structure of the place is like a village surrounded by a deep and thick forest.


    However, it is not just overgrown with trees, but there are fields and houses, so life seems to be more comfortable than I had imagined.


    "Also at ......"


    The beasts living in the hidden village are giving me a hard time.


    Fear of humans.


    Fear of humans...and curiosity toward those who would be seeing them for the first time.


    But strangely enough, there seemed to be little hostility.


    "Most of the people here have never seen humans before. It''s no wonder there are so many strange stares."


    Perhaps I was acting suspiciously under the unfamiliar stares, Cagalli-san, who was walking in front of me, started talking to me.


    Is this the first time you have seen a human being? It is not surprising, since it is said that few people enter the territory inhabited by beastmen. It''s just rare for beastmen to enter human habitats like Kiriha and the others who are learning magic in Lukvis.


    "As for me, I don''t mind it at all. I''m rather used to it.


    "...... Well, I didn''t expect a mere mortal to come here,...... but you, too, must be having a hard time."


    Hmm?¡¡I got a really pitying look on my face.


    Oh, you don''t think I''m the kind of person people avoid around here, do you?¡¡Linka looks at me in disbelief.


    I''m not accustomed to having people look at me with malicious intent, but I am accustomed to having people look at me with malicious intent.


    "I''m sure you''re not wrong.¡¡I''ve had a very hard journey to get here."


    "Did they forget that you were part of that hardship?"


    When I reply to Nair, who is walking next to me with black hair and red eyes, he blatantly averts his gaze.


    In terms of danger level, it was an incident comparable to the disturbances in Lukvis and Mearaq, you know.


    I let out a sigh at Nair''s blushing and turn around to face forward again.


    Then he notices what looks like a statue at the edge of his vision.


    "Hmm?¡¡What is it?"


    If you look closely, you will see a humanoid statue standing in the center of a small plaza.


    It belongs to a beast woman ...... or rather a girl.


    The statue is quite old, and there are many damaged parts, but we can see that she is holding a sword-like weapon at her waist.


    "Is something wrong, Usato-sama?"


    "Uh, there''s a statue over there. ......"


    I tell Mr. Aruk, who stops me and calls out to me, about the statue.


    Then Mr. Cagalli noticed us and turned his head in the direction of the statue and started muttering to himself.


    That is the statue of Kannagi-sama, the hero of us beasts.


    "What did the hero ...... do?"


    He looked at the statue lovingly in response to my question.


    His gaze seemed to be filled with deep respect.


    He is the only one who brought the hero and the beastman together. It is no exaggeration to say that we are alive to this day because of him.


    Mr. Cagalli takes his eyes off the statue and starts walking again.


    I guess we''ll continue the story as we walk.


    We followed him at a short run.


    "Hundreds of years ago, the beastmen were oppressed by humans even more than now. The powerful were sent to fight against the demon king''s army, while the powerless were regarded as pawns to be discarded, and many lives were lost in the battle.


    "......"


    They really did terrible things, the people of that time.


    Forcing the beasts into the battlefield while they fight to minimize the damage.


    Aruk-san is frowning. I''m sure he feels the same way as I do now.


    "This is a tremendous past event, and it has nothing to do with you who live in the present. At least, I do not hate you.


    Mr. Cagalli said this to me, understanding the feelings of Mr. Aruk and me.


    "Let''s go back to ....... At a time when the beastmen were being oppressed by humans and the very survival of the beastmen was at stake, Kannagi-sama brought a brave warrior to the beastmen. The hero, who possessed unparalleled strength, fought alone against the demon king''s army so that we would not die in vain."


    Brave men here, too.


    There really are anecdotes about heroes spread all over the continent.


    Nair tilted his head at Mr. Cagalli''s story.


    "Fought?¡¡Without getting anything in return?


    "I don''t know that much. But it is said that our hero did more than fight... he gave us knowledge when we were little better than barbarians.


    "Not only do they fight, but they also give us knowledge. He''s not the brave man we know, but rather a new side of him. ......"


    Indeed.


    The image I have always had of a brave man is that of a hero who has been betrayed.


    However, listening to Mr. Cagalli''s story, I can see him as a "benevolent hero.


    Considering what was done to him in Lukvis, it is not surprising that he hates humans. ...... In the end, what were the heroes fighting for who defeated the Demon King, the enemy of humans?


    What kind of person was Kannagi-sama, the valiant man''s follower?


    Some say he was a gentle man, others say he was ruthless. I can say for certain that Kannagi-sama was a very powerful man.


    "Powerful?¡¡You mean he was a man of high rank?"


    "No, in this case, I mean a strong arm. According to the legend, she was a woman of valor who knocked down her enemies, slashing and punching her way through them. Well, I''m sure there are some exaggerations.


    "Ki, slash, punch, and go. ......"


    What''s with that full-speed forward frontal assault on the ground? .......


    My image of Rose with animal ears is completely fixed.


    Oh, I can''t imagine it, it''s not cute at all. Instead, the fear of Rose that''s etched in my body is starting to torment me.


    "Here we are."


    While I was suffering from the mental damage of my own imaginative power, Mr. Cagalli, who was walking in front of me, stopped.


    Looking ahead, I saw a two-story house made of wood. Perhaps this is the house where Mr. Kagari, the head of this hidden village, and his grandson, Rinca, live.


    Mr. Kagari turns his head and looks at us, then turns his attention to Bulrin who is following a little behind us.


    "We can''t let demons into the house. You will have to wait outside with the horse there, is that all right?


    I''ll have him wait outside with the horse there. ...... Bull Ring, may I ask you to stay here for a moment?"


    I crouched down in front of him and told him this. He nodded his head and sat down on the ground as if he was weak.


    Seeing this, Mr. Cagalli rolled his eyes.


    "I didn''t think it was possible, but you are able to build a relationship of trust with him without a contract with him.


    "Do you understand?"


    "Yes, I can feel the blue grizzly''s joyous emotions."


    The ability to read the emotions of animals without human language, a characteristic unique to beastmen.


    I also have a vague idea of what Bulrin is thinking, but ...... I envy him a little.


    I turned to Cagalli with these thoughts in my mind and pointed at Nair with my thumb while smiling.


    "He''s the one who has a contract as a messenger. Well, in my case, he forced me to make a contract with him.


    "...... you seem to be a very different ...... strange person than I know."


    Is that a compliment?


    Mr. Cagalli said these words with a subtle expression on his face, and we stepped into his house, feeling a bit uncomfortable.


    I was a little puzzled, but we entered his house.


    "-That''s how it happened."


    In the guest room where we were shown, we spent more than ten minutes talking to Mr. Cagalli about the reason for our visit to this place. After listening to our story, Mr. Cagalli slowly relaxed his shoulders.


    "It''s been two years since you left your hometown...... and it''s been a long journey, Amako."


    "......Yes. But I''ve finally made it here. It''s all thanks to these people.


    When Amako said this, Cagalli''s gaze shifted to me.


    "Usato, you mean?"


    "Yes."


    "So you are the healing wizard who came to this place at her request, is that correct?"


    I nodded my head in agreement with Mr. Cagalli''s words.


    I kept my eyes straight ahead of him, and he let out a voice of admiration.


    "I never thought someone would come all this way for a beastman. What can I say, there are some very ...... eccentric people out there."


    "Otherwise, they wouldn''t have come all the way here. Right?¡¡Usato."


    "Why do I have to affirm that I''m an eccentric?"


    Hey?¡¡No, I''m not. If I say here, it''s like admitting that I''m an eccentric.


    Amako''s smile twitches as she looks oddly pleased.


    "I''ll send a message to your late son back home. I''m sure he''ll be able to bring you to her safely.


    "You''re relying on my father?"


    Who else would you ask?¡¡I''m sure her daughter would be happy to take you to her.


    From the sound of it, do you think he''ll ask Linka''s father?


    Is he a man of high position if he is willing to let us into the beastmen''s country? If so, we are lucky to have met him in the first place.


    "If I send you a letter today, you''ll have to stay here for a couple of days until I get a reply, is that all right with you?"


    "Everyone is okay with that, right?"


    "Yeah, we''ll be fine."


    Rinka, who was sitting next to Mr. Cagalli, leaned forward and spoke to Amako as she replied to Amako, while checking with Mr. Aruk.


    "So, that means Amako will be here for a little while, right?


    "Yes. Yes, that''s right.


    "Yes!¡¡I''ve had so much to tell you!"


    Linka, perhaps even happier to see Amako again, smiles broadly.


    Mr. Cagalli looked at her sideways and gave her a dumbfounded, yet smiling expression.


    "You can stay here while you are here."


    "...... Uh, are you sure?¡¡Well, we''re staying here too."


    It''s okay. We have plenty of room.


    I had never thought of asking him to stay over, but I was glad that Mr. Kagari was a kind man.


    I will take advantage of his kindness this time.


    "There are two spare rooms upstairs, so you can use them as you like.


    "Thank you very much. It''s not nice to just let you stay here, and if there''s anything I can do for you, please let me know.


    "M...... then, would you mind if I asked you to chop some wood behind the house?¡¡As you can see, I''m old and I have a hard time chopping wood."


    I can take care of that much.


    "I''ll help you, Usato-dono, I''ll help you too."


    Well, let''s put our stuff in the room, and then Aruk and I will go chop some wood.


    ...... chopping wood. I used to do that when I was in Lingle Kingdom. I remember that time we were in a race with tongs and Rose got mad at us for chopping too much wood....


    I wonder if Nack and Ferrum are doing the same thing now.


    "Let''s go put our stuff down now.


    After bowing to Mr. Cagalli, I head upstairs to put down my luggage.


    For some reason, Linka got up and tried to follow us, but I didn''t think it was anything to worry about, so I just opened the door and--,


    "Wait a minute, Linka. You''re about to get a lecture."


    "Eee!¡¡Why?


    Mr. Cagalli grabs Linka''s head when she tries to follow us.


    Linka''s face turns pale, but he doesn''t care and puts on a stern face.


    "I''ve been meaning to say this for a long time, but where is the guy who suddenly shoots an arrow at you? It''s a good thing they were mild-mannered, but ...... if they had been dangerous, you would have been in danger, you know?"


    "You''re bringing it up now?¡¡You can scold me later!"


    It seems that Mr. Cagalli is worried about the attack during the day.


    "Shut up!¡¡I don''t remember raising such a violent child!


    Usato is no ordinary human being!¡¡He can catch a flying arrow with his bare hands and he''s faster than me!


    "He wouldn''t do such a monstrous thing!¡¡That''s no way to treat a guest!


    This time it''s true!


    I''m too old to be fooled by such a simple lie!


    Oh no!¡¡Help me, you b*tc*!


    .......


    Amako quietly closed the door after seeing the exchange between Ms. Cagalli and Linka.


    After a few moments of silence, she looked up at me as if nothing had happened and pointed upstairs.


    "Come on, Usato."


    "Oh, oh."


    I don''t know if I''m getting used to the way Amako treats Rinka. .......


    Don''t tell me, two years ago too......?


    I began to feel sorry for Rinka, and after bowing my hands to the angry cries coming from the closed door, I picked up my luggage and went upstairs to my room.

 137 - - 125th episode.

    After visiting Mr. Kagari''s house, Alc and I decided to chop wood as he asked us to.


    Amako seemed to be following Linka who was sobbing after Mr. Kagari''s sermon, so it was just me, Alc and Nair at the back of the house where we were chopping wood.


    "Hmph!"


    I swing down the axe lightly in my hand and split the standing firewood in half.


    The wood splits with a cracking sound, making us feel good.


    "Well, it''s been a long time since I chopped wood.


    Me, too!


    Aruk-san is also chopping wood at the base of another tree trunk.


    Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Aruk-san puts on a fresh smile, stacks the split wood, and looks back at me.


    "The knights living in the lodge basically cook for themselves, so I used to do a lot of chopping wood to make a fire."


    "Oh, I see. The lifeguard corps was the same way.


    While talking about other trivial matters, we steadily chop wood.


    For now, I intend to chop as much firewood as Mr. Cagalli instructed me to, but at this pace, it won''t take too long.


    As I swing the axe once more, Nair, who was sitting on a nearby field and watching me chop the wood, puffed out her cheeks as if she was bored.


    "......It''s so boring, it''s so normal."


    "Hmm?¡¡What''s normal? What''s normal, Nair?


    "You, you. I came here to see you chopping wood, thinking you''d do something funny as usual, but you''re not chopping wood as usual."


    "I''m just chopping wood, what do you expect me to do?"


    I gave her a subtle look, and she crossed her arms and raised her index finger with a bright look on her face.


    "That''s right. Why don''t you try ripping a piece of firewood in half with just your arm strength?¡¡Or how about using your hand sword to cut it in half, or your fist to smash it?


    "It''s not impossible. I''ll do it if you take the place of the firewood.


    "I''m sorry for being so silly!


    Neah apologizes, her face turning pale when I suggest this with a big smile on her face.


    In fact, I could do it if I wanted to.


    I have never tried it, but I am sure I could. But I won''t do it because it makes too little sense.


    If I do, I prefer to do something directly related to training. ...... hmm?


    Oh, yes. Nair, if you''re free, you can help me train."


    "......What do you do, anyway?"


    Nair looks at me with quizzical eyes, and I proudly explain the training method I have been thinking about for a while.


    "You''re going to cast a binding spell on me.


    "Yes."


    "I move."


    "Yes."


    "Of course, it''s hard to move around because of the restraints."


    "Yes. ...... what''s the point of that?"


    It''s a workout.


    "Are you nuts?"


    I gave him a very simple explanation, but Nair cursed me out.


    What was wrong with him?


    Nair''s face scrunched up as I tilted my head.


    Your magic will strengthen my body. What''s so funny about that?


    "A lot of funny things!¡¡Magic is not for physical training!¡¡There is no precedent for that!


    Then you and I are the first.


    Don''t you dare mix me up!


    The image is of a man chopping wood while wearing a training cast over his entire body.


    I am now able to chop wood in a normal way, but if I am restrained and put a heavy load on my body, I should be able to train my body appropriately.


    Let''s give it a try."


    "Huh, how could I let this happen ......"


    Grudgingly, Nair transforms into an owl and moves to my shoulder.


    "I''m going to cast a binding spell on your upper body only because you''re so disgusting!"


    "Hmph, I hope so."


    A binding spell is cast from Nair to me.


    The purple pattern covers only the upper half of my body, and I can no longer move as if my body were bound.


    I look at my palms in slow motion and grin at the load on my body.


    "......!¡¡Good one, nea......!"


    "Oh, that''s funny. How can I move normally when I''m supposed to be more proficient and more restrained than before ......?"


    I once fell under a binding spell that Nair had worked for six hours, and now my body is restricted with the same degree of restraint.


    I have been restricted in some places, but I guess Nair has also grown on this journey.


    "Hmph, hmph."


    "Your face is getting scary, isn''t it?¡¡Are you okay?¡¡If it''s too hard for you to move, I''ll stop, okay?"


    "No need. I''m going to keep going. ......!


    I was right after all.


    With this, I can take another step forward.


    I let my excitement get the better of me and raise my axe, gripping it tightly.


    My upper body creaks and screams, but I heal it with a thin layer of healing magic.


    I put all my strength, not only in my arms but also in my whole body, into swinging the axe, and I stare at the firewood below me...,


    "Hmm!"


    --I swung the axe as hard as I could.


    Instantly, the binding spells on my upper body shattered, and as soon as they burst, the axe shattered the firewood.


    Still the momentum of the axe was not reduced, and with a roar, it pierced deeply into the trunk of the tree on the foundation, and carved a huge crack into the ground.


    Finally, the handle of the axe broke off in the middle.


    Silence reigns.


    Seeing the handle broken in half, I look at Nair on my shoulder with a straight face.


    "Nair, I don''t think you''ll be able to chop wood with this training method.


    "You should have known that before you did it!¡¡d*mn it, Aruk!¡¡Say something to this monster!


    Nair turned to Alc and saw that he was looking at a different place from us, his face turning slightly pale.


    It is not often that Mr. Alc''s face turns pale. With a bad feeling in my heart, I looked in the direction where Mr. Alc is looking..,


    <<<<<>>>>>


    Five beastman children emerged from the bushes and looked at me with astonished faces.


    I look again at the devastation I have created.


    Smashed firewood.


    A tree trunk smashed in half.


    A crack running into the ground.


    No, no!


    I have to hurry up and explain the situation to the kids, or my impression will be fixed as a monster. ......!


    "Sir, you guys--"


    "Hi!¡¡Don''t eat it!


    Let''s get out of here, guys!


    Don''t leave me!


    What kind of creatures are humans?


    Oh, my God!


    The beastman children run away from the scene like rabbits.


    I let out a sigh and cowered for a moment as the children disappeared from sight in the blink of an eye.


    "I''m not sure what''s going to happen now. "You know, Nea?"


    "You''ve fixed my impression of people in the wrong direction, haven''t you?"


    "Ha-ha-ha. I know a lot of people who can do this.


    "No one I know can do this."


    .......


    Oh, my God.


    I try to maintain an atmosphere of "Oh dear," but the situation is worse than ever.


    If I don''t do something, I will be their standard for human beings in the future. Even though I am good at escaping from reality, I understand that this is not a good thing.


    "Besides, I have to tell Mr. Cagalli that I destroyed this place. ......"


    The ground was heavily cracked and a tree trunk was smashed in half.


    I''m afraid to imagine what kind of reaction I''ll get from them, but I guess I''ll have to be honest with them.


    I''ll have to be honest with them.


    When I reported to Mr. Kagari that I had broken the foundation for chopping wood, he forgave me unexpectedly lightly.


    However, when he came back after seeing the woodchopping site, he looked at me with an indescribable expression on his face and said, "What, how did you do this? He asked me.


    When I answered honestly, he said, "What Linka said was true! he shouted and ran upstairs to where Amako and Linka were. After that, he shouted, "Forgive me, I''m an old man who can''t trust my grandchildren! Cagalli''s voice echoed in the room as she begged Linka for forgiveness.


    ......Well, I''m glad to hear that the cracked family relationship has been restored.


    "Is it a banquet?"


    "Yes, Amako came back here after being missing for two years. I thought we should at least have a celebration.


    When the sun had set and it was dark around us, Mr. Cagalli, who had sent Hubard to the beastmen''s country, told us that he would hold a banquet in the hidden village.


    Apparently, the event was to celebrate Amaco''s return to his hometown.


    "I said no," he said. ......


    Amako looks like a pain in the ass.


    Mr. Cagalli put his hand on her chin.


    "What do you mean? When will we rejoice at the return of the next generation of time poets if we don''t rejoice now?


    "Everyone just wants to make a fuss."


    "Ha-ha-ha, half of that is true."


    ...... Do you think the beast people like to feast?


    From what I''ve heard, it sounds like a banquet.


    "Not me, but basically beastmen love festivals and banquets.


    "Oh, really?"


    When Amako says this in a hushed voice, I let out a sound of dismay.


    Hmm?¡¡If the beasts like such events, shouldn''t we humans go to the banquet?¡¡We don''t want to make the atmosphere worse.


    I don''t think it''s a good idea for me and Aruk-san to go to the party, right?


    No, I''ve already spoken to the villagers. I don''t want to force you to go, but I would like you to come as a way for man and beast to get to know each other.


    If that''s what you mean: .......


    After getting Mr. Aruk''s approval, I will tell Mr. Cagalli that I will attend the banquet with him.


    A banquet of beasts. ...... I wonder what it''s all about.


    We waited for the night to pass, secretly excited by this banquet, which was different from our previous trips.


    We waited for the night to pass.


    After that, Cagalli and Rinca took us to the center of the hidden village. Even at night, it was not so dark here because the houses and streets were lit, and it even seemed bright.


    Among them, there was one place that shone with a particularly bright light.


    It was crowded with most of the beastmen living in the hidden village. The feast itself had not yet started, and the food and drinks had not yet been served.


    When they noticed us who were accompanied by Mr. Cagalli, they all looked at us.


    Mr. Kagari told us to stop and moved to the center of the group, then raised his voice louder than we could have imagined from his appearance.


    "Some of you may have been worried by the unexpected visitors today, but ...... you needn''t worry about that!¡¡They are brave men and women who have come here from faraway lands to protect and support their people!¡¡Today''s banquet is a celebration of the return of the Heir of Time to our land, and a chance to communicate with the humans who have kept their distance from us!"


    The beasts do not react to Mr. Kagari''s voice.


    There was sparse applause, and some looked troubled, as if they did not know how to react.


    After a moment of silence, Mr. Cagalli let out a sigh, took a deep breath, and raised his voice once more.


    "In other words, we should eat, drink, and get along with each other!


    <<<<<< ohohoh! >>>>>>


    Is that what you want, beastmen?


    The silence is broken and the party begins.


    Mr. Cagalli came back to us and pressed his forehead with a tired look on his face.


    "Are you all right?


    "Yeah, I just had a headache from the bad mood of the villagers. Usato, I hope you enjoy this feast to the fullest."


    Nodding at his words, Mr. Cagalli smiled softly and moved away from us.


    Enjoying, huh?


    That''s true. ...... I''ve always rested when I needed to, but I''ve never enjoyed myself with my hair down.


    Besides, Amako finally got to meet her friends back home.


    Let''s let him enjoy this time before we go into the land of the beasts and make some noise.


    "Amako, go have dinner with Rinca."


    "......Usato and the others?"


    "Of course, we''ll eat, too. But it''s not often that we get a chance like this, so it''s better to eat with friends you haven''t seen in a while.


    Amako looks at Rinka and me alternately, annoyed.


    Anticipating her reaction, I call out to Linka, who is surprised by my suggestion.


    "RINKA!"


    "He, what is ......?"


    Why the honorific?¡¡I gulp down the words, "Why the honorifics?


    "Take care of her, will you?"


    "Wait a minute, Usato, I''m not a child to be worried about--"


    "Yes!"


    My words brought a smile to Linka''s face, and she pulled Amako''s hand with a disgruntled look on her face and went toward the table with the food.


    "So, do you want us to sit down and eat at a suitable place?"


    "There''s a table that''s just empty, let''s sit there.


    After confirming that we could sit where Mr. Aruk pointed out, we went to the place crowded with beasts of the village to get our own drinks and food.


    Offenbar sollte mit der Veranstaltung Amacos R¨¹ckkehr in seine Heimatstadt gefeiert werden.


    "Ich sagte nein", sagte er. ......


    Amako sieht wie eine Nervens?ge aus.


    Herr Cagalli legte seine Hand auf ihr Kinn.


    "Was meinst du? Wann werden wir uns ¨¹ber die R¨¹ckkehr der n?chsten Generation von Zeitdichtern freuen, wenn wir uns nicht jetzt freuen?


    "Alle wollen sich nur aufregen."


    "Ha, ha, ha, die H?lfte davon ist wahr."


    ...... Glaubst du, dass die Menschen der Bestie gerne schlemmen?


    Nach dem, was ich geh?rt habe, klingt es wie ein Festmahl.


    "Ich nicht, aber grunds?tzlich lieben die Bestienmenschen Feste und Bankette.


    "Ach, wirklich?"


    Als Amako dies mit ged?mpfter Stimme sagt, sto?e ich einen Laut des Entsetzens aus.


    Hm?¡¡Wenn die Bestien solche Veranstaltungen m?gen, sollten wir Menschen dann nicht auch zum Bankett gehen?¡¡Wir wollen die Atmosph?re nicht verschlimmern.


    Ich glaube nicht, dass es eine gute Idee ist, dass ich und Mr. Aruk zu dem Fest gehen, oder?


    Nein, ich habe schon mit den Dorfbewohnern gesprochen. Ich will dich nicht zwingen zu gehen, aber ich m?chte, dass du mitkommst, damit sich Mensch und Tier kennenlernen k?nnen.


    Wenn du das meinst: .......


    Nachdem ich das Einverst?ndnis von Herrn Aruk eingeholt habe, werde ich Herrn Cagalli sagen, dass ich mit ihm an dem Bankett teilnehmen werde.


    Ein Bankett der Bestien. ...... Ich frage mich, was es damit auf sich hat.


    Wir warteten darauf, dass die Nacht verging, insgeheim aufgeregt wegen dieses Banketts, das anders war als unsere fr¨¹heren Reisen.


    Wir warteten, bis die Nacht vorbei war.


    Danach brachten uns Cagalli und Rinca in das Zentrum des versteckten Dorfes. Selbst nachts war es hier nicht so dunkel, denn die H?user und Stra?en waren beleuchtet, und es schien sogar hell zu sein.


    Unter ihnen gab es einen Ort, der in einem besonders hellen Licht erstrahlte.


    Er war mit den meisten der in dem versteckten Dorf lebenden Tiermenschen bev?lkert. Das Fest selbst hatte noch nicht begonnen, und die Speisen und Getr?nke waren noch nicht serviert worden.


    Als sie uns bemerkten, die wir in Begleitung von Herrn Cagalli waren, sahen sie uns alle an.


    Herr Kagari forderte uns auf, stehen zu bleiben, und begab sich in die Mitte der Gruppe, dann erhob er seine Stimme lauter, als wir es uns aufgrund seines Aussehens h?tten vorstellen k?nnen.


    "Einige von euch haben sich vielleicht ¨¹ber die unerwarteten Besucher von heute ge?rgert, aber ...... ihr braucht euch keine Sorgen zu machen!¡¡Es sind tapfere M?nner und Frauen, die aus fernen L?ndern hierher gekommen sind, um ihr Volk zu sch¨¹tzen und zu unterst¨¹tzen!¡¡Das heutige Bankett ist eine Feier der R¨¹ckkehr des Erben der Zeit in unser Land und eine Gelegenheit, mit den Menschen zu kommunizieren, die sich von uns ferngehalten haben!"


    Die Bestien reagieren nicht auf die Stimme von Herrn Kagari.


    Es gab nur sp?rlichen Applaus, und einige sahen beunruhigt aus, als w¨¹ssten sie nicht, wie sie reagieren sollten.


    Nach einem Moment der Stille stie? Herr Cagalli einen Seufzer aus, holte tief Luft und erhob noch einmal die Stimme.


    "Mit anderen Worten, wir sollten essen, trinken und miteinander auskommen!


    <<<<<< ohohoh! >>>>>>


    Ist es das, was ihr wollt, ihr Tiermenschen?


    Das Schweigen wird gebrochen und die Party beginnt.


    Herr Cagalli kam zu uns zur¨¹ck und dr¨¹ckte sich mit einem m¨¹den Gesichtsausdruck an die Stirn.


    "Geht es Ihnen nicht gut?


    "Ja, ich hatte nur Kopfschmerzen von der schlechten Laune der Dorfbewohner. Usato, ich hoffe, du genie?t dieses Fest in vollen Z¨¹gen."


    Herr Cagalli nickte bei seinen Worten, l?chelte sanft und entfernte sich von uns.


    Genie?en, hm?


    Das ist wahr. ...... Ich habe mich immer ausgeruht, wenn es n?tig war, aber ich habe mich noch nie mit offenem Haar am¨¹siert.


    Au?erdem konnte Amako endlich ihre Freunde von zu Hause kennenlernen.


    Lassen wir ihn diese Zeit genie?en, bevor wir in das Land der Bestien gehen und L?rm machen.


    "Amako, geh mit Rinca essen."


    "......Usato und die anderen?"


    "Nat¨¹rlich, wir werden auch essen. Aber wir haben nicht oft die Gelegenheit dazu, also ist es besser, mit Freunden zu essen, die man schon lange nicht mehr gesehen hat.


    Amako sieht Rinka und mich abwechselnd genervt an.


    In Erwartung ihrer Reaktion rufe ich Linka zu, die von meinem Vorschlag ¨¹berrascht ist.


    "RINKA!"


    "He, was ist ......?"


    Warum die Anrede?¡¡Ich schlucke die Worte hinunter: "Warum der Ehrentitel?


    "K¨¹mmere dich um sie, ja?"


    "Moment mal, Usato, ich bin kein Kind, um das man sich Sorgen machen muss..."


    "Ja!"


    Meine Worte zauberten ein L?cheln auf Linkas Gesicht, und sie zog Amakos Hand mit einem ver?rgerten Gesichtsausdruck weg und ging zum Tisch mit dem Essen.


    "Sollen wir uns also an einen geeigneten Ort setzen und essen?"


    "Da ist ein Tisch, der gerade leer ist, setzen wir uns dorthin.


    Nachdem wir uns vergewissert hatten, dass wir dort sitzen konnten, wo Herr Aruk es uns gezeigt hatte, gingen wir zu dem Platz, an dem sich die Tiere des Dorfes dr?ngten, um unsere eigenen Getr?nke und Speisen zu holen.


    "Hey, hey, who do you think I am? I''m your father.¡¡And don''t you forget, I can outrun an ogre. I''m not that weak."


    Mr. Daitetsu gently placed his hand on the child''s head.


    He smiled at the child, who had turned over with an anxious expression on his face, and looked at me with a troubled smile.


    "Don''t worry. ......Well, I''m going to go easy on you, okay?¡¡I''m going to take it easy on you.


    "Yeah, yeah. ......"


    ...... is so hard to do.


    What''s this, I have to compete with a father who declared victory over his son, and it''s like I''m not supposed to win.


    I''m not proud of my power, but I''m confident enough to compete with the beast.


    "Hmm, wait a minute. ......"


    No, on second thought, you don''t have to take it that seriously, do you?


    If I can show that I''m a normal human being here, and that I''m a normal human being by losing without competing too badly, I can dispel the misconceptions of the kids in the daytime.


    "Well, no matter how fast he is, he can''t match you in strength. Hey, Amako?"


    "...... not good."


    "What''s wrong with what?¡¡What, Amaco?"


    I heard Rinka''s voice as she spoke to Amako, who had been standing behind me for some time, but she didn''t answer me and pulled at the hem of my troupe uniform silently.


    "What is it, Amako? Don''t worry about the match, don''t be so serious--"


    "Usato, seriously."


    "What?"


    Amako says this to me with a miffed expression on her face, and I can''t help but be taken aback.


    What did you say ......?


    "Beastmen are tough, so don''t worry even if Usato is serious.


    "Well, no, but it''s a good thing..."


    It''s rude to go easy on them.


    "Oh, oh."


    I nodded at her words, seeing through my thoughts.


    Did she see a future where I would be ridiculed by the beasts through precognition magic?¡¡If I had offended her, I would have felt very sorry.


    I don''t like it when people treat me like a monster, but I''d hate it even more if I offend Amako.


    "......No wonder. Let''s do it."


    I leave my undressed clothes with Amako and go up on the stage where the arm-wrestling match is to take place.


    If they are going to have a serious arm-wrestling match, I wonder how strong Daittetsu-san is, who claims to have the arm strength of an ogre.


    "Mr. Daitezu! Please be serious."


    "Huh?¡¡But ......"


    Mr. Daitetsu rolls his eyes at the sight of my short-sleeved arms, but seems to be hesitating about whether he should get serious or not.


    The beasts around him were throwing wild questions at him.


    "It''s okay, isn''t it?¡¡He seems to be serious too.


    "You''d be a fool to go easy on him here.


    You''re going to show your son how good you are.


    "Duh!¡¡Shut up, all right!¡¡I don''t care if you get hurt, okay?


    Mr. Daitetsu came up on the stage like me and put his right elbow on the table.


    I take a small deep breath and grab his right hand to get ready.


    I am a healing magician. I can heal wounds and broken bones in no time. So I''ll say it again. Mr. Daitetsu--I''m serious, please.


    "......!"


    With the second word, his grip on my right hand became stronger, as if he was ready to do so.


    I sense that he is serious about this, and I put more pressure on my hand.


    The beastman who was acting as the judge, judging that the preparations were complete when he and I fell silent, placed his hand on each other''s right hand... signaling the beginning of the game.


    "Nuh!"


    "Hmph!"


    Strong ......!


    As one would expect from a man with so much experience, he put his strength into his arm at about the same time as I did, and tried to knock my arm down with unusual strength---but I am not so softly trained that I can be beaten so easily.


    I grit my teeth and fight back.


    "----, well, this is ......!"


    "Hey, Daitetsu! Are you holding back?"


    "It''s not moving at all!"


    The surrounding beasts, perhaps sensing something unusual, began to murmur.


    Mr. Daitetsu is astonished to find that no matter how much force he puts into it, he can''t push it even a twitch.


    It''s strong, perhaps as strong as the ogre that attacked us before we entered Mearaq.


    But still..,


    "Hey, you can''t be serious!"


    !"


    You''re no match for the great foes I''ve fought. ......!


    I stopped breathing and slammed his arm into the table with all my might.


    "...... phew!"


    Stunned by the voice of the referee announcing my victory, I looked around and saw that the party that had just been lively was now as quiet as a wake.


    The silence was painful.


    The stares hurt, too.


    I feel like I''ve done something wrong.


    When I turned my gaze to Nair, who was sitting and watching me, she was looking at me with a "I don''t need to say anything" expression on her face, and Aruk-san, who was unaware of my situation to begin with, was admiring the food as he brought it to his mouth.


    I fearfully shifted my gaze to Mr. Daitetsu in front of me, and he gave a small shake of his shoulders.


    "Oh, did I do something wrong? ......"


    I guess I shouldn''t have beaten him so drastically in front of the kids.


    Or was it too insane for an ordinary human being (emphasis added) to defeat a beastman in the first place?


    Either way, it is still a mistake.


    While I was afraid of Mr. Daietetsu''s reaction, I noticed that he was muttering something.


    "You''re a fool. ......."


    "What?"


    "That''s funny!¡¡Let''s do it again!¡¡Usato!


    What?


    Mr. Daietetsu looked up and his pupils narrowed vertically, as if he had found his prey.


    The belligerence of the man was overwhelming, but at the same time, as if inspired by him, the beastmen around him also began to warn each other.


    "There are some badass humans out there!"


    Next time it''s with me!


    No, I''ll take this one!


    The beasts came out to fight.


    They are all too hot because of their size. ......!


    Not knowing what to do, they ask Mr. Aruk for help.


    "A-Aruk-san!¡¡Help me!


    "Are these sour flavored kuki nuts by any chance?"


    "Oh, my... how did you know? It''s a mixture of grated kukki berries mixed with the soup. I know it''s not familiar to you, but what do you think?"


    "Yes, it''s very good."


    "Oh, um, I''d like to have this one, too..."


    While tucking into the food, I''m having a conversation with the beastmen''s sisters.


    Normally, Mr. Alc would help me out, but he was so absorbed in cooking that he didn''t notice me in the first place!


    Well, then, Nair..,


    "Okay?¡¡I''m not like that guy. I''m normal."


    "But, honey, you used to turn into an owl."


    You have animal ears and a tail. It''s the same thing.


    "Oh, yes, that''s true."


    "The owl was so cute!"


    "Owl, transform yourself!"


    "Okay, okay, okay. I''m tired of talking to children.


    Nair, surrounded by children and with a nonplussed expression on her face, is absolutely mortified as she transforms herself into an owl.


    He is clearing up the children''s misunderstandings (only those against him) ......!


    You''ve deviated from your main mission as a messenger to help the Lord, hey!


    "Don''t worry, Usato. I''m watching you.


    Amako, I don''t know what to reassure you about in this situation.


    Why are you smiling like you''ve done it?


    Amako is sitting on a chair next to a pale face of Linka, who is looking at me from a little distance.


    There was only one option left for me to take.


    I was desperate.


    If I''m going to be pulled down either way, I might as well go all the way.


    "I don''t care if they treat me like a freak!¡¡I''ll beat them all!"


    I slammed my arm down on the table with a thud, and got into an arm-wrestling match with the beasts, who were all fired up with fighting spirit.


    I was so excited!


    As it turned out, the beast men of the hidden village were as competitive as I was.


    In the end, I ended up being perceived by the beastman children and women as a monster in full human form, while the beastman men perceived me as a human being of extraordinary strength, because I had done so many things in arm-wrestling.


    ...... As a side note, Mr. Alc and Nair seemed to have made a good impression on both children and women.


    I don''t know why, but I am not convinced.

 138 - - The 126th Episode

    Last night was a real challenge ......!


    Challengers came one after another.


    I was so excited that I accepted the challenge and beat them all, and as I expected, I was officially judged as a non-human by the beastman kids.


    Or, to be more precise, "This is the kind of creature humans are ......! I guess it is more accurate to say that I made them realize that "this is the kind of creature humans are.


    Anyway, I became friends with the old beastmen.


    "Well, that''s good. It''s much better than being stared at, isn''t it?"


    "Yes, but I don''t know, I feel like I''m being treated ...... differently."


    Early in the morning, I was sitting at the living room table in Kagari''s house with my head in my hands, when Amako, sitting next to me, comforted (?) me. I was being comforted (?) by Amako who was sitting next to me. Besides me and Amako, Aruk, Nair, and Rinca were sitting at the table.


    Last night, I let the momentum of the moment get the better of me, even though it was my own fault.


    Toward the end of the banquet, I was acting like I was treating the tough guys of the lifeguard squad. I wonder if I was intoxicated by the smell of alcohol.


    "Ha-ha-ha, when I noticed that he was arm-wrestling with a belligerent smile on his face..."


    "Did I look like that, me?"


    "Yes, he looked very happy."


    The arm-wrestling itself was certainly fun, but the stares of the children and women who were clearly turned off by the event were more than a little painful.


    "Nair is the most evil vampire ...... to show himself off to the kids, what a vampire ......!"


    "What''s the most evil thing you can do?


    Nair, who was sitting in front of me, responded to my complaint as if she had nothing to do with it.


    I''m joking about being evil, but why am I, a human being, being treated like a monster and she, a demon being treated like a human being?


    "You''re not evil, you''re not evil, you''re just angry..."


    "I''m aware that I''m scared, but I don''t think I''m evil.


    "Hmmm, only you know."


    Nair said this to me in a very triumphant manner, and I couldn''t say anything back to him.


    Amako puts her hand on my shoulder.


    It''s okay, Usato. He may look scary, but he''s still Usato.


    Just when I thought he was comforting me, he affirmed my evil face.


    Yeah, is it a well-known fact that you have an evil face now ......?


    I don''t know what to look like when I''m angry.


    I slump my shoulders and feel down. At that moment, Linka, who had been silent for a long time next to Amako, bursts out laughing.


    "I feel like I''m being ridiculous for being so scared."


    "Linka?"


    "I''ve been thinking about it since last night, and Amako was right. The people you believed in weren''t bad people.


    Amako rolls her eyes at Linka''s words.


    We are as surprised as Amako, and Linka looks at me.


    "It''s true that Usato is strong enough to defeat all the adults in the village, and his legs are faster than mine as a wolf beast. To be honest, he looks like a monster. But if you look at him carefully, you can see that he is not a bad person. Yesterday, too, he thought about Amako and let her work with me. ......"


    Linka gets up from her seat and walks up to me.


    When I was puzzled by her behavior, she bowed her head vigorously.


    "I''m sorry about yesterday!¡¡I didn''t know what I was doing and shot an arrow!"


    I didn''t expect her to apologize because I had frightened her more than her.


    I was puzzled by the sudden apology, but I replied with a smile that reassured her as much as possible.


    "I can''t help it if you did what you did to help Amako. Besides, I scared you too, so we''re even.


    "Oh, really?¡¡I''d feel a lot better if you said that.


    "Hmph!"


    "Kyaun!"


    Amako, with a smile on her face, slams her hand into the back of Rinka''s head with a sharp sledgehammer.


    It was only a light smack, but the sudden blow from behind made Linka jump up with a cute scream.


    "What are you doing!¡¡You startled me!"


    "I don''t think that''s right after I apologized."


    "No, that''s fine!¡¡Usato said he''ll forgive me!


    What?"


    What?¡¡I won''t be afraid of you even if you have scary eyes!


    Amako''s face is expressionless as she looks at the teary-eyed Linka.


    Amako''s gaze becomes even sharper as Linka hides behind me as I sit down, even though she says she won''t be scared.


    They are so close.


    It''s not often that Amako shows her emotions to this extent, which makes me smile.


    "Amako, the hoo-bird I sent yesterday is back. He also has a letter from my son."


    While I was watching their exchange, Mr. Cagalli came into the living room.


    You''re early, you already got a reply.


    Amako receives a letter from Mr. Kagari.


    "...... Mr. Kagari. Can I believe this?"


    "My son is your mother''s best friend. And he''s not the kind of man who could deceive anyone.


    "......, yeah, okay."


    "Amaco, what did it say?"


    I ask Amako, who looks at the letter and is very upset.


    "He said he would make arrangements for us to come in from the back.


    "Does that mean we can come too?"


    "Yes. Yes, that''s what it says.


    I can certainly understand why Amako is suspicious.


    It''s not right to allow not only Amako but also me and Aruk-san to enter Japan. It''s not surprising that he would suspect a trap for me and Mr. Aruk, both of whom are human beings.


    "It''s all right, Amako. My father, he''s the kind of guy who always has a smile on his face.


    "Yes, but ......"


    Amaco is at a loss for words at Linka''s words.


    He must be anxious.


    My healing magic is essential to save Amako''s mother. If I am caught before I can save her, that will not happen either.


    Mr. Aruk, what do we do now?


    I think we should go. I think we should go. As long as the only way to enter the beastmen''s country is to hide our identities or to enter without being seen, this is not a bad idea for us.


    Normally, it would be difficult to enter such a place even by virtue of being human.


    The more you have to hide your identity, the more they invite you in, the better it will be.


    "Why bother now?¡¡Either way, we have no choice but to enter the land of the beastmen to save Amako''s mother."


    "...... I guess so."


    He nodded at Nea''s words.


    If he betrays us, we''ll find another way. It''s too bad we won''t be able to give them the letter, but as long as we can save Amako''s mother, which is our original goal, that''s all that matters.


    "Amako, let''s go to the land of the beastmen for now."


    "...... yeah."


    Amako looked anxious, but nodded her head.


    "Mr. Cagalli, how far is it to the land of the beastmen?"


    "Not far from here. It takes about an hour or two on foot.


    That''s pretty close.


    Then we can get there today.


    After confirming with Mr. Aruk and the others, we inform Mr. Cagalli that we will leave today.


    Then we will leave for the land of the beastmen after sending a letter in HUBBARD stating the date and time of our arrival in the land of the beastmen.


    "You''re early. Well, that can''t be helped. ...... linka"


    Hmm?¡¡What, grandpa?


    Take them to the land of the beasts. And show them your son''s face.


    "Well, I''m happy to show you around, but I don''t want to see your father..."


    Linka''s expression says, "Wow.


    Is he not good at being a father?¡¡But it''s not like she doesn''t like him, but more like he''s a pain in the ass.


    I wonder what kind of person he is. Since he is in a position to invite us in, he must be in a high position among the beastmen.


    ...... Let''s ask him his name, just in case.


    Mr. Cagalli, may I ask the name of Linka''s father?


    "Oh, I haven''t told you. His son''s name is Hayate. He''s a man who assists the chief in his home country.


    "Assistant to the chief?"


    A chief is the head of a tribe of beastmen, right?¡¡Isn''t it pretty amazing to be an assistant to someone like that?


    I don''t know, maybe Linka''s father is a man of higher status than I thought.


    I don''t know.


    As we were getting ready to leave the hidden village at the exit of the village, many beasts were gathering.


    I wondered what was going on, but it seems that the people in the village had already heard that we were leaving for the beastmen''s country.


    Aruk-san was saying goodbye to the beastmen women he had talked with yesterday, and Nair was saying goodbye to the children, while I was saying...,


    "Good luck, Usato."


    "I look forward to the day when we can compare our strengths again!"


    "You may look human on the outside, but inside you are even more outstanding than we are."


    I was about to be sent off with a smile on my face by a group of men one size larger than me.


    It was so cold and humid that I even felt the temperature was rising around me. ......!¡¡I''m glad they are smiling to send me off, but I can''t help but smile a little.


    Rather, they are casually treated as more than beastmen. .......


    "Usato."


    "Oh, Mr. Daitetsu."


    Then, Mr. Daitetsu approached me.


    "I didn''t expect you to leave so early," he said.


    "I''m sorry. ......"


    "Don''t apologize. I know what you came into our territory for."


    Did the chief talk to the people in the village last night?


    Mr. Daittetsu looked at Amako for a moment and put his big hand on my shoulder.


    "Hang in there, Usato. You''re going to save her mother, aren''t you?


    "Yes, of course. That''s why I''m here.


    Mr. Daitetsu smiled pleasantly at me as I nodded my head.


    It all started when Amako showed me the future in which Senpai and Kazuki would die. Then, after many hardships, we finally arrived at this point.


    "Well, I''m sure you''ll be fine. If I have to worry about anything, it''s what happens to guys who get into fights with you!¡¡After all, you''ve got more muscle than an ogre!¡¡I don''t even want to imagine eating the fist of such a monster!


    "Ha-ha-ha-ha!"


    You were impressed, and then you dropped me.


    Well, I can''t say I''ve ever punched an ogre in the face. But I''d go easy on a normal human, wouldn''t I?


    It''s just that the people like Evil Dragon, Mr. Karon, and Ms. Leona, whom I have to make a serious move against, have been strange.


    "Mr. Usato, we''re about to leave."


    Oh, yes. Take care of yourselves at ......."


    "Yes. Take care, Usato.


    After replying to Mr. Aruk, who had put my horse and burin on my back, I said goodbye to Mr. Daitetsu once again and left the hidden village for the land of the beastmen.


    I have no idea what kind of place the Land of the Beastmen is, but I have no choice but to go there now that I have come this far.


    I hope I can save Amako''s mother without any problems.


    I hope nothing goes wrong and I can save Amako''s mother.


    We leave the hidden village and head for the land of the beastmen.


    We are now walking along the roadless paths through the trees, guided by Rinca, but I still feel uneasy about not having any paths to walk on.


    If we get separated from the others, I am sure I will get lost for sure.


    ...... is this an attempt to make people who step into the realm of the beasts get lost by not making a path?¡¡Maybe I''m overthinking it, but it''s enough to make me feel confused as a person who is not used to this place.


    "I''ll borrow your shoulder!"


    "Yeah, no problem."


    As I was walking, lost in my thoughts, Nair, who had transformed into an owl before I knew it, jumped on my shoulder.


    As for me, I have no reason to refuse her because she always does that, but I would like her to walk by herself once in a while.


    "Usato!"


    "Hmm?¡¡What''s wrong? What''s wrong with your voice?"


    As I was thinking this, Nair jumped on my shoulder and spoke to me in a hushed voice.


    I turned to N¨¦a in doubt, and she looked at Amako sideways and whispered to me in a way that only I could hear, just as she had done before.


    "Amako has a good ear, you know."


    ...... Is there something you don''t want Amaco to hear?¡¡The fact that he cut it out before going to the beastmen''s country might mean that it is that important.


    ...... Amaco is at the head of the group, chatting with Linka?


    I casually slowed down my walk and walked away from Amako and spoke to Nair in a hushed voice.


    "So, what is it?"


    "I want to ask you something about the future."


    "From now on?"


    "After we enter the land of the beastmen."


    "......"


    After we enter the land of the beasts, huh?


    Well, this is the only topic Nair will talk about now.


    He looks at Amako walking in front of him and opens his mouth to Nair.


    "You know, Amako is a very special person in the land of the beastmen.


    "Yeah."


    Rose is the Princess of Time, you said.


    A time-writer, a wielder of prophetic magic. No physical attacks, but it''s the most powerful magic I know.


    How could I not think such magic special?


    "I think it smells fishy. "I think it smells fishy because there are too many strange things about it. Amaco''s mother in an unexplained coma, the beasts relentlessly searching for Amaco. And today, a letter that allows Usato and Aruk, who are human, to enter the beastmen''s country."


    Nair is right, there are many oddities.


    Why did Amako''s mother stop waking up?¡¡There must be a reason for her collapse.


    She may have been cursed by something like Eva, or she may have fallen down due to illness. Worst of all, we cannot deny the possibility that a third party has prevented her from waking up.


    "Maybe she knows."


    "...... I''m sure you''re right. But we can''t not go."


    For there are mothers in the land of the beasts who never wake up.


    We cannot abandon her because there is still hope to save her.


    It''s like a bait to call Amako who has left the land of the beastmen,


    "No, no. You''re taking it too badly. ......"


    What I am thinking is only imagination.


    But it is not good to make a bad impression.


    "I hope it will end without incident. But if that''s not possible, I''ll try to save Amako and her mother at least."


    "...... as usual, I''m not thinking straight, but that''s fine for now. It''s one thing to be prepared, it''s quite another to be unprepared.


    Nair replied to me, though she was taken aback by my words.


    She must have known that I had dared to choose my words.


    The really, really worst thing that could happen is that I might have to choose between Amako or her mother.


    I don''t want to imagine a situation where I would have to make that choice, and I don''t intend to put myself in that situation.


    "Well, I will follow your decision in any situation, right?¡¡I trust you in that way.


    When Nair added this, I was momentarily taken aback.


    Trust, huh? I chewed on those words and looked at Amako walking in front of me again.


    I trust the people I have traveled with. It is because I have trusted them that we have been able to overcome the hardships we have faced.


    Considering this, the obstacles that might be waiting for us now seemed like nothing.

 139 - - The 127th.

    A few hours after leaving the hidden village.


    We were walking along a roadless path when we arrived at a forest lined with many large trees.


    The forest was lined with countless trees so large that they blocked out the sun''s rays, and was generally dimly lit and filled with an eerie atmosphere.


    "This is the entrance."


    "That''s an amazing forest. ......"


    He let out an exclamation of admiration at Linka''s words.


    The forest we had walked through so far had been lit by the sun, but from this point on, we were in such darkness that we had to strain our eyes to see.


    Indeed, this is not the kind of place one would normally think of visiting.


    If I were asked to enter alone, I would have to prepare myself for a beating at the hands of my enemies.


    Amako looked up at me, her face naturally scrunched up.


    "I know it''s creepy, but it will lighten up soon.


    "Is that so?"


    "Yeah, that''s how they''re made."


    Made, huh?


    Is there some kind of magical tool, or something similar?


    I heard that beastmen have a different culture from humans, so that''s a possibility.


    Let''s move on. From my point of view, if we enter from here, we will reach the back gate.


    I follow Rinka into the forest.


    We walked with only the light coming from behind us, but it was difficult, as we almost ran into a tree or caught our foot on a root.


    If you continue on this path, you will reach the back entrance of the beastman''s country.


    ...... just in case we should take precautions.


    Neah.


    What?


    You''re in beastman country, you''re an owl.


    "...... yeah, okay."


    "Thank you for being so perceptive."


    In such a case, we can make good use of our position as a messenger.


    Since humanoid demons are very rare and rarely used as messengers, we put Nair in the beastmen''s kingdom as an owl''s messenger and keep her on reserve as a trump card in case of an emergency.


    As I was walking in the dark, relying on Rinka who was walking in front of me, Amako grabbed the sleeve of my troupe uniform.


    "Hmm?"


    "I don''t want it to slip off."


    It would certainly be troublesome if they got separated.


    But when I''m like this..,


    "I feel like a father with his child. And Nair''s the same way.


    Impact to the calf and back of the head. It didn''t hurt, but it was sudden and startling.


    It seems that Amako kicked my leg and Neah hit my head with her wing.


    I didn''t expect Nair, but I didn''t expect Amako either. .......


    "I''m not a child."


    "Sorry, sorry."


    I apologize to Amako, who lets out a sullen sound.


    He may be childish in some ways, but his energy is as strong as any adult''s.


    "...... Usato, I have something to tell you now."


    "What''s the matter, out of the blue?"


    "I''ll believe in you, no matter what happens."


    You sound just like Nair.


    Is that what this is about, that we both talk about the same thing?¡¡Do they think you don''t trust them if they don''t put it into words?


    "I trust Usato''s training stupidity, his brains, his insensitivity, his good-naturedness, and his bad-naturedness, good and bad, more than I trust ...... Nea."


    "Nah!"


    A scream emanates from my shoulder that I don''t know where it came from.


    Either they heard me talking to Nair, or ...... I underestimated Amaco''s ear for a moment. But there''s a part of you that doesn''t want to trust him.


    What''s with the trusting the brains. I almost let it slide when you said it so casually.


    "That''s all I wanted to say."


    "I trust you, too. After all, we have traveled together.


    Of course, the same goes for Mr. Aruk, Nair, and Bulrin.


    I have traveled so far that I can say with certainty that if any one of them had been missing, I would not be here.


    But one day that journey will come to an end.


    After the Land of the Beastmen, we must return to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    ......Will Amako remain in the Land of the Beastmen then, or will she return to the Kingdom of Lingle? .......


    "What will Amaco do if he saves his mother......?"


    "......"


    A breathtaking reaction next to me.


    After a moment of silence, her voice was somewhat anxious as if she was trying to squeeze it out.


    "If I could, I''d like to go to the Kingdom of Lingle with my mother. It''s too suffocating for me to live here.


    "...... I''ll help you as much as I can if that''s what you want to do."


    "Yeah. ......"


    My hometown is suffocating me.


    It should be abnormal for such words to come out. The circumstances surrounding Amako are so difficult that they do not allow her to lead a normal life.


    "...... Whoa!


    With a thoughtful expression on my face, I stumble over a tree root and almost fall down.


    Nea laughs at me and Amako grabs me by the sleeve of my trousers so that we don''t get separated.


    As we continue down the dark path, the light finally brightens in front of us.


    "It''s so bright! ......"


    The sudden light blinds me.


    As I adjusted to the light, I looked again in front of my eyes, which were now brightly lit, and saw a huge wooden door and a stone wall filling my field of vision.


    These man-made structures were unlike anything I had seen in the forests I had walked through.


    And a wall that was built to cover something.


    "At last, we''re here."


    "...... Amaco?"


    Amaco muttered heavily.


    She continued to squeeze the words out of my hand as she gripped the hem of my trousers.


    "A country whose name was not even allowed to be revealed to humans. The land of the beastmen, Hinomoto. ...... Here is where my mother is."


    "......"


    Until now, I had thought that the land of the beastmen did not have a name. Even the people in the castle called it the Land of the Beastmen, and so did Amako.


    However, the name revealed by Amako''s mouth now was something that I ......, Inukami-senpai and Kazuki could not ignore.


    "Hinomoto...... Hinomoto, Japan?"


    The sword, the name given to the beasts, and the name of the country Hinomoto.


    The person summoned before Senpai and Kazuki was Japanese, which means that he came to this world from a time when swords existed.


    No, it is possible that they are modern people who are familiar with such things, but I am sure that they are Japanese.


    "Hmm, Amako. I came to the back gate.¡¡I don''t see anyone."


    "Sure."


    Amako tilts her head at Rinka, who wonders why there is no one around, even though there is a door.


    At that moment, the large door began to open slowly with a heavy thud.


    "......!"


    Surprised by the sudden opening of the door, he moves in front of Amako and takes a stance.


    The door opens completely, and out of it comes a man in his thirties, with wolf ears like Linka. There were two other beastmen and two women with spears, who were staring at me and Mr. Arc as if they were wary of us.


    The man who looked around at us finally turned his attention to Amako behind me and smiled softly, his shoulders relaxed as if in relief.


    "We''ve been waiting for you. My name is Hayate, and I am the assistant to the chief.


    "...... Oh, let''s see. My name is Usato Ken. Thank you very much for allowing us to come here.


    In case you are wondering, I am the leader of this trip, so I will introduce myself.


    I am embarrassed by his faltering honorifics as usual, but the beast man, Hayate-san, is surprised by my words and immediately smiles back at me as he did before, giving instructions to his subordinate who is waiting next to him.


    "Both of you, you can lower your spears now."


    "But they are human. And blue grizzlies are ......."


    "She''s not hostile and she misses you. The blue grizzly there will not be harmed.


    "...... understand."


    The two beastmen lowered their spears with unconvinced looks on their faces.


    The tense atmosphere softened a little, and Hayate-san walked toward Amako and me.


    For the time being, I took a cautious step backward behind Amako and moved to make it easier for her and Hayate to talk to each other.


    "The last time we saw each other was when you were four years old. ...... Do you remember me?"


    "I''m sorry, I don''t remember ......."


    Seeing Amako apologizing apologetically, Hayate hurriedly waved her hand to the side.


    "No, no, you don''t have to apologize. I''m old enough to not remember."


    Hayate-san, looking happy, bends down to make eye contact with Amako.


    Hayate looked her over from head to toe and nodded.


    "Yes, yes, I''m glad you came back. I''m relieved to see that you haven''t changed since I last saw you. ......Yes, you look exactly the same as you did two years ago. You look exactly the same as you did two years ago.


    "......usato"


    "Bear with me, I''m sure you won''t take offense. ......"


    Probably because this guy is really happy to see me.


    Hayate-san, who is holding his hand at the height of Amako''s head and looking deeply moved, gives me a shiver. I admire his guts to keep smiling without noticing even after stepping on many landmines.


    As I stop Amako, who is looking up at me with swallowing eyes, Rinka, who was watching Hayate from the side, kicks him in the shin.


    Hayate fell to the ground with a loud "gyaan" and looked at Rinka with tearful eyes while pushing his shin.


    "Rinri, Rinca!¡¡How dare you do this to a father you haven''t seen in a long time!"


    "You''re still so sensitive!¡¡Amako is concerned about your height!¡¡And you''re trying to make him feel taller than he is!¡¡You know what? Dad, Amako''s just getting started!"


    "...... Usato, you''re gonna lose your temper!"


    "No, no, no."


    He is saying this while putting his hand on Amako''s head, which is the most delicacy thing he can say, but I am sure he is angry for Amako''s sake.


    So, Amako, please don''t clutch my uniform to the point of tearing it to shreds. The uniform, which had never been torn even after the battle with the evil dragon and Mr. Karon, is now torn to shreds.


    ...... But though they don''t look alike, they have similar personalities at the core.


    As I watched the exchange between Hayate and Rinka, one of my men standing behind me coughed deliberately.


    "Kohon, kohon, Hayate-sama."


    "What?¡¡I''m sorry, I''m sorry. Let me cut to the chase.


    He brushed off the sand and stood up, pointing toward the door.


    "Let''s talk while we walk. We want to avoid the eyes of the people as much as possible, so please cover your heads, Usato and the others.


    "Okay."


    I put on the hood of my group uniform, and Aruk-san put on a white cloak from his horse''s baggage.


    It looks very suspicious from the outside, but I''ll put up with it because it''s more important that they know we''re human.


    Oh, as always, I have to ask if Bulrin can come in.


    "Would you mind if we let the blue grizzly in too?"


    "Yes. As long as they don''t get too wild.


    With almost no fear of a violent attack, we step into Hinomoto, the land of the beastmen, while petting Bulrin.


    The scene beyond the door was very different from the other places we have visited so far.


    "Wooden architecture, you say?"


    Beyond the door, there was a row of wooden buildings that made me feel as if I had stepped back in time to a time long ago in Japan.


    Perhaps it was because we entered through the back gate, but even so, I could understand that the buildings were fundamentally different from those in other countries I had visited.


    Hayate-san saw us looking around and spoke to us proudly.


    "The structure is different from the buildings you know, isn''t it?"


    Yes, I was surprised.


    "All the buildings where the beastmen live are made of wood. The buildings made from the big trees that surround the country are sturdy and even the rain doesn''t penetrate them.


    "Wow. ......."


    As for me, it''s kind of familiar in a way. The shape of the buildings in a row is similar to the wooden houses you would see in the countryside, and the larger buildings could be described as mansions.


    Mr. Cagalli said that the previous heroes gave knowledge to the beastmen, and I wonder if this is also the case.


    "And ......"


    Sure enough, it seems we are not the only two people watching us.


    I don''t know where they are, but I can feel many eyes watching us. I give a quick glance to Mr. Aruk just to be sure, and he gives me a small nod as if he has noticed.


    Depending on our actions, we can''t be too careless, since he might immediately think that we are hostile to him.


    ...... I''d like to ask Hayate a few questions just to be sure.


    "Mr. Hayate. Do the people here know that we are coming?


    "Yes, of course. We informed them early this morning that you and Amako and the humans would be entering the country. However, the majority of the people do not have good feelings toward humans, so we have to greet them in this way.


    "We knew that people would be wary of us, so we don''t mind. What was the chief''s reaction to our inclusion?


    Hayate, who was walking at the front of the group, was puzzled for a moment when I continued the question, but she quickly answered.


    "The chief was not very friendly because of his difficult personality, but I managed to persuade him and he gave me permission.


    The chief is not friendly to us, unlike Mr. Hayate.


    ...... is difficult.


    We have to meet the chief and negotiate with him to the point of helping Amako''s mother, but I don''t want things to get complicated.


    I don''t want things to get complicated. That would be the worst.


    At least I hope he is not a hard-headed person..,


    "--"


    My thoughts are interrupted when I feel a piercing, intense gaze on the back of my neck.


    It was what I would describe as a murderous intent. A gaze that chilled me to the bone, a sensation that made my entire body hair stand on end, as if I were falling from a great height.


    With a momentary chill, I made a healing magic bullet with the basket hand deployed in my sleeve, and turned around to glare in the direction of his gaze.


    "Hee!


    But all I saw behind me was a female beastman soldier who had fallen on her back when she saw my face, and a wooden building.


    I looked down at the female soldier with her right hand hidden behind her back, which was made of healing magic bullet, and saw her shoulders shaking even more, and the dog-like ears on her head slumped down.


    The killing intent came from behind. ...... You don''t think it''s her, do you?


    "?"?"


    Don''t eat me!"


    No, I''m not eating him. What kind of monster does he think I am?


    But it''s not him who''s trying to kill me.


    "......"


    "What''s the matter with you all of a sudden?"


    Nair, who is on my shoulder, speaks to me in a whisper, finally breaking the tension and letting out a slow breath.


    Hayate and Amako, who were walking in front of me, noticed this and turned their quizzical gazes to me.


    "......I''m sorry for startling you."


    "What?¡¡Yes. ......"


    They must have entered the realm of the beastmen and become too sensitive to their presence.


    With a click, he puts his hand back on the bracelet and reaches out a hand to help the person on the ground to his feet. The soldier stands up, looking at me with fear in her eyes, and moves away from me.


    "You know what?"


    "......!?"


    ......I''m kind of in shock, even though I deserved it.


    The female soldier who was frightened just by talking to him was approached by Rinka who was nodding deeply with a mysterious face.


    "I know, it''s scary. I don''t think they are human ...... I thought so too."


    Hey.


    I didn''t say it out loud, since I was by far the one to blame.


    I didn''t say it out loud because it was overwhelmingly my fault. I was a complete villain in front of the female soldier who nodded her head in tears at Linka''s comforting (?) words.


    Hayate-san, who couldn''t stand to see me, called out to me.


    "Sir, please refrain from that kind of behavior here.


    "I''m sorry. I felt a lot of stares. ......"


    "Rustling ......?"


    As far as Hayate''s and Aruk''s reactions are concerned, it is directed only to me.


    Or rather, why directed at only me?


    I wonder if they misunderstood me again like they did with Rinka.


    "......I''m worried about the future. ......"


    It could be hatred of humans, or it could be that they are just trying to pick a fight with us.


    But the fact is that there are people here who would kill me like that.


    I hope it will end without a fight, but if it does---I have no choice but to fight back.

 140 - - The 128th episode.

    Hinomoto, the land of the beastmen.


    We were welcomed by Hayate, the assistant to the chief, and we were walking up a dimly lit hill, under the watchful eyes of the beastmen.


    The path passed between houses, and it was a gradual ascent.


    It sounds good to avoid being seen, but from a different perspective, it seems as if we are being taken somewhere. Hayate, who is leading the way, doesn''t seem to be the kind of person who would think of trapping us, but having been deceived by Fegnis in Samaritan, it''s dangerous to trust someone you''ve only met for a short time.


    To be honest, it is quite painful to be deceived by someone you trusted.


    Perhaps he could see my expression stiffen, but before I knew it, Bulrin, who was standing next to me, looked up at me.


    "Guffaw!"


    "...... are you worried about me?"


    He pats her on the head.


    This is no time to be regretting ...... our previous mistake.


    I turn around and see a bright open space at the end of the dark road. It seems that this back road ends there.


    Fearing what I might find at the end of the road, I headed for the lighted area and found myself in a wide open space, different from the road I had just taken. Moreover, in front of us was a building so large that we could look up at it.


    Hayate-san, who had been guiding us, looked back at us.


    This is the most important building for us beastmen. For you, it would be easier to describe it as a castle, wouldn''t it?


    The building is clearly different from the other houses, carefully constructed.


    The white exterior and angular shape of the building gave it a different intensity from that of a castle.


    While we were gawking at the white building, Hayate-san, with a proud smile on her face, continued to speak.


    Please take a look at the back.


    "Behind?"


    When I looked back, I saw a view of Hinomoto from above.


    Below me were many buildings and dotted with people.


    The view from the castle in the Lingle Kingdom was Western-style, but the view from here was like stepping back in time to old Japan.


    I''ve heard that the beastmen have developed a different culture from humans, and it''s no wonder when I look at the whole country like this.


    When I think that all the people I can see now are beastmen, I realize that I have finally arrived here.


    "I miss ......."


    "Have you been here before, Amaco?"


    "Yes, my mother and I have been here ...... many times."


    Amako''s expression is somewhat uneasy as she speaks in a small mumble.


    I casually glance sideways at Hayate, who awkwardly puts his hand on his neck.


    Is there something he wants to do to ...... make you feel guilty?¡¡Or is he simply feeling sorry for her? .......


    "Okay, I''ll take you on. Let''s start with the horse and the blue grizzly. The owl on his shoulder is ......"


    "Oh, he''s my messenger. ...... is it okay if I let him in?"


    "Hoo!"


    Hayate-san looks a little worried, but soon turns his head toward us.


    "...... is fine. But please don''t leave your side.


    "Don''t worry about that. He''s a quiet guy."


    Neah nodded her head in agreement.


    In truth, she''s a far cry from quiet. In fact, I''d say she''s a curious one.


    Linka, who knows that N¨¦a can take human form, looks doubtful, but her expression quickly returns to normal, as if it is nothing to worry about.


    What about Hayate?¡¡If I can''t get in, I''ll have to stay with Bulrin and the horses. .......


    "That''s all right then. Then follow me. We will take care of your luggage.


    He nodded and urged us to follow him.


    As I followed him, I looked again at the white building, which was high enough to look up at.


    "......"


    Everything around me is full of enemies...... not to say that the beastmen don''t have a good impression of me, that''s for sure. Hayate-san has been soft on me, but others are not so sure.


    Worst case scenario, I might be sworn at, or accused of something unreasonable.


    In response, I try not to be emotional as much as possible. Especially if it''s a grudge against the beastmen who have been oppressed by them.


    "...... what lies ahead, I guess."


    Beastmen, Chief.


    I walk forward with some apprehension at the prospect of meeting the person who holds the highest position among the beastmen I''m about to meet.


    I was a little nervous as I walked along.


    We were invited into the building after leaving Bullyn and his horse at the stables.


    We were invited into the building. At that time, only Linka was separated from us. Well, I was the one who was going to talk to the chief, so I couldn''t take Linka, who had nothing to do with this, to an important event.


    But I was surprised when he took off his shoes as soon as he entered the room.


    I was surprised at the fact that I had to take off my shoes to go up in the building, since it was common practice for me to wear shoes in the building due to the fact that I had been living in this world until now.


    How much knowledge did the brave man give to the beastmen?¡¡I am getting a little bit confused when the culture is so similar to ours.


    First of all, let me take your weapons.


    "Yes, sir."


    Aruk-san''s two swords are given to the soldiers.


    My basket hand is ...... more of an armor than a weapon, so I guess it''s okay. In the meantime, I''ll leave some knives for cooking.


    "...... hmm?"


    Suddenly, I notice a rectangular object that looks out of place in the Japanese-style interior decorating the entrance.


    I casually look at it and observe it.


    It is about two meters in diameter.¡¡Various black plates are assembled to form a square shape.


    The structure of the object looks similar to the magical tools that I saw in an open-air market in Samaritan.


    "Is it ...... magic?"


    Nair tilts her head at my words. She looked puzzled.


    Does Nair not understand it either? Or is it not a magic object in the first place, but an object to be placed here?


    Either way, I don''t mind the design.


    "It was here before I left."


    "Is that so?"


    Yeah, it''s been here as long as I can remember.


    So this is just like an ornament.


    "She''s right, this is just like an ornament."


    "Heh, ......."


    Hayate-san, perhaps having heard our conversation, agrees with Amako''s words.


    However, there was a part of Hayate''s words that bothered me a little.


    "So, you mean that it was not originally an ornament?"


    "......Yes, it used to be a magical tool, but no one used it and it was no longer needed. Normally, it would have been discarded, but since this is a rather special magical tool, it has been left here in this form.


    "I see. ......"


    Originally a magical tool, it is now an object without power.


    I see, that explains why it looks like a magical tool.


    "...... though it will never be used again."


    "What?"


    Okay, that''s enough talk. Let''s move on. The chief is waiting.


    Uh, yes.


    ...... Hayate mumbled something small, but I couldn''t catch it.


    I regained consciousness from the black box and left my luggage, and followed Hayate-san who was going to the back of the room. The rooms inside the house are separated by sliding doors, and it seems to be quite spacious from the inside.


    "I''ll tell them while I''m here.


    "What?"


    Hayate suddenly spoke to me as we walked.


    Without looking at me, he spoke in a rather heavy tone.


    "Our chief does not think favorably of you, no, not of human beings," he said.


    "...... No, we are the ones who suddenly barged in, so it''s not surprising that they don''t think favorably of us."


    In fact, there is no way they would look at us favorably if we suddenly entered a place where no human being has ever set foot before.


    "As far as I am concerned, I would like to end this conversation with you in a peaceful manner. So I will try my best to make things as smooth as possible.


    Thank you.


    Everything is different now that we are meeting with the chief of the beastmen tribe.


    Gladys, headmistress of the Luxembourg Academy.


    Mr. Lucas of the Kingdom of Samaritan.


    Mr. Norn of the water city of Mialark.


    All three of them are ordinary ...... ordinary ....... people everywhere.


    "......"


    ......No, Gladys was a normal woman, but Master Lucas acted unexpectedly by asking me to succeed him, and Mr. Norn was drowning in potions when we first met, he was not a normal person, to put it mildly.


    But what all three of them had in common was that they harbored no ill feelings toward us.


    Lost in thought, we proceeded down the corridor where we could get a good view of the outside.


    Then I saw a wide sliding door with a beast soldier with a spear standing in front of it.


    When he saw me and Aruk-san, the soldier looked nervous and put his spear in his hand, but when Hayate-san stood in front of the sliding door, he moved to the side to make way for us.


    "Chief, I have brought Amako and her human companions."


    When I said so in front of the sliding door--,


    "Come in."


    --A low, cold voice.


    The beast soldier nods and opens the sliding door.


    In the room behind the sliding door, a man was sitting on a cushion. Behind him stood two women who seemed to be his attendants, but I was more surprised by the beastman sitting in front of me than I was by what was going on in the room.


    He had round brown ears that reminded me of a bear and a muscular physique that I could recognize. I didn''t even have to stand up to see it. It is no exaggeration to say that I have never seen such a large man in my life.


    Hayate urges me to sit on the cushions that have been prepared in advance, and I introduce myself.


    I am Usato of the Lingle Kingdom Rescue Mission. Thank you for inviting me.


    "Beastmen, this is Chieftain Jinya."


    "......"


    He interrupts and briefly mentions his identity and name, leaving Mr. Jinya speechless.


    ......Yes, I''m not annoyed. But I do wish he would at least listen to the end of my poorly thought out words.


    Jinya, with brownish-black hair reminiscent of a mane and a black kimono, looked around at us, then at Amako for the last time and let out a small sigh.


    "I never thought that the daughter of Kanoko, who has been missing for some time, would come this way. And to bring a human with her. ......"


    Next, he looks at me.


    He stared at me silently, and when I was puzzled and did not know what to do, he laughed.


    "I can''t believe you made it this far. Have you really traveled this far?"


    "What about ......?"


    "Ho, ho."


    I let out a dusky voice with a smile on my face, but I come to my senses when I hear the nea on my shoulder squeal.


    No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I must not be disrespectful. In fact, he may even be trying to make us angry.


    Jinya-san reacted with a bored expression as I held back my smile, and now he looked at Amako.


    "So, Amako. Why did you come back here after all this time?"


    "...... now?"


    "Two years have passed since you disappeared. During that time we have done everything in our power to find you ...... but have failed in every endeavor. Some of us thought you had been captured by humans or were already dead."


    If so, Amako''s return may have caused a bit of confusion. And no wonder Hayate was so happy when she met Amako.


    Amako looked at me as Jinya spoke, and I nodded my head. Rather than me explaining the situation, it would be better to leave it to Amako.


    I came here to save my mother.


    "Well, that''s a good reason. Your mother hasn''t woken up in two years. We''ve tried everything to cure her, but all of our attempts have failed. So you''re back here now because you found a way to save her, is that right?"


    Amako nodded at his questioning words.


    I brought a healing wizard with me. Healing magic, the highest level of recovery magic, may be able to heal my mother.


    "...... I see. If so, that man is a healing wizard, isn''t he?"


    He looks at me again, but his eyes are condescending, as if to say, "Your magic is as poor as it looks.


    I''m used to it with Rose, but a normal person would have lost his temper with this.


    I wonder why this person is so overbearing.


    "We had never tried healing with healing magic before. In the first place, it was impossible for us to use the healing magic that only humans can use, but ...... I see, if you brought him here as a collaborator, the possibility of saving him is not small."


    Jinya nodded in agreement.


    "Fine. I''ll take the healing wizard there to see your mother."


    "Are you sure?"


    "I understand the difficulty for a child of a beast to live in the human realm. In recognition of your energy, I will allow the healing wizard to heal you.


    Amako was surprised that the request was granted so easily and unexpectedly.


    I thought it would be more complicated than that too. .......


    "......Now, my mother is ......"


    "He''s alive. He just hasn''t woken up in two years."


    ...... why did Amaco''s mother stop waking up?


    There must be some reason, because it can''t happen without knowing the reason. Well, maybe we can find out something if we actually meet her.


    "Whether you save my mother or not... are you going to stay here?"


    "......"


    Amaco is silenced by the heavy, low words.


    After a few seconds of silence, her gaze wanders as if lost, then she opens her mouth with determination.


    No, I am not going to stay here.


    "Don''t tell me you''ve never heard of the mission of the Time Wing?"


    "Of course, I understand. But I can''t ...... stay here.


    I can''t live normally.


    Amako says no, and Jinya lets out a disappointed sigh.


    "...... I see. Then, when you''ve done what you had to do, go away. If only something other than you had awakened to the magic of precognition,...... shame on you and your family."


    "......¥Ã Long!"


    Our country has no need of those who would abandon the mission of the Time Wing.


    "Jinya!¡¡You can''t talk to me like that!¡¡The reason this girl is leaving the country is because--"


    Hayate raised her voice at Jinya''s harsh words.


    Mr. Jinya gave him a cold stare.


    "You need to understand your position. Don''t talk back to me like an aide."


    "But ......!"


    "I don''t care how good her daughter is, she''s useless. I don''t know what he''s been doing for two years, but ...... I didn''t expect a beast who lived in the outside world to turn into such a useless thing."


    Hayate was about to retort, but then, perhaps using her reason to control her anger, she became silent.


    I myself was a little angry at Jinya-san for talking down to Amako and mocking her, but I tried to keep my composure so as not to let it show.


    This is convenient in a way, despite the scorn.


    If she followed his words, Amako would not be forced to live in the land of the beastmen, but could be brought back to the Kingdom of Lingle. Amako, perhaps knowing this, accepted his words with a blank expression on her face.


    "It doesn''t matter. We will leave this country as soon as my mother is healed.


    "You''ll have to do."


    Jinya sat up, as if to end the conversation.


    Amako''s story is over, but he has not yet told mine, so I open my mouth to call him off in a hurry.


    "I''m sorry, but I have something to say to you as well.


    "It''s ......."


    "I have a letter for you from Mr. Lloyd Burgast Lingle of the Kingdom of Lingle."


    He then pulls out a letter and shows it to Jinya.


    I know it''s impossible for me, but since I''ve come as an emissary of the Lingle Kingdom, I have to talk to you.


    He grimly lets his attendants receive the letter and looks it over.


    "The Witch King or ...... I refuse. I have no reason to cooperate."


    "......"


    I knew it.


    Well, it can''t be helped.


    The war between demons and humans is of no importance to us. Even if we were to come to blows with the demons, it would only be after the humans have been destroyed.


    "...... I will inform the king accordingly."


    It''s a good thing that the beastmen have been informed of the imminent threat of the Demon Lord''s army.


    Seeing that I didn''t say anything more, Jinya stood up this time.


    "I have a guest waiting for you. I''ll leave the rest to you, Hayate.


    "Yes, sir."


    With that, Jinya-san stood up and walked out of the room with his attendants.


    From the beginning to the end, his attitude remained strict.


    It was like he was trying to keep us in the dark at all times.


    But..,


    Finally.


    We will meet Amaco''s mother, the beginning of our journey and our ultimate goal.


    I know what that means.


    It means that the end of our journey is near, nothing else.

 141 - - The 129th.

    An audience with Mr. Jinya, the chief of the beastmen tribe.


    It was not a very good reception, though it is to be expected. He refused to talk about the letter, but what he said about Amako was not so bad for us.


    He said that I, as a healing magician, would be allowed to meet Amako''s mother, and that Amako could leave the land of the beastmen.


    I was prepared for things to get rather complicated, but fortunately the conversation took an unexpectedly positive turn.


    "I''m sorry. I was so arrogant to our guest. ......"


    "There is no need to apologize, Hayate-san. Besides, we don''t mind it either.


    "I''m glad you say so."


    I hurriedly reply to Mr. Hayate who bowed his head in the corridor where I could see the outside view after leaving the room where I talked with Mr. Jinya.


    Mr. Jinya''s response was not wrong.


    We are strangers, human beings. It''s impossible for us to get along with them.


    "The chief has always been a man of a difficult and harsh tone. ....... But I didn''t expect him to react in such a blatant and detestable manner.


    For a long time, huh?


    I wonder if Hayate and Jinya have been friends for a long time?¡¡During the audience, she called Jinya-san by his name, so it might be so.


    While I was tilting my head at the relationship between Ms. Hayate and Mr. Jinya, Mr. Aruk opened his mouth.


    "About Amako-dono''s mother, are you going there right now?"


    "Yes, I will take you there right away."


    Mr. Aruk puts his hand on his chin as if he is thinking a little about Hayate''s words.


    Was there something on his mind?


    "What''s wrong? Mr. Aruk?


    I''m sorry. Things have been going a little too smoothly, and I''ve been feeling uneasy.


    "Uh, ......."


    I can''t help but nod in agreement with Mr. Aruk''s words.


    All of our previous journeys have been anything but straightforward.


    Nack and Meena''s relationship.


    Nair and the evil dragon.


    The curse of Samaritan that consumes Eva.


    Mr. Karon, the dragon man of Mialak.


    Compared to them, things are going too smoothly this time. So I can understand why Mr. Aruk feels uneasy.


    "Ho..."


    "Yeah. Nothing so far has made me nervous, right?"


    Nair on his shoulder and Amaco next to him are nodding their heads.


    Hayate, who was listening to the conversation nearby, was soberly saying, "I wonder what kind of journey these people have been on. ......


    "Well, if nothing happens, we can go back to the Lingle Kingdom like this, so we should be rather happy."


    "Ha-ha-ha, yes. I was a little nervous."


    That''s right. If we can save Amaco''s mother, we can go home.


    And we can finally reunite with our seniors who are traveling in faraway places.


    I wonder if Kazuki is doing well. He can be a bit preoccupied, so I''m a bit worried even though I know he''ll be fine.


    I''m sure he will be ...... fine, so I''m not too worried about him, but be prepared for a lot of things I want to say to him when I get back.


    While I was thinking about my best friends who are far away, Hayate-san spoke to me.


    "We can''t stand here for ever, so let''s get going. I will take you there again, so please follow me.


    "Yes."


    I follow Hayate, who walks ahead of me.


    Amako''s mother seemed to be located a short distance away from the building, so we put on our shoes and went outside for a moment.


    I put on my shoes and went outside.¡¡She didn''t fit in with the customs here, so I sent her to my father''s hiding place. ......"


    Hayate suddenly asked me this question as if she had just remembered it, and I laughed.


    At first, she scared me, but I know she is not a bad girl, so I choose my words as carefully as possible to reply.


    "Thank you very much for helping me find my way here. And I was also relieved to see that you and Amako were getting along so well.


    Amako looked miffed at my words, and I wondered if she actually had any friends her own age.


    So I was secretly relieved that she had a kindred spirit in Rinka.


    Hayate-san smiled cheerfully and felt relieved.


    "Ha-ha-ha, I see. Well, I thought you were still playing tricks on me. I was worried because my father had written so much about it in his letters.


    "Heh, heh ......"


    I guess she was quite a tomboy. .......


    I wonder if Ms. Kagari had a hard time.


    I feel deeply moved as I recall the exchange between Ms. Cagalli and Rinka.


    "Hayate-san. I have a ...... question."


    "You don''t have to use honorifics. You''re my daughter''s friend."


    "...... yeah."


    So, what is it you want to ask me?


    Once again, as I was admiring the view of the beastmen''s village, Amako was asking Hayate a question.


    "Earlier, when you were talking to the chief, you were about to say something about ...... your mother''s collapse, do you know anything about it?"


    "......!"


    Amako''s words made Hayate''s eyes widen.


    He paused for a moment, as if a little lost, then locked eyes with Amako and opened his mouth again, as if determined to do so.


    "I don''t know why I collapsed, but I know what caused it in the first place."


    "...... you knew?"


    "Yes. It''s a public secret, but I''ll tell you.


    Considered a secret?


    You mean there were circumstances that prevented you from revealing it. .......


    I listen to Amako and Hayate''s conversation in silence.


    "Your mother ...... Kanoko, you know. She was researching how to encapsulate her own magic in a magical tool."


    "Contain the magic ......?"


    "Magic Sealing Magic Tool<. The research was based on the magic of the heroes who defeated the Demon King.


    "Twa......"


    So, heroes are involved here as well, albeit indirectly.


    But why did they try to make a magical tool to contain magic?¡¡Did they want to make it possible for others to use it?


    As I tilted my head in thought, I wondered if Amako did not know the reason why her mother was doing such research, and asked Hayate the reason.


    "Why, my mother did that ......?"


    "It''s for your own good."


    "---!"


    Amako looks up vigorously in astonishment.


    Hayate spins the words with a sad face.


    "A wielder of precognition magic must spend most of his life in this village. You know that, don''t you?


    "Yes."


    "Beastmen born with precognition magic, <>, are in an important position to warn the beastmen in advance of external dangers that may be approaching, so they are strictly forbidden to go outside. In fact, your mother has never been outside of this country. So she decided to transfer her own precognition magic into a magical tool and make it available to everyone so that you would not have to go through what she went through."


    So, if Amaco had never left the land of the beastmen, he would have lived here forever.


    He may have had ...... freedom, but he may have had a suffocating life.


    "That''s why Kanoko has been devoting herself to the development of magical tools for you, her precious daughter, and for the beastman children who will be born with the magic of foreknowledge."


    "...... but I failed."


    "Yeah."


    Hayate nodded with a somber look on his face.


    "When the research was at its climax, she had activated Twa on her own initiative," said Hayate. The , which had been activated in an incomplete state, went out of control and Kanoko, who had activated ......, has not woken up since that day."


    "Mom, you can''t ...... do that."


    "I still don''t know why she did it. But ...... we know she wouldn''t do something like that for no reason."


    "...... them?"


    I said. It sounded as if someone other than Hayate was involved, so I just said it.


    Hayate-san chuckled at my sudden interruption and opened his mouth.


    "It''s the Chief ...... Jinya. Me, Jinya and Kanoko were childhood friends, and I had arranged to help him with his research and to prepare a place for him.


    "I didn''t know that. I''m sorry, I interrupted you. ......"


    No, no, that''s fine.


    I mean, Hayate, as well as Jinya, were childhood friends with Amako''s mother. It is not so strange for Hayate-san since his daughter, Rinca, is close to Amako, but I didn''t think that ...... Jinya-san had such a close relationship with Amako.


    I didn''t think that Jinya had such a close relationship with Amako. ...... Thinking about it, it''s not surprising that Hayate got emotional over the way she treated Amako, the daughter of her childhood friend.


    "Usato."


    "Hmm?"


    After I finished talking with Hayate, Amako looked up at me with a worried look on her face.


    "Before you stopped waking up, you told me not to be like me. She looked sad, as if it was the last time she would ever see me again. ......"


    "I knew there was something going on."


    Maybe something happened to Amako''s mother that I couldn''t imagine.


    Amako seemed to feel the same way and nodded her head with a dark expression on her face.


    "It doesn''t matter now. All I want is for my mother to get well.


    "......"


    We''ll definitely help.


    For her sake and for the sake of Amako''s mother, Kanoko-san.


    As I was making such a strong vow in my heart, Hayate-san, who was walking in front of me, stopped.


    It seems that he has arrived at the place he wanted to go.


    I looked beyond Hayate''s gaze and saw a building that was larger than the houses that lined the street around us. From its appearance, it reminded me of a temple.


    "...... Is this where my mother lives?"


    "For two years. She''s been here for two years. We couldn''t wake her up with our power, but there might be hope with healing magic.


    We open the door and step inside.


    The room is a bleak sight, not what one would expect from its exterior size. In the center of the room, there was a woman in a kimono sleeping quietly on a pure white futon.


    She had long, beautiful golden hair like Amako''s and fox ears.


    She looked as if Amako had grown up just like her. She was so beautiful and young that she could be described as her older sister.


    "Amako, is this her?"


    "Yes."


    We take off our shoes and enter the room, and walk up to the place where Ms. Kanoko is laid out.


    We looked around the sleeping Mr. Kanoko and saw what looked like magical tools. I don''t know what they are used for, but I understand that they are used to keep her alive while she is bedridden.


    "Hayate-san, do you mind if I take care of Kanoko-san?"


    "Yes, I will be present, so please take care of her without anxiety.


    Thank you very much.


    In order to use the strengthening of the system of healing magic, in which it is important to imagine how to heal the other person and how you want to heal him, you cannot start without knowing the condition of Mr. Kanoko.


    In addition to the conditions for activation of the systemic reinforcement, there is one more thing to be observed by Nair. Let her check if there is any change in her magical power, if she is under the influence of magic, and if necessary, apply the spell of liberation, which is a magic to release magic.


    After giving a look to N¨¦a, who is on your right shoulder, you crouch down beside Ms. Kanoko to check on her.


    "......"


    He is sleeping with a peaceful expression on his face, as if he is about to wake up at any moment.


    But this person has not woken up for two years.


    The most likely possibility is that he has suffered from a brain anomaly caused by the magical tool Hayate mentioned.


    I had a hunch that the brain was affected from the fact that he keeps sleeping while he is alive, but this is the most probable.


    Once that is determined, I will create a healing magic system enhancement in my palm.


    When I was about to apply the enhancement to her, Nair on my shoulder tapped me on the cheek. Did she find something funny?¡¡I turn to Nair, who looks stunned and mutters in a small voice.


    "This person ...... has no ...... magic power."


    "......"


    No magic power.


    What''s that?


    Confused by Nea''s words, I turn to Hayate with the system enhancement activated.


    "Hayate-san!"


    "Did you find out something ......?"


    Hayate is startled by the sound of my voice, but that''s not the point now.


    What do you mean you have no magic power? It''s impossible for Kanoko to have no magic power, since she had a precognition magic.


    "Did you know that Mr. Kanoko is losing his magic now?"


    "He is losing his magic!¡¡Nothing like that from my subordinates. ......"


    Either he was unaware of it, or Hayate had not informed him.


    Either way, it''s impossible for magic to suddenly disappear from the body.


    No way, if this person''s unconsciousness is due to the loss of magic power, I can heal her..,


    "......¥Ã"


    Shake off those backward thoughts.


    I mustn''t be weak.


    "Usato ......"


    Amako looks at me like she''s about to cry.


    Seeing her expression, I turn to Kanoko again.


    "I''ll do my best."


    I mutter this to myself, and activate the strengthening of the lineage of healing magic in my left hand as well. I had been able to strengthen the lineage without using my cage hand, but it was quite tiring to do it with both hands.


    I place the right hand on Kanoko''s forehead and the left hand on her abdomen so that the reinforcement will be spread over her whole body.


    "...... lineage reinforcement"


    I concentrate my consciousness on Mr. Kanoko, tormented by the sensation that all the magic power is being consumed from my body at once.


    The system reinforcement is the deepest form of healing magic that boasts of its tremendous recovery power.


    Sweat beads on our foreheads as we apply healing magic to Mr. Kanoko.


    But..,


    "......"


    An electric shock of pain hits him in the head, causing him to lose his concentration.


    I thought I had lost my magic power, but I still have it.


    The system reinforcement is also working properly.


    "......!"


    "Whew!"


    It hurts, but not unbearably so.


    But not so much for the nair on my shoulder. I don''t know if it''s because she''s touching me, but she''s suffering from a headache and is writhing in pain.


    "Usato!


    "Usato!"


    Amako notices me tilting my head and N¨¦a letting out a cry of anguish, and immediately puts her hand on my shoulder.


    At that moment, I was tormented by the sensation of something passing through my body, and this time Amako held her head to her forehead as well as Nea.


    "What is this ......?"


    "Amako, Nair, get away from me!"


    Why are you so ...... okay with this?¡¡I tried to pull Nair and Amako off of me, but without warning, my headache intensified...,


    <>


    I heard a woman''s voice echoing directly into my head.


    Amako looked down at her mother, who was still asleep, with an expression of mixed bewilderment and astonishment on her face.


    "Are you all right?


    Hayate-san''s face turns pale and she asks me and Amako if we are all right.


    I''m used to mental attacks, but Amako and Nea are not, so I''m still holding their heads. I tried to cast a healing spell with my remaining magic, but Amako made a small movement with her trembling voice.


    "Mother,Ms. ......"


    Was that your voice just now, Mr. Kanoko?


    What do you mean, "run away"?


    When I tried to call out to Mr. Aruk to ask for his judgment, he turned his face toward the sliding door and his expression changed to a grim one.


    "I didn''t notice it until you came this close ......!¡¡Usato-dono!¡¡We are surrounded!


    "What?


    Just as we turned our eyes to the sliding doors with surprise, they were kicked down with a loud noise, and we were blasted in front of them.


    Through the door, beasts armed with armor entered, but when I found the last person who stepped into the room, I was really at a loss for words.


    A large beastman in a black kimono.


    He stood behind the beastmen with his bow at the ready. Jinya-san looked at us, including Hayate, condescendingly, and slowly opened his mouth.


    "Don''t hit Amako and Hayate."


    At that moment, an arrow was shot at us with a velocity far greater than that of Rinka''s.

 142 - - The 130th.

    Arrows flying at a tremendous speed.


    They were fired by the beastmen soldiers under the command of Mr. Jinya.


    Oh no!¡¡Aruk-san doesn''t have a sword now, so he can''t block the arrows!¡¡If the target is only me and Mr. Arc, I''ll block it!


    I decide so, and at the same time I deploy my right hand basket hand, and pour my magic power into it as hard as I can.


    My body becomes heavier because I used more magic power than I had used in order to heal Kanoko-san, but I thrust my palm forward without caring about it.


    "Healing Magic Bursting Palm!


    The shockwave of healing magic released from my palm became a wall and repelled the arrows.


    It repelled most of the arrows, but I noticed that some arrows were out of the range of my bursting palm.


    The arrow is shot at the wrong place for me and Mr. Aruk.


    However, I quickly realize where the arrow is headed, and I stick out my hand and grab the arrow.


    "......!"


    The arrowhead I had stopped was pointing toward the sleeping Kanoko-san.


    Why was the arrow aimed at Amako''s mother?¡¡If I hadn''t prevented it, it would have hit her head.


    ...... Maybe you shot it by mistake?


    No, how could a beastman with such keen senses miss an arrow at this distance?


    I raised my voice and turned to Jinya.


    "You almost hit Mr. Kanoko!¡¡You even aim your arrows at your own kind!


    Jinya''s expression did not change at the sound of my voice.


    It was as if he was saying he didn''t care if the arrow hit Mr. Kanoko.


    ...... Indeed, Jinya''s words were right, the arrows were not aimed at Amako and Hayate.


    As soon as I came to that thought, my thoughts were instantly tinged with anger.


    I mean, I mean. As long as the arrows don''t hit Amako and Hayate, that''s all that matters. Does that mean that I don''t care if Amako''s bedridden mother dies?


    The arrowhead of the arrow you grabbed smells sweet. It smells like the poison of the evil dragon we fought before .......


    "...... They even use poison?"


    I wouldn''t have a problem with it because the poison is not at the level of an evil dragon, but if a bedridden Kanoko-san were to be hit by it, she might die instantly.


    I was so angry at the unreasonable attack that I broke all the arrows in my grasp and stared at Jinya-san and the beastmen soldiers.


    The beastmen soldiers were upset by my stare, and held up their arrows, but Hayate stepped in front of us as if to intercept them.


    "Jinya!¡¡What are you doing bringing a Kingsguard with you!¡¡They are not people who mean us harm!¡¡You understood that in our discussion earlier!


    "That''s not the point. I finally have a chance. I can''t let it pass me by.


    "Chance ......?"


    At Hayate''s words, Jinya-san stared at us and continued to weave his words.


    "As of today, we beastmen have formed an alliance with the demon tribe.


    "What?


    Alliance with the demon tribe?


    The unexpected words startled him.


    What are you talking about?¡¡Are you trying to involve the whole beastmen tribe in a direct war?¡¡No, more importantly, is that the consensus of the chiefs of the Beastmen tribe!


    "Of course it''s agreed. We''ve got the power. And the demon tribe has offered to cooperate with us ....... How can we not take advantage of this?


    "Jinya ......!"


    The demons were here before we got here?


    If so, we''ve been lured into enemy territory. We are lucky that Hayate is on our side, but ...... the situation is worse. We have to find a way to escape.


    "The chiefs will not agree so easily. What the hell are you offering ......!"


    Power. I''m doing what''s necessary for that.


    Jinya replied to Hayate''s words and shifted his gaze to Amako.


    "Hand over Amako."


    "......!"


    Amako hides behind me as if frightened.


    I have no intention of turning Amaco in. In fact, why should I hand him over to these people?


    ......With this many of them, I should be able to get away if I have to.


    I''m going to use my healing magic to distract them, and while they''re distracted, I''m going to use my healing punch to stun the soldier with the beastman bow in front of me, and then I''m going to take Amako and Kanoko and escape with Arc and Hayate.


    I might get hit by some arrows, but I''ll be fine.


    If necessary, I will hit Jinya-san, who is in command, with a series of healing eye blows or healing punches to make him unconscious.


    Okay, here we go.


    I took one look at Mr. Arc and was about to hold Amako when an arrow was shot toward me.


    I reflexively ducked and looked in the direction of the arrow to see Jinya-san, whose calm expression had changed drastically, holding his bow and glaring at me.


    "Don''t move from there!¡¡Healing wizard!¡¡Move and I''ll kill Kanoko!


    "......!"


    You bastard! You''re holding a sick man hostage!


    And he shot an arrow at us before we''ve even taken action! Did they know what I would do?¡¡Does he have the ability like Mr. Halfa''s magical vision that I fought with in Lukvis?¡¡If so, I don''t know if I can protect Ms. Kanoko from the poisonous arrows that will be shot at her.


    On the other hand, I''m confident that I can force my way through the attack, but I can''t put Mr. Kanoko in danger. We are holding Mr. Kanoko hostage.


    But..,


    "I''m not going to give up Amaco without a fight. ......!"


    If Jinya''s goal is Amako, we can''t leave her alone.


    Don''t get emotional, think calmly. I can''t protect her if he takes Amako.


    ...... is right.


    I put my hand over my mouth in frustration and whisper to Nair on my shoulder, keeping my voice as low as possible.


    "Neah, take care of Amaco."


    Neah nodded silently, bounced lightly and moved to Amako''s shoulder next to her.


    Fortunately, Jinya and the others did not notice.


    Letting Nair remain as an owl had paid off. Now Amako will not be left alone. Worst case scenario, if N¨¦a''s cover is blown, she should be able to escape easily.


    I look at Jinya-san without looking at N¨¦a.


    "I''m not going to be rough with her. She is very important to us."


    "...... can''t believe it."


    You and Mr. Kanoko, after your extreme action of trying to kill us with poisoned arrows, you don''t want to harm us?¡¡What you''re saying and what you''re doing are absurd.


    And when I talked to you earlier, you told me to get out of this country.


    I have no idea what he is trying to do.


    What is he doing with Amaco?


    "He''s going to help us with something. As soon as he''s done, we''ll let him go."


    Let them go?


    No, you didn''t answer the more important question.


    What''s this "thing" you''re talking about?


    While I was thinking, trying not to show it on my face, Hayate-san, who was standing diagonally in front of me, ran toward Jinya-san in anger and grabbed him by the chest.


    I called out his name in a panic.


    "Hayate-san!


    "Don''t be silly!¡¡Are you going to restart your research again?¡¡And this time with Amako!


    "I don''t think so. I told you before, didn''t I?¡¡I''m just doing what''s necessary for me. Besides, the purpose is different this time.


    What does that mean?


    Konoe, hold Hayate down.


    "Let go of me, Koo ...... Jinyaa!"


    Hayate is pinned down by the Kondo soldiers and stares angrily at Jinya.


    Unable to leave Kanoko-san''s side, we could do nothing but watch the scene.


    Mr. Jinya, who had Mr. Hayate restrained by Kondo, looked at us again.


    "If you move, we will have to take appropriate measures. If you are captured quietly, we will spare your and Kanoko''s lives.


    "......"


    In other words, surrender and I''ll spare your life.


    That''s very suspicious.


    Jinya-san must not be so disciplined as to keep his promise for the time being. And since we''re human, we have no obligation or duty to keep that promise.


    While I was thinking about how to get out of this situation, Amako, who had been lying face down silently from before, stepped in front of me and Aruk-san.


    "Okay. In return, you must keep your promise.


    Amako, who had taken the other party''s condition on her own accord, made Nair on her shoulder tremble as if she had been startled.


    I myself am so surprised that I immediately grab his shoulder.


    "Amako!"


    I''m fine!


    "I''m fine? How can I be fine?


    But when she turned around and I saw the look on her face, I was absolutely mortified.


    His face is expressionless, but he is angry. She was angry, but in a way that was unusual for her.


    Amako took one look at me as I stood motionless in front of Ms. Kanoko, and let out a shriek.


    "I found something I ...... have to do in this country."


    "What do you have to do ......?"


    "...... yeah."


    If he has found something, does that mean he knows what he is looking for?


    Or has he made up his mind?


    Amako looked up at me, still confused, and with a determined expression on her face, she turned back to Jinya-san behind her.


    "Leave everyone alone, I''ll listen to you ......."


    "Thank goodness you''re so attentive. It was going to take a lot of work to catch this guy. ...... grab those two humans over there."


    Jinya-san took his hand off the bow and instructed his men to seize me and Aruk-san.


    Aruk and I were held down and our hands were tied with ropes.


    While being seized, I stared at Mr. Jinya with eyes filled with anger.


    "I don''t care what you do, and I don''t want to know!¡¡I don''t care what you do, and I don''t want to know!¡¡If anything happens to her, we ...... will not forgive you!"


    "Terrible. It''s really horrible. When the plan that was supposed to end in a discussion went awry, I wondered what I was going to do, but I was relieved to be captured with the hostages I had ...... prepared for insurance."


    "Ku ......!"


    I have no idea what Mr. Jinya is talking about.


    But I''m sure that he invited us here with the intention of betraying us and Hayate from the very beginning. And we were caught in the trap.


    Our hands were completely bound, and we were taken away by the soldiers of the Kingsguard, and we had no choice but to leave Amako.


    I was taken away by the soldiers of the Kingsguard and had to leave Amako.


    After Jinya''s capture, Alc and I were kept in a basement jail in the first large building we stepped into.


    It was a dimly lit room made of cobblestones and wood.


    In the same cell, wooden shackles made of wood joined with iron were placed on the arms of Mr. Alc and I. We were both held in the same cell, and we were both held in the same room.


    "......I never thought I''d be put in jail."


    It''s been about three hours since I was put in jail, isn''t it?


    I''ve been in jail before because of Ferrum, but I never thought I''d be locked up.


    I can move about a little freely, but the wooden and iron shackles on my arms make it more inconvenient than I thought it would be. And I don''t know if it''s this prison or these shackles, but I can''t use magic.


    For me, who can only use healing magic, it doesn''t have much effect, but for Aruk-san, who mainly uses fire magic, it must be a nuisance.


    I lift up the fetters with dismay, and they seem to be very old.


    ...... can break it if they want to.


    "Well, I wouldn''t now. Besides, there''s something wrong with this place too."


    The inside of the prison was dusty and hardly used, and the only guard was a tense-looking beastman soldier standing across the cage.


    "......! Don''t look at me!"


    I casually stared at the guard, and he yelled at me, his voice shaking.


    He seemed to be very nervous because he was not used to dealing with human .......


    I let out a sigh and lean my back against the wall of the prison.


    "I hope Amako is okay. ......"


    Even if she surrendered because she had something in mind, Amako would be nothing more than a little girl without her precognition magic.


    The thought that she might be in danger makes my heart clench with anxiety.


    "I believe that Amako-sama had something in mind when she did what she did."


    "So ...... would. I don''t think she''s thinking about anything."


    I nodded to Aruk''s words.


    At present, we do not know what Amako is thinking. But from our experience of traveling together, I am sure that it is not meaningless. That''s why Mr. Aruk and I are staying here quietly without any violence.


    "And then there''s Hayate-dono."


    "......Hayate, unlike us, you are from the beastman side,...... so I''m worried that you might have been treated like a traitor for siding with us, and that you might have been treated badly."


    "Yes, considering what happened to Jinya-dono, it''s not surprising what they did to him."


    Hayate-san was on our side in that situation.


    He cared about Amako a lot, and I hope she is safe.


    But there is nothing we can do now that we are trapped.


    "...... We''ll have to wait and see how things go for a while."


    "Yes."


    Cross-legged, staring at the mouse-colored ceiling.


    Yes, now we wait and see. First, we wait for contact from Amaco or Nair. If we don''t hear from them in three days, we move.


    "......It''s been a long time since I''ve been in jail.


    "Is that so? ...... What?


    Wait a minute, what do you mean Aruk-san is in jail?


    In an instant, my consciousness is pulled back to reality, and I turn toward the laughing Mr. Aruk.


    "Well, it''s more like a cell than a jail.


    "I''d be surprised if it was solitary confinement. I didn''t have an image of Aruk-san being put in a place like that. ......"


    "That''s a bit much. I used to be quite a troublemaker myself. I can''t even count on two fingers the number of times I''ve been thrown in solitary confinement for getting into an altercation with a coworker and having to spend the night reflecting on it.


    "Well, to be honest, ...... I can''t imagine that at all."


    "Ha ha ha ......"


    It is quite a surprise that Aruk, who is polite, serious, a good cook, and a good fighter, had such a period of time.


    After that, as we were exchanging some idle conversation to drown our fears, we heard some footsteps coming from the stairs leading to the ground level.


    I stopped the conversation and looked toward the stairs, and what I saw was Hayate-san coming down the stairs, bound by two beast soldiers. Hayate, who was being carried helplessly by the soldiers, was shackled and placed in the same prison cell as the rest of us.


    If you look closely, you can see blood around his mouth and his cheeks are swollen.


    "Hayate-san, are you all right?


    "Uh-uh. ......"


    I glare at the soldiers who brought him here.


    The soldiers look away and hurry back to the ground.


    "They only brought me here according to Jinya''s orders. Don''t blame them too much."


    Hayate got up, holding her painfully swollen cheek.


    If my healing magic hadn''t been blocked, I could have healed his wounds. .......


    "I owe you guys an apology.


    Hayate''s expression turned bitter as she got down on her knees, almost crashing to the ground despite the fetters she was wearing.


    "I''m sorry!¡¡I brought you all to Jinya, and that''s the worst thing I could have done. ......!"


    "Worst thing?¡¡Hayate, what the hell is Jinya trying to do?


    Hayate raised her head and clenched her fists tightly in anger.


    "I was under the impression that the research on Kanoko had failed. But in fact, it wasn''t. The results of Kanoko''s research were different from what I had expected, but it was a success. But no one knew about it except one person."


    "Except one. ...... No way."


    "Yeah, Jinya."


    Then I realized the answer to my puzzling premonition when Kanoko-san was taken hostage.


    Jinya had truly foreseen my move, and not by magical vision like Mr. Halfa had done.


    Just like Amako''s precognitive magic.


    "Jinya took the precognition magic from Kanoko and made it his own."


    The moment I heard Hayate''s words, I was almost overcome by an irresistible anger.


    He had stolen Amako''s mother from her and was using her magic as if it were his own?


    Had he taken the magic from her and held Kanoko hostage, or worse, tried to kill her?


    "And now he''s turned his attention to Amako. He was so proud of himself. ."


    It''s too good to be true.


    If you say it like that, even I can understand.


    Jinya-san is going to start the same research that woke Kanoko-san up from her slumber, but this time at Amaco.


    What do you mean you''re going to let him go?


    Everything he says is a lie!

 143 - - The 131st.

    I''ve been angry about a lot of things on this trip so far.


    Meena for mistreating Nack.


    Fegnis for using the word "sacrifice" to describe Eva in Samaria.


    Leona for risking her life without regard for herself.


    Now I was similar to when I was angry at Ms. Fegnis in Samaria.


    The only difference was that I kept my cool and did not show my anger.


    I was surprised at myself, but it seems that when you are so angry that you can''t express it in words, you become calm.


    "So, Jinya-san, how do you plan to extract the magic from Amako?"


    "The same way he did with Kanoko. Probably, Jinya is trying to use to extract the precognition magic from Amako.


    "I see, so we just have to destroy it."


    "Yeah, ......, not that I''ve decided that, but ......."


    "Calm down, Mr. Usato."


    Mr. Aruk rebuked me.


    Even though I could keep my composure, I thought of using force to solve the problem as before.


    I cleared my throat to cover up Hayate''s slight reaction, and asked her about something that had been bothering me.


    "Oh, yes. So, what does this magical tool called look like?"


    "It looks like a black box, but it''s bigger than ordinary magic tools. I think it is about the size of two ...... huts."


    I wonder if people can fit inside of them?


    Considering all the magical objects we have seen so far, it is very different.


    "Is it that big?¡¡If so, it seems to be quite conspicuous.


    "No, it was disassembled after the incident at Canoko. But the disassembled parts are also one of the results of our research, so they have not been disposed of. One of them is the one you saw at the entrance of the building."


    That was the one you saw before your audience with Mr. Jinya.


    ...... It makes a lot of sense now that you have it in the headquarters of the Beast Tribe.


    Aruk-san nodded nearby and asked Hayate-san a question.


    "Does the fact that it is disassembled mean that it will take time to assemble?"


    "Yes. Yes. It will take at least three days to assemble it, since we have to gather the parts. In the meantime, the soldiers are guarding it very well.


    ...... I''d just rush in and punch the basket case full force and be done with it.


    I won''t tell you, though, because there are beastmen here to watch.


    But, don''t you feel anything when you hear Hayate''s story?¡¡I casually look at the soldier on guard with a sideways glance.


    "Are you ...... lost?"


    "Usato-dono?"


    "Oh, no, nothing at all."


    Let''s not think about the soldier''s reaction now.


    Anyway, we need to get as much information as possible from Hayate now.


    How was Amako?


    "She''s in a private room right now ...... no, she''s locked up. The owl is a demon, but it was deemed harmless enough to stay with Amako. Oh, and the blue grizzly you brought is with the horses."


    "I see. ......"


    Neah''s got the owl thing down pat. Good for him." "Good thing he didn''t make that stupid ''hoo-hoo-hoo'' sound.


    The fact that we were able to get Neah inside the beastmen is the best news we''ve had in a long time.


    I''m sure Bulrin is ...... coasting along as usual.


    With Amaco locked up, it is unlikely that he will be able to contact us. If they do, it will be through Nair or when Jinya-san brings us together for some reason.


    "Is now the time to make a move?¡¡No, we should wait a little longer. ......"


    < is finished reassembling, we can''t afford to wait too long.


    Should we just break the shackles and cage and go to Amaco for help right now?


    Or should we wait for Amaco and Nair to contact us? .......


    No, I can''t decide. I''m not sure if I can make such a decision as I''m basically a brainy person.


    "No, I mean, isn''t this the place where my physical training comes into play?"


    I have learned the average arm strength of the Beastmen tribe through arm wrestling in the hidden village, and I have also learned their movements through a game of tag(?) with Rinka. I''ve already confirmed their movements in a game of tag (?) with Rinka. I can at least subdue a beastman soldier with a healing punch.


    I don''t know how far into the future Jinya-san can see, but if we take out Amako and Kanoko as soon as possible, we can destroy his plan.


    While I was thinking about how to move forward, Aruk-san tapped me on the shoulder with his shackled hand.


    "I''m going to say this again, Usato-dono. Please calm down."


    "...... Oh, yes. I''m sorry."


    I wish Nea and Amako were around at times like this. .......


    Whenever I was having similar problems, either Amaco or Nair was there to give me advice. Aruk-san is dependable enough, but I still miss the two people who should be there.


    I rely on the two of them more than I know..,


    "......, someone''s coming down."


    The sound of someone''s footsteps echoes down the stairs from upstairs. It was probably not someone like Hayate, so was it ...... Jinya?


    As I was looking at the stairs, bracing myself to see who was coming, I saw an unexpected person coming down from the upper floor.


    A silver-haired man dressed in black and a woman with flaming red hair.


    They were ordinary human beings by themselves, but they had one thing in common.


    "Is there a captured man here?"


    "I don''t know. But I found one that looks like him.


    Brown skin, horns on his head.


    Two people who share the same race as Ferrum look at me, wide-eyed in their prison cell.


    The man who spotted us comes closer to the cage.


    Naturally, the beast soldier on guard tried to stop him, but he froze in fear when he saw the two men.


    No doubt, these two are .......


    "Demons."


    "Oh, yes."


    I muttered to myself and the demon man affirmed my words, crouching down to make eye contact with me who was sitting cross-legged.


    The moment our eyes met, I recalled a familiar feeling and immediately understood.


    When I came to the land of the beastmen, I knew who had turned against me.


    "Nice to meet you?¡¡No, it''s been a while for me?¡¡No, it doesn''t matter.


    "That''s a very boisterous greeting. Is that a popular way to greet people here?


    "...... haha."


    The demon man, who had a puzzled expression on his face for a moment, smiles more amusedly.


    "Well, I did it on a whim. The guy behind me got mad at me later, so forgive me. You know?"


    "That''s why the beastman soldier was scared of me..."


    "That''s your fault, isn''t it?"


    A man of the demon tribe smiles pleasantly.


    What is he doing here?¡¡Maybe this man and the woman in front of him are not ordinary. They are strong and dangerous-looking as you can see.


    Both Mr. Aruk and Ms. Hayate seem to be aware of this, and they are showing their wariness.


    "You seem to be in a lot of trouble.


    "Did you guys instigate Jinya?"


    When Hayate mentioned this, the man shook his head.


    "No, no. All we did was negotiate.


    "......Hey, are you sure?"


    "I don''t care. I don''t care. And I''d hate for people to think that this whole thing is our fault.


    The woman behind him tried to stop him, but the man refused.


    "You can''t hold a grudge against us here, can you?¡¡We only came here to ask for your help. We had nothing to do with what the big guys are doing here or what they''re doing to you.


    "So he''s trying to ...... antagonize the humans of his own volition. ...... Oh my God. ......"


    Maybe Hayate-san still believes in Jinya-san.


    They must not have a shallow relationship since they have known each other since childhood.


    "Beastmen have been oppressed by humans. It would be strange if they didn''t turn against each other.


    "Yes, it''s not strange. But many innocent people were killed in the war between humans and demons in the past!¡¡That''s why our ancestors tried to live a peaceful life in the deep forest so that the beastmen wouldn''t fight anymore!¡¡And now ...... all the people of the beastmen tribe are involved in the war!"


    The man who scratched his head in disgust at Hayate''s words .


    "That hurts my ears. But you know, we only asked for your cooperation. Of course we gave you the option of refusing, but it was your chief who accepted.


    "Yes, I know. I know that what I just said is nothing more than an outburst. ......!¡¡But I have to say it, don''t I!¡¡We''re going to get caught up in your war!"


    Hayate doesn''t realize it, but his words are directed at me too.


    I can''t escape the fact that I showed the letter to Jinya-san, no matter how much I intended to visit the beastmen''s country.


    "Ah, I''m sorry. But just as you have your reasons, we have our own reasons. ......


    The man shifted his gaze from Hayate, who was indignant, to me.


    "I heard from the guys here. They say you''re a healing wizard from the Lingle Kingdom?"


    "...... have you come to kill me?"


    The Lingle Kingdom''s healing wizards must be hated so much that the Demon Lord''s army must have an enemy in their midst.


    It''s not surprising that they would try to eliminate me, Rose''s subordinate and apprentice.


    In fact, the demon woman with red hair behind the man is staring at me with a terrible glare.


    Unexpectedly, however, the man shakes his head in a funny way.


    "No. I don''t have such an order and I can''t touch you now that you''re trapped in the beastmen''s country.


    Then why did you contact us?


    "Because I was curious about the healing wizard who captured Ferrum, who is a prisoner in the Lingle Kingdom. ......It seems, from the look on your face, that you''re the right guy."


    Oh, no, he took my agitation for granted.


    I was taken aback when he mentioned Ferrum''s name.


    "It''s not what I expected. I thought he''d be weaker, but he''s a ......, he''s quite a crazy guy despite his appearance. No wonder Ferrum didn''t come back."


    That''s a pretty rude thing to say, man.


    Why would someone I just met say something like that to me?


    "We''re supposed to be enemies to begin with. Why do you want to know about me?"


    "I have a personal interest in you."


    "......"


    I have a bad feeling that you are interested in me.


    I''m already having a hard time with the current situation, and to be interested in someone who is more ...... powerful than the demon tribe is too much of a nuisance.


    That''s enough. There''s no need to talk any more here."


    The red-haired woman behind the man said so as they fell silent.


    The man looked unhappy, but the red-haired woman glared at him and he stood up reluctantly.


    "If you''re my subordinate, you could be a little more flexible.


    "He''s a temporary subordinate. I''m not here to curry favor with you."


    "Yes, all right. So long, healing wizard. I look forward to seeing you again."


    As for me, I don''t want to see him again. .......


    I''m relieved to see her finally leave, but then I notice the red-haired woman looking at me, and I pull myself together.


    "We have the same eyes."


    "...... eh?"


    "Eyes with a strong will. Well, it seems he''s telling the truth when he says you work for him. ...... maybe we''ve come to the right place."


    You sound like you know Rose personally. Is there some kind of a connection?


    The red-haired woman takes one last look at my face and then follows the man to the stairs.


    But then someone else comes down the stairs, and we, the men and women of the demon tribe, look toward the stairs.


    "......Why are you here?"


    Following the demons was Jinya-san.


    He looked surprised when he saw the two demons trying to go up the stairs.


    "I was just having some free time, so I came to see who came here. Am I wrong?


    "I don''t want you to act on your own."


    Ha-ha-ha, my bad. Well then, outsiders should stay back.


    "...... I''d rather be the one who stopped them. ......"


    The men and women of the Demon Tribe are going up to the upper floors, passing Mr. Jinya.


    After seeing them off and letting out a sigh, Mr. Jinya turns around and walks to the front of the cage.


    If you look closely, you can see someone behind him.


    "Amaco!


    Amako!


    "......USATO"


    Amaco is lying on the ground.


    Mr. Jinya silently shifts to the side and moves her toward the front of the cage.


    ......Nea is gone.


    What''s going on?¡¡What is Mr. Jinya''s intention in bringing Amako here?


    "Amako, where''s Nair?"


    "I left him in his room. If you want to talk, I''m the only one who can help you. ......"


    I can''t read his expression because he is lying on his head.


    What''s the matter, amako? What happened?


    Mr. Aruk, who is standing behind her, is looking at her with concern.


    "Usato. Don''t come to help me ......."


    What do you mean?


    "I saw a premonition!"


    Amako interrupted me, her shoulders shaking as she tried to keep her voice down.


    "All my dear friends ...... Usato and Aruk-san are both going to die ......."


    Amako looked up so that only I could see her face as she said this, and her expression was filled with determination, far from sadness.

 144 - - The 132nd.

    Amako''s words to her fellow travelers Usato and Alc were enough to signify the worst for me.


    I didn''t miss Jinya''s small smile as Usato and Alc were speechless.


    "...... did you force Amako to say that?"


    "Don''t get me wrong. Don''t get me wrong. This was Amako''s choice. This is what happens when you work to prevent the future from becoming what she saw.


    You made me do it!¡¡How much ...... more despicable do you have to be ......?"


    You were supposed to be an intelligent man, capable of making rational decisions at any given moment.


    How did you end up like this?


    You took a mother from a girl, and you''re not tired of it yet. That''s not what a head of a family ...... should do as an adult.


    "You keep your mouth shut. Let''s at least hear his last parting words in silence."


    "...... d*mn it."


    You''ve gone that far. ......!


    Until now, I might have wanted to believe Jinya in my heart.


    I wanted to believe in you, my childhood friend who I grew up playing with. And now you''re sacrificing even your childhood friend''s precious daughter.


    This is not the Jinya I know anymore.


    What we have here now is nothing but a despicable man who wields the toy of precognition magic in vain.


    I understood this fact to the point of disgust, so I said nothing more to him and turned my attention to Amako, Usato and the others.


    There, I see Amako with her face down and Usato with an agitated look on his face.


    What do you mean we are going to die?


    I saw it in the premonition.


    "......, is it really ......?"


    "...... yeah."


    Amako has predicted the death of both Usato and Aruk. This implied that as long as they tried to help Amako, it was a future that could not be changed.


    Prediction magic is a special kind of magic that can only be awakened by women.


    It is a strange magic, as if it were destined not to be awakened by men who are mainly engaged in fighting, but its effect is unparalleled, powerful, and different.


    Predictive magic, which is clearly different from existing magic, can predict and even change future destinies from the present.


    For this reason, beast women who awaken to precognition magic have been called and have been treated with great care.


    In this custom that has continued since ancient times, a girl with precognition magic was born.


    Amako, daughter of the former Princess of Time.


    Her precognitive magic was clearly different from that of the previous Princesses of the Chronicles.


    Amako''s precognition was more powerful than that of any previous wizards of precognition.


    She was able to foretell the future only a short time in the future, and only suddenly, but even in normal times she could foretell up to a minute or more in the future, and could see more vivid and accurate predictions in the form of dreams.


    The most amazing thing is that he can choose the future under certain conditions.


    The prediction she saw was the death of her friends Usato and Aruk.


    The fate was so hopeless and cruel that I was almost overcome with frustration and a sense of hopelessness.


    It''s too late now. Mom can''t help me anymore."


    "Why are you giving up? ...... You don''t know yet."


    "No, no matter how hard I think about it, I can''t think of any way to help you on my own. I can''t do it alone, even more than you think I can,...... even if I try,...... I can,......."


    A sob escaped from Amako, whose shoulders shook as she turned her head.


    "In this country, there is no one to help us but us here. Don''t you understand that, Usato?¡¡You can''t get out of here so easily. ......"


    "It''s ......"


    This is a magical prison made of a rare rock found deep in the forest.


    The place has not been used for a long time, but it seems to be effective in sealing out magic.


    Moreover, the fetters on my hands were carved from a large tree that boasts of its strength and hardness, and are so strong that they cannot be removed even by the power of a beastman. They are impossible to break, even for a human with a little physical prowess.


    "So, I have no choice but to let them out. But I''m sure Usato and Aruk-san will try to help me.


    "Of course they will!¡¡I can''t just walk out of here and abandon you!"


    I don''t want to lose anyone I care about any more.


    "......!"


    Usato looks down in frustration at Amako''s words. Aruk turns away from Amako, who sobs, as if regretting his own inadequacy.


    I can''t see his expression, but I can imagine it.


    "Forget about me, Usato. Don''t you have a lot of things to do in Lingle Kingdom?


    "......"


    "......Good-bye, Usato."


    At last, Usato fell silent with his head down.


    Amako looks down at him and gives a small nod, then turns her attention to Jinya.


    "I''ve said all I have to say."


    "...... was a surprisingly fragile thing. Well, I guess that''s all there is to the relationship between man and beast.


    "You don''t understand. You will never, never, never understand.


    "It''s fine if you don''t understand. It is impossible to understand human beings.


    "...... hmmm."


    After giving a cold stare to Jinya''s words, Amako, who was deeply hooded, went up to the upper floor with her guards.


    The remaining Jinya looked down at Usato and Aruk, who remained silent, and began to speak in the same cold tone as usual.


    You will be released in three days. I will not renege on the promise I made in exchange for Amako herself."


    With those words, I couldn''t stand it.


    It was painful to watch. The ugly nature of being forced to say goodbye to someone you didn''t want to say goodbye to, and then having the person who made you do it scoff at you for being <.


    With anger, I screamed at Jinya.


    "Jinya!


    "What?"


    "Tell me at the end!¡¡Are you going to use the precognition magic you took from Amako on yourself?


    "...... huh?"


    Jinya scoffs at my words.


    I almost get angry, but he opens his mouth before I can say anything.


    No, it''s not. I''m not alone this time."


    "What ......?


    "Amako''s precognition magic is for me and my country''s finest."


    "Nonsense!¡¡As of two years ago, the transfer spell could only affect one object!"


    No, it was developed. In secret.


    While my mind went blank, I understood why the chiefs agreed with Jinya''s words.


    An elite unit with the ability to use precognition magic.


    Warriors who never missed an attack, never hit the enemy, and who were the embodiment of the picture perfect.


    Of course, some of the chiefs may have objected, but this man could have taken the chief''s people hostage and forced them to give their consent.


    "What do you think I had you as my assistant for?¡¡To put you in a position where you can always be watched, because you are righteous, compassionate, and supported by the people. Why is that?¡¡It''s obvious, to carry out your work in secret. If they knew that the research was going on, you would definitely try to stop it, wouldn''t you?¡¡That''s what was disturbing me."


    "Of course!¡¡I can''t let you do research that will cost someone else''s life!¡¡And to use it as a tool for war!¡¡There are old men, women and children too!"


    No, there are only those back home who can fight.


    The people who live in the hidden villages are good people who have nothing to do with war.


    Must we live in fear of human shadows all our lives?


    "Don''t change the subject!¡¡I''m talking about the people!


    I''m talking about the people! I''m talking about the people!


    "Which is ......!"


    The conversation is hopelessly out of sync.


    My words are not getting through to Jinya.


    I''m talking about the people, but Jinya keeps giving me reasons to be hostile to humans.


    I try to talk back, but I realize that there is nothing more I can say to this man, so I ignore Jinya and look at Usato.


    There was a solid bond between Usato and Amako.


    There was a friendship that transcended the boundaries of race.


    And yet, his feelings of being forced to say goodbye must be more painful than I can even imagine.


    I can''t imagine how painful it must have been for him to be forced to say goodbye.


    A heavy atmosphere prevailed in the jail after Jinya''s departure.


    Usato and Aruk sit silently and do not react at all to Amako''s farewell.


    It''s no wonder. ...... After all that had happened. No wonder they were stunned.


    "Usato, that ......"


    "Mr. Hayate."


    As soon as I called out to him, he called out my name, which had been silent.


    Surprised, I answered him and he looked up.


    "What''s going to happen to you, Hayate?"


    "I ...... will probably be kicked out of here. ......"


    If the reason I was assisting him was to keep an eye on him, there was no way Jinya would keep me on as his assistant forever now that he no longer needed me to do so.


    But..,


    "I''m more worried about you guys than me. I''ll be fine if they kick me out of here, but you guys are different. Jinya promised to let you go, but he didn''t promise your safety afterwards. Worst case scenario, you could be assassinated in secret after you leave the country."


    "......I knew it. Do you think the same way, Mr. Aruk?"


    At Usato''s words, Aruk opened his mouth, which had been closed for a long time.


    "Normally, they wouldn''t think of letting us go home alive, knowing about our alliance with the Demon Lord''s Army."


    If that''s the case, how could Amaco not come to that conclusion? Well, I just wanted to make sure, but I''m glad I was right.


    "Huh?"


    I was taken aback by the fact that they suddenly started talking, but what surprised me the most was that I didn''t feel any of the sadness that should have dominated the prison.


    It was as if they were reaffirming their situation, and I felt an indescribable creepiness in their conversation.


    The soldiers on guard looked at Usato and Aruk as if they were other creatures, perhaps thinking the same thing I did.


    Just then, I heard the sound of someone coming down the stairs again.


    It was a female beastman dressed in a Hinomoto soldier''s uniform. I could not see her face clearly in the dimly-lit prison, but perhaps she had come to take her place?


    It''s time for the shift change.


    Aren''t you early?¡¡It''s not time yet. And what''s with the luggage?¡¡You''re not supposed to bring anything you don''t need in here.


    "...... tsk."


    I heard something like a cluck of the tongue, and I thought I saw a suspicious glint in the eyes of the female beastman who had come in her turn.


    Was it an optical illusion?¡¡Or is she just tired?


    As I rubbed my eyes with my shackled hands, the woman said the same words as before to the soldier on guard, as if reciting them back to him.


    It''s time to change. Understood?"


    "Ah, ah... ......"


    A soldier on guard walks away with a feverish expression on his face.


    I can only see him vaguely in the darkness, but I don''t recognize him. Is he a new recruit?¡¡The woman who saw one of the guards leave looks around, then walks to the front of the jail carrying a package, which she had hidden somewhere.


    ......What the hell?¡¡What are you doing?


    "I think you got my message, Usato.


    "Yeah."


    "...... what?"


    A stunned voice leaks out at the unexpected conversation.


    The woman, or rather the girl, pulls out the key to the jail from her pocket.


    "You should thank me. We are here to help you.


    "You saved me this time, too. Thank you, Nea.


    "Thank you."


    Usato and Aruk stood up with a carefree expression on their faces.


    Who is that girl in front of me?¡¡They look like beastmen soldiers, but their reactions are so open that it is hard to believe that they have only known each other for a couple of days.


    When I was having trouble keeping up with the situation, Usato suddenly raised his hands in front of his chest---and easily shattered the shackles with a crack. ......


    If it had been a little later, I would have escaped on my own.


    "What?"


    You got out on your own?


    What, did you make it?¡¡Then why were you held captive?


    "It''s funny that you could really do it. I''ve worked so hard to get here. Oh, and I brought Aruk''s weapons.


    "Thank you very much. ...... Usato, can I have mine?"


    Aruk asks Usato as if it is a matter of course that he can break it, and my confused head gets even more confused.


    Of course. I''ll break Hayate''s now.


    "Oh, no, ......, that''s not what I meant!¡¡What the hell is going on?


    Usato easily removes the shackles from a female soldier he doesn''t recognize.


    I don''t know what''s going on anymore.


    Where was the somber mood I was in just now?


    Sensing my confusion, Usato grabbed the fetters on my arms and smiled wryly at me.


    "It''s all going according to plan."


    "......E, for what?"


    "Amako''s."


    With a "ba-kaa" he shatters the fetters.


    Ah, it really is as easy as snapping a piece of lumber. ......Was this fetter rotten on the inside?


    Usato threw away the fetters, which had turned into pieces of wood, and tilted his head when he saw the beastman girl called Nair who had opened the prison with the key.


    "Why do you have dog ears?"


    "Oh, did you notice?¡¡I knew I had to start from the beginning to disguise myself, so I grew dog ears. How cute is that?"


    The girl poses as if she were alive, moving her black ears.


    Usato laughs at her.


    "If you think about it, you have too many attributes, don''t you?"


    What do you mean? What do you think?"


    "Yes, yes, it''s cute, it''s cute, it''s cute."


    "Gggg, it''s disgusting how appropriate it is. ......!"


    Usato dismisses the girl''s frustrated snarl and turns back to me, still stunned in my cell.


    "I''ll explain the plan later. For now, let''s get out of here.


    "Ah, ah!"


    Maybe they are even more powerful than I had imagined.

 145 - - The 133rd.

    With Nair''s help, we succeeded in getting out of the prison and were climbing up the stairs to the ground with Hayate, who still didn''t know what was going on.


    "N¨¦a, is Amako all right?"


    "Yes, it''s nighttime now, so I''m covering it up. From their point of view, I''m just an owl, so they don''t seem to think I''m that dangerous.


    Hayate, who was standing behind me, let out a surprised sound at the mention of Nair''s messenger.


    "A messenger demon?¡¡Is she a demon?¡¡Humanoid demons are rare, but I didn''t expect her to be a messenger demon. ......"


    It''s a long story, so I''ll spare you the details. My messenger, Nair, was transformed into an owl and followed Amako around."


    "Well, well, I don''t think it''s a humanoid demon in disguise, so ......"


    "Yes."


    A messenger by itself is not considered that dangerous.


    And since Nair is naturally playing the role of a carefree owl who doesn''t pose any threat, they won''t even know that he is a powerful demon.


    "But I don''t know what the plan is. What was the point of the conversation between you and Amako?"


    "First of all, Amaco told us that he saw a prediction that we were going to die. First of all, even if he was right, she wouldn''t give up like that.


    The prediction that saw me stabbed by Nair.


    Amaco had so much faith in his prediction that he thought the future would turn out just as he had predicted. But she learned that she could not understand the whole future, only one aspect of it.


    There is no way she can say that she should give up because she saw the prediction.


    She would never say with a straight face, "What?¡¡Usato won''t die from this much" with a straight face.


    I knew it was a lie when she said all her friends but not Nair.


    I mean, how can you die? How can you die? You are a monster who would fight a dragon man head-on.¡¡Let alone a human Aruk."


    ...... Let''s punish Nair later, now that I''m explaining it to Hayate.


    Remember, when we get back to the Lingle Kingdom, I''m going to turn you over to Inukami-senpai with your dog ears still on! ......!


    "And I''m not even going to think about it alone. First of all, Amako is not alone.


    "......, I see. Amaco had this girl with him. ......"


    There''s also Bullein, though.


    I only dared to mention my name and Mr. Aruk''s name so that I could notice.


    "The other thing is ...... that Amako said she can''t think alone. I knew that Amako was lying in the first place, so I decided that Nair had found a clue to save Amako''s mother. Right, Nair?"


    I called out to N¨¦a walking in front of me, and she turned around, looking a little surprised.


    "Well, I''m not sure, but I think I found it. Well, I''m not sure, but I found it. But ...... I''m surprised you came up with that idea. Are you really Usato?¡¡You''re so perceptive it''s weird. ...... Oh, I''m sorry. I apologize, but please don''t clap your hands in my ears.


    "...... huh. I''m surprised you didn''t know and check it out."


    My guess is that I knew from the beginning that Amaco''s words were a lie.


    As for N¨¦a, she has been in hiding lately, but she is a curious person at heart. <.


    "I was most worried about whether or not you would come to our rescue. Well, we could have broken the shackles and the cage and escaped, but then the noise would have been noticed and there would have been a commotion. So we waited for you until the sun came up."


    "Then the reason you guys have been quiet all this time is ......."


    "It''s all an act to make it look like I''m depressed."


    "...... alk too?"


    Aruk nodded with a wry smile at Hayate''s words, and his shoulders slumped.


    He must have been worried about me.


    He must have been angry not only for Amako''s sake, but for our sake as well.


    "Nair, have you seen Bulrin?¡¡If you know where he is, I''d like to take him.


    "Don''t worry about that. I brought him with me when I came here. I stumbled across ...... with her."


    "Her?¡¡Did you bring anyone else?"


    No, no, I think it''s more accurate to say I picked her up than brought her here.


    "?"


    Nair says this with a subtle expression on his face.


    As you are about to ask her about it, you realize that the staircase ends and you are on the ground.


    The air feels better than it has in a long time, and the moonlight is shining down on us from above. When I finally step outside, someone jumps at me from beside the door.


    Enemy?¡¡I thought, but when I realized who it was, I took it instead of avoiding it.


    "Usato...!¡¡Amako has been captured!¡¡I tried to do something about it, but it was no use at all!¡¡The soldiers gave me some sweets and sent me home!


    "Ri, Rinca? ......"


    I can see why Nair has a delicate expression on his face.


    She hugs me with her face covered in runny nose and tears, so I hold her down so that she doesn''t get her uniform dirty and try to calm her down.


    "Amaco will be saved. So stop crying first."


    "Zubi ...... yeah."


    Is she really fourteen?


    She''s the opposite of Amako, who''s all grown up.


    I''m relieved to see Linka finally stop crying, and then the burin that Nair brought with her approaches from the direction from which she flew.


    "Grrr!"


    "Bulrin, did they hurt you?"


    "guffaw!"


    He slapped his stomach, his expression somewhat satisfied.


    Don''t tell me that the beastman gave him a lot of food?


    ......Well, I''m just glad that Bulrin is okay.


    "Linka!¡¡Thank goodness. You''re safe!¡¡Did Jinya do something to you?


    Hayate-san, who had followed me outside, approaches Rinka with a look of relief on his face.


    Upon seeing her father again, her reaction was more indifferent than I had expected.


    "Ah. Dad. You made it out, thank God. I''m fine.


    "Oh, what?¡¡Isn''t he reacting a little too lightly?¡¡It''s like ...... you could be more pleased with me. ......"


    "Because he''s your father. Amako is more important!"


    "Oh, my God. ......"


    Is she a rebellious daughter ......?


    Hayate, whose shoulders are slumped at the blithe Rinka, turns around to face us after regaining his composure.


    "......Usato, I''m going to call Fubard now, is that OK?"


    "What?"


    "Wait a minute, if I call him ''hoo-bird'', people will notice."


    Is he sending a letter to someone?


    Nea''s doubts are justified, but Hayate seems to have an idea, so let''s hear her out.


    "I''ve been assigned to assist the chief as part of my position, and as part of that I''ve been leading a security force to guard the country. So I would like to tell my men to get out of here and join me at a place away from the country. ......


    "My men?¡¡By "my men," do you mean the ones who met us when we ...... arrived here?


    Yes, that''s right.


    You mean the beast lady I scared away.


    I don''t know, it seems a bit imprudent to send Hooverd here.


    "...... Are there any of Jinya''s men in the mix?"


    "I don''t think so. I don''t think so. They have been my subordinates since before I became an assistant, and they could have found a better place to keep an eye on me, since I often give instructions away from the field.


    I see.


    If he is an assistant to the chief, he must have many other jobs besides guarding.


    If that''s the case, it would be better to have Hayate slip into a closer position than to go to the trouble of watching over him with a security team.


    "Besides, ...... we need at least one friend right now."


    Hayate''s eyes looked as if she was prepared for something as she muttered this.


    Certainly, I want to have at least one friend for the future.


    While I was worrying with my hand on my chin, Hayate-san continued to speak in a bit of a panic.


    "Oh, don''t worry about Hoo-bird, too. What I''m going to call you now is not an ordinary hoo-bird, but a special hoo-bird for the unit, so no one other than my subordinates will be able to find out about it."


    Usato, you decide.


    "...... understand. But please be very careful."


    There are dangers, but there are also positives for us. We can follow Hayate to the rendezvous point where there is a danger of an ambush.


    Hayate nodded at my words and whistled with her fingers in her mouth.


    All that remained was to wait for Hayate''s hoo-bird, so I decided to take advantage of this time to talk to N¨¦a.


    "Neah."


    "I know, I know. I''ll take care of Amaco."


    "Thank you. And ...... you know how to help Amaco''s mother, don''t you?"


    "I''m not sure. But it''s worth a try. ...... The only problem is, we''ll have to wait for them to finish <>."


    "Waiting for completion?¡¡...... means that''s why Amaco stayed."


    "Yes."


    If is a condition for saving Amako''s mother, then she must be paired with . But will not be paired with Amako if she is not there.


    So, Amako voluntarily stayed behind.


    "Amako is also reckless. ......"


    "You''re always so reckless, though. Do you understand?¡¡You know how we feel.


    Yeah, this makes me want to say a lot of things.


    When I put myself in the other party''s shoes, I feel like I can''t do anything.


    Now is not the time for sentimentality. Even though we are not making a scene, we are in the middle of enemy territory. We can''t take our time.


    And I''ll tell you what I found out about Jinya''s precognition magic.


    Hmm?¡¡What is it?


    Jinya''s precognition magic is weaker than Amako''s.


    "Oh, really?"


    Yes, he heard Amako''s prediction of the future and didn''t say anything. In normal times, he can predict the future within ten seconds or so.


    "How do you know all this?"


    Nair smiled wickedly at the continued question.


    "Because the moves we had to make to catch you were too random. Maybe they thought Usato was just a human and set a trap for you. The way you panicked when you stopped Usato, you were going to do something, weren''t you?¡¡And since you succeeded, you were so distraught.


    "...... I see."


    "In other words, if he can see into the future and can only take that kind of countermeasure, then Jinya''s precognition magic is not much better."


    I can''t help but feel that I''m being treated like an outsider, but I''ll leave that aside.


    In other words, according to Amako and Nair, Jinya''s precognition magic is a backward compatibility of Amako''s. Well, I can''t say it''s a weak magic either way, but it''s a good thing to hear.


    "Also, I know this is a bit of an after-the-fact question, but ...... is it safe to use my ability here?"


    "...... your abilities, huh?"


    In this case, I''m not talking about witchcraft, but about the vampire charm and the ability to control people that you just used. A power of deception that, until now, I have forbidden you to use for your own physical appearance.


    I have been forbidden to use this ability because I don''t want to use it in a manipulative way, but in this situation I can''t help but use it.


    But in this situation, I can''t help but use it. Rather, if I''m being mocked this much, I''ll use it to my heart''s content.


    How many people can you get on your side?


    "I myself have limited time to act, and with Jinya, who has precognition magic, I have to move with extreme caution. And since there''s the matter of magic power,...... I think I can do about three ...... quarters of the soldiers here in three days."


    "Can''t you control Jinya-san directly?¡¡Or maybe we can charm her to death or something."


    That''s impossible. It''s too risky to use against a magician with precognition magic, and just so you know, charms don''t work on everyone.¡¡It hardly works on someone like Usato, who has an abnormally strong mentality."


    It doesn''t work on the mentally strong.


    And the ability to manipulate people is useless if you don''t take advantage of them, because you have to bite them.


    They say everything useful has its drawbacks, and Nair''s ability is no exception.


    "It''s almost impossible to aim at someone in his sleep in a limited time because he''s so well protected by his guards. The man is very protective of himself when he''s unconscious."


    "I guess that''s kind of natural."


    Jinya-san probably has full confidence in the magic of precognition. It would be strange if he does not take any measures at bedtime, which is his only weak point.


    He seems to have a lot of faith in the magic of prediction, but it is also a weakness.


    "...... Okay, I get it. Try to be as non-suspicious as possible."


    "I know. I''ve ruled a village for 300 years without anyone noticing.¡¡I wouldn''t screw that up.


    "I''m not proud to say it, though."


    She laughs at Nea''s words, but her confidence is reassuring now.


    "Well, I''m going back to Amako''s. Oh, by the way, Usato.


    "Hmm?"


    I have a message for you from Amako.


    A message?¡¡What the hell is that?


    When I was preparing myself for something important, Nair spoke the message with a bit of a false sense of purpose.


    "<>" she says.


    "......!"


    The words startle me for a moment, but I quickly smile.


    "Yes, of course. Tell him I''ll definitely help him.


    "Yes, I''ll make sure to tell him."


    With a pop, Nair transformed into an owl, nodded her head, and flew away as if melting into the darkness of the night.


    I took a deep breath and made up my mind, then turned around to face Aruk and the others.


    I took a deep breath and made up my mind to go back to Mr. Aruk and the others.


    After parting with Nair, Hayate-san, who had sent Huberd to his men, was trying to escape from the beastmen''s country with us.


    Even though we were trying to escape, it was the time of night when everyone was asleep. Since no one but the soldiers on guard duty were out and about, the trip itself was not too difficult.


    "I knew I was right to wait for Nair."


    "Yes, that''s right. If we had caused a commotion there, it would have been difficult to escape.


    Worst-case scenario, me and Bulrin could have carried everyone out, but that would have been too dangerous, so it was a last resort.


    So I am very glad that we were able to escape without anyone noticing.


    "But I would have liked to have brought my horse, too.


    "I don''t care if you''ve got a small burin, you''re going to have trouble getting around in the dark with a horse. ....... Next time we come back, we''ll get them back together with Amaco."


    We have walked a long road together, and the horse is one of us.


    That''s why we wanted to take them with us, but we had to leave them for now. ......


    "......"


    "Linka, are you still mad at me?"


    Linka, who was walking next to me, looked up at me with a mousy expression on her face.


    "Of course you are. I''d have this look on my face if I heard that Amako got caught for such a super stupid reason.


    I told Linka why Amako had been captured.


    It was probably better not to tell her, but she was Amako''s friend, so I decided it was best to explain it to her.


    When Linka heard what I had to say, she was so angry that her face turned bright red.


    "What did Amako do to you? ....... Amako lost her mother and now she''s going to lose her freedom for such a selfish reason. ...... That''s just too crazy."


    "......, yes, I think so too."


    I agree with Linka''s words, stifling my emotions.


    I guess she was concerned about my situation, because she looked up at me with a slightly quizzical look.


    "Aren''t you angry, Usato?¡¡You haven''t shown any signs of anger at all since a while ago.


    "Me?¡¡I''m not ...... mad at you."


    "That''s a lie."


    Surprised at the immediate response, Rinka looked somewhat confident.


    "Usato, you are actually very angry, aren''t you?¡¡That was so unnatural. Your eyes weren''t smiling at all, and you looked so normal, but you weren''t normal at all.


    "...... I guess I''m still prone to show it on my face."


    As a matter of fact, I''ve been suppressing my anger.


    But I didn''t let it explode in the cage because my anger is not good for Amaco.


    "To be honest, it''s hard not to be angry. My friends are about to be hurt. But now is not the time to put my anger first, so I''m trying to stay calm."


    This time, we can''t solve the problem by losing our minds and lashing out.


    We must save Amako and save Kanoko''s life.


    For that reason, we have no choice but to suppress our anger and hold back now.


    "But if I explode, I might be in trouble. Ha-ha-ha."


    "It could be a real problem. Usato has more legs and strength than a beastman.


    My joke finally brought a smile to Linka''s face.


    "But what''s really going to happen?¡¡Will he go on a rampage like a big monster?"


    "That''s just..."


    Just as I was about to say "No," Bulrin looked up as if he had noticed something, and I switched my attention to him.


    "Hey, guys!"


    came a voice from behind me.


    I turned around before anyone else and saw two beastmen holding lights and readying their weapons at a distance of more than 20 meters from me.


    As soon as I recognize them, I kick the ground hard, and in one breath, I am within a stone''s throw of them.


    "He?"


    Huh?


    "I''m sorry."


    Muttering quietly, he delivers a healing punch to the abdomen, one blow at a time.


    I am careful, but I hit him with enough force to knock him out for sure, so he will not wake up until the dawn.


    After checking the two beastmen for any injuries, I wipe my forehead and turn back to Mr. Aruk and the others.


    "Whew, thank goodness they knocked me out before they found out. ...... hmm?"


    ""......""


    Behind you, you see a father and son, their faces pale and stunned.


    Near them is a smiling Mr. Aruk, and a pouting Mr. Bulrin.


    I look at the unconscious soldier again and return with a sullen look on my face.


    "He''s going to be fine, he''s not going to die."


    ""Lies!""


    Parents and children are so alike.


    I couldn''t help but smile at the two of them as they dexterously stifled their voices.

 146 - - The 134th.

    I was happy just to have my mother.


    I had no one I could call a father for as long as I can remember.


    But I never felt lonely because I had you.


    "Don''t be like me. ......"


    It is a memory of that day two years ago.


    The last conversation we had when she met me a few days before she went to sleep.


    Tears streamed down her face as she hugged me gently, as if this was our last goodbye.


    "Mom?"


    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry. ...... I''m sorry."


    "Why are you apologizing?"


    Slowly, with her hands on my shoulders, she pulled away, wiped away her tears, and looked at me with eyes that showed her extraordinary determination.


    "Amako, you shouldn''t be here. If you stay here, you will never be able to live a normal life or be happy. ......"


    "eh ......"


    "Don''t say anything now. This is your last chance to tell me what you''ve done, now that no one is watching."


    I didn''t know what it meant.


    There is nothing wrong with my life now, and I have no reason to leave.


    I don''t understand why I have to leave.


    "You have no future here. But it''s out there. So you''ll live in a new place."


    "...... you''re going, too, right, Mom?"


    She smiles sadly at my words.


    "I''m sorry, I can''t go with you. I have things to do here."


    "What are you ......?"


    It''s important. Don''t worry, you''re a strong girl. You''ll find someone you can trust with all your heart.


    Mom''s words had a tone of conviction.


    That was the last conversation we had two years ago.


    Her face was sad, but her concern for my wellbeing was as kind as ever.


    I was so happy to see her.


    "Amako, I''m home."


    "......"


    I was woken up by Nea''s brainy voice coming in through the high window.


    It was not a prediction, but a dream of what had happened two years ago.


    Rubbing my eyes, I got up from the futon and turned my attention to Neah, who had moved to the perch the caretaker had prepared for her.


    "How was it?"


    "Usato and Aruk knew exactly what they were doing."


    "Yes. That''s good."


    I was hardly worried, though.


    I had no doubt that Usato would realize that I was lying.


    "Nair gave me a rough time, but it was a good experience.


    "There''s something thorny about the way you say it. ....... Are you still bitter about me?


    "I don''t care now."


    He doesn''t say it out loud, but he really doesn''t care because he is quite sorry.


    In fact, I am glad that Nair is here in this situation.


    Without Nair, I would not have been able to act so freely.


    "So, even though I came to help her, that creature removed her fetters by force and said she was able to escape on her own. ...... She''s so fluent that she doesn''t even know how hard we''ve had to work.


    "Well, I wouldn''t be surprised if Usato could escape, let alone Aruk-san. ......"


    "Yes, but you know what?


    He''s even more polished after his fight with Mr. Karon in Mearaq.


    The fact that Jinya didn''t know Usato well enough to begin with is the key to the whole plan.


    No, it''s impossible to assume that a human being, whose physical ability is usually inferior to that of a beastman, can move in such an unorthodox manner.


    "He seemed to have caught on to your lie right away. And he was more perceptive than most people can imagine."


    "That''s true. I said it in a way that only Usato and Mr. Aruk, who have traveled together, would understand."


    From the outside, it would have sounded like I was telling Usato and the others to go home in despair over the foreknowledge. In fact, Jinya, who heard my false prediction, was fooled by it, and he brought Usato and me together.


    But the real reason for this was to tell Usato and the others that we were going to fight Jinya head-on.


    "Jinya called our relationship fragile. But those words will not sway our ''until now''."


    Do you know how many hardships we have gone through?


    Nair set an evil dragon on us.


    In Samaritan, we worked to break the curse.


    In Mearaq, we fought to stop the dragon man, Mr. Karon, from running amok.


    All of these incidents were very difficult, but we cooperated and helped each other along the way.


    "How can I say this, we trust each other. ......"


    What are you talking about?¡¡You''re the same way with Nair."


    Nair muttered something about something else, and I responded to her in an exasperated manner.


    Nair, who had her beak in a daze at my words, immediately smiled in a funny way.


    "That''s right. What am I talking about?


    "So you finally not only look like a bird, you''re a bird in the head?"


    "That''s rude!¡¡I''ll peck you!


    I smiled at Nair, who spread his wings to show his anger and began to swipe at me with his beak.


    But this is no time for friendly conversation, so I quickly change the subject.


    "By the way, did you get permission from Usato?"


    "Yes. Yes. I have already sucked the blood from your guard and your maidens. No one will hear or notice our conversation until it''s time for us to switch.


    "......Nea is pretty much what you say about Usato. If you ask me, Nair is more dangerous than Usato.


    It is truly amazing to be able to increase the number of people you can manipulate in the blink of an eye, even though you are bound to do so without anyone noticing.


    Nair''s lips twitched a little, as if she was not convinced by my words.


    "It''s not that kind of a panacea. It takes a lot of magic to control them, and I myself have to suck their blood and make them suggest themselves to me.¡¡So it''s not like I can manipulate so many at once.


    "...... I see."


    "Yes, so you have to think about when to use it. Usato is rather worse. He seems harmless enough in normal circumstances, but once he shows his true nature he''ll hit you with his healing magic. And with my speed and strength that are beyond human, I''m still a pretty little thing compared to such a monster."


    I guess it goes both ways.


    But Nair wasn''t just making suggestions without thinking: .......


    I can''t say the same for you, but you have a frightening ability.


    "Well, leave it to me to work behind the scenes. I''ll remind Jinya who she''s pissed off and who she''s made enemies with."


    "......Yes, please."


    Maybe Nair is also mad about this whole thing.


    There is no reason for Nair to take it easy on Jinya, a man who is trapped by unreasonableness and refuses to keep even the minimum promise.


    Besides, I think Nair himself is fond of Usato.


    He will never tell Usato about it, though. ...... I can''t speak for others either.


    "Oh, and by the way, I''ve seen your mother.


    "!¡¡How was it?"


    "I checked again, but I still don''t feel the magic. It was unnatural.


    I can''t feel the magic.


    It is safe to say that magic does not exist in your mother now.


    "There are two possibilities. Either the magic itself has disappeared from her body, or the magic has been transferred to another place just like it was there. I believe it is the latter.


    The magic has been transferred.


    There is only one reason that comes to mind.


    Is it really because of the Twa?


    Not all of it, but it seems to be part of it. Since it is a magical tool for transferring precognition magic in the first place, and since it is said to be incomplete, it would not be surprising if the part that controls Kanoko''s own magical power itself was pulled out due to some adverse effect.


    I have never thought about what happens when a person runs out of magic.


    It''s not the same as losing magic by consuming it.


    Besides--


    "...... Mom is still in her body. She may not wake up, but she''s alive in that body."


    When Usato tried to heal Mom by strengthening her lineage, Mom''s words flowed into his head through his body.


    Mom''s voice was reaching us with a certain intention.


    "I heard her voice through Usato, too. It''s hard to believe it for sure."


    "......I couldn''t believe it either. I hadn''t heard my mother''s voice in two years. ......


    I was so shocked that I couldn''t even move when Jinya and the others attacked.


    "I never understood why my mother stopped waking up. When I heard that no matter what I did she wouldn''t wake up, I told myself that she had a serious illness, and I looked for a healing wizard who could ...... manage the illness."


    When I came back here I finally understood.


    < and heard about Jinya, who was so proud of using her mother''s precognition magic.


    "But in reality, I was wrong. Mom is not sick. She was forced to move the toys. She was forced into a situation where she had to do it, so she activated it herself."


    "...... a situation where you have to move an unfinished magical tool...... if that''s why your mother does it."


    "I know."


    Nair''s words are interrupted.


    Here I am, looking at a part of my mother''s memory and I finally know the reason for her words and tears.


    "Two years ago, it was me who moved <>. Mom took her place instead of me to stop it. ......"


    "He''s the only one who could have made me do that. ......"


    "Jinya, the man who had the power since then."


    It is truly chilling to think that if I had stayed in the land of the beastmen, I would have been treated as a component to move .


    But more than that, I was angry.


    Mom must have been trying to create a for me and for the wizards who would be born later. She twisted the way it was, tried to make it her own power, and sacrificed even my mother in the end.


    To be honest, I''m really angry right now.

 147 - - 135th episode.

    We succeeded in escaping from Hinomoto, the land of the beastmen, and met up with his men who had also left the country under Hayate''s direction at a little distance.


    We were wary of an ambush, so Aruk and Rinca stood by while I and Bulrin, who had more mobility, followed Hayate. Fortunately, there were no traitors among Hayate''s men, so we were able to join up with them without any difficulty.


    The number of Hayate''s men was about 30, and it was said that originally there were more, but the rest of his men stayed behind to send us information while hiding in the country.


    We left Hinomoto and headed for the hidden village where Rinka''s grandfather, Mr. Cagalli, lived.


    When we returned to the hidden village with Hayate early in the morning, we were greeted by Mr. Cagalli, who was extremely surprised to see us. When he heard what had happened at Hinomoto, he was just as angry as Hayate and Rinka.


    Hayate, who had been looking at Mr. Cagalli with a mysterious expression on his face, uttered shocking words with a determined face.


    <


    His words felt very heavy.


    The next time he saw us, he bowed his head deeply and asked for our cooperation.


    Normally, we, as outsiders, are not allowed to cooperate with Mr. Hayate.


    However, in this case, there was no problem because Jinya was trying to antagonize humans in the first place. Rather, it is no exaggeration to say that as a human of the Lingle Kingdom, I have gained a better cause than ever to help Mr. Hayate, who is trying to stop our intervention in the war against the humans.


    After discussing it with Mr. Aruk, I agreed to Hayate''s offer.


    We will stop Jinya and rescue Amako.


    And then, I would save Kanoko, the final goal of our trip.


    Aware of these objectives, I decided to do what I can do until the day Amako is recaptured.


    I am now ready to do what I can do until the day Amaco is recaptured.


    "...... foo ......"


    After arriving at the hidden village and taking a short nap, I was again training in healing magic in front of the house of Mr. Cagalli, who had been so kind to me.


    I had done all the physical training, but I still had to practice healing magic as a healing magic user. I know this is not the time to be doing such things with Amako in captivity, but...


    It would be a waste of time until the strategy meeting, so I will do what I can while I can.


    Healing Punch.


    A technique to stun an opponent unharmed.


    A fist covered with healing magic is thrust out.


    The sound of the fist is unpleasantly echoed.


    Healing Magic Bullet


    A technique to heal a distant opponent.


    He then throws a magic bullet generated in his palm at a tree in front of him.


    The magic projectile is released and disappears with a green flash.


    After confirming this, I deployed my right hand basket hand and kneaded the magic power.


    "Healing Magic Rampant Bullet!"


    A technique to heal the wounded in a group.


    A diffusing magic bullet is released at the same place as before.


    The magic bullet splits and disappears with a sound like a spark.


    Healing Magic Bursting Palm


    A technique to save an ally in distress.


    From a ready palm, he releases an explosion of magical power using the system reinforcement.


    With a bang, he bounces leaves and air off the ground.


    "And the lineage strengthening..."


    The secrets of healing magic.


    Concentrate your consciousness and generate a blue-colored magical power in your palm, strengthening the lineage of healing magic.


    It is a double-edged sword that causes the user to lose his or her healing power at the cost of explosively increasing the healing power of others.


    "Is this a technique that can be used now?"


    There are some derivatives such as healing throw, healing blindness, etc., but this is the basic one.


    All of the techniques can be used in combat to upset the opponent, but they can also be used to help one''s allies.


    "I need another way to do it."


    You can never have too many techniques.


    In my case, I have to be able to anticipate every situation, so I need to have the right technique for each situation.


    "Healing Magic Bursting Palm with directionality: ...... Healing Magic Bursting Fist!"


    The image is a turret.


    The healing magic bursting palm, which was intended to be released with the whole basket hand, is condensed into a fist and released at once.


    Then, "BOOM!¡¡is heard from the fist.


    The impact is so great that he is knocked back involuntarily.


    "Whoa!


    Looking ahead, I see a tree trunk clearly gouged into the size of my fist.


    The gouged out surface was easily understood by the smoky residue of the healing magic.


    The distance was only a little more than ten meters, but I had overcome the weakness of not being able to send out a magic bullet unintentionally.


    But, however...


    "......"


    I pulled myself away.


    I pulled it hard.


    This is not the kind of healing magic you can unleash on people.


    I had a light idea of making it fly like a rocket punch, but it turned out to be a much more vicious technique than I had expected.


    "Okay, let''s not use this technique!"


    This is not a healing magic bursting fist, but a healing magic cannon ......, or a healing magic cannon, or a healing magic contraction cannon.


    Let''s not use this technique at all from now on.


    There is no one who will be injured by this, even if we assume every possible situation. Rather, it is a technique to finish them off.


    All right, let''s forget about this technique and let''s go to Hayate''s place now!


    I thought, and turned around..,


    "...... is, eh, Usa,t?"


    I opened the door and met the eyes of Rinka, who was looking at me with an astonished expression.


    He looked at my face and the gutted tree alternately, and then turned around,


    "Ji, grandpa!¡¡Dad!¡¡Usato gouged the tree with just his fist pressure!


    "No, no!¡¡It''s healing magic!¡¡It''s healing magic!


    That''s a lie!¡¡There''s no way there''s healing magic that can break bones and then blow them away!¡¡Fist pressure is more believable!¡¡Think about common sense!


    A 14-year-old girl questioned my common sense.


    Cagalli and Hayate had a hard time making excuses because they believed Linka''s words as usual.


    At times like this, I was glad that Nair was not there.


    I think they would have been drawn to me.


    I am glad that I was not there.


    After I managed to get through the disturbance, I was having a strategy meeting with Hayate and the people in his unit, along with Aruk-san.


    According to the reports from those who remained in Hinomoto, <> would be completed by tomorrow afternoon. Jinya is planning to put Amako on the <> and start planning as soon as it is completed.


    < is completed and Amako''s precognition magic is transferred to Mr. Jinya and his guards, the beastmen will have the power to fight against the humans, and participation in the war will become inevitable.


    Hayate''s ultimate goal is to stop this and remove Jinya from his position as chief.


    In order to make a plan, I first told them about Nair.


    "Right now, my messenger is increasing the number of Hinomoto''s allies from the inside.


    "You mean her?¡¡But how can she gain allies?


    "She feeds on the blood of soldiers, and then makes them her allies.


    When I say these words, everyone except me and Aruk-san freeze up.


    This is the reaction I had expected, so I spin my words without caring.


    My demon is a vampire. I usually tell her not to use her powers, but for ...... this one time, I''m allowing her to use them. She estimates that she will have a quarter or a third of the soldiers on her side by tomorrow. We can''t directly target Jinya-san, but ......"


    "Well, that''s good enough for me. ....... Oh, I see. She was a vampire. I''ve only heard of them in the literature, but I can''t believe they''re real ...... and that they''re using her as their messenger ....... Not even Jinya would recognize this ......."


    I''m actually a mixed blood with a necromancer.


    I don''t want to tell you that, because it would draw more attention.


    "But that doesn''t change the fact that we''re still outnumbered. ...... How else--"


    "We''ll help you."


    "!"


    At the sound of a third person''s voice, Hayate turned her head to the entrance of the meeting place, and there stood Cagalli and Daietetsu, the tiger beastman with whom she had an arm-wrestling match earlier, arm-in-arm.


    "Father, and isn''t that Mr. Daitetsu!¡¡What the hell is going on!


    Hayate, who must have known Mr. Daittetsu, shouted out in surprise.


    "Our young man says he''s going to join you!"


    "I know that. But I don''t think you guys would go out of your way to put yourselves in danger. ......"


    Don''t be a water boy. We heard what happened from the chief. ...... honestly, I''ve lived my life by the skin of my teeth and I don''t know a single thing about what the chief has in mind for war. But I do know that it is wrong for adults to sacrifice children to gain power.


    "Mr. Ditesh: ......"


    Mr. Ditesh has a son.


    Considering this, his anger is understandable.


    "I''m sure, once you make a sacrifice like that, it will become the norm. No, you can''t do that. The children we''re supposed to protect should never be sacrificed."


    "...... are you serious?"


    Yeah, I''ve convinced all 20 of my men of my strength. The only thing left is for you to decide.


    Hayate nodded at these words and instructed his subordinates to prepare chairs for Mr. Daitetsu and Mr. Cagalli.


    This time everyone took their seats,


    "Thanks to Usato and everyone in the village, I think we can manage the gap in strength. ...... Now we just need to figure out how to infiltrate."


    Then, a detailed plan for the operation was assembled.


    The conditions of the plan are


    The purpose is not to fight Mr. Jinya, but to stop him.


    Avoid killing each other''s kinsmen and seize them as much as possible.


    This condition is natural, since it is meaningless to kill or injure one''s own people in order to stop them from participating in the war. The problem is that Jinya''s soldiers might seriously try to kill us, which Hayate denied.


    "They are not sure about it either. They are wondering if they are really going to participate in the war or if they have to go to the battle. Many of the soldiers, including those present here, joined the army with the intention of protecting their people. Perhaps only Jinya and a few others really want to fight."


    His expression was sad as he added, "It''s a pity.


    Then some strategy was formulated and the conversation moved on to the next stage.


    "Amaco is probably heavily guarded. < is activated. Jinya will probably try to activate the magical tool as soon as is completed. ...... If we are going to save Amako, we need someone agile enough to get through the siege and rescue her."


    "Then I, a wolfman, will go here."


    A soldier with ears similar to Hayate''s came forward.


    But then Aruk-san, who had remained silent as I had, raised his hand lightly and opened his mouth.


    "No, I think Usato-dono would be more suitable for this job.


    We were all surprised at his words, which had kept his mouth shut until then, but Hayate put his hand on his chin as if in distress.


    "Isn''t he a human being?¡¡I know he''s one of us, but he''s not ...... with us, the beastmen."


    "No, maybe we should leave it to Usato."


    "Captain?


    The members were surprised at his words, but Hayate put her palms out in front of her as if to admonish them.


    "Listen, everyone. Listen to me carefully. This man is not a human being in the sense of our beastmen. He ripped off the strong fetters with his bare hands and subdued the two soldiers in the middle distance in an instant. I saw it with my own eyes and ...... it was out of the human category."


    Excuse me. I''d really like to interject.


    I know you''re trying hard to convince me, but there''s a person in front of you who''s having something stuck in his heart.


    "Wow, wow, I think so too!"


    "What?"


    Then a female soldier raised her hand, the one who had startled me when I first entered Hinomoto.


    She glanced at me, shook her shoulders, and then opened her mouth.


    "He looks like an ordinary boy now, but he actually has the face of a very scary ...... brave warrior. He will save you, Amako-sama!"


    I''m sorry, didn''t I just say "terrifying"?


    I''m glad you''re pushing me, but why won''t you look me in the eye?


    "Oh, don''t be fooled by his appearance. I beat all the men in my village in an arm wrestling match. He may look like a man, but he''s more than an ogre on the inside.


    As if to encourage me, Mr. Daitetsu says so with a happy expression on his face.


    Finally, when everyone''s eyes turned to look at me as if I were some other creature, Hayate finally spoke up.


    "And he has a vampire as his messenger, and he has a pure bond with a blue grizzly bear. Why is that?¡¡Because he has done so much. Right?¡¡Usato."


    "What?¡¡Huh?¡¡Well, um...


    "Mister Usato. I know this is painful for you, but please affirm it with all your might."


    "...... yes."


    Ah, Mr. Aruk.......


    I whispered in a whisper to Mr. Aruk, and as I affirmed with my shoulders drooped, the people in the unit looked at me in a somewhat awe-struck manner.


    I guess it''s good that I can go straight to Amako''s rescue, but I''m afraid that they won''t treat me like a human being anymore.


    But now I''ve almost decided on the plan.


    Our goal is to rescue Amako.


    Hayate''s objective is to capture Jinya.


    If we succeed in our plan, we may be able to finish it without any unnecessary conflicts, but with his precognition magic, it will be difficult to do so.


    "......"


    But it was not Jinya who was in my mind at this time, but a man of the demon tribe whom I had met when I was locked in the cage.


    --I might face that man in the near future.


    I had a vague premonition that I had no certainty about, but I felt it reluctantly.

 148 - - The 136th Episode

    It is noon on the third day of Amako''s captivity.


    < now imminent, we were waiting in the vicinity of Hinomoto for the mission to be carried out.


    For the operation, we were divided into three teams. The first team was a diversionary team with excellent mobility, the second team was a team that would try to stall the guards, and the last team was the team that would go to Jinya-san and Amako, the main target of the mission.


    I''m in the third team commanded by Hayate, and Aruk and Bulrin are in the second team.


    I''m a little worried about Bulrin, but I''m sure he''ll be fine if he''s with Arc. ...... right?¡¡Well, I think I can make sure that he won''t be seriously injured.


    However, it was difficult to get in without being seen, because of the heavy security around the entrance of Hinomoto, even though we were in position.


    "Are you nervous?"


    Mr. Daitetsu speaks to me as I stare at the gate from a distance.


    I nodded my head at him, who was wearing simple armor and a large sword sheathed on his back.


    "Yes, I''ve never done anything like this before."


    "I''m sure you''re right. As a matter of fact, it''s my first time, too.


    Daittetsu-san said so matter-of-factly, and I almost fell for it.


    Hayate told me that Mr. Daietetsu had been a soldier of Hinomoto before coming to the Hidden Village, and that he was an excellent person with ample experience.


    "I hope this is the last time I have to do something like this."


    "...... yeah."


    He was one of the soldiers protecting Hinomoto.


    He is helping us to stop the war, but he really does not want to fight with his own kind.


    If possible, I wish we could capture Jinya in the shortest time possible. .......


    "Captain, the diversionary team is ready."


    While I was talking with Mr. Daittetsu, I guessed that the diversionary unit waiting in front of the other gate had received the message from him, and his subordinate told Hayate who was a little far away.


    Hayate-san nodded his head and looked around at the thirty or so members of the group, including me and Daietetsu-san, and then opened his mouth.


    "We will enter Hinomoto when the signal is given from the other side. There will probably be heavily guarded soldiers inside, but we will take advantage of the chaos to get to at once. In that case, I''ve asked the guards to take care of the debris.


    Everyone nodded at Hayate''s words, including me.


    He instructed us to wait for his signal, sat us down, and approached me.


    Hayate spoke to me anxiously.


    "Usato, if you have to fight Jinya, be careful not to be surrounded.


    "Yes, I know."


    "...... Jinya is a warrior who prefers to fight without magic. He doesn''t need magic because he is a bear beastman of good physique and his physical abilities are very high. Besides, the swordsmanship he specializes in is from a school based on Kannagi-sama''s techniques,...... and even you would find it difficult to avoid an attack based on predictions made by precognition magic."


    Kannagi-sama.


    As I recall, she was a beast woman who worked with the previous heroes.


    How can we underestimate someone who can handle the swordsmanship of such a woman? I recognize her as a terrible woman as much as Rose when she was working together with the heroes.


    "......I''m glad I left Linka behind. I can''t let her take part in this kind of conflict."


    "You said you wanted to come. ......"


    Before leaving the hidden village, Rinka, bow and arrow in hand, said, "I want to go, too!¡¡I''m going to save Amako!" "I want to go with you! It was funny from a distance, but I guess it was not so good for Hayate.


    We are not going to play now. We have to go to a place where there is a danger that they will come at us with the intention of killing us. Mr. Hayate could not take Linka to such a place.


    So Linka was tied up by Mr. Cagalli and taken back to the house. ...... crying and shouting loudly about Hayate and me for some reason.


    >


    Really, I almost cried because of the scathing remarks.


    But that''s all.


    "......Usato, did I smell that old already? ......I''ve been told I stink twice."


    "What''s the difference between a monster and a monster? ......"


    Let''s not mention the fact that they are both non-human. Is that it?¡¡Do I look like a Spider or a Sphinx?


    Hayate and I are depressed, remembering her words.


    Remembering Linka''s abuse, something occurred to me, so I decided to ask her about it.


    "Hayate-san, how is your wife?"


    "My wife is away here on business. It turned out to be a good thing, but I''m afraid of what will happen when she comes back. ...... huh, I''m really afraid of ......."


    Sighing loudly, Hayate looks melancholy.


    ......Well, it can''t be helped that I''ve been abused at this point. I can''t be in such a depressed mood when I''m about to go into battle.


    I can''t be in such a depressed mood when I''m about to go into battle. It flew above Hinomoto and burst into the sky with a loud noise.


    "The signal is given. Let''s go, guys."


    At the signal, everyone stands up and quietly moves toward the door.


    The guards are too preoccupied with the signal to look at us.


    "Usato, can you help me?¡¡I''ll cover for you.


    Hayate asked me after checking the soldiers on guard, just as I did.


    There are six soldiers on guard: ...... now we can get close enough to neutralize them without them noticing.


    I nodded, deployed my cage hand, and leaped out of the way with great force, creating a healing magic bullet. Hearing the sound of my leap, the soldiers turned around at once and immediately readied their weapons.


    At that moment, I hit the soldier who was readying his bow and arrow with the healing magic bullet I had created while running and knocked him down.


    "Whoa!


    "Te, enemy!"


    I lightly flicked the tip of the spear with my basket hand and dived into the pocket at once, grabbing the collar of the armor, apologizing inwardly, I swung the soldier around so as to engulf the four soldiers who tried to point their weapons at me.


    Finally, I throw my bow and arrow at the soldier who flung it down.


    "Ba-ba-bake... geez!"


    I thought I fainted as I was about to say something, but I didn''t care.


    As far as I can see, no trauma ...... was done well. I guess healing throws are effective in group fights. As long as you have the right additions and subtractions, you can surely make them stunned.


    As I cast a healing spell on the fallen person and gave a thumbs-up toward the back, my subordinates, who were just as shocked as Hayate was two days ago, and Daitetsu, who was smiling with a twitchy smile, opened their mouths.


    "......Hey, hey. Didn''t we even need backup?"


    "Even though I asked for it, even the six soldiers were so easily ...... really tremendous."


    Surprised, Hayate turned back to her men and indicated with her hands the soldiers I had knocked out.


    "Did you see that?¡¡This is his power. No one will doubt it now. Then our task is to take him to Amaco. ...... Let''s go!"


    At first I was puzzled, but Hayate''s words reenergized me, and my men shouted in response, coming toward the door where I was standing.


    I looked at them with a somewhat distant look, and then looked up at the door towering behind me.


    "Wait for me. Amako, nea."


    I''m gonna help you.


    I''ve been called a monster and a monster, but this time, I''m going to go for the shortest route with my heart as my soul.


    I don''t care how bad my reputation will be at this point. I would rather lose the friends I have traveled with than lose my reputation.


    Once again, I clenched my fists tightly with healing magic and started to move forward.


    I was determined to go forward.


    . It was supposed to be made for people with precognition magic.


    By transferring the precognition magic into the magical tool itself, my mother poured her heart and soul into making this magical tool in order to allow precognition wizards, who are forced to live in an isolated space, to live a free life.


    I am sure that she did not want me to lead an inconvenient life.


    A life of freedom free from the magic of foreknowledge.


    Free from a status that would have prohibited me from leaving my country.


    She wished from the bottom of her heart for such a normal life for a normal person.


    "Look, Amako. This is Twa."


    But this man made her wish come true.


    I was taken out of the room where I had been held captive and brought to a place, surrounded by Jinya and a group of soldiers who looked like Kingsguard.


    I left Nair in the room, but I am sure he is still watching me somewhere.


    I was brought to a large plaza, which is rare here.


    Normally, it is a place where many people gather for festivals and events, but today, in the center of the square, there was a square black object about a size larger than a hut, and around it, several people who looked like technicians were looking at magical tools.


    That is <>.


    "Even though I''m going to sleep, I can be just like my mother. Isn''t that what you want?"


    "...... I have one last question. May I?"


    "Yes."


    Ignoring Jinya''s words, I ask a question.


    The question I am about to ask is just a confirmation. But I also have a few questions.


    Until I hear them, I can''t move the situation forward.


    "Who was really supposed to be on the first?"


    "......"


    Perhaps it was an unexpected question, but Jinya''s eyes widened and she fell silent.


    After a few seconds of silence, he motioned for his men to step back.


    When he saw that his men were gone, he gave a wry smile.


    "All right. I''ll tell you one last thing. As you can imagine, you were supposed to be on the ."


    "...... I would have only lost my precognition magic if I had been placed on the completed <. What did you do to my mother''s ?"


    "...... You''re a smart guy. You can get there with just a little information.


    He looks surprised, but his wan smile does not disappear.


    Jinya looks at out of the corner of his eye and speaks nostalgically.


    "Kanoko''s research was definitely a success. But in the process of that research I happened to learn something. < is able to transfer and give magic itself from other people.


    ...... that''s how it works.


    If you can transfer precognition magic to a magical tool, you can transfer magic from person to person via the tool.


    "But you couldn''t have been unaware of that, could you?"


    "Of course, that''s what Kanoko was trying to hide. But to no avail. When I found out, I bribed a researcher and told him to secretly rebuild the inside of the ."


    "What?"


    I knew.


    I knew in my head that he was the kind of person who would do such a thing, but I stared at Jinya, unable to control my anger.


    He let out a derisive laugh, not caring about the way I looked at him.


    "But you know what? That woman. Kanoko, who had noticed it with her precognition magic, immediately tried to restore to its original function, but ...... it was already too late, had been fully completed."


    "......"


    "At that time, I put a watchful eye on Kanoko to prevent her from doing anything that might cause her to do something she shouldn''t. ......


    After a pause there, Jinya shook his head in exasperation.


    "Normally, she would have given up right there, but she did something unexpected, she tried to destroy by forcing it to run amok through the watchful eyes of the guards. It''s a d*mn shame."


    You can only stay under the radar for so long.


    You, of all people, knew perfectly well that you could not destroy it in such a short time.


    But you still tried to destroy it for ...... my sake.


    "It was an unexpected situation for me too, that he would try to destroy <> by running out of control. That''s why I was so upset at that time. But at that time, an unexpected miscalculation occurred for Kanoko.


    Jinya then pointed to his own eyes.


    "Even though it was out of control, was still activated. I happened to be the one closest to the runaway , and Kanoko''s precognition magic was in me. I didn''t get your precognition magic, which was my original goal, but I got what I wanted. And Kanoko, the only one who knew what I was planning, is now bedridden. In other words... ...... what your mother did..."


    My heart trembles.


    I don''t know what I''m feeling.


    But I can tell you for sure, for sure--


    "It''s all for nothing."


    I am a being that must never be forgiven.


    Looking down at me and saying this with a sneer, Jinya had the Kingsguard bring me back to just in front of .


    "Now you. With you, who possesses the greatest precognition magic of all time, we will be more powerful than ever. You''d like that, wouldn''t you?¡¡After all, you''ll end up the same way as Kanoko."


    With that, Jinya poked me in the back to get me inside the .


    I silently step inside.


    The space was as pitch black as the outside, and there was a chair-like object that stood out among the blocky interior.


    On the chair was a kind of restraint and a ring-like thing that was placed on my head.


    "Sit down."


    He was prodded in the back again and sat down hesitantly in the chair.


    Then, one of the researchers put restraints on my limbs. I look down as I silently go through the process.


    I am still scared.


    No matter how hard I try to keep my mind strong, fear comes up from deep inside me.


    I know they will come for me. I know that Nair is out there somewhere, watching and with me. But ...... still, the fear of death will not go away no matter what I do.


    But I don''t cry because I believe that he will come to save me.


    As I fell silent and looked down, Jinya spoke to me as if he was trying to catch up with me.


    "You can''t cling to a vain hope. Your friends escaped. They left you behind."


    No, that''s not possible.


    "That''s how it is with people. They''re a fragile tribe that runs away as soon as they''re in danger."


    I know.


    I know the backs of people who are willing to help others without risking their own lives.


    Yeah, that''s right.


    He''s always pushed forward no matter who stopped him or what he''s been up against. There is no way that he would say <> and not come.


    "......"


    And now I see (...).


    Is that all you have to say?


    What?


    "I''ve finished the toi. I''ve done enough ...... work. I''m already saved.


    Jinya looks at me like I''m staring at something creepy as I talk to someone who is nobody here.


    But it''s too late to notice anything''s wrong.


    Your plan has already failed.


    Have you lost your mind?¡¡What the hell are you--"


    Jinya-sama!


    What?


    Jinya frowned at my words, but then turned around and screamed when a soldier came running toward him with a bloodthirsty look on his face.


    The soldier let out a frightened scream and began to report in a faltering voice.


    "Oh, my God, it''s that attack!¡¡Hayate-sama is leading a large number of his men, and somehow our allies have suddenly betrayed us, plunging the whole country into chaos!


    What?


    "Yes, and the human we captured the other day is subduing the soldiers one after another with unbelievable movements!¡¡Is that really a human being?¡¡Maybe it''s a new weapon of the human side..."


    "Don''t be silly!¡¡Gather the soldiers and take them out in force!"


    That''s what I''m trying to do.


    Jinya''s expression changes, but I notice that the researcher has taken the liberty of removing my restraints.


    "You, what are you doing taking off my restraints!


    "I''m sorry. I have my orders.


    The researcher replies to Jinya''s angry words with vacant eyes.


    Here, he looks even more confused, sweat beading on his forehead.


    Whose order is it? Who gives you the orders?


    "That''s why I''m the only one who can do it."


    "......!"


    Jinya looked up to see a dark-haired, red-eyed girl with her legs crossed sitting on a .


    When did she really sit down? Moreover, the way he appeared in the room was so elaborate that he probably did it on purpose.


    "Who are you, you''re not a beast, are you?¡¡What did you do to my men?"


    "Hmm, you still think you have the upper hand. Well then, yes."


    Nair shook his finger lightly, and one of the Kingsguard soldiers, who had his hand on the hilt of his sword behind Jinya, suddenly swung the sheathed sword at his head.


    Jinya, who had noticed this by foreknowledge, punched the soldier away, but his expression showed no sign of composure.


    The soldier who attacked Jinya was subdued by another soldier, but he was no longer able to subdue him when the other soldier struck them with his vacant eyes.


    "What the hell? What''s going on?


    Jinya is in a state of confusion as he sees his surroundings begin to fall apart.


    In contrast to the girl, Nair, who is looking on in a good mood, I look at Jinya with pity.


    "Yes. So that''s all your precognition really is. It''s just borrowed power. That''s why you can''t see now or the future at all.


    "You, ......!"


    "I believed in you, didn''t I?¡¡I believed this future would come.


    I step on top of , using the shoulder of the researcher who has removed all restraints. I look at Nair for a moment, and she urges me onward with an unusually kind smile.


    Jinya tries to stop her, but a Kingsguard soldier controlled by Nair holds him back.


    Without looking at him, I jump down from the top of the as hard as I can. I jumped down so defenselessly that I did not think of the consequences, but there was no fear in me anymore.


    Because I had already seen it.


    I saw him coming.


    "Amako!¡¡Why are you jumping?


    I look to where the voice is coming from and see Usato holding a white-eyed beastman soldier in each hand. Surrounding him were soldiers with their eyes also bleary, and the scene was truly what one would describe as a disaster.


    Thinking it was a bit of a mess, I opened my arms and he dropped the soldiers and ran toward me at full speed - and made a big leap.


    "---- Oh, ......"


    I''m speechless.


    I have so much to say.


    But I can''t. If I said it, I''d probably cry.


    I''ll embarrass Usato if I cry without being heard in such a situation.


    But it''s okay if I just say one word .......


    I whisper to Usato, who accepts me in a strong embrace, the words I just thought from the bottom of my heart, my voice trembling.


    "Usato."


    "Hmm?"


    "Thank you for being with me."


    Words that don''t fit the occasion.


    But even so, Usato smiled at me like he always does.


    He was not an ogre or a monster, and his bright smile, appropriate for his age, brought tears to my eyes again, but I held them back.


    I was too shy to say what I wanted to say after that, but I would surely tell him in words someday.


    "Please be with me from now on.

 149 - - The 137th.

    <.


    I was just relieved to know that I had been saved by Usato. However, as soon as Usato landed on the ground, he jumped to the side to avoid me.


    The next moment, a single-edged sword slammed into the spot where he had been, sending a huge cloud of dust flying.


    "Amako, hold on, ......!"


    "I''ve already got you."


    Seeing me clinging to him with my hands around his neck, Usato, who had his right arm free with his cage deployed, flicked the tip of the sword thrust out of the cloud of sand with his fist.


    A sharp slash came at my neck from an angle, but Usato instantly burst the magic from his cage and retreated with the momentum of the slash.


    "He dodged it!¡¡Not yet!


    "It''s coming!"


    Jinya, caught by surprise, swung his sword at Usato with a deft movement that did not match his large frame. The attack was made with the prediction magic to anticipate Usato''s move, but now he has me in his arms.


    He anticipates the attack with more foreknowledge than Jinya''s move, and tells it to Usato.


    "Cut up from the lower left, kick the sand and blind him,...... you can counterattack."


    "Oh, shit!"


    You''re not supposed to do that. ......!


    At my words, Usato unleashed his fist, which was imbued with healing magic, without the slightest doubt.


    The fist was blocked by Jinya''s defensive arm, but he slid to the ground and was pushed backward. Finally, taking a breath, Usato lowered me to the ground and turned his attention to Jinya.


    "That really came out of nowhere, didn''t it? The fact that he attacked me without hesitation suggests that he doesn''t like what''s happening.


    "......, why do you come here again!¡¡Why did you come here again?


    "Because we have our own reasons for not doing so."


    Usato replied, looking behind Jinya and frowning.


    Behind Jinya, a Kondo soldier lay bleeding. One of the Kingsguard soldiers controlled by Nair ...... had tried to seize Jinya, but his sword must have cut him down.


    Seeing this, Usato creates a healing magic bullet and throws it at the fallen soldier. The healing magic bullet hits the fallen soldier and spreads throughout his body, and his face, which was distorted with pain, becomes calm.


    Jinya, who had been silently watching Usato''s action, brushes off a little blood on the sword in his hand.


    "That''s very kind of you. It''s repulsive."


    "...... your people. You could have knocked him out without hurting him."


    "We don''t need a liability who is manipulated by the enemy. I don''t need you, a stranger, telling me how I should treat my men."


    "......"


    Usato''s eyes are becoming more and more swarthy.


    He is understandably angry because ...... Jinya''s behavior is what Usato seems to dislike the most.


    Jinya, completely oblivious to Usato''s mood, readied his own weapon.


    "Jinya!"


    Just as Usato was about to ready his fist without saying a word, Hayate in his armor came out from the chaotic surroundings. Behind him, Aruk-san was holding off a soldier who was trying to attack Hayate with his sword in its scabbard.


    "It''s you this time, Hayate."


    After regaining his breath, Hayate opened his mouth, wiping the sweat from his face.


    "Jinya, give it up already. Your plan has been destroyed."


    With my rescue, Jinya''s plan has been foiled.


    It was already a foregone conclusion that the project would fail when Nair took control of the researchers who were the key to the plan.


    However, Jinya''s answer to Hayate''s words was cold to the core.


    "I refuse."


    "Don''t you think anything of this!!!!"


    Hayate indicated behind him with his arm, where a scene of fighting between his men and the soldiers here was spreading out. But there was no anger on the soldiers'' faces, only sadness and hesitation.


    A near senseless conflict with their own people.


    And depending on the outcome of that conflict, it could determine their fate to form an alliance with the demon tribe and go to war with the humans. For the beastmen who have been living peacefully in the depths of the forest, this can never be a good thing.


    This is a battle I started!¡¡Still, I have to say it!¡¡Jinya, not everyone here wants to fight!¡¡So ...... if only you would give up fighting ......"


    "That''s a stupid question. I''m here to do what I''m meant to do."


    "Why ....... What is it that drives you to fight so ......?"


    I''ll ask you the opposite. Why do you put up with it?


    In contrast to Hayate''s voice, Jinya tilts his head with a blank expression on his face. Hayate''s reaction is so strong that she is absolutely mortified.


    "Humans have mistreated our race. For a long, long time, we have been treated like livestock by humans. Nowadays, the slave trade of beasts is rampant, and people throw stones at us just for being beasts. Why do you put up with such treatment ......?"


    "It is true that some beastmen are treated badly by humans. ....... But that is no reason to deprive Kanoko and Amako of their lives. Do you understand what you are saying?¡¡The measures you are taking are the same as what those people are doing to you."


    After a few seconds of silence, Jinya answers Hayate''s point.


    "Precognition magic is magic that should be used in battle. Have the past generations of Wing Commander''s done something great so far?¡¡They have not. That''s why we should put an end to the useless Wing of Time and use it in a more meaningful way.


    "......Oh, I finally get it."


    It is true that the Wing of Time has not made any great achievements. But that is because the beastmen have lived in peace without any great calamity befalling them.


    It is ridiculous to forget that and try to twist the way it should be.


    Hayate held her eyes as if dazzled.


    "I finally understand why you are so obsessed with the magic of prediction, and why you insist on fighting. You ...... just want to use it and wield its power. And you think you''re right, with all the right reasons. That''s why you and I are so far apart in our conversations."


    "......"


    "Jinya, I have been talking about the people. But you, from the beginning, have only talked about battles. Are the people you are supposed to protect nothing more than tools to you?"


    Jinya is silent at Hayate''s words.


    Hayate took this as an affirmation, and looked up, her voice quietly and indignantly strained.


    "Jinya, you are a child who flaunts the toy you have stolen from others, the magic of precognition. You want to show it off, and you have brought everyone around you into it. Do you know how selfish and stupid that is?"


    Are you finished?


    "...... Yeah, it''s all over. I can''t call you my friend anymore."


    Just because you''re in a higher position doesn''t mean you can do whatever you want.


    But even that word doesn''t work with this person anymore. He thinks he is right and does not recognize how selfish his actions are.


    I''m sure that even Hayate''s words don''t reach this person at all.


    "It''s not over yet. We just need to cut down all the traitors and return Amako to ."


    "...... do you think I''d let you do that?"


    "I''ll kill you. I''ll put an end to you myself.


    As Jinya shows her willingness to fight no matter what, Hayate sadly lowers her eyes and puts her hand on Usato''s shoulder.


    "Usato, I''m sorry. This was my last chance to stop Jinya, but I couldn''t ...... stop him."


    "It''s okay. It''s okay. He''s going to fight to kill me. So stay back and stay out of it."


    "I''m so sorry. Amako, let''s move you to a safer place.


    Hayate says yes, but I shake my head.


    This country is in such a chaos that there is no safe place to be found anywhere. I already knew the safest place for me.


    I am with Usato. This is the safest place for me.


    "...... I see. Okay, then. Usato, I''m going to go subdue the soldiers and beat the hell out of that clueless guy. I was his best friend, and I''m ...... asking you to do it for me."


    "Yes, you''re in charge."


    Hayate saw Usato nodding his head and left.


    The only ones left were Nea, who was controlling the people she had made her servants on the , myself, Usato, and Jinya, who was holding his sword.


    "Amako, are you sure?¡¡Are you sure you want to be near me?


    It''s okay. I believe that Usato will never lose.


    "Ha-ha-ha, I see. Well then, I can''t lose.


    After exchanging a few pleasantries, I move behind Usato.


    Jinya glares at Usato, his intimidation sharper than before.


    "I will kill you and complete <>. I will then use the most powerful unit I have to punish the humans."


    "Then I will stop you as a lifeguard."


    Jinya reacted with some surprise at the word "rescue squad" coming out of Usato''s mouth.


    "...... lifeguard?¡¡Well, when I heard that you are a healing magician from the Lingle Kingdom, something was bugging me......... I see, you are one of that group of freaks in the country. It''s really a hard thing for you to come all the way here.


    "...... a bunch of freaks...... a bunch of freaks for sure, but..."


    As Usato was soberly depressed, Jinya released his posture and smiled wryly.


    What is it?¡¡I thought, and I deeply foretold the future, and my face turned blue at the prospect of what was about to happen.


    We are going to have a big problem.


    I have to stop him before he does something stupid.


    Usato, don''t listen to him!


    What?


    There were brave men in the Kingdom of Lingle. Two very strong and reputed heroes.


    "!"


    Usato''s eyes widen when Jinya mentions Suzune and Kazuki.


    I think I''ve made a mistake and try to stop him, but Jinya continues to spin his words in a way that I can''t interrupt him.


    Brave" is a word that means a lot to us beastmen. A brave man who was persecuted by people and forced to fight against demons saved the beastmen. Such heroism has now become a title of decoration for the humans.


    Saying this, Jinya cowered her shoulders in sorrow.


    Usato''s face tightens at this move, which seems to strike a nerve.


    "Is this what you mean by ''this is disgusting''?¡¡You have forgotten your own deeds and have turned around and worshiped the heroes. I don''t understand how ugly, stupid, and irredeemable it is.


    "...... would be different now."


    "No, it''s not different. It''s always the same. Power beyond human imagination is a terror to the ordinary man. Envy turns to fear. Fear turns to ostracism. It is human beings who make the same mistakes over and over again."


    For this, Jinya''s words are not wrong.


    The tragedy that happened to the previous generation of heroes was exactly like this.


    But what he said from now on was wrong.


    "Those who deceive themselves in the name of valor are all fools who do not know their own size. They are not prepared, they are not strong, they are not even close... What kind of a brave man are they?


    A creaking sound comes from Usato''s right hand.


    In his mind''s eye, he must be thinking of the brave ice-crafters he fought with at Mearaq.


    Usato was silently angry at the way he had humiliated her, who had suffered so much and finally found her own way.


    "The Kingdom of Lingle is being invaded by the Demon King''s army, and the two brave men belonging to it. They must be very important to you.


    "......!"


    Jinya smiles slightly at Usato''s upset reaction.


    Convinced of something, he uttered the decisive words in a tone of mocking exaggeration.


    "When we attack the Kingdom of Lingle with the Demon King''s army, the first thing we will do is decided.


    No.


    No.


    Don''t say another word.


    Jinya''s outrageous behavior made me look at Usato in panic, but it was too late.


    "To make a bloodbath of two people who deceive the name of a brave man, and to kill them atrociously..."


    Usato was already gone when I turned to look. Instead, there was a dull thud and an inaudible scream from up ahead.


    As I fearfully turned my head forward, I saw Usato with his fist screwed into Jinya''s stomach, crushing the sword he was holding in a careless manner.


    ¡ñ


    It was immediately clear that this was an attempt to make Usato angry, to take away his composure and make his movements monotonous, after seeing the prediction.


    Perhaps even the soldiers belonging to the Lingle Kingdom would have been outraged if Suzune and Kazuki had been disgraced.


    But what was a miscalculation for Jinya was that these two brave men were Usato''s two best friends.


    "Gah, gah ......"


    Usato grabbed Jinya''s collar with the most expressionless face I had ever seen, even with his eyes wide open and blue streaks floating on his forehead, and it was obvious that he was more angry than I had ever seen him before.


    It may be his innate kindness that he is still using healing magic, but from Jinya''s point of view, it''s not a pleasant thing to do. He had too much endurance to remain conscious.


    "You monster!


    "...... is..."


    Jinya tries to cut Usato with a dagger drawn from his pocket.


    He lets out a sigh of exasperation and lightly brushes the dagger away with his hand. Usato kicks the dagger far away from Jinya as it leaves his hand and falls to the ground, and gives Jinya a cold stare.


    "Yo, foreknowledge is ......"


    "If you predict where I''m going to avoid and attack, it won''t be hard for me to respond if I keep reacting to it."


    No, that doesn''t sound right.


    In other words, as soon as Jinya reads Usato''s evasive maneuvers and attacks, Usato immediately responds to Jinya''s movements. This is repeated dozens of times in a moment, and finally Usato is winning, which is strange.


    Usato, who had easily subdued Jinya, who was two times larger than himself, was alone in his thoughts, ignoring Jinya''s attempts to flail about.


    "I can withstand it because I have a foreknowledge. Is this the only way to knock him out completely?"


    Despite the gentle tone of his voice, there was no mercy in his words.


    Gripping Jinya''s collar once more tightly, Usato threw him as hard as he could upward at an angle. Of course, Jinya was not stunned by this, but was trying to adjust his body position to land skillfully.


    However, the attack by Usato, who was staring at Jinya, was something that even I, who had seen it through foreknowledge, could not make sense of.


    Looking up at Jinya, who was falling, Usato put his whole right arm, which was wrapped in a cage, in a basket of magic power and pulled it down to his waist. However, the distance between him and Jinya was more than ten meters, and there was no way he could hit Jinya with his fist from such a distance.


    Still, he fired his fist.


    "What does foreknowledge matter when you''re in the air?"


    Just as Usato thrust out his fist, Jinya''s body in the air was blown away with the sound of the wind blowing.


    "...... what?"


    "What the hell?"


    Jinya fell to the ground and rolled over two or three times.


    His abdomen is clearly marked with the marks of his fists, from which the light of healing magic spreads like smoke. I let out a gasp of disbelief, but I could not understand what had happened when I saw it in real life.


    "......I see, I should use it in this way with less power. It is not only a healing punch to get close and hit them. Let''s name it ...... Healing Flying Fist ...... Healing Flying Fist from Healing Cannon."


    "Usato?"


    I called out to him fearfully, and he turned to me as usual.


    However, he immediately fell into a state of self-loathing, clutching his forehead.


    "Haaaa......"


    "Hey, are you okay?"


    "No, I''m not hurt. But it made me realize how immature I was to fall for such a cheap provocation. I can''t believe that I was so bloodthirsty that I couldn''t make a calm decision after being told about my senpai and Kazuki. ...... Even though I came to my senses after the first blow, I unnecessarily hurt Jinya-san."


    I suppose it wasn''t my fault that I doubted the fact that the first blow had brought me back to my senses.


    Because his face was in full-blown anger the whole time.


    "Is Jinya okay?"


    "...... even though the attack looks like it blew up pretty badly, it''s a bastard of a lineage enhancement, so its healing power is higher than normal healing magic. Don''t worry."


    "Yeah. I know Usato''s crazy.


    "Huh?"


    But it ended with Jinya''s self-destruction.


    As a matter of fact, the measures Jinya tried to take were among the worst, so there was no need to force him to stop. After all, he had it coming.


    "......What the hell!¡¡What the hell was that?


    As if to echo my sentiments, Nea, who had jumped down from the <>, came up to Usato.


    "You just sent something flying from a place that your fists obviously can''t reach!¡¡And with such force that Jinya''s body was blown away!


    "The special technique . Also known as . Neah, this is the new flying healing punch.


    "You''re crazy!¡¡Why does Usato make up weird tricks whenever I take my eyes off him?¡¡I mean, does the first type even have two or three?


    "The rest I just thought of and immediately sealed up. It''s too dangerous.


    "Scary!"


    Nair''s face turns pale.


    I feel the same way, but I can''t help but say that it''s Usato.


    So I''ve given up on that part. I can''t keep up my own sharpness.


    Looking around me, I saw that Jinya, a powerful and influential figure in the country, had been beaten so easily that the soldiers around him who were fighting had stopped moving.


    Some of them dropped their weapons in relief, reminding us that they were not fighting for us after all.


    "Nair, where are the people you manipulated?"


    "I put them all to sleep. Of course, I had to carry the ones I knocked out.


    At the edge of the plaza, the unconscious Kingsguard and researchers are lying on the floor.


    There are no notable injuries except for the konoe that ...... Jinya slashed.


    I was relieved inside, and then I saw Aruk, Bulrin, and Hayate running from the direction of the entrance of the plaza.


    They must have come to see me because they knew that Jinya had collapsed.


    Waving to them, I talked to Usato.


    "I''m so glad you saved me, Usato.


    Of course I''m going to help you. One of our most important friends was being held captive."


    "No, it''s not that."


    "?"


    Usato tilts his head, and with a wry smile, he recalls a memory from a few months ago.


    First, the savior who would change the future of despair.


    The next, a kind man who would do what I asked of him.


    The next, someone who makes me feel at home.


    "I never thought I would feel this way on the first day we met, but ...... I have really enjoyed my journey with Usato so far."


    There were many hardships and inconveniences.


    But it was more fun than that.


    I, who had only known traveling alone, gained the joy of doing something together with someone else. It became an irreplaceable treasure.


    That''s why I ...... will continue to ......."


    I try to spin the rest of the story, but I can''t get the words right.


    Just when I managed to gather up the courage to speak out, my words were interrupted by the flames that suddenly fell as if they were blocking us and Aruk-san''s group.


    "What?


    Flames?


    Flames burning like a wall. They flowed like a stream, surrounding the entire plaza.


    Beyond the flickering flames, I saw Mr. Aruk and the others, who were just as shocked as Nair and I were. I quickly turn to Usato for a decision, and at the moment I look at his face, I realize that he is not looking at the flames but at something else.


    "Usato ......?"


    "Yes, I had a hunch. I knew I would see you again.


    "What a coincidence. I was thinking the same thing. The truth is, there was no way we were going to intervene."


    "What!"


    Out of the corner of Usato''s eye, the man was standing very close to the unconscious Jinya.


    He was a man of the demon tribe, dressed in black. He naturally exchanged glances with Usato.


    "Did you do this?"


    "No, he''s one of mine. Well, he''s been stretched out here, and I had something to do with you, so I asked him to stall for a while."


    The man pointed at Jinya and Usato and said.


    Usato looks at the wall of flames with a sideways glance.


    These are no ordinary flames. It is a flame made by magic, and it is filled with a great deal of magic power.


    "What do you want from me?"


    "No, first of all, you must introduce yourself to me for the second time, mustn''t you?¡¡It''s no use pretending to be an unknown person forever.


    "......"


    The man who clapped his hands with a smile so vulnerable in a tense situation pointed to himself as if greeting a friend as Usato silently squinted at him.


    "Nice to meet you again, Healing Wizard. I am Koga Dingal, Commander of the 2nd Legion of the Demon Lord Army. Now, what is your name?


    At that moment, the prediction passed through my mind rather than the word "Commander of the Legion.


    I could not match the man in front of me, not from his appearance. But when I actually saw him, I was convinced that this was the man with whom Usato was fighting.

 150 - - The 138th Episode

    He rescued Amako and stopped Jinya.


    Just when everyone thought that all the commotion had come to an end, the plaza where we were was isolated by a wall of flames. A man of the demon tribe appeared with it.


    He called himself Koga Dingal.


    And although I knew he was a strong man, I never expected him to be the commander of the second legion of the demon king''s army.


    As I recall, according to the information about the second and third legionnaires that Ferrum had provided me while he was in jail, the third legionnaire was a swordsman who wielded fire magic, while the second legionnaire was a wielder of dark magic like Ferrum.


    ...... This should not be provoked.


    If a dark magic user gets out of control in a place like this, there will be a lot of damage.


    I don''t want to fight them either.


    "Kingdom of Lingle, Rescue Squad. Usato Ken."


    At any rate, now that you''ve said your name, we''ll say ours.


    Koga rolled his eyes in surprise, as if he did not expect that he would be called by his name.


    "Oh, I was aware that you were quite hostile to me. ....... I see, your name is Usato. That''s kind of a distinctive name."


    Well, people from here would think my name is strange.


    In fact, even in my former world, the name "Usato" is rare.


    He immediately changes his mind and asks Koga


    Why are you doing this?¡¡Don''t tell me you just now came to help Jinya-san?"


    "No, it''s not like that. My purpose is twofold. The first purpose is to ......."


    As soon as he says this, Koga crouches down and slaps the unconscious Jinya on the cheek to wake her up.


    Perhaps the less powerful healing flying fist was not strong enough to hit him, and Mr. Jinya quickly regained consciousness. When he understood the people around him and his situation, he immediately looked up at Koga and asked for help.


    "Lord Koga, I would like to ask for your help. With your help, we can undo what we have done.


    "You mean the strongest soldier with precognition magic you mentioned?¡¡Well, that was certainly tempting for us."


    "Then--"


    But no.


    A gasp of exasperation escaped from Jinya-san.


    We, too, look at Koga, who cowered his shoulders in surprise.


    "But what do you mean, no?"


    "Just what he said. We, the demon army, will cut off our hands from you, the beastmen!


    You negotiated with us!¡¡Now you''re telling me...


    "I''m sorry to deceive you, but we''re not here to negotiate. We''re here to see if you''re worthy of being fangs ...... of a fighter."


    "Fangs"?¡¡I know it''s not physical, but what the hell does Koga mean by "fangs"?


    Aside from me and Jinya, who looked aghast, Koga looked around and finally opened his mouth.


    "This is a nice country.


    "What about ......?"


    "There is abundant nature, plenty of food, and the sun is out for a long time. Everything is very different from my country. The best thing is that I got a nice break from work. It was a good decision to come here."


    What are you talking about?


    Suddenly, he tells me what it''s like to live in the land of the beasts, and I''m at a loss to understand.


    What in the world is he trying to say?


    Jinya''s words make Koga serious.


    They are all beasts without fangs. ...... or maybe they never had fangs to begin with. After living here with you until today, and seeing the strife that took place today, I finally see you for what you are." These people are of no use to us even if we send them into battle.


    After he had said all that, Koger looked aghast and waved his hands to the side.


    "It''s not that I look down on the beastmen. The reason why they cannot fight is because they understand peace and are living in it right now. Unlike us, they have no reason to invade other countries. So, when it comes to fighting, the beastmen who have no reason to fight are of no use."


    ...... may be a valid reason.


    According to Hayate''s story, the beastmen have been trying to live a peaceful life in the forest, cutting off relations with humans. It is unthinkable that they would voluntarily take up weapons to retaliate against humans.


    I myself was touched by the kindness of the beasts in the hidden village, and I know that they are not the kind of people who like to fight.


    "And then there''s ...... the rest. Soldiers with precognition magic. No, not those either."


    "What?


    That''s the kind of thing that makes most of them grow up. Too much power makes him weak. Besides, what good is seeing the future if you can''t handle it?¡¡You''ve experienced that firsthand."


    Mr. Jinya can only grit his teeth, unable to refute Koga''s points.


    However, he stares at Kohga as if he is still not convinced.


    "Even so, we have our own reasons for fighting ......!"


    "Hatred of humans?¡¡You don''t think we''re fighting only out of hatred for humans, do you?¡¡That''s a bit of a stretch. ...... No, wait, ...... bad, there was about 30%."


    Oh, really?


    I can''t help but shove it inwardly, but as a human being, it''s not at all funny to hear that they resent me.


    "But the other 70% is for survival."


    "......"


    "Well, you on the Lingle Kingdom side don''t agree. But you don''t have to. For your kingdom, our invading behavior is unreasonable.


    The Demon Army invaded for a reason.


    It is not necessary to think about it to know that they would not invade without a reason.


    But I tried not to think about it too much.


    "So, you know, we don''t need your help. I won''t help you."


    "f*ck you--"


    "Ho, ho."


    Koga slammed his fist into the tail of the enraged Jinya.


    Coga looked down with pitiful eyes at Mr. Jinya, who had collapsed into a white-eyed heap, and then turned his attention to us after throwing him out toward the far end of the plaza.


    "To tell you the truth, I didn''t like the way he did it. I mean, it wasn''t cowardly in itself, but ...... it was too much of an underestimation of the person you''re supposed to be most wary of."


    "......"


    "When the first prediction failed in the first place, we should have eliminated you instead of locking you up. But he didn''t do that because he stubbornly refused to recognize your strength, your human strength."


    Indeed, Jinya-san looked down on us from the beginning to the end.


    He called us fragile.


    Easily killable.


    The mission succeeded because Mr. Jinya looked down on us.


    "It''s true that humans are physically weak. But we lost to them in the past and we have lost to them twice now. No matter how much we are superior in physical strength, there is something about humans that overturns it.


    Coga said these words while looking at me.


    Silence reigned as we exchanged glances.


    I was afraid that Coga would not speak again, and he suddenly clapped his hands once and his face fell as if he was switching places.


    "Well, now the beastmen don''t have to participate in the war."


    "...... I don''t know if I should say this, but. I don''t know if that''s a good idea.


    "Because that''s what the Demon Lord ordered. If you don''t have fangs, leave them behind.


    The Witch Queen.


    The king of the demon tribe... whom we haven''t even seen yet.


    I finally recognized the existence of the Demon King as a certainty through Mr. Farga''s story, but the fact that he was the biggest enemy didn''t seem very realistic to me.


    "Well, now we have done our first business. Let''s get down to business.


    With these words, he came to himself and turned his attention back to Koga.


    I have a bad feeling about this.


    Specifically because he is stretching his arms and legs.


    "I told you before, didn''t I?¡¡You were not supposed to come out here right now."


    "...... yeah."


    "To be honest, what I said to Jinya earlier was supposed to be a secret message. So there was no need to cut to the chase here and do something that would send him to the bottom of the barrel."


    If he wasn''t planning to come out at this time, why did he come out?


    I''m aware of it, but I don''t want it to be right.


    "To put it simply, we now have a reason to do it. You already know that, don''t you?¡¡That''s why I came to you."


    "...... huh, it''s me."


    Coga nodded with a smile.


    I had a bad feeling when you said you were interested in me, but I never thought it would come to this.


    "I watched you fight. I heard that Rose was an insane person for the Demon Lord''s army, and you, his disciple, were just like that. You had the monstrous strength to wield a man with ease, and unrivaled mobility. And yet, your skill has never caused the death of a single person. The ultimate battle was with Jinya."


    He points to Jinya, who is passed out behind him.


    He must have been watching me fight somewhere. I had a suspicion that he might be somewhere, so it might have been careless of me to make a big move.


    "He was not weak. If you hadn''t done something to offend him, the fight would have lasted a little longer, but ...... you ended it too quickly."


    "......"


    "I saw that and I wanted to fight you. No better reason. But that''s good enough for me...!"


    Coga, his black coat fluttering in the air, smiles belligerently at me.


    "Come on, let''s fight, Usato, the healing wizard!¡¡That''s what I''m here for!"


    "No, I don''t want to fight. ......"


    "......"


    "......"


    Silence reigns.


    I''m sorry to interrupt your groove, but I have no intention of fighting Kohga at all.


    I don''t want to fight this dangerous guy.


    I don''t like to fight with dangerous guys like him.


    Kohga silently unbuttons his stance and scratches his head. His expression is not angry, but more like he is convinced.


    "......No, you''re right. That''s how it usually is. I would have said the same thing if I had been challenged like this."


    ...... agreed with me.


    What is he really like? I thought he was some kind of battle junkie, but he shows me a different side. He keeps breaking my pace and I don''t know how to talk to him anymore.


    He crosses his arms thoughtfully, oblivious to the strange looks Nair and Amako are giving him.


    "But I want to fight you ......, then I guess I''ll have to do some dirty things to get your approval."


    I have no intention of fighting you.


    "Well, I guess I''ll need to bring something back from my trip."


    "Hey, let''s talk--"


    The moment I said those words, my body was already moving.


    When Koga held out his hand, something black flew toward Amako.


    It flew straight to Amako, and I flicked it away by swinging it out with my basket hand. Gakiin......!¡¡The black band, which flew away with a sound like a clash of steel, returned to the hem of Koga''s dress.


    Was it a shadow controlled by dark magic like Ferrum had used?


    He quickly looked at Amako, but she seemed to be taken aback by the unexpected and unconnected surprise.


    "For example, the girl with the precognition magic..." he says. Or a vampire?¡¡From the looks of it, she''s no ordinary vampire either. ...... Oh, I suppose I could take you to the Witch Queen. I''m sure you''ll get all kinds of interesting reactions.


    "...... you."


    "One word of advice. Don''t think I''m a talker. I''m a terrible judge of character, if I do say so myself."


    What do you think, a fight may be more inevitable than we thought.


    Should we try to escape with Amaco and Nair?


    "Trying to escape is futile, okay?¡¡This wall of fire was built by my man ...... who was in charge of the Third Legion. You may be okay, but that girl won''t be.


    "The commander of the Third Army?


    If there''s no one on the inside, it''s likely that whoever built the wall is on the outside. Then, Aruk, Bulrin, Hayate and the others are going to ......!


    Neah!


    "Yes, we''re going to fight him ......!"


    "No, you go to Mr. Arc and Bulrin."


    "Huh?¡¡But then, you''re the one who''s going to ......


    "It''s hard to fight against him this time while protecting you."


    "----, yeah. Okay. Try not to die by mistake!"


    "Yeah, I''ll do my best."


    I took one look at Koga and as I said this, Nair, seeing the situation, transformed into an owl and soared high into the sky and over the wall.


    "Amako, I''m sorry. You''re going to have to step back again."


    "Yes. But I don''t think he''s really going to kidnap her.


    "...... I know."


    But I can''t say for sure that they won''t. As long as that possibility exists, I have no choice but not to fight.


    Maybe Koger knew that. ...... Yeah, he sure has a bad temper.


    I let Amaco back down, turn to face Kohga again, and take a deep breath. Just as I was about to take a deep breath and focus my attention on the opponent in front of me, I saw Koga about to throw a leaping kick at me.


    "What?


    Come on!"


    The piercing kick hit me directly on my left shoulder, and I frowned at the dull pain --- but I immediately twisted my body to release the impact, and at the same time, I slammed a healing punch into Koga''s stomach, and punched him away.


    "---gggghhhh!


    "Oww!"


    Coga was slammed to the ground and fell down in a heap.


    I heal his shoulder with healing magic, feeling impatient and a little scared. It was true that I had been caught in the open. But instead of avoiding it, all I could do was to let the attack go.


    If I had reacted a little later, my bones might have been crushed. This fact convinced me that the title of "Commander of the 2nd Corps" was not a lie.


    "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!¡¡Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"


    "......"


    Of course, I don''t think I could have beaten him with that.


    I am more determined than ever to keep my head down when Koga, lying on his back, lets out a crazy, high-pitched laugh.


    This guy is bad. He is not a battle junkie or anything like that, but a fighter who doesn''t bring any rules into the fight.


    "Ah, that''s the way it should be. This is how a fight should be. I''m glad I believed in you. I really believe that from the bottom of my heart.


    After muttering these words, Koger gets up with an innocent look on his face.


    Where my fist had hit, a black band of multiple layers is stirring eerily. Coga''s black clothes and the shadows beneath his feet distort as he smiles uncontrollably in response.


    "I''m sorry I caught you off guard, I couldn''t resist. Well, I didn''t think you could take that much of a beating, did you?"


    "It''s not okay at all. It''s not good at all. My heart can''t take it.


    "Ha, you don''t have the balls. Well, let''s do it right this time."


    With his words, shadows and clothes wrap around Koga''s body as a band.


    The same dark magic of the Felm. It is a dangerous magic that can only be used by demons. The band covering his head is transformed into a mask reminiscent of a hawk, and his body is transformed into black armor too biological to be called armor.


    Koga, clad in a magic so strange that it seems to be different from the dark magic of Ferrum, shouted to me with an exultant voice.


    Let''s get started!¡¡Let''s have a real fight!


    A more deadly battle than the one with Mr. Karon.


    Facing Koga in his black mask and biological armor, I pulled my fists together with determination.


    I was ready.


    Usato-dono succeeded in knocking Jinya out and getting Amako-dono back.


    The situation was under control, and after subduing the soldiers who had lost the will to fight, we were on our way to him when a wall of flames blocked our way from the sky.


    Hayate''s men hurled their magic at us, but the wall of flame remained unabated.


    A wall of flame created by dense magic.


    In response, I put magic into my hands and shout out.


    My flames should be able to break through. Hayate-san, I will make the entrance!


    "Aruk......?¡¡Yes, I''m on it!


    After calling out to Hayate, he casts magic power into the sword he has drawn from its scabbard. When the sword is red-hot and sparks are emitted, he takes a big swing and regulates his breathing.


    The flaming sword easily melts even iron.


    With this, he should be able to cut through the wall of flames. ......!


    "Ha......!"


    With a mighty swing, he brings it down.


    But just as the sword swung at the wall of flame, someone appeared as if falling from the sky and interrupted me, catching the flaming sword.


    "Who would have thought someone could cut through this?"


    "What?


    A woman of the demon tribe with shoulder-length red hair and twisted horns interrupted us. She, too, had her sword covered in flames and was catching my sword.


    "She stopped me!¡¡Gugg!"


    The sword is repelled with force, forcing me to retreat.


    I try to hold my sword, but the woman in front of me keeps her grip on it and refuses to ready it.


    A red-haired woman of the demon tribe. She is one of those who were with the demons who visited Lord Usato when he was locked up in the prison. She is probably the one who created this wall of flame.


    "A knight of the Kingdom of Lingle. You are well-trained.


    I''ll let you through!


    I can''t do that.


    He swings his sword, which is covered with flames, but it is blocked by the same flames as mine.


    I am more powerful than her, but she is more skillful with flames than I am!


    I decide that a suicide attack is too risky and fall back.


    "Ah, I found you, Alc!¡¡But we''re already fighting!


    Just then, an owl, Nair, comes flying over the wall of flames, spots me, and shouts.


    "Nair!¡¡Where is Usato-dono?


    "He''s inside fighting with a guy called the second corps commander. What''s more, I heard he''s a corps leader too!¡¡Isn''t he in trouble?


    Legionnaire?


    I knew he was an ordinary guy, but I didn''t expect two corps leaders to be here ......!¡¡If that''s the case, is Usato-dono fighting that man?


    I looked at the woman impatiently and saw that she was somehow holding her forehead and letting out a big sigh.


    "Did that idiot even tell on me ......?¡¡Aaaaah, you idiots who open your mouths without thinking are really ......!¡¡How can he be the head of the corps ......?"


    ...... Apparently there''s a lot going on over there too.


    The woman looked up indignantly and thrust her sword into the ground to block our way.


    "I won''t let you go on from here. Even if you''re a stupid, brainless, and brainless boss, you have to follow orders."


    "......What''s the purpose?"


    The woman crossed her arms as if she was a little worried, but then opened her mouth immediately, as if she didn''t care anymore.


    "To break off cooperation with Hinomoto, the Land of the Beastmen."


    "Abandoned?


    Hayate''s astonished voice, and his subordinates were also upset by the suddenness of the situation.


    The woman continues to speak without changing her expression, as if she has nothing special to say.


    I will not explain it to you. And the other purpose is to fight against the healing wizard that my superior wanted.


    "To fight against Usato-dono ......?"


    "Unfortunately, it seems that I have fallen under his nose. ......Well, I assumed that Rose''s disciples would be capable of something like that, so I was a little ...... surprised, but I was still able to keep my composure."


    That man, the second corps commander, was interested in Usato-dono.


    Could that be the reason why he decided to fight?


    If so..,


    "What are you going to do with Usato-dono ......!"


    "I don''t know whether to let him live or kill him. The worst that can happen is that you die."


    Then we can''t stop here!


    He puts fire on his sword and points the tip at the woman.


    The opponent is a powerful man of the corps commander''s class. Any hesitation will lead directly to her death.


    If that''s the case, you should run away. ...... but there''s a reason why you can''t do that.


    "They are not such daredevils that they do not know the difference between their strength and ours. If we stay quiet until the game is decided here, we can save our lives. If not, you will die."


    "My friends are fighting!¡¡The man I swore to protect is fighting in there right now!¡¡There is no way I would abandon him to save my own life!"


    It might end in vain, you know?


    It might.


    I believe that you will not be defeated.


    If he defeats the commander of the second corps, this battle itself will be in vain. You may think that you should have waited for him to finish his game.


    But what if he loses?


    Usato is a human being.


    No one can never die.


    He may be strong, he may be able to avoid any attack, but he is still a human being.


    "Even if it doesn''t make sense, that''s no reason not to stand up to him!¡¡It''s much better than not moving and regretting it!"


    "Gru ......"


    The bullins lined up next to him roar to show their willingness to fight.


    As I was about to ready my sword, feeling reassured that he would fight with me, Hayate-san stepped out from behind me.


    "......Yes, that''s right!"


    Hayate agreed with my words.


    Looking behind me, I saw that his men and Lord Daitetsu were all holding their weapons.


    Seeing them, the woman tilted her head with a doubtful expression.


    "Why are you taking up arms?¡¡What is happening now is a war between humans and demons and has nothing to do with you.


    "You are right. But to us, Usato is a benefactor and a friend.


    "Yeah. Yeah. Usato''s the kind of guy who competes with us on strength. But more than that, he''s one of those rare people who can get along with us. If we let such a person die here, it would be a shame to show our son our disrespect.


    Mr. Daietetsu agrees with Hayate''s words.


    The soldiers also agree with him.


    .


    <<


    <<>


    <<


    "I have a feeling that that healing wizard has a mixed reputation. ......"


    A woman''s cheeks twitched when she heard the beasts'' assessment of Usato-dono.


    I was also smiling at the woman''s expression, saying, "It''s the usual Usato-dono," but then I saw the woman''s expression immediately change to a smile, and I composed myself.


    "But it''s funny."


    A moment later, flames shot out from the woman''s body.


    I could not believe my eyes when I next saw her.


    "I take back what I said before. All right, knights of the Kingdom of Lingle and brave soldiers of the Beast Tribe! In honor of your fighting spirit, I will fight with all my might.


    He''s on fire.


    He wears not magic, but the flames he has created as armor.


    "Amira Berghlet, assistant to the commander of the 2nd Legion of the Demon King''s Army. This is only a temporary title, but I will call myself that. And then..."


    She swung her sword, which was covered with flames, and held it wide.


    "This is the ultimate in magic, created by my master Nero Agens. Taste it for yourself."


    The heat is felt all the way to us.


    I gripped my sword tightly once more, feeling a tremor that I am not sure if it was a warrior''s tremor or fear.

 151 - - The 139th.

    Amira Berglett, Assistant Commander of the 2nd Corps.


    Her magic was as extraordinary as her words.


    When confronted with a sword, the flames that drifted around her attacked, and when she attacked with magic, the flames turned to defense and consumed the magic, possessing an overwhelming combat ability that no one could match.


    "Huh!"


    And the most astonishing thing was that her movement itself was enhanced.


    At first glance, it looked similar to the cold air generated by Lord Karon''s axe when they fought in Mialak, but Amira''s was fundamentally different.


    When she leaps forward, the flames that surround her explode and accelerate her momentum, and when she swings her sword, the residue of the flames scorch the surroundings black. The flames themselves are both an aid to movement and an offensive and defensive weapon.


    It is like an incarnation of fire.


    The flames themselves are magically clothed in this ultimate form of magic, a feat that is different from the enhancement of a lineage.


    However, there was a reason why I could not back down in the face of a far superior foe.


    "Kuh-uh......!"


    I manage to defend myself, blocking and deflecting the sword blows, which are boosted by the flames, with the flaming sword clasped in both hands.


    Don''t fight them head-on.


    Do not stop breathing even if it is hot.


    Do not lose your concentration.


    Use the angle to minimize the impact.


    I remind myself of this as I breathe in the hot air that almost burns my throat, and concentrate on the sword in front of me.


    "You''re surprisingly persistent ......!"


    "I''m not sure... ......


    The sword approaches in an arc-like trajectory, and he quickly blocks it with the scabbard he has drawn. As he looked ahead, he threw away the cracked sheath, letting the impact escape behind him, and without a moment''s pause, a crushing slash swung down from the top.


    With a clear premonition of his death, he quickly concentrates his magical power into the flaming sword and raises it, creating a flame that seems to erupt from below.


    The downward slash of the flame is canceled by the flames that erupt from below, and the sword is extinguished.


    Amira reacted somewhat surprised, but she did not stop her sword and slashed at me.


    "...... You are a dexterous fellow," she said. He seemed to be all about power, but it seems he is not."


    "Thanks for that. ......!"


    He manages to catch the sword, but it''s about to crush him. ......!


    Unlike me, who was fighting to the death to survive each blow, Amira had a clear margin.


    Of course.


    I mean, what I was doing with only my sword, Amira was doing with her whole body and maintaining it with her natural body.


    Our desperate attack and defense is nothing more than a sword fight for her.


    "But even so, I am not far behind. ......!"


    "......!"


    Let go!


    In the heat of the moment, my throat is burning, and Amira calmly tries to crush me with all her might.


    But just before she does so, Hayate and the others provide magical support, and I manage to get rid of the sword and shoot a magic bullet to distance myself from her.


    "That level of magic won''t work!¡¡A half-hearted attack will bring you death!"


    Everyone get out of here!


    He drowns out the magic with a flurry of horizontal fire and shoots a crescent-shaped flame in the direction Hayate and the others are heading. The flame strikes the place where Hayate and the others were, and a large spark is produced.


    Hayate and the others seemed to be able to avoid it just in time, but not a few of them lost their will to fight just because of that.


    "Do you have time to worry about others!"


    "What?"


    I turned my attention back to Amira, who was already raising her sword.


    Once again, as I boosted my magical power to survive the onslaught, something blue entered my field of vision from the side.


    "Guo!"


    "I won''t let you!"


    What?


    Amira was about to swing her sword at me, when Bulrin, with Nair in owl form, rushed toward her from the side.


    I shot out a flame with my non-sword hand, but Nair''s spell against Bulrin nullified it, and she finally backed away as soon as I evaded her.


    "I see, I thought it was rare to find an owl that could understand human language, but ...... you are the vampire from earlier, and when you deal in magic, I can''t be too careful..."


    "Bulleen!¡¡Pull back!¡¡If I get hit by that thing, there won''t be anything left but roasted chicken!¡¡I mean, you''d better attack sparingly so as not to be spotted by that thing!


    "Guru!"


    Bulrin shakes his head at Nair''s words and sniffs.


    When Bulrin responds in such a way, Nair gasps and clamps his mouth with his wing, and then smacks Bulrin on the head with the other wing.


    "You don''t have to be so enthusiastic!¡¡Do you know how dangerous he is?¡¡Don''t fight it head on!"


    "...... guffaw."


    Following the instruction of Nea, who patted him on the back and urged him to run away, Bulrin kept a certain distance from Amira.


    Amira is momentarily taken aback by Nair''s unexpected speech, but quickly regains her composure.


    "That''s really funny. It''s really interesting..." "You''d think the healing wizards would be the only ones who stand out, but they''re not. It''s worth it for me to come up with this technique.


    I take a moment to catch my breath as Amira lowers her sword.


    She points to the wall of flames and gives me a small smile.


    "You can hear it, too. You can hear the sound of battle echoing from behind these walls.


    "Sound ......?"


    I listened carefully to her words and heard a sound coming from behind the wall of flames.


    It sounded like something smashing and iron clashing.


    The source of the sound was beyond my imagination. It was the sound of a battle between Usato and the commander of the 2nd Corps.


    "They must be fighting too. "I''m sure they''re fighting too. He said he wouldn''t take it too seriously, but he''s lying. How can he not be serious against Rose''s disciple?


    "...... you''re still fighting. Usato-dono is ......."


    I was relieved.


    They are still fighting.


    She is fighting undaunted against an enemy who is probably as strong as the one in front of her.


    That was enough to keep my heart unbroken.


    "You are a strong warrior. You are a strong fighter... I have never been easy on you in your attacks, so I ask you... why don''t you really use your fire?"


    "......?


    I felt my heart being grabbed by his words.


    Perhaps her astonishment has shown on her face, but Amira still maintains a calm expression on her face as she spins her words.


    "Did you think I wouldn''t notice?¡¡I am a warrior who wields fire magic. I understand fire better than anyone else.


    Even so, I did not expect them to notice me that much.


    Not only is he strong, but he has the sense of a flame wielder.


    "A warrior of your stature. There must be a reason. ...... but that is not my concern. Either you die without it or you die with it."


    With these words, Amira took a stance.


    The flames that had been flickering and burning around her gained momentum as she did so.


    "......"


    She''s right, she''s going to kill me.


    No, on the contrary, Bulrin and Nair, Hayate and his companions will be killed without any way to save themselves.


    .......


    "Nair, I have a favor to ask you."


    He speaks to Nea, who is on the back of Bulrin, who has moved diagonally behind him.


    Nair, who had been concentrating on Amira, sounded puzzled.


    "I don''t mind if you do, but are you okay?"


    "Yes, I''m fine. Can I have ...... a resistance spell put on me?"


    "Resistance to fire. Yes. But I can''t withstand that many opponents that many times. ......


    No, sir.


    Nair looks doubtful.


    I do not care about her, but I say the words that I am prepared to say.


    "Please build up my own resistance to magic.


    "...... yes, I understand."


    "Thank you."


    I''m sure he understood.


    She''s a smart girl. She must have understood what I was trying to do, since I was afraid to use my own magic.


    My magic is a flame magic with a power very close to that of a lineage enhancement.


    Normally, I try to suppress it, but it is a double-edged sword that can burn even myself if I try to use it without any care.


    So I have hurt many people, sometimes inflicting wounds that will never heal. No matter how much I regret or cry, there is no redoing it, it is a sin that I must atone for even if it takes my whole life.


    "......"


    I''ve been afraid.


    A power that could turn against even those I swore to protect.


    So when I turned that power against you, Usato-sama, my very core froze. I knew that I had attacked him with a dangerous technique that would have seriously injured him if it had hit him even once.


    Even so, Usato was ...... Amako, Nair, and Bulrin, and they counted on me. They told me that I am their friend and that I can rely on them, even though I have only magic that can hurt people like this.


    It''s time to face them.


    In the battle against the evil dragon, I turned my power against you, Usato.


    In Mialark, he broke my sword and knocked me out.


    I am a coward who is afraid to use even my own power. I am a fool who disguised my true intentions even to my companions and did not think of using it until Amira told me.


    "...... It''s always been me who has been saved."


    This trip saved me.


    It was a series of surprises I had never experienced in my life. The time I spent traveling with them became an irreplaceable asset for me.


    That''s why."


    I want to protect it.


    I want to make sure that all of us can return to the Kingdom of Lingle with smiles on our faces, without a single person missing.


    He pulls another small sword from his waist and grips it with the opposite hand.


    "I had found a reason to wield power," he says.


    For that, I can fight without hesitation.


    As soon as the spell of Nair''s resistance is cast, I pour all my magical power into the swords in my hands.


    Are you ready?


    "Yes."


    The flaming sword radiates more brilliance and heat than ever before.


    But the heat is too strong, and Nair''s resistance magic is getting cracked.


    We can''t afford to be so formal.


    I grab my sword and slash at her with both of my swords.


    "A flaming sword that could be mistaken for a lineage enhancer. Is that your true magic? I knew there were rare people who possessed such a gift, but to see it in person is awe-inspiring.


    "I''m honored to be so described by you!"


    He maneuvers his sword so that he does not swing it too hard and engages in a swordfight with Amira.


    But even so, the difference in strength - the difference in technique and the amount of magic power - becomes apparent, and to compensate for this, I now abandon my defense.


    A person with a magical power close to that of a lineage enhancement.


    In the Kingdom of Lingle, Lady Olga, who belongs to the Lifeguard Corps, has the same qualities as I do. I was not a very dexterous person at first. So when I first learned magic, I often let it run out of control, causing trouble to those around me.


    I always hated this power."


    As I grew older, my power grew stronger, and the power of my flames increased to the point where I was in danger of having to suppress them. I trained myself to suppress my magic as hard as I could, since even I was affected by the flames due to the negative effects of my near strain-enhancing magic.


    "I hated this power that could hurt me, hurt my friends, and burn up everything I cared about around me. ......!"


    It has stayed in my mind.


    The image of the first person I hurt. The way people looked at me like I was a monster.


    He throws away even his defenses and strikes Amira with the sword in his right hand.


    Even so, she tries to deal with the situation calmly, and he cuts her with the small sword in his opposite hand. She avoids it at the last moment, but the sword, glowing red-hot, cuts through her flaming armor.


    "......!"


    "But I have friends who need this power!¡¡There are people who depend on me like this, people who are irrepressibly kind to me!"


    Every time you swing your sword, you hear something shatter.


    It''s the sound of the spell of resistance breaking down.


    My hands are almost on fire, and the magic itself runs from my arms to my back, releasing like a fiery flame.


    I cross my arms and charge at Amira, still in pain so intense that I can''t even stay conscious.


    "I''m going to use this power to clear the way!"


    Come on!"


    Flame clashes with flame.


    Even after all this, he still pushes her... but...


    Haaaaaaaaah!


    ......


    Still, I pushed forward and swung both of my swords in a passing motion.


    At that moment, the fire that had spread from my sword arm to my back and the flaming armor surrounding Amira disappeared.


    "......guh!"


    I drop the charred and battered hilt of my sword in my hand and fall to my knees.


    Breathing hard, I looked behind me to see Amira, still unharmed, lowering the sword in one hand.


    "......The persistence of mankind is amazing," he said. It was a suicide attack, but to cut through my magic..."


    Amira puts her hand over the cut on her cheek.


    The magic she wore cut through it, but the blade barely reached her flesh.


    The flames that protected her were so hard that it was all she could do to peel them off. But I did not despair.


    After all, I had achieved what I had set out to do.


    "But it arrived."


    "Yeah, I know."


    Behind Amira, a wall made of flames is sliced open in a crisscross pattern and dissipates.


    The scene inside becomes clearer, with sparks of fire. Aamira is about to fall down, but Bulrin supports her just in time.


    At the back of Bulrin''s back, Nair is looking anxiously in the direction where Usato-dono might be.


    "If they''ve gone this far, we''ll just have to let them through. ....... Well done, my knight.


    Amira puts her sword back in her hand. Her figure shows no signs of wariness.


    This time I look beyond the vanished wall.


    And then the sight that leaps before my eyes is..,


    "Oh no. ......!"


    I saw a beastly monster trying to swing its sharp claws down on Usato-dono, who was bleeding from every part of his body.


    At the sight, we involuntarily shouted his name.

 152 - - 140th episode.

    The dark magic of Korga Dingal, commander of the 2nd Legion of the Demon Lords.


    His way of fighting could not be easier or more troublesome for me.


    Sora!


    "Hmph!"


    Koga throws a kick and I block it with my cage hand.


    I try to return the favor by slamming my left fist into his gut, but before I can do so, his gnashing sword closes in on me and I am forced to defend myself.


    I was always on the back foot in the fight against him.


    Koga''s movements are ever-changing.


    He runs, leaps, and makes sharp attacks as if he were cutting through a gap in the defense. I try to move along with him, but I can''t seem to get into the attack.


    I can''t get anywhere at this point.


    If we can''t go on the offensive now, we have no choice but to change our ways.


    I decided so, and released my right fist, which was equipped with a cage, and stepped forward as hard as I could.


    "What?


    If you can''t attack with a counter-attacking strategy, don''t use your head and just go for it.


    You can keep on jumping and stabbing while you still can!


    He defends against a kick, grabs it, pulls it back, and this time, he slams a healing punch into its flanks.


    The healing punch that broke Ferrum''s dark magic should work on Koga who has the same dark magic.


    With that in mind, I hold on to his leg to see how he reacts, and he looks up with a horrified voice.


    "It won''t work on me!"


    I had a bad feeling about this, and just as I was about to let go of his legs, Koga''s legs swelled up and threw me out of his body, as if his strength had increased many times over.


    "What the hell?


    "Unfortunately, my dark magic is different from Ferrum''s."


    Landing on the ground, I was speechless at the sight of Koga.


    His feet, which I had held on to earlier, had turned into beastly legs reminiscent of wolves.


    "What do I look like to you?"


    Coga continued, his hands turning into sharp, thick claws and thicker arms.


    His words made my voice half tremble.


    "A ...... beast, right?"


    "Yes, it is. My dark magic is . Not so bad compared to Ferrum, is it?¡¡I''m not as invincible as him, and I have to be a little more creative. But still..."


    Korga, with all four limbs on the ground like a four-legged beast.


    A black band extends from the shadow beneath his feet, its sharp tip pointed at me.


    "You''re as fierce as ever, aren''t you?"


    "......!"


    I chose to evade rather than defend against the black belt that was shot out all at once like a beam of light, and I dodged the oncoming belt and ran across the square to find an opening for my opponent, but..,


    "Don''t let me distract you."


    "What the hell?


    When did he move to the rear? His swollen, strong legs delivered a powerful kick that struck him directly in the back.


    I clenched my teeth and remained conscious as I landed on the ground, clad in healing magic. I rebounded from the continued claws with my fist, but was struck in the side of my head with the back of my other hand.


    My vision is shaken, but I do not stop moving and deal with the next attack.


    "Gugg!"


    There you go!


    You''re the one who keeps turning into ......!


    Just when you think you''ve morphed, you morph even more!


    He swears as he dodges Koga''s attack, but Koga swears back at him.


    "It''s like you''re just a shape-shifter!"


    "No way, you idiot!"


    The situation is unprecedented and I am in such a hurry that my words come out as a reflex.


    I''m going to go ahead and do everything without defense!¡¡Even if you get hit a little, hold on and fight back!


    I ignore the attack and move into his pocket at once, and as if to repay him for what he just did to me, I hit him with a powerful knee kick to the side of his head.


    However, I feel a gnarly sensation coming from my leg.


    I looked at the spot where the knee had hit, and I saw a layer of black strips that had appeared when he had attacked me.


    "If you know where it hits, there''s nothing you can''t do to prevent it."


    That''s not possible!


    He had also shown it when he blocked my fist the first time... But it was just a defense without any special ability?


    That''s really different from the magic of Ferrum!


    I try to move away as quickly as I can, but I realize that my knees are caught in the belt.


    You look up to see Koga raising his banded claws as if to slice you open from below..,


    "Mazu!"


    "You can''t protect this guy with just a basket hand!"


    Claws and sashes were raised up like blades, threatening to cut me open.


    I could barely defend myself against the claws with my baskets, but the band around my body was like a blade.


    "That''s enough!"


    I endure the pain with my willpower, and push Koga''s body with my unbounded leg, as if kicking it, in order to escape. As he does so, he slams his fist into Koga''s body in the shape of a blowout.


    "I''ll hit him before he grabs me!"


    "Oh?


    I pull my fist back instantly, and at a certain distance from Koga, I check my injuries.


    I have a small cut on my forehead, blood is dripping, but it can be quickly healed with healing magic.


    The rest of my body is covered with a few cuts from the band.


    ...... finally, it''s ripped..."


    Looking at his shoulder, he saw a rather large cut on his troupe uniform.


    We''ve been traveling and fighting together for a long time without a tear, but ...... this time it didn''t seem to be that way.


    "You''re going to have to stay with us a little while longer.


    It doesn''t help that the group''s uniform is damaged.


    I''m not going to be so effeminate as to bemoan it, and what I need to focus on now is Koger.


    He turned his attention back to me, temporarily putting his limbs back together.


    "I never thought you''d be able to keep up with my fighting style this far..."


    "Huh?"


    "Most guys... Most guys, when they see how powerful I am, they want to keep their distance and fight, you know?¡¡I know I''m not that good looking and you don''t want to get close to me. They don''t even realize that keeping your distance from me is a rather bad idea."


    I''d rather fight away from you, too.


    "Ha, that''s a terrible thing to say."


    Korga''s dark magic is a dark armor that transforms the user into a deformed beast.


    The black bands that make up its body can be used for both offense and defense.


    If I try to fight such an opponent at a distance, I will either be closed in by his physical capabilities or penetrated by the black belt that attacked me.


    ...... Can I win against such an opponent?


    "......, no, no, no!"


    Shake off negative thoughts.


    You can''t do anything if you''re losing in spirit.


    Every ability has a weakness. ...... I hope so.


    "Well, let''s continue."


    "...... huh."


    With a sigh, he faces Koga, whose limbs have once again been transformed into those of the beast.


    Even though his injuries are almost healed, Koga''s attack power is still tremendous. The only thing to do is to avoid being caught in the belt as much as possible.


    In order to find a way to survive, I once again challenge a battle of attack and defense that is on the very edge of my limits.


    I am not going to let the enemy get to me.


    I wonder how long it has been since we resumed fighting.


    I had been concentrating on the battle and just fighting with Koga, but I could not see any way to win the battle.


    I have been using a large area and doing my best to outwit Koga''s attacks, but I still do not know what the bottom of this man is.


    I mean, how long can he keep up his strength? This guy.


    What is this guy''s mysterious endurance, aside from me with my healing magic?¡¡He hasn''t even moved a single breath even though he''s moving as fast as I am.


    I can''t see his complexion because of his mask, but ...... you don''t think he''s forcing his body to move with magic, do you?¡¡Please let it be so. ......!


    As I was about to be defeated by the dreary defense, a voice emanated from behind the black mask.


    "By the way, how is Ferrum?"


    "Huh?


    I let out a stunned voice even though I was in the middle of a battle.


    What is this, a trap to upset me?


    "I''m so energetic that every time I see you, you beat me up!"


    A black belt shoots out from his outstretched hand, almost piercing my head.


    I just barely avoid it and head-butt Koga''s mask as hard as I can. Koga staggers back in surprise, perhaps from the unexpected blow, but he still starts laughing happily.


    "Ha-ha-ha, I see!¡¡That''s good!¡¡He just wanted someone to accept him!"


    "What?


    Himself!


    Laughing while being attacked is really too much.


    Ignoring my somewhat reticent reaction, Koga continues his story.


    "Dark magic . A technique that reverses the attacker''s attack just as it is. It''s a foul magic that can defeat almost anyone if you put your mind to it, but where do you think it gets its characteristic from?"


    "I wouldn''t know!"


    "I''m lonely!¡¡No one loves me, no one sees me. I want someone to see me, to understand me, to love me, to touch me!¡¡After locking up the feelings that I wished for from the bottom of my heart, I have created a different kind of magic!"


    "......!"


    At that moment, my mind recalled the image of Ferrum shedding tears in the prison.


    I didn''t know why she cried at that time, but I knew that ...... she had been through a hard life too.


    I''m not in a situation where I can be so careless as to get sentimental about it now, though!


    "Her magic is a mirror. Hostility is returned with hostility, and ill will with ill will. You hit him with the kindness of your healing magic. You can''t imagine how shocking that was to him.


    Coga let out a laugh as if he remembered.


    I took advantage of that slight opening and tried to fight back.


    "You''re a talker, you know that?


    "Whoa!"


    I thrust a kick at him, intending to hit him in the jaw, but he avoided it.


    Koga backflips to avoid it and makes a gesture as if he were wiping off his mask, which is still free of sweat.


    "I''m finally relieved. I''m glad he''s doing well.


    "You ......."


    Even from behind his mask, he sounded relieved.


    I could tell that it was not the kind of battle-enjoyment he had been enjoying.


    "No, it''s just sympathy. "No, it''s just sympathy. As a former superior officer, I cared about them enough to be concerned about them."


    "...... what about you?"


    What?


    How did you perfect your dark magic?


    At that moment, for the first time, I asked a genuine question that had nothing to do with the battle.


    I knew that Ferrum''s magic came from loneliness.


    Then what does the magic of K?ga come from?


    "Not as much as Ferrum. I just wanted to be a beast."


    You wanted to be a beast?


    A creature of instinct, a fighter. My magic took on this form when I realized that the real me is probably the ugliest beast anyone could ever imagine."


    Coga points to his transformed self.


    Looking at him again, I saw that his appearance was severely distorted.


    A mask that hid his true face.


    A black band that wraps around his body like a restraint.


    And deformed, animal-like limbs.


    "It''s a lie."


    I naturally said those words.


    Coga looked up, surprised.


    What are you holding?¡¡You are not a beast, you just look like one.


    "......"


    I''m not sure.


    But it seemed different.


    "Ha...... hahahaha."


    Coga begins to laugh, holding the mask with his hand that has been put back on his human arm.


    Maybe I said the wrong thing?¡¡If so, I''m quite embarrassed.


    I am in a hurry, but my attention is pulled back when K?ga''s laughter suddenly stops.


    "I have been alone since birth. Abandoned in a dark forest, alone and deprived like a beast, I grew up without knowing human emotions. That''s why I don''t know. Except to fight."


    Then the mask disappeared from Koga''s face, and his mouth was smiling, but that was all.


    "Oh, yes. I was lying. I didn''t want to be. I was born a beast. Even before I woke up to this magic, I''ve been living like a beast and fighting alone."


    His smile was too painful to be fake, and I honestly could not look directly at it.


    "Ever since I became involved with the demon tribe, I have been suppressing my beastly self. To those with normal sensibilities, I was an anomaly. I have spent my life in the world as a human being, suppressing my beastly nature. But I still couldn''t understand the joys of being human."


    Live as a beast.


    I don''t understand what it''s like, but I know how horrible and sad it is.


    This guy probably doesn''t know anything else.


    "I''m having fun now. Fighting you. There are stronger men than me in the army of the Demon Lord. But he doesn''t see who he''s fighting. He sees someone who isn''t there. So you''re the first one who looks at me and fights me as an equal."


    I silently raised my fists.


    Now I''ve made up my mind. I must fight him and beat him.


    All he really knows how to do is fight. And he''s not going to understand anything else. So the only way to end this fight is to defeat him.


    I look sideways at Amaco.


    I take a little courage from her, who is looking out for me from a safe distance.


    "Koga. I really, really hated to fight you, but ...... I will fight you. But be prepared for a lot of pain."


    "Maybe you''re the one who''s ready, huh?¡¡Now that you''ve exposed my secret, I can finally fight with my beastly nature exposed."


    "Oh, what''s that?"


    At the moment he muttered this, the black band around Koga''s body loosened and shimmered.


    As the band loosened, Koga''s hawk-like mask cracked open, creating a gaping maw with sharp fangs peeking out of its cheeks.


    Well, I haven''t heard of another stage of transformation, but is such a thing possible?


    Koga, now in full-blown monstrous form, holds his limbs on the ground.


    "...... No choice. I guess I''ll just have to use it on the spur of the moment."


    I came up with the idea during the fight with Jinya-san and immediately sealed it off, deeming it dangerous without even trying it out.


    I really don''t want to show it.


    This is because it is a dangerous technique that is clearly out of the way of the lifeguard corps.


    But I have to use it against this man.


    "The next attack will be my last."


    "...... yeah."


    At the same time me and Koga jump out.


    As we run, a black band, gaining momentum from Koga''s back, approaches us in a zigzag trajectory.


    Without any tricks, I went straight ahead and threw a healing magic bullet, forcibly changing the trajectory of the belt and plunged into it.


    "If you can play it, play it!"


    The black belt and claw swung around like a tornado, and I dealt with them with only my right arm.


    He catches them with his healing bursting palm and pops them with his basket hand.


    Koga''s newly released power has changed his movement into one specialized for close to medium range with the black belt and his limbs together. If I fall back halfway, my defeat is assured at that moment.


    Then, I have no choice but to get into the pocket, even if it is a little dangerous.


    "Oh, oh, ......!"


    I catch the protruding claw with my slap hand, grab it from here, and swing it with all my might and slam it to the ground.


    Coga, who is breathing out as if he had been hit by a stone, avoids my heel drop, which I slam into him as he rolls on the ground.


    I unintentionally click my tongue at him.


    "d*mn!¡¡He dodged it!"


    "That was close!¡¡I''m a badass, but you''re a badass too!¡¡Especially your face!


    Shut up!¡¡It only hurts a little!¡¡Just take the beating!


    You were going to crush me!


    You''re always making light jokes in a situation like this.


    Unlike me, who''s using healing magic, you''re fighting with the intent to kill!


    Koga stands up with his belt as a support and throws his right fist with all his might.


    Koga, in response, thrusts out a claw covered with the belt.


    "Oraaaa!"


    Soraaaa!"


    The claws and fists collide.


    The air vibrates, and a shrill, high-pitched sound rings out. A fist covered by a cage destroys Koga''s claw, but it is instantly regenerated by the black belt that surrounds it.


    "You''re really something, aren''t you?"


    "Oh?"


    So this was the only way to win.


    What are you talking about?


    Just as I was about to say those words, I felt a sharp pain in my left shoulder, stomach, and left leg.


    As soon as I looked down, I saw three black strips protruding from the back of Koga''s leg, piercing my left shoulder and stomach, and my left leg from the knee up.


    "But, is that ......!"


    "You were completely focused on your hand. Well, that''s all I did. ......


    I got hit ......!


    The belt is pulled out from the place where it was impaled, but the movement still stops due to the injury received.


    I stop moving for a moment, and he raises the claw with which the belt is bound.


    Oh no!¡¡I have to avoid or defend myself!


    My head tries desperately to move, but my body is too rigid to allow it.


    "This is the end!"


    "......!"


    I can heal him with healing magic, but I can''t avoid the next one.


    This one is sure to be fatal. I can''t avoid it, but my body won''t let me.


    So much for ......!


    Just when we were about to give up, something like an explosion happened on our side.


    "What the hell?


    "What is that?" "It''s a ........."


    I looked over in surprise and saw that a section of the wall of flame surrounding us had been cut into a cross.


    From behind the wall, I could clearly see Mr. Alc, Bulrin, and Nair.


    "Usato!


    Usato!


    Usato!


    Guare!


    I was sure I heard a voice calling my name.


    Amaco.


    Nea.


    Aruk.


    Bulrin.


    The voices of my friends, whom I will never forget, even in the midst of my pain.


    "Yeah, that''s right, isn''t it?"


    I''ve always had someone to help me along the way.


    Just with that, an inexpressible power moves through my whole body.


    After applying a light healing spell and sealing only the wound, I hold out my left hand in the opposite direction of Kohga''s, keeping the right side of my body visible to him.


    "Healing ...... burst palm!"


    "You accelerated in that position ......?


    "Whoa!"


    I kicked the ground and slammed my right fist into Koga with all my might, regardless of the blood splattering from my hand due to the fact that I had gone in there alive.


    My fist, covered by a cage, dug into Koga''s body, but it felt resilient.


    The belt blocked it just in time.


    Looking down at his feet, the belt was driven into the ground like a stake, suppressing the impact of the blow itself.


    "You can''t expect that level of attack, can you? ......!¡¡No way, that''s your last plan!¡¡A man of your stature can''t be this ...... crude!"


    "......"


    Ignoring his words, which showed some disappointment, I silently tried to force my way through his body.


    Coga is bewildered by my actions.


    "Hey, you can''t just--"


    You stopped him, didn''t you?


    What?


    You would have defended yourself the moment my fist hit you.


    You would have braced yourself so that the force of my fist wouldn''t knock you off your feet.


    That''s what I was trying to do.


    "Please. Please hold on."


    "What?"


    I warn Kohga as if I wish with all my heart.


    I release a zero-range healing flying fist from my cage, regardless of Koga''s stunned voice.


    "Ugh!


    Koga''s body breaks in a heap with an onomatopoeic sound, but he is still surprised and tries to counterattack me.


    "It worked, but that''s not going to help me--gasp!


    You can''t do anything now."


    He silently strikes a second blow with a healing flying fist, which shreds some of the belts connected to the ground.


    In doing so, he pushes his fist out with his body to keep it from releasing, so that the belt is stretched to its limit.


    The third blow, when all the belts are broken, he pushes Koga''s body out with his fist and starts to run.


    "Goooooooooooooooooooooo!¡¡What the hell are you doing?


    "This was the only way to penetrate your defense!¡¡I''m pouring most of my magic power into you, so we''re even!


    There''s no way I can be such an unreasonable partner!¡¡Bogo?


    Then, with the fourth blow, he breaks through the band that protects his body, silencing Koga at the same time, and he continues to push forward, unleashing his healing flying fist.


    "Oh oh oh!!!"


    The seventh impact ......!¡¡With that, he finally breaks through Koga''s defense completely!


    Now there is nothing left to protect him!¡¡All that''s left is the body!


    He screams and pushes straight ahead with a yell, regardless of the intense pain that runs through his entire body.


    "Knock yourself out!


    "Huh?


    As soon as my fist pierced into his body with a cry of anguish, I put all my healing magic into my fist and slammed him into the wall of the plaza.


    The wooden wall shatters, and I punch Koga behind it.


    "I''ll never, ever use this kind of ...... technique ...... again."


    This is the forbidden secret, the healing punch Ni-no-Kata<> a.k.a. <>.


    While slamming your fist into your opponent, you repeatedly hit him with a healing flying fist from zero distance, a healing punch to break his defense.


    I just used it and found out its power, and I never want to use it again. It consumes a lot of magic power, but above all, it is too dangerous.


    I was able to use it because my opponent was Koga.


    I could not beat him without it, and moreover, I had to do so.


    "Huh. ......"


    Breathing a sigh of relief, I head toward Mr. Arc, healing my body minimally with the little magic I have left.


    When I saw him earlier, Aruk-san was also badly injured. I have to heal him first, I think, and turn my back to Koga, who is still lying on the ground.


    "I didn''t think you could get this bad..."


    "What!"


    I heard a third person''s voice behind me and turned around to see a red-haired demon woman who had been with Koga looking down at him.


    I can''t believe that another demoness is coming this way now. .......


    The woman sighed in exasperation, as if she had no hostile intentions toward me, while I was in a hurry.


    "Well, it''s not my place to say. ...... how long are you going to stay down!"


    "OGE!"


    Koga, who had been kicked by the woman, rolls over with a cry of anguish.


    When I looked at him, he was scratching his head apologetically.


    He scratched his head apologetically. I was really out of it for a minute. The world is a big place, isn''t it? I didn''t expect to get hit like this. Ha-ha-ha, you really are a ...... crazy guy, aren''t you?"


    "...... still going at it?"


    I''m at my limit.


    My body hurts all over and I have almost no magic power.


    I''m in pain all over my body, and I have almost no magic power.


    He shook his head with a satisfied expression on his face.


    "I lost this time. I was unconscious for a little while. But, well, it was ...... fun. I look forward to the next time we fight."


    I never want to see you again."


    "No, I don''t think so."


    Coga stands up and exchanges glances with me, his smile fading.


    "Next invasion, I''ll be there."


    So what? It doesn''t matter.


    I said no once and for all.


    I''m a lifesaver. I have more important things to do than fight you.


    K?ga laughed funny at my clear reply.


    "Oh, yeah. He really doesn''t get his way, does he? Well, that''s okay, we''ll just have to drag him out when we do."


    "huh?"


    Let''s not talk about this guy anymore.


    I really don''t like it.


    "Well, I''d better be going home. I have my men waiting outside. Right, Amira?"


    "Yes, they are good men who follow my orders."


    "You''re so sarcastic, man. ....... Till we meet again, be strong."


    After saying these words, the two jumped up and disappeared in a flash.


    I was left there, looking around, and when I finally realized that I was safe, I sat down, my strength drained from my body.


    "It''s over, isn''t it?¡¡It''s over, isn''t it?¡¡No evil dragon successor is going to appear out of nowhere, right?¡¡The curse that lies beneath the country won''t be awakened, right?


    I said to myself that I had no idea what I was talking about, but I was that physically and mentally exhausted.


    Today had been a day of too many things.


    Who would have guessed that we would be fighting head-on with the commander of the army of the Demon Lords?


    "...... but we still have things to do. Good."


    I stand up, whipping my body, and turn around and start walking.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I see my friends running toward me.


    "......You''re really a group of people I can count on."


    I wasn''t the only one who was able to fight back then.


    Seeing them, I thought to myself once again, and with a smile on my face, I moved forward to my trusted companions.

 153 - - 141st episode.

    A long day is over.


    After capturing Jinya, rescuing Amako, and fighting to the death with Koga, who had to fight me for some reason or another, I collapsed after healing Aruk who was wounded.


    Right before I collapsed, I thought to myself, "Of course, that''s what happened.


    After healing Mr. Aruk, I was drained of magic power and my body was in shambles. I was rather surprised at myself that I could stay conscious this long.


    The next time I opened my eyes, I found myself on the futon in the guest room of Hinomoto''s headquarters. I tried to fall back asleep on the futon, but someone dived into my stomach like a tsukkomi, forcing me to wake up.


    When I woke up with a healing bump to my attacker, I found Amako and Mr. Arcu, who were relieved to see me, and Nair, who was clutching his forehead and slumping down on the spot.


    "Nair, what are you doing?"


    "Fugyuuuuuu......!"


    I let Nea, who was staring at me with tearful eyes, forgetting the language, pass and ask Mr. Arc how long I had been asleep.


    Apparently, I had passed out until noon the next day.


    While I was sleeping, the beastman doctor seemed to have patched me up with recovery magic, and my upper body was wrapped in bandages. I quickly healed the wound with my healing magic and removed the bandage.


    "I found the uniform at ......."


    My uniform, which had been neatly folded behind me, had been torn to shreds in the battle with Kohga.


    It was covered with small and large cuts, and holes had been made in the shoulders and stomach.


    I put on another jacket prepared for me, feeling dejected at the sight of it.


    "Huh. ....... I ripped my uniform. ...... I''ll be beaten up when I get home, I''m sure of it. I hope I only get half killed."


    "I''m sure they''ll understand if you tell them what happened."


    I hope so.


    I''m sure they''ll understand.


    But it''s also because of your immaturity. I''m going to beat you up," and suddenly you''re going to have a full house in hell, which is a terrifying part.


    Nair, who has transformed into a shoulder, goes to Hayate with Amako and Aruk next to her.


    "So, what happened after that?"


    "Jinya-dono and those who followed him were captured, and Hayate and his men took care of the rest.


    "The followers," you say?


    I don''t mean the soldiers who followed the orders, but the guards and the researchers. As I should have expected, Jinya-dono was also moving his troops recklessly, and there was a growing distrust among the soldiers.


    ...... Yesterday, they attacked us and we threw them away, but the other soldiers had their doubts.


    Maybe if they had really tried to kill us, my healing magic alone would not have been able to keep up, and there might have been casualties.


    "Amako, you''re not injured anywhere, are you?"


    "No. I''m fine.


    I ask Amako and she looks up at me with a smile.


    ...... soften her reaction?¡¡It''s kind of a different vibe from before.


    It seems as if we are strangely close to walk next to each other.


    As I was tilting my head, Nair approached me.


    "Usato, I have a question for you.


    "Hmm, what?"


    "That technique you used to defeat the second corps leader, what was that ......?"


    That thing you made Koga eat?


    "Healing Punch, Form 2. It''s a technique to hit healing flying fist repeatedly at zero distance."


    "...... Wow, wow."


    "Yes, for once I understand how you feel. This is a dangerous move."


    As a result, my healing punch is one step stronger with Kagote.


    But it has turned into a more dangerous technique.


    This time I had to use it because my opponent had a high defense ...... and I had to beat him, but this technique is definitely not a technique that should be used on people.


    "......"


    "Why do you look so surprised?"


    "No, it''s just that ...... you''ve got some common sense, you know."


    What do you think I am?


    "Outrageous."


    That''s rude, you owl!¡¡What do you mean "out of the ordinary"?


    Amaco said, "What?" Amako, don''t you dare let out a "Huh?"!


    Aruk is just smiling and laughing. .......


    "...... huh?"


    I let out a sigh at the inordinate reaction, but I realize that it has been a long time since we have had this kind of exchange.


    Not so long ago, even such a casual exchange was unacceptable, so it makes me feel that being able to talk like this with everyone is invaluable.


    We headed for Hayate''s place, exchanging nostalgic exchanges.


    We were going to the place where Hayate was staying.


    We headed for the plaza where we fought with Jinya and Koga yesterday.


    Hayate was in charge of the cleanup there, cleaning up and repairing things that were broken in yesterday''s fight.


    When he noticed us, he smiled and waved to us.


    "Oh, thank God. You noticed. How are you feeling?


    "Yes. Thanks to you. I just healed you with healing magic and you''re completely healed. Thank you for giving me a place to sleep.


    "Considering what you have done for us, we can never repay you enough.


    Once Hayate leaves the situation to his men, he moves to a slightly remote location at the edge of the plaza.


    "After you fainted, things got a bit chaotic here. After you fainted, things were in a bit of a mess here... The defeat of Jinya, the chief of the tribe, and the intervention of the demon king''s army and the one who calls himself the leader of the army. It was understandable, but things have finally calmed down today.


    Were the others all right?


    Yes, of course. Yes, of course. It''s partly because things were settled so quickly, but I think most of the soldiers were so lost that they only got away with this much."


    "Yes, sir. ......"


    I wonder if Hayate was thinking the same thing as I was.


    Well, people are living in a place where they don''t have to fight. People who have rough ideas like Mr. Jinya''s may be more rare.


    "That''s right. How is Mr. Jinya doing?¡¡I heard he was captured. ......"


    When I asked her this, Hayate-san frowned in confusion.


    As I tilted my head toward Mr. Hayate, who was still hesitating to say anything, Nair, who was standing on my shoulder, opened her mouth as if to answer me instead.


    "Jinya is drugging you to make you sleep so that you can help us save Kanoko."


    "You''re trying to make him sleep, but he''s cooperating?"


    "I''m just restoring the power I took from you. Besides, if we let him talk, he''ll only say the most disgusting things.


    "You''re a bitter ......."


    "I don''t like egotistical people like that."


    You hate me.


    Well, that''s all I did, and maybe I said something to offend Nair while I was gone.


    But to help Kanoko...


    "So how are you going to help Mr. Kanoko?¡¡< means that you needed it too, right?"


    "Yes, I couldn''t move until I stopped Jinya, but now I can finally put my plan into action."


    With that, Nair jumped off my shoulder and reverted to her dark-haired, red-eyed human form.


    "I found out from my research about that it is a magical tool that extracts the user''s magic and attaches it to another person. But the user whose magic is extracted by this device is forced into a permanent coma because his/her body parts are missing. ...... Well, I don''t know if it happened because I put them in a runaway state or because of my twisted research."


    Extracting magic from a person and applying it to another person.


    Simply put, it''s a horrifying story, though it can be easily dismissed as such.


    So what are we supposed to do?


    "Jinya obtained Kanoko''s power through . So, if we use it in the opposite way, we can return the precognition magic and magic power that is attached to Jinya back to Kanoko.


    "...... is it that simple?"


    "Yes. Yes, because the hypnotized researcher has heard all about it and is helping them, right?¡¡To be more specific, the day I got the go-ahead from Usato, I started to adjust to save Kanoko."


    "......nea."


    I look at her in surprise.


    She meets my gaze, tilts her head, and then gives me a confident look.


    "Hmm?¡¡Wait a minute, you finally understand how great I am?¡¡Can''t you give me more compliments?"


    "Nah, you''re not screwing up ......!"


    "Wait, what do you mean by that?


    I was going to praise her, but I didn''t because I felt like I was getting carried away.


    However, I was deeply impressed that he had really worked hard.


    I''ll praise him casually later. I''ll give him a subtle compliment later, but only subtly.


    "So, Nea. Can we get started now?"


    Amako asked an angry N¨¦a.


    "We''re ready to go. All we need now is Hayate''s permission.


    "Of course, I''ll give you permission. Of course, I''ll get permission.


    Help Amako''s mother.


    This journey, which began that day with Amako''s wish, is about to end.


    All I can do is hope that Amako''s mother will wake up.


    I can only hope that Amako''s mother will wake up.


    Around , which had been moved to the back of the plaza, a sort of enclosure had been set up, in which the researchers whom Nair had put in a hypnotic state were preparing the device.


    The first thing we had to do to help Ms. Kanoko was to bring her, who was bedridden, to this place.


    With the help of the animal people who have been taking care of her, we took her on a stretcher to the newly added bed-like section of the plaza ......<, and attached rings connected to wires to her limbs and head.


    Then, inside the remaining <>--,


    "Jinya ......"


    Jinya-san, who was brought to the <> in a sleeping state, is brought into the <>.


    Hayate looked at him sadly, but we didn''t say anything.


    "......"


    Amako looks down anxiously at the face of Kanoko, who is sleeping with a quiet sigh.


    I put my hand on her shoulder and try to reassure her as much as possible.


    "It''s going to be all right.


    "But ...... I''m afraid to predict ...... what I''ll do if I don''t wake up. ......"


    That must be scary. Only you would know the outcome of this attempt better than anyone else. .......


    Unable to come up with a witty line, I had to stay by her side for now and wait for her to get ready.


    Nair, who had been watching Jinya and Kanoko with the other researchers, had finished her preparations and turned away from and looked back at me.


    "Let''s get started. There shouldn''t be any problems, but just be careful.


    After confirming that we had nodded our heads, Nair asked the researchers to activate the .


    A few seconds later, a golden light emitted from a gap in the outer shell of the <>. The golden light flowed into from the wire connected to Jinya, and then it moved to again.


    As I watched with bated breath, Amako took my hand in hers.


    Her little hand trembled.


    I sense it and squeeze his hand back.


    "The ...... light subsides."


    After about five minutes, the light from the subsides.


    Seeing that the light had completely subsided, Nair silently approached Mr. Kanoko and looked at his body.


    "The magic is back. The attempt was successful, but ...... we just have to see if she will wake up.


    "What about Jinya?"


    At Hayate''s question, Nair takes one look at Jinya.


    "Jinya seems to have returned to her original magical power. The other one is just back to normal, so he should be fine, the problem is--"


    "......!"


    Amaco!


    Amako ran to Mr. Kanoko, as if she couldn''t take it anymore.


    With a tearful expression on her face, she clutched Kanoko''s hand and called for her mother in a strangled voice.


    I did everything I could.


    I restored Kanoko''s magic power.


    All that was left was for him to wake up..,


    "......unh."


    "!"


    At that moment, Kanoko-san, who had been bedridden all this time, let out a moaning sound.


    Amako, who had gone rigid with surprise, immediately called out to her, and Kanoko-san opened her eyes.


    "......A,u,I,am,......"


    "Mother."


    "Amaco?¡¡It''s still very early in the morning. ......... hmm?¡¡No, no. I''m sure I''ve got a ...... then, maybe!¡¡Aww!"


    She tried to sit up, or maybe she was trying to, but after two years of not moving, she was back to her original position, writhing in agony.


    Amako''s voice trembled as she did so, and she hugged Kanoko as hard as she could.


    "Mom, I thought you''d never wake up again......I''m so, so glad......!"


    "Amako,....... Yes, you did a ...... good job."


    Seeing Amako tearfully say these words, a look of surprise came to Kanoko''s face, but she immediately smiled kindly, put her hand on her head and gently stroked it.


    This made Amako cry.


    The girl who never showed tears even in hard times or sad times finally cried.


    It was the moment when she, who had been matured beyond her years, was finally able to express her emotions and cry in a manner appropriate to her age.


    I was so happy to see her cry.


    After that, Kanoko immediately went to see a doctor in Hinomoto.


    < had any effect on her, but it was also because of her physical condition.


    Even with her magical tools and care, she had not moved her body for two years. Because of this, her muscular strength had deteriorated so much that she could not even walk normally now.


    After the examination, it was found that she had no aftereffects from the loss of magic power caused by <>.


    "Thank you very much, everyone. I''m still physically disabled, so I can''t thank you properly, but please forgive me..."


    No, no. No, no, no, please don''t be too hard on yourself.


    "Mom, Usato is right."


    He tells Mr. Kanoko, who is still sitting up on the futon with his upper body only, to stop in a hurry as he lowers his head.


    Half a day has passed since Mr. Kanoko woke up. I, Aruk and Amako were called to the room where Ms. Kanoko was sleeping.


    Amako was sitting beside Ms. Kanoko, glancing at her anxiously.


    "I heard about what happened."


    "Approximately what?"


    "About what Amaco has been doing away from here for two years, and about the recent disturbances."


    So you''ve heard all about it.


    "I really put you through a lot of trouble, Hayate. If I had realized Jinya''s true nature earlier, the situation would not have escalated so much. ......"


    "Don''t worry about it. I''m just glad you''re awake and safe."


    "Amaco......!"


    Kanoko-san holds her eyes as if moved by Amako''s words.


    After about ten seconds, she wiped her eyes and looked at us.


    "I really appreciate you guys. Amako told me your name, but may I ask your name again?


    "Uh, yes. My name is Usato Ken of the Lingle Kingdom Rescue Mission.


    My name is Alc, a knight of the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "This is Nair, the messenger. I''m an owl now, but I''m a human being.


    After listening to each person''s self-introduction, Kanoko-san looked at me one last time and gave me a beaming smile.


    "You must be Usato-kun, the one who cast the healing spell on me."


    It seemed as if the honorifics had been removed ...... and he became more friendly, if not heartless.


    "Yes, yes, I am. Was he conscious?"


    "While I was asleep, I woke up for a moment and saw you and Amako trying desperately to help me. Jinya was around, so all I could do was warn him of the danger. ......Yes, hmmm, you are the one who ...... hmmm."


    Hmmm," said Kanoko, swaying her upper body to the side and observing me.


    She gives me a meaningful look, and I don''t know how to react, wondering what the hell is going on.


    Is it my imagination that I have a bad feeling about this?


    It''s different from the time in the coga.


    No, this is more like the time of Samaritan Lucas..,


    "So, how long have you and Amaco been friends?"


    "What?"


    What?


    I let out a shocked voice, and Amako let out a crazy voice.


    As we reacted in such a way, Mr. Kanoko put on a proud expression on his face.


    "Amako! Did you really think I wouldn''t know?¡¡My fox intuition is still sharp even after two years of sleep. I could feel it in my ears, and I knew it immediately.


    Kanoko crosses her arms confidently. The fox ears on her head are moving proudly.


    Could it be that she is mistaken, like a father who judges his daughter''s boyfriends as her boyfriends?


    Amako, who is greatly upset by Kanoko''s unexpected words, calls out to her.


    "Mom?¡¡What are you talking about?"


    "My mother can''t understand anything you hide from her.


    ...... Oh, he looks disappointed.


    The smug look on Kanoko''s face, which I want to use as an example, reminds me of the word "woman trouble" for the first time in a long time.


    I looked at Amako with trepidation, and sure enough, she was lying on her face, blushing bright red.


    "Everyone, get out of this room right now!


    The words were broken off, but every word oozed shame and anger.


    We shudder at the low voice.


    Nair is shaking on my shoulder, shaking at Amako''s unprecedented reaction.


    "Yeah, but, Amako, ......"


    Get out."


    "Yes, I understand!"


    I assure you.


    Amaco is more terrifying than the Kogan.


    Kanoko tries to stop us, but we don''t know that.


    "What''s wrong?¡¡Amako, you look so scary. You''re ruining your pretty face. Huh?¡¡Why are you coming so close to me? What are you doing with your hands?


    I slammed the fusuma (sliding door) shut and heard a voice from inside that sounded like a chicken''s head ...... or a fox''s tail.


    I don''t know, I''ve never heard a voice that grabbed a fox''s tail before, but maybe it''s not so wrong.


    "But I''m glad to hear you''re doing well."


    I am relieved to see Kanoko-san, who is now leaking out a cry for help to us behind the fusuma (sliding door).


    From what I can see, it may take some time, but with continued rehabilitation, she will be able to return to her daily life. My healing magic won''t work on her, but I''m sure a woman with a strong core like Ms. Kanoko will be fine.


    However, I had one thing on my mind.


    "......"


    Mr. Kanoko was saved.


    If it is Hinomoto now, Hayate will protect Kanoko and Amako.


    If so, will Amako stay here?¡¡Or will she go to the Kingdom of Lingle?


    Only Amako herself can answer that question.

 154 - - The 142nd.

    Three days have passed since Mr. Kanoko woke up.


    Amako is often seen with Rinka, who came to Hinomoto the day before yesterday.


    Nair and Bulrin are coasting in their sleep.


    Sometimes annoyed by the owl sleeping happily on my shoulder, I help with the restoration work in Hinomoto with Mr. Aruku.


    Hinomoto, thanks to Hayate''s efforts, was finally returning to a peaceful life.


    "So you''re finally leaving?"


    "Yes. Thank you for your hospitality, but I might cause you trouble if I stay too long."


    It''s been exactly one week since I entered the land of the beasts.


    Me and Mr. Aruk...... along with Nair, who was sleeping on my shoulder, were visiting Hayate''s room.


    When I told him that we were leaving Hinomoto and returning to the Kingdom of Lingle, he looked sad.


    "...... don''t worry about the soldiers looking at you, okay?"


    "I''m used to that."


    "Yeah, yeah. ......"


    Soldiers whom I may have thrown away would turn pale and move away from me, or worse, they would say, "I won''t do anything bad anymore! I thought I had gone too far.


    I heard that there are some people who tell their children a story that if they do something wrong, they will be thrown to the ogre.


    ...... lama hage, I ha...


    "I see...but it can''t be helped. You''re here on a mission."


    "Yes."


    When do you think you''ll be leaving?


    "I''ve had a good rest, and I hope to leave tomorrow around noon."


    I would not want to stay any longer, and most of all, I would like to let them know that I am returning to the Lingle Kingdom.


    Since there is no hoo-bird that can be sent to the human realm in Hinomoto, I would like to do something about the fact that we have not yet been informed of our safety as soon as possible.


    "Is Hayate-san going to be all right?¡¡I heard that he is now serving as a temporary chief."


    At Mr. Aruk''s question, Hayate scratched her cheek as if she was troubled.


    "Currently, I, who was an assistant, am the temporary chief, but if no one else is nominated, I will be the chief for the time being, ...... I think."


    "I''m sure Hayate-san will make me feel at ease."


    "Ha-ha-ha, I wonder if that''s true. I don''t think it''s a position I''d be comfortable in. ....... But I''ll do my best."


    I''m sure he''ll be fine.


    He may be modest, but it is thanks to his efforts that Hinomoto was able to quickly rebuild. The people who have been watching his actions would never complain.


    Hayate''s troubled smile quickly turns dark.


    "It''s about Jinya. ......"


    "You''re talking about being detained, right?"


    "Yes. They are still holding him because he took magic from Kanoko and tried to start a war with dangerous ideas. ......"


    "......What''s going on?"


    I sensed something unusual in Hayate''s hesitancy.


    "Jinya has become very confused since he lost his precognition magic. I think it''s because he has been relying on foresight magic for the past two years, but he has become afraid of the present, which he doesn''t know anything about."


    "...... such an obvious thing to do."


    "I think it''s because it''s natural. The future is usually unknowable, but Jinya reached for it. ...... I don''t want to sound like a jerk, but maybe being afraid of something you can''t see is the punishment for Jinya right now."


    I don''t know how you feel, Jinya, because I don''t have the power of precognition magic.


    But I think it is really scary that we can no longer see what we used to be able to see. What he did was too much, but I sympathized with him in that part.


    "...... Let me change the subject. Since yesterday, as temporary chief, I have been thinking about the letter of the Lingle Kingdom."


    "What?¡¡No, but ......"


    "Of course, I can''t accept it. We''re going to remain neutral. But ......"


    Hayate then raises her arm.


    Then, through the open window, two blue birds enter and stay on his arm.


    Hoofbirds, bird-shaped demons that enable long-distance communication.


    "I am thinking of establishing a friendship with you as friends without my position as chief," he says. Would that be all right?"


    "!¡¡Yes, of course.


    No one will complain if someone finds out about it with you guys. Well, I heard that Amaco signed up for this too, so I guess the main thing that goes to him is the letter from Linka. Ha-ha-ha."


    Indeed, it is impossible to form a cooperative relationship with Hinomoto.


    It was obvious that it would not be good for them or for us to involve the beastmen in the current turmoil.


    But I am willing to accept it in this way.


    I held up my arms, and two of the fubards jumped toward me. Once again, their dull eyes are adorable.


    I wonder what they would look like if I put them on my shoulders.


    "...... Ha!¡¡I have a feeling that my position is in jeopardy!


    "What are you talking about?"


    I make a simple messenger contract with Huberd, wondering about Nair, who said something unintelligible in her sleep.


    It was easy to make a contract because all I had to do was to touch Huberd''s head with my fingertips and mutter a few words.


    After that, Nair was frantically chasing Huberd away with her wings.


    "This is mine!¡¡Here, shh shh!"


    Since when does my shoulder belong to you? It''s in its place, sure.


    And so, Mr. Aruk finishes his contract with Hubbard.


    Hayate, who saw Huberd leaving through the window, looked at me as if she suddenly remembered something.


    "By the way, did you tell Amako about this?"


    "Yes, well, ...... yes. The boy asked for more time, but maybe he will stay here with his mother. If he does, please take care of him."


    Of course. But are you sure?


    I hesitate a little at Hayate''s words, but quickly answer.


    "I''ll leave it to Amako''s choice."


    "......Yes. Then I won''t say anything more. Then let''s switch gears. I was thinking of having a party to send you off today, how about that?"


    "What?¡¡A banquet is ...... such a big deal.


    Hayate, you are smiling so much.


    "Don''t worry about it, it''s an event to dispel the gloomy atmosphere that has been prevailing recently. Besides, we beastmen love parties. Everyone will be happy to attend, so there''s no need for you to be shy."


    Come to think of it, the feast we held in the hidden village was like that, too.


    Once again, I think that beastmen are cheerful and fun-loving people.


    After confirming with Mr. Aruk, I turn to Hayate.


    "If that''s the case, I''ll be happy to join you.


    "Okay, it''s decided!¡¡Then, let''s make arrangements to let everyone know!"


    Smiling at Hayate-san, who gives instructions to her subordinates with a smile, I think back to my earlier words.


    Amako is either going to the Lingle Kingdom or staying in Hinomoto with her mother.


    The usual choice would be to stay in Hinomoto with her mother, who has been asleep for a long time. It is sad to say goodbye, but it does not mean that we will not see each other forever, and we can keep in touch with each other by hoovering.


    But we must be prepared for that.


    But we must be prepared to say goodbye to our friends who have been traveling with us all these years.


    I''ll miss you.


    I was lost.


    Whether to return to the Kingdom of Lingle with Usato and the others, or to stay in Hinomoto with my mother.


    If it had been me a long time ago, I would have said I would stay here without hesitation.


    But now that I have completed my long journey, Usato and the others have become as important to me as my mother.


    When Usato and his friends decided to return to the Kingdom of Lingle, Hayate held a banquet to send them off. Unlike in the Hidden Village, it was a big party in scale and everything, but everyone ate, drank, and laughed.


    Since Mom was too sick to eat strong-flavored food, I let her sit in a position where she could watch the feast, and Rinka and I looked around the feast together.


    During this time, I saw Usato, who looked as if he had just gotten over himself, having an arm-wrestling match and knocking down the Hinomoto men, including Mr. Daitetsu, one after another, giving the Hinomoto children the impression that humans = Usato, but I soon forgot about it.


    Anyway, it was a noisy but enjoyable banquet.


    But then..,


    "Ugh, Usato, thank you, thank you. ......"


    "Ah, ha-ha-ha."


    "Mom, why couldn''t you stand it?"


    The morning after the party, Mom had a stomach ache.


    Thinking something was wrong, I called up Usato and asked her why,


    "Because it looked so good."


    I hope you will praise me for not saying, "This isn''t a thing," in a tone of voice like Usato''s.


    What is he talking about at the age of 34?¡¡At this moment, I felt a little ashamed of being a daughter.


    It all started when my mother, who couldn''t stand by and watch the banquet, started to touch the food at the banquet.


    According to Usato, she had not eaten solid food for two years, and her internal organs were so surprised that they were damaged.


    After being healed by Usato''s healing magic, Mom bowed her head in tears, but he was not pleased.


    "Usato, I''m sorry. I have to get ready to leave. ....... Mom, you look like a natural, but you have a childish side too. ......"


    I apologized to Usato in front of Mom''s room, and he waved his hand sideways with a wry smile.


    "It''s okay, it''s okay. It would be more important if something happened to Kanoko. So, have you decided on Amako ......?"


    "I''ll ...... decide soon."


    After a short silence, he nodded slowly.


    I watched his back as he went to get ready and returned to my mother''s room.


    When I entered the room with a sigh, I saw my mother sitting on the futon, staring at me.


    "Amako."


    "What?"


    "Don''t worry about me."


    "Are you saying that because you remember how ugly it was earlier?"


    "Shu, Ugly ......"


    The words are a bit harsh and Mom is shocked with her hand over her mouth.


    What would I call it if I didn''t call what I just said an abomination? I was more embarrassed than she was.


    But from what she just said, she must have heard what Usato and I were talking about.


    But I''m still worried about you. She can''t walk yet, so I have to keep her company.


    "You''ve grown, Amako."


    With that one word, I come to my senses and look at my mother.


    Her expression had changed to a kindly one with a smile on her face, instead of the languid one she had shown me earlier.


    "You didn''t grow much taller, but your mind is more mature."


    "...... height is superfluous."


    "I''m sorry."


    My mother pats my unfaithful head.


    I feel the comfort of her weak hands, but they are reassuring and warm.


    "But you are still a child, that''s all right."


    "What?"


    I am taken aback by these unexpected words.


    Mom continues to spin her words, not caring about me.


    I wanted you to live freely. I wanted you to live a happy life, forgetting about time poems and everything else.


    "......"


    "The prediction I saw was you with Usato-kun. So I was sure you would be fine. ...... I thought so. But the actual future was different."


    Mom closed her eyes regretfully.


    "My words have bound you to the contrary. You did not want a peaceful life, and you did everything in your power to help me. Of course, I really appreciate it, but I''m not a good mother ...... for causing you pain and loneliness for two years."


    "No, I''m not. That''s not true."


    She clearly rejects your words and looks you firmly in the eye.


    "I''ve had a hard time these past two years, sure, but I haven''t been lonely. Because, just like you said, there were many people who accepted me.


    The good people of the Kingdom of Lingle.


    Sarla, who let me live here because I had nowhere to go.


    My hands were full of people who took me in.


    Mom rolled her eyes and hugged me gently.


    "You really want to go with Usato and the others, don''t you?"


    "...... yes."


    "You don''t have to be so hard on yourself. Be selfish like a child and annoy me a lot."


    She told me and smiled at me.


    Be a child.


    I never thought about that before.


    I couldn''t be a child forever to survive, and I didn''t have the personality to take advantage of others.


    But your words made me finally make up my mind.


    "Mom, I ...... am going to the Kingdom of Lingle with Usato."


    I still want to be with Usato and the others.


    Even if the Demon Lord''s army threatens us, the Kingdom of Lingle is my second home.


    "That''s fine. I was afraid what would happen if you stayed because of me. I''m sure I couldn''t bear to keep a girl of your age tied up like that."


    My mother let go of me, and I breathed a sigh of relief.


    But then she quickly returned to a straight face, held up her index finger, and opened her mouth with a serious tone in her voice.


    "Before you set out on your journey, I have one piece of advice for you.


    "Yes."


    "Don''t let the game pass you by."


    "What about ......?"


    What is it?¡¡What''s the catch?¡¡What?


    No, I knew who she was referring to right away, much to my chagrin.


    But I don''t think it''s normal to bring up this topic in this situation. ......!


    "From the looks of him, he doesn''t think he''s being liked. He''s the most annoying type, but once you make him aware of the favor, the rest will be easy. But I prefer to play it short term. There are probably other assassins out to get him."


    "......."


    One after another, I could not keep my mouth shut.


    This man is really, really ......!


    "After all, it''s a colorful trick..."


    "Hey!"


    "Koh-uh-uh?"


    Before Mom can finish her sentence, a light hand slaps her in the brain.


    I turn my back to my mother, who falls down with a strange cry and rolling her eyes, and quietly try to leave the room.


    But--,


    "Amaco, have a good day."


    The words stop him in his tracks.


    An indescribable feeling wells up in me, but I manage to suppress it and respond.


    "Yes. I''m off."


    The second time we parted.


    The first time we left in despair, but not now.


    I have someone waiting for me here. This country has become a place for me to return to.


    I have a place to go back to.


    Amaco chose to go with us to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    I don''t know what he talked about with Mr. Kanoko after that. But if that was Amako''s choice, I just accepted it without a word.


    We were ready for our trip and were saying goodbye to Hayate and the others in front of the exit of Hinomoto.


    "Usato, how do you feel in that cloak?"


    "It fits perfectly and looks good.


    "That''s good to hear. It was worth it for me to choose a place that fits your culture as much as possible."


    The gray cloak that replaced the torn uniform was comfortable to wear, but not as comfortable as the uniform.


    I had planned to make do with a cloak or something, so I really appreciated Hayate''s kindness.


    "It is sad to say goodbye, but I am very happy to have met you. I wish you a safe return to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Hayate."


    "Thank you very much for your help."


    I and Aruk-san shake hands with Hayate-san and say our goodbyes.


    Rinka came out from behind Hayate and walked up to Amako, looking down.


    Amako stood up a little taller and put her hand on her head.


    "I couldn''t say it before, but I''m going to say it this time. I''ll see you again, Linka.


    "...... yeah. I''ll write you letters, lots of letters. I''ll send you so many that Huberd will fall over!"


    "I don''t want you to do that, you poor thing!"


    Amako smiles and wipes her eyes.


    When she looked up, her eyes were red and swollen, but she was still smiling.


    Then she said goodbye to us as well, and she and Hayate saw us off with smiles on their faces.


    Looking back at Hinomoto in the distance, I was deeply moved and asked Aruk-san, who was pulling the horse, about our plans for the rest of the day.


    "Alc-san, you are going to head to Mearaq once more, aren''t you?"


    "Yes. Yes. I have to send Huberd there as well. I heard that ...... Norn-sama is going to lend us a boat to Lingle Kingdom, so we can ask him to take us there.


    "If so, the way back will be easier than the way there."


    The return trip will be a leisurely one by boat.


    I''ve never been on a boat before, so I''m looking forward to it. I''ve been walking so far, so I''ll be able to see a different view from the previous one.


    I am deeply moved when I recall the journey so far.


    "Our journey has come to an end.


    "A lot has happened, hasn''t it?"


    Yes, really.


    In the magical city of Lucvis, I trained Nack, the bullied boy.


    We fought zombies and evil dragons, and then Nair joined us.


    In Samariar, the land of prayer, we freed souls bound by magic and restored Eva''s existence.


    In the water city of Mearrauk, I fought with the brave Leona against Kalon, who has the blood of a divine dragon.


    In Hinomoto, we saved Amako''s mother, Kanoko.


    And now that we have completed all our goals, we can finally return to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "Lingle Kingdom, huh? As for me, I''m looking forward to many things. I''d like to meet the brave men who were summoned to another world.


    Come to think of it, since Nair joined us on our trip, he doesn''t know anything about the Lingle Kingdom, does he?


    "Then I''ll have to introduce you to the Commander.


    Well, I''d rather not ...... do that.


    No, you can''t. No. When you''re my messenger, you''re already a member of the Rescue Mission. I''ll take you with me even if you don''t want to go.


    You know exactly what I''m talking about!


    She laughs at N¨¦a, whose face turns pale as she imagines the image of Rose she saw through the magic in Mearaq.


    "Don''t worry. You have me with you.


    "If the situation changes, the dialogue turns bizarre!


    I can''t imagine what they''ll do to me now that I''ve ripped off my uniform.


    Well, that doesn''t change the fact that I want to go home.


    In addition to Rose, the rescue team has strongmen Olga and Uluru, as well as Nack and Ferrum.


    I wonder if Senpai and Kazuki are back safely.


    "Suzune seems to be doing well for some reason."


    "Ha-ha-ha, indeed."


    Amako''s words make me chuckle as I recall the image of my senpai in good health.


    ...... Well, when we meet again, you know. I''m going to get back at them as hard as I can.


    As I was inwardly making plans to play with my senpai, Amako, who was walking next to me, suddenly pinched me lightly by the hem of my cloak.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "Our trip may be over, but we''ll still be together."


    "......Totally, of course. Did you really think it would be so easy to break up with him?"


    I didn''t travel to save your mother out of obligation or promise.


    I did what I did because I wanted to.


    So even if that promise is fulfilled, I will not cut off my ties with Amako, nor will I estrange myself from her.


    For some reason, Amako''s shoulders slump at my answer, but she quickly looks up and gives me a somewhat puzzled smile.


    "That''s why you''re Usato, isn''t it?"


    "...... what do you mean?"


    "Oh, you know, my mom was just telling me about this. I heard that Usato is being targeted by assassins.


    "What do you mean?


    "Don''t worry about it. It''s not our lives they''re after.


    Amako''s unintelligible advice makes me flinch.


    What?¡¡What do you mean "assassins" if they are not after your life?


    Are you telling me that something will happen while we are still in the middle of our trip?¡¡I''d appreciate it if you don''t let me go home.


    I see... that''s what it means.


    "It looks like Usato-dono is going to have a tough time from now on."


    "Gruaaaah."


    Nair, Aruk, and for some reason Bulrin nodded their heads in understanding.


    I don''t know what''s going on anymore.


    The trip home seemed peaceful.


    But fate, it seemed, would not allow me to do so.

 155 - - after a quiet battle

    A decision made under the guise of an offer to cooperate with the beastmen.


    As a result of the mission that the Witch King has given us, we have decided that the beastmen are not worth fighting for as my people. At that point, we should have returned to our home country, but at the whim of Koga Dingal, the leader of the bonkers army, we had a little battle in Hinomoto.


    "Whew, that was a hell of a fight!"


    As we were on our way back to our home country after finally escaping the beastmen''s territory, Koga muttered something like that as if he had just remembered.


    He was rubbing his belly, so he might be remembering the blow he had received that day.


    I ask Kohga to stay alert and aware of his surroundings.


    "I didn''t see the whole fight, but that much?"


    "Yeah, it''s about ...... as they say. It''s not unusual for me to be up against a physical specimen that I''m raising with dark magic."


    You knew that, didn''t you?


    "Well, yeah. But when we actually fought, it was full of surprises. Above all, his reflexes and defense with a basket hand were so outstanding that he could almost knock off a head-on attack, which was unbelievable.


    His dark magic, unlike that of the Black Knight, is specialized for physical combat.


    In battle, the dark robe covering his body moves according to Koga''s will, strengthening and assisting his superior physical abilities as a demon.


    It may seem unassuming, but it is similar to the magic-cloaking technique developed by the master.


    "You saw the last one, didn''t you?¡¡It''s even more powerful than it looks, you know?¡¡They force their way through your defenses and you don''t know if it hurts or not with the healing magic. Scary, isn''t it?"


    "...... can you call that healing magic?"


    Ha-ha-ha.


    "I don''t understand how you can smile at all."


    From a distance, but from a close-up perspective, it was a shocking sight to see Koga''s body being pushed out of the way as unidentified impacts repeatedly slammed into him from fists that were in close contact with his body.


    Don''t tell me that I thought for a moment that he had gone out of business, and was about to leave.


    "How was it over there?¡¡You fought with the knights of the Ringle Kingdom, didn''t you?"


    "...... Yeah, he was a good fighter."


    The red-haired swordsman from the Kingdom of Lingle.


    I didn''t take it easy on him at all. I was wearing flames and wielding a sword with the intent to kill. And yet he survived and cut through the wall of flame because he had the strength and determination to do so.


    "I''m surprised. I didn''t expect you to praise him.


    "Demon and human. but there''s more than just hatred there. His sword was magnificent. I was merely expressing my admiration for that undeniable fact.


    "I see."


    Coga crosses his arms and nods his head.


    His reaction is somewhat mocking, and I open my mouth with a frown on my face, a little annoyed.


    "First of all, I''m just along for the ride with you.


    "Ha-ha, that''s true. Well, I''m satisfied with it, so I don''t mind. Now, how do I explain this to the Demon Lord? ......"


    "...... I guess I''ll just have to be honest with you."


    Unauthorized acts of combat that have nothing to do with the order.


    Moreover, I, who should have been in a position to admonish him, helped him.


    I''m prepared to cut myself in the worst case.


    What?¡¡Why are we talking about this?


    "An action outside the order. And if it is a battle with the people of the hostile Lingle Kingdom, there should be no problem.


    "No, no, the Demon Lord wouldn''t want that. Besides, wouldn''t that involve me?"


    "......"


    "Mute!¡¡Are you trying to take me with you?¡¡Don''t do this, man. The demon king won''t get mad at you for that. He''ll laugh and forgive you. But he won''t laugh..."


    What do you know about the Mad King?


    What?


    His eyes widened and he stared at Koga.


    He did not understand the gravity of the situation at all.


    "I''ve acted outside of his orders, and I''ve even gone to battle for this stupid, brainless boss......... I''m screwed..." he said. I have no choice but to cut myself."


    "Sometimes your loyalty is so heavy, I really can''t keep up with you. And don''t you casually disparage me too much?¡¡I''m getting a lot of flak for it. ......Hey, you guys should say something to him."


    Coga silently calls out to his men who have been following behind him.


    The men clenched their fists and turned their determined gazes toward me.


    "If you will do it, then we will too ......!"


    "...... what?"


    "For the sake of your sister Amira, I''m willing to die for her ......!"


    Sister?


    It''s an honor to have shared this journey with you, even if it was short.


    You talk like that?


    My heart was in tears as these words were thrown at me one after another by my men.


    Holding my eyes, I turn to face forward.


    "You guys ......!¡¡All right, I''ve got your commitment!¡¡Then follow me!"


    Yes, sir!"


    Leaving Koga in a daze, we walk down the path that leads to the demon lord''s territory.


    "Wait a minute! Why is it that Amira is more popular than him?¡¡I''m the leader of your army!¡¡Wait, don''t leave me!"


    It''s the difference between doing your job and not doing your job.


    But as soon as I''m done with this assignment, I''ll be relieved of my temporary position as assistant corps commander. Then, we will be able to run together on the battlefield as comrades of the same perspective.


    Preparations for battle are steadily being made.


    We have increased our forces and improved the quality of our soldiers.


    Cavalrymen who manipulate ferocious demons as their messengers and devour the battlefield.


    The new commander of the Third Corps has been assigned to take my place.


    And the commander of the First Legion, who boasts of being the "strongest" in the Demon Lord''s army, is now on his way to take his place.


    ......"


    This battle will be different from the first and second.


    Of course, the Kingdom of Lingle will not go down without a fight. They will join forces with their neighbors to form a coalition against us.


    The best men from each kingdom.


    The fierce men who bear the titles of heroes.


    Brave men summoned from other worlds.


    The lifeguard of the Lingle Kingdom, infamous to us all.


    The day of reckoning may not be far off.


    Whether it was a battle between humans and demons, or the resolution of my fate, I did not dare to say.


    One thing I knew was that the next battle would be the deadliest ever.

 156 - - the end of a quiet journey

    Our journey is over.


    The last country we visited, the Kingdom of Thundera, was a rewarding experience for me in many ways.


    I handed over the letter, but the king doubted my ability to claim to be a brave man, and imposed a test on me to see if I had what it takes to be a brave man.


    It was to defeat a light-wearing demon that inhabited the mountains far from the kingdom of Thundera.


    It is a demon that attacks people with light and has caused many casualties.


    We knew the danger, but we set out to the mountain to defeat the demon.


    "Well, I never thought that the light I was wearing was actually lightning. Moreover, I had no idea that it was a legendary demon.


    "He was undeniably a powerful opponent. He was intelligent enough to understand human language, and if it weren''t for Suzune-san''s quick thinking, we might have been the ones to lose."


    Krumia agrees with me as I mutter pensive words.


    Having successfully overcome the ordeal, we had received a letter of cooperation from the Kingdom of Thundera, and we were riding back to the Kingdom of Lingle after completing our mission.


    "I was ready to die, too, that one..."


    A demon that understands human language.


    It was fortunate that I had encountered one of these very rare beings, but the one I had encountered was not good enough.


    He had a cruelty that looked down on all life, whether it was hostile or not, and wanted to slaughter it.


    Was it a thunder beast?


    A man-eating tiger that reaps the lives of its prey by moving so fast it could be mistaken for lightning.


    Even I, who have the magic to manipulate thunder, had a hard time against this formidable foe.


    "But when we first met, he asked me, >I was stunned."


    "Ugh ......"


    There is no respect anymore for the words that he slammed at me with mockery.


    When I first met him, he said, "You must be Suzune-sama!¡¡It is an honor to travel with you!" but now, here we are.


    Why is it that all the demons I encounter are so ferocious? Even this time, I had the makings of a tiger, a talker, and an absolutely adorable messenger with my own tone of voice. ...... But now, the cruelty is ruining everything. ......"


    "I think Hooverd is fine, don''t you?"


    "I want my own personal hoo-bird!"


    Then you have your horse now, don''t you? What is it?¡¡Sangho of Thunder Horse. You have a great sense of naming things. I can''t help but laugh.


    "You''re not even a demon!¡¡And I won''t allow you to speak ill of Sangho, even you!"


    Even Krumea will not tolerate any disrespect to my traveling horse, Sang-ho!


    Krumia smiles cheerfully at my anger as she strokes Sangho''s mane.


    "I wasn''t talking about Sang-ho. I''m talking about you."


    "More unforgivable!"


    What do you think I am, this knight-at-arms?


    I did ask you to be less tense with me, but I didn''t expect you to be so rude.


    But you are the best of friends among our traveling companions, and I hate it when you can count on me in a pinch.


    I can''t win an argument with her, so I sigh and hang my head.


    "Oh, I bet it would be fun if the messenger could talk..."


    A talking messenger is unheard of. Smart demons generally don''t show themselves to people, and most of them are so powerful that they don''t descend to people in the first place.


    "I guess so. It''s not such a dreamy story. That tiger definitely didn''t have the personality to get along with humans. ......"


    I suggested it to the Thunder Beast, but he usually snickered at me.


    Speaking of ...... messengers..,


    "Usato, are you okay? ......"


    Before I knew it, Usato was carrying an owl on his shoulder.


    He has now entered the realm where the beastmen live.


    "According to the kingdom, you have not been heard from since you left Mearaq.


    "We''re going to the land of the beastmen. It''s out of reach of hoover birds, so even if it''s unavoidable, I''m still worried about it.


    The land of the beastmen is uncharted territory for humans.


    How are Usato and his friends doing now that they went to such a place to save Amako''s mother?


    Did they save her mother safely? .......


    "I was informed that Kazuki-kun completed his mission safely and is on his way home like me. ...... I am just waiting to hear from Usato-kun."


    I''m glad you and Kazuki are safe and sound.


    There was some disturbing information in the letter about finding a hidden village where elves live, but I tried not to worry too much about it to keep my mental stability.


    "But, well, I think Usato-sama can handle it even if she is attacked by the beastmen. His physical ability is inherited from Rose-sama, and I don''t think there are many people who can handle it."


    "Yes, that''s true. In Mearaq, he fought against a hero who turned into a dragon man, so it''s not surprising that he has grown during his travels."


    No, it is rather unthinkable that he would miss training, as he has become more of a stoic since he joined the Lifeguard Corps in this world.


    "But, Suzune-san, isn''t it going to be difficult when you meet up with Usato-sama again?"


    "Ugg ...... I''m trying to do something about it too, but..."


    "I can only give you a warm look when you try to deny it with a red face."


    "But, because ......"


    When asked a question with an article in hand, I clam up, not knowing how to answer, but still tormented by the will to deny it properly, I end up denying it in a deceptive way.


    "Ms. Suzune is even more of a slacker than you might imagine."


    "Mugg!"


    "He''s so easy to get carried away."


    "Agggh!"


    "He''s a hopeless romantic, so I know it can''t be helped."


    "Gah!"


    A triple attack of rage pierced my heart, and I almost collapsed.


    "But you should at least apologize to Usato-sama.


    "I know, I know. I know. ...... but will they hate me?


    "You know that better than anyone else.


    Krumia cowered her shoulders in disgust.


    Usato, you would be angry, but you wouldn''t hate me. But the thought of what would happen if he did makes me very uneasy.


    Still..,


    "...... I have so much to tell you, I can''t wait to see you."


    What happened on the trip, what I experienced.


    Usato and Kazuki must have had a tough journey.


    I know that Kazuki was participating in a tournament like ...... and Usato was fighting against dragon people in Mearrauk, so I know that they must have had a tough time.


    That''s why I''d like to talk about our respective journeys.


    "Well, as far as getting caught up in the commotion, I''ve been through quite a bit myself. My magic is more powerful now."


    Or rather, why do I only encounter ferocious demons?


    When I hold my head in my hands, I think, "Maybe it''s because we''re alike after all..." I could see Usato''s face in my mind, smiling and spitting venom at me.


    Krumia, who had been listening to my soliloquy, put her index finger on her lips and looked at me as if she had just remembered.


    "Huh?¡¡I remember that Usato-sama was wearing a basket hand that I don''t recognize, and he had an owl with him, too, right? Isn''t Suzune-san, whose appearance has not changed in the slightest, already defeated at that point?"


    "......"


    "Oh, please stop. I''m against violence. Please don''t hit me!


    "You''re such a jerk!¡¡You''re such a jerk!


    I was trying so hard to look away!


    I tried so hard not to think about it!


    He reaches up from his horse and pats Krumia on the back.


    "I think you''re going for the owl thing too much, don''t you!¡¡We already know how cute they are!¡¡And yet, you put it on your shoulder for all to see: ......!¡¡And it''s so chunky and round, I''m jealous ......!"


    "Oh, is it possible that Suzune-san is crying?


    "No, I''m not crying!"


    I''ve made up my mind.


    When I see Usato-kun, I''ll first apologize sincerely. I will gladly accept any retaliation or abuse.


    After that, I will ask him to let me touch his owl.


    In order for that to happen, I myself must return safely to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    Having suppressed my worries and anxieties about Usato-kun, I set out on my way back to the Lingle Kingdom with a firm determination.

 157 - - character introduction

    Name Amako


    Race Beast Tribe (Fox)


    Lineage Prediction


    She is a magician of precognition, known as the Princess of Time.


    She has a remarkable ability among the Princesses of Time, and can make others choose the future depending on the situation.


    Before she left Hinomoto, she lived with her mother, Kanoko.


    Two years ago, Kanoko stopped waking up due to Jinya''s plan, and she left Hinomoto alone to find a way to save her mother. After that, he hid his identity and moved from kingdom to kingdom, looking for a healing magician who could save his mother, but in the end he could not find one, and was about to give up. However, in the last place he drifted to, the Kingdom of Lingle, he met kind-hearted people and even met someone who changed his destiny.


    His encounter with Usato, a one-of-a-kind healing magician, was the beginning of a journey full of vicissitudes.


    The journey was hard and arduous, but what she gained from it was more than worth it.


    Name: Linka


    Race Beast Tribe (Wolf)


    Lineage Not shown


    A wolf beast girl who lives in a hidden village.


    She has a cheerful personality and is one of the few friends she has, in contrast to Amako, who is the same age as her.


    She has been worried about Amako since she disappeared without saying goodbye to her two years ago, and when she found her for the first time in a long time, she tried to save her on the spur of the moment.


    As a result, he ends up playing a game of chase with Usato.


    When Amako was captured by Jinya, he tried to take the initiative to save her, but his father Hayate and grandfather Cagalli stopped him, and he stayed in the hidden village, waiting for their news unfaithfully.


    This was the second time for him to say goodbye to Amako.


    The first time they parted without exchanging a word, but this time they were able to exchange firm words of farewell and promises to meet again.


    Name: Hayate


    Race Beast Tribe (Wolf)


    Lineage Not shown


    A male wolf beastman living in Hinomoto, the land of the beastmen.


    He is the de facto number two of Hinomoto, and is entrusted with the responsibility of assisting the chief.


    He is one of the few people who greeted Usato and his friends when they came to the Land of the Beastmen. Perhaps because of his personality, he is well-liked by the residents of Hinomoto.


    He is a childhood friend of Jinya, the chief of the tribe, and Kanoko, Amako''s mother, and considers them to be his dear friends. She is determined to watch over Amako, Kanoko''s daughter, not only because she is the Princess of Time, but also as the daughter of her best friend, but her resolve was easily shattered by her other best friend Jinya.


    After the incident, he proposed to the people of Hinomoto to nominate someone else to be the chief in place of Jinya, but due to their strong request, he himself became the chief, albeit temporarily.


    Name Jinya


    Race Beast Tribe (Bear)


    Lineage: Magic eye (precognition)/not shown


    A male bear beastman who lives in Hinomoto, the Land of the Beastmen.


    He is the chief of Hinomoto, and is also the one who stole precognition magic from Amako''s mother, Kanoko.


    His anger toward humans, which had been smoldering inside him, has grown as a result of his acquisition of this unworthily powerful magic, and he hatches a plan that has no regard for his own people, and Usato and the others are caught up in it.


    When confronted by Hayate, he did not say a word of excuse.


    After the incident, the precognition magic was returned to Kanoko, and Jinya, who lost his precognition magic, became afraid of the <> and the <>, in which he does not know what will happen.


    Name: Kanoko


    Race Beast Tribe (Fox)


    Lineage: Demon''s Eye (Precognition)


    A female fox beastman who lives in Hinomoto, the land of the beastmen.


    She is the mother of Amako, the previous princess of the beastmen.


    In Hinomoto, she was researching the transfer and operation of precognition magic into magical tools. The reason for this research was to avoid inconvenience for the users of precognition magic who would be born in the future, and for Amako, their daughter.


    However, during his research on magical tools, he realized that his friend Jinya was planning to misuse them, and he tried to destroy them with his own hands, but failed. At that time, her own precognition magic was transferred to Jinya, and Kanoko herself fell into a sleep from which she never awoke.


    After the incident, with the help of Nair, Kanoko was able to recover her precognition magic from Jinya, and was able to wake up and reunite with Amako for the first time in two years.

 158 - - 143rd episode.

    The final destination of the trip, Hinomoto, the Land of the Beastmen.


    We visited Hinomoto to save Amako''s mother, Kanoko, but what awaited us was the terrible plan of Jinya, the chief of the beastmen tribe.


    With the help of Hayate, the assistant chief, and his men, we managed to stop Jinya''s plan and the situation seemed to be under control, but then Koga, a demon tribe who claimed to be the commander of the second demon army, appeared and we had to fight him.


    In the end, we were able to make him admit his defeat and to dismiss him, but in reality, it was as if he had been let off the hook.


    After that, we succeeded in returning the precognition magic that had been stolen from Jinya by Nair to Kanoko and awakening her, and we left Hinomoto to return to the Kingdom of Lingle after staying there for three days or so.


    "Hmm, did such a thing happen in the Land of the Beastmen?"


    "Yes."


    We have now left the beastmen''s territory and headed for Mialak, the third country we visited.


    As if anticipating our arrival, Norn-sama greeted us and invited us to the underground cave where Falga-sama was staying after sending Hubard to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    There, we first told Mr. Farga about what had happened in Hinomoto.


    "That was a close call. If the beastmen had teamed up with the demons, this would have been the first place they would have targeted. Even so, if we were attacked while we were still in the process of rebuilding, we would have had no chance."


    Mr. Norn looks relieved to hear my story.


    It is true that Jinya-san might try to attack Mialak first.


    Koga decided that the beastmen could not fight, so he did not do so, but if he had not stopped Jinya-san''s outburst, he might have done so sooner or later.


    In that sense, I am glad that I was able to stop him.


    "Prediction magic is a magic that will bring ruin if it is in the hands of a greedy person. They forget the present, think of the future, and eventually lose sight of even the present. A man named Jinya cannot even accept the reality in front of him, and has come to fear even the future that will eventually come. He is unable to accept even the reality in front of him and has become afraid of the future. ......It is often said that too much power destroys you.


    Muttering this, Falga now turns his gaze toward us.


    "But another dark magic user. I have just looked into the memory of your cage hand, and it seems that you have a very nasty temperament.


    "That''s right. ....... I''ve been on the radar of some really nasty people. ......"


    "...... you may be destined to attract such people."


    "Yeah. ......"


    "I''m kidding."


    It''s not funny even when it''s a joke.


    I mean, I don''t think that Farga-sama''s jokes are jokes at all, but his expression doesn''t change at all.


    "Oh, that''s not a joke, is it?


    "Yes, you are, aren''t you?"


    Behind me, a fox cub and a vampire are whispering something, but I can''t hear them.


    I''ll never admit it. ......!


    Even if I have a lot of ideas that come to mind. ......!


    "But I see your journey has finally come to an end."


    "...... yeah. Now I can finally return to the Kingdom of Lingle."


    That''s about three and a half months.


    It seems surprisingly short, but the events that took place during that time were nothing short of shocking.


    "It seems that your friends, the brave men and women, have been caught up in the commotion in many places. and , both of which were defeated by the two heroes."


    "......, you''re fighting some dangerous-looking opponent. ......"


    "Both are dangerous disasters in a different way from the evil dragon. The female hero, Suzune, fought against , a demon that slaughters any creature that enters its domain. It is a mutation of a demon, but it uses ...... advanced intelligence and lightning as its weapons. But most dangerous of all, it is as cunning and brutal as the evil dragon."


    Inukami-senpai fought. It''s thunder vs. lightning, so maybe they were a good match.


    ......I wouldn''t want to fight such an opponent. Incarnation of lightning is like a constant shimmering, right?


    It would be troublesome to run away or to fight.


    "The evil monster that Kazuki the Brave fought was a dark monster born from the depths of the forest. This one was sealed by the young heroes who preceded him, and the elves who lived in the forest were supposed to have protected the seal, but it seems that the seal was loosened when the Demon King returned. Fortunately, it seems that the heroes were able to defeat him before he regained his full strength.


    "By the way, if you get your power back, you can go to ......?"


    "He''ll devour an entire forest in a single night, and become a voracious eater."


    "Wow. ......"


    Behind me, Nair let out a disgusted grunt, and I felt the same way.


    The two of them must have been fighting against a very strong opponent.


    "When you think about it, the commotion that happened to me doesn''t seem like such a big deal. ......"


    "That''s not true."


    That''s not true.


    "I don''t think so."


    You''re just like him.


    After all we''ve been through, hey...


    Amako, Nair, Mr. Ark, Mr. Falga, and Mr. Norn, in that order, all took their turn.


    Their expressions were cramped with a hint of d¨¦j¨¤ vu.


    Why are they all denying it at once? Is there no one on my side?


    As my shoulders slumped at the inadequate response, Master Farga, the corners of his mouth twisted in amusement, opened his mouth.


    "Hu......, the heroes are already on their way to the Kingdom of Lingle before you. Of course, safely.


    "Oh, well, good. ......"


    We were in Hinomoto for a long time, so our return is delayed.


    Both Kazuki and my senpai are traveling by horseback, so they''re going faster.


    Perhaps sensing what I was thinking, Falga-sama looked at Norn-sama and opened his mouth.


    "I''m having the ship ready for you to board. Norn."


    Yes. We were ready to go before you arrived, so we can leave today.


    "Thank you so much for everything ......"


    "Hmph, that''s not even close to enough."


    How long would it take to get there by boat?


    After all, they are faster than horses, so we might reach the vicinity of the Lingle Kingdom in two or three days.


    The return trip might be really easy.


    Usato!


    "Yes?¡¡Yes, sir?


    For the last time, I''d like to talk about the weapons of the brave.


    "Senpai and Kazuki''s ......, right?"


    "Yes, I''ll tell you right now that it will take a long time to create a weapon from scratch. If it is possible, we may not be able to create it in time for the invasion of the Demon King''s army. Please keep that in mind."


    I understand. I will tell them that.


    I dare not ask about Master Farga''s body.


    He knows what he is doing. It would be rude to stop him.


    Weapons of the heroes that Master Farga creates. What form will it take in their hands?


    ...... is somewhat easy to imagine. I know.


    I can''t imagine what it would look like in the hands of a man like that.


    After our conversation with Mr. Farga, we returned to the ground with Mr. Norn.


    After exchanging some parting words with Master Norn, we were escorted by a familiar maid to the boat that would take us to our destination.


    We proceeded through the streets of Mearaq with Bulrin and his horse, which were waiting for us outside the castle.


    With Bulrin in tow, we are still subjected to the same strange stares, but we are used to them by now, so we don''t mind.


    "I see that the city is recovering, after all.


    Yes. It''s not in full swing yet, but we have diplomatic relations with other countries, and I think we will soon be able to restore the bustling city to its former glory.


    As we were guided, we looked at the streets of Mearaq, which, unlike the first time we visited, were now bustling with activity.


    I am really glad that I was able to help Mr. Karon. ......I wonder how Karon and Leona are doing.


    I should ask the maid.


    "Excuse me. How are Mr. Karon and Ms. Leona doing?"


    "Mr. Karon is busy with paperwork at the castle. After Master Usato left for the beastmen''s country, there was much discussion about his punishment, but thanks to Master Norn who revealed his origin and persuaded you all, a heavy punishment was avoided.


    If you explained Mr. Karon''s origin, did the people of this city know that Mr. Karon is a descendant of Master Farga''s ...... dragon?


    "Mr. Karon himself wanted to receive a heavy punishment. He was unable to walk without a cane due to the effects of his dragon personification and was given the task of instructing Master Norn on the reconstruction of the city."


    "I didn''t know that. ......"


    "......This is a secret, but when I heard that Usato-sama was coming, I tried to sneak out of the office, you know?¡¡I was tied to a chair by his wife.


    "Heh, heh ......"


    The maid''s smile twitches as she giggles.


    Is that it?¡¡I wonder if Ms. Karon also feels like she''s being gripped by a butt.


    Well, I''m glad to see you''re doing well.


    "I''m sure Leona-sama will ...... recognize you soon."


    "What do you mean?"


    "What do you mean?"


    Confused by the meaningful words, I follow the maid to the edge of the city and arrive at the harbor where many boats are chained together.


    Most of the boats were empty, but there was one boat that was crowded with people.


    "Oh ......"


    The size of the boat is about two times larger than the fishing boats in the original world.


    The boat was neither too big nor too small, but just right, and I could see a few sailors carrying in their cargo and a familiar blonde woman in the back.


    The maid who spotted her called out to her from behind, somewhat in a good mood.


    "Leona-sama!"


    "...... hmm?¡¡What''s wrong? Something from Mr. Norn.


    "We have brought a delegation for you, Mr. Usato."


    Leona froze when she saw us.


    She tilts her head and greets us.


    "It hasn''t been long ......, has it? Hello, Leona. How are you?"


    "......Yeah,ah,......yeah,I''ve been fine."


    Why is he acting suspiciously?


    Was she unconsciously imitating Rose? As I put my hand on her cheek, the maid opened her mouth with a smile.


    "Leona-sama. I''ll leave the rest to you."


    "Oh, yeah."


    "Well then, have a nice trip, everyone."


    The maid bowed deeply to us and left the place.


    Leona looked at me as if she had made up her mind.


    "I will be your escort on this boat trip," she said.


    "Leona-san?"


    "Is the castle safe?"


    She shakes her head and says there is nothing to worry about.


    "Don''t worry about that. I have a man working for me now, whining. He must be very happy to be working with his wife watching over him.


    Mr. Kahlon or .......


    It seems that even after the Dragon Man affair, his suffering is far from over.


    Well, he has his wife, so he must be happy. ...... maybe.


    "In addition, Master Norn has given us this instruction. In addition, Master Norn also instructed us not to let the benefactor who saved Mearaq from a crisis go home without an escort."


    "So I sent Leona to ......."


    At a glance, he doesn''t have the < of a brave man, but I wonder if he is too good an escort. But he could not be more reliable.


    ......If Leona is working under the direction of Norn-sama, I guess I don''t have to bother refusing.


    "Well then, I''m looking forward to having you as my escort. Leona-san."


    Yes, it''s nice to meet you, too. Let me show you around the ship. I''ll have to introduce you to the captain and the crew.


    "Yes."


    Leona urges me to go up to the ship.


    I was worried about whether Bulrin and his horse would be able to get on board, but I did not have to worry because Master Norn had thoughtfully placed some kind of hastily constructed stables at the back of the ship to accommodate Bulrin and his horse.


    There were about seven people on board, including the captain and crew, and they must have heard about us, because they introduced themselves and thanked us.


    As usual, I am not used to being thanked, so I responded awkwardly. ....... I was glad to get on the ship without any problems.


    After the introductions, as we were being shown to our rooms, I noticed that Amako was looking out over the lake surrounding Mialak from the boat.


    "Is this your first time on a boat, Amaco?"


    "No, this is my third time on a boat.


    "Hmm?¡¡I see.


    "When I sneak into and out of Mearaak, I sneak onto the ship."


    "Oh, I see."


    Yes, the only way to cross the other shore from the beastman''s territory is to get on a boat.


    ...... so this will be her first normal boat trip?


    Hmm?¡¡Come to think of it, Nair was confined to the village for a long time before she started her trip. .......


    "......"


    "What?"


    I looked at Nea, who was walking near Amaco, and saw that she had her arms crossed and an expression of disinterest on her face.


    But although she was acting as if she was not interested, it was obvious that she was curious because she kept glancing at the surface of the lake.


    "Nah, you don''t have to do this, okay?"


    "No, no, I don''t have to do anything.


    "The ship is very rare. I understand, everyone is excited when they get on a boat for the first time.


    "Am I a child?¡¡Why do you always have to be so clever when I don''t need it?


    As I was smiling at Nea, who was trying her best to deny it, Leona, who was walking in front of me, turned her head toward me.


    These two rooms are yours. It will take about two to three days from here to the vicinity of the Kingdom of Lingle. Normally we should be able to get there sooner, but there is a danger of ...... demons, so we will have to be careful on the boat trip."


    "Will there be demons?"


    Yes. But don''t worry, they''re not that powerful. We have weapons on board so you don''t have to worry about the ship sinking.


    Well, that''s a relief.


    I don''t mind the idea of demons living in the water, but it''s better not to encounter them if we can avoid the danger.


    Amako and N¨¦a, and I and Arc, step into our respective rooms.


    Following Alc who entered first, I was about to enter the room with my luggage when Leona, who had suddenly noticed something, called out to me.


    "By the way, Usato. What happened to the group uniform you were always wearing?"


    "Oh, ...... it got torn. I got into a bit of trouble in the land of the beastmen. ......


    Come to think of it, you were still wearing the cloak Hayate gave you.


    You always wore the group uniform in front of Leona, so it''s understandable that you''re concerned about it.


    "What?¡¡Are you all right?


    "Yes, I got a little windpipe in my shoulder, stomach, and leg, but I was fine.


    "I don''t think that''s okay!¡¡What, a windpipe?


    Leona is gingerly touching my shoulder and stomach.


    For some reason, I was a little scared to see Amako, who had been looking at the surface of the lake, looking up at me with an expressionless face.


    "Don''t worry, the healing magic has cured you."


    "Yes, well ......, but it must have been something serious for you to get hurt. What kind of monster was it?¡¡Or were you caught in a landslide?"


    Why only demons and natural disasters?


    I don''t know how to answer the question, which seems to unintentionally exclude the possibility of being injured by human beings.


    At any rate, it seems difficult to explain right now.


    "We''ll talk about this when we have time."


    "...... I see. Oh, I''m sorry I stopped you."


    Leona hurriedly stepped back and coughed once to compose herself before opening her mouth again.


    "We are leaving soon. It might be a little bumpy, so be careful. I''m going to talk to the captain, so if you need me, don''t hesitate to call me.


    "Yes."


    After saying this, Leona turned her back to me and went toward the captain''s office.


    After seeing her off, I was about to enter the room assigned to me with Mr. Alc, when I suddenly turned my eyes to the view outside the ship.


    "......The long trip is almost over, isn''t it?"


    I feel happy and sad at the same time.


    Remembering the trip so far and feeling deeply moved, I put my hand on the doorknob of my room, after putting my baggage back on my shoulder.

 159 - - 144th episode.

    The first boat trip in a different world.


    I have been on a ship in my former world, but the ship I am on now is so quiet that I feel as if I am on the ground. I don''t have to worry about getting seasick, and the trip seems to be more comfortable than I thought it would be.


    A few hours after leaving the ship, night fell and we had our first dinner on the ship ........,


    "You need to understand once and for all how dangerous technology you are ......!¡¡Please ......!"


    "I''m sorry. ......"


    I was being lectured at the dinner table.


    It all started because Nair had vented about my Healing Flying Fist and Healing Rengou Fist during the dinner with the five of us and Leona-san.


    When Leona-san heard this, she turned pale with a spoon in her hand and looked at me sitting next to her with a rusty mechanical motion, and then she started her sermon.


    "The technique you used is like making a small hole in a bag that has been inflated on the verge of exploding," she said. Even though you have baskets, if you had done it in the flesh, you would have been blown off from the elbow onward."


    "...... Oh, I didn''t know that. Oh, but it''s Master Farga''s basket hand, isn''t it? ......"


    "That''s not the point!"


    Out of breath, Leona poured a drink into a cup that sat beside her and downed it in one gulp.


    Hmm?¡¡What did Leona just pour into the cup?¡¡It wasn''t water, was it?


    "That''s just a strange idea!¡¡Why did you try to hit him with your fist!


    "I''m sorry. ......"


    "Why shoot a fist at zero distance when you can make it fly!"


    Yes, you''re right.


    It is hard to argue with such a sound argument.


    I am not so sure that being genuinely worried and lectured is this much of a heart attack.


    It''s quite painful for me, because all the sermons I''ve received so far have been merciless and without a trace of kindness.


    "Your technique is more like martial arts than magic!"


    "I''m sorry I keep hitting you. ......"


    What is healing magic?


    This.


    No!"


    I showed him a normal healing spell and he denied it!


    What in the world is the difference? .......


    I show Amako, who is sitting next to Leona and eating her meal silently, the healing magic in my fist.


    "Amako, this is healing magic, right?


    "Hmm?¡¡...... is different. It''s a healing punch.


    "Oh, yes, that''s right. Ha-ha-ha."


    .......


    ...... hmm?


    "No, it''s not!¡¡Are you trying to say that healing punch and healing magic are two different things!"


    "Yes."


    The vixen nodded her head without hesitation.


    "Nah!¡¡You don''t think so!


    I looked over at Neah, who was lying on the table with a cup in her hand that looked like she had only taken a couple of sips.


    "Nia, what''s wrong?


    "Neah, she''s down with a drink she''s not used to."


    "Why?


    No wonder you''ve been so quiet!


    You know what you said!¡¡"When you''re my age, you can handle a keg of this much liquor!"


    "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to go that far. ......"


    I was soberly depressed, and Leona leaned over to me in a panic.


    Isn''t that a little too close?¡¡As I tried to pull her away, I noticed that her face was strangely red.


    "Leona-san, are you drunk?"


    "No, I''m not drunk. I''m a knight, so I try not to drink in case of emergency.


    Well, I must have imagined it.


    Well, good,


    "So, since when did Usato become able to split into three people?¡¡No, I wouldn''t be surprised if you could."


    I immediately pick up the cup by Leona''s side and the vessel she was pouring from.


    Sure enough, I smell alcohol.


    And there is Nea, lying face down on the seat in front of Leona.


    Nair, you!


    "I''m so ...... worried about you, really,...... glad you''re back safe and sound,...... ugh,......"


    Hey, Leona.


    "I know you''re not a normal human ...... and you''re not the kind of person who would lose your life so easily. But more than that, you are dangerous to watch ...... because you fight without regard for yourself. ......"


    "Leona, ......"


    I''m afraid I''ve caused you quite a bit of concern, Leona.


    Indeed, I may have been a little too self-conscious.


    I should reflect on that. ......


    "Watching it up close, it''s like watching a raging bull that''s lost its edge. ......"


    "Usato, it''s true that when you get drunk your true feelings come out."


    "You''re so noisy!"


    Amako said to Leona, who was more depressed than Amako, as if she thought that the comment was directed at her.


    "I''m sorry. I''m sorry for being such a nagging twenty year old. ......!¡¡Ugh ......!"


    "Oh, I wasn''t talking to you, Leona!"


    Leona is now clutching my shoulder, and her voice is breaking into tears.


    Is she a crying mess, or does she have a crying problem with alcohol?¡¡I''ve never done it before, but can you sober her up with a healing spell?¡¡It''s like a kind of a state abnormality, isn''t it?


    In my haste, I decide to call Mr. Aruk when I''m in trouble.


    "Ah, Mr. ALC!


    "Mr. ALC rented the kitchen and went to make snacks. He was in a very good mood.


    I don''t want to disturb Mr. Alc who is in a good mood.


    Wait a minute, it''s not possible that Amako is drinking too..,


    "You''re not drinking, are you?"


    "Drinking?¡¡I''m only 14, I don''t drink. And it''s a nice dinner."


    Common sense dictated it.


    I had forgotten that Nair looks like he is in his mid-teens, but in fact he is over 300 years old, so he is too old to drink alcohol.


    ......, but the important thing is that Nair is passed out from drunkenness. She''s breathing, so she seems to be okay, but just in case, let''s release a healing magic bullet.


    "Do you want some, Usato?¡¡It''s the only time you can eat Mearaq''s cooking.


    "...... I guess so. If we miss this one, it won''t be for a while.


    "Yeah. ...... but first--"


    I nodded at Amako''s words and tried to reach out for the food laid out in front of me, but for some reason she looked at me with a stern stare.


    His eyes are looking at me, right next to my ......?


    "Leona-san, shouldn''t you do something about it?"


    "......Kuu......"


    Hey, he''s sleeping. And he''s got his head on my shoulder. .......


    I think he''s too weak for alcohol.¡¡Well, I can''t drink to begin with, but...


    "Drink and don''t be drunk. Yeah, I''ll be careful."


    It seems to be the same in all worlds: you have to be careful with alcohol.


    I supported Leona, who had fallen asleep after getting drunk, and cast a healing spell on her while escaping from reality.


    The next day


    Our first dinner on the boat trip was chaotic, thanks to Nea, who brought out the booze.


    After that, I punished her with a healing magic bullet, a healing finger shot, as she got up with a blank look on her face.


    However, after all, Mialak''s fish dish served for dinner and the snacks made by Aruk-san were delicious, so it was a good memory for me.


    "......Ah, um, Usato, yesterday ......"


    "Leona, I don''t mind."


    The next morning, while feeding Bulrin and the horses, I found Leona on the edge of the boat with her hands over her face, screaming in anguish.


    I don''t have to tell you the reason why, probably because of the incident at the dinner table yesterday.


    Apparently, she had subtle memories of drinking, and when she saw me, her face turned bright red and blue.


    "But I could tell that Leona was very worried about me," she said.


    "......Ho, did he say anything else?¡¡You know, something rude or ......"


    "He said it was like watching a raging bull that has lost its teeth."


    "H-ha-do, already!¡¡What have I done?¡¡No, I didn''t think so!¡¡Not at all!¡¡Even if I did, I''m a boar!¡¡...... huh?


    I guess that''s exactly what they mean when they say it.


    I look at the river in the distance. It''s so beautiful, I bet it''s so nice to jump in.


    "haha ....... I''ve been treated like a monster lately, so it''s refreshing to be compared to a normal animal.


    "Oh, really? ......?"


    I''m not depressed.


    In fact, if I were depressed at this level, there would be no end to it.


    "Um, Usato. I wanted to ask you something.


    "Excuse me?"


    Leona asks me a question in a reserved manner, and I tilt my head to the side.


    What is it?¡¡It seems to have nothing to do with the fact that I was drunk. .......


    She suddenly took out a piece of paper from the pocket of her long skirt and handed it to me.


    "The maid at the castle gave me this, ...... and when I looked through it, this is what it said."


    "......"


    With a bad premonition, I opened it and found that it was an article about Inukami-senpai, whom I had seen sometime ago.


    While I was silently getting impatient, Leona-san awkwardly turned her eyes toward the river.


    "I could tell by your reaction. Usato, I congratulate you and your friends at ......!"


    "Leona-san!¡¡First of all, please tell me what''s going on!


    Uh-huh?


    I spent five minutes frantically explaining the situation to Leona, who, perhaps because of an unforeseen misunderstanding, squeezed out words with extraordinary determination.


    When she heard what had happened, she nodded her head and folded her arms with a look of understanding on her face.


    "I see. I see...so that she could refuse the confession of a prince from another country. Even though there was a problem on their side in attempting to confess in front of the public, the brave Suzune is also very bold.


    "That''s what''s confusing me, though. Why did you mention my name? ......"


    "Usato, it''s ......"


    "Yes?"


    "......, no, nothing."


    Leona was about to say something, but when I asked her back, she shook her head and brushed me off.


    What kind of a man are you?¡¡What kind of a man is Suzune the Brave?


    He''s a friend of mine. He''s curious and jumps at things ...... and gets carried away if you''re nice to him."


    "......I know you''re introducing me to humans!¡¡Sounds more like an introduction to cats and dogs to me!"


    ......?¡¡Oh shit!¡¡No, I can only explain Inukami-senpai''s character like this if I tell the truth.


    I guess I have to explain him better than that.


    It''s a matter of his honor.


    "Well, it''s difficult to describe him in words, but he''s not a ...... bad person. In fact, he is a good person. Before I came to this world, I thought he was really a perfect person, but in fact, he is more human than anyone else."


    "Oh, yeah. You and the two brave men came from another world, didn''t you?


    "Yes. ...... and he told me that he had no intention of returning to his world."


    "...... that''s"


    I don''t want to go back to my world.


    When I was lost in the darkness of Lingle, seeing my senpai expressing such sentiments completely shattered the image I had of her up to that point.


    ......No, to be honest, it was destroyed right after she was summoned.


    "As far as I''m concerned, it''s good that you''re enjoying this world. I''d be in trouble if I got involved in it, though.


    I looked at the article about my senpai and me and chuckled, and Leona turned to me with a somewhat annoyed expression on her face.


    "...... you think you want to go back to your world?"


    "Me?¡¡Hmmm,......."


    As it stands, there''s no way to get back there.


    I''ve heard that Mr. Welshy and the others in the Lingle Kingdom are desperately searching for a way to return home, but it''s a long shot.


    But if we have to choose between going back or not going back...,


    "Right now, I don''t know. I have family and friends in my old world. But there are people in the world I''m in now that I don''t want to leave as much as I do."


    Looking back, I have met many people since I was summoned to the Kingdom of Lingle and started my journey. The relationships I have with them are as important to me as the ones I had in the original world.


    It''s not an easy decision to make, and it''s not something that I can just dismiss.


    Leona''s face shows that she is feeling sorry for herself.


    "......I''m sorry. I asked you a question that is hard to answer.


    "No, don''t worry about it. No, don''t worry about it. It''s something you''ll have to think about someday.


    I have to make a decision on that coming day.


    Which world to choose, the one I was in or the one I am in now.


    As soon as I thought about this, one concern came to my mind.


    "...... parting, huh?"


    What should I do if Inukami-senpai and Kazuki, who were faced with the same choice, chose different answers?


    Would I be able to accept the parting of two people who have become my best friends in this world?


    In a sense, I had to shake off the worst imaginings and calm myself down by shifting my gaze to the scenery in front of me.

 160 - - The 145th.

    Once you get used to life on a boat, you will find many ways to enjoy it.


    The scenery and the river are different from those of the past, and you can enjoy the peace and tranquility of the trip.


    It is noon on the third day after the boat ride. We are about half a day away from the Kingdom of Lingle.


    As I leaned against the edge of the boat, remembering our journey so far, Nair, in human form, came up next to me.


    "You look like you have a lot of free time, don''t you?


    "Yeah, I guess so."


    The crews are doing the work on the ship, so there is basically nothing for us to do on the ship.


    Oh, come to think of it, Aruk-san has been taking the lead in cooking.


    Bulrin is coasting, Amako is writing letters to Kanoko and Rinka, and Leona is taking care of the spear that she brought instead of the hero''s weapon.


    So it was only me and Nea who really had nothing to do at the moment.


    "N¨¦a, there is something that has been bothering me for a while..."


    "Hmm?¡¡What?


    "You''re a vampire, aren''t you?"


    "What?¡¡What, now?


    Let''s ask Nair about something that''s been bothering him for a while now.


    I hadn''t asked her for some reason.


    "No, can vampires in this world increase the number of their own kind by drinking blood?"


    "...... this world, does it happen in Usato''s world too?"


    "In our world, vampires are fantasy creatures, but there are many stories about them.


    In my world, I don''t know if they exist or not, but it is a common practice for vampires to suck blood and increase their number of friends.


    At my words, Nair opened her mouth, turning her face away from me.


    "It''s not impossible.


    "Oh, really?


    I took three steps away from her.


    "Why are you taking so many steps away from me!


    "Because that''s what it is, right?¡¡Isn''t that what they do? They suck all the blood out of us and turn us into ghouls?


    I wouldn''t do such a horrible thing!¡¡How bizarre are the vampires in your world?


    Apparently, I was not what I had imagined.


    Nair calms down and looks away from me with a slight hesitation.


    "The way we increase our kin is not by sucking blood. On the contrary, we send them blood.


    "Sending them in?¡¡Vampire blood?


    Yes. Of course, not just any blood. Of course not just any blood. We''re violating a taboo against turning humans into demons. To put it simply, it''s a special kind of blood that contains highly purified magic. It''s how we reconstitute human bodies into ours."


    "...... Is that something you can do easily?"


    "Of course it''s impossible."


    Nair laughed at my words in a funny way.


    There is no way that a normal human being can withstand such a load that would change his or her body. Even if we were lucky our bodies could withstand it, our minds would be destroyed and we''d end up looking like slightly stronger zombies.


    "......That''s a very ...... ghastly thing to say."


    "Well, I know about it, but I''ve never tried it."


    I wouldn''t want to be a zombie, even a slightly stronger one.


    But turning a human into a demon, isn''t that a dangerous thing to do?¡¡While I was inwardly reaffirming the abnormality of vampires as demons, Nair turned a mischievous smile towards me.


    "If you''re as strong in body and spirit as you are, you can do it, can''t you?¡¡How about you give it a try?¡¡It will raise your physical limit and increase your life expectancy beyond comparison with humans.


    Nair''s sharp fangs peek out at me.


    I sighed at her and lightly poked her on the forehead.


    "Ouch!"


    "Are you kidding me? I still want to be human."


    "U~, jeez, of course you''re joking!¡¡I mean, you''re not human enough at this point!¡¡How long do you think you''re human, you brainiac!"


    You can''t go that far, can you?


    I''m a human being, right?¡¡I''m aware that I''m not human, but I''ve never stopped being human, have I?


    "You''re ...... in general, aren''t you?"


    Nair, who had been glaring at me with tearful eyes, suddenly turned her gaze toward the river as if she had noticed something.


    What''s wrong?


    I think I just felt something move down there. ......


    Are there fish or something?


    I wondered too, and like Nair, I leaned over to take a peek at the river, but at that moment - something the size of a man came flying out at us with a huge splash.


    "Geegeegee--!"


    What?"


    The poisonous-colored thing jumped up right in front of us, and our eyes met.


    It had a fat, round body, viscous-looking skin, and a long, extended tongue. It looked like a frog in its own world.


    However, it was many times larger than the frogs I knew, and as soon as I saw it in my vision, I almost reflexively slammed my basket-clad fist into its abdomen.


    "Nnnn!


    "Ngggep!"


    The giant frog returns to the water with white eyes.


    It''s probably a demon. ...... Well, I was surprised when it came out of nowhere, but that''s all.


    Compared to the ghost and Rose, it''s not even scary.


    "Wow, your basket hand is kind of sticky. ......"


    "Heh, you beat me off without a fight. ....... Sometimes I can count on you to be unwavering like that.


    Can you stand up?¡¡Neah."


    "Uh, yeah, yeah."


    He brushes off the mucus from his basket hand and helps Nair, who is sitting up, out of surprise. Then, from a different place from where we were, several of the same giant frogs as before climbed onto the boat.


    Geegee--!"""""


    "...... Wow."


    In an instant, the ship was in trouble.


    The sight of a giant frog hopping around on the ship made Nair and I twitch.


    Hearing the commotion, the crew, Leona, Ark, and Amako come out from inside the ship.


    "A bunch of aquafrogs!¡¡What''s this number ......!¡¡Usato, are you okay?


    "We''re fine. Amako and the captains of ...... should stay hidden!


    Geez!


    Shit!


    Two giant frogs, Aqua Frogs, noticed me and leaped at me with their bodies.


    Not wanting to get my baskets slippery, I take aim with my right tame fist and fire two healing flying fists. The healing magic bullets are released with the sound of popping air, and the Aqua Frog is knocked down into the river.


    "Okay, let''s just knock them all into the river for now..."


    "I don''t know if this is really a new thing, but are you really a healing magician?"


    "Mine is like a new form of healing wizard. ......


    I move to Aruk''s group, checking that Nair, who has turned into an owl, has flown to my shoulder, while I''m saying excuses that even I find distressing.


    "Leona, Alc. What do you think?"


    "...... I''m beginning to think that Usato is pioneering a new kind of magic.


    "It''s great to see it again. ......Yes, it really is."


    Leona replied to Nea''s words with a somewhat distant look, while Aruk-san was usually complimenting her. However, her expression immediately changed and she pointed her spear, which was different from a brave man''s weapon, at the aquafrog.


    "It seems that this has become the Aqua Frog''s territory because the ship didn''t pass by. ...... I didn''t think he would come up to this ship. ......"


    What kind of demons are these?


    They''re not very good fighters on their own. They have sharp claws, poison secreted from their backs, and tongues that you must be careful not to catch. The problem is that there are so many of them.


    As far as the eye can see, there are more than a dozen aquafrogs bobbing around on the boat, wreaking havoc.


    Normally, this would be a frightening sight in more ways than one, but it doesn''t matter to us now.


    "-With you guys, I''m sure it won''t be a problem."


    "Yes."


    Leona-san generates ice magic in her hand, and Aruk-san makes his new sword glow red.


    Only I hold my fist without magic.


    It''s too late to think about it at a time like this. ...... I''ve never fought a battle like a magician before.


    I''ve never fought a wizard-like battle.


    The first thing I learned when I fought Aquafrog was that it is dangerous to touch it with bare hands.


    I didn''t want to touch it because of its slimy appearance, but even without that, the poison covering its body surface is dangerous.


    I can heal the poison quickly with my healing magic, but there is no need to waste my magic power, so I decided to fight off the Aqua Frog safely.


    "Geez!"


    "Too slow!"


    "Geez!"


    He grabs the tongue that sticks out like a spear with his basket hand and throws it out of the ship after having Nair cast a binding spell on it.


    No way!¡¡I feel a little sympathy for Aquafrog, who falls into the water with a look on his face, and turn around to see the individual that jumped at me from behind.


    "I''ve already noticed!¡¡Healing magic bursts palm!"


    What?


    Wow. ......


    Aquafrog is blown overboard by the bursting palm.


    Anyone can tell when it comes up behind you with a flapping sound.


    "I knew it! I can''t take on a normal demon anymore... I know it can''t be helped, after all we''ve been fighting them, but ...... you really don''t seem like a human being."


    "There''s a frog with his mouth open right now, do you want me to throw him in?"


    "Oh, I''m sorry!¡¡I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry, don''t grab me by the eagle and pull me!


    He exhales a sigh as Nair claws tightly against his cloak and fires a healing finger shot from his right basket hand into the wide-mouthed aquafrog using a finger gun.


    The healing finger shot with the basket hand is released from the finger in the same principle as the healing flying fist.


    They are much less powerful and have a range of less than three meters, but they are much faster than healing magic bullets. The aquafrog that was hit in the oral cavity writhed in confusion, then lost its balance and fell into the river.


    "Well, I guess that takes care of most of the problems. Are Aruk-san and Leona-san OK?


    I drop all the aquafrogs off the boat, and see the two of them probably dealing with the situation elsewhere.


    Mr. Aruku was fighting off the aquafrogs with his flaming sword in a familiar manner, and there were no scorch marks or even dead aquafrogs around him.


    "That''s great of you, Mr. Aruku! I guess we don''t need to join him now. Leona, please visit ......."


    Most of the aquafrogs had been killed on Leona''s side.


    Using ice magic and a spear, which she had not shown in the battle with Mr. Karon, she had been toying with the aquafrogs and knocking them off the ship in a fluid motion.


    The variety of his techniques, such as freezing the floor or remotely manipulating magic bullets, are still impressive even after repeated viewings.


    "Usato-dono, all the demons that came up to the ship have been eliminated.


    "It seems so. Well, I''m glad it wasn''t a strong monster. I don''t want you to encounter powerful demons on your way home.


    No, I really hope not.


    It makes me feel hopeless that I can''t go home normally with the Kingdom of Lingle in sight.


    After I had defeated all the aquafrogs, I had a conversation with Aruk-san, who had put away his sword, and I noticed that Leona-san was still clutching her spear and had a grim expression on her face.


    "Mister Leona, is there still something lurking?"


    "No, I don''t know yet."


    Leona answers vaguely to Aruk''s words.


    "...... Aqua frogs are demons that act in packs. Among them, there should be Mother Frog, the boss of Aqua Frog, ...... but I was wondering why she hasn''t appeared yet."


    I see, so that''s why they were still on the alert.


    But is Mother Frog the parent of Aqua Frog?


    "There are two possibilities. One is that Mother Frog is already dead. The other is that ...... she is trying to attack us when she is tired of hitting us with her child, the aquafrog."


    "...... In case you''re wondering, how is that mother frog different from a regular aquafrog?"


    "It''s--"


    Just as Leona was about to continue, the surface of the water in front of the ship exploded with great force, sending a huge object the size of a light car flying high into the air.


    A purple frog, incomparably larger than the aquafrog.


    Leona, with a somewhat distant look in her eyes, pointed at the purple frog.


    "Yeah, well, ...... it''s about the size of that one."


    "No, no, no!¡¡If that thing falls on our boat, we''re going to sink!


    Nair is right, I don''t think the ship could withstand the weight of that thing. I mean, how high are they jumping?


    They''re not trying to board the ship, they''re trying to destroy it!¡¡This!


    "Usato, Mister Aruk!¡¡We''ll repel them with maximum firepower!


    Yes, sir!


    I''m a healing magician!


    Leona is poised to throw a spear filled with ice magic, and Alc is holding a flaming sword with an even brighter glow.


    We can''t afford to hesitate any longer.


    "Oh, I''ll have to use it!


    She puts the maximum amount of magic power into her cage, and moves into the position for the Healing Renshuken.


    I have to admit that it might be overkill, but if we fall onto the ship, we''re finished.


    He tries to leap, keeping his eyes on Mother Frog, who is falling toward him.


    "---,wait!¡¡Something is coming from the side!


    What?


    Leona''s voice made us hold our ground, and at that moment, a crescent-shaped magical blade emitting a dazzling electric shock hit Mother Frog from a different direction from ours.


    The crescent-shaped blade blew away Mother Frog''s huge body, and at the same time, scorched it with an electric shock.


    "What?


    "This electric shock is ...... no way!"


    Mother Frog falls a short distance away from the ship, making a big splash.


    I ignored the water that was being spun up and rained down on the boat, and looked in the direction from which the magic blade flew.


    Ahead of me, I saw the reflection of a dark-haired girl with a sword gushing out lightning.


    When she saw me, she waved at me with a big smile on her face.


    "Inukami-senpai!"


    Inukami-senpai, one of my best friends whom I promised to reunite with.


    It was unexpected that I would meet her again before I arrived at Lingle Kingdom, but it was still a joyous occasion for me.

 161 - - The 146th Episode

    It was by chance that I saw the scene.


    A large boat on the river.


    On board were people with weapons fighting demons and a huge frog that jumped up to crush them.


    I knew I had to save them, so I ran alone to the riverbank and fired my magic blade with a thunderbolt to repel the giant frog.


    But the situation did not end there.


    In a moment of relief, my eyes met his as he looked at me from the boat.


    Unable to compose myself at this unexpected reunion with Usato-kun, whom I had vowed to see again two months earlier, I could only give him a wry smile and wave to him.


    After that, the boat with Usato on board dropped anchor near the riverbank where Krumia and I were.


    While I was waiting for them to come ashore, tormented by the joy of seeing them again and a little fear and anticipation of how Usato might react, a strange blonde woman, led by Usato, Alc, Amako, and a stranger got off from the boat.


    ......Who is that woman?¡¡And who is that woman? She is tall and quite beautiful.


    I can tell from her behavior that she is a very powerful person, but what on earth...?


    "Suzune-san, how long are you going to stay here?"


    "Huh?


    When I came to my senses at the sound of Kurumia''s voice, I saw that Usato-kun was already in front of me.


    On his shoulder is a small black owl.


    .........how cute...! I''m almost mesmerized... I shouldn''t! I should apologize to Usato-kun first.


    "Hey, Usato-kun!¡¡It''s been a long time!


    Yes, it''s been a while. It''s nice to see you again.


    Seeing Usato-kun smiling at me, I involuntarily back away.


    I guess this is what a smile that is smiling but not smiling looks like. The lack of intonation in his words makes the fear more pronounced.


    "Uh, uh, Usato-kun?"


    "Yes, sir?"


    "Are you ...... mad at me?"


    I have made quite a splash because I rejected a proposal of marriage from a prince of another country by mentioning his name.


    "No, I''m not angry.


    "Yes, I know, you''re still mad at me. ...... What?"


    Seeing my stunned look, Usato-kun finally broke his expression and smiled.


    "I know what''s going on," he said. Of course, it''s impossible to react calmly if someone confesses to you in the middle of the public. Even if I were to refuse, I would need a reason to convince the other party, so I know I have no choice.


    "U, Usato-kun ......"


    "Besides, the senior himself seems to be very sorry for what he did, and it''s obvious that he didn''t spread it on purpose."


    I can''t help but put my hand over my mouth.


    I knew he would not forgive me so easily.


    I had thought that maybe Usato-kun was thinking of getting back at me.


    But now I was ashamed of myself for imagining such a thing.


    "That''s good, isn''t it? You know exactly what I mean."


    I nodded to Krumia, who whispered this to me from behind.


    "And since you''re my senior, I''m sure it was just a spur of the moment thing, or you got excited and couldn''t stop yourself, and you couldn''t go back.


    "Ugh!"


    "Wow, that''s great. Usato-sama, you understand Suzune-san very well.


    I was taken aback by the surprise, but Krumea, standing next to me, clapped his hands with crackling applause, as if impressed.


    My escort!¡¡Enjoying the situation?


    "Ah, it''s been a long time, Krumeier-san!


    "Hello, Usato-sama, Amako-sama, it''s been a long time. How are you, Aruk?


    Yes, how''s Krumia?


    I''m...


    And, without me, they are having a friendly conversation with me in the opposite direction from the previous one!


    What''s the difference?


    "Oh, by the way, senpai..."


    "Ha, hahi!"


    As I was stunned by the scene in front of me, Usato-kun looked at me and took out a folded piece of paper from the pocket of his gray cloak and unfolded it for me to see.


    "Do you understand?¡¡Here."


    "Well, that''s ......."


    "It is unacceptable that this handsome nobleman has a deformed picture of you and that there are rumors circulating about you."


    I was most worried about this story!


    As I became suspicious, Usato-kun, who had a lecherous smile on his face, tapped a piece of paper with his hand.


    "What is this? I''m told that you can blind them with healing magic, or that they will be bound to gold if you hit them.


    "Well, that''s ......."


    "This is just like that, isn''t it?¡¡He swung at someone with one hand and then healed him with the other, I don''t understand it anymore. What are you going to do?


    "I''m sorry!¡¡Somehow, Mialak and Lukvis have spread the rumor!


    Since Mr. Usato had just traveled there, they must have made up a false story to make up a false portrait of him.


    No matter how much Usato-kun may be, he would never do something so out of the ordinary. ......


    Anyway, it''s all my fault.


    I have to show him that I accept everything he says.


    "Oh, um, Usato,...... isn''t it about time?¡¡Her knees are shaking. ......"


    "Usato, I don''t think you should lie at any cost. ......"


    "...... I guess so."


    The blonde woman looks at me with a wry smile on her knee and says, "I''m sorry, but I can''t help it.


    At the woman''s words, Usato-kun relaxes his shoulders.


    "Ha-ha-ha, I''m just kidding. I was just teasing you a little, senpai."


    "...... eh."


    "That''s the end of the payback for now. As I said before, I''m not really mad at you.


    My cheeks burn with shame at the fact that I have been teased by a younger man.


    However, I was sure that somewhere inside of me, I was glad for this nostalgic exchange.


    "I haven''t met Kazuki yet, but I''m really happy to be reunited safely with ...... senpai."


    "...... yeah. I''m glad too!"


    Two months may seem like a short time, but the events that took place during that time were too intense to describe in a few words.


    I am sure that Usato, who is here now, overcame many hardships during his journey. Therefore, I am very happy to see him again in one piece.


    "......?¡¡Payback for now?"


    As I was about to burst into tears, I suddenly realized that there was a part of his words that stuck in my mind.


    In a different way from before, I asked Usato-kun with a tremor in my voice.


    "Usato-kun, do you mean ...... that you are not ...... satisfied with the situation at the moment?"


    "......"


    "Uh, Usato?¡¡Don''t smile silently!¡¡Say something!


    Even so, the corners of Usato''s mouth twisted into a smile as he remained silent.


    Facing him like that, I could only be afraid of the prank called "payback" that might happen anytime from now on.


    I was afraid of what was about to happen to him.


    When I saw my senpai again for the first time in two months, he had not changed in a good way.


    He still likes to make fun of others, but when he is made fun of himself, he is incredibly weak and I teased him too much.


    After playing a few tricks on him, I decided to introduce Leona to him and Krumeier.


    "Let me introduce you. She is Leona, the brave warrior from Mialak who escorted us here.


    When I introduced myself, the senior looked at Leona-san with surprise.


    Leona-san met my senior''s gaze, gave a small bow, and took a step forward.


    "It is my first time to meet you. I am Inukami Suzune, the brave warrior of the Kingdom of Lingle. I am Leona, a brave warrior from Mialak. I have been entrusted with the task of escorting Usato and the others, and have accompanied them here.


    "Brave man!¡¡I knew he was a very powerful man, but I didn''t think he was as brave as me. ......"


    No, no, I am only a knight who has been given the title of hero. I only became a knight a few days ago. ......"


    Leona-san, her cheeks reddening in embarrassment, denies her senpai''s words, but in fact, she is perfectly capable of being a brave woman.


    I, who fought with her, fully understand that.


    "Leona-san and I fought together at the time of the commotion that occurred in Mearaq. Thanks to her cooperation, we were able to stop the dragon man who went out of control, Mr. Karon ......."


    "I see, I didn''t know much about the details, but you are one of the people who helped solve the Mialak disturbances, aren''t you, Leona?"


    I nodded at Mr. Krumia''s words.


    Then I noticed that the senior member of the group, arms crossed, was swaying sideways and looking at Ms. Leona.


    "......Mr. Leona, you are ......"


    "What''s going on?¡¡"What''s going on, Mr. Susanne?"


    After checking my entire body from my toes to my head, the senior turned to me.


    Is it my imagination that I have a strange sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu and a bad premonition?


    "Usato-kun!¡¡There really is a blonde female knight!¡¡And a cool one at that!


    "...... I am relieved to see that you are the same as usual."


    You haven''t changed. This crazy behavior in front of him is just like Inukami-senpai himself.


    Krumia-san, who is standing next to the senpai, is also smiling while cowering his shoulders, as if this is a familiar reaction.


    "Usato. What is Suzune-dono talking about?¡¡Kurumere?"


    "I mean that Leona-san is cool. It doesn''t mean anything strange, so please don''t worry.


    "Uh, yeah, right. ......"


    We can''t give this man strange knowledge.


    After explaining the situation so simply to Leona, I notice that the older student, who had been so excited earlier, is strangely quiet.


    When I look at her, she is looking at me and Leona alternately and tilting her head.


    "......Nothing, but I felt a little uncomfortable with Leona''s reaction to Usato-kun. ......"


    "What?¡¡What''s wrong?"


    "Well, I don''t know.


    He tilted his head as much as I did, as if he didn''t understand what was going on.


    For some reason, Amako, who was standing nearby, let out a sigh of exasperation.


    "......Well, whatever."


    There''s no point in thinking about it too much.


    Let''s not introduce Leona to anyone else.


    Next, I''ll introduce Nea. ...... I''m looking forward to seeing what kind of response I''ll get.


    "Well, next, I''d like to introduce a friend of mine who became a messenger during our journey. Nair."


    "......"


    "Hmm?"


    The owl on his shoulder doesn''t respond to your call, but seems to be watching you closely.


    I thought you''ve been awfully quiet since I met you, is something wrong?¡¡Is he stunned by the fact that he is so different from the brave man he had imagined?


    "Uh-uh, Usato-kun. Is that girl''s name Neah?¡¡Well, may I touch her ......?"


    I guess he has been holding back a lot, and the older students are starting to become a little dangerous.


    This reaction is rather natural, since he looks cute from the outside.


    While I was hesitating what to do, Nair lightly jumped from my shoulder and jumped on my outstretched hand.


    "Kauwa!¡¡Ahyafuahbya!


    "Usato. Suzune-dono is a very ...... s*xual person."


    "Leona, you could have said it more clearly: ......"


    Leona-san looks bewildered as her senpai raises her voice, which is not typical for a girl.


    For me, it''s a normal situation, but from the other side, she is a really strange person. I''m starting to miss Inukami-senpai, who was the star of the former world.


    He was a hero to me back then.


    "Finally,...... finally, there was a demon who treated me normally,...... ugh, I feel like crying,......"


    "......Krumia. No way, not even during the trip."


    "Yes, as you can imagine."


    How hungry he was to touch the demons. .......


    I''m starting to feel sorry for him.


    The older man''s hand trembles as he tries to reach out to pet Nair''s head. Nair, who was resting on his palm, took one look at the hand and --- with a snap of his wings, he brushed the senior''s hand away.


    "......"


    "Ne, ne, ne-chan--"


    "Hmph, please don''t pat me down so casually."


    "!!!?"


    Nair spreads her wings and returns to my shoulder, looking at me with her mouth flapping like a carp, as if she is so surprised that she cannot speak.


    "I knew that the heroes of the other world are different. Their magic power, quality, and everything else is totally different from that of ordinary humans.


    "Nah, nah ......"


    "......You can''t, you can''t, you can''t ...... lie about words, can you?"


    Not only the senpai but even Mr. Krumia is astonished by the owl that suddenly starts speaking.


    No wonder. Nair has been surprised many times before, but she is a humanoid demon who can speak human language. It would be a surprise to see a being who rarely appears in front of people as my messenger.


    Now that I''ve managed to surprise my senpai, though it wasn''t what I expected, it''s time to introduce Nair to him.


    "Ah, let me introduce you again. This is my messenger, Nair. He looks like an owl, but his appearance is only a temporary one..."


    "Okay, Usato. I can introduce myself."


    Interrupting my words, Nair jumped down from my shoulders and at the same time released her transformation.


    After a moment of light, a dark-haired, red-eyed girl in her true form crossed her arms with a proud expression on her face.


    "Good day, hero of another world. I am Nair, a half-breed vampire and half-necromancer. I am the messenger of this creature called the Healing Wizard..."


    "Dumb girl."


    "So who''s a screw-up ......!"


    Nair was about to introduce himself with the mysterious air of some mastermind, but his mood was shattered by Amako''s words.


    Amako turns away from Nea, who is angry with her.


    "I was annoyed that he made it look like he was acting badly. That''s all."


    "You little ......!¡¡Don''t interrupt my brilliant introduction!¡¡You little fox!"


    "Little fox?¡¡Did you just call me short?


    Hey, hey, stop fighting!


    He grabs Nair and Amako by the collar and stops them as they try to fight, leaving his senpai and Kurumia alone.


    "Let go of me, Usato!¡¡Today''s the day we''re going to show this little fox who''s better!


    "I''m going to cut off your useless height and chest!"


    I sigh as the two of them wail and make noise while grabbing me by the collar.


    I feel like they have become more quarrelsome since we left Hinomoto. I guess that''s why we''ve become closer.


    I wonder why you guys fight over every little thing.


    "Well, I''m sure Amako and Nea aren''t really mad at each other. But, Usato-sama... Suzune-sama is at ......."


    "Yes?"


    Aruk-san, who looks annoyed, prompts me to look at my senpai.


    "Usato-kun, am I a bad hero after all?¡¡As far as I''m concerned, I haven''t had any encounters with demons, and all the demons I''ve met have been very deadly. Ugh...... how can I meet a messenger, an owl, a vampire, a necromancer, a girl with black hair and red eyes, and a clumsy girl? Hmmm, I wouldn''t be surprised if they told you that only Usato-kun has been transported to a fancy fantasy world. ......"


    It seemed as if one more push was all it took for him to fall into the darkness.


    I immediately checked the situation and called out to Nair.


    "Nair, be an owl!"


    "Huh?¡¡Now, get this little fox out of my--"


    You''ll turn me, won''t you?


    Yes!¡¡I''ll do it right now!


    With a smile, Nair''s face turns blue and she transforms back into an owl.


    I confirm this and immediately grab N¨¦a and place her in the hands of the blank-eyed senpai.


    "Senpai. You can do whatever you want with him.


    "What?"


    Really?


    Wow, that''s a great smile.


    The senior''s smile turned into an adorable smile, and the ne''er-do-well''s expression of despair.


    In the meantime, let''s get back at Nair sometime in the future.


    "This girl also has a chemomimi attribute."


    "Huh. ......!¡¡How many more attributes do you have to add!¡¡I''ll forgive anything!¡¡Uri-Uri-Uri-Uri!


    "Hey, help ...... usa ......"


    Nea lets out a cry of anguish while being kissed on the cheek by her senpai.


    I will never forget the humiliation I have received at any time ...... almost always!


    And I will always return it when I can...... only to those who can return it!


    "Usato is the type of person who holds on to his grievances. He''s also a bit insidious in his ways."


    "Next time, I''ll offer you to my senpai."


    Usato is a true human being after all. Yes."


    I''m amazed at how quickly you''ve changed.


    You can see why I refused when I saw Nair getting tossed around like that.


    Well, that''s the thing about ........,


    "Nair, I''d like you to sacrifice yourself to me. I''ll make it up to you later."


    "Oh, you''re so cute, I want to eat you!"


    "Hiiii?


    I clasped my hands together inwardly and could do nothing but watch the scene as my senpai squirmed Naea around.

 162 - - The 147th.

    It seems that Nair''s presence was bigger than I had expected for my senpai.


    I had thought that she would be confused, but I had not expected her to be so distraught, but thanks to my quick thinking and Nair''s devotion, we were able to make the situation go away.


    "How dare this woman ...... play with me so much!¡¡I''m going to make this grudge go away for sure,......!"


    Naea, who has escaped from my hands in human form, is hiding behind me, wiping her eyes and speaking bitterly about it.


    In response to this, the older student is creeping closer to me, wriggling his hands.


    "Don''t worry, I''m not afraid ......, come here ......!"


    "You should talk in your sleep!¡¡You''re evil, you know that?


    I never thought a brave man could be called evil. .......


    Well, from my point of view, he''s just a weirdo.


    "Usato-kun. Please let me have Nair-chan ......."


    "No, that''s not a good--"


    "No!¡¡Even if he''s a freak, I''d rather have Usato!¡¡Usato, please don''t abandon me!


    I don''t agree with being treated like a freak.


    But seeing Nair in a state of infantile regression for the first time in a long time, I realize that I have gone a little too far.


    Or rather, isn''t the senior''s love for demons too much to drive Nair to this point?


    "Ha!¡¡I''m so sorry!¡¡Usato and I have a special contract, so you won''t be able to get out of it so easily!¡¡It''s as if we have a contract until you die!


    A contract until death sounds really dangerous, doesn''t it?


    In fact, it''s no different from a normal contract with a messenger.


    "What about ......?¡¡What about ...... Usato-kun for life?"


    "Ah, there''s a bit of a situation ....... about that. Well, please calm down anyway. You''re a pervert, to put it mildly.


    "What the hell?


    Perhaps I was too blunt, but Senpai''s cheeks turned red as he scowled.


    Then, as if to push me away, Mr. Krumeier put his hand on my shoulder.


    "Suzune-san! You don''t want to be persistent, do you?¡¡I''m curious about what''s going on, but it''s not something I need to pursue now. Mr. Usato, Mr. Aruk, for now let''s discuss our future plans.


    Uh, yes.


    I understand."


    After nodding in agreement with my answer, Kurumia-san pulled his hand and walked toward the knights who were waiting at a little distance from us.


    Leona-san looked at the senior''s back and opened her mouth with a somewhat awkward expression on her face.


    "You''re a stormy one, aren''t you?


    "He is basically a kind person, you know?¡¡He''s basically a kind person, though he does have a few flaws in some areas.


    "Your friend. I have no doubt that he is a good man. In fact, for my part, I am relieved to see that he is full of humanity.


    "Humanity, you say? ......?"


    You thought my senior was unsympathetic?


    ...... No. I can''t imagine that at all. The current senior is too strong with his own personality.


    "To be honest, he is not at all what I imagined a brave man to be. I was imagining someone more ...... human and less vulnerable."


    "Haha, that''s the farthest thing from what you are now."


    The seniors in my former world would be close to that.


    A perfect person who everyone admires, who can do everything and has no flaws.


    If he had not been summoned to this world and the reality had continued as it was, he would have continued to live his daily life as he was ......, suppressing his true self.


    If he had not been summoned to the Lingle Kingdom and had been able to return home without incident,......, what would have happened to us?


    First of all, I would have been attacked by my classmates at a later date.


    Would I have become friends with Kazuki?


    We were in the same class, and I would have been able to talk to him normally in class, though awkwardly at first.


    What about senpai?


    "......"


    "Usato?"


    "I''m sorry. I was a little spaced out."


    There''s no point in thinking about what ifs.


    What I''m thinking about now is not what-if, but what-now.


    After taking a glance at the place where my senpai has walked, I consult with Aruk and Leona about the future.


    "Aruk-san. It''s good that you could meet up with the senpai, but do you want to get off the ship?"


    "It''s about ...... a day from here to the Kingdom of Lingle, so it should be safe to get off the ship now. Would you be okay with that, Leona?¡¡I''m afraid I''m going to end my escort assignment halfway ......."


    Leona shook her head at Aruk''s words.


    "Don''t worry about it. As long as you return safely to the Kingdom of Lingle, that''s all that matters. I''m sure the captains will understand.


    It may be rude to think this of a woman, but he''s a manly man.


    Anyway, we have to bring back the luggage, the burin, and the horses from the ship. We should thank the captains and say goodbye to them.


    Having decided on a course of action for the time being, we leave the place to talk with our seniors.


    We left the place to discuss our future plans with our seniors.


    After packing up the boat and waking up the coasting Bulrin, we moved to the riverbank, greeted the captain and the others, and got off the boat.


    "Thank you very much for your help, Leona-san.


    It is we who should thank you. It''s been a while since I''ve been able to relax. I''m glad I followed the words of Mr. Farga and Mr. Norn, I think.


    When Leona-san came to see me off, I thought of Mr. Farga.


    I could understand Mr. Norn''s words, but it was a little surprising that Mr. Falga ordered me to do so.


    "And this escort thing, Master Farga?"


    "She was angry with me for being too hardcore about it."


    ...... Maybe Mr. Farga and Mr. Norn ordered the escort because they wanted Leona to take a rest. She would work too hard for the reconstruction of the city.


    "I had never traveled like this before. Until now, I''ve been on expeditions with my fellow knights, which is just a mission.


    "Was your trip any different this time?"


    "Yes. The trip I took as one of you for a short time was, ...... I don''t know how to put it, noisy, lively, and very ...... enjoyable."


    After saying these words, Leona meditated for a few seconds and looked a little bitter.


    "Maybe the next time we meet again will be in the middle of a battle. Still, I''ll be with you and ...... you guys again ......."


    Perhaps he was referring to the battle against the Demon Lord''s army.


    Certainly, the next time we meet, it could be in such a situation.


    I smiled at Leona, who had stopped speaking.


    "I''m looking forward to the day when I can see you again, too, Leona-san.


    "What?¡¡...... Oh!"


    After a little surprise, Leona finally smiled.


    Shortly after, Amako, Nea, Aruk, and Bulrin said goodbye to Leona.


    "See you later, Leona. But drink in moderation."


    "Don''t be reckless by yourself like before!"


    "We look forward to our reunion, Lady Leona."


    "Guh."


    "Oh, thank you so much. It was really nice meeting you guys.


    Leona is seen off by us and goes up to the ship.


    But for some reason, she stopped in the middle of the boat.


    "Uh, Usato."


    "Yes?"


    Without looking back, Leona called my name.


    What''s wrong?¡¡Did I forget to say something?


    When I tilted my head, she uttered a slightly hoarse voice.


    "I will try my best ...... to be worthy of being a brave man for you.


    "!"


    "So, then!"


    Leona said, and ran to the boat to board.


    What you just said is a reply to what you said to Leona when you left Mearaq: ......, right?¡¡I feel embarrassed when I am asked to do the same thing.


    "...... I have to do my best too."


    But I''m glad you got the message, Leona.


    If I had been mistaken, it would have been beyond embarrassing.


    As I am muttering these words to Leona and the crew on the boat, I feel a light shock on my cheeks and waist.


    I was muttering to myself as I waved back at Leona and the sailors who were waving to me on the ship.¡¡What''s wrong?¡¡Neah, Amako."


    "Usato, didn''t you lose your sensibilities as a human being in the lifeguard corps?"


    "Or maybe you were corrected so that all you could think about was your training.¡¡That would explain why my charms don''t work either.


    "Yes, boys. What did I do?


    The squinting owl and the little fox make unjustified accusations.


    I can''t deny the lifeguard. If Rose told me that she had corrected my character, I would easily believe her.


    "Oh no, I''ve done it! Suzune-san."


    "Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! I can''t believe this happened when Usato-kun was out of sight. ......!"


    Hmm?"


    I looked from the boat in the direction of the seniors, and saw the seniors and Kurumia-san looking at me with a somewhat horrified look while whispering to each other.


    What''s going on?¡¡Is he going to go out of control again?


    Fumbling with her hand over her mouth, she uttered a voice that made me tremble more than ever.


    "Wow, they''re going to take away my dependable heroic attribute!


    "...... what?"


    I couldn''t understand the meaning of such a outlandish statement, and all I could do was reply in such a carefree manner.


    Brave?¡¡Don''t tell me you''re worried about being a character?¡¡I don''t think you need to worry about that since you are a brave man.


    We''re going back to Lingle Kingdom together, I wonder if he''ll be okay.


    I wonder if he''ll be okay.


    Together with my senpai and her guards, we walk under the sky that is turning red.


    I look at the senpai pulling the horse with a sideways glance, feeling a little sorry that they are now getting off their horses to walk with us, even though they are mainly traveling by horseback.


    I look at the senior who is pulling the horse beside me, feeling a little sorry for him. ......I never thought that I would be able to join him, so it feels strange.


    "Mmm, Usato-kun. You''re interested in this girl?"


    "What?"


    The older man, who had noticed my gaze, patted the horse''s mane happily.


    "His name is Sang-Ho, Thunder Horse," he said.


    "Wow, that''s a nice name. It''s kind of charming.


    "That''s right!¡¡I knew you would understand, Usato-kun!"


    You sound so happy.


    I just said what I thought.


    "Hey, Krumia-san. Is it possible that Suzune is also ......?"


    "And by that I mean, Usato-sama too?¡¡I''m surprised.


    Amako and Kurumia are whispering in the background, but I don''t hear them.


    I can''t hear them, so I''ll let them pass.


    I guess he didn''t hear me, because he happily introduces Sang-ho to me.


    "Since we are in Lukvis, we will be together forever. It''s no exaggeration to say that we have shared many hardships and joys together.


    "Indeed, he seems to be very fond of his senpai."


    Sang-ho''s mane is being stroked by his senior, and his eyes are squinting pleasantly.


    This might be the first time I''ve seen a non-human creature that doesn''t reject my senior.


    "Oh, Usato-kun, how was your first encounter with N¨¦a-chan?"


    "...... me and N¨¦a?"


    I am not sure how to answer this sudden question.


    In a sense, our encounter with N¨¦a was one of the worst.


    Nair was trying to trap us by disguising herself as a village girl. She ended up resurrecting an evil dragon, which was more than just an annoyance, but a catastrophe.


    I casually looked at Nair on my shoulder, who was absentmindedly smiling and didn''t seem to care.


    "Neah, can I talk to you?"


    "Neah, can I talk about it?" "Sure. It''s nothing to go out of your way to hide. ......"


    ...... If he''s allowed it, I don''t care.


    I call out to the senior who is looking at Nair, who is rubbing his eyes sleepily with his wings, as if to say....


    "It''s going to be a bit long, do you want to hear?"


    "It''s a bit long, do you want to hear it? I''d rather enjoy it the longer it takes.


    "So, ...... begins a little after we left Luxvis--"


    We''ll start after we leave Lukvis.


    We were invited to a village where we saved a village girl from being attacked by zombies, and we were assigned to defeat a necromancer who, after some twists and turns, was putting the village in danger.


    He sometimes said, "Zombies!" Necromancer! but they listened to us with excitement.


    However, when Nair''s true identity was revealed and he stopped the manipulated Mr. Aruk, his expression changed to one of bewilderment.


    "Well, Jaryu?¡¡Ah, ah, Jaryu?¡¡Isn''t it delicious?


    I couldn''t help but smile at my senpai, who was joking around with his eyes darting about.


    He is a master at making jokes, even at a time like this.


    You are a good listener, senpai.


    "It''s an evil dragon. It was a difficult time ...... because one wrong move could have endangered the lives of many people. I managed to defeat it, but I could never have done it alone.


    "Well, that''s good to know: ....... But how did you do it?


    "We all worked together to destroy the heart of the evil dragon. Well, to be precise, we just pulled out the sword of the previous hero that was stuck in the heart of the evil dragon.


    "Yushano, katana?"


    Why the one word?


    Oh, I should explain about the basket hand while I''m at it.


    If I explain this one, I won''t have to explain about the weapons of the brave that Falga-sama makes.


    "I recovered the sword of the previous generation of heroes for that matter, and it was reborn as my own personal weapon in Mearaq.


    He rolls up his sleeves and deploys a silver basket hand.


    He may not be as good as Mr. Kanoko, but he still has a smug look on his face.


    The senior''s expression hardened when he saw his elbow and the rest of his body covered in silver with a clang of his hand.


    "This is a basket hand that I had made by a renowned craftsman I met in Mialak.


    "Wait a minute. Please, please wait."


    He stopped and grabbed me by both shoulders.


    Perhaps they were that surprised, but when I looked around, I saw that Mr. Krumeier and the other knights were also looking at me with nervous expressions on their faces.


    "Yes, I mean, you fought against the evil dragon and got the sword of the previous generation of heroes as your own, ...... is that right?


    Yes, that''s right.


    "What in the world is going on here that we have to fight an evil dragon?¡¡No, let''s leave that aside.¡¡It''s so cool!"


    He pointed at my right arm.


    His eyes seemed to be moist.


    "I was looking for Usato-kun''s basket hand on the way here, but I was surprised to see that you already have it!¡¡How is it automatically attached or something?


    "...... Uh, sorry?"


    "Don''t apologize!¡¡You''re making me even more miserable!"


    I don''t know what to do, I''m getting more reactions than I expected, and I''m confused.


    I have to follow up here: .......


    "Well, even so, there is almost nothing special about this. If I had to say so, it''s an absolutely unbreakable cage hand that is impervious to any phenomenon. The rest is just to assist in the manipulation of magic power."


    "Enough!¡¡...... all I''ve gained on this trip is the art of dealing with ferocious demons. ....... Compared to you, I''m nothing at all. ......


    Finally, he turned his head down and became depressed.


    I called out to my friends for help, but Nair was asleep before I knew it.


    Amako, perhaps bored, grabs the luggage straps and twirls them around with a blank expression on her face.


    Mr. Alc, our last request, is watching us with a smiling face.


    Mr. Alc, you want me to calm down my senpai by myself?¡¡I''ll do it.


    "I''m sure you''ve been through quite a battle. A lightning incarnate that eats people, there''s no way you can do much against such a dangerous monster. ......


    "But, but ......"


    "Be confident!¡¡You protected a lot of people from such dangerous demons, and you finished your mission without incident!"


    "...... yeah."


    All right, let''s keep the momentum going.


    Senpai finally regained his composure and looked up, but immediately tilted his head as if he had noticed something.


    "Wait a minute, how did you know about that thunder beast, Usato-kun?¡¡Even the Lingle Kingdom only knows that it''s a lightning monster. ......?"


    "!"


    Oh no... ......!


    We must keep Master Farga as secret as possible. The existence of Lord Farga was kept secret even in Mialark, except for the queen Norn and her people.


    It is not so easy to talk about the existence of a divine dragon.


    We have to deceive them somehow.


    "Of course. I''m worried about you and Kazuki too. It''s only natural that I should know what''s going on with my dear friend.


    "...... Is that so?¡¡You were worried about me. Hehehe ......"


    I''m afraid he''s going to cheat me someday.


    What he said was true and honest, but I didn''t expect him to fall for it so easily. .......


    "I was actually going to tell you about the Lingle Kingdom first, ...... senior."


    "Heh,...... what is it, Usato-kun?"


    I wonder if what he just said is supposed to make me that happy?


    Well, I would be happy to hear it to my face, and I guess my senpai would be too.


    "Senpai and Kazuki will be made the same ...... as me, if not better."


    "...... what?¡¡That''s ......."


    "Yes, the armor of the heroes before me. It''s the same as that."


    "......"


    The senior is speechless with shock, his shoulders shaking.


    You don''t need to explain to understand that this is not sadness, but a tremor of joy.


    "I will report the details in front of Mr. Lloyd. For now, I will only tell you that senpai and Kazuki will have their armor made as heroes. ...... Are you listening?"


    I was worried about her trembling and not responding, and just as I was about to approach her, Senpai looked up.


    "Usato-kun!¡¡You are my..."


    "Oh, Suzune, look out!"


    "Suguho?


    Sengupai!


    Amako''s package flew in from the side and hit the senior in the head as he tried to open his arms.


    As I hurriedly supported the senior, who collapsed with an uncharacteristic female voice, I questioned Amako, the one who had sent the package flying.


    "What happened out of the blue, Amako?


    "I''m sorry. I was playing with it and it flew away. ....... But I only have clothes in my luggage. ......


    "You have the wrong person to apologize to. ....... Come on, apologize to your seniors."


    "Yeah."


    With an apologetic look on his face, Amako approached the senior.


    Amako woke up immediately and looked at Amako, as if the impact was not so serious.


    Amako moved with her back to me and bowed her head.


    "I''m sorry ......."


    "It''s okay. I was just a little surprised. But it''s dangerous to throw things like that, okay?¡¡Don''t do it again.


    "Yeah, okay. But you know what? ......"


    Amako looks up at her senpai as if peering down at him.


    "You can''t do that either, can you Suzune?¡¡Don''t you do things like that in the heat of the moment?"


    Amako''s expression became tight as she met his gaze.


    What do you mean by that?¡¡Did he do something to Amako?


    Silence reigned in the room until Amako suggested that they start walking, which triggered a movement.


    In the end, when I asked Amako and senpai about what had just happened, they just brushed me off and did not give me any answers. However, when I asked them about it, Amako smiled and Senpai''s face turned pale, which left a strong impression on me.

 163 - - The 148th Episode

    A day has passed since I met up with Inukami-senpai and we started our way home together.


    As expected, the trip was more lively than usual with Inukami''s presence. Nair and Amako, who were being tangled up with the strangely cheerful senpai, looked tired, but Bulrin, on the other hand, was not able to resist his senpai''s evil hands (?). The team is still showing the same iron plate strength.


    Finally, after a long journey, we returned to the place where it all began for us, the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "You''ve come back, haven''t you?


    "Yes."


    I mutter to myself with deep emotion as I stand in front of the gates of the Lingle Kingdom.


    When Mr. Aruk calls out to the gatekeeper to open the castle, he is greeted with a nostalgic view.


    ......I really want to go there first, but I''ll get to that later.


    "Shall we head to the castle first? We have a lot to report."


    "...... Usato, is there anything you haven''t told me yet?"


    "......"


    "Usato-kun?


    "Oh, no, I''m sure you''ll faint when you hear about this. ......"


    As a matter of fact, the only thing I told them about what happened in the beastman''s country is that I was able to safely awaken Mr. Kanoko.


    I have learned what kind of reaction I will get if I tell the truth.


    "No, no, I got used to it when I was an evil dragon!¡¡......Well, you can''t be more ...... than that."


    "There is no comparison. ....... Well, I''ll tell you when I report to Mr. Lloyd."


    He replies softly to his senpai, who is holding up his hand as if bracing himself, and shifts his gaze to the view of the Lingle Kingdom, which he has not seen in a long time.


    "Wow, so this is the Lingle Kingdom. It''s a beautiful place, isn''t it?


    Nair, who was looking around the city in human form, muttered to me.


    Come to think of it, this girl doesn''t know about this place since she joined us on our journey.


    "This will be your home for a while."


    "Well, it doesn''t sound too bad. I''m getting a lot of looks at ......."


    It is only natural that one of the bravest men in the country, a senior, should be the center of attention since he has returned.


    I don''t mean to sound so self-centered, but I''m also a member of the rescue team myself.


    As we were walking down the street leading to the castle, waving back at the townspeople who were happy to see us return, Amako, who was walking next to us, suddenly stopped in her tracks.


    I followed her gaze and saw Sarla, the woman who had lived with Amako in the Kingdom of Lingle, with a look of surprise on her face.


    "......usato."


    "Go ahead. We''ll take care of the rest.


    "Yes!"


    Amako nodded happily and ran to Sarla.


    After seeing her off, I turn to face forward, relieved to have completed my journey in one piece.


    I turned to face forward, relieved that I had completed my trip safely.


    Before entering the castle, we left Bulrin in charge of the guards and went to the hall where Master Lloyd was waiting for us.


    In the hall, there was Master Lloyd sitting on his throne and Mr. Sergio standing by his side.


    We also found Mr. Welsey and Mr. Sigurth.


    It had been a short time since we had been apart, but it felt as if it had been a long time since we had seen each other.


    "Suzune, Usato. Thank you for your safe return. The knights who served as your escort also did their best.


    ""Ha."""


    He kneels down and bows his head.


    I look at Nair from the side, and see that he is bowing his head in a very gentle manner.


    I was relieved to see that she could read the air at times like this, since she could have been disrespectful and caused a scene.


    "Keep your head up. ......I have heard about your activities through reports in Hooverd and letters from other countries. You really ...... did a really good job."


    I follow Mr. Lloyd''s kind words and look up.


    "...... You must be tired from your long journey, aren''t you?¡¡You can report back to me later, I''m sure Kazuki and Celia are looking forward to seeing you and the others again.


    "!¡¡Kazuki is already back?"


    Yes, about five days ago. He was very worried about you and the others.


    Thank goodness ...... that Kazuki is back safe and sound.


    I really want to follow Master Lloyd''s advice and go get some rest, but I have something to tell you right away.


    "Master Lloyd, I have an important report."


    What?¡¡Usato.


    Once I have sorted out what I am going to say to the wondering roids, I slowly begin to weave my words.


    "What I am about to tell you is also an important secret of the floating city of Mearaq.


    "Mialak secrets. I''m sorry, but the knights will have to leave for a while."


    The knights, including Mr. Krumeier and Mr. Alc, leave the room.


    Only a few vassals, Mr. Welshy, Mr. Signis, and Mr. Inukami remain.


    In the quiet hall, the senior member speaks to me in a hushed voice.


    "Usato, are you talking about the weapon of the brave?"


    "I apologize while I still can."


    Hmm?"


    There''s something I haven''t told you yet.


    With that, he turns to Master Lloyd.


    After making sure that he was completely rid of the man, Mr. Lloyd urged me to talk to him.


    "Well then, please, Usato."


    "Yes. Mr. Lloyd, are you aware of the events that took place in Mearaq?"


    "Of course. The knight of Mialark turned into a dragon man and went on a rampage, is that right?


    Yes. During that event, I had a chance encounter with a certain being.


    He pauses and takes a small deep breath.


    I am nervous to talk about him, even though I have no choice but to explain about the hero''s weapon.


    "Master Farga, the divine dragon. He is the dragon who presides over and , and is said to have made the weapons of the previous heroes.


    "Hmm?"


    What was that voice that almost made me gulp just as I was about to hold my breath?


    No, let''s not look next to him now for his honor.


    As I was looking away from him, Mr. Welshy spoke to me, his voice trembling.


    "Sh, Shenlong!¡¡A divine dragon actually existed?


    "Yes. He is quite old, but he certainly exists. We have ...... proof."


    Saying this, I roll up my right sleeve and deploy a cage hand made from the sword of the previous hero.


    "This is a baskets hand made from the sword of the previous hero, which I obtained on my journey, and which was reworked by Falga-sama.


    "...... Usato-san. May I take a look at it?


    He shows Mr. Welshy his kagote.


    She observed it carefully for a few tens of seconds, and then rolled her eyes in astonishment.


    "...... Can we say that this is a magic tool?¡¡At least, it is not something that can be created by human beings. It''s as if the metal itself has become one with the arm,...... and would be impossible even to imitate with existing technology."


    Mr. Welsey''s reaction caused a stir among the people in the hall.


    In the midst of this, Mr. Lloyd, who had been watching the situation silently, opened his mouth.


    "Usato. I believe your words.


    "Thank you very much. ......Master Farga is going to make the two heroes of this generation, Senpai and Kazuki, their own heroic armors for the coming battle against the Demon King."


    "...... What a . It is, however,......"


    "It seems that Master Farga thinks that the Demon Lord is that powerful."


    Master Lloyd puts his hand to his chin, lost in thought.


    "I didn''t think that a being that appears in ...... the stories was still alive. ...... I''m still surprised at my age," he said. Thank you, Usato. I know it must have been hard for you.


    "I''ve just been doing what I want to do in a way. ........."


    It has been hard work, but almost all of it has been either by getting involved myself or by getting involved and then getting involved.


    So I have not regretted a single thing in my journey so far.


    Master Lloyd pressed his hand to his forehead at my words.


    "......The other day, I received a report from Huberd that he had also engaged in battle with two legionnaires of the demon king''s army in the Land of the Beastmen. The text sent by Lucas of Samarriar stated that you had broken the terrible curse that had consumed the royal family and saved his daughter. ......"


    "Usato-kun, what do you mean?"


    Lloyd-sama frowns in regret and Senpai looks at me as if I''m a machine that has run out of oil.


    I listen to Mr. Lloyd''s words, trying not to make eye contact with him.


    "Both Suzune and Kazuki have had dangerous journeys, fighting powerful monsters. I cannot thank you enough for fulfilling your mission and returning to the kingdom. ......"


    "It has certainly been a dangerous journey. It was certainly a dangerous journey, but it was not a pointless one, in my opinion.


    He says this to Mr. Lloyd, who regrets having sent us on such a dangerous journey.


    "It was a great experience for me to meet a lot of people and to broaden my knowledge of the world," Lloyd says. What about you, ......?"


    He was a little surprised when he was suddenly asked to speak, but immediately looked at Lloyd-sama with a smile on his face.


    I feel the same way as you do, Usato-kun. I am sure that this trip meant a lot to me as well.


    "Suzune,Usato......"


    Mr. Lloyd meditated on our words for a few seconds.


    I cannot read what he is thinking from his expression, but he does not seem to regret his actions as he did before.


    I am an old geezer. You have grown up much more than I thought possible. Once again, as King of Lingle, I send you my thanks.


    ""Yes.""


    Master Lloyd smiled gently at me and my senpai as we bowed on our knees.


    However, he seemed to remember something when he saw us and started to growl a little.


    "How can I help you?"


    "Uh-huh. I''d like to ask you a few questions ...... after seeing you guys, if you don''t mind."


    Yes, sir. What is it?


    I don''t know.


    "There are rumors flying around the country that you two are in love.


    The topic was unexpected, and the senpai''s shoulders trembled and she became suspicious.


    In place of her, I explain to Mr. Lloyd what happened.


    "Oh, I see, so that''s what this is about. We almost had a kingdom-wide celebration ......."


    "That was a close call. ...... senpai."


    "So, so, so... ......"


    For some reason, he turned his head away from me.


    Seeing us, Master Lloyd looked relieved.


    "But in a way I am relieved.


    "Why is that?"


    "Well, I received a letter from Lucas, King of Samaritan, and it included a letter from his daughter. I read some of it because it was put in the same envelope by mistake, but ......, you are not in a corner either."


    Sergio hands me a carefully folded letter.


    I say no and look through it, and see a thank-you note from Eva, Master Lucas''s daughter.


    If given to me in a normal way, the letter does not seem to suggest any kind of love affair.


    However, if you change the situation, you will see it in a completely different light.


    "You''ve got a plan, Mr. Lucas. ......!"


    "Umm, Usato?¡¡The king''s daughter is a princess, right?¡¡As a senior, I''m curious..."


    You definitely enclosed this on purpose, didn''t you!¡¡It''s a far-fetched parental stupidity assist, isn''t it!


    The content of the letter itself is pretty ordinary, but the purpose is to attract Mr. Lloyd''s attention, isn''t it!


    The moat is steadily being filled!


    I was left to my own devices as the senior shook my shoulder with an awkward smile on his face, and Lucas-sama''s slightly evil smile flashed through my mind.


    I was just a little bit too much.


    For the time being, we left the hall to make a full report to Mr. Lloyd at a later date.


    After parting from Mr. Alc, we were walking along the corridors of the castle with Senpai and Nair.


    "The curse of Samaritan. I didn''t think you were involved in a case related to magic."


    "It was a terrible incident. The souls bound to this world by magic attacked with substance and, to be honest, I didn''t feel like living. ......"


    "How do souls attack?"


    "It''s like a translucent skeleton biting you, clicking its bones."


    I say with a pale face.


    I''m not good with ghosts, and I''m still a little traumatized by what happened.


    It was a painful experience when the memory of the ghost was forced into my head.


    "It''s all well and good to make small talk, but where are we going now?"


    Nair blurted out as she transformed into an owl and hopped on my shoulder.


    I''ve already informed the people at the castle about N¨¦a, but I wish she wouldn''t transform so easily in such public places.


    "We''re going to see my friends."


    "Are you talking about the other brave man?"


    Yes, that''s right.


    Mr. Lloyd told me that Kazuki and Celia are waiting for us in another room, so that''s where I''m heading.


    As we are walking down the passageway, smiling at N¨¦a, who is in a better mood now that she hears that we are brave, we stop when a figure jumps out from around a corner.


    "Hey, I finally found you!


    "Kazuki!"


    Kazuki, breathing quickly, approached us at a brisk pace, a look of relief on his face.


    "Weren''t you supposed to be waiting in your room first?"


    "When I heard you two were back, I couldn''t stand it any longer, so I ran out of the ...... room. Ha ha ha ......"


    Kazuki, smiling as fresh as ever, makes me nostalgic.


    ......It''s really a different kind of reunion from my senior year, isn''t it? I''m glad to see both of them.


    "But I''m so glad you both are safe and sound......!¡¡I''ve been worried about you for a long time. ......


    "Oh, ah, don''t cry, Kazuki, ......"


    Kazuki''s voice was getting teary, and my senpai and I were panicking.


    Seeing Kazuki, Nair whispers to me with a slightly withdrawn look on her face.


    "Unlike Suzune, she''s so horribly devoid of evil spirits, isn''t she? He''s scary in a different way. ......"


    "Kazuki is a pure young man. ......"


    He has a pure heart unlike me and Inukami-senpai.


    Kazuki, who had been worried about me, was so moved that he wiped his eyes and continued speaking.


    "I''m sorry ......!¡¡But when I found out that Senpai and Usato had fought a dangerous being,...... I really didn''t feel like living,......."


    "Did Master Lloyd tell you?"


    No, I heard it from a fortune teller I met in the elven village.


    "So, so ......, an elf... ...... hmmm."


    The older student is very upset.


    Elves are a staple of fantasy, so they must be very concerned about it.


    I''m managing to keep my self-control for now, but I don''t know when it will collapse, so I''ll ask the question for you.


    "What did the fortune teller say about us?"


    "Two of the three disasters that will happen on this continent were prevented by a brave man who carries thunder in his body and a white healer. ......


    "The white healer ...... is that me by any chance?"


    "Yeah. I knew immediately that it was referring to Usato."


    The White Healer ...... is just plain, well, very cool.


    I wonder why the elven fortune teller mentioned me in the first place.


    "<><>>>. I managed to defeat the ravenous monster, but it was quite a formidable foe. Without the help of their ...... elves, it is hard to imagine what would have happened by now. That''s why I''ve always been worried about the two of you who fought against beings of equal power to the monsters I faced ......."


    In the elves'' divination, the evil dragon was placed in the same line?


    Well, they were a nuisance that spread destruction and poison when left unchecked. No wonder it was treated like that.


    "But I''m glad that the three of us are reunited again like this."


    Kazuki looks so happy that my senpai and I can''t help but laugh along with him.


    Kazuki suddenly looked at Nair, who was standing on my shoulder, and tilted his head.


    "Usato. I was wondering, what is that owl on your shoulder?"


    Oops, that''s right.


    I''ll have to introduce Neah to Kazuki.


    "N¨¦a, a fellow traveler and messenger."


    Nice to meet you. Another brave man.


    "The owl talks!¡¡Could it be that he''s a talking demon?¡¡That''s amazing!"


    I''m sure it is. I''m sure it is."


    Kazuki is surprised and amazed in a normal way, and Naea is proud.


    I guess he is happy to be praised so honestly.


    "Oh, I should introduce my new friends too. ......"


    "Kazuki, by any chance, you''re a messenger too?


    "No, I''m not a messenger."


    The senior is relieved and at ease.


    I wish he would hide that gesture a little, but he seems to have nothing better to do.


    I am an elf hunter. I was the only daughter of the chief in my village, but after some twists and turns, I became one of them.


    "You''re here!¡¡There''s an elf girl in this country?¡¡If there is, I''d like to introduce you to--"


    "Yes. Senpai, please calm down.


    He stopped Kazuki, who was about to question him with bloodshot eyes, by pinning him down with his wings.


    Kazuki smiled fondly at me, who had grown quiet like a borrowed cat after a few seconds, and at me, who had grown tired and weak.


    "I knew it was this exchange," he said. Senpai and Usato are ...... yes."


    A familiar voice from far away: .......


    Could it be Celia?¡¡Is she looking for Kazuki?


    "Oh, no. Celia is looking for me. ...... What about you, Usato?¡¡Do you want to go with her?


    "Well, I don''t know.


    After thinking about it for a moment, I tell him about my plans.


    "Me and Nair are going back to the lifeguard station," he says.


    "I see. Well, now that you''re back in the country, we can always meet up. I''ll introduce you to your new friends later."


    "Yeah. Well then, senpai, I guess we''re breaking up here.


    "Uh, ah, ...... well, see you later."


    He leaves with Nair.


    It''s been a long time since the three of us had a chance to talk together.


    But for me, it''s not really home yet.


    "I guess home for me is the lifeguard.


    I don''t need anyone to tell me that.


    I know that he is waiting for my return at that place.


    "Hey, hey, Usato.


    "Yes, n¨¦a?"


    "I''m going to live in the castle, so let''s split up here, okay?"


    I laugh at Nea''s suggestion.


    "Neah, ......, it''s okay. No one will discriminate against you just because you are a demon.


    "No, no, but..."


    Because most of them are human, but they are just like demons.


    Does that include you?


    .......


    "Don''t worry. I''m coming back to the Rescue Mission with you, no matter what anyone says."


    "Hey, will you listen to me?¡¡I''m telling you that I''m going to live in the castle and you don''t have to take me to the lifeguard station."


    I''m with you every step of the way!


    Of course not!


    "Of course you don''t want to!¡¡You''re coming with us!¡¡I''m happy to come with you!


    What?¡¡You might be ignoring me after listening to me!¡¡What do you mean?¡¡Don''t grab me by the wings!¡¡Let me go!


    You''re my messenger.


    Then it''s part of your job to share your master''s fate.


    With Nair desperately trying to escape from my grasp, I proceed to the lifeguard''s quarters.

 164 - - 149th episode.

    After leaving the castle with Bulrin, Nair and I headed straight for the lifeguard station.


    The streets of the Kingdom of Lingle, the road leading to the lifeguard station, and the surrounding trees leading up to it---everything we saw was nostalgic.


    "I wonder how everyone is. Well, of course we are.


    "Gwah!"


    "Well, well, are you glad to be back, too?"


    He pats the head of Bulrin, who walks next to him, and turns his attention to Nair, who is on his shoulder.


    He had tried to escape earlier, but he realizes that it is pointless in front of my reflexes, so he is now unfaithful and quiet.


    "Well, the lifeguard is not as bad as you might imagine."


    "...... I can tell when you''re lying to me."


    "I''m not lying. It''s just that almost everyone in the group is too unique."


    "Can you please stop talking as if you are not unique?¡¡I don''t know anyone more unique than you."


    That''s rude.


    I''m on the bottom of the list.


    "No, no, no, there are strong men in the Rescue Mission, even monsters, and above all, the leader is much more dangerous than I am. If I had to choose between the evil dragon and the leader, I''d choose the evil dragon without a second thought.


    "Well, don''t try to scare me with that!¡¡I can''t believe you''re more than an evil dragon!"


    For my part, I don''t want to play with Rose, who is better than me in almost every aspect.


    Unlike the Evil Dragon, I don''t think I can use any tricks or push and even now that I have the cage hand, I can''t picture myself being able to fight Rose at all.


    "Well, I guess you''ll find that out when you meet him. Oh, but I''ll have to introduce you to the others. The tough guys, Ferrum, Nack ......, and Olga and Uluru from the infirmary."


    "Ferrum, you mean the demon tribe summoned by Farga''s magic in Mialak?"


    Yes.


    It''s been almost a month now, and I hope things have calmed down a bit.


    No, I don''t think she''ll ever calm down. I''m worried about how well she''s getting along with Knack, but I guess that''s okay with Rose.


    "I don''t know if I''m going to be able to handle it ......, the group is already so dense that I''m not sure I''ll fit in."


    "Ha ha, you''re pretty much the same, so I think you''ll be fine."


    "Wait, what do you mean by that?


    Nair, a vampire/necromancer hybrid, an owl, a clumsy girl, and a whole host of other things, is not to be outdone in personality, even if the lifeguard squad is full of weirdos.


    Well, maybe not.


    As I walk along the road, trying to calm down the angry Nair, who seems to be unconvinced by my words, I finally come in sight of the lifeguard quarters.


    "Yes, it looks surprisingly normal. I thought there would be torture devices or something in there."


    "You''re overreacting. ....... This is a place to help people. There shouldn''t be anything that disturbing ...... hmm?"


    At that moment, they notice something lying in front of the dormitory.


    A dark-haired boy named Nack and a silver-haired demon girl named Ferrum.


    Both of them were in tatters, and both of them had fainted with their hands reaching for the door of the inn, as if they had run out of strength.


    When Nair noticed them after me, she paled and her voice trembled.


    "Hey, hey, Usato. Hi, there''s a man down in the place where we help people. ......"


    "This is just a normal day at the rescue squad. Don''t worry, it''s not at all unusual."


    I''m going back to the village!


    I''m going back to the village!


    He immediately catches Nair as he attempts to flee.


    He speaks in a flat voice to Nair, who flaps her wings frantically.


    "Ha-ha-ha. You must be homesick by now. Don''t worry, this will be your home now.


    "Why should I live in a place where it''s normal to have people lying on the ground in front of my house?¡¡How bizarre is this lifeguard group!"


    "This is where you belong. This is the only place. I wouldn''t let you choose any other place.


    How much do you want to drag me into this?


    To be honest, I''m afraid he''ll be mad at me for tearing up the uniform.


    I thought that Rose''s anger might be eased if one of us, Nair, knew what was going on.


    I don''t think it will be very effective, but it''s better than nothing.


    With Nair in my grasp, I walk over to Nack and Ferrum, who are both unconscious.


    Ferrum is ...... out of it, his eyes completely blank.


    Nack is--,


    "......Hey, Usato, there''s Mr. ......"


    "Nack!¡¡Are you okay?


    "Heh, heh,...... I knew the Commander''s training was hell,......


    "Nack!¡¡Hey, get a hold of yourself!¡¡Knack......!"


    He turns his head away from Nack, who faints as if he is running out of energy.


    That''s Rose.


    She has already cast a healing spell on me, and even though there is no room to heal, I am knocked out from the mental damage alone.


    There''s nothing I can do about it.


    "Let''s say ...... that''s it."


    "Now we''re getting a glimpse into the crazy lifeguard routine."


    "Guu ......"


    I let Nack and Ferrum, who have passed out, lie in a nearby field while I let Nair and Bulrin''s gazes flow over me.


    They will probably wake up in an hour or so.


    They will be happier to rest for an hour than to wake up now.


    That''s what I thought when I was training.


    "Okay, first we have to get Bulrin to the stables."


    "Guh."


    I hear a single voice, and I walk with him to the stables.


    The stables, which are located very close to the inn, are still full of piles of straw, and Bulrin dives into one of them with great vigor.


    "Thanks for your hard work, Bulrin. Keep up the good work."


    "You must have been so tired. ....... Well, that''s understandable."


    Nair, back on his shoulder, looks at Bulrin and mutters something like that.


    At that moment, a small black shadow jumped out from behind the straw in front of us.


    I immediately realized who the shadow was and tried to catch it without even preparing myself - but somehow the small shadow was not heading for me, but for Nair on my shoulder.


    "What?¡¡What the hell?


    While still in the owl state, Nair is hit by a body blow, and the shock causes her to revert back to her black-haired, red-eyed human form.


    At the spot where Nair had been a moment ago, Rose''s pet noir rabbit, Kukuru, is wagging his distinctive leaning ears with a smug look on his face.


    "You look the same as ever, my dear. How are you?¡¡Kukuru."


    "Cue."


    He may look very lovable, but he is a Dosu bunny just like his master.


    Basically, it is his job to deceive you with his appearance, and then drive you to the depths of despair.


    You d*mn rabbit!¡¡You have the nerve to knock me down out of the blue!¡¡Usato!¡¡What''s wrong with him!


    This is Kukuru, the Commander''s pet. It seems he''s a rare demon just like you.


    "Kyu."


    "I don''t care how rare it is!¡¡That part is mine!"


    Nair transforms into an owl again and charges at Kukuru, who is on her shoulder.


    However, Kukuru, who moves to the opposite shoulder, evades Naea with a light movement and gives her a sneer as if to say, "You''re so naive!


    Nair returns to his original position, shaking with anger.


    "Usato, what the hell is this guy?¡¡He''s really pissing me off!


    "Well, well, calm down! Kukul, is the leader in the dormitory?


    I ask Kukul, keeping Nair calm. He nods his head in agreement.


    Then, let''s go to the inn.


    With Neah on my right shoulder and Kukul on my left, I leave the stables and go into the quarters, feeling like a tamer.


    ......I''m afraid that if Inukami-senpai sees me now, he might lose himself and attack me.


    "......The strong-looking guys are gone. Are they in training at this time?"


    "Kyu!"


    "Oh?¡¡What are you looking at? You little bunny rabbit."


    At any rate, I''d appreciate it if you wouldn''t put my face between your legs in a fight.


    With a sigh, I look around the interior of the dormitory, and I am deeply moved.


    "I guess the Commander is in the ...... Commander''s office."


    That''s the only place to wait.


    They already know I''m coming back. Then let''s not hesitate and head straight for the leader''s office.


    I walk up the stairs and stand in front of the door to the Commander''s office where Rose is.


    "Soooo.... ......Good."


    I make up my mind once again and knock on the door of the Commander''s office.


    I hear a short "Come in" in reply, so I nervously put my hand on the doorknob and open the door.


    The first thing I see is Rose sitting on a chair in the Commander''s office with her arms crossed.


    She recognized me and smiled a fierce smile, the same as the day we last met.


    "Well, ...... there''s a lot I want to say, but ...... we''ll get to that later."


    I was at a loss for words, but she continued to weave her words.


    "Welcome back. Usato."


    "......!"


    I try to hold my chest out as much as I can while suppressing the rush that these words bring.


    I try to say them out loud and firmly.


    "I''m home!¡¡Commander!


    At this moment, I realized that I had finally returned to "my home.


    I was back home.


    After that, I was in the Commander''s office, briefly explaining to Rose the events of my trip so far.


    Unlike my seniors, she listened to me without raising an eyebrow at all about the evil dragon or Lord Farga.


    "Well, it seems you have had a very pleasant trip."


    After listening to the whole story, Rose crossed her arms thoughtfully and said something like that.


    Delightful ...... sums it up pretty easily.


    "Haha, well ...... yes."


    "It''s not a compliment, idiot. You''re getting too involved in the problem. It''s a good thing it all worked out in the end, but you need to think a little more carefully."


    "Yes, I''m sorry. ......"


    It is true, and I admit my fault honestly.


    I can''t help being angry here, but there is one more matter that might make me angry.


    I fearfully broach the subject with Rose.


    "Um, I''m talking about the group uniform. ......"


    "You''re telling me that the commander of the Second Army ripped you to shreds. Let me see."


    He takes out a cloth-wrapped uniform from his luggage and hands it to Rose.


    She unfolded the robe, looked at the hole cut and made by the cohort for a few seconds, and then looked back at me with a rather grim expression on her face.


    "First of all, let me tell you, I''m not that angry."


    "...... Eh!"


    He looks really unhappy.


    At my reaction, Rose pressed her forehead with her hand.


    "It''s for your protection. What''s wrong with it falling apart? It''s doing what it''s supposed to do."


    "But this is the ...... of the lifeguard."


    "These are just a little tougher clothes when you get right down to it. What matters is you.


    "Me, is it ......?"


    Rose''s words upset me a little as she carefully folded the trousers and put them on the desk.


    "You can make this stuff over as much as you want, but there''s only one of you. It is needless to compare who has priority over you or this group uniform.


    "Hey, Commander, ......!"


    You''ve been talking about me that much ......!


    Oh no, I''m about to cry because of your kind words, which are so rare.


    "Well, on the other hand, if you had come back with a clean bill of health, I would have blown you away."


    "......"


    The tears have receded.


    Now I''m a little more thankful to Koga.


    Now that the story of the group uniform is over, the next topic of conversation is about Nair.


    "So, is that black thing over there your messenger?"


    "Yes, his name is Nair. He is now in the form of an owl, but he is originally a demon in human form.


    He motions to Nair to become a human being.


    Rose sighs lightly, a little surprised to see N¨¦a in human form with the light.


    "So we have a demon tribe, a kid with a healing spell, and now a sorcerer''s demon. You don''t think we''re just a bunch of street performers, do you?


    Well, we''re all the same, including you.


    It hurts so much I feel like my face is going to be crushed!


    Rose grabs my face so fast I can''t react, and the fear I''d almost forgotten comes back to me.


    Nair looks away and just shivers as I scream in anguish, but then Rose turns to look at her with a glare.


    "Hey!"


    "Yes, yes?


    "If you''re Usato''s messenger, you''re officially in the care of the Rescue Mission. We won''t give you special treatment just because you''re a demon.


    "Oh, no, no, it''s just that ......


    Nair is too slow to answer.


    It is no wonder that he is so defensive in front of the Commander.


    Let me answer for you.


    He says it''s fine.


    "!!!?"


    Nair looks at me in disbelief.


    I tell him not to worry about it, and he punches me in the shoulder with tearful eyes, but it doesn''t hurt or itch, so it''s all fun and games.


    "I see. Then we''ll have to see how much his magic and you have grown.


    What do you mean, "check"?


    I asked her with a somewhat unpleasant feeling, and Rose gave a wry smile.


    "I''ll take care of him."


    "...... Yeah, you''re going to die, aren''t you? Me and Nair.


    "I''ll go easy on you, don''t worry."


    I can only despair if they take it easy on me.


    With vacant eyes, he smiles at Nair, who is standing next to him.


    "Then you''re safe. You did it, N¨¦a. You survived!"


    "Goodbye Usato!¡¡It''s been a pleasure!"


    For the umpteenth time today, N¨¦a tries to escape, and I just meditate on her without moving.


    I know.


    I know that in this situation, there is no way I can escape in Rose''s territory.


    Rose''s hand blurs for a moment, and then something explodes in the air behind me, and I fall silent with a mournful cry.


    "...... Commander. So, are you going to do it today?"


    "No, we''ll do it in a few days. You''ll be busy with your report. As for today, since you''re back, Alec and the others are arranging a dinner for you.


    "Are Olga and Uluru coming too?"


    "Yes.


    That means all the members of the lifeguard squadron will be there at night.


    I''m looking forward to talking with Nack about a lot of things.

 165 - - The 150th.

    The reunion with Rose was also the beginning of a new ordeal.


    A mock battle to see how I had grown after my journey. I had to go head-to-head with Rose, who can be described as a monster, even more so than I am, to put it mildly.


    To be honest, I can''t even imagine what I can do.


    But as much as I felt despair, I also wanted to know how well I could fight against Rose.


    "Nair, your room is here."


    After I finished talking with Rose and left the Commander''s office, I woke N¨¦a up from her stupor and took her to the room where she was going to live.


    In the room to which I led her, N¨¦a was in a bad mood.


    "Hey, there''s already someone in the room.


    "The basic lifeguard unit is two people sharing a room. I''m no exception."


    "I''d rather live with you than with some ...... stranger."


    "You''re a girl, after all. You can''t share a room with a man and a woman.


    Wait, why did you just say "just in case"?


    He quickly avoids Nair''s questioning and brings the futon into the room.


    It would be a little strange to enter the room without the owner''s permission, but I have Rose''s permission, so there is no problem in terms of appearances.


    Nair, who is holding a training suit that is the usual uniform of the lifeguard squad, stares at me with a glare.


    "Don''t look at me like that, it''s a girl just like you who lives in this room.


    "......"


    I don''t know why I was in an even worse mood.


    I looked around the room, not understanding what it meant, but it seemed to be cleaned properly, the bedding on the bed was folded, and the room was well organized.


    "...... hmmm, I guess I''ll have to bring in a bed for Neah later."


    It''s clean now, but it used to be a storage room. I guess we''ll just have to put up with it for now.


    With this in mind, I put the futon in the space on the opposite side from where the bed is placed.


    "Okay, this will do for now."


    "--, I''m tired today, too. ......, hmm?"


    "Hmm?"


    A voice from behind.


    I turned around and my eyes met those of a brown-skinned girl with silver hair and horns.


    A few seconds later, she recognized me and Nair and backed away, her face blood reddening.


    "Oh, oh, you guys!¡¡What are you doing in front of my room, ......, Usato?"


    "Oh, I''m home. Ferrum.


    "Oh, welcome back, not ......!¡¡Why of all people would you be in my room without permission!¡¡I mean, did you come home today?


    Well, if I, a guy, was suddenly in my room, I would get angry.


    Fellum''s face turned red and he got angry, so I decided to apologize to him.


    "Sorry about that. I just came back a few minutes ago and the reason I am in your room is that a new member of the group is going to live in the room with you from today.


    "What?


    He introduces Nair to Ferm, who is surprised and biting.


    When Ferrum finds out about N¨¦a, he points at her angrily, as expected.


    Why do I have to live in the same room with this guy?


    "That''s my line!¡¡I don''t want to live with a little guy like you!


    "What the hell!¡¡You titty ghost!


    "Shut up!¡¡You goat-head!


    A few words of advice and a few words of criticism.


    I knew there was going to be a fight, but I didn''t expect it to go this far. ....... It''s like watching an exchange with Amako.


    Nair and Ferrum grab each other''s clothes and start fighting, and I sigh as I pull them away.


    "Okay, okay, let''s not fight."


    "Usato!¡¡I hate him!¡¡I don''t like him!


    "Ferrum may not have a big mouth, but he''s just not very honest. You''re older than him... you could at least turn a blind eye to that..."


    "I don''t like it when people get carried away."


    Nair sighs as he turns his head away.


    He''s too young for this kind of mentality. I look at Ferrum, annoyed for a moment at the three hundred year old''s apparent stubbornness.


    He is as alert as a cat, but this one is easy to deal with.


    "Ferrum, you want a convincing reason?"


    "Yes!"


    "Decisions of the Commander."


    "...... d*mn!"


    In an instant, his anger is defused and he holds his head in his hands.


    Having experienced firsthand the horror of defying Rose, I can understand why he would do so.


    The only thing to do now is to coax her without provoking her.


    "Ferrum, you are the senior here, you should teach Nair some things."


    "...... why don''t you teach him. You''ve been on the road together. ...... together."


    That''s kind of a stinging way of putting it.


    "I''ll teach you too, but you''re my roommate too, right?¡¡I''d like for us to be friends if possible. ......"


    ""I can''t do that.""


    I think we get along surprisingly well.


    The two of them laugh at each other. They look like they don''t get along well with each other, but they seem to be surprisingly compatible.


    Just like Amako.


    "Anyway, don''t fight too much. I''m sure Ferrum knows that, but if the leader of the group catches you fighting, he''s going to ........."


    "If they find you, ......"


    Nair, who clears his throat with a gurgling sound, shakes his head and says, "No.


    "...... No, let''s not say it. I don''t want to scare you."


    "Well, if you''re going to say it like that, why don''t you just say it?¡¡I''m even more scared now!¡¡What is that horrible woman going to do to me?


    N¨¦a is trembling, and Ferm looks pale, perhaps remembering the time when Rose was punishing her.


    Seeing the two of them, I decided to go to my room.


    "Well, I''m going to my room now. Oh, I heard that all the members of the lifeguard squad are going to get together for dinner today, so come earlier than usual, okay?


    I told them and left the place.


    There is still some time left before dinner, so after we get ...... dressed, we should rest a little until then.


    I''ll get some rest until then.


    After returning to my room at the lifeguard station, I unpacked and changed my clothes, and decided to lie down on my bed for a short nap.


    I have slept in all kinds of places, from the field to the beds in the kingdom, but I felt most comfortable in this bed and fell asleep in no time at all.


    My roommate?¡¡I wake up with a poke from the tongs of my roommate, and I get up, unintentionally kicking at his strong face, which is too shocking to wake up from sleep.


    "......wah...... is it this dark already?"


    "You''ve got some nerve, flying your foot in my face when you see me ......!"


    Kicking is enough for those who poke people in the head with force.


    I was very offended, even though I had just woken up from sleep.


    I saw the look on his face as if he had been up to some mischief, so I needn''t have felt guilty.


    "I thought you''d come back a little more polite, but you haven''t changed your cocky attitude, hey!


    "What? Polite?¡¡Is there any respect here for anyone other than the leader?"


    Huh?


    Ah?


    They grab each other by the chest and glare at each other.


    After a few seconds of silence, they let go and Tong''s mouth quirked up.


    "I guess you haven''t learned much courtesy, but you''re not a coward, are you?"


    "Of course. How could I forget what I''ve been taught here so easily?"


    No, it''s not.


    Every member of the group has experienced Rose''s hellish training.


    It''s not just in your body, it''s in your psyche, and it''s not something you can just forget.


    "Dinner. Almost everyone''s already here."


    "Okay. Then let''s go now."


    He leaves the room with Tongs and heads for the dining room.


    While he was there, he decided to ask Tong about what was going on in the lifeguard corps.


    "Did anything happen at the rescue team while I was gone?"


    "No, nothing much happened except that Nack joined the rescue team. The only thing that happened was that Mill cooked some food.¡¡The only thing I can think of is that Mill made a dish or something on his own and made the leader mad.


    My hands shake as I recall the horrific food scares that once took place in the rescue squad.


    I can''t forget the violence to my taste buds and the foreign feeling that even healing magic can''t cure.


    "Huh?¡¡He made something like that again. He never learns, does he?


    "For my part, I''d like to know what I can make the Commander so angry!"


    It''s better if you don''t know.


    "Oh, oh."


    After a short conversation with Tongs, we soon arrive near the entrance to the cafeteria.


    There I find Nair, Ferrum, and two men and women, Olga and Uluru.


    Uluru-san smiled and waved at me when he saw me.


    "Ah, Usato!¡¡Welcome back!


    "I''m home, Uluru-san. What happened to Nair and Ferrum ......?"


    This woman is making me squirm ......


    "I still don''t like this guy. ......"


    Nair and Ferrum tilt their heads back as if they are out of breath.


    I let Tong go to the cafeteria first and ask them why they are in such a state.


    "Well, you are good friends with Ferrum, aren''t you?


    "Yes. At first I was a little scared of them because they are demons, but once I met them, it wasn''t that bad at all. In fact, their reactions were so cute that I ended up being mean to them.


    Uluru-san strokes Ferrum''s head with a familiar hand.


    Fermu, on the other hand, looks really uncomfortable.


    "Don''t touch the corners!¡¡Don''t touch my hair!¡¡Don''t stroke my hair!


    Uluru shrugs off his hand and runs into the cafeteria.


    Uluru-san looks disappointed as he watches her run away, but then he grabs Nair, who tries to run away after Uluru-san, and captures her.


    "Gufu!


    "Hey, hey, this girl!¡¡I heard she''s Usato-kun''s messenger?


    "Yes, her name is Nair. Please befriend her.


    "Hey, Usato!¡¡This guy feels just like Suzune..."


    "Neah, let''s have dinner together!¡¡I have a lot of questions I want to ask you!¡¡Oh, just in time, there''s a seat open next to Ferrum!"


    No!


    Don''t come here!


    You''re so tough. Mr. Uluru.


    Your cheerful personality is one of your strong points.


    Well, for my part, I think it''s a good thing that the friendship between Nair and Ferrum is expanding in the rescue group.


    ...... In that sense, Uluru''s aggressive personality may be a good thing.


    "Ha-ha-ha, Uluru is the same as ever."


    "Ms. Olga."


    "Welcome back, Usato. I''m glad you''re back safe and sound."


    Olga smiles at me, and I smile along with her.


    How was your trip?


    "It was hard, but I got a lot out of it. ...... Personally, I enjoyed it.


    Olga nodded kindly at my words.


    If you think so, I guess you must be right. I''d love to hear more about your trip, but I''ll leave it to him ....... Yes."


    "He ......?"


    Olga''s eyes turn behind me.


    I looked behind him and saw Nack, a boy in a lifeguard training uniform, standing there with a look of surprise and joy combined.


    "I thought it was a dream as usual, but this time it was different. ......!¡¡Usato, you''re really back......!"


    "I''m glad to see you here as a member of the lifeguard squadron, Nack. You look a little stockier now, don''t you?"


    I feel like I''m getting tougher.


    I have seen you in Mearaq through the video, but I haven''t seen you in person since we parted in Lucvis.


    How''s life at the rescue squad?


    "It''s not so hard anymore, it''s so bad that I can''t even think about it.


    "Yes, yes, I understand. I totally understand. That''s it. I can''t even describe it.


    "Yes!"


    It''s Rose''s training that can''t be expressed in words, so the word "hell" has to be substituted for the time being.


    "But I''m still a child, so the training is not so severe," she says. Personally, it was more unreasonable than the training I received from Usato. ......"


    "I''m the leader of the group. Well, he''s a much more capable leader than I am, so I''m sure the results will be good."


    ......We should get moving, we can''t keep talking at the entrance of the cafeteria.


    Let''s take a seat for now. We can talk as much as we want after that. Would you like to join us, Olga?"


    "Yes, I guess so. Well, I guess I''ll sit down too.


    "Oh, well, I''ll go get three seats!"


    Nack runs into the cafeteria to get a seat and smiles at me.


    You''ve really grown up a lot since you were in Lukvis, haven''t you? When I first saw you, you seemed like a weak boy.


    As someone who trained Nack for a while, I am happy to see his growth, but at the same time it makes me itchy.


    "It really has become a lively place, hasn''t it?


    Ms. Olga, who was looking around the cafeteria next to me, muttered with deep emotion.


    I looked again and saw that there were nine people in the cafeteria, including the five strongmen, Ferrum, Nair, Nack, and Uluru.


    "Yes, that''s right. ......"


    "I''m so glad you''re here."


    "What?"


    The sudden words make me look at Olga.


    "Thanks to your coming, our ......, Rose-san''s stopped time has finally started to move.


    "Stopped time?"


    "Yes, Mr. Rose, you, Mr. Usato, you are--"


    Olga-san was about to continue speaking in response to my question, but then a nuclear boulder was slammed into his head.


    "Whoa! and Rose, our leader, was standing behind her with an expression of displeasure on her face.


    "Don''t say unnecessary things!


    "I''m sorry. ......"


    Even Rose, who is a stone, was taking it easy on the weak Mr. Olga, and she quickly stood up and glared at him.


    Ms. Olga shifted her gaze to me with a twitchy smile on her face.


    "Haha, so that''s what I''m going to do. ......"


    "Yes, yes. ......"


    I look over at Olga''s back as she walks to the seat Nack has prepared for her, holding her head.


    What was Olga trying to say?¡¡Was she going to say that I am Rose''s ...... sandbag, or that I am her number one student?


    Personally, I''m glad to hear the latter, but I guess it''s not such a sweet thing to say.


    "......Hey, Usato, how long are you going to stand there like that? Take your seat quickly.


    "Oh, okay."


    "Oh, and--"


    As I was about to turn around, Rose continued to speak.


    "Today is also a celebration of your return. It''s okay to cut loose for a little while, but don''t leave tomorrow tired.


    Yes, sir!


    After bowing, he takes his seat this time.


    I don''t need to think about what I am to Rose. Perhaps it will be revealed to me by Rose herself at the appropriate time.


    So I will just go about my daily life as a lifeguard until that time comes.

 166 - - The 151st.

    The existence of elves in this world is similar to that of beastmen, but slightly different.


    Unlike the beastmen, who have cut off relations with humans out of fear and hatred, the elves have always maintained a certain distance from humans and have lived in hiding.


    Therefore, their culture is quite different from that of humans, and according to one theory, they have established a way of life that is more focused on magic and magical tools.


    I can assure you that it must be a very lucky thing to be able to get acquainted with such elves by chance.


    I was so excited that I can''t even describe how excited I was when I met an elf girl, who is a must for fantasy, rather than .......


    Frana, the elf girl introduced to me by Kazuki-kun.


    She had shoulder-length cream-colored hair and long elven ears, and she was softer and more sensible than I had imagined.


    She followed Kazuki alone from the elven village, and as I expected, she was very fond of him. At one point I feared that she might get into a fight with Princess Celia of Lingle Kingdom, but that did not happen.


    "Hmmm, what did you do at that time, Frana-san?"


    "Hmm?¡¡Well, I didn''t want to get covered in mud myself, so I ran away as fast as I could. Then the boar got really mad at me, it was really hard.


    There is not a word of a fight between Celia and an elf girl, Frana, who are currently chatting in front of me in the garden of the castle in the Kingdom of Lingle.


    They seem to be good friends.


    The other day, did anything happen between them?¡¡The other day, I casually asked her if nothing had happened between them, and the answer I got was...,


    The answer came back mischievously.


    Or rather, I am a girl, too, but I wonder if I should have pursued the matter. .......


    "Suzune-sama?"


    "Ae?¡¡Heh?¡¡What''s wrong?


    "No, I was kind of spaced out. ......"


    Oops, I must have gotten lost in thought.


    Celia, Frana and I are the only three people here. Kazuki is not here because he is in the training center, training on his own.


    I smile as I try to make up for the fact that they are looking at me.


    "Kazuki has often told me that the <> lives in a different place from the castle, right?"


    "You mean Usato?¡¡Yes, what have you heard from Kazuki, by the way?"


    "He said that he is my best friend, and he seemed so happy that I was jealous of him.


    Once, I asked Celia, "Does Kazuki-sama like Usato-sama?¡¡I don''t think it''s right for men to be with each other! I assure you that this is not true.


    If that were the case, Kazuki-kun would be my strongest enemy without any joke.


    "...... Well, it''s better to meet him in person to get to know him better. ...... Want to go there?¡¡I''d rather meet him in person to get to know him better.


    "Oh, you don''t mind?¡¡But Celia is ......."


    Frana looked at Celia awkwardly, but she smiled at her.


    "I was going to go to Mr. Kazuki''s side, so you don''t have to worry about me."


    "...... I see, I''ll go ah ...... then."


    With Celia''s consent, Frana and I set out for the lifeguard station where Usato-kun was staying.


    After getting ready to go out for the time being, we moved to the front of the castle and noticed that Frana was wearing a robe with her hood pulled up over her eyes.


    "I know the people here aren''t racist or anything, but I don''t really like being the center of attention."


    "Does it still bother you to look at me?"


    He nodded his head with a troubled expression at my words.


    I guess the presence of an elf is rare and attracts curious stares.


    As we started walking in the direction of the lifeguard''s quarters, Frana looked at me and put her finger to her mouth as if she was remembering something.


    "I was surprised when I met Suzune for the first time. I was surprised when I met Suzune for the first time. >>She came up to me with a sparkle in her eyes.


    "Ugh, I''m sorry."


    "No need to apologize. Kazuki told me he wasn''t a bad guy. He was a weird guy, but..."


    I blush when Frana imitates my voice.


    I admit that I was a little bit crazy at that time.


    Kazuki is a serious person and you are a very cheerful person. I wondered what kind of person Usato, who is friends with those two, would be like."


    "Kazuki, did he tell you anything about his personality?"


    "Well, to be honest, I''ve only heard half-truths."


    "Well, why?"


    When I asked her this, Frana looked a little troubled.


    "Because, from a common sense point of view, it''s ...... a little too unrealistic for a healing magician to fight or even to hit someone. Moreover, it is more natural to think that he has special power other than healing magic to defeat the evil dragon, even though he is a healer according to the fortune-telling.


    "Oh, sure, that''s what people usually think. ......"


    You would have to see him in person to believe him, Usato.


    At this point, a bit of mischievousness came up in me. If I don''t tell Frana about Mr. Usato, she will be surprised when she finds out about him.


    "In the meantime, I suggest you meet with them."


    "Yes, that would be the best thing to do."


    One of the reasons why ...... I really want to be honest with him is that I don''t have confidence that he will believe me if I give him a factual account of himself.


    ¡ñ


    And here we are in front of the lifeguard''s quarters.


    Looking around at the green landscape, which has changed from the castle and the town, Frana mutters emotionally.


    I''m surprised. I didn''t know there was a place like this in the kingdom. ......"


    "This is the dormitory of the rescue team to which Mr. Usato belongs. Maybe this is where Usato is training. ......"


    I look around in front of the dormitory and spot a figure a short distance away.


    A figure a little smaller than me - Nack, the boy I had met in Luxvis before, ran towards me when he noticed me and Frana.


    On the way back from our trip, Usato had told me that he had joined the rescue team, and I was relieved to see that he was doing well.


    "Suzune-san. Did you come to see Mr. Usato?"


    "Yes, I did, but is ...... he in training?"


    Yes. He went running into town with the rest of the group. Well, who are you ......?"


    Nack gives a quizzical look to Frana, who is deeply hooded.


    I don''t want to cause any misunderstandings, so I ask her to briefly introduce herself and then think about what I should do.


    I see that Usato has gone for a run. Will he be back soon?


    "Ha-ha-ha, no way. There is no way that the lifeguard''s training will be over in such a short period of time. They won''t be back for at least half a day.


    "What?"


    Flana, behind me, sounds a bit like a fool.


    It''s hard to believe, but this is the norm in the rescue team to which Mr. Usato belongs.


    "Would it be faster to go to the city then?"


    "Yes, I think so."


    Now the city.


    Then it would be more efficient to wait for Mr. Usato to pass by somewhere.


    Thinking about going to the castle town, I suddenly remember the girl who was inducted into the lifeguard squad. A black knight, a demon who was taken prisoner during the battle against the Demon King''s army.


    Usato told me her name was Ferrum.


    I wonder how that girl is doing now.¡¡Nack-kun looked toward the city and smiled.


    "Oh, she went away with Mr. Usato and the others.


    "......Eh, are you okay!¡¡Even if they are demons,......."


    "At first they were wary of me, but now they don''t care. Everyone seems to be convinced that we are a rescue group.


    "Oh, if you say so, I agree with you."


    In the back, "Are you going to be convinced ......?" Frana is muttering in the background in a tone of disbelief.


    I feel a little premature, but if Mr. Rose has given his permission, then I can rest assured.


    "You didn''t go with her?"


    "Mr. Ferrum was trying to compete with Mr. Usato and followed him recklessly, but I can''t keep up with him at all now. I want to train with you, but I don''t want to interfere with you. ......I''m just going to do the training that I can do right now."


    "...... I see."


    You''ve grown up so much.


    Physically and mentally, you are not the same person you were when we parted ways in Luxembourg.


    He is becoming an adult.


    "Well, I think we''d better head for the city. Sorry for interrupting your training.


    "No, no, no. Oh, by the way, that confession..."


    Good luck with your training!¡¡Come on, Frana!"


    "Whoa!¡¡Hey! Susanne?


    Suzune is nervous at the unexpected question, but takes Frana''s hand in his and leaves. When the lodge is out of sight, I let go of Frana''s hand and wipe my forehead.


    Oh, look out, I never thought I''d be asked about that article. .......


    "Suzune, you were talking about the demon tribe earlier, is there anyone else there that you are interested in?"


    "It''s the girl from the demon tribe we took prisoner during the last war."


    I have no particular reason to hide it, so I tell Frana about Ferrum.


    "You seem to have adjusted well to this place. ...... are you okay?"


    "He used to be a dark magician, but now he seems to be safe because his magic is sealed up with magical tools.


    And he was even good enough to bring me and Kazuki to the brink of death, if only temporarily... let''s not say that.


    I don''t want to create a rift by citing it, even if I have my own opinion about it.


    "How could you take a dark magic user ...... captive?"


    "It wasn''t easy. I don''t know what I would have done without your healing magic, Usato. ......"


    "Heh, with healing magic?¡¡Why is there healing magic here?"


    "The simple explanation is that the weakness of dark magic was healing magic."


    Just thinking about what would have happened if Usato-kun had not rushed in at that time sends chills down my spine.


    If it were not for him, I would not be here now.


    ......I''m feeling a little gloomy. Let''s get to town.


    "Oh, dark magic and healing magic?¡¡What do you mean?¡¡How can healing magic, which has no offensive power in the first place, be a weakness of dark magic ......?"


    "Frana, what are you muttering about?¡¡Let''s go to town."


    "Uh, yeah. ......"


    I look toward the city as I say this to Frana, who is tilting her head.


    Where would be a good place to wait for Usato? I know my position, so I can''t just stand around in some random place.


    If I''m going to wait, I''d at least like to be somewhere where I know people. .......


    "......Hey?"


    I don''t know anyone in the town, do I?


    I know some familiar faces from the Kingdom of Lingle, but I don''t know them by name.


    "No, wait."


    I know one person who has an idea .......


    "Is that why Suzune came to me?¡¡How did you find this place?"


    "Ha ha ......"


    In front of one of the stalls in the castle town, Frana and I met a girl.


    Her name is Amako. She was the beast girl who had been traveling with Usato. I found her sitting on a chair, tending to the store, and I took the opportunity to talk to her.


    "It was not difficult to find you. After all, that''s where you are.


    "Yes, it is. I''m aware that I stand out."


    Amaco''s presence is known to many in the Kingdom of Lingle.


    It''s only natural that a cute little beast of a girl tending to a store would attract so much attention.


    Frana is surprised to see Amako tending to the store with her ears, the characteristic of a beast, exposed.


    "I''m surprised. There are beastman girls too. ......"


    "I''ve never met an elf before either, so I was surprised."


    You know what I mean?


    "Yes. I''m a psychic magician. Nice to meet you, Frana. I''m Amako.


    Frana''s eyes widen at the sight of Amako''s magic, and I laugh as I introduce us to each other.


    Taking a deep breath and regaining her composure, Flana looks at me as if she wants to say something.


    "You never told me you were a magician of precognition ......, that''s too heartbreaking."


    "Ha-ha-ha, sorry."


    "Besides, a beastman in a demon tribe is very strange ...... for Suzune''s friendships."


    "Hmm?"


    I can''t help tilting my head when I hear the word "friendship".


    Amako and I are certainly friends, but I am not the one who has the deepest connection with her.


    "If anything, it was Usato who brought me into contact with Amako. Ferrum was also taken prisoner by Usato-kun during the battle.


    "......Somehow, every time I hear him talk, I think of this Usato guy as an extraordinary person. ......"


    Amako asked Frana, who was holding her forehead, "What are you talking about?" Amako tilts her head at him with a look that says, "What are you talking about?


    I would like to say so myself, but she won''t believe me unless she actually meets Usato-kun.


    "Amako, do you know where Mr. Usato is running?"


    "Usato ran here ...... a little while ago with a group of lifeguards carrying a burin on his back. He will probably pass through here again soon, right?"


    He''s got Bullyn on his back.


    Then maybe I''ll get a chance to pet him.


    Today is the day I''d like to be able to pet his blue fur to its fullest.


    Then do you mind if I wait here?


    "No problem. Besides, the presence of Suzune will increase the number of customers.


    You''re a strong girl.


    Admiring Amako, I wait until Usato comes running down the street.


    Then Frana tilts her head, wondering if there was something in our earlier conversation that caught her attention.


    "Oh, he said he was running for training, didn''t he?¡¡What do you mean he''s carrying Bullyn on his back?"


    "Bulrin", he said, "is his partner, the demon. He''s very cute.


    "Wow, what kind of demon is it?"


    A blue grizzly. He''s just a kid.


    "......"


    Frana tilts her head with a beaming smile, as if she didn''t understand.


    After a few seconds, she finally came to understand, and with a twitchy expression on her face, she came up to me.


    "Are you kidding me?¡¡A blue grizzly is a ferocious monster that even a bunch of adults can''t stand up to!¡¡It''s crazy to think that I''m carrying it on my back!"


    ......?¡¡Oh, I forgot to mention that it is strange for a human to carry a bear on his back.


    I had lost my senses because Usato is doing it as a matter of course.


    "I''m sorry, Frana. It''s not normal to carry a bear on your back. I didn''t think it through."


    "It''s not right to have a ferocious blue grizzly bear in the kingdom!"


    "Don''t worry, blue grizzlies don''t get violent. Even if he did, Usato would be able to restrain him.


    "I can hold him down?¡¡A healing wizard?


    Amako and I both said something that made Frana''s head spin.


    Her face was filled with frustration, as if she had been cornered by something.


    "Could it be that I''m being shown some kind of magic by someone ......?¡¡I who deal with illusionary magic ......?"


    What should I do, I''m beginning to think that the reality I''m seeing now is a hallucination because of Usato-kun''s story, which is so out of the ordinary.


    "...... tinne?"


    "What is it?"


    Frana stood up silently and grabbed my shoulders with a jerk, forcing me to make eye contact with her.


    "Frana?


    "Come back to reality!¡¡It''s only in fairy tales that humans can match demons in strength!"


    No, there are exceptions to the rule. ......


    "And that''s a man who can hold down a blue grizzly bear with his bare hands and run on its back!¡¡How can there be such a ...... monstrous person!"


    "Oh?


    Flana''s soul screams, and I shudder.


    Hearing it again from someone else''s mouth is truly amazing.


    I notice that the eyes of the people around us are fixed on us, but their gazes are somewhat warm.


    <>


    The pity of those who know the lifeguard.


    Perhaps they are dazzled by Frana, who has common sense, as they witness the lifeguard''s training everyday.


    Suzune. Humans can''t beat demons without magic. ......!¡¡The hopeless race difference will never be reversed ......."


    It''s a very serious scene, but I can''t even laugh at the fact that there are two healing wizards who are overcoming it with their prowess.


    However, there is nothing that can explain Usato''s power, so there is nothing we can do about it.


    "Oh, Usato''s here!"


    ""!?"""


    Amaco''s voice made Frana and I look down the street.


    Then, like Moses, the crowd breaks apart and we see a few figures coming out of it.


    >


    >


    >


    >


    The words were exchanged so loudly that they could be heard from here, a short distance away.


    I recognize some of them, but my mouth twitches at the sound of a much rougher voice than I remember.


    >


    <<<>>>


    In my and Frana''s field of vision, we saw five strong-looking men and a huge body running in the middle of them - or, to be more precise, Usato carrying a blue grizzly bear with a fainted silver-haired girl strapped to his back.


    Nair, the messenger.


    The demon Ferrum.


    Bulrin the demon.


    Usato, the human.


    It is not a trinity, but a quadrinity of four in one.


    Let''s not mention the somewhat vacant eyes of the owl on the head of Brullin.


    "Oh, Amaco and ...... senior?¡¡Hey!"


    He notices us and waves to us.


    Ferrum, the girl strapped to Bullein''s back with the cloth, is swaying, but now is not the time to worry about her.


    But now is not the time to worry about her, because - he has to do something about Frana, who is simply speechless at the reality in front of her.


    "Oh, oh, no, that''s impossible, but that''s, uh, a lie. ......"


    "You''re a ...... really ...... guy."


    But, Usato. You always go far beyond my expectations. ......!


    I''m frustrated...... though I''m frustrated!¡¡I love that too much......!

 167 - - The 152nd.

    Frana stood there stunned as Usato appeared in front of us.


    He urged his colleagues of the rescue team to go ahead, then lowered the Bullring with Ferrum on it to the ground and faced me and Amaco once more.


    "I''m sorry. I interfered with your training. ......"


    "No, that''s okay. ......Amako aside, why are you here, senpai?"


    I was looking for you.


    Me?


    He pats a still stunned Frana on the shoulder, bringing her back to her senses, and asks her to introduce herself.


    "Yes, yes, my name is Frana. It''s hard to tell with my hood up right now, but I''m an elf.


    "Elf ......?¡¡Oh, Kazuki says he met them on his travels ....... Nice to meet you, I''m Usato Ken. This owl over here is my demon Neah.


    On Usato''s shoulder, the silent owl stares at Frana from her toes to the top of her head. It is as if he is observing Frana, but such a movement is also very adorable, which is the privilege of a cute thing, isn''t it?


    I wonder if she''ll let me fluff her later.


    Nair, with her hair standing on end, moves to the opposite shoulder of Usato-kun to hide from me, as if her evil thoughts have leaked out.


    In my sober shock, Frana looks a little surprised at Usato-kun''s normal response.


    "You don''t need to use honorifics. I think we are probably about the same age in terms of human age."


    "Yes, well, ...... then, nice to meet you again."


    ...... Ha!¡¡Isn''t this an opportunity to get Usato-kun to drop his honorific to me?


    Let''s not be too eager here, but try to start casually.


    "Usato-kun, you don''t need to use honorifics for me, too. In fact, you can call me by my name without hesitation. Furthermore, you can call me by my nickname, Suzutan!


    I can''t do that.


    "Why?


    "Because, senior students are seniors."


    He rejected me like a stream of water!


    He laughed at my extreme agitation and looked around.


    "It''s a little conspicuous here, isn''t it? Why don''t we talk at the end of the hall?


    "In that case, there is a place to sit next to the store.


    Amako urges me to sit down where the crates are placed.


    Amako, who had taken over as the store keeper, had taken the seat next to Usato before I knew it.


    It was such a natural movement that it was not surprising that I did not even feel any discomfort.


    "Usato, why is this man on Bulrin''s back?"


    Amako asked Mr. Usato about Ferrum, the demon girl on Bulrin''s back.


    She collapsed while running. Because of her position, I couldn''t just leave her there, so I had to tie her to the burin and carry her.


    "Hmm."


    Amako, listening to Usato''s story, gives Ferrum a sharp look for a moment.


    Is there something wrong with her?¡¡Amako lowers her voice and speaks to Usato.


    Amako lowered her voice and spoke to Usato.¡¡She is already awake.


    "What!"


    Amako''s words made him jump!¡¡FELM''s body shakes.


    But Usato, on the other hand, only smiles smugly.


    "Ha-ha-ha. Of course I''m aware of it. After this, I''m going to run the ones that have been knocked out.


    "......?!"


    "I see. But that''s a little surprising. I can''t believe that Usato isn''t angry with you.


    "Well, to be honest, I didn''t think she would want to take the initiative to join our training. So, I''m glad that FERM is joining us in the training of the rescue team. Maybe he''s just a little too focused on his training."


    A smile without a trace of malice.


    However, Ferrum, who is on Bulrin''s back, shakes his head, indicating his refusal, but Usato-kun doesn''t notice this and is talking with Amako.


    "You pushed yourself too hard trying to keep up with us earlier, so let her rest for now, and then I, as the healing wizard, will make sure to assist her and get her running."


    "Oh, is that okay?"


    "It''s fine. I won''t let you faint.


    Usato-kun said this with a smile, and Ferrum trembled.


    A kindness without malice of any kind. But when it comes to the lifeguard standard, there''s a level of awesomeness that transcends malice or good intentions.


    "Oh, my God! Suzune, I didn''t understand what was okay."


    "Don''t worry. Me too."


    Words that would make you cringe if said to your face, but under different circumstances, they are not at all enviable.


    ......No, I do envy them a little bit, though.


    While I was struggling inside, Frana, who was sitting next to me, was talking to Usato-kun.


    "Oh, um, why are you running with a blue grizzly on your back?"


    "To train, that''s the main reason. My role in the rescue team is to move wounded people to safety and heal them on the battlefield, so I train this way so that I don''t get tired and stuck at the critical moment.


    "Yes, that''s right. ......"


    Despite its shocking appearance, Usato''s training has a well-defined purpose.


    It may be Rose''s skill that she is able to train her body with a clear understanding of its significance, rather than just training it in the dark.


    "Can I ask you about the evil dragon?"


    "Ah, the evil dragon. "Oh, the evil dragons..................no problem at all.


    Usato looks at Amako and Nair, then nods his head.


    To him, both Amako and Nair were involved in the fight against the evil dragon, so did he ask for their confirmation?


    "First of all, ......, did you really slay the evil dragon?"


    "I didn''t slay it alone, but ...... I did. I think we have defeated the Evil Dragon.


    "......What kind of opponent was he?"


    "A dragon corpse with a lot of scars all over ......?¡¡Still, it had great power, deadly poison, and scales that were impenetrable to half-baked attacks. I tried to hit it myself, but it was completely impenetrable and scared the hell out of me.


    "You hit him?¡¡You hit an evil dragon?


    Amako, on the other hand, nodded her head in agreement with Usato''s words.


    Amako nodded her head in agreement with Usato''s words. Usato, you just went and hit him like a normal person.


    "It''s the quickest way to be sure."


    Amako and Usato exchange words nostalgically with each other.


    Let''s not worry too much about the surreal nature of the conversation.


    ...... Honestly, I would have reacted the same way as Frana if I had not heard about the evil dragon from Usato before.


    "Are you really a healing magician?"


    "What?¡¡What do you mean by that ......?"


    "Well, I mean, normal healing wizards don''t carry blue grizzlies on their backs or punch evil dragons, so I thought that ...... was a little too human."


    "...... heh,heh......"


    He glares at Amako, who is holding back her laughter as she looks sideways at Usato-kun, whose smile is twitching, and he clears his throat once before opening his mouth.


    "It is true that I am a little different from a normal healing magician, but I am still a healing magician. I''m just a healing wizard who''s been training a little too hard. ...... I have no special abilities other than that.


    "A little?¡¡Not just a little, but a lot.¡¡No. Usato. Don''t lie.


    "Hmmm, is this where your mouth is at?"


    Amako hastily hides her forehead as Usato-kun takes a decoupage position.


    His physical abilities are the result of his bloody efforts.


    I can''t even imagine how many hardships and unspeakable experiences he went through to say what he said without even thinking about it.


    "......There are people like this, besides Kazuki. I feel like I''ve been made aware of how naive I am. ......"


    I don''t know if that''s the right place to describe it as naivete. .......


    I feel that the existence of healing wizards like Usato and Ms. Rose should be treated rather as out of the ordinary.


    "May I ask you something this time?"


    "Yes, yes. What is it?


    Is there any connection between the monster that Kazuki fought and the evil dragon?


    At Usato''s question, Frana pauses for a few seconds before opening her mouth.


    "That ...... I don''t know. According to my grandmother''s fortune-telling, there are only three plagues that will consume the continent. But if there''s any similarity, it''s that they were both sealed by the heroes of the previous generation."


    "...... sealed by heroes, right. The awakening of the evil dragon was unintentional, but if the awakening of the ravenous monster was intentional,......."


    Three plagues that have consumed the continent.


    I have defeated one of them, the man-eating Thunder Beast, but it was nothing more than a mutated monster.


    However, the beings that Usato and Kazuki fought share the same fundamental cause of their outbreak.


    Both of them are "unsealed.


    Perhaps that is what you are wondering about, Usato.


    "Usato, do you think that the monster of binge eating was awakened by the previous hero?"


    "I don''t know. He is no longer in this world. ....... I thought about the possibility that the previous hero himself is still alive, but it is too absurd to be true. ......


    "That''s for sure."


    Normal people do not live for hundreds of years.


    It is possible that the previous generation of heroes might have lived, but there is too little information to draw such a conclusion.


    "The most likely scenario is revenge against the people who used us, but I don''t understand why it would be for people hundreds of years in the future.


    "If you want revenge, you should be able to take it out on the people who did you wrong back then, right?"


    Thinking back, I wonder what the heroes of the past we know are.


    Heroes who saved mankind from the threat of the Demon King?


    A tragic person who was exploited by humans?


    Although hidden behind glorious legends and tales of heroism, the battles of those days must have been far from beautiful stories, but rather horrific ones.


    What did the heroes who fought through the war do when they glimpsed the reality of the situation?


    "It''s no use thinking about such things, is it?"


    As Usato-kun and I were pondering, Nea, who had been silent until then, said something like that.


    Next to me, she said, "What ......?" I don''t know how many times I''ve seen this expression of astonishment on my face today.


    "That''s true. I''m better at moving my body without thinking about details than thinking about anything else. Amako, senpai, Frana, we''re going back to training.


    Usato stood up and looked at Ferrum, who was standing on the back of Bulrin.


    She was still pretending to be unconscious, but when Usato called her name, her shoulders trembled as if she was upset.


    "Okay, Ferrum. It''s time to get up. We''re going to run now."


    "......Bo, don''t worry about me, you should be doing your own training."


    "Huh. Ferrum ...... you thought I was such a heartless guy?"


    Cowering his shoulders in disgust, Usato lifts Ferm by the collar with one arm and stands him up, then speaks to him with a serious expression on his face.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t abandon you no matter how weak you are or whether you fall down or not. I will make you get up and I will push you and make you run.


    "Oh, um, yeah. ....... No, wait!¡¡That means you''re going to force me to run no matter what!¡¡I''m at my limit!"


    "If you''ve got the energy to complain, you''re not too far gone!¡¡The real limit is not remembered!¡¡As long as you can still say you''re at your limit, you''ll be fine!


    This guy doesn''t listen to anyone at all!


    Give it up. He''s probably listening and ignoring you.


    The former black knight half cries as Usato-kun flips a switch and goes into hot-blooded mode.


    Nea looks at Usato-kun''s reaction with a somewhat distant look.


    Amako, on the other hand, is just letting it go, as if she''s used to this scene.


    "All right, Bulrin!¡¡Let''s do what we did in Lukvis!¡¡Get on my back!"


    Grua!


    And Nair, cast a binding spell on me!


    Yes, yes. ......


    Usato, who is in the groove, carries the burin on his back.


    Usato, who had been covered in a thin magical pattern by Nair''s magic, locked onto Ferrum, who was backing away from him, and started to run as if he were a raging bull.


    FERUM''s face twists in horror at the sight of Usato-kun''s bizarre running, and he runs away from the scene as if he is trying to escape.


    "I don''t understand, I don''t understand!¡¡Why are you chasing me?


    Why are you chasing me?¡¡Just run!¡¡Don''t worry!¡¡Don''t worry! Nack has been down this road before!¡¡Ha-ha-ha-ha!


    "Uh, oh, oh, oh!"


    With a shriek that almost echoes throughout the kingdom and a laugh, Usato and Ferrum disappear in the blink of an eye.


    The people of the castle town see them off and quickly return to their normal lives as before.


    Amako, who was standing next to them, looked up at me with a small smile on her face.


    "Well then, I''ll go back to tending to the store.


    "Yeah ...... yeah, good luck ......."


    "Yeah."


    Amako walks slowly back into the store.


    She is totally unfazed, and I talk to Frana, who is still in a daze, with a little respect for her.


    "Well, you are the best, Usato. It was like a storm."


    "......"


    "Hmm, Frana?"


    "I''m at ......."


    I listen to Frana, who mutters something in her sleep.


    "......Wasn''t that owl ...... just now talking?"


    "Oh, I didn''t tell you. Usato, your demon is a vampire. He''s cute in his owl form, but he''s really cute in his real form too.


    "......"


    "Hmm?¡¡What''s the matter, you look so angry when you come close to me. ...... Hmmm?


    Suddenly, Frana came up to me and held both of my cheeks.


    The suddenness of the situation made me sound so surprised that I let out a dumb voice.


    "......Suzu-ne!"


    "Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"


    "Why didn''t you say something like that earlier!¡¡It''s more like you''re out of your mind!¡¡Are all people from other worlds like that!¡¡Or is he the only one who''s crazy?


    At least she got to know Usato, but it seems that the encounter with him was a shock for Frana in many ways.


    That being said, if you don''t take your hands off my cheeks soon, my cool image as a brave man will be destroyed. ...... is surprisingly strong.


    "Nuh-uh-uh."


    "If you''re still hiding something, tell me now ......!¡¡If you''re still hiding something, tell us now!¡¡Spit it out now......!¡¡If you don''t,...... you''ll lose your common sense!"


    Oh my god, the fact that all of that is true.


    My face scrunched up as she played with my cheeks, and I spent the next hour trying to figure out how to explain this to Frana.

 168 - - The 153rd.

    I had been running around the country with the tough guys, chasing Nack and Ferrum around with Burlin on my back, and spending my daily life as a lifeguard, but today I was not training but visiting the castle.


    The four of us gathered in a room in the castle were myself, Aruk, Amako, and Nair.


    We were seated in the chairs prepared for us, and in front of us was Alfie-san, the woman who had explained the other countries to Amako and I on our trip, looking at us expectantly with a pen in her hand and eyes full of hope.


    "It looks like everyone is here.


    "Yes, that''s right."


    A report of what happened on the road.


    However, I was aware that the trip had been so intense that an hour or two was not enough time to report, so I asked Alfie to summarize the report once and then I would show it to Mr. Lloyd.


    "Oh, I''m looking forward to it! I can''t believe I''m going to hear about your adventures filled with ups and downs!¡¡I heard that you went through unimaginable experiences, and I was so excited last night that I could not sleep at night!¡¡So, Mr. Usato, as for the format of today''s report, I will write the report, and you can just tell me about your trip in a light-hearted way!¡¡What?¡¡Can you write that fast?¡¡No need to worry. I am used to speed-reading and speed-writing in my line of work!


    "Usato, isn''t this guy talking too long?¡¡He talks so fast that I can only catch about half of what he says.


    "He hasn''t changed at all.


    Nair and Amako, who had accompanied us, seemed a little taken aback.


    I have only met this person once, but I remember him well because of the strong impact he had on me.


    "Mr. Aruk, it would be better if I talk to him, right?"


    "Yes, you should. We will fill in the gaps in your memory.


    When it comes time to report, I''m nervous.


    Let''s try to speak in order in our minds so that what we say will not be confusing.


    "Mr. Alfie, is it okay if I start my report?"


    "Yes, anytime."


    "Well, let''s start with your departure from Luxembourg..."


    Before arriving at Samaria, we will talk about the situation in which we were tricked by Nair and as a result we had to fight against the evil dragon.


    Mr. Alfie was listening to me with high tension, but after about 30 minutes, his face began to tense up.


    "Well, that owl on your shoulder is a messenger, a vampire, a necromancer, and the one who brought the ...... evil dragon back to life?¡¡¡¡You''re in a lot more trouble than I''ve heard,......?"


    Next, we will talk about the events in Samaritan.


    I can honestly tell you what happened in Samaria, since Master Lucas informed the Kingdom of Lingle that I had something to do with the lifting of the curse on the royal family.


    "The curse of Samaritan?¡¡Why are you involved in such a terrible thing when I went there to give you a letter?¡¡Did your physical attack work on the ghost?¡¡Why are you trying to hit the ghost in the first place?


    For some reason, he got angry.


    After calming down my anger for the time being, I resume my report.


    Next, I reported the incident in Mearaq,


    "I knew this from the article, but you''re going up against a dragon man with your bare hands. ...... Yeah. ......"


    After being blatantly pulled back, he also completes his report on Hinomoto, the Land of the Beastmen.


    Mr. Alfi, who is interested in the culture of the beastmen, showed an unusual interest in this report, so I gave him enough information not to touch the confidentiality of the beastmen''s country.


    We talked for two hours.


    After listening to the whole report and arranging the bundle of reports, she took a breath and looked up.


    "Let me conclude. If you show this to Mr. Lloyd as it is, he will collapse from the shock.


    "Is that all you''ve got?


    "If I could, I''d have a stroke too. ....... You''re in too much danger everywhere you go. ......


    I don''t know what to say to Alfie, who looks somewhat tired.


    The owl on his shoulder says, "Well, of course.


    I am aware that I have been on an unusual trip, but I had no idea that it would have such an impact on me.


    "Anyway, I''ll summarize the report here."


    I''m sorry. I''m sorry I had to leave it to you. ......"


    No, no, that''s my job, too. Besides, although I was surprised, I heard so many interesting things that I would rather thank you myself.


    As for me, I''m afraid of the smile on his face, as if he might stay up all night.


    As I smiled awkwardly back at Alfie''s beaming smile, a question suddenly occurred to me.


    The purpose of our trip was to deliver the letter to other countries, but what would happen after that?


    "Well, we have given the letters to the countries that entrusted them to us, but what happens after that?¡¡Do we form an alliance with them?


    "Yes, that''s right. Right now we are trying to coordinate with other countries for the next attack by the Demon King''s army.


    Cooperation with other countries.


    Joining forces is more important than anything else in confronting the threat of the Demon Lord''s army.


    "Is everything going well?"


    "It''s going smoothly, thanks to you, Mr. Usato, Mr. Kazuki, and Ms. Suzune.


    Good. I guess all our work was not in vain.


    "When I first received the order, I wasn''t sure if I would be able to deliver the letter, but I guess you can do it.


    "I think it was just that many of the kings and other people I met were very special."


    "Yes, I know. I don''t want to sound like a jerk, but there were no decent people."


    Don''t say that. I have too many ideas.


    Lucas, King of Samaritan, who is lighthearted and plans to enroll me in his registry.


    Norn, Queen of Mialark, who was covered in potions when we met.


    Jinya, the chief of Hinomoto, the land of the beastmen, who was ready to trap us from the very beginning.


    ...... Now that I think about it, I''ve met so many different people.


    "This time, we are taking some countermeasures based on our previous mistakes.


    "Countermeasures?¡¡Against the Demon Army, right?


    Yes. One of the countermeasures is to detect the advance of the Demon King''s army as soon as possible.


    "Is that right, that you have soldiers on guard near the Demon King''s territory?"


    Alfie nodded at Arc''s words.


    "Did you know that, Mr. Alc? In the last battle, we had to place a guard because we anticipated the attack of the Demon Lord''s army too late.


    "...... I see."


    The last time we went out on a limb, it was really out of the blue.


    If we have more time, we can take various countermeasures so we don''t have to worry about the Demon King''s army doing whatever they want to do to us.


    "The rest can be found at ....... In the not-too-distant future, representatives of the three neighboring countries will gather for a meeting."


    "When you say neighboring countries, you mean ......?"


    "The Kingdom of Calm Helio, the Kingdom of Nirvarna, and the Kingdom of Samariar, to which Mr. Usato is headed. The representatives of the four kingdoms, including the Kingdom of Lingle, will hold a meeting in the magic city of Lucvis.


    Carm Helio and Nirvarna or .......


    The country where senpai and Kazuki gave the letter to ...... right?¡¡As for Kahm Helio, I only remember the name because that''s where the article about Senpai and me was circulated.


    "Perhaps Mr. Kazuki, Ms. Suzune, and Mr. Usato, who delivered the letter, may be on their way to the meeting.


    "Wouldn''t it make sense for me to go?¡¡You see, I''m a healing magician, so it''s just Kazuki and my senpai for the sake of appearances. ......"


    "That''s not true, Usato."


    "Do you really think you are an ordinary healing magician?"


    "You should have more confidence in yourself, Usato-dono."


    When he tried to refuse the offer in a friendly manner, he was immediately corrected by his colleagues.


    I''ll give Nair a spanking in the name of training later... ......


    If I have time, I might be able to meet with Kiriha and the others. .......


    "Well, the meeting itself is a little bit away, so you don''t have to worry about it now.


    "Yes, I see."


    Let''s leave the meeting out of it.


    We have finished our trip report for now, so we are dismissed from the meeting.


    The meeting was over for now.


    We left Mr. Alc, who was returning to his post as a castle guard, and walked slowly through the castle.


    Amako looked at N¨¦a, who was unusually walking with us in human form, and asked her a question.


    "So, is N¨¦a doing well in the lifeguard corps?"


    "Of course not. ......!"


    Amako, walking next to her, asks a question to which Neah responds a little too aggressively.


    While I''m thinking inwardly that there''s no need to deny it so strongly, Nair approaches Amako with a trembling voice.


    The monster next to him is still an idiot in training, and the other guys around him are just as bad as him, and the boss is just too much bullshit for words!¡¡I''m going to lose my mind if he''s more than Usato!"


    "What is a training idiot?"


    A large part of the lifeguard corps'' daily routine consists of training.


    I''m just going about my daily routine.


    "I''m sorry, but ......!¡¡The only sane people there are those demons!"


    What about Nack?¡¡Isn''t he in the rescue team too?


    "...... can you say Usato the smaller one?"


    "Uh, ...... yeah."


    "Wait a minute."


    Don''t let Amaco convince you.


    What do you mean, "I''ve grown small"?


    Nack is like a model of a lifeguard who takes the initiative in voluntary training without me telling him to do so.


    When I explained this to Amako, she gave me a more subtle look.


    No, let''s change the subject.


    "Well, you and Ferrum have become good friends, haven''t you Nair?"


    "Huh?¡¡What? Of course not!"


    Nair retorts, as if he can''t admit it.


    From the outside, it doesn''t look like they are on bad terms with each other.


    "That cheeky demoness, she''s stealing my food, she''s making a mess of the bedding, she''s not doing the laundry properly, she''s so sloppy that she could have grown up as a child!


    "...... Amako, what do you think?"


    "I think they just don''t want to admit it because they are similar to each other. And they don''t know they''re unconsciously taking care of you."


    "I guess so."


    That''s what you''d expect from a former village girl.


    She''s a former village girl. She''s pretty solid, so I guess I take care of her.


    Maybe it was a good decision to put her on duty with Ferm.


    But she''s a bit sloppy in her daily life.


    It''s not surprising considering her own origins and the circumstances of the dark wizard that Koga told her about.


    "But I still think that we should make the most of this time and get serious about training Ferrum, don''t you?


    "I don''t even want to think about what you were thinking when you came up with that idea, but you''ve been chasing around town with a bear on your back and you still want to do something. ...... I feel sorry for you, though. ......


    No, you''re no exception.


    "...... what?"


    At my words, Nair put her finger to her chin and tilted her head.


    Amako muttered, "Oh, something''s started again," and pulled her hood up over her eyes.


    Ferrum wants to do something about the sloppiness of his daily life, but Nair also has his own problems to deal with.


    "I''ve been thinking about it for a while. I''ve been thinking for a long time that you need to work on your physical strength.


    "But, but I''m the type of person who uses ...... magic and stuff to help. ......Hey, look!¡¡I''m sure you''ve been using magic to participate in Usato''s training, haven''t you?¡¡Isn''t that enough?"


    "Until now, I''ve been observing ......, which means it''s a trial period."


    I shake my head slowly as Nair speaks to me, looking desperate.


    I am sure that my current training is paying off. But it''s only a training for me.


    That means that N¨¦a and Bulrin will never grow up.


    "In the future, we may need you in our fight against an enemy like Korga, an enemy that will not choose any means. But it is also a battle in which you, with your low endurance, will be the first to be targeted."


    He clenches his fists tightly as he recalls his mortal combat with Koga.


    I really don''t want to be in a situation where I have to fight too, but I have to think about it.


    Fighting a stronger enemy means that Nair is in greater danger of being attacked.


    "What do we do for that?¡¡It''s obvious. ...... training is the only way."


    "I''ve been thinking for a while now, stop trying to solve everything with training!¡¡I don''t want to build muscles for nothing!"


    "Don''t worry. You need to train your strength and here.


    He points to his chest with his thumb while dressing up.


    Yes, it is not only the body that is trained in the lifeguard corps. You are also trained to have the mental strength to endure any kind of abuse and suffering.


    "If your mind is strong, you will be able to keep your composure in any situation. Yes, even if a sword grazes the tip of your nose."


    "I wonder if my heart even exists now that I''ve reached that point. ......?"


    .......


    "There is ......!"


    What''s in between?


    I''m the proof. Do you think I don''t have a heart?


    Can''t you see that your very existence is a source of anxiety?


    That''s a terrible thing to say.


    I may be a little bit different than when I was a normal high school student, but I''m still me.


    "Hey, Usato."


    "Hmm?"


    While I was thinking about how to convince N¨¦a, Amako, who had been silent until then, approached me.


    Nair''s teary-eyed eyes look at Amako as if asking for help, but she doesn''t care and speaks up.


    Can I go to the rescue team next time?


    "I don''t mind, but I don''t ...... think there''s anything particularly interesting?¡¡It''s just a group of people training, including me."


    "If Usato is there, fine."


    I couldn''t see his expression with his hood up, but I knew he was embarrassed to say so.


    I guess this is what I mean when I say that it warms my heart.


    "......"


    "......"


    "......Need to talk about this now!"


    Nea, perhaps unable to bear the silence for a dozen seconds or so, raised her voice.


    Amako, on the other hand, stared at Nair with a serious look in her eyes.


    "Neah, it''s time for you to give up!"


    "You can say that because it''s someone else''s problem, but for me it''s a matter of life and death. ......!"


    It seems that you don''t like the idea of being trained as a lifeguard so much.


    Well, I don''t intend to make her go through such a hard training, but I don''t know how to convince her.


    It would be too much ...... to leave it to Rose, but it would be like throwing a small animal (Neah) into a lioness''s territory.


    "Ah, Usato."


    "Gee ......"


    "What?"


    I hear a voice behind me and turn around.


    Kazuki, dressed in comfortable clothes, and Frana, an elf girl I met the other day, were walking side by side.


    Kazuki spotted me and ran toward me, waving his hand happily.


    "What are you doing today, Usato?"


    "To give you a report on my trip. Are Kazuki and Frana training now?


    "Yeah, I''ve got a lot of training to do so I can keep up with you. Hey, Frana!


    "Yeah, yeah. ......"


    You''re still a refreshing best friend.


    But when I see him training, I feel like I can''t lose to him.


    ...... hmm?¡¡Oh, by the way: .......


    "Huh?¡¡Where''s your senior?"


    "Oh, that''s right. ....... Senpai, he went to the rescue squad to see Usato. ......


    "I guess we must have switched places... ......"


    Did he have something to do with me?


    Well, I guess he would have come to see me even if he didn''t have anything to do, but I feel bad.


    I should have told you in advance if we were going to miss each other.


    "Usato, what are you going to do after this?"


    What?¡¡Well, I was thinking of going back to the rescue squad and training as usual. ......


    "Well, why don''t you join us?"


    Kazuki''s unexpected offer surprised me.


    Kazuki scratches his cheek in embarrassment at my reaction.


    "No, I think back on it. We''ve never trained together before. And since Usato lives so far away from the castle, we don''t get many opportunities, so I thought now would be a good time."


    "Okay, let''s do it."


    I said it before I thought about it, but I have no regrets.


    I mean, I haven''t stopped being human enough to refuse this ......!


    No, even if I stop being human, I''ll still give my consent. ......!


    Senpai?¡¡He''ll be back someday.


    What about you two?


    I ask Amako and Nair next to me, both of whom seem to be coming with me.


    Amako, on the other hand, seems to want to know Kazuki''s power as a brave warrior.


    "Heh heh, let''s go to the training ground right away!¡¡Frana, hurry up!"


    "Oh, wait a minute, Kazuki!"


    Frana happily follows Kazuki as he heads outside.


    I''ve seen you train before, but this is the first time I''ve trained with you. We can see how much Kazuki''s strength has grown over the course of the trip.


    "But you know... ......"


    It bothered me a little ......, maybe a lot, that Frana''s face was slightly scrunched up when she agreed to participate in the training.


    I have no idea what made her look like that.

 169 - - The 154th.

    After reporting our trip, we had decided to train with Kazuki and Frana and had moved to the training area on the castle grounds.


    When we arrived at the training ground with Amako, Nair, Kazuki and Frana, fortunately there was no one there.


    It must have been a time when other knights were not training. It was quite convenient to be able to train in a spacious area without worrying about the surroundings.


    "What kind of training do you usually do, Kazuki?


    "Strength training, sword training, and basic training in magic.


    When I asked Kazuki, who was doing preparatory exercises with me, he gave me an answer that was, in a sense, unexpected.


    I was a little surprised to find that he was training in a surprisingly solid way.


    "According to Welshy, the best way is to train the basics!¡¡So he says."


    "The basics of magic, or ......."


    I learned healing magic almost by guts, so I don''t really understand the basics of magic.


    ...... I may be able to gain something from today''s training with Kazuki.


    "What kind of training did you do, Usato?"


    "What kind of training?¡¡I''m ...... just running and doing strength training.


    "Amako, I guess that''s one way of putting it."


    "Yeah. "Even though they''re almost completely different on the inside."


    You''re making too much noise, you little animals back there.


    Amako and Nea sit in a field under a shady tree, glaring at us.


    "Well, then you''re just like me!¡¡No, Usato must be training even harder than me!"


    "Well, I guess so. ......"


    I''m kind of embarrassed.


    Hey, behind you!¡¡They can hear you!¡¡Kazuki''s not brainwashed!


    As I silently pressured Kazuki behind me so that he wouldn''t notice me, I saw Kazuki calling out to Frana, who was standing next to him.


    "Frana, what''s wrong with you?"


    "What?¡¡No, I''m fine.


    "...... really?¡¡If you don''t feel well, ask Usato to--"


    "I''m fine, I''m fine!¡¡I''m so energetic that I want to run right now!


    "Oh, yeah?"


    Kazuki was surprised when Frana looked up and started stamping her feet with a big smile on her face.


    But soon after she blushed at her own comment and laughed as she turned over, Kazuki spoke to me in a hushed voice.


    "Since you and Usato have only known each other for a short time, you may be having trouble with distance.


    "What?"


    "She didn''t know the outside world in a good way or a bad way. I think she''s afraid of what she doesn''t know."


    So you have a kind of aversion to me, Frana.


    I''m a little shocked, but considering how she reacted when we first met, I have an idea.


    "So, what should I do? ......"


    "As usual, that''s fine. If you try to make things up, you''ll get to know Usato wrong. That''s something ...... I don''t like either."


    Kazuki smiles shyly at me, and I suppress a surge of excitement.


    Lately, I''ve been getting a lot of rejection and not even being treated like a human being, so this kind of exchange is refreshing.


    As I am inwardly moved, Kazuki, who has finished his preparation exercise, continues to talk to me.


    "Well, now that we''ve done the preparation exercise, I''d like to start the training.¡¡What do you think, Usato? I''m sorry to ask you to go along with my training. ......"


    "How about some magic training? I have some thoughts about my own magic."


    I mean, ever since the battle with Koga, I''ve only been thinking about combat-oriented techniques.


    I should go back to the basics here: ...... No, you can''t go back to the basics. That would be going back to the time when I was in the hell of training to heal myself.


    It is possible to face your healing magic again, as if you are searching for a new ground.


    "Magic. Is that okay with you, Frana?"


    "I''m fine with it."


    Kazuki gets Frana''s permission and steps into the training area.


    I follow him and move to a large area where we can practice magic.


    The training area has targets for practicing magic and bow and arrow, and is quite spacious, so it seems safe to use magic to our heart''s content.


    "First of all, let''s show them our magic. If we don''t know each other''s magic, we won''t be able to train.


    "That''s true. Then I''ll show you my magic first.


    Kazuki nodded at Frana''s words and moved about ten meters away from me.


    "......Good, let''s do it."


    Kazuki took a slow, deep breath, and his hands overflowed with glowing white magic.


    The glowing magic, as pale as fireflies, gradually formed into a dozen or so magic bullets the size of ping-pong balls, floating above his hands.


    Kazuki looked up at the sky without looking at his hands and launched all the magic bullets from his palms at once.


    The launched magic bullets were lined up in the air in circles and stars, each of them moving like a different creature and forming various figures.


    "......"


    What''s great about this is that Kazuki, who is looking up at the sky, literally looks like he is doing nothing.


    He is just looking at the sky, his hands are down, and his shoulders are relaxed.


    As if it were a matter of course, he is manipulating a dozen or so magic bullets as if they were his own limbs.


    As I was involuntarily mesmerized, Nair, who had transformed into an owl, jumped onto my shoulder.


    "I knew that a brave man has extraordinary strength. I knew at first glance that they were different from ordinary people, but ...... this is really not human work."


    Is that what it looks like to you?


    Yes, I''m a monster, but not in the way you think.


    I, for one, will not allow you to treat Kazuki like a monster.


    As I was protesting this to Nair on my shoulder, Frana was talking to Kazuki.


    You are as beautiful as ever. What kind of magic is Kazuki''s?"


    "Hmm?¡¡Really?¡¡To me, it''s just dangerous magic.


    Kazuki replies to Frana.


    His eyes are fixed in the air, but the movement of the magic bullets is not disturbed at all even when he talks normally.


    This is no longer a matter of concentration.


    While I was just admiring him, Kazuki with a surprised look on his face spoke to me. His expression seemed to be somewhat nervous.


    "Well, what do you think, Usato?¡¡How is my magic?


    "No, no, no, I can''t find any other word than amazing. How did you ...... do that!¡¡How do you control your magic so naturally?"


    I find myself feeling uncharacteristically excited.


    At my reaction, Kazuki held his head in embarrassment and returned the magic bullet that was still moving above his head to his hand.


    "What I keep in mind when I work magic is to be natural," he said.


    "Be natural?"


    "Yeah. It''s not about "manipulating" magic power, it''s more like "moving" it like a limb.


    With these words, he combines multiple magic bullets in his palm to form an elaborate sword.


    "Welshy called this technology a new form of magic. It''s not that big of a deal. ...... haha."


    If the enhancement of the lineage is the secret of magic, then Kazuki''s is one form of the ultimate in manipulation of magic power.


    He is a man with the qualities of a brave man, and he has obtained this technique through his persistent pursuit of the fundamentals.


    ...... is really cool.


    What else can you do with that technique?


    "It can be used to enhance a sword by putting it on it, or to surround an enemy and launch it. ...... It can do a lot of things."


    "Not so much everything, but everything. I still remember one time when he obliterated the cronies of a ravenous monster in an instant in a fit of rage. Well, I got a lot of scars on my arms because of that. ......"


    "Well, don''t say that in front of Usato!¡¡I really didn''t mean to use it in such a dangerous way!"


    It seems that if he wanted to, he could do something quite outrageous.


    But did Kazuki attack in a fit of rage? His arm, which he says was injured, does not seem to have any scars left on it. ...... must have been a pretty tough situation.


    "What did Kazuki do then?¡¡Frana."


    "He had his left arm covered with light magic and unleashed it. It was different from Kazuki''s usual magic, but it was very bright.


    Release magic power.


    That in itself is not strange, but the problem is that Kazuki''s light magic hurt the user himself.


    One possible possibility is .......


    "Kazuki, did you use the lineage enhancement?"


    "Oh, uh ...... yeah, I did. I was still practicing, but it was a dangerous situation if I didn''t use it. ......"


    "No, I''m not mad at you. No, I''m not mad at you. I''m the one who''s taking the risk when it comes to strengthening the system. From the looks of it, you didn''t even leave a scar on your arm, so I''m relieved.


    "Usato ......"


    I am not in a position to say anything about lineage enhancement.


    In fact, I am sure that I am on the receiving end of some anger.


    "You knew you were doing something dangerous.


    "That''s right. Usato is doing more dangerous things than me.


    What do you mean by "dangerous"? I don''t know. I have so many ideas.


    As I ignored the words of the little animal on my shoulder and behind me, Frana spoke to me.


    "Could it be, Usato, that you can use lineage enhancement?"


    "Yes, but my lineage enhancement is not that powerful. Rather, it only increases healing power and has no offensive power at all.


    "Instead, you hit me."


    With a smile on my face, I turned around and fired a healing finger shot, but Amako, who had just been in the shade of a tree, had already moved about ten meters away from me.


    The tiny magic bullet I fired misses.


    d*mn, I''m out of range.


    "What''s wrong?¡¡Suddenly he turned his back and ......"


    "...... haha, nothing."


    I laugh and fool around with Frana, who is surprised by my sudden action.


    You''re good at reading my movements with your precognition magic and then trying to stir me up......, Amako.


    "I''ve shown you my magic for now, what''s next?"


    "Oh, I''ll show my magic to Usato next. After Usato, it will be less interesting.


    "I don''t think so. ......"


    With that, Frana-san stepped forward and showed me both of her palms as if to show me.


    A purple magic power was released from her palms and enveloped both arms.


    "Purple magic power?¡¡I''ve never seen this before. ......"


    "It''s a little weird. It doesn''t seem like the kind of magic that would be used for attacks."


    Nair and I each give our own impressions.


    "My line of magic is illusion. My line of magic is illusion.


    "Showing you illusions. It''s like a magic eye that shows people who make eye contact with you. ......?"


    "Haha, it''s not that powerful, but it''s more useful. My illusionary magic makes those who are struck by my magic see illusions."


    "Hmm?¡¡Hmm?"


    Showing illusions to those who are hit by magic attacks?


    I''m not sure I understand what you mean.


    It''s a little frustrating to see Nair reacting as if he understands something.


    "Ha-ha-ha, you''re confused, that''s good. Well then..."


    "Oh, hey. Frana!"


    Just as Kazuki was about to stop him, Frana put her hand on my shoulder.


    Instantly, magic flows from her, and she scrambles away before what looks like a shadow appears in front of me .......


    "...... yeah?¡¡Something appeared and then disappeared.


    "Hey, didn''t you see it?"


    "The shadow appeared for a moment, but then it disappeared.


    "Hmm?¡¡Funny how ...... it''s so easy to get a hit when you''re unprotected. ......"


    Were you trying to give me a vision out of the blue? I don''t mind you trying to make me see things, but I wish you would have at least said something.


    From what I''ve seen, it looks like she''s trying to show illusions to those who come into contact with her purple magic.


    But why didn''t I get it?


    While I was wondering, Nair spoke to a dismayed Mr. Frana in an exasperated voice.


    "It''s simply because he has a monster mentality. At least in a normal state, he can nullify a normal mental attack.


    "Why is your mentality so screwed up?¡¡What''s wrong with him?


    He could take the mental attacks of hundreds of souls without a care in the world. How can she be affected by the illusion of an individual after all these years?


    Kazuki crossed his arms in admiration at Nea''s words.


    "That''s amazing. I can''t believe Frana''s illusion didn''t work. I was so surprised when I got hit the first time ......."


    "Kazuki, notice!¡¡Normal people don''t unconsciously resist mental attacks!"


    "You mean Usato is more than normal, right?¡¡He''s been through that much ordeal.


    "What is this crazy trust?¡¡I''m a little scared, Kazuki!"


    Flana protests with some tears in her eyes, but Kazuki only nods his head.


    I didn''t think a psychic attack from the souls of Samaritan would be helpful here.


    "Frana, I''m sorry about that."


    I''m going to show you a vision anyway, okay?¡¡Just relax and don''t get all worked up."


    "Wow, okay. ......"


    It''s not every day that someone can make you relax in order to show you an illusion.


    I take a deep breath to calm my spirit, and a black figure appears in front of me again. As the figure slowly becomes clearer and clearer, I have a bad premonition and call out to Ms. Frana who is desperately trying to cast a spell on me.


    "What kind of illusion are you trying to cast on me, by the way?"


    "Well, what do you think is the scariest thing you''ve ever seen?"


    Terrifying?¡¡Horrible ......?


    Evil dragons, ghosts, Mr. Karon the Dragon Man, and Koga," I recall, and just as the figure in front of me is about to turn into a woman with long hair, my defensive instincts kick in.


    "Nuhn!"


    "Ah!¡¡My magic was drowned out again!"


    Before the figure in front of me can fully reveal itself, I put all my strength into my body to drown out the illusion.


    Why are you resisting?


    "My body refuses to see the illusion. ......"


    "I sent all my magic power into ...... him, but is he really human ......?"


    I''m sure I could keep my composure if it was an evil dragon or a ghost, but not Rose.


    Moreover, the vision I was trying to see was definitely Rose on the verge of a serious breakdown.


    "Usato, why don''t you just let the illusion take over?¡¡It''s okay."


    "Nah. What would you do if you suddenly saw the leader of the group in a serious state of shock in front of you?


    "I''m sorry. It can''t be helped.


    I''m glad you understand.


    I nod yes to Nair, whose face turns blue.


    I decided to cheer up Frana, who was on the verge of losing her confidence, together with Kazuki, and asked her to show me another vision.


    The vision I was shown was one of my favorites.


    What came out of it was ...... yes, I found out that my training has seeped into my deepest consciousness. I did not expect to see the tools and the burin to appear.


    "So, finally it''s my turn. I''m going to try a little bit of a simple training, but I think I''m going to try to strengthen my system.


    The goal is to shorten the time it takes to trigger the reinforcement.


    The shorter the time until activation, the more it can compensate for the disadvantage of the healing magic lineage reinforcement, which is the gap caused by the reduction of healing power to oneself.


    "Eh, it''s not so impressive for Usato. Don''t you have to show off that new technique that challenges common sense?"


    "A new technique that defies common sense: ......?"


    Flana, perhaps hearing Nair''s words, shakes her shoulders and backs away.


    If I show my Healing Flying Fist here, not only Frana but also Kazuki might be attracted to me.


    He smiles at Nair on his shoulder.


    "Nair, if you say anything else, I''m going to get you involved in training.


    "Yes!¡¡I''ll shut up!


    I''ll shut up!


    After nailing Nair, he turns to Kazuki and Frana.


    "Okay, let''s try to strengthen the system.


    "To be honest, this is the first time I''ve ever seen a lineage enhancement up close. I never saw anyone using it on the road."


    "Oh, I see. I can show you as much as you want if you like.


    I must set an example for Kazuki to strengthen his lineage.


    As I was about to focus my attention on activating the system reinforcement, I suddenly looked outside the training hall.


    I felt a familiar voice calling my name.


    "Hmm?"


    "Uthertoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"


    The next moment, we were hit by a flash of light and a shock that could have been mistaken for lightning.


    I could barely make out who it was from the shadows I could follow with my eyes, and I was more than surprised, I was convinced that it was indeed someone.


    "Senpai, can''t you come a little more quietly ......?"


    "I was told off the moment I left the room!¡¡You could have surprised me a little more!"


    The senior appears, gushing electric shocks, and rushes toward me, horrified by my reaction.


    The people behind me and Nair on my shoulder seem to be speechless at the sudden appearance of my senpai. To be honest, I was also surprised by his flashy appearance.


    As I looked at him, he literally moved "like lightning".


    "When I asked about the rescue team, I was surprised to hear that Usato-kun was at the castle. You could have told me if you were coming. ......"


    "That doesn''t mean you have to make this kind of appearance: ......"


    "I didn''t think Usato was staying in any particular position, so I came here in a hurry."


    I don''t mean "I''m here." I mean, I''m here.


    Is that it?¡¡Do they think I''m always moving around during the day?


    So what are you guys doing here?


    "Training. Kazuki suggested that we train together in magic.


    "Yeah!"


    Wow, that''s a big smile.


    Smiling at my senpai as usual, the four of us, including her, were to train together.


    In fact, we had not even started yet, so her arrival was probably just in time.


    Suzune, how did you just get here?¡¡You looked like you were in some kind of electric shock. ......"


    "Hmm?¡¡Oh, I''m here with my new technique, more like a fighting style."


    "Combat style?"


    "I developed this style based on the Thunder Beast, but instead of controlling the lightning, I enhance myself with the lightning itself. It''s still in its infancy and can only be used for about ten seconds.


    "Is that from the lifeguard squad to here?¡¡I think it was quite a distance. ......"


    I can run that far with ease!¡¡I''m just trying to keep you alive, Usato!"


    I''m not sure what to make of that, though, when he gives me the thumbs-up.


    But rather, he has acquired a tremendous skill, even if it is limited to ten seconds. And what can I say, that it was developed with reference to Raiju. .......


    "It''s cool."


    "I know!¡¡I know!¡¡I''m secretly calling it , what do you think?


    "I like it!"


    "You don''t understand!¡¡Krumea laughed at me!


    You''ve got too much sense, ......!


    How can they come up with such a cool name like "Magic Armor and Thunder Beast Mode"?


    I tip my hat to your naming sense. ......!


    "Kazuki, Suzune, you don''t mean ......?"


    "Oh, you know what?¡¡"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do."


    "Wow, that Suzune is ...... a bit unexpected."


    For some reason, Frana-san looked at me and let out a deeply moved voice, Kazuki-san looked at me and my senpai with warm eyes, and Nea and Amako looked at me with cold eyes.


    With such stares, I was enjoying my daily life with my friends for the first time in a long time.

 170 - - The 155th.

    Since returning to the Kingdom of Lingle after the letter-delivery trip, my body has finally gotten used to the life cycle at the Lifeguard Corps.


    I had trained hard during the trip, but the training in the lifeguard corps was totally different. The training that I used to do alone is now more intense with the help of Tongs, who are always there to encourage each other.


    ......No, it''s just a word of advice that leads to an all-out sprint.


    It is such a comfortable environment for me, but there is one thing that has been bothering me lately.


    "Burlin, you ...... got fat, didn''t you?"


    "Hugua?"


    I noticed it early in the morning when I was feeding him at the stables.


    He had always been big, but now he looked ...... more rounded.


    For me, it''s a good weight to carry on my back!¡¡I thought it was a good weight for running on my back and didn''t care about it, but I can''t overlook it now that it is so bulky that I can see it.


    "I didn''t get fat because I was always walking on my trips, but ...... these days you''ve been eating and sleeping and eating and sleeping."


    "......guh."


    "I can''t go on like this."


    Bulrin, who had just finished eating his fruit and was about to coast off to sleep, looks up, his body shaking.


    Seeing him like that, I decide to exercise him.


    "You''re a member of the lifeguard squad, too!"


    "Gru."


    "You can''t just shake your head like that. You know that.¡¡You know I can''t go on like this.


    Still, Bulrin shakes his head.


    ......No choice. I didn''t want to do this.


    I''ll leave it to the Commander.


    "Grua!¡¡Gruffa!


    "Oh, yeah. You''re up for it!¡¡I''m glad you''re motivated!


    I smile at Bulrin, who gets up and punches me in the leg as if to motivate me.


    Well, if that''s the case, let''s get started today...


    Let''s start today!


    Today''s menu is running with the tongs.


    Usually I run with Bulrin on my back, but today I decided to have him run with me.


    He has gained some weight, but he has been my traveling companion.


    The potential of the blue grizzly bear is not a joke. He is breathing hard, but he is keeping up with me and the strong men.


    "Oh, Usato. "Oh, Usato... I know you''ve got Brulin, but didn''t you bring Nair with you?"


    Alec, who was in front of me, asked me this as we were running through the city.


    "Nair is being trained at the lifeguard training center," he said.


    So you''re with Nack and Ferrum?


    Yeah, well, she''s just doing some running.


    Naturally, Nair was reluctant to participate in the training.


    She was so reluctant to participate that she was almost infantile.


    However, I was so determined that crying it out would not work on me - but I felt sorry for her that I had to force her to participate, so I decided to change the way I was doing things.


    After the first failed attempt to persuade him, I visited the room at the time when Ferrum and Nair were together.


    <>


    <


    <<>


    <>


    To sum it up in a very simple way, this is how Nair was to participate in the training.


    No, it was actually a decision reached after an hour of arguing and quarreling.


    He is probably competing with FERUM to the death right now.


    "You''re a very serious guy, aren''t you?


    You''re starting to look like the Commander.


    "Oh, come on, the leader would have used force in the first place, so it''s totally different. I''m still the gentler one.


    When Goml and Mir refuted their words, the strongmen sighed in disgust.


    Why do they sigh?¡¡I''m getting quite annoyed when these guys sigh.


    "By the way, I heard you''re going to have a mock battle training with the leader next time?


    "...... uh, yeah, right."


    "Are you sure you''re okay with that?"


    "On the contrary, I ask you, do you think it will be all right?"


    When Tong replies, all the tough-looking guys reply in unison, "I don''t think so.


    Well, of course they do.


    They know more than anyone else the horror of Rose. Because they know him, they understand his extraordinary ability and respect him for it.


    Including me, of course.


    "Wanna bet who''ll win, Usato or the Commander?"


    "Well, I bet on you to win."


    "Of course I know who''s going to win."


    Guld. There''s nothing worse than a bet that you ...... know you''re going to win or lose."


    I don''t think I''ve ever seen a bet that wasn''t as good as this one.


    "I mean, the lifeguard squadron doesn''t allow gambling. Idiots."


    I agree that the odds are stacked against us, but I don''t like it when people make it a bet.


    I was so annoyed that I would have filed a complaint with Rose if Alec hadn''t stopped me.


    "So, how are you really going to fight this?"


    "I don''t know...maybe we''ll just ...... use Nair''s help and just go for it. Maybe she''ll knock down long-range attacks with her bare hands.


    Probably, the spell of restraint will not buy time as well as Mr. Karon''s.


    However, to fight against Rose, who has everything organized at a higher level than me, doing the same thing is meaningless.


    "For now, the first thing to do is to avoid the Commander''s first blow. Then I''ll take a shot at him."


    I have an idea of what I want to do, but I know that Rose will do more than I can imagine, so I go in with the idea that I will do more than I can expect.


    The corners of their mouths naturally turned up, and the strong faces frowned when they saw it.


    "I guess only you don''t notice."


    "When I first came here, I was just a little shit ......, I should have been."


    "Now she''s a monster, second only to her sister."


    And when he loses his temper, he changes. Sometimes it seems like you have two sisters. ......


    "No, it can''t be helped, can it?¡¡When you''re trained by your sister for real, you can''t help it.


    A vein appears on my forehead.


    No, I can''t just lose my temper without saying anything to these guys who say whatever they want.


    I try my best to smile and squeeze out my voice without letting out my inner anger.


    "Ha-ha-ha, you can say whatever you want, you monsters!


    ""Ah?""


    "Ah?"


    He glared at me as he ran.


    Bulrin, who is running beside me, looks at me and the tough guys alternately, but we still don''t stop glaring at each other.


    "Are you getting carried away these days?¡¡We''re seniors, we''re seniors.


    "What''s a senior?¡¡Do you think that''s enough to scare me off?¡¡If that''s the case, I wonder what you''ve seen so far."


    "......"


    "......"


    Silence reigns over the place.


    All that echoes is the sound of running footsteps and the sighs of the kingdom''s people, as if to say, "Not again. ......


    After about ten seconds of silence, Tong''s voice comes out with pressure.


    "...... goal is the lifeguard quarters. There is only one winner.


    "Sabotage, incitement, shortcuts, whatever."


    This is not a fight. You know that, right?


    Yes, of course. This is...


    I looked sideways at the tongs running closest to me and sucked in all the air I could get,


    ""Race you!""


    I threw a no-motion side kick at Tong, but all six of us were thinking the same thing and kicked at the same time, blocking each other out of the way.


    Perhaps the timing of their kicks was wrong, but they were all hit in the abdomen and blown off at the same time, but they soon got up and started to run separately.


    Bulrin, who was not fully grasping the situation, was panicking and running left and right, to which I gave him a thumbs-up and shouted.


    If you skip work while I''m not looking, you won''t get any food!


    "Gua?


    With a shocked Bulrin behind me, I kicked the ground and ran out of the place, looking at the tough guys running ahead of me.


    As one would expect from someone who has been given a black uniform, his legs are not those of a normal person.


    But then again, so am I.


    I''m not going to lose!


    It would be a shame to lose to these guys on foot.


    If I''m going to do this, I''m going to win.


    Determined to do so, I ran to catch up with the tough guys in front of me.


    I was determined to win, and I ran to catch up with the tough guys in front of me.


    "So, is there anything else you need to tell me?"


    "I''m sorry. ......"


    I had just barely won the fight against the strongmen in the lifeguard squad, but what awaited me was Rose, who gave me a cold stare that would have made even the Grim Reaper run away with his bare feet.


    The six of us who reached the rescue team were immediately captured by Rose, and we were now forced to sit on our knees.


    "d*mn you guys, you ...... started a race over something so trivial. How many times have I told you that it''s fine to make noise, but don''t bother the people around you?¡¡Can''t you idiots ever understand that?"


    "Commander. With all due respect... I don''t think it''s right to compare me with this monster in human skin.


    "That''s right, sister. Don''t put us together with this super creature in a herbivore''s skin!


    Shut up.


    Rose grabbed me by the face and lifted me up with one hand, and the screams of me and Tong echoed through the deserted forest.


    Alec and the others, seeing us, turned pale and looked down.


    "Do you know what will happen to ...... the next time you do the same thing?"


    Yes, yes ......!"


    I was released from the iron claw and dropped to the ground, and Tong and I barely replied to each other as we sprawled on the ground.


    Looking down at us, Rose sighs in exasperation, and after she nails Alec and the others, she turns her head in the opposite direction from the lifeguard''s quarters.


    Alec wondered about this and asked Rose about it.


    "Are you going somewhere, Commander?"


    "I''ve been summoned to the castle. I''ll be back by nightfall."


    Did Master Lloyd call him?


    Maybe I''m being self-conscious, but most of the times when Rose is summoned to the castle, it involves me, so I''m a little curious.


    When I got up normally after the pain subsided from my face, Rose, who was about to go to the castle, turned around to look at me, as if she suddenly remembered something.


    "Oh, yes. Usato."


    Yes?"


    "We''re going to have a mock battle tomorrow, so get ready."


    .......


    "That''s all I have to say. Then don''t skip your training.


    Ignoring me, who was unable to move with a rigid face, Rose went straight to the castle.


    Tomorrow?¡¡Isn''t tomorrow too soon?


    If she had told me about a week before, I could have prepared myself for a lot of things.


    I can''t make fun of this.


    "I feel for you, man, I really do."


    "Well, you''ll get your shot. Worst-case scenario, you might actually get crushed, but good luck.


    Don''t die, Usato.


    From the looks of it, she''s looking forward to it.


    "You guys, don''t think of me as someone else''s problem. ......!"


    I walk to the training ground to tell Nair about tomorrow''s mock battle with Rose.


    On the way there, I find a blue blob lying on the ground in a big heap.


    "Ah, Burlyn!"


    "...... guh!"


    Bulrin noticed me, got up with a start, and came running toward me with great energy.


    He hits me with his body, anger in his eyes, but I catch him head on.


    "Mmmmmm!"


    "Grrrrr ......!"


    I back away slightly, but still catch it completely, and apologize for having left Bulrin behind earlier.


    "Ha-ha-ha, I''m sorry I left you. I''m sorry I left him here. Bulrin worked hard today, so I''m going to make him more rice as a sign of apology."


    "Guffaw."


    I laugh at him as he sniffles and sits down on the spot.


    I wonder if he did what I told him to run, and I cast a healing spell on his exhausted body as we head for the training grounds.


    "I''m sure Nair, Ferrum, and Nack are at the training grounds. ......"


    <>


    <>


    >


    When we arrive at the training area, we see a strange sight: Neck looking at Neah and Ferm lying near the center of the training area with his forehead pressed to the ground.


    Nair and Ferrum are not fainting, but are just too exhausted to move, but they are cursing each other instead.


    Needless to say, it is a very surreal scene.


    "Ah, Usato-san!¡¡I was just about to call for you.


    "Nack, what the hell is going on here?"


    Nack rushes over to me and asks me how I got into this situation and why.


    He explained the circumstances with a subtle expression on his face.


    "Well, at first we were just running in the training area, but Mr. Ferrum and Ms. Nair started fighting and started competing with each other to see who could finish their quota faster. ......


    "Oh, I see."


    They fought, but understanding that fighting is not allowed in the lifeguard corps, they tried to settle the matter in another way.


    Or rather, they were doing what we had done earlier.


    But why is that why Ferrum is down?¡¡I don''t think Nair can beat Ferrum physically, even if I look at him favorably.


    But why FELM too?


    "Nair, you know, she used some kind of strange purple magic?¡¡Nair cast some kind of strange purple magic on Ferm. Ferm, who didn''t notice it, played a game with Nair and won. ......


    "Oh, yeah."


    Nair, you didn''t want to lose that badly.


    Ferrum should realize that ...... restraint spells are not that difficult to understand .......


    I can''t stand to watch them for now, so I touch the backs of the two who are still lying on their backs and cursing at each other and cast a healing spell on them.


    "Usato, listen!¡¡I beat this naughty demon tribe!


    "You cheated!¡¡d*mn this guy. ......!


    "...... ha!"


    I don''t know what to look at Nair with a big smile on her face and Ferrum with a half-crying face.


    I''m stunned, but at the same time I''m sure I''m smiling. ......Yeah, we''re kind of the same.


    I''ll let Nair know about the mock battle with the Commander while I''m at it.


    Nair.


    "Hmmm, what?¡¡If you''re going to give me a compliment, why don''t you go over the top?"


    "The mock battle with the Commander is set for tomorrow."


    "......"


    Nea froze with a pithy smile.


    I know how you feel, but you have to accept it.


    I have to be prepared for a lot in this fight with Rose.


    It will be painful, that''s for sure.


    I''m so scared that I''m trembling.


    But still, somewhere inside of me, I want to show Rose, my master, that I have matured.


    "Also, because I hate to lose. ......?"


    That''s the only advantage that hasn''t changed from the original world.

 171 - - The 156th Episode

    Come to think of it, this may be the first time I have faced Rose head-on.


    I have been spanked before, and we have yelled at each other, but that does not apply to fighting.


    That is why I am afraid of fighting Rose.


    But at the same time, I was elated to know how well my power would work with Rose.


    "Neah, don''t look so desperate. I''m not going to die."


    After breakfast, on the way from the lifeguard''s quarters to the training area, I talked to Nair, who was radiating an aura of despair.


    "It''s not the same. Because I know you well enough to know that you have more physical ability than Usato and are skilled in healing magic ......, I have nothing but despair."


    "Well, if you ask me if I could win in a head-to-head fight, I would say no. If you ask me if we could win in a head-to-head fight, I would say we can''t. But even if we tried to fight with some tricks, I don''t think they would work.


    The more I think about it, the more I realize there is nothing I can do.


    You know what? The simpler the battle method is, the less you know how to win.


    "It''s fast, it hits you, it avoids you, it''s really outrageous. Ha-ha-ha!"


    "Tell that to the people who have fought you. They''ll probably say, >They''d probably reply, "You don''t say that!"


    The degree of difference between me and Rose is different. .......


    It''s not like I haven''t been thinking about it all day. I have been trying to imagine how I would deal with Rose and how I could use Nair''s magic to stop her.


    After all that, the conclusion I came to was..,


    "I''ve stopped thinking about how to fight."


    "What?"


    "No, I thought about it before I went to bed. All the strategies didn''t seem to make sense, so I decided it would be best if I just did what I do."


    "Wow, refreshingly cerebral ......."


    The difference in ability is obvious from the start.


    Then, let''s give it everything we can before we get blown away.


    As we were walking forward with this determination, we noticed two figures approaching us from the castle town.


    The smaller figure was Amako, and the one with the hood up over her head was Frana, the girl who had trained with Kazuki and his senpai the other day.


    "Hey, I''m here. Usato."


    "Oh, I remember you said you were coming to the rescue squad before."


    But I didn''t expect you to come here today of all days.


    I guess it''s just a coincidence that they don''t seem to be using any precognition magic. ......Today... .......


    "Why did you come, Frana?"


    "Amako invited me. ...... was that a nuisance?"


    "No, no. I thought you were ...... avoiding me."


    "Oh, that''s because ...... Usato has made an effort and acquired his ability, and I think it''s very ...... selfish of me to avoid him based on my common sense scale."


    Removing his hood, Frana gave him an apologetic look.


    "That''s why I came here today to apologize. ...... sorry, Usato."


    "Oh, don''t apologize. I don''t care that much either. ......!"


    She is a very disciplined and serious person.


    I felt awkward to make her apologize, so I decided to change the subject.


    "Anyway, why are you with Amako?¡¡I heard he asked you out. ......"


    "I see Frana quite a bit."


    "Yes. We''re both from faraway countries, and I''m here alone. Above all, she''s easy to talk to.


    Come to think of it, Frana, the daughter of a chief, and Amako, who used to be a beastman, are in a slightly similar position.


    It seems an unexpected combination, but they have a lot in common.


    Amako seems happy to have made a friend.


    "Usato, are you going to train now?"


    "What?¡¡Uh... ...... yeah.


    "Can I watch?¡¡I''ll try not to get in the way."


    "I''ll have to check with the Commander about that. ......"


    Today, all the group members except me and Nair went for a run in the morning, so I was wondering if you were going to watch the game? I didn''t think there would be any spectators, but if you two want to watch us train, that''s fine with me.


    But I have to check with Frana in advance.


    We can''t shock her with a shocking sight right after we have finally settled our differences.


    "Frana-san, I''m going to have a mock battle with the Commander now ...... and I''m going to do something out of the ordinary, so I recommend you don''t watch it."


    "He''s so blunt."


    If you show Rose and I fighting, Frana will be more than a little confused.


    While Amako looked shocked, Frana smiled calmly, not surprised by my advice, and put her hand on my shoulder.


    "Don''t worry. I''ve heard from Kazuki, Suzune, and the people of the city how great you are capable of. I believe it, and I accept it. I will no longer be foolish enough to think of you in terms of common sense."


    "...... Mr. Flana."


    "Besides, Kazuki has praised you so much. That alone is reason enough to believe him."


    Too good to be true ......!


    Then it would be foolish to say any more.


    Where''s Amaco?


    I''m going. I''m a little scared, but I''m interested.


    Amaco seems to be coming to see the show as usual.


    Unexpectedly, two spectators? unexpectedly.


    Rose, who had gone ahead of us, would be waiting for us at the training site. I don''t want to keep them waiting too long, so we should get there as soon as possible.


    We should head there as soon as possible.


    In the center of the training ground, Rose stood calmly with her back to us.


    Green hair and a spotless white uniform.


    She still exuded the same boisterous atmosphere, but when she noticed our arrival, she turned around to face us.


    "Oh, you''re here."


    "Yes."


    I stand at the edge of the training area with Nea, who is stiff with fear and nervousness.


    Behind them, Amako and Frana look at Rose in a defensive manner.


    "And what''s that behind you?"


    "They want to see what you''re doing. ......¡¡If not, we''ll let you go.


    "No, I don''t mind. Amako and Kazuki the Brave''s fellow elf ...... Flana, I think?¡¡If you want to see them, do it in the distance. If you don''t want to get involved.


    "I understand. ...... Let''s go, Frana.


    "Oh, yeah. ...... involved? What, are you trying to get ...... involved?"


    Amako quickly senses this and pulls her hand to leave.


    I feel safer if you two stay away from me, since it will be a battle of unknowns for me as well.


    After confirming that they have moved away from each other, I face Rose, who remains silent with her arms crossed.


    "Are you ready?"


    "Yes, I''ve done my preparation work in the morning."


    "I see. ......"


    When we meet, he has a tremendous presence.


    It''s partly because I''m mentally convinced that I can''t win, but even without that, I can''t help but feel that any attack will be quickly repelled.


    You know what this simulation is all about, don''t you?


    "To see how good I am and how good Nair is......, right?"


    "Yes. But today we got one more thing to ...... confirm, no, to determine."


    Assess?


    What am I to be judged on?¡¡Rose gave me a biting smile and uncrossed her arms.


    "Don''t worry about it now. All you have to do is fight me as hard as you can. Don''t let your guard down.¡¡I''m going to harvest your consciousness at that moment, okay?"


    "...... Ha, it seems you''ve been licking our brains. I''m going to blow you away if I have to, and I''m going to do it with that in mind,...... said Nair on the shoulder.


    "What?"


    Oh shit, my mouth moved on its own reflexively.


    Rose smiles belligerently at me, and Nair on my shoulder half-cries and taps me on the cheek with her wing.


    I smile awkwardly and look at N¨¦a on my shoulder.


    I look at N¨¦a on my shoulder with an awkward smile. We''re in this together.


    "You mean, ''Let''s go together''?¡¡Why do you like to push yourself so hard?


    Nair, put a binding spell on your fist. I''ll do my best to survive the commander''s attack. If you''re about to be hit by one of his attacks, just ...... evade it with your willpower."


    "You''re crazy!"


    He turns away from Nair, who shakes his head shakily, and deploys his cage hand and takes a stance.


    The right arm equipped with the cage, which is the starting point of the defense, is thrust forward, and the left fist is pulled back. Like the right arm, the right leg is also extended only half-step forward, and the body is half-armored in order to be ready to respond immediately to any attack.


    This is the posture I have developed during my travels.


    Rose is still staring at me without making a posture.


    "The boy who was whining and training just a little while ago has ...... become a lot more composed, hasn''t he?


    "It''s all thanks to the Commander, sir."


    No, it''s not. You''ve been through the ordeal I put you through.


    The ordeal was too unreasonable, though. From my point of view, they were so severe that I questioned my sanity.


    "...... ha, I''m still not talking less."


    After a few seconds of silence at my words, Rose uttered these words while covering her right eye with her palm.


    In the next moment, I felt a sudden change in the air.


    "You have overcome many hardships in your journey, and you have certainly grown stronger.


    Each word carries weight.


    Sweat appears on my face even though the battle has not yet begun.


    Rose drops the palm covering her right eye and shoots me with eyes as sharp as a hawk''s. I stare at Rose''s every move, not missing a single thing.


    "But I''m not going to take you lightly enough to admit that you''ve gotten stronger just by hearing you say it.


    "...... you mean?"


    You know what I mean?


    A moment later, the figure of Rose, whom I had been watching so closely, vanished and appeared before me with her fists raised.


    "Let''s see what you''ve done here."


    A wind-swept fist swung at me.


    That was the signal that my sure-fire fight to the death was about to begin.


    I was sure of my defeat.


    It was the fist of "speed" that had been beaten into my body dozens and hundreds of times before I set out on my journey.


    I had only managed to avoid it once before, but now that I had gone through the battlefield so many times, I was able to catch it perfectly in my stride.


    "Phew!"


    I take only half a step back to avoid the fist coming at my abdomen.


    But the next moment, a backward kick with centrifugal force comes at me, trying to cleave my neck.


    I smile as the kick clearly tries to mow down my consciousness, but I crouch down to avoid the follow-up attack.


    "-Don''t let up!"


    "What!"


    With that word, I came to my senses and looked up to see a fist being thrust out at me with unusual force.


    The impact pierced through my body, my feet left the ground, and I was blown off my feet.


    "Gulp!"


    I smile as I land about 5 meters off the ground, quickly releasing my arms.


    In the past, I would have been knocked out without any way to defend against even the second blow, but now that I''ve grown up through my journey, I can handle it.


    "This would have gotten me before, but not anymore. ......!"


    "Yes, I know. I think I can prevent it now."


    I''m really scared inside, but I don''t show it, and I smile.


    I mean, why is he moving into a seoken-tsuki stance after the backward kick?¡¡Moreover, what kind of a monster is this guy that he blows away the whole baskets he uses for defense?


    "Usato, I''m going home!"


    "Neah, you''re the one I''ve got to count on."


    "Not this time!¡¡I can''t do it this time! I just got a jolt of vision and then I saw you getting blown to pieces!¡¡Why am I involved in this monster battle?¡¡Look over there!¡¡You''re so shocked that Frana is trying to cancel it out by casting an illusion magic on herself!"


    Nair is talking as fast as Alfie, but unfortunately, she can''t turn her attention away from Rose.


    "Okay, now you come first. If you don''t show up, I''m going to blow you away!"


    "You don''t have to tell me. ......!¡¡Nah, let''s go!¡¡I''ll give you blood when I''m done!"


    "....... Aah!¡¡Oh, God!¡¡Just go!¡¡Just go!"


    Nair, finally motivated, casts a binding spell on both my fists.


    "I''m going as fast as I can!"


    Yes!


    I hold up my purple-patterned baskets and squeeze my fists to unleash my Healing Flying Fist.


    A new technique that combines the binding spell and the healing flying fist,


    "Restraint flying fist!¡¡Healing Punch!"


    "What?"


    A fist-sized magic bullet was released at high speed with a dull thud.


    At the same time, as if chasing the magic bullet, I also run toward Rose, aiming for a follow-up attack.


    Rose looks impressed by the approaching magic bullet,


    "Interesting use."


    He caught the healing flying fist with his palm only.


    Boom!¡¡The magic power bursts out, and the binding spell is applied to Rose''s arm.


    .......


    I knew it. I knew it, but I wish it had worked better.


    Hmm?


    I know you can take it!


    I see the pattern on his arm, and I approach Rose at once, and I hit him with my all-out healing restraining fist.


    Rose dodges the blow without any hesitation with a light swivel. She notices the pattern on my empty fist, and puts her hand on her chin to compare it with the pattern on her arm.


    "I see, so the magic that stops you from moving can be used through you?"


    "......!¡¡I''m not looking at--"


    "It''s a nice application, but it''s a bit fragile."


    As soon as she did so, Rose put her arms around him tightly and shattered the magic pattern with a forceful technique.


    No way,......, even Nair should have mastered the binding spells and improved her binding power,......!


    No, this is no time to be upset!


    She moves her body, which is about to go rigid, and attacks Rose.


    "Hey!


    "...... your movements are getting leaner, huh?"


    In the land of the beasts, the attackers are easily defeated by attacks that could incapacitate the beasts.


    Fists and kicks are easily repelled by their hands and arms, and they do not feel like they can break through at all.


    I felt as if I had been told, unspoken but unspoken, that I could avoid the attacks if I wanted to, and only frustration occupied my emotions.


    "I guess my current technique is not enough to hit the target. ......!"


    The gore and logic of the fight will never be enough to overcome Rose''s defense.


    One more push is not enough.


    If only my moves were that different..,


    What are you doing?


    Perhaps realizing that I was lost in thought, Rose met my right fist squarely in the face. She also grabbed my left fist, which I had stuck out in frustration, and naturally put me in a position for a contest of strength.


    ......!¡¡It''s not coming off!¡¡I keep asking myself, what kind of arm strength does this guy have?


    "d*mn, what the ......!"


    "Oh, you''re going to compete with me?¡¡That''s funny."


    I don''t mean any of that.


    But Rose takes it as such and smiles ferociously, her arms tightening around her.


    The increased pressure and the strain on her arms causes her to let out a cry to N¨¦a.


    "Nair ......!¡¡Do the binding spell ......!"


    "I''m already doing it!"


    Oh, so you mean you''re already comparing strength with me without any restraints?


    They can handle your speed.


    They are more than equal in arm strength, including restraints.


    And he doesn''t look like he''s really trying.


    Seriously, how can I fight him?

 172 - - The 157th.

    Thinking back, every opponent I''ve fought in the past has had some kind of breakthrough.


    Evil dragons are bodies that have deteriorated due to centuries of sealing.


    Samaritan''s Curse is an attack by Nair''s magic.


    Karon, the dragon of Mearrak, uses a combination of basketry defense and evasion.


    Koga, the commander of the 2nd Legion of the Demon King''s Army, penetrates defenses with his healing fist.


    There is no such thing as an absolutely unbeatable opponent.


    Then I''m sure we can give Rose a good beating!


    OHHHHH!


    Whoa!


    Huh?


    I was thrown away from the state where we were in a contest of strength by being swung around with tremendous force. I frowned at Nair''s exclamation and stared at Rose, who was about to swing her fist at me in mid-air.


    It''s impossible to avoid a fist in the air, but I have this basket hand!


    "Healing Burst Palm!"


    "What?"


    He quickly fires a healing burst palm from his right-pointing basket hand and just barely avoids the fist.


    He almost got hit by a real aerial combo. ......!


    "Agh! This!"


    I fall on my back to the ground, but the recoil from hitting the ground makes me jump up, and I throw three healing magic bullets as I fall backward.


    Rose does not lose her composure in the face of the healing magic bullets that are used to buy time.


    "Ha, we''re thinking the same thing, aren''t we?"


    Rose''s right arm blurred, and the next moment, all the healing magic bullets that were headed for her were drowned out.


    She canceled them with the same healing magic bullets as mine!


    "Don''t tell me that the Commander also has healing magic bullets ......!"


    "Not surprising, huh?¡¡It''s faster to throw them than to fire them normally.


    "...... indeed!"


    I think it''s just you guys!


    I simply didn''t have the talent to cast magic, but now it''s faster to throw it.


    I mean, if you can hit it faster than I can, that''s just too much ......!


    The moment the leader''s right arm shakes once again, the magic bullets are coming toward us at a tremendous speed. He rolls to avoid them and runs to attack Rose.


    "Neah!¡¡Concentrate on your left arm to resist blows!


    Yes!


    The left arm, which is not covered by the cage, is covered with a spell pattern to make it resistant to blows.


    Now, both arms can defend against Rose''s attacks!¡¡All that remains is to see how many of my attacks will pass!


    Clenching his right fist tightly, he fires a shot at Rose, but it is easily knocked away.


    "If you keep doing the same thing over and over again, your fists will never reach me, even after all these years!


    "Ah!"


    In return, he swings down a sword that shatters his shoulder, but he catches it with his left arm, which is imbued with a spell of resistance.


    You can hear the cracking sound of the magic pattern on the left arm, but Nair immediately restores the magic.


    "!¡¡...... is that the second magic?


    "You wouldn''t use the same move so many times ......!"


    "Mugg, how is it possible to break something just as it''s being healed? ......?"


    The attack is prevented, but this will not keep Nair for long.


    We have no choice but to go on the offensive!


    He tries to step into the pocket at once, but is blocked by a slamming elbow from the side, forcing him to defend himself with his left arm.


    "Whoa too ......!"


    I was forced back without question, and the next moment I looked up, Rose was grabbing me by the chest of my clothes as if to restrain me.


    "I guess there''s a limit to how many attacks you can take with that magic..."


    "Ugh ......!"


    No. I''m completely outmatched on the first move.


    Even if I try to attack, I will be crushed before I can do so, and I will be left on the defensive.


    I try to release my collar, but Rose''s restraints do not come off so easily, and I can only let out a cry of anguish.


    "...... I''m going to give it to you a little harder. You''re going to have to endure."


    "Nah, nah!¡¡Get away from me!


    "What the f*ck, b*tc*? ......"


    As soon as I made a quick decision to pull Nair away from me, Rose let go of my collar as if to push me away and slammed me with a centrifugal kick to the side.


    I was barely able to defend myself with my basket hand, but the resistance spells cast on Nair shattered in an instant, and the impact I couldn''t catch blew my body wide open.


    "...... ugh!"


    My vision shifts in an instant.


    I was hit by a huge explosion.¡¡If I don''t do something, I''m going to crash into the trees outside the training ground!¡¡I can''t play human pinball at this rate!


    Frowning at the intense pain torturing his body, he slams his right back fist against the tree to offset the impact.


    "Uh-oh!"


    He manages to hit the ground, while slamming into the trees around the training ground.


    He regulates his ragged breathing and applies healing magic.


    How far have I been blown away ......?¡¡I can''t see the direction of the training ground because of the trees.


    I mean, how much of a tremendous kick is that monstrous monster going to give me ......!¡¡If it weren''t for me, you''d be in big trouble!


    "Gah, gah, gah! ......


    Even breathing is painful, but I''m alive.


    Thanks to Nair''s magic and the basket hand, I have not been seriously injured.


    Minor injuries are quickly healed with healing magic.


    My heart remains unbroken - I can still fight.


    "......Ah, shit, it''s been so long since I''ve been hit like this. ......"


    Rose beat me up a lot as part of my training to learn evasion, but I guess she took it easy on me.


    And now he''s attacking me with more force than before, if not full force.


    That means I''ve grown up enough to use that much power.


    "But I don''t like the idea of just letting them get away with it. ......!"


    I can''t stay in the same position and I''m not so innocent that I''ll give up just because of this.


    I''m going to do it, and I''m going to try everything I can. ......!


    "What I''m going to do is the same ......"


    I always found my way in the fight.


    When I recovered from the battle with healing magic, I stood up and heard something like a wind noise coming from the direction where the training ground would be.


    "What is it?"


    I have a bad feeling about the unidentified sound.


    I was stunned to see it falling from over my head as if it was weaving its way through the trees.


    "Whoa, whoa, whoa!¡¡No way!


    Several trees were pulled out from their roots.


    The range of the attack was so unreasonable and unrestrained that even I, as a quintessential player, was screaming and holding my fist in the air.


    I was so unreasonably and unrestrainedly attacked at such a range that I was screaming and holding my fists.


    I was actually wondering how strong Rose-san, Usato''s master, was.


    But I didn''t think he was strong enough to make Usato do nothing and beat him up unilaterally.


    That was the first healing wizard I tried to rely on in this kingdom. The one whom Usato trusts and fears the most.


    "Hey, hey Amako. I just heard a loud sound that I don''t think was a human being being kicked. ...... and, shouldn''t you stop it?"


    Frana, who had just seen Usato get kicked by Rose and disappear into the woods, shook her head and pointed into the woods.


    "I think he''s okay."


    "No, no!¡¡Did you hear that?¡¡That was a gabargo!¡¡That''s not a sound you want to hear coming from a man!


    "I''m sure he''s protected by his basket hand, and I''m sure Usato has softened the impact, so he didn''t do that much damage."


    That''s not the point!


    I know that Usato can do something like that, even though I couldn''t follow it with my eyes.


    "Oh, my definition of human being is about to collapse. ....... Can a human being move like that?¡¡Suzune was also moving in a perverted way, but Usato and Rose-san have an unreasonableness that I don''t understand. ......


    I laugh at Frana, who holds her head in her hands and mumbles something like that.


    Well, anyone who doesn''t know Usato would be like this. ...... No, to tell the truth, I''m only calm because Frana is even more surprised than I am.


    "Speaking of which, have you stopped casting illusions on yourself?"


    "I feel so empty doing it myself. ....... I''ve been shown more unrealistic scenes than unrealistic illusions. ......


    Yes, yes.


    When Usato and Ms. Rose started fighting, Frana, who saw the shocking scene, thought she was being shown an illusion and cast an illusion spell on herself, but ...... the result was not so good.


    "You know, if Amako isn''t too surprised, does that mean Usato is doing the same kind of thing over and over again?"


    "Yes. He is always reckless.


    "...... aren''t you worried?"


    Of course, you must be worried.


    But I have been on this journey with him, and I know him better than anyone else.


    "I believe in you, Usato. Besides, he is not the kind of person who would break down so easily."


    "...... haha, otherwise you wouldn''t be able to resist my illusion magic in its bare state."


    "Yeah?"


    What''s he talking about?¡¡Well, never mind.


    He senses that Usato has done something wrong and turns his attention to Mr. Rose.


    After kicking him with unusual force, Rose-san is standing at the edge of the training ground, staring at the far end of the woods.


    Muttering something like that, Rose put her hands on the nearest tree and pulled it out with all her might,.......


    The behavior was so out of the ordinary that it left not only Frana but also me speechless.


    "He pulled the tree out, smashed it and threw it."


    After crushing the tree to just the right size with her bare hands, Rose grabbed the splintered log with one hand and tossed it carelessly.


    The tree was thrown into the forest where not even Usato could be seen, and after a few seconds, Usato''s scream and the high-pitched sound of something being popped with a steel rod could be heard.


    Unbelievably, he seems to have predicted Usato''s position and threw the tree.


    "Hey, Amako. I''m going to ask you one more time, Usato ......, are you okay?"


    "It might be a ...... bad idea."


    Maybe I underestimated him a little.


    I have often heard that an apprentice is like his master, and Ms. Rose was no exception.


    No, rather, she was a person who acted more outrageous than Usato.


    She was a very good person.


    "That devil devil, he''s full of shit!"


    He pushes straight ahead to the training ground, smashing logs with his fists as they rain down on him.


    Thanks to him, there was no time to rest!


    Woohoo!


    As he is about to relax, he almost hits the log directly, but he quickly releases his healing burst palm and spins to the side to avoid it by accelerating.


    He kneels down on the ground and regulates his breathing on the spot in order to assess the situation.


    "Huh. ...... I didn''t expect the Healing Burst Palm to be useful here."


    It is a technique that can be used for evasion, defense, and recovery, but it is quite useful in that it can respond to an attack like this that cannot be dealt with in time by its own movement alone.


    However, it is useless to use a half-hearted evasion in front of Rose.


    Even if you avoid the attack with the healing burst palm, the follow-up attack will hit you with a tremendous reaction speed.


    "...... release of magic power?"


    Wait a minute, can''t we use this well?


    If the acceleration of the release of magic power can be used for emergency evasion, maybe it can be used to accelerate the attack.


    As logs are falling down around me with great force, I am absorbed in my thoughts.


    Once I find a possibility, all I have to do is to pull it together.


    "In the first place, why do I think that the Healing Burst Palm is a technique that can only be performed with the palm?


    This cage given to me by Mr. Farga not only has the property of unparalleled firmness, but also assists me in manipulating my magic power. Then I should be able to release the healing burst palm from the arm covered by the cage, the back of my hand, or even from my fingers.


    Concentrating on my right arm cage, I release magic power from the side of the arm covered by the cage in the same way as the Healing Burst Palm.


    "Whoa!"


    With the same sound as the bursting palm, the magic power bursts out from the side of his arm and he almost loses his balance.


    It is not impossible. I''m not used to it, and I''m not able to control the force, but it''s more than enough for now.


    The corners of my mouth naturally turn up.


    The battle that had seemed hopeless now had a glimmer of hope.


    "Usato!


    "Hm?"


    I looked up when I heard a shout from overhead, and saw Nair, in owl form, descending toward me at a tremendous speed.


    Quickly, I caught her with both hands, and she jumped on my shoulder, her anger evident.


    "You!¡¡Stop throwing me overboard at the first sign of danger!¡¡I can protect myself too!"


    "...... Oh, I''m sorry. You''re right, you''ve been fighting with me too.


    He is taken aback by Nair''s words for a moment, then smiles.


    "Nair, let''s go!"


    "What are the odds?¡¡What''s the point in trying any harder?"


    "I''ve come up with a new way to fight. I call it the Third Fighting Technique !


    "...... at least call it the Healing Accelerator Fist. It''s so lame it''s not even funny."


    I think ...... is cool.


    Rose seems to have stopped throwing logs too, as if she saw Nair flying toward me.


    She can''t attack the place in a way that would involve Nair, either.


    "Come on, let''s give it our all, for real. I''ll give it my all, too.


    I''m going to give Rose a blow, without regard to my magical power and without regard to anything else.


    With this determination, I ran out in the direction where I knew Rose would be waiting for me.

 173 - - The 158th Episode

    It''s not the first time I''ve used a new technique in a rush.


    Healing Accelerator ...... or Healing Acceleration Fist.


    It is an application of Healing Bursting Palm that gives me a change in my movement. If I can use it well, I should be able to reach Rose with my fist.


    Clenching my fist tightly, I run as fast as I can through the woods to the training area.


    Rose is waiting for me with her arms folded.


    "I''m going to give it everything I''ve got!¡¡Neah!"


    I know!


    Blow resistance in the left arm.


    I focus my binding spells on my right arm with the basket hand, and approach Rose.


    Rose looks a little stunned when she sees me.


    "What do you think I''m going to do, just shove you in the same way as before?"


    "No!"


    When we were within about ten paces of each other, I pulled my right arm back and at the same time burst magic power from my elbow.


    I gained tremendous acceleration and added a step to the momentum, and at once slammed my accelerated right fist into Rhodes.


    Rose looked at me with wide eyes.


    "......!"


    "I''m not the same as before!¡¡This time I''m a little faster!"


    This is the Healing Acceleration Fist.


    This is a technique that uses the impact from the bursting of the system reinforcement to perform instantaneous acceleration.


    It consumes not a little magic power, but now is not the time to worry about magic power, so I use it as fast as I can.


    "Interesting. Show me more.


    "Don''t ask me!"


    Rose''s ferocious smile, which would make a child cry if she saw it, makes me scared inside, but more than that, I''m happy to see that I''m getting a solid response.


    Trying not to let my inner joy show on my face, I burst out my magical power from my elbow again and close in on Rose in one fell swoop.


    Even if I continue to swing my fist, it will be easily dealt with - but now my punch can literally be accelerated by just one step!


    "Cure! Accelerate!"


    "I see, that''s how it works. ......!"


    Rose looks surprised at the sudden acceleration of his fist, but at the same time he avoids the fist that slips through her defense with a light body movement, spins around, and throws a powerful backward kick.


    This is unavoidable!¡¡Even if you take it, you will just be blown away!¡¡Then!


    This time, he releases magic power from the side of his cage, forcibly pushing himself to the side!


    At last! "......"


    He manages to avoid the kick just in time to get a little distance from Rose.


    The attack is still blocked, but I can feel a different kind of response from before.


    "You used a similar technique earlier, did you apply it?"


    "Yes, it would have been too easy for them to respond to a normal attack, so I forced them to change my movements.


    "So it is an acceleration that can be applied to movement, attack, and evasion as well. It seems to be very useful.


    I can tell from fighting him that he really has a lot of insight.


    I didn''t think that he would immediately notice what I was doing and that he would understand the mechanism of the healing acceleration fist so quickly.


    "Ha, you''re a guy who never knows what he''s going to do. Are you really a healing magician?"


    I''m the one who wants to say that. What kind of physical abilities do you have?


    "To me, neither of you is a healing magician, let alone a human being."


    While going through Nair''s words, who is in a don''t-know state, I think about the application of the healing acceleration fist, based on the previous attack and defense.


    Seeing me thinking, Rose''s mouth twists in amusement and she doesn''t move from her spot.


    "...... aren''t you going to attack me?"


    "You want me to attack you?"


    "No, not at all."


    When I answered immediately, she smiled and crossed her arms as if she was trying to tell me something funny.


    "I don''t have time to think in the face of a superior enemy, one that is seriously aiming for my life. But now is the time to think. Think about it, Usato. What do you need to fight a superior opponent like me?¡¡What do I have to do?¡¡What do I have to find out?¡¡If you can figure it out right now, you''ll be on your own."


    "One of a Kind ......"


    Rose''s discipleship.


    That meant a lot to me.


    "Well, if you don''t understand it, you just have to let your body understand it."


    "......"


    Think hard!¡¡It would be a bonus if we could make them understand with their own bodies!


    ...... got instant acceleration with the healing acceleration fist. Now we just need to figure out how to deliver the coup de grace to Rose.


    The defense is beyond but can be avoided easily.


    Moreover, Rose will respond immediately, so we can''t show the healing acceleration fist again and again.


    "If I''m going to do this, I''m going to have to hit her with an attack she won''t be able to avoid."


    I have less physical ability than Rose, less reflexes than Rose, less magic power than Rose, and I have Falga-sama''s cage and the technique to apply it. And the magic that Nair uses.


    I was almost defeated by the misery of the first half of ......, but it can''t be helped because this is my present situation.


    What I lack, I make up for with my other strengths. Nair, I''m going to do something quite reckless now, will you follow me?"


    "What are you talking about now?"


    Nair, on his shoulder, raises his wings in disgust.


    I am your messenger. I''m your messenger. If you want to do this, I''ll go along with it as long as you want.


    "Thank you. Let''s go then."


    He makes up his mind and turns his eyes toward Rose.


    "What?¡¡You give up?"


    He smiles at Rose, who says this to him in a playful manner, and holds up his fist.


    "Huh?¡¡Do you think you still don''t know who I am?¡¡I''m a very competitive person.


    "......!"


    "So, no matter how much of a monster you are, I''ll always get up and fight."


    Rose''s eyes widen.


    She shows a slight agitation, but the next moment she smiles.


    "Yes, that''s exactly what I was thinking. I''ve been sure of it for a long time now. ...... Well, I''m glad I found you that day."


    Rose lowered her hand with a small murmur, and the expression on her face underneath was a fierce smile that was at once happy and fearful.


    "Show me, Usato. I''ll beat you head on with everything I''ve got."


    Then I will go beyond that."


    With his right arm held as if drawing a bow, he activates his Healing Acceleration Fist, and using rocket-like acceleration, he quickly closes in on Rose.


    "Healing Acceleration Fist!"


    He slams his fist with all-out acceleration straight at Rose, but his arm defends it without a second thought.


    But this fist is different from the previous one!


    I immediately burst the magic power from my fist and pull my arm back at high speed with the same momentum, bursting the magic power from my elbow as before, and slam my fist into Rose again.


    Rose''s smile grew even stronger as her arm bounced off my right fist, which was almost continuously thrown.


    "If you can''t go fast, how about with your hands?¡¡Fine. I''ll take you on!"


    "Oh!"


    Rose backs up as she deals with the fist, and I accelerate forward, slamming my fist into her without expending any magic power.


    Even so, her guard does not waver in the slightest.


    "No, no, ......!"


    A series of attacks without a pause for breath, which can only be successfully executed by accelerating the magical power in two stages: drawing a fist and striking.


    The name of the attack is "Heal Fast Fist".


    Combined with Nair''s binding magic, it is an extraordinary technique that can put the opponent in a state of intermittent binding, but at a great cost in terms of the large amount of magic power and the heavy load it puts on the overworked right arm.


    "Not yet!"


    He accelerates his Kagote even more and swings his fist.


    His right arm screams from the strain and fatigue, but he moves forward, slamming his right fist into the ground without regard to the strain.


    He is not stopping yet. ......!


    You can''t stop!


    Just because a bone in my arm is broken or a muscle is torn is no reason for me to stop!


    Not yet!


    I have to show it now, at this moment!


    How much I''ve grown!


    How much stronger I came back after being trained by you!


    I don''t care if you think it''s foolish to get serious in a mere mock battle!¡¡This battle means more to me than just a mock battle!


    Not yet!¡¡It''s not over!"


    With each swing of his fist, he recalls the memories of his previous training sessions with Rose.


    It was hard.


    It was deathly hard.


    Maybe I had died once before I knew it.


    It was an unbelievable hell.


    But it gave me a reason to be in this world when I was lost and didn''t know what to do in this other world.


    It gave me a place to belong: the Lifeguard Corps.


    It gave me a strong but trustworthy group of friends.


    I, an ordinary high school boy whose only merit is that he hates to lose, was able to grow so much because of you, my teacher.


    That''s why, that''s why I--


    "To repay that debt of gratitude!"


    With all his might, he accelerates his right fist and slams it into Rose''s arm as if scooping her up, knocking her off her guard.


    "Ah!"


    Here!


    He bursts the magic power from his fist and pulls it back faster than Rose can move.


    At last, he has pried open the guard!¡¡All that remains is to strike the main body, which seemed so far away!


    With a yell, he unleashes a fist accelerated with a burst of magical power!


    "OLLA!"


    The fist with the highest speed.


    But just before it hits Rose, her hand reacts with extraordinary speed and grabs her wrist.


    It was close, but...


    No, not yet!


    I haven''t shown you everything!


    He puts his left arm on the basket and shouts with all his might.


    "Accelerate!"


    This is the real blow!


    All the remaining magic power in your body is released from your fist at once!


    Healing punch!


    "Naa...!"


    A dull, cannon-like sound echoed from his fist, and Rose''s body jerked backward with a mighty thud.


    I looked at Rose, who had retreated while gouging out the ground as much as she could with the magical residue of healing magic drifting from her abdomen, and I fell to my knees due to exhaustion and lack of magical power.


    "...... haha, haha, I blew you away,......."


    I feel a severe pain in my whole right arm, probably because I made it behave in an unreasonable manner.


    Since I don''t have the magical power to use healing magic, I endure the pain while holding my shoulder with my left hand.


    "I have lost most of my magic power to the restraining spell, too. I''m not sure if it''s a ......, but a technique like that that only thinks about beating the opponent with a basket hand, it''s not even at the level of being cruel. ......."


    "Ha-ha-ha, this is sealed just like the Rengage Fist."


    I look fearfully at Rose as she replies to Nair''s words without effort.


    She is lying on the ground with her hand on the spot where the fist had hit her, silently.


    "Hey, hey, Usato. I''m kind of scared.


    "That''s funny, I''m scared too."


    Did I offend you by any chance?


    Was it because I used a physical technique that has nothing to do with healing magic?¡¡No, no, no, but it was an accidental technique, and I didn''t intend to do it that way,


    "Kuh, hahahaha!"


    Hahahahaha!""Huh?""


    Rose suddenly bursts out laughing, and Nair and I let out a pathetic scream.


    She brushes her hair out of her face and looks at her palm as if she is deeply moved.


    "I never thought I would be the one to take the hit. Not since ...... him?"


    Him?¡¡Who the hell is he?


    Surely there''s some monster out there that can hurt a space monster the size of a man?


    "...... Ugh."


    "Uh, ah, Usato!"


    My vision wobbles.


    I was so weak that I didn''t know whether it was because of the intense pain running from my right arm or the lack of magic power, I almost collapsed on the spot--but Rose supported me just before I fell to the ground.


    "d*mn, it seems your lack of forethought hasn''t changed after all these years of travel.


    Rose muttered in a tone of voice that sounded both amused and pleased, and cast a healing spell on me.


    In my fading consciousness, I locked gazes with Rose, who looked down at me.


    "Usato. You have become strong. Beyond even my expectations."


    "--"


    I can''t speak.


    I can still speak, but I don''t know how to put these feelings into words.


    I am at a loss for words, but Rose continues to weave her words.


    You have done well so far. You are a full-fledged healing wizard in my eyes.


    My consciousness fades away after hearing that much.


    Rose said something else to me, but I did not catch all of it.


    But one thing I do know is that I am truly recognized as a healing wizard of the Rescue Mission.


    ¡ñ


    "---Ha!"


    "Oh, I''m awake at last."


    When I woke up from my faint, the sky was already the color of sunset.


    The first thing I saw was the familiar ceiling of my room and the orange light coming in from outside. I look around and notice that Amako is peering at me with a worried look on her face.


    "Usato, you look so normal when you sleep, don''t you?


    "Wait a minute, don''t make it sound like I look funny except when I''m sleeping."


    What does she say to a sleeping person?


    My mind was hit half as hard as when Rose hit me.


    I sit up and check my physical condition. Thanks to Rose''s healing magic, all my aches and pains and fatigue are gone.


    My magic is not fully restored yet, but I can still walk.


    What happened after that?


    "Nair was resting in her room, and Frana went back to the castle with a kind of enlightened look on her face. ...... Then Rose said she''d go to the Commander''s office to talk to Usato later."


    Frana,...... no, I won''t say it.


    But still...the Commander''s office. After that mock battle, maybe it''s important to talk about something.


    ...... Oh, yes. Speaking of important stories: .......


    "Amaco, I may have to go to Lucvis in the near future. ......"


    Discussions in Shikoku, including the Kingdom of Lingle.


    Lucvis was chosen as the meeting place and I might be heading there.


    When Amako heard this, she put her hand on her chin and thought for a moment.


    "I''d like to go with you, but we have an ...... important meeting to discuss, so maybe I shouldn''t go."


    "I''ll ask him if you can go with me when the time comes. I''m sure Kiriha and the others would love to meet you."


    Well, I still don''t know if I''ll ever get the chance.


    But I think there''s a good chance. After all, I have sent a letter to Samaritan as an emissary, so it would not be surprising if I am ordered to accompany him as a bridge for the meeting.


    Hey, Usato.


    "Hmm?"


    How was your fight with Mr. Rose?


    ...... fighting Rose, huh?


    He crosses his arms as if he is thinking about it for a moment, and then says what he thinks.


    I was made to realize that I''m still not as good as the Commander. I feel frustrated, but I''m also ...... a little happy because my master is even more amazing than I thought he was.


    I can say with certainty that Rose responded perfectly to my attacks throughout.


    The last blow I hit her with was a surprise, but I don''t think I can pull off the same trick again.


    "I need to train harder ......"


    It was nice to be recognized by Rose as a full-fledged professional.


    But now that I have a new appreciation of how big my goal is, I feel like I have to work even harder.


    "How can you say such a thing after such a competition? Well, that''s what makes me feel like Usato.


    "Ha-ha-ha, what do you mean by ''like me''?"


    Am I being too stoic myself?


    Chuckling at Amako''s words, I shift my gaze to the scenery outside as it gradually begins to get darker.


    Today has been a short, yet very long day for me.


    In my first head-to-head battle with Rose, I found what I lacked and new ways to fight.


    To be honest, I was fighting with a lot of fear, but I can say that this fight was still very meaningful for me.

 174 - - The 159th.

    The Battle of the Roses.


    It was a rewarding experience for me, with many lessons learned.


    The difference in ability between me and Rose.


    Establishment of a fighting style using the healing acceleration fist.


    If you only look at the result, I was beaten down first, but I surely felt that I had made progress.


    "Well, let''s go see the Commander.


    Soon after I woke up from my stupor, it was time for dinner. I took the opportunity to invite Amako to join me for dinner, and we spent the time in the cafeteria, which was now larger than it had been when I first arrived, having dinner, which was the only time we had a break at the rescue group.


    Before dinner, however, Amako, Nair, and Ferrum had a little quarrel ...... or a quarrel?¡¡I was a little surprised to see them having a little quarrel or something like that.


    Amako, who had anticipated their movements with her precognition magic and struck them both back with a stunning blow, gave me a slight shudder, but I managed to admonish the smug little fox, the half-crying demon and the demoness,...... and was relieved to see that, somehow, Ferrum and Amako seemed to be getting along well.


    "......, I''m her guardian? ......?"


    I mutter to myself as I walk down the corridor leading to the Commander''s office after dropping Amako off.


    He has a similar personality to me, and I tend to care about him. Besides, after hearing from Koga about the nature of dark wizards, I know that Ferrum has been living in loneliness, so I worry ...... about him, or perhaps I feel sorry for him.


    "Emotion-driven magic."


    To me, dark magic seems to be a very unstable magic. In other words, dark magic is the manifestation of one''s own negative emotions as magic.


    Ferrum is an inverted armor born of loneliness that no one can touch.


    The corsair is a restraint that binds the beastly nature that finds pleasure only in battle.


    "So what of the magic of Ferrum now?"


    Now she''s not alone.


    I''d be ashamed if I''m the only one who thinks so, but if she thinks so too, then ...... if Ferm''s magic is restored, will its dark magic remain the same as before?¡¡Or..,


    WATCH!


    I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I almost ran into the door of the Commander''s office.


    Let''s put aside for the moment what I''ve been thinking about until now. I must now turn my attention back to my conversation with Rose.


    Commander, it''s Usato.


    "Oh, come in."


    Excuse me.


    After saying no, I enter the Commander''s office.


    Rose, who had been sitting by the window looking out, looked back at me, sat down in a chair, and crossed her arms.


    "You sit down, too. It''s a long story.


    "Huh. ......."


    He sat down in a chair that was placed across from Rose.


    Is this a long story, or is it something important?


    "First of all, you know that I was summoned to the castle yesterday?


    Yes, is it something to do with me?


    Yes. You may have only heard about it, but it has been decided that a meeting will be held in the near future in the magic city of Lucvis between the four kingdoms of Lingle, Samariar, Calm Helio, and Nirvarna. As representatives of the Kingdom of Lingle, Sigurth the Knight-Captain, Welshy the resident wizard, Suzune and Kazuki the heroes, and you have been appointed to go there."


    The decision came sooner than I expected, but I guess I''ll be going too.


    Well, it''s only natural since I''m the one who gave the letter to Samaritan. I guess they need someone to bridge the gap between Samaritan and Samaritan.


    When do you leave?


    "The letter has already been sent to all the countries where the meeting will take place. We''ll leave in a week at the latest.


    A week from now, that''s less time than I thought.


    Maybe they took into consideration the time it would take to get from the Kingdom of Lingle to Samaliar by horse-drawn carriage.


    "Master Lloyd says he won''t force you if you refuse."


    "No, I''ll go. I gave the letter to Samaritan, and I will be responsible for it until the end.


    We can''t just throw it away on the way.


    Besides, Senpai and Kazuki will be there too. If it were just me, I would have been worried, but with the two of you, I''ll be fine.


    Rose nodded at my answer.


    "Then you can''t keep on calling yourself a mere lifeguard.


    "Heh?¡¡What do you mean by that, ......?


    I was about to ask a question when Rose threw something at me.


    I quickly caught it and saw that it was a cloak with a bright white hood that I hadn''t seen for a while... a troupe uniform.


    "Ah!¡¡You fixed it!


    "It''s a good thing I asked you to repair it earlier. We can''t just wear some random cloak to the meeting.


    Nodding at Rose''s words, I slip into my troupe uniform.


    I ask her about her earlier words, feeling glad to feel the familiarity of the garment.


    "Thank you for fixing it. So, what do you mean by your title?


    "It means exactly what it says. You''re not just a lifeguard anymore."


    More and more I don''t understand.


    Not just a lifeguard?¡¡What does that mean?


    I''m called a lifeguard because I belong to the lifeguard squad, and if I''m no longer a member of the lifeguard squad,......, does that mean I''m going to be transferred from the lifeguard squad to another place,......?


    I was horrified at the thought that I had arrived at, and Rose smiled her usual belligerent smile.


    "Actually, I''ve had a hunch about this ever since I trained you, chick. No matter how hard you are beaten, you have the stubbornness to stand up. No matter how many times you''ve been abused, you''ve never broken down, you''ve always had the cheek to bounce back at me."


    Am I really to blame?¡¡Or am I being praised?


    It''s a strange situation, though, as I am being appreciated for my stubbornness and cockiness, even though they seem to be happy about it.


    "When I first saw him, I thought he was just a kid from anywhere, but when I opened the door, he turned out to be a hell of a guy.


    "Please don''t make it sound as if he was a bad guy to begin with. ......"


    How could a normal kid survive my training?


    Why should I be treated like an a**h*le by the person who put me on this training program?


    That''s why you''re the best choice.


    Rose''s smile deepens at my confusion.


    I wait for her next words, being engulfed by the different atmosphere.


    "Usato Ken. From now on, I am appointing you as the vice president of the rescue team.


    "...... what?"


    The words were delivered so abruptly that my mind went blank.


    After a few seconds, I finally recognize her words and stop thinking again.


    Deputy Commander.


    I didn''t even know such a title existed until now.


    No, to begin with, I had never even thought that there was a rank other than that of the leader of a lifeguard corps.


    Can''t you even speak out of surprise?


    Isn''t that too sudden?¡¡You''re suddenly ...... the deputy commander?


    "Oh?¡¡I told you before the simulation. . As it turns out, you''ve exceeded my expectations."


    I did say "evaluate," but there was no way I could have thought that he meant to evaluate whether or not I was worthy of the vice commander.


    Rose smiles amusedly at my complete panic, but she doesn''t seem to take it as a joke at all.


    She''s really going to make me the vice president of the lifeguard corps," she says.


    "This was the plan all along," he says. From the moment I started training you. Didn''t I tell you?¡¡I''m going to make you my right hand man."


    He did say that.


    But I thought it was a joke. .......


    "So, but I don''t think I''m the right person to be deputy commander. ....... I mean, would those tough guys even accept me as deputy commander?¡¡I''m sure they''ll try to overtake me immediately.


    "...... ha, totally."


    Rose, with a somewhat dazed smile on her face, got up from her chair, walked up to me, and slapped me in the forehead with a decapitating punch.


    The stars burst into my vision and I almost fell over from the powerful blow, but I held on and looked up at Rose.


    "You think I''m going to appoint an unworthy person as the vice president?¡¡Usato, of course I chose you because I thought I could trust you with the job.


    "What would I do?"


    "Besides, Alec and the others recognize you more than you know. If you still don''t believe me...


    He pauses and raises his fist in front of me.


    "Make him admit it. Make me admit it, just like you made me admit it.


    "......"


    Deputy Commander is too big a title for me.


    But on the other hand, it means that Rose thinks highly enough of me to entrust me with such a title.


    To be honest, even now that she''s told me to my face, I''m not sure if I''m the right person to be the deputy leader.


    But still...but still... It''s not like me to be stuck in this position for a long time after being told this much.


    I accept the position of deputy commander.


    "Oh."


    Rose nodded in satisfaction at my words.


    I sat down in the chair in the Commander''s office and leaned back against the backrest.


    "From now on, I want you to behave in a manner that puts the title of deputy commander to shame. You may return."


    "Yes."


    I bowed to Rose and was about to leave when I remembered what Rose had said to me during the battle today.


    <>


    Rose, who could not be attacked without unleashing her one-time hidden gem, the Healing Rengage Fist, was attacked by an opponent who had attacked her.


    How could I not be concerned?


    I lowered my hand on the door and turned around to ask him about it.


    "Um, I have a question. ......"


    "What?"


    "Who was the one who attacked the Commander before me?"


    "!"


    Rose''s eyes widen slightly at the question, and I think I''ve lost it.


    Is there a reason for this?¡¡No, it is someone who is capable of attacking Rose. In fact, even the assumption that it is a humanoid creature may be wrong.


    It is even possible that it was bigger than the evil dragon.


    After several tens of seconds of silence, Rose nodded her head and finally opened her mouth.


    "...... I''ll tell you a little bit about it."


    The tone is somewhat grave.


    The atmosphere was completely different from before, and I was puzzled inwardly.


    "The man who attacked me was a demon.


    "You mean you were wounded during the war with the Demon Lord''s army?"


    No, no. We met him before the Demon Lord awakened from his spell.


    Before waking up from the seal ......!


    Isn''t that before the lifeguard was created?


    Rose continued to speak, not caring that I was having a hard time thinking.


    "The man''s name is Nero Agens. "His name is Nero Agens, the Mage who rules the wind. And ......."


    After a pause there, she meditated once, looked at me with her strong-willed one-eyed gaze, as if she was going to shoot me, and said those words.


    "That is also the name of the man who scarred my right eye."


    ¡ñ


    "Nero Agence ......"


    After Rose told me the name, I left the Commander''s office. Or, to be more precise, Rose did not tell me any more.


    I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling and muttering the name of the swordsman who had wounded Rose''s right eye.


    The wound in Rose''s right eye had been bothering her for a long time.


    She sometimes put her hand on her right eye as if it was a habit, and somewhere in her mind she wondered why she kept the scar on her right eye when she could use healing magic.


    "......And..."


    When I heard his name, I remembered that the flame-controlling leader of the Third Legion whom Mr. Aruk fought in Hinomoto, the Land of the Beastmen, claimed to be the man''s apprentice.


    I fought against Koga and could not see Mr. Aruk''s battle, but I heard that this Third Legionnaire wore flames like armor and had overwhelming firepower and strength.


    I cannot measure the strength of a man who has a disciple who is powerful enough to become a corps leader.


    I wonder what happened to him.


    When she revealed Nero Agence''s name to me, I had the feeling that Rose was a little ...... different than usual.


    "I''ll wait for you to tell me."


    As we left the office, Rose told me that she would tell me everything in due time.


    I guessed that she was more concerned about my upsetting her so that it would not interfere with the upcoming meeting than that I would not make up my mind to tell her.


    If that is the case, I should not think too much about it and concentrate on what is in front of me.


    "......"


    Suddenly, I look at the repaired uniforms hanging on the wall.


    It looks the same as before, but now that I am the vice-commander, I put my sleeves on it and the weight of being the one who stands on top of the group weighs on me at once.


    Expectations from Rose.


    Anxiety about myself.


    The weight of the title of deputy leader.


    I felt as if I would be crushed by all of them, but I still decided to carry the weight on my back.

 175 - - The 160th.

    It has already been a week since I became the vice president of the rescue squad.


    At one point, I had been eagerly awaiting the surprise attack by a group of tough guys who didn''t recognize me as the deputy leader, but contrary to my expectations, they were positive about my appointment as the deputy leader.


    On the other hand, it was Ferrum who came at me.


    <>


    I fought him off with a deco pin, but he was still not satisfied with that and attacked me every day since then.


    I began to wonder if this is how an older brother with a rebellious younger sister feels, and I began to think that I was missing the point.


    No, I am an only child.


    "Usato-san!"


    "Hmm?¡¡Knack. Why don''t you just stand up and sit down?"


    The night before we left for Lucvis for the meeting of the four kingdoms.


    After dinner, I was sitting on the field at the training ground, relaxing and looking at the night scenery, when Nack came out of the dormitory and approached me.


    I let him sit down next to me and asked him what he wanted.


    "So, what''s going on?"


    "Well, you''re going to Lucvis tomorrow, aren''t you?"


    "Yes. Yes, but ......"


    In case you are wondering, Nair has been asked to stay at home this time.


    She wanted to go, but Rose told me that there was a problem in taking Nair to the meeting because of her abilities such as enchantment and magic, which might make the other party distrustful of her.


    He said that he could not bring her to the meeting because of the possibility of making the other party distrust him.


    ...... I did not intend to let her use such abilities, but...


    Nair is going to spend her days in training with Ferrum while I am in Lucvis. She is going to do some ...... spiritual training and evasion training with Ferm.


    It sounds like a lot of fun, but Nair and Ferm look like it''s the end of the world as they ask me for help.


    "Well then, ...... could you tell Kiriha and the others I said hello?¡¡They helped me a lot when I left Luxembourg. I''d be happy to meet them if I can. ......"


    Okay. I''ll let them know you''re here."


    When I get to Lukvis, I will meet up with Kiriha and the others when I have some free time.


    I''ll have a lot of stories to tell them then. I''m sure Kyou and Satsuki will be very interested in hearing them.


    But I really wish you could be there too.


    After assuming the position of deputy commander, I went to the castle once to ask Mr. Welshy if I could take Amako with me, and he gave me permission more easily than I had expected.


    After telling this to Amako, I suddenly thought of ...... if I could take Nack with me, but Nack, of all people, refused.


    "I''d really like to go, too," he said, "but there''s ...... Meena in Luxembourg.


    "Oh, that girl. ....... Do you still have a hard time with her?"


    The girl with the red twintails who used to torment Nack.


    However, from the way Nack speaks, it seems that he does not hate Meena, but simply does not want to see her.


    Did something happen with her after I left Luxembourg?


    "It''s not that I don''t like her. We had a chance to talk a little before I left Luxembourg, and instead of apologizing to me, she reiterated that it''s your fault for being so stubborn.¡¡I know I had my share of faults, but it was a refreshing change of pace.


    "And then what happened?¡¡Did you quarrel and break up?"


    "Well, mostly, but then she started saying something about coming to see me after she graduated from school. ....... I don''t know what he''s trying to do, I''ve already cut myself off from my parents.


    "...... I see."


    Oh, this is...


    I smile, pat Nack on the shoulder, and nod.


    "Well, Nack. You''re a slow learner, aren''t you?"


    "I''m sorry, are you sure you mean that?¡¡Is that what you say, Mr. Usato?


    What?


    He answered immediately with a rather serious tone in his voice.


    Nack, who laughed at my confusion at the unexpected response, waved his hand to the side and spun his words.


    He waved his hand and said, "First of all, it''s impossible. He''s going to train in magic to get revenge on me and come here after graduating from the school, right?¡¡He can''t have such a girlish idea! He just can''t stand being defeated by me.


    "Is that so ......?"


    Is that so? He''s always hated to lose since he was little.


    I see. So you can''t stay on the losing side.


    I can understand that.


    I''m not quite sure I understand the relationship between Nack and Meena, but I understand that they are like rivals for now.


    "I''ll tell Kiriha and the others about you anyway.


    "Thank you."


    "Don''t thank me, I wanted to tell Kirija and the others about you too."


    There are people in Lukvis I want to meet, but I''m not going out to play.


    As one of the representatives of the Kingdom of Lingle---and as the deputy commander of the Lifeguard Corps, I must fulfill the duties assigned to me.


    "Ah, yes. While I''m in Lukvis, could you feed Bulrin for me?¡¡I''ve asked Nair and Ferrum to do the same, but I''m a little worried about them because they are a bit naughty.


    If that''s the case, I''ll leave it to you."


    "After that, if you could just let me do some exercise or something ......."


    No, it''s too much to ask.


    He''ll work when he''s motivated, but it takes him a long time to get his hands on it because he''s a pain in the ass.


    "I''m allowed to train on my own, too, and I''ll exercise with him.


    "Are you okay?¡¡He might mistake me for someone else and put me on his back. ......"


    When I asked him about it, he laughed and said, "In case of emergency, I call people around me for help.


    I stand up, feeling happy inside to see his growth as a person who did not rely on others in Lukvis.


    "Well, I think I''ll get an early night to prepare for tomorrow.


    "Well then, let''s go back to the dormitory."


    I brush leaves off my clothes and get up, and Nack and I walk to our lodgings.


    We plan to leave early tomorrow morning, so we''d better not oversleep.


    We''re going to leave early tomorrow morning...


    Early the next morning.


    I was able to get up without oversleeping, and with the luggage I had prepared in advance, I greeted Rose before going to pick up Amako - but there was a bit of a commotion as I did so.


    To my surprise, Nair, who had transformed into an owl, was trying to follow me, hiding in my luggage.


    Even I, who was carrying my luggage, could not notice her lurking, but it was too bad. When I greeted her, Rose stuck her arm into my luggage and immediately caught Nair from her hiding place.


    When I asked her how she had noticed me, she simply replied, "intuition.


    It was a moment that made me realize that the sixth sense can be more paranormal than magic.


    With all that commotion, I left the lifeguard''s quarters with a bit of a hitch and headed for the city to pick up Amako as planned.


    As I made my way through the morning haze in the city, I spotted Amako in front of a store and joined her.


    "Good morning, Usato."


    Good morning. I see you didn''t oversleep.


    She looked up at me with a slightly miffed expression on her face.


    "I''m not that much of a child.


    "Ha ha, I know."


    Despite her small stature, this girl is as strong ...... for her age as she is for her age, and mentally she''s as strong as an adult.


    But even so, she sometimes responds in an age-appropriate manner, as she is doing now.


    "Where''s Neah?"


    "She''s away. She''ll be training with the Commander in the meantime.


    "Wow."


    What comes to my mind is the image of Nair who tried to follow me in the confusion just a few minutes ago, being caught by Rose and dragged to the training ground with Ferrum, who somehow got caught in the middle of it all.


    I wanted to protect her, but I couldn''t do it with Rose.


    After that, I headed for the castle gate with Amako, chatting with her about other things.


    When we reached the gate after about ten minutes, we saw a few familiar faces and knights gathered in a large carriage.


    There were my senpai, Kazuki, and Sigurth and Welshy.


    I see the four of them and the knights, and greet them with a raised hand.


    Since there was no battle involved, Senpai and Kazuki were dressed in normal clothes, unlike when they had started their journey.


    "Are you two used to traveling?"


    "Yes, we are. We haven''t been on the road for months.


    "I''ve been there once, and I''m not as nervous as I was the first time.


    Senpai and Kazuki answered my question in this way.


    In fact, the trip is familiar to me as well, so I feel much more relaxed than the first time.


    I look from them to Mr. Welshy.


    "Mr. Welsey. Are you leaving soon?"


    "Good morning, Mr. Usato. We are just getting ready to leave.


    Well, it looks like we arrived just in time.


    When they are ready, the five of us, myself, my senior, Kazuki, Amako, and Welshy, enter the carriage. Mr. Sigurth and the knights are going to escort the carriage with horses.


    "Well, it seems to be the same as when we first started our trip..."


    "It was these five of us, including Mr. Welsey, that time, too, wasn''t it?"


    "Oh, sure."


    Senpai and Kazuki nodded at each other''s words.


    Then, perhaps remembering that time, the senior member let out a deeply moved sigh.


    "Compared to that time, I feel like we have grown up.


    But that was only a short time ago. Well, I am sure that we have had such an intense journey that we feel the same way.


    "When it comes to Usato, it would be more correct to say that he is mutating rather than growing up."


    "You make it sound as if I''m changing from a human being to another creature."


    Amako interrupts him next to her, and he gives her a twitchy smile.


    I''m sure I''ve grown, but I haven''t grown enough to look ...... different.


    "It''s more like a new creature called Usato than a different creature."


    "Finally, my name has become the name of my species. ......"


    "Usato, I think that''s a good idea!¡¡A family of super creatures!¡¡It''s something ...... that really moves me!¡¡It''s one-of-a-kind!"


    "I can understand why you feel that way, but it''s totally messed up when it''s me ......."


    Is my senior really following me?


    No, I saw his smile without malice and knew he meant what he said.


    Welshy and Kazuki looked at my slumped shoulders and laughed at me as if they were troubled.


    "Ha-ha-ha. ...... but what''s different from that time is that the purpose of this meeting is to meet with them."


    "Ah, yes. I''m aware that I''ll be able to return home earlier than last time, so that will change my mindset a lot."


    While the previous trip to deliver the letter was expected to take a long time, this meeting will allow us to return to the Kingdom of Lingle in a relatively short period of time.


    The meeting itself will begin as soon as the representatives from each country gather, which should not be more than a week after their arrival at the latest.


    If there is an accident or something, the schedule of the meeting may be delayed considerably, though.


    Oh, that''s right. I will tell you about the meeting while I am here.


    As we were thinking about this, Ms. Welsey approached us.


    Rose has given me some general information about the meeting, but I don''t have much in the way of clarification.


    Is there an explanation for that as well?


    "Your role at the meeting will be to meet the representatives of the kingdoms you have visited. Please rest assured that Mr. Sigurth and I will be in charge of the meeting.


    "Is there anything else we need to do besides meeting each other?"


    "Kazuki-sama and Suzune-sama, as the brave men of the Kingdom of Lingle, and Usato-sama, as the deputy commander of the Rescue Mission, please behave in a manner befitting their titles. Probably, the powerful people of the kingdoms will gather at the meeting.


    "Powerful people?¡¡Is that ......?


    They are the equivalent of Mr. Sigurth in our country, and they are also very capable. I am sure that some of you who have been to each of these countries may have an idea of what I am talking about.


    Kazuki and his senpai nodded their heads, wondering if Mr. Welshy''s words reminded them of anyone.


    The most powerful person in Samaria, the country I went to, is Mr. ...... Fegnis, but he was probably a problem before I came here.


    He had lost the curse he had been protecting and now he knew that he had been helping the sorcerer in his evil deeds.


    What he tried to do was unforgivable, but unlike the sorcerer who was acting out of self-interest, he was acting for the good of the Kingdom of Samaritan.


    If his family had not been distorted by the sorcerer, he might have been a genuine good man who cared for his country.


    Usato?


    What?¡¡Oh, I''m sorry. I was just out of it for a minute.


    I guess I was a little lost in thought.


    I smiled back at Amako, who approached me with concern, and listened to Mr. Welshy''s story.


    "One of the purposes of this meeting is to make friends with those who will fight side by side with us in the battle against the Demon King''s army.


    I see. It''s not like we can trust each other right away when we meet for the first time and are asked to fight together. It is true that we need to meet each other in advance. But what kind of people will be there? I''m a little excited to hear that they are powerful people from the kingdom.


    I smiled at my senpai, who seemed to be enjoying himself as usual.


    "Senpai, don''t ask me to fight a duel out of the blue, okay?"


    "I wouldn''t do that!¡¡What do you think I am, Usato-kun?


    "No, it''s just a precaution. I can''t predict your behavior.


    "I don''t want to hear that from you, Usato-kun!¡¡Don''t you think so, Amako?


    "Yes, I don''t think you should say that, Usato."


    Oops, here comes Amako taking the seniority.


    I can''t hide my upset at this unexpected betrayal.


    I was about to open my mouth to at least argue, when Welshy and Kazuki, who had been listening to our conversation, spoke up first.


    "I have the image of Usato-sama doing something outrageous when I take my eyes off him for a moment. Like when he was trying to force himself to acquire lineage enhancement. ......"


    "It''s true that Usato does things that most people wouldn''t think of doing. Well, that''s what''s so great about Usato."


    Aside from Kazuki, who smiled and praised me, I never thought I would be in a situation where I would be backed into a corner in this situation.


    While I was wondering what to say in response to this, Amako shifted her gaze from me to her senpai.


    "But Suzune also does something unexpected in a different direction from Usato, so I guess we''re both on the same side after all.


    "Amaco?


    "Ah, yes, that''s right. You were out of your mind at Frana''s too.


    "Kazuki-kun?


    Suzune-sama is just as much of a mess as Usato-sama, you know.


    "To Welshy ....... I''m being dissed in this stream of thought!"


    As if to follow up, Amako, Kazuki, and Welshy all took their turn to criticize the senpai, who slumped over in shock, their shoulders slumped, and they fell into a slump.


    After a few seconds of hesitation, he turned his attention to me and gave me a cool smile.


    "I see. ...... Usato-kun and I are the same. That means you and I are a couple, right?"


    "I''m sorry. I''m sorry, I''m just spinning my super theory so much that I don''t understand what it means. And do you really know what you are saying?


    Of course I do.


    The senior staff member who spoke out of turn shrugged his shoulders.


    It''s good that we have left the Lingle Kingdom, but I''m sure I''m going to be tired of all the tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk.

 176 - - The 161st Episode

    A friend of mine who was in the same class in my former world told me that traveling is fun on the way to the destination.


    I think it is true.


    Arriving at the destination is important, but watching the changing scenery and the changing flora and fauna along the way is also quite enjoyable.


    And it is also a pleasure to talk with friends during the short time before arriving at the destination - that''s what I had been thinking until this morning.


    "Senpai. Please stop trying to hug Amako while pretending to be asleep.


    Now, I am giving a sermon to my senpai who is sitting on his haunches in the carriage.


    For the past few days, he has not heeded my repeated warnings and has been trying to use Amako as a pillow for his pillow by pretending to be asleep. Amako avoided him every time, but he was so reluctant to give up, that I had to give him a sermon, even though I didn''t like it very much.¡¡I had to give him a kind of a sermon, though I was very reluctant to do so.


    "You''re making a false accusation, Mr. Usato. Where is the proof?"


    "Isn''t it enough to be caught red-handed? ......"


    But still, the senior is remaining bashful and silent.


    Even though everyone in the room witnessed his crime.


    "Hmm, I have a habit of hugging the fox cub next to me when I''m sleeping. This is one of the ten secrets I''ve been keeping from you with a will of steel."


    How pinpoint is this habit of yours? It''s as if you''ve already told me.


    "Oh, I hope you will take responsibility for making me tell you my secret, Usato-kun."


    "Senpai. Please feel how I feel when you expose my secret without my permission and demand that I take responsibility for it."


    Why is this man so proud of himself when he is made to sit on his knees?¡¡Why does he look at me as if he expects something from me?¡¡Amazing, will of steel.


    Kazuki and Mr. Welshy are smiling at me, and Amako is looking down at me with the coldest eyes I''ve ever seen.


    I sigh and look at Amako, knowing that no matter what I say, she will stubbornly resist.


    Amako nods her head, covers her mouth and talks to her senpai with an air of shyness.


    "Suzune, if you tell me honestly, I''ll even consider sleeping in your arms. ......"


    I, Inukami Suzune, admit that I tried to hug Amako while she was fully awake.


    "Hey, steel will."


    How loyal you are to your desires, my dear. Your will is not steel, but more fragile than tofu.


    Amako tilted her head cutely and looked as if she was thinking, and smiled a smile that she rarely shows.


    "After giving it some thought, I think I''ll start sleeping about five people apart from Suzune from today on."


    "The biggest smile I''ve seen since I started my trip!"


    "I didn''t say I''d do it for you, just that I''d think about it.


    "You''ve been set up!"


    Well, Amako only said she''d think about it.


    Amako is talking to me, perhaps in shock that she was tricked by Amako.


    "Usato, Amako lied to you!


    "I think it''s a very fair decision. ......"


    "Kuh."


    "No, you don''t have to look so bitter. ....... You don''t have to sit on your knees anymore, please stand up."


    He reaches out his hand and helps the senior to stand up and sit down.


    After regaining his composure, he crossed his arms and started talking to us as if nothing had happened.


    "Well, it''s been three days since we left, but traveling by carriage is not so bad.


    "It''s hard to believe you just had an exchange like that a few minutes ago with your attitude and words. ......"


    "A carriage ride is not so bad!"


    You''re just going to let it slide?


    It''s not a bad thing that ...... senior is as energetic as ever, so let''s continue our conversation.


    "After we left Luxembourg, we traveled on foot. I think it would be nice to travel in a horse-drawn carriage.


    "Me and my senior were on horseback, but it''s pretty nice to be somewhat more relaxed than having to hold the reins yourself."


    It''s a bit of a waste of time to move around without moving, but it''s still comfortable.


    It''s a very natural(?) As we were talking about the vehicle, Mr. Welshy, who had been silent until a moment ago, looked up and started talking to me.


    "Um, Mr. Usato. May I ask you a question?"


    "Oh, yes, of course."


    "Thank you very much."


    He seems somewhat preoccupied, but I wonder what is wrong.


    "What I want to ask you is about Mr. Farga. ......"


    What?¡¡Mr. Welshy is ...... for Mr. Farga?"


    I was wondering what he was going to ask me, but I didn''t know it was related to Mr. Farga.


    I had expected it since she seemed to be interested in me when I showed her my basket hand in front of Mr. Lloyd before. .......


    Kazuki, who was standing next to me, tilted his head when I was surprised at Mr. Welshy''s words.


    "Master Farga, I think you mean the divine dragon ...... that protects Mearaq that Usato went to, right?"


    "Yes. The one I told you about before, the one who prepares the armor of a brave warrior for you and your senpai."


    The existence of Master Farga is a closely-guarded secret known only to the royal family of Mialak. I told Kazuki, the recipient of the hero''s weapon, about it. ...... What does Mr. Welshy want to hear?


    "Could you please arrange for the Queen of Mialak to have an audience with the dragon? ......!


    "What?"


    An audience, that means she wants to meet with Lady Farga, right?


    While everyone except Mr. Welshy is too shocked to speak, she puts on a thoughtful expression on her face.


    "It''s not for personal gain."


    "No, I understand that about Welshy. But I want you to tell me why you''re asking me to do this, Usato-kun.


    Of course, I will tell you.


    Mr. Welshy looked around at us with a somewhat nervous look on his face, and after a pause, he opened his mouth.


    "As you may know, Mr. Kazuki and Ms. Suzune, we wizards who work for the kingdom are studying the art of returning those who have been summoned to another world to that world.


    "Those who have been summoned to other worlds, you mean us?"


    Yes. When we summoned you, we used the Scrolls written in the ancient books of the kingdom to activate the summoning formula.


    "Scrolls?"


    Some kind of fantasy-like word.


    The name suggests that it is a kind of paper that contains magic or sorcery?


    "A scroll is a piece of paper that contains magic or sorcery. Nowadays, this technique is as obsolete as magic, but here in the depths of the great archives of the Kingdom of Lingle, a scroll was found with a formula for ."


    We ...... were a bit surprised since we didn''t know how to summon the brave men named Senpai and Kazuki.


    However, it''s kind of strange that a scroll of summoning a brave man can be found in the Lingle Kingdom.


    I looked at my senpai with a sideways glance and saw him muttering with a slightly happy expression, "Scrolls are fantasy too, aren''t they?


    ......Even in a serious talk, the senior was the same as ever.


    I asked Mr. Welshy a question to get his mind back on track.


    "Are those scrolls still there?"


    "When the summons was issued, the scroll was burned up along with the old book. After that, you were all summoned to ......."


    "So it''s just as we know it from there. ......"


    "...... yes."


    Senpai and Kazuki were training to be heroes in the kingdom, and I was taken away, not kidnapped ...... by Rose, and spent my days in training.


    "So, what''s the connection between when we were summoned and what Falga-sama told us?"


    "I will be honest with you. We, the wizards of the kingdom, cannot find a way to return you to the other world. ......


    We were at a loss for words when Ms. Welshy said these words with a sorrowful look on her face.


    We were shocked not only by her words about not being able to find a way to return home, but also by the fact that she said them as if she had been driven to this point.


    "We have lost too much technology to return you to your world.


    Lost too much?


    What does that mean?


    Before I can ask that question, Mr. Welshy mumbles a few words.


    "I heard that several hundred years ago, that is, before the Demon King and the previous heroes were fighting, human beings were engaged in fierce territorial disputes.


    "Is it safe to say that there is a war going on?"


    Mr. Welshy nodded at his senior''s words.


    So before the Demon King and the previous generation of heroes fought, when there was no common enemy for mankind in the form of the Demon King''s army, there was a war between human beings.


    It''s not hard to understand, but I''m really glad that Senpai and Kazuki weren''t summoned to that time period.


    "It was a time when plundering other countries'' lands, cultures, and magic systems to make oneself powerful was a common practice. It is said that magic was used at a much higher level than today. One out of five people were able to use the now rarely-used system of reinforcement.


    Is that all?


    "That''s just what the literature says, but I''d say it''s almost a fact. In those hard times of constant warfare, the quality of the warriors must have been enhanced accordingly.


    One out of every five people who have the depths of magic and lineage enhancement.


    That''s too much, in those days. I can''t even imagine.


    "But the age of human warfare came to an end with the rise of the Demon King''s army led by the Demon King. The human race had no choice but to unite in the face of the powerful Demon King''s army. ......"


    "I had a faint idea that the Demon Lord''s Army was such a formidable opponent at the time. ......"


    "Yes. ....... But the irony is that having a common enemy in the form of the Demon Army has united the warring nations."


    The situation is similar to the present day in that people unite to fight against the demon king''s army, but the individual strengths of the people then and now are too far apart.


    It''s hardly the same situation. .......


    "After the Demon King was sealed by the previous generation of heroes, a peaceful world without warfare continued until the present age. ...... During those long years, we have lost a lot of technology."


    Is it witchcraft?


    "Yes. And scrolls. These were techniques that were used a lot in the wars. But as the wars ended and peace prevailed, the techniques passed on faded away, and finally there was no one left to pass them on.


    If there is no one to pass it on, it will eventually disappear.


    When it comes to sorcery, it takes a long time to master.


    "Summoning heroes is a lost art in this day and age. It is very difficult to restore it and to find a way to analyze it and return it to your world. But then I learned that Usato-sama had met the divine dragon, Falga-sama, who lives for a long time."


    "No way, the reason I want to meet Master Farga is because of ......."


    "Yes. I was wondering if you could help me with your wisdom or with a way to return you to your original world.


    Master Farga is a divine dragon who has lived for a long time and is well versed in magic.


    He may know about the summoning of heroes.


    As I thought about this, Mr. Welshy bowed deeply in determination.


    "I know this is an unreasonable request. I know it is an unreasonable request, but I have a duty to return all of you who have lived in peace to your original world. I will do everything in my power for that purpose."


    I knew it, Mr. Welshy was worried that he had summoned us.


    Maybe even if we told her we didn''t care, she would feel responsible for our involvement.


    Unlike Senpai and Kazuki, I had very few chances to talk to Ms. Welsey, but even I can tell that she is a very kind-hearted woman.


    I am sure that she would not be able to say no to me if she told me ...... so much.


    "......I understand. I''ll try to negotiate with the queen of Mialak, Norn, to see if I can meet with Miss Falga."


    Thank you very much.


    But we may not be able to meet right away. The battle with the Demon King''s army is imminent, and Farga-sama is in the process of making armor for Kazuki and his senior heroes. ......"


    "It can be done after the battle with the Demon Lord''s army. I can wait as long as it is possible for you to advance your research on the return technique, which has been nearly stagnant!"


    I''ll send Leona a hoo-bird when I get back to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    I can''t send a letter to the royal family by myself.


    But ......<>.


    I look at Kazuki and my senpai, and shake off the thought that pops into my head.


    Whether I return to my world or not is for me to decide. It is not something that I should think about because of Kazuki and my senpai.


    But I can''t stay optimistic forever.


    Usato?


    "...... Yes?"


    "No, you''re just looking at me in a daze, so ...... you''ve finally found me attractive, huh?"


    If you''re embarrassed after saying it yourself, why don''t you just say it?


    ...... sometimes I take a joke from my senpai.


    "Yes, I think it''s very attractive that you''re always in good spirits and don''t forget your sense of humor in any situation, don''t you?


    "Well, is that a compliment, or are you just saying I''m a no-nonsense person? ......"


    "Neither of them, right?"


    "Amaco is pretty harsh too. ......"


    The senior staff members laugh at Amako''s words, which make them feel depressed.


    I feel grateful to think that in this day and age we can laugh like this.


    If we had been summoned to a time of constant strife, Senpai and Kazuki might have been forced to fight as beings who are simply meant to fight. Thinking of this, I feel a chill in the depths of my heart.


    What would happen to me then, if I got involved?


    It is possible that I will be treated as useless and discarded, or I may be sent to war as a pure healing magician.


    Either way, I am sure that I will not be able to laugh any more than I do nowadays.


    "No, wait. A few hundred years ago, it wouldn''t have been unusual for healing wizards to fight like me and the Commander ......?"


    It was a time when magic of a higher standard was more prevalent than now.


    The way of being a healing wizard might have been totally different from now.


    When I mutter this, everyone''s eyes except mine are drawn to me.


    "That''s a funny joke. Usato.


    "No, no, no, that''s not true. Mr. Usato."


    "That''s just the way it is."


    "Unfortunately, no such references have been identified. ......"


    It''s a total whack job.


    Even a glimmer of hope is crushed. .......


    I''m upset, but I squeeze out a few words.


    "Isn''t it too much to deny it with all of us?"


    "Ha-ha-ha....... I heard that healing wizards were considered much more important in those days than now. In the midst of battle, there were many injured people whose injuries could not even be compensated for by individual recovery magic, so wizards who could display tremendous healing power such as healing magic were very useful.


    I see...so they were in their proper role of healing people.


    As I was giving a vague response to this unexpectedly decent reply, Amako put her palm on the back of my hand.


    "Hey, Usato. Do you think a healing magician can become like Usato and Rose through normal training?


    "Well, if they trained hard enough, they could ......."


    "No, right?"


    "No, ...... not."


    Why am I being gently admonished by a girl younger than myself?


    Amako nodded in satisfaction at my words.


    "Usato is a healed wizard who did something out of the ordinary, you know?¡¡Usato should admit that he is an out-of-the-ordinary healing magic user.


    "No, but ......"


    "Are you going to continue to make inhuman moves without admitting it?"


    Amako tilts her head adorably, her face twitching.


    No way, she''s really saying that. And this expression is not meant to tease or anything like that, but to seriously admonish him.


    I was on the verge of tears with emotions other than emotion.

 177 - - The 162nd.

    After a journey by horse-drawn carriage, we arrived safely at the magical city of Lucvis.


    This was our second visit to this city, but not much had changed since the last time. However, I still felt a little emotional when I thought of the journey that Kazuki and my senpai and I had taken on our respective journeys from here.


    "Unlike last time, we are going by carriage to the center of the city. I don''t know yet whether the discussion will start soon or not, but please be ready for it."


    I nodded to Mr. Welsey''s words.


    I have met many people of high status in the course of my travels, but I am still not used to it. I should be well-groomed, just in case.


    As I was adjusting the collar of my uniform, I noticed that Kazuki was looking at the scenery outside the carriage.


    His eyes caught a view of the city of Luxembourg.


    "This place is still full of kids."


    "Like the other countries I''ve visited on my trip, this place is distinctive enough."


    "......The Kingdom of Nirvarna, where I went, is the exact opposite of this place. It was kind of a physical place."


    Come to think of it, I''ve heard very little about the Kingdom of Nirvarna from Kazuki. He did tell me that they had some sort of tournament in the arena.


    "I think Kazuki had some sort of tournament, right?"


    "Yes. The king said, >I had no choice but to enter the tournament. ......


    "You are a very aggressive king. ......"


    He''s not a bad guy. It''s the reason I''ve been able to train my sword skills."


    But if Kazuki is right, the physical soldiers of the Kingdom of Nirvarna are the complete opposite of the average healing wizard.


    There are exceptions like Rose and me, but they will treat me as if I were an ordinary healing magic user.


    I am a little worried that they will take me lightly.


    "You should be aware of your deviation from the norm," he said.


    I remember what Amako said to me.


    Now that I am the deputy commander, I am here with the signboard of the Lifeguard Corps on my back.


    There was no way I could do something that would damage the name of the rescue team.


    "Okay, I''ve made up my mind. I will behave with the Commander in mind during the meeting.


    I must not behave like I did the last time I was in Luxembourg and let the students lick my face.


    As I was making up my mind to do so, Mr. Welshy, who must have heard my muttering, called out to me.


    "Mr. Usato, I thought I heard a very disturbing murmur just now... ......, is it my imagination?"


    No, I meant exactly what I said. I have a position as vice president of the lifeguard corps. It would not be good for the kingdom of Lingle if I am underestimated because of my appearance, my words and actions, and my attributes as a healing magician.


    "Yes, that''s true, but there''s no need to refer to Mr. Rose as a quintessential ......."


    I understand. I know. The Commander is a terrible man, to say the least. But he is such a person, and that''s why this time is just right.


    Yes, the aura that the ogre leader exudes is intimidating to most people.


    Normally, it would unnecessarily make them feel intimidated, but it is the best choice for a face to face meeting.


    If they ridicule you, don''t let them.


    Show it by your presence, not by your words.


    I know that they are afraid of my imitation of Rose, because of the reaction of Amako and the others that I showed them before entering Hinomoto.


    "I don''t like it when people make fun of me just because I use healing magic. I think it''s a good idea.


    "I agree. After all, first impressions count at a gathering like this. Besides, there is also the matter of Usato-kun''s portrait that I have spread as an article on ......."


    It is also a chance to get rid of the portrait of the nobleman''s face.


    Instead, there is a possibility of spreading rumors that we are scary, but it is better than the noble face.


    Okay, let''s give it a try.


    "During the meeting, I--"


    Like Rose, he brushes back his bangs with his left hand, smiles thinly, and sharpens his gaze.


    With the image of Rose in my mind, I lean my back against the carriage wall, my legs crossed, and look up.


    "I''ll stay like this as long as I can in Luxembourg. "I''ll try to stay like this as long as I can in Luxembourg.


    "The atmosphere is also scary. Yes, it''s okay. You don''t look like a healing wizard.


    "I don''t know if that''s a compliment, but thank you."


    He thanks Amako lightly and looks at Kazuki, his senpai and Mr. Welshy.


    Kazuki and his senpai react with admiration, but Mr. Welshy is absolutely mortified.


    "Oh, you really are like Mr. Rose!"


    "Wow, people can change their mood so much. ...... Wow, wild Usato-kun is also very ......"


    It seems that senpai and Kazuki like it quite a bit.


    However, I can''t stay like this forever, so I immediately relax my shoulders and talk to Mr. Welshy, who is still in raptures.


    "Should I quit?"


    "Well, it''s not that I don''t like what you''re doing, but I was surprised at how much you''ve changed ....... He really looked just like Rose.


    "Well, that''s how much he trained me. Rather than imitating him, it would be more correct to say that it has become second nature to me.


    "It''s simply that your mental structure is closer to Rose''s. ......"


    I thought I heard Amako mutter something, but I didn''t hear it. I thought I might have heard it myself, so I let it pass.


    While we are talking, the carriage stops, as if it has arrived at the center of the city.


    Looking around at the scenery outside, we also get out of the carriage after a quick freshening up.


    "This is ......".


    Nearby we could see the school building of the school of Lukvis, and in front of the building next to it, which was no less than the school building, the carriage we rode in and a carriage that looked like it belonged to another country were parked.


    Other people who were probably not students of Lukvis could also be seen.


    "The meeting will take place here, in the great library that is the pride of Luxembourg."


    When you say "library," do you mean a place with books lined up for discussion?


    No, we will meet in the hall that has been prepared for the meeting. This is the place that was originally designed for that purpose as well, isn''t it?


    I let out a sigh of admiration at Mr. Welshy''s explanation.


    I had never set foot in here before, but now that I see it, I realize how big it is.


    As I was looking up at the large library, Mr. Sigurth, who was escorting me, was talking to Mr. Welsey.


    "Welshy."


    "Oh, excuse me. Ladies and gentlemen, I am going to inform the Dean Gladys, who is preparing the meeting place, of our arrival, so please stay here. A guide will be here shortly, so please go ahead of everyone to your lodgings.


    """Yes."""


    "Also, the meeting itself will start the day after the four kingdoms are assembled, so it would be a good idea for Amako-san to meet the people she wants to meet before then."


    "Yes, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Welshy."


    Mr. Welshy smiled kindly at Amako and headed toward the big library with Mr. Sigurth.


    They were probably going to discuss the arrangements for the meeting.


    "Well then, after you drop off your luggage, shall we go see Kiriha and the others?"


    "Yes. Yes, I will.


    I nodded my head and decided to wait with my seniors for the arrival of the people who would pick us up.


    The knights were carrying my baggage, so I was a bit bored, so I talked to my senpai, who seemed to be on the lookout for my surroundings.


    "Senpai, what''s going on?"


    "No, I just found a carriage with the crest of Calm Helio engraved on it. I know you''re not coming, but I''m a little cautious. ......


    This doesn''t seem like your usual senior year.


    I can''t help but think of one person who comes to mind when I think of Calm Helio, but could it be that person?


    "Vigilance?¡¡Is that...?


    "Oh, Suzune. It''s you, isn''t it?


    "Hey, this is the voice from ......."


    I turn my head in the direction of the voice.


    From that direction, I saw a red-haired boy of about the same age with a few knights guarding him running toward me, waving his hands at me.


    "...... why are you here?¡¡Prince Kyle."


    "No, you don''t have to call me that. Feel free to call me Kyle."


    "Okay. So, Prince Kyle, why are you here?


    Oh, you''re drier than I thought you''d be.


    Could it be that he''s back to his pre-summoning self?


    Prince Kyle is elated by the apparently cold attitude of his senpai and begins to speak.


    "Let me answer your question. It''s because I too participated in the meeting for the battle against the Demon Lord''s army!¡¡No, I''ll tell you the truth!¡¡It was also for the sake of meeting you!"


    "I see. And I thought I turned down your confession.


    If I had given in after that setback, you would have killed me long ago!


    That''s not what I''m talking about. .......


    It seems to me that you are not listening to me.


    "So, where is this healing wizard?¡¡He''s with you, isn''t he?"


    "...... let''s see..."


    The older student looks at me with a reserved look.


    He seems unsure if he should mention me.


    I want to go see Kiriha and the others as soon as possible, but I can''t help it.


    I wrinkle my brow, cross my arms grimly, and move to stand next to her.


    I''m Usato, the healing magician.


    "What? So that was you standing there looking so out of place just now. I had no idea, but I wanted to see how much you resemble the portrait ......."


    Prince Kyle froze when he saw my face.


    It''s no wonder, I''m now creating an atmosphere that frightens my fellow travelers.


    "Suzune, what is it? What''s with this guy who looks like he''s already taken care of a few people?


    This is Usato-kun.


    You''re going to break the rules for healing wizards!


    I know what they say about me, but I don''t say anything because I know it and I''m giving off a sour vibe.


    However, he still has a rivalry with me?¡¡But still, he was still competing with me, and he pointed his finger at me with a slight tremor in his voice.


    "Are you really a healing magician?"


    "Of course I am. As you can see, I can handle healing magic.


    "Ho, really. ......"


    When I showed him a healing spell in my palm, he looked twitchy.


    Prince Kyle looked at me and his senpai alternately, bit his nails and started mumbling something, while the knight guarding him behind me spoke to him as if admonishing him.


    "Kyle-sama, you shouldn''t do this kind of thing ......."


    "He''s just a healing wizard, of course he''s a pretender. ......!"


    No, that''s not what I meant. It''s not a good idea to challenge him to a duel in a place like this..."


    Don''t worry. I am the prince and I will not be defeated. Hey, healing wizard!


    Prince Kyle shakes off the guard knight''s attempts to restrain him, and points a finger at me.


    At that moment, the knights notice a woman approaching from behind, and their faces turn blue. The woman, who looks somewhat like Prince Kyle, comes up behind him,


    "My name is First Prince Kahm Helio!¡¡My name is Kyle Lark Calm Helio!¡¡I will duel you to the death..."


    You fool.


    I demand it!


    He slams a clean low kick into Prince Kyle''s leg, knocking him down with a mighty thud.


    The red-haired woman, who looked a little older than us, straightened her cloak that extended from her shoulders and pulled up Prince Kyle, who was squirming on the ground, by his chest.


    "What the hell are you doing?"


    "What the hell are you doing?¡¡This is the ......"


    Sister ......!


    The woman who gazed down at him with a doll-like face certainly resembled Master Kyle.


    "You who had the audacity to confess your love to your benefactor, the hero, in the kingdom, and were so embarrassed when he was crushed, what on earth were you going to say to the rumored healed wizard this time?


    The woman who had forced Prince Kyle to stand up, he opened his mouth, though he was still very confused.


    "Sister!¡¡I challenge him to a duel as a man!


    When have you ever been a man?


    "No!¡¡How can you say such a terrible thing?


    ......?


    "You don''t even know you''re talking nonsense!"


    Prince Kyle is shocked to see the woman tilting her head in confusion.


    "No, I was genuinely wondering what you, who professes to have several lovers in your home country, are talking about. ......"


    "Oh, no, that''s ......."


    "Huh. ......"


    She lets out a sigh of exasperation and continues to speak.


    "There''s no way you can beat him."


    "Why are you so sure?


    How can you think you can win?¡¡Look, does that look like a normal healing wizard to you?¡¡Does he look like a normal healing wizard to you?¡¡You look like that. He''d beat you with one finger.


    I don''t know. Is this some new kind of spiritual practice?


    It''s hard for me to be criticized for making a scary face.


    I''ve declared to the seniors earlier that I''m not going to do it anymore except during the meeting. This is not good for me mentally.


    Anyway, did they know about Prince Kyle''s sister?


    Did you know that he has a sister?


    "I knew he had a sister and a brother, but when I visited Calm Helio, they were in another country, so I never met them. ......


    So this is the first time you have met my senpai.


    However, I feel a little pity for Prince Kyle who is being abused by his senpai, who also had an unexpected personality.


    "He''s a person who is doubtful to even be included in the framework of a wizard in the first place, you know?¡¡All the rumors about him are true, except for the stupid articles that you have spread with your ignorance.


    "......Uh, that''s a lie!"


    If you think I''m lying, go ahead and fight."


    ...... hmm?


    It was a very natural process and the go-ahead was given.


    Prince Kyle was puzzled.


    "Yes, yes?"


    "Yes, it''s fine. If the other side agrees to it. ......


    Someone who looks like Prince Kyle''s sister looks at me with a sideways glance.


    I feel that she is trying to guess what I am thinking in her gaze.


    "But I''m sorry, good city,....... It''s a shame that the first prince of our honorable Kingdom of Calm Helio has suffered a serious mental trauma and has decided to renounce his claim to the throne. ......"


    "Now you''re getting real. You almost said it was convenient."


    "Yeah."


    "You''ve got to be kidding me!"


    Prince Kyle is completely turned into a tweaker: .......


    The sister seems to be the more serious one, but it seems she is not so serious. .......


    "If you don''t succeed to the throne, Calm Helio will be mine. If you take a serious mental scar at this time, we won''t have to discuss kicking off ...... later."


    Don''t you have any love for your brother?


    "Yes, I do.¡¡My only brother, Bren, will be three years old this year and I love him very much.


    I''m one of your brothers!


    The woman looks at Prince Kyle with a blank expression on her face as he says this.


    I really want to leave, but I can''t, so I decide to talk to her.


    "Um... ......"


    "Oh, I''m sorry. My name is Nai''a Lark Kahm Helio, First Princess of the Kingdom of Kahm Helio."


    "Oh, kindly ...... I am Usato Ken, Deputy Commander of the Lingle Kingdom Rescue Mission."


    "As you may know, I am Inukami Suzune, a brave man."


    I am Ryusen Kazuki, also a brave man.


    She looked at us in turn as we introduced ourselves, and Princess Nia gave us a satisfied smile.


    I apologize for the trouble my shortsighted, shallow, and foolish brother has caused you.


    "It''s a short, easy, and gruesome ......."


    Prince Kyle is looking very depressed next to Princess Naia.


    He seems to be protecting his brother and then slams him with abuse. ......


    "I''m really sorry ...... for being a person from another world who was summoned together with a brave man, and at that point, I should be respected just as much as the brave man. My brother is just an ignorant child, so I hope you will forgive me. ......


    "No, no, don''t be so afraid!¡¡Prince Kyle didn''t do anything to me in the first place!"


    We can''t be so awed by the royalty.


    Even if they don''t intend to make a problem of it, it is a big problem for them.


    "...... Are you really going to forgive me? If you had done a bad job, it could have led to a problem that could have caused a crack in the trust between you and the Lingle Kingdom. ......"


    "Yes."


    "You don''t find it unforgivable?"


    "What?"


    You don''t mind if I punch you in the face?


    No, no, you don''t have to go that far. ......


    "Oh, don''t worry. We won''t make a problem out of it.


    "Why are you trying to make the assumption that I''m going to hit Prince Kyle ......?"


    "Yes, sister!¡¡Why do you insist on making me hit you?


    He''s a bad guy, this one, with a low profile!


    And he''s not listening to me half the time!


    While Prince Kyle and I are stunned, Princess Naiya reacts a little too aggressively and says the next words.


    "Oh, Mr. Usato. What a generous heart you have! I am very impressed ...... that you would show such warmth to my foolish brother who persistently followed a woman and then tried to challenge you to a match without knowing his place in the world. I''m sure you''re the best friend of the hero and the best disciple of the famous leader of the lifeguard squadron, Rose.


    "That''s not what you said ......."


    I don''t know why I can''t just be happy.


    Is it because they know so much about me, or is it because they are saying the things that make me happy with pinpoint accuracy?


    But I know you mean what you say. But there is something strange about it, just like when I talked to Lucas at ...... Samaliar.


    Princess Nai''a looked from me to Senpai and Kazuki.


    "This is the first time for you to meet her face to face, but she is a very beautiful woman. Kazuki-sama, I can tell at a glance that you are a very strong man. I am honored to meet you in this way.


    "Is that so ......?"


    "Haha, it''s kind of itchy ......."


    Contrary to Kazuki, who is normally embarrassed, Senpai notices something and smiles a twitchy smile.


    This is when I realized the true nature of the strange feeling I had just had.


    "I have a proposal for you. I would like to ask you for a few minutes of your time.


    What time?


    I just want to talk to you for a moment. Of course we won''t take up too much of your time and we will do our best to accommodate you.


    I nodded once and replied to her.


    I nodded once before replying to her. "I appreciate your offer, but we have other plans, so I have to decline this time. If you could invite us for another time, please do so at ......."


    "I see, I''m sorry to hear that. There will be plenty of opportunities while the meeting is taking place, and we can talk about it then."


    "......Yes, yes. Yes.


    Nodding with a drawl, she smiled thinly and grabbed Prince Kyle by the collar of his neck.


    "Well, we''re going back. The next time we see each other will be at the meeting. I''ll look forward to seeing you then. Kyle, I have a sermon waiting for you, so be prepared for it.


    "What?¡¡Oh, sister!¡¡Don''t give me a sermon here!"


    Princess Nai''a left the place, dragging Prince Kyle along with her, as if to say, "No questions asked.


    I let out a breath of relief as I watched her go.


    "Senpai, Kazuki. That was to pull ...... out, wasn''t it?"


    "I''m sure you''re right. It''s not strange, given the national culture of Calm Helio, but I didn''t expect the princess herself to come in so brazenly. ......"


    "I''m used to being solicited, but not this much. Usato should be careful with the kingdom of Nirvarna. Those people are more like fighters or gladiators than wizards, and I''m sure they''d love Usato.


    "I''ll be careful. ......"


    I had an image in my mind of Daitetsu and his friends having an arm-wrestling match in the Hidden Village.


    It''s a horrible prediction, but I don''t want it to become a reality. .......

 178 - - 163rd episode.

    After seeing Prince Kyle off to be taken away by Princess Naia, a man arrived soon after to show us to the inn, and he was someone who had a close relationship with us.


    He reminded me of the first time I met you. Mr. Halfa."


    "Me too. Mr. Usato."


    Mr. Halfa, the magic eye user whom I met before in Luxvis.


    I wondered if he was related to the school.¡¡I had expected someone from the school to show us around, but I didn''t expect someone I knew to be there.


    The president of the school instructed me to show you around, and I am very happy to see you again.


    "I see, the Dean of Gladys is at ......."


    I''d like to say hello, but I know you''re probably busy right now, so I''ll see you when the time is right.


    As I was making this decision in my mind, Mr. Halfa looked around us with his purple eyes and opened his mouth.


    "It''s been a few months since we last met, but I''m surprised to see how much you''ve grown.


    "Well, is that all there is to it?"


    Yes. Although all three are different from each other, each of them has such a characteristic magic that makes you feel their individuality strongly.


    Our individuality is strongly felt, huh?


    The senior member of the group is very interested in Mr. Halfa''s words.


    "Can you tell our personality and individuality from our magic power?"


    "Yes. After the fight with Usato-san, I decided to understand more about my own magic eye, and as part of that, I found out that what I can read from the flow of magic power is not only ''the opponent''s movement''.


    When you fought before, you have been able to read the movements by watching the flow of magic power, but now you can see something else, can''t you, Mr. Halfa?


    "The flow of magic power differs from person to person. By observing it, I can get a rough idea of my opponent''s character and whether he fights mainly with magic or with weapons.


    "In other words, you know what kind of tactics your opponent is going to use before you fight him?"


    "Not completely, but..."


    When Mr. Halfa nodded at Kazuki''s words, my cheeks twitched.


    I had fought a few times against other people during my travels, but it would be very difficult to fight with someone who knew your moves.


    As I was shivering in secret, my senpai approached Mr. Halfa with a somewhat curious look on his face.


    "I wonder what kind of magic power mine has grown into?"


    "Huh?¡¡Subjectively, is that OK with you?


    "Yes, yes!


    "Yes, I guess so. Suzune-san''s magical power can be likened to that of a wolf that is ...... ready to move at any time, isn''t it?¡¡It always seems to be in a state where it can pull its magic power from zero to the limit in an instant.


    Could it be that he is referring to Senpai''s new fighting style <?


    I heard that it is a special fighting method that raises senpai''s magical power and physical ability from zero to the utmost limit. It''s really amazing that you can tell so much just from the flow of magic power.


    The older student who heard the word "wolf" turns around with a smile on his face.


    "A wolf, Usato-kun!"


    "I think you mean a dog."


    "Yes, Suzune looks like a dog."


    "I could bite you guys!"


    Gao!¡¡I was shocked and threatened.¡¡I turn my attention to Mr. Halfa who is looking at Kazuki''s magic power.


    "Kazuki-san, it''s a little hard to describe, but it''s like ...... the surface of the water where there are no ripples or sounds at all. There are no ripples, no sounds, and no disturbances in the magic. It is the quietest and most artistic flow of magic I have ever seen.


    "Gee, artistic is such a ...... thing."


    Kazuki has mastered the manipulation of magic, and this skill is reflected in his magical power.


    In fact, his manipulation of magic is unusual.


    "Usato-san''s magic power is ...... hmm."


    Mr. Halfa looks at me and puts his hand on my chin.


    As I waited for him to say something, he tilted his head in annoyance.


    "You have a mysterious magic power, don''t you? You show a quiet side like Kazuki, but at the same time you are powerful like Suzune. They are like two opposing sides of you."


    "Two opposing sides ......?"


    I wonder if my mentality has something to do with it?


    I don''t really feel like I''m switching between the two, but I''m the same person when I''m dealing with my seniors and when I''m dealing with the tough guys in the lifeguard corps.


    Both of them are the same me, but it might be unconsciously taking shape as a magical power.


    "Well, it''s not strange if it''s Usato. He sometimes changes so much that I wonder if he has a dual personality.


    "Amako, I don''t have a dual personality. I just get like that when my emotions get the better of me.


    "That''s the problem with that. ......"


    It can''t be helped that it''s true.


    While having such a conversation with Amako, I notice that Kazuki is talking to Mr. Halfa.


    "You''ve softened your mood, haven''t you?"


    "Is that so?"


    "Yeah. Compared to before, you seem to be able to smile more naturally.


    Mr. Halfa nodded happily as he looked forward to Kazuki''s words.


    "After you all left for your trip, I''ve been talking with Kiriha and Keogh more and more."


    "Oh, Kiriha and Keogh..."


    "I''m ashamed to say that until now even my classmates have avoided me, so it''s been a long time since I''ve ...... had a friend with whom I could have a serious conversation. Well, I deserved it. ......"


    Before we left Luxembourg, Mr. Halfa was feared by the students of the school.


    The reason for this was his fighting style, which broke the hearts of his opponents to no end through his frequent use of dangerous and sudden attacks in battle.


    "I myself was always smiling to at least manage my physical appearance,...... but in fact, that was the reason why people around me were afraid of me,...... haha."


    "But you know, smiling is ...... difficult, isn''t it?"


    Do you understand? Do you understand, Mr. Usato?


    I know exactly what you mean. Yes, I do.


    I once tried to smile at Kiriha and Rinka, but they were afraid of me.


    That still haunts me.


    Halfa-san turned to me and we nodded deeply at each other.


    "We''re a bit alike. Halfa and Usato.


    "They both use magic and are mainly in physical combat, right?"


    "In other words, Halfa is also a brainy ......?"


    Hey, you little fox, don''t get in the middle of things and treat me and Halfa like we''re brainy.


    I''m just going to hit you as a result, but I think a lot.


    As I was staring at Amako with a glare, Haruha-san, who was walking in front of me, stops walking, as if he has arrived at his destination. There was a large white building in front of us.


    A sigh of admiration escapes my lips as I look at this inn that looks like it belongs to a person of high status.


    "Now, this is the inn where you will be staying.


    "It''s pretty big, isn''t it?"


    "It''s a place to accommodate representatives of a country, you know. We can''t afford to provide half-baked accommodations. Incidentally, there are also accommodations nearby for people from the other three countries.


    If we look in the direction that Mr. Halfa indicated, we can indeed see a building similar to the inn in front of us and the knights of other countries gathered in front of it.


    At least now we know where we are going to stay.


    "Oh, and there is a training area in the back, so if you want to train, you can use that.


    "What?¡¡Is that so?¡¡Well then, I''ll take you up on your offer.


    No way. It comes with a training ground.


    I had not even entered the inn yet, and my evaluation of this inn had just exploded.


    I was so impressed with the hotel that I had not even entered it yet.


    We were escorted to the inn, and after putting our luggage in our assigned rooms, we gathered again in front of the inn. I invited Kazuki to join me at Kiriha''s place, but he said that we would cause trouble if we crowded in too many people, so we decided to go our separate ways.


    Mr. Halfa seemed to have some other work Gladys had assigned him, and we parted on the spot.


    I, my senpai, and Amako headed for the house of Kiriha and the others as planned.


    "Senpai. "Senpai... I''ll tell you something now. Please be quiet.


    "What? Why?"


    As we were approaching the house where Kiriha and her friends lived, I nailed the senior who was looking somewhat cheerful.


    "Of course. Is it OK with you?¡¡No matter how much Satsuki likes you, she is only an object of observation. It''s like an elementary school student who loves a puppy he finds on his way home from school.


    "I can''t help but think there''s some malice in that analogy.¡¡But, Usato-kun, Satsuki-chan is a beast of a cat.¡¡As a beast master, you can''t make that mistake, can you?


    "Don''t get me wrong, senpai. You are in the position of a puppy.


    "Usato, are you about to cry?"


    It is not a bad thing for senpai to try to communicate with others, but it is not a good idea to make them feel uncomfortable.


    In fact, Kyou is a little bit uncomfortable with his senpai.


    As he passes by his senpai who is glancing at him and trying to imitate crying, he spots a rather old house in the corner of his eye.


    "It must not have been that long, but I''m starting to feel nostalgic."


    "Maybe it''s because so much has happened since then."


    As we nodded to Amako''s words and walked toward the house where Kiriha and her family lived, the door of the house was opened vigorously and Kiriha, a girl with rounded, weasel-like animal ears, appeared from inside.


    When she saw us, she looked surprised and waved at us with a smile.


    "I thought I heard a familiar presence approaching, but it turns out to be you guys!


    "How are you?¡¡How are you, Kiriha?


    "Yes, of course. I knew from your letter that you were able to save your mother, but I didn''t expect to see you so soon. Well, why don''t you come inside and we can talk about it here.


    Kiriha urges me to go inside the house.


    As I sat down on a chair at the table, I saw Kiriha looking up the stairs to the second floor and calling for Kyou and Satsuki, who seemed to be in the house.


    Kiriha''s voice was immediately answered by Satsuki, a feline beastman, with a voice that sounded like the bouncing of a bell.


    "Hey, Suzune!¡¡We meet again!¡¡Tell me about your trip!


    "I''ll talk as much as I want. For you."


    Satsuki said this as she ran down from the second floor, to which her senpai replied with a straight face.


    Kiriha, who was making tea for everyone, looked at me anxiously.


    "Usato, Suzune is looking at Satsuki with a straight face.


    "Worst case scenario, me and Amako will stop her.


    "Impossible. I think Usato is the only one who can stop Suzune."


    Why do I have to be the only one who can put down a senior who is out of control?


    Well, that''s okay. I greet Kyou, who comes down from the upper floor with a sleepy absentmindedness, while paying attention to Senpai and Satsuki, who are sitting across from each other.


    "I''m sorry to bother you. Kyou."


    "Oh, you''re surprisingly quick to get here."


    Kyou sits down next to Kiriha and rests his elbows on the table.


    Kiriha tilted her head in agreement with his words.


    "I''m glad to see you too, but what''s going on here today?¡¡Does it have something to do with the meeting of the four kingdoms that is going to be held here?


    "Yes, it is. We are here today as representatives of the kingdoms.


    When I replied to Kiriha, she sighed in admiration.


    "After the letter, we''re going to have a meeting. You have a lot of work to do, don''t you?


    I wouldn''t take on something that sounds like such a hassle.


    "Ha-ha-ha, I have a certain amount of responsibility too.


    I scratched my cheek in annoyance, and Kyou smiled as he folded his arms.


    "Well, that''s the reason we''re able to take a break from the school!¡¡Well, in a way, it''s thanks to you guys that we are able to take a break from our studies and enjoy our vacation..."


    "If you''re so busy, go work outside."


    "Oh no!¡¡I was busy studying on my days off, so I didn''t have any free time at all!"


    Kyou says hurriedly to Kiriha who stares at him.


    I should say, he is still mad at his sister Kiriha as usual.


    "I''ll kick Kyou out later. ......I''m glad Amako is doing well. Has she been in any danger since then?"


    "I''ve been in a lot of danger, but I''ve been okay. And thanks to Usato, my mom is doing better."


    "There''s been a lot of that. ......"


    "I''ve been attacked by zombies, dragons, and all kinds of things."


    "Ha-ha-ha, I see you''ve learned to joke around a bit in the short time I''ve seen you. ...... joking, right?"


    Amako tilts her head with a smile on her face, and Kiriha, her face scrunched up, looks at me with a puzzled expression.


    "I heard about the commotion in your home country from your parents'' home.¡¡I heard there was some kind of trouble back home.


    Kiriha''s family home is a kind of hiding place ...... where Linka''s grandfather lives, right?


    Had the information about what happened in the land of the beastmen already reached the two of them?


    "Well, we got caught up in a bit of a commotion."


    "It''s not a little thing to have a civil war in your own country. What the hell happened?


    Kyou seems to be concerned too.


    ......They don''t seem to have any detailed information, but is it okay to tell them?¡¡It''s a story that has something to do with the two beastmen, too.


    I decided to explain as briefly as possible why Amako''s mother had not woken up for the past two years and why there had been a civil war in the beastmen''s country.


    After listening to my explanation, both of them had complicated expressions on their faces.


    "I''ve never been to the home country, but Amako''s mother was bedridden for that reason. But I''m glad she''s getting better. Amaco."


    "Yes."


    Amako nodded with a happy tone in her voice.


    "But you know, if we hadn''t been able to stop the chief, the beastmen might have ended up fighting with the humans. I''m really glad ......"


    Kiriha mutters somewhat seriously.


    From the point of view of Kirija, who attends Lukvis, this must have been a matter of some concern.


    I try to be as cheerful as possible.


    "Although it''s a temporary position, I don''t think it will happen in the future, since a trustworthy person is organizing the beastmen''s nation as the new chief.


    "I see. ......"


    I think of Hayate-san, who is still working hard in the Land of the Beastmen.


    If Hayate-san had not been on our side at that time, the fight to get Amako back might have been more painful. .......


    Thinking again how glad I am that he is on my side, I decided to tell him about another requirement of my visit here today.


    "Well, that''s right, I have another reason for coming here today."


    "Hmm?¡¡What is it?


    I want you to let Amaco stay here while we''re here.


    "Sure. I''m sure the reason is the same as before, right?


    "Oh. That''s what ...... amaco is for, right?"


    "Yes."


    Amako nodded her head and I was relieved when Kyou approached me.


    "So, what about Usato?¡¡Are you going to stay here like before?"


    "That''s what I''d like to do, actually. But this time I have to be near the meeting place, so I''m going to stay at the accommodation that Dean Gladys has prepared for me.


    "I see. But, well, things are different from before, so I guess that''s something we''ll have to deal with.


    I would have preferred to stay here, which is similar to the lifeguard''s quarters, but I have to prioritize the mission I have been given.


    I didn''t want Amako to feel small while we were here, so I was hoping that Kiriha and the others would take care of her.


    Now that we have accomplished our goal, we should return to the inn for the day.


    "Well then, I''d better get back."


    Are you leaving already?


    "Yes, I have someone waiting for me at the inn."


    It''s bad enough that I have to keep Kazuki waiting all alone, so let''s get back early.


    I stood up from my seat and looked at Amako.


    "Amako, don''t give Kiriha and the others too much trouble.


    I''m not a child, and I won''t cause you any trouble.


    "Ha-ha, that''s true."


    Amako looks up at me and smiles wryly.


    Well, I''d better go home with my senpai, who is having a nice conversation with Satsuki.


    "Senpai?"


    "Hey, Usato-kun."


    "No."


    I haven''t said anything yet!


    "You were going to say you wanted to stay with Kiriha and the others, weren''t you?¡¡I can understand that from what I saw from you earlier.


    "Well, Usato-kun, you know me so well ......!"


    I think it''s easy to see why you would think that after seeing your behavior.


    "But, Usato-kun--"


    "No."


    "Satsuki said she still wants to talk to me..."


    "Oh, Suzune, you''re leaving?¡¡Well then, I guess this is goodbye!"


    "......"


    How cruel little kids can be sometimes.


    Feeling a little sorry for the older student, I let him stand up, but he still resists.


    "Usato-kun, it''s the last generation!¡¡Please for the rest of my life!"


    I understand. Please give up staying here.


    What did you just find out?


    I smiled back at Kiriha, who was laughing at my shocked senpai, and at Kyou, who was looking at me with a shocked look on his face, and I left their house a little mentally exhausted.

 179 - - 164th episode.

    After leaving Amako with Kiriha and the others, I and my senpai were walking through the city to return to the inn where Kazuki was waiting for us, attracting the attention of the students around us.


    The sun was still shining and bright, and I was thinking that it would be nice to take a walk with Kazuki in the city this time.


    "...... hmm?"


    "What''s wrong, Usato-kun?"


    Perhaps he wondered why I had stopped and looked at the carriage in front of me.


    "What''s wrong with that carriage?"


    "Oh, it has the Samaritan''s coat of arms engraved on it.


    "Samaritan, you mean the kingdom to which Mr. Usato is heading?"


    Yes.


    I saw this coat of arms several times when I visited Samaritan.


    When he saw a carriage with this emblem approaching us, he tilted his head.


    "But there are so many guards, aren''t there? There are three ...... or even five times as many as us.


    "Yes, that''s right. Maybe there is a minister or someone of high status inside...!"


    I had a slightly improbable imagination, but I guessed it was unlikely.


    One of my senpai noticed my condition and put his hand on my shoulder in a concerned manner.


    "You''re acting strange. Are you all right?"


    "Yes, I''m fine. I just had a scary imagination.


    "Oh, yeah?"


    I cover it up for the time being, but I''m not worried about Samaritan''s carriage that''s already approaching.


    "But if there are so many guards, it must mean that someone very important is coming. Oh, maybe the princess and the king that Usato-kun rescued are on board.


    "Ha-ha-ha. How is that possible?


    "Hmmm...you''re right. ...... By the way, Usato, why are you upset like never before?"


    He could do it ......!¡¡That unconventional personification of a father and son could do it......!


    As I watched and prayed as the carriage crossed in front of me, my attention was caught by the sight of the knights escorting the carriage.


    "The sky-blue knights?"


    Knights in beautiful sky-blue armor.


    Moreover, all of them guarding the area around the chariot were female knights, about 20 of them.


    As I was interested in this group, which I had never seen before in Samaritan, I saw a shadow of someone peering at me through the window of the carriage door.


    Suddenly, the carriage stopped.


    At this point, my chills start to accelerate.


    >


    The dignified voice of the knight who seems to be the leader echoes, and the sky-blue knights line up so that the carriage surrounds the location.


    The person who was pulling the reins of the horses carefully and slowly opens the door of the carriage, and ahead of him is a person who looks all too familiar.


    "Hello, Usato. How are you? It''s me!


    The man who gave me a thumbs-up with an almost onomatopoeic sound was the King of Samaritan, Lucas Urd Samaritan himself.


    I throw my best voice at him while almost fainting at his unexpected appearance.


    What are you doing here!¡¡Mr. Lucas!¡¡You are the king of Samaritan!


    "King?¡¡What do you mean, Usato-kun?


    My cheeks twitch as I realize what''s happening.


    My senpai next to me is also in a state of shock at the appearance of someone so unexpected.


    The man in front of me, Mr. Lucas, has a look of delight on his face.


    "You''re asking a strange question. I''m only here myself because I couldn''t find a replacement for Fognis in time. And besides. I thought it would be easier to discuss the matter if I came here myself."


    Hey, what the hell. This is a reasonable and yet differently worded statement.


    Moreover, I am responsible for Mr. Fegnis'' case, so I can''t meddle in it. ......!


    "Oh, I see that beautiful woman is the brave soul in question. It''s nice to meet you. My name is Lucas, Lucas Urd Samaritan. I''m the king of Samaritan.


    It''s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Inukami Susanne, and I''m a brave warrior.


    "Ha ha ha, don''t be nervous. You''re a friend of Usato''s, so you''re like a friend of mine.


    Even the senior members are puzzled by his personality, which is quite different from that of Mr. Lloyd.


    She nodded vaguely at Lucas-sama''s words and immediately turned around and spoke to me in a hushed voice.


    "Usato-kun, you are a very friendly and very dandy person!¡¡I''m shivering!


    "You were aware of it. ....... But don''t worry. This is his default.


    As we were conversing in hushed tones, Master Lucas'' gaze shifted from us to the carriage.


    The carriage was too big for Lucas-sama alone, but I had accepted it because he was the king.


    "Hmm?¡¡Oh, I''m sorry, I''m sorry. Can''t wait to see him?


    Yes!¡¡Father!


    ...... father!


    The next moment, a girl jumps out of the carriage.


    Perhaps in the heat of the moment, she catches her foot on the edge of the carriage and loses her balance.


    "--oh!"


    Reflexively, my body moved.


    Before she hit the ground, I moved in front of her and caught her with as little impact as possible.


    As I took three steps backward to avoid the impact, I saw the sky-blue knights on either side of me, who were already moving to help her, looking at me in amazement.


    <>


    "Hmm?"


    >


    What, I''m sure I just heard a disturbing voice from one of the escorting knights.


    No, no matter, I quickly caught it and checked the blue-haired girl, Eva, to see if she was hurt, and she was right in front of me with a surprised look on her face.


    "Are you hurt?"


    "Oh, thank you!"


    He helps Eva to her feet.


    Thank God you''re not hurt.


    "What''s this ......?¡¡You never triggered such an event when you were with me!


    I''ll let the older guy slide.


    I looked from her to Eva, who was not quite sure what was going on, to Eva, who was holding my right hand in hers and smiling a flowery smile.


    It''s been a while. Usato-san!"


    "Yes, it''s been a while. It''s been a long time, Eva.


    "I''m really happy to see you!¡¡......


    Eva seemed to notice something and was taken aback for a moment, but in the next moment, her cheeks were tinted and she beamed with embarrassment.


    "Hehehe, I didn''t get her name wrong this time."


    "......!"


    What is this feeling that appeals to my heart?


    I feel like I''m going to get back what I lost in the lifeguard corps.


    Is this Kokoro ......?


    "Who is she, Usato-kun?"


    "Ha. Let me introduce you. This girl is--"


    "Oh, it''s okay. I''ve practiced my introductions!


    Eva confidently exclaims to me as her voice pulls me back to reality.


    With a slight sense of foreboding, I let Eva move forward in front of her senpai, and she began to introduce herself falteringly with a slightly nervous look on her face.


    "Nice to meet you!¡¡My name is Eva!¡¡You must be the brave Soulioume-san!"


    "......"


    Hey, I feel like I''ve seen you somewhere before.


    But unlike my time, she didn''t get the name wrong, she bit it.


    Senpai, who had been called by a name that sounded like a bite, froze in shock with a half smile on her face.


    "Oh, me, bite!¡¡That ...... Suzune-san ...... sorry ......."


    As Eva panicked, her senpai rebooted and opened her mouth, her eyes darting around.


    "I don''t care!¡¡I''ll take care of you!"


    Eva''s smile returned to her anxious face as she replied in her native tongue.


    I''m a mess," she said, pressing her forehead next to Eva''s, and I could hear the sky-blue knights behind Eva talking about something.


    I listen carefully..,


    >


    <<>


    <>


    <>


    I immediately shut out the voices of the knights, and there was no room for error.


    I did not hear the muffled voices of the sky-blue knights. I don''t hear the muffled voices of the knights of the sky blue.


    I can''t hear the muffled voices of the Knights of Sky Blue.


    I didn''t expect a group of samaritans accompanied by their parents and children.


    When Mr. Lucas suggested that I take him to the large library near the inn, we ended up riding in Samarriar''s carriage.


    Inukami-senpai was sitting next to me, and Eva and Master Lucas were facing me.


    I felt like I was being interviewed, but the carriage was moving slowly.


    "Well, I didn''t expect you to save my daughter twice..."


    "Ha ha ha, such an exaggeration."


    "Yeah. I guess I should thank you in some way."


    "No, no, I just accepted it, so no thanks. ......"


    "Don''t be shy, we''d love to have you."


    "No, thank you."


    "By all means, take it."


    Why are you so eager to sell me your favors?


    Why are you so insistent on not accepting it?


    Mr. Lucas and I looked at each other.


    He must have an agenda. Specifically, he might have something to do with Eva, who is tilting her head curiously in front of me right now.


    "You two are good friends, aren''t you? Your father and Usato are good friends. Right, Suzune-san?"


    "What?¡¡Yeah, that''s right. ......"


    Now that my senpai, who always has a lot of energy even with new acquaintances, is being pushed around, I have no choice but to ask Master Lucas to talk to him.


    For the time being, I put off the matter of thanking him and ask him how Master Lucas and Eva came to this meeting.


    "Mr. Lucas, why did you come to this meeting?¡¡I know that one of the reasons is that you couldn''t find a substitute, but I don''t think that''s a good enough reason for the King of Samaritan to come."


    "Yes. You''re right. There are two reasons why I came here.


    Two ......?


    When I questioned him, Mr. Lucas raised his index finger and started to tell me the reason.


    "The first reason is the members who will be gathered for the meeting.


    "You mean the representatives of the four kingdoms?"


    "Yes. Lingle, Calm Helio, Nirvarna, and Samaritan. These four kingdoms are not ...... without their problems, but don''t worry about that. But when they are discussed in the same place at a meeting, there is bound to be a difference in awareness.


    "Difference in consciousness?"


    "The Kingdom of Lingle is seriously preparing for the battle against the Demon King''s army. The Kingdom of Calm Helio is ready to go into battle to lend its strength to the heroes. And the Kingdom of Nirvarna, which is going into battle with only a pure fighting spirit. They all have the same will to face the Demon Lord''s army, but they will always differ in some way."


    The Kingdom of Lingle is defending itself and the surrounding area.


    The Kingdom of Calm Helio is for the brave men and women who believe in them.


    The Kingdom of Nirvarna is purely for fighting the demon king''s army.


    I should say, they certainly have the same objectives, but they are at odds with each other somewhere.


    "In order to guide them well, we need a facilitator to keep the conversation moving smoothly."


    Is that what you are, Mr. Lucas?


    That''s right. Lloyd is probably busy working on the battle against the Demon Lord''s army. There''s no way he can manage a meeting with such a group of obviously unrelated people. It has to be someone with some position, some voice, and some credibility."


    You''ve been thinking hard about the meeting. .......


    But isn''t it actually quite a challenge to be so immortal as to make Master Lucas decide to come here?¡¡No, the sisters and brothers of the Kingdom of Calm Helio were certainly egomaniacs.


    "Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Lucas.


    "As for me, I''m in your debt. It''s the least I can do."


    "...... Yes. And what is the other reason?"


    If the first reason is this one, is the rest of the reasons also very serious?


    As I was preparing myself for this, Mr. Lucas relaxed his shoulders and smiled pleasantly.


    "The rest of the reasons are Eva''s social studies!"


    My body relaxes.


    I didn''t expect such a reason, but I know that this is a unique opportunity for Eva, who has never been exposed to the outside world until now.


    "I understand your concern. But you don''t need to worry. We have a team of the best knights to protect you. Eva will be safe with them."


    "You mean those sky-blue knights outside?"


    "Yes. I had them formed to take over for Fagnis. They are uniquely strong in group battles not to mention their individual abilities.


    Maybe I was just hearing things in my head when I was muttering outside earlier. Just sky blue.


    It''s true that when I caught Eva, she reacted and moved instantly. At that speed, Eva would have been saved by the knights even if I had not come to her rescue.


    "You are all very interesting people. They teach me a lot of things I didn''t know.


    "Well, what kind of things can you teach me, for example?"


    Eva looked up at the ceiling of the carriage and raised her index finger.


    "Yes, I guess so. How to keep the big fish from escaping, the basics of hunting, how to cook, and so on.


    "You really teach me a lot of things, don''t you?"


    Yes. They are all very kind."


    But hunting with big fish.


    It seems a little too dangerous for a princess to learn, but I guess Eva is happy because everything is new to her.


    "Unaware bride training ......?"


    What''s wrong?


    "No, nothing. I''m just a little shaken by Samaritan''s gifted education. ......"


    I look at the scenery outside, perplexed by the shivering senpai.


    What''s that?¡¡This road is near the inn where we are staying.


    "Mr. Lucas. Our inn is around here, would you mind if I drop you off here?


    Yes, that''s fine.


    The carriage stops and the door is opened at Lucas''s direction.


    I get out of the carriage with my senpai and turn to face Mr. Lucas and Eva.


    "Thank you very much for taking me here. We will talk again when Eva has more time.


    I''ll see you soon. Eva."


    "Yes!"


    I waved goodbye to Eva, who nodded happily, and started walking with my senpai along the road leading to the inn.


    In the middle of my walk, without warning, Eva clenched her fist and turned her head toward me.


    "Usato-kun!"


    "What''s wrong? What''s going on?


    "Mr. Usato, I think I have found my greatest adversary in this world ......!"


    "What, ......?¡¡Well, good luck?


    "Yeah, I''ll try!¡¡I will!"


    I turn around to face forward, wondering why my senpai is so full of motivation.


    As far as I could ascertain, I was able to meet the representatives coming from Samaritan, Calm Helio.


    The rest is the Kingdom of Nirvarna, as Kazuki had mentioned.


    From what I''ve heard ......, they seem to be martial people, so I''d better not get tangled up with them (?). I''d better be careful.

 180 - - 165th episode.

    After reuniting with Master Lucas and Eva, we joined Kazuki at the inn and rested for tomorrow until Welshy and Sigurth returned.


    We were not physically tired because of our travel experience, but we were a little mentally exhausted. After all, I had met so many people in one day, Prince Kyle and Princess Naia of Calm Helio, Mr. Lucas and Eva in succession. I needed some time to sort out some information.


    However, as I was gathering my thoughts in my room, I heard "Usato, I''ve come to visit you! like a high school boy storming into his classmate''s friend''s room.


    I was a bit surprised at the fact that he never changes no matter where he is, but I realized that I might have been too nervous in front of an important meeting, and suggested to him that he should invite Kazuki, too.


    So the three of us gathered in one room and talked about nothing else until the sun went down and Mr. Welshy and Mr. Sigurth arrived at the inn.


    "Well, ladies and gentlemen. I will explain the details of the meeting that will take place tomorrow.


    And now, after a rather unaccustomed and lavish dinner, we were gathered in a room with chairs and tables prepared in advance, and I, my senpai, Kazuki, and Mr. Welshy were explaining our plans for tomorrow''s meeting.


    "Today, the representatives of the Kingdom of Calm Helio, the Kingdom of Nirvarna, the Kingdom of Samaritan, and us, the Kingdom of Lingle, are here. With all the participating countries present, it has been decided that the meeting will take place tomorrow."


    Although I have loosened up somewhat, I still feel nervous when I hear that an important meeting is about to take place.


    "As I told you before, this meeting is intended to be a meeting between you and your representatives, so please behave in a manner befitting your title.


    "Yeah, I know. Hey, Usato.


    Yes, of course. I''ll be in commander''s mode at tomorrow''s meeting.


    I agreed with Kazuki''s words and smiled with an air of grumpiness on my face. Then Ms. Welshy gave me a twitchy smile and nodded her head.


    The senior asked her a question.


    "How long do you think the meeting will be?"


    "It depends on when the meeting will end. ...... probably won''t be over in a day. The number of reinforcements that will join the kingdoms in their fight against the Demon King''s army. We will have to discuss and decide on the details of the expected burden and damage.


    I see. It is true that we cannot just ask for help and be done with it. We have to think about what happens after the battle with the Demon King''s army.


    I thought it was a little surprising, if I may be so rude.


    "Ah, you seem to be a little bit like the student council president now, don''t you?


    "I was student body president in my original world too. ......?"


    "Now it''s a complete dead set, isn''t it?"


    "Hey!¡¡I could be the student body president if I put my mind to it!"


    Even though she was wearing a catsuit, she was actually the cool and beautiful president of the student council.


    Now she is a cool beauty, though she is a comical, emotional and fun senior.


    I''ll continue the story. So, ...... it was suddenly decided today, Usato-sama.


    Yes?"


    "During the meeting, he would like you, who have experience fighting alone with the commander of the Demon Lord''s army, to explain the situation at the time of the battle."


    "...... what?"


    In a meeting with representatives of all nations, I''m going to explain the situation when I fought the Khooga?


    That was an extremely difficult task for me, as I was not used to speaking in front of so many people.


    This would be the perfect opportunity for a senior who was the president of the student council.


    "We offered to explain the situation, but the two representatives of the kingdoms of Nirvarna and Calm Helio insisted on hearing it from the mouth of Usato-sama. ...... I''m sorry."


    "Oh, please don''t apologize!¡¡But I can''t talk about what happened in Hinomoto ...... the land of the beastmen. ......"


    The civil unrest in Hinomoto could have been a major incident that could have affected the human realm if not handled properly. There is no guarantee that if the representatives of the nation, let alone those who do not know much about the beastmen, were to be informed of this, they would not change their attitudes toward the beastmen to a more extreme one.


    "No, we explained it in such a way that we thwarted the Demon King''s army''s attempt to ask for the Beastmen''s cooperation.


    "Then I guess it''s going to be all right."


    I''m not lying.


    It is true that the Demon Lord''s army, the Kogas, negotiated with Mr. Jinya, the chief of the Beastmen tribe, to ask for his cooperation.


    To stop them, and to save Amako, we had to fight against the Kogas. ....... The process is complicated, but the result is true.


    "What Usato-sama describes is not what led up to the fight with the corps leader, but his incredible fighting ability. To be honest, only Usato, the knight Alc, and ...... Rose have experience in battles with demons of the Legionnaire''s class."


    Rose too?¡¡Could it be Nero Agence, the demon who injured his right eye?


    ...... No, that''s not something to worry about now.


    But, am I allowed to explain it to you as a healing magic user?¡¡Isn''t the perception of healing magic still not changed in other countries?


    "You don''t need to worry about that. The kingdoms of Samaritan and Calm Helio also recognize you, though in a different form. And the Kingdom of Nirvarna ...... will probably be fine.


    "Yes, why?"


    The only thing about the Nirvarna kingdom is that it sounds a little strange. .......


    "The people of the Kingdom of Nirvarna are, how should I put it,......, people who are strong in both good and bad ways, so I was thinking that Usato-sama would be fine."


    "......"


    He told me with a huge smile on his face.


    Kazuki nodded his head in agreement.¡¡Are the representatives of the Nirvarna Kingdom people who can tell the fighting ability just by looking at the muscles?


    Or are they the ones who would recognize you if you fight a fistfight with them?¡¡That would be easier to do. ...... No, no!¡¡No, no!¡¡I may look like Rose, but I''m a normal civilized person!¡¡I don''t have the savagery to make fists out of anything!


    "Oh, but don''t worry! But don''t worry, the representative was very cheerful.


    "Ha,ha ......"


    While responding vaguely to the information, which I did not know whether I should be reassured or not, I grew anxious for tomorrow''s meeting.


    I was anxious about tomorrow''s meeting.


    Early in the morning on the day of the meeting.


    In the early morning of the day of the meeting, just after the sun had risen, I was doing my daily drill to drown my nerves for the meeting.


    It was not my usual training routine for an important meeting, but I could forget my anxiety and nervousness by exercising my body.


    What was a little unexpected, however, was that there were people other than me who were using the training site this early in the morning.


    >


    A skinny man has been training against a target in the training area since a few minutes ago.


    In his right hand is a hatchet and in his left is a round shield made mostly of iron. From the outside, the man who was manipulating the weapons with tremendous speed and power seemed to be a man of considerable ability.


    "And you used a club and a spear just now, didn''t you? ......"


    What caught my attention most of all was the fact that the fighting style varied greatly depending on the weapon being handled.


    As I was running around the training ground, paying attention to the other trainees, I suddenly heard a voice calling me.


    "Hey, boy!"


    "Hmm?"


    I turned around, wondering, and saw a fearless-looking man who had just been swinging an axe at a target waving his hand at me.


    At any rate, he seemed to have been summoned, so I headed toward him.


    The man, who looked to be in his early thirties, was at least a head taller than I was, and his body, which looked slim from a distance, looked quite well-trained upon closer inspection.


    I talk to the man, who has short-cropped hair and a cut on his cheek, wondering what he is talking about.


    "Can I help you?"


    "I was wondering why you were training here, like me, so I just called out to you. Are you a student of Lecouvis?


    "No, I''m not. I''m from the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "Oh, from the Kingdom of Lingle ......."


    A man with a hand on his chin and a thoughtful expression on his face.


    Even I am wondering who the man in front of me is, but I wonder if he is a knight from ...... another kingdom?¡¡I don''t think that he would do something like me to tire myself out before an important meeting.


    "Well, that''s okay for now. ....... My name is Hyde, and I''m from the kingdom of Nirvarna.


    My name is Usato Ken.


    "Usato ......?¡¡I see, he was talking about you.


    Yes?"


    "Yes?" "Oh, no, don''t worry about it. I''m just gonna go to ....... Hmm. Excuse me.


    "Whoa!"


    He slaps me lightly on both shoulders and arms.


    I am a little confused by the intimidating feeling, but Mr. Hyde immediately pulls his hands away and smiles broadly.


    I think you and I are going to get along well!


    "Huh?¡¡Uh, yes.


    I wonder what this mysterious muscle understanding is.


    It''s a personality I''ve never met before. I heard that he is from the Kingdom of Nirvarna, but I wonder if Kazuki and Welshy are really right. .......


    Looking behind Mr. Hyde, we see the weapons he had just been handling in one place. Just from what we can see, there seems to be quite a variety, including clubs, spears, halberds, swords, and hatchets.


    "Can you handle so many weapons?"


    "I can handle many, but the less skilled ones are far from the best. But in our battles, we are sometimes expected to take the opponent''s weapons. If you have your body learn how to handle weapons to a certain degree, you can anticipate the enemy''s attacks and immediately treat the weapon you have taken as your own."


    "I see. ......"


    I never thought about that.


    If you know how to handle a weapon, you know what to do when your opponent is using that weapon.


    "Well, I mostly use axes and shields. Unlike the sword, the axe is not a star, but it has its good points. Can I tell you about them?


    "Yes, yes, you may."


    With such a twinkle in his eye, he asked, "Can I tell you about it?" I had no choice but to nod.


    Mr. Hyde, nodding his head in satisfaction, moves away from me, picks up the hatchet and the round shield that he had left on the ground, and swings them lightly.


    "They are strong and heavy, yet not prone to spills. In continuous combat, they are superior to swords.


    "Yes, it is true that the axe is heavy with each blow and can smash an opponent''s defense head-on if the wielder''s strength is combined. ....... It would be more frightening if the blade were to spill over."


    "Yeah, yeah, I get it."


    He can see that.


    I reminded him of Mr. Karon and told him honestly, and he seemed very happy to get a response.


    "But a skilled axeman''s weapon is not about power. It''s about tripping them up.


    "Hook?"


    This is the part where you do it.


    Mr. Hyde points to the sickle-shaped part of a short-handled axe.


    "By hooking the opponent with this sickle-shaped return, you can seize the weapon, block his movement, or try to stop him. In this way--"


    Mr. Hyde slammed the handle of the axe against the shoulder of the target, hooked the "return" and pulled it back with force, then hit the target with the edge of the circular shield he held tightly.


    The target was crushed in half by the tremendous blow.


    "--It can be used as a stepping stone for the next attack. Just avoiding the edge of the blade does not mean that you have lost. A hit to the shoulder can disorient you, a hit to the wrist can drop the weapon, a hit to the knee can knock you off your feet, and a hit to the neck is a far cry. So when you are dealing with a skilled axeman, you not only have to avoid the blade, but you also have to take measures afterwards."


    "...... I never thought about it before."


    "As long as you are swinging with force, you are not a threat. The real wielder is more interested in making sure that he takes away the opponent''s fighting ability than in power."


    Before I know it, I find myself listening to Mr. Hyde''s words.


    Although I will never use a weapon, I find the countermeasures and such to be quite useful. Some of the soldiers in the Demon Lord''s army used axes, so they are quite helpful.


    Seeing that I was listening to him seriously, Mr. Hyde, who had put down his shield and axe on the ground, let out a cheerful laugh.


    "Ha ha ha!¡¡I haven''t seen such a young man worth teaching in a long time. All newcomers nowadays don''t even try to know anything other than the weapon they are handling, at all. ...... Even in a real battle you have to fight without knowing the system of your opponent. ......They are the ones who are fighting with a weapon they have never seen before. When you''re fighting a makeshift battle, are you going to fight on the spot or ......?"


    Excuse me, Mr. Hyde?


    Hmm?¡¡Yeah, sorry.


    I wonder, is he an instructor or something in the kingdom of Nirvarna?


    His explanations were easy enough for me to understand, and above all, he has an easy-to-approach personality that doesn''t give me a sense of distance from people from other countries.


    "Well, I guess it''s about time.


    Mr. Hyde looks at the sun, which has risen at a slight angle, and mutters to himself.


    "Sorry to interrupt your training, Usato.


    "No, it was a good time for me as well."


    "I''m glad to hear you say that. I''m going to go now. What about you?


    I''m going back to the inn.


    Mr. Hyde nodded at my words, turned his feet toward the exit of the training hall, and started to walk away - but on his way he turned around and waved to me.


    "See you at the meeting then, young healing wizard!"


    "!"


    Mr. Hyde walks out of the training hall with a lively laugh.


    From his last words, did he know who I was?¡¡Did he know I was a healing wizard just from my name?


    Wondering about Mr. Hyde''s words, I return to the inn where there is water to wash away the sweat I have worked up.


    I was soaked in the water.


    After meeting the mysterious Mr. Hyde during the morning training, I dressed well and headed for the large library where the meeting was to take place.


    Mr. Welsey led me through the library, and I saw Senpai and Kazuki in their new outfits.


    "I look the same as usual, but Senpai and Kazuki are dressed properly.


    Unlike me, who is dressed in the typical lifeguard uniform, Senpai and Kazuki are dressed in white.


    They wear cloaks extending from their backs and right shoulders, and ornately decorated light armor. They are dressed in "heroic" outfits, with boots that emphasize ease of movement.


    There seems to be a difference between men''s and women''s costumes, but both are very cool.


    "Yes, yes. And the overall color is close to that of Usato''s outfit, so they look consistent with each other.


    "But it''s going to stand out a lot when it''s all white like this. ......"


    Kazuki puts his hand on his cloak and smiles wryly.


    It''s true that the three of us standing side by side would stand out quite a bit.


    As we are talking about this, Mr. Welshy, who is leading the way, looks back at us.


    "It will be very picturesque when you all stand side by side.


    "Is that so?"


    Yes, it''s true. We are about to arrive at the auditorium where the meeting will be held, so please prepare yourselves.


    Oops, it''s closer to the entrance than I thought.


    I was expecting to have to go up some stairs since it is called a big library, but it seems to be different. After a short walk, I saw what looked like the entrance to the auditorium, just as Mr. Welshy said.


    At the same time, I saw several men and women standing there with their backs to me, looking at me. Kazuki recognized them, smiled a nostalgic smile, and rushed toward them.


    "It''s been a while!¡¡Chief Warrior!


    "Hm?¡¡Oh, it''s Kazuki!¡¡How are you?


    There were two men and a woman.


    Kazuki''s voice made me look back at the men''s faces, and I was absolutely stunned.


    He was much taller than me and had a fearless look on his face.


    "No, but he is still thin. Eat some meat.


    Haha, I think I eat more than others. Oh, I''d like to introduce you to some of my friends I told you about!


    "Yes, I should say hello on behalf of Nirvarna.


    He looked at me, noticed me, smiled, and raised one hand as if to greet a friend.


    "Oh, it''s been a long time since your morning training, Usato. Once again, I am Hyde, Chief Warrior of the Nirvarna Kingdom Warriors. Please take good care of me today.


    <<< What? >>


    Not only the seniors but also those who seemed to be Mr. Hyde''s subordinates on the other side of the room let out a stunned voice.


    Well, there is no way that I could have expected such a thing to happen.


    Why am I meeting the representative of the Nirvarna Kingdom before anyone else from the Lingle Kingdom?

 181 - - The 166th Episode

    Mr. Hyde, Chief Warrior of the Royal Nirvarna Warrior Corps.


    How was I supposed to know that the representative of the kingdom was training so hard so early in the morning during an important meeting?¡¡When he asked me to meet him at the meeting, I thought he might be a member of the delegation''s bodyguard, but I was totally wrong.


    Mr. Hyde was smiling at me like a child who had just played a successful prank.


    A petite woman with orange hair in a ponytail, who seemed to be his subordinate, was talking to him.


    "Are you acquainted with him, Chief Warrant Officer?"


    "Yes, when I was working out in the morning. I saw a boy who had been running at a very fast pace since sunrise, so I called out to him. Well, at first I didn''t think he was the healing wizard I''d heard so much about."


    I didn''t think he was a representative of the Kingdom of Nirvarna, either.


    And I got a "what is he doing here ...... in the morning" look from my relatives.


    At Mr. Hyde''s words, a small woman made an astonished expression on her face.


    "What?¡¡You were training as usual for the meeting?


    "Ha ha ha!"


    "Don''t fool me by laughing!¡¡I told you that today''s meeting is really important!


    "Don''t tell everyone, Helena. I know that today''s meeting is very important for the future of the people living on this continent. Isn''t that what you want to say?


    "Yes, you know what I mean. ......


    The woman called Helena loses momentum in the face of his calm reply.


    Mr. Hyde looked at her, crossed his arms, and nodded his head.


    "If we are going to have this meeting, we need to be prepared. That''s why I warmed myself up in the morning."


    "Now, obviously the flow of the conversation was strange, wasn''t it? Why are we suddenly talking about warming up?¡¡In your mind, is the meeting about going to fight?


    Mr. Hyde smiles cheerfully, and the woman called Helena is puzzled.


    While I was watching the exchange as if I was a stranger, Mr. Hyde''s eyes turned toward me.


    "Kazuki, as you said, he and the other brave man have the same solid strength as you do.


    "Because, you know, both of you."


    "Oh, yeah."


    "I''m kind of embarrassed. Usato-kun."


    I nodded vaguely at Kazuki''s words, while my senpai was honestly pleased.


    "It goes without saying that the two heroes are great, but Usato is even better than me when it comes to physical abilities. I''m sure we''re all very proud to have you as an ally in our fight.


    "No, I''m still inexperienced myself. ......"


    But even if you are physically superior to him, it does not mean you are stronger than he is.


    From the training scene in the morning, I intuited that this person is a fighter by skill, not by strength. In other words, just like Leona, he is the type of person who can skillfully manipulate magic and weapons to gain an advantage in battle.


    The most troublesome point is that he knows all kinds of weapons, and can respond to attacks he has never seen before.


    I think calmly without getting carried away by the praise and notice that Helena is looking at me with a look of disbelief.


    "What, are you really that good?¡¡It looks normal to me. ......"


    "It doesn''t even look normal, does it?¡¡Look at that. Especially the muscles in his arms and legs are extraordinary. That''s the kind of training technique using healing magic that Rose of the Rescue Mission devised. It''s no exaggeration to say that it''s beyond the level of a human being.


    Mr. Hyde looked at my arms and legs and said something like that.


    Does he have some kind of magic eye?


    When I was soberly wondering, Helena tilted her head and asked him a question.


    "Every time I wonder, how can you understand other people''s muscle structure if you don''t have a magic eye?


    "If you are my subordinate, you will be able to see it naturally.


    "No, I don''t like it."


    You mean you don''t have the Devil''s Eye?


    What a skill! Well, I kind of want one.


    "...... time is running out. We''re going first. Representatives of the Kingdom of Ringle, see you at the conference. Come on, boys. Let''s go."


    "Roger that. ...... haha."


    Mr. Hyde walks to the meeting place with a fresh smile and a toss of his cloak, and Helena follows him with a sigh, watching his back.


    We were stunned for a while as the representative of the Kingdom of Nirvarna left like a storm, but then one of our senpai came up with something and clapped his hands.


    "You mean Muscle Eye ......?¡¡Usato.


    "Mr. Welshy, Kazuki, shall we go with you?"


    "Huh?"


    The senior is muttering something ridiculous.


    Feeling a little weary from the rapid succession of events, we step into the venue where the meeting is to take place.


    The meeting was about to begin.


    The meeting was held in a large space resembling an auditorium.


    Tables and chairs resembling round tables were set up in a large indoor space. We sat down at the table that Mr. Welshy had suggested us to take, although we were a little embarrassed by the appearance of a large hall.


    After that, Mr. Sigurth, who had been checking various things, arrived, and all of us representatives of the Lingle Kingdom gathered together.


    We seemed to be the last to leave, and the representatives of other kingdoms were already seated at the prepared table.


    Master Lucas of the Kingdom of Samaritan and two sky-blue knights who seemed to be his bodyguards behind him.


    Princess Nai''a and Prince Kyle of the Kingdom of Calm Helio, and their four escorting knights.


    Mr. Hyde, the leader of the warrior group of the Kingdom of Nirvarna, and two warriors including his subordinate Helena.


    In front of this great library, the guards brought by the four kingdoms including the Kingdom of Lingle are gathered. The thought of the elite from each of the four kingdoms gathering here ...... makes me a little excited.


    "Now that all the representatives of the kingdoms are here, we will begin the meeting. With your permission, I, Welshy, a mage exclusive to the Kingdom of Lingle, will lead the meeting.


    All eyes were on Ms. Welsey, who stood up with a document in her hand.


    Perhaps accustomed to this kind of situation, she proceeded in a manner that showed no signs of nervousness.


    "Since this meeting is intended to be a meeting of the participants, I would like to start with self-introductions by the representatives of each kingdom.


    Well, would you mind if I start first?


    Mr. Lucas was the first to raise his hand when Mr. Welshy said that.


    All eyes in the room were on him at once, but he still had a relaxed expression on his face.


    "I''m the one they''re probably wondering about the most," he said.


    Master Lucas looked around at all of us and then opened his mouth.


    "I am Lucas Urd Samariat, ruler of the Kingdom of Samariat. For various reasons, the knight-errant Fegnis has been relieved of his duties. Since his replacement has not yet been found, I have decided to attend the meeting myself. I am the king and I am here without prior notice, but my intentions are the same as yours.


    Well, I look forward to working with you. Lucas sat down.


    After a moment of silence, Princess Naia of the Kingdom of Calm Helio stands up.


    "My name is Nai''a Lark Kahm Helio, first princess of the Kingdom of Kahm Helio. I stand here on behalf of my father. I am aware that I am inexperienced as a leader, but I am standing here now because I want to help in any way I can to fight against the powerful forces of the Demon King''s Army.


    Princess Nai''a sat down with a look of relief after finishing her speech with a little bit of nervousness, but her expression became tense when Prince Kyle stood up vigorously next to her.


    "I am Kyle Lark Calm Helio, first prince of the Kingdom of Calm Helio. Gentlemen, I do not like to waste my time. Therefore, things should be simple, clear and easy to understand.


    ??¡¡Suddenly, Prince Kyle jumped up with a strange cry!


    As I looked on to see what was going on, Princess Naia grabbed Prince Kyle by the neck, who was writhing in agony holding his side, and forced him to sit down in his original seat, bowing her head in a slight panic.


    "I''m sorry for my brother''s ......!¡¡I''m here because of my position, but you can consider me an ornament or something. ......!"


    "Oh, yeah. ......!"


    "Shut up. How can you say "gentlemen" in front of these people? How much more do you have to humiliate me?


    Why is Prince Kyle here?¡¡...... Well, the same could be said for me, who is in the lowest position in the world.


    After all, he had to be there as a prince, didn''t he?


    "Ha-ha-ha!"


    In the slightly relaxed atmosphere, a lively laughter can be heard from one of the round tables.


    Looking over there, I see Mr. Hyde laughing with his arms crossed, while Helena is panicking in the background.


    "The prince of the Kingdom of Calm Helio is a man with guts. Yes, yes, a young man should be this reckless.


    Mr. Hyde stood up and began to introduce himself in a clear voice, looking around at the people sitting at the round table.


    "I am Hyde, Chief of the Warriors of the Kingdom of Nirvarna. I may feel a little out of place following the king, princess, and prince, but I would like to talk with you as a representative of my country.


    Mr. Hyde declared in a cheerful tone of voice and took his seat. The introduction of the three kingdoms was over and it was finally our turn, the Kingdom of Lingle, to sit down.


    As I took a small deep breath to avoid nervousness, Mr. Sigurth stood up and began his introduction.


    "I am Sigurth, Commander of the Knights of the Kingdom of Lingle. On behalf of the Knights of the Kingdom of Lingle, I would like to express our gratitude to you for accepting our invitation to this meeting on such short notice. I hope that when this meeting comes to an end, we will be able to stand side by side as comrades in arms."


    ......I can handle the introduction, but now I''m getting really nervous that I have to talk at length about my fight with Koger.


    As a matter of fact, I feel like I''ve been forgetting something since a while ago.


    I''m forgetting something very important, something I should not forget. I can assure you that I haven''t forgotten anything, but a strange feeling of frustration is nagging at me deep in my heart.


    Maybe I forgot to put on my troupe uniform .......


    Maybe you took off the bracelet that transforms into a basket hand and .......


    I do a Rose impersonation .......


    What?¡¡What am I still worrying about at this point?


    I checked so hard to make sure I didn''t forget anything. It can''t happen by accident.


    Usato?


    Yes?


    I''m done with Kazuki and I''m done with you, so now it''s time to finish up with you, Usato.


    "What?"


    Perhaps I was lost in thought, but a tap on the shoulder from my senpai jolted me back to reality.


    Before I knew it, Senpai and Kazuki had finished their self-introductions, and all eyes in the meeting were focused on me.


    Lucas-sama was smiling at me as if to say "Hey, hey, what''s up, Usato?" Princess Naia and Mr. Hyde were looking at me with deep interest, and Prince Kyle was staring at me with the same frustration as he had yesterday.


    In such a chaotic situation, I stood up hurriedly, straightened my back, and said the words I had been thinking again as loudly as I could.


    "I''m Usato Ken, vice commander of the Lingle Kingdom Rescue Mission. I am a young man who has just recently been recognized as the vice commander, but I am looking forward to working with you today.


    At any rate, there should have been no problem.


    I am fed up with this too ordinary and bland greeting. Still, I sit down and try to catch my breath with a sense of relief that doesn''t show on my face.


    Then, an older colleague next to me starts whispering to me.


    "Usato-kun, are you nervous?"


    "Yeah, you never get used to it no matter how many times you go through it. ......"


    "But, Usato-kun, you have a lot of work ahead of you."


    "That''s right. ......"


    I would have to explain in front of these people that I had battled with the Demon Lord''s Army, the Second Legionnaire, and the Kogah.


    To be honest, it would have been better for me if Mr. Welshy and Mr. Sigurth had made it simple, but Princess Nia and Mr. Hyde wanted me to explain it myself.


    It''s not that I can''t talk, but it''s hard.


    Hmm?¡¡Explaining the battle with Korga: ......?


    "...... Wait a minute."


    In this meeting, I have to tell everyone here about my battle with Koger, don''t I?


    I mean, I have to explain how I fought Koger and how I defeated him.


    Doesn''t that mean that I have to explain to this many people ...... that I have to explain to them about my healing magic, <>, which is a physically powerful and forbidden healing magic. ......?


    The meeting has started and there is no turning back now.


    "What should we do? ......"


    I couldn''t help but turn pale when I realized this fact after all this time.

 182 - - The 167th.

    I was desperately thinking about how to explain to the representatives of the various kingdoms in the meeting that had started when I realized that I had to explain about the Healing Fist to them.


    I could tell them, but I wondered if they would really believe me. ......!¡¡Or rather, would they call me a liar as soon as I didn''t actually show it to them?


    No, I am aware of the fact that I have done something quite bad as a healing magician.


    But, however... I never thought that I would have to expose it in public like this ......, so it''s tough.


    I tried not to show my upset face by acting like Rose while I was thinking about it, and I kept my composure by keeping my arms crossed and silently looking straight ahead at myself.


    "What can Samaritan do to fight the Demon King''s army?


    "Then, how many supplies do you need to put together a force?"


    "I would like to know more about the equipment of the demons and how much physical ability they have..."


    Meanwhile, the meeting was progressing by the minute.


    I have a rough understanding of the situation, but the forces that will be assembled against the Demon King''s army will be considerable.


    The forces that each kingdom can produce.


    Supplies to sustain them.


    And then, the most important thing is the strength of the Demon Lord''s army and the physical abilities and magic of the individual Demon Lords.


    Sometimes they exchange information and opinions.


    While the representatives here are meeting, there is one person in particular who caught my attention.


    "Chief Warlord Hyde, shouldn''t we first discuss the main forces of the Demon Army?"


    "That is important, but the first priority is to solidify the strength of our troops. When the main forces of our side and the main forces of the Demon King''s army are facing each other, we should set up the battle situation so that our side can maintain the advantage.


    "So here''s the thing."


    Perhaps sensing that the conversation between Mr. Hyde and Princess Nia was about to turn into an argument, Mr. Lucas interrupted to break the flow.


    "It is also important to share information about the Demon King''s army with whom we are fighting. May I ask Sigurth, the Knight Commander who has survived two invasions by the Demon King''s army, about this?"


    "Of course."


    Master Lucas, who is probably the most familiar with this kind of situation among these people, is helping me to facilitate the meeting as he explained to me the other day.


    Thanks to Mr. Lucas, Mr. Welshy, who had been so tense, is now able to take the role of facilitator without any tension in his shoulders, and I am very glad that he is here.


    "Hey, hey, Usato-kun.


    "Yes?¡¡What''s wrong?"


    In the middle of the meeting, a senior colleague spoke to me in a hushed voice.


    I tilted my head at the somewhat subtle expression on her face.


    "You''ve been staring at Prince Kyle who is sitting opposite to you, did he do something to you?


    "What?¡¡I didn''t mean to ......"


    I replied in the same tone of voice as my senpai and looked at Prince Kyle, who was glancing at me and his face was pale.


    Oh, shit, since I was still pretending to be Rose, Prince Kyle must have thought that I was in a bad mood and had been glaring at him for a long time.


    I''m sorry about that, I''ll have to apologize properly later.


    "Well, I don''t mind him. ...... Usato-kun, are you okay?¡¡Are you nervous?"


    "No, I''m not nervous..."


    "Mr. Usato."


    I was about to reply with a wry smile to Prince Kyle''s dry seniority when Mr. Welshy called my name.


    I turned around thinking that I would be blamed for wasting my time in an important meeting, but the apologetic look on Mr. Welsey''s face told me that was not the case.


    "Usato-sama, may I ask you to explain about the battle against the Demon Lord''s army and the commander of the second legion in the land of the beastmen?"


    "...... Yes."


    Time flies.


    I am on the verge of giving up, and speak to Senpai and Kazuki in a low voice so that only they can hear me.


    "Senpai, Kazuki."


    "Yeah?"


    "What''s wrong?¡¡Usato.


    When they look at me, I open my mouth, though a little hesitant to say anything.


    "I''m about to reveal something terrible, so please smile gently when I do.


    What the hell are you doing?


    What''s really going on?


    I smile with some resignation at their dexterously low voice and stand up, looking around at the people in the meeting.


    Mr. Lucas is grinning at me.


    Princess Nia is looking at me with interest, and Prince Kyle is looking sullen.


    Mr. Hyde is somewhat excited.


    I''m almost discouraged by the group of people who can''t be fooled in any way, but I still organize what I''m going to say in my head before I say it out loud.


    "I will now explain about Koga Dingal, the commander of the 2nd Legion of the Demon King''s Army, with whom I fought in the Land of the Beastmen.


    In this case, we have no choice but to be prepared.


    I will tell the truth, even if it draws a few eyebrows.


    As I was making up my mind to do so, Prince Kyle raised his right hand from the seat opposite me and spoke up.


    "Wait a minute. First of all, did that healing wizard really go to the land of the beastmen?


    At that moment, Princess Nia''s fist swung down on Prince Kyle''s head.


    "I apologize for my repeated insults."


    "Oh, sister!¡¡I know!¡¡There''s no proof that he''s even been to the beastmen''s country, let alone the commander of the Demon Lord''s army!


    "The fact that Usato-sama went to the land of the beastmen is proven by the Queen of the floating city of Mialark, Norn Erad Mialark.¡¡Besides, why can''t you see why Master Lucas and Knight Commander Hyde, who are present here, don''t point out questions that even you can notice?"


    Prince Kyle returns to his seat in frustration.


    In fact, if you ask me to provide proof, all I have to do is get a statement from Hayate-san at Huubird, where we signed a contract at Hinomoto. .......


    Well, let''s get back on track and resume the explanation.


    "Well, when I went to the beastmen''s country, I encountered Koga, the commander of the Second Legion, who had already asked for cooperation from the beastmen tribe."


    This is a rough description of what happened in the land of the beastmen.


    Of course, I will leave out the civil war and the like, but I will tell the story of how I came to fight against the Kogas.


    In the middle of this, Princess Nai''a asked me a question.


    What kind of magic did the Commander of the Legion have?


    "It is a dark magic.


    As I expected, dark magic is rare in both good and bad ways, and not only the representative but also the knights assigned to escort him were upset.


    "The ability is to wear a black belt composed of magic power that can be used as a weapon or armor. Koga, the commander of the 2nd Legion, wears it and challenges me with his tremendous physical abilities.


    "Hmm, so what''s your problem?"


    "Of course, I fought back. I was not beaten in terms of physical ability, so I think we were competitive.


    "No, wait a minute, that''s funny."


    Prince Kyle interrupted me again as I replied to Mr. Lucas.


    Princess Naiya, who was standing next to him, pressed her forehead.


    "No, no, no, no, this time my question is valid!¡¡Why are you competing with the leader of the army, let alone a demon tribe, with your physical abilities?


    "huh, Kyle?"


    Princess Nia looks stunned, but he still pokes at her as if to appeal.


    But Lucas-sama only smiles pleasantly when he hears my response.


    "Ha-ha-ha, you''re the same as ever. I remember when you knocked down our Knight Commander with one fist.


    "Look at this. Master Lucas says so too.


    What?¡¡I just beat up the chief knight of Samaritan!


    You''re not amused, are you, Mr. Lucas?


    Well, he''s got a bit of a mischievous streak in him, so I''m sure he''ll try to be a little reckless just to take a break from the meeting.


    "Let''s go back to the story. My impression of the battle was that Koga''s ability was considerable. Magic that can be used as a weapon or a shield at any distance. I think the only way to have a real fight with him would have been through close combat."


    "So you''re suggesting that I should just get up close and personal?"


    I nodded to Mr. Hyde''s words.


    "Yes. But the main problem was that Koga was the best at close combat. In addition, his own magical defense was so strong that it easily blocked even my full power attack.


    Prince Kyle was about to say something, but Princess Niah silenced him with a glare.


    It''s so illegal to put a belt on top of another belt to block an attack, now that I think about it. The hardness of the belt makes it impenetrable to both magic and swords.


    "So, did you defeat the second corps commander?"


    "We were able to defeat him, though we too were wounded deeply.


    It was really tough that time.


    It was the first time I had ever had an attack that penetrated my body.


    If I explain this much, I won''t have to explain how I beat it. The subject is to explain the fighting ability and magic of the second corps leader, Koga, so there is no need to explain how I defeated him.


    With this in mind, I was about to end the conversation when Mr. Hyde, with his hand on his chin, opened his mouth in distress.


    "How did you defeat the second corps commander?¡¡From what you told me, he must have been quite an opponent.


    Mr. Hyde''s shoulders trembled as he spoke.


    Prince Kyle, who was probably suspicious of my reaction, opened his mouth in high spirits while paying attention to Princess Nai''a next to him.


    "Are you sure you didn''t fight them off?"


    "Kyle?"


    "No, let me tell you something. I honestly don''t believe you. You''re going up against a corps leader on physical strength alone, and you''re going to beat him?¡¡You''re really wrong, aren''t you?"


    He smiles at me with a big smile on his face.


    I''m not that upset because I was prepared for that, but I''m more worried about Princess Nia, who is getting a swarthy atmosphere next to me, in a scary way.


    "I think she just ran away in front of the second corps commander or something..."


    "That''s enough."


    As soon as Princess Naia next to him was about to raise her palms in an expressionless gesture, Master Lucas'' voice interrupted Prince Kyle''s words.


    Prince Kyle was taken aback by the sudden words of Master Lucas.


    "If you think about it from a common sense point of view, it seems absurd to think that a mere human being, a healer and magic-user in particular, would fight a demon tribe with physical ability and magical power superior to that of a human being on equal footing.


    Yes, of course.


    "But you know, I''ve seen Usato fight right in front of my eyes. That''s why I understand why he can''t put into words what he is fighting for. His fight is, if you will ...... so to speak, beyond our common sense."


    After looking around at the people present at the meeting, Lucas-sama looks at me with the same strong will that he had when we first met.


    "I don''t know all the details of his journey after he left my country. But one thing is for sure, Usato Ken is not a man who runs away in the face of someone he has to fight. Isn''t that right, Usato?"


    "...... Yes."


    ...... What are you doing, I''m...


    I''ve caused Mr. Lucas a lot of trouble by trying to hide how crazy I am.


    I have to be honest here.


    I should have behaved more appropriately as the vice president of the rescue team and more as Rose''s disciple. Feeling utterly embarrassed by my immaturity and thoughtlessness, I decide to tell the whole story.


    "I used the technique ...... called "Healing Rengage Fist" in fighting off the 2nd corps leader, Koga.


    "Healing, Rengouken?"


    Princess Nai''a tilted her head at the mention of "healing.


    The others, especially the senpai who had never heard of it before, looked up at her with a bit of excitement.


    "There is something I should tell you in explaining this technique. I treat healing magic not as a technique to heal people, but as a technique to subdue an opponent unharmed.


    "How do you use healing magic?"


    Mr. Hyde asks, and I tell him honestly and without any fluster.


    "I can put healing magic on him and hit him, throw him, throw magic bullets at him, and blind him with magic bullets. I can also restrain my opponents in cooperation with my magic users.


    "Blindfold?¡¡Magic?¡¡Restraint?"


    Princess Nia, who was about to seriously consider the topic, mutters in confusion, but to tell the truth, she hasn''t even gotten to the main topic yet, so I let her continue the conversation.


    "Let''s go back to the topic of the Healing Fist. This is the most dangerous technique I use, so I usually avoid using it, but in the fight against Koga, I had to use it out of necessity.


    "Is it dangerous to use healing magic?"


    "Yes, it is."


    I wonder what the response will be.


    Even I, the person using this technique, was taken aback. If Mr. Welshy were here and heard the principle of this technique, he might have swooned.


    I took a small deep breath and explained about the Healing Rengage Fist to those who were paying attention to me.


    "Healing Rengou Kiken. It is a technique to intentionally outburst the system reinforcement, make it directional, and hit the opponent in close contact with it continuously.


    "Outburst of lineage enhancement, ......?"


    Clatter!¡¡Mr. Hyde gets up from his chair with a mighty thud and lets out a startled cry.


    The others seem to understand the danger of what I''m doing and can''t hide their surprise.


    ......The expression on Mr. Welshy''s face, especially at the edge of my field of vision, is astonishing.


    "It is also a technique that can only succeed with the aid of a specially made basket hand. Without it, I''d be gone from the elbow down by now.


    "It''s nothing short of brilliant to be able to perform lineage enhancement at that age, but still, intentional outbursts and the like ...... are not the thinking of a ...... normal person."


    In fact, given the dangers of strain enhancement, it is not surprising that something like that could happen.


    Rather, Ms. Leona lectured me extensively.


    I should be prepared to be lectured by Ms. Welshy, whose eyesight is getting stronger by the minute.


    "...... Did that technique get through to the commander of the second corps?"


    Princess Nia, who was the first to regain her composure, asked me that.


    "Yes. I hit him seven times and he finally broke through the defense, so I hit him with my fist and knocked him out. I was able to repel her, but in the end it ended up being a painless draw.


    With the healing fist, he was able to knock Koga out.


    However, in the end, the fight ended in a way that was missed.


    "Ha ha ha!"


    Mr. Hyde''s laughter echoed through the silence of the meeting.


    Surprised, I looked at him and saw Mr. Hyde nodding his head in deep emotion.


    "Mr. Lukas is right, this is just out of the ordinary!¡¡I had no idea that you had gone far beyond what I had expected!¡¡The Lingle Kingdom Rescue Squad is absolutely outrageous!"


    "Ha,ha ......"


    Unable to keep up with Mr. Hyde''s cheerful tone, I could only reply vaguely.


    Then, Mr. Hyde turned to me and smiled.


    "While you''re here, would you mind if I show you what I call the Healing Fist?"


    "What?"


    "I can''t really imagine what kind of technique it is if you just tell me. If you don''t mind, I''d like to see it in action.


    Mr. Hyde seemed like an excited child when he said this.


    I couldn''t help but nod my head, my cheeks twitching.

 183 - - The 168th episode.

    The meeting in the four kingdoms took place in Lukvis.


    The first day of the meeting has come to an end and I am mentally exhausted.


    Not only because of the presence of the representatives, including Mr. Lucas, but above all because I, who was not used to such an important meeting, was nervous all the time.


    "---And now, Usato has to show off that noisy technique of his."


    "No, it''s a dangerous technique ......, but it''s dangerous."


    After the meeting, as I was getting ready to go to bed at the training site we had used earlier in the day, I ran into Amako, who was about to visit the inn where we were staying, and we talked about the meeting and a little bit about our complaints.


    "But how are you going to unveil it?¡¡You''re going to test its power, aren''t you?"


    "How do you do it?" "I just aim at a ...... target or something and fire a normal technique."


    "I wonder if a regular target can withstand it. ......"


    "No, no, I''ll hit with less power then, won''t I?"


    If you really hit it hard in a row, you''ll lose your magic power in no time.


    I''m going to take it easy on him.


    I''m sure everyone will question me today.


    It was Usato''s fault for hiding it."


    "Yes, I know, but... ......"


    It is easy to imagine the senior staff pursuing the matter, but the problem is Mr. Welshy, who understands the dangers of systemic reinforcement.


    He was looking at me with a wide-eyed gaze during the meeting.


    >I could almost hear the sound of his voice.


    "But I think it was a good opportunity."


    "What?"


    "You have to be aware of the discrepancy between yourself and the people around you. Well, I just opened my mind."


    Yes, I learned to open up at today''s meeting.


    I was allowed to be stubborn and not to admit that I am not a human being, because I am a "lifeguard", but as a "vice commander of a rescue team", I am not allowed to be selfish like that. I don''t get it.


    "As one''s position changes, so does one''s mindset. As Mr. Norn said, that''s exactly right.


    I think of Master Norn, who protected the place called Mearaq as a queen despite the sleepiness and fatigue.


    "But if Usato opens up, I think that would be a little scary.


    "Wait, what do you mean by that?"


    "I know I''ve been very careful so far, but I''m afraid I''ll come up with some weird tricks again when I''m not so careful anymore.


    What does this little fox think I am?


    "No, I''m not going to make a technique worse than the Healing Rengage Fist just because I''ve reopened my mind. Besides, since you''ve been doing nothing but healing punches lately, I''ve been thinking of some application of healing magic bullets.


    "Hmmm, like what?"


    "For example?" "A speed-oriented healing magic bullet combined with an acceleration fist, a healing acceleration bullet. Or a bending healing bullet that applies the basket hand''s magical manipulation, or a healing remote bullet. It''s a technique that requires Kagote, but I think it''s quite useful. Oh, that''s right!¡¡I''m also thinking of practicing rapid-fire magic bullets like the Commander used to do.


    "......"


    As for its use, a healing acceleration bullet is a magic bullet to heal a wounded person at a distance instantly.


    The healing remote bullet is a magic bullet to heal a friend in a crowded battle precisely.


    Both of these techniques are based on the power of Kagote, but they seem to be very useful.


    "Though they are curved healing magic bullets, they can be curved only once at most. It can''t be helped that they originally lacked the talent to fire magic bullets, but if you think that you can freely change the direction of a straight bullet just once, it''s quite different.


    It is impossible to bend the healing flying fist in principle, so it can be used in the form of a powerful healing flying fist and a healing magic bullet that emphasizes hit power and speed.


    "Yes. It''s a technique to catch the opponent off guard and to hit him directly even through his shield.


    "Huh?"


    Wait a minute.


    No, I thought it could be used like that in combat.¡¡But it never occurred to me that you would be the first one to think of it.


    As my cheeks twitched at the discrepancy between me and Amako, I heard footsteps approaching from behind me.


    "Oh, there you are."


    "Hmm?"


    I turned around to see Kara, the teacher I had met here before, and Harfa, whom I had met again yesterday.


    Why is Ms. Kara, the teacher, here ......?


    I look at Amako, who is wearing a hood over her eyes, and turn my attention to Ms. Cara and Mr. Halfa.


    "It''s been a while, Kara-san. It''s been a while, Mr. Carla. You haven''t seen Halfa since yesterday.


    "Yes. ...... but it hasn''t been six months since then, and you''ve grown up so much that you look different. I don''t need Halfa''s evil eye to see that.


    "Oh, I see. ......"


    Does he have "muscle eyes" like Mr. Hyde?


    I mean, I don''t think he looks much different now than he did before his trip.


    ...... I wonder if he has grown taller or something, just because I think so. If so, I would be a little happy.


    I was going to come to see you, but I didn''t expect you to come to me.


    "I have heard about your activities since we left Luxembourg. Since you are here, I thought we should meet and talk. I''m sorry I had to show you around on your day off, Halfa.


    When Carla said this to Mr. Halfa, he shook his head.


    "No, no, I don''t have anything to do on my days off but train myself. Talking with Usato-san is rather stimulating for me as well."


    "...... I think you should look at something other than working out a little."


    "I''m a bit like this myself. ......"


    The more we talk, the more I feel like I''m getting along well with Mr. Halfa.


    Kara sighs as Mr. Halfa smiles at her in an annoyed manner and turns around to face us.


    "I heard you became the vice president of the lifeguard corps. Congratulations."


    Thank you very much. Well, I''m still new at this, but I''m trying to behave in a way that is appropriate for a vice commander.


    "I think you don''t have to be so conscious about it. Since you were in Luxembourg before, you have ...... had an atmosphere that reminds me of ...... how I should say it ...... Rose."


    "Is that so?"


    I don''t know whether to be embarrassed or not.


    It''s as if she was saying that I had been in an atmosphere similar to Rose''s since I came to give the letter to Lukvis.


    Kara gives me an ambiguous look and shows her concern for the time.


    "At any rate, it''s good to see your face.


    "Are you leaving already?"


    "We teachers have a lot of work to do in connection with the meeting. I have to go back soon. What about you, Halfa?


    I would like to talk with Mr. Usato a little longer.


    "Okay. ...... Just so you know, as a teacher, don''t give him too much trouble."


    "Of course."


    After seeing Mr. Halfa nodding, Kara said her goodbyes and walked out of the training hall.


    All that was left was me, Halfa, and Amako, who had been silent for some time. ......What was the annoyance that Carla had mentioned earlier?


    "Ah, Mr. Usato. How is Nack doing?"


    "Nack?¡¡He is doing well as a member of the rescue team.


    I''m glad to hear that. As a matter of fact, I am a little relieved that he made it to the rescue team because I was concerned about him myself.


    Probably, Nack is now frantically going through the lifeguard training.


    As I was thinking about Nack, I was suddenly reminded of the girl who is probably still in Luxembourg.


    "Meena, what are you doing now?"


    "Meena Riassia?¡¡She is ...... what should I say, hmm..."


    "...... something happen to that girl?"


    "No, nothing like that. ......


    Mr. Halfa seems somewhat reluctant to say anything.


    She doesn''t seem to be involved in anything.


    "Is it possible that you''ve become even rougher than before because you lost the game with Nack?"


    No, she''s become much more serious than she used to be.


    "What?"


    I remembered her as a girl with a piercing atmosphere, but I wondered if she had changed her mind after the battle with Nack.


    Or is she trying hard to get revenge on him as Nack said before he left?


    "I often see them practicing magic or running after school. I couldn''t believe my eyes at first, but now I think that she herself, like Nack, has finally moved on.


    "Before."


    So what happened in Luxvis affected not only Nack but also Meena.


    I had the worst impression at first, but there might have been something going on between Nack and Meena that I didn''t know about.


    "I see Meena training quite often, so if you''re lucky, you might run into her too, Usato.


    "Well, I wouldn''t know how to talk to him even if I met him. From Mina''s point of view, I am the one who sent Nack to the rescue team.


    I was the one who gave Nack a reason to go to the rescue squad.


    And since we both make a terrible first impression on each other, it''s not a good look.


    I''m sure they won''t attack me, but it''s enough that I''m only going to get myself abused in the lifeguard squad.


    By the way, Mr. Usato...


    "Yes?"


    While I was thinking about this, Mr. Halfa stood up unexpectedly and called out to me.


    Amako and I look up at him curiously, and he smiles the same childish smile he had given Mr. Hyde in the morning.


    "If you have some time to spare, would you like to join us for a little kumite?¡¡No, if you can''t, you can say no."


    "...... haha."


    I see, so that''s why you came to see me.


    .......


    Oh, well, I''m free just till the night...I have nothing to do but muscle training when I go back to the inn...and if Mr. Welshy is there, he''ll give me a sermon....


    Okay, excuses over.


    "Well then, let''s do it. But it''s only kumite, so don''t hurt yourself.


    "Of course. I don''t want to get in trouble with Miss Kara or the headmaster either.


    It''s an offer I could not have wished for.


    Halfa''s precise fighting style, which exploits the opponent''s weak points, is a good lesson for me. Now that I have learned through my journey that not all opponents are only able to communicate through strength, I may be able to gain something from fighting with him.


    "Well, I guess we really are similar.


    Amako sighs somewhat stupidly and smiles.


    Smiling at her, Haruha and I walked to a corner of the training ground.


    I was so surprised to see her.


    My partner, Mr. Halfa, was full of surprises for me.


    I had not underestimated the ability of his growing magic eye, but I did not expect that he would recognize my new fighting style at the first sight.


    Besides, the new fighting method that he used was very old-fashioned.


    In the past, he used his magical eye to read his opponent''s movements and always attacked first, but what he used today was the opposite: he read his opponent''s movements, let him attack, and then hit a strong counter attack on him.


    It was a technique that Harufa could only use because he could see the opponent''s first move perfectly, and I could not respond to it at the first sight.


    "Usato-sama, are you listening?"


    "...... Yes."


    I guess my escape from reality was caught by Mr. Welshy''s glaring voice, which brought me back to myself and caused me to raise my voice in a scornful tone.


    After the kumite with Mr. Halfa, I was scolded by Mr. Welshy in the inn.


    "I understand why you didn''t want to tell me, but I wish you would have told me beforehand. I know you didn''t want to tell me, but I wish you would have told me beforehand. No, I''m not complimenting you.


    Pioneering new magic. .......


    No, it''s true that no one would have tried a technique that intentionally triggers the outburst of the system enhancement because it''s too dangerous.


    As I reflect on the fact that I didn''t tell him beforehand, Kazuki, who was listening to the lecture beside me, calls out to me somewhat happily.


    "Ha, you''re just like me, aren''t you? Usato."


    "What?¡¡Oh, yeah."


    "Me too, me too!"


    "You''re all so sharp. Suzune-sama is too ...... haha."


    As the seniors raised their hands in agreement, Mr. Welshy sighed, as if he couldn''t stand it.


    "Kazuki-sama''s magic manipulation is not necessarily dangerous since he has mastered the basics, but Suzune-sama is in a way the same as Usato-sama. In a sense, Suzune is like Usato in that he is able to use the characteristics of the lightning system itself as armor to assist his movements and even to attack. While it is powerful, it is a very dangerous technique that can even damage the body if it is mishandled even a little.


    "I''m sure you''re training to prevent that from happening."


    "That''s not the point. ...... I wish you would have a little more of a sense of urgency."


    I had seen it before for a brief moment, but I knew it was a dangerous technique.


    Well, I heard that the former corps commander that Aruk-san fought in Hinomoto used a similar technique, so I understand that it requires a great deal of skill and experience.


    Ms. Welshy shrugs her shoulders at her senior.


    Sigurth, who had been watching our exchange, spoke up.


    "Calm down, Wellthy. It is true that Suzune-sama and Usato-sama''s techniques have dangerous aspects. However, if you can fully master them, the two of you will become even stronger."


    "It is true, but ......"


    "I understand your concern as much as you do. But isn''t the best we can do now to encourage them to move forward, rather than to stop them?"


    "...... Yes."


    Mr. Welsey nodded at Sigurth''s words and turned to me.


    "I am sorry for imposing my own consciousness on you. But I beg you not to use dangerous techniques alone. There is a price to be paid for strong power.


    "...... sorry too. I will consult with you as much as possible in the future.


    We know from the beginning that Mr. Welshy is concerned about our safety.


    Like the Kureha Fountain in Mearaq, or Mr. Karon who went out of control, obtaining powerful power comes at a price. The same is true for my own power.


    Therefore, I must not ignore what she just said to me.


    As I think about this, Ms. Welshy, relieved by my words, continues to speak.


    "While we''re on the subject, I''d like to tell you about my plans for tomorrow."


    "When you say tomorrow, do you mean about the meeting?"


    Yes. First of all, the meeting tomorrow will be more in-depth than today''s meeting, so Mr. Kazuki, Ms. Suzune, and Mr. Usato do not need to attend.


    ......I guess they are going to discuss more in depth the agenda that we have discussed today.


    Since I could not give a clear opinion even if I was there, Mr. Welshy and Mr. Sigurth were considerate of me.


    "Next, it has been decided that tomorrow afternoon, after the meeting, an exchange game will be held at the training site for the purpose of exchanging information and understanding the strength of the team.


    "Exchange game?¡¡What''s that?


    It''s a combat training exercise for the best of the kingdoms. They will attack magically created targets, engage in hand-to-hand combat, and conduct joint exercises with their troops.


    "...... aren''t you taking a little too long?¡¡A battle with the Demon King''s army is imminent. ......"


    Kazuki looks somewhat uneasy, and Mr. Welshy shakes his head.


    Mr. Welshy shook his head. Even if we fight together, we still don''t understand how other countries fight. If we cannot work together when the time comes, this meeting will be meaningless."


    "...... Indeed, the fighting style of the warriors of the Kingdom of Nirvarna was quite different from that of the knights of the Kingdom of Lingle."


    I, like Kazuki, am impressed.


    Then, Mr. Welshy''s gaze turns to me.


    "So ...... I must ask you all to use your magic in front of the three kingdoms."


    "Does that mean I have to come, too?"


    "Yes, you will use Usato-sama''s healing ...... technique called Rengage Fist against the target."


    "Will the target hold?"


    I remember what Amako said to me during the day, and I feel uneasy.


    However, Mr. Welshy smiled at me as if to reassure me.


    "Don''t worry!¡¡We have prepared a target that is several times stronger than the one you destroyed in Luxvis before!¡¡I hear that they have applied several layers of immobilization magic so that they cannot be easily pulled out, so don''t worry!"


    "Usato-kun!¡¡Now you can do it without hesitation!


    "Why do you look so happy ......?"


    I''m a little bit motivated, though I''m a little disappointed to see my senpai giving me the thumbs-up.


    I''m not trying to destroy him, but I''m curious to see how powerful the healing fist is in its current state.


    "Ah, then, Usato-kun, Kazuki-kun."


    "Yes?"


    What is it?


    Suddenly something occurred to him and he called Kazuki and me.


    She looks in a good mood and says the following words.


    "If you don''t have to attend the meeting tomorrow morning. How about we do a little training with you?¡¡Like a rehearsal for this afternoon''s meeting.


    "Training for the three of us, huh? We only did magic-related training before, but I hope we can do something different this time.


    Kazuki seemed to be receptive to the senior''s proposal.


    I don''t mind training myself, but what is it?¡¡The way he looked at me gave me a bad feeling.


    "Usato, I trust your reflexes and I have a favor to ask you.


    What is it?


    I''d like you to have a little mock battle with me tomorrow.


    What''s ......?


    A mock battle with my senpai?


    Isn''t this the flow of the ...... story that we have to have a mock battle with <> senpai?

 184 - - the 169th episode.

    The next morning.


    While the meeting was going on in the big library, Kazuki, Inukami-senpai, and I were doing some preparatory exercises at the training ground near the inn, chatting lightly with each other.


    "So, what kind of format do you use for mock battles?"


    "Well, we can''t do anything too extreme since we have the afternoon ahead of us, so ...... I don''t know what to do."


    "......Kazuki, do you have any good ideas?"


    You didn''t think about it.


    I put my hand on my chin and ask for Kazuki''s opinion as he slumps his shoulders in thought.


    Kazuki looks at me and me and compares us, and after thinking for a while, he smiles, as if he has come up with something.


    "I guess so. How about we play a game of tag, and the one who touches the other wins?"


    "I''m not sure I can win a game of tag with my senpai.


    "I don''t want to be told by Usato-kun, who swings at all physical abilities. ......"


    If they came at me at full speed in Thunder Beast mode, I wouldn''t be able to run away either. .......


    Kazuki nodded in agreement with my reaction.


    "What kind of mock battle are you going to have with me, anyway?¡¡Are you practicing for the Thunder Beast mode?"


    "Yes, I guess so. To be honest, there are few people in the castle who can handle my speed. Kazuki-kun can ...... fight me on equal terms if I use magic, but there''s too much damage to the surroundings ......."


    "So that''s me. ......"


    Well, I''m confident that my reflexes are as good as anyone''s, so I don''t mind.


    Whether or not I can handle the speed of my seniors is something I won''t know until I try .......


    I understand. Let''s give it a try for now. The format is ...... as Kazuki suggested, in the form of a game of tag. ......"


    "How about if I touch your right shoulder three times, I win, and if I last three minutes, you win?


    "That''s a good idea. Let''s do it.


    I win if I can keep my senior''s hands off for three minutes, huh?


    It might be a little tough, but I''m excited.


    "Oh, if my hand slips and goes somewhere it''s not supposed to, ...... please smile and forgive me."


    "......"


    "I''m just kidding!¡¡Don''t look at me like that!"


    I was getting impatient with him, as I was getting a rather serious cold look from him.


    After exchanging such words, we faced each other at a part of the training ground.


    Kazuki is the referee, so I don''t have to worry about my surroundings.


    The time limit is one hundred and eighty seconds, and it counts if either of us moves. You two may begin at any time.


    He nodded at Kazuki''s words and shifted his gaze to his senpai.


    She is unarmed, as she only needs to touch me three times.


    I take a stance, watching her every move.


    "Be my guest."


    "Yes, I will. I''ve never been this close to you before, ...... so I''m not going to let it go to waste."


    The next moment when I recognized that my senpai''s whole body was shining, I saw his hand on my right shoulder.


    Stunned, I looked at my senpai in front of me and saw that he had a smug look on his face that was no less smug than that of Mr. Kanoko.


    "First time. You can never be too careful, Usato-kun."


    "...... as expected."


    Senpai is clad in lightning for a moment and moves away from me.


    He is faster than I expected.


    It''s a hell of a speed, but it doesn''t mean that I couldn''t follow him completely with my eyes.


    I clench my cheeks and fully awake, I deploy my right arm with a cage hand.


    "May I use your basket hand?"


    "If you can get away from my hands, sure!"


    Great! ......!


    Again, I take a position to draw my right arm to the senior who is clad in lightning and moves at high speed for a moment.


    I know you are aiming at my shoulder!


    The moment he recognizes the shadow that he saw faintly in his vision, he releases his healing acceleration fist to the right side and accelerates to the left side!


    "It missed!¡¡Again!"


    He leaps backward to the senior who has been chasing after him.


    Naturally, just as the hand of the senior pursuing you approaches you, you change direction in mid-air with an acceleration fist to the side, and you try to avoid his hand, but your fingertips slightly touch his shoulder.


    "d*mn, I failed. ......!¡¡You''re still too fast, senpai ......."


    "Wait a minute, you were obviously moving funny. You just slid sideways in mid-air without warning!"


    He said this to me, looking at his fingertip that had touched me in a complicated way.


    It was quite frustrating, because I was planning to avoid him completely before he got used to the healing acceleration fist.


    "Healing Acceleration Fist. This is a movement method using the outburst of ...... system reinforcement."


    "I''m starting to feel like that''s a different technology than lineage enhancement. Dare I name it ...... strain blasting?"


    Blasting, that kind of thing .......


    Blasting is not wrong if you think about the process of activation, but ...... well, that''s OK for now.


    He again takes a posture as if to draw back his right arm, and puts his magical power into it so that he can produce a healing acceleration fist.


    The time is running out as we speak.¡¡One more touch and you win. It''s a ...... game whether I get used to your speed first or you touch me first.


    "Interesting. Then, let''s attack more!"


    Lightning flashes across the field of vision.


    At the same moment, three electric blasts from my senpai are coming toward me.


    "Sweet!


    I reacted instantly, and without moving from the spot, I swatted them all away with my baskets.


    At the same time, I ducked and dodged a hand reaching out from my side, and my senpai let out a startled voice.


    "What?


    "Yes!"


    He succeeded in avoiding the target!


    As long as you can see the target and the slightest movement, you can avoid it!


    My joy was short-lived, as I quickly came to my senses, and he didn''t move away from me, but kept his hand outstretched, still clad in thunderbolt.


    But!¡¡I already knew that!


    With the force of my crouching, I thrust my fist into the ground and let out a burst of magic power!


    "Nnnn!"


    "Kya!"


    The shockwave of the magic power generated by the fist hits the senior''s leg, knocking him off his balance.


    This is the impromptu technique I came up with just a moment ago, the Healing Rolling Fist!


    It is a random technique that can cause the opponent to fall down by releasing a shockwave of magic power.


    You probably won''t have a chance to use it again!


    "Ha-ha-ha!¡¡I got this match!"


    With the out-of-control senior in his sights, he backsteps as fast as he can and runs away as fast as he can.


    I couldn''t help but let out a high pitched laugh like a villain, but Senpai was so happy to see me that he smiled.


    "You are the man I''ve always wanted!


    "Hmm?


    "I shouldn''t have tried to hold it against you for two full minutes!¡¡To beat you...


    As soon as he said these words, the senior was clearly covered with more electric blasts than ever before.


    The blistering blasts bounced off the ground and illuminated the training ground, which should have been bright in the daytime, even brighter.


    She, who was apparently in full power mode, shouted to me, whose cheeks were twitching.


    "You should have gone all out from the beginning!"


    "...... hey, Tai--"


    "Here I go, Usato-kun!"


    As it was, he disappeared from sight, and tremendous pressure was coming from all directions.


    I don''t know what to do, but it looks like my senpai is moving so fast that he seems to be altering himself.


    .......


    "Oh, I''m going to get away with it!


    I set up my baskets in order to overcome the onslaught of my senpai.


    ...... but rather, senpai is completely excited and having fun. .......


    I''m not sure I''m going to be able to do it.


    "Oh, I couldn''t escape!"


    I relax my shoulders as I lie down in the field by the training ground.


    The result of the game of tag was that the older student had won.


    It was indeed impossible for him to escape from his senpai who was at full power.


    He only lasted about five seconds. ......!


    "You say so, but I was pretty close too. I only had a few seconds left to put on the electric shock.


    "It''s only a few seconds."


    I lost because I couldn''t hold out for those few seconds.


    I still had enough magic power and physical strength, but it was a very nerve-wracking game.


    I felt that I had gained a different experience from the training with Rose, who was always trying to attack me in a way that I couldn''t avoid.


    "Well, both of you were great. The senior one was able to wear electric shocks for a much longer period of time, wasn''t he?


    At Kazuki''s somewhat excited words, Senpai smiled shyly.


    I''ve tried to devise a lot of things in my own way," he said. The time that I can stay in the Thunder Beast mode is gradually increasing, but it''s still not long enough to use it in actual combat, so I try to activate it only for a moment or suppress its output.


    Suppress output, huh?


    "You were clad in lightning for a moment to save time, so you could make several fast trips in a row."


    "Yes, that''s right. Now it''s like I''m cutting and patching."


    My Healing Acceleration Fist is also a technique that uses a not inconsiderable amount of magic power.


    I might be able to handle it better if I ask my senpai for tips on how to save my magic power.


    "Usato. What did you do with that?


    What was that?


    That''s the move that made you lose your stance. Did you just punch the ground and shake him?


    I''m curious about that too. I was so surprised when he suddenly lost his balance. ......


    No matter how much you train, there''s no way you can hit the ground and cause it to shake enough to knock someone over. .......


    Since I have nothing special to hide, I explain the healing rolling fist to both of them.


    "How can you come up with such a technique on the spur of the moment? I say this because I''ve actually been hit by it, but I think it''s a technique that can certainly cause a defenseless opponent to be upset."


    "It''s hard to be sober when you''re in the middle of a fight and you have to worry about your feet."


    It seems that the Healing Rolling Fist is more troublesome than I thought.


    ...... I''ll have to think of a use for it next time.


    "Hmm, Healing Tumble Fist. ...... could be named Healing Tumble Fist?"


    "!¡¡I''ve been thinking about it for a while, you have a great sense of naming things. I respect it."


    "Eh, heh, heh, is that so?"


    To tell the truth, I was afraid that Nair might criticize me for rolling fists.


    No, I think Tumble Fist is not such a bad name, but I''ll call this technique Healing Tumble Fist from now on.


    Tumble Fist is too direct and has a cool, changeable feel to it.


    "Ah, Usato. Do you have any concerns after the first fight?¡¡I''d like to hear your advice or any faults. I''m also open to compliments..."


    "Would you like some water, Mr. Usato?"


    "Yes, I would. Thank you, Eva.


    Eva, who is standing next to me, gives me a glass of water.


    I take a sip of water, and after taking a breath, I look at my senpai again.


    "......I just thought, from my point of view, that your movements are a bit monotonous and easy to understand."


    "I knew it. ...... if you go too fast, it''s going to happen. ......, hmm?"


    Hmm?¡¡What''s wrong?


    He tilted his head, looked at me and Eva alternately, and thought for a few seconds before speaking up.


    Why is Eva here?


    With her words, I finally noticed Eva''s presence next to me.


    It was so obvious that I had not noticed Eva''s presence.


    "Oh, that reminds me. Eva, how long have you been here?"


    "About a month before Usato-sama and Suzune-sama had their match."


    "I didn''t even notice you were there, and you were talking to me naturally!¡¡And you''ve been here for quite some time!"


    Even though I got my body and soul back from the curse in Lukvis, the only thing that hasn''t changed is that I''ve been around for some time now. It''s like I''ve been there for a long time.


    "That''s amazing. I didn''t notice it either. So, Usato, is this the princess of Samaritan you were telling me about?"


    "Yes. ...... Eva, this is my friend Kazuki.


    "Ah, it''s nice to meet you!¡¡My name is Eva Urd Samariat of the Kingdom of Samariat!¡¡You must be the brave Kazuki!¡¡I have heard that you are the best friend of Mr. Usato!


    "Oh, so you''re my best friend. ...... I''m kind of embarrassed."


    "Well, I said it correctly this time. ......"


    Kazuki nodded happily at Eva''s explanation.


    Feeling slightly embarrassed that she remembered what I had said about Kazuki at Samaritan, I turn to Eva, who has successfully introduced herself.


    "Oh, the fight you two just had, it was so amazing!¡¡You were so fast that I couldn''t see you at all, but I could tell that you were really something!


    "Oh, thank you!"


    I don''t know, but this girl''s straightforward words make me flinch.


    As I was returning her thanks with an ambiguous expression, an older student approached Eva.


    "Are you alone?"


    "No, the knights are nearby."


    You didn''t go out alone, but with an escort.


    Thank God we''re not talking about Eva sneaking out on her own.


    As I am feeling relieved, I spot a suspicious sky-blue figure looking at me from near the entrance of the training ground.


    "Hmm?"


    <>


    <<>


    ...... I saw nothing.


    I didn''t see the sight of multiple sky-blue knights looking at me.


    I told myself that and turned to Kazuki to change the subject.


    "Let''s resume training, Kazuki. Would you like to stay and watch Eva?"


    "If it''s not too much trouble ......"


    "You and Kazuki don''t mind, do you?"


    "Of course."


    I don''t mind.


    "Thank you, Mr. Kazuki and Suzune for ......!"


    The training resumes with the new addition of Eva and a lively atmosphere.


    After the first game of tag with the seniors, it might not be a bad idea to try a different combination next time.


    "Usato. Would you mind accompanying me to the sword practice?¡¡Oh, if you''re tired, that''s fine. ......"


    "I''m fine on the physical side. I can''t use a sword, is that OK?


    "You can fight the way you''re good at, Usato. You can use your basket hand if you like.


    Then feel free to use it.


    I mean, in normal use, these are just hard baskets, like shields.


    I don''t know how good he is with the sword yet, but I''m going to be as serious as I was with my senpai.

 185 - - The 170th.

    The morning training was unexpectedly heated.


    The format of the training was such that we took turns playing tag with the seniors and taking turns in training with Kazuki, which was a natural way to train the basic areas that we wanted to develop.


    "Come on!"


    "Not yet!"


    For the first time today, Kazuki and I had a mock battle.


    I step out of the way of his slash with the wooden sword and throw a palm strike.


    He avoids it with minimal movement and tries to strike me with the butt of his wooden sword at my solar plexus.


    I immediately grab it with my basket hand and try to counterattack, but before I can do so, Kazuki strikes me with his shoulder, forcing me to retreat.


    "Finally, a blow with a body slam in agony. I guess I''m not as good as Usato in simple combat.


    "That''s not true. I''ve been on the edge of my seat for a while now.


    Actually, you''re right.


    Kazuki''s movements are surprisingly solid, and he is also extremely focused in battle.


    Perhaps because he has Mr. Sigurth as his master, his fighting style is very similar to that of a knight like Mr. Aruk, but even a simple swing, thrust, or cleave is powerful, and combined with the pressure, it has a unique difficulty in avoiding.


    If I had not experienced the battle with Rose, I might have been seriously attacked.


    "Kazuki. It''s almost noon, let''s cut out for the afternoon.


    "Is it that time already!¡¡I''m just getting used to Usato''s moves.


    "Ha-ha-ha, let''s do it again next time."


    "Ah!"


    I could say the same thing about my senpai, but Kazuki is getting used to my moves in such a short time.


    I am happy that I was able to help them through the mock battle, but I have to work harder!¡¡I feel like I have to work harder!


    I head to my senpai and Eva, who are observing with Kazuki, with a renewed determination to continue training without fail.


    "Good night, Usato, Kazuki.


    Thank you for your hard work!


    I nodded at their words, and Kazuki and I sat down on the field next to them.


    We have some time before the afternoon game, so we can eat lunch and change our clothes before then.


    As I sip the water offered by Eva while thinking about our plans for the day ahead, I notice that there are more eyes on the training field than before.


    "Oh, I didn''t know there were that many people here..."


    There must still be some time before the afternoon game, but no, it was more like students.


    "Usato-kun, I just noticed that.


    "What?¡¡Senpai, you noticed?"


    "Just now. I guess some students heard that we were training here and gathered here.


    "Oh, I see."


    If you look closely, you can see that they seem to be excited to see their seniors and Kazuki.


    Well, not to mention Eva, Senpai and Kazuki are real beauties. I can see why they are the talk of the town.


    Well, I don''t get any attention ......?¡¡Why are those two sneaking around looking at me?


    "?"?"


    <


    <<>


    When they notice my eyes on them, they turn blue and get scared.


    What''s that?


    Mr. Usato!


    What?¡¡What''s wrong?¡¡Eva."


    I turned my head toward Eva, feeling a bit confused, and she spoke to me happily with a twinkle in her eye.


    "I''ve always thought that you are very brave when you are fighting, Usato-san!¡¡It''s just like the auger I saw in a book the other day!"


    "Oh, thank you."


    His cheeks twitch, but he barely manages a smile.


    She says that with 100 percent good intentions. ......!¡¡I, Lucas, of course, will not allow you to disrespect her. ......!


    Eva smiles a dazzling smile like a flower as I return her thanks with tears of blood in my heart.


    Senpai, seeing this, also turns to me.


    "I also think you are brave and just like a real ogre!¡¡Usato!


    "Senpai, there are some things you are allowed to say and some things you are not allowed to say.


    Why?


    I spit the venom with a smile on my face, and my senpai grabbed my collar with a bewildered expression.


    I see, I looked so scary when I was fighting.


    Kazuki, who couldn''t help but notice my somber depression, calls out to me.


    "Usato''s eyes are so focused on you that he can''t miss your movements, so maybe that''s why you look so scary.


    "Well, you have to watch their movements to defend or avoid them. ......"


    I wonder if he had a wrinkled brow and a very serious look on his face.


    Either way, I am sure that there is nothing I can do to change my impression of the students here.


    No, I had a feeling that they had been avoiding me since I came here before, so it''s too late now. .......


    I was even more depressed when I realized so myself.


    I was even more depressed when I realized it myself.


    After finishing the morning training, we left Eva and went back to the lodge.


    As we parted from her, I had some misgivings about what the sky-blue knights were saying to Eva, but I decided not to think about it too much since I had to concentrate on the exchange match in the afternoon.


    After putting on our uniforms and having lunch, we headed back to the training field where the exchange game was to take place.


    "Are Mr. Welshy and Mr. Sigurth already there?"


    "Yes, it seems so. We''re going to be the first to show them our skills, so they''ll call us then. ......


    The senior''s gaze turns toward the training area.


    He had just been in a mock battle with Senpai and Kazuki, and while they were a short distance away from each other, five black targets had been set up that had not been there before.


    "Are those the targets we are going to hit?"


    "They seem to be. They are different in color from the white ones we used to hit with magic.


    It looks like only the color has changed, but the strength and everything else must be different from the targets we know.


    "Well, your arm is getting stronger."


    "You shouldn''t overdo it."


    "You say so, Usato-kun. But, Usato, if we want to gain the trust of soldiers from other countries, we have to show them our abilities to some extent.


    "That''s true, but ......"


    Senpai, you''re looking very determined.


    Well, maybe I''m a little elated because I have something I can put my real power into.


    I have that feeling, too.


    While we were waiting for the exchange match to start, a red-haired woman, Princess Nia, came up to us.


    "I see you''ve all arrived.


    Yes. ...... Prince Kyle?"


    She turned around and tilted her head.


    "My brother seems to have gone off on his own again. ......"


    "Oh, my God. ......"


    Prince Kyle, what a free spirit.


    Princess Nia looks a little tired.


    "I''m looking forward to today''s exchange game."


    "Oh, Princess Nia, will you join us?"


    No, I am not a fighter myself. I''m only a spectator because I''m the representative here.


    It sounds like you can handle a certain amount of fighting from the way you speak.


    It''s amazing that you can be both literal and martial despite being a busy royalty.


    I''m just going through the physical side of things.


    "Usato-sama, I apologize for my brother''s rude behavior the other day.


    "What?¡¡...... No, no!¡¡The question he had was a legitimate one, so I don''t mind!


    Princess Nai''a bows her head to me unexpectedly, and I am flustered.


    The other day, Prince Kyle''s comment was a bit harsh, but it should have been a fair criticism. For my part, I am rather thankful for that criticism, because it made me realize how naive I was.


    Princess Nai''a still does not lift her head.


    "Even so, I am sure that I made a comment to humiliate you with a personal grudge at such a serious occasion as the meeting. Please give him a good beating, or beat him up, or use him as a test subject for your healing fist."


    "Well, I''m punching everything."


    "If that''s allowed, my brother will take whatever punishment ......!"


    What?¡¡Can you hear me?¡¡My voice.


    Aren''t you trying to pin the blame solely on your brother?


    If you listen carefully, he''s gone from punching him once to gradually upgrading.


    When she had said all she wanted to say, she made a sullen face that was different from the sad one she had just made.


    "To be honest, Kyle may have made a bad impression on Karm Helio, so I thought it would be good if we could at least make them not talk to each other during this meeting."


    You''re being too frank!


    "Since you all seem to know what we''re up to, I thought I''d better not hide anything. Yes, I''m being frank."


    I wonder what he is really saying with his expressionless face.


    I casually look next to me and see ...... senpai and Kazuki donkeying around.


    Why is it that the women I meet are always, with a high probability, disappointing?


    "So, you''re not going to use ...... me as a test subject for the Renga-ken?"


    I won''t!


    "I see. I''m sorry. I thought this would be a good opportunity for you to straighten up your act.


    Princess Nai''a looks really disappointed, and I feel guilty, but I can''t aim my fist at her.


    Rather, the only creatures that would be allowed to use such a fist would be Koga, Rose, or some other monster-like creature, even if it is humanoid.


    "How much do you hate Prince Kyle? ......"


    "No, I don''t hate you.¡¡He''s my younger brother, and I''m just being strict with him because your father and mother spoiled him.


    As expected, even the senpai felt sorry for Prince Kyle''s treatment and asked him such a question, but what he received was a surprising answer.


    ...... If you think about it, if he really dislikes you, he wouldn''t lecture you or even talk to you.


    <>


    We turn our attention to the center of the training ground when we hear Ms. Welshy''s voice calling our names.


    There we saw the black target we had seen earlier and Welshy''s figure.


    "It looks like you are ready. I apologize for taking up your valuable time.


    No, no, we are glad to have gotten to know your personality.


    "I also ...... feel like I was able to relax and talk to people for the first time in a while. I hope you all have a good time at the exchange games.


    Finally, after giving a smile that was not a fake smile, Princess Nia bowed and left.


    After seeing her off, we walked back to Mr. Welshy.


    "Princess Nai''a was an interesting person, wasn''t she?


    "I was in a hurry, though, when he told me that he was going to ...... give Prince Kyle a series of fists."


    "Is it still a technique that shouldn''t be aimed at people?¡¡The magic itself is healing magic, right?


    I nodded at Kazuki''s words.


    "It''s healing magic, but it''s too powerful.


    "......, the more I hear about it, the more I''m curious about what kind of technique it is. Oh, yeah!¡¡What about the order!"


    What''s the order?""Order?""


    "The order in which we perform the moves!¡¡We''re not all going to do it together, so let''s decide it while we''re at it!


    That''s right.


    It would be embarrassing to make a mess about who will be the first to perform when the time comes.


    As I was trying to think of what number would be best, Kazuki spoke up.


    "Then, why don''t we do the same as the last time?


    "The last time?"


    "Last time we came to Lucvis, we had a chance to hit the target with our magic. The first one is you, the second one is me, and the third one is Usato, but in a different form.


    "Oh, that''s a good idea!¡¡How about you, Usato?"


    "That''s fine with me, too."


    We don''t even have to play rock-paper-scissors.


    Finally, we arrive at Mr. Welshy''s place.


    "We''re all here. Now then, at the beginning of the exchange game, I would like to have the representatives watch Suzune-sama, Kazuki-sama, and Usato-sama''s technique, which we had to demonstrate on short notice the other day.


    Yes."""Yes."""


    "I have prepared the wooden sword and other tools for you, but is there anyone who can use them?"


    "No, I use a basket hand, so there is no need.


    "I''m going to do it with just magic too, so ......"


    When Kazuki and I answered him, he seemed to think for a while, then snapped his hand as if he had an idea and pointed to about ten wooden swords.


    "Okay, here are the wooden swords. Let''s use them all."


    "What?¡¡All of it?


    No?


    That''s fine, but please don''t be too reckless ......, Suzune-sama. ......


    Of course!"


    As soon as he answered, Senpai, who was carrying ten wooden swords filled to the brim, thrust them one by one into the ground about ten meters away from the black target.


    "Senpai, what in the world do you think you are doing?"


    "I don''t know. I don''t know. But I''m sure they are going to do something we don''t expect.


    They nodded at Kazuki''s words and watched the situation for a while.


    I look around to see how many people are gathered around me.


    Master Lucas and Eva, the sky-blue knights.


    Princess Nia, Prince Kyle, who is holding his head and fainting in agony, as if he had been hit with a fist, and the knights guarding him.


    Mr. Hyde and Helena and their muscular-looking warriors.


    And Mr. Sigurth of the Lingle Kingdom and his knights.


    As other teachers and students from Lukvis look on, the older man turns to Welshy and us, having finished inserting all but one of his wooden swords into the ground.


    "Wellsey, can we start now?"


    "Yes. "Yes. I just want to make sure that you don''t do anything rash.


    The senior nodded at Mr. Welshy''s words and now turned his attention to us.


    "Usato-kun, Kazuki-kun. It''s only for a moment, so don''t miss it."


    "Yes?"


    After saying this, Senpai turned his body toward the black target and assumed a stabbing stance with the wooden sword he had left at hand beforehand, and then he gushed the magic power of lightning into his body.


    As soon as the air in the training hall changes, Senpai''s figure is drowned out with a flash of lightning.


    <>


    The next time I heard someone''s voice sounding so foolish, the change had already happened.


    The first change was that the wooden sword pierced the target, which was supposed to be reinforced, with a strong sound.


    However, there was no senpai there, and when I thought I heard the strong sound of electric shocks gushing out again, all the wooden swords that had been thrust in front of the black target disappeared, and the next moment, several wooden swords thrust into the target, burning it with a residue of lightning.


    "---Yes!¡¡Success!"


    Sliding on the ground, our senpai appeared in front of us, and when he saw the still-burned target, he looked at us with the most smug look on his face and snapped his fingers.


    The next moment, ten wooden swords emitted powerful thunderbolts, and almost instantly the black target was obliterated.


    <>


    Oh, my God, that''s it.


    I have no words to describe it.


    What?¡¡Moving at super-high speed, thrusting a wooden sword into the target, and then discharging internally?


    What''s so gruesome about that? How can you think of such a technique?


    "This is the Ten Strikes of Lightning ......!"


    And he even came up with a really cool name for it.


    I can forgive you for that name alone.


    That''s great, I really respect him.


    However, the people around him are still speechless, rather than being impressed by the out-of-the-ordinary super-sequence of attacks he has performed.


    Perhaps not caring about such stares, the senior came back to us and tapped Kazuki on the shoulder.


    "Kazuki-kun, next time, please do me a favor."


    "......Yes, you''re in charge."


    The older man, who had replaced Kazuki and moved up next to me, seemed to be in a good mood as he spoke to me.


    "How''s it going?¡¡It was only for a moment, wasn''t it?


    "Yes, that''s my senior. That was cool."


    "Hmmm, you can praise me more. The more you praise me, the more I grow.


    "......"


    "Mute!"


    He looks at Kazuki, who is now in the same position as him.


    Just then, he was standing in front of the target next to the one that he had obliterated, and was increasing the magic of his own light system.


    "Senpai has done something this spectacular. Then I have to do something as great as him ......!"


    More than ten magic bullets shot out from Kazuki''s palms and floated in the air.


    All of them fly around in the air, moving like living creatures.


    Not only the representatives but also the people in the school who handle magic gasp at Kazuki''s extraordinary manipulation of magic power.


    "My power is dangerous. But it can be anything depending on how you handle it!


    As soon as Kazuki raises his hand, the magic bullet is fixed in mid-air.


    "Hit the target!"


    Kazuki''s command is followed by a high-speed rotation, and the magic bullet is shot out, penetrating the target as if it were a piece of tofu.


    But it does not end there.


    Even after penetrating the target, the magic bullet does not disappear, but floats up into the air again.


    "It''s not complete, but we need to strengthen the system!"


    The magic bullets floating up in the air merge and transform into a spear-like shape.


    Seeing the spear, which was stopped in mid-air with a divine radiance, Kazuki lowered his hand, as if he had lost his strength.


    The spear fell in synchronization with the movement of Kazuki''s hand, and when it pierced the target, it popped with an intense light.


    There was nothing left but a gaping crater.


    "......"


    Just as in the case of my seniors, everyone here is in raptures.


    Of course, they have destroyed the target twice in a row, which is surely more powerful than the last time.


    In Kazuki''s case, he was not only obliterated, but also annihilated.


    Senpai and Kazuki are both too hard, but I think it''s just as well.


    But if you think about it, he usually unleashes his healing fist after that.


    ......I might add a little arrangement to it since it''s a place like this.

 186 - - The 171st.

    In the exchange match, we were to showcase the abilities of the two heroes, Kazuki and I, and the technique of Usato, who had defeated the commander of the 2nd Demon Army, the Healing Rengou Kiken.


    I would use a wooden sword to launch a series of super attacks on the target, and finally burn the target to the core with the lightning magic contained in the sword.


    Kazuki-kun attacked the target simultaneously with his magic bullets, which were created by his excellent manipulation of magic power, and completely annihilated the target.


    Both of them were so powerful that they could be said to be excessive, easily destroying the target, which should have been strengthened since the last time.


    After Kazuki and I, there was Usato''s technique, the Healing Rengouken, which in a way must have interested him as much as or more than us.


    "Hang in there, Usato!"


    "Yes, I''ll give it a try."


    After exchanging a slightly embarrassed high-five at Kazuki''s raised hand, Usato heads for the third and final target.


    I should have given him a high-five too. ......


    I was so happy with the success of the move that I completely missed the thought of it. ......!


    "Healing Fist, huh?"


    "Usato told me about the principle of the technique, but ...... I couldn''t quite picture it. Now I can finally see it.


    Kazuki came back here and I stood alongside him and thought about the Healing Renga Kenshi.


    Last night, when I explained this technique to him at the inn, he replied, "This is not the right kind of magic for a lifeguard corps. This is a feat in which, while in close contact with the opponent, he strikes him over and over again with the impact created by the outburst of magic power.


    And since the shockwave is released while the fist is tightened, the impact will be immeasurable.


    When I heard his story, I knew that this technique was certainly not a technique that should be used against human beings.


    "But, on the other hand, ...... it was a good enough opponent that I had to use it."


    "So ....... Usato also said that he didn''t want to use it as much as possible."


    Koga Dingal, Commander of the 2nd Legion of the Demon Army.


    He is a black knight ...... and a demon who deals with the same dark lineage as Ferrum.


    He was fighting on the same field as Usato who has tremendous physical ability, he must surely be better at physical combat than Kazuki and me.


    While I was lost in my thoughts, Usato-kun started to do some preparatory exercises.


    "Welshy, are there three targets in total?"


    "No, I have prepared five targets in total, just in case. However, one of them is no longer available at .......


    "What? Why?"


    "Before you arrived, Prince Kyle mistook it for a training target and unleashed his magic. The target itself is not damaged, it''s just stained with soot, but I''ve taken it down in case there are any flaws.


    "I see. ......"


    Prince Kyle would do .......


    I mean, Princess Nia was hitting the target with her magic while she was out of sight.


    That would make her mad. .......


    "But Usato seems to be going from a very distant place."


    "Oh, sure."


    The distance between Kazuki and me in front of the target was about ten meters, but Usato was staring at the black target from about thirty meters away.


    Is he going to make a running start?


    "What is that healing wizard trying to do?"


    "!¡¡...... Prince Kyle."


    I turned around to see Prince Kyle casually approaching me when I heard a voice behind me.


    I immediately looked at Princess Nia, who was bowing her head apologetically, as if she had arrived before I had time to stop her.


    "You have explained your technique in such an exaggerated manner at the meeting. I wanted to see it as closely as possible with my own eyes. Do you mind if I take a look from here?"


    "...... No, as you wish."


    I don''t mind either.


    Unlike Kazuki, who responded with a beaming smile, I was a bit dismissive.


    I was not inclined to welcome him because he had a look that said, "I''ll give him a good scolding if he does a poor job.


    "If it''s doing its preparatory exercises, you don''t think it''s going to destroy it with its bare hands, do you?¡¡Even my magic couldn''t scratch it. ......"


    "Ha-ha-ha, Usato will be fine. I can vouch for his ability.


    "Oh, I see. ......"


    Kazuki replied cheerfully, and as expected, Prince Kyle looked away somewhat awkwardly.


    He must have been puzzled by the straightforward words of Usato, whose trust in him is at its highest level.


    "It''s not that I doubt the words of the brave man, but I still don''t believe in this healing fist thing. I don''t really understand what it means, and the principle of the outburst of the system reinforcement that my sister told me about is too crazy.


    I don''t doubt that feeling.


    The technique of daring to cause the outburst of the lineage reinforcement ...... is a very dangerous technique, though I named it as "lineage blasting" for the time being.


    He is performing this technique with a cage hand, but he is doing it with a nonchalant face, even though he has a cage hand. I don''t know if he has no sense of danger, or if he had some ordeal that he had to go through to overcome it, but ...... his technique must be in the same <> as mine and Kazuki''s.


    <


    "Usato took a stance: ......"


    "!"


    Kazuki''s voice brings me back to myself and I look at Usato.


    He had deployed a basket hand that covered his right arm seamlessly, and was holding it as if to draw it.


    Everyone in the training area, as well as myself, looks at Usato''s behavior.


    As soon as he slowly fell forward, he accelerated without warning with the sound of something popping.


    "Gone!"


    Prince Kyle seemed to have lost sight of him, but I could see his movements as I was in lightning beast mode, specializing in speed.


    At the moment he started to run, a burst of magic power erupted from his cage hand, which was pulled backward, and he accelerated rapidly.


    Probably, it was the healing acceleration fist that was mentioned in the morning training.


    He did it with each step on the ground and reached the black target with extraordinary speed,


    "Healing Fist!"


    He shouted, and as he passed by the target, he slammed his fist, which had been speeded up even more by the acceleration fist, into the upper half of the target''s body---in that instant, the target burst into a thousand pieces, and his fist was swept away without resistance.


    "---What?


    He skidded to a halt on the ground and looked back at the target, letting out a stunned cry.


    The black target that had been hit by his healing fist was ...... blown away as if the upper half of its body had exploded, leaving it a horribly disfigured figure.


    >


    >


    <>


    <>


    <


    The people of Samaritan, Nirvarna, and Calm Helio were upset by the sheer power of the Healing Fist.


    The students, perhaps because of their previous reputation, were saying, "It''s back even worse than before! They are saying things like "He came back even more dangerous!


    "No, what?¡¡What is that, it''s not healing magic or anything. I mean, it''s got the word ''healing'' on it, but what''s the point of that?


    Prince Kyle, who is watching nearby, also seems to be confused.


    However, Kazuki and I had expected this to happen, in a way, and we are proud of ourselves.


    "Healing Fist. I didn''t expect it to be so powerful."


    "The name of the technique is just as good as the name of the technique. But it''s different from what you explained yesterday.


    "Oh, by the way, it''s supposed to be a technique to hit multiple outbursts of magic at close range, but ...... it''s a little different."


    Meanwhile, a somewhat awkward-looking Usato-kun comes back to us.


    Hmm?¡¡But he is holding the remnants of a black target.


    Sweating profusely, he approaches Welshy, who is looking absent-minded, not us.


    "Mr. Welsey, ...... sorry."


    "...... is!¡¡I''m sorry, I was just letting my mind wander. Well, why are you apologizing?"


    That wasn''t a healing fist.


    What?"""""


    I, Kazuki-kun, and Welshie''s questioning voices leaked out.


    Seeing the reaction, Usato''s face turns even paler, and Welshy asks him a question.


    "......What does that mean?"


    "The truth is,...... the truth is?¡¡I was going to hit him with my fist in an accelerated state and hit him with a healing fist strike at the same time as the impact. But the target was softer ...... than I had imagined and couldn''t withstand it, and it broke with almost only one blow, so I don''t know if I can call it a ...... continuous strike fist... ..."


    "......"


    Mr. Welshy?


    Oh, no!¡¡Welsey''s about to go blind!


    I quickly put my hand on her shoulder to bring her back to her senses and follow her.


    "Wellsey!¡¡Luckily, you still have the target on you!¡¡Maybe we can use it again!"


    "...... what?¡¡Yes, that''s right!¡¡It''s still okay, it''s still okay. There should be no problem with the progress of ......!¡¡Hang in there, I ......!"


    Welshy said to herself, and with a somewhat grim look on her face, she went to tell them about the new target and that Usato-kun was going to do the continuous fire fist once again.


    After feeling relieved, he turned to Usato-kun.


    "Usato, you sure that wasn''t a healing fist strike earlier?


    "Yes. I thought it was a good opportunity to really unleash my technique, and if I''m going to do it, I''m going to do it with all my might. ......


    "Oh, I''m going to go all out ......."


    Certainly, from what I have just seen, it would be of little use in a battle.


    I mean, if Usato-kun did it as hard as he could, would it be like that?


    "But I never thought that I would unintentionally create something like a new technique.


    "New technique?¡¡The same technique as before?"


    "Using the healing acceleration fist to move at high speed, he enters the pocket at once and slams his fist into it, striking an outburst of magical power at the same time as the impact ...... to name a few."


    He put his hand on his chin and pondered for a few seconds, then opened his mouth with a proud expression on his face.


    "A one-strike healing punch. The healing punch of the healing punch.


    "!?!!"


    Wait, it''s full of elements like "depth" and "kata" and so on...


    I can forgive Usato-kun just for the cool name of the technique!


    I don''t know what to forgive myself for, though!


    "So, Rengage Kenshi is a different technique.


    "Next time, I will not rearrange the moves, but will just go ahead and do them as they are. I can''t trouble Mr. Welshy, can I?"


    Usato nodded at Kazuki''s words.


    But how could you easily destroy a reinforced target with a technique that you had developed by accident?


    To the grown-up Kazuki-kun and I, magic is soft enough to feel, but the way Usato''s technique broke the target, it was more like he was forced to explode it with his arm strength rather than with magic.


    I am looking forward to ...... to see what the real Healing Renga Kiken is like.


    A few minutes later, a spare black target was prepared and Welshie informed the people in the training area that he would once again demonstrate the Healing Rengage Fist.


    Once again, Usato-kun moved in front of the target and came close enough to reach the target without taking a distance from it.


    As he had declared, this time he moved directly to the healing fist without running.


    "......Good."


    Taking a small deep breath, he grips the shoulder part of the black target with his left hand and lightly places the part covered by the basket hand on his abdomen.


    He moved his left leg forward and sat back down, his eyes as sharp as a hawk''s. He took a small, deep breath.


    The people in the training hall are quiet at this quiet start.


    "Healing strike, fist!


    At the same moment that Usato muttered, a sound as if something burst from the cage hand that was tightly attached to the target.


    The impact from the outburst of magic power seems to be extraordinary, and the target has cracked with just one blow.


    However, that was not the end of it. He fixed the target, which was about to be blown away, firmly with his left hand, and turned his head down and hit the target with a relentless outburst of magic power.


    "I see...a defensive penetration by a series of blows concentrated on a single point. So that''s what you call the Healing Rengou Kiken."


    "Surely, with a technique like that, even the demon tribe would be unable to stand a chance. ......"


    "......"


    Prince Kyle, who is near me and Kazuki, seems unable to utter a word as he mutters this.


    The Healing Blink Fist was an impactful technique, but the Healing Rengage Fist was even more so.


    When the target was split in half by the seventh impact, Usato-kun finally lowered his right fist.


    The target that had been hit by the seventh impact was still in a worse shape than the first one, but it was still in a state of disrepair. The entire target was covered with cracks, and the part that had been continuously impacted from beginning to end had not even retained its original shape.


    I should say, it was a shocking technique in many ways.


    In the still silent training room, Usato-kun came back to us, scratching his cheeks as if he was troubled.


    "I''m glad you kept your magic power. I should practice adjusting the amount of magic power.


    "Usato."


    Hmm, what is it?


    But, but...


    I was happy that I had broken Prince Kyle''s heart, but I was most happy that he had grown up and felt that he was fighting alongside me and Kazuki.


    That is why I, as a senior and as your colleague, would like to send you a word of encouragement.


    "You are a man who will never betray my expectations!


    "What?¡¡Thank you very much.


    He''s embarrassed!¡¡That Usato?


    Well, then, you just have to keep on making a good impression ......!


    "With Usato-kun, we''re a hundred strong!¡¡Or maybe even a thousand!"


    "...... huh?"


    Why do you sigh there, Usato-kun: ......!

 187 - - The 172nd.

    I thought I knew exactly what I had done.


    It was completely my own fault that I had arranged and presented a new technique, and I knew that I would get such a reaction from the audience when I presented Healing Renga-ken itself.


    "......"


    I had consumed a lot of magic power in the earlier unveiling, so I sat down on a chair in a rest area set up in one of the training grounds and rested my body while watching the exchange games between the kingdoms.


    "The third type, huh?"


    It is not a matter of being carried away by the atmosphere of the place or anything like that.


    Healing Blink Fist, a one-strike-and-you''re-out, head-on healing punch.


    Thinking about it again, if the target had not been broken by this move, he could have continued the continuous strike fist. Though it is a big burden on the amount of magic power, this technique must not be aimed at living creatures either.


    I wondered how Nair would react if she knew about it, when a voice called out from behind me in the rest area.


    "Usato, I''m here."


    "Hmm?¡¡Amako?"


    "Yeah."


    Amako came to visit me.


    She sat down next to me and talked to me with a subtle expression on her face.


    "...... You know, Usato, you are the kind of person who creates techniques by instinct, aren''t you? What you just said, to put it mildly, is not a technique that should be used by a human being, let alone a wizard.


    "I''ll tell you that much: ......"


    Amako sits down next to me and turns to face me, putting her hood back on.


    Kiriha and the others were surprised.


    How did they react?


    "Outrageous. I think that''s the reaction of most people who saw it.


    I knew it.


    They avoided me when I came here before, but now I''m afraid people won''t even come near me anymore.


    "By the way, Suzune and Kazuki are amazing!¡¡and cool! and "cool!


    "Well, their moves were cool. Yeah."


    Kazuki''s ten-strand lightning thrust, though harsh, was super cool, and Kazuki''s precise manipulation of magic with his light magic was stunning.


    I nodded my head as I recalled their techniques, and then asked Amako about something that had been bothering me.


    "What about me, by the way?"


    "Oh no, I''m scared, I''m scared..."


    "Don''t say any more. My heart can''t take it."


    "I think it''s understandable. Unlike Suzune and Kazuki, Usato''s is too impressive physically."


    This is the difference in treatment.


    In a sense, this may have planted the wrong perception of healing magic.


    "By the way, what about Suzune and Kazuki?"


    "They are playing an exchange game. They are playing against representatives of other countries.


    Kazuki is interacting with the knights of the Kingdom of Calm Helio and Senpai is interacting with the sky-blue knights of the Kingdom of Samaritan, each in a different form of hand-to-hand combat.


    I was especially interested in the movements of the sky-blue knights who are escorting Master Lucas and Eva, with whom Senpai is currently engaging in a mock battle.


    How should I put it, there is no waste in their movements. They showed no sign of wavering even in a battle where they were forced to fight in mixed battles.


    Even though it is many against one, there is no way to doubt their ability when they are able to fight against their seniors..,


    >


    >


    <<<<<< oh oh oh! >>>>>>


    >


    "......"


    The girls are in a formation so that their shoulders collide with each other, dispersing the power of the electric shocks as they boldly move toward their senpai, radiating tremendous spirit.


    Amako, who looked in the same direction as I did, looked at me with a subtle expression.


    "...... Hey, Usato. They are ......."


    "They are people who fight in solidarity, united by a firm oath. Let''s just say that."


    "...... um, yeah."


    Sometimes, spirit and perseverance are better weapons than anything else. .......


    It''s usually amazing to be able to take a senior''s blitz and then charge at him.


    Is that it?¡¡Is he putting more emphasis on defense and durability in order to protect Eva?¡¡Samaritan is a country that is well versed in magic tools, so maybe that sky-blue armor has some special power.


    I think about this, check my physical condition once more, and slowly sit up.


    "Well..."


    "Are you going?"


    "Yeah, I can''t just sit around and do nothing during an important exchange game."


    I''m also here as a representative of the Lifeguard Corps.


    You have to get to know the people of the other kingdoms, even if only a little.


    I also have to learn what the people I will be fighting with are wearing and what their armor looks like."


    My mission is to save the wounded on the battlefield.


    If I make the wrong decision between friend and foe, even for a moment, I could end up causing the death of lives that could have been saved.


    I don''t want to have such an experience again. ...... So I have to do what I can do now so that I will not regret it when the time comes.


    I leave Amako and enter the training area where the exchange game is being held.


    While I was doing some light preparation exercises there, I found Mr. Hyde nearby watching a mock battle between warriors who seemed to be his subordinates and the knights of the Lingle Kingdom.


    Mr. Hyde notices my appearance and calls out to me in a friendly manner as usual.


    "Oh, Usato. Is your body alright now?"


    "Yes, I''m not at full strength, but I''ve got some magic left in me.


    "I see. But you mustn''t overdo it. You''re too important to us.


    Mr. Hyde''s words surprised me because they conveyed his trust in me and, by extension, in the rescue group.


    He is a straight talker in the best sense of the word.


    "The knights of the Kingdom of Lingle are very well rounded. Perhaps because of their experience in the battle against the Demon King''s army, they are more than equal to the men in the unit I lead.


    Hearing Mr. Hyde''s words, we turn our attention to the battle between the knights of the Kingdom of Lingle and the warriors of the Kingdom of Nirvarna.


    The knights fight flexibly to complement each other, and the warriors shout and fight wildly but powerfully.


    The battle that seems to truly express the characteristics of each kingdom seems to be, as Mr. Hyde said, a rivalry.


    "You were right to come to this meeting."


    "What?"


    "Not only did it give my men a good experience, but above all, it allowed us to confirm the abilities of the brave men and the rumored lifeguard. This alone was more than enough for me."


    Mr. Hyde muttered to himself as he watched the exchange.


    ......I, too, thought it would be a shame to let this opportunity go to waste.


    Thinking so, I bowed to Mr. Hyde who was standing next to me to ask for a favor.


    "Um,...... Mr. Hyde, would you mind if I asked you to make a hand match with me?"


    "...... what?"


    "Oh, no, no, you can refuse if you can''t ......".


    "No, you''re more than welcome to come to ......, but you''re not in the best of shape, are you?"


    Well, that''s good. He took me up on it. .......


    Mr. Hyde is right, I''m far from my best now that I''ve consumed all my magical energy.


    But physically and mentally I am fine.


    Besides..,


    "If I miss the opportunity to meet with Mr. Hyde now, I''m afraid I''ll regret it terribly later. ......"


    "...... hahaha!¡¡I see, if that''s the reason, then I have no choice!¡¡Okay, let''s do it!"


    He smiled happily without paying attention to his surroundings, clapped me on the shoulder firmly, and then told his subordinate, Helena, who was waiting near him, that he and I were going to have a hand-to-hand combat.


    "Helena, I''m going to fight him now. I''m going to fight him now, and you''ll take care of the rest in a little while.


    Wait a minute. I''ve been listening to you, but please don''t get too hot, okay?¡¡You really can''t handle it when you get carried away.


    "Hmph, don''t worry. Who do you think I am?"


    "I don''t understand how you can be so confident. ......"


    Helena''s shoulders slumped, and I, as the one who had proposed the meeting, felt somewhat sorry.


    Well, it is not a good thing that I did, even if she accepted my offer willingly.


    Even though I was originally a warrior leader, I had offered him a fight as a representative of my country.


    "Still, ......"


    More than enough to make it worthwhile.


    Maybe Mr. Hyde, like Leona of Mearaq, will put more emphasis on technique, which is not easily surpassed by brute force.


    But that''s fine.


    It''s not about winning or losing, it''s about what I can get out of this.


    "Well, I should probably use the weapons from the training grounds ......."


    We move to a place that no one is using, but Mr. Hyde has only a round shield in his hand, which he rents at the training center.


    He does not use a weapon?¡¡As I wondered, he was covered with ochre-colored magic power, and he raised his right leg and slammed it down to the ground forcefully.


    In a moment of surprise at his sudden action, a hilt-like object came out of the ground in front of Mr. Hyde.


    "What?


    "Here we go!"


    Mr. Hyde pulled the handle that came flying out in front of him out of the ground.


    The tip of the handle turned into a blade and changed into a spear-like shape.


    "What, it''s just a special kind of earth magic. It is a simple magic that can strike magic into the ground and manipulate its shape and strength to some extent. Oh, of course I draw my blades.


    I''m not sure if you make weapons with magic like Leona does. .......


    Could it be that talented people like Leona-san and Hyde-san basically change the shape of magic and use it in battle?


    Mr. Hyde, who was still surprised, laughed at me as he regained his grip on the spear in his hand to make sure it was in good condition.


    "You want to fight me, a man who knows all kinds of weapons, don''t you?¡¡Then I thought it would be better for you to use my magic."


    "That much for me ......"


    "It doesn''t matter what country you''re from or what strain of magic you have. If there is a man with a strong will and a desire for strength, I will always show him the way. That is my role as a leader.


    With these words, Mr. Hyde readied his shield.


    "I''m already prepared, how about you?"


    "I''m ready to start, too.


    He deploys his kotei and assumes his usual posture.


    He cannot use the healing acceleration fist which consumes a lot of magic power. Then, I can return my fighting style to what it was a while ago.


    As I watch Mr. Hyde''s movement, I see him swinging his right hand with his spear in a big swing.


    "Nnnn!"


    "Nnnn!"


    He threw his spear at me!


    I am startled by the sudden attack, but I evade it by leaning my body, and this time he rushes at me with his shield ready.


    He cancels the healing magic bullet in his palm and thrusts his left arm out to catch Mr. Hyde''s thrust.


    The impact is not small, but I still managed to block the attack itself.


    From here, the healing punch..,


    "I guess I''m not as good as I used to be!¡¡Then how about this!"


    Mr. Hyde shoved his shield down, and then, "Dang!¡¡and grabs the hilt that has come flying out of the ground, swinging it up from below.


    He barely avoids it, but is chilled when he sees the weapon appear.


    "An axe... ......!"


    I couldn''t see it because it was hidden by the shield!


    Almost seamless creation of a weapon!¡¡Even though the weapon is not yet in its full potential, the strategy is too irregular!


    Watch your step!


    "Shima-shima--"


    Just as I was distracted by the axe, Mr. Hyde unleashes a kick that hits me directly in the leg.


    He takes advantage of this opportunity and slams his shield down on my torso, lifting me up and throwing me with great force.


    What?


    I adjust my stance in the air and unleash a healing flying fist.


    Mr. Hyde is surprised and holds up his shield, as if he didn''t expect to be attacked while being thrown away.


    The healing flying fist hits his shield, and a high-pitched metallic sound echoes.


    "Hahaha, that''s intense ......!"


    He was able to see through the Healing Flying Fist at the first sight. ......!


    Trying to keep my composure, I try to approach Mr. Hyde as soon as I land.


    In response to me, he threw his shield to the ground and magically created a new sword.


    "Come on, come on!"


    "Yes!"


    A two-fisted axe and a sword.


    It may seem unbalanced, but simply having twice as many hands makes it extremely troublesome.


    "Don''t hit each other too hard, just jump into the pocket ......!"


    I activate the Healing Acceleration Fist only once and accelerate at once, and after I hit Mr. Hyde''s left hand sword with my basket hand, I hit him with the palm of my left hand which is covered with healing magic.


    "Huh!"


    The bottom of my palm is blocked by the handle of the axe just before the direct hit, but I still forcefully push Mr. Hyde''s body out of the way.


    The sword in Mr. Hyde''s hand is released by the impact, and it pierces the ground in front of me.


    "......!"


    I feel a slight tremor as he backs away lightly.


    It''s a palm strike, but it must have had some force. Then, I''ll follow up while I still can..,


    "I''ve been playing with you for a while now, and I''ve learned something."


    "......"


    "Indeed, you are as good as any young hero."


    Mr. Hyde turns over and discards the cracked axe.


    Now empty-handed, he rises slowly from his kneeling position, a grim look on his face.


    "But you only have eyes for the people you''re fighting, for better or worse. You are still like that.


    At the moment he said this, I noticed a trace amount of magic power emanating from the sword he had just thrust in front of me.


    By the time I realized it, it was too late, and something like a cylinder was coming up from the ground at a tremendous speed, right in front of my abdomen.


    He manipulated the ground with the magic power in his sword?¡¡How is that possible?


    "......!"


    Struck by a surprise, I give up my evasion and put my basket hand on the defensive.


    I braced my stomach for the impact, and the column stopped just before it hit me.


    "...... stopped?"


    No, Mr. Hyde stopped it. .......


    The attack was completely out of my mind.


    If he had the magic of earth system, he should have been able to assume......, but he couldn''t because, as Mr. Hyde said, he was only concentrating on his movement and not looking around him.


    As I was feeling down and reflecting on the situation, Mr. Hyde walked up to me with his big thighs and spoke to me after taking a big breath.


    "Usato!¡¡You are strong!¡¡You''re incredibly strong!


    "What?¡¡Oh, thank you!


    I couldn''t help but thank him out loud.


    Mr. Hyde nodded his head in satisfaction at my response.


    "But you have by far the least experience with wizards. Or should I say, in your case, you do have some personal experience, but with someone too extreme?"


    "......"


    Maybe so.


    Looking back, most of the people I fought had a special way of fighting.


    Mr. Karon, who was in a runaway state, just relied on his arm strength and huge amount of magical power, and had nothing to do with techniques.


    "Some wizards are good at remote activation as I mentioned earlier, and some are good at luring from a distance. Perhaps now you will always be on the back foot when dealing with them.


    "...... Yes."


    "Keep an open mind. That''s one of the things you''re missing. You are paying too much attention to your opponent''s moves and not enough to everything else. In the previous hand-to-hand combat, you were so focused on the weapon that you were distracted from your feet, or you were so focused on me when I made you retreat that you didn''t notice the sword with the magic power in it."


    Mr. Hyde''s words reminded me of the injuries I had sustained in the battle with Koga.


    I was attacked in three places at the same time, in my shoulder, stomach, and leg.


    That attack was also caused by my being too distracted by Koga''s movements.


    I was too distracted by Koga''s movements, and that''s why I got hit. Well, it''s all well and good to talk big, but I was easily hit by the same thing myself. It''s not cool."


    >


    "Shut up!¡¡I know that better than anyone!"


    Hyde shouted back at Helena, who was probably watching our hand-to-hand combat and had been yelling at us.


    Ms. Hyde said she had received a blow, but she was defending herself well, and I wouldn''t call it a blow.


    I was rather curious to see how strong Mr. Hyde would be if he really got into it.


    He seems to be quite strong when you consider that he can use a wide variety of weapons and can also fight using the terrain of the earth system.


    "Well, let''s see. We still have some time left, shall we continue?


    "Of course.


    I nodded strongly at Mr. Hyde''s words as he picked up his shield and created a halberd from the earth.


    I began to discover what I had not seen before, what I had lacked.


    At first, I was worried about many things, but from the bottom of my heart, I was glad that I had come to this meeting.

 188 - - The 173rd.

    Today''s exchange game was a very fruitful event for me.


    Through the hand-to-hand combat with Mr. Hyde, I learned in detail what I lacked and how to deal with various weapons, and I was able to clarify the issues I need to address in the future.


    I also met with the knights of the Kingdom of Calm Helio and the sky-blue knights of Samaritan, and as one might expect, each of them had their own unique fighting style, and I learned a lot from them.


    The night after the exchange game.


    After dinner and a meeting of sorts, I lay down on my bed at the inn and thought about what had been discussed in the meeting earlier.


    "Tomorrow is the end of the meeting..."


    If nothing happens, the meeting will end tomorrow.


    If there had been any obstacles or conflicts, the meeting would have been postponed for a few days, but since the sense of crisis against the Demon King''s Army was higher than expected among the kingdoms and Lucas-sama assisted the meeting to proceed smoothly, the meeting would be finished earlier than we had expected.


    It was a good thing for us to be able to finish the meeting early, as the Demon King''s army could attack at any time.


    While I was thinking about this, suddenly there was a knock at the door of my room.


    "......?¡¡Is it Kazuki?"


    Or was it my senior?¡¡No, he said, "Woo-saatooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!" as if he were on a school trip in elementary school.


    Tilting my head, I put my hand on the doorknob and opened the door,


    "Hello, Usato. I''m here to play."


    The too-unexpected person appears in front of me, and I reflexively close the door and slap myself hard on the cheek.


    What''s that?¡¡Did I dream this?¡¡I feel as if Master Lucas came to my room dressed in rough clothes.


    I even heard an auditory hallucination that he had come to visit me.


    After taking a deep breath, I slowly opened the door and saw Master Lucas with a big smile on his face. .......


    "Hey, Usato!¡¡I''m here to play!"


    "What are you doing, you ......?"


    As I am stunned, Lucas smiles at me like a child who has just played a successful prank.


    "This is a traditional trick only royalty are allowed to pull off," he said.


    There is no such traditional technique!


    "Oh, don''t worry!¡¡I''ve brought my own guards!


    I don''t think that''s the issue.


    How can this man be so free?


    Well, thanks to Mr. Lucas, the meeting is going without a hitch, for which I am very grateful.


    "By the way, how is Eva doing?"


    "Oh, she''s at ......."


    As I tilt my head, I hear a conversation in the hallway through the open door.


    >


    >


    "Now, you''re playing with the tin cans."


    "Oh, I see."


    Why is it that I can easily imagine senpai being purified by Eva''s innocence?


    At any rate, I invite Lucas-sama into my room, while inwardly cheering for the senpai who will be pushed around by Eva, and for Eva who will try to be friends with the senpai.


    "Please come in here."


    Ha-ha-ha, there is no need to be so timid. I''m the one who came here.


    "No, I''m a superior even without that. ......"


    He pulls out a table and chairs to the center of the room and asks Master Lucas to sit in the chair he has prepared.


    I also decline and sit down in the chair across from his table.


    "First of all, let me give you my impressions of today''s exchange game. I''m relieved to see that you are as usual.


    "Oh, you mean as usual ......"


    No, you were the same as ever.


    Before, in front of Master Lucas, you subdued several knights with healing magic bullets and your bare hands, and even with the help of Nair, you sank the strongest knight in the kingdom, Fegnis-san.


    "I came to you today because I wanted to talk to you about something.


    "If you want to talk, you can come to ...... during the day."


    "This matter is a little bit complicated. I can''t do it in the presence of unrelated people."


    I can''t do it in the presence of unrelated people. ...... means that the story is related to me.


    The only things that come to mind are the curse of Samaritan, the heroes of the past, or Eva.


    The other thing that comes to mind is ...... Mr. Fegnis.


    "You may have a few things in mind, but I want to talk about Faegnis."


    "...... what is he doing now?"


    "He''s in jail. He''s calmer than he was after the incident, but he still won''t open his mouth."


    In jail, huh?


    It''s not surprising considering what he''s done ......, but the look on Master Lucas''s face as he talks about it is somewhat sad.


    "Indeed, he has sinned. Even though he knew about the curse, he overlooked Eliza''s disappearance, sacrificed Eva, and even tried to bind you to Samaritan.


    Yes, sir.


    For Samaritan.


    That was Mr. Fegnis'' goal.


    But I, too, was on a great mission, and I was determined not to let Eva be sacrificed, so I destroyed what he had protected, freeing the souls of those who had been bound by the curse for hundreds of years.


    "That is certainly unforgivable. But at the same time, I still consider him a friend."


    "......"


    "Even if he betrayed me, even if he cheated me, I can''t change the memory of how he helped me rule my country."


    I thought at the time that Master Lucas and Mr. Fegnis were really good friends.


    That''s why he is shocked at the fact that they betrayed him, but at the same time, he doesn''t hate them completely.


    "Usato. I would like to ask you, who was involved in this situation at that time. Can I ...... forgive him and Faegnis?"


    I thought about it for a while, and chose my words as carefully as possible to reply.


    "I don''t know how to say this, but he had his own beliefs. No matter how distorted his means may be, I am sure that what he was going to do was not for his own greed, but for the people of Samaritan. That''s why I think we should ...... exchange words, whether we forgive or not."


    It is too irresponsible to just talk and make up.


    Even if Mr. Lucas forgives Mr. Fegnis for his behavior, others may not. But still, nothing can be done without talking to him.


    I myself have not forgiven him for sacrificing Eva, but if he decides to take the right path after the conversation with Master Lucas, I will accept his decision without saying a word.


    "Yes, that''s exactly right. I should have known it myself, but I just couldn''t act on it. ...... Maybe I just needed a nudge from you."


    "What, me?"


    "Yes, only a few people know the whole story. I wanted to hear your answer, since you know everything.


    With a smile on his face, Master Lucas leaned back against the backrest, as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.


    "As a matter of fact, I told Eva the same thing.


    "What did she say?"


    "<>She said, "I don''t know. She never had a grudge against Fognis from the beginning. She had some feelings about it, but there is more to her now than that.


    That may be so.


    Eva now has access to the outside world that she has not been allowed to know for more than a decade. She will have so much fun that she will not have time to resent people, since everything she sees will be full of things she does not know.


    In the first place, I couldn''t imagine her being so kind-hearted as to hold a grudge against anyone at all.


    "It was worth it for me to come here in spite of myself, wasn''t it?"


    "Kai is ...... not that witty and ......"


    "Of course not. Talking to you in the capacity of a friend has given me the courage to step forward."


    ......I wonder if he was consulting with Master Lucas or something like that before Mr. Fegnis was put in jail?


    If so, I am glad that I could help him, if not replace him.


    "Well, I''m sure you won''t be comfortable if I stay too long. I think it''s time for me to go home."


    "Uh, yes."


    I stand up as Master Lucas sits up.


    Probably, after the meeting tomorrow, all the kingdoms will be busy preparing for the battle against the Demon King''s army. Samariar will be especially busy without Mr. Fegnis, the key figure of the knighthood.


    "Master Lucas. If there is anything I can do to help you, I will help you as much as I can.


    "Well, you can take over for me..."


    "Please come back here when you leave!"


    I had a feeling that the conversation was going to get complicated, so I stood up first, walked up to the door of the room, and put my hand on the door.


    He said it in a very light-hearted manner, but his eyes were serious. ......!¡¡I was not at all careless or careless at all. ......!


    I pulled the door open in a cold sweat, and my eyes met Eva''s, who was holding up her hand as if she was just about to knock.


    "U, Usato-san......!"


    "Oh, yeah, it''s Eva. Have you come to call on Mr. Lucas?"


    "Yes, yes."


    Our eyes meet unexpectedly, and Eva and I back away a little and look away.


    Then I saw an older student behind me, who had probably come with her, clamping his mouth shut and shivering as if in shock.


    "Don''t tell me this is the kind of event where our eyes unintentionally meet each other and we are both embarrassed when we open the door. ......?


    I''m sorry. I couldn''t understand about half of what you said because you spoke too fast and for too long.


    I regain my composure thanks to my senpai and move to the side so that Mr. Lucas can get through.


    "Eva! I''m going home first, what do you say?"


    "Um, can I stay at Suzune-san''s place?"


    At your senior''s place?


    I looked at him quickly, and he gave me a thumbs-up with a fresh smile.


    However, if you look closely, you can see his knees are shaking.


    What on earth could have made him so groggy?


    Or rather, did Mr. Welshy give him permission to do so?¡¡Well, she seems to be surprisingly tactful, so I guess she got the permission before she came here.


    "Yeah, no problem. Suzune, take care of her.


    Yes. But I think it would be better to have an escort. ......"


    "Oh, don''t worry about that. They are lurking in positions where they can protect Eva at any time.


    By "they," do you mean the knights of the sky blue?


    They are lurking in positions where they can be protected. ......


    I look around casually and see a few figures peering at me from around a corner.


    >


    <>


    <>


    I don''t think they are lurking when I can see some of them from the corner. I thought they were suspicious because they weren''t wearing armor, but I heard a faint voice and immediately recognized them as Eva''s guard knights.


    I guess he must have noticed my appearance, or maybe he''s lurking... Lucas-sama looked at the escort and nodded his head as if to say "I''ll leave the rest to you.


    He nodded as if he had left the rest to me. Usato, you don''t have to worry about the guards.


    "I see. ......"


    "Eva. I''ll send someone to pick you up tomorrow before the meeting starts. Have fun, but don''t cause trouble for Usato and the others."


    "Yes!"


    She replied happily, and Master Lucas nodded his head in satisfaction before leaving with another guard who had been waiting nearby.


    "What are you going to do now, Usato-kun?"


    "No, what do you mean, I''m going back to ...... room."


    "No, no, no, no, Eva''s here too."


    That''s true, but...


    While I was wondering what to do, Eva, who was watching our exchange, approached me.


    "Well, if it''s not too much trouble. I''d love to hear about your travels!"


    "Travel stories. That''s great. We''re never short of topics. How about you, senpai?


    "I don''t mind at all. Oh, let''s invite you too, Kazuki. It will be more fun if there are many people to talk to.


    Well, let''s go get Kazuki. At this time of night, I don''t think he is still sleeping.


    So I invite Eva and my senpai into my room, and then go to call Kazuki.


    I thought to myself, "It''s not a bad idea to get together like this to deepen our friendship.

 189 - - The 174th.

    I think we had a lively time last night.


    Since Eva was going to stay in my senior''s room, the four of us, including Kazuki, talked about our memories of the trip until it was time for bed, which turned out to be quite a noisy affair.


    The senior said to Eva, "Suzune-san is a fun person, isn''t he? or "You know a lot of difficult words! or "You know a lot of difficult words!" Every time Eva would say something pure, he would react as if he were being blown away by something invisible.


    Kazuki and I would watch their interactions and laugh, amused and amused at the same time.


    I hope that the time we spent together, me, my senpai, Kazuki, and Eva, will be a good memory for her as well.


    And now we were facing the end of our third meeting.


    "--With this, the meeting of the four kingdoms is concluded. To the representatives of the kingdoms of Samaritan, Nirvarna, and Calm Helio, thank you very much ...... for attending this meeting.


    The end of the meeting.


    It means that the four kingdoms present here are now in a position to cooperate fully with each other after the discussion.


    ......Battles are always terrible, but it is most reassuring to have someone to fight with and help us. At the same time, as a healing wizard of the Rescue Mission, I quietly resolve not to let the lives of those who fight with us be lost.


    The meeting ended after Mr. Welshy''s words, and the group broke up on the spot, but everyone did not immediately go outside to exchange parting greetings with their respective representatives.


    Then, "Well, Usato. We will probably meet again soon.


    "It''s nice to meet you, too. Mr. Hyde."


    After exchanging a few words with Mr. Hyde, who spoke to me first, we shook hands.


    Although it was a short time, I learned a lot from him. I will continue to train myself to make the most of it.


    I make up my mind as I watch Mr. Hyde turn his back to me, wave his hand, and walk away.


    "Hey, healing wizard!


    "Yes?"


    The man who approached me was Prince Kyle of the Kingdom of Calm Helio.


    He looked at me with an expression that said he was in a bad mood, but then Princess Naia, who was standing next to him, slammed her elbow into his side, causing him to let out an exhausted scream.


    "Oh, sister!¡¡What are you doing out of the blue?


    "No, I just wanted to make the first move before you do something rude."


    "Unreasonable!¡¡I haven''t done anything yet!


    "...... yet?"


    "Hey, Princess Nia, I''m going to go ......


    He admonishes Princess Nia, who tilts her head and lowers her voice.


    This unfamiliar unreasonableness reminds me of Rose, but I guess she is limited to her brother, Prince Kyle.


    "I''m sorry I''ve shown you such an unflattering face."


    "No, no, I don''t mind. ......"


    On the contrary, we are used to it by now.


    "We royalty cannot go to the battlefield, but we sincerely hope for the victory of the Lingle Kingdom and the safety of Suzune-sama, Kazuki-sama, and Usato-sama."


    "Thank you very much."


    "...... Actually, when I came here, I was a little anxious to meet the two heroes, Suzune-sama and Kazuki-sama, and Usato-sama of the rescue team."


    "Is that so?"


    "Is that so?¡¡I can''t believe you''re worried about my sister..."


    She elbowed Prince Kyle again as he was about to say something, then turned her attention back to us.


    "Rumors are just that, rumors. No matter how well known or admired a person may be, you can never tell the true nature of his character until you meet him.


    "I see. ......"


    I''m not so much a factual article ...... as an aristocratic-looking altered portrait of a handsome man.


    No wonder I feel uneasy.


    "At first, Usato-sama in particular seemed very frightening, but when I saw him up close, I could see that he was forcing himself to look scary, so I immediately changed my perception of him."


    "Oh, you knew?"


    Yes, I did. Kyle didn''t notice at all.


    Princess Nia seemed to know that I had deliberately put on a scary expression on my face.


    Now that I know, I feel a little embarrassed.


    ...... Hmmm?¡¡That means that Princess Nia knew when I unintentionally glared at Prince Kyle during the meeting. ......?


    "Please come visit us in Calm Helio when all is said and done. We will do our best to make you feel at home.


    Princess Naia smiles at this and turns to Prince Kyle who is standing next to her.


    "Kyle. You have something to say, don''t you?"


    "...... yeah."


    Prince Kyle steps forward and speaks to her with the same grumpy expression on his face.


    "Hey, healing wizard...... no, Usato!¡¡You sure are a mess!¡¡I doubt you''re even human anymore, but let''s put that aside for now!"


    Personally, I''d rather they just leave it at that. .......


    Glancing once at Princess Nia, he continues to speak.


    I''m not going to let you beat me!"


    "...... what?"


    "Magic, pride, and all the other things a prince is supposed to have!"


    "Ha,ha,......"


    I don''t know why the rivalry was sparked.


    I think that Prince Kyle and I are competing in too many different fields, but I wonder if it would be uncivil to say so.


    "That''s all I have to say!¡¡Don''t die before I beat you!¡¡See you!"


    With these words, Prince Kyle left without waiting for Princess Nai''a.


    The remaining girl sighed as she watched Prince Kyle run away.


    "I''m glad you''ve finally decided to look at something other than your own pleasure. I hope this makes you a little more mature. ...... I''m sorry about my brother until the very end. I look forward to seeing you again.


    With that, Princess Naia leaves the scene with Prince Kyle following her.


    Maybe it was my imagination, but her words and actions seemed kind when she mentioned Prince Kyle.


    "I guess we are sister and brother after all."


    Princess Naiya told me the other day that she does not dislike him, but she seems to be concerned about Prince Kyle, who is also known for his reckless behavior.


    I don''t know about this because I am an only child, but I wonder if it is like that between siblings.


    ......We''ve exchanged words with Mr. Hyde, Princess Naiya, and Prince Kyle, so let''s go to Master Lucas for the last time.


    "I know it''s the last time, but ...... where is Master Lucas ......?"


    "I''m here."


    I turn around at the sound of Master Lucas''s voice approaching from behind me and immediately bow my head.


    "Master Lucas. I''m sorry. I was going to come to you. ......"


    Haha, don''t worry about it. I was going to ask you before the other delegates gathered at your place, but, well, you''re a popular guy now.


    "I''m not so much popular as I am a novelty, though. ......"


    I crack a smile at Master Lucas, who is smiling happily. I am rather damaged by the fact that he has called himself a "fictional character.


    There were times when I overdid things in this meeting.


    However, in hindsight, although it was excessive, I think that it was enough to show the lifesaving group''s ability as a healing magician.


    If I had half-heartedly demonstrated my abilities on that occasion, people might not have believed in my abilities as a healing wizard of the Rescue Mission and might not have asked for my help when I ran across the battlefield.


    "Needless to say, the Kingdom of Samaritan will do its best to help you. I have something to protect too. I must do something about the threatening Demon Lord''s army so that it will not be lost again.


    "...... Mr. Lucas."


    I nodded to Mr. Lucas, who said so with a serious expression on his face.


    "This is what I told Suzune and Kazuki, don''t die."


    "...... yes?"


    You''re the man who will eventually follow in my footsteps."


    "Yes, ...... is different!"


    I look up and see Lucas with a wicked smile on his face and a sky-blue knight behind him pointing some sort of magical tool at me.


    "Okay, I''ve got your word!¡¡Did you get it?


    "Of course I got it!¡¡Mr. Lucas!


    Well done!


    I was momentarily taken aback by the thumbs-up from Lucas-sama and the sky-blue knight, but I quickly came to my senses the next moment when the magical tool played the exchange between Lucas-sama and the knight.


    You don''t think it''s a magic tool that records your voice?


    No, no, no, no!¡¡I know that Samaria is a kingdom that is famous for making magical tools, but can they even make such a thing?


    "Oops, Usato. This is for the meeting, so don''t destroy it. Of course, I''ve got Ms. Welshy''s permission!"


    You''re kidding me, aren''t you?


    I meant what I said to you!¡¡But since you seem to be in such a hurry to die, I have given you a reason to survive!¡¡...... is just an insurance policy to keep you going in case of an emergency."


    I''m very happy about the words and the action, but I heard him say "to push me" in a very quiet voice, and that ruined it for me.


    I couldn''t move, not knowing what to do, so Lucas-sama flipped his palm with a big smile on his face and left the place with the knight escorting us.


    "I''m in a lot of trouble at the end of the day. ......"


    Should we consider that we have more reasons to leave alive, or have we given Master Lucas a nasty hand .......


    Well, I can''t be mad at him, because I know he''s doing it out of concern for me.


    But I''ll definitely do something about that recording someday. ......!


    !


    After the meeting in the four kingdoms, we had gone with Mr. Welshy to the headmaster''s office where Gladys, the headmistress of the Luxvis Academy, was.


    It seems that Ms. Gladys was busy during the meeting, so we were finally able to meet her today after the meeting was over.¡¡Gladys was sitting at a big table in the Dean''s office, and she was looking around at us as if she missed us somehow.


    "It''s only been a few months, but each of you has grown so much."


    "Did you also see the exchange game the other day?"


    "Of course. Suzune is clad in magic, Kazuki is a master manipulator of magic, and Usato is ...... a bit unclear, but I could tell right away that each of them had matured considerably from what they were before."


    Why am I the only one who doesn''t understand?


    Mr. Welshy nodded his head in understanding as I tilted my head and spoke to Gladys.


    "It''s not hard to see why, Usato-sama''s technique is incomprehensible even to those who are familiar with magic.


    "Indeed, Usato''s technique was incredible for a magician."


    "Yes. It''s something you can''t imitate, just like me and Kazuki can''t."


    "Yes, yes."


    ...... don''t we all have to agree on something?¡¡Gladys is pulling away!


    I know you''re talking about applying the outburst of systemic reinforcement, but to me, the technology of Kazuki and his senpai is more amazing. .......


    I''m glad the meeting went well, anyway.


    "Yes. Now we can concentrate on preparing for the battle against the Demon Lord''s army.


    Now that the meeting is over, tomorrow we will return to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    Then we must prepare for the battle against the Demon King''s army that may come at any moment.


    "We, Lukvis, will help you as much as we can in the event of a battle. After all, the threat of the Demon Lord''s army is not limited to the Kingdom of Lingle, but extends to here as well. ......


    Lukvis is a city located in the neighboring kingdom of Lingle.


    If the Lingle Kingdom is defeated and taken over by the Demon Lord''s army, the Demon Lord''s army will turn their next target to Lukvis.


    No matter how good the kingdom is in magic, it cannot even fight in Lucubis, where the majority of the population is children.


    "Lucvis will be in charge of transporting and delivering supplies from the allied kingdoms. We will organize the supplies and send them through Hubbard, so you can leave it to us.


    "Thank you very much. Actually, I have other things I need to take care of, so this is very helpful. I was wondering about one thing: ......, do you evacuate the students who live here in the event of a battle?"


    "Yes. In case of war, students will be evacuated or sent back to their parents'' homes. Still, we teachers have to protect this place because there are some children who have reasons not to leave or have no place to return to. We teachers have to protect this place, because there is no guarantee that the demon tribe who strayed during the battle will not attack us for supplies."


    You never know what will happen in a battle with the demon king''s army.


    The opponent is not a target like the one we faced the other day, but a living creature with blood in its veins that thinks and acts properly. So it is not surprising if they act unexpectedly.


    As I nodded my head at Gladys-san''s words, she looked as if she suddenly remembered something and called out to me.


    "Usato, is Nack doing well in the rescue group?"


    I wondered for a moment why Gladys-san, but Nack used to be a student here.


    It is not surprising that she would be concerned.


    I am surprised, but I tell her about him.


    "I think Nack is doing well. I think Nack is doing well. He is probably being trained by the leader right now. Ha-ha-ha..."


    "Is that okay, ......?"


    "Ha-ha-ha, it''s totally fine. The Commander will be gentle with Nack.


    As Nack is still a child, he cannot yet train at the level of me and the other strongmen, so he is trained a few steps lower than we are.


    Me in the beginning?¡¡I didn''t go easy on him.


    "I''m glad to see he''s doing well. I couldn''t do anything for him when I was in Lukvis. ......"


    "As I recall, you couldn''t intervene because of the nobility issue, right?"


    Yes.


    Ms. Gladys nodded at her senior''s words.


    Unlike other kingdoms, this place is supported by nobles and influential people, so it was impossible for teachers to interfere in the affairs of Nack and Meena, who were nobles.


    If the school had caused a problem, it would have led to a credibility problem, so Gladys probably couldn''t even give Nack a helping hand.


    "But you don''t have to worry anymore.


    "Of course he is. In fact, I think he will grow even more in the future.


    His life as a lifeguard has only just begun.


    I am sure that he will have to go through more rigorous training in the future, but I am confident that he will be able to overcome the challenges.


    Gladys smiled reassuringly at my words.


    Nack has grown up a lot, but there is another boy who has grown up just as much as he has.


    "Is that Mr. Halfa?"


    "You could say the same thing about Halfa, but this is a different girl.


    Another girl?


    If it''s not Halfa, no, Halfa mentioned her the other day.


    "By any chance it was Meena?"


    "Yes. Meena Liancia is also striving for a new goal after her match with Nack.


    "Halfa told me that she had a change of heart as well ......"


    I can''t imagine from the impression I had of her back then, but if Gladys and Mr. Halfa are like that, it must mean that the girl is really making an effort.


    I was also wondering why Meena is making an effort at .......


    Is she simply preparing to fight against Nack whom she met again, as Nack told us at the rescue mission, or is she purely pursuing her strength?


    I would like to hear his story when I have a chance.


    I''m sure they would give me a very bad look when they see my face.

 190 - - The 175th.

    After visiting Gladys, I decided to take a short walk around the city of Lucvis with Amaco, who joined us later.


    Since we had no free time during the daytime because of training and meetings, I thought it would be nice to take a break at least at the end and enjoy the city of Lukvis.


    "How are Suzune and Kazuki doing?"


    "Kazuki went to see the big library, and he is playing with Eva.


    Kazuki seems to have a book that is of interest to him.


    Before the meeting, I had a quick look at the books in the big library and found that they all seemed to be difficult.


    <> or > were all lined up in a row that made me think about such things. .......


    I don''t read specialized books, so I think it''s great that I can accumulate knowledge while enjoying myself.


    "Is Suzune with Eva?"


    "Yes. "Yes. We are going back to our respective countries tomorrow, so she came to say hello to me one last time. We have some time, so we decided to have a cup of tea.


    "Heh."


    I was invited to join them, but I had promised to go with Amako for a walk around the city first, so I decided to go first.


    I''m glad Eva got along with her senpai. I was glad that Eva got along well with her senpai, since they were of the same age and had a lot to talk about just because they were both girls.


    Senpai was also damaged by Eva''s purity, but she seemed to be enjoying herself (?). So, it is all right in the end.


    "How was your experience?"


    "I had a ...... normal life. I helped Kiriha with her housework, took care of Satsuki, and woke up Kyou when he didn''t wake up at noon.


    "Oh, yeah. ......"


    It''s not hard to understand why Keogh wants to coast through the holidays.


    On days off from school, he sometimes sleeps until noon. Then, in the afternoon, you realize that you have wasted half of your day off, and you regret it.


    "Well, it was just a normal life, but I enjoyed it."


    "That''s good. I knew it was the right thing to do.


    "Yes, it is. ...... hmm?"


    "...... what''s wrong?"


    Amako looks in a certain direction and notices that something is bothering her.


    She looks at the end of the alley with a somewhat surprised expression on her face, and I follow her gaze to a place I remember.


    "Is this where you and Nack first met ......?"


    The plaza at the end of the alley where he had collapsed from his wounds.


    There, a girl was practicing magic.


    Meena, a girl with bright red hair in twin-tails, noticed me on the street and gave me a disgusted look as if she had encountered a demon.


    "Usato. Is that the kind of face you get when you encounter an ogre in the city?"


    "Amako, first of all, there are no ogres in the city, okay?"


    "?"


    Why are you tilting your head at me so strangely?


    Are you trying to tell me that I''m the Ogre itself?


    I''m doubly shocked when I notice that a grim-faced Meena is beckoning to us.


    To be honest, I had expected her to avoid us if she saw our faces, so I head with Amako to the plaza where she is, a little surprised.


    "......"


    "......"


    However, when he came to Meena''s side, he could not start a conversation with her.


    She is playing with the ends of her own hair and peeking at me, but there is no sign that she is talking to me. I don''t know what to say to her even if I wanted to talk to her.


    After all, I don''t have much contact with this girl in the first place.


    "Nack, how are you?


    "!¡¡You never told me that!"


    I tried to step in, but she immediately snapped back at me.


    However, he did respond to Nack''s name, so it seems that it would not be difficult to continue the conversation.


    "Well, do you remember me anyway?"


    How could I forget a monster like you? Besides, yesterday you didn''t even look human.


    "...... about the exchange game?"


    "The one in the morning when we were fighting the bravest of the brave. It''s a mystery how you can react to an opponent whose movements you can''t see, it''s a mystery why you''re accelerating in an unnatural position, and most of all, it''s a mystery why you''re a healing wizard doing it."


    He said it really fast.¡¡What?¡¡Am I a mystery?


    And the little fox behind me, don''t agree with me in a quiet voice. <


    ...... I''ve been wondering about this for a while now, but there are traces of soot and a burning smell in the square where we are. I wonder if Meena was working her magic here?


    "You''ve been training here?"


    "...... bad?"


    "No, it''s not bad. But why here?


    "We can''t use our usual training grounds, so we''re just using this one today."


    "Oh, I see."


    Yesterday an exchange game was held at the training ground, so it is currently out of service.


    I wondered why they were training in such a small place, and it makes sense.


    I was now convinced, and now Mina starts to talk to me.


    "Nack said you''re doing well. ......"


    "Hmm?¡¡Yeah."


    "What did he say about me?"


    Is that what you wanted to ask ......?


    I''ll be honest with you, since it''s about your impression of Nack.


    I will tell Meena what Nack told me before he left Luxembourg.


    "I heard that he''s not bad with you."


    "...... sweet as ever. I wish he''d just hate me."


    Meena muttered with a somber look on her face.


    I question her behavior, which is different from her former image, and ask her what has been bothering her.


    "Do you regret it?¡¡Do you regret what you did to Knack?


    "......"


    Meena is silent.


    She says that Nack told her that "it''s your own fault for being so grumpy," or at least she doesn''t seem to think so.


    Otherwise, she would not have kept her mouth shut with such an expression on her face.


    After about ten seconds of silence, Meena finally opened her mouth.


    "Come with me for a moment," she said.


    "What?¡¡I don''t mind, but what do you want to talk about?"


    It''s about Nack and me. It''s about Nack and me. You care about him too, don''t you?


    I''d be lying if I said I wasn''t curious.¡¡That''s a bit sudden.


    He sat down like a gymnast in the shade of a nearby tree, as if he was already going to tell me.


    "Have you heard that Nack and I have been friends since childhood?"


    "Yes, Nack told me."


    "Yes. Then I don''t have to explain why he was put in Luxvis.


    Nack, who was supposed to be awakened to water-based magic, has awakened to healing-based magic.


    Because of that, he was treated coldly by his parents, and he was kicked out of his home and sent to Lucvis, right?


    It''s a terrible story now that I think back on it.


    "I used to play with Nack when I was a little girl.


    "Can you imagine ...... seeing the relationship now?"


    "...... Right. But I remember ...... having a lot of fun."


    Surprisingly, they were close?


    But the first time we visited Lucvis, Nack, who we were supposed to be playing with, was in such a mess.


    Is there a reason for that?


    "We used to play together, but about a year before I entered Lecvis, I stopped seeing him.


    "We don''t see each other anymore?"


    "They won''t let me see him when I go to the house. Nack''s parents encouraged him to play with his sister rather than him, and they treated him as if he didn''t exist. ......It was creepy."


    ...... were you under house arrest?


    I know it sounds pretty bad, but maybe Nack''s parents were trying hard to hide the fact that he didn''t have the power they wanted, to keep a lid on the stinky stuff.


    "Then I happened to hear that Nack was going to be placed in Lucvis."


    "...... So you''re in Luxvis, too?"


    Meena nodded her head.


    Her hands seemed to be gripping her robes with a hint of strength.


    "Nack was a ...... shell of a man when he was admitted to the Luxvis Academy. He was admitted to the best place to learn magic, Lecvis Academy, but he just looked down and looked like it was the end of the world.


    "That''s because it''s like being kicked out of ......."


    "It was only then that your father told me why Nack had been placed in Lucvis."


    For Knack himself, there was probably no hope.


    "I tried to talk to him many times, but he was scared of everything around him, even of me. That didn''t sit well with me at the time."


    "What do you mean you don''t like it? ......"


    "I didn''t do anything about it, just accepting my situation because I had awakened to healing magic."


    Maybe Nack had given up.


    The moment his magic was not water-based, he was treated coldly by his parents, the people closest to him, and sent to Lucvis alone as an outcast.


    At the age of ten or younger, it is not surprising that he was emotionally devastated.


    As I was thinking about this, Mina, perhaps remembering what had happened, raised her voice a little and continued to speak.


    "If you had worked hard in Luxembourg, your healing magic would have been appreciated. Then maybe his parents would have given up on him and would have let him back into their home. But Nack gave up on everything and didn''t even try to move on. ......


    "You didn''t look down on healing wizards, did you?"


    At least, that''s how Meena looked when she was abusing Nack.


    She shakes her head at my question.


    "For me, it didn''t matter if Nack had awakened to healing magic or not. I just wanted him to get up. But no matter how many times I tried to get him to do so, he just kept looking down, refusing to see the hand I held out to him, refusing to ask anyone for help. I couldn''t stand him, so I went to ......"


    "......"


    "I got so frustrated with Nack for not doing what I wanted that I became violent with him. Somewhere along the way it became the norm and I ...... realized that what I ...... wanted to do wasn''t really what I wanted to do, but I got to a point where I couldn''t go back."


    So Nack has become an abusive situation.


    What was initially intended as a good thing has gradually deviated from its purpose and has become distorted.


    Meena smiles at me silently, as if she is mocking herself.


    There is no way I can honestly apologize to you now. What I have done was very ...... terrible."


    I wish I could give solid advice at ...... times like this, but Nack and Meena''s relationship is not something that can be managed with advice that comes to mind on the spot.


    But still, when she declared that she would go to Lingle Kingdom with Nack after graduation from the school, maybe she wanted to have a reason to see him again.


    "So you''re going to visit Nack in Lingle Kingdom after graduation?"


    "Nack told you that, didn''t he? He told you that he''s going to ...... because there''s no other reason for him to show his face. Oh, and I''m also disappointed that Nack beat me, so I''m going to meet him after I''m stronger.


    "Yeah, well, ......."


    Perhaps you are quite concerned that Nack beat you to the punch?


    Even without that, maybe this is her way of making peace with the situation, but I don''t know..,


    "You''re so clumsy. You are."


    "Shut up. I know that better than anyone."


    I laugh at Meena who frowns and takes her eyes off me.


    I guess Meena was trying to move on, just like Nack was.


    As I was thinking this, she stood up, dropping dirt and leaves, and without looking at me, she opened her mouth.


    "I feel a little better now that I''m talking to you, who has nothing to do with this."


    "So you told me because of ......."


    "If I told anyone on campus, they would start rumors, so I thought you, an outsider, would be a good fit."


    I was surprised at how easily he told me about ......, but what can I say, he''s got a lot of guts.


    Maybe I was wrong about this girl.


    When I was training Nack, I thought he was a kid who was abusing Nack for no reason, but there was a kind of misunderstanding between the two of us before that.


    ......I don''t have anything very clever to say, but I''ll say what I can.


    When she has said all she wants to say, I call out to her as she is about to go back to her training again.


    "I can''t erase the fact that you''ve been knackered."


    "What?"


    "But I''m sure things will be different from now on."


    She continues to speak to Meena, who shakes her shoulders slightly without looking at me.


    You and Nack are still children, and you will live a long life. You and Nack are both still children and will have a long life ahead of you.


    The amount of time that you and I have been apart is a small fraction of what it used to be. They have more than enough time to make up for it.


    And unlike Mr. Fegnis, who has committed a ...... crime, Meena can still start over.


    Meena rolls her eyes at my words and smiles somewhat dismissively.


    "You know, you and your brother have the same sweet disposition.


    "Well, Nack is my apprentice. It''s only natural that we should be alike."


    I''m often told I look like Rose, too.


    Mainly the atmosphere and the face.


    If you think about it, is it possible that Nack will end up looking like Rose ......?¡¡No, I''ll try not to think about that.


    "Thank you for talking to me. And I''ll let Nack know about this ......."


    "I know. I won''t tell him."


    "Yes. I''ll go back to ...... then, I''m going back to my self-directed training."


    Meena relaxes her shoulders as if relieved, turns her back on me, and walks toward the center of the plaza.


    I can''t stand in her way, so I leave and go back the way I came.


    It was an unexpected encounter, but in the end, I am glad of it.


    As I turn down an alleyway, Amako tugs at the sleeve of my trousers.


    "Hmm?"


    "You sounded like an old man just now, Usato."


    "Guha......!"


    As soon as he turned around, Amako gave him a hard blow with the weapon of words.


    I had been trying not to pay attention to it, but I couldn''t ......!¡¡What the hell. !¡¡What''s a 17 year old talking to a girl 5 years younger than him about life? Seriously.


    To tell you the truth, about halfway through I was talking to Meena, I had an urge to kick the shit out of her right there and then.


    I regained my composure and talked to Amako.


    "Well, what are we going to do after this?"


    "We''ll tell Neah and the others about it later."


    "Okay, okay. What do you want?¡¡I''ll buy you anything you want.


    "What?¡¡If you insist, I''ll indulge you."


    Wow, you have a dazzling smile.


    You''ve grown so strong that I''m almost in tears of joy.


    As I was going down the street, checking my hand, I saw a light blue-haired woman, Ms. Welshy, running toward me from the end of the street.


    "Hey, Mrs. Welsey?"


    "What''s going on?"


    Tilting our heads, Amako and I ran up to her.


    Ms. Welshy was on her knees, breathing heavily. She must have been running as fast as she could and was so out of breath that she couldn''t even speak.


    "We, Mr. Welsey, are you all right?"


    "Oh, my God. ......!"


    I cast a healing spell on Ms. Welsey, who seemed to be out of breath.


    This panicky behavior is not normal.


    As I was having a bad premonition, Ms. Welshy calmed down her breathing and spoke with a grim expression on her face.


    "We just received a message from the Kingdom of Lingle by a hooverbird!¡¡A shadow that looks like a scouting party of the Demon King''s army has been confirmed near the border!


    "What?


    I was unable to respond to Mr. Welshy''s words for a while.


    I remembered the battlefield filled with murderous intent and fear.


    I have to run through that place once more.


    Amako''s hand is placed on my hand, which was unknowingly clenched into a fist. Immediately I look at her, and she looks up at me as if she fears for my safety.


    Amako''s gaze makes me even more determined and determined.


    "It''s going to start again, isn''t it?


    The end of a peaceful life.


    What comes next is a battle against the Demon King''s army---a battlefield where death is the only thing that stands between us and the end of a peaceful life.

 191 - - a talkative person

    We are ready to march.


    I, who had the title of Commander of the 2nd Legion, received the news from my subordinates, and then I responded to the call from the Demon Lord.


    However, the only legionnaires assembled were myself and the newly appointed legionnaire.


    "It seems we are ready to march.


    Ha!


    Sitting on his throne, he kneels down and bows his head to the demon king, who looks down at us.


    In the presence of this man, I feel as if he is of a different class from other living creatures.


    The Demon Lord then turns his attention to the woman with light purple hair standing next to me.


    "Hannah Romia, the leader of the Third Legion. You''ve just been appointed as the new commander of the Third Legion, is that a problem?"


    "Of course I am. I am doing my utmost to fulfill the expectations of the Witch King.


    This was answered by a woman named Hannah Romiah, who was appointed to succeed Amira as Commander of the Third Legion.


    She was a soldier who had originally belonged to the Third Legion led by Amira.


    During the last battle, she was responsible for 30% of a large-scale illusion operation by dozens of people to deceive the eyes of the humans.


    It seems that his out-of-the-ordinary behavior caught the attention of the Demon Lord.


    "Now, let''s confirm the composition of our forces, shall we?


    Yes, sir. Is that all right with you, Commander of the 2nd Corps?


    I nodded at Hannah''s words.


    I could do it myself, but I think it would be better to leave it to Hannah, who is better at explaining things.


    "First of all, the foundation of the battle will be the infantry and the troops who will use demons as their strength.


    "As for demons, how many species are available?"


    "Wyverns, the flying dragon species. A wyvern, a flying dragon, a glow wolf, as ferocious as a grand grizzly bear, and a wyvern, a flying dragon. The monster created by Dr. Huluk, the Barzinak and its larger counterparts. In the rear unit--"


    In a flowing voice, Hanna describes the composition of the unit.


    The Demon Lord, who had been listening silently, nodded and put his hand on his chin.


    "At the moment, I can say that the forces we have available are sufficient. If we ask for more forces, it will be a hindrance to us. Koga, Hannah, I''m amazed you''ve been able to get your forces this far.


    Hannah and I bow our heads more deeply at the words of the Demon King.


    All I have done is to improve the overall quality of the soldiers and make it harder for them to die on the battlefield. It is Hannah and Hurrukh who have made the demons usable in battle.


    I did a lot of other things too, but I''m not sure how I did it.


    While we were feeling a sense of accomplishment inwardly, the Demon Lord opened his mouth to us without changing his expression.


    "As you know, I can''t move from here.


    "No, we Demon Lords are surviving thanks to you, so don''t worry about it."


    The Witch King quietly replies to his words.


    The earth where we, the Demon People, live is decaying.


    There are few nutrients left in the soil that is supposed to nurture crops, and the food we can eat is limited.


    We, the demon tribe who live in such a land, were in dire straits until just a few years ago.


    However, our poverty has improved somewhat since the Demon Lord''s resurrection.


    The demon tribe that should never have been able to fight is now able to fight. That alone can be a reason to pledge allegiance to you.


    The Demon Lord, resurrected from his seal, has performed magic on the dying earth and brought blessings to it.


    Thanks to that, the demon tribe has survived until now, but it has conversely become a wedge that binds the Demon Lord to this place.


    In fact, as long as the Demon Lord is in this castle, the blessing will continue, but if he goes to war, the land where the Demon Lord lives will return to the decayed land it was before.


    Only the Commander of the Legion and the close associates of the Demon Lord are informed of this. ......


    Even though it is known that the Demon Lord''s bounty has brought blessings to the land, it is not possible to leak out the information that the Demon Lord is stuck in the castle because of it.


    "I see. It''s a hard world, isn''t it? To be able to do nothing but see off our brothers who are going off to battle. It''s a feeling I never experienced hundreds of years ago.


    As the Demon Lord spoke these words, his expression did not change, but the tone of his voice seemed to be filled with melancholy.


    The demon tribe should ask for cooperation from other races, especially humans, but unfortunately, the discriminatory mindset of humans and the impression of the demon king''s army that committed tyranny hundreds of years ago will not allow it.


    It is as if the cost of their mutual aversion and hatred for each other has only now come to pass.


    That is why the demon tribe chose the path of invasion. ...... Or, rather than choosing, it should be said that there was no other way left.


    "......We have prepared a contingency plan for you. You may fight to your heart''s content and be victorious.


    ""Ha!""


    The voice of the Demon Lord is answered.


    As the commander of the 2nd Legion of the Demon King''s Army, there is no doubt in my mind that the Demon Tribe is on the edge.


    However, they are not inferior in terms of strength.


    In fact, I would say that the abilities of the individual demons and the quality of their soldiers are far superior to those of humans.


    >


    >


    >


    ......Aside from that guy who just popped into my mind, demons are basically superior to humans in terms of both magical power and physical ability.


    Besides, there is no need to worry about our strength.


    At any rate, the strongest man in the Demon King''s army, excluding the Demon King himself, is..,


    "--here you are."


    "!"


    Just as the Demon Lord uttered these words, the great door behind him was quietly opened.


    When I turned around, there stood a man wearing a tattered robe.


    He had shaggy blond hair and stubble, horns and brown skin characteristic of the demon tribe.


    Black armor is attached to his shoulders, which are visible through the gap in the robe, and a long sword is sheathed at his waist.


    I did not recognize him at first glance, but when I saw the sword, I knew who he was.


    "-Nero Agens, Commander of the First Legion. I am late, but I have come to see you."


    Nero Agens, the man who kneeled before the Demon King.


    He is a swordsman who has earned the reputation of being the strongest in the Demon Lord''s army, and until now has been forced to recuperate from injuries sustained before the war.


    After a moment of silence, the Demon Lord opens his mouth.


    "Nero. Have your wounds healed?


    "-The brilliance of my sword has not faded. Now that I have reached a new level in my training, I swear to you that I will be your blade and cut down all obstacles.


    The Demon Lord''s mouth twisted into a small smile at the quiet yet powerful declaration.


    "Then, many words are not necessary. You will go where you must fight and fulfill your destiny.


    "As you wish."


    He stood up, bowed deeply, turned his back to the Demon Lord, and walked down the road he had come from.


    Hannah was taken aback by his behavior, which could be considered rude depending on how you look at it, but for me, the interaction between the Demon Lord and Nero was different from the one we had.


    I was surprised to see the way he was talking to Hannah.


    Here at last we have the first three corps commanders.


    The first legionnaire, Nero Agence.


    I, the second corps commander, Koga Dingal.


    The third corps commander, Hanna Romia.


    Although there were some substitutions and absences, this means that the Demon Army is finally ready to go into battle at full strength.


    "Mr. Koga, do you know about the wound of Mr. Nero Agens, the leader of the First Legion?


    After the assembly, I left the hall where the Demon Lord was, and decided to meet old man Nero for the time being. I followed him through the castle ......, but for some reason, Hannah, the leader of the Third Legion, caught my eye.


    Her question anyway, the way she called me made me look at her with a subtle expression on my face.


    "Why do you call me ''you''?"


    "Because we''re both corps leaders and ...... you know, I''m older than you.¡¡And since we share the same position, I thought we should get along.


    "Oh, really? ......?"


    Hannah''s unique distance from us makes us feel like we''re walking through a castle.


    It''s amazing how different Amira is from me, when all she ever did was and still does was spit venom at me.


    "By ''wound'' you mean old man Nero, right?"


    "Yes. I heard that he was seriously wounded before the Demon King''s resurrection and was recuperating, but the reason why he was so seriously wounded has not been revealed.


    Nero Agence, Commander of the First Legion.


    A warrior who has been active since before the Demon Lord''s resurrection.


    Is it any wonder why he is seriously wounded?


    "Old man Nero was seriously wounded in a battle with a human before the Demon Lord''s resurrection.


    "Against a human, that one?"


    In addition, the elite unit he was leading was wiped out, leaving only one ...... apprentice, Amira.


    "...... what did you fight?"


    Healing wizards. From the Kingdom of Lingle."


    Hearing this, Hannah looks surprised.


    She is probably surprised to see someone she did not expect.


    When Amira told me this story, I was also surprised to the point that my eyes popped out of my head.


    "I don''t know all the details myself,...... but in that battle, old man Nero suffered a serious injury on his right shoulder and the healing wizard on the other side lost one of his eyes,...... so the battle ended in a painful draw. It''s over."


    "That healing wizard is ......."


    "The healing wizard you must be thinking of right now. Rose of the Lifeguard Corps, infamous in the Demon Lord''s army.


    Amira may know the story of what happened, but she''s stubbornly refusing to tell us anything more than that.


    What happened there, what kind of battle took place, only old man Nero himself, Amira, and the Demon Lord know.


    "Still, the old man is a monster enough even without recuperation. At any rate, even I can''t stand him at all.


    "I do not doubt your ability. Even before the Demon Lord''s resurrection, he was famous as a warrior with extraordinary strength. ......"


    After the Demon King''s resurrection, I had a chance to play a hand-to-hand combat with an old man who visited the castle once, and he beat me to a pulp even though I wasn''t his dominant hand.


    It was quite a shock at that time to have my nose broken so spectacularly and to have no respect for my teeth.


    "So, what about you?"


    "What about me?


    "You survived the last battle unscathed, didn''t you?¡¡And with your magic power depleted.


    When I ask her this, she waves her hand sideways as if to say "No way.


    "No, no, actually I didn''t do much. I''m more of a support wizard than a fighter. All I can do is create illusions.


    "Then how did you survive?"


    "I went out into the battlefield with so little magic power that I didn''t know what to do with it. I just used what little magic I had to fool the other knights and made them all fight each other. Well, I wasn''t the one fighting, so it was pretty easy.


    "......"


    He smiled and revealed his very aggressive fighting style.


    This guy is the type of guy who uses basically anything to keep himself alive. He is the type of guy who does not fight on the front lines, but rather in the back, and fights in a way that his opponents do not like.


    ......If Amira is a hot-blooded and passionate swordsman, Hannah is a cool-headed and cunning illusionist.


    I''m shuddering, but Hannah continues to talk about her time in the battlefield.


    "Oh, but I ended up fainting for no reason, and when I ...... woke up the next time, my allies carried me away and we were defeated.


    "Well, you ran out of magic, didn''t you?¡¡Well, it can''t be helped.


    No, no. I was using the other knight to make them fight each other, and all of a sudden the knight I was controlling disappeared right in front of me. ...... The next moment, my friend who was next to me was surrounded by a green light and flew toward me. I got caught up in it and passed out. ......"


    "......"


    Fainting, green light, getting blown up.


    I don''t know. That sounds really familiar.


    I knew that healing wizard from the Lingle Kingdom was a badass.


    That''s what makes him such a badass.

 192 - - The Knuck of the Life-Saving Team

    Quiet story: Nack of the Lifeguard


    While Mr. Usato is in Lucvis for an important meeting, I am to take care of Bulurin.


    Actually, Mr. Nair and Mr. Ferrum were supposed to be asked to do the same, but since they were being trained by Mr. Rose, it was decided that I would take the lead.


    However, taking care of Bullyn was surprisingly easy.


    Cleaning the stables was not too much work, and although I was afraid at first to feed him for fear of him biting my hand off, he ate well without any problem.


    However, there is one thing that troubles me..,


    "Let''s run. Brulin ......"


    "Guru."


    He doesn''t want to exercise.


    Usato-san has asked me to give him some exercise, but when I ask him to join me, he just turns his head away and gives me a blank stare.


    Is he trying to make things easier for me because of Usato''s absence?


    ......Maybe he''s simply taking advantage of me.


    "Grrrr!"


    "I can''t piggyback on you. I''m not as strong as you, Usato, and I''d be crushed instead of walking."


    As a matter of fact, the morning after Mr. Usato left for Lucvis, I went to wake up Bulrin, and he, sleepwalking, climbed on my back.


    I immediately collapsed and escaped being pinned down, but suddenly there was a tremendous pressure on my back that was so heavy that it was impossible for me to resist, and I was prepared to die rather seriously.


    Since that day, I have been trying to stay away from sleepwalking bullrats.


    "Huh. ...... Usato said!¡¡If you don''t move now, Rose will be in charge of your training!"


    "Grrr!"


    Bulrin gets up instantly and walks slowly to the exit of the stables. I go out of the stables to run with Bulrin, while being reminded of the strangeness of Mr. Rose, who is feared even by demons.


    However, Usato-san always told me to be careful when I use this method, because Bulrin will hit me... ...... but he never does that to me. If he did, I''m sure it would be a fatal blow.


    Is it possible that he only does it to Usato?


    "Ha,ha......"


    "Gruaaaah!"


    I catch up a little faster with Bulrin, who is running ahead of me.


    I''ve gotten used to running during my time at the lifeguard station. I''m not allowed to run as fast as Mill and the others yet, but I''d like to try it when I''m older.


    I run with Burrin so as not to disturb my breathing, and find Ferrum and Nair being trained by Rose in the lifeguard training area.


    >


    <>


    << You little owl!¡¡Next time, belly up! >>


    >


    Mr. Ferrum, the senior member of the group, is screaming as he rolls on the ground after being hit by a magic bullet.


    N¨¦a, Usato''s messenger, is blown away by a direct hit from a magic bullet to her abdomen, screaming like a little girl.


    And Rose, who was standing upright, shot a magic bullet she had created with her healing magic at them.


    However, it is amazing that we can''t see Rose''s movement of releasing the magic bullet at all.


    I can only see her standing normally, but every time Rose-san''s right arm shakes a little, the magic bullets fly toward Mr. Ferrum and Ms. Nair.


    "...... training to avoid magic bullets, huh?"


    It is not strange to hear screams in training, but what is it?


    I shudder at the familiarity of this training in Lukvis.


    <<>


    >


    <>


    >


    My shoulders shake as I remember Usato-san cursing at me with a smile on his face, or Usato-san slamming magic bullets at me with an ogre''s look on his face.


    To be honest, I vaguely remember those days because I was too desperate to keep up with the training, but I was traumatized by the endless magic bullets of healing magic that flew at me with physical force.


    "Oh, that''s strange. My body is shaking. ......"


    "Guru ......"


    Bullein is looking at me with somewhat sorry eyes.


    I pat him on the head, and after regaining my composure, I turn my attention back to the training ground.


    >


    <<>


    Nea rolls on the ground, screaming her vindictive voice against Usato, who is not here.


    With Mr. Ferrum on the ground with his eyes completely rolled back in his head, the scene was almost a mass of corpses.


    After seeing them lying on the ground, Rose-san, who had told them to take a break, noticed me near the entrance of the training ground.


    "Nack. You''re going for a run now?"


    "Uh, yes."


    I answer honestly, as I have done nothing wrong.


    Basically, I have learned that as long as I do what I am supposed to do, I won''t get in trouble.


    Still, it''s scary.


    "It''s good that you''re working on your training. But don''t do it too fast. You have room to grow physically. If you push too hard now, your growth will be stunted and you won''t have room to grow."


    "...... Yes."


    I understand.


    But my feelings of admiration for Usato-san make me feel rushed.


    Rose sighs in exasperation, perhaps sensing the look on my face, and continues to speak.


    "There''s no need to hurry, you know. I know you''re trying to catch up with him, but you don''t have to do it the same way. He has his way and you have yours."


    "My,way......"


    I muttered to myself, and I felt my perspective widen a little.


    I did not intend to imitate Usato, but I had only a vague idea of what I wanted to become or what I wanted to do in the future.


    "Well, think it over."


    Mr. Rose said so and walked toward the dormitory.


    I bow my head to Rose-san, who has her back to me, and step into the training area.


    As I try to run in the training area, I see Mr. Nair and Mr. Ferrum who are muttering something to each other while collapsed there.


    It''s hard. I need to rest. I want to sleep. I want to pass out. But that is not allowed in this hell ......."


    "What is avoidance?¡¡I don''t even know what that means anymore."


    I understand.


    The two of them are muttering to themselves in some sort of epic soliloquy, and I can''t help but nod my head.


    As I was getting blasted over and over again, the common sense that I had understood until then started to fall apart.


    "It''s all because of that brainy healing wizard... ......!¡¡I wanted him to take me with him, but he left me behind. ......!"


    "That monster, he''s the only one who escaped from hell again. ......! Remember that. ......!"


    Wow, he''s talking to himself, but he''s muttering the same thing.


    The anger is directed at Mr. Usato, but most of it is just resentment.


    I looked at the two of them on the ground, letting out a resentful cry, and nodded to Bulrin, who was standing next to me, looking absentmindedly at me.


    "I was just thinking, Mr. Ferrum and Ms. Nair are pretty good friends, aren''t they?"


    "Grua."


    "We don''t get along!"


    I couldn''t help but laugh, seeing the two of them deny it so desperately.


    After that, Mr. Ferrum and Ms. Nair were chasing after me in anger, and Rose was giving me a lecture and a bone chop.

 193 - - character introduction

    Name Frana


    Race Elf


    Lineage: Illusion


    The only daughter of an elven chief.


    About KazukiAn only daughter of the elven chief who came to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    She has a simple personality and is able to accept most things and get along with anyone.


    Kazuki first met the chief''s daughter when he visited a village inhabited by elves on his travels.


    <


    At first, she was skeptical of Usato''s abilities, but when she caught a glimpse of his eccentricity, she realized that he is a person who cannot be categorized by her own common sense.


    He has a secret cooperative relationship with Princess Celia of the Kingdom of Lingle.


    He is good at magic to manipulate illusions, and if he can hit a target, he can gain an advantage in a battle.


    However, illusionary magic is not effective against strong-minded opponents.


    Name Kyle Lark Calm Helio


    Genealogy Not shown


    First prince of Calm Helio.


    Because of his somewhat spoiled upbringing, his behavior and words are somewhat childish, but he has been trained mentally by his sister Naia, so he is strong to a certain extent.


    Since he basically acts without thinking, he is treated like a kind of problem child in Calm Helio.


    His character itself is not that bad, it is just a pity that he is a soft-spoken person and does not think ahead.


    Although he is afraid of Usato in his heart, he cannot back down once he has confronted him and dared him to do so on the spur of the moment. However, it is a ballsy move to try to compete with someone who was staring at him (unknowingly) during the meeting.


    How Kyle will change in the future depends on his own efforts and his sister Naiya''s skill.


    Name: Nia Lark Kahm Helio


    Lineage Not shown


    First Princess of Kahm Helio.


    She is nineteen years old, two years older than her brother Kyle.


    She is a very open-minded person who takes the initiative in participating in exchanges with other countries in order to broaden her horizons. She is a skilled swordsman, and is a good swordsman for self-defense.


    Naiya can handle most things with ease, but it is her younger brother Kyle who worries her.


    He has been brought up in a slovenly manner both as a royal and as a human being, but she hopes that he will somehow grow up to be an adult, if not a great royal. I have been very strict with him, but he never learns his lesson, so I am having a hard time with him.


    Should I put him in the forest and teach him the harshness of living on his own? I am considering it.


    She has never had an age-appropriate conversation with people her own age due to her earnest nature, so the encounter with Usato and his friends was a new experience for her.


    Hyde


    Lineage: Earth


    Warrior leader of the Nirvarna Kingdom Warriors.


    He is an experienced and skilled warrior.


    He is skilled with a wide variety of weapons, of which he is most adept with an axe.


    Next to Usato, he is a training fool whose mental structure is close to that of Rose. He is a muscle trainer who starts muscle training as soon as he takes his eyes off of Rose, causing his second in command, Helena, a great deal of trouble.


    However, he tends to enjoy training future generations more than training himself, and he is partly responsible for Kazuki''s improvement in swordsmanship. When Kazuki and Usato met in hand-to-hand combat, Kazuki''s growth and strength made him happy to guide him.


    He is skilled in earth-based magic, and his ability to refine weapons and utilize the terrain in battle gives him a competitive edge in the battle against others.


    He is the best warrior in the Kingdom of Nirvarna, which places more importance on warfare than other kingdoms. His skills backed by his experience and his flexibility to respond to any situation will be a reliable force in the coming battle against the Demon Lord''s army.


    Helena


    Lineage: Not yet available


    A woman who is the second-in-command of the Royal Nirvarna Warriors and Chief Warrant Officer Hyde.


    She is in charge of admonishing Hyde for his various unorthodox actions.


    As a superior officer, she wants Hyde to be more firm, but as a leader, she is genuinely respected by Hyde.


    Extra


    Order of the Sky Blue Knights


    Lineage Not shown


    Knights in custom-made armor, the cream of Samaria''s magical tool-making technology.


    Although all the members are women, they are capable of maximizing the performance of their armor.


    They are also in charge of Eva''s education.


    As for romantic advice, the knights are so talented that they have spent their youth studying and training for combat, so they lack knowledge and are clumsy, and often give advice that is off the mark.


    However, even such outlandish advice somehow turns out to be positive when Eva is involved.


    Basically, they are a group of people who watch over Eva from the shadows and take great pleasure in her growth.


    Some of the knights are said to be after Eva''s butler, Eiri.

 194 - - The 176th.

    We were informed that a scouting party of the Demon King''s army had been spotted near the border, and we immediately returned to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    Since we couldn''t just casually make the rounds to say hello to the people we met again in Lukvis and then leave, it was inevitable, but it was a little regrettable that we couldn''t say goodbye to the people we had met again in Lukvis.


    "I am sorry that I had to send you home so suddenly."


    We hurriedly drove the carriage back to the Kingdom of Lingle, which took about half the time of the trip, and after dropping off Amaco on the way, we heard from Mr. Lloyd and Mr. Sergio at the royal castle about what had happened.


    "So far we have only been able to confirm the movements of the scouting party, but we are certain that the Demon King''s army has made a move. Let''s strengthen our cooperation with other countries and be ready to gather forces at any time, including those decided at the meeting."


    Even I can understand that it is an emergency situation when the Demon King''s army is moving.


    It is a good thing that the meeting was held after we reached an agreement.


    If it had been a few days earlier, we might have been very late in coordinating with each other.


    "We don''t know when we will be able to confirm the advance of the Demon Lord''s army. Suzune and Kazuki, please be ready for battle and be ready to march at any time."


    ""Yes!""


    Senpai and Kazuki reply to Master Lloyd''s words.


    Lloyd-sama nodded at their reply and continued to look at me.


    "It would be better for Usato to return to the rescue team with Rose. He will be waiting for you to come back.


    "Yes."


    I think we should let Rose be the judge of that first.


    I didn''t think I''d be in such a tense situation so soon after I got back, which makes me nervous.


    Like the first time, fighting is scary and ...... terrifying.


    Then Mr. Lloyd gave instructions to Mr. Welsey and Mr. Sigurth, and the meeting was dismissed on the spot.


    ¡ñ


    "...... is that a second fight for me?"


    Walking along the road leading to the lifeguard''s quarters, I reflect on the previous battle.


    I had managed to survive the first battle, but it would have been a battle that I would have lost for sure if it had not been for Amako''s presence.


    I don''t like to imagine it, but the knights would have been confused and their morale would have been lowered after the black knights of Ferrum ...... and Kazuki, who were the spiritual pillars of the knights of the Lingle Kingdom, were killed by the black knights.


    And with the onslaught of the remaining black knights and that evil giant snake, the Lingle Kingdom will be defeated.


    Even with Rose''s presence, it will take time to conquer the Black Knight if we don''t know how it works.


    "If there''s one thing that''s different from last time, it''s that the Lingle Kingdom isn''t the only one we''re fighting."


    We will have friends from the three kingdoms of Samarriar, Calm Helio, and Nirvarna who will fight with us.


    I don''t know how strong the forces of the demon king''s army are this time, but I am sure that they are reassuring.


    As I think about this, I notice the sound of multiple footsteps approaching from behind.


    When I turned around, I saw a group of men with frighteningly strong faces, men who would make a child start crying immediately, running toward me.


    One of them, Tong, notices me and calls out to me.


    "Oh, Usato. You came back!"


    "Yeah. I was supposed to come back later, but I had to hurry.


    The lifeguard in black.


    He is in charge of rescuing the wounded from the battlefield and taking them to the place where the healing wizards are.


    They have scary faces, but they are not bad guys.


    "Are you guys running in?"


    I say, and the tough guys nod.


    "Oh. With the demon king''s army coming, we''re going to have to get serious too.


    We have to save the wounded, you know.


    We''ll have to get out of the way and snatch them.


    "Heh heh, if you''re quick on your feet, you won''t get caught."


    "Well, we have to do what we have to do. If we''re gonna do it, we''re gonna do it right."


    What you are saying is correct, but is it my imagination that it sounds like something else?


    Well, I know you don''t mean anything else, so whatever.


    I trust these guys.


    ......No, I would never say that to their faces.


    "Well, come to think of it, that little brat is the deputy leader.


    "At first, he was crying and sputtering when he saw us."


    "Ha-ha-ha, because you guys have the same face. It''s normal to be scared."


    >


    They let out a sharp, swarthy voice and glared at each other.


    After a few seconds, our shoulders relax and we turn toward the dormitory.


    "We don''t have time for this, do we ......?"


    "...... I guess so. If my sister finds me, she''ll beat me to a pulp. I''m going back to training. I''ll see you later."


    "Oh."


    Rose always gets me beat up, but now is not the time for that.


    The tough guys know that, too, and they nod their heads and go back to their training.


    After seeing them off, I regain my composure and walk down the street until I come to the lifeguard station.


    "Well, I wonder if the leader is in the dormitory. ...... hmm?"


    As soon as I see the dormitory, I catch a glimpse of a dark-haired, red-eyed girl wearing a lifeguard training uniform running toward me.


    "Usato!"


    "Oh, Neah. What''s that?"


    I feel a little uncomfortable when she comes to me with a big smile on her face, waving her hand.


    She smiles as if she is back to her village girl days, and as I wonder about her, she opens her arms wide and hugs me vigorously.


    I take her in my arms, backing away so that I don''t fall.


    "Whoa!


    I missed you so much!¡¡I missed you so much!"


    "....... What''s wrong?¡¡What''s wrong with you?¡¡Do you want me to cast a healing spell?"


    "What?"


    Nair''s face turns serious and a blue streak appears on her forehead, but it only lasts for a moment, and soon a natural smile appears on her face.


    Her concern over her unusual behavior outweighs her ulterior motive.


    Could it be that her lifeguard training has turned her personality upside down?


    According to those tough guys, such a thing happens rarely.


    ......There are some horror stories out there....


    "Mmm-hmm. They''re doing great. I mean..."


    Suddenly, Nair pulls away from me and smiles at me.


    At the same time, I notice that her upper body does not move.


    I look at her, and I see that her body is covered with familiar magical patterns.


    A binding spell?¡¡What?


    Why do they need to make me immobilized now?


    As I tilted my head at the incomprehensible situation, Nair threw a flying kick at me with a strong running start.


    "Because I can get back at you for leaving me in this hellhole!¡¡Ho-ho-ho!"


    "Mnh!"


    "Heh-boo!"


    Before N¨¦a''s flying kick hits me in the abdomen, I take a half step forward and clench my stomach muscles.


    Nair''s kick hits me in the abdomen, but my upper body does not move at all, and on the contrary, Nair falls to the ground with a shocked expression on her face.


    "He, what?¡¡What was that?¡¡A wall?"


    "Huh. That''s sweet, N¨¦a. Did you think you could penetrate my abdominal muscles with that kind of kick?"


    I said this to the stunned N¨¦a with a bit of coolness, and she winced in frustration.


    "Oh, my God!¡¡This monster, even if I can''t move, it''s still a monster!"


    How much did you want to give me a blow?


    I put my upper body into action to break the restraints, and then I held out my hand to N¨¦a and helped her to her feet.


    "I''m home, Nia."


    "...... yeah."


    Neah nodded her head in a sullen manner, transformed into an owl, and climbed onto my shoulder.


    I smile at her and walk to the lifeguard''s quarters.


    It seems that she was not crazy from the training, but was simply trying to get back at me.


    But I had been gone for only a few days, and I had become quite mobile.


    Is it because of Rose''s training?


    Well, she is a demon, so she must have high potential. She just hasn''t had a chance to train it before. By the way, the restriction that she can''t harm me, the Lord, is almost non-functional now. An attack as small as a nair is no longer considered harm.


    "Did anything happen while I was gone?"


    "Nothing much happened. Except that they made me run for my life.


    "As usual. How was training?


    "They told us to avoid ...... magic bullets and hit us with healing magic bullets endlessly."


    Dodge the magic bullets.


    I miss that time in Luxvis when I used to throw magic bullets at him many times to train Nack''s evasive maneuvers.


    At that time, I was happy to see Nack''s steady growth.


    "I see...training to learn evasion. I know what you mean, because I did it to Nack too.


    "Yeah, I didn''t think we had the same thought process ....... I mean, did you do that to that kid?"


    Nair was stunned, but I could see why Rose had put Nair through that training.


    It was a weakness in the way Nair and I were working together.


    If I couldn''t protect N¨¦a during the fight, she would have to take care of it herself.


    I guess I tried to solve this problem by training her to evade super high-speed magic bullets.


    How did your training go?


    "...... They showed me where to hit them, and I barely lost a few times."


    "...... hmm."


    The speed of Rose''s magic bullets ......, or rather the speed of her quick throws, is extraordinary.


    I know it well, having fought her once.


    The fact that I was able to avoid it a few times means that I have acquired a certain evasive power.


    Also, I''m sure that I''m getting stronger against magic bullets after being hit by them for a long time.


    "That means you have developed your dynamic vision to a great extent, haven''t you? That''s the Commander. You''ve trained me precisely where Nair lacks..."


    "I''m not impressed!¡¡I can''t tell you how many times I''ve been blown away by ......!"


    "Ha-ha-ha. It''s a magic bullet with healing magic, so it can''t hurt you, right?


    "You''re heartbroken!"


    You seem to be fine mentally, though.


    I open the door to the dormitory, exchanging words with Nair who is desperately pleading with me.


    Where is the leader?


    "He''s inside ....... The Demon Lord''s army is coming, so he has a lot of things to do.


    "Sure, there''s a lot of work to be done.


    This time, we will be covering a much larger area, so things may be different from the last time.


    As I was heading toward the staircase, a girl with horns and brown skin, Ferm, came out of the entrance leading to the cafeteria with a difficult expression on her face.


    She looked at me with a blank expression on her face.


    "Ah, Ferm, I''m home."


    "Oh, welcome back, not ......!¡¡You''re back!"


    You''re back!" You''ve done it before, but you do it well.


    This kind of honesty makes me feel at home.


    While avoiding Ferrum, who tries to hit me as soon as we meet, I first take my luggage down to my room.


    "Well then, let''s go and see the Commander...".


    "So you want to talk about the Demon Army after all?"


    Yes. I mean, I guess they''ve already gotten the message here.


    Since we try not to give out too much information in order to avoid confusion, I was soberly surprised that Nair knew about the Demon Lord''s Army.


    "Rose told me about it a few days ago. This place is important for the Kingdom of Lingle, isn''t it?"


    I nodded at Nair''s words.


    The lifeguard is the lifeline of knights and soldiers on the battlefield.


    "On the battlefield, we have to run to save the knights who are fighting. For this reason, we train hard every day."


    The black uniforms are used to bring wounded people back to life on the battlefield.


    The gray uniforms heal the wounded brought by the black uniforms.


    It is my role as a white-suited man to run the battlefield and heal the wounded on the spot.


    "......I must do what I can do while I still can."


    "What are you going to do?"


    Nair asks me with a slight hesitation.


    "Training. "Training... training... training... training..."


    "So it''s business as usual."


    He shakes his head at Nea, who holds up her wings as if cowering her shoulders in disgust.


    It is true that training as usual is important, but this battle is clearly different from the last one.


    I know that Koga, the commander of the second corps, who has been struggling and even in mortal danger at one point, is going to fight me...


    "No, you should do the training that you can only do here ...... and that you can only do with the Commander in Chief."


    "Training on the premise that there is someone more monstrous than that monster. ......"


    "It''s going to be a lot of work, but it''s definitely going to be good for me."


    I know that look of disbelief from Nea.


    But I''m still nervous, maybe because it''s before the battle.


    Part of it is because I am aware of my inadequacy after the mock battle with my senpai and Kazuki, but I have a premonition that this next battle will not be a simple one.


    Therefore, I don''t have time to make any compromises in order to be ready to move when the time comes to drown out this anxiety.


    "......So, there was something I wanted to ask the Commander."


    When I finally arrived at the office of the Commander, I was reminded of this.


    Before going to the meeting, Rose had mentioned the name of the demon tribe called Nero Agens.


    He is the one who injured Rose''s right eye, and he is a demon tribe with a title of "Lord of the Wind," which is a very dangerous title.


    I can only speculate, but it seemed to me that Rose and Nero Agens had a strong connection.


    I wonder if she will tell us now that the meeting is over. ......


    What?


    Uh, nothing, nothing. Come on, let''s go in.


    I replied to Nair with a vague smile and knocked on the door of the Commander''s office, where Rose was expected to be.

 195 - - The 177th.

    Upon my return to the Kingdom of Lingle, I visited the Commander''s office with Nair, whom I had met on the way, on my shoulder.


    When I entered the Commander''s office after saying good-bye, I saw Rose at her desk looking over some papers.


    I was surprised to see her looking through the papers and writing something on the paper in her hand. I had known that she was working as the head of the rescue team, but I had never seen her actually doing the work.


    After a little stunned, I quickly came to my senses and told her that I had returned from the meeting.


    "Commander, I have just returned from the meeting.


    "Oh. I heard what you said at the meeting. It was your first time as deputy commander, but it seems that you managed to handle it well.


    "I had a lot of help from a lot of people. Ha ha ha ......"


    I don''t know if I was able to fulfill my duties as deputy commander.


    I would like to say that I did in my own way, but it is also true that I have many things to reflect on in this meeting.


    Rose stopped her hand at my words and looked at me. She let out a smile and put her pen down on the desk.


    "So, about the Demon Lord''s army..."


    "How are you going to move the lifeguards until the Demon Lord''s army arrives?"


    Last time we had to march on short notice, so after calling all the lifeguard members including Uluru and Olga, we headed for the battlefield immediately, but compared to that time, we have more time, so we should be able to do a lot of things before we leave.


    "Basically, unlike the knights of the castle, we won''t make any major moves until the Demon Lord''s army starts moving in earnest. If they do, it will be when they join forces with the armies of other countries.


    What do you mean?


    I mean, be ready for the coming march.


    The lifeguard itself doesn''t have to make such a big move.


    Rather, it is only after the battle has started that the lifeguard needs to make a serious move.


    While I was agreeing with myself, Rose slides a document on the table in front of me.


    "What''s this?"


    "It''s a plan that came in before you got back. Take a look."


    He picked up the document and looked at the words.


    I look at the first sentence and let out a gasp of dismay.


    "Healing wizards from other countries are being dispatched to ......?¡¡Commander, this is ......."


    "Literally, it means that more healing wizards are coming from outside."


    "So there are healing wizards out there ....... Are you going to train them?¡¡Like I do."


    "Idiot. No matter how much healing magic I use I''ll never be as good as you! I''m talking about healing injuries only, not training.


    I don''t know, I don''t get it.


    It''s as if I wasn''t sane from the beginning.


    You''re the one who created that hell. ......?


    I was kicked and abused a lot.


    No, I was the one who didn''t want to lose, and I was the one who was determined not to run away, ready to take a shot at Rose. .......


    Nair, who had been quiet so far, looked at me sideways and muttered, "I knew it, you''re mentally sick......."


    "Is ...... going to be okay?"


    I''m glad we have more people.


    I''m glad, but I''m a little worried about the perception of healing wizards outside of the ...... Lingle Kingdom.


    Perhaps sensing my concern, Rose rests her chin on her folded hands and looks at me.


    "Don''t get your hopes up too high. Not all healing wizards are as strong as you and I."


    "...... Yes."


    "A time of peace, when there are no more battles, changes people''s perceptions. The same is true for healing wizards who were needed in the midst of battle."


    "Mr. Welsey told me. Healing wizards used to be very useful."


    It is ironic, but it was a world where there were battles, and that is why healing magic was so useful.


    However, after the war against the Demon King''s army and the arrival of several hundred years of peace, the need for healing wizards disappeared, and finally it came to be regarded as the same as the recovery magic that everyone can handle.


    "Ah. The general perception of healing magic today is that it is a magic that only heals wounds a little faster than recovery magic. Pulled by this perception, the users themselves do not face their own magic and become corrupt.


    "Rot?"


    "They stop trying because they think it''s useless magic, or half-hearted healing magic. So, in other words, we destroy even our own potential. ...... like Nack once did."


    Because he was born with healing magic, Nack was treated coldly by his parents and had a hard time. As a result, he stopped moving forward as Meena said.


    Considering his past, we can understand the meaning of what Rose is saying.


    "It would have been a little better if I had been able to handle the system reinforcement, but in this day and age it is difficult to master the system reinforcement, and as far as I know, you and I are the only healing wizards who have reached that level of proficiency. ......


    It is very difficult to master the strengthening of the lineage of healing magic, although it sounds very useful when you hear that it can even heal illnesses.


    It is not something that an ordinary person like me would be able to do, forcing myself to acquire the systemic reinforcement without regard to my injuries.


    Mr. Welshy told me a lot that I was crazy. .......


    What about Olga?


    "He''s just born with the same level of magical power as the systemic reinforcement. He''s not specially trained in lineage enhancement."


    I see.


    Then, there really are not many healing magicians who can handle the systemic reinforcement in this day and age.


    "An age when there is no longer any need for healing wizards."


    That would certainly be a joyous time, but it seems to be a difficult time for healing wizards.


    "Are you going to accept this increase?"


    "For once, no amount of manpower will suffice. The healing wizards who will be dispatched may not be as skilled as Uluru and Olga, who deal with healing magic on a daily basis, but they are still healing wizards. It''s definitely better than not having them at all.


    "Yes, indeed."


    There are only five healing magicians in the Rescue Mission, including Ms. Olga, Mr. Uluru, and Nack.


    However, since Nack is never taken to the battlefield, Olga and Uluru are practically the only two who can heal people with healing magic at the base.


    Considering this, we are very thankful that there is an increase in the number of people with healing magic, even if their abilities are unknown.


    "There is a possibility that I will be unable to move. It is better to be as prepared as possible."


    "......"


    I didn''t dare to respond to her mutterings.


    She never speaks in a weak manner. If that is the case, it means that there might be a situation in which the devilishly strong Rose might not be able to move as she said.


    ......I don''t want to imagine such a situation, but at that time, I, the other one in white, have to take the initiative to make a move.


    "Do you have any opinions?¡¡As the deputy commander.


    "......Yes, I have no objection to the decision itself. However, there are two things I would like to do before the Demon Lord''s army arrives.


    "What?"


    First, we must send a letter to the Norn, Queen of Mialark, about the weapons of the brave.


    In the war against the Demon Lords, the weapons of the brave are necessary.


    If we do not reach them in time, we will have to think of a way to fight with them, so we must contact them anyway.


    However, since we are sending it to the other party, it must be sent through the castle as a formal letter authorized by Mr. Lloyd.


    Also, I would like to ask him about my cage hand, so I would like to visit him about that too.


    One more thing, if you have time, I would like to ask the Commander to teach me in person.


    "Well. You''re going to hurt me again, aren''t you?"


    I hope so.


    "Hm, okay."


    "Ho,ho......"


    Rose''s mouth twists into a grin, and Nair lets out a frightened sound.


    There are no shortcuts to growth.


    Even if we are beaten up, we have to train if there is a certain outcome ahead.


    As I am making up my mind inwardly, I notice Rose with her arms folded and her eyes closed, pondering something.


    "Commander?"


    "...... about time, huh?"


    After about ten seconds of silence, she mutters something like that and looks at me.


    I could not tell what she was thinking from her expression, but I vaguely understood that it was something important.


    "After supper, come to the Commander''s office. I want to talk to you.


    "What?¡¡Can''t we do this now?"


    I''m sorry, I''ve got some work to finish. I''ll take care of it first.


    "......, I understand."


    Night.


    I don''t know if we''re talking about Nero Agens, the demon who wounded Rose, or if we''re talking about something else.


    But I have a feeling that it will be an important story for me.


    I was not sure if it was about the Nero-Agence or something else.


    After hearing all the reports and instructions, Nair and I had left the Commander''s office and were on our way to the lifeguard''s quarters where Bulrin was staying.


    The purpose of our visit was to check on Bulrin.


    For some reason, I had not been away from him for such a long time, and I was worried that he might have done something wrong.


    I can assure you that he would not attack anyone, but there is always the possibility that he could have mistaken me for me in his sleep and ended up on Nack''s back.


    According to Nair, he hasn''t caused any trouble. .......


    "Bulleen, you''ve been quiet..."


    "Gua?"


    "Kyu."


    "Oh, Usato."


    With these thoughts in my mind, I went with Nair on my shoulder to the stables where Bulrin was staying. There, in addition to Bulrin, I found Nack and Kukuru, a black rabbit, noir rabbit, sitting on a bundle of straw.


    I let Neck and Kukuru, a noir rabbit, sitting on a bundle of straw, and I was relieved to see that they seemed to be getting along well with Bulrin, though I let Neck and Kukuru''s appearance put me off.


    "Welcome back!¡¡Usato-san!


    "Yes, I''m back. I see that Bulrin is ...... doing okay.


    "Yes. I''m a quiet guy, so I didn''t mind at all!"


    "Guar!"


    Of course, he says, and pats the bullfinch.


    As I was thinking that he is still the same with his rough fur, Nair jumped up on my shoulder without warning.


    While I was wondering what was going on, Kukuru jumped on my shoulder instead of Neah who jumped up.


    It seems that Kukul jumped up on Nair''s shoulder and Nair avoided the jump.


    "Ha, I''m not who I used to be!¡¡I can''t even see the attack of a d*mn rabbit like you!¡¡Baca!¡¡Aho!"


    Nair utters a low-level expletive as she flies through the air.


    I look at her, a little taken back.


    "Neah, don''t you feel sad for the rabbit?"


    "Not at all, when you know what he really is!"


    Well, he''s a devilish rabbit who can seduce anyone.


    Kukuru, on the other hand, rubs his head against my cheek, as if he doesn''t care a bit about Nair''s agitation.


    So cute!


    "Kiiii!¡¡That''s mine!"


    "Keeeeeee!"


    Nair, with a surprising lack of agitation, charges at Kukul.


    Kukul, sensing this, jumps up from her shoulders, kicks Neah in her owl state on her back, and heads for the entrance to the stables.


    Nair, who had been kicked in the back, screamed a pitiful scream and fell down.¡¡I catch her with both hands.


    "Are you okay?¡¡Are you okay?


    "Ugh, that rabbit. ......!¡¡I''m so pissed!¡¡I''ll never forgive you!"


    With a flash of light, Nea reverts to her black-haired, red-eyed girl form and leaves the stables, chasing after Kukul, who has fled.


    ...... glad you''re having fun.


    Kukul looks somewhat happy to have someone to play with,......?


    I look at the exit of the stables and let out a vague smile, I sit down on a pile of straw bundles.


    "I met with Kirija and the others in Luxembourg. And also with Meena.


    "!¡¡I see. Same old, same old, right?"


    "I thought ...... you and that girl were in a lot of trouble. Your relationship with her was not so complicated.


    If we had met each other at school, the relationship would have been somewhat easier to understand, but I thought that the fact that we were childhood friends made things more complicated.


    I don''t want to say that much, but...


    "Do you think so?"


    "Yes."


    "......Well, I had my faults and he had his faults. I can''t easily forgive him for what he did,...... but I don''t have time to think about it at the moment, so I''m putting it on hold."


    Pending, huh?


    Well, I, almost an outsider, don''t need to interfere and should keep an eye on it if I can.


    ...... I''m starting to feel a bit like an old man now.


    What''s up with me lately?¡¡Have I aged a little mentally now that I have a younger brother named Knack?


    "Anyway, how have you been, Kiriha?"


    I was shocked to find that my mentality had turned into an old man''s. Then Nack changed the subject.


    I quickly changed my mind and smiled at him.


    "Of course. Kiriha, Kyou and Satsuki were all looking out for you.


    "Everyone is at ......."


    "Why don''t you send him a letter?¡¡If you ask Amako, I think she can get the hoo-bird to Kiriha and the others in Luxvis."


    By all means!"


    For Nack, Kiriha and her friends must be his precious friends.


    Smiling at his cheerful answer, I stand up and do some light warm-up exercises.


    "Well, since we''ve been traveling by horse-drawn carriage until today, I think I''d like to exercise a little. How about you, Nack?


    "I''d like to run with you, Usato-san, if you don''t mind.


    Today, after hearing from Master Lloyd and Rose about the Demon Lord''s Army, I have been feeling the urge to get moving.


    Rose actually told me to take a rest, but ...... well, if I don''t overdo it, she won''t be mad at me, right?


    I''ll also wake up Burlin who is coasting in his sleep.


    I rub his back as he rises from his slumber, and we walk out of the dormitory with Nack.


    Outside, Nair is still lying on the ground, looking breathless.


    >


    >


    <>


    Kukuru is bouncing around on her head, agitating her, and Nair tries to brush her off, but she is flipped off and runs away again.


    I turn away from the scene.


    "......Nea seems to be okay without asking me out."


    "Well, yes."


    We run past Nair, who is already exhausted, and start to run with slower steps than usual.


    Perhaps it is because we are running more leisurely than usual, but I can''t help thinking about many things.


    I wonder what Rose is going to tell me tonight, when the Demon Lord''s army is coming, and what I should do from now on.


    My thoughts are mainly going in the wrong direction, but if there''s one thing I can say for sure...,


    "Time is running out, I guess."


    Fighting is inevitable.


    Therefore, we must do the best we can with the limited time we have.

 196 - - The 178th.

    After the dinner at the rescue team, I was standing in front of the leader''s office, a little nervous.


    Looking back, Rose looked more emotional than before, yet there was a slightly different ...... atmosphere, as if she had made some kind of resolution.


    I visited the Commander''s office on the premise that I had something important to discuss with him.


    <


    The piles of papers that had piled up during the day were now completely gone.


    "Make yourself comfortable."


    "Yes, sir. Excuse me."


    I follow his words and sit down in the chair that has been prepared for me.


    Feeling a little uncomfortable in the silence for a while, Rose suddenly opened her mouth.


    "Until a moment ago, I was thinking about the time you came to this world.


    "When you came here, you mean when you were involved in the summoning of the heroes?"


    "Yes."


    Rose''s words made me think of the time when I came to this world.


    Looking back, I guess you could say that that day marked the beginning of who I am today.


    Well, I was forced to join Rose from the very beginning, and I was forced to do something like a full house in hell, so I have a lot of deep emotions about it.


    "Looking back now, I guess it was a miracle that I found you."


    "What?"


    I am taken aback by Rose''s words as she mutters this without taking her eyes off the window.


    It may be rude of me, but I was surprised to hear the word < come out of Rose''s mouth. It doesn''t fit the image at all. .......


    Rose finally turns her head toward me as I am taken aback.


    "Usato, you are a real ordinary person. It should not have been possible for you to have been involved in the summoning of the heroes and to have come to this world.


    "Well, I don''t have the qualities or talents to be a hero. I wouldn''t have been summoned normally."


    Senpai and Kazuki are far superior in terms of talent as wizards and fighting sense.


    Their magic power is just a little more than normal.


    All I have done up until today is to train my body.


    "If you hadn''t taken me out of the castle when I came to this world with my seniors, I''m sure I would have taken a different path from the one I''m on now.


    "Of course. You would have learned magic from Welshy or Olga, and you would have become a proper healing wizard."


    They would not have been fighting with brute force or running in the middle of a battlefield like we are doing now.


    As I was feeling a little emotional, Rose''s mouth twisted into a smile.


    "What?¡¡Would you have preferred that?"


    "No way, I like it better now that I''m here."


    Rose says this in a teasing way, to which I reply with a wry smile.


    "Besides, there are people who were saved because I trained here.


    In my mind''s eye, I see the people I met in the kingdoms I visited on my journey to deliver the letter.


    Sometimes I was in a pinch, sometimes things got out of control, but in the end I was able to help them.


    "In my original world, I was just an ordinary student. I wanted a chance to change myself, to make a difference in my life. But that changed when I came to this world."


    As my daily life changed drastically, my thoughts gradually changed as well.


    I believe that the reason for this change was Senpai and Kazuki, the two heroes and the lifeguard squad.


    "At first, I wanted to help my senpai and Kazuki, so I trained hard. I didn''t want to be a nuisance to them, and I thought my talent for healing magic might be useful."


    At that time, I think I was pushing forward with my lifeguard training.


    In other words, I was trying to move forward with vague reasons.


    "Then, in the battle against the demon king''s army, I ran to the battlefield to save the lives of all the knights. The battlefield was ...... terribly scary, but I am glad that I was able to save Senpai and Kazuki."


    "......"


    "So I thought. Me."


    I was pushing forward, but I found the path that I was directed to follow.


    The path of a lifeguard who heals the wounded on the battlefield,


    "I want to protect the everyday life where someone can smile and live a normal life. If someone is sad, I want to reach out to them, if someone is hurt, I want to help them."


    Rose looked at me and fell silent for a while, then put her hand on her forehead.


    Her expression seemed to be grim for some reason.


    Had I said something that might have offended her?¡¡No, though I think I said something embarrassing.


    Usato.


    "Yes, sir."


    "...... your idea is a praiseworthy one. I myself would like to praise the idea, but ...... you haven''t said what you really think yet."


    "What?¡¡No, that''s not what ...... says."


    I was not expecting to be told such a thing, so I was dismayed.


    "Usato, what did you see on the battlefield?"


    "......"


    I felt as if my heart had been grabbed by the finger.

 197 - - The 179th.

No content

 198 - - The 180th.

No content

 199 - - The 181st episode.

    It was a sensation I had experienced many times before.


    A floating sensation as if I were in water, and inversely, my thoughts and vision were clear.


    I first understood that this sensation was caused by my own precognition magic, and I gazed at the scene in front of me, trying to firmly burn into my eyes the view of the future that I was about to be shown.


    "---This..."


    The first thing I saw in front of me were soldiers of the demon tribe riding on the backs of dragon-like demons, running on the ground and flying in the sky. Other demons, including a ferocious-looking wolf demon, are about to attack the knights of the Lingle Kingdom, a force far greater than the one we saw in the previous premonition.


    Behind them, there was a snake as big as the evil dragon, and there were several smaller ones around it.


    "The scale and everything is different from the previous battle. ......"


    Everyone was expecting this, but when I woke up from the dream, I had to tell them the contents of this prediction as soon as possible.


    As I think of this, the scene of the prediction changes like a picture.


    Usato and Kazuki are facing Koga, who is clad in a beastly robe.


    Suzune, clad in thunder, and a female demoness in flames.


    A huge tornado is spreading damage all around in the battlefield.


    The scene of the future changes as if it were a picture book.


    "......"


    Perhaps, the scene just shown to us must be an important scene that will determine the future of the battle---nay, the future of demons and humans.


    The same premonition that I had when I saw the future of Kazuki and Suzune being killed by the black knight: .......


    While I was thinking about this, the scene changes to another one. I brace myself, but I am taken aback by the scene.


    "......What are you ...... doing!¡¡Usato......!


    He forgets his frustration and makes a straight face as he sees Usato, who is about to kick the flying dragon in the air with an ogre-like expression.


    I don''t understand the situation at all.


    I can''t understand how he is in the air. I can''t see clearly from a distance, but it looks as if Usato''s group uniform is slightly changed.


    ...... No.


    "It''s better not to think about it too much. It''s Usato."


    Experience shows that Usato''s behavior leading up to this scene is definitely not normal, so further contemplation will not clear up the question.


    "--Uh!"


    A sense of being pulled back to something that signifies the end of foreknowledge.


    Apparently, this is the end of the predictions I can see.


    I let myself feel that the vision of the prediction is fading away, and at the same time, the darkness in front of my eyes is growing.


    "--"


    The next time I woke up, I was in my familiar bed in my room.


    Wiping my eyes, I sat up lazily and thought about the prediction I had just made.


    "......Why is Usato in a special situation every time he sees a prediction?"


    I know no one can answer that.


    I know that, but I still couldn''t help but mutter something like that.


    I know, but I still couldn''t help but mutter it.


    In the days following the day that Ferrum became a true member of the lifeguard corps, I had been doing a lot of work to prepare for the battle.


    I had been doing my job as deputy commander, sending letters to Mialak through the castle, and checking the documents regarding the increased number of healing wizards, but the situation changed drastically when Amako visited me.


    Master Lloyd and the people of the castle, who understood the importance of Amako''s prediction, immediately called a meeting to discuss the prediction she had seen.


    The following is a brief summary of Amaco''s prediction,


    The Demon King''s army will use demons as a force.


    Kazuki and I will face Koga, the commander of the 2nd Legion.


    My senpai is going to face a demon who manipulates flames, probably Amira whom Aruk-san fought at Hinomoto.


    In the battlefield, there is a tornado that is littering the area around us.


    I am fighting a flying dragon in the air for some reason.


    ......Leaving aside why I am being predicted like a pussy, it must be important information.


    I am in the critical stage of setting up my base in the plains where the battle will take place. If we can find out how they will react at that time, we may be able to gain an advantage.


    "Kazuki and Usato, you are the commander of the second corps and I am a demon tribe that deals with fire..."


    "Don''t think too much, Suzune. If you try to change things by force, there is a small chance that the future will be twisted.


    "Yes, I know. I know, but I have my own ideas about who I''m fighting.


    After the meeting was over, Amako and I were walking with our senpai through the corridors of the castle.


    We were headed for the castle gate where Mr. Aruk was.


    He told us to ask him about the details of the battle he had fought with a demon named Amira, so Amako and I, who knew him well, decided to go along with him.


    "If you''re talking about that demon tribe, I heard that Aruk-san gave you a report on it.


    I''ve already looked it over. But I wanted to hear from him how the fight went."


    "I see."


    It is true that it is easier to imagine the situation of the time if you hear from Mr. Aruk himself.


    I was convinced by his words, and decided to ask him about something that had been bothering me.


    "Will Kazuki and his senpai go to the base soon?"


    "Yes. The Demon King''s army is on the move. We brave men must also head for the base and get ready.


    The Demon Lord''s army is already on the move.


    In conjunction with this, the forces of the kingdoms of Nirvarna, Samariar, and Calm Helio have been summoned to a base set up in the plain area, and in a few days, a coalition army of the four kingdoms will be formed.


    We, the rescue team, will be heading to the base a little later than Senpai and Kazuki.


    "......"


    I already have a sense of the battle ahead.


    However, it feels a little strange because I have more time to prepare than in previous battles.


    Don''t I still have things to do?¡¡Am I missing something important?¡¡I wonder if I am missing something important.


    "Usato-kun?"


    What?¡¡I''m sorry. I was just in a daze."


    I reply with a huff to the senior who peeks into my face.


    Seeing my reaction, I wondered what he thought, and he made a gesture of embarrassment.


    "Are you worried about me?


    "Yes, I am. I am worried about Kazuki.


    "I am?


    "I''m worried about my senpai, too, but I think ...... you can manage on your own somehow. ......"


    In fact, this person seems to be able to get out of almost any pinch.


    No, if I were in a pinch, I would go to help him right away.


    He shakes his head frantically at my words, pointing to himself as he talks to me.


    Usato-kun!¡¡I''m the one who should not be left alone!¡¡I don''t know what I would do without you!¡¡If you don''t mind, you''d better prepare yourself ......!"


    "Why do I have to be threatened in this situation?"


    "Great. I''ve never seen someone use themselves as a shield to threaten me before."


    If I, the stopper, am not here, I am afraid of what I might really do.


    And Amako, don''t mumble like you''re impressed.


    I''m not impressed at all.


    "Anyway, I''m worried about Kazuki because he tends to keep his worries bottled up, while my senpai can let most things slide.


    That''s what worries me.


    When he asked me for advice before the first battle of the Demon King''s Army, I saw in him a weakness that was appropriate for his age.


    Of course, I have that weakness too. I think I have it even more than Kazuki. But I had already made up my mind after my conversation with Rose.


    "He has Celia and Frana, so he''ll be fine. But I don''t think you can speak for others either, can you?"


    "Oh, really?¡¡No, it''s true that I''ve been having a lot of troubles lately.


    I cross my arms and think about what is troubling me at the moment.


    First of all, how to act as a vice-commander.


    What are my strengths that I should develop for the battle against the Demon King''s army?


    Next, the training policy for Nack, Ferrum, Nair, and Bulrin.


    And..,


    "Usato''s problems are training-related. Isn''t that all you''ve been thinking about lately?"


    "Amako. How do you know?


    "Because he''s Usato."


    Why are you asking me such an obvious question?¡¡He tilts his head at me with a genuine look, and I am at a loss for words.


    Hmph, as one would expect from a fellow traveler.


    They know what I''m going through.


    "Hmmm..."


    "Senpai?"


    I talk to the senior who is twisting his neck.


    What''s on his mind?


    "I have a feeling, Usato-kun, that you don''t think of your "real problems" as problems.


    "What?"


    "Oh, don''t worry about it. It''s just a feeling I have. We''re almost at the gate.


    When I was taken aback by my senpai''s words, I realized that I was close to the castle gate, and I looked ahead to find Mr. Aruku, the guard guard guarding the gate.


    Once I regain my composure, I call out his name and wave my hand.


    "Mr. Alc!


    "Oh, Mister Usato. And Suzune-dono and Amako-dono, too. ...... can I help you?"


    Yes. Yes.


    The senior staff member tells Mr. Aruk that he would like to hear about the demon swordsman who wielded the flame that Mr. Aruk fought.


    When he hears what happened, he readily agrees.


    After leaving the situation temporarily in the hands of his fellow guards, Mr. Aruk turns to me.


    "You''re here about the battle with Amira Berghlet, aren''t you?"


    "Yes. I want to know what kind of fight they are going to have.


    "Well, ...... my impression of the fight was that she was incredibly skilled at fighting."


    Mr. Alc starts talking with his hand on his chin, perhaps remembering the battle at that time.


    The senpai listens intently to his story.


    "You have more fire magic and swordsmanship than I do. "More fire magic than I have, more swordsmanship than I have, and more skill in handling it as if it were my own. If she had come at me with the intention of killing me, I would not be here.


    If Mr. Aruk, who wields a powerful flame, has gone so far as to say so, he must have been such a powerful opponent.


    While I was listening to Mr. Arque''s story while thinking, a senior colleague asked him a question.


    "In the report, it says that you wore the flames like armor, what does that mean?"


    "I mean it literally. By being clad in flames, she repelled all attacks with hot air, even simple movement was aided by flames, and slashes with her sword were always covered in flames.


    "...... sounds a lot like my Thunder Beast mode, doesn''t it?"


    "Yes, it is. From my point of view, Amira''s technique is similar to that of Suzune-dono.


    The technique that my senpai has acquired through his journey, the Thunder Beast Mode.


    It is a powerful technique that enables one to move at high speed by being covered with electric shocks.


    Though senpai seems to specialize in movement, from Mr. Aruk''s point of view, the techniques used by Amira and senpai are similar.


    "Wearing magic, huh?


    Amira''s fighting style is very similar to that of Nero Agence, whom Rose told me about.


    It is not a coincidence that Amira uses the same technique as Nero, since it is clear that it is not a half-baked technique.


    "To be honest, I couldn''t bring out the real in her. Even with my best blows, I was only able to cut through her armor temporarily, and the attack barely reached her flesh and blood."


    "Amira Bergeret is a very dangerous opponent. Her swordsmanship and skill are extraordinary, and when facing her, ...... Suzune-sama may want to make the most of her own strengths to fight."


    "My, my, my ......."


    When I hear the word "seniority," I think about it.


    The first thing that came to mind was--,


    "The part where you don''t read the air ......?"


    "I know exactly how you feel about me, Usato!¡¡I know exactly how you feel about me, Usato!¡¡I can be serious, right?¡¡Right?


    I don''t know what I''m getting into, but for some reason I have a bad feeling about this.


    I said my excuses while my senpai grabbed me by both shoulders.


    "Oh, please calm down. Isn''t it amazing that you can ignore the other person''s pace and go at your own pace?


    "I don''t feel like I''m being praised!"


    As I was wondering what to say, Aruk-san, who was quietly watching the exchange between me and my senpai, opened his mouth.


    "Ha-ha-ha, you have a point, Usato-dono.


    "Even ALC?


    "I also think that Suzune-dono should seek a way to fight that makes use of the strengths of his own system of magic.


    A way of fighting that makes the most of the strengths of my senpai''s blitz system magic, huh?


    Your magic is not like mine, which is forcibly expanding the range of its ability by using baskets and lineage enhancement, but it can respond to any situation depending on the way you do it.


    He is able to handle all kinds of situations depending on the way he does it. He is able to make possible applications that everyone would say are impossible, thanks to his own magical talent and exceptional sense.


    The best example of this is the "Raijyu mode".


    "The first half of the story is not clear, but ...... it''s my way of fighting. It''s worth thinking about. Thank you, Alc. It was very helpful.


    I''m glad I could be of some help. I will return to my duties now.


    After bowing to us on the spot, Mr. Aruk returned to his guard duty at a short run.


    After seeing him off, the senior turned to me.


    "I really want to go to the city with you guys, but I''m going to go back to the castle. I have things I have to do as a brave warrior.


    The senior says this with a rueful laugh.


    As the deputy leader of the rescue team, you have something to do, just like me, a brave man.


    Besides, he is the hope of the knights, so his importance is incomparable to mine.


    "I''ll go out with you as much as you want after the battle is over. Right, Amako?"


    "Yes. I''m totally fine with that.


    Of course, Kazuki will be with us then.


    When Amako and I smiled at him, he turned around and put his hand on his chin with a straight face.


    "Are you sure?¡¡You want me to make such a promise?¡¡I won''t forget it, will I?"


    "......Usato. Suzune, are you okay with a straight face?"


    I can''t help but have a bad feeling if he says that with a straight face.¡¡Well, I know it won''t be a bad thing, so I won''t take it back.


    Anyway, here is another reason why we must make it back alive.

 200 - - The 182nd Episode.

    Two brave men, Senpai and Kazuki, were to go to the base they had set up earlier in the plain area.


    We, the rescue team, departed later than they did. I saw them off as they departed with the knights, and I was performing my duties as deputy commander while making preparations to ensure that nothing was amiss.


    "What''s wrong, Usato?¡¡Is that all you''ve got?


    Of course not!


    Then show me how you fight back!


    With a yell from Rose, a gouging kick was fired at my side of the head.


    As soon as I received the kick with my basket hand, I jumped to the side to escape the impact, and after a couple of spins on the ground, I stood up, but I immediately did a backflip and managed to avoid a crushing heel drop from directly above.


    "You seem to have mastered the art of escape."


    "We''re not done yet, ......!"


    Rose smiles at me, sweating profusely and out of breath.


    The day before we leave for the base, I have a practical training with Rose - an act that would normally make me question my mentality, but it''s now or never, because if I go over there, I won''t be able to train anymore.


    "Let''s at least give him a good beating!


    "Fine!¡¡I''ll give it a shot if I can!


    To tell the truth, I have been fighting under extreme conditions for the past hour, so I am a bit out of sorts.


    I let my impulses get the better of me, and I move toward Rose, who has her fists clenched.


    "Why am I here? ......"


    --with Nea, who is supporting me on my shoulder.


    Nair is supporting me on my shoulder.


    "--this is as far as we go."


    "Yes, I think so. Thank you very much. ......


    Rose looks down at me as I lie sprawled out in the middle of the training ground.


    Neah is also lying on the ground in an owl-like state, completely relaxed like a stuffed animal.


    "I''m definitely, definitely going to get some blood from you ......, otherwise it''s not worth it ......!"


    "I know. I''ll keep my promise.


    "Absolutely!"


    You really need to be that careful.


    Well, since I asked you to join us, I won''t refuse.


    The reason why I''m having a mock battle with Rose the day before we head for the base we set up on the plain is because I wanted to get used to the moves of Rose, who has more physical abilities than I do, at the last minute.


    Also, as a vice commander, it is my duty to consider the possibility of substituting for the commander in case of emergency.


    I don''t know how well I would be able to replace Rose, but since no one else could do it but me, I figured I had to do it.


    "I''ve cast a healing spell on you, but make sure you rest well."


    "Yes, sir."


    I nodded at Rose''s words, who did not look tired at all.


    "Just in time, I ask you now, are you taking Bullyn to the battlefield this time?"


    "...... Uh, that''s--"


    Some time ago, I asked him if he would go to fight against the Demon Lord''s army.


    I rather declared that he would stay behind, but he angrily tapped my foot several times, showing his intention to go to war.


    I nodded at Rose''s words, remembering that ...... perhaps I had been too overprotective of Bulrin.


    "Yes. I''ll take her with me."


    "I see. Then I''ve had Bulrin prepare a special suit of armor for the lifeguard. You should wear it."


    "What?¡¡When did you make that ......?"


    While you were at the meeting with Lucvis. I had it made just in case you needed it.


    Armor specially designed for Brullin.


    ......<?¡¡No, <> would be better?


    I''ll think of a name for it later, but I''ll thank Rose.


    "Thank you!"


    "No need to thank me. I did it on my own. And one more thing.


    Rose pulled a sentence out of the pocket of her troupe uniform.


    She tossed it to me, and I saw that it had been sent by Mialak.


    "Mialark ...... Commander, this is ......."


    It was given to you personally. The kingdom has an official one. It says ...... well, the brave men''s weapons are not going to be ready in time for the war."


    "I see. ......"


    Or not in time.


    No, it''s a good thing they didn''t say "no, you won''t make it here in time".


    Unlike my time, Falga-sama is trying to make a brave man''s weapon from scratch, so he must be overworking himself.


    Considering this, I can hardly blame her.


    "It''s all right to be so gloomy. We leave tomorrow. As soon as you are ready, rest your body for tomorrow."


    "Yes!"


    Rose gets up, replies, and goes back to her quarters.


    Rose took time out of her busy schedule to help me prepare for tomorrow. I stand up, feeling sorry and grateful.


    "Well, I have a lot to do for tomorrow."


    I have to continue with the preparations for a situation where the healing wizard is no longer useful due to the use up of his magic power, such as bandages and medicinal herbs for first aid.


    Rather than my personal belongings, those are more important.


    "Wow. ...... I forgot about the preparations. ......"


    "You can rest a little longer. I''ll take care of the preparations."


    "Aaaaah!"


    He places Nair, who is lying on the ground like a stuffed animal, on his shoulder and activates his healing magic.


    I look at the letter I received from Rose, smiling at Nair''s moaning.


    "Well, before that, let''s read this one.


    When he sent the letter, he had also sent a question about the basket hand in addition to the valiant man''s weapon.


    He carefully unwrapped the letter and opened it to find a beautiful, flowing text.


    The letter was written in a beautiful, flowing script.


    This is a separate letter from the one sent to the Kingdom of Lingle, and is addressed to Usato Ken personally.


    I am Leona, brave of Mialak.


    I understand that this is not the time for a lengthy preamble, so I will keep it brief and to the point.


    First of all, the creation of the weapons of the two heroes by the Lord Falga may not be completed in time for the attack of the Demon Lord''s army on the Kingdom of Lingle.


    As soon as they are completed, they will be sent by the fastest ship in Mearaq, but there is no guarantee that they will be ready in time.


    And about your question about the cage hand.


    First of all, is it possible to transfer or lend your basket hand to a third party?¡¡According to Mr. Farga, it is not possible.


    It is truly your exclusive equipment, and no one else can have its true performance.


    The exception to this is my own , which is so because Falga-sama made it so that its shape can be changed by the bearer, but your basket hand cannot.


    Your baskets cannot do that.


    "-I thought it was a long shot, but I guess not."


    Can''t you lend my cage hand to someone else?


    It may not have unparalleled power, but it is a basket hand of extraordinary hardness on its own. I thought that if I could give it to Senpai and Kazuki, it might be able to help them, but I guess I have to give up .......


    "But this Kagome, only you can use it, can''t you?¡¡It''s just hard and I think it can only be used as an armor.


    "It''s enough just to be armor. Besides, it helps me manipulate magic."


    If you are a senior, you will be able to use the Thunder Beast mode, and if you are Kazuki, you will be able to further enhance your superior magical manipulation.


    "Ah, yes. What about putting a cuirass on his leg?¡¡That way, your technique will be even more amazing, won''t it?"


    "No, this is only a cuirass, you will be in trouble if you deploy it on your legs, right?


    Specifically, the legs would be forcibly transformed into the shape of a basket hand. .......


    ...... sounds painful just to imagine it.


    In the first place, the ankle bracelet itself does not fit on the ankle.


    "Well, if we can do something similar to the basket hand from the foot, I think we can do a lot of things with it.


    Nair muttered in a bored tone.


    It''s not that I haven''t thought about it, but the price is too high.


    ...... but I would have liked to try a healing kick by jumping with a healing magic bursting leg, not a healing magic bursting palm.


    like this.


    While I was thinking such a stupid thing, a black-haired lifeguard, Nack, comes from the entrance of the training ground.


    "Hmm?¡¡Nack, what''s wrong?"


    "Mr. Usato, Tong-san asked me to come and help you as soon as possible.


    "Uh, okay."


    I don''t want them to be the only ones getting ready, so I''ll get going too.


    I''m almost recovered from the mock battle with Rose.


    I get up and head for the dormitory with Nack.


    "Usato-san, you are leaving tomorrow, aren''t you?


    "Yes, that''s right. Is Nack going to the castle?


    Yes. I''ll be the only one here, so Mr. Rose arranged it for me.


    If we leave here, Nack will be all alone.


    We can''t let a twelve year old boy live alone, and Rose''s decision is justified.


    "To tell you the truth, I''d like to ...... follow you and the others."


    "Knack ......"


    "I know. I''m still a kid and I''m not as strong as you guys. I know that better than anyone.


    Nack''s mutterings seemed to be somewhat stifled by his emotions as he held a healing spell in his palm.


    Even as a healing wizard, I cannot take Nack, who is still inexperienced in terms of age, into battle. No matter how much manpower I have, I cannot compromise on that.


    "But I thought it would be different if I just felt sorry for him.


    Nack looks up at me.


    "The other day, I asked Mr. Rose if I could ask you to help me at the castle.


    "Help?"


    Yes. There are a lot of people out of the castle right now and we are short on staff, so I was wondering if you could help me.


    I see.


    Now that people are gathering at the base, it is safe to say that the castle is quite shorthanded.


    They have some knights left in case of an unexpected attack, but they are still very few.


    "Then, I''ll leave the castle''s defense to you.


    "Eh, that''s such a big deal. ....... Besides, I can''t do much ...... yet."


    "Nack, you''re the one who thought this up and took action. I think that''s great."


    Maybe if I were in your shoes, I couldn''t have done the same thing.


    I might have stopped thinking and just did muscle training, or I might have bemoaned myself for being so helpless.


    "Mr. Usato!"


    "Yes?"


    I was surprised to hear Nack''s voice with a determined expression on his face.


    He looked up at me and opened his mouth in confusion.


    "When you get back, please teach me how to do the healing punch and the healing magic bullet!


    "Well, if that''s what you want to know, now is the time..."


    "You idiot!"


    I tried to teach her the usual way, but Nair tapped me on the cheek with her wing.


    I looked at her quizzically and she looked at me in disbelief.


    ......That''s how it is, I thought.


    I kneeled down to make eye contact with Nack and put my hands on his shoulders.


    "Nack, you shouldn''t learn the art of hurting people. Even if in the end they are unharmed.


    "Mr. Usato, ......"


    "You still have a choice. You don''t have to become a violent healing magician like me."


    I don''t know, denying oneself head-on is pretty resonant.


    But I''m doing this to keep Nack from going down the wrong path. For that, I don''t care what kind of scars it may cause to my heart. ......!


    "But I ......"


    "Do you remember the training we did in Luxvis?"


    "How could I forget? That ...... training was ......"


    ...... such and such?


    I don''t know, it''s a strange misstatement.


    Let''s not worry too much about it, yeah.


    "Just like that. If you can''t find it on your own, I''ll do something about it with you."


    "...... Yes!"


    "Yes!" "That''s a good answer."


    He nodded strongly and put his hand on Nack''s head.


    He has a long way to go.


    As his mentor at one time, I must see it through.


    I stand up slowly and thank Nair at my shoulder.


    "Thank you. Nair, I think that''s what you meant.


    "No, no, but... No, no, but ...... it was a good ...... result, wasn''t it?"


    "?"


    Nair is whispering in a whisper, tilting his head and starting to walk again with Nack.


    We leave tomorrow.


    They will be temporarily away from the lifeguard base and Nack will be the only one left in the kingdom, but he will be fine.


    After all, he is a friend that Rose ...... and the rest of us in the Rescue Mission recognize.

 201 - - 183rd episode.

    The day of departure for the base.


    We, the lifeguards, were leaving the Kingdom of Lingle with the knights.


    When we left, Amaco, Nack, and the people of the kingdom came to see us off. I left the Kingdom of Lingle, once again, with the view of the place we must protect, the Kingdom of Lingle, burned into my mind.


    We traveled on horse-drawn wagons just as we did in the previous battle, but there were more members than before.


    Five strongmen, Olga, Uluru, and - Ferrum and Nair.


    When I think that there are ten members including myself in the carriage, I feel a deep emotion.


    No, there''s also Bulrin outside in his lifeguard armor, so that makes ten men and one horse.


    "By the way, ......Nea, what''s up with your outfit?"


    "You finally pointed that out, didn''t you?"


    Nair, sitting in front of me, crosses her legs with a confident expression on her face.


    N¨¦a was not dressed in her usual training uniform, but in a cute outfit that looked like it had been designed for a girl, based on the black version of the uniform that Rose and I were wearing.


    It''s like a coat for me and Rose, but Nair''s is a little bit more modernized in my world.


    "Hmmm, this is my own outfit that I made with my transformation ability!"


    "Yes, I think it''s nice."


    "What?¡¡Well, I feel embarrassed when you praise me so frankly..."


    "You look very lightweight, so you can move fast when the need arises."


    "......"


    Nair kicks me in the shin.


    What is it?¡¡Are you going for the shin like Ferrum?


    "Ha, you''re not ready if you''re so concerned about your appearance.


    The one who swore at me from the seat between Nair and the other was Ferrum, a girl of the demon tribe wearing a black trouser made of magic power.


    Nair gives a mocking smile at her swearing.


    "I guess it''s better than Usato''s different-colored one."


    "Who''s the wrong color for him!¡¡I don''t want to be ...... like him!"


    Can I cry?


    I''m being dissed in a roundabout way, saying I''m better than the wrong color, and Ferrum is just plain hurtful.


    "You''re the one who should be dressed like that!"


    "I don''t mind it!¡¡As you can see from what I just said, he''s a slow-witted, brainy guy anyway!"


    While I was feeling down, Nair and Ferrum''s bickering was about to heat up, when the person sitting between them made a move.


    "I know you two are embarrassed, but don''t fight and be nice to each other.


    "Agh!"


    "Ugh!"


    Uluru-san is the best communicator in the rescue team.


    Let go of me, ......!


    Let go of me! ......!


    No! We have to get along, because we''re about to go to a very bad place."


    With a beaming smile, she puts her hands on Ferrum''s and Nair''s shoulders and pulls them into her territory, taking them by surprise.


    And there is another reason why she has stopped him.


    "Besides, if you don''t stop her soon, the Commander''s thunder will come down!"


    ""...... What?¡¡...... hiccup!"""


    I followed Uluru''s gaze to the carriage window and saw the horrifying sight of Rose, who was holding the reins of the horse pulling the carriage, glaring at Nair and Ferrum with a terrible glare.


    She is only glancing behind her, but I can''t help but feel the intensity of this horror movie.


    "You see?"


    ""......""


    Nair and Ferrum nodded their heads, looking pale.


    Last time I was next to Rose who was controlling the reins, but this time I''m going to ride in the carriage." I''ve got some things to do at the base, so you''ll have to rest," he says, but I wonder if he''s going to be given the job of deputy commander.


    "Usato-kun?


    "Excuse me?¡¡Olga-san."


    I listen to Olga''s voice sitting next to mine.


    Olga-san, Uluru-san''s older brother, is even more skilled in healing magic than I am.


    He opens his mouth with his usual gentle expression.


    "I remembered that I hadn''t said anything to congratulate you on your new position as vice commander.


    "Uh, no, nothing like that. ......"


    "I really want to tell you. I''m also very happy that you''ve become deputy commander.


    After a pause for a few seconds, Ms. Olga congratulates him.


    "Congratulations on your new position as Deputy Commander of the Rescue Mission, Usato-kun. I hope from the bottom of my heart that you will continue to support Mr. Rose.


    "......I don''t know if I can support the Commander, but ......"


    "You''ve been supportive enough at this point. You just don''t know it yet.


    It may be that I am supported, but I never thought of it the other way around.


    But if that''s the case with Olga, then maybe it is.


    I nodded my head, letting his words ruminate in my mind.


    "I will try my best in my own way.


    "Yes. It''s impossible now that the battle with the Demon Lord''s army is imminent, but if you have any problems as the vice-commander, you can talk to me about them. If it''s okay with me that I''m such an unreliable person. ......"


    When I tried to follow her up with a wry smile, Uluru, who was playing with Nair and Ferrum before Olga, approached her.


    "You should have more confidence in yourself, big brother. It''s not cool if you don''t finish up..."


    "Ha ha ha ......"


    "Big brother, this isn''t funny, okay?"


    "...... yes."


    Olga is amused by the rather normal tone of his voice.


    While I was watching their exchange, I heard a loud voice coming from the opposite side of the table from where Olga was sitting.


    A man with a skin-head, Tong.


    A small fat muscular man, Mil.


    Gomul, a bearded man with a cross-shaped scar on his face.


    Alec, the cook of the rescue team, whose trademark is a bandana wrapped around his head.


    Guld, a goblin by the looks of it.


    I listen to the five strong men I trust as they talk thoughtfully about something.


    "I heard that we''re not only dealing with demons. What are we going to do?


    "It''s a little troublesome that there are demons in the mix too.


    Yeah, it''s hard to tell the difference.


    "It''s all right, isn''t it?¡¡What we do is the same.


    "Heh, that''s true."


    Demons, demons, borderline, what we do is the same. ...... I see, that''s how it is.


    After listening to that much conversation and understanding what they were talking about, I called out to them to join their conversation.


    "If that''s the way it''s going to be, leave it to me. First of all, let''s think of a way to prevent you from being mistaken for demons and attacked.


    Oh!"""""?""""""""


    As soon as I said that, I was stared at by a group of strong men with bloodshot eyes.


    It''s funny, I don''t think my guess is wrong. .......


    "Huh?¡¡I thought they were discussing it so that they wouldn''t be mistaken for the demons brought by the demon army and attack us because they look like demons.


    "Are you selling us a fight?"


    He tilts his head at Tong, who is flashing a blue streak of anger.


    "What?"


    "Are you kidding me? He''s not mistaking us for Guld, who has a record, but he''s not mistaking us for anyone.


    I can''t be mistaken either!¡¡Maybe!"


    Guld retorts to Mil''s words, but Alec shakes his head as if to deny it.


    "Didn''t your sister pick you up after you were mistaken for a goblin and captured by a knight of the Lingle Kingdom?


    Don''t talk about my bouncer days!


    Really?


    So that''s how you ended up in the rescue squad.


    And now I don''t know what Rose''s criteria are for recruiting members.


    "We were talking about countermeasures against the demons brought by the Demon Lord''s army..."


    "I see...that way."


    "Rather, why didn''t you think of this one: ......"


    I nodded at Gomul''s voice, which brought the conversation back on track.


    Countermeasures against demons.


    I guess the strongmen have more experience than us, so I should ask them.


    "What do you do when you face a demon?¡¡Oh, if there is a wounded person lying near the demon.


    The strongmen put their hands on their chins for a while and thought about my question.


    After ten seconds or so, one by one, they speak the answer to my question from the tongs.


    "Aim for the vital point."


    "Grab them before they can stop you."


    "I''m just going to punch him anyway."


    "I''m going to hit him as hard as I can."


    "We''ll bait them by hitting them with a handful of demons."


    "I see. Thank you, I''ll keep that in mind."


    He thanks the five of them for their opinions.


    I am honestly glad that none of them gave me the answer of .


    If our legs can scare them even for a moment, it means that we can help the wounded who are close to the enemy.


    I am aware of the practicality of the full force body slam, since I have also slammed myself into a blue grizzly once.


    "Hey, Uluru. Can I use that as a reference?"


    "Even I can see that. I think it''s a definite no-no."


    "Ordinary people can''t do it, but I think Usato and his friends can handle it, can''t they?"


    I can hear Nair and the others murmuring in front of me, but for now let''s focus on what Tong and the others are saying.


    ......We fight a lot with these guys, but that doesn''t mean we don''t get along.


    I would say that we have a relationship where we can say whatever we want to say to each other without hesitation.¡¡I think it''s a different kind of relationship of trust from Kazuki''s and Inukami''s.


    "Well then, next, let''s think about how to prevent Gurd from being mistaken for a demon.


    """"No objections""""


    "Of course there is!¡¡You f*cking morons!"


    We were riding in a wagon to the battlefield, but somehow it seemed we would make it to our destination without any gloom.


    It has been a long time since our departure.


    We had been discussing countermeasures against demons for quite a long time, and the strongmen came to a conclusion one by one.


    The first one was Tong''s idea that demons cannot respond to unexpected attacks.


    This is a rather reasonable idea that even if we are dealing with demons, we will be slow to respond to an attack that we have not seen before, or to an attack of an unknown identity.


    The second one is Gomul''s idea of <>The second one is Gomul''s idea.


    I don''t know where the source is, but it seems to be a reliable idea. I have not decided if I will try .......


    The third one is Mill''s idea that <>.


    I heard that Rose practiced it when Mir was thrown into , but please don''t give me ideas that humans can''t do.


    The fourth one is Alec''s idea of <>.


    I think it is a persuasive idea.


    Fifth, Guld''s idea that "if we make them think we are their own people, they will not attack us naturally.


    Out of the question, please discuss it from the human point of view.


    After a brief discussion, it was concluded that Tong and Alec''s idea would be a useful countermeasure against the demons.


    "It seems like quite a long time, doesn''t it?"


    "Yes, it is. And your brother is still asleep from reading his book.


    When I took my eyes off the strongmen who had started to take a nap with their eyes closed, Uluru-san, who had moved to a different seat before I knew it, came over to talk to me.


    Where are Ferrum and Nair? Both of them were sleeping with their eyes closed. They were leaning their heads on each other''s shoulders, even though they are usually at each other''s throats.


    I cover them both with their loose trousers so that they don''t catch a cold.


    "Usato-kun, when we get there, we are going to meet with the additional healing wizards, right?


    "Yes, I guess so."


    "I see. ...... I wonder what kind of people they are."


    In the meantime, we have some materials.


    However, since they are only documents, we will never know for sure unless we meet the person in person.


    "According to the story, there are two people in their 20s, about the same age as us. They said there will be about three people in all.


    "Three people. That''s a surprisingly large number.


    "Yes, that''s right."


    Healing wizards are a rare strain of magic that can only be awakened in humans.


    Few people wake up, and even if they do, it is said that some people hide their magic, so the number of confirmed users of healing magic is surprisingly small.


    In such a situation, three more healing magic users would be a great help to Uluru and Olga who heal the wounded at their base.


    "But, it''s impossible that they don''t have their own agenda, isn''t it?"


    "I''m sure you''re right. I heard that they were sent from another country, and it wouldn''t be surprising if the reason for that was to learn about the inner workings of the rescue mission."


    If one thinks about it deeply, one can also consider the idea that a civilian healing magician was sent to a dangerous place just for that purpose.


    To be honest, when I came up with that idea, my head almost exploded and I thought for a moment that I should refuse the reinforcement. But when I thought about the tens or hundreds of lives that could be saved with that reinforcement, I couldn''t do anything.


    In the end, I weighed the lives I could save with their help against those of a few healing wizards who would be caught up in the battlefield.


    "I am prepared to take any kind of abuse or complaints once we get to the base. They have their reasons for doing so, and in my position as deputy commander, I have to take them.


    "You know, Usato-kun. That''s what worries me.


    I wonder what Uluru-san was thinking, but she starts patting my head as I look down, and I say something puzzled.


    "What?¡¡Hey, hey, Uluru-san!


    "But you''re just like the Commander in Chief in that way."


    Uluru-san gives me a bright smile that hasn''t changed since we first met.


    "Don''t worry. You don''t have to think so backward. Usato-kun is not alone, and I won''t make you take on everything just because you''re the deputy leader.


    "What?"


    "We''re members of the same rescue team, you know."


    Uluru-san patted me on the shoulder strongly, as if to cheer me up.


    "Besides, maybe the healing wizards who come here are the ones who are really thinking about us, right?"


    "...... Yes. Uluru-san is right.


    He seemed to be in a gloomy mood because of the impending battle with the Demon King''s army.


    Her cheerful and positive words woke me up.


    I bowed my head to Uluru-san.


    "Thank you very much. I guess I had been thinking more than I realized.


    "It''s okay, you''re still at almost the same age as I am, and it''s natural for you to be troubled.


    "Mr. Uluru, too?"


    "Yes, that''s right."


    It''s natural to be worried.


    Maybe I was subconsciously driven by the awareness that I have to do my duty as the vice-commander by myself.


    I''m glad I''ve realized that now.


    Thanks to you, Uluru-san, I feel as if a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.


    "Hey, guys!"


    As I was thinking this, Rose, who was pulling the reins, tapped on the window and called out to us.


    Uluru and I looked out the window, and Rose pointed to the road ahead.


    There was a large encampment with many supplies and tents.


    "We will be at the base soon. Wake up the sleepers."


    ""...... Yes!""


    There is much to do after we get to the base.


    I nodded strongly at Rose''s words, and Uluru-san and I got up to wake up the sleeping people.

 202 - - 184th episode.

    The base set up on the plain was larger than I had imagined.


    I suppose this size is only natural since the armies and supplies of the four kingdoms are gathered here, but I was still overwhelmed.


    "Across from the base, are the watchtowers and walls being built? ......"


    "Even though it''s unfinished, it''s amazing how much they can build in such a short period of time."


    I nodded to Nair''s mutterings as I gazed sideways at the walls and watchtowers being built on the front lines of the base.


    We members of the rescue team arrived at the base and were guided to the place where we would be working by the knights of the Kingdom of Lingle who welcomed us.


    The soldiers of other countries who passed by us looked at us with curiosity, but most of the reasons were probably due to Bulrin.


    A familiar knight of the Kingdom of Lingle might not think anything of it, but to the soldiers of other countries, the blue grizzly is a dangerous monster.


    How''s your armor?¡¡"How''s your armor, Bulrin?"


    "Gruaaaah!"


    "Well, it''s not very comfortable for you. I''m sorry I asked you such a strange question.


    I stroke Bulrin''s cheek as he squeals in discontent, and look at the armor he wears.


    The pure white armor, like my and Rose''s troupe uniform, covers his entire body.


    Noteworthy are the belt and large saddle attached to its back.


    The saddle can carry a wounded man, secure him with the belt, and carry him back to the base just like the black-clad men.


    You know your role, don''t you?


    "Gru?"


    Bulrin nodded strongly at my words.


    In the rescue squad, Bulrin''s role is two-fold.


    He takes on injured people from the black uniforms.


    He protects the wounded with his armor and rescues them just as the black suits do.


    The role given to Bulrin is not to attack the enemy as a hexenbiest, but to save his friends as a member of the rescue squad.


    "Usato."


    Yes?¡¡Yes, sir?


    Suddenly, Rose walks in front of you and calls out to you.


    She turns her head and speaks to me.


    "I just received word from the knight that the additional healing wizards have already arrived.


    "I see. ....... So you''re coming to see me now?"


    "Yes. But I have something to do first. Unfortunately, I won''t be able to meet the newcomers until later.


    Well, I understand that Rose is busy with her duties as Commander.


    "So, do you want me to explain to him about the rescue squad or something?"


    "You''re becoming more perceptive, that''s right. Besides, I think you''re the best person for the job.


    "What?¡¡Why?


    Because we can''t scare them now. You''ll have an easier time with them than I will.


    Did he realize that he was afraid of ......!


    No, it''s true that if the healing wizard we''re about to meet has the same personality as Nack did when we first met him in Luxvis, there''s no way he wouldn''t be afraid of Rose.


    "If that''s the case, I''ll take care of it.


    "Oh, yes, please."


    I''ve taken on a very important role indeed.


    Even though it''s a short notice, I don''t want to leave any weird feelings behind since we''re going to be fighting together.


    First impressions are the key. Yeah."


    "I have a bad feeling about this. ......"


    Nair was muttering something like that, but it doesn''t matter.


    I, too, have learned how to deal with people I don''t know through my letter-writing trips.


    As long as you don''t yell at them when you meet them, you are safe.


    "Oh, by the way, ...... this is where Kazuki and the seniors are ......."


    I didn''t see them, but Senpai and Kazuki must be here.


    They are probably busy with their work as heroes, but it would be nice to see them at least once.


    I would like to see them at least once in my life.


    The base of operations of the rescue team we were shown was quite spacious.


    It seemed to me that they had everything they needed, including several large tents, first aid supplies, and rugs for the injured to sleep on.


    With such a large space, it seemed unlikely that the camp would be overflowing with injured people anytime soon.


    "The healing wizards who arrived earlier are in that tent.


    "Yeah, okay."


    After seeing the guiding knight off, Rose turns around and looks at me.


    "Usato, as I said before, I''m going to leave for now. I''ll leave the rest to you.


    Yes, sir. I''ll leave it to you.


    "As deputy commander, make sure you do your job well."


    Rose put her hand on my shoulder with a "pop" and headed toward the back of the base as she passed me.


    I took a deep breath to calm down my racing heart and turned back to the members of the rescue team.


    "Let''s start by organizing our belongings and supplies. Ferrum, I need you to stay out of the house as much as possible.


    "I know."


    "Please?¡¡It''s not impossible that you''ll be attacked by mistake. We''ll do our best to cover for you if they find out, but it''s better if they don''t."


    "...... Oh."


    Ferrum needs to hide his face while we are in this base.


    The knights of the Kingdom of Lingle are well aware of Ferme''s existence, but the knights of other countries are not. Worst of all, he could be treated as a spy and cut down on the spot.


    And .......


    "Olga-san, you must be tired from the move, so please leave the rest to us and rest your body."


    No, no, I''ll help you with something.


    "Usato, you are right. You''re too frail, so don''t push yourself too hard.


    Olga was born weak.


    Even sitting in a horse-drawn carriage is tiring for him, so we want him to rest as much as possible.


    Besides, he is the most important person for the Rescue Mission.


    "He and Uluru are right. Olga."


    "Tongue...... sorry. I''m just weak."


    Olga apologizes apologetically to Tong, who taps her lightly on the shoulder.


    The other strong guys talk to him as if they are concerned about him.


    "It can''t be helped if you were born with it.


    We don''t think you''re a nuisance. Don''t worry about it.


    You''re the heart of the rescue team. Make sure you get some rest.


    "Leave the heavy lifting to us."


    "Thank you all for ......."


    Olga nodded her head in thanks for their words.


    ......He may have a scary face, but he is basically a good person. Though their faces are scary.


    So the tough guys and Ferm are checking and organizing supplies.


    "What about you?¡¡I don''t tolerate slacking off just because I''m deputy commander.


    Hear me out. ...... I have to see the reinforcements of healing wizards first. I also need Nair and Uluru to come with me.


    When I explained this, Mr. Uluru pointed to himself and tilted his head.


    "Usato, what do you want me to do?"


    "Uluru-san is going with me to meet the reinforcements. To be honest, I''m not sure if I can do it alone, so I''m hoping I can get some help from you.


    Of course, you can count on me. I''m glad you''re relying on me right away."


    To be honest, I''m nervous about meeting them alone.


    So, I can be relieved to have the company of Uluru-san, who seems to be lively and kind.


    "Usato, why am I here?"


    "Because you seem to have a good eye for people. I thought I''d ask you to come with me.


    "Oh, I see."


    I''m not very good at doubting people, so I''m easily fooled, and I''ve actually been in a lot of trouble. So I decided to bring Nair, who is very perceptive in many ways.


    If I have Uluru, who is a good communicator, in addition to Nair, it will be a great help to me.


    Well, now that the initial assignments have been made.


    As I ask them to move on to their respective tasks, I notice that Tong has his hand on his chin and a deeply moved expression on his face.


    "But a new healing wizard. If they''re going to be the ones to have our backs, I''m looking forward to meeting them.


    "No, I don''t think you guys should meet right away."


    What?¡¡Why not?"


    I don''t hide my answer to Tong''s question.


    "If a stranger sees you guys, he/she will think you are bandits or bandits. So I thought I''d explain first and then we''ll see if we fit..."


    "I think you''re pretty good, too."


    "In terms of facial horror, we''re about the same."


    No, he''s more vicious because he changes his mind.


    Sure, first impressions can be deceiving.


    "I''m not in my right mind when I''m in a fistfight with my sister."


    .......


    I see, I see.


    "All right, why don''t we just end this here and now with a friendly, no-holds-barred fistfight?"


    Usato?


    Calm down!¡¡Usato!


    "Oh, what''s the gentle ......?"


    Oh, I''m sorry, I got caught up in my anger.


    I came to my senses at the words of Mr. Uluru, Nair, and Ferrum, and said, <>I apologize to the strongmen who are looking at me as if to say, <


    "As soon as we finish meeting, I''ll help you with your work, so you guys go ahead and get started. Don''t fight and don''t make a fuss, okay?


    Oh!"""Oh!"""


    "And Ferrum?"


    You don''t have to say it so many times. I''ll do as I''m told. I don''t want to ...... cause you any trouble."


    FERM turned away and said, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry.


    After watching Ferm and the others go about their business, I turn to Uluru and Nair.


    Then we''ll go meet the reinforcements of healing wizards. N¨¦a, you transform into an owl.


    "Okay."


    I wonder what kind of people they are... I''m anxious about them, but I''m looking forward to it."


    After confirming that Nair, transformed into an owl, is on my shoulder, I walk with an excited Uluru-san toward the tent where the reinforcements of healing wizards are.


    I soon arrive at the entrance of the tent, take a small deep breath, put my hand on the cloth of the entrance, and enter.


    "Excuse me..."


    Look, look!¡¡This is the article of Suzune-sama''s big confession to Usato-sama!¡¡This is the complete version!


    "Gah! ......!"


    The moment I entered, I was brought to my knees......!


    I looked inside the tent, upset, and saw a girl with bluish black hair in a ponytail holding a bundle of articles, and a woman with a darker blonde hair in pigtails with a troubled smile on her face.


    A blonde man about my age was sitting on a chair far away from them.


    Perhaps these three men were reinforcements of healing wizards.


    "Usato, are you all right?"


    "Yes, but the additional healing wizards ...... are not to be underestimated ......."


    "I wonder if it''s simply Suzune''s fault. ......"


    All three of them must have noticed my appearance, because they immediately lined up side by side.


    Since I cannot allow myself to be more disfigured than I already am, I will introduce myself firmly.


    Nice to meet you. I am Usato Ken, vice commander of the rescue team. On my shoulder is my demon Nair. Thank you very much for coming here this time. We, the Lifeguard Corps, are very pleased to have you join our group.


    "Ugh, stinky ......."


    He introduces himself, almost breaking into a smile at the muttering of the ne''er-do-well on his shoulder.


    "It''s not at all like the picture. ......?"


    The pony-tailed girl''s mutterings make me lose my mentality, but I manage to get through it and look over to Uluru-san to introduce myself.


    "I''m Uluru, 18 years old, and a member of the rescue team!¡¡I''m 18 years old and I''m a member of the lifeguard team. I know you may have some anxiety when you come here, but let''s all do our best to overcome it!


    This is a little less friendly than my introduction, and a million times better liked.


    If it were me, I''d have a better impression of Uluru than myself.


    "May I ask your names?"


    Let''s get back on track and find out their names.


    Gerna of the Kingdom of Nirvarna.


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you!¡¡My name is Kate from the Kingdom of Calm Helio!


    I''m Sharn from a farming village near ...... in the Kingdom of Thundera. Nice to meet you, please. ......"


    The tall man with short blond hair is Mr. Gerna.


    The girl with dark hair with a hint of blue is Kate.


    The woman with darker blonde hair in pigtails is Ms. Sharun.


    Mr. Gerna and Kate are about my age. Ms. Sharun is in her mid-twenties, close to Ms. Olga''s age.


    "I''m surprised to see so many young people here. Now I will explain what you need to do, so please listen carefully.


    "......"


    "Yes!"


    "...... yes."


    Well, this is a very promising future.


    Especially Gerna, who is staring at me.


    For now, let me give you a brief description of what to do and what to watch out for in a rescue mission.


    It takes a few minutes for Mr. Uluru to explain the main points with some additional information.


    After I have finished explaining roughly, I call out to them to check their level of understanding.


    "---Do you understand so far?"


    "Yes!


    "Yes, that''s a good answer.


    "That''s all I had to offer!"


    I hear Kate''s cheerful voice and Sharun''s feeble reply, while Gerna gives me an observant look.


    He seems to be listening to me. ...... Let''s ask Nair to try it out.


    I speak to Nair in a whisper, hiding my mouth in a gesture of distress.


    Nair, how is Gerna from your point of view?¡¡Is it suspicious?"


    "She looks at me with suspicion, but ...... maybe it has nothing to do with a conspiracy or anything like that."


    "?"


    He just doesn''t like you, does he?"


    ...... I see.


    When I was soberly depressed by Nea''s straightforward words, Uluru tapped me lightly on the shoulder.


    "Usato-kun, Usato-kun."


    "Yes?"


    "Now that the briefing is over, let''s have a little chat, just to get to know each other better."


    "That''s true. So, does anyone have any questions for ......?


    "So, may I ...... ask you a few questions?


    When I asked him this, the first person to raise his hand was Mr. Scharn.


    I was surprised inwardly, but accepted her question.


    "You must be Mr. Scharn. What is it?


    "Well, ...... how many people are here with healing magic?"


    There are only four of us: me, Uluru-san, the leader who is not here, and Uluru-san''s brother.


    "Four people? ....... So, I''ve heard that the healing wizards of the Rescue Mission go into battle themselves to heal the wounded, but don''t tell me all four of you are going into battle?


    I listen to Mr. Sharun''s question and reply while summarizing what I am going to say.


    "No, only I and the leader will go out to the battlefield. Uluru-san''s role is to heal the wounded who are brought here with healing magic, and this is what Charun-san and the others will be doing.


    "By the way, the colors of the lifeguard''s clothes have a meaning. Those who use healing magic at the base like me and my brother are in gray. The black-robed ones are the ones who are outside at the moment, but they use healing magic to give first aid to the wounded who have fallen on the battlefield and bring them to the ash-robed ones at the base."


    "I see. ......"


    Uluru-san explains to supplement my words.


    Mr. Charun seemed to be convinced and seemed to be lost in thought as he nodded his head repeatedly.


    "Well then, yes!¡¡Usato-sama!¡¡May I ask you an unrelated question?


    "No problem at all. You don''t have to call me "sir".


    The next person to raise her hand was Kate, a girl full of energy.


    "So, Usato-san!¡¡What happened to your relationship with Suzune-sama?


    "Gghh ......"


    He nearly erupts in shock, but maintains his smile and waves his hands to the side.


    I ask Uluru for help, but she gives me an expectant look, as if she too is concerned about the answer to this question.


    Nair clamps her mouth shut with her wing and holds back a smile.


    "No, that was a bit complicated. The article was a mistake."


    "Eh, ......."


    "I''m sorry. Did I disappoint you?"


    "...... No!¡¡That''s funny!"


    What do you mean it''s funny?


    Let''s not worry too much about .......


    "Then, do you have any articles related to Usato-san?"


    "It depends on the content.¡¡The portraits and such, as you can see, are quite different."


    Someday I would like to spend an hour lecturing the person who drew my portrait.


    As for the articles, most of the physics-related ones are true.


    "I can''t believe that the healing wizard of the Lingle Kingdom is such a dullard. ......"


    When I was having such an exchange with Ms. Kate, Mr. Gerna muttered something like that.


    His irreverent attitude was met with a challenge from Ms. Kate, who was standing next to him.


    "Hey, don''t be rude!¡¡Mr. Gerna!"


    "You thought so too, didn''t you? You''ve been carrying around that phony article. Don''t give me any more of your phony ideas about healing magic, like blinding people with healing magic or beating them up with healing magic ......."


    "What the hell!¡¡It sounds phony, but it''s not phony!"


    Gah!¡¡Kate shouts mysteriously and swings her arm at Mr. Gerna, but is easily stopped by a hand on her forehead.


    As I recall, Gerna-kun is from the Kingdom of Nirvarna, isn''t he?


    If so, his reaction might be natural, since he might have suffered some kind of reputational damage because of me.


    "If you''re complaining, let''s hear it now."


    "...... what?"


    "Gerna, I know exactly what you mean. I am sure that I have caused rumors to spread about healing magic. So you can say everything you want to say while you still can."


    I don''t want to leave any loose ends --- that''s about 20% of the reason.


    The other 80% of the reason is to avoid getting him in trouble when he talks about it in front of Rose.


    Somehow I get the feeling that he is not so mentally strong.


    Even now, he seems to be more bull-headed than angry.


    "...... you''re making the reputation of a healing wizard crazy."


    "Yeah."


    He seemed to hesitate at my words, but then, as if he had made up his mind, he began to spit out his words in broken sentences.


    "You can''t believe that he attacked with healing magic, or that he threw, or even that he fought a dragon man who nearly destroyed a country. ....... I can''t believe it when I look at you now with my own eyes. ......


    I''ve been told that I don''t have a strong spirit, but what do I look like when I''m normal?


    Do I look that pathetic? .......


    "But the rumors were strangely credible, so the higher-ups got serious and tried to train me as a Nirvarna healing wizard. ......"


    You mean they forced you to do it?


    No, I volunteered. But we still got three of them.


    If it was a volunteer system, did you want to become a strong healing magician, too, Gerna, or did you want to ......?


    "At first I wanted to be strong with healing magic, too, which had been ridiculed until now. The other two thought the same thing. But what awaited us was a hardship that was not really training at all. ......!"


    "......What kind of training did you do?"


    "They made us run until we passed out!"


    I nodded at him as he raised his voice.


    "And then?"


    "And the day after that!¡¡They made me train like crazy!¡¡Just because that''s what they actually do in the Kingdom of Lingle. ......!"


    Running until you pass out, huh?


    For a normal healing wizard like him, it must have been quite painful to be made to run until he fainted.


    Don''t make the mistake of thinking the same way I do.


    "Oh, you''ll forgive me for fainting ......?¡¡Hey, Usato. I don''t know ...... that kind of training."


    On my shoulder, Nair is talking to me with empty eyes, but I let her go because we are talking about something important right now.


    Lucas has told me this before. He said that Samaritan tried to raise healing wizards like Rose and me, but they failed.


    Could it be that the same thing is going on in the other kingdoms?


    "The other two healing wizards broke down and deserted after only a few days of work. ......"


    You stayed, didn''t you?


    I still wanted to believe. I wanted to prove that healing wizards can be strong and that magic is not meaningless. ......


    Hearing that, I understood what he had been told as a healing magician.


    He wanted to show his worth as a healing wizard.


    That is why he came here.


    "Part of the reason he came here was purely to help as a healing wizard. But besides that, I wanted to know if the rumors about you were real. ......"


    "...... I didn''t know that."


    You shouldn''t hesitate to reveal your power here.


    If I hesitate, it means that I have not grown anything since the meeting.


    At any rate, what can I show you here but healing magic bullets and healing punches?¡¡If that doesn''t convince you, let''s do the healing flying fist or a mock battle.


    I decide to do so and talk to Mr. Gerna.


    "Gerna..."


    >


    "......"


    At this moment, Tong calls me from outside with a loud voice.


    Not only Kate and Sharun, but also Gerna''s shoulders tremble at the sound of his voice.


    That skinhead: .......


    >


    "Uh, sir, I''m calling for you."


    "No, don''t worry about it. Mr. Sharun, you can think of it as the cry of a wild monster."


    "Well, isn''t that bad too ......?"


    It would be too shocking to meet those tough guys without any explanation.


    Even I mistook them for bandits when I first met them and almost cried.


    It''s impossible that Mr. Charn, who is apparently a scared man, wouldn''t be scared when he sees those strong faces.


    "Mr. Uluru, please go quiet him down right now, he''s making a lot of noise outside."


    "Uh, yeah. ......"


    I tell Tong about the situation and ask Uluru to be quiet.


    After a short time of relief, when Mr. Uluru was about to go out of the doorway--,


    "You hear me, Usato? They''re somewhere else and they''re short on staff. ......, huh?"


    "Oops, perfect timing again. ......"


    Then, with a "whoosh", a head like a sea monster came in through the entrance of the tent.


    Gerna got up on her backside when she saw the strong face of the tongs, Sharun let out a little squeal, and Kate said "Wow! Kate screamed "wow!" in surprise or delight.


    I looked at their reactions with a sideways glance and grabbed the collar of the tongs with one hand with a smile on my face.


    "Hey, guys, sorry about this. I have something to do with this guy, so wait for me."


    "Oh, what''s this all about?"


    "Mr. Tongue, let''s go outside for a minute."


    With tongs held up in one hand, he walks out of the tent.


    A short distance away from the tent, supplies were piled up to two meters square and three meters high.


    This was definitely too much for one person to handle alone.


    Moreover, it would be hard to untie the ropes that are tied tightly to keep them from collapsing. I can understand why they might want to join forces with me and carry it all at once.


    No, that''s not important right now.


    I finally crack a smile and shake my shoulders in anger as I set the tongs down on the ground.


    "You''re a big guy, but you can''t even do the job you''re told, can you?¡¡I told you to keep quiet ......!"


    "You''re still explaining .......? Well, I''m sorry. Then help me quickly."


    "...... huh, let''s get this over with."


    I lift a three-meter pile of supplies with him, using both hands.


    I thought I heard a gasp behind me, but unfortunately I was lifting the supplies and couldn''t turn around.


    "Neah, is there someone looking at us behind you?"


    "Uluru is ...... no, there''s no one?"


    "......, I see."


    I thought my voice was a little shaky, but .......


    Well, if she says I''m wrong, I''m wrong.


    We carry the supplies with the tongs and put them down on the ground.


    I look up at the large supplies and turn to the tongs, wiping my forehead.


    "Is this okay?"


    "Yeah. Thanks a lot.


    "d*mn, next time, you''d better come to us and find out what''s going on here. ......"


    "It''s all right, isn''t it, since it''s going to come out anyway?¡¡I mean, look behind you.


    Hmm?¡¡......


    I turn around as Tong told me to, and I see Gerna and the others peering at me from the open tent entrance.


    Could it be that they saw me lifting the supplies from the exchange with Tong earlier?


    With a delicate air, I enter the tent and see Uluru-san smiling at me and the three of them looking at me.


    "Oh, I''m sorry. I''m sorry I showed you something scary. ......"


    Gerna, who still looks confused, steps forward with a wry smile on his face.


    He bowed his head vigorously and let out a clear voice.


    "I''m sorry for being so cheeky. ......!¡¡If you want, you can hit me until you''re happy. ......!"


    I won''t do that!


    As a member of the Kingdom of Nirvarna, I have to pay for this ......!


    What world is Nirvarna living in?


    In a panic, I manage to get Gerna to look up.


    Looking at the other two, Charn looks surprisingly the same as before, but Kate has a satisfied look on her face, "This is true!


    While I am relieved that they are not afraid of me, Uluru-san, who is still smiling at me, talks to me.


    "Usato-kun. I showed the three of you the exchange between you and the tongs.


    "Ah, Mr. Uluru, is that you? ......"


    Since I was able to open up to Mr. Gerna without even having to practice my healing magic technique, I guess this was a fine play by Mr. Uluru.


    I''m really glad that they didn''t get scared when they saw the interaction between me and Tong. ......


    "Thank you very much, Mr. Uluru."


    "No, no, no, don''t thank me. Besides, I thought it would be faster for him if I showed him what Usato can do.


    She then took one look at Gerna and the others and turned to me.


    "After all, sometimes force is the way to go!"


    I couldn''t help but smile at Uluru-san who said this confidently with both fists clenched, and I realized once again that she is not an ordinary woman but a strong person who belongs to a rescue team just like Rose.

 203 - - The 185th.

    After meeting with the reinforcements, Mr. Gerna, Ms. Kate, and Mr. Charn, I decided to help the strongmen with their work.


    After that, I helped them build a fort to protect their base. I was a little impressed by the surprised reactions of the soldiers around me when they saw me and the strongmen carrying timber.


    Then, when it was getting dark, Rose came back to the base of operations of the rescue team and met with Gerna and the others.


    The three of them, including Kate, all had a tense expression on their faces as Rose gave off an overwhelming predator aura just by being there.


    I guess it can''t be helped that she gives off an air of a scary person,......, but I thought it was great that she was not only restraining it, but also unabashedly releasing it.


    After that, Rose, who had gone to the base''s operation headquarters, told me what had happened.


    "We have confirmed the advance of the Demon King''s army, huh?"


    I muttered to myself as I stared blankly at the fire burning in the stacks of wood like a campfire.


    Rose told me about the current activities of the Demon King''s army.


    The Demon Lord''s army has already passed the place where the scouts had reportedly arrived, and is steadily moving toward us.


    They are marching toward us with a large number of demons.


    "Guh!"


    "...... yeah, I''m fine. Brulin."


    After dinner, as I sit on the linen-covered ground polishing Bulrin''s new armor, he lies curled up beside me and looks up at me with concern.


    I smile at him and pat his head.


    Gerna is with the strongmen and Olga, Kate and Charun are with Uluru, Nea and Ferrum, getting to know each other better.


    I should really go to Gerna''s place, but I wanted to think alone for a while, so I''m sitting in front of the fire, lost in my thoughts.


    "I''m glad you''re here."


    "Hmph."


    "You''re so proud of yourself."


    The first time I sent him away to fight the Demon Lord''s army, but this time it was different.


    This time is different. Just like when we fought that evil dragon, we will entrust our backs to him as trusted companions. I have no worries about that. He has a strong heart that will never give in to anyone he decides to fight.


    He sniffs confidently, smiles naturally at Bulrin, and continues to talk to him.


    "Are you scared?"


    "Guh!"


    "I knew you''d make a face like that. I''m just kidding, don''t get mad at me.


    He chuckles at Bullein, who looks mortified.


    As I look out over the flickering red and orange flames, I mutter to myself, "I''m not sure what I''m supposed to be doing.


    "I''m ...... scared."


    As I mutter these words, emotions flood my chest like a balloon that has been unplugged.


    I''m afraid of fighting, and I''m afraid of being in danger. But I''m most ...... afraid of being reminded of my helplessness."


    "Gua ......"


    "...... Ha, don''t worry. I''m fine."


    He strokes Bulrin''s head as he looks up at him with concern.


    Did I sound a little bit whiny?


    "Well, I''d better stop talking and start working with my hands.


    "Guh."


    He moves his hand from where it had stopped and begins to polish the burin''s armor again.


    I am immersed in my work, listening to the crackling of the flames and the distant sounds of the soldiers'' voices.


    I was absorbed in my work.


    As night falls, I finally finish polishing and inspecting my burin equipment and stand up.


    It took me a while, but it was a good time to gather my thoughts.


    Biting back a sigh, I look at Bulrin, who is standing there in a daze, and then try to clean up the mess of armor..,


    "Who are you?"


    "......!"


    Inukami-senpai''s hand, approaching from behind, suddenly took away my vision.


    .......


    If you think a familiar presence is approaching you, .......


    I start to put away the armor of Bulrin without caring while my vision is completely blacked out.


    Ignore me!


    "Senpai, please turn off the sound of footsteps."


    "And they''re ruining it!"


    The senior moves in front of me in surprise.


    I am a little relieved to see him as he was a few days ago.


    "She''s a beautiful girl!


    "You lost the subject at last."


    I know what he is trying to say by pointing at himself, but it would be quite a funny statement if he were not a senior.


    ......No, even if he is a senior, it''s still quite strange at this point.


    "Why do you keep going off-topic like that!"


    "I just think it''s okay if you''re my senior. ......"


    The older man grabbed my shoulder in desperation.


    "What if Eva did what I did?


    "Well, I''d be embarrassed, of course.


    "The difference in treatment...?


    I laugh at her as she kneels down and puts her hands on the ground and screams.


    I don''t want to tell you that I was quite upset inside when he covered his eyes.


    As I was about to call out to my senpai, Kazuki and Frana came walking up behind me, smiling.


    "The exchange between Usato and Suzune is kind of interesting to watch ......."


    "Senpai is always missing. Yo, Usato!¡¡I see you arrived here safely.


    "Yes, I''m glad to hear that Kazuki and Frana are doing well. You too, senpai.


    When I look at my senpai and say this, her expression lights up with an almost onomatopoeic poof.


    No, I was the one who teased her, but her emotions rise and fall rapidly. .......


    While I was thinking about this, a senior who had changed his target from me to Bulrin was nipping at his heels.


    "Bulrin, you''re here too!¡¡Let me pet you!"


    "Gurukk!"


    She smiled belligerently at him as he immediately swatted away her outstretched hand.


    "Yes, you''re good!"


    "I''m sure you can pet it if you go in thunder beast mode. ......"


    "That doesn''t make any sense. Usato, I''m hoping for a situation where Bulrin will voluntarily let me pet him. ......!"


    At least, I don''t think it''s possible if he''s still full of desire. .......


    I turn from my senpai and Bulrin, who are staring at each other, to Kazuki and Frana.


    "Have you seen Usato since before the meeting?"


    "Yes, I think so. If Frana is here too, does that mean she is going to join the ...... fight?"


    Is it safe for an elf to take part in a war between humans and demons?


    She shook her head firmly.


    "Yes. This is what I chose to do, so I decided to fight for Kazuki. Besides, Kazuki is a bit of a daredevil, so I have to watch him carefully!"


    "Am I a child? ......"


    "And let''s just say it''s a personal favor from the princess."


    "Wow, even from Celia. ......"


    They love you, Kazuki.


    I stand up, smiling at the smug look on my senior''s face as if to say, "You see, it''s just like I said.


    It''s not good to talk while standing, so let''s find a place to sit down anyway.


    I lay out the linen cloths on the ground nearby and call out to the seniors.


    "Since we are here, why don''t we sit down and talk?¡¡If you don''t mind, I''d be happy to sit down and talk with you. ......"


    "No problem at all. We just need to rest after this. Kazuki and Frana don''t mind, do they?"


    Of course.


    "Yeah."


    When the three of them sat down, I decided to ask them about something that had been bothering me.


    "Senpai heard about ......, didn''t you? About the Demon King''s Army.


    "Yes. It''s only a matter of time before they get here. The battle is almost upon us."


    He turns to me and frowns at my words.


    If the battle was to be the same as last time, Rose should have gone to destroy the bridge when it was being built over the river, but she herself objected to that.


    The Demon Lord''s army would not leave the previous failure as it was, and moreover, it would be difficult to destroy the bridge this time because of the presence of a flying enemy called a flying dragon.


    ...... and Rose seemed to be convinced that it would be absolutely impossible to destroy the bridge.


    "We''ve done what we had to do until today. We''ve done what we had to do until today, though we can''t command an army as hard as ...... Sigurth."


    What have you been up to today, Kazuki?


    Mainly checking on the men we''ve gathered. It''s not easy to rally four armies after all, so I first had to figure out the chain of command and how to fight."


    It''s not as if we have a complete picture of everything just from the previous exchanges.


    Unlike me, who runs the battlefield on my own, my seniors go into battle together with their fellow soldiers, so I guess cooperation is more important than anything else.


    "We also met with the commanders of the ...... kingdoms, didn''t we?"


    "Speaking of commanders, is Mr. Hyde from the Kingdom of Nirvarna?"


    "Yes. Because Karmhelio and Samarriar were inexperienced commanders, Chief Warrant Officer ...... Hyde was assigned to lead the front line, and Sigurth took overall command ......."


    Mr. Hyde, the chief of warriors of the Nirvarna Kingdom Warriors, who taught me many things in the magical city of Luxvis.


    We can rely on Mr. Hyde to be with us.


    As I was relieved that he was here, my senpai now opened his mouth.


    "Usato, Sigurth gave us a big explanation about the rescue team, didn''t he?"


    "Oh, really?¡¡What kind of explanation did you give me, by the way, ......?"


    "When you encounter a person in white or black on the battlefield, you must entrust the wounded who cannot move. On the other hand, if they are in danger, do your best to help them. ......


    "I see. ......"


    I don''t want to be in a situation like the second half, but the knight saved my life in the first battle when I was in danger. I really appreciate their help.


    Besides, it is very nice that they know about us in advance.


    Although I mainly find injured people by myself, I can help them faster if they see us and ask for our help.


    "I heard that Usato''s side has received an increase in healing wizards. ......"


    "Yes. I just finished meeting with the three healing wizards who came as reinforcements during the day."


    In response to the senpai''s question, Frana-san speaks to me in a timid manner.


    "U, a healing magician other than Usato. ....... They don''t hit you or move very fast, do they?"


    "Haha, they are all ordinary healing wizards. They''re all just average healing wizards. It''s more rare to find a healing wizard like me and the Commander.


    "Yes, that''s right!¡¡There are fewer healing magic users like Usato and the leader of the Rescue Mission!


    I''ve never seen anyone other than Rose.


    Or was it Rose who started it all in the first place?¡¡She''s really quite impressive when you think about it.


    "Three people. What were they like?"


    Well, I''ll tell you about them one by one.


    I introduce them, thinking of Mr. Gerna, Ms. Kate, and Mr. Scharn.


    I have only known them for a short time, but I have a vague idea of their personalities.


    "I''m glad they''ve come in and seem to be fitting in well."


    "Yes. ....... I was worried about it too, so I''m honestly ...... relieved."


    I nodded in agreement with Kazuki''s words.


    Then, after hearing my introduction, the older student put his hand on his chin in a thoughtful manner.


    "I''m a little concerned about a girl named Kate from Calm Helio," he said.


    "Why do you think so, Suzune?"


    "No, I don''t have any particular reason, but I have a bad feeling about it. ....... I wonder if I''m overreacting to the word curmudgeonly.


    "......"


    I remember Kate''s condition during the day, and I fall silent.


    ...... I''d better talk to her before she gets seriously injured.


    "This is Ms. Kate. It might be better if you don''t see her.


    "Which is why?"


    "She brought the complete version of her article at ...... Calm Helio to ...... here."


    "Gahhh ......!"


    A senior falls to the ground as if collapsing in a heap while sitting.


    I knew it was going to happen somehow, so I quickly support her shoulders.


    "Oh, is that for real?"


    "Yes, it is serious. I denied the rumors and the article, but Kate is a pushy person, so I thought I''d let her know.


    I am sure that the senior members must be quite embarrassed to have their confession in public reported in an article, and to have it known by so many people.


    Also, I would like to say something else that I somehow felt when I heard Ms. Kate''s story.


    "This is just a speculation, but ...... I think that Ms. Kate might have seen the scene of her senior''s rejection of Prince Kyle''s confession."


    "......?¡¡......!?


    I think he was getting a little too excited about the story.


    The way Ms. Kate mentioned the names of her senpai was like when she met someone she admired or, in my world, a celebrity.


    I immediately corrected her because she had called me "like," but it was like that too.


    "Hey, Kazuki. Suzune is lying there writhing in shame, is she okay ......?"


    "I''m sure she''ll be fine,......, but I wish she''d just open up."


    The senior is moaning, his face bright red.


    I know little ...... or nothing about Prince Kyle''s refusal to confess, but he must have said something quite embarrassing.


    Otherwise, he would not have reacted like this.


    "Senpai, by the way, what did you do in the case that became the basis of the ...... article?"


    "I can never tell you, Usato-kun!¡¡Oh, God, I can''t do it!¡¡I remember it all... ......"


    "Yeah. ......"


    While holding on to Bulrin, who always refuses to be petted, Senpai is writhing in shame.


    Seeing her like this, I was afraid to find out what she had done in Calm Helio.


    "If you find out about this, I''ll have to prepare myself ......!"


    "I''m sorry. Is that a curse or something?"


    You''re going to make your senpai make a decision just because she knows about it?


    I mean, what kind of preparation?¡¡In some cases, it is more frightening than the Samaritan''s Curse. .......

 204 - - The 186th Episode

    With the battle against the Demon Lord''s army approaching, there is only so much I can do.


    One of the few things I can do is to organize all the members of the group in place of Rose as the deputy leader.


    At the central base, while Rose was attending a strategy meeting with Sigurth and the others, I was confirming my role again in front of the members of the group and the three new members.


    "Olga in gray, Uluru. And Mr. Gerna, Ms. Kate, and Mr. Scharn. You are all here to treat the wounded. But if the soldiers of the demon tribe come here, please run away as soon as possible. It is no exaggeration to say that your presence is a lifeline for those who are fighting.


    "I''ll save people all the time!"


    "Umm, Url...... now, I don''t think you need to be so enthusiastic......."


    I nod to Uluru, who replies cheerfully.


    He must be anxious too, but we are grateful that he is still cheerful.


    I look from Uluru and Olga to Gerna and the others.


    Ms. Kate is smiling at us, but Mr. Gerna and Mr. Scharn look anxious.


    "Once again, if you feel your life is in danger, run away immediately. No, ...... if you want to run away at this point, be honest with me."


    "...... No, I''m here to help heal those who are hurting. I''m not going to run away now because I''m scared."


    "Now that I''m here, I want to fulfill my mission too!¡¡I haven''t even met the brave Suzune-sama yet, and I can''t die even if I die!"


    Gerna and Kate say words that express their determination.


    Gerna reminds me of Nack, even though they are different in age. His straightforward personality is reassuring.


    Kate says ...... that she will not let her senpai see her until the battle with the Demon Lord''s army is over. I don''t want her to be like "I really don''t have any regrets," even if it''s just a joke.


    Mr. Sharun nodded his head deeply at their words, so any more words would be uncalled for.


    Now let''s go to the tough guys and Ferrum.


    "I''m sure you know what you''re doing, but let me make sure for Ferrum''s sake..."


    "...... yeah."


    "The role of the black uniform is to rescue the wounded on the battlefield and provide first aid with recovery magic. Do you understand?


    You don''t have to remind me, I know exactly what I''m talking about.


    With a huff, Ferrum turned his head away.


    Ferrum herself is a small girl, but she is a demon. She is a demon trained in the lifeguard corps.


    Even if she is not as good as me and the others, she has the ability to change her clothes with the help of dark magic. Even if she loses her power of reversal, she is still invincible on the defensive.


    Hey, Usato.


    "Yeah?"


    I look at Tong who called out to me.


    His arms crossed, he relaxes his shoulders, smiles, and opens his mouth.


    "I never called you until just now. Before the battle, I thought I''d give you a chance.


    "What?"


    "Deputy Commander. We''ll save our wounded comrades and come back alive. Well, it doesn''t suit me to call you sub-commander, but I''ll call you that during this battle.


    When Tong said this, the other strongmen followed suit, smiling.


    They had only called me "kid" or "Usato" until now. .......


    I took a step back and held my mouth in shock.


    "Are you guys ...... going to die ......?"


    I''m not going to die!"""""""


    The crisp atmosphere of the previous session was broken, and the whole group was thrown into a tizzy.


    I don''t like to say this either, but I can''t help but be puzzled when someone says something like that.


    "Can''t you really read the air?


    "Are you kidding me, ......?¡¡We''re embarrassed too!


    "He must have muscles in his head too, ......!"


    "No, it''s just that the air is like a lifetime goodbye. ......"


    The guy who looks bad suddenly says something good--what is commonly called a death flag.


    I myself am frankly perplexed at being called a vice-commander out of the blue. I thought they were equals, so the way he calls me as a superior officer is a little creepy.


    Still, it is hard not to be happy to be called sub-commander.


    "Well then, I''ll have to do my best not to get my ass kicked by you guys."


    "Oh, if you show any sign of weakness, I''ll snatch the vice commander''s position from you as soon as I can.


    If I could. I''d take my revenge."


    After exchanging a few words with Tong, I look at my friends here again.


    Everyone here has a role to play. Some of them are dangerous, some of them are important, and a momentary lapse of attention can mean the difference between life and death.


    Usato, what about me?


    As I was thinking about this, an anxious-looking Nair tugged at the sleeve of my uniform.


    I smiled and put my hand on her shoulder.


    "Nair is my support. That''s all."


    "Not too much, is it?"


    She came close to me with tears in her eyes, and we broke up the meeting.


    The meeting was over.


    My second night at the base.


    Outside the tent, I could see the soldiers, but they were somewhat tense.


    Perhaps it was because the Demon Lord''s army was approaching. Whether it was fear or elation in anticipation of the battle may differ from person to person, but without exception, everyone here was not in a normal state of mind.


    Looking at them with a sideways glance, I continue my steps as if weaving my way between the tents that have been erected.


    The reason why I am out of the base of operations as a lifeguard is because Rose has called me to the wall that has been erected near the front line of the base.


    If you want to talk to me, why don''t you do it in a tent or something?¡¡I thought, but for some reason I didn''t say anything about it and went to the place Rose had called me to.


    "...... was there."


    When we arrived, Rose was standing on a watchtower that had been built as an addition to the wall, quietly looking out over the plain in the direction of the Demon Lord''s territory.


    I silently climbed up the ladder on the wall and approached her.


    "Usato?"


    "Yes. ......So, why am I here?¡¡I just heard about the strategy meeting.


    What we do is not so different from the last time we fought.


    Right after the battle started, I and Rose in white would concentrate on treating the wounded at the base of operations, and when the battle was getting serious, we would go out and heal the wounded on the spot by running across the battlefield.


    "I simply wanted to talk to you. You don''t have to put that much effort on your shoulders."


    "I see. ......"


    He does as he is told, relaxes his shoulders, and places his hands on the edge of the watchtower.


    I look around at the plains again and think how beautiful the scenery is. The plains as far as the eye can see are illuminated by the moonlight from the sky and look different from the daytime.


    The thought that this place will soon become a battleground and be deserted ...... makes me feel a little disappointed.


    "I''ve left you in charge since I came here, are you doing well as deputy commander?"


    "Yes?¡¡Yes, of course.


    "Then that''s good. I''m glad to see you''re doing okay.


    "Commander."


    What?


    "It''s ...... creepy when you''re nice to me all of a sudden."


    The reply was an elbow to me.


    I took the blow with centrifugal force squarely in the chest and managed to hold on with my foot.


    "Which one? Give me your face. I''ll give you what you want.


    "So, so, so sorry. ......!"


    I apologize in a hurry to Rose, who approaches me with clapping hands.


    Elbows without defense are too scary.


    "Huh ......, I was just trying to be considerate. You''ll always be a cocky little boy."


    "Yeah, not so much. ......"


    I wasn''t complimenting you.


    Rose let out a sigh of exasperation and turned her gaze back to the plain.


    Her gaze seemed to be looking not at the plain in front of her, but beyond it.


    "Is Nero Agence coming ......?"


    "It''s just a hunch, but I think it''s coming."


    As far as I''ve seen so far, his intuition is basically right on the money, isn''t it?


    He is so accurate that he can even sense the invisible magic of Mr. Farga.


    But if a demon swordsman of great power is coming, just from what I''ve heard.....,


    "Are you going to take on the Commander?"


    "......"


    Rose did not open her mouth.


    She did not seem upset, nor did she seem to deny it.


    When I was worried by her silence, she finally spoke.


    "If he''s on his way here, I guess he wants to fight me."


    "...... revenge, sir?"


    I don''t know about that, but I don''t think he''s happy with the way the battle ended.


    Nero Agens ordered his men to launch a desperate attack in order to take out Rose and the other members of his unit at the time.


    And yet, he was unable to defeat Rose. Is that what Nero couldn''t stand ......?


    ...... Actually, there is something I have been wanting to ask Rose about since she told me about her past.


    I think I can ask you now.


    "Do you also have a desire for revenge?"


    "No. No. That kind of thing is long gone.


    The answer was so simple that my shoulders relaxed.


    I am relieved by the answer, but then I wonder about it.


    Nero Agence is a valued subordinate of Rose''s and an avenger of her friends. Isn''t it natural to want revenge against such an opponent?


    "I had something to do. I don''t have time for revenge.


    "Are you a lifeguard? ......"


    "Yeah. Besides, they wouldn''t want that, would they?"


    ...... You mean Mr. Aul and his friends.


    Once again, Rose''s former subordinates reaffirmed the magnitude of their presence, and suddenly Rose let out a laugh.


    "But I''d like to punch him in his clear face again.


    "You''ve suddenly become a bit of a ruffian, haven''t you?"


    I pity Nero Agence, who would be seriously beaten by you.


    No, he''s a dangerous opponent if he was able to fight with this man.


    "Excuse me, Commander. If I encounter Nero Agence..."


    We should run. You''re not ready yet."


    "...... when you can''t seem to escape?"


    I could immediately imagine a situation where someone was seriously injured near Nero Agens.


    If I ran away, he would surely lose his life, and even if I fought to save the wounded man, there was no way I could remain unscathed in a fight with an opponent equal to or greater than Rose.


    When I asked such a question, Rose answered without looking at me.


    "Survive with all your might."


    "Survive? You mean fight?"


    "Even if I told you to run away, I know you would try to fight. Then do your best and wait for help.


    How belligerent do they think you are? .......


    But if you go on the defensive at all costs, you might be able to buy some time against someone as good or better than Rose.


    Though it seems like he would have his head blown off the moment he goes on the offensive.


    "I thought I''d ask while I''m at it ......."


    "Yes?"


    He turns at the sound of Rose''s voice.


    "Are you going to use your healing punch?"


    Healing punch?


    A punch that heals the person it strikes.


    I immediately understood what Rose was trying to say.


    "To be honest, it was a mistake to teach you that trick. It''s the kind of attack that heals the enemy. It consumes a lot of magic, and more importantly, it heals the person you''re supposed to be defeating. You know that, don''t you ......?"


    Yes, of course I know that.


    The healing punch is the most useful technique in terms of disabling the opponent unharmed.


    But it is also a useless technique in a fight.


    In the first battle, I used it as a means of self-preservation so that I would not overdo it, since I did not know how to go easy on my opponent, but this time the scale of the battle was too different.


    There are far more people I have to heal, and the area I have to cover is much larger.


    In such a situation, there is no way I can use a healing punch that consumes unnecessary magical power.


    "I will use the techniques I have developed during my travels, but I will not use techniques that will heal the opponent. I have a mission as a white uniform.


    "...... I see."


    Besides, you don''t have to use a healing punch to stun your opponent. I''m sure you''ll be fine.


    I have not had a rough journey.


    I have stunned the brainwashed Mr. Arc at the time of the evil dragon, Mr. Fegnis and his men at Samaritan, and the beastmen soldiers who protect the country at Hinomoto.


    ...... No, it''s really quite disturbing when I think about it again.


    "It looks like you''re doing better than I thought."


    "...... you were worried about me, by any chance?"


    I turned to Rose with a smile on my face, and a shock slammed into my forehead.


    I groaned from the unexpected shock, and Rose smiled at me with the decoupage in place.


    "Ha, I wasn''t worried. I was just making sure you didn''t screw up.


    "That said, I don''t think I''m going to decapitate you. ......"


    "It doesn''t matter now, does it?"


    It certainly didn''t hurt that much, though.


    I lean back against the edge, rubbing my forehead.


    I relax my shoulders and look up, from here I can see the entire base, which is in the opposite direction from where the plain is located.


    "......I''m going to have to work hard."


    The sight of so many tents, the light from the campfires, and the dappled shadows of people strengthened my resolve once again.

 205 - - Im stuck in the quiet past...

    It is a memory from when I was an apprentice soldier in the army of the Demon Lords before I became Commander of the Third Legion.


    I accompanied my master Nero Agens and his men on a mission.


    It was supposed to be a simple mission.


    We went to the human realm to capture powerful demons for the Demon Lord who would eventually return and to create a new demon, now called Barzinak.


    A scene that is still vivid in my mind''s eye.


    I was ordered to stand by in the rear, but by the time I arrived at the site of the battle, I sensed something unusual and found it had turned into hell.


    Trees torn into pieces.


    Fallen down, my brothers and sisters and humans.


    And then I saw the master crucified to a tree, his right shoulder pierced by his own sword, and a woman glaring at him with eyes full of hatred.


    .


    With her right eye cut open and blood seeping from every part of her body - a normal person would not even be able to stay conscious - the woman crawled on the ground and tried to put an end to her master, who was already losing consciousness.


    Her body was dying, but only her eyes were fixed on him.


    It was truly terrifying.


    I never thought such a person existed.


    I struggled to move my body, which was immobilized by fear, and fled from the place with my master.


    The whole time I was on the horse, I felt like I had not lived because of the woman''s eyes on me.


    "Uhmirah."


    "......."


    "What a nice greeting. I''m your superior officer, right?¡¡I am.


    Before the battle, I was remembering the past, but I was interrupted by C¨®ga, commander of the 2nd Legion.


    As for why he is still my superior, it is because it is easier for me to move as a soldier and I have grown attached to my men who follow me .......


    The place where our army was now encamped for the night was in the woods, right in front of the big river whose bridge had been destroyed by Rhodes once before.


    "What do you want?"


    "No, I just went to a meeting a while ago, and after it was over..." he said. Wow, that Third Corps commander is a real nasty guy."


    "That''s why she''s better suited to be a corps leader than I am."


    Hannah Lohmeier, the new Commander of the Third Legion, is excellent.


    She has a flexible and cunning mindset compared to me, who is intuitive and only knows how to fight.


    And her magic is suitable for logistical support.


    I''m sure she''ll be a nuisance to the other soldiers.


    So, what else do you have?


    "Nero''s old man has left the command to his second-in-command and is going on the run."


    "......, huh?"


    A halfway powerful man is a hindrance in a master''s fight.


    There is nothing wrong with that, but I''d be lying if I said I didn''t have my doubts.


    Speak of the devil...


    "Hmm?"


    Coga''s voice makes you look up and follow his gaze.


    He sees Nero Agens, a blonde haired demon master with a sword at his waist, standing near the riverbank. I can only see his back, so I can''t see his expression, but he is staring intently at the scenery beyond the river.


    "Are you sure? He is your master, isn''t he?¡¡Shouldn''t you at least talk to him a little?


    "...... yeah, I know."


    We have not exchanged a word since the master''s return.


    Partly because he was busy just before he marched out, and partly simply because I did not know how to talk to him now.


    Since his return to the demon king''s domain, he has changed.


    The wounds he had received from his own magic sword were so great that even after the Demon Lord''s resurrection, he was unable to return to battle and was forced to recuperate.


    At that time, the master was filled with remorse for forcing his subordinates to die and with an extraordinary amount of obsession due to his defeat in the battle with Rose.


    Perhaps that is still the case today.


    I''ll leave this to you.


    "Huh?¡¡What?¡¡You want me, the corps commander, to stand guard?¡¡Don''t ignore me...


    Ignoring Koga''s voice, I head for the master.


    The closer I get, the clearer the image becomes.


    I was about to call out to him, slightly nervous at the sight of his dull golden hair, the armor covering his right shoulder, and the magic sword at his waist, when - without warning - he drew his sword and with a light movement, cleaved the space in front of him to the side.


    "What?


    Instantly, a blade of wind shot out from the red blade, heading for the one-headed high mountain at the end of the great river.


    A few seconds later, a tree on one side of the mountain is cut down, creating a cloud of dust.


    Puzzled by the sudden action, the master with the red magic sword in its scabbard looked at the mountain and spoke.


    "Five."


    "What?"


    Recon. I took them out before they sent the intel. I don''t know if that means anything.


    For a few seconds, I couldn''t understand the meaning of his words, but the moment I did, I got goosebumps.


    He had killed the man who had been scouting from inside the mountain. And he did it in spite of the fact that he could not see properly in the darkness.


    Once again, we are made to understand just how out of the ordinary he is.


    "It''s been a long time. Amira.


    I was simply amazed at the ability of a master I had long forgotten, when suddenly he called my name.


    He stopped a little behind me and moved his face slightly toward me, smiling.


    "It''s been a while. Master."


    "Master. You still call me that?"


    The self-mocking words startled him.


    The master''s appearance has changed completely.


    At least, before the fight with Rose, he never used to speak self-deprecating words.


    "You are the master who taught me how to fight. That will never change, no matter what."


    "...... you have become stronger."


    He mutters emotionally and shuts his mouth again.


    I cannot guess how he is feeling.


    But I have always wanted to ask him something.


    "Are you thinking of taking revenge against Rose?"


    Is he trying to humiliate himself against Rose as I once did?


    Unlike me, who was so angry just to avenge my master''s death, he must have his own reasons for doing so.


    He has lost all his men except me in the battle against Rose.


    He gave a small shake of his head at my question.


    "...... No, I am not qualified to avenge my enemies. Rather, I am the one who must atone."


    "Atone for what?"


    "Because I''m the one who forced them ...... to die."


    He made Rose''s men go out of the way and fall together.


    Considering the strength of Rose and his men at that time, it would have been obvious that they would become a threat later on.


    I am not saying that the master''s judgment was right, but if Rose''s men had lived, they might have become untouchable.


    "My time has stopped since the day of the battle."


    His mutterings were filled with strong emotions.


    "Before, I used to think that any sacrifice was unavoidable for the sake of the prosperity of the demon tribe. However, after the defeat at the hands of Rose, his enthusiasm and ideals disappeared, and all that remained was the urge to fight."


    Nothing else?


    Yeah. I have only one goal, to fight Rose. That''s it.


    The master was stuck in the past.


    He was hungry for a fight with Rose, someone he had never met before, someone of equal power.


    Everyone here should be fighting for the Demon Lord, for the survival of the demon tribe as a whole, but this person is fighting not for the present, but for the past.


    "Isn''t Rose fighting now?"


    I answer in surprise at the unexpected question.


    "...... Yes. As a healing sorceress, she is on the battlefield, healing wounded enemy soldiers.


    "So she chose to save rather than kill."


    I could not see the expression on the master''s face as he muttered this, but I knew that he had something on his mind.


    He was silent for about ten seconds before he finally opened his mouth.


    "If that''s the case, you must be a very troublesome person.


    "Yes, absolutely. In the last battle, even his disciples came out of nowhere, and even I was having a hard time with the presence of two brave men. ......"


    Remembering the healing wizard called Usato and the two heroes, he complained even in front of his master.


    "Apprentice?¡¡The healing wizard''s ......?"


    "Yes. I am a genuine healing wizard of the same kind as Rose.


    How good are you?


    At least good enough to beat out Kohga.


    Technically, Koga had some extra strength, but there was no way he was a proper healing magician when he was forced to faint even for a moment.


    Once I saw him locked in a cage in Hinomoto, he looked like an ordinary boy - but I could see a strong will in his eyes.


    "...... I see."


    After listening to my story, the master nodded quietly and fell silent.


    Did he have any thoughts about what Rose''s student had said?¡¡Either way, for the master, this march must be a battle against the past.


    For me, it is also a battle for the ...... Demon Lord, and by extension, for the demon tribe.

 206 - - Eighteenth Episode

    A coalition army of the four kingdoms of Lingle, Samariar, Nirvarna, and Calm Helio.


    At the head of the knights and soldiers in armor of each kingdom is the commander of each unit, and all of them are silently burning with the will to fight.


    The infantry with weapons, the cavalry on horseback, and the troops with bows were all divided into groups, and Kazuki-kun and I, the brave men, looked ahead to the plain.


    "It''s the same scene as the first time, isn''t it?"


    "Everything is different from that time, though."


    Soon the Demon Lord''s army will come.


    This time, they will be accompanied by ferocious demons, but we have not stood idly by.


    We have done everything we could do, including sending letters to the major countries, offering cooperation, and meeting with them in Lucvis.


    Usato and Kazuki and I have been fighting dangerous monsters and getting out of tight spots.


    "I wish I had ...... met Usato-kun."


    "If you''re going to have regrets, why don''t you just go for it?"


    "You think I can do that ......?¡¡It''s me, right?"


    "You don''t say that with a lot of confidence,......?"


    I replied to Frana, the hooded elf girl behind Kazuki, but what I got in return was a look of dismay.


    "I can''t die if I stay like this. ......!"


    "If you make it back alive, you''ll always see me."


    Kazuki is wearing white armor, and I am wearing light armor that does not impede my movement.


    It is based on the one we wore in the last battle, but has been upgraded in every way thanks to Samaritan''s magical tool-making techniques.


    I had hoped to at least show it off to Usato-kun, but I suppose it is too late now.


    "Either way, you can''t screw up this time. Mr. Kazuki."


    "I know. I can''t let Usato save me again."


    We will not make the same mistake as last time.


    I wonder how Usato is doing now. ......


    He may be waiting for the time of the battle with his members as the deputy commander of the rescue team.


    He has to go to a place where it is as dangerous, if not more so, than ours. That is the path he has chosen and his role as a lifeguard.


    But we want him to be safe.


    I don''t want him to get hurt, I don''t want him to do anything dangerous.


    "---Suzune, that''s ......"


    "Hmm?"


    Frana looks over to see Sigurth emerging from the base, dressed in heavy armor and ready for battle.


    He stands on a watchtower overlooking the entire army as the people look on.


    With that, the murmuring armies of the four kingdoms fall silent and are enveloped in stillness.


    >


    Sigurth''s voice sounded surprisingly clear, even though he was not using any magic tools.


    Even with all eyes focused on him, Sigurth raised his voice in an imposing manner.


    >


    There is a big difference between races.


    Although not as great as the beastmen, humans and demons are different in terms of sturdiness and physical ability.


    The soldiers of Samaritan and Calm Helio, who are not used to fighting, look up at Sigurth with anxious faces.


    >


    These are just words.


    But they reach the hearts of all those present and give them strength.


    Those who were anxious, those who were fearful of battle, found themselves listening to their inspiring words.


    >


    The soldiers raised a war cry at the sound of his voice.


    The air vibrates.


    The will to fight is transmitted as heat.


    Just as the morale of the soldiers reaches its peak, they sense a stabbing presence coming from the direction of the plain.


    "--"


    "Senpai."


    "Yeah, you''ve got to be ready for that."


    Turning toward the signs, I see a plain of green reflected in my vision.


    The coalition soldiers, sensing a change in the air, also look at the plain after a delay, and something like a black bird soars into the sky from deep within the hills of the plain.


    This is the flying dragon that Amako had foreseen. As the hordes of flying dragons with demons on their backs soar into the sky, the demons and the demons that follow them appear from the ground and rush toward our base.


    Sigurth calmly looked at them, drew the sword from his waist, and pointed the tip of it at the soldiers of the Demon Lord''s army.


    >


    <<<<<>>>>>


    I also draw my sword and wreathe my whole body in the magic of electric shocks.


    Kazuki-kun makes a ball of light appear in his palm, and Frana makes a purple magic that flickers like smoke from her dagger.


    I am ready to fight.


    With this resolve in mind, I must lead the way as a brave warrior, and guide my companions.


    I am ready to fight.


    While Mr. Sigurth was giving his speech before the battle against the Demon King''s army, Rose and I were standing in front of the door made in the wall, watching over the black-clad toughs, Ferm, and Bulrin.


    They were on a mission to bring the wounded right after the battle started, so we had to tell them what we could while we could.


    "Bulrin. Be careful, okay?"


    "Gru!"


    He puts his hands on both cheeks of the armored Bullyn and makes eye contact with him.


    He was my partner in battle and in travel. I know his strength better than anyone.


    "I know you''ll be fine. But when you''re in danger, ...... hit him and blow him up. Like you did to me when I got stuck."


    "Gru ......?"


    It''s okay, I''ll allow it.


    "You think you''re advising me ......?"


    Ferrum, standing beside him, drawls.


    She has her head completely covered by a hood and is ready to go to work as a black-robed woman.


    "Ferrum, take care of Burlin. And take care of yourself."


    "...... yeah. I''ll take care of it."


    Then a voice from outside turns into a yell.


    Rose, who was nearby, looks toward the wall.


    "I think it''s started."


    The soldiers'' war cries can be heard coming from outside the walls of the base.


    Mixed in with them are the cries of a large number of demons.


    "What we''re going to do is the same as last time. You carry the wounded here. Do you understand?


    Hey!


    "No, we just have a little more room to maneuver. I don''t think there''s anyone here who''s going to get hurt by that."


    Rose''s words were met with a strong response from the strong men lined up side by side.


    Rose pokes me in the shoulder and I cough.


    I guess Rose is trying to tell me to give them a few words as the vice-commander as they head off to battle.


    "I don''t think you guys are more like demons than demons, but... if you die, I''ll beat the shit out of you and pull you back."


    Wet doesn''t suit us.


    If we are going to speak, it should be with the same hateful words we always use, and with rough words that show no consideration for one another.


    The tough guys seem to understand this and are smiling just as hatefully as I am.


    Ferm looks at me and the tough guys and is a bit taken aback, but I don''t care about that.


    After watching our exchange, Rose looks around at the blacks and Bulrin, then walks over to the door and puts her hand on the handle.


    "I think we''ve exchanged enough words. Then go ahead and get wild. Then go on a rampage and save as many wounded people as you can from the demon tribe who are getting carried away with their pets!


    Rose opened the door and the black-clad men and Bulrin ran out with a yell.


    Perhaps he had missed the timing, but Ferrum followed in a hurry.


    Woah woah woah!""""


    "Guaaaah!"


    "What?¡¡Wait!"


    We watch them run away.


    After that, I stretch my cheeks to get myself fired up, and head for the tent where Rose and I will be working in the first part of the day.


    "The battle seems to be more intense than I expected. We''re going to get to Olga and the others soon.


    "Yes, ......!"


    There are already five healing wizards waiting in the tent, led by Ms. Olga.


    When we arrive at the entrance of the tent, we bow to Mr. Alc, a knight of the Lingle Kingdom, who is escorting us healing wizards.


    "I am very glad that you are here. Mr. Alc!"


    Mr. Aruk and his fellow knights are guarding this place where Olga and her friends are.


    He puts his fist on his chest and shows us the same dependability he showed us on our journey.


    "I''ll make sure to protect this place, no matter who the opponent is!


    Please take care of Olga and the others at .......


    I''ll take care of it!


    After exchanging a few words with Mr. Aruk, I step into the tent with Rose.


    Unlike the other tents, this place where the lifeguard team operates is vast, with enough space to carry out dozens of injured people.


    There are six people in the tent, including Nair, Olga, Uluru, and Gerna, who are in human form, and they line up when they see me and Rose.


    "As you know from Usato''s explanation, ...... your main job is to heal the injured people brought by the black uniforms. From now on,...... you may have to make tough choices as a healing magician. But never forget that the lives you save include your own.


    Yes!"""""


    Then go to your stations."


    Following Rose''s instructions, Olga and the others move to their posts.


    Of course, as a healing magician, I heal the wounded, so I wait for the black-clad men to arrive.


    Then Nair, in human form, comes up next to me.


    "Don''t you have to be so prepared for this, since we have just started?


    "You''re being naive, Nair."


    "Heh?"


    Just as she tilted her head, a black figure came rushing out of the tent entrance.


    The black figure - Tong - shouted at me while carrying the three wounded knights.


    >


    "...... too soon?"


    "That''s how hard the fighting is going on out there."


    Then Gurudo comes in carrying the wounded man, followed by Tong.


    From the looks of him, he looked like he had been kidnapped by a demon, but he was still there to save the wounded man..,


    "Heh heh, don''t worry. The pain will go away in no time with the vice-commander.


    "Hi!"


    --- It goes without saying that those words were meant with the best of intentions, though they are often misunderstood.


    The lady knight of Calm Helio who is being carried on her back is really screaming, though.


    While suppressing the urge to make a comment, we lay the injured people who are brought one after another on the linen-covered ground and apply healing magic to them.


    "Don''t worry. I will heal you with healing magic now.


    "Ki, you are the lifeguard''s healing wizard. ......"


    "Yes. ...... if it''s not too much trouble, can you tell us what kind of fighting is going on out there?"


    I ask the lady knight while applying healing magic to my injured shoulder and leg, hoping to learn about the battlefield while I can.


    After the pain had eased and she had calmed down considerably, she told me about the scene she had just seen on the battlefield.


    "Outside, demons brought by the demon tribe and the demon king''s army are fighting. Many people were being killed by a large snake-like demon and a flying dragon-like demon. ......


    The big serpent...... you mean the serpent that the Demon Lord''s army had brought with them in the previous battle.


    It''s pretty nasty because it uses poison.


    While we were having this conversation, I finished healing the knight''s wounds.


    We thank her and move on to the next wounded person.


    "---More people are being brought in than expected.


    That''s how many people are getting injured.


    There is still plenty of time to spare, but seeing the injured being brought in by the black uniforms one after another makes me uneasy.


    ......Will we be okay without Rose and me?


    With such concerns in mind, I was applying healing magic to the warriors of the Kingdom of Nirvarna when I noticed that Gerna was concentrating on the healing magic next to me.


    He was trying to heal a knight who had fainted with his face turning pale --- but his concentration was disturbed by the wounded who were being brought to him one after another, and he was not able to cast his healing magic properly.


    "......!"


    ......It''s his first real battle as a healing magician.


    He''s not like me, who''s used to being near death.


    "Gerna."


    Mr. Usato.


    After healing the person in front of me, I crouch down in front of Mr. Gerna who is desperately trying to cast a healing spell.


    When he looked up, his eyes were wide and shaken.


    "Calm down. Let''s focus on helping the person in front of us first. I''ll help you."


    ...... sword slashed deep into his side. The blade must have unfortunately passed through the border of his armor.


    The black-robed man has given him first aid with recovery magic, but he will die if he is left unattended.


    I raise my palm over Gerna''s hand and cast a healing spell.


    "Gerna! I have learned something from my friends in Mearaq."


    "...... what you were taught......?"


    "That we should not only think about using healing magic, but we should look at someone who is suffering ......."


    I was a terrible a**h*le when I was trying to help Mr. Karon with his unfinished lineage enhancement.


    I was so focused on the success of the reinforcement that I did not look at Mr. Karon, who was the most important person in the world.


    It was Leona, a brave woman from Mearaq, who taught me this when my eyes had been clouded.


    It is important to hurry, but we must not forget about the people we are facing now.


    He immediately understood what I was trying to say, his strong will returned to his eyes, and he began to concentrate on healing his wounds with his palm power, restoring his unstable magic to normal.


    Seeing his condition, I felt relieved.


    "Do you understand?"


    "......Yes!"


    He was much quicker than me in recognizing it right away.


    His expression is still a little awkward, but ...... he seems to be doing okay.


    I am relieved to see Gerna''s condition, and I leave him and start to treat another injured person.


    I will help you.


    "Ta, please. ......"


    I nod to reassure the knight, who grabs my hand with his bloodied hand, and apply a healing spell.


    The battle outside has only just begun.


    It will only get more intense.


    "...... even so."


    Everyone is fighting.


    The tongs are not stopping and continue to carry the wounded.


    Not only the healing wizards here, but even Nair is giving first aid with cloths and bandages.


    I myself must face the ordeal in front of me with everything I have cultivated in this world.

 207 - - The 188th Episode

    The mistakes I have made up to this point in my life have been quite simple.


    The first is that I was summoned to this world by my senpai and Kazuki, the heroes.


    The second is that Rose found me and recruited me into the rescue squad.


    Third, I wanted to help my senpai and Kazuki, who were fighting as heroes.


    I am sure that if I think about the training Rose gave me and the powerful enemies I have faced in this world, I would say that they were mishaps and wrong choices.


    Without them, I would have been able to live in a peaceful world for a long time, and I would not have suffered.


    But I can assure you that I would do the same thing no matter how many times it would be repeated.


    Because no matter how hard the path I have taken, the things I have met, learned, and gained here, I could never have gained in my former world.


    So, I will continue to move forward.


    Today...even on this day of the battle, when I don''t know how things will turn out, I will run as fast as I can.


    "Tongs, you!¡¡I told you not to use the disinfectant so carelessly!¡¡We''ve only got a limited amount of disinfectant!


    I''m sorry!¡¡I''ll leave the rest to you!¡¡Deputy Commander!


    And that goblin!¡¡Put on a normal face when you speak!¡¡Don''t scare the wounded!


    I''ve always had this face!¡¡You''re a bastard!


    I yell at the tough guys who give me a hateful smile and walk out of the tent.


    I''ve been thinking about the past for a while, but I need to stop yelling and start doing something.


    I don''t want Gerna and the others to see me as a disappointment.


    While I was treating the two knights lying next to each other with my hands on them, Ferrum and Bulrin jumped into the tent.


    On Bulrin''s back were four wounded knights secured with belts, while Ferm had one knight on his back and two on each arm.


    Ferrum approached us, a little out of breath, and lowered the three knights who had been secured with dark magic.


    "I''ve got them! ......!"


    "Are you okay?¡¡Are you hurt?


    "I''m fine. ......"


    He and Nair lower the four knights who are secured by the belt on Brullin''s back, and he is concerned about Ferrum, who looks tired.


    Bulrin seems to be totally fine and sniffs confidently with a "humph".


    "Is it still hard to deal with people who used to be your friends?"


    "...... It''s not that. It''s just annoying. ...... I''ll get the next one."


    Ferme says bluntly and runs outside.


    He gives a concerned look to Bulrin and then turns his attention to treating the wounded.


    No matter how many times he heals the wounded, their number shows no sign of decreasing.


    It is no wonder that every time a healed knight returns to the front, another injured person is brought in to replace him or her... but once again, we are reminded of the intensity of this battle.


    "Let me help you. Usato-kun."


    "Mr. Uluru, ...... would be very helpful."


    "It''s times like this when we have to help each other."


    With a grim expression on her face, Uluru-san comes up next to me while I am using healing magic.


    She opens her mouth as she heals the wounded person that Ferrum and Bulrin brought earlier.


    "I heard from the knight who just treated you that the battle is currently competitive," she says.


    "So ...... is it?"


    "But you know, they haven''t shown up at the corps commander''s level yet. There were several big snake monsters, but it seems that the demons haven''t sent out their main force yet.


    "......"


    It''s tough that there''s more than one of those snakes, and I''m worried that we haven''t seen a corps leader like Koga yet.


    Maybe there is no Amira, a demon tribe with the power of a corps leader, and I can''t predict how the war will turn out.


    "And ...... I heard one thing that''s been bothering me."


    "What''s bothering you?"


    "One of your knights was wounded in an attack by one of our own. ......"


    "Attacked by an ally?¡¡Not like you got hit by the wrong blade or something?"


    "No, the knight who told me about it said that his best friend since childhood attacked him as if he had changed."


    "...... change?"


    Manipulated?


    It could be that he got confused on the battlefield, but the worst possibility is that there are demons or monsters who have magic to manipulate people.


    If so, he/she is making us fight with each other.


    As I was putting strength into my hands that naturally emit healing magic, I heard a loud, piercing yell coming from outside the tent --- from the battlefield.


    As if in response, countless demons'' screams are heard late in the day.


    Hearing the voice, I quickly turned my attention to Rose, who had already finished healing the knight and was looking up at the sound of the voice.


    "---Usato."


    With that one word, I knew immediately what Rose was going to say.


    I''m going to do what I''m supposed to do as a white uniformer---run the battlefield and save my allies.


    I nodded to her and stood up, and Uluru-san looked up at me with anxious eyes.


    "Don''t die, Usato-kun ......."


    I''ll be back later."


    After looking around at Olga, Sharun, Gerna and Kate, I start to follow Rose to the entrance of the tent.


    As I do so, Nair, who has transformed into an owl, jumps onto my shoulder from behind.


    "I''m sorry. I''m sorry I brought you all the way out here."


    "It''s not too late for that. Besides, I am your messenger, so it would be unnatural for me not to follow you.


    When I learned of Nair''s true identity, I never thought we would have such a trusting relationship.


    I had a bad impression of her because of her betrayal, her playing with my pure heart with charms and other things, and then her reviving the evil dragon.


    But now, after my journey, I can trust him with my back ...... or rather with my shoulder.


    I am glad you are here. Thank you."


    Nair is in a good mood as he hears these words of heartfelt thanks.


    As I leave the tent, straightening up the collar of my uniform, my eyes meet those of Mr. Alc, who is escorting me.


    --He was a very strong, yet dependable man.


    He was a very strong, yet dependable person. Thanks to his kindness and counsel as a familiar adult, I was able to overcome my anxiety-filled journey.


    So, I can leave this place in peace and move on.


    After exchanging silent glances and nodding, he and Rose head towards the entrance of the wall that leads to the battlefield.


    "This is the second time, isn''t it?"


    "What?"


    Rose''s unexpected words made me tilt my head.


    "I mean, going to the battlefield with you."


    "So ....... As for me, I''d rather there had never been a battle.


    "Ha, no doubt. But now that it''s started, we have to do what we have to do.


    Of course, I understand that.


    Even if we do not want to fight, the Demon King''s army will attack us without question.


    There is no way we can just stand by and watch.


    "Commander. I''ll tell you now.


    What?


    If you see Nero Agens, don''t even think about stabbing him in the back, okay?


    What about ......?


    Rose''s stunned expression may be the first time I''ve ever seen it.


    But I''m being extremely serious, so I don''t make fun of her.


    "No, I know that the leader of the group, who has talked so much about self-sacrifice to me, would never do such a thing, but I thought I''d just say something. I mean, I don''t think in the slightest that the Commander will die.


    "I wish I didn''t have to say it rather than make excuses so quickly. ......"


    I just wanted to say this: ......!


    I had a feeling that if I didn''t say it out loud, Rose would actually take action.


    It''s not fair that she doesn''t protect herself after she''s been so hard on me.


    "......"


    Rose smiles at me, and I''m ready to get decapitated at any moment.


    But, predictably, I''m not shocked.


    Instead, Rose, who was brushing her hair back, was smiling brightly.


    "You idiot! Why should I give my life for a demon tribe you don''t like?


    "So, right!"


    There''s no need to risk your life. Just blow them up first.


    It''s an incredibly messed up thing to say, but when Rose says it, it''s very convincing.


    I guess my concerns were misplaced in the first place.


    I am more relieved than ever by her reaction, and I turn around to face forward again.


    "We''re going our separate ways from here on out."


    "Yes."


    It was a completely different battlefield from before, but I was still calm.


    Partly because it was my second battle, but most of all because I had my mentor, Rose, next to me.


    "Don''t you die, okay?¡¡If you die..."


    "I''m gonna knock you out, aren''t I?"


    You''re a real cocky son of a b*tc*. You''re so cocky.


    After saying this, she puts her hand on the door of the wall.


    I breathe in time with them, and my legs are ready to move at any moment.


    Are you ready?


    "Ready when you are."


    "I''m ready, too."


    After confirming my words with Nair, Rose opened the door with great force.


    The moment I felt something like the wind on my skin, my feet propelled me forward and my body shot out like a bullet.


    "Let''s go!¡¡Usato!"


    "Yes!"


    I see the horrific scene of the battlefield in my mind''s eye.


    Rose is already out of sight, already heading in a different direction from me. I looked once next to where Rose was, and then turned around to face forward again.


    Behind me, a squad of archers and wizards kept checking the flying dragons attacking from the sky. The flying dragon I saw in person was about two times larger than a horse, and it had no front legs.


    It seemed to be not so different from the flying dragon that we often hear about in fantasy stories, since it breathed fire like flames from the sky.


    Checking the sky, we soon reach the front line.


    The front line is a jumble of both friend and foe, and some apparently ferocious-looking demons are attacking the soldiers.


    >


    >


    <>


    Not far away, you see a red wolf about to attack a warrior of the Kingdom of Nirvarna, who is stuck with an injured leg.


    He seems to be somehow blocking the bite of the red wolf with the hilt of his spear in his hand, but a soldier of the demon king''s army raises his weapon and approaches to put an end to him and his companions.


    I grasp the situation at a glance and create a magic bullet in my palm.


    "Glow Wolf!¡¡Bringing such a dangerous demon here ......!"


    "Nair, I leave the use of magic to your discretion!"


    Yes!


    I change my running direction and accelerate at once, and with my momentum, I kick the red wolf that was attacking the warrior - Glow Wolf - in the side with a binding spell and blow it away.


    It was a big wolf, nearly two meters in height when seen up close, but perhaps it couldn''t withstand the unexpected blow, and it fainted.


    After confirming this, I fire a healing magic bullet at the injured Nirvarna warrior''s leg, healing it to the point where he can move.


    "Hey, you are ......"


    Can you move?


    "!?¡¡I''m healed ......!¡¡How long have you been ......"


    A Nirvarna warrior and his companions are surprised that the pain in his leg has subsided.


    One of the demon soldiers saw this and pointed at me, extremely upset.


    It''s the healing wizard in white!¡¡You two, get rid of them before they heal you!


    At the feet of the demon soldiers, there were still alive Nirvarna warriors lying on the ground.


    Are they trying to kill those who are still breathing in order to countermeasure against us lifeguards ......!


    Not so fast!


    "Well, let''s use our magic!¡¡Get rid of them as fast as you can!"


    I deployed my right hand and slammed my fist into the jaw of the closest demon soldier, while using the basket hand to knock down the magic coming at me to protect the warriors behind me.


    He then grabs the other two in the face with his hands, which are imbued with a binding spell, and restrains them from moving.


    "--What?"


    One of the demon soldiers let out a stunned voice.


    Without looking at the three soldiers who have fallen to their knees, he slams his palm into the gut of the soldier next to him.


    "Holy shit!"


    "......"


    "Hiccup!"


    I shifted my target to a soldier near the wounded warriors and held my spear as if frightened - but the response was too slow for me.


    I close the distance in a single breath, grab the tip and handle of the spear with both hands, and throw it sideways with all my might.


    With a cry of grief at my back, I set about treating the wounded warrior.


    "Okay, let''s get him out of here... mmm?"


    As I try to hold them up, I notice an arrow flying toward my forehead.


    I quickly grab it and let out a sigh of relief.


    "Oh no, an arrow!"


    "I don''t think dangerous is usually enough. ......"


    I stared in the direction from which the arrow flew, and saw the demon who had first shouted to attack me drop the bow and arrow from his hand with a look of disbelief on his face.


    "You''re not human ......?


    "......"


    "No, don''t come here!¡¡Oh, my God!


    Why does he react like he does when he encounters a monster in a horror movie?


    For a moment, he wonders this question, and then he uses his sword to knock the demon out of his consciousness.


    After that, he quickly heals the fallen warriors and goes to another place, asking the black-clad man to take care of them.


    --The amount of magic used is minimal.


    --His physical strength is perfectly fine.


    --I still have enough energy.


    Then, as long as I live...


    Look out!¡¡Healing magic bullet!


    Ow!


    Ow!


    The knight of Calm Helio, whose arm has been slashed and is about to be speared by a soldier of the Demon Lord''s army, is hit by a healing magic bullet.


    The impact of the healing magic bullet bounces him to the side, and Nair is startled to see that the spear that was about to pierce his torso has been dislodged.


    "Was that a technique to be used like that!"


    It saves and heals the wounded at the same time.


    That is the true use of the healing magic bullet ......!¡¡In fact, you could say that the way it has been used up until now has been wrong. ......!


    He strikes a stunned soldier with a spear with the bottom of his palm, and reaches out a hand to a fallen knight and stands him up, drawing the hostility of the soldiers in the Demon Lord''s army toward him.


    Good job, ......!¡¡I clenched my fist hard and stepped hard on the ground to save the life in front of me.

 208 - - The 189th.

    Mr. Usato is heading for the battlefield.


    The back of his head, standing shoulder to shoulder with Mr. Rose, looked the same as in the previous battle, but it was completely different.


    His back was strong with a great mission on his shoulders.


    Seeing Mr. Usato heading toward the battlefield with as much "power" as Mr. Rose, I myself have strengthened my will to fulfill my own mission.


    "--I have to keep my mind tight ......"


    My mission is to protect the tent where the healing wizards of the Rescue Mission are.


    The lifeguard plays an important role in this battle.


    I understand how important it is to protect them.


    Aruk, did you hear that?


    Hear what?


    He responds to the voice of his colleague who is protecting this place with him.


    "I hear there is a betrayal of our allies on the battlefield.


    "Betrayal ......?"


    "I just heard from a guy who just came back to the front line, and all of a sudden he was attacked by his own people."


    "......"


    Are there demons like Nair that control people?


    No, they can''t suck blood in the middle of a battle like vampires do, putting themselves in danger.


    Then is it magic?


    "Anyway, you''d better be careful. It''s the Demon Lord''s army. I wouldn''t be surprised if they try something.


    Yeah. I''ll keep that in mind."


    As I was taking in my colleague''s words, a knight of the Kingdom of Calm Helio, covered in blood, entered through the door that I was looking at - mainly through which the black-clad members of the lifeguard corps were passing.


    "Hey! Is he all right?"


    "What''s that knight outside doing ......?"


    The knight''s upper body armor was stained red and he walked toward us with unsteady steps.


    My colleague and I rushed toward the apparently dangerous looking knight as quickly as we could, but at that moment, we stopped in our tracks with a sense of discomfort.


    "No, wait!"


    "Wait, that guy''s hurt, man!¡¡If you leave him alone, he will die."


    Ignoring the words of my upset colleague, I keep my eyes on the knight''s body.


    He is covered in blood and appears to be injured.


    But something is wrong.


    The empty eyes of the knight can be explained by the fact that he is wounded.


    The blood is covered with blood because he is wounded.


    But where is the blood... flowing from?


    He was so clean. No, he is covered with blood, but there is not a scratch or a hole in his armor or the clothes he wears underneath.


    I distance myself from the knight with my left hand on the sword at my waist.


    May I ask you a question?


    "Aruk ......?"


    "Excuse me, but could you tell me where you are injured?"


    Where did all that blood come from?


    The calmer you are, the more you realize how strange the man looks.


    There is no way he could have walked this far with that amount of blood loss, and he should not have been able to stay conscious in the first place.


    "Healing, magic ...... user"


    "Yes, I understand that you want to call a healing wizard to heal him as soon as possible. But first you must tell me where the wound is. Otherwise we will not be able to let you pass from here.


    "magic......healing......use,magic"


    "......"


    Healing. Send out the wizard.


    "Alc, this guy is ......."


    My colleague, who is also a healer, puts his hand on the sword at his waist, as if sensing something is wrong, but I tell him not to wait.


    If we make a commotion here, we will involve the members of the lifeguard team in the tent behind us.


    If we are going to capture him, we need to get away from this place before--,


    "Is that man injured?


    The voice from behind me scared me.


    A girl who had been dispatched as a healing magician---Kate-san--was standing in the doorway of the tent where the rescue team was working.


    The man''s eyes were fixed on Kate, but she didn''t seem to notice it, beckoning him hurriedly and calling out to him.


    "If you are injured, come here quickly!¡¡I''ll heal you with healing magic right away..."


    The moment I heard the word "healing magic," I did not miss the man''s right arm around my back.


    Before he can remove the broken sword from his bloodied midsection, I slam the hilt of the sword into his wrist, twist his left arm up, and restrain him.


    I call out to Kate, who lets out a small scream as I rope the man who is roaring and thrashing like an animal with my colleague.


    "Gaaaah!


    Please return to your tents immediately!¡¡He is upset!"


    What?¡¡Yes, yes!


    Kate returned to the tent with the agility of a cat.


    After looking her off with her eyes, I looked for any wounds on the knight who was still struggling even though he was tied up, but he was not injured anywhere.


    "So it''s all blood."


    "...... you mean a sudden act of betrayal?"


    No, no.


    He brings his face close to the knight''s eyes and looks into them.


    He may have originally had blue eyes, but now those blue eyes have a shimmering purple magic covering their rims.


    The moment the shimmering faded away, the knight''s body became weak and he fainted.


    "Now, tell this information to the commander of Sigurth''s army. They are using magic to manipulate us into fighting each other. And that the magician is targeting this place where the Rescue Mission is working.


    "Kuh, that''s what you''re talking about. ......!"


    While my other colleague hurries to inform the commander of Sigurth Legion, I think of a countermeasure.


    First of all, I have to send a warning to all the men in black who bring wounded people to me.


    They pass by here quite often, so I can tell them right away.


    "But what if a manipulated person is brought into the tent under the guise of a fallen wounded person ......"


    The thing that manipulated the knight earlier has clearly targeted this location.


    It is the kind of person who would not hesitate to make us fight each other. It is not surprising that he would try to take advantage of their conscience.


    We should do what we can now.


    It is difficult to take perfect measures, but we should be able to take precautions.


    I raise my voice so that the guards present can hear me.


    "The demon king''s army is trying to manipulate our allies and harm the lifeguards who are doing their best for us here!¡¡Therefore, in order to protect them, from now on we will deploy guards not only outside but also inside the tent!"


    We will not let the lifeguards get their hands on you.


    That is what all the guards here are thinking.


    I see my colleagues nodding at my words and quickly decide where to re-deploy them.


    Returning to my post, I look at the wall where the battle is being waged.


    "I will not let them touch you."


    It was the same in Hinomoto, and the situation is the same now.


    I have to trust him and fight my own battle.


    ---I am sure that Usato is still fighting for the wounded.


    I am sure that even now he is fighting for the wounded.


    After running around the battlefield nonstop healing the wounded, I tried to help a knight who was lying on the ground.


    Just as I was about to take him to safety, he suddenly got up, picked up a sword that had fallen down beside him, and swung it at me.


    Please stop!¡¡I''ll heal you now!


    "Heal me, wizard!"


    You are delirious!


    He is muttering "healing wizard" as if in a whisper, while I grab his sword with my basket hand and desperately try to shout to him, but it doesn''t seem to have any effect.


    But I am sure that he is clearly hostile to me.


    Could it be ...... that this is what Uluru was talking about when he said he was going to change?


    "Usato, he''s being controlled by magic or something!


    "You mean someone from the Demon Lord''s army did this?


    Nair''s voice makes me gnash my teeth.


    I can''t wait for him to come to his senses.


    I can''t help it!¡¡I really don''t want to do this!


    Wake up, wake up!


    Gohf?


    You''re going to faint!


    If he gets violent, I''ll knock him out with a healing punch.


    I hold him as he falls forward, explain the situation briefly to the nearby knight, leave him with him, and start running.


    "-We''re getting pushed this way."


    "Yes. The fear that our allies might be manipulated is probably slowing down the movement of the people here."


    "I''m sure you''ve thought that much about your strategy: ......"


    It is a vicious but effective strategy.


    It is a vicious, but effective strategy, because it is making us nervous and at the same time slowing down the entire army.


    Nair could do the same thing with his vampire and necromancer powers, but it would take a lot of work and most importantly, he would not be able to support me.


    Considering this, we can assume that the person who is controlling our allies is a very powerful person.


    "If we don''t do something soon, the formation may fall apart ......!"


    But there was nothing I could do.


    As I grit my teeth at my helplessness, I see the sight of a flying dragon that has landed on the ground and is now rampaging before my eyes.


    I see a knight trampled by a foot with sharp claws, and another knight with a fanged mouth biting his foot.


    "I won''t let you do it anymore!¡¡Healing magic bullet!


    >


    A soldier of the Demon King''s army on the back of the flying dragon is knocked off the ground by a healing magic bullet.


    After confirming this, I kick the flying dragon in the shin area with my foot knife to save the knights who are about to be killed by the flying dragon, and then I drive my right fist as hard as I can into the abdomen, which is off balance and exposed,


    "Open your mouth!"


    --He then strikes with a series of healing blows.


    The flying dragon screams in agony and opens its mouth to receive the impact from the cage.


    >


    Usato!


    "Yes!"


    I quickly catch the knight that was released from the flying dragon''s mouth, and I break away while carrying the other knight that was being kicked in the leg.


    "If I had been a little later, I wouldn''t have made it ......!"


    The flying dragon that the soldiers of the Demon King''s army usually ride is more than five meters long.


    The mere fact that it is bigger than a human is a threat, but a flying dragon breathes fire and has great strength.


    ......At any rate, we have to take the two who are completely unconscious to a safe place. ...... Hmm?


    <<>


    >


    >


    >


    There are soldiers of the Demon Lord''s army looking for me, a healing wizard.


    They will find me and attack me, but I don''t have time to go around.


    "You are treated like a rare animal in the Demon Lord''s army, aren''t you?


    Nair, I need you to get a grip on the wind pressure. --We''re going through it.


    "What?¡¡Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.


    I re-hold the wounded man and step into the ground as hard as I can, releasing him at once.


    The magic of Nair had given me resistance to wind pressure and air resistance, and I pushed forward, forward, forward, leaving the sounds around me behind.


    I was moving forward, leaving all the sounds around me behind.


    "--The wound is healed. Please get them to safety."


    Thank you!


    We were able to safely leave the front line and leave the two wounded to the knights in the rear.


    We are now one step ahead of the front line, where those who have been assigned to provide support in the rear are.


    I am safe here, but I have to get back to the front immediately.


    Nair, can you go?


    "I had a bad experience earlier, but I can go. ......"


    ...... Are you rooting for the fact that you ran full speed right in front of the enemy?


    I laugh at Nair''s dismay, and try to run to the front line..,


    "--!"


    At that moment, I felt a strange chill that I had never felt before.


    It was the same kind of chill that had been directed at Koga in Hinomoto.


    However, it was far sharper than his, and had a coldness that made my hair stand on end.


    Sensing that something is definitely approaching, I deploy my cage hand and at the same time change my running direction toward the direction where I feel the cold.


    "Usato, what''s wrong?


    "Nair, give me ...... resistance to slashes!"


    "What? Why are you--"


    Come on!


    Surprised by the urgency in my voice, she grants me resistance to slashing attacks.


    As I run toward the front, I notice that the number of soldiers in the Demon King''s army is decreasing.


    If that were all, it would seem that our side was winning, but for some reason, the expressions on the knights'' faces as we passed each other were not of joy at having the upper hand in the battle, but of fear of "something" that was ahead of me.


    Gradually, I noticed that the knights stopped with their weapons at the ready and were looking in the same direction.


    As I was about to move forward in that direction, a knight of the Lingle Kingdom came flying toward me with blood pouring from his chest, and I hurried to catch him.


    "W-Wait, are you okay?


    "Ugh, Usato-sama. ......"


    Don''t talk!


    His torso is ripped open, armor and all. ......!


    He immediately tried to cast a healing spell, but the moment he poured his magic power into the wound, it was drowned out as if it had fizzled out.


    "What?


    The healing magic doesn''t work.


    No matter how hard I tried to cast healing magic, I could not heal his wounds.


    The knight who grabbed my arm as I still tried to apply healing magic, saw my frustration and called out to me, his voice trembling.


    His sword is cursed. I cannot afford to lose you now. ...... Leave this place immediately. ......


    "So don''t talk. ......"


    "......"


    The light fades from the knight''s eyes, and the hand holding my arm slips from my grasp.


    I quietly lower his corpse to the ground, and after hitting the ground once with all my strength, I call out to the other knight standing by my side.


    "......The effect of not accepting recovery magic should disappear with the passage of time."


    "...... what?"


    "Injured people who do not accept healing and restoration magic should be brought to the lifeguard''s base after having their bleeding stopped. There are enough bandages and tools there. If you can, please call the black uniforms here and tell them how I instructed you to do it."


    "Yes, sir!¡¡What are you going to do, Usato-sama?


    I''m ...... going to try to stop the enemy.


    Before the knight can call for a halt, he advances toward the direction of the piercing, deadly fire.


    "Nea. Hurry up and get the commander."


    To tell you the truth, I don''t want to bring Rose into conflict with the man she is about to meet.


    But if we don''t, there will be more victims.


    "...... Okay."


    Before I die, will you do me a favor?


    Don''t be so silly. I''ll leave you the ...... resistant magic, okay?


    Thank you.


    I look forward, watching Nair fly away from my shoulder.


    There - standing among the fallen knights - was a demoness.


    Dull blond hair, twisted horns, brown skin.


    Unlike the other soldiers, he was clad in armor and a cloak, and in his hand he held a blood-red sword.


    He---Nero Agens looked at me and rolled his eyes a little.


    "White Clothes ......"


    "Nero Agence, I presume."


    "Do you know my name?"


    A wind and sword master, equal or superior to Rose.


    He''s not ready to fight at all, but he''s not afraid.


    I know it when I see it.


    I cannot win.


    But even so, I cannot back down here.


    If we let him go, many people will fall prey to the cursed sword. If that happens, even we, as healers, won''t be able to help them.


    I''ll die trying to hold him back.


    "Oh, I see."


    He nodded with a calm voice that seemed out of place on the battlefield as I remained alert with my cage deployed.


    "So you are Rose''s disciple."


    As soon as he muttered this, Nero carelessly raised his magic sword and released the blade of the wind.

 209 - - The Nineteenth

    A blade of wind aimed at the neck.


    I blocked it by cutting off my right arm and stared at Nero Agens, the demon who had released the blade.


    He is not so surprised that I blocked his attack, and he sheds his sword and returns it to its scabbard.


    "......"


    "......"


    We are in the middle of a battlefield, but a strange silence prevails.


    Nero looks at me as if he is observing me, and I prepare myself for whatever attack Nero may launch.


    Nero is a monster, equal in strength to Rhodes.


    I can safely assume that I am cut off if I attack from my side.


    What is your name?


    "?¡¡My name is Usato. ......


    There is no point in hiding my name here, so I will tell you my name honestly.


    Nero finally opens his mouth to me.


    "I am the Commander of the First Legion of the Demon King''s Army. Nero Agens. I am the one who is related to your master.


    "!!!?"


    First Legionnaire ......!


    I had no idea that the last legionnaire not yet identified was Nero himself.


    ...... No, I can understand that he is that good just by being relative to him.


    "We look alike."


    I tilt my head to Nero, who looks at me and mutters something like that.


    What?¡¡The face, as usual?


    Do you think that''s going to upset me?


    "The way you look at me, your spirit, the way you stand, everything about you is the same as Rose. But I can''t say it''s the same."


    "......What are you trying to say?"


    "......"


    Nero does not answer.


    What is it?¡¡Do strong people not try to communicate properly?


    Rose is in a physical language.


    "Why did you come in front of me?¡¡Don''t you see the difference between our abilities?


    "...... I understand that, of course. If you and I fight, I will be killed for sure.


    "Then why?"


    ......The reason I came out in front of him, where I would have been helpless, is simple.


    You''re going to have to stop here.


    "...... is that because you heard about my history with Rose?"


    "No, sir. No. That history has already ended. At least, not for the Commander.


    Nero frowned slightly at my words.


    I am sure that the battle with Rose is not over for him.


    "The only reason I''m standing here is to keep you from going any further.


    My magic sword.


    I don''t mean to be a critic of Nero''s fighting style. If anything, he is more effective in battle.


    And ...... he is a natural enemy for us healing wizards as well.


    "With you, the number of injured people who cannot be healed by healing magic will continue to increase. People we could help will die. That''s why I''m going to nail you right here."


    "......"


    If I can''t win, I''ll do my best to defend myself and hinder your move. ......!¡¡No one can match me in stubbornness, quickness, resignation, and bad luck. ......!


    Nero''s eyes once shut as he dares me to go too far backwards.


    The next time he opens his eyes, they are filled with a fighting spirit.


    "Originally, I came to this battlefield to fight against Rose. I was thinking of dropping the human stronghold while I was at it. ......"


    Nero drew his sword.


    The red blade is exposed, and slowly the tip of the sword points toward me.


    "I''d like to see a little more of your power.


    Nero, who is gradually becoming windswept, naturally assumes a stance.


    The thought of taking down the base just for the sake of it is terrifying, but I guess the man in front of me could do it.


    Just as I''m thinking this, I see a red blade in front of me..,


    "I''m going to die!"


    "Hmm, I''ll have to avoid it."


    Quickly, he turns his head back and avoids the slash just in time.


    I fell backward with the momentum of the deflection, but as I got back up, the blade of the wind was closing in on me.


    Nero was quietly surprised when I repelled the blade of wind with my basket hand, which had been shot precisely at my neck, shoulder joint, and heart.


    "You''re good. How about this?"


    I created a whirlwind with my palm and released it to the ground.


    The whirlwind splits and comes toward me from another direction.


    It''s like controlling a magic bullet!


    I touch the wind to counteract it with my left fist, and my fist gets a razor cut on it.


    "Ouch ......!"


    I cancel the whirlwind with my healing burst palm and drown out the rest with my right baskets - but the whirlwind that I thought I had canceled regenerates and comes at me again.


    "As long as the wielder''s magic power lasts, it will continue to attack ......!"


    I try to escape from the whirlwind and keep my distance from Nero, moving with my healing acceleration fist.


    "Your reaction speed is quite fast. Your movements are not comparable to those of humans."


    However, when a strong wind blew from Nero''s direction, he approached me so fast that it could be mistaken for instantaneous movement, and swung his red magic sword at my head.


    With a chill running down my spine, I put my left hand on my right arm and catch him squarely in the head.


    "Oh, that was close ......!"


    A powerful wind blows from the sword and Nero''s own body, and the resulting wind becomes a blade that slices through my body.


    Just being close to him is like being in the middle of a storm. ......!


    Nero pulls back his sword and continues to swing it at me.


    I will not be cut down so easily!


    Ignoring the pain as his whole body is sliced open, he swings his baskets as hard as he can, repelling the swords that come at him in rapid succession.


    Remember what Mr. Hyde taught you!


    You have to look not only at the sword, but also at your surroundings and your opponent''s whole body!


    He catches a sword swinging down from the upper level with his left basket hand, and the barrage of blows ends, but a blade is pressed into his hand instead.


    "That cuirass is no ordinary cuirass, is it?


    "Yeah, the only thing this guy has going for him is that he''ll never break. ......!"


    "...... Correction. You''re not like Rose. You''re something else.


    Thank you!


    He pushes the sword back with all his might and slams his healing fast-striking fist into Nero''s torso, specializing in fast initial blows.


    "Hey!"


    The fist certainly caught Nero, but just as it was about to touch his body, a gust of wind blew around him and blew my body away with great force.


    "What?


    My body bounced back from the attack without question...?


    "Oh, shit!¡¡I''m an idiot!"


    If Amira''s master was Nero, who wore fire magic as armor, then why can''t he do it too?


    Nero, who has wind magic, always wears wind armor.


    So to speak, Nero is always in super-armor in terms of defense.


    His attacks cannot be blocked by ordinary fists, and the wind armor assists Nero''s attacks and moves.


    ......Hasn''t Rose been too much of a threat to bring this kind of opponent to a draw?


    "Be on your guard!"


    "Yes!"


    I force myself to convince my confused head and try to stand up as I recoil from rolling on the ground, but Nero swings his sword sideways and hits me directly in the torso in a follow-up blow.


    I hear the sound of the resistance spell Nair cast on me shattering from my body.


    "Gosh, ......!"


    "M......?"


    The slash is blocked, but only the impact passes through, and I''m blown further away and roll on the ground.


    If it weren''t for Nair''s magic, he would have died. .......


    Nero tilted his head as he looked at me and his sword with a whirlwind around him as I stood up, clutching my chest in shock.


    "I must say,...... you are an even more wondrous healer than Rose. I thought for sure I had sliced through the torso, but the blade didn''t go through. ....... Is that your constitution?"


    "G,u ......"


    I knew I couldn''t win at all, but I didn''t think I could even slow them down. ......!


    And they are not serious at all against me. Just like when I fought with Rose, I feel like I''m being treated lightly.


    ...... but I gotta get up.


    "Still standing up?"


    "Just because I can''t win is no reason for me to go down ......!"


    "......, I see."


    There is no magic that Nair can withstand.


    The next attack on my flesh and blood will render me incapable of combat.


    I kept my mind strong and was about to step toward Nero when a white shadow approached him from my right side and struck him down.


    Nero''s eyes widened as he was forced to retreat, even though he was clad in wind armor.


    Seeing her, I sit down in relief.


    You look like you''ve been hit pretty hard.


    "Yes. ...... would have been cut in half a little later. Sir."


    I''m glad you made it in time. .......


    Rose laughed funny at my words.


    "That''s a shame. Maybe a little pain would have helped your recklessness."


    "Impossible. It''s in my nature.


    He grabs Rose''s proffered hand and stands up.


    A little later, Nair comes flying toward me.


    "Usato!¡¡You''re alive!¡¡You didn''t lose your arm or anything, did you?


    I''m alive. I''m alive. Thanks for bringing the Commander back.


    Nair flies around me to make sure I''m okay.


    It must have been hard to find the Commander, who was moving faster than I was.......


    I talk to the Commander, brushing off the dust.


    "......I''m sorry, I''m not worthy."


    "No, you''re not wrong. I''m surprised you''ve lasted this long. ...... Leave it to me to deal with this guy."


    Rose then turned her attention to Nero.


    Nero, facing her, shows a spirit that he did not show when he was fighting me.


    "Rose......!"


    "It''s been a long time. Nero Agence. You''ve been picking on my pretty little subordinate for quite some time now."


    "I''m not the kind of person who can get away with just saying ''cute'', am I?¡¡I am an inhuman thing with healing magic, just like you."


    "Ha-ha-ha, no doubt."


    Why should I be recognized as a monster by my master''s sworn enemy, and why should he agree with me?


    From my point of view, you are more like monsters.


    As you wish, I''ll be your partner from now on. I''m going to punch you in your ugly face one more time!


    "I''ll have to do that. ......"


    Nero smiled at Rose''s words and created a small whirlwind in his palm.


    As Nero poured his magic into the tornado, the whirlwind pulled in the wind around it, but its size remained the same - it seemed as if it was building up power.


    Is this some kind of systemic reinforcement?¡¡It seems to be pouring in more extraordinary magical power than anything I know of.


    "I will not let you interfere with my battle."


    "...... I see, the tornado is you after all. ...... Hey, Usato!


    What?


    Rose turns around and looks at me with serious eyes.


    You know what you have to do!


    "...... Yes!"


    Then, yes!


    As she replied, Nero slammed the whirlwind he had been creating in his palm into the ground.


    "--system reinforcement."


    The whirlwind that hit me seemed to expand to engulf Nero himself and Rose, and then it grew to a gigantic size and blew me away, as if it were bouncing off me nearby.


    No, not just me. It bounced everything within its range outward, regardless of allies or enemy soldiers of the demon tribe.


    I landed on the ground, looked up, and what jumped into my vision was... a huge tornado.


    "!!!"


    A man-made tornado.


    It was unmistakably created by the reinforcement of the system, and the magic power was swirling around it as if it was circulating.


    I let out a gasp of disbelief at the sight.


    "It''s like Mr. Karon''s magic scale has gone out of control. ......"


    It''s just like a monster.


    The whirlwind created by the Nero Agence grew so large that it transformed into a tornado high enough to reach the heavens.


    Unlike ordinary tornadoes, however, the whirlwind he created remained stationary and only continued to pull in the wind around it.


    It seemed as if Nero''s strong will to "not let anyone interfere with the battle that is about to take place inside the tornado" was contained in the magic.


    "So this is what Amaco saw in his premonition: ......"


    Amako''s premonition of the battle with the Demon Lord''s army before the battle.


    When I first heard it, I did not know what kind of situation it foretold, but now I understand that what she saw was a prediction of the battle between Rose and Nero.


    We can no longer know what is happening inside the tornado.


    "...... I have to do what I have to do."


    Rose was going to face Nero, and I was the only one in white who could move.


    If that is the case, I have to act on her behalf as the deputy leader.


    There are people around who have been blown down by the wind, so I must help them first and then complete my mission.


    "Neah, let''s go help them. ......"


    "...... should you get some rest?"


    "I''d like to, but I can''t say so. ......


    Just then, out of the corner of your eye, you see a black shadow approaching you.


    It looks like a black beast running on four legs.


    For a moment, I thought it was a new kind of monster, but it''s not.


    "d*mn, your timing is so bad. ......"


    "Hey, hey, Usato, ...... is that ......?"


    Sharp fangs peeking out from a mask reminiscent of a bird''s beak, a black band wrapping around its body like a weave.


    When the creature came close enough for us to see its entire body, it shouted in a somewhat exultant tone.


    "Oh, you''re alive and well!¡¡Usato!"


    "Koga......!"


    The enemy he most dreaded to meet.


    Korga Dingal, commander of the 2nd Legion of the Demon Lord Army.


    The powerful enemy I fought in Hinomoto, the land of the beastmen, has donned a deformed robe and attacked me.

 210 - - The 191st Episode

    I, who used to be a demon tribe, am running the battlefield as a member of a rescue team and saving people who were fighting as enemies.


    It''s a strange story.


    I would never have imagined it a few years ago.


    "Bring the wounded!"


    "Guah!"


    My mission as a black-ops officer is to bring the wounded from the battlefield back to the base.


    I have to be careful not to let them see my true face, but thanks to the hood of my magically created uniform, I don''t have to worry about being discovered.


    The knight, whose wound has been stopped from bleeding by the belt on Bulrin''s back, is held firmly in place while he speaks to the knights nearby.


    "...... what happened here?"


    "There is a wounded man who will not accept any healing or restorative magic. Help is needed.


    As I returned to the base with Bulrin, carrying the injured, I and the other black-clad men received such news.


    Boku and Bulrin, who could carry a large number of people, Tong and Alec were to go to the site.


    Still wary of the flying dragons in the sky, one of the knights of the Lingle Kingdom answered my question.


    "An incredibly powerful enemy has appeared. ....... When attacked by it, even Usato-sama''s healing magic was no longer accepted. ......


    "No way. ......"


    When I was in the demon king''s army, I heard that there was an incredibly powerful demon tribe with a demon sword that could cut off the flow of magic power.


    I don''t know what kind of a guy he is, but from the sword he''s carrying, he''s a very dangerous guy.


    No, it''s more like .......


    "Usato came here?"


    Yes. He gave us instructions right here ...... and then went alone ....... to the enemy. Now, I''m asking the brave men to support him..."


    It is not surprising that that unusually good-natured guy would go to suppress the enemy so as not to cause further injuries.


    However, the other party is clearly not normal.


    The knight looks in the direction Usato would have gone.


    "......"


    Usato was heading for the front line of the battlefield.


    Above them, flying dragons are flying, and the knights on our side and the soldiers of the Demon King''s army are engaged in a fierce battle.


    "Hey!¡¡Don''t just stand there, Ferrum!¡¡Let''s get these guys out of here!


    ah!¡¡I know!


    I have a role to play.


    Not as a black knight of the Demon Lord''s army, but as a black-suited member of the Rescue Mission to save people.


    To tell the truth, I''d like to go to Usato''s aid, but I know he''d be furious if I did.


    I returned Tong''s angry shout, which had just returned, and rushed to Bulrin''s side...but at that moment, as I turned my back to the battlefield, a tremendous gust of wind blew in behind me.


    "Whoa!


    "Grua!"


    What the hell?


    I managed to turn my eyes toward the battlefield while almost losing my position.


    Ahead of my eyes, there was a huge tornado.


    I was stunned to see it generating a storm that knocked down even flying dragons in the sky and blew away friend and foe alike.


    "What the hell was that?"


    I have never seen magic on that scale.


    It is more like a natural phenomenon, but it is not normal when it can be artificially equated to a natural phenomenon.


    The place where the tornado is happening must be the place where Usato was headed.


    "Hey, Bulrin!¡¡Follow the tongs!


    Gua?


    Huh?¡¡Where are you going?


    He can''t stand still and runs in the direction of the tornado.


    There are many people injured by the tornado.


    Some of them are fainted.


    Some are calling for help.


    But most of all, I was worried about that guy who went into battle all alone.


    I was worried about him.


    If you ask me who I would least like to meet, this is the first person that comes to mind.


    <.


    Koga closes the distance in one breath, and I quickly catch his claws with my ready basket hand.


    Gary!¡¡Koga brings his masked face close to mine, as if looking into mine.


    "I flew in here to tell you that I''m fighting old man Nero, but you look pretty good!


    "...... look at my face, do I look healthy?"


    "No!¡¡You look like shit!


    If you knew that, you wouldn''t be here.


    Gut-wrenching, I guess that''s what I''m saying now.


    The joy in his voice, which I can hear even through his mask, makes me feel as if my veins are bursting with irritation.


    I don''t have time to worry about this brainy demon tribe right now.


    I don''t have time for you, b*tc*!


    Oh?


    He repels the claws and strikes with a healing blow fist imbued with a binding spell.


    I take one look at Koga, who is blown backward by the impact of my fist, and then I turn on my heel and start running.


    I don''t think this will be enough to defeat him.


    But if I can get out of here while he''s scared, that''s all that matters!


    "Whoa, I''m not gonna let you get away!"


    ......!


    But I turn around at the sound of his voice coming from behind me, and avoid the black belt that is reaching out to pierce me.


    I clicked my tongue and glared at Koga. He removed only the mask covering his face and waved his hand in my direction.


    "You''re stubborn. I hope you fell down after what you just saw. ......"


    "Wow, that''s a remark that I wouldn''t expect from a healing magician. Well, I didn''t expect that attack earlier either. But still..."


    Coga confidently pointed to the dark magic he wore.


    "I guess it doesn''t work on me now, huh?"


    "......"


    From the looks of it, the binding spell has been broken.


    Did you break it by force right after the attack?


    No, but if you look closely, you can see that Koga''s appearance is also slightly different.¡¡Unlike before, his claws are more compact, and the black band runs down his back like a mane.


    The almost bestial form seems to have become more human-like.


    "It looks like ......"


    "After the battle, I rebuilt it a bit for close quarters. Faster and stronger."


    From the way he talks, I can see that he is also prepared for a continuous fist.


    You don''t mean to say that Koga''s dark magic has been altered by our fight, do you?


    ...... don''t want that to be the case.


    I never wanted to see you again. ......


    "Don''t be a pussy. I was worried when I heard you were fighting with old man Nero.


    "Worried?¡¡You''re worried about me?


    "Yeah."


    After a few seconds of silence, Nair, who had turned pale, smacked me on the cheek with his wing.


    "Usato, this guy is weird. ......"


    "Yeah. I feel the same way.


    "Isn''t that just plain awful?¡¡Even I cry when I cry.


    Nair is right, a man in black tights and a mask would only make me feel a little uncomfortable.


    And it''s too bad that he''s not worried that I''m going to die, but that I won''t be able to fight him.


    "Well, let''s stop wasting time and get on with it."


    "......"


    Can''t we somehow disperse this guy .......


    Koga gave me a wicked smile as I was trying to figure out a way to get out of this situation.


    "Okay!¡¡If you escape, I''ll snap the necks of the soldiers who are unconscious here. Every last one of them, of course.


    "What?"


    I''d like to go into the stronghold alone and take out the non-combatants one by one.


    "......"


    The cheerful tone of his voice makes it difficult to tell whether he is serious or not.


    Having fought him once, I know that Koga is not a one-sided killer of those who cannot fight.


    But it is the same as in the fight at Hinomoto.


    "Maybe this guy will do it."


    Koga wants to fight me from the bottom of his heart.


    He will stop at nothing to achieve it.


    Once I had the thought that he might take such an action, running away was no longer an option for me.


    "How''s it going?¡¡You''re ready to do it?"


    "......, you''re still the worst."


    You''re still the same. That''s why I like your honesty.


    Koga covers his head with his mask and I ready my fists with binding spells on my arms.


    I blind him with a healing flying fist and then a healing blink fist. Then, from the close contact position, I continuously healed him with a series of healing strikes, taking his consciousness away at once.


    He does not spare any of his power, and he uses his maximum firepower to take away the consciousness.


    I was about to release a healing flying fist without any preliminary movement toward Koga''s face when...,


    >


    With that voice, a black belt extending from the side wrapped around Koga''s body and restrained his movements.


    The black belt resembles Koga''s, but it is not his.


    "Hey, hey, this guy can''t be ......."


    "This voice is ......!"


    We looked in the direction from which the black belt had come, and there was Ferrum, a girl of the demon tribe wearing a black troupe uniform, gasping for breath and grasping the black belt that had extended from her cuff.


    The moment I saw Ferme, I shouted angrily before I could think.


    "FERUM!¡¡Why did you come here!


    Ferm''s role was to carry the wounded and take them to the base, and yet here she comes to me.


    I guess she knew I would be angry at her for abandoning her job as a black-ops officer and coming here, so she yells back at me, clutching the black belt that holds Koga.


    "I heard you were fighting a bad guy and I came here to help you!"


    "Don''t worry about me!¡¡I''m here to help you!


    "That''s not good!¡¡Are you nuts!¡¡You!"


    I was startled by the anger in Ferme''s voice.


    She yells at me with all her emotion, and continues to shout at me while pulling on the black belt she is clutching.


    "Just beat up that idiot leader of the army!¡¡Finish him off!"


    "Stupid corps leader!¡¡You can''t do this to your former boss!


    "Usato!¡¡Ferrum''s right, now''s our chance!


    ......


    Nair rushes to the rescue, and he has no choice but to try to hit Koga with his healing fist.


    However, just before the fist hit, Koga''s own black band of clothing unfolded from his body like a blade, tearing off Ferrum''s restraints.


    "What?


    "I''m sorry, but my magic is stronger than Ferrum''s!"


    He shouts, and is hit by a direct hit from Koga''s kick, knocking him to the ground.


    --I''ve been caught off guard!¡¡Oh no, I have to avoid the follow-up attack. ......!


    "Watch out!


    With the sound of Ferrum''s voice, the black band around my arm pulled me back.


    The next moment, a claw from Koga pierced the spot where I was.


    I rolled over immediately upon seeing this, and I moved away from Kohga and turned my attention to Ferrum, who had saved me.


    "That would have been a close call if it weren''t for Ferrum. ......"


    "Oh, you can''t be mad at her for this. ...... hmm?"


    What the hell?¡¡There was a black belt wrapped around my arm, and it didn''t feel right. .......


    I looked at my arm, and there is still a black belt wrapped around it.


    It quickly returns to Ferrum, but only the magic of the part of my arm that is wrapped around my arm sticks to my arm and reacts as if it is resisting me, and moves away.


    "......?"


    "Do you have time to look elsewhere?"


    "......I don''t want to fight you. ......"


    "And that''s none of my business. Besides, I''ve been looking forward to fighting you again. I''ve done a lot of preparation and I''m ready to give it my all.


    Coga lowers himself to the ground with his hands on the ground.


    He stares at us as if he were a four-legged beast, and a dozen black strips unfold from his back.


    This time I''m more trouble than before.


    The black strips on Koga''s back are bound together to form a black sickle.


    There are four of them.


    Coga, with scythes sprouting from his back - spread out like a spider - comes at me with them.


    "What''s that, creepy?


    "That''s not cool!"


    "Hn!¡¡One of the scythes tied to the belt swings widely around my neck.


    I crouch down to avoid it while protecting Nair, and next, Koga himself comes at me with a scythe on his back.


    "There you go!


    "Sora-sora!"


    He dodges the attacks he can avoid, and plays the others with his basket hand.


    With his eyes darting about, he deals with Koga''s attacks one by one, but he is unable to make up for the difference in the number of attacks.


    "I feel like I''m fighting an octopus. ......!"


    I feel like I''m fighting a fast-moving iron pot!


    It''s not even a living thing!


    Despite his lighthearted words, Koga''s attacks are precise in targeting my joints and vital points.


    I wonder if Neah is one of the targets, as the sickle on Koga''s back is often aimed at her.


    "Gee!¡¡Usato!¡¡Did it just hit me?


    "N¨¦a, in my world, there is a saying that fire is cooler when you are out of your mind!"


    What does that mean?


    Giving up is the key!


    What does that mean?¡¡That''s not encouraging at all!


    I''m sorry, I just said that in a very random way.


    But, in spite of his confusion, he is thankful to Nair for the resistance and binding spells, and slams his elbow into Koga''s torso.


    As he does so, he is head-butted by Nair, but manages to survive.


    He cuts his forehead, and blood drips down his brow.


    "Ouch ......!


    "Ogg!


    In return, he head-butts Koga with great force, his forehead still covered in blood.


    I take a few steps away from the startled and sprawled Coga, and brush my hair back with my hand that has healed the wound on my forehead.


    "Hahaha, ah, it''s fun after all."


    "That''s why I hate fighting you ......."


    "You may not like it, but I''m not going to let it end. As the commander of the Second Legion, I have a duty to defeat the healing wizards who run the battlefield. ......


    Since he has specialized in close combat, Koga''s movements are faster than the last time they fought, making it very difficult for him to fight.


    My concentration and Nair''s exhaustion are also getting worse, so I should keep my distance from Koga, even if it''s a little too much.


    I decide to do so, and I unleash my right fist wrapped in a cage into Koga''s abdomen as he tries to pursue me with a technique that I have not used so far - the healing flying fist.


    "What?


    He did not expect the attack to come without any preliminary movement, and the healing flying fist hit Koga directly in the abdomen, causing his body to move backward.


    This bought him some distance.


    "All right, let''s take a step back..."


    As I tried to move backward, two scythes extended from Koga''s back pierced my feet.


    I looked at Koga, who was thrown away with surprise, and saw him sprawling on his back, thrusting the scythes into the ground, forcing himself to endure being blown away.


    On the contrary, he pulled himself up with the sickle that he had thrust at my feet and came at me with tremendous force.


    "If you think you can easily keep your distance from me, you are mistaken!


    "You''re a lot nastier than I thought you''d be ......!"


    Unlike Nero Agence, the scythe extending from his back can be used not only for attack, but also for movement and defense.


    As he was about to intercept Koga with a cluck of his tongue, Ferrum wrapped a black band of dark magic around Koga.


    This time it is bound in layers so that it can''t be cut.


    "Uggg ......"


    While being restrained, Coga turned his attention to Ferrum, who was desperately holding on to the black belt.


    "Oh, you''re working for someone else. You''ve changed, haven''t you?


    "Shut up!"


    "Also, I''m surprised that you and Usato are wearing the same clothes."


    "Shut up about it, really!"


    They''re arguing about something, but I''m going to combine this with Ferrum''s black belt, and use a restraining spell and a series of fist blows to block their movements!


    "Even you can be effective if you hit him with this ten times!


    "What?¡¡Hey, you ......!


    Seeing me, who had put a binding spell on my right arm and shifted into a healing fist, Koga, with a look of impatience on his face, severed the band of ferrum that bound him with the scythe on his back.


    "What?


    "Your change makes me happy, but ......!¡¡That move hurts like hell, so don''t even try it!"


    "Whoa!


    He grabbed FELM''s outstretched belt and pulled him back with all his might.


    FELM was pulled back like a rubber band, and the person at the end of the band was me, who was about to strike KOGA with my fist.


    "Usatot!"


    "Ferrum!"


    If he slammed into the ground with such force, he could not avoid serious injury.


    Judging that, I release my Rengage Fist and catch Ferme.


    Are you all right?


    ah... ah...


    The impact is less than expected.


    Just as she was thinking this, her body was enveloped in a black trouser suit made by her own dark magic.


    It was something she had not intended.


    Just before she was enveloped, she said, "What? Her expression was one of stunned confusion, as if she had no idea what it meant.


    """......"""


    The suddenness of the situation made me, Nair, and Koger stiffen.


    But the situation did not end there.


    She turned into a black, indefinite mass like slime, and collapsed like liquefying liquid.


    The slippery sensation on my arm and the unexplainable situation made me and Nair scream in a normal way.


    "Oh, my God!¡¡Fermuu?


    "Usato is a parasite!


    Is Ferrum going to be okay?


    I didn''t think he would be like that when he was engulfed by his own magic!


    Coga, who looked puzzled at my confusion, spoke up.


    "I don''t mean to sound like an enemy, but I think you''re ...... crazy to let your healing magic liquefy them.


    "Of course not!¡¡I''m gonna hit you!"


    I yell at Koga, who is blatantly distancing himself from me, and try to remain calm.


    No, wait. I know this feeling.


    This is the same as when Ferrum used dark magic for the first time in a long time.


    The same kind of change is happening now, in this situation, when a part of her magic is stuck to my hand and I can''t get it off.


    As I think about this, something strange starts to happen to my body.


    "Oh, my arm is ......".


    My left arm and both legs are covered with the same black magic as Ferrum''s.


    "Usato''s body is covered with Ferm''s magic ......"


    It covered my left arm and both legs, and formed a shape similar to the arm and leg armor of the black knight I had fought.


    Along with this, the hem of the band uniform I was wearing was shimmering with the same black magic as that of Ferrum, like a flame, and it looked as if a part of Ferrum''s black band uniform had fused with my band uniform.


    "What the hell is this? ......"


    I don''t understand.


    The arms and legs have changed.


    A white uniform with black in it.


    I could not help but be stunned by the changes in my arms and body, forgetting the existence of the korga.

 211 - - Nineteenth episode.

    The first thing that came to my mind was the safety of Ferrum, who was wrapped in his own magic.


    My body was feeling fine.


    I took off one of the collars of my group uniform, and found that the inside of the uniform was stained black. It is fortunate that the color of the uniform has not changed from white, but the inside of the uniform is completely black. .......


    >


    "!"


    While I was puzzled by the changes in my body, I heard Ferrum''s exclamation echoing from somewhere in my body.


    At the sound of her voice, I call out to her, who is nowhere to be seen.


    "FELM!¡¡Are you all right?


    "...... I can hear your voice coming from inside Usato."


    He seems to be in some kind of pain, but it doesn''t look like he''s enduring the pain.


    More like writhing in agony?


    I can''t say that he is safe, but even though Ferrum himself seems to be fine..,


    Sora, yo!


    "Come on, KOGA ......!"


    Koga''s claws are caught by surprise by a cage hand.


    He looked at my left arm wrapped in a black cage, smiled happily, and tried to thrust one of the scythes extended from his back to my shoulder.


    I quickly tried to block it with my basket hand, but Koga grabbed my basket hand with both arms as I tried to move it.


    "!?¡¡Let go!"


    I knee-kicked Koga, but he ignored me and slammed the sickle on his back into my face.


    A distinctive metallic sound rang out.


    I was stunned by the sound coming from my cheek, and when I put my left hand on my cheek, I felt a hard touch.


    I felt a hard touch on my cheek, but my face was safe ......?


    "Usato, black magic power is coming from the neck ......."


    No, did the magic inside the group uniform extend to the cheek and harden it? ......!


    The next one''s coming!


    The next one''s coming!


    He raises his left arm, which is wrapped in a black cage, and grabs the tip of the scythe that is wielded continuously.


    The strength is perfect.


    It seems that I can use it in the same way as my right arm.


    "I see, it seems to have a certain degree of hardness, so I can assume that the <> property has completely disappeared.


    "Let go of me for goodness sake. ......!"


    Yes, sir.


    He swings his arm with force and pulls Koga away.


    But his attack is not over yet, for there are four scythes closing in on me from behind.


    Attacks from all sides.


    I wonder if I can handle it with my current mysterious body. ......!


    <<>


    "Ferrum!"


    As he readies to respond with the basket hands on both arms, a shaking sound comes from his left arm.¡¡A black sword extended from his left arm with a metallic sound.


    The black sword extended straight from his forearm through his fist.


    Noticing the change in his arm, he said to himself, "What? I shouted in a crazy voice, and Ferrum shouted in a hurried manner.


    <>


    What?¡¡It''s just a blunt instrument!"


    >


    "Oh, God!"


    He swings his left arm sideways with all his might and flicks the scythe away.


    After confirming the power of my swing once, I continue to repel the approaching scythe with the sword in my left arm and the basket hand in my right arm.


    "This left arm is ......!"


    Surprisingly, the black basket hand fits my arm well.


    It seems to be as easy to handle as if it were the basket hand of Lord Farga, which was made exclusively for me.


    Both of my feet also feel comfortable, as if I am wearing the same shoes as before.


    I was just now enveloped in dark magic by Ferrum, who entered into my body. After that, I don''t even feel any discomfort.


    ......If it feels the same as the basket hand on my right arm - let''s give it a try.


    "Usato, don''t be stupid!¡¡It''s coming from your left!


    <<>


    "My eyes are only on the front!"


    After shifting his gaze to the sword on his left arm, he holds it like an iai (a Japanese sword fight), and then channels his magical power into his left arm.


    Since the sword is integrated with his left arm, the magic power should pass through it.


    Aiming at the moment when Koga pursues him with the scythe, he swings the sword in a circular motion, and at the same time, he unleashes a burst of magic power in the manner of a healing burst palm.


    "Nuh!"


    "What are you doing, Usato?


    At that moment, the sword integrated with his left arm released a shockwave similar to that of the Healing Burst Palm, repelling the scythe in mid-air as if it were encircling him.


    The shock of magic power radiated out as if it were a slash - I looked at the sword that had released the shockwave, amazed at what I had done, and my voice trembled.


    "Let''s call this ...... ''Darkness Healing Burst Slash''!"


    I''ll show it off in front of my senpai later with a smug look on my face.


    "I won''t say anything bad about it, so don''t do it. I''ll think of a better name for you. Okay?"


    Ferrum''s pull and Nair''s gentle admonishment have taken a toll on her emotionally: .......


    However, despite the outburst of magic power in her left arm, she is not injured or even in pain.


    "You mean this basket hand on my left arm is one with my arm. ......"


    "I see.


    Coga nods in agreement.


    I''d like to get away from this guy as soon as possible, but if you know what happened to us, I have to hear it.


    "...... do you know what happened to me?"


    Why don''t you ask the ferme in you first?


    With a grin on his face, Koga pointed his finger at me - or rather, at the Ferm inside me.


    I feel something nasty in his expression, but I don''t take my eyes off of him and talk to FERM.


    "Ferrum, did you do this?"


    Isn''t your explanation too brief ......?


    I understand that, but I''d like you to tell me more about ...... how it got into my head.


    I guess she had the same question as I did, Nair spoke to the ferme inside of me.


    "You are not attached to it, is that your will?"


    >


    At Nair''s words, Ferm stammered and raised his voice.


    At any rate, I reminded him to go back to the sword in his left arm, which was a dangerous one, and the blade extended from his wrist went back to his left arm.


    "...... So you mean you can control it to some extent even from me. What do you think, Nair?"


    "I can only say that the power of the ferme is now available to you as well. He''s not explaining it to me."


    Is there a reason for this?


    It could simply be that Ferrum himself doesn''t understand.


    Perhaps noticing our distress, Koga unmasked only the head part of his mask and smiled somewhat happily.


    "Well, it can''t be helped. To tell the truth, I can understand why Ferrum doesn''t want to talk about it. But since I''m the furthest away from caring, it doesn''t matter to me, so I''ll tell you."


    >


    Black blades fly out from my left arm and the heels of my feet, but I make them subdue at my will.


    I stare at Koga, feeling a little sorry for Ferrum, who grunts.


    "Simply put, it''s just that Ferrum''s altered dark magic has given him this ability. I told you before, didn''t I?¡¡Dark magic is a magic that is strongly influenced by the mind of the user.


    "Yeah."


    "Let me guess, Ferrum''s dark magic <> was transformed into something else. So to speak. ......"


    So, Coga crosses his arms.


    "<>...... or <>?¡¡I am with you, I fight with you, I die with you, I guess that''s what Ferrum''s ability has become."


    "......"


    "The attack and defense are proof of that, right?¡¡The magic of Fhelm, assimilated into you, protects you on its own, and you yourself hold half the initiative.


    So the magic of the Felm tried to possess me against her will.


    I didn''t realize it until just now, but now that I''ve come into contact with Fhelm, who is wearing a black troupe suit made by dark magic, she herself has attached herself to me as dark magic.


    Just to be sure, I talk to Ferrum.


    "Is that so, Ferm?"


    <>


    "Ferrum?"


    "?"


    He is writhing in agony.


    Well, of course it is embarrassing to see one''s magic assimilated with others, but the feelings that led to this change are not bad at all.


    Rather, she has come to trust others after living and fighting alone.


    It could not be better than that.


    "Fighting together ....... Yes!¡¡Ferrum!"


    "We''re all in this together. Me, you, and Nair. ...... No!¡¡The three of us will beat the cogwheel."


    >


    Ferrum''s dark magic is completely integrated with my body. Just like the basket hand on my right arm.


    If so, it can make a drastic change in my fighting style.


    I have already come up with a new fighting style.


    Then all I have to do is to put them into practice.


    Tapping his toe on the ground to check his condition, he turns to Koga, who is getting ready for battle.


    "Nair, I need a binding spell only for big attacks.


    I''ll take care of it.


    "Ferrum, I''ll leave the shape of the transformation to you, but no blades when dealing with people."


    <<< Can we make the arms bigger or shields or something? >>


    "Yeah. And a word of advice. I''m going to start acting weird now, so you two don''t get drunk."


    "<>"


    As soon as he says this to them, he steps out into the cohort and unleashes a burst of magical power from his leg armor.


    Koga was taken aback as I approached him at once by the acceleration combined with my leg power, which was different from the healing acceleration fist, and tried to move the scythe and claws on his back.


    "Haya! ......?


    "Heal Fast Fist!"


    --The "K" (aka "The C"), in an attempt to crush the "K", strikes with both arms in quick succession with its healing fists.


    I won''t give it time to attack me anymore, and I''ll pull off its dark magic too......!


    He activates a series of outbursts of magic power and instantly moves behind Koga and slams a roundhouse kick into his side.


    "Ugh!¡¡Is that all you''ve been doing?


    "Aaah!¡¡Now I can unleash magic power with my whole body!


    "What''s that?¡¡Ha-ha-ha!¡¡You''re not a normal person!


    Koga catches the fist of the attacker, but the attack doesn''t seem to have any effect on him.


    But the scythe on Koga''s back cannot keep up with my movements.


    "But be patient, Ferrum. ......!¡¡I''m patient too......!"


    However, it seems that the movement method using the outburst of magic power also causes damage to our allies.


    It is dangerous for both of them to bear the burden any longer. We have to settle this as soon as possible.


    "I think we''re at a disadvantage as it is now. ......"


    Coga, perhaps deciding that he had no chance at all at this point, thrust his scythe behind him and tried to break free, but he stopped abruptly.


    It looked to me as if he had been forced to stop, rather than stopping of his own volition, but a closer look at his body revealed that a black belt had been wrapped around him before I knew it.


    "Huh?


    >


    "It''s a binding spell!¡¡Get down!"


    The two of them supported me, and a black band extending from my left wrist wrapped around the cogwheel, through which the restraining spell was being channeled.


    I try to cut the restraints wrapped around my body with my sickle, but the resistance spell seems to be applied and I cannot cut it.


    "Aren''t you too good at supporting people?


    "You''re too good for me!¡¡That''s right!


    oh?


    He grabs the black belt with both arms and pulls it as hard as he can.


    I keep Koga in my sight as he pulls me toward him, and I put my magical power into my right leg.


    --- I remember the kick I received in the mock battle with Rose after returning from the trip to deliver the letter.


    He imagines that it destroys even Nair''s resistance spell in an instant and blows up a human being by tens of meters from the top of his defensive cage, and then he unleashes it on Koga in front of his eyes.


    "OLA!"


    Ugh!


    With a thud, the kick thrusts into Koga''s torso.


    Koga''s body bends in a figure, and he lets out a cry of anguish. At the same time, he unleashes the magic power in his legs and unleashes a healing leg kick, not a healing fist kick, but a healing leg kick.


    "Enough!¡¡Healing Strike Legs!


    You really have no mercy at all, do you?


    Koga flies like a ball.


    But I don''t think that''s going to be enough to knock him down, so I take the black belt attached to him and hold it in my right hand while I ready my left arm.


    "Ferrum!"


    >


    "That''s enough!¡¡Thank you!"


    Startled by the sound of my voice, Ferm enlarges his left arm about two times.


    I grip it tightly and move into the healing blink fist position.


    I continue to heal and reap the consciousness!


    "Wait, Usato!¡¡Something''s coming from above!


    ......?


    At that moment, I feel something like heat coming from above me.


    Sensing danger, I move back as fast as I can without looking up, and flames pour down between me and Koga like a waterfall.


    "What?


    >


    The magic of the flame is so powerful that it can be seen.


    I retrieved the black band that had broken off and looked up at the sky in frustration, and before I knew it, someone jumped down from the flying dragon that was flying above us.


    The red-haired demoness, Amira Berghlet, landed near the kneeling Koga and sheathed the sword in her hand, extinguishing the flames.


    "You jumped out on your own, you stupid legionnaire. What the hell is going on here?


    "Hey, don''t call me the head of the stupid army!"


    Just talk to me.


    "...... Usato combined with Ferrum and became ridiculously strong."


    "......"


    "......"


    What did Amira think? She sheathed her sword and swung it at Kohga.


    Suddenly attacked by an ally, Kohga rolls to avoid the attack.


    What the hell are you doing!¡¡He''s my superior and I''m on your side!


    "No, I just thought you were delirious from the shock of being hit..."


    "I don''t blame you for thinking so, but it''s undeniably true!¡¡Look at that!¡¡He looks like a proper healing wizard!


    Coga points at me and Amira looks at me.


    It''s true that my current appearance is hardly that of a normal healing wizard, but I don''t like what Kohga says about me.


    "It''s true that I''m hardly sane when I survived my master and hunted down this idiot army leader. ....... At the same time, it is confirmed that you are the enemy that must be defeated first and foremost on this battlefield. You are even more dangerous than the brave men who are our obstacle.


    "You give me a lot of credit. ......"


    "Isn''t it obvious?¡¡You fought your master and survived unscathed. That alone is extraordinary."


    He tries not to show his frustration in front of Koga, who still looks healthy, and Amira, who is apparently not even worn out.


    I did not expect Amira to intrude here.


    Moreover, my fighting style and Amira''s are not compatible with each other.


    Why are all these corps leaders here when I want to get out of here as soon as possible?


    It''s as if I''ve stuck my head in the sand with Nero, but at this rate, I''m afraid I''m going to end up with a third corps leader as well.


    "We''ll finish him off for sure. I''m sorry, but it''s going to take two of us to take him down.


    "I can''t help it. This is not the time to put personal feelings first. ......"


    Amira, with her sword drawn, and Koga, with his scythe deployed, stand in front of him.


    They are outnumbered three to two, and we have the advantage in numbers!¡¡I''d like to say ......, but I can''t be so silly.


    It''s not only the fact that I, in white, am stranded, but before that, it''s doubtful that I can even make it through the fight against these two.


    As I was thinking about that, my ears suddenly caught the sound of something popping.


    "This sound is ......."


    A sound that comes out of nowhere.


    The next moment I realized that it was getting closer - someone who had not been here before had landed next to me on the ground with his hands on the ground.


    Her glossy black hair was covered with electric shocks, and I couldn''t help but let out a sound of infatuation.


    "Inukami, senpai ......?"


    "Ah, now it''s our turn to save you. Usato-kun."


    Inukami-senpai replied strongly, thrusting the sword in his opposite hand into the ground and unleashing a powerful electric shock at Amira and Koga.

 212 - - The Nineteenth Episode

    Inukami-senpai''s electric shocks went straight for Koga and Amira, hitting them directly.


    The sound and light of the gushing blasts made it difficult to tell what was going on, but it was safe to assume that they were able to hold them back for the time being.


    After witnessing the direct hits to Koga and Amira, Senpai let out a yelp.¡¡He turned back to me with an almost onomatopoeic energy, and came close to me excitedly.


    "Usato-kun!¡¡I''m very, very curious about your appearance, but!¡¡I dare not ask you about it!


    "What, yes, ......?"


    I''ll look forward to it later!"


    ...... No, what?


    Without waiting for my puzzled reply, he nodded with a big smile on his face and turned his head toward the direction of Koga and Amira again.


    "Well, I''m off!


    "Ah, yes. "See you later!¡¡Hey, senpai!


    Senpai, still as excited as ever, cut off the conversation and slashed at Amira with his sword, who had shaken off the electric shocks.


    "You''re a brave man!


    Let me deal with you!


    Amira, who had caught the senior''s sword, which was covered with lightning bolts, with flames, was pushed away from us.


    "Oh, you''re still like a storm, Suzune. ......"


    <>


    I nodded to Nair and Ferrum''s mutterings, and Kazuki came up behind me a little later.


    He rushed toward me and looked surprised to see me.


    "Thank goodness I made it to ...... in time. You look so different!¡¡What''s going on with that!


    "Kazuki, you came here too?¡¡Why did you come to ......?"


    Kazuki looked at me with a puzzled expression as I asked my question, and then he looked straight at me.


    "I came here to help Usato. ......


    "!"


    The unexpected words brought up an inexpressible feeling in me.


    I manage to suppress my emotions and shake my head.


    "...... is fine, not at all. Thank you, you really helped me out."


    "Usato helped me and my senpai too, so we''re good together. And ......."


    Kazuki''s gaze turns to Koga, who has been hit by an electric shock.


    He watches me and Kazuki''s movements as he changes his form to respond to my movements, clad in an even darker magical robe.


    "If the Commander-in-Chief is out, we heroes will have no choice but to go out. ......"


    Certainly, if we were going to face the leader of the military, Kazuki and his senpai, as well as Mr. Hyde and Mr. Sigurth, would have to go to the battle.


    As far as I''ve fought, a leader of the corps is not so easy to manage by sheer force.


    I was only able to corner them with the support of Nair and Ferrum.


    "So, Usato, is that Koga over there?"


    Yeah, he''s a tough son of a b*tc*. I attacked him a lot earlier, but it didn''t seem to have much effect.


    I wonder if he has suffered any psychological damage, if not physical.


    "Maybe he''s more stubborn than I am, that guy."


    "<>"


    I knew Nair and Ferrum would deny it.


    I know. I''m also aware that I''ve become much more defensive after being possessed by Ferrum.


    Kazuki let out a small sigh and smiled at me.


    "I hear a lot of noise coming from Usato.


    "In the short time I''ve been here, I''ve gotten a roommate of sorts."


    "Ha ha, what''s that?"


    You''re not quite wrong. .......


    You can unlock the current state of me and Ferrum, can''t you?¡¡I''ve been trying not to think about it, but I''m starting to get worried.


    I make a light remark, and after I have tightened my grip, I stare at Koga in front of me, and take a stance.


    Koga unmasked himself and revealed his true face to me.


    I don''t care if it takes both of you, do you?¡¡Win or lose, as long as we can fight, that''s all that matters.


    Coga speaks of such things in a somewhat good mood.


    He does not care whether he wins or loses, but rather wants the fight itself.


    "......Kazuki, we can beat Koga if we fight together. Let''s fight together."


    Koga is a strong opponent, but if Kazuki and I work together, we should be able to defeat him.


    I suggested that we fight together, but the man next to me shook his head.


    "No, leave this to me and my senpai, Usato, and go help the others.


    "What?¡¡But ......"


    Kazuki''s words make me look at him.


    He smiles at me reassuringly and says the next words.


    We''ll be fine. Besides, I have an important favor to ask of you, Usato.


    "A favor?"


    What was the favor?


    I tilted my head, and Kazuki opened his mouth, still facing forward.


    "Have you heard about the demons who use magic to control people?"


    "Yes, I was attacked by one of them."


    A sorcerer in the demon king''s army who hypnotizes his allies and forces them to fall out with each other.


    We have to deal with him first, or the war will be even tougher. ...... Why is he bringing this up now?


    "Frana found out where he is. "He''s in the middle of the battlefield, where it''s hard to tell friend from foe, and he''s brainwashing the knights.


    She must have been able to find the demon tribe that was performing hypnosis because she has illusion magic, which has similar characteristics in terms of deception.


    As I recall, the place where I was attacked by the knight was near the center.


    If that''s the case, she was hiding there and quietly recruiting new friends.


    "I''ve left Frana to her own devices, but I have a bad feeling about ...... this. Usato, can you help me?"


    "Okay. We''ll go help.


    Kazuki rolls his eyes at my immediate answer.


    Either way, I have to get to the front line, and I can''t just stand by and watch as the knights on my side are manipulated and split up.


    "Thank you. I told ...... Frana the same thing, but be careful."


    "Don''t let that full-body tights guy get the better of you, Kazuki."


    "Ah!"


    We nodded to each other and started to run.


    I hear a strong light and a metallic sound like popping steel right behind me, but I don''t care, I go straight to the place I want to go.


    Rose has entrusted me with this task, and Kazuki has asked me to do the same.


    I have a lot of work to do, but if it''s for someone else''s benefit, I''ll go forward as fast as I can.


    I''ll keep moving forward as fast as I can if it will help someone else.


    Usato, you are engaged with what appears to be the commander of the enemy''s First Corps.


    When I heard the news during the battle, I literally felt my blood freeze.


    Kazuki was very upset as well.


    There were other reasons for being upset.


    At any rate, I had never imagined that the commander of the corps, who is the best force in the Demon King''s army, was out there all by himself.


    Normally, it would have been insane to challenge an opponent who outnumbered us alone, but the one that Usato was dealing with was advancing to the halfway point of our formation, cutting down our knights.


    To tell the truth, I was horrified.


    The fact that he had disturbed our formation all by himself, and the fact that he was facing such a dangerous opponent.


    "If it weren''t for Usato-kun, our base would have fallen by now. ......!"


    He fires an electric shock at the flaming Amira with a partial electric shock on his leg.


    She swung her sword wide to counteract the blasts, caught my movement with her eyes, and opened her mouth to speak.


    "Indeed, if you had not interfered, the master would have easily taken your stronghold.


    "...... so I guess the First Corps Commander is your master!"


    "Yes."


    The attackers give them electric shocks from mid-range, but they never seem to get through.


    Is it because of the flames on his body?


    It looks like me, but it seems to be more focused on defense.


    If I jumped into it without any plan, I would be mortally wounded.


    "If I''m going to get close to it, I''ll have to put on the right amount of magic too!¡¡Then!"


    She activates her Thunder Beast mode for a moment and tries to attack with a speed that even Usato could not handle.


    "The technique is ......!


    "Hmph!"


    Ignoring his mutterings, he slashes at his neck as he passes by.


    She catches him in the neck, but it is blocked by Amira''s sword, which is held up without warning.


    "He reacted ......!


    "You can''t be too precise with your aim, can you?¡¡The attack is too honest.


    "Really?¡¡I''m not often called honest!"


    Mostly in relation to you, Usato. ......!


    After a grand self-deprecation, he dodges and distances himself from the sword that Amira swings at him.


    "You''ve highlighted your lack of experience against people. ......"


    He is good at fighting wild monsters and such, but when it comes to fighting against people, especially those who are above a certain level of ability, he lacks experience by far.


    And Amira in front of me has definitely had more experience than I have, and she has changed her fighting style to one where she is ready to attack me.


    "I''m impressed.


    "Hmm?"


    Amira''s unexpected words of praise make me stop in my tracks.


    The flames that clung to her like armor have lost their intensity, and she speaks to me in a clear voice.


    "The technique you are using, is it your own style?"


    "......Yes, I learned it from a certain demon''s way of fighting.


    If so, it''s a big deal."


    The fighting method I developed in my battles with the demons and thunderbolts I encountered on my journey to deliver the letter.


    It is not that I am not pleased to be praised for it, but there is no way I could be pleased under the current circumstances.


    "It is amazing that a person who is self-taught and not as physically strong as the demons can do it. If possible, I would like to get rid of it in its unfinished state."


    "...... Is it safe to assume that means it will be tricky for you once my Thunder Beast mode is complete?"


    "......Raiju......?¡¡Mordo?"


    "I''m talking about the magic that wears lightning. ......!"


    I correct him with a blush when he tilts his head at me.


    Generation gap......!¡¡I''ve experienced it many times during my travels, but this is the one thing I can''t get used to. ......!


    "I don''t understand the language of the brave. But yes,...... you are right, once that technology is perfected it will be a threat to us."


    With these words, the flames that Amira wore flared up.


    So much for idle chatter.


    ...... So far, Amira''s attacks have not hit me, but there is no sign that my attacks will reach Amira either.


    But I know it''s only a matter of time, and so does she.


    "Then, it won''t be a problem if I grow up in this battle. ......!"


    There is a magician in front of me, a magician who is on the verge of reaching his goal.


    With the best example of what I have to do, I know what I have to do.


    I will steal and absorb Amira''s skills in battle.


    "If I am a hero, then there is no reason why I should not be one!"


    I''m going!


    I am clad in electric shocks as if to rouse myself, and I am heading toward the formidable foe before me.


    I''m going toward the strong enemy in front of me.


    Koga, Amira, and I were interrupted, but thanks to Inukami-senpai and Kazuki, I was finally able to return to my role as a white uniform.


    As I was on my way to the destination Kazuki had asked me to go to, Nair, who was standing on my shoulder, spoke to me.


    "Usato, what do you want to do first?"


    "First, let''s go to the center while healing the wounded. Nair, can you find out who is controlling the allies?


    We won''t know until we get there.


    I guess the first priority is to get to the scene of the crime.


    Besides, as long as they''re targeting healers like they did when I was attacked, it''s not a problem we can just leave them alone.


    <


    "Yes, let''s help together."


    Nodding strongly at the sound of Ferrum''s voice, which had finally come back to normal, I run across the battlefield once again.


    The people who were blown away by the tornado, injured or knocked out are being helped by the black clothes and the knights in the rear, so don''t worry and let''s go ahead.


    I step into the front line, keeping my eyes wide open.


    While I was fighting, the battle was getting more and more fierce, and the white combat between the soldiers was turning into a wild one with no formations or anything.


    I looked around, and when I found a wounded knight, I extended the belt from his left wrist, entangled it, and at the same time pulled him close to me.


    Please!"


    The knight is secured by a black belt extending from his uniform as he is moved to his back, as if to hold him down while applying a healing spell.


    When I confirm that the knight is firmly fixed on my back, I let out an exhale of admiration.


    Great, both arms are free.


    This will allow me to take more people with me. ......!


    "Usato, over there!¡¡Our men are surrounded!"


    What?


    Nair looks in the direction indicated by his wings and sees three sky-blue knights surrounded by a group.


    That''s the knight in sky-blue armor from Samaritan that we''ve seen several times during the meeting: ......!


    One of them is wounded and two of them seem to be fighting to protect him, but they can''t last long when they are isolated from their allies!


    "We''re going to jump over that encirclement!"


    "What?¡¡What are you doing, jumping over?


    >


    After running at full speed, he leaps using the outburst of magic power.


    He leaps over the heads of the demon soldiers surrounding the sky-blue knights and lands on the ground. At the same time, he slams his right fist into the ground with great force, releasing a shockwave of radiant magic power.


    "Healing topple fist!"


    "Whoa!"?


    The soldier loses his balance due to the sudden impact on his leg and almost falls forward.


    Then, Ferrum transforms my left arm into a shield-like shape, and I strike the off-balanced soldier with the shield, making a hole in the encirclement.


    "Captain!¡¡Usato-sama with a knight on his back is falling right in front of us!


    "Well, it seems that sometimes it''s good to struggle. Gosh!


    "Captain?


    Why is it that the most seriously injured person seems to be fine?


    ...... No, a few of his men are injured too. We have to get them out of here now.


    With the injured captain in my arms, I glare at my surroundings and call out to Ferrum.


    "Ferrum!¡¡Fix these two guys to me too!


    >


    "No problem!"


    A black belt extending from the group uniform wraps around the sky-blue knight, who is unable to keep up with the situation, and secures him in place, as does the knight on his back.


    But will the knights be all right?


    I check them before I start running.


    "It''s so stable!


    "......?¡¡......?


    The captain is speechless at the unprecedented situation!


    ...... looks like it''s going to be okay!¡¡Yeah!


    With the captain firmly in my arms, I kick the ground as hard as I can and push forward to the hole in the siege that I just knocked down.


    "We''re breaking through!"


    "What the ......?


    A mass of human beings is attacking us!


    We''re going to get run over!


    For some reason, the soldiers of the Demon Lord''s army are running away from the attackers.


    It''s a good thing they avoided us, though.


    I immediately break away from the front line, and after dropping off the two wounded men and the sky-blue knight, I reconfirm my strength once again.


    "Okay, let''s keep going!"


    >


    "No, I think it''s probably going to get worse."


    As deputy commander, I''ll do Rose''s part.


    That''s exactly what I''m going to do to make up for being held back by Koger.


    I let Nair and Ferrum''s words sink in, and ran as fast as I could across the battlefield toward Frana''s location.

 213 - - The nineteenth.

    When I saw the manipulated person, I knew immediately that it was the work of a wizard of the same lineage as myself.


    Unlike my illusion magic, it is skilled in deception and has a wide range. It can deceive not only one''s vision but also one''s consciousness.


    And it is cunning and will use any means at its disposal.


    ......The situation is bad.


    The formation has been severely disrupted by a single demon tribe, and the knights are in a state of anxiety and confusion because of the manipulation of their allies.


    On top of that, they are being outnumbered by an unbelievably large snake demon and a small demon.


    But even so, something must be done.


    Now that Kazuki and the others are facing a formidable enemy in the form of the Commander of the Legion, I will find the sorcerer controlled by the knights and deal with him.


    "--I will praise you for finding me."


    "Hah ......!¡¡Ha ......!"


    The pale purple-haired female demoness looking down at me from the flying dragon in the sky looked down at me with cold eyes as I kneeled down and breathed heavily.


    She was wearing a black robe different from that of the soldiers of the demon king''s army, and several purple magic bullets were floating around her.


    I guessed he was controlling people with those magic bullets floating in the air.


    He must be riding on a flying dragon in order to aim at the knight from the sky.


    "I didn''t expect such a troublesome opponent. ......!"


    We found him.


    In order to show us an illusion, we have to make some form of contact with magic.


    In my case, I can make my palm or a weapon to be covered with magic, and make it contact with the opponent to show him an illusion. If the opponent has similar characteristics to me, I should have found out the location of the knight who is being controlled by finding out his affiliation and the place where he was fighting.


    As I had planned, I found the surgeon who was controlling the knights, but he turned out to be more troublesome than I had imagined.


    "I knew I would find him someday, but I didn''t expect the elves to find him. ......, but you can''t do anything about me with your power, can you?"


    "......."


    Around the large flying dragon carrying the female demoness are four flying dragons driven by a soldier who seems to be a kinsman.


    They are so skilled that it is easy to see. It is almost impossible to defeat them with magic or bows and arrows.


    "Next, then. Go ahead.


    The woman looking down at us gives orders to the manipulated knights on the ground.


    I do as she commands, and the knights, weapons at the ready, turn their bloodshot eyes toward me and the knights who were supposed to be with me.


    "Frana!¡¡What should we do ......!"


    "Be careful of the magic bullet above you!¡¡If you get hit by it, you''ll be controlled!


    Yes, sir!


    But it''s not just the knights who are being controlled. Soldiers of the Demon King''s army will join them and attack us.


    While we hesitate to attack those who used to be our allies, that woman in the sky manipulates our allies more and more with her magic.


    Gritting my teeth at the current situation, I ready my sword for the knight who is rushing toward me, trying to thrust his spear into me.


    "Uh-oh!"


    Wake up ...... up!


    A friendly knight attacks with empty eyes.


    The sword is covered with magical power from illusion magic, and a shallow slash is made.


    The slashed knight stares at his palm as if he is shaken, the light returning to his eyes.


    "---Wow, what am I ......?"


    Hold him down!


    I can counteract the magic that is controlling the knight with my illusionary magic to bring him back to his senses.


    I drop the spear, remove my gaze from the knight who has come to his senses, and use my illusion magic to bring the other knights under my control back to their senses.


    But I can only bring a limited number of people to their senses at a time.


    My own magic is limited, and I have to do something about that woman who is the main cause of all this.


    He pulls out the bow on his back and plucks an arrow as he thrusts his sword at the demons that have joined the knights in their attack.


    "Hit me, ......!"


    He casts a spell of illusion on the shaft of his arrow and fires it at the woman in the sky.


    The arrow goes straight for the target, but it is soon knocked down by a flying dragon driven by a soldier of the Kingsguard.


    "d*mn ......, they''re so defensive ......!"


    I bet that woman is in command or close to it.


    Otherwise, she wouldn''t be so heavily guarded.


    But we have no way to get at her directly.


    At the very least, we need someone like Kazuki who is skilled in manipulating magic bullets with unparalleled accuracy, especially since the elves are good at hunting with bows and their archery techniques are not.


    "Are you a wizard of the same lineage?¡¡You seem to have a better depth of illusion than me, but I seem to be better at luring them in.


    "Who the hell are you, ......?"


    Looking down at me from the sky, the woman put her hand over her mouth as if a little worried.


    "Well, okay. I''ll tell you. My name is Hannah Romija. In a manner of speaking, I am the commander of the 3rd Legion of the Demon King''s Army.


    "Commander of the Third Legion ......!"


    We were surprised to find that the other party was one of the best in the Demon Lord''s army, and Hannah gave us a cold smile.


    "You didn''t really think that all the commanders of the army were capable of anything other than assault?"


    "...... what is your magic?"


    "It''s the same magic of illusion. It''s the same illusionary magic, though there are some differences in ability.


    Hannah draws one of the magic bullets floating around her into her palm and looks at me.


    Your illusion magic is more powerful than mine, both in controlling and restraining. My magic, on the other hand, has a wider range, and I can show you more ....... I am using this magic to manipulate your knights at will.


    "So you''re making them fight each other. ......!"


    "Oh, are you angry with me?"


    Hannah tilts her head curiously and glares at him, suppressing her anger.


    The knights who had been fighting until they came here were allies of ours.


    Some of them had to make hard choices, forced to fight amongst themselves.


    And I don''t know what they are being made to see, but from the looks of anguish on the faces of the knights being manipulated, they can''t be having any real illusions.


    "But I am very sorry that the brave men are not here. If he had been here, he could have been a puppet and an asset to the war effort.


    "...... though I don''t think you can capture a brave man."


    "You just have to choose the right means. I don''t think an inexperienced brave man can make such a ruthless decision as to pass up a hostage in front of him.


    "......"


    Kazuki cannot be abandoned.


    He is a kind-hearted man, and he might just go along with Hannah''s despicable demands.


    "Well, I guess that''s enough idle talk."


    "What?"


    Hannah raises her hand and the manipulated knights take a stance.


    The soldiers of the demon tribe are waiting to shield the knights, and above our heads, a flying dragon ridden by a soldier of the Kingsguard and Hannah are vigilantly waiting for us to show an opening.


    ......There is no point in fighting like this.


    But if we don''t stop Hanna here, more and more knights will be manipulated.


    Then go.


    A far greater number of enemies than before are coming at us.


    Just as we were caught between our fear of death and our mission, a white figure broke in front of us with tremendous force.


    "---What?"


    "Just in time!"


    The figure, which had created a tremendous amount of dust, charged at the soldiers of the Demon King''s army and the manipulated knights in front of us without hesitation.


    "I''ll deal with them with healing punches!¡¡I''ll bring you back to your senses now!¡¡Hey!


    Huh?


    As the figure swings its fists in rapid succession, there is a ghastly sound and a green glow of light that seems to be magical power.


    Usato, there are demons in the mix!


    I''ve confirmed it!


    Huh?


    Each time a limb is unleashed, the prone person is enveloped in some sort of pattern that blocks his or her movement.


    He is stunned by the sight of the enemy being incapacitated like a storm, and then he sees one of the soldiers about to attack from behind him, and he shouts out involuntarily.


    "Oh, that''s dangerous..."


    >


    A girl''s voice comes out of nowhere, and a whip-like object is extended from his back.


    It easily flicks off the demons who try to attack him, and then heads toward the enemies around him, accompanied by purple patterns.


    To be honest, in my head, I know who has come to my rescue.


    But how should I say it .......


    "That''s not what I remember. ......"


    In my memory, he had been so much crazier ......, but now I feel more terrible.


    The figure who had struck down the knight and the soldier of the demon king''s army who tried to attack him with a dazzling movement turned around, fluttering his white clothes mixed with black.


    "Frana, are you and the knights ...... safe!"


    "Oh, thank you ......."


    Yes. ......."


    The knights who are with us are stunned by the shock, which blows away the sense of despair they have felt so far.


    At any rate, I decided to ask them about the knights who had been defeated by Usato.


    "Are they all right?"


    "I knocked them out with my fists filled with healing magic, so they should not be injured.


    Well, then, you were injuring him when you hit him. ...... No, let''s not think too much about it.


    The result is that the people who were manipulated are unharmed and incapacitated.


    We should be rather glad that Usato came along, who can neutralize the manipulated people precisely.


    "And what''s with the outfit?"


    There was one more point of concern.


    I''m talking about Usato''s clothes, which have changed since we last saw him.


    The silver basket hand on his right arm and the black basket hand on his left arm.


    His legs had also been changed to ostentatious leg-arms, and especially the white uniform he was wearing had been changed.


    Although most of the uniform was white, there were black flame-like patterns wriggling on the hem and sleeves, and the places where one could see through the gaps were stained jet-black.


    "Oh, this was ...... a lot of things."


    "I don''t think ''a lot of things happened'' is enough. ......?"


    When I witnessed the fight with Mr. Rose, his movements were inhuman to say the least, but now Usato was too frightening.


    There was no way he could get away with this.


    "I''m here at Kazuki''s request."


    "Kazuki is ......."


    Still confused, Usato puts his basket-covered hand on my shoulder.


    Then he cast a healing spell on me, and my body, which was exhausted from the cuts I had sustained in the fight earlier, instantly felt better.


    Wow, my tiredness is gone in an instant. ......This is how different the effect is from recovery magic.


    "Do you know who is the magician who controls the knight?"


    "...... the purple-haired female demoness in the sky is the one. And she seems to be the commander of the third legion of the demon king''s army.


    "The Third Army Commander, huh? ......"


    When Usato looks up at the sky, he sees Hannah still riding her flying dragon.


    She is looking down at Usato, but her eyes seem to be somewhat agitated.


    "You have a white outfit, black hair, and green magic ...... that differs from the information, but is it correct that you are a healing wizard of the Lingle Kingdom?"


    "......"


    Hannah nodded her head in agreement, perhaps taking the silence as an affirmation.


    "Nice to meet you, I am Hannah Romiah, Commander of the Third Army of the Demon King''s Army. As you said, Koga, you are not a human being at all.


    "Another Koger. ...... Oh, God. ......"


    He grunts, holding his forehead, and glares at Hannah.


    "You manipulated the knights into attacking the healing wizard?"


    "Yes. We''ve managed to get them to fight each other, but we haven''t been able to get rid of any of the healers yet ....... I''m surprised at how persistent they''ve been."


    "You''re a stubborn ......?"


    A creaking sound of metal comes from Usato''s right hand.


    I look at him fearfully, but his expression is unreadable and he just looks at Hannah above him.


    ...... are you mad at me, Usato?


    "I can''t let you do whatever you want any more.


    "...... Oh, it seems that you are also very angry with me."


    Hannah also noticed Usato''s condition and gave a small smile.


    Her smile is cold, and it is obvious that she is looking down on us.


    "Well, it''s upsetting from your point of view, but from our point of view, we don''t want to consume the limited number of soldiers we have, so we''re just procuring them on the battlefield.


    "......"


    "Because, you see, it doesn''t hurt or itch when these people die, does it?"


    I couldn''t help but feel an inexpressible sense of discomfort at Hannah''s tone.


    I don''t want to hurt my friends.


    I want to minimize the damage.


    Surely, what they are doing is terribly rational and will minimize the casualties of our allies.


    But her ideas were unacceptable to me, regardless of whether they were friend or foe.


    "It is convenient for me that you are here. Once I have you under my control, I can easily dispose of the stronghold of the healing wizards and even the heroes."


    "You can''t defeat two brave men by manipulating ...... me, can you?"


    "You''re friends, aren''t you?¡¡And you have a strong bond with them.


    How did the Demon Army know about the relationship between Kazuki and his friends ......!


    Usato''s eyes widen in surprise, as if he had not expected it.


    "We''ve already interrogated the knights of the Lingle Kingdom," he said.


    "Interrogation? ......?"


    "Yes, I just showed him a vision of being tortured and made him throw up, but that''s enough information. But it''s still enough information to know the weak points of the heroes.


    Kazuki and Suzune''s weakness is ......usato?


    I don''t know if it''s a weakness ...... or not, but he just stares up at Hannah.


    "Frana, Usato-sama, demons and soldiers are coming from the front!


    "Reinforcements ......!"


    He turns his head to the front at the words of the knight behind him, and a troop of soldiers with glow wolves is coming from that direction.


    In my frustration, Hannah above me exhales in relief.


    "Well, while we''ve been stalling, the reinforcements have finally arrived. The rumored healing wizard is a chatty one, which has been very helpful."


    Hannah moved a magic bullet that floated around her.


    While we were bracing ourselves in front of more than twenty magic bullets, Usato created a magic bullet in his right palm.


    "If you want to avoid them, go ahead. If you want to avoid them, you are free to do so, although the knights behind you will be attacked instead.


    With a sneer, Hannah dropped a magic bullet toward us.


    She tried to ready her bow as soon as she saw the magic bullet that was about to rain down on her, but Usato threw the magic bullet that he had made in his palm faster than she did.


    "Healing Magic Bullet!"


    The magic bullet released from Usato''s palm splits and bounces to cancel out the magic bullet released by Hanna.


    The magic bullets that could not be fully canceled out still approached.


    FERUM!


    >


    A black sword extends from the cage on Usato''s left arm and he swings it carelessly to the side.


    A green shockwave of some sort shot out from the blade, obliterating the remaining magic projectiles.


    "What?


    "Darkness, Healing Rupture Slash ......!"


    Ignoring Hannah''s surprise, Usato muttered something like the name of his technique.


    While he seems to resemble Suzune in this way, he also reminds her that they have similar taste.


    "It''s lame to say the name of the technique later."


    <<>


    "G......!"


    Usato, who stiffened for a moment at the sound of my voice, put his left arm back in place and quietly called my name.


    "Frana-san!"


    "What, what?"


    "Tell me the power of the Third Corps Commander."


    Despite the quietness of his tone, his mood was somewhat indignant.


    Although he was upset by this, he told Usato as much information about Hannah as he could in as concise a manner as possible.


    "I''ll take care of her in the sky.


    "What?¡¡But they are flying in the sky, and even my bow can''t hit them. ......"


    "-- down."


    "What?"


    That little girl over there, laughing her head off, we''re gonna knock her off.


    Usato was smiling at us so as not to worry us, but his eyes were not smiling at all, which scared us.


    Rather, as if reacting to his emotions, something black crawled up to his cheeks from his collar - in many ways, he looked fierce.


    More frightening than the visible fury is the silent anger that cannot be easily perceived.


    I and the knights could not help but think so as we looked at him in front of us.

 214 - - The Nineteenth.

    Hannah Lomir, Commander of the Third Army of the Demon Lords.


    She is a demon who has been manipulating the knights on her side to fight each other.


    She was riding a flying dragon far overhead, looking down at us and never coming down. From the outside, she seemed to be a demon woman no different from Ferrum.


    However, her strategy, though outrageous, was right in a sense.


    A tactic that can minimize the damage without endangering our allies.


    It was a nuisance and a terrible thing from our enemy''s point of view, but it was still a great thing that she would use such a ruthless tactic without hesitation.


    But, however.


    "We don''t want to consume our limited number of soldiers, so we just get them on the battlefield."


    The moment she uttered those words, I was determined to make Hannah absolutely incapable of fighting.


    "Consume soldiers."


    "Procured on the battlefield."


    Hannah is a woman who sees not only us, her enemies, but even her own soldiers as expendable.


    "......"


    At least, that''s what I have taken from her words and actions so far. I suppress the anger that is about to overflow inside me and try to calmly grasp the situation above.


    "...... is expensive."


    The flying dragon driven by Hannah and her men was flying at a height that could not be reached by the "healing jump," a leap that utilizes the outburst of magic power.


    If you look closely, you can see that Hanna herself is not controlling the flying dragon, but has her subordinates hold the reins of the dragon.


    In addition, there were four soldiers in armor, each of them controlling a flying dragon and escorting Hanna.


    You have to be smart to get that far.


    "Ferrum. Cover my right arm with your magic too."


    >


    "Jump, hit, knock him down."


    Next, we turn our attention to the glow wolves and the demons who are waiting to attack us.


    The glow wolves are likely to attack us if we are distracted. ....... The soldiers will rush to the scene accordingly.


    But even if I keep fighting off the enemies on the ground, Hannah in the sky will keep calling for reinforcements to catch me. The quickest way to get rid of her is to drop her in the sky.


    <>


    "Sweet. It''s not the first time he''s done something weird. He''ll go from being a pervert on the ground to a pervert in the sky.


    What''s a pervert?


    I suppress my desire to argue with Nair, who says this with empty eyes, and call out to Ms. Frana.


    "Frana, may I borrow one of your arrows?


    "Uh, yeah, sure."


    ...... Okay, this looks good.


    Trace your left finger from the arrowhead to the feather and adsorb a black band.


    The band is connected to his left wrist, and he returns it to Mr. Frana while continuing to extend the band to the ground to make room.


    "Can you put this on the flying dragon above?"


    "It''s not impossible, but ...... is this going to work?¡¡It doesn''t look like he can reach it even if he jumps. ......


    "We''ll figure it out. While I take care of the guys upstairs, can I take care of the guys down below?"


    Flana looked as if she wanted to say something to my words, but then, wondering what I was thinking, she stretched her cheeks and turned her face to me, as if she had just blown it.


    "Okay. I''m worried, but I believe in you as much as I do in Kazuki. Good luck."


    "Oh ......!"


    Everybody, get ready!


    The knights behind her respond, and at the same time, Frana readies an arrow with a belt attached to it.


    The glow wolves start to move with them, but I trust the knights to fight back, and without moving, I make changes to my legs, which are enveloped in black magic.


    ---I produce a pike with a barbed foot and thrust it into the ground with great force.


    "Whew! ......"


    <<>


    I have a really bad feeling about this. ......


    Then I''ll shoot an arrow!


    Frana shoots an arrow at the flying dragon that Hannah is riding.


    With the sound of the wind, the black band around my feet rises into the sky.


    "Block it!"


    "Ha!"


    The arrow flew in a straight trajectory toward the flying dragon, but it was shot off by the tail of the flying dragon that Hannah was riding.


    She looked at the arrow as it fell to the ground and gave us a mocking smile.


    >>


    "If you can''t reach me, I''ll just pull you in!"


    >


    After confirming that the band was wrapped around the tail that had bounced the arrow, I grabbed the band extending from my left wrist and pulled it as hard as I could.


    Not only Hannah, but everyone on the ground was taken aback by my actions.


    "Usato!¡¡You said you believed me, but what are you doing?


    "As you can see!


    I''m asking you because I don''t know what I''m looking at!


    My body is firmly fixed to the ground thanks to the stakes I''ve stuck through my soles.


    If I can pull myself close enough with a leap, I''m all yours. ......!


    If you can''t reach me, pull me down to a distance you can reach. ......!¡¡This is brain play. ......!"


    <>


    "I think you''re mistaken about playing with your brains: ......?"


    Whatever one may say, Hanna''s flying dragon is being steadily pulled down to the ground.


    Hanna, on the other hand, has lost her composure and is pointing her finger impatiently at her subordinates around her.


    >


    >Yes!


    It''s too late!


    My men come to their senses and try to draw their swords and cut the belt, but it is too late.


    I gather magic power in both feet and at the same time release the stakes in the soles of my feet, and with a burst of magic power, I leap as far as I can.


    "Nnnn!"


    I pull back the belt as hard as I can, and with a recoil, I jump up even higher, reaching the height where Hannah is and making eye contact with her.


    "I''m going to knock her off!"


    "Whaaaat?


    Just as I was about to strike the soldier controlling the flying dragon with a healing flying fist from Hannah''s pale face in fear, a flying dragon with a soldier guarding it came crashing down on me from the side.


    "I won''t let you hurt Hannah-sama!"


    "You''re a smart-ass ......!¡¡But, but!¡¡You''re not the only ones who can move freely in the air!"


    The legs burst with magic power for a moment, and the body turns into a flying dragon ready to strike.


    I swing my right arm wide and fire a healing accelerated fist directly at Hiryuu''s brow.


    "Gugae!


    First of all!


    The flying dragon was hit directly on the upper part of its nose and held its face with its wings.


    Aiming for that moment, I jump on the back of the flying dragon, and strike the soldier in the mandible as he tries to pull out his sword, knocking him out cold.


    This flying dragon will probably fall to the ground soon, but a demon should be able to survive a fall from this height.


    He will still get hurt, but I don''t have time to worry about him.


    "......"


    <>


    "Oh, yeah, okay!"


    He replies to Ferrum and turns his attention toward Hannah.


    She has her guards protect her as she deploys magic bullets into the air.


    On the ground, it''s not going to be easy to break through in the air. .......


    "Stop moving!¡¡If you stop, I''ll control you!"


    I''ll control them!""""Ha!"""


    "We''ll just have to deal with the guards first!"


    Luckily, the other flying dragons are at the same level as us now that we''ve dragged Hannah down here!


    From the flying dragon we are now, we extend our black bands to another flying dragon flying nearby, and approach it as if we are being drawn toward it.


    "I can''t believe you came all the way here by yourself!¡¡I''m going to make you a fireman!"


    "Gah!"


    Flames shoot out from the flying dragon''s mouth and the soldier''s palm at the same time.


    At this rate, the soldier will be drawn to the belt and run into the flames with the same momentum, but it won''t be a problem as long as he can avoid them with a burst of magic power.


    As I was about to take immediate action, suddenly the hood of the uniform moved by itself and covered my head.


    With this, the visible white part of my own uniform turns black, as if it is being eroded.


    "Whoa!¡¡Ferrum!


    What?


    I see that Nair is also wrapped in a band like a minnow. ......?


    <>


    I have a resistance to fire!


    ---I''m resistant to fire!¡¡No time to think!


    Now that the entire body is protected by black magic and resistance to flames is granted, I can attack without the need to avoid!


    He switches his attention to the attack, and his right arm, which he tried to use for evasion, becomes twice as large as before.


    "Oh, ......!"


    Thanks to Ferrum and Nair, he feels neither heat nor suffocation.


    I reach the flying dragon through the flames, and slam my right fist into its chest, as if scooping it up from below.


    "OLLA!"


    "Geez! ......!?"


    The impact of the fist sends the flying dragon reeling backward, off balance, and the soldier who released the magic falls to the ground with a cry.


    Instead, he lands on the back of the flying dragon, which continues to flap its wings in agony.


    "Woah, that''s the second one. ......, don''t get out of control. ......!"


    Leave it to me.


    While I was thinking about whether I should clench my fists to make her quieter, Nair pulled away from my shoulder.


    As soon as she locked eyes with the rampaging flying dragon in front of my face, its movements quieted down.


    "It''s grown up. ....... Nair, what did you do?"


    "I just charmed her into quietness. I can''t make it do what I want."


    Well, the charm is powerful, but it doesn''t control your will.


    Still, it helps to have a breather.


    He removes his hood and turns his attention to Hannah, making sure that he has returned from all black to white with black mixed in.


    "Oops!"


    He plays a magic bullet that is approaching us with his basket hand.


    I had been aware of the magic bullets coming from Hannah''s direction since a while ago, but now that she has stopped flying around, I guess they finally hit her.


    "Is it simply that you can''t keep up with my movements?"


    If that is the case, Hannah herself may not be a good fighter.


    Nero, Koga, Amira, and the other corps leaders were all considered to be martial artists, but Hanna seems to be different.


    "The only thing left is ......"


    Only Hannah and her two bodyguards.


    It seems that the remaining two guards are working together to attack us, as if they have decided that they are outnumbered one-on-one.


    Both of them seem to be riding similar flying dragons, but their weapons are different.


    One has a sword and the other a spear.


    We will finish them off with the rest of us!


    Yes!


    ......!¡¡That''s nasty!


    He sees flames and magic flying from the two flying dragons and leaps from them.


    "Nair, save up some binding spells!"


    "Yes!"


    I evade the one that is about to bite me as I fall in the air, and grab the saddle attached to its back with my healing acceleration fist.


    "I won''t let you!


    Whoa!


    I am intercepted by a sword wielded by a soldier riding another flying dragon that is approaching, and I am swept off my feet.


    He just barely escaped falling by attaching the belt that extended from his wrist to the flying dragon, but against a flying dragon that can move freely in the air, the odds are not in his favor.


    Moreover, it is troublesome that the flying dragons, seeing my fight earlier, have positioned themselves in such a way that they can help each other.


    "First, we lure them in!"


    I avoid a sword attack from the other one, and as we pass each other, I wrap the belt around the neck of the flying dragon and move toward it.


    "It''s attached to me!¡¡Help me!"


    The soldier whose eyes meet mine cries out in surprise and calls out to his comrades for help.


    Hearing his voice, the other soldier rushes forward with his spear to save his comrades.


    Of course, they are not planning an easy plan to make them fight each other by rushing forward.


    "Fall down!¡¡Healing wizard!


    The key is distance ......!


    Checking for the flying dragon approaching us, he casts magic power into his right arm, which is not holding the belt.


    "Now!"


    The soldier thrusts his spear out from the back of the approaching dragon, and at the same time, he jumps backward to get away from the dragon that is now attached to him.


    The spear that was about to be thrust into me comes off, and the two flying dragons are positioned in the same place from my point of view--I aim for that moment and thrust my fist out while accelerating with a burst of magic power in mid-air.


    "Heal blink fist!"


    What?


    The fist strikes the spearman''s flying dragon, and an additional impact is made.


    The spearman''s dragon tilts sideways and collides with the other dragon.


    "Neah!"


    Yes, now!


    A restraining spell charged from his fist flows out, temporarily stopping the movement of the two flying dragons.


    Even so, they cannot be stopped for long.


    So..,


    "Let''s go for the final push!"


    This time, he uses his healing jump to make a bigger leap than before.


    While in this state, he stretches out belts from the wrists of both hands, wraps the belts around the flying dragon, which is unable to move, and accelerates it by pulling it as close as possible with his strength.


    He then unleashes a burst of magical power from both arms, accelerating the flying dragon to the maximum,


    "Healing Kick!"


    --slams a kick with both feet.


    The blow, which was delivered using the recoil of the belt and the full force of acceleration, succeeded in greatly disrupting the stances of the two flying dragons.


    >


    I know!


    After confirming that the two flying dragons are completely off-balance, he immediately extends his belt to the remaining enemy---the flying dragon on which Hannah is riding.


    The flying dragon does not even show any signs of escaping, and she climbs up the belt wrapped around its legs.


    "......It''s so quiet."


    No sign of escape.


    You give up?¡¡No, it''s more natural to think he''s still on the run.


    You climb up on the back of the flying dragon, thinking eerily that it is just flapping its wings without any resistance.


    On its back, I saw a helmeted soldier holding the reins with a frightened look on his face, and Hannah, the robed leader of the third corps.


    I tried to restrain her, who was hooded and backing away from me, but the soldier, startled by this, opened his mouth with a tremor in his voice.


    "Please let me go. ......"


    "...... that."


    "Hi!


    I haven''t even said anything yet.


    No, I know I''m going to scare you, but I don''t want you to get confused and crash .......


    Speak as quietly and clearly as possible.


    "Please get off the ground. Be safe."


    "Yes, yes. ......"


    With a tearful voice, he maneuvers the reins and the flying dragon descends to the ground.


    ......I''d rather be on the ground than in the air. I don''t like being in the air because it reminds me of the time Rose threw me into the darkness of Lingle.


    "Well, we''ve finally cornered it."


    "......!"


    As long as you''re on the back of a flying dragon, there''s no escape.


    First, let''s get Nair to cast a binding spell on us so that we can''t do anything.


    When I tried to reach out to her, her hair fell out of her hood as she trembled in fear.


    "Blonde hair ......?"


    What does that mean?¡¡As I recall, I had seen Hannah''s hair color from a distance to be a light purple.


    When I let her take off her hood, I found that the face underneath was not Hannah''s but an unknown face.


    A blonde female demoness.


    The demoness, who was greatly upset by the revelation of her true face and had tears in her eyes, grabbed the robe that she had been made to wear and tried to appeal for something in a desperate manner.


    "This is because I was forced to ...... that''s why!"


    "Forcibly ......?"


    >


    I''m sure this is not Hannah.


    But there''s no escape in the air.


    Then where--


    "--No way!"


    I turned to the soldier behind me with frustration, and someone put his hand on my cheek.


    The first thing I saw was a pair of eyes with purple light in them.


    Hannah, a pale purple woman whose face was as close as my nose, was smiling with a sense of accomplishment as she threw away her helmet with her other hand.


    You are mine now.


    With those words, the purple magic power of the illusionary system poured into me.

 215 - - The Nineteenth Episode

    The knight of the Kingdom of Lingle, who had me interrogate him, said something to that effect.


    I was a little disappointed that I had told him what he wanted to hear so easily, only to be tortured and then hallucinated that I was being rescued by my friends, but I was sure that the result was going to be good for me.


    Usato, the healing wizard.


    The best friend of two brave men.


    A member of the Lifeguard Corps, an organization of infamous healing wizards.


    His mission is to heal and save the wounded on the battlefield.


    Having succeeded in finding out more about this mysterious healing wizard, I was filled with a feeling of joy as I raised my hands in the air.


    Not only because I could see the holes to be poked, but above all because I now knew the clear weaknesses of the two brave men who had been our obstacle.


    A gentle man is a prey for me.


    They are easy to show mercy not only to their allies, but even to their enemies.


    I kill because they are my enemies.


    Because they are my enemies, I will not let them leave alive.


    From the bottom of my heart, I am glad that this boy Usato is not a person who can make such a decision.


    Because then there are so many ways to do it.


    ---I had that opinion of him before I fought him, but when I actually saw him, I realized that Usato was a monster of a man.


    I should have known that Koga was extraordinary when he talked so much about him.


    To the casual observer, it seems as if he was taking it easy on Mr. Koga for the fun of it, only to have him hit back with a painful counterattack.


    But when you look at him, he really doesn''t seem human.


    In fact, I don''t think we can even define him as a human being.


    He has black wiggly things growing out of his body, and an unusual, demonic-looking bird on his shoulder. The strangest thing is that when the flying dragon is covered with the light of healing magic and attacked, it is obvious that the impact is coming from something other than its fist.


    I have no idea how that works.


    --- I don''t think I can deal with that one. .......


    I understood it the moment our eyes met in the air.


    It''s not like the people we know. Somewhere ...... yes, I think the devil is the most likely candidate. At least it looked and looked like a demon.


    Let''s have my men do their best to hold them back and I''ll go away.


    I was about to tell this to my men holding the flying dragon''s reins when a thought came to my mind.


    --- If I take it in my hands, won''t I be able to secure a powerful army?


    So I got a little greedy.


    To say the least, he has just subdued the second flying dragon, and he is a corps commander. Perhaps, he may be considered more troublesome than the current heroes.


    If ...... I can control him with my magic, I can eliminate my only weakness, which is my weakness on my own.


    The more I think about it, the more I think the benefits are too great to return.


    Rather, I cannot let this opportunity pass me by.


    I have come to a conclusion.


    I have decided not to run away, but to play a trick.


    ---A way to deceive and play a trick on the healer who is reputed to be "gentle.


    In order to do so, first of all, I had to switch places with a female soldier of about the same age whom I had brought along as a decoy in case of emergency, while he was fighting with a subordinate whom I had arranged to buy time for him.


    It''s a stupid plan that any normal person would come up with, but I''m sure he will fall for the trap.


    After all, he''s a gentle man.


    He is not mature enough to deal with an unarmed opponent.


    Gentleness is not always a good thing.


    While some people are kept alive by such kindness, others are hurt by it.


    He is the best example.


    He is a sweet, sweet boy whose good intentions will be crushed by me, and he will spend the rest of his life for my sake.


    There was no more fear.


    The healing wizard, no, Usato, was a young, yet easily manipulated child like Koga, and would be easily fooled.


    He will be easily fooled.


    By using his men as pawns, he finally showed his unprotected back.


    I approached him noiselessly, pretending to hold the reins, and my hand successfully caught his head.


    I felt a sense of accomplishment and let out an unbearable cry of joy as the magic power of the phantom system, which is impossible for an ordinary human being to resist, was sent to his head.


    "Ha, ha!¡¡I did it!¡¡I did it!"


    "......"


    The first sincere smile I''ve had in years.


    I can''t remember when I last laughed, but it doesn''t matter.


    I now have the monster known as man as my pawn.


    And a healer.


    I now have a powerful healer that cannot be born of a demon.


    "Let''s start by convincing him that I''m on his side."


    I''m not just a pawn in this war.


    Rather, it would be too regrettable to let go of a person who has more prowess than the demons, so let''s carefully imprint the illusion and bring him back to the demon king''s territory even after the battle.


    "Hmph."


    Just when I was sure I had completely won --- his torso stirred, and at the same time, something like a sharp black thorn was thrust through my heart.


    Suddenly, I am caught off guard and unable to move properly.


    >


    "What?"


    He let out a stunned voice, and when he was unable to react, his right arm, which was supposed to be under his control, moved and grabbed the thorn to stop him.


    "Ferrum, no!"


    <>


    "It''s okay. I''m fine.


    I didn''t order Usato to stop.


    Then why did he move in front of you?¡¡My magical power shouldn''t be able to do anything.


    Ignoring my stunned reaction, he removed his hands from my cheeks and said, "Hmph! He removed his hands from my cheeks.¡¡He then bursts out with a kind of "Kiai" and shoots away the magic power of the illusion I poured into his hands.


    "What?¡¡...... what?"


    Your illusion doesn''t work on me. If it does, it will only blur my vision.


    ---That''s-- that''s crazy.


    You must have caught him completely by surprise.


    A sane person would have been affected by the illusion the moment he touched her.


    But it was as if a child had swept away a spider''s web.


    What am I being shown?


    What are you talking about with your harmless, easygoing face? This guy...


    What the hell...


    I''m scared.


    My body trembles with fear.


    At that moment, an outlandish speculation crosses my mind.


    "Hey, is this the devil incarnate ...... of ......?"


    "What?¡¡No, it''s not..."


    "Yes. He''s a demon in human skin. He''s a demon with healing magic.


    "What?


    Hey, Nia?


    The owl on my shoulder started talking.


    Isn''t this bird a demon?¡¡Why is it talking?


    Am I being shown an illusion?¡¡How long have I been seeing illusions?


    Could it be that the elf has shown me a vision ......?


    The sequence of events up to this point is so unusual that I can''t decide where the illusion and reality begin.


    Maybe it was an illusion from the beginning?


    If you think about it, it doesn''t make sense that such a healing wizard exists.


    If you think about it more dispassionately, it is even fearless that there are people flying around in the sky like that.


    It is a desecration of life.


    In other words, ...... what you are seeing now is an illusion, not reality.


    You have to figure it out. ....... If we don''t wake up,......"


    To counteract the illusion cast on him, he casts an illusion spell on himself in fear, but his vision does not change at all.


    I want to return to reality.


    I want to escape from this impossible reality.


    But no matter how much you try to cast illusion magic on yourself, the scene in front of you never changes.


    The scene you are seeing is unmistakably real.


    "No, that''s not true. This is impossible. There can''t be such a person. ......!¡¡This must be an illusion!¡¡I''m under some kind of psychological attack!"


    "Hmm. ......"


    The owl''s eyes glow red.


    The corners of Usato''s mouth hang open in a twitch.


    The nightmare does not end.


    Cornered, I pull out the small knife I have been carrying in my pocket for self-defense.


    We know that we cannot kill the demon in front of us with such a thing. But it should be possible to force yourself to wake up from the illusion by hurting yourself. ......!


    He pulls down his knife to stab it into his thigh.


    "Hey!¡¡What are you doing?


    What are you doing?


    But it is easily grabbed by the blade and snatched away.


    I looked up in despair to see Usato, who had snapped the knife in half, scowling and staring at me.


    "Don''t do anything rash!"


    Are you going to torture me?


    "What, ......?"


    I was not allowed to wake up or easily lose consciousness.


    The owl, whose red eyes are fixed on my frightened body, makes a mocking sound.


    "Just stop your futile resistance. Or else, what will he do to you?¡¡......ferm"


    As he says this, bat-like wings sprout from his bewildered shoulders.


    Dark, black wings sprout from his back.


    He looks down at me with a face backlit by shadows, and his white clothes, which had conjured up a sacred image, have now turned into something that terrifies me.


    "Oh, oh, oh... ......"


    "Uh, sir?¡¡Is something wrong?"


    I was terrified, so he tilted his head and reached out his hand toward me.


    My spirit reached its limit when the sharply shaped, devilish, demonic hand came close to me.


    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry!¡¡I won''t do anything bad anymore, please forgive me. ......!"


    "?¡¡It''s good that you''re reformed, but it''s dangerous if you go back any further..."


    "---Augh!"


    I fell back as if trying to escape, and was enveloped in a strange floating sensation, my vision turning black.


    I fell backwards as if trying to escape.


    Hannah almost gave me a vision, but I succeeded in getting over it with my own resistance, and I tried to restrain her.


    However, I found that she had become strangely upset, apologized furiously, fell down and jumped down from the flying dragon as if she was running away from me.


    "Oh, that was close. ......"


    I let out a sigh of relief as I grab Hannah''s hand and pull her up, as she is about to fall off the flying dragon with white eyes.


    I can''t let the corps leader get away.


    I can''t let him get away and manipulate my allies again.


    ......All we have to do now is to go downstairs.


    I think, and talk to the soldier of the demon army who is pretending to be Hannah behind me.


    Please bring this flying dragon down to the ground.


    "My soul is not delicious!¡¡Yoo, forgive me... ......!¡¡I don''t want to die yet. ......!"


    "......"


    I''m absolutely stunned by the soldier who is not only teary-eyed, but is sobbing and begging for his life.


    What''s going on?¡¡Why does he think I''m going to take his soul?¡¡What have I done to her in this whole exchange? ......!


    I can''t help but feel confused, even though I''m used to being treated like a monster like never before.


    "Hey! "Hey...if you guys have done something to her, just tell us..." he said.¡¡I won''t be offended.


    At any rate, I let the soldier take the reins of the flying dragon and, with Hannah at my side, I pursued the two suspicious people.


    "No, nothing?"


    <>


    "I''ve been doing some normal devilish things!"


    <


    This owl and his demon girl ......!


    The two of them make me pale in the face.


    I''ll definitely get to the bottom of it later. ......!


    After making a firm vow in his heart, he watches the flying dragon descend to the ground.


    "Oh, oh, oh, be safe ...... be safe. But good luck, Sean. You''re a strong flying dragon. ......!"


    "Ggah ......"


    "We promised that when the battle was over, we would go on a journey together around the whole continent, didn''t we? ......!"


    With some apprehension at the strong character of the soldier who had been forced to take Hannah''s place, she confirms that she has landed on the ground.


    On the ground, Frana and the knights are still fighting with the demons and soldiers, but they all stop moving when they see me capturing Hannah, the corps leader.


    "Is that Hanna-sama ......?"


    The skies are supposed to be safe.


    What about us? ......!


    The capture of the corps commander, who is one of the commanders, seems to have helped to dampen their spirits.


    "Gee, ......!"


    "Is that the flying dragon I just dropped ......?"


    However, some of them roar in anger at me.


    I changed my mind and glared at them to fight back, but... for some reason, the flying dragon turned around, let out a frightened scream, turned its back on me, and ran away.


    "If you knock down a flying dragon in the sky that hard. It''s only natural for a demon to think by instinct."


    In my mind, "If you intimidate them with your eyes, they will naturally run away!" and "They won''t attack us if they think we''re their kind!" and Guld''s line, "If they think we are their own people, they won''t attack us!


    Ugh, I can''t believe I''m putting into practice the most improbable idea: ......!


    <<>


    <<<<<< Ohhhh! >>>>>>


    The knights are heading toward the soldiers who are upset because of the lack of the corps leader.


    As I was looking away from them and thinking about leaving Hannah and the other soldier I had captured as prisoners of war to the knights in the back, Frana rushes up to me.


    "Usato, are you all right?


    "Yes, I''m fine. I managed to ...... capture the corps leader Hanna and her subordinate soldiers, so I''ll leave the rest to the knights in the rear.


    "Then leave it to me!¡¡I''ll make sure they''re restrained so they won''t do any more harm!"


    I nod at Frana''s words and hand the unconscious Hannah over to her.


    Mr. Frana tilted her head at the sight of her fainted face and the frightened soldier lying on the ground beside her.


    "She looks like she just saw something out of this world. ...... What did you do to her?¡¡The soldier I caught behind me is also frightened and ......"


    That''s what I want to know, too.


    I''m going to ask Nair, who just now blatantly looked away from me, about it later.


    But first I have to do what I have to do.


    "The capture of Hannah should help our situation somewhat, ...... but that doesn''t change the fact that we are still outnumbered."


    "But we still have to fight."


    We can''t give up here.


    Senpai and Kazuki are both ...... and now that Rose is fighting a strong enemy, I have no choice but to do what I can do.


    So, I''m going to go to the next place..."


    "Hey, Usato!"


    >


    As he tries to walk away, he is struck by a slight vertigo and nearly collapses.


    I was supported by Nair, who had returned to human form, but I couldn''t help but realize that I was more exhausted than I thought I was.


    "Usato, you should rest your body, even if it''s just a little!¡¡You don''t look so good after all that fighting!"


    "Frana is right. You can''t keep going like this. ......


    I''m sure you''ve been trained to conserve your magic, but it seems that you''ve endured a series of outbursts of magic power.


    But the dizziness only lasted for a moment and quickly subsided.


    As I try to stand up alone, I hear a roaring sound not far from here.


    I look in that direction and see a snake as big as or bigger than the evil dragon rampaging about. Its mouth appears to be spraying venom-colored liquid.


    "We can''t rest yet. ......"


    "...... understand. But if I decide it''s too far, I''ll force you to stop, even if it means using magic."


    I''ve never heard of that before.


    If I faint, can Ferrum move my body?


    But I''m aware that I can''t stop him, so I''d appreciate it if he could do so if the need arises.


    I sigh and look at Nair, who has returned to her owl form and to her shoulder, and then at Frana.


    "So, I''ll go ahead ......!"


    "Like Kazuki, you don''t bend once you''ve made up your mind, do you? Then I won''t stop you any longer. I''m not going to stop you any longer. ...... But if you do something reckless, both Suzune and Kazuki will be sad. ...... Don''t die, okay?"


    "...... Oh!"


    I nodded to Frana, who looked at me and had a somewhat sad expression on her face.


    I turn around and head toward the place where the giant snake and the knights are fighting.


    Perhaps I will be of no use to them in terms of strength, but I should still be able to heal those who are being poisoned by the serpent.

 216 - - the nineteenth episode

    It feels like it''s been quite a while since the fighting started.......


    We continue to treat the wounded at the lifeguard station, but instead of decreasing the number of injured people being brought to us, the number is only increasing.


    Those who cannot fit into the tent at the base are laid on the ground on linen cloths that we have prepared in advance, and then we, the healing wizards, heal them.


    We have secured a place for the time being, but there is still a problem.


    That is, the people who were cut by the sword held by the man who seems to be the leader of the army.


    They have been unable to heal their wounds in any way, and the only way to keep them alive is to give them first aid and then leave them for the time being.


    It was a painful and itchy feeling for us not to be able to help those who were suffering right in front of our eyes.


    "Uluru-dono, I will carry the injured ones.


    "Oh, thank you. ......"


    One of the knights who is now protecting us at the base, Mr. Alc, lays the wounded brought by the black uniform on the ground covered with linen cloth.


    He is a trustworthy man who used to travel with Usato.


    He takes the initiative to help us treat the wounded without us saying a word, and if the manipulated knight gets out of control, he immediately subdues him, which is more than dependable.


    In such a short time, he has become a << master of caring! >>I was even laughing at him several times.


    "Okay, ......!¡¡Good luck!¡¡I''ll heal you now!"


    I regain my strength and cast a healing spell on the injured person in front of me.


    I''ve done this dozens of times, but I never seem to get used to it. The wounds are always painful to see, and the faces of the wounded in agony are so painful that you want to turn away from them.


    But the people who are running the battlefield are probably suffering even more than I am, so I cannot give in to despair.


    Besides..,


    "There''s room here, bring them over here!"


    "That''s right, Gerna!¡¡I''ll be honest, I might fall down, but I''ll do my best!


    No, you get some rest!


    I won''t pass out until I see the lady!


    Both Gerna and Kate, who came this time, are doing their jobs as healing wizards.


    Especially Gerna, the confusion she showed in the beginning is gone, and now she is facing the injured person with firmness.


    And your brother..,


    "Ms. Olga, ......"


    "Don''t worry, Mr. Scharn. I''m still fine."


    "...... yes."


    Uh-huh?¡¡It''s like, the longer I''m away from them, the closer they are to me. .......


    No, they probably don''t think so, but they are taking it seriously. .......


    "It''s going to be okay if you''re here, Charn!¡¡Yes!"


    Now is not the time to be thinking about anything frivolous, so I half-heartedly force myself to stop thinking and finish treating the injured.


    The brother''s funny story is important, but now is not the time to dwell on it.


    As I was about to switch my thoughts and deal with the next injured person, a knight came running to the base with a panicked look and told something to the escorting knights including Mr. Aruk.


    When I looked at him, Mr. Alc, who had a happy expression on his face, said something so that everyone in the room could hear him.


    "The one who was manipulating the knights ......!¡¡We have succeeded in capturing the commander of the Third Army!"


    "Mr. Aruk, could it be ...... then!"


    "Yes!¡¡Now there will be no more people to be manipulated!"


    Thank goodness ....... I am relieved from the bottom of my heart that I no longer have to worry about being attacked by my allies.


    But I didn''t think it was the leader of the third corps who was manipulating me.


    I didn''t know the strength of the so called "legionnaires" of the demon army, but I knew that they were pretty amazing people.


    "But did the knights capture the third corps commander?


    "I heard that Usato-dono captured him."


    "...... Eh, Usato-kun?"


    Yes. Yes, that''s the information I have.


    ---What are you doing, Usato?


    I mean, I heard you were fighting another corps leader in another place!


    I can understand your confusion. Yes, I understand.


    Aruk-san''s nodding seemed to be filled with a strong sense of reality.


    "Usato-kun, ...... you are fighting again, aren''t you?"


    A healing wizard is supposed to help, not fight.


    Considering this, Usato''s decision seems wrong, but considering his character, it is easy to see what he was fighting for.


    He fought because he knew that many people would be hurt if he did not do something about the enemy in front of him.


    I don''t know if that decision was right or wrong, but at least what I thought was--,


    "I should work harder, too. ......!"


    I''m going to get my heart back in the right place.


    Just as Usato is running on the battlefield as a healing magician, I am standing here now as a healing magician.


    Then, I can''t show him my unworthiness as a senior member of his lifeguard team and as his big sister. ......!


    ¡ñThank you!


    Koga, commander of the Second Legion of the Demon Lords.


    Clad in dark magic, his movements are the complete opposite of those of Usato.


    Whereas Usato is the type who sees through his opponent''s movements and counters without question, Koga moves in any direction and tries to strike a sharp blow as if he were exploiting an opening.


    "Light!"


    He swings his sword down at Coga, manipulating the magic bullet.


    As soon as he blocked the sword with his arm, he maneuvered it to fire a hail of magic projectiles, but they were drowned out by the scythe extending from Koga''s back.


    "That''s not enough to reach me!¡¡Brave man!


    "Ordinary magic bullets will be canceled out by that thing on your back. ......"


    A normally controlled magic bullet is a balloon, so to speak.


    If they are cut by a sickle, as they are now, the magic inside them bursts.


    So far, they have been trying to push through with the number of magic bullets, but I guess that''s impossible. .......


    "...... Okay."


    Words are power.


    You say them out loud, you hear them with your ears, and your brain recognizes them.


    It is more efficient and much faster to form and manipulate magic by shaping the image of the word into magic than to think and move it all in the head.


    Maybe Usato is shouting the name of the technique for the same reason as I am.


    "...... Chakram."


    He mutters and gathers magic bullets to form another shape.


    The two magic bullets, which have changed into a shape similar to a circular boomerang, begin to spin at high speed.


    "If you can make it disappear, make it disappear!"


    "Ugh, what the hell is that? ......!"


    The circular magic power transformed into a magic power is a dangerous technique that can cut off anything it comes in contact with while spinning at high speed.


    Unlike ordinary magic bullets, it can only control two, but they are still powerful enough.


    Gripping the sword, I attack from a medium distance with a circle of magic power.


    "Cut it down!"


    Good!


    Coga puts his hands on the ground and directs the four scythes extended from his back toward the high-speed spinning magic projectiles.


    The current magic bullets are specially designed for cutting.


    I chop the scythes with my sword and send two magic bullets to separate Koga''s torso and neck.


    You can''t stop me with a half-baked defense!


    "Take that ......!"


    In response, I shoot a series of light magic rays from the palm of my right arm to which my left hand is attached.


    Koga, who had bounced them off with his giant arm, attempted to approach us while avoiding the magic bullets that were coming to cut him down.


    "Can''t you catch up with me? ......"


    My system of magic is light, but I can''t manipulate it at the same speed as light.


    I mean light as purification, in the sense that it annihilates its target without question.


    Therefore, both magical beams and magic bullets are slower than my senpai''s electric magic, and are not compatible with fast-moving opponents such as Usato and Koga.


    "Yuusha, your magic and your skill are amazing, but you are too slow to catch me. ......!"


    Don''t lick ...... it!


    But that doesn''t mean you''ve run out of options!


    Clutching his sword with both hands, he uses it to deal with the claws and scythes that KOGA wields.


    Koga''s movements are fast and hard to read, but..,


    "Haaah!"


    Now that he and Usato have met, he''s not so fast that he can''t handle it!


    He avoids the belt protruding from Koga''s body and shoots an improvised magic bullet generated by his palm.


    "Haha, I won''t take such a slow one!"


    He immediately deals with it with the scythe on his back, but as he avoids it, he raises his sword, which he has re-holstered in one hand, and swings it as if to slice off his head.


    He knows that the black magic will prevent him from doing so.


    It''s just a bluff for the real blow. ......!


    He creates a small sword with magic condensed in the opposite palm of his sword.


    "Pierce ......!"


    He floats it in his fist and swings it at Koga, who turns his attention to defending himself against the sword.


    Aim at his heart!


    Kill it instantly before it can respond!


    "Flash Point!"


    "Oh no!"


    He floats his sword like a fist and slams it into Koga''s torso at the same time as he shouts the name of the technique.


    With the blow, he releases the sword condensed with the magic of light, which turns into a penetrating blow that obliterates all defenses!


    "OLLA!"


    Huh?


    The blow surely obliterates Koga''s heart.


    However, just before the sword of light can obliterate Koga''s heart, he is knocked back with an unnatural impact, and falls backward as if pushed out.


    "Now the magic burst from Koga''s arms. ......?"


    He lost his target, and his sword of light flew far behind him, and he looked at Koga, who took an unexpected action.


    Coga, who had moved back in a slight panic, looked at his own arms and let out an exclamation of amazement.


    "I see, unlike Usato, my arms are like this (????)."


    "You, that was ...... Usato''s ......."


    "Yeah."


    Just before Koga fell back, a sludge-like cloud of magic burst from his arms.


    Now, from his arms, the black magic that had erupted had transformed into sword-like spikes, many of which were shooting out of his hands.


    "That''s because I''ve been hit by them many times. That''s right, I know what he''s doing. Even if the ...... seed is broken, what he''s doing is not normal.


    Coga quickly put his arm back on and waved his hand in the air at me, stunned.


    There was no blood.


    Is Koga as capable of unleashing his magic as Usato is of ......?


    "If it''s dark magic that assimilates the body, there''s no reason why I can''t do it if Usato, who has assimilated with Ferrum, can do it.


    "You let your magic burst out of you. ......"


    "Even if I fail, it''s better than dying. But it takes a lot of courage. I don''t understand how he can use it so quickly.


    Coga broke off the word "but" and put back the scythe on his back, glaring at us.


    I could not see his expression because of his mask, but I knew for sure that he had a joyful smile on his face.


    "Thank you, Usato."


    "...... what?"


    The more I fight him, the stronger I become. He''s my worthy opponent!¡¡Ha-ha-ha!


    "......"


    Calm down, you''re playing right into their hands if you get angry here.


    I tell myself this and consider the power of the current koga.


    He is using the same technique as Usato, which means that he can move in the same way as Usato. There is no way that Koga, who had just fought Usato, would not be able to do that.


    "We should settle this right away."


    Frankly speaking, it is tough to fight against Usato with all his strength, even if we exclude the mental aspect.


    Although they fight in different ways, Koga, like Usato, is an unpredictable (???????) and troublesome opponent.


    Judging this, I manipulate a circular magic bullet that had been stalled by my side and direct it toward Koga.


    "......Go!"


    "Oh?¡¡Well, you made the right decision. But..."


    Coga, his arms flailing wildly, slams his arms into the oncoming magic projectile, causing an outburst of magic power.


    At the same moment, thorns, just like the ones from the previous moment, are thrust out from both of KOGA''s arms with a shock,


    "Unfortunately, it doesn''t work anymore."


    The magic bullet that was supposed to cut him was forcibly obliterated.


    Not only does it have impact, it also has hardness. ......!


    After the round magic bullet is erased, Koga puts his arms on the ground and begins to deform his body.


    "Huh! ......!"


    "Is it changing ......?"


    Up until now, he had four scythes stretched out from his back, making him look halfway between a man and a beast, but now he has transformed into a porcupine with sword-like spikes growing from his back.


    It looks as if he specializes only in killing, and I turn my attention to Koga with the utmost caution.


    "Well, well, let me try a new way of fighting just like him. ......!


    "What!"


    Just as I was about to generate my next magic bullet while suppressing my agitation, Koga, who had been more than ten meters away from me just a moment ago, was right in front of me.


    He immediately slammed his sword down and tried to intercept it, but it was evaded at an abnormal speed.


    "He must have been accelerated instantly by the outburst of magic power!"


    That''s right!


    Fast ......!


    The same acceleration method as Usato''s had changed his movements into something even more irregular.


    I barely follow its movement with my eyes.


    "Oh, there!


    Blast!


    He turns his back and uses his sword as a shield.


    Nevertheless, Koga raises his fist and slams it into the sword. At the same time, a powerful shockwave and several black thorns formed by black magic power are ejected from his fist.


    "Ugh!¡¡You!


    He is hit in the left shoulder and side.


    It hurts like hell, but there is no time to be in pain!¡¡He uses the shockwave to evade backward as if he were falling down, while holding his palm forward and firing a series of magic bullets.


    He analyzes the current KOGA while keeping KOGA in his line of vision, who is dodging the magic bullets that are approaching like a machine gun.


    "It''s going to take some time to get used to it. ......"


    It turns out that there is an additional attack with shockwaves and thorns to the normal attack.


    Their speed has also increased dramatically, so fighting them at a halfway distance is not good for us.


    We can''t fight them the same way we have been fighting them.


    I can either let him keep on firing his magic and let it drain him, or I can make sure he dies instantly with my magic at the risk of being wounded. ....... I''m confident I can do both, but I have to be prepared to take some risks.


    "Yeah?"


    Just as I''m about to return fire, with Koga in my line of sight as he dodges a magic bullet and tries to attack me, I notice something flying toward my location, clad in flames and lightning.


    The person landed cleanly, scattering the flames, and smiled at me, unaware of my cloak, which was on fire.


    "Kazuki, are you okay?


    "Senpai, that''s my line. ...... is on fire, cloak."


    "What?¡¡You''re lying. ...... Oh, it''s hot!


    The landing was cool, but the part where he rushed to put out the fire was not. .......


    I looked from the older man, who was hurriedly putting out the flames on his cloak, to Koga, who had stopped moving, looking sideways at Amira.


    On the other hand, Amira, who was fighting with his senpai, was still bleeding from his shoulder, but his will to fight did not seem to have waned yet.


    "...... Wind!¡¡He is indeed a corps leader. I''m surprised that my miracle special move <, which also utilizes the opponent''s flames, finally struck him with a blow. ......!


    After putting out the fire, the older man wipes his forehead and says something like that.


    "Ha ha ha ....... Are you alright over there?"


    "I''m still fine. But it seems my sword couldn''t withstand the blow earlier.


    The sword he raised was cracked and broken in the middle.


    The sword was supposed to be very strong, but it seemed to be unable to withstand the power of my senpai.


    I know that my own sword is also close to its limit.


    "Could this be a desperate situation?


    "No, no, you don''t think that at all, do you?


    "No, I don''t think so.


    Saying this, he picked up two swords that had fallen nearby.


    "There are plenty of weapons on the battlefield. If your favorite sword is broken, you can always use this one.


    He uses his recovery magic to patch him up and gets back on his feet.


    You are not doomed.


    I''ve shown you how hopeless I am in the past.


    So this time, we will fight and win.


    Let''s not give up.


    "Yeah!"


    Then this time, let''s not be ashamed of the heartfelt friends we''ve made in this world.


    With these words, I and my senpai switched our thoughts and faced the powerful enemies in front of us.

 217 - - The Nineteenth Episode

    A huge snake rampaging through the battlefield, spreading its venom.


    It was very similar in shape to the serpent I had encountered in the forest of Lingle before, but its size was far too different.¡¡It was the same size as the evil dragon, or even bigger.


    A huge creature more than fifteen meters long was rampaging about, tormenting the knights.


    "d*mn, it''s painful ......"


    "Ugh,ah......!"


    "Those who need immediate medical attention, let me help you!¡¡The rest of you, please leave them with the black uniforms!"


    Even far away from the giant snake, damage has been done.


    I was treating people affected by the snake''s venom at a back location not far from where I had captured Hannah.


    "Take him, Mr. Usato!"


    Yes!


    Some people were suffering from the snake''s venom, clawing at their throats, others were writhing in pain, clutching at the places where the venom had touched them. At that point, the black uniforms can take him to the base to be treated by the healing wizards, but if he has been exposed to a large amount of poison, he needs to be treated as soon as possible.


    "Strengthening of the system ......!"


    Activate the systemic reinforcement at his fingertips and apply it to one of the knights suffering from the poison.


    A dark green light covers the knight''s body and his expression immediately becomes calm.


    In order to demonstrate only the "enhanced resilience" that is a characteristic of the system reinforcement of healing magic, the system reinforcement is performed on the fingertips only with a minimum of magical power.


    This way, I can heal a fatal wound with less magic power and leave it to the black clothes. ...... I can''t afford to let it heal completely now.


    "......It''s like poison from an evil dragon."


    "Yes, it is. It brings back bad memories. ......"


    Having once been poisoned by an evil dragon, I can''t believe that the snake spreading this venom has nothing to do with evil dragons.


    This is downwind, and the air is filled with a small amount of poisonous miasma.


    At this distance, it would hardly be a problem, but not for those who are fighting in that place.


    "......"


    I feel extremely fatigued, probably because my magic power is running low.


    I am physically strong, but I can''t do anything about my magical power.


    >


    "Let''s go. We can''t just stand here."


    The situation keeps changing.


    I leave the situation to the black suits and head for the place where the giant snake is rampaging..,


    "Grua!"


    "Oh!"


    Zzzzzzza!¡¡A blue bear, Bulrin, in sooty silver armor, slides in front of me with a cloud of dust.


    I back away, startled, and he turns his back to me.


    "What?¡¡Bulrin?"


    "Gua!"


    "Sounds like he wants me to get in. ......"


    "Bullin, you. ......"


    I''ve always carried you on my back, but this time I''m going to have to ride on yours!


    Wherever we''re going, it might help if we had a bullring.


    Maybe he''ll see that and decide to ...... come with us...or maybe he won''t have to.


    "I''m glad you''re here!"


    "Gruaaaah!"


    He leaps onto Bullein''s back and grabs his belt.


    Then he lets out a mighty yell and starts to run, kicking the ground with all his might.


    Dodging the knights on his side, he gains speed and reaches the front line in no time. There are many demons in the vicinity of the rampaging giant serpent.


    "Bulrin, can you make it?"


    "Grua!"


    Bulrin yells, and his speed increases even more.


    ---No matter how much armor he wears, he will not be unscathed if he has to break through such a large number of demons.


    "Ferrum, can you cover Bulrin with your magic?


    >


    Please!


    With that voice, black magic flows from my legs into Bulrin''s silver armor, covering the upper half of his body.


    Heavy black armor protects his head and body, and an oval shield protects him from side attacks.


    Covered with armor that is specialized only for pushing forward, Bulrin, not surprised by the change in himself, raises his voice even more heroically and strikes the monster that is approaching before him.


    "Get out of the way if you don''t want to get hurt, you demons!¡¡Ha ha ha!¡¡Bullyin!¡¡That''s a great combination!


    "Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!"


    <<>


    <>


    I don''t care about the voices of my friends anymore.


    As we chase the fleeing monster away, we find the corpse of a huge snake not far from here.


    "That''s ......."


    "A large snake skewered ......"


    It is the same snake that Senpai and Kazuki defeated in the previous battle against the Demon Lord''s Army.


    If you look closely, you can see that the head and body of the snake are pierced by large cone-like thorns protruding from the ground, which seem to have killed it.


    "Attack from the ground...... Mr. Hyde?!"


    That means he might be the one who is fighting with the huge one right now.


    Mr. Hyde, Chief of the Nirvarna Kingdom Warriors.


    He is the one who taught me a lot during our brief meeting in Lukvis.


    He will not be slowed down by the serpent.


    "Isn''t that a natural demon?


    "No wonder they look so strange. ......"


    Ferrum''s words startled me and Nair.


    The artificially created demon, Barzinak.


    I don''t know how it came to be, but I had never imagined it to be such a being.


    If that''s the case, then the big one must be an enhanced version of Barzinak.


    "Gua!"


    You see it?


    I heard Bulrin''s voice and turned my head forward.


    If you look closely, you can see the warriors of the Nirvarna Kingdom Warriors attacking the rampaging Barzinak.


    Among them is Mr. Hyde, who is himself releasing magic and commanding the troops.


    "Surround this big fellow!¡¡Watch out for the poison!¡¡If it eats you, it will slow you down!


    Gishaaa!


    Whoa!¡¡It''s coming for us!


    As Mr. Hyde gives instructions, Barzinak swings his tail like a reaver.


    In response, Mr. Hyde thrusts his spear filled with magic power into the ground, and multiple walls of earth rise up from the ground to catch Barzinak''s attack.


    Mr. Hyde escaped from the range of the attack in the meantime, but I didn''t miss the moment when Barzinak''s mouth, which was split open up to his cheeks, was twisted into a smile.


    I will never forget that look.


    His size may have changed, but his cruelty and cunning have not. ......!


    "Sorry, Bulrin!¡¡I''ll go first!"


    Gua!


    He disarms Bulrin and heads for Mr. Hyde as fast as he can.


    In the meantime, Barzinak opens his big mouth and spurts out a stream of venom from his fangs protruding from his upper jaw.


    We can''t get in there in time for the healing burst palm ......!


    Nor can you pull on the belt.


    Then!


    He throws the healing magic bullet he created in his palm with a burst of magical power......!


    "Heal! Accelerate!"


    "Goooh!"


    The "War Chief!""""""""""


    Mr. Hyde looks up when he notices the poison, and at the same time, a healing acceleration bullet strikes him in the side.


    He erupts from the sudden impact and is blown five meters to the side.


    In the next instant, the area where Mr. Hyde was standing is sprayed with a poisonous-colored liquid, and a sickening sound is heard as if the ground is melting.


    "And then the healing blindness!"


    Then, the magic bullet generated in his palm is applied to Barzinak''s eyes, temporarily depriving him of his vision.


    "Gee shaaaaa!"


    After confirming Barzinak''s body hitting the ground with an unexpected blow and the Nirvarna warriors moving to attack at once, I rushed to Mr. Hyde, who had been blown away by the magic bullet, even though it was an uncontrollable force.


    Her second-in-command, Helena-san, approaches me, instructing her subordinates nearby to attack Barzinak.


    "Excuse me!¡¡I hit him with a magic bullet out of necessity!


    "No, I know you saved me from that attack!¡¡I''m more concerned about the chief of warriors. ......"


    When I approached Mr. Hyde, who was still lying on the ground with Helena, he was smiling bitterly while holding the area hit by the healing acceleration bullet.


    "Helena, I think you''ll be fine without me now. Now you just follow the plan and finish him off. ......"


    Sir, the Chief Warrant Officer?


    I''m done here. ....... It''s a wonder I feel so light on my feet when I''m dying. ......


    ""......""


    Mr. Hyde meditated with a look of contentment on his face, and Helena and I looked at each other.


    It was a magic bullet of healing magic that hit him, so he couldn''t have been injured.


    In fact, he is very pale and there is no blood on the side where he is holding.


    "Yes, it looks like Usato. ......"


    Hey, what''s with the nuance that it''s a disgrace to be rated as I am?


    With my cheeks twitching at the sight of the owl on my shoulder and the mutterings of my demon girl, I fearfully address Mr. Hyde.


    You''re not going to die, Mr. Hyde, you know. It was my healing magic that hit you.


    "Chief, Usato-kun saved me. Please get up quickly."


    "......"


    After a short silence, Mr. Hyde stood up quickly and touched his own body to check it.


    I was in an uncomfortable state of mind, and Helena and Nea were looking at me with a "what is she ......" kind of look.


    After a few seconds, Mr. Hyde turned around with a raised voice.


    "Well, it looks like you saved my life!¡¡Ha ha ha!


    "No, no, it''s not that. ......"


    To be honest, that caught me off guard too. I didn''t expect you to spit out your poison just as the walls were disappearing. But here you are!¡¡I couldn''t be luckier!"


    I replied, thinking that he was as cheerful as ever, and turned my attention to Barzinak, who was under attack from the warriors along with Bulrin, who had just arrived.


    "What a ...... ridiculous demon! He has the cleverness to always respond to the techniques he has seen once and the cunning to try to deceive people.


    "Responding to a technique I saw once: ......?"


    "I skewered and killed a smaller one with my magic just a few minutes ago, but he''s been watching me do it so much that he started dodging before it hit from the ground. Maybe he has an organ that can sense magic."


    He''s that big and he''s that smart.


    He has not been able to strike an effective blow so far, but he seems to be able to go on the offensive now that he has been dealt an unexpected blow by the healing eye-blow.


    "...... but ......"


    The soldiers fighting ...... look pale.


    Perhaps the miasma emanating from the poisonous fluid exhaled by Barzinak is slowly eating away at their bodies.


    Some of them are on their knees, vomiting blood.


    "They''ve all been poisoned, haven''t they? Helena, too."


    I put my hand on Helena''s shoulder and heal her from the poison.


    She will be all right now, but if she stays here, the poison will come back.


    "Oh, thank you. Where''s the chief?"


    No, I''m fine now. I''m fine now.


    I''m going to treat the poison now!


    He turns his palm toward the warriors of Nirvarna and stretches out a belt for each of them.


    Once the bands are attached, he pours healing magic into them and cures the poison.


    "......!"


    I healed the poison of the warriors nearby, though I lost more magic power and my vision was blurred, then I put the person who was too injured to be healed by me now on the back of Bulrin.


    "Bulrin, take care of these people.


    "Grua!"


    "...... yeah, good luck to you too."


    With the warriors on his back, Bulrin nodded his head and rushed toward the base, making a cloud of dust and smoke.


    I watched him go, and then lined up next to Mr. Hyde, who was leading the general attack on Barzinak.


    "Usato, you''d better not move again.


    "What?"


    I was about to leap forward to heal the warriors attacking with magic and weapons near Barzinak, but Mr. Hyde stopped me.


    "You must be nearing the limit of your magical power, aren''t you?¡¡You should rest your body, even for a short time.


    "But ......!"


    I almost shout out, but my vision wobbles due to lack of magic power.


    Mr. Hyde, who was supporting my body with his eyes fixed on Barzinak, slightly distorted his expression.


    "You look like you''re about to collapse. ......I understand your mission well, but put yourself first for now."


    When he said this to me in a rather strong tone, I could not argue with him and had to keep my mouth shut.


    Mr. Hyde is right, I am nearing the limit of my magical power.


    I have enough energy left in my body, but I hate myself for my half-hearted lack of magic power. .......


    "Geeeeeeeeeshaaaaa!"


    Then he hears the muffled cries of Barzinak.


    I looked and saw that Barzinak''s body had been pierced by countless arrows, and that many wounds had been caused by magic.


    An ordinary demon would have died out by now, but because of its huge size, it is still moving.


    "Don''t stop attacking!¡¡As planned, water magic and earth magic holders!


    Ouch!""""""


    Mr. Hyde, who had confirmed that Barzinak was almost fully wounded, shouted out instructions to the several warriors who were standing by in their respective units.


    The warriors who shouted vigorously put their hands on the ground, and with a yell, poured water magic into the feet of Barjinak. The warriors with earth magic manipulated the muddy ground to block Barjinak''s movements.


    "All of you!¡¡Attack at once!¡¡Those with little magic left, spears, swords, whatever!¡¡Throw them down and drain their strength!"


    ohohohoh!"""""


    All of the Nirvarna warriors present turned their full power to attack Barzinak.


    A cloud of dust makes Barzinak''s figure blur, but he is certainly there, and he is being attacked.


    Mr. Hyde himself confirms this with his own eyes, and he too puts a large amount of magical power into his right hand.


    "Under the circumstances, he''s going to eat me, isn''t he!


    Clenching his fist tightly, he raises his fist high to the sky and slams it down to the ground.


    The next moment, a thorn protruding from the ground pierced Barzinak''s head, which was hidden by a cloud of sand.


    With a momentary spasm, Barzinak''s strength is suddenly drained from his body.


    The smell of burning and the smoke from the sand make me frown, and I talk to Mr. Hyde.


    "Did you beat him?"


    "I''m sure I put a bullet through its head. He must have gone through the head. Even if he survived, he must be dying.


    Certainly, it would be more than enough to get away with it after that much magic.


    Gradually the dust cloud clears. While everyone in the room is still holding their weapons, Barzinak''s figure is revealed.


    "What?"


    Whose voice was that question .......


    After the smoke clears, Barzinak''s appearance is clearly different from what we had imagined.


    "Hey, no way. This is ......."


    Skin discolored to pure white.


    The head hollowed out like a shell.


    Shiny scales visible between the slightly torn skin.


    "Is it molting?


    "What the hell is that?¡¡Goosebumps!


    Tearing off its shelled outer skin, Barzinak lets out a deafening yelp as it sheds its skin.


    "It''s got self-regeneration, it''s foul ...... and I think it''s getting slightly bigger."


    Not only are the wounds inflicted by Mr. Hyde and the others recovering, but his huge body has grown even larger, perhaps due to his molting.


    "There are some extraordinary monsters out there, ......!"


    Mr. Hyde, what do we do?


    I''m going to get ready. Helena!¡¡Get everyone out of here while my men and I hold them back!


    Mr. Hyde, who has given instructions to Helena, pulls out an axe he has created from the ground.


    The warriors who still had some strength left in them readied their weapons as he did, and the fully molested Barzinak began to move.


    "Geeeeeeeshhhhhh!"


    "Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"


    The screams, stronger and more deafening than the previous ones, make you clutch your ears.


    After further growth and recovery, Barzinak breaks through the molted outer skin and fixes his head to our eyes.


    "Gishea ......"


    "!¡¡They''re going to come after us!"


    Barzinak approaches, licking his tongue.


    The warriors who fought so valiantly just now are no match for a man who has fully recovered. All of them were simply blown away by his tail, unable to exert their full strength due to their poisoned bodies.


    "Ferrum, n¨¦a!¡¡I''ll give it my best shot. ......!"


    <<>


    "Oh, God!"


    He faces Barzinak while making a black sword from his left arm.


    The situation is really, really bad.


    I don''t have much magic left, and the warriors present here, though they have some strength left, are hopelessly outmatched against a fully recovered Barzinak.


    "Sheaah!"


    Just as Barzinak opened his big mouth and was about to attack us, something glowed for a moment, and then a white spear-like object pierced soundlessly into Barzinak''s cheek.


    "...... what?"


    "That spear is ...... no way. ......"


    A white spear with a clear, icy tip.


    I almost screamed out at the familiarity of it, but eight transparent spears flew in following the first one and pierced Barzinak''s body in succession at an incredible speed.


    The impact sends Barzinak''s body overturning and slamming to the ground.


    "Gee, gee ......!"


    The transparent spear that pierced deep into his body emitted an intense cold air that froze his body and quickly blocked his movements.


    "What''s going on, ......?"


    Mr. Hyde is puzzled, but I fall to my knees in relief.


    I only know one person who can do this.


    The "spear" that had first been stuck in Barzinak moves of its own accord, flying towards us and ending up in the hand of a knight in armor behind us.


    I wonder why you are always so reckless.


    We turn around at the sound of a voice that is both exasperated and reassuring.


    ---I know that knight.


    Unlike before, he wears silver armor that emphasizes ease of movement, and his blond hair is tied back in a single bun.


    She came here with a white spear and looked at me with a somewhat awkward gesture.


    "I''m sorry. I''m sorry I''m late."


    "No, the timing couldn''t have been better."


    Leona-san is a woman recognized by the armor of the heroes created by the divine dragon, Lord Farga, and is the pride of Mialak.


    She is also a friend of mine who fought together with Mr. Karon to save him from being drowned by the dragon''s power, and she is the one who reminded me of what is important to me.


    She let out a small smile at my words and stepped out to stand next to me.


    Leona, the brave warrior of Mearaq. I take this moment to join you in this battle."


    She pointed the tip of her spear at Barzinak, who was frozen and unable to move, and declared.

 218 - - The Nineteenth.

    To be honest, it was more than unexpected that Leona came to the meeting.


    We had not received any prior notice that she was coming to help us, and above all, Mearaq was far away from here, and Mearaq itself was not fully recovered yet.


    "Excuse me. I''m Hyde and I''m in charge of this place. ...... Are you sure you are a brave man from Mialak?"


    Mr. Hyde speaks to Leona, who is wary of the stuck and flailing tailed Barzinak.


    "Yes. I received a royal order from the Queen Norn and rushed here.


    "You alone?"


    Leona nodded at Mr. Hyde''s words.


    She turned her attention to Barzinak, who was still frozen and unable to move.


    "For a while, I''ve blocked his movement. "I''ve blocked his movement for a little while, so you''d better get yourself in position.


    "...... I believe in you. Helena!¡¡Move those whose magic is depleted to the rear!¡¡Once again, let''s get into formation and take this creature down!"


    While Barzinak''s movements are blocked, Mr. Hyde calls for his men to retreat.


    Leona-san turned to me and took out a vial-like object from her pocket and handed it to me.


    "Usato, take this.


    "What?¡¡A vial?"


    Why are you giving me this ...... now?


    He takes it and tilts his head.


    Inside the vial was a translucent liquid, very similar to the potion that Norn, Queen of Mialak, used to drink.


    "Lady Falga gave it to me. It is a potion that restores magic power and also has a slight distracting effect.


    "Restoring magic power? ...... might be something incredibly valuable ......?"


    "Never mind. This is just what you need.


    Restore the amount of magic, huh?


    He gulps down some fresh saliva, removes the mouth of the vial and pours it down his throat in one gulp.


    The peculiar pungent smell and bitterness made me teary-eyed, but as I swallowed it down --- heat gradually rose in the center of my body.


    "Ugh ......!


    Usato!


    >


    I almost fall down, holding my chest, but Leona supports me before I can.


    "Don''t worry. It''s just that your body is generating heat in the process of recovering its magic power.


    "Yes. ......"


    "I''m sorry, but you''re going to have to listen to me."


    I listened to Leona''s story, tormented by the strange sensation of magic power being restored within me.


    "First of all, I apologize for the delay. We flew in the fastest small boat in Mearaq, but we were still very late.


    "No, it''s enough that you came to help us."


    In fact, it really helped us to keep Barzinak at bay.


    "Maybe that''s why Leona was late. ......"


    "Yeah."


    She nodded at my words.


    She would not have been late if she had been in the fight from the beginning.


    "I was late, but I brought what Falga entrusted to me here."


    "!¡¡Is it here?"


    "No. It''s gone to those who have already been approved as bearers.


    The next moment after Leona-san said those words, a white radiance and a bouncing electric shock was emitted from the direction where Senpai and Kazuki were fighting with Koga and Amira.


    With it, my right hand and Leona''s spear trembled as if in resonance.


    I see that the "armor of the brave" made by Mr. Farga has finally passed to the two of us. I am happy as I hold my vibrating right hand in my palm.


    Finally, the armor of the brave was delivered to Senpai and Kazuki.


    They will have to use it on their own, but I am sure that they will be able to master it.


    "Thank you, Leona-san. I really appreciate it."


    "I''m doing this to repay you. For me, this is not enough."


    I feel like I''m being helped all the time.


    And Ferm. I feel like I''m being hit from the inside of my clothes, what is it?¡¡Is he trying to release the heat by hitting me?


    Or is it that he is surprisingly shy in front of Leona ......?


    "You''ve also ...... changed a lot in the little time I''ve been away from you.


    "Ha-ha-ha, a little fusion with one of my friends?¡¡I''m kind of merging with one of my friends.


    "...... hmm?¡¡Hmm?"


    I was not sure if I had explained myself well enough or not, but they tilted their heads at me.


    Nea, who couldn''t help but notice this, talked to Leona.


    "Ah, I think it makes sense if you consider that this guy is doing what he always does."


    "...... I see."


    Why would they be convinced?


    I mean, what do you mean by "doing business as usual"?¡¡It sounds to me like you are always doing things that are equivalent to assimilating with Ferrum.


    "...... Okay."


    The heat that had been rising from within recedes.


    My depleted magical energy has recovered by about 40%. This much magic is enough.


    I''m fine now.


    "Mm-hmm."


    I get away from Leona and stand up by myself.


    Looking around, I see that Mr. Hyde has set up a formation and is ready to attack Barzinak.


    "Usato. What are you going to do now?


    "I''m going to stay here and help the wounded."


    "Huh. Then I guess I''ll be rubbing elbows with you once more.


    Leona spins her spear with a somewhat happy look on her face, and eight ice spears float in the air around her.


    Seeing her completely accepting herself as a brave person, I was somewhat happy in spite of the situation, and I couldn''t help but let out a smile.


    "I don''t know if I can be of any help this time, but I will try my best."


    What we need to do has not changed from the beginning.


    For Senpai, Kazuki, and Rose, who are now fighting at a critical juncture, we will protect this front.


    I made up my mind in my mind to do so, and looked at Barzinak, who was about to start moving again after the freeze had been lifted.


    I was so determined inside that I looked at Barzinak, who was about to move once again.


    "Haaaaah!"


    "Ooh!"


    He swings his two swords, both covered with electric shocks, and engages in a swordfight with Amira.


    The heat was so intense that it almost burned my skin, and the blows were powerful enough to incapacitate me.


    "Not with such a weapon!"


    "d*mn. ......"


    In just a few strokes, both swords shattered.


    With a cluck of his tongue, he leaps backward, repelling a thrust to the heart with an electrified palm.


    As soon as he lands, he picks up his sword and spear, which are discarded on the ground, and strikes again at Amira.


    "You have tremendous power!¡¡You remind me of an ogre!


    She throws her spear, which is covered with electric shocks, at Amira while provoking her.


    You are terribly fast! You are like a dog running around!


    "You call me a dog for nothing!"


    I thought you were a wolf or something!


    But how could Amira, who could burn up an approaching spear with a single swing of her sword, think that she is a knight only for her strength?


    She is not an ordinary warrior when she responds to the continuous attacks with her speed.


    As I was thinking of a way out, mixing blitzes and sword attacks, dodging attacks and flames, Amira, looking somewhat irritated, stopped and clutched her own sword in both hands.


    "That''s depressing, let''s burn them at the stake ......!"


    "Yes!"


    Amira, her sword held in the lower position, the flames in her arms flaring up even more.


    I shivered with a definite chill and immediately tried to jump down from the spot, but she raised her sword with extraordinary heat and spirit and flashed the flames.


    "d*mn,...... what flames,......!"


    I let out a cry of anguish as I landed on the ground, throwing off the scorched armor on my right shoulder.


    I''ve been hit a little, but I''m fine ...... to move, but the force of the explosion is astounding.


    Amira is looking sprightly as she approaches with slow steps amidst the orange flames. The only attack he makes is shallow and not fatal.


    "I''m so far away from you too, Kazuki-kun. ......"


    Barely visible to the naked eye, Kazuki is also engaged in a fierce battle with a demon man named Koga.


    His opponent is a demon tribe with physical abilities comparable to Usato''s and magic of the dark system.


    If possible, I would like to defeat Amira and join him as soon as possible, but that''s not an easy task.


    "---?"


    I threw away the sword on the ground and was about to pick up the nearest sword when I saw something shining in the sky.


    What is it?¡¡I looked up at Amira, who was approaching me with flames in her eyes, and noticed that the glowing object was falling straight down toward me.


    "What?"


    Two shiny spheres of gold and silver.


    They split in mid-air, the silver sphere falling toward Kazuki-kun and the gold sphere falling toward me---bouncing with intense light, releasing an overflowing electric shock that turned the area around us into a golden color.


    The light was too bright for me to open my eyes, but I heard someone''s unfamiliar voice in my ears.


    The voice was heavy and solemn, yet somehow gentle.


    With it, my vision, flooded with light, is filled with another scene, one that is not of the battlefield.


    A memory of when I was summoned to this world.


    The memory of when I visited Usato at the rescue mission.


    I remember when I was lost in the darkness of Lingle.


    Other memories, such as the time when I was almost killed by the black knight, and the time when I traveled away from Usato and Kazuki in Lukvis, run through my mind like a running light.


    I saw it and understood it immediately.


    These are not my memories, but Usato''s memories.


    "Are you kidding me? ......?


    What is this? I''ve been this weird on the side!


    I''ve done too many things!


    Of course, Usato would react like that!


    I''m such a pain in the ass!


    I manage to endure in agony an experience that I would never have had in my original world.


    "Give shape to my heart, ......?"


    I don''t know what is happening now.


    But I know that the reason why I am not being attacked by Amira is because the light covering me is protecting me.


    Trusting the voice and the golden light that is thrown to me, I slowly meditate.


    Gradually, the light covering me fades away, and the next time I open my eyes, I see the same battlefield scene as before.


    In front of me is Amira, staring at me with her eyes wide open.


    "You, what is that? ......"


    Hmm?"


    I''m talking about the weapon in your hand.


    "Buki?"


    I am at a loss for words as I look at my hand which Amira points to as she says.


    In my hand was a weapon that had not been there before.


    Katana?


    I was so shocked that I couldn''t help but stammer ......!


    The sword was in a black scabbard with a yellow and black pattern on the hilt, and the tsubame was a conspicuous gold color.


    A Japanese sword---something that in this world can only be found in the swords used by the previous generation of heroes, was now in my hands.


    "This, Usato-kun, is the ...... weapon of my own personal hero."


    To be honest, I don''t know much about swords.


    But I do know that this thing in my hand is a weapon that will maximize my power.


    With this in mind, I was about to raise my weapon to Amira when...,


    "...... what?"


    Suddenly, someone''s voice came from the sword.


    I quickly look at Amira, but she is tilting her head as if she doesn''t hear anything.


    Only I can hear it. ......!


    I mean, could this possibly be what it is?¡¡I mean, isn''t this what we can call the royal road?


    "At last, a talking weapon in my hands!"


    <>


    She turns her attention back to her sword as she is about to be hit by Amira''s attack.


    No, wait a minute. Falga is the ...... that Usato-kun was talking about?


    "Watch out!"


    "How long are you going to stand there? Are you licking my lips?


    I wipe my forehead as I dodge the flames that are almost upon me.


    The sword that calls itself "Farga" is shouting a harsh scolding voice at me as I move some distance away.


    <


    "Yes, sorry. ......"


    I am amazed at how much more tongue-tied Mr. Farga is than I expected.


    Every foreigner I talk to is so harsh that it makes me want to cry.


    "Wow, okay."


    Following the words of Master Farga, he pulls the sword from its scabbard, revealing a silvery-white blade with a wavy pattern engraved on it.


    The blade is constantly charged with electric current, and when I pull the entire blade out of the scabbard, a purple electricity flows from the hilt of the sword to my body, as if something is released.


    It is the same sensation as "Thunder Beast Mode," but different.


    It was as if the blasts were circulating efficiently through this sword to my vessel, instead of spreading them needlessly as before.


    "This is ......!"


    .


    "Huh?"


    "Where are you looking ......!"


    Amira, accelerated by exploding flames, is coming at me, ready to cut off my head in two.


    I immediately try to fly to the side, clad in electric blasts, but then I experience an acceleration beyond what I had expected.


    ---I didn''t activate the thunder beast mode, but it accelerated more than that. ......!


    "??!"


    I stare at the charred footprints on the ground, having moved more than 30 meters in an instant.


    <<


    "You can move ...... faster with surprisingly low consumption of magic ......."


    Re-gripping my sword, I move lightly and try to get back to the spot where I was.


    The speed is unparalleled.


    "Ability?"


    Yes, sir!


    I put the scabbard to the belt where the sword was kept, and with my right hand gripping the sword, I turn to face Amira.


    Amira, too, seems to have sensed my arrival and moves into a defensive posture with her sword at the ready.


    "I''m coming!


    I wrap myself in the purple electricity transmitted from my sword, lower myself, and leap forward at the same time.


    I stare at her as she tries to hit me with a precise counterattack.


    "Yes!"


    I put my right hand through the blade and cast a spell on the blade.


    The silvery-white blade glows and begins to emit a powerful cracking sound.


    When he tries to clash it with Amira''s sword, which is covered with flames, she forcibly changes the direction of the sword and slams it to the ground.


    She dodges the flaming debris that bounces off the ground, and is astonished by Amira''s action.


    "She deflected the sword!


    <


    "I know that better than you do!"


    While I was saying this, Amira pulled up the sword that had hit the ground, forcing it to change its trajectory to a cleaving blow to my torso.


    I can''t get a good angle on the sword at this angle: ......!


    There''s no need to bother with the fight, let''s just go with the speed and go for the win!


    "Ha......!"


    He leaps and avoids the sword at the same time, spinning in the air with the same momentum and fixing his gaze on Amira''s neck.


    --He spins in the air and fixes his gaze on Amira''s neck.


    He cleaves Amira''s neck while his vision is upside down.


    I won''t let you!


    But he''s no match for her.


    She sets her armor on fire and pushes me out of her body with a blast of hot air, and my attempted neck cleave is only held back by a slight cut to the armor on her shoulder.


    You missed ......!


    As I moved away to regain my stance, an electric shock shot out from the blade that had been etched into Amira''s shoulder armor and struck her.


    "What?¡¡Ugh ......!"


    An electric shock was emitted from the place where I cut her ......?


    Amira fell to her knees after being hit by an electric shock, and Falga-sama uttered in a calm tone of voice.


    If you lightly cut the ground with the sword, an electric shock gushes out after a few seconds.


    I see ...... that it may be possible to set it up like a trap, depending on how it is used.


    "Well, let''s take this opportunity to strike afterwards ......."


    While Amira is frightened, he tries to attack her, but the purple electricity around his body disappears and his movements return to normal speed.


    The magic in the blade has also disappeared, and the sword has returned to its normal form.


    "What?¡¡You can''t use it anymore?


    I was just about to jump out of the plane in high spirits!


    I was shocked, and Falga-sama let out a sigh of exasperation.


    <


    "Re-charging, isn''t that romantic ......!"


    >


    The negatives can also be positives, depending on how you look at it.


    In my case, the romance of recharging my batteries is what keeps my spirits up and my spirits up.


    >


    "Thank you very much for your advice!¡¡If possible, I would like to talk to you in person next time!"


    <>


    "...... Huh?"


    His voice trailed off as if he were hanging up the phone.


    What is this? I guess the connection got cut off before I could respond, right?¡¡It''s not like he naturally refused to meet me, right?


    "You are indeed a brave ...... man, but it would be disrespectful of you to praise me just for being brave."


    "......!"


    "Let me say my name again. My name is Amira Berggred. I am one of the warriors without a ...... title in the service of the Demon Lord."


    Amira looks back at us, throwing off her scorched cloak.


    The damage from the blitz must have taken a toll on her body, but I feel more pressure and spirit from her than before, and I put my hand on the hilt of the sword I sheathed.


    ......It''s only polite that I should say my name now that she has said it.


    I am Suzune. I am Suzune Inukami.


    "Hmph, how easily you outdo us in human flesh! Man is truly a terrifying thing. .......


    Amira continues with these words, and once again she is clad in flaming armor.


    The heat is incomparable to what we have seen so far.


    Feeling the flames on her skin, which can be felt even from more than ten meters away, she understands how much power she will put into her next blow.


    "Inukami Suzune!¡¡I will not let you leave here alive!¡¡For the sake of the Demon Lord!¡¡I will reap what I sow with my life!


    "You see, ......!¡¡I''m afraid I have to make it back alive!¡¡I''ll go over it, no matter what!"


    I draw my sword and throw the scabbard to the ground. I stare only at Amira, clutching the hilt with both hands.


    I don''t use iai, which is a spur-of-the-moment technique.


    It would be rude to use such a technique against her now.


    "Let''s go! ......!"


    I''ll put all the magic I''ve charged into this blow. ......!


    The magic covering the blade accelerates and begins to vibrate with an overflowing electric charge.


    "Come on!"


    Amira''s voice, and he steps forward with all his might, keeping his sword in the lower stance.


    In an instant, I reach my maximum speed and swing my sword at Amira, shaking off the heat.


    In contrast, Amira swung her sword at me with precision, as if she had anticipated my move.


    "......!"


    "Haaah!"


    The sword clashed with the flaming sword and the blazing sword.


    Their magic power bursts out, hurting each other''s bodies like blades, but that doesn''t stop their feet from stepping forward.


    "If you pull back here, you will lose for sure. ......!"


    Amira''s blow right now is literally a full-throated blow. She is executing her moves with no thought of the future, but only the will to slaughter me for sure!


    Though I have no reason to fight for my life like Amira does!¡¡I have a reason to make it out alive!


    I hold my breath and put all my strength into my hands gripping the hilt and my feet stepping forward.


    You meditate and let out your voice as you feel your emotions.


    "Whoa!¡¡Usato-kun!


    "!!!?"


    With a yell that even he doesn''t recognize, he leaps forward with all the strength he can muster with his sword.


    I fall to the ground as if passing Amira, and I throw myself down so that I roll on the ground.


    "Haa...... haa...... what did you just scream?¡¡Me!"


    I think I made a terrible yell.


    No, it''s Amira!


    What happened to her!


    I got up in a hurry and looked at the place where Amira had been and found her slumped over, clutching a sword that had been severed in half, as if it had been dissolved.


    Blood was flowing from her side where the attack had hit, but she still seemed to be alive.


    "She was a much ...... stronger foe than that thunder beast."


    He was clearly more prepared, more spirited, and more experienced than I was.


    It is a pity, but without this sword, I might not have been able to defeat her.


    "I guess I pushed myself a little too hard. ......That was it. ......"


    As expected, I was not all right either, and my body is covered with scratches here and there.


    I try to put the scabbard back in my hand and suddenly realize that I have not given this sword a name.


    "I have to give this sword a name. ......"


    Naming means intuition.


    Inukirimaru (Inukirimaru)...... No, there seems to be an anecdote about him slaying a dog demon, so it was rejected.


    Raikou...... doesn''t look like a sword, so it was rejected.


    While resting, I think for a few seconds and decide on a name for the sword.


    "......I''m going to name this sword "Inumaru". Yes. Simple is best.


    I''ll brag about it to Usato-kun later.


    I decided to do so even though I was in agony from the physical pain.

 219 - - Episode 200

    The battle with Koga was so fierce that it could be described as a grinding contest.


    Koga attacked with high-speed movement, which was unbelievable for a demon tribe, and I tried to respond with magic bullets and their applications.¡¡Neither of us had a decisive blow, and the battle turned into one in which both sides simply wore each other out.


    In the midst of such a battle, a change occurred.


    .


    In the middle of the battle with Koga, a mysterious floating object suddenly fell.


    It was shining silver and emitted a huge light as if it burst right above me, and at that moment, I heard such a voice.


    When I opened my eyelids, I found that the world I could see was completely white, and on my left palm, the only part of my hand that I could see properly, was a silvery sphere-like object.


    "......"


    Somehow, I know that the owner of the voice is not an enemy.


    That is why I could not understand why the voice was saying such a thing along with the memory of Usato''s point of view.


    However, I thought it was meaningful and tried to form my mind as he said.


    While concentrating on my left hand, which was holding the sphere, I opened my mouth in a small voice.


    "......I''m not as dexterous as everyone says I am.


    I am a weak man who is extremely clumsy in social interaction and who shies away from making important choices when faced with them, unable to move forward on my own.


    What do other people think of me?¡¡And if I think about what other people think of me, I am afraid of knowing it and can''t take the plunge, and in the end, I have to do nothing but wait for the time to pass with a hazy feeling.


    "But ......"


    ---I chose to fight in this world because I wanted to.


    I took up the sword to do my best for my friends, for those who love me, for my fellow man. Even if I am torn to pieces as I am now, I can assure you that I have no regrets or mistakes for the decision I made that night in front of Usato.


    "Yeah ......?"


    As he thinks about this, the silver light intensifies and gathers on his left arm.


    With it, the light that was brightly illuminating the surroundings subsides, dissipates and disappears like particles, and at the same time, the surrounding scenery returns to that of the battlefield.


    Looking ahead in confusion, I see Koga, enveloped in black magic, standing a few dozen meters away from me with his arms crossed, listening to me.


    "Oh, he finally showed himself!"


    "What in the world is ......?"


    "I didn''t expect to be surrounded by light in the middle of a battle. ...... is that a new power in your left arm?¡¡Hmm?"


    Koga tells me and I gasp as I look at my left arm.


    He gasped as he looked at his left arm.


    It was very similar to Usato''s basket hand, but the atmosphere emanating from it and the power flowing into his body through the basket hand was extraordinary.


    >


    "!¡¡Are you ......?"


    The same voice as before echoed in my head.


    I turn my attention from Koga, who is tilting his head to look at me, to the basket hand from which the voice originated.


    <


    "...... Is it correct that this is the armor of the brave that Usato was talking about?"


    <


    Surprised to hear a voice coming from the cage, I guessed that the voice belonged to the Lord Farga, the divine dragon of Mialak whom Usato had mentioned.


    I don''t know why this timing is, but at this very moment, the armor of the brave has come to me.


    "Dangerous, stuff: ......"


    Mr. Farga is right.


    Whatever is touched by my magic disappears. I myself am no exception, so it is almost impossible to wrap it around a fist or a sword.


    The fact that I am able to compensate for this difficulty with my cage hand gives me more freedom in the way I fight.


    I grip the sword with my right hand and take a stance.


    Koga, who had been watching silently, lets out an innocent smile.


    "Oops, are you done talking to yourself yet?"


    "......"


    "Well, then, I''ll take my chances!


    With a burst of magic power, Koga moves from the spot at high speed.


    As soon as he starts to move, he releases several magic bullets from his left hand and places them around himself, and then he notices that he hears something being sucked from his cage hand.


    "What?¡¡Has the magic power been restored?"


    ...... Photosynthesis?


    No, though it is not nutrition but magic that is converted.


    Anyway!¡¡I don''t have to worry about running out of magic power!"


    He moved around like a quadruped, and when he gained speed, he raised his distorted claws and attacked with an outburst of magic.


    In response, he sent a magic projectile drifting toward it and cut it up with the sword he clutched in his right hand.


    I can already see your move!


    Then how about this!


    He ducks the magic projectile with an irregular move, then reverses his sword and dodges it.


    Koga notices something stirring behind him, and at the same time, something like a tail is approaching.


    "A tail?


    There you go!


    Did it grow a tail ......?¡¡This makes me feel less and less like I''m fighting a man!


    He immediately defends himself with his sword, but just as the tail hits him, the sword in his right hand shatters from the base of the hilt.


    "Ugh!"


    You couldn''t stand it. ......!


    Koga bared his fangs and tried to cut me into pieces, and I continuously unleashed magic power using the basket hand on my left arm...,


    <<


    "Ah!¡¡Yes!"


    He places his left hand on the broken part of the sword, absorbs the surrounding magic projectiles, and reconstitutes the light magic as a blade.


    A sword with the magical power of extinction--or should I say an artificial magic sword ......!¡¡With this, you can go unprotected!


    He strikes the sword, which is lighter than a normal sword, at the approaching Koga.


    "Ha, ha, that''s how it''s done!"


    The sword deflects away from his body, and although he avoids a direct hit, he succeeds in cutting away Koga''s magical armor and inflicts a laceration from his chest to his shoulder area.


    Koga tried to distance himself from me while holding the wound, but it was not to be.


    Gripping the sword in both hands, I took a thrusting stance, releasing the light magic concentrated on a single point.


    "Flash Point Sword No. 2!


    What?


    The blade of the sword is ejected with the release of magic power.


    This is a simple enhanced version of the flashpoint sword, but with this cage, it can correct its trajectory and track the opponent!


    "What a tricky move!"


    Giving up on running away, Koga swings both of his enlarged arms in a wide arc and hits the approaching blade of magic with both arms, causing it to explode with magical power and neutralizing the attack.


    ......It may be difficult to land a fatal blow as long as the outburst of magic power cancels it out.


    He creates a blade of light again on the sword, which is now only a hilt, and glances at Koga.


    Koga understands the danger of stepping in too easily, so he will not use the same strategy again.


    <


    "Yes."


    He replies to Mr. Farga''s voice.


    He lets out a small sigh and speaks in a quiet voice.


    <


    "Huh?"


    The unexpected word makes my mind go blank for a moment.


    I involuntarily look away from Koga, wondering what he means.


    "But how can I ......"


    >


    "Usato and senpai ......"


    Indeed, the two of you don''t fight in a suffocating way like I do.


    They have been free to go with their intuition and ...... sometimes come up with a technique on the spot to break the ice.


    "I''ll try it too without thinking too hard. ....... Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Farga."


    <>


    "Yes, I''ll see what I can do."


    <>


    "Yes, ......!"


    I replied, and then I heard nothing more from Mr. Farga.


    ......Usato was right, he was a kind-hearted man.


    I regained my composure and stretched my cheek, and turned my attention to Koga, who was covering the cut area with black magic.


    "Now, let''s not think too hard.


    He floats a magic bullet in his palm and lets it drift around him.


    He holds the sword of light in his opposite hand, taking a slow, deep breath while simultaneously manipulating about 30 magic bullets.


    "Your face has changed.


    "Yeah, I thought I''d go on a rampage like Usato."


    At my words, Coga''s shoulders shook in a funny way.


    I couldn''t see his expression because of the mask, but it seemed to me that he was not mocking me but simply amused.


    "Haha, can you do it?¡¡"I don''t know if I can say this, but I''m pretty good at it. He is."


    I''ll do it.


    He draws a magic bullet near him and sends it flying toward Koga, bouncing it with the sword of light in his opposite hand.


    He runs toward the cogwheel with the magic bullet in tow.


    "You came at me yourself!


    "You''re not going to catch me if I don''t!"


    This is the first time he has attacked Coga himself in a fight.


    Seeing me approaching, Koga produced four scythes from his back and tried to intercept me while dealing with the magic bullets he had me fire at him.


    The sword of light, wielded at the same time as the rush, collides with Koga''s arm, which utilizes the outburst of magic power.


    "Huh!"


    "Ahh!" "Ohh!"


    The thorns created by the outburst of magic power cannot be easily erased even with my magical power.


    Instead of striking each other, I let go of the hilt of my sword and move into melee combat. ......!


    I can do it!


    I''ll skewer you first!


    He swings his magic-clad hands carelessly to shave off Koga''s mask and the magical thorns protruding from his chest area.


    "Ha ha!¡¡You''re really good!¡¡That magic!"


    "......!"


    Koga''s expression was like that of an innocent child as he jumped backward and said these words happily.


    He is enjoying the battle that could kill him in an instant if he makes a wrong move.


    I am sure that I will never be able to face this guy no matter what. Convinced of this, and biting his teeth with unspoken emotions, he pulls several magic bullets toward him.


    "I won''t let you get away!"


    He concentrates the magic bullets floating at his feet into one and kicks them away with all his might. ......


    The magic bullet, which was sent out based on the same principle as Usato''s healing magic bullet, splits up as soon as it is in front of Koga, and attacks his body.


    Even so, the scythe on his back defends against the majority of them, but some of them snatch at his legs and gouge them out.


    "G......!?"


    As he was about to fall to the ground and his movements slowed down, he put his right hand on his left arm, converting the surrounding light into magic power and concentrating it into a basket hand---triggering the system reinforcement.


    You can''t run away on that foot!¡¡I will finish you here!


    "Strengthening <>......!"


    The basket hand, filled with magic power, begins to make a deafening squeaking sound.


    With that, I turned my palm toward Koga and released it with a yell.


    "Eat me!


    The released light magic power became a torrent with a strong radiance, and it eroded the scenery in front of my eyes.


    A wide-area attack with light-based magic.


    I myself can''t even keep my eyes open because of the sheer brilliance of the light.


    When the light subsides after a few seconds of brief release, the ground in front of me is scraped into a fan shape, and even the armor that had been thrown away on the ground vanishes, and everything is gone.


    "You did it ......?"


    There was no sign of Koga.


    ...... too powerful. This can''t be used in a crowded battle.


    "......!"


    A dull pain shoots through his left arm.


    I saw that something like smoke was being released from the gap between the baskets, and that the baskets themselves were also heated.


    I don''t feel the heat itself, but ...... it seems that this technique is quite demanding.


    It is too convenient to use magic power as much as you want. .......


    "For now, we''re done here..."


    But it''s not over yet!


    What?


    I turn around at the sound of an unheard voice and see Koga about to slam his fist into my face.


    Sora!


    "Gugu......!"


    I catch him with my basket hand and look at him from a distance... and I am speechless.


    Koga''s left arm was gone from the second arm onward.


    "If I had escaped a little later, he would have disappeared without a trace. Hahahaha."


    "What the ...... f*ck is wrong with you ...... you''re not ...... sane."


    "I love fighting more than anything."


    As he said these words without hesitation, he released black magic power from his lost left arm and formed it into the shape of his former left arm.


    As he splits it into tentacles or transforms it into a blade, Koga still smiles at me with the same belligerent smile.


    "You don''t understand, do you?¡¡Well, there are people out there like me who''ve only known it for a while.


    "......"


    "But, well, he was the only one who understood that and fought (or played) with me. I appreciate that. I really am."


    After saying this, Koga transforms his left arm, which was formed by his magic power, into a sickle shape.


    Do I have to fight this guy again ......!


    I try to put magic power into my left arm too, but at that moment, I notice five big shadows coming down from above.


    "Master Koga!"


    A soldier of the Demon King''s army riding a flying dragon comes down to intervene between me and Koga.


    The five flying dragons are roaring menacingly at me, and the soldier riding on their backs is calling out to the dubious-looking Koga.


    The soldier on their backs calls out to the dubious KOGA, "KOGA-sama, please stand down!


    "What?¡¡What do you mean?


    What do you mean?" "The order from the assistant to the first corps commander!¡¡I have the same order for Amira!


    "...... all you''ve done is stall the heroes and the healing wizard. I''m as pathetic as I can be. ....... I understand. I think I''ll head back to the main camp for a while.


    Coga jumps onto the back of the flying dragon with a slight slump of his shoulders.


    Just as the flying dragon with Koga on it was about to take to the sky, I came to my senses and tried to drop the dragon with a magic bullet, but it was repelled by my left arm, which was waved like a whip.


    "Wait!"


    "Wait!" "I''m sorry I''m halfway through. Brave man of light, let''s continue when we meet again.


    I won''t let you get away with this!


    They attempted to bring down the flying dragon, but soldiers riding the dragon blocked their way.


    I wanted to make sure one of the corps leaders was taken care of right here and now. ......!


    That''s an enemy we can''t leave alone.


    It grows stronger in battle, and it will act out of the ordinary.


    Above all, its will to fight is extraordinary.


    We have already cleared away the attacking soldiers and the flying dragon, but the dragon has already flown high into the sky where our magic cannot reach.


    I could only stare in frustration at Koga''s flying dragon as it flew away from me.

 220 - - Twenty-one.

    In this battle, as the doctor of demons, my task is simple: I am entrusted with the management of Barzinak.


    I am to follow him to the battlefield, control my beloved creation, Barzinak, and watch as the enemy soldiers are overrun by overwhelming violence.


    "Mr. Hulk, what is happening to Barzinak?"


    "He has evolved even more now that he has shed his skin for the first time. Well, that''s my masterpiece!"


    A mature man with gray hair all back, Mr. Gilead, the assistant to the first corps commander, is talking to me as I look into the crystal that is connected to Barzinak''s field of vision.


    He is one of the few elders among the many young people in the demon army, and he speaks to me in a mild tone that gives me the impression that he has plenty of time on his hands.


    "That''s a big deal. If you call it a masterpiece, then I think it is safe to assume that the front will hold a little longer.


    "Yes. But it''s a shame the other girls were taken out so easily. And skewered! Skewered!¡¡It''s too cruel!


    The earth-magic wizard has destroyed the normal-sized Barzinak.


    It seems that the old type of Barzinak couldn''t react to the magical attack from the ground.


    Part of me feels that it can''t be helped, but I still feel frustrated.


    "But, are you sure?¡¡Is it okay if we evacuate the 2nd corps leader and Amira?


    "You two are an important asset to our tribe. Amira, you will literally fight to the death, so I think we have to stop here. We cannot let them die in vain."


    "......Well, I guess it''s better that I was able to fulfill my minimal role of stopping the heroes in their tracks."


    The second corps leader, Koga, and his subordinate, former third corps leader Amira, were each engaged in battle with the heroes, while the first corps assistant leader, a mature demoness named Gilead, ordered them to retreat and avoid fighting with the heroes.


    Although they did a good job in the end because they stopped the two heroes who were a pain in the butt for us, --- the second corps commander was almost acting on his own initiative.


    At least if the Third Corps Commander hadn''t been captured. ......"


    Her capture was unexpected, even for us.


    It''s at times like this that I wish the new corps leader, Hannah, who seems to have a very bad personality.


    She is good on the outside but black on the inside, she would have made the war situation better, but she was captured by the humans.


    Those who reported it to me said, <>or <>I can understand why the battlefield is in such chaos without the leader of the third corps.


    "Thanks to you, the only one in command is the assistant to the 1st corps commander.


    No, no, I can do just fine if you want me to command. But the current war situation is not good.


    "Yeah, I guess so."


    He mutters as if he were talking about something else, but now that the Third Corps commander''s brainwashing of the other side''s soldiers has been broken, the other side is slowly picking up.


    "......The battle ahead will be a war of attrition. Mr. Hulk, please inform your commanders to hit the demons as much as possible to minimize the casualties of their allies.


    "Yes, sir."


    I wrote down the message on a piece of paper in my hand, and then I tied it to the collar of a glow wolf I had trained to deliver the message, which was waiting nearby.


    As I watched them off, I noticed Mr. Gilead nearby muttering something.


    "It would be best if we could win with our current strength,...... but if that is not possible, we must make the minimum preparations before the Demon Lord gives up on us,......."


    "Hmm?¡¡What''s wrong with the Mad King?


    "......"


    Mr. Gilead kept his mouth shut with a serious expression on his face.


    His eyes were fixed on the large tornado that was making its strange presence felt on the battlefield---the out-of-the-ordinary wind magic created by the Commander of the First Legion.


    ......I don''t think you''re going to answer my question, so I''ll ask another one.


    "Are you worried about the First Commander?"


    "Yes. Yes. He is fighting an opponent whom Master Nero calls his arch-enemy.


    He meditates and continues to mutter his words.


    "Probably ......."


    "Hmm?"


    "Perhaps, when Nero-sama''s battle is over, this battle will be decided. ......"


    ...... What''s going on?¡¡Just because two demons and a human are fighting, does that mean the war is over?


    Just as he was about to pursue the question, the image on the crystal that shared Barzinak''s vision shook dramatically.


    A boy dressed in a mixture of black and white and a woman holding a white spear landed at the tip of Barzinak''s nose.


    "Hmm?"


    The next moment I recognized them, the crystal that shared Barzinak''s vision reflected the scene of a boy rushing toward me at a strange speed, followed by a chunk of ice slamming into me.


    The vision reverses and Barzinak is slammed to the ground, his body bound by earth manipulation magic.


    ......Baldinak is still alive and well.


    This is not enough to kill him,...... but it will ...... not be enough!


    "Aren''t these humans too barbaric......?"


    I could do nothing but mutter in dismay at the sight of something so far removed from reality.


    I was stunned.


    The battle we''ve been waiting for, it sounds good.


    In the tornado that I had created, fighting Rose, I had thrown away my duties as the Commander of the First Corps and just concentrated on the battle.


    The way Rose, a healing magician, fights is terribly simple.


    She uses everything around her to her advantage and beats up her opponents.


    It''s as if you know how to fight just by listening to ......, but that''s what makes it so irresistibly tricky.


    "Hey!"


    "Mwah ......!"


    Rose''s fist grazes his cheek.


    She flips her sword and tries to slice through the empty torso while her wind armor is pierced, but it is deflected by her other hand.


    He is able to accurately strike the belly of the sword, a feat that is a testament to his inhuman reflexes.


    He continues to attack and defend, dodging, parrying, and sometimes crushing the start of an attack, slicing and dicing around the perimeter.


    "You haven''t changed, you ......!"


    "Ha, that''s a mistake!


    Each time her wounds are healed by the healing magic, Rose''s body gets new wounds carved by the wind blade.


    But it is not because Rose could not avoid it.


    From the very beginning, she had no intention of even avoiding the blades of wind that cut through the thin skin of her body.


    "You are the only one who would try to fight with me, relying on your extraordinary recovery!"


    In the first place, you are mistaken if you think you can kill me with that level of attack!


    It was the same in the previous battle.


    Except for attacks with the magic sword and attacks that he considered dangerous, he did not avoid them, but rather tried to attack even while receiving them.


    And he did this right after he had determined that there was no special effect of magic through the magic sword.


    I know of no other human being who is so terrifying.


    "Hu......!"


    She is so close that her sword''s movement is restricted, and she is relentlessly trying to break through the wind armor with all her limbs.


    In fact, even the most solid armor of the wind will be broken if it is attacked by her continuously.


    But even I have not been spending all my time practicing without thinking.


    I wrap my left hand in wind magic and swing it as if to stab... but before I can make a move, Rose head-butts me with tremendous force, crushing the start of my attack.


    "!"


    "Shut up ......!¡¡What a bunch of crap!¡¡Hey!¡¡You''re still using nothing but tricks!"


    His cheek healed instantly from the slash with his hand, and he smiles to himself at her wildly challenging him.


    "You''re just playing small, don''t tell me. ......!"


    The impact passes through, but does not wound.


    He sprawls backward, swinging his arm to create several small vortices of wind, which he directs at Rose, whose cheek is bleeding.


    Rose, however, did not care about them, and erased them all with a kick of her leg.


    The technique worked on Usato, but it would be of no use against her.


    He changes his mind and rushes forward before she can thrust her fist out.


    They collide, and while shifting into a position to clash with each other''s forearms, he strengthens his wind armor with all his might and meets Rose''s monstrous strength head-on.


    "As I thought, you are strong."


    "Is that what you came here to say?"


    Rose, who had forced me off the ground with only the strength of her arms, raised her right leg high and slammed her heel into the ground.


    "Hey!"


    With a vibration that could be mistaken for an earthquake, the ground cracks into a spider web as Rose swings her right foot down, and the foothold collapses.


    Rose, who had been in the pocket before she knew it, slammed her right arm into his chest, drawing it in a wide arc.


    "---!"


    His vision reverses, and he flies through the air.


    She was launched into the air with her fist. ......!


    "Whee!"


    He adjusts his stance in the air and fires a series of invisible blades of wind at Rose below him.


    Rose, on the other hand, runs on the ground as if she can see the blades of wind, avoiding the attacks.


    The blades of wind that hit the ground cut the ground into blocks, and the magical power of the wind raises them up, transforming the battlefield.


    "How dare you avoid me!"


    Perhaps he is avoiding them with only the slight flow of air and his senses.


    As you feel as if you are facing a beast that is driven by instinct, you realize that Rose is approaching you and is throwing something at you, and you respond with your sword.


    "...... gravel!"


    I should scoff at the childishness of it, but gravel is gravel thrown by Rose''s arm strength.


    A direct hit would pierce through my wind armor and create a wind tunnel.


    It is more fearsome than magic.


    As I landed on the ground, cutting down the approaching debris with my sword, Rose thrust her fist into the ground raised by my magic and threw it toward me with only the strength of her arm.


    There you go!


    I cut it off as it comes close to crush me.


    Ahead of me, I see Rose carrying an even bigger chunk of rock, and with a leap, she is about to slam it down on me..,


    "Crush!"


    "......!"


    The target was completely hit in the face, and a rock mass hit it directly from above as if crushing it.


    Rose deploys his wind armor to the maximum to defend himself, but the rocks pile up as if to smash him further, and as a final push, Rose strikes him with his fist.


    "...... you can''t beat me with brute force alone!"


    He releases his wind armor for a moment to create a gap, then swings his sword sideways and chops away a chunk of rock.


    He rises from the rubble as if he were popping.


    "You really are a stubborn son of a b*tc*, aren''t you?"


    "That makes two of us, doesn''t it?"


    Rose sarcastically replies as she lands on the ground.


    The combination of her physical abilities that far surpass those of the demons, her sharpened senses, and the element of healing magic make Rose a being that transcends the boundaries of human existence.


    "Is your disciple Usato the same as you?


    "......Yes, I suppose so. He has grown up a little differently than I have, but he will surpass me ...... in time."


    Usato, the boy who came forward alone to stop me in my tracks.


    It was obvious that he was trying to buy time, but I was still curious enough to try my hand.


    Even though I could have won in an instant if I wanted to.


    Though inexperienced, he was indeed Rose''s disciple.


    "......"


    I had a student.


    Amira Bergeret.


    A talented apprentice whom I could not train properly after I became obsessed with him.


    If I had not abandoned my role as a master and had guided her, I wonder how strong she would have become by now.


    I know it''s too late for that now, but I couldn''t help thinking that way when I saw Rose and her students.


    "You don''t hate me?"


    "Yes?"


    I killed your man and took his right eye. And yet I don''t feel the slightest bit of hatred from you.


    Since the beginning of this battle, Rose has shown no signs of hatred.


    She may be angry. Well, she always seems to be angry when she''s fighting.


    But she was fighting without any disturbance in her heart against me who had done so much to her. That''s what I couldn''t understand.


    "It''s true, what you did is unforgivable. You let some of my most trusted men die in a fool''s errand."


    "But why do you want me to..."


    "Shut up."


    The reply to his words was a fist so powerful that the impact was felt.


    The impact from the piercing blow penetrates through the wind armor and causes a dull pain in the abdomen.


    "......?


    "Don''t flatter yourself, you idiot! I''ve already been through this with you. Don''t drag me into your war just because you want a reason to fight!


    Rose glared at him sharply and lowered her fist with the magical power of healing magic wafting through the air like smoke.


    What was that blow?¡¡You blocked the blow, but only the impact penetrated through ......?


    I''m done with this boring question and answer. Come on, Nero Agence. I''m going to make a nice dent in your pathetic face."


    Rose, who had somehow wiped the blood from her hands, turned to me with eyes filled with the same strong will as before.

 221 - - Twenty-two.

    Even now, I can vividly recall the scene of their death.


    To be honest, for a while after they died, I was in the depths of disappointment and despair.


    I was angry at myself and at Nero for being so inexperienced in everything.


    And the hatred for the demon tribe that was constantly welling up.


    At one time, I had foolishly thought of going straight into the demon king''s territory and killing all the demon tribe...


    If I had done so, I would have fallen into the outcasts without a doubt.


    The reason why I was able to stay on, even though my mental condition at the time was such that I could have committed such a cruel act, was because of the dying words of Aul, who was my second in command. I guess.


    He was mortally wounded by Nero''s magic sword, but he spoke these words.


    .


    The voice was uttered in a state where it was no longer certain whether he could hear.


    As I struggled to cast a healing spell on her, she smiled at me in an out-of-place, gentle way, and at the very end, she left behind a curse that would never disappear.


    >


    Those words held me together.


    Being the person they had always wanted me to be was the only thing I could do now that I had survived.


    They would have laughed when they saw me trying to take revenge.


    They would have laughed like fools, saying, "It''s not like you to do such a thing.


    That''s why I decided to live my life so that I could show my face to them, and created a rescue group.


    Not to stop at the past, but to move forward..,


    "Looozz!"


    "Looozz?"


    Nero''s angry voice jolts me back to reality.


    Yeah, we''re in the middle of a fight.


    Nero approaches with a skidding motion on the ground, his fists ready.


    This is my second fight with Nero Agence.


    I am surprised at how calm I am again, even though at one time I was so consumed with the desire to kill him that I was ready to reap his life.


    I dodge the continuous blows of the wind with my hand, and I charge at Nero.


    The one thing I have to keep in mind when I fight him is to never hit him with the magic sword.


    "Hmph!"


    I hit him with my back fist on the belly of the sword as it swings at his torso and forcefully deflect it away from him.


    The blade of wind from the tip of the sword flies far backward, crashing into the tornado that surrounds us, and a huge gust of wind blows up from behind us.


    Once we have stopped it, it is not enough.


    Nero comes at us with a flowing sword slash.


    "...... you are still relying on your magic sword.


    He crushes the attacker''s attack, plays the belly of the sword with his fist, and simply avoids the attack.


    This alone will save you from being hit by the sword itself, but the demon in front of you is not an easy opponent to deal with.


    As I was dealing with the sword while retreating backward, Nero turned his palm and released a gust of wind.


    "Ha!"


    "Ha!"


    The sudden wind blows me backward.


    As soon as I regain my stance in the air and land on the ground, I am hit by a huge blade of wind that is closing in on me.


    A slash of the wind by the system reinforcement!¡¡We have to avoid this. ......!


    He leaps on the spot and avoids the blade of wind.


    However, as I flew into the air, Nero, who already had his sword at his hip, was about to charge at me.


    "OHHH!"


    Nero roared as his eyes widened and he unleashed his sword with magic power.


    My torso was shocked, and the magic power contained in the sword was released as a dazzling sword, lacerating my entire body.


    However, my torso is still connected.


    "Don''t get carried away ......!"


    What the hell?


    How many times have I seen your sword ......?¡¡What?"


    Nero''s eyes widen as I clamp down on the belly of the sword with my fists.


    His mouth is twisted into a smile as he uses healing magic to heal all the wounds on his body.


    "Are you laughing while covered in blood, you monster? ......!"


    I''m the one under attack. You have to take a little bit of that too!


    Both men swing their right arms wide as they land on the ground, hooking their sword arms around each other''s necks and slamming them to the ground.


    "d*mn ......!"


    Naturally, he knows that he is unharmed by the wind armor.


    But that too... just rip it off.


    He forcibly grabs the ankle and, swinging it carelessly, slams it into the raised ground created by Nero himself.


    With each smack, a single lump of earth bursts into pieces.


    Despite the impact, Nero does not let go of the sword in his hand and cheekily tries to suppress the impact by applying wind magic to the dirt.


    He raises his cheeks and slams Nero into the last clodhopper with even more force, then throws him down and kicks him in the gut as he writhes from the impact.


    "Hey!"


    ---!"


    Nero is blown away, and we watch him go.


    From the feeling I get, it seems he couldn''t break through the wind armor.


    It''s definitely more solid than before.


    "...... Is it because of what just happened?"


    The technique he used when he beat up Nero who was talking nonsense about hating him.


    I tried it just to see if it would work, but it was unexpectedly effective on Nero, which was unexpected even to me.


    This made Nero even more wary of me, and he changed his wind armor into something more solid.


    However, it also meant that I could penetrate Nero''s armor by using this technique.


    "You really are an unpredictable guy, ......usato."


    I smile, remembering that guy who is not here.


    --- If it were true, he would have been the last.


    The first thing I wanted when I created the rescue team was a healing wizard who could act in my place in case of emergency.


    A man who would not die.


    A healer like me.


    But that plan failed miserably.


    Simply because none of the healing wizards could keep up with the training required to reach the standard of a target healing wizard.


    Just when I was about to give up, I found Usato.


    "......Ha"


    I remember the way Usato looked at me with a rebellious glint in his eyes in the midst of a training session that would have made anyone break down and run away.


    At that time, I was surprised at him.


    I had thought that he was just a kid, that he would start crying and run away right away, but he turned out to be a very funny guy. It''s impossible not to be surprised by this.


    I guess that''s when it started.


    As I tried to follow the words of the awls and keep moving forward aimlessly, I decided on a predetermined goal: .......


    Usato, you moved my time. Not you and your friends, but you.


    I mutter this to myself without anyone hearing me.


    They pushed me to stand still in the past.


    And Usato pointed the way for me as I moved forward aimlessly.


    "Rose ......!"


    It''s time to end this. Nero Agence."


    Standing just beyond the blowing dust cloud is the figure of Nero, who is blowing even harder than before.


    Still unharmed, he swings his tightly clenched sword to the side, as if to deny my words.


    "No, it''s not over. ......!¡¡Our fight is still going on since that time ......!"


    "Then it''s even more important that we end it."


    This is one of the many paths I could have taken.


    He has turned his remorse for forcing my men to die into an obsession to fight me.


    He is trying so hard to fight, believing that by doing so, he can reward those who have died.


    Maybe that''s why I can understand his struggle so easily.


    Still unable to admit it, Nero begins to draw in the wind around him as he cloaks his sword with magical power.


    "......It looks like they''re serious too.


    Probably, he can''t stop the sword and prevent it like he did before.


    But even if my attack is successful, my wind armor will block it.


    "I''ll finish him off with a single blow ......?"


    I have to make sure that the wind armor is destroyed and then strike with my fist. To do that, we have to stop him directly so that he can''t escape with wind magic.


    I decide what to do, and pour magic power into my right arm.


    I hold my right fist in the air as I squeeze it toward Nero.


    "......"


    "......"


    We stare at each other in an eerie silence.


    The only sound is the wind howling from the tornado...and then Nero, lowered, makes his move.


    The wind is so powerful that it could be mistaken for an explosion of air, pushing Nero toward us. The magic swords in his hands are held in the upper position, as if he intends to cut me in two.


    I saw this and let out a short breath, then bit my teeth and took a half-step forward..,


    "?Gghh......!"


    --I caught the base of Nero''s magic sword with my left shoulder.


    As soon as he felt the sword digging into his shoulder and recognized the pain on his skin, he reacted by grabbing the hilt of the sword with both of Nero''s hands with his left arm.


    "You took a blade to yourself, ......?¡¡Are you crazy?


    "Apparently, this was the only way to hit you directly, ......!¡¡Now you can''t escape, can you?"


    Blood pours from his shoulder, which has been cut about halfway through the sword, and drips onto the ground.


    I''ve got a wound that can''t be healed with healing magic, but it''s a small price to pay if I can beat this guy. ......!


    With his left hand, he clamps down on Nero''s hands, and squeezes his right arm, which had been filled with power and magic, wide open.


    "This is the skill of my prized apprentice. Take it!"


    Usato''s technique of daring the outburst of magic power.


    He treated it as a risk-free technique by using a special cage hand, but it is a technique that I, a fellow healing magician, can also perform.


    I strike my fist with a step so hard that the ground cracks open.


    As soon as our fists made contact, I unleashed all the magic power I had in my fists, and the impact released with the fresh blood from my fists destroyed Nero''s wind armor, and I hit his bare flesh with my fists with all my might.


    "Gah ......!"


    Nero''s body is bent over and his grip on the sword weakens.


    Regardless of this, I firmly hold Nero''s body in place and start to run, pushing out my fist as I go.


    "I know you can''t take this much!¡¡I''m sorry, but I''m going to give you a thorough beating!


    "G-oh-oh-oh-oh......!"


    As soon as he reaches the wall created by the tornado, he swings his arm out and blasts Nero into the tornado.


    Nero plunges into the tornado with such force that the huge tornado, which had caused so much harm to the surrounding area, disappears in an instant.


    "...... You''ve come up with a hell of a move, haven''t you? That guy."


    Nero stares in the direction from which he was blown away, and pulls out the magic sword that is still thrust into his shoulder.


    I will never forget the blood-red color of the sword.


    "...... I have my own feelings about it, but I think we should destroy this thing as soon as possible."


    I can''t let someone pick it up and misuse it.


    With a slight frown at the pain in my shoulder, I smash it as if I were stomping on it, throwing it on the ground.


    I am not sure if it was protected by Nero''s own magic, but I am a little surprised that it shattered so easily.


    ......Next is the wound on his shoulder.


    "Can''t you break the curse by shattering the sword? ...... As long as you don''t heal this wound, your left shoulder will be useless.


    As it is inevitable, it seems that the left shoulder cannot be healed until the curse that affects the wound is lifted.


    He takes a bandage out of his uniform and wraps it tightly over his clothes.


    This is only a first aid measure.


    Normally, I have to go back to the base and heal it without healing magic, but ...... there is something I have to do first before that.


    "Well, let''s go check to see if we''ve got him.


    Of course, I know he''s not going to go down like that.


    If he can still stand, I''ll beat him to a pulp.


    With this in mind, I hold my left shoulder as I walk toward the direction where Nero would have been blown away. In the middle of the road, the corpses of the demons that were brought here are left behind, and among them the corpses of demons and humans can be seen.


    "......"


    After closing his eyes for a few seconds, he walks again and catches sight of the soldiers of the Demon King''s army in the direction from which Nero flew.


    They look at each other in confusion.


    They are surprised and frightened by the unexpected situation. .......


    "...... what?"


    There is something wrong.


    They are upset that Nero was blown away by me, but they also seem to be scared by the unexpected situation.


    As I stop to look at the panicking soldiers, a cloud of dust clears up ahead of us.


    "Gah, gah! ......"


    There is Nero, on his knees, clutching his abdomen, vomiting blood.


    ......He doesn''t have the strength to fight any more.


    He was about to approach, clenching his fists to knock him out, when Nero looked up, a puzzled look on his face, and his bloodied mouth dropped open.


    "What do you mean ......!"


    "What?"


    It''s not like him to use honorifics.


    Nero looked up at the sky with a desperate look on his face and continued to speak.


    "<>, what in the world do you think you are doing?¡¡Demon king!


    What are you doing?


    At that moment, I felt a chill unlike anything I had ever felt before.


    Something is coming.


    I was the first to sense where it was coming from, and immediately looked up above me... speechless.


    "---"


    A black pattern visible through a gap in the clouds covering the sky.


    They floated in such a dense and large number that I could see them, forming a circle like a magic circle, and spreading out to cover the entire battlefield.


    At the same time, I became aware that several presence that I had not felt before appeared from behind me and were approaching me.


    I immediately turned around to intercept them, and what came into my sight was... a glow wolf, a monster that was supposed to be a corpse until a moment ago.


    Spewing blood and moving its wounded body, it was still moving.


    "The corpse is moving?"


    "Gee-what?


    A few glow wolves, which let out a muffled cry, walked straight past me without paying attention to me, bit Nero''s armored body, which was still injured, and tried to take him somewhere.


    "Demon king, sir ......!¡¡Why!¡¡Why!


    Nero shows signs of resistance, but Growlwolf pulls him along without question.


    The dead demons start to move, forcibly carrying the immobilized demons along with them.


    I would like to ...... go after him, but Glow Wolf''s body now has something like the same pattern engraved on it as the magic used by Nair, Usato''s messenger.


    "Magic. If so, that thing in the sky is ......."


    When I looked up at the sky again, I saw something like light emanating from a black magic circle floating higher than the clouds.


    Squinting my eyes, I recognize it faster than anyone else, and at that moment, ignoring the state of my wounds, I head at full speed for the base where my men and the healing wizard are.


    "The Demon King is a huge idiot. ......!"


    A fireball of magical power is shot out from the magic circle, drowning out the clouds as it falls... a fireball of such magical power that it seems ridiculous to even count it.


    This battle was literally a battle in which the Demon King''s army put all of its strength on the line.


    If they lose, there is nothing left.


    That''s why the Demon Lords had to win.


    In other words, whoever did this must be trying to say this.


    "I won''t let you win for free."


    Everything will be ruined.


    All the fighting, all the sacrifices, everything.


    Understanding this, and so enraged that I could not even feel the pain in my shoulder, I moved to protect my allies from the threats raining down on them from overhead.

 222 - - Twenty-three.

    Hannah is in enemy hands.


    Coga and Amira evacuate.


    Nero is defeated by the healing wizard.


    It is only a matter of time before the key to the battle, Barzinak, is defeated.


    "...... about time."


    Far from the battlefield, on the throne of the castle, I perceive the battle situation and slowly rise from my throne.


    Ciel, the maid of honor standing by my side, tilts her head, as if wondering what is going on.


    "How can I help you?¡¡The demon king?


    "Outside."


    "...... Yes?"


    "......"


    I leave the throne and walk through the doorway of the hall to the staircase, while Ciel looks as if he has lost the point.


    "My Lord, what are you ...... going to do?"


    "I was going to do what I had to do."


    They ascend the dark staircase one step at a time.


    The once lively castle is now a shadow of its former self. Almost everyone in the castle has gone off to battle, save for the chambermaid charged with the castle''s management and a few guards assigned to protect the castle.


    The demon tribe had been driven to such an extent.


    --To such an extent that they had no other recourse but to rely on me, the hero sealed in their midst.


    "Um... ...... I''d rather not follow ........."


    "No, you''re welcome to follow me."


    I look up at the top of the stairs as I reply to Ciel, who is about to stop in his tracks.


    At the top of the castle, the highest point from which one can look out over the Demon Lord''s territory.


    I step out onto the open rooftop and turn my head in the direction where the battle is likely to take place.


    "......"


    I devote most of my strength to maintaining the demon kingdoms.


    Once the supply is cut off, the land of the Demon Lords will revert to dead in the blink of an eye. If that happens, my people who live here will suffer from hunger.


    For this reason, I have not fought the battle myself, but have kept my actions and strength limited within the castle until now.


    But the time has come for me to break the fetters I have placed on myself.


    "For the time being, my power will not be able to extend to the Demon Lord''s domain."


    "...... what?"


    What I will do now to keep my people alive.


    It is an action that I would have scoffed at before I was sealed up - before I had settled the score with the heroes - but it must be done.


    "From now on, I will attack the allied forces. That will use up most of my strength."


    "...... to help those of you who are fighting?"


    "Not only that, but... But that''s not the only reason.


    Partly because we wanted to hurt the other side when a coalition of many countries is crowded together.


    "If the Demon Lord had attacked from the beginning, wouldn''t all the soldiers have had to go to fight ......?"


    "It is natural to think so. However, that was an impossible story.


    This is only possible because the human side has formed a coalition and concentrated their forces in the first place.


    No, before that, if they carried out the large-scale attack that they were about to carry out, the power that should be allocated to the demon king''s territory would be exhausted, and the demon tribe would lose its power before the invasion could be carried out.


    Ciel''s face turned down, as if he knew this as well.


    If I had ...... my original strength, I could fight even if I were here, but... that''s impossible.


    Most of my power is still "sealed" by him, after all.


    I''m not sure if this is a personal warning to me, or if he knew this was coming, but it''s insidious, even for my arch-enemy.


    I''m sorry.


    "...... yes."


    Normally, she would have wanted to say, "Please don''t say that.


    But she didn''t say so because she understood my feelings.


    Feeling sorry for having made her feel uneasy, I gathered my magical power in my palm and activated my magic.


    "The magic of the heart, the magic of conveying the heart."


    The message is to evacuate and prepare for the coming attack.


    After giving short instructions to the army to evacuate, I activate the next spell.


    "Puppet spells, magic to manipulate the corpse..."


    "The corpse ......?"


    Ciel reacts to my mutterings with some trepidation.


    "I only manipulate dead demons to evacuate my people who have failed to escape. The original use of ...... is as you might imagine."


    After the death of a demon that I have interfered with with my power in advance, I manipulate its corpse.


    The disadvantage is that the effect can only be maintained for a short time remotely, and only simple commands can be given, but a simple order such as "Evacuate the demon soldiers" can be carried out.


    After the manipulated demon has ordered the soldiers to evacuate, I give Ciel a brief explanation of this magic.


    "This magic is special in a way. In the past, those who mastered this magic implanted it in their offspring, transforming them into beings different from human beings. Nowadays, these demons are called necromancers.


    "Yes, yes, ......"


    ......The demons you manipulated have begun to escape one by one from their brethren.


    In parallel, I activate the next spell.


    "Magic of transmutation, a spell that connects space and transfers only magic power."


    Originally, it is a magic to make semi-permanent magic work.


    This time, however, the magic itself will be dropped through a magic circle in the sky.


    The magic circle is deployed in front of him---connected to all the spells of the magic circle---and he puts his palm on it and activates the last spell.


    "--fire magic."


    A spell that simply releases flames.


    The more magic power you put into this spell, the more its range and even its power will continue to increase without limit.


    Into this magic I pour most of my magical energy, sending a constant rain of fire down upon the allied forces.


    The magic in my body is being drained away.


    "...... I suppose it would be easily defended against by those with power."


    The power of the fireball is not so strong. It is not a threat to a person of a certain level of ability.


    But an ordinary soldier of this world would be a threat. Especially after the battle with our army.


    While the enemy''s more powerful men are busy dealing with the situation, it would be better if our people survived.


    "...... warriors. Your lives are more precious than victory.


    Tears streamed down my cheeks.


    We cannot let their sacrifice end in mere defeat.


    Perhaps next time the humans will come to the demon king''s territory to destroy the demon tribe.


    --- That is why we must make them suffer a painful defeat before that time.


    I am sure that you will be able to find a way to get out of this.


    Leona, Hyde, and the Nirvarna Kingdom''s warrior group joined forces and were able to defeat Barzinak.


    With that, the soldiers of the Demon King''s army run away as if they were being rushed by something.


    This meant that they had won the battle against the Demon King''s Army.


    The warriors of Nirvarna were trembling with the joy of victory, but we soon learned that it was only a glorified victory.


    From a black magic circle floating in the sky, a huge number of fireballs were dropped onto the battlefield where we were.


    Pointing at the magic circle, I asked Nair if he had any idea what was going on, although he was very upset.


    "Nair, is that magic in the sky?


    "I don''t know of any magic on that crazy scale!¡¡What is that?¡¡Isn''t it beyond the range of living creatures? !"


    >


    As we speak, a ball of flame is approaching.


    The soldiers were running away in a hurry to avoid being caught in this ......!


    No!¡¡We have to deal with this situation now anyway!


    "Just out of curiosity, what are you going to do?"


    "We''re going to block the fireball and let the knights escape......!"


    "Ferrum!¡¡You should know how to handle this guy by now!


    <<>


    From his arms he produces swords, and from his shoulders a sickle-like whip, like that of Korga, and looks up at the sky.


    Just as I am about to intercept the flames in front of me, I see eight spears flying toward the sky.


    "Usato!


    Leona!


    The spears, made of ice, were moving separately and piercing the fireballs one after another, drawing pale blue trails.


    She glides up next to me and speaks to me as she manipulates the spear above her head.


    "I can''t stop all of them by myself!¡¡You and Mister Hyde take care of the people here!


    "Yes, sir!¡¡I''ll take care of them!


    I''ll leave this to you, Leona, and move to get these people out of here.


    Carrying those who can''t move as much as possible, I call out to the knights around me as best I can.


    "Everyone, please get out of here!¡¡Those who can use magic, protect your friends from the fireball!¡¡Those with wounded people, please come near me!¡¡......!"


    Leona''s spear slips through the fireball, and she extends her left sword to slice through it.


    The fireballs disappear with a deafening explosion, but they continue to fall one after another.


    The fireballs continue to fall, but the fireballs that cannot be prevented fall to the ground and injure the people around them with explosions.


    >


    <>


    >


    It was like a scene from hell.


    As I desperately tried to escape my allies and deal with the fireball, I couldn''t help but be upset by the worst turn of events that I had never imagined.


    "The battle was over, but ......!¡¡How could this ......!"


    Are they trying to make it a painless fight?


    Either way, it''s not normal for them to try something like this.


    Then, as I was urging them to retreat in the direction of the base, I saw something like a light going up from the ground to the sky.


    "That''s ......!"


    Not far away from me, I see a blinding electric shock and a ball of light with a visible brilliance being sent into the sky.


    They intercept the fireballs as well as Leona''s spear.


    "Senpai and Kazuki...... both of you are safe and sound......!"


    I am deeply relieved to see their magic, even if it is only the presence of magic, and I start to move forward to do what I have to do.


    <<>


    "Anyway!¡¡Whoever did this, I''m going to beat the hell out of him someday!"


    Clenching his fists tightly, he turns back to intercept the fireball and confront the threat.


    Fireballs raining down from the sky.


    Burning earth.


    The battle should be over, but we are still fighting.


    "Finally, everyone here is about to get out alive. ......!"


    We can''t let that be ruined here. ......!


    I won''t let this happen!¡¡Even if I fall down after this!¡¡I will complete my mission!


    In order to keep everyone alive with all my might, I would just keep moving until the moment this attack was over.

 223 - - after a quiet battle

    The battle against the Demon King''s army was over.


    We were in the Kingdom of Lingle, waiting for the return of Usato and the others, when the news arrived.


    It was supposed to be good news, but it turned out to be the complete opposite.


    "As soon as the Demon King''s army retreated, they attacked with magic over a wide area, and the four kingdoms suffered tremendous damage."


    A victory would be a victory.


    In reality, however, it is a complete pain in the ass.


    It left only a big wound on the demon king''s army and on the human side.


    The coalition of the four kingdoms was almost completely destroyed, and although they still had the strength to fight, the damage could not be ignored.


    However, although the members of the lifeguard corps are still working for the wounded on the battlefield, Usato is different.


    He was the only one who was returned to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    When I heard this, I was so distraught that I assumed he had been seriously injured and had no choice but to return here.


    When he came back with the knights of Lingle Kingdom, Suzune and Kazuki, and Nair and Ferrum, he was just sleeping normally.


    .


    Nair says this to me in a tone of exasperation, and my body relaxes unintentionally.


    It was so typical of him that I felt like an idiot for worrying about ...... Usato.


    He was taken to the lifeguard''s quarters, but... it has been two days since the battle ended and he still hasn''t woken up.


    "Usato ......"


    He is lying on a bed in his room at the lifeguard station, and a voice of anxiety escapes me as I sit by his side.


    He breathes quietly in his sleep and leans back in the chair beside the bed, staring at his sleeping face.


    "You''ve been reckless again, haven''t you?


    The knights told me that Usato had been running amok in many places.


    He fought with the First Commander, he fought with Koga, he fought with and captured the Third Commander, he fought with a big snake, and he kept moving until the ...... last minute to let all the knights go.


    The 3rd corps commander who captured him escaped with his men in the confusion when he was exposed to a wide range of attacks by the other side, but he still worked for the good of many people.


    "......"


    Nair and Ferrum, who came back together with Usato''s escort,...... were quite tired, if not even Usato, so they are probably resting in their room right now.


    Nack, who was at the castle, came back here when Usato was brought to the dormitory.


    Rose and her family have to stay in the battlefield for a few more days and have not come back yet.


    Also, Leona, who came to our rescue during the ...... battle, will be coming to the Lingle Kingdom soon.


    "......Usato has become a bit of an unknown ......."


    There is a rumor among the knights about Usato.


    They said that Usato used to fly around in the sky and knock down flying dragons, that they saw demonic-like wings sprouting from his back, and that he used to ride around the battlefield on the back of a big bear, kicking demons away.


    ......Does Usato have to do something out of the ordinary in order to do what he does?


    I know he doesn''t realize it, but what a demon. Finally, it''s not even an ogre anymore.


    "But I''m so glad you made it back alive. ......"


    I knew you''d be okay.


    I knew how strong and sturdy he was, because I had been watching him closely and knew him better than anyone.


    But at the same time, I was worried about his character and the way he sometimes acted without taking care of himself.


    That is why I am glad that he is back safe and sound now.


    "......"


    My eyelids grow heavy and sleep comes to me.


    Come to think of it, I''ve hardly slept since Usato got here. ....... My mind has not been at rest since he left for the battle, so it seems as if all my fatigue has come rushing in at once.


    Leaning against the edge of the bed, I let my eyes slowly drift back to sleep.


    --And my magic shows me for the umpteenth time a view of the future.


    <>


    I saw myself, Usato, Suzune and Kazuki in the new premonition.


    The scene was that Suzune and the others were about to leave on horseback. There seemed to be a few others, but I could not see any more than three of them.


    It seems that I will soon be following them on another journey.


    The scene changes, and my vision next switches to a desolate landscape.


    >


    The scenery seen in the premonition was clearly different from that of the Lingle Kingdom, with plants and even trees dying, and the place did not look flattering for human habitation.


    >


    Furthermore, we were shown a place that looked like some kind of ruins.


    A woman was sleeping in a stone box.


    I cannot see who she is.


    >


    Usato is enveloped in light and I try to reach out to him.


    Just as I am about to reach him, my vision shifts again.


    Then there is a kind of noise in the scenery shown by the precognition magic, and the scenery changes.


    >.


    The new reflection is a woman''s back.


    He is a beastman with fox ears and a tail like mine.


    He was wearing a kind of kimono worn in Hinomoto, and carried a kind of katana on his waist.


    The katana was similar to the front part of Usato''s kagotte, though the length was different.


    >


    She has blonde hair as well and slowly turns around.


    The expression on her face was somewhat similar to my mother''s, but she looked more relaxed than my mother.


    ......No, I probably don''t use this analogy because most people look calm compared to my mother.


    Anyway, the resemblance was similar.


    .


    The woman tilted her head as she compared her blonde hair with mine.


    She talks to me in my memory.


    I didn''t answer her, I was just silent.


    ...... This is a prediction.


    I can only watch, because the questions and answers I am asking here and now are what I will see in the future.


    The woman smiles at me as if she is troubled, as I keep my mouth shut.


    >


    "......?"


    <>


    "What?


    She was talking to me.


    Not to me who was there, but to me who was in the dream.


    Who is this person?


    I have never been spoken to in a premonition before.


    No, if there is anything that can interfere with my magic, it must be someone with the same magic as mine..,


    <


    She had the ears of a beast like me, and with a kind and friendly smile, she slowly uttered the words.


    As soon as I spoke these short words, my consciousness was gradually pulled back to reality.


    Realizing that I was about to wake up, I tried to at least ask the woman some questions, but before I knew it, the woman I was supposed to see in my premonition had vanished.


    "...... what?


    Then I woke up.


    I rubbed my eyes and got up from the bed where I had been lying on my back, and the scenery outside the window had become brighter.


    It seemed that I had fallen asleep until morning.


    Usato, who was standing beside me, had not woken up yet, but I realized that I had unconsciously held his hand.


    "......Who was that?"


    Once again, as I lay back on the bed, my shoulders shook as I remembered the strange premonition I had seen earlier.


    At least, I don''t know such a person, but he seems somehow familiar to me .......


    But that person was talking to me in a friendly manner as if we were acquaintances, even though we had never met or talked to each other before.


    "Anyway, I have to let him know about the prediction: ......"


    I am thinking of telling the people at the castle about the prediction.


    I may not believe in all of the predictions, but it would not hurt to tell them.


    But I am not sure if I should tell them about the other parts of the prediction.


    "...... "find me", huh?


    We don''t know who he is, and we shouldn''t trust him.


    Maybe it''s just a dream.


    "......I''ll talk to Usato when I wake up."


    So please wake up soon.


    Maybe things are about to move more than I think.


    I could do nothing but wait for Usato to wake up.

 224 - - character introduction

    Name: FERM


    Magic Darkness (reversal ¡ú assimilation)


    Race Demon


    She used to be a black knight in the 2nd Legion of the Demon King''s Army, but was captured by Usato during the battle and joined the Rescue Mission after many twists and turns.


    Because of her dark magic, she was feared by people around her and spent her childhood in solitude.


    As a result, her dark magic, which was originally only a garment to protect her, has changed to one that has the property of "inflicting wounds on others" <>.


    After being captured as a black knight, he was thrown into the lifeguard corps as a demon ferrum, and through his life there, he learned to relate to people and to trust others.


    She secretly trusts Usato, who was the first person to confront her, but she cannot be honest with him and is a little stubborn.


    Through this process, Ferrum himself has changed, and his nature to hurt others has changed to <>.


    The condition of <> is limited only to those whom FELM herself trusts from the bottom of her heart.


    If the condition is fulfilled, her magic power will be attached to the person, and she will show more power.


    Since the magic itself is imbued with this characteristic, it sometimes moves on its own and surrounds the target, whether she wills it or not.


    If she gets close to Nair, Amako, and others, she can be assimilated by them as well.


    Usato, dark magic mode (tentative)


    Ferrum''s assimilated form with Usato.


    < is the desire to .


    The armor on his limbs, reminiscent of a black knight, and the dark magic that covers his uniform can transform its shape to adapt to any situation.


    <<<


    In this state, Ferrum looks around as if he were in the pilot''s seat of a robot named Usato.


    Although Ferrum can control Usato''s body through his armor, it is almost impossible to do so without his permission because he is not strong enough.


    Name Gerna


    Magic Healing


    Healing wizard of the Kingdom of Nirvarna.


    A boy trained by the Kingdom of Nirvarna to become a healing wizard like Rose and Usato.


    He joined this war because he wanted to confirm the truth of the rumored healing wizards and because he genuinely wanted to help people.


    Name: Kate


    Magic Healing


    Healing wizard of the Kingdom of Calm Helio.


    Basically, she is an enthusiastic geek for heroes who was recruited by Calm Helio and sent out as an additional member of the Rescue Mission.


    She was sent out by Calm Helio to investigate the inner workings of the Rescue Mission, but she is completely unaware of this.


    She witnessed Suzune''s rejection of Prince Kyle''s confession with her own eyes.


    Name Sharn


    Magic Healing


    A woman from a village near the kingdom of Sandara.


    She is a kind-hearted woman who has healed the people of her village as a healing magician, but when she heard of the war against the Demon King''s army, she couldn''t stand by herself and decided to volunteer.


    Name: Hannah


    Magic Illusion


    Race Demon


    Newly appointed commander of the Third Legion of the Demon Army.


    She is a dangerous person who is good at illusion magic and is willing to use any means, even cruel ones.


    Basically, she tries to make herself look good in order to gain the trust of her opponents, and her humble attitude toward the Demon Lord is also an act to improve her opponents'' impression of her.


    She was not a bad person from the beginning; she was originally a kind girl with a good heart. However, perhaps due to living in the rough and tumble land of the Demon Lord''s domain, she has come to realize that kindness is not for her, and that it is best to live cunningly.


    After being captured by Usato, she fainted from fear, but was rescued by an unnamed female soldier and her partner, a flying dragon, when the Demon Lord''s extensive attack left a gap in the Allied Forces'' security, and was able to return home.


    However, she was not safe after her return, and she was deeply traumatized by Usato.


    Name: Nero Agence


    Magic Wind


    Race Demon


    A magical swordsman of the Demon Tribe, he is as skilled as Rose.


    He was said to be the strongest swordsman in the demon tribe because of his excellent swordsmanship and magic, but he was obsessed with fighting because of his history with Rose, and he spent all his time training until this war started.


    His shoulder was almost broken by Rose in the past, but after several years of training and rehabilitation, he recovered and finally had a rematch with Rose in Chapter 8.


    Name: Demon King (name unknown)


    Ability Able to use all forms of magic.


    Race Demon


    The king of demons and magic, he is the last hope of the cornered demons.


    In his prime, he was able to use all kinds of magic, but since about 70% of his magic power and abilities have been sealed away by the previous hero, he is significantly less powerful.


    However, he is still a powerful man.


    Now that he has awakened from the seal, he is working for his own purpose and for the sake of his fellow demons.

 225 - - Twenty-fourth episode.

    When I woke up, there was a black, curled up ball of hair-like object in front of my eyes and nose.


    I know I''m saying things that don''t make sense to me, but there really was a black ball of hair in front of me, and it was tickling the tip of my nose.


    "Yeah ......?"


    Is this the lifeguard''s quarters?


    It looks like it''s still light outside the window. .......


    "How did you end up here ......?"


    I was moving as fast as I could to save all the knights from the fireballs falling from the sky during the battle with the Demon Lord''s army. ...... Did I faint again, perhaps?


    As I was slowly going through my memories, the black ball of fur in front of me moved, its two ears stood up, and its red eyes turned towards me.


    "Cu-cu-cu!"


    "Oh, Kukuru. It''s you, isn''t it? That''s why I was so ticklish."


    What I thought was a black furball was Kukuru, the noir rabbit and pet of the Commander. Kukulu rests his face against my cheek and rubs his cheek in a friendly gesture.


    As usual, Kukuru is a devilishly deceptive creature.


    I get up from the bed where I am sleeping, petting Kukuru, and find something black lying on the floor.


    Upon closer inspection, it turns out to be an owl with its eyes rolled back in its head.


    "......Nea?"


    "...... Ha!¡¡Why am I on the floor?


    "That''s what I''m asking you."


    Why was Neah, who had transformed into an owl, sleeping on the floor?


    My voice woke her up, and when she found Kukul on my shoulder, she spread her wings wide as if to express her anger.


    "Oh, my God, you did this!¡¡You pushed me off the bed!"


    "Cue."


    Nair flaps her wings as she drives Kukul out of the way and lands on my shoulder, but from my vantage point I have no idea what''s going on.


    I don''t know what''s going on, but I''m not sure what''s going on.


    "Whoo!¡¡Whoo!"


    "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" "Calm down, calm down. Calm down. I know that this is the lifeguard station, but why am I here ......?¡¡Where is the leader?¡¡Is everyone okay?"


    Nair, who is threatening Kukul on the opposite shoulder, asks him about his current situation.


    "You''ve been asleep for three days since the battle ended. The moment after the air attack, you collapsed.


    "...... Well, I remember that much too. So, you guys are ......"


    "All the people in the lifeguard squad are safe. Rose was seriously wounded in the fight with Nero, but somehow, she''s still alive. But you were too tired to wake up right away, so they brought you here."


    "...... I see."


    "By the way, the only members of the group who have returned are myself and Ferrum. The rest of us are in the war zone, treating the wounded."


    ...... Rose is seriously injured, huh?


    I thought she couldn''t be unscathed against that Nero Agence. ....... But I''m glad to hear that Nair seems to be in good health.


    I''m sure she is still taking the lead as a lifeguard.


    I really should go back, but it seems that I was not only brought back here because I was tired.


    As I was getting off the bed, the door of the room was opened and a dark-haired boy, Nack, entered.


    He shouted in surprise as I got off the bed.


    "...... Usato-san!¡¡You''re awake!


    "Yes, Nack. I''m home."


    "Welcome home!"


    Nack greets me cheerfully, and I finally get up, feeling somewhat relieved.


    Are you going to stay at the castle while we''re gone?


    "Yes. I''ve been helping out in various ways. When I heard that Usato had returned after the battle, I came back here.


    "I see. ......"


    I''m so glad you made it back here alive.


    This place is like my home in this world.


    As I was thinking this thought deeply, Nack''s expression came to his face as if he had remembered something.


    Yes, Amako and the others are preparing a meal for us.


    "Amaco?"


    "Yes. She saw Usato wake up in her premonition, and just now, she and Suzune went to make a meal together ......."


    "What?¡¡You''re here?"


    I was hungry, but I didn''t think he was here.


    No, I was happy to know that he was safe.


    "Kazuki is here, too.


    "Kazuki too ...... then we''d better get downstairs as soon as possible ....... Neah, Nack, I''m going to change, can you wait downstairs first?"


    "Yes. Nack, let''s go!"


    "Oh, yes!"


    Neck chases after Nair, who flaps his wings and runs out the door.


    He puts Kukul down on his shoulder and goes to change his clothes, when he suddenly sees the group uniform hanging on the wall.


    "......"


    Rose had mended it for me, but the battle had made it dirty again, and there were many small scratches on it.


    I feel a sense of regret.


    There are people I couldn''t save.


    "But I still ...... ......


    "Cu?"


    Kukul looks up at me with his little head tilted back, and I pat him again.


    And then I remember. I remember the leader who saved me in the middle of the battle when Nero Agens was about to finish me off.


    "...... Kukul, your master is still a great man."


    What is lost will never come back.


    I can''t stop, even if I feel helpless and regretful.


    Even after the battle is over, the war with the Demon Lord''s army is not over.


    I can''t stop myself.


    After changing my clothes, I went downstairs to find that the lower floor was more crowded than I had expected.


    Kazuki, Nack, Ferrum and Nair were sitting in chairs at the long table where the tough guys usually sit, while Senpai and Amako were standing around serving dishes and serving food.


    It must have been around noon.


    It was hard to believe that three days had passed since the battle.


    "Ah, Usato-kun!¡¡You''ve come down!"


    "Senpai......"


    The senior notices me, smiles like a flower, and beckons me over.


    I was glad to see that he and Kazuki seemed to be in good health.


    With relief, I go to sit down in the empty seat next to Kazuki, and Amako comes up to me.


    "I''m home. Amako."


    "......Yeah, welcome back. Usato."


    I accept the bowl of bread she is holding and talk to her.


    Was she taking care of me when I had fainted?


    Seeing Amako''s sleepy eyes, I lightly touch her shoulder and cast a healing spell.


    "Did I make you worry?"


    "No, I didn''t. I believed that Usato would be all right.


    "I see. ....... But thank you."


    Once she thanked him firmly, Amako looked away for a moment and gave him a troubled look.


    "Um, there''s something I need to talk to you about later."


    "Something you want to talk about?"


    "Yeah."


    "...... got it."


    Amako replied and went back to the kitchen with her senpai.


    What is it?¡¡It seemed to be a thought, but was it something to do with the prediction?¡¡It seemed to be something like the time in the land of evil dragons and beastmen.


    ......No, we''ll talk about it later, but for now let''s sit down.


    I put the bread bowl on the table and greet Kazuki who is sitting next to me.


    "Good morning. Kazuki."


    "Good morning. You''re awake after all. Usato."


    After exchanging greetings with Kazuki, I was thirsty, so I took a sip of the water I had on hand.


    "Finally, you''re awake. You''ve been sleeping too long. You."


    "Have I slept that long?"


    Three days is a lot of sleep.


    I didn''t want to pass out as much as possible, either.


    Nair, who was leaning her elbows on the table next to Ferrum, opened her mouth to tell me that I was smiling bitterly.


    "This isn''t the first time he''s fainted, you know.¡¡At least three or four times he has fainted and fallen down during our trip.


    "Oh, really?"


    Ferme looks at me with a subtle expression on his face and pulls back his head in disbelief.


    Well, I admit that I faint every time there is an incident.


    As I was thinking about this, I looked at Ferrum and remembered what I had been worrying about all through the battle.


    "...... Oh, yeah."


    What?


    "I''m glad I was able to unassimilate you ...... because there was a chance we might have stayed like that forever. Ha-ha-ha."


    It''s hard for me, too, to stay in assimilation with Ferrum.


    It''s not that I don''t want to be with her, but it would be hard for both of us to be together all the time, or to be in a group uniform all the time.


    When I say this somewhat jokingly, a very upset Ferm glares at me even more.


    I was so excited to be separated from you!¡¡First of all, don''t forget that my magic just likes you!


    "Uh, yeah, yeah. ...... sorry?"


    It''s her own magic, so she shouldn''t have made fun of it. In Ferrum''s case, unlike me, she might have been taking it very seriously.


    I wonder what Ferrum thinks of my apology, and he starts to groan with his head in his hands.


    "U~......"


    "Pfft, you''re not being honest."


    "Shut up!"


    He''s grinning at me and talking to me...I''ll leave Ferrum to Nair...


    As I was looking at the food on the table, feeling somewhat hungry, Kazuki approached me.


    "I see you both made it home safely.


    "Yes, it is. It''s been really hard, but ...... yeah, it''s a wonder we''re still here."


    I can''t tell you how many times I''ve almost died. .......


    I almost didn''t feel alive when we stranded Nero Agence.


    "You got to Kazuki and Senpai, didn''t you?¡¡Weapons of the Brave."


    "Yeah. I''ve got a baskets like Usato''s and he''s got a sword."


    "Senpai is a sword, huh? Well, yeah, in a way it''s what I expected. ......"


    In fact, I had a feeling that senpai would be a weapon with a cool image, like a sword or a chain sickle.


    Combined with the electric shock, it would look good in a fight.


    When you say that Kazuki has a basket hand similar to mine,...... could it be the wristband-like thing wrapped around the wrist of his left hand?¡¡Mine is a bracelet, but it is quite different from Kazuki''s.


    "When I first used this, I talked to Shenlong ...... Falga-sama too."


    "To Master Farga?¡¡What did he say?"


    "He told me how to use it and ...... then he gave me some advice to form my mind."


    Mr. Farga has been a great help to me.


    He should be exhausted from making armaments for the both of us. .......


    If I could, I would like to see him again and thank him.


    "...... the end of the battle against the Demon Lord''s army, huh?"


    Nair and Nack told me that the battle is over, but I don''t feel that way at all.


    In fact, I don''t even think it''s over yet.


    "Kazuki, what''s going on in the Ringle Kingdom right now?¡¡It''s not like after the last battle, is it?


    "Yes, it is. The battle was won, but the damage from that last attack was too much. Right now, everything is in such a hurry that there is not enough time to celebrate the victory.


    "...... the wounded knights, are they still in that battlefield?"


    Kazuki nodded at my words.


    The reason why there are no members of the lifeguard squad here is that they are treating the wounded in the battlefield, I guess.


    Gerna and the others who have come to join the rescue team are probably in the group, so I should probably head there now that I''ve woken up from my faint.


    I''d rather go there as soon as I can.


    "...... I''m not the only one who was sent back to the Lingle Kingdom because I fainted, am I?"


    "Yes. It seems that''s the same reason we brave souls were sent back here."


    "Kazuki and senpai and ......?"


    I didn''t see that one coming.


    If two brave men are involved, it might be something important.


    "Here you go. I''ve brought the food!


    "I''ve brought most of what I had on hand..."


    As you are thinking this, Senpai and Amako appear from the kitchen carrying plates with food on them.


    Kazuki sees them and his grim expression relaxes.


    "Now that the dishes are served, let''s talk later. You must be hungry too, Usato.


    "Sure, I haven''t eaten for three days."


    Whatever we do, we have to get back in shape first.


    Amako sits down next to me and Senpai takes a seat in front of me, and he smiles at me as usual.


    "I''m really glad you''re awake.


    "Haha, you''re overreacting. ......"


    "I''m not overreacting. I''d be ruined without you."


    ...... What''s a waste of time?


    I don''t know if you are being serious or joking.


    I know he is concerned about my safety, so I''ll take it as such.


    "Usato, don''t take yourself too lightly.


    "What?"


    "Everyone is worried about you. Including everyone here.


    "......"


    Even the senpai who are usually playful, they make a decision when they have to make a decision.


    That''s why I will never fail him. .......


    "Hey. Why are you sitting next to me?


    "Yeah?"


    While I was thinking about this, Ferrum was talking to the senior who was sitting next to him with a troublesome look on his face.


    For a moment, the senior reacted with a stunned look on his face, but soon his expression became confident.


    I''ve been wanting to talk to you. I''ve been wanting to talk to you. ...... This is the first time we''ve talked face to face, isn''t it?¡¡My name is Suzune. Can I touch your horns or something?"


    "How can you talk to someone who almost killed you in a normal way ......?"


    "Well, that''s all in the past. If you''re a friend of Usato''s, it''s no exaggeration to say you''re a friend of mine. ......!"


    "Even I know that''s not right!¡¡I''ve never had a real conversation with you!"


    Oh, it''s the same old senior.


    No, I''m happy for him if he doesn''t have any feelings for me, but he''s being too aggressive, and that ferme is getting pushed away.


    "I''d love to be friends with a tsundere, silver-haired, brownish demon tribe!¡¡Ferrum!¡¡Let''s make friendship with me!"


    "Whoa!¡¡Usato! Help!¡¡He doesn''t understand human language!


    But if Senpai is okay, what about Kazuki?


    He, like his senpai, must have been almost killed by Ferrum---the black knight.


    He drops his hand on his chin and talks to Kazuki, who is standing next to him watching the exchange between FERM and the senior.


    "Kazuki," he said, "I don''t know about Ferme. ......"


    "Hmm?¡¡I''d be lying if I said I didn''t have some feelings about it. ......"


    Kazuki''s gaze turns to Ferrum.


    "Seeing you here like this, I know you''re not as scary as you were then."


    "...... I agree. From my point of view, she has changed.


    "Besides, you worked to help Usato in this battle, didn''t you?¡¡Then I have nothing to worry about.


    If that''s what Kazuki says, then it''s all right.


    I looked at Ferrum and Senpai with a sense of relief, and saw that Ferrum had grabbed onto the chair where Nair was sitting while I was looking away from him.


    "Nair, switch seats!¡¡I don''t want to get tangled up with this guy!¡¡That''s him!¡¡He''s a pain in the ass just like Uluru!


    "No!¡¡You sit there as a sacrifice to Susanne!


    You! You!


    Nair clings to her seat as if to hand it over, and Ferrum tries to grab the chair somehow.


    The senior, seeing the two of them, brightens his face as if something has just flashed across his mind.


    "Ferrum, you can trade your seat for mine!


    "Neah, you''re coming with me!


    What?


    A noisy but joyful scene that has nothing to do with fighting.


    The smiling senpai and the frantic Fellum and Naea.


    Amako, Kazuki, and Nack watch them with a wry smile.


    Looking around at them once more, I finally feel at ease and reach for my first meal in three days.

 226 - - Twenty-five.

    After finishing our meal, I, my senpai, Kazuki, Nair and Ferrum moved outside to the training area.


    The reason why we were at the training ground was to show us the two brave men''s weapons while Amako and Nack were cleaning up the dishes and we talked about the future.


    "So Bulrin hasn''t come back either. ......"


    Nair, who was standing nearby, spoke to me as I looked at the empty stables and mumbled something like that.


    "I heard that Bulrin is still over there because he is so powerful.


    "I wonder if we''ll cause any trouble for the people over there. ......"


    "Don''t worry about it."


    ...... Well, okay.


    I arrived at the training grounds after visiting the stables, and the first thing I heard from Kazuki and my senpai was why I had been sent back to the kingdom first.


    The reason why we were sent back here has not been revealed yet.


    "The king has only told me to rest in case things get worse."


    "When I say it hasn''t been revealed, I mean it hasn''t been revealed: ......"


    Kazuki, tilting his head at his senpai''s words.


    Be prepared for anything. I wonder if Lloyd-sama brought us back here in anticipation of what''s going to happen next?


    "Maybe he didn''t want us to get anxious since the battle was just over."


    "I see. ......"


    I understand that, but why did Nair and Ferrum come back?


    I ask Nair and Ferm, who came to the training ground together, and Nair answers me.


    "Rose said she wanted to be my chaperone.


    "...... that''s it?"


    "She''s got to have an idea, doesn''t she?"


    "Well, she''s not the kind of person who makes decisions without thinking. ......


    Sometimes they think about it and try to be unreasonable, though.


    "Now we have to wait until we hear from the kingdom. ......"


    "Yes, I guess so. The castle is also busy dealing with the aftermath of the war, so it''s not like we can have an audience with them right away."


    It''s after the war, so they''re probably busy contacting the various kingdoms, operating supplies, etc. .......


    The knights are out of the country too, so it seems that they are genuinely understaffed.


    Oh, and speaking of knights: .......


    "I heard that Leona-san is here. ......"


    Leona, the brave woman from Mearaq who came to our rescue during the battle.


    If she is here, I should immediately go to thank her.


    Yes, she is at the castle now. I was talking to the people at the castle when I came here, but I think you can meet her there.


    "Then I''ll have to say hello when I get to the castle."


    I''ll bring Neah and Amako with me then.


    I''d really like to have Aruk with us, but we don''t know if he''s coming back this way. .......


    "But, Usato. The connections you have made in this world are tremendous.


    No, I don''t think so...


    I was about to say, "No," when a face came into my mind.


    I had met so many powerful people like Mr. Halfa, Eva, Mr. Lucas, etc. that the word "strong" is not enough, and I nodded to my senpai, breaking out in a cold sweat.


    "......Well, well, I am aware of it."


    "It''s true, it seems like this guy''s friendships and normal ones are few and far between."


    "You could say that."


    "......"


    Let''s not forget that you guys are in the unusual category too, okay?


    He stares at Ferrum and Nair, who are nodding, sighs, and speaks to his seniors.


    The most important one, though, is senpai.


    "Hmm?¡¡What do you mean by that?"


    He tilts his head with a smile on his face, and I smile back at him.


    "You are the most interesting character in the group. You are the best by far.


    "That''s not something you say with a smile, is it?


    "You''re right, he''s got a point."


    "Even Kazuki-kun?"


    Kazuki''s cheeks relax as he smiles funny.


    Eva, by the way, has the same rate as her senpai.


    The first time I met her, the impact was so strong that I still remember it.


    The others I met after that, Norn-sama, Leona and Kanoko, were also quite impressive.


    "Now that we''ve gotten off on a tangent, I think it''s time for me and Kazuki to show you the armor of a brave warrior.


    "Yes."


    Kazuki nodded at his senior''s words.


    Reacting to the "armor of the brave," Nair transforms into an owl and jumps on my shoulder.


    Apparently, they want to get a closer look.


    The armor of the brave...


    "I knew you''d be interested in it, Nair."


    Of course. Unlike you, I have a unique ability.


    My basket hand has abilities, too.


    "It''s not as if it''s a given. It''s just a hard basket hand that doesn''t let magic pass through."


    It''s true, but .......


    A basket hand that is just hard enough to be impervious to magic, sorcery, and everything else.


    It''s ability is not so impressive, but I like it, so it''s not a problem.


    "It''s also a great tool for no-risk outbursts of magic, you know?"


    "...... I think that you are simply crazy. How did you end up fighting like you are now? ......


    Nair gives a small sigh and her cheeks twitch.


    While we were having this exchange, Kazuki steps out from the center of the training area.


    It appears that he will be the first to show off his weapons.


    "I guess I''ll go first. Usato, I''m going to show you a little magic here, if you don''t mind.


    "Yes, I don''t mind."


    "Okay. ......"


    Nodding, he raised his left hand in front of him, and cajoled it as if he were trying to think of something.


    The wristband on his wrist was enveloped in light, and in the next instant it was transformed into a silvery baskets.


    The scaly ripples on the wristband emitted a pulsating glow and seemed to be a little sharper and more aggressive in shape than my own baskets.


    "My armor is a baskets hand that facilitates the manipulation of magic. It allows me to use light magic as danger-free magic and to strengthen my lineage.


    With these words, Kazuki creates a magic bullet and touches it with his right hand, which does not have a cage attached to it.


    He grips it like a softball and crushes it, perhaps he can adjust its hardness and elasticity as well?


    As I was looking at his magic and thinking so, Kazuki lightly shot a magic bullet in his right hand toward me.


    "Here!"


    "Oh!


    Quickly, he deploys the basket hand on his right arm and catches it.


    What came back was a resilient ball. Fearfully, I touched it with my left hand, but the light magic did not disappear and I was able to touch it normally.


    "Is this really magic?


    "I want to touch it too!"


    Nair on his shoulder was also interested, and he reached down to his palm and began to poke it with his wings.


    I noticed that Ferrum was also looking at my hand with blinking eyes.


    "Wow! It''s not like it''s magic if you''re just touching it. ....... It''s just a simplified form of light magic that makes anything it touches disappear, isn''t it?"


    As I let out an unintentional sigh of admiration, the magic bullet on my palm returned to Kazuki.


    Kazuki catches the magic bullet with a snap, and makes it float on the palm of Kagome''s hand.


    "I used to have to worry about many things when using this magic, but with this cage hand, I don''t have to worry about them anymore.


    "Wow, it''s like a rubber ball. ......"


    "Haha, I realized later that I can make magic bullets have hardness and elasticity like now, so I guess I can apply this to something as well."


    So saying, Kazuki slams the magic bullet on the ground and bounces it.


    I had never thought of adding elasticity to the magic bullet itself.


    "Kazuki, is it the ability of your cage to add elasticity to magic bullets?"


    "No, this is a kind of benefit from assisting the manipulation of magic. It''s more like weaving magic into a sphere.


    "Weaving magic, ......"


    Weaving is only a metaphor; in reality, it is a technique that is achieved by such meticulous manipulation of magic.


    ......Couldn''t I do it too?


    He takes a small deep breath as he puts his hand to his chin and stares at the magic bullet, catching it with a snap as it bounces off the ground.


    "And ......!"


    Kazuki starts to pour magic power into the magic bullet floating in his palm.


    The magic bullets that were poured and converged became brighter and brighter..,


    "---I guess this is it."


    Kazuki muttered to himself, and as he squeezed the magic bullet in his palm, the magic power dissipated into the air.


    Remnants of magic power overflow from the pattern of Kagome''s hand, as if smoke were releasing heat.


    "This is how I can strengthen my lineage now. It is still difficult to adjust the output, and the function of the baskets is restricted for a while after use.


    "No, it still looked pretty bad, but ......"


    "Yeah, it''s very dangerous, to be honest. At least, not in the presence of allies.


    Kazuki says so with a wry smile, but even from my point of view, his lineage enhancement is outstandingly powerful.


    If possible, I can only hope that there will be no one to whom he can use his lineage enhancement.


    "Well, I guess that concludes my introduction."


    "Yeah. Okay, I guess it''s my turn now."


    The senior stepped forward as if to replace Kazuki.


    On her left wrist was a yellow and black ribbon-like thing, and when it glowed, as it did on Kazuki''s wrist, it revealed a sword in its sheath.


    Senpai, clutching the scabbard with her left hand, turns a smile to me that I can''t hide my happiness.


    "Mine is a sword!¡¡It''s a Japanese sword!


    "I know you''re happy, so please calm down a little."


    How happy are you? I understand how you feel.


    But ...... I like my current kagote, but a sword would be nice too.


    I never intended to pick up a weapon that could hurt people, so I ended up with a baskets hand, but if I wasn''t a healing wizard in a lifeguard squad, I might have ended up with a sword like you did.


    "Nea. If my weapon had been a sword instead of a baskets..."


    "It heals the person it cuts. Or maybe a sword that only causes pain."


    I haven''t told you everything yet.


    What kind of sword does nothing but cause pain to the opponent?


    Is that it?¡¡A sword version of the healing punch?


    Either way, I don''t know how to handle a sword, so I''ll probably use it as a blunt instrument while it''s still in its scabbard.


    The name of the sword is "Inumaru".


    I turn back to myself and stare at the sword as my senpai boasts about it.


    The black scabbard and the tsubaki are engraved with a pattern reminiscent of lightning.


    This is the first time I have seen a real sword, but it has a more massive atmosphere than I had expected.


    Moreover, the name "Inumaru" is from .......


    I see, so you put "Inu" for Inukami-senpai''s "dog"?¡¡You are going for simplicity, aren''t you?"


    "You know what I mean?¡¡Do you get it?


    "Yes, of course. Yes, of course.


    I agree with my senpai, who nods in agreement.


    If I give it an elaborate name, I might forget it later.


    "How do you know ......?"


    "I know it''s lame. Other than that, I don''t know."


    Nair and Ferrum, who are puzzled by the exchange between me and my senpai, are muttering something, but for now, let''s concentrate on the conversation with my senpai.


    He seemed to be teaching us about the abilities of the Inumaru, the armor of the heroes, and a short distance away from us he put his hand on the hilt and pulled the blade from its sheath.


    The blade is exposed, which has a pale yellow glow and a wet sheen to it.


    An electric charge gushes from the blade to the hilt, and flows into the body of the student, electrifying it as it flows.


    "My sword''s main abilities are to assist in the output of magic power, to strengthen the sharpness of the blade, and to deliver an additional attack with electric shocks. By the way, now is the state that corresponds to what we used to call "thunder beast mode". If I had to name it that, I would call it ...... Raijyu Mode 2, right?"


    When you say "Thunder Beast Mode 2", you mean that not only the operation has been improved, but also it has been genuinely enhanced.


    "It used to be very bouncy, but now ...... it''s a lot calmer."


    "That''s right. The previous Thunder Beast mode was extremely short-lived because of the unnecessary discharge of electric blasts. This sword solved that problem."


    With a light wave of his sword, the older man instantly vanished before our eyes.


    I managed to follow him with my eyes, but his speed was faster than before, making it harder to catch him.


    The senior''s figure, which moves with a slow and steady pace as if stepping on a step, gives the illusion that he is an alter ego.


    "Wow ......"


    "Wow. I can''t believe it''s gone this far. Humans can move this fast."


    "Yes, it is. You can''t compare to me."


    "...... you''re human, but you''re not in the human frame of mind, are you ......?"


    I look away from Nair with a subtle expression on my face, and feeling a bit uncomfortable, I turn my attention back to my senpai, who glides down to his original position.


    He sheathed his sword and scattered the blasts, then slowly put it back into its scabbard while taking a zanshin.


    With a slightly smug look on his face, he calls out to her as she sheathes the sword.


    "Senpai!"


    "...... Huff, what is it?¡¡I''m the type of person who thrives on praise, by the way."


    "What?¡¡Well, that was cool."


    "......"


    Why are you embarrassed when you were the one who urged me to praise ......?


    I''m embarrassed too. .......


    He clears his throat and talks to her.


    "By the way, you have practiced, haven''t you?


    "Yes!


    Wow, he has a great smile on his face.


    Senpai puts his sword back on the ribbon in a good mood and comes back to us.


    Now, next is Usato-kun.


    "What?¡¡Me?"


    "Mm-hmm."


    "But you both know the characteristics of my cage hand, don''t you?"


    "Oh, no. What I want to know is--"


    Senpai, his eyes blazing, paused for a moment before opening his mouth.


    "I''m talking about the black-and-white Usato-kun I saw on the battlefield!


    "Black and white?¡¡Oh, you mean that one!


    Come to think of it, I''ll look forward to it later!" I''ll look forward to it later!


    I had completely forgotten about it, but I never thought I would have to explain it here and now.

 227 - - Twenty-sixth episode.

    After Inukami-senpai and Kazuki showed me their heroic armor, I was asked to show my senpai the state in which I had been assimilated by Ferrum.


    I knew that senpai would be interested in me in that form, but .......


    "But hey, ......"


    "It''s ......."


    I glance at Ferrum, and he gives me a glare.


    Ferrum doesn''t like being in that state, and I don''t want to force him.


    Oh, right.


    "Ferm, can I have just your arm?"


    "What about ......?¡¡What do you mean, just the arm?"


    She tilts her head and I raise my left arm.


    "You know, like, you can attach your magic partially to my arm," she says.


    "...... if only in the form."


    "Well, then, please."


    "......"


    Ferrum, with a scowl on his face for some reason, extended the dark black magic from his palm to my left arm, and it turned into a sharply shaped basket hand like the one he had used during the war, covering me up to my elbow.


    "Yes!"


    In contrast to the silver basket hand on my right is a sharp black basket hand, reminiscent of the black knights of the past.


    Senpai, seeing the change in my left arm, tilted his head with a smile on his face.


    "Hmm?¡¡Hmm?"


    "Whoa, Usato!¡¡What''s going on with that!


    "Now, I''m borrowing the magic power of Ferrum''s dark magic, aren''t I?¡¡The rest is ...... done this way ......."


    The black basket hand covering his left arm is transformed into a sword that seems to extend from his forearm.


    With a light clinking sound, the extended sword is shown to the two men.


    "I can change its shape like a sword."


    "You can do that!¡¡That''s cool!"


    Kazuki nodded his head in admiration, which made me feel better, so I decided to explain to him about the techniques that could be activated in this state.


    "By the way, the technique you can use with this is the Darkne--"


    "Healing Burst Slash. Isn''t that right, Usato?"


    "Yes."


    Right?


    "...... yes."


    Nair corrects her with a bite.


    Her cold eyes glared at me, and I had no choice but to nod my head meekly, my shoulders slumped.


    I knew I should have used <>. .......


    "Well, it looks like this for now."


    "Hey, hey, hey, hey, ......!"


    As I was about to end the conversation, my senpai finally made a move.


    "Usato-kun?¡¡What do you mean?


    "Well, no, so it''s like I''m borrowing Ferrum''s magic.


    "Normally, you can''t borrow someone else''s magic, can you?


    "That''s a fair question.


    I go through Nair nodding on my shoulder.


    You''re right, I didn''t explain myself well enough.


    "While Ferrum has been living here, her dark magic trait has changed from to , hasn''t it? This is the ability to merge with others?¡¡Assimilation?¡¡I was able to borrow the power of Ferrum through this ability.


    "Yugou?¡¡Roboto?¡¡Henkei?"


    First of all, the fact that that phrase comes up tells us the genre of anime that Senpai was watching in the original world.


    "No, it''s not a robot or anything, it''s just that Ferrum assimilated me and I was able to use my abilities."


    "...... No, wait a minute, I know. I understand.¡¡But it''s more like an instinct, or a brain refusing to understand. ......!"


    "......Well, how should I put it? ......"


    As I was twisting my head around the senior holding my head, Ferrum walked up to me, as if he couldn''t stand to watch.


    Looking at his face, his eyes were glazed over, his mouth was crossed in a grimace, and he seemed to be in a bad mood, which was obvious.


    "Ferrum?"


    "It would be faster if you actually showed me."


    "Yeah, but I thought you didn''t want to..."


    "Just do it!¡¡Just be quiet!"


    Ferme said this to me without saying a word, took a small deep breath, and closed her eyes.


    Then her body was sucked into the shadow at her feet as if falling, and black-colored magic overflowed from the place where the shadow had been.


    Senpai and Kazuki are surprised to see Ferrum disappear before their eyes.


    What?


    The shadow of the vanished Ferrum moves on the ground like a living creature and enters my shadow, then it runs down my legs and covers my body.


    Since I am not wearing a troupe uniform, my body takes on the shape of a racing suit, all black except for the basket hand on my left arm and the armor on my legs.


    < with Ferrum.


    Her altered characteristics make it possible for her to fight.


    It is also a state in which I and Ferrum can fully display our power.


    But..,


    "You''d be surprised what you can do out of the blue. ......"


    "Looking at it more closely, it looks more like a garment than an assimilation. ......"


    For me, too, it''s not good for my heart to be suddenly assimilated.


    There is nothing unpleasant in the senses, but there is the matter of preparation.


    "No, not at all, I can''t help it. ......"


    Ferrum''s voice echoes from inside me.


    "Uh-uh, Usato-kun and Ferrum have merged!


    "Wow, what''s going on? ......"


    At any rate, I should explain my current state of mind to these two astonished people.


    I briefly explain to Senpai and Kazuki about Ferrum''s <> dark magic and its benefits.


    "I see, so you mean that you are in the state of wearing Ferrum''s dark magic ......."


    He mutters and looks at me with a stern stare.


    His eyes seem to be fixed on me.


    "What is it?"


    "I envy you!¡¡Usato!


    "Yes. ......"


    In a way, the words are what I expected, but I take a step backward, not out of jealousy, but because of the heightened tension.


    "You mean to say that by merging with Ferrum, you are now able to handle its power?


    "Yes, well, to be precise, assimilation. ......"


    "What is it that happens when you have a demon Nair on your shoulder, and even the demon Fellum is enchanted by you?¡¡I have mixed feelings about equipping girls, but I envy you even more!"


    He spoke very fast and said, "What?¡¡What? I could only reply with a "What?


    I knew this tension, but even I couldn''t handle it.


    Kazuki, who was watching over me with a cheerful smile on his face, could not be relied on.


    "So, Ferrum!¡¡Fusion with me!"


    I wonder what he means by "fusion," but he pulls away from me a little and spreads his arms wide with expectant eyes.


    Is he trying to assimilate with FERM?


    ......Well, it''s obvious that senpai is stronger with dark magic than I am, so let''s have Ferm try it out.


    <>


    "Why?


    He quickly refused.


    I ask Ferrum, looking at my senior who is very upset.


    "Ferrum, why can''t you do it?"


    "Gah!"


    "S-s-sen-pai!"


    The senior falls backward as if blown away by something invisible.


    No, he must have jumped by himself.


    Why do you want to make gag-caramouve?


    I quickly ran to her and picked her up. She stood up with a smile on her face and her legs trembling.


    "Hmmm, this won''t break my heart ......!¡¡In other words, you just have to break down the walls of Ferm''s heart. ......!"


    "No, let me open up to you normally ......"


    "The nickname of the indomitable tin can''t be a badge of honor ......!"


    When were you called ......?


    I''m not sure, but I''m not sure I''m the only one.


    "Suzune is not a brave man, he''s just a disappointing person. ......"


    <>


    The senior member of the group is undaunted by the words of the two.


    She looked at the cage hand on her left arm and the leg armor on both feet, and her eyes lit up.


    "Your legs, your left arm!¡¡It looks just like the black knight''s!


    "Yes, it does. ......Now that you mention it, Ferrum. Did you decide on this shape?


    I ask Ferrum, who is still inside, and she replies without seeming to have any hesitation.


    I see. It is true that the black knight has been wearing it for a longer period of time.


    Maybe this armor will gradually change over the course of her life in the Rescue Mission.


    That''s something I''d like to see.


    "Clad in the armor of a former enemy, the Black Knight ......!¡¡That''s a burning development. ......!"


    >


    I don''t know what to do, but I know what to do.


    And then I realized <>.


    ...... and, anyway, in order to lower the tension of my senpai, I explain that my current appearance is not intentional, but an accident.


    "No, um, even for me and Ferrum, we didn''t expect this appearance. We were in the middle of a conflict with Koga, and we ended up fighting in this state ...... by accident, so to speak."


    "In other words, an unintentional and unexpected appearance and ......?"


    "......"


    No!¡¡The more I explain, the more romantic attributes are added to me!


    I want to deny it, but I''m getting embarrassed that I''m the one being convinced. ......!


    I want to deny it, but I''m ashamed to be convinced.¡¡I''ll explain what we can do now!


    Let''s move on to the explanation of our abilities before we are exposed to any more embarrassment.


    I move away from Senpai and Kazuki so as not to put them in danger.


    "First of all, as my main ability, I can change the shape of dark magic''s magic power.


    "When you say ''shape of magic'', you mean like the Black Knight?"


    "Yes. For example, ...... ferme."


    <>


    When he calls out to Ferrum, his left arm, covered by a basket of dark magic, transforms.


    It transforms into a sword, a shield, and other weapons several times before turning to Senpai and Kazuki.


    "It''s like this. On the battlefield, you can ride on Bulrin''s back and make his armor. Well, it''s all right if you recognize that it''s a flexible ability to some extent.


    "Transformation for all aspects: ....... It''s different from mine and Kazuki''s, it''s your ...... or your own way of fighting."


    "It''s not that grandiose. Most of the time I can''t handle it well, so I end up using my fists."


    It would be more convenient for me to transform it into a shield or a hammer or a club instead of a sword or something.


    I would be able to hold back a little more.


    "Oh, and I can now perform magic power outbursts with my whole body.


    "...... whole body?"


    Oh, I should add this.


    They''ll think I''m being reckless again.


    "The state in which I am assimilated by dark magic is the same as when I am wearing this basket hand, so no matter how much magic I unleash, I myself will not be harmed.


    He then attempts a healing flying fist with his left arm, aiming at a nearby tree.


    A fist-sized shockwave is released from the black basket hand with a popping sound, hitting the tree directly.


    The tree shakes slightly, and he turns his attention back to Senpai and Kazuki.


    "Now you can activate it with the sole of your foot to increase your jumping power or use it for acceleration," he says.


    "...... That means you can do boosted mobility, right?"


    "I don''t know, but please don''t compare me to a robot. ......"


    I know I move like that, but I don''t want to be called a monster, a monster, and then treated like a weapon. .......


    "That second corps leader ...... Koga used a similar technique, but I wonder if he learned it from watching Usato''s moves. ......"


    "What?¡¡Kazuki, what did you say?"


    Kazuki puts his hand on his chin and tilts his head.


    I only heard the name "Koga," but anything related to that guy is just as much trouble for me, so I ask him. Kazuki smiles and waves his hand sideways as if nothing is wrong.


    "Nah, it''s nothing. Don''t worry about it."


    "Oh, yeah?¡¡If it''s something to do with the C¨®gars, you let me know. Next time I see you, I''ll punch you in the face.


    "Oh, yeah?"


    I said with a smile, and Kazuki nodded with a shiver.


    I heard that Koga retreated from the battle this time, but that''s him. He''s bound to stand in our way again.


    He''ll probably be even stronger than when he fought me and bare his fangs. I don''t know for sure, but I vaguely understand that he''s that kind of guy after fighting him twice.


    <


    "Then I''ll hit him back, too."


    "I think that''s one of the reasons why they are targeted, because they are so willing to hit each other. ......?"


    ...... sure.


    But you know what? But when you''re on the radar of Koger, you can''t avoid a fight. .......


    No matter what role I play or what the circumstances are, it doesn''t matter to him, he''ll just smile and threaten everyone around him.


    "Maybe we should look for a new way to fight the next battle. ......"


    What I need now is not a means of attack, but defense.


    The battle against Nero Agence made me realize this to the bitter end.


    At least, I would have died once without Nair''s resistance spell.


    "You can''t just prevent it. ......"


    The hardness of the cage may be a useful defense, but it will not work on a superior opponent.


    If Nero had wanted to, I would have been cut down in an instant.


    Then, my task from now on is not to catch or repel, but to find a defensive measure that can lead to the next move.


    "Weave the magic with the image of weaving."


    He raises his right arm, which is covered by a silver basket hand, and looks at his open palm.


    He continues to concentrate his mind and kneads the magic in a different way.


    "...... no?"


    The magic bullet covering my hand showed a slight flicker, but that was all.


    It is far from the elasticity of Kazuki''s magic bullet.


    "...... Usato, what are you doing?"


    "I was wondering if I could make the magic elastic like Kazuki''s."


    Nair notices my action and shows me the magic of the healing magic that surrounds the basket hand.


    Nair looks at the basket hand for a few seconds, and then looks at me with a stern stare.


    "What are you going to do with it, give it elasticity?"


    "I haven''t thought of anything in particular,...... but maybe covering the cage hand to soften the impact when defending,...... or maybe a healing counterattack palm to make the opponent recoil.... ...It seems to consume less magic than the bursting palm."


    "...... could you do that?"


    I looked at my own cage once and nodded firmly.


    "It''s not impossible, I''m sure.


    "Yes. Then let me help you. I''m probably better with magic than you are.


    I''ll help you.


    All I can do is keep practicing steadily so that eventually I can do this with my whole arm.


    Having removed the magic from my cage hand, I clench my open palm.


    If I can master this technique, I should be able to change my own movements.


    "I guess I know what I''m going to have to do."


    Even now, I cannot predict what will happen next.


    But I know that I will not be able to live in peace with my current situation for a long time.


    Then, I have to find what I can do now and prepare for it.


    "Hmmm..."


    "?¡¡Senpai, what''s wrong?"


    For some reason, my senior is roaring near me.


    He looked up at the sound of my voice with an extremely serious expression on his face.


    "What kind of name is this Usato-kun?


    "......Well, come to think of it, we haven''t decided on a particular name, have we?


    "Yeah. Then let''s decide now. It would be inconvenient without a name.


    It''s true, it''s inconvenient not to have a name.


    I nod my head, put my hand on my chin, and try to think of a name for my current appearance.


    Black knight...... dark magic...... black,group uniform...... white...... white and black .......


    "How about White and Black mode?"


    "Oh, that''s good. That''s it!"


    I thought it was a good idea to put "white bear" and "black bear" together, since they are related to bears.


    He nodded his head in admiration.


    White-Claw mode, okay, I''ll use that name from now on..,


    <>


    "Why?


    "I don''t like it. I don''t like it. It''s so fluffy."


    I couldn''t help but scream at the strong denial coming from my shoulders and inside.


    With Nair and Ferrum strongly refusing and Kazuki softly saying, "I don''t think that''s ......," the name White-Chrome mode was dropped, leaving the name unnamed.


    Kazuki''s denial made me and my senpai almost lose heart.

 228 - - Twenty-seven.

    After my senpai and Kazuki returned to the castle, it was just me, Nack, Nair, Ferrum, and Amako, all members of the lifeguard squad, in the dormitory of the lifeguard squad.


    As the sun was setting and it was getting dark outside, I sat down on a chair in the dining room after dinner and practiced making the elastic magic that Kazuki had shown me.


    The practice was not so grandiose, but rather a rather simple one of manipulating the density of the magic power floating in my palm.


    With the help of Nair, I was practicing such things, but..,


    "No. You can''t do it."


    It''s been less than five minutes since we started.


    A few moments after we started, I got a big kick in the pants.


    The magic surrounding my right hand just wavered and showed no sign of changing.


    It''s more like, "I can''t do it, even if it''s not you. I saw it for a moment, but Kazuki''s magic manipulation is not something that can be mastered with practice.


    "...... magic manipulation, huh?"


    "To begin with, when you can manipulate the hardness of light, which is a formless magic, you must be using different senses to handle magic than we do."


    Kazuki once said that he handled magic power with natural movements as if he handled his hand.


    In other words, Kazuki''s perception of magic power is no different from that of his own hands.


    It is easy to describe in words, but it is not that difficult to do.


    "But you know what? You can''t do it by yourself, but with that cage hand, you''ll never know, will you?"


    Nair points to the bracelet on my right arm.


    It was given to me by Lady Farga, and was once the sword of a brave warrior.


    "I''m sure that the hand is not only ridiculously hard, but also has the ability to support magic power. It''s not impossible to make the magic power elastic by using that ability.


    "So I can use this cage hand when I practice?"


    "That''s right. Well, I don''t think it''s that easy.


    Does this mean that even if I master this technique, I can only handle elastic magic with my right arm?


    "...... No, wait."


    "?¡¡What''s wrong?"


    How about using a magic bullet created by a basket hand and moving it through the body?


    When I visited Lucvis for the first time, I had a mock battle with Mr. Halfa.


    At that time, I tried to transfer the magic power from my arms to my legs in order to confirm his "anticipation of movement by fluctuation of magic power".


    At that time, I was not particularly conscious of it, but ...... I might be able to make use of that technique.


    "Well, if that''s the case, I''ll practice this too.


    "Yeah, what are you going to do again?¡¡Just talking about making magic elastic is unrealistic. ......"


    "No, this is something not so difficult.


    He opens his palm in front of Nair and lights his index finger with magic.


    When Nair tilts her head curiously, he shows her how he transfers the magic power from his index finger to his middle finger via his palm.


    "Wow, you are very skillful.


    "Try to do this as fast and as quickly as possible. The better you get at this, the more refined the flow of magic power will be, and the more efficient the healing magic will be. ...... maybe."


    Nair looks at the magic moving from finger to finger with a curious look on her face as she says this confidently.


    "I also cast magic in the same way when I''m on your shoulder as an owl, don''t you know?"


    "Oh, really?"


    I thought to myself, since Nair was sending magic through my body to my arms and legs and so on, it was only natural that the principle should be the same.


    "On the contrary, I am surprised that you have mastered such basics."


    "...... is it basic, this?"


    You didn''t know?


    "I learned how to handle magic on the run. ......


    "Yes, that''s right. ......"


    No, now that I think about it, that''s quite a way to learn.


    In the end, it was the healing magic that got me through that dreadful training.


    "Most wizards don''t think much about training because it''s enough to just pour magic into the hand that emits it from the center of themselves, but for ...... you, it might be an effective training."


    "You can do things like move magic from your arms to your legs, but in the end, it''s better to have it finish moving the moment you think about it in your head. ......"


    "As for this one, it won''t take long. From what I''ve seen, the transfer of magic from finger to finger is very smooth."


    Nair tells me this as I move the magic from my index finger to my thumb and from my thumb to my little finger.


    "In the meantime, I''m going to practice ...... this ''magic rotation'' at the same time."


    "Don''t put too much root into it, okay?¡¡It''s like I''m watching you to make sure you don''t."


    You''re an out-of-touch kid. I am.


    It''s worse than that. Oh, I really can''t take my eyes off you!"


    Nair sighs and rests her elbows on the table as my cheeks twitch.


    She rests her cheekbones on the table and looks me straight in the eye.


    "I am your messenger, you know. I''ll be with you after the battle is over, just as I always have been.


    "...... ha, what if I have to go back to my world?"


    The moment I said those words to myself, I immediately regretted it.


    I haven''t found a way to return to my original world, but if I do, it will be to say goodbye to the people of this world.


    Seeing that I was upset after I said it out loud, she was not surprised, on the contrary, she smiled and pointed her index finger at me.


    "Of course I''m going to follow you. As long as there is an unknown that I am searching for, I will follow you everywhere.


    I immediately understood that his confident words were not a lie.


    That''s why I was so taken aback, but I couldn''t help but smile subconsciously.


    "...... you really seem to be following me."


    "I told you. I''m going to follow you for the rest of my life."


    Indeed, that''s what you said when you forced me to sign a contract as a messenger demon.


    It feels like a long time has passed since the incident with the evil dragon, though it wasn''t that long.


    While I was having such an exchange with Nair, remembering what happened a while ago, Amako came out from the kitchen.


    "You''re in a lot of trouble, Usato. He''s possessed by Nair.


    "Did you hear that?"


    "Yeah, a little bit."


    "Wait a minute, what do you mean, ''Oh my God''?"


    Amako put her apron on the table and sat down across the table from Nair.


    "Usato. Where are Nack and Ferrum?"


    "Nack went back to his room first. Ferrum is at ......."


    "You''re keeping a daily diary, aren''t you? She''s pretty diligent.


    I didn''t know he still kept a diary. .......


    I am glad to see that you are still keeping a diary, even though I recommended it to you.


    Well, I guess they write some complaints about me, but it must be a good thing.


    "Well then, Amaco. Can you tell me your ...... story?"


    "...... yes."


    What Amaco wants to tell me.


    I guessed it was not something urgent, but from the look of anguish on her face, it seemed complicated.


    "I saw a premonition."


    "...... while I was sleeping?"


    "Yeah."


    Then this expression makes sense.


    But it seems that it is not the only thing that is bothering her now.


    "It was no different from my usual predictions until about halfway through, but ...... it was a little different."


    "Different ......?"


    Amako began to tell us about the prediction she had seen as we tilted our heads.


    Me and my seniors on a journey.


    The past of the Demon Lords and the heroes... and a swing of the sword of the previous hero.


    And the mysterious woman who spoke to Amako directly from the scenery she was seeing with her precognition magic.


    ......As far as the first part of the prediction is concerned, you could have guessed what was going to happen.


    "Well, she was a fox beastman just like Amako, and she had a sword, right? You''ve never met him, have you?"


    "He never said his name and disappeared without so much as a word."


    Beastmen, swords, precognitive magic.


    And she looks like Amako''s mother, Kanoko.


    That''s about all we know.


    Did you tell the people at the castle about the premonition?


    Yes.


    "What about the beast woman in the prophetic dream?"


    Amako shakes her head at Nea''s words.


    Well, even if it was part of the precognitive magic, the bestial woman is very uncertain information.


    If it''s not so good, there is a possibility that the prediction Amako saw is false.


    "That''s why I wanted to talk to you, Usato. That woman was saying some incomprehensible things about seeing me through him, and I was wondering if it might be Usato. ......"


    "Me?¡¡Why me?"


    From what I''ve heard, it doesn''t sound like I had anything to do with it.


    This "he" that I''m talking about, he said he was seeing me through something, and I''m pretty sure I had nothing to do with it.


    When I tilted my head, Amako lowered her gaze at an awkward angle.


    "Because it''s Usato. ......"


    "Uh, ......."


    "Guys. First of all, let''s get this out of the way, shall we?"


    For some reason, even Nair agrees with me, so I deny it.


    "I''m from another world, you know?¡¡The only connections I have are the ones I''ve had since I came to this world, you know?"


    I can''t believe she''s lying.


    I have been involved in incidents related to the previous generation of heroes everywhere I go, but this is something I have no recollection of.


    In the first place, it is impossible to see anything through me. It''s more believable that someone like Mr. Farga, who can use magic, saw it.


    "...... Well, I''m just saying."


    You say that, but that doesn''t change the suspicious look you give me?


    How much trouble do they think we''re in?


    I suppose it''s understandable, considering what we''ve been through.


    "Anyway, from what I''ve read in the predictions, I''m sure we''ll be hearing from you soon. Amaco was also among the traveling prophets, wasn''t he?"


    "Yes. But I didn''t recognize any of the other members except for Suzune and Kazuki."


    ...... this is not too much to think about.


    Maybe the prediction will come true soon and we can just go on as usual until that day.


    Let''s put the prediction to rest and talk about tomorrow.


    "I''m thinking of going to see Leona at the castle tomorrow.


    "I really want to, but I have to help out at the store tomorrow. ....... Tell Leona I say hi when you see her.


    "Yeah, okay."


    Nair is obviously going to be there, so there''s no need to ask.


    "...... Leona, how did she look?¡¡You met her on the battlefield, right?"


    "She was very reliable. If she hadn''t come, I would have been stuck. I''m really glad you came."


    "You were so generous to give me such a rare thing as a potion to restore my magic power."


    "I knew it. Is that expensive?"


    "Yes. Many times more expensive than you think.


    I would like to know the value of those potions, even though they were dodged during the battle.


    "In the first place, a potion that works just by drinking it is basically expensive.¡¡Especially potions that restore magic power, which can only be restored naturally, are manufactured in a special way, and it is said that it is difficult to make a large number of them.


    "Is that so ......?"


    I can''t believe I drank something so rare, even in the middle of a battle.


    I can''t thank you enough for that, it was the only thing that kept me moving after that.


    Anyway, I''ll be sure to thank you tomorrow.


    "Then you should get some rest early today to prepare for tomorrow. You woke up today, you''re not in good shape, are you?"


    That''s right.


    But before you rest..,


    "Amako, are you going to stay at the lodge?¡¡If you''re going home, I''ll walk you home, okay?"


    "No. No. I''m staying here today.


    Today, too, which means I''ll be here for the next three days until I wake up.


    I must have really worried you.


    Again, I think to myself as I continue to talk to him.


    Do you have a place for me to sleep?


    I have prepared a futon in my room and Ferrum''s room, so you don''t need to worry. Amako is small, so it won''t take up much space.


    "Mnh!"


    Nair smiles at Amako, who glares at her with a disgusted expression.


    If I don''t have to take Amako home, I think I''ll take an early rest.


    Nair is right, I just woke up today and I don''t feel so good, so I''ll try to get some sleep and get myself back on track.

 229 - - Twenty-eight.

    The day after I woke up from my faint.


    Early in the morning, after dropping Amako off at home, I was on my way to the castle with Nair.


    I had let Senpai and Kazuki know in advance that we were going to the castle, so I don''t think they will not be able to get in, but the situation is such that I will leave before I cause any trouble if I get in the way.


    "I wonder if Aruk-san is there ......"


    "I don''t know. Maybe they are still on the battlefield."


    When I reach the gate, I see the knights guarding the castle, and among them I spot a man with red hair whom I recognize.


    When he noticed us approaching the gate, he smiled and waved to us.


    "Hey, Usato!


    Mr. Aruk!


    I run over to him and check on the safety of Mr. Aruk nearby.


    He had bandages on his head and arms, but did not seem to be injured in any other way.


    He probably came back here with some injuries.


    I offer him my hand covered with healing magic, to which he responds with a wry smile.


    "Thank you."


    "No, no, I''m glad you''re okay, Aruk-san."


    "I am glad to hear that you are in good health, Usato-dono. I heard you woke up yesterday.


    Did you hear from Senpai and Kazuki?


    When I nodded at Aruk''s words, Nair, in her owl state, cowered her shoulders in dismay.


    "Yesterday, finally. I''ve been sleeping with a carefree look on my face.¡¡I can''t tell you how worried I was when you suddenly collapsed on the battlefield ......."


    "Ha-ha-ha, after such a distinguished career. It''s no wonder you''re tired."


    "It''s a matter of how you fall. It''s really heartbreaking to fall down without warning with your eyes going blank. ......"


    "Oh, did I ever fall down like that?"


    I remembered that I had fallen down, but had I fainted in such a spectacular way?


    It was like I just went black without warning, so I didn''t think about how people around me saw me.


    "The people around me were in a panic. All the knights who were there carried Usato to the base where Uluru and the others were, and he just fell asleep with a look on his face as if he had done all he could do.


    "I was there when it happened, and it was amazing. Many people, including Kazuki-dono and Suzune-dono, had rushed to the scene.


    I had no idea that my fainting would cause such concern in so many directions.


    Well, it''s my fault for falling in a confusing way.


    When did you come back here, Mr. Aruk?


    Yesterday. Many of the knights were injured and could not move.


    "I didn''t know that. ....... If anyone is injured, shall we help them?"


    When I suggested this, Aruk shook his head.


    "No, I can''t make you go through that much trouble. He has already been treated at the battlefield by the lifeguard corps, and Usato-dono is also sick, isn''t he?"


    "If you say I''m sick, I am sick. ......"


    In the morning, I ran around with Nack and Ferrum as much as I could for morning training.


    When I gave him a delicate look, he continued to speak.


    Then, please take it easy. Your heart is probably weaker than you think. Please take this opportunity to get enough rest and rest your body and mind."


    I wasn''t aware of it, but if Mr. Aruk, who has traveled with me, says so, I guess he is right.


    I nodded my head at Mr. Alc''s words, and he turned his attention to Nair, who was standing on my shoulder, and spoke to him.


    "Nair, will you take care of Usato-dono?"


    "Yes, I''ll take care of him."


    Nair nodded with a confident expression at Mr. Aruk''s words.


    ...... hmm?¡¡Mr. Aruk. Why is Nair treating me like my guardian?


    "Well, I guess I should get back to my duties now.


    I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to intrude.


    "No, no, no, I''m rather glad to see you again in one piece."


    After exchanging a couple of words, we are about to part when two figures appear from the castle.


    "Hey!¡¡Usatoh!"


    "Kazuki and ...... Frana. She''s back here too, isn''t she?


    It seems that one of the guards has come to pick us up.


    After bowing to Mr. Aruk and the other guards nearby, I join them and step into the castle.


    "It''s been a long time since we met on the battlefield. Thank you for saving my life back then.


    "I''m glad to see you''re doing well, too."


    Fighting with the Third Legionnaire was different from fighting with other legionnaires. .......


    But I''m really glad that we were able to neutralize the Third Commander.


    If he had ignored me and flown away, I wouldn''t have been able to chase him.


    "Kazuki. Where are you headed now?"


    "Toward the training area. Leona is supposed to be there right now.


    "Training grounds or ....... Speaking of which, where''s your senior?"


    I ask Kazuki, realizing after all this time that I can''t see him.


    "Yeah, they are going to summarize the information they got from the enemy in the war today. We''re going to be there later, so we went out to pick up Usato before that.


    "I see. ......"


    So, do you think I''ll get a chance to report back to you?


    I''m sure Alfie will probably be in charge of that.


    "Hmmm..."


    "Hmm?¡¡Frana, what''s wrong?"


    I tilted my head at Frana, who was looking at me from next to Kazuki.


    Did she have something on her face?


    "......Usato''s mood is totally different when he''s fighting and when he''s normal, isn''t it?"


    "Well, I''m ...... aware of that. Or rather, I have recently become aware of it."


    If you keep playing dumb, Amaco will get mad at you. .......


    But no matter what they say, I am still a human being.


    I will never compromise on that, no matter what anyone says.


    "Certainly, Usato is more reliable than ever when it comes time for battle. Yes."


    "Sometimes, Kazuki''s purity scares me. ......"


    "I know he''s dependable. But the thing is, his words and actions are out of the ordinary."


    Nair and Frana reacted a bit taken back by Kazuki who nodded his head.


    As for me, I''m glad to be told that I''m reliable, but it''s a little itchy.


    "But from the point of view of the people you''re fighting, Usato must be incredibly scary.


    "Is that so?"


    "In fact, the Third Corps commander and his men were scared out of their wits when we captured them, even if only temporarily. I ask you now, what the hell did you do then?


    "That''s what I want to know. ....... No, really."


    I understand that he was confused because his illusion magic didn''t work, but he suddenly tried to stick a knife into his own leg, and he suddenly started apologizing for something he didn''t do.


    And to top it all off, he treated me like a demon.


    Why should my staple food be turned into a soul?


    Well, I have a pretty good idea of the cause of all this.


    "I''ll talk to Ferrum and Nair in their quarters later. I''m sure ...... they''ll know what they did, right?"


    "What?


    He smiles at Nair, who has turned into a mute owl so as not to get lost in the conversation.


    I''ve been out cold for so long that I''ve forgotten, but I have to ask you something, don''t I?


    Nair''s face turns blue and she looks forward, suddenly remembering Amako''s prediction.


    "......"


    By the way, have Kazuki and Frana heard about Amaco''s prediction?


    ...... No, I probably shouldn''t talk about it here.


    We don''t know where the eyes of people are, and we may not have been told about the prediction by Mr. Lloyd in the first place.


    It would be better not to mention it, rather than confuse them.


    "Usato, what''s wrong?"


    "...... No, nothing''s wrong."


    "?¡¡Well, if there''s nothing going on, that''s fine, but ...... it''s time to get to the training grounds."


    Kazuki''s voice makes me look forward, and I see the castle''s training grounds, which I also use all the time.


    There, I spot a woman swinging a spear.


    "Hmph!"


    It is Leona, a woman with beautiful golden hair tied back in a single knot.


    She was holding a spear, the armor of a brave warrior, and she was cleaving, slashing, and thrusting with a fluid motion, without any disorder at all.


    Her movements were even more refined than when they had met in Mearaq, and Frana''s voice was a little buoyant.


    "Leona-san is such a cool person, isn''t he? I might admire her a little.


    I know exactly how you feel.


    It was really cool when you rushed to the scene of the battle against Barzinak.


    When we arrived near the training area, Kazuki stopped and turned toward us.


    "Well, we''re going to report back to you."


    "Yeah. Thanks for coming all this way, Kazuki.


    ...... Oh, yeah.


    Before we part ways with Kazuki here, we should ask him if he can teach us how to add elasticity to our magical powers.


    "I''m trying to figure out if I can add elasticity to my magic the same way Kazuki did.¡¡Of course, if you have time, that would be great.


    "Usato''s magic has elasticity?¡¡......I see, that''s totally fine!"


    Kazuki nodded with a smile and I thanked him again.


    If only I could get Kazuki to teach me, that would be a godsend, yes.


    "If you have time, how about this afternoon?"


    "Yeah. I''ll be fine at that time.


    "...... I''m more than okay, I''ve only had basic training."


    Nair whispered this to me, and I nodded my head, even though he had hit the nail on the head.


    "Then, let''s meet at the training site in the afternoon, then, Usato!¡¡N¨¦a!¡¡See you later!"


    "See you later, Kazuki."


    Thanks for the tour.


    After a brief discussion about our training schedule, Kazuki and Frana and I parted ways, and Nair and I went straight to the training site.


    Leona was still wielding her spear in the training area, but we could not interfere with her training, so we decided to wait at the edge of the training area until the training was over.


    "I''ve fought people with spears before,...... but Leona-san''s spear movement seems different from that."


    It''s like there is a core to the attack.


    He just repeats thrusting, cleaving, and striking, but there is no stagnation in his movements, no gap.


    "I heard sometime that if you master the basics of spearmanship, you don''t need any other techniques ......."


    "What? Who told you that?"


    Some spearman I used to control about a hundred years ago.


    "This guy you''re talking about is ......."


    "To be honest, I didn''t really understand what he was saying, so I let him go right away.


    Nair is so open about it that I can''t help but let out a sigh.


    While we were exchanging such conversation, Leona, who was training with a spear, noticed us.


    "Usato?¡¡You''re here?


    "Is it really such a surprise ......?"


    Leona''s dignified expression changes to one of surprise.


    She walked up to me, although she was upset, and put on an annoyed smile.


    "You are a bad person too. If you are here, why don''t you just call out to me?


    "No, I don''t think it''s right to interrupt you. ....... Can I talk to you now?


    "Of course. Of course. I wanted to talk to you about something.


    Leona changed the spear in her hand into a pendant with a light.


    We sit down in a nearby field to talk calmly for the time being.


    "N¨¦a, I''m glad to see you''re doing well too.


    "You''re looking more like a hero than before.


    "Yeah, is that so?"


    Leona looks a little embarrassed at Nea''s words.


    ...... I should thank her while I can.


    "Leona. Once again, thank you for coming to our rescue.


    "You don''t have to thank me. As I told you during the battle, I''m here to return the favor. In fact, I could not repay you enough after all this.


    "But, but--"


    "But..."


    Leona interrupted me and raised her index finger.


    "Considering your character, I don''t think you''ll be satisfied with that, so why don''t we call this a blind date?¡¡You saved my life, too, you know.


    "It''s a little unfair to say it that way. ......"


    She looked at me in amazement and laughed in a funny way.


    I guess she could tell by the look on my face?¡¡Hmmm, she can read my thoughts.


    "I''m glad to see your age-appropriate reaction," she said.


    "Yeah. ......"


    You say that as if I''m not old enough for what I usually do. .......


    I looked away, slightly embarrassed, and Nair on my shoulder nodded her head in agreement with Leona.


    "You are also seventeen years old, though you are so much of a handful that I would think you were a child, given your usual behavior.


    "You''re about three hundred years old, you''re very convincing."


    "Huh, by vampire standards, I''m about your age."


    "...... what?"


    That''s new.


    I mean, he''s still older than me, but I didn''t know vampires had such a long life span.


    I am astonished by the fact that I hadn''t paid attention to it before, but I regain my composure and turn to Leona again.


    "Leona-san, did you go to the Lingle Kingdom after the battle?"


    "Yes, before going into battle, I was ordered by Falga to wait in the Kingdom of Lingle."


    "I see. ......"


    I had assumed that Leona would have to return home soon, given the current situation in Mialak, but I guess Master Farga might have had some ideas about it and ordered her to do so.


    "Right now, we are exchanging information and discussing with Norn-sama and Falga-sama in Mialark and with Lloyd-sama, the king of Lingle Kingdom, through Hubbard."


    "When you say ''discussions,'' do you mean like post-war measures?"


    "I have not been informed of the details, but they seem to be a little different."


    Maybe they are discussing the trip to defeat the Demon King as predicted by Amaco.


    That would explain why they are discussing the matter with the presence of the Lord Farga, who is a secret entity.


    You seem to have a general idea of what is going on.


    "...... sorry. I''m ...... now."


    "I know. I know. To avoid unnecessary confusion, right?"


    Do I really show it on my face?


    Leona turns her gaze from me, who is tilting her head while touching her cheek, to the training area.


    "I don''t feel at ease after the battle. ......"


    "Yes, it is. Maybe it''s because somewhere in my mind I''ve convinced myself that I shouldn''t feel at ease."


    I nodded my head in agreement with her and let the magic float in my palm.


    The turmoil was not over yet, I thought, and that''s why I was trying to learn a skill to compensate for my weakness.


    Leona asked me if I was interested in the magic power floating in my palm.


    What is it, Usato?¡¡"Usato, what is it? It seems to be different from the one that triggers the outburst of the system reinforcement you mentioned before.


    "Oh, this is..."


    He explains that he is practicing to make his magic more elastic.


    Hearing this, Leona reacted somewhat horrified.


    "Well, you are trying to grow in a funny way again. ....... I''m relieved to see that this time it''s a direction that''s not dangerous. ......"


    "Ha ha ha ......"


    "Magic and elasticity. It''s a technique that can only be done with amorphous magic, which is different from attributes like fire and lightning. It''s impossible for me to do it because of the nature of my magic, but it''s ...... interesting."


    Leona mutters with a finger to her chin.


    "Is it possible?"


    "If we use Falga-sama''s basket hand. Whether it is possible or not, I won''t know until I try it.


    Even if it''s impossible, it''s good to have something to hold on to.


    To be honest, even if it is not so hard as to be elastic, it can be treated as a healing glove for holding back.


    "And next time, Kazuki,......, a brave man who can make magic power elastic can watch you train.


    "Really?"


    Yes. We''re going to do it this afternoon.


    I am looking forward to it, even without the training, since my senpai will probably be there too.


    Leona, who had been looking thoughtful when she heard about the training, looks up.


    "I wonder if I can participate in this training?"


    "......?


    I was surprised at the sudden offer.


    Seeing my surprise, she looks a little uneasy.


    "......Sorry, I''m sorry. If it''s a nuisance..."


    "No, no!¡¡It''s a great offer!¡¡But ...... is it OK with you?¡¡Leona, you''re busy. ......"


    "No, it''s not my place to interfere in meetings of other countries. I have to wait until I receive another order from Master Farga and Master Norn."


    If that''s what you mean: .......


    "Well then, Leona, you''ll be joining us for training this afternoon."


    "I don''t know if I can help you, but I''ll try my best to do so."


    But it is a luxury for me to train with three brave men.


    I must try my best to get something today so that they won''t be disappointed.


    By the way, how do you like the Kingdom of Lingle?


    "It''s my first time here and I think it''s a nice place. Unlike Mialark, it''s surrounded by trees and ...... what can I say, it''s a relaxing place."


    Mialark is a city surrounded by lakes, so I guess everything looks different compared to the Kingdom of Lingle.¡¡Do you still have time until ...... afternoon?


    "Since we still have some time, shall I show you around the city?¡¡I''d like to take you to see Amaco.


    "Is that okay?"


    You showed me around Mearaq before. I''m returning the favor.


    In that case, I''ll take advantage of your kindness.


    He gets up and starts walking toward the gate.


    Even though the war has brought you to the Kingdom of Lingle, you have come to us.


    Let''s show them some of the good things about this place.


    "First of all, here''s the best part. First of all, the best thing about this place is that you won''t be surprised if I run with a bullring on my back.


    "...... I guess the people of the Lingle Kingdom are strong."


    "You''re used to it. Maybe they have more spirit than the people in the other kingdoms?"


    Hmm?¡¡Is this not the reaction I expected?


    Leona seemed a little taken back, and while I tilted my head at her, we headed out into the city.

 230 - - Twenty-nine.

    We went to the castle and Nair and Leona, whom we met again there, showed us around Lingle Kingdom until the afternoon training.


    Since the battle had just ended, the town was not very popular and had not yet returned to its original atmosphere, but the stores were still open, so we showed them around and went to the store where Amako was helping out.


    In the afternoon, when the training with Kazuki was about to start, Leona and I were having a light hand-to-hand training session as a warm-up.


    "There!


    "Sweet!"


    My outstretched fist was bounced off the handle of the spear that Leona-san was spinning in her hand.


    Leona re-gripped the spear and launched a stone thrust at my leg.


    "What!"


    I avoided it by stepping back, but Leona-san stepped forward and swung her spear in a broad sideways cleave.


    Cleave with reach!¡¡Is it wrong to keep your distance!


    You flick the tip of the spear with your right hand, and as you keep your distance from Leona, you bring her into your sight once again.


    "I thought I could do it at close range, but I guess there are ways to fight without letting them get close. ......"


    He is a man who is more than Kazuki and his senpai in terms of technology.


    If you try to forcefully approach him, he will counterattack you as he did before.


    "I said I was going to have a mock battle casually, but I''m getting more and more passionate about it."


    "Haha ......"


    No, at the beginning, it was supposed to be a casual affair, but as we continued to ...... attack and defend each other several times, it turned out to be quite serious.


    Of course, Leona''s spear is ice-coated, and we both abide by the rule that we don''t take each other seriously.


    "Now that Nair is gone, too. ......"


    Nair remained alone with Amaco when he left for the afternoon training.


    You''re not coming?¡¡When I asked her if she was coming, she said, "I don''t want you to follow me all the way, and I want you to enjoy yourself with your friends once in a while.


    So now I am fighting without her support.


    "Leona. I think it''s time to start using some magic.


    I don''t mind, but are you sure you can handle it?


    Yes, I''m fine. And I''d like to review the use of this cage.


    I usually use a basket hand only as a shield.


    Since I assimilated with Ferrum, I no longer have the advantage of unleashing my magical power unharmed, but this basket hand has another characteristic of assisting in the manipulation of magical power.


    I have not been able to make use of it so far, but I need to understand it better in order to master the technique of making magic power elastic.


    "In that case, I must cooperate with you as a person who has been entrusted with Master Farga''s armament, just as you have.


    "What?"


    Leona-san swung the spear in her right hand once.¡¡With a metallic sound, the spear changed its shape to a sword.


    I let out a cry of surprise at the transformation, which was too cool to say the least.


    "What?¡¡It can also be a sword?


    "It''s a staff in its original form. Compared to your armor and the armor of the heroes of the Lingle Kingdom, it has a more flexible shape.


    It was indeed an axe when Mr. Karon was using it, so it''s not surprising that it can change into other forms.


    Seeing my surprise, Leona-san''s smile grew stronger and she took a stance, releasing cold air from her sword.


    Behind her, four ice swords are floating.


    "Now, you already know how I fight with swords, don''t you?"


    "......, great!"


    He creates healing magic bullets with both hands.


    Neither of us is serious, but it''s still a tense match.


    After taking a small deep breath, I run toward Leona.


    Healing magic bullet!


    "Healing magic bullet!" "Intercept!


    As I run, the two healing magic bullets I throw and the ice sword that Leona-san shoots collide in mid-air.


    I was so surprised.


    The same battle as the mock battle we had in Mearaq.


    The difference was that Leona was not hesitating in the fight.


    Although I myself am aware that I have grown since then, Leona was skillful in using her technique and magic, and did not allow me to get close to her.


    Her strength as a brave warrior without hesitation made me happy as if it were my own, but at the same time I felt frustrated that I was not able to fully handle the armor of a brave warrior like her.


    After a few minutes had passed, I had used my healing acceleration fist to distance myself from Leona, while avoiding her ice sword, and she shouted in surprise.


    "You''ve started to use strange techniques again while I haven''t seen you for a while!¡¡You are!"


    "It''s called Healing Acceleration Fist!¡¡This is also a technique that applies the outburst of magic power!


    I''m sorry!¡¡I''m sorry! I''ll ask you later.


    I was treated as if it was a long-winded and unintelligible technique.


    I tried to close the distance again, but I was stopped by the tracking ice sword that Leona had thrown at me.


    "Its anomalous acceleration is troublesome..."


    Leona raised her sword high in the air, and her blade was covered with magic power.


    I have a bad feeling when I see the translucent blade that begins to emit white cold air.


    "This kind of technique will be effective for you who are fast, won''t it?


    The moment she swings the sword down, a powerful cold-air filled magic is released from the blade.


    It spread out to the side and came toward me, freezing the ground.


    "What?¡¡A healing magic bursting palm!


    I was shocked, but I released a shockwave of magic power from my palm to block the oncoming cold air.


    However, the cold air was stopped only for a moment, and was immediately pushed back.


    He falls back and stares at the wall of cold air, which still has not stopped its momentum.


    "No good. ......!"


    A torrent of cold air rushing forward, freezing the ground!¡¡If this hits you hard, your movement will be restricted!


    A bursting palm of healing magic is not enough to stop the cold air!


    ---If only!


    "If the Bursting Palm doesn''t work, then strengthen it even more!"


    He holds his right arm at his waist and creates a magic bullet in his palm.


    The magic bullet, which would normally grow so large that it contains magic power, is kept at the same size and continues to contain magic power by applying Kagote''s ability to manipulate magic power and strengthen his lineage.


    "?¡¡Usato, what are you trying to do?


    He puts his left hand on the basket hand to hold down the magic that is about to overflow.


    The magic bullet is distorted in shape while overflowing with green light.


    The magic bullet, which has been caged to the very limit, is released by thrusting the palm forward.


    "Huh!"


    At the same time as the sound of air bursting, the healing magic bullet compressed by the palm bursts out, and a shockwave beyond the healing burst palm is released in a fan shape.


    With it, a recoil incomparable to that of the healing burst palm struck.


    "Nooo......!"


    The impact nearly knocked him down, but he braced his legs and held on.


    The green shockwave emitted from the outburst of the magic bullet pushes back the oncoming cold air and pulls away the ice covering the ground.


    The green particles of healing magic and the shattered ice that scattered into the air glinted in the sun, creating a fantastic scene.


    "Whew... ......"


    He exhales lightly as he lowers his palm, still poised.


    For a spur-of-the-moment move, you succeeded .......


    If the healing punch is enhanced with the healing flying fist, is this technique enhanced with the healing magic bullet?


    I look at the green light that is glowing and drifting in the air where I am standing and tilt my head.


    "Did the magic power of the healing magic fly away along with the shockwave? ......"


    Since it feels as if healing magic is being applied just by being here, it must be as if the cold air is not only canceled out but also the caged healing magic is dispersed into the air.


    ...... If we use this technique well, we can heal a lot of people without touching them directly, can''t we?


    The effect will be reduced drastically, but I think it is quite useful to heal wounds just by being there.


    "A wide-area healing magic. If I had to name one, it would be either Healing Flash or Healing Explosive Wave ......"


    As I mutter this to myself, my eyes dazzled by the scenery in front of me, I notice Leona rushing toward me at a short run.


    "......A"


    Leona, who can use lineage enhancement, must know the principle behind my earlier technique.


    Well, she might get mad at me again. .......


    I can bear Rose''s anger, but I can''t bear Leona''s anger, so I talk to Leona who approaches me in a slurred voice.


    "Oh, uh, uh, Leona-san, this is ......."


    "Usato. Would you please remove the cage from your right arm?"


    Yes, yes.


    I released the cage as I was told, and Leona grabbed my wrist and looked at my entire right arm as if she was observing me.


    After a dozen or so seconds of her doing as she was told, she patted her chest as if she was relieved.


    "Good. It looks like you are not hurt."


    "What?"


    "It''s such a good technique. You could have been seriously injured. I just wanted to make sure.


    "Oh, you''re not mad?¡¡Well, I''m not mad about the technique you just used. ......"


    "I''m not angry. I''m not angry. ...... I''m just trying to stop complaining about the way you do things. In general, the techniques you use are too dangerous, but their application and ideas are unique to you.


    Leona laughs as she removes her hand from her right arm.


    "Then, what I should do is not to condemn you, but to help you and encourage your growth as a user of the same lineage enhancement.


    "Leona, ......"


    "Well, I was surprised at your technique earlier, but ......"


    As I was feeling a rush of excitement when she said this to me with a shy look on her face, I noticed two signs approaching the training area where we were.


    It seems that Senpai and Kazuki have arrived.


    "Hey, Usato-kun---why are there diamond dusts dancing in the cold weather?¡¡And it''s glowing green!


    "Oh, it''s so beautiful!"


    First of all, I have to explain the current situation to you two.


    At first, I met up with Senpai and Kazuki and briefly explained to them that we had been having a mock battle and that we had created the current scene as part of that battle.


    Senpai said, "I should have come earlier. ......!" He seemed to be extremely frustrated.


    After that, we were going to train to make the magic power elastic as we had planned before.


    "How are you doing, Kazuki?"


    He showed Kazuki the magic bullets created in his palm covered by his cage hand.


    We haven''t even found a clue yet, but maybe Kazuki will be able to tell us something if he sees it.


    "Maybe Usato is creating this magic power in the way of lineage reinforcement.


    "What, that''s not good enough?"


    "What should I say ......?"


    Kazuki puts his hand on his chin, twists his head, and speaks brokenly with a magic bullet floating in his palm.


    "If you compare this magic bullet to a bowl of water, and the magic power that is poured into it to water, then the system is strengthened by pouring water into the bowl so that it does not break when the capacity of the bowl is exceeded.


    "Yeah."


    "So, making magic power elastic is ...... a puzzle, if you will. You have to make sure that there are no gaps in the magic, and then you have to weave it into layers and pile them on top of each other. ......"


    With that, Kazuki''s voice gradually became quieter and he began to visibly dejected.


    "I''m sorry, I''m not good at explaining."


    "No, no, I kind of get it, it''s okay!"


    Kazuki''s shoulders slumped, and I followed him.


    To be honest, I could visualize some parts of it, but I couldn''t understand the important parts.


    I was ashamed of my clumsy comprehension, but Leona and my senpai, who were listening next to me, were nodding their heads in agreement.


    "It gives elasticity to magic power...... or, since it''s long, let''s call it elasticity granting. The elasticity imparting and the lineage strengthening are different from the first step to get there, aren''t they?"


    "Is that right ......?"


    "Well, it seems that Mr. Kazuki is a sensory person."


    Like Kazuki, I nod my head.


    Then Leona turned her head toward me.


    "Usato. Kazuki-dono''s magic power comes out differently from ordinary magic. It is easier to understand if I say that it is not just released from his body, but that he has created the contents of his body.


    "It''s not the same as just releasing magic?"


    "Yes. Kazuki-dono, Suzune-dono, can you make a magic bullet for us to try?


    "Uh, yes."


    "Got it."


    At Leona''s request, Kazuki creates a magic bullet.


    If you look closely, you can see that a sphere is being formed as the magic power wraps around the center of the bullet.


    On the other hand, my senpai''s magic bullet is familiar to me, a mass of magic power overflowing from his palm and solidifying as if it were being fleshed out.


    "Do you see the difference?"


    Yes!


    "When you release magic power normally, its contents are empty. But magic power with contents is in fact magic power that has been created.


    So we were starting from the wrong place to begin with.


    I used to leave the release of magic power to my senses, but from now on I have to be aware of that too.


    "By the way, Mr. Kazuki, I heard that you have mastered the system reinforcement. ...... I think you must have had a lot of trouble learning the system reinforcement, didn''t you?


    "Yes, I did. I finally succeeded in it with the help of Master Farga''s cage hand.


    How did you know?¡¡Kazuki was surprised.


    Leona nodded her head in understanding.


    "I thought it was strange that someone as skilled as you in handling magic power had not succeeded in strengthening the system, ...... but with such precise magic power.


    "So, that''s why you''ve been failing all the time. ...... I didn''t know. ......"


    So, it''s too precise to be able to strengthen the system.


    It''s great that you can recognize that immediately, but most of all, it''s great that you teach in a way that is so easy to understand.


    I think it''s quite impressive that I can still keep up with what you''re saying.


    "Usato, did you get something?"


    "I''m not sure, but I''m getting the idea.


    I stand up, replying to the senior who has just spoken to me.


    I understand the principle.


    The question is whether or not I will be able to perform the superior manipulation of magic that Kazuki must be performing unconsciously, but I will have to make do with Kagome''s power and patience.


    "First, I will try. Then..."


    "Your dedication is just like Usato-kun. Yes, that''s you."


    What am I, you say?


    For some reason, he mutters happily to himself as he raises his right arm, which is covered by a basket hand, while his legs are about to lose their strength.


    I don''t think there''s any danger, but I''m sure Leona will stop me if something happens.


    I close my eyes and concentrate on manipulating the magic.

 231 - - Twenty-tenth.

    Be aware of the release of magic power.


    Instead of releasing the magic gathered in the right arm as it is, he weaves it in and overlaps it.


    You make the best use of the magical auxiliary ability of the basket hand to the maximum extent.


    I have to concentrate a lot, but I feel a different sensation from before, and I feel a slight sense of relief.


    "......"


    After a minute or so of weaving, he releases the magic from his palm.


    He opens his eyes, sensing that the magic has enveloped him from the wrist to the end.


    In your open vision, you see your right hand covered with green magic power, the same as usual.


    "......It looks normal, doesn''t it?"


    "Hmmm, yes."


    Senpai, Kazuki, and Leona''s gazes are drawn to the hand covered with magic power.


    It looks nothing out of the ordinary, but let''s touch it just to try it out.


    When I touched the magic power of my right hand with my left hand, I felt the elasticity of the hand, which sounded onomatopoeic.


    "Yes, you''re good!¡¡Usato!"


    "Is it working?¡¡Is this successful?¡¡It''s a little bit squishy!"


    Kazuki''s joy makes him impatient, and the magic in his palm dissipates in an instant.


    As Kazuki and I were stunned by the magic that had vanished into thin air, my senpai spoke to us with a difficult look on his face.


    "It seems that if you are not careful, it will dissolve. No, perhaps the duration is simply too short.


    "You mean ......?"


    "I guess it just takes practice."


    I guess that''s what I thought.


    It takes some getting used to before you can trigger it, and still, it''s far from being a real battle.


    "But that''s great. You almost succeeded the first time.


    "It''s all thanks to Leona''s explanations. It was easy enough for me to understand."


    "Oh, yeah?¡¡If you say so, it was worth participating.


    As was the case with Mearaq, I still have a lot to learn from Leona.


    Now, thanks to Leona, I''ve got a good start, and all I have to do now is to do the same thing I''ve been doing until I get it right.


    Fortunately, I don''t have to hurt my hands every time I do it like I did when I was strengthening the system, so I feel comfortable.


    "I''d like to try out the elasticity application as soon as possible."


    "Oh, you''re using it right away. "Elasticity."


    "It would be inconvenient without a name."


    It''s easy to understand, and it''s a hassle to say "elasticity to magic power" every time.


    Smiling at the senior who seems to be very happy, I put the elastic magic power on my palm.


    As much as possible, he tries not to lose his concentration, and he holds his kagotte in front of him in the form of a hand-knife.


    "...... I was wondering, Usato-kun, how do you intend to use it?"


    "Senpai, now, Usato is concentrating on ......."


    "Hmm, that''s something I''m curious about too. ......"


    Gaze at the space in front of you and visualize the enemy.


    I imagine the most memorable enemy, Koga, the demon tribe.


    When the black masked one is about to swing his claws down on you, you hit him with your elasticized cage hand as if you are going to wipe him off.


    "Hmph ......!"


    I move my right arm as if I play it with the magic power of elasticity without putting force.


    If the healing acceleration fist is a technique to add change to my movement, the elasticity grant is a technique to eliminate waste from my movement.


    This is a way of fighting to conserve magic power instead of outburst of system reinforcement which consumes a lot of magic power.


    Aiming at the gap where my arm is forced to be bounced off by elasticity, I thrust my left fist with stepping into the defenseless bosom of the opponent.


    "......"


    After all, an image is just an image.


    Ideally, this is how it should be, but as it is, it doesn''t work this way.


    ......The current sequence of movements must be incomprehensible to the onlookers.


    What if the three of them look at me strangely?


    With this thought in mind, he dispelled the magic power in his right hand and turned around to face the three.


    "You force your opponent to lean back with your right hand basket hand, and then you pound him with your free left fist..."


    "You''ve become even stronger in close combat. Usato.


    "It''s the kind of technology that enemies don''t want to deal with. ......"


    Huh?


    Aren''t you all too insightful!


    I don''t have to explain it to you. They''ve figured out the whole technique.


    His cheeks twitch with incomprehension.


    "Anyway. I guess we''ve accomplished the goal of the training sooner than I thought. Now we can practice on the areas we want to improve.


    "Yes. I''ve become aware of my shortcomings in the battle against the Demon King''s Army.


    The senior nodded at Kazuki''s words.


    I agreed with him, as I didn''t want him to waste his training time just for me.


    Then he turned to Leona who was watching where the conversation was going.


    "Leona-san. Could you teach me about lineage reinforcement?"


    "Hmm?¡¡Yes, that''s fine. But is it worth the risk?"


    I know it''s risky!¡¡In order to fight against the Demon Lord''s army from now on, you''ll need a technique like strengthening the lineage!"


    With eyes filled with strong will, the senior made a clenched fist.


    Her enthusiasm seems to be motivating Leona, ...... but I can understand it.


    What are your true feelings?


    "I want to use special moves like the two of you!¡¡...... Ha!


    I spoke to her in a muffled whisper, and she immediately blurted out, "I want to use special moves like you two!


    Leona-san, hearing this, is a bit taken aback.


    "No, I''m the only one who hasn''t mastered the system reinforcement, or I''ll lose my face as a senior!¡¡I was told not to practice because it''s dangerous, but Kazuki was practicing behind my back, isn''t that unfair!


    "So you''re going to jump on me now?


    Kazuki, who had been watching our exchange with a smiling face, was surprised, as if he didn''t expect the story to come around.


    However, Kazuki''s attention was focused on Kazuki for a moment, and his eyes immediately turned to me.


    "In the first place, it''s not fair that Usato-kun learned it first!"


    "No, I didn''t have any prior knowledge of it, I just noticed it when I unleashed my magical power on my own."


    "That''s new to me!¡¡How did that happen?


    It was in Olga''s clinic, when I was trying to deepen the color of the healing magic.


    Well, I think that time may have been the beginning of my current fighting style.


    "Wait a minute, Usato. What did you just ......?¡¡Did you just trigger it on your own?¡¡What were you trying to do ...... when you didn''t know how to enhance the system?"


    Oh, shit, I dug my own grave. ......!


    Leona looks at me with suspicious eyes, and I try to change the subject, smiling to cover it up.


    "Kazuki!¡¡I heard that you and Leona-san are going to train to strengthen your lineage, so why don''t we do something together?


    "Oh, okay. Oh, then, will you accompany me to the sword training?¡¡After the battle with Koga, I felt that I was not strong enough to fight in close quarters.


    I nodded at Kazuki''s words, and rushing him, I set about my training.


    I rushed him along and we began our training.


    The training was to end around dusk.


    After that, we had to do our own training, switching training partners, but the training with my seniors for strengthening the system was full of surprises.


    By surprise, I do not mean that my senpai had a hard time in learning the systemic reinforcement, but on the contrary, he was acquiring it at an unbelievably fast pace.


    I don''t know if it was because of Ms. Leona''s skillful teaching or because of my senior''s genius, but I was surprised even if that is included.


    "Hmmm..."


    "You''re in a good mood. You''re in a good mood.


    "I''ve finally mastered lineage enhancement, too. That makes me happy."


    On the way home from the castle, I smile along with my senpai, who is in a good mood.


    For some reason, he says, "I''ll walk you on the way! and he follows me. I agreed without thinking about it, but I wondered if he had something he wanted to talk about.


    "Well, even including that, the strengthening of the system was a necessary technology for me now..."


    "......?"


    "In my fight with Amira, I realized that just being fast is not enough to get through to a certain level of skill. I knew I needed a special move for me.


    "Was Amira strong after all?"


    I''ve only seen her twice.


    I knew she was strong, but I didn''t know what she was capable of.


    "He was a great opponent. Experience, swordsmanship, magic... he was better than me. I think I was able to defeat him thanks to the power of Falga''s armor. ......In that sense, I guess you could say that I was saved by you again."


    "No, that''s not ......."


    "I wouldn''t be here if it weren''t for you. It was the same in the first fight, it was the same in the second fight.


    Senpai then turns her attention to the ribbon around her wrist.


    She touches it with her left hand and speaks in a mumbled voice.


    I am still weak. So I have to become ...... stronger."


    I did not know how much meaning was put into those words as I walked next to him.


    At this time, the image of the previous brave man I had been forced to see in Samaria flashed through my mind.


    The previous hero who fought alone against the tyrannical evil dragon.


    Overwhelming power and a lonely back.


    <>


    I remember the words of the nameless girl, one of the souls bound to Samaria by the sorcerer''s magic.


    A power feared even by those who tried to help her.


    I don''t want ...... senpai to become like that.


    Then I must train myself to be as good as her.


    "What, why would I do that?"


    My sudden words made him look at me with a puzzled look on his face.


    "Because, if I leave you alone, you might get into trouble.


    "Weird!¡¡Don''t you trust me anymore?


    I cower my shoulders as I feel the somber air lighten.


    "What are you talking about?


    "I was being serious!¡¡I was doing my best to keep my eyes on the prize!"


    "Oh, I don''t like that kind of thing.


    You don''t like my seriousness, do you?


    I don''t understand what you mean by "like me".


    But I don''t think it''s typical for senpai to be so gloomy.


    I open my mouth while brushing aside the senpai who is coming at me with a biting look.


    "I won''t let you fight alone like the previous heroes. You have us with you.


    "!"


    Maybe there was someone next to the previous heroes.


    I think that "someone" is the owner of the that describes him, but that person was only regretting that he had let the previous generation of braves fight alone.


    The previous generation of heroes who fought alone were betrayed by the people they believed in, the people they were supposed to protect, and he himself became unable to believe in anyone, and became lonely.


    I cannot imagine how painful that must have been for him.


    But I don''t want my senpai and Kazuki to feel that way.


    "Let''s be strong together and stand strong together."


    "...... Yeah. Thank you, Usato-kun."


    I walk down the street in the dark, relieved to see my senpai smiling at me so cheerfully.


    Then, the senior who was walking on my left side noticed something and pointed at my right hand.


    "......Hey?¡¡Usato-kun, you still have your basket hand on.


    "What?¡¡Oh, that''s right.


    Looking at my right arm, I saw that Master Farga''s cage hand was still deployed.


    I thought I had put it away at the end of the training, but I wondered if I had taken it out unconsciously or had not put it away in the first place.


    For the time being, I will put back the cage hand in the form of a bracelet.


    "......I''m sure I had put it back in. ......"


    "I didn''t pay much attention to it either, so I didn''t notice it until now."


    I guess I''m just tired after everything that happened today?


    Well, it''s nothing to worry about.


    I thought lightly and looked at the bracelet on my right hand once before turning my head forward again.

 232 - - Twenty-one.

    The day after training with Kazuki and his group.


    A messenger from the castle arrived.


    The message was that Master Lloyd was going to give an important talk in the King''s Hall, and he wanted me to join him and Amako.


    I immediately put on my white uniform, the formal attire of a lifeguard, and, after leaving Nack and the others in charge, I left the lifeguard quarters. After meeting up with Amako on the way to the castle, I followed the directions of the castle staff to the hall where Master Lloyd was.


    "Usato, how was yesterday?¡¡You trained with Leona and the others, didn''t you?"


    "We had a good harvest. And don''t be surprised to hear that, okay?¡¡I came up with a broad-spectrum healing magic bullet.


    "You''ve come up with another weird trick."


    "That''s rude. Don''t talk to me as if I''m making weird tricks every time."


    It''s a great way to drown out your opponent''s attacks and support your allies, you know?


    He cries out in frustration and smiles at Amako, who is walking next to him.


    There isn''t a single technique Usato came up with that wasn''t weird, is there?


    "What a thing to say," he said.


    She said that to me with her incredibly clear eyes.


    That''s it.


    This fox cub thinks so from the bottom of his heart!


    "I was just thinking that you could create magic to blow away a lot of enemies this time. Usato could do something like that.


    "Yo, it''s not fair to use prediction magic!"


    "......?"


    What?


    Amako looks up at me with a seriously surprised look on her face.


    Realizing that I had dug my own grave, I cough to cover it up and look forward.


    "Hmmm, that''s one way to use it, but it''s mainly used for dispersing healing magic by shooting upward.


    "Hmmm, I see. That''s a great trick. Mm-hmm.


    "Uggg ......"


    What a feeling of defeat.


    What''s this sense of defeat?


    As I am feeling a strange sense of defeat at the smirking Amako, we arrive at the hall where Master Lloyd is.


    There was Mr. Lloyd, Sergio, Welshy, Kazuki, my senpai, and Leona.


    Master Lloyd noticed me as I stepped into the hall, and his expression, which seemed to be a bit gloomy, became cheerful.


    "Oh, you''ve come, Usato. I''m sorry, I''ve been ill."


    "No, no. No problem.


    "Thanks for coming, Amaco."


    "Yes, Mr. Lloyd."


    I really appreciate your concern for my safety, but I''m more worried about you, Mr. Lloyd.


    Perhaps it was because he had been dealing with the postwar situation, but he looked exhausted, and even from a distance I could see the dark circles on his face.


    With no time to care for him, he asks me to sit where Kazuki, his senpai, and Leona are standing side by side.


    "Good morning. Usato-kun, Amako."


    "Good morning."


    "Good morning, Suzune."


    As I greeted them in a whisper, the door to the hall was closed to see if everyone was present.


    After a few seconds of silence, Master Lloyd looks around at everyone present and then turns his attention to me.


    "Usato, I have heard about your activities this time. You fought well as a rescue team.


    "...... yes."


    "Normally, we should give you a long rest instead of such a short period of time. ...... sorry about that."


    "No, I myself am aware of the situation.


    "I see. You have heard from Amaco, haven''t you ......?"


    I nodded at Mr. Lloyd''s words.


    Kazuki and his senpai looked at me with a curious expression, but I knew that Amako''s prediction would be explained later, so let''s keep quiet for now.


    "The contents of this convocation are confidential. Therefore, only a limited number of people have been gathered here. First of all, let me tell you that."


    Leona shows a puzzled expression at Mr. Lloyd''s words.


    She seems to have doubts about being here because she is from Mearaq.


    Perhaps sensing her doubt, Mr. Lloyd turns his attention to her.


    "This is a matter that concerns you, a brave man of Mialak. Normally, I should have told you in advance, but Mr. Farga reminded me not to divulge information as much as possible."


    No, I think it was a natural decision.


    As I should have expected, I wonder if Mr. Farga is involved in this matter.


    "Although the coalition was victorious in the battle against the Demon King''s Army, we suffered a great blow due to the super wide range of magical attacks carried out by the Demon King''s Army. The damage was not small at all, and we were unable to even pursue the defeated Demon King''s Army."


    I don''t know how much damage was done there, perhaps because I fainted, but it was an attack of that magnitude. A lot of people must have been injured.


    At the very least, there are more injured people than the healing wizards of the rescue team could heal in a few days.


    "At that time, an urgent message was delivered by the divine dragon of Mialak, Lord Farga. The content of the message suggested the fact that the last attack of the battle was caused by the magic exercised by the Demon King."


    "The Demon King ......!"


    The head of the demon tribe who has never directly interfered with us before.


    When I found out that the last large-scale attack was by the Demon Lord, I understood just how powerful he is.


    And at the same time, I finally understood the intention of that attack.


    It was also an attack to make them share the pain and to let their own people, the Demon Lords, escape.


    "We were hurt by the attack of the powerful Demon King, but on the other hand, we were able to learn about a being that we had never been able to grasp even a glimpse of until now."


    However, it was on the contrary that we witnessed the overwhelming strength of the Demon King.


    How can a mere human being compete with the Demon Lord who can attack with such force?¡¡Somewhere in the back of my mind, I felt uneasy about that.


    Trying not to show this anxiety on my face, I listen to Mr. Lloyd''s words.


    ""The Demon Lord is weak," that is the conclusion that Falga-sama, the divine dragon, has drawn.


    "Weak ......?¡¡What does that mean?


    "The current demon king seems to be less powerful than he was before he was sealed up, and Farga-sama said that he had used up a lot of his strength in this attack.


    I see, that''s why the Demon King did not use the invasion method as described in the heroes'' memoirs.


    If the invasion had been carried out in the manner described in the memoirs, the allied side would have fallen without a fight. .......


    "In the past few days, I have discussed the matter with the ministers and with the Falga-sama, and we have come up with a plan."


    Mr. Lloyd falls silent.


    His face shows regret and confusion.


    After a dozen seconds or so, Mr. Lloyd spoke about his plan as if he were trying to squeeze it out of him.


    "A small force to defeat the demon king''s army. A small unit of the best of the best will be formed based on the three heroes, Suzune, Kazuki, and Leona, and the healing wizard, Usato, who will assist them, and they will be sent to the Demon Lord''s territory.


    """!""""


    "Now is an opportune time for us, as the Demon Lord is likely to be weakened. We will use the best of our forces to seize the opportunity and launch an offensive at once.


    Everyone, except for me and Amako, looked astonished.


    Three brave men, including Kazuki, my senpai, and Leona, and me, the healing magician.


    ......When I think about it again, why me?¡¡I''m not sure why, but maybe Lady Farga recommended me.


    Honestly, I can''t think of anything else.


    "To be honest, I could not agree to this plan. "To be honest, I could not agree to this plan, because it would send you back to the dead, even though you have survived the battle to the death. I tried to appeal to Mr. Farga to find another way, but no alternative could be found. In addition..."


    Master Lloyd''s gaze turned to me and Amaco.


    "Since Amako has seen the prediction that you are going on a journey to defeat the Demon King, it has been decided that the plan will be carried out."


    Amaco''s predictions have never come true.


    It must have already been decided that Amako herself, myself, my senpai, and Kazuki, who appeared in her prediction, would go on the trip.


    Still, Master Lloyd looks up and looks at us with straight eyes.


    "But I still have a question for you. Will you accept the task of defeating the Demon King? Of course, I won''t blame you if you refuse. I want to hear your honest answer.


    Silence reigns.


    The first to break the silence was my senior.


    "Master Lloyd, I am already prepared. Although I have only been summoned to this world for a short time, the Kingdom of Lingle is my second home. If it is for the sake of the people who live here, I will take up this sword."


    "I feel the same way as you do. If I can protect the lives of the people here with my power, I will fight even against the Demon King.


    Kazuki then says so.


    Like my senpai, I am ready for this.


    Once I turn to look at Amako, who is standing next to me, she grips the sleeve of my troupe uniform.


    "I won''t say anything if that''s what you decide, Usato?"


    I nodded at her words and turned to Master Lloyd.


    "Master Lloyd, I will also join the rescue team to defeat the Demon King.


    "...... you don''t mind?"


    "Yes."


    If we shy away from this, we will be yelled at again by the Commander.


    And apart from the mission as a lifeguard, I also have a great desire to help my senpai and Kazuki.


    I will do what only I, a healing magic user, can do.


    When the three of us declared this, Leona took one last step forward.


    She kneeled down in front of Mr. Lloyd and opened her mouth after a pause.


    "Originally, I came to this place on a mission as a brave warrior. Then there is no reason for me to refuse the task of defeating the Demon King. Besides..."


    Leona takes one look at me.


    She gives me a small smile as she tilts her head and continues to speak.


    She continues, "He, Usato, and I have been through the line of death. If he is with me, I will be able to wield my power as a brave warrior without worry.


    "Re, Leona-san ......"


    "Appealing to the people at the oath of office. ......?


    When he says it like that, I am usually embarrassed.


    For some reason, my senpai is frustrated in a quiet voice, but even for me, having Leona-san on my side is very reassuring.


    After hearing the four of us, including myself, reply, Master Lloyd lowered his shoulders as if he had lost all strength.


    "I entrust the fate of the Kingdom of Lingle, or rather, the fate of the people living on the continent, to you."


    Yes!""""""


    "Suzune, Kazuki, Usato. As an adult, I am ashamed to burden you with this burden again. But still, let me say this. Make sure you ...... come back alive."


    I can''t even imagine how difficult the journey to defeat the Demon King must be.


    Nevertheless, now that I have been entrusted with this mission, I must complete it.


    I will make it back alive.


    I replied strongly, remembering Master Lloyd''s words in my heart.


    I replied strongly.


    After announcing our participation in the mission to defeat the Demon King, we were given a full explanation of the mission to defeat the Demon King and the premonition that Amako had seen, and then we were taken to a separate room.


    We sat down on chairs in a room lined with documents and maps, and Welshy-san, who was holding the documents on the table, told us about the territory of the Demon Lords we would be heading to,


    "Now that the Demon Lord is weakening, it is preferable to leave as soon as possible, but ...... we must first familiarize you with the geography and information about the Demon Lord''s territory, otherwise it will be too dangerous."


    Ms. Welsey, who has a map of the continent on her desk, points to a black area labeled "Demon Lord''s territory.


    The Demon Lord''s Domain adjoins the Land of the Beastmen across the Demon''s Domain.


    I listen to Ms. Welshy''s explanation as I stare at the map.


    "To be honest, the territory of the Demon Lords is an unknown land to us, just like the land of the beastmen.


    "Has anyone else been in here?"


    "I heard that many people tried to enter, but few came back alive.


    Is the land that harsh?


    No, it could simply be that the demons are well protected.


    "The only information we have is that the demon king''s territory is inhabited by ferocious demons.


    "Then it might be difficult to get the horses to run properly."


    Yes, that is very likely.


    Ms. Welsey nodded at Leona''s point.


    If it is impossible to travel by horseback, we would be limited to walking.


    We don''t want to carry heavy luggage, but ...... Burlin might be able to move around without fear of demons.


    "The problem is that we don''t know how to get to the location of the Demon King.


    Yes. We have interrogated the prisoners of war, but have not been able to obtain any useful information in this short period of time. Frankly speaking, it would be very difficult to go to the Demon Lord''s territory at this stage.


    "...... We can''t let the demons we''ve captured lead the way. If we''re not careful, we could end up in a trap.


    He crosses his arms and says so.


    Even if we let the POWs guide us, there is a high possibility that we will be taken to a false place in the worst case, or be led into a trap and endanger ourselves.


    In the first place, traveling with a captive of a demon tribe that is hostile to us is not a comforting experience.


    "You''ll guide me, demon tribe?"


    I have an idea.


    But I am not sure if I should ask her out.


    ...... No, it doesn''t make sense for me to be the only one wondering right now.


    Mr. Welsey, I have an idea.


    Is it her, by any chance?


    Yes. But would you mind if I waited just one day?


    That''s fine, but is it ...... safe?


    Ms. Welsey looks anxious and I tell her not to worry.


    She is no longer a danger to us, but she is definitely in a difficult position for both humans and demons.


    Besides, considering her past, she might refuse to go to the demon king''s territory.


    First of all, let''s go back to the dormitory and talk with her---Ferm.

 233 - - Twenty-two.

    "Guide to the place where the Demon King is?¡¡I''d be happy to do it.


    Huh?


    It was the night of the day Master Lloyd ordered us to take down the Demon King.


    When I returned to my lodgings, I earnestly asked Ferrum about guiding me to the Demon Lord''s territory, but his answer came back too easily.


    Ferrum, who was sitting across the table from me in the dining room, looked at me curiously in surprise.


    "Why are you surprised?"


    "No, no!¡¡You don''t have very good memories of the demon king''s territory, do you?


    "You''re treating me like a child, aren''t you ......!


    For some reason, she''s in a foul mood, and I''m at a loss as to why.


    Seeing my confusion, Nair, who is sitting next to me, is giggling.


    "I knew it, you''re so worried that you''re thinking more seriously than Ferrum himself. Does he look like such a sensitive guy to you?


    "Yes."


    "Don''t answer so quickly."


    I know Ferm is pretty sensitive.


    To be honest, I''ve been aware of it ever since I was locked up.


    Taking a deep breath to regain her composure, she sat back in her chair vigorously and crossed her arms.


    "Generally speaking, the demon lord''s territory wasn''t a good place for me, but that''s all. I''ve already cut ties with the village where I was born,...... and I''m already a traitor to the Demon Lord''s army, so there''s no need to worry about it now."


    "...... okay?¡¡Are you okay?"


    "You''re terrible. I said I''m fine, so I''m fine. Besides..."


    With a "Bish," Ferrum points at me.


    She lifts her eyes and shakes her shoulders.


    I haven''t forgotten!¡¡You threw me in the lifeguard squad and left me behind on a trip to deliver a letter right after that!


    "Hmm?¡¡Yes, that''s right.


    I don''t think he left him there, I think he just couldn''t let him out of the kingdom because of Ferm''s position.


    "Do you know how much hell Rose put me through after that?


    "......?"


    "Hey, how come you''re looking so strange there, ......?"


    "What''s that look you''re giving me now? ......"


    Well, I do feel bad that I left her behind and went on a trip, as I was the cause of Ferrum''s joining the rescue group.


    But you wanted to go on a trip so badly. .......


    The fact that you hold on to your feelings so tight shows how strong they are.


    "Either way, it would be reassuring if you could guide me. I would be very grateful to have you with me."


    "...... I''m not your armor."


    "No, it''s not that. It''s just that I''m glad to have you as a friend.


    "......"


    It is true that the figure of a man who has become one with the ferme is strong.


    But it is even more reassuring to have a friend close by that you can rely on.


    He is about to speak to Nair, who is resting her cheek on the table, when Ferm, who is shaking her shoulders, stops.


    N¨¦a is going to go, so I don''t have to ask..."


    "No, you listen to me. I''ll go with you.


    "Then you don''t have to ask."


    Nair then picks himself up from the table with a wry smile on his face.


    "Don''t you understand?¡¡Don''t you feel lonely if you don''t get the right amount of attention?


    "Are you a maiden or something?"


    Oh my God, how proud ...... are you?


    When he says it with such a confident face, it makes me feel like a man.


    With a slight shudder, he turns his gaze from Nair to Ferrum.


    "Ferm, if you''re willing to follow me on my journey to defeat the Demon King, may I ask you to come to the castle with me tomorrow?


    "Yeah, what can I tell you?"


    "Probably about the terrain of the Demon Lord''s territory and demons ......."


    "...... It''s true, the demon kingdoms are far from here. I understand."


    Ferrum nodded with his hand on his chin.


    Seeing her like that, I asked her about something that had been bothering her.


    "What kind of place is the demon king''s territory?"


    "It''s a gloomy place."


    "Well, it''s your hometown, but that''s a great statement. ......"


    N¨¦a and I are stunned, and Ferrum snickers at us.


    "At least that''s the way it was in the village where I grew up. We had to eat for the day because it was hard to grow crops, and there were always dangers in the forests because only ferocious demons were around to hunt."


    "...... violent demons, huh?"


    "You may have heard by now that it is almost impossible to travel by horseback. If you ride a horse in a place like that, you''ll be immediately targeted by demons or by hungry people."


    "Are you that impoverished?¡¡The demon tribe...


    "It was a lot worse before the Demon King awoke.


    Ferrum mentions the Demon Lord''s name with disinterest, and his eyes move to the view outside the window.


    "I don''t know how he did it, but he gave power to a land called the Demon King''s Domain. Thanks to him, crops are now growing and the water is rather clean."


    "...... is so out of the ordinary. The Demon Lord..."


    "Do you think it''s witchcraft ......?¡¡Even if so, the magic power to cover the vast area of the demon king''s territory is too much ......."


    But from what I''ve heard, does that mean that the Demon Lord of this era worked for the benefit of the demon tribe living in the Demon Lord''s territory?


    Perhaps he challenged the human side to a fight ...... or maybe that''s a naive idea.


    If the Demon Lord was the kind of person who would take the steps as described in the memoirs, it would be normal to think that it was a means to build an army to serve as his limbs.


    Let''s just keep this as a thought in our minds.


    But..,


    "Defeating the Demon King is your mission as a hero.


    Then, what will happen to the demon tribe after defeating the Demon King?


    We don''t know the reasons why they fight.


    Can we challenge the Demon King without knowing that?


    I should see the Demon Lord''s territory with my own eyes.


    I''m not aware enough yet.


    I''m not yet aware of what it means to defeat the Demon King.


    To know it, we must know it.


    Hey, Usato?


    "Yeah?"


    I came back to myself and looked at Nea, who had plopped down on the table again and was talking to me in a rather sleepy manner.


    When are you going to leave on this journey to defeat the Demon King?


    "Well, since we don''t know when the Demon King will recover, she wants to leave as soon as possible. Welshy-san said ...... that they''ll leave the Lingle Kingdom within three days at the earliest, and once they''ve made the final preparations at the base where the battle took place, they''ll enter the Demon Lord''s territory.


    "Hmm, it''s pretty urgent."


    "Yes, that''s right. I guess the difficulty lies in the fact that we don''t know when the Demon King will recover.


    It''s tempting to rush, but <>I must proceed with caution and not be in a hurry.


    As I was thinking about this, I noticed that Nair looked distressed.


    "I know we are leaving soon, but then Nack will be alone again.


    "...... I guess so."


    Once I, Nair, and Ferrum leave, there will be only Nack left.


    Now that Rose and the others have not returned, we are left with a twelve-year-old boy.


    "I''ll be thinking about him. I told him we''d talk about it afterwards."


    "Really?¡¡Then I guess it''s going to be okay.


    I had been thinking about Nack, too, and we had agreed to talk later.


    As we were talking, Nack came to the cafeteria.


    I thought it was a good time to get up and talk to him.


    "You''re here. Nack."


    "Yes. I heard you wanted to talk to me. ......"


    "Yeah."


    ...... We could talk here, but I think we should walk outside and talk for a change.


    "Neah, could you make dinner for me?"


    "Yeah, sure."


    "I know it''s going to be hard for you to do this alone, so I''ll help you when I''m done talking to Nack."


    Go and talk to Nack. I''ll have Ferrum help you with this.


    "Huh?¡¡Why me?


    Nair said to Ferrum, who objected, "Come on, let''s go!


    I saw Ferme reluctantly follow her and turned to Nack, urging him to go outside.


    I turned to Nack and urged him to go outside.


    As we walked along the road leading from the lifeguard''s quarters to the training grounds, I gave Nack a brief explanation of my journey to defeat the Demon King.


    Although this information had not yet been disclosed to the public, I thought it was important to share it with Nack, and I did.


    "Why ......"


    I wonder if he was still shocked that he might be left here alone. .......


    I was about to continue talking to him when he spoke up before I could.


    "Why do you always risk your life like that, Usato-san? ......


    "Knack ......?"


    "The battle just ended, and the next one is the Demon King. ...... If this continues, Usato-san will die. ......"


    ......I''m an idiot.


    Shocked that Nack would be alone, I am ashamed of myself for thinking so.


    "I don''t care how impossibly sturdy you are, Usato-san."


    "Yeah ......"


    "He had the nerve to take a bite out of Mr. Rose."


    "Uh, yeah. ......"


    "even if he has an occasional personality so abusive that one wonders if he has a dual personality."


    "......, Nack?"


    That''s a bit much, don''t you think?


    But that didn''t stop Nack from turning his head.


    "Even if he''s insensitive to the obvious..."


    "...... hmm?"


    "Even if your sense of naming is broken."


    "......"


    "Even if you''ve honed your moves to the point where you don''t even look like a person."


    "......"


    "As expected, it''s impossible for the Demon King to be your opponent. ...... maybe."


    "Oh, wait a minute. Nack."


    The most ever!¡¡My heart is already overflowing with true feelings!


    And you sound depressed, but you''re saying quite a lot, aren''t you?


    Huh?¡¡Could it be that you''re still angry at being left behind?


    I''m sorry. I said about half of what you said.


    "It''s not half, is it?¡¡All of it, right?"


    "No, I mean I said half of what I wanted to say. ......"


    That''s what you mean by half.


    I''m afraid to ask about the other half.


    "Frankly, I understand why you have to go to dangerous places, Usato. When I was helping at the castle, I heard about what you and the others were doing."


    "I see. ......"


    "So you don''t have to worry about me."


    "Hm?¡¡Why?"


    Nack''s words left me honestly wondering.


    He was somewhat surprised by my response and continued.


    He continued, somewhat surprised at my response. I don''t want to get in your way either.


    "Nack."


    I stop and call his name.


    I showed Nack the way to join the rescue squad.


    Rose is in charge of the rest, but I''m still responsible for him.


    "Okay?¡¡I never thought of you as an obstacle.


    "......"


    "You are my prot¨¦g¨¦, my subordinate, and a fellow lifeguard. It doesn''t matter how old you are. Of course the mission is important to me, but I''m not the kind of person who would let it get in the way of you."


    I know how Nack feels.


    But even so, I can''t neglect him.


    "Nack, why don''t you go and help the captains?"


    "...... what?¡¡Helping them?


    "Yes, we are currently treating the wounded at our base in the plains. Maybe they don''t have enough people there."


    There is a limit to how far you and Gerna can go.


    If Rose is also seriously injured, he may need help, even if it''s just one of you.


    "In the near future, we are going to head for the stronghold to go to the Demon Lord''s territory. I will leave you with the Commander there. After that, it''s up to you what you want to do."


    After the battle is over, there is no danger, but it may still be a painful sight for Nack.


    Even I am not sure if it is right to take him back to the base.


    After explaining this again, I ask him if he wants to go.


    "I don''t know."


    "I''ll go to ......!¡¡It''s much better than sitting here smoking by myself!"


    "That''s a deal."


    Knack is strong.


    He has been through hard times and has been beaten down so many times that his spirit is strong and will not be broken by ordinary things. I felt that I could trust him to take care of things in my absence.


    ......I can''t stay at the base, you know.


    I look over at Nack, who is making a clenched fist and looking motivated, and notice that nearby I can see the training area that he always uses.


    "......It''s still too early to go back."


    Nair and Ferrum are cooking dinner for us, but if we go back now, we will have to wait a little longer.


    "Okay, Nack, don''t tell Neah, okay?"


    "What?¡¡Don''t tell him what?


    I''ll teach you a few of my tricks.


    Nair had warned me about this before, but I wouldn''t mind a little bit to help him grow.


    We walk up to a tree near the training ground.


    I put magic power in my raised fist and show it to Nack.


    The healing punch is simply a technique of striking with a fist imbued with healing magic. It is a simple technique that does nothing else, but with it, any opponent can be rendered unconscious and unharmed.


    "It''s pretty simple. I think I could do it too, but ...... probably not as well as you, Usato. ......"


    "As I said before, you just have to find your own technique. Mine is just a wild one."


    Next, he gathers the magic power in his hands into his palms and makes a magic bullet.


    "And a healing magic bullet. You know this well, don''t you?


    Yes!¡¡I''ve been hit by a lot of them!


    That''s a tricky thing to say. .......


    No, I know you didn''t mean it.


    I regain my composure and throw a healing magic bullet at the tree in front of me.


    With a bang, the magic bullet that hit the tree flies away.


    "But, if I throw the magic bullet normally, it won''t be as powerful as that, will it?¡¡I tried to imitate it once, but I couldn''t do it at all.


    "Hmm?¡¡Ha-ha-ha, you don''t have to throw anything with this technique.


    "What?¡¡Is that so?


    It is easy to be misunderstood, but my healing magic bullet is just a technique to throw magic bullets by force.


    If you can release magic bullets normally, you don''t need to throw them.


    "I thought it was that kind of technique. ......"


    "I didn''t have the gift of magic, so I had no choice but to throw it. So anyone can do it if they want to shoot magic bullets.


    Even me?


    "Yes. You can do it your own way. I''m more like a role model. Don''t take me for a role model.


    Ha-ha-ha, I understand.


    Nack nodded at my words and produced a magic bullet in his right hand just like I did.


    He held his palm with the magic bullet floating on it in front of him and fired the magic bullet forward. The magic bullet was released, slightly missing the target tree, and flew backward.


    It missed ......."


    "But it worked. Knack, here''s your healing magic bullet.


    "My, healing magic bullet. ......"


    Nack says this with a slight tremor in his voice.


    From the looks of it, it seems to be aimed in the same way as the healing flying fist. Well then, I guess I can give you some advice.


    I walk up next to him, straighten my right arm, and place my hand on his shoulder.


    "Straighten from the shoulder to the palm. The image is to shoot a magic bullet through the space between the shoulder and the palm.


    "Yes, sir."


    "It''s okay if you miss. Take your time and aim well."


    "Don''t be in a hurry. ......"


    Nack mutters to himself and shoots another magic bullet from his palm.


    As I watched him from behind, I felt as if I understood a little more about Rose, who was training me.


    I guess I should say that having an apprentice to whom you can entrust your "next" is such a comforting feeling.

 234 - - Twenty-three.

    Usato brought Ferm to guide us on our journey to defeat the Demon King.


    Thanks to her coming, our plan has progressed greatly and we are on the verge of leaving, but to be honest, I''m still a little scared of Fermu.


    I know he is not a bad boy.


    The dark and heavy atmosphere of the black knight we met on the battlefield is gone.


    Senpai was trying to make contact with Ferrum again today, showing his quick and unusual response, but she was so enthusiastic that she was hiding behind Usato''s back to keep her distance from him all the time.


    At times like this, I envied the quickness with which senpai could switch from one situation to another.


    "Kazuki, I''m staying here."


    "...... I see."


    And after the second discussion, I nodded at Frana''s words when she came to visit me.


    "I knew my father would never forgive me."


    "Frana is the only daughter of the chief.


    "Yeah. I know ...... I would follow you if I could, even if it meant ignoring you. ......"


    But?"


    She sits down in her chair and looks up from her prone position.


    The smile on her face is weak.


    "To be honest, I thought I''d only be a liability if I went."


    "That''s not true."


    "During the battle against the Demon King''s army, I put all the knights who followed me in danger because of my lack of strength. If Usato had not rushed in at that time, I don''t think I would have been able to neutralize the Third Army Commander."


    As a result, the bad premonition I had during the battle came true.


    Frana and the knights were in danger, and Usato himself had to use a lot of magic power.


    I am not strong enough to follow you on your journey. It is obvious that I will be a burden to Kazuki."


    "...... have you made up your mind yet?"


    "Yeah. I''ll stay here with Celia and wait for your return.


    Then I won''t say anything more.


    I''m sure she''s more frustrated than I realized, considering her character.


    "Oh, yeah. Don''t be reckless just because I''m not here. Don''t do anything like you did when you hurt your hand."


    "I know, I know."


    I know I made you worry so much, but I don''t want you to keep reminding me about the times when I used the system enhancement in my inexperienced state.


    "Also, you should keep a close eye on Usato."


    "Usato?"


    "Yes. He''s probably worse than Kazuki.


    "Is it bad?"


    Why do you look so happy?


    No, I don''t look that happy.


    She tilts her head at Frana, who has a clear pout on her face, and clears her throat as if to compose herself.


    "I''ve seen him fight a few times, and he''s not the average fighter. Well, maybe that''s because he has the help of people like Nair and others who help him. Still, from what I saw, it was a mess of a fight."


    "Well, if I was asked to fight a real Usato, I''d be inclined to refrain from doing so."


    One reason is that Usato cannot use light magic, which could kill his opponent, but before that, the "techniques" he uses are troublesome.


    Healing Accelerated Fist, Healing Bursting Palm, and the Healing Explosion Wave that he has recently developed.


    And a fighting technique that makes use of the elasticity of magic power.


    Although he has almost no physical offensive power, almost all of his techniques are sure to strike his opponents with his best weapon, his fist.


    "Well, there''s no way I''m ever going to have a real fight with Usato, so I don''t think you need to worry about it."


    "I know that. But when he was about to run out of magic and head to the next battlefield, he was ...... scared."


    We have heard of Usato''s actions in the war against the Demon Lord''s army.


    Usato was running around the battlefield, helping the wounded and those who were in trouble.


    He was also fighting with the corps commander and kept moving even though he was worn out.


    "I was scared when I saw his mental strength," he said.


    "...... flana."


    "No, to be honest, I''ve been scared of you since I saw your fight with Mr. Rose."


    "Hey, you''re being too blunt."


    He said it with such a serious look on his face that I almost shook my head.


    "Because, you know what?¡¡Normally he''s a normal guy, but when it comes time to fight, he''s like Cishe Conrad, raging with anger!


    "Don''t compare Usato to the guardian god of the elves!


    "What?¡¡It''s the greatest tribute to the elves.


    "That''s not the point. ......"


    Sishe Conrad is a gorilla demon from Hulana''s homeland.


    It is said to be a kind of guardian deity of the elves and a symbol of power and knowledge.


    So I understand the praise. I understand that, but I don''t like the comparison to a gorilla. .......


    "Anyway, you should keep an eye on Usato. And be careful that Suzune doesn''t go out of control."


    "Don''t worry, Usato will take care of the seniors."


    "Oh, yeah?¡¡Well, I guess it would be better for Suzune, too.


    I immediately answer her, to which she replies with a slight retort.


    Senior students are not good at giving bad advice.


    If I were to use a baseball analogy, if the coach tells you to bunt, you''ll take a full swing......?


    "......I guess I''m not a good analogy after all,......."


    Once again, as I was feeling down and aware of this, Frana stood up after we had finished talking.


    "Well then, now that we''ve finished what we wanted to talk about, let''s go to Celia''s place. Kazuki will be leaving in a few minutes, so we have a lot to talk about.


    "......Yeah, right. That''s right."


    I nodded to Frana, got up, and left my room with her.


    Journey to defeat the Demon King.


    Considering the prediction that Amako saw, there is a good chance that something else will happen besides the Demon King.


    I am anxious and fearful, but at the same time I am a little excited. After all, senpai, Usato, and I, the three of us who came to this world together, will be traveling together.


    It is different from the time when we traveled separately in Lukvis.


    We will join forces, trust each other, and move forward together. ...... How can we not be excited?


    I''m sure you''ll be thrilled with the way we''re going.


    I took Ferrum to the castle today.


    Thanks to Ferm''s presence, our plans have progressed greatly and we have decided on the departure date of our trip.


    Afterwards, I went to greet Aruk and Celia on my way back and told them with my own mouth that I was going to follow them on their trip.


    "I''m getting a lot of letters. ......"


    On my way home, I was handed a letter addressed to me.


    In addition, I had received a letter from Amaco the other day from the Land of the Beastmen, so there were many letters piled up on my desk.


    From Samaritan, I received a letter from Lucas and Eva.


    From Mialark, Mr. Norn.


    From Hinomoto, Rinka, Hayate and ...... Kanoko, Amako''s mother, for some reason.


    A little surprisingly, Princess Naiya of Calm Helio also came.


    "I heard that she also came to Kazuki with her senpai, so it''s not just me, but she''s a very disciplined person."


    Once again, I see that they are sent by some really great people.


    I''m afraid to say it, but what can I say. .......


    "Yes!"


    I should write a reply before I leave for my trip.


    I picked up a pen and went to my desk,


    "Usato, do you have any books here?"


    I hear a voice behind me.


    I sigh and turn around to find Nair lying on my bed for some reason.


    She''s also demanding to give me the book with her own face, and she''s acting all unfriendly.


    "Nair, why are you here? This is my room."


    "No, I''m not busy."


    "If you''re not busy, get out."


    "No. I''m not busy.


    Well, then I guess I have no choice. ...... No, what do you mean you''re not busy?


    Are you in my room because you''re bored?¡¡No, I asked you to leave because I can''t concentrate, and you don''t like it because you''re bored?¡¡What?¡¡What do you mean?


    Nair''s cleverness confuses me.


    "What are you doing? You''re writing a reply to my letter, aren''t you? Wow, you have a lot of them."


    "...... I, for one, am grateful for that."


    "Are you going to write to all of these?"


    Nair peeked at my hand from behind and let out a disgusted "eh" sound.


    "It''s also to let you know that I''m okay. Besides, I don''t know how long the trip to the demon king''s territory will take.


    "Hmm. That''s why you don''t train.


    You make it sound like I''m training 24/7.


    But you''re not wrong.


    I''m training to move my magic while you''re sitting here.


    "What?"


    He shows his left hand and displays a magic bullet the size of a marble that travels at high speed through his palm.


    The advantage of this "magic spinning" is that it can be practiced as casually as playing cat''s cradle or spinning a pen.


    When I show the transfer of magic power from finger to finger, finger to wrist, wrist to elbow, and elbow to wrist, Nair shows a blatant reaction.


    "You''re still a training fool. The fact that the magic bullets are moving like living creatures is beyond amazing, it''s disgusting."


    "Isn''t it awful?"


    I''ll admit I''m training all the time.


    But having Nair around disturbs my concentration. .......


    He pulls out an old, tattered book he''s been keeping in a nearby drawer and offers it to Nair.


    "Here."


    "Hm?¡¡What''s this? ...... Oh, my "Memoirs of a Brave Man". I forgot you had it with you.


    Is this okay?


    "Hmm. Thanks, it''s a good way to pass the time."


    He lies down on the bed in a good mood and carefully flips through the pages.


    The pages of the diary were full of worm holes, but Nair had filled in and corrected some sentences in some places.


    She is absorbed in her reading, and I look at the letter in front of me and slowly stand up tall.


    "Well, let''s read it."


    Anyway, I have to read through the letter first.


    I pick up the first letter I see, and it is labeled <.


    It is a letter from Amako''s friend, Linka, a wolf beast girl.


    You open the seal as carefully as you can and read through the contents of the letter.


    ---Yoo-hoo!¡¡Usato!


    ---It''s Linka!


    "Hi, how are you?"


    It''s amazing how emotion can be conveyed through words.


    I could tell in two lines how Linka was feeling when she wrote this letter.


    I look at the first sentence, smile and follow the girlish, slightly rounded letters with my eyes.


    I look at the first sentence and wince as I follow the girlish, slightly rounded letters.


    Hey there!¡¡Usato!


    It''s Linka!


    It''s been a while since Usato left Hinomoto.


    I miss Amako a little, but I''m doing well.


    Since my father took over Hinomoto, I''ve been traveling back and forth between the Hidden Village and Hinomoto.


    It''s a little annoying to be told to wear a kimono, to be graceful, and so on, but Hinomoto is not so boring now that my father is ruling it.


    I remember there was a bit of a commotion after Usato and the others left.


    Some time ago, Amako''s mother wandered around Hinomoto on her own and caused a big commotion.


    The whole country was in a panic.


    All the soldiers were looking for Amako''s mother with blood on their hands.


    Dad said, "The usual. It''s been a long time since I''ve had a regular one ......" he muttered over and over again, clutching his stomach.


    In the end, Amako''s mom went for a walk and came back to her old place after half a day or so.


    When I went to talk to her later, she said fondly, "I met her when I went for a walk.


    I''ve always thought Amako''s mother was an interesting person since I was a little girl!


    The only other thing I remember is that my mom came back to Hinomoto ...... and my dad got upset about a lot of things, and that''s about it.


    I wrote the same thing in the letter I sent to Amako, but I wish my human friend Usato would come to Hinomoto again.


    If you have any funny tricks like you did before, show them to me again!


    Well then, I may send you another letter, so please do!


    Thank you!


    "I''d love to go back: ....... Hinomoto."


    After reading Rinka''s letter, I remember Hinomoto, the land of the beastmen.


    It was a land full of nature just like the Kingdom of Lingle.


    The scenery of Hinomoto, with its rows of nostalgic Japanese houses, reminded me of the scenery of the original world.


    When I came here, I didn''t have time to enjoy the surroundings because of the commotion involving Jinya, but I still know the great nature that surrounds Hinomoto and the strength of the beast people who live there.


    If my senpai were to visit Hinomoto, I am sure he would be overwhelmed.


    It was such a fascinating place.


    "By the way, Mr. Kanoko, aren''t you going at your own pace too much ......?"


    From Hayate''s mutterings, it seemed as if she was doing the same thing until two years ago. .......


    But Kanoko, who was weak when she first woke up, can walk now. .......


    This must be good news for Amako.


    "Hey, Usato."


    "Hmm?¡¡What''s wrong?¡¡Did you tear a page or something?"


    "No, it was there from the beginning. If you have any extra paper and pens, please give them to me.


    He turns around and hands several sheets of paper he has prepared for the letter and a spare pen to N¨¦a, who calls out to him.


    She looked through the journal of the brave man and began to write something down on the paper.


    "What are you doing?"


    "Deciphering ......?¡¡It''s just something to pass the time.


    "I think it''s all blurry and worm-eaten. ......"


    I can read some parts of it, but not some parts, so in the end I can''t understand what it says.


    I can read up to the part that Nair deciphered for me, but that''s it.


    "The content and the shape of the letters. I can predict the text based on the content, the letterforms, and the writing style, and I can fix it so that I can read parts of it, as long as the whole page isn''t ruined.


    I was honestly surprised when Nea turned to me with a smug look on her face.


    "Nair looks smart. ......"


    "That''s rude!¡¡I''m already smart!"


    I''m smart, in fact, but look at me in my everyday life.


    Well, she''s saved my life many times.


    "Can I see it later?"


    "Hmm?¡¡Sure. But I don''t see anything interesting in it.


    Nair said this, but then immediately thought of something else and looked back at me.


    "Oh, but... "Oh, but I noticed one thing.


    "What?¡¡What?"


    "This is the journal of the last brave warrior, right?¡¡It''s authentic in terms of age and content, but there''s something obviously unnatural about it.


    She smiles at me with a smile and shows me her memoirs.


    "There is no mention of the names of the previous heroes anywhere in the journal," she says.


    While I was convinced that there was indeed no mention of it, I felt a chill.


    It was a trivial fact that I had never paid attention to, but the more I thought about its meaning, the more scared I became.


    The reason why the names of the heroes were not written in the memoirs was because I thought that the previous heroes had been treated so badly that they were not even called by their proper names.


    "Usato?"


    "......No, it''s nothing."


    He replies to Nair, who has fallen silent, and returns to reading the letter again.


    The previous heroes had fought against the demons for the sake of the people.


    The previous heroes who were respected by the beastmen as their hope for a savior.


    But --- did anyone really see him as he really was?¡¡Did they call him by his name?


    These questions kept going around and around in my mind, but I tried to concentrate on what was in front of me.

 235 - - Twenty-fourth episode.

    <>>


    I hear voices.


    I think it is trying to tell me something important.


    But I don''t understand it.


    The echoing voices are like a mountain mist, and they are transmitted to me in pieces.


    <>


    Don''t miss that voice.


    In my blurred consciousness, I vaguely feel this way, and I concentrate my attention to listen to the voice.


    I put my hands over my ears and listen carefully.


    A faint, fragmented voice.


    When I finally hear it, the view I see, which had only been drifting, changes in an instant.


    My vision changes rapidly as it turns dark.


    I closed my eyes, bored with the sight that made me feel as if it could go on forever, and the next time I opened them..,


    "Ah, Usato-kun. Are you awake?"


    "...... Senpai?"


    I saw my senpai peering into my face.


    I looked around and saw Kazuki, Senpai, Leona, Ferrum, Amako, and Nack in a familiar room.


    The seven of us, including myself, were sitting facing each other, and the room - the inside of the carriage - was rattling and shaking.


    "Oh, I see. You''ve left the Kingdom of Lingle, I see. ......"


    We were riding in the carriage that the castle had prepared for us to take us to the base, the place where we would prepare for our departure to the Demon King''s territory.


    Wiping my sweaty forehead, I was about to rest my back again on the backrest of the carriage when I noticed Nair napping on my shoulder in the state of an owl.


    "I thought you weren''t there, but you were on my shoulder. ......"


    "Ho ......"


    No, you were supposed to be sitting in your normal seat when you got in the carriage, right?¡¡When did you come to my shoulder?


    As I was tilting my head at the nea on my shoulder, my senpai in front of me and Amako, who was sitting next to me, started talking to me.


    "Usato-kun, what''s wrong?"


    "You don''t look so good. ......


    "Oh, uh, I had a weird dream. ...... I don''t remember what kind of dream I had."


    Amako tilts her head when she hears the word "dream.


    "A scary dream?"


    "No, I don''t think it was scary.


    I really don''t remember the content.


    But I feel a sense of loss, as if I have forgotten something I shouldn''t have.


    Amako, looking a little troubled, continues to ask me questions.


    "So, is this the dream in which you are being trained by Ms. Rose?"


    "You said you weren''t afraid, right?"


    "Usato loves to train, so I thought he finally started doing it while I was sleeping."


    "......"


    "Oh, sorry, I didn''t mean that. I didn''t know you had it in you! >>Don''t look at me like that.


    Training in a dream.


    It''s like an extension of image training.


    Well, I don''t think it''s too much to worry about.


    "Yes, it is. Unlike my dream, Usato''s dream is probably a normal dream.


    If I had a prophetic dream, I''d wonder what''s going on.


    <<>


    <>


    Something the senior is whispering with Ms. Leona.


    From the sound of it, it doesn''t sound like the senior is bothering Ms. Leona. .......


    "Kazuki, how long has it been since we left?"


    "About an hour or so."


    "An hour. Not that much time has passed. ......"


    I was so sleep-deprived as soon as I got into the carriage that I don''t even remember going through the gates of the Kingdom of Lingle.


    Maybe I was more nervous than I thought. .......


    "We''ve finally left, haven''t we? ......"


    "Yeah, I guess so. We''ll stop at the base, but we may not be able to return to the Kingdom of Lingle for a while.


    He nodded at Kazuki''s words and next spoke to Nack, who was looking outside nervously and impatiently.


    "Is this your first time riding in a carriage, Nack?"


    "No, no!¡¡I rode a few times when I was little. ......"


    We asked permission for Nack to give us a ride to take us to the base where Rose and the others were staying.


    Both Mr. Welsey and Mr. Sergio seemed to know Nack from helping out at the castle, and they gladly allowed him to ride in the carriage.


    Nack glanced at his seniors.


    "I got nervous when I thought about being in the carriage with Suzune-san, Kazuki-san, and Leona-san, who was chosen as a brave warrior of Mearaq. ......


    "Haha, I''ve never met Leona-san before, so I can''t help but be nervous.


    We had already been introduced, but I guess that made things even more nerve-wracking for Nack.


    "Do ...... kids tend to keep their distance from me,......?"


    While I was thinking about this, Leona, who was listening to our conversation, was feeling sober and depressed.


    I try to talk to her, thinking that I should follow her up, but a voice calls out to me from another seat.


    "Hmmm, you''re not ready to be nervous at this level yet, are you?


    Such voices were heard from the far end of the carriage.


    Nack gave Ferrum, who was sitting at the end of the carriage, a distance of about two people, a glare in return.


    "Why are you sitting at the very end of the carriage, Mr. Ferrum?"


    "...... I just don''t get along with people unnecessarily."


    Ferm smiles with a grin.


    Perhaps noticing her, the senior stands up with a big smile on his face.


    "Ferrum!¡¡Don''t stay in such a dark place, come over here!


    "Absolutely not!¡¡Who would go to a freak like you!


    Don''t say that! We''re traveling together!


    Don''t come near me!¡¡You''re scaring me!


    The older man slowly makes his way toward Ferrum,


    "Suzune, don''t make a fuss."


    "No, I''m just a kid who''s about to be alone..."


    "Don''t try to jump on Usato."


    "I won''t!"


    ...... What?¡¡You were going to jump on me at this point?¡¡Was it a surprise?


    Amako speaks plainly to her senpai, who reacts greatly.


    "I saw it in my premonition."


    "False foreknowledge!¡¡Usato!¡¡Do you think I would suddenly do such a strange thing?


    "...... No, I mean, ......, uh, ........."


    "How untrustworthy am I?


    I react with a troubled reaction, and my senpai is shocked to hear me say this.


    "Well, I never thought that I, just a few seconds ahead of you, would take such a bold step. ......!¡¡No!¡¡Isn''t it rather a predestined fate that I have done it in the future?¡¡Does that mean it''s OK if I do it now?¡¡Wait, let''s just get caught in the swaying of the carriage and make it look like a coincidence..."


    He''s saying something very fast.


    Amako, who was smiling at the exchange between me and my senpai, suddenly looks a little confused.


    Did something happen?


    "I''m just kidding. Suzune."


    "Once I decide to do that, I''ll go to ......, eh?¡¡Are you kidding?"


    "Yeah. I was just messing with you."


    The senior was taken aback.


    I somehow knew it was a joke of Amako''s, but I was glad it was not a real prediction.


    Whether we prevent or avoid it, it would be a disaster if he got hurt in any way. .......


    "Hmmm, that was a close call. I was just about to jump on you if that''s what you predicted."


    "Why are you so ad hoc ......"


    Oh, no!


    If you had kept on like that, the prediction of the joke would have come true.


    Amako is also in a cold sweat, saying she didn''t foresee it that well.


    Ferrum, who had almost been confronted earlier, breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his senpai quietly returning to his seat.


    He is still keeping his distance from us. ......


    The most important thing to remember is that you can still get a good deal on a new pair of shoes.


    "Usato, can I go talk to Ferrum for a minute?"


    "What?¡¡"You can?"


    Amako, who is standing next to me, whispered to me, surprising me with her suggestion.


    Amako had been in the dormitory to take care of me when I fainted, but she did not seem to have been talking to Ferrum at that time.


    This is probably the first time he''s ever spoken to me properly, but I wonder if he''s okay.


    "I''ve been wanting to talk to you for a while now," she said. He''s just like me and Frana."


    You''re right. You should try talking to ....... She''s not very nice, but she''s a good girl."


    "Yes."


    With that, Amako takes an empty seat next to Ferrum.


    She sits down next to Ferrum, and I watch as the three of them start a conversation with Nack, and then I look away from them.


    "...... I''m going to read a book to pass the time."


    I put my bag on my lap to take out the book that Nair told me to bring.


    Most of my luggage for the trip is already packed in another place, so there is only a book and a hand towel in my bag.


    As he tries to take out the desired memoirs of the brave men, he notices that his bag is shifting around.


    Hmm?¡¡What is it?


    When I tilt my head, a black ear and a small head pops out from the opening of the bag.


    Kukuru?¡¡What, there you are!"


    "Cu-cu-cu-cu."


    Kukuru, the Noir Rabbit, the Commander''s pet.


    I was actually looking for it before we left, but it was hiding in my bag.


    I should be angry at him for not coming out earlier, but I''m not so angry if I think he wanted to surprise me.


    Kukulu jumped out of my bag, ran up my arm through my hand, and kicked down Nair, who was sleeping on my shoulder in owl form, with his hind legs.


    "Whoa!¡¡......Totally, this girl is ......"


    "Ugh ...... hoo."


    He quickly catches Nair with both hands, but the important thing is that she does not wake up except for a groan.


    Not knowing what to do, I leave her in my hands and warn Kukul.


    "Hey, don''t fight!"


    "Cu......"


    "Huh, it''s okay if you''re sorry."


    He patted Kukul''s head with his finger.


    No, I know it''s sweet, but I can''t help but hate it.


    He knows this, that''s why he''s such a little devil, isn''t it?


    "Uh-uh, Usato-kun!¡¡What''s with that explosively cute girl?


    "Usato. Is there another one?"


    "...... Noir Rabbit?¡¡This is another ...... very rare ......."


    I noticed that Senpai, Kazuki, and Leona were looking at Kukuru, who was on my shoulder.


    Senpai''s reaction was, in a way, what I had expected. .......


    "Huh?¡¡Didn''t I tell you?"


    Come to think of it, I didn''t tell him about Kukulu for some reason.......


    It''s not surprising that Leona-san doesn''t know about it, and neither Senpai nor Kazuki had been to the lifeguard station so many times.


    Kukulu himself was not moving around freely.


    "I''ve never seen him before!¡¡And now I''m fascinated!"


    "I''m sorry. Please speak in a language I can understand.


    I understand, but I can''t get my head around the momentum. .......


    The senior, who had just crossed his arms, switched to a crisp expression and held out his hand theatrically in front of him.


    "Oh, you jet-black one!¡¡My heart has been stolen by your beautiful, fruit-red, sinful eyes ......!"


    "Who told you to say it in style ......?"


    It is sad that it was Kukul who was the target of this event, though he seemed to have the potential to win the hearts of even the same s*x.


    Kukul, on the other hand, is grooming his hair, looking uninterested.


    For the time being, he points to Kukuru on his shoulder while paying attention to Nair on his left hand.


    "This girl is not my messenger, but the Commander''s pet. As Leona-san said, he is a Noir Rabbit, and his name is Kukuru.


    "Wow, Rose''s ...... is kind of unexpected."


    Haha, I thought the same thing at first.


    I agree with Kazuki, who is looking at Kukuru with interest.


    In fact, he is an intelligent and irrational demon, worthy of being Rose''s partner.


    Well, he definitely looks and acts cute ...... so you can''t help but be fooled.


    "I never thought I''d see Noir Rabbit here ......"


    "You know about this, don''t you, Leona?"


    "Yes. I''ve heard that they are very timid and wary. They have exceptional detection skills and are rarely seen by humans. I''ve never seen one in person before."


    ...... timid?¡¡What?¡¡This guy?


    I thought he was more of a bad bunny who took the initiative and tried to trick the other guy. .......


    You really are a demon.


    Am I right?


    Leona says as she sees Kukul sitting on her shoulder lazily and Nair sleeping on her palm.


    Kazuki nodded in agreement.


    On the other hand, the senior is staring at us silently.


    Scary.


    "Indeed. Nair and Bulrin are both demons. I heard that the girl is Rose''s pet too, so maybe she feels something close to Rose, and she might be pining for her.


    "Maybe he simply wants to fight with Nair, though."


    He always picks a fight every time we see each other.


    While we were having this conversation, Kukuru jumped off my shoulder without warning.


    "Hmm?¡¡Kukul."


    "Cue."


    Kukul landed on my lap, leaped once more, and jumped onto the lap of an older student in the seat in front of me.


    Naturally, he panicked.


    "---?¡¡---!!!?!"


    "Usato, Suzune-dono is looking at you as if asking for help. ......"


    "Uh, yes. Senpai, he''s basically harmless.


    The senior was so shocked that he could not even speak and could not move.


    Kukuru, who had been moving his head around on her lap, looked up, climbed up on her arm, jumped on her shoulder, and jumped on her head.


    "Kyu!"


    "Usato-kun, I don''t care if I die. I have no regrets."


    "What''s he talking about with that enlightened look on his face,......"


    What happened to your journey to defeat the Demon King? .......


    Kukuru is jumping happily on the head of the senior.


    He looks satisfied with his life.


    Kukul''s behavior seemed to be the same as the one he used to do to Neah in her human state.


    "...... could it be?"


    Kukuru you ...... see senpai as nothing more than a playmate like Nair ......?


    The other two who were watching from the side, Kazuki and Leona, also noticed this and glanced at me with an indescribable expression on their faces.


    Hmmm, what should I do?


    "Cue, cue!"


    "Hey, hey, don''t be rash. Ha-ha-ha!"


    ......Yeah, senior seems happy too, so I guess I can leave him alone until we reach the base.


    I look at them and lean my back against the wall of the carriage.


    I take out the journal of the heroes from my half-open bag, and with one hand, I flip through the pages, reading through the parts that Nair has deciphered for me.


    We are almost there.


    At the base are the members of the rescue team and ...... Rose.


    I''m worried because I heard that Nero Agence has wounded you.

 236 - - Twenty-five.

    It''s been about a week since I''ve been at the base.


    Perhaps because the battle against the Demon King''s army had been over for some time, the supplies and weapons in the base had been packed up, and the many knights were about to return to their respective countries.


    After getting off the carriage, we were divided into two groups: my senpai and Kazuki, who were going to report to Mr. Sigurth about the details of <>, and me, who was going to meet Rose, his immediate superior.


    Leona accompanied Sigur and Kazuki, and I was accompanied by Nair, Ferrum, Nack''s lifeguard and Amako.


    Kukuru got out of the carriage and immediately went somewhere, but I knew where he was headed, so I left him alone.


    "...... am I right to come here?"


    While heading to the location of Rose and the others, Nack looked around the base and muttered anxiously.


    The knights we passed looked exhausted, some of them had blood stained bandages on their faces. Just because the battle is over doesn''t mean it''s over.


    I talk to him to reassure him that he is aware of this.


    Don''t worry. If something happens, I just need to get hit.


    "You''re assuming you''re going to get punched, not pissed off. ......"


    Amaco looks stunned.


    To cheer up the gloomy Nack, let''s make a joke.


    "Well, it''s easier to end up getting punched in the face. Ha-ha-ha."


    """"......""""


    "Oh, boys. I''m kidding, right?¡¡I''m joking, so don''t keep Nack away from me."


    Ferrum looks at me like "Are you kidding me?" while Neah and Amako keep Nack away from me, who is as drawn to her as she is to me.


    I''m not saying I''d rather get hit, right?


    It''s just a quick fix, right?


    "...... I know. You like pain, don''t you Usato?¡¡Do you want me to hit you?


    "If you nod, I''m finished as a human being!"


    He said in a very gentle voice that he was going to hit me.


    And with a rare bright smile on his face.


    "You are finished as a human being, aren''t you?


    "Indeed."


    You''re noisy!¡¡You little vampires and demons!


    Seeing my reaction, Amako cracks a smile and turns her head forward, touching both cheeks.


    "Nah, I''m kidding."


    "Yeah. ......"


    "I would never do that to Usato."


    I noticed that a joke was joked back at me.


    ...... should come up with a milder joke next time.


    As we are exchanging such jokes, we see the base of operations of the rescue team. The many tents, the piles of supplies, though somewhat reduced...,


    "Ugh, Usato-kun!"


    Among them, we find a woman who screams in surprise when she sees us.


    I wave to Uluru-san, who drops the box she was carrying and hangs it up.


    "Ah!"


    "Hmm?¡¡Amako, what''s wrong?"


    "Hmm. "Well, I guess this is okay. Yeah."


    "Huh?"


    I listen to Amako and Nea''s conversation next to me and try to talk to Uluru, but she doesn''t seem to stop.


    What?¡¡At that moment, she jumped at me with such force that it could be mistaken for a body slam.


    "Usato-kun?¡¡I''m so glad you''re okay!


    "Oh!


    I had experienced the same thing with Nair, who used to play a village girl, but with much more vigor.


    I managed to escape the impact while backing up so as not to hurt her, and then I noticed that Uluru was crying.


    "Usato-kun collapsed, and I''ve been worried about you ever since I heard you were taken to the kingdom. ......!"


    "Mr. Uluru, ......"


    "Tong and the others weren''t worried at all, but I was. ......


    "I''ll hit those tough guys later."


    They should at least worry about me a little.


    I''m sorry for worrying you, ...... Uluru.


    I know she is not a weak person, but she has been healing the wounded on the battlefield until today.


    I am sure that the burden and the anxiety she has been carrying until today must be considerable.


    Knowing this, I decided to wait until she stopped crying, instead of pulling Uluru-san away from her.


    After a while, Uluru-san regained his composure and welcomed us into his base of operations with an embarrassed smile.


    Once inside the tent, there were almost no wounded people.


    After the battle, the place would have been full of injured people, but I guess it was because everyone in the rescue team had been working hard until today.


    "Uluru-san, Olga-san is ......"


    "My brother collapsed at ...... yesterday."


    "What?¡¡Where are you?


    "Oh, yeah!¡¡I''m overworked!¡¡You''ll be fine as long as you rest!¡¡Besides, Mr. Scharn is with me!


    "Oh, I see. ......Good. ......


    Ms. Olga, who is frail, was healing people to the limit of collapse.


    Uluru-san, too, was acting stout-heartedly, but it was clear that he was pushing himself very hard.


    The other members of the group were taking care of supplies and cleaning up the tents that were no longer in use, so we left the tent for the time being and noticed something approaching us.


    "Hmm?"


    I look at Uluru-san and feel a bit of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, but when I turn my head that way, I see a blue mass approaching, making a heavy thudding sound.


    "Gruaaaah!"


    "Bulllin!"


    I recognize him, Bulrin, and spread my arms wide to catch him as he leaps at me.


    Unlike Mr. Uluru, I was prepared in advance, so I put him down without much of a tremor.


    "Did you miss me!


    "Gruaaaah!"


    "Ha-ha-ha, don''t bite, don''t bite, I''m glad to see you again too. I''m glad to see you again. You''re not bothering them, are you?


    "Gru!"


    He strokes the bottom of Bulrin''s chin as if to say, "Of course not!


    He was really trying his best.


    He carried a wounded man on his back and plunged into the enemy with me.


    "He didn''t even back away when he was hit by Bulrin''s lunge, right ......?"


    Ferrum was muttering such a thing behind me as I was dealing with Bulrin, who was flailing at me as if he was hitting me with his paws.


    I tried to ignore it, thinking it was nothing to worry about, but Nair and the others responded to her voice.


    "It''s nothing to be surprised about now, is it?


    "Yes."


    "If you''re Usato, well, ......"


    "You may be used to it, but I''m not. ......!


    For my part, I''m not sure if I should be happy about that familiarity.


    "Amako, can I trust you with Bullyn?"


    "Yes, but what about ...... Usato?"


    I''m going to go see the leader soon. I''m going to go see the Commander soon.


    Yes, sir!


    I nodded to Nack who answered and asked Uluru-san where Rose was.


    "Uluru-san, where is the leader?"


    He is resting in the tent over there.


    "I heard you were injured. ......"


    "He''s still recovering from his injuries, but I think he''s going to be okay ....... But you, Commander, are a person who pushes himself as hard as Usato-kun does. ......"


    ......Well, there is no way he would behave in a way that would make Uluru and the others uneasy.


    I guess we won''t know unless we see Rose first and ask her about her wounds.


    Once away from Amako and the others, I walk with Nack to the tent where Rose is said to be.


    "......"


    The last time we saw her was when she was swallowed by the tornado created by Nero Agence''s lineage enhancement.


    Nero Agence had been holding me back the whole time.


    Even though he was holding me back, I was still cut down by his resistance spells, and if he had ...... been serious, I would have been killed without being able to do anything about it.


    The actuality that you can be a lot more than just a little bit of a pain in the ass.


    We silently reach the entrance to the tent where Rose is supposed to be, and Nack and I speak out so that she can hear us inside.


    "Commander, this is Usato. I just returned from the Kingdom of Lingle.


    After a few seconds or so, a short reply comes back in the same voice as usual, "Come in.


    I step through the entrance and into the tent with Nack to find Rose sitting on two wooden bunks.


    She is wearing her usual trousers over her shoulders and a black undergarment underneath. Her left arm is supported by a cloth around her neck, indicating that the wound has not yet healed.


    And, of course, on her uninjured right shoulder, there is Kukul, who was with her just a few minutes ago.


    "I just changed the bandage.


    "Cu."


    A blood-soaked bandage is discarded on the bunk where Rose is sitting.


    Nack gasps at the sight of the blood.


    ...... First, I should explain that I brought Nack here.


    "I''ve already heard about you and the brave men who are going on this journey in a letter from the kingdom.


    "Yes. I, a healing magic user, was chosen to support Senpai and Kazuki.


    "After the battle, another battle. ....... You don''t have time to rest, do you?


    "Ha ha ha ......"


    Rose sighs in exasperation and smiles bitterly.


    She looks from me, who is laughing, to Nack, who is looking nervous.


    "I have a pretty good idea ...... why you brought Nack with you?"


    "I brought Nack here because he will be alone when we go on our trip. He may be twelve years old, but he''s still a member of the lifeguard corps. We can''t send him into battle, but he should be able to help with the work here."


    After saying these words, Nack, who is standing beside him, takes a step forward.


    He looks scared under Rose''s gaze, but he still raises his voice.


    "Oh, me!¡¡I came here to help you all!¡¡I will never be weak!"


    "......"


    After a moment of silence, Rose opened her mouth.


    "Now that we''ve come this far. ....... All right."


    "!¡¡Thank you!!!"


    "Outside, Alec and the others are cleaning up the base. Go help them.


    "Yes!"


    Nack''s face lit up and he said, "Excuse me! He bowed deeply, and then ran out of the tent.


    After watching his happy back, I turned to Rose in front of me again.


    "May I sit down?"


    "Suit yourself."


    I sit on the other bunk next to the one Rose is sitting on.


    "Are you hurt?"


    "It''s not as serious as it looks. It won''t affect you as long as you keep quiet.


    "What?¡¡Are you sure you''re okay?¡¡Are you sure you''re not just a little bit gung-ho?


    I heard you got your left shoulder cut off.


    When I questioned whether she was really all right, she sighed.


    "Who do you think I am?"


    "......"


    I don''t know, those words alone made me feel okay.


    To tell the truth, I was really, really worried about him, but now that I see him in front of me, I realize that my fears were unfounded.


    ......My teacher is really an extraordinary person.


    "Does the curse of the magic sword of Nero Agens still remain?


    The curse on everyone but me was lifted in about four days.


    "...... What about the Commander''s curse?"


    d*mn it, it''s still here. This..."


    Rose put her hand on her left shoulder, looking extremely uncomfortable.


    "I had no choice but to take his sword in my left shoulder when I was beating up that ugly blonde, but he seemed to have put a lot of force into it. It seems that the wound on my shoulder was cursed more strongly than the others."


    "...... So you''re saying it''s that vindictive?"


    "I''m sure you''re right. It''s nothing but a nuisance to me.


    Rose''s expression of annoyance suggests that Nero''s presence is just "an enemy standing in the way" for her.


    "Can the curse be lifted?"


    "It will take some time, but it will be lifted. In the meantime, your left arm will be useless.


    In fact, I tried on the battlefield to see if I could somehow break it with Nair''s liberation spell, but was unable to do so.


    The power of Nero''s magic sword is a curse, but it is not a curse by magic, but a simpler one, a pure feeling of hatred that is imprinted on the sword as a curse.


    It is a wonder that people can wield such a sword and be fine with it.


    Don''t you think it is possessed by a ghost or something?¡¡At least, if it were me, I would have been so scared the moment I held it that I would have smashed it on the spot.


    After thinking that much, I look at Rose''s left arm and a thought comes to my mind.


    "...... If I were to play you right now, would I win?"


    "Ha, if you think you can win, go ahead."


    "......"


    Oh, I can''t do this.


    Even if he could not use both arms, he could not imagine how he could win.


    I can easily imagine myself being kicked to the far side of the ring with a full-strength spinning kick.


    Rose smiled happily at me as I accepted my defeat meekly.


    "You''ve gone too far this time, haven''t you?"


    "As for me, I didn''t mean it. ....... I almost died, I was followed by an annoying stalker, and to top it off, he called me an unjustified demon.


    "Ha, a demon. This is very amusing.


    "It''s not funny. ......"


    The calling of the devil is not that widespread, so it''s okay.


    "At any rate, you made it back alive."


    "...... yes."


    "Whoa, now you''re not going to cry?"


    You want me to pull it out now?


    When the first battle was over, Rose praised me so much that I cried involuntarily.


    It was an embarrassing memory, and to be honest, I still remember it vividly, and my face burns when she says it now.


    "Ha ha, don''t stare. I''m sorry."


    Rose laughed at me, and I felt even more shame, but I tried to think of something to say back to her.

 237 - - Twenty-sixth episode.

    Noon on the day I arrived at the base.


    I met Rose again, and next I was confronted by a group of tough guys.


    They still looked as horrible as ever, but I was relieved to see that none of them had made it back alive.


    I was kicked out of the tent by Rose, but that was a familiar sight at the rescue squad, so I guess it was not an unusual sight. ...... Well, after that we almost got into a fight after some agitation, and Rose kicked me out of the tent.


    After exchanging greetings with all the members, Sigurth called me to the meeting tent in the center of the base.


    When I passed through the banner, I found Mr. Sigurth, my senpai, Kazuki, and Leona in the tent.


    "Well, now that Usato-sama is here, let''s start talking.


    The reason why the four of us were gathered here this time was to discuss our plan to enter the Demon Lord''s territory tomorrow.


    The general plan was made in the Lingle Kingdom, but at this base we will be discussing other problems that may arise before we enter the Demon Lord''s territory.


    "The most important issue is about the big river that flows between the territory of the Demon King and the territory of human beings. ......"


    "Yes, we already have a solution for this.


    Is that so?


    The senior staff member replies to Mr. Sigurth''s words.


    "Leona, a brave woman from Mearaq, magically built a hastily constructed bridge. Then Usato, who has been assimilated by Ferrum, will reinforce the bridge with black magic, and Nair will use magic to make it resistant. With this, we should be able to build a bridge that we can cross.


    To be honest, I''m not sure if I need to assimilate with Ferm.


    No, if the combination of Nair and Ferrum is to be emphasized, should I be there?


    I really wish I could help you.


    "It''s no wonder that Kazuki and I specialize in offensive magic."


    Kazuki''s is a light system that makes anything it touches disappear.


    Senpai is of the electric strike lineage, which manipulates powerful lightning.


    Both of them are powerful magic, but they are not suitable for building bridges.


    "Hmm. I understand the theory, but is it possible?¡¡I would like to hear your opinion, Leona.


    Sigurth put his hand on his chin and asked Leona.


    "We have confirmed the width of the river itself, so it should not be impossible. If possible, I would like to see with my own eyes the proper place to build a bridge once ......"


    "So, are you going to see the big river today?¡¡We can leave before dark from now on."


    Leona looks troubled for a while at Sigurth''s suggestion.


    She nodded her head to Mr. Sigurth after a moment to collect her thoughts.


    "Yes, that''s right. I think I should go and check first. May I borrow your horse?"


    "Of course."


    ...... Leona, are you going to go to the big river now and look for a point to build a bridge?


    Then I should check with her, since I will be involved in building the bridge.


    I raise my hand and talk to Sigurth who is instructing his knight to arrange horses for us.


    "Mr. Sigurth. May I follow you too, Leona?¡¡I want to check on the big river too.


    "What?"


    I understand. Then I''ll prepare a horse for you, Usato-sama.


    For some reason, Leona was surprised, but I was more surprised that a horse was prepared for me.


    ...... No, wait a minute.


    I''ve never ridden a horse before.


    I don''t want a horse!¡¡I can''t ride a horse!


    "Hmm?¡¡Then leave the reins to my men and get behind...


    No!"


    We can''t let the knight get into trouble.


    And it''s not far from here to the river.


    I''ll run, don''t worry!


    At that moment, the expressions on the faces of Sigurth and his knights froze.


    Then they gave me an enlightened look as if to say "Oh, I see...".


    I see...".


    Plains.


    In front of a wooden barrier, battered from the battle, Leona and I were getting ready to leave.


    "I didn''t expect you to come along too."


    "If it''s for tomorrow, I should be there too."


    Nair, perched on my shoulder in owl form, puffed out her chest in a good mood.


    As I am doing my preparation exercises with a wry smile on my face, Leona approaches me on her horse, perhaps having finished her preparations earlier.


    "Usato, we''re ready when you are," she said.


    "Hush, I''m ready too."


    "I''m sure I understand your physical prowess, but ...... it feels strange."


    Leona says this with an indescribable expression on her face.


    "You''d better get used to it. He''s going to start acting even stranger than when he was in Mearaq.


    "Uh-huh?"


    "When I was in beastman country, I''d take my eyes off him for a second and he''d start doing crazy tricks."


    You owl. What did you say to Leona?


    Leona replies vaguely to N¨¦a''s advice while paying attention to me.


    How untrustworthy I am!


    ...... I''ll keep the healing blast a little longer from N¨¦a...


    "Leona-san, we should get going.


    "What?¡¡Oh, my God!


    Let''s get out of here before they say anything else.


    As soon as Leona''s horse starts to run, I jump in front of her.


    <>


    Leona''s horse makes a funny noise when it sees me running alongside her.


    "You''re really a monster when you have someone to compare yourself to, aren''t you? The horse did a beautiful double-take."


    "...... I''ll bite your tongue!"


    Nea mutters to herself as she looks at me and the horse that Leona is riding alongside.


    I ignore her words as I ride my horse across the plains.


    The plain where the battle took place was in a terrible state.


    The bodies of the demons had been cleared away, but the wounds inflicted on the ground by the Demon Lord''s last air attack were extensive.


    In the worst areas, you could not even tell that the area had once been a grassland, and it was burned to the ground, reminding us once again how powerful the Demon Lord''s attack had been.


    We passed through a thick forest of trees from the plains, where the effects of the battle remained strong, and soon arrived at our destination, a large river.


    "...... Is this the place, I see?"


    "Yes. You guys have seen a similar river when you were on a boat, right?"


    "We didn''t come this far, though, because we met Suzune on the way."


    A river flows beneath the cliff of a certain height.


    I looked down at the wide, fast-flowing river and talked to Leona.


    "Did you find a good spot?"


    "......If the current is this strong, we should be able to prop it up with ice. The question is where to hang it. ...... The foothold is unstable here. Let''s move."


    "Yes, sir."


    She dismounts and I follow her.


    I have to watch my footing so I don''t accidentally fall off.


    "...... now that I think about it, it''s a strange thing."


    What?


    I remember the first time I saw you. Not on a river, but on a frozen lake.


    The first time we met was when I fought with the runaway Mr. Karon for the first time.


    At the time, I mistook Leona for a man. .......


    Looking back, it was really rude of me.


    "At that time, you didn''t have a cage hand yet, and you were just an ogre with a monster mental resistance.


    "It''s not an ogre, okay?"


    "...... Oh, and before that, you knocked an ogre unconscious with a single punch, so it''s not an ogre. I''m sorry."


    What''s that?¡¡He apologized, but I don''t feel he apologized.


    He seems genuinely sorry, but somehow his words don''t seem to mesh.


    "You two are as close as ever."


    "Of course. Because I''m his messenger. I''m the only one who can handle his recklessness.


    "You''re going to say that?"


    Nair flaps her wings against my cheeks in a good mood.


    No, I''m sure she''s been with me a lot of times, but I don''t think it''s something to be proud of. .......


    As I''m bothered by the tickling sensation on my cheek, I notice Leona giggling happily as she walks with her horse in tow.


    "Leona-san ......?"


    "It''s been a pleasure talking with you guys."


    "What?¡¡Fun is ......."


    "It''s refreshing for me to have this kind of casual exchange."


    I am not aware that I am saying such interesting things, but from the ...... side, it may be quite a pleasant sight.


    I think it''s quite surreal to see a good-tempered owl on my shoulder, endlessly fasching my cheeks.


    "I came on this trip as a brave man, but I could only have made that decision because of you."


    "Am I ......?"


    When I tilted my head at her words, Leona stopped dead in her tracks and let out an "ah" sound.


    She turned her head to me in a slight panic and opened her mouth, moving her hands furtively.


    "No, no, I didn''t mean anything deep. It''s reassuring to know that you''ve fought with me, or something. ......


    "Well, do you mean that you are reassured by my presence as a healing magician?"


    "...... that''s not true. I didn''t make my decision because you are a healing wizard. I can''t say it well, but I assure you that.


    "Yes, yes. ......"


    Leona corrects my misunderstanding with an air of seriousness, and I am overwhelmed.


    Can I assume that she joined because of me as an individual rather than me as a healing magician ......?


    Either Leona trusts me that much, or she is worried about me. ......When I look back on my behavior, there is a high possibility that she is usually worried about me. ......Yes.


    "Thank you. For my part, I''m ...... glad to hear that."


    "Oh, yeah!¡¡I''m so glad you feel that way!"


    Leona''s face brightened from her anxiety and she turned around.


    "Oh, you''ve stopped. It''s time to move on!"


    "I guess so. ......"


    "Hmmm, you hard-nosed brave and training fool. They''re both so clumsy, they don''t really mesh well together.


    Nair muttered something rude in a whisper when she saw me and Leona nodding to each other and starting to walk away.


    What do you mean we don''t mesh ......?


    I followed Leona, wondering about that.


    "...... seems like a good place. Usato, will you hold the reins?"


    "Yes, sir."


    Then Leona stops and hands me the reins of the horse.


    I accept the reins with some trepidation, and Leona squats down and puts her hands on the ground.


    "Yeah. This looks like a good place for a foothold. If it doesn''t rain today, we can build a bridge here tomorrow.


    "Do you want me to mark it or something?"


    "Markers. ....... Yes, let''s do that.


    Leona nodded at my words and stood up, cold air drifting from her palms.


    What the ......?¡¡The color of the magic power emitted from her hand became darker and its shape changed to that of a stick.


    "--strengthening of the lineage.


    As she muttered this, a spear of ice formed in midair and pierced the ground.


    ......She is a better user than I am, and the process of strengthening the lineage is very careful when I see it up close.


    "Okay, I''m sure we''ll find it soon enough."


    Leona, who had wrapped a piece of cloth around her ice spear, which was covered with a white haze, turned around to face us.


    "Won''t it melt?"


    "It''s from the reinforcement of the system, so it should last until tomorrow morning.


    "Well, if it''s this cold, demons won''t be able to touch it, so there''s no need to worry about them being defeated.


    And now that we''ve decided where we''re going to build the bridge, all we have to do is go home.


    Before we do that, I''ll look at the other side of the river from the point where the cloth-wrapped spear---flag is.


    I''ll check how far it is from the flag, although I can only see it visually.


    "Looking at it again, it''s pretty far away... ......?"


    "What''s wrong?"


    "No, I thought I heard the sound of a beast from the other side of the river. ......


    Nair, with a dubious expression on her face, listens as I do, and sure enough, I hear some kind of cry coming from the other side of the river.


    It is the voice of a beast, neither human nor demon.


    And there are quite a few of them.


    "......The voice of a demon..."


    All of them?


    "The war may have caused the demons to become more active. If we go to the other side of the river, we might be attacked.


    "So, should we change locations?"


    Nair shakes her head at Leona''s words.


    "If it''s the same here, it must be the same in other places. If that''s the case here, then our priority should be to cross safely.


    So tomorrow we''ll have to pay attention to what''s happening on the other side of the river.


    Luckily, we have a good buddy, Bulrin, who will drive the demons away if we let him cross first.


    ...... but the fact that the demons are making noise over there means that they are also affected by the war.


    "Usato. Now that we know where to build the bridge, let''s go back to the base. We have to report about the demons on the other side of the river.


    "Right."


    I hand the reins of my horse to Leona and start walking with my back to the river.


    Tomorrow, we will cross here and enter the demon king''s territory.


    This is different from the journey to deliver the letter; it is a journey with a mission to directly defeat the other party. There is no way that I myself can go forward with the same naive thinking that I have had up until now.


    I have to keep my head on straight.


    "When we cross tomorrow. Maybe we should let Usato go first."


    "Hmm, why?"


    To keep the demons away. Demons don''t usually attack their own kind if they''re superior.


    "You naturally treat me like a demon."


    When I replied in anger, she seemed to feel bad and apologized to me in a light tone.


    She apologized in a light tone, "I''m sorry, don''t be so sulky. ...... but you''re almost like a demon when you''ve assimilated with Ferrum. That figure is as close as you can get to Kalon in his out-of-control state.


    "Yeah, don''t be afraid ......."


    When you say it like that, I''m usually scared.


    Is that it?¡¡Like if I continue to assimilate with the fermions, one day my body won''t be human anymore?


    Well, it''s not that dangerous since I''m close to it.

 238 - - Twenty-seven.

    "Usato-san!¡¡May I see Suzune-sama?


    This was what I had feared.


    I had returned after checking the great river flowing between the Demon King''s domain and the human domain, and had parted ways with Leona inside the base, returning to the lifeguard team''s base of operations.


    We would leave for the Demon Lord''s territory tomorrow.


    Just as I was thinking that I would spend the night at the base, I was thinking that I would spend the night in peace, when Kate-san came to visit me and asked me something like that, somewhat bitingly.


    "Hey, Kate. Don''t bother Ms. Usato."


    Gerna, who came to visit me with her, warned me so.


    But that didn''t stop Kate.


    "This is your only chance. If you stop now, Gerna, you''ll be holding a grudge against ...... you forever!


    "Can you please stop saying such horrible things in your bouncy voice ......?"


    From the looks of Ms. Kate, she didn''t mean any harm ......, did she?


    I have to ask permission from my seniors, but I can''t refuse Kate''s request after all the hard work she''s done to help the rescue team until today.


    I understand. But can I do it after I get your permission?¡¡Maybe she''ll refuse. ......"


    "That''s fine!¡¡I''d rather have it that way!"


    "No, is it possible? ......"


    What is it, the excitement of just being near a celebrity ......?


    But senpai is popular too.


    It seems that women are usually very popular in Calm Helio.


    "Well, let''s go to the place. Gerna, are you coming?"


    "I ...... don''t know what he''s going to do, so I''ll go with him.


    Mr. Gerna points to a dreamy Ms. Kate and says so.


    Together with Ms. Kate and Mr. Gerna, they leave the lifeguard station and head for their seniors.


    As we walk through the torch-lit area, Ms. Kate talks to me as if she suddenly remembers something.


    "Oh, by the way, there was something I wanted to ask you, Usato-san, after the war was over!


    "Hmm?¡¡The rumor about you and my senpai is a misunderstanding. ......


    I''m not talking about that. I was wondering how you became the healing magician that you are today. ......"


    Kate''s question makes Mr. Gerna stiffen for a moment.


    A healing magician like you are now, you mean in that direction, don''t you?


    But the problem is that ...... Kate has taken out what looks like a notepad. What in the world is she going to write?


    "Well, what''s the notebook for?"


    "To write down your training methods, Usato-san!"


    "For what purpose?¡¡Are you going to practice it yourself at ......?


    No!¡¡When I was sent here, I was asked to do so by a high official of the kingdom!"


    Oh, my God, she''s so honest.


    It''s not the same, but it''s the one I was afraid of at first.


    However, Kate, who is supposed to be here ...... to find out the inner workings of the rescue team, seems to have been so absorbed in her senpai that she forgot about it until just now.


    In other words, it was a fine play by her. That''s right.


    "Are you trying to create healing wizards like me and the Commander in Calm Helio? ......"


    "Oh, really?¡¡I don''t think so."


    "You don''t deny it. You don''t even know you''re a spy. He''s at ......."


    "Supai?"


    "That''s enough. ......"


    Gerna-san, who is looking tired, tsk tsk tsk as Kate tilts her head.


    "So, who''s the big guy?¡¡Princess Nia?"


    "Not Princess Nai''a, but Kyle and the minister.


    "...... Oh, yeah. Yeah."


    No way, Prince Kyle.


    What am I to make of that? Was he trying to find out my secrets as a healing wizard?


    It seems a bit premature to send her so soon after the meeting, but it''s not surprising if you consider that ...... she''s been so competitive.


    "Miss Kate. When you return to Calm Helio, will you have an audience with Princess Nai''a?"


    "Umm, I heard that Princess Nai''a is very busy. I heard that Mr. Kyle can meet her at any reasonable time. ......"


    Prince Kyle...... No, I''m sure it''s different now, maybe.


    But it''s not so easy to meet Princess Naija, is it?


    "Then, is it possible to just give them the notebook?"


    "Yes, that''s possible!¡¡They may check the contents of the notebook for inspection, though!


    "Well, can I borrow the notebook for a moment?


    "Yes!


    I was surprised that she handed me the notebook without hesitation, but I stopped and picked up the pen that was clasped in my hand.


    The contents of the notebook are ...... that I am writing this text, and that I am asking you not to make the healing magician undergo harsh training, and that I am asking you not to cause any harm to the healing magician who has been dispatched to you - Ms. Kate.


    I also noted that, although it is not so much an alternative, it would be better to train healing wizards like Olga and Uluru, who specialize in healing, rather than training healing wizards like us.


    In addition, I wrote about how much healing wizards like Ms. Kate played an active role in this war in as much detail as possible, and appealed their usefulness.


    "There, that''s it. Here you go."


    "Thank you!"


    "Uh-huh?"


    ...... why did he thank me? I''m ......?¡¡Is it an autograph or something?


    We start walking again and soon arrive at our destination.


    There were several small tents lined up in a row, and a campfire in the center of the tents was lighting up the surrounding area.


    "......Ah, there he is."


    In the light of the campfire, I find my senpai sitting on a log used as a chair, Leona, and Kazuki sitting the same way across from the campfire.


    I let Kate and Gerna wait there for the time being and approach the three of them.


    "Hmm?¡¡It''s you, Usato. What''s wrong?"


    Kazuki and Leona look at me when they hear my voice.


    I scratch my cheek in annoyance and reply to him.


    "Actually, there is a girl who wants to meet you.


    "The girl who wants to meet me?"


    "She''s a big fan of you."


    When I said this rather jokingly, he put his hand on his forehead and smiled.


    "An ardent fan, huh? Then, as a brave man, I have to live up to his expectations ......!"


    "Does that mean you''re okay with it?"


    Off course!¡¡Leona, are you ready ......!


    "Suzune!¡¡I don''t care about that!


    She''s even more excited today.


    Leona-san next to me is confused, but I wonder when did they start calling each other by their first names?


    Anyway, I get their approval and beckon to them behind me.


    Then Kate, her eyes shining, comes running toward us.


    "Mr. Usato!¡¡Thank you very much!


    "Don''t worry about it. Go ahead and talk to your senpai as much as you want. The person next to him is Leona. She is a brave warrior from Mearaq. And the one in front of her is Kazuki, another hero of the Lingle Kingdom.


    "What?¡¡Kazuki, the other brave lady, and Leona, who solved a big case in Mialak together with Usato?¡¡What a fortuitous chance!¡¡I won''t complain even if you say I''ve already used up all the luck in my life!


    After thanking me profusely once again, Kate-san went towards the senior who was beckoning her with a smile.


    "Suzune-sama, Leona-sama!¡¡It''s my first time to meet you!¡¡I am a healing wizard of the Kingdom of Calm Helio!¡¡My name is Kate!


    "Yes, yes, your name is Kate. I''m Inukami Susanne. I''m a brave warrior from the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "Wow, I''m Leona. I''m Leona, the ...... hero of Mialak."


    The senior confidently introduces herself and Leona shyly says her name.


    Kate is elated to see these two contrasting people.


    ......Yeah, it looks like it''s going to be all right.


    "Hey, Usatoh!"


    Kazuki, who is sitting on a separate log from his seniors and Leona, raises his hand to us.


    "I''m coming. Here, Gerna, you too."


    "Oh, you don''t mind?"


    "Yes, I don''t mind at all. Besides, we are close in age.


    Gerna and I approach Kazuki and sit down on an empty space on the log.


    There is plenty of room for the three of us.


    Usato, who''s that?


    Gerna, from the Kingdom of Nirvarna. He''s here to reinforce the rescue team. He''s a healer like me.


    Nice to meet you, I''m Gerna. I know Mr. Kazuki well, as he has visited Nirvarna before.


    Gerna bowed her head in awe, and Kazuki scratched his cheek as if troubled.


    "Well, um, you don''t have to call me sir, do you?¡¡We seem to be the same age, so you don''t have to use honorifics.


    "No, not at all. ......"


    It''s a little itchy for me to be addressed with honorifics by someone my own age, too.


    I don''t care if it''s someone who uses honorifics on a daily basis like Mr. Halfa of Lukvis, but Gerna''s usual way of speaking would be different.


    "It''s a little late for that, but I don''t have to speak in honorifics either. I don''t mind at all if you speak to me in the same tone as when we first met."


    "......Wow, I understand ......Okay."


    "Well then, it''s nice to meet you again. Gerna."


    Kazuki smiles brightly at Gerna, who nods his head in confusion.


    Kazuki then turns his attention to the seniors who are talking over the campfire.


    "Did Usato come here to take her to see the senpai?"


    "Yes, he did. She''s a healing magician from Calm Helio, and she asked me to bring her here to ...... meet our senpai.


    "I see. I was adored by my senpai in the past, but it seems that things haven''t changed in this world.


    "Before I mean ......"


    "Yeah, that''s what I meant."


    Perhaps out of consideration for Mr. Gerna, Kazuki blurred his expression.


    By "before," he meant the world before we were summoned.


    "But you must have been looking forward to it a lot."


    "For the past week, I''ve been hearing about the heroes at every turn. I''m ......."


    "Oh, so much. ...... You''re the man from Calm Helio. ......"


    Gerna is dismayed, and Kazuki smiles bitterly.


    Since Calm Helio has a belief in brave men, Kate''s obsession may be natural in a sense.


    From the ...... side, it looks like she''s just so happy to see a celebrity.


    "Usato, you went to see the big river during the day, didn''t you?¡¡How was it?"


    "Well, ...... it wasn''t too fast as far as I could see today. It was a little wide, but with your magic it shouldn''t be too hard to build a bridge.


    "I see. I''m a little relieved because it would be a big problem if we stumble before entering the demon king''s territory.


    "Ha-ha-ha, indeed."


    If that happens, I''m sure they''ll figure out another way, but I''m sure we''ll be stranded for nothing.


    "...... you two are going to a great place."


    "Gerna, what kind of place is the demon king''s territory from your point of view?"


    "I don''t think I, or rather, most people don''t know what the Demon Lords are like. They have been hating each other for hundreds of years.


    Gerna stares at the campfire.


    "If I had to guess, I''d say that the demons are horrible subhumans. Maybe it''s because I''ve heard the legends of my ancestors who fought against the Demon Lord''s army when they were the last generation of heroes, but even without that, this battle still made me ...... tremble from the bottom of my heart, to be honest."


    Nirvarna is a country full of martial people.


    If it were such a country, it might have boldly challenged the Demon Lord''s army in the days of the previous heroes.


    Just as it was written in the memoirs, against the Demon Lord''s army led by the "Terrible Demon Lord" who did his utmost in treachery and treachery.


    "......, I shouldn''t have said this to the two of you who are leaving tomorrow. I''m sorry.


    "No, it was helpful. Thank you."


    Kazuki shakes his head as Gerna apologizes.


    The people of this world''s perception of demons is that they are terrifying beings,...... but what about the opposite, the perception that demons have of humans?


    ......Maybe the demons also think that humans are terrifying.


    <>


    At that time, I suddenly heard such a voice in front of me.


    I look over and see Kate, her eyes shining, talking to her senpai.


    However, the senior''s expression seemed to be somewhat distorted.


    >


    <>


    Leona-san tilts her head at the upset senpai, who seems to have guessed what was coming.


    Kate, knowing or not that she was upset, spoke as she did.


    >


    >


    >


    She looked at Kate''s face and mine alternately, then turned bright red and burst into flames.


    Leona-san, who was supporting her as she was about to fall back, called out to me for help, but she was shaking her head frantically.


    "Well, we''ll see what we can do. ......"


    At any rate, I had to see the Demon King, the Demon Tribe, and the Demon Domain with my own eyes before I could get started.


    Seeing my senpai being noisy in a good way, I felt somewhat relaxed and stood up to help him.

 239 - - Twenty-eight.

    The day of departure.


    After giving Bulrin his luggage with food and other things, I said goodbye to Olga, Uluru, and Nack, the tough guys who had gathered at the lifeguard station.


    "Mr. Usato, I heard that you have been assigned to a very important mission again.


    "Olga-san, are you feeling all right?"


    I woke up this morning and was worried about Olga who came to see me off.


    He may have recovered from the ...... physical exhaustion, but his heart, which has healed more people than anyone else, is exhausted.


    Olga smiles weakly at my words of concern.


    "It''s no problem if you just move a little."


    "As for me, I''m worried about you and your brother, Usato. ....... I know you want to see Usato off, but don''t be too hard on yourself."


    "Ha, ha, sorry to worry you."


    Uluru muttered to herself in an unfaithful manner.


    Then, from behind her, a group of strong-looking men with a hot and bitter atmosphere smiled at her.


    "I don''t think you need to worry about this guy, let alone Olga.


    "Yeah, I was in trouble again on the battlefield the other day."


    That thing looked like it could have been called a demon. He was flying.


    He was more of a monster than I was.


    "Well, actually, I heard that both the demons and the monsters were scared."


    You never change even in times like this, you son of a b*tc*.


    Maybe he saw me a few times while he was running around the battlefield. I could see the movements of the men in black from my point of view.


    I keep smiling while secretly clenching my fists against the humanoid monsters who are making false accusations against me one after another, starting with Tong''s words.


    "Well, I guess you could say that.


    "That''s right."


    "You''re Usato, aren''t you? It can''t be helped."


    "Gru."


    Huh, I guess I don''t have any allies. ......?


    Nair, Ferrum, Amako, and then, of course, Bulrin, all agree with me.


    "But, well..."


    Should I give Tong, the main culprit, a shot after saying a few words?¡¡I''m thinking, "Should I give him a shot after I''ve said something to Tong, the culprit?


    "I know you''re a nasty little shit, but I''m not going to be able to keep you around if you''re gone. I''m not worried about you at all, but go get rid of the corps leader or the demon king and come home.


    When Tong says this, the others smile so evilly that even adults start to cry.


    It was a traumatic smile that had not changed since I first came to the Rescue Mission, but at the same time, it was the one that I was most familiar with.


    "Kuh-huh."


    Unable to suppress the smile that wells up in my face, I brush my hair back with my hand, holding my eyes.


    The other people except for the tough guys look at me and their faces turn pale, but I don''t pay attention to them and turn to face the tongs.


    "You''d better be ready when I get back. I''ll give you the privilege of being a superior officer and putting you through training hell.


    "Ha, great. You monster.


    They exchange words with each other as their smiles deepen.


    I end the conversation as no more words are needed and turn my attention to Nack, who is still looking blue.


    "Nack."


    "Hiccup, ah, eh ......"


    What''s that "I shouldn''t be afraid, but I''m afraid by instinct" look on your face?


    While I was tilting my head at Nack, who reacted as if his will and body were working against each other, Amako, who was standing next to me, tugged at the sleeve of my dress.


    "Usato. Your face and your mood are in trouble."


    "It''s not Rose anymore, it''s got its own unique Usato feel to it. ......"


    What do you mean, "my own thing"?


    You''re right, I''m not thinking of Rose, but...


    At any rate, I rub both cheeks with my hands and make a facial expression.¡¡I''ll rub both cheeks with my hands to restore the expression.


    He turns his head toward Amako to make sure.


    "Is it back?"


    "Yes. The same Usato. The augmentation rate is down.


    What is the augmentation rate?¡¡Is it really something that can be quantified?


    I wondered, but regained my composure and talked to Nack.


    Nack, I asked you to look after me.


    Yes, sir!¡¡I will do my best in training!


    Nack straightens his back and replies in a loud voice.


    "I can''t do the healing punch or healing magic bullet yet, but I still have a lot to learn from you, Usato-san, to find my own "healing magic"!


    "Usato?"


    "All right, all right!¡¡I''ll come back for sure, you just hang in there!¡¡Grow up and let''s meet again!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    The low voice of Neah, which I can''t imagine from her usual voice, makes my shoulders shake involuntarily.


    Oh no, I''ve missed it. ......!¡¡Neck has found out that I taught Neck the technique in secret. ......!¡¡He has found his goal and the path he should take, and his words of enthusiasm make me happy from the bottom of my heart, but the presence of Nair''s voice behind me makes my voice turn inside out.


    After that, the greeting ended without any closure.


    But for me, that''s probably a good thing.


    It seemed more like me to smile and renew my determination to go on a trip and return home, rather than to be sad and regretful about the goodbye.


    I''m not sure if it''s a good thing or a bad thing.


    The transportation to the river was by horseback.


    The members of the trip, including myself, Sigurth who had come to see us off, two knights, and Rose were to go, but I was to run as I had done yesterday.


    I realize now that I had the idea of riding with Brulein, but today only Amaco could ride due to the space available on his back, probably because of the luggage he carried on his journey.


    Rose was riding normally because of her shoulder injury, but when she saw me riding ...... she looked at me with her head in her hands and muttered "I''ll teach you how to ride a horse when I get back".


    "So this is the demon king''s territory at the end of the river. As I''ve heard, I can hear the cries of demons everywhere.


    "You have to be careful when you cross."


    I reply to my senior who is looking at the other side of the river.


    From that side, I feel the presence of demons here and there, just as yesterday.


    "Well, Usato. Let''s build a bridge right away.


    Yes. Well then, Nair, Ferrum.


    Yes.


    "All right."


    Ferrum nodded at my words and was swallowed by the black magic power as he sank into his own shadow and assimilated into my body.


    Nair transforms into an owl and leaps onto my shoulder.


    I look at my legs, which have been transformed into leg-arms, and tilt my head back as I am transformed into a form that can transform, speed up, and unleash magic from my entire body.


    "Hmmm..."


    >


    "No, I thought it would be better to return the legs to their normal shape. I think it''s a little inconvenient with the leg insteps because they make a rattling noise when I run."


    The ferme inside me transforms into a pair of black boots.


    Rose, who had come to see me off, put her right hand on my chin and looked at me with interest as I was assimilated into Ferm.


    "So, that''s the figure you''ve been telling me about."


    "Yes. This is the form that assimilates the dark magic of Ferrum, and it doesn''t have direct offensive power, but it can do a lot more ......."


    "You really are growing up differently than I expected."


    "Well, a master is a master. It is said that the pupil is like his master.


    "Ha, screw you."


    I call out to Leona, who is holding Falga-sama''s spear in her hand, while Rose and I exchange light banter.


    "Leona-san, we are ready."


    "Mm, all right. Then we will use my magic to build a hastily constructed bridge as planned. Everyone stay away from the river.


    Leona, who had warned us to stand back, swung her spear widely in one hand to create eight ice spears.


    "--System strengthening."


    As Ms. Leona muttered these words, the eight ice spears began to be covered with intense cold air.


    They move according to her will and line up in a row on the opposite shore, diagonally opposite to where we are.


    After confirming that the ice spears have moved into position, she drops them into the river.


    "Freeze release!"


    She pointed the tip of the spear at the river and shouted this, and the next moment, eight pillars of ice shot out from the river.


    She activated the system enhancement contained in the ice spear underwater and made a path to build a bridge. ......?


    I could understand it in my head, but as I was overwhelmed by the tremendous skill and the strength of the systemic enhancement, I noticed that Leona, who had her spear blade covered with magic power, was moving into a cleaving stance.


    "Go on, again!


    She then unleashes her ice magic forward with her cleave toward the eight pillars.


    The magic blows so fast that it could be mistaken for a blizzard, shaking the atmosphere.


    When the white haze caused by the magic clears, there is an ice bridge supported by eight pillars.


    "As might be expected of the brave men of Mearaq..."


    """......"""


    No one can speak out of surprise except Rose, who is normally impressed.


    What can I say, I''m really glad that Leona is on our side ...... yeah.


    The ice bridge is about three meters wide and seems to be strong enough to hold even a burin with ease.


    Leona-san put her palm on the bridge and turned to me, pouring magic power into the bridge.


    "Usato!¡¡Please!


    "Yes, yes!¡¡Ferrum, Nair, let''s do it!"


    I kneel next to Leona and place my hands on the ice bridge as she does, while Ferrum applies a black belt to reinforce the bridge and Nair casts a "shock" resistance spell on the ice bridge.


    I nodded to Leona and told the seniors behind me that the bridge was now crossable.


    "If the bridge is about to break, at worst I will be able to hold it up by brute force," she said. Two at a time is preferable, so first we have Bulrin and Kazuki, who can intimidate the demons,...... first,...... no,Kazuki. Then Amako and Senpai. Then Leona. Then Amako and Leona.


    "Hey, Usato?¡¡You just avoided letting me and Bulrin cross, didn''t you?¡¡Why is that?


    I look away from the senior who is glaring at me.


    Kazuki approaches Bulrin with a wry smile.


    "Well then, Bulrin. Let''s go."


    "Grrr!"


    "Oh, you''re gonna do it. Ha-ha-ha."


    Kazuki, who sniffs at Bulrin, smiles briskly at him.


    It''s a rare combination, I thought, as I prepared to move my black magic just in case.


    "Well, I''ll go ahead of you. Usato.


    "Grua!"


    "Yeah. Be careful not to fall.


    Kazuki and Bulrin carefully cross the ice bridge, which is lined with black magic.


    The bridge, however, does not seem to budge even with the large Bulrin on it.


    When Kazuki safely crossed to the other side of the bridge and waved to them, Amako and her senpai stepped out in front of the bridge.


    "Amako, if you''re scared, you can hold on ......, okay?¡¡Would you rather I hold you?"


    "Don''t say it in a cool voice. Let''s get out of here, Suzune."


    "Ugh, Amako is cold. ......"


    Senpai and Amako cross the bridge without incident.


    The only ones left are me, Nair, Ferrum, and Leona, who are maintaining the bridge.


    "Well then, Leona-san. I''ll take care of the rest.


    "Yeah. Judging from the strength of the bridge, it looks like we should be able to cross it normally.


    Leona takes her hand off the bridge and stands up to cross the bridge as well.


    Even though it is out of her hands, the bridge, which was created by the system-enhanced ice, is still in existence.


    "Well, I guess we''re next.


    "Well, at least if the bridge breaks, you''ll be okay."


    "It''s not impossible, but it''s better to be safe than sorry.


    I answer Nair on my shoulder and Ferrum on the inside as I prepare to cross the bridge.


    I make spikes with magic on the soles of my feet so that I don''t slip here, since the black magic will be removed, though I still have the spell of resistance.


    "Usato."


    As I was about to cross, Rose called out to me from behind.


    "Yes, sir. Commander."


    "Well, I came here to see you off, but it looks like you don''t need to say much more than I thought you would."


    Rose, with her left arm through the cloth hanging from her neck.


    She looks at my whole body again and smiles.


    "On the journey ahead, you will have to make a choice that will affect your future," she said.


    "What do you mean by ''influencing the future'' ......?"


    "I don''t know. But I''m sure it''s going to be important to you."


    "...... yes."


    I nodded at Rose''s words.


    Considering the journey ahead and its purpose, it is not surprising that we are faced with such a choice.


    "What do I do then?"


    "Do what you want. You can choose what you think is right. You can choose all the choices you are given, or you can choose not to choose."


    "Yes. ......"


    Rose laughed at my delicate face and patted my head with her right hand.


    "Don''t limit your possibilities, Usato. Act on the ideals you''ve come up with and the answers you believe in, not on the answers some other guy has given you."


    "...... Yes!"


    "Nair, ferme. You too, right?


    Yes, yes. ......


    <


    The ideal and the answer that I have come up with.


    Once again, I let Rose''s words ruminate in my mind.


    "Go ahead, Usato."


    "I''m off!"


    I reply to Rose and turn to face forward, stepping firmly on the icy ground as I move forward.


    My journey to the demon king''s territory.


    I had some fears and anxieties, but Rose''s words blew them all away.


    Without being misled by anyone''s words, I will look at the Demon Lords and the demon tribe with my own eyes and come up with my own answers.


    I don''t know what awaits me in the future, but I have friends I can rely on.


    That alone gives me courage.

 240 - - The First Part of "Please" by King Silent Story

    "Ciel, I have a favor to ask you. Will you listen to me?


    Not long after the demon army returned.


    The Demon Lord asked me, his handmaiden, to do something like that.


    We were on top of the fortress overlooking the castle town, and I thought for a moment that my ears had gone crazy because of the unexpected words of the Demon Lord.


    What?¡¡What did the Witch King just say?


    "I have a favor to ask you. In other words, I said I have a favor to ask you.


    The Demon Lord asked me for a favor?


    Currently, the Demon Lord is living with a minimum of the power he had been exerting on the Demon Lord''s territory in order to recover from the heavy use of his magical power.


    Perhaps because of this, the range of his activities has expanded from the halls of the castle to the outside, and he now walks outside more than before.


    But then, the Demon Lord asked me for a favor.


    And it was a substantial order disguised as a mischievous "please.


    I had secretly decided to write a will to my mother, with whom I had quarreled back home, wondering what kind of unreasonable orders would come my way.


    "I don''t know why you look so mortified, but it''s not that difficult."


    "What?"


    Can you head to this place now?


    The Demon Lord pulled out a map from a magic circle floating in space and showed it to me.


    There was a detailed map of the Demon Lord''s territory and a red marker on it.


    "Um, what is this place?"


    "This is where our army used to be. I want you to check this place out for a while.


    From the looks of it, it''s a pretty remote place.


    But it is a request from the Devil King. How could I refuse?


    I know from serving him as his closest lady-in-waiting that the Witch Queen is unaware that he is giving her an order.


    It''s simply because he trusts me that he''s asking me.


    Why me?¡¡I''m a maid of honor. ......


    "Hmm. It is partly because I trust you. But I wanted to ask you about your perspective on the place. ...... Don''t worry, I''ll have an escort."


    "Huh. ......"


    My heart flutters for a moment when I hear that he trusts me, but the implied tone of voice makes me uneasy.


    "You wanted to see me, Demon Lord?"


    Then another person besides us appears in the citadel.


    I turn around and there he is, a silver-haired demon, Koga Dingal, the commander of the Second Legion.


    I had heard that he had lost his left arm in the battle, but he was holding up his left arm, which should not have looked so casual.


    "Kogar. Is your left arm all right?"


    "No problem at all. In fact, I feel that you are more familiar with my magic than before.


    The blackened left arm of the Koga leader deforms and wriggles like a living creature, turning into a sharp blade.


    I realize that his arm is not real, but made by dark magic, and I involuntarily think "Ugh", but he does not need to worry about me and smiles happily.


    "So, why did you bring me here?"


    "I wanted to ask you to guard my lady-in-waiting."


    "Escort?¡¡Are you going somewhere?


    Uh, here, apparently.


    The commander of the Korga Corps looks at the map in my hand.


    Koga nodded his head in interest, and the demon king spoke up.


    "Now that we are rebuilding the army, you must be out of time, aren''t you?¡¡It is more convenient for us to keep you alive than to let you rot here. Besides..."


    The Demon Lord, who had once cut off his speech, looked at the Commander of the Koga Army and his mouth twisted into a small smile.


    "The place you''re going to as a guard, things might get interesting for you, don''t you think?"


    "......The Demon Lord is really good at getting people on board. I''ll be your escort.


    The C¨®rdoba commander receives his escort with a boisterous smile.


    The demon king seems satisfied, but to tell the truth, I''m afraid of the Korga Commander.


    Because he is famous for not doing his job, and above all, I heard a rumor that he had a fistfight with a dangerous healing wizard named Usato of "Kyumeidan" while laughing at him on the battlefield earlier.


    "Then, I leave it to you. You may increase the number of guards. I leave it to your discretion.


    "Leave it to me."


    After saying that, the Demon Lord returned to the castle, leaving me and the leader of the Korga Army behind.


    I look at the Lord Commander of the Korga Army who is laughing at the castle town with trepidation.


    "Oh, um, Commander Koga. ......"


    "Yeah?¡¡Yeah, you''re not even my subordinate. You''re the Witch King''s lady-in-waiting. Coga is fine with me.


    "So, then, Mr. Koga. So, Mr. Koga, what are you going to do now?¡¡Are you leaving now?


    In response to my question, the leader of the Kogar Corps---no, Mr. Kogar crossed his arms as if he were pondering.


    "Well, we can leave right away, but let''s first invite those we can take with us. I''m sure I''ll be enough of an escort, but you never know what might happen.


    "......"


    I am genuinely surprised that you have thought this through surprisingly well.


    Although he is younger than me in terms of age, he seems to be more solid than I had heard.


    "First of all, it''s obvious that the Demon Lord is expecting something to happen when he assigns me, the leader of the army, as his escort. If that''s the case, he should bring someone of his own caliber to escort me.


    Who?


    "Amira, he started training with old man Nero as soon as he ...... got back. If he''s no good,...... then Gilead''s old man, who seems to have more time on his hands and can fight well,...... is no good. If he''s gone, the Demon Lord''s army will fall apart.


    Mr. Koga thought about it for a few seconds, and then his face turned into a huff.


    His expression was that of a child of his age, and my impression of him changed just a little.


    "All right, let''s get going."


    "Uh, wait a minute, please."


    Mr. Koger immediately acts on the idea.


    I followed him, wondering who in the world he was going to ask to escort him.


    I was wondering who he was going to ask to escort him.


    Mr. Koga was headed for the soldiers'' quarters outside the castle.


    Currently, wounded soldiers are being treated and their units are being rebuilt, and even here, where the soldiers live, the number of people passing by has dwindled.


    "The old man Gillette is taking the lead in rebuilding the army, but I wonder how long it will ...... take. At least, it seems that the Demon Lord is thinking of organizing for an interceptor rather than an advancing army. As a lady-in-waiting, have you heard anything about that?"


    "No, I don''t hear much about it from my point of view."


    I look at Ms. Koga as we walk among the dormitories set up for each unit.


    Actually, I have been wondering about the "healing wizard" who has been rumored in the Demon Lord''s army for a long time.


    I cannot confirm whether it is true or false because I am a maid of honor who does not go to battle, but if he has actually met and fought with them, he might be able to tell me what he has to say.


    With this in mind, I gathered up my courage and decided to ask Mr. Koga about the healing wizards of the Lingle Kingdom.


    "Um, Mr. Koga?"


    "Hmm?¡¡What is it?¡¡Let''s see... ......"


    "Oh, I''m Ciel. I was wondering if it''s true about the rumored healing wizard in the demon king''s territory ......?"


    "Oh, it''s true."


    Oh, that was an easy admission.


    As my cheeks twitch, Mr. Kohga squints his eyes happily and talks about healing wizards on his own.


    "That guy... He''s a really bad guy. He''s a healer, but he''s also a real hard guy. The first time I fought him, he used some crazy principle to hit me with a shockwave with his healing magic.


    "Shockwave with healing magic?"


    "It turned out later that the shock was caused by a deliberate outburst of systemic reinforcement, which is quite unexpected."


    "Outburst of systemic enhancement?"


    "Well, it was pretty bad before he used it. At any rate, he hit me at close range while I was clad in dark magic. Well, I really enjoyed that time.


    Wait, I don''t understand.


    What?¡¡Humans?¡¡We''re talking about humans, right?


    "So the next time we fought, he turned out to be one of my former men."


    "Douka?"


    In other words, we''re merging. He''s got dark magic in him and it''s shooting out of him from every part of his body. That kick he gave me, honestly, nearly knocked me unconscious with a single blow."


    "Bringing in the dark magic?"


    Where''s the healing magic element?


    No. I can''t picture this healing wizard as a human being from what I''ve heard.


    I''m stuck with the image of a three-meter-tall, muscular, human-shaped creature.


    "I heard that he did a lot of things after he fought me, but I guess most of them are true."


    "Tentacles, demon wings, riding on the back of a blue grizzly that turned into a chariot and laying waste to demons. ......?"


    "I haven''t seen it, but I''m sure it''s true. I haven''t seen it, but I''m sure it''s true.¡¡In his case."


    That''s a lot of trust.


    There''s something about the way Mr. Koga talks that makes him more than a complete adversary.


    "Well, some of them have been traumatized by ...... Usato. He was knocked down from a flying dragon, he was grabbed by an arrow he fired at close range and then knocked down, he went on quite a rampage this time alone.


    "You are an enemy, but you talk so happily about it."


    The other party is an existence that avenges the demon tribe just like the heroes.


    I felt a little bit harsh toward Mr. Koga who was so happy to talk about it.


    "He''s my favorite opponent. The stronger he gets, the stronger I get. Well, it may be annoying for him, but we are enemies, so I don''t mind."


    "......"


    "Hey, hey, stop blatantly distancing yourself from me."


    I''m just a regular guy.


    I felt a little sympathy for a healing magician named Usato, even though he is an enemy.


    "Well, back to the trauma story, ...... one of them is particularly bad. He is, after all, the leader of our third corps.


    "Oh, you''re Hannah?


    Hannah Romia.


    She is the new leader of the Third Army and a wielder of illusionary magic.


    She is a person skilled in leno and wisdom. When I met her in front of the Demon King, I thought she was handsome, but at the same time, I had a slightly scary impression of her.


    "No, I got carried away and tried to cast a spell on Usato, and he died. But for some reason, he didn''t seem to be affected by illusions, so I was caught by surprise."


    "......"


    "Ha-ha-ha, that''s a masterpiece. What''s with the immunity to illusions?"


    Aren''t you already a demon or something?


    How does one develop such a tolerance for illusions?


    Is that it?¡¡By being shown powerful visions for a long time?¡¡That would surely break your spirit, though.


    "So, I was wondering if I could take this Hannah along as my escort.


    "......Maybe we''re on our way to ......"


    "That''s where Hannah is. Look, I can see her now.


    When we look in the direction Coga points, we see a building that is one size larger than the other soldiers'' quarters.


    Although somewhat old, the exterior of the building is not different from that of the dormitory.


    First, at the door, Mr. Kohga shouted "Hanner!¡¡It''s Koga!¡¡Open the door! but there is no response.


    Mr. Kohga tilts his head.


    He tilts his head.¡¡She''s not here. Is she in the back?


    "Uh, you''d better not go in there without permission. ......"


    Regardless, he proceeds to the back of the building.


    I wonder if this quick action and decision-making is the reason why he is the Commander of the 2nd Corps, and as I follow him, I discover a neatly arranged flower bed at the back of the building.


    And in one of the flowerbeds, he finds a woman squatting with her back to him.


    "I''m sure they will grow well in the nourishing soil outside the demon king''s territory. Hmph, hmph..."


    With a sinister smile, as if she was playing a trick, there was Hannah, the leader of the third corps, tending to the flower beds with a shovel in her hand.


    It was so different from the image I had of the Commander of the Third Army that not only I but even Mr. Koga was at a loss for words.


    "Hmph, hmm?¡¡......?"


    Then she finally noticed our presence and looked at her hand and at me alternately, and her face turned pale at once.


    Mr. Koga saw this and turned a big smile to Hanna-sama while giving a thumbs up, as if he was concerned about her.


    "Surprisingly, it''s a cute hobby!¡¡Yes!"


    "Mr. Koga, ......!"


    "It''s a little bit old-fashioned!¡¡But I like it!


    "......"


    Why did this man pull a precise, oversized stunt?


    Without saying a word, Hanna-sama produced countless purple magic bullets.


    Mr. Koga hurriedly added a few words of excuse in his agitation.


    I was already feeling like my heart was about to give out at this point as I faced the flood of magic bullets.

 241 - - The Second Part of "Please" by King Silent Story

    Mr. Koga gave an oversized stir to Hannah, who was in a good mood and tinkering with the soil in her flowerbed.


    Naturally, Hannah got angry and attacked Mr. Koga and me with a large number of magic bullets by illusion magic.


    I was prepared to die under the uncertain circumstances, but just before the magic bullets hit us, Mr. Koga made a tentacle-like object made of dark magic to erase the magic bullets, and I managed to stay alive.


    And then..,


    "I can''t. I''m busy, unlike you."


    The place is a room in a building owned by the corps leader, Hanna-sama.


    When she regained her composure and heard the reason for Mr. Koga''s and my visit, Hanna immediately answered without thinking.


    Well, I thought it was natural.


    "Why? Don''t you have enough free time to play in the dirt?"


    "Are you stupid?¡¡After I do what I have to do as the commander of the Third Army, I take advantage of the few spare hours I have to take care of my vegetable garden.


    "Oh, oh."


    Do you enjoy doing that much?¡¡Mr. Koga has a subtle expression on his face, as if to say, "Do you enjoy it that much?


    She sighs, perhaps sensing his concern.


    "If it is the order of the Demon Lord, I have no choice but to accept the duty of escorting you, but it is Koga-kun''s decision to increase the number of guards, and it is the lady-in-waiting there who has actually received the order."


    That''s right.


    Since I am the one who has been asked by the Demon Lord, I myself must go to the place of destination and see it for myself.


    I thought about ......, but isn''t this a pretty reckless thing to do?


    I''m a maid of honor who doesn''t even know how to fight. .......


    "In addition, I made the great mistake of becoming a prisoner of the enemy in the last war."


    "Oh, Usato''s got me..."


    A moment later, a hand reaches out soundlessly and grabs Mr. Koga by the chin.


    He was caught off guard by the unexpected hand from his supposed ally, Ms. Hanna, and his eyes widened.


    "Please don''t speak that name. How are you going to take responsibility if it comes flying in by accident? ......!


    "Oh, it''s going to fly?¡¡What?


    "It''s a demon in the skin of that healing wizard, ah, ah, of course!


    What?


    Hannah-sama''s voice trembled more than ever as she said this, and she held her head in fear.


    She is not normal, as she keeps saying "forgive me" and "I''m sorry" in rapid succession.


    "Ah, ah, ah, ah, between illusion and reality, the white figure with the wings of the devil, accompanied by the bird of ill omen, emerges from the darkness..."


    "Hey, Mr. Koga!¡¡Isn''t this bad?¡¡He''s muttering something about summoning something!


    "What did he really do ......?¡¡Well, let''s just go to ......."


    As expected of Mr. Koga, he panicked and slapped a light hand on the distraught Hannah-sama.


    She came to her senses with a gasp and looked up with a frown on her face.


    "......I''m sorry. I''m so upset."


    "No, I''m not that distraught. I''m just a little confused."


    I''ll keep talking.


    Hey, you''re ignoring me.


    In a complete change from her earlier behavior, she clears her throat and continues her story.


    "It was originally a blunder that could have cost me my position as the Commander of the Legion, but considering the current situation of the Demon Lord''s Army, the Demon Lord told me to continue as the Commander of the Third Legion. You know what that means, don''t you?"


    "...... sort of."


    "So I can''t just throw my role away because there''s nothing left for me to do," he said. If I blunder once more, I will have to give my life to the Demon Lord.


    As expected, the Demon Lord doesn''t seem to want it that badly. .......


    I don''t have the courage to deny her, so I just keep silent and keep listening.


    "The first corps leader said he was going to train Amira-san before his wounds had healed, and he''s gone away somewhere. I and Mr. Gillette, the First Corps Commander''s assistant, must do our best here. Koga is usually useless, and even more so.


    "Aren''t you more hit than when we first met?¡¡No, I''m aware that I''m only useful in combat.


    Hey?¡¡He looks at me as if he wants me to agree with him, but I pretend not to notice.


    I am too afraid for a maid to answer.


    Instead, let me introduce you to a capable soldier. His name is Nono Herestea. He is skilled in handling flying dragons and is an excellent rider who can make calm decisions even in unexpected situations.


    "Oh, that''s very helpful. I''ve been thinking about riding a flying dragon.


    "The Flying Dragon ......"


    Wow, wow, I''ve never ridden a flying dragon before.


    I''ve been living in the countryside of the demon king''s territory all my life and I''ve never even ridden a demon.


    "Well then, let''s go that way..."


    "Yes, I heard she likes to ride the flying dragon, so I''m sure she''ll be happy to accept."


    "Oh, okay."


    Oh, and please ask her to avoid the topic of healing wizards.


    "Is that him too? ....... I knew he was a bad guy, that guy ......."


    After exchanging such an exchange, we left the dormitory where Hannah-sama was staying and headed immediately to our next destination - the stables where flying dragons and other demons used in the war are kept.


    It seems that it is not far from the inn where Hannah-sama was, so we soon arrived at the stables, but there are only well-behaved glow wolves and ordinary horses.


    I decided to look around the stables with Mr. Koga to see if I could find the person I was looking for, and finally we found a flying dragon.


    "Ah, there he is. A flying dragon."


    Yes, it is.


    Red body surface, sharp fangs.


    Wings that seemed to be integrated with the arms, and a tail so large and powerful that a mere bump against it could cause serious injury.


    A little intimidated, I go closer to the flying dragon and notice that there is a figure of a demon tribe beside it.


    The woman was stroking the roaring flying dragon with narrowed eyes and talking to it.


    "Sean. I''m sorry. I haven''t been able to feed you well. Besides, you haven''t been flying well lately, have you?"


    "Geez. ......"


    "Ugh, yeah, I know. I wish I could fly. I know, I know how you feel."


    He has a tremendous rapport with flying dragons. ......?


    I was amazed at the trust that had been built between her and the flying dragon, and Mr. Koga approached her.


    "Nono Herestea, isn''t it?"


    "Who the hell is that?¡¡What''s he doing here?¡¡I''m not planning any escape!¡¡I was just thinking of taking him for a little walk!"


    "That''s a beautiful self-destruction. I''ll pretend I didn''t hear that. Listen to me."


    You''re being funny again.


    We watch the conversation between Mr. Koga and Ms. Nono Herestea with a little bit of dismay.


    When she hears about my escort mission, her eyes light up a little.


    "Ugh, I''ll take it!¡¡I''ll go anywhere if I can fly with her again!¡¡If you want, we can surprise attack the Lingle Kingdom!¡¡We can do it now!


    "That''s a tempting proposition, but it''s not feasible. I''m afraid so.


    Shouldn''t he stop being the commander of the 2nd Corps already?


    If he does that, I''ll be on my way to the Lingle Kingdom.


    This time, all you have to do is to go where I tell you to go.


    "Yes!¡¡Yes, Sean!¡¡I did it!


    "Gurul ......"


    NONO is jumping up and down with joy, and the flying dragon called Shaun is sniffing his nose in satisfaction at her.


    I wonder what it is.


    Could it be that the soldiers of the Demon King''s army are all weirdos?


    My head aches at the fact that I didn''t see it because I''m a maid of honor.


    "......Hah, why did the Demon Lord give me ......?"


    I have often thought that I am only a demon who is entrusted to be a lady-in-waiting of the Demon King.


    Although I am aware of the fact that the Demon Lord trusts me, I have never used magic before, and as far as I am concerned, I have only held a knife.


    I wonder what the Demon Lord wants me to do.


    I know that this is something that definitely makes sense, but for once, I resent the lack of explanation from the Demon Lord, who is a little too quiet.

 242 - - an abnormal situation in which a conversation

    Kureha Fountain.


    A mysterious fountain protected by the royal family of Mialak.


    Even a single sip from the fountain can give a person immense power, but it is dangerous because it destroys the bodies of those who drink from the fountain.


    Such a dangerous fountain creates a fantastic sight in the cave where a faint light shines through.


    "Lady Farga! Is it about time Leona and the others entered the demon king''s territory?"


    I ask the silent, meditating dragon, Falga-sama, as my eyes reflect the unchanging scene of the underground cavern.


    "But ......"


    His voice is as gravely as ever.


    In her voice you can hear the trust she has in Leona.


    As for me, I believe in her power, but when I hear that she is going to fight against the Demon King, I cannot help but worry about her as a friend.


    <


    "What was your impression of the two heroes, Mr. Farga?"


    It seems that when Mr. Farga entrusted his armor to the heroes, they flew out of their divided consciousnesses for a short time and tried to communicate with each other.


    They did not exchange many words because they were in the middle of a battle, but I am sure that Mr. Farga could understand the personalities of the heroes in that short period of time.


    Someone like Kalon.


    His perception of him is that of a good-natured and friendly person.


    Because of his position as queen, I have never seen him in a casual manner, but Leona told me that he is a pleasant person with a good personality who is loved by everyone.


    Although he is now retired due to the aftereffects of the outburst of his dragon power, we still hear a lot about his activities.


    <


    Then Mr. Farga takes a breath.


    As far as I understand, Kazuki the Brave is a nice young man, is that correct?


    <>


    The more Master Farga is troubled by ......?


    Falga closes her eyes and tilts her large head in distress.


    >


    "Is it?"


    <


    "Let''s see... ......"


    He is a contrast to Kazuki the Brave.


    It is quite unusual to see Lady Farga looking so tired.


    "I''m afraid you''re going to have to say that much: ......"


    The brave Suzune who is so highly regarded by Mr. Farga.


    In many ways, it is terrifying.


    "It''s a little crazy when you only hear the words."


    It is a little strange to have a healing magician in the group of heroes.


    It is a little strange to have a healing magician in a group of heroes, though it is a different kind of strange when you know the real character of Usato.


    "Yes, that''s true."


    Since the incident with Kalon, Master Farga has been making jokes from time to time.


    I don''t know if she has accepted me as a queen or not, but it is a pleasant change for me.


    <>


    "Lady Farga?"


    Suddenly I notice that Farga-sama is silent, as if in thought.


    After a moment of silence, Farga opens her big mouth.


    "Concern, sir?"


    Why is Usato''s cage hand there?


    I believe that was a katana that the previous generation of heroes used, and that it was remodeled.


    The basic principles are the same, but they are different from the weapons of the two heroes.


    <


    "I''ve heard that story before, but ...... is there something wrong with it?"


    Falga''s reaction to my question is one of hesitation.


    "Unclear?"


    "......"


    <>.


    "Isn''t that ...... a good thing?"


    <>


    Master Farga breaks off and says the words as if he is reminding me strongly.


    <


    "...... aren''t you overthinking this?"


    <<


    Only Usato and his friends have actually seen the evil dragon.


    It is hard to imagine how terrifying and fearless it is, but it must be a monster with extraordinary power since it is a divine dragon just like Lord Farga.


    The katana of the previous hero touched the soul of such an evil being.


    Do you know where the other katana is?


    <


    "Hid?"


    After saying that much, he closed his mouth as if he remembered something.


    "Did you have a brave man who was open to you?"


    That''s new.


    At least, I was told that the brave man acted alone, so I was honestly surprised at Lady Farga''s words.


    Time Wing.


    Despite my other concerns, the first thing that came to mind when I heard those words was the girl next to Usato, Amako.


    <


    He closed his eyes as if thinking back to a distant memory and said these words.

 243 - - Character Introduction + Usato Skills List

    Name Koga Dingal


    Race Demon


    Lineage: Dark (Beast)


    A young warrior who serves as the commander of the 2nd Legion of the Demon King''s Army.


    Although he is not much older than Usato and the others, he is recognized for his abilities and is entrusted with the command of the Second Legion of the Demon Lords.


    Abandoned by his parents when he was a child and left behind in a forest infested with demons, he has lived his whole life fighting alone.


    Having grown up knowing little else than fighting, he has come to find no joy in anything else. He joined the Demon King''s Army in search of battles, but he felt bored. As soon as he met Usato, he regarded him as a one-sidedly favorable opponent and looked forward to the day when they would fight again.


    His magic is dark magic.


    His dark magic, which has the characteristic of "beast," clings to his body like armor and enhances his own physical abilities to the utmost limit.


    He is versatile in his abilities, and is able to deal with medium-range opponents by extending his tentacles and spines.


    In his second fight with Usato, he learned how to fight in the same way as Usato by imitating the technique of outburst of lineage enhancement, and he tormented Kazuki with his ever-changing movements and attacks.


    Although he lost his left arm in the fight with Kazuki, it did not hurt him so much because he immediately generated his left arm with his own magic.


    There was no one who understood Koga, including his parents.


    However, Usato, who had revealed his beastly nature in the battle at Hinomoto, and who had decided to fight after understanding it, had become an understanding person for Koga, although in a different form than at the time of Ferrum.


    Name Nono Herestea


    Race Demon


    Lineage Unknown


    A soldier of the Demon Lord''s army who is a flying dragon.


    He has dreamed of flying with a flying dragon since he was a child and volunteered to join the Demon Lord''s Army.


    After a fateful encounter with Sean, the flying dragon that was assigned to him, he came to be regarded as one of the best flying dragon riders in the Demon King''s Army.


    Hannah took notice of him and selected him as her subordinate.


    After being captured by the Ringle Kingdom, he saw an opening created by the Demon King''s large-scale magic and escaped with Sean, taking Hannah with him. They returned to their allies while avoiding the fireballs that rained down from the sky.


    He is traumatized by Usato, though not as much as Hannah.


    Extra


    List of Usato''s Techniques


    Healing Punch [Chapter 1, Episode 34


    This is Usato''s normal technique and is just a fist covered with healing magic.


    It is the technique that Usato uses most and the only technique that his master Rose taught him.


    According to Usato, "If the opponent is unharmed in the end, that''s all that matters! Usato uses this technique with the idea that "if the opponent is unharmed in the end, that''s all that matters!


    Healing Punch, Derivative Techniques


    Healing Restraining Fist [Chapter 4, Episode 88


    A healing punch that imparts the magic of Nair''s restraints.


    If it hits a target, the area struck is restrained.


    It is possible to stack punches by hitting them in succession.


    Hisei Shouken Healing Punch [Chapter 5, Episode 119


    An enhanced version of the healing punch.


    This is Usato''s most powerful technique to stun an opponent to death.


    Healing Flying Fist [Chapter 6, Episode 135


    Official name: Nissei Okuyi<>.


    A flying healing punch.


    A technique to release a fist-sized mass of magical power by utilizing the outburst of the system reinforcement.


    Healing Fist [Chapter 6, Episode 140


    Official name: Nissei Okuyi <>.


    A technique in which the fighter strikes with a series of healing flying fists at close range.


    Because of its offensive power, which is contrary to the way of the Lifeguard Corps, it is not used against any but specific opponents.


    However, when it is used against Koga, it is used without any hesitation.


    Binding Flying Fist Healing Punch [Chapter 7, Episode 156].


    Healing flying fist with binding spell


    When he used it against Rose, it did not work at all.


    Healing Acceleration Fist [Chapter 7, Episode 158


    An acceleration technique that uses the outburst of magic power as a driving force.


    In its raw state, it can only accelerate with its basket hand.


    After being assimilated into Ferme in Chapter 8, it is possible to accelerate from the whole body.


    Healing Speed Gekken [Chapter 7, Episode 158].


    A technique to accelerate the fist itself by outburst of magic power from the elbow or fist.


    Continuous Acceleration Healing Punch [Chapter 7, Episode 158


    Healing fist from healing fist.


    A technique that was shouted out in the heat of the moment.


    Healing Blink Fist [Chapter 7, Episode 171


    Formal name: ±ØÉú°ÂÁx ¡¾Healing Punch 3 no Kata, Instantaneous Strike Fist¡¿.


    A technique in which a fist slams down and simultaneously releases a series of healing blows.


    This is also a very dangerous technique and is not used against humans.


    Healing Magic Bullet [Chapter 2, Episode 59


    A technique developed by Usato, who had no talent for throwing magic.


    By throwing magic projectiles with his arm strength, he was able to heal himself at a long distance.


    It does not harm the opponent, but is used to frighten him or to check him.


    Usato''s intention is to use it to hit a wounded ally or to force an ally in a pinch to evade.


    Healing Magic Bullets, Derivative Techniques


    Healing Eye Blindness [Chapter 3, Episode 67].


    A technique in which a healing magic bullet is shot into an opponent''s face to deprive him of vision.


    According to Usato, it is a safe and secure method of blinding an opponent without hurting him.


    Healing magic bullet [Chapter 4, Episode 93


    A healing magic bullet that has been given Nair''s restraining spell.


    A direct hit restricts the movement of the target area.


    Healing Magic Bullet [Chapter 6, Episode 122


    A healing magic bullet that splits.


    A technique to heal a crowded group of allies.


    A spell of restraint can be cast to stop the movement of the target.


    Healing Finger Bullet [Chapter 7, Episode 145


    A technique to create a magic bullet in the fingers and launch it only with the power of the fingers.


    There are two types: one without a cage and the other with a cage.


    Accelerated Healing Bullet [Chapter 8, Episode 180


    An accelerated healing magic bullet.


    A technique that allows a bullet to land quickly on an opponent due to an outburst of magical power.


    In chapter 8, it is used to save Hyde.


    Healing Remote Bullet [Chapter 8, Episode 180


    A curved healing magic bullet.


    A technique which can be refracted only once by manipulating the magic power of the basket hand.


    Healing Explosive Wave [Chapter 9, Episode 209


    Candidate Technique Name Healing Flash.


    A healing magic bullet.


    A technique to make a magic bullet in the palm of his hand, to fill it with magic power beyond its limit, and to shoot it forward.


    The shockwave created by this technique covers a wide area, and immediately after the technique is performed, particles of healing magic are scattered in the surrounding area.


    Usato''s intention is to release it upward to heal his allies.


    Combined with elasticity, it can be further strengthened.


    Healing Magic Bursting Palm [Chapter 5, Episode 113


    Using a special basket hand, this technique intentionally causes an outburst of magic power and emits a shockwave from the palm.


    It has various applications, such as emergency evasion, interception of magic and arrows, and blowing away enemies.


    It is also the original technique of the Healing Acceleration Fist.


    Healing Magic Bursting Palm, derivatives


    Healing Tumble Fist [Chapter 7, Episode 169].


    A technique in which a fist strikes the ground and simultaneously releases a shockwave of magical power to disorient the opponent.


    Darkness Healing Burst Slash (Chapter 8, Episode 192)


    A technique to assimilate with the ferme and swing a sword formed by dark magic and at the same time release a shock wave of magic power.


    It has a wider range than the normal Bursting Palm, and can cover a wider area when intercepting enemy attacks.


    Others


    Healing Decopin [Chapter 2, Episode 63].


    A gentle deco-pin with healing magic.


    According to Amako, it is extremely painful, but the pain will soon disappear.


    Healing Throw [Chapter 3, Episode 73


    A technique used against Arcu, who was controlled by Nair.


    After knocking the opponent to the floor, he casts a healing spell on him.


    Depending on the situation, he sometimes swings his opponent with force and throws him down.


    Healing Strike Legs [Chapter 8, Episode 192].


    A healing fist with legs that can be used by assimilating with a ferme.


    Because of its power to blow the opponent away, it can only land a single blow, but the power of this technique is stronger.


    Healing Kick [Chapter 8, Episode 195


    Strictly speaking, it is a kick with both feet, which is just a kick with a healing acceleration fist and other things to give it momentum.


    A technique that was shouted out in the heat of the moment.

 244 - - Twenty-ninth episode.

    It''s been a few days since I entered the demon king''s territory.


    We took turns taking rests as we advanced steadily through the Demon Lord''s territory, intercepting the demons that attacked us.


    Along the way, Suzune said, <>But after entering the territory of the Demon King, we had more battles with demons than with the demon tribe.


    Many of the demons that attacked us were of a kind that we had never seen before, and they were strong, but with the three brave men, Usato and Bulrin, it was not so much of a problem.


    I took my turn with Usato and Suzune, meditated, and when I next opened my eyes, I saw the prophetic view I could see in my dream and a blonde-haired beast woman sitting in what looked like a translucent chair in that view.


    "......Why are you still here?"


    Who is this person who is sitting in my dream, calling my name in such a friendly manner?


    No, I understand that he has the same precognition magic as I do.


    I can understand that, but that doesn''t mean I should let my guard down.


    "...... what do you want?"


    <


    "But first, tell me your name."


    When you don''t give your name, you are not trustworthy.


    When I point this out, she raises her index finger without changing her expression.


    >


    "......"


    To be honest, I have a candidate in mind.


    I have seen her appearance several times in the land of the beastmen.


    But it is not a living person, but a stone statue or something like that.


    "......Kannagi. Are you not a Kannagi?"


    I neither confirm nor deny.


    But neither is it a wrong response.


    "What''s the ...... story?"


    <>


    "......"


    I know that my precognition magic is said to be stronger than that of other precognition wizards.


    And their predictions are also slightly different.


    .


    "...... so what?"


    The pretentiousness and the voice that is so pleasant to the ear.


    With a hint of disgust for some reason, I return the woman''s words in silence.


    "What are you doing?


    Before I can speak, Kannagi flips his palm and projects a view into the space.


    There were --- the corpses of many people and the soldiers of the demon tribe.


    <


    "......!¡¡Usato, what?"


    >


    He changes the view again with a wave of his palm.


    Then, a different view appears: a boy surrounded by demon soldiers in the ravaged city of Lingle Kingdom.


    The figure was none other than Usato, but it was far from what I had known.


    <


    The uniform he always wore is tattered and has burn marks on it.


    The sleeves of his arms are stained with blood-red stains, and his own eyes are different, full of anger.


    "Usa, Tom?"


    <


    Demon soldiers attack Usato.


    The next moment, however, Usato grabs the soldier''s helmeted head and lifts him up with only his arm strength.


    <>


    >


    The healing magic is collected in the hand that grips the head.


    The collected magic condenses like a strain enhancement, and finally explodes, engulfing the soldier''s face.


    Blood pours out of the gap between Usato''s hand and the soldier''s helmet.


    "......!"


    His hand released from his grip on the helmet that had burst from the inside and had a big crack on it, and he attacked the other soldiers without looking at the wounded hands and the immobilized soldiers.


    "I killed him. Usato?"


    <


    Hands swung with blinding speed, precisely gouging and piercing the throats of the soldiers, fists thrust with force penetrating their armored bodies and spilling blood all around them.


    A kick to the neck snapped the neck, and after being grabbed by the arm and swung around, they were slammed to the ground, and the sound of something crumpling echoed through the air.


    I don''t want to see that.


    Usato, who could not be saved, could not face it like this.


    <


    That kind man is nowhere to be found.


    All that is left is a terrifying monster who harbors regrets for not being able to protect Kazuki and Suzune, and anger toward the demon tribe.


    "......"


    I am unable to say anything, so Kannagi smiles wanly and crosses his arms.


    >


    "...... what do you mean?"


    <<


    "......"


    >


    Kannagi''s demand for my agreement makes me feel unspeakably sick.


    I suppose he is right.


    In fact, the demon tribe has threatened our kingdom of Lingle.


    But even so, the way this man spoke made me feel as if he hated the demon race itself.


    A moment of silence followed, without any further words.


    At that moment, I sense the signs of the coming of the prediction.


    Kannagi in front of him senses this and turns his eyes to the empty space.


    Soon after that, the foretold scene is projected.


    First, two figures appear.


    Usato is dressed in a mixed black and white troupe uniform.


    However, his skin is black like a demon, and he has black horns.


    And for some reason, Nair also has the appearance of a demon tribe.


    Wait a minute, why do they both look like demons?


    "Huh?"


    Nair, in her demon form, utters these words, and a cold voice comes out of me that I have never let out before.


    As I was being driven by an impulse that could spread to N¨¦a in the present time, the scene in front of me changed to something else.


    >


    >


    >


    Usato, with his left hand on the green glowing magic bullet floating on his cage hand, and Nair, who was panicking at seeing it, held it at his waist.


    As I was satisfied that this was the usual thing, the scene changed again to the next one.


    It is the image of Koga and Usato fighting against something huge in the cityscape that resembles Samaria, unlike the previous scene.


    I can''t see what it is, but the unusual sight of Koga and Usato standing side by side makes me roll my eyes.


    >


    << Well, that''s all right, but... Why are you holding my leg?¡¡Hey? >>


    <>


    Usato grabs both ankles of Koga and swings him around to face something.


    I am stunned by the sight of this unintelligible prediction, but Kannagi puts his hand over his mouth and shakes his shoulders.


    <>


    "?"


    What, are you laughing?


    Yes, it was a funny thing that Usato had predicted three times in a row, but was it really something to laugh at to the point of stifling one''s voice?


    After the prediction is over, I feel myself being brought back to reality.


    With that, Kannagi''s image faded away, and I closed my eyes with an irresistible sensation.


    When I next opened my eyes, the sky was still dark.


    I was supposed to sleep until morning, but I must have woken up halfway because of the premonition.


    Leona, Ferrum, Nair, Kazuki, and Bulrin are sleeping around me.


    As I get up, remembering the content of my dream, I hear a cracking sound nearby.


    I look over to see Usato and Suzune, who are facing each other with a campfire between them, alternately throwing something like a ball at each other at an extraordinary speed.


    Suzune had a small electric shock on his right arm, and Usato was wearing a basket hand.


    I was stunned at the sight of something like a ball passing back and forth between the two of them without a sound, and then Suzune, who was standing opposite to Usato, noticed me.


    "Oh, Usato-kun, Amako is here."


    "Oh, uh, did I wake you?"


    Usato grabs the green ball thrown by Suzune and turns around.


    "......usato,suzune ...... what are you doing?"


    I was just playing catch while keeping watch.


    "It''s late at night, and I''m trying to cover up my drowsiness."


    To stay awake.


    I can see that, but..,


    "What''s a "kyatchibowl"?"


    "Oh, it''s a game of catch. It''s a game where two people take turns throwing and catching a ball.


    "Well, in my case and Usato-kun''s, we were testing how fast we could do it, so maybe ''Extreme Catch-Ball'' is a better name."


    "...... that ball is a ...... magic bullet?"


    The green ball in Usato''s hand glows faintly.


    He had been trying to make magic power elastic before, could that be it?


    "Yes, a magic bullet with elasticity, based on Kazuki''s technique. If I had to call it that, I would call it the ...... healing bullet.


    With these words, Usato holds out a magic bullet to me.


    When I touched it fearfully, I could feel its elasticity and the healing light of the healing magic.


    Just by touching it, I feel at ease and my fatigue is gone.


    Oh, what''s this? It''s just plain healing.


    "Usato, give me this. I''m serious.


    "Do the same thing with your seniors: ......"


    "I know. I know what you mean, Amako. That''s a good idea. We could commercialize it. Let''s name it Chewball."


    "Seniors should not expand commercially without permission: ......"


    I don''t know what Suzune is talking about, but it''s a healing object to have, both in a spiritual and physical sense.


    She returns the magic bullet to Usato with regret, and he grasps it and makes it disappear.


    ...... I should tell Usato about the premonition I just saw.


    "Usato, Suzune...... I saw another premonition."


    "...... again. What kind of prediction this time?"


    "You''re in a lot of trouble. Are you okay? Are you feeling okay?


    "...... Yeah, I''m fine. Thank you, Suzune.


    Nodding at Suzune''s genuine concern for me, I recall the contents of my earlier prediction and answer as succinctly as possible.


    "Usato and Nair became demons, Usato was about to perform another weird move, and Usato grabbed both of Koga''s legs and swung them around."


    "Yeah...... yeah!"


    Well, that''s how I react.


    But that''s the prediction I saw.


    ...... But should I tell you about the "what if future" that Kannagi showed me before I made the prediction?


    If Suzune and Kazuki had been killed at that time, Usato would have ended up like that.


    Usato here and now will never be what he was in the future.


    I can say that with confidence.

 245 - - Twenty-twenty.

    A few days after entering the demon king''s territory, Amako saw a prediction.


    Although not long after the previous prediction, the contents of the prediction were mostly about me.


    I don''t know why I saw the prediction that highlighted me, but it reminded me of the time after I left Luxembourg. At that time, I had seen the prediction that I would be stabbed in the stomach.


    Actually, it was a prediction that Nair was going to commit suicide.


    Anyway, Amako told me about the prediction, but she seemed somewhat awkward. Maybe he had some problems that he couldn''t tell us about.


    Amako herself is trying to act normally, but I am worried about her.


    "---Gentlemen, demons are coming!


    "Grooo!"


    The day after Amako''s prediction.


    We, who are on a journey to become the Demon King, were attacked by demons for the sixth time.


    The flying dragons and glow wolves that tormented so many knights in the last war.


    And the scrawny red wolf that Glow Wolf follows---Hang Wolf.


    "Indeed, is the demon king''s territory really filled with so many demons?


    "Anyway!¡¡Let''s get rid of all of them!


    Kazuki manipulates a magic bullet with his palm wrapped in a cage and directs it toward the demons.


    The magic bullets, which have suppressed the annihilation power unique to light magic, rush toward the demons and force them to retreat, while maintaining their hardness like iron balls.


    Me too!


    The senior draws out his sword, which is covered with purple electricity, and moves at high speed, striking demons as he passes by.


    The next moment, a powerful electric shock gushes out from the cut spot, scorching the demons.


    "What is that? That''s so cool."


    I was watching him behind me and muttered such an impression.


    Senpai and Kazuki were in the vanguard and Leona and I were in the rearguard against the attacking demons, but with the two in the vanguard, it seemed that my hands and Leona''s hands were not needed.


    "I''ve seen it many times, but I still think that Suzune and Kazuki''s power is tremendous.


    Leona-san, who had deployed her ice sword around them, commented on how they were fighting.


    "It''s only been a short time since you got the armor of the brave, but you''ve mastered it."


    "It''s true that your hands and hands should be very different from my basket hand, but you are already treating them as if they were your own limbs. ......?"


    I''m worried about your fitness. .......


    I heard that it consumes a lot of energy to keep moving that much in a row, so I predict where she''s going to move and throw a healing magic bullet at her.


    Senpai also noticed the approaching healing magic bullet, and with a return blow, he slices through the magic bullet and bathes his whole body in the magic of the healing magic.


    "Usato!¡¡Thank you!"


    Don''t look away, it''s dangerous!


    As I''m paying attention to my senpai waving at me in the middle of the demons, I notice that Leona and Nair on my shoulder are looking at me a little withdrawn.


    "Yes, I think it''s quite amazing that you can see Suzune''s movement right now, don''t you?


    "You say you''re just used to it, but I don''t think it''s right to call it just used to it. ......"


    No, I still can''t follow it completely with my eyes.


    "Grrr."


    "Hmm?¡¡Bullein, Ferrum, are you protecting Amaco?"


    Why do I have to babysit him?


    "Ferrum, don''t treat me like a child."


    Bulrin nods behind me, and I smile back at Amako and Ferrum, who glare at me.


    Bulrin and Amako have been scouting for me, telling me of the approach of a powerful demon.


    Ferrum and Bulrin protect Amako, who is searching for the enemy.


    By assimilating with me, they will have more means to fight, but for now, it is better to have more men on the ground, so Ferrum is protecting Amako.


    "---Guru!"


    "Usato, Leona, there''s a monster coming from the right!"


    It looks like another monster is coming from the front.


    With a thud, thud sound, the bushes shake, and something is approaching.


    "...... Oh!"


    Amako looked at me and made such a sound, as if she had seen the figure in her premonition.


    While I was wondering about his reaction, the approaching demon revealed itself.


    It was a three-meter-tall humanoid demon. Its muscular body and the club in its hand were..,


    "An ogre. ......"


    Oh, it''s Usato.


    "You guys are gonna have to brace yourselves later, okay?"


    I look at Nair and Ferrum, who have called the ogre "me" in unison, vowing revenge on the ogre.


    As far as I can see, there are not only one but three of them.


    "Leona, I''ll go."


    "That''s fine, but are you okay?"


    "Don''t worry. I have a few things I want to try.


    When I replied without averting my eyes from the ogre, Ferm next approached me.


    "Usato, do you want me to assimilate too?"


    "...... No, you stay here. The demons might come again.


    "Okay."


    He deploys a basket hand on his right arm and heads toward the ogre.


    As I stopped in front of the three ogres, the one taller ogre roared and stood in front of me, weaving elasticity-enhancing magic from his basket hand.


    "Is this a one-on-one match?"


    "Gee ......"


    "Oh, this is simply a licking. You look weak."


    It''s usually a dent.


    Well, if it''s licking, so be it.


    He puts his right palm in an elastic magic and assumes a posture.


    Come on!


    "Gah!"


    The club is swung down with force.


    In response, I strike the club with my right hand as if to clear it.


    At that moment, the club is flung down and deflected to the ground with a clanging sound.


    What?"


    If I had to name one, I''d call it "Healing Bullet." ......


    A defensive technique using elasticity.


    It is a technique to prevent an attack with minimum force by repelling the attack with the elasticity-imparted magic power in the hand.


    This technique enables us to repel an attack with less force than if we repel it with brute force.


    The ogre looks at me and the club, which is lying on the ground in a daze, and beckons to me as if to challenge me.


    "Come on, come on!"


    "Gaaaaaaaaaah!"


    He must have been really provoked by the provocation, because he raised his club with force and slammed it down on me in succession.


    Nair was hit by a storm of blows and screamed "Hyaaaaa! but he calmly plays the club with his right hand.


    "Gah, hah, hah......!¡¡Gah!"


    "Nnnn!"


    He makes a fist in agony, gasping for breath.


    In response, he catches the fist with his right palm, and then flips it back.


    I catch sight of the ogre, who falls to his knees due to the impact of the bounced fist, and I attack him.


    "Magic spinning!"


    Transfer the elasticized magic power from the right arm to the toe of the right foot.


    By stepping on the elastic magic as hard as I can and using the recoil, I accelerate at once and dive into the ogre''s bosom.


    "Geez!


    "Too slow!"


    He returns the magic power to his right fist again, and then he strikes the ogre''s torso with a vertical fist, as if to push it out.


    "-healing elastic fist!"


    "Geeee!"


    The ogre blows backward as hard as he can, and falls down with both of his companions in his wake.


    The ogre clutches his abdomen in shock, but then looks at me with frightened eyes, perhaps realizing that there is no pain.


    The healing elastic fist is a healing punch focused on blowing him away.


    It is less powerful because of the elasticity and my arm strength to blow it away, but it is good at making the opponent sprawl, and depending on the situation, it can punch the opponent and force him out of the battle.


    "...... This one looks like it could work in a real battle, too."


    "Gah, hi-hi, hi-hi?"


    "Hm?"


    The ogre that had just been fighting screams in horror as it sees me take up my stance again.


    The fearful ogre, while I was stunned, went back to the forest with two of its companions.


    "We still have a few more things to try, but for now, we''ve successfully defeated it. Neah."


    "You''re probably the only person, ever, who has frightened an ogre almost exclusively through physical combat. ....... You really are a monster ......"


    I beat him once in Mearaq, and it wasn''t that hard of a fight.


    Besides, he underestimated me.


    Nair stared at me with a glare and spread her wings wide, as if she remembered the move I had just performed on her.


    "What''s more!¡¡First of all, tell me about the technique you just used!¡¡Why don''t you explain it to me, who''s fighting with you!¡¡What was that!


    "It''s an outburst of system reinforcement... a new technology following the system breakthrough, elasticity... Nair, my technique will evolve to another level."


    "You''re crazy!"


    You say that?


    Meanwhile, Senpai and Kazuki seem to have succeeded in fighting off the demons in front of them.


    After confirming this, I returned to Leona and the others while soothing the sulking N¨¦a, and was greeted by an impressed Leona, and Amako and Ferrum, who were obviously taken aback.


    "I never thought you would use the elasticity grant in that way. It is a technique that only you, who are skilled in combat and reflexes, can handle."


    "It is also a technique to compensate for the high consumption of magic power when the system reinforcement is activated. The outburst is more powerful because it can generate a shockwave, but I feel that this technique is easier to use.


    It should be called a systemic blasting of attack and elasticity of defense.


    "Leona, please don''t praise me too much. He''s going to get carried away and make up some more weird tricks.


    "Finally, the ogre is no longer a threat to us. He''s already taken them down with a single blow before.


    I thought you were the ogre now.


    "Gruar!"


    Hey, you little animals.


    How can you say that when Leona is praising you?


    Hey!


    After fighting off the demons, we are back on the road to nowhere.


    The demon king''s territory, like the beastman''s country, is a place with many deep forests with thick trees, and there are no cleared roads.


    Therefore, FERUM, who has a good knowledge of the land, will lead the way, while AMAKO and BURLIN will carefully proceed while scouting for demons.


    "I don''t like to say this, but the demon king''s territory is a bit of an eerie place, isn''t it?


    "Yes, it is. It''s not a place you want to come alone.


    Kazuki, who was walking nearby, replies to my mutterings.


    The forest is dark and gloomy, with only a few rays of sunlight shining through the trees overhead.


    The trees do not look lush and green, but rather dead in places.


    "Are you not good at horror stories, Kazuki?"


    "Not as much as other people. Well, I can see them, but I don''t see them willingly. What about Usato?


    "Absolutely not. The thing I hate the most is ghosts.


    I can''t stand ghosts.


    I used to be a ghost denier, but now that I know that ghosts exist after the Samaritan incident, I am even more afraid of them.


    That''s how much I hate ghosts, and I can only hope that I will never see them again.


    "Haha, that''s a bit surprising. I thought Usato would at least beat up a ghost.


    "No, I''d beat him up if he was real, wouldn''t I?¡¡He did it in Samaritan''s Head.


    When Nair the Owl mentioned this, Kazuki said, "Really? Kazuki''s eyes widen in surprise.


    Technically, it was a soul bound by a curse, but I suppose it could be classified as a ghost.


    With a smile on my face, I raise my fist.


    "If it''s real, I can win. After all, I can hit it.


    "You''re probably the only person who would hit a ghost. ......"


    While Nair is being amused, the barking voice of a demon comes from somewhere in the forest.


    In response to the voice, Bulrin turns his head in a certain direction, but soon turns back to face forward, perhaps deciding that he is no longer in danger.


    "Amaco!"


    "It''s okay. They won''t come this way."


    I checked with Amako, but she seemed to be okay.


    If we are not careful, we could be surrounded. There really are a lot of demons in the demon king''s territory.


    ...... but you hardly see any demons. We''ve already entered the demon king''s territory.


    "Indeed. It would have been nice to see at least one of them, but we only encountered demons.


    Kazuki nodded at my words.


    Maybe it''s because Ferrum is avoiding encounters with demons, but I really don''t see any demons.


    "Well, from their point of view, we''re like wanted men, so it''s better if we don''t encounter them. We don''t want to cause a commotion.


    "Actually, I wonder how the average demon people would react if they see a human being."


    "-I don''t think they''ll think anything of it.


    While I was having this conversation with Kazuki, Ferrum, who was walking in front of me, suddenly replied.


    "Demons who are not soldiers of the Demon Lord''s army have never seen a human being in the first place. Humans rarely set foot in this place, and even if they did, they would be devoured by demons."


    "...... I guess it''s similar to the land of the beastmen that I haven''t seen many humans."


    They too looked at me strangely when I entered their hidden village.


    But the demon tribe might be looked at with more hostility because they are clearly hostile to each other.


    "The demon tribe was originally born in a poor land. In truth, the forests are not as thick and the demons are not as healthy.


    "You mean, it''s not the same as before?"


    Kazuki asked, and Ferrum nodded as he looked forward.


    "I didn''t have much to do with it, but I heard that life has improved thanks to the Demon King. That''s why more and more people are moving to the area around the city where the Demon King is.


    "I see, that''s why you can''t even see the demons. ......"


    "This is the end of the line. There are a lot of demons, and most of them have moved to other places.


    Ferme''s words seemed to me to be about something else.


    Maybe it was only natural considering her past, but it made me feel a little sad.


    ......I might offend you, but I''m going to step in a little.


    I leave Kazuki and approach Ferrum, who is walking at the front of the group.


    "How does Ferrum feel about his hometown?"


    "......I don''t remember it anymore, but it was a terrible place. Everyone was afraid of me as a child."


    Your parents too?


    Yeah. I don''t even remember their faces now. I don''t care about them at all.


    This is the look of concern: .......


    From the look on his pensive face, I''d say he''s got a lot on his mind.


    I thought he agreed with me willingly, but I didn''t give him enough consideration.


    "You know, Ferrum..."


    Just as I was about to call out to Ferrum, I heard the roar of the monster again.


    It was closer than before, yet it sounded hostile, as if it was about to attack something.


    Along with it, a high-pitched human scream can be heard.


    "A child''s scream ......?"


    It''s not just one person.


    The voices of several young children make you turn reflexively toward FERM with your hood drawn over your eyes.


    "Ferrum, assimilate!"


    "Ah, ah!"


    Senpai!


    I know!¡¡Let''s go!


    He, like me, put on his hood and hid his sword behind his robe.


    "Kazuki!¡¡Leona!¡¡Senpai and I will go first!


    "Oh, all right!¡¡Be careful!


    I''m the fastest and I''ll go first.


    I tell Kazuki and the others and run out of the place, heading for the place where I can hear the screams.


    While I was running through the trees, Nair, who was standing on my shoulder, spoke to me in a quizzical tone.


    "Usato, it could be a trap like it was for me, right?"


    "Even if that''s the case, we can''t just abandon the kid!"


    "I''ll think about the hard part later!"


    It could be a trap, but if it''s true, a child so young will be devoured by the demons.


    If that''s the case, there''s no way I can overlook it.


    Praying for the safety of the owner of the voice that was probably beyond the forest, I and my senpai pushed forward.

 246 - - Twenty-one.

    A child''s scream echoed through the dark forest.


    Hearing this, my senpai and I run as fast as we can toward the sound of the voice, and emerge from the forest into an open space.


    First, a village-like area with a number of old houses comes into view.


    "Usato-kun!¡¡Hey!


    The senior, clad in electric shocks, points in the direction he sees.


    In front of the door of a larger house than the others, a man of the demon tribe is lying with blood streaming down his legs, and two children are crying beside him. And a girl is standing in front of a group of demons, hangwolves, to protect the wounded man.


    "Get away from me!¡¡Don''t come any closer!


    Shadows flicker at the girl''s feet, tentacle-like things shoot into the air and are swung about as if to keep the demons away, but they are feeble.


    >


    "We have to deal with the demons first!"


    That''s right!


    The older man, who was wearing his hood even more deeply, accelerated at once, his whole body covered in electric shocks, and delivered a powerful flying kick to the hang wolf that was about to attack the girl who was using dark magic.


    "---What?"


    "Oh, how cute!"


    The screams of the older students who saw the girl are ignored.


    While the senior members are dealing with the hangwolf that tried to attack the children, we should take care of the injured.


    "Senpai, please keep the demons away from us!"


    Leave it to me!


    Senpai shoots electric shocks forward to keep the demons away from us.


    Meanwhile, I approach the two children who are clinging to the man in tears.


    Stay away from me!¡¡Who are you!¡¡Who are you people!


    A girl using dark magic stands between them as if on guard.


    I bend down to make eye contact with the girl whose voice is trembling, and speak to her in as calm a voice as possible.


    "It''s okay! We''re just going to take care of you."


    "......, but ......."


    I''m guessing she''s a little older than the crying child, given her age?


    A girl with dark silver hair and small horns. From her appearance, she seems to be close to Nack''s age.


    It is understandable that she is wary of me, a stranger, with my face hidden by a hood.


    Ferrum?


    I feel the hood on my head being pushed out by something as she mumbles this in my mind.


    With that, I feel a slight discomfort in the black magic that covers my body.


    "Yeah, but ......"


    <>


    The black magic forcefully moves his hood, revealing his true face.


    I quickly tried to hide my face, but surprisingly, the children who saw my face were not surprised.


    Nair, who was as surprised as the children, speaks to me in a whisper from over my shoulder.


    Usato, you have horns, don''t you?¡¡And your hair is whitish, and your skin looks like a demon ......."


    "What?¡¡What?"


    I put my hand to my head in confusion, and sure enough, there were horns on the side of my head.


    More than that, when I look at my hand, I see that my skin is brown, like that of a demon.


    <


    Can assimilation do that?


    No, it''s a little complicated, but I think I''ve managed to put the kids in front of me off guard.


    I take a small deep breath, regain my composure, and face the girl.


    "I want to take care of him. Is that all right with you?"


    "Uh-huh!¡¡Help Gref!¡¡Uncle!


    ...... Uncle?


    I look at the wound of the demon man called Gref, a little concerned about being called uncle.


    He must have been bitten by a hang wolf.


    I can heal him with healing magic at this level --- but if I show him my healing magic, he''ll know I''m human, so I casually heal him with healing magic while wrapping a bandage for first aid that I took out of my bag.


    "Now you''re all right."


    Really?


    "Yeah, but I''m out cold, so you guys just wait here for a minute. We''ll get rid of the demon that attacked you.


    After tying the bandage properly, he stands up and walks toward the senior who is releasing electric shocks.


    Healing magic is a strain of magic that only manifests in humans. It is better to fight without healing magic, because those who understand it will understand.


    He covers his arms with black magic and grows a whip from his back to protect the children behind him.


    "Wow, the same dark magic as mine ......"


    We can hear the girl''s voice behind us, but for now let''s focus on what''s in front of us.


    "The injured have been healed. All we have to do now is get rid of them.


    "Usato, is it okay if I play with your appearance?"


    "Can we talk about that later? ....... Really, it''s only their appearance that makes them demons. ......


    I never thought I would look like a demon myself, no matter how much I tried to put people off.


    My senpai also seemed to have understood the general situation when he saw the demon children behind me.


    "Well then, let''s make this quick!"


    As soon as he drew his sword, he was covered with electric shocks and headed toward the hang wolves with a gushing sound.


    I switch my attention to the nearest hang wolf and raise my left arm.


    "Stretch!"


    I extend the black magic power of my left arm, grab the hang wolf by the neck, and pull it toward me.


    The hang wolf goes wild in a half frenzy, but the arm made of black magic does not even get a scratch.


    "Ba-va-u?


    Yes!


    "Kuu----n?


    He throws the man who groaned in agony toward the forest.


    The two hangwolves, who saw their comrade disappear into the woods with a shrill cry, continue to charge at me.


    Soon after, Ferrum transforms his left arm into a shield shape, so I push my left arm forward and strike him with it.


    >


    I don''t know what you''re talking about, but thank you!


    I grab one of them by the neck who scared me and the other one who attacked me directly.


    Then we throw them into the woods..,


    Look out!


    Hmm?


    Gah!


    At the same time as the girl''s voice, I hear the sound of something jumping at me from both sides.


    From the sound, is it trying to attack me as if it''s pinning me in between?


    But..,


    <>


    I know you can see me!


    --- I have no blind spot in this state ......!


    From around the shoulder blades on their backs, arms with sharp claws resembling the black knight''s cage hands are extended, grabbing both of them as they try to surprise the attackers and simultaneously casting a binding spell on them.


    "Did you think it would be easy to take a bite out of you if you couldn''t use your arms, you wanker? ......!"


    "Wow, it looks like a demon, doesn''t it ......?"


    I''m in a pretty bad shape right now, if you think about it calmly, aren''t I?


    I look like a demon, and I have two black knight''s arms on my back.


    In addition, I have a hang wolf in each hand.


    ...... No, let''s not worry about that right now.


    "Sleigh!"


    """"Kuh---?


    For now, we grab the four animals and throw them into the forest.


    "Well..."


    As I flap my hands and look at my senpai, I see a hang wolf, paralyzed by an electric shock, lying on the ground, convulsing.


    It seems that the senior''s side has been roughly taken care of.


    "My side is ......... hmm?"


    What?"""?"""


    I glared at the rest of the hangwolves, and they realized that they were going to be subjected to the same thing as the ones I had thrown away, and they ran away at full speed in the direction where my friends had been thrown, their whole bodies bristling.


    "...... I feel like I''m getting scared of demons more and more these days."


    He mutters something like that as he returns the black magic that has grown out of his back.


    I''ve fought off a pack of hangwolves, but I''m not sure if I should be involved with these people who were here.


    Even if I disguise myself as a demon, I have to hide my face with my hood from my senpai and everyone else who hasn''t arrived yet.


    As I was thinking about what to do while checking on my senpai who was rushing toward me, Nair suddenly jumped up from my shoulder.


    "......Nea, what''s wrong?"


    "I have an idea. I''ll be back in a minute."


    "Oh, hey!"


    With a flap of her wings, Nair flies into the shadow of a building.


    I''m sure he didn''t go far, but what was he doing there ......?


    "What are you going to do, Usato?"


    "I''d like to wait until everyone else arrives, but first we should carry the fallen man to the building.


    "......You know what, Usato?"


    I''ll talk to them. I think they''re dangerous.


    "What do you think I am?"


    No, I''m just saying, when I see a girl with dark magic, my first reaction is, "Cute!" What are you talking about?


    I was about to talk to her again when she came out of the shadows of the house Nair had flown away from, transformed from an owl to a humanoid form.


    She rushed toward us as if she were chasing us, her head covered with horns like a goat, and her skin had changed to the same brown color as that of the demon tribe.


    "I''ve turned into a demon. This way they won''t suspect me.


    "Neah, Neah has a demon girl attribute ......?¡¡How many attributes does she have?


    "You''re a ......


    <


    But it will definitely make communication much easier than if I were to talk to you alone.


    In that sense, it''s a good decision.


    With a very upset Senpai behind us, Nair and I approach the girl and the two children who have been staring at me for a while now.


    "Well, um, it''s nice to meet you. My name is Usato, Usato Ken.


    "Hello. I''m Nair and I''m accompanying him on his journey.


    The two children burst into tears and hid behind the girl''s back as she spoke to them, trying not to scare them as much as possible.


    Oh, no. I can''t find the distance.


    Perhaps not seeing me like this, Nea, smiling at me, opened her mouth.


    I''m his wife.


    "What are you doing, lying to a child?"


    "Kyan!


    The healing finger shot from the basket hand and smashed into Nair''s forehead.


    Ignoring her writhing in agony with a voice not unlike a girl''s, he regains his composure and speaks to the stunned children.


    "May I know your name?"


    "...... Keira. These are Ros¨¦ and Ram."


    "Well then, Keira. The demons might attack again, so let''s just carry this fainted person to the nearest house."


    "...... yeah."


    After confirming that Keira nodded her head, I carried the demon man called Gref.


    "Senpai. When Kazuki and the others arrive, may I ask you to explain to them what''s going on?"


    "Either way, it seems that''s all I can do right now. ....... Okay. I''ll be waiting nearby when I meet up with Kazuki and the others.


    The first thing we need to do is to confirm the safety of this person who seems to be the guardian.


    I put my hand on the front door of the house near where Mr. Gref had collapsed, and I hear the sound of creaking wood and smell the musty odor, as if the house has not been used for years.


    "...... do the other houses feel the same way?"


    As I was about to step into the building with Nair, I felt a tug on the hem of my dress from behind.


    When I turned around, a girl named Keira pulled my hand away from the hem of my dress in a bit of a panic.


    "Oh, um, Mister, thank you for that ......."


    "Uncle ......."


    "Pfft... uncle!"


    Ignoring Nea, who is trying to hold back her laughter, she looks at her reflection in the glass window at the entrance.


    It is blurred and dirty with dust, but there is my face, which has grown black horns and changed to the brown skin characteristic of the demon tribe.


    I put my hand to my chin, thinking of Mr. Lloyd, Mr. Sigurth, Mr. Lucas, and Mr. Hyde.


    I know it must have been a shock to be called an uncle before, but ...... yes.


    "Was I that ...... dandy?"


    "You''re not so ...... dandy, are you?"


    It''s just a little refreshing since every time I''ve been told I''m just like Rose.


    I''ve been called a lot worse than uncle, so I don''t mind, you know?

 247 - - Twenty-two.

    I carried the wounded demon man, Gref, to a nearby house, and after checking to see if anyone was inside, I decided to put him on a bed close at hand.


    "Has it been quite a while since the house was empty ......?"


    After lightly brushing the dust off the bed, I put Gref down.


    He was a man of about 40 years old, brown with rather large horns, looking a little weak for a demon tribe.


    As I wondered why he was surrounded by demons with his children, two children --- a boy of about eight years old called Rose and Ram --- ran up to him.


    "Uncle Gref ......"


    "......"


    Mr. Greff''s kid?


    ...... No, he says uncle, so no?


    "Is Gref okay ...... with his injuries?"


    "We''ve taken care of it, don''t worry about it."


    "But there was ...... a lot of blood, and ...... recovery magic isn''t enough ......."


    Keira, who was watching Mr. Gref from a step away from Rose and Ram, muttered anxiously.


    This girl seems to understand how deep his wounds were.


    Perhaps noticing my hesitation, Nair speaks to Keira in a calm tone of voice.


    "That''s exactly what you need to worry about. He is very good at recovery magic. So he will be fine now.


    "...... really?"


    "Yes, I''m not lying. See?¡¡Am I right?


    "Oh, yeah."


    For what it''s worth, I''m glad you''re here Nair.


    I mean, I''m too good a liar.


    Keira looks up at me with a determined expression on her face and lets out an "ah" as if she is relieved.


    "Hmm?"


    "I''m sorry!¡¡I didn''t mean to call you uncle.


    With his horns and brown skin, was he not recognized as a demon tribe?


    Come to think of it, I''ve only shown my back to her except for the first time, so it''s not surprising that she might have misunderstood me.


    But .......


    "Isn''t it because they are austere and cool ......"


    "Oh, you''re lying, you''re depressed as usual?"


    He smiles at Keira, who looks worried and depressed as usual.


    "I''m not mad at you, it''s okay. Besides, I don''t mind you calling me ''uncle'' at all.


    "Oh, I see. ......"


    "Anyway, why don''t you tell me about yourselves?¡¡I don''t mind if you tell me as much as you can."


    Glancing at Mr. Greff, Keira looked hesitant and then opened her mouth.


    "We were all heading to the center of the Demon Lord''s territory ......, and on the way there, we were attacked by a demon and got separated from the rest of the group. ......"


    "Everyone?¡¡Were they all traveling in groups?"


    "Yes. There were about 20 of us, and we were told ...... that the demons were active and it was dangerous, so we had to move where we lived. ......


    You were moving toward the center of the demon king''s territory to escape from the demons.


    Gref was attacked by demons and got separated from Keira and the others, so he came here to find a safe place to stay... but at that moment he was attacked by a pack of hangwolves.


    "Do you have a plan to meet up with them?"


    "Gref said there''s another abandoned settlement beyond the ruins that we''re supposed to meet up with them."


    Ruins ......?


    No, but you already have a way to meet up with us in case of emergency.


    So, should we stay out of it?¡¡......No, but we should ask Mr. Gref directly, too, just in case.


    "What is that brother of yours ...... Usato, why are you here?¡¡Are you going to the center like us?"


    "Hmm?¡¡Well, it''s the same thing. We were just passing by when we heard your screams and rushed over.


    We can''t tell them our real goal of defeating the Demon King.


    However, if we try to deceive them, they will be suspicious of us, so let''s just say that we are here for the same purpose as the girls.


    ...... Kazuki and the others should have arrived by now.


    "Neah, watch these girls and Mr. Greff. I''m going to go brief the others."


    "Yes, I''ll take good care of him, don''t worry."


    He asks Nair to take his place and leaves the room.


    Immediately after that, Keira shouted to me from behind.


    "Uh, sir!¡¡Are you a dark magician like me?


    "......"


    With my back to Keira, I involuntarily stop in my tracks.


    What was in his voice was the anxiety that he had called himself a dark wizard, and the joy of meeting another dark wizard just like him.


    Ferrum''s voice brings me back to myself, and I smile as hard as I can, my cheeks twitching, and turn to Keira.


    "......Yes, you''re right. I am a dark wizard. We''ll talk about this later.


    "Yes, yes!"


    He turns his back on her happy face and walks out.


    "I''m sorry I did that. ......"


    <<


    "You say that, but ......"


    It doesn''t feel good to fool a kid like Keira, even if it''s just to keep her from finding out who we really are.


    "How do you know?¡¡Could it be Mr. Gref''s daughter?"


    Of all the things to have a hunch about.


    There''s a guy named ...... Rose who has an almost definite intuition, and you can''t deny it.


    <


    "Why of all people, Coga ......?"


    <


    I should deny it, but I was convinced by accident.


    I imagined Koga smiling at me and hitting me. ......!


    While I was thinking about this, I found Senpai and Kazuki and the others outside of the village where we are now.


    Everyone except for Bulrin is hiding their heads with hoods, as if Senpai had told them to do so.


    "First of all, I have to explain the situation to them.


    .


    I was a little concerned about Ferm, who was a little listless, but I ran up to them to meet up with my seniors once more.


    I was a little nervous about Ferrum, who was a little down in the dumps.


    First of all, they were surprised to see me in the form of a demon tribe.


    Kazuki and Leona were surprised at the change in my appearance, while Amako frowned and said, "I couldn''t prevent it. ......!" Amako looked at me with a frown and muttered in frustration, "I couldn''t prevent it.


    Well, my appearance will be restored once I am unassimilated from Ferrum, but first I decided to visit an abandoned house nearby and report the situation so far.


    In case you are wondering, Bulrin is waiting for me at the entrance of the house.


    "...... a demon man and his three children?"


    In what seems to be a living room, Leona puts her hand on her chin when she hears my report.


    There was a wooden table in the living room.


    "They were lovely children," she said.


    "......"


    "Usato, I don''t mean any harm, okay?¡¡So you don''t have to keep your distance from me, okay?"


    I try to keep my distance from him, but he grabs my arm firmly.


    He anticipated my move!¡¡He anticipated my move!


    She gives me a fearless smile and calls out to Leona, who is pondering.


    "Leona, I want to hear your thoughts.


    "Well, there is a risk that the demons will find out who we are. ....... But if you think about it, it is not so bad for us.


    "Yes, why?"


    Leona replies to Kazuki''s question.


    "Worst case scenario, we can ask for Nair''s help.


    "Is it Nair''s power as a vampire? ......"


    By sucking blood from a target''s neck, Nair is able to control the target.


    This is an unprecedented power that allows her to control a wide range of things, from behavior to memory.


    "However, I do not like to use this power too often. It should be considered only as a last resort.


    "Yes, I see. Even if we manipulate them for the time being, there is a possibility that they will be suspicious of us later.


    Besides, Nair wouldn''t want to manipulate such a young child.


    We know that she likes children, judging from her reaction to the child in Hinomoto''s Hidden Village and earlier.


    This should be considered as a last resort.


    "So, what are you going to do now?¡¡Should we leave right away?


    "......No, this is a good opportunity in a way."


    Leona nodded her head as she replied to her senpai.


    "We are a bit tired from the many battles we have fought on our journey to today. Although it is an empty house, we have a place where we can rest our bodies, and we should take a rest, even if it is only for a short time."


    "Yes, we''ve all been fighting all the time. ......"


    Amako, who had been watching the attack by the demons, nodded in agreement.


    My healing magic can heal the physical body as much as I want, but as I said, healing magic is not as effective as it is when it comes to the spirit.


    Leona is right, we need to take a proper rest for our spirit.


    "We don''t have to worry about water, since there was an undried well nearby. We should also ...... gather some food. We still have some food to spare, but we''ll get some on the road in anticipation of future journeys."


    "The first amount is not going to be enough."


    At any rate, that''s enough food for eight people, including Berlin.


    We have to get food from somewhere, no matter how much we cut down.


    As I was agreeing with her words, Amako raised her hand.


    "Well then, when we were coming here, we heard the sound of a river flowing nearby. I don''t know if there are fish there or not, but I think it''s worth a try.


    When I hear the word "fish," I think of my senior who was catching fish in the darkness of Lingle.


    "Well, it''s your turn now, isn''t it?"


    "Usato. As for me, I''m happy to be depended on by you, but I have mixed feelings about my role as a fisherman, don''t you?"


    "That''s because I trust you."


    "Can we have a quota of a hundred fish?"


    Isn''t that too much?


    As I was smiling at the senior who was filled with a strange kind of motivation, Kazuki spoke next to Leona.


    "But aren''t you taking too long?"


    "Our ultimate goal is to defeat the Demon King. That''s why it''s meaningless if we are killed by demons on the way to that goal. ...... Usato''s healing magic is not perfect either. We should be more cautious than necessary on this journey."


    "...... indeed."


    Kazuki looks convinced.


    Leona looked around at us once more and opened her mouth.


    "While we rest in this vacant house, Usato, Ferrum, and Nair will be in charge of dealing with and monitoring the demons here. Kazuki, Suzune, Amako, and I will be mainly responsible for gathering food. Whenever possible, two or more of us should be together when gathering food.


    When you say "surveillance," do you mean surveillance in the sense of keeping our true identities from being discovered?


    I''m a bit uncomfortable with the idea of wearing the disguise of a demon tribe, but I can''t be selfish.


    "Ah, Leona-san..."


    "Hmm?¡¡What''s up, Amako?


    "I don''t think it''ll be a problem if they find out I''m a beastman. I heard that beastmen are closer to demons than humans.


    "In that case, I''ll leave it to you to support Usato."


    Amaco is coming too?


    This reminds me of the time when I was on a journey to deliver a letter.


    Aruk would be perfect ...... but he is also doing his best in the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "I''ll do my best too. ....... Ferrum, Amako, we should go to Keira and the others. I have to introduce you too."


    "......, yeah."


    "Yeah, okay."


    Ferrum''s body sinks into the shadows and assimilates with mine.


    In addition, her assimilation power changes her skin color and hair color, and a horn made of black magic grows on her head.


    "Okay, I guess I''m all right now."


    "It''s really strange when you transform right in front of your eyes. ......"


    "An ogre becomes a demon. ...... demonized?"


    Kazuki looks at me in amazement and smiles.


    Amako''s mutterings never reach my ears, but I''ll have a little payback later, yes.


    As I was checking for horns on my head, the older guy next to me put his hand on my shoulder.


    "Usato-kun, be careful not to reveal your true identity.


    "Yes. Be careful of demons, too.


    "I know. I know, but you tend to accumulate a lot of worries unconsciously. That''s why I thought I''d let you know that you have us, your friends. ......


    "Seniors ......"


    I nodded to my senpai who said, "A little meddling.


    After all, I can respect my senpai for some reason...,


    "Later, tell those girls I''ll make a good impression."


    "......"


    <


    With a sharp look on his face, he told me such a messed up thing.


    Ferrum, who has been assimilated into me, is also looking disappointed, if not a little bit.


    Ah, yes, yes. This is my seniority too. ...... yeah.


    I reply with a slumped shoulder.


    I''m not going to do it.


    "Then let me touch your horns later."


    "No, I don''t want to."


    Then, next time, use your magic to grow cat ears.


    "Of course I don''t want to!"


    What do you mean, "Then"? You haven''t made a single concession, and now you''ve added a terrible request.


    When I was in a state of shock, forgetting even the honorifics I usually use, my senpai, who seemed to have an air of dignity about him, smiled wryly at me.


    "You''re so defensive ......!¡¡But, Usato-kun, you must be ......!"


    "You are more complicated than ever today, aren''t you!


    I mean, "hard on yourself" isn''t something you say to a guy, is it?


    Why are you in a position to attack me?¡¡I think he''s a bit strong today, and he''s pushing me a bit.


    If you can''t push, try pulling. If you can''t pull, push through, Usato-kun!


    "Senpai, I don''t understand at all. ......"


    As usual, I am a little disappointed at Senpai''s usual three-step-ahead conversation, but on the other hand, I find myself enjoying such an uninteresting exchange of ideas.


    I have some doubts about the future, but with this person in my life, I may be able to remain as I am.

 248 - - 223rd episode.

    After deciding on a future course of action with the seniors, I returned with Amako to the empty house where Nair, Keira and the others were staying, having been assimilated into Ferrum.


    I had Amako take off her hood to explain the situation, but Keira and the others were, as expected, surprised when they found out that she was a beastman.


    Rose and Ram, who had never seen a beastman before, were not as alarmed as they had expected since Amako''s appearance was similar to that of Keira.


    On the other hand, Keira seemed to be keeping her distance from Amaco, unlike I was.


    "...... You''re tired and sleeping."


    "Yeah, I guess so."


    When it was getting dark outside, I looked down at Rose and Ram who were sleeping together in the bed in the other room where Mr. Gref was put to sleep, and I let out a sigh as I leaned my back against the wall.


    The two children had fallen asleep quickly, tired from the demon attack during the day.


    "Ferrum, you''ve been in the same room for quite a while, aren''t you tired?"


    I have no problem with it myself, but I wonder if it is the same for Ferrum.


    If I don''t move my magic too much, can I assume that the assimilation will be maintained for a long time?


    <<< Oh. I''ll let you know.


    "Hmm?"


    "Ignoring is terrible, but what does sleeping mean?¡¡What, does being with me mean you can sleep normally?"


    What?¡¡You''re not inconvenienced by it?


    As I was unable to hide my surprise at this shocking revelation, Amako, who had been watching Rose and Ram sleeping, turned to me.


    "Quiet, Usato."


    "Oh, sorry."


    I got angry.


    I talk to Amako in a hushed voice.


    "Amako, what do you think of these kids?"


    "...... innocent children. I don''t want to know why they were so taken with me so quickly, but.... ...... Usato, if you say anything else, I''ll get angry."


    I was just about to make a joke, but he read ahead and warned me.


    "I have a bit of a mixed feeling about this. I felt like I was being shown that demons are no different from beasts and humans. ......


    "I thought I knew it in my head. ....... But when I saw the reality, I realized how naive I was."


    Defeating the Demon King is the same as cutting off the lifeline for the demon tribe.


    The demon tribe is suffering from poverty, and they might have a hard time with Keira and the others we helped today.


    These children have done nothing wrong.


    "...... Well, no matter how much I worry, our mission to defeat the Demon King will never change."


    I don''t know if defeating the Demon King will end the war.


    But we must defeat the Demon King to stop the invasion.


    I put my hands over my eyes, pushing away the questions that are spinning around in my head.


    "For that, we must not turn our eyes away from reality. ......"


    I remove my hands from my eyes and look once more at the two sleeping demon children.


    Then the door to the room we were in was opened and Nea appeared.


    Behind her was Keira, who was glancing at me, and her gaze turned from me to the sleeping Rose and Ram.


    "N¨¦a, what''s wrong?"


    "Gref is awake!"


    "!¡¡Okay. I''ll be in Mr. Greff''s room right away. Nair, Keira, would you mind keeping an eye on them?"


    Yeah, I''m on it.


    "......"


    I leave Rose and Ram with them and head for Mr. Greff''s place.


    Keira followed me silently, away from Nair.


    "Keira?"


    "......"


    I tried to talk to him, but he didn''t say anything.


    Is he worried about us being in the same room with Mr. Greff?


    He seems somewhat preoccupied.


    I arrive at Mr. Greff''s room with Keira following me to keep her distance from Amako.


    I look through the open door and see Mr. Greff lying on the bed with his upper body upright.


    "Gref?"


    "Oh, you brought me!"


    Keira''s voice alerts him to our presence, and he pulls his hand away from rubbing his bandaged right leg and smiles at us.


    "Nair told me about you. Are you sure you''re the amaco to Usato?"


    "Yes. Are you all right? We''ve taken care of your wounds. ......"


    "I''m surprised that there''s hardly any pain at all. It''s as if the injury is gone."


    Actually, the wound really is completely healed. .......


    Well, let''s just say that I healed it with restorative magic for now.


    "Oops, I didn''t introduce myself. As you may already know, I''m Gref,...... an eccentric demon tribe traveling around the demon king''s territory."


    My name is Kyu ...... and I am Usato, a traveler just like you."


    "Amaco. As you can see, he''s a beast. And I''m 14 years old.


    "What?


    For some reason, Amako emphasized her age.


    And Keira, who had been silent until now, is surprised to hear her age.


    She probably thought he was the same age as her when she saw how tall he was.


    Mr. Greff bowed deeply to me as I was being casually stared at by Amaco.


    "Thank you so much. You guys saved not only my life but also the lives of Keira, Rose, and Ram.


    "No, no, we couldn''t let that happen either. ......"


    As always, I ask Mr. Gref to raise his head in a panic.


    "Many demons are rotten in their hearts as well as in the earth. ...... It''s rare to find a kind demon tribe like you nowadays. Ha ha ha."


    "Is that so?"


    I smile back at Gref''s words, upset and amiable.


    I don''t know what kind of person the average demon person is. ......!¡¡Specifically, I only know the corps leaders and Ferrum ......!


    Is that it?¡¡Should I be like a cog in the cogwheel?


    "Gref, Usato-san is in trouble."


    "Oh, yeah?¡¡Ha-ha-ha, I''m sorry."


    Keira is warned by Mr. Greffe, who apologizes to me.


    Let''s change the subject a little.


    I''m afraid I''m going to lose it.


    "Mr. Gref, regarding your injuries, ...... you should be able to walk in about two or three days."


    "Is that so?¡¡I didn''t think a bite from that bloodthirsty hangwolf could be that bad. ...... To be honest, I thought my leg would be immobilized right after I woke up. I was really surprised that it didn''t hurt as much as I thought it would."


    Gref rubbed his right leg and muttered to himself, and Keira sat down in the chair beside the bed where he was lying.


    "It was a serious injury, but Usato-san took care of it right away."


    "Yeah, how bad was it?"


    "Oh, it''s bad."


    "Is it bad?"


    "Yeah, it was bad."


    "So ...... it was bad. ......"


    That''s a unique exchange.


    Gref muttered, "Oh shit," as if parroting back the word, and then smiled gently and put his hand on Keira''s head.


    "I''m sorry I made you worry. And you did a great job."


    "...... yeah."


    Keira nodded her head with a blank expression on her face.


    A little later he removes his hand from her head and continues talking to her.


    "Take the rest of the day off. You must be tired too.


    "But ......"


    "I wouldn''t worry about it. Besides, if you don''t get some sleep soon, the dreaded healing wizard will come and kidnap you."


    Hmm?¡¡I don''t know, I just heard a line that has something to do with me at a completely unrelated time. .......


    "......Gref, I''m not afraid of that."


    "Ha-ha-ha, I know. Go on."


    "Yeah."


    Sighing, Keira gets out of her chair and heads toward the entrance of the room.


    I thought she was going to leave the room, but she stopped in front of me.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "Usato-san,......, can I ask you to teach me how to use dark magic later?"


    What?¡¡Dark magic?? I''m not an expert in healing magic or lifeguard training, but dark magic is honestly out of my realm of expertise.


    ...... No, you can ask Ferrum, who is assimilated with me, to teach you.


    There''s also the option of refusing, but I''m afraid that if I refuse here they''ll get suspicious, so I''ll accept.


    "Yes, that''s fine."


    "Oh, thank you!¡¡Thank you very much!


    Keira''s anxious look turned into a bright smile and she ran out of the room.


    Mr. Gref looked at her back and gave her a troubled smile.


    "I''m sorry. Keira is happy to see a dark wizard like herself. Please don''t be offended."


    No, I don''t mind.


    "I''m glad to hear you say that. I don''t want to stand, so why don''t you sit down?


    In response to Mr. Gref''s words, I pulled out another chair from the corner of the room and sat down in it with Amako.


    Now, the first thing I want to ask you is .......


    "Is Keira ...... your daughter?"


    "...... No. She''s a child I took in on my ...... journey."


    "I took him in," he says, "from ......."


    "It''s complicated. She can''t go back to her family."


    Ferm, who had been silent until now, mutters something like that.


    "And the other children?"


    "Yes. Those children are the ones whose parents were killed by demons. I''m taking their place, but I''m not sure I''m doing a good job.


    "That''s not true. They didn''t want to leave you when you were sleeping just now. ......"


    I nodded to Amako''s words.


    As a matter of fact, the reason I brought Roze and Ram to the bed was because they had fallen asleep leaning against Mr. Gref''s bed.


    From the looks of them, I''m sure they trust Mr. Greff with all their hearts.


    "......The demons have been on the move lately," he said. We were going to head for a safe place with a group of people who were trying to move to the center of the country,...... but we got attacked by demons and got lost."


    "Keira told me. We can still meet up with the group, right?


    Fortunately. The injuries don''t seem to be as serious as I thought. We can leave here in a couple of days, pass by the ruins, and head for the village where we are going to meet up with the others.


    ......I was a little curious during the day, but what are ruins?


    Let''s try to ask.


    "Well, what are the ruins?"


    "Don''t you know?¡¡It''s very rare nowadays that the demon tribe doesn''t know this. Ruins are the place where the Demon King and his men used to hide out hundreds of years ago.


    "What?


    You really don''t know?¡¡It''s also the place where the Demon King and the heroes had their last battle. ......"


    The place looked more important than I expected. ......!


    Amaco''s eyes widen in surprise.


    "Nowadays, the resurrected Demon Lord is said to be in the castle of the city, but there are many rumors about that...... ruin. There are still active golems specially made by the Demon King to protect the ruins, high concentrations of magical power fill the ruins, and some of the weapons that the heroes used to use are hidden inside.


    "!¡¡Is this the weapon that the heroes used to use? ......"


    Amaco''s prediction flashed through my mind.


    It was a different sword from the small dagger from which my kagome was made.


    It might be in the place where the Demon Lord once had his stronghold.


    I looked at Amako and saw that she was thinking the same thing as I was, and that she had her hand on her chin, pondering something.


    "Well, it''s a rumor not worth believing.


    "So, right ......?"


    "So, what about you guys?"


    Us?


    You''re traveling the same way I am, aren''t you?


    With a bit of a startle, I explain what I had decided with Leona beforehand.


    We are mainly traveling in the direction of the beastman''s country rather than the demon king''s territory, aren''t we?


    "Ah, so that''s why the beastman Amaco is with us. Is there anyone else here besides you and Nair?


    Yes. There are four of us and my demon partner in an abandoned house a short distance from this house.


    Now, here''s the important part.


    "But we can''t let you meet the rest of them, because some of them avoid getting involved with ...... people or have behavioral problems. One of our friends in particular, although he is a respectable person, is a bad influence on our children. ......"


    Senpai is really dependable when he''s serious, but when he gets out of control, he gets out of hand, and his actions and statements take on another dimension. .......


    "I see. Well, it''s no wonder, since most of the travelers have some kind of past. But what''s a demon partner?¡¡Isn''t he a demon?


    "No, not a demon, but simply a friend. It''s called a blue grizzly.


    "...... Blue Grizzly?"


    Oh, this is deja vu.


    I knew I would startle them, so I told them right away that they were in no danger.


    "There is no danger. They don''t attack people and are rather a reliable companion on the journey.


    "......Oh, I think I''ve seen a lot of things, but I''ve never seen anyone like you before. Do you know the commander of the second legion of the demon king''s army through dark magic?"


    The commander of the Second Legion---Conga.


    The image that comes to my mind is that of the Ankashira standing in front of me, laughing and punching me, as I try to fulfill my mission as a member of the Rescue Mission.


    Before I can think, I quickly reply.


    "No, no. I don''t know anyone with a brain made of muscle like that.


    "...... Eh, you''re kidding, right?¡¡Do you really know him?"


    "Huh?


    I immediately responded with a reflexive response. ......?


    "Usato ......"


    I try to smile, but I''m upset.


    "It''s a rotten relationship. We''ve had a few fights, a couple of fistfights.


    "I think it''s quite a feat when you''re the youngest person to make it to the top of the corps and you''re fighting with a non-standard.


    I feel like I''m digging more and more graves every time I open my mouth.


    I can''t speak for my seniors. .......

 249 - - 224th.

    Once we finished talking with Mr. Gref, we decided to go back to the vacant house where the seniors were.


    There we informed them of the conversation we had had with Mr. Gref and of the ruins near this village. We were still not sure if these ruins were related to Amaco''s prediction or not, but we concluded that we should take a look at them.


    However--,


    "I don''t think we should go."


    Here Amaco refused to allow us to go to the ruins.


    "There''s something wrong with this prediction. No, my precognition magic itself may have been interfered with by someone.


    "You mean that beastly woman you mentioned earlier?"


    "...... Yeah."


    Judging from this reaction, it was more than a one-time dream, wasn''t it?


    If so, it''s getting a bit suspicious.


    If the prediction that Amako saw was manipulated by the woman, it is more natural to think that we are being lured to the ruins.


    "Hmmm...entering a dream... Nair, is that possible?"


    "It''s possible with magic. But there are almost no one who can do magic nowadays, so the possibility is zero. But an extraordinary being like Farga can do it, but there is no chance of that either.


    Nair answers the senior''s question.


    At present, it may be difficult to find the cause of the anomaly in Amaco''s precognitive magic.


    Leona, who had been collecting her thoughts, quietly opens her mouth once the flow of conversation has stopped.


    "The ruins that the Demon King and his men used as their stronghold before they were sealed away. Besides, if you hear that it was the place where the previous generation of heroes and the Demon King had a decisive battle,...... it''s not that I''m not interested, but there can''t be nothing in a place like that,......."


    "Yes, it seems to have something to do with me and my senpai. ......"


    I wouldn''t be surprised if something brave happened.


    I mean, there is definitely something nasty going on here.


    "I''ve been involved in and poked my nose into a lot of trouble myself, but ...... I smell trouble this time, too."


    ""......!"""


    "Hmm?"


    I can feel Nair and Amako''s eyes on me.


    When I looked over there, they looked at each other with a serious look on their faces.


    "Nair, this is ......."


    "Yeah, that''s not good."


    What''s with that exchange?


    Before I could ask that question, Nair turned her head toward Leona.


    "Leona, there''s definitely something going on here. If Usato is expecting a commotion, it''s a big deal.


    "Is that so?"


    Leona tilts her head and Nair points at me.


    "When you''re traveling with this guy, you''re bound to run into trouble.


    "Hey, don''t forget that one of the reasons for all this trouble is you."


    "Well, well, well... I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    You little b*tc*! ......!


    Amako, who was standing next to me, opened her mouth as I shuddered at Nea, who looked away with a tremor in her voice.


    "...... In a way, Usato''s disposition to encounter incidents may be more accurate than my precognitive magic."


    "Amako, don''t you think I''m some kind of plague god or something?¡¡Right?"


    I didn''t cause any of this, okay?


    It just so happens that I''ve had a series of troubles in the countries and places I''ve been to, that''s all.


    "Well, it''s not your fault that you got caught up in all that trouble, so I don''t think you need to worry so much about it, okay?"


    "Ka,kazuki......"


    You are the only one on my side here ......!


    I don''t look at the senior who is muttering something disturbing like "I''m going to have fun when I''m attached to Usato-kun" next to him.


    Anyway, even if we don''t go inside, we should at least check the exterior of the ruins first. Ferrum, do you know where the ruins are?


    Yes, I''ll tell you later.


    Please. In some cases, we may choose not to enter the ruins and just walk through. I don''t know how this would affect Amaco''s foreknowledge, but ...... at least it wouldn''t be dangerous."


    For now, Leona''s idea is the safest.


    But what would happen if we actually set foot inside the ruins?


    I smell trouble, but I''m a little worried about the "other brave sword. It is closely related to my Kagome, and above all, it is a powerful weapon that would have been used in the decisive battle against the Demon Lord.


    "...... is it indispensable in the battle against the Demon King?"


    No, I don''t think so.


    The other sword was reserved for the heroes of the last age.


    No one can even handle it now.


    The other sword was only for the previous generation of heroes.


    The night everyone went to bed.


    I was outside with Ferrum, who was on guard duty this time, watching over the campfire so that we would be ready to deal with any demons that might come into the village.


    On my back, Bulrin is sleeping peacefully, and he serves as a good backrest for me.


    "Ferrum, let''s pick a password."


    "Huh?"


    I said, and Ferrum, who was sitting across from me across the fire, looked at me with a stunned expression on his face.


    What''s the password?


    "When I assimilate you, I change the shape of my arms or extend a whip from my back. I think it would be possible to respond to various situations if I could transform myself with a short word, without having to explain it to you.


    I can''t explain every time when it''s in motion.


    If you can manipulate the black magic in one phrase, it will reduce the gaps.


    "...... You are unusually reasonable. You usually do nothing but talk nonsense."


    Messed up is superfluous.


    "First of all, yes. <, can you grow an arm out of my back?"


    "Okay."


    "Next, in <>, make shields on both arms."


    "...... got it."


    "<>, like when you crossed the fire of the flying dragon, your whole body is covered with black magic power."


    "Oh, that. I got it."


    "<>When I say "koga", make your right arm huge. You should have some black magic around your fist to catch them so they don''t escape. ...... so you can drop him with a single blow."


    Wait a minute.


    "What?"


    Did I do something wrong?


    I mean, was the arm mode too aggressive a naming scheme?


    "The name and everything is strange, but it''s strange that there''s a special one for that idiotic corps commander.


    "No, it''s only natural to take measures against Koga who takes the initiative in challenging me to a fight. He''s not afraid to take others hostage and threaten them in order to fight me. ......"


    "Well, to be honest, I sympathize with you."


    I know they won''t take such measures, but it is the nature of the evil race of Koga that makes me think they might do it.


    I am not a self-proclaimed worst personality.


    But even though I find him troublesome, it does not mean that I dislike him. He, like Ferrum, has a complicated background, so we cannot help but hate him.


    Then, after deciding on some passwords, I suddenly remembered the prediction I had heard the other day.


    It was a prediction that I, together with Nair, might perform an evolutionary technique of healing explosive wave .......


    "Is it a different technique from the advanced version of Healing Explosive Wave that I''m thinking of now ......?"


    Or is it the same thing?


    He didn''t know what kind of technique it was, because the prediction changed before he saw the technique itself. ......If there will be an opportunity to use such a technique, we should think about it just in case.


    "......And just in case, should we also consider a form for healing explosive wave?"


    By forming a cannon-like projectile opening in the right arm with black magic power, the direction of impact is fixed.


    The image is that of a fireworks display, or if you want to call it that, a healing eight-foot bomb.


    It is a miracle technique to scatter the magic power of healing magic like a firework''s eight-forked ball, which looks good and has a promising healing effect.


    ...... though I honestly don''t know how big a firework is.


    "......Huff, maybe I''m just a genius with an amazing imagination."


    "You''re just crazy by leaps and bounds, aren''t you?"


    You''re so loud.


    However, there is room for improvement in this healing blast wave.


    But with the elasticity and the black magic of the ferme, I can only see possibilities.


    I try to create elastic magic power with my right hand basket hand, transfer it to my left hand, and then create a magic bullet in my right hand.


    "If you use the elasticity grant on the explosion wave, ...... then use dark magic ...... and heal flying fist ...... wait, here is where you can use Nair''s spell of restraint and spell of resistance to create the magic projectile. Apply it to ......."


    "Uh, wow. ...... hmm?"


    Ferm looking at me doing this and that with the magic bullets in my palm.


    As I was concentrating on my hand, Ferm with a startled look on his face was suddenly enveloped in his own dark magic and assimilated into me through the ground.


    In an instant, I was turned into a demon, and I called out to her in surprise.


    "What''s wrong?"


    >


    "What?¡¡At this hour?"


    I look back with my hand on the burin on my back and see a figure approaching us with somewhat unsteady steps.


    Judging from her height and vaguely visible outline, I call out to the figure---Keira---while putting away the basket hand that I had deployed as if to hide it.


    "Keira, what''s going on?


    "I just woke up. Why are you awake, Usato?


    I''m a watchman. I''m a watchman. I can''t be sure that demons won''t attack us under the cover of darkness.


    I think it''s safe to be honest here.


    In fact, you''re right.


    But Keira looks around and then back at me quizzically.


    "Um, ...... Usato, were you talking to ...... someone?"


    "!"


    Did she see me talking to Ferrum through the window?


    No, from this angle, the body of Ferrum should be hidden by the body of Bulrin.


    The only person who could have seen me would have been me talking to someone.


    Fortunately, the light from the campfire doesn''t seem to reveal that I myself am a human being.


    "Ha-ha-ha, I was just talking to this guy."


    I put my hand on the sleeping Bulrin to fool him.


    "...... what?¡¡It''s not a blanket!¡¡You''re a demon!


    "Let me introduce you. This is my partner, Bulrin. Well, he fell asleep just now.


    When I tapped him lightly, he let out a faint "guffaw" sound.


    Chuckling at this, I move my seat a little and ask Keira to sit down.


    "You must be cold standing up. You can sit down."


    "Oh, thank you."


    Glancing at the sleeping Bulrin, I sit down where I had been sitting and rest my back against hers.


    "...... warm."


    "Grua......"


    "Hic ......."


    "It''s okay, it''s okay. I''m not going to hurt anyone, don''t worry."


    When she is frightened by Bullein''s flinching, he calls out to her and reassures her.


    When she regains her composure, I ask her why she woke up at this hour.


    "Didn''t you sleep much?"


    "I had a little scary dream. ......"


    "Scary dreams, huh?"


    This reminds me of Eva.


    Though it was actually the story of her mother and the kings of Samaria who protected her when she was being tortured by the souls bound to Samaria.


    "I had a scary thought during the day. I can''t help it if I dream about it."


    "...... yes."


    Keira hangs her head as if discouraged.


    This is no good asking what the dream was about. Let''s change the subject.


    "You said you wanted to teach me how to use dark magic, right?"


    "Yes."


    Why is that?


    Keira replies with a puzzled look on her face.


    My dark magic doesn''t listen to me.


    "Don''t you listen to me ......?"


    <


    I listen to Ferrum''s voice whispering to me, and I nod my head in agreement.


    It seems to me that you are not moving with your thoughts, but with your feelings, doesn''t it?


    I can control it to some extent. But when I get angry, or when I''m feeling insecure, or when I''m lied to,......, I start to move on my own,......."


    "Lie?"


    "......, no, it''s nothing."


    Keira holds her tongue painfully, as if not wanting to talk about it.


    Maybe that''s what Mr. Gref was talking about, Keira''s situation.


    I''d better not pursue it here as I did with the dream story.


    "I want to make my magic my own as soon as possible. If I don''t, I''ll cause trouble for Gref and the others.


    "Annoyance?¡¡Do you mean hurt them?"


    "That''s one thing, but it''s normal for people to be a little creeped out by a dark wizard like me. If they know I can''t handle it, they''ll go to ......."


    Of course.


    I thought I understood the circumstances of dark wizards, but it seems that the environment surrounding them is worse than I had imagined.


    Perhaps it''s just that positive dark wizards like Ferrum and Koga are rare.


    I put my hand over my mouth in a thoughtful gesture and whisper to Ferrum.


    "Ferrum, what do you see?"


    <


    "What happens then?"


    "......"


    Dark magic is magic that depends on the emotions of the user.


    Now, here''s a thought that just popped into my head.


    Fellum spoke so bluntly, and I let go of the hand that was covering my mouth, thinking that he was not being honest.


    Keira gives me a quizzical look as I was silent from the side.


    "Usato-san ......?¡¡Well, if it bothers you, you can decline ......."


    "Sorry. I was just thinking about something. I''ll take you up on the offer to teach you how to use dark magic.


    "Oh, ...... is that okay?"


    "Only for a short time, though."


    It would be really short, maybe two days at the most.


    In the meantime, I have to give him a chance, if not to solve the problem.


    As I make up my mind, Keira, looking as anxious as ever, looks at me over the campfire. At that moment, Ferrum and I notice that there is something strange happening in her shadow.


    "It''s really ......, isn''t it?"


    Her shadow is shifting as if it were expressing the anxiety and elation in her heart.


    Keira herself doesn''t notice this, but looks at me intently and says the rest of the words.


    Her eyes were dark, reflecting the flickering flames of the campfire, and seemed to have the same stirring darkness in them as her own shadow.


    "---You''re not lying, are you?"


    It avoided the light of the campfire and crawled on the ground like the legs of an octopus, surrounding me as it approached.


    It did not seem to try to attack me, but it was obvious that it was moving independently of her will.


    >


    "......f"


    It''s been so long I forgot about you, ......!


    The people I encounter on my travels have a high probability of having some kind of problem. ......!


    I thought that maybe Nea and Amako were right, and I felt like crying.

 250 - - Twenty-five.

    "I see, so you''re saying that while I''m working hard to gather food, you''re training with a pretty girl?"


    "......"


    "I''m just kidding, right?¡¡Usato?¡¡So, the iron claw is indeed...


    After being assigned to watch Keira''s training.


    I put Keira back on the bed, who had fallen asleep with her back to Bulrin, perhaps feeling relieved, and explained what I had just said to my senpai and Leona, who would be in charge of the next watch.


    Ferrum was resting ahead of me for the shift, but I wanted to inform Leona about the danger of Keira and her dark magic as soon as possible.


    At any rate, I gave a light iron claw to the senior who had been playing a funny joke on me, and released her with a sigh.


    "Hmph, is it over already?"


    "Yeah. ......"


    The senior who is in a late-night tension, is really bad.


    As I''m getting annoyed with the senpai who is smiling wryly for some reason, Leona-san, who is throwing a twig on the bonfire, comes over to talk to me.


    "From your point of view, was this girl Keira ...... dangerous?"


    "I got the impression that Keira herself was a polite and kind-hearted girl, but her ...... own magic made her seem very dangerous."


    Keira''s magic will not harm her as a user.


    But not to those around her.


    If her dark magic, which could move on its own without her will, goes out of control, it will hurt the people around her.


    And the first people to be targeted would be Gref, Rose and Ram, who are closest to Keira.


    I don''t think Keira''s heart would be able to bear it if that happened.


    The older man who was listening to me puts his hand on his chin with a worried expression on his face.


    "When I first saw her, I thought she had something to deal with, but ...... it seems that she has been through quite a trauma."


    "......What, you knew?"


    "Of course I did. I''m a good judge of character.


    First, "Cute!" and other crazy remarks, but from that moment on, Senpai had already detected that Keira was in some kind of trouble.


    That''s great.


    "Hmph, I''m no slouch when it comes to the depth of darkness."


    "...... what?"


    "Oh, I''m sorry. This is just another joke, you don''t have to take it seriously."


    Seeing my exclamation, my senpai gets flustered.


    He has his own reasons for not wanting to go back to his original world.


    I don''t know what it is, and I don''t intend to dig it up now, but...,


    "Well, in addition to that, she''s a lovely demon girl. How could I miss it?


    ---No, she''s fine in this world, don''t worry about her.


    I think about Keira again, after I give a sharp rebuke to my senpai, who is making a deliberate crack about me, as if he is concerned about me, saying that I am too wicked.


    From the way he talks, I guess that Keira''s request was not something that I should have accepted without consulting him.


    "I''m sorry. I took the liberty of ...... doing so, even though I was in the middle of an important mission."


    If I am not careful, this problem may not be manageable in a short period of two days.


    I bow my head in self-loathing at my own thoughtlessness.


    Then, Ms. Leona, who is standing in front of me, speaks up in a dignified voice.


    "It''s rather unlike you to refuse the girl''s request.


    "Is that so, sir?"


    "Yes, I am."


    She looks up and turns her head to look at me, and gives me an embarrassed smile.


    I myself have been saved by your words and actions.


    You''re talking about the incident in Mearaq.


    For me, it''s an embarrassing past when I reprimanded Leona because of my emotions. .......


    "I still remember the words you said to me that night, the night before the battle with Kalon."


    "Anoyol?"


    For some reason, the older man is speaking in katakana.


    Leona-san meditates nostalgically, as if she is unaware of this.


    There''s only so much one person can do. So you don''t have to carry the burden all by yourself, you can ask someone around you for help.


    "......"


    "Thanks to these words, I realized my mistake."


    I remember saying that firmly.


    But I am feeling terribly embarrassed.


    After all these years, what have I said to Ms. Leona? ......!


    "If you want to help this girl, you should take action. Otherwise, you''re not the person I know you to be."


    "Leona, ......"


    Leona is right, it is not like me to abandon Keira here.


    As I was making up my mind once again, the senior student next to me let out a smile.


    "You are always helping me too, Usato-kun. No, I don''t mean to compete with Leona.


    You''re being absurdly competitive.


    Why is the number of times you''ve helped me treated like a trophy? .......


    "I don''t think that''s something to be proud of. ......"


    "I remember what you said to me, Usato-kun."


    The words I said to my senpai. ......?


    What?¡¡I waited and waited, and then there was silence for a dozen seconds or so.


    I was getting more and more worried as the senior was frozen with a smile on her face, and then she finally opened her mouth.


    "Suzutan, you are my goddess ......."


    "What?


    "Hey, don''t invent the past."


    You never would have thought of that.


    No, I''ve had normal conversations with my senpai, but I don''t remember ever saying such a toothless line to him.


    I mean, if I had, I would certainly remember it.


    She crossed her arms and kept a clear expression on her face when I pointed it out.


    "Words aren''t the only thing that connects us. Isn''t that right?¡¡Isn''t that right, Usato?


    "What are you trying to sum up like it''s a good story?"


    We don''t need words between us!¡¡Our bond as friends is shown by our actions!


    He''s trying to push through with his momentum, isn''t he?


    After that, I talked with Senpai and Leona about various things, and I was mentally exhausted, so I decided to go to bed first, leaving them to take care of the watch.


    Tomorrow, Keira''s training starts.


    It''s a different kind of training for dark wizards, so maybe there are things I can learn from it.


    I might be able to learn something from this.


    The day after I was assigned to teach Keira dark magic.


    After seeing Leona and the others off to get some food, I, Ferrum, and Nair decided to stay behind in the village and immediately started teaching Keira about dark magic.


    "Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!"


    "Wow, that''s great!¡¡"Brulin."


    "Quickly!"


    Bullein runs lightly, and Rose and Ram are on his back.


    In the morning, I introduced Bulrin to everyone except Keira, but for some reason, these two were quicker to open their hearts to Bulrin than Mr. Gref.


    Perhaps because they are children, they are less cautious.


    Since Bulrin has not shown his violent side, he is now a vehicle for them.


    Mr. Greff, who was sitting on a wooden box that was lying around with a cane made of thin pieces of wood by his side, was.................,


    "Ha ha ha, be careful not to get hurt!


    He looked on with a smiling face.


    Are the demons adapting to the new environment so quickly?


    ......First of all, let''s ask Mr. Gref for permission to train Keira.


    "Mr. Gref. "Mr. Greff, would you be willing to train Keira?"


    "...... be careful. I tried to teach her how to handle it, but ...... I''m not even good enough to teach her."


    He looks up at me as he sits on the crate.


    "I don''t mean to make light of your power, but if you feel it''s dangerous, stop him immediately. If you let him, he''ll get hurt."


    "...... understand."


    Hearing Mr. Gref''s words, I nodded deeply and walked up to Keira who was waiting for me.


    "Keira, now that you have my permission, let''s move to a bigger place where we can train.


    "Yes!"


    We move to the most open space in the village.


    We can see Mr. Gref''s place from here, so there should be no problem.


    "Well, let''s do it. ......


    The only people here are Ferrum, Nair, and Keira, who are assimilated with me.


    But Nair is not in human form, but in owl form on my shoulder.


    "Not only is there a blue bear, but there is also an owl!


    Keira looks up at Nair, who is on my shoulder, as if she were curious.


    N¨¦a herself pretends that she has gone with her friends to gather food, so that no one will know that this owl is N¨¦a.


    "He''s my messenger!"


    "Ho-ho-ho."


    I''ve wondered for a while if that owl sound of yours is some kind of subspecies of the hooting owl or something?


    It''s not very flattering, but it doesn''t give me the owl feeling. .......


    "It''s a strange sound, but is it that kind of demon?"


    "Yes. It''s the kind of thing I can rely on to support me in battle.


    "Hoo!"


    You''re in a good mood, boy.


    It''s fine to spread your wings wide as if to show off your presence on my shoulder, isn''t it?¡¡But you''re still rubbing your wings against my cheeks, aren''t you?


    No, I''m not mad at you.


    "Well, let''s start with ......."


    I follow Ferrum''s voice coming from within and instruct Keira to use her dark magic.


    "Keira!"


    "Yes, sir."


    I want to see your magic first. Are you okay with that?"


    "Maybe I''ll ...... attack you, Usato-san. ......


    What?¡¡You''re that out of control?


    I was a little surprised, but nodded my head and said there was no need to worry.


    "I''m fine. I''m still good at this.


    "...... understand. Let''s go to ......."


    Keira begins to focus, looking somewhat anxious.


    The shadows around her feet wriggle eerily, and tentacles like the legs of an octopus reach upward---one of them is thrust toward me.


    Keira notices this and her face turns pale.


    "Oh, Usato, look out!


    "What?"


    "What?"


    He lunges at it with his bare hand and hits it with his bare hand.


    Pish!¡¡The tentacle is popped with a light sound, and Keira and Mr. Greffe are stunned.


    What?"""


    "...... yeah."


    It''s fast, but not so fast that you can''t see through it.


    But why did they attack me first?¡¡I know it wasn''t Keira''s intention.


    While I''m thinking about this, multiple tentacles come at me again, but I repel them several times before grabbing them all with my right hand.


    As if to show Keira''s confusion, the tentacles are wriggling, but her resistance is weak.


    I see.


    Well, it''s no wonder they''re suspicious of you at this stage.


    My resistance has weakened because I have proven that I can deal with her dark magic.


    I looked at Keira and saw her looking up at me with an expression as if she were about to start crying.


    "I''m sorry ...... I didn''t do it on purpose ......"


    "I can prevent this level of damage, so don''t worry about invoking the magic. Don''t worry. I''ve been working out a lot.


    <>


    "From their point of view, it''s a scam."


    I pass over Ferrum and Nair, who make a small tsk tsk, and turn my attention back to Keira''s magic again.


    This time, unlike before, they do not attack me, but only dark magic is coming out from their feet.


    "Try to move it first.


    "Yes. ......"


    As Keira tried to move the magic, the black magic that rose up from under her feet moved tremblingly.


    The movement was jerky, as if it was trying to move independently of her will.


    Seeing her dark magic, Nair on my shoulder speaks to me in a hushed voice.


    "You are so unstable that I can see it."


    "...... yeah."


    "It''s painful to watch. ...... I wish I could do something about it, but I can''t. ......"


    I know you are desperately trying to manipulate them, but I guess dark magic is not so simple that you can manipulate them by trying to force them to do so.


    Let''s ask Keira to stop the magic for once.


    Keira, who has just put out the dark magic at her feet, looks a little relieved.


    "Um... ......"


    "Hmm?"


    I put my hand over my mouth to ask for Ferrum''s opinion, but Keira spoke before I could.


    "May I see your dark magic, Usato-san?"


    "Mine?¡¡It may not be of any use to you.


    "Still, I''ve never seen anyone use the same magic as me before. ......"


    I think we should show them.


    I can show you my ...... or maybe you can show me the magic of FERM for your reference.


    "Okay, okay. ...... Ferm, you remember the password, right?"


    I whisper a confirmation to Ferrum and raise my left arm so that Keira can see it.


    "Sword."


    Just as he mutters this, a black sword with a blade of about 50 centimeters in length extends from his forearm.


    He shows it to Keira, who rolls her eyes.


    "Wow. ......"


    "My dark magic is simply the ability to change form. I can cover my clothes to make them look like armor, or I can make weapons like this. Like this: ......"


    I mutter the words I decided on last night and change the shape of the sword on my arm.


    Keira''s smile, which is appropriate for her age, is soon dimmed by the rapidly changing magical powers.


    "If only I had ...... dark magic like Usato-san, I wouldn''t have to go through this ......."


    When Keira muttered this, Ferrum was upset.


    I can feel her upset and a little bit of anger, which I am assimilating.


    For Keira, the words must have spilled out in her mind. I can understand why she would say such a thing.


    If I were in the same position, I would have said the same thing.


    But knowing FERM, I have to deny her words.


    "No. No, no. Keira."


    "Usato-san ......?"


    I kneel down on the ground and slowly utter the rest of the words, making eye contact with Keira.


    Not being a dark wizard, I am not qualified to say this.


    But I must tell her, even if it is a lie.


    "Every dark wizard has a painful past, no matter what powers he or she has awakened to. Including my own dark wizard friend. Everyone overcomes such pasts and sometimes drags them with them while living in the present."


    "...... huh."


    Keira''s face turns pale as if she understands the meaning of her words.


    Since I don''t intend to blame Keira from the beginning, I switch from a serious expression to a smile.


    "Well, I''ve been called a monster, a monster, an ogre, and many other things, but ...... as you can see, I don''t mind at all.


    "I''m sure he''s rooting for you, you monster."


    You guys are going to get bumped later.


    I swear revenge on the two of you, muttering so that Keira can''t hear me.


    No?¡¡I don''t mind it at all, but we''ve got to clean up our act, right?¡¡Yeah.


    "Usato-san, will you ...... stop me from running away if I get out of control?"


    "No, I wouldn''t."


    I don''t know how out of control it is, but at the very worst, a "technique" of healing magic should be able to stop it.


    "Keira, dark magic is a special kind of magic that can take any form at the will of the user."


    "...... yes."


    If you wish, I am sure the dark magic will respond to you. So, let''s start by believing in our own magic."


    "Shin,jiru ......"


    "Yeah."


    You have narrowed your own possibilities with your own assumptions.


    This is exactly the situation that Keira is in now.

 251 - - Twenty-sixth episode.

    After resuming my training to handle dark magic, I first asked Ferrum for his judgment.


    I thought that she, who knew more about dark magic than anyone else in the room, might have an idea.


    I nod casually at Ferrum''s words and she instructs me to speak in a low voice.


    I follow her instructions and pass on Ferrum''s words to Keira.


    "Keira. The first thing to be aware of is that your magic is yours."


    "Mine?"


    "Mine?" "Yeah. I don''t know why, but you''re consciously trying to keep your magic away from me. Unless you do something about it first, your magic will run wild one day and you''ll be in big trouble."


    Keira''s face tightens at my words.


    "What''s the big deal ......?"


    "It means that your magic won''t really be yours anymore. It will leave your hands as its wielder and just run amok with your emotions. If that happens, the first people to get involved will be the people closest to you, Mr. Gref and the others."


    "Because of me, Gref and the others ......"


    Keira looks at her own feet and mutters in dismay.


    It''s understandable to be shocked, but even I know that there is nothing to hide here.


    I have to admit that it pains me, but first I have to tell her about my magical situation.


    "Keira, it''s inevitable if we don''t do something about it. That''s why you have to face your magic."


    "But my magic doesn''t listen to me at all. ......"


    "That''s why we''re here. We will do everything in our power to make sure you don''t hurt the people around you."


    I am sure that Gref and the others are precious to this child.


    If he were to take such an existence in his hands, his heart would be broken.


    No one would want that kind of an ending.


    "For that reason, first of all, you need to change your perception. Maybe you''ve recognized that your magic is not yours."


    "Is that wrong?"


    "Is that wrong?" "Yes. Your magic is still yours.


    Perhaps because he has suffered so much from dark magic, he is subconsciously disgusted by his own magic.


    If her magic is reflecting her emotions, then it is likely to directly reflect her "dislike for her own magic".


    She says, "I can''t accept my own magic, can I?


    "...... Yes."


    "Then let''s get used to it while dealing with dark magic."


    I pick up a fist-sized stone that has fallen by an empty house and place it on a wooden box.


    "My first goal is to touch it of my own volition. Can you do it?"


    "Yes, I''ll try!"


    Saying this, Keira extends the black power of her dark magic from the shadow at her feet.


    She looks at the black magic extending from her feet and raises her hand to a stone on a wooden box about two meters away.


    The magic at her feet moves, but it seems to resist her will.


    She is still trying to force it to move.


    "You don''t have to try to control it. It is important to take it for granted that you can move it, just as you would move your own limbs.


    "Yes, sir."


    At my advice, Keira relaxed her shoulders.


    The magic around her feet has lost its resistance and is now moving.


    I watch her training from a distance of about five meters, while giving her advice little by little.


    "If this was a healing magic training, I could have given some advice too. ......"


    "It''s not so much healing magic as physical training, isn''t it?¡¡In your case."


    "I don''t deny it."


    Maybe Nea is right and I''m not cut out to teach magic.


    To be honest, the only thing I''ve been taught about magic is to "feel the magic while running.


    "But seeing Keira reminds me of when I was a knack ......"


    >


    "Yeah."


    He nodded at Ferrum''s words.


    When I first met him, he was in a complicated situation, but now he is a member of the rescue team.


    The training we had given him was to make him a movable healing wizard just like Rose and me, but looking back now, I think Nack did a great job after only five days of training.


    At least for the last two days, I was also very hard on him. .......


    "I could have Keira do lifeguard-style magic training, too,...... but it would be too dangerous given the nature of dark magic."


    >


    "It''s called running and working your magic. I thought that if I was running, I wouldn''t have to think about anything else, and I could just let the magic flow out naturally."


    It would make sense, but it would cause Keira a lot of stress, and most importantly, it would not avoid the disapproval of the people around her.


    Even I know what is right and what is wrong.


    "...... but it''s still a mysterious magic, isn''t it? Dark magic is so different compared to other types of magic.


    <


    Nair and Ferrum muttered to each other when they saw Keira.


    As they are reminded of what a dark magician is, they notice a change in the magical power of the dark magic of Keira, who is training in front of them.


    "......"


    One of the magic powers at Keira''s feet is moving slowly.


    There is no awkwardness, as if it is being forced to move. Keira looks seriously at the one black magic power floating in front of her.


    After a few seconds or so, the floating black power returns to the shadows at her feet.


    She tenses up and turns around to look at me.


    "Usato-san!"


    "Yes, I was watching you."


    "I was able to move it at will, just a little bit!"


    Keira smiles brightly.


    She is a quick learner.


    This is going to be easier than I thought it would be to get her to learn how to use it.


    "At this rate, you''ll be fine without me, won''t you?


    "---What?"


    Keira''s smile fades instantly.


    It was a spontaneous remark, but it was not a good idea to upset Keira''s mood.


    I wave my hand to the side as if to fool Keira and urge her to continue the training.


    "Well, first of all, let''s keep practicing!"


    "...... yes."


    She regains her composure and replies, once again manipulating her magic.


    Once she had a clue, all she had to do was to let it come to her.


    Watching over Keira, I relax my shoulders in peace.


    "The magic seems to be working.


    "Yes. I was worried at first, but at this rate I think I''ll be fine."


    "Ferrum, is there something on your mind?"


    I ask Ferrum, who growls in annoyance at my and Nair''s words, and she replies in a rather brusque manner.


    >


    "What do you mean?"


    "......"


    Yeah, maybe.


    I know very little about Keira.


    What kind of past does she have, and how does she feel now that she is trying to learn how to use dark magic? I only know what is on the surface.


    "I understand."


    "No, you don''t understand."


    Why do you people only have the option of being dependent or not?¡¡Can''t you just say that they trust you?


    How much of a troublemaker do you think I am?


    I tried to keep my mind off of Keira, even though I was not happy with the way she was treating me.


    I was not happy with the way I was treated.


    A few hours into the training.


    When it was almost noon, I told Keira to take a break from training, and I was grilling a fish on a skewer in front of the campfire.


    The fish had been caught by one of my senpai in the morning.


    I could preserve it with Leona''s magic or make it into a preserved food, but for now, I prepared it lightly to serve as lunch for Keira and her family.


    "Sorry, Usato."


    "No, no, it''s no trouble at all."


    I reply to Mr. Gref''s apologetic expression with a wry smile.


    To tell the truth, it''s a simple job of gutting and skewering the fish.


    Anyway, Nair is supposed to help me out too, but ...... he flew away as an owl and hasn''t come back since.


    It''s not like he went that far.


    "...... you really are a strange man. You''re really a strange man, how you can so easily dismiss Keira''s magic. ......"


    "Ha-ha-ha, I work out a lot."


    Mr. Gref smiled as he rolled his arms around me, as if he had been caught by me.


    He looked at Rose and Ram on the back of the bullring, and at Keira who was looking at them with a gasp, and gave a small sigh.


    "It was hard when I first met her. I''m not very strong myself, so I was always getting fresh wounds. I don''t regret taking her in, but it was really hard."


    "It''s different now, isn''t it?"


    Of course it is. But she''s still ...... sick about it."


    You mean you regret hurting Mr. Gref with your magic.


    Well, I can''t blame you if you feel that way when you hurt someone who is being kind to you. If I hurt the Commander too---wait, let''s not think about that since it doesn''t apply to the story in the first place.


    He moves his hand, which had been stopped, and sticks the skewered fish on the ground where it will be exposed to the heat of the bonfire.


    "...... Speaking of which..."


    I wanted to ask Mr. Gref something.


    I''m not at liberty to ask him in front of Keira, so I''ll ask him now.


    "Mr. Gref. Keira told me that if she was lied to, her magic would go out of control. Do you know anything about that?"


    "...... Keira told you that herself?"


    "?¡¡Yes, well..."


    "I see. ......"


    What''s that reaction? It makes me very nervous.


    Mr. Gref growls in distress.


    After a moment of silence, he looks up with a determined expression on his face.


    "Usato, Keira is..."


    "Hey!¡¡Usatoh!"


    A loud voice interrupts Mr. Gref''s voice.


    I look over to see Nair, who has transformed into the form of a demon tribe, beckoning to me.


    Near her, Leona and her friends are wearing hoods. ......I''m wondering what Mr. Greff was going to say, but first let''s go to Nair.


    "Mr. Gref, I''m sorry. The fish is just waiting to be cooked. ......


    "No problem. If your friends are calling you, you''d better get going."


    After saying no to Mr. Gref, I leave the scene.


    In the middle of this, Keira notices me and rushes over to me.


    "Are you going somewhere, Mr. Usato?"


    "Yes, I''ve been called away by my friends.


    "Training, is ......?"


    I understand that you want to deal with your magic as soon as possible, but it would be better not to let Keira train in magic by herself, just in case.


    Besides, Keira must have consumed a lot of magic power during the morning training.


    We shouldn''t push her too hard.


    "Let''s take a break until I come back. She will be tired from the unfamiliar training, so don''t push yourself too hard.


    "Yes, but..."


    Usatoh!


    "Aah!¡¡I''m coming!¡¡---I''m coming. Don''t worry, your magic is improving.


    After telling Keira this, he turns to Bullin.


    Bulrin is lying on his back, and Rose and Ram are climbing on his back and playing with him.


    Smiling at the sight, I call out to him.


    "Bulrin!¡¡I might have to leave for a while, so if something happens, you protect Mr. Gref and the others!"


    "Gua!"


    Yes!


    I confirm that the cry has been answered with a vigorous cry and move away from Keira to join N¨¦a.


    "Neah, what the hell is going on?"


    The tin can wants to talk to you. What did you say to Keira?¡¡She was staring at me for a second.


    "Yeah, I don''t see anything funny ......."


    I look back at Keira with this thought, but she doesn''t seem to be glaring at me.


    "It''s just your imagination, isn''t it?"


    "...... Hmmm, maybe it is. "Well, follow me, we''re all waiting for you.


    "Okay."


    He follows Nair and leaves.


    They move to the outskirts of the village where the seniors who were with them are waiting for them, and they unassimilate with Ferrum.


    Everyone except for Bulrin had gathered there.


    When the senior members saw me, they immediately spoke to me.


    "A while ago, Leona and I went to the place where the ruins are located.


    "......What happened?"


    The place had been suspicious to begin with, but had something really happened?


    I asked my senpai and Leona nodded.


    "Is it related to the reason why you called me and Usato here?"


    "Yes, that''s why I called the two of you who have the "armor of the brave".


    Kazuki''s left arm cage and my right arm cage.


    Both of them are the armor of a brave warrior given to me by the Lord Falga.


    The fact that he called us with them meant that something was involved in that place---the ruins where the Demon King used to be.

 252 - - Twenty-seven.

    After that, Senpai, Kazuki, myself and Amako were going to the ruins.


    Actually, we should all head for the ruins to make sure, but we couldn''t leave Gref and the others alone, so we left Nair, Ferrum, Leona, and Bulrin in the village.


    "Senpai, what happened at the ruins?"


    "I think the short answer is that my armor and Leona''s armor reacted.


    "How do you mean, ''react''?"


    Kazuki asked, and the senior member of the group who was walking in front of him described the situation at that time.


    "When I approached the place where I could see the ruins, I felt a sudden burst of excitement.¡¡I felt a kind of aura like a flash. The next moment, the weapon deployed on its own and reacted as if it was resonating with something inside the ruins!


    "I can''t really feel the tension, Suzune."


    "Haha ......"


    I chuckle at Amako''s comment, but then I realize why she called me and Kazuki.


    "So you want to see if the same thing happens to me and Kazuki?"


    "Yeah, it doesn''t really matter, but if the same thing happens twice, we can be sure, can''t we?"


    I nodded my head in agreement with my senior.


    But I''m nervous when we head out there.


    This is the place where the Demon King once used as his stronghold and the place where he and the heroes fought a decisive battle. As I have known Senpai and the brave Kazuki up to now, it is a place that makes me think that there is some kind of a connection between them.


    "Usato, how much progress have you made in your training with Keira?


    "Well, you were teaching the dark wizard how to use magic, weren''t you?


    Suddenly, Amako, who was walking next to me, asked me something like that.


    Senpai and Kazuki also seemed to be interested.


    "You are doing well. You''re taking it in fast, and I''m sure you''ll be working your magic in no time.


    "It''s pretty easy."


    Not really. It''s just that Felm, who knows a lot about dark magic, was there to teach me."


    If it had not been for her, I would not have been able to advise Keira.


    Or perhaps I would not have even known why she had a problem with her magic in the first place.


    "This reminds me of the time of Nack. Usato was teaching him a lot of things back then, wasn''t he?


    "Hahaha, you''re right. I miss those days.


    We set out on our mission to deliver the letter and to save Amako''s mother.


    At that time, I had no idea how tumultuous the rest of the journey would be.


    "What surprised me during the trip was that Amako''s mother had a very mischievous personality.


    "Oh, really?¡¡What was she like?"


    "Usato!"


    The senpai, intrigued by the words he muttered, comes to visit him, but Amako, in a panic, stops him.


    Is Amako embarrassed because it is a family matter?


    I should keep my mouth shut here, but... it''s a good topic of conversation, so I continue!


    She was a beautiful woman. She was a little careless at times, but she was very energetic. I think she might have a good personality with my senior.


    "I see. ...... if it''s Amaco''s mother. ......"


    Senpai glanced at Amako, thought for a few seconds, and then turned to Amako with a crisp look on his face.


    "Amako, when this battle is over, may I go see your mother?"


    "Suzune, if you want to see your mother... I''ll be your opponent."


    "Prepare for battle!"


    Amako says this with a determination that is almost unparalleled, as if she really doesn''t want us to see him.


    Amako''s senpai, who was supposed to be the one making fun of Amako, turns into a comedian.


    While I was thinking that this is a rare combination of people, Amako starts talking to me.


    "Usato, do you know what will happen if you let Suzune see her mother?


    "What?¡¡Will they get along ......?"


    "Yes, you and Suzune will get along. I know that too.


    Kanoko-san has a generous and gentle personality, and I think she would be able to talk well with senpai.


    But what''s the problem with that?


    As I tilted my head, she said the next words with a serious expression on her face.


    Suzune is good with the good-natured Linka.


    "Yes."


    "Mom will be joining the duo of Rinka and Suzune."


    "...... yeah."


    "It''s definitely going to be tough. To be more specific, Hayate''s stomach will explode."


    .......


    ......,.......


    In my mind''s eye, I see Hayate-san working hard every day as the head of Hinomoto.


    "......Senpai, I may be the one to say this, but ......I''m going to be the one to stop you."


    "Oh, you''re not on that side, are you?¡¡Usato, you''re not on our side?


    "Hayate-san, I must protect you. ......!"


    Who?¡¡Why do you have such a bitter look on your face?


    Even I''m getting sick to my stomach over Ms. Kanoko.


    And if the senpai combined with Rinka, who seems to be the personification of vigor, will be roaming around Hinomoto, he will surely be under even more stress than Jinya-san was. ......!


    We must avoid that. ......!


    I have to protect him......!


    "Kuh, that''s my rival Amako,......!¡¡How easy it is for you to win Usato-kun over to your side. ......!"


    "I think that Suzune should first pull his own weight."


    "Hmph, that wouldn''t be me!¡¡I can see that you would rather be worried about me!


    "It''s not nice that you can analyze yourself so well.


    "Yes, I do worry about it. ......"


    Me and Kazuki can''t help but agree.


    At least, if I were to go back to my senpai''s personality like the one I used to have in the world, I would be more worried than surprised.


    "Well, we should be getting to the place where we can see the ruins. Maybe it''s more than you guys imagine, so you might need to prepare yourselves.


    "?¡¡...... understand."


    I guess it''s a place like that, right?


    While questioning my senpai''s words, I walked through the forest and came out into an open space.


    "This is ......!"


    The first thing I saw was the fresh earth.


    I was stunned to see a place where not even grass or trees had grown for hundreds of meters ahead.


    "Is this the Demon Lord''s territory ......?"


    This is a far cry from the forests we have walked through up until now, this is truly "dead earth".


    I feel a latent fear in this lifeless place, but not far from here, I find what looks like a structure.


    A half-destroyed temple-like structure.


    "Senpai, that''s ......."


    "Ah, the ruins where the Demon King and the heroes fought."


    It''s kind of spooky, isn''t it?


    The next moment I nodded my head in agreement with Kazuki, something like a gust of wind came blowing from the ruins.


    It was a warm wind filled with some kind of magical power.


    The moment I felt that wind, the armor of the heroes that I, my senpai, and Kazuki were holding deployed on their own.


    "Wow, Senpai, you don''t think this is ......!"


    "Of course. It seems that the armor of the brave deploys itself when you approach the ruins to a certain distance.


    We were surprised to see the armor of each brave man.


    I look closely at my basket hand, and it is making a small sound as if it is resonating with something.


    Come---come---no. Uto... to...!


    "Ah!"


    Suddenly, a woman''s voice echoes, as if speaking directly into your head.


    I feel a slight pain and dizzy, and when I start to wobble, Kazuki quickly supports me.


    "Usato!


    "Oh, hey, are you okay?


    "......Thank you, Kazuki. But don''t worry, I just heard a mysterious voice.


    "Usato, I don''t think that''s okay. ......?


    The pain in your head will only last a moment, so there''s no need to worry .......


    "Don''t come," said a voice I didn''t recognize.


    "...... warning?"


    "It sounded somewhat desperate. More like ...... telling us to run away. ....... Amaco, did you feel anything?"


    I asked Amako, who is keen on these senses, but she shook her head.


    "I felt some kind of eerie atmosphere, but I didn''t hear any voices.


    "I see. ......"


    So it''s either my auditory hallucination or a mysterious voice that only I can hear.


    If it warns us to run away, maybe it''s not the enemy.


    Is someone trapped?


    Let''s get out of here.


    "Right. I don''t think we should stay here any longer, as well as the fact that we are influencing Usato in some way."


    "I think it''s better that way, too."


    If we stay here any longer, we might be affected in some way.


    Considering the danger, we decided to return to the village where Leona and the others were waiting for a report.


    We returned to the village where Leona and her family were waiting for us to report back.


    As it turned out, we decided not to head for the ruins, but to make a detour.


    First of all, we were out of luck when our hero''s armor showed a strong reaction, and secondly, we heard a mysterious voice warning us that it was better not to go there.


    I don''t disagree with the decision because I want to avoid trouble, but somewhere in my mind I wonder if it''s really the right thing to do.


    I wonder who that mysterious woman''s voice was, or if the sword of the brave is something we need.


    "Where is Ferrum? ......"


    As the sun was setting and the sky was turning orange, I was walking among the empty houses, looking for Ferrum.


    I had to find Ferm as soon as possible, because I didn''t want to be seen by Mr. Gref, although I was wearing the hood of my group uniform, so it wouldn''t be a problem if he saw me.


    "I heard Nair is over here ......"


    Since we have not introduced Mr. Gref to Ferrum, it is unlikely that he has shown up.


    As I walk along, being careful of my surroundings, I spot her in the shadow of an empty house nearby where I had seen Keira training in the morning.


    She is leaning her back against the wall and seems to be looking at something from the shadows.


    "Ferrum, there you are!"


    "What?¡¡Oh, you scared me. ......!"


    I''m sorry, I''m sorry. ...... So, what''s going on?"


    Look at that.


    I looked in the direction Ferrum indicated with his chin and saw Keira training in dark magic at the same place where we had been training in the morning.


    I told her to take a rest, but she is trying to control dark magic by herself.


    I know I should be careful here ...... but I can understand her desire to do something about her power.


    "......If this wasn''t the demon king''s territory, I''d be scouting for the rescue squad."


    "Hmph!"


    I get kicked in the shin with my toe.


    I was just teasing him, but isn''t that too powerful?


    I''m just kidding. When did she start training?"


    "Right after you left."


    "Immediately? Have you been doing it ever since?"


    He tells Ferrum to assimilate and heads for Keira.


    I change into my demon form and try to get out of the shadows as soon as possible, but before I can do so, I see Keira''s dark magic approaching the pebble I placed during my training, and I stop in my tracks.


    I forget my frustration and watch Keira with bated breath.


    "Good luck ......"


    I naturally say so.


    Then, the black magic slowly moved by her will, and I could see it touch the stone.


    Leaning against the wall, I look at her again, but... somehow, Keira does not seem to be pleased to have achieved her goal.


    She just stares at the stone.


    "Keira?"


    <>


    After a few dozen seconds of this, her body suddenly wobbled.


    ---Oh no!


    Immediately, I jump out of the shadows and catch her back to support her.


    Then, you cast a healing spell on her without her noticing.


    "Usato-san ......?


    "I told you to take a break."


    "---I''m sorry!¡¡When did this happen?"


    "Just now. I saw you about to fall down, so I ran out."


    "......"


    Keira''s face looks tired, probably because she has used a lot of magic power.


    In addition, she looked away from me, as if she was uncomfortable with the fact that I had been training in secret.


    "......Even after all this practice, I couldn''t even touch the stone."


    ...... hmm?¡¡But it looked like you succeeded just now.


    Was I looking at it wrong?


    Maybe he was shocked that he couldn''t reach it just in time earlier?


    "Don''t worry about it. Rest first, and we''ll try again tomorrow."


    "...... is yes."


    She closed her eyes slowly after saying that much and fell asleep.


    You can''t ...... do something like this until you''re exhausted.


    No, this is my fault.


    I understood her desire to do something about her magic, but I did not stop her strongly enough.


    I regret my lack of consideration and head toward the empty house where Gref and the others are probably staying, with Keira in my arms.


    .


    "Hmm, what''s wrong?"


    Ferm, who had been silent until now, speaks to me in a grave voice.


    <>.


    "...... what do you mean?"


    A village?


    When I was in the demon king''s army, I was called the Black Knight.


    What''s the story?


    "Letting children be eaten by demons: ......?"


    What the hell is that?


    I feel a chill in my bones.


    I don''t want to hear the rest of the story, but I have to hear it.


    <


    "Did she do something funny?"


    <


    "...... for what?"


    I am puzzled, and Ferm continues.


    <


    "So, what''s all this talk about feeding children to demons about?"


    .


    FELM is at a loss for words, or perhaps it is too painful to say.


    "Lies? ......"


    .


    I listen to Ferrum''s story and look at Keira, who is holding her.


    When she is told a lie, the magic of dark magic goes out of control.


    It is a trauma that is etched in Keira''s mind.


    I had thought that Keira had been lied to by someone and had suffered some terrible thing, but the story that Ferrum told me was far more cruel than I had ever imagined.

 253 - - Twenty-eight.

    Lately I''ve been having the same nightmares.


    The memory of that day when my mother and father left me in the dark forest.


    It was my happiest memory and my worst.


    My mother''s smile, the same as always.


    Back then, I thought it was a natural smile.


    That''s why I was glad that you relied on me, a child.


    .


    The same kind words from my father.


    But they were just words without any emotion.


    Back then, I believed them so easily, and I wanted to be useful... so I stepped into the dark forest alone.


    ---I should never have been born.


    I hear a dark, stagnant, haunting voice in my ear.


    I don''t know who that voice is, but I''m sure it''s the voice of my heart.


    My true, unspoken, untruthful feelings.


    ---Why am I the only one who has to suffer like this?


    My family abandoned me because I possessed dark magic.


    I was almost eaten alive by demons.


    ---I don''t want to be alone.


    If Gref hadn''t picked me up I''d be dead in a ditch somewhere.


    If it hadn''t been for Rose and Ram, I still wouldn''t have been able to open my heart to anyone.


    But if I stay with Gref and the others, my dark magic might hurt them.


    I don''t want that.


    Then I''d rather .......


    --- he won''t get hurt if he''s with me.


    I heard such a voice in my ear.


    That man, Usato, will accept me.


    He understands my pain.


    He teaches me how to use dark magic.


    He smiles at me without pretense, just like Gref and the others.


    He will stop my magic from hurting someone.


    --- I know he won''t reject me.


    I''m sure.


    Of course he would.


    His face and his words were not empty.


    That''s why..,


    ¡ñ


    "----uh......"


    --- Is this exactly what the worst feeling is like?


    Waking up from the dream and covering my eyes with my hands to block the sunlight coming in through the window, I remember the dream I had just had, and I feel a tremendous sense of disgust.


    It made me realize how ugly I was and how much I only thought about myself.


    "Keira?"


    What?


    I look up from staring at my hand as I get up from the bed.


    "Mr. Usato, ......"


    Entering through the open door was Usato-san, the demon who saved me from being attacked by a demon.


    He is a user of the same dark magic as I am, but he is so kind that I cannot believe he has the same magic as I do.


    When he noticed that I had woken up, he looked relieved and sat down on a nearby chair.


    "Good morning. How are you feeling?¡¡Do you remember how you used so much magic yesterday that you fainted?"


    "...... sorry."


    Of course I remember.


    I did not follow your words and trained on my own, and I collapsed.


    And... I lied to this man.


    He looks at me strangely when I apologize and gives me a smile that isn''t fake.


    "Don''t worry about it. I''ve trained myself to the point of collapse. I''ve trained until I collapsed. hahaha"


    Sometimes, Usato-san has a unique pause in his conversation.


    He reacts as if he is talking to someone even though he is not talking to anyone.


    "Keira, let''s take a break from training in the morning, shall we?"


    "......?¡¡Eh!?"


    "I''m sure your magic hasn''t fully recovered yet, so you need to rest a little longer."


    No. No, no, no.


    I couldn''t help but raise my voice in response to Usato-san''s words of concern for me.


    "I''ll be fine!¡¡I can do it!"


    "No, I can do it! ......It''s the same with magic, you can''t do what you can do when you''re tense. I''m going to take the morning off until my magic recovers.


    I''m already on ......."


    You''ve already met your goal.


    But I can''t say it.


    I can''t tell the truth because I lied.


    "Already?"


    "......, it''s nothing."


    Usato-san tilts his head with a smile on his face, and I can''t say anything more.


    He sighs a little, as if he can''t help himself, and continues to speak.


    "So, do you want to go get some fish?"


    "...... yes?"


    Yes, ...... fish?


    Usato''s sudden suggestion made me let out an unintentionally smug sound.


    The river flows with a quiet murmur.


    If you look into the surface of the water, the water is so clear that you can even see the bottom, and you can see some fish swimming in the water.


    "...... cold."


    Somehow, Usato and I had come to a river near the village.


    Sitting on the riverbank, with only my bare feet in the water, I look at Usato-san who is standing in the middle of the river.


    "The river is for fishing, but I don''t have a fishing rod and I can''t make one. Then, I can reverse the situation. You don''t need a fishing rod. ......!"


    "Ho......"


    "Hmph, don''t compliment me."


    Usato-san is smiling a satisfied smile, and before you know it, he has a messenger owl on his shoulder.


    "Usato-san, what are you doing ......?"


    "As you can see, I''m catching fish."


    "As you see?"


    ...... What, with your bare hands?


    I was surprised that he took off his shoes and went into the river, as if it were a matter of course, but he really wants to catch it with his bare hands?


    Before the demon king came back to life, but now the nature and animals in the demon king''s territory have regained a lot of vitality, so river fish shouldn''t be so easy to catch.


    "Grab it?¡¡No, no, ---- nea, binding spells."


    As Usato muttered something in a whisper, his right hand was covered with the black magic of dark magic.


    He raised his fist and slammed it into the water with blinding speed.


    "---Tumbling fist!"


    Instantly---the surface of the water explodes from where Usato slammed his fist down.


    Something purple rushes through the water, and a dozen or so fish float by. They are still breathing, but somehow they seem to be stuck.


    "Yotto ......"


    Usato quickly caught about six of the fish, and the remaining four that were just floating around began to move energetically as if they had come back to life.


    "How did you do that?


    "What?¡¡I hit the surface of the water and knocked the fish out with my momentum.


    "Can you do that with dark magic too?


    If it were possible, I''d like to try it too.


    When I asked him with such a thought in my mind, Usato-san was clearly flustered.


    "No, this has little to do with dark magic. It is a technique that can be done with arm strength and other elements.


    "Arm strength ......?¡¡U, Usato, you have great arm strength too?¡¡You must be very strong!


    "Ho-ho-ho!"


    The owl on Usato''s shoulder clamped its wings over its mouth and shook its small body.


    No, come to think of it, it was the same when it protected us from the pack of hangwolves. He had thrown the hangwolves with great force even from the demon tribe''s point of view, no wonder considering his power.


    "Hey, hey, what are you laughing at?"


    "Haw."


    An owl flies off his shoulder to get away from an angry Usato, his cheeks twitching.


    Flapping its wings in the air, the owl heads for my shoulder ....... What?


    Suddenly, an owl jumps on my shoulder, startling me into jumping.


    "Usato-san, what should I do?


    "This guy''s got the smarts. ...... that kid''s gonna be okay. He''s basically quiet and won''t hurt you."


    "Ho-ho-ho!"


    I''m sure they''re very quiet when you think about it...... though their squeals are a bit funny.


    If you reach out your hand to her on your shoulder, she offers you her head and seems to understand your words.


    When I pet her fearlessly, she squints her eyes at me pleasantly.


    "Ho."


    "......"


    Ah, this is a totally seductive creature.


    Probably a lot of people must have been attracted to this girl.


    After stroking the fish as if possessed for a while, Usato-san, who had put away the fish he had caught, raises his right hand.


    The owl on his shoulder jumped up and stayed on Usato''s right arm, then jumped to his shoulder.


    "Well, now that we have the fish, let''s go back.


    "...... yes."


    I can''t help but let out a depressed sound, but Usato-san smiles at me.


    "Haha, you can do whatever you want with him when you get back."


    "Are you sure?


    "What?


    I am ashamed of my loud voice, but I continue with Usato-san along the roadless path to the village where Gref and the others are.


    "I guess that was a nice change of pace, huh?"


    "......?"


    "You seemed to be in a great hurry during yesterday''s training. I thought it would be good if I could clear my mind while recovering my magic power.


    It is true that I had trained ignoring Usato''s words in order to be able to handle my own magic. Because of that, I was reckless to the extent that I almost ran out of magic power, and I caused trouble for Usato-san as well.


    Mr. Gref, Ram and Rose were worried about me."


    "Gref and his team are at ......."


    As soon as I heard the names of Gref and the others, a bad thought came to my mind.


    It is the worst possible future that my magic will attack the Grefs, hurt them, and finally take their lives.


    No.


    I won''t let that happen.


    I tell myself that I will be fine as long as I learn how to use dark magic from Usato-san, but I can''t erase the imagination that pops into my head.


    "Um, Mr. Usato..."


    "Hmm?"


    "May I ...... follow you on your journey?"


    I had said those words unconsciously.


    By the time I realized it, it was already too late, and Usato-san stopped on the spot, silent and not saying anything.


    I felt a familiar fear in her reaction, so I opened my mouth and let my emotions take over.


    I don''t want to hurt anyone!¡¡Not Gref, not Rose, not Ram, not ...... anyone else ......!"


    "......"


    "So, Usato, you can stop me and teach me about dark magic..."


    "Keira. Sorry, I can''t do that."


    For a moment, I could not understand what Usato-san was saying.


    "Our journey has a purpose. I can''t take you with me for that purpose."


    "Why, sir? ......"


    It''s an important mission. I can''t put you in harm''s way."


    Is that true?


    Maybe he''s saying the right things and getting turned down.


    Maybe he is lying to me, a child.


    A voice of doubt echoes in my head.


    I push in my mindless words and still desperately appeal to him.


    "I''ll never learn how to use magic power if I don''t do this!¡¡That''s why ......!"


    "Don''t worry, I know ...... you don''t have to lie."


    They even know I''m lying.


    If I don''t do something, Usato will leave me behind. Just like your mother and father did when they tried to feed me to their demons.


    No! No, no, no!


    I''m shaking with agitation, but Usato-san is still talking to me.


    I was wrong. It''s not your magic you don''t believe in. It''s you."


    "I don''t know anything about myself!¡¡How can I believe in myself!


    I raise my voice against Usato''s calm tone.


    I realized that he had asked me a question to my face.


    I didn''t believe in myself.


    I was a child who deserved to be abandoned!¡¡I was born with dark magic!¡¡I wasn''t a good child for my mother and father, so they abandoned me!


    "......"


    "I was the only one who thought we were family, and it was a lie!¡¡I was the only one who thought we were family, and it was a lie!


    I know it''s wrong to complain to Mr. Usato, but I can''t stop the black feelings welling up from deep inside of me.


    "If I had survived and not been picked up by Gref, I wouldn''t have had to worry about Rose and Ram getting hurt!¡¡I wouldn''t have been a burden to Gref because of the people around me!¡¡Because of me, people are scared and their loved ones are unhappy!"


    "......Keira"


    "I wish I had died in the dark woods that day..."


    "Keira!!!!"


    Usato''s loud voice brings me back to myself.


    In front of me, Usato-san is looking behind me, his arms covered with the black magic of dark magic.


    Don''t look back. Walk slowly toward me.


    "Usato, Mr. ......?"


    I''ll take care of that thing that came out of your body. That''s why ......!"


    ---There''s something right behind you.


    I looked at my feet and saw that the dark magic I had unknowingly activated was spreading around my feet and flowing behind me.


    I was tormented by the sensation of a large amount of magic draining from my body, and I involuntarily turned my head back.


    There was..,


    A black, skeleton-thin, humanoid object, much taller than I am.


    It swung down at me, snapping its knife-like fingers.

 254 - - Twenty-nine.

    Something humanoid emerged from Keira''s feet to float behind her.


    It was thin as a splinter, with sharp claws twisted like a sickle, and its head was devoid of a face.


    A monster created by Keira''s dark magic.


    As soon as the creature tries to swing its claws down on Keira, I accelerate to her rescue with all my might, using the elasticity and the outburst of my magic power.


    "Hmph!"


    I hold Keira and kick her with my legs, which are filled with elasticity-imparting magic, as soon as she escapes from the claws.


    I''d like to say "healed resilient leg", but I can''t really call it healing when I''m so close to Keira.


    No, it''s more like ......!


    Keira, are you okay?


    "......!"


    I look at Keira, who is holding her, her face is pale and her eyes are closed.


    Is she unconscious?


    I ask Nair, who is on my shoulder, to examine her.


    "She seems to have lost her magic and fainted.


    "...... that''s what caused it."


    A black humanoid figure is slammed into a tree and tries to get up.


    The humanoid is trying to get up with slimy behavior, and I feel indescribably creepy.


    <


    Ferrum looks at the black humanoid and mutters regretfully.


    I''m the one who''s to blame for that. If only I had thought a little more about this girl''s feelings. ......"


    "You can be sorry later!¡¡They''re coming!"


    ......!


    He holds Keira with his left arm and covers her with dark magic to protect her, leaving her right arm free.


    I hold my right arm outstretched, and stare at the humanoid as it moves into a posture as if it is going to jump at me.


    >


    "Ah!¡¡Nair, cast a binding spell!


    I''m on it!


    I can see from her feet that Keira and the humanoid are connected by magic.


    If her magic is being sucked out of her now, we have to do something fast.


    The black humanoid comes running out with an eerie yell.


    "Jaaaah!"


    "Binding and Healing Bullet!"


    With arms outstretched, the humanoid leaps at you, popping your arms and simultaneously restraining you.


    I move my feet as if gliding and move instantly to the humanoid''s side, then I put my fist on its unprotected torso, and from the close proximity, I hit it with a healing flying fist with all my might.


    "Healing Fist!"


    It was a blow because the opponent was not a human being---it was just a small move, but the humanoid''s body was shattered in an instant.


    I was taken aback to see the residue of black magic power fluttering away in the air.


    "Surprisingly fragile ......?"


    <<>


    There is no sign of magic emanating from Keira, who is wrapped in a robe of dark magic.


    It''s not okay .......


    It''s safe to say that things have gotten worse.


    "Usato, let''s move her to a safe place first.


    "...... yeah."


    He nodded to Nair''s words and headed in the direction of the village, carrying Keira in his arms.


    I can''t be a part of this anymore.


    If we''re this involved, we should ask Mr. Gref about Keira''s past.


    I''m sure he''ll be able to tell us more.


    I returned to the village with Keira and after putting her to bed, I decided to call Mr. Greff to talk to him.


    I told him about the conversation I had had with her in the forest, and he held his head in his hands with a devastated look on his face.


    "I never thought Keira was that cornered. ......"


    The room with the bed in which Keira is lying.


    She sits in a chair beside him, nodding and mouthing apologies to him.


    "I''m sorry. I was following you. ......"


    "No, it''s not your fault. It''s my fault for not being able to understand the pain she''s going through. ......


    Keira''s words spoken through tears.


    I don''t want to hurt anyone.


    You make your loved ones unhappy.


    The reason she wanted to follow us was because she didn''t want to hurt anyone.


    Even after listening to her tearful pleas, I could not take her with me.


    Our mission was to "defeat the Demon King," and I would have put Keira, a child who knew nothing about the situation, in danger.


    Above all, our goal is to bring misfortune to Keira and the other children.


    "Mr. Gref, tell us about Keira''s past."


    "You''re a dark wizard, you know what I''m talking about, don''t you?"


    It was Ferrum who told me, but I said I had an idea of what he meant.


    "The Abomination?"


    "...... just hearing that name makes me feel an uncontrollable anger. To have one''s own child, of all people, killed alive by a demon ...... is a fearless act that does not even have a sense of guilt."


    He took a deep breath to control his anger and continued to speak.


    "Keira is a child who was sent to the abyss and abandoned by her own parents."


    To be honest, I didn''t want the terrible story of parents telling lies to their children so that demons would kill them to be true.


    I listened to Mr. Gref''s words, suppressing my own emotions.


    "......I found her on the road, in the midst of a nest of demons."


    "Did Mr. Greff get rid of the demons?"


    No, the demon was already dead.


    You mean someone saved Keira?


    I asked. He shook his head.


    "Keira was just cowering on the ground, shivering, while a black, four-legged wolf-like monster stood beside her, choking out the demon who was the master of the den."


    "Like a wolf ......?"


    I guess it''s a different form than mine.


    Does it change form depending on your feelings at the time?


    "After the black monster disappeared, I took Keira back to the village. At the time I thought that Keira had wandered into the monster''s lair by accident. ......In hindsight, it was a mistake to bring her back to the village where her parents were."


    "...... what happened?"


    "They cursed me. Keira''s parents said, "Why did you come back?" and "Don''t do anything you don''t have to."


    Parents who want their children eaten alive by demons.


    I didn''t think I''d get a sane response, but this is a ...... waste of time.


    "The way they spewed out such unspeakable atrocities to their less than ten children was so hideous that it was hard to believe that they were the same person. ....... The people in the village didn''t condemn them for what they had done, but looked at me and Keira as if we were a nuisance."


    "Does Keira have a reason to be treated so badly ......?¡¡This is just too absurd."


    If I had been there, I am not sure I would have been able to hold back my anger.


    I would clench my fists as hard as I could, as if to contain my anger.


    "So I snapped and took Keira in."


    "...... thank you for talking to us."


    When Mr. Gref finishes speaking, he bows his head.


    He smiles weakly and stands up with his cane.


    "I''m going to check on Rose and Ram. I''ll check on Keira, you get some rest.


    "...... understand."


    He nodded to Mr. Gref and left the room with his cane.


    Amako entered the room as he passed him.


    "Usato, how is Keira?"


    "She has used up a lot of her magic, so she''s just sleeping."


    I look down at the sleeping Keira with Amako, who has moved to stand alongside me leaning against the wall.


    She is sleeping quietly now, but I worry about when she wakes up.


    "What can I do for her? ......"


    I can only teach him magic, but I cannot do more than that.


    I can''t take her on our journey for her own sake, and I''m telling myself a big lie about Keira.


    "I don''t know, this girl. She looks like me."


    Suddenly, Amako looks into Keira''s face and says something like that.


    "...... Is that...?"


    "It''s not how you look, it''s not how old you are, it''s not how tall you are."


    "Oh, oh."


    Three in a row.


    How much do you care if he won''t even let you argue with him?


    "That''s not what I meant, I also asked for help the first time I met Usato. ......"


    "That time, huh?"


    "A lot has happened since then, but we''ve worked hard to get through it."


    After Amako asked me for help, I went around several kingdoms, and finally I was able to save Mr. Kanoko.


    Along the way, we had a big commotion, but we were able to make it to the end.


    When I think about it, this situation of being in all directions seems to be something I am used to.


    So you''re saying it''s too early to give up?


    That''s, that''s what I wanted to say.


    Amako raised her index finger in a smug manner, and Fellum gave her a sharp rebuke.


    First of all, when Keira wakes up, let''s have a talk with her and then decide what we should do about her magic.


    "You know what, Usato?


    "Hmm?"


    About those ruins... ......


    As I was making up my mind to face Keira once more, Amako told me about the ruins.


    "I still think it''s better not to go to the ruins, but I was thinking that maybe the ''katana of the brave'' that they say is in the ruins is something we need. ......


    "......, honestly, I''m thinking the same thing you are."


    If we go into those ruins, we might get what we need, but it''s too late for anything to happen to us once we get there.


    But on the other hand, we might regret missing this opportunity.


    "Those ruins are too dangerous no matter how you look at it. I don''t think we can simply bring the sword back and be done with it."


    "Yeah ......"


    Either way, the decision has already been made, so it is not likely that we will go to the ruins.


    I have my reservations about the brave swords, but it is much better than poking snakes out of the bushes.


    ...... should we go back to the others now?


    "...... hmm?"


    Is it my imagination?¡¡I think I just saw Keira''s hand move.


    No, she''s still asleep and doesn''t seem to be waking up.


    Since it was nothing to worry about, I took my eyes off her and talked to Amako.


    "Mr. Greff will take care of Keira, we should go back to the others.


    "Yeah, okay."


    After checking on Keira once more, he leaves the room with Amaco.


    I feel uncomfortable talking to Leona and the others about Keira, but I have to share the information with them.


    I have to share the information with everyone.


    This dream was different from usual.


    It was the same up to the point that my father and mother had told me lies and I was heading for the den of demons.


    The next memory I had was of me being rescued by Gref and being abused by the people who used to be my father and mother.


    >


    >


    >


    >


    Overlapping curses.


    Not wanting to hear them, I put my hands over my ears and crouch down.


    Gradually the voices become inaudible and the scene before my eyes changes.


    "Gref ...... lamb,ros¨¦ ......"


    I saw the smiling faces of my dear family members.


    But I was not the only one among them... and just as I thought that, the scene changed once more.


    The next thing I saw was Gref and the others sinking in a sea of blood.


    "......No such ......!¡¡Lies......"


    The dead bodies of their loved ones, the ones they called family, mutilated in cruel ways.


    At the center of the red-colored scene was me, covered in blood.


    Unable to even turn away from the sight, I scream out in anger.


    No!¡¡I didn''t hurt Gref and the others!


    ---No!


    I hear a voice in my ear.


    I shake my head in denial, and the voice continues to speak.


    ---If I don''t do something, people I care about will die. They will be cut to pieces and die horribly because I couldn''t control the dark magic.


    I haven''t decided yet!


    ---There''s only one way to go... from the very beginning. We have no choice but to follow Usato.


    "I can''t, I was turned down by Usato and ......!"


    ---But that beast of a boy is with me.


    "...... that''s..."


    I thought it was unreasonable.


    Why is it that this girl is good, but I''m not?


    Wasn''t she the one who said she was like me?


    What''s the difference between her and me?¡¡Because you''re a beast?¡¡Because we''re demons?


    But you''re a demon, that''s no reason.


    Why is it that I''m the only one who''s rejected...


    --- It''s because I''m not strong enough.


    "Strength?"


    ---If I''m strong, if I prove myself, he won''t have a problem with it.


    "How can I do that? ......"


    I ask, clinging to the stagnant voice.


    Then the voice speaks to me slowly, as if telling me.


    ---You know what I''m talking about. I have been listening to him.


    "...... the katana of the brave."


    I heard the story of Usato and the others in my sleep.


    It was the story of a brave man''s sword that Usato and his friends were seeking in the ruins nearby.


    I wondered if they would really accept me as one of their own if I only had it.


    ---If they accept us as one of their own, they will take us there. Then I would no longer have to be afraid of my own power, nor would I have to hide my identity as a dark wizard.


    "If I get you the katana of the brave, you can tell Usato-san ......."


    I don''t want to hurt anyone.


    I don''t want to be alone.


    I don''t want to be abandoned.


    These thoughts were going around and around in my head, and my choice was...,


    ¡ñ


    When I woke up from the nightmare, the view outside my room was shrouded in darkness.


    The sky was still colored in the distance and it was only nighttime, but I got up regardless.


    I have something to do.


    I put my hand on the window of my room, almost crushed by anxiety and frustration.


    Even after waking up from the dream, the voice in my ear had changed to a clear and pleasant one.


    However, my thoughts were so focused on one goal, "to get the katana of the brave", that I didn''t care about that.

 255 - - Twenty-thirty.

    Keira is gone.


    When Mr. Gref came running to the abandoned house where we were resting late at night, I had a bad feeling about what he said.


    It was obvious that Keira was in a deep depression.


    But there was no way she could not see the danger of going out alone in the dark.


    Intuitively sensing that something big was about to happen, I calmed down the panicking Mr. Greff and Rum and Rose, who had started to cry, and immediately set out to search for Keira.


    Since we couldn''t let Mr. Gref and the others out at night to search for Keira, I asked him to watch Ram and Rose while we split up and went into the forest to look for Keira.


    "Burlin!¡¡Do you remember the smell of Keira?


    "Grua!"


    Please, you''re our only hope!


    The fastest of us and the older man searched for Keira, relying on Bulrin''s sense of smell.


    Kazuki, Leona and Amako are searching in the vicinity of the village.


    "Hey!¡¡What about from the air?


    "No, she''s not here!¡¡I mean, you guys are going too fast!¡¡You should be more in tune with me in the sky!


    I hear N¨¦a''s panicked voice coming from the sky, but neither I nor my senpai nor Bulrin intend to stop her.


    The forest at night is quite dangerous.


    There are demons that take advantage of the darkness to attack, and above all, I am worried that Keira''s own magic will harm her.


    "Usato, this direction is ......"


    Yes, I know.


    <


    I nodded at the sound of Ferrum''s voice coming from within.


    In the direction that Bullein is heading --- the huge ruins.


    A chill runs through me as I wade through the bushes and emerge into the wilderness where the ruins are located.


    As we go, the armor of the brave heroes of my senior and me unfolds on its own.


    "......It seems that coming here was a given."


    "I guess so."


    The older man, who has shifted his gaze to the scabbard in which the sword is stored, replies with a wry smile.


    We are now in an open area, and Nair, who had been flying in the sky, comes down to my shoulder.


    "Usato. Did Brulin tell you that Keira is just down the road?"


    "Yes. I''m not sure if we can make it on our own, so why don''t you bring Kazuki and the others?"


    "Yes. And there''s someone up ahead.


    "...... see it from the sky?"


    "From a distance, I saw one person and a flying dragon-like creature. I don''t see anyone else. ......


    He controls a flying dragon.


    Are they soldiers of the Demon King''s army or ......?


    While I was pondering what to do, an older student who was listening with me spoke to Nair.


    Nair, you go and get Kazuki and the others. I, Usato, and Bulrin will check on them, and if necessary, we will arrest them.


    "Yes, all right. Take care."


    Nair jumped up from my shoulder and soared into the sky, flying through the night.


    Once she is out of sight, we try to get closer to whoever it is that is near the ruins.


    "Be quiet, Bulrin, okay?"


    "Grrr!"


    "Gruuu."


    One unnecessary squeak.


    I look at my senpai.


    "Senpai, please don''t interrupt me in an emergency situation.


    "Yes. ......"


    The senior is dejected.


    He regains his composure and moves forward, and as he does so, he sees debris at his feet.


    "It''s a wilderness, but there are rubbles here and there, aren''t there?


    "It doesn''t look like it''s been preserved, so I guess it''s just rotting away. ...... Maybe it''s even worse on the inside. We need to find Keira as soon as possible. ......"


    "Yeah."


    We continue to walk through the shadows, hiding behind what seems to be the wreckage of the ruins, and we find a demon woman making a bonfire at a little distance from the ruins, surrounded by the wreckage, just as Nair had said.


    .


    "I guess it''s not unrelated ......."


    "...... You are talking something to the flying dragon. Let''s eavesdrop a bit."


    The woman, who was standing idly in front of the fire, was talking to the red flying dragon beside her.


    We move behind the rubble to eavesdrop and listen.


    >


    <>


    I see...cows. The land of the beastmen is rich in nature, and I''m sure there are wild cows there.


    He is muttering something soothing and far removed from the problems we are facing.


    However, there was one name in the woman''s words that I could not miss.


    "...... Koga?¡¡Is he here?"


    <


    "Don''t say it. ......"


    Ferrum seems to understand the troublesome nature of the cohort, as he is fed up with them.


    But if he''s here, he''s probably seen Keira coming through here, isn''t he?


    "Sir. He might know what happened to Keira."


    "If he was here, it''s possible he saw you. ...... Oh, why don''t you just ask him, Usato, in demon mode?


    "Nice idea. Well, let''s get started: ...... ferrum."


    The black magic that covers me transforms me into a white-haired, brownish demoness.


    I still can''t get used to having my hair change color, but it''s just for looks, so I''ll just have to put up with it.


    "...... Okay. I''ll go ask him.


    "I''m counting on you, Usato-kun!"


    "Grrr!"


    He nods to his senpai and Bulrin, steps out of the shadows, and approaches the demon woman.


    The woman and the flying dragon immediately turned their heads in alarm as they walked, kicking debris as if to make their presence known.


    The light of the bonfire was casting a shadow on the woman''s face, but I could see that she was very much alarmed.


    "What the hell?


    "Gyuu!"


    What the hell is ......?


    I throw my hands up in the air and call out to her, caught up in the anachronistic phrases.


    "Excuse me. I saw a light... ...... Um, are you from the Demon Lord''s army?"


    "...... hiccup!"


    What?"


    For some reason, the female demoness backs away when she hears my voice.


    She immediately came back to herself, shook her head and gave me a twitchy smile.


    "It''s nothing. I am a soldier of the demon army. Who are you?


    I''m a traveler. I''m a traveler. I''ve been looking for a child who was with me on ...... my journey, and I''ve lost him. She is a girl of about 12 years old with gray hair. ......"


    "...... Sean, have you seen him?"


    "Gyu......"


    The woman looks at Hiryu and shakes her head slowly.


    Wow, they are communicating like me and Bulrin.


    "Well, if you like, I can help you find it.¡¡Me and Sean can find him from the sky.


    "...... please."


    Right now, Keira is more important than my feelings.


    Maybe I can find her from the sky.


    "For now, please come this way. I can''t see her face from up there.


    He seems to be a nice guy, though it''s complicated from the standpoint of having fought many battles with the soldiers of the Demon Army.


    ...... Of course, the Demon Army isn''t just fighting out of spite.


    "Oh, I know it''s hard for you to stand, so please sit down.


    Yes, yes. But--"


    "First of all, you need to calm down. Just give me a description of your child and my partner Sean and I will fly out to find him or her!"


    Sean?¡¡That name sounds familiar. Where have I heard it before?


    Twisting my head, I nod at her words and approach the campfire.


    Finally, I can make out the woman''s face. .......


    "Hmm?¡¡You are ......"


    I think he was a subordinate of Ms. Hannah, the leader of the Third Legion who fought in the battle against the Demon King''s army. ......


    I heard that she ran away during the Demon Lord''s attack, but how did she end up here?


    ---Wait a minute, she knows my face.


    No, I''m in demon mode now, so I should be able to fool her into thinking I look like someone else.


    "But your clothes are very distinctive.


    "Really?"


    "I''ve seen creatures dressed like that too, but they move like crazy. It is definitely not a being that can be defined as human.


    "Yeah, yeah. ......"


    "Oh, excuse me. I''m Nono Herestea of the Flying Dragon Cavalry of the Demon King''s Army. ...... what?"


    She sat down on a stone diagonally in front of me and looked at me and stiffened as she introduced herself.


    Okay, I''ll just tell her right here that I''m a demon and act like I know what I''m talking about.


    "Hee, hee!¡¡Akuma!"


    "Yes?"


    "He''s got horns!¡¡True form?¡¡He ripped off his human skin!


    Wait, first of all, the premise doesn''t hold anymore.


    Why did we think he was a demon all along?¡¡Why do you think he revealed himself?


    When I couldn''t say anything to her in her confusion, she fell backward, her face contorted in fear.


    "You don''t mean to kidnap a child?¡¡And you came here to look for me and Hannah, whom you missed?


    "Hey, calm down a bit..."


    "--- Kyu."


    When she saw me, she screamed in terror and fainted.


    As if to catch up with my bewilderment, the flying dragon beside Nono threw out its limbs and fell to the ground.


    Even its wings were rubbing against the ground.


    The scene is chaotic beyond imagination, and I can''t say anything.


    >


    "Why are you apologizing ......"


    <>


    Ferrum apologizes to me with a complicated look on his face.


    Perhaps unable to see the situation, the senior and Bulrin come out from the shadows with subtle expressions on their faces.


    "......Usato, what did you do to this girl?"


    "This is the man I took prisoner during the battle with the Demon King''s army. ......


    "I see. I get the gist. Then I guess I''ll have to go to ......."


    I''m not convinced you''ll be satisfied there. ......!


    It can''t be helped now that it''s come to this. Let''s give up the air search and wait here for Kazuki and the others.


    As for the flying dragons---they are curled up beside Nono and scared, so we don''t have to be on our guard. As for the flying dragons, we know why they are scared. .......


    "Bulrin, do you know which direction Keira is?"


    "Grrr!"


    With a sniff, Bulrin points his paw beyond the darkness.


    Beyond the darkness was the only place that was not rubble, the only place that still had some form left.


    The only remains that were still in shape.


    We met up with Kazuki, Leona, Amako, and Nea, and we were ready to enter the large ruins.


    "Usato, are you sure you can leave her alone?"


    Leona looked at Nono who was lying unconscious.


    She seems to have been shocked a lot, so she won''t wake up for a while, but ...... well, she''ll be fine.


    "I don''t think it''s a problem. They saw my face, but they probably don''t recognize me as a ...... human being. ......"


    "Oh, really?"


    I say with a self-mocking laugh, and Leona looks a little taken back.


    Well, there''s also the other reason that if I try to harm Nono, the frightened flying dragon by my side is likely to resist with all his might.


    "Worst case scenario, we might end up in a battle with KOGA ......?"


    I don''t want to fight Coga at a time like this, but it''s that guy.


    I''m sure he''ll try to get Keira involved in the fight or make some other silly threat.


    ...... Worst case scenario, we''ll all beat him to a pulp.


    Usato.


    "...... hmm?"


    As I was thinking this, Amako, with an owl-like nea on her head, called out to me.


    "I think that prediction is inevitable now," he said.


    Yes, of course.


    "So, you know. I''ve been thinking about it. ......"


    Amako turned her head down, looking a little uncomfortable.


    When I kneel on the ground at the level of her gaze, she opens her mouth in confusion.


    "I was wondering if someone was leading us to do what we did.


    "Guidance?¡¡The one in your dreams?"


    Maybe. I mean, he''s kind of shady and suspicious.


    If Amaco feels that way, he must be pretty good.


    ...... is getting creepy all at once.


    "From my point of view, Keira seemed to be getting more and more cornered. Maybe it''s because of the feeling that Usato might abandon her, but if that''s not the case,...... she might be manipulated in some way."


    "......Nea, is it possible?"


    "I honestly don''t know. But if you can fool my senses, you must be a great magician. It''s possible that ...... you could have guided her thoughts so that she would act on her own initiative."


    Someone might be manipulating Keira behind the scenes.


    She was afraid that she might hurt someone, so she tried to lure us here by taking advantage of her emotions.


    Keira was afraid of her own dark magic, and she didn''t trust herself.


    Still, not wanting to hurt her family, the Grefs, she turned to me and tried to learn how to use dark magic, but somewhere deep down she was convinced that she herself could not do it.


    I don''t know who she is, but if she was taking advantage of her kind-heartedness, not wanting to hurt anyone...,


    "...... No."


    Let''s not have preconceived notions.


    Our first priority now is to find Keira and keep her safe.

 256 - - Twenty-three.

    The ruins of a former stronghold of a demon king.


    Most of the exterior has been reduced to rubble, and all that remains are large pillars and remnants of what was once a building.


    We entered the place where we thought Keira had entered, and the first thing we saw was a wide staircase leading to the lower level.


    Leona frowned at the interior of the ruins we saw in front of us.


    "What can I say, I''m going to be a bit of a moonbat, but ...... this looks suspicious."


    "....... Compared to the exterior, the inside doesn''t look too damaged,...... and above all, it''s too bright."


    The footing is covered in places with what looks like white, glowing slabs of stone, and the staircase below and the side walls are prettier than one would expect.


    It is hard to believe that the building is several hundred years old.


    "It''s nice not to have to use my magic to illuminate ...... this staircase. Is this building structurally spread out underground?"


    "Maybe it''s like an ant''s nest spreading underground from here."


    I walk down the stairs, stunned by the words of Kazuki and my senpai.


    Bulrin''s steps in front of me are undisturbed.


    The fact that the smell is still there means that Keira has definitely passed through here.


    "Usato, don''t let your guard down. The magic here is much stronger than outside.


    <>


    Nair on my shoulder nodded strongly at the words of Ferrum, who had become one with me.


    "So much so that normal demons won''t even try to get near it."


    "......I knew there was something here."


    I''ve got to find Keira fast.


    The long flight of stairs led down to several passages, but Bulrin ignored them and continued down to the lower level, occasionally taking a turn in the path.


    In the meantime, he has Amaco give him a premonition in case of monsters or coggers, but so far he has had no response.


    Five minutes of descending the stairs.


    Finally, the end of the stairs is in sight.


    "Grrrr!"


    "!¡¡Usato, Keira is up ahead!"


    I heard the voices of Bulrin and Amako, and I hurried onward, confirming that I had been transformed into a demon.


    At the end of the stairs, I find Keira, a girl sobbing and huddled with her head in her hands, in an unnaturally large room.


    "...... Keira!"


    "......?¡¡!"


    I immediately run to her and check if she is hurt.


    She raises her tear-stained face and grabs her clothes as if clinging to me.


    "I... I... I... I... I couldn''t ...... hear her voice... I didn''t know why I came to this place... ...... I was so scared... ......"


    "It''s okay. It''s okay. ......"


    "I''m sorry ...... I''m sorry ......"


    You must have been scared, being all alone in a place like this.


    As I was about to leave the place with Keira in my arms, soothing her as she started to cry, I heard a thud!¡¡I heard a sound like an earth tremor.


    "Leona!¡¡We''re going to get trapped!


    "Hmph!"


    Amako, who had foreseen the future, shouted to Leona, who was closest to her.


    Immediately understanding the situation, she turns around and at the same time throws the spear of a brave man to stop the wall that is closing the exit with the stairs leading to the ground.


    But perhaps a moment too late, the cold spear hits the wall and is bounced away.


    "Too late!


    Leona catches the returning spear, and a bitter look appears on her face.


    Behind the closed wall, we hear the sound of something closing in succession.


    This is accompanied by the same earth-shaking sound as before. It is not the sound of something closing, but the sound and vibration of something ...... like a humanoid walking.


    "Something is coming,......."


    Holding Keira, he jumps down to where the seniors are.


    "...... I guess my bad prediction came true."


    "Yeah. It seems that we are the ones who misled Keira and brought her here. And this is what we call the boss''s room.


    "Are you kidding me? ......"


    The senior member smiles wryly and puts his hand on the hilt of his sword, the weapon of the brave.


    At that moment, a huge object falls from the ceiling with a vibration.


    The huge falling object starts to move slowly like a machine and stands up. The whole object is a large, dull-colored, human-shaped object.


    The size of the object is about 10 meters.


    In the center of the body, there is a basketball-sized jewel-like object embedded. The left arm is missing from the shoulder, and a long curved sword is held in the right arm.


    "Golem ......?"


    Is that the golem that Mr. Gref said was in the ruins of the Demon King?


    No, it''s a far cry from the golem I had imagined.


    "Usato!¡¡That''s a robot!¡¡It''s a robot from another world!


    "Ugh, Mr. Usato. ......"


    "Please don''t do that, it will scare Keira."


    The senpai points at the golem standing there and raises his tension.


    Keira, who has never had anything to do with senpai before, reacts with trepidation as she talks to me in her usual tone.


    I sigh and put Keira on the back of the burin.


    "Usato-san ......?"


    "Keira, I need you to stay in a safe place with Bulrin and Amako in case of a possible battle. Bulrin, Amaco. Take care of Keira."


    "Grua."


    "Okay."


    As Berlin and Amaco move back, a translucent ice wall made by Ms. Leona is built to protect them.


    "Thank you very much."


    "I don''t need to be thanked. Let''s just deal with that thing.


    "It looks like ...... he''s asking how we''re doing ......."


    A golem standing in the center of the room, staring at us.


    Frankly, it''s creepy, but is it going to start moving?¡¡The next moment, without warning, the golem assumed a characteristic posture, carrying a large sword on its shoulder.


    "Usato-kun, I''ve reached the limit of hiding my face."


    Yes, I know. Let''s put our priority on resolving this situation now.


    Hearing my words, Senpai removes the hood from his head.


    Kazuki and Leona remove their hoods as well, and I hear Keira''s surprised voice behind them.


    But for now, we have to deal with the golem in front of us.


    "I''ll use ice to stop it!¡¡I''ll use my magic to end this early!¡¡Usato, you support, and Suzune, you create a diversion!


    Yes, sir!


    We each start to move as Leona instructs us.


    The senior member, clad in lightning, approaches the golem at ultra-high speed and creates a diversion.


    Golem immediately swings his curved sword at Senpai, but is unable to catch her speed.


    "Where are you looking!¡¡Over here!"


    <


    Kazuki is storing magic power in his left arm in order to activate his lineage enhancement.


    Leona is also trying to create eight ice spears on the spot to completely block the golem''s movement.


    In the meantime, all I can do is to support my senpai, who is constantly moving, and block the movement of that big thing.


    Ordinary healing magic bullets won''t work.


    Then..,


    "Nair, I''ll do that move!"


    "What?¡¡What?¡¡What move?


    A move that supports the senior and has the power to break the golem''s position. ......!


    The basket hand is used to create elasticity-enhancing magic power, which is then transferred to the left hand.


    After that, he creates a magic bullet in his right hand, and pours the magic power into his right hand for the process of healing explosion wave.


    If he releases it as it is, it is just a healing explosion wave, but he adds elasticity to it.


    "Huh!"


    The magic bullet, which is about to distort and explode due to the infusion of magic power, is enveloped by the elasticity-imparting magic of his left hand.


    The healing explosion wave, which was only a strong healing magic bursting palm, is improved so that it can be thrown. ......!


    "Healing Explosion Wave, no!¡¡This evolved technique is --- Healing Explosive Wave!¡¡Nair, you know what I''m talking about!"


    "I don''t want to know, but I''m so frustrated with myself for knowing!¡¡Yes!¡¡It''s a binding spell!


    Yes!


    Nair casts a binding spell on the magic bullet floating in my right palm through my body.


    The healing explosive wave that made it possible to throw the projectile.


    This allows me to heal a wide area at a distance. ......!


    "Senpai!¡¡Be careful, there''s going to be a little shock!"


    "I''ll cut you with each impact!¡¡Go ahead!


    Here we go!


    Come on!


    After getting his approval, I swing as hard as I can and throw a healing explosive toward the golem that is trying to catch him.


    "Why doesn''t Suzune question Usato at all?


    While going through the voices of Nair and Ferrum, we look at the healing bombs that they have thrown.


    Thrown at high speed, it strikes the golem''s defenseless torso---instantly, a powerful shockwave is centered on that spot, and the magical power of the healing magic is scattered over a wide area.


    The impact causes the golem''s body to tilt greatly.


    "There''s an opening!


    The senior takes advantage of this opportunity, slashes the approaching impact with his sword, spins around in mid-air while blocking it, and then strikes the Golem with a kick that is covered in electric shocks.


    "Secret technique!¡¡Blitz Inukamikyoku!"


    The golem falls to the ground with a resounding thud.


    Senpai lands lightly on the ground, a surprised look on his face at the particles of healing magic that fill the space.


    "Oh!¡¡What is this!¡¡Usato-kun!¡¡You''re recovering while moving!


    "In that space, you can move as much as you want and not get tired!"


    That means you''re invincible!


    In the presence of enemies, you can''t use it because it would make you heal badly, but since your opponent is an inorganic golem, you can use it to your heart''s content.


    In other words, in this battle, Senpai can keep moving as long as his magic power lasts.


    "Suzune, I really did cut the impact and stuff. ...... I''m doing something like Usato. ......"


    <<>


    ...... hmm?¡¡The restraining spell doesn''t seem to be working. ...... destroyed in an instant?


    When I was wondering why the magic didn''t seem to be working even though it should have been a direct hit, Leona-san produced eight ice spears and shot them at the fallen golem.


    "Freeze!"


    The eight ice spears rushed toward the golem and turned into ice, blocking the movement of its huge body.


    As the ice covers the Golem''s body, Leona turns to Kazuki.


    "Kazuki, now!"


    "Yes!¡¡System reinforcement!¡¡Let''s go!


    Kazuki''s left hand, filled with magic power, emits a convergence of light magic power.


    The lineage reinforcement makes this a deadly blow that annihilates everything in its line of fire. No matter how hard the golem is, it is meaningless in front of Kazuki''s magic.


    The light''s magical power, which has been thrust straight ahead like a beam, strikes the golem directly.


    It''s down!¡¡Just as he thinks that, the next moment..,


    >


    "Huh?


    The golem, which had never even uttered a sound before, began to scream.


    At the same time, the magic power from Kazuki''s system reinforcement vanished as if absorbed by something, and the Golem stood up as if Leona''s ice restraints had never existed.


    "The light magic has been absorbed. ......?


    Kazuki mutters, and I am taken aback.


    The ice magic at the golem''s feet has partially melted away.


    Senpai comes back toward us to regroup.


    "...... a golem that nullifies magic."


    "It''s not very good if my magic doesn''t work, is it?"


    "I think it was made for a battle with the previous heroes. I''ve slashed at it a few times, and its armor isn''t half bad."


    The golem once again holds its great sword as if it were slung over its shoulder.


    The stance is the same as before, but he notices that something like a white magic bullet has begun to form at the base of his non-existent left arm.


    "---That''s my light magic!


    "Is that the magic power that Kazuki-kun absorbed?¡¡If so, that golem''s next attack will be..."


    <


    Converging lights burst.


    The magic bullets of light that scattered as if splitting up were flying toward us.


    Even a single hit is fatal, even to a living person---Amako and the others are behind us.


    We can''t avoid it. ......!


    "Healing blast wave!"


    Inumaru Style!¡¡Discharge slash!


    I and my senpai are the first to react, and we fire shockwaves and electric blasts forward.


    The magic bullets explode as if triggered, but still those that failed to intercept us are closing in.


    "d*mn!


    Usato, it''s me!


    Kazuki and Leona sent out light magic bullets and ice swords, knocking them all down before they could immediately unleash their next moves.


    "Nah, I managed to prevent it. ......"


    I now understand how the Demon Army soldiers feel when dealing with Kazuki, and how Kazuki feels when dealing with light magic.


    His magic is both powerful and dangerous.


    "...... Let''s give it a little try."


    "Leona-san?"


    Leona made an ice spear in her palm and threw it at the golem.


    The golem makes no move to avoid the ice spear, and the ice spear hits the golem, but the golem turns into water as if it were melting.


    "......It seems that only Kazuki''s magic power is absorbed. For better or worse, it is a golem specialized for fighting the previous generation of heroes.


    "If light magic doesn''t work, I''ll have no choice but to support them."


    "Yeah. Let''s change tactics."


    Leona-san, who had switched her spear, looked at the golem that was slowly approaching us and seemed to think for a few seconds before turning to me and my senpai.


    "Okay. Usato, Suzune. You are the main group. Will you do it?"


    We looked at each other and nodded.


    Yes!"


    I was in full-fledged combat with my senpai.


    Although we had no meeting and we were just going to do it on the spot, strangely enough, I was not anxious about working with my senpai.

 257 - - 232nd episode.

    Me and my senpai play with the golem in a close-range battle.


    Kazuki and Leona supported us from the rear.


    After Leona gave us a short plan, we were ready to take action to deal with the golem.


    "Let''s go!¡¡Usato!


    "Yes, sir!"


    We headed toward the Golem with our senpai clad in electric shocks.


    Senpai plays with it with his speed, while I respond with elasticity and the black magic of dark magic. ......!


    >


    Come on!


    I cloak my right baskets with elasticity-enhancing magic and face the golem.


    The curved sword on his shoulder is swung sideways in a cleave.


    He calmly assesses it, and strikes it with his right basketshot, as if striking it from below.


    "Nnnn!


    Gaki-nnn!¡¡a high-pitched metallic sound echoes.


    The swords are swung in succession as if spinning, but all of them are repelled by the basket hand.


    "That''s the level of attack ......!"


    Healing bullets are a defensive technique.


    Such a slow, forceful attack!¡¡No matter how many hundreds or thousands of times you repeat them, they will never get past my defense!


    Here!


    He timed his large attack and flicked it backward, causing the golem to fall forward to its knees.


    In time, the golem slams a kick into the unprotected side of the body.


    "Healing leg!


    A single impact.


    The golem wobbles a little, but quickly tries to stand up.


    But before it can get back on its feet, a senior member of the team drops down from above the golem''s head at super-speed, and makes a thrust with a sword held in the opposite hand toward the back of the golem''s head.


    What rang out was a metallic sound similar to mine.


    "---That''s so cool!¡¡You!"


    I saw that the blade of his sword had hardly pierced through, and had only slightly scratched him.


    "Senpai, the attack is coming!


    Oops!


    Me and Senpai avoiding a curved sword being swung behind our backs.


    ...... blows and slashes are not as effective as I thought they would be.


    "Senpai!¡¡I''ll make a foothold in the air!


    At this point, Kazuki makes a large number of magic bullets float in the air and form a disc shape, which he manipulates and places around the golem.


    "Nice, Kazuki!"


    Kazuki immediately understood Kazuki''s intention, and without hesitation, he began to fly around the Golem with three-dimensional movements, using the disks of light magic in the air as footholds.


    "Yes!"


    While tossing the golem around, Senpai''s sword sparks continuously.


    As soon as the Golem''s target shifts to me, I run to the Golem''s feet, drawing my right arm wide.


    "Shield mode!


    "I''ll also give you shock resistance!"


    As soon as a circular shield is formed on his right arm, he covers it with elasticity-enhancing magic and strikes his leg with full force.


    The huge body of the golem shakes.


    As it rolls back, the golem strikes the ground with a fist covered with elasticity-imparting magic, and leaps.


    "OLLA!¡¡Healing leaping fist!


    <>


    This way is faster!


    That''s not the point!


    Aim for the unprotected jaw.


    He adjusts his stance in mid-air, and then unleashes an uppercut with his Healing Accelerated Fist.


    "Me too!¡¡Usato-kun!


    The senior who instantly appeared next to me swings his sword and scabbard at the same time, as if wielding two swords at the same time.


    The golem falls backwards after being hit by both of our blows at the same time.


    "Usato-kun!¡¡You know where to aim, right?


    Of course I do!


    You don''t have to tell me where.


    The jewel embedded in the torso, which is already conspicuously important to the golem.


    I mean, there''s no way that my senpai and I wouldn''t notice something like a weak spot like this. ......!


    So, let''s crush it quickly!


    OLLA!"


    He rises as if kicking the golem and swings his cage hand down at the treasure ball on its torso.


    It''s so strong that it doesn''t even move even with my strength, but... if it doesn''t break, just hit it until it breaks.


    "Heal fast!¡¡Rengouken!¡¡Quick strike!¡¡Rengouken!¡¡Hey!¡¡Get on with it!¡¡Break it!¡¡You big bastard!


    <>


    "This is what happens when you use your head, isn''t it?¡¡Usato, the attack is coming!


    He just keeps pounding his fists into the ground.


    In the meantime, a curved sword is swung at me, but my senpai immediately moves to my side and swings down with his sword held in his right eye at a speed that even I can''t recognize.


    "---I see it!


    ---a slash of divine speed.


    It slashed down on the thumb of the golem, which had been neutralized by the magic.


    It slices through a golem with that much hardness.


    I shudder as I realize just how tremendous it is, and reach for the curved sword that is about to fall out of the golem''s hand.


    "Ferrum!¡¡That one!


    <>


    "No problem!"


    I leap on the spot, grab the drawn curved sword with my arms that have grown huge, and with the force of the fall and my own arm strength, slam the curved sword into the treasure ball on my torso.


    A high-pitched sound echoes in the vicinity, and at the same time, the sound of a crack is heard from the jewel.


    >


    "Senpai, let''s go back."


    "Yes, I''ll run away as fast as I can!"


    The golem, perhaps realizing that it was in danger of being destroyed, immediately goes berserk.


    It is about to attack us who immediately move backward in anger, but... the game is already won.


    "We''re the main attackers, but not the end!¡¡Leona!¡¡We made the crack!


    Yes, we''re ready!


    Our job is to lay the groundwork for the finish.


    After that, Leona, who is in the position to throw the spear, decides for us.


    She grips the brave spear, which is filled with extraordinary magic power, tightly and throws it at the wounded jewel of the golem that is about to attack us.


    "Pierce it!"


    A silvery-white spear, freezing the air.


    Without missing a beat, it strikes the golem''s jewel, piercing through its torso with overwhelming force.


    The golem loses the jewel that seems to be its core, and the color of its body changes from dull to rusty.


    "This should make it impossible to nullify magic. Kazuki, deliver the final blow!


    Yes, sir!


    Kazuki, who was near Leona, raises his left hand in front of her.


    The disk that had been deployed as a foothold for the senior player transforms into a magic bullet, which rushes toward the golem in the center of the disk.


    With each slam of the magic bullets, the golem is chipped away as if it had a hole in it.


    "Lost ......!"


    When all the magic bullets were collected in the center, the Golem was destroyed to the point that even its original form was unrecognizable.


    It will never be able to move again.


    After the battle, he relaxes his shoulders.


    "So, what do we do now, Usato?"


    "...... This can''t be the end, can it?"


    "Of course. The being that lured us here would never end with just one golem."


    Senpai puts his sword back in its scabbard and looks down at the remains of the golem.


    "A golem that absorbs light magic and renders it powerless. It''s not a coincidence that a relic from ...... hundreds of years ago starts moving right after we enter."


    "It was fortunate, though, that the magic shockwave got through."


    Since it is only the magic power that nullifies the shockwave, the shockwave created by the magic power is not nullified.


    But it''s frightening to think that these things were deployed so many years ago.


    "For now, let''s find a way to escape.


    "Yes. ...... but first ......"


    I turn my attention to Keira in the back.


    She is looking at the seniors with a puzzled look on her face, and when she notices me, she comes closer to me.


    "U, Usato-san,...... um, are these people ...... human?"


    "Yes. This is one of the reasons why I can''t take you ...... with me. I''m sorry for hiding it."


    "...... is there something you still can''t reveal to me?"


    When I nodded at her question, Keira turned her head down in silence.


    I don''t know what to say to her.


    "I''ve been feeling heavy and anxious all the way here."


    "...... Keira?"


    "I don''t know why I did what I did, I was just trying to do something about my own magic, and I was so selfish and ...... I don''t know why I did what I did now."


    Was Keira being implicated by someone after all?


    Now that it is gone, she seems to have calmed down somewhat.


    "Usato-san is such a kind person that it is hard to believe that he is a member of the same demon tribe. When he saved us the first time, I couldn''t believe ...... that he was lying.


    "Of course, I would help you if you were attacked by a demon. ......"


    "Normal demons don''t want to help a child who is being attacked by a demon. But for you and Usato, it''s a normal ...... thing, isn''t it?"


    Keira''s gaze turns from behind me to Leona and the others.


    She then looks straight at me and opens her mouth, her voice trembling.


    "Are you saying that Usato-san is...?"


    "Wait a minute. I''ll tell you what I know from there."


    Keira already knows.


    Then I must tell her my secret.


    I take a small deep breath and call out to Ferrum inside and Nair on my shoulder.


    "Ferm, release me from the assimilation once and for all. And N¨¦a, too.


    <


    "It''s going to be okay, right?"


    Realizing that he can no longer hide it, he unassimilates himself from Ferrum.


    Keira rolls her eyes when N¨¦a appears next to me in human form with Ferrum.


    "This, this person is ......."


    "She is the real dark wizard. And N¨¦a is my messenger, the owl.


    "This is Ferrum. I''ve been watching you from inside the Usat."


    "Hey, Nair is ......"


    "So, I was Usato''s messenger. Well, I suppose it''s understandable that you''re surprised."


    After looking alternately at Ferrum and Nair, Keira stares at me in my human form.


    "I knew it, you lied to me about being a demon ......."


    "...... I guess so."


    "Wait, Usato was trying to do something about your--"


    Ferrum, it''s okay.


    He stops Ferm from defending me.


    It''s true that I lied to Keira, even if I had no choice.


    There is no excuse for that.


    "...... let me ask you a question."


    "What?¡¡What?


    How to atone for your sins?


    Keira''s words scare me, and as I wait for her next words, she speaks in broken sentences.


    "When you taught me about dark magic,...... you were kind to me,...... and you were kind to me,...... but to you,...... Usato,...... it was a lie,...... wasn''t it? Is that right?"


    Keira''s eyes are shaking.


    I could do nothing to help her, but I wanted to help her.


    I try to be honest and say it in words to her.


    "No..."


    "No, no, no, this man whose brain is made of muscles can''t tell such a deft lie.


    Yeah, why are you answering?


    For some reason, Nair answers before I do, and my shoulders relax.


    Ferrum, who had raised his eyebrows, opened his mouth in response.


    "That''s right. He''s such a pain in the ass that he''s worried about lying to you all the time. A guy like that couldn''t possibly be that dexterous."


    "...... is that so?"


    "Well, no, I mean,......"


    Keira asks him about it, and he gets all quiet.


    Well, are you guys complimenting me?


    I feel like I''m being lightly dissed.


    "Wait a minute, are you that upset about it?"


    "Honestly, it was annoying. I didn''t say anything.


    "Tell me!"


    It''s very embarrassing to be told who you are objectively!


    As I appealed to Ferrum, who turned away from me, Keira, who was relieved and stroked her chest, muttered something to me.


    "Yes, that''s right. I''m glad ...... I wasn''t lying ......."


    "Keira?"


    I called out to her fearfully, and she looked up at me, wiping her eyes.


    "I don''t care if you''re a demon or a human, Usato-san. Because when you tried to teach me dark magic for my sake, you were acting with your true heart and without lying.


    "...... are you sure you''re okay now?"


    "......Yes."


    Keira smiles as if possessions have been lifted from her. With that, the shadows that had been shaking at her feet stop moving and return to their original form.


    "I guess that settles it."


    The senior who was watching over us puts his hand on my shoulder and says so.


    "The situation hasn''t been resolved yet, though," he said.


    "Still, it''s nice not to have to pretend anymore. ...... Well."


    The senior, with a beaming smile on his face, crouches down to make eye contact with Keira.


    Keira, slightly taken back by his smile, hides behind me.


    "Keira-chan. I am Inukami Suzune. Can you call me Suzune-sis?"


    "......Suzune...... sister?"


    "Huh?"


    When Keira says this in a reserved manner, an electric shock hits her.


    No, it wasn''t even a metaphor, it was a normal electric shock.


    "Usato-kun ......"


    "Yes."


    He looks at me with a serious expression on his face.


    I anticipate that he''s going to make a crack about it.


    "I''m going to make her my sister.


    "Of course not!"


    She moves behind Keira, clad in electric shocks, and lets out an exasperated sigh as she holds her senior in her arms.


    I immediately answered him, and he let out a sigh of exasperation.


    "Usato-kun, blood ties are not the only ...... family you have."


    "You can''t say that like it''s a good story!"


    "Then I don''t care if she''s your sister-in-law. I''d rather have a sister-in-law!


    You haven''t made a single concession!


    Instead, you''ve just revealed the depth of your sin!


    The older woman''s mouth is getting more and more desperate and she won''t stop talking.


    "Then I''ll be your mother!¡¡I''ll play the role of daddy..."


    "Leona-san!¡¡Kazuki!¡¡Please secure it!


    The words were going to be more dangerous than I had expected, so I asked Leona and Kazuki for help.


    They grab him by the arms and pull him away from Keira.


    "Suzune, you can''t commit a crime!


    "Senpai, please pull yourself together at a time like this. ......"


    "Get off me!¡¡I''ve found my purpose in this world!¡¡I''m your sister!


    No, I can understand why Senpai wants her to call her that, but I wish she would have kept that kind of wish to herself.


    While I''m holding my head in my hands, Amako walks up to me with Bulrin.


    "Suzune will always be the same."


    "It''s not all bad, though. ......"


    The brightness of the seniors is unparalleled.


    Sometimes it is depressing, but I find myself enjoying the interaction with my senpai.


    Well, I am too embarrassed to say this.


    "Keira, Suzune is not a bad person, so there is nothing to be afraid of.


    "Yes, yes."


    "You have to be careful, though."


    "I can see that."


    I''ve been found out.


    Well, I guess it''s understandable if you''re suddenly going to make her your sister.


    Guru.


    "...... what''s up?¡¡Brulin?"


    "You''re reacting to something, I''ll take that as a sign."


    Suddenly, Bulrin looked up and turned his head to one side of the room.


    As he did so, Amako saw the prediction---and at that moment, the wall on the right side of the room shattered as if it were going to explode.


    Immediately, I, with Amako and Keira in my arms, move back with Nair and the others.


    "Is that a new trick?


    As I set them down, I take a stance toward the broken wall and debris strewn about.


    As the cloud of dust gradually clears, I notice something else lying along with the debris.


    "A miniature version of the same golem ...... as before?"


    It was a golem that looked like a smaller version of the larger golem.


    The treasure ball of the golem''s torso was cracked, and its entire body was dented as if it had been punched.


    As I was looking down at the golem, someone was coming from behind the wall where the golem had flown in.


    "Huh, what the heck is this? He''s so strong for a golem. Well, he wasn''t as strong as me!


    The voice is all too familiar.


    As soon as I heard that voice, I immediately changed my mind and jumped forward.

 258 - - 233rd episode.

    He runs out of the place as fast as he can and tries to make a preemptive attack on Koga, the commander of the Second Legion of the Demon King''s Army, who has come to this place at a moment''s notice.


    Although the smoke from the sand is still flying in the air and his vision is still limited, he knows where he is by the voice he heard earlier.


    Then, it will be easy to strike him with our fists!


    Take that, Koga!


    Greetings, Usato!


    As soon as he clears the dust, KOGA''s image appears in front of him.


    We were less than a meter away from each other, and he and I both said, "What? We collided with each other with great force.


    "Huh!"?


    We were both hit by lariats with our swinging arms, and both of us writhed in shock.


    We were crashing into each other as if we knew each other.


    "It''s self-destructive. ......"


    "That''s it. I guess it''s true what they say about brains thinking alike."


    You three, Shallup!


    After glaring at Amaco and the others once, he turns his attention to KOGA.


    "Well, you''re good at surprise attacks, aren''t you ......!


    "d*mn, what a coward! ......!


    "No, you don''t say that. ......


    I can''t believe he was thinking the same thing I was. .......


    Koga holds my neck as he chides me for my swearing.


    At the same time, he hits the ground with his healing elastic fist and leaps while still down.


    "There''s a gap!


    "What, jump ......, that''s dangerous!"


    He spins around in mid-air and slams a heel drop into Koga, who is still on the ground, but he loses his footing.


    "d*mn, you missed ......!"


    "Oh, you''ve learned another strange trick, ......!"


    I knew this guy was going to be a problem for me.


    Like Coga, he jumps backward to get away.


    Coga, on the other hand, wipes his forehead with his sleeve and smiles wryly.


    "It''s true what the Demon Lord said, isn''t it? Indeed, I could not have asked for a better surprise!


    No way, Koga''s being here has something to do with Keira''s situation.


    As I cautiously move back to my seniors, I notice that Kazuki has turned extremely hostile towards Kohga.


    "KOGA DINGAL ......!"


    "Yo, it''s Kazuki, the hero of light magic, right?¡¡And that''s the lightning hero who was fighting Amira. Hey, hey, what kind of a joke is this?¡¡Why are you here in the demon king''s territory, and what do you want with these ruins?"


    That''s what I''m talking about.


    The older man with his hand on the hilt speaks to Koga in a quiet voice.


    "You say, what do you, the commander of the second corps, want with these ruins?"


    "Ha, I don''t have any particular purpose. I''m just here to tell the Demon Lord..."


    "Here, here, here Mr. Koga!


    The voice sounds out of place in the tense situation.


    Another demon woman emerges from the hole in the wall where Koga came out.


    "Don''t leave me here!¡¡You''re supposed to be my guard!¡¡And yet, you completely forgot about me just now!


    "You, look around a little ......."


    "Huh?¡¡A human being?¡¡I''ve never seen that before!"


    ...... You''re a very noisy person.


    Leona and Kazuki, who had been so alert, look stunned.


    "Isn''t this a bad situation?¡¡...... Um, Mr. Koga, you''d better run away right now..."


    "I don''t know why, but it''s a good opportunity. Let''s have some fun. ...... Usato!


    Listen to me!¡¡You stupid army commander!


    Coga, who had just passed over the woman''s words, attempted to cloak himself in dark magic.


    The woman slapped him on the back of the head with a slap while crying.


    "What the hell, Ciel ......?"


    "You know what?¡¡I''m a non-combatant, remember?"


    "Don''t worry. "It''s all right, stay out of harm''s way."


    "Are you an idiot, an idiot?¡¡We''re outnumbered, aren''t we?¡¡How are you going to win?¡¡I mean, who are these people!


    Koga put his hand on his chin and pointed at Senpai and Kazuki.


    "Those two are the brave men of the Lingle Kingdom."


    "---What?"


    "And that''s Usato. I told you before.


    The woman called Ciel, who looked at Koga with the movement of an unoiled machine.


    "Yu, the brave one, but Koga-san, that man says he''s Usato, but for all intents and purposes he''s a non-combatant just like me!¡¡He looks just like the person I''ve heard about!¡¡He''s not at all like the rumors!


    I wonder how people in the Demon King''s Army are talking about me.


    I don''t want to know, but I''m curious.


    "Ciel, you idiot! That''s just for now! When you open the door, you''ll see that humans are not so easy to live with.¡¡They''re the ones who cast healing spells and attack brutally!"


    That''s unbelievable!


    But this ...... Ciel is a man with a lot of guts.


    He doesn''t look scared in front of the seniors with weapons. ......?


    "But it''s been a while since I''ve been treated like a decent human being. ......"


    Even under these circumstances, I was happy.


    Perhaps they heard my muttering, the ne''er-do-wells behind me whispering in hushed tones.


    "Aren''t you sad?"


    "You''ve come this far, you''re pathetic."


    "Usato, you poor thing."


    "Hey. Don''t forget that you guys mainly treat me like a monster, right?"


    I''m aware that I don''t deserve to be treated that way either.


    We have the advantage, hands down.


    The woman behind Koga seems to be a non-combatant and doesn''t seem to want to fight, so let''s capture Koga ourselves and get some information about the Demon Lord.


    I extend my arm to Ferrum to assimilate him, while casually looking at Leona and the others.


    "Ferm, assimilate..."


    ---The-- the time has come.


    "----"


    A moment later, I heard a voice that sounded like it was coming directly from my head.


    I frowned at the pain in my head, and it seemed that my senpai, Kazuki, and Koga were feeling the same pain in their heads as I was.


    "There''s a voice in my head. ......"


    "Usato, this is ......."


    Leona and N¨¦a must have noticed our abnormality, because the next moment when they were about to rush over to us, something like a white swirl of light appeared where we were.


    I recognized the whirlpool of white light that appeared in front of me and immediately pushed Nair and Ferrum, who were nearby, away from the whirlpool.


    "Kya!


    Usato, you!


    However, the small Keira could not resist the power of the vortex and was about to be pulled into it.


    I grabbed her hand as quickly as I could, but even with my strength I could not resist the vortex''s pulling power.


    "U, Usato-san ......"


    "Keira, don''t let go of my hand!¡¡Everyone else, go to ......!


    No. No time to check the perimeter. ......!


    There was another vortex near Senpai and Kazuki, are they okay?


    "Hmph!"


    He hits the ground with his basket hand, forcing it to embed itself.


    I manage to hold Keira with my left arm and try to move away from the vortex.


    "Okay, keep going like this..."


    "Kyaaaaaaaah, why am I being sucked into this, even though I''m a maid of honor?


    "Hey, wait a minute!¡¡If something happens to you, I''m going to get in trouble with the Demon King!


    What?


    The next moment I try to escape, Ciel-san and Koga are drawn into the vortex and slam into my body.


    Ah!"


    Keira and I are pulled into the vortex together with Koga.


    The view is moving away from us. Amako is trying to reach out to me, protected by Bulrin.


    I see it in my vision and yell at the man who was sucked into the vortex with me.


    "KOGAAAA!!!!¡¡You!


    "Ha-ha-ha, no, I''m sorry!"


    We yell at the laughing Koga, and we are swallowed into the depths of the white light.


    Our vision spins around and around, the landscape is pure white.


    I had to hold on to Keira to keep her from going astray, and I just had to keep my eyes shut and bear it.


    ---Ah, Usato. The beginning of your ordeal...


    ---Guggaooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!


    Such a voice echoed again.


    And the next voice---no, the cry was familiar to me.


    The cry of the most evil and cunning dragon.


    ---The owner of that voice was none other than my very own "nightmare.


    I was in the middle of a nightmare.


    Me, Keira, Koga, and the mysterious demon woman, Ciel, were swallowed up by the white vortex.


    We were blown away by the whirling vision for a few tens of seconds.


    I was thrown out of one vortex to another with a momentary floating sensation, and before I could check my surroundings, I checked to see if Keira, who had been thrown out with me, was safe.


    "Hey, are you okay?"


    "Yes, yes, I''m fine. ......"


    "Okay ...... but what the hell is this place ......?"


    At this point, we finally look around at the place where we have been thrown out, and we are absolutely mortified.


    We were not in the ruins, but in a town somewhere. The town looked as if it had been inhabited just a short time ago, and there were so many buildings that one would never expect to see in the Demon Lord''s territory.


    "Here, here, here, do buildings this big exist?


    While Keira was all upset like a country girl coming to the city for the first time, I was upset in another way by the cityscape in front of me.


    I had seen this view before.


    "d*mn, I''ve had a bad time ......!"


    "Ugh, you said there was no danger. Oh, my Lord!


    In a moment of stunned silence, Koga, who had been thrown out a short distance away, is trying to get up.


    Coga didn''t do it ......, did he?


    "Hey, Usato. Where am I?"


    "I know, but I don''t know."


    "What?¡¡You''ve got to be kidding me. ......"


    "It''s true. I know this place, but it can''t possibly be here. ......!"


    No.


    I''m confused myself.


    I hold my forehead and try desperately to collect my thoughts when Ciel speaks to me fearfully from behind the cohort.


    "Excuse me ...... what are you talking about?¡¡I can speak better than he can, so please explain yourself ......."


    "You''re losing your reserve, aren''t you? ......"


    We may be enemies in terms of our positions, but at this point, we can''t afford to be quibbling over what to do.


    That''s how abnormal things are.


    This is the Kingdom of Samaritan.


    "......If I''m not mistaken, this is a country in the human realm, isn''t it?¡¡Are you saying that you''ve been transported?"


    "No, no. This is not the modern Samaritan Kingdom.


    "?¡¡What do you mean?"


    How could I forget this place they showed me so much, this tragedy that happened here?


    The building, the fruit in front of the stalls, the chairs, the tables are all the same.


    "This place..."


    "This is the Samaritan Kingdom of the past."


    """?!""


    A third voice.


    At the sound of that voice, Koga and I are ready.


    In the center of the avenue where we are standing, there stands a blonde-haired beastman girl.


    She is dressed in a kimono, almost a shrine maiden''s robe.


    Her age was not so different from ours, and her face seemed to resemble those of Kanoko-san and Amako.


    The girl looked at me with a happy smile and put her hand on her chest.


    "Nice to meet you, my name is Kannagi."


    Kannagi, that name sounds familiar.


    "Are you the person ...... whose stone statue was enshrined in the beastman''s hiding place?"


    "It''s embarrassing, but yes. That''s right."


    The hidden village where we stopped before going to Hinomoto, the land of the beastmen.


    There I saw a stone statue of Kannagi, a beastman who once fought alongside the heroes against the demon king''s army.


    "Is he real?"


    "Of course it''s him, isn''t it?¡¡Only his soul, though.


    "......"


    What, you mean he''s a yu,yu,yu ghost?


    No, I don''t know yet.


    Even if he''s a ghost, he may or may not be a punching bag.


    I tell myself that and regain my composure.


    "That''s why I called you here. I wanted to entrust you with something. And to do that, I had to do it the hard way."


    "......"


    "Yeah, you''re naturally wary. If you have any questions, you can ask me, okay?"


    I can''t tell if this guy''s friend or foe.


    The trust she inspires is real.


    But there is something off about her.


    "...... was it you who entered Amako''s dream?"


    "Yes, I did. It''s been a long time since I''ve talked to anyone, so I''ve been a bit cautious. It''s been hundreds of years.


    It''s been a long time since I''ve talked to anyone, so I''ve given Amaco the benefit of the doubt.


    It''s not surprising if you don''t talk to people for hundreds of years. ...... No, there was one more thing I needed to ask.


    "Was it you who misled Keira,......?"


    "......Yes, that''s right."


    "----"


    She steps forward to protect Keira, who shudders and trembles.


    Keira could be in danger because of this man.


    Depending on his response, she would not be able to trust him.


    As I clenched my fists secretly, she bowed her head deeply to me.


    "When I heard you weren''t coming here, I had no choice. I''m really sorry."


    I had not expected her to apologize in the usual way, but when she looked up at me, she continued to speak.


    "But I trusted you."


    "...... believed?"


    "I knew you would save Keira''s heart. That''s why I could do such a crazy thing."


    "Such a selfish ......!¡¡What if something happens to me?


    "No, you will not abandon Keira. No, you will never abandon Keira, because you never have.


    Kannagi then points to the basket hand on my right arm.


    It was given to me by the former hero Farga. She looked at it, which was now a baskets hand, and gave me a small smile.


    "I am. I am connected to your basket hand. I have seen your journey so far, and I know exactly what kind of person you are."


    "Ever?" ......


    "I''ve been watching you ever since you pulled the katana out of that d*mned evil dragon. I''ve seen the curse of Samaritan, the Dragon Men of Mialak, the deeds of Jinya of Hinomoto, and all your battles in the war."


    What, the whole time?¡¡While wearing a cage hand?


    I was honestly shocked, but Kannagi''s expression didn''t change.


    I had no idea how much meaning she had put into her words.


    "That''s why I want to see it with my own eyes.


    "...... what?"


    "I want proof that I''m not mistaken in my decision to entrust you with my life."


    At that moment, Kannagi holds up his palm and black figures appear around him.


    These semi-transparent figures look in one direction and run away, screaming in a sad voice.


    The shadows gradually become clearer and clearer.


    It did not take me long to realize that they were the phantoms of people from the past.


    At any rate, among them were the same people whose memories I had been shown in Samaritan.


    "I have been waiting a long time since I woke up. Long, long, alone. You were my only hope. So..."


    Kannagi''s voice was drowned out by the flapping wings of a black shadow descending from the sky.


    From the sky, the nightmare of the past descends.


    An evil dragon that rots the flesh with its fearless venom, tears with its sharp claws, and devours all with its huge mouth.


    What are you doing?


    "Show me ...... that the Usato Ken I know will not be defeated by this level of adversity."


    >


    The evil dragon as it was before it was sealed by the heroes.


    It was a nightmare for me, the memory of the tragedy that took place in Samaria.


    As soon as I turned my attention back to Kannagi, she was no longer there.


    Instead, a black dragon with wings spread wide stood before us.


    "Could it be, could it be, the evil dragon that the Demon King mentioned ......?¡¡Oh no, surely it has already been defeated and is no longer in this world. ......"


    Ciel-san, who is facing the screaming evil dragon, looks more pale than ever and hugs Keira, who is also frightened.


    A disaster has befallen the city of Samaritan.


    Normally, the previous heroes would have sealed the evil dragon and saved the people of Samaritan.


    "Hey, hey, Usato!¡¡What the hell is this!¡¡This is an interesting opponent!


    Koga!¡¡Give me a hand!


    But there are no heroes here.


    All that''s left is me, a healing magician, Koga, the commander of the 2nd Legion of the Demon King''s Army, and Keira and Ciel, who are terrified of the evil dragon.


    The only way to protect Keira is to join forces with Koga and fight the evil dragon. ......!


    Koga smiles at my suggestion.


    "What?¡¡I was hoping for a three-way match between you and him.


    "Oh?"


    "Huh? What are you talking about in this situation, Mr. Koga!¡¡Are you an idiot!¡¡You should cooperate with that person normally!


    Ciel-san gives Koga a seriously disappointed look, while I remain expressionless.


    Coga, without noticing me, smiles pleasantly at Ciel-san who is revealing his anger.


    "......"


    "Haha, just kidding."


    Irritated by Koga''s joking response even in such a situation, I put down the fist I was about to fire in rapid succession.


    I thought I''d knock him out before I confronted him, but he seems to be cooperating with me.


    "Well, after I defeat this guy, you and I are going to have a match next. Don''t forget that, okay?"


    Koga points his finger at me in a cool and cool manner, which irritates me even more.


    I guess I don''t need to be so modest with this guy.


    I smile and offer my cooperation to Koga, as if I''m trying to rewrite the previous exchange.


    "I don''t like it, but just cooperate with me for now, Koga!¡¡You and I are going to take him down!"


    "I don''t mind, but..." he says. Why are you holding my leg?¡¡You know what?"


    I grab him by both legs without hesitation.


    If I have to fight KOGA after defeating the evil dragon... then I will fight KOGA with the evil dragon.


    "I need a big weapon. So I need you to transform your armor into a weapon!"


    What?


    I pull Koga''s legs as hard as I can, hold his legs by the sides like nunchucks, and carry his torso on my back.


    The key is teamwork!


    "Hey, you!¡¡You''re talking nonsense! That''s not cooperation!


    Let''s go!¡¡Let''s go!


    "Oh, hey, hey, stop... I''m sorry, I''m sorry..."


    Boom!¡¡He swings once with his cogwheel and heads for the evil dragon, which has landed on the ground.


    This is the second battle with the evil dragon.


    And this time, the Evil Dragon''s body must be in its peak condition.


    This is not an opponent you can let your guard down!¡¡I''m going all out!

 259 - - 234th episode.

    Usato, Keira, Suzune, and Kazuki were sucked into the mysterious vortex and disappeared from this space.


    If I had concentrated more on foreknowledge, I could have avoided this.


    Disgusted with my inadequacy, I call out to Nair and Bulrin, who are looking for traces of the vortex where they were sucked into it.


    "Nair, Bulrin, what have you found out?"


    "Grua......"


    Bullyn shakes his head.


    The smell seems to have died out completely.


    "...... there are traces of witchcraft in the air."


    Do you know where it came from?


    Nair nods at the sound of Leona''s voice, who is keeping a watchful eye on her surroundings.


    "It''s barely there, but it''s there. But with this concentration of magic, it may take a long time to find it.


    "Just a clue is enough. If we follow them, we can find Usato and the others, right?"


    "Yes, they are still here."


    Nair puts his hand on the stone slab on the floor.


    "Maybe this magic is a short-range space transfer.


    "Like when I was brought to Mialak by this guy Farga?"


    "...... No, the wielder must be very powerful, but even so, the magic is very poorly constructed."


    What do you mean?


    I tilted my head, as did Ferrum, and Nair put his finger to his mouth and growled in annoyance.


    She seems to be at a loss for what to say.


    "It doesn''t feel right. You have the power, but you don''t seem to know how to use it. I have no idea who set this up, but ...... honestly, it''s bizarre."


    "...... First, let''s follow the trail and head out to find everyone who got sucked into the vortex."


    "Yes. ....... The magic trail continues from the wall over there.


    "Hmm. ......."


    Nair pointed to a passage that was closed by the wall when we entered here.


    Leona looked in the direction she indicated, nodded her head, and holding the spear in her hand, threw it against the wall.


    The spear pierced the wall and produced an icicle of ice from its tip, destroying the wall from the inside.


    "...... Okay."


    Hey, hey, Leona!


    We don''t have time for this. Let''s just go ahead and do it by brute force.


    She grabbed the spear, which came back by itself, and walked ahead.


    We follow her down the passage beyond the wall that she has destroyed.


    "Usato, Suzune, Kazuki ...... and Keira, are you okay ......?"


    "Don''t worry about Keira, she has Usato with her. But Usato''s the one who ...... pushed me and Nea out of the way first. ......"


    Ferrum, who was pushed by Usato right after the vortex appeared and escaped from the difficulty, is in a bad mood.


    Nair is also in a bad mood, although he does not say so.


    He is probably annoyed that Usato was the first to protect Ferrum and the others rather than himself.


    Usato basically puts himself on the back burner. .......


    "Next time I see him, I''d like to complain about him."


    "I''m going to hit you."


    "It probably won''t work, so use something else."


    Nair and Ferrum exchanged these words.


    As I watched their backs, I talked to Bulrin, who was walking next to me.


    "Bulrin, are you worried about Usato and the others?"


    "Gruaaaah!"


    A bright voice.


    His voice conveys a feeling of trust rather than concern for Usato and the others.


    "......Yes, that''s right. I''m sure Usato and the others will be fine.


    "Guru."


    "Hmm, thank you."


    I pat the head of Bulrin, who makes one more sound as if he cares for me.


    I have a bad feeling about this.


    Something is different this time.


    With this vague sense of uneasiness, we continue on our way through the ruins in search of Usato and the others.


    I was so worried.


    Immediately after Koga Dingal, commander of the Second Legion of the Demon Lord Army, appeared in front of us --- a vortex of white light appeared before us.


    We were helplessly sucked into the vortex of light that appeared as if it was pulling only Kazuki-kun and I toward it, and the next time we opened our eyes, we were confronted with an all-white world.


    "Senpai, is this ......?"


    "I know that I was drawn into that vortex of white light ......, but other than that, I have no idea."


    One thing is for sure, it was not Koga who led us into the trap.


    After all, he was also drawn into the white vortex.


    As we are checking our surroundings to make sure we have our own heroic weapons, something like a shadow appears in front of us.


    "Welcome to our space.


    Who are you?


    I am Kannagi, the entity that brought you to these ruins this time.


    I hold up my baskets and try to continue the conversation while waiting for Kazuki-kun who is about to release a magic bullet of light magic.


    I would normally be too attractive as a "kemonomimi," but the being in front of me is too stinky.


    Wait a minute, isn''t it okay to have a stinky chemomimi?


    Wouldn''t it be better to seize them and try to make them do something?


    "......"


    "You''re looking very alert. Your eyes are bloodshot."


    Calm down. Calm down, sir.


    Oh, no.


    He switches his attention and asks Kannagi again.


    "...... what''s the purpose of us?"


    "For your own good."


    "What do you mean?"


    At Kazuki''s words, Kannagi smiles.


    "I''m rooting for you guys," he said.


    "Cheering ......?"


    "The Demon Lord must be choked this time. I want to help you who are working for it."


    "......"


    "This may sound like a lie, but it is undeniably true. The Demon King is my sworn enemy as well."


    There''s no sign of catnip.


    She seems to be telling the truth, but I still don''t trust her.


    She can say whatever she wants to sound like.


    This Kannagi woman dares to leave out the important parts of her words.


    "I''m having Usato undergo a trial."


    "What are you doing to Usato, ......!"


    Don''t worry. Don''t worry. I have something I want to entrust him with. For now, he''s ...... uh, well, he''s fighting very well."


    Why did you hold back?


    Kannagi''s expression, which had been sternly smiling, becomes subtle for a moment.


    But what is it that you want to entrust to me?¡¡From the way Kannagi talks, it sounds like something special, but I don''t think it''s a good one.


    "Of course, I would like you to go through the ordeal as well."


    "......What if I say no?"


    "You''ll still have to take it. Because you will never win against the Demon King if you don''t do what you''re doing.


    Kannagi continued to speak, pointing at us as we were unable to say anything with conviction.


    "You are naive. You may be ready to defeat your enemies, but you are undeniably naive. It is absolutely impossible to defeat the Demon King with that attitude, isn''t it?


    "......"


    "There was not a shred of gentleness in the battles of the previous generation of heroes. There was no mercy. There was only the will to ensure that their opponents would be eliminated. Compared to that, ...... you are no good."


    It is true that we are different from the heroes of the past.


    It is only natural that the way of the heroes of the past, who were called to the rough times in the first place, should be different from ours.


    But that did not stop Kannagi from speaking.


    Kindness is important.¡¡But you will be asked to make a ruthless decision someday. You two, as brave men, must be willing to make some sacrifices for the happiness of many people.


    "I won''t let that happen. ......!"


    "Kazuki. That way of thinking is already naive."


    She says this to Kazuki in a calm voice and holds up her palm.


    Then, out of nowhere, an unusual concentration of magical power gathers and transforms into a sphere.


    "What are you doing!


    "I''m just gathering the magic floating in the ruins. I won''t use it for an attack. Instead... you''ll have nightmares.


    She put her hand over her left eye and began to knead her magic in a pained voice.


    "---Strengthening the system."


    The moment she said those words, the white space around her became greatly distorted.


    The distorted landscape gradually became more colorful, and even the place where we were standing changed.


    Kazuki-kun and I found ourselves standing in the middle of some unknown battlefield.


    "Is it burning?¡¡Where am I?"


    There was no sign of Kannagi, who had been there a moment ago.


    The trees around us were on fire, and the corpses of human and Demon Lord soldiers were lying everywhere.


    While I was frowning at the sight of something real and not an illusion, Kazuki noticed something.


    "Senpai, there''s someone over there!"


    Kazuki points in the direction.


    >


    >


    There they are, the soldiers, raising a war cry.


    The armor they wore belonged to the Kingdom of Lingle, but it was covered with scars as if it had been used many times.


    There were also Samarriar, Calm Helio, and other unfamiliar soldiers in white and light blue armor, all heading in the same direction.


    "...... Is that the Kingdom of Lingle?"


    The place they were heading for was a familiar place to us, the Kingdom of Lingle.


    The once beautiful castle was now filled with black smoke, and the castle itself, once filled with the liveliness of its people, was now engulfed in flames... surrounded by the soldiers of the Demon Lord''s army, camped out with their own faces.


    "Why is the Demon King''s army in the Lingle Kingdom ......?"


    What in the world is going on? ......


    We were stunned.


    While we were having a hard time understanding the situation, we spotted a familiar figure behind us in the direction where the Lingle Kingdom was located.


    A dark-haired boy wearing a white troupe uniform with a hint of red in it.


    He was sitting on something with his back to us, staring at the burning Lingle Kingdom.


    "......!!!!"


    "Senpai!


    He might know something.


    He runs up to him and notices that his body is covered in blood.


    The hem of his troupe uniform and his arms are stained red, as if he had assimilated with Ferrum, and his uniform itself is also covered with scratches.


    "Usato!¡¡Are you hurt?


    "......?"


    He turned around with slow movements and rolled his eyes in surprise when he saw Kazuki-kun and me.


    "Senpai ......?¡¡Kazuki......?"


    "Usato ku---"


    Just as I was about to run up to the injured man, I saw Usato-kun in front of me trying to thrust his piercing hand toward my throat.


    Quickly, I put on lightning and moved away from him, but I saw a small cut on my cheek caused by Usato-kun''s thrusting hand.


    "Aa......e......Usato-kun?"


    I put my hand on the wound on my cheek and my voice trembled at the slight blood on it.


    Did he, Usato-kun---did he try to kill me?


    He stands up slowly, staring at his missing sword, his face contorted in anger as he sees us stunned.


    "Oh, that woman. I knew I should have cut off her head. I can''t believe she''s giving me this disgusting vision again. ......"


    Holding his head in his hands, Usato-kun swears.


    If you look closely, you will see that he was not sitting on a log.


    It was a pile of dead soldiers of the Demon Lord''s army.


    His throat had been crushed, a gaping hole had been made in his chest, and he had died.


    "Usato!¡¡Don''t you recognize us?


    "......"


    Kazuki, who desperately insists that he is the real Kazuki, looks at him coldly and punches himself in the forehead.


    Both Kazuki-kun and I are stunned by his sudden action.


    "You still haven''t woken up, have you? This worked out so well the other day. ......"


    Fresh blood dripped from his forehead, but he looked up without caring.


    "Senpai and Kazuki are dead. They died because of me, because I didn''t get to them in time."


    His voice was devoid of emotion.


    A far cry from the man we knew, a cold, icy voice.


    "That''s why I have to fight for you ...... and protect the place you all go back to."


    He turned his bright red eyes, which were smeared with blood from his forehead, toward me and readied his fist.


    "If it''s just an illusion, maybe if I kill it, it will disappear."


    ---Me and Kazuki are dead?


    I can''t believe he''s lying. After all, his attack on me earlier was really an attack that was intended to choke me out.


    "He''s not the ...... Usato we know. ......"


    His proud lifeguard uniform is soaked in blood and frayed.


    His dark-skinned eyes and bright red hands were too fierce to be human---too painful to look at.


    I looked at him from the front, and I realized.


    Realizing, understanding, tears started to flow down my cheeks.


    "...... such ......"


    A world without me and Kazuki-kun.


    The time when the Black Knight killed him and the Demon Lord''s army won the war.


    The Usato-kun we know is not here.


    There is only the man who has taken on everything on his own and has become a true monster.


    "Usato, you are ......"


    Yes, it is indeed a nightmarish sight ......!¡¡Kannagi......!!!


    We are going to fight against Usato-kun, who has fallen into Shura. ......!

 260 - - 235th episode.

    The worst "enemy" that stands in our way, Usato Ken.


    The mere thought of a world in which Kazuki and I are dead is a joke of the worst kind, but when it gets this far, it''s not funny at all.


    His eyes are vacant and emotionless, but I can still feel the murderous intent in them.


    Perhaps he had his reasons for judging us as fakes. ......Whoever he is, he has really gone the extra mile.


    "Senpai, senpai......"


    "Take a stance, Mr. Kazuki. He''s going to kill us all."


    You want me to point a weapon at Usato?


    He''s not the Usato we know.


    "But I still ......, I''m ......."


    I understand what you are saying, Kazuki.


    But if we don''t fight here, we will be attacked.


    There is a way to run away, but even if I can escape, Kazuki can''t escape from Usato.


    Rather, he is faster than me who is not clad in a thunderbolt.


    "In any case, you might kill him if you get serious. I''ll deal with him."


    "Senpai..."


    With his sword still sheathed, he changes to Raiju Mode 2.


    At the same time, he comes up behind Usato-kun, who is readying his fist, and raises the sheath toward his neck.


    ---I have to hit hard to knock you out. ......!¡¡I''m sorry, Usato!


    Now ......!


    The next moment my sword sheath hit him, and without warning, Usato-kun tilted his body to the side and kicked at me with a spinning kick.


    "What?¡¡What?


    As soon as I evade, the kick comes flying at me.


    I catch it with my sheath just in time, but the impact blasts me backward.


    "He read my moves. ......?"


    "......... He''s faster than that pervert. He''s using a sword, is he reflecting my knowledge?"


    Rubbing his neck, Usato-kun kicked the ground and was right in front of me in an instant.


    His fist, which has no healing magic in it and is only designed to strike and kill the enemy, is swung at me.


    "Surely, a sword would suit you, senpai."


    "......!"


    A direct hit will shatter your bones with my level of endurance.


    If you get caught, you''re out at that point, but... I''m faster than you.


    There!


    I duck low to avoid his fist, and at the same time, I slam the sheath to my forehead.


    At the same time, I electrocute him with an electric shock.


    "---I wondered why he was fighting with the sheath in his hand, so I took it as a test, but he''s gentle even when he''s faking it. ......"


    "......!"


    "What are you?¡¡Are you a phantom?¡¡Someone with a face like yours?"


    Usato-kun looks like a demon as he pushes back the scabbard that has been slammed into his forehead with the strength of his neck alone.


    So, the electric shock doesn''t work on you?¡¡No, no, he is enduring it while healing!


    He grabs the scabbard with his left hand, and without any hesitation, he shoots his fist at my face. ......!


    "I have no choice......!"


    With the sheath in his grasp, he draws his sword and leaps, using the swinging fist as a foothold---and at the same time slashes Usato-kun''s shoulder.


    New wounds are carved into his uniform, and fresh blood spurts out.


    "......"


    Landing backward, I catch the scabbard he has let go of and let him charge me with his magical power as I hold the sword in my hand.


    The wound on his shoulder heals with healing magic in less than a few seconds, but I have hurt him.


    I feel real, real bad. ......!


    It''s different from slaying demons and monsters, it makes me feel like something precious inside me is being chipped away, it''s such a disgusting feeling.


    "---Senpai, isn''t it? Yes, you''re a fake.


    Usato took one look at the wound on his shoulder and said, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry.


    No. He has completely decided that I am a fake.


    Is there any way to prove to him that I am the real thing?


    I am the real Suzune Inukami. I''m your ......, uh, fianc¨¦e."


    It''s a fake. I''ll kill you."


    Oh, no, no, no, no!¡¡I just did it in the same mood as usual!


    "No, wait!¡¡Let me try again!¡¡It''s a joke!


    "No, thank you."


    He smiles at me and raises his right hand.


    At the same time, something flies toward me at a tremendous speed.


    I draw my sword and slice through the flying object,


    "A stone ......?"


    A plain stone, broken in half.


    But it was a pebble thrown by the strength of Usato''s arm. It should be powerful enough to easily penetrate even an armored soldier.


    "Do you have time to look around?"


    ......!


    While I took my eyes off him for a moment, he was already right under my nose.


    I immediately get ready, but he has already grabbed my arm and throws me towards the forest.


    "Let''s change places."


    "Noooooo?


    My vision is going round and round!


    In a panic, I manage to adjust my position and grab onto a tree branch.


    We were surrounded by trees on fire.


    "---Well, I can fight as much as I want here.


    Kicking through the trees, Usato-kun landed in front of me.


    He reached inside his coat and pulled something out.


    My cheeks twitched involuntarily when I saw it fall out of his hand with a clattering sound.


    "Usato-kun, what is it?"


    "It is a chain. It''s just a little fireproof and hard.


    Without even a twitch of a smile, he nonchalantly wraps it around his right arm.


    This is not a brave man''s cage, but Usato''s weapon.


    The Usato-kun I knew was not the kind of person who likes to use weapons.


    I have heard from Usato himself that he used it a few times when he had to, but the look on his face at the time was not very good.


    "......"


    Usato''s body swayed and he started to walk to the left.


    I try to keep an eye on him, but when he crosses a tree as if to use it as a wall, I lose sight of him in an instant.


    At the same time, you hear a series of kicking sounds coming from the surrounding trees.


    "Is he moving around kicking trees ......!"


    The sound of the flames and the heat makes it hard to recognize him. ......!


    Just as I was about to enter Thunder Beast Mode 2, thinking that we should fight on the same field, something lands right behind me and I see a chain about to wrap around my neck.


    "Holy shit, ......!


    I crouch down to avoid the chain that is about to wrap around my neck and slash backwards, but he is already gone.


    The next moment, I hear the sound of something shattering to my right, and a flaming tree comes crashing down on me with such force that I am crushed.


    "You use your surroundings to your advantage ......!¡¡But only this much!


    With a series of sword swings, I slice the tree in half on the spot.


    The remains of the tree fall to the ground,


    "I''m sure. You''ll prevent it."


    "No matter how many times I do this..."


    "Then how about this?"


    He landed soundlessly at a distance from me, kicking up a flaming log and raising an open hand.


    "Healing Magic Bursting Palm!"


    "Yi!"


    A shockwave is released as the arm is raised from below, intensifying the flames of the burning log---dispersing them.


    Like a scattering bullet, the splintered pieces of wood, engulfed in fire, come toward me with tremendous force.


    "Discharge cut!"


    I intercepted it with a lightning bolt of magic from my sword, but Usato-kun had already made his next move.


    He leaps from his position, throws the bottle from his pocket, and at the same time thrusts both palms forward.


    "Healing Rupture Palm".


    The bottle was destroyed by the shockwave from his palm, the liquid inside was sprayed, and at the same time, it was ignited by the surrounding flames --- a huge flame poured down from above my head.


    "You are a healing magician, aren''t you?


    I think you''re mistaking me for a flame wizard!


    Is that a flammable potion or something?


    I can''t afford to be so critical, so I cloak myself in lightning and fly away from the raging flames... but even though I''m in the middle of the fire, Usato''s right arm with a chain around it comes at me.


    "There is a gap."


    "Kut!"


    He plays his right hand with his sword.


    Usato is by far the stronger fighter.


    He barely manages to counter the attack, but his left hand is aimed at his neck...?


    "And I can''t let him get me!


    You tilt your head to the side, avoid the left hand, and slice through his torso with a side cut.


    But the wound regenerates instantly with healing magic, and he is completely unafraid.


    "What?


    Is this how a healing magician fights?


    Am I fighting a human being?


    This is the way of a healing wizard who is willing to get hurt...!


    "Strong ......!¡¡You are strong here too!¡¡Usato!


    "---!"


    As soon as my sword sliced through Usato-kun''s shoulder, fresh blood gushed out from his left hand, and a tremendous shockwave shot through my body.


    "......!"


    I use the momentum of the blow to distance myself from Usato-kun.


    He is brushing off the blood on his hand, which is probably damaged by the outburst of the system reinforcement.


    "It''s a reckless thing to trigger the systemic reinforcement, isn''t it?


    "It''s just a cut on my hand, nothing serious."


    "......"


    Usato-kun was holding the basket hand that Mr. Farga gave him, but Usato-kun in front of me was not holding it.


    Therefore, the outburst of magic power that the Usato-kun I know of is done with no risk, is also done with wounds, and the way he uses it is probably---popping after grabbing it.


    It has become a technique to kill your opponent without fail.


    "Your fighting style is unusual. You don''t even care about yourself."


    "I use everything. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have survived.


    A world without us.


    After the defeat of the Lingle Kingdom, Usato''s battle.


    It must have been unimaginable.


    ---You cannot stop him with half-hearted determination.


    "I know that to stop you, I have to be willing to kill you."


    Then I must be prepared.


    A half-hearted attack will be avoided and withstood.


    I can''t hesitate any longer.


    Once I have taken a deep breath and relaxed my body, I slowly put my hand on the hilt.


    "......I''m really going to go for it."


    "---?


    In an instant, I activate Raiju Mode 2 and slash at Usato-kun at full speed.


    He barely manages to defend himself with his chains, but my kick strikes him in the temple before he can react.


    "Gah! ......?


    "I''m sorry, Usato-kun. You can''t do anything now."


    I speak to him as I thrust my sword into his leg as he tries to step forward.


    I know it won''t stop him.


    I pull the sword out and hold it in my opposite hand, then put my hand on his left hand as he extends it to me... I let his power flow through me and throw him off with aiki-style.


    "What ......?


    I hit him with a palm strike with an electric shock to his unprotected back, which he showed me in the air.


    Usato-kun is electrocuted and knocked to the ground, but he recovers instantly and tries to release magic power from his left hand to escape from the situation, but..,


    "Healing magic ruptures..."


    "Too slow."


    In an instant, I close the gap between us and strike him on the wrist with the sheath in my left hand, blocking his attempt.


    After I had destroyed the source of the attack, I held my sword, which was covered with electric shocks, as if I was drawing it---and then I unleashed the technique.


    "Inumaru-ryu, Shirren Rairenzan!"


    What?


    ---A super-fast four-strike barrage.


    After slashing his left arm, both legs, and torso in four places, a powerful electric shock strikes him.


    His heart creaks with each attack on him.


    But I don''t think this will be enough to stop him.


    The Usato-kun I knew was a man who would never fall.


    If we are half-heartedly prepared, we will be beaten back. ......!


    "Let''s end this."


    She steps forward and strikes him in the gut with the hilt... and when he finally cowers, she accelerates backward and delivers the sword.


    "---Strengthening Cloth."


    As the concentration of magic power increases, its color changes from gold to purple.


    He sends it into the sheath, condensing it upon condensing it, sharpening his nerves.


    "The Inner Power of Thunder Beast Mode 3".


    The power of the system is the power of the strengthening of the system itself.


    I, clad with the sword and purple electric shocks all over my body, leap forward in a straight line with the drawn sword, falling forward while completely controlling the overflowing power...,


    "Kaminarigiri ......!"


    ---Usato''s right arm was cut off.


    I swung the sword away, dispersing the magic power of the system reinforcement into the air, and looked back as I delivered the sword.


    "...... Usato-kun!"


    Behind him, there was Usato-kun, lying on his back with his right arm cut off.


    "Raiju Mode 3


    It is an enhanced form with a single point thrust type speed and attack.


    I had developed this technique for my rematch with Amira Berghret, but I never thought I would use it against Usato.


    "I''ll have to patch you up soon. ......"


    Usato-kun would even be able to link his arms.


    We should at least try to stop the bleeding while he is unconscious.


    "Senpai ......!"


    "Kazuki-kun ......"


    Kazuki-kun comes from deep in the forest to this spot.


    Considering how long it took him to get here, it seems like such a short battle, but to me it seems like hours.


    He looks at Usato-kun, who is lying on the ground, and his expression is distorted.


    "I''m sorry ...... I should have fought too ......!"


    I honestly thought he would blame me.


    I thought Kazuki would be angry at me for cutting off Usato''s arm and wounding him, even though he had attacked me. .......


    No, that''s what I wanted.


    The one who is most angry with me right now is none other than myself.


    "It''s okay. Let''s stop the bleeding, Usato-kun.


    "Yes, yes!"


    Kazuki-kun and I were about to run to Usato-kun---- when a gust of wind blew in from overhead.


    Realizing that it was not natural, Kazuki and I immediately jumped back, and what looked like a shadow landed in front of us from the sky.


    "Nah. ......"


    At that moment, I felt a presence like I had never felt before.


    The figure, whose strength easily surpassed that of Amira and Koga, erased the dragon wings on its back and looked into the face of Usato-kun, who was at its feet.


    "Hey, hey, you''ve been beaten up pretty bad, haven''t you? Usato.


    "......"


    The man''s appearance can be described in one word: warrior.


    He was taller than Usato, more than a head taller than Usato, with a muscular body, short azure hair and a fearless face, a man we did not know, but... he carried an "axe". I recognized the handle.


    "Senpai,......"


    "Oh, that''s Leona''s ......."


    The armor of the brave men of Mearaq, which Leona had.


    Now it''s in the shape of an axe, but maybe this guy is .......


    "Don''t pretend to be stunned. I have keen senses and I know what I''m talking about."


    "...... I was hoping to sleep a little longer."


    ......!?¡¡You couldn''t get him to pass out after all that?


    Usato-kun gets up easily, picks up his right arm that has fallen down beside him, and begins to heal it with healing magic.


    "As usual, why don''t you stop fighting the way you are hurting yourself?¡¡Princess Nia is worried about you.


    I''m afraid I have no choice.


    "I don''t think so."


    After a dozen seconds or so, his right arm is completely linked together, and he stands up again with a loud sigh.


    "Mr. Karon, why are you here?¡¡Aren''t you further away in the battlefield?"


    "No, I heard you were having a hard time. I flew here.


    Kalon the Brave.


    He was swallowed by the dragon''s power and went out of control, at one time causing the destruction of Mialak.


    Now, he is fighting as a brave man in this world, though he should have retired from the front line due to the aftereffects of his dragon personification. ......?


    "You''re being too overprotective."


    "No, no, no, we''re friends, right?¡¡We''re friends, we''re supposed to help each other out."


    "I don''t remember becoming one."


    Kalon smiles pleasantly while patting Usato-kun on the back, who has a tsuntsun attitude.


    "No, that''s it. I''m your friend if you trust me with your back.


    "If I attack you from behind, will you stop being my friend ......?"


    "What a horrible thing to say, man."


    The Brave and the Healing Wizard.


    We who were brave in this world are gone.


    But in our place came a brave man named Karon.

 261 - - 236th episode.

    Kalon, the hero of Mearaq, appeared before us.


    When we were unable to move due to the overwhelming presence we felt from him, Usato-kun looked at him with annoyance and spoke to him in a somewhat irritated manner.


    "What, are you sure you want me to leave my post in the first place?"


    "Wait a minute, it''s too early to be sarcastic. I have a serious coworker at my post, so I''ll be fine.


    "I can see that person having a very hard time ......"


    "Shall I introduce you?¡¡Or rather, I''ll force you to introduce me when this battle is over."


    "I don''t like it."


    Kalon gave a beaming smile to Usato-kun, who seemed to be deeply displeased with the situation.


    However, his expression soon turned grim as he turned around to us, who were still in a state of shock and unable to move.


    I had never intended to surprise him, but there was no opening at all for him. All I had was the feeling that if I attacked him, I would surely start a fight for my life.


    "Now, I''ve come to see the enemy who has you cornered so far... ...... It looks like a human being, but what does that mean?¡¡It also feels the same power as my armor. Strange."


    ""......!"""


    "Just out of curiosity, are you guys my enemies?"


    Kalon''s body is enveloped in a flash of light.


    When the light subsided, his head was covered with horns, his arms were covered with dragon scales, and his back was covered with powerful blue wings.


    A brave man who has inherited the power of a divine dragon.


    Kazuki-kun and I were ready to face the mighty power that we could see.


    Seeing us, Usato stepped in front of Mr. Karon, who carried an axe on his shoulder.


    "Mr. Karon, may I take care of these people?"


    "You can''t win this. Even if you use that thing, you''ll be outmatched at best.


    "...... I know."


    Then let me handle this. You don''t know it, but you look terrible.


    Usato-kun seemed a little hesitant to say what Karon had just said.


    But he still turns his back to us and looks up into Karon''s face.


    "This is the last time I''m going to use ...... water.


    "Huh?"


    Kalon, who has lost his intimidating presence, approaches Usato-kun with a look of surprise on his face.


    Water?¡¡What is he talking about?


    "Hey, hey, what''s this change of heart after we told you to stop using it so long?"


    I think it''s time for me to move on.


    "...... I see."


    At Usato-kun''s words, Kalon returned his horns and scales to those of a human.


    He put his hand on Usato''s shoulder and continued to speak to her in a soothing voice.


    "But even diluted to the utmost limit, the power of the fountain is immense. Don''t let it consume you."


    "...... yes."


    "Okay, then I''ll go ahead."


    With that, he turned his back to us, took one last look at Kazuki and me, and then leapt to his feet, wings fluttering in the air.


    He took a deep breath as he watched him fly away toward the castle, as if he were slicing through the night sky.


    "Thank you very much. "Thank you, Mr. Karon."


    He took out a small vial.


    He opens the vial, takes a gulp, and throws the empty vial to the ground.


    "Soooo ......"


    His appearance changes.


    His magical power overflows, veins float in his arms, and a puff of smoky magic rises from his body as he suppresses the urge that wells up inside of him.


    A potion to increase his power?


    A runaway of healing magic?


    No, none of the above.


    It''s as if he''s being infused with a powerful force, and he''s forcing it down into his body..,


    "Ooh!


    With such an animalistic yell, Usato-kun leaps forward.


    Losing his cool, he grabs Kazuki-kun''s arm and leaps backward.


    Just as he swings his fist down toward where I was, the ground shatters.


    Kazuki-kun''s eyes roll back in surprise as he sees the cratered ground.


    "Senpai, is that ......?


    "I don''t understand it either!¡¡That''s a power we don''t know!


    Was it the contents of that vial?


    He pulls his arm out of the ground, takes a deep breath, and raises his voice.


    Come on!"


    The voice echoes through the air, and you can''t help but stiffen.


    Why here?¡¡I think to myself, but then the beast''s yell comes toward me with an earth-shattering roar.


    Gruaaaah!


    What appears is a blue monster in tattered armor, a blue grizzly bear named Bulrin.


    He is the same partner as he was in the original world, but he has many scars on his body, showing that he has fought together with Usato-kun on the battlefield.


    But more than that, I---no, Kazuki and I---lost our voices when we saw that thing mounted on Bulrin''s back.


    "Thank you. "Thank you, Bulrin."


    "Gru."


    "I always take care of you, don''t I? Don''t worry, you just watch over me."


    "...... guru."


    He strokes Bulrin, smiles gently for a moment, and pulls a familiar long and small sword from his back.


    They are the swords that Kazuki and I used in our first battle.


    It is the proof of our existence in this world, which we would have held until our death.


    Holding the long sword in his right hand and the small sword in his left, Usato-kun stares at us with a lowered stance.


    "Try to stop me!"


    The pure intent to kill is all I feel.


    Kazuki and I, helplessly wanting to cry over this fact and the reality of the situation, ready our weapons.


    I was so sad.


    Rumors of a healing wizard whispered among the demon king''s army.


    A "kidnapper" who takes the wounded faster than anyone can follow.


    Who never cower from any wound or attack.


    "Take a blow from the Second Commander!"


    "Goha!¡¡Gobbowl!¡¡Gobbowl!


    >


    Before my eyes is an evil dragon that did all its tyranny long ago.


    Its wings flapping wide, purple breath escaping from the corners of its mouth, it was more fearless than any demon I had ever seen, and yet it was as complete as a work of art.


    Even I, a powerless person, can understand how hopeless it is to fight against such an out-of-this-world existence.


    But, however. There were people who were not at all intimidated by such an existence, but were willing to stand up against it.


    "You''re still the same talking lizard!"


    I stand corrected when I called him normal.


    He is probably just another monster in human skin.


    Humans are a race inferior to us demons in physical abilities and magic.


    Such a human being could not possibly go head-to-head against a demon tribe.


    And moreover..,


    "Put your back into it, Koga!¡¡You''re still okay!


    Enough!


    --- you wouldn''t believe it if you were shown the spectacle of Mr. Koga spinning around and slamming into a big dragon.


    I was forced to watch the scene from the shadows while hugging Keira, the girl whose name I had just heard.


    "Oh, wow ......, is that guy ...... such a horrible species of human being?"


    "......Usato-san......"


    He looked like a normal boy.


    An ordinary looking boy, more like me.


    However, when I opened the door, I found that Mr. Koga''s evaluation was too accurate.


    "Geehaa!¡¡Usato!¡¡He''s so hard!¡¡I''m hurting!


    "Don''t worry, I''ll cast a healing spell!"


    Where am I supposed to put my mind at ease?¡¡Where am I supposed to be relieved?¡¡Do you really hate me?


    Yes!


    Wow, that''s a hell of a smile.


    Well, it can''t be helped if you''re almost like a stalker, Mr. Koga.


    Still, his smile was so strong that even Mr. Koga''s cheeks twitched.


    "I hate you too!"


    Then you don''t have to be merciful!


    No!


    The boy called Usato attacks the evil dragon, swinging his right hand lightly around Koga''s leg, which is covered with black magic.


    He turns his face into a frightening expression as he moves toward the evil dragon.


    "Son of a b*tc*!¡¡I''ll transform you as you wish!


    Koga''s magical power grows as he is swung around by Usato, and he transforms into a cudgel with a thick tip.


    Turning it skillfully, Usato slams Mr. Koga into the side of the evil dragon, which opens its large mouth to bite him.


    "Good!¡¡Koga!¡¡Keep it up!


    "Yes!¡¡This is the power of the Second Commander!


    <>


    A large claw is swung at Usato, who shakes off Mr. Koga.


    A mere human would have been crushed by the blow.


    I put my hand over my mouth and let out a scream, but the next thing I saw was Usato, who swung his right arm with great force, repelling the evil dragon''s claw with an unnatural force.


    "A healing bullet!¡¡And then, spinning the magic power!"


    The green light from his right arm instantly shifted to his leg, and he leapt at a tremendous speed---Koga-san slammed into the Evil Dragon''s jaw as if he was going to hit it.


    The other dragon seems to be bewildered by the unexpected attack, and does not seem to be able to respond.


    <>


    The evil dragon begins to lash out in anger.


    Koga-san shouted at Usato, who was distraught and tried to escape from the evil dragon, which was waving its arms widely.


    "Usato, throw me to him!


    "Okay!"


    Without hesitation, Usato throws Mr. Koga to the evil dragon.


    The evil dragon naturally tries to knock him down, but just before the attack hits, Mr. Koga releases his transformation and strikes the evil dragon in the eye with his transformed left arm.


    Then, as if to follow up on this, Usato leaps high into the air and delivers a powerful flying kick, knocking the Evil Dragon out of its stance at once.


    "If he falls down, I''m all yours!"


    I''m going to beat him while he''s still alive!


    >


    The Evil Dragon lets out a cry of rage.


    Koga-san and Usato, however, close their big mouths by kicking them at the same time, and strike at them without question.


    "Oh, oh, you''re so lively!¡¡I''m still going to have fun!¡¡Hey!


    Don''t you dare bother people!¡¡Hey!¡¡Spit out your poison while you still can!


    The demons and humans (?) who are not afraid to attack the fallen evil dragons. .


    I don''t know which one of them is the monster anymore.


    "Um, is that guy a dark wizard ......?"


    "Huh?¡¡Yes. Yes, he is.


    "I see. ......"


    Keira stares at Koga-san and Usato, who are pounding their legs and fists on the evil dragon.


    I wonder if it''s okay for children to see that.


    I seriously wonder if it is not good for their education.¡¡I''m afraid it''s not good for their education.


    "Usato-san, he fights like that. He fights with dark wizards."


    Maybe you are fighting with a dark wizard by mistake. ......?


    What, why are your eyes shining?¡¡Are we now being shown a moment when a naive little girl goes astray?


    Don''t be fooled!¡¡She''s a healing magician!"


    "Isn''t he a good man who can heal ...... injuries?"


    "No, that''s true, but don''t you think anything of it when you see ...... him?


    "No, not really."


    "Yeah. ......"


    "Because you are Mr. Usato. I''m not afraid of you now."


    Ah, the Demon Lord. I don''t understand the sensibilities of children these days.


    As I was getting confused, a fearless cry came from the direction of the evil dragon.


    With that, I notice that the air around me is being drawn in.


    >


    A purple smoke of poison flowed out of its big mouth as if it was going to spit it out on the ground.


    Mr. Koga is avoiding the smoke with a little time to spare, but an avalanche of poison smoke is coming toward the place where Keira and I are.


    Usato, seeing them, turns toward us and jumps.


    "Don''t move from there!"


    He holds his right hand to his hip and begins to gather magic power in his palm.


    As we are wondering what the healing wizard is going to do, he shoots a distorted, expanding magic bullet from his palm forward.


    "What are you doing with healing magic?


    "Healing blast wave!"


    At that moment, there was a roar that could have been mistaken for an explosion, and the poisonous smoke that was about to engulf us was instantly blown away.


    I could not open my mouth.


    In a space filled with sparkling green magic, Usato looks back at us.


    "Keira, are you okay?


    "Usato-san, can I do that ...... now?"


    "This technique is dangerous, don''t try it."


    He laughed at Keira''s words and said as if to rebuke her.


    Mr. Koga, who had avoided the poisonous smoke, landed next to him.


    "Hyuh, that was close, close!"


    "I think you should be more worried about me, Mr. Koga."


    I bet he forgot I existed.


    Why am I being protected by a healing wizard who is an enemy and not an ally?


    "He''s very durable. Our attacks are barely penetrating. Is it really a creature?


    ...... No, it''s too weak.


    Huh?


    "If this is an evil dragon in its prime, it''s only as strong or slightly stronger than the zombies we fought. Is that a real evil dragon?


    Usato muttered quietly and faced the evil dragon that was still glaring at them.


    I don''t know what he''s thinking, and I don''t know what he''s really going to do.


    It was a healing wizard who was even a symbol of fear for the demon king''s army.

 262 - - 237th episode.

    The way I know how Usato fights.


    Usato''s own inhuman reflexes, his defense with his cage hands, his binding and resistance with Nair''s magic, his dark magic robe with Ferrum''s dark magic, his many techniques applying outbursts of lineage reinforcement, and...my technique of adding elasticity to magic power... Elasticity weaving.


    I have done everything I could do, and by using it differently depending on the situation, I have been able to deal with any opponent.


    But Usato in front of me is different.


    He was too different from the Usato we knew.


    "---oh!"


    His movements were like a storm.


    Spinning around and charging at his senpai, Usato''s behavior is too out of the ordinary to be human.


    Swinging his long sword, which should be wielded with both hands, he easily cuts down trees that would otherwise be obstacles, thrusts the small sword in his opposite hand into the ground, and forcibly changes his direction of movement---all with such ferocious force that he is sure to corner his senpai. He attacks.


    "You are responding to my movement ......!"


    "I''m used to it after what I just saw. ......!"


    "That''s the same here!¡¡You are too adaptable, aren''t you!"


    Usato and senpai engage in sword fights at blinding speed.


    However, as Usato slams his long sword down with a storm of spinning blows, Senpai has no choice but to fall back.


    The long sword Usato is using---that''s the one I used to use.


    It was broken in a previous battle with Koga, and it is the weapon I have used the longest in this world.


    "Are you dragging our deaths around with you? ......!"


    I was very upset that Usato was using that instead of his signature fist.


    It''s as if he''s trying to make sure that I and my senpai''s deaths are his fault and he''ll never forget it, and I feel helpless.


    "Hmph!"


    Usato thrusts a small sword into the ground while swinging his long sword.


    Spinning on his axis, he spins even faster and leaps at his senpai with the force of his momentum.


    "My sword is so awkward!


    He quickly bends down, and several trees are cut in half at once.


    This is a swordsmanship without any swordsmanship skills.


    But perhaps it is because of this that he has been able to sublimate his excessive power into a technique.


    "Ka ka ka ka, Kazuki!¡¡Help!¡¡Oh no, he''s going to break my sword!


    Senpai! Get a foothold!


    He releases a disk-shaped magic bullet, which stalls around the senior.


    Using it as a foothold, she dodged Usato''s long sword with a single stroke of her hand, and then she struck him with a kick to the neck, which was covered in electric shocks.


    A momentary discharge, but Usato does not seem to be intimidated in the slightest, and turns his head to face the senior who threw the kick.


    "Oh, ...... sorry?"


    "......"


    He tried to thrust his sword into his senpai, who couldn''t do anything until he landed on his feet, but... I won''t let that happen!


    I fire a volley of magic bullets from my left arm into Usato.


    Usato!


    I fire fifteen magic bullets at Usato, manipulating them simultaneously.


    To prevent them from disappearing, he gives them elasticity...!


    This will make him move...


    "Sweet."


    Usato slams his foot down on the ground, causing the ground to rise up like tatami mats and erasing half of the magic bullets.


    In addition, he struck the raised ground with his long sword, which he swung widely, sending a large amount of debris toward us.


    "......!"


    As he drew his magic bullet and made the debris disappear, he saw Usato leaping toward him and about to swing his long sword down.


    "I guess we''ll just have to take him on. ......!"


    He rolls to avoid the attack, draws the sword on his back, and floats a magic bullet in his cage.


    He is at a disadvantage in melee. It''s no longer a situation where you can say "hold back"!


    He disengages his elasticity and shoots a small magic bullet, which has the ability to disappear, at Usato.


    "......!"


    If he can take away the freedom of his limbs, he should be able to neutralize him. ......!


    He directs the magic projectile at Usato with a feeling of disgust at the fact that he is directing his light magic at him.


    Seeing the magic bullet heading for him with cold eyes, Usato thought he would evade it without hesitation, but instead, he plunged into the magic bullet without care.


    "What?


    The magic bullet hits his leg and shoulder, leaving a hole, but the wound regenerates at a speed that even healing magic cannot imagine.


    As he catches the small sword with his basket hand, a cold voice emanates from Usato.


    "Your aim is too weak. You have to aim for the head, or you won''t be able to defeat me.


    "Usato!¡¡What did you take ......!¡¡You''re not normal!


    "......A drop from the Kureha Fountain. Well, you wouldn''t understand if I told you..."


    He was hit only by the force of his arm and staggered backward.


    He tries to quickly create a magic bullet and releases it, but... he hesitates involuntarily.


    "---You''re too careless."


    "Ah!"


    While I was hesitating, Usato stepped into my bosom at once.


    Before I knew it, he had let go of his long sword and was pointing it at my torso.


    "Shima..."


    "Healing Crushing Fist."


    "Gah! ......"


    A strong impact hit me in the abdomen, and I was sent flying backward.


    Still, he manages to stay on his feet and adjusts his stance, using his sword for support.


    Breathing on my shoulder, I see Usato walking toward me, carrying the sword he picked up on his shoulder, brushing off the blood on his hand.


    "Kazuki. You''re too kind."


    Usato then swung his sword carelessly at my head.


    "Gghh......!"


    I managed to parry it diagonally with my sword, but the bone in my right arm creaked and I felt a sharp pain.


    He managed to parry it with his sword, but the bone of his right arm creaked, and he felt intense pain.¡¡Now I may have cracked the bone of my right arm......!


    If he backed down at this point, he would surely get hit.


    I took a big step forward, and I unleashed my left fist, which was filled with light magic, at Usato''s shoulder.


    WOOOOHHHH!


    That''s why you''re so sweet.


    Before my hand can reach him, Usato''s knee slams into my stomach.


    Coughing on my knees from the intense pain, Usato looks down at me.


    "Don''t go easy on me. You should be stronger than this.


    "...... Usa,t?"


    I can''t see his face in the shadows.


    Usato raises his sword, but before he can bring it down, his senpai slashes at him from behind.


    "I won''t let you kill anyone. ......!"


    "I can''t. I''ve come too far to turn back.


    I don''t care!


    You''re stubborn.


    "That''s me!¡¡That''s the troublesome senior you know, Suzune Inukami!"


    "You say that yourself? ......!"


    Turning around, Usato repelled the senpai''s attack.


    With that, the two disappear and a high-speed battle ensues.


    Usato follows with his high-speed movement, which is a mastery of the electric shock system, and his movements that transcend even the limits of human beings with the power of the mysterious water called the Kureha Fountain.


    While the battle heated up, destroying the surroundings and scattering electric shocks, I was thinking about something else as I was recovering with my abdomen held down.


    "Usato, you are ......."


    I''ve always felt strange.


    If Usato was serious about killing me and my senpai, there was something obviously unnatural about the battle so far.


    I had never questioned the fact that Usato had become my enemy and I was supposed to fight him, but now I finally realized it.


    "No way. ......"


    I felt anger welling up inside me.


    In a sense, this may be the first time I have ever felt such anger.


    And why Usato was fighting us.


    Why Usato is the way he is now.


    If what I think is true, I must be angry with Usato.


    "......"


    He removes his hand from his abdomen and kneads the magic.


    No more hesitation.


    I will not harm you, and I will not kill you.


    I will do everything in my power to stop Usato without regard for myself.


    "If you think I''m being naive, just say so!¡¡I have a lot to say to you, too!


    He thrusts his hands forward and forcibly creates twice as many magic bullets as he can make at the same time.


    He makes all of them elastic---reenacting the outburst of Usato''s system reinforcement.


    "Senpai!¡¡I''m going to get caught in the middle!¡¡I''m sorry!"


    "Yeah, okay!¡¡What?¡¡What do you mean...


    "Spread!


    The system reinforcement is triggered, and fresh blood gushes out from his right hand, which is leaking magic power.


    The shockwave that accompanies it causes the magic projectile to spread out in all directions, sending it flying over a wide area.


    What?


    The magic bullets, which were shot out with an acceleration that I could never have achieved with my magical manipulation, bounced off the obstacles around them, and rushed toward the two of them with a mysterious trajectory.


    "---I see, that''s how it works!¡¡Thunder Beast Mode 3!"


    The senior, clad in purple lightning, shoots back the magic bullets flying outward toward Usato one after another.


    I quickly manipulate the magic bullets, panicking a little when he starts to do something different from my intention.


    "Attraction!


    The magic bullets that are heading toward Usato are absorbed by Usato, restricting his movement.


    Seeing the magic bullets absorbing into his body, Usato''s movement slows down, but he quickly changes his target to me and comes toward me.


    But...his movement is so slow that even I can see him.


    "Strengthening ......!"


    He throws his sword, and cages the magic power in his left arm.


    The condensed light system magic power turns into a dangerous substance that annihilates everything it touches.


    "Kazuki!


    USATO!


    ---...and he swings the long sword, which has been transformed into a handheld sword.


    Without a glance at the long sword, which melts from the base like butter, he catches the next small sword in his palm and obliterates it.


    "......!"


    Clench your teeth!


    In an instant, Usato loses his weapon and raises his blood-soaked right fist.


    In response, Usato''s eyes widen, then he smiles a small smile and lets go of the hilt of his weapon, dropping it to the ground.


    Usato is hit on the cheek, and falls backward without even taking a stance.


    "Huh ...... huh ......!¡¡Ow......!"


    My right hand is covered with blood due to the sudden consumption of magic power and the fact that I had triggered the system reinforcement myself.


    I was breathing on my shoulder, and the senior rushed to the fallen Usato and spoke to him in a bewildered tone.


    "Kazuki-kun,...... please tend to your wound. ......"


    "No, not now."


    I don''t have time for this now.


    I grab Usato as he lies there helplessly.


    He has already lost his will to fight, and I glare at him and slam the words I wanted to say into his mouth in anger.


    "You''re the one who''s holding back!¡¡From the very beginning!


    "......!"


    "It doesn''t suit you!¡¡It''s not like you to force yourself to act so bad!"


    It was only a matter of time before he figured it out.


    Usato had been aware of it since the first time he was cut down by his senpai.


    That''s why his tone of voice had changed back to the respectful one he uses when talking with senpai, and when senpai grabbed his arm, she was fine.


    If Usato had really intended to kill her, it would have been over when he grabbed her arm.


    "You are no different from the Usato we know!"


    "......"


    "He''s a kind, good-natured, reliable ...... friend of mine!"


    That''s how it was with me.


    There were plenty of chances to kill me fighting without really deciding to fight.


    When I used that healing crushing fist technique, or when I kicked him in the knee, if I think about it, I could have easily killed him with the power that Usato has now.


    "You knew it, didn''t you? That we weren''t fakes.


    "---They''re just as fake as the rest of us. Because they are different from the Senpai and Kazuki I know."


    When Usato finally says this, he looks up at the sky and smiles a self-mocking smile.


    "I knew it, ...... even he knew it. I knew you weren''t the Senpai and Kazuki I knew. I didn''t know what that meant,...... but if you were there in real life, I didn''t care about anything else."


    "Did you know who I was?"


    When the older man pointed at him in surprise, Usato smiled fondly.


    "You are the only person I know who would say such crazy things during a fight.


    "Ah,ee......ko, my fianc¨¦e is a fact."


    "I wish it was a fake."


    "You don''t like it that much?


    I think it''s bad enough that you''re trying to fabricate facts on your own.


    When I was a bit taken aback by his senior, Usato opened his mouth again with a small sigh.


    "I''m a half-hearted person who couldn''t become a member of the ...... rescue squad or a healing magician. I was half a man, a fool who was crushed by the weight of what he had lost and as a result became a murderer."


    "Usato ......"


    "How can I face them after all this time? The senpai and Kazuki I knew are dead. I have taken many lives because of their deaths.


    I don''t know what kind of life Usato had after we died in this world.


    But I do know that it was not a half-hearted one.


    "Is that why he wanted us to defeat him?"


    "...... honestly, I don''t know. Did he want me to stop, or did he want me to kill him? ....... But, yeah..."


    He raises his upper body and looks down at the two swords whose hilts have fallen to the ground.


    The two swords that Senpai and I left behind.


    If we only look at the result, we have destroyed something important to Usato, but for him, who is living in the present, these swords are nothing more than a fetter.


    "I''ve cut off my unfulfilled love...... or perhaps it would be more correct to say that you''ve cut it off."


    "Grua."


    He muttered to himself, and Bulrin, who had been watching our fight, came up to him.


    He puts his hand on Bulrin''s cheek.


    "Thanks. For keeping your hands to yourself."


    "Guru."


    "I''m okay now. I''m fine now. ......


    Usato stands up unsteadily and looks back at us, clad in healing magic.


    The effect of the drop from the Kureha Fountain had worn off, and he seemed to be as close to the Usato we knew as possible, now that he had regained his composure.


    "I won''t ask why you two are here..."


    "Actually, you know what?¡¡I was sent back to this world by a bastard named Kannagi while I was infiltrating the Demon King''s territory to exterminate the Demon King!¡¡Next time I see him, I''m going to do everything in my power to catch him, put on animal ears and a tail, and make him regret his birth!"


    "...... Well, it''s a fantasy world. I''m sure there''s a lot going on. I won''t ask too many questions.


    Usato looks nostalgic even at his senpai''s words that ruin the atmosphere.


    Then he turned his body toward the senior again and bowed deeply.


    "I am sorry. I got you into this on my own. To be honest, I was scared when I first fought with you, but I was relieved to see that you are still my senpai.


    "Hey, Usato-kun. Is that a compliment?"


    "Of course I am.


    Usato smiled at me and then turned to me and bowed his head in the same way as his seniors.


    "I''m sorry, Kazuki. I said you were sweet, but ...... you''re wrong. Your compassion is not weakness. It is, without a doubt, your strength that surpasses all others."


    "......usato"


    "So, no matter who denies it, you go on the path you think is right."


    "Yeah, okay."


    After all, the world may have changed, but the fundamentals remain the same.


    Usato is still Usato.


    As I keep his words firmly in my mind, I notice that the body of my senpai next to me is gradually becoming transparent.


    "Senpai, your body is ......!"


    "So are you. Does that mean your time has come?


    He is taken back to his original world.


    I had so much more to tell the Usato of this world.


    Usato saw us slowly fading away and spoke to us without caring.


    "Senpai, Kazuki. Am I in your world?"


    "...... yes."


    "Are you bothering them as much as I am?"


    "No, I''m more of a nuisance to you."


    "Senpai, you were aware of it? ......!"


    It was a surprising fact.


    Usato smiles, somewhat surprised at his senpai''s words.


    "Then, please make such a happy person even more trouble. Maybe I''m a true healer who doesn''t rely on Kureha''s fountain or engage in desperate battles.


    ""......""


    My brain conjures up images of Usato fighting even crazier than the one in front of me.


    Usato here is pure strength, but I could manage it, but ...... I''m afraid of what Usato in our world can really do to us. .......


    "I guess it''s time to go."


    "Usato, you are ......"


    I''m going my own way.


    Usato says it straight to the point.


    Our bodies are disappearing.


    I will never see Usato in front of me again.


    He knows this, too, and he opens his mouth with a sad ...... smile on his face, but he keeps smiling.


    "Thanks to you two, I can finally move forward.


    With these words, the scene in front of me shifted.


    Kannagi said he would give us nightmares.


    He said he would make us give up our naivety.


    But no.


    I''ll do what I think is right.


    Once again, remembering the words of Usato from another world, I face Kannagi once more with my senpai.

 263 - - 238th episode.

    After fighting with Usato in another world, we returned to our original white space.


    I was standing in the same place as before when I caught sight of a blonde-haired beastman --- Kannagi --- who was sitting down with his eyes clenched shut.


    You can''t change us. No matter what nightmare or ordeal you put us through, we will not be deceived again.


    He says this to Kannagi, who is holding his eyes.


    We don''t know if he''s an enemy of ours or not.


    Kannagi, who had been silently holding his left eye, looked up at me as I stood alert, ready to fire my weapon at any moment.


    "I was right to send you guys."


    "...... what?"


    Blood was flowing from the gap between the hand holding the left eye.


    Could this be the price for strengthening the system?


    "Oh, don''t worry about this. It''s just that I lost the use of my left eye from overworking it. I guess the magic power of these ruins wasn''t enough after all.


    Kannagi, who spoke as if he were talking about something else, snapped his fingers with his left eye closed.


    Then, out of nowhere, a bandage-like object is wrapped around her head to cover her left eye, and a pattern similar to a magic spell is engraved on the bandage.


    "It was not what I had planned, but I was able to change his future in a parallel time. For me, there is nothing more wonderful than this."


    "...... what did they send us to that world for?"


    "?¡¡Same as the first time. I wanted you to leave your naivety behind. But it doesn''t matter now that we''ve accomplished more than that."


    Kannagi''s cheeks relaxed with happiness.


    "Ah, I knew he was still the same fundamental person in the other world. If you continue on into the future, you will be given one of the two heroic weapons you were supposed to get, and above all, you may even find me there.


    "What are you talking about, ......?"


    "Possibilities. Thanks to you, a man who should have been dying is now free to fulfill his destiny."


    I can hardly understand what is spewed out of Kannagi''s mouth, but does it mean that Usato in the other world would have lost his life if he had stayed in that world?


    "The Fountain of Kureha. It was a mistake to leave it there, wasn''t it?"


    Is it in this world, too?


    Of course. A poison that makes people go crazy runs through the underground of Mearaq. That''s what the Fountain of Kureha is.


    Mialak.


    That''s the city where Leona is.


    If we don''t know about it at this point, does that mean it''s not used like that one ......?


    Why do they still keep it?¡¡It''s just a thing that drives people crazy. Well, I don''t even want to know what it''s thinking, so it doesn''t matter.


    Kannagi is mumbling something.


    Whatever he''s saying, he''s a mysterious being.


    Is he on our side in the first place?


    "Well, we''re done with you now!¡¡Now we''ll just have to wait until the right time.


    Waiting?¡¡What are you waiting for?


    "I can''t tell you now. I can''t tell you now, because... if you ask me, I''ll try to stop you.


    At that moment, the senior who had been questioning Kannagi with a wan smile on his face disappears.


    The next person to appear was more than ten meters away from Kannagi, behind him, swinging his sword with an electric shock.


    "Is the main body different? ......"


    "They''ve definitely come for the head. It seems that the brave man over there has become more bold, but in a good way."


    "...... thanks to you."


    The senior sheathed his sword and glared at Kannagi reproachfully.


    Kannagi, on the other hand, distorts his figure as if there is a noise running through it.


    "Well then, this is the best part, bye.


    Wait!


    Kannagi calls out to him, but he ignores her and disappears in an instant.


    With the place where Kannagi disappeared as the center, the surrounding landscape erodes back to the original ruins. However, the place where you are now is clearly a different room from the one where you were first sucked into the vortex.


    "Senpai, what are you going to do now?"


    "First, let''s meet up with the others. ......Kannagi may be more troublesome than we expected.


    An unidentified opponent who is neither friend nor foe.


    We still can''t even trust them, but our first priority is to join up with our friends.


    I''m not sure if I trust them or not, but I''ll join my friends first.


    This evil dragon is as close to the evil dragon I know as possible, but it is far from the real thing.


    That is my impression after fighting with it for a while.


    Even though he has gained a lot of experience and is definitely stronger than when I fought him before, there is no way he can match the full power of a non-zombie Evil Dragon in his prime.


    "I''m sure he is."


    By any estimation, the opposing Evil Dragon is inferior to the Evil Dragons of the past in my memory.


    No, is it harder than the zombies?


    "Hey Usato. It''s a little late for that. What the hell was that?"


    "It''s really too late for that. ......"


    Koga, who had been forced to fight alongside me, is standing next to me asking me such a question.


    ......The evil dragon is asking us how we are going to fight, so I''ll explain briefly while I''m at it.


    "That is an evil dragon. It is a dragon that raged on this continent long ago. I believe my friends and I defeated a zombie who had risen from the dead some time ago. ...... Somehow, he is now in his prime in the past Samaritan."


    "I see, so that means he''s a strong guy."


    Did you hear my explanation?


    That''s a very short summary, but is that the way you see it?


    I think there was more to the story that surprised me.


    "Did you fight such a scary monster, Usato?"


    Keira, in the back, protected by Ciel, is more understanding.


    I turn back to her to reassure her.


    "We beat them together with our friends. Don''t worry, we won''t lose this time either.


    Yes, yes!


    For now, I''m fighting the battle, so I don''t have any problems. ...... I was a little concerned about Ciel''s suspicious look, or rather, the way he was pulling me away, but for now, let''s focus on what''s in front of us.


    "Let''s go, Koga!"


    "Heh. Be careful not to get caught in my attack."


    "......"


    "Oh, sorry, I''m kidding. So don''t try to hold my leg."


    He sighs at Koga, who is still in a jokey posture at this stage, and confronts the evil dragon.


    Black shiny scales and big wings.


    The current threats are poison and attacks with claws and tails.


    "Now we don''t have Nair, Ferrum, or Amako ......, but that doesn''t mean we can''t do anything."


    There is only so much I can do on my own.


    I can only do so much on my own.


    I have to combine them and apply them.


    "Koga, I''ll draw him away."


    I''ll just attack as I see fit. We''ll deal with each other on the spot.


    Even if we had a good plan, each of us would be moving around on our own, and we would be getting in the way of each other.


    I understood that after our brief fight earlier.


    I take a deep breath slowly, and after checking Keira and Ciel once more, I approach the evil dragon.


    <>


    "I told you I''m not a brave man. ....... But, well, let me pay you back for all the trouble you''ve caused me in the past. ......!"


    A silver cage hand on his right arm.


    He holds it in front of his face, which boasts unparalleled hardness, and clenches his fist tightly.


    Covering the hand with the elasticity-imparting magic power I had generated by concentrating my consciousness, I faced the clawed and tail-snapping Evil Dragon head-on.


    Come on!


    >


    With a roar, a claw much larger than my height is swung.


    I see off the claw as if it is about to smash me, and I click my cage hand against the tip of the claw to change its trajectory.


    I have seen that attack before.


    >


    The evil dragon unleashes the claws of both arms like a child throwing a tantrum.


    Is it still the same low tolerance for agitation ......?¡¡I think the vocabulary of words is too monotonous for a person who has a low tolerance for agitation.


    Well, the more crude the attack is, the easier it is for me to do it too. ......!


    "Hmph!¡¡Hmm!¡¡Sweet!"


    I spot it with my eyes, step and pop it with my basket hand.


    If you take it head-on, you will be crushed by its mass, but if you play it right, you can pass it off with minimal force.


    And then...,


    "That attack!"


    A "sweet" attack, launched amidst the chaos.


    He dodges it with a step, and then, to the side of his hand, which is knocked to the ground, he strikes a spinning kick with elasticity-imparting magic power by spinning magic power.


    >


    The evil dragon is knocked out of its position by the shot from my arm, but it tries to open its big mouth to bite me, taking advantage of its falling forward behavior.


    The Evil Dragon''s big mouth with sharp fangs is closing in.


    "Slow ......!"


    I stomp my right foot, which is transferred with elasticity-imparting magic. He moves instantly.


    In my vision, I see the side of an evil dragon''s face as its head hits the ground.


    "Magic spinning!"


    He instantly returns magic power to his right fist and releases a healing elastic fist.


    However, despite the suspicion of weakening, the opponent is an evil dragon with a huge physique. Healing Elastic Fist alone will not be enough to overcome him.


    Then, he must repeat the technique once more until ......!


    "Healing Fist!"


    On top of the vertical fist that was slammed into the Evil Dragon, he unleashes more magic power.


    At the same moment, another impact hit the Evil Dragon''s cheek, shaking its huge head.


    I myself recoil slightly from the recoil that ricochets off my right arm.


    >


    "Whoa ......!"


    The fangs snapped, and the evil dragon stared at me with hatred... I was lightly shuddering at the technique, which showed more power than I had expected.


    It was a combination of elasticity and outburst of magic power.


    I tried it as soon as I saw it, but it''s a dangerous technique.


    "Blasting ...... elasticity---is a dan ...... yeah, it''s a healing bullet-busting fist."


    Healing Elastic Fist drives a wedge as a starting point, and Healing Rengou Fist passes the impact to the back of the body.


    This is a less continuous fire than the Healing Rengage Fist, but it has more power to blow away the enemy.


    "Oh! This is really good. You."


    "......"


    What is the second corps commander doing standing behind me instead of attacking the evil dragon?


    "What is he doing?¡¡Corga."


    "What?¡¡I was looking."


    Did you see that?


    "Yeah."


    What?


    You.


    Me?


    "Yes."


    .......


    "Okay, from now on your name is Cogarod, or Cogacalibur."


    "Hey, hey, hey, I''m sorry!¡¡I''m so sorry!¡¡I''m so sorry!


    What is he doing while we are desperately fighting the evil dragon?


    Shouldn''t we force him to fight or treat him as a weapon?


    "Anyway, I know the secret of your incomprehensible technique."


    "...... what?"


    It''s elasticity. The magic itself has elasticity to repel attacks, right?"


    Was he observing my elasticity?


    Koga, who had stepped forward while I was astonished, smiled angrily at the evil dragon who had gotten up.


    "I see. Elasticity is an interesting thing. I was blindsided by the outburst of the system reinforcement.


    >


    As he spoke these words, Koga''s robe of dark magic changed.


    The robe that covers his body grows larger, changing from a slender appearance to a muscular one.


    He aims his left fist at the evil dragon and strikes it like a whip with centrifugal force.


    "Yeah!"


    "Bachyynnn!¡¡The blow is delivered with a resounding "ba-ching" sound, sending the dragon''s huge body sprawling.


    ---The dark magic gives it elasticity.


    I stare at Koga when I see this.


    Koga gives me a friendly smile.


    "What''s your technique? It''s like you''re getting closer to us dark wizards.


    "......!"


    The dark system is a form of magic.


    If you can manipulate its strength at will, you can do the same trick without having it elasticize like I can.


    When he fought with Kazuki, he used my outburst of strengthening his lineage, so why does he keep using my tricks?


    ......It took me a lot of effort to learn this technique.


    "Ha ha, I''m sorry about that."


    "That sucks. The only way to get rid of the memory is to hit him from behind when the opportunity arises. ......


    "You''re not really a healer by any stretch of the imagination!"


    We''re in real trouble now.


    This guy is more troublesome than the evil dragon in front of us, isn''t he?


    >


    He''s angry, isn''t he?


    "......, you better fight him this time."


    I know, I know.


    I can''t trust him anymore unless I have him in my sights at all times.


    The two of them run forward at the same time, with poisonous smoke spewing out of the corners of their mouths and the evil dragon screaming in anger.


    Koga leaps first, drawing the Evil Dragon''s attention, and then I flank him and kick him in the side of the head.


    >>


    "Did you forget I''m here?¡¡Sad, man!"


    <


    As he turns his attention back to me, Koga slams his whip-like left arm into the side of the evil dragon.


    As soon as its upper body tilts up, Koga runs up its back at once.


    When he reached the head, he grabbed what looked like the horns of the head, and slammed his fist into the brain in rapid succession.


    "Ha, you''re not at your feet as usual!¡¡Was I too small for you to see me?


    >


    "Oops."


    He jumps up to avoid an arm swinging toward his head.


    As I am about to fall to the ground, the tail of the evil dragon is coming at me.


    As I immediately try to evade it with my healing acceleration fist, Koga''s outstretched left arm wraps around my leg.


    "Koga, thank God..."


    "Ha ha!¡¡I''ll get you in return!


    "Huh?"


    Koga, who had forced me to avoid his tail, swung me around with all his strength and tried to slam my body into the Evil Dragon''s brain again.


    I guess he was trying to get back at me for what I did to him earlier, but... that''s sweet!


    "Stop laughing!¡¡Healing Elastic Fist from Healing Magic Bursting Palm!


    >


    "What the hell?"


    He then slams the Healing Elastic Fist into the head of the approaching Evil Dragon.


    I landed on the frightened dragon''s head and grabbed the koga''s magic power entangled in its legs as if to wrap it around my cage---and pulled it up with a single fishing motion.


    "You''ve got some nerve trying to attack me in the confusion!


    "Huh?¡¡Aren''t you too much of a threat?¡¡Hey, hey, hey, this is..."


    Coga is flying in the air, pulled by me.


    I leap in time with him and grab both of his legs tightly.


    "Come on, KOGA!


    "Not this again!


    Coga, not wanting to be hurt, transforms himself into the shape of a weapon.


    I land on the ground with him on my shoulder, and use my cohort to repel his tail as it swings for landing.


    "We''re going down together!"


    "You''re not with me, are you?¡¡Basically, you''re on your own!


    "Shut up!¡¡Eat our friendship power!


    No!


    While complaining, he repels the evil dragon''s attacks with his koga.


    "Oh, it''s easy to repel thanks to its elasticity!"


    "I didn''t steal this technique from you for this!"


    No, you''re right, but...


    With the elasticity-enhancing step, I quickly approach the Evil Dragon and slam the Koga into its torso.


    "Here!


    With Koga''s voice, the tip of the club that Koga had transformed explodes, and several sharp thorns pierce the Evil Dragon''s body.


    Wow, is this what the outburst of the systemic reinforcement is like?


    The speed of the thorns is not so fast, but it seems to hurt a lot when it sticks.


    Let''s check out Koga''s techniques and stuff for the future while we''re at it.


    "Okay, do you have any more tricks?¡¡Koga, you''re not that strong yet!"


    "Oh!¡¡Let me go and I''ll show you!"


    What? ......


    "Why do I have to look at you like that?


    >


    I stop in my tracks, and the evil dragon''s poisonous mass closes in on me.


    Realizing that I will not be able to hit back in time, I let go of the koga, avoid the mass of poison, and at the same time, fire a healing flying fist into its mouth.


    >


    "Koga, I''ll throw it!¡¡Come on!"


    I''m ready for anything except being swung around!


    He timed his jump to coincide with Koga''s, and launched Koga at the evil dragon with his elastic palm.


    It is a technique that is supposed to be used in conjunction with senpai (senpai), but ......!


    Go!


    I''ll take care of it!


    Koga approaches the Evil Dragon with several times the momentum due to their mutual elastic magic power.


    With that, KOGA strikes the Evil Dragon with a body strike that changes its shape to that of a triangular pyramid, and then moves toward the Evil Dragon with a large deformation of its left arm.


    I, who was breathing at a little distance from the Evil Dragon, casually observed Koga and saw what looked like a wound on the chest of the Evil Dragon.


    "If I were to target it, it would be there..."


    The wound was caused by the outburst of KOGA''s system reinforcement earlier.


    Although not a drop of blood has leaked out, it must have been gouged out quite deeply.


    Then, if we aim at that place, we can probably defeat the evil dragon.


    At the moment I gathered my thoughts and was about to take immediate action---someone was standing in front of me before I knew it.


    "---"


    A dark-haired man in light armor.


    A figure I had seen many times in the memories of Samaritan''s people.


    His face was not clearly visible, but the way he stood was exactly..,


    "Memories of the past of the previous generation, the brave ......?"


    The man pulled a sword from his waist and thrust it into the ground.


    It had a longer blade than the small sword I pulled from the heart of the evil dragon.


    "...... sword?"


    Why at this moment?


    I wondered, and as I cautiously approached the sword, its beautiful blade reflected my face.


    "......!"


    The voice whispers in my ear from right behind me.


    But there is no sign.


    You look back, but there''s no one there, and all you can hear is Koga''s voice trying to keep up.


    Is this really the sword that the brave man used to carry?


    It looks just like the one in my memory, but somehow I don''t think I should pick it up.


    <>>


    "No, thank you."


    <<< What?¡¡What? >>


    No, I can''t take such a monstrous thing in my hand!


    I turn around and head straight for the chest of the evil dragon, holding my baskets at the ready.


    "Koga!¡¡Keep your attention on me!


    "Oh, I''m over here! You lizard!¡¡I haven''t been hit yet!"


    Coga is provoking them with an incredibly annoyed look on his face.


    Evil Dragon, who has no tolerance for aggression, is furious, as expected.


    He opens his mouth wide and tries to spit out his venom.


    >


    "You can open your big mouth all you want, but your chin''s not here!"


    Koga jumped as if bouncing at the same time as he landed, and he struck the Evil Dragon in the jaw while holding his head protectively.


    The resilient magic power flipped the Evil Dragon backward.


    Taking the chance, I land on the spot where the dragon''s heart would be, and plunge my right arm into the crack that has formed in its chest.


    It doesn''t feel like a living thing. It feels like I''m sticking my hand into clay or the ground. ......!


    "---Healing Fist"


    Instantly, a series of impacts explode inside the evil dragon.


    The body of the evil dragon twitches like a machine under the impact.


    While the strange sensation baffles him, the Evil Dragon''s movements are completely silenced.


    "Oh, you did it, Usato! You took the best part."


    "...... beat him?"


    The evil dragon has stopped moving.


    But what is this strange feeling?


    Was I really fighting an evil dragon---creature?


    Usato!


    Mr. Koga!


    While I was having such doubts about the evil dragon, Keira and Ciel came running up to me and Koga.


    "Are you hurt?¡¡Have you inhaled any poison?"


    "No, I''m fine!"


    "Are you okay?"


    "Yes, yes."


    Why are you keeping your distance?


    Well, from their point of view, I''m an enemy.


    But that doesn''t mean I''m going to do anything about someone who doesn''t have hostile intentions toward me.


    "...... hmm?"


    At that moment, the space around you changes.


    The streets of Samaritan''s past fade away.


    The evil dragon we slayed is transformed into something else.


    What?¡¡What the hell is this? ......"


    "...... golem?"


    What appeared was a golem in the shape of a dragon, different from the large golem we had fought.


    It was originally humanoid, but was forced to take the shape of an evil dragon. It was pieced together in places, and looked ugly.


    On the chest of this rather creepy dragon golem is a jewel-like object with a crack in it, and I can see that the evil dragon has stopped moving because I broke it with my Healer''s Rengeki Fist.


    "What the hell, this is ......."


    A large space.


    In the middle of it, a white building and a broken dragon golem.


    It is like a diorama of a past Samaria.


    "I really wish I could have shown you a magic trick..."


    "---!"


    "But you. But you''re too mentally powerful to hear my magic voice or see my illusions, so I had to make a few adjustments.


    The one who appeared was Kannagi, the beast girl who had beheaded the evil dragon---Golem.


    "Kannagi? ......"


    "We went through a lot of trouble, you know?¡¡We had to recreate their appearance with coloring magic and stuff. ...... but you''ve made it worth all the trouble."


    She gives me a hostile smile and claps her hands.


    "This golem may have been a piece of cake, but it was definitely stronger than the evil dragon you fought," she said. ...... unexpected, but the fact that you were able to defeat it without difficulty means that you are truly qualified to inherit its ''power''.


    Kannagi creates a vortex of light in the space behind him that sucks us in.


    She points out her hand to me, who looks at it and reveals her wariness.


    "Come, come. I will give you the right power... the magic of the heroes who came before you, the spark of light.

 264 - - 239th episode.

    A spark of the light of the previous generation of heroes.


    Kannagi spoke of such a thing in front of the glowing vortex.


    From the nuance, it must be some kind of power.


    Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on. I''ll take you with me."


    He has such an innocent smile on his face.


    I don''t know how old Kannagi is, but I don''t think he looks that different from us.


    "...... what should I do?"


    Our options are limited.


    At least staying here does not guarantee our escape.


    On the other hand, if Kannagi takes us to ...... I''m not sure what that spark of light is.


    I have a vague bad feeling about this, but I also know that we should not take the option of not moving at this point.


    "All right, let''s go see what we can find.


    Hey, wait a minute.


    "Wait for me, you son of a b*tc*."


    "Heh!"


    Ciel and I grab Koga''s shoulders at the same time.


    I''m a little surprised that Mr. Ciel keeps holding me back in a way that I can''t tell whether it''s an honorific or a sarcasm, and I glare at Koga.


    "Why are you coming with us?¡¡Isn''t it strange?"


    "Yes, it is. Why don''t you understand the situation better than he does?¡¡Even a child can understand, can''t he?


    Ciel asked, and Keira nodded her head in horror.


    Coga, however, shows no sign of remorse and smiles wryly.


    "Hey, hey, you don''t have a choice but to go with them. I can see how it would be troublesome for Usato for sure. But we have nothing to do with it. We''re just going to enjoy watching from behind.


    "......"


    "Whoa?¡¡Whoa?¡¡You want some?¡¡I''ll take that.


    Coga smiles belligerently in frustration.


    No.


    Don''t be provoked. I''ve come this far and I don''t want to deal with this.


    "They''re going to follow us anyway. Keira, stay close to Ciel.


    "Oh, wow, is that me?"


    "I''m sorry. But that''s a child who has almost nothing to do with us. ......"


    "......, I understand."


    Ciel then holds hands with Keira in a puzzled manner.


    Judging from his words and actions so far, he might be someone who is in a position close to the Demon King.


    Well, he''s not a bad guy.


    "---You guys are coming too. Hmmm...well, okay..."


    Kira gives a frightened look to Kannagi, who mutters something disinterested.


    I step into the vortex as carefully as possible, stepping in between to hide her.


    Then, I was surrounded by a white light, and the next moment I was standing in a different place from where I had just been.


    "This is ......"


    Transference?¡¡The space that was transferred was a vast space that appeared to have been half destroyed.


    Ivy plants of unknown origin grew from overhead, and the floor was littered with debris.


    However, it was not dark, but rather, there were inlays of shiny, pale stone-like objects throughout the room, illuminating this vast space.


    While I was perplexed by the obviously different atmosphere from the place I had been, Keira noticed something and pointed in a certain direction.


    "Usato-san, that''s ......."


    "Hmm?"


    Looking in the direction Keira pointed, I saw what looked like a stone coffin.


    Kannagi emerges from the space and walks toward the coffin.


    "Come on, this way!"


    "......"


    We walk with vigilance, ready for whatever may come.


    The stone coffin is tightly closed, and we cannot see inside.


    "Come on, open it up."


    "No, no, I''m afraid of ......, I don''t want to."


    I''ve seen this in movies.


    The first person who touches it gets cursed for some reason or another and gets in trouble.


    Kannagi gives me a dumbfounded smile when I am scared stiff.


    "There are no dead bodies or ghosts in there, so don''t worry. Come on, come on, come on."


    You''re rushing me.


    I guess we''ll just have to make do with what we''ve got.


    I try to lift up the sarcophagus with my hand in the gap between the lids, intending to throw the spark of light at the worst possible moment.


    A little surprised at the weight of the sarcophagus, I forcibly move it out of the way.


    "Wow, that''s a lot of power. It''s like an ogre."


    "This is what you look like without even trying. You''re a monster."


    "I''ll do my best ......"


    I feel like I''m being told something unconvincing by the demon people. .......


    I''ll give Keira a heads up later.


    With a thud, I moved the lid of the sarcophagus and finally peeked inside..,


    "......!¡¡This is ......."


    Inside was a girl who looked just like Kannagi.


    She was wearing clothes similar to a kimono, and her eyes were closed as if she were asleep.


    However, there were tears of blood streaming from her left eye, which added to the eeriness of the scene.


    "Why, this person has a ......"


    What caught my eye more than anything else was the fact that the girl had a sword stuck in her chest.


    "Another one of the swords that was used as the basis for my baskets. ......?"


    The sword glowed with a pale light---it was undoubtedly the other sword that the hero had handled.


    "This is what I brought you here for," he said.


    "Kannagi, this is ......."


    "It''s me. It is my body that was sealed in this place just before the previous heroes fought the Demon King.


    The other Kannagi sits on the sarcophagus in which he sleeps.


    "You mean the previous heroes who fought against the ...... Demon King, you know?¡¡No way, the reason why the Demon King sent me to this place is ......."


    "Well, this is getting interesting."


    Now I wonder if it was a good idea for Koga on the Demon Lord''s side to hear this story?


    It might lead to a battle, but considering the character of ...... this guy, it''s better if he doesn''t attack us now.


    If that happens, we should move Keira to a safe place.


    "......"


    But, are you saying that the previous heroes sealed her as a companion?


    I heard from Hayate that Kannagi was a companion of the heroes in the hidden village in the Land of the Beastmen, didn''t she?


    No, there''s something we should check first of all.


    Is this body alive?


    "Is this body alive?" "Yes, it''s alive. My body''s frozen in time.


    "...... Why did the previous hero seal you?"


    "I don''t know what it means, but he sealed me here alive. I don''t know what it means, but he sealed me alive in here!¡¡That''s a surprise to me, too."


    I don''t know how to look at Kannagi, who is so playful.


    She doesn''t care about me, but she talks to me as if she wants my agreement.


    "And that too, right before the battle with the Demon King!¡¡Don''t you really understand me now?


    "Didn''t the brave man take his sword with him? ......?


    "Yes. I think it''s too reckless, even though he''s already become so strong that he doesn''t need me anymore. Before that, he used one of his swords on an evil dragon.


    It''s getting more and more out of the ordinary every time more information is revealed. .......


    What kind of monster was the previous brave man? .......


    "The only thing that can free my body is the cage hand you hold."


    "...... this guy who''s sword is based on a ...... brave man''s sword?"


    "Yeah. I''m sure you''ve noticed that it resonates with you.


    It''s true that the baskets have been vibrating slightly for a while now.


    So we know that the sword stuck in Kannagi''s chest is real.


    "......"


    After hearing all this, I don''t know if I can trust her.


    As far as I know, the previous heroes were not bad people.


    Would such a person suddenly do such a thing to Kannagi, who is his best ally, even if it was someone who had betrayed him?


    It is possible that Kannagi was actually a very bad person and the hero sealed him up.


    "For now, let''s bind Kannagi himself.


    My first conclusion, based on these possibilities, was to block the movements of Kannagi, who seemed to be in danger.


    At this, the other kanagi also panics.


    "Wait a minute!¡¡Please wait!"


    Excuse me. Can you go find something to tie me up with?


    "Why should I go find something to tie me up for someone who''s trying to tie me up?¡¡Isn''t it funny?


    I guess not.


    But there''s nothing here that''s convenient for tying up.


    There''s nothing but rubble around.


    He''s trying to make a guy who can''t even move.


    "Wow, people are scary. ......"


    "Be careful, be careful, be careful. ...... I see."


    I go through the mumblings behind me.


    Kannagi rushes to his feet and jumps out in front of me.


    Her expression looks very impatient.


    "Ki, I know it''s natural to doubt your character, but I''m not trying to harm you!¡¡On the contrary, I want to help you!


    "No, ......, no, I don''t want it."


    "Don''t say that!¡¡Listen to me first!"


    I start to feel a little sorry for him, so I decide to listen to him.


    I''m still skeptical, but I''m not sure if I''m too quick to judge Kannagi''s words as a lie.


    "I don''t care about Kannagi''s body at this point!¡¡But I want you to receive the seed fire of a brave man''s light!


    "What is this ''spark of light''?"


    ....... Obviously, there was a word that bothered me, but should I pursue it?


    Should I pursue this? First, let''s ask about the "spark of light.


    "The spark of light is the source of magic possessed by the previous heroes. If you possess it, you will be able to use the same magic as the previous heroes.


    "...... expect me to believe in something so convenient?"


    It''s not convenient. It''s a necessity.


    The other Kannagi puts his hand on the sword that is stuck in Kannagi''s chest.


    This sword has been used by brave men in thousands and thousands of battles. It is no exaggeration to say that it contains the memories of all his battles. It naturally contains the memory of his magic and some of its power."


    "...... can''t you leave it with someone other than me?"


    I''d be lying if I said I wasn''t attracted to that kind of power.


    But it''s obviously not appropriate for me to have such power.


    For example, if senpai and Leona-san could use light magic, they would be invincible.


    At least they should be able to handle it much better than me who can only punch and kick.


    "That''s impossible. No normal human being would be able to withstand such a feat of implanting someone else''s magic lineage. You''re right, ...... it''s a lot like the procedure vampires use to turn humans into their own kind."


    This is what Nair once half-jokingly referred to as a way to increase the number of vampires.


    I usually don''t like it when people explain it that way.


    "Once you have this power, Kazuki, Suzune, and you can defeat the Demon Lord. We can bring about the peaceful world you''ve always wanted, you know?"


    "...... peaceful world."


    It is true that if I could obtain the power that Kannagi mentioned, I could help Senpai, Kazuki, and Leona.


    But is that really enough?


    I still feel that we are overlooking something important.


    He casually turns his eyes to the group of kogas behind him.


    "......"


    "Pull it out. It''ll definitely be interesting."


    "No, please stop!¡¡What are you doing? Are you letting the Demon Lord''s enemies get stronger!"


    "Ha-ha-ha!"


    "You stupid army leader!¡¡Why, you!¡¡You put your own personal feelings first!"


    Ciel is kicking Coga, who is laughing.


    Keira is standing by her side, giving me an anxious look.


    I look back at Kannagi, determined to meet her gaze.


    "---For now, I will wake you up. After that, I will decide whether or not to accept your power.


    "....... Yeah, that''s fine. I''d rather talk to you in my own body."


    Kannagi looks somewhat relieved at my words.


    I raise my right arm, which has been vibrating since a few minutes ago, hoping that the relief is sincere.


    "Well, how do you do it?"


    "Just grab it with your right arm and pull it out."


    Should I do it while casting a healing spell?"


    "No. It looks like it''s stuck, but it''s not. Feel free to pull it out.


    But it looks like it''s stuck firmly in there.


    Fearfully, he moves his right hand, which is wrapped in a cage, closer to the sword.


    At the moment when he sees the faint light on the sword change to a light similar to Kazuki''s magic---like being attracted by a magnet, it is as if it were a magnet.¡¡The baskets are attached to the swords with a clunking sound.


    "What!"


    As soon as Kannagi''s smiling figure disappeared, several rays of light seemed to flow from the sword to the cage.


    Alarm bells ring in my head.


    I am tormented by the sensation that something is being rewritten in my mind.


    Something is about to happen.


    Something is about to happen.


    I ask Nair to follow the traces of magic and we proceed through the ruins.


    Leona is helping us to break down the walls in our way, but we have yet to meet up with Usato and the others.


    "...... is strange."


    What''s wrong?¡¡"Nair."


    I call out to her, who is twisting her head with her hands on the floor.


    Could it be that the trace of magic power has been lost?


    She turns around at the sound of my voice, which is laced with anxiety.


    "The high density of magic in the air is almost gone," she says.


    "Well, is that a bad thing?"


    "No, I guess it''s a good thing because you don''t have to worry about magic sickness anymore. ...... The question is, what was the magic used for that was floating around in this huge ruin?


    "I still wonder if it has something to do with the fact that we were separated?"


    At Nea''s words, Leona, who had been listening around her, spoke to her.


    "Maybe. But the fact that it took that much magical power means that some kind of extraordinary magic or sorcery was used.


    Can you follow the trail yet?


    "No problem there. In fact, it''s easier to follow now that there''s no more magic in the way. ...... At any rate, the magic residue is continuing that way.


    Nair''s finger points in the right direction.


    As I walk with my hand on Bulrin''s back, the figure of Ferrum, who has been restless for some time, comes into view.


    "Is Ferrum worried about everyone?"


    "What?¡¡"Of course not!"


    You''re being stubborn again.


    I laugh at his obvious response, and say how I honestly feel about it.


    "We''re worried about you, but I guess we''ve gotten used to it.


    "I hate it. I don''t like that kind of familiarity ......."


    "I agree."


    Leona, who had been looking forward to the meeting as if she had heard it, agreed with Ferrum''s mutterings.


    "It''s true that I''m not ...... worried."


    "Yeah."


    "But when I take my eyes off them, I''m worried that they''re doing something wrong. Especially Usato."


    ""I can see that."""


    I was so convinced that I couldn''t help but hear the sound of Nair''s voice.


    Nair, who had been following the trail, turns around with a pale face.


    "I imagine that while I''m doing this, Usato might be making up some more incomprehensible tricks ......."


    "No, it''s not possible in such a short time."


    "No, you were just now making some kind of unexplainable technique like the healing explosion wave!¡¡When did you make that!


    Leona-san looks uncomfortable as she talks to N¨¦a who is so indignant.


    "Ah, Nea. I think that the technique called "Healing Explosion Wave" was made a little while after the battle of the Demon King''s Army. He had wrought it during his hand-to-hand combat with me.


    "So soon?¡¡Oh, no, no, no, that brainiac!¡¡You hid it from us! ......!¡¡And the healing bombs?


    That''s ...... probably from the fight earlier.


    "Whaaaaa?"


    Nair''s head is in his hands.


    From the outside, I think "Usato, you made another new technique", but from the point of view of Nair who supports him, it must be a big deal.


    The question of what he is talking about with healing magic has long since disappeared.


    Specifically, from around the time when Usato invented the healing magic bullet.


    "......?"


    "What''s wrong, Amako?"


    "Grua?"


    You feel a strange presence and turn around, but all you see behind you is a pile of rubble and ruins.


    Just as he was about to say, "It''s nothing," to Ferrum and Bulrin, who had called out to him..,


    <<< Ah!¡¡I can finally talk! >>


    Someone appears with noise in an empty space.


    Leona-san leaps out in front of us and holds up the spear of a brave warrior.


    "Who are you?


    >


    "......"


    Leona''s unexpectedly cheerful voice makes her look doubtful.


    As the distorted figure becomes clearer, its golden hair and familiar face are revealed.


    A fair face and a bandaged left eye.


    And when I saw the girl wearing a kimono similar to Hinomoto''s, I let out an unintentional cry of astonishment.


    "What?¡¡Kannagi?


    >


    "Huh?¡¡...... nice to meet you?"


    What are you talking about?


    This is the third time I''ve seen this man, including in my dreams.


    His left eye is bandaged, but his face is unmistakably the same person.


    So why do you react as if this is the first time you''ve met .......


    <<


    "Who are you?"


    She looks me straight in the eye as I ask my question.


    Her image becomes clearer, but still wavers from time to time.


    Perhaps she is a ghostly being without substance. ...... Is this person really the Kannagi I know?


    She took a small deep breath and opened her mouth in determination,


    >


    """......"""


    ...... What?¡¡Did you bite me?¡¡Did you just bite me?


    She held her mouth and blushed. She looked at us dumbfounded and coughed.


    >


    """......"""


    Awkward silence for both sides.


    Perhaps unable to bear it any longer, the person claiming to be Kannagi looks away and speaks rather quickly.


    "...... voice?¡¡Could it be that you were talking to Usato at ......?"


    <


    Before coming to these ruins, Usato was sent a voice that sounded like a warning.


    Was it Kannagi who was in front of him?


    She crosses her arms and starts nodding her head in confusion.


    <>


    He''s usually so foul-mouthed.


    In my dream, Kannagi seemed aloof.


    Kannagi started to talk more and more even though he was not listening to anything, and Nair spoke to him quizzically.


    The other you?¡¡What do you mean by that?


    <


    She nodded her head and returned to a serious expression.


    >


    The other Kannagi.


    Until now I had thought that he was untrustworthy, but the person in front of me now, who calls himself Kannagi, seems strangely trustworthy---so I think.

 265 - - 240th episode.

    The other Kannagi, the girl who also called herself Kannagi, told us so.


    Her words made us look doubtful, but she kept a serious expression on her face.


    .


    "...... yes, that''s right."


    Normally I should be skeptical, but now that Kannagi has told me, it feels right.


    In my dream, she seemed to be somewhat theatrical and strange.


    But Kannagi in front of me now is natural and has a certain human smell.


    <


    "So you can move now that the dense magic floating in these ruins is gone, right?"


    <


    So it was that fake Kannagi that made Usato and the others move to another place.


    "And what is this fake?"


    A brave man''s sword?


    Leona, who is well acquainted with the armor of the heroes, asks Kannagi a question, wondering why he is not even a living creature.


    "...... does it mean that an inorganic object has come to life?"


    <>


    Kannagi then pauses, but soon speaks the rest of the words.


    .


    "Evil dragon! ...... then ......!"


    In order to seal the spirit of the evil dragon, the previous hero plunged a small sword into its heart.


    Now Usato has it as a cage---but if the sword influenced the evil dragon, it can never be a good thing. ......!


    "Huh?"


    <>


    "......"


    <


    Centuries of solitude.


    Since he became self-aware, he has only seen other people''s memories and knows nothing else.


    <


    "...... why is Usato here?"


    <


    "Connected?"


    Kannagi replies to my mutterings.


    >


    So, he had only seen Kannagi''s own memories and those of Farga, but now he had a chance to know the outside world through Usato.


    <


    "He said he was watching, huh?¡¡What? Our past interactions?


    >


    Kannagi is instantly flustered when Nair stares at him.


    She feels a little uncomfortable that she has been watched, but she doesn''t blame herself.


    "When did you wake up?"


    <


    So until then, .......


    I feel a little sympathy for the guy I talked to in my dream.


    "So, in the end, is it safe to say that the fake is someone whose ego grew out of a brave man''s sword?"


    Nair puts her hand on her forehead as if she has a headache.


    To her, Kannagi''s story must have sounded ridiculous.


    Indeed, even if there is such a thing as magic, it sounds absurd.


    >.


    ""......""


    <<


    Maybe my feelings and Nea''s are the same.


    I knew it, but I think Usato really attracts strange people.


    "Then why did you have to go through all this trouble to ask for help?"


    "Yes, it is. He''s a simple guy. He''ll act quickly if he''s asked for help. Simple."


    Ferrum, I nodded to Nair''s point.


    Basically, Usato is more of a good-natured guy than ......, and both Suzune and Kazuki are good-natured guys.


    If you ask them for help, they will not hesitate to come to your aid.


    However, Kannagi''s expression remains gloomy.


    >


    "Distorted?¡¡What do you mean?"


    "Could it be that Usato and the others were sucked into the vortex ......?"


    Usato, Suzune, and Kazuki were sucked in because you wanted them to do something to make them stronger to fight the Demon Lord?


    So the golem was prepared by a fake.


    What a lot of trouble.


    <>


    "What are you going to do to Usato?"


    Nair was the first to react to these words.


    She held her head in her hands and her face turned pale with agitation.


    "...... lie, healing magic alone is bad enough, but light magic?¡¡What''s that, are you going to make more monsters into monsters......?"


    Nair is in a state of shock, but I''m not going to go into that right now.


    "And there''s something else, isn''t there?"


    "What happens if Usato accepts light magic?"


    Kannagi answers Nea''s question.


    <


    "Wait, another one is ......... Usato''s healing magic is ......."


    .


    ""!?"""


    Usato is not a healing magic user ...... anymore?


    As I was too shocked to speak, Kannagi crossed his arms in front of me.


    "What more is there to it than this?"


    What else is there besides the possible loss of Usato''s magic?


    I listen to her words, understanding that the situation is worse than I had imagined.


    <>


    "You mean my ego would collapse?"


    <<>.


    Is this where the case of the evil dragon comes to a head?


    How much more do you need to influence our journey, even after being released from the seal .......


    <<< Honestly, I don''t know what will happen to me if that happens. That''s why I have to meet up with Usato and the others as soon as possible.


    "Do you know where it is?"


    At that time, the wall on our side was broken and someone entered with an electric shock.


    I didn''t need to foresee it any more to know who was coming, and I involuntarily pressed my forehead when I saw the freak--- Suzune---who leaped at Kannagi with his arms spread wide open.


    "Oh, my Chemomimi!¡¡I won''t let you get away!


    >


    Suzune lunges at Kannagi, who lets out a serious scream that is not an act, but just slips through.


    She lands on the floor, clucking her tongue, and tilts her head as she finally notices our presence.


    "...... I guess that means we made it to the meeting safely!"


    "I think Suzune needs to be hurt a little."


    "How harsh at the beginning of the meeting!"


    "Senpai!¡¡What''s the matter with you, you suddenly started running. ......"


    Kazuki comes from behind Suzune.


    Seeing this, Kannagi, who has regained his composure, puts his hand on his chest as if to suppress his palpitations and calls out to us.


    >


    I don''t know, I''m starting to feel uneasy looking at him.


    I wonder if Usato is really okay?


    I wonder if Usato is really all right.


    The power that flows from a brave man''s sword.


    I had a definite chill as it came running up my arm, and I immediately tried to let go of the sword, but for some reason, the cage hand holding the sword didn''t move.


    It''s stuck to me like a magnet!¡¡No, it''s stuck to me!


    If I don''t do something, something irreversible will happen to me!


    "Then!¡¡Mnh!"


    He swings his left fist and slams it into his right shoulder.


    As the fist hits the joint area, his arm relaxes and his hand is forced open.


    Aiming for that moment, I pull my sword out of Kannagi at once and throw the sword of the hero to the ground.


    When I see it stuck in the ground, I stroke my chest in relief.


    "---Phew, that was close."


    I didn''t want to believe it, but I knew he was up to something.


    "Why did this guy suddenly punch himself ......?"


    "Maybe that''s it. Maybe he couldn''t open his hand, so he punched his joints and forced them to relax.


    How do you know?


    He turns his attention back to the battle and looks back at Kannagi, who has drawn his sword.


    She had been asleep and sealed up until a few moments ago, but now her upper body had risen.


    "...... this is a human body."


    She stared at her own hands in amazement, and touched her cheeks and body.


    As soon as she noticed her left eye, which did not reflect light, she tore the sleeve of the kimono she was wearing and covered the eye with it like a bandage.


    She turned her blue eyes to me, as she had done with Amako''s, and smiled a smile befitting her age.


    "Thank you, Usato!¡¡I finally woke up!"


    "......"


    "...... Usato?"


    I wonder what I look like now.


    I should be suspicious of this person, but I''m not sure if I should be.


    She tilts her head at my reaction, then looks at the sword stuck in the ground and comes out of the sarcophagus with a satisfied expression on her face.


    She pulls the sword out of the ground with unsteady steps and holds it out to me.


    "Here, here!"


    "...... No, this is ......."


    "This is yours!"


    But if I touch it, won''t I end up in the same situation ......?


    The resonance of the cage continues.


    "Kannagi."


    "Hmm?¡¡What?"


    Tell me the truth. What''s going to happen to me if I take this?


    When I asked her this question, her face twisted into a blatant expression.


    However, her face immediately turned apologetic, and she explained to me in a few words the side-effects, or rather, the cost, of receiving this "spark of light". He told me.


    Apparently, when I receive this sword, I gain light magic and lose healing magic in exchange.


    "But, you see, you lose the healing magic, but you get more powerful magic. ......?"


    "......"


    "Certainly healing magic is important to you. But if you have light magic and the sword of the brave, you can fight even against the Demon King. The demon tribe won''t even be your enemy.


    "......"


    "Oh, you''re angry, aren''t you?¡¡I''m sorry ...... for trying to get you to do it without telling you. ......"


    Kannagi is instantly weak at my silence.


    Her azure eyes seem to have turned dark and stagnant, perhaps because she is lying on her head.


    As I am concerned about this change, Kanna-gui''s shoulders tremble and she suddenly changes.


    "If you take me with you, you can defeat the Demon King!"


    "......!"


    "He couldn''t kill the Demon King because he left me!¡¡If he had taken me with him instead of leaving me behind, he would have been able to kill him for sure and even destroy the demon tribe!"


    "Kannagi, you are ......"


    "So take me this time!¡¡As a hero, to kill the Demon Lord!¡¡Take me!


    Something''s wrong.


    Her emotionally unstable words make not only me but also Koga and the others sense something is wrong.


    Hesitating at the sight of her, even painfully, he asks her a question that is, in a sense, decisive.


    "You are not Kannagi himself, are you?


    "....... What?¡¡No?¡¡I''m Kannagi, right?"


    "You don''t have to lie."


    "I''m not lying. I have memories. I have the memories of a brave man.


    Her words could not have been more chilling.


    The question had always been there.


    I knew what she was by what she had said and done, and by the way she was reacting now.


    I reach out my left hand to Kannagi, who is desperately trying to hold out the Nukimi no Katana to me. I see her expression light up when she sees my left hand, and with pain in my heart, I push the sword back as if rejecting it.


    "I can''t accept that sword."


    "---What?"


    "I need healing magic. That''s why I don''t need that power."


    If Kannagi''s words were true, then if I received this sword, I would have light magic in my hands, and like the heroes before me, I would have two heroic armors.


    To be honest, losing the healing magic is not that important.


    More than that, the words "destroy the demon tribe" made me feel a strong sense of rejection.


    There are people like Gref and the others who are living peacefully, and there are children like Keira who are struggling to live with the hardships of their backgrounds.


    It seemed wrong to just try to destroy them without understanding them.


    "I cannot take the place of a brave man. That''s why I can''t take you as a weapon."


    This boy saw me and the heroes of the past in the same light.


    He wanted me to have light magic, to hold the sword of the hero who was probably himself, and to defeat the Demon King.


    But that''s impossible.


    At my words, Kannagi fell back and looked down, clutching his sword as if in despair.


    "Yeah...... yeah, I''m sorry. I understand. I know, you''d do that. I knew it from the beginning."


    "...... sorry."


    "You don''t have to apologize. I''m already saved if I think about it. I''m finally in human form now, and ...... that?"


    Kannagi turns his head.


    When I tried to get closer to her to see what was wrong, she began to mutter something in a small voice.


    What do you mean by being saved?¡¡Am I already saved?"


    "......Kannagi?"


    "---What is my true wish?"


    Just as Kannagi''s right eye turned purple, she leapt out of the water at a tremendous speed and crossed my path.


    Then, as if in a fluid motion, she pulled out her sword and stabbed it into Koga, who was behind me.


    "......Gofu......!?"


    "---What?"


    What about ......?


    Even Kannagi, who was the one who stabbed Koga, looked at his own hand with a startled expression on his face.


    Caught completely by surprise, Koga vomits blood and falls backward.


    Looking down at him, Kannagi smiles a distorted smile, a mixture of confusion and anguish.


    "Te, te me ......"


    "Uh, sorry?¡¡But you''re a demon, so you can die, right?¡¡And you guys over there."


    "Hey, Keira!"


    Kannagi is about to swing a sword covered in Koga''s blood at Keira.


    Seeing this, Ciel hugs her as if to protect her.


    Seeing this, I don''t hesitate to throw a kick at Kannagi with all my might, but she avoids it as if she knew what she was doing.


    "......Kuk!"


    Did she predict my move?


    I make sure she moves away from us, and then I approach to K?ga.


    "I was wondering if I should help Kohga, okay?


    "No, you can help him right there ......".


    "Oh, thank you. ......"


    We may be enemies, but we can''t afford not to heal each other. ......!


    Ciel rushes over to him, holding Koga''s wound, which is rather serious, while talking to him.


    "Mr. Koga!¡¡Aren''t you ashamed of being saved by an enemy healing magician!¡¡Please comment on that!


    "You''re so excited ......!¡¡I mean, this is ......."


    Coga stares in astonishment at his hands while receiving treatment.


    "They took the magic away from me. ......!"


    "What ......?"


    As I pour healing magic into the wound and try to heal it, Kannagi looks at me in surprise.


    His eyes are still the same purple-black color.


    "---Usato, why are you attacking me?¡¡I don''t understand!"


    What are you saying, ......?"


    Kannagi, who is appealing to us without even looking at the blood-soaked sword, does not seem to have changed.


    He really doesn''t know why he was attacked. ......?


    "Do you know what you have done!¡¡Kayla is an innocent child, not Koga!"


    "Hey, don''t whip the wounded ......."


    "Are you the type of person who gets all faint-hearted when you''re vulnerable, Mr. Koga ......?"


    Not backwards!


    Kannagi looks extremely puzzled at my shouts.


    "But, getting rid of the demon tribe is not a bad thing. ......I''m sorry for now. I apologize.


    "Really, don''t you understand ......?"


    "You know what?¡¡I''m ...... me for that?¡¡No, it''s me, right?¡¡Yes, I was created to destroy the demon tribe and kill the demon king. That''s why I have to kill the demon tribe in front of me.


    After she says these words, the color of her eyes changes from purple to azure.


    "Hmm?¡¡I don''t have to do that anymore, do I?¡¡But the Demon Lord is still alive, and so are the demon tribe. Huh?¡¡No, that''s not what I want. I don''t want to do this ......?"


    She holds her head in her hands with a sad look on her face.


    I would have run up to her, but it''s too dangerous to approach her now.


    "All I wanted was for you to help ...... me."


    "...... me?"


    "Because you were the first real person I ever saw. I wanted you to help me, like Eva, Leona, Karon, Amako, Kanoko, Kazuki, Suzune, and Keira."


    The color of her eyes flickered between azure and purple.


    She brushes the blood from her sword, changing her words, actions, and emotions as if her personality has been replaced.


    "But I have to destroy the demon tribe. I must kill the demon king. I wanted you to use me as a weapon until the end. But that wish will not come true. So it can''t be helped, can it?


    Her eyes change to dark, stagnant, purple eyes that remind me of an evil dragon, and she points the tip of her sword at Keira and Ciel, who are standing behind me.


    "I have Kannagi''s body, so I have to do this on my own, don''t I?¡¡Because you refuse to do it."


    Black magic power similar to the dark magic of Koga overflows from the blade.


    It flows out through Kannagi''s arm and stains her clothes black.


    "I will kill the Demon King. I will destroy the demon tribe. I will exterminate all creatures in human form from this world. That''s why I was born."


    I made the wrong choice.


    I jumped away from her hand that cried out for help.


    I was devastated by this fact, but I held my fists up to protect Keira and the others behind me.

 266 - - 241st episode.

    Suddenly, Kannagi changed and attacked Keira and the others.


    She was holding a sword, which was probably her own, and I was once again ashamed of my inadequacy.


    I had misjudged her.


    Kannagi is not a bad person.


    In fact, her childlike innocence and her clinging words had no hidden meaning.


    But her mind was very unstable.


    I don''t know what it is, but her hatred for the demon tribe and the demon king is making her lose her mind.


    "Koga, I''ll tell you now. I''m sorry."


    "What?¡¡What?¡¡Why did you put your hand in my...


    I turned my palm toward Koga and released magic power in the manner of a healing flying fist.


    A mass of healing magic shot out from my palm and hit Koga, blowing his body away.


    "Oh, you!¡¡What are you doing out of the blue!


    Koga shouts angrily at me as he gets up, rolling around on the ground.


    Thanks to the healing magic, I was able to take care of him for the time being.


    "At least your wounds are healed!¡¡You protect Keira and Ciel!¡¡You two, get back to Koga''s place!


    "I have mixed feelings about this, but if you''ll protect us, please!"


    "U, Usato-san ......"


    Keira is looking at me as if she wants to say something, but I honestly don''t have time to pay attention to her.


    I turn around and leap in front of Kannagi, who is about to stab at Keira, and intercept him.


    I knew you were going to attack them first rather than me. ......!


    "I don''t want to fight you ......!"


    I don''t want to fight you either!


    He sees off the tip of the sword and lightly flicks it with his fist, deflecting it at an angle.


    He tries to swing his fist to knock her out, but...,


    "I can see you!"


    It is as if the attacker knows what he is doing.


    I knew it, this guy has precognition magic too. ......!


    I can roughly guess from what Amako told me and his current movements, but I have experience in battles with wizards of precognition!


    "All you have to do is to see through their premonitions and attack them!"


    "Don''t let me be compared to that self-aggrandizing freak!"


    He clenches his fists, keeping his eyes on Kannagi''s movements.


    She swings her sword, stops it, pulls it back, and shifts to a thrust, stopping the blade again.


    "Haaah!"


    "Ha ha!¡¡"Wow!¡¡I can see the future changing!"


    From the outside, neither fists nor blades touch each other in this mysterious attack.


    But from my point of view, I am at the mercy of Kannagi''s ever-changing movements whenever I respond.


    This is not the case with Jinya.


    Her precognition magic is more accurate than the one he had, and she sees further into the future than ......!


    "There!"


    There!


    The moment she is momentarily jolted by the sudden and sudden movement, the sword she raises from below snatches her shoulder.


    I see Kannagi''s distorted smile, which could be either joy or anguish, and I stomp the ground with my foot, raising it with all my strength.


    "Lt''s!"


    "Whoa, whoa!


    Kannagi jumps down before the ground gets cracked.


    He slowly exhales, holding his right fist at the ready.


    "Oh, watch out!¡¡If you hadn''t backed off now, you would have been hit in the stomach!


    What are you talking about?


    If he reacted before I had my fists up, there is a good chance he was looking at least five seconds ahead.


    It''s annoying, but it felt strange when I fought him just now.


    "Perhaps ...... you just fought for the first time?"


    Kannagi is strong.


    But her movements are somewhat awkward and out of proportion to her physical strength.


    She giggled shyly at my words.


    "Oh, you know what I mean?¡¡I''ve fought a lot in my memory, but this is the first time for me.


    "Heh, huh."


    So, is that it?


    Her cheeks twitch as she heals the wound in her shoulder.


    "But still, with the body and memories I have now, I can kill demons, isn''t that great?"


    "......"


    The words she speaks are innocent and cruel.


    She does not question her words at all.


    First of all, she must be stopped before we can do anything about her.


    "Don''t let a simple attack get in the way of a response. ......"


    In the face of a precognition magic more accurate than Jinya''s, any half-hearted attack would be countered.


    On the other hand, if we remain on the defensive, Keira and the others behind us will become targets.


    In fact, even in the middle of the battle, Kannagi was trying to launch some kind of attack on my back.


    I know all your tricks.


    "......?"


    "I''ve been following your journey from your cage hand all along, and I know. I know what you''re trying to do, and all the tricks you''ve developed and thought up."


    Kannagi''s words usually make me feel like a donkey.


    But if they know my past skills, it would be troublesome.


    "You can''t beat me. This body has the strength and precognition magic of Kannagi, a warrior who has survived the fierce battles against the demon king''s army.


    "So?"


    Kannagi''s eyes flicker when I ask him this.


    "...... That''s exactly why he''s as powerful as the Roses and Neroes you know. All I want is to kill demons. I haven''t done anything wrong, so what does it matter?"


    No, what you are doing is wrong.


    I''m not wrong!


    She screams at my words.


    In the face of her fierceness, I do not change my expression and do not look away.


    "I am!¡¡I''ve been killing demons all my life!¡¡He swung at me, slashing, slashing, slashing, slashing,...... you say I''m wrong about the meaning of life,......?"


    "Yes, but you''re still wrong."


    Once again, Kannagi presses his right eye when he says it clearly.


    She makes a strained sound as if in agony of pain, and turns her blue flashing eyes toward me.


    "Please, ...... I don''t want to kill you."


    "You know that, don''t you?¡¡You know that when I decide to do something, I never back down.


    "Yes, yes, yes, but!¡¡Now I''m ......!¡¡Oof!


    Kannagi''s body trembled and she lowered her hand that was holding her right eye.


    She raised her left arm and muttered something, and a black scabbard was held in her left hand.


    Her mood has clearly changed. ......!


    "If you side with the demon tribe, I will cut you down.


    With a click, she sheathes her sword and lowers herself unnaturally.


    Her head is lowered until it touches the ground, looking less like an iai and more like a predator that is about to attack,


    "Kannagi Style."


    A moment later, with a sound like a burst of air, Kannagi leaps forward.


    She leaps forward in a zigzag trajectory and draws her sword from its sheath.


    "---Ibashiri!"


    "What?


    Quickly, he flicked the sword with the basket hand held at his neck.


    A fast sword swung back at his neck again, but he avoids it by bending down.


    I''m going to hit you with my fist! ......!¡¡I raise my fist, but before I can do so, Kannagi uses my shoulder as a springboard and leaps.


    As soon as I land on the ground, Kannagi moves with such a quick and easy motion that I can hardly believe he is a human being, and I am forced to move away from him.


    "A little bit of ......!"


    Not as fast as Inukami-senpai, but his movements are hard to read!


    Ibashiri...... is so called because he runs around like a dog!


    ......, the next one is coming!


    Kannagi, with his sword poised to fling behind him.


    Kannagi-style Enbu (Monkey Dance)


    As if in a dance, they swing an inevitable barrage of blows aimed precisely at the target''s vital points.


    The sword is read accurately by foreknowledge magic, and although it takes a few blows, they are immediately healed by healing magic and repelled.


    "Healing Bullet ......!"


    "If you know the species, you won''t be afraid of it!"


    Kannagi, however, uses the rebound from being bounced by the elasticity grant and spins around on the spot.


    "Kannagi Style......!"


    As soon as he turns around, he slams the scabbard he is holding with his left hand along with his sword.


    "Ushinagi!"


    ......!


    The sword and scabbard, which resembled the horns of an ox, swung down.


    When they are forced backward, the sword and scabbard are used to thrust.


    "Ushi-uga!"


    He catches them with his basket hand, but it is heavy ......!


    This man''s physical ability is extraordinary......!¡¡He looks so slender, but how powerful is he?


    "How dare he deceive me with his looks! ......!"


    "You can''t say that!"


    "Sure ......!¡¡You''re right!


    He pushes back the sword and the scabbard that were pushed into him by force.


    If we don''t let him get away with it, we''ll be pushed aside.


    "If you are passive, you will be attacked!¡¡Then..."


    You mean force!


    That''s what I mean!


    If they know all my moves and will respond to them, all I have to do is to make more confusion than enough!


    I create an elasticity grant in my right hand and a magic bullet in my left hand, and run to Kannagi, who jumps backward.


    She smiles, and before I can perform my technique, she swings her sword and strikes it against Kagome.


    A high-pitched metallic sound echoes through the ruins, and she and I stop moving.


    "I will not push as hard as I have been pushing..."


    "If you can handle it, try."


    "......,haha!"


    "I don''t know what I''m going to do from here!¡¡Healing elastic legs!


    He stomps his foot and kicks it in reaction.


    Kannagi avoids it with a smile on his face, and continues to hold both hands ready to unleash his technique.


    "Double the power with both hands!¡¡Healing Bursting Double Palm!


    Kannagi simultaneously cuts through the oncoming shockwave with his sword.


    Blood gushes from his left hand, which has no cage, but he ignores it and leaps toward Kannagi with his right arm outstretched in front of him.


    "Kannagi ryu---no!¡¡No!


    "Reinforcement, healing, blindfold!"


    He unleashes a burst of magical power using his entire arm, which covers his elbow.


    This sends a shockwave of magic right in front of Kannagi''s eyes.


    Kannagi, foreseeing even this, closes his eyes and tries to protect them, but... that''s as far as I expected.


    "Healing chop!"


    Whoa!


    Don''t duck!¡¡Healing lariat!


    What?


    Kannagi screams and rolls to avoid the lariat as it emits a shockwave.


    Kannagi claps his tongue at her and fills his fist with the healing magic bullet he created in his palm.


    "Oraa!¡¡Healing Diffusion Fist!


    "Whoa!


    "Hahaha!¡¡Where''s your energy?¡¡Mini healing bombs!


    "Whoaaaa?!"


    Kannagi manages to avoid a small explosion caused by a healing bomb created with his fingertips after a healing magic bullet --- a healing spread fist --- is released with the force of a healing flying fist.


    "I don''t know what that is!"


    If you can deal with it with your old techniques, you can come up with a new one.


    Fortunately, I have a vague vision of the technique in my mind!¡¡All I have to do now is just to shoot them at random, and they will take shape!


    <>


    <>


    For some reason I feel like the people behind me who are supposed to be protecting me are pulling me back, but for now I''m focusing on what''s in front of me!


    She loses her composure due to the confusion that has built up, and I throw a magic bullet with an elasticity charge at her without relaxing my hand.


    "Healing bullet!


    "Careful, careful, careful!¡¡This is... ugh!


    He narrowly avoids it, but the magic bullet bounces off the wall behind him and hits him in the back.


    She glares at me with teary eyes and makes a gesture to move her sword.


    In response, she raises her right leg, which is caged with elasticity, and slams it into the ground with all her might.


    "OLA!¡¡It''s just a heel drop!


    That''s not even a technique!


    The heel drop, which had been made more powerful by the elasticity, smashed the floor and caused a wide range of cracks.


    He hooked Kannagi''s arm with his index finger just in time to throw her body into the air with only the force of his finger.


    "I was thrown away ......!¡¡But if I foresee what you''re going to do, I can avoid it..."


    Before he falls, he strikes him down with a healing flying fist.


    When he shows a move to avoid it, launch him with a healing burst palm and heal flying fist.


    If the healing flying fist misses, he must heal with the healing continuous strike fist.


    If you have the means to move in the air, you can use the Healing Burst Wave to blow him away.


    Worst case scenario, you can join him in mid-air and choke him off.


    --- Never, never, never miss.


    You think of every possible way to deal with Kannagi in your mind.


    Then, as she is about to hold her sword in the air, her face turns pale.


    "---...... hiccup!¡¡Oh, no, no, no..."


    "What''s wrong?¡¡Try foreknowledge. ---If you can... if you can."


    She smiles, her cheeks twitching, and she unleashes her healing flying fist with all her might.


    The fist-sized magic power released was approaching Kanna-gui.


    "Yes, yes!¡¡Stretch!"


    What?


    The healing fist seemed to hit her directly, but just before it did, the black magic covering her body covered her entire body, protecting her from the power of the healing fist.


    Koga''s dark magic armor.


    The exact same movement made me let out a startled cry.


    "Oh, look out ......"


    Kannagi landed on the ground, dispelling black magic.


    Perhaps it was the dark magic that Kannagi had taken from Koga through the magic of the hero in his sword.


    I thought he had just taken it from Koga since he didn''t use it in the previous battle, but he can use it normally.


    "...... That''s nasty."


    I was able to gain the upper hand in the current battle because Kannagi was not used to fighting.


    I was able to push her that far because I had no idea how to fight with a sword, or how to use precognition magic.


    "......I''m getting to know how to use my powers better. I''m getting used to the sensation of using only my right eye."


    But now Kannagi is getting to grips with his power.


    As proof, the black magic power that covers her miko outfit is changing its shape at her will, transforming into a sharp blade similar to the one she holds in her hand.


    "I have found that it is no longer possible to make you stop fighting."


    "......!"


    "If you insist on defending those demons, I will force you to stay still and serve my purpose."


    Kannagi grows several small swords from the dark magic robe he wears, and points the tips of his swords at me.


    Kannagi''s precognition magic, physical abilities beyond that of a beastman, and Koga''s dark magic.


    Even just one of them is troublesome, but three of them at the same time makes me short of hands.


    "First, I''m going to make your legs pinned."


    Come on!


    Kannagi jumps out, transforming his robe of darkness.


    Just as she is about to attack me, without warning, the ceiling of the corner of the floor where we are standing collapses.


    >


    <>


    ""!?"""


    A familiar voice, the same voice as the person in front of us, causes Kannagi and I to stop moving in surprise.


    At the same time, however, I notice something black crawling on the ground and something flying through the air approaching me.


    Usato!


    Aren''t you guys too scary when you arrived?


    Nair has transformed into an owl, and Ferrum has assimilated dark magic.


    From the outside, it''s a truly horrifying sight, but for me, it''s the most encouraging support I''ve ever had.


    "Shut up!¡¡We''ve worked so hard to get here!"


    "You don''t know what we''ve been through! What have you done now, you monster!"


    What a terrible thing to say at the beginning of a meeting!


    Just as the girls are about to leave, they hear Amako''s voice from above.


    "Usato!¡¡A pseudo-Kannagi is trying to stop us from merging!


    "Ah!"


    We believe her voice coming from the broken ceiling without hesitation, and fire a healing magic burst palm at the kanagi in front of us, blasting it away.


    "......!¡¡Amako is here!¡¡Kuk, Kannagi, of all people ......!"


    "Now the conditions are the same. ......!"


    I assimilate with Ferrum, and with Nair on my shoulder, I face Kannagi again, who has a bitter expression on his face.


    She sees me with black magic on my band uniform and raises her right arm as she stands up.


    "It''s not over...... yet, it''s not over...... yet!"


    Then the walls and floor of the ruins slide, and a large number of golems appear.


    Some of them are the same as the ones we were fighting, and some are as big as human beings.


    "I can''t stop until I kill the demons. ......!"


    I saw Kannagi with his hand on the hilt of his sword as he mumbled something, and Nair started flapping his wings at my cheeks with a dry, dry laugh.


    "That''s great Usato!¡¡You''ve drawn the worst out of all possible scenarios!¡¡That''s what I''m talking about!¡¡Yo, you pest!


    Don''t compliment me.


    "I didn''t compliment you, you idiot!"


    The seniors have come down from the ceiling and are now surrounded by golems.


    Leaving the Golem to the seniors, I continue to deal with Kannagi.


    But if Kannagi heads for Keira and the others, even I may not be able to reach them in time.


    .......


    ......I don''t want to use this method, but I will have to do it.


    Kannagi, I''m sorry.


    "What?"


    I apologize, and she looks up.


    But then she turns pale and drops the sword from her hand, as if foreseeing what will happen in the next few seconds.


    "Don''t do it!¡¡Please don''t do that!¡¡No!"


    "FERM."


    >


    If she has feelings of hatred toward the demons and is out of control, we can use that against her.


    Ferrum, who has assimilated with me, still seems to be confused about the situation, but I don''t have time to tell him what''s going on, and there''s no time to lose.


    "---Demon mode!"


    "Ah, ah!"


    Instantly, my skin changes color and a horn made of black magic grows on my head.


    Kannagi, seeing me transformed into the first demonic creature, screamed in grief, picked up the sword he had dropped, and attacked me without hesitation.

 267 - - 242nd episode.

    We have finally made it back to the others, but the situation is not that much better.


    Kannagi has brought out a large number of golems.


    Each of them was armed and moving with mechanical sounds and movements as if they were gathering at a certain spot in a hole in the ceiling.


    "The place where we fell down is a romantic space full of golems!"


    "This is not the time to be making light talk!"


    "At last, the end of this mayhem is in sight. ......!"


    Senpai, Kazuki, Leona-san, and Amako on Bulrin''s back come down from the hole in the ceiling.


    Relieved that they are safe, I switch my attention to Kannagi, who is about to attack us.


    "Aaaaah!"


    With tears streaming down her eyes, she catches the sword with her arm that has transformed into a shield.


    "Usato!¡¡What have you done to me this time?


    "She hates demons!¡¡That''s why I myself became a demon!


    >


    I don''t have time to go into the details, so you''ll just have to guess!


    Something composed of black magic appears from the waist part of Kannagi''s priestess-like garment.


    There are eight of them.


    They looked very similar to her own tail.


    "A tail?


    What''s that thing? It''s disgusting!


    >


    In a flash of surprise, eight tails extended from her waist, bending like a whip, attacked me at once.


    "Nair, binding spell!¡¡Ferrum, sword mode!


    Yes!


    >


    With the sword with a binding spell extended from his left arm, he deals with the tails that come at him one after another.


    There are many moves, but I can still deal with them if I restrain them one by one.


    The problem is the sword wielded by Kannagi himself: ......!


    "You''re not a demon, ......!¡¡Why do you look so fearless!


    "The demon tribe itself is not fearless!


    The demon manages to deflect the thrusts with his basket hand while anticipating his movements.


    Then, in response to Kannagi''s voice, Nair and Ferrum responded.


    "That''s right!¡¡His ecology is more fearless!


    >


    Whose side are you guys on ......!


    For some reason, he is being dissed by his allies as he backs up and distances himself from Kannagi.


    She is showing her caution by making her tail, which is composed of eight black magic strands, smaller.


    It is not me who is at the end of her gaze.


    >My body!


    "What, there''s another Kannagi?


    The one who is pointing at me is right next to me.


    Floating in the air is a girl who looks exactly like Kannagi.


    <>


    "...... if no one''s in there, why not? ......"


    <>


    Kannagi is shaking with rage and taking his anger out on Kannagi.


    No, they both look the same, so it''s getting confusing.


    Then Nair comes over to talk to us, pointing with her wings at the floating kanagi.


    Usato, this is the real kanagi.


    "...... So I guess I''m dealing with someone else after all."


    As I had predicted, she is the ego that sprouted from the sword of the previous generation of heroes.


    And according to Nair, this is the one who has been sending me voices to warn me.


    Let''s call the real Kannagi "Mr. Kannagi" for now.


    "Mr. Kannagi. She is ......"


    .


    Kannagi''s gaze turns to Kannagi, who is holding a sword.


    Then I''ll stop. Then I''ll stop it. You stay back."


    Kannagi looked at me with a nostalgic look on his face, but soon returned to a serious expression and went back to Amako and Bulrin.


    Considering Kannagi''s current strength, my power alone is not enough.


    But the senpai were stopped by the golem,...... or maybe they can come, but they are taking into account the melee with Kannagi, or they are going around to stop us.


    "They seem to have the numbers!"


    "Senpai!¡¡Keira, please!


    "Wow!¡¡Usato, over here!¡¡It''s been so long!


    Me over here?¡¡You are saying things that make even more sense than usual. .......


    I reply and turn to face Kannagi.


    As Kannagi left, she shifted her gaze to me and glared at me strongly.


    As long as I was standing there in my demon form, she could not attack Keira and the others.


    "Usato ......!"


    "Your eyes are really bloodshot. ....... Are you okay, that thing?"


    "......, we have to do something."


    Now we have no choice but to fight.


    We have to fight and find a way to stop her.


    "Our opponent is a wielder of precognition magic that can''t be compared to Jinya-san!¡¡We must attack with the unexpected!


    What exactly?


    "Earlier, I created an opening by hitting her with a series of new moves, but this time, I will surpass her precognition head-on."


    "Shinwaza, Renzoku?"


    I don''t know why Nair is speaking in Japanese, but...!


    In an instant, he is close enough to avoid Kanna-gui''s sword as she slashes at him.


    "That was close ......."


    "I won''t let you do the same thing you did before!¡¡I''ve had enough of your new tricks!"


    "I knew you were making new tricks!¡¡Spit it out!¡¡How many did you make?


    Now is not the time!


    I try my best to keep my eyes on the attackers as they try to anticipate and respond to my attacks.


    His movements are much more efficient than before. ......!


    He seems to have gotten used to fighting with only his right eye. ......!


    "It''s disgusting to assimilate with a demon tribe. He''s just happy to be attached to you. ......!¡¡And that assimilation is a low-down..."


    <>


    "Ferrum?"


    He uses his healing bullet to parry the attack while holding down FELM, who is wiggling his left arm and trying to create an ominous sword.


    ......,Are you trying to make FERUM angry and break our cooperation?


    Nair, you''re the same way!


    Hmm?


    You''re just a messenger with a lot of hubris!¡¡You''re not even a person at all, you''re just a demon!


    What, are you jealous?


    What?


    Kannagi tries to provoke Neah this time.


    But Nair, on the other hand, keeps a relaxed expression on her face.


    "Unfortunately, I''m happy with my current position. I don''t need you to tell me what to do with a mere weapon.


    "You ......!"


    But I forgive you. It''s part of being an adult to deal with a child''s tantrums.


    Wait, can you not provoke me too much?


    The attacks are getting more aggressive... The attacks are faster and more powerful, but there is no more anticipation by precognition magic.


    So you are saying that Kannagi was upset by Nair''s words.


    Then take it!¡¡The great enhanced healing blindfold!"


    What?


    Even me!


    Crossing her arms in front of her face, she releases a shockwave of magical power with her upper body, further increasing the range of effect of the Healing Blindness.


    By doing so, he pushes through Kannagi''s weakness and forcibly creates an opening.


    "Here!


    He transforms his arm into a huge arm and grabs Kanna-gui''s torso.


    When she finally comes to herself, she looks extremely uncomfortable.


    Let go of me!¡¡Don''t let those demons touch me!


    Nia!


    "Ugh,...... my eyes are flashing,......"


    A restraining spell flows from Nair toward the giant arm.


    But before it can reach the arm, the magic of Kannagi''s waist moves and slices the arm into pieces.


    "Chi ......!"


    <


    "It''s the magic of the cogwheel."


    >


    "I know how you feel, but this is no time to be happy!"


    Kannagi''s tail sways like a serpent at his waist, its tip shifting into a spear.


    "I''m going to cut you into pieces with my numbers ......!"


    Is he trying to break through my defense with a barrage of blows?


    It''s very troublesome to push him while predicting with prediction magic, but it''s easy for me to do.


    From his shoulders and back, he grows four arms that resemble the black knight''s cage, and holds up his fists.


    "I''m going to read them all off and hold him down!¡¡Ferrum, I''ll take control of the arms on my back!"


    >


    Kannagi and I run at the same time, exchanging offense and defense.


    Kannagi leaps, and extended black tails strike from all directions.


    Fists shatter the ground and sharp tails tear through walls and ceilings.


    There!


    "Kuh!"


    Kannagi''s onslaught, a preemptive strike delivered in the middle of the onslaught, slams into my torso, but it is repelled by the purple patterns of the sorcery.


    "Hey ......!"


    It''s a spell of resistance!


    I knew it was you who was the trouble ......!


    "Oh, I wonder if you''ve noticed that now!¡¡I''m the one who can support Usato the best!¡¡The best!"


    Why are you stirring things up there?


    Kannagi looks at Nair''s words with what could be considered hatred.


    It is a hostility that is different from the one she has directed at the demons, but one that she has directed of her own volition.


    "Neah ......!"


    As if reacting to Kannagi''s hostility, the eight tails she controls are all pointed at Neah at once.


    Nair, on the other hand, smiles.


    "Usato, help me!


    "If you''re going to regret it, don''t start agitating from the beginning!"


    >


    Ferrum''s manipulated arm and my swinging hands block the attack on Nair.


    Perhaps in a sign of Kannagi''s anger, I am unable to move forward as the attack is aimed only at Nair''s shoulder.


    There!


    You won''t let me!


    I quickly catch Kannagi''s thrust with my arm.


    The blade penetrates the magic of the dark magic and pierces my arm.


    Ouch!


    Protecting him will only hurt you!


    And you think I''m going to back down?


    He kicks and forces them to pull out their swords.


    If he continues to attack, Nair will surely be killed. ......!


    >


    Ferrum, what''s wrong?


    Ferrum, who is still inside, calls out as we are unable to go on the offensive.


    >


    "Don''t move, you can''t move in this situation..."


    A moment later, the weight vanished from Nair''s right shoulder.


    "---Nea?"


    When I noticed the change and looked at my own shoulder, I saw that the owl that was always there was nowhere to be seen, only her beautiful black feathers were flying in the air.


    Her black tail swept away.


    A naea without a figure.


    Falling black feathers.


    At the moment of recognition, I was overcome by an indescribable emotion that I have never felt before.


    Without even knowing what that feeling was, I attacked Kannagi with all my might..,


    >


    ---Just before I make my move, I hear Nair''s voice echoing from inside me.


    I jump back, my head snapping back into focus.


    "Neah, are you okay?¡¡I thought you had been killed. ......"


    <<


    >


    No, no, no!¡¡No, no! Assimilated, you mean that I, Ferrum, and Nair are assimilated now!


    I am surprised, and a binding spell pattern appears on my hands.


    >


    "...... haaaa......"


    I''m kind of sorry for worrying about you.


    But I''m so glad you''re okay.


    As I was patting my chest in relief, Ferrum spoke to me next.


    >


    "Yeah, why not Amaco too ......"


    >


    That''s true, but it seems to me that Kannagi, who also possesses precognition magic, is interfering..,


    Usato, I''m on my way!


    "GROOF!"


    Amako, who has already predicted it, is coming here with Bulrin!


    Amako, who foresaw Golem''s movement, is approaching us while giving instructions to Bulrin.


    ......!¡¡Now there''s no turning back now!


    Come on, Amaco!


    Yes!


    No way!


    Kannagi extends his tail to strike Amako on the back of the bullring.


    Amako, on the other hand, predicts its trajectory and directs the direction in which Bulrin will go.


    Prediction and precognition magic.


    If the accuracy of Amako''s and Kannagi''s foreknowledge is the same, the conditions are the same.


    If there is a difference..,


    "I won''t let you hurt Amaco!"


    I''m not the only one who can help Amako.


    The older man appears with a purple electric shock, and in an instant, he slices the eight tails of the kanagi into pieces.


    "Suzunee!"


    "Angry chemomimi is good, too!¡¡Kannagi!


    Kannagi comes running toward us, yelling at the senior who is making an unusually nasty face.


    Amako, on the other hand, escapes from Kannagi''s attack and comes close to me, jumping on me from the back of the burin.


    We exchange glances for a moment, and I catch her with both arms without hesitation.


    "Ferrum!"


    >


    The black magic power from Amako''s group uniform envelops her, and she sinks into my body.


    The dark magic "assimilation" makes me the center of the group.


    >


    <>


    >


    Ferrum''s dark magic, Nair''s sorcery, Amako''s precognitive magic.


    Now we finally have the same conditions as Kannagi.


    Now all we have to do is stop her!

 268 - - 243rd episode.

    Assimilated form of me, Amako, Nair, and Ferrum.


    Although I have been unwillingly called a chimera, I can now break Kannagi''s advantage of foreknowledge.


    "Uh-uh, Usato-kun!"


    "Not now, please!"


    I reply without turning around to the voice of my senpai coming from behind me.


    I knew that reaction was coming, so I will deal with it later!


    "Now, let me finish!


    "Suzune!¡¡Don''t interrupt Usato!


    Senpai, more golems are on their way!


    "Whoa!¡¡Then, we''ll just have to get rid of them quickly, won''t we!


    With a yell, the sound of gushing electric shocks echoed.


    After confirming this, I confront Kannagi again.


    She looked at me now and frowned as if she was biting a bitter bug.


    "No matter how much I looked at my past memories, there was no one who fought like you. ......"


    <>


    My insides are buzzing.


    It''s like I can hear three people''s voices echoing in my mind at the same time.


    This form has expanded what I can do.


    I''m in the middle of a battle, but I''ll keep exploring.


    "Amako, please watch the prediction and give us instructions.


    "Hmm?"


    I listen to Amako''s voice.


    Then Amako''s voice echoes from within, just like Ferrum''s.


    "......?"


    "......?"


    <


    And anyway, let''s leave it to Amako.


    If she can foresee my movements with her precognition magic, she can anticipate the transformations of sorcery and dark magic that I will be seeking.


    This way, we can work together without me having to use my own words.


    >


    .


    "Oh, shit!"


    As soon as Amako finishes, the kanagi, just as predicted, comes at them with its eight tails.


    Amako flicks them away with the swords extended from her arms.


    However, I am not so naive as to be able to outwit all of them, and the tails that I could not repel are closing in on me.


    I quickly ask Nair to cast a resistance spell on me..,


    .


    "......!"


    Just before a direct hit, the resistance spell is activated, repelling the tail.


    Amako gave the order before I could say it out loud!


    ......I see, this is what Amako was talking about!


    "This is the Kannagi-style, Madomidan!"


    Kannagi clicks his tongue, and unleashes a serpentine, shimmering slash.


    This is a close-range technique.


    The unpredictable movement of the snake makes you impatient, but..,


    <


    "Ah!"


    Amako''s quiet voice coming from within keeps her calm.


    Perhaps this technique is intended to confuse the opponent and then deliver a slash.


    If you look at it calmly, it is not a move you can''t handle. ......!


    "I see it!"


    "Then how about this!


    I just barely spot the tip of the cut, and lean to the side to avoid it, but eight black tails unfurl from Kannagi''s back.


    They spiraled into a single spiral, and were thrust toward me like a drill.


    "Ferrum!¡¡Match it!"


    >


    As soon as I spread my arms, four black knight''s arms reach out from behind my back.


    I back away from the impact and grab the tail with all of them as if to hold it down.


    "More like a monster ......!"


    "You can''t say that!"


    The tail, released as if it were popping, tries to wrap itself around me like a coil of coil.


    "I''m going to catch you like this..."


    Quietly, Amako speaks, and the four arms on my back hold my tail down.


    ---A preemptive transformation based on precognition magic.


    Without me having to say anything, Amako tells me the most appropriate magic and form for the situation.


    Then I can attack without thinking.


    A black magic covers my cage hand, and it transforms into a cylindrical hammer.


    "On the contrary, you have narrowed down the escape route!


    What?


    Binding and Healing Fist!


    Here, the fist strikes Kannagi directly for the first time.


    At the same time as the fist strikes, a healing flying fist is released at close range, blowing her body wide open.


    >


    I''m going to use my healing flying fist to knock you unconscious!¡¡I won''t let you escape this time!


    He points his hands and the palms of the four baskets extending from his shoulders and back toward Kannagi, who is being blown away.


    "Healer flying fist with six at the same time!¡¡Healing six bullets (chiyumugekidan)......!!!"


    >


    This should allow the impact to pass through even if it is defended by Koga''s magic.


    Just as he was about to release all his magic power at once, he noticed that Kannagi had a golden magic power in his palm.


    "Or, Liberation spell ......!"


    "Ah!"


    "Ugh......guh......!"


    The binding spell is erased unnaturally.


    She was blown backwards to get out of my attack range, and held her abdomen, which was protected by black magic.


    Judging that it would be impossible to hit her with the six healing bullets at this distance, I let go of the magic in my palm.


    "Nair, that was ......."


    I knew he was still hiding something, but witchcraft of all things.


    I hope it''s only a liberation spell, but of course he remembers other magic as well.


    "Oh, it hurts more than I thought ......!¡¡I don''t want to get hit by it again and again, even if it can be cured by healing magic. ......"


    "...... I guess I''ll have to hit you as hard as I hit Koga with the fist of continuous blows to knock you out completely."


    "I''m not going to let you do this to me. ....... I don''t want to get hit with this more than once. ......"


    Kannagi looked at me and trembled slightly, as if the fist had hurt him a lot.


    I feel a little guilty, but I can''t end this fight unless I stop her.


    "Ferrum?"


    I listen to Ferrum''s voice without taking my eyes off Kannagi.


    "What do you mean, "mix"?"


    Of course there are disadvantages.


    I guess I knew that, but I''m not sure about the "mixing" part.


    <


    "Oraa!¡¡Kannagi!¡¡You''re dead!"


    "!!?¡¡Kyu, you''re suddenly going to do it?


    Amako and Nea mutter loudly as they hit Kannagi.


    I''ll pretend I didn''t hear that!


    I got goosebumps!


    Oh no, I can''t let that happen!


    I was a fool to think of further reinforcement, even for a moment!


    "Kannagi''s own magic is not strong enough, but I guess we''ll have to use it..."


    Kannagi sees a fist covered with a binding spell and a golden pattern appears on his hand.


    The pattern of magic spreads in her hand---turns into a white spiral.


    "Witchcraft. ......!"


    "Transference spell."


    A whirlpool so large that a person could barely pass through.


    Kannagi dives into it without hesitation and disappears with the whirlpool.


    "He escaped ......?


    No, that''s the same white vortex we were sucked into.


    If she didn''t use it to escape..,


    >


    "That''s what I''m talking about!"


    He just barely repels a sword thrust out with his arm from the vortex that appears above his head behind him.


    Kannagi emerges from the vortex and lands on the ground with a faint smile on his face.


    "If we are equal in foreknowledge, I will surpass you in sorcery. ...... "Fire spells."


    Flames engulf the sword held by Kannagi.


    I didn''t want to think about it, but it seems that he can use more than one magic.


    Instantaneous movement is a nuisance, but is it simply because it consumes so much magic power that he has not used it so far?


    "You use magic, but you never use the power you took from Koga''s magic on me, do you?


    "......"


    "Don''t tell me that''s magic, too?"


    Kannagi''s smile disappears when I point this out.


    I think I have made a mistake in my reaction, but he opens his mouth in a surprisingly calm manner.


    "......It was the power of the hero''s magic left in the sword that took the magic from Koga. The sword can only be used once on a single target.


    "...... you''re going to talk to me."


    "Actually, you were supposed to have this power. You don''t want ...... this power even now, do you? ......"


    "Yes."


    As I said at the beginning, I am not going to give up my healing magic.


    Moreover, I cannot accept such power when Kannagi himself has been adversely affected by the evil dragon. Worst case scenario, I might be controlled by Kannagi myself.


    .


    They nodded silently at the voices of Nair and Ferrum inwardly.


    "When this battle is over and all the obstacles are eliminated, I will change your mind.


    With these words, Kannagi enters the vortex again.


    >


    "That way or ......!"


    A blade engulfed in flames crosses just in front of your face.


    The heat is so intense that I almost close my eyes and try to attack, but like whack-a-mole, I quickly hide myself in the vortex.


    That''s nasty.


    Should I target it and hit it with a counter-attack fist ......?


    "You can''t catch it like this, can you? Then, "magic spell!"¡¡Fire!


    Kannagi jumps out of the vortex, and a golden pattern floating on his left hand appears, and a pattern similar to a magic circle appears around me.


    What are you doing!¡¡Before I could say "What are you doing?", Kanna-gui combined the spell of fire in her right hand with the spell of magic roll in her left hand.


    Instantly, small fireballs shoot out from the magic circle around me.


    >


    "Yes, that''s right. And more!


    Kannagi grows eight black tails.


    As if to attack with them, she makes several whirlpools appear, into which she plunges her own tail.


    >


    "Ah!"


    An attack from directly above.


    He dodged it and raised his fist, but it was one of the black tails extending from Kannagi''s waist.


    The moment he realizes this, the black tail comes at him from both sides at the same time from the vortex.


    >


    >


    >


    "You guys need to be quieter!"


    The fireball and its tail fly at us as we jump and dodge.


    Immediately, he uses his Healing Acceleration Fist to evade the fireball in mid-air and lands on his feet, and then uses the chaos to clasp his kagotte to Kannagi''s sword as he slashes at him.


    "I wonder if I''m already low on magic power!¡¡You''ve been fighting so many battles in a row!


    Are you okay with that?


    What?


    We outnumber them!


    Kannagi''s expression turns into one of dismay when he replies.


    "You''re practically all alone!


    <


    <>


    Whose side are you on?


    I show him a fearless smile, holding back the urge to criticize him.


    "What you are doing alone, we are doing together. Then we are stronger!


    I don''t understand!


    As soon as Kannagi moves back, her tail disappears into the whirlpool.


    With that, I am once again hit from all directions, but I am able to deal with it through Amako''s precognition, Ferrum''s and Nair''s eyes, and my own senses.


    "Now, the key is how to catch Kannagi. ......!¡¡...... hmm?"


    For a moment, Kannagi''s eyes seemed to look away from me.


    Is he checking the transfer site?


    >


    "...... yeah, I know."


    What are you after?


    That''s what I''m worried about, but for now we need to deal with the attacks coming from all around us. ......!


    !


    The battle between Usato and the beastman, Kannagi, was the most intense and violent---and yet awesome---fighting I have ever seen.


    No, the earlier battle with the golem, a very large stone monster?¡¡And also, Usato was very strong in the battle with a scary dragon called "Evil Dragon".


    I didn''t know much about the battle, but I couldn''t take my eyes off the dark magician ...... who was wielding Koga like a weapon.


    "Wow, look at that, Ciel. Just when you thought you''ve assimilated the owl demon, now you''ve assimilated the beastman''s child! He''s a bad guy. That guy..."


    "I think you are a new kind of monster rather than a human being!¡¡It looks to me like a child of the beast or an owl absorbed ...... predator!"


    "That must have been assimilated by Ferrum''s dark magic. From what I saw in the fight, does it mean that Usato now can transform his magic and do magic at the same time in almost no time at all?"


    Koga-san, the demon tribe, looks at Usato fighting and analyzes him like that.


    Ciel, somewhat distraught at the sound of his voice, points to Usato who is fighting.


    "Who is that dark magician in the first place?¡¡Why is he on that side?


    "What?¡¡He used to work for me. He betrayed me.


    Ciel''s eyes are filled with anger as she looks at Mr. Koga, who is holding his wound and smiling a wan smile.


    She raises her hand and starts slapping Mr. Koga with it.


    "You stupid leader of the army!¡¡You, you, you!


    "Ow, ow!¡¡Don''t hit me exactly where I''m hurt!¡¡I''m really only getting the bare minimum!


    That''s what happens when you''re not popular!¡¡Isn''t her distance from me strange!¡¡From their point of view, we, the demon tribe, are enemies!


    "I wonder why. I don''t understand it either.


    "Right now, he''s by far more trustworthy than Mr. Koga!¡¡You useless bastard!"


    These people are a bit strange.


    Mr. Koga is a dark magician like me, and Ciel is a kind and gentle man.


    The two of them are related to the Demon Lord''s army, and Usato-san and the others are fighting against the Demon Lord''s army.


    Maybe it is Usato-san and the others who are the enemies of us Demons. ...... but even knowing that, I didn''t feel any anger or hatred toward Usato-san.


    "......Grue."


    "Mr. Bullein?"


    "Guh."


    Mr. Bulrin, the blue bear demon, the blue grizzly bear, who has been protecting me nearby before I know it.


    While Suzune, Kazuki, and Leona are holding off the golem, he is watching Usato''s battle, his eyes clear and his figure majestic.


    "Usato-san."


    He is fighting Kannagi-san right now.


    He is in the form of a demon tribe and is so strong that it is hard to believe that he is human, as he avoids attacks that cannot be followed with his eyes.


    "......,......"


    I''ve been protected my whole life.


    I''ve been in trouble a lot, and Usato-san, you guys have been protecting me for a long time. ...... and now Usato-san is protecting me again.


    Kannagi-san is going to kill us, the demon tribe.


    I had no idea what she didn''t like about us when I heard her story.


    But the look she gave me was very scary.


    But more than that, I was so frustrated that I was always protected by Ms. Usato and could do nothing.


    If I could have used dark magic as well as Koga-san, I could have helped Usato-san who is fighting now.


    Why am I so helpless?


    If I had the strength to fight, I could have fought too.


    If I had been able to handle my own magic, I wouldn''t have become a stumbling block to Usato-san.


    I would have been better off if I had been treated as a mere weapon like Mr. Koga.


    Dark magic is more effective for Usato than this useless me..,


    "Piii!"


    >


    Suddenly, a voice from next door causes me to let out a strange scream.


    I look at the person next to me in surprise, and see a person who looks just like Kannagi floating in the air, looking as surprised as I am.


    "Who is it?"


    <


    "......Ah."


    When I came to myself, the shadow at my feet was about to move.


    Also, my magic was about to start moving on its own.


    At this point in time, I had tried to pull Usato''s leg again.


    .


    "Kata, we?"


    Mr. Kannagi floats down and looks at Usato and Mr. Kannagi after taking a glance at Koga and Ciel who are still unaware of him.


    "Huh?"


    <


    Is he the same as me?


    I see Kannagi-san''s image in mine, abandoned by the family I thought I cared about so much.


    <


    "The difference is ......?"


    "...... such kindness is not enough to do anything. ......"


    <>


    If anything, it''s just a comforting thought.


    As I replied with some thorny words that were not unlike myself, Kannagi-san, with a gentle smile on his face, looked at Usato-san and continued to speak.


    <


    She then turns back to me and makes eye contact.


    <


    "Strong ...... wishes."


    How have I always used magic?


    My mother and father abandoned me because of this magic.


    I don''t need this magic.


    I wish this magic would just go away.


    I have always thought so, and I never believed in myself or in this magic.


    "My... thoughts."


    The feelings I put into this magic.


    If it was to take shape, the answer was much simpler.


    Realizing this, I naturally wiped the tears from my eyes and thanked Mr. Kannagi.


    "Thank you, thank you.


    >


    Kannagi looks a little sad.


    However, as soon as a loud sound echoes from the direction where Usato-san is, he looks at her with a grim look on his face.


    <


    Did Mr. Kannagi notice something?


    Just as I noticed something wrong with her floating next to me, I heard a buzzing sound coming from right next to me.


    I looked at her immediately and saw a white whirlpool there, from which a black tail-like thing reached out and --- grabbed my arm.


    "---What?"


    "Grua!"


    >


    But Mr. Bulrin reacted faster than anyone else, and with tremendous speed, he bit off the black tail that had grabbed my arm and made it disappear.


    However, my relief is short-lived, as several white whirlpools appear around me.


    "Guh!"


    "Oh, my God, ......!¡¡Kyaaaah!


    Just as Mr. Brulin was distracted by the whirlpools, an arm reached out from under my feet and grabbed my leg.


    He squeezed me with such force that I was pulled into the vortex.


    After a moment of flickering vision, I am held in someone''s arms.


    "---I can''t help it, you just won''t give up."


    It was the voice of Mr. Kannagi, who had just spoken to me.


    When I opened my eyes, I saw Mr. Usato in front of me with a look of astonishment on his face.


    The person holding me, the scary Mr. Kannagi, placed a silver sword-like blade around my neck and spoke to Mr. Usato in an inappropriately cheerful voice.


    "Usato, can you unassimilate me?"


    Then I finally realize.


    I had dragged Usato-san''s feet at the worst possible moment.

 269 - - 244th episode.

    A cold, sharp, touch against my neck.


    The person holding the sword, which could easily take my life if I moved even a little, was Kannagi-san, the beastman who was trying to kill us.


    My situation was terrible.


    "I''ll say it again. Usato, unassimilate me."


    "...... Kannagi, you are..."


    I was pulled into a vortex controlled by Mr. Kannagi and held hostage.


    I am so terrified that I cannot move, let alone speak.


    My life is in his hands now.


    Just thinking about it, I cannot stop my body from shaking.


    "Hurry!"


    But just like me, Kannagi-san''s arm was shaking just as much as mine.


    I don''t know what kind of emotion it was.


    At least, Kannagi''s face seemed to be impatient, fighting against something.


    "......ferm."


    As Mr. Usato spoke these words, three figures jumped out from his body.


    Amako, Nair, and Ferrum appeared as if they were splitting up.


    With that, Mr. Usato''s appearance also changed from that of a demon, and became that of a human wearing white clothes.


    "---"


    "Ugh. ......"


    I could not help but scream, and Usato-san looked at me.


    "Keira, don''t worry. "Keira, don''t worry, I''ll make sure you get back to Gref and the others.


    "Mr. Usa,t ......"


    You could have left yourself behind.


    Kannagi-san, seeing Usato-san who had broken his assimilation, took the blade of the sword away from my neck, held it in his opposite hand, and pointed the hilt toward Usato-san.


    "Take me, take this sword, and I will spare her life.


    "...... except for Keira?"


    "You think you have a choice now?¡¡Honestly, I''ve been wanting to kill her for a long time, but I''ve been holding back. I can''t make any more concessions."


    "......"


    "Hurry up, can''t we just get rid of the three of you there first?"


    Kannagi''s gaze turns to Amako and the others in the back.


    He closed his eyes and was silent for a few seconds before stepping forward and nodding at Kannagi''s words.


    "Okay."


    "No, Usato!¡¡Not only will you lose your healing magic, but you will also be affected by the evil dragon!¡¡Worst of all, you could be trapped in your hatred for the entire demon tribe!


    "Don''t worry, I''ll live positively as a light wizard if it comes to that."


    "Why are you invoking some weird positive attitude there?


    Usato lose his healing magic?


    We---you''re going to start hating the whole demon tribe?


    In my mind''s eye, I see the image of Mr. Usato who was kind to us.


    I don''t like it.


    I don''t want him to change.


    I don''t want him to hate us, hate me.


    "No. ......"


    A small, muffled voice escapes my mouth.


    I don''t want anyone to get hurt.


    I can''t stand the thought of anyone else getting hurt because of me.


    And yet, my weakness has brought about this situation.


    Kannagi-san slowly approaches Usato-san with a crooked smile on his face.


    "No! ......!!!"


    I can''t be protected forever.


    As I clearly voice this out loud, the black magic power peculiar to dark magic overflows from under my feet.


    It was a different sensation from before, the feeling of being able to control magic with my own will.


    Dark magic?


    "I will protect you. I won''t let anyone hurt you anymore!


    Dark magic envelops me, engulfing my head.


    A cloak of black cloak covers my entire body.


    It moves independently of my will, shaking off Kannagi''s restraints, and flips off her body.


    "You!¡¡You little ...... girl!


    "Here!¡¡Healing Fist!


    Ah!¡¡Why, why, Usato!


    Usato thrust out his right fist, and something flew out of it with tremendous force, striking Kannagi directly.


    I was relieved to be released from the hostage situation, but in a short time, the cloak of black magic that covered me started to move on its own and headed toward Mr. Usato.


    Moreover, I was flying in the sky.


    It was my first experience in my life to fly in the sky, so all I could do was scream.


    "Whoa, whoa, whoa!


    "Keira!"


    As soon as he could, he was caught by Usato.


    She backed up to release the impact, and hurriedly checked on me to make sure I was safe.


    "Are you hurt?¡¡No cuts!


    "No, I''m fine!"


    "Usato!


    Kannagi''s voice sounded like an exclamation.


    Usato and I both turned our heads at the same time to see Kannagi''s image shooting many fireballs from his tail, which was covered with flames.


    "No, no, no, no, no!


    "Hold on, I''m coming..."


    "Ha-ha-ha, you can swing me around!¡¡I''m a dark wizard, I can handle it!"


    "....... What the hell did that coga bastard put in Keira''s head? ......¡¡I''ll never forgive you!


    As soon as Usato-san, who supported me clinging to his neck with his left arm and cloaked in magic power in his right hand, was about to fire a spell at the approaching fireball, the cloak that covered me started to move all by itself.


    "What?¡¡Oh, wait, it moved on its own. ...... ah?


    "Huh?"


    The cloak moves away from me and starts moving around at an unbelievable speed, drowning out the fireballs.


    In an instant, all the fireballs headed for Usato-san and me were blown away, and the cloak was somehow placed over Usato-san''s shoulders instead of under mine.


    "....... Uh, Keira, what''s this?"


    "Wow, it''s my magic, but ...... I have no idea what it is either. ......"


    My magic protected you, Usato?


    It moves of its own accord, but unlike before, I feel a sense of security.


    "I don''t know what''s going on, but let''s all gather again!"


    You''re a real hard man to please. ......


    "Hi."


    "Huh. ......."


    Ferrum, Nair, and Amako jumped into the room with me in their arms.


    In an instant, Usato-san, now clad in black magic, flips my dark magic---black cloak and points his free right hand at Kannagi.


    Kannagi.


    Keira was taken hostage, but she was able to save the day by using her own dark magic at the last minute.


    However, I was surprised to see Keira flying into the air at breakneck speed the very next moment, but I was even more astonished to see her dark magic clinging to my shoulders like a cape.


    "Aah!"


    Kannagi attacked without question, weaving her magic into the mix.


    The attacks lacked precision, but they were even more furious than before, and contained a strong intent to kill.


    However, the cloak around my shoulders knocks most of them away.


    "Keira, your magic seems to be a defensive magic ......!"


    .


    Nair asks Ferrum curiously as he mutters this in my mind, and her voice takes a sour tone.


    >


    >


    So please don''t fight amongst yourselves.


    With some reluctance, he swings his right fist, which is wrapped in elasticity, repelling the attack that has slipped through the cloak''s protection.


    "Actually, I wish I could have gotten you out of there somewhere safe ......!"


    "No, ...... this is the safest place too, in a way."


    <


    Amako agrees with Keira.


    Amako agrees with Keira''s words.


    Kannagi''s priority is on the demon tribe. As long as Keira is here, there is no guarantee that she will be safe.


    "There you are!"


    He immediately turns around and swings his fist, but it only catches Kannagi''s shadow and fails to strike the main body.


    I am now able to block their attacks, but I am also unable to strike them.


    At this rate, we will only be exhausted.


    "No, if you have Keira''s magic, ......"


    "What, me?"


    I think you can use that technique that takes so long to activate.


    As I was about to respond to the attack, seeing Kannagi moving through the white vortex, a translucent figure---Kannagi himself---comes flying toward me.


    .


    "Mr. Kannagi!¡¡I''m busy right now. ......!"


    "Can you stop it?


    I almost turn to look at Kannagi-san, but before I can do so, Kannagi, in the shape of a demon, swings his sword down into my brain.


    This is blocked by Keira''s cloak, but her eyes are fixed on Kannagi-san.


    "What do you think you''re doing at this point ......!"


    Kannagi''s words make her even more angry.


    "You''re going to wipe me out. ......!¡¡Don''t lie!¡¡You''re so good at making up lies to suit your own needs!


    >


    "Let''s just do as much as we can!"


    I respond to her voice and move away from Kannagi.


    Kannagi, who has lined up beside me, gives me some instructions.


    >


    "Just what I was thinking of doing."


    <


    "Oh, I didn''t hear that. ...... Whoa!"


    Kannagi-san enters me without question.


    I don''t feel anything wrong with my body, but "possessed" is the wrong word.


    My face turns pale, and my right hand stretches my cheek, and I call out to the amakos inside me.


    "All right!¡¡Let''s do it!"


    <<<< what? >>>>


    >


    As long as it gets through to Amaco, we''re good.


    I immediately move the elasticity grant I created to my left hand and create a healing explosion wave with my right hand basket hand.


    >


    >


    "Huh?¡¡What?¡¡Usato, what are you doing ......?"


    He covers his entire right arm with black magic power to wrap the healing explosive bullet he has created, and creates a cannon barrel.


    The barrel is then covered with a shock-resistance spell.


    He then applies a restraining spell to the healing bomb, and moves to the position to launch a healing flying fist.


    --- It takes time to launch this technique.


    Meanwhile, Kannagi continues to attack me, but Ferrum''s arm and Keira''s cloak are blocking all of their attacks.


    "d*mn, you ......!"


    I take one look at Kannagi, who is still trying to block my attacks, and quietly call out to Amako inside.


    "Amako."


    <>


    A blow that will surely drive Kannagi away.


    It is meaningless if you don''t hit it, but if Amako is there, it doesn''t matter.


    "Predict the position from which Kannagi will flee."


    <>


    "---Hiccup......!"


    Kannagi, who has seen the prediction, enters the white whirlpool, his face turning blue.


    Once Amako concentrates on the prediction, she can see further into the future than Kannagi, who has to be in constant motion.


    Amako, unlike Kannagi, has the luxury of being able to do so.


    As Amako instructed, he points his right arm diagonally upward---,


    "Go, healed eight-foot bullets!"


    He releases a healing bomb bomb accelerated by Healing Flying Fist --- the Healing Eight Shaku Bullet.


    The strong recoil sends him sprawling, but as he looks ahead, Kannagi emerges from the white vortex.


    "---Now!"


    Just before the magic bullet approaches her, the elasticizer bursts off.


    With it, a powerful explosion of healing magic is triggered, and a shockwave and binding spell are released.


    Kannagi tries to wrap herself in black magic as quickly as possible, but the shockwave blows it away as if it were easily ripped off, and it strikes her.


    "Aaaaaaaaaaah!


    Shockwave cage.


    A wide-area, special, life-saving technique using healing magic.


    That''s the healing eight-foot bullet.


    The purple pattern from the binding spell and the particles of healing magic scattered in the air.


    And as Kannagi continues to be exposed to the shockwave..,


    <<<<<>>>>>


    "Wow, beautiful ......"


    The three girls in my house let out a don''t-know-what sound.


    Only Keira looks at me with pure eyes and is impressed.


    I put Keira down on the ground, heartbroken at the sight of Kannagi, who has been holding her in his arms for some time.


    When she leaves me, the cloak on my shoulder will also return to her, but it is more convenient for me.


    "Keira, are you sure you can handle this by yourself?"


    "Yes. Yes. I don''t need to be protected anymore.


    "Okay. Let''s see. ......


    The shockwave subsides, filling the space with particles of healing magic, and a deflated kanagi falls from it.


    Using elasticity and a burst of magic, he quickly reaches her and catches her.


    "Uh-uh. ......"


    Mr. Kannagi!


    >


    At the same time as I said this, Kannagi-san, who had been possessing me, entered Kannagi''s body through me.


    After a few seconds, she slowly opens her eyes and looks at me.


    "I succeeded ......."


    "It''s fine that I put you back in your body, ...... but what are you going to do after this?"


    But the voice sounds double.


    To return Kannagi''s soul to its original body.


    That was the way she had told me to deal with Kannagi.


    To do so, she had to drive Kannagi to the point of fainting, but she did not tell me what she would do from here.


    <>


    "Usato, trust me."


    "?"


    I''m going to confuse things a little bit.


    Kannagi-san turns his attention to the hero''s sword in his hand.


    As she grips it, the black magic power in her body melts away as if it were melting into the ground. With that, a ball of light shoots out from the sword, heading toward the direction of Koga.


    <>


    << Then go and help those people over there!¡¡At least repay us for protecting you! >>


    >


    Is the magic of the cogwheel back?


    I look from Koga, who is being kicked by Ciel-san, back to Kannagi-san, who is holding him.


    Before she knew it, she had her sword back in her hand and was about to stab it into her own chest.


    "What?


    Don''t worry, don''t stop me."


    Just before she was about to plunge the shining blade into her own chest, Kannagi''s own left hand grabbed the shining blade and stopped her.


    "---No. I don''t want to disappear. I don''t want to go away...I don''t want to go away...I don''t want to go away...I don''t want to go away...I don''t want to go away..."


    "......!"


    "Help me,...... help me,...... Usato,......"


    Kannagi looks up at me as if clinging to me and pleads with me with tears in her eyes.


    Her hand grips the sword and blood pours from it, staining her clothes red.


    "I can''t believe I''m still unwanted by anyone. ....... Why was I born ......?¡¡If I''m not a creature, am I not even allowed to live a normal life ......?"


    --- Kannagi is a child.


    You knew that while you were fighting.


    Her desperate attempt to take a hostage was also because she was desperate.


    Even though she was trapped in her hatred for the demons, she still wanted me to help her.


    "Finally, we met. ....... We had so much to talk about. ....... It really wasn''t supposed to be like this. ......


    "Kannagi ......"


    This girl was just desperate.


    He took advantage of someone and put them in danger because he was desperate.


    That''s not something I can forgive, but if that''s the way she chose because she wanted me to help her, I''m partly to blame.


    "You were the first person Kannagi saw."


    Nair appears next to me after she has unassimilated from Ferrum.


    "I have been alone for hundreds of years since my ego awakened. Then I saw you through the katana I pulled from the heart of the evil dragon.


    "So, that''s what it was. ......"


    "Maybe he really just wanted you to help him ....... I was born with imperfect will, so I couldn''t live honestly with myself, and I couldn''t even be aware of it."


    "......"


    I can''t find the words to say.


    I rejected Kannagi''s hand that was asking for help.


    I feel a strong sense of regret when I think of how much I had hurt her in that moment.


    I release Kannagi''s hand holding the blade with the hand that had been supporting her back, and clasp it in my hand, healing it with healing magic.


    "I''m sorry. I didn''t recognize your cry for help.


    "Usa,t......"


    "...... I can''t do anything."


    Heal the wound on her hand with the little magic you have left.


    There is only so much I can do.


    Even though I have done the best I can in each situation, there are lives I cannot save.


    I have had such thoughts many times during the battle against the Demon Lord''s army.


    But even so, I am not so graceful as to give up so easily just because there is nothing I can do.


    I put my palm on the sword that Kannagi is clutching in his right hand, and put my strength into it.


    "But I can believe in you."


    "Hey Usato, what are you doing ......?"


    ---He thrusts the glistening blade into Kannagi.


    I haven''t forgotten what you said about helping Kannagi. ......!¡¡Mr. Kannagi......!


    "---Ugh!"


    At the moment the sword pierces Kannagi, something flows from her body into the blade.


    It is something black and fearless.


    I knew that presence.


    It was the aura of an evil dragon, a living disaster that radiated malice and murderous intent.


    "This is ......."


    "The hatred of the evil dragon is ...... on the sword?¡¡No, something else is flowing with it. ......"


    Me and Nair are stunned.


    As the steel-colored blade turns black, Kannagi''s body relaxes as if he is losing strength.


    At the same time, the sword, which has turned into a black sword, falls to the ground with a clang. He quickly looks at the place where the sword was pierced, and finds no wound, not even a hole in his clothes.


    "......Kannagi-san"


    The golems that had been fighting the seniors crumble to pieces.


    With Kannagi-san, who had not woken up, in my arms, I head for the seniors.


    The long battle was over, but my heart was not at rest.

 270 - - Twenty-five.

    At last, the turmoil at the ruins is over.


    Keira is safe and we were able to stop Kannagi.


    This time, we had a lot of trouble.


    "Kannagi ......"


    Ferrum, unassimilated with Amako, I lay her down in a place close at hand.


    The sword of the hero sucked something out of her and sealed it.


    It looked like a black aura similar to that of an evil dragon, but I am not sure what it was at the moment.


    ...... First, let''s see if Kannagi will wake up like this.


    "The sword of the brave has turned black too!"


    Nair shows me the sword and scabbard she brought wrapped in a cloth.


    The sword has turned so black that it is no longer a shadow of its former self.


    I ask Nair to hold it for me, and then I do what I must do next: I call out to the two demons who are now turning their backs on us and heading home.


    Koga. I have a lot of questions I want to ask you.


    "All right, let''s go home!¡¡Ciel!


    Ciel!¡¡I''m hungry!


    Ferrum, Nair, get him!


    As Koga tried to run away, Ferrum''s black magic and Nair''s binding spell caught him.


    What is he trying to do casually?


    To prevent him from escaping by force, Koga is bound with several layers of black magic and further with binding spells.


    "Hey, hey, Usato! You beat me with a wounded man and that''s all you want?"


    "......?¡¡If you''re unharmed as a result, it doesn''t matter, does it?"


    "...... Hmph, Ciel. Look, here''s a healing wizard. Isn''t he a scary guy?


    "It''s your stupidity that''s scary!


    Ciel, who is sitting next to me, though not tied up, is looking at me with tears in her eyes.


    "Please spare my life!¡¡I''ll give you as much as you want if it''s this person!


    "Hey, wait!¡¡Why are you trying to sacrifice me alone?


    It''s your fault!


    She continues to argue with Kohga, and we are all distracted by her venom.


    Aside from Koga, Ciel''s words and actions so far indicate that she is a non-combatant who has something to do with the Demon Lord?


    "Leona-san, what should we do?"


    "If we don''t do anything, they''ll get information about us. ...... should we try to ice them here?"


    "Yes or no, ...... yes."


    I really don''t know what to do.


    I''m the commander of the 2nd Legion of the Demon King''s Army, but I can''t be so ruthless because of my strange involvement with him.


    Ciel is a non-combatant. .......


    "No, wait. Now, don''t we have more urgent things to talk about?"


    "Yes, sir. Is there something else on your mind?


    You!


    He points at us and tilts his head.


    "You were the one who was with Amako and Nair, weren''t you?¡¡And you were wearing Keira''s magic on top of it!


    "Oh, I heard that Ferrum made them assimilate with me.


    "Wow, I''m not sure if it''s that ...... my magic just started working on its own ......."


    Keira, wearing a cloak made of dark magic, is flustered.


    I, for one, did not expect the assimilation of Amako and Nair, so I can understand my senpai''s reaction.


    "I want to assimilate you too!"


    "You''re too desperate, Suzune......."


    Amako is stunned by the senior who comes up to her.


    Amako is stunned.


    Being able to combine healing magic and electric magic may be an advantage, but considering the current strength of .......


    "No, I think senpai is stronger fighting alone."


    "They turned me down rather seriously!"


    "In the first place, it seems that there are various conditions for being assimilated by Ferrum.


    I don''t know exactly either.


    But I''ve heard that the number of people who can be assimilated is limited to two, excluding Ferrum and myself.


    "Not everyone. You have to have someone I approve of to some degree."


    "Huh, then I''ll be fine, won''t I?"


    For some reason, the senior seemed very confident, but Ferm made him blatantly scowl.


    "No, I can''t."


    "Why not?


    "Because I''m not good at it."


    "Gah!"


    The senior is damaged by the normal rejection.


    Well, I guess I was too skinshipy or something.


    Then Koga, who is still tied up, starts laughing.


    "Hahaha, it looks like your performance changes depending on the feelings you have for those you can assimilate. You''re a real easy guy to understand, aren''t you?


    "Usato, let''s bury him in the ground from the neck down and leave him exposed from there."


    Ferm pointed at Coga with a blank expression on his face and said something like that.


    He seems to have developed a tolerance for agitation, but he is still irritated.


    ...... or bury him in the ground from the neck down.


    "......"


    "Oh, come on, that''s a little harsh, even for me, isn''t it?¡¡You wouldn''t do something that bad, would you?"


    Finally, I''m wondering what to do with Koga and Ciel.


    I want to come to a decision and take them to Mr. Gref, who is worried about Keira.


    And Kannagi too..,


    """---!"""


    Then, without warning, a chill runs through my body as if I had been doused with cold water.


    "What the hell is this feeling? ......"


    Probably everyone there felt something.


    Something is approaching this place where we are.


    When I turned my eyes in the direction where I felt the presence, I saw a passageway leading somewhere, and I could hear the sound of someone walking from the end of the passageway.


    "---Wow, this is quite a pleasant surprise."


    A man of the demon tribe appeared.


    He wears his silver hair in an all-back bun and is well over two meters tall.


    He was no ordinary demon, and the atmosphere he wore, the mere presence he exuded seemed to overwhelm us, and when he saw us, the corners of his mouth twisted into a small smile.


    "A brave man, huh?"


    "Demon...... king......."


    I don''t know who muttered it.


    We were in such a tense situation.


    But when we realized that the person in front of us was the last enemy that Senpai and Kazuki were destined to fight, the Demon King, we moved into battle stance.


    "I didn''t expect him to appear at this time ......!"


    "The Demon King ......!"


    Kazuki, who is now clutching the hilt of his sword and beginning to wear electric shocks, and Kazuki, who is levitating magic bullets from his cage.


    The two men standing in the front.


    Their appearance shows no sign of composure.


    It''s only natural. I''m confused by this situation, too.


    I never thought that the Demon Lord would appear here when the commotion was finally over.


    "I knew he would come, but ...... he was coming to these ruins?"


    The Demon King stepped directly into the hall without paying any attention to our obvious wariness.


    He looked around the hall and let out a small smile when he saw Koga and Ciel being held captive.


    "Are you all right, Ciel?"


    "Well, Demon Lord,...... if you''re going to come on your own, you might as well do it from the beginning,......."


    "From the looks of it, you''ve seen some interesting things."


    The Demon King puts his palm out in front of him, and a series of magical patterns are activated.


    Just as I was about to make an immediate move, the restraints of Koga, who was being held nearby, were broken, and Ciel, who was supposed to be next to him, was being held by the Demon Lord with both arms.


    "What, a princess''s embrace of terror?


    "Hey. ...... huh, well, whatever."


    She screams, and the demon king looks stunned.


    Was that witchcraft ......?


    Even if it was, it came out too soon.


    Coga breaks free of his restraints and moves away from us, but we ignore him.


    Now is not the time to worry about Koga.


    "Five armors and three heroes. You seem to have a lot of power.


    "......!"


    "Are you going to fight?¡¡With me here, depleted?


    The Demon King smiles coldly at Kazuki as he tries to activate his magic.


    To tell the truth, my magic power is almost empty after so many battles in a row.


    I''m feeling extremely drowsy and tired to the point of wanting to collapse right now.


    Even though I seem to be in perfect condition, Senpai and Kazuki must be exhausted. Leona is the one who can fight the best, but even if she fights alone, we will be slowed down.


    "This is the place where the battle was fought. It would be fun to fight you here, but that''s something for the future.


    "Are you going to miss us, ......?"


    We have more important things to do than fight you. Besides--"


    The Demon Lord''s gaze turns toward us.


    What the hell?¡¡Is he looking at me ......?


    "Fighting now would be boring."


    The demon king mutters to himself and tries to invoke some kind of magic with Ciel in his arms.


    I know he has no hostile intentions, but I still can''t help but brace myself.


    "What? Are you leaving already? The Witch King!


    "!"


    I hear a voice from behind me, and before I can turn around, a hand is placed on my shoulder.


    Kannagi, the fox beastman who stepped out from behind me, undoes the bandage over his left eye and steps in front of the demon king.


    "You''re awake!¡¡Kannagi-san!


    "Thank you for believing in me. Usato, thanks to you I was able to save the other me.


    Did you save Kannagi''s life, too?


    But the way he speaks is Kannagi''s.


    "Which Kannagi are you, ......?"


    "Both of them. I''ll tell you later, let''s concentrate on the Demon King for now.


    When she looked back at me, her left eye had turned purple.


    She smiled softly and accepted the hero''s sword, which had been transformed into a black sword, from Nair, and faced the demon king.


    "It has been a long time, I should say.¡¡Kannagi."


    "You''ve grown so weak, demon king. You are a shadow of your former self.


    You''ve changed, too. Have you mixed your souls?¡¡You''ve gone to a lot of trouble.


    We watch in surprise as Mr. Kannagi''s tone changes to a more pointed one when dealing with the Demon King.


    "I had no idea that you were also sealed in this place where I was sealed.


    I''m gonna throw up. I can''t believe I''m with you.


    Now I miss that swearing."


    Mr. Kannagi, who is wearing a stinging atmosphere, and the Demon King, who is coolly accepting it.


    Ciel is in his arms, looking like she is about to vomit and shaking, but is she all right?¡¡Regardless of enemies or not, that position looks heartbreaking.


    "What did Hisago ...... that idiot do in the end?"


    "I don''t know. Well, I guess ...... you guessed it."


    "...... I see."


    Kannagi replied, trying to stifle his emotions.


    The demon king turned his palm toward Kannagi as if he had changed his mind.


    "Aside from the heroes, your appearance is unexpected, even to me. Shall I kill you while I still can?


    "......What, are you going to do it?"


    The Demon King, with his palm facing you, assumes a strange atmosphere.


    With that, Kannagi-san, who had pushed up the tsubaki of his sword with his thumb and peeked out the black blade, released a pressure.


    It was clearly different from the Kannagi I had fought.


    It was not a recreation from memory, but the real Kannagi''s own power, backed up by actual battle and training, made me feel something similar to Rose and Nero.


    "Hu...... no, let''s not. I''m not here for a fight."


    "...... You don''t even have the same personality you had before."


    "I''m aware of that."


    The Demon King, who had drowned out the magic in his palm, looked down at Ciel-san, who was holding him.


    Ciel, let''s go home!


    "Ha, hahi!"


    A white vortex appears in front of the demon king.


    Just before he steps into the whirlpool, he calls out to Koga, using the same magic that Kannagi used to transfer.


    Koga, you will come back with the others.


    "Hey. See you later, Usato."


    With a snap, he flipped me his palm and headed upstairs through the hole in the ceiling.


    The Demon Lord looked back at us after he saw Koga leave.


    "I will wait for you in my castle."


    """!?""""


    "If you want to beat me, come. Of course, I will intercept you."


    With these last words, the Demon Lord stepped into the white vortex and vanished from the scene.


    A sickening silence pervades the place.


    The Demon Lord had noticed our presence, but we were finally able to see him with our own eyes.


    ......The Demon Lord is a formidable opponent.


    At last, the senior finally muttered something like that, but no one answered him, although some nodded their heads.


    He had such charisma that even we, his enemies, were almost drawn in.


    And the confidence that could be felt from every word he said.


    He could handle multiple magic arts without any difficulty, perhaps even more so than Nair.


    "Oh, thank goodness. You''re back..."


    Kannagi sat down on the floor with relief.


    Let''s talk about the demon king who has gone away later.


    "Mr. Kannagi, are you all right?


    "Well, I''m fine. I''m ...... glad you retreated from the meeting. To be honest, he''s unbelievably strong even when he''s weak. ......


    I hold out my hand to her as she mutters tiredly.


    She took my hand and stood up, and Nair, who was nearby, spoke to her.


    "So, what happened to the two souls in you?¡¡What did you seal in your sword?


    "A part of the soul tainted by the evil dragon, if you will.¡¡I took it into my soul and cut it out and sealed it.


    "...... You don''t mean to tell me that you cut your soul out of yourself and merged it with the soul of your other self?¡¡How absurd ...... is that?"


    "Haha ......"


    Nea, who is smiling with an annoyed smile, is surprised at Ms. Kannagi''s reaction.


    Then she turns her body toward us.


    Her eyes meet with eyes of different colors, blue and purple.


    There is no longer anything fake or real. I am Kannagi now.


    "Do you remember everything?¡¡You know, when you fought me?


    "Yes. All of it.


    Suddenly, Mr. Kannagi turns his attention to Keira, who is standing behind me.


    She looked at Keira, who looked somewhat frightened, and bowed her head apologetically.


    "I''m sorry. Keira, for my own selfish reasons I put you in danger.


    "......I''m so scared, but I forgive you. I''m finally ready to face my own magic. ......"


    "You''re strong. You are."


    She stands up with a kind smile on her face.


    Then she notices that a senior is talking to Leona.


    "Leona, it''s time to get out of the ruins.


    "Right. We can''t stay here forever. Are you coming too, Mr. Kannagi?


    Of course. Of course. I''ve already been released from these ruins.


    We''re getting out of these ruins for now.


    It''s comforting to finally be able to see the outside.


    Kannagi, who knows the structure of the ruins, is leading us toward the exit.


    "Usato, you can call me Nagi."


    "What?"


    "That''s what the guy who named me Kannagi called me. And you don''t need to use honorifics. We''re not that much older.


    The person who named it, is it the previous generation of heroes or ......?


    I used to use honorifics because I had the impression that he was a superior, but if he says it''s okay, I''ll call him that.


    It would be rude not to call him that.


    "Well, nice to meet you again, ...... Nagi......."


    "...... yeah, yeah. Nice to meet you. Usato."


    Ka...... Nagi nodded with a nostalgic smile.


    Just as she was about to walk away, she suddenly, without warning, hugged me.


    What?"


    I don''t know why, but even Mr. Nagi was surprised.


    My friends who were walking behind me also let out a gasp of surprise.


    .......


    What''s going on?


    Amako walks up to me, her face expressionless, as I freeze in the middle of a familiar situation.


    "Kannagi, what are you doing?¡¡Hey, what are you doing?"


    "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. My body''s acting on its own!¡¡It''s different!¡¡No, no, no!¡¡It''s not my will!¡¡......


    "No, just get away from him. Why are you being so calm?"


    "Ha!¡¡Calm down, the other me ......!"


    She tries to move away from me as Ferrum points out to her, but her arm that holds me is stuck like a vise.


    Rather, it is almost painful because of its unusual force.


    In addition, I feel like I''m about to run out of magic and pass out.


    As my vision in front of my eyes gradually became blank, something black jumped on Nagi-san''s face, who was still holding me.


    "Boo-hoo!"


    "Aaah!¡¡I''m sorry, I''m sorry!¡¡My magic worked by itself again!


    Keira''s face turns blue and she gasps.


    Against her will, the cloak belligerently clings to Nagi''s head.


    Even after the battle was over, I was confronted with a scene so chaotic that I fell unconscious.

 271 - - Twenty-sixth episode.

    We were able to escape safely from the ruins and return to the village where Mr. Greff was staying.


    After recovering from my fainting spell, I parted from my seniors who were hiding their true identities, assimilated with Ferrum and became a demon, and returned with Nair, Amako, and Keira to the house where Gref, Ram, and Rose were staying.


    Seeing Keira in good health, Mr. Gref and the others were very happy to see her safe and sound.


    Mr. Gref was so relieved that he started to cry, which made Keira feel confused and embarrassed, but I was relieved to know that he must have cared about her that much.


    "Thanks for taking care of me. Usato."


    "Your leg injury is all right now, isn''t it?"


    "Yeah, I never thought I''d be able to walk again."


    "Ha ha ha ......"


    The next day, we said our goodbyes to each other to continue our respective journeys.


    He was carrying a large bag and his leg was lightly bandaged, but the wound had long since healed, so he would have no difficulty walking.


    "Usato, thank you for saving Keira.


    No, she grew up on her own.


    "I''m sure he doesn''t think so, though."


    He smiles and points behind him to Keira, who looks extremely depressed.


    Keira realizes that we are done talking and comes running toward us.


    "Gref, I need to talk to Usato and the others for a minute, so stay away from them.


    Hm?¡¡I don''t mind if I''m here."


    "......"


    "...... Uh, yeah, yeah, yeah, okay. Ram, Rose, let''s go over there for a minute."


    Yes, sir."""


    Mr. Gref takes his distance from us, mouthing, "I''m at an age, huh?


    As we laugh at this, Keira approaches us without saying a word.


    "Thanks to you ......, I''ve been able to understand my own magic. Thank you, thank you."


    As Keira bowed her head, Ferrum, who had been assimilated into me, spoke to her in a slightly embarrassed voice.


    >


    "Yes!"


    Keira responds cheerfully to Ferrum''s advice.


    What a teacher!


    She''s good at teaching, and though she''s blunt, maybe she''s suited for this job.


    "I understand the purpose of the journey you are sending me on. Still, I wanted to ...... believe in you."


    "......"


    "The truth is, I still want to follow you on your journey. But Gref, Ram and Rose are my precious family ......, so for now, I''m giving up."


    "It''s better that way. We can''t drag you into our problems."


    "...... yes."


    Now that the Demon King is aware of our presence, anything can happen.


    We can''t take Keira into that kind of situation.


    "Nea, I hope I''m not imagining things, but did she say ?"


    "Yes, you did."


    Amako and Nea next to me are talking something small.


    I am curious, so I try to ask them what they are talking about, but Keira starts talking to me before I can ask her.


    Where is the country you are in, Usato?


    That''s abrupt.


    Well, now I have nothing to hide, so I tell her honestly.


    It''s a place called the Kingdom of Lingle. I''m the deputy commander of an organization called the Lifeguard Corps there.


    "Lifeguard?"


    "It''s a ...... group that runs around helping the wounded. Well, it''s the kind of place where they train all the time."


    I see.


    I will briefly explain about the lifeguard.


    After a few seconds of silence, Keira looks up and turns to Amaco and Nair.


    "Amako, are N¨¦a and ...... Ferrum there too?"


    "No, Amaco is not. No, Amako is not.


    <


    "Yes, I''m not in it either."


    "No, I''m not."


    What''s up with you guys all of a sudden?


    I look at Amako and Nea, who seem to be in a hurry for some reason, and they are looking at me to tell me something.


    What is it?¡¡Don''t you want to be treated as a member of the group?


    Don''t tell me you think ...... Keira is coming to Lingle Kingdom?¡¡It would be dangerous on the road and there is no way she can come alone.


    Confused by the unfamiliar nonsense, Keira chuckled and gave a small laugh.


    "That''s a lie."


    "Oh, yeah. Nair and Ferrum are part of the lifeguard squad."


    <


    "Yes. Thank you for telling me."


    Keira thanks me with a bow, and I think to myself how polite she is.


    I thought about that when I was her age, but I wasn''t this polite when I was her age.


    "Well, I''ll go get Gref and the others.


    A cloak made of black magic leaps out from the shadow at Keira''s feet and covers her shoulders.


    She floated up in the air and smoothly flew through the sky.


    "It''s amazing magic to be able to fly in the sky. ......"


    "No, it''s not. He''s not flying, he''s just blowing up."


    Well, I was kind of floating because of the outburst of magic.


    When I was fighting Hannah and her men, I was swinging and moving rather than flying.


    Nair looks at Keira, who has disappeared from sight, and mutters in a rather somber voice.


    "...... Another one of you will be knocking on the gates of hell."


    <>


    "That''s very convincing when Ferrum says it: ......"


    I''m glad to see that you''re getting along without my knowing it.


    "By the way, by ''gates of hell'' do you mean the lifeguard squad?"


    ""<>""


    A shock from the inside of the clothes and a shin attack by two legs.


    It doesn''t hurt, it doesn''t itch, but it''s a good tie-up.


    But why was he kicked?


    I don''t know.


    We will be parting ways with Gref and the others in the settlement where we are now.


    Keira is brighter than she was a few days ago when we first met her, and I am glad that she is once again able to face herself and her dark magic.


    <


    These were Nagi''s words to us last night as we were leaving the ruins.


    He was the one who ran the battlefield with the previous generation of heroes.


    We know that she is not a simple person.


    Her offer of cooperation was sure to meet with no opposition, and she agreed to accompany us on our journey to defeat the Demon King.


    "What, the previous hero had a wife and child?


    "I heard he had a wife and child before he was summoned. Well, he was like a father to me too. ......


    We left at different times from Gref and the others.


    As we were walking toward the castle where the Demon Lord was waiting for us, I suddenly heard Senpai and Nagi''s conversation.


    "So, the previous hero was summoned to another world, leaving his wife and child behind. ......"


    "......"


    "Hmm?"


    "......Yeah, that''s right. I think that''s what it''s going to be.


    Mr. Nagi reacts a little late, and the senior staff member gives him a quizzical look.


    Perhaps sensing that it was something she should not touch too much, she quickly tried to change the subject by talking to Mr. Nagi.


    "Now that you have joined, ...... in terms of strength, does this mean that there are now five people who can use the armor of the brave?"


    "Would that ...... be the case?¡¡But the sword I have has already used its capacity to be sealed, so it''s just a sharp sword.


    "Your combat power alone is enough to make a difference."


    Indeed.


    I don''t know if he can use magic or not since I haven''t asked him yet, but he is a very strong fighter when he can use precognition magic and swordsmanship.


    But still Nagi-san only smiles bitterly.


    "The demon king is already aware of your presence, so we can''t make too big a move.


    "It''s no use if they''re aware. I don''t believe their words, but they''ll be waiting for us, and we''ll take them up on it.


    "Suzune is very positive."


    Nagi-san smiled at me and started talking to me when he noticed me.


    "Usato, are you all right?


    "Yes, I got a good night''s sleep, so I''m fine. I''m fine.¡¡Nair said you did a lot of crazy stuff like merging souls, didn''t you?


    "...... Honestly, I guess I''m still a little confused in my head."


    Mr. Nagi stares at his hands.


    It must be like having two consciousnesses in one, and it must be complicated in ways I can''t even imagine.


    "I think what you are doing now is a fusion of the good kanagi and the evil kanagi, is that correct?"


    Isn''t that an oversimplification?


    He looks at his senpai''s example with a subtle expression on his face.


    No, it''s an easy expression to understand.


    "Well, I can''t say it''s good or bad, but it''s the right expression. Two souls united, that''s how I became who I am now. It''s a little confusing to put it into words, though."


    Ms. Nagi laughs in annoyance.


    The senior who saw her looks aghast.


    "Kannagi. Can I call you Nagi, like Usato-kun?"


    "Yes, that''s fine---...... No, you can''t."


    "What?"


    Nagi-san was about to reply willingly, but then her appearance changes in an instant.


    She quickly came to her senses and apologetically put her hands together in front of her senpai.


    "I''m sorry. It seems that the only other person who can do this privately is Usato."


    "...... Usato-kun."


    "Please don''t stare at me."


    "Gururrrrrr!¡¡Won!"


    "Please don''t bark. ......"


    What a contraption. You like it, huh?


    But why am I the only one?


    While I was wondering this, Mr. Nagi, who was comforting the depressed senior, laughed bitterly.


    "Only one person has called me that so far, you know. I think that''s part of the reason. I can understand why you would think so.


    Nagi''s expression looked somewhat sad as she said these words.


    On the other hand, the senior student next to him seemed to remember something and approached Nagi-san with a grin on his face.


    "What is it?¡¡Suzune."


    "By the way, Kannagi. I''ll make you pay for the bitterness of that parallel world with your tail and ears. ...... Kuhuhuhuhu!"


    "Well, considering what I did to you guys, it''s not surprising. ...... What are you going to do?"


    "Of course, that''s something I''m not going to tell you!"


    "Oh, no!¡¡Stop it!


    Mr. Nagi avoids the senior who jumps on him.


    What in the world did they do to him?¡¡As usual, he is full of selfishness, but he seems to be a little angry.


    "Well, I don''t blame him for being angry.


    "Does Kazuki know?"


    I talk to Kazuki who mutters to himself after seeing the exchange between Mr. Nagi and his senpai.


    "...... Actually. Senpai and I were in Kannagi..."


    Kazuki then explains the ordeal given to him by Kannagi before he merged with Mr. Nagi.


    It was a story about me in a parallel world.


    A future where my senpai and Kazuki were killed by the black knight, and I have moved on.


    It seems that I have become a person who uses every means at his disposal to take on his enemies.


    Kazuki and his senpai fought to the death against me.


    "Me in the ''what if'' world, huh?"


    "It was a tough fight. Usato over there had a hell of a fight, too."


    "What, exactly?"


    He took off his arm and stuck it back on.


    "I''m so shocked."


    What are you talking about? I wouldn''t do that either.


    I mean, did something like that happen to your arm?


    "I really shouldn''t have told you about this. But I knew I had to ...... tell you."


    "I see. ......"


    The death of someone close to me.


    It changed me.


    To be honest, I can understand why Kazuki''s story makes me the way I am.


    "Did I change?"


    "...... Yeah, because I beat him up so bad. I''m fine now."


    Then I''m relieved.


    To me over there, Kazuki''s fist must have hurt more than any injury.


    ......From now on, we are going to the central region of the Demon King''s territory where the Demon King is waiting for us.


    To be honest, there is a sense of uneasiness at the sight of the Demon Lord''s presence and his mighty power.


    "Humans, Demons, or ......"


    Mr. Gref and his friends were just good people living a normal life.


    The other demons and the demons who are fighting are fighting for their own survival.


    I am ready to fight against the Demon King.


    But I must act with an understanding of the possibilities beyond our mission.

 272 - - his idle talk

    On the day of the battle against the demon king''s army, Senpai and Kazuki were killed by the black knight.


    I couldn''t make it in time, and all I could do was to be devastated by my helplessness in front of their corpses.


    Rose killed the black knight who wanted revenge.


    Rose finally finished him off with a fist covered with healing magic against the magic that bounced back the attack, but inside the black knight''s armor that was melting like mud, there was a girl not much older than me who had died.


    More than the black knight, my anger at myself for not being there in time consumes me.


    If I couldn''t save my friend, what right do I have to be a member of the rescue team?


    Where should I direct this uncontrollable anger and hatred?


    I didn''t even know where to turn my anger and hatred, and I just kept on moving, but in the end, the Lingle Kingdom was invaded and taken over by the Demon King''s Army.


    After that, I didn''t return to the rescue team, but continued to fight on the front lines to recapture the Lingle Kingdom.


    I have killed countless demons with my own hands, trying to fight on their behalf so that their deaths would not be in vain.


    When I began to rely on the water of the Kureha Fountain to fight the Demon Lord''s army, the kind-hearted people around me stopped me, but I still couldn''t stop.


    Because I had to continue fighting on behalf of the two who are no longer with us, on behalf of the knights who are hurt.


    "Is he gone? ......"


    They disappeared before my eyes as particles of light.


    Suzune Inukami, the hero of thunder, and Kazuki Ryusen, the hero of light.


    Both of them were killed by the Black Knight, who was once defeated by Rose, but somehow they appeared before my eyes.


    To tell the truth, I thought it was an illusion shown to me by Hannah, a demoness of the worst character who seems to be a personification of malice, but my suspicions were soon put to rest.


    But my suspicions were soon confirmed, because she was clearly different from the senior I had seen in the vision, who was unusually serious and pretended to be serious.


    >


    <


    Words uttered by Senpai and Kazuki, projected in a vision.


    I felt a rage and a desire to kill that I had never felt before, as the two of them spat out words that made me hate and hunt me down while I was covered in blood on my deathbed.


    Don''t make fun of me.


    They would never say the ...... words I wanted (?????) to say.


    In my anger, I smashed my own head against my head, and in my vision was a purple-haired demoness called Hannah.


    I was so angry that I jumped at the demon in front of me, regardless of the discomfort I felt as if someone was peeping inside my head.


    >


    >


    I chased him for more than an hour through the forest, beating up many demons who seemed to be his men, and finally caught him, but I was interrupted by the commander of the army and missed him.


    I was wary of illusions because of this, but I soon found out that the two who appeared in front of me were not fakes created by an illusion.


    At any rate, that senior''s disappointment that I could see at a glance was something that no one could imitate.


    "I thought I was going to die... ......"


    I sat down on the ground and patted my chest in relief.


    It was strong.


    They were strong. They were so strong that it was frightening.


    If they had really wanted to kill me, the game would have ended immediately.


    They''re completely attached now, but my arm was cut off.


    "Gru!"


    "I''m sorry I worried you. "Brulin."


    My partner who has been following me all my life, Bulrin.


    I told him before that he could leave me and go back to the forest, but he''s still there for me, my trusty sidekick.


    "...... Let''s go. Mr. Karon is fighting."


    The fight continues.


    I stand up, making sure that there is nothing wrong with my body, and head through the forest to the front line, leaving Bulrin behind.


    We have conducted many operations to recapture the Kingdom of Lingle, but all of them have failed.


    This was partly because the fact that the Lingle Kingdom had been occupied by the Demon King''s Army had thrown the surrounding countries off their game, and partly because the knights and warriors of the other countries were simply unable to deal with the Demon King''s Army, which was used to fighting.


    When we reached the front line, we could see the Demon Army soldiers fighting with the knights of our side here and there.


    "Healing wizard!


    "......!"


    A Demon King''s soldier attacks with a sword in his hand.


    He immediately stretches out his arm, grabs the neck, and tries to snap it off at the same time, but..,


    "No, ...... you''re not."


    --He stops and punches her lightly in the abdomen, knocking her out.


    I let go of the demon and stare at my palm, puzzled by the change in me.


    "It''s a little late for that, isn''t it ...... haha?"


    I have killed demons irrevocably.


    I look at my fist and smile dryly.


    "...... hmm?"


    I am stopped on the battlefield when something approaches me from behind.


    I turned around to make sure it was not an enemy, and saw a woman on a horse rushing toward me.


    "Usato-sama!"


    Riding on a horse is a woman with impressive red hair, Ms. Naia.


    Why is the princess of the Kingdom of Calm Helio, who is in this battlefield as an exceptional commander, here ......?¡¡It seems that she has some guards with her, but it is still dangerous.


    She looked at my bloody and scarred uniform and turned pale, then got off her horse and came running to me.


    "Are you all right?


    "You always react the same way, don''t you, Mr. Nia?"


    "......!¡¡Are you kidding me?¡¡We were worried when we heard you were fighting with an unknown enemy!


    By unidentified enemy, you mean ...... Senpai and Kazuki.


    I knew you could recognize people other than Mr. Karon.


    Nai''a-sama, who is blushing and staring at me, smiles bitterly at me and apologizes for making her worry.


    "I am sorry. I''m sorry for making you worry.


    "...... what?"


    "What''s wrong?"


    Nia looks at my face and is taken aback for some reason.


    She reaches for my face and pinches my cheek without hesitation.


    "......, it hurts."


    "Oh, you''re real."


    Did they think I was faking it?


    It is also hurtful to receive such a reaction when I apologize honestly.


    She removes her hand from my cheek and opens her mouth with a slightly worried look on her face.


    "Um, is something wrong?"


    "...... I think it''s time for me to change."


    From his pocket, he takes out a small bottle of water diluted with water from the Kureha Fountain and hands it to Naija-sama.


    "You will no longer need to rely on this.


    "......"


    She receives the vial and clutches it.


    The Fountain of Kureha makes people crazy. Even if it is diluted, the strain on the body is immeasurable.


    Like Mr. Karon, Lady Nai''a had stopped me from taking the Kureha Fountain.


    "I have been watching you since the day the people of the Kingdom of Lingle came to Calm Helio for help."


    "......"


    "Fighting and wounded, following in the shadows of the two deceased heroes, ...... with eyes that look as if they were living and dying. ......"


    She looks up when she has said that much.


    "You don''t chase after the shadows of the brave men anymore, do you?"


    "Yes."


    "And you will not act without regard for your own well being?"


    Yes.


    "So you will marry me?"


    I don''t want to.


    "...... Why?¡¡That''s the way it''s supposed to go, right?"


    What''s the flow?


    How many times have we had this conversation?


    I''m surprised that Mr. Nia is so surprised.


    She smiles wryly and pulls out a piece of parchment from her pocket and shows it to me.


    "...... what is this?"


    It''s a beautiful piece of paper that makes what you write on it come true. If you write your name here, you will have great wealth and a beautiful wife. Please, don''t hesitate.


    "I''ve never seen such a horrible piece of paper in my life."


    And he called himself beautiful, this guy.


    No, it''s true.


    I thought he was the complete opposite of you, but maybe we''re the same at heart.


    "What''s so good about me? ......"


    "I don''t have to worry about being assassinated or poisoned, and above all, I can keep working tirelessly. Oh ...... and I like you."


    "I''m more afraid of you than I am of the Demon Army. ......"


    The fear of assassination and poisoning is too much.


    Then it''s easier to still fight.


    ---The sound of high-pitched iron clanging echoes from the front lines.


    From the ice and flames, and the tornado-like appearance, it seems that Mr. Karon has started to fight with the corps leader.


    "...... have you relaxed?"


    "Yes, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Nia.


    Apparently, they were trying to relieve the tension before going into a fierce battle.


    I remembered my previous conversation with the seniors and calmed down somewhat, and thanked Naiya-sama for making a joke that would cost me my engagement.


    She put her hand on her cheek and smiled softly.


    "Please come back alive. "Come back alive. We will talk about the rest after this battle.


    "...... yes."


    I wish it was a joke. ......!¡¡I feel that from the bottom of my heart now. ......!!!


    Trembling inside with fear that the moat is being filled, I leave Mr. Nair and head for the front lines.


    The outskirts of the Kingdom of Lingle --- a place where the trees that used to grow so thick have been cut down and turned into a wasteland.


    I enter the place where even the soldiers of the Demon King''s army cannot approach, not even the knights on my side.


    "---Here you are!¡¡Usato!


    Mr. Karon!


    Mr. Karon, transformed into a dragon man, slides down from the sky.


    What''s the situation?


    It''s a disaster!¡¡In addition to the corps leader who has a crush on you, another troublesome fellow has appeared!


    Another ......?¡¡......?


    Something''s coming from above!


    Before I can move back, Mr. Karon raises his axe to block the attack of a blonde-haired demon who comes down with a sword from above my head.


    "You''re good. Dragon man!


    It''s an honor to be praised by you, a monster!


    I''ve never seen him before.


    Red sword, wind magic, and a noticeably higher rank.


    I immediately try to cover Mr. Karon, but someone attacks me from another direction.


    He quickly pulls a chain from his uniform and wraps it around his arm, catching the sword as it swings at him with flames.


    "So you''re here after all... ......!"


    It''s you again ......!


    The red-haired demoness, Amira Bellegred, leader of the Third Legion, comes at him.


    She is a nasty person who has fought many times on the battlefield.


    She glares at me with a fierce smile on her face.


    "I didn''t want to meet you. ......!"


    "Don''t say that. We have a long history, don''t we? "


    The smile on his face gives me a chill, and I flick the sword back with the chain around my arm.


    Seeing her backpedal, the blonde demoness also backs away from Mr. Karon.


    Two legionnaires.


    The situation is pretty bad, though I''m worried that Koga, who is always so happy to attack us, doesn''t appear.


    Especially that blonde swordsman.


    Maybe I''m not a good enough ...... match for him.


    "Are you sure you''re not lost?¡¡Usato."


    Without taking his eyes off the blond man, Mr. Karon speaks to me.


    I nodded strongly, remembering the earlier exchange between my senpai and Kazuki.


    "Yes, thanks to you."


    "Well, I won''t ask now. I don''t have time for this."


    "...... indeed."


    Fists up.


    If Mr. Karon is to take on the blonde, I will inevitably have to hold back Amira.


    We have fought on the same battlefield many, many times, but he is still a troublesome opponent.


    "...... fight,live or ...... live."


    Until now, I had been willing to get hurt to fight in place of my seniors and Kazuki.


    But from now on, I will fight to live my own way.

 273 - - the change that he made between the two of us

    A quiet story of two people in one


    By detaching a part of my soul, I was able to merge with the other me --- the personality born from the sword of a brave man.


    To be honest, I do not understand how much I have changed from the person I was before.


    The only thing I can say is that I have been reborn as Kannagi, a beastman with two personalities.


    "......"


    Usato fainted while escaping from the ruins.


    We immediately carried him out of the ruins and put him to sleep in a room of a hideout in the village.


    It was my fault, but we were all mentally and physically tired after this time, so we took turns to watch over him...,


    <>


    With a big smile on her face, Suzune came forward to take care of Usato, but was immediately rejected by Amako and the others.


    I have seen Suzune''s strange behavior many times through Kagote, but I was reminded that the real thing is different.


    "......It''s really, really real."


    Usato is laid out on the bed.


    I sit down on a chair placed beside him and mutter something like that.


    To be honest, I thought I would never be able to look outside again.


    I was in despair, thinking that I would have to continue to live as a sealed being, unable to move, with nothing but my soul.


    "Thank you, Usato.


    I put my hand on his sleeping profile and murmur.


    The world I was seeing through him was very different from the one I knew.


    A peaceful time without ugly conflicts between humans.


    Interaction with good people.


    Everything else was dazzling to me, even though the world was still under the threat of the Demon Lord''s army.


    "......Hisago wanted me to see a peaceful world. ......"


    It may be that the purpose is to let me see the future, but I would like it to be that kind of intention, too, if possible.


    The time I was in was truly hell.


    It was a time when beastmen were treated as pawns to be discarded as a matter of course, and when they were treated as less than human beings or even objects. I spent all my time fighting against the demon king''s army, and I had never known what a decent life was.


    Of course, I had no regrets because it was the path I had chosen for myself.


    But I still dreamed of a peaceful world where no one betrayed me and I could be at peace... when I was fighting together with Hisago.


    >


    "......."


    I was lost in deep emotion when a voice came from inside me and brought me back to myself.


    "You''re here!¡¡My evil whispering ......!"


    The voice of the other me whispers to me rather often.


    As a result of the fusion of our souls, the other me is talking to me like this, but I really don''t want this kind of thing to happen to me because of the eyes of people around me.


    "Mwah!"


    My arm moves of its own accord and reaches for the comforter that''s draped over Usato.


    You can''t do that!¡¡I stop my arm, but the inside of me tries to move as well.


    The battle between me and the part of me that is inside me: ......!


    I shake with my arms outstretched, wondering what I am doing.


    "Wait, wait, wait!¡¡Let''s just talk about it: ......!"


    You''re a child!¡¡No, I have the mentality of a child!


    You inside me is fine, but me outside will be treated like a pervert!


    That''s not good!


    I don''t have a strong heart like Suzune, and I can''t stand to see such an abomination!


    >


    "Yes, but ......!¡¡But there is an order to things ......!"


    <>


    No, no, no!


    No, no, no, who''s a f*cking fish!


    No, before I was sealed off, there were basically only outcasts and a**h*les around me, and I didn''t have time for that kind of thing!


    <>


    At that moment, I suddenly lose the strength to move my hand.


    I almost fall down and look at Usato who is sleeping on the bed and notice an unnatural bulge right next to me in the futon.


    What is ......?


    Tilting his head, he slowly rolls up the comforter and finds...


    "Soooo, soooo, heh heh heh."


    "......"


    <>


    There was a black owl, Neah.


    She is an owl, but she is lying on her side, sleeping, and her cheeks are twitching.


    When did she crawl in here?¡¡At least I''m sure she was sneaking in before I got here. .......


    "---I was here."


    "What?


    A voice from behind me.


    I was so startled by the unusual event that I turned around with a strange scream and saw a sleepy-eyed Amako standing at the entrance.


    She takes one look at me in surprise, and then moves closer to the sleeping Usato and looks at him for about ten seconds.


    "...... okay."


    He grabs the sleeping Neah by the eagle.


    She looks back at me and lets out a small sigh before turning to leave the room.


    Her eyes are piercing.


    "Kannagi!"


    "What is it?"


    Don''t do anything rash, okay?


    "Yes, yes."


    Amako, perhaps satisfied with this, left the room with Nair still in her grasp.


    Once again, the room was silent, and I sat in my chair, stunned.


    I no longer hear the voice of my inner self.


    Maybe Amaco has frightened me and I have withdrawn.


    "Let''s take care of him seriously: ......"


    I don''t want to offend Amaco.


    Regardless of the difference in our abilities, I quietly took care of him until it was time for me to take over.


    A quiet story The change he gave me


    The Demon Lord ordered me to go to the ruins with Ciel, the Demon Lord''s personal maid, but we ran into Usato and some heroes there.


    As the leader of the Legion, I couldn''t overlook the situation, but more than anything else, I couldn''t do nothing when I had such a good enemy as Usato, so I started a fight... and the situation developed into something even I didn''t expect.


    Anyway, many things happened.


    Well, I was out of the mosquito''s way for the most part, and before I knew it, I was skewered with a sword called a katana, and I was in a pinch when I lost my dark magic. ...... but in the end, I managed to get by.


    I encountered that demon and it almost took my soul!


    "What are you talking about?


    I succeeded in escaping from the ruins with the help of the Demon King, and after waking Nono, who had somehow fainted, I was flying in the sky on a flying dragon to return to the Demon King''s castle.


    The image of the flying dragon still burns in my mind. Brown skin,...... twisted horns,......Ah, that''s just the devil,......."


    "...... aren''t they just demons?¡¡That''s it."


    Or rather, you are.


    Nono dexterously maneuvers the flying dragon while her body trembles.


    I heard that while she was waiting for Ciel and me, Nono, who had been spending her free time outside, had encountered Usato, who had assumed the form of a demon.


    She fainted from the trauma of the previous battle and the shock of Usato''s horns, and she has been inscribed with a new trauma.


    During that time, her partner, Hiryu, was always there to protect her.


    ...... Well, that''s too funny.


    "I''m convinced ......!¡¡It''s not a healing wizard, but a demon who is manipulating humans from behind the scenes under the skin of a human being. ......!¡¡Otherwise, a healing magician would not act in such an insane way. ......!"


    What in the world did Usato do to this guy?


    I can only imagine, but it must have been something to instill such fear in him.


    "And he''s after me and Hannah-sama. ......!"


    "No, why?"


    "What else could you think of coming to such a desolate and blotchy place? ......!"


    "What do you say to your birthplace? ......"


    As far as I''m concerned, I don''t have any good memories either.


    The last memory I have of my mother is when she left me in a demon-infested forest.


    I don''t know whether she is not listening to me or not, but she shakes her head and grips the reins that control the flying dragon tightly.


    "I will have to report this to Hannah-sama when I get back!¡¡Report it and leave the rest to Hannah-sama!


    "You''re not thinking of just running away and targeting Hanna, are you?"


    At that moment, the flying dragon shakes greatly, as if to show her agitation.


    She clings on to it even though she almost falls off, but as she does so, the wound caused by Kanna-guy''s stab wound starts to hurt.


    "Oh, no, no, you wouldn''t do that!¡¡I''m sure you''re a beloved boss, Hannah-sama, so I thought I''d share the information ......!¡¡I would never think of sacrificing you to the devil on my behalf!"


    "Okay!¡¡I understand! I understand!¡¡Fly properly!"


    Relieved that the flying dragon has stabilized, he puts his hand on the wound where he was stabbed by Kannagi and casts a dark magic spell.


    Usato has given me first aid, but I am not completely healed.


    He closes the wound with dark magic in combination with recovery magic.


    "......If this is the extent of the damage, it should heal soon."


    If I were greedy, I would have wanted it to heal a little more.


    ...... Or, in this case, I should say that Usato did a good job of healing.


    I am aware that I am causing trouble for him by my troublesome way of intertwining with him.


    Normally, it would have been better to let me die right then and there.


    "I guess I owe you one. ......"


    It was not a good thing to owe Usato a favor, though it was not a good thing to be unable to handle a surprise attack from the front.


    After all, it was fun to fight with him.


    ...... Well, I don''t want him to grab my leg and swing me around, though.


    "He''s getting stronger!"


    First they unleashed their magic, and now they made their magic more elastic.


    To tell the truth, I had never thought that magic could be elastic.


    And on top of that, they assimilated with Ferrum.


    In addition to Ferrum, he assimilated a demon and a beastman with a precognition magic, and strengthened it tremendously.


    Even I can''t copy that.


    I''ve been fighting alone for so long that I can''t even join hands with someone else like that, let alone cooperate with them.


    I''ve been fighting alone for so long that I can''t even join hands or cooperate with someone else like that. ...... If I had to say, I''d say that fighting together with Usato this time might be like that for me, but it''s meaningless if I''m fighting against Usato.


    I want to fight more.


    I don''t care if I win or lose.


    It''s always fun to fight with him.


    The fear of not knowing what''s coming.


    The ability to think outside the box.


    The things he says and does that even I find unbelievable.


    All of it was fun.


    ---When the battle between humans and demons is over, will there be no more such battles?


    Such a thought crosses my mind.


    No, before that, I was feeling a kind of loneliness in some part of my heart at the thought of losing the connection with him.


    Am I affected by this as well as Ferrum?


    I come back to myself with my own thoughts and I can''t help but giggle, and before I know it, I notice Nono looking back at me with a disgusted expression on her face.


    "Mr. Koga, your face is disgusting, isn''t it?¡¡Is it the devil''s work?


    "......"


    "Ah, ah!¡¡Don''t grind my head!¡¡Shoo, Shaun!¡¡Help me!"


    I was indeed hurt, so I lightly hit him with my fists from both temples.


    If Ciel were here, he would give me a cool comment, but I feel lonely without him.

 274 - - The biggest enemy is the quiet attack.

    Quiet story: The greatest enemy to face is the enemy of the greatest enemy


    After being rescued by the Demon King, I was able to return to the Demon King''s castle through several instantaneous transfers.


    To tell the truth, I was trembling with a ratio of two crushes and eight fears at the fact that the Demon Lord was holding me.


    "Get some rest, you must be tired."


    The Demon Lord said these words to me as he lowered me into the hall of the castle.


    I had expected him to ask me to tell him what had happened at the ruins, and I rolled my eyes in surprise.


    "The Demon Lord is concerned about ...... me?


    "What do you think I am ......?"


    The demon king let out a sigh, which he usually never does, and pressed his forehead as he sat down on his throne.


    It seems that he really cared about me.


    "I will tell you now. To be honest, I''m afraid I''ll forget about it if I just take a rest.


    "...... I see."


    I am mentally exhausted and would like to fall asleep, but I should speak when I can.


    I sit down on the chair that has been prepared for me and talk about the events that took place at the ruins.


    About the ruins.


    About the brave men.


    About Usato, the healing wizard.


    About Kannagi, the beastman who was a follower of the heroes.


    He talks about them, going back to his own memories.


    I see, you have been watching the situation from a very interesting position.


    "To be honest, I was ready to die many times. Many times.


    "You don''t have to say it twice."


    The bottom line is that Mr. Koga did little to protect me.


    No, he may have saved me from danger, but from my point of view, he was a pretty useless person.


    "So Kannagi was defeated by a healing magician...that''s another unexpected ending..."


    "He''s even more crazy than the rumors say. He has merged with a dark magician, a beastman, and a demon.


    "......I see you''re tired after all. You can rest now."


    No, no, it''s true!


    He gave me a very sympathetic look.


    I waved my hands to the side to show that I was in my right mind, and the Demon Lord let out a sly smile.


    "I''m kidding. ......Hannah and Koga reported that you have been assimilated by a dark wizard. A dark wizard who rejects even his own kind, but who would accept not only humans, but other races as well. ...... is an interesting existence, after all."


    Have you been paying attention?


    You''ve been paying attention to me?


    I would be surprised if there had been anyone in the past who could have done such a messed up thing.


    I was disgusted by the human being Usato, who had done so many crazy things that I could no longer express in words today, but I was curious about something that had been bothering me until now --- why he had sent me to the ruins. I decided to ask him about it.


    "Why did the Demon Lord send me to those ruins?"


    "Because I sensed that something was about to happen at the ruins. I thought I''d send you to see what was going on.


    "Yeah. ......"


    "I had considered the possibility that a brave man had entered the Demon Lord''s territory to strike me down. It didn''t seem so strange that they were there."


    I didn''t have to go, did I?


    I was glad you came to save me in the end, but I can''t tell you how many times I was ready to die because of the Demon Lord''s play .......


    "But a brave band of men. I''ve never seen them with my own eyes before, but they seem to be quite a distinguished group.


    "They came to harm the Demon Lord, didn''t they ......?"


    "Yes, because there is no other reason for them to come.


    The demon king seems to be very calm though.


    Doesn''t he see the heroes as a threat?


    Don''t worry, Ciel. Don''t worry, Ciel. The result is a little different from what I expected, but it''s also within the margin of error.


    "...... error, sir?"


    I''m talking about Kannagi.


    The beastman who was fighting Usato?


    From the Demon Lord''s point of view, is it safe to say that she was one of the few people who knew the Demon Lord before he was sealed?


    "I never thought that I was in the place where I was sealed..."


    "He also had what is called the katana of the brave."


    Oh, that.


    The Demon Lord put his hand on his forehead as if remembering something.


    "During the last battle with the previous hero, he did not come with a sword, which is a powerful weapon, but ...... he used it to seal Kannagi, which is quite a nice thing to do.


    "Oh, really?¡¡Then, how did the brave man get the Demon King?"


    "He who had fought on so many battlefields and laid so many corpses by his own magic had no need for the auxiliary equipment of a brave man''s armor.


    So you chose to fight the Demon Lord after giving up your mighty weapons?


    The previous hero''s horseshit makes my cheeks twitch.


    "He fought me with an iron sword he picked up somewhere and with only his own magic... and he won the battle and sealed me away.


    "Really, he was a monster."


    The heroes of this generation have some of the same qualities, though. If he had ten years ...... or even five years of experience and training at the same level as his predecessors, he would have the ability to match their prowess. It''s truly a terrifying thing.


    The demon king''s mouth twists into a smile.


    "But at first glance, I saw that his mentality is goodness itself. They have never harmed you, a non-combatant, have they?


    Yes.


    From my point of view on the Demon Lord''s side, the heroes were good people.


    Usato, whom Mr. Koga had said was dangerous, was a good man who protected me and Keira, even though he was dangerous enough when I looked at ...... parts of him.


    He was a good person to protect me and Keira. ...... He was salty only to Mr. Koga from the beginning to the end, but in his case, it can''t be helped.


    He was kind enough to heal my wounds.


    Then there''s plenty of room for them to take advantage of us.


    What are you going to do about it?


    You must play your tricks. Be cunning, like the Devil King.


    The Witch Queen smiles coldly.


    He should have lost most of his power, but the way he smiles seems to be enjoying himself.

 275 - - Character Introduction + Skill List

    Name Gref


    Race Demon


    An eccentric demon tribe traveling in the demon king''s territory.


    He is a substitute parent for children, Rose, Ram, and Keira, whom he picked up on his journey.


    He is unusually compassionate for a demon tribe, and is a hot-blooded man who cannot overlook those in need. He often has a hard time because of such a character.


    He knew immediately that Usato and the others were hiding something, but he did not dare to point it out to them, knowing from his years of traveling that they had no malicious intentions.


    After leaving Usato and the others, he sees Keira in a good mood and thinks that she is close to leaving her parents, which is a little out of the ordinary. When she asks to leave him, he does not hold her back but sends her off warmly.


    Name Keira


    Lineage: Darkness (self-preservation ¡ú desire to destroy ¡ú protection)


    Race Demon


    A demon girl with dark magic.


    Since she was sent to the realm where demons live by being told lies by her own parents when she was a child, she has lost faith not only in her own dark magic, but also in herself.


    Perhaps because she is a child with a very young mind, her own dark magic is also very unstable, and when Usato and the others first encountered her, her dark magic did not listen to them and began to work on its own.


    She grew mentally through her interactions with Usato and the others, and her dark magic changed its form into a cloak as she became more aware of what she "wanted to do".


    She has decided to head for the Kingdom of Lingle when she is able to stand on her own.


    Dark Magic: Protection


    The ability is to automatically protect Keira and the target she recognizes as being hers to protect.


    She can defend against most attacks, although she still sometimes moves on her own due to her inexperience.


    She is also able to fly into the sky, although only for a limited period of time, and can move over long distances with practice.


    This is a characteristic that is the result of the emotion of "I will see you wherever you are".


    Next to Keira, who is a user of this technique, he tends to attach himself to Usato preferentially.


    This is a form of the emotion of "I want to follow him even if I have to hold on to him.


    Since Keira herself is still young, it is quite possible that as she grows up, her dark magic characteristics will change.


    Name Kannagi (sword)


    Race Inorganic


    Consciousness born from the sword of the brave.


    Having part of the memories of Farga and part of the memories of Kannagi, Sole has endured hundreds of years of solitude, dreaming of one day entering the outside world.


    He has been tainted at the soul level by the small sword of the hero that he stabbed into the evil dragon, and his hatred for the demon tribe and the demon king has increased to an extraordinary degree.


    When Usato pulled out the small sword of the hero in the battle against the evil dragon, Kannagi, who had been sealed up, was finally able to interfere with the outside world, and it was then that she finally came to know the first human she had ever seen---Usato.


    Having endured solitude for so long, she had seen Usato''s journey through the basket hand that had been transformed from the small sword of a brave man.


    This naturally led her to think that <, and she made her move just as he entered the demon king''s territory.


    Since his soul, which was influenced by the evil dragon, was cut off, his hatred for the demon tribe subsided, and he came to his senses.


    Now that she is able to go out into the outside world, she is grateful to Kannagi and Usato for saving her and agrees to help them fight the Demon Lord.


    Although she remembers Kannagi and Farga, her mentality is young and egocentric.


    She eventually merged her soul with that of the real Kannagi and became one and the same being, but she is one of the simplified dual personalities and sometimes moves the body of the real Kannagi in order to attack Usato.


    Name Kannagi (True)


    Magic Precognition magic


    Race Beastman (fox)


    A beast girl who was a partner of a hero in the time before the demon king was sealed.


    She is nineteen years old.


    When she was a child, she was almost used as a decoy by the Demon King''s army, but she was saved by the previous hero, Hisago, and she decided to follow him.


    He was more than ten years older than her, and she felt as if he were her father.


    More than anyone else in that era, she worried about his safety and was angry at those who spoke unreasonably to him.


    To her at that time, both demons and humans were untrustworthy enemies.


    She has the same precognition magic as Amako, and before she was sealed, she was able to see parts of parallel worlds, but she lost that ability when she separated the souls tainted by the evil dragon, and now she is only able to use ordinary precognition magic.


    The lineage enhancement is a magic eye that attracts parallel worlds and requires extraordinary magical power to activate, so it cannot be used carelessly due to the risk of losing one''s eyesight.


    He had temporarily lost the function of one of his eyes because he had brought Kazuki and Suzune to meet Usato in a parallel world.


    When she assimilated with Kannagi (sword), her eyes turned purple, although her eyesight was restored.


    She has fought through many battlefields, and her fighting style is based on swordsmanship that utilizes foresight magic.


    In addition, she possesses unparalleled physical abilities for a beastman, and her strength can be said to be equal to that of Rose and Nero.


    Before he was sealed, he had never experienced a normal human life, as he had been betrayed by most of the people he had befriended, in addition to being a stranger to peace.


    Therefore, even casual and ordinary interactions are awkward, especially Suzune''s bizarre skinship, which makes him quite intimidated inwardly.


    The view she has seen through Usato''s Kagome is indescribable to her, and she has a longing for the outside world today, though not as much as Kannagi (sword).


    She is a bit of a fish in love, but not in the same way as Suzune, and she is afraid that her other self might take Usato by surprise at any moment.


    List of Kannagi-style


    Ni-no-kata] Ox Cleave / Ox Piercing


    A striking technique using a scabbard and a sword at the same time.


    It is a technique that can be performed only because of Kannagi''s extraordinary physical ability.


    Roku-no-kata] Muzumi cut-off


    A technique in which an opponent is bewitched by an irregularly shimmering slash, and a slash is struck while the opponent is exposed.


    It is difficult to avoid the attack because it is based on foreknowledge.


    Monkey Dance


    It is not an attack, but more like a gait.


    It is a combination of feints, slow and steady movements, and slashes from a leap.


    This technique is designed for group battles.


    Inu-zurikiri (Dog Run)


    This is not an attack but a gait.


    The head is hung down, the power is built up to the utmost limit, and the fighter slashes at the enemy at full speed.


    It is a dangerous technique that requires a person who does not have such a skill to use it, and if he does not have such skill, he may destroy himself.


    Although it is a technique designed for one-on-one combat, it can also be used to run through crowded battlefields while cutting down the enemy.


    Chapter 10, List of Techniques


    Healing Elastic Fist (Episode 220)


    A healing punch clothed in resilience.


    The power is greatly reduced by the elasticity, but the force to blow it away is stronger.


    Magic Spinning (Episode 220)


    This is the foundation of magic and a technique for transferring magic power.


    By transferring magic power at high speed, the elasticity of the right arm, which can only be created with a basket hand, has been raised to a practical level.


    Healing Bullet (Episode 220)


    A technique that enables a fighter to repel an attack with less force by attaching elasticity to his hand.


    Combined with Usato''s reflexes, it shows its true value.


    Binding and Healing (Episode 229)


    A technique that adds a spell of restraint to the healing bullet.


    It can repel an attack and at the same time inhibit the opponent''s movement.


    Healing Leap Fist (Episode 232)


    The fist is filled with elasticity and strikes the ground, then leaps.


    It comes out quickly because it does not involve any magic power.


    Healing Explosive Bullet (Episode 232)


    A technique in which a healing explosive wave is wrapped with elastic healing magic and made into a magic bullet.


    A direct hit against an opponent causes an explosion---scattering healing magic particles and a shock wave.


    According to Usato, it is "a healing magic bullet with a wide range of recovery.


    Healing Bullet Fist (Episode 238)


    A healing punch that combines elasticity and lineage blasting.


    He drives a wedge with a healing elastic fist, and then strikes a healing continuous strike fist on top of it to send the impact deeper.


    The force of the punch is so strong that it blows off the face of an evil dragon.


    The Power of Our Friendship (No. 238)


    A method used by Usato who wanted to use the dark magician Koga as a weapon to destroy him and, if possible, the evil dragons.


    Although they betray each other from time to time, they are good friends.


    In terms of fighting style, they may be the best match for Usato.


    Strengthening and Healing Blindness (Episode 241)


    A technique in which healing magic bullets are shot into the eyes, a development of the Healing Eye Blindness technique.


    A shockwave of magic power is emitted from the side of the basket hand, blinding the opponent''s vision.


    The range of this technique is so wide that it is not necessary to hit the eyes with magic bullets.


    Healing Rupture Palm (Episode 241)


    A two-handed healing magic burst palm.


    According to Usato, "if you shoot with both hands, it is twice as powerful.


    Healing Chop (Episode 241)


    Chop with healing magic.


    A direct hit is followed by a burst of magical power.


    Healing Lariat (Episode 241)


    Lariat with healing magic.


    It is given elasticity, so that a direct hit will cause the lariat to hit the ground due to the recoil of the elasticity.


    Healing Diffusion Fist (Episode 241)


    A healing magic random bullet fired in the manner of a healing flying fist.


    It is very difficult to avoid it because it is a technique used in close combat.


    Mini Healing Bomb (Episode 241)


    A ping-pong ball-sized healing explosive.


    It is not that powerful, but if it hits a target, the target is usually blown away.


    Healing Bullet (Episode 241)


    A healing magic bullet with elasticity.


    It can be used in various ways because it bounces back when it hits a wall.


    Greatly Enhanced Healing Eye Blinders (Episode 242)


    A technique that makes the "enhanced healing blindness" even more extensive.


    By assimilating with the ferrum, the upper body emits a shockwave of magical power, which can frighten an opponent at close range.


    Healing Six Strikes (Episode 243)


    A technique made possible by assimilating with the ferme.


    He simultaneously fires six healing flying fists from his two arms and the four arms sprouting from his back.


    Although it was never used in the main story, it consumes a lot of magic power and can only be used in a situation where it can surely take away the opponent''s consciousness.


    If he wanted to, he could release Healing Flying Fist from each arm in succession.


    Healing Eight Shaku Bullets (Episode 244)


    Possible by assimilating with Ferrum Nair Amaco.


    A cannon transformed from Ferrum''s dark magic is filled with healing bombs, on top of which Nair''s binding spell and resistance spell are applied.


    After letting AMAKO predict the opponent''s position to ensure a direct hit, the technique is performed with a healer''s flying fist.


    The healing magic contained in this technique makes it almost impossible to kill or injure the target, but the shockwave is so strong that the target''s movements are blocked by the binding spell as soon as the direct hit is made, and he is continuously exposed to the shockwave even though he is healed by the healing magic.


    Keira says that it is "beautiful like a green flower.


    Extra


    Form Description


    Chimera Usato (Usato IN Ferrum + Nair + Amaco)


    Ferrum, which is assimilated into Usato, has accepted Neah and Amako.


    Human (?) It is the culmination of the past, having elements of a human, a demon, a demon, and a beast.


    In this form, Amako, who can use precognition magic to anticipate the movements of her opponents and Usato''s group, becomes the command post, allowing Usato to concentrate on the enemy in front of him.


    Since a certain level of trust must be gained from Ferrum in order to be assimilated, only Usato, Nea, and Amako are currently known to be able to be assimilated.


    The combination of the abilities that can be handled changes depending on the person to be assimilated.


    (e.g.) Suzune + Amako = Usato, who uses Precognition Magic and high-speed movement in Thunder Beast Mode.


    Of course, there is a disadvantage: if he assimilates more than three people except Usato and Ferrum, his assimilation will become unstable and his body will be changed.


    When Usato hears about the disadvantages, he vows never to assimilate more than three people.

 276 - - 247th episode.

    In the ruins where the Demon King and the heroes are said to have had their last battle, we were caught up in a commotion.


    Kannagi, the will born from the sword of the hero.


    After the battle, the real Kannagi---Nagi-san and her soul fused together, and the situation was settled when the soul contaminated by the evil dragon was detached from the hero''s sword and sealed in. The result.


    All the turmoil had come to an end.


    Just when everyone thought so, the Demon Lord appeared.


    "To make a long story short, the Demon Lord seems to have lost most of his power.


    "...... with that?"


    We were approaching the center of the demon king''s territory.


    We were on night watch near a small waterfall when Nagi-san told us about the Demon Lord.


    Nagi-san laughed at my senpai''s somewhat reticent reaction.


    "Even so. He was originally a monster who could handle a tremendous number of magic. He was truly an all-powerful enemy.


    "But you defeated the previous heroes, didn''t you?"


    Hisago was even more of a monster. He''d seal up anything and then release it.


    "Anything ......?"


    "Hmmm."


    Mr. Nagi puts his hand on his chin in annoyance at the senior''s question.


    "I sealed up the entire water in the lake and flooded it in places where there was no water, or I sucked the life force ......, or healing power, out of the demon soldiers in the form of a seal and made it my own."


    "Wait, something beyond my expectations!¡¡What''s so terrible about it?


    "Uh, yeah. To be honest, compared to now, hisago''s strategy was outlandish. At that time, we were not in a situation where we could say that.


    Does it mean that the Demon King is an all-powerful type who deals with a multitude of magic, while the previous brave man, Hisago-san, is a one-pointed wizard who uses sealed light magic?


    From what I''ve heard, he seems to be an extraordinary person beyond imagination.


    "I don''t know if it''s because he was sealed by Hisago, but even if he is weak, the Demon Lord is still a powerful man who can reign over this world. To be honest, you guys have only been in this world for less than half a year, you must be a heavy burden to bear."


    "......"


    I am aware that we have been living in a very intense routine, but if you think about it, we have only been in this world for almost half a year.


    For now, I would like to help you as much as I can until we get to the castle where the Demon King is."


    Specifically?


    "I want to teach you how to fight, what you can do to improve and apply your magic."


    Improvements to our magic.


    The more I look for them, the more I''m afraid I''ll find them.


    "Kazuki has not been able to handle the point of eliminating the power of light magic to disappear. A seemingly weakened ability can become a powerful weapon, depending on how you think about it."


    Kazuki himself wanted to be able to handle his own dangerous magic, and it seems to me that Kagome''s ability became like that,...... the advantage of light magic that eliminates extinction.


    The only thing that remains is Kazuki''s exceptional manipulation of magic.


    As I think about this, Nagi''s gaze shifts to her senpai.


    "I have many things to teach you, Suzune.


    "Hm, I wonder if I can teach you this technique?¡¡Hmm?"


    For some reason, the senior member of the group is turning into a nihilistic character here.


    As expected, there is no need to play such a character here. .......


    "I''m thinking of teaching Suzune some of my techniques."


    "Please let me call you master."


    And the character fell fast.


    With a surprising flip of the palm, the senior bowed his head to Mr. Nagi.


    "By your technique, do you mean Kannagi-ryu?"


    "Uh-huh, yes. I''m actually a little embarrassed to say it out loud.


    Mr. Nagi''s face turns red with embarrassment.


    When I ask her why, she tells me with some hesitation.


    "I''ve never had much education, so most of my knowledge is what I''ve learned on my travels and what Hisago has taught me."


    "I see. And that means Kannagi''s way too?


    "Yes. I made it from a creature called a "junishi".


    If so, then the motif of the Kannagi-style is a living creature.


    "But I didn''t think it had been handed down to this day and age. ......"


    "When you say now, do you mean Jinya-san who fought me?"


    "When I saw it through your basket hand at that time, my heart honestly squeaked. I never thought that before I knew it, the technique I created would be handed down like a school. ......"


    Do you feel like your black history has been passed on to future generations?


    To tell the truth, Jinya-san was defeated by me in a fit of rage, so I don''t have an image of the Kannagi-style.


    To follow her writhing in shame, I talked to her.


    "I think you look cool. Right, senpai?"


    "Yeah. I have no idea what you''re ashamed of."


    "I''m very glad you feel that way, but I don''t know why it makes me so uneasy when it''s you guys who say it, rather than ...... other people."


    When I agreed with my senpai, he gave me a very subtle look.


    Why .......


    Anyway, what''s in it for me if Nagi-san teaches his senpai swordsmanship to ...... me?


    "Mr. Nagi, what''s in it for me?"


    I asked her and she crossed her arms in distress.


    "To be honest, unlike Suzune and Kazuki, whose growth direction is well-defined, you are too erratic. The outburst of lineage enhancement, elasticity, and assimilation with the demon tribe Ferrum ...... are all techniques that were not used in my time."


    "Yes, that''s right. ......"


    Well, if you ask me if anyone fights like me, you can''t imagine.


    I am aware that I am fighting such a strange battle.


    "All I can say is that you need to understand the tactic of taking advantage of the assimilation of the ferme."


    "With Ferrum?"


    "I believe that your strength is only demonstrated when you join forces with your friends. Amako when she fought the evil dragon, Nair when she faced the curse of Samaritan, the commander of the 2nd Legion of the Demon Army, Ferm when he fought Koga,......, in all the great battles you have experienced, you have had friends by your side fighting with you."


    She broke off and looked at me.


    "Join forces, join forces. You have the connections to make it possible and the friends to respond.


    "...... mate ......"


    "Of course, I''m one of them. I''m a newcomer, though."


    Nagi-san smiles shyly.


    Then, the senior who stood up silently, wondering what I was thinking, approached Ms. Nagi who was sitting in front of me.


    "Hmm?¡¡What''s wrong, Suzune?


    Ms. Nagi tilted her head.


    Then, with a gleam in his eye, the older student jumped on Ms. Nagi with a furious leap.


    Confusion flooded Ms. Nagi''s face at this unexpected and unexpected blow.


    "Uhyah!¡¡What are you doing out of the blue, Suzune!


    "That''s a little too bold, Kannagi!¡¡I know you''re aiming for the reliable older gap-typed position, but that''s my seat!¡¡Watasan!¡¡I won''t!


    "No, don''t!¡¡Don''t do anything stupid like that!¡¡Please help me!


    I''m in a compromising position!¡¡You, you, you!


    "Oh, my God!"


    He''s supposed to be great, but he''s just not up to the task with his senior''s slightly different level of energy.


    I sigh as I see Nagi-san, who is being jostled by her senpai and crying for help with teary eyes, and I get up and pull her away from Nagi-san.


    "Senpai, please don''t do that!"


    "I''m satisfied."


    You''ve changed your mind about what we''re here for.


    I''m sure you have a different purpose for grabbing Mr. Nagi from the middle of the meeting, don''t you?


    I think he will never change no matter where he is, but I wonder if I should seriously scold him and beat him up once.


    After that, I have a casual conversation with Mr. Nagi and his senpai, who have regained their composure over a little time.


    "Fu......"


    A little time passed, and Nagi-san let out a small sigh while holding her mouth.


    It was getting late at night and she must have fallen asleep.


    Rubbing her eyes, she smiled somewhat happily.


    "......It''s good to sleep, isn''t it? I didn''t have the feeling of sleep when I was sealed up by that idiot, so it was hard for me."


    "And for the other Nagi?"


    "...... yeah."


    Kannagi has spent hundreds of years in solitude.


    The act of sleeping itself must be unfamiliar to her.


    "We''ll take care of the guards, and you can go ahead and get some rest.


    "Really?¡¡Well, I guess I''ll be spoiled.


    She stood up, brushing the sand from her clothes as she said this.


    She turns around and starts to walk away, but for some reason, she immediately turns to me and comes to sit down next to me with agile movements that are a far cry from her sleepy appearance.


    "Here we go," he said.


    "What?"


    "Can I borrow your shoulder?"


    Then she leans on me and closes her eyes.


    A few seconds of silence.


    What''s going on?


    Nagi-san has begun to breathe regularly in his sleep, and I am just puzzled.


    Should I wake her up like this?¡¡What is the right thing to do?


    Unsure of what to do, I look to my senpai for help, and she nods her head vigorously.


    She nodded strongly. Then, I''ll get in on it.


    "d*mn, yeah. This guy was like this too ......!"


    "Give me your other shoulder, Usato. ......!"


    What''s he asking for?


    Thieves?


    The senior member''s cheeks twitch as he slowly moves to the opposite side of Nagi''s body.


    As you can imagine, things are a bit awkward at this point, so I shake her awake, still in a shallow sleep.


    "Nagi-san...... Nagi-san, you''re being pulled by your other self again."


    "What?¡¡What about ......?¡¡I''m sorry!"


    Nagi-san opened his eyes and looked at my face and the surroundings, his face turning red as he backed away.


    She apologizes furiously and smiles at me as she lies down just in front of the campfire.


    "You are a fun person, aren''t you, Mr. Nagi?


    "And a formidable opponent. Just like me."


    ...... where?


    I throw a branch into the fire to cover it up, thinking seriously about it.


    "Usato-kun is ......


    "Yes?"


    "I was wondering what you think about the Demon King and the demon tribe again."


    I ponder a bit on my senpai''s unexpected question.


    To tell you the truth, my heart is shaken.


    After getting to know Gref and Keira, I have come to understand once again that the demon race itself is not evil.


    I think that we should not have such a simple idea of destroying the demon tribe.


    I believe that a battle is inevitable.


    "Yes, I guess so. ......"


    "But we think ...... that we should go a little deeper into the situation of the demon tribe."


    We are going to a city where demons are gathering.


    I think we need to see with our own eyes what is happening there.


    I don''t know what choice I will have to make, but I know that it is something that I will never be able to avoid while I reach the Demon King.


    "So that''s when you''re going undercover in your girl form, Usato-kun!"


    "Ha-ha, it seems Inukami really wants to piss me off."


    "They won''t even let me follow my senpai anymore!"


    Maybe it was Nair who taught him.


    I''ll have to give her a little spanking later: ......!


    My face paled once again as I imagined the disadvantages of assimilating with Ferrum.

 277 - - 248th episode.

    Nagi''s personal training began the very next day.


    She had changed her usual gentle impression and strictly instructed her senpai and Kazuki.


    "Kazuki, use your techniques more flexibly!¡¡Don''t be shy!¡¡Come on!


    "Yes, sir!"


    Kannagi sheathed the sword that Kazuki had just fired at him while dealing with Kazuki''s magic bullets with ease.


    "Suzune, you watch and learn my techniques!¡¡If you can''t, learn it with your body!"


    I want to!


    Then, let''s go!¡¡Kannagi-ryu, Ittou Iidora!


    He held the handle in both hands in the upper stance and swung down as hard as he could.


    With that, the ground cracks open, and a cloud of dust flies up in the air.


    "Oh, it''s amazing to see it again. ......"


    "I guess that''s the true power of the kanagi."


    Leona and I watched the scene from afar.


    There were also Nair, Ferrum, Amako, and Bulrin.


    "Ferrum, Nair, Amako, let''s do it too.


    Yes?"""Yes?"""


    I like the groove: .......


    Ferrum becomes one with me, and Neah and Amako move into my body.


    The black color mixes with my group uniform, and the assimilation is complete.


    Amako mutters something like that as she relaxes her body as if she is doing warm-up exercises.


    In response to her mutterings, I hear Nea''s voice sounding rather happy.


    <<


    I''m curious to know what it''s like to be assimilated by me.


    I heard that Ferrum can sleep normally, so I wonder if it''s surprisingly comfortable?


    ...... No, what do you mean by "built"?


    Is my body a shared house or something?


    As I''m thinking and poking around on my own, Bulrin comes to me as I''m doing my exercises.


    "Grrr!"


    "Sorry, I can''t assimilate any more ......"


    Bulllyn seems to be interested in the way I look now, too.


    However, my current body is over capacity and I would have to be replaced by either Amaco or Nair in order to be assimilated.


    For now, I have to see how much I can do in this basic assimilation, so let''s let Bulrin be a spectator for now.


    After patting him on the lower jaw, I turn to Leona.


    "Please take care of him. Leona-san."


    "Yeah. What do you want to do first?"


    "I''d like to try something. Can you send me a magic bullet?"


    Okay.


    Leona-san creates a number of ice pebbles that emit cold air and float into the air.


    They come toward me at a fairly high speed.


    "Hmph!"


    I backstep and duck as they come at me at once.


    Hearing Amako''s prediction, I deal with the ice gravels, and the attacks I can''t avoid, I use the resistance spells that Nair gave me.


    >


    "Of course!"


    The ice is constantly closing in on us, and we move on, bouncing our fists off of the ice debris.


    At some point, the location shifts from near the basin to the woods.


    "Ferrum!¡¡Do you remember what I told you before this training?


    >


    "Yes, I can!¡¡You can do it!


    Ferrum was skeptical, but considering the characteristics of dark magic, it should not be impossible.


    In fact, the fact that Koga was able to imitate my elasticity so easily suggests that it is not so difficult a technique for dark magic users.


    <


    I hear Amako and Nea sigh in disgust.


    As if to drown them out, he releases a shockwave from the sword of dark magic outstretched from his arm and blasts the ice gravel away.


    Ferrum is skeptical about the elasticity of dark magic in the first place.


    So he decides to fire her up with some effective words.


    "The cogwheel is ready!"


    >


    >


    Ferrum yells at Amako and Nair, and changes the black magic gathered in his left arm.


    The black magic that had been made hard becomes elastic like rubber.


    When he punches a tree lightly, he gets a strong reaction.


    "My elasticity is stronger than yours, but ...... this is good!"


    He opens his left hand and catches one of the ice blocks.


    With a slight recoil, the ice shard sinks into his palm, completely killing the impact.


    He then puts elastic magic power on both feet and moves, kicking the tree as he does so.


    "So this is how to use it!"


    Is that what you want to try?


    Leona, holding a spear, comes toward the group, creating more ice gravels.


    More and more ice blocks are coming at you.


    In response, she slams her dark magic, which has been transformed into a cloak, onto the front, disabling the impact itself with its elasticity.


    "Then, can you prevent this?"


    >Up!


    Ice gravels were launched so that they overlapped with the sun overhead.


    The gravel slams into my dazed body, and I fall to the ground --- but the black magic focused on my back lifts me back up into the air, bouncing off the ground.


    Woh, it also protects me from the impact of the attack. The name is ...... dark cushion.


    >


    Huh?


    Did you not hear me?


    Well, I''m a little short on cushion armor.


    My own resilience for movement, attack, and defense, and Ferrum''s resilience as armor to offset the impact of attacks.


    If I use both of them well, it should be a weapon that can be used in actual battle.


    "Now, let''s continue!"


    We will not hold back either!


    I wield the basket hand on my right arm, and Leona wields the spear at the ready.


    Time is limited.


    In the meantime, I have to train my cushion armor to the level where it can be used in actual combat.


    I have to train my cushion armor to a level where it can be used in a real battle.


    We ended our training just before we were ready to get serious with each other.


    This was partly because we were training to practice new things we wanted to try, but more importantly because Nagi had asked me to cast a healing spell on Senpai and Kazuki.


    After applying healing magic to the exhausted pair, they are cooking grilled fish on a bonfire, but at a distance, their training continues.


    "Kazuki!¡¡That''s right!¡¡Use your characteristics!"


    Yes!


    But you''re too slow!¡¡You''ll be dropped soon enough!


    I guess it''s not so bad that I looked twice at Kazuki, who had somehow transformed himself into a disk of light magic and started to move through the air.


    Nagi-san, who had anticipated Kazuki''s magic bullets with her precognition magic and avoided them with a comfortable margin, was challenged by her senpai, who was clad in electric shocks.


    "Take that!¡¡Raiden Inu-jiri!


    "Sweet!¡¡Kanna-gi-style, hidden return!


    Nagi-san, who had thrust the tip of his black sword into the ground and instantly created a cloud of dust, avoided the attack of his senpai, who was clad in lightning and slashing at him.


    Nagi-san let go of his sword and struck the senior with a two-handed palm strike.


    "No hands, ox strike!"


    "Ugh!"


    The senior rolled on the ground and stood up again.


    She wipes her mouth with dirt and smiles.


    "Still ......!"


    "That''s the spirit, Suzune!¡¡You can do more!


    "Master Kannagi!


    Come on!


    The training intensifies as Kazuki gets involved.


    ...... is it a sporty thing?


    They''re so hot and bothered. ......


    "You and Suzune go well together, don''t you think? Kannagi."


    Ferrum and Nair are munching on their grilled fish.


    Even though they don''t really care about each other, it''s still pretty impressive that they can make a move on their senpai and Kazuki.


    If I had more time, I would have joined in the training, but I can''t stand in their way right now.


    "Yes, Usato. Nuts.


    "Oh, thank you."


    Amako holds out a purple nut.


    I take it and put it in my mouth, and its peculiar sourness and a hint of sweetness spreads in my mouth.


    Yes, they are not bitter, and they are just plain delicious.


    "Okay, this is an edible nut.


    "Hey, little fox. You poisoned me again.


    "Nah, I''m kidding."


    Are you really joking?


    He looks sideways at Amako, who is munching on the nuts without paying attention, and shrugs his shoulders.


    Then Leona, who is sitting opposite me, starts talking to me.


    "You come up with new tricks every time we fight.


    "Haha, I was just referring to Koga this time.


    I guess you could say that since he imitated my elasticity, I imitated him back.


    Well, I couldn''t handle it as well as Koga, but I was able to differentiate it from my own elasticity imposition, so I''ll take it as a good thing.


    "I can still count on you, after all."


    "You are more capable than I am, and I don''t ......"


    It''s not about power. There''s a kind of ...... trust in you, I should say, a kind of ...... confidence that you can handle any situation in a way that no one else can come up with."


    "Sh,trust ......"


    Is it a compliment to have a method that no one else can come up with?


    No, I''m sure Leona is complimenting me, but I have some mixed feelings about it.


    "...... Hey, Ferrum."


    "Hmm?"


    While Leona and I were exchanging these words, Nair was talking to Ferrum, who was eating grilled fish next to her.


    "Does Leona meet the criteria for assimilation?"


    "What?


    Ferrum tilts his head while biting into the grilled fish, and Leona gives a rather over-the-top reaction.


    Ferrum stares at her for a few seconds, then slowly shakes his head.


    "I don''t think ...... is possible yet. I have a feeling. I think it''s simply because we just met the other day.


    "I see. ......"


    Leona''s shoulders slump in disappointment.


    When I tried to follow up with her, FERM spoke to me faster than I could speak to her.


    "Well, I can tell right away that you''re not a bad guy. We''re simply just getting to know each other, so don''t worry too much about it."


    "...... Oh, thank you, Ferrum."


    ...... No, what can I say, I''m impressed.


    I realized how much FERM had grown up. She had been so all-around stinging when she first joined the rescue team, but now she was able to say things that made me care about others.


    Perhaps she noticed my surprised expression, FERM stared at me.


    "What are you looking at ......?"


    "No, it''s more of a parental love ....... Amaco would agree."


    "Good boy, good boy."


    Amako moves next to Ferrum and pats her head.


    Ferrum noticed this and shook off Amako''s hand, his face turning bright red.


    Don''t treat me like a child!


    As I''m smiling, someone taps me on the back.


    "Gruaaaah!"


    "Hey, what''s up, Bulrin?"


    I turn around and see him.


    Hmm?¡¡He seems to be saying something, but what is it?


    "Maybe he wants to assimilate with Usato?"


    "...... is that so?"


    "Gruaaaah!"


    It seems so.


    I remember he was trying to do that just now.


    I''m sure he''s fine now. Let''s see if he can assimilate with Ferrum.


    "Ferrum, can Bulgarian assimilate?"


    "What?¡¡...... Ah, well, yes, he can. I''m involved with this guy for some reason.


    Come to think of it, we''ve been on the battlefield together.


    It seems they will try it soon, and Ferrum, who has turned into black magic, assimilates my body.


    Then Bulrin, who was standing right next to me, jumps on me... and we assimilate.


    >


    "Oh, I can hear Bullyn''s voice inside me."


    Unlike Ferrum and Amaco, I feel fresh.


    "So, what do you think?"


    "I don''t see any change in appearance. ......"


    "Usato as usual."


    Leona and Nair look at me with interest.


    Then, Ferrum, who is inside me, speaks to me.


    "...... can you do that?"


    <<


    Amako''s words bring a curious look to her face.


    "So you can make me and N¨¦a have the same characteristics?"


    <<


    It''s true that I don''t need my vampiric abilities to be a vampire. .......


    Though there may come a time when I will need my beastly senses.


    While I''m at it, Ferrum is making me reflect the traits of a Bulgarian.


    Then I let out a cry of surprise as I see the collar of my trousers and my arms from the elbows up covered in black fur, as if my hands are being transformed into black blankets.


    "Ugh, my arms are ......"


    Somehow I feel a rush of power.


    Does this mean that the power of Bullein is reflected in me?


    My senses feel sharper.


    I look up and see Amako and the others...for some reason they are holding back their laughter.


    "What?¡¡What''s wrong?"


    <>


    Amako and Nair are laughing with their mouths clamped shut, while Leona turns around and shakes her shoulders.


    While Ferrum and I were puzzled, Nair pointed at my head with tears in her eyes.


    "Oh, you have ears like a burin, don''t you?


    "...... what?"


    I touched my head and found round ears that should not be there.


    Could it be that my head had grown a bear''s ear as a result of reflecting my race characteristics?


    Nair, perhaps unable to bear it any longer, started to laugh, pointing at people.


    "Puh-lease!¡¡You look good!"


    "Yes, I think it suits me very well.


    "Hey, these guys are ......!"


    <


    I have no allies with a conscience.


    Leona glances sideways at me, shaking her shoulders and holding her ground.


    No.


    I can''t bear it anymore from a shameful standpoint.


    And if she finds out about this situation...,

 278 - - Twenty-nineth episode.

No content

 279 - - Twenty-fifty.

No content

 280 - - Take courage in quiet fear. Dont be afraid. Dont talk.

No content

 281 - - the meaning of having a quiet conversation

No content

 282 - - Twenty-five.

No content

 283 - - 252nd episode.

No content

 284 - - 253rd episode.

    Transition by scrolling.


    We were caught by surprise by a technology that is lost and almost unknown in this age, and we were swallowed up by a glowing magic circle.


    After a moment of light, we felt a floating sensation.


    I looked around us, not caring about the floating sensation, and saw that Leona and I had been thrown out above what looked like a large arena.


    Directly below us, there were many soldiers of the Demon King''s army, aiming their bows and magic at us..,


    <>


    <>


    Arrows and magical attacks of various attributes are fired simultaneously.


    You can''t avoid them in the unprotected air!


    "Ferrum!¡¡Nair!"


    >


    "I''m going to cast Arrow Resistance!"


    I extend a robe of dark magic from my trousers to surround Leona and me as we are thrown in the air, blocking the arrows and magic that rushes toward us.


    Immediately, I return the dark magic to its original state, and confirm to Leona-san that she is safe and sound.


    "Leona-san!


    Don''t worry about me!¡¡You have to protect yourself!


    Leona makes a sword of ice in the air and puts her foot on it.


    Leona jumps onto the ice sword and swings her spear, cleaving away arrows and magic.


    Similar to Kazuki''s technique, but... Leona doesn''t seem to have to worry about her foothold in the air!


    "Ferrum!¡¡It''s not safe, let''s take in Nair!!!"


    <...


    "Too scary to say ''take in''!¡¡What?


    I assimilated with Nair on my shoulder and performed healing acceleration fist with all four limbs to avoid any incoming attacks.


    I connect the line of dark magic extended from my wrist to the ceiling of the arena, and manage to move while swinging in the air.


    >


    >


    >


    ......I don''t know why they are afraid of me when I am supposed to be under attack, but I have to get down to the ground anyway.


    ...... Okay.


    "Ferrum, Nair!¡¡We need wings now!"


    "That''s it!¡¡I''ll take care of the acceleration and change of direction!"


    Using the Healing Acceleration Fist, I can move while gliding.


    Then, Nair, who has been assimilated into my body, starts to panic and shouts.


    >


    >


    "What?¡¡What?


    He blasts away the approaching magic with a burst of healing magic.


    We can''t keep this up much longer!


    "Quick, get your wings out!¡¡We''ll fall right in the middle of the enemy!


    The magic of dark magic swells up on my back and spreads out wide in the form of wings.


    With it, for some reason, a horn of the demon tribe grows on my head.


    Was it because I reflected Nair in her owl state, or did the horns of Ferrum also reflect and appear?


    "Okay, let''s go to the place where the number of enemies is small..."


    <<<<<>>>>>


    "Hmm?"


    The soldiers who had been yelling and screaming from below look at me in the sky and are absolutely mortified.


    I am stunned, and then I see a large flapping wing in my field of vision.


    ---They are not beautiful black wings like Nair''s.


    "...... What the hell is this?"


    <<<<<>>>>>


    At that moment, the soldiers of the demon tribe run away as if they were spiders.


    I land on the empty space, my cheeks twitching at the soldiers who are sitting on their backs.


    >


    "......"


    Why did Hannah faint when she saw me?


    Why did the soldier I encountered in the ruins of the Demon King faint?


    I finally solved the mystery. ......!


    Neah, I''ll talk to you later.


    >


    "...... heh."


    <>


    That''s good to hear.


    Now we have something to look forward to.


    With a smile plastered on his face, he looks at the bat-like wings on his back.


    "Keep your wings and horns out. If it makes him lose his will to fight, then we won''t have to fight for nothing.


    Please."


    The demon wings on his back are folded down and replaced with hands similar to those on the wings of a flying dragon.


    Arms outstretched and lowered, I glare hard at the soldiers, who make no attempt to flee.


    ...... Leona seems to have landed somewhere else.


    I can''t see her among the soldiers, but I can feel the cold air that is characteristic of her magic, so I should just charge through in that direction.


    "There, let me get through."


    "There''s no such thing as demons!¡¡That''s just a scare tactic!¡¡Let''s all concentrate on him!


    He concentrates his elasticity on his legs and leaps.


    He spreads his wings in mid-air and charges at the soldiers as he glides.


    "Hmph!


    Huh?


    The four soldiers in the front are hit with a series of fists filled with binding magic.


    The man who had dislodged the soldiers, who are crumpled up with white eyes, rushes forward.


    "You son of a b*tc*!"


    A spear is thrust out from his side, and he catches it in the palm of his caged hand.


    He grabs the blade and throws it with all his might as he runs from the scene.


    "What the hell was that move?


    "Surround them!¡¡We''ve got to outnumber them!"


    But the demons still outnumber them.


    With the demons surrounded, spears are thrown out all at once.


    Ferrum, cut only their weapons!


    <>


    The wings are transformed into sharp blades, instantly cutting the handles of the soldiers'' bows and spears in half.


    In addition, the hand attached to the wing grabs the soldier''s body and throws him behind me.


    "......It''s different from the usual, but it''s pretty useful."


    It can cut, it can glide, and most importantly, unlike the arm on my back, it doesn''t get in the way.


    And the best part is that it looks cool too.


    "Come on, let''s go for it!"


    >


    "Bullein!¡¡Let''s go!


    <>


    My head grows black beast ears different from the horns of the demon tribe, and my legs and arms turn into those of a beast.


    With my enhanced arm strength, I raise it and slam it into the ground with all my might.


    "Nnnn!"


    He''s changed shape again!


    A cloud of dust rises, and at the same time, the ground cracks, causing the soldiers in front of us to lose their positions.


    In response, he squeezes his right arm with his left hand in a wide arc.


    "Brace for impact!


    The demon tribe that seems to be the commander warns, but it''s too late!


    The whole unit is stunned by the shockwave and healing magic!


    "It''s too late!¡¡Take that!¡¡Healing blast wave!


    oh?


    The shockwave blows the soldiers backward in a single blow.


    The shockwave only blew away those who were at the front, but after the formation was successfully broken..,


    "Now!¡¡Fire!"


    "Mwah!"


    A voice from behind me and the smell of multiple magical powers.


    Before I can turn around, fire and wind magic slams into my back.


    Surprised by the light impact, I repel the spell with my black fur trousers.


    "Phew... ......!"


    It doesn''t work!


    "Why?¡¡I thought I hit it!


    Half-hearted attacks won''t work in front of the cushion armour and the group uniform that reflects Bulrin''s fur. ......!


    Taking my gaze away from the soldiers behind me, who were about to unleash more magic, I produced a healing explosive in my right hand and tossed it lightly at a soldier who attacked me with a sword in his hand.


    "Yes, pass!"


    "Whoa, whoa!¡¡What the hell is this?


    I''m sorry!"


    I grab the soldier''s breastplate, which he reflexively accepts, and throw him to the group of soldiers who are about to unleash their magic.


    "Hey, throw that thing away!


    "That''s the one that''s going to explode, isn''t it!¡¡...... Why would healing magic explode?


    My hand!


    What the hell?


    My hand won''t move!


    What?¡¡What do you mean...?"


    After I hear such voices, I hear the distinctive explosion of a healing explosive behind me.


    The explosive shells I gave him were imbued with a binding spell, so that once he received them, his hands would be immobilized.


    At any rate, the group approaching from behind is stunned.


    <<>


    It''s a healing spell.


    >


    I held my breath as I looked forward, but there were still more soldiers to come.


    I have plenty of magic power left, but this is not the time to waste it.


    Ferrum, more!


    >


    "If you want to scare them, don''t go overboard!¡¡Here, we''ll make sure they lose their will to fight!"


    <>


    Nair shouts with such intensity that I can imagine her eyes widening.


    <>


    >


    Wait, I didn''t say you had to go that far.


    Oh no, I think I''m starting to get the bad nair from my village girl days!


    Before I have time to stop her, the dark magic assimilated into her body changes her shape drastically.


    The pair of wings on her back grows into two pairs, and the horns on her head transforms into a larger version, as if to increase her presence.


    Finally, a dragon-like tail, different from that of a beast or a burin, grows from its waist.


    "---No, I''m not saying you have to go this far ......?"


    The soldiers of the demon tribe, their faces contorted with fear, ran away from those who were in the lead.


    "Run, run!


    "Oh, it''s a demon, the rumors are true. ......"


    Is it ...... that the result is OK for now?


    I can''t help but feel that rumors will be passed down as demons in the future.


    As I let out an involuntary sigh, I hear the sound of something metal being dropped nearby.


    I react instantly and point my fist and the two pairs of wings on my back.


    "Oh, oh, oh, oh, I''m sorry!¡¡Don''t take my soul. ......"


    There she was, the lone female Demon Tribe soldier who had failed to escape.


    She had dropped her sword on the ground and was crying out of fear when she saw me.


    "......"


    "...... is what?"


    I reflexively pull back my fist and head straight for Leona.


    She doesn''t run away when she sees me, and I finally reach her, fending off the soldiers who try to attack me.


    Leona is surrounded by soldiers lying on the ground, and she herself is covered with a strong cold air.


    "Mwah!¡¡Who are you!


    What?"


    Leona-san noticed my figure as I rushed toward her and pointed her spear at me with a grim expression on her face.


    I am taken aback by her unexpected behavior and ask Ferrum to release my transformation.


    "Leona-san. It''s me."


    "Usato?¡¡I''m sorry. I thought you were a new kind of hexenbiest. ......


    "I''m sorry. ......"


    Leona-san patted her chest in relief and spoke to me as she looked at the soldiers of the Demon King''s army who were listening to us from a distance.


    "Anyway, first of all, let''s break out of this situation. We are still surrounded.


    "Yes. ...... maybe we''re inside the city?"


    Yes. If Suzune and Amako are in the same situation, we should ...... join them as soon as possible.


    We are still surrounded by a lot of soldiers.


    First, let''s escape from this siege and join Senpai and Amako --- and head for the Demon King''s place.


    That''s what I thought, and just as I was about to go into action with Leona...,


    <<>


    "What?


    It should be daytime, but all of a sudden the sky turns dim.


    Immediately, I look up and see a kind of black dome-like warding structure above the city.


    Immediately after that, a sound like an earth tremor is heard.


    "...... What the hell is going on, one after the other!"


    The situation is changing too quickly.


    What in the world is the Demon Lord thinking? ......!

 285 - - 254th episode.

    At last, the heroes have arrived.


    And the battle in the city has begun.


    If I had not been a maid of honor, I would have fled to my parents'' house.


    "-All went according to plan.


    The Demon Lord, buried underground, lights up the darkened castle.


    I, who was serving by his side, could only be stunned by the unrealistic scene that had just occurred before my eyes.


    "Oh, ah, ah ...... the castle has been buried in the ground ......"


    "Using the spell of earth-shifting, the structure of the earth, the castle ...... and the city buildings were simply changed and placed underground. It''s nothing to panic about."


    You say such a thing with such a casual manner, but please don''t talk about things with the common sense of the Demon Lord.


    In the first place, he is truly an insane being when he can easily pull off something of such a large scale.


    Now, what do you think?


    The Demon Lord, sitting on his throne, deploys his magic in the space.


    Then, something is projected on the black magic pattern.


    >


    >


    Something is colliding with each other at an incredible speed.


    I can see someone moving amidst the raging flames and gusts of wind, but as a non-combatant, I don''t think I can follow it with my eyes.


    "Demon Lord, is this ......?"


    "This is a magic to project in space the view seen by the demon''s eyes. Right now it shows the current battle of the First Commander.


    The First Commander is the strongest swordsman in the demon army.


    Although we cannot follow the battle with our eyes, we can see the massive destruction of nature that is taking place in the battle.


    "Kannagi are a nuisance. This is where we had to send Nero in to stop them.


    "Kannagi, you know, the one that was in those ruins: ......?"


    "Yes, the partner of the hero, the first Princess of Time. It was Kannagi''s sister who left her blood until now.


    A healing magician at the ruins---an animal woman who had put Usato in danger and proposed suspicious plans to him.


    She had somehow become one of them, but I had not expected her to be so extraordinary.


    "While Nero was restraining Kannagi, I used the scrolls I had created to transfer the heroes, but it seems that ...... we missed one."


    The Demon Lord moves his hand to the side, and the magic changes the scene projected on the screen.


    The next image projected on the screen was that of a hero flying a ball of light at high speed through the sky.


    "Yes, he''s flying very easily. ...... And he''s avoiding our attacks very easily. ......"


    The soldiers are desperately attacking the heroes who are flying freely in the sky without riding the flying dragon, but they are not getting anywhere.


    He is obviously faster and more agile than the flying dragon. .......


    ......Was that the light we saw before the castle sank the attack the heroes were about to unleash?


    This is to be expected.


    "Oh, is that so?"


    Seeing my panic, the Demon Lord, who seemed to be taken aback, leaned back against the back of his throne.


    "There is nothing unusual about flying. The scrolls were originally intended to divide the brave men and women. Whether they fly in the sky or hide in the ground is a trivial matter.


    The Demon King, who muttered so, put his hand on his chin and looked at the heroes flying in the sky.


    "You seem to be good at manipulating magic. It is possible that he is better than his predecessors at manipulating magic and annihilating it. ...... next."


    He moves his hand again and switches to another scene.


    The next scene is the arena where many soldiers of the demon clans are gathered.


    While I was tilting my head, thinking that it was just a gathering of soldiers, something golden and shiny suddenly crossed the projected scene.


    What is it?¡¡What light?


    "We''ve lost this one."


    "...... what?"


    "It seems that I was able to capture it for a moment, but ...... it is indeed called the hero of thunder. He left as soon as he was surrounded. I''m not sure if there''s another wizard with the same prediction.


    The soldiers in the magic circle look puzzled because they can''t see the heroes who are supposed to attack them.


    "But this is to be expected. If we narrow the passage, position the soldiers, and activate the trap, we will be able to block the fast movement of the lightning heroes.


    "Since the other side has a precognition wizard, traps are pointless ......?"


    The demon king himself said so a while ago.


    "If it were Kannagi, there''s no way a young precognition wizard could keep up with the thinking speed of someone who moves at the speed of lightning."


    "Yes, indeed, ......."


    Or rather, the heroes who are moving at high speed are also doing something strange.


    The people fighting in this city right now are all monsters.


    Humans are scary.


    Since the healing wizard, who is supposed to be a non-hero, was like that, I wonder if other humans are like that too .......


    While I was thinking this and feeling fearful, the Demon Lord switches to the next scene.


    The next image was a human woman holding a spear clad in cold air in an arena like the one shown earlier.


    "A brave warrior of Mialak?"


    A blonde woman who looks familiar among the ruins.


    She seems to be the eldest of the group of heroes. She floats a sword made of ice around her and moves it in all directions, kicking away the soldiers who attack her.


    She is the bearer of the armor of Farga, the divine dragon. She is inferior to the other two heroes in terms of talent, but she is superior in skill and battle experience. It will be troublesome if they are teamed up with ...... others."


    "Beautiful, isn''t it? Beautiful.¡¡The ...... way you fight!"


    Mearrak''s hero, with his spear at the ready, fends off and deals with the demon soldiers who come at him one after another, sending out a powerful blast of cold air to block their movements.


    Unlike the battle between the First Commander and Kannagi, his movements themselves are not fast.


    He just seemed to be making the most appropriate move in the right place at the right time.


    >


    Suddenly, a Mialak hero thrusts the tip of his spear into the ground, creating a large wall of ice.


    In the next instant, a glowing stake-like object crashed into the ice wall, shattering its surface.


    "Well, you have good judgment. It''s a good magic that can be applied ...... easily to prevent magic weapons."


    Looking in the direction from which the piles of light flew, I saw soldiers above the arena, who were putting magic power into crossbow-type magic tools.


    The brave man who was pointed at a number of crossbows held up his spear as if he were throwing a projectile without flinching.


    He was about to throw his spear at the crossbow, --- at that moment, something like a pitch-black rope grabbed a big block of ice lying around the brave man and disappeared off the screen.


    "Hm?"


    Now, it seems as if a block of ice at the edge of the screen was pulled away by something black. .......


    The Demon Lord seems to have noticed this, and tilts his head quizzically.


    However, the next voice coming from outside the screen---I could guess who was trying to do what.


    <>


    <<<< Wow! >>>>


    ""......""


    With a voice that my head refuses to comprehend, I hear the sound of something crashing and breaking.


    Something extraordinary is happening outside the projected scene.


    The hero of Mearrach, who is reflected in the magic, is looking in one direction and his face is drawn.


    "...... hmm."


    Nodding his head, the Demon Lord flips his hand and switches from one magic scene to another.


    The next one was..,


    >


    The scene switches to that of NANIKA, spreading her hands and wings and screaming in an inhuman manner---and is instantly rewound to the scene of the heroes of Mearak from earlier.


    I looked at the Demon Lord and saw that he was bewildered, which he usually does not show.


    "It seems that I have projected the wrong scene.


    "No, ......, maybe I''m not wrong."


    "...... I see."


    When the view switches back to the original scene, there is Usato, the healer magician, swinging his right arm widely in front of the multiple piles of light from his crossbow.


    >


    He hit the light pile head-on and shattered ...... it into pieces?¡¡He then turned his black right arm into a cannon-like shape and pointed it at the crossbow.


    >


    A green magic bullet shot out at high speed.


    When it hit one of the crossbows, it blew up the crossbow and the soldiers around it, scattering a powerful shockwave and healing magic light.


    ......What is healing?


    >


    He leaps with his wings spread wide.


    Both arms gush out magic power.¡¡He glides with his wings, spewing magic power from his arms, and plunges his right arm into the barrel of the crossbow, which is about to launch a stake of light.


    >


    The moment he shouted that, the barrel of the crossbow was crumpled as if it burst from the inside.


    ...... What is healing?


    Usato pulled his fist out of the barrel.


    Behind him, he saw a soldier attack, his face contorted with fear.


    >


    The soldier tries to rush toward Usato while releasing fire magic from both hands.


    He squints at the attack, moves his wings on his back, grabs the soldier''s arms without using his hands, and lifts him up.


    Usato spoke to me in a quiet voice that chilled me to the bone.


    I have worked with Usato for a short time, but I know a little bit about his personality.


    He protected me even though he and Kira, a demon, were enemies, and I am sure that he is not a bad person at all.


    I guess he was just trying to warn the soldier who made a desperate charge...,


    >


    <>


    I''m sure the people who think they are demons hear it differently.


    After seeing the soldier who had fainted with white eyes with a subtle look on his face, Usato lowers the soldier to the ground and then turns his attention to the frightened soldiers.


    Then, he suddenly raises his right arm..,


    <>


    With a yell, he punches the ground, and a shadowy shadow spreads out from his fist, from which a blue bear, a blue grizzly bear, leaps out.


    >


    <>


    With his wings spread wide, he and Usato leap toward the demons.


    >


    >


    <>


    Soldiers who have been through the ordeal of the previous battle are screaming in fear.


    Wow, it''s a hellscape. .......


    I thought he was a normal human boy when I met him at the ruins.


    "Well, it looks like the devil is in the mix. It''s been a long time since I''ve seen one."


    "No, no, I''m not. ...... are you really here?"


    I''m just kidding.


    I''m extremely curious as to which one of us is joking.


    Is the devil real?


    Or is it a joke to believe in the devil?


    "You''re a funny guy."


    "Looking at the way he looks now, I doubt he''s even human. ......"


    Even in his current form, with wings sprouting from his back, he is hardly human, to say the least.


    "Coga and your report of his assimilation with the dark wizard. It has never happened before that a dark wizard, whose abilities are altered by emotion, could wish for an emotion that would lead him to assimilate with a human."


    "Even before ...... being sealed?"


    "Yes, the time when humans and demons hated each other the most. To those who know those times, that healing wizard who fights alongside other races must seem very different.


    Even now, humans and demons are at war.


    Besides, dark wizards are feared even by our own kind, and it would be rare for one to grow up to be a nouveau riche like Mr. Koga.


    "A healing wizard like him but different. That makes him all the more interesting."


    When the Demon Lord saw Usato reflected in the magic, a faint smile appeared on his face.


    The battle with the heroes has just begun.


    So far things seem to be going as he had expected, but I can''t predict what will happen from now on.

 286 - - Twenty-five.

    Amako, who clung to me as I was being shifted by the scroll,......, foresaw that soon after this she would be surrounded by enemies and attacked en masse.


    I immediately put on my Thunder Beast mode and, holding Amako tightly so as not to shake her off, I decided to leave the scene as fast as I could, avoiding all the attacks.


    Kicking the walls and sometimes running, I jumped out of the small doorway of the arena.


    The soldiers of the demon army could not even follow my movements with their eyes.


    "Do you mean a narrow passage to countermeasure against me?"


    However, the soldiers patrol the narrow passageway quite often, far away from the large arena-like area that I was sent to by the scroll, and if I try to force my way, a large number of soldiers will rush into this narrow passageway.


    The high-speed movement is meaningless if the range of movement is narrowed down.


    And finally..,


    "Suzune, stop. There''s a trap in the wall."


    "A scroll that affects those with a certain speed. That''s a nice touch."


    Magic written on parchment pasted to the wall.


    Amaco told me that if I fell for it, a spell similar to the one used to bind Nair would be cast on me and my presence would then be known to the soldiers around me.


    Suzune.


    Yes?


    I''m in pain.


    He just got out of Thunder Beast mode and is still holding Amako in his arms.


    The only reason why I am not distraught in this tense situation is because I have a being in my arms that I need to protect.


    I hold Amako''s body even tighter and keep my eyes on the surroundings.


    "There may still be danger ......!"


    "I can''t see anything with my precognition, can I?"


    "No, the precognition magic is not perfect. But don''t worry. As long as I''m here, I''ll protect you.


    "If anything, I''d rather you protect me from Suzune."


    With that, Amako slips easily out of my arms and begins to walk briskly.


    "Follow me."


    "......Amako''s,warmth......"


    "I usually pull back."


    Amako''s face turns pale at my disappointment as she makes her way down the narrow passageway.


    With the black dome overhead and the changes in the city, it is natural to assume that this place has become a fortress---or a labyrinth.


    "If we have been transferred to the inside of the city, it is safe to assume that Usato-kun and the others who have also been transferred are in this city.


    "First, let''s find Usato and Leona. Oh, Suzune, stop.


    Amako nodded and stopped, and from around the corner she could hear the soldiers talking.


    "It seems that Kazuki is here, too."


    "If anyone can fly, it''s Kazuki, isn''t it?"


    From here, surrounded by a dimly lit sky, it was impossible to see what the sky looked like, but it was good to be able to confirm Kazuki''s presence.


    As I listen carefully with Amako to see if we can gather any more information, another group of soldiers gathers.


    One of the soldiers, who seemed to be in some kind of confusion, half-cried and clutched at a friendly soldier.


    <<>


    <<>


    "Oh, you must be Usato."


    "I think you''re pretty convincing yourself."


    No, I know the process of elimination leads to him.


    But I feel sorry for Usato if you give him a quick answer.


    >


    <


    <<


    Is that really Usato-kun?


    I glance at Amako, and she, too, has a subtle expression on her face.


    Could it be a real demon?


    >


    It was Usato-kun.


    "It was Usato."


    They both look at each other in agreement, then move away.


    To summarize the previous information, Kazuki is in the middle of a battle in the sky.


    Usato and Leona, like us, have left the battlefield and are hiding.


    "I would say that our first priority is to meet up with Usato and Leona, but it is quite difficult to find them while avoiding the soldiers."


    "Yes, even if we use precognition magic to avoid patrols, our range of movement will be limited.


    The first premise is that we must reach the Demon King while conserving as much magical power as possible.


    The reason why the Demon Lord separated us is probably to drain our strength in the battle against the soldiers he has placed in each of our positions.


    Then, I have only one choice in this situation.


    We must go to the Demon Lord.


    "Why don''t you join up with Usato and the others?"


    "We are going to the same place in the end. Then there is a good chance that we can meet up with Usato and the others if we go there.


    "If that''s the way it is, I understand."


    To do that, we need to find out from the soldiers where the Demon Lord is.


    When I told this to Amako, she nodded her head.


    "Then, let''s find someone who can catch him.


    As soon as he said these words, he started walking again without paying attention.


    No, she is not just alert, but she has already secured her safety with the premonition she has seen.


    As a proof, she is perfectly aware of the positions of the soldiers passing by.


    "Hmmm ...... this is about right."


    Amaco picks up a stone lying at his feet.


    Then he hears the footsteps of soldiers nearby.


    "Suzune, move as I tell you."


    "Uh-huh?"


    Don''t ever hesitate. ...... Oh, now. Stop."


    Amako''s voice stops me in my tracks, and five soldiers from the Demon Army cross the street in front of me.


    If even one of them turned their heads toward us, we would have been exposed, but somehow by chance, none of them looked at us as they crossed the aisle and disappeared on the other side.


    "Go on, then. Maybe we should run a little bit.


    Next, he runs with Amaco.


    As you run with her, you see a soldier about to appear in front of you as you are about to turn the corner to the right --- but at the same time, Amako throws the stone she just picked up to the front.


    <>


    The eyes of the soldier, who was about to look at us, turned to the stone that fell at his feet.


    In the meantime, we have managed to avoid detection by turning to the right at the corner.


    ...... reminds us that precognition magic is really bad magic.


    After that, we continue to slip past the patrolling soldiers as Amako has a perfect grasp of our opponents'' behavior patterns.


    And then..,


    "I found it."


    Amaco muttered and stopped, pointing to an alley a short distance ahead.


    "In ten seconds, there will be only one soldier coming from up ahead. If we catch him now, he won''t know we''re here.


    "Okay."


    He draws his sword from its sheath in his opposite hand and leaps into the alley at the right moment.


    Just as Amako had predicted, I see a soldier appear, and in an instant I am behind him, blade to the throat.


    "Don''t move!"


    "Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh. ......"


    "Stay quiet and I won''t kill you."


    He makes them sit there while he throws away the sword and the tools at his waist to the ground.


    "Amako, how long until the next round?"


    "......, I''ll be fine for a little while."


    "Then I will interrogate..."


    "No, I''ll take care of it."


    Amaco looks at the soldier who crouched down weakly.


    She asks questions without hesitation, regardless of the soldier''s relief at seeing Amako''s appearance, perhaps judging her to be a child.


    "Where is the Demon King?"


    "What?"


    Tell me where the Demon Lord is.


    "Well, I can''t tell you that..."


    "Can''t tell me?¡¡Yes,...... yes,...... I''m in the castle. The Witch Queen sunk the castle underground with her magic?¡¡The Witch Queen gave us a map of the castle before ...... she gave it to who?¡¡Yeah, yeah, yeah."


    Amako talks to herself and gives an unnatural soliloquy in front of the female soldier, who is stubbornly refusing to talk.


    The soldier begins to tremble as Amako, who has not said a word, begins to reveal more and more information that she is supposed to be keeping from him.


    "Suzune, the commander of this man''s unit has a map of the sunken castle underground.


    "What, oh, why?¡¡Why ......?


    "I''m a precognition wizard. I only say what you are afraid of."


    As Amako says this, she stuns the soldier with a light electric shock.


    I have often thought, looking at my master, that precognition magic is scary magic.


    It can be used in battle, and above all, it''s honestly amazing that it can be used in this way.


    "If I were to use an analogy, it would be like redoing important choices over and over again, wouldn''t it?"


    "Stop talking nonsense, I''m going to go get the commander.


    "Oh, yes. I''m sorry."


    I follow Amako, unintentionally becoming respectful.


    The female soldier was laid down in the shadows so that she would not be found for the time being.


    "By the way, what did you mean when you said that you were afraid of that man?


    She said she had met Usato on the battlefield.


    "Oh, yeah. ......"


    Well, that''s not so strange, since Usato seems to be running around from one end of the battlefield to the other.


    But why is Usato here?¡¡Amako, who was scouting the area around us, said the following words.


    "So I told him that if he didn''t talk, I would give him to the devil, and he cried and told me."


    "Hasn''t anyone ever told you that you''re starting to look like Usato-kun?"


    "Really?¡¡Well, ...... thank you?"


    "I didn''t mean it as a compliment."


    What''s with that reaction?


    I have some similarities with you too!


    Feeling a little bit of jealousy, I quickly switch my thoughts and grip my sword in its sheath.


    "Usato-kun, it''s going to be okay. ......"


    A voice that will never reach him, because he is not here.


    We are in the middle of enemy territory, and although we are in the same place, the distance between us feels impossibly far.

 287 - - 256th episode.

    Leona and I were surrounded by soldiers of the demon king''s army and we were forced to fight.


    We were surrounded by crossbows and almost came under concentrated fire from stakes of light, but we managed to break through the siege and escape from the arena-like area.


    "It was a tough fight. ......"


    "Shut up, you devil!"


    "Why do you say such terrible things ......?"


    Ferm, whose tone is even stinging, and Nair, who has been unassimilated and taken human form, look at me coldly.


    After escaping the siege, we wander into the city, which has turned into a labyrinth, and hide in the shadows to rest.


    .


    "I didn''t feel alive. ......"


    The light piles themselves were slow and could be blocked by the baskets, so they weren''t much of a threat, but they were a nuisance if they were concentrated, so I destroyed about half of them.


    I am aware that I was a little reckless, but it was because of that that we were able to get out of the siege.


    ......Good, if he gets in a bad mood here, it will cause discord in the cooperation, so I''ll follow up with him.


    "I could have jumped ahead of you because I believed in you guys. I will continue to trust you."


    "Ha, don''t be fooled by the words that sound like that..."


    >


    "Fermu?¡¡Don''t be fooled!


    As usual, Nair was not fooled, but Ferrum, who was quite honest, was fooled.


    Feeling somewhat guilty, he looks around him.


    Even though they are chatting, they are alert to their surroundings.


    He keeps his eyes on the passageway, ready to use his binding spells and healing punches at any time.


    Usato, that''s enough.


    "Yes, sir."


    He releases the black magic that he has been producing like a wall.


    Leona comes out from inside the wall, dressed in the clothes of a soldier of the Demon King''s army.


    "---I''m sorry. It took me a while to change.


    "No, fortunately the enemy did not come, so I am fine.


    She had been wearing the light armor of Mialak before she was sent here, but now she has changed into the clothes worn by the soldiers of the demon tribe.


    "What do you think?"


    "Don''t worry, it looks good on you."


    "No, no, no, no. I mean, am I hiding it well enough?"


    I nodded to Leona, who had her hood pulled back so as not to be recognized as a human being.


    Behind Ms. Leona there is a fainted female soldier, now wearing a gray cloak because the clothes she used to wear are now worn by Ms. Leona.


    While trying not to look at her, I talk to Nair, who has transformed into a soldier of the demon tribe.


    "I want you to <<< kidnap one of the female soldiers! >>I couldn''t believe my ears when you said that, but I thought about it.


    "Right?¡¡If we disguise ourselves as soldiers, we can fool the patrols.


    "Well, let''s just say my reputation just got worse: ......"


    >


    Even if the demon treatment was self-inflicted, the kidnapping is a bit of a blow.


    However, disguising yourself is a very good idea.


    "I''m disguised as a demon, and then there''s Usato..."


    "Ah, Ferm. Please."


    Using the power of assimilation of the ferme, have them change the color of their skin and hair, and grow horns like the demons.


    In addition, by covering their uniforms with black magic and transforming them, they are made to look just like the clothes worn by the soldiers of the Demon Lord''s army.


    However, her hair seems to be a little longer than before.


    "Oh, my hair. ......"


    <<


    The hair has changed to silver like Ferm''s, but a little longer.


    I think it was the time of the female soldier we met at the ruins.


    I found out later that she was the one who was on the flying dragon when I captured the commander of the Third Legion.


    Well, such coincidences don''t last, but we should take precautions.


    "If Leona was the only one wearing a hood, it would be suspicious. ......"


    "If I and Usato, who has only changed his appearance to that of a demon, accompany you, it won''t look suspicious ......, right?"


    There is a way to use Nair''s vampiric powers, but we have to go through a few steps, and there is a possibility that we will be discovered while we are doing it.


    We don''t want to cause a scene, so let''s just consider it as a back-up plan.


    "Well then, let''s proceed."


    "Yeah."


    We start to walk through the narrow passageway patrolled by soldiers, with Nair and I in the lead and Leona following behind us.


    Looking up, we see the sky high in the sky, with what looks like stakes of light pointed at us, and flying dragons flying around.


    "I wish I could go through the roof. ......"


    "That would be difficult. A demon king who has gone to such lengths would not have taken that precaution."


    "I know, right? ......"


    Maybe some kind of trap or attack will be triggered when they climb up the wall to the roof.


    Either way, it''s better not to go up there if you want to avoid being seen.


    "Hmm?"


    As you look up at the sky, something black appears at the edge of your vision.


    "Hmph!"


    He turns around instantly and at the same time, he unleashes a no-motion healing flying fist at the location where he saw the black something.


    However, the Healing Flying Fist hits a wall and dissipates.


    "What are you doing just when we decided to go forward in hiding?


    "I think I just saw a crow or something ......"


    ...... No, there was definitely something there.


    It seems to be gone now, but we''d better watch the sky.


    "Ah!"


    >


    At that moment, your sense of smell, enhanced by your assimilation with Bulrin, catches the scent of the demons'' magic approaching you.


    One problem after another, ......!


    And they''re all in close proximity to each other.


    "Usato, Leona, they are coming from the front!"


    I know.


    "Yeah."


    I relax my fists and take a deep breath.


    I am a demon now.


    I treat them normally, as I would treat a familiar friend.


    "They''re coming."


    "Oh."


    The smell of magic becomes stronger.


    With it, the conversation of a few soldiers approaches.


    As we continue on our way and come to a turn, our gazes meet, and at that moment, the eyes of the soldiers and those of me and Nair, who are in the lead, cross.


    What?


    When the three soldiers see us, they look surprised and ready their swords in their hands.


    Did they see us?


    As we were about to release our healing flying fists to intercept them, one of the soldiers looked relieved and lowered his sword.


    "You scared the hell out of me. ......!¡¡What, you''re one of them? ......"


    You seem to be all right.


    Nair speaks to the soldier with a nonchalant look on his face.


    The other two soldiers lower their swords, and I lower my fist.


    Leona''s face is hidden, of course, and I''m afraid that if I speak, I''ll reveal too much, so I let Nair handle this.


    "Well, for now, let''s share some information, shall we?"


    "Yeah, did you find the missing heroes?"


    ...... You are indeed a former village girl who has been deceiving one village for hundreds of years.


    She''s naturally trying to get information out of him.


    When one of the soldiers asks her a question, she shakes her head and cower her shoulders.


    "No more, no more. I don''t know how to follow that thing.


    "You too. ...... were you at the interception site?¡¡We weren''t there, but we heard it was a big deal over there, huh?


    Yeah, I don''t even want to think about it.


    Nair, her face pale, held her forehead as if dizzy.


    That''s Nair! ......!¡¡She is so full of feeling that it is hard to believe that she is acting. ......!


    The other soldier asked a question to Nair, a little bit eagerly.


    So, how did it go?¡¡I was told that a brave man and a demon appeared over there. ......!"


    It''s true. The Ice Queen was a cruel woman who froze all who came near her and crushed them with a cold smile."


    "......!?"


    Leona, who is deeply hooded next to me, is very upset.


    She looks at me and shakes her head vigorously, and I nod my head to let her know that I know exactly what she means.


    Neah, you''re exaggerating to make it sound credible, aren''t you?


    If that''s the case, we won''t say anything.


    "And the healing wizard. ...... is the very definition of the devil."


    Is that also true?


    Yes. Fearless wings, the same horns as ours. ...... I couldn''t stop shaking when it revealed itself. People were getting blown up by some unintelligible move, and some were losing consciousness just by making ...... eye contact with it. It was just like the end of the world.


    ...... overreacting, right?


    Hey, right?


    Soldiers, you''re all blue in the face.


    "......Sorry. I can''t go any further. ......"


    "Ah, ah!¡¡You don''t have to do this!¡¡I know exactly what you want to know!"


    The soldiers feel sorry for Nair, who clamped his mouth with his hand and acted so calmly for no reason.


    From the angle that Leona and I can see, we can see N¨¦a''s mouth twisted up in a very bad expression.


    "...... She''s an evil b*tc*."


    Leona and Ferrum whisper to each other as if they are slightly taken back.


    I agree, but they are gathering information for us .......


    "I guess it''s our turn to talk ......."


    The soldier mentioned information about other heroes besides us.


    Kazuki was fighting in the air above the city against a large number of crossbows and flying dragons.


    Senpai and Amako were transferred in the same way as we were, but they left the scene before we could engage them and are now in hiding.


    "So, you''re in trouble too."


    "Our commander is a bit of a brat.


    Apparently, the soldiers of the Demon Lord''s army also have a hierarchical relationship, except for the corps commander.


    One of the soldiers, his shoulders slumped in exhaustion, looks at Nair, who is smiling at him, and continues to speak.


    "I don''t care how much you know about the structure of this place, you''re making them do too much..."


    "!¡¡...... I know, right? I guess it''s because the commander is trusted by the Demon Lord, isn''t it?"


    Hmm?¡¡What is it?


    The flow of the conversation has obviously changed.


    At Nair''s muttering, one of the soldiers laughed outright.


    "It''s not about trust, is it? You got the map because you were in a higher position, right?


    "Yes, when I say trust, I''m talking about Hannah and Gilead, who are in charge of the command.


    Nair''s mouth quirks up at the corners just enough for me to see.


    "Of course I''m joking. We''re just like them. Hmmm..."


    "Ha-ha-ha, it seems we''re both having a hard time with all this unnecessary tension."


    Nair, smiling happily with her hand over her mouth, moves casually to stand next to me.


    She turns to face me with a smile plastered on her face.


    "Usato, there is a guy with a map. Let''s go get him."


    ...... scary.


    Nair, who had extracted the information so naturally and was not at all suspicious of me, was honestly taken aback.


    You say a lot of things about me, but I think you''re pretty good too.


    As I try not to show it on my face, the soldiers'' gazes are turned to us, wondering what we think of them.


    "Speaking of which, are they all right?"


    The soldiers'' gazes turned to me and Leona.


    I have been lying on my face silently for a while now, and Leona is hooded and not speaking.


    Was it too suspicious that she didn''t say anything?


    But Nair takes one look at me and turns away as if she sees something painful.


    "You two were on the front lines of the intercept ......, you know that, don''t you?"


    "......!¡¡I''m sorry. That was a gaffe."


    "I can''t believe you''re going on patrol after what you''ve been through. ......"


    "We''ve got to keep up the good work ......!"


    Aren''t these people too good-natured to be enemies?


    As I was feeling more guilty than ever, Nair was talking to a soldier, trying to change the subject.


    "Where are you guys headed next?"


    "We''re going to patrol around here. We''ll be stuck at our posts for the time being.


    "Yes. ...... can''t seem to get any more out of him."


    With a smile on her face, she tries to break up the conversation to leave them at this moment.


    "Shall we get back to our duties now? If they see us like this, we''ll get a lot of attention.


    "That''s true. We don''t know where the brave ones are.


    We''ll both do our best, won''t we?


    Yeah, you too.


    We waved to the soldiers, showed our backs, and walked down the aisle with a nonchalant look on our faces.


    We continue on our way, looking for the commander who has the map, and..,


    Wait a minute. Wait a minute.


    "What!"


    I was stopped ......!


    Did they see us?


    I look back with magic power in my fist, and the soldier who was talking to Nair looks nervous... and talks to Nair, who is tilting his head.


    He said, "Oh, uh, yes. When this battle is over, you know, ......"


    No, no!¡¡No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!


    Nair, what are you doing?¡¡I looked at N¨¦a, who was standing next to me, and she had an apologetic look on her face---suddenly she hugged me in her arms.


    "I''m sorry. This man is my husband.


    <>


    "What?"


    That''s Ferrum and Leona''s voice.


    What?¡¡Are you going to do the same thing you did in front of Keira under these circumstances?


    It''s obviously not a good idea.


    I look at the soldier fearfully and see that he is fidgeting and upset.


    "Oh, I see... ......"


    The soldier with an indescribable expression on his face makes me feel uneasy.


    The hands of two people who seem to be his colleagues are placed on the back of the soldier, who is smaller than when we first encountered him.


    <>


    <>


    <>


    I can''t stand it!¡¡I can''t stand it!


    I feel like I''ve been damaged more deeply than if I''d been attacked normally!


    Nair smiles as if she has done it.


    "Well, that''s something!


    "Hmph!"


    "Ggh!"


    A healing bump with no hesitation.


    Nair, holding her forehead, stares at me with tearful eyes.


    What are you doing?


    That was for the soldier who just came in.


    "You''re the enemy!"


    "We''re enemies, but there are some things you can do and some things you can''t. ......


    "Yeah, yeah. ......"


    Recalling the scene from earlier, I again feel a sense of uneasiness.


    Let''s forget about ...... what happened earlier for the moment.


    For the time being, I''ve got some important information, so let''s make the most of it.


    "Leona, what should we do?"


    "...... Suzune would give priority to going to the Demon Lord rather than joining us. We''re on the same path."


    Our goal is the Demon King.


    If we head there, we have a better chance of meeting up with him than if we just go looking for him.


    So it''s okay for us to look for a way to get to the Demon King too?


    "Yes, now that we know the existence of the map thanks to Nair, we should first look for the one who has it.


    The first goal is to find a map.


    After that, we will use the map to make our way to the Demon King.


    The problem is finding the person who has the map. .......


    "Since he is called a unit leader, he has a certain amount of experience and ability. ......"


    "At least the corps commander was chosen purely on merit."


    He nodded to Nair''s words.


    A person with a high level of magical power has a sweet smell.


    Then, if we look for that person first, he might have that map or something.


    Put your hands on the ground and close your eyes.


    "Burlyn, Ferrum, strengthen the reflection.


    He mobilizes all of his senses, which he normally suppresses.


    Information about the soldiers in the vicinity flows into his mind through his sense of smell.


    He cannot smell the magic of Amako and his senpai.


    However, he does find one smell of magic that is very sweet.


    "What do you think, Usato?"


    "There''s someone with a very sweet smell ...... of magic."


    Nearby?


    It''s not that far.


    I don''t know the specifics, but I''m sure he''s not the only one.


    Maybe it''s the commander they were talking about earlier.


    I don''t know exactly where he is, but I have a vague idea where he is.


    "Let''s just go get him."


    It''s either ogres or snakes.


    Worst case scenario, we might encounter an enemy of the corps leader''s class, so we might as well expect a battle.

 288 - - running away from a conversation

    The plan devised by the Witch King.


    It was to divide the heroes into three groups and attack them individually.


    It is a strategy that deploys more than 80% of the current Demon Lord''s army.


    However, he said that it was not a strategy to defeat the heroes, but to reduce their strength and exhaust them.


    A direct order from the Witch King.


    I would like to thank the Demon Lord for his concern for my failure in the battle, and for ordering me to take command from the rear, but...to be honest, I want to get away from that terrifying presence as soon as possible.


    The information that I did not want to hear the most from the place where the ice hero and the healing wizard had already attacked is now being circulated to us.


    A demon has appeared.


    A demon summoned a magical beast.


    At that point, I didn''t want to be here anymore.


    "huh ......"


    I sigh loudly and take out the communication tool that is kept in the branch office.


    There are five subordinates in this place, each of whom is in charge of communicating and controlling the information of their respective units.


    I connect the communication to the magical tool of one of them, Nono, whom I have just appointed as my assistant.


    Nono, how are you doing?


    >


    "Ughhhh, ......."


    Nono is in high spirits because she is in the middle of a battle, and I frown at her.


    ...... she''s going to survive somehow.


    I cut off the noisy sound of the flying dragon duo and let them check the situation again.


    "Have you seen any movement?"


    "No, our lost hero is nowhere to be found and we are still searching for him. The brave men in the sky are being handled as best they can, but as a result, they are only being held back.


    "...... this is tough."


    It''s a good situation.


    This chaos is definitely a plus for me.


    The best thing is that the brave men of light are running amok in the sky.


    From the sky, I wouldn''t be surprised if some light magic is sent to us by mistake.


    "Please search the area I''m about to show you.


    He gathers his men around a map placed on a large long table.


    The instructions are the places to be searched.


    These are passed on to the commanding officer, who passes them on to his men, and the search area is expanded.


    "Our greatest fear is that the heroes are about to join up with us.


    The reason why the Witch King divided the heroes is probably because he knew that the ordinary soldiers were no match for the heroes who were united together.


    In addition..,


    "Another thing to be concerned about is that the existence of the map may become known to the heroes.


    Right now, the heroes'' movements are superficially restrained because they have the advantage in terms of terrain.


    If that advantage is lost, the heroes will head toward the Demon King almost unscathed. If that happens, it will be more than just our fault.


    "First of all, I want you to escort the commanders of the various units. Next, make sure that your men have information about Bluff. ...... If the brave men find out about the existence of the map and try to take it, they will only be given false information."


    We''ll have a good command of the rear.


    It''s not in my nature to cut corners in such matters, and if I don''t play an active role even a little, I''m usually looked upon with suspicion.


    When his men are satisfied, he points to the map on the table.


    "And, considering the possibility of the brave men joining the others, let''s change the position of the patrolling soldiers a little. Prepare to send instructions to the commanders of each section.


    Yes!"""""""""""""


    He gives his instructions with serious consideration, anticipating the actions of the brave men and women.


    In the process, he makes "holes" in the patrol area without being noticed by his subordinates.


    "......It looks like the rest will be fine without me, doesn''t it?


    As his men turn around and go back to their work, he unleashes a magic projectile of illusionary magic.


    The illusion is simple.


    I, who sensed something strange outside and went to see what was happening, was hit by a stray light magic bullet.


    I will not show you a clear scene of my death, but I will show you a performance that hints at it.


    I did what I had to do. I will leave the rest to you, Mr. Gillette.


    I will put my hidden bag over my shoulder, scatter swords and other objects on the ground that I know belong to me, and fake my own death by dropping blood on the ground that I have prepared beforehand.


    "Okay, let''s go to ......."


    Now no one, not even my men, will suspect my death.


    I know all the maps by heart.


    Now all I have to do is to move around the city, taking advantage of the gaps in the patrol route, and I should be able to get out of the city.


    Outside of the city, there is a dome-shaped barrier created by the Demon Lord, but until it disappears, you can hide in the hiding place that I have prepared for you.


    All that will remain is the memory that I was killed by a brave warrior, and I will be free.


    It''s just too perfect a plan.


    The only thing left to do is to make sure I don''t run into the hero.


    But that is highly unlikely.


    In this vast city, the chance that a brave man and I, advancing alone, would happen to run into each other is almost zero.


    Even if I were to be found, I am sure that all but the healing wizard would be able to handle it.


    "......"


    Not that I don''t feel guilty about running away.


    I feel a little sorry for the soldiers fighting here, but I still care more about myself than anything else.


    "I don''t think the demons have a future ......."


    The land is shrinking and the demons have no choice but to live in a dying land, and now they are surviving thanks to the demon king.


    They were defeated in the previous battle, and now a group of heroes is coming to harm the Demon Lord.


    No matter how this battle ends, the Demon Lord''s army---the Demon Tribe has no future.


    "Still, I want to be on the side of the deceiver. ...... I don''t want to be deceived anymore. ......"


    Kindness is meaningless in this dying land.


    The moment we show them such things, they will take away the bread we offered them and everything they need to survive.


    As the land becomes poorer and poorer, the hearts of the demons, including mine, will also become poorer and poorer.


    "...... Maybe that demon is a messenger to destroy us like that."


    He laughs to himself as he says these words.


    "What am I saying?


    Even if that is not a real demon, I am afraid of Usato, the healing wizard.


    I''m afraid of him because of his good-looking face, but his actions are not always the same.


    What frightens me the most is that I can''t feel any lies coming out of his mouth.


    "......, next corner on the left, right?"


    After walking straight down the narrow passage for a while, I tried to make a left turn as I remembered... and then someone jumped in from the corner.


    ......, a soldier on patrol!


    But I had been expecting to run into a soldier by accident, so I immediately put magic into my hands and cast a spell of illusion on the person who appeared.


    If you touch it even a little, you will be led to the world of illusion in an instant with this invincible magic.


    Whoever is hit by the magic is caught in the illusion...,


    "Mnh!"


    "Huh!"


    --- but he put on some kind of spirit and forced the supposedly invincible illusionary magic to fly away.


    He repelled it?


    What?¡¡Hajikitobashita?


    "Nun!"


    "Huh?"


    The next thing I know, a black fist is coming at me.


    It stops just before it hits me, and an extraordinary wind pressure hits me.


    The man who stopped the fist looked down at me as I slumped to the ground.


    "The Third Corps Commander''s ......?¡¡What the hell are you doing here?


    I could see through his silver hair, eyes that seemed to shoot out at anyone who gazed into them.


    A blackened fist stopped right under my nose.


    I know who the person in front of me is, even though they don''t look like me.


    "Oh, oh, oh... ......"


    Why, of all people, would the least likely to be right?


    It''s crazy.


    Because there are a lot of soldiers patrolling here.


    How did you pinpoint my encounter with ......?


    "No way, this sweet magic is ...... your ......!"


    What''s the sweet magic?


    You mean the soul?


    Is my soul sweet?


    I don''t understand it anymore.


    I don''t want to know anything.


    I don''t want to know anything.


    "You can find out more at ......."


    "What?"


    A healing wizard tilts his head.


    He has long hair, horns, and looks like a demon, but from his voice and face, ...... he is the only one I know who can blow away illusionary magic with his spirit.


    I see a healing wizard fidgeting with me as tears spill from his eyes.


    "I''ll tell you anything, please forgive me.


    "Yeah. ......"


    This world is too unreasonable.


    Especially to me.


    I stopped resisting, half crying.


    And I... sold my soul to the devil.

 289 - - Twenty-five seven.

    I tried to catch a soldier of the Demon Lord''s army at a corner, but for some reason, the commander of the Third Army was there.


    When I managed to break the illusion magic that had hit me at the beginning of our encounter, he gave me a look of fear and begged me for my life.


    "What the hell is going on here? ......"


    "Usato, is she the leader of the Third Army?"


    Yes, she is .......


    Leona''s gaze turns to the woman sitting on the wall.


    Twisted horns on her head, a characteristic of the demon tribe.


    Hannah, a woman with light purple hair that is pulled through one of the horns like a side-tail, notices my gaze and begins to tremble.


    "...... really?"


    "Of course it''s ......."


    You''ve been through too much trauma, haven''t you?


    Nair sees Hanna''s frightened state and speaks to her in a hushed voice.


    "Well, I think I''m the reason she''s like this, so I''m going to interrogate her.


    "Okay. ...... Bulrin, you''re on the lookout."


    He spreads his magic like a shadow from his feet and brings out Bullyn.


    She is even more frightened when Bulrin comes out from under her feet as if summoned, and Nair bends down to look down at her.


    "Hello again, my dear.


    "...... what?"


    "Oh, you don''t remember?¡¡Then, is it easier to recognize me in this form?"


    Nair transforms into a black owl and Hannah backs away in surprise.


    "Oh, the owl from that time ......?


    "Yes, I''m going to ask you some questions now, and I want you to answer them truthfully.


    Nair, who had reverted back to her demon form, began to ask questions to Hannah, who nodded her head in fright.


    "Tell me where you belong to."


    "...... I am Hannah Romiah, Commander of the Third Legion of the Demon King''s Army."


    "How did I get here?"


    "......"


    "Tell me. Or do you mind if I let the master behind you take care of it?"


    I was trying to get out of here, out of here, out of here!


    Hannah confesses as soon as Nair points at me with a wicked smile on her face.


    I''m getting more and more uncomfortable with the way she''s treating me, but I''m more .......


    "Running away ......?"


    "What do you mean?¡¡Explain it to me."


    According to her, she was trying to escape before the battle between us and the Demon Lord''s army got into full swing.


    Why would she, the leader of the Third Legion?¡¡I wondered, but the situation of the Demon Army---the Demon Tribe is worse than we thought, and she was about to give up on the Demon Tribe when she was caught by us.


    "The demon tribe is that far......"


    If he wants to escape, he should just keep on ...... or at least get the information out of him.


    Either way, if you have no intention of harming us..,


    Usato, don''t underestimate him.


    "...... hmm?"


    "I know what you''re thinking right now. I know what you''re thinking right now... that if we get the information out of you, we can let you go..."


    Nair turns her head toward Hannah.


    She tries to look away from him, but he puts his hands on her cheeks and forces her to make eye contact with him.


    "Hmmm...?


    "She''ll betray anyone to save her own skin. Even if he pretends to obey you now, he may lie to you or let your enemies know your whereabouts.


    Her eyes sparkle for a moment as she looks into Nea''s eyes up close, but after a few seconds or so, they instantly turn pale.


    "See, you just tried to cast an illusion spell on me, didn''t you?"


    "No, no. ......"


    "No, you''re not.¡¡But it''s too bad. I''m a demon, so it doesn''t work.


    "Uh-uh. ......"


    What am I being shown?


    Bad girl vs. bad girl?¡¡The one with the worse personality is going to win.


    Well, the reason why the illusion magic doesn''t work is that Nair had cast a resistance spell beforehand.


    "It''s better for you to be honest. We don''t have much time. In some cases, I have to do what you hate the most, but ...... I don''t know what I''m going to do."


    "Hi, hi. ......"


    I''m usually scared.


    I wonder what it means that I am not naturally included in the content of their dislike.


    But I thought it was too much.


    "Wait, Neah."


    "...... what?"


    Nair looks away from Hannah and back at me.


    "I don''t think fear is enough."


    "......?"


    For a moment, Nair tilts his head, not understanding what he is saying.


    "What''s that fear-monger saying?"


    "Guh."


    "You noisy little animals."


    Oh no, you can''t get all riled up here.


    Taking a small deep breath, I kneel down on the ground to make eye contact with Neah as she sits down to take her place.


    "Hannah!"


    "Hai, ......"


    "Give us honest information and we''ll let you go."


    "...... what?"


    If what she said is true, she did not want to be in this fight in the first place.


    I don''t know why, but it must be something she dislikes so much that she avoids fighting.


    I don''t want to imagine why she would want to run away from the battle with her strong magic of illusion, but if her words are true, I think we can let her go.


    "If you want to get out of here, so be it."


    "So you''re going to let me go to ......?"


    Yes. I won''t lie.


    I smile as naturally as possible and Hannah regains her composure.


    Okay, I''m not the only one who''s been called the devil all my life.


    Let''s keep on with the information.


    "The terrain here is..."


    Just then, a faint flapping of wings echoes overhead.


    He reacts instantly, turns around, and at the same time throws a healing magic bullet from his right hand.


    "There you are!


    The released healing magic bullets hit the wall with a bang and disappear as green particles.


    After that, a black feather falls from the sky.


    I knew someone is watching us.


    "Don''t think you can escape!¡¡Next time I''ll make sure I drop you. ......!¡¡...... Oh, I''m sorry. So, to continue where we left off...


    "I''ll lead the way!¡¡I''ll be right behind you!¡¡So don''t kill me after you let me go!"


    What?


    ...... Oh my God, I''ve done it.


    I nodded at Hannah, who was trying desperately to accompany me, and Nair smiled at me.


    "I''m impressed. You''ve managed to get her to cooperate with us!¡¡Yo, devil!"


    "Usato ......"


    Ferrum is pulling back and Leona is holding her forehead.


    And Hannah is clinging to my leg.


    I check my situation again, fold my arms, and close my eyes.


    "Okay, let''s go!"


    I think to myself, let''s just keep going.


    For once, I decide to let go of my thoughts.


    I was just going to keep going.


    We then followed Hannah''s frightened guide as we made our way through the city that had been reconfigured by the Demon Lord''s sorcery.


    Before we left, Ferrum suggested that we could control Hannah with Nair''s vampire power, but it seemed to be impossible.


    She has a magic called "illusion magic" that affects the mind, and the same kind of magic would not be effective on her, and she would be unable to speak or hear anything.


    This is the reason why we are leading her, and of course we encounter soldiers patrolling the area.


    "Hanna-sama!¡¡Why are you here?


    "......, I am personally searching for the brave men. You are to continue your search.


    Yes, sir!


    But that''s the commander of the Third Army.


    As expected, we were able to part ways with the soldiers we encountered ...... without raising any suspicion, but as we parted, Nair places a hand on the soldier''s shoulder.


    "Good luck to you, too.


    "What?¡¡Aah!


    Okay, bye.


    Nair waves to the soldier in a casual manner.


    As she tilts her head in puzzlement, Nair turns forward and grabs Hannah by the shoulders.


    "Did you do something suspicious?"


    "!¡¡No, I swear I didn''t. ......"


    "Oh, ......, then what''s this?"


    Nair showed me something that looked like a small piece of paper.


    When Hannah saw it, she let out a squeak.


    "This was stuck in the soldier''s armor, what on earth is this?


    "......"


    "Oh my!¡¡I see it''s a piece of cloth!¡¡It looks like it was forcibly torn off, and it says "Help me!


    "......"


    "Oh dear!¡¡And if you look closely, the hem of your dress is also torn.¡¡I don''t know why!¡¡I don''t know why! It wasn''t ripped before!


    Her face turned pale.


    Nair puts her mouth to her ear with the same smile on her face as before.


    She puts her arms around his neck to prevent him from escaping.


    "You''ll understand next time, won''t you?


    "...... yeah."


    I''m scared!


    I''m scared of Hanna-san, who called out to the soldiers for help without Leona-san and I noticing, and I''m scared of Nair, who saw through it in an instant and tried to threaten us!


    I''m honestly scared by the fact that something like a battle is going on outside of our consciousness.


    Your messenger is scary.


    "Yes, I think he''s probably scarier than I am."


    "....... Yes."


    Leona, what is the silence now?


    I follow Hannah''s directions, paying attention to her reaction as she walks next to me.


    We arrive at the most open place.


    The place is still surrounded by black walls, but there is what looks like an iron door in the center of the ground.


    The size of the door is about 3 or 4 meters. ...... It is quite large.


    "This is the entrance to the underground castle. But it will take a lot of manpower to open it..."


    Usato.


    "Yes, yes, yes."


    He inserts his finger into the large door and exerts himself.


    ...... you don''t need dark magic for this.


    "Mnh!"


    He lifts up the door and knocks it down to the ground as if to overturn it.


    Looking at the place where the door has been pulled down, we confirm that there is a staircase at the back.


    "Okay, we can go in."


    "Great. Let''s go, Leona."


    "Yeah."


    "......"


    Pushing Hannah, whose eyes are darting around, Nair and Leona go down the stairs leading to the basement.


    A short distance down the stairs, we come to an old-fashioned passage lined with stone pillars and cobblestones.


    "We''ve come to a very old-fashioned place, haven''t we?


    "......, you are in a remodeled castle. The Mad King is on the upper floor of the castle ...... and is now in the lowest level."


    Then we''ll have to go down even lower.


    If that black thing I let go earlier is watching our every move, we should stay where we are as long as possible.


    Then lead the way.


    "......, but, of course, it would look suspicious if I were walking here. ......, yes!¡¡I''ll show you around!"


    I wonder if she was thinking the same thing as I was, Nair is rushing Ms. Hanna.


    We searched for the ability of Bullein, walked through the corridors, descended the intricate staircases, and steadily proceeded underground.


    I wonder if Mr. Nagi, who is fighting against Nero Agence, is safe.


    Is Kazuki, who is fighting in the sky, safe?


    Did Senpai and Amako make it to the basement?


    Walking in a place where only the sound of our own footsteps echoes, I cannot help thinking.


    "Hannah-san!"


    What is it?


    I want you to tell me why you wanted to leave the demon army.


    "......a,anata no seidesu."


    Hmm?"


    "Nothing, sir!"


    After a moment''s pause, she whispered something in a low voice, and when I tilted my head with a smile on my face, she shook her head and made me correct her.


    I take a small deep breath and listen to her words as she slaps a healing bump into Nair, who for some reason erupts right behind Hannah.


    "The demon tribe has been over for a long time now.


    "...... over?"


    In a sense, this may be the first time we hear about the inner workings of the demon tribe.


    Ferrum was not so careless about it, so we should ask him now while we can.


    The lands of the demon king''s domain are dying. I don''t know how long it has been that way, but the land is steadily leading us to ruin as it loses its fruitfulness.


    "...... I didn''t see any signs of that until we got here."


    He says this as if to confirm it.


    Now let''s see if we can make what was once just speculation into something accurate.


    "That''s because until recently, the Demon Lord has been channeling his magic into the earth to bring about a bountiful harvest. He used his power to let us go in the last battle... ......"


    "The earth is so weak that it cannot flow with magic power. This is just as Falga-sama guessed."


    Leona nodded her head in agreement to Hannah''s faltering words.


    To let the demons escape, huh?


    I guess that''s what that last fireball was about.


    "......In fact, if the Demon Lord had not woken up,...... we might not have dreamed about it and we could have been destroyed."


    ......Hannah''s words and actions had been frightening so far, but she was a little different now that she had spoken them.


    Her face was stricken with despair, unable to even imagine what lay ahead.


    From the first time I had met her, I had the impression that she was a cunning and cowardly person, but this time that impression had changed drastically.

 290 - - Twenty-eight.

    Hannah''s words were met with a thoughtful silence, not only from me but from Leona as well.


    I could perish.


    I could not imagine how much emotion she had put into those words.


    "Do you think it was a mistake that the demon tribe has survived until today?


    I don''t think so. I just think that it would be better for them to perish than to be ...... shown any hope at all.


    What the hell has this man seen?


    He seems to be distorted somehow.


    "Before the Demon Lord''s resurrection, my hometown was in a very bad state ....... Often we couldn''t even get enough food for the day, and above all,...... we all had to cheat and kick someone to survive."


    "......"


    "But as a child I was a fool. I had such good intentions in my daily life that I didn''t need them."


    Ms. Hanna, walking in front of me, turns her head and continues to speak.


    Her tone of voice is somewhat indifferent, as if she is mentally unstable due to being cornered.


    "I gathered nuts for my only sister, and then I gave my share to a child who ...... had fallen ill, and then I found myself hit on the head from behind..." she says. ..."


    "...... Hannah?"


    I call out to her, but she doesn''t hear me.


    "When I woke up, there was no child lying there. All the food I had collected in my desperation had been taken. ....... My sister hasn''t had any food for days, and even that ......!"


    Finally, Hannah comes to her senses and looks at me.


    She held her mouth as if she regretted having told me something she didn''t want me to know.


    "Even if you have kindness, it will only be trampled on. That''s why I became a deceiver. I want to live, no matter how dirty and abusive I am. ......"


    "......"


    "......I wonder what I''m talking about. Is this some kind of penance for what I''ve done to ...... the devil?


    She laughs at herself and says nothing.


    I let go of the fact that I was being treated like a real demon, and I was made to understand that demons have their own circumstances.


    I knew this, but when I heard it, it was hard not to be troubled.


    Then I noticed that Nair was trying to talk to Ms. Hanna.


    "...... where''s your sister?"


    "She died."


    Just one word, and with that word, my heart grows even heavier.


    After that, everyone descends the newly found stairs without uttering a single word.


    The stairs are very long and lead down to a wide passageway with marble-like floors and pillars.


    We have descended the stairs several times, but the interior finally begins to look like a castle.


    "How far are we from the Demon Lord?"


    "If you go through this passageway and down the last flight of stairs, you will reach the bottom level. From this point on, it will be impossible to avoid the soldiers.


    "...... You haven''t encountered many soldiers so far, which is weird."


    Yes, I could feel the presence of soldiers, but they seemed to be few in number.


    There was no way they were concentrating their efforts on an upward search.


    The most likely place for them to be would be the lowest level where the Demon King is, and the surrounding area...!


    Please stop!


    His sense of smell, enhanced by his assimilation of Bullein, detects the enemy''s reaction.


    Is it moving straight toward us?


    Usato, what''s going on?


    A lot of people are coming this way. Among them---there is a very sweet smell, no less than Senpai''s and Kazuki''s. ......Felm, strengthen the assimilation."


    <>


    By strengthening the reflection with Bullein, I can grow beast ears on my head.


    Hannah is next to me, shouting in surprise, but I ignore her and check their reactions.


    There is no hesitation in her steps. The one in the lead is ...... probably a corps leader!"


    He knows we''re here.


    Nair hears my detection and grabs Hannah by the shoulder, who is fidgeting.


    "Can''t you avoid them?"


    "No, I can''t. It''s a one-way street, and you''ll have to go a long way around to get to any other staircase than this one!


    Then there is no other way but to fight.


    Leona, still wearing her hood, turns the sword she had been carrying hidden at her waist into a spear.


    I, too, pull back my beast ears for the time being and change my mind to be ready for a fight at any time while wearing a disguise of a demon tribe.


    As I carefully proceed down the passageway, trying to look as natural as possible, a red-haired demon woman with a group of soldiers appears from the front.


    "Hmm. For now, let''s just remove her skin. ......"


    As soon as my assimilation-enhanced hearing heard her mutterings, she pulled out her sword and before I knew it---Amira Berggred---was shooting huge flames at us that covered everything in front of us.


    "Usato!"


    "Yes!"


    Leona, who had taken off her hood, held her spear as if she was going to reave it, and shot a wave of cold air forward.


    I thrust my hands forward in time to release a healing blast wave, boosting the cold air and accelerating its momentum.


    A wall of cold air covered with flames and green particles collides with each other, and a roar echoes through the air.


    Looks like you got in pretty deep.


    "Amira Bellegred!"


    Amira steps forward, brushing off the steam, and frowns when she sees us.


    The soldiers behind me, unlike those on the ground, are not the least bit afraid of me.


    "I guess that means they are not afraid of Usato, who has terrorized the demons so many times as a demon. ......


    "Sometimes I wonder if you guys are on our side."


    It is terrible that you are seriously considering this.


    I don''t like doing the devil''s move either!


    But I agree with the word "elite.


    Now that we are so close to the Demon Lord, the soldiers guarding him should be reasonably skilled and strong.


    It''s not just Amira that''s a nuisance. ......!


    "I was confident that you would come this far, but I didn''t think you would come instead of the brave Suzune, Usato.


    "...... I didn''t want to fight you."


    Worst of all, it''s not a good match for Amira.


    I can finally fight her properly now that I''ve assimilated with Ferrum, but I still don''t like to fight her very much.


    Amira gives a wry smile at my words.


    "Really?¡¡I''ve always wanted to fight you.¡¡We both have exceptional teachers. We have a lot to talk about.


    "Well, I''m sure there are a lot of them. ......"


    Am I b*tc*ing?


    I think it''s more like nothing but complaints.


    And I think there''s only unreasonableness.


    "And the ice heroes of Mialak. We did not have a chance to see him on the battlefield, but we have heard of his heroism in burying a large baldinak.


    "......"


    "And ......"


    I look from Leona, who is silently holding her spear, to Hannah, who is hiding behind me.


    "---I didn''t expect to be captured by the enemy. Third Corps Commander."


    "What?


    I don''t know if you''re being threatened, but it''s not worth it. I don''t know if you''re being threatened, but it''s not very nice of you. ...... No, that''s not something I can say, as a former commander of the third corps.


    Seeing Hannah''s upset, Amira smiles a self-mocking smile and immediately sharpens her eyes.


    "But I wonder. According to the information above, I heard that you were extinguished by the magic of the heroes of light. ...... Why are you being held captive by them?"


    Well, that''s ......


    "The Mad King already knew what you were thinking. But if he betrayed us and led the heroes here..."


    Hannah is mumbling, as if she can''t find an excuse.


    From the flow of the conversation, she must have shown her subordinates a vision of her death and then fled.


    Seeing that she can''t even reply, Amira has a bitter look on her face for a moment before she points the tip of her sword at me.


    "---Now there is no need for words. We will bury the traitor with the brave and the healer.


    They''re coming!


    At that moment, flames burst into flame with such force that it could be mistaken for an explosion.


    ......!¡¡What a fire!


    At least, it is much stronger and hotter than the flames we have seen before!


    While I was defending myself and Hannah behind me by creating a shield made of black magic to protect myself and Hannah from the hot wind, Leona, who was standing next to me, was stabbing Amira with a spear, cloaked in cold air. .


    "This much heat!"


    "You''re a brave man of ice!"


    A high-pitched metallic sound echoed through the aisle as the sword swung up in the air and collided with the thrust.


    Amira smiles as she sees her weapon bounced away from her, and Leona''s face turns grim as they exchange sword and spear blows.


    "Interesting!!!"


    "Strong ......!"


    Leona and Amira.


    Flames and cold air collide with each other as they swing their weapons.


    As I try to cover them in the face of the gusts of hot and cold air---I don''t know whether it''s hot or cold anymore---Hannah, who was on her back in the aftermath of the battle, turns around and starts to run.


    "Yes, you can go to ...... now!"


    It was a reflex.


    She turned her back on us and tried to run away, but I reached out and grabbed her arm.


    "......!"


    "Oh, ......!"


    Her expression turns to one of despair when she sees my arm caught in hers.


    At that moment, I remembered what she had said earlier, and with a little bit of conflict, I let go of her hand.


    Turning around, she extinguishes the flames that Leona''s magic couldn''t offset with her healing magic bursting palm.


    I don''t remember becoming a demon in my heart!


    "......Why ......?


    "Thank you very much for your help so far!¡¡The rest will be fine!


    I tell her, stunned at the sight of my free hand and me.


    Without looking back, I take off my disguise and put on Ferrum''s dark magic.


    "Usato!¡¡Hannah''s running away!


    "You don''t have to chase her!¡¡Nair, assimilate!


    "....... Yeah!¡¡Okay!


    N¨¦a, transformed into an owl, dives into my body and assimilates me.


    As I confirm that her presence is within, Ferrum calls out to me from within.


    !


    "Ferrum, are you ready!"


    "Leona!¡¡I''ll cover you!"


    I head toward Amira, who is fighting with Leona, regretting the words I accidentally uttered.

 291 - - 259th episode.

    Amira, the flaming swordswoman.


    A woman with more fire and swordsmanship than Aruk, my former travel companion.


    She is currently engaged in battle with Leona, and I wield my right arm, which is wrapped in a cage, while Nair casts a resistance spell on me.


    "Leona-san!¡¡I''ll cover you!


    "Yes, we''ll fight with you!¡¡She''s strong!


    "She has to be ......!"


    Swinging her sword wide, Amira shoots flames in front of her.


    Leona shoots cold air to offset it, and at the same time, I jump out of the way and bring the fight to a physical confrontation.


    "Don''t be afraid to jump in!"


    "I can''t back down here!"


    Flames engulf Amira''s body.


    Is this the same magic armor as Nero Agence''s ......!


    But still!


    By brute force!


    You can try!


    She turns her body away from my fist, and the sword in her hand becomes searingly hot.


    What?


    As soon as I see this, I feel a tremendous chill, and I immediately hold my right hand, which is wrapped in dark magic, as if to protect my neck.


    The next moment, a bright red trajectory of a sword flash passes through the place where my neck had been just a moment ago.


    "Is this power ......?


    "You''re going to block it!¡¡Ha ha ha, you can prevent this!"


    I was cut open by the dark magic robe I had put on to protect myself and my resistance spells!¡¡If it wasn''t for the cage hand, you would have been decapitated by the neck with your arm. ......!


    The sword in Amira''s right hand is red-hot, like the color of blood.


    >


    <<>


    I know what you''re talking about!


    I don''t have time to talk to myself!


    Whoa!


    The sword swings down like a sword from the head, and as soon as it hits the floor, it melts away in a cloud of smoke.


    ---The heat she''s wearing is getting hotter, too.


    At this rate, she won''t be able to breathe properly and her throat will burn.


    "If it hits me, it will be fatal even for me. ......!¡¡Then don''t get hit in the flesh!"


    I''ve been training for this for a long time!


    He parries the slashes from his refined swordsmanship with his right arm, which is outstretched wide.


    Eight slashes --- the last one from below, and we collide in a fist bump, and Amira and I both fall back.


    "Fuu......!"


    "Hmph, I should have fought you sooner,...... but I can understand why Koga is so obsessed."


    Amira, who had taken up a stance as I did, said happily.


    <>


    <>


    >


    "You little animals, brace yourselves for later ......!"


    Is there nothing but my enemies, inside and out?


    One more like Coga and I''m dead.


    My intuition told me that Amira was also a battle junkie, which made me think so more.


    "Usato!"


    A huge block of ice was about to hit Amira, who was about to swing her sword at me, when Leona released a huge block of ice.


    But she doesn''t even look at the block of ice, and with a light swipe of her scorching-colored sword, she melts it in an instant.


    "Nair, focus on your resistance to heat!¡¡Ferrum, make a shield!"


    <>


    She runs with Leona, who has changed from a spear to a sword and comes running from behind with the Falga-sama''s armament.


    First of all, I catch the red sword with my basket hand and the flames that shoot out like waves with the shield on my left arm.


    "Prevent!¡¡Leona, please concentrate on the attack!


    "Yeah, I''m counting on you!"


    Leona slashes at Amira with her sword while I hold the sword down with all my might.


    As she does so, she creates multiple ice swords to attack me.


    "Swords!"


    How can that much cold air reach me!


    But the swords made of ice are melted by the overwhelming heat before they reach Amira.


    Inevitably, the sword is blocked from remote magic, and close combat ensues.


    You''ve got to be kidding me!


    "Gah!"


    Amira slams her sword into the ground, releasing a blast of hot air that could be mistaken for a shockwave.


    I land on the ground, blown away by it, and catch the hot air with my shield in front of Leona.


    "The hit technique ......!¡¡Healing rupture...... shield!


    I unleash a burst of magical power from the front part of the shield in the manner of a healing magic burst palm, and release a radial shockwave in front of the shield, blasting away the heat.


    He releases the shield and looks ahead to see Amira with an even bigger flame on her sword, about to swing it down.


    "One more blow ......!"


    Amira released a flame that seemed to consume the whole area in front of her.


    I look at Leona and then leap with the elasticity-imparting magic I have transferred to my legs and jump over the approaching flames.


    "I''ll get you!"


    Up!


    No, I''m on top!


    Leona, who had cut through the flames, slashed at him with her sword, which had condensed cold air into a blade.


    "The same technique as mine ......!"


    "This should be enough to defeat you!"


    As Amira caught the sword, I, who was in the air, extended black magic from my left arm and bound Amira with it.


    "d*mn!"


    Neah!


    >


    The binding spell held him in place!


    Two arms extended from behind his back are superimposed on his right arm, forcing him to unleash a reinforced healing flying bullet!


    "Dareka, heal three bullets!"


    <>


    <>


    Just as I was about to strike a blow to Amira, who was unable to move, a spear came flying toward me in midair from the side.


    "Spear!


    >


    Twisting my body in mid-air, I grab one of the spears while avoiding the oncoming ones.


    "Nnnn!"


    As I landed on the ground, bouncing off the spears that kept coming toward me, I was confronted by soldiers of the Demon King''s army, who seemed to be the elite soldiers that Amira had brought with her.


    "Healing wizard, I''ll do my best to hold them off here ......!"


    "I won''t let you do it, Amira! ......!"


    "We''re dealing with a horrible human who''s fallen into the devil''s hands. Well, that''s reason enough to risk your life."


    ...... are some incredibly strong characters.


    But they are clearly different from the other soldiers.


    Leona and I are separated.


    Behind the wall of soldiers, they are fighting, spreading cold and hot air. ......I''ve got to go join them as soon as possible. ......!


    "Let them through there."


    "We will not let you pass from here with our will and pride!"


    A group of elite troops from the demon king''s army throws spears at us.


    Bows and arrows will catch them, so spears are used to intercept them and stop their movement---no, no.


    Look closely at these spears, they are not ordinary ones, are they?


    "...... tree?"


    You got me!


    A wooden spear with a pointed tip, stuck at my feet, suddenly grows like a root on the floor and wraps itself around my body.


    Wooden system magic!


    I look ahead and see a soldier with dark green magic in his palm.


    "Keep it up!"


    Yes!


    As you are pinned down by tree roots wrapped around your legs, a female soldier, who used to love Amira as her sister, comes at you with her sword in her hand and her agile movements.


    She rips off the tree restraints that have climbed up to her upper body, lightly strikes the tip of the sword at the vital spot with her fist, and when she is knocked down, she grabs the part of the sword that is the back of her hand.


    No way!


    Nair, the restraints...


    >


    "Whoa!"


    This time, a soldier in full body armor hits me with loud footsteps.


    You try to move away, but find that the floor beneath your feet has turned to mud and you can''t move.


    "Oh, the same earth-based magic as Mr. Hyde''s. ......"


    "!¡¡Let go of me!"


    Whoa!


    The cuirass holding the female soldier becomes lighter.


    A large man in full body armor comes forward to replace the female soldier, who has removed her own hand-armor and is staring at us as if she is going to shoot us dead.


    "Can you stop this massive rock armor?


    "He''s wearing a rock ......?"


    Is this also earth magic?


    A man in rock armor is about to hit you with a full-speed body slam while running.


    The muddy ground is holding you back, but you can''t avoid him... but it doesn''t matter.


    "Hmph!"


    He puts out his arms and puts strength into his legs to stop the rock-clad man from hitting him head-on.


    "He doesn''t even back up. ......!¡¡What physical strength......!"


    "We don''t have time for a contest of strength now!"


    He lifts the man up by his arms and tries to knock him unconscious by slamming him to the ground, but is interrupted by the female soldier from earlier.


    >


    "It''s indeed tricky when they do this to you endlessly. ......!"


    The wizard who stops me in my tracks.


    And a soldier who specializes in speed and a strong, heavy waller.


    There are other soldiers supporting me, so it''s quite difficult for me to do it alone.


    While avoiding the mud under my feet, I deal with the spears that come at me one after another, and the swords wielded by the female soldiers.


    "No matter how much of a monster you are, you''re not alone!


    "......!"


    He silently replies to the provocation, following the female soldiers moving around him with his eyes.


    The wooden spears are still being thrown, so I look around while dodging them.


    "We''ve been through a rigorous training under the 2nd Legion of the Demon King''s Army, under the 2nd Legionnaire!"


    "Rigorous training!¡¡What is it exactly!


    What?¡¡Let''s see... ......


    The training method of the Demon King''s Army.


    I am interested in their training, as they have a higher physical ability than humans.


    Perhaps not expecting to be asked such a question, the agile soldier looks puzzled.


    "After being immersed in a long and drawn-out battle, I''m used to the movements of a monster like you!"


    Get them used to your moves?


    Does that mean that they are trained to hit and be hit until they can avoid being hit?


    .......


    "d*mn, I didn''t think Koga was doing the same training as me. ......!"


    <<


    Coga, you are a man to be reckoned with.


    He copied all my techniques and even created his own training method similar to Rose''s.


    I guess I''ll have to settle for him once and for all. ......!


    But first, you will be defeated before our methods...


    "But first, we have to deal with the situation at hand!¡¡Hmph!


    Before he can say so, he crushes the ground with his foot as hard as he can.


    The strength of his legs, raised by the power of his muscles, shakes the floor as a tremor.


    The shaking of the ground causes some of them to lose their balance, and they throw healing magic bullets filled with binding spells at the opportunity.


    "Everyone!


    You first!


    He moves in front of the female soldier, who continues to move in a single breath.


    She quickly changes direction and moves, but he immediately moves ahead of her using his elastic acceleration.


    "You''re lying, you''re fast..."


    Healing restraint rounds!


    What?


    The soldier''s legs stop moving due to the bullet, and she falls down.


    She gets up and touches her leg as if distraught when she realizes that her leg has stopped moving.


    "Oh, my leg is stuck. ......?¡¡Why ......?¡¡Hiccup!¡¡No, don''t..."


    Immediately, he places his hands on their shoulders and applies a binding spell to stop their entire body from moving.


    Looking away from the motionless soldiers, I see that they have not yet lost their will to fight.


    "You monster!¡¡Hehe!


    "Eat me!¡¡Huh?


    Before the sword can be brought down, he swings his fists in rapid succession, knocking the soldiers who have come at him comatose.


    He turns his attention back from the soldier, who falls to his knees with white eyes, and heads toward Leona.


    "Come at me first who wants to pass out. ......!"


    I say this as a warning, and as I try to move forward, a large demon tribe in full body armor stands in front of me.


    It is the soldier who was wearing rock armor earlier.


    "You can''t go any further!"


    The soldier swings down a spear as tall as he is.


    Instantly, I stepped out of the way with my elasticity and entered his pocket with a single breath, and by turning my magic power, I moved my elasticity to my right fist and struck his exposed torso --- activating my Healing Rengeki Fist.


    "Healing Bullet Fist!"


    "Ggh!¡¡---G-G-Gaah!"


    The next moment after the fist is thrust, a delayed impact is made by the elasticity-imparting magic and the outburst, and the man in full body armor is blown backward.


    The soldier, who glared at me strongly without losing his will to fight, throws a spear made of wood at me.


    "Don''t hate me, ......!"


    I flicked the spear with my left hand and approached the soldier---I hit him with a healing bomb with the bottom of my palm and pushed him away so that the soldier behind him would be caught in the middle of the fight.


    The next moment, the healing bombs burst, blowing away the soldiers in the vicinity.


    "......Good, the way is clear."


    The voice of Ferrum''s dismay is passed through.


    We finally arrive at Leona''s place, pushing through the space filled with green particles.


    "Are you all right?


    "Yes, ......!¡¡But it''s a tough situation. ......!"


    Thank God, she seems to be unhurt.


    I move next to her and see Amira still alive and well a short distance away.


    I cast a healing spell on Leona, keeping an eye on her.


    "She is strong. If you and I fight together, we will have an advantage, but that will wear us down too much.


    Then I''ll hold her back."


    There was no need to hesitate.


    If I had to choose between me and Leona, it would have to be her.


    No matter how I try to figure it out, Leona should be the one to go on ahead, because she is more capable than me, who is only a healing magician.


    "Leona-san, leave this to me and go on..."


    "......That kind of open mindedness is very typical of you. But, Usato,......!"


    She looked at me and gave me a small smile, then pulled my shoulders tightly and made me move backward.


    What ......!¡¡The next moment, a wall of ice was formed to block me and Leona.


    A wall made by system reinforcement!


    Leona-san!


    "Suzune and Kazuki need you. I''ll hold Amira and the others here. I''ll hold Amira and the others here.


    The ice wall completely divides the passage, and the next moment the sound of flames burning beyond the thick ice wall and the metallic clanging of steel against steel echoes through the air.


    "......!"


    "Yeah, I know."


    There''s no point in feeling sorry for yourself here.


    If Leona has taken the initiative to stop us, we just have to move forward so that her determination will not be in vain.


    "......"


    As I turn my back to the ice wall, I see a group of soldiers with their backs to the ice wall.


    Until now, they had been trying to stay out of the aftermath of Leona and Amira''s battle, but their target had changed to me.


    "Nair, Ferrum, from now on I''m only going to fight."


    <>


    "We''ll save your strength for the Demon Lord and his next opponent."


    He approaches before the soldiers in front of him can move, slamming his fist into their abdomen and cutting off their consciousness.


    Before the soldier next to him notices, he grabs his breastplate and slams him to the ground.


    He continues to hit, throw, and punch, knocking out the soldiers in front of him without using healing magic.


    "......"


    He glares at the soldiers, who are now reluctant to move, and steps forward again.


    While I am dealing with the soldiers, I hear footsteps approaching from the end of the corridor, as if they are reinforcements.


    And beyond them... I could also smell the sweet scent of magic, similar to that of Ferrum.


    Without thinking, I knew who it was.


    "It''s time to settle the score with you. Coga."


    I''m sure you''ll be waiting for me with a wry smile on your face, as you always do, won''t you?


    You''re a real pain in the ass when you''re so sure I''m going to be there.

 292 - - Twenty-sixth.

    ......Usato has gone?


    I see his presence fade away from the icy wall behind me, and I turn my attention to the formidable enemy before me.


    Amira Berggred, a warrior who wields fire.


    A demon tribe, not the leader of the Legion, but equally powerful.


    This brief battle has made me realize just how powerful she is.


    "You were right to let her go?"


    "......"


    "If I had fought with him, I would have had the advantage."


    She was silent, perhaps genuinely wondering, when Amira, who had just paid the sword with flames, said, "I''m sorry, but I don''t know.


    She is probably right.


    With Usato, the battle would be fought to an advantage, even against Amira.


    He has the ability and the healing magic to do so.


    "Because I believe in him."


    "Huh?"


    "If it''s only offensive power, I''m probably better than you. But even so, I have been given courage by the way he corrects the mistakes of one human being, me, and by the way he honestly tries to move forward.


    I remember the battle with Kalon in Mearaq.


    I was knocked unconscious by a blow from Kalon, and when I awoke, I saw Usato desperately trying to save the rampaging Kalon, who was disintegrating his own body with the power of the dragon.


    He inspired me in my broken heart and desperation.


    I longed for him.


    "It is true that he sometimes acts out of the blue. He did turn into a demon earlier and throw soldiers to the ground, but that''s only part of it.


    "...... just part of it?¡¡That''s it?"


    I felt a twitch at the corners of Amira''s mouth.


    But I will not correct him, for it is true that the devil is only part of the story, even in this short journey.


    "His actions always go far beyond what I expected. Even my friends who have been fighting with him for a long time still do."


    "Isn''t that a problem for an ally?¡¡Shouldn''t you tell them that beforehand?"


    I can think of things on the spot, you know.


    "Isn''t that more of a problem?¡¡Is that OK with you? ......"


    Outbursts of Lineage Reinforcement.


    Applied by resilience .


    Most of the techniques he uses are far from existing.


    That''s why it makes sense to let him go.


    "Even if it''s against the Demon Lord?"


    No, he will not change even if he faces the Demon King. That is the man Usato is.


    When I assured her of this, Amira let out a somewhat dismayed smile.


    "I see, you are just as troublesome as your master Rose. But even if I let you go first, don''t think you''ll be able to reach the Demon Lord straightaway, okay?"


    I suppose so.


    The fact that Amira, who was watching me and Usato separate in front of her, did not show any signs of stopping me means that there is another corps leader who is just as capable as she is ahead of us.


    That person is probably... someone who has a history with Usato.


    "Still, he will go on. All I have to do now is to defeat you here.


    "Hmph, pull it out. It''s not me that''s going down, it''s you."


    The flame armor, which had been made to wear thinly, burns strongly.


    As the sword he is holding turns a burning color, I condense cold air onto it and wrap it around me.


    A moment of silence.


    In the next instant, the flame and the cold air, and the slash that each of us has launched, collide right before our eyes.


    I brought Amira and I came face to face within a stone''s throw of each other, and I dared her to do me a favor while we were locked in a duel.


    You haven''t told me your name yet!¡¡I am Leona ......!¡¡I am the brave one who will defeat you here!


    Let''s see how long your bravado lasts!¡¡Leona!


    I emit cold air to counteract the fire that is about to engulf me, and Amira continues to turn up the heat to turn the cold air that is trying to freeze her into flame.


    "It seems that you and I have magic with opposing attributes, after all!


    "......!"


    The other side has the advantage in physical ability.


    He handles his sword without meeting her head-on, and strikes her with a sword that has gathered the maximum amount of cold air.


    "Freeze!"


    As soon as they are a few steps away from each other, he thrusts the tip of his sword into the ground and releases his magical power.


    A huge icicle appears from the ground and attacks Amira.


    "The same move over and over again!¡¡Your ice won''t work on me!


    But with a single swing of her sword, Amira melts and vaporizes the icicles in an instant.


    ---!¡¡The vapor blocks his vision!


    She sends her power into the armor of the brave, clutched in her right hand, creating eight swords around her, and charges at Amira, who is beyond the wall of vapor.


    "---!!!"


    Nine slashes with intense cold air.


    Just as he was about to unleash them, which would surely inflict a fatal wound if they hit, Amira, who was beyond the vapor, was about to unleash a sword with a red sheen as if to intercept him.


    ---I guess we were thinking the same thing!


    We can''t afford to back down!¡¡I''m going to smash it!


    Take it!


    Burn up!


    A flash.


    In the next instant, my body was hit by an impact that could have been mistaken for an explosion, and I was blown backward.


    "Ugh!


    I was blown so far that my back hit the wall that I had built to send Usato out.


    I managed to land before falling to the ground, and checked my body.


    Thank goodness, I don''t seem to be badly hurt.


    "I guess you are a swordsman like me after all. ......"


    He stands up, propping up his sword, and looks ahead.


    Amira Berggred is a swordsman who fights in a similar way to me.


    Her skill, magic, and experience in battle have made her an exceptional fighter.


    And he has the physical abilities of a demon tribe, which makes him troublesome.


    "It''s hard to play, but it''s also easy to fight ......."


    He looks ahead, where the dust and vapors have cleared, uttering contradictory words.


    Ahead of me, a nearly unharmed Amira is about to stand up.


    She is, without a doubt, the most formidable opponent.


    But even so, we must not be cowed.


    We cannot let anyone pass us by from this point forward.


    We cannot let anyone pass us by from here on out.


    After neutralizing the soldiers of the demon tribe who stood in my way, I found a spiral staircase.


    I went down the spiral staircase, which led me to the same wide passageway as before.


    I release Bulrin''s ability to detect the enemy, and find that there are many soldiers on this level, and that he is one of them.


    "The enemy is here, but I can''t see him..."


    <


    We proceed down the passageway, keeping a watchful eye on our surroundings.


    The marble walls and pillars are dotted with lights and fixtures, so it does not feel dark.


    It seems to be inconvenient in many ways, as you almost forget whether it is day or night outside when you are here.


    "It''s like that."


    >


    Ferrum responds to my mutterings.


    "No, it looks like the ruins where the Demon King and the heroes are said to have fought. ......"


    That would explain the complexity.


    It''s quite causal that they''re using the same tactics against us as they did against the heroes before us.


    The Demon King...


    The first time we encountered them was at those ruins, but they had a tremendous presence.


    But in other words, the Demon King---the Demon Tribe was still trying to fight us even though he was so worn out.


    The reason for this is nothing but the survival strategy of the demon tribe born in a dying land.


    I have been consciously trying not to think too much about it, but hearing Hannah''s story that I missed earlier made me think about it even if I don''t like it.


    "......"


    We are past the stage where the two forces can be reconciled unscathed.


    We can''t afford to be so naive.


    But if there is a choice that leads to the future of the two races, humans and demons...,


    "!"


    As I was thinking this, Nair called out to me.


    I come back to myself and reply with a wry smile.


    "No, it''s nothing.


    Nair lets out a disgusted voice as if he had guessed something.


    Ferrum is the next to speak.


    >


    "......Yeah, I had the same magical feeling you did."


    If there is a new dark magician or something here, it will only be a nuisance.


    Coga alone would be the least of our worries.


    "And they''re being so polite as to not put any enemies in our direction.


    There are no soldiers in the corridor in front of me.


    They are within the range of Bullyn''s sense of smell, but they seem to be concentrated in another part of the hierarchy, not in this corridor.


    <>


    "And stop assuming I can break this wall, will you?"


    You won''t know until you try. ......?


    I can tell from the enemy''s scent that there''s another room, but breaking down the wall to get to it isn''t a very realistic plan.


    "No, he''s going to come after me even if I smash through the wall anyway. If I''m not careful, he might go to Leona who is fighting Amira.


    "And he will threaten me with it if I try to avoid combat."


    <>


    It is bad because they know my character and use such methods.


    That''s what I call the worst kind of character.


    As I walk down the passageway, fed up with what is about to happen, I see a large door ahead of me.


    It is a door with a solemn atmosphere that is clearly different from anything you have ever seen before.


    Someone is standing in front of the door.


    "...... huh?"


    I sigh, not even needing to look closely to see who I expected to see.


    The man standing in front of the door --- just as I get close enough to get a clear view of Koga''s figure, I stop.


    "Yo, I''ve been waiting for you."


    He waves to me with the same casualness as if he had been my friend for ten years, and I drop my shoulders.


    No, I knew he was waiting for me, but part of me wished he would take me off.


    "Huh. ......"


    "That reaction hurts my feelings too, you know?¡¡A sigh of disapproval is more hurtful than a normal sigh of disapproval, right?"


    "Tsk."


    "You''re so weird, you know that?"


    Hinomoto, land of the beastmen.


    The battle against the demon king''s army.


    Encounter at the Demon Lord''s ruins.


    This guy''s a real enemy of mine.


    It was worth the wait.


    "......"


    "But I was sure. A man like you would have come all the way here."


    Coga smiling.


    I remove my hand from my forehead and look forward.


    "Hey."


    "Hmm?¡¡What the hell?"


    "Don''t act like we''re friends."


    "You''ll cry by the end, you know."


    You glare at him, but don''t say it out loud.


    That''s fine if all you want to do is talk.


    But from what I''ve experienced so far, they are not the kind of people you can just talk it out with and let it go by.


    "You didn''t wait here to talk to me."


    "Well, yes. Of course, we''re going to fight you now.


    "......"


    ...... What is it?¡¡This isn''t the usual Kohl''s.


    If he had been the same, he would have attacked us with gusto. .......


    What''s he up to?¡¡What are you up to?


    "I''m not plotting. I''m just trying to figure out what I''m going to do."


    "...... is that what happens to demons?"


    "No?¡¡No, but..."


    No, you''re not.


    If you think about it, this guy who loves fighting more than anything else can''t possibly be so auspicious as to worry about the fate of the demon tribe.


    ...... Is he really the leader of the army?


    I still don''t have an answer in my mind when I look at you. Then there''s only one thing to do next.


    "!"


    The atmosphere surrounding Coga finally changes to its usual belligerent one.


    I, too, ready my fists, ready to move at any moment.


    "I''m not sure what I''m supposed to do. I will fight you to make it clear.


    It''s not good for us.


    "We''re enemies, aren''t we?¡¡Then there''s no reason for me to accommodate you.


    As if no further words were needed, black magic seeps out from under Koga''s feet and envelops his body.


    The black magic, which covered him from his toes to the top of his head, made his body more than twice as large as before, and furthermore, transformed his figure into a deformed one.


    The dark magic of the beast.


    We have fought with him many times, but even now that he has grown up and become stronger with the help of his friends, he is not an opponent you can let down your guard against.


    Ferrum, Nair, Bulrin...... will give it our all."


    >


    >


    Black magic envelops his limbs, and the ears of a bear sprout from his head.


    From there, the reflection of the black magic power strengthens further, and jet-black fur made of black magic grows from the elbows of my arms and from my neck to my cheeks, giving my body the appearance of a beastman.


    As soon as we finish the transformation of each other''s body, I and Koga leap forward with all our might.


    "I''m going to hit you with everything I''ve got!"


    Let me have my fun!"


    Fists collide.


    The air shakes with the impact.


    I''m going to end this with Koga right here, right now!

 293 - - 261st episode.

    This is the fourth time I''ve fought Coga.


    The first was Hinomoto.


    The second time was against the Demon Lord''s army.


    The third time, well, I don''t know if you can call it a battle, was when we met at the ruins.


    Every time he saw my face, he tried to beat me in any way he could.


    To tell the truth, I thought it was depressing and troublesome.


    But still, I knew I had to settle with this guy.


    "Hey!


    "OLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!"


    Our fists collided.


    After a moment of tension, my fist, which was stronger than Koga''s, blasted Koga''s body backward with all its might.


    Koga regained his position before he hit the ground and landed on his feet, his head covered with black magic and his voice exclaiming in elation.


    "Ha, I guess you''re better than me!¡¡Even from the looks of it, you''re becoming a monster!


    Who''s a monster!


    Whoa!


    Koga, who had avoided the healing flying fist that he had fired, enlarges his entire body as if it were bloated.


    A form that imitates my elasticity ......!


    In addition, four scythes extend from his back.


    There you go!


    "You''re trying to fight me with your hands! ......!¡¡Ferrum!


    >


    Just like Koga, the black magic of dark magic extends from my back and transforms into black wings with hands.


    The sharp, blade-like wings clash with the scythe that comes at me at high speed, making a metallic sound.


    >


    <>


    Nair makes me resistant to slashes.


    If I exceed the limit, it will be destroyed, but it is enough for me now.


    He thrusts his right arm, equipped with a silver cage, forward and breathes slowly.


    "Magic spinning..."


    The magic power with the elasticity grant created is moved at a high speed.


    Move it to the legs and accelerate by stepping on them.


    Move it to the fist and add punching power.


    It is moved to the attacked part to soften the impact.


    "---"


    He follows each attack with his eyes and repels all of them with his right arm.


    He does not fall back.


    He plays, deals with, receives, and assesses his opponent''s attacks.


    "---Here."


    A large blow is delivered.


    He parries it backward, and at the same time, he steps hard with his left foot, which is caged with elasticity.


    What?


    Healing Bullet Fist!


    With a high-speed step, he strikes with a heal-busting fist.


    The same as the Healing Renga-ken, a blow that is transmitted deep into the body.


    Combined with the added power of Bulrin, it must have enough power to knock Koga''s consciousness out of his body, but what came back to his fist was a surprisingly dull sensation.


    It was as if he was hitting a hard rubber.


    Coga grabbed my right arm, with the impact impervious to the impact.


    "Ha-ha-ha!"


    "Ah!"


    "You''re awesome! I honestly admire you. I never imagined you could fight like this. ---So I''ve learned a lot from you.


    "Nair, the binding spell..."


    He even learned how to apply my elasticity ......!


    The black magic covering Koga''s body distorts and bursts unnaturally, and a jet-black sword mountain attacks me.


    A black sword mountain strikes me.


    >


    Ferrum''s quick thinking prevents him from doing so while clad in a robe of dark magic, and he slams a kick into Koga, who grabs his arm, to keep him at a distance.


    He heals the wounds on his bleeding cheek and right shoulder with healing magic, and glares at Koga, who has broken the binding spells on his body.


    "You even imitated the outburst of system reinforcement and the application of elasticity ......!"


    "Who wouldn''t want to imitate a strong man?¡¡Especially if it''s a good opponent."


    "Hah ......"


    If my outburst of system reinforcement is a shockwave that dissipates healing magic, then Koga''s outburst is a dangerous one that sends out sharp thorns along with a shockwave from the dark magic that has been stored up.


    When it comes to the elasticity, he can do it with his whole body, unlike me.


    And then...


    The dark magic that cloaks Coga transforms further.


    The expanding body has muscles flowing like a real body, sharp claws on both arms, and both legs are transformed into the legs of a beast that has achieved agility.


    The mask with its mouth gaping open and porcupine-like spines extending from its head to its back.


    Koga, who has been transformed into a monster, smiles happily as he examines his own appearance.


    "You change your appearance every time we fight. Truly."


    "This is my ''best'' form."


    How many stages of transformation does this thing go through?


    If it''s just the number of times he''s transformed, I think it''s more than most of the bosses out there.


    "...... I''d better stop thinking about it."


    >


    Nair''s voice is a little anxious in front of Coga.


    I take another breath and smile to reassure her.


    "If you can''t reason with me, I''ll beat you through force.


    >


    "I''m going to beat you to a pulp."


    <


    I can''t have them copying my moves any more.


    It is very regrettable, but it is true that our fighting styles are similar.


    Then the difference between us is..,


    "Let''s decide who has more guts: ......!"


    >


    <


    The opposing coga is also on a war footing.


    They seem to be ready to fight, too.


    I, too, am becoming more and more assimilated with Bulrin, and I sit down so that I can leap forward at any time.


    "Let''s go!¡¡Come on!


    >


    "Yes!"


    He leaps forward as fast as he can and raises his fists in the air.


    Coga, like a beast, puts all his limbs on the ground and leaps toward us.


    The two men attacked and defended each other as they moved freely in all directions through the vast corridors.


    I swing my fists with force, and Kohga unleashes his sharp claws.


    If I try to grab it and throw it, Koga blocks my attempt with an outburst of his systemic reinforcement.


    "Even in such an ostentatious form, I seem to be more powerful than you!


    That''s just because you''re crazy!


    What the hell!


    I crush the outburst with my basket hand, grab his arm, and slam Koga''s body into the stone pillar.


    Once is not enough.


    I grab his legs with my other arm, and rush toward the columns in order, destroying them with his body.


    "Ade!¡¡Ouch!¡¡That''s enough!"


    "Mnh!


    His arm is cut off and he is kicked in the side of the head.


    As if in response, Koga''s left arm triggered an outburst of systemic reinforcement, and several blades stabbed into me.


    Pain shoots through my abdomen, but I grit my teeth and endure.


    <


    "Hey, are you licking me, ......?"


    He grabs the black thorn in his gut and squeezes it.


    You look happy because it worked before, but it won''t work on me now, you bastard.


    "If you knew it was going to sting, you wouldn''t be able to resist it. ......!"


    "No, I don''t think that logic is right!¡¡No, I don''t think that logic is right!


    He grabs Koga by the chest and head-butts him in agony.


    My forehead collides with the hard mask and I feel pain, but I hold it in with my guts.


    "Is it over?¡¡Hmph!


    "Ggh!"


    I grab him by the chest with my other hand and head-butt him with my other hand.


    It does no damage, but the impact is felt and Koga staggers backward.


    He heals his forehead with a healing spell and brushes back his blood-soaked bangs.


    "Did you really think I''d be trained to get upset over something as minor as being pierced in the stomach and legs?¡¡If so, you''ve underestimated me."


    .


    <


    >


    I dare say it''s guts.


    If I know it''s going to sting, I can brace my stomach muscles, and if nothing else, I''ll still be okay compared to Rose''s blow.


    I''m not shaken up, so I''m still safe.


    "You''re one hell of a human being!"


    A giant arm swings down at me.


    I leap to the side to avoid it and strike at Koga.


    The same attack and defense as before continues, shattering stone pillars and marble floors, destroying everything in its path.


    "Huh!"


    "Yes!"


    The sword from my arm collides with the blade transformed from Koga''s left arm.


    When I finally stop moving, Koga smiles more happily.


    "I''m having fun, Usato!"


    "I''m not having fun ......!"


    "You seem pretty lively for a guy like that!"


    Shut up,......!


    He tries to force the sword in with force, but Koga immediately moves back and leaps forward to deliver a heel drop, using the outburst of the system reinforcement.


    I catch it with my cage hand, but the force of the upward strike causes a large crack to appear on the floor where I am standing.


    I think, "Right!¡¡The reason you''re here is to face the Demon Lord who lies ahead!


    If you know that, get out of the way!


    I don''t like it!


    Kicking my arm, Koga somersaults to the ground and comes at me again, using his elasticity to bounce around.


    You''re not going to get away from me no matter what. ......!


    "Ferrum ......!"


    <>


    He looks at Coga again.


    He is probably thinking of nothing but fighting.


    I can feel his spirit, and above all, I can feel his exuberance through his blows.


    <


    "......"


    .


    --He takes a few seconds to comprehend Ferrum''s words and closes his eyes for a moment.


    To go beyond this battle and get to the Demon Lord, we must defeat K?ga.


    Korga only knows how to fight.


    He has known it since the first time we fought, and he knows it now.


    That is why the only way to stop him is to fight and win.


    "Huh!"


    A thorny fist is unleashed due to the outburst of the system reinforcement.


    I sense it by the sound of the wind, and as soon as my eyes widen, I catch the fist squarely in my face.


    Several thorns pierce my palm, but I still catch it and stare straight at Koga.


    "Clench your teeth!


    Hold your teeth!


    "Hmph!


    I slam my fist into Koga''s abdomen as if I am swinging it from below, and launch it into the air.


    He then uses centrifugal force and the elasticity he has gathered in his fists to strike the ground with all his might... and charge at Koga in mid-air.


    "KOGA!¡¡I will defeat you!"


    "Ha, let''s have more fun!¡¡It would be too sad to end it like this!


    A fist swung like a hammer and a fist from Koga in mid-air strike simultaneously.


    The next moment, my body and Koga''s body hit the ceiling at the same time... and shattered it.

 294 - - 262nd episode.

    It broke through the ceiling.


    A body is swallowed by the rubble.


    Gravity inverts, pulling me from the bottom to the top.


    I do not take my eyes off of Usato, even though I am tormented by a sensation that is different from normal times.


    --- When we first fought, he was a healer with an unusually hard cage hand.


    He had the dynamic vision to follow my movements with his eyes, even though he was supposed to be a dark wizard specializing in physical skills.


    Physical ability that surpasses even the demons.


    In addition, he had a fighting style that even an idiot would never have thought of, using his own body and outbursts of magic power as weapons to "incapacitate his opponents while healing them".


    He heals and stuns the enemy he is supposed to defeat.


    He probably avoids killing his opponents.


    But do you think that''s shameful?


    Do you scoff at him as a half-wit who is not prepared to kill?


    No, no.


    Words spewed from such superficial feelings cannot put into words the abnormality of this situation.


    It''s crazy that you haven''t killed anyone yet with all your stupid power.


    At least, it hurts me to death.


    The sensation of destruction and regeneration repeated in an instant is indescribably unpleasant.


    "---!"


    A fist that even I have to defend myself against would be lethal to an average soldier.


    Your bones will shatter, your organs will rupture, and you will lose the use of your limbs in an instant.


    Unless you attack with healing magic, this thing can easily beat a man to death.


    But still, no soldier in the Demon Lord''s army has ever been killed by this thing, nor has anyone ever witnessed such a thing.


    ...... No, wait, maybe I''m the only one who is hit by this power?


    "Accelerated Healing Fist!"


    A shockwave is emitted from the elbow and the fist is accelerated.


    A fist that is out of bounds, that has taken a dangerous self-destructive act and turned it into a strategy, is aimed right at my solar plexus.


    I catch it head-on with my crossed arms.


    Impact.


    With an extraordinary force, my body is pushed upward through the wall of the ceiling behind me.


    >


    <>


    There were soldiers from another unit on the upper floor, looking up at us in stunned disbelief.


    No wonder.


    After all, we just burst through the hard floor and out we came!


    "Usato!"


    I grab the arm that''s been slammed into my gut, and I make multiple strips of my own body deploy and attack Usato.


    I would have skewered him, but an arm in the shape of a wing appeared from his back and collided with the belt.


    "Ferrum!¡¡We''ll deal with it together!"


    With our simultaneous attacks, we are both blown up in the air and crash into the wall.


    "Kehoho, ah, that monster''s power is a nuisance..."


    I lean my back against the cracked wall and think about Usato''s current appearance and his power.


    I knew that he had been able to benefit from the dark magic by assimilating Ferme, but now he seems to be expanding his ability by taking in others.


    We can be sure that there is an owl in Usato now that has been manipulating magic.


    The other one, with the ears on its head and its great strength, could be his companion, the blue grizzly.


    "Kohga!¡¡Are you all right?


    Hm?"


    I''m leaning my back against the wall when a soldier with a weapon comes running toward me.


    He is not dressed for battle, so I guess he is a civilian rather than a soldier.


    Finally, I notice some books and pieces of paper scattered on the floor of this room.


    "Oh, this is a library. I''m sorry I got you involved in the battle.


    No!¡¡I''d rather you join me...


    No, it''s not necessary. I''d rather you run. You might get us caught in the middle of it.


    "But ......!"


    I''ll take that as a thank you. Come on, get the hell out of here.


    I stand up, pushing the soldiers back, and look toward the wall where Usato was blown away.


    In front of the wall that was cracked just like mine, Usato was kneeling on the floor as if he was looking at me.


    "What the hell is ......?"


    "No, it''s nothing. Let''s continue."


    Usato stands up.


    Before he does so, he thrusts out his deformed left arm like a spear and extends and retracts it.


    "Too slow!"


    Usato evades the outstretched left arm with a leap, and then leaps again, using my left arm as a foothold.


    He turns his body away from a powerful spinning kick, which he unleashes while spinning in mid-air, and we move into a close combat.


    "Hmph!"


    "Hmph!"


    To be honest, it''s tough to pass an attack against this guy with a straight-up bullet fight.


    In any case, he has extraordinary reflexes, an abnormally strong cage hand, and a perfect defense with magic.


    From my point of view as a fighter, it is an unreasonable defense.


    Nun!


    "Ugh. ......"


    Vertical fists that evade the gap between the defenses.


    I back up three steps as it slams straight into my gut, flooding my arms and torso with magical power.


    "You''re on a roll, ......!"


    >


    "Oh, this is inevitable!"


    Take that!"


    He releases all his magic power at once and explodes.


    He unleashes a thorn forward, piercing everything in sight.


    A killing blow, but Usato catches the thorns with his black coat, which he has transformed into fur, and charges at him, destroying them.


    "You''re amazingly good at everything, aren''t you!"


    "That''s my line, ......!"


    The close quarters battle unfolds once again.


    In the midst of the endless repetition of inconclusive attacks, I grabbed Usato by the collar and slammed him against the wall with all my might.


    "Hey!¡¡Does this work?


    This is nothing compared to the pain from the Commander''s attack!


    What kind of torture are you usually subjected to?


    The cracked wall makes a creaking sound.


    I heard the sound, and with even more force, I threw Usato against the wall, and the wall was destroyed without a second thought.


    The sound of the walls being destroyed in succession and the screams of the soldiers, who were probably in another room, continue to be heard.


    "How about this ......?"


    I take a breath and look into the room, filled with the cloud of dust from the broken debris.


    ---There is no response, no sound.


    Has he fainted?


    Just as this thought crosses my mind, a silvery arm grips me soundlessly by the collar from a place where even my vision is blurred by the dust and smoke.


    "You''ve given me a lot of fun, haven''t you?


    "Hey, you can thank me, all right?"


    A demon, not Usato, appeared with blood streaming from his forehead.


    He seemed to have taken a lot of damage, but he healed all the wounds on his forehead with healing magic, and he drove his left fist, which he was clenching tightly, into my abdomen.


    I was able to defend myself in time.


    But I couldn''t hold back the impact and my body was lifted slightly into the air.


    In that instant, Usato grabbed my leg and ran to the opposite wall, swinging my body around.


    "Payback!


    "Oh, hey, don''t do that!¡¡Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!


    Just like the other times, he is swung around like a weapon... and his whole body crashes into the wall.


    The impact of the whole body slamming into the wall.


    "I know this won''t work!"


    What?


    My body was paralyzed by the impact, and the guy holding my right leg and left arm rushed toward the wall like a raging bull, destroying the wall as he went through the underground space.


    It''s just plain painful!


    OLLA!


    "Huh!"


    Finally we are in a wide open space, and at last he throws me down.


    As I''m hit on the ground, I look around me and see that I seem to have gone out into the passageway.


    "You still want to do it?"


    "Haha, yeah, of course he''s still going to do it. ......


    "Right."


    I was lying on my back, and Usato swung his fist down on me without question.


    I roll over and rush to avoid him, but he clucks his tongue and pulls his fist out from the floor.


    "Oh, you''re really relentless, aren''t you!


    Fighting you is exhausting.


    "---Ha-ha-ha, is that so?¡¡I''m having fun."


    Not many people can fight me head-to-head in the first place.


    Even the heroes of light have shown their blatant dislike in the face of my eagerness to fight.


    But not you.


    That day in Hinomoto, the first place we fought, you faced me head on, a man who knows nothing but battle.


    "A little more, huh?"


    Maybe the answer to your choice has already been given.


    What should I do now?


    The Demon Lord probably understood my feelings and entrusted me with the responsibility of guarding the door.


    You''re strong.


    "It''s not just me. I am the person I am today because of Felm and ...... my friends who I can rely on. I wouldn''t have made it this far on my own."


    When you can form a friendship with a demon tribe, you have a different perspective than other humans.


    It is a possibility for both humans and demons.


    "...... are you still going to do it?"


    Usato asks me as I stand up.


    "You and I aren''t that worn out, are we? I''m going to ask you to hang out with me a little longer.


    "......"


    Usato quietly holds up his fist.


    You are as disciplined and troublesome as ever, aren''t you?


    ...... No, it''s not like that for me either.


    He was aware of this and held up his fist, which was covered with black magic, with a smile.

 295 - - 263rd episode.

    As I said, Koga is a pain in the ass.


    His personality is one thing, but the most troublesome thing is his fighting ability itself.


    The techniques he uses and the way he fights with his body art make me feel as if I am fighting against myself.


    Also, the fact that he gets up with a smile on his face even if I hit him or not is also troublesome.


    "He keeps getting up over and over again, like a zombie!"


    I exclaimed as I broke down the wall and moved around the room at a dizzying pace, causing Koga to scowl in disappointment.


    "Even I don''t want to be told by you, who heals instantly with healing magic!


    >


    Ferm mutters softly.


    Meanwhile, Koga''s bloated arm closes in.


    He visually confirms the arm, and with his arm covered with black magic, he strikes back head-on with it.


    "Nuhn!"


    Whoa!


    The reinforced fist easily smashes the bloated arm head-on, sending Koga flying away.


    He stares at Koga as he lands, his fist covered in black magic.


    "Don''t think you can beat me with power, because my power right now is that of a hexenbiest. ......!


    >


    I mean with the power of Bullein!


    But that didn''t stop Koga from smiling.


    Is he trying to tire me out?


    No, I can assure you that it will never happen with this guy.


    Then, is he trying to prolong ...... the game and enjoy it as much as possible?


    Oh, man, that''s possible. ......!


    "Ha-ha-ha-ha!"


    "What about ......?"


    Coga suddenly bursts out laughing.


    I am also taken aback by the sudden change without warning.


    "Oh, shit, I don''t want this to end.


    "...... I--"


    "I know. You''ve got work to do.¡¡Then the next attack will be the last."


    Coga lowers himself and produces sharp claws made of dark magic on both arms.


    The muscles in his legs swell as he does so.


    I don''t know what kind of change of mind he is in, but I know that Kohga is going to attack with deadly force with ...... his next attack.


    Then I must respond with the proper resolve, or I will be the one to lose.


    "...... FERUM, for KOGA ONLY"


    >


    Please.


    My right fist grows about one size.


    No point in playing tricks.


    Then I will use my most trusted fist to strike down KOGA.


    "......"


    "......"


    Silence reigns as they stare at each other.


    We have fought many times.


    The first time, we only fought them off, and it was a draw.


    The second time, we were in the middle of a war and had no time to settle it.


    The third time, they had to fight together, and Koga himself was seriously wounded.


    I am aware of the fact that we have some kind of connection, and I understand his character well.


    That''s why I find your decision to end the fight here so puzzling,


    "I know you''re prepared to do the right thing ......!"


    As the cogger in front of me leaps forward, I intercept it.


    Our gazes cross.


    Two curved claws and a straight fist.


    "Usato!


    Koogaaaa!


    The right claw is swung at him, and he bends down to avoid it.


    The left claw is thrown out with a kenzan extended just before the left claw due to the outburst of the system reinforcement, but he sees it and---dares to plunge into it.


    "Gugu!¡¡Ooooh!"


    Ignoring the pain of the thorn piercing his side, he slams his fist into Koga''s torso with all his might.


    "Ferrum!¡¡Nair!"


    A binding spell flows from my fist, temporarily blocking Koga''s movement, and then a band of magic over his right arm unravels, locking Koga''s body to my right fist.


    I look at him puzzled, then I swing my arm as hard as I can and slam him to the ground.


    "Goha ......!"


    "It''s your own special form. ......!¡¡Take a bite!"


    You can''t be...


    "Healing Fist!"


    With Koga''s body slammed to the floor, he strikes with the technique that defeated Koga in the first place, the Healing Fist.


    This technique consumes less magic power than before and is more efficient.


    Here, now, I''m going to hit him with all my might. ......!!!


    >


    The side of my left arm where the nail still pierces through burns.


    I am not trained to be so soft that I would lose consciousness from this level of pain. ......!


    He fires a volley of blows without care.


    >


    I don''t care!


    I know better than anyone that I have to attack that hard to get past this guy!


    With each successive fist slam, a huge crack appears on the floor.


    "Ka-ha-ha-ha!"


    "Fall down!"


    He raises his fist and brings it down with all his might.


    With that attack, the web-like cracks in the floor shattered and fell down to the floor below.


    At the same time as my body and Koga''s body fall, my claws are pulled out from my side, and Koga''s restraints are removed from me.


    "......ck!"


    He manages to land on the ground, healing his side, and jumps down before he hits the debris.


    The area where the debris hit the ground is filled with white smoke, and Kohga is nowhere to be seen.


    "...... here."


    Looking around, I realize that the place where I fell is in the passageway where I was just now.


    The ceiling that Koga and I had smashed when we went to the upper floor was visible nearby, and a huge door existed just beyond it.


    "Did we defeat Koga ......?"


    I was sure that I had a good feeling about it.


    Healing my wounds completely with healing magic, I proceeded to the rubble where white smoke was spreading.


    But before I can get any closer, I see a shadow rising in the white smoke, and I stop.


    "Koga......"


    "Geez, oh, shit, I guess I can''t push them off head-on..."


    Coga, still covered in soot, makes a show of frustration.


    He still has strength left in him, just like I do, but he doesn''t want to fight anymore, does he?


    He sits down with his back resting against a stone pillar by the huge door, not caring if I let my guard down.


    You can go ahead. The Demon Lord is waiting for you ahead.


    Is there a Demon Lord ahead?


    I look toward the big door without thinking, but I don''t understand why Koga would take such a treacherous step here.


    "......What are you doing?"


    "What the hell, I''ve been planning to do this since the moment I met you here."


    What?


    What''s the point of fighting all this time?


    You can get used to the pain, but what hurts still hurts, right?


    "To be honest, I''m more interested in having a fistfight with you without thinking about it than I am about the future of the demon tribe."


    "......"


    "I can understand why you don''t like it. I''m sorry, but that''s the saga of the demon tribe I am. Give it up."


    Coga laughs at my normal disgusted face.


    Nair and Ferrum, who are inside, are pulling away.


    "Well, at the end of the day, I just want to fight with you. I''m not trying to settle anything.


    "Huh."


    "If you win against the Demon Lord, I can fight you again as an enemy. If you lose,...... well, you''re a strange creature far removed from humans, even if you''re a healer, which the Demons don''t have, so the Demon Lord will keep you alive out of curiosity. It might be hell for you then."


    "Do you think I''m going to suffer for a mere hell?"


    "I didn''t expect that response. ......"


    You have already experienced something else beyond hell right after your transfer to another world.


    Or rather, who is the wonder creature?


    "Either way, the Demon Lord is interested in you and the brave ones!"


    Even me?¡¡Why?"


    "Ask your heart."


    I did as I was told and put my hand on my own chest and asked the question.


    "Nair, Ferrum, Bulrin, do you understand?"


    <<<< and >>>>


    <>


    "You know what''s on my mind, you son of a b*tc*."


    "Does anyone really ask themselves and get an answer ......?"


    For some reason, Coga was drawn to him.


    How can I say this without being unreasonable?


    But this opened the way for me.


    "If we go through that door, we''ll meet the Demon King."


    Have Senpai and Kazuki already arrived?


    I can''t be sure until I get there, but at worst I might have to face them alone.


    In that case, I''ll have to run away as fast as I can to make up time.


    No, wait..,


    "Then I''ll use you, a traitor, as a weapon against the Demon Lord. Okay, this guy''s going to make a good shield."


    "Don''t do that. Oh, stop trying to hold my legs ......!


    "Ha-ha-ha, don''t take me seriously, I''m just kidding. It''s a ...... joke."


    "I bet you were serious, weren''t you? ......!"


    We should leave Koga, who is losing his will to fight, here, because we are in danger of having to deal with both Koga and the Demon King.


    "Let''s make up our minds. ......"


    Whatever is waiting for us, we will not know the situation until we first open the door.


    He takes a deep breath, takes one look at Koga who is sitting down, and proceeds to the door.


    "I''m looking forward to seeing what you''re going to do in front of the Demon Lord.


    "......"


    He touches the door with a frown on his face at the sound of Koga''s voice.


    At the same time, the door opens by itself with a heavy sound.


    The first thing that comes into view is a dimly lit hall.


    The interior of the hall, illuminated by candlelight, gives an eerie impression, but at the same time, it exudes an aristocratic elegance.


    At the back of the hall, there is a throne with a man sitting on it, and Ciel-san, a demoness dressed as a lady-in-waiting, by his side.


    "I didn''t expect you to be here first."


    The man looked down at me as I stepped through the door into the hall and muttered something like that.


    ---Senpai and Kazuki have not arrived yet.


    A chill runs down my spine at this fact, but I don''t take my eyes off the Demon Lord.


    The demon king, his mouth twisted into a smile at the sight of me, moves his hand with his elbow on the throne.


    With that simple action, a large long table and three chairs come flying out of nowhere and are placed in front of the throne.


    "Sit down there, and I will welcome your arrival.


    "......What are you doing?"


    Three chairs were prepared.


    It is natural to assume that they are for me, Nair, and Ferrum, not including Brullin.


    The Witch King smiled coldly at my question.


    I have been wanting to talk with you for some time now. Well, I wouldn''t mind fighting you like this. ......"


    At that moment, a number of circular magic circles appeared around the Demon Lord.


    All of them had different patterns and gave the impression of unusual power.


    "You can play with him until the heroes arrive, okay?¡¡Usato.


    "......¥Ã"


    More than forty magic spells have been used.


    If all of them have separate powers, they are far more than a threat.


    If it had been just me, I would have tried to buy time by running around, but without Senpai and Kazuki, even that might be tough.


    "......"


    He silently unassimilates Ferrum and sits on a chair.


    The other party is the Demon King.


    Don''t even think about just talking to him.


    I face the Demon King, feeling the intense pressure just by standing in front of him.

 296 - - Twenty-sixth episode.

    An unexpected meeting with the Demon King.


    Normally, I was supposed to fight him on the spot, but somehow he wanted to have a conversation with me.


    To be honest, I don''t know if it''s a trap or if he really wants to talk to me.


    Rather, I was surprised that he called my name in a normal way.


    I guess he probably heard it from the leader of the army or Ciel-san who was standing next to him, but it was just plain heartbreaking.


    "Hmmm. After all, you are not enslaving the dark wizard, are you?"


    "!!!?"


    "You are the Black Knight. It was reported that you have joined the side of the humans. ...... I see, this is interesting."


    Ferme''s face paled under the Demon King''s gaze.


    She looks at me and asks for help, but I can''t help her because I am in the same position.


    Next, the Demon Lord looks at Nair who is sitting on a chair with an irreverent look on his face.


    "And the Necromancer...... or is it a vampire?¡¡Then she must be the daughter of the eccentric couple who gave him possession of the body of the evil dragon. This is very unusual.


    Usato, help me.


    Is it only your attitude that''s irreverent?


    Nair, whose voice is weak, almost shrugs his shoulders, but then he turns his attention to Bulrin, whom the Demon King is threatening.


    "Gruaaaah!"


    "...... method!"


    Bulrin makes a cry in front of the pressure of the Demon King.


    Bulrin seems to be pressured, but he is still braver than Nair and Ferrum, probably because he has been trained by Rose.


    Finally, the Demon Lord looks at me.


    "You are the strangest of all, aren''t you?


    I am human.


    "Kuku, you say the funniest things."


    I didn''t say anything funny at all.


    I was being serious.


    But the Witch King laughs merrily and speaks to his lady-in-waiting.


    "Ciel, do you think that''s a normal human being?


    "No, that''s ......".


    Ciel glances at me.


    Just as our gazes meet, she sits up and slumps down on the spot.


    "What?


    I don''t know why, but I''m scared.


    I don''t know why, I don''t know why at all. ......!¡¡Why am I so scared of this person?


    "You''re the infamous healing wizard, aren''t you? I didn''t expect him to have the ability to imprint the wounds of the heart on others through images.


    "Images ......?"


    What are you talking about?


    I don''t know what the Mad King means.


    "You''re a wonder to me."


    The Demon Lord looks down at me, his chin resting on his folded hands.


    His gaze was not hostile, but curious about me.


    "You have a demon tribe, and a dark wizard at that. Why?"


    "Do you need ...... a reason?"


    "Yes, I need a reason. To gain power?¡¡To understand us?


    I don''t know.


    There was never any reason to bring her on board in the first place.


    I mean, I could assimilate her after she became one of us, and without Ferm''s assimilation, punching and kicking would still be my weapon of choice.¡¡I don''t think it''s easy to understand demons after understanding the extreme cases of Korga and Ferrum.


    What''s the reason?


    Oh my God, I''m not thinking this much ......?


    "Hmmm, this is the face of not thinking. Is that what some of you are like?


    "What?


    "I see, it''s called unknowing goodness."


    The Demon King, who had seen my expression, muttered this to me as he ran his hand over his chin.


    "Then, what is your perception of the demon tribe?


    "...... people who live in a harsh land."


    "I guess so. That''s what you would say."


    I suppose the answer was as expected.


    The demon king rests his back against the backrest, looking bored.


    "But the majority of people, except you, will say ''enemy''."


    Yes, of course.


    No matter how many reasons they may have, the demons are the ones who started the war.


    That fact will never go away, nor will it be forgiven.


    "Let me guess, you were summoned from a different time from the time when the previous heroes lived. Your lack of awareness in battle is proof of this.


    "......"


    "Especially as for you, I even feel sympathy for the demon tribe."


    That''s right.


    I have sympathy for the demons.


    But that doesn''t mean I''m going to stop here.


    "Once the demon tribe realized that the demon king''s territory was nearing its limits, were they left with no choice but to fight?"


    "...... I didn''t expect you to ask me such a silly question."


    Here, for the first time, the Demon King rolls his eyes in surprise.


    He sighs in exasperation and turns his eyes to me with a hint of disappointment.


    "If the demons asked humans for help, do you think the humans on this continent would allow it?"


    "......"


    "Usato, don''t ask me questions to which you yourself already know the answers."


    Yes, I already know why the demons couldn''t do it.


    But I just couldn''t help asking.


    "The reason why the demon tribe had no choice but to rely on me may be due in part to the friction caused by the conflict I once caused with the human race. But there was another reason why they could not rely on humans."


    "...... subhuman discrimination."


    "Yes. Rather than discriminating against and ostracizing subhumans, humans have enslaved them. Even in these times."


    The most prominent form of discrimination against subhumans is probably discrimination against beastmen.


    Kiriha and her friends live in secluded places in Lukvis.


    Amaco never took off his hood in Samariar, which he visited during his journey.


    Discrimination against subhumans is definitely happening in the Kingdom of Lingulu, which is just a special place.


    "It seems to be a little better now, but there are still people who kidnap and treat subhumans as slaves. There is no way that the demon tribe would trust such people and honestly ask for their help. If they were not careful, they might even be treated as slaves.


    "Still, why did you attack the Kingdom of Lingle first?¡¡There was still hope there.


    "Yes, it is true that in the Lingle Kingdom, there would be almost no discrimination against subhumans. That''s something I grasped immediately after I woke up in this era.


    Upon hearing the name "Ringle Kingdom," the Demon King shows a nostalgic look.


    If it was before the Demon King''s awakening, does that mean the Kingdom of Lingle was a few hundred years old?


    "That kingdom, even before I was sealed, was ruled by a king who took the form of a man in the shape of Noh. Even I had a hard time understanding how such a country survived in the time of war.


    "......''s,Noh......"


    "It''s a terrible thing to say ......, but it''s true."


    Ferrum and Nair''s cheeks are scrunched up, but for my part, I take comfort in the fact that the country has not changed in hundreds of years.


    That''s why I was curious about the reason why they invaded the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "Then why didn''t they just ask for help from the Lingle Kingdom?"


    "There is no way that a single country can do something about the subhuman racism that is spreading in this continent. Even if they could, the surrounding kingdoms would not allow it. No, before that, the demons don''t have the time to wait for the discrimination against subhumans in the continent to disappear.


    I knew that the demons were supposed to take the fight to the humans no matter what.


    The problem was the feud between the humans and the demons and the discrimination against subhumans on the part of the humans due to the former battles.


    "The more I look at him, the more I see that he''s not like the heroes before him."


    I am not a brave man.


    "As an otherworldly person. I thought you were similar to him, since you have a beastman with precognition magic, but ...... you seem to be fundamentally different from him."


    Of course, there is no way that I am the same as someone who lived hundreds of years ago.


    Faster than he can say these words back, the Demon Lord speaks up.


    "But you''re right. But yes, we do have something in common in that we are both abnormal.


    "Abnormal ......?"


    "I have a general understanding of what you have been doing and what you have just said to me. I understand a lot of what you''ve been doing and what you''ve just said to me.


    ......Why should the Demon King have to say so much?


    I''m aware that I''m an eccentric, but to be called an anomaly is just.......


    "It''s not too late to say that Usato is crazy. ......"


    "Anyone who hits you with healing magic is crazy, even if you don''t think about it. ......"


    "How can people who swing people around and use them as weapons be normal? ......"


    Why are we being attacked by these enemies and allies?


    Oh, have they already started attacking us?


    My cheeks twitch at the words of Ferrum, Nair, and Ciel.


    "There are some similarities, but the most important difference is the fact that ...... he has given up.


    "...... give up?"


    "Even though he was exposed to the malice of mankind, he stood by the side of mankind and tried to see the light, but what he was shown was... the ugly nature of mankind and the cruel reality of it. He who continues to be exposed to malice, but is still trapped in his mission to protect mankind, will end up ......."


    The demon king looked at me as if he had just thought of something.


    Layers and layers of magic are deployed in the Demon Lord''s hands, and they rotate.


    I see this, and I get up from my chair, revealing my alarm.


    "Don''t panic, it''s just a little entertainment. It will be quicker for you to see it in person than for me to tell you.


    "What ......!"


    "Evil dragon, and Samaritan, I''ll show you a part of the terrible journey Hisago took that led to the mess you''ve been solving."


    The Demon King throws a hand spell into the air.


    At that moment, particles of what seems to be the Demon Lord''s magic power pour into the hall, forming figures and the scenery, and coloring it.


    "Which, I will change the flow of time only within this hall.


    The Demon Lord is recreating his own memories?¡¡What a lot of work!


    The view of the hall changes drastically.


    The place where the hall is recreated with sunlight streaming in from the outside --- many people are created.


    Among them, you notice a familiar man kneeling down in front of an old man wearing an expensive robe decorated with gold.


    "---This man is ......"


    The man''s appearance was quite different from that of modern people like us.


    He was dressed in armor like you would see in a historical drama.


    However, his armor was tattered, chipped in some places, and covered with a great deal of blood.


    <<>


    The magic is so powerful that it makes you feel as if you are there.


    The summoned Hisago......, no, Mr. Hisago is stunned, unable to comprehend the situation in which he finds himself.


    This is the same situation as when we were summoned..,


    <


    ---No, no, no.


    What''s this creepy feeling?


    None of the people around him, not even the king-like figure in front of him, are looking at him.


    "That was a masterpiece!"


    As I was feeling nauseous at the strangeness of the scene before me, the Demon King sneered at the king in front of Mr. Hisago.


    "When I heard that the summoning of heroes was to take place, I sent a messenger out of curiosity, but ...... the people of this time have been completely loyal to their own desires."


    Why, you think it''s a masterpiece?


    Because Hagar''s kingdom didn''t need to summon a hero.


    ---What about...


    No, the king of Hagar''s kingdom just said he was trying to defeat the Demon King. .......


    "In fact, from my point of view at that time, the Kingdom of Hagar was so small that I didn''t even have an eye on it. I''m sure other countries of that era would have had the same perception."


    "Then why summon the brave ......!"


    "To gain strength, of course.¡¡What other purpose could there be?"


    Did you force him from another world for such a reason?


    I''m just stunned, and Nair is the only one with a bitter expression on his face.


    "This was a time when humans were fighting each other for territory, resources, and various other things. Hagar''s kingdom was not even recognized as a competitor with the other kingdoms, and could only take a small share of the spoils."


    "But I got my power when I succeeded in summoning a ''brave'' man named Hisago ......, right?"


    "Well, that''s why they were stupid enough to take notice of me."


    The demon king nodded at Nair''s words.


    I don''t know how to describe this feeling.


    I have experienced this kind of malice several times---the people surrounding Mr. Hisago now are the same as the sorcerers of Samaritan.


    They want to use and dispose of someone who is not related to them for their own purposes.


    "In other words, the reason why Hisago was summoned to this world in the first place was to be expendable so that humans would kill each other."


    Like us, Hisago is a brave man who was summoned from a completely different position.


    I could only watch him as he was thrown into such a harsh situation all by himself.

 297 - - 265th episode.

    I knew that Nero Agence was a very powerful man, but he was so out of place in this time.


    He is as powerful or more powerful than anyone in my time.


    He was born in the wrong era.


    He leaps from tree to tree, dodging incoming slashes with somersaults.


    Then a series of blades of wind.


    I see them as I fall, and I swing my right hand, which is clutching a black sword, with my arm outstretched wide.


    "Kannagi-ryu!¡¡Ootori-suru!"


    This is the same type of defense as the "Mihakuri-gatame".


    He uses his spinning motion to repel all the wind blades to the rear, and uses his inuguriri to intercept Nero.


    The black sword and the sword collide, sending sparks flying.


    The black sword and the sword collide and sparks fly.


    "Ren-chi-no hi-tsuki!"


    A thrust is released, leaving a residue of flame.


    He fires them in rapid succession, but they roll to the side and are evaded.


    ---His judgment is also extraordinary. ......!


    They clash with each other, swords clashing as they are wielded with the wind in the air.


    "I didn''t know anyone other than Rose had this much power ......!"


    "That''s our line, you know. ......!"


    He leaps into the air, pushing the sword into the air with force, then turns around and hits a kick.


    "Noon-jyaku-leg!"


    Using the momentum of the kick, he hits Nero with a spinning kick with the opposite leg, forcing him backward.


    "Not only do you like swordplay, but you also like bodybuilding ......!"


    "For me, precognition magic and this is the only way to fight!"


    If I don''t stop him here, Usato and the others won''t be able to reach the Demon Lord.


    Nero has such extraordinary strength, but Usato''s master, Rose, is of the same ilk.


    I have seen it all from his cage hand, and Rose herself is a monster born in the wrong time. A healing wizard who is even stranger than Nero, who is a pure fighter to begin with.


    "Hmph!"


    He slashes at Nero with his sword at the ready to pursue, but before he can do so, he shoots four whirlwinds at the ground, making them turn toward him.


    He cleaves them with his sword and scabbard---sheathing them with his ox-cleave and unleashing the mystical snake cut.


    A swinging slash!


    They will respond!


    Just before the direct hit, my sword is blocked by the wind-armor, but my sword slices through the wind-armor, slightly slashing Nero''s arm.


    The wind armor protects me from all attacks.


    But that is no problem if I break through it with brute force.


    ohoh?


    Ohohoh!


    He senses the gust of wind with his precognition magic and avoids it by rolling on the ground.


    He evades the blade of wind that is approaching, and attacks Nero again, leaning his body to the side to avoid it.


    "---"


    "---"


    Sword fights so fierce that they cannot even breathe.


    As they repeatedly fight in close quarters, the slashes and blades of the wind cut through the trees around them, knocking them down.


    "Wei-Tora!"


    I''ve seen that move!


    I''ve seen it!


    The sword with the wind flowing through it.


    I immediately tried to take evasive action, but before I could, Nero released a blast of wind from his palm that sent me flying backward.


    As I regain my stance in the air and immediately ready my sword... an image of a premonition of what would happen in a few seconds flashed through my mind.


    "Oh!¡¡Oh no!"


    I''m going to die!


    I see the future vision of a few seconds after my torso is cut in two, and I immediately run toward Nero, moving from the spot.


    Nero''s sword is filled to overflowing with blades of wind, and each time he swings it at you, multiple layers of blades of wind are released at once.


    "Ha, interesting!¡¡I''m going to dodge them all!"


    He slides on the ground as if slipping through a mesh to avoid the first blade, and with his hands on the ground, he pushes himself up using only his arm strength to fly up into the air to avoid the next slash coming his way.


    He slides on the ground, flying through the air, leaning his body as he runs through, and at the end of his run, he sees Nero, who is covered in even more intense magical power than before...?


    "---Strengthening of the lineage..."


    Here!


    The approaching blade of wind forced me to use my precognition magic, and I was one move too late!


    Lineage enhancement is the backdoor, so to speak.


    A well-crafted magic is unleashed before my very eyes.


    This is bad! I can''t get away from it at this distance!


    I swing my blade sideways, and it is released toward me.


    I hold my sword up, trying to dampen its power with my sword to avoid a fatal blow, when..,


    With a voice coming from within, without warning, my magical power is reduced to nothing.


    With it, a swirl of white light appears at my side.


    "What?


    >


    "Whoa, whoa!"


    The vortex leads to another view.


    I immediately jump into it, and I am instantly transported to a place a short distance away from Nero.


    Was that a transfer spell?


    If it was me who used it..,


    --- Wow, is that me in there?


    I look up at the sound of a disgusted, yet mocking voice.


    Nero is looking at me with a surprised expression on his face, and has not yet attacked me.


    "I know, I know. ......"


    He grunts when he gets the point across.


    The part of me sighs in boredom.


    <


    "That''s none of your business right now!"


    This guy .......


    That''s what he''s after, isn''t it?


    "If you switch, I don''t know what I''ll do!"


    <


    "Oh ......!"


    I can''t take any more of this ugliness.


    He stands up and grips his black sword with both hands.


    "From here on out, I''m going to get real serious."


    "....... Come."


    Nero begins to gather magic power in his sword, as if he is trying to activate a lineage enhancement.


    I can''t use the lineage enhancement.


    No, even if I could, it would require a tremendous amount of magical power and could cause me to go blind, and above all, it would be dangerous as it would interfere with parallel worlds.


    And since it has no offensive power in the first place, it is usually useless.


    "But I have made up for it with my skills ......!"


    In a time when battles were all over the place, I have defeated many a lineage-enhancer.


    It was because of the techniques I thought up and developed.


    This time is no different.


    But I must also play my trump card against Nero Agence, who is one of the best in the world, including in the past.


    "Soo ......"


    Inhaling deeply, he lowers his posture with both hands clutching his sword.


    "Inu-ran-derivative, Okugi---The fourth form, Gyokuto-Usagi" is released.


    This technique is based on a story that HISAGO once told me about a rabbit living in the moon.


    Inugurashi is a technique of running on the ground with one''s head down, but this is a technique of bouncing off the ground.


    He even holds his breath, stamps on the ground, and uses everything as a foothold.


    "---"


    "What?


    With his first step, he leaps right in front of Nero, leaving behind a sound so loud that the ground explodes.


    As Nero''s face contorts in astonishment, he swings his sword at him in passing and slashes him shallowly in the side with his wind armor.


    Nero turns and swings his sword in an amazing reaction, but I am already behind him, using the tree as a foothold --- moving in the same way with enough force to snap the trunk.


    "You can''t keep up with him, ......!¡¡Gah!"


    I kick Nero''s body from the side, and he recoils and leaps in the other direction.


    He destroys everything in his path, only gaining speed at a rate that is difficult even for me to perceive visually.


    If I didn''t have precognition magic, I might destroy myself with my own speed.


    "---!"


    He surpasses even Suzune''s speed, using Nero as a foothold from all directions and slamming him with kicks.


    But my opponent was one of the superhuman, out of the norm.


    He immediately defends himself and responds to my kick, but this technique is only a link between the two.


    Tama-usagi, kick!


    Kick!¡¡That''s all ......!"


    With a kick from the side, he jumps up vertically.


    I leap high into the sky, the moon in the sky at my back, both hands gripping my black sword with maximum force.


    "Shin ---"


    Kicking the sky and accelerating, he lunges toward the ground.


    From a series of attacks in all directions, he pours everything he has into his attack and cuts them down with a single sword.


    ---Hunt the beast!


    Strengthen the lineage!


    Nero''s sword from the ground and mine from the sky collide at the same time.


    In the next instant, a powerful shockwave and winds blow around us, blowing Nero and myself out of the sky.

 298 - - 266th episode.

    Is it an excuse to say that I underestimated the persistence of the demons ......?


    I still fight in the air against the soldiers in the sky, blurting it out in my mind.


    There are enough arrows and magic coming at me from the ground to cover my entire field of vision, and I''m trying to avoid them with all my attention.


    "...... if only we hadn''t been stuck there."


    I really could have made it to the basement earlier, but I ran into a dragon knight on the way.


    The reason is that the flying dragon that the demon lady rode was more persistent ...... than expected.


    <<>


    >


    >


    It was so hard to do ......!


    They were like a single unit of man and horse, flying with unparalleled skill and attacking with long spears, and their extraordinary shouts and high tension surprised me.


    Whenever one of them came forward, those who followed naturally rushed in with high morale, and I was quite overwhelmed.


    "I''m not ready for this ......!"


    I managed to get her down to the ground, making me feel like the bad guy in a hero show, but while I was taking my time with her, most of the soldiers who had been stationed at each location were gathering in my direction.


    I admit that I was trying to act as a diversion, but this was just too much for me to expect.


    There was no way I could go downstairs and bring the soldiers all the way to Senpai and Usato, and moreover, I would run out of my magical power against this many soldiers, no matter how many there were.


    "Shall we go somewhere where they can''t reach us?¡¡...... No, I don''t think so with that ledger. I can''t even ...... blow it away with light magic."


    Even if we do that, we won''t have enough magic power to reach the Demon King.


    "What should we do? ......"


    From the looks of this gathering of soldiers, Senpai, Usato, and Leona should have arrived safely at the basement where the Demon Lord''s castle is supposed to have sunk.


    If I don''t head that way soon, there will be no point in my coming here.


    >


    <<<>>>


    "Ah, here they come."


    Manipulating the light magic at his feet, he avoids the magic and arrows shot from the ground.


    I am starting to feel more comfortable, but I cannot afford to be caught off guard by a single attack.


    As I avoid the continuous attacks, a purple magic bullet with strong momentum and deep magic power comes flying at me.


    He takes one look at it and immediately reaches for the sword on his back.


    "Huh!"


    This is not good.


    He intuits this and cuts through the purple magic bullet with the sword he pulls out from his back.


    But at that moment, a residue of purple magic covers my vision.


    "......!?"


    --That''s the view.


    The stairs leading to the basement and the structure inside.


    In parallel with the three-dimensional map being shown in my mind, I make my way along the path as if I were actually there.


    A dimly lit place.


    A passage lined with stone pillars.


    The figure of Usato and the others running ahead of them.


    The images that covered my vision disappeared in an instant, but I myself was confused by what I was shown.


    "What the hell was that ......?"


    Is it a trap?¡¡No, but was that a path leading to the Demon Lord?


    I don''t know what''s going on, but now I know the way to the basement from the images that have covered my vision.


    "But it could be a trap. ......"


    <<>


    "This is no time to be worried!¡¡Hush!¡¡A man''s got to have guts!"


    It doesn''t matter if it''s a trap or not!


    Let''s just act at random like Usato and senpai!


    The board of light magic is manipulated to head toward the ground.


    With the approaching ground in front of him, he floats a magic bullet in his palm---and shoots out a light that annihilates it.


    "Pierce!"


    The released magic bullet makes a big hole in the ground and jumps into the ground.


    The destination is a huge space.


    He brakes, looks around, and compares his memories with what he has just seen.


    "Can you go to ......!"


    <>


    We can''t wait!¡¡I''m coming, guys!


    He heads for the ground again, creating magic power in his hands.


    They go downwards in a single bound, making a hole in the floor!


    I''m coming!


    "---What am I doing? ......"


    I muttered to myself in a daze as I stared at my hand pointing to the sky.


    At last I had escaped from the healing wizard and made it to the ground.


    All I had to do now was to wait for the Demon Lord to release the wards created by his magic, and then I could escape.


    "......"


    A brave man of light descending to the ground with the speed of a flash.


    That human, having seen the "map" I showed him as an illusion and my memories of the underground, is probably on his way to the Demon Lord.


    This is more unforgivable than fleeing before the enemy.


    If I were found out, I would be severely punished, but strangely enough, I didn''t care.


    "Hah ......"


    Sitting on the roof that I climbed up to cast a spell.


    Around me, the sound of panicked soldiers fills the air, but it is nothing to worry about now.


    I have escaped.


    I encountered Amira and tried to escape when the battle started, but a healing wizard grabbed my arm just in time.


    I thought I would be taken hostage, or worse, used as a shield by Amira''s fire magic.


    But the thing let go of my hand and finally said "thank you" to me.


    "Thank you ......?"


    I don''t understand.


    How could he thank me for being his enemy?


    Did you feel sorry for me when you heard about my situation?


    I remember how foolish I was to try to help others back then.


    I never wanted gratitude.


    I just saw in my childish mind a child in trouble, just like my sister... and I just reached out to her.


    "Oh, you mean I saved that monster. ......"


    No, no. ......!


    I helped the heroes to buy time against the Demon King.


    The more chaos on the battlefield, the better chance I have of escaping.


    There is no other purpose.


    "I''m not like that. ......!"


    The healing wizard''s words did not move me in the slightest.


    I tell myself that as I stand up.


    "......Shouldn''t we get moving?"


    We can still escape.


    Since the current threats, the heroes and the leaders of the Demon Lord''s army, are probably underground, now would be the best chance to escape.


    Fortunately, the magic from before was mixed in with the other attacks, so let''s keep moving.


    I jump down from the roof and walk with caution.


    "Hm?¡¡......!"


    There is something a few steps ahead.


    You quickly hide in the shadows and look ahead, where you see a broken wall and a flying dragon lying on its side.


    The flying dragon was writhing in pain, as if its wing was injured, and there was a familiar figure of a demon, Nono Herestea, beside it.


    "Sean, the injury is shallow ......!¡¡It''s just a little chipped wing, it will heal in no time. ......!"


    "Gyu......!"


    "Yeah, yeah, you did good. Let''s keep it together ......!"


    "......" "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I''m so unlucky."


    I can''t keep up with these girls anymore.


    I turn on my heel and try to go around by another route, and I realize that I have a different kind of frustrating feeling inside me.


    "......Oh, God!"


    Holding my head, I walk back the way I came and appear in front of Nono.


    "What?¡¡Hannah?¡¡Didn''t you get hit by a hero of light?


    "......"


    "Oh, he''s angry!¡¡Is it because I didn''t help you?


    I ignore Nono, who is still acting crazy, and touch the flying dragon''s head, which is moaning from the pain of its wings.


    The wound itself is not a problem.


    The flying dragon''s regenerative power will heal the wound completely.


    While checking the extent of the wound, I put it to sleep by pouring illusion magic into it.


    "Why ......?


    "I don''t know. I don''t know either.


    Nono looks at me in surprise as Hiryu falls asleep with a gentle sigh.


    Normally, I would have abandoned this noisy flying dragon geek.


    But I saved him.


    I really don''t know why I did it.


    "Thank you very much anyway!¡¡Hannah!"


    Thank you... those are the only words that echo deep in my heart.


    It''s not like me.


    Just a depressing, hazy feeling welling up inside me.

 299 - - Twenty-six7.

    We plunged into the underground, where the soldiers of the demonic tribe were in full force.


    We were led by Amako, an invincible enemy sensor, and surprisingly we were able to move along the path without encountering any enemies.


    The world she sees is ahead of us.


    >


    <


    Is this what I mean when I say that there is no more room for error?


    Before I can even think, Amako is saying it.


    "Amako, I''m not going to touch your ear. ......?"


    "No," Suzune says suddenly, without warning, reaching for my ear. I don''t think she was thinking. She had that look on her face."


    Amako is right, he probably wasn''t thinking.


    Because that''s where the beast ears are: ......!


    ...... joking aside, I can feel the presence of the enemy in this hierarchy fading away since a while ago.


    "Amaco, it''s obvious that the number of soldiers has decreased, right?"


    "Yes. It seems that the patrols have moved up.


    "So, you''re Kazuki. ....... I hope he''s okay."


    ...... trust him.


    There is no turning back now, and things are definitely moving now.


    Just a few moments ago there was the sound of something fighting on the lower level,...... and maybe Usato and Leona are already fighting down there?


    "Do you think that sound you heard earlier was Usato?"


    "At first I thought it was the sound of big demons fighting, but then I thought ...... it wouldn''t be strange if it was Usato."


    "I can''t be sure. ......"


    "Maybe it''s Kohga who''s fighting. Usato was fighting because he had to, but then Koga started to pick up the pace and they really went at it."


    It''s as if I was watching the scene.


    With the overwhelming advantage of the letter-delivery trip, is it easy for Amako to read Usato''s moves?


    "Kk ......"


    "I don''t know why you''re frustrated, but ......, wait."


    Amako waits for him as he makes his way down the aisle.


    He quickly puts his hand on the hilt of his sword and readies it.


    Amako looks ahead for a few seconds, concentrating on her prediction, and then looks up at you.


    "I think I can go down there ......."


    Are you sure?


    "The soldiers didn''t even look at me when they went up there, so I''m sure."


    Then let''s go down while we still can.


    We go down the stairs as fast as we can.


    "If Usato and Leona are already down there, they have either arrived at the Demon Lord''s place, or they have been stopped by Koga and Amira. ......


    "Then we should head there even faster."


    I nodded to Amaco''s words.


    Now that we have saved our strength, we should hurry ahead even if we encounter some enemies.


    If Usato has reached the Demon Lord before us, I am worried that he might be overworking himself.


    I am afraid that he may be overworking himself.


    ---And then, the situation that Mr. Hisago was in was nothing short of the worst.


    He was thrown into a land where he knew neither right nor left, and what awaited him was a training in magic that could be described as vicious.


    As a puppet who had been given the mere honor of being a brave man, he was beaten to a pulp.


    After being told verbally how to handle magic, he spent the rest of the time just being pummeled with magic.


    He was spat out, and there was no one to help him as he fell to the ground.


    What I saw was only a small part of his exposure to violence.


    But still, I understand that this is not normal.


    They have not even taught Mr. Hisago how to use magic.


    >


    I should have summoned him to another world without question, but instead I am subjected to mindless abuse.


    What did he do?


    Didn''t he come to this world because he was called to be a savior?


    And to be treated like such a good sandbag, and then just spat on and left out in the cold?


    It''s too unreasonable.


    "---What the hell, this is ......!"


    "Uh, Usato ......?"


    He looks at the Demon King with angry eyes.


    He is smiling faintly, as if he is enjoying my reaction.


    "This is not training!¡¡It''s just torture!


    ""......""


    Nair and Ferrum turned their faces away from me, as if they felt the same way I did.


    Oh, this can''t be training.


    "In the first place, the very existence of a brave man was doubtful for a soldier, wasn''t it?¡¡The one in charge is like that. Then it''s only natural that those who serve them are of the same caliber.


    Why doesn''t he fight back?


    If he had been treated that badly, he would have been angry.


    At least I was angry.


    I was so angry that I even felt like I was going to beat the shit out of him.


    In response to my question, the demon king rests his elbows on his throne.


    He is not at all dissatisfied with his current situation.


    "What about ......?"


    "I don''t think they''d even bother with it in the first place."


    After being treated like that?


    Is it because he has accepted the status quo that he doesn''t resist or complain?


    Is there no rebelliousness or even anger there?


    <>>


    "Usato, this guy is still trying to move. ......"


    "......!?"


    Then, a phantom of Mr. Hisago''s past begins to move.


    He stood up, his whole body covered in wounds from being struck by the sword and exposed to magic, gripped the blood-soaked handle, and began to swing.


    "He''s a soldier!"


    "......?"


    "In the world before I was summoned, I devoted myself to war as a soldier... and was defeated in the end, and was supposed to end up as a defeated soldier, tortured and killed by the enemy, but somehow I came to this world, summoned by a hero."


    Hisago just continues to swing his sword single-mindedly.


    We can guess roughly what time period he was in, but is our perception of him different from ours?


    "The Lord and the family to protect no longer exist. With nothing left in his body, he is trying to repay his debt to the kingdom of Hagar, which happened to save him from the brink of death.


    "...... return the favor ......"


    "You don''t understand, do you?¡¡When he told me this story, I couldn''t believe my ears either."


    The Witch King, smiling with amusement.


    He saved my life, so I return the favor.


    In a way that makes sense, but I don''t understand why he would do that in a situation like this.


    "And I''m curious."


    The Demon King twirls his finger.


    Then the surrounding scenery moves in a flurry, anchoring itself to a single scene.


    It is a swarm of jet-black monsters running to cover the ground.


    People who seem to be the knights of Hagar are attacked by the beasts, and fall down.


    "I had no intention of sending these beasts into the territory of Hagar''s kingdom, but I sent them there. To see how brave they are."


    ......!"


    "Naturally, the king of Hagar, in his panic, tried to intercept them, but a nation that is not even taken seriously by other nations is not known for its military prowess. What do you think the king did when he realized that his country would be destroyed with nothing he could do?"


    "...... send out Mr. Hisago?"


    You''re half right.


    Half ......?


    I tilt my head and the figure of Mr. Hisago appears.


    Behind him is a group of people, badly dressed in soot and dirt--no, these people are .......


    "Beast, man."


    Countless beasts, some two hundred in number, are being sent forward by the knights with shackles on their backs.


    In their hands they hold swords so lousy that they are unable to wield them with any satisfaction.


    "The Kingdom of Hagar has decided to buy time by feeding the beasts to the monsters from the slaves they have been holding."


    "---!"


    He slams his fist down on the table, suppressing his inner rage.


    The table, made of marble or something, shatters in half and falls to the floor.


    I can''t forgive the Kingdom of Hagar for using the beasts as bait without a care in the world.


    I cannot forgive the Demon King for giving them a reason to do so.


    But getting angry here and now will not change the past.


    Calm down, Usato.


    "Yeah, I know. ......"


    Mr. Ciel is sitting down.


    Feeling a little sorry, I sit down in my chair and straighten my collar.


    I am glad that Amako is not here.


    While I am calming my anger, the scenery begins to move.


    A swarm of black beasts covers the land, and the beasts with weapons are thrown out in front of them, along with Mr. Hisago.


    .


    He turns to the beasts and silently swings his sword, cutting through the iron fetters.


    Without looking back at the beasts, who watch in dismay as the fetters fall to the ground with a clatter, he causes the same light magic as Kazuki''s to appear from his palm.


    With one word, the freed beasts run away.


    The magical beast attacks them, but just before it does, a ray of light from Mr. Hisago pierces the beast.


    >


    Like a muddy stream, the monsters attack Mr. Hisago in numbers.


    However, he does not stop even when faced with such a large number of beasts, and instead, he cuts them down with the swords and magic in his hands.


    He has never had any real training in magic.


    He has never even fought a demonic beast before, yet he easily cuts them down and turns them into corpses.


    If the rays of light he shoots are cleaved off, the bodies of the demons in the line of fire will be cut in two.


    This is not Kazuki''s way of using light magic to minimize damage, but only to destroy his opponents.


    He has continued to fight with overwhelming strength, and now there is no enemy in sight, but only the corpses of the demonic beasts lying before him.


    <>>


    But still he tries to find his enemy.


    As if to say that he is not finished yet, he keeps his hand on the hilt of his sword, which is broken in half, and walks on the battlefield, covered in the blood of the beasts.


    As I wonder what makes him do this, what makes his actions seem almost obsessive, a small hand grabs his clothes.


    He turns around and there is the beastman child.


    <>


    Dirty golden hair, messily pulled out.


    We look in surprise when we see the fox-like ears and tail growing out of his head.


    "Amaco......!?"


    "How could she ......?"


    A girl of about 10 years old looks up at Ms. Hisago with lifeless eyes.


    Hisago finally regains his senses at the sound of her voice, and drops the sword in his hand to the ground, his voice muffled.


    <<>


    <>


    <>


    A girl who looks like Amako mentions that she doesn''t have a name at the words of Mr. Hisago, who sits on the ground, exhausted.


    >


    <>


    <


    It''s as if he knew what he was going to say.


    Understanding that it was not a lie and that he meant what he said, Mr. Hisago let out a loud sigh.


    >


    <<>


    He puts his hand over his eyes to hide them.


    It was a human emotion that Mr. Hisago finally showed.


    The girl was stunned to see him, not knowing what to do, when she saw the knights of the Kingdom of Hagar coming to the battlefield where they were.


    <>


    <>


    Scratching his head, he stands up and faces the girl.


    >


    >


    <<>


    "Yeah. ......"


    The girl rolls her eyes, and Mr. Hisago crosses his arms as if contemplating for a while.


    After a dozen seconds or so, he turns his attention to the girl again.


    .


    >


    So this is Nagi-san. ......?


    She looks so much like Amako that I didn''t recognize her.


    Come to think of it, we share the same bloodline, so it''s not surprising that we look alike. ......!


    >


    The child Nagi mumbles her own name over and over as if ruminating.


    Or rather, she has seen the past Nagi without her knowledge.


    "This is the encounter between Hisago and the Kannagi you know. Hisago sees in Kannagi the image of his dead daughter, and Kannagi has found his own ground now that he has a name.


    "......"


    "But in this battle, Hisago showed to many the power of a brave man. The men of Hagar, even me at the time."


    Show your ability as a brave man.


    This was not a good thing at that time, when the nations were fighting each other.


    Above all, the Kingdom of Hagar had summoned Mr. Hisago to be used in a war between humans, and there was no way they would overlook his ability to deal with a large number of magical beasts all by himself.


    "No way, Mr. Hisago is just going to be used as a tool of war..."


    "No, that''s the thing. The funny thing is, they were thrown out."


    "What about ......?¡¡Destroyed?"


    The Demon Lord bites back a sly smile, and not only I but also Nair and Ferrum look at him as if they have no idea what he means.


    "Hagar," he said, "has finally learned what kind of beings she has summoned and has become frightened.


    "...... No, I don''t understand."


    "A force worth a hundred men, that''s the kind of hero Hagar wanted. But Hesago had achieved extraordinary results, destroying not a hundred but ten thousands of magical beasts single-handedly. And the king realized that if he had his way, he could easily destroy Hagar''s kingdom.


    "That''s absurd. ......"


    "It seems that they were aware that they were oppressing the brave Hisago. Well, it was an interesting sideshow. The sight of them fearing retaliation from beings beyond their power..."


    Hisago, who was more than a hundred strong, more than a warrior, more than a warrior, and more than a million strong, was the best.


    I don''t know if he acquired that much strength by obtaining magic, or if he had always possessed that much power, but I never thought he would be feared because of his excessive strength. .......


    "That''s what I mean. The king of Hagar, who did not know him and abandoned even facing him properly, consequently gave up his own strength in the form of hissago and went down the path of destruction.


    I can''t stop thinking about it.


    If you were going to be so irresponsible, you shouldn''t have summoned the brave .......


    The two heroes you know are not the same as hisago.


    "Isn''t that ...... obvious?"


    The processes may be similar, but the surroundings are too completely different.


    "You have the groundwork of hisago''s heroic deeds, but he had none. He has no tales of heroism, no reason to be proud of himself.


    Senpai and Kazuki''s position was well established because the previous hero, Mr. Hisago, had accomplished the feat of sealing the Demon King.


    Well, if that is the case, it was after the sealing of the Demon King that Mr. Hisago was recognized as a brave man at that time, and until then, he had been .......


    "People in his time are interesting. But not in a good way for you."


    The Demon Lord, who said so again and again, looked at Hisago and Nagi with a truly amused expression on his face.

 300 - - 268th episode.

    The journey of Mr. Hisago and Mr. Nagi.


    It passes like a photographic film.


    If we were to follow their memories for a long time, a day or two would not be enough, but the Demon King manipulates the memories to show us with one hand.


    ---Perhaps several years have passed since Mr. Hisago met Ms. Nagi.


    Their daily life was not a good one, to put it mildly, as they were kicked out of the Kingdom of Hagar and set out on a journey.


    The fact that he had kicked out an army sent by the Demon Lord had led him into battle again and again.


    Many of these battles were caused by past Demon Kings or attacks by other nations who wanted his power.


    Even when he saved a city threatened by the Demon Lord''s army, the people he was supposed to have saved threw stones at him, saying "The Demon Lord''s army came because of you", and he was almost killed by the betrayal of the heartless people who were deceived by the Demon Lord''s sweet words.


    They continued their journey despite the threats from the humans who were supposed to be their allies.


    >


    At first she was shabby and sooty, but in no time at all she had grown to be almost as tall as Amako is now.


    She is now kicking a tree as if taking it out on me with a terrible look on her face, though she doesn''t really look like the same person as the current Nagi-san.


    >


    The tree she is kicking at is snapped off with just a kick, and she takes a slow, deep breath, as if she has had enough. Behind her, she looks thoughtful, staring at the two swords --- the armor of a brave warrior made by the Lord Falga.


    >


    <


    <<>


    Cursing without any sense of restraint.


    We can only be amazed at how Nagi-san has changed from his initial emotionless appearance.


    <>


    No matter how much he fought, he was thanked less often.


    Maybe it was because the world was at war all the time, or maybe people''s hearts had been broken by it.


    Either way, from my point of view, the time Mr. Nagi lived in was not a very good one.


    ......Well, that aside...,


    "...... how much are you spying on the brave?"


    "Don''t be disgusting. I''m just plugging in the memories I copied while I was fighting with him."


    "...... What?"


    Ciel, who is standing by the demon king''s side, looks surprised, so maybe she was thinking the same thing as I was.


    But I think it''s a good idea to copy the memories ...... while they are fighting.¡¡Did she use it for a mental attack or something?


    "I think he was first recognized as a brave man when he defeated the enemy of mankind, me. Until then, he had been treated as a nuisance who merely possessed great power, and was treated with all sorts of disdain."


    "...... you made it that way."


    As Nagi wrote in her memoirs, there were times when the Demon Lord was seducing people into betraying Ms. Hisago.


    It seems to me that you, the cause of this, are only shifting the responsibility.


    "Partly. But even with that, human beings are inclined to exclude those who are different from themselves. To the people in the past, Hisago must have looked like a "monster" no different from the beasts and demons.


    "...... just like Usato."


    "...... yeah."


    "You guys, don''t get all serious-faced and convincing ......!"


    What are they, the enemy?


    Nair and Ferrum nodded with mysterious expressions, and I regained my composure even though I was about to lose my temper again.


    At any rate, I now understand that the people of this world are being driven into a mental corner by the repeated wars and the threat of the Demon Lord''s army.


    It is not only the Demon King''s fault that such an era has come about.


    The Demon Lord is only one of the powerful forces of the demon tribe that appeared in that era, and there have been fierce conflicts among humans before that.


    >


    Then the phantom Mr. Nagi said to Mr. Hisago.


    He meditates for a while as if in thought.


    <>


    He smiles self-deprecatingly as he returns his drawn sword to its sheath.


    <


    Hisago stands up as he says these words.


    The Demon King looks a little bored at the sight of him.


    ---I believe in the goodness of mankind.


    To me, his words sounded like he was talking to himself.


    I can''t see it, but maybe he''s devastated.


    He is supposed to be protecting people, but the people he is protecting are blaming him.


    Past Mr. Nagi looks at Hisago in anguish, then runs up to him as he walks away, forcing a smile.


    >


    <>


    Coincidentally, our voices overlapped with hisago''s.


    Lingle Kingdom?¡¡No, no, it must have existed in this time period, but why is it now ......?


    <>


    <>


    Both Hisago and NAGI are terrible.


    No, I know you didn''t mean it in a bad way, but it makes me feel very sensitive.


    <


    Hisago-san nodded his head, as if he had some thoughts on the matter.


    The heavy atmosphere of the previous session was somehow lightened.


    ...... If the Demon Lord is cutting out this memory to show us this scene?


    But I think there is a silver lining to their disastrous journey.


    After all the hardships they''ve been through, it would be nice to have a break in the Lingle Kingdom for a while.


    >>


    Hisago receives the map from Nagi and looks at it intently.


    If the Lingle Kingdom still exists today, it means that it was never destroyed by the Demon King''s army or other kingdoms, so its safety is assured---,


    At that moment, you feel as if you''ve been hit over the head with a punch.


    Samaritan.


    That place is probably the second most familiar to me after the Kingdom of Lingle.


    A place where the ghosts of the past, sorcerers, have bound the souls of hundreds of people to the city, and where they have sought out the heroes, the human pillars of their delusion.


    You look at the demon king, hoping that he will be removed, but when you see the faint smile on his face, you are convinced of what is about to happen.


    "Usato, is this ......?"


    "Ah, the Demon King. That''s what''s coming to Samaria, isn''t it?"


    "Oh, you knew. No, if you were involved with the Samaritan''s Curse, you must have known.


    Ferrum is the only one who doesn''t seem to understand what I mean, but from my point of view and Nair''s, it''s really, really bad.


    I wish we had arrived in the Kingdom of Lingle without any problems, but the past has not allowed us to do so.


    "Then I''ll remember where we''re going from here..."


    The Demon King flips his hand and the scene forcibly changes.


    With a flicker of light, the image was projected on the screen,


    >


    --- the deafening roar heard over and over again, and the scene of the city of Samaria, filled with fear and chaos.


    Spewing a poisonous smoke over the people ruled by fear, the dragon is lightly snatching lives from the air, its huge body floating in the sky with its two large wings flapping.


    Ciel and Ferrum are stunned by the sight of this horrifying figure.


    "What is this ......?"


    "It''s an evil dragon."


    What?¡¡You mean that nuisance Nair resurrected?


    In his prime.


    A veritable monster.


    A monster that I doubt even I can compete with today. Even if it is a re-creation of a past scene, it has a tremendous presence.


    Among the people running away with the evil dragon on their backs, I spot Mr. Hisago and Ms. Nagi.


    >


    <


    Hisago, with his right hand on the sheaths of the two swords, one large and one small, at his waist, walks toward the evil dragon.


    >


    I''m not being pushy.


    They are not words of concern for Mr. Nagi.


    Nagi-san, who was speechless at the different words and actions, still raised his voice.


    <>


    <


    >


    The evil dragon takes in a large gulp of air.


    Hisago-san notices this behavior and turns his body from Nagi-san to the evil dragon.


    >


    A poisonous smoke with a sludge-like density is released.


    They are closing in to engulf Mr. Hisago and the people fleeing in the background.


    Faced with a breath with a range that could engulf the city itself, Mr. Hisago turns his palm to the front of his eyes.


    >.


    He creates a compressed ball of light in his palm and shoots it forward as if throwing it lightly.


    At the moment the ball of light touches the poisonous smoke, the poisonous smoke that was about to cover the city is sucked into the ball of light as if sucked in by a strong wind.


    He pushes the ball of light, which he has drawn into his hand, into his chest and looks at the evil dragon.


    The evil dragon notices his presence as he removes his own poison.


    With a loud flap of its wings, the evil dragon lands on the ground, crushing houses, and looks down at Mr. Hisago.


    >


    <>


    The evil dragon swings its tail at him as he returns silent.


    The tail is swung with incomparably greater force than mine, and it approaches Mr. Hisago, sending a shockwave that destroys several buildings.


    A small sword is drawn from his waist.


    The sword is held in the opposite hand and strikes the tail with it.


    Just like that, the tail of the evil dragon stops as if there was no impact.


    A ball of light is produced from the small sword that catches the tail, and when the ball is sucked back into the small sword, it turns the blade into a golden color.


    Without hesitation, he thrusts the golden sword into his abdomen.


    >.


    Golden light streams into Mr. Hisago.


    With it, he runs toward the evil dragon.


    With his first step, he shatters the ground and dives into the Evil Dragon''s bosom with moves that transcend the human.


    Absorbing the poisonous smoke that the dragon spits out to intercept him with a ball of light, he swings his big fist into the dragon.


    A mere fist.


    However, it is enough to send the dragon''s huge body soaring.


    <


    Looking up at the evil dragon soaring into the sky with a scream, Mr. Hisago generates two spheres of light from his own body.


    He pulls out his other sword and draws the two spheres into it. The blade of the sword turns a poisonous purple color and is enveloped in a strong wind.


    >


    The sword held in the upper position is swung down and a purple shockwave is released into the sky.


    The purple shockwave pierces through one of the wings of the evil dragon as it tries to regain its posture in the air, and --- in an instant, it flies away into the sky.


    The dragon loses its wing and falls.


    Before it can do so, Mr. Hisago pushes a newly produced sphere of light against himself, then leaps to the same height as the falling dragon.


    <>


    As he flies through the air with ease, the evil dragon, which has managed to get itself into position with its perforated wings, opens its big mouth and tries to swallow Mr. Hisago.


    <>


    An evil dragon tries to bite and crush itself.


    Not seeming the least bit perturbed, he slams his back fist into the Evil Dragon''s jaw as if he were swatting away a fly.


    >


    Fangs shattering and flying off.


    As the dragon grunts, he generates countless balls of light from his body.


    They circle around Mr. Hisago like satellites, and some of the hundreds or thousands of them fly out into the air around him..,


    <>


    When the sphere pops at his words, spears shot out with tremendous force emerge from the void and rush toward the evil dragon.


    The spears, imbued with the magic power of light magic, penetrate the scales of the extremely solid Evil Dragon and tear through its flesh.


    >


    As he continues to fire his spear from the ball of light, he draws another sphere toward him.


    It is the same shape and color as the sphere circling around him, but..,


    <>


    The sphere bursts open and releases a flame that covers the sky.


    The explosive flames blow the body of the evil dragon further away, and it falls to the outskirts of the city.


    He looks down at the Evil Dragon, which falls to the ground screaming, but this time he looks down at it from the opposite direction, and his expression is somewhat mixed with surprise.


    As the dragon slams to the ground with a roar, he shifts his gaze to the cityscape of Samariatar below.


    His expression shows no emotion.


    It just gives the impression that he has somewhat given up, that he has been stripped of his emotions.


    He says these words and laughs mockingly.


    He mutters to himself and looks at the evil dragon that has fallen to the ground.


    He continues to speak to the evil dragon, who looks at Mr. Hisago with hatred from the ground.


    <


    <<< Ki, geezamaa, geezamaa! >>


    <>


    He directs some of the orbs circling around him toward the evil dragon.


    After saying these words, he descends toward the evil dragon.


    The next moment, there was a roar and the dragon''s yell echoed through the air.

 301 - - Twenty-six9th episode.

    Beyond the memories that were once shown to me in Samaria.


    We were left speechless by the extraordinary power of Hisago the Brave''s predecessor.


    "---Hisago did not even recognize the evil dragon as a threat to him.


    "How wide a range of things could he seal?"


    "You know. Even I could be sealed up. There''s no end to it, is there?


    The words of the demon king did not seem to be taken seriously, but I understood that he could only say that.


    He seemed to be even more of a monster than the evil dragon, as he launched his spear out of nowhere, created flames, and used even the evil dragon''s own power as his own to fight.


    "But then, why was the evil dragon sealed?"


    "......Yes, I guess so."


    Nair nodded at my muttering.


    It seems that the evil dragon is overwhelmed by the power of Mr. Hisago from beginning to end.


    The battle I know of between the previous heroes and the evil dragon ended with Mr. Hisago jumping into the dragon''s mouth and thrusting his small sword, the armor of the heroes, into its heart to seal its soul.


    But the scene we are now being shown is..,


    >


    One of its eyes was crushed, one of its wings was torn off, and it fell to the ground, leaving a pitiful sight.


    Hisago, who sheathed his sword as he landed on the ground, looked down at the dazed Evil Dragon and put his hand on his chin.


    <>.


    He pulls out his small sword as if holding it backwards, forcing the Evil Dragon''s mouth open and stepping into it.


    As he disappears into the body of the dragon, we are about to see his next move when we hear a kind of noise that signifies a change in the scene.


    "The Demon King?"


    "You''ll find out later. There are things to see first."


    ---Ah, so that''s how it is.


    You want to show us how lukewarm even hell is from here on out.


    I gnash my teeth at the Demon Lord''s viciousness, and meekly turn my attention to the next scene.


    There, you see Mr. Hisago and Ms. Nagi surrounded by many people.


    From what I remember so far, I thought that they were being blamed and stoned by many people, but this time it was completely different.


    >


    <>


    It was pure gratitude.


    The streets of Samaria were badly damaged by the evil dragon''s attack, but the people living there were safe.


    The people whose lives were saved by Mr. Hisago and Ms. Nagi sent their heartfelt thanks to them, and the two people who were sent their thanks had a look of not knowing how to react to the different situation.


    <>


    <


    Hisago replies awkwardly to Nagi''s slightly happy words.


    Ferrum looks back at them with a slightly cheerful expression on his face.


    "This is what you call a rewarding ......, isn''t it?¡¡Usato."


    "......"


    "Hey, say something. Why do you look so serious?


    Ferrum tilts his head at me and N¨¦a, whose expressions are still hard, but knowing what''s to come, even this "rewarding scene" looks painful.


    Hisago and Nagi stay in the city for a while to help rebuild the city and treat the injured.


    >


    Nagi-san was carrying away rubble and timber with unimaginable strength, while Hisago-san was treating people who had been injured by the evil dragon.


    >


    <


    Mr. Hisago showed a ball of light he had taken out of his palm to a boy with bandages on his head and arms.


    Perhaps he was sharing his life energy, which he had taken from his enemies during the battle in the form of a seal, with the boy who was in a weakened state.


    The boy''s face regains its color as it is illuminated by the light.


    >


    <<< Oh. But your body is still tired, you should rest a little longer.


    <<>


    The boy nodded with a smile, and Hisago-san smiled kindly and reached out his hand to the boy''s head---although he seemed to hesitate for a moment, he slowly stroked the boy''s head.


    he said.


    <>


    <


    Hearing the boy''s voice, "Bye-bye, bye-bye," Mr. Hisago is on his way to the next injured person.


    One after another, he reaches out to those who are suffering from the poison of the evil dragon.


    ...... Can he be the "brave man" he thought he was, at least for this one moment?


    I hope so.


    As I sincerely hope so, he suddenly stops and looks up at the sky.


    The buildings he sees make him realize that the situation is getting closer and closer.


    A structure that takes precedence over all others.


    The tower, which is being assembled at an exceptional speed by the magic of the earth system, is the tower that in our time was called "the symbol of hope in Samaria".


    "At this point, I suppose there was still hope for the human race. Or perhaps he would have had a better life if he had just headed for the Kingdom of Lingle instead of dealing with the evil dragon in the first place.


    "......"


    "Usato. You know where this is going, don''t you?"


    The Demon King asks me this question as I know what is going to happen next.


    His smile deepens, as if he takes my silence as an affirmation, and he continues to speak to me with a deepened interest.


    What did you think when you learned the truth?¡¡What feelings did you have toward human beings?


    "...... anger, sir."


    Yes. That''s right."


    Satisfied with my answer, the demon king quickens the scene.


    After a moment of flicker, the scene changes from the plaza where the injured are housed to what appears to be the hall of the castle.


    Not much time has passed since the previous scene, but the scenery outside the window is shrouded in darkness, and the sky is enveloped in clouds that hide the moonlight.


    >


    >


    Hisago is bound tightly by chains extending from the magic circle.


    The king of Samaritan, who is spitting out words as if he has lost his mind, and the sorcerer who was alive when he was still alive, standing next to him.


    Ferrum shakes my shoulder, bewildered by the situation, which seems so out of the ordinary.


    What?¡¡What do you mean!¡¡Why is that beard tying up the man who is supposed to be my benefactor?


    "Too much power can deceive people. King Samaritan, who had seen Mr. Hisago fight the evil dragon, was fascinated ...... by the battle, or rather, by the power."


    The magic has already been activated, and dozens and hundreds of chains, familiar to me and Nair, are wrapped around Mr. Hisago''s body.


    >


    <>


    As Mr. Hisago gazed with cold eyes at the king of Samaritan, who was speaking with undiminished excitement, he tried to break the chains that bound him with his arms, but then he noticed something.


    >


    <<


    Before the king can utter a word, Mr. Hisago draws the sword at his waist and destroys all restraints with a single stroke.


    Without even seeing the expressions of astonishment and despair on the king''s and the sorcerer''s faces, he jumps out of the castle window and heads off.


    His face is replaced by a look of impatience and fear unlike any he has ever seen before.


    Before he knows it, it starts to rain, and he is drenched by the rain, but when he arrives at his destination, what he sees is...,


    They were all wounded people who had died as if in their sleep.


    Injured by the attack of the evil dragons gathered in the plaza, they were unable to move due to the poison they had inhaled.


    The lives that Mr. Hisago had healed and saved had been taken away for reasons too selfish to be explained.


    FERUM. The king of Samaritan and the sorcerer took certain measures to bind Hisago to the land."


    "What the hell, that''s ......."


    "The wounded who had been damaged by the evil dragon and were unable to move were sacrificed as magical sacrifices and made into a force of nature. As you can see ......, the formula was easily broken and all that was left was a soul-drained, lifeless corpse. ......"


    Nair explains to a stunned Ferrum.


    The Samaritans present, except for Mr. Hisago, could do nothing but cling to the corpses of their family members and friends and break down in tears.


    Mr. Hisago himself sat down in front of the corpse of one of them, holding the body of a person who had probably been alive just a few minutes before.


    The corpse was the boy whom Mr. Hisago had healed with his magic.


    <>


    Mr. Nagi rushes to his friend, who is sitting down with the motionless child in his arms, without saying a word.


    She is rendered speechless by the scene before her, and he tells her in a muffled voice how it all came to this point.


    Mr. Nagi, who has learned that people who were supposed to be cured have died senseless deaths, looks back with a look of anger on his face as he draws his sword.


    Ahead of him lies the castle of Samaritan.


    <>


    He''s going to kill the king and the sorcerer.


    I can tell just by the look of anger on his face that he''s going to do it.


    <>


    At the sound of hisago''s flat voice, nagi-san involuntarily turned around and stopped moving as if he were in a bind.


    As he slowly laid the corpse on the ground and stood up, his eyes and expression were as if they had been drained of any emotion.


    >.


    <>


    <<


    Nagi-san forgets his anger and walks up to him, distraught.


    >


    After seeing the people he was supposed to have saved, he turns away and begins to walk away.


    There is no sadness in his eyes.


    There was only a helpless "resignation.


    <<


    <>


    <<


    It seemed like a declaration of war to the Demon King at the time.


    The life he had saved had been lost because of the heartless king and the sorcerer, and the last bit of something that had held his heart together had been torn to shreds.


    There is no one to hold him together now.


    <


    The city of Samaritan is in a state of sadness.


    Hisago and Nagi are making their way through the pouring rain.


    I tried not to look away from the painful sight of them.


    "From this point on, my memory is only fragmentary, with a few exceptions."


    "......Why?"


    Because he wouldn''t show it to me. If he had just been fighting our troops, that would have been enough, but he obviously went to places other than where our troops were... and he was doing something (...)"


    Something ......?


    Does this mean that even the Demon King doesn''t know what he''s ......?


    "But it was this event that finally motivated him to fight me.


    The fragmented record is reflected in the landscape.


    A wizard of light single-handedly reaves and overwhelms the army of the Demon King.


    His backside is so heroic that he is called a "hero," but his battle is that of a demigod.


    But in the midst of it all, he had let the beasts escape from the battlefield, where they had been treated badly.


    After the battle, he moved them to a forest far away from human habitation and taught them human culture and education.


    Among them is a girl who looks exactly like Nagi.


    But she is not as strong as Nagi, but more calm.


    "She led the beastmen to cross swords with us. When most of our forces were decimated by the power of a single hisago, he set foot in our castle."


    The demon king looks nostalgic, as if he is remembering those days.


    This was the castle for the Demon King hundreds of years ago.


    If not here, then perhaps... those ruins.


    "To settle the score with me."


    The next one will probably be the last.


    I have to see what kind of choices and what kind of paths the person called Hisago chose, on behalf of Senpai and Kazuki, who are not here now.

 302 - - 270th.

    The former residence of the Demon King.


    Nagi-san, who had cut down the demon soldiers with his sword in the castle, which is now sunken underground and is now called the ruins, called out to Hisago-san.


    In front of his eyes, there were also a number of demon soldiers and a golem that looked just like the golem that absorbs light magic we fought, lying in pieces, but I did not see any injuries on Hisago''s body.


    He looks at the sword in his right hand as he gives a short reply.


    It is the armor of a brave warrior, based on the wings of Lord Farga, and is a different sword from the small one that was thrust into the heart of the evil dragon.


    As Hisago gazes at it without emotion, Nagi speaks to him.


    <


    >


    <>


    At her question, Mr. Hisago looks forward with a blank expression on his face.


    <


    >


    Nagi-san scratched her cheeks in embarrassment as she tilted her head at him, as if trying to squeeze some words out of him.


    When he heard Nagi''s words, his expression turned grim as if he was tormented by guilt.


    Still, he unclenches his fist and pulls out a ball of light from his palm.


    >


    He smiles at himself mockingly and continues to speak, staring at his palm.


    >


    A ball of light was thrown and out of the void was an elaborately crafted sarcophagus.


    Mr. Nagi looked at it as if it had been there for a long time, and his expression of incomprehension appeared on his face.


    <


    <


    The next moment, Nagi''s chest was pierced by the sword that Hisago had thrust out.


    >


    I didn''t physically hurt him.


    The blade was enveloped in light and sank into her chest without penetrating her back.


    I have seen this light many times, the light of the seal of the strengthening of the lineage.


    .


    Nagi''s body is enveloped in light.


    Her eyes gradually close as well.


    Hisago takes her body in his arms, which is now as hard as stone, and places her in the sarcophagus.


    Having completely sealed the sarcophagus with a lid made of stone, he picks up the soldier''s sword that has fallen at his feet.


    He continues on his way to the end of the dark corridor, his figure remaining forever alone.


    "I did not see this memory, but I see what you mean.


    The demon king let out an exhale of admiration as he fiddled with his magic.


    "Well, I guess I''m not wrong."


    The Demon King said such words to us who were at a loss for words because we could not understand the situation due to the sudden action of Mr. Hisago.


    "Are you sure what you just said was not wrong?"


    "Kannagi is a strong man, but he cannot follow Hisago''s full strength in battle. He would have been slowed down in his fight with me, no doubt... and thus, there is no way that hissago can live a peaceful life after the battle."


    "......Why?"


    "On the contrary, do you think that a man of his strength and ambition would leave a man like him alone?"


    "......"


    The image of the king of Samaria and the sorcerer who had been seduced by the power of the heroes flashed through my mind.


    They became like that because they saw the power of the brave man who was too strong for Mr. Hisago.


    Mr. Hisago is not at all to blame, but it does not mean that there are not others like them.


    "Power beyond comprehension can make a person''s mind go mad. He must have known that very well. In fact, I heard that after he sealed me away, he disappeared without ever coming out into the open."


    ...... but why did Mr. Hisago seal Ms. Nagi?


    The next time she wakes up will be a few hundred years from now --- in our time.


    When I try to ask about it, the view in front of me changes.


    It was a scene of Mr. Hisago facing the Demon King of the past.


    <


    Mr. Hisago glares sharply at the Demon King, who is sitting on his throne as he is now.


    The Demon Lord looks at the sword in his hand and furrows his brow in displeasure.


    >


    The Demon King gives a dubious look to Mr. Hisago as he assures him.


    >


    <


    The Demon King and the hero return each other''s swearing.


    However, their exchange reminded me of a familiar relationship.


    Perhaps they had engaged in battle many times before, except as I recall.


    <>


    <<< Now''s the time. Once the fighting starts, there will be nothing more to do with each other.


    >


    Hisago sighs in resignation and thrusts his sword at the mess.


    He crosses his arms, and the Demon King starts talking to him.


    >


    <>


    He did not raise an eyebrow when he heard of the downfall of Hagar''s kingdom, which had summoned him.


    <


    <>


    <>


    At the Demon King''s question, Mr. Hisago falls silent for a while.


    After a moment of silence, he slowly opened his mouth.


    Hisago''s words made the Demon King look doubtful.


    He believes in the potential of human beings, but is he out of love for them?


    I don''t understand what he is talking about.


    <>


    <


    The world he used to live in.


    Perhaps it was a time when war was close at hand.


    It must have been a fierce place compared to the time we lived in.


    <<>


    The Demon King of the past presses his mouth to hold back a smile.


    As if to mock hisago''s resolve, he opens his mouth with his shoulders shaking.


    <>


    <


    ...... Maybe you sealed only the soul of the evil dragon and did not destroy its body in order to test people living in the future?


    To see if people living in that time period could stand hand in hand against the threat of the evil dragon......?


    No, is there such a crazy story?


    >


    <


    <<<< You really are a man who lives in a way that makes no sense. You''re so determined to avoid conflict. It would be better if we just cut off the humans. ......>>


    The demon king looks fed up.


    Then he smiled maliciously, as if he remembered something, and took something out with his magic.


    >


    With these words, he pulled out a golden paper-like object.


    It looked like a scroll, but what was it?


    <


    "Huh?"


    The Scroll to Return to the World?


    The Kingdom of Hagar even prepared such a thing?


    I look at the Demon Lord, but he just looks at me funny with my reaction.


    <


    Mr. Hisago turns hostile toward the Demon Lord who flutters the scroll.


    <


    <<< Really?¡¡Just so you know, this is the real deal, okay? >>


    The Witch King happily obliterates the Scrolls.


    A Scroll to return to the world of the former.


    <<>


    "Demon Lord, aren''t you too bad-natured ......?"


    "I''m the Demon King, remember?"


    Even his follower, Ciel, is disgusted with him.


    Rather, the Demon King before he was sealed seems to have a lot of emotions in front of Ms. Hisago.


    And the sense of intimidation that I feel is stronger in the past, which definitely makes me feel that the current Demon Lord is weakened.


    <


    The Demon Lord stands up from his throne, smiling happily as Mr. Hisago picks up the sword propped up on the floor.


    >


    The battle begins.


    The greatest battle ever fought between the Demon King and the heroes.


    The Witch King deploys more than several hundred magic spells, and Mr. Hisago creates a sphere of light around himself.


    Hisago-san takes in the spheres of light floating around him and lightly swings his sword in his hand toward the Demon King.


    It was just a simple movement, but the blow was so fast that even I could not follow it with my eyes, and it easily smashed the ceiling and floor, becoming a slash that struck the Demon Lord.


    <>


    The Demon King, who has made the slash disappear by simply thrusting his palm forward, activates his sorcery.


    Not just one.


    He activates several magic spells at the same time, and they become a torrent of light that rushes toward Mr. Hisago all at once.


    His magic, which is so massive that even the seal, which is a reinforcement of his lineage, cannot reach him in time, launches his body into the air and continues to strike after him.


    >


    The attack was so strong that even the ceiling above his head was pierced, and he could no longer see Mr. Hisago.


    We, who were watching the attack, could do nothing but be stunned by the hopeless power of the Demon Lord.


    ---The power of the Demon Lord in his prime.


    As we were simply overwhelmed by his power, the magic that had been shot over our heads disappeared without warning.


    >


    The demon king laughs as he looks up above him, where the night sky has already broken through the ceiling.


    At the same time, the open night sky overhead is once again covered by something.


    >


    <>


    What emerged was a mountain mass with an astonishingly large mass.


    Rocks poured down as if heaven and earth themselves were inverted.


    The Demon King looked up at them and tried to intercept them, manipulating a multitude of magic like a conductor.


    At the moment when their powers collide once again, light fills the air around them.


    The battle between the Demon King and the heroes---it was something far beyond our expectations, something that was truly in another dimension.


    "---Wasn''t it a good entertainment?"


    Before we knew it, the scene in front of us had vanished, and all the illusions that the Demon King had created with his magic had vanished.


    We who were sitting on the chairs were stunned for a while, not understanding the situation, but as soon as we came to our senses, we turned our attention to the Demon Lord.


    "The foolishness of mankind in the past, the path taken by the brave man named Hisago, and the true meaning behind his actions. I have tried to keep it short, but I am sure you will understand it well.


    "...... your horseshit also came through loud and clear."


    "You already heard from Farga, didn''t you?¡¡I can''t wield the power I showed you in the past.


    But even so, it is clear that there is still a big gap between us.


    The demon king in front of us was one of those who possessed extraordinary power just like Mr. Hisago.


    "This was just a sideshow, but do you understand why we cannot trust the human race?"


    "...... Yes."


    "Then, are you ready to defeat me and destroy the demon tribe?"


    I close my eyes and gather my thoughts for a while as the Demon King''s words test me.


    It is true that what the humans did to Mr. Hisago must have been terrible.


    The same goes for the treatment of the beastmen.


    It is not surprising that such a history would make the demon tribe not believe in humans.


    Choice.


    Don''t narrow your possibilities.


    That''s what Rose told me when I set out on this journey.


    I don''t believe that I''m on the brink of destroying the demon tribe because of a choice I''ve made.


    But, after seeing the memory of Mr. Hisago, the negative history of what humans have done and the battle with the Demon Lord''s army in the past, something like a decision was floating in my mind.


    "Defeating you and destroying the demon tribe are not the same thing."


    "...... what?"


    "I''m going to beat you up for everything you''ve done."


    There is no stopping the words that have already been spewed out.


    He takes a light breath and utters the words that will determine his future...,


    "And I..."


    "Yes!¡¡Dooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"


    The side door is suddenly opened with a tremendous force.


    Standing tall with the light behind her was the girl who had been waiting for her.


    "Hey, demon king!¡¡Now that this lightning hero, Suzune, has come, you must give up!


    The senior staff member pointed a finger at the demon king, who rolled his eyes, and Amako was behind him, holding her head in her hands.

 303 - - 271st episode.

    What an entrance, I thought to myself as an ally.


    I couldn''t help but hold my head as he kicked in the door and appeared.


    It was a great help in the situation.


    It''s very reassuring.


    But ......, couldn''t you have made a more normal appearance, you ......!


    "Hmph, it seems that even the Demon King was too surprised by my power to speak?"


    "Usato. Is that idiot just acting particularly strange right now?"


    ......It''s always like that.


    The demon king is treating you like a crazy person, senpai ......!


    The older man walks toward me, holding the scabbard that contains the sword in his hand.


    He does not take his eyes off the demon king.


    "Usato-kun, are you safe?"


    "I''m glad you''re here, ...... I should be able to count on you."


    "What?"


    It''s like this air is being ruined.


    Then Amako, who has been following me with her senpai, calls out to me.


    "Usato, are you hurt?¡¡Are you okay?"


    "Yes, don''t worry. Are you hurt, too?


    "Oh, no.¡¡Aren''t you treating me differently from Amako?


    Well, you already look fine.


    ...... The Demon Lord still hasn''t moved.


    Not only senpai but also Kazuki is waiting for you?


    "What about Leona?"......


    "Leona-san is keeping Amira at a standstill.


    "I see. You and Koga?"


    He nodded his head and turned his body toward the demon king as if satisfied.


    Before I could get ready for battle, I called out to Amako, who had finally joined us.


    "Amako, can you go?"


    "Yes, I''ll be fine if Usato is with me."


    After confirming with Amako, I take a deep breath.


    I have just seen hisago''s horrific past.


    It''s not that I don''t have some thoughts about it, but I have to concentrate on the Demon King for now.


    "Ferrum, let''s assimilate. I will assimilate with Amako and Bulrin, and Nair will be on my shoulders."


    I am?¡¡Usato.


    You, keep your sword sharp and ready to move at any moment."


    "Usato, are you mad at me?


    As I walk past my senpai, Ferrum, enveloped in dark magic, enters my body from under my feet and assimilates me.


    Amako and Bulrin jump into my body and are further assimilated.


    Finally, Nair, who has transformed into an owl, jumps onto my shoulder to complete the transformation.


    "I''m too scared to be alone and unprotected. Hey, can''t you let one more person in?"


    >


    "I don''t feel safe at all when you tell me this from the safest place in the world!¡¡Oh, God!¡¡Why do I always have to stick to you, Usato?


    "I''m being insulted, aren''t I?"


    He is completely agitating her by turning his head to look at her only at the end of a word.


    When the inside and the outside of my body are now lively, I look up at the demon king who is sitting on his throne.


    He is looking at me with a curious gaze.


    "The more I look at him, the more curious he is. Assimilation with others with dark magic at its core ...... is very interesting."


    "Hey, how does that work? ......?¡¡It looks to me like more than one person has been taken in by that person."


    That''s exactly how it works. It''s completely insane, that thing.


    Despite all the criticism, my senpai and I are facing the Demon King.


    We had been talking normally, but our original purpose was to defeat the Demon King.


    That fact has not changed, and our resolve will never waver.


    Kazuki is not here yet, shall we go?


    "We''ll have to do it. No, he will arrive while we are fighting.


    I was about to leap out of the way at the same time as my senpai and I---when a burst of sound and a flash of light exploded over our heads.


    I stopped in my tracks and looked up to see a man on a light board coming through a gaping hole in the ceiling.


    The man drops straight down toward me and my senpai, then flips the board made of light magic and lands neatly on his feet.


    "Phew!¡¡I finally made it!


    Kazuki!


    Kazuki!


    Looks like you made it just in time!


    That''s a really cool entrance.


    I didn''t expect him to come crashing through the ceiling, but now we have two brave men in one place.


    We finally have two brave men!


    "Thanks to your tedious maneuvering, it''s like we''re split up. ......!"


    "That''s all there is to it. But you have overcome your ordeals and arrived at my doorstep.


    The demon king is still sitting on his throne, his arm resting on the armrest.


    His expression is not one that one would expect to see in the presence of an enemy.


    "Ciel!"


    "Demon Lord, should I evacuate? ......!¡¡I''m sure I''m going to get caught in this, right?"


    That won''t be necessary.


    "Yes?"


    The Demon Lord flips his palm, and something like a white vortex appears next to Ciel.


    With another light wave of his hand, the white vortex begins to move, engulfing the stunned Ciel-san and causing her to disappear.


    I''ll send you somewhere else. ...... Well."


    "......!"


    "Yes. Do not relax, do not drop your stance---your enemy is right in front of you."


    The Demon King rises from his throne.


    He is far from his prime, but his power is still unimaginable.


    "Before we fight, let me ask you something.


    Silver hair pulled back in an all-back bun and large, twisted horns characteristic of the demon tribe.


    The Demon Lord, who radiated an intimidating presence that did not match his large body, looked down at us as he took off the black robe on his shoulders.


    "Even if you were to defeat me, what would you do?


    "...... what will you do?"


    "The fundamental reason why the heroes were summoned was only to be a fighting force against me, the enemy of mankind. If you have fulfilled that purpose... what will you do?


    His words seemed to be directed not at me but at Senpai and Kazuki, the two heroes.


    I had almost finished my story, though I had ended it halfway.


    So the next story is about Senpai and Kazuki.


    "......What on earth are you trying to say?"


    "If you fulfill your mission, you will still have your title as a brave man, but it will no longer mean anything. No, it means that there is a possibility that there will be unnecessary conflicts in the first place, as people seek their power as brave men and women.


    "That''s not what ......"


    Have you seen enough humans to be able to say "no"?


    Kazuki''s words are interrupted, and the Demon King looks at me.


    Now that I have seen Mr. Hisago''s past, I understand what the Demon Lord is trying to say.


    The talents that Kazuki and his senpai possess are rare even in this world.


    If they continue to train for many years, they should be able to become as good as Mr. Hisago.


    "Are you saying that we should leave this world?"


    It''s up to you to decide.


    "...... In the first place, there is no way for us to return to our original world in the current situation. This whole conversation is a waste of time.


    He smiled at his senpai as he coldly said this while glaring at the Demon King.


    "Then, what if I have a way to get home?"


    The Demon Lord, who said these words, took out a golden-colored paper in his hand.


    --- Is that ......!


    "The scroll I showed to Mr. Hisago!"


    "It''s a scroll inscribed with a formula for returning those summoned from the other world to their original world. Now it is inscribed with information from the world of the previous hero, Hisago, but if you overwrite it with the scent of your world, with information, it will be possible to return to your own world. I guess."


    "What ......?


    I don''t know if it''s true or not.


    But if what he said is true, Senpai and Kazuki can return to their original world.


    I looked at Kazuki and his eyes widened in surprise, while Senpai looked at me with... what?¡¡Is he smiling?


    "Huh, demon king. It seems you underestimate me."


    "Mm?"


    "Let''s be honest. I don''t think that far into the future!"


    .......


    Oh, you''re not thinking about the future, are you?


    Senpai, with a smug and confident look on his face, looks at the demon king with his arms crossed.


    The demon king looks at him with a dubious expression.


    "Now is not the time to talk about whether or not I''m coming back. What is before me now is the cause and reason why we were summoned!¡¡There is no way I can have any doubts in front of it!


    "...... how?"


    "And to return your words, we have also seen this world and this time of "humans"!¡¡Even more than you!¡¡That''s why we were able to protect you and believe in you!¡¡Don''t underestimate us!


    He pointed his finger at her.


    She picks up the sheath again and looks at Kazuki and me, smiling.


    "Come on, Usato!¡¡Kazuki!¡¡Let''s postpone the problem and beat the Demon Lord!"


    "...... hahahaha, yes!¡¡We can''t show any hesitation now!


    ......I''m glad he''s here, after all.


    I can rely on him to keep looking forward without changing no matter what the situation is.


    "---I''m already prepared."


    >


    As I whispered this to myself, Amako, who was inside the room, gave me a doubtful look.


    I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and stand next to my senpai, clenching my fists.


    "Senpai, let''s fight. This will be our last fight.


    "Ah!"


    He deploys the cage hand on his right arm.


    I have recovered some of my magic after resting, and my wounds from the battle with Koga have been completely healed by healing magic.


    There is no problem in fighting.


    He opens and closes his hand as if to check his condition, and then faces the Demon Lord.


    "It''s a joke he could never pull off, but it''s an interesting answer.


    The Demon King deploys his magic from his palm.


    He produced magic spells from his palms one after another, and the corners of his mouth twisted as he faced us.


    "---Well then, let the battle begin.


    They''re coming!


    Yes!


    At that moment, a flash of light comes from the magic floating around the Demon King.


    What leapt into view was a wall of fire.


    Kazuki stepped forward before the flames could reach us.


    I''ll lead the way!"


    Kazuki jumped on the board of light, pulled out the sword on his back, and fired a slash of glowing magic power.


    With that, the wall of fire approaching us is sliced in half.


    The next thing that comes out from behind the flames is a chain made of some familiar magical power.


    "Let''s go!¡¡Usato-kun!


    I''ll support you!


    Countless chains, stretching out as if to lure me and my senpai, but they are stopped by the magic bullets of Kazuki''s light magic flying in the sky.


    "Usato!¡¡That''s the magic used by the sorcerer!"


    Then it''s dangerous to be caught. ......!


    A tasteless magic that binds even the soul.


    If caught, who knows what dangerous effects it may have.


    But on top of that, the chains of magic grow in number and stretch out from the ground to encircle me and my senpai.


    We find ourselves surrounded to the point where there is no escape..,


    "Senpai, I''ll make a way to the Demon King!"


    "If there''s a gap, that''s enough!"


    From his right arm, he creates a magic bullet wrapped with elasticity and throws it in the direction where the Demon Lord would be.


    ---A healing explosive.


    As soon as the bullet landed and scattered the chains to the side, Senpai stepped forward, approached the Demon Lord, and pulled out his sword with a flash.


    "Haaah!"


    However, the slash with an electric shock passes through the demon king''s body.


    As the Demon Lord disappears like a wisp of smoke, the Amako inside me shouts out in dismay.


    >


    "What?


    "Smoke spell. You''re not the first to fall for such a simple trick.


    A voice from behind me.


    The moment I hear Amako''s voice, I turn around as quickly as I can, and the Demon Lord''s finger is pointed at my heart.


    The spell of fire!


    "---!"


    A ray of light is emitted from the fingertip, which has a magical pattern on it.


    Intuitively, I shifted my body to the side, but the ray---probably a heat ray condensed from fire---disregarded even the magical power of dark magic and pierced my left shoulder.


    "Ugh......!"


    "You have a tremendous reaction time. You''ll have to deal with that.


    The demon king''s fingers emit red-hot light in succession.


    He heals his left shoulder with healing magic, and plays the heat rays with the basket hand of his right arm.


    >


    >


    "Ah!"


    He bounces back the last heat ray with his basket hand at an angle and takes a big step forward, slamming his fist into the Demon King.


    "Oh, yeah!"


    "Sweet!"


    But just before my fist hits the Demon Lord, it is stopped by what looks like an invisible wall.


    My fist is assimilated with Bullyn''s. ......!


    No, I know this feeling!¡¡This is Nero Agence''s ......!


    "Wind magic ......!


    "Yes. ---Yes... gravity spell.


    As soon as Amaco warns me in my head to leave the place, a tremendous weight falls on my body.


    The floor caves in on itself, as if I''m getting heavier.


    "Nooooo!


    "Usato!¡¡What''s wrong with you?


    What?¡¡My body suddenly became heavy!


    Nair on my shoulder doesn''t seem to be suffering. ......!


    Don''t tell me they manipulated gravity only for me!


    This is ...... so!


    "Are you human?¡¡If you were a normal human being, you would have been crushed.


    Why should the Demon Lord question whether I''m human or not? ......!


    The Demon King stopped my fist, and from his side, the senpai silently slashed at me, and Kazuki shot light magic from above his head.


    I instantly understood their intentions and released the black magic power of the dark magic with my stopped fist pressed against him, making the Demon Lord glued to the spot.


    "M......?"


    "I''ll have him nailed right here ......!"


    "Usato, I''ll use the liberation spell right away!"


    The Demon King is bound by black magic, albeit through his wind armor, and is hit by a sword from Senpai and a magic bullet from Kazuki.


    Kazuki''s magic bullet can pierce through the Wind Armor. ......!


    Kazuki''s magic bullet can pierce through the Wind Armor !


    "Mirror Demon Jutsu!"


    ---But as soon as the Demon King muttered a word, the magic bullets Kazuki shot out were scattered by the magic that appeared around the Demon King.


    The Demon King moved his arm to meet the next attack of his senpai, despite the restraints of the dark magic, and caught the blade of the sword with his bare hand.


    "What ......?


    "Is this all you got? I wish he would fight more seriously.


    The Demon Lord then frees his other hand and points his palm upward.


    When some kind of magic is invoked, a pattern of magic is developed that almost covers the ceiling of the room.


    This is the same as the flames raining down on the battlefield. ......?


    "If you''re not careful, it will end next time.


    No, there are three spells floating in the Demon Lord''s palm!


    The floating spells are combined into one and transformed into another.


    The same magic is superimposed on the patterns floating in the sky,


    "Compound magic, the spell of the heavenly storm."


    Instantly, a storm rumbles overhead.


    An electric shock that could be mistaken for lightning shatters the ground, and a gust of wind blows in.


    This is ...... not good!


    "Neah!"


    And, it''s done!


    Thank you!¡¡Nooooo!


    He slams his healing flying fist into the arm of the demon king who has grabbed his sword, and then steps back.


    Senpai, who sensed the danger as I did, also leaves the scene, but the storm in the sky is beginning to pour down on us.


    >


    "Aah!"


    That''s too much bullshit!¡¡The Demon Lord!


    The Demon Lord''s magic can recreate even natural disasters.


    Witnessing its power, we leap forward.

 304 - - 272nd episode.

    A storm raging overhead.


    Thunder roars indoors, stinging rain and wind blow on your skin.


    <>


    "I''m the only one who knows what to do!"


    The shield on his right arm, which is imbued with Nair''s resistance spell, is raised upward and struck by the lightning.


    He checks to see if Senpai and Kazuki are safe as he watches the blasts bounce off his shield and disperse to the ground.


    "...... there they are!"


    Kazuki is maneuvering his board in the wind, heading towards the Demon Lord standing in the center of the storm.


    Kazuki is also swinging his sword, but none of his blows can reach the Demon Lord.


    "I''m coming to your aid!


    >


    I know that.


    But we can''t let them slow us down.


    "If we''re going to get rid of Kazuki''s light magic!¡¡Nair, I''ve got a restraining/healing spell overload ......!"


    What the hell are you doing?


    Kazuki!


    I shout, and Kazuki, who is shooting rays of light at the Demon Lord from the sky, looks at me.


    He nods vigorously when he notices the magic bullet in my hand.


    My intentions have been received!¡¡Then all I have to do now is to throw it!


    "I''m ready!"


    I throw the healing magic bullets at him with full speed.


    They fly straight to the Demon Lord, even though the wind blows them away.


    "That''s what I''m talking about!¡¡Usato!


    Kazuki also sends a large number of magic bullets toward the Demon Lord at the same time.


    Kazuki deploys his magic to block them, but his magic only blocks Kazuki''s light magic and lets my magic bullets pass through.


    "M......!"


    A healing magic bullet, which had been cast a binding spell on the Demon King, strikes him.


    The wind armor has repelled the healing magic bullet just before it hits the Demon King, but the spells applied to it bind the Demon King''s body with the wind armor.


    "Healing magic can''t pass through, but magic can!¡¡I''ll take this opportunity to strike!"


    It''s a combination!


    This should be unobstructed!


    Senpai also matches Kazuki''s attack and strikes to unleash a series of fist blows.


    The restraints will be released soon, but if there is a gap of a few seconds..,


    "?Usato!¡¡Get off of me!


    Why?


    The Demon Lord knows my magic!


    At that moment the binding spell that stopped the Demon Lord''s movement is broken.


    ---The spell of liberation.


    I thought he had it, but he can block it in such a split second?


    "The hero of light ...... is a bit of a pain in the ass. ......"


    The Demon Lord turns his palm upward, and the rain clouds and winds that had been caused by the magic concentrate on him.


    The Witch King confirms that he is trapped in the rain cloud and looks at his own hand.


    "Hmmm, but I didn''t think I could guess the magic..." he says.


    "Eat ......!"


    Healing Fist!


    Senpai, in Thunder Beast Mode 2, and I, with my arm enlarged to a huge size, attack the demon king.


    The Demon Lord, who evaded my fist with only a slight movement of his body, continued to catch Senpai''s attack head-on with his arm, and grabbed his arm and threw it upward.


    "Kuh!"


    The Demon King turns his magic on his senior who is flying in the sky.


    He seems to have anticipated the attack and tries to intercept it in mid-air.


    "Slow Speed Jutsu!"


    "--- Huh?


    With the sound of space vibrating, Senpai''s movements slow down.


    Even the electric shocks emitted from her are in slow motion, and we understand that the Demon Lord has manipulated the time around Senpai.


    The demon king is about to release the heat ray on my senpai that he released on me.


    "Let''s go!¡¡Neah!


    I don''t know if I can!


    N¨¦a is applying a resistance spell to the magic bullet I''ve made.


    Without seeing it, I throw the magic bullet toward him.


    "OLLA!"


    The magic bullet is released and flies into the time-manipulated space... and hits the senior without being affected by the time-manipulated space.


    "Ghee!


    She screams like a girl and is blown away, but a heat ray passes through the place where her head was just a moment ago.


    Oh, that was close ......!


    "You again, Usato?"


    "I''ll keep interrupting you!"


    The Demon Lord turns his body to face us.


    If you back away carelessly, you don''t know what he will do to you.


    Then, we have no choice but to get so close that we don''t have time to use our magic!


    "Apply elasticity ......!"


    With the elasticity-imparting magic power transferred to his legs, he accelerates and closes in on the Demon King at once.


    He is a big man, much taller than I am---not as tall as the Ogre I fought before, but more intimidating, and still he stares at me.


    "Everybody, get a grip!"


    >


    << Get ''em, get ''em, get ''em!¡¡Usato! >>


    <>


    "No!¡¡I''m so scared!"


    I''m the only one whining, but I have to go!


    While turning the elasticity grant, he tries to fight against the Demon King.


    "Let''s play along with your funny ...... games!"


    Attacks using healing magic will, on the contrary, heal the Demon King!


    Then, I''ll use my magical power to assist my movements as much as I can.


    Healing Acceleration Fist!


    I unleash my fists on the Demon Lord, while unleashing magic power from my elbows, feet, and fists.


    In response, he lightly raises his arms and blocks my fists with his wind armor.


    "A combination of fighting, healing magic, and sorcery. He looks harmless, but how could he be ......?"


    "I''m going to twist your smug face... ......!"


    What are you, some kind of dual personality?


    ---I knew from the fight just now that the Demon Lord is not only magical, but also has unbelievably high physical abilities.


    He was fighting even with that Hisago-san, so it''s no wonder. ......He is a monster, though, since he has declined from his prime. ......!


    "Ferrum!¡¡More arms!"


    "Devil Usato at your service!"


    I didn''t say that much!


    But Ferrum does as Nea requested and grows wings with hands on my back.


    >


    <>


    >


    Amako, it''s funny that you should be so convinced!


    But when he saw the four wings sprouting from my back, he laughed merrily.


    "Ha-ha-ha! That''s good! What a figure you have, you are a demon! No, you look more like a demon than any demon I know, don''t you?


    "You did it!¡¡Usato!¡¡You have the demon king''s seal of approval!¡¡Give him back to him!


    We''re all enemies now!


    Why do you have to call me a monster and a demon in the middle of a fight like this?


    I''d like to say out loud that the biggest monster is you ......!


    He takes all his anger out on the Demon Lord and strikes him with his arms and the four wings on his back.


    "Pfft......!"


    The Demon King uses the magic that floats around him as a shield to catch the attacks of the wings, and handles my powerful fists with his own arms.


    Since I can follow the movements of my senpai in Thunder Beast Mode 2 with my eyes, I should be able to anticipate my movements as well. ......


    Besides, the Demon Lord is probably watching me through his messenger or something!


    "So there''s no reason to be scared here!"


    He slams his arm down like a hammer from above.


    The demon king catches it head-on, and his expression changes when a crack appears at his feet.


    "A shockwave from the outburst of magic power and acceleration..."


    "Healing Breaking Fist!"


    He is caught in a fist thrust.


    The Demon King, seeing the elasticity in his fist, lets out a voice of admiration.


    "Is this elasticity in the magic power?¡¡This is a technique I had not seen before I was sealed. Is this a common technique in the Lingle Kingdom?


    "....... Yes!!!"


    Why are you lying there?


    I thought I had to show some mental strength here. ......!


    The next moment, the Demon King''s hand is approaching.


    The next moment, the Demon Lord''s hand comes at you,


    >


    "I knew it!"


    You hear Amako''s voice and lean forward as quickly as you can, and a hand grazes your shoulder.


    Then, the magic of the dark magic in the touched area dissipates, exposing the white band uniform.


    >


    Ferrum''s impatient voice.


    He glares at the Demon King, just barely avoiding his hand.


    "It''s a spell of magical erosion ...... that erodes magical power. The dark magic defenses you wear will be meaningless.


    You can do anything, can''t you!


    But 70% of my power is sealed.


    Desperate information, thank you very much!


    The Demon King turns around and starts to fight with a mixture of magic.


    We''ll only be cut down if we don''t do anything!¡¡Then ......!


    "Neah, are you ready (????)?


    "Yes!¡¡I''ve seen enough!


    Then hold on!


    What are you doing?


    He charges forward, hiding his right hand behind his back.


    While taking the Demon King''s outstretched hand with his left shoulder, he touches the Demon King with his left hand, which is covered with the liberation spell that Nair has applied to him.


    With this, the wind armor covering the Demon King''s body shatters like glass.


    "......!"


    You can''t defend yourself from this distance!


    In his hidden right hand is a healing explosive.


    With it clenched in my right hand, I strike at the now defenseless Demon Lord.


    At the same time, my body is enveloped in the magical power of dark magic, protecting me from the shockwave of the exploding healing bombs.


    "----, finally, a blow!"


    "Are you stupid?¡¡Are you stupid?¡¡Why don''t you take better care of me?


    "I''m sorry, I''ll make it up to you later. ...... just focus on what''s in front of you."


    He immediately releases his magical armor and turns his eyes in the direction where the Demon Lord was.


    There he saw the Demon Lord with his palms outstretched in front of him, a look of surprise on his face.


    He was given a blow ......, but he did not seem to respond at all.


    The storm and thunder created by the Demon Lord are still raging in this place.


    If we don''t do something about it, Kazuki will..,


    "Usato-kun!¡¡I''m sorry I made you fight alone!


    With that shout, an older student jumps in front of me and shoots electric blasts from her palm to restrain the Demon King.


    She looks back at me and gives me a smile that doesn''t fit the occasion.


    "That was pretty effective earlier, but thanks for saving my life!


    "Yeah, yeah. ......"


    "So that''s what you call a love whip!"


    At least we know you''re the same as usual.


    But Kazuki is still trapped in the wind and rain clouds.


    And though he didn''t care about it earlier when he was fighting with the Demon Lord, he had to watch out for the blasts from the sky.


    "Usato-kun, this Suzune. I''ve found a secret way to deal with lightning."


    "...... Yes?"


    I''ll show you how it''s done!


    The older man says something funny and leaps with his sword up in the air.


    ......No, no, wait a minute!¡¡If he continues like that, he''s going to get struck by lightning. ......?


    The next moment, the lightning strikes Senpai and her figure is enveloped in light.


    "Sen-senpai!


    What are you doing, Suzune?


    Aside from the screams of N¨¦a and I, the senior''s high pitched laugh echoes from within the light.


    "Ha-ha-ha!¡¡Demon king!¡¡Thunder against me is a bad move!


    "...... what?"


    Senpai''s figure was unharmed despite being struck by the lightning.


    On the contrary, her sword was filled to overflowing with electric shocks. Gripping it with both hands, she spun around in the air and unleashed an oversized electric strike at the Demon Lord below her.


    "A special move!¡¡It''s the Dengeki Inujo-Drop!"


    With the name of the technique sounding like a piece of sense, the blitz instantly engulfed the figure of the Demon Lord.


    As I was stunned by the sight, my senior landed beside me and gave me a smug look for the first time today.


    "Hmph, I am the one who controls the thunder."


    "......No, what can I say, it''s a quintessential ......."


    What you''re doing is really outrageous.


    I can usually count on him, but ...... I don''t know.


    "---As far as I''m concerned, you''re all a bunch of crooks."


    The lightning that my senpai has unleashed evaporates the rainwater, and the Demon Lord emerges from the place where steam is rising.


    His hands are slightly sooty and dirty, and he appears to be wounded.


    "It''s good to know that the attack will work.


    "Yes, sir."


    But we can''t push through alone, just the two of us.


    I look up at the rain cloud in which Kazuki is trapped, keeping an eye out for the Demon Lord... and suddenly, I notice that light is leaking out of a gap in the rain cloud.


    "...... Looks like the heroes over there are just as flashy as you are."


    As the Demon Lord speaks these words, an extremely thick beam of light shoots out from the rain clouds.


    They spin around and vanish, destroying the art formulas that cover the sky.


    In an instant, Kazuki, who had destroyed all of the TENRASH no Jutsu, comes down to us, releasing smoke from his left arm like heat radiating from a basket hand.


    "Sorry, I''m a little rusty."


    No, I''m fine.


    "Thank goodness. ......"


    He patted his chest in relief and glared at the demon king sharply.


    "I found out after the fight that my magic seems to be counteracted by the Demon Lord.


    "Oh, that''s probably because you were using light magic too, Hisago."


    The light magic should be the same even though the system is differently strengthened.


    It was no wonder that they had magic to counter the disappearance of light magic like the golem in the ruins.


    Kazuki, perhaps realizing this, released several magic bullets and made them form a disk.


    "I''m going to support Usato and my senpai.


    "I guess I better do that. I''m going to hit them as hard as I can.


    Then I''ll work with Nair to destroy the magic so that it will be easier for him to attack.


    After confirming our respective roles, we face the Demon King once again.


    The battle has just begun.


    Though the power of the Demon Lord is still unfathomable, I am sure that we can find a way out if we all cooperate with each other here.

 305 - - 273rd episode.

    Me and my senpai are the vanguard.


    Kazuki supports the rear guard and we face the Demon King.


    The opponent is a Demon King who does not know what he will do with his magic.


    We can''t afford to be complacent in the face of such an opponent, but we still have a hard time with the number of moves he makes.


    "Both of you, use my magic as a foothold!


    Kazuki manipulates a large number of magic bullets and places them around us.


    They move separately to predict our movements, allowing us to move not only on the ground but also in three dimensions.


    "So, you have removed the power of extinction from light magic and given it physical elasticity. You are very dexterous."


    The King is impressed by the magic bullets floating around him.


    Some of them are headed toward the king, and are obliterated by a spell he casts.


    "It doesn''t mean that there isn''t also annihilation magic in them!"


    Of course I understand.


    The magic is lined up around them, and separate attacks are unleashed from all of them.


    We move forward, facing not only Kazuki''s magic bullets, but also those powerful enough to obliterate even those of us around us.


    "Healing Magic Bursting Palm!"


    The shockwave dispels the fire magic.


    As soon as he lands, he unleashes a healing flying fist at the Demon King standing about 10 meters away.


    OLLA!


    That''s not enough!


    But even the healing flying fist is obliterated by the Demon King''s simple swipe of his hand.


    ......!¡¡I guess I''m still weak if I don''t hit him directly!


    As you prepare for the Demon Lord''s next attack and try to move out of the way, a purple light appears at the edge of your vision.


    "Thunderbolt mode 3, fire strike!


    With a flash of purple light, the magic the Demon Lord is wearing shatters, and an older student appears beside him with his sword outstretched.


    "You are fast! There had never been such a lightning wielder before he was sealed.


    Thank you very much!


    The Demon King turns and swings his sword in rapid succession, catching it with the magic that floats in his palm.


    You are a man of fighting skills and magic, a man of valor, indeed!


    "How dare you say that after you so lightly defended against it!"


    He kicked the demon king''s invisible armor and leapt backward, swinging his sword and firing a crescent-shaped electric shock.


    The Demon King sees this and easily avoids to the side, but... I am there.


    "Don''t forget I''m here!


    ---!"


    The Demon King ducks and hits me back with his right hand, which is wrapped in elasticity.


    The basket hand, which is impervious to magic, can repel the electric blasts and even Kazuki''s light magic. ......!


    This is it...,


    "Healing Counter!"


    Another weird trick!


    The electric shock is repelled at close range and strikes the Demon Lord directly.


    It scatters an intense light in front of his eyes, but it soon converges on the Demon Lord''s outstretched palm.


    "You are not the only one who can manipulate electric blasts, you know?


    !


    The Strike of Lightning!


    Electric blasts converged in my palm are shot at me.


    I raised my fist to repel the lightning once more, and my senpai intervened between me and the demon king, cutting through the lightning with the sword he had drawn.


    "Thank you!"


    "We can''t defeat him if any one of us is missing!¡¡Let''s work together more!


    "Yes, sir!"


    He puts his hand on his senpai''s shoulder to restore his strength.


    After that, he lightly throws a healing magic bullet to Kazuki, who is standing behind him.


    "Kazuki!


    Thank God!


    Kazuki receives the magic bullet with a snap, and we resume our attack on the Demon Lord.


    Kazuki''s magic bullet cancels out the Demon Lord''s magic, so we can concentrate on the Demon Lord alone!


    Ferrum, let''s go!


    >


    His left arm and leg are wrapped in the same armor as the black knight.


    I accelerate at once by the elastic step, spreading magic power throughout my body, and slam my right fist into the invisible wall that surrounds the Demon King.


    "NEA!"


    "---I can''t!¡¡That''s not the same magic I saw before!


    "You''re a very basic sorcerer, remembering even the liberation spell."


    "Hee!"


    Nair hides behind me on top of my shoulders under the demon king''s gaze.


    Then, the sword that Senpai wielded comes at me, but it is blocked by the Demon Lord''s armor.


    "---Usato!¡¡Can''t we destroy it somehow!


    I''ll try!


    I approach the Demon Lord once again, escaping from his grasp.


    He is not going to let me get close to him, but... Kazuki''s light magic flies toward the Demon Lord with the power of annihilation.


    "Now!¡¡Usato!


    Yes!


    Between me and light magic, the latter is the greater threat!


    As the Demon Lord deals with the light magic, I strike once more with the Healer''s Fist.


    One impact --- but he can''t hit me continuously, so this time I slam my left fist, which is surrounded by black magic power, and hit him with a series of fist blows.


    There is no room in my fist for the next barrage of blows.


    "So!¡¡I''ll do this!"


    Before the Demon King can turn his palm toward you, he hits the same spot with a knee kick and a spinning kick using the same outburst of magical power as the Rengage Fist.


    With four blows and the impact of magic power, the magical armor that had enveloped the Demon King is finally shattered.


    "You are more troublesome than a brave warrior!


    Senpai, now!


    At the sound of my voice, the senior, holding his sword as if he were carrying it on his shoulder, is covered in purple electric shocks.


    She lowers herself and accelerates as if to leap, disappearing from my sight in an instant.


    "Lightning sword, Weitora!"


    "!!!"


    The next moment after the Demon King activates some kind of magic, the sword that Senpai wielded slices right through the Demon King.


    No, he made it look like he had cut him open.


    "......It doesn''t seem to be working......!


    I hear the senior mutter.


    On the other hand, Nair and Ferrum look relieved.


    >


    "You did it!¡¡Even the Demon King got his head chopped in half!


    No!¡¡Not yet!


    Ferrum and Nair are happy, but I quickly run out of the way.


    What are you doing?


    Nair!¡¡A binding spell!


    What?¡¡Why are you...?"


    >


    Amako, who seemed to have a premonition, gives instructions to the bewildered pair.


    I raised my fist and hit the empty space with all my might.


    With a momentary distortion of space, an unscathed Demon Lord appears, receiving my fist.


    Illusions don''t work on me!


    "It was reported that you nullified the Third Legionnaire''s magic. ...... I see... So that means you have a strong resistance against spiritual attacks.


    "I don''t understand ......!"


    "As I thought, your existence is more troublesome than that of a brave man. Usato.


    A spell is deployed from his other hand.


    Amako''s foreknowledge and her own intuition caused the Demon Lord to smile with amusement as he backed away instantly.


    "It''s inappropriate, but I guess that means I''m enjoying this battle too.


    In that instant, the Witch King conjured a vision for all the people in the room.


    If we had not been immune to the illusion, we might have been caught unawares by the Demon Lord''s presence.


    After all, can he do anything? ......!


    "Now, let''s get creative..."


    What the...?


    The Demon King activates some kind of magic.


    As soon as he backs away, a crack of light runs out from under his feet.


    They run across the floor, walls, and ceiling of the room... and then break into blocks and float up.


    "You manipulated space ......!¡¡Kazuki!¡¡Senpai!"


    I''m okay!


    Me too!


    Senpai appears, cutting the block between them in half.


    Kazuki comes riding on a board of light magic.


    "Usato, your feet are floating too!


    I know!


    I know!" My feet float up, too.


    I jump from one to the other, floating in the air like a puzzle, and check the figure of the Demon Lord.


    When he sees me, he moves his fingers lightly to control something.


    >


    "Up ......?"


    I look up at the sound of Amako''s voice and see a block about to crush my location.


    I jump to the next block in a panic, but an even bigger block falls on me, as if it had anticipated my jump.


    "No!¡¡Usatousato, usatousato!¡¡Do something!


    >


    >


    I put strength into my legs as I hear Nair on my shoulder and Ferrum screaming inside.


    There''s no need to avoid that one.


    With the combined strength of Bulrin and I, this is nothing compared to a chunk of rock!


    "Bullynnn!"


    >


    With his arms reflecting the power of Bullyn, he catches the block that is right in front of him.


    The sheer mass of the block sends my feet crashing to the ground, but with the combined power of Bulrin and I.......................,


    "Nuh-uh ......!"


    "Well, that''s just great!¡¡I''m not sure if you''re even human anymore, but you''re amazing!"


    "Did you think you could crush me like this, demon king?


    He hurls himself at the Demon Lord with all his might!


    The Demon Lord, faced with a huge block flying toward him, lightly brushes his hand away and moves it out of the way.


    "Kazuki!¡¡Usato-kun!"


    He checks his senpai''s eyes as he kicks the block, and guesses his intention.


    In order to prevent the Demon Lord from gaining any more advantage, he attacks at once and defeats the Demon Lord.


    "In order to do so, we have to destroy the magic that the Demon Lord wears.


    But they won''t let us touch them easily anymore, will they?"


    I nodded at Nair''s voice, using the block as a foothold.


    I''ve already broken the spell the demon king wears twice, so there may not be a next time.


    To be honest, I haven''t figured out how to get close enough to destroy it myself, but..,


    "FERM."


    <<< What?¡¡I have a bad feeling about this.


    "I have an idea."


    Nair at my shoulder turns pale as I mention the strategy I came up with after seeing Ferrum''s dark magic.


    "No!¡¡I''m going to die!¡¡Are you sure?¡¡Even so!"


    <


    <


    "I know you''re all enemies!¡¡Just do it!¡¡Do it!


    Still, he seems to have made up his mind, slapping me on the cheek and telling me so.


    Well, then, let''s get to work. ......!


    "I''ll get the foothold in the air!"


    Kazuki, riding on a board of light magic, makes a large number of magic bullets into disks and places them around the Demon King.


    All of them are elastic magic bullets that can be touched.


    "Ooh!"


    Then, I land right in front of the Demon Lord... and immediately cross my arms, releasing a shockwave of healing magic light and shockwaves from my upper body to the front of my body.


    "Enhanced Healing Blindness!"


    No!


    The Demon Lord is frightened, as if he didn''t expect to be blinded.


    He catches my fist by surprise and slams it into his stomach with fire magic.


    "Guha......!"


    I slam my back into the adjacent block.


    It was a bursting type of flame, so it neither penetrates nor burns.


    As I get up, healing myself with healing magic, the Demon Lord turns his palm toward me, which is radiating magic light.


    "You may be multi-talented, but then...?


    The Witch King would have noticed immediately.


    The dark magic that was supposed to be wrapped around me is gone.


    But by the time he realized it, it was too late!


    Nair!¡¡Now!


    What''s ......?


    I''m going to get you!


    At the sound of my voice, Nair, clad in a dark magic black outfit, moves in behind the Demon Lord and releases his spells with a liberation spell.


    "Why am I doing such a dangerous thing?


    Nair, a dark-haired, red-eyed girl, is whining with teary eyes, but she really did a good job!


    >


    >


    <>


    "This is so loud, isn''t it?


    The demon king shoots a heat ray from his fingertip toward Neah.


    Just before it hits, Nair transforms into an owl, and Ferrum also turns into a mud-like state with dark magic to avoid the heat ray by separating from it.


    Ferrum and Nair return to me, protected by Kazuki''s magic bullets.


    "Usato!¡¡You owe me this!


    "Yeah, you did a great job!¡¡Now you''ve destroyed the troublesome magic!¡¡---Senpai!¡¡Now!


    Kazuki made a foothold and we destroyed the magical armor the Demon Lord was wearing.


    On top of one of the moving blocks in midair, the figure of Senpai appears, holding his sword.


    "Kannagi-ryu. Raiden Inubashiri."


    Her head is held low like Nagi''s, her whole body is charged with purple lightning, and as soon as her eyes widen, she disappears from the scene in an instant.


    "---"


    A distinctive metallic sound echoes from the direction of the Demon Lord.


    Looking at the Demon Lord who is floating in the air using magic as a shield, you see the figure of your senpai, who has swung his sword out of his hand.


    As if a single blow wasn''t enough, the figure of the older man is drowned out again with a violet light.


    "You''re fast, after all. ......!"


    The Demon King deploys his magic to protect himself while bleeding from the wound on his left arm.


    At the same time, with a sound like a continuous roar of electric shocks, the magic bullets placed by Kazuki are kicked away, destroying the Demon Lord''s magic one after another.


    "d*mn ......!"


    Even my eyes can only catch a faint glimpse of this overwhelming speed, and the Demon Lord can''t even keep up with it.


    After destroying the sorcery and slashing the Demon Lord''s body one after another, Senpai slams a kick with all his might into the Demon Lord''s chest, and at the same time, he lands on the ground while somersaulting.


    "This is the end, ......!"


    The sword is now filled with more electric shocks than ever before.


    She grips the sword in her backhand, which shines brightly, and pulls it out with a shi-electricity blast.


    "Shin, Kaminarigiri!"


    There was a flash of light and the sound of something being cut open.


    The light was so bright that my eyes were dazzled and my vision flickered for a while, but then I heard something like water falling.


    Senpai!""Senpai!""


    Kazuki''s voice overlaps with mine.


    Did you defeat the Demon King?¡¡What do you think!


    The light quickly fades away, and there is..,


    "......!"


    "......"


    There was a senior figure who had slammed his sword into the demon king''s shoulder.


    The Demon King''s shoulder was cut deeply by the blade, and blood was gushing out, which meant that Senpai''s technique had hit the Demon King directly.


    However, the wound was too shallow (...).


    "That was close."


    "...... what,...... did you do?"


    The Demon King, who is cut by the sword, calls out to his senpai, whose expression is distorted, in a calm voice.


    ---!¡¡The magic is in your body!


    That is ......!


    "A binding spell!


    >


    The sword, which was swung so fast that even my eyes could not catch it, stopped when it sliced the demon king''s shoulder, and both the sword and the body of the senior who was holding it were stopped by magic.


    As Kazuki and I tried to help Senpai, the block started to move with great force before we could, splitting us and Senpai who had been captured by the Demon Lord.


    "---That''s the third time."


    "Hey ......!"


    "If you show us that much, we can take any number of countermeasures. I had to do it this way to stop them.


    Not good. ......!


    The Demon King''s hand is directed toward Senpai.


    He manages to jump over the block to get to her, but before he can do so, the Demon Lord''s magic strikes Senpai''s body.


    The demon king''s body is bounced by the magic, and the senior falls to the ground like a doll without power.


    "Ferrum!


    >


    He extends a line of dark magic from his hand and pulls the falling senpai toward him.


    Holding him by both arms, he casts a healing spell to completely heal his wounds, but his body is covered with layers of magical patterns.


    "You avoided a direct hit. You have indeed shown great talent in battle.


    "The Demon King ......!"


    Can you fight with such a slow learner in your arms?


    The Demon Lord turns his palm toward us and extends a translucent chain.


    As I tried to avoid them while holding my senpai in my arms, Kazuki released a disk-shaped magic bullet that sliced through the chains.


    "Usato!¡¡Take care of senpai while you still can!


    "Thank you!"


    As I ran out of the room, I looked at my senpai''s condition and saw that his body was covered with chain-like magic and a pattern that reminded me of fire.


    He is conscious but in no condition to move.


    "He barely escaped a direct hit, but he was hit by several magic spells at the same time: binding, fire-poisoning, restraining, and sore body. In this battle, the lightning heroes will be of no use at all.


    "......nea!"


    He ignores the voice of the demon king who speaks to him during the battle and asks Nair to look at him, but when he sees her grim expression, he realizes that it is impossible to break the spell in this battle.


    "I don''t think it''s possible to break the spell in this battle. Now what do we do?"


    "You!


    ...... the hero of light.


    Kazuki, enraged by his senpai''s death, begins to attack the Demon Lord, unleashing light magic.


    ---We have to do something while Kazuki is buying time.


    Kazuki quickly lands on a nearby slow-moving block, and lowers his senpai to the floor by supporting his back.


    "Usato-kun, don''t worry about me, let''s get Kazuki-kun to ......."


    "......"


    "Usato-kun ......?"


    The Demon Lord is right, Senpai cannot fight.


    I might be able to manage with Nair''s liberation spell, but in the meantime, either Kazuki or I will be defeated by the Demon Lord.


    ---I can''t fight the Demon Lord...should I take the bait and let Senpai and Kazuki escape?


    "...... what''s up?"


    Ferrum calls out to me as I''m trying to think of a way to keep everyone alive except for me.


    She sounds somewhat reluctant to say anything, but her voice is determined.


    "And the sudden abuse ......!¡¡I''m so weak!"


    <


    Is he trying to finish off his senpai?


    I wait for FERM''s next words as I watch him writhing in agony, unable to move.


    With these words, he finally understands Ferme''s intentions.


    At the same time, my backward-looking thoughts change.


    <


    "Yeah, yeah. "Yeah, that''s right."


    I take a deep breath while holding my senior.


    I let go of the stupid thoughts I had just had.


    "Sorry, Bulrin. You''re up."


    "Guh."


    A de-assimilated Bullyn emerges from my body.


    "It''s not safe from here on out, so stay away."


    "Gua!"


    "Yeah, I''ll make it back alive."


    I caress the cheek of Bulrin, who nods vigorously.


    Seeing him like this, Senpai looks at me involuntarily.


    "What, Usato-kun?¡¡This here, this here, this here, this here, this here, this here, this here, this here, this here, this here, this here, this here, this here, this here.


    "Senpai. Of course, your heart is not broken, is it?"


    "Oh, yes!¡¡Of course I am!


    Yes! ...... ferme, please.


    >


    Senpai is enveloped in black magic power and assimilates with me.


    At the same time as I have switched places with Bulrin and become one of hers, I find that I am holding in my left hand the sword that she had been holding in hers.


    The sword begins to emit electric shocks and light as if it were resonating with the cage on my right arm.


    "Let''s go full throttle!"


    At that moment, electric shocks start pouring out of my body.


    It''s the same phenomenon as in Thunder Beast mode.


    Wrapped in the magic that my senpai is activating inside me, I run out to the Demon King for one last battle.

 306 - - Twenty-fourth episode.

    A senior student of mine was forced to lose the ability to fight due to an attack by the Demon King.


    Usato is now taking her to heal her with healing magic and liberation spells, but the way the Demon Lord speaks, he is making me understand that it is a difficult task.


    "Huh!"


    The magic projectile floating on his left arm is aimed at him at the same time he swings his arm.


    The magic bullets are scattered, moving separately and coming toward him like missiles, and the Demon King shoots electric shocks from the magic floating around him to cancel them out.


    "This time, I''m coming at you!"


    "......!"


    The board made of light magic is brought to a sudden stop and avoids the storm of magic that hits it as soon as it turns.


    "---,ooooh!"


    The board accelerates and stops alternately, forcing a change of direction.


    Tormented by the sensation of his whole body creaking from the centrifugal force, he puts his left hand wrapped in a basket hand on the hilt of the sword clutched in his right hand.


    "Lineage enhancement!"


    The sword is covered with the light magic that has evolved as a result of the lineage enhancement.


    With a golden glow, I swing the extended blade of light and charge at the Demon King who is about to meet me head-on.


    My light magic is counteracted by the Demon Lord!


    But that''s okay!


    At the same time as I charge, I release the magic bullet hidden in my back.


    "!"


    As soon as they pass by each other, he strikes with an omni-directional attack with magic bullets combined.


    As the blade of light dissipates, I look back and see the Demon Lord smiling at me, smoke emanating from his shoulders.


    "Ha ha ha!¡¡You''re good!"


    I''ve already been taught what I lack!


    I was taught what I lacked by Falga-sama during our previous battles!


    What I lack is the courage to go beyond anyone''s expectations like Usato and senpai!


    "If you want to nullify it, go ahead!"


    He jumps down from the board of light magic while continuing to shoot magic bullets.


    As he falls, he transforms the board into a spear and throws it at the Demon King... just before it hits him, he unleashes a burst of magical energy.


    "Light Destroy!"


    The attacker is annihilated and his vision is obstructed.


    While the Demon King is dealing with the attack, he lands on the block and slashes at it with his sword.


    "You challenge me to a melee battle against a lightning hero and Usato?


    You''ll never know unless you try!"


    The demon king, who had been blinded by the sword, produced a magic spell from his palm.


    A sword-like hilt extended from the sorcery, and the Witch King took it in his hand and pulled it out, repelling the sword covered with light magic that I wielded.


    "A sword?


    Did you think I wouldn''t use it?


    In his hand was a long sword... one that had been infused with magic.


    But what of it?


    He manipulates the sword with all his strength and strikes the Demon Lord with it.


    "Haa!"


    I make his magic disappear with light magic and he makes mine disappear.


    This is no way to win!¡¡I''m learning that this is no reason to give up!


    You seem determined.


    I wouldn''t be here if I didn''t!"


    The Demon King, who has received the sword, speaks to me.


    The two continued to engage in a fierce battle.


    I hate fighting!¡¡I really don''t want to hurt or kill anyone!


    Then kill me for creating a fight!


    If you continue to put so many lives in danger!¡¡I will do my duty.


    I will fulfill the meaning of my call into this world.


    We''ll think about what happens afterwards, just like you said!


    "Fine!¡¡Then I must live up to your resolve!


    The Demon Lord, who flicked back his sword, flips his hand and tries to unleash multiple magic spells.


    As I was about to deal with him, I tried to back away and put magic power in my palm... at that moment, a golden light flashed at the edge of my vision.


    What is that?


    "OLLAH!"


    "!!!"


    The golden light that was visible plunged straight into the Demon King and slammed his fist into him with tremendous force.


    The magic covering his body prevents the attack, but the impact blows the demon king''s body to the side.


    "Phew... ......!"


    "Usato?


    The one who was clad in electric shocks and thrusting his fist out was Usato, who had just moved to a safer place with his senpai.


    His body was covered with electric shocks like his senpai, and his left hand was equipped with a sword held in the opposite hand.


    Senpai was nowhere to be seen.


    But he is wearing electric shocks, which means...!


    "Kuh-ha-ha!¡¡I see!


    The Demon King, raising a happy voice, releases the magic he had just started to invoke.


    Seeing the electric shocks and fire that covered his entire field of vision, Usato took a small deep breath and then let out a short voice.


    "Senpai, Amako!"


    >


    >


    >


    A new voice is heard from Usato''s body, and at the same time, an electric shock is emitted.


    As soon as he gets on the board and leaves the place, magic rushes toward him.


    "Usato!


    A zigzagging flash of light between the explosions.


    Kicking the wall and moving through the air in a burst of magical power, he evades all the magic that rushes toward him and comes to a halt right in front of the Demon Lord.


    "The power of senpai, Usato has ......!"


    Senpai, who had been rejected by Ferrum, now assimilates with Usato.


    This means that Usato can use his senpai''s power.


    >


    <>


    <<>


    The next moment such a loud voice emanates from Usato''s body, he moves with blinding speed and kicks the Demon Lord in the torso.


    "---I''m coming!"


    <>


    <>


    Usato''s limbs are enveloped in a purple electric shock as his arms and legs are wrapped in a cage and leg armor reminiscent of a black knight.


    Usato instantly vanishes from the scene, and the Demon King does his best to defend himself, but... all the magic he had used to defend himself is destroyed in an instant.


    The Demon Lord, his eyes wide open in shock, tries to block Usato''s attack with the sword in his hand, but it is shattered by the sword Usato throws down at him.


    "It''s not magic, it''s simple brawn. ......!"


    Usato''s fist thrusts into the demon king''s unprotected abdomen.


    "Ggh!"


    "Raiden Healing Bullet Fist."


    Electric shocks pour out of his fist, shaking the magical armor covering the Demon King''s body.


    Usato steps back and crosses his arms.


    "True Healing Blindness!"


    You again!


    Shockwaves and electric shocks blinded him.


    The Demon King is protecting his face from the shockwave with a bitter look on his face, but in the meantime, Usato''s gaze is turned toward us.


    You mean, back off!


    I maneuver the board to move in place as I see Usato moving with the electric shocks again.


    "The power of the two of us has become one ......!"


    That fact alone gave me a glimmer of hope in a battle that was already lost.


    Feeling the power welling up from deep inside me, I landed at the nearest block to meet up with Usato.


    I was so happy to see him.


    My assimilation with my senpai was a success.


    My body was now in full Thunder Beast mode, allowing me to move with overwhelming speed and to attack with electric blasts as my senpai used to do.


    After attacking the Demon King, Kazuki and I left the scene and met up with the Demon King a short distance away.


    Kazuki''s eyes lit up when he saw me landing right next to him.


    "Usato, you assimilated with your senpai!"


    "Yes."


    <>


    The senior''s voice was strong with a useless ending.


    Even after being assimilated, the body should still be immobile, but it is extremely energetic.


    >


    <


    >


    >


    "Ha ha ha ......"


    Kazuki chuckles at my inner voice, which has become even louder.


    Anyway, first we have to get into position.


    "I''m still getting used to this move, that''s why I left."


    "That''s what you mean. Well, it''s my senior''s speed. ......"


    Aside from being too fast, this Thunder Beast mode also has its drawbacks.


    I noticed it while we were fighting.


    I noticed that "that girl" who was supposed to be fighting with me at all times had disappeared from my shoulder before I knew it, so I decided to distance myself from the Demon King for a while.


    "Hey!


    Something hits me on the back of my head.


    I take it in stride and turn around to see a teary-eyed Nair flapping her wings.


    The moment you jumped out, I was blown away!¡¡I can''t go back, I''m going too fast!


    "...... sorry. I was so confused by the change in me that I didn''t notice.


    In fact, I was puzzled when I noticed the absence of Nair from my shoulder.


    Without her, I would not be able to conquer the Demon Lord''s sorcery.


    I guess she wasn''t really angry, because Nair jumped on my shoulder, wiping her eyes with her wings.


    "But what are you going to do?¡¡I can''t hold on to you like this, can I?


    "What about letting Kazuki''s magic work on you?"


    "That''s not a very good idea, since the liberation spell won''t work unless you actually touch him, right?"


    Nair can''t hold on to my thunder beast mode of movement.


    As for the magic, Amako''s precognition can help, but I can''t hold N¨¦a all the time.


    While I was pondering this, a black magic power suddenly moved on its own from the position of my collar and wrapped itself around Nair''s small body.


    <>


    "Senpai?


    "What, hey, Suzune!¡¡What are you doing, Ferrum?¡¡Stop it!


    <>


    With her voice, the dark magic that extended from my body entangles Nair and pulls her to my chest.


    The black magic that covered N¨¦a, who was freaking out, transformed into a breastplate and took the shape of a deformed owl''s face.


    "What is this prison?


    <>


    Mask?¡¡Nair peeks out through the hole in the eye part of the mask, and screams in surprise.


    This way, Nair is not in danger and will be fine.


    That''s a fine play on your part.


    "It looks like there''s a face or a mask on his chest. It''s ...... cool!"


    "What?¡¡Yeah?"


    >


    Embarrassed by Kazuki''s words, they get ready for battle.


    It''s about time that the Demon Lord will confirm our position, so we need to check our coordination once again before that.


    As I go to call out to Kazuki, I suddenly notice that his body is unsteady.


    "Kazuki!"


    "......, it seems I''ve used too much magic against the Demon King.


    I hurriedly support him and cast a healing spell, but his expression does not improve.


    He is showing signs of running out of magic power. ......!


    It''s not surprising if that''s the case since he was holding the Demon King back all by himself.


    "Don''t worry, I can still fight."


    "Yeah, I know. But this time we''re going to fight in front of you."


    He lends Kazuki his shoulder and helps him to his feet.


    He smiles his usual fresh smile at my words.


    "Then I''ll support you just like I did before," he says.


    "I''m counting on you."


    That goes for me, too.


    The block in front of him starts to move and the Demon King appears.


    The Demon Lord has been wounded by his predecessor''s attack, but he is also worn out.


    "I didn''t know there was such a hidden gem."


    "It''s almost entirely accidental, though."


    As he steps in front of Kazuki, he replies to the Demon King.


    In the first place, there was little need for me and my senpai to assimilate.


    In terms of simple combat power without killing power, ours may be higher, but it is more efficient to fight with two than with one, and there is less merit in assimilating us when we consider cooperation.


    In addition to that..,


    "This sword is a bit of a distraction."


    <>


    Even now, the sword is sending out electric shocks that resonate with the cage.


    The same phenomenon is observed in the right hand Kagote, so it may be a rejection rather than a resonance.


    Anyway, it is a cool weapon but hopelessly incompatible with my fighting style.


    "A sword for a brave man. It reminds me of the old days, doesn''t it?


    I''m going to hit you with this.


    When I pointed my fist at him, the Demon Lord smiled wryly.


    "I never thought that the last person to stand before me would be someone who is not a brave man. ....... This is something that even he did not expect.


    The Witch King made magic spells appear in his hands and fused them together.


    The disintegrated formulas were formed as one new magic.


    "Compound magic, spell of acceleration and deceleration".


    Something like pressure is emitted around the Demon King.


    As soon as he recognizes it, he leaps out from the spot with electric shocks and strikes the Demon King.


    He attacks the demon king using his thunder beast mode.


    However, the Demon King''s outstretched palm catches it.


    "What!"


    "It may be an ungentlemanly move, but you are now an "enemy" worthy of such a threat. Usato!


    The Demon Lord''s fist closes in.


    ---Faster than before!¡¡Even faster than his predecessor!


    Felm, increase the arm!


    <>Oh!


    Four large arms shoot out from his back and try to catch the Demon Lord, but even they are evaded with astonishing speed.


    His movements are so different from the previous one!


    "Usato!¡¡I think he''s slowing down the time around him!"


    So we''re the ones who slowed down!


    "Yes!¡¡And the Demon Lord is using another magic to accelerate his own time!


    You''re a real clod!


    I thought I could beat you in speed, but you''ve made the odds almost 50-50.


    He tries to approach the Demon Lord while cracking the approaching sorcery with his left sword.


    "Usato!¡¡Use my magic!"


    "Thank you, Kazuki!"


    I use the magic projectiles that surround me as a foothold.


    Light magic bullets on the scaffold.


    The speed of the thunder beast mode.


    A burst of magic in the air.


    The way to move by using the line of dark magic.


    I''m going to combine all of them and go for it!


    "...... It''s behaving terribly, even for an enemy!"


    "Whoa!"


    The Demon King, though looking stunned, does not slow down his attack.


    >


    >


    >


    >


    With the help of Kazuki and my inner circle, we finally reach the Demon Lord.


    My right fist, which is covered with electric shocks, and my palm, which is covered with magic, collide with each other.


    With a deafening metallic clang, I destroy the Demon Lord''s sorcery with brute force.


    "By the way, you didn''t hear the end!


    What!


    He kicks at the demon king''s magic, breaking it with his left sword.


    The Demon King lightly dismisses it, and in return, he thrusts out a fist filled with magic, which he catches with the basket hand on his right arm.


    "Prepare yourself!


    "---!"


    My resolve, which I could not express because of the appearance of my senpai.


    That hasn''t changed.


    --- then I should speak it at this time when I''m facing the Demon King head-on.


    Yes, I''ll say it!


    >


    He raises his voice even as he slams his fist down.


    What I am about to say is only an ideal that is very difficult and doubtful to be realized.


    That''s why I''m declaring it here.


    There is no turning back now!


    Humans and demons cannot understand each other!¡¡I told you so!


    "Yes, the bond between humans and demons is so deep that it can never be buried."


    No matter how much less brutal they may have been in the past, the fact remains that humans are still oppressing subhumans.


    I understand the hostility that demons have toward humans and the fear that humans have toward demons.


    "But I know!¡¡I know that the humans and the demons I have met so far in this world are not all bad people!


    What does it matter!¡¡Do you think that if you are the only one who understands, people around you will show understanding?


    The demons don''t fight because they want to.


    There are demons like Keira and the others who are struggling to survive in the poor land.


    That''s why I''ve made up my mind!


    Then what are you going to do?


    With all his might, he thrust out his fist and slammed it into the demon king''s arm.


    He takes a deep breath and slams the core of his words into the demon king, who backs away from him in shock.


    I stand between humans and demons!


    The seniors within me are astonished by his voice.


    The Demon King''s face takes on a look of surprise.


    "---What?"


    "I don''t care if you say it''s impossible, I''ve already made up my mind!¡¡I''m not going back to my world!¡¡If there''s an unbridgeable gap between demons and humans, I''ll be the bridge!¡¡I will risk everything in my life!"


    He declares, pointing his finger at me.


    This is the choice I have made.


    An ideal so absurd and difficult to realize.


    Naturally, the Demon Lord stares at me with eyes filled with anger.


    "Are you really speaking such nonsense?¡¡Haven''t you heard anything I''ve said so far?


    "Don''t you know?¡¡I''m a lifeguard.


    Saving lives is what the paramedics do.


    And that''s what Rose taught me, and that''s what I''ll always remember.


    "We are what we do when we talk about ideals."


    I am not saying that demons and humans will soon be able to come to terms with each other.


    That is why I will be a pioneer and a guide for those who come after me.


    Just as the Commander did for me: ......!


    >


    "Hmm?"


    At that moment, my senior''s sword, which is clutched in my left hand, glows.


    Surprised by the light, the older man inside shouts out.


    <>


    For a moment, the sword, transformed into a sphere, covers my left arm.


    When the glow subsided, there was a silver cage on my left arm, the same as that on my right arm.


    Electric shocks were emanating from the basket hand, and the same phenomenon was occurring in the basket hand of my right arm, which had been there from the beginning.


    "Shhh!"


    With a clash, both fists slammed into each other, and electric shocks gushed out.


    I don''t know if it was in response to my resolve, but now I can fight to my heart''s content.


    "If the armor of Farga responded to your will, then I understand that your resolve is genuine. But ......"


    The Demon King, stepping heavily on the ground and taking a stance, makes his sorcery float around him.


    "I, too, bear the future of the demon tribe. I am not so naive as to entrust it to you.


    "Then you know exactly how to do it. ......?"


    "Yes, if you want your wish to come true..."


    I could feel it on my skin.


    In the face of it, I too ready the baskets on both arms.


    "Try to defeat me, ......!"


    Good!


    The real final battle.


    I have nothing more to say.


    All that''s left is for us to exchange blows. ......!

 307 - - 275th episode.

    ---I''m not going back to my world!


    When I heard those words, my mind went blank.


    I had never imagined that he was so determined, or that he was willing to risk his life for his own ideals.


    >


    Usato-kun continues to swing both fists that are covered with electric shocks at the Demon King.


    The Demon King, too, has left behind the margin to enjoy the battle so far, and is meeting his attack head-on and counterattacking with his magic.


    Both are fighting with the intention of exerting all their strength.


    To decide the winner of this battle..,


    "You''ve already made up your mind. ......"


    He no longer looks back, but only to the future.


    Unlike me, who has no regrets about my former world, Usato has friends and family he would like to see again, but he has chosen to live for the people of this world.


    I can''t imagine how much it must have taken for him to do that.


    "Then I''ll be ready too!"


    He may not be able to hear me in the midst of battle, but I will say it nonetheless.


    I have no regrets for my former world.


    But if you still choose the original world, I will seek it without hesitation.


    "I don''t know if I can stand a world without you, Usato Ken..."


    "What are you trying to declare in the confusion?


    "Gufu!"


    He is hit from the side and rolls around in the strange space like a tuna fish in the market.


    Holding my cheek with my barely moving left hand, I looked over at Ferrum, who was looking down at me with a wry smile on his face.


    "I was just about to make an important declaration of preparedness!


    "You can do that later!¡¡Or I''ll kick you out!"


    Susanne, do it right!


    Yes, sir!


    I''m the lowest in the hierarchy of Usato-kun ......!


    Ferrum and Amako chastised me, and I turned my attention to the battle, further complicating the supply of magic power that I had been working on in parallel earlier.


    "Usato-kun!¡¡I entrust you with a part of my magic!¡¡You can use it as much as you like!


    >


    Just as I said, Usato-kun extends a blade of dark magic from his arm with a jerk, and the blade is covered with electric shocks.


    He leaps over the demon king''s attack, which seems to reave him off his feet, and swings his sword in the air.


    >


    Wow, a technique with my element in it!


    A crescent-shaped electric shock is released from the blade.


    The demon king, perhaps caught off guard, prevents it with his sorcery.


    The nightmare of "Dasa-sa" is back!


    >


    For some reason, Nair and Ferrum screamed, and Amako held her forehead, but they were able to create an opening anyway.


    But then Amako tells Usato-kun to stop, and as she tries to get him to back off, she instantly notices that the Demon Lord, with his left hand on his right arm, is instantly filled with a large amount of magical power as he floats a magic spell.


    >


    A black pattern unfolds around Usato-kun.


    This is the same as when I used the Tenrashi spell ......!


    Before I can raise my voice, Amako, who knew this before, raises her voice.


    "Usato!¡¡Heat rays are coming!¡¡And lots of them from all around!"


    <>


    Usato-kun, his palms open and held vertically in a line, awaits the Demon Lord''s attack.


    The next moment, a series of hot rays, reminiscent of machine guns, shoot out from the magic circle.


    >


    <>


    He half-swallows as if to protect Nair, and both arms are covered with purple electric shocks.


    What?¡¡He partially activated Thunder Beast Mode 3!


    No, how is he able to do that?


    <>


    Faced with heat rays coming from all directions, Usato''s defensive arms scramble away along with Shiden.


    At that moment, a red flash approaching him bounces off an invisible wall at random, hitting the surrounding blocks and causing a large explosion.


    >


    With unusual speed, Usato bounces back the heat rays with his basket hand.


    After a few seconds of repeated attacks, Kazuki''s magic bullets destroy the magic surrounding him.


    >


    >


    Usato-kun leaps with his elasticity and comes very close to the Demon King at once.


    His basket hand and the magic covering the Demon Lord''s arm collide with each other, coming so close that their foreheads are about to collide.


    >


    >


    >


    >


    They fling their arms at each other and kick each other in the arm.


    Usato-kun is blocked and lands on the ground, flipping over as he recoils, and fires an electric shock at point-blank range.


    >


    >


    The electric shocks are canceled out, and he catches a fist with his forehead.


    He starts to back away, but then, of course, he pushes the fist back with just the strength of his neck.


    >


    <>


    Usato-kun approaches the Demon King at once.


    The Demon Lord, however, dives into the heat ray while holding a basket hand as if protecting Nair who is in his chest.


    <>


    Despite taking direct blows to the shoulder, side, and leg, Usato-kun jumped into the Demon King''s bosom and clad both of his unshackled fists in purple electricity and delivered a blinding rush.


    The magic covering the Demon King''s body is instantly destroyed, and he thrusts both fists into the Demon King''s body.


    >


    >


    Electric blasts and shockwaves are sent into the Demon King''s body.


    It was a blow after all.


    The Demon King''s body is paralyzed, but he quickly regains his posture.


    >


    <<>


    The Demon King, who had struck Usato-kun with many layers of magic and blown him away, unleashed a wide variety of magic from the magic circle he had arranged in a line.


    A wide range of attacks with no escape in front of you!


    Usato-kun rolls and lands on his feet, his hands wrapped in baskets and spread wide, covered with electric shocks and healing magic.


    >


    A cat trick with magical powers.


    It was supposed to be just that, but the clapped hands sent shockwaves and electric shocks forward with a rumbling metallic sound, blasting away the magic.


    "Usato!"


    Usato?


    I call out to Usato-kun as he falls to his knees, but his expression does not look good.


    He is too exhausted from the battle so far.


    But so is the Demon Lord.


    >


    Placing his hands on his knees, Usato-kun forces himself to stand up and faces the Demon King.


    The battle is still raging, but it is only a matter of time before the balance is upset.


    The balance is only a matter of time before it is lost.


    The Demon Lord is weakening.


    I can see it in the battle.


    It is probably because he is fighting in a weakened state, and more than anything else, the Demon King himself has not fully recovered the magic power consumed by the magic in the last war.


    The power of his magic is gradually decreasing.


    "......¥Ã"


    But so am I.


    I thought I had managed to conserve my magical power, but I was steadily running out of it due to the fact that I had been fighting so many battles in a row.


    In the first place, it''s too much to be able to take on Senpai and Kazuki at the same time in a weakened state.


    "Nun!"


    "Ha!"


    Fists and magic collide, and both are blown away by each other.


    He slams his back against the block and stares at the demon king, who is also wounded to the bone, as he stands up.


    "He''s stubborn!


    That''s what I say!


    Kazuki and I are both nearing our limits.


    Kazuki, who had been showing symptoms of running out of magic power, would be in mortal danger if he exerted himself any longer.


    So we have to fight alone as much as possible, even though we are in a desperate situation!¡¡But my heart is not broken yet!


    "Huh!"


    The demon king hasn''t even activated his magical armor yet.


    He''s saving his magic so much that he''s using the rest of his magic to attack!


    They are in trouble!


    Then, the one with more spirit and determination will win!


    >


    "Hmm?"


    The Demon Lord''s fist is between your eyes... and you''re hit with some kind of shockwave magic.


    A shock that shakes your head.


    You almost fall backwards, but you grab the Demon Lord''s arm.


    "I''m ...... proud of ......!"


    "You''re still conscious when your head is vibrating ......?


    He raises his upper body only by the strength of his back.


    There is no way that I will lose consciousness just from having my head shaken like this.


    I grab the demon king''s arm and pull my legs wide.


    "I am!¡¡From the day I came to this world!¡¡I was thrown into the lifeguard squad!


    ......!


    So I''ve had my head shaken so many times by the commander''s fist!


    With all his might, he slams a right kick into the demon king''s torso.


    It feels good!


    "G......!?"


    The Demon King is kicked in the abdomen and blown backward.


    He stops in mid-air, as if he is about to crash into a block.


    He wipes the blood from the edge of his mouth while holding his abdomen, and points his right hand upward.


    "---Magic of the Demon King."


    Then, a black magic bullet-like object appeared in the Demon Lord''s palm and swelled up like a balloon.


    That''s not good. ......!


    "This is just a ball that collects magic power from itself and the air around it. It is a magic without any characteristics, just a powerful magic. It''s just an ...... efficient magic that I thought I''d never use again in my life. ......"


    A magic bullet that swelled into a giant sphere.


    It was obvious at first glance that it was not something that was just for show.


    "This is the last big move!"


    "......ck!"


    Take it if you can!


    A raised right hand is dropped toward us.


    He immediately tries to escape the situation in Thunder Beast mode, but his right leg does not move.


    "Binding spell ......!"


    It was set up when I kicked him earlier!¡¡No, we can''t make it!


    The magic bullet has already been released.


    If he is swallowed, he will surely lose the battle.


    But if we don''t hold them off, it''s over.


    "Healing explosion!"


    Just as I was about to use my remaining magical power to intercept him, the dark magic robe around my body transformed like a wall.


    I screamed out in anger when I saw Ferrum and Nair appear in front of me.


    "Ferrum!¡¡Nair!¡¡What are you doing?


    It''s the only way!


    Yes!¡¡It''s the only way!


    Nair is casting a resistance spell on the wall of dark magic that Ferrum created.


    Amako and her senpai, who can''t move due to magic, appear behind me because of the assimilation being broken, but there''s no way they can''t see what will happen if the assimilation is broken in a situation like this!


    "Get back here, now!"


    You''ll do it for us demons, won''t you!


    ......?


    Then we have to let you win!


    The magic bullet is close at hand.


    As Ferrum and Nair prepare for the impact, Kazuki appears beside them.


    He kneels down, catching the magic bullet with his light magic.


    "I''m here too, ......!"


    Kazuki to ......!


    What''s a brave man if he''s not useful here!


    He pushes his palm into the magic bullet while spitting up blood, and then releases his last light magic to chip away at the magic bullet.


    Kazuki falls back, and the magic bullet crashes into the wall that Ferrum and Nair have put up.


    "Kazuki!"


    "Usato......!"


    Kazuki grabs my hand.


    He is trying desperately to talk to me in his foggy consciousness.


    "It''s not us. ......!"


    "What?"


    "If me and my senpai defeat the Demon King, that''s not what it means!¡¡It means that you, who are not a brave man, are the one who''s going to settle things with the Demon King. ......!¡¡So ......, win, Usato!"


    Kazuki''s strength drains from his body as he says this.


    Behind him, he hears the enduring voices of Ferrum and Nair.


    "---!"


    I prepared for the impact coming from behind me, protecting him, Amako, and my senpai, who had fainted.

 308 - - Twenty-sixth episode.

    I had not been cornered this badly since my fight with Hisago.


    A bloodied fist, a deep scar on my right shoulder.


    And my magical power was drained like never before.


    After checking my own condition once again, I shifted my gaze to the space where I had dropped my last great move - the spell of the magic attack.


    "......"


    I have very little magic left in me.


    That''s why I took a gamble and unleashed a move, but was that the end of them?


    It should have been powerful enough to finish them off.


    But I still can''t be sure that I was able to defeat them.


    "...... No, you want me to get up, don''t you?"


    The ramblings of a man who has been there for a long time.


    They will never come true.


    But even knowing that, there was a feeling that I found amusing.


    "Oh, I see."


    So far we know and understand him.


    Then why bother to find out if he''s alive or dead at the end of this smoke?


    If this is the Usato I know..,


    "Demon king!"


    "Of course, he''ll come at us unbroken."


    He catches Usato''s fist as he charges through the smoke.


    The dark magic covering his body and the cage attached to his left arm have disappeared, and the only weapon he has left is the cage on his right arm.


    But even so... he is still a formidable foe to me.


    I will avenge you both!


    "No, he''s not dead. ......?


    I''m alive as usual. ......


    When the smoke clears, those who had been assimilated by Usato are lying on the ground, but they are all alive.


    If Usato is the only one left, it means that the rest of them have done their best to prevent the magic bullet to protect him.


    He has now abandoned even sorcery, and holds his fist in the air.


    "Even without magic, I am the Demon King ......!"


    "I''m a lifesaver too, even without healing magic!"


    You don''t know what you''re talking about!


    He grabs the kick as if to pin it between his side and arm and throws it straight into the wall.


    He slams into the wall, but gets up easily and charges at you as he has done before.


    ---Now that he has been unassimilated, he is now only trying to fight us with bullets.


    "But it will be effective for me now. ......!"


    This is far more troublesome than a bad strategy.


    Such people who don''t think out of the box don''t hesitate at all.


    They are not thinking at all.


    That''s why I am ready to attack them with that kind of spirit.


    "Hmph!¡¡Nooooo!"


    He should have wounds all over his body, but he attacks with bottomless physical strength and spirit.


    Even so, the fists that they unleash are filled with power that resonates to the core.


    But!


    I am not so gentle as to give in.


    He handles his fist, and as if swinging it around, he slams his elbow into his face.


    "What''s the matter, is that all you''ve got ......?"


    "Not yet,...... not yet!"


    He wipes the blood from his forehead and raises his head, then readies himself once more.


    I even have a moment of admiration for his current appearance, and speak words of provocation.


    "Now, if you want to be reasonable, try to kill me. ......!"


    "What?


    Usato''s movement suddenly stops.


    My fist slammed straight into his face, but he caught it without even rolling over.


    "Ah!"


    "---"


    As soon as he mutters something, a powerful blow slams into his abdomen.


    The moment you realize that your arm has been slammed, the pain in your abdomen disappears, and you realize that the wounds carved by the lightning hero have healed.


    "You ......!¡¡You have come this far, and you dare to taunt me ......!"


    ---He casts a healing spell on me.


    I was angry at him for doing such a thing in the middle of this competition, but the man standing in front of me was even angrier than I was, his face contorted like an evil demon.


    "Aaah!¡¡Which one of you is taunting me, you bastard? ......!


    With a voice of anger, he thrust out his fist.


    He catches it with both arms, but the force of the fist forces him backward.


    You''re getting angry as if you''ve changed. ......!


    What the hell do you want me to do!¡¡You''ve come this far and you don''t understand me at all!


    ......!


    Is strength the only thing that makes a Demon King?¡¡You''ve got to be kidding!


    Usato shouts in anger.


    Blood rushes to his head.


    He has never expressed his anger for a long time, even before he was sealed up, but he is so consumed and exhausted that he is overcome with rage.


    I would say that it''s silly to be emotionally shaken by something as trivial as this, but to be expected to understand when the person keeps acting in a way you didn''t expect is quite frustrating. ......!


    I grab the guy by the collar as he approaches and headbutt him.


    "Few people can understand you, who do nothing but act like you don''t know what you''re doing. ......!


    Then understand me right here and now!


    Both he and I, losing our composure, take and avoid each other''s attacks and deliver blows.


    <>


    >


    I grab his left arm and he grabs mine as we stare at each other.


    We are now at the point where our powers are at odds with each other.


    Now my physical strength and Usato''s are equal.


    "When did I!¡¡When did I say I would kill you!¡¡I said I was going to kill you!


    My existence is nothing but an obstacle to your ideal!¡¡How can you talk so much with such a naive idea!


    The existence of the Demon Lord, I, causes humans to have unnecessary fear of demons and demons to have impossible hopes.


    Therefore, when I am defeated as the Demon King, it will mean death.


    That is the plot that Hisago would have drawn.


    It is nothing but the end of the story where we unite to defeat the great evil that is me. ......!


    "It''s the other way around!"


    But my words and hisago''s intentions are shattered by the words of the healing wizard in front of me.


    He head-butts me with such force that I am thrown back, and his voice rises as he breathes on my shoulder.


    "Don''t you dare die here and try to get comfortable. ......!¡¡You have to work harder for the demon tribe!¡¡So I''m going to beat you alive, no matter what!"


    What, ......?


    You are indispensable to the future I have in mind!


    The guy who is kicking the ground slows you down.


    I come to my senses and grab Usato''s arm and slam him to the ground.


    "Ggghh......!"


    "Do you want me to live and suffer in the world to come? ......!


    That will be your punishment!


    Don''t play ...... with me!


    He swings his leg down with the intention of crushing its head, but it quickly rises up and evades him.


    Again the exchange of bullets was repeated, during which my head was almost engulfed in a whirlpool of thoughts.


    Oh, you''ve got to be kidding me. ......!


    The idiot in front of me knows how crazy he is thinking and he is going to do it!


    For the sake of the demon tribe, for the sake of mankind, he is going to overcome all obstacles and move forward into the future with the intention of destroying it!


    Hisago has given up the present for the sake of the future.


    Usato tries to live in the present for the future.


    This way of being has already made hisago..,


    "Oh, oh, oh!"


    "Ow!"


    I find my arm is raised by his raised left arm.


    A momentary blank in my thoughts---Usato''s right arm slammed into my exposed torso, sending intense pain through my brain.


    I almost fall to my knees, but I manage to hold on, and when I look up at him..,


    "I''m going to ......, beat you up and win!"


    --- Usato, breathing on his shoulder, was about to swing his raised left arm down.


    "Take that!


    His eyes were filled with strong will and no hatred.


    A fist with healing magic, without a cage around it.


    I think I must defend myself, but I cannot move.


    It''s not that I don''t have the strength to defend myself, but at this moment in time..,


    "Healing punch!"


    --- in the face of this man, I had admitted defeat.


    The next moment, when I had acknowledged this and meditated on it, I felt a shock on my cheek.


    The next moment, I felt a shock on my cheek.


    A healing punch with all his might, literally the last of his strength.


    It punched through the face of the Demon King who was about to kneel down, and blew him wide open.


    "---U......"


    I almost fall forward with my fist out of the air, and Bulrin leaps to my side to support me.


    "Grua!"


    "Thank you, Bulrin!"


    "Usato!"


    Soon after, Amako, who was with the seniors, rushed over to me.


    Amako was the only one who could move.


    He was probably going to take a while since Nair had lifted the spell on him. .......


    "Amaco. ...... where''s the Demon King?"


    There ......


    When you look toward the Demon King, you see him lying on the floor with his back to you, having been knocked out.


    He seems to be conscious, but does not seem to be getting up.


    He looks up at the sky and smiles at himself.


    "I never thought I''d be beaten to a pulp by a healing wizard. ......"


    "The Demon King: ......"


    "I concede defeat. You win."


    For a moment, I did not understand those words.


    After taking a few seconds to comprehend their meaning, I noticed that the Demon Lord had a peaceful expression on his face.


    "It is a complete and utter defeat, but now I think it''s all right.


    "Are you sure?"


    It''ll be fun to see where you end up. I''m sure it''ll be more fun than dying here.


    You''re a terrible thing to say, like "delightful." .......


    The Demon Lord, who has raised his upper body as it is, floats a small spell in his palm.


    Then the blocks floating in this space return to their original state.


    Those on which we are riding slowly descend to the floor.


    "First we must let them know that the battle is over..."


    "...... are you sure you''re okay to get up?"


    "You bastard, you attacked me with your healing magic just now. You licked me. ......


    The Demon King, smiling bitterly back at the Demon King, manages to prop himself up with his hands on Bulrin''s back and turns around.


    Kazuki is unconscious and Senpai is in the process of having Nair cast a spell on him, but they are all still alive.


    "---It''s over, isn''t it?"


    At last, the battle against the Demon King is over.


    I don''t know what will happen in the future if we don''t kill the Demon King, but for now we can only be satisfied with this result.


    "The Demon Lord''s army is disbanded. After that, I will send a letter of surrender.


    "...... Yes."


    If necessary, I will surrender myself. After that, I leave the rest to you and your kingdom of Lingle."


    No, rather, the real work begins now.


    This is only the first step.


    From now on, we''ll have to work so hard that we won''t have time to rest.


    "But for now, I need to rest. ......"


    Anyway, I''m so tired that I feel as if I''m going to pass out at any moment, and just as I''m about to lean my body against Bulrin''s back --- the door to the hall, which has regained its original shape, is kicked down with a mighty bang.


    "Demon king!


    Wait!¡¡Amira Bellegred!¡¡The battle is not over yet!


    The ones who jumped in were the red-haired demon, Amira Berggred, and Leona, who had followed from behind.


    The battle was still going on and both were drenched in soot and melted ice, but when Amira saw the demon king sitting in front of me covered in wounds, she looked angry,.......


    "You son of a b*tc*!


    "Hey, hey, hey, hey!"


    I won''t let the Demon Lord get away with it!


    Amira comes running at us, spreading flames.


    I guess she is tired from the battle with Leona, and although only her sword is covered with flames, it is doubtful that I can catch her as I am still exhausted.


    I move away from Amako and Bulrin to avoid the sword.


    "Wait!¡¡The battle is over!


    Shut up!¡¡I''ll take you with me and cut myself!


    Why?


    No!¡¡You''ve completely misunderstood the situation!


    The Demon King is trying to stop him, but his voice is not reaching Amira, who is in a panic.


    I tried to catch the continued slashes with my basket hand, but the next moment, something black intervened between me and Amira, catching the sword that was engulfed in flames.


    "Stop it, Amira!


    What?


    It was Koga who blocked Amira''s sword with his left arm wrapped in dark magic.


    As he caught the sword, he looked at me behind him and smiled smugly.


    "Heh, that was a close call."


    "Oh ......"


    "Oh?¡¡What, thanks?"


    "I never thought I''d be saved by you. ......!"


    Isn''t that terrible?¡¡You saved my life.


    Coga''s cheeks twitch as he sees my frustration.


    But Amira, in a fit of anger, shoves her sword into my hand and glares at Koga.


    "Koga!¡¡You''re taking his side!


    "No, no, no, no. ...... I know you''re mad, but look around you."


    "What about ......?"


    Amira looks around and sees the Demon Lord.


    Seeing his peaceful expression, which was different from the one she had seen during the battle, she lowered her sword, too.


    "Amira, it''s all right."


    "So, but ......!"


    "I was defeated by the healing wizard there. As you can see, I let him live.


    "......!"


    "Our battle is over."


    The words from the demon king''s mouth cause Amira to remove her sword from her hand.


    She looked at me and the Demon Lord alternately, tears in her eyes, and her voice trembled.


    "......ji, I will cut myself."


    "What?"


    No, why?


    The demon king was stunned, and I, whose voice coincidentally overlapped with Koga''s.


    Amira pulls out a knife while crying, and for some reason Koga and I do everything we can to stop her.


    "Let go of me!¡¡You want me to live in shame!


    "Usato!¡¡Naifumi!¡¡Take the knife!


    Ha-ha-ha!¡¡Oh, you''re so cute, you''re so cute.


    Stop laughing, you too!


    He yells at the laughing demon king and tries to grab the knife from Amira.


    If we don''t avoid any unexplained deaths here ......!


    After defeating the Demon Lord, why am I in such a tight spot?


    >


    >


    <<< Do it!¡¡Nair, do it! >>Do it!


    <>


    I can hear the voices of these merry seniors, but I manage to take the knife away from Amira and sit down on the spot, throwing it on the floor.


    Amira is quiet now, but she still seems to be in shock.


    "Usato!¡¡I don''t know what happened, but are you okay?


    "Leona-san, ......!"


    I was relieved when I saw Leona-san coming toward me.


    I grabbed her hand and stood up, and Amako and Bulrin came to me.


    "Ha-ha-ha, as you can see, the battle is over."


    "Yeah, Usato and the others won."


    At the words of Amako and I, Leona looked at the living Demon Lord and wanted to say something, but then she immediately smiled.


    She puts the spear she had been holding in her hand back on the pendant and supports her body, which is now on the verge of wobbling.


    "How very ...... like you."


    "I don''t know if this is right, though."


    "......In the stories of the heroes I know, the Demon King has been defeated. I''m not sure if it was ever mentioned that the Demon King was allowed to live..."


    Leona continues to speak as she walks to her seniors.


    "I don''t dislike this kind of ending. I think it''s just like you, from the bottom of my heart.


    "Thank you for ......."


    "Hmph, I''m the one who should thank you."


    The hard battle was over and we were victorious.


    But although the battle against the Demon Lord''s army is over, the battle for me will continue.


    "But first, let''s start with ......."


    "Suzune, you''re banned from assimilating from now on."


    "Oh, no!"


    Of course not. It''s a very noisy place. ......


    "This is in-assimilation power harassment ......!"


    Let''s go join the fainted Kazuki and his noisy friends.


    Amako looks aghast at the seniors, Leona giggles, and Bulrin sleepily stretches.


    Seeing these girls, I walk on with a sense of relief.

 309 - - 277th episode.

    And then it was hard.


    Through the magic of the Witch King, all the demons in the city were informed that he had conceded defeat.


    Normally, this would have caused chaos, but the Demon Lord, who was a master of magic, used his amazing skills and speech to calm them down, and told them about the future policy of the Demon Lord''s army --- or rather, of the Demon Lords'' army.


    As he said this, we went up to the ground with the Demon King.


    Kazuki, who had regained consciousness, lent me his shoulder, and Nair was helping him to get rid of the spell while he was tied up by magic and unable to move, being carried on Bulrin''s back like a piece of laundry.


    Leona, Ferrum, and Amako are all there.


    In addition, there are Amira and Koga who follow the Demon Lord.


    ......A great situation, even if you don''t think about it again. ......!


    The eyes of the demons gathered around.


    The demon king suddenly pushes me out of the way, slapping me on the back, while I''m looking at him with a gaze that can be described as both fear and anger.


    I almost knocked down Kazuki, and when I turned my head forward while glaring at the Demon Lord, I saw the gazes of the Demon Lord''s soldiers.


    "I have decided to entrust the future of the demon tribe to this human. ...... he is the healer who beat me down, he was just as strong as a demon, wasn''t he?"


    Needless to say, this moment determined the perception of the demon tribe toward me.


    The demon tribe was in an uproar, me with my head in my hands and the Demon King laughing happily.


    At any rate, as I am about to head-butt Koga, who is laughing behind me, I notice two figures running at high speed on top of the building.


    The shadows land in front of us and one runs to me and the other to the Demon Lord.


    "Is everyone all right?


    Mr. Nagi!


    The one who came down in front of me was Mr. Nagi.


    Her clothes were stained in some places and she had some cuts on them, but she did not seem to have any serious wounds.


    She checked us out one by one, and then breathed a sigh of relief.


    "I heard the battle was over, but what in the world is this ...... and the Demon King is still alive ......."


    I looked at the Demon Lord and saw a man standing in front of him.


    Nero Agens.


    The demon swordsman, whom Mr. Nagi had stopped in his tracks, silently addresses the Demon King.


    "......, Demon Lord."


    "Yes, you''ve been beaten to a pulp. Yes, he beat you with his bare hands."


    Nero takes one look at us and smiles after a look of surprise.


    "This ending is also fate, I suppose."


    He picks up the sheathed sword at his waist.


    We quickly brace ourselves, but he throws it to the ground.


    Without a glance at the sword on the ground, Nero kneels down to the Demon Lord.


    I will obey your word. Always have and always will.


    "You''re just as law-abiding as you are, aren''t you? ...... what''s going to happen to you?"


    We''ve both been hurt by healing wizards. It''s too late for that.


    Ha, indeed.


    Nero, the strongest swordsman of the demon tribe, has given up his weapon.


    The soldiers, understanding what this means, drop their weapons to the ground as if giving up.


    "Did you end the battle with the Demon King alive?"


    "Yes. ...... though it''s going to be tough from here on out.


    Still skeptical, she looks at the Demon Lord.


    "You''re not lying to me, are you?


    "I wouldn''t do something like that at this late stage, would I?"


    "......"


    "I was defeated by the healing wizard there. Not by a brave man, but by a mere mortal. You know exactly what that means, don''t you?


    Mr. Nagi turns to me.


    After a moment of silence, her shoulders shook and she jumped at me with tremendous force.


    I catch her by surprise with a momentum that could easily be called a tackle.


    Instantly, my torso tightens with overwhelming force.


    "You guys are ......!¡¡You have surpassed the assumptions of that clueless man from HISAGO!"


    "Yes, yes, you''re right. ......!"


    "Yes, you''re right!¡¡You''ve managed to end the battle without killing the Demon King!


    He''s as powerful as Rose ......!


    I know you''re happy, but in your exhausted state, I''m afraid you''re going to get your ass kicked.


    He''s going to lift me up and spin me around and around.


    I was afraid to untie his arms because of his joy, so I let him do what he wanted, and then Amako talked to Mr. Nagi.


    "Kannagi, you have to leave soon because Usato is going to faint.


    "Oh, ......, I''m sorry!¡¡...... ugh, who''s a monstrous idiot?"


    As I was released and breathing, I heard Mr. Nagi mumbling to himself.


    Probably, the other Nagi-san is saying something, but it would be better not to mention it too much.


    He is sorry for what he said.


    "d*mn, if only I could move my body... ......!¡¡If only I could move my body, I could compete with Kannagi. ......!¡¡If only the body worked!


    "Nah, you can break the spell, but you''ll have to cast a binding spell."


    "Aren''t you being too hard on Suzune?"


    "Bodhi ......!"


    Nair and Ferrum are looking down at their senpai who are letting out vindictive cries on top of the bullring as if they are dumbfounded.


    It seems that the senpai will still take a long time to recover.


    "Ha, ha, senpai looks fine."


    "Sorry, Kazuki. Let me give you a hand.


    "Thank you, Usato. ...... but the problem is what comes after."


    "Yeah, I guess so."


    Once again, he talks to Leona while lending Kazuki his shoulder.


    Now that we have met up with Nagi, let''s talk to Leona about what we should do.


    "Leona-san, the battle itself is over, what should we do now?


    "The battle may be over, but we are still in enemy territory. Even if the Demon King admits defeat, we should not stay here for long because of the danger of being attacked.


    Fortunately, all but the senior members of the group are simply exhausted.


    But the problem here is that we''re all going home.


    The senior member, who had been making a lot of noise earlier, turns his face toward me and opens his mouth, as if he was thinking the same thing as I was.


    "I won''t say that I don''t trust the Demon King after all this time. I''m not saying that I don''t trust the Demon Lord. But we need someone to watch over this place.


    Do you want me to stay?


    Seriously, you''re staying?


    Coga''s happy voice made me not want to stay at all.


    I sigh, "If I stay, I''m sure I''ll be attacked by this guy.


    I think I''m the right person for the job, since I fought the Demon Lord until the end, and since I can get well soon with healing magic.


    "No, I''ll stay.


    "Mr. Nagi?"


    I have precognition magic. I can respond immediately to any unforeseen circumstances. ...... and..."


    Mr. Nagi looks at the Demon King with a sideways glance.


    His gaze remains sharp.


    "--I have some things I need to talk to the Demon Lord about."


    "...... understand."


    You are right, Mr. Nagi is the right person for the job.


    And since he wants to talk to the Demon King about something, there''s no reason to stop him.


    But..,


    "I want Mr. Nagi to come to the Kingdom of Lingle in this time period so that he can return home as quickly as possible."


    "Hmm, why?"


    "Because I want you to come to Lingle Kingdom this time."


    "...... hmm?¡¡This time?"


    At last, the Kingdom of Lingle, where Hisago and Nagi never went.


    Though the times are different, the Lingle Kingdom we know is a peaceful place.


    Though Mr. Hisago is not here, I hope that Mr. Nagi will come to Lingle Kingdom at least.


    Nagi-san tilts his head at me, and I smile as we face the Demon King.


    We hit each other again and again, and both of us are battered and bruised, but we are still standing alive.


    That fact alone is the best outcome of this battle.


    Mr. Nagi will stay here.


    "Of course. If it weren''t for the guards, we would have had to tell you.


    He chuckles at the Demon King''s words.


    The Demon Lord has a sense of propriety, I suppose.


    If we leave here without leaving anyone behind, there is a possibility that the Kingdom of Lingle and other countries will be alerted.


    "Perhaps we will meet again in the not-too-distant future."


    Yes, of course.


    "If you do what you tell me to do, you will be held accountable for your actions. Keep that in mind."


    "...... yes."


    When the demon king nodded, he flipped his palm and created a white whirlpool.


    At the end of the white whirlpool, I see a familiar forest and chopped-up trees.


    This is the place where we were first attacked by Nero---I recognize it and look at the Demon Lord.


    "Through here you can get out of the city. Normally we could connect it to the outside of the demon king''s territory, but we don''t have the magical power to do so. You''ll have to put up with this.


    "No, I''m used to walking."


    I have been walking all the way to the letter and all the way to here.


    There were no shortcuts, and that is why we walked straight to our destination.


    It is no different on the way back.


    "Finally, I give you this."


    Then the Demon Lord takes out a scroll from his palm.


    It was the scroll he had shown us before the battle, the scroll that contained the formula for returning to the original world that had been prepared for Mr. Hisago.


    The Demon Lord hands it to me.


    "It''s real, isn''t it?"


    "Did you think I would give you a fake?¡¡If you give it to ...... Falga, he will be able to adjust it so that you can return to your original world and time."


    "But this was prepared for the previous hero, ...... Hisago."


    The demon king nodded at the sound of Kazuki''s voice.


    "Indeed, it was prepared for him. This scroll also contains information about the world and time in which Hisago lived. However, if you were to rewrite it and inscribe new information about you, the scroll would work.


    "Information?"


    "Nothing tangible. If I had to guess, I''d say it smells. That will be your coordinates."


    ...... Honestly, I don''t know, but it seems true that this might help me get back to my world.


    I look at it in my hand and meditate.


    I see in my mind''s eye the "regret" that I have left behind in the world I left behind.


    I think of all these things and look up.


    "I don''t need them."


    "...... are you sure you''re not wavering in your resolve?"


    "I''ve already made up my mind. If it''s going to be used, it won''t be by me.


    Scrolls are tucked away in the trousers.


    Kazuki, propping it up on his shoulder, has a difficult expression on his face, but this is Kazuki''s own decision to make.


    It is not my place to interfere.


    Besides, if Kazuki or his senpai were to ask me for such (...) advice, I''m sure I''d want him to stay.


    So, I have nothing to say to them.


    Then go ahead.


    "Yes, I''ll see you again."


    After exchanging these words, I turned back to Nagi-san.


    "Please take care of the rest."


    I''m in charge. Good luck.


    "...... yes."


    With Kazuki as my support, I step into the white vortex.


    In an instant, we are away from the city where the demons are, and we look back at the city again.


    "It''s over, isn''t it?"


    "Yes."


    I nodded at Kazuki''s mutterings.


    As soon as I realize this, my body relaxes and I sit down on the spot.


    It seems as if all of us are in the same boat, and exhaustion comes over us as if the taut threads have been severed.


    "I''m so tired!"


    "I don''t want to use prediction magic for the time being, either."


    "Ha-ha-ha, it seems that I was also worn out from the battle with Amira. I got hot myself. ......"


    We all gave it our all.


    We need to find someplace safe and rest.


    "Suzune, I''m tired too ...... and sleepy."


    "I haven''t been released yet!¡¡Oh, I''m already rowing!


    "I''ve broken the spell of pain, you just have to hold on for a couple more hours. ......"


    Nair, transformed into an owl, swoops over and rests on my shoulder.


    I close my eyes and fall quietly asleep.


    "Hey, hey, Usato-kun. How long am I going to stay like this?"


    "......When you''ve come this far, Senpai, can''t you break it with your arms?¡¡Like this, like a bang!"


    "I can''t break it!"


    I can''t break it!" "It looks like there''s at least one more, but I can''t do anything.


    Amako, unable to bear the sight of the teary-eyed senpai, talks to her.


    "But isn''t it good that you can hug Berlin all the time?"


    "Yes, that''s right!¡¡I can touch her legally!


    "Grua ......"


    "Is that right, seniors?"


    The phrasing is too suspicious.


    With the result of the meeting being so unremarkable, we ask Bulrin to continue to carry our senpai.


    "......"


    As he leaves, he looks at the city where the demons are.


    The city that has been transformed by the Demon Lord will be restored to its original state as soon as his magical power returns.


    From then on, they will live each day in a state of anxiety.


    "We can''t let that happen again, can we?"


    I don''t want another war.


    Even after the war is over, there will still be scars on both races, but we must not start another war.


    ......First, let''s rest and get some rest before we return to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    Then we have a lot of work to do.


    Well, Rose will be angry with me for sure, but that''s no matter. ......!

 310 - - an inescapable role

    ---I have been defeated by the humans.


    ---Now, at this time, our battle is over.


    The news came to me as well, for I betrayed the demon army.


    When I heard the news, delivered directly to my head by the Devil King''s magic, I first suspected that I myself was being shown an illusion.


    We, the leaders of the army, are well aware of the power of the Witch King.


    The sheer nonsense of maintaining the depleted environment of the demon lord''s domain all by himself and his knowledge of manipulating all kinds of magic are beyond even the framework of a living creature.


    "Hannah-san, it''s a lie that the Demon Lord was defeated. ......"


    "......"


    "Ha, Hannah-san. ......"


    Unable to respond to Nono''s anxious words, I push my way forward through the soldiers.


    The Demon King is coming out from up ahead.


    I should have run away, but I wanted to confirm it at any cost, so I moved to a position where I could see in front of me without taking any risks.


    What I see ahead is...,


    <>


    It was a human-like demon---Usato, pushed forward by the Demon Lord.


    All of us, including the other heroes, were in shambles, but when the Demon Lord himself reiterated these words, the soldiers, except for me, stood there in stunned silence.


    "No, why have you won? ......?"


    I myself was not only stunned but also puzzled.


    No, I could understand if the heroes had defeated the Demon King.


    But why are you winning?


    You''re human!¡¡You are a healing wizard, aren''t you!


    I thought you''d stick it out long enough to buy me time to escape before you lost...?


    I really didn''t understand why the healing wizard was making the Demon Lord admit defeat.


    "Ah, ah, ah, ah, the devil ......!


    I ignored Nono who was fainting next to me.


    I already know that Usato is not a demon, but a normal, scary human being.


    That''s why it doesn''t make sense to me.


    Why is he winning?


    I honestly thought that the heroes and Usato would end up being defeated by the Demon Lord.


    "No, wait, is this my fault ......?"


    Who led the heroes and Usato to the lower levels?


    ---Me.


    Who guided the hero of light, stranded in the sky, to the lower levels?


    --- Me.


    Oh, no!


    I am now suspected of being the one who created this situation.


    As I realize this fact and my face turns pale, I see Usato and his party being transported somewhere by the magic that the Demon Lord has created.


    There is no reason for us to stay here any longer.


    Let''s get out of here and go somewhere peaceful.


    Just as I''m about to move, I feel a strong killing intent... or rather, a gaze.


    "Huh?


    I looked in the direction of her gaze and saw Amira-san standing next to the Demon Lord, looking at me with an incredible glint in her eye.


    Former Commander of the Third Army, Amira Bellegred.


    She is my former boss, and although she is no longer the corps commander, she is a gorilla-like woman who boasts of a combat power equal to that of a corps commander on the strength of one battle alone.


    Worst of all, my illusion magic does not work well against such a strong spirit.


    As I try to leave before she catches me, I notice Nono shaking and grabbing my clothes.


    "Get away from me, Nono. ......!"


    "I won''t let you!¡¡You can''t escape from the devil by yourself!¡¡I want you to take me and Sean with you!¡¡Then you''re on your way too. ......!"


    "Okay. All right, just let go of me..."


    "Hey."


    A hand is placed on my shoulder as I try to pull Nono away.


    My body trembles with fear at the sound of his chilling voice.


    "What a coincidence. Hannah."


    "Ah, ah, ah, Amira, sir."


    Where are you going?


    My former boss, Amira, whose eyes aren''t smiling, grabs me by the shoulders.


    He must be exhausted after the battle, but his grip is so strong that it feels as if it will crush the bones in my shoulder.


    "Yeah, well, that''s ......."


    "...... I understand your situation to some extent. I''m sure that even you can''t help yourself in the face of someone who is completely immune to illusionary magic."


    "Yes, that''s right!¡¡I had no choice. ......!"


    But how do you explain that in the upper levels you showed your men a vision of your death?


    "......"


    Oh, I''m cornered. ......!


    The bad thing about this guy is that, unlike Mr. Koga, he''s rather quick-witted.


    As I start to act suspicious, Amira-san smiles and removes her hand from my shoulder and puts it around my neck.


    "You don''t have to explain. You had your own ideas. I appreciate your cunning as much as you do. ......"


    "A, Ms. Amira, ......!"


    "But I didn''t say I''d forgive you."


    The arm around his neck is tightened.


    My neck is not yet strangled!¡¡I''m not strangled yet, but I feel a tremendous pressure..,


    As my face turns pale, Amira-san smiles at me.


    "From now on, we need as many people as possible."


    "What, what?"


    Don''t even think about running away, okay?¡¡I''ll overlook your treachery, and from now on, you''ll work like a cart horse for the Demon King, or rather, the Demon Tribe.


    "...... yes."


    I realize that I can no longer escape.


    No, I''m by the scruff of my neck, but I''m about to be overworked in a different way. .......


    Amira pulls me away from Nono and takes me out near the Demon Lord.


    "Oh, Hannah..."


    "Ma, the Demon Lord. ......"


    The Witch King notices me.


    He must have known what I was doing.


    When I turned my head down, expecting a reprimand, he spoke calmly.


    "If you are still here, that must mean that..."


    "What?¡¡Let''s see, ......."


    "No, no. I''m talking about us. But you are a strange man, after all, ...... to change your fellow man so easily."


    He puts his hand on my shoulder as if in exertion, and walks away.


    As I look at his back in a daze, Koga-kun notices me.


    "Oh, it''s Hannah, isn''t it?


    "Yeah, yeah. ......"


    Mr. Koga speaks to me, but I can only give him a feeble reply.


    "I heard you were captured by Usato. No, how could you run into him with pinpoint accuracy in this maze of a city?"


    "No, I think they detected me through the scent of magic."


    "....... Mate!¡¡I wouldn''t be surprised if he does anything!"


    "Huh. ......"


    I really envy this guy, he seems so easygoing.


    I couldn''t help but drop my shoulders at the sight of Mr. Koga, who was laughing despite the situation.

 311 - - a quiet angry cannagi

    The Demon King himself admitted defeat.


    When I first heard this from Nero, a demon who manipulates the wind, I thought it was some kind of a trap.


    But when Nero put down his weapon and put away his fighting spirit, I realized that the battle was over.


    After confirming that the magical spells created by the Demon Lord had been lifted, I rushed into the city and saw the Demon Lord with wounds all over his body and Usato and the others.


    However, they were standing side by side, not in rivalry with each other.


    Usato looked relieved to see me, but I was in a state of confusion.


    No, I could have understood that (????) was the case when the Demon Lord was alive, but when I finally recognized it in his words, I was so surprised that I jumped to Usato''s feet.


    I realized that Usato was suffering from my power and rushed away from him, but at the same time, I blushed at what I had done and at the same time, a tremendous regret came over me.


    <>


    In my head, the other me is pounding out all the abuse I can think of.


    Amako''s eyes scared me so much, and Suzune''s immobility scared me afterwards.


    But it was such a shock.


    I was sealed by Hisago without witnessing the battle between him and the demon king.


    I knew that he had a purpose and was secretly doing something while fighting the Demon Lord''s army.


    I knew what Hisago was going to do, though it was only speculation.


    He who despaired of the people of the past has left a test for the future.


    If the people living in this time have not changed from those who sought battle in the past, then let the Demon Lord destroy them as they are.


    If they have changed, then we should unite to fight and defeat the Demon Lord.


    I think he''s an idiot.


    What have you done to me?


    If I had had the chance to meet him alive, I would have just slammed him with abuse and beat him up.


    ...... but there was also a part of me that understood why I wanted to do so.


    That''s why the fact that Usato and the others ended the battle with the Demon King alive seemed so precious to me.


    "So, what are you thinking about?"


    "Do you think I am always playing evil?"


    The day after Usato and the others left the city.


    I was left in the city to guard the Demon King, and I was facing him in a room located in the basement of the castle that had been transformed by the Demon King''s magic.


    I stared at the Demon Lord who was sitting across the long table from me, feeling a little cramped in his scarred clothes and the unfamiliar clothes of the demon tribe.


    "Look back at your deeds."


    "I can''t think of too many things that come to mind. On the contrary."


    This guy .......


    The demon king with bandages all over his body is irritated and looks at the tea offered to him.


    He looks at the demoness who offered him the tea, and she hides behind him, her shoulders shaking with fear.


    ...... is the Demon Lord''s lady-in-waiting who had come to the ruins.


    "Hee......"


    "Ciel, you''d better not be in a bad mood. That thing is a monster with unique physical abilities among beastmen."


    "Is he as good as the Healing Wizard?"


    About the same.


    No. ......!¡¡If you lose your temper here, you''ll be at the mercy of the Demon Lord. ......!


    The Witch King laughs at my patience and opens his mouth while leaning his elbow on the table.


    "You can be suspicious of me all you want, but this is something I didn''t expect either, you know?


    "Even this situation?"


    Yes, I thought the winner would be me or them, one of us would die.


    The demon king smiles happily, as if he is remembering the battle.


    "I can say now that I enjoyed it very much. I can say now that I enjoyed it more than Hisago in terms of surprises.


    "...... that much?"


    "As one would expect, even I would be astonished at the sight of multiple people merging into one."


    Usato, I didn''t know you could fight against the Demon King like that.


    When he was fighting the other me, he was doing a funny thing that he kept on launching new moves to make my prediction go wrong.


    In his case, he changes his fighting style depending on the target he assimilates, so I, who have precognition magic, really don''t know what he''s going to do.


    "......The demon tribe will be exposed to many hardships from now on. They will have to deal with interference from humans and the threat of kidnappers who see an opportunity.


    "Well, I guess so."


    "In addition, there are some troublesome issues ...... one of which is me."


    The Demon Lord points to himself.


    What''s the matter with this troublesome mass of existence?


    "Hisago has sealed 70 percent of my power, but as a matter of fact, that power does not exist within me."


    "What about ......?¡¡Where is it then?


    "Well, where is it? It seems to be sealed up so that even I can''t detect it. And it''s a very elaborate one at that."


    ...... So you''re telling me that some bullshit demon king''s power is still sealed up somewhere?


    What is this hisago guy really doing?


    Isn''t he leaving too many threats other than the Demon Lord?


    "Oh, that idiot''s already ......"


    "Well, I''m not interested in power now if I find it. But ...... if my speculation is correct, it could get a little tricky."


    "Trouble ......?"


    The Demon Lord, who had his hand on his chin and looked thoughtful, immediately waved his hand in the air.


    "Well, that can wait. For now, we must restore the city so that the people can return.


    "The Demon Lord is beat up all over, so I''d really like him to get some rest. ......"


    "A little strain won''t kill you."


    Ciel sighs at the Demon King''s words.


    Before he was sealed up, he would have seemed more piercing and indifferent, but now he is so different.


    "You''ve changed somehow, haven''t you? Before you were sealed you were a battle junkie with a terrible personality.


    "I''m here because I''m done with Hisago."


    The demon king nodded lightly without denying it.


    "I was defeated by Hisago. "I was defeated by Hisago. We fought to the death using every means at our disposal. Perhaps that is why I am already satisfied with the battle.


    "Satisfied? You?"


    He was the only one who could truly compete with me in my prime. No dragon or beast could match me, but I could put my heart and soul into him.


    So the demon king was satisfied with the battle.


    In a way, it might have convinced him of the change in the Demon Lord.


    After awakening from the seal, the Demon Lord no longer had a reason to fight for himself, but now he was lending his power to the suffering demon people of the present time.


    "In other words, my true intentions were fulfilled long ago."


    "I think the Demon Lord still has a pretty bad character. ......"


    "...... sometimes you are so sharp with me, ...... you."


    Ciel says such things without hesitation.


    The Demon King was somewhat surprised.


    Seeing him like that, I finally relax my shoulders.


    "Well, what do you mean?"


    Then I suddenly remembered what Usato had told me before he left the city.


    He told me that he wanted me to come to the Kingdom of Lingle while he remained in the Demon Lord''s territory.


    Normally, this would not be strange, but he used the phrase "this time," and that is what made me feel uncomfortable.


    "Hey, Demon Lord! Usato wanted me to come to Lingle Kingdom. Did you tell him anything?


    When I asked this question, the Demon King put his hand on his chin as if he had an idea.


    "Oh, I showed your past to Usato.


    What?¡¡How much?


    Roughly.


    How old was I when you started?


    When you were a miserable child when you met Hisago.


    I swing my sword, still in its sheath, at the Demon Lord.


    He laughs and uses his magic to block it.


    "You!¡¡What the hell are you doing!


    "Ha-ha-ha!"


    So that''s why Usato was saying that if I came to the Kingdom of Lingle!


    I''m glad to hear that from my heart, but I''m furious that my past has been exposed in this way!


    "Of course I showed you when you were in a bad way. Ha ha ha!"


    "You''ll ruin my image!"


    "You''re not the kind of guy who cares about that kind of thing. But what?¡¡Do you have feelings for him?


    He gets the point across, and he grunts.


    The Demon King''s mouth twists into a grimace, which I interpret as an affirmation.


    "Funny, a boar who has been running on the battlefield finally falls in love at his age. Even those who are already dead must be laughing in high spirits at this. Which one?¡¡Shall I help you?¡¡hmm?"


    "......!¡¡......!"


    If you lose your temper here, you are at the mercy of the Demon Lord.


    But I''m not satisfied until I hit the agitator.


    But I must calm down here.


    Breathing on his shoulder, he removes his hand from the hilt and returns to his seat.


    >


    I don''t know what to do, I''m going to lose my temper at my abuse on the inside.


    And how can you come up with such a terrible swear word as bakanagi with idiot and kanagi? ......!


    In front of me is the demon king, who is wastefully quarrelsome and agitated.


    Inside, there is another me who is hunting me down in various ways.


    I had to stay here and keep an eye on the Demon Lord, even though I was about to lose my nerve in many ways.

 312 - - 278th episode.

    After the battle with the Demon King, we took a short rest and started walking back to the Lingle Kingdom.


    Although we were attacked by some demons, we still reached the great river that divides the Lingle Kingdom and the Demon King''s territory much faster than on the way there.


    We crossed the bridge that Leona and I created with our magic, and somehow the knights from Lingle Kingdom and Sigurth came to us soon after we crossed the bridge.


    As we were being rocked by the carriage, I asked Mr. Sigurth why he had come. He told me that the Lingle Kingdom had already received the letter sent by the Demon King, and that he knew we were coming back.


    <


    Mr. Sigurth said to me strongly.


    We arrived at the Kingdom of Lingle and parted first from Amaco, and were immediately taken to the castle to have an audience with Master Lloyd.


    Nair and Ferrum were asked to wait in a separate room, and in front of Master Lloyd were myself, my senpai, Kazuki, and Leona.


    "Well ......, you came back safely."


    Mr. Lloyd looked somewhat gaunt.


    He looked around at all of us, his chest heaving with relief, as if he had been worried about our safety for a long time.


    "Normally, we should all be celebrating your return, but our first priority is to listen to what you have to say.


    "Master Lloyd, I heard that you received a letter from the Demon King. ......"


    "Yes, it was sent yesterday by a demon who seems to be a messenger of the Demon King.


    Master Lloyd nodded at his senior''s words and picked up a light brownish parchment.


    It was a letter written by the Demon King.


    He looks over the letter and then turns his attention back to us.


    "Is it true that the Demon Lord says he will surrender to us?


    Is this true? We fought the Demon Lord and defeated him in mortal combat, and as a result, we were forced to admit our defeat.


    "...... I see. The battle is over.


    Master Lloyd relaxes his shoulders and leans back against the throne.


    After a few seconds of holding his eyes with his hands, he straightens his back and takes a deep breath.


    "I''d like to hear more about what you have to say."


    What do you mean, "details"?


    What did you see and feel in the demon king''s territory? And how did you fight in the face of the Demon Lord, the mighty enemy?


    Puzzled by this offer, Master Lloyd bowed his head apologetically.


    Mr. Sergi and the other ministers looked confused, but still Mr. Lloyd spoke.


    "I am sorry. I really wish I could let you rest right away, but things are already in motion.


    "...... I am aware of that."


    "From now on, it''s not about fighting. It will be about something else. That is why we must deepen our understanding of the race of demons.


    "But, Master Lloyd. We are dealing with a demon tribe.


    That''s why."


    Mr. Lloyd quietly replies to Sergio''s words.


    "I suppose I must not allow it. That''s all the Demon Lord''s army has done to us."


    "Mr. Lloyd ......"


    "But if we still choose to destroy the demon tribe easily out of anger and hatred, we will leave an indelible mark in our hearts. It will become a spark in the not-so-distant future, and it will bring about a new conflict. ......That must be avoided by all means. We have had enough of fighting for our lives."


    As a king, Lloyd, who has been troubled and fought three battles, holds his tongue.


    Yes, I know.


    No one wants to fight, no one wants to take each other''s lives.


    That''s exactly what Master Lloyd would think.


    If he decides to destroy the demon tribe here, then something about Master Lloyd and this kingdom of Lingle will be changed....


    "Usato-kun, Kazuki."


    Senpai calls my name and Kazuki''s name.


    She looked at me and nodded, and we decided to tell her everything that had happened on this trip.


    I don''t care how long it takes.


    The demons we had met, like Gref and Kira.


    The battle at the ruins.


    The fact that Nagi joined our group.


    The Demon Lord''s army and the final battle with the Demon Lord.


    And then... the Scroll.


    When I finished explaining in as simple a manner as possible, with some additional explanations from those present, everyone except us, including Mr. Lloyd, was so surprised that they kept their mouths shut.


    Especially Mr. Welshy, who was there, looked as if he was about to faint from surprise.


    "......Ummm, besides the battle with the Demon King, I heard a shocking story. The beastman who was the partner of the previous hero, and the scroll that could return you to your original world?


    "As for the scrolls, I think we should ask for the cooperation of Mr. Farga."


    "Yes, I will send word to Mialak immediately."


    We should first try to exchange information with Mr. Farga immediately, before we leave or not.


    Mr. Lloyd, who had given instructions to Ms. Welshy after receiving the scroll, turned to me.


    "Really, you did a great job. After all your efforts, the battle has come to an end. On behalf of the Kingdom of ......, I would like to express our gratitude."


    Mr. Lloyd bows his head deeply.


    Normally I would be intimidated, but there is no way that I could not understand the meaning of a king bowing his head in gratitude.


    Let us accept his gratitude without a word.


    I''m sorry for making you talk for so long. You must be tired from the long trip, take a good rest."


    The seniors stand up following Mr. Lloyd''s words.


    But I don''t get up and call out to them.


    "Senpai. Can you tell Nair and Ferrum to go home first?


    "......Yeah, okay."


    The older man nodded his head, knowing what I was going to tell him.


    As the three of them exit the hall, I face Master Lloyd, who has been waiting for me without saying a word.


    Both Mr. Welsey and Mr. Sergio look at me with a complicated look.


    "You mentioned me in your letter, didn''t you?"


    "...... Mm."


    I only got involved during and after the battle, but I get it.


    The Demon King has a bad character.


    Or mean.


    Depending on how you look at it, you could say that he saved me the trouble of having to explain it all from scratch.


    "You don''t have to follow me. You are ...... no, you were taken away from your peaceful life by our selfishness. Nevertheless, you have fought for the people of Lingle. You have lent us your strength.


    "Dear Lloyd, ......"


    "It is ...... too much for you to have to reject the choice when you finally have the Scroll and the possibility of returning to your original world."


    I knew Master Lloyd cared about me.


    I shake my head, glad for his concern.


    "I can''t change my answer once I''ve beaten the Demon King. On the other hand, as long as I continue to have that resolve, the Demon Lord will not betray me.


    This is as close to a certainty as one can get.


    Not because we fought each other, but through that battle, I have a vague understanding of what kind of person the Demon Lord is.


    "You can say that much?"


    "This is just my subjective opinion. I understand that people around me may be skeptical. The other party is the Demon King, the one who has been waging war against us, the one who is the most feared by the people.


    History will not change the fact that a war took place.


    The dead do not return.


    The fear of the Demon King, which has been feared for so long, cannot be erased.


    That is why I, who know both races, demon and human, stand between them.


    "You may be exposed to the malice of both races, you know?"


    I''m prepared for that.


    Someone has to do this.


    I am sure that if someone else takes the same role, he or she will be afraid of the Demon King and the demon tribe.


    He or she will abandon an impartial view of the current situation of the demon tribe.


    I will continue to work for the people of this world. So please do not hesitate to command me. That is why I am here."


    "I didn''t want her to resemble Rose to the point of ...... stubbornness."


    He''s my mentor.


    "Yes, I know. I know. ...... I know."


    Master Lloyd grips the edge of his throne as if to hold it.


    After a few seconds he relaxes his shoulders and looks up.


    "It''s Usato. ....... From now on, we will fight together as citizens of the Kingdom of Lingle, and not as otherworldly beings."


    "Yes, ......!"


    At this moment, I cut off my attachment to the world of my origin.


    I may think of home, of my parents, but I will never return.


    ---I''m sorry for my lack of filial piety.


    I look forward to my parents whom I will never see again, saying goodbye to them in my heart.


    I''m sorry.


    Usato chose to remain in this world.


    I think it is a very painful choice.


    He is not as disappointed in his world as I am, and he could have chosen to live a normal life.


    And yet he chose to leave the peace and quiet of his former world to fight in this world.


    I think his determination is something to be admired.


    Kazuki, too, will have to make a difficult decision.


    He, like Usato, has his own reasons for returning to his world.


    And at the same time, he has a reason to stay in this world.


    ...... leave him to Celia and Frana.


    They are the ones who can support Kazuki.


    "---And what a shallow woman I am,......!


    Why are you here?


    "Yes, this is the guest room."


    As Kazuki reunited with Frana and Celia, I quietly read the air and plopped down at the table in the guest room with Nair and Ferrum, who were waiting for Usato to finish his talk.


    In his hand is an empty cup of tea.


    "Give me more tea!"


    "Tea is not a drink. ......


    Nair pours tea into the cup I hold out to him.


    I talk to them both, moved by their casual kindness.


    "N¨¦a, Ferrum, thank you for talking to me. ......!"


    "Are you a talker just for responding to me, you ......?"


    "I wonder if there is such a thing as a pathetic brave ......."


    They look at me cold and withdrawn.


    I am used to such stares by now, so I smile back.


    "Don''t look at me like that, it makes me feel good."


    "Is this guy invincible ......?"


    I was even more taken aback.


    But I am a strong woman and quickly recover.


    "When I heard that Usato-kun was going to stay in this world, I was glad to hear it somewhere in my heart. ......"


    "Can you stop being so serious all of a sudden ......?¡¡The temperature difference is too great. ......?"


    Ferrum''s cheeks twitched, and he awkwardly scratched his cheeks.


    Maybe if Usato had chosen to return to his own world, I would have chosen the same path.


    Even if I have to weigh the possibility of another world against it, for now, I want a happy and interesting life with Usato.


    "I can continue to live in this world with you, Usato. I realized that I was happy to think that way."


    This is despite the fact that we all know why he made the decision to remain in this world.


    So I couldn''t help but feel very shallow for even thinking such a thing.


    "Don''t you ever think of going back to your own world?"


    "Not at all. I''ve given up on all that."


    Born into a prestigious family, he was supposed to follow a predetermined path.


    The reality is that I hurt my brother without realizing it.


    I am sure that I would have the strength to make a decision and take action to deal with it, but... I am the way I am now because of you, Usato-kun.


    In a world without him, there may be the cool and beautiful Suzune Inukami (me), the student council president, but there is no Suzune Inukami (me), the brave warrior of the Lingle Kingdom.


    "...... I don''t think there''s anything wrong with that kind of thinking."


    "What?"


    "Unlike you, I don''t have to choose, but I''m a little relieved to hear that Usato is staying."


    ""......""


    Nair and I look at Ferrum in amazement.


    Ferm, perhaps feeling ashamed, taps the table with a flushed face.


    "Oh, it''s because I won''t have any tension if that monster is gone!¡¡Don''t get me wrong!"


    "Tsundere boku......!"


    "I don''t know what you mean by that, but I know you''re making fun of me!


    Ferrum is embarrassed and angry.


    Satisfied with having heard a little of her true feelings, Nair shrugs as she places her sipped cup on the table.


    "I''m sorry, to be honest. Usato didn''t come home."


    "What?"


    Ferrum and I let out a shocked sound at the unexpected answer.


    ......I honestly didn''t think Nair would say such a thing.


    After Amako and myself, I didn''t expect her to be the first person to say such a thing,......?


    "Because, Usato is going back to his original world, isn''t he?¡¡Wouldn''t it be fun to follow him behind his back?"


    "What about ......?¡¡Were you going to follow me?


    "I''m just kidding. Just kidding.


    What a joke.


    But it doesn''t seem like a lie at all.


    I shudder as Nair gracefully leans her back against the backrest.


    "Either way, Usato must be in a lot of trouble.


    "You''re someone else''s problem. ......"


    "I can see how you''d get caught up in it anyway. There''s no need to make a fuss about it.


    Nair gives me a resigned look, and I let my jealousy gauge rise.


    What''s with that familiar reaction?


    But I have to agree with Usato that you are going to have a tough time.


    He will be given time to rest, but given the situation he is in and his friendship with the Demon Army, he will have to be the go-between.


    "Usato-kun, you know all of the corps leaders over there, don''t you? ......"


    You''ve killed them all. And Amira, for that matter.


    After all, can we deepen mutual understanding through fisticuffs?


    Like the Coga area.


    I mean, if I master the art of punching, will I have more friends?


    "Hey, Nea, he''s thinking about something else.


    "Huh, this brave man is already ......."


    At that moment, an electric shock hits my brain.


    As I''m flashing an idea that I should call a revelation, the door to the living room where we are sitting is unexpectedly opened.


    "I already told you that you can go home first, but ...... is that you, senpai?"


    "...... Usato-kun!"


    It seems that Mr. Usato has finished talking with Mr. Lloyd and has come to pick up Nair and Ferrum.


    I walked up to him before the two of them, and I mentioned the idea that had just occurred to me.


    "Can I join the lifeguard?


    "...... well, if you''re tired, I think you should get some rest right away. ......?"


    I was usually nice to him ......!


    I''m not sure if it''s that much to worry about!

 313 - - Twenty-nine.

    After the talk with Mr. Lloyd, we left the castle with Nair, Ferrum, and Bulrin and were able to return directly to the lifeguard corps.


    In the meantime, my senior made an unheard-of proposal to join the lifeguard corps temporarily, but I guess she must have been tired at that time. She must have been tired at that time.


    Leaving senpai aside, I returned to the rescue squad and immediately went to the leader''s office where Rose was.


    I was greeted by the tough guys and Nack, and when I saw their faces, I finally realized that I had made it back here alive, and I was just relieved.


    Then, I reported to Rose.


    I reported to Rose what had happened in the battle with the Demon King in the Demon King''s territory.


    As she listened silently to my choice to stay in this world and what I was going to do, she opened her closed eyes and..,


    <>


    --- that''s all he said.


    I was taken aback by the simplicity of the response, but Rose seemed less surprised since she had expected that I might make such a choice.


    <


    I received such kind words along with a fierce smile.


    I was reminded that I was no match for this man, and I returned to my short-lived life as a lifeguard.


    The day after I returned to the Kingdom of Lingle, the whole country was in a bit of a panic.


    After all, the battle was over.


    So many people were upset, happy, and anxious to accept the fact that the war against the demon king''s army was over.


    The atmosphere was not one of celebration, at least not of victory.


    Or perhaps it is more accurate to say that Mr. Lloyd did not have the time to celebrate.


    He had to inform the other countries that the war was over and that he had surrendered while the Demon Lord was still alive. Not only informing them, but also responding to the reasons why the situation turned out the way it did.


    Unfortunately, I cannot do anything at this point.


    <


    Master Lloyd said he had something he wanted me to do, but until then, I was given a rest.


    Well, there is no rest, since we are still working as a rescue team.


    "Nack, ferme, nair!¡¡Training!"


    Yes, sir!


    Yes!


    Only Nack responds cheerfully to my words as he stands with his arms crossed.


    Nair and Ferrum look extremely uncomfortable.


    "Now that the battle is over, what''s the point of training?"


    "That''s right..."


    I didn''t expect to see Nair, but I didn''t expect to see Ferrum either.


    It''s been a week since then, and I''ve had a good rest, but in the case of these girls, it''s usually too much rest.


    "I have decided that you need a chance to get out of the house, as you have been getting carried away by the rest that the Commander has given you for the past week, and have been running amok with your corruption."


    No, it''s none of your business.


    You''re going to get fat and turn into a pig.


    "Shall I turn you into a piglet?¡¡Hmm?"


    Me and Nair stare at each other.


    But you don''t understand.


    You don''t understand that I have an absolute trump card against N¨¦a, who is acting like a fool.


    "Fine, I''ll be a piglet."


    "What?"


    I''ll give you up to the older man.


    I''m sorry, please don''t do that!


    The older man''s obsession with the little animal was astonishing.


    Even Nair''s heart broke.


    Ferrum sighs as he looks at N¨¦a, who is trembling, and speaks to me.


    "First of all, you got the day off, so why don''t you?"


    "There are limits, aren''t there? I know it''s tempting to relax now that the battle is over, but we''re in a kind of a dangerous situation, you know?¡¡Anything can happen at any time.


    Nothing has been decided yet.


    Since we are still in a state of confusion in dealing with the demon tribe, there might be an unforeseen uproar.


    We must be prepared to deal with such a situation.


    "...... even though the battle is over. ......"


    "We don''t train to fight. We train to train."


    "...... No, I mean, what are we training for?"


    Why do you need a reason to train in the first place?"


    ""......""


    If anything, the fact that we are members of a lifeguard team can be a reason for us to work out.


    Even after the battle is over, our mission is still to save people.


    Rather, Rose thought that the purpose of the project might expand and change to saving lives or being dispatched to a village where a disaster had occurred.


    I sigh as they look at me and sigh, and call out to Nack, who has been standing there for a while now.


    "Nack, is there something you want to say to them?"


    "Yes, just one thing!"


    "Okay, go ahead, say it."


    Bishy!¡¡Nack nodded with his feet together and turned to Nair and Ferrum.


    He takes a deep breath and speaks to them, who look at him quizzically.


    "Well, we''d like to train you as soon as possible, so please be patient.


    ""...... yeah.""


    With these words, Nack returns to his position.


    I nod and look at them.


    "Do you understand how Nack feels?"


    "No, I don''t want to know!¡¡No, I don''t want to know!¡¡You''re going to make me change my mind!


    "What''s this guilt ......!¡¡I feel so guilty even though I didn''t do anything wrong. ......!"


    You''re still resisting at this point.


    I can''t help it.


    It would have been better for you and for us if you had done it voluntarily, but... let''s be honest.


    "Okay?¡¡I invited you to train with the best of intentions. I was even hoping that you would take more time off after your hard work in the battle against the Demon King.


    I don''t appreciate that!


    You''re lying!¡¡You''re the one who loves to train, aren''t you!


    Look, I''m only going to say this once, okay?


    I would normally be angry, but I dare to say these words in a quiet voice.


    Nair, perhaps noticing the change, gives me a quizzical look.


    "I''ve seen how you guys have been lazing around for the past week..."


    He continues to speak regardless.


    He says the decisive words that will definitely move the two of them.


    "---The Commander is getting on my nerves."


    They moved fast.


    They silently straighten their clothes and begin to prepare themselves for training, standing next to Nack.


    "Sorry, Usato, I was wrong!¡¡Training is fun, isn''t it?


    "Yes, you are always thinking about us, aren''t you? I forgot about you.


    I''m glad you understand!


    "Oh!"


    Yeah!


    The three of us stretch, laughing.


    I should mention that I am smiling normally, but Nair and Ferrum''s smiles are the most constricted I''ve ever seen.


    When I weighed the scales of the lifeguard''s great demon king against my training, the answer went without saying.


    "I don''t know if I should say this, but I think the two of you are getting into the atmosphere of the rescue squad, too.


    "Nack, what''s wrong?"


    What''s wrong? - Nothing, sir.


    Well, let''s make today a less rigorous training session for Nack, shall we?


    Well, what should we do?


    Just running would be fine, but that would just get a "eh, again" reaction from both Nair and Ferrum....


    As I cross my arms and ponder this, I notice someone coming from the entrance of the training grounds.


    I look over to see a small girl named Amako coming towards me carrying a basket-like object.


    "Oh, Amako?"


    "Yes, I''m sorry to bother you again."


    I greet her, raising my hand lightly in greeting.


    Since her return, Amako has been coming here often.


    She doesn''t come when we are running, but she comes when we are at the training ground like this.


    "I made sandwiches. "I made sandwiches. I wondered if you guys would eat them.


    Thank you. Then let''s eat after we finish this training.


    Well, then I''d better get started on my training.


    Hmmm, something with a certain amount of playfulness that I can work out too: .......


    "All right, let''s play tag."


    "Playing tag?¡¡What the hell is that? Are they trying to imitate you?


    Who''s an ogre? No, tag is a game in our world where a person who is an ogre chases a person who is a human.


    It''s a common game in my world, but it could be a training exercise.


    "No, you see, Usato. You are a pure ogre, but we can''t be ogres, can we?"


    "Shall I become an ogre as you wish?¡¡Then our training will be more fun.


    "Sorry ......."


    Nair apologizes immediately when he says this with a smile and a squint in his eyes.


    Let me explain the rules for now.


    "You are the ogres. The only way to win is to touch me.


    Of course it''s impossible!


    "Of course it''s impossible!" "Are you stupid?¡¡Do you know how unreasonable you usually are?


    "Mr. Usato, ......, I think you''re being a little harsh."


    It''s a total whack job.


    Well, I know that.


    Ferrum might do well, but Nair and Nack are still tough.


    "So I''m going to handicap you. I don''t use magic and I don''t use a cage. You guys can use magic and dark magic too.


    "No, it''s still not enough. ......!"


    "Yes,...... well, if that''s the case, you can make your own terms."


    What further handicap would we have to bear?


    Nair and Ferrum are talking quietly, but I think I''ll add a few more conditions to motivate them.


    "If you can touch me, I''ll do one thing for you."


    I''m not saying anything, but maybe I can get you some good food from around town, or take over cleaning duty, or something.


    At my words, Nair and Ferrum, who were discussing something, stop moving.


    """---!"""


    "Oh, so you don''t mind if I ask you to watch my training?


    "Of course. I mean, I''ll go along with you as much as you want if you just tell me what you want to do.


    "I''m motivated. ......!


    Nack seemed to be very motivated.


    Then Amako, who had been a little ways away, came over to him.


    "Hmm?¡¡What''s up, Amako?


    "I''m in.


    "Yes?"


    I''m in. You know, that ...... game?¡¡That''s what it''s called.


    "......"


    The strongest girl has arrived. ......!


    We can''t let our guard down if we''re up against a girl with precognition magic.


    "Interesting, I''ll allow it."


    "What shall I have you do?"


    You think you''ve already won, don''t you ......?


    But it''s funny ......!¡¡I''m going to break that prediction ......!


    Wiping my forehead, my smile twitches as I admit her participation.


    "I''ve decided on the terms," she says.


    What did you choose?


    No hands, no feet.


    How do you want me to move ......?


    You''re good at what you do.


    What trust.


    No, no, no, how am I supposed to move if my hands and feet are sealed?


    Just roll around on the ground?


    Nair reacts to my response as if she can''t help it.


    "I can''t help it. So I should not use my right hand and left foot?


    "...... huh, well, that''s okay."


    It seems to me that this is more of a requirement for the real deal.


    Well, maybe this much handicap is necessary.


    Amaco is there. ...... I hope it''s ok.


    And you weren''t lying when you said that, were you?


    "Well, as much as I can. Oh, and you''re not going to give me every last drop of blood, or turn me into a vampire, or ...... make one request infinite, are you?"


    "...... duh."


    That''s scary.


    As for the third one, I''m glad I nailed it, because it really looked like it was going to happen.


    Now that we have decided on the conditions, let''s get started.


    Left foot off the ground and jump on the ground with only your right foot.


    Since the dominant arm is also prohibited, we have to use only our left arm.


    "Okay, let''s get started."


    "Ah, Usato. May I bind your right arm and left leg with a binding spell?"


    Right after I gave the signal to begin, a smiling Nair said something like that while raising her hands.


    A binding spell.


    It''s true that we could lose if we move them too quickly.


    I''ll ask for it.


    "Okay. Then I''ll ask you to do it.


    "?"


    Nair comes up to me with a smile on her face and I smile too.


    When she is about three steps away from me, I watch the opportunity and talk to her.


    "Oh, and by the way, I''m interrupting now, so you don''t win if you touch me now.


    "......"


    "I know what you''re thinking, don''t I?"


    Uh-uh.


    You can never be too careful, really.


    Well, I was suspicious when he came out just as I was about to give the signal to start.


    After having my right arm and left leg secured with a binding spell, I regained my composure and faced the others.


    Four against one, with my right arm and one leg blocked...,


    "Come on, come on ......!"


    That''s funny ...... too!


    It will be fun to see what Nair and Ferrum have in store for us, but most of all, it will be a good chance to see how much Nack has grown ......!

 314 - - Twenty-eight.

    The battle against the demon king''s army is over and peace has come.


    It is a simple thing to write, but in reality, it is a very difficult task.


    After the battle against the Demon King''s army that invaded the Kingdom of Lingle, all the heroes and Usato and the others went to the Demon King''s territory to defeat the Demon King immediately.


    I don''t know what kind of battle took place there, but I know it was beyond my imagination.


    ---And now, there is a man who has experienced the battle against the Demon Lord before me.


    Usato-san, the healer and magician who is my benefactor and my goal.


    I am about to go through a terrifying training with him called "Onigokko," in which a person becomes a demon, but in doing so, he has set a handicap.


    He has a handicap that he cannot use his right arm and left leg.


    At first, Nair suggested that he should not use both arms and legs, but to be honest, the fact that he could not use his right arm and left leg put Usato at a great disadvantage.


    "Let''s go over the rules, shall we?¡¡You win if you can touch me with your hands, and I win if I can escape from you for five ...... or even ten minutes. You have to touch me with your hands, so even if you are touched by Ferrum''s magic, it doesn''t mean you win, okay?"


    Usato is about 10 meters away from me, bouncing on one foot, thump, thump, thump.


    Mr. Nair and Mr. Ferrum start to take advantage of the fact that Mr. Nair''s right arm and left leg are still locked by Mr. Usato''s magic.


    "Hmph!¡¡It looks like they are tasting us!


    "Four against one, but don''t feel bad!¡¡You''re the one who gave us the green light!"


    Why do these people have to be so down-to-earth?


    Amako-san looks like she''s appalled.


    Amako is looking like a fool, and Usato is smiling at them.


    "In case you forgot, there is only one winner of this training, right?


    ......?""......?""


    "That means there''s only one person who can use me as a punching bag."


    Nair and Ferrum look at each other silently.


    Is it my imagination that their eyes are somewhat swollen?


    I have a feeling that they are going to break up,......, I thought, but Amako-san comes in between them before I could.


    The "auger''s sweet talk. Nair, ferme, don''t be fooled, we have to help each other.


    "Yes, I know. That''s right. ......"


    "I was about to be fooled. ......"


    I''m surprised that the two of you were the first to try to kick off the fellowship next to you. ......?


    That''s what I''m talking about, Amaco.


    You two are such an easy target for such a basic, complaining couple,


    "---We''re going to need you two to take the bait."


    His hand trembled as he whispered these words.


    I guess I should say that it was a mutter that made sense to me that he was one of Usato''s friends, but to me it was nothing but fear.


    "Well, let''s get started."


    While I am doing so, Mr. Usato starts training.


    Immediately, he takes a half step forward and moves into a ready-to-jump posture.


    Usato can only use one leg!


    Then he can''t make any big movements, so there is a good chance that we can catch him if we corner him as hard as we can!


    "Let''s go..."


    Hey!¡¡Eat me...!


    Watch out!


    I tried to leap forward, but the black magic just barely passed by me.


    I was in a cold sweat as Mr. Ferrum attacked me without any hesitation, but I jumped out a little later.


    "A preemptive attack with dark magic!¡¡But it''s too sweet!


    As soon as Usato-san''s right leg gets stronger, his body flies to the side at an extraordinary speed.


    I am astonished by the unbelievable acceleration, but I kick the ground and run after Usato in the direction he flew.


    "I''ll get him!"


    "Okay, come on!"


    I reach out my hand to Usato-san, who is waiting for me.


    The condition for victory is to touch him with your hand!¡¡If I touch him even with my fingertips, I win!


    But he easily avoids my outstretched hand by falling backward himself, and uses the recoil of falling to the ground to get up.


    Not yet!


    "Come on, attack me more greedily!"


    As he steps forward, his outstretched arm is grabbed by his left arm and he is thrown down.


    I take a passive stance as I am only lightly thrown, and greedily challenge him as Usato-san says, without any restraint at all.


    "Oh!"


    "Nack, keep them on him!"


    As I charge, Mr. Ferrum extends his tentacles of dark magic.


    In response, Usato-san leaps backward on one foot and flicks off the tentacles of dark magic with his left arm flexing like a whip.


    But he slows down!


    "There!


    "Whoa!"


    He slides on the ground and kicks at Usato''s feet.


    The kick is avoided, but Usato''s body is thrown off its position, and he falls forward.


    "Mr. Ferrum, Ms. Nair!¡¡Now!


    "Well done!¡¡Nack!


    I wonder what kind of orders I can give him!


    Dark magic rushes to Usato''s fallen body.


    I reach out my hand as if to follow him.


    No!


    What?¡¡One-armed inverted stand!


    He thrusts his arm into the ground and simultaneously stands on his head with the strength of only one arm.


    No, no, no!¡¡I know you can do it, but it''s not right!


    He bends his left arm like a spring and leaps on the spot with only the power of his arm to escape from my hand and Mr. Ferrum''s dark magic.


    "I''m not finished yet!


    "No!¡¡This is the end, Bakemono!


    Huh?


    A black shadow is heading toward Mr. Usato right after he lands on the ground.


    Nair, who has transformed into an owl, is about to strike Usato with her body at high speed.


    Seeing this, Usato takes a deep breath, and turns toward Nair, who is coming toward him..,


    "Whoa!"


    "Hiin!"


    --- he shouted loudly.


    Perhaps startled that much, Nair''s wings stop and she falls to the ground.


    ......No, why is she being dropped just because of her voice?


    "I didn''t think he would really fall. ......"


    "Why is the person who did it surprised?


    WATT!


    He bounces on the ground with one foot and one arm outstretched.


    He just touches it with his hand.


    That''s all it takes to win, but it''s so far away.


    "I see you''ve been training hard!"


    Yes!


    Are you sure about what you''re doing?


    Yes!


    Yes!¡¡Then you''ll get me!


    Yes!


    Usato dodges my hand and lands on his feet, backflipping, with a happy expression on his face.


    He is expecting me.


    If that''s the case, I definitely want to live up to those expectations.


    Just as I was about to head toward him with such a feeling, I saw him right behind me..,


    "What''s wrong?¡¡Knack?"


    "......"


    ---I notice Amako''s figure.


    As if she had known from the beginning that Mr. Usato would be there, she stands there and silently reaches out her hand to him as he focuses his attention on me.


    "---Ha!


    "Ah!"


    A hand extended silently just behind me.


    Usato-san notices it just in time, and jumps down from the spot impatiently.


    Amako stares blankly at her fingertips, which are about to touch Usato''s, and smiles at me when she notices my stunned look.


    "Well, that was close. Knuck, you wanna join us?"


    "Yes, yes. ......"


    What''s with this guy? He''s just plain scary.


    She looks like a girl not so different from me, but the way she anticipates Usato''s actions and tries to jam him is just too much.


    Amako-san comes to my side and talks to me while looking at Usato-san who is dealing with Ferrum-san''s dark magic.


    "You shouldn''t push Usato too hard," he said.


    "Why?"


    "Because you try to force me to do something. They come up with strange tricks and do things that are out of the ordinary."


    It''s a very real feeling. .......


    In fact, that''s how Usato-san has been going through the rough patches.


    "Now I''m going to go out and get him with all my might!


    "Yes, if you and I work together, we should be able to stop him!"


    "A combination!¡¡That''s it!


    Usato flicks off the tentacles of dark magic with purple patterns floating on them and avoids them.


    However, Mr. Ferrum, too, maneuvers the dark magic like a snake and makes it follow him.


    "---What''s so great about it is that I can do anything with it.


    Amako''s mutterings were drowned out by the sounds of Usato and the others attacking and defending themselves.


    Finally, the outstretched dark magic entangles Usato''s left arm.


    Seeing an opportunity, Mr. Ferrum seems to be trying to pull the dark magic by holding it with both hands in a tight rope-like grip.


    "Ha ha ha!¡¡You can''t hold on with only one leg!¡¡Nah!¡¡Help me!


    "I''ll help you with the binding spell!¡¡We''ve got an ogre to catch!¡¡Suck it!


    Mnh!


    With Nair and Ferrum pulling on the rope in front of him, Usato lightly bends his right knee and gathers strength in his arm.


    It is hard to believe, but he seems to be able to hold his own against them with his arm strength alone, even though he can''t stand on his own feet.


    "Are you serious ......?


    "Wow!¡¡I can''t take this anymore!


    "Training does not betray ......!¡¡Muscle does not betray ......!¡¡And you''re so careless!¡¡Ferrum!"


    "What?"


    At that moment, something happens to Mr. Ferrum who is pulling the rope of dark magic.


    Mr. Ferrum, who is trying to withstand something, starts to panic.


    "No, no, wait a minute, it''s taken!


    What?¡¡What do you mean "taken"?


    What''s my magic?¡¡Aah!


    At that moment, the dark magic extending from Mr. Ferrum''s hand separates and wraps itself around Usato''s arm.


    The black magic, writhing like slime, envelops the tip of his hand and about halfway up his forearm, and changes into a cage-like shape.


    "I thought I could do it, but you did it."


    ...... You didn''t take Mr. Ferrum''s dark magic from him, did you?


    I know that Mr. Ferrum''s dark magic can only be assimilated by Usato, but can it be taken without regard to the will of the original user?


    You said you don''t use magic, didn''t you?


    "It''s not my magic.¡¡It''s your magic.


    That''s not fair!¡¡Give it back!


    Ferrum turns his palm toward Usato and tries to recover his magic, but the basket hand on his arm reacts with a shudder, but does not move away.


    "No!¡¡You won''t listen to me!


    "It''s your magic, isn''t it?¡¡Why are you giving your power to Usato?


    You think I like it?


    "Ability-wise, right?"


    The two of them are about to start fighting.


    No rules were broken.


    Usato himself doesn''t use magic, but how could he take away Ferrum''s magic ......?


    "You see, he does that when you corner him, so be careful, Nack.


    "You''re used to it, Amaco. ......"


    "It happens all the time."


    What''s really going on with them, getting even stronger when cornered? .......


    I look at Usato-san in a cold sweat.


    He checks the condition of his black basket hand, and suddenly waves his arm---extending a rope formed by dark magic toward the forest, twisting the tip around a thick branch.


    "Shall we continue in the woods?"


    A moment later, his body is pulled with a powerful pull and disappears into the forest.


    If you look closely, you can see Usato moving from tree to tree, deftly using one hand, one leg, and a dark magic rope.


    "Wow, that''s bullshit!"


    "Nack!¡¡Don''t be impressed, let''s go!


    "Yes!¡¡Next time I''m going to get you for real!


    Mr. Ferrum runs into the woods with Neah, the owl, on his shoulder.


    As I stare at her, I slap my cheek to get myself fired up again.


    "Okay, I''ll do my best!


    "I can''t move fast, so don''t worry about it.


    "Yes!"


    I nodded at Amako''s voice and jumped forward as fast as I could.


    I knew it, but it''s not a simple thing to do. ......!


    That''s why I''m so happy to know that the person I''m aiming for is that strong.


    I don''t intend to lose.


    I will do my best to win, Usato-san. ......!

 315 - - 281st episode.

    As expected, there were many dangerous situations in training with one leg and one arm blocked.


    Nack''s moves were better than I expected, and the combination of Ferrum and Nair is not to be underestimated.


    Above all, I really lost track of where Amako was.


    When he was standing behind me, I was so surprised that I really felt impatient.


    "I guess I was a bit cryptic..."


    I spin around and land on the tree, smiling as I see the dark magic covering my right arm from forearm to hand.


    The dark magic I had taken from Ferrum was only partially effective.


    If I tried to take more than that, I would feel sorry for her, and moreover, if I tried to take all of it away, Ferrum herself would be pulled out and assimilated.


    If that happens, I lose, regardless of whether I can touch it or not.


    "Well, what do you think?"


    I hear two footsteps coming from the direction I have been flying, moving through the trees.


    From the lightness of their footsteps, I guess they are Nack and Ferrum.


    If I keep on the run, I can just keep moving and hope to run out of time. .......


    "That''s no training, is it ......?"


    Neither of them would be satisfied with such an end.


    So, as we wait for them, Nack and Ferrum arrive as expected.


    --- and before we begin, let''s call out to Ferm.


    "Ferm!¡¡I won''t take any more magic from you, so you can use it as much as you want!


    You don''t want my magic, you monster!


    "Yeah. ......"


    Why did he get mad?


    If you look closely, you can see Nair on Ferrum''s shoulder. We''d better be careful not to let her put a binding spell on us.


    As I watch Ferrum from a distance, Nack turns his palm toward me.


    "---Hmm?"


    A green light gathers in his palm.


    It comes straight at me.


    "A healing magic bullet!


    I block the magic bullet as if I grab it with my palm.


    The speed is not so bad.


    The shockwave is small, but the aim is precise.


    Above all..,


    "Mr. Ferrum, I''ll use my magic to destroy Mr. Usato''s vision!"


    Unlike me, he is able to shoot magic bullets continuously from his palm.


    With five magic bullets floating in his palm at the same time, Nack throws magic bullets like a barrage, limiting my vision with the flashes of healing magic from the bullets that land.


    "That''s the answer you got!"


    "Yes!"


    Nice move!


    Thank you!


    This is not an imitation of me, but Nack''s own healing magic bullet.


    At first glance, it looks like a healing magic bullet, but mine is just a forced splitting of the magic forcefully thrown at it.


    Nack''s bullets are superior in that they are created with pure technology.


    ......It''s kind of interesting that it''s similar to the way Mina handles magic.


    Usato!


    Catch me!


    He moves to avoid Ferrum''s dark-magic tentacles and punches a nearby tree, using its reaction to move.


    Kicking, punching, and moving through the trees with the line extended from his basket hand, he avoids FERM''s attacks.


    "FELM, that''s it!


    "Ah!"


    The branch I''m flying towards is sliced off by Fhelm''s dark magic.


    I lose my grip, and as I fall, a healing magic bullet and a dark magic bullet close in just as I get the chance.


    "Ah!"


    I quickly enlarged my cage hand and reeled it off in the air.


    I land on the ground, letting the impact escape, and smile as I see Nack and Ferrum approaching from the front.


    "You''ve been dropped!


    Now is your chance!¡¡Nack!


    Yes!


    They attacked us both at the same time!


    This might be a tough one!


    He transfers the magic power he had been wearing as a cage to his left shoulder and transforms it into another arm.


    He uses it to deal with their onslaught, but...,


    "Oh, a binding spell. ......!"


    "Hmmm, the more you touch her, the more she can''t move, right?"


    Every time you touch Ferme''s magic, a simple binding spell is applied.


    It can be broken with a little force, but it''s not good to put more restrictions on top of this ......!


    ---And from the look on Nair''s face, he''s up to something ......!


    I break out in a cold sweat as I dodge Nack''s hand just in time.


    "Unlike you, Usato, I can''t do that kind of flying!¡¡This height is the easiest for me!


    "I see!¡¡Sorry about that!


    It would be strange if he could jump from one tree to another out of the blue.


    I mean, when did I become able to do it?


    Was I forced to get used to it while Rose was beating me and playing human pinball with me?


    "I''m going to take a step back!"


    I decide that I''m at a disadvantage at this point, so I leap backward with all my strength on one leg.


    Naturally, the two men try to chase me, but I''ll just have to regroup and...?


    At that moment, I notice that the owl on Ferrum''s shoulder is smiling wickedly.


    "Yes, activate!"


    "Gooo!"


    I try to move as quickly as possible, but a binding spell envelops my body.


    Did he already have the binding spell remotely activated when he bound my right arm and left leg? ......!


    "You''re the one who''s ......!


    "Nack!¡¡Ferrum!¡¡I''ve given you the upper hand!


    Are you sure?


    Just touch them at the same time!¡¡He''s probably not thinking that far ahead!


    I see!¡¡You''re a genius!


    The restraints can be broken immediately, but this momentary gap is huge.


    How can I get my whole body out of the restraints and still have time to escape?¡¡Your whole body?


    Got it!


    It''s over!


    Not quite!¡¡Nooooo!


    I let the other arm I created on my shoulder flex as hard as it can... and punch myself in the face.


    Centrifugal force drives a fist into my abdomen, sending me flying backward.


    "So, you made me hit myself and forced my way out of ......?


    "Haha, I can''t lose yet. ......!"


    Nair looks at me in disbelief as I land on my feet, off balance.


    Now I''ve got some distance between us.


    All that''s left is...,


    "I know you''re going to do that!"


    "When you''re cornered, Usato, you do weird things!"


    What?


    I came back to myself at the sound of a voice from the front, and I saw Ferrum, who had wrapped Nack in dark magic that had transformed him into a bag, throwing his body toward me with all his might.


    "Oh, oh!


    "Hey, Nack!


    Nack tackles him with tremendous force.


    Just in time!


    He manages to adjust his stance and jumps up diagonally to avoid Nack''s hands.


    "---!"


    Zzzzza!¡¡I see Nack land on the ground as if he were sliding on the ground.


    Relieved that he is safe, I look in the direction I jumped and see Amako standing there with her arms wide open.


    "What are you doing?


    "I was waiting for you."


    "---kk!"


    At this rate, he would crash into Amaco.


    I quickly break the binding spells that were sealing my right arm and left leg, and land on the ground holding Amako in a tight embrace.


    I landed on my feet, spinning around and around, and shouted out to Amako, who was meditating in surprise.


    You''re in danger!¡¡Are you hurt or something?


    "......, as I predicted."


    "As foreseen?" ...... "Not at all. ......"


    You stood there knowing I was going to do this, didn''t you?


    Yes, I used my right arm and my left leg, so it was kind of a foul on my part, but..,


    You didn''t win.


    "Hmm?"


    Amaco lowers himself to the ground and shows his left arm.


    In the middle of his forearm, there is a mark of dirt as if he had rubbed his finger on it.


    "Nack wins!"


    Nack''s lunge certainly hit.


    Only his fingertips were grazed, but he still fulfilled the victory condition of touching me with his hand.


    "I see. Nack must have worked hard too.


    Amako smiles when she sees my arm.


    I pull away from her and reach out a hand to Nack, who tries to get up.


    "You did good. I''m surprised, aren''t I?"


    "What?"


    You win.


    Nack, still stunned by the situation, grabs my hand and stands up.


    The result was exactly what I had expected.


    Nack has grown up well.


    I am very happy about that fact.


    "Well, let''s get back to the training grounds."


    Yes!¡¡Oh, about your request: ......"


    "It was a training exercise, wasn''t it?¡¡That''s totally fine."


    "Yes!"


    Nack''s happy face makes me smile.


    "Gggggh, I can''t help it, but I can''t believe Nack took the win. ......!


    "Amako, you knew this would happen, didn''t you?"


    "Yeah."


    "I''m scared, I''m scared, I''m scared of the magic of foresight."


    Let''s call Amako and the others who are talking in the back and go back to the training ground.


    There should be lunch brought by Amako, so let''s take a break.


    After returning dark magic to Ferrum and casting healing spells on everyone, we all head back to the training area..,


    "Huh?¡¡There''s nobody here!¡¡Usato!"


    --- he finds his senpai yelling something at the entrance of the training ground.


    "Oh, it''s you!"


    "Geez, Suzune ......"


    "Wow, what a pain in the ass ......"


    Ferrum, n¨¦e, that''s plain rude.


    But did you come to visit me?


    As I entered the training area from the woods, a senior member noticed me and came running up to me.


    "Are you training today, Usato-kun?


    "Basically, training. Today we play tag lightly, on the condition that I listen to the person who catches me..."


    "Why didn''t you invite me too?"


    "I''m not going to play a real game of tag with you here."


    I never thought I''d hear you say that with such a straight face. .......


    If my senpai had participated, it would have been a one-on-one training session with no handicap and a time limit of three minutes.


    Playing tag with senpai at full throttle would have been a lot of fun, but it wouldn''t have been Nack''s training. .......


    "What''s wrong with senior?"


    "......Yeah, I just got a message from you. I''m here on behalf of the castle."


    A message?¡¡What''s so important?


    I don''t know why I''m asking you here, so let''s sit close and listen to what you have to say.


    "Are you hungry, sir?"


    "I just ate, but I''m hungry!"


    "That''s good. ...... what?¡¡You ate, didn''t you?


    "Don''t worry, don''t worry, I don''t gain weight even if I eat."


    At that moment, a tremendous sense of intimidation was directed at my senpai from everyone except me and Nack.


    I was shuddering at the tremendous pressure, but my senpai ignored it as if it was nothing to worry about.


    "I forgot to mention that this guy is outstandingly beautiful in appearance.


    "Yes, it is. She''s a beautiful girl, isn''t she? Just in looks.


    "But what''s inside is a real shame."


    "If you make me cry, you''ll cry too.


    """......"""


    The three of them were silent, and the senior member of the group had a smug look on her face.


    Seeing her, Nack looks a little taken aback.


    "That''s great, Usato-san. She silenced the three of them with a theory that I don''t understand.


    "That''s my senior."


    I really have no idea what that means, but...


    After washing our hands lightly, we moved to a nearby field with a basket that was said to contain sandwiches.


    When we open the lid of the basket, we find three kinds of sandwiches lined up in a basket covered with a cloth.


    Who made these sandwiches?


    "Me and Sarla."


    "Amaco flavor?"


    What the hell does that taste like?


    I start eating my sandwich, smiling at my senpai as usual.


    It seems that they have made quite a lot of sandwiches, which will fill the stomachs of everyone here.


    "So, what exactly is this message?


    "I''m ready to contact Mr. Farga, and he wants you to come tomorrow.


    "Ready to contact?¡¡You mean you''re ready to talk to me in person?"


    Mr. Farga in Mialak.


    I thought I would be communicating with him through letters, but I wonder if we can talk face to face?


    "I heard that during the past week they have renovated the halls of the castle in order to communicate with Farga in Mialak. It was still going to take some time, but Leona is here. It seems that we can use her connection with her armor to establish a pseudo connection between here and there."


    "I see, Leona''s armor. ......"


    Unlike me and my senpai, Leona''s armor will have a strong connection with Mr. Farga.


    It makes sense that she could use it as a wedge to contact him.


    "It seems like it''s been a long time since I''ve seen Farga-sama.


    "I''m looking forward to it. I''m curious to see what they look like, since I could only hear their voices before!"


    Well, I can see why senpai would be pleased with the appearance of Mr. Farga, since he looks like a royal dragon himself.


    Although the actual Falga-sama seems to be very puzzled.


    While I was smiling at such a thought, Amako, who is sitting next to me, starts talking to me before I know it.


    "Is that the ...... person? He likes Usato, so he might be looking forward to it.


    "It''s easy to be liked by strangers. You."


    Amako, however, is not Nair kind of suspicious in the way she says it?


    Considering our past relationship, it''s not surprising to hear her say so. .......


    "People like me, too."


    "Oh, yeah. Freaks like you, too."


    "......"


    "Oh, no, I''m sorry. Don''t try to move me next to you without telling me!


    "Are you punishing me by moving next to me ......?"


    I move back to my original position, taking my hand away from Nair who is fighting back.


    Anyway, tomorrow I''ll have a chance to talk to Mr. Farga at the castle.


    ...... castle, huh?


    "Senpai, Kazuki is ......"


    "Yeah, he''s still ...... struggling with it right now."


    "Of course. ......"


    It seems that Senpai intends to stay in this world, but Kazuki does not.


    He has reasons to return to his world and reasons to stay in this world.


    There is no easy answer.


    "I wish I could help him, but honestly, there''s not much I can say."


    "......"


    "Celia and Frana seem to be doing their best, ...... but still."


    From the senior''s words, it seems that both Ms. Celia and Ms. Frana have a lot on their minds.


    I''m sure they both like Kazuki. .......


    "But I think you should talk to him too."


    "Yes, sir."


    You cannot influence his choices, but you can talk to him as a friend.


    All right, tomorrow, after I have finished talking with Mr. Farga, I will give you a chance to talk with Kazuki.

 316 - - 282nd episode.

    I have not seen Mr. Farga since he stopped by Mialak on his way back from Hinomoto.


    Although I have had some other contact with him in the form of letters, it has been a long time since I have been able to talk to him face-to-face.


    Early in the morning, I go to the castle alone.


    Nair wanted to come with me, but since I was the only one who had been summoned, I asked him to stay behind for this one time.


    "Master Farga.... I''ve never seen a dragon except wyverns, so I''m excited.


    "Please don''t be too rude, okay?"


    I know. We owe you a great debt of gratitude.


    After meeting up with Senpai and Kazuki inside the castle, I head for the hall where Master Lloyd and the others are preparing to communicate with each other.


    Senpai seems to be in good spirits as yesterday, but Kazuki seems to be somewhat down.


    I go to ......, but Kazuki seems to be troubled.


    "Kazuki, are you okay?"


    "Hm?¡¡Oh, yeah. I''m fine. I''m fine. ......Master Farga took good care of me, too. Yeah, I should thank him."


    Haha," says Kazuki with a dry smile that he can''t hide anymore.


    I turn to him.


    "Senpai. Kazuki, I''m not okay no matter how I look at it. ......"


    "Yeah, his inability to tell a lie, combined with his inability to be a good liar, makes him painful to watch."


    "Senpai, can''t you do something?"


    "Huh, I''m good at making people smile, but I''m not equipped to guide young people in distress."


    "Why are you bragging ......?¡¡You''re a senior, aren''t you?"


    I know I''m being reckless.


    However, the older man smiles dexterously while keeping his voice low.


    "Usato-kun, have I ever shown you anything like a senior?


    "That''s why you''re bragging ...... about it, no, we''ve known each other for a while.


    ......Hey!


    I have no idea,......!


    I don''t remember him doing anything that would be considered a senior.


    Usato, what are you talking about with your senpai?


    "Kazuki, it seems that you are not a senior to us."


    "Hmm?¡¡What do you mean?


    Kazuki looks puzzled.


    The senior, with a smile on his face, points at himself with his thumb.


    "You can treat me like I''m your age, right?"


    "Sure, Inukami."


    "Aren''t you being too frank?¡¡We''re more like club mates!


    No, a senior is still a senior even if he doesn''t act like one, so I will continue to call him "senpai" (senior).


    While we are having such a conversation, we arrive at the hall.


    The guard standing in front of the door let me through, and I found Mr. Lloyd, Ms. Welshy, and Ms. Leona already waiting for me in the hall.


    "Oh, you''ve come!"


    "Ladies and gentlemen, this way, please."


    Ms. Welsey urged me to move to the front of the hall.


    In one part of the hall, a fountain-like structure had been installed, which had not been there before.


    The fountain is an addition to the wall and is designed to constantly circulate water.


    "Although it is still incomplete, this is a magical tool for communicating with the Lord Farga in Mialak.


    "Wow, this ...... looks like an ordinary fountain, but it is ......."


    "It looks like a stylish interior. ......"


    As we look into the fountain listening to Mr. Welshy''s explanation, our faces are reflected in the fountain.


    It''s amazing that it doesn''t look so unnatural, even though it''s always in the hall where Master Lloyd is.


    "You can connect them with your armor, can''t you, Leona?"


    "Yes, because my spear is more closely connected to Master Farga than your weapons are.


    Leona transforms the pendant into a spear with light.


    She looks at Mr. Welshy and inserts it into the hollow in the fountain.


    "Now all that''s left is for Lady Farga to use her magic and we''ll be connected.


    "I see. ......"


    It''s like a key, isn''t it?


    It''s amazing that this whole fountain is like a magical tool.


    "It was the proposal of Mr. Farga that we have this opportunity to talk with you.


    Master Lloyd takes one look at the fountain and calls out to those of us standing around it.


    "We have already communicated through water once with Mr. Farga''s magic to check, and it should work without any problems. At that time, I informed him of the current situation of the Demon King''s army and ours, so he should have a general understanding of the situation.


    """"Yes."""


    So Mr. Lloyd has already told you what you need to know.


    Then does that mean that Mr. Farga wants to talk to us?


    The only possibilities are the scrolls and me or ......?


    "The magical tool is activated."


    Mr. Welshy''s voice makes you look at the fountain and you see ripples forming on the surface of the water.


    The ripples immediately make a splash and rise into the air as if defying gravity, forming the shape of the water.


    Another scene is reflected on the water, which has changed into a smooth mirror-like shape.


    Reflected in the mirror was a blue dragon with large wings and body, Lady Farga, and a woman who was peering at us curiously near the mirror --- Lady Norn, Queen of Mialak.


    He looked at us with his clear eyes through the mirror in the shape of a dragon we could have imagined.


    "Yes, Mr. Farga. It has been a long time, Master Norn.


    I bow my head and greet Mr. Farga and Mr. Norn.


    He looks from me to Senpai and Kazuki, who are standing next to me.


    "Yes!"


    "Thank you for arming us in the last battle. ......!¡¡Truly, thank you for giving us the sword ......!"


    >


    Senpai, don''t annoy Mr. Farga as soon as possible. ......!


    I''m sure he''s just expressing his gratitude.


    "...... Yes."


    I receive pure words of praise.


    >


    "?¡¡......Yes, I have it, but ......"


    << Now hold it up in front of the mirror. Let us read the record engraved on the cage.


    We did as Farga told us, deploying each of the weapons he had given us and holding them up in front of the mirror.


    Then a magical pattern appears in Farga''s eyes and is directed toward the two baskets and the sword.


    "Yeah. ......"


    Why would I be the only one who has read the memories of all three of us?


    I''m told a lot of things right out of the gate.


    I''m aware of it, but it''s a little discouraging to hear it to my face.


    >


    "I don''t feel like I''ve been praised. ......"


    <<


    I have a strong feeling that Mr. Farga has a big smile on his face.


    Norn-sama, who is standing by my side, is also giving a casual "as usual" to me.


    "......After all, that thing with Mr. Nagi was unexpected, wasn''t it?"


    While sealed, the ego sprouted in the sword of the brave.


    It was in this age that it began to move and was trying to turn me into a light magician to kill the Demon King.


    In the end, I was combined with Nagi''s soul, but it was really hard until then.


    <


    I don''t know what you mean when you call them "strong." .......


    I wonder what Nagi would look like if he were listening to this: .......


    <


    "...... yes."


    I was expecting you to say something, but I guess not.


    Possibilities, huh?


    Maybe there is a "what if" world where I choose to return to my world.


    There is a world where I am without senpai and Kazuki, so it''s hard to say it''s impossible.


    <


    "When I say public stage, I don''t mean ......"


    Does this mean that the Lord Farga, who has been watching over Mialak from the shadows, is going to reveal himself ......?


    "Beware ......?"


    Lady Farga looks down at us again.


    """!""""


    We are surprised at Mr. Farga''s words.


    It seems that Lloyd and the others are not surprised, but do we really want him to come all the way from the Demon Lord''s territory to attend the meeting?


    "......"


    I nod my head in silent affirmation.


    Where would be the venue for such an important event in the future?


    Could it be Lucvis again?


    No, it is not safe to let the Demon Lord himself come to that place where children gather.


    While I''m thinking about it, it seems that Mr. Farga is moving on to the next story.


    As I try to regain my composure and be a good listener, Farga-sama suddenly lowers his gaze at an angle and activates his magic.


    What appeared with a light was a golden shining paper --- a scroll.


    "...... Yes."


    "Really?"


    Mr. Farga nodded at the sound of Kazuki''s voice.


    "So, doesn''t that make sense ......?"


    From what Hisago said, he seems to have come from a time when wars were commonplace.


    And since he was in bloody armor when he was summoned, it could be the Warring States period.


    <


    "Is it that easy?"


    <<>


    It''s not that difficult if you just want to put the information of our world on the scroll, is it?


    "...... what?"


    Kazuki''s stunned voice echoed disgustedly.


    I and my senpai looked at Mr. Farga with wide eyes, wondering what was going on, but he spun the words with his eyes downcast with sadness.


    "......How much time do you have left?"


    --- To be honest, this is not really my business.


    My heart is shaken, but still, it is not an easy decision for me to reverse what I have already made.


    But..,


    "Kazuki ......"


    I didn''t know what to say to him when I saw his conflicted expression next to me.


    Three months.


    The concrete time to make a decision was enough to push him over the edge.

 317 - - 283rd episode.

    The story with Mr. Farga is over, and the magical communication with Mialak has been cut off.


    I am sure that you have read what happened on our journey through our respective armaments.


    I don''t agree that I was the only one who got a ton of flack for it, but I think I did a lot of things that my seniors and I did. ......


    Anyway, the problem is the scroll.


    I couldn''t help but think about the situation that was now hitting Kazuki, who was in a lot of trouble.


    "Sorry, Usato, senpai. I''m ...... going back first. ......"


    After the discussion was over, all I could do was watch Kazuki leave the hall with an awkward smile on his face.


    Mr. Lloyd and Mr. Welshy had already left, and it was just Leona, my senpai, and myself.


    "You seem to be in a lot of trouble, Mr. Kazuki."


    "Leona-san ......"


    Leona-san, who was in the hall, walks up to us.


    "I wish there was something I could do for you. ......"


    "That''s the hard part. I can''t say anything to Mr. Kazuki. ...... We have a different sense of what it means to go back home than you and I. ......"


    "...... Yes."


    For us, going back to where we were born and raised means saying goodbye to this world.


    There is only one scroll.


    There is no coming back here.


    "By the way, will you stay in this world too?"


    "Yes. Yes. I have no regrets from the start.


    "I see. I guess you have your reasons. And I don''t mean to say anything ...... about it, but I''m sure it must be even more difficult for you, Mr. Kazuki."


    "That''s right. ......"


    I wouldn''t say it''s easy.


    At least I''ve heard that he doesn''t have many regrets about his former world.


    She must have experienced and made her decision right after she came to this world.


    "I think you should talk to her once."


    "But I don''t know what to tell you ......."


    "You''ll be fine. Your words are more powerful than you know. I''m sure your friend, Mr. Kazuki, would agree."


    "Ms. Leona, ......"


    ...... Let''s try to talk to him once, face to face.


    He nodded his head, as if he was planning to do so.


    "I think it''s a good idea to talk to him as if we were going to hit each other on the riverbank.


    "Such a forced ......."


    "I think that''s what we need right now," he said.


    "I don''t think you should hit each other with Usato. ......"


    Leona, smiling bitterly, is saying something awful and sober.


    I''m not going to hit Kazuki, you know. ......?


    Anyway, I''m going to talk to her afterwards.


    "You''d better. It''s too late for regrets."


    It would be worse to see him in distress and leave him alone.


    "Leona, you''re going back to Mialak, aren''t you?"


    "Yes, I have to report to Falga and Norn again. But ...... we will see each other again soon."


    "Certainly."


    The upcoming meeting of representatives from various countries.


    Although no definite schedule has been set, it is very likely that I, as a participant, will be invited to the meeting.


    ...... No, I''m going to be reminded that I''m really out of place.


    Above all, the fact that the Demon Lord may come to the meeting is a very serious matter.


    "Please stop by the lifeguard station before you leave for Mearaq."


    "I''ll do that. It''s a well-known lifeguard company, let''s go and see them."


    We''ll have to welcome you then.


    With the pleasure of the evening at hand, we go out through the hall door into the corridor.


    We are going to Kazuki''s.


    "Yeah, I hope the story takes a turn for the better."


    "Yes."


    After saying goodbye to Leona, I and my senpai went straight to the place where Kazuki was supposed to be.


    According to my senpai, he is either in the garden or in his room, so let''s go there first.


    "Well, what should we talk about first?


    "Why don''t we start with something fun for a change?"


    "Fun stuff ......"


    ......The first thing that comes to mind is training, and I realize that it must be a pretty bad idea.


    However, even I can at least make some conversation that can blossom.


    I arrive at the garden while having a light chat with my senpai and go outside to find Kazuki, ---Furana and Celia-sama in front of me.


    "Hey, something doesn''t look right."


    "It''s tense. ......"


    This is not the usual fluffy air of the three of us.


    It is somewhat tense---Furana is radiating a sense of tension as if he is in the middle of a battle, while Kazuki seems to be cornered in a way that is not typical of him.


    Sensing something unusual in the atmosphere, I and my senpai quickly approach the space where the tables and chairs are laid out, and...,


    "Hmph!"


    "Nugu!"


    With a loud and forceful voice, Frana-san punched Kazuki on the cheek.


    Kazuki is pushed backward with considerable force, and he falls on his backside and touches his cheek, looking stunned.


    Kazuki was stunned and touched his cheek.""......?"""


    Behind Frana, who is breathing on her shoulder, is Celia, who is forcing herself to cross her arms with a grim expression on her face.


    Kazuki, who is sitting up like a duck, is not fully comprehending the situation.


    ---I''m not in the right mood to be here.


    I exchange glances with my senpai, who is rolling his eyes next to me.


    "Is this a shuraba?¡¡Is this a situation?"


    "I didn''t expect Frana to start hitting me. ...... Oh, Kazuki noticed us."


    Kazuki looked at me as if to ask for help, but before he could look at me, Frana and Celia-sama looked at me with their eyes.


    Kazuki, hang in there!


    This is the time to show your manhood, Kazuki!


    We both gave Kazuki a thumbs-up and hid in the shadows to watch the situation.


    "Both of you!


    "Where are you looking, Kazuki?"


    "Mr. Kazuki?"


    I have no idea how we got into this situation.


    I don''t know, but I do know that this situation is a turning point that will surely bring some kind of change to Kazuki.


    Anyway, keep up the good work, Kazuki!


    Good luck!


    To return to the world.


    It was something I had tried not to think about for a long time.


    At first I wanted to go back, but as I spent time in this world, I got to know a lot of people, and I got to know a lot of good things.


    But I have a family.


    My parents who raised me this far... if I don''t go back, I will never be able to show filial piety to them and I will never see them again.


    I have to choose.


    But if I abandon either world, I can never come back to that world. That fact is the only thing that will always haunt me.


    But until today, I have not been able to make a decision, in fact, I have been giving up the very thought of it.


    "Huh."


    The time limit of the scroll that Mr. Farga mentioned.


    Or, to be more precise, once the "coordinates" and "time" of our world have been inscribed in advance, there is time... -But until I make a decision, I can''t stay in this world with my thoughts in limbo.


    Usato is already looking ahead to what he has to do.


    For the sake of human beings and the demon tribe living in the Demon Lord''s territory, he has given up even his own world and is acting according to his own ideas.


    I, on the other hand, have no idea what to do and can only worry.


    My mission as a brave man is over.


    Then I don''t know what I should do from now on.


    "Mr. Kazuki, are you all right?"


    "Celia ...... and Frana too ......"


    "You''re being pessimistic again, aren''t you?"


    While I was alone in the garden, Frana and Celia came to me.


    They smile at me, apologizing for making me worry all the time.


    "Sorry, I don''t think I can decide yet.


    There''s no need to rush. Whatever path you take, we will accept that fact.


    Celia''s kind words make my heart ache as if it were creaking.


    It is not their fault.


    It''s my own indecision that''s to blame.


    You know...


    I don''t want to choose.


    I can''t cut out one or the other.


    With this thought in my mind, I throw words to both of them.


    "Frana, Celia, do you want me to stay ......?¡¡If you want me to, I''ll..."


    "Wait, Mr. Kazuki."


    Celia stops him, unable to finish.


    When I looked up at them, I was taken aback by their unusual, strong tone of voice, and their expressions seemed to be somewhat angry.


    What, what, I''m scared... .......


    I recoil involuntarily, and Frana speaks up next.


    "Kazuki, are you ...... serious?"


    "......Yes."


    At that moment, Frana''s face turns grim.


    She grabbed me by the chest and slammed her big fist against my cheek.


    ---Shocking.


    I sat down on the ground after being hit by her big fist, and looked up at her in confusion.


    "What?¡¡What?¡¡Does it hurt ......?"


    "Huh--"


    Did he hit you?


    And with a goo?


    Not even a slap, but straight up?


    While I was still confused, I suddenly found Senpai and Usato looking at me with surprised eyes.


    They too, seemingly not understanding the situation, looked at me and Frana and the others with puzzled looks, and then nodded their heads and showed me their thumbs.


    Kazuki, good luck!


    "This is the time to show your manhood, Kazuki!"


    "Both of you!


    Don''t come in here and read the air like that!


    He reaches out for help, but Frana and Celia are standing in front of him.


    "Where are you looking, Kazuki?"


    "Mr. Kazuki?"


    The power of these two is unimaginable from their usual ......!


    As I''m being overwhelmed, Frana steps in front of me.


    "Huh, Frana ...... Frana-san?"


    "Shut up and listen. I''m about to get irrationally angry with you.


    "What ......?"


    I can''t help but speak respectfully, and Frana looks down at me with her arms crossed.


    Her eyes were burning with anger, indicating how much my words had struck a chord with her.


    "You can stay in this world if we want you to. That''s what you were going to say earlier, wasn''t it?"


    "Oh, I ...... think I''m pathetic, but ...... I''m not."


    "No, I''m not. I don''t think you''re pathetic or anything. I know you think that. But you know what, Kazuki?


    Frana says it to me as if she''s trying to convince me.


    You didn''t hit me because you felt sorry for me and were disillusioned by what I said?


    "That''s not our decision to make."


    "But I''m ......"


    "I know that both worlds are important to you. But this is a choice you absolutely have to make."


    A choice I have to make for myself.


    Frana continues to speak, her expression saddened.


    "We want you to stay in this world, too. Because you are important to us. It''s only natural."


    "Then, even more so..."


    "But you know, I''m sure your father and mother would want you to come back as much ...... as we do, if not more."


    "......!"


    "That''s why you''re so worried. That''s why we can''t be selfish and ask you to stay in this world. Above all, your happiness should take precedence over that of saving this country."


    I''m such an idiot.


    I am so ashamed of myself for saying such an insensitive thing without thinking of Frana and Celia''s feelings.


    "I know it sounds harsh, but ...... don''t give up choosing and don''t take the easy way out. What lies ahead is not who we know you to be."


    "......Oh ......Yeah, that''s right. I''m sorry, I was wrong."


    This is something I, myself, absolutely have to answer for.


    I stand up with my cheeks pressed together, determined to give an answer, no matter how much it bothers me.


    "...... Are you okay?¡¡I hit him rather hard. ......"


    "Ha ha, I''m fine. But I think it''s a bit much to put illusion magic in there, don''t you?¡¡My vision is still a bit wobbly."


    "What, I didn''t use ......, did you get your chin in it?"


    "It''s pretty swollen. ......


    I laugh at them as I begin to cast a recovery spell on them in a panic.


    Sighing lightly, Frana then turns her attention to Usato and Senpai, who are watching us from the shadows.


    "The two who are hiding there..."


    ""!?"""


    "Hey, come here, come here."


    Senpai and Usato, called by Frana, come to this place looking very uncomfortable.


    The senior, who may not have heard what they were talking about, calls out to Frana in a reserved manner, though he is puzzled.


    "Frana......,no, Frana-san. Should I sit down?"


    "No, why do you use honorifics, Suzune?¡¡Why are you being so deferential?


    "...... Frana, a tsundere and a violent person are two different things. Don''t go off the rails, okay?"


    "I''m sorry. Could you please talk to me in a human language?"


    "Kya-um."


    A senior is countered with a smile and sunk.


    As expected of Frana, she knows how to handle senpai.


    Usato, who saw the downed senpai with a sideways glance, turns his palm toward her with a smile on his face.


    "Frana, I''m fine."


    "Oh, yeah?"


    "I''m ready to be pissed off."


    "Not okay at all, are you?¡¡You don''t have to be okay with that, okay?


    He seems to think he''s going to be just as mad at me as I am at him.


    Instead, Frana puts her hands on her hips in exasperation and opens her mouth to the two of us sitting on the floor for some reason.


    "Anyway, we''ll talk about it. Anyway, we''ll talk about it. I think it''s time to let it all out and empty his head!


    "I see, that''s what we can do for Kazuki."


    Senpai and Usato look convinced, and Frana continues to speak.


    "And, if you can, do some exercise until you fall down!"


    I don''t know how long it will take for me to exercise until I fall down!


    Usato suddenly raises his hand and says something funny like that.


    He glances around to see her reaction, and she grabs him by the face with a blue streak on her forehead.


    "Usato, I am. Are we talking about human standards?¡¡You know what I mean?"


    "No, it''s just a ...... little joke ...... auger joke."


    "Why can''t you stand it at all when I''m grabbing you by the face ......!¡¡You amazing human ......!¡¡God d*mn it!¡¡Sit down, all of you, for now!"


    I was urged to sit down on a chair, away from Usato, who was being normal despite the iron claw.


    Celia, who had been frowning with her eyebrows furrowed, smiles her original gentle smile and claps her hands lightly.


    "In that case, shall I prepare something sweet for you?¡¡Eva-chan from Samaritan''s Paradise sent us some delicious sweets!"


    Celia then asked a maid waiting nearby to bring her some sweets, to Usato''s surprise.


    "Miss Celia, you know Eva?"


    "Yes!¡¡We haven''t met yet, but we started exchanging letters through your father''s introduction!¡¡I have heard a lot about you, Usato-san!


    "I see. I''m glad to hear that Eva is doing well.


    "Gunno, I didn''t expect Samaritan''s support to reach this far. ......!"


    They sit down in their chairs and gather around the table.


    The gloomy mood of a few minutes ago has already vanished as they watch the noisy and joyful exchange.


    "Thank you ......!"


    I''m still struggling.


    Regret will remain.


    I will miss the world I did not choose.


    But I still have to make the choices I''ve been given.


    "Hmm?¡¡What did you say, Kazuki?


    "...... No, it''s nothing."


    Still, I will never forget this view.


    I will never forget this moment when there were people who cared about me, who cared about this indecisive me.

 318 - - 284th episode.

    Half a month has passed since we returned from the demon king''s territory.


    During that time, the world has changed dramatically with the Kingdom of Lingle at the center.


    The Demon King''s army, which had been commanded by the Demon King, the object of fear for humans---the Demon Tribe surrendered. The shock was not an ordinary one, and not only the people of the Lingle Kingdom but also other countries could not hide their turmoil.


    Some of them said that the demon tribe should be destroyed and why the Demon King was allowed to live.


    When I heard this story from Mr. Welshy, who visited the rescue mission, I had mixed feelings, even though I had expected it.


    ...... and the story of the meeting between the countries.


    I was often invited to the castle to listen to the talks, but I had never imagined that the talks would take place in Mearaq.


    I did not expect that the meeting would be held in Lukvis, where children gather, but I never imagined that it would be in Mialak with Mr. Farga.


    The main advantage is that there are many ships from Mialak.


    It seems to be the best choice for the meeting where many people gather, as long as there is a port, the rest can be reached smoothly to Mialark by ship.


    I was given a big role in the process.


    I guess they decided that we who know him somewhat would be the only ones who could do the job, even if it''s a bit of a stretch to meet the Demon Lord again.


    In that case, Nagi will be with us, so we can feel somewhat secure.


    And about Ms. Nagi---today she is finally coming to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "Will she arrive soon?"


    "Soon, I think."


    In front of the gate leading out of the Lingle Kingdom, Amako and I wait for Ms. Nagi to come back from the Demon King''s territory.


    The soldiers sent from the Kingdom of Lingle to the Demon King''s territory to guard the gate, so that Mr. Nagi can come here.


    ......They could have come a little earlier, but they were sent for a few days to see the character of the soldiers, so they were late until today.


    If she has decided to come here, it must mean that the soldiers are okay.


    "Usato, where are Nair and Ferrum?"


    "Hm?¡¡They are in training.


    "Oh, as usual. So you''re allowed to stay here, then?


    "Because Lloyd-sama ordered me to."


    Well, I get up at sunrise to train, so I''m not skipping anything.


    Sarla, you might be surprised when you meet Mr. Nagi.


    "I''m going to be mistaken for a sister ......"


    "Ha-ha-ha, then how do you think Mr. Kanoko will react?"


    "He will mistake Kannagi for me and me for Usato''s child."


    "I just pulled back my laughter."


    What kind of mistake?


    Amaco''s height itself has changed.


    But then again, with that man, I don''t think it''s a joke. .......


    "Speaking of which, where does Kannagi live?"


    "Oh, he will live in the castle, but there is a possibility that he will live in the lifeguard station.


    "What? Why?"


    "Because yesterday, the Commander ordered me to clean an unused room."


    To tell the truth, Master Lloyd must be having some trouble dealing with Ms. Nagi.


    Rose thinks that he is not sure what kind of environment would be good for her, so he has prepared several candidates for her to live in.


    "Well, I''ll have to talk to Sarla about it, but I think mine is a possibility."


    "Indeed."


    "We''re the same beastmen, and we''re kind of like a distant family."


    When I say distant, I mean horizontally or vertically distant.


    But if Mr. Nagi chooses to stay at the lifeguard station..,


    "As far as I''m concerned, I''d like to see Nagi-san and the leader of the group arm-wrestle."


    "...... Can you imagine Mr. Rose losing?"


    "......"


    I can''t imagine.


    I forgot about it when I came back from the demon king''s territory, but he must have been seriously injured before he left, right?


    His left shoulder was cut by Nero Agence''s magic sword.


    I''m sure it was a serious injury, but when I came home, he was sitting in the Commander''s office looking so relaxed that I forgot about the injury itself. ......!


    Isn''t he seriously immortal ......?


    "---Oh, he''ll be here soon."


    "Usato-sama, we have arrived!"


    As I am once again aware of my mentor and supervisor''s craziness, a familiar soldier, Mr. Thomas, who is guarding the door, calls out to me.


    I respond to him and move to the side so that the carriage can pass through.


    The heavy door is opened, and through it the familiar carriage moves forward---and stops in front of us.


    "......This is the Kingdom of Lingle in this time period. ......"


    A girl with a sword in a scabbard at her waist emerges from the carriage.


    She comes out with her hands around her eyes in the glare of the sky, and her eyes move to the streets of the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "Mr. Nagi!"


    "Oh, Usato, Amako, it''s been half a month!"


    She notices me and Amako, and comes running toward us.


    "---Wow, you''ve got to go to ......!


    "?"


    She suddenly lost her balance in front of me and tried to stop unnaturally.


    I catch her shoulder as if to support her, because I don''t want her to fall down.


    "Are you all right?"


    "Oh, I''m sorry!¡¡I think my legs are numb from sitting so long!¡¡Ugh ...... inside me ......!"


    He''s mumbling something, but it doesn''t matter since he''s not hurt.


    Nagi-san takes a step away from me as if he''s regained his composure, then takes my hand and Amako''s and smiles brightly at us.


    "It''s nice to see you again!"


    "It''s good to see you again!" "It''s good to see you too. It''s been a long time ......, but how is the Kingdom of Lingle after hundreds of years?"


    "Yes. Yes, many things have changed, but the atmosphere is the same.


    I am glad you are pleased.


    In the past, I heard that she never visited Lingle Kingdom twice.


    "I''ve been asked to show you the way to the castle. ...... Do you want to walk from here?"


    "Shall we? I''d like to see the streets for the first time in a long time.


    I understand.


    After explaining to the soldier who is pulling the reins of the horses that he will take care of us from here, we, including Mr. Nagi, start walking toward the castle.


    "...... Hmmm, these things haven''t changed."


    "What?"


    "The fact that they don''t stare at me when they see me as a beast."


    If you look toward the city, you will see people looking at us curiously.


    In fact, it might be my fault that they are looking at me strangely.


    While I''m thinking about this, a woman with a stall calls out to us.


    "Hey, are you Amako''s sister?"


    "Well, more like ...... my ancestor''s sister?"


    "Gosh ......."


    Nagi-san backs away after receiving a mysterious shock.


    I quickly support her, and she clutches her chest with her cheeks twitching.


    "Mr. Nagi, are you all right?


    "No, well, I''ve been shown the reality of the situation. ...... I''m my ancestor''s sister. ...... I see... I''m hundreds of years old considering the year I was born. ......


    "My actual age is different."


    "Yeah, yeah, I know. ......"


    If you think about it, the family relationship between Amako and Nagi-san is very complicated.


    Because from Nagi''s point of view, Amako is like her sister''s descendant.


    "Complicated relationship."


    Well, is that so?


    Yeah.


    I get the feeling that Amako is unknowingly complicating the conversation.


    I let Ms. Nagi stand up and move forward, wondering why she looked at me and nodded her head so mysteriously.


    "Hm?¡¡It''s kind of noisy up ahead.


    Nagi-san''s mutterings made me look ahead and I saw people on the street shift to the side as if they sensed something.


    I sense something just from that, so I move Nagi to the side with Amako.


    "Naaack!¡¡I hope you''re not too weak yet!


    Yes!


    I hear the sound of a child''s voice and the sound of a hot voice coming from the front.


    As the figure becomes clearer and clearer, a group of seven people comes toward us.


    "Hang in there!¡¡You can do it!


    You''re a great guy for just a kid!¡¡You''re a good guy!


    Don''t forget to hydrate!


    "If you''re at your limit, just let me know!¡¡If it''s too hard, I''ll slow you down!


    "Oh, thank you very much!¡¡Gee, I''ll try my best!


    Five tough-looking guys are running around the boy.


    As I sigh at the scene, which looks like a kidnapping scene to say the least, I spot Ferrum following behind him with dead eyes, and Nair on top of his head.


    "Oh my God, these guys..."


    "Why do they only have a soft spot for knackers ......?"


    I was relieved to see that Ferrum was training me.


    Nair is not physically strong enough to join us, so it''s a good thing he''s participating.


    Then a group of tough guys came right in front of me and stopped in front of me.


    "Oh, Bakemono!¡¡Are you skipping work, you bastard!


    "Just in time!¡¡Cast a healing spell on the knacker!


    I''ll do it.


    I cast a healing spell on the exhausted Nack while passing through the tongs and mills.


    "Are you okay, Nack?¡¡Are you having a hard time with all those evil-looking people?


    """""Ah?


    The strong men with menacing looks on their faces cower their shoulders.


    It''s one thing to be nice to a knacker, but how can you treat me any differently than you treat them?


    "You know what, guys? Don''t you guys have a different attitude than you did when I joined the rescue team?¡¡You can''t discriminate, you can''t discriminate."


    When I told them that, the tough guys snickered at me.


    What?¡¡Why should we be nice to a monster that''s going along with the Commander''s real training?"


    Don''t you dare put Nack in the same room with you.


    "You''ve been like us from the very beginning.


    .......


    "Get out when you get back. I''ll show you who''s boss."


    "I think that''s what I''m talking about. ......"


    "I know his face is different, but Usato is on the strong side. ......"


    I let the whispers of Ferrum and Nair sink in.


    We''ll settle up with the tough guys later, but for now our priority is to guide Mr. Nagi.


    He watches the strongmen and Nack resume their training, and turns back to Nagi and Amako.


    "Well, let''s go to the castle.


    "It''s amazing to see it in person. ...... lifeguard. The way Usato has changed and ......."


    "The lifeguard is kind of a national landmark in this country."


    Judging by the familiar reactions of the people in town, Amaco''s words are not quite wrong. .......


    I get myself together and start walking.


    I take this opportunity to ask him what I was going to ask him beforehand.


    "Mr. Nagi, how have you been while we have been here?


    Since we are in the city, I omit the words "Demon King" and "Demon Domain.


    "He was more quiet than I thought he would be. I would have stopped him if he tried anything strange, but he seemed to have been concentrating on the reconstruction of the city and dealing with the aftermath of the war.


    "I see. ......"


    "I''ve been watching them for a few days after the soldiers from the Kingdom of Lingle arrived, and they didn''t seem to cause any problems, so I think they''re okay for now."


    It seems that the Demon King is also working for the sake of the demon tribe.


    Well, I didn''t have much doubt, but I''m glad he didn''t do anything that would make me flip my palm.


    "...... from now on..."


    "Yes?"


    "I''ve been thinking about what I''m going to do."


    Mr. Nagi mutters something like that as he looks out over the streets of the Lingle Kingdom.


    "This world is not the world I used to live in. The demon tribe and the demon king that I fought so hard against are no longer my enemies.


    "Yes, that''s right. ......"


    "For a moment, I lost sight of the meaning of life."


    As far as Nagi''s past is concerned, she has lived through the battle all her life.


    Just when she thought she could live a normal life after defeating the Demon King, she was sealed by Mr. Hisago and awakened hundreds of years in the future.


    Her state of mind is impossible to fathom.


    "But when I thought about it, I realized that I didn''t really know anyone that well, and that it wouldn''t be any different in any era, so I was depressed."


    "Yeah. ......"


    "I had been fighting my whole life, so I wondered if I could choose a different path from now on, and that made me feel strangely positive."


    I see. ...... I know, right.


    Finally, you can take a path other than fighting, Mr. Nagi.


    "I think that Hisago''s sealing of me has a meaning. Specifically, to stop ''something'' he left behind. ...... and maybe you."


    Me?


    "Yes, if you get involved with the Demon King, you might get into trouble again. I''ll help you then.


    I usually don''t like to get into trouble, but it''s usually reassuring to know that Nagi-san is there to help.


    "Oh, but first, I''m going back home. Back home. After the Lingle Kingdom, I''m going to see Hinomoto."


    "That''s where the bronze statue of Kannagi used to be."


    Amako, who had been silent up to now, blurts out something like that, and Nagi-san backs away again with a mysterious shock.


    I remember that there was a statue of Mr. Nagi in the village where Linka''s parents live.


    From her point of view, that might be an indescribable feeling.


    "......Wow, I forgot... ....... What should I do, I wonder if I''ll end up like the local god of existence?"


    "There is a possibility that you will be made me and I will be recognized as your daughter."


    "What do you mean ......!"


    I bet there will be a big fuss.


    Should we tell Hayate-san in Hinomoto about Nagi-san while we''re at it?


    ...... I don''t want to damage Hayate''s stomach any further, but .......


    "When Kannagi goes back to her hometown, I''ll go with her."


    "What, Amako too?"


    "Yes, now that the demon army is over, I want to see my mother."


    Going home.


    .......


    No, ......, let''s not think about it any more.


    But Hinomoto...


    The next meeting will take place in Mearaq, the nearest human settlement to Hinomoto.


    Perhaps Hayate, the chief of the beastmen, might attend the meeting.


    "...... If that happens, does that mean that other subhumans may also come?"


    I don''t know for sure, but I have a feeling.


    In the first place, there is Ms. Frana, the daughter of the chief of the Elven tribe.


    If my fears come true, the meeting centering on the demon king is going to be quite chaotic.


    "Ah, Usato. Why don''t you ask him where Kannagi lives?"


    "Hmm?¡¡Yes, that''s right.


    "What are you talking about?"


    Amako''s words brought me back to myself.


    Let''s explain where she lives while we''re at it.


    She could live in a castle like her senpai and Kazuki.


    The lifeguard''s quarters.


    The house where Amako lives, although it has not been decided yet.


    When Nagi-san heard about this option...,


    "Mm-mm-mm-mm."


    He was extremely conflicted.


    ......So, what is there to be so conflicted about?


    "Well, then, ama........."


    "......?"


    "---No, let''s go with the lifeguard."


    After an unnatural stiffening, Nagi-san lowers his voice and says, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry.


    Nagi-san immediately came to himself and held his head in his hands.


    "Wow, it''s me inside of me!


    "......Usato, Kannagi is funny."


    "Hahaha ......"


    Perhaps the other Nagi answered?


    Anyway, let''s send Nagi back to the castle and tell Rose that she''s coming to the lifeguard quarters.

 319 - - 285th episode.

    Ms. Nagi was asked to stay at the lifeguard station''s dormitory.


    As it was a request from the castle, Rose accepted her stay without any particular refusal.


    For the first few days, Ms. Nagi seemed to be quite busy with the calls from the castle... or rather, with Welshy, the scholars, and her talks with Mr. Farga.


    But after a few days, Mr. Nagi, who had some time to spare, came to the training center with Rose for some reason.


    <


    Something about another summit battle in the Lingle Kingdom.


    When we heard about it, we hurriedly left the place and called the strongmen to let us observe the battle.


    Rose and Mr. Nagi.


    I can''t imagine which one is stronger than the other, but both are strong enough to fight against Nero Agens.


    As I watched the two of them start to move with excitement, wondering what kind of battle was about to unfold --- without warning, Rose and Mr. Nagi started to move, and the arm holding her sword clashed with Rose''s arm.


    <<<>>>


    A dull thud echoes through the air, as if two arms have just collided.


    After a few moments of silence, Nagi-san tensed up and stepped back, sheathing his black sword.


    The two men unpack each other on the training ground.


    When I and the other strongmen booed Rose and complained, she came over to us with her fists pounding in the air.


    Then, needless to say, we were beaten up and crushed to the ground.


    But even so, we, including the tough guys, did not give in to Rose''s tyranny until the very end.


    Nagi, Nack, Nair, and Ferrum watched this scene with pale faces.


    Well, this is the usual scene of the rescue team.


    When I later asked them the detailed reason...,


    --- he said.


    It seems that they could not let the training area be destroyed.


    Well, it would affect our training in the future, and above all, it would cause Lloyd-sama more trouble than anything else, so it can''t be helped.


    But I personally wanted to see Rose and Nagi''s hand-to-hand combat.


    "So, Commander. What''s the matter with you all of a sudden?"


    It''s been a few days since Mr. Nagi started staying at the dormitory.


    I had been training at the Lifeguard Corps, which was returning to a peaceful routine, when Rose called me to the entrance of the dormitory.


    "Ah, I thought it''s about time I took you to a place."


    A place?


    I asked her, and she answered shortly where it was.


    "A cemetery."


    "What about ......?"


    "?


    ---There is a cemetery in a plot behind the castle in the center of the Kingdom of Lingle.


    It is a place to bury and mourn the bodies of those who died in the Lingle Kingdom and those who lost their lives in the war.


    I had been there many times, but Rose had surprisingly never brought me there.


    While we were going to the cemetery, Rose bought a bouquet of flowers in town.


    Holding them as if slinging them over her shoulder, I followed her silently as she made her way through the cemetery.


    "Actually, I was going to bring you earlier."


    "...... here, sir?"


    "There''s been a war and a Demon Lord and a bunch of other things going on. I got here late."


    A vast space lined with stone tombs.


    There are very few graves that are dirty, and they are sparsely decorated with bouquets of flowers, as if they are well maintained.


    All of them are brand-new flowers.


    I followed behind Rose with a painful sensation in my chest.


    After walking for a while, she stops in front of a place that looks different from the other graves.


    "Here it is."


    If you stop and look, you will see seven graves.


    The gravestones were engraved with a common coat of arms, and when I looked at the letters I saw the word "awl".


    Awl.


    How could I forget that name?


    He was Rose''s beloved subordinate, the one who had protected her from Nero Agence.


    Perhaps there are other graves at .......


    "Maybe this is the place where Mr. and Mrs. Ahl ......"


    "...... Oh."


    Rose nodded quietly and placed a bouquet of flowers on the grave.


    The gesture was a little crude, but it showed some kind of feeling.


    "Gilg, Josh, Narca, Beth, Chris, Din ...... awl. Here they are sleeping."


    We pray silently and in silence.


    These people here are my seniors.


    They are the reason Rose is here now, the reason the rescue squad is here.


    I wish I could have met them.


    I wanted to meet them and see them hand-to-hand, and I wanted to know how great you guys were that he trusted you.


    "I bet they''d laugh so much if they could see you."


    Suddenly Rose said these words as she looked down at the gravestone.


    I chuckle at her words.


    "I wonder if that''s true.


    "If I didn''t, I''d probably beat the shit out of you. For better or worse, you''re a bunch of hot-blooded idiots."


    And that goes for us, too, doesn''t it?"


    Yes, we are.


    We''re no slouches when it comes to blood.


    No, but compared to those tough guys, I''ve got a long way to go.


    They''re so quick to get blood on their hands.


    "I told you before ...... that Aur was a guy just like you. He was cocky and talked shit, and I couldn''t stand to hit him no matter how many times I hit him."


    "It seems like we''d get along just fine."


    I think he''d rather work with me to get the word out to Rose.


    I imagined such a thing and felt disappointed when I remembered the fact that it was impossible.


    "...... I will continue to be the deputy commander of the rescue squad for as long as you approve of me."


    "Yeah, have it your way. You''ve made your choice."


    Rose affirms my voice.


    "The war is over, but that doesn''t mean that the mission has lost its raison d''etre. It just means that the battlefield is no longer a place of activity. What we need to do has never changed and will never change.


    Yes, the Rescue Mission will continue.


    As long as there are people who are hurting, and people who are going to be hurt, it will never lose its raison d''etre.


    Rose turns around.


    Her smile is the same as it has been since we first met, a smile that is both fierce and exuberant.


    "If you''ve decided to do it, do it. Bridging the gap between demons and humans?¡¡That''s fun, isn''t it? Let''s go wild as much as you want."


    "I''m allowed to be violent?"


    Of course you can.¡¡If he says it''s impossible without even trying, beat him up and shut him up. If he scoffs at you, pity his happy head. Break down any obstacle that stands in your way---you can do it, can''t you? Usato"


    ......!


    Oh, shit, that''s why I''m not ready yet.


    I guess I still have a lot to learn from this guy.


    But that''s okay.


    This man has always been my goal and my mentor, showing me the way.


    Then, I''m going to do as you said.


    "Yeah."


    Once again, we face the graves of Mr. and Mrs. Ahl.


    It is not an oath, but I have made my own decision.


    "Let''s do it!"


    Nothing can change that fact.


    Many problems will confront me from now on.


    I may be trapped by them, and I may feel like falling down.


    I may not be able to manage them alone, and I may need the help of my friends.


    But still, I must keep going.


    Now that I have already made up my mind in front of this person, the word "retreat" has already disappeared.


    I am Usato, a healing magician.


    I am the vice-commander of the Rescue Mission and a disciple of Rose, the most powerful healing magician.


    <


    "---Aa?"


    At the sound of that voice, Rose and I both turn around at the same time.


    wham!¡¡I look behind me and see a space by a tree about 30 meters away.


    There is "something" there.


    I can''t see it, but there is definitely something there.


    It is a malicious intent, like a ghastly killing intent.


    Sensing the clear hostility only by my senses, I throw a healing flying fist and Rose throws a healing magic bullet.


    >


    A strong burst of sound rings out, and at the same time, it leaps out and strikes the space where the something is located.


    For a moment, a faint scream can be heard, but the outstretched fist only cuts through the air, making no impact.


    "...... Is there anyone there?"


    I heard voices.


    I had the feeling that something was there.


    But my fist could not catch it.


    "---No."


    But Rose, who was moving faster than I was, put her hand on my chin as she released her stance.


    I notice that she is holding something in her hand.


    "I don''t know what it is, but that ''something'' is here.


    Rose smiles ferociously and shows her hand to me.


    In her hand she holds a wing like a bat torn from its midsection.


    "...... what is this?"


    "I don''t know. I don''t know. But I''m sure it''s going to be trouble. We''ll report it to the castle first."


    After saying these words, he spilled particles and crushed the wings that were about to disappear.


    As I watched them disappear, I felt a sense of crisis as if I were in the presence of something mysterious.


    Something was trying to move.


    Not the Demon King, but something else.

 320 - - a quiet life-saving team from her point of view

    It''s been a long time since I visited the Kingdom of Lingle ......, or rather, over several hundred years, and surprisingly little has changed.


    In a world that still discriminates against subhumans, no one frowns when they see me, in fact, they welcome me with open arms.


    Once again, I regret a little that I could not bring Hisago here at that time, but I am going to live here in the Lingle Kingdom.


    During my stay, I will be staying at the lifeguard''s dormitory where Usato lives.


    It was the only place where I could stay without any worries, even though it was a place that had been decided by a momentary intrusion and insistence of the me inside me.


    The first few days in the Kingdom of Lingle were quite difficult, as I was asked many questions and told many stories in the castle.


    I was a bit scared, especially by the grim expressions on the faces of the scholars, including Welshy.


    "---It''s been a long time, Kannagi."


    "It''s been a long time, Mr. Farga. You have aged well."


    "Rude as ever, my dear?"


    And there''s Falga.


    He is older than when I saw him before I was sealed up, but his presence has not changed at all.


    I spoke with him through a magical tool that imitated the fountain in the hall, and as I should have expected, he asked me about my soul, which had been transformed by the power that Master Farga had separated from me as an armor.


    You exist not as me, but as a unique soul. Then you are neither I nor Kannagi, but a life with a will. There is nothing ...... to say."


    After that conversation, the me inside me said I had a question for Mr. Farga.


    She seemed to be serious, so I made her switch her consciousness and mine, and my mouth started to move on its own.


    Farga. Why is there such a thing as the Fountain of Kreja?"


    "......"


    "Was that something that existed in Mearaq in the first place?¡¡Is it something that you have to protect so much that you yourself can''t leave it?


    "......"


    "Prediction of parallel worlds. And it was only after Usato visited Mearaq that he learned of the existence of the mysterious Kureha Fountain. Farga, where did the Fountain of Kureha, ...... the fountain that makes people go mad, come from?"


    Her question makes Falga silent for a while.


    There are other Lloyd kings here besides me.


    If he keeps his mouth shut, it means that this is not the right time to talk about it.


    "I can''t say it here. I don''t know what''s (...) listening."


    "...... got it."


    Then she withdrew and withdrew inside me.


    Falga looks at us as we regain control of our bodies.


    "The world moves, people, subhumans... and those who lurk on the other side of the world that the young man has sealed and unleashed.


    "...... him again. ......"


    I can guess most of it from those words alone.


    Hisago''s despair and hope for the world.


    The mixture of these two elements is now turning on the people who live in the present.


    "This is not only a problem for human beings. It is a complicated matter, but the Demon Lord is on our side now. Let''s let him help us.


    You are the one who speaks?


    "...... yeah. It''s very, very complicated.


    I can tell by the look on your dragon face that you don''t like it very much.


    Falga and the Demon King used to be like water and oil.


    That''s understandable.


    But I guess it''s necessary, so I have to leave it to them without any further comment.


    The negative legacy that Hisago left behind---a test for those who live today.


    I do not know what it is like, but I must do my best for the people of this age.


    I do not know what it is like, but I must do my best for the people of this time period.


    After the talk at the castle, we return to the lifeguard''s quarters.


    On the way back, I meet the so called "tough guys" of the lifeguard squad, who are running around as usual.


    When they see me, they stop and...,


    """"" Good work!¡¡Kannagi no sis-o!!!"""""


    --- Such bowing and voices come flying in, as if a shockwave is about to hit them.


    Since the incident with Mr. Rose, they have been calling me strange names.


    When I was holding my head in my hands, the strong-looking people called out to me.


    Kannagi''s sister!¡¡What''s the matter?


    "Shall I go get that idiot Usato?


    "Wait! And don''t call my sister ......?


    The tension was too much.


    I''m an animal and these people don''t care a bit.


    They generally tilted their heads at my words.


    "But, you can''t call her ''sister'' if she''s so tough to fight with the leader."


    "I''m younger than you. ......?"


    "We don''t have a seniority system or anything like that."


    If you ask me, that''s not true. .......


    But why is he always so quarrelsome with Usato?


    ...... Oh, that''s right.


    Is Usato in training right now?


    "Is that that son of a b*tc* Usato?¡¡He was running in just now, but I think he''s at the training ground now.


    Training grounds.


    When I thank them, they reply with a cheerful smile.


    I move to the training area where Usato is, confirming once again how different a place the lifeguard corps is.


    "It really is training every day, isn''t it?"


    <>


    That''s what the part of me that''s inside me mutters.


    Unlike the two heroes, Usato does not have any particular talent for fighting.


    Nor is he unusually physically strong like me.


    He is forced to use healing magic to keep growing, and he keeps getting stronger by force.


    If there is anything unique about him, it is his mentality.


    He is unbreakable.


    He never gives up, no matter the situation, no matter how hopeless it is.


    His out-of-the-ordinary spirit of steel has finally led the Demon King to admit defeat.


    "I hear so. Ha ha ha ......"


    We did not see what kind of training he was given by Ms. Rose.


    But if he is the one who has achieved what no one else has---to create a healing wizard like Rose, it is truly something that no ordinary mind can even surpass.


    <>


    "What do you mean?"


    <


    "We weren''t serious about each other, though."


    Although the degree may be different, it is still true that if you take it seriously, as Mr. Rose does, you will destroy your surroundings.


    Therefore, it is still fresh in my memory that I had a handshake with Usato with a light heart.


    In his unassimilated state, he skillfully manipulated the baskets on his right arm to repel all the swords I swung at him.


    His extraordinary reflexes and the strong defense of his kagote made me feel as if I was dealing with an impenetrable mass of iron.


    "Oh ......"


    As soon as they enter the training area, they find Usato.


    He seems to be training near a stone rectangular weight near the entrance.


    I decided to call out to him right away and approached him...but upon closer inspection, I found that he was not standing, but standing on his head and doing one-armed push-ups?¡¡He was doing one-arm push-ups while standing on his head.


    "No, no, no!¡¡Knuck, you can still do it!"


    "I''m still okay. ......!"


    Okay, ......!¡¡Almost there!


    He slowly bends his right arm, which supports his entire body, back to its original position while calling out to Nack, who is doing push-ups normally next to him.


    Moreover, the fact that he has a weight wrapped around his body shows that this is no ordinary training.


    "Yeah. ......"


    <>


    What a training method, just looking at it is usually exhausting. .......


    I wonder how much time I spend on it, though I guess I can do it too.


    I felt bad to disturb him, so I decided to watch the training from a distance.


    "Nack, if it''s too hard, you can take a break, okay?"


    "Well, I can still do it!"


    "I can still do it!" "......


    Usato casually casts a healing spell on Nack-kun.


    We watch them train for a long time......,


    <>


    "Ah, ha ha ......"


    Yes, it shows no sign of ending.


    As for Nack-kun, Usato is often sending healing magic to him, so we know that he is training while recovering, but Usato is not using any healing magic on himself at all.


    However, Usato is not using any healing magic on himself at all, and yet he is doing endless inverted pushups.


    "Okay..."


    "Oh, finally..."


    "Now the left arm."


    "......"


    Just when you think it''s over, the left arm comes in and you can continue again.


    After the same amount of time, Usato finally returns from the inverted position.


    I was somewhat dusked, thinking that this was amazing in many ways, when Usato noticed me.


    "Mr. Nagi. I''m sorry, I didn''t recognize you.


    "Oh, yeah. ...... Nack, are you okay?"


    "Yeah, I''m fine, thank you."


    "Good job, Nack."


    Usato smiles calmly as he casts a healing spell on Nack, who falls to the ground, breathing heavily.


    ...... still doesn''t look like he used healing magic.


    "Aren''t you tired, Usato?"


    "No, no, I used healing magic, I''m fine."


    "......E, when?"


    "?¡¡Just now."


    .......


    Could it be that you healed yourself with healing magic so quickly that even my eyes couldn''t notice it?


    "No, I didn''t notice."


    Haha, maybe it''s thanks to the magic spinning. Thanks to this, I feel that the efficiency and speed of distributing magic power throughout the body has increased dramatically.


    Usato then shows me his hand with a magic bullet floating on it.


    It moved from the index finger to the middle finger and then to the ring finger, one after the other at an incredible speed.


    By having thoroughly mastered the basics of magic, he was able to heal to an extent that even I was not aware of. ......?


    While I was stunned by his technique, Nack, who had just collapsed, stood up with a start.


    "I can still do it, Usato-san."


    "Well, how about some evasion training this time?"


    "You mean the one where we dodge magic bullets?"


    "Yes. ...... Oh, that''s right.


    Usato puts his chin on his chin and thinks about something.


    What''s wrong?


    "Actually, there is a training method I was thinking of doing with the Commander,...... but with Nagi-san, I might be able to do it,......."


    "What?¡¡What is it?¡¡I''m happy to help you with anything."


    Thinking that he can be of help, he somewhat bitingly agrees.


    "Thank you very much. It''s pretty simple, so I''ll explain it to you.


    Usato walks away and I follow him.


    He stops about ten meters away from Nack''s location.


    "Please stand here."


    "Yes."


    "Now, we''re going to play a game of catch."


    "Is this the same thing you and Suzune were doing, throwing magic bullets at each other?"


    Oh, that''s right.


    That''s what I saw from Usato''s basket hand.


    Usato nodded with a smile, and when he was about 20 meters away from me, he produced a magic bullet wrapped with elasticity in his hand.


    "I''m going to throw this now, so please throw it back to me. The trick is to throw it back as soon as you get it.


    "Wow, okay. I don''t care if it''s fast."


    He waved his arm and threw a magic bullet toward us.


    I catch it with my hand and return it immediately.


    After I continued to do so for about five rounds, Usato produced another magic bullet and added another.


    "I''m going to increase the number too!


    "Oh, this is fun.


    Two, then three, and so on, like a magic ball.


    Nack''s expression seems to be turning paler and paler as he looks at me, but it''s just plain fun.


    Throwing and catching bullets is fun.


    The effect of elasticity is lost, and the magic bullets are added as they disappear, so it seems that the limit is up to three bullets for now.


    Once all the magic bullets are gone, he stops and smiles at me.


    "How are you doing?¡¡Do you think you can handle it?"


    "Not at all, I''m fine. But how is this going to help me train you, Nack?"


    I''ll explain that too. Nack."


    He comes as soon as Usato calls his name.


    Usato points to a spot between where he and I are.


    "Nack, please stand in the middle of me and Mr. Nagi.


    "Yes?"


    Nack, who seemed to sense something, hesitated and moved to the exact center of us.


    "I''m standing, but ......".


    "All right, well, let''s get started."


    ""What?"""


    Usato, who created a magic bullet wrapped with elasticity, throws the magic bullet.


    Nack-kun dodged it just in time, and I caught the magic bullet from behind him... but..,


    "What?¡¡But Nack-kun was in between ......."


    "Hmmm, actually, it is a training to avoid not only the front, but also the magic bullet from behind."


    ""......""


    "Come on, Nack, it''s healing magic, so don''t worry about training!"


    Usato continues to create magic bullets, and Nack looks at me with his cheeks twitching.


    I never thought that I would have to go through such a terrible training, even though I had offered to help in any way I could.


    But it makes sense.


    I can''t deny the fact that it makes sense. ......!


    Yes, it is a good way to train your evasiveness. ......!


    "Nack, I''m going to be a heartbreaker too!"


    "Dodge it, Nack!"


    What?


    A magic bullet flies between me and Usato-kun, and the boy''s screams echo through the air.


    This is lifeguard training: ......!


    It''s terrifying, but the results you get from it are tremendous. ......!

 321 - - a person who hides in the dark

    After the battle with the heroes was over, I became busy in a different way.


    While there were so many things to be done, such as the reconstruction of the city and correspondence with the Kingdom of Lingle, I sat in the hall that had been converted into a study and pored over the documents.


    "My Lord, why don''t you take a little rest?"


    "Don''t worry. I can manipulate time with magic, and I''ve been sleeping.


    "Oh, well, I guess I''ll be fine then."


    "......"


    I wonder why Ciel''s reaction seems to be so casual.


    He has been like this ever since he and Kannagi became friends.


    Come in.


    "Excuse me."


    With a reverent gesture, Gillette, former assistant to the commander of the first legion of the Demon Army, entered his office.


    Although he was an old demon, he was the man who had supported Nero.


    He quickly looks over the documents he is holding, drawing them to him with his magic.


    "After the demolition of the Demon Lord''s Army..."


    The content is about the new organization to be created.


    It is necessary to dismantle the war fighting force of the Demon King''s Army and create an organization for the demon tribe that will govern the city, a group that can be called a vigilante group.


    This is not to abandon all means of combat, but only as a means of self-defense against other attacks.


    "Oh, and what''s going on with the matter you mentioned?"


    "Ha, Mister Hulk is currently working on the practical application of this technology.


    "I see. Keep me posted. ---You may... step back.


    "Ha."


    I watch Gillette leave and cross my arms.


    The value we can show to the Kingdom of Lingle, or any other nation, after we have lost the war.


    Needless to say, it will be me.


    "Lost knowledge."


    By offering them in accordance with the magical technology of our time, it would be possible to ask for supplies from the human side as a condition of exchange.


    "Only in accordance with the technology of this age ......."


    Anything more than that could cause a fight if done poorly.


    Since I have a promise to him, I''m not going to do anything that might cause a fight myself, so I''m going to hold the line.


    "......"


    Can I help you?


    He suddenly feels the presence of magic and turns his palm to a corner of his office.


    Using magic, he creates water in a section of the hall, which moves on its own and transforms into a mirror-like shape.


    "Is this ......?"


    Ciel, give us a minute.


    "Oh, no, not again!


    After the upset Ciel is transferred by magic, she looks in the mirror and immediately sees the reflection of the one who has been trying to communicate with her by magic---Farga the divine dragon.


    "What do you want?¡¡Farga.


    He laughs at Farga''s swearing.


    Well, the fact that he bothered to contact us at all must mean that something is going on.


    "......, so it''s finally starting to work. If so, was it Usato''s place that ...... showed up?"


    He sighs as he rests his back against the back of his chair.


    It seems that he encountered Usato and his master, Rose, in a cemetery in the Kingdom of Lingle.


    Two healing wizards, sensing his presence, attacked him, and he escaped with his wings ripped off. ...... How could such an amusing situation be brought about?


    "I''m sure you''re right."


    I am now deprived of 70% of my power.


    Not only am I unable to handle more power than I had in my prime, but I have yet to recover my magical power due to my defeat at the hands of Usato and the others.


    Have you told the humans about this?


    Farga''s reflection in the mirror looks stunned at my words.


    Yes.


    The king of that country knows about Farga''s existence, so it would be rather strange if he does not believe in it.


    "I never thought that Hisago had even sealed up a "demon". But I am convinced that it is unnatural that there has been no conflict in the last few hundred years."


    A demon is a being that stirs up the evil in mankind.


    He wields magic to bewitch the hearts of men and provoke them to fight.


    They take the fear they generate and use it as their power.


    <>


    "No, it won''t be that different from when I wake up from the seal."


    They are not even willing to fight with me.


    I can guess the reason why they started to move and their purpose, but ...... we can''t move immediately either.


    Especially in my case, if I move carelessly, I may cause people to distrust me.


    "However, it seems that Usato has a lot of grudges."


    >


    "Hmph, I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    Farga snickers at my ignorance.


    The fact that Usato is feared by his own people as a demon is his own fault.


    It''s worse to be so horrified that he is called a demon in the first place.


    "The healer who beat me down, he had the very strength of a demon, didn''t he?"


    By using this to reinforce the impression that Usato is a demon, he was able to bring those who might be working in the shadows out into the public eye and confirm their existence.


    ......Well, we didn''t think it would be so easy to catch them.


    Was the fear of him that great?


    "But it''s a funny thing, isn''t it? I didn''t think that the fear I was supposed to instill in him would end up being instilled in him. Ha ha ha."


    How is it possible to be not only taken off one''s guard but also one''s wings at the same time as a healing magician called Rose?


    Probably because they were staring at me and disturbed me so much that I materialized for a moment.


    If the apprentice is the apprentice, then the master is doing something strange.


    He really is a man who never runs out of things to talk about."


    There is a 50-50 chance that the devil will move, but I didn''t think he would accomplish more than that.


    This makes us more predictable.


    "But one thing I am concerned about is what the devil was doing in the cemetery of the Kingdom of Lingle.


    <>


    "Yeah, we should consider other possibilities."


    If it is to keep an eye on Usato, who is called a demon and threatens their existence, so be it.


    But why did they show up at the cemetery of all places?


    We could chalk it up to a coincidence, but if they are after something else, we may be in for some trouble.


    Falga, send word to the Lingle Kingdom.


    >


    Farga looks at me quizzically.


    I put my thoughts together and tell him what I have to do from now on.


    "Uncover the tomb. "Uncover the tombs where the most powerful men of the country are buried.


    Many of the demons have been reduced in number by the hisago.


    Then the first thing we should do is to increase our pawns.


    It may be a bad idea, but we still have to make sure of it.


    ---It is much better than being moved by someone who is supposed to be dead.

 322 - - 286th episode.

    The devil is real.


    A few days after I reported my encounter with something unidentifiable with bat wings in the cemetery, I was told this fact by Mr. Falga.


    I have been called a monster and a demon many times, but I was surprised at this fact.


    I had assumed that demons were imaginary creatures even in this world.


    But when I thought about it, I soon became calm because this is a world of vampires and dragons, so it was no surprise that there could be at least one demon.


    But this calmness was soon disturbed by the next words of Mr. Farga.


    I was not the only one surprised by his words, Rose, who had come to the hall with me, crossed her arms and her eyes wide open.


    The devil''s purpose---maybe it was not to keep an eye on Rose and I, but on the cemetery where we had come from.


    His corpse will be taken away somewhere.


    Master Lloyd, who had heard such a horrifying tale, looked saddened and ordered us to examine those who lay in the graves.


    Rose said these words quietly, as if stifling her emotions, as if she knew that Mr. Ahl and the others were probably among them.


    I was about to follow her to the graveyard, but then I thought about Rose''s feelings and decided to back off.


    Permission and explanation to the bereaved family.


    After watching the halls rushing to discuss these matters, I had to leave.


    I left.


    I return from the castle to my quarters and sit alone in my room, lost in thought.


    It is late at night, but Rose has not yet returned.


    "Demons, huh?"


    If it was a demon that was watching us, was it after the corpses of Mr. and Mrs. Ahl?


    If so, why?


    It''s a little scary to think about it, but was it for something?


    "I don''t know... I don''t know what to think of demons all of a sudden..."


    "What''s the matter with you, now that you''re so worried about yourself?"


    "What?


    I heard a voice behind me and turned around to see Nair right behind me.


    When did you come into my room?


    "Why didn''t you at least knock ......?"


    "No, I did. I knew you were there, so I snuck in."


    "Oh, yeah. ...... wait, why?"


    Why do you need to sneak in?


    What do you mean, "I know you''re there, so I''m breaking in"?


    When I was tilting my head at the disconnect between the first half and the second half of the sentence, Nair turned on the light on his desk with a bitter look on his face.


    "Why is the room so dark already?"


    "I''m just thinking ...... about something, what do you mean you''re worried about yourself?"


    "Oh, you were thinking of the devil, weren''t you?"


    "Well, let''s stop thinking of the devil as me first: ......!"


    Does he really think that, ......?


    ...... No, I might be able to tell Nair.


    I forgot she''s a vampire and a necromancer.


    I''ve been told not to tell anyone about the demon, but she''s my demon, and therefore I can trust her.


    Nair, can I have a word with you?


    A long story?


    "A long story?" "Yeah."


    Okay, I''m listening.


    As I turn my chair to Nair, who is sitting on the bed, I tell her about my encounter with the devil the other day and what he might be up to.


    Nair, who had shown interest in the word "demon," gave me a difficult look when she finished listening to the whole story.


    "I never thought that your kind would appear. ......"


    "1, I''ll be squirming with my senpai. 2, I''ll be squirming with Mr. Uluru. 3, I''ll be talking to you seriously. ---Now, which one do you prefer?"


    "Three, please. ......"


    I''m being serious.


    Nair answers immediately and puts his index finger on his chin as if he is trying to compose himself.


    "Well, if I had to guess, I''d say it''s possible to move the corpse.


    "Like you were doing?"


    "Yes. As I told you before, the body is nothing without the soul. My Necromancer''s power can control only the body, which defies the common sense, but ...... honestly, I think it''s of little use to move the body of a strong person."


    "Why?"


    If it''s a strong person''s body, isn''t it strong enough?


    At my question, Nair picks up a spare diary on her desk and begins to write something in pen.


    A dead body decays. It''s not impossible to strengthen its physical strength with magic, but if the body you''ve trained is all falling apart, you can only make a zombie with a certain power, can''t you?


    "...... sure."


    "So it doesn''t make much sense to steal the body of a strong person and manipulate it."


    As a person who usually works out, I feel a little disappointed, but of course the body only decays after death.


    If you imagine the zombie I saw Nair manipulate, it wouldn''t make sense to steal the body of a strong person.


    "So there is no possibility that the body has been stolen?"


    "That''s not quite how it works."


    Yeah, which is it? ......,


    When I was about to shrug my shoulders, Nair showed me something he had written in his diary.


    They are divided into illustrations.


    I''m not convinced why the design is me, deformed into a two-headed figure, though I''m not sure why .......


    And why are there lines on my face that look like they''ve been sewn together?¡¡Is he Frankenstein?


    "There is a way to restore the body through magic and control it as it is. This would give him some of his former strength, and even allow him to use his power beyond his physical limits."


    The devilish illustration is me (?). The illustration shows a person''s body being shattered by some kind of witchcraft.


    It''s comical, but what he''s doing is really terrible.


    "Is there such a magic ......?"


    "I don''t know. "I don''t know...but I guess you can ask the demon king about it..."


    ...... seems to be a possibility.


    That''s why Falga-sama has been instructing us.


    If demons are trying to do something with the bodies of dead people..,


    "Absolutely, it''s not something we should allow."


    "......Yeah, that''s right. ......"


    "Raising the dead and using them to work for you is the worst kind of thing you can do. ......!¡¡Come on, Nea!


    You know what you''re saying, don''t you?


    He teases N¨¦a, who''s already done it once.


    Well, I don''t care now.


    "But, I didn''t know demons really existed.


    You didn''t know about this?


    "Yes. There were hints of their existence in the literature, but they were so vague that I didn''t really believe in them.


    "So you''re the one hiding in the shadows of history. ......"


    So, are we really a fighting force?


    ...... No, just because they are demons is no reason to be afraid of them.


    "The leader ripped off his wings, so that means he has substance. If I can hit him, I can hit him."


    "Wow,...... that''s you as usual,...... you''re pretty scary even from the devil''s point of view."


    Not ghosts you can''t touch, though.


    The question is how this demon is working, but we don''t know that at the moment, so it''s useless to think about it.


    "There are so many things to think about, it''s hard. ......"


    "There''s also the whole meeting thing, isn''t there?"


    He nodded at the sound of Nea''s voice.


    We have to think about the demon, but we also have to think about the meeting.


    "It''s not easy for you either. You are not a brave man to be invited to such an important meeting.


    I''m the one who decided to do it."


    Not many people can communicate with the Demon Lord.


    That''s probably why he asked me to accompany him.


    "Hmmm, I''m kind of looking forward to it."


    We''re not going out to play.


    "......Wait, I can go with you?"


    I scratch my cheeks as Nair''s face turns into a scowl, wondering if I''m joking.


    I scratch my cheek at her. At the previous meeting, there was a possibility that N¨¦a''s ability might cause her to distrust me, but this time is different.


    "I need you to be able to deal with the Demon King''s magic."


    "Are you taking Ferrum with you, by any chance?"


    "...... hmmm. I''m still a bit torn on that one.


    The four kingdoms are not the only ones coming to the meeting.


    More people than ever before will gather here, and some of them will naturally have prejudices against the demon tribe.


    I don''t think I can bring her to a place where she could be exposed to the malice of such people. .......


    "If they ask, I''m sure he''ll go with you.


    "Ha ha ha ......"


    "If you don''t take me with you, I''m sure I''ll follow you without even realizing it."


    "Seriously, ......?"


    You don''t even let me notice you?


    I was surprised at her tone of voice, and Nea nodded with a mysterious look on her face.


    "Well, I don''t think it''s possible for me to be unaware of it, but..."


    "With Ferm''s current dark magic, it might be possible, right?¡¡Because it can be assimilated so that you can control it with your will. In other words, it''s that much easier to assimilate.


    Should I be happy that my assimilation with Ferm has broadened the range of my tactics?


    Or should I be happy that Ferrum has that much trust in me? ...... Hmmm.


    "Well, it''s interesting that he doesn''t realize it."


    "......"


    "I won''t tell, okay?¡¡Not now."


    He seems to be implicitly saying that if he doesn''t say it, he won''t say it.


    What is it?¡¡I feel like I''m being watched, even though I haven''t done anything wrong.


    "And, yes. If he follows you, he can take a break from training, and I''m sure he''d like to follow you.


    "....... Can I be the only one from the lifeguard squad? ......"


    "...... Ha!¡¡Uh, uh?¡¡I''m sorry!¡¡I didn''t mean it, just take me with you!


    When I joke with him, he reacts in an amusing way.


    I laugh at her flustered look and look at my own palm.


    "No matter how hard I work out, I''ll always be one hell of a human ......."


    You just restated it.


    I know it makes you wonder about humans, so I rephrased it, didn''t I?


    I stare at Nair and continue to speak.


    "I''ve never been able to solve anything on my own before, and I''ve only gotten this far because of you and everyone else. I''ve never been able to solve anything on my own, and I''ve only gotten this far because of you and everyone else. ...... so I''m going to keep relying on you, okay?


    Nair rolls her eyes at my words for a moment, but then immediately smiles at me.


    "Oh no, you don''t have to say that now. I am your messenger, after all, and I will follow you wherever you go, wherever you go.


    I am relieved to see him so confident.


    In my journey from the first battle to defeating the Demon King, I have never been able to solve anything on my own.


    I have always had the help of others, and we have been able to move forward because we have worked together.


    "Thank you."


    "Hmmm, you should be more grateful."


    Nair seems to be in a good mood, but his face soon turns red.


    "Oh, but come to think of it, going with you means going with the Demon King, right?¡¡That''s a little scary. ......"


    "Well, I can understand your apprehension."


    On the other hand, why are you so open about it?


    Nair looks at me with a jealous look.


    It''s true that I''m not too anxious about the Demon King''s presence.


    "I guess because I thought we wouldn''t be enemies anymore..."


    "Yeah. ......?"


    "I don''t have any evidence to support that."


    If I had to guess, I''d say it''s a hunch.


    I won''t say that we understood each other because we hit each other with our fists, which is something that would make me sound like a brainiac.


    This is something that only I have in my mind.


    "It''s true that the Demon King is an annoying person with a bad character, a fun-loving person, a troublesome person, and an unreasonably strong person, but--"


    "That''s a lot of razzmatazz for you. ......"


    "At least now he is working for the demons. That much, I think we can believe."


    Many people were hurt and sacrificed in the war against the Demon Lord''s army.


    Even though there was a reason for the battle, we must never forget that fact .......


    But then I swallowed my feelings.


    "...... hmm?"


    Then I hear a knock at the door of my room.


    I looked at the door to hear a somewhat reserved knocking sound with long intervals between knocks.


    "Mr. Nagi?"


    Apparently quite a bit of time has passed while we were talking.


    As I was about to get up at the sound of her voice, Nair, with a grin on her face, rushed to the door and opened it.


    At the other end of the door is Nagi, who naturally has a surprised look on his face.


    "What?¡¡Why is Nair in the room?


    "I was just telling you a secret. A secret, yeah."


    "Hi, hi, hi, hi, secret!"


    Another complication: .......


    I saw Naea looking so happy in front of the panicked Nagi-san that I involuntarily pressed my forehead and got up from my chair to clear up the misunderstanding.


    "Nea, don''t be confusing ......."


    "Because your reaction is funny. You know, you react like a cute little lily."


    "Is that a compliment ......?"


    We then moved downstairs to the dining room for dinner.


    As usual, Alec was cooking dinner for us, and we were about to step into the dining room, wondering what we would have for dinner tonight, when the door at the end of the hallway at the entrance to the dining room opened and we saw a doorway, He realizes that someone has entered the room.


    I immediately see green hair---Rose has returned.


    I greet her immediately.


    "Welcome home, Commander."


    "Yeah."


    "It''s just now, dinner time, and you too, Commander..."


    No, you can eat later. I''ve got something to do first.


    ---He''s acting differently than usual.


    To the untrained eye, she seemed no different from the usual Rose, but to me, I had never seen her with so much emotion in her heart.


    "Commander."


    "...... what''s up?"


    Did you find the bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Earle?


    I really don''t want to ask these questions.


    But I have to ask.


    ---The coffin was empty.


    The demon wants the bodies of Mr. Earle and the others.


    So he''s already stolen even their bodies.


    "......"


    Is there anything more infuriating?


    I can''t even put into words the emotions that are overwhelming me.


    I am as angry as I was with the sorcerer of Samaritan or Jinya at Hinomoto, and as I try to hold it back with my reason, a hand is placed on my head.


    I look up when I realize it is Rose''s hand.


    "Don''t worry."


    "But ......"


    "We know what we have to do. I don''t care if it was your former subordinate or not. Whether dead people come back to life or only their bodies are being manipulated.


    She laughed in her usual way as she said these words.


    A ferocious smile with anger in it---not an appropriate expression for this situation, and I was taken aback by it.


    "You''re scared just because I stole a dead body?¡¡No, it''s not us who are being (??????) confused, is it, Usato?"


    "......, yes, that''s right."


    I must tell you who they have turned against.


    I will never forgive them if the threat they pose to us from now on is someone who plays with human lives and even with the dignity of human beings.


    For that reason, I will do everything in my power.


    If necessary, I''ll even take the devil''s share.


    I will repay you for making the lifeguards into a virtual entity. ......!

 323 - - 287th episode.

    A body buried in a cemetery in the Kingdom of Lingle was stolen by a demon.


    The stolen bodies are seven.


    They belonged to Rose''s men, led by Mr. Aul.


    They were her most trusted subordinates when she was fighting as a captain of the Lingle Kingdom, and were fierce fighters who went toe-to-toe with Nero Agence''s men.


    The demons targeted her for her prowess in life, and her body was stolen from her coffin.


    I don''t want to know what he''s going to use them for.


    The kingdom was reportedly going to warn other countries immediately upon receiving the news of the stolen body, but they were not willing to do so because they were not likely to believe the story that "demons are stealing the corpse" and because they did not want to be caught in the middle of a meeting with the devil''s forces. --- The idea was dropped on the grounds that the Kingdom of Lingle could not act carelessly now that the meeting of the Allied Powers was about to take place.


    However, Master Lloyd''s idea was to at least inform the people of the threat, and it seems that news of a "grave robber" was delivered to them.


    "---Allied Nations Conference


    The official name of the meeting has been decided, and the date for the meeting has been set.


    It has been about a month since the Demon King admitted defeat.


    While the post-war process and preparations for the meeting were being made at a fairly rapid pace, I was sitting cross-legged on my bed, thinking about the future.


    I am lost in my thoughts while listening to the snoring of Tong, my roommate in the same room.


    "One week later ......?"


    The time is incredibly fast, probably because Mr. Farga is taking the initiative to cooperate with us.


    It is also amazing that the venue for the meeting is almost complete in Mialak.


    There are many uncertainties in conducting the meeting.


    The demon king, the perception of the demon tribe, the ...... demons, and so on.


    Above all, it is also difficult that not only human participants but also heads of subhuman groups are included in the meeting.


    "Hayate-san is coming too, right? ......"


    A letter sent to me by Hooverd, with whom I have a personal contract.


    The letter mentioned that Hayate was going to participate in the Alliance meeting.


    "I have to do my best. ...... Okay, I''m going to bed.


    So I turned off the light on my desk lamp and was about to lie down on my bed when I heard a rattling sound coming from the window.


    I looked and saw what looked like a little bird made of light pecking at the window.


    For a moment, I don''t understand what is going on, but then I recognize it as light and realize what is going on.


    "...... maybe?"


    The window is opened, and the bird made of light goes down and stays on Kazuki''s shoulder in front of the dormitory.


    "...... Kazuki?"


    "Sorry to call so late. Do you have a minute?


    "Yeah, no problem at all."


    It was nighttime, but the time was not even midnight.


    I put on my shoes and went outside to see Kazuki in front of the dormitory, and he gave me an apologetic look.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "There''s something I wanted to talk to you about. It could be tomorrow, but I thought we should talk right away.


    I guessed what Kazuki was going to tell me.


    Well, you''ve made up your mind.


    Then I should listen to his answer.


    For now, we move to an open area away from the dormitory so that we can talk more easily.


    This reminds me of that time.


    Kazuki sat down in the moonlit field and muttered nostalgically.


    That time was .......


    "When Kazuki came here before the first battle?"


    "Yeah. That''s when I was afraid to fight and asked you for advice."


    Our first battle with the Demon King''s army.


    Kazuki was afraid to fight.


    I still remember the story of that time.


    "I was so surprised when you came out of nowhere that time, too."


    "Ha ha ha ...... fine, I snuck out of the castle without thinking."


    "By the way, my senpai came after that, too.


    "Oh, really? ...... ha, what, you saw right through me?"


    Casually looking into the woods behind me, I see two familiar figures.


    One is my senior and ...... the other is probably Frana.


    When their eyes meet mine, they look incredulous and hide behind a tree.


    "Usato, what''s wrong?"


    "Oh, no, it''s nothing."


    Did he come to check on her because he was worried about her?


    For some reason he''s hiding, so I''ll keep quiet from Kazuki for now.


    "...... I''m still afraid of fighting, and I don''t want to do it as much as possible."


    "Yeah."


    "If the world doesn''t need my heroic powers from now on, I''m willing to give them up."


    That''s what Kazuki would do.


    We know he hates to fight.


    That is why he is willing to abandon his position as a hero when he no longer needs it.


    "To use a rather strange analogy, in games and novels, once the last enemy is defeated, it''s usually the end."


    "......"


    "The last enemy for us was the Demon King. Before we entered the Demon King''s territory, I thought somewhere in my mind that if I defeated the Demon King, everything would be over and I wouldn''t have to fight as a brave warrior."


    Listening to Kazuki''s words in silence.


    "But it''s not such a sweet story, is it? Even if we defeat the Demon King and the Demon Army is gone, it''s not the end. This world is still going on.


    "......, yeah, right."


    From now on, it will be a matter of demons and humans.


    In addition, demons are beginning to play a dark role.


    "Usato, I''m staying in this world.


    Kazuki''s sudden declaration made me look at him.


    He looked up at the night sky and straightened his back.


    "Actually, you know. The answer itself has been in my mind for a while now. I still have a lot of work to do. I''m not staying because you and Usato are staying in this world. I will remain in this world of my own volition and fulfill my duty as a hero. ......


    "Kazuki ......"


    "But I''ve made up my mind here and now. Finally, I can move on."


    Kazuki chuckles and puts his hand on his chest.


    "To be honest, I''m really sad. The thought of never seeing my mom and dad again makes me feel so helpless that I can''t ...... put it into words."


    "......"


    "But then I thought. But then I wondered if I could just throw everything away and go back to the world I came from and live my life with my heart on my sleeve. I wondered if I could live a life that I could show my parents.


    I just listen to his words.


    I shouldn''t be offering poor consolation here.


    To do so would be disrespectful to a man who has made a well-thought-out choice.


    "So I''m not going to regret my life."


    "...... I see."


    Kazuki could have chosen either world.


    He could have returned to his original world in search of a peaceful life and family, or he could have remained in this world as he is now.


    I don''t know what separated them.


    But I respect ...... the answer he came up with after much deliberation.


    "Well, let''s both do our best."


    "Yeah, you can always count on me when you need help."


    Kazuki no longer has any doubts.


    I throw my voice behind him, pleased with this fact.


    "---And you don''t have to worry anymore, do you?"


    "What?¡¡What''s wrong, Usato?"


    Kazuki looks at me strangely as I call out behind him, but then he looks surprised to see his senpai and Frana coming out of the woods.


    "Frana, and Senpai too!¡¡Why are you ......?"


    "No, I was just worried about you. ......"


    Frana looks embarrassed.


    Senpai, on the other hand, has his arms crossed and his face full of confidence as usual.


    "That''s great, Usato-kun. I never thought you would notice my hidden form."


    "I noticed it right away, though. ......"


    I could clearly see her black hair through the shadows of the trees, though.


    I think it''s too messy to call it a hiding place.


    However, the senior does not lose his composure, but rather improves his mood.


    "Huh, can I take that as a metaphor that you can find me wherever I am ......?


    "Well, I''m sure your senpai will know where you are soon enough."


    No one will stand out more than this man.


    Rumors and rumors are sure to circulate, and when the time comes to look for him, it will be easy to find out where he is.


    "......"


    "...... No, don''t be shy in general."


    I''m usually embarrassed when you react like that.


    Well, I turn to Kazuki as we exchange such an exchange.


    "First of all, we have to finish the upcoming meeting without any problems.


    "Yeah, let''s be ready to deal with whatever comes our way."


    The meeting is in a week.


    Let''s do everything we can until then.


    Then Frana, who is standing next to Kazuki, calls out to him.


    "About that meeting, it was decided that I will go along with you.


    "Oh, really?"


    "Dad...... said the chief of the elves will be there too. He told me to come to Mearaq too.


    Well, not only beastmen, but also elves. .......


    This is going to be a really big meeting.


    "This is finally the time to be prepared for anything. ......"


    It will also reveal the true identity of Master Farga, so in many ways it could be historic.


    "Speaking of which, Usato..."


    "Yes?"


    He turns around at the sound of his senior''s voice.


    She is holding her finger to her chin as if she is pondering something, and I tilt my head back.


    "The Demon King''s guard...... or rather, the one who greets you will probably be either you,...... me or Kazuki,...... but there is one thing that has been bothering me. I''ve got something."


    "What''s on your mind ......?"


    "The Demon Lord would never come alone. I''m sure he''ll be accompanied by an escort. ...... who will be coming?"


    "......"


    It is true that ordinary soldiers will not be able to escort you, and a corps commander class will come to escort you.


    Legionnaire class .......


    In my mind''s eye, I see the image of a dark wizard with whom I have a long-standing relationship, smiling and ready to strike at me.


    "Well, well, it''s the same no matter who comes. It''s better than being scared of being called a demon.


    "Yeah, well ......"


    He''s a pain in the ass, but I don''t hate him.


    Even if he follows the Demon King, he has a position as the Demon King''s bodyguard, so he won''t suddenly attack us.


    ...... They won''t hit us, will they?


    What should I do? I''m getting worried now.

 324 - - 288th episode.

    Three days before the meeting of the Allies.


    I was in front of a ship anchored along the river, far from the battlefield where the battle had taken place.


    There were two boats anchored there, and Master Lloyd, Mr. Welshy, and the escorting knights, including Kazuki and Frana, were already on board.


    "Be careful, Usato!"


    "Oh, don''t bother Mr. Nagi, okay?"


    He spoke to Amako in front of the ship.


    Since Ms. Nagi was going to be present at the meeting, she was also going to Mearaq, but since she was going to Hinomoto as soon as the meeting was over, Amako, who was thinking of returning to her hometown, decided to go with her.


    "Don''t do anything too strange, Usato.


    "What''s so weird about ......?"


    Kannagi, tell him.


    Suddenly, Mr. Nagi looks at me with a panicked look on his face.


    "What?¡¡Let''s see... ...... that ........."


    You''re annoying me right off the bat.


    Nagi-san laughs as she tries to force herself to say something, and turns to Amako.


    "Well, I''m sure we''ll meet up over there, until then.


    "Yeah. Okay, I''m going to go now."


    "Mr. Nagi, please take care of Amako."


    "Yeah, I''m on it."


    Amako, with her luggage on her back, boards the ship with Mr. Nagi.


    A few moments later, the magical tools loaded on the boat made engine noises, and the big ship moved forward.


    As I was looking away from the boat, Leona-san, who had just joined us, walked up to us.


    "I think Mr. Kazuki will arrive at Mearaq first."


    "Yes. Let''s move to the rendezvous point.


    Me, my senpai, and Leona-san are supposed to greet the Demon King together with the knights dispatched from Mialak.


    After seeing off the ship with Mr. Lloyd and the others, we leave the other ship behind and move to the rendezvous point with the Demon Lord that we had planned in advance.


    The location itself is not too far away, and we soon arrive at the spot where the bridge that the Kingdom of Lingle has hastily built is located.


    "It seems that the Demon Lord has not arrived yet.


    "It seems so."


    We''ll have to wait since we got here earlier than the planned rendezvous time.


    While we were waiting for the arrival of the Demon Lord, Leona-san walked up to us, confirming the appearance of the Lingle and Mearaak knights who had accompanied us as escorts.


    "......There''s a lot of work ahead."


    "Yes,...... at any rate, we are dealing with the Demon King."


    It''s too much work to welcome the Demon King.


    I laugh bitterly, and my senpai talks to me, sounding rather confident.


    Don''t worry. If something happens, just assimilate with me!


    "Why?


    I hear Ferrum''s voice coming from inside me, and my senpai shouts.


    For some reason, Ferm and Nair have been assimilated into me during the journey, and I sigh as I watch their conversation.


    "No, no, no, that''s rather your final form, Usato-kun!¡¡It''s the strongest and invincible Usato-kun, the lightning fast moving fortress mode that can move at the speed of lightning and can also move in the air. ......!"


    <


    <


    Nair and Ferrum say this with their voices raised to sticks.


    The senpai looks astonished at their incomprehensible interjections.


    "...... Ha!¡¡It''s true that if you put out too many of the strongest types, they will either be replaced by even higher-level compatibles, or they will usually be beaten up or called a piece of shit. ......!"


    <>


    I don''t know if I understand it or not: .......


    I subtly sympathize with the words of a high-spirited senior.


    I''ve always thought that senpai likes things that resonate with the boyish mind.


    <>


    "Yeah, what''s up?"


    My inner Ferrum calls out to Leona.


    I thought it was unusual for her to call Leona, but she continued to speak to me in a low voice.


    .


    "What?¡¡What''s this?"


    "Ferrum ......?"


    At that moment, Leona lightly put her hand on my shoulder, and I was absorbed into her as if she had been absorbed into me.


    The sudden assimilation causes a commotion in the surrounding area.


    >


    >


    <>


    While the knights of Mearrauk, who are working together, look stunned and mutter, the knights of the Lingle Kingdom are......,


    >


    >


    He seemed to be very optimistic.


    Isn''t that a little too familiar ......?¡¡I don''t remember doing anything so strange on a daily basis that I wouldn''t be surprised to see you take one of us in.


    ...... Well, let''s see what''s going on now.


    The dark magic that took in Leona didn''t change her appearance, but for some reason her spear appeared in my left hand in the form of a staff.


    "Leona-san, are you all right!


    Maybe Nea thinks she''s in me as a resting place or something. ......?


    Ferrum, who has taken her in, is talking to the older woman, who is snapping her mouth shut.


    "So, you mean, Usato-kun, you''ve added the ice attribute to your ......"


    <>


    It seems that the attempt to make fun of senpai had the opposite effect.


    While I was still confused inside and out, I suddenly noticed that Leona-san''s armor in my left hand was gushing out something like a thunderbolt.


    "This is ......."


    "Same phenomenon with my sword: ....... Maybe, just like my sword, Leona''s armor will take on a form suitable for you, Usato-kun."


    The flashing wand transforms into a sphere of light and envelops both my legs.


    The light covers me from the knees down, and something takes shape.


    "Yeah. ......"


    "Oh, that''s cool."


    By the time the light subsided, my legs were equipped with pale leg armor.


    Shining in the sunlight, they were light as feathers, yet seemed to contain tremendous power.


    "How did you do it so easily ......?"


    .


    "I''m really afraid of you. ......"


    One might even say that it is expected.


    When I tap the ground lightly with my leg-arms, white cold air floods the ground.


    "But why the leg armor?"


    "That''s it, isn''t it?¡¡Maybe it''s ...... because it reflects our will as a rescue team to run and get to wherever we need to go?"


    I see. ......


    If the cage hands are for protection, this leg armor is for running everywhere.


    If we wanted to, could we put ice in the air and use it as a foothold?


    I''m tempted to try it out, but I''m on duty now, so I won''t.


    "Nea, how about Hell''s Watchdog, Keroberos Usato?"


    <<< Isn''t that a bit ostentatious?¡¡I think it would be better if you looked more like an idiot.


    Please don''t add more names to my forms without my permission.


    I mean, I''m not just a demon, but a hellhound.


    Sighing at the conversation between Nair and his senpai, he instructs Ferrum to unassimilate Leona.


    "......Felm, please unassimilate Leona-san."


    <>


    Leona jumps out of my body like a bullet.


    As she does so, the instep of my leg disappears and returns to its original state.


    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry I got you into this mess out of nowhere."


    >


    "No, it was a good experience."


    Leona smiles at my and Ferrum''s apology, acting as if she doesn''t mind.


    "Let me know if you need my help in the future. I will always be here to help you."


    "!¡¡Thank you very much."


    It is reassuring to know that I can count on Leona''s help.


    Of course, it is the same with senpai.


    ---At that moment, something like a white whirlpool appears near the bridge on the Demon Lord''s side.


    I had seen it before, a transfer type of magic that connects different places.


    We all tense up when we see it.


    "Hmm. ...... Looks like we''ve kept you waiting."


    """"---!"""


    A large, robed, lanky demon tribe.


    The appearance of the Demon Lord, whose mere presence radiates a sense of presence, causes tension among the escorting knights.


    ......We can''t make the knights uneasy even though we haven''t left yet.


    So I take the initiative to approach the Demon Lord who has arrived at this place... and I notice that there are some demons who are following him.


    "Uh, the Demon Lord, sir?"


    "No need to call me that. I don''t feel comfortable being called that by you.


    The senior staff member was the first to speak to him, but the Demon King gave him a slight scowl.


    I''m glad that I don''t feel comfortable addressing him as "sir" either, but I wonder if I should add something like "Mr......." or "Ms.......?


    "Well then, Demon King, we''ll take you to the ship."


    Yeah. I''ll do it."


    This is going easier than I thought it would.


    I feel relieved inside, and then the Demon King calls out to me.


    "By the way, Usato. You''ve done something quite interesting, haven''t you?


    "I didn''t like it. ......"


    By "interesting," you mean demonic.


    It may be amusing from the demon king''s point of view, but from ours, it''s extremely troublesome.


    "Haha, you''re sweet, demon king. Usato, you basically only do funny things. You''d better be prepared for that.


    "Well, that''ll be fun."


    You must disagree.


    What is your position?


    With a sigh, I take my gaze away from the Demon King and turn to the demon tribe I have been daring to avoid.


    When he notices my gaze, he waves at me with the same casualness as if he were seeing a friend again.


    "Yo!


    The demon tribe by the demon king''s side --- Koga Dingal.


    He smiles at me with a loathsomely sunny smile, and I give the biggest sigh of the day.


    "...... huh?"


    "I think it''s terrible that you sigh as soon as you see my face."


    As expected, the coggers are here after all.


    Ciel, the other woman dressed as a lady-in-waiting, looks at me with dismay.


    "Suck it up, sir!


    Aren''t you being too hard on me?"


    Ciel is more like a valet than a bodyguard.


    As I watch Koga''s shoulders drop due to Ciel''s hard hitting, someone else emerges from the white whirlpool.


    "...... I see...you guys are the watchers..."


    A woman with reddish hair, brown skin and horns characteristic of the demon tribe--- Amira Berggred.


    She is dressed differently from the armored figure we have seen before, whom we have encountered several times during the battle.


    "Ah, well, it''s nice to meet you."


    "Pleased to meet you. Uh, Amira.


    Nice to meet you.


    "......"


    She looked at me and her senpai and had an indescribable expression on her face.


    "I have a complicated feeling. I never thought I would be doing this with you guys, who were supposed to be enemies.


    "It''s the same for us. You and I have fought each other for our lives.


    "......, yes, that''s true."


    You''re talking about the last war.


    I wasn''t there, but it was a hell of a fight.


    "As long as you don''t show harm to the Demon Lord, I don''t intend to antagonize you."


    "Well, now that we are not enemies, let''s try to get along, if not get along. Do you have a favorite food at ......?"


    "......Hey, is this brave man usually like this?"


    "Ha ha ha ......"


    Amira-san is puzzled by her senpai''s communication skills, but responds to Ferrum''s voice, which is assimilated by mine.


    "Is the black knight there too?"


    "Yes, he is assimilated into me. Ferrum, why don''t you come out?


    .


    Ferrum releases her assimilation and she and Nair, in owl form, jump out of my body.


    Amira-san, seeing her return to her humanoid form from her state of dark magic, looks surprised for some reason.


    "Oh, you were the black knight ......?¡¡Were you that small ......?"


    "Who''s little!


    Ferrum is furious.


    Despite her vehemence, Amira crosses her arms with a serious look on her face.


    "To be honest, I imagined you to be a big ....... No, but I didn''t expect a child. I''m ...... sorry, I yelled at you that time, didn''t I hurt you ......?"


    "Don''t treat me like a child!"


    You didn''t know what Ferrum was like?


    She told me that Amira was her boss in the first war.


    As I was wondering, Koga, who was approaching us, spoke to me in a whisper.


    "She always wore dark magic even when she was in the demon king''s army. I was the only one who knew what he looked like.


    "Oh, that''s why they call you the Black Knight."


    That''s what I mean.


    I see.


    He didn''t remove his dark magic armor even after he was taken prisoner, so maybe he was dependent on dark magic in that sense as well.


    But there are only two guards.


    Ciel seems more like a valet than a bodyguard, so he shouldn''t be counted as one.


    I ask the Demon Lord, who has removed the transfer magic, about the number of his guards.


    "The king, is Koga and Amira your only escort?"


    "Enough, isn''t it?¡¡I could bring more, but that would scare you off.


    That''s ...... no, that''s certainly true.


    If we bring too many men here, the rest of the people will shrink away.


    I would say that Coga and Amira alone would be enough, though.


    Then, let''s be on our way.


    Yes, sir. Let''s go, senpai.


    I and my senpai walk in front of them and we cross the bridge to the other side of the river where Leona and the knights are.


    In contrast to Leona who is standing proudly, I see the knights looking anxious as we cross over to the other side of the river.


    ---But at that moment, from behind the Demon King''s back, "Jarara!¡¡like a chain is scraping behind the Demon Lord.


    When he turns around to see what is going on, he finds that many chain-like things are running through his body as he steps onto the ground from the bridge.


    ""Demon Lord!


    "...... huh, I knew it would come to this......"


    Seven translucent chains extending from the Demon Lord.


    They extend in all directions, and seem to bind the Demon Lord''s body as he tries to leave the Demon Lord''s territory.


    The Demon Lord sighs lightly, wondering if there is no pain, and his eyes follow the tips of the chains extending from his body.


    "Three in the demon king''s domain..." he says. ......That you have not let me know until this point is utterly, utterly out of character."


    The Demon King presses his forehead when he sees that three of the chains extending in all four directions are heading toward the Demon King''s territory.


    Does it not hurt? ......?


    "Ma,demon king......?"


    "Ma, the Demon King......?¡¡Doesn''t that hurt?"


    "No, don''t worry. I think I''ve got a rough idea of where ...... we''re going.


    No, don''t worry about it. ......!


    I don''t know what''s happening to the Demon Lord, but I know it''s not normal.


    As we and Koga and the others were at a loss for what to do, the Demon Lord suddenly grabbed the chains that were tied to him with his bare hands and tore them off carelessly.


    Ciel, who was standing beside him, rushes to the chain with a pale face.


    "Demon king!¡¡Are you okay?¡¡Is it okay to tear it off?


    It hurts!


    "No, you can''t say that with an expressionless face. ......!"


    It''s normal, it hurts. .......


    But since the demon king himself has no expression, he doesn''t look like he''s in pain at all.


    "If I don''t do this, I won''t be able to leave the Demon Lord''s territory."


    He tore off all seven chains, and the chains, which were made of some kind of magic power, disappeared as if they had melted into space.


    The Demon Lord, having seen it through to the end, breathed a sigh of relief and turned around with an indifferent look on his face.


    "Hey, show us the way quickly!


    "Excuse me, can I poke you once ......?"


    "Oh, calm down, Usato!¡¡I know how you feel, but you''re dealing with the Demon King!


    As Koga choked me, I resisted the urge to poke the Demon Lord in the throat.


    First of all, I should explain what happened ......!


    We''ll be the ones to report it to Lloyd-sama and the others later on. ......!


    The assignment to monitor the Demon King has begun with a start that makes me feel uneasy about the future in many ways.


    I wonder if I can make it from here. .......

 325 - - 289th episode.

    We are to take the Demon King on a ship and escort him to Mearaq and keep an eye on him.


    It''s a task that makes me sick to my stomach just hearing about it, but I know we''re the only ones who can do it, so I''m not complaining..,


    "So, why am I here?"


    "You''re here to talk to me."


    "How can you be so arrogant ......?"


    I was called as soon as I was shown to the ship, but I didn''t expect to be asked to talk to him.


    Nair and Ferrum said they were going to rest in the room they were assigned, but I wonder if I should have brought them along.


    Come in.


    "Thank you very much."


    I thank Ciel for offering me a cup of tea.


    Come to think of it, I haven''t introduced myself to this person for some reason.


    I turn to her holding the tray and bow lightly.


    My name is Usato Ken.


    "Oh, that''s very kind of you. I''m Ciel, the Demon King''s lady-in-waiting. I know we were enemies a while ago, so I couldn''t tell you this, but thank you for protecting me at the ruins before.


    "Thank you, too, for protecting Keira."


    "No, no, no."


    "No, no, no."


    "This is going to go on forever."


    As we are exchanging our reserved exchanges, the Demon Lord is sipping his tea, looking fed up with the situation.


    Keira, I hope you are well.


    I''ll ask him to send me a letter via Koga when he gets settled down a little more.


    "......"


    An awkward silence follows for a while.


    I sip my tea and look at the Demon King.


    The tension is not as great as before, but it is still difficult to keep my distance from him.


    Let''s not be afraid to ask him questions.


    "Is the Demon Lord''s territory safe and sound now?


    "...... I don''t think you have anything to worry about."


    Quietly, the Witch King answers.


    "I have men I trust, but above all, I have Nero."


    "I wouldn''t worry about that guy. ......"


    Nero Agence, a swordsman of extraordinary power.


    With him, no matter who comes, the demons will not be able to touch us.


    And there''s Hannah.


    "Oh, you''re Hannah. How is she?


    She''s doing her job much better than before.


    I don''t know if I should say this, but I''m relieved.


    I thought Hannah-san was going to leave the Demon Lord''s territory, but it seems that she decided to stay in the Demon Lord''s territory in the end.


    I don''t know if that decision was made by force or by her own choice, but I am relieved that she is still alive after all the trouble we got her into.


    What about you?


    What do you mean?


    What do you think about this meeting with the other subhumans coming?


    I was surprised, ...... but not really.


    Others may have different opinions, but I don''t have any particular opinion about subhumans coming here.


    If I come across a situation where people are being explicitly discriminated against, I will probably get involved in some way.


    "Oh, Hayate-san,...... I would like to say hello to the representative of the country of the beastmen."


    "...... come to think of it, you are between the chief of Hinomoto and an acquaintance."


    "Yes, well, it''s a personal thing, just an exchange of letters.


    "...... personal?¡¡Hmmm... ......."


    The demon king looks a little surprised and thinks.


    Did I say something funny?


    "The Witch King?"


    You''re very handy, aren''t you?


    Yes?


    The beastmen are a closed race. I had hoped we might have some kind of connection, but I never imagined we''d have a personal relationship.


    "It is unusual, but is it really that strange?"


    When I said this, the Demon Lord looked at Ciel-san with a look of dismay.


    "Ciel. What do you think of this guy who has a personal friendship with the chief of the beastmen tribe and can look unconcerned in front of me and the other demon tribe?"


    "I think it''s just plain strange."


    Ciel, why are you smiling so much ......?


    You mean funny in the sense that you have no prejudice against subhumans.


    "Eventually, we will have to establish a connection with the beastmen, but it will be easier if we have you. You are the perfect person for the job, since you don''t mind interspecies problems.


    "Were you planning to communicate with the beastmen as well?"


    "Yes. But now that the Demon King''s army has been dismantled, we can devote more manpower to cultivating that area.


    "I see. ....... But you can''t do it on my own, can you?"


    "I know. But in any case, trade with the beastmen is necessary for us and for them.


    Need ......?


    The Demon Lord explains everything to me and Ciel-san, who are tilting their heads.


    Hinomoto has been able to weave a civilization as it always has, but it has only been able to do so because it has kept everything in a state of stagnation.


    Stagnation, sir?


    "He did not take in unnecessary things, but continued to reflect the knowledge given to him. Well, we can live with that, but from now on, the perception of us subhumans will change in every sense of the word.


    ...... So you''re saying it''s a turn of the century?


    "The beastmen cannot remain in the same stagnant state they are in now. That''s why we have to change just like the demons.


    "So that''s why you call it trade."


    The earth is not fruitful, but fortunately the mining resources are plentiful. In addition, you can pay me for my knowledge.


    The Demon Lord is thinking ahead, too.


    If that''s the case, I''d like to help, but I''d have to get your permission first.


    ......Because of that, there was something I wanted to ask you as well.


    May I ask you a question?


    No problem.


    "Is there magic to raise the dead?"


    No, there is not.


    He rolls his eyes at the Demon King''s immediate answer.


    I had thought that the Demon Lord, who is a master of magic, might be able to do it, but even he can''t do it, huh?


    "I suppose it is possible to revive a person shortly after death, even up to a few minutes or a dozen minutes after death, but.... After that, it would be impossible, even with magic.


    "...... I see."


    You mean the corpse that the devil took?


    "...... yes."


    The corpses of Rose''s former men, stolen from the cemeteries of the Kingdom of Lingle.


    If the devil wants to use those corpses, we should anticipate it.


    "Right. There is magic that brings in souls."


    You can use that, can''t you?


    I could before I was sealed, but now I can''t. You can use magic to move corpses like your necromancer, but perhaps it is not the kind of magic a demon would use.


    "Is that because you don''t have to take the body of someone who was strong in life?"


    That''s right.


    Nair also taught me that even if you control a corpse with necromancer-like powers, you are only moving the corpse with magic, not creating a particularly strong zombie.


    "...... Be warned, even if the corpse appears before you as it was before it was born, it may not be the same person it was before it was born."


    Why?


    Because the soul recalled by the external law is somehow distorted. Unless they have a strong spirit like yours, they become mentally deranged and in many cases become meat puppets that only listen to orders."


    .......


    Somewhere in the back of my mind I wondered if I could talk to you.


    I wanted to hear the stories of the amazing people who worked for Rose, even if they had to be brought back to life, but that was not going to happen.


    "Usato, demons are demons that grow in power through fear and bad feelings."


    "Yes."


    "When you face them, they will first test the strength of your heart. If you waver or break, they will take advantage of that.


    I nodded to the advice of the Demon King.


    Then it is important to face the devil with a strong heart.


    "...... Well, I''m not that worried about you. I''m more of a fear-monger to the devil.


    "I''m sorry, but you''re ruining it."


    As far as I''m concerned, I''m much more afraid of you than I am of the devil.


    Though on top of that, there''s the absolutely immovable and immensely powerful demon king, Rose.


    But the possibility that you and Mr. Awl might fight has gone up.


    I''m almost depressed by this fact, but I have to be prepared to react immediately if they appear.


    "Oh, by the way, ...... there was something I wanted to ask you for."


    "...... you ...... no, well, fine, but ......"


    "I''m glad you have someone you can talk to without hesitation, Demon Lord."


    "Shut up ......"


    "?"


    Ciel smiles at me and tilts his head at the Demon King who presses his forehead.


    I compose myself and ask him what I was going to ask him just a moment ago.


    "The Witch King. Can you still use the magic of gravity?


    "...... in case you''re interested, why do you ask that?"


    "No, I''m not busy on the ship, so I thought I''d do some load training with it on while I''m on escort duty."


    When I say this shyly, Ciel, who had been smiling at me earlier, gives me a look as if she is taken back.


    I know I sound crazy, but it is true that I wanted to give it a try.


    --After that, he nodded vaguely and I was allowed to leave.


    Ciel-san saw me off and I left the room, and when I heard the door close behind me, I crossed my arms in distress.


    "As expected, is gravity-load training too much for you? ......?"


    "Are you an idiot,......?"


    "Ah, Amira-san."


    Amira, who was standing guard next to the door, said something like that to me with a look of dismay on her face.


    I turn back to her, who is standing with a sword at her waist and a straight back.


    "Speaking of which, where''s Koga?"


    "He''s taking a break. ...... Well, there''s a good chance he''ll skip his watch."


    "...... Um, are you okay?"


    "Huh, to be worried about a former enemy. ......"


    Amira gives me a self-mocking smile, and my cheeks twitch.


    I wonder.


    This kind of hard-working spirit.


    "If you like, I can bring him to you."


    "...... No, you don''t have to go that far. If you go, there''s gonna be fighting on the ship."


    I don''t understand.


    It''s not like he''s going to attack us on the boat out of the blue ......, though.


    Well, I have a plan in case that happens.


    Don''t worry. I''ll be responsible for throwing him overboard."


    "Don''t you only change your personality when Koger is involved?"


    Amira looks a bit taken aback.


    Should I have rolled him on deck in a circle instead of overboard ......?


    "......Talking to you is making me lose my temper."


    Sighs Amira.


    She smiles a somewhat weak smile, and I laugh at her.


    "Amira-san, you are Nero Agence ...... Nero''s apprentice ......, aren''t you?"


    "Yes. You are Rose''s disciple, aren''t you?


    She asks me to confirm it, and I nod.


    "I thought we would be talking to each other in the middle of a battle. I didn''t expect it to turn out this way.


    "If I were to talk about it, it would probably be all about the hardships I''ve had to endure, though."


    "Huh, sure ....... I guess you and I are a lot alike when you think about it."


    It is true that I feel a kind of sympathy since we are in the same position to study under a strong master.


    "But I didn''t expect you to suddenly slash at me right after the battle with the Demon King was over."


    "Forget about that, ......."


    "I was on a rampage after that, though."


    "You actually hold a lot of grit in your heart, ......?"


    That''s how surprised I was.


    No one else had ever attacked me out of the blue, crying and trying to kill himself.


    But seeing that she is talking normally now, I guess she was just a little unstable emotionally at that time.

 326 - - 290.

    A two-day boat trip to Mearaq.


    Until then, we are to guard and watch over the Demon King, but not all the time, and of course we are to take turns.


    We don''t expect the Demon Lord to go on a rampage, but we have to do what we have to do for the sake of the sailors and knights on the ship.


    "......So, why are you here?"


    "Hmm?"


    I had just switched watch with Leona and was about to go to my room to rest, when Koga came to me for some reason.


    I was sitting on the bed, reading a book while spinning the magic, when Koga sat down on a chair and turned to me.


    "I''m free. I''ve come to play."


    Get out."


    "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. We''ve been fighting each other for years, haven''t we?


    Isn''t that why you''re here?


    If we were in the same camp, we''d have fought together, but we''ve been in a lot of fights.


    To tell you the truth, people get scared of me when I wander around the ship.


    "Oh, I see."


    "And I was bored in the room they gave me, and Amira came on board, so I ran away."


    Get a real job.


    This guy ran away from Mr. Amira, didn''t he?


    Coga, who seems to be taking it easy, looks at me as if he''s interested in the magic I''m doing.


    "So, what are you doing?"


    "...... huh?"


    With a sigh, he shows his left hand performing the magic spinning.


    Coga nods his head in admiration as he sees the magic moving quickly and smoothly from finger to finger.


    "Are you training to manipulate magic?¡¡You are always looking at the weirdest things.


    I''m sorry. It''s just weird."


    "No, it''s a compliment.¡¡I''m not very good at finding them, to tell you the truth."


    With these words, Koga gathers magic power in his right hand.


    However, due to the nature of dark magic, he creates something more like a knob than a magic bullet and moves it from finger to finger.


    "Oh, this is surprisingly difficult. This."


    I''m not going to let you succeed so easily. Well, ...... the trick is not to force it, but to ...... imagine it as if it were moving with the flow of water."


    "I see."


    ...... No, why am I teaching this guy how to spin magic?


    I''m making him stronger again.


    How good are you now?


    "I can spin around unconsciously while reading a book. ......


    When I performed a high-speed magic spinning with one arm raised, Koga''s face looked as if it had been pulled back.


    "Oh, what''s that? ......"


    "Healing Acceleration Finger Bullet."


    "Watch out!"


    Koga tilts his head to avoid a healing finger bullet, which is accelerated by turning his magic power.


    d*mn, it didn''t hit me!


    Koga, who was in a cold sweat when he saw the accelerated healing finger shot that hit the wall and dissipated, looks back at us with his cheeks twitching.


    "Oh, man, that''s not safe! We''re inside the ship. ......"


    "It''s healing magic. Besides, you''re ...... sturdy, aren''t you?"


    "Smile?¡¡I''ve never had someone trust me like that before!


    Coga is shocked to see me with a big smile on my face.


    "I probably know more than you do how tough you are."


    "Of course. You''ve been using me as a cudgel for a long time now."


    Having mastered my resilience grant, it is safe to say that he is far more durable than he used to be.


    He was a tough guy to begin with, but now he has become more troublesome because of my technique.


    ......It''s kind of disgusting to think about it.


    "Come on, try dodging. Evasive maneuvers."


    "Oh!"


    With his hands in the shape of finger guns, he fires a series of healing finger bullets by spinning magic power.


    Although these magic bullets are not that powerful, and are only fast, Koga dodges them with great effort.


    "By the way, I heard that you used to teach training to soldiers in the Demon King''s army.


    "What? How do you know?"


    "I heard it from a soldier who seems to work for you."


    Soldiers who fought after the battle with Ms. Amira at the Demon King''s castle.


    They were clearly different from the other soldiers in terms of skill level, and they worked better together.


    "Oh, those guys, I trained them while I was training them."


    "How did you train him?"


    What?¡¡Well, mock battles. It''s good for my training.


    Mock battle.


    Does that mean that KOGA''s training is in the form of actual combat?


    "Well, it was tough against you. They were pretty depressed, you know?


    "No, I was tough on them too, if they were well coordinated. It''s as if I could have neutralized them one by one before they could do so.


    They could have forced their way through, but that would have certainly worn them down considerably.


    In that sense, they were strong.


    Coga, looking somewhat satisfied, now spoke to me from his side.


    What kind of training do you usually do?


    "What?¡¡"Running mostly."


    "...... short of words, but in your case, I guess it''s not what''s inside."


    Different inside, huh?


    No, there are too many differences between humans and demons besides training.


    Even I don''t understand the full extent of it.


    Then...


    Hmm?


    "You''re not busy on the ship, so is there anything I can do to get you moving?¡¡You''re good at that, aren''t you?"


    I''d like you to be quiet on the ship, but...


    Suddenly, I look up and see something shining on the ceiling.


    "Oh ......"


    It is a metal fixture for hooking up a magical tool that turns on the light.


    I saw two of them lined up just the right distance from each other, and I was inspired by a new training.


    "...... There''s a fitting on the ceiling, isn''t there?"


    "Hmm?¡¡Oh, that thing for hanging magical tools?"


    When I look up at the ceiling, I see two metal fittings that hook onto the ceiling.


    They are for hooking up the magical objects and illuminating them, but they were either refurbished or something, and the lighting-type magical objects are attached to the ceiling, so the fittings are meaningless.


    I explain to Koga, pointing at them.


    "Let''s try to grab it and hang it by the power of just your fingers.


    "Oh."


    "I''ll make sure it can withstand my weight with room to spare."


    "...... oh."


    "Then you can do a reverse push-up."


    "Wait a minute, that''s crazy. ......!"


    Koga quips at me as I tilt my head back.


    What''s a reverse push-up?¡¡The opposite of push-ups?


    "You''re right, I can''t help it. I''ll give it a try.


    "Why do they look at me like I''m crazy ......?"


    He jumps lightly, grabs the ceiling bracket with just the strength of his fingers, and hangs from it.


    When he realizes that the bracket can support his weight properly, he raises his body parallel to the ceiling using only his arm strength, and begins to push up, pulling his body toward the ceiling.


    After about ten light push-ups, he lands on the floor.


    "...... once again I understand how crazy your idea is."


    "......I could really ......!"


    "What do you mean he''s the most surprised....... Well, I''m sure you''ll come up with something interesting."


    I seem to have invented another crazy training method.


    Again, I talk to Koga, who is sitting on his bed, looking up at the ceiling.


    "What are you going to do now?


    What do you mean?


    "The Demon King''s Army is going to be dismantled, right?¡¡If that''s the case, doesn''t that mean you won''t be the leader of the army?


    At my question, Koga nodded his head, looking a little worried.


    "Well, you''ll be working for the Demon Lord for a while. I''ll be fighting off demons and, well, dealing with the humans coming from the outside, won''t I?


    "So it''s not so different from when the Demon Lord''s army was here..."


    "Yeah. We had the option of going on a trip, but..."


    Coga points his finger at me.


    He continues with a hateful smile on his face.


    "I want to see what you''re going to do."


    "Don''t talk to me as if I''m going to cause a scene."


    "In fact, it''s going to happen. You''ve got some interesting demon on your trail, don''t you?


    The Demon Lord told you?


    I sigh, thinking, "Well, of course he told them.


    "Even after the war is over, you''re still a pain in the ass ......."


    "I''ve been like that from the beginning. I can''t change it now."


    Don''t say it yourself.


    When I first fought ...... with this guy, he was a pain in the ass.


    I''ve been in a rotten relationship with this guy ever since.


    "I''m getting hungry. Let''s go to the diner for something to eat.


    "You''re too free!"


    I stand up, aghast at Koga''s sudden remark.


    It is dinner time.


    Coga alone would scare the other sailors, but with me, I think he''ll be fine.


    "Don''t make a scene, okay?"


    I know.


    "If you wake me, I''ll take care of you."


    "Oh my God, ......!"


    I sigh as I open the door with Koga following behind me, and my eyes meet those of my senpai, who is about to knock on the room ahead of me.


    """Ah."""


    I wonder if he was trying to invite me to dinner, but he looks at me with a surprised expression on his face and turns his attention to Koga, who is behind me.


    He turns his head in confusion.


    "...... boys'' club?"


    "Please don''t say it like it''s a girls'' night out."


    It''s amazing when that word comes out of your first voice.


    Then, what did he think?


    "I want to join too."


    "You''re a girl, right? ......"


    "Hm, that''s sweet. I''m the girl who even gets dumped by the girls'' club, remember?"


    "Don''t make it so hard for me to respond."


    What kind of girls'' night out is that?


    I laugh at my senpai, who is still the same as usual, and ask her what she wants.


    "Well, why are you here?"


    "Oh, that''s right. I was thinking of asking her out for dinner.


    "We were going to the cafeteria too. Then, would you like to go with us?"


    I''ll go with you.


    I look at the cage behind me and go out of the room.


    "You''re really related to him, aren''t you?"


    "I''m aware of that, but this guy keeps coming up to me on his own."


    "You''re too good to be true. No, it''s true, but..."


    Coga''s smile tightens as he points a finger at me.


    It helps that he himself is not afraid of the demons like I am, so we can talk normally.


    "We haven''t talked since those ruins, Mr. Kohga.


    "Oh, oh."


    "I''ve heard a lot about you being wielded as a weapon by Mr. Usato."


    Coga looks at me with a very troubled face, but I ignore him.


    If I''m not careful, he''ll fire me too. ......!


    "Well, that reminds me, about the ruins..."


    "You''re blatantly changing the subject. ......"


    I wonder if he is too reluctant to talk about the fact that he was used as a weapon.


    Coga turns to me, his smile twitching as he desperately tries to bring up the subject.


    "There was a kid with you, wasn''t there?"


    "You mean Keira?"


    "Oh, her name was Keira. She came to visit me a while ago.


    "What?


    Keira?


    Coga tells us what happened to him.


    "I was also surprised to see a child of a dark wizard. I hadn''t seen her since Ferrum.


    Was Keira the only one?


    "No?¡¡No, she had some kind of guardian. For a dark wizard nowadays, she was unusually well off."


    Mr. Gref or .......


    I''m glad to see that your leg injury is healing well and that you are in good health.


    But why did he visit Koga?


    He asked me to teach him how to use dark magic.


    For you?


    I guess it''s not like the dark magic is out of control ...... again.


    We had worked hard to make it our own, but now we wanted to learn from Koga how to handle it so that we could live with it.


    "But from my point of view, he''s pretty good at it for his age, so I thought there was no need to teach him. ...... But he still insisted on teaching me, so..."


    "So?"


    "So I''ve been using this escort assignment as an excuse to get out of here."


    .......


    I keep smiling and grab Koga by the shoulders---all the strength I can muster.


    Next, I talk to my senpai.


    "Senpai, why don''t we throw this guy overboard now?"


    "Can we use an alibi that me and Usato-kun had dinner together?


    Yes, that''s good.


    Wait, wait, wait, wait!


    Coga is in a panic.


    I sigh and listen to his excuses.


    "Think about it, how am I supposed to teach someone something?¡¡Or even if I could, to fight?


    "But that doesn''t mean you can''t leave them alone."


    She''s my sister.


    Senpai, please don''t make Keira your sister.


    Kohga waves his hand to the side as he passes over the older man''s comment.


    "Well, well, just hear me out! To be honest, I can''t really teach you dark magic because I use it by feel, so I thought I''d leave it to someone who knows more about dark magic than I do.


    "What, who are you?"


    "Hmm."


    Coga points at me.


    He points behind me, but there''s no one there.


    "Me?"


    "Oh, there''s no one who''s more compatible with a dark wizard than you.


    No hint of what''s going on?


    It''s all in your head.


    Just my imagination ...... Just my imagination?


    I can''t help but feel that there was a bit of malice in his words.


    As I tilted my head, Coga continued to speak.


    "If you ask me, it was you and Ferrum who taught Keira how to use dark magic, wasn''t it?¡¡If that''s the case, it would be much better to leave it to you guys.


    ...... It is true, but she is still a child of the demon tribe.


    It''s too hard for her to come here.


    "Keira can''t come here. The war is not over yet. It''s not safe to bring her inside the Kingdom of Lingle under these unstable circumstances."


    I am worried about Keira, but I am more afraid of what might happen to her.


    "Then why don''t you come over here?"


    "It''s that simple... wait a minute..."


    I''m going to the Demon Lord''s territory: ......?


    It''s a reversal, but maybe not such a bad idea.


    "I''m going to go to the lifeguard ....... No, it''s not an easy idea to think about."


    I take back my thoughts that came into my head.


    Whatever I do, my priority is the life of the Kingdom of Lingle.


    I cannot cause trouble for Master Lloyd by acting selfishly.


    Anyway, you''ll see to Keira''s dark magic when we get back.


    "Uh, okay. Well, I''ll let you know how it goes.


    "We will also send a letter to Keira."


    Can I send you mine?


    "Ha-ha, of course."


    Nodding to my senpai, I think back to Keira, who is doing her best in the demon king''s territory.


    She is facing her own magic and trying to improve it.


    I would like to help them, but right now I have to concentrate on the Allied nations'' meeting in front of me.

 327 - - a moment in a quiet boat

    It takes a long time to get to Mearaq by land, but it can be shortened to two to three days by boat.


    There is a simple reason that Mearaak is a city on the water, but the ships are also "fast" because they are built with the shipbuilding technology of Mearaak, which has lived with the water for a long time.


    The view of the passing night.


    I stand guard from the deck of the ship, feeling the sound of the surging waves.


    "...... is clear."


    This ship has a system to keep demons away and a means of attack, but it does not completely prevent them from attacking.


    So we have to keep a lookout for them to make sure nothing happens to us.


    As a brave man of Mearaq, I too must be on my guard.


    A meeting...


    The battle between humans and the demon king''s army has come to an end.


    And in a way that no one could have predicted. .......


    The end was so irrational that it forced the Demon King to admit defeat and let him live.


    If I were to be honest, I thought that either the Demon King or those who challenged him ...... would end up dead.


    I did not want to imagine an ending in which Usato, Suzune, and Kazuki would die,...... but still, as an experienced knight and an adult, I had to imagine the worst possible scenario.


    Lady Falga told me this after Usato and Lord Rose confirmed the existence of the demon.


    <>.


    I was surprised that the devil was real, but more than anything, I felt chilly that such an evil entity was about to make its move.


    However, even that worst possibility has been overturned, and here we are today.


    Usato and his group chose not to destroy the demon tribe.


    "We must protect them."


    I want to protect the peace that they have won, the world that he--Usato--has chosen to leave his own world behind.


    I was filled with such feelings.


    "You are twilight."


    "!¡¡...... you are."


    I heard a door open on the deck and turned to see a red-haired female demon, Amira.


    When she saw me, she approached me somewhat awkwardly.


    "May I talk to you for a moment?"


    "...... yeah."


    "Thank you."


    She and I fought each other in the basement of the Mad King''s castle.


    Opposing magic and nearly equal swordsmanship.


    What we lack in physical ability, I make up for in other ways, and she and I have fought each other on equal terms.


    ""......""


    I rest my hands on the deck railing and silently watch the moonlit view from the ship.


    "It''s difficult to talk to humans, isn''t it? You come here and you don''t know what to say."


    "Ha, indeed. ......"


    I can''t help but chuckle at her words.


    Now that we have a chance to talk, I feel as if Amira''s tension has been lifted.


    "The Demon Lord told me to try interacting with humans.


    "So, it''s me?¡¡I think Usato and Suzune are easier to talk to than I am."


    I don''t know if I can say it myself, but I''m not a very good talker and I don''t think I have anything clever to say.


    I thought Usato and Suzune would be better suited for the job, but Amira laughed troubledly.


    "Those two have been banned by the Demon Lord. They don''t fit the ...... average person."


    "...... ah."


    I was convinced, to my dismay.


    Usato and Suzune don''t care about race in a different way.


    I don''t discriminate against demons and beastmen either, but I can''t talk to them as naturally as those two.


    I don''t mind if I do.


    "Thank you."


    Then a short silence follows.


    I guess neither she nor I are very good at conversation,


    "The battle in the basement of the Witch King''s castle was brilliant."


    "Yes, you, too, with your splendid sword and magic."


    "......"


    "......"


    The story doesn''t continue: ......!


    I casually look next to her and see that Amira is also staring at the surface of the water with a very troubled look on her face.


    Was I so bad at talking?


    I thought I could talk normally to my subordinates. ...... No, I don''t think it''s because of my position!


    >


    I shake off the vision of Kalon in my mind, and now I broach the subject.


    This is a matter of loosening up the subject.


    First of all, let''s start the conversation with something trivial and then broaden it.


    "It''s a beautiful moonlit night today, isn''t it?


    "Ah, ah, the sound of the surging water is soothing."


    "...... Huh, is this your first time on a boat?"


    "I''m ashamed to say this is the first time in my life. There aren''t enough rivers in the demon kingdoms for a boat to sail on."


    "I see. ......"


    "Oh ......"


    "......"


    "......"


    Help me, Usato.


    I need you now more than ever.


    The topic of conversation will disappear spontaneously, without any extension.


    The awkward silence just continues.


    I can''t take it anymore. ......!¡¡You try to end the conversation, thinking that it will not be mutually beneficial from this point on.


    "Well, that''s a rare combination, isn''t it?"


    ""!?"""


    ---At that moment, there is a newcomer to the scene.


    The one who came with a sigh was Ferrum, a dark wizard with the property of assimilation.


    What''s going on?


    What?¡¡What are you talking so loud ......, you''re going to scare me ......."


    I and Amira turned around with a loud cry, and Ferrum was surprised.


    It was not the rescue we had hoped for, but it was perfect timing.


    I instantly locked eyes with Amira and took a step to the side, creating a space between us that could fit a single person.


    "It''s a good thing we''re here. Why don''t we have a little chat?


    "Don''t be shy."


    "?¡¡...... Well, okay."


    Ferm came honestly between me and Amira and sighed tiredly.


    Perhaps she was concerned about this situation, Amira spoke to her.


    "Black ...... Ferm, what''s wrong?"


    "I was looking for Usato."


    You were looking for Usato?


    It was not that late, just after dinner, but what on earth were they looking for him for?


    "I was free, so I went to his room with Nair to have a chat, but there was no one there.


    Was the door open?


    Hmm?¡¡Yeah, I knocked and I called and I went in. There was no one in the room, but I left my shoes and my uniform.


    Were the shoes left ......?


    Did they bring spare shoes?


    It''s a little strange that they''re not there.


    "I thought something was wrong, but it was kind of creepy, so I left the room right away.


    "Creepy?"


    I could hear him breathing in his room out of nowhere. Maybe this boat''s got some kind of a history?


    No. ......?¡¡Mearaak''s the newest and biggest ship in the world.¡¡I''m sure there were no accidents while they were being built."


    I can vouch for that.


    As a brave man, I hear about problems that happen in such cities very quickly, and I am certain that there are no such scandals on the ship I am on now.


    Amira, perhaps curious, puts her hand on her chin and asks Ferrum for more information.


    "What was it like to breathe?"


    "Like a huff, a huff, a huff. If I think about it, it sounded like Usato''s voice.


    "But I can''t see him. ......


    We are all familiar with Usato doing strange and unusual things, but is he doing something else?


    "I don''t know what he''s doing, but I have a ...... hunch."


    "Yeah, I know. I know, but it''s too ...... tricky to know what you''re doing."


    "That''s awfully realistic. ......"


    Amira is somewhat taken back by my and Ferrum''s words.


    ---Wait a minute, didn''t Ferm said he went to Usato''s room with N¨¦a?


    "Ferm, where''s Nair?¡¡Is she looking for Usato too?"


    "Hmm?¡¡No, she stayed behind, saying she still had something to do in her room. She''s probably back in her room by now, right?"


    ......Something is bugging me.


    But I don''t know what it is.


    "I''m tired, I''m going back."


    Shouldn''t we be looking for him?


    "Yeah, we''ll see each other in the morning anyway, and we can complain then."


    Ferrum leaves with a sigh.


    I see her go through the door into the ship, and I breathe a sigh of relief and lock eyes with Amira.


    "I think it''s time for us to get some rest.


    "Yes, I will. I''m sorry I forced ...... you to talk to him."


    "No problem. It was nice talking to you too.


    After shaking hands lightly, Amira and I return to the ship.


    Aamira and I have become friends, but the only thing that remains is the mystery.

 328 - - 291st episode.

    After what felt like a long boat ride, we arrived safely in Mearaq.


    Fortunately, there was no commotion on the way, so we were relieved, but we did not let up and decided to pack up our belongings and go down to the port of Mearaq.


    When we arrived at the port with the Demon King and Koga leading the way, we were greeted by a familiar face.


    "Mr. Karon!


    "Hey, it''s been a while. Usato!


    Mr. Karon, a large man with an impressive and cheerful smile.


    He is a knight of Mearrak who used to run amok because of the dragon''s power.


    He waved his hand lightly to us and then spoke to the Demon King in a serious manner.


    "Welcome, my friends. My Lord!"


    "Hmm, Falga''s bloodline."


    "!¡¡Did you know about ......?"


    "Of course. Not many dragons and men are of mixed blood."


    He scratched his head in embarrassment at the demon king''s words and saluted him with a fist to the chest.


    "I will personally lead you to the Queen of Mialark, Master Norn."


    It appears that Mr. Karon will be guiding us to the castle.


    After confirming that the Demon Lord had agreed, he turned to us.


    "I''ll take care of the rest, and you guys can move toward the inn.


    "Yes, sir. The inn is located at ......."


    "As I informed you before, it is near the Demon Lord''s palace."


    From here, the Demon Lord will face Master Norn, Master Lloyd, and Master Falga.


    Once we have handed over the duty of escort to Mr. Karon and Ms. Leona, we will head for our base accommodation in this country.


    "You look even more fearless than before, Usato.


    "No, no, not yet.


    "You''re still the same in that way, aren''t you?"


    Mr. Karon taps me on the shoulder and looks at Leona.


    "Leona, don''t take a detour, just show her the way."


    I know. You do your job.


    Ha-ha-ha. See you later, Usato."


    As I watched him, Mialark, the Kingdom of Lingle, and the knights of both kingdoms heading toward the castle with the Demon King, I noticed something.


    Mr. Karon is walking normally without a cane.


    "Is your leg better, Mr. Karon?"


    "It''s better enough that it doesn''t interfere with my daily life. With the help of Mr. Farga''s magic, potions, and rehabilitation, I''m on the way to recovery. I can''t fight like I used to, though.


    "But it''s still good enough."


    I''m so glad.


    We are relieved to hear that Mr. Karon is now able to walk without a cane.


    Then I notice that my senior next to me has a difficult expression on his face.


    "Senpai, is something wrong?"


    "Yes, I met Kalon from ...... another world once. It''s kind of strange to think about it.


    "Ah."


    You and Kazuki used to fight me in a parallel world, right?


    I had forgotten that I had encountered Mr. Karon from that world there.


    "The reason he did so in the parallel world is probably because Usato never met me."


    "Really?¡¡Neah."


    "Because Kalon''s dragon power went out of control because the spirit of the evil dragon was revived."


    Nair tried to manipulate the corpse of the evil dragon to capture me, and in doing so, the spirit of the evil dragon came back to life.


    Without that encounter itself, there would have been no Mr. Kalon who ran amok due to the awakening of the evil dragon, and then there would have been Mr. Kalon as a hero of Mialak in the parallel world.


    "Well, it''s a little sad to think so.


    "You''re being a little hard on yourself, just a little."


    "Actually, I''m not that worried. In the parallel universe, you''ve changed your mind, haven''t you?¡¡Then you''ll meet me someday.


    You sound strangely convinced.


    Well, to be honest, I''ve been thinking that way myself.


    "I''m already dead, though, so we''ll never meet!"


    >


    "<>"


    "If it depresses you, you shouldn''t have said it. ......"


    "Are they idiots, these guys ......"


    Senior and Ferrum are downcast, and I and Nair are appalled.


    Yes, I who am over there will never reach the reality where I am now.


    Senpai and Kazuki are gone.


    He couldn''t bear such a reality, so he continued to fight, even to the point of hurting himself.


    He thought that this would be his punishment for not being able to save his senpai and Kazuki.


    "Still, you had a reason to fight, didn''t you? ......"


    I''m sure I had other reasons to fight than revenge.


    That''s why I didn''t step over the line and keep fighting for someone else.


    "Hey, Usato.


    "Yeah?"


    Look at this. Look at the streets of Mearaq.


    Nair''s voice made me look forward, and we moved from the harbor to the castle town.


    The town was full of people, and there were many stalls and stores selling seafood like a market.


    I was struck by the completely different sight from my previous visit.


    "This place is more picturesque when it''s crowded with people, isn''t it?


    "I wanted to show you the sights of this city. When you visited here before, the people of Mearaq were evacuated. ......"


    Before, the people of this city had to take refuge elsewhere because Mr. Karon had been swallowed up by the dragon''s power and was out of control.


    Because of that, this place became a ghost town, so I can say that this town full of people is a new sight for me.


    "It''s so much livelier when there are people around."


    Ferrum, who is assimilated into me, and Nair, who is on my shoulder in an owl-like state, are also looking around with interest.


    Although I don''t show my dark magic, I attract a lot of attention from the people around me when I have an owl on my shoulder.


    <>


    >


    .


    ...... No, it''s a really great attention-getter.


    Is it because of the presence of Leona, the brave woman of this city?


    Leona-san, perhaps realizing that I am twisting my head, smiles and talks to me.


    "You are the one who saved this city. Of course, they know your face.


    "Yeah,......, it''s kind of itchy,......."


    "In addition to that, his name is spreading in many ways, as one of the people involved in ending the war, and as a person in the middle of a love affair with Suzune the Brave."


    Gah!""Gah!""


    I and Senpai both choked at the same time.


    I was really surprised to hear my senpai''s cock echoing here, even if it was not related to the Demon King.


    "I don''t think I''ve made a mistake in the past ...... Sorry, Usato-kun, I''m extremely sorry about this, but ......!"


    "No, no, I know you didn''t mean anything by it, so I won''t blame you now. ......"


    And since the Kingdom of Lingle has corrected the rumors, there should be no misunderstanding, even if there is some doubt.


    Or so we would like to think.


    On the other hand, it is discouraging to think that there are people in the spotlight who are under such a misconception.


    I''m sure it''s not a very pleasant feeling for the seniors, let alone for me. .......


    "Huh...... hmm?"


    At that time, you suddenly see a figure in your field of vision that looks different from the people on the street.


    The actual "I''m not a fan of the way you look at me, but I''m not a fan of the way you look at me.¡¡...... boy wearing a gray robe like a traveler wears.


    In addition to the robe, there was a cutlass in a scabbard on her waist.¡¡In addition to the robe, she was equipped with a curved sword similar to a cutlass, which was kept in a scabbard at her waist.


    He was staring at me with his reddish black hair tied back in a bun, and when he noticed my gaze, he gave me a friendly smile and waved at me.


    >


    "No, I''m not, but ...... I''ll wave anyway."


    I feel bad about ignoring him, so I dutifully wave back.


    Then he looks at me slightly and his expression suddenly changes to a bitter one.


    "---!"


    "Hmm?"


    I tilt my head, not understanding why he makes such a face.


    He is not giving me a look, so should I go and ask him?


    As I was thinking this, an older student approached me as I stopped and put his hand on my shoulder.


    "What''s the matter, Usato-kun?¡¡What''s wrong, Usato-kun?


    "Oh, no, ......, didn''t you see that ...... there just now?"


    The boy who was there a moment ago is nowhere to be found.


    He went to the alley nearby?


    "No, nothing like that."


    "Yeah?¡¡Then let''s go ahead."


    ...... In case you missed it, let''s keep in mind what happened to the boy earlier.


    I just noticed that when he changed his expression into a bitter one, he was looking right at senpai.


    It could be someone who has a grudge against him.


    "Senpai."


    Hmm?


    Do you remember anyone who''d want to hurt you?¡¡Other than me?


    "No, I don''t.¡¡......, you have a grudge against me?


    Well, I guess you do.


    He wouldn''t do anything to deserve a grudge.


    ...... No, thinking about it here will not give you an answer forever.


    Let''s report this for now and do what we can do now.


    I''ll do what I can do for now.


    Leona led us through the town to a section of the city that used to be on a lake.


    Apparently, the city had been enlarged for the upcoming meeting, and an inn had been built on top of it for the Demon King, the upcoming royal family, and their related people.


    The city is lined with several large inns in the section of the city that has been expanded, and it is amazing that all of them are accommodations for the people coming to the meeting.


    It is amazing that all of them are accommodations for people who come to the meeting. The fact that such a large scale can be built in such a short time is probably due to the existence of magic, but I could understand why this place is called a city on the water.


    "Ferrum, you can unassimilate now."


    I unassimilate with Ferrum when I arrive at the inn.


    It looked more like a luxurious mansion than an inn from the outside, but it was quite spacious inside as well,


    "As I''m sure you are aware, you will be living here as guards and lookouts for the Demon Lord."


    "Of course I know that. ...... Kazuki, are you with Master Lloyd?"


    Leona nodded at the senior''s words.


    "Kazuki is at the same base as King Lloyd''s bodyguard. It''s not far from here, so you might want to go see him. Just go to ......."


    Leona looks complicated as she turns her attention to Ferrum.


    As she tilts her head curiously, Leona speaks to her in a grave tone of voice.


    "I want the demon tribe ...... to stay away from the outside as much as possible. The people who gather here are the royal families of other countries and their related people. Many of them may have discrimination against subhumans, as well as the image of the demon tribe. So..."


    "I know. You''re just saying that for my sake, right?"


    "...... sorry."


    No problem. Thanks.


    The war against the demons ended some time ago.


    It is not surprising that some countries still have a frightening image of demons.


    Ferrum knows this.


    It''s not so much that the Lingle Kingdom is strange, but rather that this is normal. You don''t have to worry about it.


    "Well, is that right ......?"


    "Yeah. When I go outside, I''ll be assimilated into Usato or Nair and follow them, so it won''t be a problem."


    "Huh, I can do it too, right?¡¡Ferrum."


    "You''re physiologically impossible."


    "I''m a girl, too!


    The senior is shocked by Ferme''s tone of voice.


    The same can be said for ...... the Demon King, Ciel. Amira would not do such a selfish thing.


    The problem is Coga, but I''ll take care of him.


    "Let''s talk about the rest of it, shall we?"


    Then Leona explains about the inn.


    First, she talks about the care and support of the employees who work here.


    Mialak told me that he hired people who have no prejudice or aversion against subhumans, but we are dealing with a demon king who is tall and intimidating even in his normal state of being.


    Even people who are not afraid of subhumans are scared of him, so we, who are based here, decided to help him.


    This was something that couldn''t be helped, so my senpai and I agreed to this.


    "Now, I don''t want this to be used too often, but there is a training area in the section where this lodge is located.


    "Training grounds?¡¡Why?


    "I told you that many royal families and their officials will be gathering in Mearaq from now on.¡¡Some of them will arrive a few days before the meeting, so a place for recreational purposes, such as a training ground, has been prepared so that they will not have too much time on their hands.


    The royals themselves don''t train at ......, do they?¡¡If so, does that mean there is a place to watch the games?


    Leona, you''re worried that I''m going to get myself into trouble at the training ground.


    "No need to worry. I have decided that while I am here, I will not do the kind of training I used to do at the lifeguard station.


    "Not like the idiots on board who were doing crazy reverse push-ups..."


    "I''m sure you''ll do something weird in the other direction. I know it, I know it."


    "......"


    I silently grab Ferrum and Nair by the neck and turn back to Leona.


    "Leona-san, can you tell me where this training place is?¡¡---I''m going to go for a little drive with these girls.


    "Ugh, of course it''s not true!¡¡I''m telling you, you can''t train on the road!


    Let go of me!


    .......


    Well, it is indeed a joke, so I let them go.


    Leona laughs at them as their faces turn pale.


    "If anything happens, let the innkeeper or the knight guarding the inn know.


    "Yes, sir."


    I''m going back to Master Norn now. You take care of the rest.


    Yes, sir. Thank you very much for your time.


    Leona walks out the door of the inn.


    She puts her hand on the door and looks back at me as if she had just remembered something.


    "Oh, yes. I just heard from the guard that there were other people who have already arrived besides you.


    "What?¡¡Is that so?


    The chief of Hinomoto, land of the beastmen. Amako and Kannagi are both at the inn with him, so why don''t you visit them?"


    Hayate is here?


    It''s true that Mearaak and Hinomoto are right next to each other, so it''s not surprising if he comes early.


    There is still some time before the Demon Lords come back, so let''s go say hello to Mr. Hayate before then.

 329 - - 292nd episode.

    We arrived at the inn where we would be staying in Mearaq, and after putting our luggage in our respective rooms, we headed for the inn where Hayate was staying.


    Nair and Ferrum had said they would rest at the inn, so it would be me and my senpai who would go.


    "Double room or ......"


    "I guess it''s more efficient to have two people together than one person in a room. ......In my case, I''ll be sharing a room with Amira since I''ll be acting as a lookout, right?"


    Do I have to keep an eye on Koga? ...... Well, I''m used to it since I shared a room with Tong in the lifeguard squad, so I don''t mind.


    I don''t mind it, though. Ferrum and Nair were in the same room, so I guess it''s no different than at the lifeguard station.


    "Usato-kun, what kind of person is Hayate-san?"


    "She is a kind person. He is the chief of the beastmen tribe, and he is also the person who helped us on our journey to deliver the letter.


    "I see."


    We had exchanged letters several times, but it had been several months since we had seen each other.


    "There is a friend of Amako''s named Rinka, and she is Hayate''s daughter.


    "He''s so small and cute!"


    "I never said anything like that."


    "He has wolf ears!"


    "I didn''t say anything about it!"


    Wait a minute, how do you know?


    I''ve never said anything about Linka being a wolf beastman!


    "Well, Amako is a fox beastman, isn''t she?¡¡Then her friend must be a wolf beastman, right?


    "I''m sorry, I don''t understand at all.


    "I mean, it''s only natural that I, who bear the name of a dog, should be mixed in there."


    Don''t distort the laws of nature."


    What kind of super-theory is this guy spouting?


    He is saying extremely unreasonable things, but this is normal for him.


    Well, it''s good that he doesn''t get bored, but I can''t let him embarrass anyone but me by showing him such an eccentric behavior.


    "Well, if you''re about to do something, I''ll do my best to stop you.


    "Usato-kun, your eyes are not smiling. ......?"


    I would not mind a little, but if things were about to go out of control, I would have to take the responsibility of stopping them.


    As we are exchanging such words, we arrive at the inn where Hayate and the others are going to stay.


    I arrive in front of the building that is almost the same as the one we were led to, and after talking to the knight guarding the inn, I am allowed to enter the inn.


    "I''ll leave the first step to you, since you know each other so well.


    "Yes, sir. I''ll knock anyway.


    A light knock on the door--before it is opened, the door is thrown open.


    "At last, Usato."


    Amako''s face appeared through the gap in the door, and she looked somewhat relieved.


    We are invited into the inn, and the interior of the inn does not seem to be much different from ours.


    In the center of the room, there is a space where people can gather and talk together, and there are some familiar beastmen soldiers there.


    "Usato!


    "Yeah?"


    A gray-haired girl with beastman hair comes charging toward us at a high speed.


    Feeling a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, I catch the girl---Linka---and take about three steps backward to cushion the impact.


    "It''s been a long time!"


    "It''s been a while!" "Yes, it has. You''ve been fine ......, haven''t you? I know. Did you come here, too?"


    "Yeah!¡¡My mom said I should support my dad."


    Her near-white hair color and wolf ears make me chuckle at her words.


    At any rate, I introduce her to the senpai next to me, who is about to run off without saying a word, while I restrain her with my hand.


    "Rinka, this is Inukami Suzune. She is a friend of mine and a brave warrior of the Lingle Kingdom.


    "Nice to meet you!¡¡Suzune!¡¡I''m Rinka!


    "......!?"


    Rinka smiles at her senior, who is as flustered as if struck by lightning.


    With a slight tremble in her voice


    "Rinka, you can call me big sister, okay?"


    "What?¡¡I''m an only child, I didn''t have a big sister!¡¡Wow, you''re my big sister!"


    "---"


    I don''t remember this girl having such a low mental age. ......? No, is this normal for a 14 year old?¡¡I can''t compare them because Amako is more calm than I am.


    The senior who was called "big sister" by Rinka looks at me with a blank expression on her face.


    "Usato-kun, please call me Suzutan."


    "Why really, ......?"


    "I can''t believe there is a girl in real life who would smile and call me ''big sister'' when we first met. ......"


    Everything you do and say is too sudden.


    Not only me, but even Amako and the soldier are surprised.


    "Don''t think I''ll do anything for you if it''s just a dream, okay?"


    "Yes."


    "Well, I''ll go get your father!" After seeing Rinka off to the upper floor with her usual energy, she and Amako walk up to the center table, where Nagi-san is sitting in a chair and beckons us to come.


    "Oh, Mr. Nagi!


    "Oh, Mr. Nagi!" "I see you have arrived safely. Have you come to see Hayate-san?


    "Yes, I heard you arrived here first.


    Nagi urges me to sit down at the table, and I can see some beastmen soldiers who are probably escorting them.


    They are Hayate''s men who fought with Amako when she was captured by Jinya at Hinomoto.


    "Didn''t the Demon King do anything to you?¡¡I hope he hasn''t annoyed you guys because he''s still got a bad personality. ......"


    "No, I talked to him and stuff, but he didn''t do anything suspicious.


    What about Usato?


    "Amako, isn''t it strange that you think I''m doing something suspicious in this situation?"


    Amako, don''t you think it''s strange to think that I''m doing something suspicious?


    "Because he''s Usato. Well, he could be stuck to the wall if you take your eyes off him."


    "......"


    "Are you kidding me ......?"


    It''s not a wall, it''s a ceiling.


    "Are you stupid ......?"


    d*mn, I can''t talk back. ......!


    Nair said the same thing to me. ......!


    "Hey, how was it, Mr. Nagi?"


    "Well, me?¡¡Mearaq has changed a lot and the people here are very surprised by me.


    Nagi-san laughs and the guards nearby shake their heads.


    "They look almost the same as the statues, that''s why they are surprised. ......"


    "I am a student of the Kannagi-style, and I would like to learn from you."


    "...... this is what I mean."


    "I see. ......"


    Ms. Nagi nodded her head, her cheeks tinting with embarrassment.


    It is natural to be embarrassed if a school with your name on it continues to this day.


    I am Master Kannagi''s disciple. Does that mean that you are my disciples?


    Senpai, here are some snacks.


    "Yes?¡¡Thank you?


    I hand the wrapped sweets on the table in front of me to the senior who looks like he is about to do something.


    I continue my story while looking at him curiously tilting his head to the side.


    "Nagi-san, how was your meeting with Hayate-san?"


    "I was relieved ...... I guess. I had known about him through your Kagote, but after talking to him, I could understand that he is a trustworthy person.


    "I see. ......"


    I am glad that Mr. Nagi seems to be accepted by the beastmen, although he doesn''t say so in words.


    Above all, she is about the same age as the next senior.


    That is why I hope from the bottom of my heart that the beastmen''s country will become a new home for her.


    "Actually, there was something I wanted to tell you.


    You want to talk about it?


    What''s wrong?


    I tilted my head and listened to Mr. Nagi''s story.


    "Did you find anything strange when you entered this city?


    "......?¡¡No. ......Eh, was there such a commotion?


    Nagi shakes his head with a grim expression on his face.


    "No, if there was a commotion, Falga-sama would have sensed something was wrong. I don''t ...... mean that, I was just wondering if you didn''t feel any kind of discomfort."


    "I''m sure there was nothing that would have made you feel ...... uncomfortable in the current situation."


    "I''m the same as you, Usato. At least there were no people who wanted to harm me."


    For a moment, a boy waved to me with a friendly expression.¡¡But I shake off the thought because I feel that it is not the same as a feeling of discomfort.


    "If it''s killing or malice or something, I can kind of understand it. ......"


    "I think that''s pretty funny."


    Amako is easily tipped off.


    I can tell by the way it makes my skin crawl.


    "It''s all right if nothing happened. Maybe I''m just too nervous.


    "...... No, we''ll be careful."


    If Ms. Nagi, who has precognition magic and has keen senses, is on alert, there is a high possibility that something will happen.


    As I try to be careful, Rinka comes down from the upper floor.


    "Usato!¡¡My father is calling for you!


    "I know..."


    It looks like I''ll have to talk to Hayate upstairs.


    Rinka comes downstairs in a flurry and runs up to us.


    Senpai saw her and turned to us with a straight face.


    "Usato-kun..."


    "Senpai, here are some snacks, okay?"


    "What a mess!¡¡I''m not sure if I should be the one to tell you this, but I''m not the kind of girl who can be caught with a candy bar..."


    "Suzune, the snacks here are really good!"


    "Delicious!"


    She fell in love with him instantly.


    Hearing Rinka''s words, who points at the table, Suzune throws the sweets into her mouth with a big smile on her face.


    "Usato!¡¡My father is just up the stairs in the front room!


    "Thank you, Linka. Can I ask you to play with my senpai for a minute?


    Yes!


    "Why are you acting like Usato is Suzune''s protector ......?"


    "Don''t nod your head too, Linka. ......"


    Overhearing Nagi and Amako''s muttering, I head upstairs to Hayate''s room.


    "Hey, it''s been a while. Usato."


    "It''s been a while. How are you ......?


    Hayate''s complexion, which I hadn''t seen in a long time, was not good to say the least.


    No, it wasn''t a sign of illness or anything like that, but simply a sign of exhaustion or something like that.


    "Anyway, ......"


    "Yeah?"


    "Shall I cast a healing spell?"


    He probably had a lot of heartache on his way here.


    I immediately sensed this and decided to do my job as a healing magician first.


    I was so happy to see him.


    After performing a healing spell on Hayate, we sat down facing each other at the table and talked about what had happened so far.


    The path from the time we left Hinomoto to today.


    When I told him as briefly as possible, Hayate let out a deep sigh of emotion.


    "I remember when you first came to Hinomoto."


    "Ha-ha-ha, I was pretty reckless then, too.


    "But I think ...... that it is because of that recklessness that we are where we are today."


    When I came to Hinomoto, I was in turmoil from the very beginning.


    I was shot with an arrow by Rinka, and after that I became friends with the beastmen of the village, and so on.


    "......What''s happening to Toi now?"


    A magical tool that transfers precognition magic to others.


    In order to prevent his daughter, Amako, from living a life bound by precognition magic, Mr. Kanoko tried to create this magical tool.


    It failed, and Mr. Kanoko lost her precognition magic to Jinya, the former chief of the clan.


    Now, he used Twa in reverse and restored Kanoko''s precognition magic, but he still does not know what happened to Twa after that.


    "Now I''ve disassembled it and put it in storage. I should probably get rid of it, but Kanoko, of all people, stopped me."


    "Mr. Kanoko, are you trying to complete Twa again?"


    "He doesn''t know. At least, Hinomoto doesn''t think that precognition magic is that important now.


    Not that I need it?


    Isn''t it still as important to Hinomoto as ever?


    "For a time, Hinomoto was on the verge of chaos because of the prophecy magic. Of course, I understand that it was not Kanoko and Amako''s fault. But it was a chance for Hinomoto to change its perception of precognition magic.


    "......"


    "We can''t just rely on predictive magic. We are living in the present, not just the future."


    It''s a bit of a clich¨¦," Hayate says with a bashful smile.


    I don''t know how the magic of prediction will be handled in the future, but I hope it will be in the best possible direction.


    Unlike Jinya, Hayate is a moderate person, so there is nothing to worry about.


    "How is Kanoko-san doing?¡¡I heard that you are feeling much better.


    "Yes, she is. Yeah, she''s fine. In fact, she''s so fine that she''s too fine to be bothered. ......"


    He instantly looks exhausted.


    The expression on his face made me let out a "ah" sound as if I had guessed it.


    "She still has a tendency to be too free as she used to be. ...... Whenever I took my eyes off her, she would wander off and make a big fuss. ....... Well, that''s a sign that she''s getting better, so we should be happy about that. ......"


    Then he breaks off and raises his face.


    "Can I complain about something now, after all this time?"


    "Yes, if it''s okay with me."


    "Thank you ......!¡¡Thank you ......!"


    This man has been the chief of the beastmen until today.


    He is in a position where he cannot say anything weak to his subordinates, and the heartache that befalls him must be tremendous.


    Well, for now, let''s enjoy our first conversation with Hayate after a long time.

 330 - - Dont be shy.

    "You are getting old, Farga.


    Those were the words of the Demon Lord when he met the divine dragon Farga.


    Although I am here as a guard with Koga, I cannot help but hide my surprise at the existence of a divine dragon.


    I knew in advance that such a being existed,......, but it was still a shock to me.


    "Hmph."


    Falga, the divine dragon, sniffed grimly.


    Near the fountain with him is Norn, the queen of Mialak, and a man named Karon, her bodyguard from the other side.


    "You have grown remarkably weak, have you not?"


    "I have nothing to say to you. It''s true. But that goes for you, too, doesn''t it?


    I am but an old man. You''ve just been deprived of your power, haven''t you?


    A very bitter argument ensues.


    The demon king and Farga are only facing each other, but they are under a tremendous pressure that makes them not want to be here.


    The Queen of Mearrak in front of me is the same way, her pale face turning even worse.


    "Well, my Lord, you have a ...... great beard. ......"


    Then Ciel, who hides behind the Demon King, makes such a drinking voice.


    With that voice, the bad atmosphere disappears, and the Demon Lord lets out a big sigh.


    "...... huh, you keep quiet."


    "Yes, sir?"


    ......We didn''t have much interaction, but this lady-in-waiting has got some serious balls, doesn''t she?


    I''m sure you''re right.


    She is the personal attendant of the Demon Lord. Her boldness might be comparable to that of a corps commander.


    "So much for greetings... Now ...... we''re here as you requested..."


    "I didn''t expect you to come so quietly."


    The Demon Lord smiles at Farga''s words.


    "I thought it would be more fun this way."


    "Hmph, I''m talking about you. You already know they''re here, don''t you?


    I''m sure you know that, too. Either way, they fear me in my weakness and will not set foot in this city."


    Weak?¡¡You can joke about that in your sleep."


    Farga''s harsh words, which seemed to be taken aback.


    While I am surprised at the fact that the so called "devil" is already so close to us, I admire the power of the Demon Lord who has already detected its presence.


    "So, what are you going to do about it?"


    If we poke him now, he''ll just run away. Then, it would be better to lure him out. ......... and we''ve got just the right bait."


    "Watch your mouth. He''s not bait."


    Him?¡¡...... Who''s that?


    Both the Demon Lord and Farga seem to know. .......


    "Then he''s bait. If you''re not careful, the main body will jump out and eat you."


    "It''s getting worse, isn''t it?"


    "You''re not wrong, are you?¡¡He''s just got that harmless skin that he doesn''t even know he''s wearing."


    "......"


    Farga is silent, as if troubled, as if no words of rebuttal are forthcoming.


    Kohga and I finally understand who he is referring to in this conversation.


    "You must be Usato.


    "Yes, that''s right. ......"


    If you face him head-on, you can see his strong-willed eyes and understand how much he means to you, but from the outside, he looks like an ordinary boy.


    Even his strong body is concealed by his thick white clothes, which do not let you know how strong he is.


    "The perception of Usato over there is terrible. ......"


    "What did he do to the Demon Lord''s army? ......"


    Mearaq''s side is reacting a little bit down, but the lifeguard with him has been getting boiled for a long time.


    In a way, he must have been more troublesome than the brave men.


    "Well, I said bait, but he has to deal with the devil whether he wants to or not. So, it would be easier for us if he was in our sight.


    It''s because of your actions, isn''t it?


    No, he would have been targeted anyway. I would have had nothing to do with it, but the devil would have taken the tombs of the Lingle Kingdom, the corpses of Rose''s men, and gotten involved.


    --- Rose''s men.


    Men who fought my master''s men in his lifetime.


    If they come back to life, it will be very troublesome, since only seven of them managed to stop about twenty elite men who were recognized by their master for their abilities.


    "No matter what happens, Usato is going to be involved in the commotion. ......"


    "You seem to be buying him pretty well."


    "I owe them a personal debt of gratitude, but they, including the brave men, have completed their mission. They should be living a peaceful ...... life away from the battle. It is even more so if they stayed behind to ...... abandon the world they are returning to."


    I was honestly surprised to see that the divine dragons think more like humans and demons than I had expected. ......


    I should say that they are standing on the same point of view.


    There was a tone of reproach in his words.


    "......You do not move carelessly. You will cause other countries to distrust you."


    "I know. I will enjoy a short rest while you are busy.


    "You can only talk in an irritating way, you ......!"


    Farga''s voice rises in annoyance as the demon king shrugs his shoulders.


    I have a strange feeling that the demon king is speaking to me in a different way than when he speaks to us.


    "I''m ...... surprised to see you showing so much emotion, Farga-sama.


    They seem to be thinking the same thing as I am.


    Meanwhile, the conversation between the demon king and Farga switched over.


    "Well, then, this is more of a confirmation than the next requirement ......."


    The demon king looks up at Farga and tilts his head at his words.


    From the look of him, it seems that he is talking about something serious. .......


    "Now I have less than 30% of the power I had in my prime, having been drained of it by the previous hero,...... Hisago. You already know that ......, don''t you?"


    "Of course I do. Otherwise, it would be impossible to defeat a monster like you.¡¡Is that what you want to confirm?


    Farga''s eyes sharpen.


    Even in the face of such obvious hostility, the Demon Lord opens his mouth without moving an eyebrow.


    "Don''t be mistaken. I''m not interested in power now. Before I came here --- specifically, right after I went out of the demon lord''s territory, the seven chains that were tied to my body appeared.


    "......"


    "At the end of those chains, my divided power is hidden, isn''t it?"


    !¡¡Are you talking about those chains from three days ago?


    The translucent chains extending from the Demon Lord''s body.


    They stretched out in all directions somewhere far away, but I''m sure the Demon Lord himself tore them off.


    Perhaps he saw the silence as a sign of affirmation, for he smiled wryly at me.


    "You have a very bad character when you didn''t even let me notice it until that time. No way, just when I was about to start my invasion outside the territory of the Demon Lord, you tried to make me give up the connection to the ''power'' that you yourself had stolen from me.


    You would not have said anything if he had done so.


    "Indeed. So I don''t care about this. I don''t care so much about power now. ...... but that''s not the point.


    Looking at his own palm, the Demon Lord speaks the next words.


    "The power that was taken from me. It is a question of where it is hidden.


    "......"


    "Three of the chains were heading for my demon lord''s territory. Three of the other four chains were in different directions, but I could not locate them... but I knew the location of the remaining one the moment I visited here."


    After a beat, he pointed to the spring where Falga was soaking.


    Looking in the direction he pointed, there was nothing but clear water with a pale bottom.


    "I suppose that''s what you mean when you say you can feel a part of my power from this spring?"


    "I have only recently ...... come to the heart of the matter."


    Is this where some of the power extracted from the Demon Lord is?


    Why, in Mearrauk, a realm inhabited by humans!


    So you have been a watchdog of this place...


    If we had not done so, the disaster would have spread not only to Mialak but also to the surrounding area. Just like the demon king''s territory where you are.


    What the ......!¡¡What does that mean!


    Do you know why the Demon Lords are in the situation they are in now?


    Just as he is about to step forward, he sees Norn, the Queen of Mialark, standing beside Farga, talking to him looking upset.


    What do you mean? What do you mean, Mr. Farga? Isn''t the Kureha Fountain the one that we, the royal family, have been protecting?"


    There is no doubt that we have protected it. I asked the king of my time to do so. The nature of the Kureha Fountain, which deceives people and gives them excessive power, springs from the extraordinary power of the Demon King.


    "Well, does that mean that the previous heroes took one of the powers they ...... wrested from the Demon King and implanted it in the source of water in Mialak? Is that what you''re saying?"


    "I suppose so."


    Kureha Fountain, so called, was originally powered by the Demon Lord. ......?


    I don''t understand.


    What in the world were the previous heroes thinking when they did such a thing?


    "It all started when a man died a strange death after drinking water that came from underground."


    "A strange death?"


    "The man was a timid delivery boy. But he was supposed to be a kind ...... man with a gentle heart who would never do violence to others."


    Farga closes his eyes as if remembering something and regretting it, and his voice continues to be heavy.


    "The man went on a rampage as if he had changed, destroying many people and buildings before he collapsed and never woke up again.


    "That''s the first victim ......?"


    "At first glance, I understood that the water was unusual. A "poison" that gives one too much power, destroying body and soul. I immediately identified the vein from which the water came, and I made sure that the spring was controlled so that it would not reach man."


    Poisonous enough to destroy body and soul.


    No, if it is just that, we should not touch it, but the terrible thing is that the poison could mix with the water that we, living creatures, need.


    If so, this is more than just a chilling thought.


    "...... I guess we got lucky."


    "What?"


    "If we had been a little slower to react, many people would have sipped the cursed water and died, unknowingly spreading destruction and death all around them. It would not be surprising if the heartless, those who wish to fight, were aware of its existence, and would try to obtain it by any means necessary."


    "Well, I guess you''re right."


    Here, the Demon Lord nodded his head in understanding.


    "Though I am divided into seven parts, my magical power is nothing but a deadly poison to humans. No matter how much I try to dilute it, no matter how strong my body is, it is not something an ordinary human can handle.


    "---I don''t think that Hisago doesn''t understand that either."


    "Perhaps one of the reasons for dividing and hiding the power is to reduce it to a level that I can deal with the people of this age. And the second reason is to test you.


    Isn''t it too messed up what they are trying to do?


    It seems as if you are acting on the side of the destroyer of mankind.


    "And the rest, I suppose, is revenge against me and the demon tribe. It''s a shame, but it looks like we''ve been dancing on his hand almost all along.


    The demon king, with a frown on his face, pressed his forehead.


    Then, Ciel spoke to the Demon Lord with a shy look on his face.


    "The Demon Lord, you said earlier that three of your powers are in the Demon Lord''s territory. ...... Isn''t that quite a big deal?"


    No, no. Ciel, it has already become (?????).


    "What?¡¡What do you mean?


    Everyone except Farga looks upset.


    What do you mean it''s already happened?


    "The situation the demon tribe is currently in is due to the influence of the power extracted from me."


    The reason why the demon tribe is being hunted down is because of the power of the Demon King, which the previous heroes took from him.


    Ciel is distraught at this surprising revelation, but asks the Demon Lord a question.


    "So, but if the power is being poured into the earth, it should get better, right ......?"


    "Too much nourishment rots the fruit. Likewise, if the earth is continuously given too much power, the cycle of nature will break down. The earth was not depleted --- it was overfilled, and was therefore dying."


    It''s not hard to understand.


    Just as too much power destroys you, so too much power poured out of the earth''s receptacle will cause its contents to collapse.


    "Well, my old enemy, you have a very bad character.


    "I suppose you are not the only one who has made it so."


    I don''t know what the heroes of the last generation want.


    I understand that he has a grudge against the demons he fought.


    But why are they doing things that bring misfortune even to human beings?


    It seems to me that they just want to destroy the human race that they themselves rescued.


    So, what do we do now?


    "Well, what do we do now? No doubt, it is a confusing one, but we may have to explain the details at the ...... meeting."


    "I don''t know if the opportunistic people of this day and age will believe it or not."


    The reasons for the poverty of the demon tribe and the dark side of the previous generation of heroes.


    I am a demon tribe, but this fact will be unbelievable news to those who regard the heroes of the past as heroes.


    The confusion it will cause cannot be foreseen.

 331 - - 293rd episode.

    What''s up with Hayate and his recent situation and complaints?¡¡Hayate and I talked about recent events and complaints.


    We mainly talked about Rinka and Kanoko who were too energetic, but strangely enough, we did not have much to say about my position as the chief of the clan.


    After talking for about an hour, we left Hayate''s room and headed downstairs where the seniors were.


    <>


    The scene of the usual senpai jumping on the teary-eyed Ms. Nagi jumped into my sight.


    I guessed it was because Nagi-san and senpai were the two people whom Rinka was calling <.


    While pulling her away from Ms. Nagi, I asked her about something that had been bothering me.


    <>


    <>


    I was surprised to see my senpai choking with great force.


    After that, we separated from Amako and the others with some commotion, and headed back to the inn where we were staying.


    After returning to the inn, just as it was getting dark outside, the Demon Kings returned from the castle.


    "I didn''t expect to be sharing a room with you!"


    As for me, I''m tempted to switch rooms."


    Then, after dinner in the dining room, I sat down in a chair in my room and talked with Koga.


    I know that it is preferable to share the same room for surveillance purposes, but I am a little uncomfortable sleeping in the same room with the guy who has been trying to kill me.


    "Speaking of which, you''re being used as bait by the Demon Lord..."


    "What?"


    I don''t know the contents of my conversation with Mr. Farga, but it turns out that the Demon Lord has said some dishonorable things about me.


    He said, "You''re an easy target because the demons have a grudge against you.


    I''m a harmless healing wizard.


    "...... kidding, right?"


    "Yeah, an ogre joke. You think it''s funny?


    "Ha-ha-ha. Don''t ...... do it again, it''s not a joke."


    I knew that I had a right to hold a grudge against the devil, so I joked back.


    Well, I don''t agree with being called a pseudo-bait by the demon king.


    What am I, a butterfly fish or an alligator snapping turtle?


    "Pfft, it''s funny how the devil hates the devil."


    "Well, what he''s doing is even more heinous than the devil himself."


    Then there were two voices other than mine and Koga''s.


    On the side where the voices were coming from, Nair and Ferrum, who were supposed to be in another room, were sitting on chairs at the table provided in the room.


    "...... you guys."


    "Hmm?"


    What?


    He spoke to Nair and Ferrum, who looked at him as if they were bored, while holding his forehead.


    "Why are you in this room?"


    ""I''m not busy.""


    No, that''s not a reason.


    He turns his chair toward them, holding his forehead.


    "I don''t think there''s anything fun about being in this room."


    "It doesn''t matter, because what you do is interesting in itself."


    "Hey, you make it sound like I''m always doing weird stuff.


    Coga, who was listening in the back, bursts out laughing at Nea''s outrageous comment.


    "Ha-ha-ha, that''s funny!"


    "Shall I shut you down right now and give you the morning ......?"


    "What kind of threat is that ......?"


    It means I''ll force you to pass out and wake up in the morning.


    As I was saying this to Koga, Nair pointed at Ferrum, who was sitting next to me.


    "Just so you know, it''s always the same room with me and him, isn''t it?"


    "Yeah, it''s not fresh with him in the room with me.


    I didn''t come here to play.


    Besides, considering our roles, the room assignment would naturally end up like this.


    "Then, do you want to be in the same room with your senpai?¡¡I don''t mind at all.


    "I''m sorry, my bad. ......"


    "I was wrong ......"


    I must say, this is very effective.


    "Only you and Amako can keep up with Suzune''s pace."


    "I''m tired of being with him."


    "What''s with that cold married couple line ......"


    It is true that senpai is very high-spirited and always seems to be drinking.


    I wonder if it''s something to be so much disliked. ......


    I think I wouldn''t have to feel so gloomy if I had a senior.


    "Go back to your room at bedtime, okay?"


    Yes, sir."


    Since there are two people in the room, it doesn''t feel suffocating even if there are four of us.


    I try to do my daily routine of turning the magic, and the idea of practicing dark magic comes to my mind since Ferrum is here.


    "Ferrum, may I borrow some of your magic?


    "What?"


    He puts his hand on Ferrum''s shoulder and borrows a little dark magic.


    Part of the dark magic flows out from her shoulder and wraps around my hand.


    "Okay, here..."


    "Wait a minute!"


    I was about to get back in my chair and do the exercise I was thinking about when Ferrum came barging in on me.


    "You''re taking away my magic too easily!


    "Oh, I''m sorry. You don''t like it?¡¡I''ll put it right back.


    She places her hand on Ferrum''s shoulder again, and the dark magic that had been transformed into a basket hand returns to her.


    "...... No, you''re wrong!¡¡How can you move in and out like you own the place!


    "No, I was just wondering if I could do something ...... like that."


    What do you mean?


    I could control it with my will in the previous training.


    But I shouldn''t have borrowed dark magic without asking for an answer. ...... I must reflect on that.


    "~~!¡¡If you want to use it, use it!"


    Then, Ferrum grabs my hand and reaches out to give me a piece of dark magic himself.


    I thank him and try to accept it, but just before I do so, a thought occurs to me.


    FELM. Go back to your seat."


    What?¡¡You don''t want to use my magic?¡¡Don''t you want it?


    "He''s such a pain in the ass. ......"


    Coga, looking somewhat withdrawn, is muttering something.


    He moves to a distance of about three meters from Ferrum.


    "I was wondering if I could receive FERM''s magic at this distance.


    "Huh?¡¡I''d be stronger if I assimilated directly."


    "No, ...... I was thinking that if I could partially borrow your magic when I don''t have time to assimilate with Ferm, I can deal with unforeseen circumstances."


    "...... okay. So it''s like sending a magic bullet?"


    "Yeah."


    He points his palm at Ferrum.


    It is only an insurance policy, but it is good to be able to do it.


    I call out to Ferrum, sensing Koga''s curious look.


    "Ferrum!


    "Jump!"


    A black mass flies out of her hand and hits my hand, changing its trajectory in the air as if it has a will of its own---transforming into a black basket hand as if it were wrapped around me.


    The dark magic covers only a little below the elbow due to the small amount of magic power I received, but it is still hard enough.


    "......"


    Once the dark magic is transferred to his left arm, he deploys a basket hand on his right arm.


    While looking around the silver basket hand, he wraps the right hand basket hand with the dark magic of his left arm.


    At first glance, it seems to be an unintelligible form to cover the silver basket hand with another dark magic basket hand, but... it is not.


    "Koga."


    Hmm?


    I''ve got a new idea. You wanna take it?


    Oh, great.


    "What are they trying to do, make a new technique and try it out in a natural way ......?"


    "What are they going to do ......?"


    Coga stands up easily and squeezes his right arm.


    Since this is just a trial practice, it should not be that powerful.


    Inhale lightly, thrust out your right arm, and at the same time release a healing flying fist.


    "Hmph!"


    A fist-sized shockwave is emitted from his right arm.


    Normally, the shockwave itself would fly away, but now my cage hand is covered with dark magic (??????).


    The dark magic pushed out by the shockwave hits Koga''s defensive right arm like a rocket punch.


    "Heh, it''s an interesting move, but this is no different from the usual..."


    Untie me.


    What?¡¡Huh?


    Koga catches the fist-shaped dark magic and it unravels into a string that wraps around Koga''s body.


    With his healing flying fist, he ejects the dark magic and binds the target with the dark magic.


    This is a binding technique, which can bind an opponent unharmed.


    "Hey, untie me!"


    "Oh, sorry."


    With a thought in my head, I release Koga''s restraints and draw the dark magic to me.


    "Darkness healing rocket punch, that''s what I''m talking about. ......!"


    "Of course not, ......!"


    Nair puts a sword in my head as I intuitively name it.


    She looks down at me with a stern stare as I hold my head down, and then she jabs her finger at me.


    "I''ve already given up on you making up weird tricks out of thin air, but I can''t overlook your unprecedented lack of sense in naming things!


    "No sense of naming?¡¡...... who?"


    "I''m afraid of not being aware of it. ......"


    Nair is dismayed, but soon seems to regain her composure and points a finger at me.


    "Just so you know, I''m saying this for your own good, okay?"


    "...... Oh, thank you. You can always count on me."


    "That''s not what I meant. ......!¡¡Oh, no!"


    As I return the dark magic to Ferrum, tilting my head at her stomping on the ground, I notice that Koga is looking at me with a complicated look on his face.


    "Hmm?¡¡What''s wrong?"


    "...... I just thought you might get stabbed someday."


    "?¡¡...... already stabbed me a few times, it''s too late for that."


    That''s not what I meant.


    If anything, you''re the one who''s been stabbing me, aren''t you?


    Nair, who was standing next to Ferrum, let out a sigh of exasperation.


    "That''s right, stabbing him won''t do you any good.


    "Sure, I''d rather he just put up with it and hit me back."


    "Can you just ...... stop talking to me so casually?"


    "Isn''t that ...... too much?"


    After spitting venom at Koger, Nair looks at me with a stern stare.


    What are you going to do tomorrow, Usato?


    "Yeah, what are we going to do? ...... Well, we''ll be stuck here until the day the meeting starts."


    "Well, it''s only a week away, right?¡¡I have too much free time."


    "Even so..."


    We can''t afford to get carried away here.


    You never know when the unexpected might happen.


    We must make sure that Nair and Ferrum are always ready to help us in case of an emergency.


    ...... But I know Nair''s character well enough to know that it would be counterproductive to stop him here.


    "You guys can go outside."


    "What?¡¡You sure?"


    "Ferrum can get out as long as he''s assimilated with Nair. But I can''t leave here, so you guys will have to go alone. ......


    "Oh, okay."


    Nair replies without hearing me finish.


    When I was stunned, she cowered her shoulders in a bored manner.


    "Yes, I''m interested in the outside, but it''s no fun without you. It would just be a sightseeing trip.


    "What do you mean by that ......?"


    "I''d rather watch you make a mess indoors."


    What the hell?¡¡Is that a compliment?


    Or is it a clever way of humiliating me?


    Besides, that Demon Lord shouldn''t be stuck in a can here.


    "Oh, it''s possible."


    "I wouldn''t be surprised if the Demon Lord knew what he was doing and tried to get out."


    He likes you. He''s going to take great pleasure in annoying you."


    I don''t know if I should say this, but what do you mean that even Coga agrees with you?


    And don''t get me started on the Demon Lord laughing at me for embarrassing him, because I can easily imagine it: .......

 332 - - 294th episode.

    Basically, we thought that we would not be able to leave the Demon King''s place, but it seems that we can move more freely than we thought.


    One of the reasons for this is the presence of Lord Farga here.


    Since this was already Master Farga''s territory, the Demon Lord could not do anything rash, and since Leona and Karon were waiting nearby, it gave me and my senpai time to move freely to some extent.


    "I was surprised that Ferrum didn''t come."


    "I''m sure she''s thinking in her own way."


    The day after I arrived in Mearaq.


    As I walk down the almost deserted street lined with identical buildings, I recall the conversation we had just had.


    We decided to go outside during our free time to get a better idea of the surrounding buildings and the location of the building where we were staying, but Ferrum refused to go outside at that time.


    <


    Perhaps Ferm was just trying to look out for me.


    Grateful for her concern, I walk down the nearly deserted street with Nair in owl form on my shoulder.


    "It''s a strange feeling to expand a city, isn''t it?"


    "It makes me wonder if there''s a lake spreading out below us."


    The place where you are walking now was on the water until recently.


    The magic that makes possible the absurdity of expanding a city and building new structures on top of it is truly amazing.


    The technology of the original world would never have been able to create such a structure so quickly.


    "It''s nice to be less popular. It doesn''t look suspicious when I speak."


    "Tomorrow or the next day, though, things will be different."


    Tomorrow, the delegates from each country will arrive in earnest.


    Many people from countries I know and from countries that exist far away will be there.


    "......"


    What worries me is the discrimination against subhumans.


    We know that the Elves, the Beastmen, and the most likely to be hostile, the Demons, will participate in this meeting.


    I''m not so worried about the demon tribe because they have a weak but dangerous man named the demon king, but I''m worried about the others.


    "Don''t you need to look around?"


    "...... yeah."


    "Why don''t you relax your shoulders at least for a moment like this?"


    Nair, on my shoulder, chides me.


    It''s important to take a break.


    Then, let''s go check out the training ground we''ve heard so much about!


    What kind of a relaxed attitude is that?


    A training ground I never thought I''d go to.


    I can only go there at a time like this, so let''s go see it while we still can.


    There will be no one there now.


    "My heart is so excited. ......!"


    Your childish mind is funny. ...... Well, if you want to go, why not?"


    It''s a deal.


    If that''s the case, let''s go straight to the training ground.


    The land that has been added to Mearaq is quite large, so large that the entire training area could fit in it.


    Moreover, it is located in the middle of a plot of land where many lodgings are built, so it is quite conspicuous.


    ......No, it''s huge."


    The area around the training site is surrounded by a wall as high as a small stadium, as if spectator seats are also provided.


    "I guess they were trying to make it look good, right?¡¡It looks like a facility for entertainment.


    "It''s like we''re comparing our guards to each other, right?"


    "I think there''s going to be some show-offs."


    I''d be afraid of that happening: .......


    I''m worried that the demon king will get me and my senpai in a bad situation.


    It seems that the door is open, so we step inside.


    "Oh ......"


    It is quite spacious when you enter.


    The ground is well cleared and there is a target set up at the edge.


    It seemed to be a perfect place for training, with wooden swords and other weapons for training.


    "......I thought about it, there''s no point in coming here, is there?¡¡It''s not like I''m allowed to use it without permission."


    "Indeed, your position is that you can''t force your way in here."


    .......


    Well, I got to see what I saw.


    "I don''t choose where I train, so ......"


    "I don''t want to understand, but because I''ve known you for so long, I understand the irrational ......"


    I''ve been training to make the most of the place while I''ve been traveling.


    In fact, it is rare to find a proper place to do it.


    "---Hmm?"


    As you look out over the training field from your seat in the audience, you suddenly feel someone''s eyes on you from behind.


    It is not a senior. ...... Who is it?


    "What''s wrong?¡¡Usato?


    Is there someone there?


    As I call out to the entrance behind me, somewhat cautiously, a figure emerges from the end of the corridor.


    When I was alarmed by the presence and appearance of someone I did not recognize, the figure rushed out to the light, holding up both hands in a panic.


    "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to alarm you."


    "You are ......."


    A boy in a distinctive robe emerged.


    As before, he is armed with a sword similar to a cutlass in a scabbard at his waist.


    Looking at his neutral appearance and weapon, I recognize him as the boy I saw in the city yesterday.


    I saw you yesterday, didn''t I?¡¡Do you remember?"


    "Yes, I was in town yesterday. ...... Why are you here?"


    Without letting my guard down, I start asking him why he is here.


    "Yeah, I''m here because--"


    As he was saying these words, he tried to walk up to me, but his foot got caught on a step and he fell down.


    I run up to him and help him up.


    "It''s okay, it''s okay. Don''t worry!¡¡I''m sorry!¡¡I sometimes smell like a stinky ......!¡¡I''m from the country!"


    "I''m not mad, don''t worry. Can you stand up?"


    "Oh, yeah."


    I help him to his feet, making sure he is not hurt.


    As I help him up, I notice that his right hand, which he took when I helped him up, is covered with a bandage.


    The bandage on his delicate hand, which does not look like he carries a sword, is soaked with blood.


    "Is your hand hurt?"


    "No, it''s just ...... a fall. ......


    "You didn''t get hurt in a fall. ....... I''ll use my healing magic to fix it, okay?"


    "Uh-huh."


    I don''t know who this guy is, but he''s hurt pretty bad.


    We sit him down in one of the nearby bleachers and take off his bandages.


    "Looks like he didn''t get that from a fall."


    "......"


    He has several lacerations from the tips of his hands to just below his elbows.


    I recognize these scars and call out to the boy who turns his face away from me awkwardly.


    "Did you strengthen your system?"


    "Do you know ......?"


    "No, it''s dangerous, okay?¡¡You can''t do that, because the outburst of magic will hurt you. If you''re not careful, you may never work again.


    I heal his wounds with healing magic under the gaze of Nair, who says, "What the hell are you talking about?


    The wound healed quickly, as if it was a recent one, but for a ...... normal person, this injury must have been quite painful. If he had to endure it, it is not very commendable.


    In the meantime, I will cast a healing spell on himself as well.


    "Thank you. I didn''t even tell you my name. ......"


    "No problem."


    I still find the boy suspicious, but as a healing magician I couldn''t leave an injured person alone.


    Well, it could be that he dared to approach me injured, but looking at him in front of me now, I don''t think it was an act.


    I put my hand over my mouth and ask Nair, who is standing on my shoulder.


    "Nair, does it look like an act?"


    "...... No."


    If Nair says it''s not an act, then it''s certainly not an act.


    I have a hunch ...... that he is, but he doesn''t seem like a bad guy.


    Usato, you know what I mean?


    "...... you know not to let your guard down, don''t you?"


    I nodded to Nair who whispered in my ear and looked at him next to me.


    He was rubbing his right arm, which had healed from the wound, when he spoke to me in a fearful tone.


    I''m Shea. My name is Shea Garmio.


    "Uh, I''m ......"


    "Usato," right?¡¡USATO KEN. I know you well. You''re a healing wizard of the Lingle Kingdom, a lifesaver, and the man who ...... ended the war against the Demon Lord."


    "......"


    Wait a minute, I''m honestly scared.


    The fact that people know about me without my knowledge freaks me out.


    "I know you look like you''re wondering why, but you''re a celebrity. I''d be surprised if they didn''t know about you.


    "No, I think senpai and Kazuki ...... two brave men are usually more famous than me ......."


    "For me, it''s not like that."


    He sounds very serious.


    Wait a minute, you know not only about me but also about the lifeguard squad...,


    "In other words, prospective members ......?"


    "What kind of idiot would voluntarily go to hell ......?"


    Shea, who is on the opposite shoulder from me, taps me on the cheek with her wing as I mutter something like that.


    My name will spread, and more people will want to join.


    That has never happened since the end of the battle with the Demon King, but there is a possibility that it is about to happen right here ......?


    "I''m traveling. I didn''t know the confederation talks were going to happen here, so I was very surprised when I saw you."


    "Oh, by the way, you were surprised."


    "Yeah. I was just walking around, hoping to see you."


    "Not too much of a plan, is it?"


    It''s amazing that you ran into me.


    Are you naturally lucky or ......?


    "Who the hell is this guy? ......"


    But he doesn''t seem like a bad guy."


    I get down to business, conversing with Nair in a whisper.


    He doesn''t seem like a bad guy, but he''s certainly approached me and I need to find out why.


    "Why were you looking for me?"


    "One reason is simply that I wanted to meet you. I fought against the Demon King, so I wanted to know what kind of person you are.


    "One means there are others?"


    "Yes."


    He nodded his head, and for a moment his expression was troubled.


    "Because I owe you, I guess."


    "...... we''ve never met before, right?"


    "Yeah, first time."


    ......What do you mean ......!


    He smiles so happily that I can''t help but be puzzled.


    Is he the guy I saved?¡¡No, I don''t remember such a memorable person.


    Could he be a relative of someone I helped as a lifeguard?¡¡That''s a strong possibility.


    "Oh!¡¡I forgot to tell you I''m a woman."


    "...... eh?"


    "Huh, I knew it. ......"


    As I was puzzled and lost in thought, he piled on even more: ......!


    What, you''re a lie...... girl......?


    Nair sighs in understanding, but it''s a fact that I never expected.


    "There you go."


    Shea takes off the robe she has been wearing.


    Just like that, she has changed from a boyish impression to a girl.


    The reddish ......, or is it a mesh?


    She looks away awkwardly as she touches her hair, which looks like a mixture of black and red hair, shyly.


    "Of course, I knew that.


    "Really?¡¡Well, I''m used to it, so I don''t mind."


    "...... maybe I''ll tell Leona later. ......"


    I ignore Nea''s disturbing mutterings.


    No, you call me "I", so I guess you''re a guy. ......!


    The robe hides almost everything but his neck, so you''d be mistaken. ......!


    "Besides, it''s easier to travel alone when you''re mistaken for a man."


    "Really?"


    "But I''ve only been on the road for about six months."


    "I think it would be great if I were on my own."


    Even the trip to deliver the letter took three months.


    Six months is twice as long as that, so it''s amazing at that point.


    Why did you travel?


    "...... Uh, I didn''t set out on my own, I was driven by the ...... necessity."


    "?"


    Is there something going on?


    I''m not sure if it''s a good idea to make someone I met today tell me what''s going on, so should I ask any more than that?


    Then, somewhat flustered, she turned to face me as if to blatantly change the subject.


    "Well, more importantly.... May I see your ...... basket hand?"


    "By ''basket hand'', do you mean this bracelet?"


    Is that the bracelet?¡¡But it doesn''t look like a bracelet. ......


    ...... don''t know about the basket hand thing?


    I remember when I solved the Mearaq case, there was a sketch of me wearing a basket hand in the newspaper?¡¡I heard from my senpai that my sketch with a basket hand was used in a newspaper when I solved a case in Mearaq.


    Is that where you got this information?


    "Do you know what this is?"


    "I don''t know much about it, but I know it''s an amazing thing. I just wanted to touch it to commemorate ......."


    "Memorial."


    You sound like a tourist.


    ...... Well, I wouldn''t mind at least showing it to you.


    He gradually lets down his guard against Shea and shows her the basket hand on his right arm.


    "This is ......"


    "I''ve been fighting with you for a long time, and you''re my partner."


    The basket hand that I have relied on since Mearaq.


    Master Farga made it for me, and there have been many times when I would have been in danger without it.


    Fearfully touching her right arm, she gazes at it for a moment.


    "......"


    The time passes without her looking around, just looking at the basket hand.


    After a minute or so.


    I notice tears in her eyes as she looks at Kagote with an indescribable expression on her face.


    "Shea?"


    "......, I''m sorry."


    What was there to cry about?


    I know it''s hard for me to say, but it''s just a hard basket!


    "I''m just so happy ...... thank you ...... thank you."


    "Yeah. ......"


    I get thanked repeatedly in tears.


    The thank-you''s that I don''t understand only baffle me.


    "Usato, he''s in trouble, he''s in trouble. He is too emotionally unstable. ......


    As one would expect, even Nair seems to be taken aback by Shea''s strange behavior.


    I can''t think of anyone else who could be so emotionally shaken by the mere sight of my basket hand. ...... No, I immediately thought of Senpai, but I''m surprised there was anyone else other than him.


    "Have you calmed down?"


    "Yeah,...... yeah, sorry. I''m ...... relieved."


    "...... relieved?"


    Shea stops crying but makes a meaningful comment.


    This girl is carrying something.


    I take a deep breath.


    "...... okay."


    I am aware that I am destined to attract people with problems.


    I can''t say that I have accepted it yet, but if she is having some big trouble, I should at least listen to her.


    With this decision, I turn my head to face her.


    I guessed that you are in some kind of trouble.


    "What ......?"


    "I don''t know if there''s anything I can do for you, but ...... would you like to talk about it?"


    How about ......?


    Shea looked at me nervously, and I asked him how he was doing. Shea looked at me in amazement and then looked down as if hesitating.


    A moment of silence.


    I wait for her to speak,


    "...... You know, Usato. My magic is..."


    <


    "What!"


    Shea is about to tell me something when I hear a familiar voice coming from the passageway she just came from.


    I turn around at the sound of the voice and notice several footsteps approaching from the passageway.


    "Kazuki?"


    "Hey, ......, oh, you''re really here."


    "Amaco is right. ......"


    I told you. I told you I''d be at the training grounds."


    Kazuki, Frana and Amako came out.


    I don''t know why Amako is here, let alone Kazuki and Frana, but I am surprised that they are here.


    "Kazuki, why are you here ......?


    "I came to see you. I finally have some time to rest. I was looking for you when I heard you were out with your senpai.


    "Where''s Amaco?"


    "Same as Kazuki. Kannagi accompanied him to the ...... inn, so he''ll be fine."


    So Amako had come to the inn the same way as Kazuki.


    So you came to the inn with Mr. Nagi, and then you and Kazuki came looking for me.


    Amako, who is wearing a hood to cover her ears, leans forward and tilts her head to look next to me.


    "...... was there someone there?¡¡I heard you talking."


    "What?"


    I turned around and saw that the spot where Shea had been sitting earlier was empty.


    Even the blood-soaked bandage on her arm was gone, and when she looked around, she was nowhere to be seen.


    "Shea ......?"


    Usato, what''s going on?


    "There was a girl here just now. ......"


    "When we came here, there was no one here but you guys, right?"


    Frana''s words left me scratching my head.


    Yes, she was there.


    The reduced amount of magic power tells us that, and more importantly, we have a witness, Nair.


    "Did she give you a vision?"


    "No, I was not. It would be almost impossible to hypnotize you.


    "I''ll tell you that much: ......"


    Frana assured me.


    If a magician of illusion says so, it''s true, but I''m not convinced.


    "If you were wrong, I''d trust you more than I trust my own perceptions, even if you were the only one hypnotized."


    "Is that something I should be happy about ......?"


    I can''t help but feel that I was verbally and unspokenly called a monster.


    While we were talking, Amako spoke to Neah.


    Neah, what happened?


    "Usato pulled me in again."


    "...... huh ......"


    That''s one heck of a heavy sigh.


    It saves me the trouble of explaining, but for me, it''s a rather troublesome problem.


    "Aren''t you quick to guess ......!¡¡What do you mean?


    "Usato is a weirdo!"


    "I don''t understand what you mean!"


    Frana is alone in her confusion.


    ---Shea, the unidentified girl.


    Looking back, we knew little about her other than her name.


    It seemed to me that she was intentionally hiding her identity, or that she was asking for my help.


    I don''t know who she is.


    But I sensed a kind of danger in her that was different from the people I had been involved with.

 333 - - 295th episode.

    The appearance of a girl with mysterious black and red hair who called herself Shea left me with more than a few questions.


    Who was she?


    Why did she say that she owed me a favor?


    What was she trying to say to me?


    "Don''t drag me into your quarrels."


    "No, demon king."


    The morning after I met Shea.


    I had just been summoned by the Demon King after breakfast and decided to ask him about Shea, but his reply was worse than I had expected.


    As I was slurring my words, the Demon Lord gave me a look of dismay.


    "No, it''s true, isn''t it?"


    "Please listen to me seriously ......!"


    "Oh, I''m serious. That''s what I''m talking about, right?¡¡You found a girl here.


    Don''t talk to me like that!


    Ciel, who''s standing right beside me, is extremely uncomfortable!


    The Demon King, who was looking at me with amusement, puts his hand on his chin.


    "....... Usato, was she really a woman?


    "Yes, at first I thought it was a man in a robe."


    At first I was under the impression that he was really a boy.


    Even in this world, long hair often means male.


    But it''s my fault that I didn''t guess it was a woman from the slenderness of her hands at first.


    "Hmm, you mean you were looking at him carefully..."


    I''m not looking!¡¡You''ve already been to ......!¡¡Are you an old man or something!


    "In terms of age, you are beyond the reach of existing creatures. But it''s interesting to be called that.


    "I''ve had enough of this demon king ......"


    Things are getting very tiring: .......


    When I fought for my life with this guy, he was more like a demon king: .......


    "......"


    As his shoulders slump, the demon king makes a gesture as if he is pondering something.


    He suddenly turns his gaze back to me.


    "Okay, let''s get out of here."


    He?""He?"""


    Ciel''s voice overlaps with mine.


    What did the Demon Lord just say?¡¡Coco woderu?


    No, no, no!¡¡There are many people from other countries here today!


    "Yes, the Demon Lord!¡¡I thought you said we demons have a bad reputation?


    "Don''t play games with me, how could I not know that much?"


    The demon king reacted annoyed by the protests of me and Ciel-san.


    "As long as we don''t cause any problems, that''s fine. Rather, I must let the other nations know of my existence before we can have a meeting. Isn''t that right?"


    He has a point.


    But that''s all.


    This Demon Lord would never act on such a plan.


    What is your purpose?


    I don''t have any agenda. I just want to ...... well, I should say I want to see how he reacts."


    "Reaction ...... of people in other countries, sir?"


    "Yes."


    The Demon King nodded at my words and held up four fingers.


    "The four kingdoms of Lingle, Samariar, Calm Helio, and Nirvarna have suffered substantial damage from our Demon Lord''s army. You understand that, don''t you?"


    "Yes, yes. ......"


    "Then what about the rest?"


    Are they seen as a ...... threat?


    Yes, that''s right.


    Since the Kingdom of Lingle informed the world about the Devil King''s Army, the nations consider the Devil King''s Army to be a threat.


    "But we don''t know what they think of us other than as a threat."


    "...... sure, so that''s why?"


    "Yes."


    The idea itself must be true.


    In the first place, it is inconceivable that the Demon Lord would act in vain.


    If he wanted to, he could even use magic to look over the whole of Mearaq.


    "...... I understand. I will ask Norn and Falga for permission.


    "Yeah, I''ll take care of that."


    Well, all I have to do is to ask the knight of Mearaq who is waiting in front of the inn to pass on a message.


    We can''t just go see the busy Norn and Falga in person.


    "By the way, the Demon King... About the training I asked you to give me before..."


    I''m done talking. Ciel."


    Yes, yes. Usato-san, I''ll take you to your room!


    Yes, yes.


    You''re staying at the same place, and you''re giving me a ride?


    I was forced to leave the room when the Demon Lord, with a slight twitch in his mouth, blatantly dropped the subject.


    "I wonder if the Demon King is busy too.


    "I don''t think that''s what I meant. ......"


    "Oh, I''m not going back to my room, I''m going downstairs to the lounge, so this is as far as I go."


    Oh, yes. Yes, sir.


    Ciel-san bows reverently and walks back to the room where the Demon King is.


    As I expected from a squire of the Demon King, she has a strong heart and is not at all afraid of anything.


    I went downstairs and arrived at the lounge..,


    "Aaah!¡¡d*mn!"


    Ferm was screaming in agony and holding his head in his hands.


    I saw that Senpai, Koga, Amira, and Ferm were sitting at one table, and that Senpai and Ferm were playing with a black-and-white piece-like object on a square board.


    "What''s the matter?¡¡......Senpai, is that Go ...... or reversi?"


    "Yes. I''m free. I got some materials from a guy in Mearaq and made this. I made it with iaizashiri.


    "What a waste of talent ......!"


    "Heh heh heh."


    Seriously, is there anything this guy can''t do?


    Even in his original world, he was like a perfect superhuman who was both a literary and martial artist.


    "Usato. Do something. This guy..."


    "What?"


    He''s been winning against us like a big boy since a few minutes ago.


    I looked at Ferrum, who was nodding his head with slightly tearful eyes.


    Next, I look at my senpai, and he gives me a thumbs-up with a big smile on his face.


    I look at Ms. Amira, who is holding a sword at her waist with a straight face.


    Hmmm, this strange space.


    "Are you having a good time, senior?"


    "Yes!"


    "Are you having fun winning a match against a beginner?"


    "Yes!"


    Seriously, senpai.


    I''m stunned for a moment by the overly mature senior.


    "Hey!"


    "Oh, Mr. Amira."


    Can you beat him?


    I''m a little taken back when Ms. Amira grabs my shoulder with a strong grip.


    "No, it''s not that big of a deal. ......


    "This will be like a battle!¡¡Only you can give him the humiliation of defeat. ......!"


    Yes, that''s right. ......


    He spoke to Coga in a hushed voice as he pulled away.


    "Isn''t this guy really delusional?"


    "You''ve been sitting here with no training. ...... must be very stressful for you."


    "Oh, I see."


    Frustration is about to explode in the wrong direction.


    .......


    "Why are you acting like you''re the one with common sense?"


    "Compared to the people around me, I''m somewhat sane."


    "......?"


    "Why do I have to look at you like that, ......?"


    Coga''s eyes widen in astonishment.


    Amira and Ferrum sigh as their eyes become wide-eyed.


    "It can''t be helped. I''ll take care of it. Ferm, take my place."


    You can do it!


    You know what, Ferrum?¡¡You know what they say, Ferrum? In this game, the one who gets the corner gets the upper hand.


    I took Ferrum''s place and sat down in front of him, placing exactly half of the Othello pieces in his hand.


    He is sipping his drink on the table with a relaxed expression on his face.


    "Hmph, senpai. Don''t think that you can be a matchless player forever.


    "After all, you were my last opponent."


    "I know how to play reversi, too. ......!"


    I''ve known the rules since my time in the old world.


    And I know how to win.


    Then the only thing that determines the outcome of the game here is our mutual ability.


    Then, how about a penalty game for this match?


    "That''s interesting. Let''s do it.


    "The loser does one thing, anything."


    ...... yes?


    That''s the direction the game is going!


    "Wait a minute, please..."


    I got the lead!¡¡I''m black!


    What?


    Without deciding each other''s turn, the wooden pieces are placed with a bang.


    I was stunned that my senpai let the game begin without asking any questions.


    But now that the game has begun, there is no stopping it.


    "Let''s play ......!"


    If I''m going to play, I''m going to win.


    I take a piece and face my senpai who is smiling fearlessly. ......!


    I''m going to win.


    "...... hey."


    "......"


    "What was that confidence you had earlier?"


    The board is almost completely black.


    Koga shakes me by the shoulder with a bewildered look on his face as I sag in defeat.


    "You''re losing one-sidedly too, ......!"


    "What do you mean, Usato ......!¡¡You''re losing on a worse board than I am!"


    Amira and Ferm pursue me, and I look away.


    Frankly speaking, I had already realized that I could not win the game.


    Specifically, it was around the time when the second corner was taken.


    "I lost as usual.


    "Why?¡¡You''re supposed to win!"


    "He''s smarter than you!¡¡He''s always like that, but he''s so smart and brilliant and unfortunate. ......!


    "Oh, what?¡¡Is that a compliment?¡¡Why do I feel like this when I''m winning?"


    I was completely disappointed in ......!


    I didn''t keep in mind that we usually lose ......!


    "Come on, Usato. I hope you didn''t forget about the penalty game."


    "d*mn ......!"


    It can''t be helped.


    He won''t ask us to do anything reckless.


    As I stand up, I suddenly feel someone''s hand on my shoulder.


    "Take over, Usato!"


    "Hey, nea ......!


    "You''re doing something very interesting. Without me.


    "Hey, nea......!"


    "Let''s do it.¡¡Let''s do that thing called "Ribashi."


    He grins and shows his sharp vampire teeth, and the senior''s complexion instantly turns pale.


    No way, did the senior dare not call Nair?


    "......I''m sorry, but I was thinking of taking a break soon. I''ll leave it to Amira to deal with you.


    "If you lose, I''ll give you three commands that he listens to."


    Hey, wait a minute.


    I got the lead!


    You wait for me, too!


    He put the black piece down again with a bang.


    No, why is my penalty game getting heavier?


    "In exchange, if you lose, there will be no penalty game.


    With that, Nair begins to play.


    The senior player was worried about each move and proceeded with the game, while Naea placed her pieces on the white side without pause.


    In the first half of the game, the board was filled with the black pieces of the senpai, but the important thing was that she looked pale.


    In the second half of the game, the black pieces were filled with Naea''s white pieces.


    "Look, look, what''s wrong? Suzune."


    "d*mn. ......"


    "Yeah. That''s the only place you can put it. Oh!¡¡I can take this corner now that you put it there. Bon app¨¦tit!


    "I''m being manipulated here ......?¡¡I''m the brave one!¡¡Inukami Suzune is ......!¡¡No way, that''s impossible. ......!"


    Wow, he''s starting to flag the game, convinced that he''s going to lose.


    Isn''t he too invincible?


    "Yes, it''s over."


    "d*mn, I lost. ....... d*mn, I was sure I wouldn''t lose if it was anyone but Nair. ......"


    "Well, you were right to leave me out of it."


    Nair is smart enough to learn three magic tricks.


    And even though she looks like a girl, she''s probably been alive for about 300 years.


    Evil is dead.


    "G, wow, even if I fall, the second and third me will stand in front of you. ......!"


    "Please don''t add more because I''m not lucky enough."


    "Kyaun."


    In fact, it would be very difficult if there were more of them.


    Though they are too strong in terms of strength.


    "Well, it was fun, so I guess it''s OK."


    "Oh, so you''re giving up the Usato punishment?"


    "It''s just a bonus. It''s just an extra to make the game more exciting.


    "You would have been more convincing if you didn''t have a straight face. ......"


    What in the world was he going to make me do? .......


    ...... try not to think about it.


    "Hey, let''s play me this time. I think you can beat me."


    Great. I''ll beat you to a pulp."


    "Reversi?"


    He jokes with Coga and gets up from his seat.


    I still want to play reversi, but I have other things to do first.


    "But first I have to ask the guard to leave a message for me.


    What is it?


    I''m asking for permission for us to go out, including the Mad King. The Dark Lord has a lot on his mind.


    "Finally, we can get out of this boring place."


    It''s only temporary.


    The Witch King is right. We should be concerned about the reactions of other countries.


    It is obvious that they will be afraid of us, but it would be good if they know in advance that the Demon Lord won''t do anything.


    After asking a soldier from Mialak to pass on a message to Master Norn, I resumed my reversi with Koga and the others.


    We played a round-robin game with five members, myself, Ferrum, Nair, Koga, and Amira, excluding my seniors. ...... For some reason, I was the one who had the worst record.


    I lost all the games.


    ......Why?

 334 - - 296th episode.

    After one day, permission was granted by Master Norn.


    Naturally, the knights of Mearrak will be watching over us, but we must accept it since it is a measure that will allow the Demon Kings to walk around outside.


    >


    Leona, who came to give me a reply, gave me a very serious advice, which of course I will keep.


    "What equipment do you have, senpai?


    "I have a sword with me. I can handle anything that comes my way.


    We wait in front of the inn for the demon king to arrive.


    Nair, who has already been assimilated by Ferrum and is in owl form, is perched in her usual position on my shoulder.


    "I have to do my duty as a guard, don''t I?


    "I think you don''t have to be so uptight. There''s no one else who could harm the Demon Lord but you.


    "You''re an escort too, right? ......"


    The sheath of the sword smacks Koga in the head as he is looking on unconcernedly.


    As Koga''s head was in pain from the impact, Amira, the person who had swung the sheath down, gave a sigh of exasperation.


    "It''s pathetic, isn''t it? Why don''t you learn from them a little?


    "What are you doing out of the blue?


    "It''s important to protect the Demon Lord even if there''s little chance of a fight. You''re not self-aware enough, are you?


    I''m relieved to hear that Amira-san is serious.


    I''m sure that most of the three of us can handle it no matter who comes, considering our abilities.


    Besides, there is the Demon King, who is too much of a nonsense.


    Just as I''m thinking about that, the Demon King and Ciel-san, who is following him, come through the open door of the inn.


    The Demon Lord is dressed in black with a fur coat on his shoulders.


    He looks like a mafia boss.


    "Yeah, it has a very bad aura. ......"


    He converses with his seniors in a hushed voice.


    To be honest, I stand out quite a bit.


    He stands out in a bad way, and moreover, just by being there, he gives off a sense of intimidation.


    "Well, let''s go to this training ground we talked about.


    "No, why, ......?"


    "Hmm?¡¡Of course it''s because there are so many eyes, right?"


    I knew it. He''s too free.


    With these thoughts in my mind, I followed the Demon King as he walked ahead of me.


    I was so surprised to see him.


    As I had expected, I attracted quite a bit of attention along the way.


    The horns were different from those of humans, and the skin was brown.


    That alone is an eye-catching appearance, and on top of that, there is the Demon King, who always radiates the aura of a russian boss.


    It would be strange if he doesn''t attract attention.


    <>


    <<>


    Of course, such voices can be heard.


    Since representatives of various countries started to gather in earnest yesterday, many more people could be seen on the unpopular streets compared to two days ago.


    Almost everyone passing by was either a guard or a representative of some country.


    >


    >


    <>


    We who are with the Demon Kings are also being watched to a certain extent, but it is nothing to be concerned about.


    We are so used to it that we don''t mind at all.


    <<>


    >


    .......


    "Huh, how can you say such an unproven rumor ...... as if it were fact?"


    "It''s all true, you."


    "KOGA. I didn''t threaten Ms. Hannah. She just thought I was the devil.


    "Either way, it''s your fault. ......?"


    It''s mainly Nair and Ferrum''s fault.


    This is one thing I will not compromise on.


    In the meantime, we enter the training hall.


    "Oh."


    The voice of a senior member of the group sounded somewhat lively.


    What came into view was the scene of soldiers and guards wearing various kinds of equipment conducting their own drills and mock battles in the training area.


    The scenery itself seemed to be different from that of the training grounds when the place was not popular.


    "I guess they''re not here."


    "...... What''s wrong?¡¡"My Lord the Witch King."


    "No, don''t worry about it."


    At any rate, I suppress the urge to enter the training hall and talk to the Demon Lord who is having a conversation with Ciel-san.


    The Demon King has a really strong presence, and before I knew it, he was attracting the gazes of the delegates who were sitting in the hall.


    Some of them are looking at him quizzically and wary.


    "What are you going to do now, the Demon King?"


    "First, let''s see the reactions of the people here. ...... hmm, Koga, Usato. Try a light fight down there."


    "Aren''t your orders too simple ......?"


    Koga starts flailing his arms around, and when I ask him for an explanation, he smirks at me.


    "I''m sure the demons are unfamiliar to these people here. First, let Koga fight and see how he reacts.


    "Why should I fight too ......?"


    "It''s my mood."


    You really have a good personality, this guy is ......!


    I sigh and talk to Ferrum, who is inside of me.


    "Ferm, unassimilate me."


    <<>


    "Yeah, it''s just a quick handshake, I''ll be fine on my own. I''ll just have a quick hand-to-hand combat. ...... nair too."


    Yes, sir.


    Ferrum emerges from my body after breaking assimilation, and Nair transforms from an owl to a dark-haired, red-eyed girl.


    Then I realize that I have done something more complicated and involuntarily press my forehead.


    "I''ve ...... messed up. I''m a long way from being treated like a human being."


    "Well, well, cheer up, Usato-kun. We''ll be right here watching."


    "...... yes."


    After being comforted by my senpai, Koga and I headed down the stairs to the training area.


    Once we enter the training grounds, we immediately attract the attention of the knights and soldiers from all the countries around us.


    "I feel like a panda. ......"


    "Ignore the eyes around you. Let''s do as the Demon Lord commands."


    If we call it a light hand-to-hand combat, we don''t even need to deploy the baskets.


    I straighten the collar of my trousers and lightly clench my fists.


    "It''s just a light handshake at first. Without magic.


    "I know. If you ...... want, I can break the spell on your left arm too."


    "I don''t want you to use it as an excuse, so I''ll leave your left arm where it is."


    I hadn''t thought about it before, but Koga lost his left arm in the fight with Kazuki.


    However, he is strong enough to create his left arm with dark magic and use it in a more troublesome way.


    He does some light preparations and takes a deep breath before facing Koga.


    "Hmph!


    "Hurrah!"


    Without any signal, both Koga and I launched fists at each other.


    I dodge his right fist and attack him, instantly returning the dodged fist.


    "Ha!¡¡This is how it should be with you!


    I''m tired of dealing with you!


    Fists and kicks are exchanged in a magicless struggle.


    Koga''s fist is caught by my crossed arms, and my kick is blocked by Koga''s flying to the side to avoid the impact.


    To tell the truth, this was the first time for me to engage in a fist fight with anyone other than Rose.


    <>


    Our hand-to-hand combat accelerated with a thud, thud, gulp, a sound that could not have come from a human body.


    Although we were always getting hit, blown up, and then hit again, I thought this kind of evenly matched fighting was even fun.


    "But I still won''t go easy on you!¡¡Hmph!


    Noooo!


    He catches a fist with his forehead and slams it into his unprotected stomach.


    Coga survives the attack, leaps on the spot, and throws a powerful kick to the side of the head.


    "Kut!"


    A shock that resonates to the very core of the ......!


    Coga puts his left hand on his right arm, which is held defensively, and grabs his leg, swinging it widely with one hand.


    "OLLAH!"


    "Oh, oh, oh!


    Coga is thrown away by the force of only one arm, and changes his position in the air and lands on the ground.


    "Well, I guess there''s no way to win without magic..."


    "No, it''s more difficult to win if you use healing magic.


    "You''re not so much about healing magic as you are about the application of your magical powers.


    That''s a lot of talk.


    But I am aware of it, so I will not react to it.


    "Well then, shall we use magic lightly from now on?"


    "Yes.


    We''re going to do this in stages.


    I activate my healing magic, and after recovering from my fatigue and injuries in an instant, I get ready once again.


    I am about to call out to Koga, "Let''s resume the simulation," when I notice that his expression has changed to one of astonishment as he looks behind me.


    "Usato!"


    "......!"


    ---Something is coming at me from behind.


    I instantly turn around with magic power in my arms to intercept it, but before I can do so, Koga creates a wall of dark magic from his palm.


    Bach!¡¡and the sound of electric shocks hitting and bouncing off the ground can be heard.


    Kohga, who has blocked some attack and erased the wall of dark magic, grins and points his index finger at me with a laugh.


    "You owe me one."


    I could have prevented this on my own."


    "I guess so. Well, I guess I was faster than you."


    I''d say ......, but who fired this at us?


    It was clearly aimed at us.


    As we join up with Koga, who is approaching us, we notice a man approaching us.


    Blonde hair that reaches down to his shoulder blades.


    He is dressed in dark clothes similar to a military uniform, and in his hand is a spear, not a training one, but a real spear.


    "What the hell do you think you''re doing?


    "No, I''m sorry. I just got distracted."


    "What?"


    It''s fine that I''ve lost control, but I don''t feel like he''s apologizing at all.


    "But you did a good job of blocking my blasts, didn''t you? You are indeed a demon tribe, a human-like creature.


    Koga is more confused than angry at the blonde man who is suddenly rude to him at their first meeting.


    He looks at the man who seems to be in a bad mood and speaks to me in a hushed voice.


    "...... Hey, Usato. What the hell is this guy? Is he trying to pick a fight with me?"


    He seems to be trying to piss you off.


    "We don''t want any trouble here, so just ignore it.


    That''s the best way to do it.


    We nodded our heads and quickly tried to get away from this troublesome person, but the man pointed the tip of his spear at Koga.


    "Hey, you! Won''t you play with me?"


    "...... What?¡¡Why not?


    "I''ve always wanted to see what it''s like to be a demon tribe."


    What is he really talking about?


    What good is it going to do them if you do this here ......!


    Don''t you understand that there are a lot of people around!


    "Hmph, you don''t even intend to play the game properly, do you? I guess demons are a lowly race after all.


    Discrimination against subhumans.


    I''ve never seen it so blatant.


    I''m glad Hayate and the others weren''t here.


    They would never have approached someone like the man in front of them.


    Who are you anyway?


    "Oh, you don''t even know who I am by looking at this armband?"


    "...... yeah."


    The commander in my brain whispers to me that I should hit this man now.


    I suppress it with my reason and wait for him to tell me his name.


    "I am Lignus Helmlein, Commander of the Knight Corps of the Kingdom of Verinas."


    "Well, Mister Helmlein. I am Usato Ken, a guard and watcher of the Demon King sent from the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "Hm, the Kingdom of Lingle."


    Let''s keep it quiet here, okay?


    If we were in a back alley, we could blind him with a healing blindfold and then knock him out, but not here.


    I try to respond to Aruk''s tone of voice, trying not to offend him as much as possible.


    "Are you aware that your words and actions are a little bit unbecoming?


    No." "No?¡¡No? This is the way to treat a defeated country that invaded a country it could not defeat, isn''t it?¡¡Why would you rather defend the demon tribe when you were fighting them just a few days ago?


    "I don''t intend to bring my personal feelings into the mission. ...... you are here, does that mean the representatives of the kingdom of Verinas are here?


    Yes, there.


    Lignas''s gaze fell on an old man sitting in the audience, surrounded by his bodyguards.


    He was staring at him, giving an eerie impression.


    He was staring at us with an eerie look on his face. It doesn''t matter to the Lingle Kingdom what happens to the demon tribe, does it?


    "......The Demon Tribe is one of the participating countries in this meeting. There is a reason to be hostile to them, but it is not right to discriminate against them in public. ......"


    "What, you?¡¡Are you siding with the demons?"


    Does this guy not understand a word I''m saying? ......!


    Or is there cotton in his ears?


    .......


    No, this conversation has a meaning.


    As long as there are people around listening, it is their arrogant side that is in a bad position.


    "...... It seems that our presence is causing trouble for those around us. We''re going to go back now."


    "Hey, I''m here for the demon tribe. Don''t leave without me.


    Ignoring Lignas''s words, we headed toward the stairs to the upper floor.


    I don''t give a d*mn what he wants.


    "Haha, I see. You demons are going to run away from the battle with me!


    But he said those words out loud of all people.


    As we stopped in our tracks, Lignus continued to speak to us.


    "This is not what I have heard in the rumors. I heard that the demons have superior power to humans, but it seems that they don''t even have that, they are just monkeys, no better than humans!"


    Oh, now things have gotten even more complicated.


    Lignus, of all people, has brought everyone around him into it.

 335 - - 297th episode.

    At first it was just us and him.


    But then this man Lignas tried to bring everyone around him into it, to take sides.


    Everyone was frowning at his selfish and arrogant behavior, and I knew that his actions were failing, but I also knew that things were getting worse.


    There was no turning back now.


    He had turned what should have been a small problem into a big and irreversible one.


    "Hmm?¡¡What do you think?¡¡If you want to take it back, why don''t you accept my challenge?"


    Lignus is trying to get me to stop.


    Suppressing my inner anger, I talk to Coga.


    "Coga!"


    "Yeah, I know. I''m not going to let this provocation--"


    I''ll do it.


    "No, why ......?"


    Coga turns to me, startled by my words.


    "I think you''d better back off here. What are you doing here?


    "If you, a demon, react here, you''ll be doing exactly what they want you to do. If you react, it will not end well.


    If we backed off meekly at this point, it would give the demons the perception that they can easily talk about such things.


    On the other hand, if Koga takes up the challenge, his impression of the demon tribe will be bad.


    I don''t know if he has calculated that much, but this is a way to take advantage of the bad position of the demons .......


    "So, I''ll take over for him here. If I leave, it will just be a mock battle between humans.


    "...... No, I think that would be too reckless."


    You''ll never know unless you try.


    Besides, this is a bad guy who would do something unthinking in a place like this.


    It is more likely that he will be accepted.


    Thinking this, I turn back to Lignas.


    "I''ll be your training partner."


    "You are human, aren''t you?¡¡I want to fight demons.


    Come to think of it, why don''t you stop the king on the other side?


    I casually glance at the king in the audience, who is staring down at me with a blank expression on his face.


    I turn to the king, who is sitting gracefully and looking at me.


    I turn to the demon king and see him sitting gracefully and looking at me. ...... that demon king, aren''t you enjoying this situation ......?


    "Why are you doing this?"


    "I''ve just discovered a rare creature called the demon tribe. I was curious. ...... Oh, and the other thing is that I simply found the pseudo-humans an eyesore."


    "...... they did not approach you voluntarily."


    "It''s all the same once you''re in sight, isn''t it?¡¡Either way, subhumans are an eyesore when they are different from humans.


    "......"


    Take a small deep breath.


    I know there are all kinds of people in this world.


    "If discrimination against subhumans is the norm in your country, please keep it within your country. It should have nothing to do with those of us who belong to other countries.


    "I don''t like ....... Fine. Then I''ll deal with you first."


    It''s us who don''t like it.


    You''re the one who came at me with childish logic.


    He swallows the words that are about to come out of his throat.


    At least they agreed to a mock battle.


    "Take up arms!"


    As I move to the battlefield, Lignus sees me without hands and tells me so with a scowl.


    I show him my basket hand.


    "...... is not necessary. I have my own basket hand."


    "No, take it. No, take it. Otherwise it looks like I''m picking on the weak.


    You don''t know me.


    Well, that''s just the way it is. .......


    <


    Ferrum and Nair, who are peering down from the railing in the audience, say whatever they want in a voice I can hear.


    Yes, I''m not used to using weapons, but I have an idea.


    "...... Ferm!"


    "Hmm?¡¡Oh, that''s how it is. I get it."


    Ferm casts dark magic from his palm.


    It is absorbed by my left hand, covering it from fingertips to forearm, and then transforms into a rigid basket hand.


    I shake my arm once, transforming it from a cage into the shape of a black sword, which I clutch.


    My weapon is this. It is the power of the demon tribe, the power you desire.


    "...... Hmmm, okay. ...... use strange tricks."


    Is swearing the only thing he can say?


    I don''t know what kind of a person he is, but he is incredibly rude.


    "I don''t understand it at all. Why is he trying to protect the demon tribe?


    Facing him, Lignas starts a speech-like activity without starting a mock battle.


    "Why didn''t they just destroy the filthy vermin that cling to the earth like demons?"


    "......"


    "They are not strong enough to accept a challenge from me, anyway. We''re nothing more than human scum."


    Are you trying to get me riled up?


    Yes, I am annoyed, but I have no intention of accepting the delusions of a man who has never even fought an army of demons..,


    "The Kingdom of Lingle has too many delusions of grandeur. It''s the height of nonsense to go to the trouble of throwing so many soldiers at people of that caliber."


    "......!"


    He continues as if drunk with himself, not caring that my eyes are wide open.


    "Well, I guess I died in vain."


    .......


    "I''m sorry for the long preamble. Come on!¡¡Let''s get started!


    The moment he holds up the spear in his hand, he launches his magic spin with all his might.


    I give him elasticity and accelerate the outburst of magic at the same time, instantly approaching in front of Lignus, and smash the spear he holds with the sword I swing down from above.


    "...... Eh?"


    "...... has begun?"


    "Ha-ha-ha."


    For some reason, Lignus moves back with a distorted smile on his face as I warn him of this in front of him.


    "You seem to have confidence in your speed, but don''t think you can fight me on equal terms with that level of speed. ......!"


    I accelerate once more and approach him, pressing down on the hilt of his sword with my palm to prevent him from pulling it out of its scabbard.


    "......!"


    "What''s wrong?"


    If the sword doesn''t work, he tries to move his right arm with magic, but I press his shoulder with my left hand to keep him from shooting the magic.


    "Are you finished?"


    "No, don''t be stupid!"


    I won''t even let you back up.


    He stamps his feet lightly, preventing them from even attempting to jump backward.


    He reacts to every attack and move with his eyes, and keeps stopping them with his nose.


    It is a fighting style that would never work if the opponent were a reasonably skilled fighter. ......, but if it works for him, that''s what it means.


    "...... is enough."


    I stop interrupting his movements and give him a light push on his right shoulder to make him move back.


    It''s a waste of time to let this go on any longer.


    "Don''t you dare lick me!


    As he backed up, he released an electric shock from his palm.


    He strikes it down to the ground with his right hand, which is a poor shot compared to his predecessor''s blitz.


    "Wow, you''re going to use my magic ...... on me!


    "I am a healing wizard from the Kingdom of Lingle."


    "You''ve got to be kidding me. ......!"


    In anger, Lignus draws the sword at his waist.


    There is a stir around me at the sight of the unsheathed, undrawn sword, but I don''t see it as a threat at all.


    "f*ck you!"


    I see Lignus approaching to slash at me and I transfer my dark magic to my right arm.


    The dark magic covered his silver basket hand.


    He aims the tip of his fist at Lignus, who is about to slash at us, and... shoots it.


    "---Black Arm Healing Fist".


    The dark magic in the form of a hand-knife, which was ejected by the outburst of magic power named "Darkness Healing Flying Fist," pierced into the abdomen of Lignus, who was about five meters away, and blew his body backwards.


    "Gah ......!


    He was unable to react and was hit squarely in the abdomen, and could only crawl on the ground with a look of anguish on his face.


    Still, he manages to get up, but he is unable to do so because his entire body is bound by the dark magic that was released at the same time as the direct hit.


    "I went easy on him, just in case."


    Otherwise, he would have been cut off right after he broke the spear.


    I was trying to save his face at least for the sake of our position, but that''s as far as I could go.


    "You coward!"


    "......?"


    You caught me by surprise!


    I have not committed a single wrongdoing on this occasion.


    Looking down coldly at Lignas, I slowly speak to him as he falls to the ground, unable to take in the situation.


    "I only moved after you gave me the signal to begin. ...... and since this is not an official game or match, there is no cowardice in it."


    Call me a coward, but he had already spoken the signal for the beginning.


    I simply moved as soon as he finished saying it and attacked.


    "If you can''t react to an attack of this magnitude, he is impossible to deal with.


    "......, you ......!"


    That''s it.


    He shakes his index finger lightly and manipulates dark magic.


    The dark magic wrapped around his body returns to my hand.


    "Koga, let''s go back up."


    "Oh. ...... Well, yeah. Thanks.


    Don''t worry about it. I was angry too.


    I''ve been fighting for nothing.


    How can you talk about fighting a cogwheel now?


    You think about it, and then you hear a sound from behind you.


    "...... Usato."


    "I know. ...... huh."


    I turn around and at the same time, I point my palm toward the blitz that was coming from behind me.


    "---Hmph!


    I instantly activate a healing explosion wave from my palm and blow away the blitz that was approaching in front of me.


    In an instant, the electric shock was gone, and the particles of healing magic that were sent flying up by the shockwave fell down, and Lignus, who had probably released the electric shock, was looking at me with incredulous eyes.


    "......!"


    "Agu!"


    I extended my dark magic in the form of a basket hand, grabbed Lignus by the collar, and pulled him to the ground with all my might.


    He coughs lightly from the impact on his back, but he does not stop being arrogant.


    Let go of me!¡¡What are you doing!¡¡Stop him!


    "......"


    Lignus is trying desperately to break the restraints on my left hand while I am being held down on the ground.


    The people around me, who have called for help, all turn their cold stares toward Lignus.


    It seems that two surprise attacks have indeed made the worst impression on this man.


    "I guess there is nothing more I can say to you..."


    He puts all his strength into his right fist and raises it high.


    "Hey, wait, Usato!¡¡That''s not a good..."


    I swing my fist down before Koga can stop me.


    The fist slammed down right next to Lignus'' face, sinking deep into the ground and carving a web-like fissure.


    "Nah ...... nah ......"


    "Once again, I will fight you with all my might. But be prepared. I won''t take it easy on you anymore."


    In the Kingdom of Lingle, he spoke of those who lost their lives in that battle as having died in vain.


    Still, I endured the gut-wrenching thought, but no more.


    "---Felm, Nair."


    He holds up his hand and calls their names.


    Within seconds, Ferrum jumped down from the audience and became one with me, and Nair landed on my shoulder.


    >


    "Well, I hope I don''t overdo it. He seems pretty cool-headed."


    The people around me seemed to be disturbed by the black, flame-like pattern that appeared on the group''s uniform in an instant, but even if I exposed some of my cards here, there was no risky option but to leave this guy alone.


    He is the dangerous one who attacked Koga and me without hesitation in the first place.


    There is a possibility that this will be directed at other subhumans, at Frana''s relatives among the elves, or at Hayate.


    Then, here..,


    "That''s enough, Usato. I know how you feel, but you shouldn''t have a hand in this."


    "......?"


    Before I knew it, someone came up to me and put his hand on my shoulder.


    A muscular arm as thick as a log.


    A familiar voice startles me, and I am surprised to see a familiar face.


    "......!?¡¡Mr. Hyde!


    "Hey. I see you again at a difficult time, Usato."


    A tall, large man with short-cropped red hair.


    Mr. Hyde, head of the Royal Warriors of the Kingdom of Nirvarna.


    Surprised at the fact that he is here, I release my hold on Lignus and unassimilate him.


    "You, too, don''t do this any more!"


    "d*mn, who''s that!¡¡......!"


    Lignus gasps as he looks up at Mr. Hyde, who is nearly two meters tall.


    He looks down at him in disgust and continues to speak.


    I didn''t save you."


    "What,what......!


    Mr. Hyde''s big fist slams into Lignus'' cheek.


    He looks up at the man, holding his cheek as he is slammed to the ground with considerable force.


    What are you doing?


    "You''re lucky it was me that got hit. If it had been him, they would have healed your wounds, but it would have been a lot harder, wouldn''t it?"


    Mr. Hyde, ......


    "Let me handle this. ...... since it''s an order from His Majesty, after all."


    Your Majesty ......?


    Mr. Hyde turns from me to Lignas and looks down at him, his gaze sharp.


    "You insulted my men who risked their lives on that battlefield. Above all, the knights of Lingle are to be respected. They were brave.


    "G,......,don''t be silly, you think you''ll get away with this--"


    "This is a warning from King Nirvarna. If you do any more foolish things to dishonor our warriors, we will take appropriate measures ......."


    His words were heavy, yet forceful, and Lignus ran away.


    His back looks very small as he leaves, alone under the stares of the people around him.


    "...... thank you for your help. Mr. Hyde."


    "Don''t worry about it. I''ve been watching the situation from the beginning. ...... hmm?"


    Mr. Hyde suddenly looks around.


    Perhaps the fact that he had punched Lignas had made him stand out from the crowd, and he and we seemed to be the center of attention.


    He smiled as if he wanted to say, "Oh no!


    "Well, I guess I''ve gone too far!"


    "No, what are you really doing!¡¡Chief of warriors!


    Helena, Mr. Hyde''s second-in-command, comes out of the crowd.


    As usual, she seems to be being pushed around by his dynamic behavior.


    "It''s been a while, Helena-san.


    "Ah, Usato-kun, it''s been a long time!¡¡Chief of the battalion!¡¡Even if you have His Majesty''s permission, you can''t make a fist here!


    "Ha-ha-ha, I really don''t know what to do!¡¡Am I in trouble?


    Mr. Hyde smiles cheerfully.


    I had thought that coming here would be a bonus, but it was a pleasure for me to see him again, who had helped me so much in the battle against Lucvis and the Demon Lord''s army.


    Then Koga, looking somewhat tired, starts talking to me.


    I really thought you were going to hit me.


    "No, I''m afraid not. But I was really angry. If you hadn''t stopped me, I would have used you as a weapon and hit him for a home run.


    "No, that''s scary. What are you trying to do, make me into a weapon?


    I shrug my shoulders as Koga''s face turns pale, as if he really believes me.


    "Just kidding. An ogre joke."


    "A joke that isn''t funny isn''t a joke. ......?¡¡And you''re not funny at all, so don''t do it."


    "......"


    "You''re seriously hurt. ....... No, I''m sorry."


    He is usually hurt and checks his surroundings.


    Lignas was a terrible guy, but the reaction of the people around me was ...... how should I say it, an atmosphere of relief that the storm has passed. Coga was warned, but I think the fact that he was not provoked made him less cautious than he had been at first.


    Well, it would have ended well except for the fact that his gaze on me changed to one that looks at me like a rare animal.


    ...... Yeah.

 336 - - 298th episode.

    Lignus of the Kingdom of Verinas.


    He was really a terrible man, but thanks to the intervention of Mr. Hyde, the chief of warriors of the Kingdom of Nirvarna, the situation was somehow settled.


    I personally don''t want to get involved with Lignus again, but I have to consider the possibility of running into him again while I''m here.


    I''ll keep Flana and Hayate in mind. ......


    It''s too late if something happens.


    Although subhumans are allowed to come here, their position is still not good.


    "Well, what''s done is done. We don''t know what the Kingdom of Verinas will do, so we are wasting our time and energy being pessimistic here.


    "You are very positive at times like this, aren''t you, Chief Warrant Officer?"


    After having such a conversation with Helena, Mr. Hyde turned around to face us.


    "You''ve got yourself in trouble, Usato."


    "Thank you for your help. If Mr. Hyde had not intervened, we would have had to fight him.


    "Your fights are flashy in many ways."


    Felm''s assimilation of dark magic and Nair''s sorcery as a messenger are not the skills of a normal human being. .......


    It''s a good thing we didn''t have to fight, because if we did, some people might treat us like demons.


    "I think it''s fine if you just beat him up. I was disgusted."


    "It''s not a problem that can be solved with a punch, that''s the hard part. It seems that the guy is a knight who was brought here as a bodyguard.


    "So that''s how it is."


    That''s the way it is."


    While I am giggling over the conversation between Nair and Ferrum, Mr. Hyde turns his attention to Coga who is standing near me.


    I quickly introduce the kooga to Mr. Hyde and Helena to avoid any misunderstandings.


    "Oh, you there..."


    "Oh, this is Korga. He used to be the commander of the Demon Lord''s army.


    "Oh, hi."


    Coga greets him somewhat awkwardly.


    While I am surprised at Koga''s relatively decent response, Mr. Hyde suddenly approaches Koga.


    We were enemies just a few days ago, but here we are on the same side. Hmmm..."


    "Oh, hey ......!"


    Mr. Hyde puts his big hands on Kohga''s shoulders as he did on mine, and smiles with satisfaction in his eyes.


    "I think you and I are going to get along!"


    "No, what?¡¡What do you mean?


    It seems that Mr. Hyde has passed his muscle check.


    He puts his hand on Koga''s confused shoulder and talks to him.


    "Good for you, Koga!"


    "What?¡¡What the hell did they do to me?¡¡I''ve been mysteriously judged a good friend!


    "By the way, Mr. Hyde. Have you seen Kazuki?


    Explain yourself!


    Coga grabs me by the collar and shakes me back and forth as he asks Mr. Hyde a question.


    If anything, the Kingdom of Nirvarna is a country with which Kazuki has a close relationship.


    "Yes, His Majesty asked Master Lloyd about it. He seems to have overcome some major decision. He looked so dignified. Well, the same can be said for you."


    "Ha ha ha ......"


    You''re still looking at me in all kinds of ways.


    I am released from the cage with my shoulders lowered as if in resignation.


    "His Majesty has taken an interest in you. ...... or, more precisely, more strongly."


    "You are the ...... king of the kingdom of Nirvarna."


    "He has been interested in you since the last meeting of the four kingdoms. He''s an otherworlder like Kazuki, a disciple of Rose''s, and he''s been interested in you since the last meeting of the Four Kingdoms.


    "I mean, it''s because of the Chief Warrant Officer, isn''t it?"


    Helena gives me a sharp rebuke, but I accept it, knowing in a way that the Kingdom of Nirvarna will be the focus of my attention.


    Kazuki had told me so at the meeting of the four kingdoms.


    "I saw your battle just now. You were enjoying it very much.


    "...... haha, I''m afraid ......"


    However, it was honestly helpful of you to instruct me to keep the situation under control.


    ...... perhaps to ingratiate yourself with the Demon Lord......?


    No, that''s too much to ask.


    "Usato, right after this, I''m coming to greet the Demon Lord. I''m sorry, but may I ask you to tell him about it?


    Koga, are you sure you''re okay?


    "Yes, I''m sure the Demon Lord will welcome it.


    After confirming with Koga, he turns to Mr. Hyde and Ms. Helena.


    "Okay, then."


    "All right, let''s go back.


    Once we had left Mr. Hyde and the others, we walked out of the training hall and into the auditorium to tell the Demon King.


    "You''re surprisingly sociable, aren''t you?


    No, not so much socially. ...... Well, I''m aware that I know a lot of great people."


    It''s not like I know a lot of people.


    It''s almost as if the people I know in other countries are in a great position.


    "It''s a weirdo''s paradise."


    "I guess that''s because I''m a people person."


    You guys are going to be my test subjects for foot and healing pressure point finger-balls later.


    What?"""


    He says to Ferrum and Nair, who are following behind him.


    "You really do have some interesting moves, Usato."


    After all the commotion was over, I returned to the audience, and the Demon King, with a smile that he rarely shows, said these words to me.


    I feign calmness, my forehead streaked with blue, at the words that seem like an incitement.


    "I''m sorry. ......"


    "No, it''s a compliment. You have fulfilled your role as a pseudo-bait, and you have punished those who were extremely rude. It''s ...... a better spectacle than this. Hahahaha!"


    "Ah!"


    I clench my fists and start to move noiselessly, but Koga and my senpai stop me.


    "Oh, oh, oh, calm down, Usato!


    Usato-kun, calm down!


    Let go of me!¡¡I have to hit this guy again!


    Ha-ha-ha!


    "You look like you''re having fun, Demon Lord. ......"


    After calming down for the time being and taking a deep breath, I decided to tell the Demon King about the conversation we had just had.


    "Demon King, the King of Nirvarna is coming to visit you now.


    "Yes, I heard. I will wait here. Shall Amira and Inukami be next?


    So, after me and Koga, it''s senpai and Amira.


    To be honest, I can''t say I was satisfied with the simulation, but that can''t be helped.


    "Senpai, don''t get too carried away."


    "Don''t worry, I''ll follow your example, Usato-kun. ......!"


    "That was the worst example I''ve ever seen, so don''t copy it. ......"


    She smiles and raises her index finger.


    "Just kidding, it''s an inukami joke."


    "Senpai ...... don''t say anything funnier than me."


    "No, it''s not funny at all. ......?"


    d*mn, he''s outdone my auger jokes......!


    I look at them both in frustration, knowing that one of the few jokes I have left has been stolen from me.


    "Well, Amira, let''s go."


    "Yeah, I''m sure you can handle a little slashing."


    "...... kidding, right?¡¡Hey!¡¡Amira?¡¡Amira!¡¡Why won''t you make eye contact with me?


    I''m sure Amira was feeling a lot of resentment, so I hope she''ll take this opportunity to vent it.


    Then, a new person arrives to replace the older members.


    It was a tall, large, and elderly man.


    I immediately guessed that he was the king of the Kingdom of Nirvarna, since Mr. Hyde and the others were behind him.


    "So you are the Demon King. You are the king of Nirvarna, aren''t you?


    "Hmm, let me guess, you are the king of Nirvarna?"


    The old man who approached him asked a question with a faint smile on his face.


    "Yes, I am. I am Harold Vin Nirvarna, King of Nirvarna. I''ve come to meet you ......, but you seem more human than I expected, you know."


    "I never thought I''d hear that from anyone else."


    The demon king smiles pleasantly, and Master Harold smiles broadly.


    I was surprised to find that the conversation was more peaceful than I had expected.


    "I have business with the healing wizard over there. May I have a word with him?


    "Yes, may I?"


    My intention was to ......?


    After a very brief conversation, the Witch King bows his head toward me.


    My role is to protect you.


    I know they won''t listen to me if I talk to them, so I''ll just go talk to them like a big boy.


    "...... Koger, you''re in good hands here."


    "Oh well. I know it''s not perfect, but it''s all I''ve got."


    I tried to let Nair and Ferm take charge of the place, but Ferm assimilated into my body faster than I could say a word.


    "Ferm?"


    Are you worried about me?


    Looking at Nair, it looks like she''s going to stay here.


    ...... If Koga is here, she''ll be fine.


    He was more calm than I was during the incident earlier and I trust him.


    I follow Mr. Harold and Mr. Hyde and leave the place, letting my assimilated state hide inside my group uniform.


    "So you are Usato, the healing wizard of the Lingle Kingdom. I''ve heard a lot about your activities.


    "Kyou, it''s a pleasure. ......"


    "Ha-ha-ha, don''t be so hard."


    Perhaps it is because of his country, Nirvarna, but Mr. Harold seems to be very lively.


    He took me to a separate room in the training center and asked me to sit on an expensive-looking sofa.


    Through the window of the room, I can see the inside of the training hall, and I can see electric shocks and flames near the auditorium where I was just now.


    Perhaps, Senpai and Amira-san are having a mock battle.


    ...... hmm?¡¡Is that okay?¡¡Are they serious?


    "Well, let''s talk.


    "...... what''s the story?"


    "Yes, I suppose so. First we have to get you to relax. ...... oka."


    Yes, Father.


    Mr. Harold called me and out came a boy who looked a little older than me among the warriors escorting us.


    He had a cross-shaped scar on his cheek, tanned skin and short-cut orange hair.


    He stood next to Mr. Harold, with an appearance that showed he was well-trained.


    "This is my son, Ouka.


    Nice to meet you. I am Ouka, second prince of the Kingdom of Nirvarna.


    >


    "Shh, Ferrum."


    I note Ferm, who mutters this quietly in my mind.


    Don''t be rude to him just because he can''t hear you.


    ...... son, so you must be royalty.


    I will greet him well so as not to be rude.


    I am Usato Ken, vice commander of the Lingle Kingdom Rescue Mission.


    He shakes hands.


    But what did you think, Mr. Okka?


    I am resisting with all my strength so that my hand will not be crushed, but I wonder what is going on.


    I look at my own hand and Mr. Okka''s face alternately, puzzled by the sudden tightening of my grip.


    "What the ...... is this?"


    "This is no good. It doesn''t move at all. You are as strong as they say, father.


    "Ha-ha-ha."


    Surprised but somewhat pleased, he spoke to his father, Master Harold.


    He noticed my confusion and apologetically released his hand from my handshake.


    "Mr. Ouka, ......?"


    "I''m sorry. I''m sorry. I''m sorry, but I had to try a few things. After all, my father told me to."


    "I didn''t know that. ......"


    It''s nothing to be angry about.


    In fact, I''m just relieved that it wasn''t something like, "I didn''t like it, so I gave it a try .......


    "I was proud of my strength as a warrior of Nirvarna, but I''m losing my confidence.


    "No, it''s kind of my specialty, so you don''t have to be so down on yourself."


    "...... hmmm, I see, so this is the healing wizard I''ve heard so much about."


    He opens and closes the hand of the one he shakes and smiles.


    "It seems you have relaxed somewhat," he said.


    "...... You don''t mean for this, do you?"


    "Oh, yeah. I thought I''d introduce you to my son.


    I feel as if my nerves have been lifted.


    I think it''s because Mr. Okka is close to my age, even though he''s a superior.


    "Well, let''s talk again.


    "Yes."


    I sit back down on the sofa and face Master Harold.


    He speaks first, touching his beard.


    "I have just seen you in battle," he says.


    Oh, yes.


    By "battle," do you mean the Koger or the Lignas?


    No, I guess it''s neither, judging from the attention.


    You''ve done a lot of work on that boy.


    "......I couldn''t cause any problems because it''s not just my position. Thank you very much for your help. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you again.


    "A warrior''s honor is to be respected and no one should tarnish it. The Knights of the Kingdom of Lingle are comrades who at one time shared the battlefield with our warrior corps---we respect their fight."


    I naturally bow my head once more.


    I don''t think I was rewarded, but I still couldn''t help it.


    "No, I stopped you because I was annoyed by the boy''s behavior and because I had an ulterior motive to sell you a favor.


    "You really do say that, father."


    "Ha-ha-ha."


    Mr. Harold is not offended by Mr. Ouka''s words, and he smiles broadly.


    I''m beginning to understand Master Harold''s personality.


    He seems to be a dynamic person without sarcasm.


    But I would like to see you in a real fight sometime.


    "...... ha ha."


    .


    I have the strongest impression that the assimilation with senpai, amako, and ferrum is the best.


    However, it would not be necessary to have that much offensive power, and above all, if the opponent is not a demon king, there is a danger of taking his life.


    "You keep talking about us. Is there something you want to tell me?


    Me?¡¡...... mmm."


    Then let''s ask about him in the kingdom of Nirvarna.


    "I once met a healing wizard in the Kingdom of Nirvarna, do you know him?"


    "Well, I built a facility to train healing wizards, but that didn''t work out so well."


    A healing wizard, Mr. Gerna of the Kingdom of Nirvarna, was dispatched from various countries in the previous war.


    As he told me, he had tried the same training as the lifeguards and failed.


    "Hyde, do you know..."


    "Yes, there was a healing wizard sent from Nirvarna to fight in the last battle. Her name is Gerna. He is a highly motivated young man who is still striving to become a healing wizard.


    Mr. Gerna .......


    Good, he is working hard as a healer too.


    But I think that the Kingdom of Nirvarna does not have a good environment to foster healing wizards.


    "Master Harold. I know this is rude, but may I ask you a question?


    Yes, of course.


    I can''t give the same healing magician a hard time at this point, so as a fellow healing magician and the deputy commander of the rescue team, I should tell him to treat me in a good way.


    "You shouldn''t force us to train healing wizards like us."


    "Oh."


    "Rather, if you can provide an environment where people can make use of their true nature as healing wizards, you will be helping a lot of people."


    "...... hmm, is it wrong to seek healing wizards like you and Rose?"


    "That''s right. Me and the Commander are ...... well, uh, if you think of it as a mutation or something like that. ......"


    He grits his teeth after he says the words.


    This is really damaging to say to myself.


    "Okay, I get it. We''ll do our best to train you to be a healing wizard.


    "Thank you very much."


    If only the rest of the world would treat healing wizards better.


    I''ve heard that there''s a movement to mass-produce healing wizards as members of the Rescue Mission nowadays, and I''ve been worried about it.


    Father...


    What?


    He''s good, isn''t he?¡¡He''s strong.


    Mr. Okka is talking to Mr. Harold about something.


    "But I''m going to change the subject..."


    Yes?


    I have a daughter.


    She''s my sister, too.


    "What, what?"


    She''s a sweet little girl.


    "Yeah, a little too naughty."


    "......"


    I guessed.


    Oh, man.


    So the king is going to marry off his own daughter?


    What''s so bad is that his supposed brother Okka is in on it too and he''s not here.


    That''s no good!


    Don''t worry. My sister likes strong men. But maybe that''s why, the other day, in the traditional Nirvarna arena engagement duel, all the prospective fianc¨¦es of the warrior group were defeated. Perhaps it''s because she has no one who recognizes her power that she still has no one to marry her.


    "I''m just so worried about you."


    But I''m sure you''ll be fine. Yes."


    Ohka-sama, he''s going to push me more than Harold-sama.


    If this continues, there''s a possibility that he''ll make me his son-in-law by force. ......?


    "Be my brother-in-law!"


    Oh no, he''s going to make me his brother. ......!


    And what''s with the engagement duel?¡¡Is it like that, where they fight in the arena to decide who gets engaged?


    No way, such a simple tradition is ...... possible in the kingdom of Nirvarna. ......!


    "They love self-discipline and there''s no sign of it."


    "What?"


    >


    With a huff, he shakes his head and tries to remain calm.


    However, looking at the situation again, I still find myself in a corner.


    >


    Mr. Hyde and Ms. Helena are just giving me sorry glances.


    >


    "How can I get out of ......?"


    I put my hand over my mouth to hide my words, but I still don''t know what to do.


    I don''t know what to do.


    For some reason, I was driven to the brink of extinction in an instant, when suddenly, from the training area, a thud!¡¡A loud thud echoes from the training area.


    The impact was so strong that it shook the reinforced windows, and I looked over to see my senpai moving around at high speed with a cloud of dust in the training area, and Amira-san standing there, holding her sword in its sheath, blocking it.


    They have not left each other''s limited field.


    They have not left each other''s limited field, but this is clearly too much.


    "I''m sorry. I''m going to go stop that thing."


    "...... well, that''s just the way it is. I''ve enjoyed your conversation very much.


    "We can talk about my sister later."


    Please keep this between us if you can. ......!


    I know I had to stop Senpai and Amira too, but in a way they saved me.

 337 - - 299th episode.

    Dangerous place I was able to leave the room with Mr. Harold and went to the auditorium where the Demon King was.


    Senpai and Amira are on the rampage.


    Well, to be precise, they are still doing what they are doing in the field, but the aftermath is spreading around them more than that due to the characteristics and power of each other''s magic.


    If we don''t do something soon, Leona will be in trouble.


    We must avoid that.


    "Usato, you''re back. It''s you anyway. You must''ve almost married off your daughter or something to get her out of here. Ha-ha-ha!"


    "You say that as if you were there to see it. ......!"


    "It was true. ......"


    "So it was true. ......"


    The Demon King smiles happily, while Koga and Ciel-san look a little taken aback.


    Nair looks at me with a pitying gaze as if I''m someone else''s problem.


    "But more importantly, the Demon King!¡¡Don''t you have to stop him?


    "Stop it?¡¡Stop what?


    The commotion!¡¡It''s that noise!


    As soon as they arrive in front of the demon king, he points them to the training ground..,


    ""Ha-ha-ha-ha!""


    There are two people clashing with each other, laughing more like the Demon King than the Demon King.


    They are fighting with huge smiles on their faces, as if they have been suppressing themselves for the past few days.


    "Hmmm...yes...that''s right. Maybe next time I''ll let you and Suzune fight. Just as well, go stop him.


    "No, no, no, no!¡¡Don''t make me fight you just for fun!


    "....... Think about it. Why do you think you were just sold a fight?"


    Well, I think it was because of the Korga fight or something like that.


    "One of the reasons is that you''ve been licked."


    "What?"


    "If you always had that look on your face, people wouldn''t come near you. You''re too peaceful when you''re normal. I''d say you''re an idiot.


    I''ve heard some terrible things about you.


    I can shut your mouth first before my seniors and Ms. Amira ......!


    The demon king sighs in exasperation as my mouth twitches.


    "You should at least show your abilities here. The one you just met is not a good enough opponent for you, is it?


    "I wouldn''t go so far as to say that. ......


    "Okay?¡¡If you get licked, the Lingle Kingdom will lose faith in you. Do you understand that?"


    "!"


    The Demon King continues to speak in a serious manner to my astonished face.


    "In fact, your ambiguous attitude has caused the soldiers of Lingul to be disgraced. He may be a fool, but 70% of the responsibility lies with you. ---It''s one thing to keep out of trouble, but if you can''t even keep up appearances, it''s the king of Lingul who bears the responsibility.


    With these words, the Demon King poked me in the shoulder with his finger.


    I hadn''t ...... thought of that, but it''s true.


    Well, I guess he is trying to have fun by making me and my senpai fight, but it still seems like he is advising me for my own good.


    "As for this, it is a false warning from me. ......Why do I have to tell this much to this guy ......?¡¡Shouldn''t he have known that himself? ......?"


    "My Lord, you shouldn''t come back to yourself so abruptly. ......"


    "...... huh. You are the ones who overthrew me. Only when people know that, will the words that will be spoken at the meeting carry any weight.


    "...... understand."


    Maybe I have been licked.


    If I had been Rose, I would not have been offered a fight in the first place.


    Even if it was Lignus, he would not try to sell me a fight, because he has an aura of "I must not offend this person" before selling me.


    Even if he did, he would not be as naive as I am.


    "Koga, help me stop him!"


    "No, no, I''ll be the only one left to protect you if you''re gone. You''ll have to manage on your own."


    "I guess ....... I''m sorry. Neah, come with me.


    "Yes, sir."


    I jump down from the audience, making sure that Nair has entered my assimilated body.


    Amira and her senpai, who are fighting in full heat, approach the field where they are fighting and create a megaphone with the magic power of dark magic and emit their voices into it.


    "Hey!¡¡Hey!¡¡Amira-san!


    >


    <<>


    "It''s time to end the fight!¡¡It''s time for a change!¡¡You''ve gone too far!"


    << Well then, try this next one! >>


    >


    "Hey, ......"


    .......


    They seem to be completely absorbed in their own world.


    The people in the training area seem to be looking at them from a distance, and they seem to be somewhat withdrawn.


    It may not be a bad thing, but it is a little too dangerous to fight with flames and electric shocks flying all over the place.


    "What are you going to do, Usato?"


    Healing bombs.


    "Ah."


    I lightly throw the softball-sized healing bombs I created in my palm into the middle of the field where Amira and her senpai are fighting.


    The two of them stop moving for a moment when they see the healing bombs bouncing lightly..,


    ""What?""


    --The explosion of the healing magic catches you.


    When the surroundings are enveloped in healing particles of healing magic, I approach Senpai and Amira-san, who have fallen to the ground and become calm.


    "What are you doing, Usato?¡¡It''s a running light!¡¡I ran the lantern!


    "Yes, yes!¡¡What are you doing interrupting a warrior''s battle!¡¡I''ve never been hit by a blast of healing magic before!


    "Oh, thank goodness! You''ve come to your senses, haven''t you?


    You''re the one who''s insane!


    Amira-san chides me, informing me that the battle is over and that my senpai will be fighting a mock battle with me next.


    "....... Well, I could move around a little, so I''ll stop here. I''ve gone too far when I think about it. ....... Sorry, Usato. I''m sorry for the trouble I caused you."


    No, I know exactly how you feel.


    "Huh. I''ve gotten a little carried away. I''m going back upstairs.


    Waving her hands in the air, Ms. Amira walks back upstairs.


    After seeing her off, he turns to his senpai.


    "I guess I should have a mock battle with you this time, Usato-kun," she says.


    "We''re going to have a mock fight: ......?¡¡Yes, well, yes, but ....... Are you sure about your magic?


    "Yes.¡¡Of course I''m fine.


    That''s my senior.


    You have more magic power than I do.


    What about the format of the game?


    "To avoid influencing the others, and for the sake of your future guarding duty, please don''t attack too loudly. What is the degree of assimilation?¡¡I''m currently assimilating with Ferrum and Nair. ......"


    "Yes, ...... Ferrum, Nair, and me...and a fist from Usato-kun''s stomach!"


    Is it a fight with myself?


    I think this as I watch my senpai avoid the fist that Ferm might have thrown out.


    "Let''s call it a mock battle using some magic power. I''ll use a Kagote and assimilate, and you''ll use a sword and thunderbolt mode, right?¡¡I''m going to use a Kagote and assimilate, and you''ll use a sword and thunderbolt mode.


    "Yes, let''s go with that."


    Once you have decided to do so, you move away from each other so that you are facing each other on the field.


    We manipulate black magic and cover our left arm and legs with dark magic, and put a basket hand on our right arm.


    On the other hand, the senior puts his hand on the hilt of his sword in its scabbard and begins to accumulate magic power.


    "With Amira, the battle is like a clash of magic power, but with you, it''s going to be a pure offensive battle, which I''m a little excited about.


    "Since you are my opponent, I will do my best to defend myself.


    <<< This guy is usually so strong, but you have to be careful. ...... if only Amaco were here.


    There''s no sign of the beginning.


    Either party can initiate the attack, but ...... it seems that the senior will initiate the attack first.


    A senior who assumes a deep bowed posture in the iai stance.


    "Raiden, Ibashiri!"


    "Ah!"


    Reflexively, he holds his arm in front of him, blocking a slash as he passes by.


    Smiling at the delayed metallic sound, he turns around and places his arm to clash with the sword of his senpai who is cutting back at him.


    "Ha ha!"


    "Huff!"


    As if on cue, she turns into a lightning beast mode 2, clad in electric shocks, and aims a super high-speed slash at me.


    We follow her, blocking these attacks with our reflexes and intuition.


    Healing Acceleration Fist


    High-speed movement using magic shockwaves.


    By turning his magic power, he moves more smoothly and seamlessly than before, moving ahead of his senpai.


    "Hmph!"


    Sweet!


    A hand was placed on his outstretched fist.¡¡and my vision spins around as I head toward the ground at a furious pace.


    Aiki!¡¡I didn''t know he could use such a technique!¡¡But!


    Reverse thrust!¡¡Attitude control!


    Are you kidding me, Usato? ......?


    Her legs burst with magic power.


    He also released shockwaves from his shoulders and arms to adjust his stance in mid-air, and landed in front of his senpai, flipping him around.


    Before he can run away, he points his finger in the shape of a pin and shoots off a magic bullet.


    "Healing Finger Bullet"


    "Whoa!"


    A magic bullet hits the senior''s shoulder.


    The binding spell is activated on her shoulder, but immediately after that, the older student is covered with an electric shock that destroys the binding spell.


    << Then we''ll grab him and tie him up! >>


    A dark magic hand controlled by Ferrum flies out and grabs the senior.


    She cuts through them instantly, and with a leap, she swings down with her sword raised to the upper level.


    "Weitora!"


    Healing Elastic Fist!


    The sword and the healing fist collide and are bounced off each other.


    He spun around in mid-air and assumed a stabbing stance, and as soon as he landed, he charged at us with such force that the ground exploded.


    "Son no hi-tsuki!"


    "---mmm?


    The blow completely hit us in the face.


    He catches it with his right hand and is thrown back, but before he falls back, he puts magic power in his open hand and strikes with all his might in front of his senpai.


    "Healing cat trick!"


    "Bwah!


    Boom!¡¡and at the same time the shockwave of healing magic echoes through the air.


    The older student, who was hit right in front of me, looks at me with tears in her eyes.


    "Hey, that''s not the power of a cat trick!


    "Ha ha!¡¡That''s a technique that worked on the Demon King too!


    <>


    <


    He quickly regains his position and confronts his senpai, who has recovered from his confusion.


    Healing Acceleration Fist!


    Raiju Mode 2!


    We both instantly shifted into an accelerated state, and we fought each other, running around the narrow field as if we were playing tag.


    Healing acceleration fist accelerated by shockwave and acceleration by elasticity.


    Combining them, we pursued our senpai.


    >


    As expected, the older student was faster than the younger one.


    Normally, I would have been unable to keep up with his overwhelming speed and would have been on the defensive, but...,


    "You got it!"


    Oops, backfire!


    I have a magic shockwave that can change direction at will.


    As he tries to swing his sword in front of me, I emit a shockwave of magic power from my palm in front of him and fall backward according to my inertia.


    "Hey!¡¡Usato-kun, isn''t that too much of a foul!¡¡You''re the only one who moves like science fiction!


    A slash is delivered, leaving a residue of electric shocks.


    As I visually avoid them, one of them strikes my left hand, and is bounced off in a purple pattern.


    "!¡¡Resistance magic!


    Then let''s try this!


    A thrust.


    When he saw that the slash didn''t work, he immediately switched to a thrust!


    He also uses the scabbard in his left hand to strike at me, who is wrapped in a spell of resistance.


    His judgment of the situation is extraordinary.


    "And the way to attack it is a different kind of attack..."


    Senpai jumps backward slightly and takes a deep stance with his sword.


    The blitz is concentrated in her sword and scabbard.


    "We can destroy it by pushing hard and reducing its durability to zero!


    She''s even going to use her lineage enhancement?


    I grow two wings on my back with claw-like hands made of dark magic.


    I spread them wide and hold them up to defend myself just like my arms.


    "I''ll do my best to survive!


    >


    >


    The electric shocks that the senpai wears turn purple, signifying the activation of the system reinforcement.


    Thunder Beast Mode 3...... No, no.


    The electric shocks that were supposed to cover her entire body are now only covering her right arm, which holds the hilt of her sword, and her left leg.


    "I got the idea for this when I saw how you did it."


    "......!"


    "Thunder Beast Mode 2.5. Partial System Reinforcement."


    ---As soon as the senior''s figure disappears and he is recognized, a shock comes from the side.


    A blow at the peak ......!¡¡A continuous attack from all directions!


    It''s not as unreasonably fast as the Raiju Mode 3, but it''s still hard!


    "Let''s do it!"


    His own arm and the dark magic arm on his back.


    He deals with attacks coming at him from all directions, making full use of his four arms.


    I hear the sound of resistance spells being destroyed, and see the tattered wings on my back after dealing with all the attacks.


    As I thought, the speed-up by the lineage enhancement is abnormally fast.


    Then, the information from my eyes and ears is too slow.


    "Ferrum, Nair!¡¡Take defense!


    >


    >


    Both arms stop moving.


    Meanwhile, four more arms of dark magic wrap around me to protect me.


    I have a few seconds.


    Then I''ll take measures against my senpai!


    <>


    <<< I''m using dark magic to cover my ears too!¡¡Isn''t that strange! >>


    This is my first attempt, but it has to be done here.


    He claps his hands together, radiating a wave of healing magic around him.


    By preventing sight and hearing, you can see a new view.


    ---You can feel it.


    Senses that we could not notice before because we were able to see.


    The reaction of the creature, which is triggered by the diffused, particulate healing magic.


    "There!"


    I sense a presence breaking into the range of the healing magic.


    Diagonally to the right!


    The creature reaches out its arm in that direction, catches the peak of the sword that is about to swing down, and grabs it.


    "What?


    No!


    >


    "I''m being restrained!"


    To settle this mock battle for now, I had Nair use his magic to restrain the older student.


    New technique.


    If I had to name it, I''d call it healing echolocation. ......!


    I''m not sure what to call it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea.


    After the simulation, we were to return to the Demon King.


    I won the fight, but if my senpai had used the blade of the sword, I would have lost without a doubt, so it would have been a draw.


    "Do you usually use the lineage enhancement?"


    "If it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t have used it in the mock battle. I was confident that you could handle it. But I didn''t think you''d be able to catch me in a state of systemic reinforcement. What the hell did you do?¡¡Usato?


    "I spread healing magic around."


    I explain to my senpai as we walk.


    To be honest, I can only give an approximate explanation, as it is a technique that requires a lot of trial and error on my part.


    "When you are operating a magic bullet, you know when it hits an opponent or when it is destroyed, don''t you?


    "Oh, sure."


    "I wasn''t very good at manipulating magic, but I had a sense of magic, so I applied that a little bit."


    Can you feel the magic of flight even if you''re meditating?


    Most people probably didn''t think so, but you can feel it.


    Magic is somehow connected to the magic even when it leaves the hands of the magician.


    Otherwise it would not be possible to manipulate magic bullets.


    Then the story is simple.


    What if we scatter them around us not as magic bullets but as particles floating in the air?


    "By diffusing magic power and scattering it around you, you can directly sense the presence of beings within the range of that magic power with your body, rather than with your sight or hearing. ......


    "I see. So I fell for your healing magic, Usato-kun."


    "It''s not that extensive. Ha-ha-ha."


    If we can track down this technique, it could be used to find injured people who are somewhere out of sight.


    "I think he''s probably the only one who can do it."


    "Yeah, I don''t think so. ......"


    When I say this, Nair looks at me with a jealous look.


    "You''ve been doing too much magic, and your magic manipulation is in the abnormal range in a different way from Kazuki''s, you know.¡¡If he is specialized in the outer magic manipulation, you are specialized in the inner magic manipulation.


    "Oh, I see. So, Usato-kun, your sense of sensing magic is sharpened.


    "That''s right. ......"


    "I can''t believe that that weird play was such a ...... thing."


    Ferrum is slightly taken back by Nair, who nods at his senior''s words.


    I was not really aware that I specialize in the manipulation of inner magic,......, but it may be possible for me to expand in that direction in the future.


    Of course, I will not neglect my physical training.


    "You''ll have to talk to Welshy about that later, won''t you? Unlike Kazuki, you can do crazy things that anyone could do if they wanted to. ......


    "Wow, anyone can do that?"


    "Yes, Ferrum.¡¡It''s just that the person who finds the method is crazy, but the training itself is so simple that even a child can do it. It''s up to the individual to persevere. ......


    If anyone can do it, I hope it spreads.


    It''s not that I want to make it my own technique, but if more and more people can do it, I hope it will spread and be used effectively.


    "But it seems that I have awakened my seventh sense. ......!"


    "It''s the sense of sensing magic power, so it''s like a magical sense, isn''t it?¡¡It''s cool that everyone has it but hasn''t awakened it. ......!


    "What are these people talking about?"


    "You can''t be bothered with ......."


    It was a mock battle that I didn''t intend to have, but it turned out to be an unexpected success.


    Okay, let''s do some trial and error in bed tonight!

 338 - - The 300th.

    Today was a day when many things really happened.


    I played kumite with Koga, got tangled up with Lignus of the Veneral Kingdom, met again with Mr. Hyde of the Nirvarna Kingdom, talked with the King Harold, and finally had a mock battle with my seniors.


    It was really an eventful day.


    With less than two days left for the meeting, it seems that our presence was literally recognized as something alien among the many powerful people and representatives from various countries that have gathered here today alone.


    >


    <>


    ...... Well, I''m sorry about Leona.


    The Demon Lord had asked Ms. Karon to send some kind of a message, but she never told me what it was.


    "......"


    And night.


    After eating dinner and entering the inn''s bathhouse, I changed into my nightclothes and sat zazen-like on my bed, spreading my weak healing magic around the room.


    "There you go."


    Coga in the same room moves.


    With that, something moves the healing magic in the air, and I sense something flying toward me, being pushed away.


    You grab it with your eyes closed.


    It is a ball made by Koga''s dark magic.


    "Oh, you really know, don''t you?


    "It seems to be able to react even if it''s not a living thing, even if its magic is interfered with or moved. Well, I can''t expand it much because of the amount of magic it can hold. Here, I''ll give it back.


    While returning the magic bullet to Koga, he concentrates on manipulating the magic once more.


    "So how much can you tell?"


    "Enough to know where you are even with my eyes and ears closed. I can see some of the things you are looking at.


    "That''s pretty handy. Well, it won''t work for me."


    Of course you do.


    Because we have very different types of magic.


    If anything, the benefit of Kohga''s magic will be that he will be able to move his dark magic more smoothly.


    "Well, this will probably only be useful in a limited area, so it''s not that useful."


    "I''m sure you''d use it in some weird way."


    It has its weaknesses.


    But I think it is a technique that can be applied in many ways.


    Besides, when Nair told me that my magic manipulation is specialized for the inside, I tried a few things.


    "And elasticity. I changed the way to make that."


    "Well, how?"


    He shows his palm to Koga, and makes the elasticizer with his hand that is not covered by the cage.


    He shows it to Koga as if it is overflowing from his hand, instead of being produced on his palm as usual.


    "Until now, I''ve been weaving magic outside of my body like Kazuki, but now I''ve tried to make it inside of my body.


    "What''s the difference?"


    Coga answers, tilting his head.


    "It means I can now fight without relying on my cage hand.


    "I see, that makes it easier to use."


    As usual, only one can be made at present.


    However, I am aware that I tend to rely on baskets these days, and I would like to improve that, even if it is only little by little.


    "If I no longer have baskets, the means available to me will be greatly reduced. I will only be able to punch and kick."


    "Isn''t that usually enough in your case?"


    "I''m not yet as unreasonable as my master, the Commander. ......!"


    "How bad is your master? ...... No, I know he''s a terrible person when he beats up old man Nero."


    The Commander is my ideal.


    The unreasonableness of silencing everything with his fist.


    His intuition is almost magical.


    That''s probably why I still don''t feel like I can win, no matter how many tricks I try.


    "Huh. ......"


    "What''s the matter with you, you''re sighing all of a sudden?"


    "No,...... I suddenly remembered that I was about to be proposed as a potential fianc¨¦e to the daughter of the king of Nirvarna."


    "Ha-ha-ha."


    You laugh just because it''s someone else''s problem.


    ...... Well, Nirvarna is a country where merit is the deciding factor.


    Then, isn''t it OK to be a cogger?


    Mr. Hyde gave me a pass mark.


    "Come to think of it, if you like strong men..."


    "Oh."


    I should have introduced you to him.


    What are you trying to sacrifice me for, man?


    He laughs at Koga''s impatience, as if in retaliation for his earlier remark.


    "You like strong guys, don''t you?¡¡Don''t worry, the other woman''s daughter is a strong woman who has defeated all the potential fianc¨¦es in the traditional betrothal duel in the Kingdom of Nirvarna. I''m not worried about anything.


    "I''m just worried!¡¡You must be like a gorilla!


    I can''t take his words, so I glare at him.


    "Don''t talk to me like that when you haven''t even met me!


    "Wow, I''m sorry ......, no, why am I apologizing ......?¡¡Isn''t that funny......?"


    "Look at me. You''re calling me an ogre, but I''m not an ogre at all."


    "......"


    Why did they shut you up?


    Should I have used Rhodes as an analogy?


    "Oh, come on, don''t get me involved in your lover''s quarrels: ......"


    "I''m already being steadily cornered by the King of Samaritan. Nirvarna is yours."


    "Seriously, what''s going on around you ......?"


    Harold may be in the joke stage, but Lucas is for real.


    If it isn''t smugness, he likes me.


    "I''m a strong guy, but I have my own tastes!"


    "......"


    "Ha ......!¡¡No, wait!¡¡Don''t just silently move away from me!¡¡No!¡¡That was a figure of speech!


    That sounded weird.


    You''re not going that way, are you?


    The way you''re denying it so desperately is suspicious.


    I''m going to ask if I can trade rooms with Amira-san.


    "You, if you stay in the same room with Inukami for a night, you''ll be in trouble in a different way!


    "I trust you, senpai."


    "Where does that trust come from?¡¡It''s like making something out of nothing."


    That''s a terrible thing to say: .......


    Though the seniority thing is indeed a joke.


    "Joking aside, I wonder what we should do seriously.


    "I''m sure you''ll be pushed aside someday. You."


    "Uh-huh."


    In fact, it seems as if Mr. Lucas is even vigilantly watching for an opening.


    What does Eva think?


    I''m glad she''s getting to know the outside world better, but I wonder what she''s thinking now.


    "Actually, I''m sure the powers that be would love to have you here."


    "Is that all there is to it?¡¡I think Kazuki is more impressive."


    Koga shakes his head at my words.


    "That one and Inukami have the title of ''hero'' attached to them. It''s hard to draw them in, isn''t it?¡¡I mean, a brave man is a symbol of his country.


    "Ah, so Kazuki and his senpai are like the ''heroes of the Lingle Kingdom,'' so to speak."


    Exactly.


    Like Leona, the title of hero belongs to the country.


    So, even if we pull him out, he may still have another name, "the hero of the Lingle Kingdom".


    "That''s why Nirvarna didn''t recruit Inukami, right?"


    "I see. ......"


    "Brave man is a more troublesome title than you think. If you succeed in attracting them, you might have a bad image attached to you."


    It''s like an ace of one team moving to another team.


    The former team''s successes are the only thing people talk about, while the former fans bash him. .......


    Hmmm, it''s a complicated story.


    "You''re easy on the eyes."


    "Who''s easy?"


    "But you''re just a civilian who''s formally a member of the military. You''re the deputy commander of an organization called the Life Brigade, but you''re not its commander, are you?¡¡Then naturally you are less important in the country than the brave men, and therefore in a position where you can move around more easily.


    But that doesn''t mean it''s easy. .......


    "He has some contacts with powerful people in other countries, and most importantly, he has a track record of defeating the Demon King. In addition, if you''re a healing magician,...... you won''t get sick or be poisoned.


    "......"


    "In other words, they''re sitting ducks. That''s why they''re willing to sacrifice their daughters to get them."


    Is that how they see me?


    ...... Well, I know it''s not the right time for Mr. Lucas, but .......


    "Well, Nirvarna seemed to genuinely like your skills."


    "As for Nirvarna, we decided to make Coga the scapegoat ......."


    "Wasn''t that a joke ......?"


    I''m just saying that it seems like a good fit for Nirvarna.


    At least he didn''t feel like he should be king.


    "The meeting starts the day after tomorrow. There might be a lot going on tomorrow, so we''ll have to be on our toes."


    "Well, I know there''s definitely something going on, but I''m a little curious as to what it is."


    The meeting will be largely about the demons, and I will have to explain to them the situation they are in.


    Well, it seems that all I have to do is just stand there without speaking, so all I have to do is pay attention to what''s going on around me.


    "I think I''ll practice detecting magic for a little while longer and then go to bed.


    "You know, I think I''m going to get a really good night''s sleep doing that, since it''s going to work its healing magic on me."


    Is it a healing aroma ......?


    I feel like I''m the only one who''s tired, don''t you think?


    I''m sure Nair and my senpai will be begging me to do it.

 339 - - Thirty-first story.

    The day before the meeting.


    The demon king knew that we should not go out on such a day, so we stayed at the inn and talked about what to do tomorrow.


    "Usato-kun, you know that we are in charge of escorting him, so basically we have to stay close to him.


    "Of course. Even before the meeting starts, it is our job to keep people of ill will and prejudice away as much as possible, isn''t it?


    "Yes, then you can be scary, Usato-kun."


    You mean I can make my face scary.


    That''s the best way to scare people away, so I''ll do it when I can.


    Well, the Demon King is always scary, so he usually doesn''t come near us.


    "You''re really rude to the Demon Lord, aren''t you? ......"


    Coga, who was sitting next to me, mutters something about being slightly taken back.


    "Ferrum and Nair will be in a state of assimilation with me for the meeting."


    "Okay."


    "Okay, but what happens if something like that happens?¡¡We can''t just move around on our own, can we?"


    Nea has a good point.


    If we are attacked at the meeting, what should we do?


    That will be important.


    If Mr. Norn or Mr. Lloyd gives us instructions, we will give priority to them. If not, we will evacuate the people in the meeting and protect them from the attackers.


    "I see. Then you''re good at what you do.


    I''m good at protecting people, so I''m not wrong.


    But I wonder how it really works.


    "Yes, it is. What is known to us may be a shocking revelation to people in other countries.


    "Like Mr. Falga, you know. He seems to be a legendary figure in this era, and it''s going to be a real shock.


    I was very surprised when I first met Mr. Falga myself.


    But I guess it would be better to have the words of Falga-sama to give credibility to the story of the Demon King.


    "The perception of the demon tribe remains bad, so it would be nice if they could understand the situation a little ......."


    "But that''s a difficult thing to do."


    "......Yes, I know."


    Then there would be no such thing as subhuman discrimination in this world.


    In a way, I am glad I met with Lignas yesterday.


    It made me change my naive view of myself.


    "We must take all possible precautions for the meeting. ......"


    We have to do what we have to do for tomorrow.


    ...... Oh, yeah.


    I haven''t shown it to Nair yet.


    "What?¡¡What?


    "I''ll show you now, because you''ll be confused if you''re surprised by my tricks at the critical moment.


    "What?¡¡You''re surprisingly clever. As long as it''s not a weird trick to show you.


    Don''t worry about it.


    It''s the elasticity that I''m going to show you.


    I show Nair my palm and create an elasticity grant that does not involve a basket hand.


    "Yes, a new elasticity grant."


    It''s like translucent slime coming out of your palm.


    Nair''s eyes twinkle when she sees the magical power shaking like a Shingenmochi rice cake.


    "Did you do this without the aid of a basket hand?


    "Yes, I did.


    "...... magic spinning may be a more dangerous technique than I thought. ....... No, you may simply be crazy. ......"


    It''s kind of a terrible thing to say. .......


    I spent an hour learning it yesterday.


    "I don''t know, is that great?"


    "Yes, it is. That''s it. He''s starting to do the same thing the heroes before him did. He doesn''t need Farga''s armor anymore.


    "What are you doing ......?"


    No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.


    The best thing about these baskets is that they''re so strong, right?


    Yes, I''m training myself not to rely on them all the time now, but that doesn''t mean I won''t need them.


    Usato-kun, can you lend me that magic bullet?


    "?¡¡I don''t mind."


    I raise the magic bullet in my palm because my senpai wants it.


    She looked at me with a big smile on her face as she began to examine it, poking it with her fingers and shaking it.


    "Usato, let''s call this healing slime. It will sell."


    "Please don''t make it into a product without permission."


    "Then why don''t we make it like a cat cafe?¡¡A slime cafe?


    "Your choice is too niche. Who would want to go to such a place? ......"


    What''s up with cafes where you can touch slime?


    I''m afraid I''ll get slime in my drink too.


    "Hey, Nea, Ferrum. Isn''t this nice?


    "It''s only possible with healing magic. This will sell!"


    "...... don''t hate, not at all."


    Oh no, I love ......!


    Are you saying I''m wrong?


    Coga talks to me in a hushed voice while I''m secretly shocked.


    "These guys seem to get along well with each other. Even Ferrum seems to be open to them.


    "Yes, ......."


    I don''t dislike him because he talks with senpai in a normal way, even though he says something with his mouth.


    Maybe he is hiding his embarrassment or something.


    "Inukami-sama, Usato-sama."


    "Yes?"


    What''s wrong?


    Then a knight comes through the door in a bit of a hurry and calls for me and my senpai.


    Was something wrong?¡¡He looked a little nervous and opened his mouth while looking at the door.


    "The King of the Kingdom of Samaritan is here. ......"


    ""......""


    I knew you would come sometime, Master Lucas, but at this time? ......?


    ?


    "Hello, Usato. It''s me!"


    I couldn''t help but smile a wry smile when I was greeted with an absurdly cheerful greeting right after I came to the door.


    He was accompanied by a woman in light blue armor and clothes, and the rest of the people seemed to be waiting outside.


    "It''s the first time since the meeting of the four kingdoms, isn''t it? Mr. Lucas."


    "Yes, you did a great job in the last battle. Ha-ha-ha, well, you could do that much better."


    But I''m also a person who has done a lot for me, and I''m not happy to see you.


    I guessed that the Demon King probably had some business to attend to, so I led him toward the living room.


    "Usato, I will go and tell the Demon Lord, and you can talk to Master Lucas.


    "Yeah, but ......"


    "No, we''ve got a lot to talk about, don''t we?"


    "...... thank you."


    He thanks his senpai for her concern.


    As I watch her go up to the upper floor where the Demon Lord is, I ask the inn staff for a cup of tea, and then try to show Master Lucas to the guest room.


    "No, this is fine."


    "Yes, but ......"


    We''re the ones who barged in. And 70% of the reason we''re here is to check up on you."


    I see. Well, come this way, please."


    I pull up a seat near where we were talking just a few minutes ago.


    "Oh, are you demons?"


    "Yes, yes, well, ......"


    "For the first time in my life, you are more human than I thought you would be. Ha-ha-ha."


    I can feel Ferrum and Coga looking at me for help.


    I casually let it pass, ask permission, and take the seat in front of him.


    "Ah, this is Halivar, the new head knight. You''ll remember her."


    The knight standing by Master Lucas puts his hand on his chest and bows.


    He looks like Leona.


    A woman with shoulder-length black hair and slightly brown skin with a few quirks, Ms. Halivar smiles at me.


    It''s nice to meet you. It''s the first time we''ve met face to face. My son-in-law."


    "Yes?"


    I''m sorry. Mr. Usato.


    "Ha-ha-ha, Halivar, not at all. Not ...... yet, is it?"


    Hey, wait a minute.


    I know we haven''t exchanged words yet, but the man of the hour just arrived with Master Lucas.


    What the hell is going on, Samaritan, ......!


    Now I call out to Coga and Ferrum behind me for help, but they ignore me.


    You heartless bastards ......!


    "Barefaced, you mean you were Eva''s escort in the previous Four Kingdoms Conference?"


    That''s right. Your Majesty, Eva has told me much about you.


    On the one hand, I want to ask him about it, but on the other hand, I am afraid that I might find out some terrible truth.


    Eva will be fine, but what is Lucas ...... doing?


    "She''s very talented. She is not only competent but also intelligent, and above all, her daughter Eva is very fond of her."


    "No, not at all. ......"


    "Don''t be modest. I trust you, too."


    If Master Lucas says so, he must be quite capable.


    He was even engaged in a mock battle with that senior student during the Four Kingdoms Conference, so even from my point of view, I can tell that he''s quite capable.


    "Master Lucas, it seems that Eva is not here for this meeting."


    "Yes, as expected. This place is too chaotic even for an important meeting. I decided that I shouldn''t burden the guards, so I went alone.


    "I see. ......"


    "And--"


    After a pause, Mr. Lucas smiles cheerfully.


    "I can''t let some spoiled brat fall in love with my daughter and make a mistake."


    "...... Yes?¡¡What did you just say?


    It sounded like he said something very poisonous with a smile on his face.


    Did I hear him wrong ......?


    "Who''s to say there won''t be someone who''ll ask his beloved daughter to marry him? No, I''m sure there will be. And since my daughter is so much like her mother, I''m sure that every man will look at her and try to get close to her, even if it''s reckless."


    Yes, yes, that''s right, sir.


    If some prince falls in love at first sight, we''ll be blinded. I''m sure he''ll refuse, but the last thing I want is for him to persist. Then we must take all possible measures to prevent such a thing from happening.


    "That''s great, Mr. Lucas. That''s right, you have a good eye.


    Mr. Halivar is nodding his head in agreement.


    Yes, Eva is beautiful, so I understand her concern, but I wonder why ...... my spine is still frozen.


    Hey, you think so too, don''t you?¡¡Hey, you think so too, don''t you? I''m not going to let some horse-bone touch Eva.


    "Oh, yes, that''s right. I think you''re right.


    "I''ll only let you do it if I approve it. Ha-ha-ha.


    Ha-ha-ha-ha.


    Mr. Lucas laughs meaningfully and is honestly scared.


    I have a feeling we should change the subject.


    Let''s talk about something I''ve been meaning to ask him for a while.


    "Oh, by the way, how are you, Eiri?¡¡You are still working as Eva''s butler, aren''t you?


    Eiri, Eva''s butler, who took care of her when she was at Samaritan.


    Now that Eva is free to walk around outside, I wonder if there have been any major changes in his life as a butler.


    "He''s doing well. He is still doing his job as Eva''s butler and is a very reliable man.


    "I see. ...... Good."


    "But I wish he would look at other things besides being a butler. Is there anything you would like to share?"


    "From me?"


    Master Lucas nodded and cowered.


    "My words would be an order, so maybe you, my friend, can make a difference?"


    "If that''s the case,...... I guess so,......."


    Is it my imagination?


    I feel a mysterious sense of intimidation from Mr. Halivar who is standing by Master Lucas.


    It''s not a killing spirit, nor anger.


    What is it?¡¡This is ...... the opposite!¡¡Guess what it is. ......!


    "It''s good to have someone close to you, isn''t it?"


    "...... I see, that''s one way to look at it."


    What do you think?¡¡I looked at Mr. Halivar''s face and he gave me a thumbs-up with a huge smile.


    It seems I was right.


    I''m known for being insensitive, but it seems I''ve been shown that I''m quite perceptive.


    While I was satisfied by myself, my senpai and Ciel-san came down from the upper floor.


    "Master Lucas, the Demon King has granted an audience with you.


    "Hmm, you''re early. I''d have liked to talk a little longer, but I can''t help it. Well then, Usato, let''s talk again on the way home.


    Yes. Mr. Lucas."


    He gets up from his seat and leaves with Ciel and Halivar to go upstairs.


    "Well, well, I''m really looking forward to ...... seeing how sharp the rumored Demon King is."


    I watched him enter the room where the Demon Lord was staying, and I sat down with a light exhale.


    Then Koga and the others, who had been watching the situation behind me, arrive.


    "As usual, the king of Samaritan ......."


    "Hey, Usato. You really do get the attention of a lot of weirdos, don''t you?"


    "Quite a king, that one. ......"


    He''s a good man.


    He''s very easy-going, and I can talk to him without being too nervous, even though I use honorifics.


    "But he likes you a lot. Are you okay with that?"


    What do you mean, are you okay?


    "...... No, it''s fine as long as you don''t mind. ......"


    "?"


    There''s a hint of something in there.


    Coga''s words make me tilt my head.


    "Hey, Nair. Who''s Eva?"


    "Come to think of it, I don''t think we''ve ever met. ...... ferme, you know what I mean?"


    "...... Really?¡¡Are you kidding me?


    Ferrum, who was talking to Nair, looked at me incredulously.


    What''s the matter with you guys?

 340 - - Thirty-two.

    The day of the meeting of the Allies.


    The venue for the meeting was very large.


    It is many times larger than the facility in Luxembourg that was used for the previous Four Kingdoms Conference, and the security is quite tight. No one would be able to enter it by ordinary means.


    And since it was also protected by the magic of Lady Farga, I understood from Nair''s words that it was also heavily guarded in that area.


    The Demon King, who occupied an important position in the meeting, was ushered into a special room at the venue, unlike the other participants.


    My senpai and I stood in front of the room where they were, guarding the room until it was time for the meeting to begin.


    "There were a lot of people here. ......"


    "Yeah, I guess so."


    I''m in my usual uniform.


    Senpai is dressed in white, her current formal attire as a brave warrior.


    "If I''m not mistaken, Hayate-san and the others will be taken to a special room, right?"


    "And Frana''s father. I heard that the chief of the elves is like that too. I heard that no other subhumans ...... came, but it would be unusual if only the beastmen and the elves came to this place.


    Indeed.


    That is how deep-rooted discrimination against subhumans is.


    But still, it is a problem that I have to face someday.


    I cannot turn away from it.


    "Puhhhh!"


    "Neah, don''t go out there."


    The little owl flutters out of my assimilation and stays on my shoulder, flapping its wings.


    "It''s okay here. Don''t worry, I''ll get it right by the time the meeting starts."


    "That''s fine, but ....... Would you do the same for Ferrum?"


    The dark magic is assimilated, and the uniform is changed into a form that covers the lining and neck without showing on the front of the uniform.


    This way, the assimilation is not visible to the naked eye and can be quickly dealt with in case of unforeseen circumstances.


    Amako will be coming too, so it would be better to assimilate her with you, wouldn''t it?¡¡It is in times like this that Amako''s abilities will shine through."


    "......You are absolutely right. I''ll ask Amaco when he comes.


    It''s unusual for Suzune to say something like that.


    <<>


    Nair and Ferrum, who are usually surprised, give a small smile to their senpai.


    "I mean I''m serious too. I''m always more serious than usual.


    "As for me, I''d like you to do that all the time. ......"


    "That''s impossible. I''m a serious person, and I can only hold out for a short time.


    "I see you''ve already solved it. ......"


    While we are exchanging such light banter, a group of hooded figures pass by the aisle where we are guarding.


    Walking in the lead are Flana and Kazuki, I guess?


    I guessed that Kazuki was probably following them as a human guard, and then Kazuki and Frana noticed us and walked up to us.


    "Ah, Usato, senpai!"


    "You''re doing a great job, Kazuki. Is that Frana''s?


    "Yes. Yes, that''s Frana. Dad, they''ll be fine.


    Frana nodded and removed her hood, and the man next to her also revealed his true face.


    Under the hood was a man with long ears, which is a characteristic of elves, cream-colored hair like Frana''s, and a handsome face.


    The elven man, who looked to be in his 20s, squinted at me somewhat quizzically.


    "Elves, Chieftain, Lurga. I have heard much about you from my daughter.


    "I am Inukami Suzune, a brave warrior from the Kingdom of Lingle."


    I''m Usato Ken, vice commander of the Lifeguard Corps, also a member of the Lifeguard Corps.


    "......"


    I got a huge frown on my face.


    As expected, the reaction was a little scary, and our cheeks twitched as we looked at each other for a moment.


    Frana-san, who had pushed Luluga-san, his father, away from us, noticed this and laughed impatiently.


    "Ha-ha-ha, I''m sorry. Your father is a little bit timid, so he''s just a little bit embarrassed inside. Please don''t be offended!"


    "Don''t say unnecessary things. What if I get licked?


    "These two guys won''t do that, it''s okay."


    I guess I''m just being cautious.


    Well, it''s okay if they don''t see you as an enemy.


    I am casually relieved when an elf comes up to me.


    She seems to be a short, old woman.


    "Mmmmmm..."


    "What?¡¡Huh?"


    You are the healing wizard, aren''t you?


    "Yes, yes, it''s nice to meet you at ......."


    I''ll say hello anyway.


    The old elf stares at my face, then backs away, looking satisfied with herself.


    "Lurga. There''s no need to be wary of them.


    Is that so?


    The Thunder Crusader and the White Healer are both trustworthy men. And I think there''s someone else in this Usato fellow.


    "!"


    >


    I''m surprised that you were able to see through Ferrum''s assimilation.


    The White Healer, isn''t he?


    So that''s what the Elvish soothsayer said .........so that''s her in front of me...


    "Even after all your ordeals, you still have a strange fate attached to you. You are an interesting man indeed. I have never seen anything like you before."


    "Well, is that a good thing ......?"


    "......"


    They shut me up: ......!!!!


    It''s as if the fortune teller told me I had bad luck and didn''t specify in what way.


    "Can you tell my love fortune?"


    "It''s impregnable."


    "It''s tougher than I thought it would be!"


    What is this "impregnable" thing that they are trying to conquer?


    We''re talking about a love consultation, not a fortress attack. ......?


    Then, perhaps intrigued, the old woman on her shoulder also talks to the old woman.


    "Hey, hey, what about me?


    "Impregnable!"


    "This is the kind of thing that only certain people get the same answer!


    It sounds like it when it''s said in four letters.


    What about Usato?


    "...... woman trouble."


    >


    "Hey, what''s going on?"


    It''s true, but don''t be convinced!


    It''s not like a prediction magic, but it''s still great that you guessed it.


    Usato, about the meeting...


    "Yes, I know, Kazuki. If something happens, we''ll take the initiative.


    "...... take care of each other. I have a bad feeling about this."


    "...... yeah."


    Kazuki and I looked at each other and nodded.


    I have a bad feeling about this.


    I know something is going to happen, but I don''t know what until it happens.


    "Well then, Usato, senpai. I''m going to show the elves around, I''ll see you later.


    I''ll see you later!"


    Waving their hands as they leave, the two of them and the Elves are seen off.


    They say that the elves are long-lived, and I wonder if Lurga-san looks a hundred years old or more. .......


    "Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"


    The voice came from the opposite direction from where Kazuki and the others were walking.


    I immediately notice who it is and turn around to catch the beast girl, Rinka, who jumps at me at the same time.


    "Let''s not jump on each other at the first encounter, Rinka..."


    "Yes, because Suzune-sister said this would make her happy."


    "...... Well, you would have been happy if you were a senior."


    And now you are standing next to me with a look of great regret on your face.


    Please don''t tell a fourteen year old kid anything strange.


    As I put down Rinka, who jumped at me softly, Hayate and the others, guided by the knight of Mearaq, come from the direction she came from.


    Amako and Nagi are among them.


    "Hey, Usato!"


    "Mr. Hayate, were you all right on the way here?"


    "Don''t worry. Don''t worry. The knights of Mearaq guarded us. And ...... well, with Amako and Lord Kannagi, it was a matter of no concern at all.


    Two people with a magic of precognition.


    We can handle whatever comes our way, and Nagi is as strong as Rose and Nero to begin with, so we don''t have to worry about the battle aspect.


    I bow apologetically to the two knights who have been guiding me and talk to them.


    I have to ask Hayate''s permission first. .......


    "Mr. Hayate, would you mind if Amako joined us in the meeting?"


    "Amako?¡¡But is that okay?


    "Oh, Usato, is that what you mean?"


    "Yes."


    Amako nodded her head in understanding.


    "What do you mean?"


    "I''ll explain now. Ferrum."


    <>


    Amako, who had said a few words to Ferrum, steps toward me and sinks down to become one with me.


    Hayate and the other knights of Mearaq who were present look at me in surprise.


    "What?¡¡What?


    "It''s not my own magic, but this way Amako can be present at the meeting.


    "......I thought I was used to you, but you really are an unexpected person. Ha-ha-ha. Okay, Amako, you can work with Usato."


    Then, I don''t know what I was thinking, but Linka jumped on me again.


    "What?"


    "I want to go in there too!"


    "Like that kind of attraction. ......"


    <<


    "Yeah!¡¡That''s soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"


    What do you mean I''m a three-seater?


    I can carry more than five injured people at a time if I try hard enough, so that expression is wrong.


    I explain to Linka and ask her to leave.


    Mr. Nagi, are you going to talk to him at the meeting?


    "Uh, yes. I''m sure it''ll be fine with Mr. Farga here. ...... No, I''ll be fine no matter what happens. I''m used to seeing human malice.


    "Murmur?"


    "Ugh, my inner me?"


    Nagi-san''s head shook as if something had hit him.


    Her eyes change color for a moment before returning to normal, and she waves her hand to the side in a slightly panicked manner.


    People in this time are different from those in my time. I''m sorry, I said something that made you uneasy!"


    "I see. Thank you for your concern, the other Nagi.


    "!¡¡Uh-huh."


    If we are involved so far, we know that the other person, Mr. Nagi, gave him some advice so that he wouldn''t make us uneasy.


    I stop my senpai from approaching Mr. Nagi, who is standing next to me with his hands flailing, and then talk with Hayate about the meeting.


    Hayate herself is treated as one of the representatives in the meeting, so she does not seem to stand out in any way.


    "That''s what I''ve been told. Linka will stay in her room with her subordinates, so I don''t think there is much to worry about.


    "I''ll stay quietly at home. ......"


    "Ha ha ha ......"


    In truth, Amaco would have done the same.


    Linka was unfaithful but not selfish.


    ...... can''t stay here talking forever, can we?


    She breaks off the conversation at an opportune moment and turns to the knight of Mearaq who is waiting for her.


    I''m sorry to bother you, sir.


    "Don''t worry about it!¡¡It''s my pleasure!


    "Oh, I see. ......"


    The respect from the knight of Mearaq is itchy.


    Maybe it''s because of the Karon incident, but he feels indebted to me. .......


    After seeing off Hayate and the others, I returned to the security again with my senpai.


    The only difference is that Amako is with us now.


    I''ll be relying on you again.


    I''m on it.


    Amako stands next to me with her hood pulled over her eyes once she has been de-assimilated.


    As with the precognition magic, having Amako in command allows me to concentrate on the task at hand.


    "Well, I guess we''re all ready to go. Now all we have to do is wait for the meeting to start.


    "......If it goes off without a hitch, that''s the best I can hope for."


    "From the looks of the Demon Lord, that may be difficult."


    Because the Demon Lord is predicting that something is going to happen. .......


    I''m very worried about the possibility that the devil himself might be involved.


    "The Commander''s men may also be involved."


    If they are using stolen corpses and resurrecting them, it will be more troublesome.


    I am sure that things are not going to be too good for me, at least mentally.

 341 - - idle talker

    Demons are beings that feed on fear.


    Without fear, its power only diminishes.


    Until now, it has been unable to move with satisfaction, thanks to the demon king, the bump on its eye.


    Even in his weakened state, the Demon Lord is his opponent.


    His power surpasses that of all living creatures, and even demons are easily dealt with.


    If we had made a move in this peaceful world, he would have moved instantly, and sought to snuff us out.


    The meeting will begin soon.


    A voice is sent to the destination of the connection by magic.


    My brethren, freed from the seal.


    A gathering of species who have no sense of camaraderie, who recognize each other only as tools.


    But this is not a new thing, it is more like an instinct that was determined even before they were sealed.


    We do what we''re supposed to do.


    A race of demons is at stake.


    There are fewer than ten of them now, and all the rest have been exterminated by the heroes of the last generation.


    The proof is that when we awoke from the seal, there was no conflict.


    It has become such a feckless age that no king is at peace or even willing to start a battle.


    "To regain our power, we must once again instill our fear into the hearts of men."


    It would never make sense.


    We cannot tolerate such a joke of a world.


    "--- no more."


    I will put out the magic and meditate.


    We will meditate on the joyous and merry days before the sealing, when we incited fear and anger in men.


    Now they have faded, lurking like frightened bats in the dark shadows, away from the eyes of men.


    "----"


    Don''t play with me.


    Why should we, who symbolize fear, enjoy such a gloomy life?


    I think we''re done communicating. Leali."


    "...... before the action starts. Don''t talk to me, Rapdo."


    With us is the devil of this dark world, Rapdo.


    The demon, in the form of a silver-haired man with the upper half of his body covered in the skin of a beast and a massive ego, smiles at me with a haughty, triumphant smile.


    I wonder why I have to work with a guy like you. You who got carried away and had your wings plucked off!"


    "....... Don''t talk about wings. I''ll kill you."


    "Oh, I''m afraid, I''m afraid."


    He glares at the man who has just seen his wing, which has been ripped off and is now regenerating.


    It is still only halfway through its regeneration, which is slow because it has not gained enough power.


    "It''s beyond disappointing that you even practiced magic to disguise your existence so that people would be aware of your existence," he says. It''s pathetic to think that they are afraid of humans.


    "It''s not human. It''s something else, something ...... else."


    "Ha-ha-ha-ha!¡¡That''s too good an excuse!"


    Rappud grits his teeth and holds his breath as he bursts out laughing.


    A healing wizard of the Kingdom of Lingle.


    A man feared by the people who call him the Devil.


    The demon king was supposed to be killed, but he let the demon king live.


    How that was a miscalculation on our part.


    If only that healer hadn''t been there.


    I agree with you. That thing has thrown a wrench in our plans. A psycho like the Demon Lord should have died out right then and there, but ...... we had to settle for the worst, and it ended up so boring."


    What is most galling is that he is feared as the devil.


    Because of him, the fear that should have been directed at us fades into thin air.


    "Even if we spread rumors of our existence, the fear will be that of the healer. He is as much an abomination as the heroes."


    "Someday, you will pay for this."


    "Of course. Otherwise, we wouldn''t be here.


    Now is not the time.


    We must move the situation little by little and build up our strength.


    "It is true that we were beaten ...... in the Kingdom of Lingle, but we did what we had to do."


    "That''s as it should be. But now the Demon Lord is aware of our existence. This is nothing but a great blow, isn''t it?¡¡We should have used their lives for our sustenance. It is a shame that we don''t do so, but we are a weak force if we don''t unite."


    The fact is frustrating.


    If only the previous generation of heroes had not existed, if only the demon king had not been the authority of unreason, we could have turned a world without him into a paradise for us, a place swirling with hatred and lies.


    "Don''t screw up, Reali. You won''t be next."


    Slowly, Lapd disappeared into the darkness.


    He probably did not appear again until the operation was about to begin.


    "This is going to fail even before it starts.


    "......"


    Instead of Lapdo, a group of seven black-clad men appeared.


    One of them glares at a frivolous-looking woman with purple hair hanging down from her hood.


    "Ha-ha-ha, you''ve already lost one person! That, that devil who looks like he''s on a rampage, I can''t believe he''s going to have his soul crushed by some unknown little girl...that''s beyond hilarious!


    "Shut up."


    "If you want me to shut up, put me back in the body. Who would have liked to be brought back to life?¡¡And they don''t have souls at all.¡¡They are just strangers.


    The girl points at the six people around her who don''t say a word while smiling.


    Unlike the girl herself, the six pale-skinned people have no life in their eyes and just stand there, wavering.


    "Well, I don''t really care. I don''t care about them. If they don''t have anything inside, they''re just meat puppets.


    With that, he kicks one of the large ones roughly away.


    I give her a cold smile as she slumps to her feet and looks down at her pre-birth companions.


    "I wonder what you think about that?"


    "About what?"


    "About the ones who took your place."


    I walk up behind him and whisper in his ear.


    You say the words with malice, with a swelling anger and hatred that arouses the suspicions of those in power.


    "I am the one who has won the trust of your esteemed mentor."


    "......"


    "Who has done what you could not do."


    No response.


    But the corners of my mouth twitch at the obvious change in mood, and I continue to speak.


    "Now, I wonder what kind of feelings you have for such a healing wizard."


    "......But I died once, didn''t I?¡¡I''m not interested in it. Well, I hope you''ll listen to my glorious saga and respect me.


    "Oh, you''ve got a good sense of humor."


    "You''ve got it right. I was joking.


    Cowering his shoulders, he turns his head to one of his larger companions nearby and points a raised finger at the ground.


    "Hey, you muscle gorilla! Get in the chair."


    "......"


    She makes the corpse of her companion get down on all fours and sits on its back, sighing lightly.


    I don''t know if it''s because her soul has been perverted, or if she was a monster to begin with, but I don''t know how she can sit on the corpse of a former comrade.


    "To be honest, I''d be lying if I said I didn''t have some feelings about it.


    "Heh."


    "If that captain chose him as his successor, that''s the first thing he did, isn''t it?¡¡He doesn''t even have a decent personality, does he?¡¡That''s for sure. I know very well that people who work under the captain can''t be decent people.


    The guy who said this with an exaggerated gesture continues to cross his arms in distress.


    He is a man who switches his emotions around.


    "But ...... if you ruin his successor.... I wonder what the captain would look like if that happened. ...... Now, that''s all I can think about."


    "Oh, come on, you''re crazy."


    "Well, the captain chose her. I don''t think I can handle it. ---Hey, you two drunkards who left women behind, rub my shoulders!


    The one who says so and starts giving the two silent women a shoulder massage.


    The magic that brings back the souls of the dead is rarely completely successful.


    Most of the time it fails, leaving only a meat puppet that listens to commands, but in rare cases, a person with a superhuman spirit can move with a personality that is quite close to that of the person who was alive.


    --- She may be a little crazy, but she''s a winner.


    "But this captain of yours is a terrible person. He won''t be finding a replacement for you anytime soon after you''re dead. ...... Oops, that''s dangerous."


    He looks at the silently thrust sword without dodging it.


    The wielder of the sword, trembling as if he had been forcibly stopped too far away to touch me --- Aul looks at the man who turns his black-tinted eyes on me through his purple bangs.


    We will not allow you to taunt the captain.


    "I was just teasing you. Well, we can''t attack the Lord, so just let it slide."


    "......"


    Ahl putting away his sword.


    His skin has changed from that of the corpse, and the color of his blood has returned, but the wounds that caused his death before his death are etched inside his black robe.


    But even so, his soul has been pulled back into this world and he has risen.


    The others around him, though they may not have souls, are all quite capable.


    Then, let them serve us this time, breaking their own hearts for us.

 342 - - 33rd episode.

    The venue for the meeting of the Allied Powers is a large, round, central cavity surrounded by seats for the representatives of each country.


    The number of seats is enormous due to the large number of participating countries.


    In the front row sit the host country of the Allied Nations Conference, Queen Norn of Mialark, King Lloyd of Lingle, and the Demon King''s army, which is in the most unique position this time.


    I don''t wonder about the empty space in the center of the room, as I have a vague idea of what it is, but it will be important to see what kind of discussions will take place in this meeting.


    "Please be quiet here until the meeting starts, Demon King."


    "I know what you mean. I will enjoy this meeting from this position. ...... but there''s a good chance something will happen.


    "Please tell me what that something is: ......"


    "Kuhahaha."


    The demon king sits down on a chair with a pompous look on his face and sighs with his senpai.


    Koga, Amira, and Ciel-san stand by the Demon Lord, while I and my senpai stand guard by the wall outside the circle where the chairs are set up.


    "From here, we can run to him in an instant with our speed, can''t we?"


    "Yes, that''s right. We also have Amako and Nagi''s precognition magic.


    <


    <<>


    Kazuki and Sigurth are escorting Mr. Lloyd, and Leona and Karon are escorting Mr. Norn, so I can say that the security on their side is perfect.


    The rest will depend on the guards brought from each country. .......


    "I''m a little scared that they are allowed to have swords in their belts."


    "Since this meeting is unusual in that it will include subhumans, I guess they decided it would be a bad idea to allow them to arm themselves so carelessly."


    The representatives of the countries and their escorts who are gathering in large numbers.


    Basically, there would be a few representatives from each country and two or three guards brought to the venue.


    There is enough space for all of them.


    "I knew it! I''m surprised it''s bigger than a small gymnasium.


    "Ha ha, yes. ....... I''m sorry."


    "What''s wrong?¡¡Usato,...... Oh, it''s him."


    My senior and I look at the representatives of our country and their guards who have just entered the venue.


    Lignus and the king he serves.


    He is quiet, in contrast to his bad attitude the other day, and follows the old man who seems to be the king without saying a word.


    "...... be careful with him."


    "He is not that strong, but he is scary if he tries to harm people around him without thinking. You have to be very careful. ......"


    As I cast a wary glance at Lignas, someone suddenly comes in front of me and my senpai.


    She has red hair and strong eyes, and we immediately recognize her.


    "Princess Nia, it has been a long time.


    Since the meeting of the four kingdoms. Suzune-sama, Usato-sama."


    This is Princess Naia, first princess of the Kingdom of Calm Helio.


    Princess Nai''a looks apologetic as she checks on her escort knight standing by her side.


    "I am sorry, I am late in coming to greet you. I came to greet Master Lloyd of the Kingdom of Lingle, but I heard that you two have been assigned to guard and monitor the Demon King. ......"


    "No, no, no, don''t worry about it. I understand that it is difficult for you to go to the place where the Demon King is.


    "I''m glad you feel that way."


    Princess Nai''a is relieved at her senpai''s words.


    By the way, is Prince Kyle not here?


    "Is Prince Kyle here for this meeting?"


    "No, he was not scared when he heard that the Demon King was coming here. The only people from Kahm Helio who came to this meeting are me and the two ministers."


    "I see. ......"


    I guess some people don''t want to leave the country, so some kings leave the meeting to their ministers and children.


    But it is also because they trust Princess Nai''a so much.


    But still, Prince Kyle didn''t show up. .......


    Princess Naiya smiles at me and puts her hand over her mouth and speaks to me in a low voice so that only I and my senpai can hear her.


    "I received your notebook from Kate-san."


    "!¡¡I see. ...... I''m glad to hear that."


    Like Mr. Gerna, Ms. Kate is one of the healing wizards who came as a reinforcement during the battle against the Demon Lord''s army.


    She was asked by Prince Kyle and Minister Calm Helio to find out how to train healing wizards in the Kingdom of Lingle, and thanks to her natural ability, she found out about it.


    I wrote some advice in Kate''s notebook and asked her to send it to Princess Naiya, but it seems to have gone over well .......


    "I''m going to take this as valuable advice from a healing wizard," she said. And don''t worry, I also gave Kyle a good spanking."


    "Ha-ha-ha, how are you, Kate?"


    "Yes, she is a valuable healing magician, and she is very interesting to talk to, so I am getting to know her personally.


    Kate, you''re on the big time! .......


    She''s a cheerful person, and maybe just being around people like that will naturally cheer her up.


    "...... Ha!?"


    Hmm?¡¡Suddenly, a senior who looked as if he had just remembered something intervened between me and Princess Nia.


    What''s going on?¡¡I tilted my head and she froze for a moment, and then she uttered a few panicked words.


    "Oh, I wonder what happened to the rumors about me?


    "!!!?"


    .


    <<>


    <>


    I''m scared of the senior who steps on landmines.


    Princess Naiya answers with a slightly withdrawn look.


    "Well, I''m sorry, but even after the correction, ...... it still hasn''t been calmed down. ......"


    "Oh, I see. Oh, ha-ha-ha ......"


    The Fearful Calm Helio: .......


    The fact that there are still beautified versions of my face out there is frightening.


    "I don''t want to take up too much of your time. I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to talk to you out of the blue."


    "No, it was nice to hear your story, Kate."


    After a brief exchange of words, we parted ways with Princess Nia.


    I noticed that the venue was filling up with people, and I spoke to my senpai.


    "Senpai, what happened to you earlier?"


    "Uh, well, ......, it''s a parallel world, or rather, it''s not decided ........."


    "What?"


    Hey, hey, let me talk to Nair.


    "?"


    What is it?


    For the time being, he turns his attention to the nair inside him.


    "What?¡¡Hey, N¨¦a, your senpai wants to talk to you."


    <


    Nair comes out of my palm as an owl.


    When he saw Nair jump into the palm I offered him, he started whispering to me in a voice I couldn''t hear.


    <>


    <>


    >


    "Hey, what are you talking about?"


    I call out, and Senpai''s shoulders shake and he and Nair look back at me with awkward smiles on their faces.


    What is it?¡¡Is something wrong?


    "I guess I was wrong. Don''t worry about it.


    You''re right, Suzune was wrong. You''re so careless. Usato, I''m going back inside you.


    Nair says these words and becomes one with me again.


    What was it that made you jump the gun in the first place?¡¡...... now that I think about it.


    Anyway, the delegates will be here soon, so I''d better stop talking and get back to guarding the place.


    I''ve got to tighten up my guard.


    The venue where representatives from various countries gathered in one place was truly a spectacular sight.


    Representatives of all countries, large and small, sat in the same place, eagerly awaiting the moment when the meeting was to begin.


    While my senpai and I were quietly watching for any changes in the surroundings, Norn-sama climbed up on a platform with a railing attached to it, which was placed beside a hole in the center of the room.


    <


    The magic tool to make one''s voice louder, perhaps, is used to make it echo throughout the hall.


    There is a slight buzz, but no major reaction yet.


    <


    The Norns bow reverently.


    Then, a large blue head emerges with a loud vibration from a gaping hole in the center of the meeting.


    Perhaps it came through magic.


    Slowly the dragon with long whiskers appears from head to torso---Master Farga looks at the startled and flustered audience and quietly speaks out.


    <


    <<<<<>>>>>


    <<


    It''s the brave who have something to complain about here.


    No, there''s a real brave man next door.


    I see... So this is what you can do when Falga appears.


    "Mr. Farga, you''re big up close. He has a lot of whiskers.


    "It''s cool, isn''t it?"


    "Yes, I know."


    As I was agreeing with my senpai, Farga-sama''s gaze turned to me.


    I bow my head lightly and greet him silently, and he bows to me without noticing my surroundings.


    "Well, this is where the real work begins," he says.


    The meeting begins.


    Although we were not informed of the content of the discussion in advance due to the confidential nature of the matter, we knew that it was going to be a rather heated discussion.


    First, Mr. Lloyd of the Kingdom of Lingle spoke.


    He talked about the conflict between the Demon King''s army and the Lingle Kingdom, and gave a truthful and honest explanation about how to deal with the demon tribe after defeating the Demon King.


    The meeting was surprisingly quiet, perhaps because of the presence of Mr. Farga.


    At such a time when no discussion was going on, a man from among the participants raised his hand lightly and made a statement.


    >


    It was Mr. Lucas.


    He is indeed a king who rules a big country.


    For a moment, I think he looked at me and made a smug face, but still, it was as expected of him.


    As Mr. Lucas took the initiative in asking questions, the representatives around him started to speak one by one.


    >


    >


    Naturally, a variety of opinions were exchanged.


    Some said that the demon tribe should have been destroyed, some said that they should have been ruled, and some said that it was undesirable to rule them carelessly.


    The rest were mostly neutral.


    Next was the Demon King.


    When he came up to the podium, there was a noticeable stir, but he paid no attention to such reactions and explained the current situation of the demon tribe in detail as if he was trying to convey his message slowly and clearly.


    Of course, the demon king''s testimony alone might arouse suspicion, so he mentioned the situation in the demon king''s territory that Kazuki, a brave man from the Lingle Kingdom, and Leona, a brave woman from Mialak, had actually witnessed.


    >


    <<< Given the feud between humans and demons, it is no wonder that invasion is the only way out.


    >


    <>


    This, too, was predictably chaotic.


    The Demon Lord, whose past misdeeds have made a bad impression on the public, is naturally not to be trusted.


    There were sympathetic opinions toward the Demon Lords, but there were equally negative opinions as well.


    However, this was to be expected in the beginning.


    Next to the Demon King, Mr. Nagi appeared.


    She takes a deep breath and then steps up to the platform.


    <


    To add credibility to the story, Mr. Falga introduces her.


    She opens her mouth with a somewhat nervous look on her face.


    Everyone knows the heroic tale of the heroic hero of the previous generation.


    But it''s all glowing and beautiful.


    No one knows what happened to him in the process, or how his destiny was twisted by selfish people.


    As Nagi-san was about to put this fact into words, Amako, who is assimilated with her and me, saw something with her precognition magic.


    He hears Amako''s prediction for the next few tens of seconds and calls out to his senpai in a small voice.


    "Senpai, they are coming."


    "I guess the bad predictions keep coming true. ......!"


    A figure stands up silently, and walks down the stairs.


    A representative of the Kingdom of Verinas.


    We already know what the prediction is.


    I and my senpai make our move without hesitation.


    "Healing Restraining Ammunition!"


    In an instant, I move in front of the old man and strike him with a healing restraining bullet, grabbing his robe and pinning him to the floor.


    The older man points the tip of his sword at him.


    What''s going on!


    This is a meeting!


    The delegates, unable to comprehend the situation, begin to make a commotion.


    Usato!¡¡Hold him down!


    Yes, sir!


    Leona replies, and has the old man''s body infused with a restraining spell to stop him from moving.


    Falga and the others, who know what''s going on, seem calm.


    He repels a sword from behind him and strikes with his fist.


    "Lignus ......!¡¡And the knights around him!


    >


    Not only in the kingdom of Verinas.


    Some of the knights from other kingdoms are pointing their swords at me, as if they are being manipulated.


    As my restraints are momentarily loosened, the eyes of the representative of the Kingdom of Verinas turn black, and something like mud flows out of them, revealing a dark-skinned man with black wings.


    "Ha ha ha!¡¡You have played a trick on us, human!


    The man appears with a silly grin and looks around as if he is sneering at us while wearing revealing clothes on his upper half of his body.


    He had horns, a tail, and bat-like wings that were different from those of demons.


    The man, whose appearance matched my image of a demon, smiled condescendingly at us.


    "So that''s the devil."


    As soon as they see him leaping up into the air, senpai, clad in electric shocks, slashes at him, and Kazuki sends a magic bullet flying.


    However, they passed through his body and did not reach him.


    ...... can''t reach the main body?¡¡Either that or the main body is somewhere else.


    "Healing bombs!


    I throw a healing bomb, but even that passes through, and the particles of magic power that exploded spread out to envelop the entire hall.


    "Don''t move, or people will die!


    !"!"


    The representatives and guards standing up in the hall hold pens and swords in their hands and point them at their throats.


    The number of people in the hall is small, but they are still manipulated to be scattered around the hall.


    With the appearance of the devil, the situation becomes chaotic.

 343 - - 34th episode.

    A demon appeared in the middle of the meeting.


    It took more than a dozen soldiers and delegates present at the meeting hostage.


    Each of them had a pen or a sword pointed at their neck, and if they did anything, their lives would be taken instantly.


    <>


    We were preparing for the devil to come out with uncertain information, but we did not expect him to lurk in the eyes of humans.


    Looking into one of the eyes of the representative of the Kingdom of Verinas, the black eye has already returned to its original color.


    It does not look as if he had plucked out his eye or anything.


    "......"


    I close my eyes and check if there are any other suspicious entities in the hall, based on the particles of healing magic spread by the healing blast wave I just threw at them.


    ......!¡¡Is there anyone in the space where the demon is?


    "......"


    I see. So that''s how it is.


    I take stock of the situation, casually put my hand over my mouth, and tell Ferrum and Nair about our plan.


    "Manipulation spells. That''s a lot of work.


    The demon king looked at them with vacant eyes and let out a sigh of exasperation.


    When the demon''s consciousness turned to the Demon Lord, I looked at Senpai and Kazuki.


    "Sit down there, demon king!"


    "...... hmm?¡¡You''re already sitting down, aren''t you?"


    "What?¡¡You''re still a disgusting monster ......!


    Why do you go to the trouble of provoking ......!


    The demon''s face twists in displeasure as he turns his gaze to Lord Farga.


    "I didn''t know that a being like you was still living in misery."


    "It would be the same for you. You are history''s forgotten monster of horror. Or should I say, a pathetic creature with a fat ego to flaunt?


    Even Lady Farga is provoking ......!


    "If they have forgotten us, we only need to remind them. Either way, you can''t interfere with my body."


    The demon spun around and glanced around the hall, his face full of confidence.


    Then, what did he think? He scattered something like a magic bullet around him and stopped him in mid-air.


    "And to top it all off... If you move, the hostages will die, and this magic bullet will fall on you. You can''t do anything now, can you?


    "Oh, that''s a good fear. It''s like water seeping into dry sand, and it''s full of power. ......!"


    The demon is delighted.


    After a few seconds of being immersed in the sensation, he grimaces and twists his mouth into a grin.


    "My name is Rapdo, the symbol of fear that once ruled the malevolence of mankind, the very fear you have forgotten."


    The demon named Rapdo spreads his arms as if to flaunt himself.


    "Our purpose here is quite simple: to declare war!"


    Declaration of war?


    A silver-haired demon with dull hair.


    "The demon, the entity that has been terrorizing you, has now returned to the world!¡¡We can come in anywhere!¡¡We can cause anxiety and fear, we can move you, we can make you fight!


    Enjoying the consternation and confusion of the delegates, Rapdo''s gaze turns to me with my hands on the floor.


    "Healing wizard, who calls himself the Devil..."


    "......?"


    I turn around, but there''s no one there.


    I turn my head forward, and Rapdo points at me angrily.


    It''s you!¡¡Who else could it be but you!"


    "...... I''ve never called myself that before. What''s the point of humans using your names?"


    "~~!"


    <


    It is from such accusations that rumors spread.


    It''s only the demons now, but what if it spreads to other races?


    ...... but it''s not good to draw attention to me.


    I was impatiently trying to find a way to distract him without looking at my hand on the floor, when suddenly the demon king who was sitting quietly smiles.


    "Boring!


    "...... what?"


    Rapdo looks back at the Demon King''s muttering.


    It seems that the Demon Lord has gotten his attention.


    "Hurry up, Ferrum!"


    <>


    <>


    A line of dark magic crawls across the floor, hiding in the shadows of the table and people.


    We try not to be noticed by the demons and stop the hostage-takers with lines and binding spells.


    Well, they''re caught off guard and saved. .......


    "I wondered what you were going to do, and when I lured you out, I was surprised to see that you could be so shallow and try to show off your power. You seem to be under a lot of pressure."


    "Wisdom," huh?


    I''ll tell you what I think you''re going to do. ......Yes, you''re going to make them afraid of you, aren''t you, with all your impossible bravado?¡¡Or try to kill one of us to make an example of us?"


    That''s the Demon Lord.


    Even when he sits down, he looks like he''s wasting his time and agitating for nothing. ......!


    "Somewhere in this space, lurking in the shadows, there must be a hidden form of witchcraft. Mostly performed by the other demon, you''ve been crawling around like a rat, picking and choosing your targets to manipulate so that we won''t notice your manipulative mind spell. ...... not?"


    "You ......, my dear ......!"


    "Oh, I think you hit the nail on the head. I''m sorry about that."


    Looks like ...... is going to be okay for the time being!


    He looks at his hand with the demon king''s agitation in his eyes.


    Nair, Ferrum!¡¡Hurry up while you still can!


    "Are you so brainwashed and maliciously moved that you can''t even think straight?¡¡Or are you that weak?"


    "......"


    "Let me guess, less than a dozen or so?¡¡I guess they must have been destroyed by the last generation of Hisago ...... heroes, huh?"


    ......Wait, are there really that few demons......?


    I''ve heard that their numbers are dwindling, but fewer than ten is quite a few.


    I don''t want to hear from you who was defeated by humans in cold blood.


    "Oh, so you haven''t been defeated?"


    Rapdo chuckles.


    Not understanding where the smile comes from, he looks around and opens his mouth.


    "What difference does it make if they are in the way?¡¡In fact, I''m even feeling better now that there are fewer of them.


    "Ha, now that you mention it. You demons have no sense of kinship with us, and we just see you as a bunch of pawns to be kicked out of each other''s way. ...... as always, you are pathetic."


    ...... is almost there.


    The Demon King, with his legs crossed arrogantly, looks at Lapdo with a look of satisfaction on his face.


    His words draw the gazes of not only Rapdo but also those present.


    You have tasted too much of mankind. It is beyond foolishness to think that you do not even understand the reason for your own defeat.


    "You say that, ......?


    "Well, I guess I''ll have to remind you which one of us ......?"


    Immediately after the Demon King said these words, the voices of Ferrum and Nair, who have been assimilated, echoed.


    >


    >


    We got ''em all: ......!


    With Amako''s approval, I take a deep breath and raise my voice.


    "Senpai!¡¡Now!"


    "I''ve been waiting for you!¡¡Thunder Beast Mode 3!"


    In an instant, the senior member, clad in purple electric shocks, moves.


    The demon immediately moves to dispose of the hostage, but the hostage is already under a restraining spell that has been cast through the dark magic that has been creeping across the floor.


    It only stops them for a moment, but for Senpai, that opening alone is enough.


    "They''ve all stopped moving!


    With a flash of light, the older man knocks the swords and blades held by the hostages out of their hands, paralyzing them with a light electric shock.


    The guards immediately notice and seize the hostages to prevent them from going out of control.


    The hostages are now safe.


    "d*mn it, the magic bullet..."


    "I''m sorry, but..."


    Before the devil could turn his attention to the magic bullets floating in the air, Kazuki shot multiple magic bullets from his palm, which moved in all directions like living creatures and obliterated all the magic bullets in the hall.


    "If you think you can do whatever you want in this place where we are, you are mistaken!"


    "You stand in front of me again, brave ......!"


    No?¡¡I''m not the one standing in your way.


    Kazuki and I look at each other and I run as fast as I can.


    Kicking chairs and using a table as a foothold, I make eye contact with representatives from Calm Helio, Nirvarna, and Samaritan.


    Princess Nia rolls her eyes in surprise.


    Lucas is standing there, unperturbed.


    Seeing the smiles of Harold and Ouka, who seem to have found something even more interesting than this, I feel a bit like a fool, but I put priority on what is in front of me for now.


    "I already know where it is!"


    >


    <<>


    I heard some disturbing conversation between Amako and Ferrum, but now let''s roast the enemy!


    He grasps the magic bullet in his hand and sprays magic around him.


    "Healing detected!


    <>


    We already know that they are using some kind of magic to conceal their appearance.


    Perhaps it''s something that makes it impossible for us to perceive with our five senses, but... there it is!


    Particles of magic power reacted to something invisible!


    "I can see you, you devil!


    --- my magic sensing has firmly found the creature in the empty space!


    I feel a robe of dark magic covering my uniform.


    >


    <>


    I pound my fist into the empty space as I hear the Demon King start to laugh for some reason.


    Something hits the empty space.


    Then a silver-haired demon appears around my fist.


    "Gebaaa......, stop messing around!¡¡Leah!¡¡The magic is working..."


    "Where are you going?¡¡I wouldn''t let you get away with this. ......!"


    "Hee, hee!"


    He spreads his wings and tries to flee into the sky, but Lapd stretches out a rope of dark magic to grab him by the legs.


    "No, not you!"


    "Hmph!"


    With a single swipe of his arm, he obliterates all of the magic bullets that fly at him, pulls back the rope connected to his leg, and slams his fist into his abdomen.


    "OLLA!¡¡Healing fist!


    "Gubi!"


    He swings his fist toward the floor, releasing a shockwave of magic power and slamming it into the floor.


    "Gah! Gah!¡¡Ouch!¡¡Is it healing?¡¡But it hurts!


    "You''ll never lose consciousness!¡¡Then until you pass out!


    "Hush!"


    You look down at him, his face contorted with fear, and you are about to strike him with your fist.


    His fist closes in on the guy - at that moment, a white whirlpool appears from the side, and someone jumps out.


    "What?¡¡New move!


    He stops his fist, uses his healing acceleration to change his stance and lands on the floor, and three figures emerge from the white vortex.


    "Oh no!¡¡Isn''t this interesting!"


    "......"


    "......"


    Three hooded men.


    One of them lets out an inappropriately cheerful voice.


    "Beth!¡¡Narca!¡¡Disturb us!"


    ""......""


    <<>


    Two women who looked like women in black created magic power in their hands and released it at the same time.


    As soon as the dark magic covered my ears, something like smoke and sound waves started to flood the area around me.


    <>


    "You mean the ability for surprise attacks!"


    The purpose is to rescue the demon!


    Kazuki and senpai''s support ...... No, only I and Nagi can move in this smoke!


    The magic bullet created in his hand is squeezed and he senses the magic around him.


    There!


    He releases a healing flying fist from the smoke.


    The fist-sized shockwave blows off the white smoke and goes straight for the enemy, striking one of the black-robed men directly in the abdomen.


    "Whoooaaa!¡¡He sent out a healing magic!


    "He''s using his friends as shields ......?¡¡!!!!"


    Oh, you''re ......


    An enemy that appears to be a woman who draws nearby companions to herself and uses them as shields to prevent them.


    She is not a demon.


    But I sense an atmosphere more troublesome than that of Lapd, so I raise my fist and attack.


    "Huh!"


    "Hey, we need to talk to the guy at your feet!"


    I blocked the movement of the person who was making noise with my healing flying fist.


    I raise my fist, and someone in black holds up the hilt of my sword, which is covered with purple magic.


    Just as my blow struck the sheath that was cloaked in light..,


    "Noooo!"


    For some reason, my fist is knocked out of my hand and my body is blown backward.


    I was almost blown to the wall of the hall when I was saved by a dark magic extended by Koga, who was standing beside the Demon King.


    "Usato, what''s wrong?


    "I don''t know. I don''t know... but I was blown away by the impact. ......


    I wasn''t hurt, but it was as if the impact of the attack itself was returned. ......!


    When he saw where the magically created smoke had cleared, he had Rapdo carried by one of the black-clad men.


    "Wow, what an impact!¡¡If I hadn''t been able to defend myself in time, I might have been in trouble!"


    Is there a secret to her magical power?


    I stand up with the help of Koga and see one of the black-robed men standing in the hall with a surprised look on his face.


    The hood over his face comes off with a shock, revealing his face.


    "You are ......


    "......¥Ã"


    "Long time no see, Master Lloyd!¡¡Sigurth!¡¡You''ve aged!¡¡What?¡¡Hasn''t it been five years?¡¡Oh, it''s me!¡¡Do you remember me?


    The exposed face is a lifeless white face.


    The vivacious-looking woman with purple hair in a ponytail smiled and waved her hand in an out-of-place manner when she saw the faces of Mr. Lloyd and Mr. Sigurth.


    Both Senpai and Kazuki were bewildered by her strange smile and were unable to move.


    "Don''t tell me she''s ......?"


    It was the same for me.


    Our characteristics matched.


    The names of the people who seemed to be his friends.


    The woman smiles at me as I roll my eyes in surprise.


    You dead bastards, get me out of here!


    "......You can''t leave him here. ......Oh, yes, you can''t. We''re leaving now!"


    The woman takes out a paper-like object from her robe and uses it to initiate the transition.


    By the time they come to their senses, it is already too late, and they disappear from the scene with a flash of light.


    "......, you''re a scroll!¡¡Mr. Farga!


    "Yes, we''ve found out where they''re going. It seems they have already prepared an escape route. They''ve moved to the opposite shore across the lake from the ...... city and are preparing to make the transition.


    "Hmm, we''ve got the same location."


    It seems that both Master Farga and the Demon King have found the same location.


    ...... No, let''s not think about them right now.


    I have to do what I have to do now,


    What are you doing?


    "Yes?"


    I nod my head at the Demon Lord''s words.


    Then he looks at me with a puzzled look on his face.


    "Go after him... your ability will allow you to do that, won''t it?"


    "No, no, but I can''t leave here. ......


    "Don''t worry. They are not already in Mearaq. If you chase after them now, they will escape.¡¡...... and you have a history with them, don''t you?"


    If there is someone who can use the magic of transmigration, he will escape immediately.


    The senior staff member could probably run to the lake right away, but it would be difficult even for her to run across the lake.


    She looks at her senpai and then at Leona and sighs loudly.


    "......Oh, my God!¡¡You really are a selfish person!¡¡You are!¡¡Amako, Nea, de-assimilate!"


    .


    <


    Amako and Nair jump out of my body.


    First, I hold Amako and put her down at the place where Hayate and Nagi are.


    "Mr. Nagi, take care of Amako!


    I''ll take care of her!


    Be careful, Usato.


    "Ah!¡¡Nair, you''re over here!


    Am I trapped in that face-like armor again?


    I have N¨¦a enter the armor that I have created on her chest, and I reach out to her.


    I need his help to move fast.


    "Senpai!¡¡Please lend me your strength!


    "Okay!¡¡Leave it to me!"


    He grabs his hand back and assimilates with his senpai.


    I see that her sword has changed into a basket hand on her left arm, and I move in front of the other one---Leona-san.


    "Leona-san, I''m going after the demon!¡¡May I ask for your help?


    "What?¡¡But ......"


    Leona glances at Mr. Norn.


    Norn-sama, with a somewhat tired complexion, flips her arms wide and her face becomes somewhat angry.


    "Leona, help him!"


    "Master Norn, aren''t you making decisions too quickly?


    "You''ve just ruined a very busy meeting. You should pay him back. ......More importantly, I''m frustrated because I haven''t had enough sleep. ......!"


    ...... I''ll visit Master Norn later to cast a healing spell on him.


    I look at Leona with this decision in my mind.


    "......Karon, take care of this."


    "Yeah, I''ll take care of it. Usato, are you in charge?


    "Yes, sir!"


    Leona grabs the hand I hold out to her.


    At the same time, I become one with her, and Mearaq''s staff transforms into a leg armor that looks like it is made of ice.


    "Good!"


    <


    >


    I''m kind of sorry, Leona. ......!


    With her help, I call out to Koga.


    "Okay, Coga, be a weapon!"


    "No, you can''t!"


    I''m kidding!¡¡Protect this place!


    "Can you stop with the really bad jokes ......?"


    At any rate, we can trust Koger, so we''ll leave this place to him.


    Well, there are other Hyde and others, so I guess they are more than enough in terms of strength.


    Next we look at Mr. Lloyd and Mr. Sigurth.


    Mr. Lloyd looks like he wants to say something to me, but immediately shakes his head.


    "Usato,...... we''ll talk later."


    "...... Yes. Kazuki, take care of Mr. Lloyd."


    "I''ll take care of it. ...... Usato, go beat the devil out of him!"


    Oh ......!¡¡I''m coming!


    Kazuki''s voice urges them to open the door, and they begin to move, cloaked in the electric shocks of their senpai.


    The speed of the electric blasts and Leona''s power to use any location as a foothold with her cold air!


    With this power, I''m going to meet that person--- Mr. Ahl!

 344 - - 35th episode.

    In order to track down the demons that had appeared at the meeting and to meet with Mr. Ahl and the others who had been revived by them, I assimilated with my senpai, Leona, and tried my best to pursue them.


    The first thing that appeared in my vision as I came out of the door was a corridor in the venue overflowing with people.


    I immediately sensed that the guards who had heard something unusual were rushing in, and I jumped on the spot.


    "Hey, what are you going to do?


    "Just run on the ceiling!"


    "What?


    I kick the wall and the ceiling and jump out through the crowd to the outdoors.


    Which way?


    <


    "Master Farga!"


    <


    "Thank you."


    I follow Falga-sama''s instructions, which echo in my head, and jump up high and run along the wall, using the elasticity-assisted leap--healing jump.


    >


    <>


    "Abba-bah-bah!"


    The thunder beast mode 2 is covered with electric shocks as it moves from roof to roof. From the outside, it may look like electric shocks running on the ground, but if it doesn''t attract attention, just let it be a natural phenomenon!


    "Hmph!"


    In an instant, he has moved from one end of Mearrauk to the other, and without a moment''s pause, he leaps up the mountain with a healing jump and checks the other side of the river from the air.


    "Roger!¡¡Leona, I''m coming!


    >


    A great deal of cold air flows from his feet.


    The magic power generated turns into a block of ice in mid-air, and using it as a foothold, he accelerates in mid-air at once.


    With the momentum, he kicks from below, and the cold air forms a shape and is released onto the surface of the lake in front of him.


    "Healing Cold Legs!"


    >


    >


    "And...and...and...and...and...and...and...and...and...and...and hibernate?"


    The cold air is released, and as soon as it hits the surface of the lake, it freezes and turns into a temporary foothold.


    I run toward the other shore as fast as I can, once again covered in electric shocks, while keeping my eyes on the path formed by the ice from the surface of the lake to the other side of the shore.


    "Hyaaaaa!¡¡What kind of movement are you doing?¡¡If I didn''t hold on to you, I would have frozen to death by now!


    And I''m casting a healing spell!


    Did you really think that would make me feel at home ......?¡¡What the hell?


    I kick at the icy earth, feeling sorry for Nair''s exclamation inside my chest armor.


    The leg armor makes any place a foothold.


    Using them, I run through even the lake, and I already kick the icy ground and make a leap with the elasticity.


    "Healing jump!¡¡And again!"


    I leap up further with the ice block I created in the air, and find several figures on the other side of the river who are trying to activate their shifting magic.


    Nine people!¡¡Two of them are demons, and the rest are Mr. Ahl and the others!


    "I found it!"


    <<<>>>


    I see them and call out Leona''s name as I fall toward them.


    "Leona-san!


    >


    Swords of ice appear around me, and they are released all at once.


    "Ha-ha-ha!¡¡That''s the girl the captain wanted!¡¡He''s really out of his element!¡¡Girg!


    <>


    One of the black-clad men leaps forward and shoots something like powerful heat from his palm.


    It melts the ice sword in an instant, but in the meantime I land on the ground with my feet slamming into the ground.


    "OLLA!!!"


    I release the ice magic and generate a pillar of ice toward the demon and Mr. Ahl.


    The heat alone is not enough to melt them.


    "Oh, then it''s my turn..."


    Mr. Ahl, together with a large man called Gilg, thrusts his hand forward and releases a purple wave.


    As soon as they made contact with the ice, they cracked and shattered, and in the meantime, Girg''s heat magic melted the ice.


    "......"


    <<>


    .


    There were nine of them, just as we had confirmed from the sky.


    Two demons and seven people in black, including Mr. Ahl.


    The seven are surrounding me right now, two of the demons, Rapdo, are looking at me with a frightened gaze, and the other one is preparing to perform a transfer spell.


    "Well, now I''m in trouble. Even if we outnumber them, we''ll lose.


    The female demon who was about to make the transition raised her voice.


    The female demon who was about to transfer shouted at her.¡¡There are plenty of alternatives!


    "Yes, yes. I''ll do my best to harass and stall them, thank you very much!


    Three of the seven have known abilities, but it would be tricky if they were to use them.


    At least I can''t win, if not lose, on my own.


    Seven against one is such a disadvantage.


    ...... Well, it''s too much trouble to think about it.


    "All you have to do is stop the transition."


    Instantly activating Thunder Beast Mode 2, he forces his way through the encirclement.


    The target is a demon in the form of a woman.


    "You first!


    "What?¡¡No!


    He slams his sword into the neck of the screaming demon, but the attack passes easily.


    This one is hiding too!


    But that''s nothing with me!


    He slams the healing magic bullet he created in his hand onto the ground and scatters it around him, activating particles of healing magic into the invisible being.


    d*mn, this guy has only half of one wing......!


    .......


    "You are the culprit!¡¡I''ll never forgive you!"


    He is the one who stole and used the bodies of the buried Mr. Ahl.


    If we can beat him, we can get rid of them.


    With this in mind, I was about to attack the invisible woman when a cloud of white smoke enveloped my body.


    "Usato, it''s the same white smoke as before!


    "This is meaningless to me now!¡¡Hmph!


    He hits the ground with his leg armor filled with healing magic, spreading the healing magic around him.


    He grasps the three approaching shadows and flicks his sword with his right hand.


    He then pulls back his arm and instantly creates a purple electric storm.


    "Thunder Beast Mode 3!"


    ""......""


    Electromagnetic Acceleration Healing Flying Fist!


    One of them made a defensive move, but it was too late!


    The three flying shockwaves, combined with the Healing Acceleration Fist, hit the three who were about to attack and blow them away.


    <<>


    <>


    The white smoke was blown away by the healing flying fist, and there was a small man who was smashed by the tree on his back, a big man who was defending himself with an iron-like mass, and Mr. Ahl who was defending himself with a sword sheath covered with purple magic.


    "Captain, where did you find a girl like this!¡¡Mm-hmm?¡¡My body is ......"


    It''s a binding spell!


    Nice!¡¡Nair!


    Nair''s binding spell has left them immobilized, and they try to continue their attack, hoping to disable them.


    However, Naruka-san, a woman who manipulates magic like sound waves, intervenes and unleashes her magic in front of me, but I protect N¨¦a and strike her with my body while enduring the attack with my spirit.


    "......, smoke again!"


    Smoke comes flying from the side again.


    As he bites his teeth at it, intense heat comes along with the smoke.


    Did they send heat magic along with it? ......!


    "Leona, please match!"


    <<>


    Leona''s cold air is combined with the healing blast wave created by her hands.


    This smoke will blow away the heat!


    >


    "Healing Wave!"


    He releases his magical power and freezes everyone within the range of his technique.


    The smoke is blown away, and the two who were emitting heat and white smoke are stopped.


    "There is a gap!"


    <<>


    As soon as the white smoke clears, a sword thrusts into my abdomen.


    I grabbed it with my basket hand and blocked it,


    "My magic is something akin to shock," he said.


    What?


    I''ll return all your attacks in one fell swoop.


    A cannonball-like impact is sent from the edge of the sword into the abdomen.


    ......, I see, this is what her magic is all about.


    She takes the impact head-on with her whole body and stays where she is.


    "What?¡¡I''m sure I took quite a shock..."


    I might have been blown away if I had not driven a stake made of ice into the sole of my foot beforehand, but once I endured it, I was all right.


    Mr. Ahl''s smile tightens as I look up and grab his shoulder with my left basket hand.


    "It doesn''t matter if you know the impact is coming ......!!!"


    "No, you''re not like a captain ...... like that, are you?¡¡I''m in trouble!¡¡I''m in trouble!"


    She struggles to get him to release his grip on her shoulder and sword.


    Her strength is not that of an ordinary person, and even the electric shocks she has been pumping into him don''t seem to be having any effect.


    "That''s a lot of power ......!¡¡What the hell did they do to you!


    I''m the one who should be asking you that!¡¡What did the captain do to you?


    What did he do to you? ......?


    You know that better than anyone!


    Training ......!


    "It''s frustrating to be convinced ......!


    What did the demons do to the corpse of this monstrosity ......?


    But as far as the others are concerned, only Mr. Ahl seems to be conscious.


    "Oh!¡¡There!


    You grab the neck of someone who is approaching from behind, disappearing with magic, with a hand of dark magic created from your shoulder.


    Out of the empty space emerges Rapdo, who is holding a knife in his hand.


    It seems that he tried to catch me by surprise, but a half-hearted surprise won''t work on me now. ......?


    "Did you do that?"


    What? Why? Where?


    Once the healing sense kicks in, I''ll be in the clear.


    "It''s a bad move even if you don''t think about it, knowing the healing sense. ......?"


    <<>


    There is already enough magical power in the surrounding area from the healing blast wave that was just released.


    Even if my senses are deceived, I will find it with my other senses.


    "Okay, now is the time to come to our rescue, you guys!


    "!"


    As if in response to Mr. Ahl''s voice, they all move and come toward us.


    It is indeed dangerous to fight them with Ms. Ahl in my grasp, so after I throw her away, I ready my fists.


    "......That''s nasty."


    The little guy who blew up the first one must have definitely skipped consciousness, but maybe this is the effect of the devil''s magic?


    Before they can finish one of them off, the others move in tandem.


    Even if they defeat one of them, they are still dead, and they will attack us by forcing us to move our bodies.


    In addition to that, ......!


    "It is very troublesome when they work together ......!!!"


    Magic that creates iron.


    Magic that emits heat.


    Magic that generates sound waves.


    Magic that creates smoke.


    And magic related to impact.


    The other two are unknown, but although they do not have direct offensive power, the techniques they combine are so troublesome that even in my current state of assimilation, I was stopped in my tracks.


    "Smoke again. ......?


    Before activating Thunder Beast Mode 2, a powerful sound wave hits me, momentarily delaying my movement.


    Aiming to take advantage of this moment, steel tentacle-like tendrils extend from the ground, entangling my arms and pinning me in place.


    "Chris!¡¡Gilg!"


    "......"


    Gilg and another large man, Chris, turn their palms toward us.


    Is that heat and is that ...... water?


    Then the technique combined is ......!


    "Hmph!!!"


    He rips off the iron and meets the attack head on.


    Facing the boiling water, I throw a kick with cold air from the back of my legs with all my might.


    The two attacks collide at the center, forming a huge block of ice, but without a moment''s pause, Mr. Ahl slashes at me as if he were falling from above.


    "Ah!"


    We can''t die any more, can we?¡¡No matter how hard we try, we can''t win!


    Time will only pass if we don''t do anything!


    That''s the goal, you know!


    That''s why we''re going to change our ways.


    I change my tactics as I walk away from Mr. Ahl.


    The current form is indeed strong, but it can also be used in the opposite way!


    "Senpai!¡¡Leona!


    I''m on it!


    I''ll take care of it!


    It means we can bring two brave men out to this place!


    They appear from me and instantly move toward their respective enemies.


    Nair! Assimilate!


    "We can finally get back to the safe zone ......!"


    I assimilate with N¨¦a and head toward Mr. Ahl.


    After unassimilating Leona and my senpai, the equipment on my left arm and legs will disappear, but I look better in my current form than before!


    "You really are like a surprise box, aren''t you!¡¡You have an even crazier ecology than the captain!


    I''m the vice commander of the rescue team!¡¡I''m the deputy commander of the rescue team!¡¡I''m a healing magician under Commander Rose!


    Mr. Aur rolls his eyes at the sudden introduction, but she smiles pleasantly and opens her mouth while wielding her sword.


    "Hi, I''m Aur, I died before you came here!¡¡I wonder if you are the leader of an organization called the lifeguard!


    "Yes!¡¡An organization that saves lives, that''s the Lifeguard Corps!


    Self-introductions are not supposed to be made in the middle of a battle.


    As swords and fists clash, I say what I have been meaning to say to Mr. Ahl.


    "Mr. Earle!¡¡I will take you to the Lord Commander.


    "...... hahaha, I''d love to meet you if I could."


    For a moment, I am taken aback by her vacant smile.


    "But I can''t face you like this ......!"


    But her expression soon changes, and she returns to her frivolous smile. She turns her palm to the side--and then releases a shockwave of magical power from her palm, moving with anomalous acceleration.


    "That''s ......!"


    Shockwave has this use too, you know!"


    A slash is swung down.


    In response, I also unleash magic power from my basket hand, and avoid it with the acceleration caused by the shockwave.


    Yes?


    "I didn''t expect you to use the same technique as me. ......!¡¡That''s what I expected of you, Mr. Awl. ......!"


    "No, I''m sure that''s not the right way to use your magic!


    Mr. Ahl''s magic is a combination of offensive and defensive magic that can create a shockwave and use an opponent''s attack as its own shockwave.


    A careless attack would give her a chance to counterattack.


    >


    Then we can disable her with a single blow, and then we can use a restraining spell.


    Leona and her senpai are also fighting well, so we''ll make sure to stop them one by one.


    "One-on-one is tougher than I imagined. ......!"


    "......!"


    Me and Mr. Ahl move with the shockwave.


    However, if there is a difference in our movements..,


    "Elasticity!"


    It means that there is movement by elasticity.


    For a moment, I move in front of her, outstripping her movement, and I squeeze my fist with a binding spell.


    "If you want to see her, I''ll let you see her!


    "What?¡¡I''ll see you if I can see you!


    He unleashes his fist.


    He is convinced that his fist will surely hit the target, but it is cut off in the air when Mr. Ahl''s surprised face disappears without warning in front of his eyes.


    "What, he''s gone?


    >


    When I looked to the right, I saw Mr. Ahl and his friends surrounded by a white light and a female demon invoking magic.


    When I looked at my senpai and Leona, they too looked puzzled and were holding their weapons, and it seemed that the enemy had disappeared from in front of them just like me.


    "Healing bombs!


    "Electric fire thrust of a child!


    "Freeze!"


    Three simultaneous attacks rush toward Mr. Ahl and the others, who are enveloped in light, but all of them are repelled.


    What the hell is that magic!


    "Long-distance transfer magic! "Transference spell!¡¡We''re not in a dimension where your attacks can penetrate!¡¡You monster!¡¡You monster!


    Aah!


    Huh?¡¡That''s no use!


    I stare at the female demon who is agitating me so enthusiastically that I immediately become frightened.


    The magic she is using is powerful, but her body is not so powerful.


    "Wow, you look just like the captain when you''re pissed off... ....... Hmm?¡¡By the way, where''s Mr. Lapu?¡¡Wasn''t he supposed to be transferred with us?"


    "Oh, he ran away. ....... So it''s just us who will move on. ......


    Can''t stop the transition.


    I didn''t think they were preparing such a great magic. .......


    "It was you, wasn''t it, Usato-kun?"


    "!"


    Well, I''m sure we''ll meet again. I''ll see you then.


    "Don''t greet the enemy!¡¡I''m already in transition!"


    She waves her hand with a bright smile, and then she is enveloped in a white light and transfers to somewhere else.


    All that remained were the battle scars and the ground that had been hollowed out during the transition.


    "She got away, didn''t she?"


    "No, but we did get something out of it. We were able to confirm the identity of our opponent and the fact that the bodies stolen from the ...... Lingle Kingdom were being used."


    "...... you okay?¡¡Usato."


    I nodded at Leona who looked worried.


    I''m fine.


    I was surprised that Mr. Ahl was able to communicate with me better than I had expected.


    "Usato, Leona. I''m surprised that only Lapd hasn''t been shifted. ......"


    "That means he might be nearby."


    "Let''s find out. Maybe we can capture him and get some information about the demon."


    They won''t have gone very far.


    If we look now, we might find them.


    Suddenly, I look in the direction of Mearaq and see a ship heading our way.


    "I and my senpai will do the search. Leona, please ask the knight of Mearaq to lead the search ......."


    "Yeah, I''m on it. ...... be careful, okay?


    Yes, sir. Just to be safe, we''ll both...


    <<>


    "Ah!"


    As I was heading for the forest with my senpai, I heard a man''s shout.


    This voice I will never forget is the voice of Lapdo, the demon who appeared at the meeting.


    The voice screams out in fear, and Senpai and I rush to the spot.


    "Master Farga, do you know what happened?


    <


    The devil is disappearing?¡¡What the hell is going on?


    Let''s hurry!


    I think we''d better!


    We ran as fast as we could to the place where we heard the screams.


    It took us more than ten seconds to finally reach the place where we thought we heard his screams, and what we saw was a scene of black ashes spreading like soot on the ground, about to disappear on the wind.


    I look down at the ashes on the ground, look around me, and speak to Mr. Farga, who is probably watching remotely.


    "Lord Farga, ...... could this be...?"


    >


    "How is that possible?"


    Mr. Farga responds to his senior''s question with a distressed look on his face.


    His hesitation is not normal.


    Something unusual is happening right now.


    <>.


    "......"


    Only Mr. Hisago.


    But he is already past.


    There is no way that even he could have come back to life.


    <


    "Hmm?"


    Ferrum''s voice makes you look at the ground, and you find what looks like a red stain near the ashes of Rapdo''s wreckage.


    A few drops of ...... blood on the ground, but a good amount of it has not yet congealed.


    Is this blood?¡¡Did Lapdo try to attack someone here?¡¡Nair, can you check?"


    <


    Nair jumps out of my body and looks at the blood on the ground in her owl form.


    "It''s still fresh. It''s still fresh. ...... It''s a young woman, judging by the smell of her blood. She doesn''t look badly hurt. ......"


    Can you follow the scent?


    "I don''t have a very good sense of smell. I can tell if I''m close enough. ......"


    "No, I''m sorry I''m being so unreasonable."


    Is there any chance that someone might be injured?


    Then maybe we should still look around here.


    "No, maybe there is someone here who has been injured."


    <


    "...... yes."


    We shouldn''t go too far.


    Convincing myself, I fill the bottle I created with dark magic with the ashes of the rhapsody.


    "......And that''s about all I have to do."


    I can''t go looking for them, but I''ll do something.


    I wrap the magic bullet that I created in my hand with the bullet grant and place it on the trunk of the tree.


    It looks like a transparent green slime, but if you touch it, you will know it is a healing magic.


    "Usato, what are you doing?"


    "I''m placing a magic bullet wrapped with elasticity. If someone who is injured comes back here, he/she may use this.


    It will disappear once the elasticity is removed, but it should still last for an hour.


    If I am far away from it, I will not be able to see if it is used, but that does not matter.


    I call it a healing magic bullet.


    "Oh, so now you can give it to people?"


    "Well, it has a time limit, but that''s about it. Let''s go back to ...... now."


    We need to get back soon and let Master Lloyd know that we are safe.


    The meeting is still in chaos and we have a lot of work to do after we defeat the demons.

 345 - - quiet talk pain and fear

    I thought it was a trivial partner.


    I thought that if I played with them a little, they would just cower in fear.


    We thought that if they knew our power, our fear, our cunning, they would be intimidated.


    But in reality, the people we encountered were so different from the people we knew.


    "Ha, ha, ha!"


    They run, miserably.


    My legs trembling with fear, even my wings moving, I shudder to think of the human in white who easily overpowered me, the demon, and imprinted fear on my heart.


    "Shit, shit, shit, shit!


    It was humiliating.


    Who would have thought that such an insane being could exist?


    How could there be a human being who could detect and respond to the magic that hides its existence and deceives the five senses!


    "You licked me, you licked me ......!¡¡That human ......!¡¡I''ll never, never forgive him!"


    First we must hide.


    I can''t use Reali''s magic.


    If I can find some human and get inside his eyes, I can survive for now.


    Then I will think of a plan of revenge against that hateful healing wizard ......!


    "Ha, ha......"


    Now we just run away.


    For the next opportunity.


    You are running aimlessly through the forest when you come to an open area.


    You hear the sound of a waterfall nearby and see a person standing there.


    "Looks like my luck is turning too... ......!


    A little girl with black hair mixed with red hair, wearing a black cloak.


    At first glance she looks like a man, but her mood and her presence are that of a woman.


    If you can get into his eyes, you can get past him. ......!


    There''s no way a mere mortal can defeat the devil!


    "Huh!"


    She flaps her wings and heads toward the silent human.


    Are you so terrified that you can''t move your feet?


    Or is he simply oblivious to me?


    ""Stupid.""


    With a somewhat overlapping voice, my body is sent hurtling backward, crashing into a tree.


    I look down at the pain in my abdomen and see a cutlass piercing my abdomen, and my entire body sewn into the tree.


    "Ugh, what the ...... is this!


    I didn''t cry out because my sense of pain was different from that of humans, but my head was still in turmoil.


    A little girl of less than 20 years old sewed me up with a sword?


    That healing monster, what kind of a joke is this ......!


    But no matter how hard I try, I can''t get the cutlass out of myself.


    I stared at the little girl who had turned into a mysterious being, as if my very existence had been sewn into her.


    ""You are parasitic bugs that live on humans.""


    The little girl approached us with slow steps, but her face was downcast and I could not see her clearly.


    Her voice, however, sounds as if it has a double tone to it.


    "Little girl, you ......!"


    I will not allow you to be that way.


    I don''t recognize the face that lifts up to reveal itself.


    A face of good age, but a girl I had never seen or dealt with before - a girl whose presence and fear I knew (?????).


    "Ugh, you''re lying, you should be dead already!"


    ""......""


    He screams, his voice trembling.


    Why are you here?


    No, I don''t care if it''s you or not!


    "Why are you there!¡¡Why is a little girl like you acting like him?¡¡Stop it!¡¡A human being like you, a monster, why!


    Because you''re here.


    The little girl answers succinctly, glaring at me through a gap in her reddish-black hair, and suddenly raises her hands to her chest.


    ""System reinforcement--"seal"""


    "No, no, no!¡¡Don''t play with me!¡¡Stop it!


    Lacerations are etched into the girl''s hands and arms.


    It is natural for this to happen since they are forcing her to use the systemic enhancement.


    The pain she is in now must be extraordinary.


    You''re finished here.


    He produces a ball of light in his hand, not caring that blood splatters in the air and falls to the ground.


    A light that cannot be mistaken.


    The source of the evil that first terrified us and put us into eternal sleep.


    "Hisa--"


    My voice is silent, and my body is sucked into the sphere.


    I shiver, feeling as if my soul is being seized, as I am enveloped in a whirlpool of light, unable to speak.


    --What are you doing?¡¡Oh, no, not that!


    My body is crushed.


    Your existence as a demon that transcends even death is destroyed.


    --Aaahhh!


    The death that hundreds of my brothers and sisters have experienced in their bodies.


    My consciousness bursts after the pain as I am imprinted with the despair and horror that I myself was never meant to experience.


    I was in pain.


    The demon trapped in the sphere burst in my palm.


    The black ashes that had overflowed from my grasp and palm were scattered around me with a terrible noise, and disappeared on the wind.


    I saw this scene clearly, and as soon as I came to myself, I sat down on the spot.


    "¤¦COPY00uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu."


    The scars on his arms were causing him great pain.


    Her hands tremble and her eyes begin to water uncontrollably as she cries.


    "It hurts ......, it hurts ......, it hurts ......, it hurts ......, it hurts ......, it hurts ......."


    No time to wallow in pain.


    I manage to get up and pull the cutlass that pierced the demon out of the tree, and bandage my arm.


    That alone causes me tremendous pain, but even so, I bind it tightly and tightly so that it does not bleed any more.


    "We have to get out of here!"


    I can feel someone coming toward me.


    Very fast.


    I wrap the bandage tightly to prevent blood from falling, and hide on a rocky area near a waterfall a short distance away from the spot.


    From there, I can see the spot where I defeated Rapdo.


    The two men who appeared were Usato, a healing wizard whom I had met four days before, and Inukami, a brave man from the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "Usato ...... Nand ......, so ......"


    I only knew him one way.


    I had no intention of meeting him, and I shouldn''t have gotten involved.


    But I went to see him.


    >


    He was a healing wizard who defeated the Demon King and cast a healing spell on me when I first met him.


    Looking back, I was acting suspiciously and could have been warned.


    In fact, I think he was probably wary of me.


    Still, he was trying to listen to me kindly.


    "If you leave here, you can go to ......."


    Maybe they can help us.


    They might be able to do something about this role (...) that I have been forced to take on.


    As soon as I have these thoughts in my mind, the image of Inukami the Brave appears in my mind''s eye.


    ""Another innocent from another world ......""


    My mouth naturally moves and my irritation grows.


    I look at the blood oozing from the bandage wrapped around my arm, pushing it away from my head, which is separate from my emotions.


    No.


    I didn''t make it.


    I was supposed to fight the Demon Lord.


    I was supposed to fight him, but I didn''t make it.


    I was too scared to fight and did nothing.


    I just stood by and watched while the people I wasn''t supposed to fight got dragged into it.


    "This is what I have to do. ......"


    Because it''s what I have to do.


    Because it''s what I have to do.


    I tell myself this and look at my hands, and I see Usato and Inukami the Brave going back the way they came from.


    "......"


    I pass by the place where I killed Rapdo to go back to Mearaq, feeling sorry to see him gone.


    I should probably go around to avoid being discovered. ...... hmm?


    "...... what?"


    There is something green in the roots of the tree near where you killed Rapdo.


    When I find it and pick it up, it gives off a beautiful light that heals the wound on my hand.


    "......"


    The film-like covering of the magic power bursts at my touch, and the green healing magic light covers my arms and my entire body.


    Did Usato leave it for me?


    "...... warm ......"


    The pain subsides from both arms.


    The healing magic light he left for me healed the injuries on my arms.


    Even after the light of the healing magic is gone, I hold on to the light, and tears well up in my eyes, apart from the pain.


    "Ah, ah ...... ah ......"


    I can''t stand it.


    I don''t want to be alone again after knowing such kindness.


    "Oh, no,...... no,...... help me,Usato,......"


    All that came out of my mouth was childish denial.


    All these months, my true feelings, which I have never said out loud, are pouring out of my mouth.


    "I really don''t want to fight......I don''t want to hurt anyone......I want to go home......."


    Her red hair, which had been praised for its beauty, was now painted black.


    I ran away from home with a mission echoing in my head and ended up here.


    I couldn''t resist.


    His voice kept whispering in my ear to fill my consciousness, to fill my heart.


    "Why did you give me this power ......?"


    The magic that "I" have is gone, and another "I" magic has been forced upon me in its place.


    Why must I suffer the pain of being forced to strengthen a system I should not be able to use? ......?


    "My brave master ......!"


    Why couldn''t I have asked Usato to help me then?


    If I had, would he have helped me? .......


    I have already buried two demons.


    We''re almost there.


    If I kill all the demons, my work may be done.

 346 - - 36th episode.

    The meeting after the attack by the demon Rapdo was cancelled as a matter of course.


    However, since the meeting was canceled on that day and will be rescheduled at a later date, it was good that the discussion at the first meeting itself did not go in vain.


    However, it is true that their existence has become public because of the devil''s attack.


    We have to consider that their power will increase in the future, and above all--,


    "What do you mean I''m being called a demon-slayer ......!!!"


    "Of course not."


    "What are they really saying?"


    "I love it. It''s so cool."


    "As a bystander, you were acting even worse than the heroes."


    "I guess that''s what you call rust from the inside out."


    This is a total whack job.


    In the lounge of the inn, Ferrum, Nair, Senpai, Koga, and Amira gave me a lot of comments.


    It was really hard after that.


    After I gave the ashes of Rapdo to Mr. Falga, I was surrounded by the great people of the kingdoms and they talked to me a lot.


    As for the content, well, it must have been almost the same.


    Although I was getting used to it, I was usually troubled when they came to me in groups.


    "I don''t understand, how did you detect the location of the devil?¡¡I didn''t even get a sign?"


    To answer Amira''s question.


    It''s nothing to hide.


    "I put particles of healing magic around it, and when I detected its activation, I was able to locate it."


    "......?¡¡Sorry, is that possible in the normal sense?"


    "This guy was able to do it because his sense of sensing magic power has been sharpened to the point of abnormality by a technique called magic spinning, so it''s impossible with normal senses.


    When Nair explained on my behalf, Amira and her senpai looked worried.


    "So, if I can master that magic power, will I be able to sense like Usato-kun?"


    "Ah, I can''t be sure, but considering the nature of your and Amira''s magic, it might be possible.


    Senpai could do the same thing with electric shocks on the ground or in the air, and Amira could do the same thing with fire sparks scattered around her.


    As a test, I show them the magic spinning I have always practiced.


    "This is it."


    "I know, but you''re faster than before."


    "You''re dexterous. ....... But there are similarities with the techniques that the master and I handle: ......"


    Anyone can do the magic spinning.


    It takes motivation and perseverance to keep going. .......


    "The more people who can do what I do, the more of a deterrent it is to the devil''s art of hiding."


    "It''s a strange way to hide. ...... You''re not going to teach that to the rest of the world for free, are you?"


    "No?"


    I nodded at Coga, and he looked surprised, but then he gave me a silly smile.


    It''s something anyone can do if they know how.


    There''s nothing to hide, and it''s better to spread the word.


    I''m going to tell the others when I get back, Rose included.


    "No, you''re not greedy, that''s why. That''s all right."


    "Yeah. ......?"


    For some reason, I was convinced.


    Did he think I was going to take his money?


    While I was thinking this, I noticed that my senpai was staring at Koga with a serious look in his eyes.


    Hey, Koga!


    "What the hell?"


    Koga looks somewhat alarmed as he is approached by his senpai.


    "I suspect you have a little bit of a crush on him, but what do you really think ......?"


    "Hey, Usato!¡¡This brave man just threw a huge bomb at me!¡¡What''s going on?¡¡Don''t blatantly distance yourself from me!¡¡I told you before, that''s not what I meant!


    Koga yells at me for reflexively distancing myself from him.


    No, I know, but his desperate reaction is scary or something.


    "KOGA...... has his own taste, but in moderation."


    "The first kind words you ever said to me were too much!"


    He puts his hand on Amira''s shoulder and her cheeks twitch.


    "You''re kind of like that, aren''t you? You''re a good guy, but if you don''t get into fights, you''ll lose your good nature.


    "Given the nature of dark magic, it''s a real possibility."


    The perceptions from Nair and Ferrum are also moderately bad.


    I feel sorry for them, so let''s clear up the misunderstanding.


    "Senpai. Koga is just a battle-hungry dark magician who is a bad guy who persistently challenges me to a fight. Ha-ha-ha."


    "I guess you were right. ......"


    "Do you realize that your true feelings are hurting me the most, you ......!"


    I think it''s time to go to .......


    I stand up as the scenery outside begins to turn the color of sunset.


    "Well, senpai, I think it''s time to go."


    "Oh, it''s that time already. ......"


    Senpai also stands up and carries a brave man''s sword at his waist.


    We are not going to fight, but we need to be equipped for the battle after the demons have come out.


    "Nair, you can stay here with Ferrum.


    I''ll do that.


    Am I going to be okay if I don''t go?


    Don''t worry. I''m just going to see Master Lloyd.


    Now that Mr. Earle has left, we have to talk to Mr. Lloyd.


    It seems he knew about Mr. Earle, too. .......


    "Well then, Koga, take care of Amira too."


    "Yes, sir."


    I''ll leave you two in charge of guarding this place, and we''ll leave the inn.


    Our destination is the inn where Master Lloyd, the representative of the Kingdom of Lingle, is staying.


    I and my senpai are walking down the street, wearing hoods to hide our faces.


    "Usato-kun... I think you''re a little overconcerned.


    "What?"


    Then, suddenly, the older student starts talking to me about that.


    I looked at her and saw that she was turning her magic power while looking at her own hand.


    I was amazed at how smoothly she was spinning the magic from finger to finger, accelerating the magic to such a degree that I could not believe she had just started.


    "I can see why you take your mission so seriously. I understand that you are working for the sake of the demon tribe. But you know, sometimes you''re a bit self-absorbed."


    "Is that so ......?"


    "Yes, it is."


    I was assured.


    I was not aware of it, but my seniors thought so. .......


    "You are thinking that in the end you should do this, or at least try to do this. In that final choice, even your own life is at stake.


    "That''s what ...... is all about."


    "If you lost the battle against the Demon King, you were prepared to let us go and strand us by yourself, weren''t you?"


    "!"


    I understand. I know what you''re thinking. I''m your senior.


    I couldn''t tell him that the battle with the Demon King was already over.


    I was honestly surprised that she knew about my resolve, which I had not mentioned to my senpai.


    "I''m not saying it''s wrong. If you are going to act without regard to my feelings and Kazuki''s, then I guess it''s the best solution."


    "...... Yes."


    "But maybe you and I will get angry if we do. Not only you, but the Demon King and even the demon tribe. They will try to get you back by any means necessary."


    By any means necessary.


    I hadn''t thought that far ahead.


    At the time, all I could think of was to keep Senpai and Kazuki alive for the sake of hope for the future.


    "I have seen you in the parallel world, and I can tell you that I would be the same way if I lost you. That''s exactly what I will become, an evil demon who will use any and all kinds of cowardly means."


    "No, my seniors would never do such a thing ......."


    "I thought the same thing when I saw you doing it."


    .......


    I lost my senpai and Kazuki in the first battle, and I became a nobody, not even a member of the lifeguard corps.


    I can understand why you feel that way.


    We are friends who came to the same world.


    We came to the same world and became friends.


    How can I be in my right mind when I lose two such people in front of me?


    "Well, I can''t say I blame you, because as I said, things are going well."


    "Yes."


    What matters is what the future holds."


    The senior, who has taken a lighter turn, raises his index finger.


    "We''re fighting an enemy we don''t really understand, the devil. Besides, you have to fight against Mr. Rose''s former subordinates.


    "It''s going to be a tough fight. ......"


    "Yeah, you''re going to be caught in the middle of a lot of it. That''s why--"


    She stops dead in her tracks, turns around and removes her hood.


    Her black hair is blowing in the wind, exposing her senior''s smiling face.


    "I''ll be right behind you, lest you turn into a real devil!


    "....... What''s that?


    "Frowning is fine, but you''re better off smiling. You''re not Mr. Rose, you''re not an ogre, much less a demon. You''re you."


    I guess I''m me .......


    It feels like it''s been a long time since I''ve been told that.


    The hooded senior starts walking again and looks at me with a startled expression on his face.


    "Oh, now I look like a heroine!


    "If it weren''t for that one word, you definitely would have."


    "Kyaun ......"


    "Ha ha ha."


    I think you are a really fun person.


    I''m reminded that he''s really a blessing to me, and that he''s the reason I''m still feeling the way I do.


    I am so thankful to have him in my life.


    I arrived at the inn of the Lingle Kingdom and was escorted to the room where Master Lloyd was waiting for me.


    I was the only one who could talk to Master Lloyd and Mr. Sigurth, since my senpai was going to wait at the door with Kazuki, as if he cared about me.


    I was invited into a large room with Mr. Lloyd and Mr. Sigurth, and a large amount of papers were piled up on a table, as if they had been doing their work until a few minutes ago.


    "Oh, you''ve come. I''m sorry to have called you here, Usato.


    No, I''m sorry to bother you at a busy time.


    "You can sit in the chair there."


    I sit down at the urging, and Mr. Lloyd takes the seat opposite me, with Mr. Sigurth standing at his side.


    "You fought against Rose''s former subordinate, Aul, didn''t you?"


    "...... Yes."


    The story is about Mr. Earle and his friends.


    Seven skilled warriors stolen from the graveyard of the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "I expected this. I was prepared. But I didn''t expect them to appear looking so much like they did before they died.


    "Did Mr. Lloyd know about Mr. Earle personally?"


    "I have not forgotten any of you. Even those who lost their lives in battle, knights who are still serving their country.


    Do you, by any chance, remember the faces and names of all the knights?


    I looked at Mr. Sigurth, and he nodded silently.


    "I''ll have to tell Rose."


    "What do you think, Commander? ......"


    "He''s strong. He is strong... impeccably so. But he also has human weaknesses.


    "Weakness ......?"


    Well, I somehow understand that in his case, he never shows it to others since he became the deputy commander.


    "But I''m sure he won''t have to worry about that with you. You are Rose''s only apprentice and successor to her will."


    "I''m still a work in progress, though. ...... haha ......"


    I need to gain more experience.


    "How does the Lingle Kingdom plan to deal with Mr. Ahl and the others?"


    "Hmm. We are planning to spread the word about the arrangement, but the fact that they are working with the devil won''t make much sense. Instead, we need to tell them at the meeting that we have the ...... means to summon the dead."


    "Indeed, ......."


    We can''t let the deceased powerful people of each country other than Mr. Ahl and his friends come back to life as a mute body.


    "Ahl or ...... he was quite the curmudgeon. Sigurth.


    "Yes. He was always causing problems when he first joined the team, but he started to make his mark when he became Rose''s subordinate. ......"


    He smiled and said so with a wry smile, as if he remembered those days.


    "Usato-sama, was Aur the only one who had a will?"


    "Yes. Yes, I am sure of that. The other six were ...... like puppets.


    "It makes sense, given the strength of her spirit ......, but at the same time, Aul has a very troubling mindset ......."


    "May I ask you to be more specific?"


    Rose has told me, but I would like to hear from Mr. Sigurth as well.


    "Aur''s spirit never wavers in any situation. No matter how bad the odds are against her, no matter if she is surrounded by demons, no matter if she is trapped in a cave where the rubble crumbles and there is no escape, she does not despair and she does not stop.


    "...... is amazing."


    "From my point of view, I can say that I am just like you."


    Never give up, huh?


    I don''t know if I am like him or not, but I still respect Mr. Ahl as a person who has gone before me.


    "The others were all quite a bunch of crooks, too. Mr. Lloyd, do you remember the incident where the liquor in the liquor store in the castle town was consumed in a single night?"


    It''s hard to forget something as shocking as that, even if you wanted to.


    What do you mean ...... that liquor from a liquor store was consumed in one night?


    As I tilted my head, Mr. Lloyd and Mr. Sigurth looked at me distantly.


    "There were two female knights under Rose, Beth and Narca. They have a very bad drinking habit, and they are also very heavy drinkers. They often go down to the castle town and drink heavily, and the next morning they return to their knightly duties as if nothing had happened.


    "Are those people human ......?"


    There are more. Two large men, Chris and Gilg, roam the streets at night, half naked. Josh, who leaves the exercise and heads out to seduce a woman. And Dinh, who has done nothing wrong but is oddly shadowy and often forgotten."


    They''re a hell of a lot of people with a hell of a lot of character. ......!?


    "I still think it''s an amazing story to think that all of them came under Rose''s control."


    "Ha-ha-ha, at one time they were the most famous seven in our country."


    It makes me a little happy to see that Rose is still Rose, as are the strong men of today.


    That''s why I''m a little itchy to see those seniors being left to their own devices by the devil.


    "But somehow, the members of the rescue team, including me, don''t seem to make much of an impression on me.


    ""......""


    "......Hey?"


    Why did he silently turn his face away from me,...... Mr. Lloyd?


    Then, as if suddenly remembering something, Mr. Lloyd turns to me.


    "Oh, yes. I have to show this to you, just in case.


    "Yes?"


    He shows me some documents in a somewhat suspicious manner.


    I take one of them in my hand and look it over--my body goes rigid.


    "Mr. Lloyd, is this ......?"


    "This is a letter to contact you."


    "......"


    I honestly wonder what he''s going to do when he meets me.


    "Don''t worry. I''m going to refuse everything. Still, I thought I''d let you know. ......"


    "Thank you."


    Master Lloyd looked tired, if not a bit exhausted.


    I rolled up the documents, feeling somewhat sorry for him, and as I had expected, there were some documents of Mr. Harold of the Kingdom of Calm Helio.


    "Kazuki and Suzune received the same, and you have received just as many as well.


    "From other people''s point of view, I''m in a more easy-going position than a brave man, I hear. ......"


    "And in addition to that, there is the work you''ve done here. Together with Suzune and Kazuki, he saved the hostages and defeated the demons with his unique skills."


    I guess I was too conspicuous, even if I had no choice. .......


    It''s hard to get involved in political matters like this, but if we are going to be involved in demonology and demon issues from now on, we have to face these issues as well. .......

 347 - - 37th episode.

    Two days after the demon attack, another meeting took place.


    This time, Lady Falga and the Demon King had to prepare for the unexpected by preparing all possible defenses through magic before the meeting.


    I was also assigned as a guard, but I was assigned to watch the entrances and exits outside rather than inside the hall.


    .


    Senpai and Kazuki are inside guards.


    I''m the outside guard, and I''m standing in front of the door like a guard, but there''s no sign of demons attacking me like the other day.


    "Are you sure you can stay here, Mr. Nagi?


    I ask Nagi-san, who is leaning her back against the wall next to me.


    She turns her head to look at me, trying to make up for her surprise.


    She turns to me, trying to compensate. My part in this is over the other day. Besides, Falga-sama assured me that the devil won''t come, so I don''t think there''s anything to worry about.


    "Well, if Lapdo is like that, the demons are too scared to come. ......"


    "I think one of the reasons is because you''re here, too. Oh, no, it''s nothing. ......


    From the devil''s point of view, I''m the only one who can sense his deception.


    It''s convenient for me.


    <


    He chuckles as he listens to the voices of Amaco, Nair, and Ferrum, all of whom have been assimilated into the group.


    Ferrum is saying some very rude things, but I forgive him with a generous heart.


    What are you going to do now?


    "What are you going to do now?¡¡Well, your position does not allow you to move freely, so for the time being, I guess you will wait for orders from your superiors.


    "I see. ......"


    "What would you do, Mr. Nagi?"


    I asked her and she crossed her arms in distress.


    "I guess so. I''m going to head to the beastmen''s country for the time being. After that I haven''t really thought about it. I thought about traveling, but ...... I''ve already seen what I want to see with you guys."


    "As a view from the cage?"


    Exactly.


    The consciousness that has been awakened since the moment the sword was pulled out of the evil dragon''s heart.


    To be precise, it is the other Nagi-san who has Nagi-san''s memories, but it does not make much difference in the present situation where two personalities are contained in one body.


    "So, you know, I feel like I''ve done almost everything I wanted to do after seeing the streets of the Lingle Kingdom with my own eyes."


    Have you finished what you wanted to do: .......


    Hmmm...then you just have to find something new to do, but it''s not that easy...


    "...... I can''t help you with that?"


    "My help?"


    Yes. Yes. I know it''s a lot of work and I want to help you.


    .......


    I''m glad you offered.


    However, considering Nagi''s situation, I am very sorry to involve her in what I have to do and tie her down.


    "You don''t have to go out of your way to help me. ...... Nagi, you can live your own life, can''t you?"


    "No, no. It''s not something I was forced to choose, but I have a good reason.


    Reason?


    Nagi-san, smiling and shaking his head, continues to speak.


    My life has been a series of battles. Before I was sealed, I killed many demons and not a few people. ......


    "Mr. Nagi ......"


    "I wanted to live a life like you ......, no, like a lifeguard, to be able to help someone or save someone''s life."


    I never thought I had such a thought. ......!


    There was no way I could say anything if he told me so much. ......!


    I turned to Nagi, put my hands on her shoulders and turned to her.


    "I understand. ......!


    "What, what, what?¡¡What ......?


    A heart that wants to help others.


    That''s all you need.


    Besides, I know how strong her heart is. ......!


    Then..,


    "Then today you are a lifeguard. ......!"


    "No, no, no, no!"


    Nagi-san panics at my words.


    You can refuse if you don''t want to, but only if it''s okay with you.


    <>


    <<>


    The mascots on the inside may be rude, but Nagi-san has more than enough qualities to be a lifeguard, just like Nack.


    "No problem!¡¡Me? !"


    "Yes, of course. ......!¡¡I''m sure the Commander will not object. ......!


    <<<<<>>>>>


    I nodded my head, and Nagi-san looked somewhat moved.


    This exchange reminds me of the exchange I had with Nack in Luxvis. ......!


    <<>


    >


    <>


    The lifeguard is also excellent in terms of making a place for Nagi-san.


    They are going to Hinomoto as of now, but things may be different for Mr. Nagi now that hundreds of years have passed.


    Oh, that''s right. .......


    What about the other Nagi?¡¡Is there anything you want to do?


    Then Nagi''s hand is wrapped around my arm as if to entangle it.


    She pulls me closer to her, and her strength is so strong that I can''t shake her off easily.


    Hmm?¡¡Is it a joint technique?


    After a moment of stunned look on her face, Nagi-san turns red and rushes away from me.


    "Wow, I''m too bold inside me!


    <>


    It looks like the other Nagi did that earlier.


    What was his intention?¡¡Is that it?¡¡Is it like they want to have a hand-to-hand combat or a contest of strength?


    Don''t tell me he is trying to continue the battle at the ruins. ......?


    ?


    The second meeting ended without a hitch, and we returned to the inn with the Demon King.


    The content of this meeting was the treatment of the demon tribe and how to deal with them.


    According to the story of the Demon King, for the time being, personnel from the Kingdom of Lingle will be dispatched to the demon tribe to monitor them.


    Then, they will investigate the temperament of the demon tribe, their way of life, and the causes that led to the poverty of the land.


    While I am glad to hear that the treatment is not as bad as I had imagined, I am curious about who will be dispatched to the Lingle Kingdom.


    I know that there are currently knights from the Lingle Kingdom in the demon king''s territory, but they are only assigned to the territory, not to do anything other than watch over it.


    So, I''m going to assign one of them to you.


    "What about ......?"


    I was told this in the room where I was summoned by the demon king, and he simply said such a thing to me.


    Freezing for a moment, I pointed my finger at myself and tilted my head.


    "Oh, it''s me?"


    "Lloyd, as a result of our discussion with Falga, there is no one better suited for the job than you, is there?"


    What do you mean by "the right person"?


    "Probably, the demon''s next target is the demon king''s territory.


    "Oh, really?"


    I''m just saying it''s a strong possibility.


    I see: .......


    That makes sense.


    "Another reason is that you can relate to the demons in a friendly manner. ...... Well, the image of the demon tribe is that of a demon."


    "That''s your fault. ......!!!"


    "It''s your fault, too, isn''t it?¡¡I only encouraged it.


    Gu,gugg .......


    I don''t like being demonized ......!!!


    Well, that part is fine if you can get rid of the image after you are dispatched.


    However, if they are sent to the demon king''s territory, they will be staying there for that period of time, right?


    ...... hmmm.


    "In other words, it''s a traveling rescue mission, isn''t it?"


    "What?¡¡It''s not like that. ...... No, you can do whatever you like there."


    "Master Demon King, you''re up to something, aren''t you?"


    "Huh, I don''t know what you''re talking about. ......"


    So you''re saying I could be a lifeguard?


    I know I shouldn''t think this way, but I''m looking forward to meeting Keira.


    "You''re in on the third meeting tomorrow, right?"


    "Yes. I just have to practice my magic spinning, right?


    That''s right. Well, it''s just a matter of me doing it.


    The demon king moves magic from finger to finger at high speed with the best of intentions.


    Well, I''m not surprised that he can do it normally, and I''m not surprised that he can detect demons in other ways.


    "It would be more efficient for you to teach him than for me, the Demon King. You seem to be getting a lot of attention.


    "Are you being sarcastic?"


    No, I''m just trying to be funny.


    The Demon King laughs at me as I make eye contact with him.


    You''re really smiling with amusement, you devil king. .......


    Is this the end of the meeting?


    "Yes. Later that evening, they will hold a banquet to celebrate the gathering of the delegates, but I will decline.


    I remember Master Lloyd telling me he was going to do something like that.


    If the Demon King were to join us, the air would be more than a little chilly.


    Why don''t you join us?


    You''re getting good at sarcasm, aren''t you?


    It doesn''t seem to be working at all, though.


    ...... Well, it''s a delegates'' banquet, so I won''t be attending.


    Or rather, I don''t want to attend when there are people who want to contact me.


    You are forced to attend.


    "Yeah. ......"


    "You should at least learn the faces of the representatives of each kingdom for future reference, right?¡¡You need to work on your social skills first."


    "Huh. ......"


    What he is saying is not wrong, but I wonder.


    Worst case scenario, if I can get through this acting like Rose, no one will talk to me, yes.


    "Oh, yeah. You can take Ciel with you."


    "What, wait, Demon Lord, you''re not listening!"


    Ciel stopped making tea and looked surprised when he was suddenly asked to speak.


    "I have to give a little reward to my excellent subordinates.


    "Usato-san and the others are just crazy, but everyone around them is prejudiced!"


    Ciel has a point.


    I wonder if he is thinking about that.


    He is the type of person who enjoys the reaction of people who don''t dare to say anything. .......


    "No one would have the guts to harm my men. I''ll have Coga as a bodyguard."


    "Please let it be Amira-sama!!!!¡¡Mr. Coga is just fine and will be gone soon!"


    Ciel laughs at Coga''s low opinion of him.


    If Amira-san is my escort, I don''t have to be so uptight either. .......


    "Well, it''s not so bad to be on the losing end. I have enjoyed this meeting as much as you have. Looking forward to the next one, right?¡¡Usato."


    "You really are a ......!!!"


    Now that the war is over, you can really do whatever you want.


    It''s much better than being wronged, but as for me, it makes me feel like I''m getting back at them.

 348 - - 38th episode.

    A banquet with representatives from each kingdom.


    In other words, it was a standing buffet party. I was going to attend such an out-of-place place with my senpai, Ciel and my escort ......, well, Koga, to the venue.


    "......Why Mr. Koga?¡¡I asked Amira to go with me.


    "Ha-ha, he said he''s worried about leaving me to guard the Demon King alone.


    "Ugh,...... you are unreliable and I''m worried about you. ......"


    "Hey, come on, he''s a former corps commander, okay?"


    Ciel tilts his head.


    "?¡¡...... I don''t think your strength has anything to do with your humanity?"


    "You''ve got a pretty bad tongue,......."


    For the time being, Ciel and Koga are the only ones who will be attending the event.


    Well, this man is a bit random, but he will do what he has to do, so we don''t have to worry too much.


    "I thought I would be asked to wear something for the banquet, but ...... I didn''t think I would be allowed to keep my group uniform."


    "It seems to me that a certain amount of formal attire is necessary. I guess it doesn''t really matter since you and I are both dressed in our formal attire for our positions.


    Senpai wears the white combat uniform he wears as a brave warrior.


    I''m in my usual group uniform.


    To tell the truth, this is the most comfortable outfit for me.


    As I feel relieved inside, Nair, who had been assimilated with me, jumps out of her owl state and changes into a dark-haired, red-eyed girl.


    "I was thinking that I should wear a dress for the party, but I think I''ll just go with you and wear my troupe uniform. ......!


    <<>


    "It''s not a makeover. It''s an arrangement."


    I wonder what difference that makes.


    Now Naea is dressed in a troupe uniform on top and a skirt on the bottom, and there are some differences from mine and Rose''s troupe uniforms, such as cutouts on the arms and a belt.


    "Do you think it''s cute?"


    "Hmm?¡¡Yes, it looks good on you. Yes.


    "Well, I know what you mean!"


    Then why did you ask ......?


    It''s hard to move around in the uniform of a rescue squad, and you could say it''s arranged for looks. ...... Well, Nair is in charge of logistical support, so we can let him do what he wants.


    "Usato-kun, I''d like to be a member of the rescue team after all, wouldn''t you?


    What''s going on all of a sudden?


    "I want to wear a uniform, too."


    "Isn''t the motive too much ......?"


    I think the senior member can do well in the lifeguard corps, but ...... this person is a brave man.


    It''s bad to make him wear two pairs of shoes and put a burden on him. .......


    "To be honest, I don''t think the title of "brave" means much to me now."


    "What?¡¡Is that so?


    You see, I have already completed my mission as a brave man.


    But don''t you have other things to do?


    Nair pointed out, and the senior shook his head with a wry smile.


    "Now that the battle against the demon king''s army is over, there is no need to fight. I could work in the castle, but I''m not suited for that kind of work.


    "......"


    "Besides, I''m not going to lead my men into battle as a ''hero'' like Leona."


    I can do it, but I''m not cut out for it.


    It''s understandable, considering your personality.


    Besides, even though there are demons, there is no one to fight against like the Demon Lord''s army from now on.


    So, the title of "hero" is not so meaningful.


    "Oh, it does mean something to you, Kazuki. After all, he''s with Celia, right?"


    "But not Kazuki?"


    What''s that supposed to mean?


    And if he''s with Celia, that means he''s with ...... Oh, that''s right.


    "Kazuki will need a title as a brave man, right?"


    "I don''t know yet. But it is a well-known fact that Kazuki and Celia are good friends. Above all, Master Lloyd approves of it."


    If Kazuki continues to remain in this world, he may one day become the king of Lingle, huh?


    I never thought of that.


    I''m sure it will be as good as it is now that Master Lloyd is ruling it.


    "So you''re going to join the lifeguard squad."


    "Mm-hmm."


    "...... hmmm."


    This is getting more complicated than I thought.


    This is not a decision I can make on my own. .......


    "Master Lloyd said I was free to do as I pleased. The rest is up to you and Mr. Rose."


    "...... As far as I''m concerned, there''s no reason to stop you."


    "Well, if I had such a reason, I would have ......."


    "My rating is too low. ......?"


    Nair and Ferrum''s assessment makes the senpai''s cheeks twitch.


    "When I said earlier that I wanted to get a group uniform, I was half-serious, half-joking..."


    <<


    "I really want to help people, not to fight. I don''t want to ...... take anyone''s life anymore if I can help it. ......"


    The story of the battle against the Demon King''s army, huh?


    As long as I fought as a brave warrior, it was inevitable that I would have to deal with the attacking demons. .......


    "Well, besides, even if I were to train you, my magical properties limit the number of people with whom I can train."


    "Ah, as expected, it would be difficult for an ordinary knight to train you using the thunder beast mode."


    The only two people in the castle with whom you could have a mock battle with would be Kazuki and Mr. Sigurth?


    Both of them are busy people, so their time would be limited.


    "Yes. To be honest, it''s been a long time since I''ve used my Raijyu Mode 3 during the simulations here. Until then, I wasn''t satisfied with my training. ...... haha."


    "I can''t ...... train ...... enough!"


    I hold my mouth in shock as I realize that my senpai''s situation is more serious than I had imagined.


    "That''s ...... painful, isn''t it ...... really?"


    "I think that''s the first time I''ve ever made you look like that."


    The senior will lose his title as a brave man, huh?


    Normally you wouldn''t think it would be that easy to remove it, but Lloyd-sama respects our wishes, so it''s not surprising that he would allow us to do so.


    "All right, I understand. I will recommend you to the Commander.


    Really?


    "Really?" "I''ll go to ...... for the title of Vice Commander of the Rescue Mission!"


    I''m afraid you''re going to make a bet like that. ......


    In the meantime, I should be prepared to be pissed off too.


    "Is it my imagination that the lifeguard''s affiliation is becoming a magical place ......?"


    <<


    "But we''re going to run out of room soon. It''s about time you built us another dormitory."


    That''s enough of this story for now.


    I talk to FERM, who is saying something rude to me, thinking deeply, "I guess senpai are in trouble, too.


    "Is it OK if FERM doesn''t go outside?


    I ask FERM, who has become one with me.


    "Ha ha, anything is possible."


    "Don''t give me that serious tone back."


    I got a straight face.


    With shoulders drooped, I check the members once more.


    Ciel and Koga.


    And then there are senpai, nair, and me, who''s now assimilated into Ferrum.


    "Well, let''s relax our shoulders at least for now. ......"


    I''ve been on my toes all day, and it would be nice to take a break for a while.


    With this in mind, I proceeded to the venue.


    I was going to the venue.


    When we arrived at the venue - or rather, at the hall built inside the building used for the meeting, there were already many delegates gathered there.


    It seemed that the banquet would start soon after our arrival, and first the Queen of Mialak, Norn-sama, went up on the prepared platform and gave a speech.


    After the greetings by Mr. Norn and Mr. Lloyd, a lot of food was brought from the back of the hall.


    <>


    <<>


    <>


    >


    <>


    What is it with people who talk to me and half of their stories are about doubting whether I am human or not?


    I expected a certain amount of talk, but isn''t half of it too much?


    "Here, Ferrum."


    After placing the food properly on the plate, I move to the wall and let the dark magic on the back side of my group clothes swallow the plate.


    When the plate disappears as if pulled from the inside, I sip the drink in my hand.


    "Ahhh, I''ll never get used to this..."


    "I wish you''d take over, for God''s sake."


    <>


    I''ll be nearby.


    Not ten meters away from me, Ciel is munching on his food.


    Somehow, Koga seems to be getting a bit carried away with this, judging from his discomfiture.


    Senpai and Kazuki are probably following Lloyd-sama, and ......?


    "Nair is ......?"


    He was close by just a moment ago, but before I knew it, he was gone.


    I looked around the venue and soon found Nair, but ...... it seems that she was being talked to by about three men.


    Is she being hit on?


    <<<<<< eh >>>>>>


    Hmm?¡¡Why are you looking at me?


    I wonder as Nair, with a fake smile on her face, points at me with her palm, and then she comes back to me, away from the three of them.


    "Hmm, it''s a sin to be born with good looks, isn''t it?


    >


    Don''t do it. So, what happened?


    "It''s just what you see. She hit on me.


    Well, she''s a pretty girl without patronizing her.


    She''s a little clumsy, though.


    "Well, what did you say when you looked at me?"


    She said, "You''re the master. He gave up when I said that.


    "Don''t tell me a fact that''s too misleading!"


    If they didn''t know that you''re a demon, they would definitely misunderstand you!


    Of course, it''s not a mistake, because you''re a demon and I''m your master!


    But don''t you think I''ll be misunderstood because I''m in human form?


    "Oh, Usato!"


    "Master Harold, Master Ouka."


    As I was holding my forehead, Harold, the king of the kingdom of Nirvarna, and his son, Ouka, came to me.


    It seems that Mr. Hyde is not here.


    "I heard you were here. I thought we should meet one last time."


    I''m sorry. I should have come to you.


    "You must be new to this kind of thing.¡¡I''m not the one who gets upset about things like this."


    You have a big heart.


    As I was admiring him, Lady Ouka notices Nair standing next to me.


    "Oh, Usato. Who is that girl over there?


    "Yes, she is ......."


    I''m sure he won''t recognize me from the outside, so I''ll just introduce him as my messenger.


    As I was thinking this, Nair came to embrace me in her arms.


    "I''m your wife!


    "What?


    N¨¦a''s bouncy voice dropped a bombshell, and not only me, but also Harold and Ouka-sama froze.


    ""......""


    What''s the matter with you, this air?


    Nair grins as the air freezes with a snap, and quickly pulls away from his arms.


    "Just kidding. I''m actually a messenger.


    With a pop, Nair transforms into an owl and stays on my shoulder.


    Harold rolls his eyes at this, but soon smiles tightly.


    "No way, it''s the humanoid messenger I''ve heard so much about. I can''t believe I didn''t notice it at all.


    "Not so great. I''m just a 300 year old clumsy vampire."


    Boom!¡¡He is struck on the cheek with a wing, but ignores it.


    When he realized that it didn''t work, he pecked me on the cheek with his beak like a woodpecker, but I ignored this too.


    "They get along well, huh? There are only a few humanoid demons, and there have been only a few cases of them becoming messengers. ......


    "It''s like I was forced to sign a contract, though. ...... haha."


    They made me sign a contract with them, regardless of my intentions.


    Now I''m glad that Nair was there, though.


    Usato.


    "Yes?¡¡Yes, sir?¡¡Mr. Ouka.


    You don''t have to say "sir. You can call me "brother-in-law" if you like.


    Oh no, he''s going to make me his brother-in-law.


    Maybe I should finally say no.


    Then Master Harold speaks to me with a grim look on his face.


    "I saw with my own eyes what you did the other day and I am convinced of it. Usato, will you take my daughter?


    "I''m sorry ...... to hear you say it with such a serious face, but ......."


    I was given a very serious look on my face.


    Nirvarna is bad enough, but isn''t she also bad enough to make Harold look like this?


    Well, there''s no other way but to sacrifice Koga and escape from this situation. ......!


    "Oops, you can stop there, Usato''s in trouble."


    "Mm, you are ......"


    Third party voice.


    When Mr. Harold and I turned around, we saw a familiar face standing there.


    "Lucas ......!¡¡You raccoon! ......!"


    "You have a very interesting story, Harold. No, you old muscle."


    I mean, how many times have you heard the most outrageous abuse?


    The two kings of Samaritan and Nirvarna, which could have been neighbors in terms of location, are glaring at each other like a pair of sparks.


    ...... hell?


    <<>


    "Shall we do that?"


    "I''d better."


    He quietly leaves the place with Nair, who has somehow assumed human form.


    I don''t mean to be rude, but I somehow felt that this was about right for these people.


    It''s really rude, but...


    "Hey, Ciel! You eat too much!"


    "We can''t do this if we don''t eat while we can. ......!"


    "How much stress do you usually put yourself through ......?"


    Koga, on the other hand, was astonished at Ciel-san who was eating his plate full of food with great gusto.


    He''s in a lot of trouble too. .......

 349 - - 39th episode.

    The banquet was really hard.


    I really didn''t feel alive when Master Lucas and Master Harold were arguing with sparks flying and smiles on their faces.


    I could not hear the conversation very well because I was away from the place, but I am sure that they were talking about something related to me.


    After the situation was settled down, I went to greet Mr. Norn, who seemed to have been the most difficult person to deal with this time.


    When I saw him up close, the stagnation in his eyes was as bad as when Mr. Karon was out of control, so I gave him a healing spell as part of shaking his hand after getting his approval.


    After that, the representatives talked to me ...... and I felt more tired than in a normal training session.


    "Amako is going back to her hometown with Ms. Nagi, right?"


    "Yes."


    A day has passed since the banquet.


    The representatives of each country had returned to their respective countries after the meeting, and I had come to see Amako off as she followed Hayate and the others back to Hinomoto.


    On the ship docked at the port, Amako, who was standing next to Nagi-san, nodded her head in agreement with my words.


    "I''ve got to go and punish my mother now."


    "What do you mean ......?"


    "I''m going to get mad at you as a daughter because you''re roaming around town on a whim and annoying Hayate."


    Ah, Hayate had a hard time, didn''t she?


    Well, I''m sure Kanoko will be happy to see Amako for the first time in a long time.


    "Is Usato going to the Demon Lord''s territory?"


    "Oh, you know about that?"


    "No, I heard something about that, and I thought if anyone was going to be chosen, it would be Usato."


    "Correct. But don''t spread the word too much."


    I know.


    Well, it''s not like I''m going right away.


    It''s only half a month at the most, so I''ll have time after I get back.


    "Enjoy your hometown for the first time in a long time, Mr. Nagi."


    "......"


    "Mr. Nagi?"


    I called out to Ms. Nagi, but she seemed to be in a daze for some reason.


    Thinking it was unusual for her, I called out to her again, and she immediately came to her senses.


    "Are you all right?


    "Uh, ah, ah, I''m sorry. I didn''t hear you."


    "....... Is there something on your mind?"


    It''s hard to imagine this guy just sitting around.


    I ask him, convinced that he is.


    "....... It''s about the demon who was killed, you know. I''m still wondering who killed him. ......


    "I was told that the only way to kill a demon was to strengthen its lineage with hisago-san''s light magic ....... Maybe he was--"


    "No, that''s not true. It''s never going to happen, Usato."


    I tried to say that he might be alive, but Mr. Nagi assured me that he was not.


    "It would be possible with the skills that Hisago has. His lineage enhancement can even make the life energy of an adversary his own. He''s stubborn, he''s always dark, he''s an old man, and he eats anything edible, even bugs. ......"


    "Kannagi, hundreds of years of complaining."


    "Oh, sorry, sorry."


    I felt a sense of kinship with these angry words of discontent.


    I''ve been told by Nack and Amaco in a similarly nuanced way: .......


    "But no matter how rotten they are, they''re still good-natured at heart. Besides, he told me to look to the future, ...... so I guess he himself didn''t intend to live long."


    "I see."


    I wasn''t going to live long, huh?


    As someone who was shown his past by the demon king, I''m curious to hear what happens to him after that, but I''m not sure what will happen to him now that ...... Nagi has been sealed away and he is left alone. .......


    "He''s a really annoying guy. ......!¡¡That man ......!!!!"


    "Yeah. ......"


    Nagi-san''s words stunned me.


    "Because, I was supposed to celebrate my sister''s engagement if I hadn''t been sealed ......!¡¡When I woke up, there it was!¡¡I was so confused when I woke up and saw my sister in this tiny little body!


    "Tiny?¡¡Did you just call me tiny?¡¡Did you just call me small?¡¡Kannagi?


    "I can''t believe you are my sister''s descendant. ......!¡¡And my techniques are still around, and the annoying demon king is back, and besides the awakened me, there''s another soul with a personality like mine, and there''s just so much going on that it''s hard to keep track of it all. ......!


    Well, that sounds like a lot of work.


    I laugh as I step in between Amako and Nagi-san, who are both giving off a swarthy vibe.


    "...... sorry, I''m distraught ......"


    "I know you''ve been through a lot, Mr. Nagi. I don''t mind."


    I do care.


    Amaco, who is easily rooted.


    "What I can say with certainty is that I do not believe that Hisago is still alive to this day. That''s why it''s so puzzling. ......"


    "Besides Hisago''s magic, was there any other way to destroy demons or ......?"


    "That''s possible. ...... Well, there''s nothing we can do about that now. Let''s leave that kind of thing to Falga-sama and the Demon Lord."


    So is that.


    Master Farga and the Demon King are smart enough to know what they''re doing. .......


    "Hinomoto, are you still looking forward to it, Mr. Nagi?"


    "I think it''s changed a lot. Ha-ha-ha.


    It must be a memorable place for Mr. Nagi.


    "For now, I think I''ll take Kannagi to Linka''s parents'' house. I''ll show him the statue of Kannagi there."


    "Really, don''t do that!¡¡I''ll die in agony!"


    "Ha-ha-ha."


    I remember there was a bronze statue of Mr. Nagi.


    I guess it must be a very complicated feeling for him to have his own statue made.


    "Amako and Kannagi seeing him off?"


    "Hayate, Rinca..."


    "Hey, Usatoh."


    While I am talking with them, Hayate and Rinka come to this place.


    Hayate gives a smiling look to Rinka, who comes running toward us with an excited look on her face.


    "Well, I''m glad we were able to finish the meeting safely despite the problems that arose.


    "It was a tough meeting for both of us. ......"


    "Ha ha ha ......"


    I came here as the head of a tribe of beastmen.


    I''m sure it must have been mentally hard for you, with all the prejudice and discrimination around you.


    "I wasn''t at the meeting, but you were great, Usato!"


    "Not that great!"


    "That''s definitely not true!"


    "How can you be so sure ......?"


    And then, with a smile on his face, Linka told me it was a lie.


    Is that it?¡¡Is he talking about the time he created the Healing Cannon, the original technique of Healing Flying Fist?


    Does she still think I released the fist pressure ......?


    "d*mn, the pure words of Linka resonate more than the malicious words of the mascots. ......!!!"


    "I think Usato has a problem with that."


    "Shut up ......!"


    I reply to Amako''s quick quip and turn to Hayate, who is smiling at me.


    "...... are we leaving soon?"


    "Yes. How about you?


    "I''ll be coming too. I''ll be in the same boat as the Demon King for two days again.


    "It looks like you''re having a hard time ......"


    He seems to have a tendency to open up after the battle is over.


    He''s having fun playing with me.


    He''s got a really bad personality, you know?¡¡I''m sure he thinks I''m a toy or something.


    "I can see that Usato seems to be enjoying what he''s doing."


    "Oh, are you a demon king, too?"


    I didn''t expect Amako to agree with me.


    Just as I''m slumping my shoulders in disappointment, the boat Amako and the others are on blows its whistle.


    "It''s time to go."


    "Yes."


    "It''s good to see you again."


    Hayate nodded at his words.


    He, Nagi, Amako, and Rinka board the ship.


    "See you later, Usato."


    Bye!


    I wave to Amako and Rinka as I see them off.


    The boat that Hayate and the others boarded is moving through the lake toward the other side of the shore, and I leave the place and head toward the boat I''m going to board.


    The landing place itself is not that far away, so I proceed with a gentle step and notice three figures heading in the same direction as me.


    "......Hey?¡¡Leona-san, Karon-san?"


    Two of the three people walking in the same direction are Leona and Karon.


    Leona is supposed to accompany us on the return trip, but I wonder if Kalon came to see us off.


    "Oh, Usato. I was just going to see you off."


    "Oh, thank you very much.


    The other person looked to be about the same age as Leona and Karon, with flaxen hair and a calm atmosphere.


    Ms. Karon introduces me to the woman behind her.


    This is my wife Mirfa. I didn''t hear that you wanted to meet her. I brought her here to see you off."


    Nice to meet you, Usato.


    "Oh, it''s nice to meet you, I''m Usato. I see, you are Mr. Karon''s ......."


    I had heard about her, but she is a beautiful woman.


    I hurriedly greet her back, and she smiles broadly.


    "You don''t have to be so formal. He used to be a knight just like me and Leona.


    With a gentle smile on his face, Mr. Milpha turned around and hit Mr. Karon in the abdomen with the bottom of his palm.


    Ah, that''s what he meant by "being on my ass." .......


    "Kalon, I told you, didn''t I?¡¡He saved your life and you want to greet him properly.


    "Oh, oh, sorry."


    Mr. Milpha talks to a moaning Mr. Karon.


    He is a knight just like Leona and Karon, so he must be very strong as well.


    In fact, his palm strike just now was amazing.


    "As usual, these guys are ......."


    "So it''s not unusual?"


    "Yeah."


    I call out to Ms. Leona, who is letting out a sigh of exasperation as she watches the exchange between the two.


    She laughs and nods.


    "I guess this kind of thing is part of what makes us good friends."


    "Haha ......"


    "It''s a little irritating to see that up close and personal all the time, though."


    "......"


    I felt like I casually caught a glimpse of Leona''s true feelings.


    Let''s not go through this here: .......


    Then, Mr. Milpha turned around and bowed deeply to me, as if he had finished his conversation.


    "Thank you so much for helping Kalon when he lost his mind," she said. Thanks to you, my husband is here without losing his life. ......"


    "No, not at all. ......"


    To my surprise, Mr. Mirfa continues.


    "I was surprised to find her more normal than I had expected. Both Karon and Leona were exaggerating. ......


    "Yes, I get that a lot. ...... By the way, what did Leona say?"


    "Usato?


    I ask, noticing Leona''s shoulders shaking.


    She said she can''t take her eyes off him because he always acts unexpectedly.


    "Leona-san, I''m sorry about something. ......"


    "No, no, I didn''t mean it like that!¡¡Hey, Milpha!"


    "I''m sorry."


    I was just worried about you in general, man. .......


    They are always deceiving us with their looks, monsters, ogres, and lately, demons and demon slayers....


    The same is true for where I''m going, and I''m heading to the landing with Mr. Karon and the others.


    "Now comes the hard part, Usato."


    "...... you know?"


    "Yes, from Falga. It must be difficult to be sent to the Demon Lord''s territory."


    "You''re being sent to a hell of a lot of places. ......"


    Mr. Karon and Mr. Mirfa are right, it is indeed a difficult place.


    We are going to be sent to a place that was enemy territory just six months ago.


    I am sure we will face many problems.


    As for me, I''m worried that they might be afraid of me.


    I know your character. You''ll do fine."


    "Thank you very much."


    I see, Mr. Karon doesn''t know.


    Well, yeah, it''s okay if you don''t know ......, I don''t bother to tell you.


    "Oh, ......"


    "...... Leona?¡¡What''s wrong?¡¡You look like you know what''s going on.


    No, no, it''s nothing.


    It seems that Leona has guessed why I might be afraid of her.


    Half of it is the Demon Lord''s fault, and the other half is my own fault, but the demon people recognize me as a demon and are afraid of me.


    The Demon Lord is just having fun, but for me, I want to clear up the misunderstanding as soon as possible.


    "Well, I''m also the deputy commander of the Lingle Kingdom''s lifeguard corps. I intend to carry out my own activities as a member of the rescue squad when I am dispatched to a new location.


    "Ha-ha-ha, that''s the spirit."


    Mr. Karon pats me on the back and smiles brightly at me.


    Finally, we arrive at the boat for our return trip.


    In front of the boat, I see Ferrum and ...... his senpai with an owl-like Nair on his head for some reason.


    "Usato''s finally here!"


    "Oh, hey!¡¡Hey, Usato-kun!"


    I wave back at him, and as I arrive at the spot, Nair, who was on top of my senior''s head, jumps onto my shoulder.


    "You''re late!"


    I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry.


    While I was apologizing to N¨¦a, Ferm was next to speak to me.


    "Did Amako leave safely?"


    "Yes, and with Mr. Nagi here, I don''t think there''s anything to worry about.


    Your luggage is already loaded.


    "Oh, yeah?¡¡Thank you, Ferrum.


    "...... something about this exchange shows that she''s an unusual girl, but in a good way. He''s talking to a little owl and a demon child in a friendly way. ......"


    Don''t you agree?"


    "Why are you so proud of ......?"


    As I answer Ferrum, I introduce Mr. Karon and his wife, Milfa, to the seniors.


    The seniors seemed surprised to learn that Milpha is Mr. Karon''s wife.


    "Well, we''d better get going.


    After I had taken the seniors on board first, I said goodbye to Mr. Karon and Ms. Millefarras.


    Mr. Karon put his hand on my shoulder and gave me a friendly smile.


    "Take care," he said.


    "Next time, when you''re settled, come visit us in Mearaq."


    "Yes."


    I nodded to Mr. Karon and Mr. Mirfa.


    When Mr. Karon saw that I nodded, he spoke to Leona who was standing next to me.


    "Well, Leona, you take care of the rest, okay?"


    "I know what you''re going to do. You make sure that Mirfa doesn''t find out that you''ve been drinking with his men behind his back.


    If you hadn''t said that in front of him, we could have kept it under wraps.


    Karon?


    He''s pissed!


    I laugh at the surreal sight of the big Mr. Karon being scared of Mr. Milpha.


    I wish I could come to Mearaak this time without any mission or anything.


    Thinking this from the bottom of my heart, I said goodbye once again to Mr. Karon and Mr. Millefa, and boarded the ship with Leona.


    "This meeting was very difficult, wasn''t it?"


    Yes, really. I never thought I''d be called a demon-slayer.


    "...... I don''t think the word ''kill'' would suit you. ......"


    "Huh?"


    She smiles calmly, her eyes reflecting the distant streets of Mearaq.


    "You are the one who can keep people alive. Some may mock you as someone who is not prepared to kill his enemies, but ...... that is not true. That is your strength, I am convinced of it from what I have seen of you."


    "......Thank you. Leona."


    I keep Leona''s words in my mind and look out over the lake from the boat.


    My strength.


    I wasn''t really aware of it, but strangely enough, I was able to convince myself of it.


    "I''ll have to do my best even in the demon king''s territory. ......"


    I don''t know what the future holds.


    Perhaps I will be faced with a choice like I was at the time of the Demon King.


    But even so, I hope that I can keep going forward without bending myself, I think to myself.

 350 - - the last moment of a conversation

    For the demon tribe, this meeting had a special meaning.


    The meeting was to determine the future treatment of the demon tribe by discussing the perception of the humans toward the demon tribe and the current situation of the demon tribe.


    The result of the meeting was good.


    Although there is still a sense of distrust toward the demon tribe, some understanding was obtained.


    Then, we took a boat for a short journey of two days to return to the demon king''s territory again.


    "I wonder what will happen to the demon tribe now. ......"


    I muttered to myself as I walked around the ship.


    I was supposed to be a guard for the demon king, but the demon king told me to take a break from guarding.


    I knew that he meant it out of concern for my hard work, so it didn''t come as a shock to me, but I am not as easygoing as Koga, so I was somewhat dejected as I walked toward my room that was assigned to me on the ship.


    "...... hmm?"


    Is there someone sitting on the deck?


    I immediately recognized the figure sitting on the deck with an owl on his head and sitting on his back, and I headed towards him.


    "Amira?"


    "Amira-san?


    I am surprised to see Usato turn to me after muttering that.


    Did he sense my presence ......?¡¡No, that may be part of it, but you knew it was me even before you saw me. .......


    Can I help you?


    I was just passing by. What are you doing here?


    Nair wants to know more about magic sensing and is practicing it here.


    Because you don''t disturb people on the deck.


    ......After all this time, he really is a strange guy. This guy.


    "He''s a hard worker."


    Ferrum comes out of the usat, perhaps unassimilated.


    She is still leaning her back against the deck railing when Usato calls out to her.


    "No, this time it''s a request from Nair. I was just in my room reading a book. I mean, you''ve been assimilated into the group for some time now.


    "Huh?¡¡I got permission.


    "Was I right? ......?"


    Usato tilts his head at Ferrum, who turns his gaze slightly to the side, fiddling with his silver hair as he says these words.


    "Hmmm. I guess I just didn''t listen to him.


    "Yes, you''re right."


    ...... definitely not.


    Seeing Ferrum who does not hesitate to assimilate and Usato who does not care about it at all, I was a bit taken back, and Nair who turned from owl to human form cowered her shoulders in disgust.


    "Your magic detection range is wide, about a 10 meter radius. Over time you will be affected by the wind, but within that range you can sense the presence of all living things, and you can react to moving inorganic objects.


    "That''s pretty narrow. ......"


    "No, I don''t think it''s that small."


    At least, it''s a good enough range for Usato, who mostly fights with his fists.


    From my point of view, it is quite troublesome that Usato, with his amazing reflexes and close combat ability, has the ability to completely detect the enemy''s approach and attack.


    "It also means that if the devil doesn''t get that close, he won''t know. ...... Hmmm, oh, yes."


    Usato creates a magic bullet in his palm, as if he had thought of something.


    He covers the magic bullet with another kind of magical membrane and hands it to Ferrum.


    "Ferrum, will you take this and get away from me?


    What the hell is this?


    "Healing bombs."


    What the hell are you doing with that?


    Ferrum raises his voice as he receives a magic bullet with a strange name.


    "No, it''s not that powerful even if it''s an explosive shell. It''s just a light diffusion of magic power. Please smash it on the ground at a distance from me and break it.


    "Really?¡¡It''s not dangerous, is it?"


    She moved about 10 meters away from us, and then, with a great deal of trepidation, she slammed the magic bullet in her hand onto the floor.


    With a small explosion sound, the magic bullet cracked and particles scattered into the air.


    "I see."


    Usato, who had his eyes closed, chuckles.


    "Nea. I seem to have awakened to a new skill. I''ll name it ......, the healing sensor ......."


    "This can be done just by throwing healing magic bullets, so we don''t have to give it a name, do we?"


    Usato nods at Nea''s words.


    The range of the healing magic is recognized as being within the range of the magic bullet, even the place where the magic bullet lands. ...... It''s becoming a technique that''s all about chasing down demons.


    Now that I have mastered the techniques of my master and mastered the secrets of magic, I never thought I would learn anything from a human being. .......


    "Do you have any tips on how to do that magic trick?"


    "Any tips?¡¡"Well, you have to be conscious of it.


    When I ask him about it a little further, he crosses his arms and worries.


    He looks around once, nods, and then looks up.


    "If you compare the magic power flowing through your body to a river, the magic bullet you created is a ship. If you imagine that the ship is just a prompt for where to go, and it is the flow of the river that moves you forward, it might be easier to do.


    "Hmm. Thank you."


    In other words, the magic bullet to move is only a guide, and the important thing is the flow of magic itself.


    It is a technique to accelerate the flow of magic power and to develop the ability to sense magic power itself.


    It takes a lot of skill to get to that point, but it is ...... interesting.


    "On a different note, ......"


    "Yes?"


    I suddenly remembered what I was going to ask, and I''m going to ask it right now.


    "You are coming to the demon king''s territory in the near future, have you heard what you are going to do?


    "Roughly. I''m going to report on the situation there and support the Demon Lords ......."


    Or worse, surveillance.


    Somehow I guessed that he was choosing his words carefully, so I spoke to him without pursuing the point in depth.


    "As far as I''m concerned, it''s easier for me to work with you than with someone whose identity I don''t know. I have no objection.


    "Ha-ha, thank you very much."


    "There will be some confusion, though. ......"


    "I''m sure you will - ......"


    In the battle in the city, the soldiers mistake Usato for a demon.


    Hannah was also traumatized at one point.


    She has a definite fear of Usato and will be terrified when she hears about the dispatch.


    "As for me, I had to meet Keira ...... Oh, and I had to meet the child of the dark wizard I met on my trip, so I was going to go to the demon king''s territory anyway."


    "A child of a dark wizard?¡¡Is that ...... okay?"


    The child of a dark wizard is mentally unstable.


    I was worried that there was a danger of the dark magic going out of control for some reason, but Usato shook his head with a wry smile.


    "Don''t worry. He has already mastered dark magic, and he was so enthusiastic that he even went to Koga to learn dark magic.


    "Is that so ......?"


    "I wonder why he''s so enthusiastic. ......"


    "He''s got a big, fat draw on him. ......"


    I noticed that Ferrum and Nair were whispering about something. ...... I wonder if this guy has the ability to influence dark wizards in some way. .......


    "Also, I''d like to talk to Nero Agence. ......"


    "...... I heard that your master tried to kill you, are you alright?"


    Usato''s face turns a bit puzzled when I ask him such a question.


    "Haha, I''m used to that kind of thing with the Commander.


    "...... I see, so that''s how it is. That''s a funny thing to hear."


    I''ve been prepared to die many times in training with my mentor, too. .......


    If Usato is the same, then my earlier question was meaningless.


    "Wait, you''re engaging in a conversation that shouldn''t be engaging."


    "I guess we are similar in that we have a terrible teacher. ......"


    Two people who have an extraordinary mentor.


    And if we think of each other as having had a mutual relationship, we can''t help but think of each other: .......


    "In the end, I never had to fight you.


    "Yes, we fought at the Demon King''s castle."


    "That''s no way to go into a fight."


    Rather, the battle with Leona after that would be the real one.


    She knew of his existence during the second invasion of the Lingle Kingdom, but in the end, the war ended without a fight with Usato.


    It is not that I wanted to continue the war, but I have a regret that I wanted to fight against a healer who was out of the ordinary for a warrior.


    "When you come to the demon king''s territory, shall we try a hand-to-hand combat?"


    "As long as we don''t kill each other, that''s totally fine.


    It''s a deal.


    Now we have something to look forward to.


    Then Nair talks to Usato who is sitting on the floor.


    "Are you sure?¡¡Are you sure you want to do this?


    "It''s not a fight for your life, it''s a hand-to-hand combat. It will be part of our exchange with the demon tribe, and there is no reason to refuse.


    ...... I should probably go back to my room.


    I lift my body off the railing and start to walk away when I notice Ferrum standing right next to me, looking up at me.


    I am upset that she, who is slightly shorter than me, is staring at me.


    "What the hell, Ferrum?"


    "Okay, you''re different."


    "...... what?"


    "Boku, for the first time I''m glad you''re a manly, hard-brained swordsman."


    "Isn''t that too much to ask ......?"


    I''ve never been so insulted in my life.


    And the fact that he was unaware of it made me not know whether to be angry or depressed.

 351 - - Go back to your hometown.

    Hisago was like a father to me.


    He saved me when I was a child from being killed as a decoy against the magical beasts that invaded the land of humans, and gave me the name Kannagi.


    I owe him for saving my life.


    I am also indebted to him for giving me a name, since I had no name.


    But for that, I seriously regret that you sealed it for me so unexpectedly.


    It is also my fault for not realizing that Hisago had been driven to that point.


    But I think he should have at least asked me for my consent.


    I haven''t said goodbye to my sister, and I haven''t even met the man she is going to marry.


    In addition, I had to pass hundreds of years and wake up in this time period at the age of 18 years old.


    ......No, to be honest, I have no complaints about our meeting in this time period, but I still have nothing but resentment toward Hisago.


    "......The forests and such haven''t changed."


    We crossed the other side of the river from Mialak and proceeded into the realm of the beastmen.


    Riding the horse that had been brought to the other side of the river, I was riding along the mountain road toward Hinomoto, the land of the beastmen.


    "I knew it!" I thought to myself, "I miss this place so much!


    Amako, who was also riding a horse, asked me.


    Rinka was standing next to me, so I guessed that the two friends were talking amicably with each other.


    "The view of the forest. I know some of the scenery of Hinomoto itself, since I saw it from Usato''s cage.


    "That reminds me. It''s a little strange to think that ...... all that fuss was within a year of each other."


    "If you put it that way, isn''t it just like the series of disturbances you and Usato were involved in?"


    "Yes."


    Just looking at it from the small sword and basket hand is quite a feat.


    The battle against the evil dragon that awakened in the modern age.


    The curse of Samaritan.


    Kalon, awakened by the dragon''s power, has gone berserk.


    The rebellion of Jinya, the chief of Hinomoto.


    At least, we are caught up in all this commotion as we travel.


    "You know, Amakoh..."


    "Hmm?¡¡What is it?¡¡Linka."


    "Usato, was he that powerful from the start, like a beast?"


    "...... ah."


    Amako looks a little uncomfortable.


    To tell you the truth, I was wondering about that part too.


    I know that he was recruited into the rescue team right after he was called to this world, but I don''t know what he did after that.


    "I don''t know much about when Usato joined the rescue team. But I do remember that it was very unusual for someone to join there, so it was a big topic of conversation in the city.


    "That was rare."


    Well, that''s a bad group of people with that much practice. .......


    In my opinion, the black suits are quite physically strong.


    "At first Usato said he was a normal person, but from the way Rose-san was into it, I think he was probably not normal."


    "I''m going to say it categorically - ......"


    "Because it''s Usato."


    It''s funny how those words convinced me.


    It seems that my mental health has been seriously compromised since I got caught up in the schemes of the outlandish sorcerer of Samaritan, whom I was going to lead to the end of the line.


    The sorcerer got what he deserved, just as hisago said.


    "The first time we consciously saw each other was probably when I was ...... tending to the store. I think it was before Mr. Rose ...... Usato''s boss threw me into the forest where magical beasts and such live."


    "Wait a minute, isn''t it funny ......!!!"


    "...... Linka, did I say something funny?"


    "You''re numb, amako!"


    Hayate and the guards, who had been casually listening, turned around in surprise.


    "I heard it''s a fond memory for you, Usato.


    "You miss it!¡¡You don''t have nightmares or something?


    "It was also the first time I met Bulrin. He was told not to come back until the grand grizzly was defeated, and he was alone in the forest for about ten days.


    "What''s the lifeguard organization for? ......"


    I have the impression from what I''ve heard so far that the organization tries everything it needs to do in case of emergency.


    They are trained to put themselves in extreme situations to be able to cope with any contingency that may arise, and they make the most of it in the real world.


    It is a fierce training policy that can be said to have healing magic.


    "I think that Usato''s technique started to go wrong after he started throwing healing magic. Before that, there was the healing punch,...... but that was a technique that Rose taught him."


    "Healing magic doesn''t sound like a big deal when you hear it, but when Usato throws it at you, it''s really scary. In fact, it was very scary.


    "That was Rinka''s own fault for suddenly shooting an arrow at me."


    "Ugugu ......"


    As we exchange small talk, we soon reach the deep forest that surrounds Hinomoto.


    We finally arrive at Hinomoto, pulling our horses and making our way through the trees where the sun''s rays do not penetrate.


    Once in the city, we split off from Hayate and the others, and Amako and I head for her house in the city to meet her mother.


    "Is it okay?¡¡You''re interrupting my home."


    "Yes. I heard it''s a pretty big place, and I thought it would be good for Kannagi to know some people."


    "I guess you''re right. Thanks.


    "Also, I''m kind of curious to see how my mom will react."


    "Yeah."


    You''re wondering what it''s all about, aren''t you? .......


    Sure, Amako and I may look like sisters at first glance.


    With some dismay, I turn my eyes once again to the streets of Hinomoto.


    Wooden houses and nature combine to create a tranquil scene.


    "I knew that ......, but it''s so different from the time I was there."


    "Well, it''s been hundreds of years."


    "But this view is what the beasts were looking for back then. ......"


    A place free from strife and malice.


    Hinomoto is the realm of the beastmen alone, untouched by man.


    ...... now that I think about it, I am glad that Jinya''s attempt to take advantage of Amako and her mother failed.


    "I''m here."


    "......It''s a pretty big house. ......"


    We arrived at a large wooden building.


    It seems to be heavily guarded, with soldiers on guard, perhaps because I am one of the few wizards who can foretell the future.


    "Welcome home, Amako-sama, Hayate-sama has told me about you.


    I''m home. Is ...... mom inside?"


    Yes. She just returned to the house a few minutes ago. ......


    A female soldier with a spear nodded at Amaco''s words.


    Amako''s expression seems to be a little sad.


    "My mother got you into trouble again, didn''t she? ......"


    "You said you were celebrating Amako-sama''s return today, and you were so excited that you were going to cook alone. ...... Before you knew it, you wandered off to buy ingredients alone. ......"


    "I''m sorry ......"


    "No, it happens all the time."


    ......You really are an odd one, Mr. Kanoko.


    To tell the truth, she is just like my sister in personality and carelessness, and she is a descendant of my sister. .......


    Let''s go. Kannagi."


    "Yeah. ......"


    I take off my shoes and enter the house.


    A woman comes from the back of the house with a clattering sound, as if she has heard our arrival.


    She is Kanoko-san, a person with waist-length blond hair and the same fox ears and tail as Amako and myself.


    "Welcome back. Amako."


    "Hey, I''m home, Mom."


    She smiles happily with a gentle smile on her face and hugs Amako with her arms outstretched wide.


    While I was smiling at Amako, who looked embarrassed but not too full of joy, Kanoko-san, who was still holding Amako in her arms, turned her gaze to me.


    "Welcome back. You''ve grown up, Amako."


    "Mom, I''m still in your arms."


    "...... Oh?"


    "No, no, no, no, no."


    Isn''t he a little too fast-paced than expected ......?


    Amako is left to her own devices, and Mr. Kanoko puts his hand on her cheek in surprise.


    "Are you Amako''s child?"


    "He''s older than me."


    "...... could it be my other daughter?¡¡I don''t remember. ......"


    "Of course not, because that''s not true."


    "Don''t tell me she ...... didn''t tell you she had an illegitimate child ......!"


    "Please don''t bring my dad into this, he''s in heaven. ......


    I think you''re a natural. ......!


    The fact that the speculation that he keeps spouting one after another is not even a hint is just too much.


    "Oh, so they''re sisters. Amako must have wanted a big sister for a long time."


    "......Soudane"


    "Amakowo!¡¡Don''t give up trying to explain!"


    If I don''t explain before things get any more complicated, I''m going to be in big trouble!


    Amako was getting more and more impatient with me, and I hurried to explain the situation to Mr. Kanoko.


    "Actually, sir... ......"


    He desperately tried to explain with gestures and hand gestures.


    That I am the sister of Amako and Kanoko''s ancestor who was sealed hundreds of years ago.


    After I was sealed, Usato and the others rescued me, and I am here today.


    I asked her questions so that she would understand what I was trying to tell her,


    "So, from today on, Kannagi-chan is my daughter, is that right?"


    For some reason, I was made Kanoko''s daughter.


    ...... No, I don''t even have to think about it!


    "If we share the same bloodline, we''re like relatives, we''re like family now, aren''t we?"


    "Oh, no, I mean, you know,......


    I haven''t had parents for as long as I can remember, so I''m a bit embarrassed by Kanoko''s response, which is so unexpected.


    What the hell?¡¡What is this feeling of confusion and joy?


    "Kannagi, you should give up."


    "Oh, Amako is fine ......?"


    "She''s my mother. And I think it would be better for you to stay here with me and your mother.


    That''s true, but...


    Even though I am weakened, it is better to make my position here since I am also a precognition magician.


    "I think we have a deal. I''m looking forward to working with you. Kannagi!"


    "......, thank you."


    I bow, too, while sitting on my knees.


    In no time at all, you''ve turned me into your daughter. .......


    "Well then, I guess it''s time for dinner. I had a premonition that Amako would be back with Kannagi-chan, so I made a lot of food for her.


    When I hear the word "rice," I get excited.


    As I stand up, feeling ashamed of this, I suddenly feel my consciousness being pulled back to the back of my mind.


    Sometimes, I feel as if another me is controlling my body.


    What on earth are you doing?¡¡I wondered without any alarm, and then the other me stepped forward and embraced Canoko.


    "What?"


    "~~~?


    What is the other me doing?


    What''s more, she''s doing something terrible, like bringing her consciousness back to me after hugging me!


    "Oh, dear."


    "Kannagi, were you that hungry for family love ......?"


    While Amako looked at me like I was some poor soul, Kanoko-san smiled at my sudden embrace and stroked my hair.


    "Oh, ah, um, this is ......."


    "Don''t be shy. We are family now."


    "~~......!!!"


    I could no longer bear the loving look in her eyes, and I fell down on the tatami mats with a mighty thud.


    Wow, it''s me inside me!¡¡Prepare yourself for later!

 352 - - The Runaway Girl of Nirvarna

    Nirvarna is characterized by a national culture that emphasizes "strength.


    The father, his predecessors, and his predecessors before him have ruled the country according to this national culture.


    Although the culture of Nirvarna is very different from that of other countries, it is this policy that has kept Nirvarna a nation.


    "Father, this meeting. It has been fruitful."


    "Yes. I''ve seen some interesting things."


    I had returned to my own country and was on my way to the palace with my father, when I spoke to him as he was working with his subjects who had been ruling the country.


    "If there was no land issue with the demon tribe, then I understand well that it was our side that was defeated.


    "Yeah?¡¡Is that it?"


    Father nodded happily at my words.


    "As it turns out, the Kingdom of Lingle made the best choice."


    A meeting of the nations to discuss the future of the demon tribe.


    Frankly speaking, for Nirvarna, discrimination against subhumans is a non-existent issue.


    "I am so relieved that you have returned safely. Father."


    When I entered the halls of the palace, I found a large man at work.


    He was Rild, the first prince of the Kingdom of Nirvarna, and my brother whom I respected and admired.


    He had been in charge of ruling the country during our father''s absence, and he greeted us looking somewhat tired.


    "Rildo. Thank you for your hard work while I was away.


    "I''d like to refrain from ruling the country for the time ...... being."


    What are you talking about?¡¡If I die tomorrow, you will inherit the throne.


    "Father, you''re going to live another 50 years, aren''t you?


    The father responds to his father''s light-hearted words, and the elder brother responds with sarcasm.


    I feel a sense of relief at this scene, but I also throw my voice at my brother.


    "Don''t say such a thing. Who else but you would take the throne?


    Ouka. I''ll leave it to you.


    "No. I''m better at moving than sitting. All I do is to be a pawn in my brother''s game.


    "He says all the right things in good shape: ......"


    You sigh, your large, bear-like body slumped in a heap.


    "So, did anything happen while I was gone?"


    "No, not really. Well, the crop yields are up from last year ...... but Senri''s back ......."


    "Hmm... again. Who is it this time?"


    "The winner of this season''s fistfighting tournament, his name is Takeru. ......"


    Oh, him.


    He, the famous feline beastman of Nirvarna, has asked his sister for her hand in marriage. .......


    The difference in race is not so much of a problem.


    In fact, I was named after a beastman who was a friend of our father.


    How did Senri find him?


    She hit him right in the jaw, knocking him unconscious in an instant.


    "You are too much of a monster, my sister. ......"


    Father and I both let out a sigh.


    When I think of my sister''s battle record, as if she was born to fight, I feel uneasy about her future.


    She is having a hard time finding a man who is stronger than she is, perhaps because she also wishes to choose a man who is stronger than she is.


    "So, do you have any souvenirs to share with me?"


    "Yes, of course. Let''s talk over a cup of tea.


    He sits down in his chair and tells his brother about the events that took place at the meeting.


    Kazuki, a hero of the Kingdom of Lingle and our friend.


    A being called the Devil.


    The king of the demon tribe, the Demon King.


    Usato of the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "The Demon King is a man of great wisdom and arrogance. Even now that he is weakening, he is still a powerful man.


    "I wish I could have met you, father, if you insist so highly."


    My brother nodded happily.


    In fact, the man who is called the Demon King was not an ordinary man, even from the atmosphere he wore.


    Could it be said that he had an air of unknowing awe around him?


    Anyway, he was a terrifying person.


    "Kazuki''s friend, Usato. He was a more extraordinary young man than rumors had said.


    "You mean the healing wizard who fought alongside the heroes against the Demon King?"


    I nodded to my brother''s words.


    "It was just as Kazuki said. In addition, was he just as Hyde said?


    "Yes, he also said that he met him at the meeting of the four kingdoms. I remember that he seemed to enjoy talking with him.


    I had heard about a man named Usato Ken when he visited the Kingdom of Nirvarna to deliver a letter.


    I had been paying attention to him because he was the peerless friend of the hero of light, the one who saved my life, and also because he was the disciple of Rose, a well-known member of the Lifeguard Corps.


    In person, he seemed to be a gentle young man, very different from the rumors, but when he was put into battle, he was a completely different story.


    "Well, I am impressed. It''s hard to even put into words what he was fighting for.


    Is that all you got?¡¡Even your father?


    But his strength lies in the physical and mental strength he has cultivated through extraordinary training. I was hoping that you would become Senri''s son-in-law. ......


    He chuckles at his father''s disappointment.


    Kazuki did not allow Senri to meet him because he did not think they were compatible in terms of personality.


    Or, to be more precise, I should say that Kazuki had avoided an encounter with Senri with his god-like intuition.


    "She turned me down."


    "That''s true. If she were there, she would be angry and tell you not to make up your mind, wouldn''t she?


    No, he wouldn''t.


    "Yes, your father is right."


    It is more likely that he would have challenged Usato to a duel on the spur of the moment.


    In a good way or a bad way, my sister has the senses of an animal. .......


    "Well, I didn''t know you''d say that much. ......"


    "He''s close to Senri''s age, and he''s more talented than Senri. She''s a skilled healer. Even if we exclude his combat ability, he''s someone I''d like to have.


    He is also an excellent healing magician, as it was reported that he also uses lineage enhancement on the battlefield.


    The fact that the training of healing wizards in Nirvarna had all ended in failure shows how rare he is.


    "Yes, that''s right. He gave me some advice on how to train healing wizards. ......"


    Just as he was about to convey the advice of Usato, the healing wizard, to his brother, who was entrusted with some of the affairs of state, a woman appeared from the shadows of the pillars that lined the halls of the palace.


    Senri, a woman with her mother''s ash brown hair tied in a braid, steps out in front of us, looking somewhat pleased with herself.


    "Senri, eavesdropping is not a very complimentary thing to do, is it?"


    "Is it true what you just said?"


    ......"


    Oh, no, they heard.


    Hmm?¡¡Is that not bad?¡¡...... No, it''s not a good idea.


    Nirvarna shouldn''t take any strong measures.


    "Senri, calm down. This is what happened in Mialak, and he has refused to talk to us ......."


    "Brother Ouka. What do you say ...... I am not that ignorant?"


    Good, good. .......


    It seems that you have a sense of reason.


    So where is my good husband?


    "Lildo, Ouka. My daughter seems to have lost her mind. ...... will take care of the rest.


    Father?


    Wait, father, don''t run away!


    It''s too scary. It''s like it''s already decided.


    We stop him from getting up and my brother and I try to persuade Senri to stay.


    "Well, you''re still 18, aren''t you?¡¡There''s no need to be in such a hurry, is there?


    "I can''t help but feel a sense of crisis at the fact that the only warrior who can beat me at 18 is Uncle Hyde.


    "......"


    "My heart was once shattered by the fact that he was married, though."


    I couldn''t say anything.


    I mean, that was when you were only nine years old!


    Father!


    ......


    Where is he?


    "In the Kingdom of Lingle, but ...... he''ll be sent to the Demon Lord''s domain soon, right?"


    Then let''s go to the Demon Lord''s territory right now!


    Wait!


    My brother and I jumped on her and stopped her from going ahead at the same time.


    But our opponent is a genuine fighter who has transformed all the qualities necessary for royalty, such as grace and manners, into military prowess, and even two men can''t stop him.


    "Brothers!¡¡What are you doing touching a lady!


    Don''t pretend to be a lady just at a time like this!


    Your language is the only decent thing about you!


    My brother doesn''t really mean it either, but I''m really trying to stop Senri.


    If we don''t do something, Senri will be on his way to the Demon King''s territory!


    What are you doing heading for the Demon King''s territory on your own!¡¡You are the second princess of the Kingdom of Nirvarna!¡¡Father!¡¡Stop it!


    "......"


    Huh?¡¡Maybe it''s a little bit of a good idea.¡¡You look like you''re having a hard time!


    It may not be such a bad idea from your father''s point of view, but please consider the impression you''re making on the other side!


    Then I''ll give up my position as second princess right here and now!


    Don''t try to quit the royal family like a man!


    What''s stirring you up so much?


    Fear for your future!


    Don''t tell me what''s bothering you!


    Before this anxiety, nothing can stand in my way!¡¡I''m convinced, this is the very fork in the road ......!


    Oh no. ......!


    He has beaten up Nirvarna''s warriors because of his strength, and even his own gender looks at him with pity because he''s so strong.


    "In general, Usa--"


    "I don''t need to tell you my name!¡¡I know my destiny at first sight!¡¡I will challenge you to a marriage duel, and the one who shows me that he can defeat me will be my husband!"


    "You know what they say about not bringing the culture of Nirvarna outside!"


    And that''s just a bad street crime!


    It''s a ritual that they fear if they beat you, they will make you their husband!


    d*mn, no. ......!


    Senri tries to head out of the palace like a wild boar.


    But then Hyde, the leader of the Nirvarna Warriors, arrives before her.


    "Excuse me. I''m in the middle of something. ......?"


    "Hyde!¡¡Stop Senri!


    He knows us ...... since we were kids, he''ll do something about it. ......!


    He looks at me, my brother, and Senri and tilts his head in wonder.


    "Uncle Hyde ......?


    "Oh, Senri?¡¡How can I help you?"


    "I''m on my way to the demon king''s territory now!¡¡Please don''t disturb me!"


    ......


    Seeing me and my brother trying to stop Senri, and my father meditating as if in thought, Hyde strokes his beard and turns his attention back to Senri.


    "I guess you are trying to find your good man in the demon king''s territory, aren''t you?"


    "Do you understand ......!"


    Yes, of course.


    You are indeed a quick learner. .......


    Keep it up and stop Senri. ......!


    "I was also present at the meeting as an escort, and the one who was escorting the Demon Lord seemed to be quite a powerful man."


    "Even from your point of view?


    From my point of view. A man called Korga, I believe. His physical strength, which he has trained to achieve despite the strength of his race of demons, is nothing short of magnificent.


    "Oh ......!"


    Senri''s face lights up, and my brother and I stand up, exasperated.


    He still has great strength. .......


    Senri doesn''t look tired, but I''m exhausted.


    "Well then, let''s get to the demon king''s territory right away!


    "But not now!"


    Why?


    Because we need to prepare for the journey.


    I took a deep breath and looked over at Hyde, who was giving Senri a well-deserved rebuke.


    "You may say you''re fine, but those around you won''t be so sure.


    "But ......"


    "I fully understand your impatience. But it is not your intention to cause problems between countries by your careless actions, is it?"


    "...... Yes."


    That''s Hyde for you: .......


    Probably only two people can convince my sister like this, my father or Hyde.


    Hyde watches Senri calmly walk out of the hall and turns his body toward Father.


    "I am sorry. I was out of line. ......"


    "No, it''s fine. I''m sorry about my daughter. Hyde.


    No.


    "It looked like he was going to head off on his own to the Demon Lord''s territory. In that case, it would be better for us to contact the Kingdom of Lingle and ask them about it so we don''t cause any more problems."


    I never thought my sister might go to the demon king''s territory. .......


    I''m worried ...... about the Demon Lords encountering my sister .......


    "The Kingdom of Lingle will not be troubled by the understanding of other countries. It is inevitable for us to know the current situation of the demon tribe."


    "So soon?"


    "Yes, I will send a message to Lloyd and see if we can''t send some men from Nirvarna as well. ......But this is the first thing I''m going to do as soon as I get back. ......I can''t say I''m very happy about it. ......"


    Father mutters, sounding somewhat tired.


    My brother sees this and turns to me, cowering his shoulders.


    "I don''t want to be king for a while. I don''t want to be king for the time being.


    Normally, I would have replied with something as light as "Don''t say that," but this time, I couldn''t say anything like that and had to nod my head in silence.

 353 - - Thirty-hundredth.

    The meeting was over and we were able to return to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    When we parted from the Demon King''s party, I received some amused and grateful words from him, such as, "I''m looking forward to ...... seeing what you have in store for us," and "I''m looking forward to ...... seeing what you have in store for us.


    Well, while I am determined to give the Demon Lord a blow someday, I think it is not a bad thing that I could communicate with Koga, Amira, and Ciel during this meeting.


    So, the first thing I decided to do upon my return to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    And that was..,


    "It seems that Mr. Ahl is the only one with a will."


    "That little girl is ......."


    It was to report Mr. Ahl to Rose for a tic.......


    We decided that even if her mind was a little distorted by the magic, she was still the absolute strong one for us.


    "So Aur is cooperating with the devil?"


    "It seems so. I''m sure there is a reason. ......"


    I don''t care.


    Yes, it''s none of your business. Yes, it does.


    He corrects his posture to Rose, who seems to be in a swarthy mood.


    However, Rose''s expression relaxes slightly when she hears that Mr. Ahl has revived with a will, so I guess in her heart she is glad to know that she will have a chance to see him again.


    ......Well, I guess she has some mixed feelings about it.


    "If you find her, you''ll have to give her what she deserves. That goody-two-shoes ......."


    Well, I don''t say it out loud.


    In front of Rose, who has revealed her anger to such an extent that the space around her seems distorted, I secretly offer a silent prayer to Mr. Ahl.


    "I guess you have your own thing to do, don''t you?


    "Yes. I will go to Mr. Welshy at the castle soon to report on and practice and . At that time, he will talk to her about sending me to the demon king''s territory.


    As for Mr. Welsey, he is going to leave some sort of ...... record.


    Kazuki and his seniors did the same thing, I wonder if it will take quite a long time?


    "Things are as hectic as ever around you, aren''t they?"


    "Well, I''ve made up my mind. I myself have been thinking that we should go to the demon king''s territory.


    Besides.


    "Although I''m being dispatched, I''m still a member of the rescue squad.


    "Huh?¡¡That''s a good attitude. It''s funny."


    Rose crosses her arms at my words and looks troubled.


    What''s wrong?¡¡I wonder, and she looks up.


    "Then take some of our people with you."


    "Some, sir?"


    "Yeah, you''re our deputy leader too. I can be flexible.


    From a lifeguard or .......


    It would be easier if we could take the tough guys ...... with us, but they''re big, scary faces, and their words and actions are rough.


    Nair will follow us even if we don''t tell him. .......


    "You know what I mean, but don''t take Ferrum with you, okay?"


    "......Yes, I know."


    It''s not like when I asked you to show me around the demon king''s territory.


    I may be perceived as an emissary from the human side, but from the demon tribe''s point of view, Ferrum is a traitor.


    It is better not to take Fhelm to the Demon Lord''s territory now to avoid any trouble.


    ...... He''s going to sulk.


    Wouldn''t Uluru be the best person to take him?


    "Uluru?¡¡Isn''t it dangerous?


    He''s not the kind of guy who''d be scared of a demon tribe. Besides, he''s too overprotective of Olga. This is a good opportunity.


    But surely it would be a godsend if Mr. Uluru, with his ...... monster-like comic powers, would come along.


    Well, if he refuses, I''m going to back out quietly, but let''s just ask him.


    "So, the next thing is ...... that Kannagi and Inukami want to join the group?"


    Yes. Yes. The reasons are as I reported earlier.


    Next, I would like to talk about Mr. Nagi and his senpai''s request to join the Lifeguard Corps.


    Since I could not make this decision on my own, it was left to Rose, the leader of the group, to make the decision.


    "I don''t know what Kannagi''s situation is, but ...... Inukami is it?


    "Is it still difficult?"


    We may have added too many members in a short period of time.


    At least, Nack, Ferrum, and Nair have joined within the past year. .......


    No, not really.


    "Oh, really?"


    "The Life Brigade is like a unit under the direct control of the Kingdom of Lingle. Inukami who was under the care of the Knights is now under our care. ...... but there are other problems."


    "Nothing, sir?"


    What''s the other problem?


    Is it something to do with the fact that you''re going to change your affiliation?


    There''s simply no room left.


    "Ah."


    "The lifeguard quarters are designed for seven or eight people. Even if you increase the number of members, it won''t matter if there''s no room for them to stay.


    I see. .......


    Even so, each room is allocated to two people.


    There is no room for two more people.


    "....... So it''s getting smaller here too."


    "Commander?"


    I''ll have another one built.


    What?


    I''m surprised at the boldness of the decision.


    They don''t have enough room, so they''re going to build another dormitory.


    "Why don''t we just have men and women live in separate dormitories?"


    "No, no, do you have that kind of money?


    "Of course we do. We have so much money we''re in trouble.


    So, you have that much .......


    Not strange, considering the work of the rescue squads.


    "It''s a good opportunity. I''m going to spend some money here."


    The lifeguard station''s new building.


    You''re so smart.


    There will be more and more people who will join the lifeguard corps, and it is good that there are more dormitories where those who can join can live.


    As I was thinking this, Rose, who had relaxed her back against the back of the chair with her arms folded, looked at me with rather languid eyes.


    "Usato, it''s about time you took care of your own money.


    "Oh, by the way, I''ve been paid, haven''t I? ......"


    I had completely forgotten that I had received a solid salary ...... reward since becoming a member of the group.


    I didn''t pay any attention to it because I didn''t have any use for it.


    "No, I don''t have any use for it, just save it.


    "You don''t have to be like me in that way, ......."


    I gave him a rare look of dismay.


    No, I don''t really want anything.


    I can basically just eat the food prepared at the dormitory, and since I spend most of the day training, I don''t have time to spend money.


    The only things we have to spend money on are training equipment and books. ...... Books are usually lent to us by Nair, and training equipment is not sold in the first place.


    What do the strongmen use them for?"


    "I don''t know that much either. ...... Alec uses cooking utensils and foodstuffs, and the others send money to their hometowns and relatives. I heard that he sends the tongs to his girlfriend who lives in town.


    "...... yes?"


    Tongs and a girlfriend?


    I''ve never heard of that.


    "What?¡¡What?¡¡Can I go make fun of you now?


    "That''s why I didn''t tell you. Don''t touch him too much."


    I won''t say it''s surprising, but I feel like I''ve learned a new side of him.


    I''m worried that it will show on my face, since I''m not very good at hiding things.


    "But Tong lives in a dormitory, doesn''t he?¡¡If there is someone like that, wouldn''t it be better to live in the city?¡¡You won''t be able to see him at all.


    "No, I don''t think so.


    Not really?


    What does that mean?


    "They see each other when they run into town. Every day."


    "You''re doing something very adolescent. ......"


    Hmm, this is not a case that should be made fun of.


    Okay, I''ll keep this to myself.


    Next time I get into a fight with Tong, I''ll hit him fair and square.


    I''ll keep the money here.


    "Please."


    As for the money, he might use it someday, but at least not now.


    When the conversation was over, I decided to ask Rose about something that had been bothering me.


    "What do you think about your senior joining the group?"


    Rose was not opposed to the idea, but she must have had her own feelings about it.


    After all, unlike in the past, he was a brave warrior from the Lingle Kingdom, so he was in a different league.


    "I don''t think he has any problem as far as his qualities are concerned. Above all, Inukami''s character is suited for this place.


    "...... you say out loud that he''s a problem child?"


    What else could it mean?"


    I can''t argue with that. ......!


    Basically, he''s free.


    She had been acting on her mission as a hero to fight the demon king''s army, but now that she no longer has that mission, she''s worried about her position.


    "What he needs is not a half-hearted position as a hero who has completed his role. He needs to have a purpose.


    "When it comes to getting in here."


    I suppose that''s for Inukami himself to decide.


    The seniors have to decide for themselves, huh?


    I know that her goal is to enjoy another world. .......


    We''ll have to meet once.


    Are you interviewing me for a job?


    "No, it''s nothing formal. Well, it could be, depending on the situation.


    It''s a relief to have ...... Rose in charge.


    At least better than me, who would have personal feelings.


    "From my point of view, Usato, you''re the problem child, aren''t you?"


    It''s because of your training.


    You''re getting good at that, aren''t you?


    That part is on you and the Demon Lord.


    "I''ve rambled on for too long. ...... You may leave."


    Oh, yes. Excuse me.


    He bows and exits the office of the Commander.


    When I asked him about the possibility of increasing the number of members, I was prepared to be scolded, but that never happened.


    "Mr. Uluru or ......"


    I was recommended to take him with me on this dispatch, but my anxiety prevails.


    First of all, Uluru''s willingness is a prerequisite.


    Next is her safety and whether the clinic will be able to cope without Uluru''s presence.


    Above all, we need to talk to her brother Olga.


    "Ah, Usato-san!"


    "Hey, Nack, what''s going on?"


    Nack comes running up to me from the hallway.


    "If you''re not too tired, I was wondering if you could check on my training.


    "Yeah, sure."


    I''ve had enough rest, and above all, this is what Nack wants.


    I gladly accept and head out of the dormitory with him.


    ......That''s a good opportunity to ask him about his current situation.


    Nack. Is there anything that''s been slowing you down lately?


    "Um, height, I guess?"


    I don''t mean that he''s not growing physically, right?


    I was surprised at Nack''s natural blurriness.


    "Don''t worry about it too much, you''ll be growing soon.


    "No, but looking at Amako-san makes me uneasy.


    I quickly check my surroundings.


    ...... Why did I confirm Amako''s presence in Hinomoto now?


    I''m afraid that she would have noticed it by intuition without any precognition magic.


    Maybe she''s been training?"


    "...... then, it''s magic."


    "Healing magic?"


    Yes. I''ve been able to use healing magic almost as well as before, but there hasn''t been much visible improvement, so I think ...... that''s where I''m a little slow."


    I see.


    From what I have seen of Nack''s training, it seems that he does not have in-depth training in magic.


    "I am self-taught in magic training. It would be too dangerous to teach.


    "Usato-san''s magic is healing magic, right ......?"


    "?¡¡Of course it is. My magic is a safe and secure healing magic.


    "Do you realize that you are clearly contradicting your own statement of ten seconds ago!"


    Healing magic is not dangerous.


    My use of magic was dangerous.


    Sometimes the most difficult part of the magic is to keep it going.


    "From now on, I have to improve my skills as a healer, right?"


    In fact, it may even become more important than just running.


    "Practicing magic ....... Yes, that''s right.


    What did you come up with?


    "I thought it might be a good idea to introduce you to Olga''s clinic."


    Olga is more skilled in healing magic than Rose and I are.


    The environment of the clinic itself should be much better than here, where there are usually not many patients.


    ...... I''ll go along with Nack''s training for the time being.


    Maybe we can call up Ferrum and Nair while we''re at it?

 354 - - 31st episode.

    Talks on the expansion of the lifeguard station''s dormitory have proceeded at an astonishing pace.


    In the three days since I spoke with Rose, preparations have already begun for the construction of the dormitory, and the carpenters hired for the project are working furiously and with great enthusiasm.


    It will take some time, but I was a little happy to see the new lifeguard quarters being built.


    A week passed, and I was summoned to the castle of the Lingle Kingdom to hear about my assignment to Velhazar, a city in the Demon King''s territory.


    My boss, Rose, was also with me at the time, and Master Lloyd and Mr. Sergio, the minister, explained the situation to me.


    <


    There are other things that need to be done, but the general purpose is to investigate and report back.


    I may not be able to help you, but from the perspective of other countries, the demon kingdoms and the demon tribe are still a nebulous entity. ....... First of all, I have to take the initiative in getting involved with the Demon Tribe so that the people around me will understand. .......


    As for the personnel, Rose has given me permission to select some of my own people, so I have to find people who will come to the Demon Lords with me before I leave.


    Well, after the discussion about the dispatch, I was going to investigate the magic sensing with Mr. Welshy and his subordinate wizards.


    "Are you ready?"


    "Yes."


    You are in the training area of the castle.


    Around me are some of Mr. Welshy''s wizards with yellow balls like children play with.


    They are about to throw it at me, and all I have to do is avoid it ....... .......


    "Well, Usato-sama. Please cover your eyes and ears."


    "Ryoo, I''m on it."


    I don''t know why, but I was assigned to cover my eyes and ears.


    I cover my eyes with a black cloth wrapped around my head and put in earplugs to block my sight and hearing.


    All I can feel is a little light through the cloth, and I can hear my own breathing quite clearly.


    ...... Okay.


    With pitch-black vision, I grasp the magic bullet I created in my palm and spread the magic around me.


    "......"


    The range is about 10 meters.


    I feel the particles of healing magic in my body and sharpen my nerves.


    The magic behind ...... wavers.


    You sense something approaching, and move only one step to avoid the ball.


    "You can throw a lot more!"


    I can''t hear the reply through my earplugs, but the balls come flying in succession from all directions in time with my voice.


    I know.


    I can see where they are coming from and how fast they are coming at me.


    "Healing cat trick!"


    I clap my hands and diffuse the healing magic again.


    With my eyes and ears covered, I seem to be able to concentrate on sensing the magic even more.


    It is easy to detect a thrown ball..,


    "What?


    The ball, which I tried to avoid with a little time to spare, turned at a right angle in mid-air and came toward me?


    I tried to avoid the ball by leaning my body deeply, but clearly the trajectory of the ball was not right!


    "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!


    And there were more than one!


    Balls moving around me in all directions......, or is this a magic bullet?


    I was tempted to take off the blindfold, but I thought this was part of the investigation, so I continued on my way.


    "......!"


    I dodge a magic bullet that rushes up from below by bending over backward.


    I do a backflip. I change the direction of my fall with one hand on the ground, and step lightly to avoid the magic bullet that aims to land on me, bringing the situation back to zero.


    You''ve increased the number of bullets!


    I wasn''t planning to use it, but ......!


    "Healing Acceleration Fist ......!"


    He instantly wraps his right arm in a basket and changes his movement to one that uses outbursts of magic power.


    He falls backward while using his healing burst palm to check a larger number of magic bullets than before.


    "Nnnn!"


    He bounces with the elasticity he has moved to his back--and lands with a somersault backward, slamming his healing tumbling fist on the ground and spreading the particles of healing magic widely around him to increase the range of his magic perception.


    I knew there is someone using magic next to Ms. Welshy.


    Speaking of someone who can manipulate magic bullets this well: .......


    "...... Kazuki?"


    I muttered to myself, and the magic bullets that were about to surround me again vanished like mist in the air.


    Is it over, ......?


    I take off my earplugs and blindfold after confirming that there is no sign of the ball or the magic bullet.


    "Yes, you''re right. That''s what I''m talking about, Usato.


    "That was a hell of a move. I''ve got my eyes and ears restricted. ......"


    Kazuki and Flana were near Mr. Welshy, whose cheeks were somewhat scrunched up.


    What is this all about?¡¡I looked at Ms. Welsey and she looked somewhat apologetic.


    "I asked Mr. Kazuki, who was just here, to help me out," she says.


    "I didn''t know that. ....... How was it?¡¡How was the magic sensing?"


    I ask Ms. Welsey, and she gives me a puzzled look as she rolls up the documents in her hand.


    "I feel as if you have gone to a distant place, Usato-sama.


    "Why ......?"


    "I perceive objects without seeing or hearing them. This is the magic sensing ...... interesting, interesting. I would have been distraught if I had not been told about it before ...... by Mr. Farga."


    Mr. Welsey makes his glasses glow suspiciously.


    Has his research spirit been ignited?


    "All hands on deck!"


    Yes, sir!


    Suddenly, Ms. Welsey raised her voice and all her subordinates gathered around her.


    "Did you notice anything, gentlemen?"


    "That was a great move!"


    "I''m not here to comment!¡¡Give us your opinions!


    It seems that they were expressing what they had noticed after watching my earlier move.


    It is a surreal sight to see a group of people in black robes shouting at the edge of the training area.


    "With my magical eyes, it looked as if Usato-sama''s magic power was circulating at an unbelievable speed!"


    "It seems that when the magic power scattered around us is interfered with, it is transmitted to Usato-sama himself as a sensation!"


    "Since it was able to respond to Kazuki-sama''s magic bullets with mysterious trajectories, I think its accuracy is also quite good. ......"


    "No, it was simply his reflexes, wasn''t it?"


    ...... is very heated.


    I was quietly watching the game, thinking that it''s important to express opinions like this, when Kazuki and Frana came to my side.


    "Usato. I''m sorry for suddenly showing up.


    "No, I was just having fun."


    "It was fun. ......"


    And Kazuki didn''t really mean it either.


    If he could manipulate a magic bullet with serious precision and speed, I, with my restricted eyes and ears, would have caught it in a heartbeat.


    "Usato was also moving in an amazing way, wasn''t he? When I thought he fell on his back, he suddenly jumped on the spot.


    "Huh, that was a no-motion jump technique using elasticity. It''s a healing bounce."


    Hey, is Nair here?


    I left her with the Commander.


    Frana. Why are we looking for Nair here now?


    Do you have a problem with my healing bounds?


    "By the way, if you collect them in your feet and stomp them ......"


    With a pop, it lightly jumps up on the spot by about one meter.


    I usually use this elasticity to accelerate. .......


    "By switching between defense, acceleration, movement, and landing with this elasticity, I can move without relying on the basket hand.


    "It''s not healing magic anymore. I''ve been thinking about it for a while."


    For a moment, I was stunned, and then I turned to Frana and smiled.


    What the hell are you talking about?


    You''re using healing magic, healing magic.


    "Ha-ha-ha, you''re funny, Frana-san."


    "Hey, Kazuki!¡¡Can I be mad at him?


    "Well, well, well. ......"


    I guess I should explain.


    I think to myself, and start talking to her.


    "Frana, there''s a reason why I''ve been working on my magic in various ways.


    "Really?"


    "Yeah."


    It is not that I use outbursts of magic or elasticity without thinking.


    Most of the techniques I have developed are just a result of my own impulses and spontaneity, but of course, I have thought about how to use them accordingly.


    "As a lifeguard, I have to get to the injured who need help before anyone else does."


    "Yes."


    "But you may be physically far away."


    "Yes."


    "Maybe there is a bad person near the injured person."


    "Well, yeah."


    Then you''ll have to work on your body.


    "I''m sorry, I''m talking about magic, right?¡¡Did I miss one thing?"


    I was unintentionally talking about training.


    It''s not a mistake, I guess, but I don''t think Frana would be convinced.


    "So you''re saying that Usato is improving new techniques and training physically ...... to ensure that he can save the people who ask for help?"


    "Yes, that''s right. Frana, I think Kazuki said everything I wanted to say."


    "It''s definitely not true. ......"


    As I look away from her, a small black animal jumps on my shoulder.


    Normally I would have thought it was Nair, but it was not, as she was currently training with Ferrum in the dormitory.


    With its fluffy fur and slightly sloping ears, it was Rose''s pet, Kukuru, a rare demon called Noir Rabbit.


    "Kukuru!"


    "Kukul, didn''t you go to the Commander''s?"


    I stroke my finger on Kukul''s chin, who had followed me here on a whim.


    Is this a gesture that captivates people?¡¡The first to react to Kukul, who did it naturally and squinted his eyes, was Frana.


    "What a cute little girl!"


    "You better watch out. She has a good personality."


    "Cu."


    "He''s flirting with you so much!"


    I''m second only to Rose in her affection, but I''ve been fooled by this girl.


    "Oh, come here. ......"


    With a small leap, Kukuru crossed to Kazuki''s shoulder, using Frana''s hand as a foothold.


    "Wow, haha, what a tickle. ......"


    "Cu?"


    Kazuki tickles Kukuru on the cheek.


    Frana watches the exchange between Kukuru and Kazuki in silence, and senses intuitively that they are in danger.


    "Hey, Usato!¡¡Isn''t she a bad character?


    "Kukuru is only obedient to his master, the leader. Kukuru! Come here!


    "Cu."


    My voice brings Kukul back to me.


    I sigh lightly as I see Kukuru jump on my shoulder.


    "He seems to be obedient to you, too.


    Haha, it just looks that way.


    I am afraid because I don''t know what is going on in my gut.


    Kazuki then looks at Mr. Welshy, who is still arguing with him.


    "I''m glad Welshy is feeling better, too."


    "Were you depressed before?"


    "Yeah, because we decided to stay in the world, you know."


    ...... Okay.


    Well, then I''m sorry you had to go through that, Mr. Welshy.


    He promised to return us to our world, but we refused to return to our world.


    "...... Usato, have you heard about the possibility of sending a letter to our world?"


    "No, I have not heard of it. ...... Is that so?"


    "Theoretically, I mean. I''m talking about the possibility of being sent to a different time period or even a different world.


    I thought about it as Kazuki continued, "It''s only a possibility, though.


    Letter to the original world: .......


    If I could send a letter to the original world, what would I write?


    "It''s hard if I write honestly, isn''t it?


    "Well, I guess so. I think it''s best if you just say goodbye to ...... and don''t write why you left."


    If I write that I was summoned to another world and fought against a demon king, people will definitely think I lost my mind.


    The best thing to do here is to write only farewell words as Kazuki said.


    "By the way, have you heard about your senpai yet, Kazuki?"


    "Oh, you mean he wants to join the lifeguard corps?¡¡I heard about that.


    "That''s a very bold move!"


    It seems that the senpai has already told Kazuki and Frana.


    I wonder if Celia-sama is listening at this rate?


    "I think it''s a good idea. I don''t think it''s a good idea. ...... Oh, no, I don''t mean to be snide or anything."


    "You mean there''s no formal atmosphere or anything like that?"


    "Yes, something like that."


    I nodded to Kazuki, who was followed by Frana.


    I kind of get it.


    I wonder if that''s why I''m more suited to the lifeguard corps. .......


    "Even if you retire from the position of a hero, it doesn''t change the relationship between us, so I really don''t care that much about it.


    "Sure, it''s not that big of a change just because of where you live. ......"


    It''s not like the country you live in or anything has changed, just that a senior member is added to the lifeguard''s daily routine.


    Maybe I was thinking a little too hard.


    "Besides, I really think it would be interesting if senpai went to Usato''s place."


    "Oh, I know what you mean."


    "No, I don''t know.


    He gave me a very nice smile.


    I''m scared to death of what he expects me to do if he thinks I''m interesting.

 355 - - Thirty-two.

    As for the members who would go with me to the Demon Lord''s territory, first of all, I had already decided on Bulrin.


    I was also thinking that Bulrin would be a mascot for the demon tribe, since demons seem to be closer to them than humans.


    The other member is Uluru, who was recommended by Rose.


    I was told that Rose had talked to her, but I had to talk to her first, so I went to the clinic where she was staying today.


    "Had Nack been to the clinic before?"


    "Yes. Yes, several times.


    Also, I brought Nack with me today for another matter apart from Mr. Uluru.


    "So, you seem to have a vague idea of the atmosphere.


    "Yes, both Olga and Uluru were very kind and helpful to me as a newcomer.


    Uluru seems to love Nack, doesn''t he?


    It''s a strange feeling.


    "Hmm?¡¡What?


    Walking around town like this.


    "Ha-ha-ha. Yes, in our case, I think it''s so rare that people are surprised."


    He chuckles at Nack''s words.


    People are often surprised when they don''t run, because they have the image that a lifeguard team = running.


    I''m often surprised when I''m not running.


    "What? Why?"


    "Because I don''t have a bullring on my back, that''s why."


    "Oh, so it''s a set with a bullring. ......"


    It''s kind of like being treated like a specialty of the Lingle Kingdom.


    Like the man who runs with a bear on his back.


    "The knack is ......"


    "Yes?"


    Suddenly, I see Nack walking next to me and remember his situation.


    I remember, hesitate for a moment, and then ask him boldly.


    "Has there been any contact from his family or ......?"


    "......"


    Parents as aristocrats.


    They were the ones who neglected him for his magical talent and sent him to the academy in Lucvis.


    A letter came for you.


    "...... didn''t sound very nice."


    Nack''s face, which was a little darker rather than expressionless, was a good indicator of this.


    "He seemed to be concerned about what we were up to. He asked what we were doing at the lifeguard station and how much our magic had improved. ......"


    "It''s ......."


    "I know. Maybe that''s what you mean (??????). I had a little bit of hope. They haven''t changed."


    The perception of the healing wizard is changing.


    I am aware that it was the Lifeguard Corps that initiated this change, but was he trying to find out the inner workings of the Corps through Nack?


    I would like to think that the letter was written out of genuine concern for Nack. ...... but judging from the look on Nack''s face, that seems unlikely.


    "There wasn''t even a word of concern. From the very beginning, there was no mention of what he was doing at the Rescue Mission. How good has the healing magic become? You just write what you want to hear and expect a response from me."


    "......"


    That''s too painful. .......


    Laughing weakly, I place my hand lightly on Nack''s head.


    "So, shall we go over to your parents'' house like you wanted?"


    "What?


    If you want to know what''s going on in the lifeguard squad, I can show you. We''ll mainly show the tough guys up front so they won''t complain or interfere?"


    Well, I''m kidding.


    But if Rose gives the go-ahead, I don''t know.


    "Nack. You got a hard time, you come to me, okay?"


    "......"


    "You are now an official lifeguard. If anything happens to you, we''ll protect you."


    I''m sure the tough guys would rather take the initiative in protecting Nack.


    They love Nack.


    They might be against the nobles...?


    Would you say the same thing in front of the Commander?


    I don''t think they''d even take him. They won''t even take us on.


    Nack, you''re going to change your opinion immediately.


    It''s rather rare to find someone who can stand up to the Commander head-on.


    "Ah, but... I got a letter from my sister mixed in with the letters from my parents. Apparently, she mixed them up secretly."


    "Good for you."


    "Yes. But I''ve been missing my sister so much that I thought I''d ask Meena, who is in Luxembourg, to give her a lift.


    "By Meena?"


    She was good friends with my sister.


    Isn''t the situation surrounding this girl a little too complicated?


    I should at least help her while I''m here.


    But first..,


    "Okay, here we are."


    We need to develop her skills as a healing wizard.


    I stop in front of the clinic, look at Nack next to me, and make up my mind again.


    I look at Nack and make up my mind once again.


    When we entered the clinic, Olga and Uluru welcomed us.


    We were invited to a drawing room in the back of the clinic, where we sat down without any prompting, and in front of us sat Olga, a man with a kindly atmosphere, in a chair.


    "I''m glad you''ve come. Usato-kun, Nack-kun.


    Yes, yes, ......."


    "I''m glad to see you are well, Olga-san."


    It''s a great thing to have four of the five healing wizards in the Kingdom of Lingle here, I think to myself.


    "Is today''s business about Uluru?"


    "Yes. And there''s one more thing.


    "Hmm. ...... Then let''s wait for Uluru to bring us some tea. In the meantime, let''s make small talk.


    First of all, Mr. Uluru comes first.


    Well, we''re not in such a hurry. .......


    "I heard you fought with Mr. Rose''s men at the meeting."


    "...... Yes. Did you know them, Olga?"


    "I didn''t know them directly, but they were well known in the Kingdom of Lingle.


    Well, if they work for Rose, they must be famous in both good and bad ways.


    I''ve heard rumors about them from Mr. Lloyd and Mr. Sigurth.


    It must have been really hard for you.


    Yes, they were very good at working together, taking advantage of each other''s strengths and complementing each other. The next time we encounter them, we may not be able to pull off the same trick. ......"


    I''m surprised that Mr. Ahl is the only one with a will in that one.


    If all of them had a proper intention, I might have been the one who lost.


    "Yes, yes, welcome. "Hello, Usato-kun, Nack-kun."


    While we were having this conversation, Mr. Uluru, who was preparing tea, comes in.


    She offers us a cup of tea and sits down next to Olga.


    "......Yes?¡¡What were you talking about?"


    "No, it''s nothing to worry about. ......Well, now that Uluru seems to be here, let''s get down to business."


    "Yes."


    One of the reasons I''m here.


    That is to ask if you would be willing to accompany Mr. Uluru as one of the members of our mission to the Demon Lord''s territory.


    "The Demon Lords...not that I''m not interested........."


    If you can''t, you can say so. I don''t want to force you to go with me.


    "I''m sorry. I''d like to help you, but I''m in charge here.


    I am prepared to take all possible measures, but it is also true that there are dangers.


    I have no intention of forcibly taking Mr. Uluru to such a place.


    "Uluru, why don''t you go there without worrying about me?"


    "...... What, brother, are you serious?¡¡What about this clinic?"


    Unexpectedly, Olga gave me a nudge.


    Not only me and Nack, but Uluru was surprised.


    "You are a little too overprotective of me and too careless with yourself. This is a good opportunity for you to move on without thinking about me or the clinic.


    "Brother, I''m worried that you''re going to wilt without me. ......"


    "Hmm, wait a minute, Uluru. I''m starting to get worried about how poor you perceive me to be."


    No wonder Ms. Olga feels overprotected.


    It is true that Ms. Olga is physically weak, but it should not affect her daily life.


    For Uluru, Ms. Olga is her family. ......


    "Anyway, if you keep worrying about me, you won''t even find the right person, will you?"


    "Don''t worry, Usato-kun will have you then!"


    "What?"


    "......, then you don''t have to worry about me."


    "!!!?"


    I was sipping my tea while watching the exchange between the two of them, when this crazy stray bullet hit me.


    And without any particular resistance, Olga-san admitted it to me.


    Is this a hallucination?¡¡Is this exchange an auditory hallucination?


    "Nah, Nack?"


    "The tea tastes good. ...... yes, it''s delicious. ......"


    You''re staring at a spot of tea and trying to stay out of the conversation ......!


    "So what about the clinic?¡¡You''re going to have patients coming in, and I don''t think it''s going to be easy with just one brother. ......"


    "Well, I''m concerned about that. "Well, I have that worry, but as long as you don''t push yourself too hard, you''ll be fine."


    "Such a vague ......."


    Uluru-san puts his hand on his forehead in distress, and Olga-san smiles at him as if troubled.


    Well, aside from me, I hear that there are quite a few visitors to the clinic, so I can understand why you are worried that Olga-san might get sick.


    "Oh, I''ll help you, Olga-san!"


    "!"


    "Nack-kun ......?"


    Suddenly Nack, who is standing next to me, shouts out to the two of us.


    Olga-san and Uluru-san look at me in surprise, and Nack turns to look at me.


    "Ah, Usato-san ......"


    "It''s okay. You can tell them what you want to do. Don''t worry, I''m here for you."


    I was actually going to start after this, but if Nack is going to say it of his own volition, then it''s better that way.


    "Oh, I''m still a novice as a healing magician, so I came here today to learn about healing magic from you, Olga-san.


    The best place to train in healing magic is with Olga, who is more skilled in its use than Rose and I.


    That''s why I brought Nack with me. .......


    "So, if you''re worried about being on your own, I thought I could help you, even if I can''t say I''m a replacement for Uluru.


    ""......""


    "While Uluru-san and Usato-san are in the demon king''s territory on an important mission, I will help Olga-san at the clinic!¡¡I''ll stay overnight if necessary, and I''ll also train you properly. ......!"


    ""......""


    "No?"


    Seeing Nack now able to think and act for himself was a powerful reminder of his growth.


    Ms. Olga, who was silently listening to Nack''s words, called out Uluru''s name, who was also listening.


    "Uluru."


    "I guess I''ll have to break down now that you''ve said all this, Nack. ...... Nack-kun!"


    Yes?


    Nack''s shoulders shake in surprise as he is suddenly called by name. Uluru leans over the table and pats him on the head.


    "You''ve grown up while I haven''t seen you for a little while now. I wonder if you are like Usato-kun in that way.


    "Oh, thank you. ......"


    Uluru-san looks happy to see Nack''s growth.


    Of course, as his mentor, I am also very proud of him.


    ......No, he really has grown up.


    I''m not sure if it''s a good thing or not. Usato-kun, I''m going to join your mission to the demon king''s territory!


    "Yes. I''m looking forward to working with you.


    Uluru-san became a member of the dispatched group.


    With her devilish comic ability, she should be able to get along easily with the demon tribe members.


    Well, anyway, .......


    "Nack, do you want to eat something delicious on the way home?"


    "Yes, sure. ......?"


    "No, don''t tell Nair and Ferrum, okay?"


    "Usato, you have a soft spot for Nack, don''t you? ...... No, I know Tong and the others do, too."


    This is not naive.


    It''s like a just reward for Nack''s growth.


    "Don''t worry, Mr. Uluru."


    "What? What?"


    Whenever I train, I''m always on my guard.


    "I''m only worried about ......!¡¡And Nack is nodding his head.


    After that, Nack and I went home after eating some delicious food from a street vendor that Uluru introduced to us,...... but Nair and Ferrum, with their keen intuition and sense of smell, found out that we had eaten some delicious food on the way home, and we had to deal with another incident.

 356 - - 33rd episode.

    Uluru-san has agreed to join our mission to the Demon Lord''s territory.


    Her brightness and communication skills are outstanding, and I am sure that she will be able to show her true potential to the people in the Demon Lord''s territory.


    Nack also said that he would help Ms. Olga at the clinic, so I can trust him as well.


    "Well then, senpai. The Commander is in the Commander''s office down the road.


    "Hey, wait a minute, Usato-kun!


    Today is the day he meets Rose.


    After leading my senior to the lifeguard quarters, I lead her to the Commander''s office where Rose is waiting for her.


    "Senpai, please don''t worry. The Commander has a good eye for people.


    "I understand that, but ......"


    "I have seen enough goodness in human beings to see the goodness in those strong men with the evil faces."


    <<>


    >


    Mil and Guld, who happen to be passing by in the corridor, complain to me about it, but I''m not going to let them call me a monster now, not even a little bit.


    "I''m sure the Commander would approve of you.


    "kyun."


    "...... What was that sound?"


    The senior suddenly utters a strange onomatopoeic sound.


    "I tried to make this crush of mine into a sound."


    "Geez. Yes, I just made that sound."


    "......You are quintessential ......!"


    "Listening to your conversations, I feel like my intelligence is going down.


    It''s an exchange.


    Nair, who had been watching the exchange between me and my senpai, muttered in disgust.


    "What advice would you give ......?"


    "Mm-hmm."


    "Don''t look away and don''t play dead. And ...... don''t show your back and run away."


    "That''s what you do when you encounter a bear, right?


    "That''s the one thing she''s not wrong about. ......"


    Neah nodded her head with a mysterious look on her face.


    All we need is the courage to face Rose.


    It''s no good if he runs away or looks away in fear as soon as he meets her.


    "Senpai, you mustn''t lie to the Commander. He can read your thoughts accurately with his hell-ears and intuition alone, so you should hit him as hard as you can without any tricks.


    "Uh-huh."


    "And since they may be listening to this conversation right now, don''t worry if I''m getting beat up today or tomorrow."


    "No, I care!


    "No, I care!" "Don''t worry. It happens all the time.


    "Are you trying to cheer me up or make me nervous?


    No, that was never my intention.


    "I''m sure you''ll be fine. Ha-ha-ha.


    "Are you kidding me?¡¡You''re kidding, right?"


    "....... I''ll be at the training ground.


    "Can you at least answer me before you go?¡¡I''m going, though!


    I see him off in a hurry as he heads for the leader''s office.


    It''s probably going to be a long time.


    It is also a chance for Rose to get to know the senior''s personality.


    "Suzune, are you all right?"


    "She''s a senior, remember?"


    "I''m worried."


    I meant it in a way that suggested there was nothing to worry about, but somehow I made her feel uneasy.


    Words are always so difficult.


    "Well, we''ll train as usual."


    I hate that I''m getting used to it.


    Nack is also going to the clinic today, so I''ll keep an eye on Nair and Ferrum to make sure they don''t slack off while I do my own training.


    ¡ñ


    As I walked out of the dormitory, I saw another new dormitory taking shape next to it.


    We greet the carpenters who are building it, and move to the training area with Nair, Ferrum, and Bulrin, who we brought from the stables.


    Bulrin, you should be able to move while you still can. If you leave him alone, he''ll grow up to be a little round.


    "Guah!"


    "Growing up?¡¡Really?"


    I laugh at Bulrin''s protests as he taps my foot, and then I notice that Ferm, who was walking next to Bulrin, has a sour expression on his face.


    "Ferrum, are you still sulking?"


    "....... I''m not sulking."


    You''re really sulking.


    I wonder what to do with Ferrum, who has become unfaithful when he hears that I cannot take him to the Demon Lord''s territory.


    I don''t mean to, but I wonder if he thinks he''s the only one being excluded. .......


    I thought it would not be a good idea to let Felm near our side when he is not so familiar with the Demon Lords.


    "I know. I know that the situation is different from when we attacked the demon king''s territory,......."


    "Then stop making such a sour face!"


    "Shut up, Nair!"


    Ferrum is furious with N¨¦a for making fun of him.


    He is angry at N¨¦a for making fun of him, but he has no choice but to put up with it.


    "When the relationship between demons and humans improves, you''ll be able to go to the demon king''s territory.


    "Oh, don''t worry. I won''t be that selfish.


    ...... You''re being awfully honest.


    I think your voice sounded a bit like a stick, so I''ll give you a warning.


    "...... you shouldn''t try to follow me without permission, okay?"


    "......"


    "Hey, don''t look away."


    He shakes his shoulders and looks at Ferrum, who looks away.


    If this girl really tries to follow me, there''s a chance she won''t notice me.


    "Are you sure you want to do this?¡¡I''m doing this for your own good, okay?"


    "......, all right. ......"


    You''ve got to be on your toes and on your toes.


    We arrive at the training site and go through the preparation exercises.


    "Okay, today we''re going to do the training we''ve been wanting to do for a long time!¡¡Nair, Ferrum, I''ll tell you now!"


    What?


    "He''s trying something weird again. ......"


    I shake my head at their disgusted looks.


    "You''ll be supporting me in this training. Unfortunately, you will not be able to train--"


    "Why didn''t you say so before?"


    That''s right, a**h*le.


    You well-heeled people: .......


    When this training is over, I''ll let you run with Bullyn.


    "Okay, first, Ferrum will assimilate with me."


    "Yeah."


    "Nair will be on my shoulders."


    "Yes."


    Ferrum assimilates with me in a familiar manner, and Nair, who has transformed into an owl, jumps onto my shoulders.


    Okay, so much for the usual combination.


    Now comes the part I was thinking about.


    "Ferrum binds me in such a way that it is difficult for me to move.


    <


    The dark magic turns into a belt and wraps around my body.


    "Nair binds me with a binding spell."


    "...... yeah."


    Then, a spell of restraint covers the whole body.


    "And Bulrin rides on my back."


    "Guh."


    Finally, with a thud, Burlin jumps onto his back, putting a tremendous load on his body.


    The body makes a creaking sound and the binding spell creaks.


    "Now it''s complete. ......!¡¡What should we call this figure ......!"


    <>


    "I guess I''ll just have to be a pervert."


    I can''t hear you.


    All right, let''s call it a reinforced plaster cast.


    "Ha, if I hit him with this, I can stun him while stopping his movement. ......?


    >


    "It''s not just a matter of casting a normal restraining spell. ......"


    He smiles at Nair, who calls out to him as if he can''t help himself.


    "Hm, there is a possibility that he will escape from the house with only a binding spell. Then we bind them with Ferrum''s dark magic, and on top of that--"


    "On top of that?"


    "And on top of that?" "Put the assimilated Bulgarian Bulgarian."


    Gua?


    "You''re not afraid to lift it, but a burin weighs a lot ......?"


    The spell of restraint doesn''t make sense = he has that much durability and power.


    That''s how much it can stop you from moving.


    Anyway, .......


    "All right, let''s go to town!"


    >


    Wait!¡¡You idiot!


    You can''t stop me!¡¡Come on, Bulrin!


    Gah!


    It''s hard to move if you''re so hardened!


    But this load will keep me moving forward. ......!


    I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do it again.


    My first impression of Mr. Rose was that of a strong-willed person.


    A strong-willed person who never bent himself.


    <<<


    Eyes that even I, who have fought as a brave man, would be intimidated by.


    I face her firmly with a chill in my heart at the intimidation of this woman who is the boss of that Usato-kun and the origin of the unorthodox healing magic user.


    <


    The hard work of the lifeguards is well understood by the castle.


    The people trained in such a place are a group of superhumans, including Usato, who belong to the lifeguard corps.


    With the exception of Mr. Knack, he is also a candidate for future superhumans, so to speak.


    >


    Hearing his words, I knew intuitively that I was being tested.


    Depending on my answer, Mr. Rose will decide how he evaluates me.


    Understanding this, I looked back into her eyes without any fear and said firmly that I was ready to enter the environment of a lifeguard corps.


    The rest happened very quickly.


    In the meantime, I wonder if it has been accepted: .......


    I had my misgivings, but it seemed that I had been approved to join the lifeguard corps for now.


    "I''m so nervous. ......"


    As I left the lifeguard''s dormitory and headed for the training area where Usato-kun and the others were, I remember my meeting with Mr. Rose just a few minutes ago, and my chest heaved with relief.


    I was really nervous.


    I was already intimidated, and the air seemed to be tense just by sitting there.


    "I guess this is my new place..."


    I can''t lose my title as a brave man so easily, but I will do my best to become an official member of the lifeguard corps from now on.


    As I was thinking of this as I was moving forward to the training area, I suddenly noticed a familiar presence approaching from behind me.


    "Hmm?¡¡Mr. Usato?¡¡Is he running in?"


    I immediately realized that it was Mr. Usato, and when I turned around, there he was, wrapped in a pitch-black belt with a shiny purple pattern on it, carrying a burin on his back. The image of a man running toward us comes into view.


    "What?


    "Ah, senpai!¡¡Did you finish your meeting with the Commander?


    Usato-kun, why do you look so cool?


    <


    "Even the people in the city looked twice at this Usato.


    The magic and dark magic that binds the whole body.


    And the load from the weight of the burin on my back.


    This is exactly the way he pushes himself ...... but in other words, there is no better way to train.


    I tell Usato-kun that I will be able to become a member of the rescue team safely after I am unassimilated.


    "So you are saying that as soon as the new dormitory is built, the seniors will live there? If that''s the case, will Nair and Ferrum be the same?


    Ferm nodded a little happily.


    Nair, on the other hand, looks bitter.


    I guess I''m finally going to be on my own.


    "I''m just nervous about putting her in a room by herself. ......"


    "Nah, don''t treat me like a child."


    I would if I saw what you''re used to. Do you think she''ll be okay on her own, ......?"


    They are very worried about me.


    Is she a bit childish in her private life?¡¡Ferrum.


    Nair seems to have a solid life.


    "I heard that the dormitories will be ready pretty soon, so it might be a good idea to make preparations as soon as possible.


    "I guess so."


    The speed of work is much faster because of the magic of the construction.


    So I have to get ready early too. ...... Is a change of clothes or something like that enough?


    I don''t have a lot of personal belongings, and the packing itself will be done soon.


    The first thing you need to do is to make sure that you have a good idea of what you''re going to be doing.


    "Oh, I see. Usato-kun, you''ve been assigned to the Demon Lord''s territory, haven''t you?


    "Yes. I''m not able to train with my seniors because of this. ......"


    "It''s an important mission. You don''t need to worry about it.


    He smiles lightly and shakes his head.


    I know exactly what he is going to have to do.


    I don''t want to disturb Usato-kun, and ...... above all, the place where I belong from now on is also the place where Usato-kun will return.


    I will wait for your return. I will wait for your return as a dear friend."


    "Thank you, senpai ......."


    "Heck, you don''t even have to thank me."


    I''m a rescue squad member now.


    I know I''m still an apprentice, but I''m ready for a fresh start.


    Hey, wait.


    "Yeah?¡¡What''s up, Ferrum?


    "What''s wrong?"


    But then Ferrum, who was walking next to me, noticed something and pointed at me, his voice trembling slightly.


    "Don''t tell me I''m going to be training with this guy?"


    "Oh, I see."


    If both Usato and Nair are going to the Demon Lord''s territory, it will inevitably mean that only Ferrum and I will be living in the same dormitory.


    ......fufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufufu......!


    "Nice to meet you!¡¡Ferm!"


    "I don''t like it!¡¡Usato, change your mind and take me with you now!


    FELM rejects my flirtation.


    There''s a saying, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, I love you too!


    I call that a tsundere!


    "We''re going to have so much fun!¡¡Under one roof!


    "Hi!"


    "...... Usato, are you sure about that?"


    "I''m just joking, you know. ...... probably."


    Anyway, my daily life as a lifeguard is about to begin.


    I''m looking forward to working with you!¡¡Usato-kun!

 357 - - 34th episode.

    A senior student has decided to participate in the lifeguard training.


    That''s all there is to it, but it was quite a surprise to the people of the Lingle Kingdom that she had joined the training as a member of the lifeguard squad.


    When she was running with us in the city, they looked at us twice.


    "I see the dormitories are almost finished.


    "Yes."


    A senior member, dressed in the training uniform provided by the lifeguard corps, leaps lightly and throws a flying kick at me.


    He catches it head-on with his crossed arms, then spins around in mid-air to deliver a spinning kick.


    "Woah!"


    He swerves his body to avoid the kick.


    He is currently in a kumite match with his senpai at the training ground, but even without a sword he is a tough fighter.


    Each blow is less powerful than the last, but he always manages to pull out moves beyond my expectations. ......!


    "Well then, let''s use magic."


    "Yes."


    Senpai''s whole body is covered with a thin layer of electric shocks, and I grip the magic bullet floating in my palm.


    I, who had broadened my senses by sensing magic power, and Senpai, who was moving at high speed by electric shocks, accelerated the speed of our pairing.


    I detect the attack with my eyes and senses and defend myself precisely, while senpai tries to pass through the hole in my defense with his skill and speed.


    "That''s it!


    "Mwah!


    Suddenly, my senior puts his hand on my arm, and my vision spins around.


    When I realize that I have been thrown, I change my position in the air and land on the ground.


    "Aiki ......?"


    "I''ve learned a bit of it in my old world. Well, a little self-defense."


    You mean you used my power to throw me.


    It''s not just about power, it''s about skill.


    I stand up, feeling as if I were under a spell.


    "Shall we stop here?


    "Yes. Are you going to the castle now?


    Yes. I heard that the personnel to be dispatched to the Demon King''s territory have been decided, so I was told to meet with them before my departure.


    I guess you could call them "auditors" who are going to the Demon Lord''s territory with us.


    My general role is to report on the demon tribe and to deepen my friendship and understanding with them.


    I think that the Lingle Kingdom will choose someone who is as knowledgeable and sensible as possible. ...... Well, I guess I won''t know that until I meet them.


    "Well then, senpai..."


    Hmm?¡¡What''s going on?


    "Right now, Nair and Ferrum have detected the training and are trying to escape from this place, but please take care of them while I''m gone."


    ""UGU......!""


    Ferrum and Nair let out a moan as they try to leave the place without a sound.


    If you''re under my spell, there''s no way you can escape.


    "......, okay!"


    "Usato!¡¡Did he just give me an impure smile?


    He''s going to do something!


    I don''t trust him.


    He''s been training seriously for the past few days.


    What are you going to do, by the way?


    "I was thinking of giving ...... you two an electric massage after the run."


    "Well, that sounds great."


    "Not good!¡¡You''ll only be putting yourself in danger!


    I think you''re a little scared of him.


    ...... Oh, that kind of massage?¡¡You don''t know that there''s such a thing?


    "You human-like creatures may be fine with the electric shocks, but we''re demons to demons!"


    That''s a terrible thing to say. .......


    I''m a human too.


    I explain to Nair who is desperately trying to appeal to me, my cheeks scrunched up.


    "It''s a good idea, electric massage. It might help with training fatigue, stiff shoulders, etc.?


    "What?¡¡Stiff shoulders? ......"


    "Hey, you titty ghost. What are you worried about? ......!¡¡Why are you looking at me with pity......!¡¡Inukami, don''t look at me like that!"


    ......The two of you are somehow getting along well with your seniors.


    During the early morning run, she was talking to Tong and the others as usual,...... and the tension was so high that it made those tough guys shudder a little, but if she''s doing well here, that''s all that matters.


    "Well then, senpai, I''m counting on you here.


    "See you later, Usato-kun!"


    "Yes, I''ll be back later."


    At any rate, before heading for the castle, let''s head for the dormitories to change into our official company uniforms.


    I wonder who will be the members of the group that will be sent to the castle.


    I wonder who will be sent to the castle.


    I headed to the castle and was immediately ushered into the training area where those who would be dispatched were being gathered.


    I don''t have to worry about who will be chosen, since I know the faces of the knights of the Lingle Kingdom, even if I don''t know their names. .......


    "How many people have you gathered to be dispatched?"


    I ask Mr. Welshy, who is guiding us.


    The mage puts her finger to her mouth and answers with a friendly smile.


    "There are about five of us.


    "Surprisingly few. ......"


    "From the very beginning, personnel have been dispatched to the Demon King''s territory. The people who are being dispatched this time are following in their footsteps,...... but their actual purpose is to assist and escort Usato-sama."


    "I see. ......"


    If that is the case, it makes sense why there are so few of us.


    Well, I guess you''ll have to guard Uluru rather than me.


    "And this is a sudden decision, but ......"


    What''s going on?


    The Kingdom of Nirvarna will also be sending personnel.


    "Nirvarna ......"


    In my mind''s eye, I see Lady Ouka and Harold, whom I met at the meeting earlier.


    "It''s really urgent. ......"


    "It was not long after the meeting. However, since the Kingdom of Nirvarna is a country that does not discriminate against subhumans, it is a suitable country to dispatch personnel to, so I have obtained the Demon Lord''s approval and will be heading to the Demon Lord''s territory with Usato-sama and the others."


    If the decision has already been made, then I have nothing to say.


    In fact, it is reassuring.


    "It seems that we will be able to cooperate with them there.


    "Yes, I''m sure you have nothing to worry about, Mr. Usato."


    Nirvarna.


    I hope someone like Mr. Hyde comes.


    And then we arrive at the training ground.


    "These are the knights and mages who will accompany us this time.


    I look where Mr. Welshy''s palm is pointing, and I realize that someone familiar to me is there.


    "Mr. Aruk!


    It is Mr. Alc, my trusted companion with whom I shared the journey to deliver the letter.


    He waved his hand to me as if he had recognized me.


    "Your presence here means that you are ......."


    "Yes, I have been asked to participate in this expedition by Lord Usato."


    It is reassuring to have you here, Mr. Aruk!


    But .......


    "The destination is the demon king''s territory. ......?"


    "Yes, sir. I know it''s dangerous, ...... but above all, I accepted your request because I want to help you."


    "Mr. Aruk, ......"


    The rest of us are here with the same thought in mind."


    Mr. Aruk then introduces me to four other people.


    Three of them were new to me, but one of them was someone I knew.


    Mr. Krumeier, is it?¡¡He was accompanying my senpai on his trip when he handed over the letter ......"


    "You remembered me. Yes, I have been requested to join you on this mission. I am looking forward to working with you, Mr. Usato.


    Mr. Krumia, the knight who was escorting my senior.


    He was a good friend of my senior, and his personality is perfect.


    The others are not difficult people either, and for the time being, there is no problem with the personnel.


    "Once again, thank you for your cooperation. I am sure that this dispatch will not be easy and there may be some problems, but we will not give up and will complete our mission.


    """"Yes!"""


    "Also, there will be one more person, one more animal, and one more animal from the rescue team, not including me."


    "With one?"


    One and?


    "One ......?"


    Oh, that''s not so easy to understand, is it?


    But Neah is sometimes an owl and sometimes a person.


    "Usato-dono, I heard that Amako-dono returned to Hinomoto once, who will accompany you besides Bulrin and Nair?"


    "Aruk-kun, you know ......?


    Mr. Krumia is extremely surprised, but we are friends who have traveled together and overcome many hardships.


    I trust you too.


    "This is Uluru. She is a healing magician like me, and the Commander recommended her as the best in terms of personality.


    "I see what you mean. I understand.


    With Mr. Aruk and the others, Uluru''s protection will be rock solid.


    If something were to happen, I would also work to protect her.


    We then talked about the demon king''s territory to be dispatched to, and after some discussion, we decided to break up for the day.


    "Ah, Usato-dono!


    "Can I help you?¡¡Mr. Krumia."


    I look back at Mr. Krumeier, who spoke to me after we broke up.


    "No, I heard that Suzune-san is now a member of the lifeguard corps. How are you doing?¡¡How is Suzune-san?


    Yes, she ran well today.


    I can easily imagine the scene!


    "As a member of ......, I''m glad to see you running hard enough for me to cast a healing spell on you. Hmm?¡¡Can I help you?¡¡Mr. Krumia?"


    I tilt my head to Mr. Krumeier who is holding his eyes for some reason.


    "......Suzune-san''s tearful efforts brought tears to my eyes.


    "?"


    "The other party is probably stronger than the Demon King!¡¡Suzune-san ......!!!"


    What on earth are you fighting against ......?


    As I tilted my head at Kurumia-san''s words, Kurumia-san suddenly thought of something and smiled like a mischievous child.


    "Oh, by the way, may I ask you to tell Suzune-san that I am going to participate in this dispatch?"


    "Hmm?¡¡No, it''s fine.


    "I hope this makes you feel a sense of urgency. ...... but it''s Suzune-san, you know..."


    I didn''t understand the whole story, but I could tell that he was worried about his senpai.


    At any rate, I''ll make sure to tell him about Mr. Kurumia.

 358 - - Thirty-five.

    The second dormitory of the lifeguard squad is finally completed.


    It is about the same size as the first dormitory where I live.


    The women will live there, while the first dormitory will remain occupied by me, Nack, and the tough guys.


    For my part, I''m still sharing a room with Tong, so it''s not a big change, but it was kind of funny to see how happy Ferrum was to be in a single room.


    It looks like Fellm is finally ready to move into his dormitory and start participating in training in earnest.


    >


    And so, every morning, they hear the voice of their senpai waking them up.


    It seems that her joining the lifeguard corps has been a good thing for her, as she is very lively.


    "The knights who are going with you will meet at the outer gate, right?"


    "Yes."


    "Gru."


    And today is the day we are sent to the demon king''s territory.


    I was dressed in my usual group uniform, walking with Nair, Bulrin, and Nack on our way to the infirmary.


    "I''m going to leave Nack at the clinic, but ...... you''re going to be okay with that, right?"


    "Of course!¡¡I''m going to learn healing magic under Olga''s supervision!


    "That''s right."


    I smile as I walk next to Nack, placing my hand lightly on his head.


    "That was amazing, Ferrum!"


    "Yes, it was. The desperation was amazing.


    Nair and Nack look somewhat distant.


    Ah, you mean the time when all the lifeguards came to see us off before we left our quarters.


    Rose and the tough guys were the same as ever, but Ferrum was .......


    <>


    >


    In a sense, being placed in a spectacular environment with Rose and her senpai under one roof was a rare occurrence that caused Ferm to regress slightly into infancy.


    "I don''t think there''s anything to worry about, since he simply can''t be honest, right?"


    "Well, I guess so. She''s very cynical and can''t be honest with her tinny partner.


    "Oh, I understand somewhat."


    Not only Nair, but also Nack shows a convinced expression.


    As for the senpai and ferme, you don''t have to worry too much.


    We need to focus on what we have to do now.


    "Oh, hey!¡¡Usato!


    When I arrive at the clinic, Uluru and Olga are waiting for me in front of the building, waving their hands.


    Uluru-san is wearing a gray team uniform and his bags are ready.


    Olga-san, Uluru-san, good morning!


    Good morning. Good to see you. The weather''s been great."


    Good morning!"


    Uluru-san returns a cheerful greeting and turns to Nack.


    Nack, take care of your brother while I''m gone!


    Yes, sir!


    Take care that he doesn''t starve to death!


    "I''ll do my best. ......!¡¡I''m good at cooking ......!"


    "Wait a minute. Why are you assuming I won''t eat anything?"


    Olga-san unintentionally interrupts Uluru-san, who is showing her overprotectiveness as usual.


    She laughs like a mischievous child, perhaps she meant it as a joke, and moves to take her luggage and replace it with Nack''s.


    I''m off then!¡¡Big brother!"


    "Oh, have a nice trip. Usato-kun, take care of Uluru, will you?


    I''m on it. ......!"


    We bid farewell to Nack and Olga, and head for the outer gate with Uluru.


    We soon arrived at the outer gate, where we found five knights including Mr. Alc.


    It seemed that they were going to the demon king''s territory by horseback, and there were eight horses beside Mr. Alc and the others.


    There were eight horses beside Mr. Alc and his group, probably for me and Uluru.


    "Good morning!


    "Good morning, Mr. Alc. You will be riding a horse on the way to the demon king''s territory, right?


    Yes, it is still too dangerous to go by carriage, so we will be traveling by horse.


    Well, having actually been to the Demon Lord''s territory, I know that the roads are probably not yet properly maintained, and that it can''t be helped.


    "Hey, you can''t ride a horse, can you?¡¡What are you going to do?


    "No, no. I''ll take care of that.


    "You''re not going to tell me it won''t be a problem if I just run, are you?"


    "......"


    "Oh, you mean?"


    Nair looks at me with a dazed look as I freeze with a smile.


    No, it''s much easier for me to run than for you to ride a horse.


    I should be able to ride a horse soon. ...... I think I''ll practice in the demon king''s territory.


    Usato-kun, don''t worry. I can ride a horse!


    Yes?


    You can ride behind me!


    Uluru-san gives me a thumbs-up and says this, and my cheeks tug.


    I think that''s not cool in a way, but in a way that makes me mentally miserable.


    "I understand that you can''t ride a horse, Mr. Usato.


    "Ah, Mr. Aruk, ......"


    "Actually, Lord Rose asked me to bring something here ......."


    Aruk-san then pulls out a saddle from a nearby crate.


    It is about twice the size of a regular horse saddle.


    "It is a saddle specially made for Burlin.


    "Oh!"


    "Grua......!"


    "I''m sure that if Bulrin is more than just a horse, he''ll be fine."


    Bullin''s eyes light up with excitement when he sees the saddle that was made for him.


    Isn''t this the kind of thing people usually don''t like?¡¡But he had worn a lifeguard belt before, and he might have liked it a lot.


    We immediately put the saddle on his back and fasten it tightly enough not to constrict him.


    "Are you okay?¡¡"You all right, Bullyn?"


    "Guah!"


    I''m okay!¡¡I nodded to him as he punched me in the leg as if to say, "I''m fine!


    I guess I''ll be okay.


    I quickly get on the back of the horse, which has a handle on the fixed saddle, and he seems to ride by grabbing it.


    "It''s kind of crazy that I can''t ride a horse, but I can ride a blue grizzly ......."


    "Krumea. If you''re surprised by this, what are you waiting for?"


    "I think you''re getting too used to it, Aruk. ......!"


    You''re very stable.


    I''ve ridden on the back of a burin a few times before, but this is the first time I''ve ridden like this properly.


    "Come to think of it, I''ve ridden you on my back more often than you''ve ridden me on yours. ......"


    "Grrr."


    "Yeah, come on, buddy. ......!"


    "Is this a good idea?"


    Now we''re ready to go. ......!


    "Mr. Alc, I assume the meeting place with the people of Nirvarna is the bridge into the demon king''s territory?


    Yes. As soon as we meet, we will enter the territory of the Demon King and make camp before heading to the central city of Verhazal.


    It will take about one day, including rest stops, to reach the Demon Lord''s territory.


    We will be traveling while interacting with the people of Nirvarna.


    It will be a short trip compared to our previous journeys, but the real work begins when we get there. ......!


    "Wait for me, demon lord......!


    Grua!


    What I have decided to do in this world.


    To do it, I''m leaving for the place where the demons live.


    I''m going to go to the place where the demons live to do it.


    Contrary to expectations, the demon tribe has not been treated so badly since the war ended in their defeat.


    This may be due to the fact that the humans are now measuring the race of demons, but a certain amount of supplies are being sent through the Lingle Kingdom, and life is less difficult than it used to be.


    ......Well, the situation still remains the same in the remote areas.


    "Well, it has nothing to do with me..."


    The title of "Commander of the Third Army" is now a thing of the past.


    Although my position has not yet been confirmed, I have been living in this peace on thin ice, working like a cart horse as Mr. Amira told me to do.


    To be frank, it is peace.


    At least I don''t have to fight in tedious battles, and I have a certain amount of rest so I can devote myself to my hobbies.


    "You wished to see me, Lord Witch King?"


    "Sorry to bother you, Hannah."


    As usual, I was trying to put together the documents regarding the supplies and their distribution from the Lingle Kingdom, when suddenly I was summoned by the Demon King.


    Was it something important?


    From his mood, it doesn''t seem that I have done something wrong. .......


    "You have heard that additional personnel will be coming from the kingdoms of Lingle and Nirvarna, haven''t you?


    "Yes. They are the ones who are in charge of monitoring and reporting on the demon king''s territory. I also heard that they will help us in our activities. ......"


    That''s right. We are short on manpower, after all. Considering the fact that we also have to explore the "realm of demons", we also need a strong hand from the human side.


    The realm of demons, a place inhabited by many demons.


    The realm of demons, a place inhabited by so many demons that it cannot be compared to the realm of the Demon King, and not even a single human being still lives there.


    Since it is located between the land of the beastmen, I had heard that it was a place that needed to be cultivated to connect the two countries. ...... I never thought that I would have to ask for human help.


    So, does this mean that someone with a certain amount of power will be coming from the Kingdom of Lingle?"


    "Yes. At least someone who can stand up to the Commander of the Legion.


    Is this a brave man?


    If they are from the Kingdom of Lingle, we can only assume so.


    .......


    No, no, no, no, they are in some organization like a rescue mission, and they are not likely to come.


    From what I''ve heard, he''s in a very important position, like deputy commander, right?


    "Huh."


    "What?"


    Didn''t you just laugh, Demon Lord?


    Not like a cold laugh, but more like amusement.


    When I looked at him doubtfully, he lightly flipped his hand.


    "Don''t worry about it. So.... Tomorrow, they will be here. I thought I''d put you in charge of assisting them.


    "Assistants?¡¡I don''t mind. ......"


    Well, I don''t mind.


    But I manipulated the soldiers of the Lingle Kingdom into fighting each other in the war, so I don''t think I''m a good choice.


    "No, you don''t have to do anything so difficult. You can teach him a lot of things."


    The ...... guy?


    Would the Demon Lord call a brave man that easily?


    Without trying to hide his amused face, the Witch Queen rests her elbows on the armrests and smiles happily.


    "My Lord!"


    "What?"


    "The man who will lead the coming personnel is not a ...... healing wizard, is he?"


    What came back was a smile.


    It was a smile so refreshing that even Ciel, who was waiting silently by my side, was a bit taken aback.


    "Why is he trying to come here ......?"


    I ask, my voice trembling more than ever, and he answers immediately.


    "Because his presence is essential to the future of the demon tribe. Just so you know, I''m not assigning you to help him just to harass him.


    "Yes, I know that, but ......"


    "Because you are the only one who can relate to him in a natural way, except for Koger and Amira."


    I could not refute anything he said.


    In the first place, there was no way I could disobey the instructions of the Demon Lord, and I certainly agreed with his choice of people.


    Koga-kun will probably try to challenge Usato, the healer, to a game of chance, while he is away from his work.


    Amira and Nero are busy with other tasks to begin with.


    "Huh. ......"


    I walk at a leisurely pace through the city, my head aching.


    Tomorrow, Usato will come.


    This fact will come as a shock to the demons.


    In that sense, the demon lord has allowed him to come. ...... is truly a deleterious medicine.


    "Oh, Hannah!


    ...... here comes the noisy one.


    Nono Hellestair, a petite girl, comes waving at me with a smile that could not be more depressing.


    "Oh, how are you!¡¡What?¡¡I''m fine!¡¡I''m working hard with Sean, delivering supplies every day!¡¡Well, it''s good to have food coming around these days!


    "......"


    Not in the mood to be quiet anymore, I ignore Nono and continue on my way.


    In a way, this is just like our usual exchange, Nono walking alongside me.


    I used to be able to get rid of him as my boss, but now that the demon army is gone, our positions are almost the same.


    "Is something wrong?


    ......Yes.


    I could respond to the situation on my own, but it might be a good idea to get another person involved here.


    "Nono."


    "Yes?"


    "If you help me with my work, I''ll buy you a meal..."


    I''ll do it.


    I''m relieved to see that he''s still a little bit of a jerk.


    But I wonder how he has survived this long with such a lack of caution.


    "......!"


    He sighs once more in self-loathing, having superimposed Nono''s image on that of his former sister.


    Just when I''m feeling down, I think of something even more depressing.


    Maybe I should take a quick rest today for tomorrow.

 359 - - Thirty-sixth episode.

    There is a large river before entering the demon king''s territory.


    In the past, it was crossed by Leona''s ice magic, but after the war ended, a solid bridge was built so that one can enter the Demon Lord''s territory without much trouble.


    However, this does not mean that anyone can enter the Demon Lord''s territory. A watchtower has been built on the bridge to prevent anyone from trying to enter the Demon Lord''s territory without permission.


    We arrived at the bridge and waited for the people of Nirvarna near the watchtower.


    "Nirvarna... I wonder what kind of people are coming to ........."


    Basically, it doesn''t matter who comes. I''m sure they''ll send a decent number of people so as not to undermine the confidence of the country.


    Nea is right.


    It''s just my impression, but Harold doesn''t seem to be the kind of person who would send inappropriate people.


    I don''t have much to worry about.


    "Are you all right, Mr. Uluru?"


    "Yes.¡¡What?


    Uluru-san, who was stroking his horse''s mane, looks back at me.


    "I was just wondering if you''re tired, since this is an unfamiliar ride."


    "No, I''m not. I''m totally fine!¡¡I''ve never been on a trip like this before, so I''m a little excited.


    I know exactly how you feel.


    I know!"


    Uluru smiles brightly, and I smile along with her.


    When I was going on the trip to deliver the letter, I was nervous, but I think I was just as excited as he was.


    "Besides, I think I was too overprotective of my brother."


    "Isn''t it nice to be family-friendly?"


    "...... between you and me."


    What the hell?¡¡Mr. Uluru''s voice suddenly went quiet.


    There''s no one around, but Nair and I approach her and try to talk to her.


    "There was a fellow healer who came to our rescue during the last war, a man named Charun, wasn''t there?


    "Yes?¡¡I remember him.


    Mr. Gerna, Ms. Kate, and Mr. Scharn.


    He was one of the three healing wizards who came to our rescue from various countries.


    What''s wrong with him?


    "That man and my brother... They''ve been corresponding."


    "...... I see. Oh, I see.


    "That''s what I''m talking about. ......!"


    "Is it nice ......?"


    "I''m feeling good about it. ......!"


    I nodded to Uluru-san''s words, showing my natural perceptiveness.


    For some reason, Nair is giving me a glare.


    "Why is she so perceptive to everyone but herself ......?"


    "Hmph, Neah. The dishonorable title of insensitivity. I''ll give it back right here and now."


    "You can''t do that, because you''re all one on a soul level."


    You''re so ...... to say that much?


    I''m already two sides of the same coin. ......?


    "Master Usato, I have seen the men dispatched from Nirvarna."


    "Yes! ...... seems to have arrived."


    "Well then, let''s go see each other."


    Mr. Aruk''s voice was looking around me.


    In response to his voice, we greeted those who had arrived from Nirvarna.


    There were about seven of them, not so different from us.


    "Uh, uh, sorry to keep you waiting..."


    The person who dismounted from the horse at the head of the group removes his traveling hood.


    "Ladies and gentlemen of the Kingdom of Lingle, I am Helena Straim, leader of this troop. ...... in case you are interested."


    Ms. Helena, second-in-command of Mr. Hyde, Chief Warrant Officer of the Nirvarna Warriors.


    She has tired eyes and light purple hair, and when she looks at me, she smiles a little in relief.


    "We just met the other day, didn''t we? Usato-kun."


    "Is that Helena? So the other one is also a member of the warrior group ......?"


    I think so. Yes, but ...... except for one person.


    Then one of the people who had been dismounting behind Ms. Helena steps forward, removing her hood.


    Under the hood is a beautiful woman with dark hair, a little more brown than brown, tied in a braid.


    She looks not much older than I am and bows lightly with her hands on her chest.


    "Nice to meet you, my name is Senri."


    I''m Usato, a member of the rescue team and deputy commander. It is a pleasure to meet you.


    I return the courtesy.


    I don''t feel that Helena and the warrior group behind her are turning pale.


    "You are the one who is rumored to be ......, and I am looking forward to working with you.


    Senri gives me a beaming smile, and then he suddenly holds out his hand to me.


    I immediately realize that he is asking me to shake his hand, and I quickly respond.


    "Hmm?"


    The pressure on my wrist.


    I feel the same force as when I was thrown by my senpai, and I reflexively shift my center of gravity.


    Tilting my head, I look up and meet Senri''s eyes, who is looking at me with a surprised expression.


    "Your power ...... is very strong, isn''t it?"


    "That''s our line, sir."


    This man is very strong.


    He is a warrior of Nirvarna.


    And I remember this exchange.


    "Uh-huh!"


    "Ha-ha-ha-ha ......"


    But what is it?


    But what is this chill?


    Senri-san in front of me may be smiling cheerfully, but my intuition is whispering to me that I''m in danger.


    "Excuse me, excuse me. Usato-kun.


    "Uh, yes."


    "Excuse me!¡¡We''ll be ready as soon as we can!"


    With a clunk, Helena grabs Senri''s shoulder and pulls him away from me.


    When I am stunned, Helena-san shouts in panic.


    What are you doing, Senri-sama?


    What are you doing, Senri-sama?


    Helena-san immediately looks shocked and speaks to Senri-san in a whisper. ......He surely said "Sama" just now, didn''t he?


    "......Kare,sugo,tsuyoyi."


    "You''re forgetting the language!¡¡No!¡¡No!¡¡You promised me!¡¡No marital duels!¡¡No fighting!


    If it''s legal, it''s ok?


    There''s nothing legal about fighting.


    They''re arguing.


    Or is it a discussion?


    Well, it looks like we could meet up with them anyway, so while the Nirvarna side is getting ready to leave, we should finish our preparations too.


    "You''ve attracted something strange again. It''s amazing.


    "It always seems to be lively and fun near you, Usato-kun."


    "I''m honestly scared for you to think so!"


    Nair and Uluru are whispering something behind me, but I don''t care and head out with Aruk and the others to get the horses and the burin ready for departure.


    It is a long way to the city.


    There is a risk of being attacked by demons, so let''s keep our heads held high.


    The city is far from here.


    As expected, the people of Nirvarna were surprised to see me riding on the back of a bullring.


    Well, they are warriors of Nirvarna, as one would expect.


    We had fought on the same battlefield together, and they soon got used to me. ...... I never expected that Senri would .......


    <<>


    <<< Eh, buddy?¡¡No contract?¡¡Then you are just like me! >>


    <<>


    <>


    I was surprised at how much interest he showed in me.


    He seemed not to be a bad person, though I was a bit withdrawn from the conversation because of his great energy.


    While interacting with Senri and the warriors of Nirvarna, we made our way to the Demon Lord''s territory. The path was much more solid than when we had come before.


    Although the danger of being attacked by demons was still present, I felt that we could proceed with a sense of ease, unlike when we were on a roadless path.


    "No sign of demons, huh?"


    As the sun set and the surroundings became dark, we set up camp and departed for the city again in the early morning.


    In the meantime, we take turns keeping watch to make sure that no demons attack us. ...... Right now, five of us, including me, are on our own guard.


    "Gru?


    "Ha-ha-ha, you better wake up when the demons come, okay?"


    At my feet, Bulrin was sitting and dozing, and I was stroking his head as I looked out into the moonlit forest.


    "I guess Uluru-san was tired from his unfamiliar journey, too."


    In the city we will have to deal with the demons, so we have to take care of Mr. Uluru.


    It''s too late to let anything happen to her now that she''s in Olga''s charge.


    Hm?


    Usato.


    Senri?


    Senri-san comes from the direction of our camp.


    "It took me a while to get away from the depressing surveillance. ......"


    "What?"


    "Huh?¡¡It''s nothing!


    I thought he was whispering something, but he just laughed it off.


    "You must be tired from the trip from Nirvarna, shouldn''t you get some rest?


    "I don''t work out so softly that I would get tired from this much workout.


    "...... I see. You have a point."


    You are indeed a Nirvarna man.


    You are very persuasive ......!


    "By the way, the other day I had a chance to meet Harold and Ouka of the Kingdom of Nirvarna, and when they shook hands with Ouka, they were doing something like a test of strength ......."


    "...... Oh, really?"


    "Is this a popular thing in Nirvarna?"


    I asked Senri what came to mind.


    When I went to Mialak, I shook hands with Mr. Ouka, and he gave me a strong handshake.


    Since Mr. Senri did something similar, I thought that such a greeting might be used in Nirvarna.


    "No, it was probably just a coincidence. But how did you react when you were tested for your power by Lord Aunty ...... Ouka?"


    "It was like he recognized my power. For me, it was a great honor."


    "......"


    I am afraid to be recognized by the royalty of another country as well as Mr. Lucas.


    Since Senri-san seems to be interested, I should tell him about Nirvarna as a topic of conversation.


    "But I was surprised when she introduced you to Lady Ouka''s sister.


    Did you accept?


    "What?"


    Did you take it?


    It''s too dark to tell, but she lowers her voice a little and I nod my head.


    I don''t know what''s going on, but I have no reason to lie, so I''m going to tell the truth.


    "No, I refused because of my position and circumstances. ......"


    "......"


    Senri?


    Uh, no, I was just a little hazy.


    Is he going to be okay?


    He seemed to be slumped over, looking down at an angle.


    ...... Let''s change the subject for a moment.


    How did Senri come to be in the Demon Lord''s territory?


    I''m assuming that you have some sort of purpose or hope for your sudden participation. .......


    Senri-san looks a little troubled by my question.


    "Yes, that''s right. To look for someone, right?


    "Do you know anyone in the demon tribe?"


    No. No, not really.


    But who would you like to meet? .......


    If we''re going to the demon king''s territory, aren''t we going to meet the demon tribe?


    "I only know his name."


    Who are you?¡¡If you tell me, I may be able to ask one of my demon acquaintances to look for you.


    If Coga and Amira don''t know, they can ask the Demon King.


    ...... No, indeed, is it wrong to ask the Demon Lord?


    I twisted my head and Senri seemed to tell me the name.


    "His name is Koga.


    "Yes, that''s my friend."


    "Really?


    Was he being honest?¡¡Senri''s tone of voice was a bit brave and surprised me, but he immediately had a surprised look on his face.


    I never thought that the demon tribe I was looking for was Koga. .......


    "Strong people are attracted to each other......!¡¡In other words, this encounter was destiny......!¡¡I''m not sure if it''s a coincidence or not, but it''s a good thing.


    "?¡¡Are you okay?"


    "No, I''m fine......."


    After taking a deep breath and regaining her composure, Senri rests her back against the tree behind her.


    "But I didn''t expect that. I didn''t think it would be a cohort."


    "U, Usato-san, how well do you know this person?"


    "Yes, when we were at war, we had many opportunities to fight."


    No, I really fought with that guy a lot.


    Starting with Hinomoto, then the wars, the ruins, and now Verhazal.


    Every time we fought, I really had to deal with its troublesome evolution and its imitation of my techniques.


    "Is he strong?"


    "Yes, it is strong. He is strong...to the point of being a pain in the ass. At one time, he really tried to kill me.


    The reason I have been able to win and overwhelm them is not because of my strength alone, but because of the support of my friends.


    I believe that I am such a strong opponent that I don''t know if I can win alone. Of course, I do not intend to lose.


    But how did you know about him?¡¡No disrespect intended, but Koga is a guy who only thinks about fighting, so I can''t find any connection with him. ......Maybe it''s revenge or something. ......"


    "No, no. We have only had the opportunity to get to know your name one way or the other. ...... Well, it is because you are "strong" that you want to meet with us."


    "...... I see."


    It would be strange if someone from the kingdoms of Lingulu or Samariar had said this, but if Senri, a citizen of Nirvarna, had said it, it would have made sense.


    "Well, shall I introduce you?"


    "Are you sure you want to ......?


    "Yes, Koga is a pain in the ass, but he has a serious side to him.


    I wouldn''t go so far as to say this in front of him.


    But you can''t leave Koga in the corner either.


    Such a beautiful woman knows my name.


    "I''m so glad I went on this trip...... first choice and second choice,ugh,ugh,ugh,ugh,...... I''d rather do it right here and now......"


    ......I don''t know why, I feel like I''m forgetting something important.


    But it doesn''t come to my mind immediately.


    Have I ever been so careful in relation to Nirvarna?


    Well, it may be my imagination.


    "Mr. Usato!


    What?¡¡What''s wrong?¡¡The demons are approaching. If you speak so loudly, you will be ......


    "Let''s have a hand-to-hand combat right here, right now..."


    Senri-sama!


    Just as she is about to say something, I hear Helena''s panicked voice coming from the camp.


    Senri looks somewhat disappointed.


    "......You got me, ......!"


    "You''ve got to be kidding me!¡¡You can''t be too careful, can you?¡¡Mr. Usato, did this man do something to you?


    "No?¡¡We were just talking. ......


    What do you mean they did something to you?


    You don''t seem like the kind of person who would do something dangerous like that. .......


    "Then it''s all right!¡¡Come on, let''s get back to the tent!


    "I''m going back to the tent!" "d*mn ...... Usato-san, please introduce me!"


    I nodded to Senri, who was being dragged back to the tent by Helena.


    The place becomes silent again.


    I crouch down on the spot and pat the head of Bulrin, who has been awakened by the loud voice I heard earlier.


    "Hey, Bulrin..."


    "Guu......?"


    "I wonder what Nirvarna is ......."


    I know this is a country of power.


    But there are too many other things that are mysterious to me.

 360 - - Thirty-seventh.

    We spent the night in the demon king''s territory and left at sunrise for the demon king''s city of Velhazar.


    Thanks to the presence of Bulrin, we made good progress without encountering any demons on the way, and were able to reach a place where we could see Verhazal much earlier than when I first came here.


    "The castle was so big, but now it''s gone?"


    "Yes, it is. It''s gone. The maze of buildings is gone, and now there are just ordinary buildings, and it looks very different from before.


    Although the first time we visited this place, it was quickly turned into a fortress, it seems that this time we will be visiting a city inhabited by the demon tribe.


    There are no large castles anywhere, just a regular row of buildings about the size of a house.


    The fact that the demon king is so quick to eliminate unnecessary things and prioritize the houses where people live is very typical of the demon king.


    "Usato-kun, you were in the battle against the Demon King, weren''t you?


    I nodded to Helena, who approached me from horseback.


    It seems like a distant memory now. The last battle was a deadly one for both us and the Demon King.


    "We infiltrated a city with only a few people and fought a decisive battle against the Demon King. It is easy to put into words, but I can imagine that it was an incredibly difficult battle."


    It was difficult, but we overcame it, and that is why we are here today.


    At least I don''t think it was a mistake to choose not to kill the Demon King.


    "But because of that, he''s now feared by the demon tribe.


    "Hey, Nair."


    "It''s not true. And while we''re at it, why don''t you explain it to me?"


    ...... sure would.


    It''s true that the demon people are afraid of me.


    Nair''s words drew everyone''s attention, but the Lingle Kingdom group, including Aruk, looked as if they had guessed what was going on.


    "Are they afraid of you?"


    "I got into trouble in the last battle. It seems that some of the demon tribe members recognize me as a demon.


    Is it because he is demonic?


    No, it''s just for appearance''s sake.


    "????"


    Senri tilted his head at me curiously.


    "So, the purpose of this expedition is to clear up misunderstandings among the demon tribe members and to deepen our friendship. That''s why I asked Uluru-san to come along with us."


    "I''ll support you now that you''ve asked me to. ......!"


    Mr. Uluru seems to be very motivated.


    This time I''ll get rid of my suspicions of demons.


    Meanwhile, we arrive at the entrance to Verhazal.


    A soldier of the demon tribe, who looks like a guard, is guarding the door of the outer gate and comes to the door as soon as he notices our presence.


    Since I am the representative of this group, I get off the burin and step in front of the soldier.


    "I was sent from the Kingdom of Lingle and the Kingdom of Nirvarna.


    "...... have heard the story. First, we need an audience with the Demon Lord. ......?


    The soldier''s expression of surprise comes over his face when he sees me.


    Could it be someone I encountered on the battlefield?¡¡As expected, I don''t remember who he was when we were enemies. .......


    "Yes."


    "Yes, I''ll send someone to show you the way right away!"


    The soldier, who looked extremely pale, let us through.


    I knew it, but this is something.


    With a tight-lipped look on my face, I turned back to Aruk and the others.


    "This is what I mean..."


    "We used to be enemies. It is only natural that there should be a conflict in our relationship. What is important for you, isn''t it?


    Yes, that''s right.


    Mr. Aruk is right.


    After regaining my composure, I entered the city and found that the buildings were more neatly arranged than I had seen outside, and the demons were living there just like the people of the Lingle Kingdom.


    "A city where demons live? It looks like they are no different from us. Usato-san.


    "Yes, it is."


    "We and... Hmmm..."


    "......?"


    I wonder about Senri, who is writhing in agony, and wait for the person who is coming to show me around.


    As we wait, people in the town start to show interest in us, as if we are unusual.


    They seem wary of us, but some of them look at us with curiosity.


    "Guar!"


    "......Burlin, I''m almost rested, don''t sleep here, okay?"


    I smile at Bulrin, who is smiling fluently and letting out a sigh of relief.


    At any rate, while patting Bulrin''s back to keep him from falling asleep, I find the children of the demon tribe in the city showing interest in Bulrin.


    <<>


    Phew, I knew I was right to bring Bulrin along.


    >


    <>


    >


    Meanwhile, the soldiers who were at the last battle are looking at us, their faces turning blue.


    Nair, seeing this, gives me a cold stare and a light tap on my cheek.


    "Usato, look at the reality."


    "......"


    I didn''t know the evils of Devil Mode would come here: ......!


    It was indeed a risky move to summon Bulrin from the shadows just for the heck of it. ......!


    "For now, let''s wait for the guide."


    In the meantime, I''ll have the horses and Bullyn checked into the stables."


    "Guh."


    I nodded at Mr. Alc''s words and was about to ask him to show me where the stables were when I suddenly saw something in my field of vision.


    It is like a black shadow in the sky.


    I sense that it is approaching me in a straight line, and I look up at it, making a magic bullet in my palm.


    "Uluru-san, Senri-san, please step back!


    "What''s wrong?"


    "What''s wrong?"


    It''s funny, I don''t know why I heard the sound of a crush even though my senpai was not here.


    Both Aruk and Helena noticed it approaching from the sky and showed their alarm.


    "...... hmm?"


    No, wait, that black shadow...... seems somehow familiar.......


    It looks like a black robe that flies in the air as if it has a will...... No, could that be a cape?


    If so, that thing is .......


    "Mr. Aruk, you don''t have to attack!"


    Do you know what that is?


    Maybe!


    He looks up at the cloak that is swooping down on us, holding Aruk and the others with his hands.


    The cloak is not so much attacking me as it is jumping toward me, and it covers me vigorously.


    "Usato-dono!


    Usato-kun has been eaten by the cloak!


    My vision darkens for a moment, then brightens again, and I see the cloak attached like a magnet to my shoulders.


    The long black cloak from my neck to my feet was fluttering even though there was no wind blowing, and it was completely covering my group uniform.


    "...... I knew it was a cloak of dark magic."


    "Pfft!¡¡You scared me!"


    Nair looks up from her cloak in surprise.


    "Usato, isn''t this Keira''s dark magic?¡¡I wonder why it''s here ......"


    "No, I don''t know. Maybe something happened to her.


    A floating sensation, as if your whole body is lifted into the air.


    When I realize that my body has been lifted high into the sky, I see Aruk and the others looking up at me with surprised expressions below.


    <>


    >


    >


    When I looked around them, I saw that the demons were all looking up at me in surprise.


    In addition, the soldiers'' faces have turned even paler, so there''s a bit of a commotion.


    "Hey, where are you flying to?


    The cape suddenly changes direction and accelerates toward the center of the city.


    I call out to Mr. Aruk on the ground, knowing that he is going to take me somewhere.


    "Mr. Aruk!¡¡I''m sure you''ll be fine, so please take care of the rest!


    "Usato-sama!


    I fly away from them.


    The cloak is not very fast, but it flies as if it is being pulled by something.


    >


    <<>


    <


    <<>


    Below us we see the houses of the city and the people who live in them.


    He is not a soldier as before, but a demon, looking at the life of the people, and wondering what to do.


    "This is taking me to Keira, right?"


    "I don''t think it''s Keira''s intention, right?"


    "I guess not. ...... hmm?"


    We see a flying dragon coming in the direction we are going.


    I see two demon women riding on its back, and immediately deploy the basket hand on my right arm.


    "Healing Magic Bursting Palm!"


    I release a shockwave in front of the flying dragon as if to send it hurtling backwards, slow down at the side of the dragon, and jump in front of the person controlling the dragon while hooking my hand on the saddle of the flying dragon.


    "Hello!


    "Geeaaaahhhh!"


    She screamed in a way that was so fierce that it was hard to believe that she was a woman.


    First of all, I cling to the flying dragon''s torso with one arm so that it does not shake me off.


    "Gah!¡¡Gwah!!!"


    "Sorry! I''ll get off in a minute. Please be quiet.


    He strokes her neck as he does to Bulrin to make her quiet, and looks at the woman holding the reins of the flying dragon.


    "Oh, my God, the devil''s in the sky!


    "Uh, Nono-san?¡¡Right?"


    "He remembers my name, too!"


    One of the passengers was Nono, whom we met at the ruins.


    I''ve done something wrong the other day, and I''d like to apologize, but ...... first of all, there''s the guy sitting behind me.


    It''s been a while!¡¡Hannah!"


    "Oh, why can''t you make a normal entrance?¡¡Or rather, why are you flying in the sky?


    Are you the one who is going to guide us?


    Yes, that''s right!¡¡Oh, my plans to set Nono up, why don''t they always work the way I want them to!


    No wonder I''m so confused when I''m flying in the sky.


    Since ...... cloak is also pulling me to assert itself, I have to explain briefly here.


    "I don''t have much time, so I''ll try to be brief!¡¡Now I have to leave the flying squad for some reasons!¡¡The group is still near the gate and I need you to guide them!"


    "I don''t understand what that situation is!¡¡So why are you flying in the sky?


    "Well, I''m looking forward to working with you!


    "Please listen to me!¡¡Nono!¡¡Why are you grabbing me?¡¡No, no!¡¡I was upset earlier!¡¡It was just a figure of speech!¡¡Huh?


    He lets go of his hold on the flying dragon and flies through the air again, pulled by the cloak.


    As he is thrusting through the sky, pointed at by passersby in the city, he suddenly realizes that his trajectory is heading downward.


    "Usato, look at the ground!"


    "Hm?¡¡Ah!


    He does as Nair tells him and looks on the ground to find two figures in an open area that looks like a training ground.


    One is Koga, and the other, a small silver-haired girl, is... Keira.


    >


    >


    <<>


    Coga notices the approaching presence and his eyes lock with hers.


    He looks up at Keira, who looks at him twice, and at the same time, he finally lands on the ground with a reverse thrust of his healing magic bursting palm.


    "Fuuuuuu...... landing successful!"


    "That was a hell of a city tour!"


    I stand up, hearing Kohga''s stunned muttering, and the cape on my shoulder shifts to the still stunned Keira.


    "No, why are you here?"


    "Keira''s magic brought me here ...... but it seems to have started moving on its own.


    Then, Keira finally understood the situation and ran toward us as fast as she could, showing a joyful expression on her face in an instant after she looked stunned.


    "Usato-san!¡¡It''s been a while!


    "Oops! ......"


    He catches Keira as she jumps into the air with all her might.


    She jumps into the air, and I catch her softly as she looks at me happily.


    "Long time no see, how have you been?


    "Yes!¡¡I''ve been a good girl!¡¡I''ve been a good girl!¡¡My magic is ...... again."


    "I don''t mind. I know that''s what dark magic is for."


    Did he really miss me so much?


    Dark magic doesn''t seem to have a bad influence on Keira, and I think it''s rather smiling.


    What are you doing here?


    "What?¡¡Didn''t Kohga tell you?¡¡Didn''t Koga tell you that I was chosen to be a member of the Lingle Kingdom''s delegation?


    "....... I haven''t heard."


    Keira turns around and stares at Coga with half-lidded eyes.


    He meets her gaze and crosses his arms, chuckling.


    "No, I thought I''d surprise you. Surprised, right?"


    "I don''t like Mr. Coga."


    "Oh, oh ......"


    Coga is shocked.


    I smile at him, which he doesn''t see very often, and put my hand on his shoulder.


    "Don''t worry. "Hmph, don''t worry, Corga."


    "What?"


    Maybe spring will come to you, too.


    "...... just now I got a tremendous chill, is it my imagination?"


    Today, I''m going to introduce you to Senri. ......!


    ...... though it''s not unexpected that I''ve come to this place.


    "I got separated from Aruk and the others, but I''m going to have an audience with the Demon King anyway, so I guess we can meet up with him there. Do you think it will be okay?¡¡Nair?


    He talks to Nair, who is at his shoulder.


    "Yes. ...... Well, I''m sure the Demon Lord is laughing his head off right now."


    "......Well, yes."


    I''m sure he''s smiling with amusement knowing my current situation.


    It''s not Keira''s fault, and it doesn''t hurt or itch at all, but it''s irritating to hear the Demon Lord laugh at me.


    "Koga, I know you''re probably busy, but may I ask you to show me where the Demon Lord is?


    "Oh, sure, I''m busy."


    I thought you were busy.


    He''s a former corps leader, isn''t he?¡¡We move out of the place with a slight doubt in our minds.

 361 - - 38th episode.

    We had an unforeseen incident with Keira''s dark magic that made us fly through the sky, but we were able to encounter Koga, and for the time being, we are on our way to the Demon Lord.


    Aruk-san would have headed straight to the Demon Lord''s place, and although there were some problems, it was as if there were no problems at all.


    >


    <>


    <


    I feel a lot of eyes on me when I walk around the city with Koga and Keira.


    They don''t seem to be hostile to me, but they seem to be puzzled by the fact that I am walking with Koga.


    "If only Ferrum were here, I could disguise myself as a demon tribe..."


    "Mr. Ferrum, aren''t you here?"


    I nodded to Keira, who was hovering in her cloak.


    She''s more proficient than before, so she must have worked hard. .......


    It seems to be useful for getting around, and it seems to be a very useful magic.


    "She''s away from home."


    "I see. ...... I''m sorry to hear that. I missed you. ......"


    As a dark wizard, Ferm is my teacher.


    Apart from that, I guess we have a lot in common as dark wizards.


    How long have you been here?


    "About two months. I''ll be here to help the Demon King and the demon tribe, and I''ll keep a record of their lives and submit it to the Lingle Kingdom ...... where I belong.


    "Wow. ......."


    The edges of the cloak are fluttering, as if to show Keira''s happy emotions.


    I smile at the movement, which reminds me of a dog''s tail, and Keira looks at me again.


    "Oh, Gref is here, too, so why don''t you meet him?


    "Oh, Gref is here too! I''ll find time to go see him. How''s his leg?


    "Yes!¡¡He doesn''t have a scratch on it anymore and he''s walking normally.


    I didn''t know what happened to him after that, although the healing magic had healed him properly.


    I''m so glad to hear that your injuries are completely healed.


    Hey, Usato.


    "What''s up, Kohlga?"


    As I was talking to Keira, Koga, who was walking with me, called out to me.


    "You said you were going to help me," he said.


    "Yeah. It''s just a part of my job.


    As for me, my primary purpose is to deepen my friendship with the demon people.


    Koga nodded and folded his hands behind his head.


    "Maybe you''ll be helping us with our work.


    "What kind of work?"


    "It''s a mission to explore the realm of demons. It''s a dangerous mission to explore a forest infested with ferocious monsters.


    "I see, so that''s why I''m a healing wizard."


    If there are ferocious monsters in the area, then of course there will be a battle.


    If there is a battle, people will be injured, but healing magic is a magic that can only be awakened by humans, so you mean that until now we have not been able to do any dangerous pioneering .......


    "That''s one thing, but they''re simply too strong. And you have a blue grizzly bear with you.


    "Bullin doesn''t follow me, he''s my partner. I''m not following him, I''m following you.


    He corrects himself and shows Koga the owl-like nair on his shoulder.


    Nair spreads her small wings with a confident air.


    Yes. I''m her messenger. I forced him to sign a contract with me so that I could follow him for the rest of my life.


    "...... Hey, aren''t you surrounded by a lot of nasty guys?"


    "You''re one of them.


    Except for the fighting, he is a reasonable guy.


    "Well, we''ll have to train the guys in my squad first. If we enter the realm of demons, we won''t be able to maintain our physical strength half-heartedly.


    "It''s going to be a physical challenge, isn''t it?"


    "It''s just that, ...... honestly, I''m not very good at teaching people things..."


    Keira nods in strong agreement with Koga''s words.


    In Keira''s case, she even left this girl alone and ran off to a meeting. .......


    "Ah, yes. You, can you train a search party?"


    "...... Koga, is that a request for me, the vice commander of the lifeguard squad?"


    What?¡¡Well, well, I''ll have to get permission from the Demon Lord first. ......"


    A lifeguard on the road.


    This is getting real.


    Perhaps we could even try to work as healing wizards like Olga and Uluru and run a clinic of some sort.


    "Mr. Usato, you look like you''re having fun."


    That''s it. You''re not thinking straight, are you?


    "I wonder if I can join in."


    "This girl is almost like a knacker. ...... I''m scared."


    That said, Senri will be there when we meet up, so let me tell you about her while I''m at it.


    "There is a woman from the kingdom of Nirvarna who has come to see you because she knows about you."


    "Nirvana?¡¡You mean those guys who were all over you during the meeting?"


    "I wouldn''t say they got involved, but ...... yeah, that''s who they were."


    You know Coga because you''ve been watching him too.


    Well, that''s a good thing.


    No, it''s too weird.


    "?¡¡I''m not suspicious.¡¡...... don''t you believe the way I look at people at all?"


    "I don''t believe you! I can tell if someone is a bad guy or not, but you can''t tell if someone is a freak or not!


    To be honest, I''m not sure if I have confidence in my eyesight.


    So, Koga''s question is quite right.


    But as to whether or not I am a freak, let me deny it.


    "Koga, it''s not that I don''t know how to recognize a freak."


    "Oh, oh."


    "Most of the people I encounter are just strange."


    "...... That means you can''t!"


    Most of the people you meet are full of quirks and quirks......!


    In fact, there are few people who have common sense. ......!


    "......You didn''t sell me out to the guys from Nirvarna at the last meeting, did you? ......!"


    "No, I swear I didn''t. That was just a joke, I never mentioned your name."


    "I can assure you of that. He never mentioned your name.


    The follow-up by Nea, who was almost with him, also convinced Koga.


    "Wow, I don''t know. What''s this chill ......, this steady, horrible feeling of something approaching ......?


    "Ha-ha-ha, you''re thinking too much. And don''t worry. It''s not a demon posing as a villager who has tricked you into believing she''s a princess in a box or a beastman''s boy who shoots arrows at you at the first sign of trouble.


    "You''re being awfully specific and scary."


    It''s true.


    If you dare not say it, the place changes from a cityscape to a square-like area.


    In the center of the square, there is a big pavilion, and near the entrance, we find Aruk and his friends accompanied by Hanna.


    "Oh, hey!¡¡Usato-kun!"


    I finally join them, waving back to Uluru who notices me and waves to me.


    First, I explain to Mr. Aruk why I was taken out by Keira''s magic, which started moving on its own.


    "So that''s what happened. At any rate, I''m glad you''re all right.


    "I''m sorry!¡¡I''m sorry for the trouble I''ve caused you.


    "I don''t see why you should be angry, since you don''t seem to be bothered by it."


    When Keira apologizes, Mr. Aruk replies with a gentle smile.


    Then Mr. Uluru, who had been itching to see Keira from a while ago, taps me lightly on the shoulder.


    "Hey, Usato-kun ......!¡¡Who is this girl?


    I''ve met her before. She has the same dark magic as Ferrum, and I''ve been teaching her how to use it a little. ......Keira, this is Uluru, a healing magician who belongs to the same rescue team as me.


    "I''m Keira. It''s nice to meet you. ......"


    Keira greeted Uluru, whom she had never met before, with trepidation.


    She looks back at me with a certain vigor, as if that had touched her heart.


    "Usato-kun!¡¡I''ve always wanted a sister!


    "No!"


    "You answered too quickly!"


    I had already learned that reaction from my senior year.


    I quickly stop Uluru-san from taking Keira as a sister and turn to Hannah-san, who has been glaring at me since a few minutes ago.


    "Hannah-san! I''m sorry for making a scene.


    "It''s true,......, why do I have to be so tired after the first day,...... Nono is stuck clinging to the flying dragon.... ..."


    No, I''m really sorry.


    Even though it was unavoidable under the circumstances, it was true that I had caused trouble for Ms. Hanna.


    "Well, it''s okay. After this, I will take you to the Demon Lord.


    Am I on my own?


    Yes. Everyone except you will be in a specially built dormitory.


    You mean that I, as the representative, will speak alone.


    Taking a deep breath, Hannah-san looks at me once again, perhaps having regained some of her composure.


    "Well, I am older than you, so I will call you Usato-kun.


    "I don''t mind."


    "From now on, I will be in charge of assisting you. So please don''t make a fuss like you did today. I promise."


    I''m not going to make a scene.


    This time it was a kind of force majeure, so there would not be a commotion.


    "Hmph, don''t worry. I won''t cause a scene."


    "Why do I feel so uneasy when I look at you ......?"


    "There''s no way this guy doesn''t make something happen. ......"


    I go through Nair, who mutters disturbing things in a whisper.


    I''m not here to make a scene, I''m here to do my part.


    Now, please follow me.


    "Oh, wait a minute. Kohlga, come here for a minute.


    Hmm?¡¡Oh."


    Before going to the Demon Lord: .......


    I introduce Koga to Senri, who is among the people of Nirvarna, who until now has remained silent.


    "Senri-san. This is K?ga."


    "Well, you are ...... pleased to meet you, my name is Senri."


    "Oh, hi, I''m Khooga Dingal."


    Senri smiles at me and holds out his hand for me to shake.


    When I nodded to Koga, who was a little surprised to see my hand, he awkwardly held out his right hand and shook my hand.


    "Hey, Usato. Hey, Usato. Is Nirvarna a country with such a strong handshake ......?"


    "!¡¡Hmph!"


    "I''d appreciate it if you''d let go of my hand soon. ......"


    Senri puts more pressure on Kohga''s hand as he tries to release the handshake.


    He is puzzled, and she turns her head and slowly says something to him.


    "I would like to introduce myself again. My name is Senri Vin Nirvarna.


    "Yeah?¡¡...... yeah!?"


    Vin Nirvana ......?


    Wait, I remember that Harold, the king of Nirvarna, called himself Harold Vin Nirvarna. .......


    Could it be ......?


    "Helena-san?¡¡This guy?


    "As you can see. I''m sorry, I''m so sorry. ......"


    Helena looked extremely tired and held her stomach.


    Meanwhile, Senri, who still keeps his hand on Koga''s hand, has gone from a cheerful smile to a predator-like smile... almost like Rose''s. It makes me smile.


    "I am the second princess of the Kingdom of Nirvarna."


    .......


    My gaze crosses with Koga''s, who stiffens.


    After a moment of silence, he points at me with his left arm made of dark magic, distraught.


    "Usato, you!¡¡You''ve been set up!"


    I didn''t know it either!


    Who else could it be?


    Who else? Who else would have thought that the princess would be among those sent?


    "I never thought ...... I''d meet such strong warriors!"


    ...... guys?¡¡No way, me!


    Coga''s gaze on me reminds me of the conversation I had with her up to this point.


    I didn''t have to think too much about it, but there were glimpses of it, so why didn''t I notice it?


    "I had a inkling, but you are a more desperate princess than I thought..."


    "Neah, tell me if you noticed!"


    "It''s still funny ...... because I enjoyed the way you walked the tightrope of conversation. Pfft."


    No, my messenger is nothing but malice!


    This is totally targeting me too!


    Oh no, he''s going to make me his fianc¨¦e!


    Then, Aruk-san casually approaches me and puts his hand on my shoulder.


    "Ah, Mr. Aruk, ......!"


    "Usato-dono! In my experience, in such a situation, it is important not to be carried away by the situation. In addition, it is even better to find the best timing without offending the other party''s spirit.


    "What the hell happened in your past ......?


    You said it was your experience!


    I think I''ve just learned a meaningful part of your past at a time when I didn''t expect it!


    "At last, at last, at last I found it. My fianc¨¦e."


    "Hey!¡¡Hey, he''s got these crazy eyes, the kind of eyes that only think about fighting!


    Koga starts to panic, unable to force his hand away because he''s dealing with the other guy.


    It''s obvious that I''m one of the targets.


    Senri-san......Senri-sama is a beautiful woman and I am honored to be her target, but as I said before, I have my own position and mission to fulfill, so I have to avoid her now......!


    Now, if it comes to this, ......!¡¡Forgive me, Kogach!


    "Ha-ha-ha, Koga, you''re just like me...!¡¡In my opinion you two are a perfect match. ......!"


    "What?¡¡Is that so ......?¡¡That''s the first time anyone has ever said that to me. ......


    "Usato, you son of a b*tc*!"


    He immediately decides to take Koga''s place.


    This should be a welcome deal from the Demon King''s point of view. ......!


    Koga points at me with a desperate look on his face.


    "If that''s what you mean, he''s a human and he beats me up!¡¡His movements are too dangerous to be human!¡¡If you have to choose one, you should choose that one!


    "!!!?"


    What a guy, he sold me out. ......!


    And because he said it so loudly, even the nearby demon tribe members were shocked......!


    Senri-sama''s gaze turned to me, and I felt an unprecedented sense of frustration.


    "This is a love triangle, isn''t it?¡¡It''s a love triangle, isn''t it?¡¡I''ve never seen it before.


    "It''s an ugly fight. ...... Keira, will you please stop fluttering your cape so majestically because it scares the eyes out of me?"


    "......"


    Mr. Uluru, this is a love triangle, but it is not a love triangle.


    It''s a death game in which I and Koga are trying to get the upper hand on Senri-sama.


    "So, who is stronger, Usato or Koga?"


    "I''m the stronger one.


    "Well, I guess I am."


    .......


    ""...... Oh."""


    "Huh, both are strong."


    By the time I responded reflexively, it was already too late and Senri-sama had a big smile on his face.


    Then, she suddenly hugs Koga''s arm and turns to go somewhere.


    "Koga-san, let''s have a mock battle just to say hello. ......!


    "Hey, where''s Usato?¡¡He''s so strong!


    "First of all, you."


    I''m not sure about the "for starters" part, but it seems we''ve managed for now.


    So that''s the little sister that Mr. Ouka was talking about.


    She was very different from what I had expected, but I could tell that she was from Nirvarna.


    "Usato!¡¡Hannah is fine by me!¡¡Hey, Tuskete!


    Koga, looking frantic, asks me and Hannah for help.


    I casually look at her next to me and see that she is holding her hand on her cheek, looking very happy.


    "No, it looks like fun, so please do your best.


    "Coga ...... be careful because if you do something bad it will become an international problem. ......Nanmu."


    "You sons of b*tc*es!¡¡Yeah, they''re gonna take us!


    I bow to the Corga.


    Well, it''s not like they''re suddenly engaged or anything.


    ...... honestly, I''m sorry about that, I''ll apologize to Kohga later.

 362 - - 39th episode.

    After parting from Aruk and the others, Nair and I were taken to the office of the Demon King under the guidance of Hannah.


    Unlike the previous visit to the Demon Lord''s castle, the Demon Lord was sitting at the table in the spacious room looking over some documents, and Ciel was standing beside him as if he was his assistant.


    "Have you come, Ciel?


    "Mr. Usato, please come this way."


    "Oh, thank you very much."


    Hannah seems to be waiting outside the door, and I enter the office and sit in the chair provided.


    After confirming that I had sat down, the Demon Lord leaned his body against the back of the chair and gave me a look of dismay.


    "Do you have to do something interesting to make me do something?"


    "No, no, no..."


    What''s the difference? Isn''t it true that you suddenly flew through the air?


    It''s true, isn''t it?


    To the untrained eye, you''re just some weird healing wizard flying around the city.


    "Nair, sometimes the truth can be deceiving. You''d do well to remember that."


    "In your case, the truth is often more unbelievable than a lie."


    Does this owl have a grudge against me or something?


    I just hit him with a very accurate counter.


    "Flying. It seems you''ve awakened to a rare ability.


    I knew it was a rarity.


    "It is possible to levitate with wind magic. But to "fly" freely and with a specific intention is interesting. It is a marvel when a child who has ...... awakened to dark magic wishes to fly."


    Flying freely in the sky is a one-of-a-kind magic.


    Although it has no physical attack power, it should be an exceptional performance in terms of being able to move anywhere.


    "Compared to ...... before, it''s a much smaller building now."


    "Nowadays you don''t need something as big as a castle. If we kept the castle, we would have to make our men climb the stairs one by one, which is a hassle. Then, this is just about right."


    Ah, the big castle before, it would be hard to go up and down the stairs.


    Then, this kind of house would be easier to communicate information quickly.


    "So... Now that you''re here at last, of course we need you to do a few things for us.


    "Yes."


    That''s why I''m here.


    Straightening his back, he listens to the voice of the Demon King.


    "First, interact with the people in this city. Calling them demons is fine, but it is important that they interact with you, a human who is friendly to demons.


    "Yes, sir."


    I don''t mind being called a demon, but we have to keep interacting with each other.


    I''m not that worried about it, though, since both Uluru and Aruk are good communicators.


    "Next, we''ll explore the "demon territory" between the demon king''s territory and the beastman''s territory.


    Oh, that''s what Koger told me.


    Then let''s talk quickly. You are to accompany the search as a member of the search party.


    Oh, about that...


    What?


    He recalls his conversation with Koga just a few minutes ago and starts talking.


    "Koga asked me to train the search party.


    "...... Hmm. Training for the lifeguard. Interesting. Then let''s recruit more people.


    Are you sure?


    "Yes, you can sift through it."


    I got the go-ahead easily.


    Lifeguard-style training for demon people.


    I know that in the beginning, Ferrum was so poor and dependent on his armor, but there are probably ex-soldiers or something, so I might be able to do it at a reasonable pace.


    "Kkkkk, I''m looking forward to the training."


    "You look bad. ......"


    I can see now why Rose seemed so happy when she got Ferrum into the lifeguard.


    Training for a demon tribe with physical abilities different from normal people.


    I can''t wait to see what kind of training menu they will come up with.


    "Ciel, did you see that?¡¡He doesn''t even know he''s doing that?


    "I''ve never seen a person show such an evil smile during training. ......


    Oops, I should focus on the story.


    I come back to myself and turn to the Demon Lord.


    "There is something else I would like to ask you, ...... but that is from me personally. There is no need to say it here.


    Is that so?


    "Yes."


    I''m a little scared to ask for a personal favor from the Demon Lord.


    The tension in the air seems to have eased up a bit.


    Then Ciel-san, who was standing by the Demon King, calls out to me.


    "How is Keira-chan?


    "Yes. She is still waiting for me outside this house.


    "I''m glad to hear it. After meeting you at the ruins, I was concerned about you. ......"


    Come to think of it, I first encountered Ciel-san at the ruins.


    I was surprised to see her, because I didn''t think she was a lady-in-waiting of the demon king.


    "How about I entrust you with some of the dark wizard''s children?"


    "Ha-ha-ha, that''s a funny joke."


    "Yeah, I think I''m about to develop some interesting abilities. Yeah, I think I''m going to develop some interesting abilities, and it''s going to be fun too.


    "You''re kidding, right ......?"


    I don''t think that''s possible right now.


    I don''t know if I can open the mind of a child dark wizard in the first place.


    "Well, I don''t know when, but it''s worth a try. Above all, it will lead to the stability and independence of the dark wizards, which I have been seeing as a problem so far.


    "Will it be that easy? ......"


    "I''m sure they''ve had at least two success stories."


    You mean Ferrum and Keira: .......


    Hmmm, I don''t think I''m that much of an influence on Keira, but Ferrum seems to have been rehabilitated by the lifeguard.


    "You know what?


    "Yes?"


    "I depend on dark wizards. ...... to be easily accessible."


    ...... hmm?


    You were just about to say something...


    "I''ve never had a heart-to-heart with a dark wizard like you before, but I''ve made a guess.


    "Guess?"


    Somehow I feel like I''ve been misled, but what kind of a guess is the Demon Lord making?


    "Many dark wizards have a sense of bitterness toward their own kind, a sense of rejection, even. The experience of being betrayed by their parents, the people they trust the most, has increased their distrust of others, and the shadows in their hearts that result are manifested as dark magic."


    Can we assume that''s what the inversion of the ferme and the humanoid dark magic of Keira are?


    But why does that make me more susceptible?


    Is it because I''m not a demon?


    "It''s just one of the factors. In the first place, the environment of the demon king''s territory before I awakened was terrible. ...... When the land becomes desolate, the hearts of those who live there naturally become desolate as well."


    I could see how they could be easily befriended, but that''s not enough.


    Keira doesn''t seem to have much to do with the fact that I was disguised as a demon tribe in the first place.


    Coga is at .......


    "Speaking of which..."


    What?


    Did you know that there is a second princess in the delegation from the Kingdom of Nirvarna?


    "?¡¡Yeah, I don''t know if she''s drunk or what.


    Oh, good, he knew about Senri.


    "That''s him, isn''t it? He''s trying to make Koga his fiancee.


    ""...... Huh?""


    The Demon King and Ciel react in the same way.


    To be honest, I wanted to say it myself and get the same reaction, but I couldn''t be so optimistic.


    "And by the way, they''re after me too.


    "...... No, you''ve brought in too many topics, haven''t you?¡¡What are you?¡¡Are you always doomed to have trouble with women?"


    "No, no, this is not my fault!


    If even the demon king said that to me, I''d cry.


    I can''t stand the unusual situation that this person is pulling me away from.


    On the other hand, Ciel-san looks excited and is ready to listen to what I have to say.


    "Well, but you are the second princess of Nirvarna, aren''t you?¡¡...... is not a bad idea."


    "Apparently, she likes strong people. I think you and Koga would be a good match."


    "......"


    Why do you look at me like I''m bothering you?


    Please don''t look at me like I''m interesting in Koga, but I''m interesting in this guy too .......


    "I will have nothing to do with this matter. I''m going to enjoy the uproar of the parties involved, including you."


    "It''s a lot more interesting just to see Mr. Koga having a hard time. ......!"


    I reported it before it was too late, but I''m glad it doesn''t seem to be a problem.


    I reported it before it was too late, but I''m glad it doesn''t seem to be a problem. ...... No, it''s not a problem at all.


    ¡ñ


    Anyway, after finishing the conversation, I leave the office of the Demon King and meet up with Keira at the entrance.


    After this, we move to the dormitory where Aruk, Uluru, and the others are staying, but I was concerned about Koga who had moved with Senri, so I decided to go to a nearby training area to check on him.


    "You, by the way, why are you with Usato-kun?¡¡From the looks of it, you seem to be that ...... dark wizard."


    "Mr. Usato is my dark magic teacher. ......!"


    "He is a healing magician?¡¡I thought he was a healing magician. ...... No, umm......... is that right, a teacher?"


    Hannah, why do you keep trying to correct me that you are a healing magician, and eventually change your mind?


    "I''m sorry, I asked you to go on a detour."


    "No, no. I also enjoy watching Mr. Koga struggle."


    "......"


    I''m starting to feel sorry for Koga.


    Why does he even treat Ciel and Hannah like this ......?


    I know it''s not that they don''t like him, but .......


    "Hey, if we keep going this way, aren''t you going to get caught in the middle of this?"


    "Yeah, I''m sure that when Koger sees me, he''ll make me the scapegoat as soon as possible. ......


    I''d do the same thing then and fight back. .......


    "I thought it would be better to have me, a healing magician, there in case you get hurt in the simulation."


    "......Serious in that way, aren''t you?"


    And I have other things on my mind.


    "For me personally, I''m curious about Senri-sama''s undefeated record in engagement duels."


    When was this duel? Hmm?¡¡But if he''s undefeated in that engagement duel, that means he''s ......"


    "Hannah, there are some things in this world that you know in your head but you shouldn''t say out loud. ......"


    "......, yes."


    If the current Senri-sama is the one who beat down all the candidates for engagement, and then somehow even the candidates stopped showing up, then I can understand her desperation.


    But Senri-sama is at the same age as senpai, so I don''t think there''s any need for him to be in such a hurry.


    "Oh, isn''t that it?"


    "Yes?"


    Keira points in the direction where we find a large training field and a small crowd of people.


    Helena and the people from Nirvarna are there, so it seems that Koga and Senri are fighting there.


    ""......""


    "They''re facing each other, but they''re not moving."


    Koga, as usual, is ready to step forward with his right fist, while Senri-sama is holding his palms lightly and his legs are only half a step apart.


    "...... Senri-sama is trying to counter?"


    "I wonder if he is good at throwing?¡¡I saw it when I shook your hand.


    No, no. ---I''m moving.


    Coga was the first to move.


    With a single step, he moved behind Senri-sama, his sword close to her neck.


    But as soon as he turned back, Senri-sama ducked and fired a fist at Koga''s unprotected jaw, piercing it from the shortest distance possible.


    "!?!!"


    Koga stops his sword, just in time to avoid the fist, and as he backs away, Senri-sama slowly draws his fist back as if to catch his breath, and assumes the same posture.


    "I told you so. Don''t be too hard on me."


    That is the Second Princess of Nirvarna that Harold and Ouka were talking about.


    She''s stronger than I''ve heard.


    "...... Ha, this is one hell of a princess! I like her. ......!"


    "Did you just say you''ll marry me?


    "I didn''t say anything!¡¡What kind of ears do you have?


    His behavior is a bit too much.


    But it seems that Koger is now ready to do the same.


    "As you wish, I''ll start from here with a certain amount of force. Don''t complain if you get hurt!


    "I am also a woman of Nirvarna. If you are embarrassed to get hurt, you are immature. ......!¡¡Don''t hesitate to come at me!


    That''s fun!


    The battle begins again, with the two daring each other.


    Koga attacks, and Senri-sama counters with a flowing attack.


    However, Senri-sama changes his stance as if switching from one fight to the other, and his fighting style changes to a more aggressive one.


    "Hmph!"


    "Hey, hey, this is how a princess fights!"


    She catches a kick with her arm, grabs it and swings it the other way.


    Senri-sama is thrown away, but she maneuvers herself into a good position in the air and lands on the ground---and without a moment''s pause, she is on her way to Koga.


    "Wow, you must be a hell of a person to be able to fight Mr. Koga without magic.


    "Yes, I guess so. ......!"


    "No, I don''t think that''s what you mean."


    "Yes, the first time you fought Koga, you moved even worse than that."


    Why is it that I''m the one who''s getting the blame for all this?


    But Senri-sama''s next move is always with the next connection in mind.


    He attacks in a fluid manner, unleashing a barrage of blows without giving his opponent a chance to think.


    It is a strategy backed by experience that even guides the opponent''s behavior.


    "......"


    With his hand over his mouth, he follows the battle between Koga and Senri-sama with his eyes.


    The heated battle seemed to be gradually coming to an end, and the winner was decided when Koga''s fist was stopped by Senri-sama''s nose.


    Koga pulled his fist from Senri-sama, who was sitting down and breathing heavily, and smiled while wiping his forehead.


    "You''re good. But I guess you''re still not as good as me.


    "......"


    "Well, give it up now."


    Koga tilts his head at Senri-sama, who remains downcast and says nothing.


    He didn''t seem to be hurt in any way, but ...... I''m a little worried.


    I''m going to Koga''s for a while.


    "...... don''t make a scene, okay?"


    I walk away from Hannah and Keira and approach Koga.


    Koga finds me, and he gives me a cheerful look while Senri-sama is still unresponsive.


    "Oh, Usato. You were pretty strong, this princess. Well, you seem to be in shock at losing now, but I hope you''ll give up now."


    "Oh, you are a ...... Senri-sama, are you all right?¡¡If you need healing magic, put your hand on my palm.


    I decided that it was indeed wrong to touch the princess without asking her, so I held out my hand covered with healing magic.


    She places her hand on my palm silently, and I cast a healing spell on her.


    ...... Hmm?¡¡Do I have to hold it so tightly?


    ......


    "Senri-sama?"


    Next, Usato-san.


    "What ......?


    I''m not intimidated by Rose, but I''m terrified of something else.


    Why is this man in a trance ......!


    Is that it?¡¡Is it because he met someone who could beat him?


    Is he trying to make a match with me too?


    "Hey, Koga!¡¡Where is he?


    I tried to call for help, but Koga was already gone.


    He''s gone!¡¡I mean, in a sense, he''s the one who shouldn''t escape the most in this situation!


    "d*mn, I didn''t want to use this move, but ......Nea, take human form ......!"


    "What?¡¡What are you ...... doing?"


    "I''ll do anything you want, just ......!


    Naturally, Nair changed from an owl to a little girl.


    I put my free hand on Neah''s shoulder and with a serious expression on my face, I use my last resort.


    "She''s my wife. ......!"


    "...... hyuh!"


    Nair sometimes makes a joke.


    I didn''t like to use it either, but ...... how about it ......?


    After seeing Nair''s stiffened body, I looked at Senri-sama fearfully and saw that she was also looking up at me with vacant eyes.


    "...... Dareno?"


    "My... my... my... my... my... my... my... my...


    "...... Kyu."


    He fell down!


    I hurry to support Senri-sama, and Helena and the others come to this place.


    "Ms. Helena!¡¡Senri-sama is at ......."


    "Oh, I don''t think there''s anything to worry about. It''s probably just a trauma. ......


    "Trauma ......?"


    "Our princess has a lot going on. ....... Really, I''m sorry for the trouble I''ve caused you. ......


    Bowing her head, Helena-san gives Senri a big hug and heads off in the direction where the dormitories might be.


    She really was like a storm. ...... Senri-sama.


    But what is trauma? .......


    "Hey, Usato......!"


    "Hm?"


    Nair, who had been frozen, finally comes to her senses and comes up to me, her face bright red.


    "No, Nea. I''m really sorry about what I said before. But you''ve done the same thing many times..."


    "Please don''t ever tell Amako and Ferrum or anyone else about this. ......!?"


    "What?"


    If you want to spare my life!¡¡Okay?¡¡Okay!


    What do you mean ......?


    If I tell Nair about what we just talked about, is he in any kind of danger?

 363 - - The 320th.

    There was really too much going on, but I managed to complete everything I needed to do today, so I decided to head to the quarters that had been prepared for me.


    I also moved the burin that I had left near the entrance of the city to the stables near the inn, and it has attracted much more attention from the demon people than it did at first.


    There are some ridiculous rumors flying around about flying demons and humans being flying creatures, but I''m sure time will tell. ...... Maybe.


    "I''m glad you''re here, Aruk-san. ......"


    "Ha-ha-ha, you''re overreacting."


    The dormitories were divided into two, one in the kingdom of Lingle and the other in the kingdom of Nirvarna.


    Basically, we were supposed to cook our own dinner, so we waited at the table until dinner arrived, leaving the cooking to Aruk-san, just as we had done on our previous trip.


    "Well, the first day in the demon kingdoms. It was a hard day. Usato-sama."


    Mr. Krumia, who was sitting in front of me, chuckled as he said this.


    No, I''m really sorry for the trouble I''ve caused you all.


    It was just as I had heard. "There is always something < or going on around you, Usato-dono."......It was just as you said, Suzune-san.


    "You are too right, you can''t deny it ......"


    I mean, what are you blowing into Mr. Krumia''s head, senpai?


    "It was more difficult coming from my family than from the demon king''s territory, but..."


    "Ha-ha-ha, even for us, that Nirvarna thing was unexpected.


    At any rate, Senri-sama''s problem should have been ...... managed at least for the time being.


    I tried not to deceive you as much as I could, but I''ll leave her to Koga, who escaped.


    "I''m sorry about Nair too."


    "No, ...... I''m not mad at you, but ....... I''m just angry that it''s happening to me. It''s too much of a shock."


    "Ha-ha-ha, so we''re even."


    "...... No, we''re not pals. I''ll get your blood later."


    I don''t mind if it''s just a little bit.


    Well, give me a couple of liters."


    N¨¦a smiles at me and I put my hand on her chin.


    "You''ll get a stomach ache if you drink that much, you know?"


    "I''m kidding, but aren''t you implying that you don''t mind being drained of two liters of blood ......?"


    Sometimes I almost forget that Nair is a vampire because he''s always in owl form.


    And that he''s a necromancer.


    "How about you, Uluru?¡¡"Come to a city with demon people."


    I call out to her sitting next to me, and she comes to herself, somewhat dazed.


    "Oh, I''m sorry. I was a little fuzzy."


    "Are you all right?¡¡If you''re tired, you should rest.


    "No, no. I was just wondering if you were okay.


    You mean Olga.


    You''re family, so of course you''re worried about her. .......


    "Olga-san has Nack with her, so she''ll be fine."


    "...... yeah. I know, I need to focus on me."


    I nodded to Mr. Uluru, whose expression brightened a little.


    "How was your first day here?"


    "Yes."


    "Well, I guess I''ll be all right. For the time being, I feel like I''m doing just fine. Is it because everyone has been looking only at you, Usato-kun?"


    "Ah. ......"


    I guess I flew away.


    No one is to blame for this, but I can only feel that we made a huge impact from the beginning.


    "Usato, what are you going to do tomorrow?"


    "Basically, we will stay on standby unless the Demon King requests us to stay, but tomorrow we are going to see off the knights who were dispatched from the Lingle Kingdom before us.


    Formally, it''s like taking turns with us.


    Other than that, it''s still up in the air. .......


    "The Demon King has asked me to interact with the demon people, so I''m thinking of going outside. I''m also thinking of going to meet Keira''s guardians."


    "Kiera''s?"


    "She asked me to meet her, but I also wanted to show my face.


    I should meet with him and apologize for hiding my identity.


    I need to make sure my leg is actually injured.


    Then we can go and see the expedition members.


    The demon king said he''s going to recruit, but the original members are probably Koga''s men.


    I wonder how "capable" they are, since they must be elite if they are his subordinates.


    "Hey, what did you do to Keira, Usato?"


    "I don''t mean to sound very friendly, but..."


    Haha, that''s not what I meant. I just thought he really loves me."


    Ah, so that''s what it''s all about: .......


    "Thank you for your patience, ladies and gentlemen."


    Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Alc.


    It seems that Mr. Aruk''s cooking is just about ready.


    The food we eat here has the same ingredients as the ones the demon tribe people eat in the demon king''s territory.


    Although the food looks deliciously prepared by Mr. Aruk''s hands, the quantity of the ingredients used is not large.


    "......As Aruk-san is here, shall we talk while we eat?"


    The dark wizard Keira meets Gref and his friends.


    The battle that transcended dimensions and time and the first encounter with the Demon King took place at the site of the decisive battle between the Demon King and the previous generation of heroes.


    The time of the night passes slowly as I recount these events.


    The time of the night passes slowly as we recount these events.


    After finishing dinner, I wiped myself with warm water and a hand towel and changed my clothes. I checked my belongings again in my room and wrote down what I was going to do in the notebook I had brought with me.


    There were many things that needed to be done anyway.


    I heard that the Demon King has a lot of requests for me, so I''d better get myself in gear.


    "......"


    I fold up my notebook and put it back in my bag.


    Quickly, smoothly, and intricately, I rotate the magic power so that it circulates from the center of my chest --- my heart --- to my entire body.


    "Next, ......"


    He grasps the magic bullet created in his palm and senses the magic power.


    This technique detects the presence of living and moving things within its range.


    This is a countermeasure against the disappearing demons, and must be practiced at all costs.


    Hm?¡¡Is it necessary to grip the magic bullet in the first place?


    I''ve been doing it every time, but it''s a big gap and I should change the way I do it. ......?


    "Magic doesn''t just come from your hands. Then ......"


    Just release it from your whole body: ......!


    We have already experienced how to do this with Ferrum and his senior''s Thunder Beast mode.


    There is no reason why you can''t do it. ......!


    "Nnnn......n,gu......!"


    I tried to radiate magic power from my upper body imaginatively, but I could see that the magic power was being drained away at a tremendous rate.


    I try to stop radiating immediately, but this is not very practical.


    "Hmmm, I thought it was a good idea..."


    My magic power as it is is too consuming.


    Or do I send it out like a ripple, like sonar?¡¡It would still be better, but it would still use more magic than usual.


    "Come to think of it, lineage enhancement is a technique to increase the concentration of magic power. ......"


    The concentration of magic power is increased by putting it into the body, thus increasing its effectiveness.


    That is the reinforcement.


    Then can''t we do the opposite?


    I can put healing magic on my palm and concentrate my consciousness.


    "......"


    If the strengthening of the system is like making the light more intense, this is like making the light thinner and weaker.


    The magic remains the same.


    Thinner.


    More transparent.


    The emerald green color gradually fades with each thought.


    In terms of color, it is one step lighter than Nack''s healing magic, isn''t it?


    "......It''s easier than I thought."


    Let''s try the same thing as before with this.


    "Hmph."


    Radiate the diluted magic power.


    The space is filled with a thin glow of healing magic.


    You have consumed some magic power, but it is much less than before.


    "If I had to name it, I''d say it''s a degradation of the system.


    By daring to lower the quality of the healing magic, we can reduce the consumption of magic power and keep the situation more seamless.


    As I take a short rest, someone unexpectedly knocks on the door of my room.


    "Yes?¡¡Hmm?¡¡Neah, what''s wrong?"


    I open the door and there is Nair with her arms crossed, looking up at me with a stern stare.


    What?


    "Hey Usato, some kind of relaxing magic is coming into the next room."


    Oh, sorry. I''m sorry. I''ve just developed a new technology that''s second only to magic spinning.


    "It''s not that I don''t like it, but ...... yeah?"


    Did the magic just go through the wall?


    I''m sorry I did that, even if it was a healing spell.


    I''ll hold him back this time. See you.


    No, wait a minute!


    I tried to close the door, but he stuck his foot in the doorway.


    You''re not doing something strange again, are you?


    Not this time. I''m just wondering if it''s possible to do the opposite of strengthening the system.


    "Huh?¡¡You can''t do that.


    "No, I could have done that."


    And then Nair''s head is in his hands.


    "I''m used to it, so I''m not surprised. I''m used to it, so it doesn''t surprise me. I''m used to it, so it doesn''t surprise me. ......!"


    "What are you mumbling about?"


    "Show me some of your skills ......!"


    I don''t mind.


    I open the door and let her in, but this time Mr. Aruk comes from the end of the hallway.


    "Mister Usato! Just in time.


    "Yes?¡¡Mr. Alc, what''s wrong?


    Hannah came to see me.


    Hannah?


    About tomorrow''s plans or something?


    "Neah, can I show you my tricks later?"


    "I don''t know. ...... I''ll wait in my room."


    Nair enters my room without hesitation with a somewhat unconvinced look on her face.


    "Is something wrong?"


    "No, I was just thinking of a new technique and I got a little cranky."


    Haha, I guess you never change, Usato-dono. ...... Oh, Hannah is waiting for you downstairs."


    "Yes, sir."


    I leave Aruk and go downstairs by myself.


    Hannah is standing in the doorway, looking a little tired, and she sighs when she notices me.


    "Hanna-san?¡¡What''s wrong?


    "No, I forgot to tell you something, so I thought I would tell you today.


    "Yes?¡¡Oh, I don''t want to talk standing up, so please sit down."


    Let me show you to your table and then listen to what you have to say.


    "First of all, I live right next door to this dormitory.


    "Oh, really?"


    "Yes, it''s a coincidence, isn''t it? It''s as if it was decided from the beginning that I would be your assistant.


    He smiled at me with a shadowy smile.


    I wonder if it was orchestrated by ...... the Demon King or something?


    "If you do something outside the house, report it to me or I will accompany you, so please come and tell me.


    "Yes, sir."


    Is it more of a watchdog role than an assistant?


    No, in the case of the Demon King, it''s also possible that he''s paired me up with him because he thinks it''ll be fun.


    So what should I do during morning training?


    "What?¡¡Training?


    "I''m thinking of running in. It''s a good way to get a feel for the structure of the city.


    I''ve only seen the cityscape from the sky, so I''ll have to run and see it for myself first.


    "What time are you planning to start running?"


    ...... hmmm.


    "About the time the sun comes up."


    "No, I''m sleeping normally, so please don''t come. ......?¡¡I don''t mind if you just want to go for a run. I''m just running. ...... Oh, please don''t do anything strange, okay?"


    I know what happens when you run with a burin on your back.


    I know this is not the Lingle Kingdom.


    "Don''t worry. We just run. ......!"


    "I don''t know. I don''t feel safe at all. ......"


    How untrustworthy am I?


    But if I''m not trustworthy at first, then I''ll just have to raise it.


    I should do my best to gain her trust, since my friendship with Ms. Hannah would be part of the task to deepen our friendship as the Demon Lord had said.

 364 - - Thirty-two.

    Basically, I try to train in the morning if possible.


    This is no different in the Demon Lord''s territory, so I decided to run in the city after getting permission from Ms. Hanna beforehand.


    In the morning, I woke up just as the sun appeared in the sky, and after quickly getting dressed, I went outside.


    "Oh, Mr. Usato?"


    "Good morning. Good morning, Mr. Krumeier.


    I do my warm-up exercises while greeting Mr. Krumea, who is guarding the dormitory.


    "Good morning. The lifeguards are early, aren''t they? Are you running in?"


    "Yes. Are you in charge now, Mr. Krumeier?


    Yes. We don''t know what might happen, so we have to take precautions.


    I''m sure you can count on me, but I don''t want to push you too hard, so I''ll be ready to cast a healing spell at any time.


    If you ever get sick, please contact me or Uluru-san.


    "As for me, I''m worried that you might be pushing yourself too hard, Usato-dono."


    I''m fine with that. Training is like a break!


    "...... Oh, is that so?"


    "No, I''m just kidding."


    "What?


    You didn''t think I was joking ......?


    I don''t understand what you mean when you say that training is a break.


    "Well, I''m off!"


    "Oh, yes!"


    They lightly run out of the place and run through the streets of the city.


    It''s not completely light yet, so I don''t see anyone, but my goal is to get a feel for the city streets and structures, so I look around as I run.


    "This is a very solid building. The Demon King must have rebuilt it, so he must have thought of that too.


    Maybe the castle was disassembled and used as materials for houses for the demon people?


    Then I see two demons patrolling in front of me.


    .


    <


    >


    They are talking, but you run past them without paying any attention to them.


    "Oh, good morning!


    "Oh, good morning!"


    "Abba!"


    Naturally, you will be surprised, but it''s important to keep doing this.


    The veteran-ish person looked like a person who had encountered a monster, though.


    Well, many of them had never seen humans before, so it was understandable that they reacted like that.


    After that, I got myself together and ran, but I had some reactions that I didn''t want to understand, such as being looked at twice, being suspected of being an apparition, and some of them worshipped me. ......Yes, I didn''t have any problems.


    "Is this ...... a ...... training ground on the edge of the city?"


    You notice that there are few buildings and instead you find a place that looks like a training ground.


    I wonder if this is a place where soldiers are usually trained, because there are piles of wood and stones.


    It''s a nice training ground. It''s a big place, with big rocks. ...... yeah?"


    Someone''s here.


    I get curious and approach the place to find a man of the demon tribe standing in front of a five-tiered pile of rocks.


    Blond-haired and tall, he swung his sword, which seemed to be held loosely, with a speed that my eyes could barely catch, and in an instant, he cut the stones into pieces.


    "Oh ......"


    I can''t help but let out an exclamation.


    He must have already noticed my presence, because he sheathed his sword without a sound and turned around to face me.


    "......, is that you?"


    "It''s been a while. Mr. Nero Agence.


    Former commander of the First Legion of the Demon Army.


    He is one of the strongest of the demon clans, except for the Demon King, and he reacts a little surprised.


    "Nero. I know you are here in this city, but I never expected to see you here ......."


    "I didn''t expect to see you here, either."


    Rose''s former flame.


    Now it seems that the connection is gone, but to me he is as good as Rose, so he is far from impressive.


    "Is this morning training?"


    "Hmm?¡¡Yes. I don''t have much time during the day.


    "The weather is good for me, so I thought I would run as usual."


    "...... weather has anything to do with it?"


    No, I run when it rains.


    Mr. Nero tilts his head curiously.


    "Oh, I haven''t introduced myself. My name is Ken Usato.


    "......"


    "Can I help you?"


    "No, I''m the guy who almost killed you. ......"


    It is true that at one point Mr. Nero almost cut off my torso.


    My master will have paid me back for that, so I don''t mind.


    "...... You''re an odd one, aren''t you?"


    "I get that a lot."


    I''m still rather sympathetic to the idea that I''m an oddball. .......


    Well, I am aware of that.


    "...... I hear Rose''s man has come back from the dead."


    "......!¡¡Yes."


    I am surprised that you would bring up the subject yourself.


    I know about the battle with Mr. Nero''s men that led to the deaths of Mr. Ahl and others.


    From Nero''s point of view, it must have been a rather complicated story.


    How was it?


    If we run into him, I''ll drag him to the Commander.


    "No, ......, that''s not what I meant to ask. ......"


    When I answered with firm determination, I was met with a subtle look.


    "From your current subordinate''s point of view, how do I look after my past deeds?"


    "How do I look to you now that you''ve done what you did in the past?" "How do I look to you now that you''ve done what you did in the past? I heard that before the Demon King came back to life, the Demon King''s territory was in a pretty bad situation. ......"


    From a neutral point of view, there was certainly a reason for the demons to be so desperate.


    In the first place, there was no way I could say anything to Mr. Nero as an outsider, even though he was my current subordinate.


    "In the end, I think there was no other way but to go along with either side''s will. Perhaps you know that very well, don''t you?


    "......Yes, I do."


    Rose and Mr. Earle and his team were protecting the Kingdom of Lingle.


    Nero and his men also did it for the people in the Demon King''s territory.


    Even back then, with the deep resentment between the humans and the demons, it was impossible to end things in a way that would not hurt either of them.


    "But you''d better not say such a question to the Commander when you meet him..."


    "Hmm?¡¡Why not?


    "Stop rehashing the past all the time!¡¡I''m sure he''ll be furious.


    He would definitely say something like this.


    I wouldn''t be surprised if he gave me a good scolding.


    "You''re a lot like ...... Rose, you know."


    "I''ve always had my sights set on you."


    "I see. ......"


    Mr. Nero was silent for about ten seconds with his eyes downcast.


    It is impossible to guess how much emotion was put into that silence.


    "I understand why the Demon Lord is so concerned about your eyes."


    "No, I don''t think his perception of me is that good."


    I know he trusts me, but he expects me to do so in a strange way.


    "I know they enjoy it when they talk about you," he says. I don''t know what he''s going to do."


    "Isn''t that alarming ......?"


    "It''s not normal for a demon king to be described as a man who doesn''t know what he''s doing, is it?"


    Is that something to be happy about? .......


    I can''t deny it, though, considering what happened yesterday.


    "...... I guess it means a lot to me that I ran into you here."


    "Mr. Nero?"


    Mr. Nero starts to walk away.


    He moves from the pile of stones to a wider area, then stops and turns to me.


    What do you think?¡¡What do you think? How about a handshake?"


    "......!"


    An unexpected offer.


    His words take me by surprise for a moment, but then the corners of my mouth naturally turn up.


    "I can''t wish for that. ......!¡¡If you think I''m the same as I was then, you''re mistaken. ......!"


    "It has to be. ......"


    The foot is opened a half step, and the deployed basket hand is thrust forward into a stance.


    It''s not something you should do in the morning, but there''s no reason to say no: ......!


    I have grown since then, though I used to be forced to defend myself against the overwhelming difference in strength.


    Let''s go!


    "Yes!"


    Mr. Nero''s figure is scratched off.


    As soon as I recognize him, I move my baskets and repel the sword in its scabbard that is approaching me.


    "Ah!"


    "!¡¡......f."


    Nero-san, who is raising the corners of his mouth in front of me, unleashes another volley of blows.


    ......,I can''t catch this!


    I intuitively knew that I couldn''t catch it, and I released a shockwave forward and fell backward.


    "You have a tremendous crisis-sensing ability!


    "......"


    Is it equal to or better than the senior''s Thunder Beast mode in its bare form? ......!


    We can''t just follow it with our eyes.


    If it''s ......, let''s try using it right away......!


    "---Degradation


    A technique to reduce the potency of healing magic and to reduce the consumption of magic power.


    The user closes his or her eyes and releases a radiant flow of magical power while breathing.


    "He has lowered the quality of his own magic?¡¡I have never seen this technique before.


    At the same time as he mutters, Mr. Nero, who exists within the closed field of vision, begins to move.


    He detects his movement not with his eyesight, but with his magical senses... and repels the first slash, which is nearly invisible.


    "......!¡¡It''s done!!!"


    "It''s going to continue, isn''t it?"


    The next high-speed slash is caught by the magic sense!


    He moves backward and repels them with his basket hand, blocking them all the while, and applies more!


    "And from here!"


    System deterioration is released!¡¡The concentration of healing magic is restored, and it is released for a moment!


    Nero, about to swing the sword of pursuit, makes a frown appear on his face and stops his movement slightly.


    "Here!


    Taking advantage of this opportunity, he repels the follow-up attack with his baskets... and then he hits with a healing flying fist in return!


    Nero slashes the Healing Flying Fist with his returning sword, and rolls his eyes in surprise as he retreats backward slightly.


    "!¡¡He''s gone off his feet. ......?"


    "It''s called Healing Break!"


    If you''re as skilled as Nero-san, you can react to the slightest change in magical power whether you like it or not.


    You may be able to predict my movements from there, but I took advantage of that with the "Healing Breakdown. ......!


    "I''ll use healing magic that changes concentration in an instant to deceive your senses ......."


    I''ve already found out how it works.


    Nero, who is a superior person, would understand. .......


    "Kuh-kuh-kuh, ha-ha-ha!"


    "Right, Nero?"


    I am startled by his sudden burst of laughter.


    He seemed to be a cool guy, but after laughing for a while, he smiled as if something had fallen from his mind.


    "Oh, I see. No wonder the Demon Lord is interested in him. This is truly terrifying.


    "......"


    "I admit it. I''ve never seen a better wielder of magic than you."


    His mood changes again to that of combat.


    I raise the corner of my mouth and ready my cage hand, though I feel a chill that freezes my body from the inside.


    "I''m sorry, but I''m going to have to ask you to stay with me a little longer. Usato.


    "Excellent!¡¡I''ll go this time!"


    By "system deterioration", as long as I am within the range of my magic power, I can know all of my opponent''s movements.


    With "Healing Break", I can make my magic radiate slowly and rapidly to throw my opponent off his stride.


    This is the newly enhanced Healing Sensing.


    We are far from ready to use it in the real world, but we just have to try it out now and then!


    I''m sure you''ll be fine.


    "So, what happened after that?"


    I nodded somewhat smugly to Nair, who looked at me like I was an idiot at breakfast in the dormitory.


    "I could defend myself properly, but I couldn''t hit him with my fists at all, and as a result, he beat me up.


    "What are you doing this morning, you training idiot?"


    I have no regrets.


    In fact, let''s just say it was a good experience.


    "I didn''t expect to be fighting with the former commander of the 1st corps after that. ....... What do you think about that, Aruk-kun?


    "Ha, that''s just like Usato-dono, isn''t it?"


    "Aruk-kun. Don''t you think you can get away with saying that?"


    Aruk laughs bitterly and Krumea looks aghast.


    Uluru, on the other hand, is smiling happily.


    "Usato, you are never short of topics to talk about, aren''t you? I think I''ll start running in the morning.


    "Oh, do you want to run, Uluru-san?"


    "If it''s okay with you, Usato-kun, can I go with you?"


    "Don''t tell me Uluru is on your side too ......?"


    Nair looks at us dumbfounded, but Uluru is also a member of the rescue team, right?


    The reason why he decided to open the clinic was for the sake of Olga who is physically weak, and I think he had the same qualities as me, Rose, and Nack.


    I mean!¡¡What''s with your deterioration of your lineage!"


    Suddenly, Nair leans forward and glares at me.


    "No, it''s a technology that reduces the quality of magic power and suppresses the consumption of magic power.


    How is that possible?


    "Because ...... I could?"


    "Because it''s not possible!¡¡You idiot!"


    I knew it for a while, but I guess it''s not normal to do this either.


    I guess it''s not simply the reverse of the lineage reinforcement, and it''s natural to think that it''s a benefit of the magic power rotation.


    "I don''t understand the meaning of healing collapse at all, either. ......!"


    "The mechanism itself is simple, right?"


    Nair is not a fighter, so it''s hard to imagine, so I''ll explain.


    "You know that at the beginning, the system deteriorates and fights while releasing weak healing magic from the whole body, don''t you?


    "? ...... yeah, yeah."


    "Then, just before the opponent attacks, the quality of the magic power being released is momentarily restored."


    "Yes."


    "Suddenly, for a brief moment, a wave of stronger healing magic affects your entire body..."


    "......"


    "The opponent is confused. I''m almost certain they won''t see it the first time."


    "This technique is five times more egregious than I expected. ......?¡¡How can you come up with a technique that confuses the opponent with healing magic?"


    That''s a terrible thing to say.


    Well, as a simple analogy, it would be like taking a hot shower and being surprised when the water turns cold for a moment.


    Mr. Uluru seems to be impressed by my explanation: .......


    "For a swordsman, it''s like a natural enemy. It''s also very troublesome that there is a preconceived notion that it''s a healing magic.


    "That means you can surely stop the movement just before the attack. ...... Suzune-san and others would normally fall for it. ......"


    Aruk and the others were a bit taken back.


    Anyway, I''m going to make Koga eat them later to get back at him for running away yesterday.


    "Usato-dono, the system is deteriorating. ......"


    "Yes?"


    Mr. Aruk calls out to me and I look at him.


    "Do you mean that anyone can learn that technique by turning magic power?


    "I am not sure, but perhaps..."


    "...... that maybe it would also benefit people who are born with strong magic powers. ......"


    "!""


    I know that Mr. Aruk, like Ms. Olga, has originally possessed magical powers of near lineage-enhancing strength.


    I understand his perception of his own magic and I am sure that there are others who are suffering from their own magic.


    "...... I''ll see if I can talk to Mr. Welsey about it."


    We can''t promote a technique that we don''t have proof of, so we need to consult with Mr. Welsey first.


    In the meantime, I will send you a report on my own verification of the systemic degradation later.


    "I can imagine Welsey flipping over in the Lingle Kingdom. ...... Yeah?"


    As Nair mutters this to himself in disgust, he hears someone pounding vigorously on the doorway to the dormitory.


    "Is it a visitor?"


    "Well, I''ll go check."


    When Mr. Krumeier opens the door, Hannah is standing in front of him, breathing on his shoulder.


    She looks a little angry, and when she spots me, she quickly walks up to me and closes in on me.


    "Good morning, Ms. Hanna.


    "Oh, good morning, not ......!¡¡What are you doing?


    "What are you ...... doing?"


    "Why are you doing something crazy like fighting Nero just to run in the morning?


    Wait a minute, is it such a big deal just to have a mock battle with Nero?


    "We met by chance. ......"


    "If you meet by chance, will you fight?¡¡It''s funny, isn''t it?¡¡Are you stupid?¡¡We were just running, weren''t we?


    "I''m getting a lot of crap about it, but I agree with Hannah on most things."


    Here, Nair agreed with Hanna''s opinion.


    "I''m sorry, next time I''ll ask permission."


    "That''s not the point. ......!¡¡No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, wait!¡¡Next?"


    "Yes, thank goodness, they are willing to fight for us again. ......


    I never thought Nero would ask me out.


    I would be able to deepen my friendship with Mr. Nero, and I had no reason to refuse.


    "No, Nero-san is so strict in his training that the only person who can keep up with him is Amira-san, and she''s a terrible person. ......


    I''m used to it.


    "I can''t stand this human ......"


    Hannah collapses into a heap.


    I felt bad, so I called out to her anyway.


    "Well, do you want me to do a healing spell?


    "Excuse me, can I hit her once with a goo?¡¡I know it won''t help!"


    After that, I saw Hannah, who had hurt her wrist by punching me in the stomach, being healed by a healing spell with tears of humiliation in her eyes.

 365 - - Thirty-two.

    After breakfast, we decided to take some time to go to the residential area where Mr. Greff was staying.


    Hannah, who was assigned to assist me, was the only one who accompanied me, and Nair was to stay in the dormitory with Uluru.


    It seems that they are very concerned about the deterioration of the system, or they are going to find out about it.


    "What are you planning to do in the demon tribe''s living area?"


    "I''m going to meet a friend of the demon tribe. I''m going to meet a guy named Gref, Keira''s guardian, whom I met yesterday.


    I know you''ve told them about me, but first I must apologize for hiding my true identity.


    I mean, I don''t think it''s a good idea to talk on the assumption that I''m going to do something wrong.


    "That''s the place."


    When I look in the direction Hannah pointed, I see a place where there are several buildings in a row.


    I walk down the street, catching the gazes of the demon people around me, and find two children I recognize playing at the end of the street.


    "Rose, Ram?"


    Ram, a boy of the demon tribe, looks at me, perhaps recognizing my voice.


    He tilts his head for a moment, but then his face lights up and he rushes toward me.


    "Brother Usato!"


    Do you know who I am?


    "Yes!¡¡My sister said so!


    I recognized you right away because you look almost the same!


    You''re smiling more than before.


    I crouch down to make eye contact with them, happy at this fact.


    "Are Gref and Keira here?"


    "Yes!¡¡They''re at home!"


    They were so nervous!


    They''re at home.


    As I ask them to show me where they live, Rose and Ram''s eyes suddenly turn to Hannah, who is standing next to me.


    "Who?"


    Who?


    I don''t know her and they quickly hide behind me.


    While I am smiling at them, I notice that Hannah is smiling at me and her mouth is twitching.


    "...... No, why are they so cautious of me and not of you, Usato-kun?¡¡It''s really annoying."


    "Well, well, I''ve met him before.


    "Hey, this guy is really scary, you know?


    "Hey!"


    You''ve been misleading us rather badly, haven''t you!


    Hanna''s smiling words made Roze and Ram tilt their heads.


    "I''m not a scary person, okay?"


    "He helped Uncle Gref, didn''t he?"


    "...... Usato, did you brainwash him with healing magic?"


    .......


    "Rose, Ram. This man has a very bad character, so be careful.


    "Ah!¡¡I''m sorry!¡¡I apologize!¡¡It''s too shocking to be hated by a little girl!


    What do you mean brainwashing with healing magic?


    You''re the one who has the illusion magic.


    Well then, will you show us the way to your house?


    Okay!¡¡Come on, Ram!


    "Yes!"


    I followed them as they ran briskly.


    It seems that the house is not that far away, and soon we are led to a brand-new black brick house.


    Looking at the house up close, I can see that it is made of the materials used in the Demon King''s castle," I think to myself.


    "Ah, Usato-san!¡¡Rose, Ram, you brought me here?"


    "Yes!"


    "Yes!" "They came to see Uncle Gref."


    Keira patted their heads and looked at me and Hannah.


    "Well, we''ve been waiting for you. Gref is inside, please come in.


    "Yes, I''m sorry to bother you."


    "I know it''s a little late for this, but I''m in the wrong place, aren''t I?"


    You''re the one who followed me. .......


    I smile at Hannah, who looks a little uncomfortable, and step into the house at the urging of Keira and the others.


    "Uncle Gref!¡¡Usato is here!


    "He''s here!


    "Oh, you''re really here."


    Mr. Gref, a mature demon man, comes from the back of the house.


    He is a little surprised to see me without the disguise of a demon, and then smiles at me as if he is troubled.


    I had heard stories about you, but I never thought you were really human. I can''t help but be surprised when I see him in person.


    "I''m sorry for trying to deceive you. ......"


    "No, I don''t blame you. Come on, come inside."


    I''m invited into the drawing room.


    Then Ram and Rose, who had been following me, tugged at the hem of my trousers.


    "Hmm?¡¡What''s wrong?"


    "Hey, let''s play."


    "Let''s play."


    "Hey, Usato, you''re going to have a talk with Gref now."


    Before I can say, "Well then, I guess I''ll join you for some fun after our talk," Hannah sighs and steps forward.


    "I''ll take care of him for you, Usato-kun.


    "Ms. Hanna?"


    "I don''t know your situation, so I can''t really participate."


    ......Surprisingly, you like kids?


    No, surprising is not the word I would use.


    I leave Hannah to deal with Ram and Rose, and I take a seat facing Gref, with Keira sitting next to me.


    How is your leg?


    "It''s fine. I was rather surprised that there was not a scratch on it when I took off the bandage after that. After that, I heard that there was a healing wizard in this city, so I thought ...... might be a good idea.


    It was a pretty bad wound, so I''m glad it healed completely.


    "Like I said, I don''t blame you. In fact, I''m grateful to you."


    "No, not at all. ......"


    "You healed me of my injuries, and you saved Keira, too. Since then, her dark magic hasn''t gone out of control."


    Straightforward words of gratitude make me itch a little.


    "But how did you turn into a demon tribe?¡¡I had no idea, did you?"


    "Oh, it has to do with another dark wizard who is not here.


    I explain about Ferrum lightly.


    He nodded his head in interest, convinced that he had become a demon, though he looked very strange about the assimilation.


    "My real magic is healing magic, and the dark magic is like her magic."


    "...... I never expected you to be the healing wizard of the Lingle Kingdom. You''re famous here, too."


    "Well, is that a bad thing ......?"


    "No, I can''t say that in general."


    Well, I was targeted so much that I was called the devil and was even targeted on the battlefield.


    "I often hear of soldiers who say that you gave them a terrible time, but no one ever says that you killed their comrades.


    "Well, I''ve sunk most of them with my fists."


    I was prepared for it, but I didn''t do it.


    Rather, it was more efficient to quickly knock out the obstacle in front of me, since human life basically comes first.


    "So, you can think of my fears as being like when you encounter ...... ah, ghosts or demons, not as being about the threat to your life."


    "That''s complicated, though. ...... haha."


    Gref chuckles at his words.


    We really need to do something about the devil.


    I''m afraid of being worshipped in the morning.


    "By the way, how long have you been here, Mr. Gref?


    About a month ago. I was thinking about Ram and Rose and decided it was time for them to get a decent place to live, and then they opened up the living quarters and I moved in.


    It was rather recently.


    "I''m glad I found a place to work so quickly. Well, there''s always a shortage of people here.


    What''s Mr. Gref doing?


    I''ve been traveling around the demon king''s territory, doing paperwork. I calculate where to supply supplies and how much manpower and time it will take. Surprisingly, there aren''t many people who know the geography of the demon king''s territory, so they''re quite useful.


    "I see. ......"


    You have an important job.


    Distributing food and other supplies sent from other countries, including the Kingdom of Lingle, will also be a challenge.


    "How long have you been here?"


    About two months. During that time, I will be following the instructions of the Demon King and training expedition teams that will be dispatched to the realm of demons.


    "Hmm?¡¡I heard that the expedition is under the direct control of Master Koga, isn''t it?"


    "He asked me to take on the training.


    Recruitment will start soon, and I can''t wait to see what kind of people we can attract.


    "Oh, Keira. Is it true that you know Mr. Kohga?"


    "Yes. Yes. He seemed to be a good friend.


    "So that part was true too. ......"


    You''ve been surprising me for a while now.


    I''d better get used to being surprised while I still can.


    I see you''re here for the long haul.


    "That''s the way it''s going to be."


    It seems like a long time, but considering what I have to do, it may still be a short time.


    Well, it may be my first dispatch, so I may have to come back to the demon king''s territory again soon.


    "Um..."


    "What''s wrong, Keira?"


    "Can I ask you to ...... see my magic again?"


    Keira said shyly.


    Seeing magic, huh?


    I don''t have a ferme right now, but I might be able to teach you something.


    "Yes, that''s fine. I may have to give priority to the training of the explorers, though. ......"


    I''ll be there when it happens."


    "You''re very motivated. ......"


    She''s got the makings of a lifeguard, doesn''t she?


    Keira''s eyes are full of motivation, and I feel the same way as I did when I saw Nack.


    "Oh, and the other thing!¡¡My dark magic has changed a little since the other day.


    "Changed?"


    "It''s not quite the same as Mr. Ferrum''s, but I can do something similar now!"


    Different but similar?


    Is it a variant of dark magic?¡¡Dark magic itself is a mystery, so I''ll check it out later.


    I''ll check it out later.


    The conversation with Mr. Gref lasted about an hour.


    We only talked about our current situations and positions, but I think it was a pleasant time for both of us.


    After that, I went to call Hannah who was taking care of Ram and Rose..,


    <>


    <<>


    <<>


    >


    At any rate, I punished Hannah, who was telling my demonic stories in a fairy tale style, with a healing bump.


    For some reason, Ram and Rose started to look at me with envy.


    "I don''t get it.


    "What?"


    The fact that people like you are liked by children.


    You still say that.


    After we left Gref''s house, Hannah and I were heading back the way we came to get back to the dormitory.


    I looked at her with a wry smile as she puffed her cheeks out in a sulk.


    "What do you think I am ......?"


    "Like the devil ......»¯Îï?"


    "Can''t you even call me human ......?"


    These are too scattered evaluations.


    As I slump my shoulders, I notice that there is a commotion down the street.


    Is someone running at a high rate of speed?


    "Whoa, whoa, whoa!


    "Koga ......?"


    A very impatient-looking KOGA is coming toward you as if he is running away from something.


    When he notices me, he stops right in front of me.


    "Ugh, Usato!¡¡Just in time!


    What''s up, Kohlga?


    Actually...


    "Senri-sama was chasing me like that and I ran away like I was desperate, but you look as if you''re being chased by some mysterious tracking ability!"


    "You laugh more briskly than ever ......!¡¡Yeah, that''s right, ......!"


    Why else would he be doing this?


    Then Senri, the second princess of the Kingdom of Nirvarna, arrives as if she is running late.


    She too stops in front of me, running at full speed, not unlike a princess.


    "I''ve caught up with you, ......!¡¡Mr. Koga!"


    "Oh, I beat you!¡¡So give it up, okay?"


    "?¡¡Why should I give up if you beat me?¡¡I don''t understand.


    Wow, that''s a line from a guy who''s sunk all his fiancees in betrothal duel.


    Coga, driven back by his own thoughts, came up behind me and held me out before Senri-sama.


    "Look, there''s Usato!¡¡Are you sure about this?"


    "I''m not the kind of woman who would leave the man of her dreams for someone else."


    That''s not at all what you did yesterday!


    It seems that he has completely locked on to Koga.


    Didn''t he just now try to take my place?


    Koga, ignoring my question, points a finger at Senri-sama.


    I don''t like you!


    "Then why don''t you make him like you?


    "No, he''s too strong!"


    ...... might be a surprisingly good match for you, don''t you think?


    This Senri-sama''s forcefulness is similar to Koga''s.


    "Leave this to me, Koga."


    "U, Usato ......"


    "This is a hellhole. I''ll take care of it."


    He gives a thumbs-up to Koga behind him and turns to face forward.


    .......


    Let''s assist Senri-sama here under the guise of Koga''s support!


    "Oh my God, you two, please don''t start a lover''s quarrel with me in between!"


    Senri-sama, who was in front of me, put her hand on my cheek as if she was embarrassed when I said so, showing her annoyance.


    "What, it''s too early ...... to be having such a lover''s quarrel!"


    "Oh, hey, is this ...... okay?¡¡Can I trust you?¡¡Hey!


    He goes on to grab Koga by the shoulder and pushes him further.


    "It''s like they say, ''Hate it or hate it, but love it too,'' and Koga is just not being honest.


    "So that''s what you meant when you said you didn''t like ......?


    "That''s what you meant?¡¡Oh, shit, now you''re talking...


    Hannah!


    Hannah-san reads my intention immediately, and with a speed that I can only assume she had already prepared, she slams an illusion magic into Koga''s head.


    Koga tries to run away, but he weakens with his white eyes.


    "The effect is not very strong, but I have given him the illusion that he has escaped from this place."


    "Nice. ......!"


    "I don''t mind that about you. Yes, I like it.


    I turned to Senri-sama, feeling as if I had a heart-to-heart talk with Hanna-san only at this moment.


    "Senri-sama, it is often said that the more you fight, the better you get along, but please choose the right time and place.


    "The more you fight, the more you show how well you get along. ......?"


    This has turned into a crazy otherworldly proverb.


    I corrected the mistake and warned him not to make a fuss.

 366 - - The 323rd episode.

    There was a little commotion between Senri-sama and Koga, but after that Senri-sama calmed down and we were able to settle the situation.


    I decided to persuade Senri-sama, since he would have to bear a grudge for the rest of his life if I had offered him a koga with an illusionary magic.


    "Senri-sama, you have not forgotten our mission, have you?"


    Yes, of course. I came here on my own accord, but I am well aware of my role.


    You''re thinking about it, aren''t you?


    Well, your reaction to Koga and me was too much, but I don''t see any prejudice against the demons, so I guess you can do your mission well enough as the one who was sent here.


    "I''m risking my life to achieve both reconciliation with the demons and getting a fianc¨¦e."


    "...... is admirable."


    "Hey, don''t give up thinking ......!


    Coga comes to his senses and grabs me from behind.


    No, it''s nothing ...... wrong or anything.


    "But I admit I was overzealous. I''m sorry for the trouble I''ve caused the people of the city.


    How much trouble am I in?


    I know you and your wife are going through a lot together.


    "Usato, I''m afraid of this woman."


    The cagey guy hides behind me, scared stiff.


    To be honest, I''m scared too, but ...... well, I think I''m smiling from the side.


    "I''m sure Helena is looking for you too, so why don''t you go back to your quarters for a while?"


    "I''m sure Helena will be looking for you. ...... for another time, Mr. Koga."


    "Oh, oh ......."


    I smile at him and then look back at Senri-sama''s back as he goes back the way he came from, and breathe a sigh of relief.


    "Koga, looks like you managed it this time.


    "That''s funny. The situation seems to have gotten worse. ......!"


    "?????"


    "Why do I have to get a strange look on my face there ......?


    I was joking when I tilted my head, but you''re the one who brought me into this.


    "You know Senri-sama is not a bad person, right?"


    That''s not the point!¡¡That guy''s a bad guy!¡¡He tries to fight me when we first meet and he doesn''t listen to me!¡¡And he''s so strong!


    If I had a mirror right now, I''d show it to you.


    That''s exactly what I wanted to say to the cogwheelers in the war.


    "Hannah, what do you think of this?"


    "I think it''s a good match, without being funny."


    I asked Ms. Hanna, who was standing beside me, in a hushed voice, and she answered in such a way.


    It''s kind of funny to see her doing exactly what she was doing to me.


    "Oh, enough about that. I''ve got something else I wanted to talk to you about."


    "He''s already pissed at me about the morning fight with Mr. Nero, right?"


    "Did he? I''m interested in that story too, but that''s not what I''m here to talk about.


    Another story?


    Anyway, we walk around town and talk to Koga.


    "It''s about the members of the unit."


    "Oh, you mean the people I train?"


    I''m the one who will be in charge of training the demons, since physical training is a must in order to enter the realm of demons.


    "At any rate, the recruiting process will begin today. I''ll introduce you to the guys in my unit tomorrow.


    "I see. ...... When you say your men, do you mean your men from when you were a corps commander?"


    Yes.


    If that''s the case, then we have an elite group.


    They''re worth training. ...... No, maybe they''re strong enough that I don''t need to train them.


    I''m sure you''ve fought them before, haven''t you?¡¡They''re so stubborn that they won''t accept you in the usual way."


    "Good. It''s good to be rebellious.


    When I mutter something about Koga''s words, Hannah gives me a look of dismay.


    "No, why, ...... we don''t need people who break the discipline in our unit."


    "The training of a lifeguard is important not to lose heart. When I first joined the rescue squad, I was determined to beat up the leader!¡¡I''m not going to lose!¡¡I was determined to get through the training.


    "......Isn''t that just crazy in your part of the world?"


    .......


    "Anyway, I''m just saying that I have high hopes for you."

 367 - - The 324th.

No content

 368 - - The 325th.

    Healing Wizard, Usato.


    There were four occasions when I was involved with him.


    The first time was when the Demon Lord''s army was still in existence, after his second attack on the Kingdom of Lingle had failed and he was defeated.


    The second healing wizard running on the battlefield.


    Something like a man who disappears like smoke and is as swift as the wind.


    An enemy of unknown meaning who struck with healing magic.


    Many were the tales told of him.


    He was attacked to the point of unconsciousness, and yet he lived.


    All that is etched in his memory is the memory of being knocked unconscious by something dressed in white.


    The reason why he is still alive ...... was later revealed to be that he was using healing magic to incapacitate the soldiers, but I still remember that I was in a state of confusion because of it at the time.


    The second time was when I went with my sister Amira to Hinomoto, the land of the beastmen.


    The second time was when he went with Amira to Hinomoto, the land of the beastmen, where he had a fierce battle with the former corps commander Koga.


    I don''t particularly respect him, but he is the best in the Demon Lord''s army.


    I recognize his strength and that''s why I''m under his command. ...... I didn''t think it was unusual for him to consider Koga as a good opponent.


    The third and final battle against the kingdom of Lingle.


    He seemed to have gone on a rampage even more than in the previous battle, and I was told that he had fought the First Legionnaire, Lord Nero, and was still alive, that he had transformed into a monster in a series of battles with Koga, and finally that he had captured the Third Legionnaire, Hannah, with his deformed power, or some other ridiculous story that I could not determine whether it was hallucination or fact.


    I was told by Koga, who had actually fought him, that he had borrowed the power of a dark magician, but that didn''t make any sense to me at all.


    And for the fourth time.


    When we came to the castle of the demon king, I ...... no, we had to fight him face to face for the first time here.


    His physical abilities are so ridiculous that they surpass the physical abilities of the demon tribe head to head.


    I was confident in my speed, and the moment he easily caught up to me, I finally understood the "fear" that my friends were talking about.


    "El ...... are you alive ......?"


    "...... dead."


    The first thing I felt when I woke up was the disconnect between my body and my mind.


    My body is not tired, but I have no energy to get up (?????).


    I move my vision and see two of my fellow soldiers not far from me --- Kevin and Wal --- lying on the ground just like me.


    "What ...... situation are you in now?"


    "After all that, I passed out without even being able to touch him. You were the only one left at the end. How did it go?"


    "...... shit."


    "I guess it didn''t work out that way."


    I''m starting to remember ......!!!


    I jumped at that healing wizard ...... Usato to catch him, but in the end, I couldn''t even touch him and I fainted. ......!


    "Is he ......?"


    "There he is. ......!"


    I flinch and look in the direction Kevin indicated with his chin, and there I see Usato fighting Koga in my field of vision.


    <>


    << Then counteract with a healing explosive wave! >>


    What''s that .......


    Is that healing magic exploding......?


    The exploded healing magic sends wind pressure and particles of healing magic toward us.


    Holding his hand over his eyes, he sees Koga attacking Usato from over his head with claws that have been transformed into dark magic.


    >


    <<>


    A silver basket hand and a black claw collide in mid-air.


    Metallic clangs and a violent struggle ensues without a moment''s pause.


    <>


    <>


    >


    Usato repels Koga''s attack, and green magic power is contained in his arm.


    Seeing the light, Koga braces himself---in the next instant, a side kick from below strikes him directly and blows his body away.


    >


    >


    >


    >


    Then the shape and quality of each other''s magic, or rather magic power, changed instantly, and a dizzying battle ensued.


    In this instant, a number of games were played. ......?


    No, my eyes can''t keep up now. ......!


    "Why is he so cheerful ......?"


    "I don''t know either. ......!


    Because he was moving around so much against us just now,...... and he must have consumed a lot of magic power,.......


    Is this the difference in power between them ...... and me?


    "Oh no, that healing wizard is bad."


    "......"


    "d*mn, Wal is totally sprawling ......!!!"


    Wal wasn''t used to moving so much detail, so that''s how fatigued he was. .......


    "Oh my god, are you guys okay?"


    When Kevin and I finally regained enough energy to get up, a dark-haired, red-eyed woman who had been with Hannah, the former commander of the third corps, and Usato approached us.


    "...... Hanna, former commander of the Third Army?"


    "I don''t even have a title anymore, so Hannah is fine?¡¡I don''t even have a title anymore, so it''s okay if you''re Hannah.


    She crouched down to check on us, then stood up and looked at Usato and Koga in dismay.


    "I don''t blame you since you are still at the level of being contained in the training ground,...... but you are still moving in a strange way even after looking at it again."


    "Usato may say a lot of things, but we are similar, and I think he''s just having fun.


    Listening to their conversation, I looked at Koga and Usato again.


    I thought I had improved my skills by training until this day, but it was all in my mind.


    I was still not strong at all, not at all.


    That frustrates me so much.


    "......"


    "Mr. Nair?¡¡What''s wrong?


    You didn''t even have to get serious with us.


    Even with the handicap of applying healing magic based on the efficiency of our training, we still couldn''t bring out the true spirit in them.


    Did you say Elle?


    "...... what?"


    A dark-haired woman calls out to me.


    "That thing you just saw. That was just a teaser for him, okay?"


    What?


    I guess he wanted to see how well you guys could do.


    Kevin, who was listening, said, "You''re kidding. ......


    In response, I turned my head and clenched my fists as hard as I could.


    "Otherwise, I wouldn''t be able to pass out so fluently right now."


    "What, are you threatening me?"


    I''m just telling you the truth. But ...... you''re right, I should warn you. You don''t want to put him on the spot too much, okay?"


    The dark-haired woman says mockingly, "You''ll catch hell for it," and leaves with a somewhat glum Hannah.


    >


    <


    <


    ...... is great.


    So now we don''t have to get serious.


    Then I''ll bring it out of you if I have to.


    Come hell or high water, ......!¡¡I''ll get you through it!

 369 - - The 326th Diary.

    After today''s training ...... was over, we were each given a notebook.


    According to him, it is a diary to record the training from tomorrow, and it is a kind of nonsense to look at oneself objectively and to stabilize oneself by writing down one''s resentment, frustration, irritation, etc. toward the training.


    If I were a normal person, I would throw it away, saying, "Who would do such a thing?


    It''s not like I''m going to show it to anyone, and I''ve come up with the idea to make it not a training journal but a record of the weaknesses and ecology of that ...... healing wizard of his.


    "d*mn, what a diary for mental stability ......!¡¡On the other hand, I''ll use it to write down your weaknesses and let your eyes do the talking. ......!


    I smile my evil smile in my room alone in the dormitory.


    Let''s start tomorrow by exposing his biology and possible weak points!


    "Oh, for now, the first day is today, so I''ll start writing on the second day. ......"


    These details will bother me later on, so I have to make a firm decision.


    I''m not sure if I''ll be able to do it.


    Day Two


    Oh, no!


    place


    Ouch.


    Third day


    Shit!¡¡Shit! Shit!¡¡Oh, shit!


    What the f*ck is that guy?


    I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry!


    Is he crazy, running all day long!


    Why is he carrying a bear on his back?


    Why is he running like a normal person?


    Why does he look so happy all the time!


    Why didn''t you use your healing magic on us today!


    I''m not having fun!¡¡Every moment is a struggle!


    A "A "A "A "A "A"!¡¡I can''t scream because it hurts my muscles!


    ---


    No, let''s stay calm.


    I''ve wasted an entire page, and I haven''t changed my mind.


    The fact that he''s not human doesn''t surprise me now.


    Tomorrow.


    Tomorrow we''ll find some weakness.


    I used to be the fastest Elle in the Second Corps.


    I''m a cool, fast woman.


    I''ll keep my cool and train tomorrow.


    Fourth day


    Aaah aaah aaah aaah aaah aaah aaah aaah aaah aaah aaah aaah aaah aaah aaah aaah aaah aaah aaah?


    Ah! Ah! Sister Amira!¡¡Why are you so friendly with him?


    I''m glad you came to see my training.


    I''m jealous! I''m jealous!


    That healing wizard is unforgivable!


    That smile should be on me!


    You have Koga, d*mn it!


    But you''ll only make him happy if you use your power against him!


    Why would he be happy to be rebelled against?


    He told me to come at him!


    I don''t get it!


    What the hell does he have to do to damage us?


    ---


    Looking back at it calmly, I thought to myself, "This is weird.


    I''m going to get rid of it after this training period anyway, so what the heck.


    Another whole page has been wiped out, but thinking about it calmly, doesn''t the fact that Amira''s sister is here mean that she''s drawing that much attention?


    That means, if I can get through his training with flying colors, won''t I be recognized by him?


    I was suddenly motivated.


    And I''m going to defeat Usato.


    I''m sure of it.


    Day 5


    Today, I was ordered to attend a voluntary training session.


    Usato and Koga had been summoned by the Demon Lord on an important matter, so they had some free time.


    I took this as a good opportunity to ask Nair, a dark-haired woman who claimed to be Usato''s messenger, and Uluru, a healer who happened to be there and claimed to be my colleague, for information about him.


    Frankly speaking, I was surprised to find out more information than I had expected.


    1, [Usato is a person who came from another world.


    This is apparently fairly well known these days, so it makes no sense.


    2. "There was no such thing as magic in his world.


    How is it possible that there is no magic in such a world?¡¡I thought at first, but it seems that this is not a lie.


    That would mean that they are amateurs who have been using magic for less than a year.


    3, [In that world, the two heroes and Usato were ordinary people who had not experienced much in the way of battles.


    In addition, he has less than a year of combat experience.


    And he hasn''t even hunted animals, so it''s a strange world.


    How will they survive without fighting?


    4, [Usato''s magic is genuine healing magic only.


    The devilish appearance seems to be the result of the black knight''s dark magic ability to merge with the black knight.


    The black knight was not present at the dispatch.


    In summary, it is not a big deal at all.


    You are amateurs with less than a year of experience in magic and combat.


    ---


    Wait a minute.


    I''ve been from that world for less than a year and that''s what happened to me. ......?


    You don''t think he''s been replaced by someone else somewhere ......?


    Day 6


    Today Usato brought someone to train me in magic!


    It seems he remembered what I said two days ago about being a wind wizard!


    He is more than just a cog in the hateful and witty world!


    I was surprised to see Kevin and Wal on a different menu today!


    And I don''t understand why you brought Master Nero with you...?


    What is this mysterious connection really about?¡¡Wasn''t he almost killed by Master Nero?


    He''s the best wind wizard I''ve ever met... but doesn''t he know the difference!


    Has his brain been absorbed by his muscles!


    I mean, how can we refuse him once he''s brought us here!


    He''s fighting against the strongest swordsman in the history of the Demon King''s army!¡¡He''s Amira-sama''s master! His strength and magic skills are of a different level!


    If my wind magic is like a gentle breeze, theirs is like a giant tornado!


    In the first place, Nero-sama, why are you using your day off for such a place ......?


    I was the fastest in the second corps and I was in a good shape?


    I only understood about 10% of what you said because I let my senses guide me.


    I''m sorry, you were too reckless, but Usato was still easier to understand.


    Why is he talking to Nero-sama so easily as if he were his friend?


    Isn''t he crazy that he''s having a mock battle with Master Nero before our early morning training?


    ---


    Oh, my God.


    I''m not a fan of that.


    I don''t want to be pushed around


    I''m not going to...


    Seven days have passed since the start of training.


    The lives of city dwellers are still the same, but for those of us who have had about five life-changing experiences in the past week, every day is a new world.


    In a bad way, of course.


    When the three of us gather at the training site in the early morning, we see Usato and ...... Koga, both wearing white team uniforms, arriving unusually early in the morning.


    "Oh, you guys look great!"


    """......"""


    "Hmm?"


    Coga tilts his head when he doesn''t get an answer.


    But soon after that, Usato walks up with his hands behind his back and stands in front of us.


    "Good morning, everyone.


    Good morning!""Good morning!""


    "Good morning!" "Good morning!" "Good morning!" "Good morning!" "Good morning!" "Good morning!"


    "...... eh?"


    I reply, late, as the two greet each other with a vigorous greeting.


    Koga looks alternately at the two standing tall and at Usato, who is standing tall, and then he steps forward.


    Today is the seventh day of training. I''m amazed that you''ve made it this far without missing a single person.


    "Captain, what kind of training are you doing today?


    No, I''m the captain, not you!¡¡Kevin, you''re not such a hot-blooded character, are you?


    Kevin''s personality changed and he started to devote himself to the training.


    His eyes are somewhat vacant, but that doesn''t bother me.


    "Physical transformation. A true revolution."


    "Oh my God!"


    Wal became obsessed with his muscles.


    I don''t think he cares.


    Maybe they were always like this.


    "Hey, Usato, what did you do?


    "What?¡¡I didn''t do anything.


    Koga, looking extremely confused, grabs Usato''s shoulder.


    "Then why are Kevin and Walu acting like that?


    "Because the lifesaving team''s training can change your mind. ......


    "I don''t think he''s changing his mind, I think he''s changing his personality. ......"


    Usato turns to face us.


    I think I''ve gotten used to his unpredictable behavior over the past few days.


    Yes, I just had to get used to it first.


    "Well then, tomorrow the people we''ve recruited will join us. You are to try to set an example for them.


    Yes!"


    Kevin and Wal may be too far gone, but I''m barely holding my own.


    The more people we have, the less of a mental burden I''ll have to bear... just one more day. ......!


    "Hey, are you okay?"


    And here is where Coga comes in to talk to me.


    I give him a wry smile.


    "Ha ha ......"


    "Oh, you''re a pretty wacky guy yourself. ......"


    "I blame it on the events of the past few days, though."


    He trained me all day long to the point of mental exhaustion, and then he added to my mental strain with his actions and connections.


    But now I am over it.


    I''m not surprised anymore. Captain Koga ......"


    "No, his behavior doesn''t surprise me, really."


    "What?"


    As I nod my head at Koga''s words, who seems to be somewhat taken back, another person comes to the scene.


    I looked at him with a horrified feeling of foreboding... and regretted it.


    "I''ve come to see you, Usato."


    "No, I didn''t think you would actually come. You are busy, aren''t you?"


    Silver hair and majestic horns.


    And a man with a black robe over his large frame, the Demon Lord stood there with a somewhat amused smile on his face.


    Next to him is Ciel, the famous lady-in-waiting.


    "Of course it''s because I''ve got some time on my hands. I am the Demon King.


    "Wow, you''re doing this this early in the morning?


    .......


    ......,Hey, am I hallucinating?


    Somehow even the Demon Lord himself has come to the training ground.


    "By the way. I''m going to give you something you asked me for before.


    What you asked for?


    This.


    What is this guy really?


    What kind of bad joke is this guy that in the original world he was treated like a normal ......?


    "Is this ......?"


    "This is a scroll with a gravity spell engraved on it. I''ve prepared several copies, but don''t use them in any strange way, okay?"


    "Thank you very much ......!¡¡If I put two copies of this scroll, will it be twice as effective?


    "Did you listen to me?


    This time, I was shown the unusual sight of Usato casually talking with the Demon Lord, which made my head dizzy.


    I may be suffering from some kind of illusionary magic.


    I am supported on my back by Koga as I try to fall down, hoping that I might be suffering from illusion magic.


    "Hey, Elle!¡¡Are you all right?¡¡Your eyes are so blank!"


    "I''m fine."


    "You don''t look okay at all!"


    You get used to it, you get used to it.


    Only by adapting to this raging development will I be able to move on. ......!


    "Mr. Koger, who is he?¡¡Are you ...... cheating ......?"


    "Oh my god!¡¡Now here comes the trouble man too!


    "Oh, I invited him."


    "Are you really a demon?


    Usato again: .......


    Why does this guy bring nothing but chaos?


    "The Demon Lord is coming, so I thought I''d introduce you and her."


    "Don''t try to introduce me and Senri to the Demon Lord as if it''s a matter of course!¡¡I don''t approve!


    Wait!¡¡Koga-san!


    The woman from Nirvarna runs after him with agile movements.


    The Demon Lord, who had seen her off, was talking to Usato with a happy look on his face.


    "That one is going to get pushed aside, isn''t it?"


    "Of course. I think it''s just a matter of time."


    ""......kkkkkk""


    He is smiling a wicked smile with the Demon Lord ......!


    Even those of us who are looking at them are trembling with fear, but only Ciel, the lady-in-waiting, is laughing like she''s in trouble.


    "Wow, both of them look bad!


    ......As I suspected, this rumored lady-in-waiting is a person with one or two quirks.


    I''m sure she''s a very unique person.


    "Now, let''s get back to the story of tomorrow.


    "Isn''t that all for tomorrow?"


    The guys we recruited are going to participate, so I hope you''ll do your best as the first to be trained ......?


    Usato shakes his head.


    "Tomorrow we''ll start the real training and shake things up, so I hope you guys will do your best.


    What about """......?"""


    Authentic ......?


    We were stunned, and Usato pointed to himself.


    "And the rest is, well, you know. I''m not a double personality or anything like that, so don''t worry about it.


    "No, you can''t tell me not to worry about it!¡¡What do you mean, "serious"? What about the training we''ve been doing until today?


    It''s like a preparation period.


    I don''t understand what you mean by a period of preparation for something so reckless as running around and wearing out your mind and body.


    What do you mean by becoming a different person?


    "......I took advice from Neah and Hannah, the bad girl duo, and I made some adjustments to make it easier to get recruits for the team. ......"


    "...... you just said something?"


    "No, nothing. Don''t worry about it."


    I''m pretty sure I said something, but it got lost in the shuffle.


    It was a mumble that I couldn''t miss.


    >


    >


    When Usato muttered something, the Demon Lord just smiled pleasantly.


    What in the world is going to happen tomorrow......!


    It''s just too scary......!

 370 - - The 327th.

    Formation of the troops in the search for the realm of demons.


    They were recruited from the city and were to begin at the former II Corps training ground where we had trained up to this day.


    Of course, they would be housed in dormitories.


    Although no specific period of time had been set, we were told that training would take place here for about half a month to a month.


    Usato, a bullshit man, is the leader of this training.


    He is a bad guy who has somehow become the deputy commander of the unit.


    Koga, the captain of the unit, has apparently gone out of his way to give Usato full control of the training, but perhaps his combat frenzy is just an excuse to get himself involved in the training.


    "Finally, this day has come. ......"


    And from today, full-scale training will begin with the addition of the demons who have been recruited.


    The number of people who have gathered is about 30.


    Are you in on this too?


    "It''s dangerous, but I hear you get a lot of money for it. Of course, I don''t take it lightly.


    They want money to live.


    That''s the majority.


    Soldiers who know about Usato don''t bother to come here.


    They know how dangerous he is.


    What''s the point if ex-soldiers who are used to training don''t come?¡¡...... and I asked him about it yesterday..,


    <


    What''s scary about this is that we now know for sure that this guy is going to do something.


    Because of this, only a small number of soldiers were gathered.


    However, a small part of them were former elite soldiers like us who had experienced the fear of him on the battlefield.


    Among them was a man of the same s*x as me, whom I was not familiar with, so I decided to talk to him.


    "You are an ex-soldier ......, aren''t you?¡¡You don''t look familiar to me."


    The person who approached me was a female soldier who gave off a cold impression.


    I could tell from her appearance that she was a very powerful person, but I had never seen her before, perhaps because of the difference in our affiliations.


    "You are the fastest Elle of the 2nd Corps, aren''t you?


    "Hey, wait, ......!¡¡I''ve never told you my name. ......?


    "I''ve heard rumors about you."


    Where''s the rumor?


    I''m Veena, formerly of the First Corps.


    Huh?¡¡Are you sure you haven''t heard me?


    I''m confident in my speed, but I didn''t tell you that much. ......!


    I mean, First Corps... ...... no wonder you don''t look familiar to me.


    "Why did you join such a shady recruitment?"


    "I saw them in town the other day and got curious."


    "Well, when did you see them?"


    I wonder when I saw him, when he was running or when he was just walking.


    "When I was chasing you around with a blue grizzly on my back."


    "I don''t understand how you saw that scene and decided to join ......?"


    "...... Well, by the way, there are some interesting people here, aren''t there?"


    Did I just get sidetracked?


    I looked in the direction Veena pointed, wondering a little, and there was another soldier, a slightly smaller female soldier.


    ......I hate to say it, but she doesn''t look like an ex-soldier by the looks of her. .......


    "Nono Herestea. She is one of the elite of the elite, who single-handedly stopped the heroes of light in their recent advance on the city."


    "Oh, is that her? ......!"


    The hero of light is supposed to be a person who uses a scary magic called light magic to make everything disappear.


    I heard that he fought in a way that took as few lives as possible, but to go up against him as a single horseman is ...... quite impressive. .......


    "I''ve heard that her shouts frightened the heroes and boosted their morale, and that in the end she and her flying dragon partner returned alive."


    "Looks can be deceiving. ......"


    Then Nono Herestea, perhaps noticing our gaze, comes up to us.


    "Oh, hello. Is something wrong?"


    "No, I was just telling you why I''m here. We''re both ex-military and I thought we could talk about a lot of things. I''m Elle. I''m a former member of the 2nd Corps.


    "Oh, this is very kind of you. My name is Nono Hellestair. I was a member of the cavalry of the 3rd legion.


    "I am too, by the way. ...... Vina, I belong to the First Legion."


    We introduce ourselves to each other once again.


    By coincidence, all of us who belonged to the first three groups have gathered here.


    ......He hasn''t arrived yet, so let''s talk some more.


    "What is Nono doing here?"


    "I''m going on a trip, and I thought this would be a good place to earn money for the trip!"


    "Well, that''s nice. I''m an ex-cavalryman. ......


    Yes!¡¡With my partner, the flying dragon!


    A cavalry unit that flies on the battlefield with a flying dragon.


    I had heard that the bond between a soldier and his demon partner becomes quite important in such a situation, but from the looks of it, it seems to be a very strong bond.


    I might be a little envious when I hear the word "journey".


    "And to get away from the healing wizard!"


    ""......?""


    I''m sorry, I didn''t understand what you meant.


    What?¡¡Are you trying to escape from the healing wizard by joining this thing that the healing wizard is training you for?


    ...... doesn''t make sense even after thinking it over.


    I guess Veena wondered the same as I did and asked her a question.


    Nono, do you know what you are doing here?


    "Yes!¡¡We''re going to do some training and go bang and explore in the demon territory, aren''t we!


    "Uh, yes. I''m sure.


    Oh, she didn''t even read the application guidelines.


    I didn''t think she would come to the healer herself to escape from the healer. .......


    You can tell me about it here: ...... hmm?


    >


    <


    The mutterings of the two men are pierced by the gazes of the elite who have experienced the battlefield with us.


    Looks like you came here just for the fun of it: .......


    I''m sure they''re not ex-soldiers, or migrant workers from the countryside?


    I''m sure they''re not ex-soldiers, maybe migrant workers from the countryside?


    "Oh, did you just say they''re healing wizards?¡¡You must have misheard me.


    "Yes, they said ''chipmunkatta'', didn''t they?"


    What do you mean?


    It''s a lie.


    Why did you just lie to me?


    Next door, Veena and Nono are having a strange conversation.


    "......, you''re here."


    A man in a white coat and a girl in a similar gray outfit come to the training ground.


    Behind them are Hannah, a former commander of the Third Legion, and Keira, a girl who is a dark wizard, and they realize that the time has finally come.


    "Looks like a lot of people are here."


    "I guess so!"


    To the healing wizard Usato, Uluru.


    The appearance of the dangerous guy who is training us makes the people gathered here stir.


    "Vaah!"


    Nono, who was standing nearby, made a choked sound with a straight face.


    She starts to tremble and looks at Usato, who stands in front of her.


    "Nice to meet you, I''m Usato Ken. I have been assigned as the vice captain of this search party. I will be training you all so that you will be able to withstand the rigors of this expedition.


    At first glance, they appear to be weak and gentle, but it is a trap.


    They pretend to be human, but they are not.


    "Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, ...... oh, oh, oh, bear mama."


    "Mr. El. Nono-san is about to pass out, is this okay?"


    "Isn''t it okay ......?¡¡I think so.


    Nono should be left alone now.


    He''ll get back to normal.


    "Captain Koga is going to be late for some reason, so I''ll introduce you to someone who can assist us in this training.


    Usato then introduces Uluru, who is standing next to him.


    The man with human-like skin tone and cream-colored hair has a friendly smile on his face.


    He smiles friendly and says, "This is Uluru-san, a healing magician like me. She will cast a healing spell on you.


    "Nice to meet you all. If you get hurt, let me know!¡¡I''ll heal you right away!


    I thought all healing wizards would be bad guys like Usato and that master I saw on the battlefield, but Uluru seems to be a decent guy. .......


    But I''m afraid that there might be something in her unmixed smile in front of us demons.


    "If you do anything to her, ...... you will be punished with a punishment lukewarm even to hell.


    What?


    "Now, let me introduce you to the next person."


    Wait, did I just hear a very bright smile followed by a very sharp voice?


    Is it my imagination?¡¡Is it my imagination?


    I look at Kevin and the others on the other side of the room, but they remain motionless and do not react at all.


    d*mn, they''ve been completely trained. ......!


    "This is Hannah. She is my assistant.


    "I don''t have anything to say. Don''t bother me. ...... hmm?"


    Hannah''s gaze turns to Nono, who is standing next to us.


    For a moment she looks surprised, then she looks as if she has guessed something.


    "......Well, good luck with that. I don''t know what will happen.


    He gave me a sympathetic look.


    Next, Usato looked down at Keira, who was standing beside him.


    "This girl is here to observe, as she has long been requested. She is supposed to watch the training on the magic side, but you don''t have to worry about that.


    "Yo, thank you for your time. ......"


    ...... many times, but she is so good that she doesn''t seem like a dark magician like Koga or the Black Knight.


    She is able to use magic in a normal way and her magical properties are not only exceptional but also very good, so maybe she is more rare and valuable than anyone else here.


    "As for this training, we''re aiming to search within the realm of demons, so we''re expecting it to be quite tough."


    While I was thinking about this, Usato seemed to explain the purpose of this training.


    "I hope to teach you not only physical training, but also the art of using magic more smoothly.


    Probably only Kevin, Wal, and I know how extraordinary the art is.


    After a week of watching him, I still don''t understand how he works his healing magic.


    "Well then, ......"


    "You''re more normal than I thought - a healing wizard."


    ......!?


    Usato''s voice is interrupted and he turns his incredulous gaze on the man who raised a derisive voice.


    The man opens his mouth with a do-it-yourself ...... kind of smile, along with the other man next to him.


    "They called you a demon or a monster, but you''re just a human being, no matter how you look.


    "And he doesn''t look that strong."


    Shouldn''t we throw these naive idiots out of here right now?


    Kevin, Wal, shouldn''t we take action before we let this tragedy happen?


    "Messing with the captain?¡¡That''s unforgivable.


    "I''m angry, I''m angry, I''m angry."


    No!¡¡These guys are gonna choke the life out of these guys!


    While we''re waiting for them to make a move, the idiots are coming at Usato even harder.


    "I''m more afraid of the dark wizard next door. Are you sure you want me to stay here?¡¡I heard that children with dark magic will explode.


    Not to mention Usato, and even Keira?¡¡...... these guys.


    I quickly looked at Usato, but Keira, her mouth tightly knit, grabbed Usato''s uniform and hid behind him.


    I was about to move myself in frustration at his outburst at Keira, when ...... I saw Usato''s face, still smiling from earlier, and I couldn''t move my body.


    I am not sure what to do with the rest of my body.


    I realize that the smile is an expression of a completely different emotion.


    "......Hit......"


    Oh no.


    Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no!


    You''re so mad at me!¡¡He''s still smiling, but he''s definitely mad!


    "In general, the healer..."


    Something passes by my face at high speed and strikes the tree behind the guy who was about to say something without learning his lesson.


    We all look behind us, then look back at Usato, who has smoke rising from his palms from the residue of the healing magic.


    """......"""


    What, he threw a magic bullet?


    I don''t know, I couldn''t even follow the gesture of throwing it with my eyes. ......!!!


    He starts to walk leisurely past us, playing with the magic bullet in his hand, which has made a small hole in the tree.


    "At first," he says. I didn''t want to do this. I really didn''t."


    In a calm tone of voice, he slowly puts his hands around the necks of the two men who had just been talking nonsense.


    Where is the bravado they had just displayed?


    "It''s the first day. "It''s the first day... I wanted to make sure everyone understood the training process and all that. That''s what I did when I was a student, so I thought I''d make sure I''m following my mentor''s teachings ......."


    The air was filled with a strange tension, yet he kept his cheerful tone.


    On the contrary, it was eerie.


    "I didn''t think people would be more scared of a innocent girl. Ha-ha-ha, it''s really funny. ---I bet you guys think so too.


    ""~~!!!""


    No, wait ...... those two can''t move!


    They''re trying desperately to get out to untie their arms, but they''re stuck because Usato''s not tightening them, he''s holding them so tight that they can''t get them off!


    "Yeah. I''m done, I''m done!¡¡I know you guys are skeptical about me!¡¡Well, I don''t care!¡¡You haven''t shown that side of you for the past week!¡¡Yeah!"


    Nodding his head repeatedly, Usato finally releases them and leans against the tree that has just been hit by a healing magic bullet.


    He covers his face with his right hand and brushes his bangs back.


    "---"


    His mood changes.


    In an instant, the calm and friendly impression is replaced by a predator-like atmosphere, and Usato''s eyes glaze over.


    "City, 20 rounds."


    What?""""""


    "Run as fast as you can to get ready."


    It was so unrealistic that even we were taken aback by the preparation exercise.


    "There''s no way I can do 20 laps!"


    "You''ve got to be kidding me!"


    Usato''s eyes turned more vicious than ever, and he slammed his back fist into the tree beside him.


    BUGGY!!!¡¡The tree shatters and falls with a roaring sound.


    "Do it!"


    """......"""


    We ran out of the place silently.


    Without a signal, we ran in the same direction, knowing that our training until this day was just a "game" for him.


    I realized that it was just that.


    "Is that the healing wizard Usato ......?"


    "He''s a hell of a guy. ......!¡¡It''s going to be a terrible day. ......!


    What the hell is going on here? ......!


    You''re the one who deserves it. .......


    Nono is half crying and looks at Veena with a sideways glance.


    She looks at Veena, looking at Nono who is half crying.¡¡I wonder what she will think when she finds out Usato''s true nature.


    "He''s more than what they say he is. I can''t wait to see what the future holds.


    "You''re pretty crazy too ......!


    She must be crazy if she came all the way here on her own.


    I look forward with that understanding,


    "And that look of indulgence on your face, your unadulterated enthusiasm and your words ...... so ...... much ......."


    "What?"


    I looked next to her and saw Veena with the same blank expression on her face as before.


    Was that an auditory hallucination......?¡¡......I must have heard a voice that I shouldn''t have heard because the transformation was too much.


    "Hmm?¡¡Oh my gosh!¡¡Behind you!¡¡Something''s coming from behind!"


    Hmm?


    We hear a scream and look behind us. We see something chasing after us on the street.


    If you look closely, you can see a familiar blue mass ...... is .......


    "Guooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"


    "Keira, hold on!


    Yes!


    Usato, carrying a blue grizzly, is carrying Keira on his back......?


    I''ve seen him carry a blue grizzly on his back many times, so I don''t know how he could carry Keira and us on his back..,


    "Don''t stop!¡¡Healing magic rounds!"


    ohohohoh?


    He''s throwing healing magic at us from behind!


    The sheer force of it all made our faces twitch with fear, and we had to move our feet as fast as we could and run through the city as fast as we could.

 371 - - 328th episode.

    Healing magic is really scary magic.


    The guy next to me, whose legs had stopped moving and who was gradually falling behind, was forced to run with the light of the healing magic, forcing him into a state of full recovery.


    There is no fatigue in the body.


    But the spirit, which is always forced to give its all, is unable to cope with the changes and is being worn down faster and faster.


    >


    <>


    If you only listen to the conversation, it''s funny.


    Unless it looks like a healing wizard carrying a blue grizzly on his back and a little Keira on top of him: ......!


    <>


    >


    >


    Correction!!!¡¡The conversation is too horrible!!!!


    Was that a watchdog?¡¡That''s what he meant!


    "Oh, Mr. Usato. He''s going to fall down!


    "Oh, that''s not good! ......¡¡Run if you have time to faint!¡¡You''re only good with your attitude and mouth!¡¡You fool!


    "Nbuhi!"


    The man who had been verbally abusing Usato and Keira-chan''s eyes go blank and he is about to fall over, but is hit by Usato''s healing magic and his angry voice before he can react.


    In an instant, he is brought back to reality and runs frantically to his feet.


    "Hmmm, this feeling of not knowing when I''m going to be yelled at ......!¡¡Oh, I''m going to get addicted to it. ......!


    "Shooon!¡¡Give me power!¡¡Shawon!


    "Dareka, taskete......!"


    And the guys next door are so perverted that their hearts are breaking ......!!!


    I''m just terrified that Veena and the others are so excited they don''t have to hide it anymore!!!!


    ¡ñ


    By the time we had completed twenty laps, we were so exhausted that we collapsed on the training ground.


    Well, I never thought that we would really be forced to run at near full speed ......!


    "Okay, you''ve done your warm-up!"


    The heart can be broken with just a word. ......!!!


    When we arrived at the training site and collapsed from exhaustion, Usato''s voice struck us into despair.


    Why doesn''t he look tired at all?


    Isn''t that unreasonable!


    He was running with a blue grizzly on his back!


    We are out of breath and can''t get up. Usato crosses his arms in annoyance.


    "...... It can''t be helped. Uluru-san, please cast a healing spell."


    "Yes, yes!"


    Hydrate yourselves!


    Uluru, who looked so used to seeing the devastation, rushes over to us and casts a healing spell on us as we fall to the ground.


    "You''ve run a lot, haven''t you? I think it was ......, right, Elle?


    "Yes, that''s right."


    I told you to investigate Usato.


    I was surprised that he even remembered my name, and Uluru suddenly wrapped his hands around my dirt-stained hands.


    Don''t worry. You''ll get over this. Hang in there.


    "Ah, yes. ......"


    ...... Ha!


    Oh, look out!¡¡I almost had a crush on you even though I''m not interested in you.


    Every healing wizard has a quirk or two. ......?¡¡I''m too scared.


    >


    <>


    All the others seem to have been dropped.


    No wonder, I think, and quench my thirst with the canteen I''ve been handed.


    "Come on, you''ve rested long enough.


    When we have all finished our healing magic and rehydration, Usato looks around at us.


    His somewhat grim face and crossed arms look so odd that we can''t help but notice that he is a different person from the one we saw yesterday.


    <>


    >


    >


    "Who gives you permission to waste your breath?¡¡...... is the next drill."


    When all is quiet, Usato gives the order for the next exercise.


    He raises his hands and clasps them together with a clanging sound.


    When I clap once, you do one push-up. It''s not that hard, it''s a simple exercise.


    Now, everyone spread out and get ready for push-ups!¡¡Following Usato''s cheerful instructions at ......, we get into push-up positions with our hands on the ground.


    It''s not so difficult if you ask me.


    "Uluru-san, be ready to use your healing magic at any time."


    Got it!


    "Hannah-san, anyone who tries to take the easy way out will be penalized with an illusion spell."


    "Wow, you want to go that far ......?"


    "Keira, I''m going to teach you the basics of magic.


    "Yes!¡¡Yes, please!


    I just casually heard a penalty for illusion magic.


    As I was thinking that, Usato clapped his hands and the signal for push-ups rang out.


    And what do you think?


    It looks like particles of healing magic are spreading out from Usato''s clapping hands to the surroundings.


    "......Well, I''ve done thousands of push-ups when I was a soldier. ......"


    I''m fine if that''s all you feel.


    Especially if they''re using healing magic.


    "......"


    Sound.


    Do push-ups.


    "......"


    Sound.


    Bend your arms.


    "......"


    A sound is made, and a push-up is done.


    Such a monotonous and simple practice goes on forever.


    I know that the body is constantly being healed by the healing magic.


    I am confident that I can keep this up forever.


    But when will it end?


    While I''m still thinking about this, Usato''s hands are clapping.


    We are no longer able to stay focused, and gradually, unnecessary thoughts begin to enter our minds.


    The time until the next clap is endless.


    What are we being forced to do?


    It''s so hard.


    We should not be tired, but our bodies are not listening to us anymore.


    It''s painful to listen to the regular rhythmic clapping of hands. ......!


    "Oh, uh...!"


    "What is it?"


    One of you shouts, but the hands are still clapping.


    The man who has caught the attention of everyone except Veena, who is ecstatic next to him, asks a question to Usato, who has a smile on his face with sweat beading on his face.


    "When is this going to end?"


    "....... The end?¡¡I haven''t decided when it''s over."


    I haven''t decided. ......?


    Usato, making eye contact with the stunned man, continues with no malice at all.


    "That''s why you''re not counting."


    And again the clapping of hands echoes through the quiet training hall.


    The training area is quiet again.


    The Eighth Day


    My heart is dead.


    It''s getting harder and harder not to even feel it.


    The thoughts that well up in the mind are choked off


    By the end, you won''t be able to think of anything.


    Oh, yeah.


    That''s the way it is.


    ---


    "Whew!"


    "Huh?"


    Someone blows on my ear and I fall out of my chair.


    Veena looked down at me with a smile on her face and a hand over her mouth.


    "Hey, hey, hey, stop it!¡¡You scared me!"


    "No, I was mumbling and scribbling in my notebook. Have you come to your senses?


    "...... what?"


    Why am I writing a diary?


    I''m afraid of what I''m writing!¡¡What was I writing unconsciously?


    After the day''s training was over, I returned to my dormitory and collapsed onto my bed .......


    The next thing I knew, I had been awakened by Veena''s prank and had fallen out of my chair.


    Why are you here in the first place?"


    "Don''t you remember?¡¡Don''t you remember that Nono and I are going to stay in your room from today?


    "...... Oh, by the way, ......"


    Originally, this was a soldiers'' quarters, and I wasn''t the only one living here during the war.


    After the war was over, some of us stopped being soldiers, and as a result, it became a sort of single room. .......


    Today, NONO and Vina, two of the few female members of the group who were recruited, have taken up residence here.


    "And Nono?"


    "She''s passed out on the bed there, just like you were before."


    "Uh, ......."


    If you look, you will see Nono lying on the bed as if dead.


    It''s not surprising, since I was the same way.


    "But you are just as I had heard. Hmmm..."


    "Why are you so cheerful ......?"


    I honestly wonder at Veena, who is apparently more energetic than Nono and I.


    "I love to see people in pain or crying, I love to see their emotions."


    Why am I sharing a room with this guy?


    I know I was the only one in a room for 4 people, but can''t you move him to another room now?


    But I like it even more when I''m the one who has to go through that. Personally, I''d rather ...... heh."


    "You pervert!"


    Aah!"


    You''re moaning like a little b*tc*!


    What the f*ck is wrong with you?¡¡Where have you been hiding all this time?


    Please let me rest while I''m in the dormitory. ......!


    "...... hmm?¡¡Where''s Nono?


    Nono, who was sleeping on the bed earlier, has disappeared.


    Did he wake up?¡¡No, but still ...... hmm?


    "Her stuff is gone too, but ......"


    "Hmm. ...... This is that, isn''t it? He must have run away."


    I guess he got away. .......


    Well, there''s no reason to stop her, since she''s the unfortunate one who joined us to get away from Usato, but ended up being trained by him..,


    "It''s just you and me, isn''t it? Mr. Elle."


    "I''m going to bring Nono back!"


    I don''t want to be in a room with this pervert!


    I seriously feel that I''m in danger, so I run out to call Nono back.


    I''m going to go back to the room with Nono.


    The healing wizard is still a traumatic experience for me.


    He is everywhere I go, probably targeting me completely.


    And to top it all off, even Hannah is ......!!!


    "I have become a puppet of the devil ......!!!"


    I have to escape at least.


    With such determination, I grab my luggage and escape from the dormitory, and run out into the dark night streets.


    "First, I have to meet up with Sean and then ......!"


    Then we''ll figure out what to do.


    As long as I have my trusty sidekick, Sean, I can handle the rest.


    All right, let''s just--


    "Huh?¡¡Nono?


    Huh?


    Behind you.


    In the backyard of the inn, a presence emerges from the darkness, and the sound of its voice makes you tremble from the bottom of your body.


    "A healing wizard ......?


    "Ha-ha-ha, I''m not in training right now, so you can call me Usato."


    He approaches me with a friendly smile on his face, and I quickly hide my luggage.


    The image of that devilish figure flickers in my mind.


    He comes out to the light and bows to me.


    "I''m sorry I startled you the other day."


    "What? ......"


    "There was a reason I needed to disguise myself since I was undercover in the demon king''s territory, but I didn''t think you would be so surprised. ....... I asked Hannah about it. She said she was quite traumatized by it. ......


    I was surprised that he apologized.


    What the heck, he''s using different personalities as he did in the daytime......!


    ...... but maybe Hannah is letting her guard down and is not such a bad demon.......


    "Well,...... we were in the middle of a war, so I don''t think there''s any need to apologize,......."


    I''m not a demon or anything. It''s just that my friends have the ability to make me look like a demon or a demon.


    "Isn''t that a bad idea ......?"


    I wonder how they can look like demons and devils.


    While I was wondering soberly, Usato, who seemed somewhat relieved, started to talk to me.


    "Oh, Hannah-san told me that Nono-san''s partner is a flying dragon named Sean.


    "Yes, that''s right. ...... Well, something happened to Sean?


    "?¡¡No, I thought it would be too much work to take care of a flying dragon from here. I brought him here to the stables.


    So this means that Sean is here ......?


    Maybe he''s a good person ......?


    "I thought I''d better get his approval. ....... I don''t know why Hannah rushed me."


    "Oh, thank you."


    "I also have a Blue Grizzly ...... as my partner, and I know how much you care for it."


    For those of us who are ex-soldiers, we are well aware that this healing wizard has a blue grizzly as a partner.


    ...... In that sense, he might be the same as Sean and I.


    "Now I can concentrate on my training without worrying."


    "Eh."


    "I''ll never lose focus if I have a partner nearby."


    Huh?¡¡Does this mean I can''t escape?


    Now that Sean''s moved me here, I can''t leave ......!


    Maybe it''s .......


    Didn''t you bring Sean here to make sure I couldn''t leave ......!


    I don''t know what this man is thinking or if what he said and did earlier was out of the goodness of his heart, considering how he changed during the day.


    The only thing I can say is that I can''t escape from this place anymore.


    "Oh, uh, I''m, uh, I''m ...... training ......"


    "Yes?"


    "Stop ......, no, what was the point of today''s training ......?"


    I couldn''t get the words "I want to stop training" out of my mouth. .......


    Usato smiled at my question as if he was a little troubled.


    "I thought that all of you demons are trained physically, so I thought I''d train my mind."


    "Kokoro ......?"


    "Yes, the realm of demons is an environment where you never know when you might be attacked by a ferocious demon. What is required there is the ability to focus on one''s surroundings at all times and the mental strength to maintain one''s sanity in such a harsh environment.


    Then Usato, who continued ......, suddenly clapped his hands.


    The same sound as during today''s push-ups sends a sickening sensation down my back.


    "Hiccup!"


    "Then I thought it would be better to strengthen the spirit of the people while training their bodies. ...... are you okay with that?"


    "I''m fine. ......"


    No, my body is traumatized.


    I''m afraid I''m about to do a push-up by accident.


    "You look tired, and I don''t want to talk too long.


    "Yeah, yeah. ......"


    I''d better get back to my quarters.


    I don''t know which face is more real, the scary face I had during training or the face I have now.


    No, even if they are both real, it doesn''t change the fact that I''m scared.


    Well then, I look forward to working with you again tomorrow.


    "......"


    "Yeah?"


    "Uh, yes, thank you very much. ......"


    Usato tilts his head curiously, and I answer with a tremor in my voice.


    Is that the end of it? He continues down the dark night road away from the dormitory.


    "I can''t escape to ......."


    He was willing to run away from the healing wizard.


    But today''s training was just as bad.


    Sean had brought me here so I wouldn''t be able to move around.


    "Ha, Hannah, you don''t think I know this ......?¡¡Ughhhhhh, you betrayed us. ......!"


    "What are you doing at the door ...... when I thought you left?¡¡I''m not sure."


    Mr. El came out of the door behind me and gave me a strange look.


    Still with my hands on the ground, I could do nothing but wail at this helpless situation.

 372 - - 329th episode.

    Training record 1st


    Number of people


    36 persons


    Logbook]


    On the first day, I had planned to let the members get a feel for it, but I soon decided to change that.


    I thought it would be rude to take it easy on them since they were all demons with physical abilities superior to humans, and some of them even behaved like former soldiers.


    So today I tried a training method that I had been thinking about for a long time.


    It is not a half-hearted thing to make an unbreakable heart.


    Can I do it?


    I am driven by an irrepressible anxiety, but I have no choice but to do it.


    Second training record


    Number of people


    22 people


    [Journal].


    We lost 14 people yesterday, but fewer people escaped than we expected.


    To be honest, I had planned to reduce the number to a single digit as of yesterday, but it seems that people with a lot more backbone gathered here than I had expected.


    But the goal of this exercise is to explore the realm of demons.


    To be honest, I don''t want to make any sacrifices, so I have to be literally selective about who I send out to explore.


    As for my personal evaluation,


    The three I have been training for some time are excellent.


    Among them, I have high expectations for Elle.


    Third training record


    Number of people


    18 people


    [Logbook].


    The number of trainees has decreased by four, but the content of the training has not changed.


    In fact, we are going to make it tougher from this point on.


    As for Veena, well, ...... yes, I guess there are many special people in the world.


    Sometimes the way she looks at me scares me in a different way.


    Keira is a quick learner.


    I should say, she is working very hard and I feel it is worth teaching her.


    I should try to be as good as them in training.


    I''m almost done with the analysis of the gravity spell I asked Nair to do, and tomorrow I''ll start working on the scrolls.


    Training record for the fourth time


    [No. of people


    15 people


    [Journal].


    Today we decided to do kumite.


    The participants were myself, Koga, and Senri-sama.


    Koga and I had a substantial disadvantage in kumite due to the gravity scroll, which was quite good.


    Being heavier means that we move slower.


    If this is the case, the body naturally becomes aware of the need to minimize unnecessary movements and to perform optimal movements with the least possible actions.


    I asked the demon king to order additional scrolls today, thinking that this could be used for training if not for training.


    For some reason, Hannah and Naea were not pleased with me.


    Training record 5th


    Number of people


    15 people


    [Logbook].


    Oh, we made it through the day without missing a single person.


    Isn''t this an accomplishment?


    This is a pretty good sign, and I''m so happy that I''ve decided to put more effort into training today.


    The scrolls that I had ordered from the demon king yesterday were distributed to all the members, and we went through the usual menu plus kumite.


    The scrolls themselves are not as strong as mine and Koga''s, and at most they can be applied twice or three times the weight of the person who puts them on.


    Maybe I overdid it a bit on ......?


    Senri-sama was bouncing around fine with the scrolls still up. .......


    Training record 6th time


    Number of people


    8 people


    Journal


    Suddenly there are only 7 people left.


    Unexpectedly, Nono is among the remaining members.


    The fact that she was able to follow the training so far, even though she was not physically strong, was a surprise to me and Hannah, and when I honestly praised her for it today, she said ...... "Is this guy really human? When I praised her for it today, she looked at me like "Is this guy really a human being?


    No, seriously, why ......?


    But I have a feeling that some of them are still going to retire today.


    I wonder if this is how Rose always felt when she was watching over the training of newcomers.


    I am deeply moved in many ways.


    Training record for the 7th training


    Number of people


    6 people


    [Logbook].


    The remaining members are


    The men are Kevin, Wal, and a recruited member, Sein.


    The women are Elle, Nono and Veena.


    The expedition team will probably consist of the above six members.


    I do not think that the number is too small.


    To tell the truth, I had planned to leave only about three members, so I can say that this is more than a good result.


    I think it is more than a good result.


    It has been a week since we started training with the recruits.


    The content is good.


    I can say that they are getting better and better able to cope with the training I have assigned to them.


    During the training period, I was staying at the dormitory of the training site, writing down each member in a journal and thinking about the future training plan.


    "Kukuku, it''s about time, isn''t it?"


    "Are you up to something?"


    Ms. Hanna, who had been assigned to move into the dormitory with me, calls out to me with a quizzical look on her face.


    She sits down in the seat in front of me, looking at me with a stern gaze and resting her cheek on a cane.


    "I''m going to live a survival life in the forest for a while."


    "...... do you mean I''m in on it?"


    "I''d like you to come if you can. I have to take care of some business the Demon King asked me to take care of.


    "From the Demon Lord?¡¡I''ve never heard of him.


    Well, I''ve been told not to say anything.


    This is only for me, Korga, and Nair.


    "It''s the type of request I''m talking about. It''s what I call classified."


    "Oh, you''re a pain in the ass, aren''t you? Then you don''t have to tell me. I don''t want to get involved."


    .......


    For the time being, he grasps the magic bullet floating in his palm and confirms that there are no hidden entities around.


    "...... Usato, why are you sensing magic now?"


    "If you insist that much, I can''t help it.


    "What?"


    "Actually, I was told by the Demon King to retrieve something."


    "Will you please stop actively involving me in this?¡¡Aaah!¡¡I don''t want to hear it!"


    I didn''t think you''d like it that much.


    Nair comes out from the back of the dormitory at the sound of Hannah''s screams.


    "What are you doing? Your voice was pretty loud..."


    "Oh, sorry. I was just about to tell Hannah about our plans.


    Sleepily sighing, Nea tilted her head.


    "...... is that what the Demon King asked you to do?"


    "No, something else. No, it''s something else.


    I decide to talk with Nair about the training schedule I have in mind.


    It''s not very complicated, since it''s based on the training I''ve had Rose give me.


    "The short version is that the remaining six of us will be thrown into the woods to live a life of survival.


    Survival, huh?


    "We''ve prepared luggage for six people, one of which is just a fake with weights in it."


    "...... hmm?""" ...... yes?"""


    "In addition, the distribution of the food in it is biased. I''d say ...... about three days worth?"""...... yes?


    "......""......"


    "I''m going to try teamwork and group bonding."


    This may sound a bit cruel, but there is a lot of danger in the demon''s territory.


    You may not be able to find food and you may be trapped.


    I want them to experience what kind of actions and decisions are required in such a situation.


    Of course, it is my role as the deputy commander to prevent such a situation from happening, but I have to be prepared for ...... emergencies.


    "To be honest, I was a bit taken back. I am aware that I have a bad character, but this is normal.


    "......If you ask me if it''s a good idea or not, it''s a good idea."


    "Eh, ......."


    Hannah was a bit taken aback, but surprisingly, Nea seemed to be a bit more convinced.


    "Well, I admit that the method is outrageous, but I don''t think it''s wrong at all to have them do exercises for such a situation. It''s not the most outrageous way."


    "You said that twice."


    "That''s what I''m talking about, gaijin. I made a mistake. Usato.


    He called me a gaijin in general.


    Well, I''m aware that I''m doing something terrible.


    ...... Let''s talk about the rest of the story.


    So I unfold the map that I had put on the table.


    "As for the training location, I found a good one and decided to use it.


    Ah, the one you asked me to show you before. It''s a little far from ...... city, isn''t it?"


    "Yes, because the Demon Lord asked me to show you something nearby."


    I''d rather do the Witch King''s bidding.


    As for the time frame, ...... I''d say about a week to ten days.


    "We decided to set up here because of the large population of demons."


    "I won''t say anything more. It''s ......, but isn''t it dangerous?"


    That''s what we''re here for. Of course, we''re on standby in case something goes wrong.


    I''ll be out temporarily, but I''ll be leaving behind my captains, Koga and Hannah, as well as Uluru and Bulrin, so it should be fine.


    "Well, that''s the kindest thing I could do."


    "Is this ......?"


    "Our commander told me not to come back until we defeated the grand grizzly, and then he dumped me in the woods."


    As for Rose, I think he meant it as a joke ...... or an impossible task.


    At that point in time, I was no match for a grand grizzly bear.


    "Well, I was going to fight a grand grizzly too, but they extended my training period because ," he said.


    "Mr. Nair, is there something wrong with this person?¡¡Or is it the Commander who is crazy?"


    "Needless to say. They''re both crazy.


    With a sigh of exasperation, Nea folds her arms and rests her back against the backrest.


    "So when do we start doing this?"


    "We''ll get ready tomorrow and leave the day after tomorrow morning.


    "...... that''s pretty early."


    "I thought it would be better for them."


    We''re in the best shape we can be.


    Six people.


    We''ll do it when we know each other''s personalities and are comfortable with each other.


    "Well, it''s really a hassle ...... to go on an expedition."


    "Hannah-san talks about it like it''s a hassle, but she''s always willing to go out with me."


    "It''s my job, you know."


    Hannah rolls her eyes, a little surprised, and looks at me with a disturbed look.


    "To be honest, life in the city isn''t so bad now. We don''t have to fight and we don''t have to be so clever.


    "I thought you liked to play tricks."


    I don''t like it. But I like to see people trapped and suffering.


    It shows your personality.


    She turns her gaze back to me as she glances languidly back at Nea''s point of view.


    "I am not ungrateful to you for that. I''ve been through a lot..."


    "......"


    "What''s with the surprised look on your face? You really are a rude person."


    No, I didn''t think you''d be honestly grateful.


    Hannah looks away shyly and stands up slowly.


    "Well, I''m going to bed.


    "Oh, yes. Good night."


    Hanna is on her way to her room.


    As I take a break in the quiet dining room, I notice that Nair has moved in front of me and is staring at me with a stern look in her eyes.


    "What, what ......?"


    "No, I just thought you''re a real people person, that''s all. I mean, she''s got a twisted personality too, if I do say so myself."


    "......?¡¡No, Hannah, you have a bad personality, but you''re not twisted."


    "...... is that so?"


    He nodded to Nea''s words.


    I know now that we have been working together until today.


    "I think he was a rather gentle person at heart."


    "Yeah. ......"


    "During training, he looked at Nono as if he was worried about her."


    I think Hanna''s personality was originally more cheerful.


    It''s her past that has cast a shadow over her.


    I don''t want to mention it because I''m not qualified to do so, but I guess that ...... she is one of the demon people who were betrayed by the once devastated land of the Demon Lords.


    "From now on, there is no need to betray or deceive anyone. I think that''s a good thing for Hannah.


    "...... you''re a real people person."


    Nair, who has been looking behind me with her eyes fixed on me, says so.


    I look back, but there is no one there.


    I can tell by the healing senses, ...... but I don''t have to.


    "I''m going to bed soon too,...... but first I need to think about tomorrow''s training."


    What are you going to do now?


    "I want to give something different to the usual training. Maybe we can play tag again. ...... with scrolling.


    "I can just picture the inferno."


    We laugh at each other.


    Still, I have to train them responsibly.


    Even if they hate me.


    I''m going to be a devil at heart... just like I was with Nack.

 373 - - 330.

    I get out of bed.


    Without thinking, I wash my face, brush my teeth, and get dressed.


    We go through the motions we have been repeating all week, with a sideways glance at Nono, who is doing the same thing as me with dead eyes next to me.


    "Oh, good morning, Elle, Nono. It''s a beautiful day again, isn''t it?


    Only this pervert seems to have not changed at all, but we can''t stay the same.


    As a person who has been trained to chip away at my heart, I have lost the energy to even say something about such a thing.


    I guess Nono and I are still in good shape.


    If we get too much into it, we''ll end up like Kevin and the others who have gone through the same ordeal.


    ""Huh.""


    Another day of lukewarm, even hellish, training begins.


    However, I hate myself for gradually adapting to such training, and we go to the dining hall of the dormitory to have breakfast.


    We went to the dining hall of the dormitory to have breakfast.


    "All right!¡¡We''re all going to the exercise today!!!!"


    "What about ......?"


    We thought it was going to be a hellish drill as usual, but what we were confronted with was a reasonably sized backpack.


    "What, training?"


    Yes!¡¡Today we are going to a little deep forest in the demon king''s territory for a training exercise!


    Without knowing anything about it?


    And they were leaving so early in the morning?


    Usato chuckles and raises his index finger at our stunned reaction.


    "Oh, of course we''re not going for fun, are we?¡¡We''re going to train!"


    Yes!


    No!


    Kevin, Wal, and the new tall guy, Sein, are not questioning this situation at all!


    That''s not what I''m asking you!


    Why are we suddenly supposed to go to the exercise?¡¡You should have told us that the day before!


    "We are leaving now, and the members who will participate in the exercise are listed at ......."


    Usato-san!


    Then a shadow comes flying to the dormitory.


    Keira, a girl flying in a cloak made of dark magic, arrives.


    "Good morning, Keira. Did you get the permission from Mr. Gref?


    "Yes!¡¡He said he would feel safe if Usato-san was here.


    "Well, this is a big responsibility. ......, so Keira will be accompanying us."


    This girl must have been watching Usato''s outlandish training up close, but she doesn''t seem to be changing her attitude at all.


    I wonder how on earth she has won his trust so far.


    I''m sure it''s not a half-baked story.


    "Aside from you six, it''s me, Keira who just decided to join, and Nair and Koger.


    "...... where are the others?"


    They''re right here!


    Nair, who has transformed into an owl from the sky, stays on his shoulder.


    ...... No one would have guessed that the wartime mystery of the healing wizard''s messenger was a vampire!


    I was really surprised when I found out later.


    Why does this human have a vampire as his messenger?


    "And then there''s Korga. He''s ...... yeah, he just got here."


    Just as he says, Koga and Senri appear, following close behind him.


    "Good morning. Good morning, Mr. Usato."


    "Oh, good morning. I''m sorry I sent the princess to wake up Koga.


    No, no, thank you.


    While he was having mixed feelings about the fact that he was used to seeing the second princess of the Kingdom of Nirvarna, Koga, who had come at a fast pace, attacked Usato.


    "Usato, why did you send Senri to wake me up?


    "No, ......, it''s because you didn''t wake up on time."


    "I don''t really mind. I don''t mind.


    Usato sighs at the sight of Koga and turns his body from us to him.


    "You are too lazy for a captain. Why don''t you at least get up in the morning?


    "No, you''re too early. ......"


    That''s just for today. You''re always late in the morning. That''s no way to show your subordinates. ...... you think so too."


    Usato turns to me as if asking for my agreement.


    I generally agree with him, but it''s too much for me to answer him properly, so I ignore him...,


    "The captain is right. "Deputy captain."


    "Neglect of duty, self-satisfaction."


    "Yes, I''m a captain with dignity."


    No these guys are completely brainwashed ......!!!


    They are so delusional because their training is visibly paying off. ......!!!


    And Usato is not a captain but a vice-captain!


    "Your positions are reversed!¡¡You should be the captain now!


    "You idiot!¡¡Do you really think that you can take charge of this unit like that!¡¡You don''t know enough about being a captain!¡¡You''re still an ex-corps commander!


    "Yeah, well, ...... it''s really frustrating to hear you say the right thing. ......?


    Koga looked drawn back, and Usato, sighing, pursued him further.


    "Look. You can do it if you do it right. The only reason you haven''t is because you''ve never been able to convince people of your ability to do so. Now that the demon tribe is about to change, I think you have to change too.


    "That''s right. Mr. Koga, you could do more if you tried.


    "Hey, what point of view are you guys talking from ......?¡¡I''m so embarrassed when you give me advice from a parent''s point of view. ......"


    Sometimes I wonder where Usato is coming from, but sometimes I don''t know where he is coming from.


    But I think that he is paying attention to Koga as usual, because he is saying what he really thinks.


    Well, now that we have all the coggers, let''s get going. Senri-sama, as I told you the other day ......"


    "I know, sir, but my position is such that I cannot leave."


    I suppose that''s true.


    Coming to a city with demon tribe is a dangerous thing, and going outside of the city is not only dangerous but also dangerous.


    Senri puts his hand on his chest and smiles cheerfully, as if he understands this.


    "I will wait for my husband''s return. That''s what a good wife is supposed to do.


    I''m not even her husband!¡¡I already don''t want to come back here!


    Then let''s go!


    Hey, listen!¡¡Usato!¡¡Can you hear me?


    Ignoring Coga, we too carry the bags we''ve been given.


    ......It''s pretty heavy, but I wonder if it contains food and other things.


    Well, it looks like it''s a long way from here, so we need to get horses and .......


    "......Eh, wait."


    Does this guy have a horse ......?


    No, he wouldn''t.


    It''s very possible that he''s going to ride straight to the site.


    At least, that''s what this devilish idiot white coat would do. ......!


    "Oh, yeah."


    As I think about this, the idiot white coat looks back at me.


    He takes out six pieces of paper from his coat pocket with a look that says, "I forgot to tell you.


    The papers, which I almost refuse to even look at anymore, are scrolls, papers filled with magic.


    "I''ll wear this while I''m on the road. It will be a good preparation exercise.


    """"Hi!"""


    ""Vet ......""


    "Wow, looks like fun ......"


    The men''s voices sounded wild.


    Me and Nono with a drawl.


    Veena, who is unintelligibly happy.


    Why does this guy always treat me better than I expect ......?


    Give me a break. .......


    I''m not going to let him do that to me.


    Are you really that stupid to run to your destination?


    I''m used to running, but I don''t understand what you mean by running to the destination as part of the exercise!


    I''m carrying a bag on my back with a scroll on it, so it''s not even tough.


    And the ground is muddy and hard to run on!


    "So, Usato. Are you going to arrive soon?


    "Yes, it is. I guess it''s about time. ......"


    As usual, the fluent conversation between Usato and Koga, who are carrying the same baggage as us and have scrolls with strong magic power attached to them, is terrifying.


    Or perhaps no one wonders when Keira is somehow transformed into a cloak and equipped to Usato.


    "Ha, ha, ha ......"


    "Veena, stop gasping for air!"


    This guy next to me is too normal.


    But it was true that he had not been disciplined by Usato for two weeks, and that he could move much better than before.


    A significant improvement in physical ability and mental strength.


    The training with the healing magic that made both of them possible, though frustrating, I admit that it has been extremely effective.


    "That''s why such monsters appear on the battlefield. ......"


    They''re called "kidnappers" from an organization called the Life Brigade.


    If they receive the same level of training that we receive on a daily basis, it''s no wonder they move so crazily.


    In fact, if all the knights of the Lingle Kingdom were capable of enduring this training, the demon tribe might have been defeated much sooner.


    "And then, the magical power spinning ......"


    A new magic technique along with lineage enhancement discovered by Usato.


    As a result of the training leading up to this, it has become surprisingly easy for me to handle magic power.


    How should I put it? ......I''m dealing with parts of myself that I haven''t used before, isn''t that right?


    "Huh. ......"


    On top of that, they also found some unintelligible derivations such as magic sensing and lineage degradation.


    I hate to admit it, but this guy is also perversely great when it comes to magic manipulation and its development.


    ...... though I didn''t want to admit it.


    Usato, we''re getting close.


    "All right, then, everyone, let''s walk from here. You can take your scrolls off, too, but make sure you catch your breath."


    You came close to ......?¡¡We''ve come a long way since this morning, but where are we?


    As we walk and breathe, removing the scroll from our chests, Usato performs a healing spell on us.


    Oh, I''m scared.


    I''m afraid to take a break.


    "What in the world are you up to, ......?"


    "Yeah, what are you up to?"


    That''s a lie. ......!


    What I''ve learned over the past two weeks is that this guy is an amazingly bad liar.


    In the first place, he should have done something so that he could have just run along and cast a healing spell without removing the scrolls and go on to the next training session.


    "Hmm, I can see it now..."


    "Oh, that''s it."


    Usato and Koga, who were walking in the lead, muttered something to us, and we looked ahead.


    We emerged from the trees into an open space, and immediately ahead of us was a cliff, with a dense forest spreading out below it.


    This is where the exercise will take place. You''d better remember it well, so please step forward.


    Usato urged us to approach the cliff.


    The cliff does not look like a ...... precipice.


    It is a bit steep and if we fall off the cliff, it will take quite a while to climb back up.


    "Attention, everyone."


    I turned to see Usato and Koga, wearing black cloaks, standing about 10 meters away from us.


    I tilted my head at the strange distance.


    "This is a place called the Venoma Forest in the demon king''s territory. It is a dangerous place with many ferocious demons, but it is the best place to practice before entering the realm of demons.


    "Usato is right, this is the place where your training has paid off. And it''s here that you will be able to improve your strength as a team."


    I have a bad feeling about .......


    I don''t know, but I have a really, really bad feeling.


    As we are tormented by a mysterious chill, Usato, smiling with a sticky smile on his face, raises his index finger and says, "I''ve got a bad feeling about this.


    "There is no specific time frame. From today on, the six of you will work together to survive in the forest.


    What?"""""


    What?¡¡Survive in the forest?


    ...... Wait a minute, why are you deploying your basket hand?


    What are you doing with that healing magic in your fist?


    "Oops. Do it, Usato.


    "Roger that. Heal..."


    Usato raises his fist high into the sky.


    The next moment, there was a green flash of healing magic, and his fist slammed into the ground with great force.


    "---Shunken Fist!


    The direct hit of the fist is combined with the impact of the healing magic, and a roaring sound is heard.


    The ground cracked from Usato''s fists, and the moment they reached our feet, the scaffolding collapsed---,


    "Wait a minute!"


    Nono and I exclaimed, but it was already too late and we were thrown into the deep forest as if we were slipping and falling.


    Is this why you told me to take off the scroll?


    Aaah!


    Well, good luck!


    "You stupid white coat!¡¡You stupid white coat!


    "Demon ah!¡¡Noooooooo!


    "You''re too good, you''re too good!"


    We fell off the cliff and tumbled into the dark forest, looking down at the faces of the demons who looked down at us with disgustingly bright smiles on their faces.

 374 - - 331st episode.

    The pair of outcasts dropped me off a cliff into a deep forest.


    I would have been more or less injured in the past, but now that I had gone through the hellish training of those outcasts, all of us took a normal passive stance and landed on the ground unscathed.


    "That healing magic demon!¡¡You''ve got to be kidding me!"


    He kicked the tree repeatedly, as if taking it out on them.


    What''s going on?


    "When I get home, I''m going to hit you and hit you and hit you and hit you ......!


    I take a deep breath as the tree I kicked shatters and falls.


    I take a deep breath. I turn around and make it my goal in this life to get back at that stupid white coat who repeatedly does the devil''s work in the name of healing magic.


    "Sean, I''m tired of this ......"


    Ignore Nono, who is losing energy for the moment.


    She''s going to get up somehow.


    Check the luggage!


    "Hi!"


    I don''t know what to do, I don''t want to go along with those hot and bothered guys.


    But checking the luggage is an important task, so we also check the luggage given to us, kicking Veena''s ass as her excitement subsides.


    "I knew it was worth coming here!


    "You definitely have impure motives for joining the demon army, don''t you?"


    "Yes!"


    Honesty can be a deadly weapon sometimes.


    I understand that now.


    I was asked to come by a fellow member, but I don''t really care anymore...


    "Asked?"


    I''m talking about this. Mmm-hmm."


    ...... don''t ask too many questions.


    Well, let''s unpack.


    Well, there''s some food and survival stuff in there.......


    "What about ......?"


    I opened the mouth of the bag and a stone rolled out.


    .......


    What is it?¡¡Huh?¡¡Why?


    For the first time today, I turned my bag upside down with a bad feeling, and out of it came a stone, packed tightly.


    The empty bag contained nothing.


    No, wait, there is something like a notebook in it.


    "What is this ......?"


    At any rate, when I open it, I find a pen and a text on the first page, which I assume was written by Usato.


    ---The first page is a text that seems to have been written by Pen and Usato.


    If you are reading this, that means you are in the woods!


    You hit a heavy load, yes!


    You hit the jackpot!


    ---


    "Elle-san, your face looks like the Grim Reaper, are you okay?"


    No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.


    I almost lose all emotion in anger at Usato''s provocation in the first sentence.


    Veena''s voice brings me back to reality, and I read the letter aloud.


    "Well, one of the six bags is a fake. In addition, there is only enough food in the six bags to last at least three days. ......


    I wonder if he is aware that he is doing something quite dangerous at this point. ......


    I wonder if the healing wizards of the Lingle Kingdom are crazy enough to throw their subordinates off a cliff.


    I want you to live in the forest with this. No, I''m talking about you who have gone through rigorous training. I know this is not enough for you yet."


    "Captain ......"


    "Now is the time to get excited ......!"


    "You''ve been talking about us that much: ......!"


    I think you three are a little crazy, if I do say so myself.


    Even Veena said that Kevin''s group was contaminated.


    It''s too late for Kevin and the others, so let''s give up.


    ""Don''t worry. Don''t worry. We''ll take good care of you.""......What''s so scary?"


    This implies that they are watching us so that they will know if we run away, right?


    I''d like to think that he can understand us deep in the forest, but ...... he could do anything.


    I look around in vain and check the contents of Nono''s luggage.


    ...... food, a canteen of water, a simple medical kit, a blanket, and a knife, and the rest is just weights.


    <>


    """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""!


    The screams of some kind of monster make you brace yourself.


    This is ...... the threatening voice of a blue grizzly-like demon. ......?¡¡Usato''s partner, Bulrin, is not here, so is it a different animal or another demon?


    There are many bear-like demons.


    All of them are dangerous and troublesome, so it is not a good idea to be attacked in this situation.


    The most important thing is that the only weapon I have now is a knife, so I have to fight back with magic.


    "Ah!"


    With a thud, a bush shakes about 30 meters from here.


    It''s ...... and they''ve noticed.


    It might only be a matter of time before they come at us.


    Nono, wake up!


    I''m a cavalryman, I''m not good at personal combat!


    You''re not normal if you''ve had to endure all this training!


    "Aren''t you sad to hear yourself say that ......?"


    .......


    While nearly weeping at Nono''s scathing remarks, he performs a magic turn and cloaks his body in an air current of wind.


    Kevin puts his hands on the ground and tries to manipulate the trees, and Wal puts his arms partially covered with rock armor and prepares to intercept the demons.


    Something shakes the bushes and slowly emerges.


    Just as I was about to get into a fighting stance, I let out a gasp of dismay when I saw the creature coming out.


    "Meow!"


    "...... cat?"


    Out came a small black cat.


    A newborn baby, perhaps?¡¡It was no bigger than my palm, and its small body was covered with mud and other debris.


    But what caught my attention most was its two tails.


    "Oh, isn''t that Linecat?


    "...... Veena, you know?"


    I ask Veena, letting my guard down.


    I kind of know that kitten is a demon, but I''ve never seen anything like it.


    A demon in the shape of a cat with two tails. It seems to be a very rare being with a demon eye, and it is supposed to be extinct by now. ......"


    You mean, the survivors?


    "Perhaps."


    Veena nodded at Nono''s question.


    Does the fact that your body is covered in mud mean that you were attacked by that yawning monster earlier?


    Kevin and the others, who are not hostile to such a small monster, immediately let their guard down.


    Then, Lynncat comes up to me and rubs her head against my leg.


    "...... meow."


    "......"


    I pick up the kitten without hesitation.


    Mud stains my clothes, but it doesn''t matter.


    The kitten squints at me comfortably, and all the resentment that has been piling up in my heart vanishes.


    "This kitty..."


    Yes?


    I''ll raise him.


    "huh?"


    I think we should name her Lin.


    "...... would be good, wouldn''t it?"


    Okay, it''s decided. ......!


    The fact that there''s only one in this situation means that the child''s parents are already gone.


    Then I have no choice but to take responsibility to protect her.


    >


    "Ah!"


    I have something to protect now, but what I have to do remains the same.


    We were thrown into a forest infested with ferocious monsters.


    Limited food, water, and supplies.


    Large demons.


    Usato and Koga, anthropomorphic malevolent beings.


    We survive in this hellish environment, and after we return alive, we will seek revenge on Usato''s men.


    First we need to find a base, then we need to secure food.


    "Meow."


    "I will protect you even if it''s just me. ......!!!"


    I''ll make sure you survive. ......!


    I look at the "red-eyed" kitten in my arms, and I resolve to resist the situation.


    I''m going to do it!


    "Demons?¡¡There will be demons?¡¡Not the most ferocious ones, but..."


    After pushing my men down into the forest, Koga and I joined up with Hannah, Uluru, and Bulrin, who had earlier established a base on a high cliff overlooking the entire forest.


    I patted the neck of Bulrin, who had just given me two yells, and answered Hannah''s question.


    "......What do you mean, he''s not a ferocious demon?"


    "Hm?¡¡I didn''t hear that either.


    "I told Koger exactly what I meant, didn''t I?¡¡...... is exactly what I meant. This forest is a bit of a special environment. There are very few fierce demons here.


    You would not just push your precious men into a dangerous forest without thinking.


    He checked the map with the Demon Lord before deciding to go on today''s exercise.


    "There''s a place near here where miasma ...... spreads its poisonous magic. It doesn''t affect us directly, but demons sensitive to magic don''t like it and don''t go near this forest."


    "...... Is that what you mean? But isn''t that the kind of training you were talking about, Usato-kun?"


    "Preconceptions are not to be underestimated.


    Yes, that is not training.


    That''s why I casually emphasized the fact that there are ferocious demons during my explanation.


    If you are told that there will be ferocious monsters, you can''t help but be on your guard, can you?¡¡That''s why I had Bulrin raise his yell to make his preconceived notions come true.


    "...... Mr. Uluru, Keira. Is this man really human?¡¡The way he does it is so vicious."


    Hannah, who is still in the middle of her story, calls out to Uluru and Keira, who are sitting around a bonfire with smoke hidden by illusion magic.


    "Well, Usato and the others were really thrown into a forest with demons, so maybe they''re still the kinder ......?"


    "If that''s what it takes, I don''t care.


    "What, am I crazy?¡¡No, no, no, no, it can''t be. ......"


    I laugh at Hannah, who is completely flustered.


    It''s an easy exercise once you realize it.


    Now that the Demon Lord has brought power and balance to the land, there is no need to worry about food.


    "The important thing is to make sure they don''t see through the imaginary demons we''ve created."


    They must contend with the threat of unseen and unseen monsters.


    They do not have to worry about being attacked directly.


    They will not be injured.


    "The existence of imaginary demons, which cannot be solved by defeating them, will surely wear away at their hearts."


    "......"


    "It''s about how much you can pull yourself out of a situation like that."


    Hannah looks at me as if I were an unbelievable creature, and I put my back to Bulrin, who lies down behind me.


    "Coga is on standby in case of emergency."


    "Oh."


    "Hannah-san, please use illusion magic to create a vision of a demon. It doesn''t have to be something extreme, just something that lets us know that there are demons.


    "Oh, yes, I understand."


    "Mr. Uluru is on standby, as is Koga, in case anyone gets hurt."


    Thank you!


    Bulrin, I want you to go into the forest and give a yell periodically.


    "Grua!"


    Keira, stay here with me.


    ...... though I may ask her to accompany me to do the Demon Lord''s bidding.


    No, I can''t put her in danger, as Mr. Gref is in charge of her.


    "Hey, Usato. Where''s Nair?"


    "Oh, by the way, wasn''t she just there ...... a few minutes ago?"


    "No, she''s definitely not there."


    Koger and the others noticed that Nair was missing.


    It is not that she disappeared of her own accord.


    "Yeah, I gave N¨¦a a job to do."


    Beyond the forest below.


    We see Els the size of peas.


    "You have an important job."


    It was mentally painful, but it gave me emotional support and purpose in my survival in the forest where I had no guidance.


    In that sense, I have to admit the efficiency of what Rose did.


    I smile faintly as I look at Neah, who has become a kitten with red eyes.

 375 - - 332nd episode.

    As much as it pains me, we have to survive in these woods.


    We can''t leave the forest, because those demons might be watching us, and any attempt to escape might result in further punishment.


    Our immediate problems are lack of food and shelter.


    I can make a fire from my experience of camping, but we are in a forest where ferocious demons lurk.


    There is no safe place for us.


    The important thing here is for each of us to do our part and not act on our own.


    First, let''s make good use of the notebook left by the demon.


    The first day in the forest


    Luggage Check


    Knife x 6


    Canteen x 6


    Food: about 3 days


    Cloth


    I estimate that we only have enough food for three days.


    That stupid white coat, he stuffed rocks in his luggage to disguise the weight.


    So far his deeds are unbelievably outrageous, but I wonder if he is aware of it.


    I can only guess that they are trying to see how well they can move under pressure, to foster teamwork, or to create a rift in the ranks...you get the idea.


    Today ended with just finding a place to live from now on.


    The place is near a river with clean water.


    It has a good view and is a place where we can quickly cope with any attack by demons.


    Tomorrow we will gather food and explore the surrounding area.


    We will divide the team into two and have them search around the river and in the forest to see if there are any demons that pose a threat.


    Lin is cute, for that matter.


    I can''t help but feel at home when I look at the journal with her.


    Second day in the forest


    The men who have explored the forest have seen a ferocious demon.


    It was a large demon with a bear-like yelp.


    Suddenly, it appeared in their sight like a puff of smoke and left the scene, seemingly heedless of Kevin and the others'' attacks.


    And there are three of them.


    To tell the truth, I had thought that we could beat most of the demons with our current abilities, but the dismay of Kevin and the others was amazing.


    Their attacks slipped through and didn''t hit us.


    It''s nasty.


    I''ve never heard of such a monster. Is that the test that Usato wants us to accomplish?


    It''s too much trouble to wonder what kind of impossible task he can accomplish.


    We found some fish in the river, but not many.


    It is not a stable hunting ground, because if we take too many fish, they might run away and disappear.


    Fortunately, Nono seems to know a lot about wildflowers, so we''ll have to rely on her knowledge.


    I hear the roar of demons.


    Sometimes it comes from near, sometimes from far away.


    I can''t sleep.


    There is no way I can sleep peacefully with those dreadful creatures so close by.


    The fourth day in the forest


    Lin was eating fish for food.


    Everyone, including me, felt cheerful, as we had no reason to be angry and were rather smiling.


    I was surprised at how much he ate.


    Fifth day in the forest


    I saw that monster.


    The hideous beast, which Nono and I had also witnessed during the day, stared at us as if it were scouting for its prey, and then disappeared as if melting into the darkness of the forest.


    What in the world is that thing?


    It''s not like any other creature on earth.


    Everyone is getting tired, though they don''t say it.


    We haven''t run out of food yet, but we haven''t slept well.


    If that horrifying beast comes at us, even if we have a guard, we won''t stand a chance.


    No one is hurt.


    We still have enough food.


    But our hearts were certainly growing weak.


    Sixth day in the forest


    I''m running out of patience.


    We must find that monster and defeat it.


    Otherwise, we''ll be ruined.


    Seventh day in the forest


    I searched for the demon yesterday and today and could not find even a trace of it.


    I don''t understand.


    Such a big, scary monster should be easy to find.


    It''s as if it''s not there at all, but it''s screams are still echoing from the forest.


    This may be the first time I''ve ever been so afraid of a monster.


    Eighth day in the forest


    All the way.


    I can''t get that war cry out of my head forever and ever.


    From far away, from near, but I can still hear it.


    I''m afraid to meditate.


    I''m sleepy, but I can''t sleep.


    I shiver at the thought that just as I fall asleep a monster will come out of the darkness and bite me on the whistle.


    Will we ever greet the morning?


    I wonder if we will be able to greet the morning.


    I''m kind of in the mood.


    Thanks for the report. Neah."


    It was approaching the seventh day of the exercise.


    Neah, who until today had been hiding out with my men as a cat, had returned to me to give her report.


    It is quite late in the day, and all three of them except Koga are now asleep.


    "Do you think they''ll notice?"


    "They''ll notice?" "I''ve left something for them to notice. It''s up to them to find it."


    I don''t think it''s a big deal if you don''t find it.


    That''s what I led them to, and the result is still good.


    As I heat water in a pot set over the fire, I tell them one of the purposes of this exercise.


    "I think that somewhere in their hearts they underestimate demons because they have lived closer to them than to us," I say.


    "Actually, yes. There was a part of me that was optimistic that if we beat the worst of them, we could get by."


    "......Well, we used demons as a fighting force in some parts of the world."


    As Koga said, at the time of the attack on the Lingle Kingdom, they were treating demons as a force to be reckoned with.


    In that sense, we must make them change their perception of demons.


    The people we are heading for are in a territory inhabited by many demons, so naturally they must be on a different level from the demons in the areas inhabited by humans and demon clans.


    "It''s really a battle against yourself, isn''t it? Either they will be beaten by the demons of their own imagination, or they will overcome them. ...... Either way, it will be a meaningful exercise for them."


    "I''ve always thought you were good at doing outrageous things with mental anguish."


    As I have said many times before, the soldiers here are physically fit to a certain extent, so we have prioritized mental training, and as a result, we have settled on this policy.


    Well, it''s not that I''m unaware of it.


    I''m aware that I''ve done some pretty terrible things in this training, but..."


    "You are aware of it. ......"


    "This is necessary, too. I don''t want anyone to die."


    The realm of demons is a dangerous place, and no amount of preparation is enough.


    And more than anything else, I have to be very determined when one of the Demon King''s requests is there.


    "They should be getting used to life in the forest by now, so I want Nair to guide them when the time is right."


    "Okay."


    Then, as if to see what I was thinking, Nair, who had transformed from a girl into a black cat, curled up on the group clothes that I had folded and placed beside me.


    "What are you doing?"


    "It''s better this way so I don''t have to sleep on the hard ground. And I''ll allow you to pet me."


    "Why?"


    Because I''m a cat now.


    No. What''s the logic?


    I can''t say no to her, even though I''m asking her to do something quite absurd, so I stroke her lightly with my free hand covered with healing magic, and she purrs pleasantly.


    "No, a cat?"


    "I can''t believe you''re a vampire, man."


    Coga looks a little stunned, but Nair seems satisfied.


    Well, he keeps his hand on the fire and talks to Coga.


    "I''m about to go, can I leave it to you?"


    "Yes. I know most of what I have to do. You just go and do the Demon Lord a favor.


    I don''t want to leave, but it''s now or never.


    "A poison infested zone. I wonder what awaits us."


    One of the Demon Lord''s requests.


    He asked me to retrieve one of the powers that were taken from him by the hero, Mr. Hisago.


    Of course, it''s not the Demon Lord''s arbitrary decision, and the information has been shared with Lingle and Mearaak, so it''s an official mission ......, but only a limited number of people have been informed of it.


    It is a dangerous mass of power, and it is necessary to retrieve it to bring bad influence to the Demon Lord''s territory, but the ...... problem is the place where it is sleeping.


    "In any case, it''s impossible to recover it with mere restoration magic.


    "It is a dangerous area that is impossible for the demon tribe to even enter if the healing wizard has not awakened. Even though I am the only one who can go there, the Demon King is also very reckless.


    This is one of the reasons why we have chosen this place for our training.


    Are you sure you want to go alone?


    I need Nair to watch over my men. I wish Ferrum were here, but he''s in the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "Oh, if he''s assimilated, it doesn''t matter if he''s poisoned or not.


    So I had to go and retrieve it by myself, and I was given a magical tool for that purpose.


    I know where it is, and I''m going to go there and come back as soon as I can.


    "Then why don''t you just take Keira with you?"


    "No, I can''t."


    He quickly denies this to Kohga, who says this to him when he sees Keira asleep leaning against Bullein''s body.


    "She can get into the cloak of dark magic I made, and she won''t be affected by the poison.


    "There''s no way you can take this girl to a dangerous place. ......"


    As the person in charge of Mr. Gref, I can''t let him put himself in danger.


    You don''t understand, do you?


    "What are you talking about? ......"


    "I know you want me to rely on you in times like these. But you can''t be too overprotective, can you?


    It''s true that Keira won''t be affected by the poison, and even if she is, she''ll always be able to benefit from my healing magic when she''s cloaked.


    But still... .......


    I''m coming.


    "Oh, you''re awake."


    Keira rubs her eyes and says, as she rises from the burin.


    She may have been listening to our conversation earlier, and although she looks sleepy, I can sense that she is adamant about not giving in.


    "If I can be of any help, please let me go. ......!"


    "But, but... ......"


    "No? ......?"


    I was worried when I saw Keira looking down with a sigh.


    At this rate, I have a feeling that she''s going to follow me behind my back,...... and moreover, I can say that what Koga says is not wrong.


    As Ferrum told me, I may be a little too overprotective.


    Sometimes that can be a bit too much for the person in question.


    "Listen to my instructions, okay?"


    Yes, sir!


    When I tell you to run, you fly away and let KOGA know. If you can do that, you can come with me.


    "I understand. ......!"


    There shouldn''t be any danger other than poison, so I don''t think we''ll have to fight. .......


    "I hope it''s nothing serious."


    "When you say things like that, something usually happens. In your case."


    "...... now I regret saying it out loud."


    I guess these things are called flags.


    Anyway, if we take Keira with us, we must make sure she is not in any danger.

 376 - - 333rd episode.

    Shortly after sunrise, Nair returned to his men.


    She will now serve as their diversion and, to a certain extent, a manipulator of their behavior.


    ...... Well, I''ve made her promise that I''ll do some of what she says in exchange for what she asks of me.


    I have my own duties to perform as requested by the Demon Lord, so I take out the luggage I''ve packed.


    "I''ll take it into the cloak."


    Thank you. Thank you, Keira.


    The night passed, but my intentions remained the same, and Keira agreed to accompany me on my mission.


    I didn''t want to take her to a dangerous place if I could help it, but ...... it''s not a good idea to ignore her will either.


    I would just have to do my best to protect her.


    "Koga, if I don''t come back ......"


    "Yeah, cancel the exercise. I, Nair and Uluru will go check it out."


    And I''ll report back to the Mad King. Yes, yes, I know.


    Hannah-san throws herself into her sleep, not even trying to hide her grogginess.


    I wonder if she has low blood pressure, but her eyes seem to be fixed on me.


    "Well, I can''t imagine what would happen to you if you did. In the first place, it is doubtful that you will even die.


    "Wow, that''s a terrible thing to say. ...... I''m in a lot of trouble too. ......?"


    "Well, tell me who you''re dealing with when you''re in that situation."


    .......


    "Evil dragon, Samaritan''s curse, runaway dragon man, Koga, Commander, Nero, Nagi, Amira, Demon King."


    "Oh, I''m sorry. I really don''t know what to say. ......"


    "Usato-kun, in the previous battle you fought all the legionnaires in a row... ......"


    "I''m sure we''re in a pinch. It''s just that they''re a lot more difficult to deal with."


    Hey, Koga, don''t forget you''re in that bracket too: ......!


    I''ve been reminded of the fact that I''ve only fought against the most extraordinary people.


    "To begin with, I have the support of my friends, so there is only so much I can do on my own."


    "......"


    "No, can you stop giving me that ''what the hell is he talking about'' look?"


    He looked at me like I was looking at an unbelievable creature.


    "I''ll support you this time, Usato-san.


    "Yes, I''m counting on you. But don''t be reckless.


    "Yes, ......!"


    ...... are you okay?


    She''s got a lot of talent, but we mustn''t rely on her too much.


    Keira creates a cloak of dark magic and puts it on me so that she herself can enter the cloak. I then put my bag in the cloak and get ready to leave.


    "Be careful. Usato.


    "Yes. Uluru-san, please try to stay as close to Koga and Hanna-san as possible. And Bulrin, you take care of Uluru, okay?"


    "Gruaaaah!"


    Bulrin''s affirmative cry.


    He still won''t let his senpai or Uluru-san touch him unless he has a reason to, as usual, but when he does, he does it well.


    Let''s go! Keira!"


    >


    "Bye!"


    I wave back at Uluru, who gives me a big wave, and fly away.


    >


    "No, it''s not that far."


    At least far enough away to affect the location of the exercise.


    I was planning to run, but it would be easier if I could see the location from the sky.


    "If we travel from the sky, we won''t make a wrong turn and we''ll be there in no time."


    <<>


    "To be precise, it seems to be toxic magic. That''s why my healing magic is necessary, but ...... we''ll have to check it out on the spot."


    Cloaked and flying over the forest.


    When I run, it''s like moving my body, but this one moves at my will.


    And if I wanted to, I could let Keira do the flying.


    "It seems that you are dealing with your own magic."


    <<


    Dark magic is like a mirror.


    It reflects the emotions of the wielder and makes those emotions its abilities.


    <


    "I didn''t really want to lie. ......"


    <>


    Keira smiled happily, and I naturally smiled too.


    ...... Oops.


    I can see it now.


    <>


    The landscape below us changes from forest to wasteland.


    The lush nature has been replaced by decaying earth, and in its place purple smoke is billowing out of the earth.


    <>


    "...... a little further. Still not much poison here."


    Fortunately, the poison has not reached the sky, but ...... the ground is no longer inhabitable.


    Maybe if you breathe that poison for too long, it will kill you.


    "Yeah. Let''s get the hell out of here.


    After a short flight, the poisonous smoke emanating from the ground gradually became thicker and thicker.


    They cover the ground like a thick fog, and when I can no longer see what is below, I stop in mid-air.


    "I guess it''s impossible to find them from the sky. Keira.


    <>


    "If you feel sick, let me know right away."


    <


    ...... Okay .


    As he descends slowly to the ground, he is clothed in healing magic whose concentration has been diluted by strain deterioration.


    The fog of poison has been neutralized by the magic of the healing magic, and there is no physical discomfort .......


    It seems that this healing magic can also neutralize the poison.


    Keira, are you okay?


    >


    "Oh, yeah. Then I''ll keep going."


    >


    You''re letting healing magic pass through without letting harmful things through.


    Dark magic is still amazing. .......


    At any rate, there seems to be no problem for us to work, so we continue to explore the land where poison is spreading while wearing the cloak.


    "According to the demon king, there is a possibility that the poison is in a place with a high concentration of poison. ......"


    <


    "Right."


    Thanks to Keira, things are going to go smoothly.


    The ground is rotting with no grass, and the color of the ground is poisonous.


    I talk to Keira as we stroll around this end-of-the-world place.


    "The reason I came here is to retrieve the fragment of power that the previous hero took from the Demon King.


    >


    "Yes. Too much power is bad for the earth. That''s why this is a danger zone where the poison is spreading.


    Now that we''re here, we have to explain it to Keira.


    I trust her, and it would be better if she knew what we were going to collect.


    "I heard it''s a place that people rarely go to."


    <> could it be that the reason why the Demon Lords have gone crazy is because ......>>


    "...... you guessed it."


    The purpose of the previous generation of heroes was to test the future.


    As part of this, he buried the power taken from him in the earth of the Demon Lord''s domain in order to weaken the power of the Demon Lord who was too strong and the war power of the demon tribe.


    I am not in a position to say anything to him at that time, though I think ...... that he could have done more.


    I am sure that the punishment and suffering he went through must have been more painful than I could ever imagine.


    "huh?"


    <<>


    Then, somewhere not too far away, I heard a sound like steel striking each other.


    The sound of battle?¡¡In a place like this, where a poisonous fog is spreading?


    I reflexively radiate magic power and run out of the place, sensing the magic power.


    "Keira!¡¡Prepare for battle!


    <>


    He creates a healing magic bullet in his deployed cage and throws it forward.


    The healing magic hits the ground far beyond the thick fog, scattering particles around it --- and catching the four shadows.


    "...... four people!¡¡Three of them are attacking one of us!


    And one of them has wings.


    I remember the shape of these wings!


    Demons!


    Oh no! The attacker is coughing on his knees!


    Has he been poisoned?¡¡If we don''t treat him soon, he''ll die!


    He puts elastic magic power on his legs, and together with his healing acceleration fist, he flies out like a rocket. ......!


    <>


    <<>


    In my field of vision, I saw a rickety-looking demon and two demons with inorganic eyes.


    And the red and black haired "she" kneeling in front of them, coughing up blood, is... Shea!


    Why is she here when she was in Mearaq?


    No, it''s more than that!


    I won''t let you!


    Huh?


    The demon tries to finish her off with a sword shaped like a wave, but she hits him with her healed elastic fist.


    Immediately the two women who seem to be demons fighting together try to move, but Keira''s cloak blows one of them away.


    >


    "Thank you, Keira!"


    Without a glance at her blown away comrades, she repels the attack of a female demoness who attacks her with a knife.


    ......, these people are the same ...... as Mr. Ahl and the others!


    "You people!¡¡How many more lives do you have to mess with!!!!!!!!!"


    Magic power gathers in the palm of his hand.


    As soon as the black, shadowy magic is recognized, the left hand is placed on top of the palm---and the same amount of magic is struck against the palm to cancel it out.


    "!!!?!??"


    "...... dark magic..."


    A demon tribe, black magic ...... with dark magic.


    If he was forced to come back to life like Mr. Ahl and the others were, it''s pointless to be too harsh on him.


    He grabs her palm back, and when she can''t escape with her power, he puts his magic power on her free right arm.


    "Heal Instant Strike Fist!


    She stops moving, and he simultaneously strikes her with the bottom of his palm and a shockwave of healing magic.


    The female demoness receives two shocks at the same time, and is blasted into the depths of the thick fog, with the other demoness trying to get up.


    "...... dark wizard."


    He is a revived dark wizard just like Mr. Ahl and the others.


    If you look closely, you can see that they are identical in appearance, so are they twins or something?


    If so, there is a possibility that the other one is also a dark wizard, but ...... we have to give priority to Shea who is suffering from the poison first.


    "Ah,u......"


    Don''t talk!¡¡I''ll help you!


    You''re hurt .......


    He''s coughing up blood from the poison, but we can heal him quickly with healing magic.


    "Yes!"


    He picks up Shea and flies away.


    The next moment, the sword the demon swung at us hits the spot where we were.


    "Why the hell are you here!¡¡Healing wizard!


    That''s what I''m saying. Why is the demon here?


    The rough-looking male demon snarls at my question and glares at me.


    I''d like to ask him why he''s here, but first let''s deal with this demon.


    I lift Shea up and wrap her in my cloak, freeing her hands while casting a healing spell.


    "Soooo ......"


    If she moves too hard, it will be hard on her.


    I slowly raise my fist and release the healing sensation refined by the degradation of the system.


    "Come here. I''ll deal with you."


    "You''re a healing wizard, you ......!!!"


    I tighten my grip as I see the two demons moving to surround me from three different directions.


    Fighting while protecting the wounded.


    Nair and his friends, who always support us, are gone.


    Keira is still inexperienced in combat, and we cannot force her to fight.


    It''s not a flattering situation, but if there are still wounded people to protect, we must get out of this situation. ......!

 377 - - 334th episode.

    Lapdo and Leali screwed up.


    Our compatriots who went to Mearaq to make our presence known failed.


    We were facing a demon king so weakened that he was far from his prime, and an old divine dragon.


    We scoffed at the Lairi, who, though wary, had no difficulty in fulfilling their role, were annihilated and left alone to flee back home.


    >


    <>


    <>


    Reaali was verbally criticized, but he remained silent.


    When the demons, including me, looked at him quizzically, he finally opened his mouth.


    His face was as blue as his bluish black hair.


    A demon that feeds on the malice and fear of mankind is being terrorized by a healing wizard of all people.


    We scoffed at him even more.


    What''s with the healing wizard?


    If he defeated the demon king it was only with the help of a brave man.


    He does strange things with his dark magic, but at the end of the day he is just a man skilled at healing others.


    Somehow it has a glitch that collects the fear we need to receive, but killing it is the end of it.


    As soon as we finish what we have to do, let''s go kill the healing wizard.


    Let''s go kill the healing wizard as soon as we finish what we have to do.


    A swordsman who kills his fellow countrymen, whom he encounters just as he is on his way to retrieve a fragment of the Demon King''s power.


    Just as I was about to put an end to the abominable woman who wields light magic... the healer appeared.


    A dark-haired man with the strange appearance of wearing a cloak of black and white.


    He was standing there, seemingly unconcerned even in this poisoned land, and foolishly chose to fight me and my puppet corpses.


    He had a light magician who was slowing him down.


    Plus, it''s three against one.


    I''m going to make them bleed in this poisoned land just as I did before.


    "Hmph!"


    --- as it should be.


    However, the healing wizard had such a strange fighting style that such a prediction was far off.


    His reaction speed overturned his three-to-one advantage.


    Mysterious acceleration.


    I don''t even feel like my sword will penetrate him, even though I''m right under his nose.


    "Ughhh ......"


    The impact of the slam into his abdomen stops his breathing.


    An unidentified blow is delivered from a fist.


    The pain is as if his internal organs have been overturned by the impact, as if a nail had been hammered into them.


    "Ah, ah, ah... ......"


    But you will be cured (????)......!


    You breathe unevenly, nearly falling to your knees from the pain you feel despite being healed by the healing magic.


    I feel like I''m going crazy......!¡¡The contradiction of pain and no injury is disturbing my mind.


    "Get up."


    "......!!!"


    A healing wizard approaches with healing magic light emanating from both hands.


    His eyes, which hold no fear of demons, make me so angry that my gut churns.


    ---Oh... yes.


    He''s a psycho who heals you every time he attacks you.


    Every time he attacks me with his healing magic, I don''t die.


    "Ggh!"


    These double blows are abominable ......!!!


    It is delivered from the right basket hand, and even if I defend against it, the impact catches the core and strikes me as pain.


    But if I am distracted only by the cage hand...,


    "Healing Elastic Fist!"


    The fist of viscous magic frightens you... and the right cage hand hits you directly.


    At this rate, he''ll just keep hitting me one way and one way only.


    "Oh, the end is not ......?¡¡That''s a ridiculous ...... story."


    "What are you talking about in the middle of a fight?"


    A healer who hits me without looking at the twins he is controlling, avoiding their attacks from behind.


    He''s only going to attack me. ......?


    If it comes to this!


    Take that!


    !"!"


    I fire a magic projectile from my hands at him.


    The nature of the demon''s magic is to bewitch living creatures.


    The magic that can drown them in pleasure, drive them into a state of intoxication, and even break their spirit at times, is like a poison that bewitches their body and spirit.


    "...... magic bullet?"


    Without knowing it, he plays the magic bullet with his basket hand as if he were disposing of garbage.


    The magic power in the air steadily deceives his senses and takes away his functions.


    "Ha ha!¡¡You''re finished!


    Huh?


    As a final blow, he thrusts out a sword imbued with magic power.


    The sword thrusts into a man who may not even be able to feel back and forth at this point,


    What are you doing?


    "----, man!"


    The next moment the tip of the sword was grabbed by the basket hand, and the sword was snapped off by the left fist that struck him from the side.


    I was stunned to see the tip of the sword shattered like a broken branch, and the healing wizard''s fist came at my face.


    "Gah-bah!


    A double impact to the head.


    In the space of a single strike, attacks were launched over and over again to the abdomen, shoulder joints, solar plexus, and face.


    After 20 blows, he finally stopped his fist and looked down at me as if observing me as I was blown away and fell to the ground.


    "Gah, bah ......"


    My magic isn''t working ......!


    I''m supposed to be receiving magic power that would normally have long since knocked me backwards and forwards. .......


    "I won''t take away your consciousness. I''m not going to take your consciousness away because I want to ask you something."


    I can''t even pass out.


    You get hit and healed repeatedly, and are instantly brought back to reality.


    What the hell is this guy? ......!


    At least he doesn''t fight like a wizard I know!¡¡He''s not a swordsman either!


    The feeling of a body without a scratch on it can still fight, but the feeling of being steadily drained of spirit is the most uncomfortable thing I''ve ever tasted. ......!


    Healing Flying Fist!


    "Tsk!"


    If you try to keep your distance, something different from a magic bullet will fly at you.


    The moment you try to avoid it and get away again, he is already swinging his fist in front of you!


    There is no time to keep your distance. ......!


    "You guys, attack quickly!


    ......


    "......"


    The twin demons who dug up the corpse and brought it back to life.


    They were once the heads of a band of thieves who had been stealing in the Demon Lord''s territory, and were skilled in the use of powerful dark magic.


    The twins leap at him with knives and claws, but he avoids their attacks without even looking at them, slipping off to the side.


    "Keira, concentrate on protecting the girl. I''ll be fine."


    >


    He never takes his eyes off of me.


    With a quiet anger in their eyes and frustration in their eyes, I launch a simultaneous attack with the twins.


    "Rah!"


    "......"


    The sword that swings many times is repelled by the silver basket hand, and from any position, this thing can make both evasion and defense behavior (...).


    It is different. ......!¡¡This is not a human fight!


    What the hell does he see!


    Use your magic!


    "---"


    The twins clap each other''s hands and extend their dark magic.


    It unravels in mid-air and covers the healer like a thread.


    "Cut them down!


    "You''re going to use the magical power that we''ve both connected to make a thread. ...... I see, that bond is your dark magic.


    Threads of magic power run and constrict to cut the healer to pieces.


    He smiles in derision at the sight of the bloodshed, but the next moment, the threads floating around him are blown away by the healing wizard, who claps his hands together and emits a mysterious shockwave.


    "Hey!


    "What are you going to do about it?¡¡Are you relying on your friends?"


    The healer walks toward us with a blank expression on his face.


    You ignore the twins ......?


    They have your back!


    "I have healing senses, I have no blind spot. ......!


    Without looking, the twins grab the strings coming up behind them with their basket hands, swinging them around with force and hurling them toward you.


    The twins are finally thrown to the ground without a scream, and I feel frustrated.


    "You''re sneaking around in the shadows. ......"


    A healing wizard who changed his appearance as if he were a different person while snapping his fists.


    His appearance changed from the weak and frail figure we had seen at first, and he made us fear him so much that we could have visions of that brave man.


    >


    "Now I''m going to break its heart and tell it how to release the corpse it has manipulated."


    <>


    If this happens, we can''t expose our magic ...... no, we can''t expose our cards in this situation ......!


    And moreover, it is a shame to use it on such an ungodly person ......!


    Don''t bother to fight in that monster''s ring.


    He spreads his wings and soars into the sky, looking down at the healing wizard below.


    "---, he''s not here!


    Did you think you were the only one who could fly?


    A voice from overhead.


    Before I could look up at the voice, I was hit in the back by a powerful shock, sending me to the ground.


    As I struggled to breathe, a man with a black cloak spread out like wings came down in my line of vision, looking down at me with pitying eyes.


    "What the hell, man, those eyes... ......"


    "If you''ve been freed from the seal of Mr. Hisago, why don''t you just live quietly and not do anything evil?"


    "......!!!"


    "Live quietly," huh?


    "We, demons, are supposed to live in hiding from humans!¡¡Don''t get smart with us! We''re just food for you!


    "......... you''re going to start another war like that?"


    I was about to get angry at the healer for speaking so naively, but then I saw more fury in his eyes and my throat tightened.


    "Gaaaahhh!


    "Healing breakdown!"


    He raises his sword in anger and is about to strike when a wave of unidentified magic envelops his entire body.


    What?¡¡What the hell?¡¡What did they do to you?


    Why did they do healing magic here?


    Accelerated Healing Fist.


    "Shima--?"


    The momentary pause in his rigidity is exploited, and he is struck with a blow to his unprotected torso.


    The fist, which shows an unusual acceleration, does not even allow for defense.


    A hard palm strike with a basket hand dives into the abdomen ......, no, no, no, this is..,


    "Rengage fist."


    "Gah!"


    The second impact blows him away.


    Even after being slammed to the ground several times, the momentum does not stop and he cries out.


    "Help me!


    ""......""


    The twin threads manage to keep him from slamming into the ground as he is blown away with a piercing impact through his torso.


    "Now, if you''ll excuse me, I''ve got some magic ......"


    "I knew I was being generous."


    The still unharmed healer still points at me without taking his eyes off me.


    "Do you have to take that off?"


    "What ......?¡¡What?


    A magic bullet is ......?


    No, this is ......!¡¡Something is overflowing from the inside..,


    "Pop. Healing bombs."


    The moment he said those words, my vision was enveloped by a green flash and a tremendous shock, as if my whole body had been hit.


    I was hit by a green flash and a tremendous shock.


    A demon and his twin demon tribe were enveloped in healing bombs before my eyes.


    There was something to be wary of, but the pure strength itself was not so great.


    "...... escaped?"


    A demon and its twin demon tribe fled out of range of the healing senses.


    We could go after them now,...... but no, we have wounded people on our side so we don''t need to go too deep.


    Keira, are you hurt?


    <>


    "Great. You did a good job protecting me."


    <>


    She protected Shea so that I could fight to the best of my ability.


    Switching my thoughts, I look around for a place where I can heal her safely with the healing magic still applied.


    "Oh, um, Usato..."


    "You shouldn''t talk yet. The poison is still circulating in your system. ...... Don''t worry, I''m here."


    "...... yeah...... yeah......"


    Fighting in a place like this will take a toll on you.


    If I hadn''t rushed in, there''s a good chance I would have died from the poison even if the demon hadn''t put an end to me.


    ......It was really close.


    "Uh-uh. ......


    Shea clings to me and breaks into sobs.


    She almost died, no wonder she was crying.


    "...... should put her down in a safe place right away."


    <>


    "Yes. I think we should ......?"


    I try to go back to Hannah and the others as Keira said, and I see something like a building beyond my vision covered with a poisonous fog.


    ...... Is that a ruin?


    "Maybe we can rest there."


    With Shea in his arms, he lightly flies through the air and approaches the ruins.


    ...... hmm?


    "The fog of poison is fading?"


    As we approach the ruins, the density of the poison seems to be getting weaker.


    Don''t tell me there is no poison mist around those ruins?


    Although the ruins look old, the building itself has not collapsed, and it seems that we can enter the ruins without any damage.


    "......There is no poison. What is this place?


    For the time being, I set Shea down near the entrance of the ruins and let her use the cloth from her cloak as a pillow and give her some water to drink.


    I want to investigate the ruins, but first I need to heal Shea with healing magic.


    "Lineage Strengthening


    Use lineage enhancement to make the healing magic even more potent.


    Shea''s expression changes to one of calmness as her whole body is enveloped by the dark green magic, and she falls asleep with quiet breathing.


    "......Keira, let''s rest here for now. You can undo the cloak if you want."


    .


    For now, let''s wait until she wakes up.


    I want Keira to rest.


    "...... why are you here?"


    Shea Garmio.


    A girl with a mysterious atmosphere whom I met in Mearaq.


    Why was she fighting demons in the realm of the demon tribe, in such a poisoned place?


    The mysteries just keep piling up. .......

 378 - - 335th episode.

    The Demon King asked me to retrieve something he wanted, and I encountered a demon.


    After fighting it off, I entered this unidentified ruin while healing Shea.


    "It''s getting dark after all, isn''t it?


    I look around at the gradually darkening surroundings and mutter a few words.


    We were resting here, waiting for Shea to wake up, but she was in a deep sleep and showed no sign of waking up anytime soon.


    But that does not give us the option of leaving Keira and Shea here and moving on.


    There is no guarantee that she is still safe within the healing range, and most importantly, there is no guarantee that the demons will not attack from the outside again.


    "You''re getting better at this, aren''t you?"


    "Heh heh."


    At the worst, I watch Keira training right next to me, spinning her magic, while thinking about the option of going back and starting over.


    The dark magic is not fast, but it moves smoothly and without any stagnation.


    Normally, there would be a jam, but Keira is able to circulate her magical power naturally.


    "First the hands. Next, if you can get the feeling of circulating magic throughout your body, you will be able to do more and more.


    "How well are you doing, Usato-san?"


    Me?


    I''ve been doing magic spinning longer than anyone else.


    I am aware that I am highly skilled at it.


    I can do it without thinking.


    "......Yeah, what ...... does that mean?"


    "It''s not like I''m consciously turning the magic, but I''m always turning the magic. Well, I''ve only recently been able to do this."


    I should say that I found myself in a state where I was able to keep the magic circulating in my body at all times.


    "Can I do it too? ......"


    I can''t tell you that you can do it. There are no shortcuts in this training, so it is important to continue the simple process over and over again. I can tell you that ...... is not a waste of time by any means."


    I believe that no training is meaningless.


    Some may dismiss it as useless or unnecessary, but at least I can say that I have grown so much because of the teachings of my mentor, Rose, and the training I have accumulated.


    "Magic spinning is a technique that still has a lot of room for development. The more people who can use it, the more things we can do. You, too, should have a broad perspective and find your own unique technique."


    "...... yes."


    "Good answer."


    It is getting dark by now, so we light the firewood from Keira''s cloak and make a bonfire.


    I had no idea that the luggage Uluru had given me would come in handy in this way.


    "Who''s the devil?"


    "Hmm?"


    You really existed.


    "Uh, yeah."


    Although their existence was made public at the last meeting, it''s hard to get a real sense of them until you actually see them.


    "I thought Usato-san was much more devilish.


    "Keira ......?"


    "Oh, I didn''t mean that in a bad way. But the way she looked when she was fighting and assimilating with Mr. Ferrum, ...... well, she was very close to the devil I imagined. ......


    "Well, that''s how it is. ......"


    So much so that they even named him Devil Usato.


    He literally looks like a devil, but maybe that''s part of the reason why the devil hates him so much.


    "Your fight this time was great, Usato-san.


    "When it came down to it, I was just trying to hit him with healing magic and keep him from getting knocked out."


    Even when he was surrounded, he still had time to spare.


    "...... I guess so."


    I know, so it''s a weapon.


    I have strongly felt this since I mastered the healing sense.


    Every time I use it in battle, it makes me think that maybe it is more of a weapon than I imagined.


    "The dark magic twins would have been troublesome opponents if they were conscious, but I guess they can''t show their true power if they are still ...... controlled."


    The dark magic is called "thread".


    It creates threads that hurt those it touches and manipulates them.


    The twins have been together since birth, and this power was awakened because of it. It is a proof of their bond before their death.


    "Demons control corpses. People who preceded me are now under the influence of this ability and are being forced to fight ......."


    "...... is unforgivable. I was watching those twins myself, and I feel sorry for them.


    There is no way to free Ms. Ahl from the demon at this time.


    I would like to take her to see the Commander if I could, but it is difficult to do so at the moment. ......


    "...... Let''s change the subject, shall we?"


    "Yes. Oh, I wanted to tell you something, Usato-san.


    What is it?


    "It''s about the person you''re training at ......."


    You mean Elle and the others?


    What is it that''s bothering you?¡¡When I tilted my head to the side, she said with a serious look on her face.


    "Veena-san sometimes looks at Usato-san in a suspicious way."


    "....... Yeah, I know."


    "Those are the eyes of a man who is thinking of something bad."


    But he''s a great talent.


    There''s something a little weird about him, but his mentality is simply strong.


    "She''s happy to train with me ......, but I guess she''s simply used to it."


    "That''s pretty extraordinary, isn''t it?"


    "......"


    I feel like Keira just now spoke her mind and said what she really thought: .......


    I looked at her and she was tilting her head in a strange manner.


    I''m not aware of it. ......!


    "Either you''ve had some mental training or you''ve had similar ...... experiences, either way, you''re still a weirdo."


    "Be careful. I sense an evil presence."


    "You say that much ......?"


    No, he''s a suspicious man in more ways than one, that''s for sure.


    In the first place, he doesn''t look like a demon, he looks like a demon, but ...... I don''t know why.


    Well, whatever his identity is, if he becomes my subordinate, he will participate in the training regardless.


    "Ugh...... ugh......"


    Shea lets out a groan as if from a nightmare.


    ...... though she has healed all her poisoned body wounds with healing magic, does she still have mental problems?


    As I approach to check on her, I notice that she is unconsciously trying to reach for the fire.


    I didn''t lay her down close enough to burn her, though.


    "...... okay."


    Mental care is also a kind of role of the healing wizard.


    Her swooning expression gradually becomes calm as I take her hand in my hand covered with healing magic.


    "Are you acquainted with this person, Usato-san?"


    "Well, yes. We talked only once. ......


    I saw him in the streets of Mearaq and only spoke to him a few days later.


    She was an enigmatic girl who used the unfamiliar masculine name "Ole".


    To be honest, she''s still a mystery to me today. .......


    "A bandage soaked in blood: ......"


    She still had it wrapped around her hand.


    She had washed it with water once and most of the blood was gone, but it still looked as if it was .......


    "It''s as if they know they''re going to outburst another systemic enhancement ......."


    ...... thinking too much?


    As far as I can see from his hands, he doesn''t seem to have done anything dangerous to cause an outburst since then.


    "How did this person get here in the first place?"


    "I wonder why he was in this poisoned place, and why he is in the demon king''s territory."


    I really don''t know why.


    The bridge to the Demon Lord''s territory and the most important places must be guarded, so it shouldn''t be so easy to get in.


    And the last time I saw her was in Mearaq.


    From there to today should be no more than two months. ...... Maybe she came here via Mialak and the land of the beastmen?


    ...... Why?¡¡Why? What''s the purpose?


    I guess we''ll have to talk to him first.


    "...... hmmm ......"


    "Mr. Usato, he''s going to wake up."


    Shea opens her eyes, as if she is trying to wake up.


    She stared at the void in a daze, tears in her eyes, and uttered a muffled voice.


    "Help me. ......"


    "Okay."


    "----"


    He replies without hesitation.


    She had tried to ask for help when we first met in Mearaq.


    I''m the one who was too stupid to see it.


    "......U......U......U......"


    She got up and hugged me with all her might.


    She cried like a child, and as I rubbed her back, I realized how serious what had happened to her was.

 379 - - a girl possessed by a ghost of quiet talk

    There is a legend that a brave man sleeps in my hometown.


    This is one of the many legends of heroes that exist in many places.


    Among them, the place where it is said that a brave man spent his last days and buried his bones was the place where my house is located.


    "The heroes visited this place for the last time."


    "I have not seen a world at peace."


    "and never saw a human being."


    "Nothing left behind."


    "Nothing is left behind, nothing is handed down."


    "He will end his life without having anything to do with anyone."


    Of course, I didn''t believe that.


    In fact, not even everyone in the village believed it.


    It was impossible for me to believe that a heroic man would leave behind such a false legend.


    Some unusual scholars were interested in it, but most of them lost interest and left the village in the end.


    There are no heroes who were active in the past in this day and age, but I have heard that the Demon King has risen from the dead and is invading the Kingdom of Lingle, a land far from here.


    There have been rumors and articles about it, but to be honest, I thought it was not that relevant to me. ......


    I had heard about a brave man from the Kingdom of Ringle,


    The invasion of the demon king''s army,


    A healing wizard on the battlefield,


    The stories about the Kingdom of Lingle and the Demon Lord''s territory were foreign to me, so I had always been a stranger to the world.


    "We also sent troops from Calm Helio, and this is the result. ...... It''s good news that we won the battle against the Demon Lord''s army, but this is like a painless draw. ......"


    A typical morning.


    My father was looking through the newspaper that had arrived in the village and muttered something like that in a troubled voice.


    Mom, who was preparing breakfast at the table, looked anxious.


    "A demon army in this day and age? It''s scary, isn''t it?


    "Don''t worry, they won''t come this way. The third attempt of the Demon King''s army to march on the Kingdom of Lingle ended in failure.


    It is often heard these days that the Kingdom of Lingle delivers letters to various countries.


    They want to make people aware of the dangers of the Demon Lord''s army,...... though it still doesn''t sound very realistic.


    "Besides, I heard that the Lingle Kingdom has two very strong heroes. And if the nations join forces, I''m sure we''ll be fine."


    "Dad, I think you''re being too optimistic."


    I talk to my optimistic father, sipping warm milk and a loaf of bread that has been baked just right.


    "Shea, you can''t be so anxious all the time, can you?"


    "......Yes, that''s true, but..."


    "Sis, that''s enough!"


    The younger brother, sitting next to her, claps his hands to prevent Berio from snatching the bread from the side of his plate.


    "Stop it! You''re so mean!"


    "Berio, there''s more bread, so don''t do it."


    "Tsk ......."


    I sigh at my younger brother, whose behavior is a combination of growing up and rebellion.


    Too much mischief is a problem.


    No matter how much he is five years older than me. .......


    "Shea, Berio."


    "Hmm?"


    "What?"


    I look up at the sound of my father''s voice.


    "Didn''t it rain a lot the other day?¡¡You know how it caused a landslide nearby?


    "Yeah. But it''s not that close to your house, is it?


    Yeah, but... But it''s dangerous, so you two stay away.


    Yes, sir."


    I replied in unison with my brother and concentrated on my breakfast again.


    Then I come back to myself.


    Your mother, your father, your brother.


    I was born in a peaceful place, and I thought I could lead a quiet life for the rest of my life.


    One day I''d find someone I love and grow up.


    Have children and watch them grow up.


    I thought I would find such ...... happiness that I took for granted.


    <>


    A happy memory of my casual life sometime ago.


    I could only look at the nightmare that was about to happen, as the scene moved across my vision like a running lamp.


    I think it was when I was looking for my younger brother Berio that I started to feel this way.


    He was running around in search of his brother, who was excited to play, and I found him walking around in search of him....


    It was as if that cave was the only place that was clean and empty, and now I think it was just an eerie sight.


    "Berriault?"


    I was lured into the cave that no one had seen for hundreds of years.


    There I found a single-edged sword in its scabbard and the corpse of someone else.


    "A corpse?


    In the hand of the corpse, which was nothing but bones, was a glistening crystal orb. .......


    It popped on its own, and a golden smoke popped out of it... and entered my body like it was being sucked into mine.


    "---!!!?"


    I felt as if my mind was being rewritten.


    The pain in my head as I was shown the memories of someone I don''t know.


    The "anger" and "hatred" of a person named "hisago" are pasted on my existence.


    "Oh, ah, ah, ah... ...... don''t... ...... stop... ......!"


    Memories and magic as a brave hisago, forcibly fleshed out in my mind.


    Memories that cannot be described with the word "gruesome".


    The killing of humans in another world and the death of his beloved wife and child, he ended up in a world ...... that was also as harsh and cruel as the one he was in.


    As I was shown some of these memories and my existence was being rewritten---Hisago''s, his voice echoed in my mind.


    ---Kill the Demon King.


    --- You must kill the Demon Lord.


    I think I understood that it was just a residue of memories left by the past Hisago.


    But I couldn''t resist.


    My emotions were already possessed by the person of Hisago, and I had almost lost even my freedom.


    <


    I (I) left the village, letting my impulses take over.


    I was not allowed to say anything to my family, and I went to the Demon Lord''s territory alone, accompanied only by my sword, to kill the Demon Lord.


    At first, I had no choice but to go forward as I was swept along.


    When I regained consciousness, I was too tired and hungry to do anything.


    .


    The next time I became conscious, I was just about to head for the demon king''s territory, not even allowing myself to think of returning to my hometown.


    The only thing I was allowed to do was to live.


    He was allowed to bathe, eat, and sleep, but he was not allowed to return the way he came from, so he just kept on walking during the day.


    .


    When I wake up, I will not be conscious anymore.


    I always cried before I went to sleep because I was afraid that my consciousness would be painted over by the consciousness influenced by hisago''s consciousness.


    My magic had been changed into something else, light magic, and my red hair, which my mother had told me was beautiful, was now mostly jet-black in the night.


    I couldn''t handle magic properly, and I had no real combat experience except in my memory, but going to defeat the Demon King was like going to die.


    You can easily defeat a bandit or a gang of thieves, but you can''t beat the Demon King.


    What can you do with mere light magic?


    I couldn''t even handle lineage enhancement. I was a village girl who never thought of hurting anyone...I couldn''t ...... fight..........


    But I can''t stop.


    Because the voice of the ghost whispering in my mind never stopped until it sent me to the Demon Lord.


    All I could think of at the time was despair.


    For no reason at all, I was implanted with the memories of a man named Hisago, and I was being led on a reckless journey by my impulses.


    Even if I wanted to commit suicide, my memories, which are strongly connected to my emotions, would not allow me to do so.


    .


    Defeat of the Demon King.


    The Demon King was defeated by the heroes who infiltrated from the Kingdom of Lingle and the healing wizard, Usato.


    At that time, --- I remember well when I was there with the soldiers of the demon tribe at the end of the battle.


    I remember how the Demon Lord declared his defeat after the wounded Demon Lord and the heroes who fought against him came out of the basement.


    I have decided to entrust the future of the demon tribe to this human.


    The Demon Lord is alive, but the humans have won.


    The memories and feelings of the brave hisago, not me, held an indescribable will.


    I think it was joy.


    A boy not much older than me, called Usato --- he indirectly saved my life.


    Even if he had no intention to do so, I cannot help but be grateful.


    I am done dwelling on this memory.


    I can go home, back to my family.


    .


    But there was no end in sight.


    After the Demon King, I had the ridiculous task of killing demons.


    My arms were covered with scars from the systemic reinforcement that was forcibly invoked, and I was in pain.


    I didn''t want to hurt anyone, I didn''t want to fight, so why should I kill a demon ...... or anyone else?


    Why did the brave man leave this behind?


    If you''re going to erase what you''ve left behind from yourself, why not leave it behind in the first place?


    I can''t take it anymore.


    I never wanted his power.


    I want to go home with Mom and Dad and Berio.


    Somebody..,


    "Help ......"


    "Okay."


    A voice murmured in my sleep.


    I open my eyes to hear a strong, clear response.


    "----"


    Gentle, comforting light of healing magic.


    A warm hand holding mine.


    When I finally became conscious of the real touch, I saw Usato, the man who saved my life.

 380 - - 336th episode.

    Shea woke up and told me a story that far exceeded my expectations.


    She was living in a village in the countryside of Calm Helio, and the tragedy that had befallen her was beyond her expectations.


    Unable to resist the will of a ghost from the past named Mr. Hisago, she had come to this Demon Lord''s territory.


    "Nice to meet you, my name is Keira, Usato-san''s first disciple!


    "Uh-huh?¡¡I am Shea Garmio. I''m ....... Nice to meet you.


    She is introducing herself to Keira, who seems to have calmed down.


    But the most disciple .......


    "Keira, I''m afraid you''re not my best student."


    "...... eh ......"


    No, I didn''t expect to see such a look of despair on your face.


    "I wasn''t the best ......?"


    "There''s a boy named Nack. He''s about your age."


    "...... mmmm."


    Keira stares at a spot on the campfire, biting her lower lip and shaking.


    Is that it?¡¡Did she want to be the best pupil?


    While you are smiling at Keira''s childlike behavior, you hear the sound of someone''s stomach growling.


    I turn to look at the sound and see Shea, her face bright red, clutching her stomach.


    "......I''m sorry, I haven''t eaten anything since yesterday. ......Ugh."


    "No, don''t worry about it. Keira, let''s get dinner ready."


    "Hi ......!"


    After all that fighting.


    I''m hungry, too, and we can talk more about it after I cook dinner.


    I''m hungry, too.


    We were eating a simple dinner when it was completely dark.


    I say simple, but it was a pot of meat, fish and wild plants brought by Keira''s cloak and seasoned. We didn''t really intend to make it as lavish as we did, but given ......Shea''s state of mind, Keira and I made it to cheer her up a little.


    "Is it good?¡¡"Is it good, Shea?"


    "Thank you. Thank you, Keira. I haven''t had a hot meal at ...... in a long time."


    Shea is now eating a pot of food in a bowl with deep emotion.


    I wondered what to do when she didn''t want to leave me right after she woke up, but she''s much calmer now. ......


    "So you''re here because you''ve been chasing the devil."


    "...... Yeah, because somehow I kind of knew where the devil was."


    ...... then you are saying that the demon was coming here for the demon king''s power.


    The timing of the demon retrieving the demon king''s power, the timing of Shea''s attempt to defeat the demon, and the timing of my coming to the place coincided to create such a situation.


    ......It was a close call in a double sense.


    How did you get through this poisonous fog?¡¡It''s not like you''ve been holding back this long, is it?"


    "I wore light magic to offset the poison. But I almost ran out of magic while I was fighting the demon.


    "So that''s why I showed up. ......"


    Just in time.


    Did you defeat that demon?


    "No, I beat him up and fought him off for now, but he might come back."


    "It was amazing. He was more devilish than the devil himself.


    Keira''s voice, which sounded extremely excited, was secretly damaging.


    She is not as malicious as Nair and Ferrum, but she is a good blower. ......!


    "He was so strong ......!"


    "Uh ...... I''m used to dealing with people like that. Basically, my ability to affect the mind doesn''t work."


    "Heh, heh. ....... ......Eh, no, why?"


    "It''s a lot of things."


    Specifically, after being trained at the Lifeguard Corps, I was subjected to a series of triple-digit psychological attacks at Samaritan''s Head.


    So I''m used to such attacks, so it probably won''t affect me unless I''m in the Demon King class.


    "...... I''ve killed two demons so far. The first one was a woman and the other one was Mialark. ......"


    ...... Mialak?


    "I see. So it was you who made Lapdo disappear. And you may have been the one who triggered the outburst of the systemic reinforcement?"


    "...... because I had to strengthen my lineage to kill the demon. ......"


    The wound when I healed it was caused by the fact that I had annihilated one of the demons at that point.


    From what I''ve heard so far, it seems that she was forced to use the systemic reinforcement to kill the demon, not by her own will.


    ...... I got used to it as I went through it more times, but it must have been hard for Shea who was just a normal girl.


    "Usato put it there for me, didn''t he?"


    "?"


    "The kind of slime that heals magic."


    ...... Oh.


    A healing magic bullet wrapped in elasticity.


    "You used it on me. ......"


    "Thanks to that, I was able to heal my wounds. ...... Thank you so much."


    So you were healing wounds in a way you didn''t intend.


    I didn''t think they would use it, but I''m happy with the result.


    "Usato-san, what is this healing magic slime?"


    "Hmm?¡¡Oh, this is it.


    He hands Keira, who tilts her head curiously, a healing bullet produced by his palm.


    The healing magic encased in the elastic bullet is soft like jelly and continues to release its healing magic effect.


    "Usato-san, can you make a bigger version of this?"


    "Just for the record, why?"


    "I''ll make it into a pillow."


    Is this a new product?


    I think there''s a huge demand for a hugging pillow with healing magic effect, but there''s a problem with the duration of elasticity.


    I don''t think that''s going to be possible.


    "So, if you have Usato-san sleep with you, it will have the same effect ......?"


    "Keira?¡¡Are you remotely influenced by your senpai?"


    I sensed something dangerous in that line, something reminiscent of senpai.


    You''re kidding, right?¡¡Wait a minute, isn''t that a very serious line for a girl who has never had the love of her parents?


    I was at a loss for what to say to her.


    Keira, on the other hand, is playing with her healing bullet like a rice cake.


    "......When I''m near Usato, the voice of the hero becomes quieter."


    "......Why?"


    "I don''t know,...... but I think it''s because he won the Demon King."


    The Demon King has been defeated.


    The fact that we have his memories means that we are under the influence of his own emotions.


    So you''re okay now?


    "...... yes. I don''t know what will happen after that.


    ...... I see.


    The question is, what should we do with her, since she is under the influence of hisago''s memories?


    "The quickest way is to leave it to the Demon Lord, but ...... probably not, right?"


    "......If she were to face the Demon Lord, he might try to kill her."


    "Right. I can see that."


    Even if the urge is gone, it is impossible not to be affected by actually seeing the Demon Lord.


    In the first place, he''s rounded up now, but before he was sealed up, he was a tyrant.


    Then you must be Falga-sama.


    "Master Farga?¡¡...... Oh, that big dragon is still around?


    "...... I thought they weren''t publicly known."


    The word had spread among the important people of the kingdoms, but generally speaking, the existence of Lord Farga was still hidden.


    But I am sure that he will find a way to help us with hisago''s memories.


    "Special" is the word, but I have a broad face. ...... who can do something about your situation?¡¡I can ...... introduce you to someone."


    "...... what can I say ......"


    "You''re just involved. This case is one hundred percent ...... no, one hundred and twenty percent Hisago''s fault."


    I know his situation.


    I know how he was treated.


    I can just barely tolerate the conclusion he came to and the ordeal imposed on him at this time.


    However, it is wrong to impose my misbehavior on her who had nothing to do with it and was living a peaceful life.


    "...... No."


    Did he regret his actions in his later years and leave behind memories and light magic to kill the Demon King, and by extension, the Devil? ......?


    Was his will that weak?


    At least in the past memories shown to the Demon Lord, his resolve was out of the ordinary.


    "Mr. Usato?"


    "Usato?"


    "...... we will leave here in the morning and meet up with the Kogas."


    Hisago''s memories and magic are real.


    But something doesn''t mesh.


    I can''t believe he ...... would do such a half-baked thing.


    I''ll have to ask the Demon King and Mr. Nagi, who know Mr. Hisago very well, to confirm this.


    "I''m going to report to the Demon Lord now, Shea, and I want you to come with me."


    "......, okay."


    "Okay."


    I put down the bowl I was carrying and stood up, putting my sleeves on my troupe uniform.


    "Keira, please stay with Shea."


    Where''s Usato?


    I''m going to check the back of the ruins.


    Maybe there are fragments of the Demon Lord''s power here.


    If we know the demon is after it, we''d better make sure we retrieve it.


    I''ll go with you.


    "What?"


    I don''t feel safe on my own. I''ve always been alone. I''m worried about protecting you, Keira.


    For a moment, I wondered if I should show her a fragment of the Demon Lord''s power, but considering Shea''s position, it was natural for me to be concerned.


    "Okay. Then let''s go together. ...... Keira."


    "Yes, sir."


    Keira slips into her cloak of dark magic and moves to my shoulder.


    It didn''t matter if we entered the ruins at night, since it was pitch-dark inside even during the day anyway.


    "Well, I have light magic, so I can help..."


    "Healing bullet."


    He throws a healing bullet that he created in his hand.


    The healing magic glows physically, though it has been used only as a distraction.


    After confirming that my feet are illuminated, I turn back to Shea while creating more healing bullets in my palm.


    "This will illuminate my foothold and also serve as a landmark. It''s called a healing guide.


    "....... Is that the kind of magic that heals?"


    I''m drawn to it.


    Well, I''m just using it in a special way, so I''ll clear up the misunderstanding later.


    For now, we must go deep into these ruins and find the fragment of the Demon Lord''s power.

 381 - - 337th episode.

    Mysterious ruins found in a poison zone.


    We know that it is a place where some kind of power has reached when the poison that had filled the surrounding area has not entered, so let''s quickly retrieve what we are looking for and join up with Koga and the others.


    To tell the truth, Shea''s problem is much more serious than the fragment of the Demon Lord''s power.


    What are these ruins?


    Shea suddenly muttered something like that as we walked through the dark corridor, illuminating it with healing magic.


    >


    "...... is that so?¡¡Keira."


    <


    ...... I see, you mean that the stronghold left behind by the Demon Lord''s army is now a ruin.


    It would not be surprising if such a solidly built place remains until today, and it would not be surprising if Mr. Hisago tries to make use of such a place.


    "In case you''re wondering, this place is ...... in Shea''s memory."


    "Sorry, my memory of the brave man is only fragmentary. ......"


    "No, don''t apologize. No, don''t apologize. It''s more serious if you have a lot of memories.


    The question is whether or not there is a trap. .......


    Is that the poison that got us here?


    "In an area inhabited only by demons, you create something that only a healing magician can break through. That''s pretty elaborate.


    "My inexperienced light magic didn''t work, so I guess it''s pretty good."


    While having this conversation, they find what appears to be a staircase.


    A dark, deep staircase leading down.


    <


    "Yes, it is. ...... are you okay?"


    <


    In Keira''s case, it''s because of the previous disturbances. It is not surprising that she is not good at these ruins.


    Well, it''s not like this is a former stronghold of the Demon Lord''s army, so you don''t have to worry too much, but you''d better be careful ...... in case something happens.


    I go down the stairs with renewed vigor.


    And then... you see a glimmer of something other than the light of the healing magic in the space beyond your line of sight.


    ...... Is that it?


    At the end of the hall at the bottom of the stairs, there was a sphere-like object emitting a chaotic light.


    The wave of power was that of the Demon King.


    I was a little disappointed to find it so easily, but it was a good thing that I didn''t have to go through any unnecessary trouble.


    "Keira, my luggage..."


    <>


    He reaches into his cloak, grabs his bag, and pulls out its contents.


    He holds it in his right hand, which is covered with a basket hand, with the crystal-like tool that the demon king gave him before he came here.


    "Usato, is that ......?"


    It''s a magical tool given to me by the Devil King. It will remove the cause of the poison that is spreading in this land.


    I was sent here because I have the healing magic to enter this place, and because I have the basket hand of Master Farga, who has no problem touching this power.


    I can feel the ominous power of this place from the very sight of it.


    "......What are we going to do after this?"


    >


    "The Demon Lord gave it to me in a messy way, so ...... let''s just try to get close to it."


    I grab the crystal with my basket hand and bring it close to the glowing sphere.


    Instantly, light leaks from the sphere and is absorbed into the crystal.


    As the light is trapped so that it moves into the crystal, the clear-colored object begins to glow with a mysterious mixture of black and blue.


    "......That was surprisingly easy."


    <>


    But this is a one-tenth Demon King.


    If this gets into the devil''s hands, we''re in big trouble.


    "Well, here... ........."


    As I try to put the crystal that contains the Demon Lord''s power back in my pocket, I see the expression on Shea''s face as she reaches for the crystal without making a sound.


    As if possessed by something, she slowly tries to touch the crystal. I move the crystal away from her and touch her shoulder with my left hand, which is not covered by the basket hand.


    "Shea, hold on."


    "...... Ae?¡¡I''m sorry, I''m a little fuzzy."


    "I guess you weren''t aware of it.


    "......?"


    Now she''s terribly unstable.


    We cannot predict the consequences of the memories that have been implanted in her.


    "...... Keira, change of plans."


    <>


    "It''s night, but I''m going to fly through the air and meet up with Koger and the others."


    The Demon Lord''s power may affect her in some way.


    It is too dangerous to work with her with such a thing.


    So, at worst, we have to cut off the training of our men and deliver this to the Demon Lord as soon as possible. .......


    "...... poison is gone?"


    When I walked out of the ruins, the poisonous mist that had filled the space had vanished as if it had never existed.


    The land illuminated by the moonlight was still barren, but the fact that the poison that harmed the land was no longer present could be considered a significant change.


    ...... But to think that this is the case right after the removal of the poison. .......


    "Was the Demon King bad for the environment after all......?"


    >


    "Yes, you''re probably right. He has a bad character and it''s not surprising that his magical power is impure.


    I laugh at Keira''s natural tongue.


    "That''s a hell of a thing to say to the Demon King, you guys. ......"


    "I''d rather give it to him while I''m telling him this, wouldn''t you?"


    I''d rather give it to him with a smile on my face.


    Maybe the Demon Lord will counter with a smile, but we''ll see what happens then.


    "I''m not afraid of him...?"


    "To be honest, I''m more afraid of my master than the Demon Lord."


    "Yeah. ......"


    I used to be afraid of Rose losing her temper, but now I''m afraid of disappointing her.


    As the deputy commander, I want to keep my back straight so that I can live up to Rose''s trust.


    "Well, I''m going to fly now. Shea will have to carry ...... with her."


    "!!!?¡¡I''m light, I''ll be fine!¡¡As far as I''m concerned, I haven''t eaten anything!


    "I''ll give you something better to eat if you ...... give me a good flush. ......"


    I feel sorry for her as she speaks of her sad reason, and I unfold my cloak, ready to fly...!


    Healing sensing is activated!


    Shea!


    Kya!


    I jump in front of her, holding her in my arms.


    At the same moment, a shockwave hits us from above where we were standing a moment ago.


    "It''s Mr. Ahl!


    "A quick reunion!¡¡Usato-kun!


    The one who attacked us was Mr. Ahl''s magic shockwave.


    Just before we landed, gliding through the air, we were surrounded by threads made of dark magic.


    "Surely you can''t be alone!


    >


    The cloak around her body expands and contracts, and she swings around to brush the threads away.


    The elastic cloak collides with the cutting threads and easily dispels them.


    "Nice!¡¡Keira!"


    She lands on the ground with one hand on the ground.


    "Shea, get behind me!"


    "Oh, oh ......"


    He radiates healing magic around him, weakened by strain deterioration.


    "......7......8......11,Looks like some of the demons escaped during the day."


    Healing sensing to determine the number of enemies lurking in the vicinity.


    Seven of Rose''s men, including Mr. Aul.


    Two of the dark wizard twins.


    And two demons.


    "You''ve got some nerve coming out here in front of me. Not since Mialark?"


    "Hi!¡¡That''s why I didn''t want to come!¡¡You''re blending in with the world and you''re looking right at me!


    We see another female demon hiding behind a spell.


    The magic must be the same as Mialak''s.


    I can only hear her voice, but I already have a sense of where she is and what she looks like through my healing senses, so it''s not a problem.


    "Oh no, Reaali-san didn''t want to come here..."


    "Hey!¡¡What if they remember your name!!!!"


    A female demon yells at Mr. Ahl without being seen.


    Is her name Leahy?


    As I''m thinking that, Mr. Ahl''s gaze turns toward me.


    "Usato-kun!¡¡You''re already surrounded, so you''d better leave the fragments of the rotten demon king''s power and run away!


    No, I''ll kill you right here!


    I hear Mr. Ahl''s voice interrupted by a yankee-like demon that I had fought during the daytime looking down at me.


    His expression is tinged with anger, as if he is still bitter about having been beaten to a pulp.


    "You licked me during the day, healer wizard ......!


    "!!!¡¡Oh, bear ......!"


    "Shea, don''t look directly at me."


    Shea, who has clearly changed her tone of voice, tries not to let the demon see her.


    The memories planted in her mind target the demon.


    If her will as Mr. Hisago goes out of control here again, it will cause her to suffer again.


    "......"


    It is more than difficult to fight without Shea in this situation where you are surrounded.


    No, considering her character, it would not be surprising if she tried to fight using magic even if it is forced. .......


    Then, the best course of action is to .......


    "Keira, can you go with Shea to Koga and the others?"


    He pulls the collar of his cloak up to his mouth and speaks to Keira in a hushed voice.


    <>


    "I''ll hold them back. You can keep the fragment of the Demon Lord''s power. ...... Don''t worry, I''ll follow you when I see you''ve left."


    "Good boy."


    Keira nods her head, looking a little hesitant.


    With Keira''s magic, there''s no reason she can''t just fly away with Shea in her arms.


    All that was left was for me to create an opening.


    "My name is Kayla!¡¡I''m going to kill you this night..."


    Yes, pass!


    What?


    I lightly fire a magic bullet from my palm at Kyra, the demon who is announcing herself.


    He sees this and gets upset. He stops moving and takes the magic bullet with both hands fluently.


    "Don''t be scared. It''s just a magic bullet.


    What?


    He takes off Keira''s cloak, leaps with all his might, and at the same time kicks the demon holding the magic bullet in the face.


    The magic bullet bursts and spreads around the demon as if it coincides with the kick.


    Now!


    Yes!


    Keira, who has entangled Shea with the edge of her cloak, soars into the sky.


    "Hey, Keira!¡¡Where''s Usato?


    "Usato, you''ll be fine!"


    "But... but..."


    He senses the movements of Mr. Ahl and the others, who are moving at the same time, and creates multiple magic bullets in his hands.


    "Healing magic bullets!


    "You''re doing something I really don''t want you to do. ......!


    She stands in front of Mr. Ahl, preventing him from pursuing Keira.


    The sword she wields clashes with the basket hand, and sparks fly.


    "Mr. Ahl, I''ve reported you to the Commander!¡¡What?¡¡He was really pissed off!¡¡Ha-ha-ha!


    Huh?¡¡You devil!¡¡You bastard!¡¡Have you no blood and tears?


    Mr. Ahl releases his sword from his cage and steps back.


    At the same time, I am enveloped by the smokescreen magic of Mr. Aur''s colleague, Beth, who is now a manipulated corpse, and Naluka''s sound magic.


    My sight and hearing have been blocked at the same time, but my healing senses are still unaffected. ......!


    "Behind you!"


    I avoid Gilg and Chris, who attack from behind with magic and swords.


    And I land in a position to be surrounded by enemies again, scattering the threads of dark magic with a shockwave.


    The threads are within the range of detection. No problem.


    "What in the world kind of sense are you looking around you,......?"


    Mr. Ahl''s cheeks are drawn back in a bold gesture.


    She seems to be the only one whose personality is almost the same as before her death.


    I wish I could release her from her spell as soon as possible,...... but I guess that''s impossible for now.


    "......You managed to let them go, didn''t you?"


    "f*ck you ......!!!"


    "Just so you know, I don''t have a piece of the Demon Lord''s power, okay?"


    I gave it to Keira.


    The demon named Kayla scratches her head in frustration.


    "That''s why I didn''t like it!¡¡I told you!¡¡I didn''t want to be brought into this situation (????)!¡¡It''s as if we''ve already failed!"


    However, Mr. Ahl is even more distraught than Kaila.


    Kayla glares at me after looking at her like she''s annoyed.


    "I don''t care about the power of the Demon King anymore. I''m going to kill you right here and now. ......!¡¡Then we''ll get our power back ......!


    That''s better for me.


    If they don''t come after Keira and Shea, then it makes sense for me to stay.


    "Well then, I''ll do my best to outrun your attacks and buy you some time."


    "....... We outnumber them.¡¡Are you crazy?"


    My goal was accomplished when Keira and Shea left the scene.


    All I have to do now is escape when the time is right.


    I don''t have to beat you.


    It will be very difficult to deal with the enemy here.


    Mr. Ahl and the others will not be easy to defeat, and we must be wary of the devil''s power.


    We just need to keep you here and run as fast as we can away from here when the time is up.


    "You can''t do that!¡¡I''m telling you, you''re surrounded!


    So?


    For the healing wizards of the Rescue Mission, being surrounded by enemies is something they''re used to.


    More to the point, I''ve fought in the city of the Demon King surrounded by many more enemies.


    Even if the eleven people surrounding me were capable, eight of them are just corpses to be manipulated, and there is no way I can coordinate with them unless I''m instructed to do so.


    "You don''t understand. Then let me put it another way..."


    What?


    I said I won''t let you get away!


    He slams his healing flying fist into the path of Reali, who tries to chase after Keira and the others without a sound.


    "Hyun! she lets out a little scream, and then changes her mind and brushes her bangs back.


    "Wow, I''m in captain mode. ......"


    "Mr. Ahl, from here on out, it''s all about physical strength, isn''t it?"


    "Well, I''m dead now, so it''s not like I have any physical strength or anything. ...... Can I say that I still hate it?"


    Mr. Ahl is the only one who understands the situation.


    He tried to go after the girl right after Keira left.


    "I''m going to stop you here so you don''t go after Keira."


    What I''m going to do is I''m going to stop 11 people from getting here.


    You don''t have to beat them.


    Just concentrate on defense and evasion, and when the time is right, leave as fast as you can.


    Until then, don''t think you can escape from here, okay?


    To be honest, I prefer to defend than to attack.


    And running is what I do best.

 382 - - 338th episode.

    When I woke up after I died, everything was over.


    The battle with the Demon King''s army, which I thought was going to start before I died, was over, and if anything, I was surprised that the war was over in a pretty good way.


    What shocked me the most was that Rose, the scary and strong demon captain of the Lingle Kingdom, had created an organization called the Rescue Mission and had trained a healing magician just like him.


    When I heard this, my first doubt was the sanity of the boy who was taught by him.


    I had my doubts about the sanity of the boy who had been seriously trained by the unreasonable Daimajo and trained to a level that would be recognized by him.


    "Healing senses have no blind spots, mmm!"


    ......No, I really can''t help but wonder how a person like that could be created.


    When you see it first hand, the captain''s apprentice is an extraordinary person.


    "Really, he is an extraordinary person. ......"


    He mutters to himself as he moves around him.


    I''ve died and come back to life, and I''m no different ......, I won''t go so far as to say.


    Some part of me hates the captain for forgetting us and creating a new organization.


    --- well, it''s a side effect of the magic that brought me back to life, more akin to a child''s tantrum than anything else.


    I would rather say that the captain would never forget us.


    So, to be frank, I should be ...... sane.


    If it were true, I would join Usato''s side right now, but the magic that binds me to my body won''t allow it.


    "Work harder, you corpses!


    I sigh, letting go of Kaila''s angry cries.


    The demon''s plan has failed as soon as the child with the fragment of the demon king''s power has fled the scene.


    In fact, they should have pursued him immediately.


    Before the worst happened to the devil''s side with Usato-kun being a stumbling block.


    "I want to go home..."


    As I was whining, Kayla and her twin demon tribe were trying to do something.


    It seems that they intend to attack Usato with a thread of dark magic.


    "Go!"


    The twins'' threads wrap around Usato''s torso, and at the same time, it looks as if they cut his torso in two.


    But no.


    The threads cut through the residue of the healing magic left behind by Usato. He left the healing magic he was wearing on the spot as if it were a shell, and he himself leapt into the sky with the magic gathered in his legs.


    Kayla, who did not see the moment, mistook the magic that had formed the shape of Usato for the main body.


    "Afterimage?


    It''s a healing spell.


    At the same time as he came to an abrupt stop, Usato-kun leaped high into the sky, and his kick hit Kaila directly in the brain.


    I help Kaila, who is about to be knocked to the ground, with my impact magic, and slam my sword into Usato-kun, who is about to slam his fist into the ground in pursuit.


    "You didn''t use that technique before!


    "I just came up with it. I just came up with an idea. I call it the Healing Afterimage Fist. ......!


    "Yeah, yeah, ......!"


    You just came up with the idea and used it in a real fight?


    His own healing magic poses no threat, but his own magical manipulations and extraordinary physical abilities have brought this 11-1 situation to a standstill.


    Get out of the way!¡¡You''re dead!


    ......


    He backs away with a cluck of his tongue, and a flood of magic bullets rushes toward Usato-kun''s location.


    It is an attack with the devil''s characteristic deceptive magic, but it doesn''t work on him. I guess it is more correct to say that they are not hitting him .......


    Without taking his eyes off me, Usato-kun runs to avoid the magic bullets that are dropped from the sky.


    "...... hmm?"


    I tilt my head at him as he performs this strange movement of irregular acceleration and deceleration.


    The next moment, however, an afterimage composed of the same green particles as before is emitted from him as he runs, and his figure blurs and changes to behave as if he were an alter ego.


    "Ehh, you''re too quick to apply ......"


    It means that they have made their movements so slow and sudden that they can no longer be detected.


    Kaila, who is shooting magic from above her head, should not be able to aim at Usato because of his image overlapping with her magic.


    Oh, he shot through the magical afterimage again.


    "Your combat experience is too different. ......"


    If you fought against demons in a normal way, you wouldn''t have such a bizarre fighting style.


    ---He has grown up on a battlefield that demands constant evolution.


    ---I have fought against opponents I did not know if I could win.


    ---And through it all, he has grown so much.


    He has more than made up for his less than a year of battle experience with the many battles he has survived.


    "...... haha, well, it''s no wonder he''s my master."


    I''ll miss you a little after I say it out loud.


    Let''s ...... get back on track and fight properly.


    "Kayla!¡¡You can''t hit me with your attacks, so please try to narrow down my movements!


    Don''t let a dead man tell you what to do!


    Then get down and fight!


    But sadly, I''m the only one who can keep up with his too irregular movements.


    I apply shock magic and accelerate to catch up with him as he moves around.


    "I knew you would follow me. We are using the same technique.


    "No, that''s why you''re so different!"


    When we had fought before, he had done an unusual thing where his whole body repeatedly erupted with magic power, but now it is done only with his right arm cage.


    Instead, what stands out is the magic power visible in his legs.


    He steps on them like rubber, and his cheeks twitch as they continue to accelerate with repulsive elasticity.


    "You can run away now!¡¡For my part, I think it''s over!


    "I''m going to buy you some more time."


    Twins!¡¡Do it!!!"


    "!!!"


    Before I knew it, the twins had moved into a position between Usato-kun and I. From their outstretched hands, they stretched out a number of threads.


    They stretch out to encircle us.......this is something I''m going to get caught in!


    "Well, I''m a corpse, so it doesn''t matter!


    We attack Usato-kun regardless of the threads around us.


    However, he doesn''t stop, and his arm wrapped in a cage is thrown out with a "BUHH!¡¡He swings his arm wrapped in a cage with a loud "Boom!" sound and grabs a bundle of threads so thin it''s doubtful he can even see it.


    "If you think you can do the same thing to me, you are mistaken!


    ""!!!?"""


    Nuh!


    The twin demons are pulled toward Usato-kun like a tug on his arm.


    The two, whose expressions are distorted in an amusing way even though they are supposed to be will-less corpses, are hurled toward Kaira in the sky.


    "--- huh?¡¡Oggggh!¡¡The string!


    Kayla is caught by the threads of dark magic created by the twins, and falls to the ground again.


    Oh, I don''t need to tell you.


    If only I could have used them better, the situation would have been different.


    "Do you have time to look away?"


    !¡¡Oops!


    I dodge the magic projectiles he throws at me and swing my sword down with a shock.


    His fist and sword clash with each other, and purple and green magic diffuses around them.


    "I really didn''t want to meet you like this.


    I''m sure you''re right. ...... I feel the same way."


    "I respect you all. Of course, I still do."


    ...... Straight up.


    You''re so normal that you forget you''re the captain''s apprentice if you''re really normal.


    And respect is ...... kind of itchy.


    When I was in Lingle Kingdom, I was treated as a problem child and was in a different place from respect.


    But ...... I can''t stop myself because the devil is in control of me.


    "Shh."


    "Hmph!"


    He slashes at them with a returning blade while shooting magic bullets filled with impact.


    He strikes them all down with his fists as he again engages in melee combat.


    "Healing Breakdown!"


    "Ah!


    A wave of magic enveloped me just before the attack.


    ---What the...?¡¡What?


    What did it do to me?


    "Huh!"


    Watch out!


    He takes advantage of a momentary lapse in rigidity and avoids the attack by bending down to avoid the hard arm.


    Aaah!¡¡I was hit by a healing magic and forced to stop thinking!¡¡If I hadn''t asked Kayla beforehand, I would have been hit directly!


    "Shock absorption!"


    "Mwah!"


    The next fist is unleashed without pause, and he absorbs it with impact magic and falls back.


    As expected, he doesn''t attack.


    ...... is so bad.


    "I think I''m starting to enjoy ......!"


    I wish I could fight him one-on-one.


    I bet that would be fun.


    I''m sorry, but your will-less colleagues and the twin dark wizards are now gorillas.


    Leali is scared of Usato, and Kayla is too bloody mad to come down to earth.


    Maybe Usato knows this and is standing around trying to mix things up, so there will never be a real fight between him and me.


    "Mr. Leali, why don''t we retreat now?"


    I want to!¡¡But he''s already recovered two of the Demon King''s powers!¡¡They''ll complain again if I don''t at least go and work for show!


    Right?


    Reali may be proud, weak-minded, stupid, and good-natured, but he understands the threat at hand.


    But this situation...


    We are zombies, we have no physical strength and we can keep moving.


    In the long run we should have an advantage. .......


    "But not against a healing wizard.


    Usato-kun...... or rather, against the same type of healing wizard as the captain, there is no such advantage.


    I''m sure he''ll be running around with a nonchalant look on his face even if he has to fight all day long.


    "If it comes to this ......"


    The only way is to create a situation in which we are forced to retreat by surrendering some information on the devil''s side.


    Once that is decided, ......!


    "Hey, Usato!¡¡Do you know what''s going on?


    Is this a provocation?¡¡I am obliged to report it to the Commander, depending on the situation.


    You''re threatening me, aren''t you?


    I was going to provoke him, but I got a huge threat in no time!


    I''m so traumatized and scared that it''s etched into my soul.


    "No, no, no. ......"


    Think about it, me! Either way, I''m sure I''m going to be treated lukewarmly by the captain when I''m being used by the devil for his good!


    Then nothing more will make any difference!


    "Listen!¡¡The Demon King''s power we''ve recovered is still only one!"


    "!!!"


    But except for this place, the Demon Lord has found two!¡¡One of them has already been taken!


    "......"


    Usato-kun squinted his eyes.


    He stops and crosses his arms on the spot, and I see the image of my former captain in his mind.


    ......No, he really looks just like him in the way he acts and the way he intimidates me.


    Who took it from you?


    The girl you let go just now. She already has the power of the Demon King (??????)?"


    "!"


    A retreat without hesitation.


    We have no reason to stop him, but we have to stop him on the devil''s side.


    I give orders to the will-less gorillas and move them to stop him.


    "Let him go! Healing wizard!"


    Reaali, who had a mother-in-law''s idea to at least attack here, released a magic bullet.


    Just before I and the other will-less gorillas unleash their magic, Usato-kun suddenly changes direction---grabs Kayla by the neck, who finally breaks free from the strings, and pushes her out in front of the approaching magic and hides behind her.


    What the hell are you doing?


    Healing guard!


    He?¡¡What?


    At that moment, Kayla is hit by a direct hit from everyone''s magic, causing an explosion.


    ""......?"""


    Witnessing the shocking behavior, Leali and I could only be stunned by Usato-kun''s even more devilish deeds.


    "But, but, but ...... but, but, but ......"


    "Don''t worry. I''ve cast a healing spell on you, so you''re unharmed."


    ...... outcasts!


    No, he has no mercy for demons, so he deserves it.


    He was healed by healing magic, but he still had Kaila, which was still smoking from his mouth, and when he looked at us --- he threw it at us with one arm.


    "Hey, what is that?¡¡Should I catch this?


    "No, I don''t like that guy, so you should catch it."


    "Isn''t this too much homophobia?


    I catch Kayla as she is thrown at me, realizing that the devil has too little sense of comradeship.


    Oh no, it''s completely stretched ...... out, why did the magic bullet stick to it ...... ah....


    "Oh, it''s a gift. Well then!"


    "Isn''t this strange for a respected senior?¡¡What?¡¡I''m going to explode!


    "What?¡¡What?¡¡I can''t get here in time..."


    With a snap, Usato-kun raised his hand, and our vision was enveloped by the light and shockwave of the healing magic.


    The impact was unusual, and we were hit hard all over our bodies while being enveloped by the healing light, an experience we never wanted to experience again.

 383 - - 339th episode.

    While Mr. Usato was stranded, I was taking Ms. Shea with me to the encampment where Mr. Koga and the others were.


    I was worried that I had left Usato alone.


    To be honest, I wanted to fight with him, but I knew that his intention was not to let Ms. Shea, who was acting strangely from my point of view, fight with him.


    "...... Shea-san, I''m going to take a break."


    "Hey, are you okay?"


    Yes, I''m fine. I''m just a little tired.


    I always flew alone, so it''s a little tough to fly with one person in my arms.


    After making sure that I had flown a certain distance, I descended into the forest.


    "This doesn''t happen when Usato-san is using my magic. ......"


    Perhaps this is another characteristic of my dark magic.


    The power of the wearer is reflected to some extent in the cloak, so there are probably many differences between when Usato is using it and when I am using it.


    "Usato, you''re alone to stop me in my tracks ......."


    I''m sure he''ll pull through.


    It is not that he let us go at the drop of a hat, but that he decided it was the best thing to do, and so he took action.


    Even if there were many opponents, I am sure he would manage.


    "I''ll take a short break and fly back. I''m going to meet up with Koga and his ...... allies, and then I''m going to cover for Usato-san.


    "Usato''s friends."


    Shea-san frowns and puts his hand on his head.


    She reacted in the same way while flying ......, but I''m a little worried.


    "I''m ...... worried."


    "Si, Ms. Shea, ......?"


    "I''m sorry. I''m a little dizzy from running into those guys. ......"


    I still don''t know Ms. Shea very well.


    I know that she is in a difficult situation, but I have no idea what to do or what I should do for her.


    "When you join us, there will be a healing magician just like Usato-san, so you will have to be patient until then. ......!"


    Uluru-san might be able to do something.


    But Shea-san kept her head held down and her voice sounded distressed.


    "But, but there is also a sign of the devil in the direction we''re heading ......."


    "What!¡¡Are you saying that they are anticipating us?


    "No, no, those demons are still behind us. ......


    Could it be that he is under the same kind of mental influence as I was?


    The other Kannagi was mentally unstable because of the evil dragon. ......Shea also .......


    Anyway, maybe we should calm this guy down first.


    "Breathe slowly, please. It''s going to be okay. ......"


    "......."


    "I understand, because I''ve had a similar experience."


    I slowly approached her and rubbed her back as she cowered on her knees on the spot.


    Then, something like a glowing sphere rolls out from her bag on her shoulder.


    She notices it as I do and picks it up with shaking hands.


    "Why did I take this ......?"


    "Ms. Shea, that''s ......."


    A warm glowing sphere.


    Inside it is a familiar black vortex.


    ---I take out the crystal that Usato-san gave me earlier, which is said to contain the power of the Demon Lord, and compare it with the crystal.


    Although the vessel containing the crystal is different, the black power inside looks exactly the same.


    "Could that be the Demon Lord''s ......?"


    "I don''t know!¡¡I don''t know! He can''t have such a thing!¡¡Because this is..."


    Ms. Shea is clearly upset.


    She is not acting or lying, but showing her true confusion, which makes us wonder even more.


    I wonder if I should wait for ......Usato-san. .......


    I think it would be a very bad idea to take Shea and join her at this point. .......


    "No, no, I''m not, I''m not ...... that, but ...... ah,ah,ah,ah,......"


    Stared at the sphere and stopped moving?


    She fell back, her voice trembling, as the light returned to her eyes, which for a moment seemed vacant, without voice.


    "It was me. ......"


    "What ......?"


    "I took this from the devil. ......?¡¡How could I forget when I did it myself? ......?¡¡Ha, ha?¡¡Have I finally lost my mind?¡¡I''m sick of it. ......"


    I have no idea what''s going on, though.


    But the situation is similar to what happened with Mr. Kannagi.


    The other Mr. Kannagi, who had admonished me and invited me to the ruins, refused to talk to Mr. Usato, and then---after his incoherent behavior, I ended up fighting with him.


    Ms. Shea now is very close to the way Mr. Kannagi was distraught at that time.


    "......I''m coming to you, right?"


    But that doesn''t mean we should just leave him like this.


    I know this because I have experienced the same thing.


    It''s very scary and painful to be alone.


    Stay away from me!


    Don''t come any closer!


    As I try to walk up to him slowly, Shea-san stops me with a strong tone of voice.


    I stop in my tracks when I see her right hand trying to reach for the sword at her waist, but she forcibly restrains it with her own left hand.


    "I''m sorry ......, I don''t want to hurt you ......!¡¡If I''m not careful, I''ll try to take away his power that you have, even if it''s by force. ......!!!"


    Because he has the Demon Lord''s power, he''s reacting......?


    "I''m leaving. You need to get to a safe place as soon as possible. ......"


    "What are you going to do about ......, Mr. Shea?"


    "...... I don''t know, but I''m leaving so I don''t cause you guys any trouble."


    We can''t just leave him like this.


    That''s the only thing that''s wrong.


    But I can''t stop him. ...... but that doesn''t mean I can''t do anything.


    "Ms. Shea."


    "Before I do something to you, I''d like to ......"


    "I''m not going to stop you, just give me a minute."


    "Go to ......?"


    I look at the fragment of the Demon Lord''s power that I took out to compare.


    I lightly grasp it trapped in the crystal, and as soon as I turn around, I throw it as hard as I can.


    "Yes!


    "Wha-YEAH!"


    "...... okay."


    At any rate, I throw the crystal containing the fragments of the demon king''s power, which is poisonous to my eyes, out of sight and approach her.


    Shea-san looks at the flying crystal and my face alternately, puzzled.


    "What?¡¡What?¡¡Huh?"


    I kneel down in front of her bewildered face, take out a spare food and water bottle from my cloak, and pack them into the large backpack I was told to carry beforehand.


    "Take this with you. It contains food and water."


    "So, but ......"


    "I can''t stop you. You are suffering and this is the least I can do for you. ......"


    I was hungry and my clothes were in tatters, if anything.


    The blankets and cloak I had with me in case of emergency ......I''d better pack everything I can, since I''ll be going back to the city after this anyway.


    "Thank you, Keira. I want you to tell ...... Usato that I''m sorry. ......"


    "If you say goodbye like that, Usato-san will get angry, won''t he?"


    She handed it to Shea as if she was pushing it to him.


    She took the backpack as if holding it with both hands and finally smiled at me.


    "I''m sure Usato-san will come to your rescue."


    "...... yeah."


    "Don''t give up. Maybe ...... no, he will never give up."


    "......Thank you."


    Ms. Shea gets up and disappears deep into the forest with her backpack still in her arms.


    After seeing her off, I take a deep breath and pick up the crystal that contains the power of the Demon Lord, which I threw away earlier.


    "Pull yourself together, I ......"


    I''m worried about you, Shea, but you did what you could.


    In fact, we could have done better, but ...... we''ll reflect on that later.


    "First we have to get together with Mr. Koga and the others!


    Maybe Usato-san is still fighting!


    Maybe ...... or even if he is, he might be in a pinch!


    In order to save him in such a situation, I have to join up with Mr. Koga and the others as soon as possible!


    "As soon as I decide to do so..."


    "Okay, I''ve caught up!"


    "Aaaaahhhh!"


    Just as he is about to jump up, he screams when Mr. Usato bursts through the bushes from behind him.


    What, what, what, what?


    Mr. Usato!¡¡Who''s after you?


    Don''t worry!¡¡I''m sure they won''t come after me now that I''ve blown them away with my healing magic!


    Blow them away with healing magic?


    No, no, it''s not strange for him to blow them away with his healing magic.


    The problem is that he is surrounded by 11 enemies and yet he is not injured.


    He was caught up with by a normal runner. ......When you think about it calmly, isn''t it a terrible thing to do ......?


    "It''s not a fake ...... that the devil himself has disguised himself as. Yes, it can''t be."


    "Why were you immediately convinced ......?"


    No one but this person would have blown up an opponent with a healing spell.


    In that sense, Usato-san in front of you is definitely the real deal.


    But .......


    "I think I understand how Amako and the others feel just a little bit."


    "...... Huff."


    "It''s not funny, is it?"


    "Hi ......"


    I didn''t mean to blame him, but he apologized.


    I felt bad for Mr. Usato, who had become depressed, so I tried to cover up and change the subject.


    "I''m glad you made it to the meeting anyway!


    "I''m glad you''re safe too. Shea was ...... not able to make it in time?


    "...... yes."


    Usato-san may have guessed it, but he looked serious when he didn''t see Shea-san around.


    At any rate, I slipped into the cloak and attached myself to Ms. Usato, and I told her about the exchange I had just had with Ms. Shea.


    "So she unconsciously had a fragment of the Demon King''s power. ......"


    ...


    "...... I guess we''ll cancel the training."


    Usato, who had been listening silently while flying in the sky, muttered quietly.


    "I''ll go stop them as soon as they arrive. It''s just before sunrise now. ......"


    <<>


    "That''s also similar to the magic of the ferme, isn''t it: ......"


    Same thing for Mr. Ferrum''s assimilation?


    ...... mmmm.

 384 - - 340.

    I was able to meet up with Keira safely, but she was already gone by then.


    I knew that she was mentally unstable, so I could not have predicted the situation, but I could not do anything about her situation at ......, which may have repercussions later on.


    I guess we have to report to the Demon Lord first,.......


    <>


    "Yeah, it''s the Kogas."


    Keira and I finally arrived at the spot where the Kogas were camped when the sky became slightly brighter.


    We descend to the ground, making sure that Bulrin is the first to notice our approach and that Koger, who has been standing guard, has spotted us.


    "Hey, welcome back. Did you retrieve it safely?


    "Grrr!"


    "Yeah."


    "...... hmm?¡¡Oh, Usato-kun, welcome back!"


    I think I woke up Uluru and Hannah, too.


    Hannah, who was in an incredibly bad mood after waking up from sleep, glared at me with her eyes sharper than ever.


    "d*mn, you''re unharmed? ......"


    "Just a few minutes ago, I was fighting 11 enemies and holding them back."


    "Why are you unharmed ......?"


    After swearing at me, I got a real donkey''s eye .......


    I''d love to talk to you slowly, but right now I''ve got to hurry.


    "Koger, I''m going to cut the training. Let''s hurry back to the city."


    "Hmm?¡¡I don''t mind if you do, but what does that have to do with what I just said?


    Yeah. There''s a demon at our destination. We fought it off once, but this time 11 of us took it by surprise. ......


    "Oh, what''s going on?"


    I explain briefly to Kohga while asking him to leave Keira''s cloak for the time being.


    "I let a girl go who met Keira at the destination for some reason, and I had to stop her."


    "Oh, I don''t understand how you arrived with Keira when you''re supposed to be holding her back?


    "I used healing magic to knock him off his feet, then ran after him."


    I know, right? That''s what I thought.


    "Mr. Koga?¡¡I think it''s too crazy to be accepted as normal, this guy!"


    I''m sure Koga could do the same thing if he wanted to.


    He is steadily copying my techniques.


    Anyway...


    Did you recover the Demon Lord''s power?


    Yes... ...... Keira!


    "Yes!"


    Floating in the air, Keira pulls out a crystal from her cloak in which the power of the Demon King is sealed.


    She takes it from Keira and shows it to Koga and the others.


    "If he''s got this, he''s got to be back in a hurry for a reason, doesn''t he?


    "Yes. ...... honestly, this is a matter that needs to be reported to the Demon Lord and Falga in a hurry."


    "So much for ......."


    And to Mr. Nagi, too.


    It''s not normal for a girl to have hisago''s memories and power.


    Considering his power, he could be in trouble later.


    "I''m going to go stop the exercise now, so take this with you."


    "Oh. ...... and also, about those guys on the exercise: ......"


    "Hmm?"


    What''s going on?


    I can tell from your nonchalant attitude that no one''s been hurt.


    Maybe they realized the demons were gone.


    "...... how."


    "And it looks like they''re waiting for us."


    I see.


    So, this is an invitation for me or Koga.


    So, they are trying to trap me and Koga in order to blow us off the scent of the ferocious hexenbiests we have created.


    "I was going to go if you didn''t show up. ...... What are you going to do?"


    "......"


    The application of the systemic degradation was designed to reduce the consumption of magic power, but it is draining me a little.


    I''ve been up all night, so I''m a bit sleepy.


    But physically, I''m not in any trouble at all---I can do it.


    "Well, I''m off to see how the exercise went."


    Well, we''ll watch from here.


    "Be careful, Usato-kun."


    I nod back at Uluru and Keira, who wave to me, and then jump off the cliff into the forest.


    I have to hurry back to the city, but at least allow me to check the results of this exercise.


    I''ve been looking forward to seeing their progress.


    I was looking forward to seeing their progress.


    There was a kind of discomfort.


    A demon that screamed but did not attack.


    Screams that echoed at regular intervals.


    And the most important thing is that there is a clear difference in the appearance of the monsters we witnessed.


    If we say they had short fangs, someone says they had long fangs.


    When we say that they had horns, someone says that there were no horns anywhere.


    It was at this point of discrepancy that we finally realized that we were making a big mistake.


    "......"


    Perhaps Usato''s objective was to conduct an exercise designed to enter the realm of demons.


    It is not an ordinary one.


    They make us fight against imaginary demons of their own creation, not real ones, which makes no sense at all.


    The worst part of it is that until now---more than a week into the exercise---we have been mentally drained, unaware of his intentions.


    "Just because you''re aware of it doesn''t mean it''s a good thing. ......!


    I am sure that Usato thinks it doesn''t matter either way, whether he realizes the purpose of this training or not.


    Either way, the training will be a success.


    To his chagrin, this training makes sense.


    We certainly tasted the demons and thought that we could complete a survival exercise without any difficulty.


    I guess you could say we were optimistic.


    That has now been shattered, though.


    "The way we''re doing it is bad, though. ......!


    Let''s be honest.


    I''m extremely gut-wrenching that Usato got what he wanted.


    Can we just end the exercise as usual?


    Absolutely not.


    "Hey you guys!¡¡Don''t you want to show the results of the exercise to that rotten bastard ......?


    Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!


    The first thing he did immediately afterwards was to get his ex-colleagues and new recruits, who were fascinated by his muscles and training, to fall in love with him.


    I let him in on the plan to give him a good ride and then add Veena and Nono to the mix.


    "Nono, if you can convince Usato that the exercise was a success, you''ll get to see Sean again!


    "Shaun!"


    Is that supposed to be a rallying cry?


    Nono, who smashes a piece of firewood with her sword, is mildly taken aback.


    Thanks to the physical modifications of training, I can do such a thing without any difficulty, and I myself can''t even feel any discomfort anymore.


    "Hey, pervert!"


    Yes?


    Cooperate.


    "Yes."


    Veena is the easiest to deal with.


    Because she''s a pervert.


    After all, we were all of one mind.¡¡After a short time, we have a plan and disappear into the forest as hunters who trap their prey, luring either Koga or Usato into the forest.


    They will realize our intentions and will be provoked.


    Nyah!


    "Anyway, it won''t be over if we don''t give them a shot. ......!!!"


    Dawn was breaking and the sun was slowly rising.


    Veena and I climbed to the top of a tall tree and ambushed them.


    I stroked the chin of Lin, the two-tailed black cat on my shoulder, to keep my composure, but to tell the truth, I was extremely nervous.


    "Veena."


    "No response yet..."


    I call out to Veena, who is releasing light peach-colored magic from her hands like smoke onto the ground.


    The peach-colored magic released from her meditated hands becomes transparent as if it melts into the air.


    "...... when did I become able to sense magic?"


    "It''s been a little while since I entered this forest. But it is usually impossible to do so while moving."


    I had just learned that he had acquired magic sensing, a technique that can be acquired by turning magic power.


    Usato is doing it normally.


    "Maybe this magic sensing is not meant to be used like that."


    "Huh?"


    "Nyah."


    Lin nodded her head.


    I look at Veena, "Oh, cute," I think to myself for a moment.


    "It''s almost impossible to use this in combination with offensive magic. Even if you could, you''d have to be very dexterous with it.


    "...... that guy was mainly a meathead."


    I understand that it is difficult to be aware of attacking with magic and being aware of sensing magic at the same time.


    Usato, on the other hand, is a bad guy whose healing magic is a bonus ......, or rather, he is an anomalous meatballer who ultimately aims to get close and hit you.


    "It is also simply because of Usato''s skillful manipulation of magic inside his body. Perhaps he is constantly circulating magical power throughout his body to improve the efficiency of his magical power circulation?


    "......I knew he was a monster! ......"


    "I guess one of the reasons is that there was the groundwork to make that possible..."


    That''s not right.


    I wonder what kind of idea they had to keep doing the magic.


    ...... You don''t think it was just a casual idea, like it would be good training, do you ......?¡¡If so, it''s too crazy.


    "The circulation of magic power is activated by the magic circle, and the senses are specialized. ...... Or should we say, more precisely, a technology that awakens the dormant potential of magic in our organism?"


    "I know it''s great, but is it really that great?"


    At least I don''t know anyone who uses this kind of technology.


    Every word you say is pregnant with meaning.


    He really is like that.


    "I''m stuck on ...... sensing. It''s Mr. Usato.


    "!¡¡Well, I''ll give you a signal."


    He floats a stone he picked up beforehand in his palm and blows it away with wind magic.


    It hits a metal water bottle placed a short distance away and makes a high-pitched sound, signaling the others waiting around it.


    "Subject, I have noticed the presence of the sound, but I am still moving forward. He is probably aware of my magic.


    "I knew you were on board ......!!!"


    Then let''s trap them to our heart''s content: ......!


    He will respond to a half-hearted attack or an individual attack.


    "The conditions required here are ......"


    The magic of the wind will scoop up a large amount of stones packed in a backpack and make them float.


    He floats them around him and takes aim with his pointer finger.


    "Kuhuhuhuhuhuhu ......!!!¡¡How dare you stuff my bag full of rocks!¡¡I''m going to attack you for using them the way they''re meant to be used: ......!


    "Nyah~"


    The firing position is spread out in a fan shape so that the direction of flight does not reveal the location, and then rotated to increase the hit and speed.


    --- a technique that was not possible before this infernal half-moon training.


    I''ll show you what he can do with the power he taught me. ......!


    Veena, please report and coordinate directions.


    Yes, sir.


    Since they are not yet visible through the branches and leaves, we follow Veena''s directions for launching them.


    ...... and a half-hearted attack will be quickly responded to.


    There is literally no blind spot with the healing senses he uses.


    But..,


    "Fire!"


    --- unless it''s a long-range sweep from outside the magic circle!


    If the attacks come at almost the same time, you can eliminate its healing sense advantage!


    The spinning debris fly toward the direction where Usato is supposed to be.


    After a moment of silence, a series of bouncing sounds are heard.


    "All of them have been evaded."


    "I knew it."


    The decoy called "gravel" destroyed the healing sense.


    Just as I was about to make my next move, something passed between me and Veena and hit a tree right behind us.


    A magic bullet passes right by my face, and my throat almost constricts.


    "Oh no!


    "Oh no!" I think it''s noticed me. It''s ...... funny, I thought I could have fooled them. Oh, he''s running this way as fast as he can.


    "Yes, yes, yes, I knew it!¡¡Kevin!¡¡Nono!"


    At a visible position, he sees Usato running on the ground at an unbelievable speed.


    Stifling a scream that is about to come out unconsciously, I order the two men who have been standing by to start moving.


    There is no response.


    However, when Usato comes within a few dozen meters of them, a water magic bullet is thrown at his feet.


    <>!


    Nono''s magic is no ordinary water magic.


    It is a water-based magic with the unusual property of being able to create flammable water, similar to oil.


    When Usato stops to look at the slippery ground, the roots of a tree grow out from under his feet like tentacles and attack him.


    Kevin''s magic to control trees and Nono''s magic to control water.


    Usato calmly avoids the attacks of these two who are manipulating magic from outside the range of his healing senses.


    "You stopped me ......!¡¡Wal!


    "Yes, sir!"


    Wal, who had been standing by nearby, shoots a large number of debris into the air with his earth magic.


    I pick them up with my wind magic, and while they float, I fire them all at once at Usato, whose movement is restricted.


    "......!!!¡¡You are much more formidable than a demon!


    Usato, on the other hand, after slamming his foot down to pin it to the ground, prepared to intercept the gravel and wood magic with his right arm clad in a basket and his left arm clad in elastic magic.


    "If it''s a ...... physical contest, I''m sure we''ll lose."


    Even so, that creature of healing magic could still outperform us on its resilience and strength alone.


    ......The plan is going well, since the goal is to nail Usato, who has an unreasonable evasive power, to the spot.


    "Sein!¡¡Now!


    At the sound of my voice, two arms shoot out from under Usato''s feet and grab both of his legs.


    "I''ve got him!¡¡Captain!


    "Sein-san ......?¡¡Oh!


    This is a different kind of earth magic from Wal.


    Sein''s magic, which turns soil itself into mud and manipulates it, greatly restricts Usato''s movements.


    ---Nono, Kevin, Wal, Thane, and Veena have achieved their goal at this point.


    And this is the end of the strategy I have revealed to the five of you.


    Now comes my real (...) goal.


    "The time has finally come. ......"


    "Hmm, good feeling bad ......"


    He gently hands the cudgel he has made for this occasion to Vina, while he gently hands Lin on his shoulder to keep her out of harm''s way.


    Clothed in wind magic, I charge at Usato, who is still blocked from moving.


    His feet are caught in the ground, and he is distracted by the stone and wood magic flying around him.


    "What are you doing, Mr. El?


    Nono, who had been releasing water magic while hiding in the bushes, looks at me with startled eyes.


    She seems surprised to see me making a move that was not part of my plan, but this is my real plan!


    "The only purpose of this plan is for me to finally beat him up!


    """"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!


    "!"


    He notices my presence from a stone''s throw away, but it''s already too late!


    The club is already close to his torso, and as I pass him, it slams into his body as a painful blow... and is swatted away with a surprising lack of resistance.


    "Huh?


    No, this is not the feeling of hitting a guy with all muscle!


    Looking at his hand, he sees a cloth-like object made of magic power clinging to his club.


    ...... elastic magic!¡¡In the first place, I thought I saw double of Usato''s body at the moment the stick hit him. .......


    "Well done!"


    "......!"


    "Healing Afterimage Fist. I never thought I''d be forced to use a new technique so easily.


    Before I knew it, Usato himself was standing behind me, looking upset.


    My voice trembled as I realized that my plan had failed.


    "......How did you get the restraints ......?"


    "I hit the ground and escaped."


    If you look at where Usato was held earlier, you can see a fist-sized hole in the muddy ground.


    ......Isn''t this guy crazy after all......?


    "I never thought I''d get this far. You did a great job."


    "Captain ......"


    "I''d love to give you more credit, but I really need to get back to the city as soon as possible. I''m sorry to rush you all, but I need you to start getting ready to go home."


    Yes!¡¡Kevin and the others begin to prepare for their return.


    It is hard to believe that the training will be over so easily.


    "......


    As Usato, who looks a little tired, exhales, loosening the collar of his uniform, he sees Lin, who has come down from the tree with Vina, running toward him.


    "Ah, Lin!"


    In retrospect, I might not have been able to maintain a sane mind during this exercise if it were not for her.


    The mission itself was a failure, but finding this ultra cute angel called Lin was the best achievement I could have asked for.


    As I crouched down to greet her coming toward me, I was aware that my mouth was naturally loosening... and as she walked past me, she jumped onto Usato''s shoulder, who was standing behind her.


    "You''ve added another weird trick, haven''t you?


    "......!"


    What, are you talking?


    What?¡¡Why isn''t Usato so surprised ......?


    I can''t catch up with my thoughts when Lin starts to complain in human language while slapping Usato''s cheek with her paw.


    What the hell is going on?


    "I think I was attacked by the devil and Mr. Earl and the others. I got what I wanted, and I wasn''t hurt, but things got a little out of hand..."


    "...... ask me about it later. Come on, explain it to him."


    Usato looked at me, perhaps noticing my stunned look.


    Then Lin jumps down from Usato''s shoulder and transforms into a dark-haired, red-eyed girl who looks too familiar to me.


    "I asked Nair to watch over you and support you.


    That''s not all I did, though. ...... Um, I''m sorry, right?"


    Nair, the vampire who had been disguised as Lin, smiled awkwardly.


    "I''m her demon."


    These are real demons.


    The shock of being betrayed by the beings I had thought were cute and cuddly, and the exhaustion caused me to do the most bizarre thing possible: I fainted while standing up.

 385 - - 341st episode.

    After the exercise, I immediately returned to the city and went to the Demon King.


    I guess the Demon Lord can''t overlook the incident involving Mr. Hisago, so after first informing Ciel about my business, I was immediately sent to the office where the Demon Lord is.


    "......It''s not that I didn''t expect it, but it seems that that idiot did something unnecessary."


    When the Demon King heard about Shea, a bitter expression appeared on his face, which was unusual for him.


    "A girl who has been implanted with the memories and magic of the hisago. I knew it was suspicious when I saw Mialark, ...... but how dare you, you attract such things."


    "...... you were suspicious of?"


    "?¡¡Have you ever known a sane person in your life?"


    Calm down, calm down.


    There''s no point in hitting the Demon Lord now. ......!


    "It''s easier to deal with it if you take the initiative and get involved before something happens without my knowledge. I''m buying your cause and effect as well."


    I''m not at all happy to be evaluated that way: .......


    With a sigh of relief, I put the crystal I had been keeping in my pocket on the table in front of the Demon Lord.


    "This is your power that you said was sealed.


    "Ah, you have done well. Except for me, you are the only one safe in that poisoned area with healing magic.


    "Then why not Mr. Nero?¡¡He could have blown away the poisonous miasma."


    "He''s too strong. Considering our position as demons, we shouldn''t be careless with him."


    So that''s what you''re saying. It is true that Mr. Nero is too strong, and it is not surprising that the human side is suspicious.


    The Demon King takes the crystal in his hand in which a fragment of his power is locked and throws it into the circle of light created by his magic, without looking at it with any particular emotion.


    "Don''t you have any regrets about your power?


    "No. No. More power will only cause confusion. We have agreed, Falga and I, that my power will be strictly controlled.


    If that''s the case, I have nothing to say.


    If Mr. Farga and this man say so, it must be so.


    In the first place, the Demon King is too strong even at this point.


    "At present, your power is one that I have secured. I reported one that Shea took, and one that the demon secured. ...... Is it safe to assume that all of the power in the Demon Lord''s territory has been recovered?"


    "Hm. "Hm. Strictly speaking, no."


    "No. ......?"


    But Mr. Ahl said that surely Shea and the devil''s side secured it. .......


    "Shea Garmio is not wrong in holding it, but as for the devil side, it is different."


    "What does that mean?¡¡I thought demons were using or incorporating your power. ......"


    "Did the devil himself secure my power?¡¡No, that''s not true. No, it''s not. You have more than you need.


    Too much?


    "Even if the demon were to absorb my power into its body, it would only be able to devour me from the inside."


    "Isn''t your power too dangerous ......?"


    It''s me.


    You don''t have to be so proud.


    I''ve never had better proof.


    I know where the other piece, the one the devils can''t seem to get enough of, is.


    If you say you know, that means you already know where it is.


    The fact that they have not gone to retrieve it immediately means that it is a place that cannot be entered so easily as the poisoned area.


    If it''s .......


    "Are you sure it''s the demon''s territory?"


    "That''s right. If I retrieve it from the demon, all the fragments of my power that are affecting the demon realm will be removed.


    "Isn''t that too much responsibility?"


    The Demon Lord smirks as he says this.


    "You dared me so much. You should at least give me that much.


    "Well, I''ll do my best. ......"


    I''m not going to say no here, though.


    Well, I guess you could say they trust me.


    "You will continue your preparations to enter the realm of demons, and there is a good chance that you will also encounter Shea Garmio, the girl with Hisago''s memories.


    "You mean she wants your help after all?"


    I don''t know what to think. I''d be happy to help if you''d just let her disappear and save us the trouble. ...... but I can''t help but think there''s a certain smell around that girl.


    "To be honest, I''m of the same opinion."


    If it was an unfortunate accident, I can''t say anything, but Shea''s situation feels strange, as if it was set up somehow.


    I don''t know what it is.


    But if what happened to her was not a coincidence, but was the result of someone''s plan, then ...... I will be angry at the person who planned it.


    Shea''s hometown is Calm Helio, apparently.


    "Then even more so. A country with people who believe in brave men and women and do stupid things. Anything is possible.


    Should I go to Calm Helio when I get back from the demon king''s territory?


    If I could save Shea, I might have to send her back to her family.


    ......No, let''s concentrate on the demon territory for now.


    "Of course, I''ll share this information with Farga. And Usato.


    Yes?


    Is it possible to contact the land of the beastmen?


    I nodded at the Demon Lord''s question.


    Yes. I have already made a contract with the chief of the beastmen, Hayate-san''s hoo-bird, and I think he will come as soon as I call him.


    You''re really handy, aren''t you?


    But please note that it''s not official, it''s just between friends.


    "......No, I won''t say anything."


    For some reason, I was taken aback.


    As I was feeling a little confused, the Demon King continued to talk to me.


    "Call Kannagi here through the chief. Tell him about Seer Garmio.


    "...... understand."


    Mr. Nagi was the closest person to Mr. Hisago, so he might be able to help Shea who was in a precarious state.


    Besides, Mr. Nagi would have no problem getting out of the demon''s territory, and moreover, he would be a force to be reckoned with.


    Is shea going to be okay?


    "I don''t think we need to worry about that for now. Memories are just memories. There is a concern that his ego may become unstable, but it is unlikely that Shea Garmio will become hisago himself."


    But I worry about her instability.


    She was originally a girl who didn''t even know how to fight. I want to do something about her situation as soon as I can.


    I sigh lightly thinking about it.


    "You look very tired..."


    "I''ve been too tense, as you can imagine. I''ve consumed a lot of magic power fighting the demons and Mr. Ahl and the others.


    "We were struggling to hold back our laughter when we heard your big stand-up routine, weren''t we?"


    "I''m sure you were. ......"


    He was smiling while he was reporting it, wasn''t he?


    I''ll take a shower and go to bed when I get home.


    My men are tired too, so we''ll take tomorrow''s training off. .......


    I want you to look into something about the Dark Wizard...


    Are you going to adopt me?


    "No, I''m not. ......!¡¡It''s about the twin dark wizards I fought.


    "Oh, you mean..."


    Why am I supposed to adopt a child at this point?


    Don''t tell me there''s some story going on behind the scenes ...... about a former dark wizard''s child being placed in your care?


    "Maybe there are other people who are using the corpse besides those twins. I''m not just talking about dark wizards. ......"


    "Indeed. But there are cases where I was alive before I woke up from the seal. The truth is uncertain, but I''ll let you check it out.


    It is easier to take countermeasures if we know some information in advance.


    The twins'' dark magic was troublesome if used properly.


    Usato.


    "Yes?"


    The demon king looks at me with a smile, his arms folded and his back leaning against the backrest.


    "You are aware of the fact that there are some foreign substances among the demons you are training, aren''t you?


    "...... if you''ve noticed them too, please tell me."


    I have no hostile intentions. I let them swim."


    The foreign substance the Demon Lord is talking about must be Ms. Veena.


    "I have some idea of who she is. I was only fully aware of it at the end of the exercise, though ......."


    She showed me that she had mastered magic sensing and was using it to keep track of my location.


    She even spread her magic over a wider area than I did.


    But as soon as I stepped into her magical realm, I sensed a presence similar to that of a demon''s deceptive magic.


    "One of the former members of the First Legion was a demoness named Veena, but she left the city after the war. ...... This Veena is a man, above all. I''m sure it''s not him."


    "Should I get him?"


    Depends. Most likely, he''s just doing a little reconnaissance. ......"


    The Demon King puts his hand on his chin as if in thought.


    "The demon race hates each other. As far as I know, they don''t have much information about each other.


    When I shielded Kayla, she didn''t even show any signs of coming to my rescue.


    Maybe they are just trying to take advantage of each other.


    "Hmmm... ...... I''ll leave it to you first."


    "Yeah. ......"


    "The fact that he has volunteered to become your subordinate means something. Depending on what you have to say, there may be a chance we can bring him in?"


    "Is it going to be that easy ......"


    You''re good at that, aren''t you?"


    I feel as if I''m being misunderstood by the devil king.


    But ...... it can''t be helped.


    I''ll call up Ms. Veena and see what she really thinks after we take a break for now.


    "Huh, there''s so much to do ......."


    Exploring the realm of demons.


    Recovery of the piece of the Demon King.


    Rescuing Shea.


    And to get in touch with Veena, who has just been added to the list.


    All of them will be hard, but we have to solve them.

 386 - - In the Kingdom of the Silent Ringle,

    The day at the lifeguard station starts early.


    I get up just as the sun comes up, change into the training clothes provided and leave my room after getting ready for the day.


    I like the lifeguard uniforms because they look like jerseys and are easy to move around in.


    When I lived in the castle, there was a bit of a formal atmosphere, and I personally don''t mind dressing like this.


    Besides, in the original world, people would have looked at me with disapproval if I wore this kind of clothes.


    I stand in front of the door of the next room...,


    "Fehrum!¡¡It''s Asa!


    I shouted to wake up the sleepy demon.


    Then, "Boom!¡¡something falls off the bed, followed by a noisy sound, and the door is opened with a bang.


    "Shut up!¡¡You wake me up every morning with your loud voice!¡¡Suzune!


    The one who is still in his nightclothes, revealing his anger, is Ferrum, a senior member of the rescue team and a demon who once fought against us as an enemy.


    "Nair asked me to do this for you!¡¡Come on, it''s time for early morning training!¡¡Let''s work hard for another day!


    "Why is this guy so energetic in the morning? ......"


    Low blood pressure?


    But if I don''t wake her up now, she''ll be the one who gets scolded.


    Let''s be determined and go to the daily training---in other words, to the running session, which is the beginning of the day.


    The first day of the training


    At the Lifeguard Corps, breakfast and lunch are served on a voluntary basis, and dinner is served at a group meeting.


    Well, I heard that there is no particular arrangement for this except for dinner, so I made a simple breakfast and ate it with Ferrum at our new accommodation after the early morning training.


    "Hey."


    "What is it?"


    I''m drinking a cup of milk, and Ferm, who is eating a piece of bread with a fried egg on it, gives me a cute, anguished look.


    "You know what''s been the most annoying thing about ...... this past month?"


    "Yeah?"


    "That I''ve been eating breakfast for nothing."


    Is it a tsundere?


    "Hmph, Ferrum. I can do most things, despite what I look like."


    "...... annoyingly true, but don''t tell yourself that ......!"


    As for cooking, if you had to choose between being good at it and not being good at it, I''d say I''m good at it.


    I was hoping to have a chance to serve Usato-kun my cooking when I joined the rescue team, but he was soon dispatched to the Demon Lord''s territory.


    "It''s been a month since Usato-kun left for the Demon Lord''s territory..."


    Dispatch to the demon king''s territory.


    Considering his position, it is not strange that he himself is going there, but I am worried that he might be involved in some kind of trouble ...... again.


    "The letter you received the other day said something about training demons, didn''t it?"


    "Yes. Usato, you seem to be working very hard.


    "I think you mean ''make them work harder'' rather than ''work harder.¡¡I''m pretty sure he''s doing something worse than what he''s saying.


    The letter that came roughly half a month ago said that he had been assigned to lead the troops to investigate the demon territory. I was glad to see that he was still working as a member of the Rescue Mission despite the drastic changes in the environment around him, and if anything, I regretted not being there.


    "I''m glad to see that Keira''s magic seems to be stable ......"


    "Keira, you were like an apprentice to me, too."


    "...... well."


    "And she''s my sister."


    That''s not true.


    He denies it with a resounding "no".


    However, since he is working with her for some reason or another, it is becoming more and more realistic that Usato-kun is favored by the dark wizard.


    I have a feeling that another strong enemy will appear. .......


    "No daytime training today, right?"


    "Yes, we do. That''s what Rose said.


    He nodded at Ferrum''s question.


    Even the lifeguard squads do not train rigorously every day, and they do have their holidays.


    Although it is said that Usato sometimes does not mind training. .......


    "So, do you want to go check on Nack?"


    "Yes, you should go by yourself. I''ll be in my quarters."


    "I''m going out for lunch, is that okay?"


    "...... ugg."


    It''s almost as if he has Ferm''s stomach in his grasp. ......!


    He turns away as if he is unfaithful to me, but I can''t stop smiling at him.


    "Well, we''ll go to the clinic with Nack in a little while."


    "...... huh, no choice. I''ll at least check on him and see if he''s doing okay."


    Oops, I''m earning another tsundere.


    Ferrum is kind of a cheater, too.


    I''m sure he''ll be back soon.


    After leaving the inn to the town, Ferme and I go to the clinic where Olga, a healer other than Usato and Rose, is.


    There is another healer, Uluru, but she and Usato have been sent to the Demon Lord''s territory, so Nack is helping out at the clinic in her place.


    He has grown up a lot since he first learned of Nack''s existence at .......


    I don''t need to tell you who he resembles in his single-minded ambition.


    "Oh, Suzune!¡¡Mr. Ferrum!¡¡Good morning!


    Good morning, Nack. I see your help is going well.


    When I arrived at the clinic, I found that Nack had opened the door just in time for the clinic to be open.


    He notices me and Ferrum and greets us cheerfully.


    "I have a lot to learn, but I''m having fun!


    "That''s good to hear. I''m glad to hear that. I thought I''d check in on you since you''re not in training today.


    I''m just here for lunch.


    Ferrum looks mortified, but Nack seems to have gotten used to such reactions.


    As we were enjoying our moment of silence, a familiar figure approached us at the door of the clinic.


    "Oh, Suzune-sama?"


    "Wellsy?"


    Welshy, a woman in a familiar robe, light blue hair and glasses, looked surprised.


    What was she doing here, a wizard in the kingdom''s service?


    She''s always in a robe, even though she''s a private ...... .......


    "What can I do for you at the infirmary, Suzune-sama?"


    "I came to check on the girl. ...... Is something wrong with Welshy?"


    Well, ...... she''s a little overworked.


    Overwork?


    I am well aware that Mr. Welshy is very busy, but I was surprised to hear that he takes a lot of time off.


    "I''ve been working a lot lately. ...... I told him I was still fine, but he told my staff to head to the clinic. ......"


    Is something wrong?


    "Yes. Not so much a commotion...... as a fuss,...... no, but from the magic system''s point of view it''s kind of a big deal,...... well, I mean you, Usato."


    """"...... uh"""


    My, Ferrum''s, and Nack''s voices overlapped.


    I am sure that at the same point, the first silence was also a reflection of the same thought.


    "Usato-san, I heard that you have acquired the skill of systemic degradation in the Demon Lord''s domain. This is something that really, really overturns conventional wisdom. ......"


    "Lineage degradation?¡¡Is that what it is?¡¡Is it the opposite of "strain enhancement?"


    "Yes. ....... But the trouble is that it''s not simply the opposite of technology.


    Wellsey let out a weary sigh.


    The system degraded ...... by turning the magic around?


    "Hmmm, maybe Usato-kun thought of it to reduce the consumption of magic power?"


    "!¡¡That''s right. By diluting the characteristics of magic power, the consumption of magic power can be suppressed, which seems to be the reason why Usato-san came up with the idea of strain degradation.


    "It''s that easy. ......"


    Welshy looks away at Ferrum''s dismayed mutterings.


    "Even for us, the technology of magic sensing is unknown. We have to investigate them and record them, but the important thing is that Usato-san is already discovering new technologies at an incredible rate, so it''s not easy. ......


    "Well, you''re Usato."


    "Well, it''s Usato, after all."


    "And you''re Mr. Usato."


    "That makes sense to me, and I to him, but I wonder how many unusual things he usually does. ......"


    "I don''t know what I''m going to do."


    That is Usato-kun''s greatest weapon.


    "For that reason, I thought I would visit Ms. Olga while I was getting medical treatment."


    "Oh, you mean Olga-san''s healing magic?"


    Welshy nodded at the sound of Nack''s voice.


    "Yes, I thought it would be helpful to talk with a man who was born with a high concentration of magical properties.


    "If that''s the case, I''ll show you right away!¡¡What about Suzune-san and Ferrum-san?"


    "No, we don''t want to bother them. No, I don''t want to bother them. I''ve seen how well you''re doing and I''m going to have lunch with them.


    That was the plan all along.


    After seeing Welshy off as he and Nack walk into the clinic, Ferrum and I start walking through the city again.


    "He''s still doing crazy things, isn''t he?"


    "Yes, that''s exactly what I''m talking about."


    "I hope by the time they come back here, they don''t come back with more weird tricks or more members. ......"


    "......"


    No, I''m afraid that''s a normal possibility.


    Mainly because of Welshy''s heartache and our sense of urgency.

 387 - - In the quiet Hinomoto,

    It was not so bad in the land of the beastmen of a future I did not know.


    Or, considering the fact that my life had been full of battles, I might say that I was able to lead a surprisingly peaceful life.


    Amako''s mother, Kanoko, has welcomed me with open arms, and the people of Hinomoto have been kind to me.


    I have been happy to have the opportunity to visit the Hinomoto people. ...... I have occasionally had to wriggle inwardly when a student of the Kannagi-style comes to learn from me, but other than that, I have been pleasantly surprised,


    "Canoko-sama is gone again!


    I''m sure he hasn''t gone far!


    Where is he this time?¡¡He was here just a moment ago!


    If only it weren''t for this.


    As I sit on the porch, soaking up the sun and relaxing with a cup of tea, I hear such hurried voices from the servants in the house.


    "It''s so peaceful..."


    "Kannagi, don''t run away from reality, I''m going to find your mother."


    "...... ung."


    Amako calls out to me from behind as I try to escape reality.


    I nod at her as she prepares to go outside, as if she is already used to it, and get up from the porch.


    Ms. Kanoko regularly goes out for a walk.


    She doesn''t go out for long distances, just for a walk around the neighborhood, but it is a big deal for her to go out since she is not strong enough due to her precognition magic and a long time in a coma.


    "It''s been like that for a while now, but it''s really ...... already."


    It is also a problem that it was not an aftereffect of the coma for many years, but simply the origin of the coma.


    To tell the truth, she is just like my sister.


    "My sister was just like Ms. Kanoko. She was not a fighter, she was a soft and gentle person, and if you ...... took your eyes off her, she would disappear as soon as you left her alone."


    "Heredity from my ancestors ......!"


    "Yeah, uh, well, ...... I guess so. ......"


    Although they may share the same bloodline, Amaco appears to be quite solid.


    I wonder if his father had more influence on his personality?


    They continue their conversation while looking for Mr. Kanoko in the city.


    "What kind of people were your ancestors like, Kannagi''s sister ......?"


    "Well, she was a kind person. She took care of me when I was fighting all the time, and she was the one who organized the beastmen who had been freed from slavery at that time.


    He was also the one who tried to change the environment of the beastmen in a way other than fighting.


    If I showed the power of the beastmen by force of arms, it would not be an exaggeration to say that my sister united the beastmen by her aspirations.


    "......Was it hard for you?"


    "Hm?¡¡What?


    "Waking up and finding that everything you knew had changed."


    "......"


    To be honest, I was shocked.


    If I could have, I would have liked to see my sister happy, and I would have liked to live in the world after the Demon Lord was defeated.


    "It was hard, but I''m still having fun.


    The present where I stand now.


    It is a future made possible by a series of miracles that Hisago could never have imagined.


    I''m sure that the brave man with the curly hair must have thought that there were only two choices: either the Demon King would win and mankind would lose, or the Demon King would die and mankind would win.


    That''s why I want to laugh at him so much.


    There is a future here and now that is much more hopeful than the miserable ideal future you envisioned.


    Hinomoto, the Kingdom of Lingle, and the Lifeguard Corps are like a familiar home to me now. I think about the past, but I don''t think I wish I could go back to that time anymore."


    "...... I see."


    For me, it''s over.


    From now on I will just live my life the way I want to.


    "So, it''s not hard being single all the time?"


    "Then is it hard for you to be single forever?"


    You just came in here and gutted me.


    I''ve only been physically alive for 18 years, but the years that have passed have been too much for me, so it''s relatively hard. .......


    "Um, um, well, um,......"


    "Don''t worry, I know exactly what I''m doing."


    No, I''m aware that I''m easy to understand.


    How can this girl be so optimistic for someone so much younger than me?


    "...... Usato fills his thoughts with missions and training, so I think he subconsciously avoids taking his thoughts in that direction."


    "Oh, I see. You have a lot of work to do."


    "Yes. That''s why I''ve recently learned that it''s different from simple insensitivity."


    Usato has always been on a mission of some kind.


    The first war was a mission as a rescue mission.


    The journey to deliver the letter was a mission as an emissary of the Kingdom of Lingle.


    His journey to defeat the Demon King was also for the same purpose of ending the battle. ...... His dispatch to the Demon King''s territory this time was for the mission "to stand between humans and demons" that he declared in the battle against the Demon King.


    Considering this, it is quite understandable that he has no time to be distracted by his love life.


    "Even if you omit that part, he''s still a bit dull..."


    "Haha ......"


    "If I take my eyes off it, it attracts something weird."


    "......"


    This time, not even a dry smile escaped my lips.


    It was an undeniable fact.


    "I''ve already given up on Usato''s personality and all that."


    "Oh, you''ve given up."


    "Because, in the main, it wasn''t Usato''s fault in the first place."


    Yes, it is.


    Sometimes I ask for help like the other me, and most of the time I have to make the decision that Usato needs to help.


    I guess it is more correct to say that I am in a position and situation where I am more likely to get into trouble than I am to get caught up in it.


    "!¡¡Found ......."


    "I guess so."


    We see the scene where they found Mr. Kanoko by precognitive magic.


    About ten seconds later, you find her walking with a man at the end of the alley.


    "Oh, Amako. Have you come looking for me?"


    "Huh, I guess he was just walking around without saying anything," says Amako. I''m sure she was just walking around without saying anything. ......


    Kanoko-san, who had been sent by Hayate, the chief of Hinomoto, smiled softly and apologetically.


    Why is Hayate here?


    He noticed my gaze and pulled out a letter from his pocket with a wry smile.


    "I received a letter from Usato addressed to you and me," he said.


    "What, from Usato?"


    "What do you mean?¡¡Hayate?


    Amako asked him, holding on to Kanoko''s tail to keep her from running away.


    As I recall, he had a personal relationship with Ms. Hayate and had made a contract with her at Hoo-Bird ......, right?¡¡Since he is supposed to be in the Demon Lord''s territory now, it is safe to assume that he has sent me a message from there.


    "The message directed to me is asking for permission to join you with Usato in the Demon Lord''s territory."


    "...... something happened?"


    "The details are here. I''ve read through it myself,......, but I think it would be quicker if you actually saw it."


    He opens the letter given to him by Hayate and reads through the text.


    Sure enough, it is from Usato.


    The contents are at .......


    "---"


    "Kannagi ......?"


    The hand that holds the letter is filled with strength.


    I was speechless at the unbelievable contents, and I fell back with vertigo, supported by Ms. Kanoko.


    "What''s wrong?¡¡Hayate-kun, you mustn''t show anything strange to Nagi-chan.


    "No, that''s not it. Why am I being blamed here? ...... have you understood the situation?


    I nodded at Hayate''s voice.


    The situation may be much worse than I imagined.


    I''m not sure.


    I encountered a girl who has the memories and magic of Mr. Hisago.


    Her name is Shea Garmio.


    She may be so tormented by her memories that she is unable to even make a calm decision.


    The demons are after her and she is in danger.


    She may need your help.


    You may need your help.


    That old man has left us something more troublesome this time.


    How could it be imprinted on an innocent girl when neither memory nor magic is absolutely necessary?


    At least the Hisago I knew would not have been such a fool ...... to do such a shallow thing.


    "I''m going to meet up with Usato."


    "...... got it. But to enter the Demon Lord''s territory from Hinomoto, you must pass through the demon territory. If you are capable of doing this, don''t worry, but please wait a while so that I can make the appropriate preparations.


    Shea Garmio...... would like to join up with Usato as soon as possible for her own safety, but we can''t rush into any unforeseen situations, so let''s wait and calm down first.


    "Well then, Amako is with us."


    ""Nn!"""


    Oddly enough, Hayate''s voice overlaps with Kanoko''s.


    Amako, who is being hugged from behind by Kanoko''s arms, looks up at her with a stern gaze.


    "No, it was only Kannagi who called me..."


    "I''m sure Usato-kun needs you, too."


    "On what basis is that ......?"


    "It''s my mother''s intuition."


    "I didn''t believe it all at once. ......"


    "Huh?"


    Amako is dismayed, but Kanoko is still smiling.


    ...... Hmmm...


    "No, Amako, let''s go together."


    "What, Kannagi too?"


    "It''s one thing to have you around with your strong precognition magic, but if I leave you alone in Hinomoto, it''s going to be hard to get back to the Lingle Kingdom, isn''t it?"


    "That''s true, but..."


    Although public awareness is changing, the position of the beastmen remains as precarious as ever.


    It would be too uncertain to let Amako return the distance from Hinomoto to the Kingdom of Lingle alone, and Amako would not want to make such a big move that would require the help of Mialark or other countries.


    If that is the case, it would be quicker to go with me to the Demon Lord''s territory, finish my mission in two months, and return with Usato and the others to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "I was originally planning to return to the Lingle Kingdom after two months, and that''s fine with you, too, isn''t it?"


    "...... if it''s not too much trouble. Okay."


    "It''s demon territory, but ...... yes, there are two precognition wizards, and most importantly, I''m very strong, so I should be fine."


    "I know that. I know that. I have a suspicion that your arm is stronger than Usato''s."


    I don''t know, I can''t help but feel like I''m being treated like an outsider when you quote Usato.


    Well, I don''t mean that I treat Usato as a monster.


    Anyway, we are going to meet up with Usato and the others in the Demon Lord''s territory. ......Hisago is really doing a lot of unnecessary things.


    I should have punched him when I could.

 388 - - a change in the quiet keyra

    I still remember the first time I found Keira.


    The black, misshapen beast that guarded her as she crouched in front of the devoured corpse of a demon.


    It was not hateful or angry, but howling like a pessimistic wolf, it lost its shape like mud and returned to the shadows, but when I saw ...... it, I did not feel alive.


    At first glance, I understood that the child was a dark wizard.


    I was disgusted with myself for having guessed how such a young child could be in the nest of such a ferocious monster, but I sent Keira back to the village where her parents were.


    >


    >


    But the words that came back from her parents were not warm, but cruel.


    "Abomination."


    The evil practice of infusing lies into the minds of children of dark wizards who are in trouble and sending them to the lair of demons.


    I understand that dark wizards are dangerous, but I could not abandon them.


    If not only the land of this demon lord''s territory but also his heart is ruined, what will be left at the end? For this reason alone, I took Keira in and began to accompany her on her journey.


    ......... and now, you know..."


    On the road, her dark magic often went out of control, and Keira, who used to show an unstable side, now smiles and looks as energetic as a child her age.


    This is probably because she has been able to face her dark magic ......, or rather, herself.


    She smiles a small smile as she thinks about this in her new job.


    "I didn''t know he was really human."


    There is no way I could have imagined that the demon tribe that saved me from being attacked by demons during my journey was a human disguised as a demon tribe.


    Later, when Keira told me the truth, I was very surprised.


    But there was a part of me that understood.


    His recovery magic healed my leg that was almost bitten off by a demon without a scar... now I guess he healed it with healing magic, and thanks to that, my leg is still working fine.


    "...... I''ll go check on Ram and Rose."


    The two young children are in the care of a woman I met when I found them a place to live in this city.


    I can work without worrying because I know that Keira and Ram and Rose are not bad people, ...... but I am still worried about them, so I go to check on them during my lunch break.


    "Is Keira doing well?"


    Keira seems to be participating in the training that Usato is giving her.


    I haven''t been able to go check on her because I''ve been busy, but from what she says, she seems to be having a good time.


    <>


    It sounds like fun, even if some of it doesn''t make sense to me.


    The expression "the back of a blue grizzly bear on Usato''s back" really doesn''t make sense to me, but I guess my vocabulary is just messed up by the excitement.


    "This is the first time I''ve been out this time of day."


    I leave the building where I work and head out into the street.


    Since the last battle between the heroes and the Demon Lord''s army, the Demon Lord''s city of Verhazal has changed from a place of military power to a place of development, inviting many of his people.


    Due to this, the number of soldiers seen on the streets has decreased, and instead, the number of people working for the reconstruction of the city has increased.


    "...... hmm?¡¡What?"


    There''s a lot of commotion around here.


    People on the street look in one direction, as if they are aware of something.


    When they look in that direction, a group of people wearing the same clothes jumps out from the corner.


    Huff, puff, puff!""""""


    "Ah!¡¡Huh!"


    "Stop moaning in public!¡¡I''ll beat the shit out of you!


    ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ......


    Three men running in unison, breathing in unison.


    And following a little behind them, running as fast as they can with deathly expressions on their faces, are the men in training uniforms.


    The six men in front of them still look as if they have plenty of time to spare, but those behind them look as if they are being chased by a ferocious monster.


    >


    >


    >


    "What the hell is this?"


    I''ve never seen a look like that, not even during my travels. ......?


    Just as we are puzzled by the sudden and unidentifiable group, a large silhouette appears from behind them, sliding on the ground.


    "Don''t rest!¡¡Run!¡¡You stupid bastards!


    ......What, Usa......to?


    I can see him in my mind''s eye as Usato himself, but my brain refuses to comprehend it.


    He is carrying a blue grizzly bear named "Bullyn" on his back, and further up on his back is...,


    "Keira!"


    Keira, who was clinging to Brulin''s back, was looking down at them running below with a smile on her face.


    What the hell are you doing there?


    "Oh, Mr. Usato!¡¡He''s late!¡¡Please do it!"


    What?


    Oh!¡¡...... keep moving!¡¡Unh!


    With a blue grizzly bear on his back and his right arm free, he sends something flying at blinding speed and slams it into the back of a man who is slowing down.


    He is enveloped in a green light, characteristic of healing magic, and at the same time pushed forward by the impact, his face is stained with fear as he struggles to get to his feet.


    "......Uh, you''re as good a healer as the rumors say you are."


    Like the two heroes, he is a healing wizard who has made a name for himself in the demon king''s army.


    I had assumed that most of what I had heard was exaggerated,...... but when I saw him chasing after the demons with a blue grizzly on his back, I had no choice but to believe him.


    "Oh, Mr. Usato, I''m going to step away for a moment.


    "Okay!¡¡Let''s stop!


    I''ll be right back. You can go ahead.


    Then, perhaps noticing my appearance, Keira jumps down from the burin on Usato''s back, unfolds her cloak of dark magic, and flies toward me.


    Floating in front of me, the girl looks somewhat proud of herself.


    "Gref wanted to see how Rose and Ram are doing?"


    "Oh, yeah. Well, they seem to be doing well ......?


    "Yeah!"


    Somewhere inside of me, I''m relieved to see Keira smiling at me in an age-appropriate way.


    Her magic, which was unstable a few months ago, is now as surely her own as if it were a limb.


    "Does he always train like this?"


    "Yes. "Yes. It''s just a warm-up exercise in between."


    ...... with that?


    I try to reason my way through the ear-splitting words and maintain my composure.


    "Oh, well, I''d better get going!"


    "Oh, okay. Good luck with that. ......


    "Yeah!"


    Keira flies off in the sky in the direction Usato and the others disappeared.


    It is often said that children sometimes grow up without their parents'' knowledge,...... but I don''t think this is the case,.......


    "I''m sure it''s a good change for her."


    I was prepared for this when I raised a child of a dark wizard, but I guess I don''t have to be prepared for it anymore.


    Now that she has come to terms with herself, Keira has a bright future ahead of her.


    >


    <<<<<< Gee! >>>>>>


    "...... are you sure you''re okay?"


    I could hear Usato''s angry voice and the screams of the group that had been directed at him, coming from far away and at this distance.


    Hearing his voice, my cheeks are drawn back and I feel a little uneasy.

 389 - - Character Introduction + Skill Introduction

    Name Senri


    Race: Human


    Magic: unknown


    Second princess of the Kingdom of Nirvarna.


    Despite her position as a princess, her character is extremely fierce, and she is a martial princess who has been running around the country since she was a child, fighting and training in actual battles.


    On the other hand, she has a longing for marriage, and her longing exploded when her own sister married at a young age, leading her to seek a lifelong companion whom she "herself approves of".


    However, the standard was so high that he had to "defeat her in a betrothal duel.


    Being a princess, there was no such thing ...... as a "tame" match, and most martial artists would either come to their senses or faint from the powerful blows delivered by Senri at the start of the duel.


    Currently, Senri has his sights set on Koga and is repeatedly attacking him physically and figuratively.


    Koga himself is not aware that he naturally calls Senri by her name, and it seems that her actions are not in vain.


    He is actually aware that Nea is not Usato''s wife.


    Name Elle


    Race: Demon


    Magic: Wind system


    Formerly a soldier in the 2nd Corps.


    He could have been transferred after the war, but he had no desire to do anything but fight, and he had no choice but to remain a subordinate of Koga---but this has caused him a great deal of trouble.


    His magic is wind magic.


    Although he cannot handle wind as powerful as Nero Agence, he can perform various applications such as assisting his own movements and manipulating air currents developed by turning magic power.


    Usato''s Comment


    He has guts and is a highlight.


    Highly evaluated for his temperament and rebellious spirit.


    He is a good candidate to join our rescue team soon.


    Name: NONO HERRESTAIR


    Race: Demon


    Magic: Water system (oil)


    Formerly a cavalryman in the Third Army.


    She is an unfortunate girl who joined the unit in which Usato trains to get away from him.


    She is unable to escape from the unit because she mistakenly believes that her partner Sean is being held hostage.


    Her magic is water magic.


    It is a magic that can create water with properties similar to oil, and its applicability is immeasurable.


    By itself, it can be applied to a sword to strengthen its sharpness, or it can be released on the ground to disorient a person, or it can make a weapon fall off if it strikes a person''s hand.


    When combined with the fire spewed by its flying dragon partner, it can unleash a powerful and unparalleled attack.


    Usato''s Comment


    The first time you are in a situation of adversity, you are in your element, so you have a surprisingly high aptitude for the rescue squad.


    When he forgets himself, he starts shouting strange things, which is a little scary.


    Name: Veena


    Race: Demon (??)


    Magic: Unknown


    He is listed in the records as a former soldier in the First Army: .......


    He is a mysterious person, who speaks in a perverted manner that is incomprehensible to ordinary people, but he is very clever with his words and does not reveal information about himself.


    He has a strong interest in magic and has mastered the detection of magic faster than anyone else in his unit.


    Usato''s comments


    He is not a normal person.


    Probably, he has a strong mentality.


    It is as if we have one more senior who has a different vector.


    Name: Kevin


    Race: Demon


    Magic: Tree system


    A male demon in the same unit as Elle.


    When he was a member of the 2nd Legion, he was a sensible person who got along with the other members of his unit, but he was aware that he was plain and unobtrusive among them, and this was a secret complex for him as well.


    After training, he found joy in physical training itself, as he could see the results of his training.


    The magic he possesses is tree magic.


    He can make trees grow out of the ground, create improvised weapons, and even restrain his opponents by making them grow out of the ground.


    Usato''s Comment


    He is skillful in manipulating magic in detail and will become a great player if he learns how to handle magic power.


    I think he will be the center of the unit in the absence of myself and Koga.


    Name Wal.


    Race: Demon


    Magic: Earth system (rock)


    A male demon in the same unit as Elle.


    He is not a talker and tries to convey his feelings with a minimum of words, so he is usually unable to communicate clearly.


    Despite his large stature, he has a mild-mannered personality, and when confronted by Usato, a former enemy of his, he does not immediately turn hostile, but rather tries to get to know him.


    The magic he possesses is an earth-based magic that manipulates and creates rocks.


    He is able to wear rocks around himself like armor, and after training in turning magic, he is able to manipulate rocks that he has created by floating them in the air.


    Usato''s opinion


    A quiet and serious person.


    He is the calmest mentally and can handle things calmly when the situation calls for it.


    Name: Thane


    Race: Demon


    Magic: Earth system (common)


    Unlike Elle and the others, he is a villager who came to the city on a whim after the decline of the demon king''s army.


    He saw an application for the well-paid corps and decided to participate in the training because he was confident in his skills.


    Being naive and from a sparsely populated village, he thought the training Usato gave him was normal, and he was greatly mistaken about the horror of the city and the general level of training (the fact that Kevin and Wal were in the same room with him added to his misunderstanding).


    ) Perhaps because he was already well-trained, he gradually adapted to the training and is now training as a well-trained member of the team.


    The magic he possesses is earth magic.


    Unlike sword-making magic, Sein''s magic is of the type that manipulates magic of a nature similar to that of mud.


    He is good at using terrain-based techniques, such as diving and maneuvering in the earth, and is a good match for Kevin''s tree magic.


    Usato''s Comment


    He has little experience in actual battle, but his ability is immeasurable.


    He is a little out of the ordinary in terms of daily life, and I wish he could fix that, too.


    Name: Kayla


    Race: Demon


    Possesses magic: Unknown


    One of the demons sealed by Hisago.


    He has an angry personality and a temper ...... to match, but he also has a strong sense of caution.


    He has an unparalleled desire to kill Usato, who is called a demon and is feared by many, and even if he was severely beaten once, he attacked again with his fellow demons.


    He is slightly traumatized by Usato''s healing guard.


    Dark wizard twins


    Race: Demon


    Magic: Darkness


    They are twin demons whose corpses have been dug up and used by demons. Decades ago---during the darkest days of the demon king''s domain---they were the heads of a band of thieves and did their utmost to plunder.


    The dark magic "thread" that they manipulate is a powerful dark magic that can entangle and cut anything by means of a thread composed of magic power extended from the five fingers of both hands.


    The girls are convinced that they trust each other and will never betray each other, but this absolute trust is slowly broken with small frayed edges.


    The twin sister is content to survive on hunger.


    The younger sister, however, finds pleasure in the repeated exploitation of her unarmed compatriot.


    Nothing could stop her from taking lives for nothing, and from repeating the tyranny of the needy.


    Except for her only sister who shared her blood.


    It was too late for words.


    She was trying to stop her sister.


    The younger sister to deal with her sister who betrayed her.


    Their struggle developed into a killing match using dark magic, and they both lost their lives without a second thought.


    Their story ended when the magic they believed to be their bond turned into a tool to kill each other''s most beloved ones... or so they thought.


    Time has passed, and the girls have returned as corpses to stand before Usato and his friends as enemies of mankind.


    List of Usato''s additional techniques


    Healing Afterimage Fist


    An evasion technique realized by applying elasticity.


    By applying a thin layer of prolonged magic to oneself and releasing it during movement, the opponent is made to appear as if an afterimage is left on the spot.


    If activated normally, the difference between the afterimage and the main body is obvious, but if it is used in the midst of a fast and gradual movement, the opponent will see Usato''s body as if it were an alter ego.


    Healing Guard


    A very outlandish technique that grabs a nearby enemy and uses him or her as a shield.


    Although it is mainly used only against those who are not in pain, it also applies healing magic to them, so that they are unharmed as a result (it can be said that they can be used as a shield again and again).


    Healing Detection


    A technique to detect reactions of living creatures and movements of objects with senses other than the five senses by sprinkling particles of healing magic into the surroundings.


    Originally, this technique is also called magic sensing, but Usato calls it healing sensing because it has the characteristics of healing magic.


    System Deterioration


    A technique developed to increase magical efficiency.


    In the case of healing magic, the healing power is lowered and the magic power consumed is reduced.


    Healing collapse


    A technique that can be used when the user is constantly radiating magic power by degradation of lineage and is aware of the opponent''s movements by sensing magic power.


    At the moment of attack, it restores the magic weakened by the degradation of the lineage and radiates it again to stop the opponent''s movement.

 390 - - 342nd episode.

    After that hellish exercise, we ran straight back to the city in no time and were given a couple of days off.


    It seems that the intention was to take away the mental fatigue caused by the exercise, but it also seems that Usato and the others had other requirements for some reason, and right after we returned, he went to the central mansion where the Demon Lord was staying.


    "Well, it doesn''t matter. ......!


    I was betrayed.


    I was betrayed by that hateful healing wizard and his vampire.


    The sense of loss and grief is extraordinary.


    I don''t know how I can make up for this ......!


    "That bastard ......!¡¡How dare you cheat me!"


    "It''s getting rough. Mr. Elle."


    As I flap my legs on the bed, venting my anger at Usato, a fluent-looking Nono calls out to me.


    "Aren''t you frustrated?


    "What?


    "That N¨¦a was disguised as Lin!


    I wonder why he''s so fluent.


    Does he have nothing to say to the training that destroys his mentality and body without question?


    "I have Sean, so it doesn''t matter."


    I was stupid to ask you!


    Yes, he was an idiot!


    His trust in his dragon buddy is sky-high.


    Veena is a pervert of the highest order, but Nono''s a different kind of pervert.


    "Aren''t you worried about this group?


    "If I said I have, would I ever get out of here?


    He gave me a blank stare when I asked him.


    I don''t want to talk about this, even though I had asked him myself. .......


    Silence followed, and time passed for each of us.


    "......He''s tired, isn''t he?"


    Suddenly, I remembered Usato''s condition earlier.


    That monster of physical strength was unusually exhausted.


    "Is that so?"


    "It''s hard to tell from the outside, but he is definitely exhausted.


    I assume that Koga knew about this and that it was requested by the Demon Lord, but that doesn''t matter to me.


    All I can say for sure is that he was engaged in a battle with the demons.


    I''m sure of it because I heard him talking with Koger.


    "Then we have the perfect surprise now."


    "Excuse me, are you insane ......?"


    I think this is the first time Nono has ever abused me.


    I guess not.


    I don''t think she''ll recover so easily even after a day.


    "Even if you succeeded in your ambush, what would you do?"


    I''ll feel better.


    "......"


    For the first time, I feel like Nono is looking at me like I''m an idiot.


    But now I feel like I have to return the favor even if I do get that look.


    That''s how furious I am.


    "But wouldn''t it have been easier for Nair, who was dressed as Lin, to do that?"


    "...... that''s impossible."


    What? Why?


    "Even though I was deceiving you, there is no way I could do such a terrible thing to Lin. ......!


    I''m sorry, are you sick?


    Even if I had deceived her, Lin was the only thing that kept my mind sane for those ten days.


    There was no way I could do anything to her. ......!


    Nono, who had lost interest in my fierce struggle, gave a reasonable response.


    "I don''t think the exercise itself is so wrong, although it''s a bit of a hardship," he said. It''s a bit of a karma, but it''s not that wrong."


    "...... that''s another thing that pisses me off."


    We licked the demon.


    We have lived in the land of the Demon Lords for so long that we have rarely had anything to do with demons.


    That''s why we understood the threat of ferocious monsters and how to deal with them.


    "If you think about it, there''s no way we''re going to have demons of the level that would appear in the realm of demons when we''re doing the exercises in the territory of the Demon Lords. I lost my composure because of that first thing."


    I was so pissed off when Coga and I were thrown off the cliff together that I completely lost my cool.


    I was so pissed off when Koga and I were thrown off the cliff that I completely lost my cool. ...... Maybe that whole series of outlandish behavior was all because of that thing. ......?


    "I didn''t even expect to be made to fight a demon of my own creation. ....... Oh, this is really stupid."


    "I didn''t realize it until the last minute. It''s unbelievable to think now that we were all scared of a monster that we didn''t even know existed, and that we were being hunted down. ......"


    Usato can do anything.


    I think I had this preconceived notion based on my crazy training so far.


    Either way, we were all fooled.


    "......So, where''s Veena?"


    "Oh?¡¡She''s not here. Where did she go?


    I look around the room and notice that Veena is not there.


    I thought that it was no wonder the room was quiet, but it was a little strange that she was not there at this time of night.


    "Maybe she''s wandering the streets at night ......?"


    "No way. ......"


    ""......""


    We both fall silent.


    Nono and I had the impression that the pervert could do anything he wanted, an impression that was in some ways different from Usato''s.


    "I''m going to ask for permission to go out and look for him ......"


    "I''ll help you too: ......"


    We can''t let the fear of perverts be imprinted on the people living in a city that is now trying to make peace.


    Putting aside the question of getting back at Usato, Nono and I head for the nearby dormitory where Usato and his friends are staying to ask for permission to leave the premises.


    "Veena is quite a mystery, isn''t she?"


    "That''s right. To be honest, this is the first time we''ve met.


    We had such a conversation as we walked along the road at night.


    Veena is so strong that I wonder where she came from.


    She says she used to be a member of the 1st corps, but if she''s such a weirdo, she should have at least heard rumors about her. ...... Maybe she''s been wearing a cat?


    "Well, I don''t think ...... he''s a bad guy. He is a pervert of the highest order.


    "That''s the biggest flaw when it comes to being a pervert. ......"


    But apart from that, he''s basically an easy person to talk to.


    It''s just the occasional ecstatic look or something that ruins it.


    If that were all, Nono and I would have kept our distance from him by now.


    "...... you''ve got the lights on."


    "Oh, that''s just fine."


    The fact that the lights are on on the first floor of the dormitory indicates that someone is awake.


    Usato and the others may have already gone to bed, but we would be grateful if Hannah and the others would come out.


    At any rate, I raise my hand to knock..,


    I stop my hand from slapping it when I faintly hear such a voice.


    ...... Is that Veena''s voice?


    What''s going on, Elle?


    "Shh, be quiet. I think Veena''s here.


    Isn''t it strange that Veena is here at this time of night?


    Maybe she has something important to tell us?


    ......I know I shouldn''t, but as a colleague I''m curious too, so let''s take a quick peek.


    I''ll look in the window.


    "Er, ......."


    I leave the door and walk along the wall of the building, approaching the window through which the light leaks out, and I ask Nono and I look inside.


    They see Usato, Nea, and Hannah at the table, and Veena facing ...... them.


    >


    The atmosphere is heavy.


    Usato, looking somewhat wary, crosses his arms and looks at Vina with a slight hint of hostility.


    What the hell is going on?


    Did Veena make Usato angry?¡¡No, I think you''d have to do something very wrong to simply piss him off in the first place. .......


    Then Veena gets out of her chair and sits down on the floor.


    "Hmm?"


    As I tilted my head at her strange behavior, she put her hands on the floor and...,


    >


    He uttered such a soulful voice.


    I thought I heard a phantom sound, as if the air was frozen.


    I witnessed Usato, who I had wanted to beat up so much earlier, looking more disgusted than ever.


    Seeing his face, I felt sorry for him, but his behavior was so bad that I almost felt sorry for him.


    >


    "Oh, yikes, ......."


    And then, I suddenly locked eyes with Usato, who turned his gaze toward me.


    Perhaps it was a punishment for our casual attempt to spy on him, or perhaps we got caught up in a terrible situation.

 391 - - 343rd episode.

    After returning to the city from the exercise and reporting to the Demon Lord, I returned to my quarters without any further orders.


    To be honest, I''m tired.


    I felt like taking a rest since I had consumed a lot of magic power in the series of battles against the demons, but I was finally able to rest in my quarters after making sure that I had sent Keira and Uluru back to their respective homes safely.


    "...... and this Veena guy is suspicious?"


    "Yes, I think so. I heard that the demon king was aware of it, so it''s pretty much a given that he''s no ordinary demon.


    In the evening, after dinner, me, Nair, and Hannah sat down at the table to discuss Veena.


    We cannot be sure of her identity yet, because we have no proof.


    The important thing here is how she came to be here.


    Excuse me.


    "Yes?¡¡Yes, sir?


    This is classified, isn''t it?


    Yes, it is.


    I nodded at Hannah''s words as she raised her hand.


    "Why am I here too?"


    "......"


    "......"


    "So, Nea, to continue the story..."


    "Hey!"


    I thought to myself, and as I was about to continue with my story, Hannah leaned forward and grabbed me, half crying.


    Why am I in trouble again?¡¡If it''s a problem, you can solve it by yourself!


    Hannah-san. I''ve never been able to solve a case by myself. I''ve solved them all with the help of my friends. ---You''re one of mine.


    "I''m getting you into trouble, and you''re making a mistake!¡¡I won''t be fooled by your useless good talk!¡¡You''re not fooling me!


    She punches my arm with her fist, but sadly it seems that even for a demon, her blows are not strong enough to break through my biceps.


    "Hannah-san, you''ll hurt your knuckles if you try any harder!"


    "Well, now that you''ve gotten involved with this guy, you have to be prepared for this."


    "Kuh-uh ......"


    I''m sorry too, but I''d like to have more help than just Koger.


    Did the Demon Lord think of this when he entrusted her to be my assistant?


    ...... No, I don''t think so.


    I''m not sure. She certainly sounds like me.


    "Does that mean you have the ability to transform or something?"


    Nair''s vampiric powers included the ability to shapeshift.


    Using it, even if she looks inhuman, she can take on the form of a demon tribe and infiltrate here.


    "Or it could be illusionary magic like Hannah''s. ......


    I don''t think so.


    "......, yes. No."


    They both look at me and nod deeply.


    I am aware that I have a strong resistance to such illusions, so it is safe to say that there is no such thing as illusions.


    If there is, it would be with the worst of them, the ones who use the magic of the Demon King class.


    I just hope that there is no such a possibility.


    "But why did you come all the way to me? Don''t you think the demon hates me enough to want to kill me?"


    From what Kayla, the demon I met the other day, said, I knew I had a lot of hate in my heart.


    If Veena was the same, she would have had plenty of opportunities to take advantage of me. ...... If she''s not doing that now, does she have some other purpose?


    "Did they come here to assassinate you?¡¡Or perhaps, Usato-kun, are you going to die?


    "That''s rude. I can''t say it myself, but I''ve almost died more times in the past year than I can count on the fingers of my two hands.


    In fact, there are probably very few people who have been as close to death as I have.


    I had such experiences on a daily basis during my training with Rose, as well as during the battle with the Demon Lord and during the journey to deliver the letter.


    That human pinball now seems like a distant memory: .......


    "...... Um, Nair. Why is this guy giving me a nostalgic look?"


    "That''s the kind of person he is. ......"


    As I think back on what happened roughly a year ago and feel nostalgic, Nair, with her cheekbones on the table, gives me a jittery look.


    "I''ve been wondering how you''re doing," she said.


    "Well, yes.


    By "well," I suppose he meant that I had used a lot of magic power through repeated battles.


    I can heal my physical strength with healing magic, but not my magical power.


    Since we have to wait for natural recovery, we usually have to take a rest after a battle that uses up all our magic power.


    "The degradation of the system can reduce the consumption of magic power."


    "As for you, it seems to me that it would be more extraordinary if the healing magic were less effective."


    "You need healing magic, don''t you?¡¡What are you talking about?


    Will you stop saying that with your clear eyes?¡¡I''ll scream.


    You need healing magic to stun someone unharmed.


    In fact, you need it so much that there''s not a single time you think you don''t need it.


    "Also, I guess the simple fact is that for me, strain degradation is the opposite of strain enhancement, in order.


    "...... what do you mean?"


    This is a bit of a guess, but considering the state of affairs during the battle, the degradation is just the opposite.


    I show both hands to Nair and Hanna so that they can compare them.


    "This one on my right hand is enhanced.


    "Yes, that''s right."


    "And this one on the left degrades the system."


    How is that possible?"


    I compare both of my hands once again to Nair''s question and ...... think, "Oh, I see, it''s done," and I dare to tilt my head.


    I''m not sure how to do this.


    "Mr. Nair, please calm down!¡¡If you''re going to hit me, let''s do it together after you listen to me!"


    "He''s finally doing something crazy on the magic manipulation side!¡¡If I were a scholar, I would quarantine him!


    Hannah does her best to stop Nair from getting up from the chair with a smile on her face.


    I''m honestly surprised at how well she does it, so forgive me.


    "You do know that strengthening the lineage of healing magic will increase the healing power to all living creatures except yourself, don''t you?


    "Yes, but the effect on yourself is diminished."


    That''s right. Hannah, please touch my right hand.


    "...... won''t it explode?"


    No, it won''t.


    What kind of doubt is that?


    He touches my hand, which is showing the systemic enhancement, with the hand that he offers me with great suspicion, as if he still doubts.


    A deep green healing magic flows into her and takes effect.


    "How was it?"


    "...... This is amazing. It is indeed a lineage strengthening ....... Can''t you bottle it or something?


    Don''t be absurd.


    As one would expect, being encouraged to go this far in commercializing healing magic has made me more eager to develop ...... no, no, no, the topic digresses even further, so now I hold out my left hand.


    "Yes, now I''d like to see a degradation of the lineage of the left hand.


    This time, without any particular hesitation, he grabs his left hand, which is filled with light green magic.


    The same light flowed into it as into her right hand, and the healing magic took effect, but she tilted her head curiously.


    "Is this healing magic?¡¡It feels like it heals me, but I feel it is very weak.


    "Healing magic that has deteriorated due to strain deterioration is less effective. Well, I have applied it to healing breakdown, and I knew it from the beginning, but ...... it was not the case for myself."


    "...... Oh, I see."


    Having said all this, Nair seems to have understood.


    She breaks off, looks at Nair, and opens her mouth with a sigh of exasperation.


    "So, the degradation of the system is extremely weak against third parties other than yourself, but the effect against you is stronger. ......"


    That''s right. I somehow, or perhaps ...... understand that the degradation of the system optimizes the magic and strengthens the healing of the body, which of course makes it less tiring... ...!"


    "Why are you being so fluffy at the end?"


    "What he''s doing is crazy, this guy ......."


    I''m getting off track.


    We need to get back to Ms. Vina before I get any more of a kick out of this.


    "Let''s get back to Ms. Veena. About Ms. Veena: ......"


    <<>


    """!""""


    Voices coming from outside the dormitory.


    I open the door, alerted by the voice of the person I had just heard.


    Beyond the door is..,


    Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.


    "...... Ms. Vina. I told you to rest until tomorrow."


    Brown skin, distinctive horns, long light golden hair with a slight habit.


    Why do I keep attracting strange people, both human and non-human, like this: ......!


    I guess it''s just fate, d*mn it!


    ...... can''t help it.


    "Well, I''m not going to take your life if you beg for it.


    "So you''re going to catch me ......!"


    "Can we just leave him there?"


    No!


    I don''t understand why you''re so disappointed.


    I guess you''re not acting out your preference to be abused during training, are you?


    "...... So you''re saying that you were a prospective member?"


    "?""


    In that case, let me ask you a question in my capacity as vice-commander.


    He looks like he doesn''t understand anything and tilts his head, but that''s OK. ......!


    "Ms. Vina, I would like to know what you are going to do.


    We will cooperate with you if you shelter us here. I don''t have much information on the devil''s side, but I can help you.


    "...... hmm."


    Not bad.


    If you don''t trust him, ask the Demon Lord to use some kind of binding magic on him.


    With her on your side, you''ll have a better chance of dealing with the devil''s future.


    "I''m only asking you for a favor, but I have one condition..."


    "...... What are the conditions?"


    Hmm?¡¡Why are you getting up out of your chair?


    I had a bad feeling when she sat down on the floor,


    "Please be my master!


    These words, which I had expected in a way, came blasting out with such force.


    I don''t know if he knew this from Hinomoto or not, but it was a splendid prostration on his knees.


    But, master or .......


    Nair said so at first, and after vampires, demons are next, ha ha ha ha ...... ha.


    "...... wow ......"


    Perhaps now is the most depressed I''ve been since I came to this world.


    Eh, this guy is bad. .......


    "Well, is that the thing about becoming a messenger?"


    "Or, in some cases, I''ll be your dog."


    "Uh, ...... would you please shut your mouth for now?"


    "Oh my God, ......!"


    I''m just gonna go.


    Senpai is a charming don''t-don''t-do, but in this case, it''s so bad that it''s heartbreaking.


    I''m already feeling so stiff: .......


    "A demon trying to become a servant of the devil or something, isn''t it?"


    "Usato, I''m enough of a messenger, aren''t I?"


    I''m not going to add any more messengers, so I''ll say no. I feel a strange pressure from Nair.


    I don''t want to be the master.


    We''ll have to find some other conditions for this. ......


    "...... hmm?"


    I just thought I saw something in the window.


    I follow the shadow out of the corner of my eye and see Elle and Nono peering at me from outside the window, their eyes wide with astonishment.


    They have seen something wrong!¡¡They look as if they have seen something wrong and move away from the window as fast as they can.


    "Oh, you''ve been seen, haven''t you?


    "......Nea, isn''t this bad?"


    "Yes, it''s not good."


    .......


    "Hey, Veena."


    "!¡¡Yes!!!"


    I called her name with the same swearing voice as Rose''s and got a very nice reply.


    Without making eye contact with her, I point to the exit door.


    "Now go and clear up the misunderstanding. Or the next time you train, you''ll have to..."


    "...... gulp."


    I won''t let anything happen to you.


    "...... eh."


    Next, he turns his best smile to Ms. Vina.


    She looks stunned, but I don''t think she needs to be reminded of that.


    "You can observe the training by yourself all the time."


    "Oh, yeah, ...... that my terms are ......"


    I said "right now," didn''t I?¡¡Didn''t you hear me?"


    "~~!¡¡I''ll be right there!"


    Veena-san heads out with surprising obedience and speed.


    After seeing her off, I sit down in the chair again, feeling intensely tired, which I hadn''t felt before.


    "......Good, I guess Veena-san should be treated like that. I''ll report back to the Demon Lord tomorrow.


    "I can see a future where the Demon King will burst out laughing..."


    "I guess the demons were surprisingly compatible with each other. ......?"


    Who''s the devil?


    I''m the most tired I''ve been today.


    I''m going to bed soon.

 392 - - 344th episode.

    Morning training in the Demon City of Velhazar had become almost a daily routine.


    I would run through the streets where there were few people, and then I would have a light hand-to-hand combat with Mr. Nero, who was training at the training ground located at the end of the street.


    There are many things to learn from training with the superior Nero.


    From the way of standing, to the application of magical manipulation, to the sensory movements in battle, he reminds me of what I am lacking through actual combat.


    And it''s funny, but every so often an unexpected participant arrives at this morning training session.


    "That!"


    A swirling torrent of fire.


    I confront it with the heat and thrust out my right arm, which is covered with a basket hand, and unleash the healing magic Bursting Palm.


    The flames are blocked by a wall of shockwaves...and right after that, Amira-san, with a wooden sword in her hand, slashes at me furiously, cutting through the flames and shockwaves.


    "Huh!"


    "Huh!"


    I repel the slashes that strike me continuously from the first blow with my basket hand, and I also unleash my left fist.


    However, the opponent is a skilled fighter on par with Koga.


    They keep their distance from each other, constantly exchanging attacks and defenses.


    "This is not the kind of training you do in the morning!


    You''ll be fine!¡¡You''ll be fine!


    That''s impossible!


    I just fought a demon yesterday.


    This isn''t the first time Amira-san showed up for early morning training.


    She usually comes every five days or three days to join me and Nero for hand-to-hand combat.


    "Is there something you don''t like?"


    "No, I''ve been doing so much paperwork that it''s dulling my arm. Simply, I get depressed when I''m not moving."


    "I see. ......"


    Now Amira-san is not a soldier in the Demon Lord''s army, but she works for the people of the demon tribe, right?


    I understand that she is a warrior person, so I guess she is using this opportunity to release her stress.


    I have no complaints because my meetings with her are fruitful.


    "Don''t you have to keep your distance?


    I prefer close quarters fighting to medium range.


    "Plain and simple ......!!!"


    Or else you wouldn''t use a sword!


    Most of the opponents can be managed with flame magic, so we tend to think that fighting at medium range is amazing, but this guy is strong enough to handle the moves of his senpai, and since he is Nero''s disciple, he is quite strong with a sword as well.


    It''s difficult to get a distance from him by ordinary means. ......!


    Woohoo!


    He raises his right fist and slams it into the ground, pretending to attack Ms. Amira.


    "Healing fist!


    "Mwah!


    As soon as the fist strikes the ground, he unleashes his magical power and creates a cloud of dust.


    Okay, I''ll take this opportunity..,


    Sora!


    "!"


    Flames shoot out from about 5 meters away.


    A shockwave could bring us into the same situation as before.


    Then ......!


    He moves his elasticity to his right foot by turning his magic power!


    He kicks the ground, swings his leg up vigorously, and shoots the magic power in his right leg forward.


    Healing Elastic Wave!


    The magic bullet with the elasticity imparted by the kick transforms into a crescent shape, splits the flame in half, and heads toward Ms. Amira.


    It caught Amira by surprise as she was about to charge at him, but she was easily cut to pieces.


    "Interesting!¡¡Try some more moves!


    If you wish!


    The flames had dampened its power!


    But it''s good as a spur-of-the-moment move!¡¡I''m going to attack as Amira is going to attack.


    Healing Break!


    "Ah!"


    In between attacks, I release a wave of healing magic to dull Amira''s senses.


    I try to attack her, but she is flooded with flames and I am forced to fall back.


    "Flames are a nuisance after all, aren''t they?"


    "I guess that makes two of us. It''s a strange trick, no matter how many times I''ve seen it. I never thought I''d be so out of tune. ......"


    It is more or less negligible, but this is just a handshake.


    Amira-san does not use the technique of wearing flaming armor.


    "Next time, use the healing afterimage fist ......!!!"


    "I''m not done yet! ......!


    Now that I''m getting warmed up, I''m ready to apply more of my techniques.


    Just as Amira and I were about to leap out of the way, a shadow suddenly stepped in between us and grabbed my fist and Amira''s flaming wooden sword with her bare hands.


    "It''s time to stop, boys!"


    "Master!"


    Mr. Nero!


    Nero-san, the blonde haired demon who had been watching us for a long time, looked at me and Amira with a somewhat dismayed look on his face and sighed.


    "You''re too enthusiastic. Are you trying to destroy the training ground?"


    "No, I think it''s your fault, Amira!"


    "No, I think it''s your fault!¡¡It''s not fair that you''re the only one who can escape the responsibility!


    My techniques basically have no great destructive power!


    They are only explosive bombs and such, so I can say that I did not contribute to the destruction of the training ground!


    Amira looks betrayed, but Nero sighs once more and points in a certain direction.


    "What are you talking about?


    "......"


    The ground where the healed fist had just caused a cloud of dust was, to say the least, gouged out.


    "I''ll fix it. ......"


    "Hmph, because only one of you tries to escape."


    "Amira, you scorched the ground at the training ground, you do it too."


    "Hi ......"


    After that, Amira and I cleared the ground of the training ground with shovels.


    To be honest, this is not the first time I''ve done something like this, and I''m afraid I''m getting used to it.


    After we had spent enough time working, we decided to take a break and have a little chat with each other at the edge of the training ground.


    "So, one of the guys who came to our unit was actually a demon and a pervert," he said.


    "Hmm."


    "Master?? Shouldn''t you just give me a simple ''ah-ha''?"


    Nero nodded his head without moving an inch, and Amira, who was drinking water from a canteen, gave him a loud "tsk-tsk" with her voice.


    She immediately looks at me and sticks her finger at me.


    "Hey, why is there a demon in your place? Did you report that to the demon lord?"


    "Oh, I''ll go there later."


    You go faster!¡¡The devil is the current antagonist!


    It''s a good argument.


    But it''s not like it''s an emergency.


    When I asked Nair to check on him in the morning, he was sleeping in his dormitory.


    ...... though she was thrown out of the room for some reason.


    "I thought the Demon King would forgive me.


    Well, I''m sure he''ll forgive you.


    "d*mn, oh oh oh ...... I can''t be strong with this guy because of Master ......!!!"


    The demon king was aware of Veena''s existence in the first place.


    Maybe he came to check on the training just to make sure, or maybe he''s in control of the whole thing until Veena-san was discovered to be a demon.


    "He will definitely laugh when I tell him about this. I can''t stand it more than anything else in the world when he laughs at me.


    "...... pfffft."


    "What''s so funny, Mr. Nero? ......!!!"


    Usato, don''t you dare to attack your master!


    Amira stops me from getting up and attacking her.


    Even against a superior opponent, I''m going to give it my all. ......!


    "No, I''m sorry. Your situation is just too interesting.


    "In the first place, could you ever laugh, Master?"


    "He laughs a lot."


    "......"


    "Hey, why did you just hit me?¡¡It hurts a lot."


    He is one of the most powerful men in the Demon Army, and his arm strength is extraordinary.


    He is strong enough to break through my biceps.


    "I can''t stand the fact that he knows his master better than I, his apprentice. ......!"


    "No, no, no, I think he was just thinking that he couldn''t smile in front of his disciple, Amira.


    "...... how did you know?"


    Amira-san pans me on the shoulder again.


    In the process of meeting with her, I found out that she is surprisingly expressive.


    I also knew that he was clumsy in his relationships in a different way from Rose.


    "I don''t know, since you weren''t there in the first place, Amira-san."


    "What are you ......?"


    "It''s a shock when someone worse than your senpai shows up. ......


    "Is there anything better than that? ......?"


    From Amira''s point of view, the senior was quite something.


    No, Veena, I really don''t know what to do.


    She should be a messenger ......, but I don''t want to do that for my mental health. .......


    "The devil wanted to be my servant as a condition of cooperating with ...... us. ......"


    "......ffffffff."


    "What''s so funny, Mr. Nero ......!!!"


    "I''ve seen this exchange before!


    I return to my original position, repeating the same exchange as before.


    I wonder what''s wrong with Amira-san, who seems to be very tired.


    No, I have no idea.


    "Oh, by the way, Amira..."


    What?


    "I''m sorry I''m late to tell you this, but Mr. Aruk is here and I think you should meet him."


    "......, the guy you fought at Hinomoto?"


    I''d heard that you had fought at Hinomoto, so I thought it would be a good idea to talk to you about it," I said.


    I had heard that it was a fierce battle, but Mr. Aruk seemed to be somewhat satisfied with what he said, so he might have had some thoughts about it.


    "Well, I guess so. Let''s meet him once.


    Amira nodded and looked up at the sky.


    ...... should get back soon.


    "Well, I have to go see the Demon King after this. They''re laughing at me again. ......"


    "...... pfft."


    "What''s so funny Mr. Nero ......!!!"


    "You already know what you''re doing!¡¡Don''t be a jerk, Master!"


    I''m getting to know both Nero and Amira.


    This is one of the reasons why I came to this city.


    I''m glad I came to this city.


    After the morning''s rather strenuous training, I returned to my lodgings, had breakfast, etc., and decided to take Nair and Veena with me to the house where the Demon King was staying.


    "Ha-ha-ha, how can you be so unexpected?¡¡Is that it? Are you trying to kill me by making my stomach twist?"


    "Veena, hit the demon king!"


    "Uh, no, uh, you''re right, I''m ...... eh, eh eh ......!"


    "Calm down, Usato. Don''t go, Veena."


    I sigh as I look at Veena-san, who is hesitating but trying to get toward the Demon Lord.


    I''ve come to realize that I have a tendency to get angry when the Demon Lord is agitating me.


    There were the Demon King, his lady-in-waiting Ciel, myself, Nair in her owl state, and Veena in her demon form, and the Demon King was looking at Veena with interest.


    "Well, well, I wonder what kind of a soul you''ve infiltrated his unit... ....... In order to get information about me and Usato and the details of the magical power rotation.


    "That''s the job we were forced to do. My compatriots were very scared of the magic detection, so they sent me, who was the least motivated among them, to do it.


    "Well, why did you go to the trouble of revealing yourself?"


    The smirking Demon King asks, and Ms. Veena points at me with her hand.


    I want this person to be my master.


    "That''s too funny. This demon isn''t lying, is he?¡¡What are you, really?¡¡It''s hard not to laugh at this.


    "Usato-san, don''t you attract too many strange people ......?"


    Ciel-san looks at me sympathetically, but the Demon King is out of the question.


    I don''t understand why I''m being classified as a "Dosu" by Veena-san''s standard in the first place, and the real Dosu is right in front of me.


    "I don''t know much, do I?


    "No, we''re demons."


    "It''s rare for them to form a clique. In fact, you seem to be the odd one out, among those who would rather kill anyone who is weak.


    "I had a lot on my mind while I was sealed up."


    The more I learn about them, the more distorted I find their race of demons.


    I understand that Ms. Veena is particularly strange, but it seems odd that the rest of them don''t seem to have any sense of camaraderie.


    "But it''s a good situation to have the devil on our side."


    "What should we do with Ms. Vina?"


    "Hmm. ......"


    The Demon King puts his hand on his chin and thinks about my question.


    "At this point, I don''t recommend you to use this demon as a messenger.


    "Why should I make him my messenger?"


    "Well, you just smiled and tried to deny it. ......"


    Ciel-san seemed to be taken back by my casual mention of the word.


    As for the "messenger," I think it''s better not to do it, like it or not. From my point of view, taking a demon with me is going to be problematic.


    "Oh, no. ....... But that''s the way it is, too. ......


    Is he invincible or is he ......?


    Why are you twitching?¡¡I can''t help it.


    "It seems that ...... understands that it''s dangerous to walk around with this guy as a messenger, simply because demons are now seen as a threat."


    "Yes. So, would it be all right if I asked you to keep an eye on Veena-san?


    "What?"


    Ms. Vina turns around with a stunned voice at my words.


    "I guess that''s all I can do for now.


    "What?¡¡Uh, um, Mr. Usato?"


    "Ms. Veena?"


    She looks puzzled and I try to be as calm as possible.


    "It doesn''t matter if you''re my husband or not. In the first place, you are my subordinate, isn''t that enough?


    "Yes, it''s not enough. ......"


    "......?"


    "Oh, enough, sir. ......"


    "Hey, look, Ciel. You just brought the devil to his knees with a silent smile."


    "That''s the one where he looks desperate, too. ......"


    He nodded at me: .......


    If they had forced me to follow them, I would have been in trouble.


    For the time being, Ms. Vina was to be monitored by the demon king''s magic.


    But the monitoring is not so severe, and she can stay in the dormitory and train as usual.


    "......Uh...... something is different......"


    For some reason, he seems to be extremely unconvinced.

 393 - - 345th.

    After finishing my report to the demon king, I decided to send a message to Hayate and Nagi of Hinomoto, whom I had talked with the demon king the day before, by the hoo-bird I had called up beforehand.


    I went not to the training camp, but to the dormitory where Uluru, Aruk and the others were staying.


    "Thanks for coming all the way out here."


    "Quo."


    He strokes the neck of a blue bird, a hoo-bird, which resembles a dove and which has come to our position by means of a messenger contract, while holding it in his arms.


    "Gururururu......!!!"


    "What are you snarling at?¡¡Neah."


    Nair laughs at the owl on his shoulder, threatening Huberd.


    He''s still got that weird rivalry going on.


    "He''s after me. Even now his eyes are blazing as he tries to take my position. ......!¡¡As a bird, I won''t be outdone!"


    You''re a vampire, aren''t you?


    I''m an owl now!¡¡Ho-ho-ho!


    Owls are birds of prey.


    Huberd tilts his head in puzzlement, so I guess it''s just her imagination.


    "Just so you know, I don''t intend to add any more errand boys, okay?


    "Oh, really?


    "You''re having a hard time on your own. ......


    "I hope you haven''t forgotten that it''s us who are in trouble. ......!¡¡Look back at the past!¡¡I''ve been in more trouble than you!


    Now that you put it that way, I''m starting to get the feeling.


    I haven''t caused any problems at all since Nair became a messenger.


    In fact, it''s me who has been giving her a hard time.


    .......


    "Well, I''m looking forward to working with you!"


    I''m sure you''d like to make Veena your messenger to reduce my workload!


    I''d be happy to!


    Nea turned her palm with great force, and Veena, who had been silent nearby, took a bite out of her.


    Her behavior was restricted to some extent by the demon king''s magic, and her expression was bright and cheerful, a complete change from before.


    "Ah, um, Ms. Veena. That was Nea''s joke, so ...... please don''t take it seriously, okay?"


    "Oh, yes,....... Oh, what?¡¡The most difficult thing is to be half-heartedly kind?"


    ......This is one way to deal with the situation.


    Having learned one way to treat Ms. Veena, I take a sentence from my pocket and put it into the bag on the belt wrapped around Huberd''s torso.


    "That''s the letter to Hinomoto, isn''t it?"


    "Yes, I need your help, Nagi-san. He would be a great asset to Shea.


    Hisago-san...... needs Nagi-san''s help in dealing with Shea.


    Perhaps she, as the person closest to Mr. Hisago, can stabilize Shea''s mind.


    "Well then, I''ll be looking forward to working with you."


    "Quah!"


    The hooting bird jumped from my arm to my shoulder, stroked my cheek with its blue wings, and soared into the sky with a mighty leap.


    "I knew you were after me, didn''t I!¡¡You blue bird!


    "Quah!"


    Hoo bird soared high into the sky while hearing Neah''s voice.


    The blue shadow, having reached a certain height, accelerates at a tremendous speed and disappears into the distance.


    "...... Kannagi, is it? I don''t want to meet him.


    After seeing Hubbard off, Ms. Vina muttered something like that.


    "...... you knew Mr. Nagi back then?"


    "The hero was a well-known figure even among demons. I knew her as a dangerous person, too.


    That''s not surprising, since the demons were active in the time when Mr. Hisago was alive.


    "Kannagi is a monster who can defeat any army single-handedly with his precognition magic and outlandish physical abilities.


    Just like Usato.


    Who''s the monster? Who''s a monster?


    I''m pretty sure you equated me with him just because he''s a monster.


    It is not surprising that Ms. Nagi has a unique physical ability among the beastmen, as she herself had told me.


    I''m not going to be so heartless as to change my attitude when I know ...... what kind of battles she fought in the past.


    "Oh, Mister Usato."


    "Oh, Mr. Aruk. And Mr. Krumia."


    Well, it seems that Mr. Alc and Mr. Krumeier have returned.


    They come in with baskets of foodstuffs, as if they had gone shopping.


    "I''ve been staying at the dormitory recently, so I thought I''d drop by to give you an update on what''s been going on.


    "I see, so that''s how it is."


    "What are you doing, Usato-dono?¡¡I have heard about it too.


    The main tasks of Mr. Aruk and the others, as they were dispatched, were to escort me and Uluru and to report to the kingdom on the current lives of the demons.


    That is why we have been helping with the work in the city and interacting with the demon people for the past month.


    "You are ...... one of the members of Usato-dono''s group, aren''t you?"


    Oh, it''s nice to meet you. I am Veena, a servant of Mr. Usato.


    Here I came to the point where I regretted vehemently that I had not sent the clumsy devil next door back to his quarters first.


    Whose servant? Why are you smiling like you''ve done it?


    "Miss Veena!"


    "Yes!"


    "Ugh, ugh ......!"


    I can only see a future where I scold him and make him happy.


    Even if you don''t have precognition magic, you can predict the future ......!


    And he knows it too!


    "...... Ah, I see. Usato-sama, you mean that again.


    "Yes. ......"


    "We haven''t traveled together that much, have we? You understand Usato very well.


    Nair is impressed by Arc''s surprisingly perceptive understanding of the situation.


    For me, that alone is a great relief.


    Are you following the same pattern as Nair?


    I can''t say. I can''t say. ......


    "....... Good luck."


    "Thank you, thank you very much ......!!!"


    I knew I could count on you, Mr. Aruk. ......!


    I can''t stop being impressed by Mr. Alc, a caring ogre who instantly recognized the relationship between Veena and me.


    "Aruk-kun!¡¡Don''t be convinced by yourself!


    "Krumia ......!!!¡¡This is classified information ......!¡¡I can''t talk about it ......!


    "Isn''t it funny that you should say that, Aruk?¡¡From the outside, it looks as if Usato-dono is creating a demon tribe that claims to be his servant!


    "Things are more complicated than that. ......!


    "I don''t understand!"


    But it seems to have confused Mr. Krumeier, who knows nothing about the situation.


    I can''t help it, but I can''t talk about Ms. Veena''s situation because it''s a classified matter.


    Because she is the devil of the current hostile force. ......!


    "Mr. Krumia. Veena-san is a dangerous person in many ways, so you shouldn''t take anything she says or does seriously.


    "Oh, you mean like Lady Suzune?"


    "She''s much prettier."


    "......"


    Mr. Krumia looks at Ms. Vina as if he were looking at a very dangerous person.


    When Ms. Veena''s cheeks turned red under his gaze, she looked at him as if she had guessed it.


    "Well, good luck with that.


    "Thank you very much. ......!!!"


    Once again, I was cheered.


    Since Mr. Kulmir had traveled as a squire for his senpai to hand over the letter, he understands how unprecedented she can be.


    "Good luck! Master."


    "Nea. I''m going back to the Demon Lord again."


    "Yeah?¡¡Did you forget something?


    No, I''ve made up my mind right now.


    I''m going to see if I can make a scroll that will let you in and out.


    "I''m sorry, I got carried away!¡¡I don''t like to be sealed up, even I don''t like it!


    Veena-san, who had only a superficial smile on her face, turns pale and tries desperately to stop me.


    Just kidding ...... but let them understand that they have the option to do so at worst.


    I''m just joking.


    After running some errands, I had Ms. Vina return to her dormitory.


    But I think things have changed a lot in the last few days.


    Shea has the demon king''s power, and Veena has turned out to be a demon.


    It''s depressing to know that the things I have to do are piling up instead of decreasing, but I''ve decided to take all of them into consideration.


    "Neah, you can go back to your quarters now."


    "I''ve got a valuable book here, and I''m going to read it today.


    Can I read that?


    Can I read it? I''ll lend it to you later. I''ll lend it to you later. You should take a rest once in a while, don''t you think?


    I watch Nair walk into the open window on the second floor of the dormitory as an owl, then stand up tall and take a deep breath.


    "...... let''s go for a little walk in the city."


    I usually run, so it''s not a bad idea to see the city streets on foot once in a while.


    I go back to my room and hang the party clothes I wore when I went to the demon king on the wall, and go out to the city.


    <<>


    I''ve been surprised by all the demons I pass by, but fortunately they don''t seem to be hostile towards me.


    ......The buildings and the atmosphere of the city have become visibly richer and more vibrant in the past month.


    It makes me feel a bit chilly to think that this view would not be here if the outcome of the last battle with the Demon Lord had ended differently.


    "Somebody!¡¡Can you give me a hand here!


    "Yeah?"


    As I was walking through the town with a deep feeling of emotion, I heard such voices.


    It seemed that a cart loaded with some kind of supplies was stuck in a ditch on the ground.


    Near the wagon, I spot a demon man holding the reins of a horse and another man, Mr. Greff, holding a document in his hand.


    "Mr. Gref!


    "Hmm?¡¡Oh, Usato.


    "Did the wheel get stuck in the ditch?"


    Yeah. ....... I''ve got some supplies here, food and stuff. I''d like to get them to you as soon as possible, but they''re stuck in the ditch.


    The rather large wagons and supplies suggest that they are intended for delivery to a reasonably large area.


    ...... Okay.


    For now, hold the edge of the side where the wheels fit with both hands.


    "I''ll lift you up, please move the horse forward."


    "What?¡¡Can you do it?¡¡I think it''s too heavy for you!


    "Ready!


    With both arms full of strength, he lifts the rear wheel at once.


    I look at the person who is holding the reins, and he turns back to me with his mouth wide open, and lets the horse move forward.


    >


    >


    <


    We need to work hard for those who are waiting for these supplies. ......!


    As I wheeled down onto the flat road beyond the ditch, I checked once more to make sure the load hadn''t collapsed, then turned back to Mr. Gref.


    "I guess we can deliver it now."


    "......What can I say, ......How many times have I made up my mind not to be surprised, and you just nudged it over the top?"


    "I may look like this, but I work out."


    I''m not the kind of person who gets tired of being weighed down by the weight of a cart.


    I don''t run with a burin on my back.


    Ha-ha-ha, thanks. Thank you.


    Mr. Gref looks at the load again, looks away from the cart, and then looks at me again.


    "What''s the matter with you today?¡¡You''ve been walking around a lot today.


    "I''m off from training today, so I thought I''d take a walk around town."


    "Oh, by the way, Keira is also absent, isn''t she? She was at home playing with her magic.


    Was he practicing his magic spinning?


    Walking side by side with Mr. Greff, who would naturally return to his work, we discuss each other''s recent activities.


    "How''s life here?"


    "It''s a nice place full of people, just like any other city I''ve seen.


    "Haha, if you say so, I guess you''re right."


    I think that the shape of a city is the same when people gather together, even if they are from different places and species.


    This is definitely a town with people who are no different from ordinary people.


    "For a while I only wondered what would happen after the Demon Lord''s army lost, but I''m glad to see that ...... things are going in a good direction."


    "To be honest, I''m relieved, too."


    To tell you the truth, I did not expect so much help at this point.


    It can be said that this is because we have gained a certain amount of understanding from other countries after the recent meeting, but it is also because the demons that broke in during the meeting have been recognized by the people of other countries as a clear threat more than the demon tribe.


    I don''t condone the demons messing with the corpse, but on that note, I have a mixed feeling that I''m glad they interrupted. .......


    "I''ve been thinking about settling down somewhere myself."


    For Keira and the others?


    Yes. ...... No, Keira will be on her own soon, so Rose and Ram. They''re too young."


    "Isn''t it too early to be on your own ......?"


    Keira is supposed to be about the same age as Nack.


    "I''m only a father figure. If she finds something she wants to do, I''ll be there to support her."


    "Is that what you want to do ......?"


    "Yeah, so..."


    <>


    And then I hear a voice calling out to Mr. Gref from overhead.


    I look in the direction of the voice and see Keira, clad in a black cape, flying toward me.


    When she notices me standing next to Mr. Greff, she smiles and waves to me.


    "Oh, Usato-san!


    "I haven''t seen you since yesterday."


    I raise my hand lightly to return the greeting, and Keira, who has landed on the ground, pulls out a square box-like object from her cloak of dark magic.


    "Gref, you forgot your lunch."


    "Oh, sorry."


    It seems that they came to deliver Mr. Gref''s lunch.


    "...... I should probably get back to work. Thanks for what you did back there, Usato.


    No, you can always count on me when you need me to do the heavy lifting. I''ll do whatever I can do.


    You seem to be able to do everything with just your arms. Ha-ha-ha."


    He jokes with me and Keira, then leaves us and goes into a nearby building to see if he is at work.


    "Well, shall we go?


    "Hmm?¡¡You''re not coming back?"


    "What?"


    What?


    I don''t know why he tilted his head.


    Well, I don''t mind if we just go for a walk.


    Oh, by the way...


    "Hmm?"


    "I saw Mr. Koga and Senri-sama on the way here."


    Koga and Senri-sama?


    Now that''s not an unexpected combination, but are they playing tag again?


    "They seem to be having some kind of a mock battle using magic."


    "Oh, you two..."


    I was afraid to get too close, so I looked away.


    "It looked dangerous to get too close. ......?"


    Wait a minute, are you sure you''re okay around here?


    Both of them are so focused on the battle that they can''t see what''s going on around them, shouldn''t they go check it out?


    "Keira, can I ask you to show me around?"


    "Yes!"


    I was a little surprised at Keira''s extremely cheerful reply, and I walked on to the place where Koga and Senri-sama were having a fierce battle this time.


    I was a little surprised at Keira''s cheerful reply. ...... But anyway, I wondered if Senri-sama''s follower, Helena, was all right.


    I wonder if she is suffering from a stomach ache?

 394 - - 346th episode.

    Surprisingly, Koga''s apartment is located in the center of the city.


    When I asked him why he lived in the center of the city, which is the most crowded place in the city, he gave me a very simple answer.


    >


    At that time, I wondered seriously whether I should correct this man''s sloppy lifestyle or not.


    Why are you wasting your brain in such a place, you really ......!


    I was simply dumbfounded when Koga said something with a clear, smug look on his face that I would never have expected to hear from someone who had once led an army of the Demon King''s troops.


    "Is this it, Keira?"


    "Yes!"


    Upon receiving Keira''s news, I arrived at the training grounds near the center of town and looked around at the crowded surroundings.


    It''s a remnant of the former training ground of the Demon Lord''s army, so I guess it''s almost like a plaza now. .......


    "They''re doing it."


    You can hear the sound of blows, which is hard to imagine in a recreation area.


    Looking over there, I see the people of the town watching the battle from afar, and Koga and Senri-sama fighting with almost the same vigor as in a real battle.


    >


    <<>


    <>


    Well, they''re bickering and fighting.


    Senri-sama seems to be enjoying even this situation and looks somewhat lively when he is fighting.


    Well, it seems to be the same for Koga. ...... Hmm?¡¡Who is that guy over there .......


    "Ms. Helena."


    "Oh, Usato, ......"


    Helena, who is more of a chaperone than Senri''s escort ......, is watching their battle with a somewhat dusky look on her face.


    I can also see other warriors who are trying not to harm people in the town, so it seems that this fight?¡¡It seems that they are protecting the people of the town from being harmed in this fight.


    "Thank God you''re here."


    Shall I go in and stop him?


    "Uh, no, I think it''s better to let him tire himself out, since it''s not safe to let him get so worked up."


    "You''re treating it like it''s a beast."


    She is the princess of Nirvarna, but should she be treated that way?


    "Besides, Senri-sama is leading a full life, so I try not to stop her as much as possible.


    "Well, it sounds like you''re having fun."


    I wonder if the royal family of Nirvarna is a fighting tribe or something.


    It seems not so far-fetched to see them fighting with the Khooga.


    ...... Oh, it looks like Khooga uses magic.


    >


    A black band of dark magic covers Koga''s body, making him look like a humanoid beast.


    Dark magic "beast".


    The beast is a figure that specializes in wild movements and tricky attacks using the belt.


    Clad in the magic that has been used and worn out many times, Koga uses his enhanced physical abilities to move toward Senri-sama.


    "Keira, this is a good opportunity for you to watch Koga''s magic."


    "Because it''s dark magic?"


    "That''s part of it, but ...... he can do the same thing I can."


    I stole it from him after watching him use the techniques and skills I had worked so hard to develop.


    Elasticity, outbursts, and magical manipulation.


    It''s frustrating to see someone take the same techniques I did and turn them into something completely different, but it''s worth seeing.


    Senri-sama is slightly startled by Koga, who accelerates toward him with his elastic magic, and moves backward, opening his fists loosely.


    Just as in the first fight, the odds are against Senri-sama.


    <>


    Did Senri''s stance change?


    I tilted my head as she took a stance with her right arm, which is probably her dominant arm, pulled wide and her left foot stepped forward.


    Then, Senri-sama slammed his fist into Koga who was about to attack her, as if he was going to hit something on the ground.


    >


    ...... Koga bounced off an invisible wall?


    No, if you look closely, you can see what looks like an invisible transparent wall between Senri-sama and Koga.


    That is .......


    <


    <>


    Is it wind magic ......?


    But still, it looks somewhat different from both Nero''s and Elle''s. .......


    "Helena-san, Senri-sama''s magic is ......"


    "Oh, her wind system magic is a bit special, it''s a magic that solidifies the air with magic power instead of manipulating the wind.


    "Heh."


    "I rarely use it, because my body art is sufficient for most opponents, but ...... she is also very strong."


    There really are a lot of different kinds of magic.


    From what I''ve seen, it seems to be a type of magic that manipulates solidified air, or rather, fixes it by hitting it against the ground or something.


    It seems a bit crippling in the normal sense of the word.


    Even if it could be made, it would only solidify the air, and from the way it was made, it would not be possible to manipulate it.


    ...... might be a bit like healing magic.


    .


    <>


    Well, you have a point.


    For some reason, the people around me were all tilting their heads, but I understood what Senri-sama meant.


    >


    <<>


    I was thinking that it''s amazing how far we''ve come, and then Senri-sama suddenly turned his palm upward.


    As if the air is compressed, a mass of translucent air is created on her left hand.


    She holds it up and...,


    >


    He launched it with his right fist, which he drew wide: ......!


    The mass of air flies away like a cannonball, and Koga looks astonished as he strikes it down with his dark-magic whip.


    "What an unorthodox use of magic ......!"


    "Yes, it is......!¡¡It''s just like Usato''s. ......!


    "Yes, just like Usato-kun."


    "......"


    I don''t know, I don''t feel any malice or teasing at all, which is very effective.


    It''s times like this that I miss Nair.


    Senri-sama, who has been punching and flying through the air one after another, now leaps forward.


    He leaps using the solidified air as a foothold, and as soon as he releases a fist, he slams a cylindrical mass against Koga as if he is chasing him.


    Koga, however, is no slouch.


    With a ferocious smile on his face, he intensifies the battle, making his movements even more inhuman.


    "Helena-san! Should I stop this?


    I don''t know what to do. As expected, the two of you still seem to be thinking about the surroundings, so I think it''s still okay. ......And since we''re attracting a lot of attention, I think we should just watch the situation a little longer.


    ...... Certainly if you look around, there are a few people here and there who have come to watch the two of them fight.


    I wonder if the exchange between Koga and Senri has become familiar in the past month.


    If it is accepted as a kind of entertainment, we may have to wait and see.


    "In the meantime, I''ll be on the lookout for any damage to my surroundings.


    "Oh, please."


    While activating the magic sensing, we prepare to drop the aftermath with healing magic bullets at any time.


    That''s great, isn''t it?


    "Yeah?"


    Keira looks at Koga and Senri''s fight.


    "I wonder if I can do something like that too. ......"


    "Like that, like Koga?¡¡Or like Senri-sama?"


    "Both. I can use dark magic well like Koga-san, or fight like Senri-sama. ......


    Admiration, huh?


    In a sense, it is natural for Keira to feel this way since we share the same dark magic and we are both women.


    You should cherish that feeling."


    "E......"


    "It''s important to make goals, you know?"


    I, like Keira, have always had a goal in mind.


    I''ve been following her back for so long that I don''t think I''ll ever catch up with her.


    >


    While we are exchanging such exchanges, it seems that Coga is trying to do something.


    New technique ......?¡¡What the hell is he going to do?


    Koga shoots off a cube of air that Senri-sama kicks away, causing the dark magic he is wearing to expand.


    >


    A moment later, Koga''s dark magic splits and another Koga appears.


    ...... has he woged?¡¡No, healing senses indicate only one body.


    The other one is just a lump of magic, but the ...... alter ego is moving toward Senri-sama with a movement that is no less than that of Koga himself.


    <>


    <>


    No, don''t be so quick to use tricks you don''t know.


    I still don''t know if the movement is by Koga''s will or if it is automatic to some extent, but it seems to me that it is a simple tricky technique in that it adds another Koga to the list.


    "One more Koga has been added to the list: ....... U, Usato, what is going on with that ......?"


    "I think it''s partly the benefit of the improved manipulation of magic by turning magic, and partly the transformation of Koga''s own dark magic."


    But an alter ego.


    Oddly enough, he''s got the same new technique as me. .......


    How did he come up with such a similar technique as my afterimage fist? .......


    >


    Senri-sama hits the ground with a series of solidified air, creating a large wall of air.


    A thick shield like a castle wall.


    Coga, faced with the wall, moves forward undaunted with his alter ego --- he reaches out his right hand and grabs the alter ego''s arm.


    >


    Instantly, the alter ego transforms from a humanoid form into a cudgel like the one I used to wield one day with the Koga as a weapon.


    He swung the cudgel in circles and slammed it into the wall of air, knocking it down with one blow.


    ---A weaponized alter ego.


    The power of the club must be quite strong when it is used by someone as physically strong as Koga.


    He seems to be better with weapons than I am. .......


    "......That was definitely the result of the transformation of Koga''s dark magic."


    "Keira ......?¡¡Why do you look so frustrated ......?"


    "Dark magic is really ......!!!"


    ...... Well, it looks like the fuss will be over soon, anyway.


    Fortunately, their quarrels, or rather mock fights, have been accepted as entertainment by the people of the city, so all that remains is to remain moderately vigilant and wait for it to be over.


    The next step is to be reasonably vigilant and wait for it to be over.


    In the end, the mock battle, which must have started unexpectedly this time, ended in a victory for KOGA.


    Senri-sama seemed to be satisfied with the result, since victory or defeat was not really important, but Koga came over to us as soon as the mock battle was over.


    "What do you think of my new technique?"


    You must have known we were watching.


    To be honest, I think it''s a pretty nasty trick when you can woge and use it as a weapon.


    "Haha, that''s sweet, Kohlga. I''ve already mastered shapeshifting two days ago."


    "How can you use healing magic to alter your body ......?"


    Let''s put it into practice.


    Extend the resilience grant and wrap yourself in it thinly.


    From there, I step sideways vigorously as if I were doing a sideways jump, and the residue of the healing magic that remained like a shell in the place where I had just been takes on a human shape.


    "Wow, the magic power is exactly the same as before!


    "I''m not sure if this can really be called an alter ego. Isn''t it rather a molting?


    Helena''s reaction was subtle, but Keira seemed to like it.


    Pointing at the slowly fading residue of magic, I smile at Koga, whose cheeks are drawn back.


    "This is the healing afterimage fist."


    "It''s a power move. And it''s not even moving.


    "That''s sweet, Koga. I do this on the move. I do this while I''m moving, so they think there''s more than one of me.


    "Don''t suddenly elevate it to a terrible technique. I hate it when you do that with your moves."


    The demon and Mr. Ahl were able to get through, so it should be good enough to be used in a real fight.


    But there is still room for application of this technique.


    "Does your alter ego feel free to move?¡¡Or is it your will?"


    "Well, it''s somewhere in between. It''s like, when I give it a command, it acts in a good way."


    "What''s that?"


    I don''t understand the principle either.


    This informality is typical of dark magic, though.


    While we were talking lightly about the new technique, Senri-sama arrived.


    "Oh, you came too, Usato-san?


    Yes, I just wanted to check in on you.


    "Hmph, now I''d like you and Usato to have a hand-to-hand combat."


    Senri puts her hand on her cheek and smiles, but ...... she still seems to be in good health.


    The same can be said for Koga, but he too is so strong that you would never guess she is a princess.


    "Haha, we can''t let the commotion grow any bigger than it already is. Aren''t you tired, Senri-sama?


    "......I''m not tired, but it''s true that I caused a commotion. Ugh, I''ll be scolded again by my father in my home country. ......"


    Senri looks depressed with an expression of "Oh no," and Helena-san smiles bitterly at him.


    I guess even a king can''t stand being scolded by his parents. .......


    "Usato-san, aren''t you with Nea-san?"


    "What?¡¡Oh, yes, that''s right. It''s a holiday today, so she''s spending her time by herself.


    He is probably reading a book in his room right now.


    "I see. Since she is your wife, I thought you were always with her.


    "....... Ha, ha."


    I want to apologize and confide in you that I lied to you already.


    Do you realize that you lied to me?


    Yeah?¡¡It''s like there''s something on my shoulder. .......


    "Keira, for some reason your cape is attached to me."


    "Mr. Usato, what do you mean, ma''am?¡¡Mr. Usato?


    I feel a pressure similar to that of Amako''s as Keira is standing right next to me, holding the edge of my dress and looking up at me.


    And I don''t know why Keira''s magic is now attached to me.


    I''ll tell Keira about the situation later, and apologize to Senri-sama for lying to him.


    "Well, I don''t really care about that now..."


    "Yes?¡¡What does that mean ......?"


    When I spoke to Senri-sama, who did indeed whisper this to me, she smiled and then looked around.


    Perhaps because of the mock battle that had just taken place, people were gathering at this place.


    "People are gathering here, so let''s move. Mr. Koga, please don''t run away. You took the day off today, didn''t you?"


    "Get the f*ck off me!¡¡Don''t lock arms with me!


    Senri catches Koga''s arm as he tries to casually run away.


    I thought to myself, "She''s a strange princess after all," as I followed the girls walking ahead with Keira, who had been looking up at me since a while ago.

 395 - - 347th episode.

    Regardless of the formality of the exercise, the six members made it through without incident.


    They were aware of the hidden intention behind the exercise.


    Once the first step, the training of the team members, has reached a certain level, the next problem is another.


    That is, we need someone who is familiar with the terrain in order to enter the realm of demons.


    I must say that I do not know much about such things at all.


    I know how to read a map to some extent as part of my travel, but I am not confident that I can walk accurately in the deep forest ...... where even my sense of direction is likely to be dulled.


    Can''t Coga figure it out?¡¡I asked him, but his answer was...,


    <


    In a sense, the answer came back to me as I had expected.


    However, the Demon Lord must not have thought of such a thing, so I asked him to introduce me to someone in the Demon Lord''s city who was familiar with geography and the like.


    The letter of recommendation sent to me early in the morning with the scroll I had asked for listed several candidates, and one of them was a person I knew very well.


    "---I''m sorry, Hanna-san. Can you help me with this?"


    Ms. Hanna, a former leader of the Third Legion, has been active in the city since she came to the Demon City.


    On the day she gave me the letter of recommendation, I talked to her as she was watching her subordinates doing "hand-clapping push-ups".


    "Oh, I understand."


    "Yes, of course. You''re going to refuse, aren''t you ......, huh?"


    I had expected them to reject me, but they accepted me?


    Hannah stares at me with a jealous look in her eyes.


    "It''s because I''m probably the only person who knows the terrain well and has the ability to enter the realm of demons. Or rather, who would want to go to a place where there are ferocious monsters?


    That''s true, but..."


    And unless you''re used to Usato''s antics, you''re going to lose your mind for sure."


    I know it sounds terrible, but...


    Am I being treated like a dangerous person who needs to be mentally judged based on my usual behavior?


    "I really can''t help it. It''s a real, real hassle, but I''m the only candidate who can handle a certain amount of combat, so I have no choice but to take the job.


    "Well, thank you very much for ......."


    Whatever the reason, I''m glad you accepted.


    It''s better to work with someone you know and trust to some extent than with someone you don''t know.


    Besides, I know that it won''t matter if I refuse, since it''s the Demon Lord who''s asking me.


    "No, if he refuses, I''ll ask someone else. ......Do I look like I have such a bad character?"


    "I don''t think you have a bad character, but I do think you have a devil''s heart.


    What kind of expression is that?


    I''m finally being treated like an outsider from the inside out.


    That''s a bad sign, yeah.


    I clap my hands once more and try to do the angry act I learned from my interaction with Mr. Nero.


    "What''s the devil in me? ......!!!"


    "What in the world are you talking about when you are the one who created this situation ......?


    Hannah-san''s eyes fell on her subordinates, who were silently doing push-ups to my clapping hands.


    I look back at her without stopping my clapping, seeing that all of them have come to do push-ups at the same speed and with the same movements with just a single clap.


    "....... It''s a daily occurrence at the lifeguard squad."


    "Really?¡¡Mr. Nair."


    Why are you asking Nair questions here?


    Nair, who has been sleepily perched on my shoulder since a few minutes ago, rubs her eyes with her wings and looks at the scene in the training area.


    "Well, the severity is about the same.


    "What kind of environment are you living in?"


    He must have been up late reading a book.


    Nair wakes up firmly with a sore throat when Ms. Hanna calls out to her, and speaks to her in a slightly detached manner.


    "Usato, if you look closely, you look like the person you were when I manipulated you."


    "...... okay."


    "Hey, what''s so good about this?"


    It''s a bit much, but maybe it''s an effective tactic against demons.


    "Hey, Hannah. Demons are dangerous creatures that try to deceive the minds of men."


    Like you?


    Like you, Usato?


    .......


    "So now I have an idea."


    "...... what?"


    "I''m thinking that in case they fall under the influence of the devil, ...... my clapping might wake them up."


    You''re not just brainwashing them back, are you?


    "Why is this man trying to defeat the devil''s magic with a mere clap of hands?"


    I tried to fool them by saying the right things, but it didn''t work out that way.


    In fact, you''ve already passed the mental barrier.


    From the first training to the exercises, I''ve pushed myself to the point of overdoing it.


    The only thing I''m worried about is the interference of the devil''s mind.


    "......A"


    "?¡¡What''s wrong?"


    "Yeah. You''re already here, demon.


    I noticed with a start that the devil, Ms. Veena, was doing push-ups as she was being told to do.


    It had never occurred to me since she is in training as a matter of course, but with her I can come up with an effective plan against the demon.


    Once that''s decided, it''s all over.


    Once I stop clapping my hands, I approach Veena''s place.


    "What am I doing?


    "You''re in training. Don''t make a fuss ......"


    "Why are you insane, Elle?


    Nono starts to make a fuss, and I laugh and call out to Veena.


    "Ms. Vina, please come here for a minute.


    "Yes, uh, sir!¡¡I''m still in training..."


    Come on."


    I''m on my way!


    I called out to her, who showed a momentary resistance, as if she didn''t want to stop the load of training, and turned back to Elle and the others, who were looking at me curiously.


    "I''m sorry I stopped you. Please continue the training.


    "After all, you made Veena a servant ......?"


    "No, I didn''t."


    He returns to Nair and the others with Veena, careful to avoid Elle''s outrageous comments.


    ...... I think it''s okay to reveal Ms. Veena''s identity only to the members of the team now, don''t you?


    I think it''s not surprising that Elle and the others would find out.


    "So what are you going to do with this guy?"


    Are you going to do an autopsy?


    "No."


    "No, I won''t. I won''t."


    Hannah says these horrible things with a quick smile, and I''m a little taken back.


    ......You''re kidding, right?


    "Ms. Vina. Is it possible for a normal person to be resistant to the demon''s magic?"


    "Well, it''s a little bit subtle. It may or may not be ....... It is a matter of experience and birth, isn''t it?


    When I broach the subject first, he answers, looking a little disappointed for some reason.


    The devil is a good question to ask the devil.


    We demons have a magical power, don''t we? It''s called temptation.


    "Temptation?"


    "To paralyze the mind and dull the thoughts. Inebriation is another word for it. It''s almost impossible for a slightly stronger person to resist.


    So the only way to counter it is to have a mentally strong person like me, or to use Nair''s resistance spells.


    Probably, a person of a certain level of ability can resist it, but it is safe to assume that it still has some influence on them.


    "We demons pierce the cracks in the hearts of men and deceive them.


    "I see. So they drive us mentally or make us doubt and fight with each other. The devil is a vile monster, isn''t he?


    "Yes, it is. Manipulating the mind is the worst kind of thing you can do.


    A vampire who manipulates people and a phantom wizard who can make people fight each other with illusions are saying something.


    I mean, if you think about it, all three of them have some sort of ability that affects the mind.


    "Do many people here have the ability to influence the mind?"


    Yes, there are four of them.


    "Yes, I think all four of us here have the same thing in common."


    I''m a healing magician, remember?


    When I said this, Nair and Hannah laughed at me.


    While I was determined to get back at them for treating me so badly, Veena suddenly produced a peach-colored magic bullet in her palm and started talking to me.


    "Usato-san. Can I try to hit you with my magic power for now?"


    "?¡¡No problem."


    "Usato-kun. After what you just said, I don''t know if I would normally give you permission to do so. ......?"


    "Yes."


    Veena-san, who had passed through the startled Hannah-san, shot me with some peach-colored magic.


    There is a slight shock as a magic bullet, but nothing in particular seems to have happened.


    "Wow, it''s really not working. How do you get that kind of mentality?"


    "I got used to it, mainly from training and from the mental attacks of hundreds of souls bound by the Samaritan''s Curse."


    "...... Um . Do you think I''m an idiot, by any chance?"


    It''s true.


    He gave me a puzzled look.


    "Hey, Usato. I''m almost laughing because it''s so funny that the devil can''t believe me."


    I know it won''t work, but I keep glaring at Nair who seems to be about to blow up.


    Well, it''s good to know that the devil''s magic doesn''t completely work on me.


    "......A countermeasure against demons for the time being, huh?"


    "What are we going to do about it?¡¡Are we going to make all the members of the team learn to sense magic?"


    "No, we won''t make it in time. In the first place, I don''t even know if anyone can handle magic sensing.


    It may depend on the magical properties of the person, or it may depend on his or her own qualities.


    There is not enough time to find out.


    .......


    We have no choice.


    "Stop the training for now!"


    The members of the team who have been training silently are stopped.


    I look around at them with a quizzical look on my face, and first I put my magic power on the basket hand deployed on my arm.


    "What are you doing, Usato?


    "Healing Magic Random Bullet"


    With a circular motion of his arm, he scattered magic power around us, confirming that there was no one else in the room but us.


    He turns again to the puzzled members of the group and pushes Ms. Vina, who is standing beside him, forward.


    "Ms. Veena is a demon.


    "...... is what?"


    What about <<<<<>>>>>


    Everyone''s voice leaked out in dismay.


    It''s only a matter of time before they find out about it, so it''s better to tell them quickly.


    "Please go back to your original state."


    No. Are you sure?


    Yes.


    Veena is puzzled and returns to the demon''s true form.


    She urges the members of the group, who show their surprise and consternation at her transformation, to calm down and explains the situation to them.


    "Actually, this person is a demon who came here from the enemy forces to spy on us, but due to some twists and turns, she has decided to cooperate with us.


    <>


    "But her position remains the same. She is still a member of the unit and will not be treated any differently."


    From what I''ve seen at ......, no one seems to object to her presence, although I''m surprised.


    I''m relieved for a moment, and then Elle raises her hand.


    "Yes, sir?"


    "Let''s see, the devil, like you''re always being called, the ...... guy?"


    "......?"


    "No, it''s nothing."


    When I tilted my head with a smile on my face, Mr. Elle turned pale and backed away.


    I wonder why.


    ...... remember that later for Nair and Hannah who spouted out behind me.


    "This is a classified matter that must not be divulged, but I thought I would reveal it to you in your important positions."


    <>


    "Exploration into the realm of demons. The obstacle to this mission is the intervention of demons.


    There is a reason that the demons are against me, but that is only a part of it. The main part is the struggle for the demon king''s sealed power.


    The Devil must not be allowed to have the power of the Demon King.


    We must do what we can in the short time we have left for that purpose.


    We will talk about the details of the search at the appropriate time, but for now, we will talk about countermeasures against the special magical power of demons.


    This is where countermeasures against demons come into play.


    I will explain the dangers of demonic power as briefly as possible, and move on to the details of the training I am about to give.


    "From now on, you will all be under the influence of Ms. Vina''s magic.


    "What, uh, Usato-san?"


    "He''s talking nonsense again, isn''t he?"


    If we have demons, we can''t afford not to make the most of them.


    If we know the demon''s magical power, it will be easier to take countermeasures against it, and more importantly, we may even be able to build up a resistance against it.


    "Demon''s magic is a nasty thing that can affect the mind. It is necessary to acquire a sense of the power of the devil and the mental strength to resist it. This is a new element to be added to the training.


    "So the training is just going to be business as usual?"


    "Yes."


    The content of this article is to resist the sweet temptation to "run away from the hard training.


    If you have any resistance, please come forward while you still can.


    "Oh, ......."


    Here, Nono almost raises his hand, but he doesn''t move a muscle around ...... and says, "I''ll do it!" He lowers his hand in a reserved manner when he sees Elle, who is burning with a rebellious spirit as if to say, "I''ll do it!


    "Nono-san, you can refuse, can''t you?"


    "I''ll f*ck you ......."


    Hey, why do you sound so faded ......?


    I''m not forcing you to do anything.


    "Oh, um, Mr. Usato?"


    "Well, Veena. I''m not forcing you to do anything.


    "Hiin, I don''t see my intention anywhere ......!"


    You''re the one who said you''d help us.


    "I''m the devil, but I''m afraid I have a feeling of camaraderie with these people. I''m not afraid to tempt them with my power. ......


    <<


    <<


    It seems that Elle and Nono had some kind of a scattered reputation.


    "Ms. Vina, don''t worry. I''m not asking you to use your strength to the extent that you fall backward and forward. It is enough that your desire to escape in a sane and easy way becomes stronger.


    "But if I take it easy, what will happen to me?"


    "?¡¡That''s training. What are you talking about?


    Are you the devil?


    Aren''t you the devil?


    For some reason, the devil just declared me a demon.


    Don''t worry. Veena, you''re going to participate in the training while releasing your magic power. It''s very hard work, but if it''s too hard for you, you don''t have to do the training..."


    "I''ll do it."


    <


    I wanted to hear your response.


    I''ll have to tell Uluru and Keira to be careful not to be affected by Veena''s magic in their training.


    Of course, I myself, along with my subordinates, will be watching within the influence of Ms. Vina''s magic.


    "I''m not sure how much I can do in the short time I have left to train, but it''s better than doing nothing at all.


    Besides the power of the Demon Lord, there is also the matter of Shea.


    If there is anything to stop her from playing with the power of the heroes,...... I will have to deal with the same light magic as Mr. Hisago.

 396 - - 348th episode.

    Veena''s true identity was that of a demon.


    To be frank, I don''t really care.


    I was a little surprised to know that a demon actually existed, but it is the Demon Lord, who is beyond comparison, who is the one who unites us all.


    In fact, I would even say that Usato is more devilish than Veena, who looks like a demon and moves like a demon in her bare form.


    The problem here is that Usato, an unorthodox healer, has once again put us through another round of training.


    "......"


    The usual preparation exercise of running laps around the city.


    Now that I''m used to it, I can do it almost without getting tired, but the training has been drastically changed by the demon''s magical power released from Vina.


    "I want it to be easy."


    "I want to give up this pointless training."


    I wish I didn''t have to go through that pain anymore.


    The sweet temptation that keeps overflowing endlessly in my heart.


    We must continue to train while being tormented by such feelings, which are drawn out and amplified by the devil''s magical power.


    That''s what he thinks.


    I''m sure he''s training us mentally as well as understanding the power of demons and the like.


    I won''t be defeated!


    I keep moving my legs and face forward, always tormented by the feeling that the power of my mind is being drained from me.


    The same goes for my colleagues.


    Kevin and his colleagues are also running at such a high pace that there is no room to shake off their thoughts ...... or even to think in the first place.


    "I can''t concentrate on my training because of my thoughts!"


    "I can''t concentrate on my training because of my thoughts......!"


    "I don''t need to think about anything!"


    I don''t want to end up in the same place as these guys.


    As it is, I don''t have a problem either.


    I don''t want Usato and Koga to laugh at me for breaking down like this.


    I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry. I''m sorry... I''m sorry...!"


    "Veena, stop finding excitement in guilt ......!"


    I quietly yell at Veena, who is casting her magic in a way that only affects us running in a group.


    One of the reasons I''m not that surprised that this guy is a demon is that his perversity is far worse than his demonic identity.


    The fact that he was on his knees that night in the dormitory with Usato, and that he had done nothing wrong except confessing that he was a demon, is just scary.


    "Your bitter emotions are delicious, and on the other hand, I feel guilty for being so lowly that I''m the only one feeling good about myself...it''s just great."


    "f*ck you."


    Thank you for the food.


    d*mn, cursing will give him power.


    Demons are creepy creatures, aren''t they!


    "But I think everyone is adapting well. You may not have developed a tolerance for force like Usato-san, but you are strong enough to overcome simple temptations.


    It''s not like they''ve been through hellish training.


    ...... but the way Veena talks, it seems that Usato''s spirit is not half-baked.


    "But Nono-san doesn''t affect him at all, does she?"


    "Geez."


    "...... Eh, is that so?"


    Nono, who has been training for the past three days with little talk, shakes her shoulders at Veena''s mutterings.


    I thought she was mentally too tight and had gone mute,...... but wasn''t she under the influence of Veena''s magic?


    Nono looks down awkwardly and smiles awkwardly.


    "Well, well, no matter how much I try, I just can''t get the effect of the magic. I thought it would be easier for me to do it, so I kept my mouth shut.


    "Can I report this to Usato?"


    "Don''t smile and try to send me to hell!"


    But what does that mean?


    Does it mean that Veena''s magic didn''t work on Nono?


    Nono''s expression of surprise comes back to her face when I ask her about it.


    "Huh, I always want to escape. No matter how much you add to the lowest value from the beginning, it won''t make any difference.


    "It seems that Nono-san is a very simple-minded person, so it''s hard for our magic to work on her."


    "Didn''t you just call me a moron?¡¡Excuse me?¡¡Miss Veena?


    "The simpler it is, the less effective it is. ......"


    Can I be mad?


    Surprisingly, Nono is the devil''s trump card, isn''t she?


    Come to think of it, the training idiots who are running around in front of us right now are also running with their hearts in their mouths.


    "...... Well, I don''t want to be the same as Nono."


    "I think Elle has a funny mentality, though."


    "Shut up, you pig!"


    After verbally abusing Vina, he turns his attention to training.


    As usual, my mind is drifting in the direction of ease, but ...... this will soon become less of a problem as I get used to it.


    I am sure this will become less of a problem as soon as I get used to it.


    Training with Ms. Veena''s magic.


    At first glance it did not seem to have any effect, but slowly it was having an effect.


    But even with the mental strain, the men did not run away from the training, on the contrary, they were more determined to go through with it.


    Realizing that the training has been going well over the past three days, I had a small discussion with Koga, who was observing the training as I was.


    Besides Koga, Keira, who was practicing magic spinning by floating around in a cape, and Senri-sama, who had followed Koga, were also there.


    "When did you leave for the realm of demons?"


    "In a week. The demon king is going to make all the preparations for us.


    A week.


    I wish I had more time, but I guess I can''t be too selfish.


    "Will the guy I called from Hinomoto make it in time?"


    "Yesterday I got a reply. It will be last minute, but I think he will arrive before we leave.


    The other day, we received a letter informing us that Mr. Nagi and Amako have departed from here.


    I was surprised to hear that Amako was coming, but I was also reassured by her presence.


    "I am so sad that you and Koga will be separated again.


    Senri-sama acts sad, glancing at Koga''s condition.


    Koga does not seem to be bothered by this and smiles.


    "Yes. I''m sad too.


    "Koga, if you are so sad to leave Senri. If you''re so sad to leave Senri, I''m willing to exclude you from this search.


    I''m the captain of this expedition!


    Then try to act more like a captain.


    I''m just kidding. I can''t do this without you.


    "You''re always making bad jokes."


    The only people I make jokes like this to are the Demon King, Mr. Nero, and you.


    "That doesn''t make me happy at all!¡¡Why am I on top of the Demon Lord and the old man?¡¡And what kind of people are you joking around with?


    Koga is furious with his criticisms.


    The demon king laughs and retorts, Nero-san is a natural and lets it pass, and Koga replies with a tsk tsk.


    It''s quite fun to see the different reactions of the two.


    "Well, is it possible that I have to defeat Usato-san before Koga-san?"


    "What''s wrong ......?"


    Senri-sama, who was watching the exchange between Koga and me, suddenly started to say something very strange.


    What do you mean?


    Did I do something that Senri-sama didn''t like?


    "But well, I guess we''ll just have to wait for another month until Senri comes back. Heh heh heh.


    Senri-sama is not saddened by Koga''s smirk, but silently puts a streak of blue on his forehead and begins to tighten his tightly clenched fists.


    He is a man with no sense of delicacy.


    I have to intervene in a situation like this. ......!


    "Senri-sama, I think it''s fine if you take the Koga back to your country since it''s practically the same whether it''s there or not.


    That''s it!


    That''s it!¡¡That''s it!


    Okay, the air has gone cold for a moment, but it''s back to normal now.


    I have no idea why I''m being called insensitive when I can read the air so well. ......!


    "This is just a joke, though. But I''m sure the Demon King would say yes with a smile on his face.


    "I''ve been trying not to tell you this, but you have the same personality as the Demon Lord."


    ...... hmm?


    "What the hell, man?¡¡You want a fight?¡¡You want to be my test subject?¡¡Hmm?"


    "Are you off your rocker ......?"


    What? Are you guys fighting?


    Are there only barbarians here?


    I can''t possibly have the same personality as the Demon King.


    He''s the worst kind of person... He''s the kind of person who plays with people with a big smile on his face.


    "...... Usato-san, will you be leaving in a month?"


    Keira, who was silently practicing her magic spinning next to me, muttered something like that in a depressed tone of voice.


    I can only stay here for two months.


    After another month, I have to return to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "You can come visit me in the Lingle Kingdom when things are a little more settled."


    "...... Usato, your disciple is also in Lingle Kingdom, right?¡¡What kind of person is he?"


    Is he interested in you since you are the same age as him?


    I don''t think he''ll take the leap to joining the lifeguard corps, but I''ll tell him about Nack.


    "Nack?¡¡Yeah, he''s a good kid.


    "......"


    "He''s a healing magician like me, and he has a bright future ahead of him."


    "...... heh."


    Koga and Senri-sama are whispering to each other about something.


    I wonder if Nack is doing well at Olga''s place.


    No, I''m sure he''s doing fine without me worrying about him.


    I''ll introduce you to him when you come to Lingle Kingdom.


    I''d like to have a word with your apprentice. Yes, yes.


    ?¡¡Well, I''m glad you''re looking forward to it.


    ...... Well, let''s see.


    Hmm?¡¡What are you doing?


    "I just thought I''d share with you some of my work on strain enhancement and strain degradation."


    I''ve already shown this to Nair and he was extremely upset, but I''ll show it to Kohga as well.


    Lineage enhancement and degradation created in each of the two hands.


    "Lineage enhancement and lineage degradation, when you put them together..."


    When I put my fingers with these floating on the surface close to it, "BANG!¡¡the healing magic bursts forth with a resounding pop.


    "Why is it repulsive?"


    "No, really, why?"


    If the enhancement of the system is a technique to improve the quality of magic power, the degradation of the system is a technique to lower the quality of magic power.


    Both are extensions of magical power, but they are at opposite ends of the spectrum.


    Simply speaking, Nair and I thought that the positive and the negative are not zero, but are already different, and therefore, repel each other.


    "We haven''t been able to apply the systemic reinforcement to the application of the system. We thought it might be a good idea."


    "Well, what are you going to do?"


    There may be a time when we need to strengthen our lineage, just like when Mr. Karon was almost swallowed by the dragon''s power and went out of control.


    Worst of all, it is not impossible for Shea to be swallowed by Hisago''s memories and let her light magic run wild.


    "......The truth is, it''s best not to use it."


    But we don''t know what''s going to happen.


    The power of the Demon King, Shea with the memories of the brave, and the demons in the dark...... still have many problems to solve.


    If it ends in futility, so be it.


    Demons and humans,......I decided to live in this world, so I want to do everything I can.


    I gather my thoughts once more and talk to Senri-sama.


    "Senri-sama, may I ask you to build something like a wall with your magic?


    "Yes, of course.


    A rectangular wall is driven into the ground by Senri''s air-hardening wind magic.


    The wall is thick and sturdy.


    "For the time being, I''m going to launch a healing bullet with reduced elasticity and increased viscosity.


    "You used a technology I didn''t know about in a snap: ......"


    The healing bullet, whose properties have been weakened by the degradation of the system, floats in the left hand and attaches to the air wall.


    If the enhanced strain and the degraded strain repel each other on contact and cause an impact, what happens if we strike the enhanced strain on the target, overlapping the magic of the degraded strain attached to the target? ......!


    "Stand back and ......!"


    He covers his right arm with a basket hand and strikes the bottom of his palm, which is covered with the magic power of lineage reinforcement, onto the magic power of lineage degradation, as if he were driving a nail into it.


    "Hmph!


    Instantly, there is a burst of sound and a flash of light, and my right arm, which I hit him with, is thrown backwards by the recoil.


    A green smoke emits from the palm of my cage hand as I look at the spot where I struck the blow..,


    "...... wow."


    "You''ve come up with another bad move."


    "I thought I made it pretty sturdy. ......"


    It is so powerful that the air wall it creates is forcibly released.


    The shockwave alone is more powerful than a healing explosive, right?


    In addition, the healing magic that has been enhanced by the system reinforcement that spreads around it with the flash of light also spreads, and it seems that healing magic can be applied to a wide area.


    "Well, if you are going to use this, continuous fire fist and explosive shells will suffice, and I don''t think you will use it unless there is something wrong with you. ...... hmm?"


    A familiar black owl leaps out of the window of the lodge and barges toward us.


    Nair, who had been reading in her room, jumps onto my shoulder with a mighty leap and thrusts her wings at me in a noncommittal tone.


    "That sound you just made was your healing magic!¡¡Tell me!¡¡What did you do this time!


    <


    <


    I''m not convinced why they were the first to recognize it was me, but it''s just in time we had another discussion about this strange phenomenon of lineage enhancement and degradation.


    I''ve been asked to do so by Mr. Welshy of the Lingle Kingdom. ......

 397 - - 349th episode.

    Kannagi and I are heading to the Demon Lord''s territory after receiving news from Usato.


    I''d be lying if I said I didn''t have my doubts about going back to the city I once visited to fight the Demon Lord, but it seems that the city is not fortified now, so I''d like to head there without being overconfident.


    But first we have to go through the "demon territory" that exists between the Demon Lord''s territory and Hinomoto.


    ......


    Deep in the dark forest.


    In a place where only a few rays of sunlight shine, the shadow of a large boar demon falls to the ground with a resounding crash.


    Kannagi, a fox beastman like me, sheathes his sword, which is dripping with the demon''s blood, as he looks down at the demon, which has already expired and is returning to its demonic element.


    "Amako, it''s all right now."


    "Yeah."


    He steps out from behind a tree where he had been hiding to avoid being caught in the middle of it.


    "You know, I always thought this place was different from the times I knew, but it seems that this place has hardly changed at all."


    "Really?"


    "Maybe this is the only place where civilization has not advanced. This area is inhabited only by demons.


    The demons that attacked us on the move were easily defeated by Kannagi.


    As one would expect from someone as skilled as Ms. Rose.


    Even from my perspective as a member of the beast race, his physical abilities are extraordinary.


    Let''s hurry on then.


    "......"


    Kannagi then held his bag in front of him and crouched down in front of me to show me his back.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "No, you know. I know. I know it''s efficient. ......"


    Kannagi, can''t you just keep running?


    --- Horses can''t be taken into the demon territory.


    Horses are easy prey in this place where many ferocious demons live, and the horses themselves run away from the dense presence of the demons, so we were forced to travel on foot. ......


    "Don''t worry!¡¡I''m not a beastly man!"


    Kannagi is trying to run to the destination while holding me and my baggage on top of it.


    Even Usato can do something crazy like that..,


    <>


    --No, Usato would normally come up with the same idea.


    And he could do the same with Kannagi.


    "Though it''s not as good as Usato''s!"


    Even with his healing magic, how is it possible for him to be superior to Kannagi in terms of physical strength?


    But I know that he is really saying this with good intentions, and not with evil thoughts like Suzune, so I just sit on Kanna-gui.


    She stands up without feeling the weight of Kannagi''s body and runs through the forest at a tremendous speed, kicking the ground as she goes.


    It''s been half a day since we entered the realm of demons. I think we''re almost out of here.


    Not so fast, is it?


    Is it smaller than I thought?


    I''ve only been stopped by demons a few times.


    No, I''m on the edge of the road. I''m heading for the demon king''s territory by cutting through the shortest distance. If I try to cross it normally, it will take quite a long time, especially with the demon attacks. ......... and more dangerous than anything else."


    Yes, yes.


    "If you go deeper, you''ll probably find a lot of ferocious monsters."


    Kannagi''s feet were too fast for me to get a proper view of the surroundings, but I somehow had the feeling that she was jumping on some rocky place or climbing vertically up what seemed to be a cliff.


    "......Kannagi, are you okay?"


    "Hm?¡¡If it''s physical strength, I''m fine..."


    "No. ...... are in a hurry. Is it something to do with the letter?"


    "......, I think so. I think it''s more like confusion than impatience.


    Kannagi himself has told me about it.


    Shea Garmio, a girl with the memories and magic of the previous generation of heroes.


    Kannagi, who knew the heroes of the past well, must not be happy about this story.


    "I''m sure that the strange feeling I had in Mearaak is her."


    "You mean the discomfort you were talking about when you were in Mialak?"


    "Yes."


    I watch Kannagi''s profile as she runs through the trees, not breathing a breath.


    I felt some kind of strange sensation that she had noticed when we were in Mearaq. In the end, I couldn''t figure out if it was the girl named Shea that Usato had met.


    "I had no idea that there was someone nearby with the same magical power as Hisago. If I had moved at that time, I might have been able to find her. ......"


    "I don''t know why you contacted Usato. ......"


    "That''s not crazy."


    Kannagi replies with a response.


    The relationship between the Demon King and hisago is quite complicated. If the Demon King had been defeated by a human, and not a brave one at that, even if it was only a memory, it would have had a great impact on Shea''s child.


    "You mean ...... because he defeated the Demon King?"


    "It''s also possible that Hisago''s "humans kill the Demon King and win the peace" plotline was destroyed and that may have influenced him."


    It was the same with the evil dragon, but when he gets involved in such a commotion, the trigger is not Usato himself. .......


    Lucvis is a knack.


    At the time of Samarir, it was a small sword he pulled out of the evil dragon.


    Mia Lark was because Mr. Karon went out of control due to the wave of the evil dragon.


    Hinomoto was trying to save me from capture.


    When I think back on it, Usato himself was always involved.


    "I''m not surprised that that stupid, lazy, no-nonsense old man has done it again. In a way, it was the usual thing.


    "It happened all the time: ......"


    "But I won''t allow you to do such a creepy thing as planting your memories and magic on an innocent girl. ......!!!"


    Kannagi is extremely angry.


    "So we have to free this Shea girl from Hisago''s curse. I only know from the letter, but she should have been a normal girl. She shouldn''t have a power that she doesn''t need, a power of the hijagos."


    "......What do you think about that place, the other Kannagi?"


    When he asks this unexpectedly, Kannagi''s eyes turn purple in profile.


    In the ruins we had visited before the battle with the Demon Lord, the other Kannagi was about to give Usato light magic. In exchange for the healing magic that had been ...... there originally.


    Not exactly a memory, but I wonder how she feels about the same thing happening to her.


    She giggles as Kannagi''s eyes quickly turn back to their original blue.


    "I feel bad, she says."


    "I see. ....... What happened to the light magic in that sword?"


    "It''s been smeared by the power of the evil dragon. So it''s just a sturdy sword, like Usato''s cage hand.


    He looks at the black sword in its sheath at his waist.


    That''s a relief.


    Healing magic is the best for Usato.


    I can''t think of anything else,


    "It''s because of healing magic that Usato is able to do some messed up things."


    "That''s true, too. Maybe they''ve come up with some more weird tricks in the past month."


    "Well, I''m sure he''s up to something.


    When I say this with a straight face, Kannagi looks puzzled.


    "I was just kidding."


    Kannagi doesn''t understand Usato. Usato doesn''t do anything strange when you take your eyes off him. He does strange things even when you don''t take your eyes off him.


    "Yeah, yeah."


    Nair fights together with Usato a lot, so she seems to be doing her best to keep track of the increasing number of Usato''s techniques.


    "It''s also possible that she''s making a mess of things like countermeasures against demons right now."


    "As expected, that''s ...... no, but it might be."


    "Right?¡¡That''s the kind of person he is. I guess you could say that ...... makes me feel safer."


    Kannagi has also seen Usato''s behavior through the sword and Kagote.


    ...... I think we''ve gotten to know each other pretty well over the past month.


    We have always been close, but thanks to my mother, a person who needs care and whose sense of distance is broken, we have become more united.


    "...... I think we''re about to get out of demon territory. After that we''ll continue on to the city without stopping, but are you sure you don''t want to take a break or something?"


    "Don''t worry. Don''t worry. Kannagi, don''t be too hard on yourself.


    Got it!


    Kannagi runs through the trees and accelerates even faster.


    Soon, you can see a place illuminated by the sunlight coming in from the sky, which is different from the dark forest.


    "Hmmm..."


    We will soon arrive at the city where Usato and his friends are.


    It will be about a month since we have seen each other, but we are still glad to see each other after a long time.


    Well, apart from that..,


    "I''m sure he''s doing something."


    "Haha ......"


    With what happened to Lukvis, we should probably expect to see Usato running around the city with a burin on his back, worst case scenario. .......

 398 - - Thirty-fifty.

    After leaving the realm of demons, we encountered somewhat fewer demons.


    Although we still encountered some demons, it was obviously easier than in the realm of demons.


    ......Well, from the point of view of Kannagi who is carrying me, it may not be much of a change.


    "I can''t believe I''m going to be here again!"


    We arrived at the Demon City of Velhazar without any problems.


    I got off the kanagi that had been carrying me and approached the gate of the wall that covered the city.


    A soldier of the demon tribe who looked like a gate guard noticed me and Kannagi and looked at us quizzically.


    "A beastman?¡¡What are you doing here?"


    I feel that I have arrived a little ...... too early.


    After all, it''s only been a day or so since we left Hinomoto.


    Kannagi has driven almost without a break on a road that normally takes a week or so, so it may be that he has not been told that we are coming.


    "We are Hinomoto...... messengers from the land of the beastmen. May I ask you to call Usato, a healing wizard who is currently staying in this city?"


    "....... What, are you acquaintances of that healing wizard?"


    Judging from this reaction, Usato seems to be the same as ever.


    "Hmph, Kannagi, it''s funny how predictable you are now.


    "Yo, you can afford it. ......"


    "We already know that, don''t we? I''m sure Usato is running around town with a bullring on his back, aren''t you?"


    "You guys really know each other, don''t you?"


    The gatekeeper mutters, somewhat impressed.


    Since this is Usato, he must be running around the city carrying the burin he brought with him.


    The gatekeeper, who now knows us as Usato''s acquaintance, shows us the direction to the dormitory where he says Usato is staying and then leads us through the streets.


    "It''s very different from the last time I was here.


    "The Demon King had to rebuild it. But it''s much more developed than when I was guarding him."


    When we attacked this place, it had been fortified by the Demon King''s magic, so I was surprised to see it transformed into a city full of people just like the Kingdom of Lingle is now.


    But I guess we''re still attracting a lot of attention.


    I guess one of the reasons is that Kannagi and I are beastmen. .......


    "Kannagi was here for a while, wasn''t he?"


    "Yeah. To keep an eye on the Demon Lord. I''ve been helping to rebuild the place for a little while as part of that, so I guess some people know my face."


    So there''s no hostility or anything like that.


    I was prepared for some hostility since I was a member of the group that defeated the Demon King, but I didn''t expect this.


    >


    Then some children who were running down the street saw us and shouted.


    Their eyes are on me, or rather on Kannagi.


    >


    <>


    "Ah, haha... ......"


    Kannagi waves back with a twitch of his cheek.


    "Kai-ryoku sis-chan" is a great nickname.


    "Don''t tell me. ......"


    As I look forward with a wry smile at her slumped shoulders, I notice something like a shadow flying over the buildings in my field of vision.


    They leap from building to building with agile movements and land in front of us with a leap.


    "Hmph!"


    Their black cloaks flutter with the impact of their landing.


    He stands up, flipping it with his hand, and stares at the six demons who landed on the ground from the rooftop of the building a few seconds later.


    The six are breathing hard, but four of them have the same expression as the people in the rescue team, whom Usato calls the tough-looking ones.


    "......It seems that I have to explain the purpose of this training again, don''t I?"


    "Oh, you''re not the only one who can fly!


    A strong-willed female demoness attacks Usato.


    Usato, who still doesn''t notice my speechless surprise and Kannagi, lets out a small sigh and crosses his arms.


    "I''m wearing this as a precaution.


    <<>


    No, wait, I just heard a familiar demon girl''s voice coming from the cloak Usato is wearing. ......?


    "What?¡¡Does that mean ......?"


    "Of course it''s pure legwork. What are you talking about?


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about. ......!


    A female demoness clenches her fist as Usato cries his shoulders.


    The other two women looked like they were about to die, and one looked like she shouldn''t be seen by a child.


    "This exercise is about movement based on the assumption of an obstacle. The objective is to practice judgment in moving by jumping from building to building and avoiding obstacles.


    There are limits!


    We have the permission of the Devil King. And to prevent anyone from getting caught up in the training, I''ve asked Koga and Senri-sama to support us from the rear this time, so there''s no need to worry.


    "What is this guy''s incredible network for nothing?


    Seeing her distraught and holding her head in her hands, Usato nods his head in satisfaction and raises his voice.


    "Let''s resume training!¡¡Anyone who is separated from me will have their training level lowered without question!¡¡If you don''t like it--"


    Crouching down on the spot, he leaps without even a cloud of dust, runs vertically along the wall of the building where he has his feet, and lands on the rooftop.


    "Follow me and show me!


    He said, and the six demons started to follow him.


    Oh oh oh oh!"""""


    "Who''s going to keep us apart?


    "Hi, hi!¡¡I want to lower the training level ......... I want to lower the training level ........."


    "I don''t want to lower my training level even though I''m disturbing you all...... this boardroom!"


    He raised a lot of clouds of smoke and chased after Usato.


    ""......""


    The amount of information that exceeded my expectations was reflected in my vision at once, so that I could not react at all when Usato appeared in front of me.


    "Kannagi."


    "......What is it?"


    "Today, I realized that what Usato does is unpredictable."


    "....... Soudane."


    Usato, what are you doing?


    What have you really been doing for the past month?


    He is doing far more than I had expected, and I realize that I am still not fully aware of the situation.


    "But there is one thing I need to check with him..."


    "Did you notice something?"


    "Yes."


    Kannagi touches the sword at his waist.


    I looked at her face and saw that her eyes had turned piercing and tense.


    "There is a demon lurking in their midst."


    ¡ñ


    I moved from the place where I met Usato and the others to the dormitory where they were said to be staying, and found the six people who had just followed Usato, Usato and Nea there.


    "Oh, hello?¡¡Usato. Amako and the others are here.


    "!¡¡Amako, Mr. Nagi?¡¡You''re early. You''re here already!"


    Usato, who had noticed me and Kannagi, welcomed us.


    Five of the six people who had been told to rest fell to the ground, but one of them, ...... a female demoness with an expression she couldn''t show in public earlier, saw Kannagi and fell to the ground. The blood drained from his face.


    "Geez!¡¡Kannagi......!"


    "Usato. Why are there demons here?¡¡I''m here to deal with it if necessary.


    "Ha, ha, ha, ......!"


    The demon disguised as a demon tribe trembles like a small deer when it sees Kannagi threatening it with his hand on his sword.


    As if to protect the demon, a smiling Usato steps in front of Kannagi.


    "Mr. Kannagi, this man is a pervert, but he is our friend.


    "I''m a pervert, but I''m on your side!"


    Oh, no, I made a mistake. He''s a demon, but he''s on our side.


    What kind of a misnomer is ......?


    The reaction was so different from what we expected that neither Kannagi nor I had any idea what was going on.


    I had heard that demons are evil beings who are planning to do bad things, but it seems that Usato had already known that this person was a demon from the beginning.


    "......The devil is on our side?¡¡Is he deceiving you?"


    "If something were to happen to him, it seems that he would be in trouble because of the magic that the Demon King has applied to him.


    "What?¡¡Oh, that Mr. Usato?¡¡I haven''t heard anything about this.¡¡What kind of magic did the Demon Lord use on me?"


    "......"


    "The silent smile is too scary and very exciting. ......!"


    "Usato, I think we should cut this guy down after all."


    Kannagi pushes out the brim of the sword with his thumb, revealing the black blade.


    The demon, shaken even more by this intimidation, hides behind Usato and begins to beg for its life.


    "I am your servant!¡¡I''m a vile demon, uglier than a parasite, who only likes to be treated roughly and to feel the pain and suffering of my colleagues...!"


    "Veena. Who said you could interrupt me?"


    "Oh ......!"


    The demon''s cheeks are flushed and he holds his mouth with both hands as Usato slams his voice, which is far from a smile, into the demon''s. The demon''s face is flushed and he holds his mouth with both hands as Usato slams his voice into the demon''s.


    ......Are all demons like this ......?


    It''s just plain weird.


    What''s scary about this is that Usato, who is listening to it, seems to have gotten used to it.


    "What in the world did you do to him, Usato?


    "Well, ...... it was Hisago who did it, and ...... it''s more like I''m being followed by this guy."


    "Eh, heh, heh. ......"


    "That bastard did it again!"


    Somehow, it seems that Usato is having a hard time dealing with this demon.


    I''d like to hear about that ......, but there''s something I should ask you first.


    "Usato?"


    "Hmm?¡¡Yes, Amako?


    "Where''s Keira?"


    When I ask Usato, who is still wearing the same black cloak as before, where Keira is, her voice echoes out from the black cloak.


    ......What, you don''t think this is the same ...... as Ferm?


    The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that the cloak is a little too black.


    It''s been a while!¡¡Amako-san!


    ""......""


    He has a big smile on his face, with no hint of calculation or anything like that.


    But considering the characteristics of dark magic of Ferrum and Koga, it is not a funny sight.


    "Usato-kun. I''d like to discuss something with you about this search. ......An unfamiliar visitor, isn''t it?"


    As if to catch up with Kannagi and I, who were in a state of shock at the appearance of Keira, a female demoness with purplish hair in a side-tail comes out from a nearby inn.


    Usato notices that Kannagi and I don''t react, and introduces us to the newcomer.


    "Oh, this is Hannah-san. She used to be the leader of the third corps and now she is assisting me. Hanna-san, these two are Amako and Nagi-san whom I called before.


    "Oh, well, how do you do?"


    ""......""


    Former commander of the Third Army!¡¡I had never met him, but he was the one!


    I don''t understand why he''s helping Usato at all!


    I think the situation may be more urgent than we thought.

 399 - - 351st episode.

    Amako and Nagi came to Verhazal.


    I was surprised that they arrived much earlier than expected, but I was convinced when I heard that Mr. Nagi had run with Amako on his back.


    With his physical ability, he could run faster than a normal horse, and he would be able to run through the forest with no obstacles.


    "So, Usato, I''m sorry to rush into this, but can you tell me about this girl Shea?


    Nagi asked me this question as I left the training a little early and moved to my dormitory.


    Hanna-san had gone to inform the Demon Lord that Nagi-san and the others had arrived, and now that Keira had gone home and Veena-san had returned, the only people here were me, Nea, Nagi-san, and Amako.


    "I told you in my letter that that girl is ...... Shea Garmio, the girl who was implanted with Mr. Hisago''s memories and magic, didn''t I?"


    "Yes."


    "To be honest, we don''t know how much of Mr. Hisago''s influence is in her. All we know is that she is unconsciously seeking the power of the Demon King and to get rid of demons.


    The way Shea speaks suggests that she is either unconsciously moving her body, or that another personality is moving her body.


    After I explained to some extent about Shea and the request I was asked by the Demon Lord, Nagi-san, who had been twisting her head in distress, suddenly changed the color of her eyes to purple.


    "Usato, the other me wants to talk to you.


    It seems that he has switched to another Nagi''s personality.


    "...... Are you sure you''re not lying to me or something?¡¡You''re too kind, if I do say so myself. It''s possible that she''s taking advantage of you and is bonding with you.


    "I don''t think so. I don''t know for sure, but she was in enough pain to ask me for help."


    "...... to ask you for help. I don''t know what to say when you say it like that.


    Nagi-san, who had purple eyes, smiles at me as if he is troubled, perhaps remembering the battle at the ruins, and his eyes return to their original blue color.


    It is true that I am gullible, but I want to believe that Shea''s words are not a lie when she asked me for help.


    If I had been there when she asked for help, I might have found out something..."


    What was Nair doing?


    "She disguised herself as a cat and threw them into the forest, tricking them to find out what was going on. Oh, under orders from Usato.


    "Usato ......?"


    He told on me.


    I wonder how many times Amako and Mr. Nagi have pulled my leg in one day, even if it was necessary.


    "I was here leading a search party into the demon territory. The Demon King and Koga asked me to do it.


    "Maybe the people you just mentioned are ......"


    "Yes. That''s them. And Veena-san was the one who was trying to find out what was going on between me and the Demon Lord.


    Now that I think back on it, I don''t think I was trying to hide at all.


    Veena was very conspicuous.


    Let''s go back to .......


    "It was just me and Keira who met Shea. The situation was a bit complicated at the time. ...... We were on our way to our destination for a request from the Demon Lord when we were attacked by demons."


    "Were you okay?"


    The demon. There were about eleven of us, including Mr. Earle, and we had to fight them, but we managed ...... to get through."


    If the other side had coordinated well with Mr. Ahl and the sisters of the dark wizard, we might have been unable to move around the place while defending ourselves, but if not, it was not particularly troublesome. ......


    "I''m surprised that 11 people ...... survived."


    "Hmph, if I concentrate on defense and evasion, I can be very stubborn. I''m confident I can run all day long."


    "It must be a nightmare for them, that''s for sure."


    In fact, Mr. Ahl was the only one who understood the situation.


    That''s a man who knows Rose, the outsider.


    If only one of the demons had been able to make a calm decision, we might have been in serious trouble.


    "So, we should go with Usato on this search, right?"


    "Yes, that''s right. It would be reassuring to have Nagi and Amako, who have precognition magic, with us, and perhaps she might be able to stabilize her condition if she could see Nagi with Shea.


    "I know he''s implanted with that guy''s memories, so of course he''s going to know about me, but I''m ...... a little nervous."


    I can understand Nagi''s apprehension.


    You never know what will happen.


    Shea''s condition may worsen, or nothing may happen.


    Anyway, you can relax here until we leave.


    "Yeah. Should we look for a place to stay?"


    "Oh, I see... ...... we arrived earlier than planned, so we didn''t get a chance to look."


    I might be able to ask the Demon Lord to prepare something for us, but I don''t want to ask too much of him.


    Nagi-san might want to take a break, too, so ...... is a good idea.


    Then, you can stay in this dormitory.


    "Oh, is that okay?"


    "No, there''s a room available. Nah, you don''t have a problem with that, do you?


    No. Usato''s right. There''s plenty of room.


    "Is Usato staying here too?"


    "Well, it''s close to the training grounds. Uh, but ......"


    So, the members staying at the dormitory would be me, Hannah, Nea, Nagi, and Amako, right?


    I recall this and turn to them, deciding on something.


    I''ll stay somewhere else.


    What?"""""


    Amako, Nea, and Nagi''s stunned voices overlap.


    "But it''s not common sense for me to stay at a place with four women, is it?


    "Why are you talking about common sense, Usato?"


    I''m getting a lot of flak for this.


    He tilted his head and said something like that to me.


    "You know, we have to keep up appearances and we don''t want the people in the city to misunderstand us, do we?


    "I think Usato has been perceived in a way that can never be undone."


    "Well, it is certain that the human race is greatly misunderstood because of you.


    I don''t know what you''re talking about.


    Nair looks at me with a somewhat unconvinced expression on her cheek.


    "Where else would you go? Is it with Aruk?"


    "Are you here too, Aruk?"


    "No, it''s a good opportunity. I thought it''s time to visit him.


    "That guy?"


    It would be nice to go back to Mr. Aruk, but we have to do something about that guy who still hasn''t gotten over his tardiness habit.


    With that in mind, I open my mouth to the three of them.


    "Koga''s house..."


    ¡ñ


    "So, I''ve come to pay you a visit."


    "No, why not? ......"


    The room where Korga lives, located in the center of the demon king city of Verhazal.


    I had come there with my luggage and dinner as a souvenir.


    "That''s too sudden. ......"


    When we were shown into the room and I explained the circumstances that had led us to this point, Koga made a blatantly disgusted face.


    "I think it''s time for you to get your act together as a captain," he said. I''ve come here to correct your tardiness as a first step.


    "It''s too much of an afterthought. ......"


    "It''s none of your business, but it''s necessary, isn''t it?¡¡After Senri-sama and I go back to our country, are you going to live the same self-indulgent life you''ve been living so far?"


    Even if the Demon Lord''s army disappears, the search party I led will remain.


    It will be led not by me but by Koga.


    Koga scratches his head in disgust at my point of view.


    "I know that, but... I know, but it''s hard to suddenly change what you''ve been doing, isn''t it?


    The same can be said for me, but you can''t stay the same. ......, right?"


    "......Well, I know that."


    My position has changed dramatically after the battle with the Demon King.


    I think that Coga needs to focus on other things than just fighting .......


    "To be honest, the current environment is not as bad as I imagined. I get to fight with you on a regular basis."


    What about Senri-sama?


    He''s like a tornado.


    Do you mean that in a positive way?


    The tone of his voice doesn''t sound like he hates them.


    "Well, I don''t mind if you stay at ....... I heard this room was originally for two people anyway.


    That''s why there are two beds.


    One of them is treated like a storage room, though.


    I looked around the room and saw that it was a bit large for a one-person room.


    The room is not so much furnished, but only the bare necessities such as a change of clothes.


    ......Coga''s hobby seems to be fighting, so he doesn''t have much to put in his room, does he?


    "There''s nothing interesting in there.


    "Hmm, sorry. On a different note, how about you come to the early morning training tomorrow?"


    "You mean the one you fight with the old man every morning?¡¡I haven''t been able to go to training for some reason.


    "Yes, yes."


    This man, after all, is unable to get up in the morning and does not come to the early morning training.


    I''m not forcing him to do so.


    "Nero-san is coming tomorrow, and I heard that Nagi-san, who arrived today, is coming too.


    "They look like they could destroy five or six countries in one night, don''t they?


    If we only look at the strength of the group, there is no doubt that it is a tremendous group of people.


    Nero and Nagi alone are too powerful.


    "......If that many people are going to be there, I''ll have no choice but to join.


    "Come or ......!"


    "Oh, wake me up, if you have to."


    "Try to wake yourself up first."


    You''re just asking for help.


    ...... Well, I hope it''ll give you a chance to start thinking for yourself.


    I don''t think you can suddenly fix your habit of being late.


    Well, I''m getting hungry. Let''s eat.


    "Yes, I guess so. So, what do you usually eat?"


    "Well, Senri''s been making things for me lately."


    You''ve got a steady grip on my stomach.


    Maybe he doesn''t even know he''s doing it. ......?


    I don''t know.


    I''ve gotten good at waking up early since I was thrown into the lifeguard corps.


    I know firsthand what kind of hell I would experience if I overslept in the extreme environment of the early lifeguard corps, so I have inevitably become good at it.


    "......"


    As soon as he wakes up, he gets out of bed and changes from his nightgown to his training clothes, and looks at the cogwheel.


    He is still asleep, as I should expect.


    "Hey, Koga, wake up!


    "Gooooooooooo ......"


    It''s morning. It''s time for early morning training.


    "Kaa......"


    I don''t see the slightest sign of getting up.


    Well, it''s no use. I''ve got a deal with him, so I''ll wake him up a little.


    I place the miniature healing bombs I''ve created in my hand under my pillow and take about three steps away.


    "3......2......1"


    "Gboo!"


    "Yes."


    A few seconds later, the miniature healing bomb explodes under the pillow, and Koga, blown away by the shockwave, lands on the floor.


    "What the hell?¡¡Did Senri finally attack me in my sleep?


    He smiles and greets Koga, whose hair is shaggy from the shockwave and who is looking around him sleepily.


    "Good morning!¡¡Good morning, Koga!¡¡It''s a nice morning!


    "...... huh?¡¡...... Oh, oh, oh, are you trying to wake me up?


    It''s no use. He won''t wake up when I call out to him.


    Besides, Koger had given his permission.


    You''re disturbing the neighbors!


    "Don''t worry. I made it so it''ll pop silently. Go wash your face.


    "Where the hell are you going, ......?"


    Coga heads toward the sink, letting out a morning sigh of melancholy.


    As I watch him go, ...... there is a knock at the door of my room.


    "......?¡¡This early in the morning?"


    Could it be .......


    Koga can''t come out right now, so maybe I''ll take his place.


    So I unlock the door and open it.


    As I had expected, Senri, the princess of the kingdom of Nirvarna, is standing in front of the door with a smile on her face.


    "Good morning!¡¡You finally woke up by yourself today!¡¡This is also because of my efforts..."


    "Ah, Senri-sama. Good morning. You''re early.


    "...... Usato?¡¡Oh, that''s ......?"


    She looks at me and is dismayed. Like Koga before her, she looks around and then checks the door once more.


    "Senri? You''re still as smart as ever, aren''t you?"


    Koga, who has washed his face here, comes out still looking sleepy.


    Seeing him, Senri-sama speaks to him with a trembling voice.


    "Usato-san, what is this ......?"


    "There''s been a lot going on, so we''ve decided to come over here from the dormitories."


    "Hey, listen, Senri. This guy woke me up from my sleep with a burst of healing magic."


    I''m sorry.


    "I was so surprised. ......"


    ...... hmm?¡¡Something is wrong with Senri-sama.


    Is it possible that he is angry with Senri-sama for taking away his job of waking up Koga?


    "I''m sure of it now."


    Hmm?


    So you''re my mortal enemy. ......!


    "......, at least I know I''m misunderstood."


    You''re starting to sound just like the previous coggers.


    But I understand that I have been misunderstood.


    At any rate, let''s clear up the misunderstanding of Senri-sama, whose eyes have begun to glaze over.

 400 - - 352nd episode.

    After clearing up the misunderstanding with Senri-sama, who had come to wake up Koga, the three of us, including Senri-sama, headed for an early morning training session.


    On the way, we met up with Mr. Nagi, who did not know the location of the training, and the four of us proceeded through the city.


    This is the second time I''ve met you face to face. Koga."


    "Uh, yeah."


    Nagi-san talks to Kohga as they walk through the deserted early morning streets of Verhazal.


    Senri-sama''s eyes narrowed as he spoke to Mr. Nagi, but Koga did not notice and looked somewhat disappointed.


    I don''t have a very good memory of you, you stabbed me with your sword and robbed me of my magic..."


    "Oh, haha ...... sorry about that."


    "Well, we were enemies, so I''m not as concerned about that as I should be."


    The situation at the ruins is a situation.


    Mr. Nagi was not exactly himself, and as Koga said before, he probably doesn''t care as much as he says.


    I''ve been stabbed in the stomach and the leg by you.


    "You don''t have to worry about that."


    It hurt like hell.


    I was in pain when you used me as a weapon.


    ""......""


    Both parties realize that there is no resolution to this conversation and fall silent.


    They have not fought many battles.


    "Mr. Koga, may I ask what your relationship is with this man?"


    "Yes.¡¡What relationship?


    Senri asks in a short silence.


    Kohga tilts his head curiously at the question.


    "No, this is the second time we''ve met, and to tell you the truth I don''t know him very well either. I know that he is strong enough to fight with old man Nero.


    Is that true?


    You''re being very suspicious of me. ......


    Are they being more cautious because of the early morning incident?


    While I was smiling at him from the side, Nagi-san casually approached me and called out to me in a puzzled manner.


    "Usato, this Senri girl is being very cautious of me, who is she ......?"


    This is the princess of Nirvarna, and she is here to find her fianc¨¦.


    "...... I see. That''s what I meant ...... young kids these days have such great momentum ......."


    Mr. Nagi muttered with some admiration.


    I say young people these days, but I don''t think Mr. Nagi is so different from us in terms of age.


    "I heard about Master Kannagi from your father. He is the same person who fought as the partner of the previous hero and is the founder of the Kannagi-ryu, the style of beastmen.


    "Kahaha ......"


    "Mr. Nagi?


    Suddenly, Mr. Nagi, who is holding his chest and puffing, startles you.


    I quickly support her and she blushes and her voice trembles.


    "Don''t call me the founder of this technique. ...... I didn''t come up with this technique to pass it on to future generations. ......


    "Yes, but the 12 kata used in Kannagi-ryu are recognized by Nirvarna as excellent techniques for all types of real combat.


    "Not only in Hinomoto, but also in Nirvarna. ......!¡¡It''s a nightmare ......!!!"


    I think the name of the technique is cool.


    I don''t want to say it out loud because it might damage Mr. Nagi.


    I''ve been supporting Nagi-san, who has been fainting in agony since ......, but what''s the point of her hand being wrapped around my arm so that I can''t move away from her?


    If even she doesn''t seem to notice, could it be the other Nagi?


    "Ha!¡¡Sorry ......"


    She notices with a huff and pulls away from me, but I''m not angry, so I laugh it off.


    "I don''t mind at all. Are you the other Nagi?


    "Ummm...yes... I''m really having a hard time with her moving my body without my permission.


    I know it''s hard, but it''s good that the will born inside the brave sword is in touch with the outside world.


    As I smile at Nagi''s slumbering, I see our destination, the training ground.


    The training ground comes into view.


    Of course, Nero and Nagi will never really fight.


    If they did, it would be a disaster, not only for the training ground but also for the surrounding area.


    In fact, the forest where they fought in the last battle against the Demon Lord''s army had been mowed down to the point where there was not a shadow to be seen.


    Therefore, there is no way for Nero and Nagi to meet each other in early morning training, since they cannot cause trouble to the busy Demon Lord.


    "Dog Run" (Ðç×ß)


    She swings her wooden sword at the side with a low posture and evades with a leap.


    I landed on the ground with Ms. Nagi in my sights as she tried to follow up, and I held up my baskets as if to intercept her, radiating a wave of healing magic and sensing her healing.


    "Your reaction time has increased since our last meeting.


    "I''m reading your movements with the healing senses, you know."


    "...... phew!"


    She holds a wooden sword and smiles happily, then kicks the ground vigorously and comes close to us.


    She detects the movement not with her eyes but with her healing sense, and prevents it.


    "Even if I predicted this with my precognition magic, this is not what I expected!¡¡I wonder if her sensing ability is enough to even out the odds!


    "What!"


    I''ve fought against people who use precognition magic before.


    Jinya of Hinomoto and the other Nagi.


    They were able to fight because they couldn''t handle prediction magic well or didn''t have much experience in actual battles. ...... Now Mr. Nagi is different.


    He is a skilled fighter with foresight magic and has a lot of experience in real battles.


    It is not an easy opponent to defeat him just by using the healing sense to destroy his anticipation of his movements.


    Mr. Nagi, aren''t you forgetting something?


    What are you ......?


    That I know how to use the magic of premonition.


    I have not traveled with Amaco for a long time, as well as experience in battles with wizards of foresight.


    I also know how to deal with them.


    "What?¡¡The other me is letting out a frightened voice. ...... What are you going to do?


    "I''m going to bug you with a series of tricks."


    "....... What do you mean!"


    Without replying to her surprise, I stepped forward and unleashed a kick with the elasticity grant I had wrapped around my leg.


    "Healing elastic leg!"


    "!¡¡It has a wide range!¡¡And you can''t take it from the ...... front!"


    I jump to avoid the crescent-shaped magic bullet.


    He must have been forced to dodge it because it was a magic bullet made more viscous by elasticity.


    He dared to let it fly in the air..,


    "Healing blast wave!"


    "No hesitation at all!"


    Blow it up with an untargeted broadside!


    It should hit!¡¡Confident of this, he forced the wooden sword into the ground from his unprotected position in the air---and using it as a foothold, he plunged head first into the shockwave created by the healing explosion wave.


    "Ootorimawashi!"


    He blocked the shockwave backward with his bare hands!


    That''s the way to do it, Mr. Nagi!¡¡He won''t let them get the upper hand so easily!


    Then here''s what''s next!


    Is there more?


    He pulls his right arm out and gathers up his magical power.


    Crossing his arms in front of his face, he thrusts them forward and shoots a shockwave from his cage to the front with the light of healing magic.


    "Kurayii!¡¡"Strengthening healing eye-blindness!"


    "What?


    He must have known that the blindfold was coming because of his precognition magic, because before he could unleash the technique, he unleashes a palm strike to her meditated eyes.


    "Oh, no!


    She opens her eyes just in time to catch the palm strike with the hilt of her wooden sword and falls backward with the impact.


    It is also calculated to be blocked. ......!


    "What?¡¡Why did I get blown away ......!¡¡The hilt!


    Nagi-san notices the mini healing explosive attached to the hilt and immediately throws it to the ground.


    She turns her somewhat frightened gaze towards me as she sees the bomb that has caused a small shockwave and scattered particles of healing magic around her.


    "You seem to have noticed ......!"


    "I''m really going to use the tactic to attack the prediction magic."


    Unlike the devil, I knew you wouldn''t eat me.


    "I knew that if I kept asking you how you wanted to play this, I''d be left at your mercy."


    Then what do you want me to do?


    I''m just going to attack him!


    Nagi-san accelerated and approached me, as if to say, "This time, I''ll do it from here.


    It is easier for me to perform a technique if I attack from here, so it was tough for me to see her taking the initiative in attacking me.


    "Idora" (a kind of "I-dora")


    A crushing vertical slash.


    The blow, which is carried out by Nagi-san''s physical strength that is unmatched by beastmen, easily shatters a large rock. ......!


    However, this technique is only applicable to such a large swing!


    Healing Break!


    What?


    He restores the healing magic that had been weakened by the deterioration of the system and disrupts Nagi''s consciousness!


    Her senses, which are already sharp, suddenly widen, and she stops moving for a moment.


    She takes advantage of this moment and releases a palm strike.


    "I don''t understand what you did to me even if I predicted it. ......


    "Nooooo!"


    He ducked to the side!


    "If I know you''re going to do something weird, I can deal with it to some extent!"


    What do you mean by "do something weird" ......!!!


    She swung a wooden sword at me with her palm palm blistered, and she brought it down.


    "Got it!¡¡What''s that?


    The wooden sword slammed into "me", and after a moment of resistance, it was easily swatted away and sucked into the ground.


    Mr. Nagi was stunned, and tilted his head in confusion when he saw me kneeling about five meters away from him.


    "What?¡¡Usato, didn''t you just double ......?"


    "Healing afterimage fist...... was close,...... I didn''t think they''d even let me use the back hand, as expected."


    "If I may say so myself, I think you''re the only one who has played me this well: ....... Even hisago wasn''t this far......?"


    "Well, I''m flattered."


    "I''m not complimenting you, but ......"


    I''m glad you got your alter ego just in time.


    I didn''t expect him to respond to the healing collapse the first time .......


    "I think we''re done with this hand-to-hand combat."


    "Yes, I see. I think the other side has just finished.


    I looked in one direction in the training area and saw that Mr. Nero and Koga had just finished a mock battle there.


    Mr. Nero was talking to Koga, who was breathing a little unevenly, and seemed impressed with him.


    "You''re making interesting progress, Koga."


    "Oh, yeah. If you think you''re going to get away with this as easily as you did before, you''re mistaken. Old man."


    "...... I told you to stop being an old man."


    It looks like they''re done, too, so let''s take a break.


    "I knew it, but it was hard to deal with Usato when I took my eyes off him, because he kept adding new techniques that I didn''t know about."


    "Ha-ha-ha. But I was able to show you most of the techniques I developed here."


    "...... I''m sure there will be more. Well, that''s one of your strengths.


    Mr. Nagi smiles as if he is in trouble.


    I knew you were strong.


    I was able to bite him to some extent, but I guess I haven''t had enough training yet.


    As I moved with Mr. Nagi to the edge of the training ground where Senri-sama was, Koga and Nero arrived.


    "Koga, how did it go over there?


    "Koga, how did it go with you? But I think your new alter ego might be a little harder to handle."


    Is that thing working pretty fuzzy?


    It makes no sense to me that they seem to be moving at Koga''s will, but they move on their own without him telling them what to do.


    I think it''s dark magic.


    "I think it''s an advantage to be able to simply put them in a two-on-one situation. It''s an alter ego, so it can be used as a shield or a diversion, or it can be turned into a weapon and wielded."


    "That''s because you tried it on me."


    "....... Mr. Nero, may I have a hand in a hand-to-hand combat between me and Koga this time?"


    "Hey, you idiot, I bet you''re trying to shake me."


    I''m kidding.


    But it is true that it is a simple yet powerful ability.


    Simply one more alter ego with the same power as Koga.


    I wonder how the magic of the cogwheel has changed. Let me see it."


    I don''t care.


    The shadows at the feet of the cohort grow longer, and a blackened human figure emerges from them.


    It has the same hair and horns as Kohga, but now it is standing still, not even moving.


    "Mr. Nero, what happened to it when you attacked it?"


    "It had some strength. If it was damaged to a certain degree, it would regenerate itself and come back to you."


    "...... pain and so on. ......"


    "No, not at all. I can feel the magic power being sucked out of it as it regenerates.


    Does it regenerate by consuming the user''s magic power?


    If it consumes it automatically, you have to be careful about the consumption of magic power. .......


    "Isn''t it strong if it has self-regeneration?"


    "You shouldn''t say that!"


    "Yes, it is. I don''t think you should say that about Usato-san, who has healing magic.


    Koga and Senri pointed this out to me.


    "I think everyone is forgetting that healing magic is not an offensive magic, right?"


    """"What?


    I didn''t expect everyone in the room to be tilting their heads at me.


    There is a serious difference in perception between me and those around me. ......?


    "What''s so funny, Mr. Nero ......!!!"


    Nero smiles at me as if to say, "What''s so funny, Mr. Nero?


    Koga stops me with a puzzled look on his face.


    What''s going on all of a sudden?¡¡Don''t get involved with an old man!


    "I''m not an old man!"


    "That''s right, Kohlga. There are some things you can say and some things you can''t."


    It''s not right!"


    Nero seems to be enjoying the ...... hmm?


    She taps Nagi lightly on the shoulder and speaks to him in a slightly hushed voice.


    She talks to me in a slightly subdued voice. "Are you getting along with Nero Agence somehow?


    "Yes, I got to know him during this early morning training, but he''s quite a funny guy inside.


    She is a person who does not mix her private and public life, though she did not seem to show it at all to her apprentice, Amira, and was very strict with her.


    "I probably don''t know the Demon King either, so if I get a chance, I''ll try to stir things up."


    "You''ve got a lot of guts to go stirring things up against the Demon King. ....... It sounds like fun, so can I come with you?"


    "Of course."


    After making such a promise, he once again returns his attention to his cohort alter ego.


    Well, I probably won''t have that much time, so maybe now is a good time?


    "Back to the subject, would you like to investigate Koga''s magic at this time?


    What do you mean?


    How much can we do or not? If we don''t know that, we''ll be in trouble when the time comes, won''t we?


    "That''s true. I''ve been using ...... vaguely, so I don''t really know all the details.


    The dark magic is too diverse compared to the existing magic.


    The dark magic of Koga is no exception, and it is not surprising that there are some hidden abilities and characteristics.


    "Let''s see who can touch it anyway..."


    I''ll take care of it.


    "I''m looking forward to working with you."


    "Hey, do you have my permission?"


    Before I can finish, Senri-sama raises his hand.


    I am surprised at her surprisingly fast reaction time and decide to leave it to her.


    "Mr. Nagi, may I ask you to use your precognition magic?


    "Sure. I will see to it that the princess is not in danger.


    "Thank you."


    I doubt that Koga''s magic will harm Senri, but just in case.


    Without any hesitation, Senri-sama grabs Koga''s alter ego by the hand.


    Nagi doesn''t say anything, so we watch in silence, but ...... nothing happens.


    "Koga-san is accepting me without any resistance......!


    "Stop saying it in a misleading way!


    "Dark magic is a magic that reflects the depths of the user''s psyche, so it''s safe to assume that Koga may be saying a lot of things with his mouth, but somewhere deep down inside he''s accepting Senri-sama without thinking ill of her!"


    "Usato, you!¡¡Don''t use this opportunity to explain so quickly!"


    Well, Senri-sama''s behavior was not as disgusting to Koga as he said it was.


    Maybe Kouga doesn''t know how to treat people like that since he had been through a lot when he was a child, and that''s why he reacted the way he did.


    "Can I touch you too?"


    "Hmmm, can I touch you ......!¡¡Can I touch you ......!


    "Are you being competitive ......?"


    Are you still considered my sworn enemy?


    He touches the shoulder of Koga''s alter ego with a slight pull.


    ......Well, just like Senri-sama, nothing happened... but wait a minute, my alter ego is transforming on its own!


    "Hey, Koga!


    No, I didn''t do anything!


    "Oh, ...... his dark magic is like that."


    Nagi-san smiles a drawn-out smile, as if by precognition magic.


    There''s no danger if she doesn''t stop him, but Koga''s alter ego continues to wiggle and morph in his hand... until it finally transforms into an ominous-looking club.


    """""......"""""


    While everyone is silent, I hold up the cudgel that has been created in my hand.


    "I see, so you didn''t want to be pushed around, so you let your alter ego do it for you. That''s an interesting idea, Koga.


    "No, it''s not funny at all!¡¡I just realized what my magic is and I can''t hide my shock!


    I don''t know how I came to this form.


    If Koga and I are going to fight together, this can be a part of our tactics.


    I hope I can put ...... healing magic on it and make it have the same effect as a healing punch. ...... Let''s give it a try.


    "!¡¡This alter ego, healing magic works ......!¡¡That means that the regenerative ability can also be compensated by healing magic!


    "Wow, so I don''t have to use my magic power when I regenerate.


    The alter ego itself is also strong.


    My healing magic can compensate for regeneration.


    That means .......


    "Can I use my healing guard even if I don''t have any enemies to shield ......?"


    "...... Wait, what did you just say?¡¡Did he say shield enemy?"


    "Usato. What is this disturbing technique?¡¡I''d like to hear about it while we''re at it. ......?"


    "Yes, my old enemy after all. ......!"


    "......, as always, you''re hilarious."


    It seems we''ve developed a hell of a tactic.


    I can change the shape at will, and when I have some free time, I may consider working with Koga.

 401 - - 353rd episode.

    After the early morning training, I was summoned by the Demon King.


    I went to the Demon Lord''s office with Ms. Nagi, who said she would come with me, expecting that we would probably have a talk about this exploration.


    "You''ve been making a lot of noise again since this morning, haven''t you? As usual, he is a man who is never short of topics to talk about.


    Nagi-san and I were taken to the usual study, where Ciel-san brewed us a cup of tea and we had a conversation with the Demon Lord.


    "Was it noisy after all?


    "I don''t mean noisy. I don''t mean noise, but it''s already an accepted rarity in this place.


    Rare.


    Then Mr. Nagi, who was sipping from a cup next to me, spoke to me in a hushed voice.


    "Usato, do you do that every morning?"


    "Well, Nero-san is quite patient with us in our training, isn''t he? Amira-san sometimes comes too.


    Mr. Nero is so busy with his work during the day that he does not have time to train, and the early morning training is a good way for him to exercise his body.


    "Usato-san is also very well accepted here, you know.


    Ciel-san, standing by the Demon King, chuckles.


    "Definitely not as a human being, though. The people''s impression of you is something different from a human being.


    "Huh, so what is the common definition of a human being?"


    "A person who behaves in a sensible way, which you don''t do, approximately."


    .......


    "I guess we''re going to have to admit defeat here."


    "It''s frightening to me that you think you have a chance to win."


    "Usato...... even Hisago has never had a demon king say he was horrible......"


    I was drawn to the Demon King.


    Nagi-san was also drawn to me. What is this sense of defeat?


    Kannagi was very quick too.


    "How could I be indifferent to his antics? So, let me hear your thoughts on Shea Garmio.


    Nagi-san lets out a sigh and asks the Demon King.


    I told him about Shea, but I think he wants to hear the Demon Lord''s thoughts too.


    "I can''t say at this point. He is, after all, a man. It pains me to put it this way, but I don''t understand what he is going to do. ...... just like this guy."


    "......?"


    The demon king points a finger at me and I turn around, but there''s no one there.


    "What''s wrong with pointing at someone you can''t see?¡¡Are you out of your mind?"


    "Can''t you see that you''re the one who''s lost?"


    "......"


    "......"


    "You two, please calm down as this is going to get complicated."


    Ciel rebuked me.


    Mr. Nagi opened his mouth, slightly taken back by me and the Demon King, who stared at each other silently.


    "It''s unreasonable to expect you to understand what he does.


    "In the first place, there are too many contradictions between his thoughts and actions. At least the man you and I know is not the kind of man who would act in a way that makes no sense, planting his memories and magic on people who have nothing to do with him."


    ...... This is all something you don''t have to ask Shea about.


    She only has the memory of Mr. Hisago, and it is very likely that she does not know why his power also came to her.


    "It would be useless to ponder the thoughts of that idiot any further. Let''s move on to the main topic ...... about the purpose of this search."


    Well, of course.


    If it''s just a few days before departure, the reason you were summoned is to check on the search.


    The general objective is to explore the demon territory, right?


    "That''s the bulk of it. But there are other things to do.


    Here the Demon Lord holds up three fingers.


    "One is to retrieve the fragments of my power that may be in the realm of demons. The second is to protect Shea Garmio. The third is to confirm the presence or absence of intelligent life in the demon realm.


    "Intelligent life forms ......?"


    "In a nutshell, it''s a subhuman, or a demon with a mind like your messenger."


    Maybe it''s because we''re in uncharted territory, or maybe we don''t know what we''re dealing with.


    Is there such a thing?


    I''m sure they existed before the seals were put up. They seemed to stand idly by and watch the conflict between humans and demons.


    "Oh, you were there?"


    Mr. Nagi seemed surprised, as if he had never heard of them.


    An intelligent life form living in the realm of demons, huh?


    I know I''m not going there for fun, but there''s something exciting about that kind of thing in a man''s mind.


    Like Bigfoot or something.


    By the way, were there subhumans there at the time?


    "Elves. They weren''t interested in human conflict in the first place, so they retreated into the deep forest.


    "Elves ......"


    When you say "elf", you mean the same as Frana.


    Maybe I should think of them as different from the elves I know.


    But that''s only if they are.


    "As for the third one, you can consider it as a bonus. Concentrate only on the search and the retrieval of the fragments of my power."


    What about demonic intervention?


    "It''s inevitable, but they''re not much of a threat if we''re careful. You and Kannagi are a threat to the demons, and your fellow demons have turned against us.


    If anything, it is Mr. Ahl and the dark wizard twins who are a threat.


    Currently, the demons on the enemy side don''t seem so dangerous to me.


    Rather, Mr. Aur, who is supposed to be on my side, is more troublesome to me in a different way.


    So... I''m talking about the members of the search party.


    "The captain, Koga, leads me, six men, and Hanna, who is in charge of understanding the terrain and so on. Then Nagi, who arrived yesterday, and Amako ...... I thought I had narrowed down the number of people because we were going to explore a dangerous place, but there were quite a few of us."


    "Considering that there are people with precognition magic, there should be no problem even if the number of people increases a little. ...... hmm."


    The demon king put his hand on his chin and looked worried about something.


    I was puzzled by his expression, and then he looked at me again, as if he had come to a conclusion.


    "There was a dark magician girl named Keira, wasn''t there?"


    "What?¡¡Yes, yes.


    "You can take the girl with you."


    What is he talking about?


    There''s no way I can take Keira to a dangerous place.


    Amaco, who has been there and done that, but .......


    "All you have to do is protect her. The girl''s dark magic is immeasurably more useful. Her ability to fly and store and hold supplies in other spaces is perfect for this quest.


    "...... You must have a pretty high opinion of it for you."


    "Not only do I appreciate it, I''m even paying attention to it.¡¡There are very few dark wizards in the long history of the world who do not use magic for the purpose of combat. Kannagi, you know what I''m talking about, don''t you?


    Well, yes.


    Nagi-san nodded his head in confusion when the Demon King asked him to speak.


    "Even a very small number of them have the ability to protect themselves. Among them, it is not a rare case that they have developed the ability for others, even to the extent that they have the longing to fly in the sky.


    Frankly speaking, I was surprised that the Demon King had so much to say.


    And that Keira and her magic are so important to him.


    "...... I don''t like the idea, but I will check with Keira and her guardians. This much is non-negotiable."


    "Yeah, that''s fine."


    ...... Do you want to ask Gref''s place at night?


    The Witch King says that I can protect him, but there''s no guarantee that he won''t.


    "Have I told you some of what I know? Do you have any questions?"


    I ponder a bit over what the Witch King says.


    At the moment I don''t have any questions.


    All I have to do is explain the details of the search to my men again. ......


    "Oh, by the way, can I ask you something about manipulating magic power now?"


    What?


    "If you combine strain degradation and strain enhancement, they''ll rebound and explode. ......


    "...... what?"


    He looked at me like, "What is he talking about?


    Is that it?


    Am I too far ahead of my time in magic?


    I''m not sure.


    It didn''t take much to explain the search to my men.


    Since they were soldiers who used to belong to the Demon Lord''s army, they understood the expedition mission very well, and it was quite easy for me to explain it to them.


    At that time, I told them about the demons we would be facing and about the fragment of the Demon Lord''s power we had been asked to retrieve.


    I don''t understand why they are calling me a symbol of fear in a roundabout way, but I guess their minds are not so easily influenced by demons.


    Here comes the problem.


    I have to ask her and her guardian, Mr. Gref, if they are willing to accompany Keira to the demon''s territory.


    Keira may say she will go with us, but Mr. Gref, who must be well aware of the dangers of the demon realm, may not agree.


    "I''m going to explore the demon territory!


    "Well, if Keira says she''ll go, I won''t object.


    "Is that ......?"


    D¨¦j¨¤ vu?


    Keira''s reply reminds me of the exchange with Ferrum when we were heading for the demon king''s territory, and I can''t help but make a funny sound.


    Yeah, yeah, maybe I''m the only one who was worried about this. ......?


    "I trust you, you know."


    "...... Keira, are you sure you''re okay?¡¡I''ve been recommended to you by the Demon Lord, but it''s perfectly okay if you refuse?"


    I''ll go with you if I can be of help. It will be a good experience for me too.


    Perhaps I''m the one treating you too much like a child?


    "Before I came here, I traveled all over the demon king''s territory. I''m used to dealing with demons to some extent.


    "When Usato-san saved me, it was usually a close call, though. ......"


    "That''s because I screwed up and got hurt."


    ...... I believe Keira was traveling around the Demon Lord''s territory with Mr. Gref.


    In that sense, she''s probably more traveled than the average adult,...... or even more traveled than I am.


    "And I don''t leave my cloak unless I have to."


    Do you keep your magic?


    "Unless you do a big transformation, the magic power consumption is very low."


    It''s similar to the dark magic of the ferme.


    Or rather, dark magic is very fuel-efficient.


    What about sleep?


    "Sleeps in a cloak."


    "Is that okay ......?"


    "I don''t think so, since it didn''t break when I was sleeping normally."


    Is that it?¡¡Is this the one that''s all influenced by Ferrum''s dark magic ......?


    That''s because the only two dark magic users she has to refer to are Koga and Ferrum, but ...... is it possible for them to be this much alike?


    "Usato. Have you finished dinner?


    "Oh, no. ......"


    Then you can eat at my place. Don''t be shy, okay?¡¡Rum and Rose will be happy to see you.


    "Well, then, I''ll take advantage of your hospitality."


    With a smile on his face, Mr. Gref gets up from his chair and goes to the kitchen to prepare dinner.


    Koga is probably eating what Senri made, so he should be fine.


    "...... I still think it''s a bit of a dream."


    What is it?


    "The fact that I am able to live a normal life. ......


    I immediately understood what Keira was trying to say.


    The child of a dark wizard, who was subjected to the malice of his own parents by being sent to the abomination, is now able to live a normal life.


    Considering Keira''s past circumstances, I can understand her feeling of dreaminess.


    "If I had not met Usato and the others at that time, I would have fallen into darkness. I would have hated myself even more, and I might have been swallowed up by the dark magic and ...... made a lot of people unhappy."


    "It didn''t come to that, did it?¡¡You''re here now, and that''s all that matters."


    I know that "what if" worlds exist.


    Just as there is a world in which I became desperate after losing my senpai and Kazuki, there may be a world in which Keira falls into darkness as she says, after letting Gref-san die in front of her eyes.


    But that is just a hypothetical story and has nothing to do with Keira who is in front of me right now.


    "That''s why I want to help someone just as much as you do."


    "You mean ...... Shea?"


    "...... yes."


    She nodded her head.


    Keira is the only person besides me who has actually met Shea.


    I had heard about her situation with her, so I could understand why she was concerned.


    "She''s a lot like me."


    I guess Keira''s reason for wanting to accompany us on our search is also out of concern for Shea.


    ...... We will be leaving for the realm of demons in a few minutes.


    The search is important, but more than that, I am worried about Shea''s situation in the realm of demons.

 402 - - 354th episode.

    The morning of my departure for the realm of demons.


    I was carrying the luggage I would take with me on my expedition in front of my dormitory at the training center.


    "Is this everything, Usato-kun?"


    "Thank you, sir. I am sorry for making you help me so early in the morning.


    When I thanked Uluru for helping me with the luggage, she waved her hand to the side with a wry smile.


    "Hehehe, it''s okay, it''s okay. It''s you who has to do the hard work, so I have to do my part, too!¡¡You''re doing a great job, Keira-chan!


    "No, no, no. ......"


    Keira turns her head shyly as she is patted on the head.


    Uluru''s reaction makes her smile even more.


    "Usato-kun. I always wanted a sister.


    "Olga-san will cry."


    "I''m going to have a sister-in-law soon, and I think it''s a good time to have a sister-in-law too."


    "What are you talking about with a straight face?"


    I''m not trying to make a sister-in-law as a bonus.


    Why do you usually act so normal, but at times like this, you turn out to be the same vector of weirdness as your senpai?


    "Maybe I shouldn''t take her to the Lingle Kingdom..."


    "What!"


    "No, you can''t."


    "Eh ......"


    For some reason, Keira looks disappointed.


    Some people call us kidnappers, but it''s no good if the lifeguards really do kidnap people.


    "Keira. The Kingdom of Lingle is a nice place.


    "Is that so ......!"


    "There are all kinds of things for sale, from the unusual to the delicious, so you''ll have a great time!"


    "Wow. ......"


    I don''t think he will, but I''ll have to stop him when Mr. Uluru tries to take Keira back to the Lingle Kingdom.


    Keira, interested in the story of the Lingle Kingdom, now asks Mr. Uluru a question of her own.


    "So how do you get into the lifeguard corps?"


    "....... Usato-kun. Let''s not recruit kids into the lifeguard corps, shall we?"


    "You''re too much of a liar. ......!!!"


    Uluru-san, who has returned to her normal state of mind at once, advises me with a straight face.


    Keira has a high aptitude for the rescue squad, but you wouldn''t invite her to join the rescue squad without regard to her situation. .......


    "No, Usato. She would not have asked you to join the lifeguard squad if she didn''t think that you would be interested in her. ......"


    "During the trip?¡¡Is that true?¡¡Mr. Usato?"


    "Yes, that''s true. ......"


    "...... hmmm."


    There were a lot of circumstances at the time of the knack.


    I also thought he would be a good fit for me at the Rescue Mission.


    I''m sure he''s still training and helping at Olga''s clinic.


    "I''m going to go get Bulrin, since everyone should be here by now.


    I''m sure Nack is doing his best, and I should do what I have to do.


    With that in mind, I head for the stables to pick up Bulrin, who is probably there before Koga and the others arrive.


    I was going to take Bulrin to the stables before Koger and the others arrived.


    After packing our bags, we waited for a while and then Koga, Amako, Nair, Nagi, Hanna, and six other members of the team gathered.


    I was a little relieved that Koga had arrived on time, even if the members of the group were not.


    I had a lot of baggage to carry, since we might be exploring for a few weeks,


    "Here they come!"


    "Yeah. I''m glad you got up on time too."


    "I had to get up early because of your bomb and Senri''s radicalized attack. ......!!!"


    It''s your fault for not waking up.


    I pass by the shivering Koga and check the members of the group again.


    It''s me, Koga, and six of my men.


    Then Keira, Hannah, Amako, Nagi, and finally Bulrin.


    "First of all, ...... Keira, may I have the magic?"


    "Yes!"


    A cloak made of black magic pops out from under Keira''s feet and is placed over my shoulders.


    With a somewhat familiar motion, she directs the edges of the cloak to deform as she throws the supplies on the ground inside the cloak.


    "That''s really convenient.


    "I see Keira''s magic has changed in the little time I''ve been away. ......"


    Hearing the voices of Nair and Amako, he throws all his supplies into the cloak''s interdimensional space, ignoring all the laws of mass and the like.


    What is amazing about this is that the weight of the cloak does not change at all.


    Like Ferrum, dark magic is truly a mysterious magic.


    Usato!


    "Hmm?¡¡Yeah, come in."


    The first preparations are completed when Keira jumps into the cloak, which is lightly spread out.


    The rest of the luggage is to be carried by each of us.


    "Kohga, we''re done here, you take care of the rest."


    "Oh."


    Since the captain is Koger, I report to him and urge him to proceed.


    With a cough, he stepped forward, looked around at his men, and opened his mouth.


    "You guys are leaving today......... well......... yeah, haven''t you forgotten anything?"


    Without hesitation, I put a light blade to Koga''s head.


    "What the hell are you doing?


    "You''ve got to be sharp!¡¡You''re an ex-corps leader!


    I don''t have a choice!¡¡I couldn''t think of anything to say!


    I couldn''t think of anything to say!


    Coga was not very happy, but strangely enough, his men did not seem to have changed at all.


    "No, I haven''t been his subordinate for a long time.


    "I was like this when I was a corps leader!"


    "Unchanging."


    For Elle and her colleagues, who were originally Coga''s subordinates, it was something they had grown accustomed to.


    You ...... have been such a chatterbox since you were a corps leader. .......


    "This is more of what I''m going to ask Senri-sama to do for me."


    "Geez. ......"


    "Anyway, we''re about to leave, so please grab your stuff."


    On behalf of Coga, I would like to explain that each of you will carry the luggage that you have prepared.


    This is almost the same as an expedition, so in addition to the supplies I will store in my cloak, each of you will be expected to carry your own luggage.


    "Amaco will be on Bulrin''s back."


    "Yeah. See you soon, Burlyn."


    "Guah!"


    It is reassuring to have Bulrin protecting Amaco, who lacks mobility.


    In addition, with Bulrin''s sense of smell and Amako''s precognition magic, we are sure that we will never be in an accident.


    "As I told you the other day, we will move to the front of the demon''s territory by the end of the day. Don''t forget to hydrate yourself as you run.


    "...... Yeah?¡¡Uh, excuse me. Mr. Usato.


    "Yes?¡¡Ms. Hanna, what''s wrong?


    She tapped me on the shoulder, looking around as if something was bothering her.


    "Let me ask you a question, of course you are traveling by horseback, right?¡¡When you said earlier that we would be riding to our destination, you didn''t mean to mishear me, did you?


    No, that''s not it.


    "Oh, you must have misheard me. I didn''t think you would run from here to there..."


    "You only have to run until you enter the realm of the demons."


    "....... Are you an idiot?


    Hannah, whose voice was raised, was pressed by me.


    She grabbed me by my bosom and brought my face close to hers, her eyes very desperate.


    "I am an ordinary demon, unlike you!¡¡Normal demons are!¡¡They don''t run 24/7 or run as fast as demons!


    It''s funny to say, but Hannah is a common demoness.


    Her physical abilities are not as good as those of my well-trained subordinates.


    Amako-chan is the same way.


    "Oh, I''ll have Bulrin carry me on his back, don''t worry."


    "Guh."


    "Well, what about you, Nair?"


    "I''m not going to run because I''m attached to Usato''s shoulder."


    Amako on the bullring and Nea hopping on my shoulder like an owl, Hannah pointed to herself in dismay at the sound of my voice.


    "And me?¡¡You want me to run too?


    "If you want a ride to your destination, I''ll be your candidate!¡¡Don''t worry!¡¡I''m sturdy and I squeak a lot!


    "Miss Elle. Please keep your mouth shut about that evil child educator next to you.


    "Yes, yes, yes."


    "Mugugugu!"


    You can never be too careful.


    She looks sideways at Elle-san who is covering Veena-san''s mouth, then looks at Hannah-san.


    Of course, he is thinking about Hannah.


    "Don''t worry. I have a plan."


    "...... Really?"


    "Yes. ...... Keira, I''m going to change the shape of the cape."


    >


    He inflates the cloak and transforms the edges of the cloak into a chair-like shape.


    He holds it out in front of Hannah and asks her to sit down.


    "Please sit down."


    "......"


    She sits down in the transformed chair with a disgusted look on her face, and I move her behind me so that we are back to back, and then I enclose her with the roof and the walls.


    A snail, I suppose, is an easier way to picture it.


    "There we go.


    "Which part?¡¡None of this makes sense to me.


    "Now you can move around while looking at the map, right?"


    Yes, but...!¡¡Yes, but ......!¡¡I''m annoyed that it''s so stable ......!"


    I always run with a burin on my back, so the weight of the burin is nothing to me.


    "There is another way, do you want to hear it?"


    "In a manner of speaking..."


    "I guess we can leave it to Koga''s alter ego and have ...... Nagi carry it on her back."


    "By the way, I was scared out of my wits when Kannagi was carrying me on his back."


    "Oh, Amaco ......?"


    Neither of them seemed to be in any danger, but Hannah, looking distressed, sighed in resignation.


    "Huh, this is fine."


    "I''m sorry. I thought it would be difficult to take the horse to ......."


    "No, I understand. I don''t want to be too selfish."


    ......At least we''re all ready to go.


    I check my men once more and turn back to Uluru.


    "Well, Mr. Uluru. I''m off.


    "Yes, see you later!¡¡See you all later!


    Uluru sees us off and we start running to get out of the city.


    Running as fast as we can here would cause trouble for the people in the city, so we run lightly, and as we do so, we hear the voice of Hannah on our backs.


    What is that?¡¡Isn''t this surprisingly easy?


    "It''s partly because I''m using the magic of tolerance, but her upper body doesn''t shake at all, doesn''t it?


    I do it consciously, too.


    When we leave the city, let''s go as fast as we can to our destination.


    We don''t know what lies ahead until we enter the realm of demons, but we can be sure that ...... there will be something beyond our expectations.

 403 - - 355th.

    We were able to arrive at the demon territory from Velhazar without any accidents.


    Well, there was the fact that Nagi-san with her precognition magic and Bulrin with Amako were leading the way, but in any case, we would have been able to fight off ordinary demons without any difficulty.


    But according to Mr. Nagi, such an impossible method cannot be used in the realm of demons.


    Well, we are not going to ignore the terrain and so on, since our purpose is to search for them. We will also use the detection abilities of Veena-san and myself, who can use our magical senses.


    Hanna-san. Are you okay?


    I''m not. ......


    We decided to take a rest when we arrived at the front of the demon''s territory in order to embark on the search in perfect condition. ......When I saw Hannah on her knees in front of the fire, depressed, I laughed at her.


    It is already dark around us, and Koga is sleeping in the camp tent we set up with his men who had just taken over the watch.


    "I was wondering why you didn''t talk to me during the night... I was surprised to see you sleeping normally.


    "The dark magic is covering the area around us, and we''re not shaking at all, so I found myself falling asleep. It''s the worst."


    "I had noticed, but I didn''t want to wake you. ......"


    Hannah nods as if even more depressed by Neah and Keira''s words.


    "Well, I''m a lifeguard. That''s because I have special training to reduce the burden of injured people.


    "Was there anything in Usato''s training that wasn''t special?"


    Running.


    "That''s normal, but it''s just a word. What''s inside is something else.


    I guess that''s what I mean when I say "speak with no teeth".


    Amako''s sharp criticisms are still coming back to haunt Hannah, who is still depressed.


    "But I was releasing healing magic to everyone in the group, so that might be part of the reason.


    "I''m pretty sure that''s why. ......!!!¡¡I was feeling strangely calm, and then I went to ......!"


    I was running at the front, so I could release healing magic behind me to spread the magic to the rest of the squad.


    Maybe Hannah, who was right behind me, was affected by it.


    "But Usato, are you sure you can handle consuming that much magic?"


    "Yes. I''m going to enter the realm tomorrow. ......"


    Hmm?¡¡Oh, I haven''t told you two about the strain degradation yet.


    "I''ve recently developed a technique called ''lineage degradation'' so we can conserve magic power."


    "...... Eh, lineage degradation?¡¡What''s that ......?"


    "It''s a strange technology that goes to the trouble of degrading one''s own magical properties. He used it to reduce the amount of magic he consumes and make him more efficient.


    "Yeah. ......"


    "Hmmm... I''m not surprised at this level of surprise. You don''t know how much he''s done in the past month. ......"


    Nair, looking somewhat dusky, sighs as she looks away from the campfire.


    Mr. Nagi gives her a subtle look.


    "I''ve often used up all my magic power and fainted in my battles.


    "I used to fall down after every battle, like on the trip to hand over the letter."


    "What do you mean how many times does a monster with healing magic run out of magic and collapse ......?"


    The troubles we encountered were rather unusual. .......


    I can see why Hannah might be a little put off.


    "If research on this strain deterioration is advanced, it may reduce the number of people like Olga and Aruk who suffer from the strength of their own magic strain. And maybe even dark magic users."


    "What, a dark magician?"


    "Yes. If the magic is going to run out of control, then the danger will be reduced if the nature of the dark magic itself is reduced.


    "...... That''s not impossible."


    So this systemic degradation has more possibilities than you think.


    "Well, the research has been left to Mr. Welsey of the Lingle Kingdom ......."


    "Wellsey, I''m sure they are screaming back home. I mean, from the text that was sent to me, it was pretty good."


    I honestly feel bad for Mr. Welsey.


    No, really, I felt more so with the statement after sending the report of the ...... system degradation.


    "Mr. Usato, you are lying, aren''t you?"


    "Lineage degradation?¡¡I haven''t finished my study on the detection of magic power yet.


    "Is it a new technology again?


    "......"


    "Would you like to come with us, even if you are also the vice president of a lifeguard corps?"


    I was almost recruited by the kingdom''s official wizard.


    Although I had the skills but no knowledge of magic, I declined the offer, but I thought I would actively cooperate with them when I returned to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "I don''t have any specialized knowledge of magic itself. ......"


    "I don''t have the knowledge, but my very existence is strange. You know what? Your body is so strange that when you die, they''ll use it for research, right?"


    "Don''t be afraid to say that. ......"


    I don''t even want to think about what happens after I die.


    That''s why we can''t allow those demons to take advantage of Mr. and Mrs. Ahl''s corpse.


    "Well, I don''t think you''ll die except of old age. Oh, I could turn you into a vampire before then.


    "I didn''t know that joke was still going on. ......"


    You said that before.


    When you were returning from your trip to deliver the letter.


    I feel something a little chilly when Nair smiles at me without saying he''s joking.


    "But I''m really curious to see the look on Halfa''s face when she sees Usato.


    "...... indeed."


    I wonder how the demon-eyed Mr. Halfa sees me.


    I wonder if he is still doing well in Luxvis .......


    Well, enough about me, I wonder if Amaco, who was riding on the back of ...... Burlin, is all right?


    I''m not sure if he''ll be okay on his back, since the ride on Bulrin''s back isn''t very comfortable, to say the least.


    Amaco is not tired?¡¡I''m sure it was a bumpy ride on his back, wasn''t it?"


    "I''m used to it, so don''t worry if you rest. And it was less bumpy than Kannagi''s back.


    "Hey, Amako. Does that mean I was like a raging bull when I carried you on my back ......?"


    "Because you were bouncing around, climbing the walls vertically, and behaving in all sorts of amazing ways. ......"


    Nagi-san, his cheeks drawn back, drops his shoulders.


    It must have been such a messy journey for him to get from Hinomoto to here in almost a day.


    For our part, we were glad that the two of them came so quickly.


    "But if you''re going through the demon''s territory, you can''t move as forcefully as I can, can you? We would simply get lost in the forest and we wouldn''t know what kind of demons might appear.


    We nodded to Nagi''s words.


    "Nagi and Amako''s precognition magic, Bulrin''s sense of smell, and myself and Veena''s magic sensing. With these three, we should be able to handle most situations.


    "......It sure looks like you can handle anything that comes your way. We have me, you, and Koga in terms of strength. ......"


    As far as strength is concerned, we have more than enough.


    From the devil''s point of view, Nagi-san is really scary.


    "Huh. ......"


    Keira lets out a sigh of relief as she thinks about this.


    "Usato-san ......"


    "You can go back to sleep if you don''t mind."


    "Yes. ......"


    Keira rubs her eyes and slips into her own cloak of dark magic.


    The cloak of dark magic moves of its own accord and is attached to my shoulders.


    "Yeah. Good night."


    "Hey, wait a minute. ......!


    "Hm?"


    Amako, who had been watching the exchange, speaks to him.


    "What''s wrong, Amako?"


    "I don''t know, I want to ask him so many questions, but I can''t say anything. ......!"


    "?¡¡......Oh, I heard that Keira''s dark magic can keep you asleep in it, just like Ferrum''s. Apparently, she''s influenced me."


    "...... Maybe that''s not an influence. ......"


    I wonder what he is muttering about.


    It''s almost time for my shift, and I should get some rest for tomorrow.


    I''ve got to get some rest for tomorrow.


    After making camp and getting everything ready, we attempt to enter the realm of the demons.


    The demon territory and the demon king''s territory are separated by a precipitous cliff, and we must first descend from the cliff in order to enter.


    Well, this did not take much time since it was just me and Keira carrying everyone''s luggage and dropping off everyone except Koga and Mr. Nagi who could get down by themselves.


    "You''re a good vehicle, aren''t you?"


    "Uh-uh, Sean. ......"


    "Nono-san, can you stop crying every time you remember flying ......?"


    The last group of people, Elle, Nono and Veena, are placed in the deformed cloak and carried down the cliff.


    ......We correct Elle''s words with some doubt that Ms. Veena, a demon, should be able to fly normally, but she doesn''t.


    "It''s not me that''s good, it''s Keira."


    <<


    "Is that so?"


    ...... I''m pretty sure I''ve never seen Keira carry anyone alone.


    <


    "So it could be that if Keira herself grows up, your magic will also become that much stronger?"


    <>


    The growth potential is amazing.


    I can understand why the demon king is paying attention to it.


    However, if my physical abilities are reflected in the cloak, I might be able to use it in a different way from Ferrum''s assimilation.


    "Well, are we all down?"


    "Oh. Let''s get going from here.


    The cliffs lead down into a deep forest.


    The atmosphere is obviously very different from that of the Demon Lord''s territory, and Bulrin, who is standing beside me, expresses his alarm.


    "As I told you before, we will be moving on foot from here. In the lead, my healing sense, Bulrin''s sense of smell, Amako, and Nagi''s precognition magic will be used to search for the enemy.


    Grooo!


    Yes.


    I''m on it.


    Leading the way are those with excellent search-and-rescue capabilities.


    Well, in this group, my healing sense is more like a demon sense.


    Nair is by my side in owl form without me having to tell her what to do, and Keira is in her cloak from the get-go.


    "Hannah, you''ll get a feel for the terrain and location. Elle, Nono, Kevin, Wal, and Sein will guard her.


    Yes, sir!¡¡Captain!


    "No, Usato is not the captain."


    "What can I say, I never thought I would be guarding Hanna-san again."


    "Well, if I''m going to do it, I''m going to do it right. Nono, please be my shield.


    Hanna-san looks somewhat good-humored as her subordinates reply in a brisk manner.


    She seems to be in a good mood.


    "Koga is at the tail end of the group. If you want to avoid fighting with demons, I will use your alter ego as a decoy.


    "Oh."


    The cogwheel is the most important role.


    He must see to it that no one strays from the group.


    "Um, Mr. Usato... Am I?"


    Veena, you''ll be in the back, searching the area with your magic detector. Let''s go!


    "No!¡¡You know how to handle me!


    I was going to mention Veena-san after Koga, but she asked me so anxiously that I teased her.


    Well, it seems to have raised her motivation, so I''ll just say that the result is all right.


    ......What''s waiting for you?


    At last we have entered the realm of demons.


    At first, it was supposed to be a favor from the Demon King, but I''ve got a lot of things on my mind---first of all, I want to make sure that Shea is safe.

 404 - - 356th episode.

    All I have to do is to figure out the terrain and make a simple map.


    I am aware that I am responsible for the next objective of the search, which is to secure resources in the demon''s territory, so understanding the terrain is essential.


    .......


    When the Demon King''s army was defeated, I thought that my future would be nothing more than a fool''s errand.


    It was only natural that I should be so, since I was a war criminal who had contributed to the defeat of the Demon Lords by leading Usato and his party underground and guiding the Brave Men of Light.


    A large demon rushed in from the front. Usato, use your magic bullets to get its position.


    "Hmph!"


    Amako, who has precognition magic, follows her words and instantly throws a magic bullet forward.


    The magic bullet disappeared into the trees at a tremendous speed, and a popping sound was heard.


    "...... confirmed by the healing sense. All of us except for me and Nagi will give priority to escorting Hannah as planned. Koga will be your backup in case of an emergency.


    I don''t think you have to worry about that either.


    Usato and Kannagi jumped forward at the same time, smiling back at Koga''s light-hearted comment.


    At the same time, Nono and the others who had been escorting me take up weapons and move into a fighting stance, with me in the center.


    "BUGULOO!!!!"


    A bull demon, larger than a blue grizzly bear, appeared, knocking down the trees.


    The bull, whose name I don''t even know, lunged toward us in a straight line with its two horns protruding...,


    ""......""


    Usato and Kannagi grabbed the left and right horns of the bull at the same time and stopped its rush by forceful techniques.


    The bull was bigger than a blue grizzly, about three times the size of the blue grizzly. ...... To be more specific, it is so big that Nair, who is flailing around on Usato''s shoulder, looks like a pea.


    They probably weigh more than even those wyverns.


    The fact that these two are in human form is a mystery to me.


    "Nooo ......!"


    "Haa......!"


    "Boogoo!¡¡Bugoo!


    The two of them, their faces hidden by their bangs, their arms clamped around the corners, let out an exhale.


    No matter how hard it tries to move forward and kick the ground with its hind legs, it is blocked by the two''s rigidity, and the demon, which is not even allowed to move forward, comes to its senses and lets out a bewildered roar.


    Hmph!"""


    "BUGOOOOO!!!!!!!"


    Oh, I threw it away.


    The raging bull demon is slammed back down to the ground, looking at the scene in front of him as if it were someone else''s problem.


    The monster seems to have fainted from the impact.


    "...... Okay. It''s big, but not so big that you can''t handle it.


    "Yes. If they come in numbers, it might be troublesome, but if it''s just one person, we can control it like this.


    What is it with these people?


    My cheeks twitch at the sight of Usato and Kannagi having such a conversation as if nothing had happened in front of an unconscious demon.


    "Hannah-san. Are those people really made up of human beings?


    "......"


    I can''t even reply to Nono''s words.


    I''m more concerned about that than she is.


    "Oh, good work. Two people with such stupidity together is a showy sight!"


    "Don''t say ''bakaryoku. ...... Koga, have you seen this monster?


    "No, I don''t think so. No, no, I don''t think so.


    At Koga''s words, Usato looks at the monster again and puts his hand on his chin.


    "Well, let''s call him Twin Hornbull from now on. Twin Hornbull for short.


    "Don''t do that, you poor thing. ......"


    Usato, a self-proclaimed healing magician.


    Kannagi, the partner of the previous hero.


    Koga, former commander of the Second Legion.


    I thought ...... was usually overpowered.


    I felt so relieved that I was a little taken aback by the fact that they were so well-prepared for the battle.


    I''m not sure if this is a good thing or not.


    After taking sketches of the attacking demons and recording the ecology of the unidentified demons, we were to proceed through the forest again.


    As we did so, Usato-kun pulled out an iron stake from his cloak and stuck it into the ground as a marker for the next stage of our search.


    In parallel with this, I had to keep track of the terrain, so we inevitably had to move on foot.


    And I had one more thing to do.


    "Hannah-san, would you like me to fly a little higher?"


    It''s to see the demon''s territory from the sky.


    I had to check the route ahead, see if there were any landmarks, and look for a safe route.


    At that time, Usato, wearing Keira-chan''s magic, flies into the sky carrying me on his back, just as he did the other day.


    "This height will be fine. Please give me some time to sketch.


    "Yes, sir."


    On top of the wide open cloak, I put a notebook and a pen from my bag on my lap and start to take a picture of the view from the air and the rough topography of the area.


    Then Nair, who was standing on Usato''s shoulder, peeked at my drawing.


    As if following his lead, Keira-chan came out of the cloak in which she was sitting.


    "Wow, you''re good!


    "You''re good at it. ......"


    "I can write as well as anyone else."


    "You seem to be writing very smoothly for such a person."


    Well, I used to take pictures of the flowers in my flower beds that I grew. .......


    Although his writing skill is not that of a hobbyist, he should be able to show the general topography of the area.


    .......


    "When I think of the time when the Demon King''s army was defeated, I can''t believe I''m in a place like this right now."


    "Is that so?"


    I honestly thought it would be worse.


    If the Demon Lord had been killed, the demon tribe would have been treated more harshly than it is now.


    Thanks to the fact that this did not happen, the demon tribe is better off than before, although they are still under control.


    If only ...... had been a decade earlier, my sister would be .......


    "...... no."


    Don''t even think about it.


    My sister is gone.


    That is a fact that can never be changed.


    "If we had a Demon King, the demon tribe would not be in a situation where they are oppressed. If necessary, I will let the Demon King treat me..."


    "What is it that you have to do for the demon tribe?"


    "Because I have made my own decision."


    I turn around at those words.


    He was flying in the sky, arms folded, his eyes fixed not on me but on the scene far ahead.


    Seeing this, I let out a sigh of exasperation and then chuckle.


    "Usato-kun, you really are an idiot, aren''t you?"


    "I was suddenly abused. ......"


    Physically and mentally ...... values are too different in every sense of the word.


    This is probably an anathema even without the otherworldly aspect.


    I mean, how can there be so many people like this out there?


    "......!¡¡Keira, in the cloak."


    "!¡¡Yes!"


    "?¡¡Usato-kun, what are you--"


    As if a cloak of dark magic had wrapped itself around my body, my body was swung around with tremendous force.


    The next moment I realize that Usato-kun has flown away, and my vision is filled with a flock of blue birds that I can''t even begin to count.


    What?¡¡What is that ......?"


    They were all trying to hit us at once from the position they were flying in, right?


    The blue bird, which began circling in a whirling motion---a large bird demon similar in color to a hoo-bird---was constantly threatening us with a wild cry.


    "Hoo bird?¡¡No, it''s a little different.


    "Maybe it''s a mutant. Maybe they''ve evolved to withstand the harsh environment?¡¡Usato, they''re turning on us.


    "Yeah, ......, I know."


    I don''t want to believe that such a burly and ferocious looking bird is a hoo-bird. ......!!!


    "Uh-uh, Mr. Usato!¡¡Why don''t we go down to the ground?


    "While we''re down there, we''ll be attacked again. It will attack us again, so it''s better to deal with it once.


    How can you be so calm?


    You are younger than me, aren''t you?


    Usato-kun replies, looking around at the flock of blue birds similar to foo-birds hopping around in the air.


    "It''s more dangerous to be upset with a monster.


    "Why am I bothered when you are right about me ......!!!"


    As Keira chides me, the demons attack again.


    He dodges it with a little time to spare, and talks to me with wind pressure that has made my hair a mess and the space between the top and bottom of my head blurred.


    "Be careful, it''s going to sway."


    "Oh, it''s shaking!¡¡What''s more shaky than this? ...... Kya?


    The cloak that is enveloping me deforms even more and is fastened to Usato-kun''s back.


    On top of that, it transforms into a box-like shape that covers me from the wind pressure, creating a rectangular frame that I can barely see out of.


    <<<<<>>>>>


    <>


    From there, you are swung up and down, left and right, and even upside down.


    Nair had cast a resistance spell on me, which may have helped a little, but it was still quite a shock.


    And then I realized.


    I realized why Usato had run away from Verhazal even though he was wearing a cloak that allowed him to fly.


    In his case, running on the ground is much easier than flying, which he is not accustomed to.


    "Healing blast wave---three in a row."


    The moment I heard the name of the technique, which was terrifying just to hear it, I was like, "Boom!¡¡and three flashes of green light against the blue sky.


    The monster screams and the flapping of its wings becomes distant.


    After a few seconds, the cloak of dark magic that had been covering me is lifted, and my vision, which was already a bit hazy, opens up.


    "You can never be too careful, even in the sky. This is a paradise for demons.


    As we are descending to the ground, I hear Usato''s muttering.


    There are no more demons around.


    I am tempted to take a little revenge, even if it''s not your fault.


    I talk to him on my back, hanging limp, regardless of my acting.


    "Usato-kun ......"


    "I''m sorry. I''m sorry if my flight was a little rough..."


    I''m gonna throw up.


    "......E"


    <<>


    I guess this is why people say I have a bad character.


    But even though I''m used to flying on a wyvern, I''d want to get even with him if he swung me up and down and left and right like that.


    "Oh, yeah, let''s get on the ground ...... right now!¡¡We''ll drop you off somewhere away from the squadron, can you hold out until then?"


    Well, just seeing Usato''s panicked look was enough to make me feel better..,


    >


    "Ugh ......!!!"


    It was really heartbreaking to see the good intentions of the counter explode in such an unexpected way.


    I was only aiming at Usato-kun, and I didn''t mean to cloud Keira''s face. ......!!!

 405 - - 357th episode.

    Roughly three days have passed since I set foot in the realm of demons.


    It is natural that it takes time for us to move around while exploring, but we are frequently attacked by demons.


    We choose a place to rest at night to avoid being attacked, but we were still attacked by demons in the dark several times.


    Well, even then we were able to deal with them without any difficulty because one of us, Veena and I who have magic perception and Amako and Nagi who have precognition magic, were on guard. ...... That''s how harsh the realm of demons can be called a harsh place.


    The place is a harsh land.


    And now we are being chased by a pack of demons.


    Large, green-haired, monkey-like creatures.


    I sigh once more at the sight of countless demons running across the land, jumping from tree to tree, chasing us.


    Venom Monkey. I miss those demons..."


    It reminds me of the time I fell into the forest with my seniors.


    The one that is chasing us now is much more ferocious than the one that chased us then, though it is built like a gorilla.


    While I was wondering what to do, Amako, who was running next to me, called out to me.


    "Usato, what are you going to do?¡¡Even if we defeat them, other demons will come in to sidestep us.


    "I guess so. There are so many signs around here.


    "Ugh, Usato-kun!¡¡Oh, that thing is sending poisonous mucus at us!


    Hannah, who is carrying the baby on her back, shouts as she points behind her.


    "Mr. El!


    I know!


    At the sound of my voice, Elle, who was following behind me, activates her wind magic and drops the poisoned liquid that has been blown away.


    It would be troublesome if the others were poisoned, let alone me.


    Nono-san''s water magic will probably be able to make it slide away, though...


    "Well, it probably doesn''t make sense. It looks like that monster can climb trees.


    If you do it, you''ll take them down for sure.


    But that would be a hassle if we had to deal with other demons as well.


    We''re not here to destroy the environment, and if we can avoid fighting, we should do so.


    "Okay. This is ...... Koger!¡¡Send out your alter egos!


    You''re using me as bait?


    Yes!


    Let''s use it as bait.


    Since we have already talked about it, KOGA will create an alter ego immediately.


    It looks like a black alter ego in the shape of KOGA.


    Nair, binding spell.


    Yes, please.


    "Thank you."


    ...... Okay, we''re ready to go.


    I remove my gaze from his palm and touch the shoulder of the alter ego of Koga who appears alongside me, then I grab his arm.


    "Hmm?¡¡What did you just attach...?"


    "Well then, I''m counting on you!"


    He swings his arm in a wide arc and throws it at the demon chasing him from behind.


    Mistaking him for someone who has failed to escape, the demons begin to swarm around Koga''s alter ego.


    "It''s working well as a decoy. It''s very complicated.


    At the moment Koga mutters with a blue face while looking behind him --- a green flash and a shockwave explode at the place where the demons are swarming, and the pile of demons is blown away.


    "Where''s ......?"


    "Yes."


    Everyone except me, Nair, and Amako turn around looking stunned, but I''m glad we made it anyway.


    "I attached a healing explosive to the decoy before throwing it at them. I''m sure they won''t chase us now."


    "Do you know how much you just did to ......?¡¡You even attached a bomb to my alter ego in the shape of me and used it as a decoy. ......?"


    "It''s okay, it''s healing magic."


    "Don''t think that healing magic will always exempt you from ......!"


    It''s tactically effective and, more importantly, it doesn''t harm us.


    Well, I''m not so sure about the humanitarian aspect of it.


    "This is me and Koga''s friendship tag team move. Healing altercation blasts."


    "Hey, can I hit you?


    Now that we''ve separated the hordes of demons, let''s find someplace safe to check out where we are.


    Usato, Koga, I see something up ahead.


    "Hmm?"


    Nagi''s voice made me look ahead.


    I saw man-made structures that were clearly different from the view of the demon''s domain, where I had only seen trees.


    "...... Mr. Nagi."


    "It looks abandoned. It doesn''t look like it''s been inhabited for a long time."


    It looks pretty old when you get up close and look at it.


    It is a solid rock structure, but too small to be considered a ruin.


    "Mr. Hanna. Should we investigate this place?"


    "......Yes. Wouldn''t it be better to camp here in time?"


    It will be dark soon.


    I nodded to Hannah''s words and looked at Coga.


    "Hey, you guys, go check around and see if there are any demons around.


    """Yes, sir, sub-captain!"""


    "No, I''m the captain, okay?"


    I''ll let my men take care of the perimeter.


    Hanna and Nair are already looking at the ruins.


    I''d like to investigate ...... too, but I''d like to ....... first.


    "Let''s get the camp stuff out of the way..."


    <>


    The cloak is opened and the tent and sleeping bag used for encampment pop out from the inside.


    That''s it.


    "Now if only there was a watering hole. ......"


    "I can hear the river running nearby, so it''s there."


    If Amaco, who has a good ear, says so, it''s definitely there.


    Well then, while we''re at it, let''s check the location of the watering hole.


    "Mr. Nagi, Koga. Amako and I will go check the watering hole.


    "Oh."


    "Yeah, you got it."


    With the two of you, Hannah and Nea will be fine.


    With Amako on my back and Bulrin on my back, I head in the direction of the sound of the river.


    "If there''s a river near that ruin, it must be ...... a place originally intended for someone to live, right?"


    "I think so. I think so. I don''t think it''s a ruin because of its size."


    Isn''t it a bit harsh to live in the realm of demons?


    At least as far as we are concerned, it would be difficult to even live properly in a place infested with ferocious demons.


    "Is there an intelligent life form living in such an environment ......?"


    I thought they were gone.


    <<


    But the fact that there was a building here certainly means that someone lived here.


    To the untrained eye, those ruins don''t look like they are hundreds of years old.


    "It depends on what Nair and Hannah think. I think a lot depends on how old the building is."


    "Yes, I think so. I''m sure Nair will find something, and I''ll leave it to him.


    I know Nair and Amaco know how good he is.


    She may be a bit out of it, but she has never failed us at the critical moment.


    "...... while we''re talking. I see the river."


    In my ears I hear the sound of the river and ...... also the sound of a falling waterfall echoing from nearby.


    I walk through the trees to an open area and find a large area that seems to be the basin of the waterfall.


    "Oh, we''re in a pretty big place, aren''t we?


    "Yeah. The water is clean and not too deep, so we can take a dip.


    We can get drinking water if we boil it, and it''s pretty good that we can get water here.


    Immediately, Bulrin, who was carrying Amaco, puts his mouth to the water and starts to drink.


    "Bulrin, can you drink it?"


    "Gah!"


    "...... seems to be okay."


    I nodded at the cheerful sound of the bullfinches, and Keira stepped out of her cloak and peeked into the water.


    "It''s beautiful water, isn''t it? There seem to be a lot of fish in it.


    "The rich nature here is also different from the demon king''s territory, isn''t it?"


    I knew that on the way here.


    But now that the power of the Demon King has been removed, the land of the Demon King''s domain will eventually return to normal like the others.


    Well, we don''t know how many years it will be, but it''s nature.


    "Well, now that we''ve checked the watering hole, let''s go back. If we stay too long, we might run into the demons who came to drink the water.


    "Yes."


    "That''s true."


    Keira nodded at my words and entered the cloak, and Amaco got on Bulrin''s back.


    When I returned, I asked Neah and Hannah how things were going ...... and then---,


    "...... hmm?"


    A tingling sensation makes me turn around.


    I feel like something is watching me .......


    It''s not a demon.......


    "Usato?"


    <>


    Something''s watching us. Amako, stay alert.


    "!¡¡Yes."


    My skin crawls, or I have a strange sensation of being observed, and I float multiple magic bullets in my palm.


    I don''t know if they are trying to attack us or not, but let''s find out first.


    "Healing Magic Rampant Bullets - Applied Version!"


    The bomb envelops a --- in the manner of a healing bomb.


    After confirming that there are multiple magic bullets packed inside the translucent magic bullet, I swing the volleyball-sized magic bullet as hard as I can.


    "Healing diffusion bullet!


    I meditate and throw the magic bullet at random.


    After Keira''s surprised voice, the magic bullet flies diagonally upward.


    After a few seconds of flying in a heap, the magic bullet bursts in mid-air, and the healing magic bullets that came out of it bounce down to the ground.


    The particles of healing magic that fell to the ground affect the living creatures on the spot, and I can feel the sensation.


    "...... people?"


    Among the several reactions, there is one that is clearly different.


    It was a human-like figure, not like a demon, that seemed to be in a panic and was about to start running.


    At that point, we can assume that it is a subhuman or something, but the humanoid suddenly changes its appearance.


    "...... What is it?¡¡A demon?¡¡Or is it something else?


    The figure of the "something" that was touched by the healing magic particles I threw at it expands greatly, and I see it run away from the spot with beast-like movements.


    "It''s fast beyond human speed. It rivals those tough guys!"


    "Hey, Usato. You strong-faced humans ......."


    He is lost in thought as he goes through Amako''s tsukkomi.


    "...... going after it?"


    He unfolds his cloak and gathers strength in his legs.


    I know where he is, and I know where he ran off to.


    With my legs and Keira''s magic, I''m sure I can catch up with them. .......


    "...... No."


    We shouldn''t be chasing them.


    We can''t leave Amaco and Bulrin behind, and most of all, we can''t go alone.


    It''s not a good idea to go off the beaten path in a place where we don''t know the left and right sides of the road.


    Usato, what did you find?


    Something was watching us. It''s out of our range, so there''s no point in chasing it.


    "......, I think there''s going to be some trouble here, too."


    Hey, why are you looking so far away from me?


    I have a feeling that something troublesome is going to happen, but it''s not my fault, okay?


    "Shea?"


    If she had noticed us, she would have contacted us immediately. ...... or is she in too much danger to allow that?


    If so, it would explain why her magic is light magic and not something that changes her appearance.


    ...... only deepens the mystery.

 406 - - 358th episode.

    When I returned to the place where Nair and his men were, I found that they had finished checking the surrounding area and that my men had returned and were preparing to set up camp.


    As might be expected after a few days of work, Elle and her men seemed to be setting up the camp quickly and efficiently without any need for my help.


    "Amako, I''ll talk to Neah and Hannah, and you tell Nagi and Koga about the river.


    "Yeah. Okay."


    As I leave Amako, I see my men magically fortifying the encampment with their magic around the camp.


    To prevent demons from entering the camp, Wal built a wall around it with rock magic, and then Kevin reinforced it with wood magic to make it a barricade.


    Sein turns the soil around the barricade into mud to protect it from the attack of the demons.


    It may be simple, but it is a solid defense.


    With these thoughts in mind, I offer some words of thanks to my men.


    "Please take a rest when you are done setting up. I will cast a healing spell on you later.


    """"Ha!"""


    "Thanks."


    "Yes, sir."


    I nodded at the replies of my subordinates and looked at Ms. Vina, who had been searching for us with her magic sensing.


    "You can take a rest, too, Ms. Vina, okay?"


    "No, I can still work hard. A demon like me is allowed to be used more..."


    "....... Are you going to disobey your superior''s orders?"


    "Hyun, I will obey. ......"


    I don''t know. I feel like I''m becoming more and more like a power-harassing boss every time I learn how to handle this guy.


    That''s not true at all.


    With a sigh, I approached the abandoned house that Nair and Hanna were checking out, and I saw Hanna looking at the wall of the abandoned house and twisting her head.


    "Hanna-san?¡¡What''s wrong?


    "Oh, is that you, Usato-kun? I have something interesting to tell you. ......"


    Interesting?


    I tilted my head and looked at what she was looking at, but all I saw was a plain old wall.


    "Well, what''s interesting?"


    "The structure of this building."


    Structure?


    If you look closely, you can see that the structure of the visible part of this ruin is similar to a brick structure.


    That''s all I could make out.


    "????"


    "Hah ...... I''ll explain it in a way that you, silly Usato-kun, can understand. I really can''t help it.


    I was met with a "Oh dear," kind of response.


    "The structure of this ruin is quite similar to ours in the Demon Lord''s territory ......."


    "So you''re saying that this was made by demons?"


    "Normally that would be the case, but it incorporates a different building method from that of the demon tribe.


    Another, sir?


    Look up there.


    I looked up just as Hannah said... and was amazed.


    There was another remnant of a treehouse-like building on top of the ruins that had been built next to the big tree.


    You have to look closely to notice it, since it is almost completely destroyed, but there is indeed a house built as if it were an addition to the tree.


    "The demons rarely build houses on trees," he said.


    "What if it was built to survive in this environment?"


    "It is possible. However, I am a little concerned about ...... the similarity between this tree top living environment and that of the elves."


    "Elves?"


    ...... I believe the Demon Lord said something about the Elves diving deep into the forest to avoid the damage of war.


    "The elves are subhumans who live in the deep forest. Their settlements are said to be built not on the ground but in the trees to protect themselves from the attacks of demons. You know them, don''t you, Usato-kun?"


    "Yes, that''s right. She has the same magic as Hannah, and she is also an elf.


    The elf I know would be Frana.


    I met Frana''s father a while ago.


    They had the same magic of illusion.


    Another one is the only daughter of the chief.


    "Why is the only daughter of a chieftain on the battlefields of the Lingle Kingdom ......?"


    ...... No, wait, why are the demons here, let alone the elves?


    The demon king''s army led by the demon king must have been quite dangerous at the time.


    So why would they build a building that looks like a communal building?


    How long has this building been in existence?


    "According to Mr. Nair, who is inside the ruins, it was built about a hundred to two hundred years ago.


    "......"


    ...... was built hundreds of years after the battle between the Demon King and Mr. Hisago was over.


    I''m even more confused.


    What is it?¡¡Demons and elves coexisted in this realm of demons?


    Usato...


    "Yes?"


    Hanna-san calls out to me, making sketches in her notebook.


    ......Hannah''s eyes, which always look like she''s tired of her life, are very lively, aren''t they?


    "I''m in the middle of an important mission,...... but I''m getting a little excited."


    <>


    Keira lets out a stunned voice at Hannah''s words.


    I see, the mysterious ruins we found while exploring and the strange relationship between the demon tribe and the elf tribe that should never have crossed paths. ......


    "I understand."


    <<>


    You''d be crazy not to be interested in a mystery like this: ......!!!


    I''m sorry I don''t have any seniors here. ......!¡¡I''m sure he would have been more than thrilled to be there.


    "Now, I''d like you to continue your investigation, Hannah-san.


    "Okay. I''ll take care of it.


    "Okay ......, Hannah, is Nair in the ruins?"


    "Yes, she is. I think we should talk to her too. She''s made other discoveries than I have."


    Another discovery. Then we should go talk to him.


    I leave Ms. Hanna and step into the ruins through the half-destroyed entrance.


    The ceiling had collapsed to the point that it was barely functional, and Nair was in a place barely large enough for her to find a place to sleep.


    "You''re here. Did you find the river?"


    "Yes. It was a reasonably wide river with a slow current, so you can take a dip in it.


    That''s the best news I''ve heard all day.


    Did you find anything over there?


    Just about.


    Even this short time seems to have paid off.


    Nair, already in the form of a dark-haired, red-eyed girl, points at the ground with a wooden stick in her hand.


    "Here, take a look."


    "......They''re the remains of a bonfire."


    Charred tree branches on the blackened ground.


    If there was a fire, there would have been evidence of fire spreading to the surrounding area, and this bonfire is still fresh to begin with.


    It''s at least three days old.


    Is it that new?


    "Yes. Someone has definitely been resting here recently, just like us. And...


    Nair shows me a cloth-like object the size of a handkerchief in her hand.


    "Is this the wrapping used for food preserves in the demon king''s territory?"


    "Let''s check it out, shall we? Keira, may I ask you to take out the preserves inside the cloak?


    >


    As soon as she says this, Keira pulls out a rectangle-shaped preservative from her cloak.


    As I take it, I touch it to Nair''s and compare it with it, and see that the material of the cloth is almost the same.


    >


    I am relieved that the food is in a condition to go down my throat.


    It must have been difficult for Shea to get food in a place like this, so it was more than right that Keira gave him the food.


    "You might not be so optimistic."


    <>


    Why?


    "You see this rubble around the fire here? Just the right thing to sit on."


    Shea probably prepared the rubble large enough to sit on.


    They are arranged in "two" rows, with the fire in between.


    The fact that the other debris has been moved to the side of the wall indicates that these two debris were left intentionally.


    "Was Shea here ...... with someone?"


    "I have no idea who that someone is, though. Look, the footprints are different."


    One is a shoe and the other is ...... barefoot?¡¡No, they look barefoot, but are they wearing anything?


    I can tell the shoe is Shea''s, but the other one is about the same size as hers.


    "Is that a child or a woman with Shea?"


    "Most likely. ...... This is only a guess, but if she ate food here, she must have been reasonably careful about who she ate with, right?"


    I''d like to think there was someone there to help Shea.


    Maybe the guy who was observing us at the river earlier is ...... or maybe not.


    But just in case, I''ll tell Nair about it.


    "I was at the river just now and I felt someone''s eyes on me.


    "Oh, so what''s up with that?"


    "Well, I threw a healing diffuser into the air and tried to detect healing indiscriminately to find out who he was."


    Then Nair punched me in the chest without saying a word.


    The hand that punched me in the chest was painful, so I cast a healing spell on her as she held my wrist with tears in her eyes.


    "Nair, the healing spread was a spur-of-the-moment technique, I didn''t hide it from you. So don''t be so mad at me. It was my fault."


    "Don''t you understand perfectly the cause of my anger!¡¡And you know how to apologize!"


    That''s absurd. .......


    I''m sorry, but I can''t help it.


    Well, I can see that Nair is not really mad at me, so let me explain what happens next.


    "As it turned out, there was someone ......, but soon they didn''t look like a person anymore and ran away somewhere."


    "What do you mean, ...... you don''t look like a person anymore?"


    "Well, I can''t really say for sure, since I''m also on the healing senses, but it''s like it kind of swelled up and became a different creature?"


    "Is it a humanoid demon like me?¡¡If it was observing me, it could be that it was waiting for an opportunity to attack me.


    To be honest, all we know from the information we have now is that someone is aware of our presence.


    If they are not our enemies, that''s fine, but if they attack us, we will have to deal with them.


    I will make sure that everyone is informed about this.


    "That''s better. Oh, and if we look around, we might be able to find some trace of where Shea was headed, so we should look for that too.


    We can do that tomorrow."


    At night, demons are more active, so it is difficult to move.


    We must rest well until the next move.


    We need to get some rest until the next action.


    "Is it true that the captain is from another world?"


    Before dark.


    While the women were taking turns to take a bath, I was resting with my back against the burin at the campsite when one of my men, Kevin, asked me such a question.


    Wol-san, a large, lanky demon, was silently stirring the soup that would be today''s supper, and Koga was sitting around the campfire, like me, at leisure.


    "What, Captain, you''ve come from another world!"


    Sein, the newest member of the group, was surprised by this question.


    Unlike the other members, he had come from the countryside, which has nothing to do with the Demon Lord''s Army, so he had never heard of the term "otherworldly person.


    "Yes, that''s right. And the captain is Koga, not me.


    "Tell him more, Usato ......."


    In the case of me and Koga, our positions as captain and vice-captain are almost completely unrelated.


    "Are people from other worlds as strong as you?"


    "No, no, I''m not at all ordinary. In fact, it is because I trained here that I am the person I am today.


    "I mean, how can you get this far in just one year? How long have you been in this world when you first fought me?"


    Hmmm.


    The trip to hand over the letter took about three months. .......


    Not even six months.


    That''s too much.


    "Well, I''ve been through that much hell ......."


    I only remember bits and pieces.


    Maybe he was forced to move beyond his full strength at all times.


    Rose''s extreme training is the result of such recklessness.


    "But the two otherworldly heroes were also extraordinary people, so isn''t it natural to think that the otherworldly people themselves have some kind of hidden talent?


    "They were found to be heroes in the true sense of the word, you know. In the beginning I was just a student with the ...... potential for healing magic.


    "Kevin, this guy has no talent for magic or anything like that."


    Coga says with a laugh.


    Is he going to follow up with something?


    "I''m simply crazy...


    I fired a healing finger at the guy who said that, but he evaded my shot.


    "What''s so crazy about me, you bastard!


    "Don''t you realize it, you bastard!¡¡Don''t you remember what you usually do to me?


    The deeds ......?


    I can''t remember... I can''t remember too many of them!


    I''m talking to you!¡¡How many times have I been inconvenienced by your raids!¡¡I''m the one!¡¡I''ve been stabbed twice!¡¡Any normal man would be dead!


    "You''ve been swinging me around like a weapon, and trying to hit me with all kinds of weird moves!¡¡You''re not a normal person to begin with!


    What the hell did you say!


    I have nothing against you!


    Don''t talk to me like it''s a good thing!


    Me and KOGA are holding each other''s chests and glaring at each other.


    "Wal, Sein. I knew it, but you two are just like each other. ......"


    "Agreed."


    "Including the messed up things you''re saying: ......"


    To be honest, I am aware that we are both on the same side, so we sigh to each other and return to our original positions.


    "That''s sterile."


    "Yeah, let''s let bygones be bygones."


    There was a rotten relationship between us, but that changed after the battle was over.


    Now he might be considered a bad friend.


    "So. Usato. What about tomorrow?¡¡Should we continue our search?"


    "As for me, I want to follow the trail of Shea. If Shea''s goal is a fragment of the Demon Lord''s power, then we may be able to fulfill one of our goals by following her.


    We''ll definitely have to recover the by-product of the Demon Lord''s power fragments. .......


    "But you know what? Can you follow the trail?"


    "We''ll just have to find the footprints and try to go in that direction. The rest can be found at ......."


    He pats the back of the burin whose back he is resting on.


    "That''s where his nose comes in."


    "Guru ......"


    "I see. A blue grizzly''s sense of smell.


    It''s been days, and I don''t know if I can track him, but I think Bulrin''s nose might be able to track him to some extent.


    To begin with, Bulrin''s sense of smell can detect the smell of magic itself, in addition to ordinary smells.


    "Finally, I found a clue. We have to find her soon. ......"


    We got a lot today, but I''m still wondering who or what was watching us.


    We should ...... not hesitate to contact them the next time we notice them.

 407 - - 359th episode.

    The day after we found the ruins.


    We started to work when the sun came out and we had to make our way through the forest, following the shea footprints on the ground and the scent of the shea left on the packet of preserved food.


    "Burlin, can you follow the scent?"


    "Grua ......"


    "Subtle. But can you tell which way to go?"


    "Gru."


    "All right, let''s do this."


    If you know which way to go, just keep going that way.


    Along the way, we should find some kind of sheer footprints, so we have to pay attention to the ground.


    "I''m a beast, so I can tell you that Usato is fully communicating with Bulrin, right ......?"


    "We don''t understand each other.¡¡I can understand what he''s trying to tell me. I think you do, too, Bulrin."


    "Gua!"


    "I''m getting punched in the leg as hard as I can. ......"


    Mr. Nagi looks at me as I am being hit by Bulrin.


    ...... You''re not being honest with me.


    I sigh as Bulrin punches me in the leg as usual.


    "I didn''t feel that look yesterday, did you?"


    It''s not very accurate because I''m just going with my gut.


    If it were Rose, I would know for sure, but ...... I guess I don''t have that wild intuition yet.


    Amako, who is riding on the back of Bullein, calls out to me while I''m muttering this.


    "Is that hostility you sensed, Usato?"


    "Well, I don''t know. I think there was hostility, or maybe he was simply looking at me. ......I honestly think it would be fine if it was just my imagination."


    "Why?"


    "Because if they attack me, I have to deal with them, and if they are people who live here, it''s better not to take matters into my own hands."


    We want to build a good relationship with those who may live here for the future.


    "I know it''s hard. What Usato is trying to do now is..."


    "If I fail, I''ll be choked by the Demon King, so I can never fail. ......!!!"


    I don''t intend to fail, but I can''t stand to be played with by the Demon Lord.


    I have to do my best to keep him in the dark.


    "....... Kannagi, perhaps the Demon Lord''s impression of Usato is less formal than you thought?"


    "Ummm.... I think they were just beating each other up with words.


    "Well, ...... I can imagine. They were still punching each other at the end of the fight."


    It seems like a long time ago now.


    I don''t want to fight the Demon Lord again.


    Next time we fight, he''ll try to keep us away from him.


    "You can think of Shea as being drawn to the Demon Lord''s power ...... which is owned by the Devil."


    "It''s not a strange story considering the relationship between Hisago and the Demon King. It''s possible that in later times,...... well, it''s possible that Shea is the insurance policy in case you guys fail to defeat the Demon Lord in this day and age."


    Nagi''s words got me lost in thought.


    Then Nair, who was standing at my shoulder, opened her mouth, stretching out her mouth in a relaxed manner.


    "There might have been a discrepancy when the human side was winning and the Demon King, who was supposed to die, was still alive. Maybe they are trying to kill a fragment of the Demon King''s power in order to correct the discrepancy.


    "We''d better find him fast."


    The demon''s power is three in total in the demon king''s domain and the demon''s domain.


    One of them is with Lord Farga, and the other three are in the realm of humans, judging from the demon king''s words, but I''d like to retrieve all of those nuisances as soon as possible.


    "......usato"


    Amaco''s voice.


    I silently put on a baskets and radiate a wide range of healing magic that has deteriorated in my system.


    Somewhat later, Nagi-san, perhaps confirming this with her precognition, also puts her hand on the sword at her waist.


    "Everyone is ready for battle. Elle and the others will be asked to guard Hanna.


    "They all come at once, like they''re being driven by something. No, this is ...... not happening."


    Amako looks up at me after seeing a series of predictions.


    "Usato, put me on your back. I think he wants you."


    "What do you mean?¡¡I''m talking about the a..."


    Just as Nair is about to raise her voice in question, the ground rumbles so loudly that it shakes.


    It''s not a big tremor. But this is a lot of demons running toward us.


    Gah!


    ohohohoh...!


    Buuuuuh!


    With a yell, many large demons appeared, knocking down the trees.


    The common point among these sparse and inconsistent monsters is that they attack us, and that they rush toward us as if something is chasing them.


    If we stay quiet, we are the ones who will be crushed.


    I grab Amako''s hand as she reaches for me and move it to my back, covering her with my cloak as if to protect her.


    Dense formation three!


    >


    I yell out, and the members of the team form a defense, each using a different combination of magic.


    Wal, Kevin, and Sein formed a wall to protect us from the monsters'' assault, Nono shot a special water spell in front of the wall to destabilize our footing, and finally, Elle sent a cloud of dust flying to destroy the monsters'' vision.


    The coordinated moves performed with short instructions were enough to confuse the demons that had turned hostile and rushed toward us.


    "Koga and Nagi, please deal with the demons!¡¡Hanna-san, stay close to your men and use illusionary magic to disorient them!¡¡Veena-san, do this and that with your magic sensing!


    "Nn, your instructions to me are too confusing!"


    Maybe we don''t have as much time as we thought.


    There''s a reason why I decided it was better to fight with Amako.


    "Usato, they''re here!


    Right after Amako''s voice, the magic senses responded!


    A tiger-like monster, enveloped in a black flame, leapt out from the flanks at breakneck speed.


    Its size was well over 5 meters, and its angry eyes, which were visible through the shimmering black with white, were pointed straight at me.


    >


    "So that''s him!"


    The mysterious presence that was watching us yesterday!


    It''s about to slash at me with its paws in anger.


    That''s sweet!


    >


    As he does so, he thrusts out his right hand, which is wrapped in a cage, and holds it between his arms, using the momentum of the monster''s thrust to throw it backward.


    "Koga!¡¡I''ll deal with it!¡¡You take care of Hannah!


    "Oh, I''ll take care of her!¡¡And take her with you!


    His alter ego appears at Koga''s feet.


    I touch his alter ego as we pass each other and transform it into a basket hand that wraps around my left arm as I run through the crowd of demons in pursuit of the monster I have thrown away.


    >


    >


    >


    I wonder what that monster is.


    It looked like a big tiger with black flames.


    "Is that dark magic ......?"


    "Usato, is it happening again?"


    "Oh, dark magic users are a hoy!"


    <


    I don''t know why the little fox on my back and the owl on my shoulder have taken me aback.


    It''s not my fault that I keep running into dark wizards!¡¡I mean, it hasn''t been decided yet that the other party is a dark wizard!


    Usato, they''re coming from up there!


    Oh!


    I sense it too!


    While avoiding the monster that jumped on him from above, he fights off a succession of paw and bite attacks.


    "Usato, thanks to the healing senses, it seems we don''t need to anticipate its movements, so I''ll predict the behavior of the attacks and give instructions to Keira and Nair."


    Please!


    "The monster breathes fire from its mouth. Nair, cast a resistance spell. Usato, shockwave. Keira wraps a cloak around Usato''s right arm.


    Amaco is right, the monster opens its mouth and spits out a black flame from it.


    Amako douses the flames with her healing magic bursting palm, and then she meets the next paw with a hand covered in Keira''s dark magic.


    "Hmph!"


    With a forceful move, he sends his paw sprawling.


    Taking advantage of this momentary opening, he transforms the alter ego of KOGA clad in his left arm into a mallet, which he applies to the monster''s torso and hurls it away.


    >


    "It''s not just prediction, though. Keira is doing well, too."


    <>


    I didn''t send a letter of intent on this trip.


    We have a trusting relationship, and more than anything else, Amako is watching us very carefully, even without the magic of precognition.


    Now," he looks at the monster that is threatening us, clutching the mallet in his left hand.


    >


    "...... If you can understand my words, please don''t attack me. We mean you no harm."


    <>


    First, let''s see if the other party is willing to fight, and if possible, let''s not fight.


    If he is a normal demon, we can just knock him out and get the hell out of here.


    >


    You''re the one who talked .......


    So this monster has a will after all.


    Or maybe this thing was formed by some kind of magic and there''s someone inside.


    At any rate, the voice coming from the monster seemed to be that of a young child, just like Keira.


    .


    "...... How do you know my name?"


    What kind of recognition is that!


    I don''t understand why they treat me like a dangerous guy, let alone the fact that they know my name!


    "That''s great! That monster knows you so well. ......


    "It''s so loud!"


    Nair agrees!


    I get the impression that he''s white because I''m wearing a troupe uniform, but who told him about me in the first place?


    And why is this guy in front of me turning against me ......?


    "......!"


    Unexpected words.


    I throw words at the monster who named Shea.


    "You know her?


    >


    What do you mean ......?


    The monster is getting hostile, but we''re not taking Shea with us, we''re following its footsteps.


    But the monster in front of us doesn''t think so.


    >


    "Ah!"


    The black flames that it wears intensify as the monster flies across the ground.


    Despite its large size, the creature moves with great agility, lightly kicking at the trees and using them as footholds as it attacks me.


    Listen to me!


    >


    I tried calling out to it as I dodged its attack, but it wouldn''t budge.


    "That black flame. It''s like it can change shape. On the third landing now, it''s going to turn into a whip."


    "It doesn''t matter if you touch the flames!"


    "It''ll burn physically, but Usato''s basket hand can usually grab it."


    He waits for the third landing, aware of the information from Amako''s prediction.


    Just as she had predicted, the monster landed on the ground, its black flames flickering in its body and changing its shape to that of a whip.


    "Usato, what are you going to do!¡¡Are you going to attack?


    "I''ll just focus on evasion for now!¡¡Healing Afterimage Fist!


    With a quick and steady movement, he moves, leaving a residue of healing magic created by elasticity in his place.


    The whip, which is thrust out like a spear, only pierces the residues of healing magic left on the spot and does not hit me.


    >


    "Ranged attack. Shockwave will destroy it."


    "Aah!"


    As soon as the monster opens its mouth, it shifts into a healing blast wave and releases it before the black flames can be expelled.


    >


    The black flames spewed out before they could exert their full power, blowing them away in a shockwave.


    Aiming for the moment of stunned surprise, I shot a healing magic bullet filled with Nair''s binding spell directly at the monster''s torso.


    "Healing magic bullet!"


    >


    The movement is instantly stopped... hmmm?


    Just as the magic bullet strikes and the binding spell is about to erode the black body, the black flames from the area where the bullet landed are torn away from the monster as if it were splitting apart.


    >


    "......"


    If they are aware of the threat of healing explosive bombs, did they see us being attacked by Venom Monkey yesterday, or did they lure us in for today''s attack?


    Actually, they didn''t intend to detonate the healing bombs, but I guess adsorption-type healing magic is dealt with by being detached from the body like that.


    "Black flames, huh?"


    "It''s like you can choose what to burn because it doesn''t spread. And you can also detach it from yourself."


    This diversity is like dark magic.


    It''s also aggressive.


    "What are you going to do, Usato? It doesn''t seem to want to listen to us."


    "They''re probably ...... kids."


    It''s not an opponent that can''t be defeated.


    As for his ability, he is able to take the form of a black flame created by dark magic, and his physical ability has been dramatically improved.


    This is similar to the dark magic of Koga.


    "The only difference is that unlike him, he is too much dependent on his power."


    Coga looks like a power type, but he''s a technical guy.


    That''s what made him so hard to deal with.


    << Hit it!¡¡Hit me! >>


    "...... You''re just a kid."


    The whips come at us one after the other, and we use a mallet transformed from one of Koga''s alter egos to cleave them off.


    Or would it be faster to slash them?


    As he thinks about this, the shape of the mallet in his hand changes on its own, and it takes on the form of a scythe.


    "What?¡¡Why did it take such a dangerous shape?


    >


    "!"


    Without time to be surprised, the whip rushes toward us, and we cut off the tips of it by swinging it with the scythe with great force.


    This cut is too dangerous. .......


    "Black cloak and scythe...... Grim reaper Usato......"


    "Who''s the Grim Reaper?


    Nair''s inaudible mutterings.


    I am the exact opposite.


    I''m the one the Grim Reaper hates.


    I think to myself as I return the sickle to the mallet.


    "I don''t know what to do. ......"


    There is a way to pull out the contents by hitting the healing fist with a gouge, but ...... that''s too bad and I''m going to reject it.


    I''m not sure what you mean by that. I think it''s better to make him calm down."


    <


    "......"


    You''re right.


    We don''t know what the relationship is between her and Shea, but her disappearance has made him mentally unstable.


    "I guess we''ll just have to do it."


    If you want to do it, you have to drive him to unconsciousness in an instant.


    It is too dangerous to go out of control any further due to the nature of dark magic.


    >


    The monster, numb, leaps at me with its whip flying.


    I try to avoid it, but... I step forward and catch it as if defending myself with a mallet.


    >


    He tries to crush me with all his weight, but ...... sweet!


    That kind of weight and force is not enough to crush me at all!


    I''m stronger than you!"


    "I''m used to it, but Usato''s body is strange."


    "It''s true, but it doesn''t make sense, and it makes me laugh."


    <


    >


    Maybe Amako is protected by the cloak on her back, but from this girl''s point of view, she''s hearing four different voices from me. .......


    >


    "Oops. ......"


    The whip is thrust out while the two are still in a locked position.


    I let go of the mallet that the monster is biting and step back.


    >


    "...... yeah, right."


    I see him throw away the mallet he was biting on the ground, and I decide to try to persuade him for the last time.


    "I won''t do anything bad to you. But I can''t guarantee that if you keep doing this.


    <<>


    We''re looking for Shea, too.


    <>


    It''s not so much that he can''t talk to me, it''s more that he thoroughly sees me as an outsider. ......?


    Has this girl ever met anyone other than Shea or me?


    I don''t know what to say, but her obsession with Shea seems out of the ordinary.


    <<>


    "......"


    If you are ......, then you don''t have time to waste your time here.


    I decide that further questioning and answering is pointless, so I let go of my posture.


    "......Sorry."


    With that apology, I give instructions to the alter ego of Koga, which I made it look (...) as if it had been stolen by the monster earlier.


    The alter ego transforms into its original humanoid form right next to the monster and jumps onto the monster''s back as if hugging it from behind, transforming to prevent it from being torn off.


    >


    Suddenly, the monster panics and swings its body to the side, but its clinging alter ego does not let go.


    <>


    This is where the monster must have seen it.


    The healing explosive (?????) attached to the back of the alter ego.


    <>


    Attached to the alter is a healing explosive.


    Yesterday they were used as decoys, but Koga''s alter ego can move according to his instructions to a certain extent.


    In other words, with KOGA''s movements,


    As fast as a cogwheel,


    With the strength of a cogger''s arm,


    With the persistence of a cohort,


    It is even possible to restrain an opponent.


    "Nair."


    "You''ve gone too far. Binding spell activated.


    And to top it all off, he even interferes with division with a spell of restraint.


    When the movement is blocked, a healing explosive with an adjusted detonation time bursts.


    "Healing disintegration explosion".


    >


    Particles of healing magic are diffused and a shockwave is released around the monster.


    After the black flames scatter and disappear, a child in a brand-new cloak faints at the center of the shockwave.


    "Who in the world is this girl?"


    It''s unknown who he is when he''s in the realm of demons, but it''s not unusual for a dark magician ...... to be dealing with this much power.


    He lowers Amako onto her back and rouses the unconscious child so that she is lying on her back - the hood that completely covers her head comes off, revealing her figure.


    "!¡¡This is ......"


    What I saw was brown skin, a characteristic of the demon tribe.


    But there were no horns, and instead the ears of the girl, who looked slightly older than the child ...... Keira, were long like an elf''s.


    >


    "The circumstances of a demon tribe born with dark magic and an elf who lived in hiding in the forest...... I see, so that''s how it is."


    A demon tribe, half dark wizard and half elf.


    I could not hide my bewilderment at the unexpected identity of the monster.

 408 - - 360th.

    My father died when I can remember.


    My mother, who taught me how to live in the forest and gave me wisdom, died of a disease three years ago.


    I was alone.


    My mother told me that there used to be many people in this forest besides me, but they are gone now.


    There are few survivors because of the natural disaster.


    There might be others alive somewhere in the forest, but after I lost my mother who was my only support, I decided to live alone.


    I am strong.


    My magic is a big fire beast.


    Big means strong.


    That''s why I am the strongest in this forest territory and no one can defeat me.


    I can live on my own.


    I will always be .......


    >


    I thought so, but then I met Shea.


    A short-eared woman who had stepped into my territory.


    I had been trying to intimidate her as a coward, but I was taken aback by the fact that I had never seen a human being other than my father and mother.


    <


    Shea was a mysterious person.


    She taught me things I didn''t know and fed me delicious food I had never tasted before.


    Shea lived and talked with me for days, and my days changed.


    It was the first time I had ever felt that way.


    I never thought that exchanging words could be so much fun.


    >


    Shea sometimes looks distressed.


    She never tells me why, and when I ask her, she just smiles as if she is in trouble.


    I didn''t like to make her look troubled or pained.


    >


    <


    Shea patting my head.


    I close my eyes as I snuggle up to her, remembering the time when I was with my mother.


    >


    Shea is always having nightmares.


    She was in agony, shivering and shedding tears as she hugged herself and shivered in the cold.


    All I could do was just to be close to her shivering body.


    >


    <>


    Even I, who am not very smart, knew that it was someone else''s name.


    Someone other than me.


    Shea is asking him for help.


    I got angry and asked her about this Usato guy at night.


    Shea looked at me as if she did not want me to ask her that question.


    I didn''t want her to look that way.


    <<< Is he strong? >>


    <


    Shea snarls and crosses his arms.


    >


    >


    >


    The one with the black hair and white clothes.


    That''s all I remember.


    Shea wants to see me, so I''ll let her.


    I decided so and went to sleep as usual, snuggling up to her.


    ---The next morning, she was gone from her bed.


    Shea''s belongings were gone.


    All that was left was a package filled with my favorite foods.


    She disappeared without a word, and I was distraught.


    I searched for her in the forest for a long time, but could not find her.


    Shea, where did you go?


    Was it my fault?


    Did she disappear because I was a bad girl?


    The food that used to taste so good doesn''t taste so good anymore.


    My fellow demons were looking at me with concern, but that didn''t make me feel any better.


    But... just then, a human just like Shea stepped into my territory.


    "Who are those people?"


    The same people as Shea.


    And a lot of them came into my territory.


    I watch them closely from a distance as they are chased by my monkeys. My mother says that I am a descendant of the Erufu tribe, so I have very good eyesight.


    I can see the distant places clearly, so I can see the people who are being chased by the monkeys,


    "...... nn."


    Most of them have horns and the same skin color as mine.


    Some of them are strange, with animal-like ears and tails.


    Running at the center of them is ---,


    "Black hair ...... white clothes ......!"


    That''s him.


    That''s him. That''s Usato. ......!


    "He looks totally weak......!"


    Shea looked weak, too.


    But she didn''t look as strong as she said she was.


    As I was thinking that, he grabbed the arm of the black guy next to him and threw him toward the monkeys.


    "What?


    The black human was attacked by the monkeys, moving his arms and legs as if he panicked.


    I let out a muffled cry at the unbelievable act.


    "You used our friends as bait ......?"


    A few moments later, something green attached to the black-haired guy bursts open and the monkeys are blown away.


    "What the ...... is that ......?"


    It was bizarre.


    I didn''t even want to understand how they could just throw their friends into the herd as if they were sacrifices, and then explode them.


    "Friends, and yet ......"


    I know that hierarchical relationships are important in a territory, but I also know that companionship is even more important.


    I have no family anymore.


    But I have friends who I can follow as fellow demons .......


    That''s why I was afraid of what that dark-haired human did.


    "He''s dangerous ......!


    Shea wasn''t asking for help.


    She was afraid of him!


    Shea is gone because of him!


    Maybe he took her somewhere!


    "I''m going to get her and find out what happened to her!"


    I decided to observe Usato first.


    Demons and humans are no different.


    The first step in hunting is to observe your prey.


    ---He''s been raining green stuff from the sky!


    What''s that?


    I restrained the stunned girl with my cloak and joined my companions who were engaged with the demons.


    The demons themselves had already been repelled, and we should probably continue on our way, but I decided that we should first talk to this mysterious girl---a girl of dark magic with the characteristics of both elves and demons---and set up a temporary encampment. It is now.


    You really attract dark wizards, don''t you?


    "That''s just a coincidence. ......"


    My head hurts when Koga looks at the sleeping girl and says that.


    "Again, I don''t attract dark wizards. I''ve been encouraged by the Demon King, but I''ve only had a connection with dark wizards as a result.


    "Yes, Usato is right. Koga, Usato doesn''t attract dark wizards, he just puts himself in a position to be easily involved in the case."


    "Amaco. I know you think you''re following me, but you''re not, are you?"


    Depending on how you look at it, that''s worse than attracting dark wizards, isn''t it?


    I don''t think Kohga would agree.


    He looks at Hannah and Nair, who are nearby, watching the girl closely with interest while his shoulders slump.


    "She looks like she''s a mixture of elf and demon. She is quite small, but she has the horns that are characteristic of the demon tribe.


    "At this age and this size, it seems unlikely that they will grow any larger. It''s interesting to see a subhuman who builds his own living environment in the realm of demons. ...... Hmmm..."


    I wonder if they''ll be okay, though, with their overflowing thirst for knowledge and the awesome eyes they both have?


    The girl is about the same age as Amako.


    She has silver hair similar to that of Ferrum and Keira, with green hair mixed in like a mesh, and her face looks as tough as her words and actions when she is fighting.


    "If I were to give her a name, would it be a demon elf?¡¡Dark Elf?"


    "There is a fictional race of dark elves in our world, but what about them?


    What?¡¡What? That sounds interesting. Why don''t you tell me about it later?


    You don''t have to say it in such a snappy way: .......


    You''re as eager for knowledge as ever, Nair.


    Anyway, I think I''ll call you Dark Elf as a provisional name.


    "For now, Usato, you might want to move her out of sight when she wakes up."


    "I think that would be better. It would be troublesome to have another situation like the one with Rinka."


    It reminds me of the time when Amako''s friend Rinka mistook me for the person who kidnapped her and attacked me.


    It was hard to explain the situation then, too, and first we had to get Amako and her friends to explain that we were not enemies.


    "Let''s go find something to eat for now," she said. We also confirmed that there is a river nearby. ...... Koga, lend me your alter ego."


    Okay, but what are you going to do?


    I''m gonna cast a net.


    "...... I see."


    "Mr. Koga is coming to terms with his own dark magic ......."


    Ms. Hanna is pulling away from Koga, who nods at her with somewhat vacant eyes.


    No, it''s quite useful.


    Koga lends me his dark-magic alter ego, though he says a lot of things.


    "May I ask you to come with me, Nagi?"


    "What?¡¡Uh-huh.


    We need to talk to Ms. Nagi, so let her follow us.


    We move with her to a nearby river and start catching fish for food.


    "Is this safe?¡¡Usato.


    "I''m fine. I''ll hold the hands and you hold the feet. ...... Okay, I''ll pull it while transforming it.


    Nagi and I hold the hands and feet of the dark magic alter ego and stretch it out.


    The stretched out alter ego transforms into a mesh-like shape, and is thrown into the river.


    "Okay, let''s pull it together.


    "I may be in touch with the mysteries of dark magic now ......"


    Nagi and I hold a cast net transformed from Koga''s alter ego, and we round up all the fish in the river.


    We let go of more fish than we can eat, but it is more efficient than taking them one by one.


    Keira, who had been in a cloak, looks up when she sees a number of fish bouncing around in the net.


    "Wow, you caught a lot of fish!


    "Keira, can you make the cape into a tub?


    "I''ll try!


    She changes the cloak and turns the edges into a slightly larger tub-like shape.


    After scooping up the river water with it, he throws the fish he has caught into it.


    "Usato, aren''t you too good at dark magic ......?"


    "This is not me, it''s Keira who''s amazing."


    "Heh heh."


    It was Keira, of all people, who made it possible for me to handle dark magic this well.


    I''m only controlling it, so if you''re going to praise her, praise her.


    "Okay, now we can bring it in fresh. Let''s let the others go and go to ......, shall we?"


    "Yes."


    We walk with Mr. Nagi on the road back to the encampment.


    "That girl, I think she was meeting Shea."


    I guess so. But where in the world is Shea Garmio headed?


    "Do you have any idea what you''re talking about, Mr. Nagi?"


    "Hmmm. The realm of demons wasn''t really a part of his life before he was sealed up. I think you might be attracted to the fragments of the demon king''s power, don''t you?


    After all, that''s right. .......


    I can''t help but think that''s the only way. .......


    "It may be a dangerous situation.


    "We should probably get in touch with them as soon as possible, but the longer we hesitate here, the longer it will take. Maybe we should wait for the girl to wake up first and ask her to guide us through the forest."


    "...... I see."


    He may indeed be familiar with the terrain around here.


    I guess I would have to clear up my misunderstanding first. ...... Why was I suddenly attacked with hostility?


    Did the healing diffusion bullet the other day make them hostile to me? ......?


    "At any rate, that girl is a valuable source of information. We need to talk to her in a way that doesn''t provoke her."


    "Right. I''ll leave that part to Amaco and ...... Keira."


    They are around the same age, so it will be easier for them to let their guard down.


    As we walked back to the campsite with this conversation going on, we heard a bang!¡¡and a black flame burst into the air.


    "Mr. Nagi!


    "You''re awake."


    You woke up earlier than I expected.


    Well, I''m sure Koga is there and he''ll be fine, but we''d better hurry.


    I''d better hurry up and get there.


    When we returned to the camp, the girl who must have been awake and rampaging had been subdued by Koger.


    Well, it was a natural result, because although it is a dark magic similar to Koga''s, Koga is by far the more powerful and troublesome of the two.


    Now he was preparing the fish he had just caught, roasting it on skewers, and interrogating the girl whom he had restrained with a cloak of dark magic.


    "...... hmmm."


    The girl turns her face away from me.


    She must not like me very much.


    With a wry smile, I bend down to make eye contact with the girl.


    We''re here to help Shea.


    "Can you believe it? A guy like you."


    "...... ummm. You attacked me first."


    I don''t know how things got this far.


    I know that Shea said something about me to this girl, but ...... maybe she didn''t like me?


    "You''re not afraid to use your friends as bait."


    "?¡¡I don''t remember doing that. ......"


    Baiting your friends ......?


    Amako, Nea, and Hannah come out of the back of the room as I tilt my head back.


    "I think Usato is the type of person who wants to be the decoy rather than the bait."


    "He''s the kind of monster who can use his healing magic and his extraordinary physical abilities to make his opponents run out of stamina."


    "And then they usually join us without incident. I understand."


    <>


    Is that you guys?


    Are you my enemies?


    Oh no.


    I''m starting to feel like I''m going to break down when Keira comes in after Nair, Amako and Hannah.


    The girl looks more confused than I am.


    "I was there yesterday!¡¡When the monkeys were chasing us. I used my friends as bait to escape!"


    "......"


    Perhaps he is referring to the time he used Koga''s alter ego as bait.


    I guess I was too far away from you and you thought I was baiting your friend.


    "Ha-ha-ha, you misunderstood me. Coga, show me your alter ego."


    I see. I see.


    Coga, who was nearby, creates an alter ego of dark magic.


    The girl''s face turns pale when she sees it restraining her, but she immediately looks at the alter and a look of surprise appears on her face.


    She was used as a decoy yesterday.


    "This is my magic. It''s the same dark magic you use to create your other self.


    "...... like me?¡¡What do you mean?


    You don''t know dark magic, do you?


    It''s quite possible that you used it without knowing it, or rather that you were able to handle it better because you didn''t know it.


    "So, I was just wrong ......."


    The misunderstanding is over. ...... right?


    Then, the girl stared at the ground and started to drop tears.


    Suddenly, the girl''s tears make me rush to remove the cloak that was restraining her.


    "Um, um, are you okay?"


    "...... I''m sorry."


    "What?"


    "My mother said she''d apologize if I did anything wrong. So I''m sorry."


    This kid was just desperate.


    ...... I owe you an apology, too.


    "I''m sorry I scared you, too."


    "......,yeah......"


    We''ve only been talking for a short time, but I can tell that this girl is worried about Shea.


    Otherwise, she wouldn''t have been trying so hard to fight me.


    "Ugh......Ugh......Gussh......"


    But I don''t know what to say to a crying child.


    I should wait until she calms down.


    As I think about this while looking at the sobbing girl with her knees in her hands, I suddenly notice that Hannah has come over to sit next to me.


    "Hanna-san?"


    Usato-kun and Koga-kun, you shouldn''t be intimidated by a child. I''m the older one here, so I''ll be the one to be the mature one and soothe this child.


    "You''re only three or four years older than us. ......!"


    Hanna, who had not seen Koger''s point.


    Well, I knew she liked children from the way she dealt with Keira, Rum and Rose. .......


    "We''re not mad at you, it''s okay."


    With a snap, the girl''s hand plays with Hannah''s, causing her to freeze like a stone.


    D¨¦j¨¤ vu.


    She thought of the older man who had tried to pet Bullyn.


    "Children are pure, you know."


    "Oh, you know who has a dirty mind."


    "Oh, I''m sorry. I''ll leave you to find a suitable stone.


    Ms. Hanna leaves her seat, her expression fixed with a smile.


    Nea, who has seen her back to me, looks at me with a stunned expression.


    "Usato. Hanna went to look for the stone to beat you to death.


    "We''re harder than a rock."


    "...... that''s true too."


    "I think it''s a little different to admit it there, nea ......!!!"


    "I think the kannagi are hard too."


    "Hey, I''m a girl!"


    Well, I know he''s joking, so I''ll just leave it at that.


    Hannah, you are mentally weak .......


    "First we have to get to know this girl. ...... Keira, can you help me?"


    >


    I call out for Keira and she emerges from her cloak.


    The girl is visibly upset when Keira suddenly jumps out of the cloak.


    "What?¡¡What the hell are you?¡¡Where did you come from?


    "Nice to meet you!¡¡I''m Keira!¡¡Tell me your name!


    Why do I have to tell you my name?


    What do I call you?


    Gugu...


    Unlike us, the girl was dismayed by the pure eyes of Keira, who was close to her age.


    She hesitates for a moment and then speaks awkwardly, her mouth agape.


    I am Rune. That''s the name my father and mother gave me."

 409 - - 361st episode.

    I was wrong.


    I was wrong about using my friends as decoys, and the loss of Shea made me lose my composure.


    When I came to my senses afterwards, I realized that I had done a really terrible thing.


    "......"


    I wake up and get up.


    Around you are a little girl called Amako, a beastman who had been sleeping with you, and a demon girl called Keira, who is sleeping with a small sigh.


    Keira is sleeping wrapped in a black, fluttering garment of dark magic, and I was surprised yesterday when I was told that this is the same magic as mine.


    "It''s so different from my magic. ......"


    This is the first time I''ve woken up in a place surrounded by people.


    Shea until recently, I remember my mother sleeping with me a long time ago, but I had never slept among so many people.


    "Gru ......"


    "Hmm."


    The blue monster that we had been leaning on as a pillow flinched.


    "Are you really the brown bear demon I know?¡¡I was surprised at how quiet you were.


    The bear demons I know, the ones they call blue grizzlies, are ferocious as hell.


    They attack me even when I use magic, and are so strong that I don''t want to deal with them as much as possible.


    "......You''re just as strong as that one, aren''t you?"


    "Ugh."


    He''s probably half the reason most of the demons in his territory don''t want to attack him.


    He''s still small and young for a bear, but even so, he''s strong.


    Yes, he had a strong personality that communicated instinctively.


    "What is ...... about him that he''s making them his friends?"


    "Ummm...umm......... Rune?"


    Amako woke up while I was petting a sleeping brown bear.


    Did I wake you up,......?


    "I''m sorry. I think I woke him up."


    I usually wake up around this time, so don''t worry about it. Did you sleep well, Rune?"


    "...... yeah."


    How can they be so friendly to me when we haven''t even met a day ago?


    I''m the one who set the demon in motion.


    Keira is still sleeping. I don''t want to wake her.


    "Okay."


    I nodded to Amaco and left the tent to find Koga, a silver-haired demon man, sitting in front of the fire.


    The sleepy man noticed me and Amako as we exited the tent.


    "Oh, good morning."


    "Good morning, Kohga. Did Usato wake you up?"


    "Yes. Yeah. He woke me up just fine. He''s really starting to correct my habits and I''m getting scared. ......


    Amako looks around as Koga sighs loudly and then sighs again.


    "Where is this Usato?"


    "He said he was going to go get some exercise and then he walked over there.


    "I think I''ll go check it out."


    Maybe they''re around a nearby waterfall?¡¡¡¡...... Well, you''re the one with the precognition magic, so I''m not worried."


    For some reason, I decided to follow Amako and go looking for Usato.


    As we leave the encampment, we meet up with Koga''s men who are on guard, and we move to the spot where the waterfall is located where we think he is.


    "Oh, there he is!"


    "Hmm, really."


    I avoid the bushes and find Usato standing near the basin of the waterfall.


    He has taken off the white clothes he was wearing yesterday and is trying to do something in front of a big rock.


    Zaah!¡¡I can''t hear him well over the sound of the waterfall. ...... Is he trying to break it?


    >


    A green light illuminates Usato''s hands as he holds them in front of a large rock.


    He holds them in a flowing motion and swings his fist at the big rock in front of him.


    He didn''t intend to shatter the rock, but just to strike his fist quickly and in a supporting manner... and somehow there were about six green magic bullets stuck to the rock.


    "What! ......"


    My voice trembles as I recall yesterday''s explosion.


    In time with my voice, two of the magic bullets attached to the big rock burst at different times, creating a wind storm.


    I am stopped from moving, and the magic bullets that are expanding in front of my eyes give me a tremendous vibration and an uncomfortably out-of-place feeling of comfort and ease, which I cannot forget even if I wanted to.


    "Only two exploded?¡¡And the other four were ordinary magic bullets?"


    After Amako''s quizzical muttering, Usato shines (????) as he wields the magic of his silver right arm.


    "Is that Usato''s lineage enhancement ......?"


    The shining silver arm, wielded to drown out Amako''s mutterings, touched the magic bullet of the large rock that had not exploded---sending out a shockwave and sound more powerful than the previous explosion.


    "What is ......?"


    "I don''t understand. ......


    I''m going to cry.


    Usato talked about his magic as a magic to heal people, but it doesn''t seem to heal people in any way.


    He shattered a part of the big rock, and he put a thin green magic in his left hand and a strong green magic in his right hand---and then he made an explosion sound with a green flash.


    I couldn''t see what was happening with the flashes, but I knew that he was doing something terrible that neither I nor Amako could imagine.


    "...... can do it."


    Usato took a satisfied sigh as he dispelled the green afterglow of magic emanating from his right hand like smoke, and turned around to the bushes where Amako and I were.


    "Sorry. Was I being too loud?"


    "No, but ...... Usato, have you been making weird tricks again?"


    "Haha, it''s more of an application than a creation. It''s more of an application than a creation, but you may need it in the future.


    Amako approached Usato very naturally!


    Surprised at Amako''s lack of surprise, I follow her, and Usato calls out to me as well.


    "Good morning. Did you sleep well?


    "......U,yes."


    A genuine concern and a sense of calm that somehow resembles my mother''s.


    She nodded her head in a reserved manner, bewildered by the difference in Usato''s personality from when he was fighting.


    "So, what were you doing earlier?¡¡Are you trying to do something weird again?


    "You are mistaken if you think that all the techniques I use are strange. ...... this one''s a bit of a weird one."


    You can''t get away with this anymore."


    Pointing to a large chipped rock, Amako gives Usato a confident look.


    "What I''ve just done is to force them to make a choice between two options with an adsorbing magic bullet and an exploding bullet to take away their judgment. It''s an offensive healing spell.


    "I''m sorry, that doesn''t make any sense at all."


    I didn''t understand it either.


    "First, let me explain. The system enhancement and the system degradation I developed the other day repel each other and cause a shockwave when they touch.


    "Yeah. That''s new."


    This is a method of applying this property.


    Then Usato suddenly made magic bullets float in both hands.


    They both look the same, but what are they?


    "This left hand is a normal magic bullet, and this right hand is an explosive magic bullet.


    "What?


    Amako hides behind her back as a dangerous object is exposed right in front of her eyes.


    "Oh, sorry!¡¡This is a weakened version that''s only a little noisy when it explodes!


    "Uh-huh!


    He nodded to Usato, who hurriedly apologized.


    Amako looked at the two magic bullets without showing any surprise.


    "...... can''t tell the difference at all, like how they look?"


    "No. I made them in such a way that you can''t tell the difference at all. If you look closely, you can tell the difference, but I''m going to use this one in combat (...)".


    As he said that, Usato put two magic bullets on the big rock.


    "At this point, the opponent who does not know the existence of the healing bombs is faced with two choices.


    "Choice?"


    "Should I pull it off or not? If you peel it off, the bomb will not explode. But if I don''t pull it off... this is what will happen.


    One of the magic bullets stuck to the big rock bursts open, causing a small explosion.


    "...... What if it''s someone who knows about explosive bombs?"


    "That''s the choice you just made, plus two more choices as a prerequisite."


    I''m having a hard time understanding this.


    But Amaco seems to understand.


    His face is pale, though.


    "The choice is that this magic bullet is either an explosive bullet or a normal magic bullet (????)."


    "What if he sees through the ordinary magic bullet?¡¡...... Oh, no way. ......"


    "Yeah. Just as you imagine."


    Usato''s fingertips on his silver arm glow green and he touches the magic bullet attached to the big rock.


    At that moment, the same explosion occurs as before.


    "I''ll detonate it with the system reinforcement I created with my right hand basket hand."


    "...... I think I would hate it very much to have that done to me while I''m fighting. It''s too grotesque. I mean, Usato would just hit me, wouldn''t he?"


    "If necessary."


    "That''s not four options. Usato can even bluff that he can "touch" the right arm by enhancing its lineage, which would mess up his head."


    Amako points out that Usato is silent.


    He crosses his arms and raises a finger with a small smile.


    "....... This is the "offensive healing magic" for a one-on-one fight.


    "You definitely didn''t think that far ahead, did you ......?"


    I know Usato''s explosive magic.


    That''s why I''m wary of anyone attaching it to me, and in fact, yesterday I pulled it off immediately.


    But what if it was a fake?


    If it doesn''t explode, and if you make an opening to pull it off, ...... then Usato might attach a real explosive magic to it.


    Even if you leave the fake magic unattended, Usato can detonate even it.


    "...... sorry ......"


    "What, what''s wrong?¡¡Roone, you apologized out of the blue. ......"


    "I won''t do anything bad, so don''t blow me and Shea up."


    No, no, no, I won''t!¡¡No, I won''t! I know it''s too dangerous to use in the first place, so I won''t use it in a normal battle!¡¡I''ll only use it against ......, let''s see, bad people!


    I am a little relieved to hear Usato say this in a panicked tone.


    But if Usato is this strong, I can understand why Shea would ask for help.


    I''m sure she''s not the only one who is worried about the situation.


    The girl who called herself Rune lived alone in this forest.


    Her parents are no longer with us, and the people who seem to be her family have been scattered and separated by a calamity several decades ago.


    She may be a loner, but she herself doesn''t seem to care much about that.


    "There is a place where demons stay away. After hearing your story ......, maybe that''s where she went because that''s where she wants to go."


    Noon the day after I made peace with Roone.


    We were guided by Rune through the realm of the demons.


    The information she brought us in the demon territory was very valuable and more reliable than the data in the demon territory.


    With her offer, we proceeded through the demon territory under her guidance.


    The formation remains almost the same, with me, Amako, and Nagi leading the way, and Rune guiding the way.


    The territory of demons differs from place to place. The place where you were just now, that''s my territory.


    "So you''re in a different place now?"


    "Yes. But I don''t think they will attack you because of me. Maybe."


    I''ve seen a lot of power in my life.


    That would make sense if they were territorial nushis.


    "Also, there''s a big guy with the same face and body as the big bear over there and Amako over at ......, so they''ll be fine."


    "......What, you called me big......?"


    Nagi-san is shocked when Rune points at him.


    Bulrin is spitting out a sigh of relief, but he''s not .......


    "Big bear. The one you call a blue grizzly is the same species as a territorial bull in another part of the country. And just as strong."


    "Well, he has a different experience level. ......"


    "Grua!"


    I have an image that he is usually just coasting along, but he is also running around the battlefield in times of war, and being a grand grizzly bear''s child, his potential itself is considerable.


    "That big guy over there has a bad vibe. That''s not normal. A monster."


    "Usato, children are so honest. Ah, hahaha."


    "Mr. Nagi, ......!¡¡Watch out ......!!!"


    Nagi''s heart is about to be broken by Rune''s malicious words!


    She tries to comfort Nagi, who is so shocked that she feels as if she is about to fall over, while trying to change the topic of conversation.


    "Are you going to the place where the territorial nushi are?"


    "I don''t know. Ordinary demons don''t go near there, and there are only strange demons ...... there."


    "Weird demons ......"


    "Also, there are a lot of houses that no one lives in. Some of them are big and very scary."


    ....... Ruins again?


    It''s not strange that it''s in ruins, since it''s not buried in the ground, considering it''s the place where the demon king''s power is contained. .......


    It sounds like a trap. We have to move in case we get ambushed by demons."


    "Amako and Kannagi will be fine, won''t they?"


    Nair on my shoulder says so, but it''s not a good idea to rely too heavily on ...... precognition magic.


    The same can be said for healing magic.


    "Well, we''ll have to decide that at the encampment today.


    We should set up a meeting to discuss it.


    At least we should not talk in the woods where we do not know who is listening.


    ...... Let''s continue on to our destination for now, and while we''re at it, let''s ask about the magic of Lune.


    "Rune. Is your magic the magic that makes you clothe yourself in magic?"


    "Maybe."


    Maybe.


    Maybe he''s a dark wizard ......, but the fact that he''s not involved with other humans may be the reason why he hasn''t run amok without being exposed to people''s ill will.


    "My mother had the same kind of magic, and I thought everyone was like this."


    "I wonder if the black flame can choose what it burns?"


    "Maybe."


    Rune responds vaguely to Nair''s point of view.


    Hmmm...this out-of-the-box attitude is truly dark magic.


    "A big beast and a flame. ......"


    In order to survive in an environment infested with demons, he made himself as big and strong as the demons. The flame is because animals and demons are afraid of fire?


    Dark magic is easily influenced by the surrounding environment.


    Usato!


    Can I help you?


    Hanna-san, who is in the middle of the team and is being guarded by her subordinates, calls out to us, taking stock of the terrain and recording the results.


    "I''d like to take a look at the surrounding terrain, so can I ask you to fly over?"


    "Sure. Keira, are you awake?


    >I''ll be right back.


    This is a good thing, because if you didn''t, you were asleep. ......?


    I feel sorry for having woken her up, but I check on Nair, who has transformed into an owl.


    "Okay."


    "Good. Korga, you take care of down there."


    Oh. Go on."


    The cloak transforms to create a foothold for Hannah.


    She jumps onto the cloak with an air of familiarity and taps me on the shoulder, as if suddenly remembering.


    "Usato-kun. "Just in time. Shouldn''t we have Rune-chan check on her too?"


    "Me?"


    "If the place we''re going to is like a ruin, we can probably find it from the sky. ...... And moreover, since you have elven blood, you have good senses, so it''s a good idea."


    ...... What do we do?¡¡She tilted her head and climbed onto her outstretched cloak.


    "I don''t know what it is, but it''s good.


    "Uh-huh?"


    Well, it''s not like I''m gonna drop it, so I guess I''ll be okay.


    If we are attacked by the hoover birds like before, we can use the healing blast wave to check them.


    Thinking this, he floats up lightly.


    "Wow! ......"


    "Please hold on to me. You can hold me, can''t you?"


    "No, I don''t want to."


    "......"


    Hannah, you''re a dangerous person if you don''t have to be, aren''t you?


    I laughed at her for acting like a senior in a limited situation, and while I was thinking about making a belt for the time being, Rune, who was behind me, put her arms around my neck as if she was clinging to me.


    "Hmm?"


    "....... What''s wrong?¡¡Don''t you fly?"


    ......Well, it doesn''t matter, as long as it''s safe to hold on to me.


    "......"


    "Hannah, please ...... don''t look at me like that."


    Hannah''s eyes scare me.


    I look away from her and take a slow, floating leap, and then I am up in a single bound.


    "This high up ......?


    "What do you three see?"


    I ask Neah, Hannah, and Rune as I look at the view from the sky.


    The view of the demon''s territory looks as if the land is still covered in green.


    The only difference from the previous flight is that the lake-like thing in the distance seems closer now. ......?


    "There''s something by the lake."


    "Oh, my God, it''s true."


    Ruins next to a lake ......?


    It is different from the ruins where Mr. Nagi was sealed up, a place where the city itself seems to have decayed.


    Rune, who was clinging to me, pointed over his shoulder toward the lake, though it was too far away to see clearly from here.


    "That''s it," she said.


    "Could Shea be in that place?"


    "...... Yeah. Shea''s purpose is to get the ...... Maou?¡¡If she''s after the power of the Maou, then that''s the only place I can think of.


    So that''s where the power of the Demon King, Shea, and the demons might be.


    "---This is a town where my people used to live. Now it''s an empty, scary and eerie place."


    The presence of the Demon Lord''s power may have some influence on the earth, just like the poison zone in the Demon Lord''s territory.

 410 - - 362nd episode.

    Ruins adjacent to a lake.


    Shea might be in that abandoned town.


    As we headed toward the place that Rune had led us to, we hurried onward, even more wary of what we might find.


    "This place looks like a town, doesn''t it?


    "Yeah."


    I nodded to Koga''s words as I took in the sight of the ruins that lined the street before me.


    A decaying town next to a lake.


    We stepped into the town with increased vigilance, looking at the ruins that showed some signs of destruction, as if they had suffered some kind of calamity.


    "Ms. Veena! I''m going to concentrate on sensing the magic around me, and you''re going to step forward so that I can sense a wide area in front of me.


    I understand.


    And can you detect the presence of demons?


    No, not at all. You can call me ...... useless if you want.


    Ignoring Veena''s comment with a blush on her cheeks, I was conscious of extending the range of my magical senses in a circle around the unit so that I could respond to an attack.


    "Roone, what do you know?"


    Amako, who had been concentrating on her precognition magic while riding on Bulrin''s back, spoke to Roone, who was sitting in the back with her.


    Roone is looking around with a puzzled look on her face.


    "....... I don''t know. But I don''t feel any sign of evil at all."


    "I thought you said there were demons here too?"


    "Yes. Yeah, but they''re not here. That''s what''s strange."


    ...... Then something unusual is going on.


    Usato.


    Did you sense anything, Mr. Nagi?


    I''m afraid not. I have a bad feeling about ......."


    What a coincidence. Me too.


    I can''t be sure.


    It''s just an ordinary ruin, but it gives me a vague chill.


    "......"


    "....... Mr. Nagi, what''s the deal with your face getting even sterner when you hear that I have a bad feeling about this?"


    "What?¡¡Your intuition is right!¡¡No, I don''t think you''re prone to get into trouble or anything like that!


    No, you''re out of line.


    I''m aware of it.


    ...... Hmm?¡¡By the way, where''s Nair who was on your shoulder just a moment ago?


    "Wow, the site of the settlement of the tribe living in the realm of demons!¡¡Here too, the architecture of the elves and demons is being used!


    "Look at this, Hannah. There''s a big depression in the ground.


    "Does this look like there used to be a waterway running through here?¡¡That''s interesting.


    I look in the direction of the voices and see two evil women who are getting excited while observing the ruins.


    "...... ah, Usato."


    "Yes, I''ll be careful not to get carried away."


    Hannah and Nea get excited in front of the historically valuable ruins, and their heads start to hurt.


    I understand that their intellectual curiosity is aroused, but I wish they would be a little more nervous.


    "For now, let''s be cautious while we examine these ruins.


    "Okay, let''s split into three."


    "Yes. Let''s split up with me, Koga, and Nagi, who can handle the battle. ......"


    Me... Keira, Amako, Lune, Nair.


    Koga,Veena,Wal,Sein


    Nagi,Hannah,Nono,Elle,Kevin


    Let''s say we divide into these three teams.


    The teams are to be divided in a well-balanced way between those who can sense and those who can fight, and to be aware of the distance from which they can rush to the scene in case of a commotion.


    As for my team, I have Amako and Keira, who are close in age to ...... Roone.


    "Okay, you guys, let''s go!"


    "Don''t get me wrong. I don''t care who you call me as long as you call me names!"


    "Hey, Usato, I don''t want this guy, can I give him to you?"


    "I don''t want him either.


    "Hyun!¡¡You know so much about what I want ......!"


    I smile at Veena, who makes a troublesome move, and she starts to convulse with a smile.


    I don''t need her, I just want her to support Koga who doesn''t have the ability to search for enemies, since I''m the one who can sense the magic.


    ---I''m sure she''s going to say something annoying again, so I''ll just say something she''ll be happy to hear.


    I''ll say something that will make her happy. Big Amako-san."


    "Gghhh ......"


    ......I could see Ms. Nagi being hit with a verbal body blow by Ms. Hanna. ......Yeah, I guess she''ll be all right somehow.


    The most important thing to remember is that the best way to get the most out of your money is to use it.


    Even if something happens, we can deal with it stably.


    I think we will be fine.


    From what I have learned from my exploration, this ruin is relatively new ......, but it seems to be a place that was destroyed about a hundred years ago.


    The people who were forced to leave their homes were scattered and went on with their lives.


    Nair''s view is that the descendants of these scattered people became Lune .......


    "I heard that this was my hometown .......


    You don''t feel it?


    "...... honestly. My home is in the woods."


    Rune gazing at the ruins.


    She seems to have some feelings, even if she doesn''t really feel them, but maybe she doesn''t really know what they are.


    "What would you do if you could see Shea?"


    "...... I don''t know. If she''s in pain, I want to do something about it."


    Dark magic or not, Rune probably misses Shea.


    I don''t know if it is because she is the first person other than her own parents whom she has met, but I think it is a feeling different from an obsession.


    Shea and you are friends, aren''t you?


    "Friends?¡¡My mother taught me the word.


    "How did he teach you?"


    Amaco''s question makes Roone look forward thoughtfully.


    "She is fun to be with and makes me feel safe. ......"


    <


    At Keira''s murmur, I turn my attention to the cloak she is in.


    Keira''s parents tried to trick her into falling prey to their demons.


    Knowing this, I try to be casual about it, and Keira replies in her cloak, "I''m fine.


    Why me, you might ask?


    Do they see me as an older brother or a dependable uncle?


    "Shea is just like me. Alone."


    Then you''ll have to stay with me.


    "...... yeah."


    Rune nodded his head.


    She is an honest girl. Maybe that''s why Shea felt safe with her.


    Now .......


    "Neah, did you notice anything?"


    "Yes, I noticed a few things."


    Nair, who had been observing the city from the sky earlier, comes down on my shoulder.


    "The first thing we need to think about is what kind of disaster we have suffered.


    "Demon attack?¡¡That''s not impossible here, is it?"


    No, it''s not likely to be demons.


    What, low?


    Nair points to the edge of town where the ruins are.


    "There, you see the remains of stone pillars and walls, though they are quite dilapidated?"


    "Hmm?¡¡Yes, there are indeed.


    "That''s not inside the city, it''s lying on the outside. Not just some of it, but most of it."


    ...... Oh, I see.


    "If it was destroyed by a demon attack, the walls would have fallen inward or been destroyed."


    "Yes, and ...... Usato, get up in the sky."


    You mean fly?


    "Okay. Bulrin, go check on Amaco and Rune for a minute.


    "Guah!"


    He leaves the ground to Bulrin and uses the cape''s ability to fly.


    When they reach a certain height, Nair stops them.


    Below us, the cityscape of decaying ruins is reflected.


    "This is about right. Usato, Keira, take a look at how the ruins have been destroyed and what''s left of the outer walls and stone pillars I just described."


    >


    I did as Nair told me and looked down at the ruined city from the sky.


    There are no trees, and the city is lined with white, rotting ruins.


    Most of the outer walls, which were probably built high to protect against demons, have been destroyed. ......?


    "Destruction from one direction?"


    >


    "That''s what I mean."


    If you look in the opposite direction, there is a large lake.


    If that''s the case, does that mean the lake flooded and swallowed the city for a time?


    That would explain it. .......


    No, wait.


    If you look closely, doesn''t the shape of this town look unnatural?


    It looks more like .......


    "Half sunken?"


    Did you notice that?


    Let''s check it out under ......


    Once we understood what was going on, we went down to the ground to meet up with Amaco and the others and headed for the lake side of the city.


    "It looks like this is the border.


    "It has deteriorated over time, but it does look as if half of the city has sunk into the lake."


    Amaco nods as he sees the ruins crumbling in half between the lake and the city.


    ...... water looks clean but the bottom is pretty deep.


    "A city sunk in a lake. It''s starting to sound like a phantom city or something occult ......."


    I would have been thrilled if demons and demon kings were not involved, but that is not the case.


    I''d rather show this mysterious and romantic situation to my seniors.


    "The problem is that so far there is nothing to be found in these ruins."


    "I''m sure there''s something there. ...... Usato, do you feel anything?"


    Hmmm.......


    He groans at Nea''s words and says what he honestly feels.


    "I have a bad feeling."


    "There''s something about this, isn''t there?"


    "There''s definitely something going on."


    <<>


    "Gua!"


    So stop shivering as soon as you get a bad feeling about something I''m about to do.


    Roone is honestly taken aback by Amako and the others'' reactions.


    "Anyway, the first thing we need to do is meet up with the others and share information.


    "Yes, I think so."


    Koga and Nagi may have found something.


    For now, let''s prepare for encampment after sharing the information.


    We''ll get ready to encamp after we share the information.


    We have tried to share information, but nothing significant has come of it, except for the information about the town we found.


    As a result, the city itself was nothing more than a decaying ruin.


    To archaeologists, it would be a place of great historical value, but unfortunately, it had nothing to do with the power of the Demon Lord or the destination of Shea.


    "Well, let''s dive in anyway, shall we?"


    "Okay, let''s go with that."


    "No, I don''t think so."


    Mr. Nagi stops me from raising my index finger in agreement with Koga''s suggestion.


    Koga and I protested in the most straightforward manner.


    "No, no, Mr. Kannagi. We can''t start without investigating this mysterious lake!


    Koga is right. Don''t worry, I''m good at holding my breath as part of my training.


    That''s not the point!¡¡We don''t know what''s in the ...... lake. What if there are big demons or devil traps?


    Mr. Nagi has a point.


    But what should we do?


    Just looking at the lake will not change the situation.


    As I was pondering this, Nair suddenly raised his wings.


    "Well, why don''t we just wrap Usato around a rope or something and throw him into the lake?¡¡If he looks dangerous, we can just pull him up with Kannagi and Koga.


    "Why would that be a good idea?


    "...... I see."


    "Usato doesn''t agree either!"


    The rope could be made with a combination of Koga''s dark magic and Keira''s dark magic might be able to solve the oxygen problem.


    The unexpected suggestion made me ponder over it, but Nagi-san stopped me half crying, and as expected, I rejected it.


    "Then, we can try to use Koga''s alter ego as a pseudo-bait by making it dive ......"


    "My alter ego can be used as a weapon, so if I wanted to, I could take the form of a fish, couldn''t I?"


    "Mr. Koga, you''ve already made up your mind, haven''t you?


    "I wonder if this is how dark magic is transforming itself."


    Nair and Hannah are saying something, but for now, let''s let Koga''s alter ego do some reconnaissance.


    If something bites, we''ll get something, and if not, we''ll know it''s safe to dive.


    With that decided, we immediately get ready to investigate the lake...,


    "Ah!"


    Amaco?


    Without warning, Amaco, who was nearby, jumped on my back like he was jumping off a burin.


    She clung to my neck with such force that I was more than a little bewildered, but I knew something unusual had happened.


    "Nea, the spell of resistance against the devil''s magic!"


    Amako''s voice as she clung to me.


    Immediately after that, I feel some kind of magical interference in my magical senses.


    "Usato-san!¡¡It''s the devil''s magic!


    Veena''s voice was slightly delayed, and at the same time, a dense, stagnant-colored magical power overflowed into the surroundings.


    The people who were not immune to the thick demonic power fell to their knees on the ground with frowns on their faces.


    The demon''s magical power that bewitches and paralyzes people''s minds.


    It gushed out from somewhere in the city and surrounded us, creating a mist like a morning haze on the lake.

 411 - - 363rd episode.

    In a town full of ruins, dense magic suddenly overflowed like smoke.


    The devil''s power that deceives and corrupts people is closing in around us.


    I''m not afraid of it at all.


    Amako is also safe thanks to Nair''s resistance spell on my shoulder just in time. ......!


    "Koga!¡¡I hope he''s okay!


    "Yeah!¡¡If you''re careful, this won''t be a big deal!


    Koga is fine ......, but he was more likely to stab his own leg with a blade of magic to distract himself.


    I throw a magic bullet into his leg and heal him while I check on the others who are safe.


    I''m fine!¡¡I''ve experienced the devil''s magic several times!"


    Nagi is fine, just like me.


    Hannah is only a little wobbly, and Rune is completely under the influence and his eyes are vacant.


    My men are also ...... slightly under the influence.


    The actuality is that a short period of training is not enough to repel the demon''s magic...?


    "Oh, the devil''s magic ...... is that?"


    .......


    I''m not sure if Nono-san is immune to the devil''s magic or not?


    Well, anyway, .......


    "Chokozai na ......"


    It would be impossible to easily fall into the trap by merely increasing the concentration.


    I could not build up a perfect tolerance, but my men have been trained to repel hypnosis to the extent of seduction!


    I lightly clap my outstretched hands together, and let out a bang sound.


    <>


    That''s all it takes for my men to come to their senses with a start.


    "You''re awake!¡¡Then form up!


    Ha!"""Ha!"""


    My men responded to my shouts of anger and moved into a fighting stance, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings.


    After confirming this, I talk to Amako who is by my side, Hannah who is under the influence of the demon''s magic, and N¨¦a who was performing a resistance spell on my shoulder while I pull Rune closer to me with my cloak.


    "N¨¦a, cast a spell of resistance on Hannah-san and Roone too!


    "He really nullified the demon''s magic with a clap of his hands,......."


    The only thing that can beat brainwashing is tireless training.


    They seem to be trying to hold us back, but we''ve got our demonic countermeasures set up so tight that we shouldn''t be afraid.


    Veena, what''s the response?


    There''s no response on the magic sensor!¡¡I''m the only demon in the vicinity!


    Are you transmitting magic remotely?


    Or are they harassing you?¡¡That''s a possibility, but if they''re using this kind of method without attacking us, what''s going to happen next is..,


    "Usato!¡¡Something''s coming from the lake!


    Amako''s prediction.


    Immediately after that, there is a spray of water... and at the same time, my bombs and Koga''s magic spikes rush in.


    What do you think?


    It doesn''t feel good.


    The water that was shot by my and Koga''s attack gathers in mid-air and turns into a shape like the tentacles of an octopus.


    Then we see many of the same tentacles appear from the surface of the lake and point them at us.


    "Mr. El!


    I know what you''re talking about!


    Tentacles of water rush toward us one after another with a force reminiscent of a muddy stream.


    I immediately call for Elle behind me, and she stands next to me, deploying her wind magic.


    She puts her hand on the healing bombs she has created on my hand, and makes the wind flow around me.


    "Okay!¡¡Do it!"


    Intercept!


    On Elle''s signal, she throws the wind-cloaked healing bombs.


    The bombs are accelerated by the magic of the wind.


    At the moment when they hit the rushing water tentacles, the wind and shockwaves are released.


    "---I guess you could call it a healing bomb."


    "Don''t give it a name of your own!"


    This is a miracle special technique that adds the power to blow up ordinary explosive bullets by putting Elle''s wind magic on them.


    The water tentacles in front of him burst apart, allowing him to retreat temporarily.


    "Ah, ah, ah ......!¡¡We didn''t even have a meeting!¡¡What is going on with this guy?


    "He was so excited!¡¡Mr. Elle!


    Shut up, you pig!


    Hin!


    Stop acting like a fool and move on!


    And it hasn''t stopped moving yet!¡¡The water itself is taking shape, and it''s going to regenerate!


    "Big!"


    ...... Mr. Nagi!


    Nagi-san jumped forward as if passing me and held his black sword clutched in both hands as if carrying it on his shoulder, and swung it down at an angle with a step so hard that the ground caved in.


    "Idora!


    A blow with all his might.


    It was released as if to smash right in front of his eyes, splitting the approaching wall of water itself in half (????).


    The power of the blow was so great that even the surface of the water several tens of meters away was cut open with just the aftermath of the slash.


    "As expected of someone as powerful as Rose and Nero,......, what he''s doing is the ultimate in prowess,......."


    "As much as I''d like to admire you, we have to deal with this situation first!¡¡Mr. Nagi, I''ll use my healing bombs to hold them here!¡¡You and Koga will get us out of the city..."


    As I was saying those words, several tentacles of water attacked me from above my head.


    I jumped away and avoided them, but the water continued to follow me.


    "Is it me you''re after?"


    Unnatural tracking...... is there some kind of regularity to it?


    I throw a bomb that I''m about to make at the approaching tentacles of water, and when I pop it off---somehow the tentacles gather like a swarm at the spot where the bomb exploded.


    "Usato, this water seems to be attracted by magic power.


    "I see."


    Is it like water magic that reacts to magic power and attacks?


    Then our first priority is to distract them with magic bullets and give them time to escape.


    "I and ...... are the ones who fight by releasing magic power.


    Elle, Hannah and Veena .......


    Elle and Veena need to follow Koga, and Hannah is too much influenced by the devil''s magic to follow Koga.


    If that is the case, I know what I have to do.


    "Nagi-san, Koga!¡¡They seem to be attracted by the demon''s magic!¡¡I''ll take the bait! Take care of Amako and the others!


    Oh!


    The water tentacles continue to grow.


    It seems as if they are using all the water in the lake itself.


    ...... Is this the reason why this town is in ruins?


    Nea, you and Amaco...


    "...... well, I guess there''s nothing we can do about that now."


    If you just want to use me as bait, I''ll be fine.


    I can manage just to meet up with the others, so Nair will follow Amako.


    After confirming that Nair has moved to Amako''s shoulder, I call out to her again.


    "Amako, can you make it?


    "Yes!"


    Amaco first.


    He extends his cloak and hands Amako to Koga.


    He takes Amako, and then Rune and Hannah... but just as I''m about to do that, a huge tentacle of water slams between me and Koga, blocking the way.


    Then again..,


    "......... Usato no!¡¡Rune will be swept away!


    Amako''s voice from the cohort rushes to pull Rune toward her.


    A few seconds later, the water hits her harder than before, causing her to break out in a cold sweat.


    "Is he blocking us?"


    Obviously, he''s trying to stop us, isn''t he?


    Did he go after Rune?¡¡Or did he simply go for Keira''s cape?


    "Usato!"


    I heard Nagi''s voice and saw her pointing into the lake.


    She points to the lake, which is swirling and creating tentacles of water one after another....


    "The ruins in the water. ......?"


    The phenomenon, created by some kind of magic, has unnaturally excavated the lake itself like earth, and beyond it, we can see half of this city, which should have sunk, and what looks like a large ruin.


    Normally, I would not think of going in there.


    However, the ruins were surrounded by a membrane of air, similar to the ruins in the poisoned earth that I had visited before when I was trying to recover the power of the Demon King.


    Please head over there!¡¡What we are looking for is probably there!


    "Ah!¡¡What about you!


    We''ll attract them!¡¡We''ll meet up with you later!


    He gathers magic power in his right hand while kicking off the water tentacles with a shockwave of magic.


    If we go on like this, Nagi and Koga will still be swallowed by the water, but the others will be swallowed by the water!


    Then we know what to do!


    "If it gathers magic!¡¡You''d love to strengthen the system!


    As he jumps up with his cloak while activating the system reinforcement, almost all the water tentacles gather toward them, ignoring Nagi and the others.


    "Come on!¡¡If you can catch them!


    The cloak on his back holds Rune and Hannah firmly in place on his back.


    They are still recovering from the effects of the demon''s magic.


    While protecting them, you run away from the water tentacles that are coming at you from all directions!


    ¡ñ


    I learned that demon magic is more troublesome than I had expected.


    I had never imagined that I would be so deceived, even though I have a magic called illusion magic, which should make it difficult for me to be affected by magic that affects the mind.


    No, perhaps one of the reasons is that the concentration of the magic used as a trap was so strong... ...... Finally, my hazy thinking has been restored.


    "...... U, Usato-kun, is it?"


    This wave of healing magic and my back is definitely Usato''s.


    Why?¡¡I wonder why, but perhaps he is carrying me in his cloak of dark magic as I am being bewitched by demonic forces.


    It''s shaking like crazy.


    What''s with all the shaking and the wind?


    I slowly open my eyes, sensing a lot of bad things.


    "Geeaaaahhh...?"


    I heard myself scream in disbelief.


    Because before I knew it, I was flying around in the sky with my body fixed to Usato-kun''s back!


    It would be strange if I didn''t scream!


    Or rather, what kind of situation is this?


    >


    We''ll deal with it!


    Mysterious water things are coming at us from all around.


    It looks like the legs of an octopus, and there are so many of them that I can''t even count them.


    Usato-kun accelerates quickly with me and Rune-chan on his back, and pulls us away with only his speed... and as he changes direction, he throws his usual explosive magic bullets from his palm.


    "I guess you''re just trying to hold us back, aren''t you!


    The explosion scatters the water tentacles, but they soon regenerate.


    He clucks his tongue and swings his limbs in a spin, knocking down the water tentacles---and releasing a green shockwave from his right palm.


    "If we don''t do something about the big one, it''s going to come after us forever. ...... hmm?"


    Then Usato noticed me at his back.


    "Hanna-san!¡¡Did you notice?


    "Did you notice?¡¡I mean, I''m not!¡¡How did you get into this mess while you were in a daze?


    "I don''t have time to explain, so I''ll ask for Rune first!"


    What?


    I came to my senses when Usato pointed out the problem and looked into his arms to see Rune sleeping as if in a doze.


    This girl, like me, is fixed with dark magic to prevent her from being shaken off, but I wonder if she was affected by the demon''s magic and fainted.


    Rune-chan, who has a groaning, pained expression on her face, flinches and mumbles something.


    "Mama ......"


    "Yes. I am your mother."


    Isn''t it a crime that you usually call me mother but actually call me mom?


    So I caught him.


    "Ha-ha-ha!¡¡You can''t catch me that fast!"


    ---I was brought back to my senses by Usato''s voice, which sounded so earnest.


    Oh, look out, look out, we''re about to lose our way back. .......


    "Usato-kun!¡¡Let''s get out of here!


    No, we need to buy more time!


    We''ll buy you some time. ......?


    Suddenly, Usato-kun reversed and showed me on his back the ruins in the lake.


    That''s .........I see...that''s how it is.


    The group of people heading for the ruins is led by Kannagi and Koga.


    So Usato took the role of a decoy to prevent them from being attacked.


    Then why are me and Rune-chan here?


    "...... sorry!"


    ....... It would be easy to complain here, but I know that he would try to move me and Rune-chan to a safe place first because of his character, so I guess there was nothing he could do.


    I think it''s a pity that he doesn''t make any excuses for his behavior.


    "---"


    Usato flies through the air, dodging the water tentacles that are chasing him.


    The water tentacles try to catch him by sheer force of mass as he moves, using shockwaves to change direction.


    "......How about this!"


    He soars up and throws a rather large magic bullet upward.


    Immediately after that, he removes the slight cloak of magic from his body and stops levitating with his dark magic.


    The tentacles of water that overtake him as he falls follow the magic bullet as if lured by it, but then they suddenly change direction and aim at the falling Usato-kun.


    "d*mn!¡¡What a hassle!"


    Usato, floating again, is accelerated by the shockwave of magic power.


    So you''re jumping ahead of the magic, but you''re intelligent enough to recognize humanoid objects?


    "Oh, yeah!¡¡Healing Afterimage Fist!


    Usato, who seems to have noticed something, covers his whole body with healing magic and leaves it there as if he is taking off his magical clothes.


    Why did he do it now?¡¡Just as I was wondering "Why did he do that now?", a group of water tentacles rushing to the magical afterimage appeared in my view from behind Usato''s back.


    "They are attacking the afterimage. ......?"


    Usato-kun leaves a series of magical afterimages as he flies.


    I feel indescribable because my strange technique is working in a strange place.


    >


    "Which means...!"


    Indeed, Keira is right, the tentacles of water that have been exposed to Usato-kun''s magic have a faint greenish magic.


    It is a magical power that will disappear in a short time.


    When Usato-kun sees this, he suddenly makes a sudden jerk!¡¡and he plunges into the water tentacles himself.


    "Wait, wait, wait!¡¡Usato!¡¡Why did you bother to run into...?"


    "Systemic reinforcement!


    That''s not the voice that strengthens the lineage of healing magic!


    Usato-kun, doing something completely nonsensical, slams his glowing green hand into the water tentacles.


    At that moment, we were hit by an unspeakable shock.


    "---!?


    This time we did not scream.


    Usato-kun''s body, which had been soaring and spinning in the air, came to a stop in mid-air.


    "It''s like a chain reaction of the magic power of the system deterioration that was charged throughout the whole body. We were able to wipe it out, but I''m sure it will still regenerate.


    What do you mean?


    Usato-kun, who was calmly looking down at the lake below, calls out to me on his back.


    Hannah, are you okay?


    "I hate you, Mr. Usato-kun. ......"


    "Ah, ha ha ......"


    I half cry even though I''m older than him.


    I would not have known what I was doing to Usato if Rune-chan had not been here in my arms.


    "....... Looks like Koga and the others made it safely into the ruins."


    >


    We''ll go with you.


    ...... would normally lead us to enter the ruins as well.


    But the ruins are protected by those water tentacles, and it is unlikely that we will be able to enter the ruins by normal means.


    Unless, of course, you have the power to break through like Usato.


    "Since they are biting at the magic, I will manipulate the magic bullets and let them act as decoys.


    Thank you.


    Thinking back, the only people in this search team who fight mainly with magic bullets are me and Usato-kun.


    I should at least do my job to make up for being a burden.


    "Just before entering the water, Hanna and Rune will wrap themselves in cloaks. If there is any leakage, please let me know through Keira!¡¡Okay, let''s go..."


    >


    Keira spreads her cloak wide, and whoosh! The cloak emits a sound as if it is sucking in something.


    When she tilts her head at the sound, the collar of the cloak transforms into a mask that covers the lower half of her face.


    "This is ......"


    <<>


    I''ve been thinking about this since I first heard about it, but isn''t Keira''s magic too convenient?


    "I''m so glad you''re here ......!"


    <<< thank you later!!!!!!!!¡¡Let''s catch up with you all quickly!!!! >>


    "Ah!!!"


    With us on his back, Usato-kun surges up on the spot, gains altitude, and then accelerates at once.


    As he does so, he suddenly throws down a magic bullet, which is filled with several small magic bullets, and leaves it in the air.


    "What was that, Usato-kun?


    "Healing diffusion bullet."


    The explosion of the magic bullet is reflected in my view from my back.


    From the shockwave that overflows, magic bullets are scattered in the air as if they were popping, and the water tentacles follow them as if they were being drawn to me.


    As I watched the magic bullets falling like shooting stars, I could no longer even muster up the strength to be surprised.


    "......"


    At that time, I understood Nair''s feelings very well.


    I realized that not knowing what they will do is not good for enemies, but it is mentally troublesome for allies as well.


    "I don''t like you after all, Usato-kun. ......"


    With that said, I will also shoot magic bullets around him to support him.


    "Brace for impact!"


    "I know what you mean!¡¡d*mn it!


    I shout in desperation, and my vision is enveloped in darkness, covered by a cloak of dark magic.


    The sound of falling into the water.


    I''m not worried.


    To be honest, I wasn''t too worried.


    After all, we have a monstrously stubborn healing wizard at our backs.

 412 - - 364th episode.

    While Usato announced himself as a decoy and led the water tentacles, we entered the ruins that existed in the lake.


    I knew now that I should have gone with Usato who had healing magic, but I made the mistake of deciding to move out of the way of Usato who would have taken the role of decoy in that situation.


    --- The ruins of a city sunk in a lake where half of the city has sunk.


    The ruins themselves were submerged in water, but there was a film of air at the numerous entrances leading into the ruins, and beyond that there was no water, just a pitch black space.


    "You guys, check your luggage while you''re at it. You never know what might happen from here on out, so make sure you know what you''re carrying.


    >


    Following Koga''s instructions, each of his men checks the luggage they are carrying.


    As I watch, I look up at the entrance behind ...... us.


    "The entrance was closed just as we entered, wasn''t it?


    "Yeah. It seems that whoever made this trap wants to keep us here."


    The entrance we entered is now blocked by a stone wall.


    We quickly switched on our torches so that it was not completely dark, but the ruins were much larger than we had expected, and it would take some time to explore them.


    "Kannagi, can you break it?"


    "Yes, I can. ...... but the ruins themselves might collapse with a bad impact. It is also possible that the water pressure will crush it due to the time difference, and it is dangerous to think with predictive magic.


    If so, the wall cannot be broken.


    It will be difficult to join up with Usato from here.


    "Oooooh, we''ve gotten into a place that looks like that for the time being. But I got separated from Usato.


    I''m sure he''ll be fine.


    "Yes, it is. I''m sure they''re at the ruins by now.


    "I''m afraid of the comments from you guys, who''ve probably known each other the longest."


    Nair and I both say things that make Koger''s cheeks twitch.


    In fact, I don''t think anything in that water is strong enough to catch Usato.


    "It''s easy to forget, but Usato and I have a contract with a messenger. So if something should happen to him, I''ll know right away.


    "Oh, really? How is Usato now?


    "Very well."


    "I can only imagine what it''s like. ......"


    If Nair says so, I''m relieved.


    I will definitely foresee a future in which Usato is in danger.


    While I was thinking this, Kannagi, who had been watching the surroundings, spoke to Koga.


    K?ga. As soon as we get back on our feet, we should go on.


    "Hmm?¡¡Why?


    "Perhaps we won''t be able to join up with Usato even if we stay here. We have the same goal. If we continue onward to our destination, we may be able to meet up with Usato.


    "...... Surely he might think the same way."


    Coga scratches his head in annoyance, his hand on his chin for a few seconds.


    "Well, I''m not good at using my head like this, but let''s go through these gloomy ruins first. Hannah''s over there, and I''m sure Usato will be fine."


    "Fuku...... captain!¡¡I''m worried about Hannah because she has a rather fragile mentality!"


    One of his subordinates, Nono, points this out to Koga, and Koga shows a thoughtful expression.


    "It certainly sounds like Hanna is going to have a hard time."


    "......Yeah, it sounds like a lot of work."


    "It seems to me that the two of you are referring to something else when you say ''hard work''. ......?"


    Kannagi looked a little taken aback and Nea and I nodded.


    No matter how much time we spend together, Usato always does things that we don''t expect.


    It''s hard to be pushed around by him,...... but on the other hand, we trust him to show us the way out of any situation.


    He is a good man.


    "......Ah, I''m soaking wet. ......"


    I dove into the lake but did not see where the cohorts had gone in, so I jumped into the hole I had found.


    I looked around a little and tried to find another entrance, but soon the hole I entered was blocked by a rock and I couldn''t get out.


    "...... it''s dark."


    The healing bullet I created in my hand is pasted on the wall.


    The green light of the healing magic illuminates the passage, and he makes several more healing bullets and throws them to the end of the passage, making sure that he has a firm foothold.


    "No response on healing sensing. I guess ...... can help."


    There are no enemies around.


    Checking them carefully, I take out Hannah and Rune, who are wrapped in dark magic behind my back.


    Hannah, still holding the unconscious Rune, gets off my back while crouching down.


    "What, are we here ......?"


    "Inside the ruins. We seem to be trapped.


    No, why?


    "Because I enjoy diving."


    The reply was a kick to the shin.


    Does the demon lady have a grudge against my shin?


    "Calm down. It''s just an augmented joke to make people laugh.


    "It''s a great joke if anyone but you say it, but if you say it, it doesn''t seem like a joke. ......!!!"


    "Do you really think I''m the one who says swimming is fun in this situation ......?"


    I''m shocked.


    And then Rune, who had been listening to the exchange between me and Hanna-san, wakes up.


    "......, good morning. ......"


    "Good morning. Would you like some snacks?"


    <<


    Hanna offers me some portable food from her own small bag without hesitation, and Keira tells me this with a wink of surprise.


    I think it''s a bad idea to be a worse person than a senior in a limited situation.


    Well, I understand that she likes little kids, or rather, she likes children, so I don''t feel that she is dangerous.


    I have mixed feelings about it, because I know Hannah''s past, and I can understand how she feels about her sister and a young child.


    With a sigh, I sit down and kneel on the ground to meet Rune''s gaze, who is munching on some portable food.


    "...... Roone, I''m going to explain the situation now. I''m going to explain the situation to you now.


    "Mugu ...... ah."


    I explain to her how we came to be in these ruins.


    I don''t have time to go into detail because of the circumstances, but Roone nodded her head in understanding.


    "Shea might be here, right?"


    "We don''t know that yet. I don''t know yet, but I think it''s very possible.


    "That''s all right. I''ll follow you.


    Hannah''s persistent poking at my side from behind bothers me, but I''ve decided what I''m going to do.


    "Maybe Amako and the others are planning to join us as we proceed into the ruins, so let''s go into the ruins and join the others."


    "Yes, that''s right. I think we should move forward.


    Nagi, Koga, and his men are more than enough to make up for the loss.


    And with Nair and Amako, we should be fine as long as we don''t have to worry about anything else.


    Let''s get on with it. ...... but first..."


    I hand Rune the healing bullet I have created in my hand.


    "Why are you giving me this?"


    "It''s a light. It''s a light. It''s to light up your feet.


    "...... wow, it''s so fuzzy. Here."


    Rune touches the healing bullet curiously.


    It will go away in time, but then you can give it to him again.


    "Here you go, Keira and Hannah."


    >


    "It really comes in handy in the weirdest ways. Yeah, the user is like this, but the healing magic is warm ......."


    Please don''t make me sound like a bad person: .......


    Keira seemed to want it for some reason, so I gave it to her.


    Now, when everyone has a light, I point ahead.


    "You all have healing magic!¡¡Let the search begin!"


    >


    "Oh."


    "What is that strange motivation ......?"


    These four of us will join Amako and the others as we explore the ruins......!


    To do so, let''s start by making our way through these ruins, which are shrouded in darkness!


    <>


    "Indeed. It''s a labyrinth inside, too.


    What in the world was this place built for?


    Throwing magic bullets and searching for enemies with my healing sense, I proceeded through the ruins and saw things like stone pillars and patterns carved on the walls.


    "I''m sure that they belong to Rune-chan''s ancestors,......, but I don''t think the contents of the ruins are normal when they can build such a civilization in such a dangerous land.


    "Are you saying that humans of my species might still be out there somewhere?"


    "...... sorry. I can''t say for sure that it''s not possible. ...... is all I can say right now."


    Hanna apologizes to Roone, apologetically, as if she doesn''t want to give him false hope.


    "No need to apologize. It''s not as if meeting the same species is going to change anything, they just look the same, but if that''s all, I trust you guys more.


    "Rune-chan: ......"


    But you scare me a little bit.


    Oh, Hannah fell to her knees.


    I smile at her and radiate magic power forward, and I detect two reactions on my magic sensing.


    I control Hanna-san and Roone behind me with my hands.


    "Usato-kun?"


    "Shh. There''s someone in there. There are two of them, and their healing magic doesn''t work, so they may be corpses prepared by the demons.


    "Well, I''ll be right behind you to protect you."


    Isn''t that too quick an answer?


    "I think you could at least support me with illusion magic. ......"


    "Oh, ...... but Usato-kun is immune to my illusion magic, so I can usually get you involved. I''ll leave it to you then!"


    Is it possible to be so happy to be declared to be attacked in the back by an ally......?


    Well, Hannah''s illusion magic is so powerful that she will support us if the battle is going to be prolonged, we approach the place where the reaction is.


    "......mu"


    We emerged into a fairly large space.


    It seems to be a passageway wider than the previous one, and we see someone loitering on the wall at the end of it.


    I cast a healing spell in my hand and illuminated it, and there it was...,


    "Gee, Usato-kun ......?


    "Mr. Ahl?


    I saw Mr. Ahl''s cheeks scrunch up when he saw me, and one of the twins, a dark wizard who had attacked me a while ago and had been able to revive my corpse, was holding the hem of her dress.


    "Oh, my gosh, it''s you, Usato-kun! What a coincidence!"


    "Hello. Hello, Mr. Earle. You too, Mr. Earle.


    "......"


    "......"


    A strange silence pervades the darkened ruins.


    It is an unexpected situation, but considering what has happened so far and what has brought us to this point in our lives, letting her go is not an option.


    "Rune."


    "...... enemy, huh?"


    "No,...... but you''ll get the other one."


    "Okay."


    As soon as I emit my magic, Lune is also cloaked in dark magic.


    She was enveloped in black flames and transformed into an animal resembling a panther, and at the same time, she jumped at the dark magician''s child next to Mr. Ahl.


    "Your sister was attacked by a monster I don''t understand!


    I''m the one you''re fighting!


    "What?¡¡That''s right!¡¡I''ve been attacked many times!


    He immediately unleashed a healing flying fist, which Mr. Ahl absorbed with shock magic.


    In the meantime, he approaches at once, and he wields his healing magic in both hands.


    "If you are here, then the devil must be here too!


    "Ah, it''s a little bit complicated. ......!


    Even though I was upset, Mr. Ahl blocked my fist with the sword in the scabbard he had drawn from his waist.


    With each swing of his arms, he creates a magic bullet and sends it flying with the force of his fists as we exchange blows.


    "So, please listen to me for a minute!"


    "...... story?"


    The opponent is only blocking the attack and doesn''t seem to have any intention of drawing his sword, so I pull my fist back and move away from him.


    Mr. Aur, who looked relieved when he saw me pull away, then looked puzzled when he saw the healing magic bullets with a pale green light attached to his arms, shoulders, and flanks.


    What?¡¡Why are you giving me magic bullets?"


    "Don''t worry. I haven''t attached the explosive bullet yet. I just wanted to talk to you before I get serious with you.


    As it is, it is nothing more than an ordinary ball of weak healing magic.


    However, if the battle resumes as it is, the next attack will be a combination of explosive bombs and system reinforcement.


    "...... This is an ordinary magic bullet, isn''t it?"


    Yes. It''s a normal magic bullet?


    "I don''t know. My intuition tells me that this is dangerous.


    Did you subconsciously realize the danger of that healing magic bullet?


    ......That''s the man who was appointed second-in-command of Rose.


    His ability to sense danger is reminiscent of Rose''s psychic "intuition.


    ......


    Mr. Ahl has no animosity toward us.


    ...... No, he hasn''t been hostile to us for a long time, but I don''t think he intends to fight us here.


    And one of the twin dark wizards that Rune is seizing doesn''t seem to have put up any resistance either.


    I sigh and let go of my stance.


    "What the hell is going on?"


    "Let me explain briefly: ...... we got separated from the demon.


    "...... is?"


    You lost the demon?


    Under what circumstances could Mr. Ahl, who is on the devil''s side, deviate?


    Wasn''t the whole thing initiated by the devil''s side in the first place?

 413 - - 365th episode.

    Mr. Ahl''s words that he had a falling out with the devil.


    It could explain the mysterious situation of her and the dark wizard twin being together, but I still could not decide whether I should believe it or not.


    "How did you get separated from the devil?"


    There was still the possibility that the devil had set a trap for her.


    I knew their cunning well enough to know that I could not trust them unconditionally, and Mr. Ahl spoke the next words with a somewhat dismayed and resigned look on his face.


    In the first place. The devil''s side fell for the trap set by these ruins.


    "...... You don''t mean to tell me it''s a contraption like the octopus legs in the lake?"


    "Yes. The demons didn''t know what they were doing and were swallowed up, and for some reason I had to go in under compulsion. That''s how we ended up where we are now.


    "Are demons stupid?"


    Hannah''s bluntness only made Mr. Ahl smile.


    ......The trick wasn''t from the devil''s side, was it?


    "That means they''re not going to be hostile to us now, is that it?" "Well, the priority of the order itself has been overwritten. The order to protect the demon has taken precedence over the order to kill Usato, so we are now more strongly tied to that order.


    I wish Nea was here.


    Her necromancer powers might have done something about it. .......


    "......, does that mean you still have the urge to attack Mr. Usato?"


    Hanna''s words made Aur nod his head.


    It didn''t look like it, but does it mean that she is still fighting against it ......?


    "We have been through hell under the demon captain before we died. There''s no way I''m going to put up with it.


    "...... I see."


    "Usato-kun, come here for a minute."


    Hannah-san grabs my arm and pulls me a little away from Mr. Ahl.


    As I was wondering what was going on, she unexpectedly pointed her finger at me.


    "You should learn to doubt a little bit, Usato-kun. She looks like your predecessor, but she is a puppet awakened by the hands of the devil.¡¡Even if she has her own will, it''s too dangerous to trust her.


    Hannah is right.


    I''m gullible and I''m not good at lying.


    "I know that. But ......"


    But?"


    I''m willing to take some risks to get information out of Mr. Earle. I need to know how to free her and her friends from the demon, and what the demon''s goals are. ......


    This is a kind of opportunity.


    I could get information out of Ms. Ahl, and I wanted to hear her ...... say how she felt about the current situation and Rose from her own mouth.


    At my words, Hannah put her hand on her forehead and dropped her shoulders.


    "Huh. Usato-kun is a real pain in the ass, isn''t he?"


    "...... sorry."


    "Don''t apologize. I''ll be on the lookout for you, so you don''t let your guard down."


    "Thank you very much."


    I''m sorry you had to go through that, Hannah.


    I''ll watch out for Mr. Ahl as well, and take extra precautions so that Hanna and Roone won''t be in danger.


    Have you finished discussing this?


    Yes. We will proceed into the ruins to meet up with our friends. Of course, you''re coming with me.


    In the meantime, we should join up with Nair.


    If she is there, we might be able to find some way to deal with Mr. Ahl''s situation.


    "...... though I may not be able to hold back my will and attack you. ......"


    "Then attack only me. ......Huff, don''t worry. It is a rather common occurrence to be attacked by colleagues.


    I''ve had my share of fights with the tough guys in the lifeguard corps, and Rose beat me to a pulp.


    I''m used to that.


    "Oh, is that how it''s going to be now?¡¡Well, that''s a relief.


    Was it like that in the past?


    "And we''re always on the lookout for magic, and above all, we have Keira to protect us."


    "I was wondering about the attack before ......, but it''s strange that there is a child of the demon tribe inside the cloak..."


    I would prefer not to elaborate on Keira''s abilities.


    I don''t want Mr. Ahl to pass the information to the devil''s side and make them go after Keira.


    "Anyway, next is your girl. Rune."


    "Usato, he''s not moving at all. His eyes are open, but is he dead?


    Rune holds one of the twin dark wizards down while he is in the form of a panther surrounded by black flames.


    The one being held down remains limp and does not seem to move.


    "You don''t have to hold me down anymore. ......Aur, what''s wrong with this person?"


    "What''s wrong with him?" "Nothing, it''s just the way it is with most of the corpses that have been manipulated without orders. In addition, this girl seems to be even more lethargic without her twin sister. ......I had a hard time holding on to her until just now, too.


    So, at this point in time, you don''t see any particular threat?


    The twin sister, who had been freed from Rune''s restraints and got up slowly, walked slowly and clung to Hannah''s arm.


    Her face turns pale at the sudden action of someone she thought had nothing to do with her.


    "Um, what do you mean?¡¡I''m being held on to by a corpse of the devil''s side.


    "Oh, I think he likes you."


    "Isn''t that kind of trouble your job, Usato-kun?¡¡Uh, could you get away from me, please?"


    "......"


    Ms. Hanna did not respond to her voice.


    Hmmm...does this mean that even though she is not conscious, she is still pulled by her actions before her death?


    "Maybe it''s because you looked like your sister, right?"


    "......"


    "Mr. Earle. Let''s stop talking and move on."


    Don''t talk about it.


    Hannah lost her own sister.


    I interrupted her, seeing that she was upset, and gave her a look before urging her to go on.


    "Oh, and Mr. Earle. Here."


    "Heh?¡¡What is it?¡¡A magic bullet?¡¡Wow, it''s so sticky and amazing!


    Before proceeding, I give Mr. Ahl a magic bullet of healing magic.


    The shape of the bullet is made to stay as a sphere by giving it elasticity, and it can light the way.


    "But it seems to be lighter in color than the magic bullets of the two of you over there ......."


    "Oh, really?¡¡Well, the light itself is the same.


    "......Well, that''s true, too."


    Mr. Ahl touches the healing magic bullet made by strain degradation, as if he thought it was nothing to be concerned about.


    I noticed Hannah-san looking at me sideways as if she were looking at an outsider, and I proceeded onward, illuminating the pitch-dark ruins with healing magic.


    I was so surprised to see her looking at me as if I were an outsider.


    The last thing I remember seeing was my captain--- Mr. Rose when I lost my life in his arms.


    Nero Agence.


    I was cut open by his "magic sword that cuts off magic power," and I was unable to heal my wounds with healing magic, so I died without a moment''s delay.


    I honestly don''t know what kind of grudge ...... I have against the demon tribe.


    They and we both fought with the intention of killing the other, and we both fell down and died.


    I can''t change the outcome no matter what, and I was happy that the captain survived in the end.


    Our deaths are not meaningless.


    It is the best possible outcome just to have left behind the strongest man of this time, the captain.


    And with that, our lives are over.


    It should have been..,


    "I can''t do this."


    I thought I was dead, but I came back to life.


    Technically, I''m still dead, just my soul is back, but that doesn''t change the worst of it.


    I have to follow the devil''s orders, and my colleagues have turned out to be will-less corpse gorillas, as if they have no regrets.


    However, there is one good thing amidst all the worst.


    That is..,


    "Keira, Rune, are you hungry?¡¡Are you okay?"


    >


    "Don''t worry."


    The captain found and trained a healing magician---Usato.


    I narrow my eyes at him as he talks to the cloak, a child of the demon tribe who uses dark magic.


    It''s one of the few good things about meeting a healing wizard like the captain that I never thought I''d see again.


    "Usato-kun, I''m afraid of your presence!¡¡He won''t move away from me at all!


    "Well, well, he''s very quiet, so let him do whatever he wants for now."


    "....... I have a suggestion!¡¡He''s a dark magic user, so you should stick with him!"


    "Don''t try to push me ......"


    It''s so crowded.


    The mere sight of demons and humans getting along with each other is a surprise, but he doesn''t find it the least bit strange.


    He knows what has been happening while I was dead.


    The Demon Lord''s army is back,


    The Kingdom of Lingle summons the brave,


    The Kingdom of Lingle won three battles against the Demon King''s army,


    Finally, the war came to an end when the heroes defeated and surrendered to the Demon King.


    At the center of the war were the heroes of the Lingle Kingdom and Usato-kun.


    "The Captain''s Successor: ......"


    Fighting humans (monsters) using healing magic.


    Up close, he really is just an ordinary boy.


    But I know. But I know that this ordinary-looking boy can do extraordinary things, like exploding healing magic.


    He uses different methods, but this boy is undoubtedly the captain''s disciple.


    There was enough bullshit in this boy to convince me of that.


    "That!"


    Usato-kun throws a magic bullet floating in his hand toward the end of the passage.


    The light pierces into the darkness, and the sound of popping pops out from the trees.


    No response. Let''s go on."


    "You know that much ......?"


    "I can detect moving objects and living things. Especially when it comes to living things, it''s easier to detect them because of the healing magic that''s activated.


    This is what the demons are most alarmed about.


    Usato, you have the ability to sense.


    His unusual ability to detect even the magic that hides his existence from the world makes him a natural enemy of the demons, and he is their main enemy.


    "How did you meet Usato-kun and the captain?"


    "What, in what way?¡¡......Well, right after you were summoned to our world, you were kidnapped and thrown into the rescue squad.


    "Oh, I see."


    I know what you mean.


    I was grabbed by the scruff of the neck and thrown into a unit.


    The first time I was thrown into the group, it was terrible. It was like a cave with all the bad guys from the Kingdom of Lingle, and I was terrified.


    "When I was there, there were these tough guys who I thought were bandits. I was really scared at that time.


    Strong Faces ......?¡¡I''m wondering about the current members of the captain''s men, Usato, it seems that you were like me.


    "In my case, the training started after that, but I managed to get through it.


    "You got over it?"


    Yes, I got over it.


    "You had a hard time, didn''t you?"


    "What?"


    What?


    We were hitting it off until about halfway through, and then something went wrong. ......?


    I''m afraid I''m going to get into something so dark that even I, who has no body temperature, will turn pale, so I''m going to change the subject..,


    "Oh, but it was bad enough that I had to keep taking the Commander''s fists in order to train my evasive power. I really thought I was going to die."


    "Why are you still alive, you ......?"


    You keep taking the captain''s fist ......?¡¡What the hell is he doing?


    He''s the kind of person who wouldn''t take it easy on a girl like that, and if anything, this girl has survived the training and is here.


    "I heard that the purpose of the training is to learn how to evade ...... without relying on healing magic."


    "It''s ......."


    "Now that I think about it, Nero-san,...... I think it was the Commander who tried to teach me after the battle with Nero Agence."


    The name of the demon tribe that killed me.


    I cowered playfully, not showing my agitation.


    "So I guess our deaths weren''t in vain."


    "......"


    "...... sorry. I guess I didn''t phrase it very well."


    Since I had been called insensitive quite often before my death, I immediately noticed the frown on Usato-kun''s face.


    As a dead man, I may want death to have meaning, but I am sure that he and the captain would not have wanted us to die in the first place.


    "Do you think I have a grudge against the demons, Usato-kun?"


    "I don''t know.


    He answered immediately, and I chuckled to myself.


    I only know of you by word of mouth. You are a trusted subordinate of the Commander, and he has entrusted you with the vice-commander''s position.


    "...... from the captain?"


    "A trusted subordinate, he said he trusted you as his second-in-command. He said you have a ...... similar personality to me."


    With you?


    You''re competitive. You''re competitive... and you''ll go toe-to-toe with the leader.


    Ha-ha-ha. We certainly look alike."


    I kind of wonder if that''s why the captain chose her ......, but I know it''s probably not.


    "So let me ask you this. Do you hate demons, Mr. Ahl?"


    "......, I don''t."


    You can''t possibly think that.


    It''s over.


    The magic that brought me back to life is forcing me to hate him, but it doesn''t matter.


    We weren''t fighting for hatred of demons in the first place. We fought because we were ...... captain''s men.


    I see.


    "The captain has finished with ...... Nero Agence, hasn''t he?"


    Usato-kun nodded at my question.


    "Yes, he beat him up.


    "If the captain has settled things properly, then I really don''t have anything to say. I can go back to the other side with peace of mind.


    I have no regrets.


    Thinking this, I smile fragilely and try to project an air of seniority.


    "No, no, no, I''ll take you before the Commander, won''t I?


    ...... Ah.


    "Oh, I''m sorry. I''ve done so much that I''ll die if I''m taken in front of the captain. ......!


    I don''t want to.


    You''re my junior, aren''t you?


    I sense firm determination and good intentions.


    What''s worse, she knows exactly what she''s getting me into.


    "Mr. Earle. You know, you and I have worked for the same superior, Rose."


    "Oh, you know, like compassion for those who came before us, or something like that. ...... Look, I''m a senior!"


    "What''s the point of showing mercy to our predecessors in the face of the Commander''s wrath? I''ll do my best to defend myself.


    "d*mn!¡¡I''m glad to see you haven''t changed after my death!


    He said with a refreshing smile.


    If I were in the opposite situation, I would definitely do the same thing, so I can''t say anything. .......


    "...... haha"


    But I was relieved.


    The captain hasn''t changed at all.


    He''s still the same man we respected and followed.


    The boy walking next to me is proof of that.


    Please stop.


    I was feeling all sorts of unspoken emotions when Usato-kun''s foot stopped.


    "There is something in the open space ahead. It''s not a person. ...... Is it a demon?¡¡There are so many of them.


    >


    "...... is not going to be able to avoid it. Mr. Ahl, can the one clinging to Hannah run?"


    "No, I don''t think so. She''s just wobbling around.


    Usato gestures a little worried, and then he transforms the cloak he wears.


    Before Usato could say anything, the demoness called Hannah stepped into his cloak with her clinging twin sister and jumped on him.


    "Would you be willing to carry me?¡¡It''s easier to ride than a horse."


    "....... You can be the fixed turret behind me that shoots out illusion magic."


    "Oh, what?¡¡You''re all over the place. ......?¡¡Ugh, Usato?¡¡Are you mad at me?¡¡Usato?


    What is the principle behind the cloak he wears?


    ...... Well, since I can''t disobey the devil''s orders, I''d rather not tell you, so I don''t have to explain.


    As I was thinking this, another child of the demon tribe---the one called Rune---was engulfed in black flames without warning.


    When I was startled, the black flame gradually became smaller and smaller until it was the size of a kitten and jumped on Usato-kun''s shoulder.


    "Oh, Rune,...... can you be that small?¡¡A little lion ......?"


    "I was imitating the little owl that''s always on your shoulder. I''m blind at night, so I leave the moving to you."


    "Oh, yeah, okay. Be careful you don''t get swept off your feet."


    "Oh."


    .......


    I''m not supposed to be the one to ask this, am I?


    We were a group of five people earlier and now we''re down to just two!


    Isn''t it strange that no one but me is questioning it?


    Then, Mr. Ahl, let''s move on.


    "Usato-kun is in a way a more surprising human being than the captain. ......"


    "...... Well, I''m aware of it."


    Is it a relief to be aware of this ......?


    We''ve only had a pretty short exchange, but I''m feeling full of it already.......

 414 - - 366th episode.

    From the reactions that can be sensed by magic sensing, we are dealing with a horde of demons.


    There are quite a lot of them, and a battle is inevitable.


    ...... We have to conserve our magical power.


    Even if you conserve it by systemic deterioration, it will be reduced.


    I talk to Lune, who is in the state of a lion cub on my shoulder, while checking.


    "Rune, can you make my hands burst into flames?


    I can''t. I can make it not to burn, but there will be heat.


    "Well, what about this basket hand?"


    I ask Rune, the lioness on my shoulder, and a flame runs from my shoulder where she is and is lit by the basket hand on my right.


    ...... seems to be okay on top of the basket hand.


    "If you look closely, the color of the flame is bluish black, isn''t it?"


    I saw it in daylight so it looked pitch black, but in the dark you can see the bluish color mixed in.


    Lune as a lion cub is the same color.


    "And then there''s your ...... no, Keira''s black fluttering dress."


    <>


    "Yes. You can put that on, too."


    With that, Keira''s dark-magic cloak caught fire as Rune''s dark-magic flames ran along the edges of the cloak.


    Hannah, who was pinned behind my back, slapped my cheek from behind in panic.


    "Hey, hey, hey, hey!¡¡Please don''t burn me, I''m here too!


    "Oh, I''m sorry." Don''t worry about ....... I made him avoid you."


    "Don''t worry about it, Rune-chan."


    You''re emotionally unstable.


    I sighed to Hannah as she flirted with Roone and smacked me on the cheek, and I asked her to put out the flame once and turned around to see Aul.


    "Mr. Aul. Let me explain the situation of the enemy.


    Shouldn''t you explain your current situation first?"


    "Yes, as you can see, sir."


    "Ugh, wow, my brain refuses to understand what I see as a result of what I see. ......"


    That''s really all I can say.


    It''s like improvised teamwork, as you can see.


    "So, the enemy..."


    "Yes."


    There are a lot of them anyway."


    Mr. Ahl tilts his head at my words.


    I guess I was too abstract to convey my message well.


    "Well, how many are there?"


    There are many on the wall and on the ground. It''s a straight road from here on, so it will be difficult to avoid them.


    "...... Uh, demons?"


    Perhaps.


    I''m not sure what it looks like.


    The fact that these ruins are in a lake makes it certain that they are demons related to the lake, but they are probably a herd.


    "They''ve noticed us and they''re getting desperate. Maybe it''s a monster with an excellent sense of ...... smell."


    "So you''re not even mild-mannered. ...... What are you going to do?"


    "We can''t just turn around and go back the way we came, so we''re going to have to force our way through."


    I wish Brulin was here, but he''s at Amaco now.


    ---Hmm?


    "One of them is coming this way. Is that one of those ...... snake things crawling on the ground?"


    Scouts?


    Maybe. Let''s find out what it is first.


    As they approach us at great speed, we fire a viscous healing magic bullet into the wall of the passage in front of us before we come in contact with them.


    The green light of the healing magic illuminates the passageway, thus securing my vision.


    "Hey, hey, Usato-kun. Aren''t the magic bullets I got from you too light in color?"


    "The enemy is coming, please concentrate."


    "Eh, oh, I''m sorry ...... I knew it was too thin. ......"


    Your intuition is really good.


    The system-degraded healing magic bullet itself is harmless.


    ..............


    "Let''s see what''s coming ......!"


    Only one of them comes within sensing range.


    The only one approaching within sensing range is a large serpent.


    As soon as it appeared in the passageway lit by the light of the healing spell, it leapt toward me, its sharp fangs peeking out from its wide-open mouth.


    "Vaaaah!!!"


    >


    The cries of the demon that appeared and the screams of Hannah and Keira.


    I backfist the big snake-like monster that tries to bite me without much agitation.


    "Hmph!"


    "Vaggy!"


    The snake is struck in the side, and in an instant, its eyes go white and it slams head first into the wall and faints.


    "...... okay."


    "Hey, why aren''t you moving, Usato-kun?"


    "Because there''s no way I''d be scared of a big snake after all these years."


    "It''s annoying that you''re so dependable for nothing. ......"


    Isn''t that unreasonable?


    I''ve fought against baldinaks and evil dragons before.


    If you want to scare me, bring Rose or Senpai or Lucas-sama.


    Rose, of course, but Senpai and Lucas-sama might do more than the Demon King.


    "So what is this monster?"


    If you look at the fainted creature you''ll see that it''s not just a big snake.


    It has scales more like a dragon''s than a snake''s, and its color is a beautiful blue.


    Its size is ......3,about 4 meters.


    It is an average size for a demon, but the number of them waiting for us ahead is extraordinary.


    "It''s a water dragon. In the sea they are called sea serpents,...... but I''ve never heard of such an unusual number of them.


    "Wow, I''ve never seen a sea dragon before. Even when I was in the captain''s unit, I thought they were already extinct. ...... but I guess they do exist in unexplored areas.


    "Is this guy rare?¡¡They''re in all the rivers and stuff."


    Hannah and Aur seem to think it''s a rarity, but to Rune, it''s just another demon.


    Could it be a demon that is rarely found in the human realm?


    I thought I had read something like that in a book I was reading about demons.


    He''s a low-ranking member of the pack, isn''t he?


    You know what I mean?


    "Some smart demons try to gauge their prey''s strength by letting their underlings go first. In this case, we are the prey.


    From our point of view, we just found out who they are.


    With my healing senses, I must have more information than they do.


    Let''s continue to force our way through and move on.


    "First, we''ll use magic to kick them off. Keira, protect his back. Rune will help with the fire. Hannah, as soon as you come in contact with them, you cover them with magic bullets. Aur will fight with me to break through the swarm of water dragons."


    "......"


    "Mr. Earle?"


    I called out to Mr. Ahl, who looked at me in surprise, and she put her hand on her head in a huff.


    "I was just thinking that you are the vice-captain ...... of the group," she said. You really are just like me.


    I am honored that you would say that.


    Please don''t do that. I died halfway through my life."


    Mr. Ahl smiles a self-mocking smile.


    "I am a corpse left behind by the times. That''s why I''m not someone you can look up to. ......"


    "But you''re alive, aren''t you?"


    "...... Oh, um, do you have any idea what I''m going through, by any chance?"


    After all this talk, I realized that in Mr. Ahl''s case, he is not talking about being dead or anything like that.


    He is rational and can talk.


    "If you are sane enough to talk like this, it''s no different from being alive. I can take you before the Commander and make you talk to him.


    "......, aren''t you often said to be stubborn?"


    In that sense, you must be stubborn, too, if you think you can''t face Rose.


    I''m not going to give up on this.


    She looks at me and smiles, then slaps her cheeks with her hands as if to get herself fired up, and looks out into the darkness.


    "Well, let''s get ourselves together and move on, shall we?


    "Yes!"


    The water dragon has not yet begun to move.


    When I get close enough to the water dragon and just before it attacks me, I show Hannah, who is behind me, the healing explosive that I created with my palm.


    "Hanna-san, cast illusion magic on this!


    "Yes, yes."


    "I call it the Healing Illusion Bomb ......!!!"


    "Yes, yes, it''s cool, it''s cool, it''s cool!"


    For some reason, he told me to baby-sit.


    As if to make the first move, I try to throw a healing bomb with illusionary magic, only to find that Mr. Ahl is also trying to make a magic bullet like mine.


    "You remember that my lineage is shock magic, don''t you?"


    "Yes, yes,...... Mr. Earle, that''s not ...... true."


    "If it''s anything like shock, it means I can do the same thing you can."


    The purple magic collected in Mr. Ahl''s hand transforms into a sphere.


    In the process, a laceration is carved on Mr. Ahl''s hand that created the magic bullet, but the laceration is quickly closed as if time is rewound.


    Was it a magic spell on the ...... corpse?¡¡No, but before that, this technique of Mr. Aul''s is .......


    "I can do it without any disadvantages for me, as I have no outburst of systemic reinforcement and my sense of pain is dead."


    "Mr. Awl, ......!"


    "No, I have mixed feelings about you looking at me like that when I''m living a normal life and you''re popping off outbursts of systemic reinforcement."


    I feel like I''ve made Mr. Awl just as strong as Koger: .......


    No, it''s a good thing that her magic is getting stronger under the circumstances, so let''s not worry about it.


    "Then let''s throw them together with me."


    "Yes."


    "Ready, set, go!"


    Me and Mr. Ahl, two exploding magic bullets are thrown into the darkness.


    The magic bullets flew straight ahead and collided with each other near the center of the hall where the water dragons were, and exploded, scattering shockwaves and particles of healing magic---as well as magic illusions---around us.


    <<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>


    >


    "I didn''t know magic could do this. ......"


    Keira and Rune marvel at the particles of healing and shock magic that scatter light like fireworks and brightly illuminate the dark hall space.


    Below is a hellish picture of a water dragon running amok, confused by illusionary magic.


    Let''s go!


    Please try not to kill them!


    It''ll be a problem if they hate you!¡¡I understand!


    I jump out after Mr. Earle.


    With Hannah and her twin sister firmly secured behind my back, I jump into the swarm of rampaging water dragons.


    The floor of the hall is knee-deep in water, and as soon as we land on the ground, the hostility of the water dragons turns on us at once.


    "Aren''t there too many!


    I told you so!


    There''s a certain level of hostility, right?¡¡This isn''t a herd or something like that!


    Indeed, there were many water dragons rampaging about, crammed into this large space.


    This is probably the reason why I couldn''t grasp the shape of the water dragons at first, but even so, it''s not an obstacle that can''t be broken through!


    "I''ll avoid exhaustion!¡¡Hannah!


    I know!


    Even though the consumption is being suppressed by the degradation of the system, it doesn''t mean that we can use as much magic power as we want.


    We have to conserve our magic power to prepare for the demons and unexpected situations that await us ahead!


    I''ll work for your protection!


    Hannah-san on my back makes the magic bullets float around me and directs them toward the water dragon.


    I''m careful to keep a distance from Mr. Ahl and deal with the water dragon that''s coming toward us in a melee battle.


    "Rune!"


    I''m going to light a fire. Use it freely!


    A bluish-black flame in a basket hand.


    I swung my arm lightly, and it expanded and contracted like a whip, striking the water dragon''s body.


    "Gan!


    The water dragon was hit by the whip, and its long body sprawled on the spot as if it were slumped over.


    It does not appear to be burned by the whip.


    "No burns. If you don''t want to be a slave to it, go for it."


    You''re saved!


    But we shouldn''t be too sure.


    It''s only one way to get what you want.


    With this in mind, I hit him with my left fist and use the whip of my right basket hand to deal with him as I move forward little by little.


    "Vaah!


    What?


    Something is thrown at him, and he flies away, and water is shot at high speed and hits the ground.


    Can a water dragon spit out water like a beam? ......!


    Vaah!""""""


    <<>


    "Then!"


    Breaths released by multiple water dragons approach us like a muddy stream.


    In response, I raise my right hand, which is lit by a blue flame, and with all my might, I slam my sword into the space in front of me.


    The extended whip of flame cracks the large amount of water spewed out in half and sends it flowing behind us.


    "Nnnn!¡¡Black Flame Healing Flying Fist!


    To prevent the next breath, he launches a healing flying fist with the flames in his cage hand!


    The magic power with heat hits one of the water dragons directly, sending the flames and healing magic around it as if spreading.


    "You''re doing it!¡¡Now it''s my turn!¡¡Usato!"


    Mr. Ahl points his left palm, which is covered with purple magic, at me.


    This is ......!


    "Please give it all you''ve got!"


    "...... I see!"


    Immediately sensing her intention, I turned around and slammed my fist into her left hand.


    Instantly, the magic power that absorbed my blow was converted into a shockwave by Mr. Ahl, blowing away multiple water dragons at once.


    "With Usato-kun, it''s easy to create a huge shockwave with little consumption!


    If he is an ally, he is really a reliable person!


    I thought as I slammed my sword into the neck of the oncoming water dragon, and this time Rune spoke to me.


    "Usato, point your hand at the enemy!


    "What?¡¡Like this?


    I do as Rune says on my shoulder, and the magic power of the black flame condenses on my right baskets.


    Wait, wait, wait!


    This is not good!


    Before the magic is released, I turn my palm away from the water dragon and toward the ceiling.


    Instantly, flames erupt from my palm like an explosion, creating a blue pillar of fire that rises to the height of the ceiling.


    "Bee!¡¡Geeee!


    What the hell!


    The crowd of water dragons looked frightened by the flames, but I was even more astonished by the dangerous outburst (?????) of magical power she had performed.


    Even though it''s only heat, even demons can''t be killed by a technique this powerful!


    "Rune!¡¡What did you just do?


    "What did you just do?" "Same thing you did!"


    This girl is different from me and Mr. Earle.


    I don''t know what would happen to her if she did something dangerous like this, no matter how dark magic it is.


    Rune tilts his head at my impatience.


    She''s using the same magic as you.


    Don''t do it, it''s dangerous!


    I''m not copying you. I''ve always been able to use it. I don''t usually use it because it''s dangerous.


    Did you remember the outburst of the system enhancement from the original ......?


    It''s true that I was awfully familiar with it earlier, but .......


    "Who taught you that?


    My mother. She said everyone with my kind of magic learns it.


    Are you saying that the people here have already developed techniques to reverse the properties of dark magic?


    Technology developed in a closed civilization ......!


    This place is getting weirder and weirder!


    "Vaah!"


    "Hmph!"


    The dragon is scared, but strikes back at the water dragon that attacked him.


    Even if we continue on our way, it''s going to take a long time!¡¡In addition, it''s hard to move around because of the water under our feet!


    "Rune, can you burst the flames through the cloak in the same way?"


    "Yes, I think I can. ......


    "Yes!¡¡Mr. Earle!


    Yes, what is it?


    I call out to Mr. Ahl, who is blasting away at the water dragon with the sheath of his sword, which is covered in shock.


    "I''m going to force my way through!¡¡Hold on to this cloak of dark magic!


    "I have a bad feeling about this.¡¡Can I refuse?


    "Thank you for agreeing to do it!"


    You''re just like the captain in that forceful way.


    Your ability to sense danger is meaningless if you ignore it!


    He pulls Hannah to his back with the cloak and secures her with the belt.


    "Welcome to hell. "Welcome to hell.


    "Your companion has empty eyes!¡¡He has the same dead eyes as your sister!¡¡What?¡¡Are there three dead people including me?


    I had thought it would be tough to escape by flying and dodging the water dragon''s pursuit, but with the added acceleration from Rune''s fire, it''s a different story!


    >


    "Nuh!"


    The tail of the water dragon thrusts out like a spear from behind me as I am transforming my cloak.


    I avoid it by shifting my body to the side, then grab the tail and pull it back as hard as I can.


    "Hmph!"


    "Vaah!


    I grab the tail and swing it as hard as I can!


    After blowing away the water dragons around me like a giant swing, and finally throwing the water dragon I''m holding in the direction where the most water dragons are gathering... I get off the ground to prepare for flight with my cloak. I float about one meter.


    "Hannah!¡¡Please spread your magic power around at the same time as the signal!


    What''s the nature of the ...... hallucination?


    Just enough to disorientate the view!¡¡First... a healing spread!


    The healing diffusion bullet is thrown forward, and a few seconds later, the magic diffuses, and the structure of the vast ruins is grasped by the magic sense.


    If you can''t see the ruins, you can''t see anything!


    I signal to Rune and Hannah while deeply covering my eyes with the hood of my cloak.


    Now!


    Let''s do it!


    I''m on it!


    The moment Hannah-san scattered the magic she had gathered around us---the magic of the flames running through the cloak burst out, accelerating our bodies forward with an explosion.


    In the aftermath of the acceleration, the water dragons were blown away.


    "Ohohoh?


    The acceleration caused by the outburst of Rune''s magic power is extraordinary, and with an acceleration force greater than the shockwave of magic power from the healing acceleration fist, we are propelled straight ahead through the ruins.


    The structure in the darkness is detected by the healing senses!


    All I have to do now is to trust my reflexes and senses and charge all the way to the deepest part of the ruins at once!


    "Whoa!¡¡Usato, there''s a stone pillar right in front of you, right in front of you!


    Don''t worry!


    We''ve already detected it with our healing senses!


    Rune is taking care of the acceleration so I can concentrate on my flight.


    That means I can free my hands to change direction!


    Healing Acceleration Fist!


    "He''s moving like a pervert!


    I, who had been aware of the existence of the stone pillar by my healing sense, released a healing acceleration fist from my right hand basket and pushed forward, avoiding the stone pillar without slowing down.


    "---!"


    The reaction of a large demon!¡¡It''s as big as the baljinak I encountered in the forest. ......!


    Is it one of these water dragons?


    Unfortunately, we''re heading for the back of the boar......, we''ll have to go through here!


    "Keira, Rune!¡¡We''re not stopping!¡¡Trust me!"


    >


    "Oh!"


    What about us?¡¡Don''t you understand us?


    Hey, what are you doing again?¡¡Usato!¡¡Mr. Usato!


    Hearing their replies, I quickly move to get right in front of Nushi.


    His large physique.


    His long body reminded me of a baldinak, and his sharp fangs.


    But if I take too long to deal with it here, the water dragon behind me will catch up with me!


    So I''m going to push through at once!


    "Get out of the way!¡¡Healing Bomb Blast Flying Fist!


    A super high-speed explosive projectile is launched by the Healing Flying Fist.


    He improvised a technique to deal with this speed, and in an instant, it was released, striking the water dragon''s presumed mate squarely in the face, causing its huge body to buckle.


    "Ggwaaaaah!


    "Kyaaaah!¡¡What kind of scream is that?¡¡I heard the presence of something incredibly large...?


    "Gaaaah!¡¡I''m dying!¡¡I''m dying, but I''m dying!


    "......?¡¡......!!!?"


    Nushi''s screams and the screams of Mr. Ahl and Ms. Hannah coming from her back.


    I jump into the narrow staircase that leads to the lower floor at the far end of the hall.


    "Mr. Earl!¡¡Please reverse the thrust!


    "Gyah, reverse spray ......!¡¡I''ll use magic anyway!


    He releases a shockwave forward in time with me and lands on the ground, slowing down.


    The ...... water dragon seems to have pulled away completely.


    I drop the three on my back with a sigh of relief.


    "Ta Captain, you''ve raised a hell of a successor. ......


    "I didn''t feel like I was alive. ......"


    "......!¡¡......!!!"


    Aul is extremely tired and Hannah is trembling like a fawn while hugging her sister who is under the influence of dark magic.


    ...... If you look closely, you can see that her sister seems to be trembling as well, but is it my imagination?


    "It was fun. I want to do it again."


    <>


    It is true what they say that children are stronger in such a situation.


    Rune was bouncing around like a lioness in a good mood, and Keira was fluttering her cape happily to express her will.

 415 - - 367th episode.

    We proceeded into the ruins to meet up with Usato.


    It was a dangerous place, but that didn''t matter much to Kannagi and I. The air was humid and there were signs of demons in the ruins, where it was difficult to move forward without proper light.


    "Amako!"


    "Yeah. There are demons ahead. Let''s go another way."


    "Right."


    We share the information of the prediction with Kannagi and search for it.


    This is possible only because there are two foresighted wizards, and we are able to proceed smoothly through the ruins with a minimum of fighting.


    "Predictive magic is very useful, isn''t it? I always feel that way when I have it on my side.


    "As long as you don''t get too overconfident."


    He cowered as he answered Koga''s mutterings.


    "I know. I know that from watching Jinya''s husband in Hinomoto grow up. It''s interesting to hear that you can see so much that it blinds your eyes, though."


    "How can you say that when you''re the one who let things spiral out of control?"


    "You''re right, you can''t say that."


    Coga is annoyed by the words of Nea, who is on my shoulder in an owl-like state with me.


    "I''m sorry about that time. ......"


    "I don''t really care that much. It was the result of Jinya''s outburst."


    Jinya, the former Beast Tribe chieftain who had stolen your mother''s precognition magic.


    He was about to take it from me and join forces with the demon king''s army to invade the human realm, but we stopped him.


    As for Koga, Jinya was always ambitious, so I guess that was just the beginning.


    I''m glad I had the chance to fight with you guys back then."


    "I think Usato was a bit of a mess."


    "Haha, of course. I know that I was doing some pretty messy things at the time."


    I think it''s bad nature to do it when you know you''re doing it.


    "When the captain went to Hinomoto?¡¡Oh, you mean when your sister Amira led us there.


    Then Elle, one of Koga''s men, muttered in a reminiscent tone of voice, "I''ve been thinking about this for a long time, but I''ve never heard of it before.


    "No, I was leading the group, wasn''t I?¡¡Don''t falsify your memory, okay?"


    "Yes, I was leading the group. I know. Captain.


    Mr. Elle snickered completely.


    Coga looked back at her, his cheeks drawn back in annoyance.


    "....... Well, that Amira sister of yours is training with Usato early in the morning these days!"


    "Gah, ah, uuuh!"


    El-san suddenly started suffering, holding her chest!


    It wasn''t anything serious, but her ...... expression looked grim.


    "Elle-san suddenly began to suffer!


    "I train with Amira every morning.¡¡I''m jealous ......!


    "Wow, I''m jealous!¡¡Thanks for the food!


    These people are so rich in so many ways.


    But I don''t think Usato said every morning .......


    And I''m pretty sure it''s not that s*xy.


    I''m sure they were having a mock battle that would have made the locals feel uncomfortable.


    "...... training."


    It''s not that I want to join a rescue team like Suzune, but I''m not sure if I want to stay the same.


    I''ve been protected by Usato all my life, from the time I was traveling to now.


    I can protect myself to some extent because of my precognition magic, but I can''t fight.


    I wonder if I can be as strong as Kannagi.


    "Amako, what are you talking about ......?¡¡Are you insane......?"


    I mumbled a little and Nair questioned my sanity.


    No ......, I know she questioned my sanity.


    "I don''t think you have to be a prediction wizard like me, Amako?"


    "I''ve been protected by Usato for a long time. I''m not as good as Kannagi, but I''d like to be able to move around a little.


    "Hmmm ......"


    Kannagi puts his hand on his chin and snarls in annoyance.


    "Amako is a small girl.


    "The growth spurt is just beginning."


    "...... let''s see--"


    "It''s coming."


    "So, Soudane ......"


    I''ll say no more.


    I''ll be fifteen soon.


    I''m sure I''ll be as tall as you and Kannagi.


    "Well, we''re both wizards and if you want to learn from me, I''ll help you. I''ll join the lifeguard too.


    "Oh, I''m not sure I want to join a lifeguard. I''m not sure I want to join a lifeguard.


    "You don''t want to join because of the tin!


    Because Shinjuku House is under the same roof as Suzune, right?


    I''m sure she''ll just sneak into your bed ...... or maybe she''s part of the trip with you.


    "Stop."


    "?¡¡What''s wrong, Kannagi?"


    Kannagi, who was walking in front of us, stops.


    Veena, who was searching for enemies with her magic sense, didn''t react to anything, so it doesn''t seem that enemies appeared, but what is going on?


    Kannagi raised the torchlight in his hand high in the air and .......


    "There is a picture on the wall ......?"


    What I saw was what looked like a painting on the wall of the hall.


    The paintings depicted ...... many serpent-like monsters with long torsos and huge monsters that looked like they had been enlarged.


    I could see people wandering through the maze of streets and waterfall-like waterfalls, but it was hard to make out the meaning.


    "Well, that''s interesting.


    The first person who showed interest was, as I should have guessed, Nair, who was standing on my shoulder.


    "The guys who built this place painted this. Is this a ...... trap?¡¡A foreign enemy?¡¡No, it''s not. Is this more of an ordeal?"


    Nea, what do you see?


    "I don''t know what it says, but I can guess."


    Nair is strong in this situation.


    She may have always been careless and clumsy, but she is a demon who has been accumulating knowledge in her spare time for 300 years.


    I recognize his knowledge and thoughtfulness.


    "...... Kannagi, it seems we are in the middle of an ordeal."


    What?


    This is a labyrinth of death that will test anyone who sets foot in it. It all started with that water magic and now we''re going through this demon infested labyrinth.


    ...... a labyrinth that exists in the lake.


    It seems that we are involved in more trouble than we thought.


    Coga clicks his tongue when he hears Nea''s words.


    "Are you testing me on my own?¡¡I don''t like it.


    "I agree. But there''s a good chance we''ll find what we''re looking for once we get through the trials and tribulations of this labyrinth.


    "...... a fragment of the Demon Lord''s power?"


    "Yes. You see that glowing orb on the wall?


    Nair points to the mural, and there is indeed a glowing sphere below the painting of the ruins.


    Is the demon king''s power the prize for the ordeal?¡¡......I''m inclined to wish away such a dangerous thing if I think about it in a sensible way.


    ""---"""


    At that moment, my beastly sense of hearing picked up some kind of sound.


    Immediately afterwards, there was a boom in the ruins.¡¡and the sound of something big falling down.


    "......Kannagi, did you hear that?"


    "Yes, I heard it. I don''t think it''s that far away. The sound of a demon screaming and something exploding.


    "That''s Usato, isn''t it?"


    I think it''s terrible that you immediately associate the word "explosion" with Usato.


    The sound has already stopped, so it seems that the battle was over soon. ......¡¡I''m not sure what that sound was.


    It sounded like flames erupting or something like that. ......


    "......Nea. I''m sure you''ve seen Rene acting with Usato just now.


    "Yes, I think so. If Usato''s here, it should be okay, right?"


    "No, that''s not what I meant. ......"


    I guessed it.


    It''s times like this that I wish my imagination was wrong, but I guess I''m probably right.


    Anyway, I hope Nair won''t have a stroke the next time we meet up.


    I hope she doesn''t have a stroke the next time we meet up with her.


    After passing through a hall infested with a swarm of water dragons, I re-entered the passageway and found myself in the same darkness.


    "My name is Hannah. Do you know who I am?


    "......"


    "I am a demon just like you. You''re already dead, though.


    "......"


    I can''t help but sigh at the situation where Ms. Hannah, still on my back, is trying to communicate with her twin dark wizard sister.


    "Hannah-san, isn''t that person unconscious, so there''s no point in talking to her?"


    "If I complain to Usato-kun, there will be more complaints I want to say, so I''m having her listen to my complaints instead."


    .......


    "Sorry. Can you get off my back?"


    "Yes, please!"


    I shake her back and she clings to the deformed cloak and shows resistance.


    "I know... I know... The safest place for me in these ruins is on your back, Usato-kun!¡¡Please just carry me until this is over!


    He''s already treating me like a horse-drawn carriage.


    The cloak is currently being transformed into a rectangular ...... coffin, and Hannah and her sister are neatly arranged side by side.


    "And there are advantages to carrying me."


    "Excuse me?"


    It''s just good training.


    ...... ha.


    Don''t think I''m fooled by the word "training.


    I snicker at Hannah''s words.


    "There''s no way a weight like yours can be used for training. It''s too light."


    "...... Heh, heh, I see. So you''re saying that I''m light, Usato..."


    "You should put on more muscle."


    I was hit on the head from behind.


    I kind of guessed the reason for the slap, but I think Hanna-san should eat more.


    I feel like I''m carrying her on my back, because she''s so light that it worries me. .......


    ......Well, I won''t say more because it would be rude indeed.


    "Yes, Hannah looks poor. I don''t think she could survive in the forest.


    Rune, who was listening to my conversation with Hannah, muttered something like that.


    "Keira. Please give me ten days'' worth of food right now. I''ll grow up eating it."


    That''s too extreme.


    As I was consoling Hannah, who was shocked by the cold tone in Keira''s voice, Earl, who had been silently watching our exchange, cowered his shoulders in a look of disappointment.


    "Usato-kun, I think you should take a serious look at the situation where the only person with common sense is me, the enemy force."


    ......?


    ......,......?


    "Mr. Awl is a man of common sense ......?"


    "Excuse me!!!¡¡I know we''ve only known each other for a short time, but can I poke you once?


    No, you can''t be a sensible person if you''re Rose''s subordinate.


    It must be abnormal that you are still conscious and not in a coma while the corpse is still dead.


    But your reaction is a good sign.


    "Well, you''re finally starting to look like one. Keep it up."


    "This is so irritating ......!¡¡Just like my late gorilla colleagues. ......!


    I think this kind of exchange is necessary for Mr. Ahl.


    ...... hmm?¡¡The healing magic bullet that Mr. Ahl has is about to disappear.


    "I''m about to run out of healing magic bullets. Here you go.


    "Yes, thank you. ...... I''m not the only one who''s thin, am I?"


    I''m sure they''re suspicious.


    Then I''ll be honest with you for a moment.


    I''m actually making it thinner for you to conserve magic power. right?


    I see... that''s what you meant. Come to think of it, I''m a corpse so healing magic doesn''t work on me at all. ......"


    ""Ha ha ha ha.""


    We both laugh, and I feel Hannah''s eyes on my back.


    I don''t know how she looks at me, but I don''t want her to look at me like that.


    It''s for your safety too, right?


    "...... is a dead end?"


    Even as I was talking, the magic bullet I was throwing was blocked by something like a wall.


    At first I thought it was a dead end, but ...... it''s not.


    There is an unnatural hole at the bottom and something like ...... water is flowing through it?


    "A canal, right?"


    As I headed toward the dead end and shined the light on it, the sight of water flowing like a river in the newly emerged passage-like space jumped into my vision.


    Hannah, who had her hands on my back and looked around widely, opened her mouth while thinking.


    "Maybe this is where the water dragon came in.


    "I see. But there are no footholds, and it seems difficult to walk on foot.


    Moreover, we have no idea where this channel leads.


    Just to be sure, I throw a healing magic bullet into the canal and check where it leads.


    >


    "...... seems to be connected to a large space, at least."


    That''s a long way.


    And the canal is like a waterfall, so we don''t know what lies ahead.


    "I''m going to try a little blast detection."


    "Don''t make up words that don''t make sense."


    He throws in a healing explosive with an adjusted detonation time and searches a large space.


    After a dozen seconds or so, the healing bombs explode and a wide structure becomes visible.


    It is quite large. I can''t grasp it with the magic dispersal of the bombs. ......"


    I wonder if we can keep going.


    The channel''s current is a little steep, but not so steep that we can''t get back.


    But you never know what''s out there. .......


    "There''s no point in turning back, so we''ll just keep going, won''t we?"


    Mr. Ahl said these words to me as I was thinking about it.


    I looked at her with surprised eyes, and she crossed her arms and raised her index finger.


    "In times like this, you should try to move forward," she said. It''s much better than standing still."


    ...... Oh, I see. This is what Rose was talking about.


    The strength of mind to stay positive in any situation.


    I felt the strength from her now, that just by showing us such a figure, she could overcome the anxiety and fear of being trapped in the ruins.


    "Then, let''s keep going!¡¡Keira!¡¡Diving form!


    >


    "...... eh, a submarine body ......?"


    I cover Hannah and her sister on my back with a box-like thing made of a cape.


    The collar of the cloak changes into a mask, and it becomes a cylinder.


    "Rune, you''re with Hanna."


    "...... got it."


    Rune jumps into Hannah''s arms with a look of helplessness on his back.


    She gives a laugh when she gives an inarticulate scream of joy, and reaches out her hand to Mr. Ahl, just as she did with the water dragon earlier.


    "Come on, Mr. Ahl."


    "I''m not surprised anymore,......, haha,......."


    Mr. Ahl moves to his back and is ready to go.


    "...... Okay."


    Thanks to Keira, we can breathe underwater.


    She can also move using her cloak''s mobility and my healing acceleration fist.


    "Let''s dive!"


    >


    We jump into the channel and let the current carry us along.


    Of course I''m worried, but as Mr. Ahl said, it''s much better to keep going than to just stand still here.

 416 - - 368th episode.

    The momentum of the water drives us through the canal.


    Fortunately, it seems that we don''t have to change course because the water is so close to a straight line, but I wonder where this channel leads to.


    "---Gobbo!"


    I breathe out through my mouth and press my mouth against the cloak''s deformed mask, sucking in air.


    The possibility of Keira''s magic is truly immeasurable, since she can breathe just as well underwater as in the air, if not better than a bong.


    >


    <<


    I can hear Mr. Ahl, Hannah, and Rune''s conversation from my back, so I think I''m going to be okay.


    I take another breath of air and look ahead.


    We are about to reach the place where the channel breaks and the water falls. ......!


    Mwah!¡¡I see lights!


    "Noooooo!"


    Boom!¡¡I jumped out of the exit of the canal with a sound, and what jumped in front of my eyes was...,


    "This is ......"


    <<>


    We emerged into a circular hollowed-out space.


    The walls are lined with channels similar to the one we came out of, and a kind of light is shining down on us above our heads.


    What is that?¡¡That''s not sunlight.


    Is it light from some kind of magic tool or ore or something?


    It''s still waterlogged, though.


    <


    "Uh, yeah. Keira."


    >


    The top of the box on the back that contained the four of us is unzipped, and out comes Lune in the form of a lion cub.


    She jumps onto my shoulder dexterously, and when she sees my soaking wet body, she pats me on the cheek.


    "I''ll dry you off," she says.


    "Can you do it?¡¡"Can you do it?


    A blue-black flame runs from Rune''s body and dries my clothes.


    I felt a slight heat, but it lasted only for a moment, and my clothes were soon dry.


    "Thank you."


    "Mm."


    Rune sniffs proudly.


    Then Hannah and Aul leaned over from behind me.


    "So this is the end of the canal. We''ve come to a very bright place, haven''t we?


    "Whoa!¡¡It''s still high!¡¡You have to go down!


    "Yes, yes."


    Hannah-san pulled back and I went down to the scaffold about 30 meters below.


    The water that flows down from above seems to be going through another channel. .......


    "...... looks just like the place where Lady Farga was."


    The Kureha Fountain, which exists underground in Mialak.


    The atmosphere is somewhat similar, but the water flowing here is ordinary.


    Well, if this water is the same as the Kureha Fountain, then there must be something wrong with me.


    Well, it looks like there is more to come when we go down.


    "Hmm?¡¡Really. ......"


    Mr. Ahl is right, there is still a place where we can go on.


    "Hey, Usato. There are footprints. They''re still fresh."


    "Footprints. ......"


    If you look at where Rune indicated with his tail, you can indeed see the footprints of more than one person.


    But it''s not Amako and the others.


    They are not her footprints, and since Bulrin is not there, they are probably the footprints of Mr. Ahl''s colleagues.


    "There is blood on the footprints: ......"


    "It''s probably blood from the return. We don''t have blood to spill. Maybe it''s the blood of a demon.


    It seems that the water dragons are not only in that place, and that line seems to be the most likely one.


    "So you are one of Mr. Ahl''s friends?"


    I think so. The only footprints this big that look like an ogre are our three muscle gorillas. If that''s the case, it means there are demons ahead of us. ......Ah, I really don''t want to go any further.


    ......Aul will become our enemy if he joins up with the devil.


    But there is only one way to go and we have to go anyway. .......


    "We haven''t found any trace of Shea yet."


    "...... yeah."


    There is a good chance that she is in these ruins.


    If she has the memories and magic of the previous generation of heroes, it''s as if there are traces of them left behind along the way. ...... She may be taking a different route than I am taking to begin with.


    "....... I think we should take a break."


    "What, Usato-kun is taking a break......?"


    >


    Hannah and even Keira were surprised.


    I needed time to gather my thoughts and to get some information about the devil from Mr. Ahl.


    ...... but first I should give Keira and Roone a rest.


    "Keira. I need to get some food for Roone and Hannah."


    <<>


    "I''ll have one too. Hannah, please watch them."


    With a light sigh, Hannah, perhaps sensing my intention, gets off my back and takes Keira, who has come out of her cloak, and Rune, who has returned to human form, away from me, Mr. Aul ...... and his twin sister who is still on my back.


    "Before we talk ......"


    I receive some portable food from Keira and eat it quickly.


    First we must try to recover our magic, even if it is only for a short time.


    After releasing my magic sensing, I turn to Mr. Ahl again.


    Mr. Ahl. Please give me as much information about the devil as you can.


    Of course, I''ll tell you anything!¡¡I would say ......, but I don''t have that much information about the devil myself.


    As I had already guessed, after what happened to Ms. Veena, demons do not have a sense of camaraderie.


    Or should I say that they do not even have the idea of trust.


    "Just in case you feel like disobeying the demon''s order, please be ready to react to my attack at any time."


    "Yes, sir. Now, take this healing magic bullet.


    "......I knew there was something there, this magic bullet!"


    I gave him a healing magic bullet for detonation so that he could react at any time, and he responded like this.


    Mr. Ahl, who had received the magic bullet with great devotion, looked at me and the magic bullet in his hand alternately and came close to me.


    "No, no, no, no!¡¡The timing was wrong!


    "What''s wrong with it!¡¡It''s a normal magic bullet no matter how you look at it!¡¡Are you so suspicious ...... that you don''t trust me?


    "You''re suspicious when you try to deceive with your momentum!


    To tell the truth, it''s fun to have an exchange with Mr. Ahl, who is my senior, like a bunch of tough guys.


    In addition, I''ve already factored in the fact that the magic bullets are suspicious, and to be honest, it''s not a problem at all if they find out, which is kind of a strong point.


    "Let''s go back to the story. Tell me about the devil.


    "Hah, it really reminds me of the old days. ......"


    Mr. Ahl smiles as his shoulders slump.


    "There are two demons that I know of. Leali and Kayla."


    "That''s the demons we''ve encountered so far."


    "Yes. Leri is timid and mother-in-law. Kayla is proud, angry, and single-minded.


    It was Leali who sneered at me and the leader in the cemetery.


    Kayla is the one we encountered at the ruins where we reunited with Shea.


    One of them has a magic that can hide his existence, but he can be caught by magic sensing.


    I don''t know what Kayla''s ability is, but she doesn''t seem to be a fighter, since she hasn''t used it while we were fighting.


    "At present, there are about five demons that may be present. The remaining three are cautious ...... but have not shown any willingness to cooperate."


    The demons are a race of people who have no sense of camaraderie, and even their own kind are subject to being kicked down.


    Even though their numbers have been reduced to a large number by Mr. Hisago, they show no sign of joining forces. .......


    "I heard that two of them were destroyed by Shea ...... Garmio, is it true?"


    "I don''t know much about the first demon because it was before I woke up, but as for the second one, it is true. I don''t know much about the first demon before I woke up, but the second one is true.


    Lapd?


    The demon that attacked Mearaq.


    We have Lady Farga''s testimony as well, and we can be sure that it was destroyed by Shea''s light magic.


    "...... Was the magic that was cast on Mr. Aur cast by Leali?"


    "No, I don''t think so. Reaali only has the authority to give us orders, not to use the magic that drives us."


    Does this mean that Leali only took Mr. Ahl''s corpse from the cemetery?


    We are left with no way to free Mr. Ahl and his family.


    I would like to test Nair''s necromancer ability at any cost, but that too is risky.


    The devil''s side does not know much about Shea Garmio either. Like Usato, they are aware of it as a target to be eliminated with the highest priority, but they are also afraid of it.


    "Because you''re the one who can destroy the devil. ......"


    Like me? That''s a lot of money.


    I''m aware that the devil is watching me, and I''m aware that I''ve done something to that extent.


    "You mentioned her earlier, but she''s ...... here. In these ruins."


    "!¡¡Are you sure?"


    "Maybe they got here before us. I don''t know what kind of path he took, but he didn''t seem to have any hesitation in his steps.


    Shea is in these ruins after all.


    I hope she''s not in any danger. .......


    "Oh, I have a word of advice for you, Usato-kun!


    "Yes?"


    I nod my head at Mr. Ahl, who speaks up as if he''s just remembered.


    "Actually, I heard that a demon is sneaking into the demon king''s territory as a spy!¡¡He''s a demon who''s good at disguising himself, so be careful. ......!


    "......"


    "Huh?¡¡You don''t seem surprised. ......?"


    No, I''m talking about ...... Veena, but it''s very awkward because she''s turning to us only for her own desires.


    "Don''t worry, that demon has turned over to us.


    "...... flipped?¡¡What?¡¡What do you mean?


    "To be honest, I don''t know what it means either. ......


    Here comes Mr. Ahl''s expression of complete abandonment of understanding.


    As for Ms. Veena, I wish I could give her such an expression.


    What is she really like?


    I really wonder what she is. ...... is this much information useful to you?


    Yes, it''s enough.


    At least I got something out of it.


    It''s time to call it a day and move on.


    We call Keira and the others to gather again.


    At that time, I tell Roone, who has come riding on my shoulder in lion cub form, about Shea''s presence at the ruins.


    "Roone. Shea is in these ruins."


    "!¡¡Really?¡¡Where?


    We don''t know where yet. We''ll find it together.


    "Oh!"


    Shea has become an important part of her life.


    ...... She may live in a different place, but she may be hungry for human relationships because she has spent her life in solitude like Keira and Ferrum.


    "---Usato.


    I thought and was about to walk forward when Mr. Ahl, who was standing next to me, suddenly stopped moving.


    I sensed something was wrong when I heard her voice tense up and I turned around to face her, hiding my right hand behind my back with my fingertips lit up with systemic reinforcement.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "I''ll explain shortly. Leahy or Lapd are nearby. They haven''t noticed you yet, but they are probably in the middle of a battle.


    "...... How do you know that?"


    Orders have changed.


    The devil''s orders that he can force Mr. Ahl and his friends to follow.


    As I recall, the priority right now is to protect the demon, and the next priority is to kill me ......?


    "The priority now is the destruction of the adversary. In other words, the demons are now fighting in close proximity to the beings they are currently fighting, and... you, the ones who are right next to them."


    "...... you mean?"


    "I can''t hold you any longer, so you''re going to have to blow me up right now."


    At that moment, Mr. Ahl, despite his apologetic expression, pulls out his sword with great force.


    The sword is filled with impact magic.


    Before it swings at me--I touch the healing magic bullet in Mr. Aur''s left hand, which was created through strain degradation, with the strain-enhanced hand that was hidden behind my back.


    "Bogaaaa?


    The healing magic of the degraded lineage causes a strong shockwave by the systemic reinforcement.


    Mr. Ahl, who was hit by the shock wave at close range, let out a crazy cry and was blown backward.


    I myself was shocked and fell backward while preparing my fist.


    "Usato-kun!¡¡Hey, Usato-kun!


    Mr. Ahl rolls over and gets up, looking at me with tears in his eyes.


    "You''ve been holding an explosive magic bullet in my hand all this time?


    "Yes!¡¡I''m sorry!


    I don''t trust you anymore!


    I''m very sorry, but I should say that my preparedness for emergencies has come in handy.


    After ...... is the sister of the dark wizard on my back.


    "Keira, restrain the girl on my back. She doesn''t seem to be out of control yet, but she could show her intent to attack us at any moment."


    <


    "I don''t feel alive next to you. ......!"


    You said yourself that my back is safe, so please bear with me at least for now!


    Now I have to fight against Mr. Ahl, who has become an enemy in front of me.


    "Mr. Ahl, please don''t hate me. ......!"


    "I''m already starting to resent you at this point!"


    He takes a posture with the magical power created by the degradation of his lineage floating in both hands.


    I''m going to engage Mr. Ahl at this point, but if there are demons nearby, it''s possible that I''ll head towards them and bring them into the fray.


    "Huh!"


    "!!!"


    A magic bullet produced by unleashing the magic power of impact magic.


    !¡¡As expected, they''ll use it in a real battle soon!¡¡But!


    I''m using that technique too!


    He aims the explosive projectile he created in his palm at Mr. Ahl and releases it with his healing flying fist.


    By adjusting the strength of the elasticity that surrounds the explosive, the explosive itself has improved its breaking power.


    It collides with the magic bullet of the impact magic released by Mr. Aur, and breaks through on top of it, heading toward Mr. Aur.


    "Healing Bomb Blast!


    "Nnnn!


    He didn''t expect it to be even canceled out, but he rushes to absorb it with his impact magic.


    In the meantime, I close the distance at once and wield the system-degrading magic power in both hands.


    "I''m sorry to disappoint you, but it seems that you are better than me when it comes to the explosion of magic power!


    A moment of attack and defense.


    I struck several blows, but none of them hit directly, but rather were absorbed by the impact magic... but that''s okay.


    Mr. Ahl, who had fallen back, noticed something wrong with his body.


    "A magic bullet is attached to me!¡¡Usato-kun, what on earth is this?


    The explosive bullet disguised as the magic bullet ...... attached to Mr. Ahl activates.


    She gets up, rolling on the ground again from the unexpected impact.


    "What, there''s an explosive mixed in with the magic bullet attached to ......?


    "Do you have time to look away?


    I know, right?


    She must have noticed my strategy.


    I was trying to confuse her by mixing the explosive with her bluff magic bullet.


    I kick at Mr. Ahl, who is wary of my magic-clad hands.


    "Ugh!


    "This is not the time to be distracted only by your hands!


    When he gets frightened, I hit him with three more magic bullets.


    As if to say, "Oh no!", Mr. Ahl''s expression turns bitter as he backs up and absorbs the explosive bullets that are about to explode with his shock magic.


    "It''s a good strategy, but it''s not a good match for me!


    "Are you sure about that?


    Mr. Earle forgot.


    He forgot how I detonated a magic bullet that wasn''t even an explosive.


    She has already thought that she can handle this tactic, and she allows me to approach her again.


    "That''s why I tried to attach the magic bullets to her...?


    A light of system reinforcement emanates from her right hand.


    It touched the magic bullet attached to Mr. Ahl''s shoulder faster than the action of attaching the magic bullet, and it exploded with an explosive force greater than that of an exploding bullet.


    "---!"


    Mr. Ahl, who was unable to cope with the unexpected impact, is blown away.


    "You told me to stop, but you use it like an idiot!


    "Roone. I know it''s not for me to say, but don''t ever imitate me, okay?"


    "You can''t do that. Are you stupid?


    She''s harsher than Nair.


    It hurts me to hear her say it like I''m an idiot.


    "Oh no! I must''ve read it wrong! You''re the captain''s apprentice after all."


    Mr. Ahl will not lose consciousness even if he is hit by an explosion.


    It''s not surprising since I doubt if he will faint, but I guess he''s not a good match for me who tries to incapacitate him by fainting.


    "......The magic power is spreading in a good way."


    The magic power spread by the battle with Mr. Ahl is spread by the blast of the bombs.


    I don''t know how the demons will react yet, but I have a vague idea where the magic is shaking unnaturally.


    "Mr. Earle!


    Yes!


    We''re going to attack those demons that are busy right now, so let''s go together!


    "Wow!¡¡Sounds fun!¡¡Then let''s fight!


    Aur-san nodded her head with a great smile, probably because she was being controlled by the demon.


    He repelled her attacks with his basket hand, and headed toward the depths of the ruins, fighting to lead her to the place where the demon is.

 417 - - 369th episode.

    The brief time I was on the side of humanity is over.


    To tell the truth, it is a shame.


    I enjoyed the conversation with Usato-kun, who gave me the same atmosphere as my colleagues who used to ...... now do not even utter a word.


    I really miss him even if I feel that he treats me roughly and that his behavior and words are a bit boorish in many ways.


    "......I thought there was something in the magic bullet you gave me!"


    It''s really just an ordinary magic bullet.


    The magic bullet, composed only of magic that was lighter in color than the healing magic I knew, did not feel like exploding at all, unlike the exploding magic bullets he and I were dealing with. ......


    "I''ve just attached the explosive projectile."


    "Oh, no, no, no, no!"


    No, it''s not true.


    "Abba!"


    Just as I tried to absorb the shock with impact magic, Usato-kun''s right hand reached out and touched another magic bullet attached to me, causing a powerful shock wave.


    I managed to stick my sword into the ground and was not blown away, but Usato-kun''s onslaught did not stop.


    "Ah!"


    Light from the basket hand!


    I braced myself as another attached magic bullet was detonated, but a left fist came flying at me,


    "Close call!"


    "Tsk!"


    Boom!¡¡A fist passes by that makes you feel the pressure of the wind.


    "Ah!¡¡If I wasn''t used to being hit, I''d lose my mind!


    Is the magic bullet attached to him an explosive one?


    Or is it an ordinary magic bullet?


    At that point, you are forced to respond!¡¡And even magic bullets that don''t explode are detonated in some way!


    You are also forced to focus on your right hand, which is detonating!


    Evacuate!


    In order to stop herself from attacking Usato-kun, she casts an impact magic on herself, forcing herself backward.


    He adjusts his stance and removes the magic bullet attached to him.


    "You can make this magic bullet explode by strengthening the ...... system, can''t you?"


    "That''s right.


    He seems to have no problem with being found out, as he readily admits.


    What I don''t understand is that his magic is healing magic, so how can his healing magic explode by strengthening the system?


    At least, the captain''s lineage enhancement should not have had such a strange effect.


    Perhaps sensing my question, Usato-kun explains it to me as he runs on the ground.


    "When you touch the deterioration of the quality of magic power with the reinforcement, it repels and causes a shockwave.


    "...... Eh, sorry. Could you please explain it better--"


    "Lineage degradation is a technique to improve the efficiency of magic by reducing the quality of magic power and to increase my healing power against myself. This allows me to conserve magic power and to be able to act for a longer period of time, and to extend the range of effect of my magic sensing. In addition..."


    "Geeaaaah!¡¡Stop trying to mislead me with the amount of information you have!


    I feel like I''m being told the most terrifying thing in the world!


    And what''s worse is that Usato-kun himself understands it and explains it!


    Or rather, what is "lineage degradation"?


    I don''t understand what you mean by "degrading the quality of one''s own magical power"!¡¡Isn''t that a normal technique to weaken the system?


    Where did that technology come from in the first place!


    "Aaah!¡¡Don''t be fooled!¡¡Me!"


    The more I think about it, the more I feel like I''m falling into a ditch.


    I force myself to pull my thoughts back and attack him, following the urge to attack Usato-kun.


    First of all, I stand in such a way that no magic bullet can stick to him!


    "Well, I''ve stored up enough shock energy, so I''m going to use it with all my might!


    My magic is a magic that absorbs and releases shock.


    The stocked shock is put into a magic bullet, and it makes it possible to move at high speed while making it into thrust.


    Then this one too!


    If so, then me too!¡¡I don''t think it''s a "If so, then here too!


    As soon as he confirms that I am accelerated by the thrust of the shock wave, a green magic light erupts from the elbow of Usato''s right hand, and he accelerates just like me.


    !


    "Keira!¡¡Roone!¡¡You guys concentrate on protecting Hannah on your backs!¡¡You can''t handle Mr. Ahl''s moves!"


    <>


    He holds his sword as if to draw its magic power, and plays Usato''s outstretched arm.


    I focus on defense and try to avoid attaching his magic bullets to my body while keeping the shock at bay.


    And when you see an opening...strike a blow!


    Sora!


    The sword is covered with the magic power of impact, and after the process of slashing, the sword also attacks by blasting the enemy with a shockwave.


    "Mwah!"


    Even Usato would be frightened by this attack. ...... Just as I was about to strike with such a thought in mind, I saw him, like me, about to thrust his right fist out toward me, which was drawn wide.


    "Healing Fist!"


    A fist covered by a cage clashes with my sword.


    At the same moment, Usato-kun and I both explode with magic power, and we are both blown away from the spot.


    "Mr. Ahl!¡¡You did the same technique with me ......?


    "What are you really?¡¡Do you really like me?


    If I did, I''d be aware of it!¡¡I''m ...... kidding!


    I''m so confused that I''m surprised myself.


    But I have to admit it.


    Captain is right, Usato-kun and I are similar.


    "...... haha"


    For what it''s worth, I found myself enjoying the situation.


    I still don''t like the idea of following the devil''s orders.


    I hate the devil so much that I would kill him in his sleep as soon as my body is free.


    But..,


    "It''s just like when I was fighting with those guys: ......"


    I remember the most fulfilling time of my ...... life when I was swearing, fighting over trivial things, and being scolded by the captain when he caught us all.


    Fighting with him reminds me of that.


    And that the captain who raised him is still our target as he has been since that time. .......


    "Well, are we getting close to the demons that you''re busy with?"


    "Yes."


    "Well, let''s fight and move on!


    Well, we''d better go and harass those demons who have been harassing us so much.


    He gets fired up again, and with the urge to attack, he slashes at Usato-kun...,


    "Healing Breakdown."


    "Aagh!"


    A wave of healing magic is released in an unnatural radial pattern.


    Even though my body is dead, I can still sense the vibrations, and I involuntarily stiffen.


    I had completely forgotten about ......!


    I absorb his attack with shock magic!¡¡Just as I was thinking that, Usato-kun''s arms grabbed my right arm and left shoulder.


    "What?


    "You have to be on the defensive, sir!"


    "Wham!¡¡My vision spun around and my body was thrown into the air!


    "What?


    I can''t absorb the impact if I''m thrown with my whole body. ......!


    But the impact of being thrown to the ground!


    I immediately strike the ground with my magical power to absorb the impact and land on the ground.


    "I haven''t been thrown to the ground since I was a captain. ......Wow,I had nightmares about that one day. ......"


    The trauma of being thrown alone into the forest of Lingle .......


    I''m doing better than I thought I would, so they made me extend my term, ababaabaabaaba.......


    "Gah!!!¡¡Gakka!!!!"


    "Huh?"


    I looked behind me and saw a humanoid monster with a body made of bones.


    Holding a sword with a spilt blade, it was clad in rags, and it seemed to be hostile towards me. ...... I wondered if this might be a .......


    "Oh, a skeleton?¡¡I''ve never seen that before."


    I think it''s a kind of demon that was resurrected by a necromancer, right?


    I know it''s the same kind as zombies, but I don''t know much about it.


    The skeleton is about to point his sword at me, but a large man comes from behind the skeleton and swings his sword down.


    "Well, we''ve merged, haven''t we? Hey there, brainy gorilla."


    "......"


    "...... say something! Say something.


    My former colleague, Gilg, who now has no will of his own.


    As he arrives, five other colleagues and the bloodthirsty demon Leri arrive from the back.


    "What?¡¡What are these guys persistent!¡¡Who are the idiots who placed those troublesome skeletons!¡¡Kayla is disappearing and one of the twins is losing her mind!¡¡Oh no!¡¡...... Ha!


    When she noticed me, her face lit up and she came closer to me with anger in her voice.


    "Awww!¡¡Where have you been!


    "Oh, Mr. Leali!¡¡It''s been a long time!


    "It''s been a long time, you useless bastard!¡¡"It''s been a long time, you useless bastard!"


    I see... So you''re telling me that Reali was fighting with skeletons.


    "Gah! Gah! Gah! Gah!


    They keep coming back! They''re a pain in the ass!


    The skeleton that Gilg had cut in half stood up, its bones reassembling and regenerating as if it were rewinding.


    Wow, it''s weak on its own, but it regenerates itself.


    This is a pain in the ass!


    "Just as well!¡¡Take command of them and get rid of those corpses!


    Mr. Reali! Do you know why I was blown up here?


    What?¡¡Didn''t you come here alone?


    He tilts his head and asks.


    Just then I hear the sound of ba-ba-ba walking on the wet floor from where I was thrown.


    "Here I am, as you wish, you devils! ......"


    From the outside, Usato-kun''s appearance was truly ghastly.


    His jet-black cloak fluttered majestically even though no wind was blowing.


    On his shoulders was a small lion wrapped in blue-black flames.


    The box on which Hannah, a demoness, and her sister, who is being held in captivity, are placed on their backs looks like a coffin.


    Above all, he looked far from being a healer in the common sense of the word, wearing the same expression and atmosphere as the captain.


    "A......U,A......aah!"


    Reaali, who has been traumatized to the utmost by Mr. Usato and the captain, is left with a black-and-white look in her eyes and a hunched over look in her eyes.


    The next time he sees me, he grabs me by the shoulders in anger.


    "Who the hell do you think you are?


    "Didn''t you make Leahy the priority target?"


    "It was Kayla''s stupidity that made him the priority target!¡¡I don''t want anything to do with that thing anymore!¡¡I don''t want anything to do with it anymore!


    Isn''t it enough that she''s so scared of him?


    Demons really have a weak mentality.


    I wonder if they''ve ever had a mental breakdown.


    But that seems to have eased my urge to attack Usato-kun.


    "Gaka!"


    "Ah!"


    A skeleton picks up the sword and attacks Usato-kun.


    It seems that not only the demon forces but also Mr. Usato is the target of the attack.


    "Hmm?"


    Usato lightly flicks the sword with his basket hand, and with a ......, he lightly strikes the skeleton''s torso with his right fist.


    "Kak---"


    "Healing Fist".


    A shockwave of magic power is released from the contacted fist, and the skeleton''s entire body is blown to pieces.


    "What the hell?


    This made even the scared Reaali peel her eyes back.


    Usato, on the other hand, looks angrily at the skeleton that is trying to regenerate even though it is shattered.


    "Not only Mr. Ahl and the others, but also those who have been turned into bones ...... you devils!


    "Heeey!¡¡It wasn''t me, it wasn''t me!¡¡It''s not me! It''s a trap in the ruins here!


    "What the ......?¡¡What?


    He looks doubtful at Reali''s complaint as he hides behind my back, but soon stares in the direction where his colleagues are holding the skeleton back.


    Looking in the same direction as him, I see an avalanche of skeletons, different from the one we are fighting now, coming towards us.


    "...... wow ......"


    It''s too much trouble.


    We''re going to have to deal with that thing while fighting with Usato, aren''t we?


    Wouldn''t it be wiser to persuade Rea to go with Usato and deal with that skeleton horde?


    "Mr. Rea, here''s a suggestion..."


    "I''d like to ...... to ...... again."


    "What?"


    Let me go!¡¡I don''t care about that brave little girl or the Demon Lord''s power anymore!¡¡That healing wizard and his skeleton are the enemy!¡¡Let me go, even if it means kicking and scraping!


    Yes?¡¡You''re so self-preserving that you can''t make calm decisions!


    He really can''t handle stress!


    I don''t have any complaints about involving Reali, but if I''m asked to fight this many skeletons or Usato-kun, I''d rather fight Usato-kun for sure.


    He is just too hard to take your eyes off of him to fight in a crowded battle.


    "Oh, Mr. Usato, this is different!


    "No!¡¡You''ve got to win first!


    We''re too quick to judge!


    I almost burst out laughing as he instantly moved into a fighting stance.


    Meanwhile, the skeletons rush toward us and Usato-kun.


    "Huh? You guys!¡¡Intercept them now!


    The gorillas, who have been slow to move, are energized and sent to intercept the skeletons.


    Leahy may be an idiot, cunning, and stupid, but she will not try to run away and isolate herself alone.


    "So here is ......"


    It would be a good idea to intercept the skeletons while carrying out orders while moderately messing with Usato-kun.


    I give Usato-kun a quick look and try to convey my intentions to him... and he nods right back at me.


    "Keira!¡¡Rune!"


    >


    "I guess we can burn these guys!"


    "Poor guys, but we have to do it!"


    Floating up in the air, Usato puts a blue flame on his cloak, which transforms into a large cloak, and cleaves the skeletons.


    ......I would have been in a lot of trouble if he had used that flame in my fight.


    "What the hell, he''s using weird magic again. ......


    Behind me, L''airi has become seriously frightened and gone into hiding.


    You''re really slowing me down, you devil. ......!


    "Hannah!"


    Usato-kun moves the box with the cloak transformed to hold it at his side, and with a snap, the sides of the box open.


    A startled Hannah appears from the box.


    Her twin sister, who is not even moving, is standing next to her, looking very still, which is nothing but a gag.


    "Hiii?¡¡What''s that?


    "Just fire a lot of illusion magic!¡¡I''ll take aim!


    "Explaining the situation: ......!¡¡What do you mean, a skeleton after a water dragon?¡¡I''ll do as you say for now.


    After such a noisy conversation, a series of magic bullets of illusion magic are shot from the side of the box.


    Ba-ba-ba!¡¡The magic bullets fly like a storm, and when they hit the skeleton, the bones that make up its body fall off in pieces.


    "!¡¡The illusion can temporarily destroy the skeleton''s body!¡¡Hannah, please do more!


    "I want to cry the most that I''m used to this kind of situation ......"


    I have no idea what you mean.


    Hanna herself has really gotten used to being treated like a turret.


    The scariest part is .......


    "Let''s do this, people!


    <<>


    "They''re nothing like this!"


    He reaves the approaching skeletons with his cloak of flame as he floats through the air, and then he casts another series of illusion spells, temporarily disabling the skeletons.


    I can''t stop smiling at his completely different fighting style from when he was fighting me one-on-one.


    "Captain, seriously, what kind of training did you give him ......?"


    I don''t think this would happen with normal training.

 418 - - 370th.

    A little time has passed since I left Usato and entered the ruins.


    In the meantime, we had been going through this labyrinth of ordeals, avoiding unnecessary battles.


    "Amako, is there a trap this way?"


    Nair, who was riding on my shoulder, pointed her wing toward the other path.


    "....... "Yes, there is a pit."


    "Then I guess it''s this way after all."


    When I tell her what I saw with my precognition spell, she looks at me as expected and urges me to go in the opposite direction.


    We go in that direction and find no traps, and it seems to be the correct route.


    "Do you know which is the right way, Nair?"


    Nono-san, one of Koga''s subordinates who was standing guard by N¨¦a''s side, asked her if she had any doubts about N¨¦a''s smooth choice of path.


    "I don''t know if I''m right or not, but I''m getting to know if it''s dangerous or not. They seem to be placed with some regularity, and above all, Amako''s precognition magic can confirm it."


    "Wow."


    "And even if we get caught in a trap, Kannagi and Koga are there to make sure we don''t make a mistake."


    "You''re both very sturdy, aren''t you?"


    "You may be sturdy, but you have a heart, ......?"


    Koga''s shoulders slumped in disappointment at my mutterings.


    Kannagi chuckles, but seems to agree with me.


    "The ruins are meant to test the intruders in the first place, so there are clues here and there. I would have enjoyed solving the riddle if it hadn''t decayed so much. ......"


    The wall to which Nair has added wings has a distinctive painting and writing.


    Perhaps this is the clue that Nair is referring to.


    "But if you go the wrong way, you''ll be in trouble."


    "What happens if you make a mistake?"


    Nair replies to K?ga''s question.


    "You''ll have to fight a lot of demons, some of which have lived for hundreds of years, or you''ll hit a dead end in a one-way street.


    "Wow, that sounds like a lot of work."


    "Actually, it''s a pain in the ass. Because they put anyone who takes a wrong turn into an ordeal worthy of death. Well, they''re still thinking about what happens if they break through. ......"


    Now, behind me, my ears did not miss Veena muttering in a small voice, "Eh, sounds like fun ......".


    I knew there was something wrong with this demon.¡¡But since Elle, who was probably listening next to her, didn''t respond, I didn''t want to mention it too much.


    "Then isn''t the second-in-command dangerous?"


    Mr. Sein, one of Koga''s subordinates, asked such a question.


    Nair shook his head.


    "He won''t die so easily. It''s no exaggeration to say that he''s the best in the world at manipulating the inner magic of the body with his perverted development power.


    The outer magic is controlled by the heroes of light, by the way," Nair said, and turned back to Sein, who was looking at her with a look of incomprehension.


    "In the first place, they are as sturdy as Kannagi and Koga from the start. They''re still moving around very energetically, ......."


    "Ha,ha ......"


    Nair smiles, as if she can tell by the way she feels.


    Usato seems to be okay, too.


    "Amako, there''s no need to rush.


    "Yeah."


    "We''re on the right route. We''re on the right route, the shortest way. We''re almost there.


    I nodded at Nair''s words.


    Don''t be hasty.


    My job is to stay calm and use foreknowledge to keep everyone safe.


    I''m not going to let them get away with it.


    The number of skeletons is extraordinary.


    There is no end to the number of skeletons we have to defeat, and we have to watch out for the occasional surprise attack by Mr. Ahl and the others, which makes the situation quite troublesome.


    "Roone, Keira!¡¡Let''s do it!


    >


    "Oh!"


    >


    Hannah, who is in the box that I put back on her back, is sounding puzzled, but I know that explaining it to her will only cause her to panic, so I let her go.


    She is covered in the blue-black flames of the rune as she transforms her cloak, thrusting the edges of it into the ground.


    "Keira, I''ll go on my signal!"


    >


    Rune, unleash the magic!


    I''m on it!


    Super-acceleration caused by the outburst of Lune''s magic power.


    The blue-black magic power shines forth, becoming a rocket-like propulsion that propels my body forward and forward.


    An extraordinary load is transmitted from both of my legs that I am stepping on, and from the cloak that I have stuck into the ground, but it is still not enough.


    <>


    After a short silence, Hannah''s voice trembles.


    >


    "Be careful not to bite your tongue."


    At any rate, he warns Hannah, who utters a voice of despair, while he puts all his strength into his body and holds his ground so that he does not fly forward.


    The second---third outburst.


    When the power is increased to the maximum, I lift my cloak off the ground and jump forward as fast as I can myself.


    "Nnnn!"


    I accelerate with all the momentum I''ve built up, and transform, spreading my cloak wide with Keira.


    She turns, and with the centrifugal force of her body, she slams into the skeleton horde and blasts them all away at once.


    "Rune!"


    "I''m beginning to understand what you want to do!¡¡Like this!"


    As the skeletons are all slammed into the wall at once, creating a pile of bones, Rune fills the healing bombs he has created in his hands with his flames and hurls them at the skeletons as hard as he can.


    "Black Flame Healing Bomb!


    The explosive, enveloped in black flames, hits the pile of skeletons and simultaneously sprays its flames around them, burning the bones of the skeletons themselves as they continue to regenerate endlessly.


    It''s a vicious trap!


    A soulless corpse, I know.


    But the bone figure reminds me of the souls bound to the sorcerer of Samaritan.


    Now they are free from the sorcerer''s spell, but it is impossible not to feel something when we are shown the same thing. ......!!!


    >


    "Oh."


    Keira prevents a surprise attack from behind with her cloak, and I turn around and hit her with a series of healing fist blows.


    Gilg, one of Mr. Ahl''s colleagues, is hit by the fist and stands up, though he is knocked to the ground with a blank expression on his face.


    "I wish I could have talked not only with Mr. Ahl, but also with all of you. ......"


    But it won''t happen.


    These people''s souls are not here.


    They are just corpses being used and moved for selfish reasons.


    Rene, go with Hannah.


    "What? Why?¡¡What?


    Immediately after I throw Rune into the box on my back, a white smoke covers my body, then a strong sound hits me.


    Rune can''t prevent this attack, so I''ll have to take a break for now.


    "Narca and Beth?"


    Both are wind-based magic.


    They differ only in sound and smoke, but when paired, they are a nuisance to living creatures, as they can block sight and hearing without question.


    I would have had a hard time if I had been a man before I mastered ...... the healing sense.


    And Josh''s earth-based iron magic.


    Multiple iron spears extending like tentacles from the white smoke.


    I avoided them like a living creature, and the next thing I saw was boiling water pouring down from above my head.


    "Gilg and Chris''s combined technique."


    A ranged attack combining heat from the fire system and magic from the water system.


    "Healing Explosive Wave!"


    The last one who was close by, while emitting a shockwave from his palm and bouncing the boiling water, grabs the arm of Mr. Dinh, a small man who hides his eyes.


    "...... looks a little like Nack."


    The hair color is completely different, but the way he hides his eyes and the impression he gives is very similar.


    While I was mumbling something stupid like that, Mr. Dinh was struggling to get out of the restraints right in front of me... Mr. Ahl jumped out from the side and kicked him.


    "Din!¡¡You''re too weak to take the initiative and attack!


    What are you doing kicking your friends in the foot!


    What are you doing?


    No, I can understand if you''re just going through the motions with your colleagues.


    If I saw some tough guys in trouble, I would try to help them even if I have to kick them.


    Healing bombs!


    "You really don''t hold back, do you?¡¡You!"


    Mr. Ahl waved his left hand covered with magic power in response to my explosive projectile.


    Normally, my explosive would have exploded there, but somehow my explosive was bounced by his left hand and flew at an angle, exploding behind him.


    "What!"


    You''re not the only one showing off your skills!


    I let the shock magic flow and matched the flow of my healing bombs. ......?


    "I saw through the flow of the magic and bounced it off with my magic ......?


    "....... What, did you just find out the species?"


    "That''s brilliant,......!"


    "No, no, I was supposed to tell you secretly so that Leahy wouldn''t find out,...... but I guess it turned out all right,......."


    A new method of defense, different from the healing bullet.


    It may be difficult to use it on the spur of the moment, but it may be a good defense against a strong attack.


    "Well then, this is where we start practicing!"


    Yes!


    They create magic bullets that explode and throw them at each other at the same time.


    As they cross each other, you touch the one approaching you with your left hand, which is covered with magic power, and deflect it at an angle while letting it flow.


    "Oh, it''s so hard!"


    "Look, if you don''t deal with it, it will catch up with you!


    As he declares, more and more impact magic is thrown at him, but he doesn''t lose and throws it at them.


    The others don''t care.


    Both of us are practicing by throwing explosive bombs at the skeletons while intercepting them.


    "Alu?¡¡They''re flying this way!¡¡Aah!


    "Excuse me!¡¡Please back away from the battlefield!¡¡Ha ha ha!


    "Isn''t it funny that you have a big smile on your face?


    You really look like you''re having a good time laughing. .......


    It seems that he doesn''t like being controlled by the devil so much.


    "I developed this technique when I got this body. It was not really worth using it in this body until now.


    "!¡¡I see."


    "When Nero Agens killed me, I could not prevent his attack. It left a deep scar on the captain''s heart and I died easily. ......"


    She smiles fleetingly as she looks at her magic-clad left hand.


    "I''m glad I was able to teach you this so that you don''t have to go through the same thing I did."


    "Mr. Aull ......"


    "Now you can go to the other side without regrets."


    No, no. It''s decided to drag you before the Commander, but that''s not the same thing, is it?


    Can''t you end it on a good note?¡¡You''re too stubborn!


    I understand what you''re saying, but my ultimate goal remains the same.


    He declares once again, and is about to throw an additional explosive shell when... his healing sense detects a strange reaction.


    "What!"


    >


    Something''s coming!


    Instantly, the wall at the back of the space we are in is torn apart and destroyed.


    Rather than being shattered, the wall is torn into pieces, and a girl of the demon tribe comes out of the wall.


    "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"


    The twin sister of the dark wizard who uses the thread I fought.


    She appears, swinging her long silver hair around as if lost in herself, looking around "as if looking for something" and tearing the skeletons that approach her into pieces with her dark magic threads.


    "Oh my God!¡¡It''s coming this way!


    "Reali!¡¡Why is she running around like that?


    I don''t know!


    Reaali, who seemed to be the only one who knew what was going on, explained to Mr. Ahl who came up to her with a half-crying expression on his face.


    "I lost it with my sister and after a while I went crazy!


    "What?¡¡I thought she was not willing, unlike me!


    "Sometimes, feelings so intense before death that they are imprinted on the corpse come out at the right moment...!¡¡In this case, it was her sister who triggered it.


    I see.


    Because they cared for each other during their lives, their feelings would run rampant even after their deaths, huh?


    As I look at the twin sister attacking the skeleton with this thought, she turns to me with a grin and shakes her hands in a big gesture,


    "Oh no!"


    The attack is detected by the healing sense---I immediately thrust out my right arm and repel the threads with a healing blast wave.


    ---Oh... it couldn''t repel all of them!


    As you are blocking the rest of the strings with your basket hand, the strings of dark magic attack nearby Rea and Mr. Ahl.


    Mr. Aur is doing well with his shock magic, but that demon is .......


    "Oh my God, Reaali!"


    "Wabu!"


    Mr. Aur pushed Reaali out of the way as she was about to be hit by the oncoming thread of dark magic.


    Reaali seemed to be unharmed, but a slash passed through Mr. Ahl''s arm and he was hit with a "Supan!¡¡His arm flew up into the air.


    "Aaargh!¡¡My arm...?


    Mr. Ahl?


    I was also panicked when I saw Mr. Ahl exclaiming as his arm fell to the ground without bleeding, but she quickly came to her senses and picked up his arm, and then she pressed it against the sectioned surface and attached it to it.


    "Huh, I''m a corpse now that you mention it. Safe, safe."


    What do you mean safe?¡¡Is it really safe?


    I am a little surprised at how easily my arms are attached, but now I have to concentrate on my sister, the runaway twin dark wizard.


    She is more dangerous than the skeleton.


    >


    "I guess I''ll just have to give her sister back to untangle her from the runaway. ......"


    If you throw your sister in a lethargic state easily within the range of that thread, she will be torn apart.


    If he attacked his own sister in front of him, even if she is a corpse, he could go even more out of control.


    <>


    "Yours is a little different, but similar."


    In Keira''s case, it is an example of not being able to accept herself, and as a result, the dark magic itself tried to take her life, but her dark magic that is running rampant now seems to be just spreading its power and looking for a place to direct its emotions.


    <


    "Yeah. Let''s do it."


    He nodded at Keira''s words.


    I guess we share some of the same feelings because we are both dark wizards.


    The fact that the other person is already dead is irrelevant.


    "I guess I''ll just have to approach ...... for now."


    It''s a pain in the ass, but it''s the only way.


    In that case, I will ask for Lune''s help.


    With that in mind, he opens the side of the box on his back and calls for Lune.


    "Rune."


    "You finally got me out. Hey, Hannah!¡¡Don''t try to keep me!


    ...... I''ll apologize to Hannah later.


    I''ve been too reckless even though I''m safe in the box on my back. ......


    "I heard you. It''s the same magic as mine and Keira''s, isn''t it?"


    Yeah. Can you do it?


    I don''t know who you''re talking to. I don''t care if it''s the same magic. If you stand in the way of the way to Shea, you are my ...... enemy.


    At the same time as Rune''s words, a blue-black flame of dark magic is lit in my right hand.


    I leap forward, checking the tone of the flame as it covers my basket hand.


    "If I fly in the air, I will be targeted!¡¡Run and charge!"


    <>


    The cloak''s defensive capabilities reap the skeletons that approach me.


    Without hesitation, I approach the thread manipulator at the shortest distance possible, and... she notices me and fires a huge amount of slashing threads at me with a sideways cleave.


    "Do it!¡¡Usato!


    No!


    In response, she swings her right arm vertically, and the whip-like flames strike the space in front of her.


    The extended, powerful, blue-black flame burns through the threads of dark magic, cutting them in two.


    Now!


    She moves the box, which has a deformed cloak on its back, to the side and pulls Hannah''s twin sister, who was bound next to her, to her side.


    Releasing the restraints and holding her in my arms, I plunged into her with the same momentum ......... no, not good!


    "Aaaaaaaaah!"


    It got even more intense!


    I thought he''d find the sister he was looking for and be quiet!¡¡Or is she being made to think I kidnapped her like Rinka and Rune?


    I''m okay, but if your sister gets attacked..,


    "!"


    The slash of the thread that approached your sister was slightly deflected?


    No, it was an attack that was perfectly accurate according to the healing sense, but it was bent unnaturally just before the attack?


    Now is not the time to think about it!


    I''m sorry if I''m a bit rough!


    Excuse me!


    When you get close enough, you vigorously push your sister against her.


    She had her arms outstretched wide to manipulate the string, and when she caught her sister in a hug, she fell backwards without any effort.


    "...... Is that all?"


    .


    I didn''t think such a forceful method would work. .......


    She hugged me tightly, as if she would never let go of me again, and her sister remained as expressionless as ever.


    "...... Really, is this person unconscious?"


    When the attack was unnaturally deflected, there was a momentary unnatural reaction to my magic sensing.


    I could have dismissed it as an error or my imagination, but for that brief moment, the index finger of the sister I was holding moved.


    And a thin string of magic power extending from her index finger.


    "......"


    I wonder if it''s a defensive instinct.


    But it seems a little dangerous to rely on that alone.


    "Gakka!"


    I guess we don''t have time to think about that.


    There are skeletons and Mr. Earle.


    As I try to deal with the oncoming skeleton''s attack, a shockwave comes flying in from the side and blows the skeleton away.


    "Mr. Earle, is your arm OK?


    "Yes. Yes. It attached itself to the skeleton right away.


    I''m scared that my arm will stick right back together.


    I doubt if I can do it either, but I don''t want to experience having my arm cut off.


    I look at Mr. Ahl with this thought in my mind, and there is even Leali, who had not come near me earlier.


    "Hey, healer!


    "Ah?"


    "Pee?¡¡Did you really think that I, a demon, would be afraid of you?


    He''s scared out of his wits.


    I don''t forgive her for being the demon who ripped off Rose''s wing, and probably the one who stole the corpses of Mr. and Mrs. Ahl and the others, but she seems to have talked to me ......, so I decide to listen to what she has to say.


    "What is it?"


    "Yes, let''s fight together for once."


    "......Why?"


    I ask a genuine question, and L''Ali is flustered.


    "I know the way ahead!"


    "No problem."


    We can move forward if we explore with healing senses.


    "Hey, I''ll sell you information about my friends!"


    I don''t need it, it''s too trivial.


    With Ms. Veena here, information about the enemy demons is not worth trusting.


    It is hard to believe that a demon who has no sense of camaraderie would know so much about the demons on his side.


    I''ll give you these zombies too!


    "......"


    "Hi!"


    I look at Reaali, who treats Mr. Ahl and the others as if they were his own.


    ....... It looks like he''s really trying to make a deal.


    "What do you want?"


    "Uh, uh, well... ......"


    I became even more wary of the devil, who was beginning to bow down with great force, and for some reason Leali began to shake and shake and cry.


    "I''m not going to do anything bad anymore, so please let me get out of here. ......"


    "...... Mr. Awl?"


    "Please don''t say it. I feel sorry for myself because I''ve been treated so well. ......"


    Are demons all like this ......?


    I sigh loudly as I picture Veena in my mind''s eye.

 419 - - 371st episode.

    I wonder if the devil race is full of weirdos.


    I have been reminded of this many times since I entered the demon territory.


    Ms. Veena is an exceptionally strange person, but this demon Leri is also quite strange.


    I wonder why I''m in this situation..."


    "What?¡¡I didn''t do anything!


    We decided to allow Leali to accompany us, though not to fight with us.


    Of course, we don''t trust him, and we have set some conditions for him to come with us.


    Now, we have made a temporary truce, avoiding the skeletons, and are making our way through the corridors of the hall - the way Reaali would have turned back after being chased by the skeletons.


    "I will consider you an enemy as soon as you are more than a certain distance away from me.


    "Uh-uh."


    "Even if you use your magic, I can tell, and we run and fly faster than you. There''s no point in running away."


    "Why is this guy faster than a demon that can fly ......?"


    Huh, that''s easy with Keira and Rune in their jet forms.


    "Hannah, please be ready to release the illusion magic at any time."


    "The situation is so messed up now that I''m getting used to it. ......"


    Hannah''s voice on my back has a hint of resignation in it, and to be honest, I''m fed up with it too.


    I want to get out of this labyrinth as soon as possible.


    "After all, the twin dark wizards got stuck and I had to carry them. ......"


    <


    My sister, the dark wizard, who had been out of control, had stopped moving with her sister in her arms, so I had to carry her on my back again.


    As expected, I''m carrying her on my back separately from Hannah. ...... but wouldn''t it be better if Hannah just got off?


    "Oh, that''s right. I''ll give this to her just in case."


    "What, what ......?"


    Suddenly he remembers and hands the healing magic bullet to Leali, who is standing beside him.


    It won''t explode, will it?


    What are you talking about?¡¡Healing magic can''t explode, can it?


    "Oh, my God, I''m scared of this guy!


    "Yes, he''s scary..." "Yes, he''s scary..." "He''s scary! The way he gives it to you without even looking at you...


    Mr. Ahl has a different kind of wry smile.


    She knows about the magic bullet that degrades the system, so it''s natural for her to be drawn to it since she knows the species.


    "Narca, Beth."


    Reacting to Mr. Ahl''s voice, Naruka-san turned her magic power into white smoke, covering our direction and surroundings with the smoke.


    Next, Beth threw translucent white magic bullets into the surroundings, and a squeaky sound was heard.


    "Gakka!"


    "Kakka!"


    The skeletons turned their bodies in the direction of the sound and headed toward the direction of the sound without looking at us.


    "You''re a moron, aren''t you, Mr. Rea?"


    "What?¡¡What?


    "With the combined magic of my gorilla colleagues, we could have easily dealt with the skeletons. They''re attracted to sound and faint vision.


    I noticed it in combat too, because the skeletons were attracted to sound.


    But even so, they are not blind, and I guess they can see a little because they are trying to preferentially target moving objects visually.


    But that is something that Mr. Ahl''s colleagues can handle with ease.


    "But..."


    Still, some individuals were not caught by the sound and the blindfolds.


    A skeleton appears in front of you through the smoke, silently approaches you, grabs you by the arm, and throws you backward.


    "Healing bomb!"


    A healing explosive attached to a skeleton thrown into the air explodes, and bam!¡¡The skeleton is thrown into the air and the healing explosive attached to it bursts open, making a loud "bang!


    Attracted by the sound, the skeletons gather again and move away from us.


    "What in the world does he see? ......


    "Let''s move on."


    I''m like a natural enemy of the magic that Reali uses.


    No wonder she''s scared of me.


    "We have paid the price for underestimating humans and thinking of us as mere puppets until now.


    "......Kkk,ugh......"


    Aulu-san is making a frustrated face at Leali''s agitation.


    Seeing this, I take a deep breath to calm down once again.


    This demon used the bodies of Mr. Aul and the others.


    That is unforgivable and a fact that should not be so easily swept under the rug, but... let''s not get caught up in personal feelings right now and keep a cool head.


    How many demons are there in this place, except you?


    Only ...... Kayla.


    Mr. Earle.


    It''s true. At least that''s my understanding."


    That violent-looking devil.


    I''m sure he''s got a lot against me, so I''m sure he''ll attack me as soon as he comes in contact with me. .......


    "What kind of magic does he use?¡¡You''ve been working with him, you must know at least some of his abilities, right?"


    "I don''t know about magic itself, but..." ...... Maybe Kayla''s magic is ...... a magic that confuses the opponent."


    "Confuse them?"


    I saw him use it on a human once. The person who was bewitched seemed to lose control and become immobilized.


    "...... like illusion magic?"


    I asked, and he shook his head in horror.


    ......No, magic is something that can be done in the first place.


    He could be talking about a spell that affects the mind in some way, or even a spell that blocks the body''s movements.


    As I was thinking about this, Hannah, who was still in the box on my back, climbed up on my back to put her hand on my left shoulder.


    "I see. Then it is a meaningless magic for Usato-kun, isn''t it? It''s so funny how you live like the devil''s natural enemy.


    "Hannah-san, will you get off my back already?"


    "What?¡¡I don''t want to. Are you telling me to die, Usato-kun?


    Why am I being blamed?


    To be honest, I can rest assured that my current situation is safe from any deviation. .......


    "Leali, did this Kayla go ahead of you?¡¡Without you, my friend."


    "Ugh, yeah. He must have abandoned me and went to capture the Demon Lord''s power. And I think he''s going to kill that little girl who''s trying to be a hero...


    You mean ...... Shea?


    Huh?


    I glare at her and she lets out another pathetic scream.


    Rune, the lion cub on my right shoulder, starts to threaten me as well.


    "What?¡¡Are you guys looking for that brave little guy too?¡¡Well, then you''re wasting your time!¡¡We didn''t expect him to exist and I didn''t want to go to someone who can destroy demons!¡¡So stop staring at me, I''m scared!


    "...... huh. "Roone, this demon doesn''t seem to know anything."


    "Hmph."


    But from the way she''s talking, I''d say she''s already moved on.


    I''m worried about Kayla too. Maybe we should head for the demon king''s power soon.


    Usato-kun.


    "Yes?¡¡Yes, Hannah?


    "By the way, I was wondering, when we entered these ruins, we were attacked by demonic magic, weren''t we?¡¡It was so powerful that I was affected by it."


    "...... yeah."


    I know what you mean, Hannah.


    I have to admit that I was concerned about that, too.


    "You devil. You said Leahy, right?"


    What?


    "The trap I set in front of these ruins is a trap using the devil''s magic. Did you set it?


    What about ......?


    Reali rolls her eyes.


    Judging from this reaction, it seems that she had not heard of it either.


    "...... demonic magic?¡¡What''s that? Neither I nor Kayla set any traps like that. ......?"


    "......"


    "I''m not lying!¡¡What then?¡¡You''re saying that other demons tried to trap you and us together?


    If you''re not acting, that''s what you''re acting like.


    If this isn''t an act, then what is?


    Either the people who lived in these ruins created a trap that only reacts to humans, or another demon set it after L''airi and the others entered.


    There are many possibilities. .......


    "You mean there might be a third force ....... That''s trouble."


    I really don''t want to see a new enemy here.


    "...... but it seems that the end is near for this dangerous labyrinth of ruins."


    Now there''s a little breeze.


    That means there is a connection to the outside.


    I notice a light at the end of a wide passage.


    Is it a way out?


    The water in the channel at the end of the passage is flowing in that direction, too.


    I went out toward the light with some caution. ...... and saw a ray of sunlight, different from the light in the underground space.


    "...... ruins again?"


    The white ruins are made of stone pillars and stone walls.


    The familiar sunlight shining brightly through the partially broken roof overhead, almost blinding me with its glare.


    "Outside?¡¡No, we''ve been going underground for a long time. ......"


    No, we are definitely above ground. Perhaps the ground here is lower than where the ruins were?"


    Hannah''s point makes me think.


    If that''s the case, it doesn''t make sense.


    This place where we just left is much lower than the place where we first entered the site.


    <>


    "Keira, have you ever seen these ruins before?"


    <


    The ceiling is quite high.


    Keira''s right, it looks like a cathedral.


    "I don''t see any skeletons. I mean, they''ve been gone for some time now. ...... Mr. Reali, have you been here yet?"


    "......"


    "Mr. Leali?"


    Mr. Ahl tilts his head at Reaali, who doesn''t respond.


    I also looked at her, but for some reason she had her eyes fixed on one point, as if she were frightened.


    I can feel the power of the Demon Lord ahead.


    "So we weren''t on the wrong path. ....... Then let''s get going."


    I am anxious to see how Reali reacts, but first we must confirm the power of the Demon Lord.


    The fact that it is still here suggests that it is not yet in the hands of the Devil.


    As I pass through the white cathedral-like area and proceed through the vaulted, rubble-filled doorway, I feel a familiar pressure that even I can recognize.


    "What?"


    And then I saw what was beyond that.


    A sphere floating in midair, emitting a black, ominous power, and two figures standing right next to it.


    Kayla, a short-haired demon who gives the impression of roughness.


    And Shea, a black-haired girl dressed as a man. She is wrapped in a sort of translucent sphere that emits light, and she is asleep on her knees inside the sphere.


    "Shea!"


    Rune, who has noticed Shea''s appearance, calls out her name strongly as she returns to her human form.


    Is she trapped?¡¡Or is it simply that her voice is not being heard?¡¡What is happening to Shea now? ......!


    "Now it''s you!"


    Kayla turns to me in slow motion, alarmed.


    What the hell?¡¡Something is different from the last time we saw each other.


    "Healing wizard, you''ve come at a very opportune time."


    "...... what does that mean?"


    "I''ve been wanting to kill you ......!¡¡In all this farce, you''re the only one who''s genuinely made a fool of me!¡¡Yeah, you''re really good, you are!"


    ...... don''t know what you''re talking about.


    It doesn''t feel good to be told that you''re good enough to be killed, and in the first place..,


    "I''m just as mad at you demons for doing whatever you want."


    "Heh."


    He brushes back his bangs and glares at Kayla.


    If you think I''m going to be intimidated by your threats, you''re mistaken.


    What did you do to Shea?


    "I don''t know. He''s been like this since I got here. Otherwise, I would have killed him by now."


    "......"


    So her current state is not due to anything Kayla did to her.


    "....... Shea already has one of the Demon Lord''s powers."


    Could it be that the power of the Demon Lord resonated with the other sole that is here now and made it what it is today? ......


    "I don''t like it."


    Huh?


    "Aaaaah!" ......!¡¡I don''t like your eyes. You look at me and you''re not even a little scared of me.


    There''s something wrong with .......


    He seems to be mentally deranged, his emotions fluctuate wildly, and his tone of voice is becoming strange.


    "I hate him!¡¡Hate, hate, hate!¡¡We are demons who rule over humans!¡¡And now we''re thrown into this lukewarm, shitty world!¡¡And then to top it all off, we are terrorized by people who are not even demons!¡¡Stop screwing around, stop screwing around, stop screwing around!¡¡You lower creatures!¡¡Fight each other! Fight each other ugly!¡¡Doubting, deceiving, betraying, cursing each other!¡¡You''re supposed to be such a miserable creature!¡¡Shut up!¡¡Stop talking to me!¡¡I have no use for you!


    I look in the direction of Kayla''s shout, but all I see is Shea encased in a floating sphere.


    Even Reali is stunned by Kaila''s bizarre appearance, clapping her hands over her mouth.


    "......Has he lost his mind......?¡¡He was always crazy, but now he really isn''t normal. ......


    Is anyone with Shea?


    I casually activate the healing sense, but there''s no one there.


    No one is hiding behind magic like Leali, no one is invisible.


    "I''ll do it ...... I''ll kill that son of a b*tc* even if you don''t tell me to ......!


    I''m going to kill that son of a b*tc*!¡¡Kayla has a fragment of the Demon Lord''s power in her hands!


    She instantly creates a healing flying fist, and as she tries to bring it to her mouth, it strikes Kayla in the torso with black magic power.


    "Ha-ha-ha-ha!"


    "What?


    Even after being blasted to the ground by the healing flying fist, Kaila kept an eerie smile on her face and did not let go of the Demon Lord''s power from her hand.


    On the contrary, he tried to put the Demon Lord''s power into his mouth in an unnatural position.


    "!¡¡Kayla, stop it!¡¡It''s suicide to take the power of the Demon Lord!¡¡It''s impossible even if demons are immortal beings!


    Ignoring Reali''s attempts to stop her, Kaila threw the fragment of the Demon Lord''s power into her mouth and swallowed it down.


    The change was immediate.


    Boom!¡¡Kyra''s body shakes and convulses.


    "......aaaah!¡¡Gaaaah!¡¡Aaaaaaah!


    "Kyra''s body swells up. ......


    Something swells and contracts from within his body.


    Is the power of the Demon Lord rampaging?


    Kyra''s hair gradually turns silver as her body convulses, and her horns twist and turn, becoming larger and larger.


    Her body is one size larger and her blood vessels are more prominent than before, and she leaps up and stares at me with an animal-like snarl.


    "G,uuuh!"


    You don''t seem to be rational.


    It seems thoroughly hostile to me.


    "Ji-yu-baho, zu-zuki-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi!"


    !"


    >


    A voice that shakes the air.


    When I raised my fist to it, which was filled with magic power... the other girls who had been by my side fell to the ground all at once.


    "Mr. Earle?


    "I''m sorry, Usato-kun. It seems that we can''t move due to the influence of Kyra''s magic. ......!


    His expression was moving, but his body remained motionless on the ground.


    If Mr. Ahl is prevented from disobeying the demon''s orders,...... does that mean that the runaway Kyra has affected Mr. Ahl''s body in some way?


    "Reaali!¡¡I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s something that will help you.


    Reaali, who was supposed to be right next to me, is gone.


    I looked around and saw him hiding behind the door we came in through!


    He abandoned us without a second thought!

 420 - - 372nd episode.

    Mr. Ault and the others were stuck, and Leali ran away.


    It is true that I was the only one who went to a safe place ...... though I did not disappear, but it would be useless to blame him since he is a demon who does not trust even his own friends.


    But for now, it''s more important than that...,


    "Jiba-ho-zuka-iii!"


    I know what I''m talking about!


    We have to deal with Kayla, who has grown bigger and bigger. ......!


    Kyra, who is now in a terrible shape far removed from her original muscular and muscular form, swings vigorously, gushing magic power from both of her arms.


    Her magic power is great, but her movements are lousy!


    "I need the techniques I learned from Mr. Ahl!"


    She is watching her opponent''s movement and matching her magic power to the attack!


    She parries the attack with her elastic palm, drawing a circle around it and bounces it off with a shockwave.


    Healing!


    Now you have an opening!


    He strengthens his right hand with the basket hand and degrades it with his left hand.


    He avoids Kaira''s palm by stepping forward and... first of all, he slams his left fist into her abdomen.


    "Gah!"


    No!¡¡Hisho Okugi!"


    The magic power of the degraded lineage was driven in as a wedge!


    Then, the bottom of the right fist is released to overlap with the power of the degraded lineage!


    "Healing System Blast Fist!"


    A powerful impact is caused, overlapping with the instantaneous blow, and Kayla''s body flies backward like a ball.


    With the force of the impact, she sees him slammed against the wall, and dispels the residue of magic power rising from her palm.


    "Mastering the healing stream ......!


    "That''s why you''re my junior ......."


    "We''ll get him to safety while we can. Keira."


    <>


    Before they can get up, I carry Mr. Ahl and the others wrapped in cloaks up to the wall and lower them and the dark wizard sisters on their backs to lie on the floor.


    "Well, I don''t think I''m going to be much use to you in this mess.


    "It''s all right. We''ll take care of this.


    "...... is very reliable. You''re just like the captain in that way."


    I am honored to hear you say that.


    The twin dark wizards are ...... holding their sister in their arms as tightly as ever.


    It seems as if she is restraining them from moving rather than protecting them. .......


    "You can stay down here, too, Hannah."


    "That''s what you''re dealing with, isn''t it? ...... I doubt my magic will work, so I''ll just stay here and be quiet. Please be careful.


    "...... yes."


    "If you get hit, Usato-kun, there will be no one left to protect me."


    I''m sorry, but you''re ruining it.


    Hanna-san laughs at my dismay.


    We exchange a few words, and I leave her and fly once more in my cloak to the center of the hall.


    "Shea ......"


    "Rune, we have to deal with him first."


    "...... yeah. He tried to kill her. I can''t forgive him."


    Shea is still wrapped in a sphere of light, but now we have to deal with Kayla.


    As I slowly land on the ground, Kyra, who has recovered from her healing system blasting fist, emerges from the dust cloud and comes to me.


    "Do you have any reason?"


    "......"


    His eyes are vacant, but I sense strong hostility.


    Kayla, who used to be skinny, is now more muscular than even the strongest of men, so she is quite intimidating.


    I don''t know what she is thinking, but let''s start by talking to her.


    "Don''t rely on the demon king''s power. If you still have a proper will inside you, you should give up that power now. Maybe it''s not too late.


    I can say that because I actually fought.


    The demon king''s power is a bonus. I don''t mean that in a sarcastic or snide way, but in the purest sense of the word, the Demon Lord''s power is a powerful medicine.


    As far as I know, the only person who can handle it is the Demon Lord himself.


    "---"


    "!"


    What came back was not words but a fist swung widely.


    Judging from the considerable wind pressure of her fists, Kaila''s physical abilities seem to have improved to an unusual degree, but her movements are still monotonous.


    "But she''s fast!"


    Because of her forceful behavior, her movements are also fast.


    When I avoid the attack, which at least I''m sure I can''t handle with a healing bullet, Kayla runs forward to catch up with me and launches an onslaught of fists at me.


    "Ugh!"


    The arm that was held up defensively is popped off!


    I guess I''ve been forced to strengthen my arms with magic power, but my arm strength might be stronger than Nagi''s.


    "Don''t tell me you had your body itself strengthened to defeat me ......?"


    He forced ......?


    If even your will is broken because of it, there''s nothing you can do about it. ......!


    "If you think you can win just by doping with magic power, you''re mistaken!


    He takes one more step forward, using the magic power in his left hand to channel the chaos of fists being thrown out.


    "Hmph!


    First, a blow!¡¡He pulls his fist while attaching a healing explosive, and then strikes the second blow.


    He repeats the third and fourth blows, alternating between the degraded magic bullet and the healing explosive.


    "Oh, oh!


    "Blow up, healing explosive!"


    Kaila, unable to resist, came at me as if she was covering me.


    But first, the healing bombs I had attached to him detonate, blocking his movement.


    Taking advantage of this opportunity, I swung my right fist, which was clad in a system-enhancing armor, and detonated a series of system-deteriorating magic bullets.


    "OOOH!"


    "Whoa!"


    The explosions seem to have spooked him, but they don''t seem to be having much effect.


    As I move backwards, avoiding the swinging arm, Rune on my shoulder talks to me.


    "Usato. I had an idea when I saw you fighting.


    "What? What?"


    Like this.


    Rune emits flame magic, runs his cloak and troupe uniform, and lights a blue-black flame on my cage hand.


    This is the same as before, but Rune then manipulates the magic further and concentrates the flame on the elbow of the basket hand---a outburst of reinforcement of the lineage. ...... I see!


    I stepped forward without hesitation and lunged for Kayla.


    "Okay I get it!¡¡Keep going, Rune!"


    "Oh!"


    The outburst of the system reinforcement causes the flames of Rune''s dark magic to burst out, spewing flames from his elbow like a burner.


    The fist, which was pushed out like a rocket, combined with my power... and thrusts into Kyra''s torso.


    "---!


    Not yet!


    I immediately pull my arm back and release a backhanded fist.


    BOOM!¡¡With a "BOOM!" sound, a burst of dark magic fire gushed out from my forearm, super-accelerating my arm as before, and once again I struck Kyra''s body with a powerful attack, blowing her huge body wide open.


    "How about that, Usato!¡¡If I had to name it like you, I''d name it "Kokenka Sokken"!


    "Hah, that''s a good name for it. ......!"


    It''s a very powerful and difficult to use, but if you can master it, it''s quite strong.


    ......?


    Is it getting bigger yet?


    It is clearly one size larger than before.


    As I hugged myself and gave a quizzical look at the suffering Kayla, he suddenly turned his head toward me and swung his fist at me as if he was going to scoop me up.


    "!"


    I quickly backpedaled to avoid...?¡¡Wait, his reach extended.


    "Ggh!


    <>


    Unnaturally, Kyra''s arm grew huge and slammed into me.


    I quickly defended myself with my basket and cloak, but my body was blown away, sending me flying through the air.


    I spread my cloak while letting some of the impact escape, and once I was in the air, I took another look at Kaila''s body.


    "What the hell is that?"


    <<


    "That''s creepy."


    Only my right arm, the one that would have attacked me, has grown unnaturally long and thick enough to touch the ground. While my left arm still retained its human form, Kyra had grown so monstrous that it could no longer be called normal.


    He looks up at me as I fly through the air and roars, deploying the wings that were originally on his back and transforming them into a tougher, sharper appearance, just like his own body.


    "You''re going to fly!¡¡No, he can fly because he is a demon. ......!!!"


    <<< Attack immediately!¡¡If that thing gets out, we are in big trouble! >>


    "Ah!"


    I was about to run into him, flipping my cloak to stop Kayla from flying---when the upper wall behind us, where we had entered this space from the underground ruins, suddenly exploded.


    "!!!?"


    "Wooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!¡¡We are finally in the light!


    Lieutenant commander!


    Usato!


    Coga and the others!¡¡The Kogas came out of the exploded wall with a huge stream of water.


    Amako, who had spotted me earlier with her precognition magic, waved her hand as she fell toward us.


    My men, Nair and Bulrin are all here, and I''m safe..,


    >


    "Huh?"


    A huge snake-like creature with a blue body ...... emerged from behind Koga and the others.¡¡And at that size, was it the boss of the herd of water dragons we encountered?¡¡Why is that thing coming out after Koga and the others?


    No, we have to save Amako and the others who were thrown into the air first!


    They immediately head upward and entangle Amako, Bulrin, and their men except for Ms. Vina with their cloaks.


    Koga and Nagi are okay at this height, and Veena can fly by herself since she is a demon to begin with.


    "Gah!"


    "OHHHH!"


    Immediately after catching Amako and the others, the water dragon Nushi fell into the hall and attacked Kaila, who had captured a fragment of the demon king''s power there.


    Is it the Great Monster War ......?


    "Usato!"


    Amako, thank God you''re all right!¡¡Where''s Nair?


    I''m here!


    Neah flutters overhead and tries to perch on my shoulder, only to find Lune there, in lion cub form.


    "Hey!¡¡What kind of devil are you!¡¡That''s mine!


    I''m not a messenger. I am Lune.


    "....... What do you mean, Usato!


    I was on the receiving end in an instant.


    I went down to Nagi and Koga, who had gone downstairs first.


    "Neah, why was the water dragon chasing you guys?"


    I don''t know!¡¡We were taking the safe route and suddenly they appeared and chased us around!¡¡He''s really upset for some reason, and I really don''t get it!


    .......


    I don''t know what to do, I have so many ideas.


    Could it be that the water dragon thingy was chasing me?


    When I landed on the ground, it seemed that the water dragon and Kaila were still fighting down there. ...... It looks like the water dragon has a bad chance against Kaila now.


    So, Usato, what''s the situation now?


    Koga and Mr. Nagi come to me after I have dropped off my men.


    "To make a long story short, there was a fragment of the demon king''s power here, but the other side''s demon ...... Kyra took it in and it went out of control.


    This is the worst situation imaginable.


    That''s right.


    As I inwardly agree with Koga''s words, Nagi-san''s eyes narrow when he sees Shea surrounded by a sphere of light in the center of the hall.


    "Usato, there''s the girl over there."


    "This is Shea. I can''t help you now. We have to deal with Kayla first.


    "...... yeah, got it."


    >


    The water dragon''s roar echoes through the hall.


    A huge tail slams into Kyra, but she catches it with her own force and throws it back, putting up a tremendous fight.


    "That''s a lot for my men to take on!"


    "Yes. When it comes to power, you and I both have it.


    But it''s only about power.


    The water dragons are fighting Kaila now, but it doesn''t look like they will be able to hold out much longer.


    Then Mr. Nagi, who had been watching Kyra, put his hand on his chin and turned back to me and Koga.


    "Usato, Koga. The demon who has taken the demon king''s power has gained great power. He''s as powerful as the Demon Lord when you fought him, Usato.


    "Oh, really? Is he really as good as the Demon King?


    He sighs at Koga, who seems to be enjoying himself in spite of this.


    But although he says he''s as strong as the Demon King, I guess that doesn''t mean he''s as strong as the Demon King.


    "Me, Koga, and you will deal with it. It''s going to be quite a battle, so let''s get everyone else out of here.


    "Yes, sir. Maybe the exit from these ruins isn''t too far away. ......"


    It is painful that the captain and vice-captain, Nagi-san and I, have to leave, but it is inevitable because we are dealing with the other party.


    So we need someone to lead the way. .......


    "Amako, can you do it?"


    "I''ll be fine. I''ll take care of it.


    Amako nodded vigorously.


    That''s very encouraging. We haven''t always traveled together.


    There''s one other person..,


    >


    >


    Why is that perverted demon going around agitating his fellow demons?


    Witnessing once again the harshness of demons toward their own kind, I call out Veena''s name a little more strongly.


    "Veena!¡¡Come here!


    "Huuh!"


    I''m sure she won''t answer.


    She comes over here as fast as the wind, and I leave her in charge of detection, and tell my men to get out of here first.


    Hanna-san, please take the lead with Amako!


    "Yes, sir. What about these people?


    What about these guys?


    Mr. Ahl and his friends were hit by Kayla''s magic and were unable to move.


    If it were true, I would like Amako and the others to take them with them, but there are seven of us, and more than anything else, we don''t know what awaits us where Amako and the others are going.


    "Usato-kun!¡¡Leave us stuck here!"


    "What nonsense are you talking!¡¡I will never abandon you!¡¡Yes, this is a definite decision, so don''t worry!¡¡I promise!"


    "No, he is determined to take me to the captain ......!"


    I have no choice but to take Mr. Ahl and the others with me.


    He calls Hannah over to him and the others join him.


    "Come on, let''s get out of here...!"


    A loud "thud" sound was heard, and the huge body of the water dragon was slammed against a nearby wall, and it lay motionless.


    It seems to be ...... alive, but it is not likely to wake up for the time being. .......


    In the direction from which the dragon flew, Kyra is staring at us with an even more intimidating look, and her physique seems to have grown even larger.


    "Bulrin, take care of Amaco!


    Guru!


    Usato, be careful!


    Aah!


    Amako and the others go first, and I, Koga, and Nagi go straight to face Kyra.


    "Hey, there''s a crazy guy at the end of the game! That''s funny!"


    "Don''t go too fast, Koga."


    "You and I don''t have the right to be in synch. We''ll work it out if we do whatever we want.


    "Huh, totally ......"


    Well, I''m sure you''re right. .......


    Mr. Nagi laughs at the exchange between me and Koga.


    "Ha ha ha ...... I''ll use my precognition magic to match your movements."


    "Then I''ll move to support them with healing magic and hinder their movements."


    The power of the demon king that Kayla has taken in is still unknown.


    Let''s wait and see and make it easier for Nagi and Koga, who have high offensive power, to move.


    Let''s do it, people!


    >


    "Oh!"


    "Hey, isn''t it different with Rune on your shoulder?"


    Neah with an owl on her right shoulder, Roone with a lion cub on her left shoulder, and Keira in a cape.


    He smiles again at the strangeness of his appearance and clenches his fists tightly.

 421 - - 373rd episode.

    Demons take on the power of the Demon King.


    I joined up with Usato in the worst imaginable situation, and together with him and Koga, I had to fight the demon Kyra.


    I have nothing to worry about because Amako is in the escape group ...... and her precognition magic is more accurate than my now weakened precognition magic.


    I guess I''m the one who needs to be on my toes."


    Kayla, who has taken on the power of the Demon King, has transformed so much that it is hard to imagine her original appearance.


    Her stature is well over three meters.


    Even now, her body continues to grow.


    Since a demon''s body is composed of magical power just like a demon''s, the effect of taking in the power of the Demon Lord, which can be said to be a massive magical power, is immeasurable.


    "It is ...... that is the physical enhancement."


    "Maybe it''s my fault."


    Usato, who had been standing next to Kayla on the lookout for her, says so.


    "I can''t use Kayla''s demon power against her. That must have hurt his pride a lot.


    "I see. So you''re not strengthening the demon''s power, you''re strengthening its body. I wonder if demons are stupid enough to strengthen their bodies in that way with the power of the Demon Lord. ......


    Nair''s words are harsh, but she is not wrong.


    The scary thing about the Demon Lord is the amount of magic he deals with and his own skill.


    Simply taking in a large amount of magical power doesn''t mean that he has the same power as the original Demon Lord.


    "Well, either way, he''s an extremely troublesome opponent, isn''t he?¡¡At any rate, he''s using all of the Demon King''s magical power to strengthen his body.


    "Yeah, it was a hell of a force. I hope I can at least avoid a direct hit from the front.


    It''s quite a feat that Usato, who is so skilled at defending himself, would be so wary.


    "Ugh, Jibabuhou, Jeek!"


    Kayla''s voice is muddled as she recognizes us as the enemy.


    Her eyes are completely blank and insane.


    "Hahaha, they must hate you so much!"


    "Haa......"


    "They''re gonna be here soon. Are you ready?


    He speaks as he draws his sword from the sheath at his belt, and without a word, the two men move into battle stance.


    Usato lights his cloak with a blue-black flame, and his hands are covered with a binding spell.


    Koga wraps his entire body in dark magic and transforms into a masked warrior, and his alter ego, which he has created at his side, transforms into a large club.


    "...... Koga aside, Usato is still strange in many ways, isn''t he?"


    He doesn''t look like a healing wizard.


    It''s more like a dark wizard.


    He has a small owl and a lion on each shoulder.


    <<


    "...... yeah."


    I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and open them.


    I hold my sword horizontally, aware that the power of the other me has appeared in my left eye.


    At that moment, the sword is enveloped in a bright red flame from the fire magic that is activated.


    "I don''t think you can speak for others either, Mr. Nagi.


    "Yeah, is that so?"


    "No, it''s just that I''m in a ...... state of shock."


    ...... what?¡¡Why did you hesitate to say it?


    I was about to pursue the matter when Usato turned his face away from me, but my precognition detected Kyra''s attack before I could.


    She''s coming!


    "Uh-uh, gaaaah!"


    Kicking the ground with force, Kyra approaches us with bouncing momentum.


    Koga and I scatter to the left and right, and Usato steps forward instead of avoiding.


    I would have panicked if I hadn''t seen it in the prediction!¡¡But now he''s...!


    "Gyaaaaahhh!¡¡Why did you run into him?


    "Healing flow."


    She put her hands covered with magic power against Kayla''s swinging arms, and glided (?????) away from her.


    He then stepped further and shot a magic bullet into Kaila''s eye, taking away her vision,


    "Neah!"


    "I know, I know!"


    He slams his fists with a binding spell into Kyra''s arm and leg joints, temporarily blocking her movement.


    "...... That''s outrageous."


    I can''t do that kind of work.


    He is able to manipulate magic in an extraordinary way by completely owning the flow of magic throughout his body, which is called magic spinning. .......


    Come on, Korga!


    I''ll do it even if you don''t tell me!


    When Usato makes an opening, Koga and I will take it!


    We draw our black swords, which emit flames, and accelerate using the "inu-tsurikomi" to slash at Kaila at once.


    "Flame!


    A slash of flame is released to slice through the entire body of Kyra, who is already a giant.


    Koga slashes at her with the sickle-like tentacles he has created from his back, and finally strikes her with his club.


    "UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!¡¡O--"


    "Healing bombs."


    Kaila lets out a yell and tries to go on a rampage, but the green magic bullet attached to her torso explodes, and she grunts again.


    ---That''s what I''m talking about!


    He takes advantage of the opening Usato has created and delivers another slash.


    "Ora ora ora!"


    Koga hits Kaila with a club that transforms into an alter-ego, and when she still tries to move, Usato scares her with a healing explosive.


    ...... I''m using precognition magic to coordinate, but somehow the two seem to be working together incredibly well.


    Maybe it''s because they are rivals and similar.


    "KOGAA!¡¡alter!"


    Hey!


    Usato receives his dark-magic alter ego, which is hurled by Koga.


    Kyra''s outstretched arm comes at him and seems to hit him directly, but what hits him is an afterimage of the healing magic he created.


    "Healing Afterimage Fist ......!"


    Gah!


    "Noisy!¡¡Healing Bomb Blast Fist!


    Usato launched a high-speed exploding magic projectile directly at Kaila, who was about to launch another attack.


    Every time I see him, he seems to have more and more techniques!¡¡No, he''s trying something again!


    "Nea, Rune!¡¡Stop him!


    Stop him!


    I got it.


    The alter ego of Koga transformed into a sharp crescent moon shape, with purple magic patterns and blue-black flames.


    With a great swing, he hurls it at Kayla.


    "Bind him!"


    Just before the alter ego returned to human form, it transformed to wrap itself around Kyra''s body and stopped her movement with a spell of restraint and dark magic of fire.


    "That guy is vindictive, strong, and persistent, so you won''t be able to get him off that easily!


    You say too many words!


    Mr. Nagi!


    He nods at the sound of Usato''s voice and heads toward Kyra, who has her upper body blocked from moving.


    As they pass each other, he slashes the knees of both legs, cutting off their mobility!


    "KOGAA!¡¡Let''s go!


    Yeah!


    And then, just as they have completely stopped moving, the two clad in dark magic come rushing in, their faces already looking too merry to look at each other.


    Koga''s upraised arm expands, and blue-black flames erupt from the elbow of Usato''s right cage hand---and hit Kaira at the same time.


    A thorn from the outburst of Koga''s magical power.


    A fist from the acceleration of Usato''s mysterious flame.


    Kyra was hit by these blasts, and her huge body was blown away and slammed to the ground.


    "...... I''m not a weak opponent."


    The other party is a demon that has taken the power of the Demon King, even if it is corrupt.


    He is using it to strengthen his body, so if he were a normal person, a blow from him would be fatal.


    What was that?¡¡Didn''t you just now accelerate in a way that doesn''t make sense?


    "My magic. I call it the "National Acceleration Charm." Hmm..."


    "....... Roone. You don''t seem to realize it, but you''ve been brainwashed by Usato."


    "Don''t try to convince me with your ever so gentle voice."


    I realize it again when I see Usato putting Koga''s alter ego back in his hand.


    In the first place, Usato is facing the Demon Lord.


    Compared to him, he would not be intimidated by most opponents.


    ...... I also feel that the battle is going much easier with him in my life.


    "So we''ve done some damage ......, but let''s see what happens ......."


    He looks at Kayla, still wary.


    ...... hmm?¡¡He stands up, bouncing, his body regenerating, emitting smoke.......?


    "Oh, so that''s what this is about."


    Mr. Nagi, did you notice something?


    The immortality of demons.


    Demons are basically immortal.


    No matter how mortally wounded they are, they regenerate over time.


    Regeneration requires a certain amount of power, but right now Kayla has the massive energy of the demon king''s power.


    "G-G-G-Gaaaah!"


    "Demons are immortal. No matter what kind of wounds they inflict, the power of the Demon Lord can heal them. No, on the contrary, his body can withstand the load for a long time, so he can be strengthened to any kind of crazy strength.


    Kayla is sprawling on the ground, seeking power and trying to transform into something more.


    It is a miracle that she has retained her human form.


    Her arms have grown large, her lower body looks weak, and the clothes on her upper body are torn to shreds, so that even a trace of her former self can''t be seen.


    "Uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh!"


    --Uhhhhhh!


    "Koga!¡¡He''s near Usato!


    What?¡¡Hey, how did you know ......?


    "Me?


    I see the prediction in a few seconds and immediately move to be close to Usato.


    At that moment, a magical light overflows from every part of Kayla''s body. It is not just light, but a dangerous attack that can bring destruction just by touching her.


    While scattering them all over the ruins... he shoots a massive flash of light from his mouth at us.


    "Usato!¡¡You can stop this!


    I''m on it!


    He believed me and stepped forward without hesitation.


    He thrusts Koga''s alter ego, which he had been holding close, into the ground, transforming it into a shield.


    "Let''s go, KOGA!"


    What?


    Of course!¡¡It''s a healing guard!


    Stop trying to make things up in your head that no one else can understand!


    He halfheartedly passes over Koga, who is seriously puzzled, and grips his alter ego, which has been transformed into a large shield, as if supporting it with both hands.


    "Nah!¡¡Keira!"


    "It''s a spell of resistance!"


    >


    I wonder if ......, working with Usato naturally makes it easier for us to understand his intentions and so on?


    "Gah!


    It''s coming!


    A massive amount of magic power is released and hits Usato''s shield, scattering light.


    Koga and I support him from behind, but the shield, transformed by Koga''s alter ego, is crumbling from the edges.


    "Hey!¡¡This Koga is so fragile!


    >


    Hey, show me some guts!


    That''s not me!¡¡I''m right behind you!


    The alter ego is getting worn away, but it''s all right.


    Because Koga''s alter ego is covered by healing magic.


    "Strengthen the system!"


    And Usato is a master of lineage enhancement.


    The shield, which is instantly restored by the highest level of healing magic, prevents the magical attack.


    "Phew!"


    When the torrent of magic has subsided, Usato transforms his shield into the shape of a left-handed basket hand.


    Kayla, who was across the shield, had undergone yet another transformation.


    "Uh-oh. ......"


    Is the magic power that should have been suppressed by the body overflowing outside?


    The eyes and mouth are overflowing with black magic, and the disintegrated torso and joints are holding the limbs together with only their magic.


    "......Well, it''s not even a living thing anymore."


    "The demon''s immortality is forcing the disintegrating body to stay together, I suppose. It''s as if they''re so oddly compatible with each other that they can''t break down, and they''re endlessly going through hell."


    I''ve never seen anything like it.


    That''s how dangerous the power of the Demon Lord is.


    Kaila, now a monster of magical power, roars ferociously and tries to move.


    ---I saw her arm sticking out in my premonition, but this...!


    "UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!"


    "It''s reaching out!"


    His right arm, held in place by magic power, is shot toward him as if it is going to attack Usato.


    He avoids the arm by flying through the air with his cloak, but the arm, whose joints are composed of magic power, continues to extend and follow him.


    I thought, "This is not good," and Koga and I tried to break the magic connecting the arm and the main body, but our attacks just slipped through, so there was no point.


    "Fast ......!"


    His left arm reaches out and grabs it as he flies through the air.


    "Kuku!"


    "Usato!"


    He swung at me with all his might, knocking me to the ground..,


    "Don''t lick it!¡¡Nuh!"


    He hit the ground to offset the impact, and with his left arm still in his grasp, he aimed his free right arm at Kyra''s arm and fired a blue-black flash of something like...


    "Hm?


    The blue-black flash popped Kyra''s arm off, wounding her, but it was ...... now ...... Rune''s magic?


    It looked like a pillar of flame. .......


    "You just keep transforming into whatever you want,......!¡¡What a guy ......!!!!"


    ....... No, I don''t think you''re the one to say that. .......


    The next time you''re confused in the middle of a battle, Nair, who is on the opposite shoulder from Rune, raises his voice.


    "The source of his strength is his huge amount of magic power!¡¡Even if you attack it, it will regenerate with its excess magic power, but that''s okay!


    That''s good. ......?


    No, wait, that''s what you''re saying. ......!


    "There''s no such thing as unlimited magical power!¡¡The Demon King was like that!¡¡Then, if we force it to use up all the magic it has, it should stop working!


    Even in its current state, it must be using a lot of magic.


    Then, if the three of us keep attacking it, it will surely run out of magic power someday!


    Usato, don''t be shy!¡¡Attack it with all your might and keep making it spit out magic!


    "Aaah!¡¡Let''s do it!


    You don''t have to go easy on him anymore!¡¡I''m going to do it!


    <>


    At his voice, blue-black flames spread to Usato''s cloak and to the silver and black baskets on both of his arms.


    As I was stunned to see Usato transformed into his full combat form, Koga, who had also been looking at him with dismay, opened his mouth.


    "No, you can''t speak for others either. ......


    For once, I agreed with Koga''s words.

 422 - - 374th episode.

    Kaila has been further transformed by the demon king''s magical power.


    She looks as if her body has been forcibly connected with magic, and I am reminded once again of the danger of the Demon Lord''s power.


    "Rune!


    "Aaah!"


    The magic power of the blue-black flame transmitted to the basket hand is concentrated, causing an outburst.


    The flames burst forward like a burner, and Kayla''s outstretched arm is shot off.


    It''s a dangerous move, but we can''t afford to say anything about it when we''re dealing with this guy right now. ......!


    "Usato, healing magic is useless against this guy!


    "d*mn, what a guy! ......!


    "No, you idiot!¡¡I mean, you can use all your wacky tricks to your heart''s content!¡¡You and Keira and Roone, give it your all!¡¡...... I''ll be calling the shots on your behalf!"


    I was joking, but that''s a terrible thing to say.


    Even if you hit her with healing magic, it won''t work on Kayla, who has the ability to regenerate herself.


    I guess it''s true that the only way to defeat her is to attack her and drain her of her magic power.


    "All right, let''s get fired up!


    Koga''s body in his magical armor swells up as he shouts out.


    It''s a power type form using my elasticity-imparting technology!¡¡This form has given me a hard time, but it''s reassuring to know that it''s on our side!


    "Uhh!"


    "It''s clearly stronger than before!¡¡We''ll both do our best to cut him down!


    Aah!


    The three of us and Kayla move at the same time.


    Boom!¡¡I''m the first one to contact Kyra as I leap forward with the acceleration of my dark magic.


    Kyra, put the cloak on your arm!


    >


    The cloak transforms into a large fist that wraps around my left arm.


    If only Keira''s cloak of dark magic could reflect my physical abilities!


    "LAAAUGH!!!!"


    Oh!


    I avoid the thrusting arm and slam my fist into its face.


    Kayla''s mouth is gushing with magic, but it''s not enough to bring her to her knees!


    But then Koga''s kick hits her, and Nagi''s sword slashes her.


    "Three seconds later, attack in all directions!


    Nagi''s premonition!


    He immediately transforms Koga''s alter ego into a circular shield.


    Immediately after that, Kaira''s whole body overflows with magic power and emits it like a beam.


    "OHHH!!!"


    The magic power with destructive power that is continuously emitted from her whole body!


    A beam that spreads out in all directions!¡¡But we can prevent it if we know!


    I repel the beam that''s right in front of me with my shield, and the cloak I''m wearing also blocks the attack.


    >


    "And add a resistance spell!¡¡Fight back!


    Thank God!¡¡Come on!


    He leaves the defense to the two, and throws his shielded alter ego at Kyra with all his might.


    Boom!¡¡The circular shield slammed into Kyra''s torso with a sound, and when the release of magic was forcibly stopped---Koga, who had withstood the release of magic with his own body, caught the shield that bounced back.


    "This time I''m over here!


    He turned his shield into a mallet and slammed the mallet down on Kaira''s torso as soon as she got up.


    "Gah!


    Then it''s my turn!


    Nagi-san, holding his sword behind Kaira''s back, leaps lightly and strikes three times with a powerful slash that is hard to see.


    "Three strikes!"


    Magic power gushed out like blood.


    The wounds regenerate instantly, but you can tell just by looking at the wounds that a lot of magic power has been consumed.


    Here''s more..,


    "Everyone get away!


    Nagi''s voice stopped him, and just as he switched his attention from attacking to evading... Kyra''s forceful swing slammed into the ground.


    His power, which had been strengthened without limit by the Demon King''s magic power.


    It easily shattered the floor, creating a crater with an impact that shook the entire hall.


    "What kind of power is this ......?


    <>


    That''s really a hell of a lot of power. .......


    But the worst part is that now the impact has blown the healing magic particles away.


    As it is, Kayla''s in the dust ......!


    "Here it comes!"


    Kyra''s arm came charging through the dust in front of her in a straight line.


    I just barely managed to avoid it, but before I knew it, another arm was coming up behind me, trying to grab my torso.


    "What?


    It got behind my healing senses!


    Quickly, I put my arm out to the side to stop Kyra''s huge hand from grabbing me.


    "No, no, no, no!


    "Rune!¡¡Burn this hand right now!


    Okay, okay!


    That''s a lot of power. ......!¡¡If you''re not careful, you''ll be crushed. ......!


    Rune is attacking my hand with dark magic, so the moment I relax, I''m going to be crushed. ...... What?¡¡I''m not sure what to do with it, but I''m sure I''ll be able to find a way to get it.


    Don''t tell me he''s trying to bury his whole arm with a magic beam?


    He''s only trying to kill me!


    I''m aware that he has a grudge against me, but that''s too vindictive!


    !¡¡The other arm he dodged is coming back toward me ......!


    I won''t let that happen!"


    "!!!¡¡Mr. Nagi!!!"


    Nagi-san cuts off Kyra''s hands before she can get to me.


    Here we go!


    And here, Koga raises his great-axe and slashes at Kyra''s arm as she grabs me.


    As I escape from the arm, a beam of magic from Kyra passes by where I was just a moment ago.


    "That was close ...... Nagi, Koga, thank you."


    "Heh, you owe me one."


    I can''t say anything, because it''s true that he saved my life.


    But you really hold a grudge against me. .......


    Was I hurting Kayla''s pride that much ......?¡¡Now it seems that I can''t even hear the resentment.......


    "It seems like she really only wants you."


    "In a way, though, it''s convenient. ......"


    This allows Nagi and Koga to concentrate on the battle.


    Instead of getting into a pinch like the one we were in earlier,...... let''s sharpen our senses next time.


    "Jeez, Jeez, Baao ...... zukiii."


    ...... hmm?¡¡Something''s wrong with Kayla.


    As I was wondering why he was shaking the magic that covered his whole body, the wings on his back suddenly spread out and he jumped up into the air.


    "Son of a b*tc*, he can fly now. Maybe he''s trying to get to you."


    "......, you''ve been underestimated."


    Do you think my ...... no, Keira''s ability to fly is something that can be exploited just by being able to fly?


    As I look up at Kayla, who is adapting her form to fly, swaying and off-balance, Nagi-san is talking to her.


    "From the looks of it, it looks like you''ve lost a lot of weight.


    "Really?¡¡He seems to be in good health.


    "That''s because he just doesn''t know how much magic he''s consuming. And if he escapes into the sky, it''ll be a problem, so let''s cut him down before he gets used to flying.


    Escaping from these ruins would certainly be a problem.


    As Mr. Nagi said, there is no other way but to cut down the magic power at once and neutralize it.


    "So, I have a suggestion..."


    And at this point, Mr. Nagi gave us instructions on how to proceed.


    Koga and I nodded to each other as we understood the brief, simple instructions and looked up at Kaila, who was looking down at us from above.


    "Don''t slow us down. Usato."


    That''s my line.


    I''m counting on both of you."


    After a few inspirational, hateful words, Koga and I headed toward the flying Kyra.


    Unlike me, who can fly with Kyra''s power, Koga is running up the wall with his dark magic sickle stuck in the wall, so I guide Kyra''s movement so that she can attack easily.


    "No more blunders!"


    I throw a bomb and scatter particles of magic around her.


    I''ll put up healing senses and play with Kyra with my afterimage fists!


    "JIGU!¡¡BAHOOOHHHHHHH!


    Shut up!


    That''s all you can say!


    I understand you have a grudge against me, but this is getting to be too much!


    You''re the ones who started the fight in the first place!


    !


    He slips through Kaira''s arms and slams an uppercut into her jaw!


    You''ve already scaled us. We''re the ones who want to get mad!


    "It''s a great power, though!"


    He releases a shockwave from his arm for a moment and creates an afterimage of magic power to avoid the attack.


    As she turns her attention back to me to keep her distance from me, Koga''s claws leap from the wall and strike Kyra directly in the back.


    "Watch where you''re going!"


    Gah!


    There''s a gap!


    As soon as she turns her attention back to Koga, I hit her with a healing flying fist.


    Don''t think you can escape so easily once we''re between you and them, okay?


    Your big size is a curse!


    Where are you looking, you idiot?


    You''re so shallow!¡¡You''re all about power!


    Ha-ha-ha!¡¡You showed me a chance!¡¡Take the healing bomb!


    The moment he turns his attention to one of them, he continues to attack them.


    Fighting like this reminds me of the time when I fought against the evil dragon with Bulrin.


    The situation is a bit similar to that time, and above all, the feeling that the tactic fits perfectly is the same.


    "Oh!


    "Oh, shit! Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.


    But then, Koga was countered by Kaira and thrown off!


    He immediately jumps in the direction Koga flew and runs ahead of him.


    "Usato!¡¡Throw me!


    !" "Usato!¡¡Here it comes!


    Immediately understanding his intention, I catch Koga flying toward me with my huge hand that has transformed into a cloak, and spin around on the spot so as not to damage the impact.


    "KOGA, heal him with your healing magic!


    "Oh, go ahead!"


    Using his hand as a catapult, he throws it as hard as he can with his arm strength, palm shock wave, and centrifugal force!


    Koga is launched faster than the acceleration of the flying, and it emits a blue-black light (...) like a meteor... ...... wait...


    Why is KOGA on fire?


    I set it on fire.


    "...... what?"


    The lion cub with the smug look on his face is unintentionally astonishing.


    "Oh, wow!¡¡I''m gonna smash it!"


    ...... Well, he seems okay with it, so I''ll keep my mouth shut.


    While flying, Koga transforms his dark magic armor into a spear tip and charges straight at Kyra, piercing her torso.


    "Gah!


    Kyra was pierced through the chest.


    Kyra, releasing not blood but black magic power, tries to strike at Kohga with a fury, but Kohga falls to the ground first.


    "KOGA!"


    OK, Usato!¡¡Take care of it!


    You seem to be in better spirits than I thought.


    I''ll still throw a healing magic bullet in the direction Koga fell.


    "You asked for it?"


    I looked at Kayla with dismay at his words, and saw that his upper body was bound by the alter ego that Kohga had created.


    He''s really a tricky guy.


    The restraints have not yet been released, probably because he is prioritizing regeneration due to the damage he has sustained so far and the blow he received from Koga earlier.


    "---Good."


    I should be fired up too, now that Koga has put his body on the line.


    I took a deep breath and looked down at Kyra again, who was regenerating her own body and staring at me with her wings even larger.


    If you''ve seen the changes so far, I''m sure he''s evolved to specialize in fighting me (????). .......


    "You seem to be very happy to be able to fly... but that level of evolution is still not enough to catch up with us."


    "Uuuuuh ......!"


    Flapping her wings in the air is still a far cry from Keira''s flying abilities.


    >


    "I see. I understand."


    "...... wait. I have a very bad feeling about this.


    Keira immediately understood my intention and transformed her cloak, while Rune covered it with flames.


    Nair whispers to me, her voice trembling as she sees the cloak being immobilized and the blue-black flames gathering at the edges of it.


    Nair, we are going to accelerate. I need a spell of resistance.


    What?¡¡Wait a minute, what are you doing?¡¡What are you doing?


    Nair, with a belt wrapped around her cloak, confirms that she has activated the spell of resistance, and black flames burst from her cloak, and using jet-like acceleration, she approaches Kyra in an instant and kicks her.


    "Gyaaaaah!¡¡I knew it was coming, but I knew it!


    "Oh, no!"


    He turns around and without slowing down, this time he strikes her with a fist blow.


    He tries to forcefully intercept the attack, but he''s scared!¡¡But he can''t catch me now that I''m using my incessant acceleration and healing afterimage fist!


    "Nuhn!"


    I charge at Kaira and slam my left fist into her torso, sending flames shooting back from my cloak before she can counterattack, and I break away.


    Kyra''s arms flail wildly, and she clutches her head in agony.


    "Come and get me!


    He accelerates even faster and launches a series of fists and kicks.


    Kayla is chasing afterimages, unable to even catch us.


    "What!¡¡oh oh oh!


    !"!"


    Kyra''s mouth opens wide as she is hit so hard that her regeneration cannot keep up.


    Her mouth is opened so wide that her cheeks are ripped open, and her mouth is filled with boiling black magic power.


    "That amount of magic power ...... is out of the ordinary!¡¡He''s going to reap his entire field of vision!


    >


    "No, we''re going in!"


    That''s a lot of magic. We''d have to use Koga''s alter ego as a healing guard, but that would free Kayla.


    Then we can get past that beam thingy and drop Kyra, who''s consumed a lot of magic.


    "If you think you can do it, then you can do it!¡¡I trust you, so get out of here!"


    Aah!


    Nair pushes her and she charges head-on.


    At the same time, a massive amount of magic power is released from Kyra''s mouth, and it spreads out as it attacks.


    "I know how to heal with a healing stream!"


    If she can catch the magic with her magic power, she should be able to match the flow of the magic.


    If it is just a stream of released magic power (?????), it is much easier.


    "Magic spinning!


    You put your magic cage to the side of the beam of magic that is approaching you.


    It is not to be passed off like a healing stream.


    This time, you will ride the torrent of magic power with the technique to circulate the magic power in your body at a high speed.


    "No way! You''re releasing magic power with your palm?


    I match the flow of magic power flowing on the surface of my palm with the flow of magic power being released.


    I move along the surface of the beam and approach the face of Kyra, who continues to emit magic power.


    I have arrived at ......!¡¡And the rest!


    "!!!?"


    "Nissei Okuyoku!"


    He strikes with his left fist, which is covered with a degraded fist system.


    She forcibly stops the torrent of magic power from flowing into Kyra''s face, and as she drips magic power from her mouth, she strikes her with a healing punch from her right fist, this time with her right fist!


    "Healing!¡¡System Blast Fist!"


    "AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"


    Kyra, unable to keep her wings due to the fist, the shockwave, and the damage she has sustained so far, falls to the ground with a mighty thud.


    He''s going to catch up with her at once!


    "I''m going to decide here!"


    With a roar, I land near the fallen Kaila and point my right palm at her.


    "Rune!


    I fire in rapid succession!


    A blue-black heat ray shoots out from my palm and hits Kyra, scorching her body.


    As the figure is about to be engulfed in a cloud of dust from the three heat rays that follow, he then launches a healing bomb into her palm... and then he covers it with Nair''s binding spells and Lune''s dark magic.


    "Do it!¡¡Usato!


    Come on!


    The magic projectile, thrown with all his might, explodes as soon as it strikes Kaila, sending a shockwave and black flames through his body.


    "GAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"


    Caught in the shockwave cage, Kyra screams in pain and falls to her knees.


    She seems to be smaller than before.


    "...... d*mn you, you healer!


    Is he coming out of it?


    Kayla hasn''t fallen yet, but I can see that she has lost a lot of her magic power.


    Yet, her eyes still have not lost any of their hatred for me.


    It''s almost amazing how far I''ve come, but it''s over now.


    You''ve driven me to this point and you still want to go on?


    "Dammit, Lehe."


    "......"


    It''s already settled.


    I release my stance as Kayla regenerates at an astonishing speed, glaring at me with hatred.


    "Unfortunately, it''s not up to us to decide in the end."


    "......!"


    "---Deepness."


    A voice from overhead.


    By the time Kyra realized it, it was too late. The black sword that Mr. Nagi had swung down from a super high-speed fall had sliced through Kaila.


    "Shin, the hunt for beasts!


    The moment she sheathed her black sword and muttered this, several slashes were etched into Kyra''s body.


    "Gaaaaaaaah!


    The demon king''s power leaked out from the wounds.


    With that, Kayla''s appearance returns to normal, and finally she returns to the same gruff appearance she had when we first encountered her.


    "Gah, hah, hah...... shit!


    "I see you''ve come to your senses."


    "Even if I use the power of the rotten demon king, I can''t kill you, can I? ......!


    Naturally, his figure was battered and bruised, but there was a crystal-like fragment of the Demon Lord''s power embedded in his chest.


    For now, let''s bind him up with Koga''s alter ego''s restraints and magic.


    This should be the end of it, at least.

 423 - - 375th.

    We succeeded in incapacitating Kayla, who had gone out of control, by forcing her to consume the demon king''s power.


    I am very glad that we were able to do something about it, since it was a troublesome enemy that kept recovering endlessly and had a lot of power itself.


    "Is everyone all right?"


    <>


    "Same here. It was a lot of fun."


    Rune is kind of ...... innocent.


    I''m sure I scared her, but I guess it''s a sign of her mental strength from living in a demon-infested forest.


    So, as for Nea: .......


    "Yes, I''m totally fine too. Isn''t it natural? I''m used to it."


    He seems not to want to make a weak statement in front of Keira and Rune, and he flaps his wings on my cheeks out of sight of them.


    I should be prepared for the fact that they might ask for quite a lot of blood later on.


    "Are you hurt, Mr. Nagi?"


    "No, don''t worry. I''m not worried... I''m wondering if you''re the one ...... who was okay with those strange movements..."


    He worried me in a very indirect way.


    Nagi is not injured either,...... and now it''s time for Koga.


    "...... Koga, you will not be forgotten."


    "No, I''m not dead. Don''t kill me on your own."


    He turns his head once to look at Coga, who had been coming toward him, and then looks forward.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll make sure Senri knows how you feel.


    "Don''t make up my feelings for me."


    I knew he was fine, because I knew he would never be hurt like that.


    But I''ll put a healing spell on him.


    He didn''t realize it, but Rune had set him on fire.


    "Well, now that you''ve finally gotten yourself together, ...... Usato, do you have any questions for this demon?"


    "......Yes, I do."


    I have a question first.


    He looks down at Kayla, who is tied up, looking sideways at Mr. Ahl and the others who are still stuck.


    "Who did the magic to Mr. Ahl?"


    "...... ha, I don''t know. Isn''t he our colleague?


    Don''t you know what he looks like?¡¡Aren''t those twin dark wizards led by you too?


    Kayla sniffs at my question as if I''m making fun of her.


    "That''s exactly what I''m not interested in. I didn''t find those worthless bastards either, they were just pawns sent to me on my own."


    He was treating an unidentified entity as a servant ......?


    That''s a little too appropriate.


    Either way, we won''t be able to get any more information out of him.


    But now that the fragment of the Demon Lord''s power is still embedded in Kayla, I''m worried that she will start rampaging again.


    Should we continue to bind her with Koga''s alter ego?


    "Why don''t you leave it to Veena?¡¡Don''t you think the devil knows best when it comes to demons?"


    "......, sure."


    I am a little concerned, but I think it would be best to ask Veena, who escaped from the ruins first, for her opinion.


    She may know how to neutralize Kyra somehow.


    "Usato, Shea!"


    "!"


    Rune''s voice on my shoulder makes me look at Shea, and I see the light covering her flashing and disappearing.


    Did disabling Kayla break it ......?¡¡No, it''s more than that...


    I run to her and catch her as she falls to the ground.


    "Well, it''s a healing spell for the time being..."


    "Shea!¡¡Shea!¡¡Shea!"


    "......"


    As Rune calls out for Shea''s name, she lifts her eyelids.


    Has she regained consciousness?


    "......"


    She looked at her surroundings and her situation to see what was going on, and when she noticed me, she smiled with relief.


    For some reason, her defenselessness made me feel uncomfortable.


    "Usato, you came. ......"


    "Yeah, are you okay?¡¡Anybody else sick?"


    A black robe around his neck.


    Black hair with less red than before, and beautiful black eyes.


    His handsome face, which can be recognized when looking closely, is the same as before, and there is nothing wrong with it.


    There is no doubt that the person in front of me is Shea herself (......), but I can''t help but get a strange feeling.


    I''m fine now. Thank you so much, Usato.


    Shea gets a chill as she tries to take hold of her right hand, which is wrapped in a cage, and he helps her to her feet.


    "Can you stand up?"


    "......Yes. Yes, I can.


    "Shea!"


    She smiles and Rune, who is on her shoulder, calls out to her in a desperate voice.


    At this point, she finally notices Rune''s presence and a surprised look appears on her face.


    "What!¡¡The cat is talking!


    "It''s not a cat, it''s me, it''s Roone!¡¡You can''t tell from her appearance!


    She jumped off my shoulder with a happy look on her face and returned to her original form as a child.


    Shea tilts her head a little and puts her finger on her forehead.


    "......"


    "...... Shea?"


    She looks up at Lune anxiously, removes her finger from his forehead, and smiles softly.


    "It''s Rune!¡¡I''m so surprised!¡¡You came all the way here from the forest!


    "!¡¡Are you okay?¡¡Trapped in that white place!


    "Oh, don''t worry. My head still feels a bit fuzzy, but ...... Usato and the others came to my rescue.


    Perhaps relieved, Shea''s appearance seems more stable than before.


    Before, she seemed to be somewhat restless and frightened by the memory of Mr. Hisago.


    >


    "...... you think so too?"


    I nodded to Keira, who spoke in a small voice in my ear.


    This girl must have seen Shea for the last time.


    If this is the case, we cannot ignore her words.


    "I don''t know about the last time I saw her. I don''t know how she is, but I think she''s too healthy to have met in a place like this."


    "...... I don''t want to be too suspicious, but maybe we should be vigilant."


    I have my doubts, but at least I was able to suppress the Demon Lord''s power and protect Shea.


    We still have a long way to go in our overall investigation, but I think it''s time to return home.


    I take her with me to Koga and Mr. Nagi, who are keeping an eye on Kaila, and give him a look.


    "Nice to meet you ......?¡¡My name is Kannagi. Do you know who I am?


    Shea spoke casually to Mr. Nagi.


    One of the reasons I invited her is to bring Ms. Nagi to meet Shea, who has the memory of Mr. Hisago, so I listen to their conversation.


    "Oh, it''s nice to meet you. Uh, well, you''re the beastman I saw in Hisago''s memory, right?"


    "....... Yeah, that''s right. You have his memory after all. I heard you were distraught before, but are you okay now?"


    "Yes. I don''t hear his voice anymore, so I''m not worried."


    Did something happen when you came to these ruins?


    I guess it''s good that our memories don''t confuse us, but in the end the mystery remains a mystery.


    As I was thinking alone, Nagi-san, who had been facing Shea, suddenly turned to me, touching the hilt of his sword.


    "What!"


    At the same time, she reacted to the healing senses that had been set up earlier.


    She immediately stares at the space where Kayla is bound and sees that he is breaking free of his alter ego''s restraints.


    "Ha-ha-ha!"


    Kayla!


    "He slipped through the binding spell ...... and disrupted the formula!


    Is this the magic of Kayla we''ve heard so much about?


    Nagi, who sensed it with her precognition magic, immediately thrusts her sword into Kyra''s body, but that doesn''t stop Kyra.


    "Usato!¡¡Kaira''s aim is Shea!


    "Healing Fist!"


    He reads her movements with his healing sense and blows her body away with his fast Healing Fist... but he regenerates his body forcibly and closes in on Shea at an extremely fast pace.


    Even if the demon king''s magic power still remains, it''s a fearsome persistence. ......!


    Don''t touch Shea!


    Get out of the way!¡¡You little brat!


    Agh!


    She rushes to catch Rune, who is about to be hit by Kayla and knocked to the ground, and looks at Shea, but Kayla is standing next to her with her sharp claws at her neck.


    Hostage!¡¡No, he''s ......!


    "I''ll be ...... fine if I can get rid of you here, even if you disappear here. ......!"


    Shea!


    "......"


    Shea, who was too terrified to speak, remained motionless, lying on her face.


    He''s not going to take Shea hostage.


    Before she puts her life in danger for getting back at me---someone is approaching!


    "Usato, this is ......."


    Nagi, too, seems to have sensed it with her precognition magic, and she has a puzzled look on her face.


    Of course, the person who is approaching silently behind Kayla is not on our side.


    If anything, it''s someone who should have been stuck in this hall since the fight.


    "Ha ha ha!¡¡At least let me see you sink into despair..."


    Just as she was about to drive her claws into Shea, someone''s hand pierced Kyra''s chest.


    "What about ......?"


    The bloodied twin sister of the dark wizard I had brought here was smiling in ecstasy with firm, determined eyes.


    "Oh, I''ve always wanted to do this to you..."


    She pulled her arm out of Kayla as if to extract the power of the Demon Lord, and after she threw Kayla''s body down in front of us, she smiled when she saw the power of the Demon Lord in her own hand.


    "But, ah, why ......?"


    "Why, ...... of course you just pretended to be dead from the beginning. Oh, but it''s true that he was dead, so he pretended to be a puppet?¡¡Well, it doesn''t matter now."


    She then looks at us---no, at me.


    "You don''t seem too surprised."


    "I was beginning to think you had an ego."


    "I guess so. You''re the reason I wasn''t able to impersonate a corpse.


    It is little surprise that the twin sister is moving more.


    What is puzzling is that she attacked Kayla, who is supposed to be of the same force.


    "It won''t regenerate!


    Kyra falls to the ground coughing up blood and struggling with a hole in her chest.


    I quickly cast a healing spell to strengthen his system.


    I can''t get any information out of him at this point, and I don''t want to leave him to die.


    "It won''t heal ......!


    Don''t touch him!


    Don''t touch me!


    He was in pain, but his hand was paid off. ...... If the system reinforcement can''t heal him, Kayla is no longer .......


    The twin sister looks on with amusement as Kayla slowly disappears.


    "A demon that is united with the impurity of the demon king''s power is no longer immortal. It really is as I said.


    "Whose, exactly?"


    "......."


    She smiled at Nagi''s question as she held out a fragment of the Demon Lord''s power to Shea, who had been freed from Kaila right beside her.


    "Yes. Here you go, master."


    """!?""""


    A crystal filled with the power of the Demon King was offered to him.


    Shea, on the other hand, took the crystal in her hand and spoke to her as if she were talking to a friend, with the same expression and tone of voice as before.


    "Thank you for your hard work, Esta. It must have been a hard time for you."


    "No, no, it''s heaven compared to when I was alive. The journey here was hell in another sense ...... though it was an interesting hell."


    "Interesting hell......?¡¡Hmm, well, we''ll get to that later. Anyway, is your sister ready?"


    Her sister, called Esta, is still at the place where Mr. Ahl and the others are lying.


    Esta looks somewhat bored when she sees that she cannot move.


    "I think I''m done... ....... I''m not going to let this soulless Kyan-dong habit of mine keep me up forever. It''s getting depressing."


    Shea looked at us and cowered her shoulders in disappointment, as if she had noticed our gaze.


    "Oh, I wanted to tell you more. The devil left behind is a real pain in the ass. Don''t you agree?¡¡Usato.


    "That''s not the Shea we know."


    It is possible that Shea has been acting.


    But strangely enough, I thought it was impossible.


    I had no reason to believe it.


    She was really frightened by the memory of Mr. Hisago, and she was asking for help.


    "Who are you?"


    "....... Hmm."


    She laughed.


    With a smile that still overlaps with Shea''s, she came up to me, unprotected, right in front of me.


    Right under my nose.


    She stood so close that I could reach out and touch her, looking up to meet my eyes,


    "Well, who am I?"


    --he whispered happily.

 424 - - 376th episode.

    >


    Huh?¡¡I don''t know.


    I wanted to reply reflexively, but the person who has taken over Shea''s mind was still looking up at me with a somewhat relaxed expression on his face.


    Behind me, Koga and Mr. Nagi are getting ready for battle, but now I am waiting for them.


    If I don''t, Shea, who may be possessed by her, may be harmed.


    "You mean you''re not going to identify yourself?"


    We''ve only just begun. It''s too late for me to let you interfere with it.


    "Plan"?¡¡...... didn''t you think we''d take you down right here and now?"


    I can reach him with a light hand.


    There are many ways to do it, like using a binding spell or a cloak to restrain Nair.


    Shea chuckles at my words.


    "Usato, you know what I''m talking about, don''t you?¡¡This body is a hostage. If you try to seize me, I will do everything in my power to end this life.


    "Yes."


    This guy: .......


    "I wonder if your healing magic can save someone who has no will to live?"


    I thought that was the idea, but ...... that''s nasty.


    I can''t let Shea get away with it, as she said.


    "...... you don''t mind if shea dies?"


    "I don''t mind at all. It''s just that this is the perfect time for the best results, and if not, we can just wait a few hundred more years and do it again after the interloper is dead."


    "......"


    "That''s just the way it is, the value of this body (????) to me."


    Great timing and great results, huh?


    I think it''s about time the battle with the Demon Lord was over. .......


    "Well, you can give it a try. I''ll bite my tongue out in front of you just for the heck of it.


    Shea sticks out her tongue to agitate me.


    She is right, there is no point in healing someone who has no will to live ...... and is about to take his own life by applying healing magic.


    It would only hurt the heart of Shea who would live inside of her.


    But you, you ........."


    "Oh, Kayla. I''d forgotten all about you."


    Shea looks down at Kayla, whose body is almost gone, unable to regenerate.


    She scoffs at Kayla, as if she knows that Kayla will not survive.


    "Demons are such irredeemable creatures, aren''t they? Well, you were useful to me right up until the end, so I''ll give you credit for that. ...... can you go away now?"


    "f*ck you too ........."


    She was about to shout something when Kayla disappeared.


    The end was so unexpected that it left me with an indescribable feeling of helplessness.


    "Usato. You need to calm down.


    "Yeah, I know."


    I try to keep my composure with Nea''s words.


    Shea''s gaze turns to the owl on my shoulder as Nair speaks.


    "A vampire/necromancer hybrid, Nair."


    "Oh?¡¡You know me?"


    "Of course I do. You''re the perfect creature, the one who doesn''t have the weaknesses of either demon. You''d be crazy not to pay attention to me, wouldn''t you?


    "The perfect creature!¡¡Did you hear that, Usato?


    Nair slaps my cheek happily.


    I told you to keep your cool, but you''re getting all worked up.


    "Not to mention your potential, your magical power and your knowledge of magic are top class. Above all, his ability to control the living and the dead is astonishing. With time, he could even become the next Demon King.


    "......"


    I don''t know if he is a demon king or not, but it is true that Nair''s abilities are powerful.


    In fact, in Hinomoto, we were helped by Nair''s vampire power.


    "Hmm."


    Shea''s words did not make Nair''s eyes soar as before, but on the contrary, they sharpened.


    "You are very appreciative of me.


    "Well?¡¡Are you willing to turn over to us?¡¡A magician like you would be a great help to us...


    "No, thank you."


    Nea, who had immediately refused Shea''s invitation, raised her wings as if to shrug her shoulders and sighed in exasperation.


    "You don''t know anything about me and her, do you?¡¡If you don''t know anything about me and this guy, then you don''t even deserve my offer.


    "nea......"


    "Usato is an idiot, a muscle idiot, a training idiot, an insensitive idiot, but he is ...... my master (...). From now on, I will never work for anyone but him."


    I''m so glad you trust me, but I''ve been called an idiot about four times.


    Isn''t that a little too much stupidity?


    "Too bad. Well, I knew it was impossible, so it doesn''t matter."


    "Are you done being a bad recruiter?¡¡So, what are you?¡¡What do you want with this Shea Garmio obsession?"


    I''m not going to tell you that much.


    She moved away from me, as if she didn''t want to talk any more, and dropped back down to where the dark wizard twins---Esta--were.


    "Esta. Esta.


    You still want to use it?¡¡Well, that''s okay."


    Esta moves her fingers, and several threads grow.


    The threads are so thick that it is doubtful if they are visible, and they are headed for ......,£®


    "Mr. Aul......?


    The threads of dark magic entangle Mr. Ahl and the others by the wall and carry them toward us.


    She remains motionless in midair, looking at me helplessly.


    "I''m sorry. Usato.


    "Oh, you''re still conscious. I''m the one who stopped you, but you''ve got a lot of spirit.


    That guy''s pretty good. Magic is rare. Isn''t that a good thing?


    Just right? ......!


    As I try to step forward, Esta all at once spreads a thread of dark magic to deter me.


    I glare at Esta and Shea as I try to create a healing explosive in my palm as if I''m trying to intimidate them.


    "What are you going to do with Mr. Ahl and the others? ......!


    "We only want this girl. I''ll return the rest of the corpses to you ...... after I do a little work on them."


    Shea points her palm at everyone except Mr. Ahl, who is fished up into the air by a string.


    White magic patterns emerge from her palm, and they are sucking something from the six corpses.


    ---I don''t know what she''s doing, but I know it''s not a good thing.


    I''ll stop it!


    No!


    <>Yes!


    I won''t let you do what you want any more!


    Shea pulled out the cutlass from her waist as I lowered Rune to the ground and tried to stop the magic from being activated.


    Shea pulls out the cutlass from her waist. She uses the healing blast wave to repel the strings of dark magic that are closing in on us at once, and heads straight for Shea.


    "Master! My magic is not compatible with him."


    "...... saves me the trouble. Well, Esta, you take care of Kannagi and the other one.


    Impossible. Ten seconds at the most.


    That''s all I need.


    If we catch him, he could commit suicide.


    Then we have no choice but to knock him out in an instant or restrain him like a goose!


    With a not-so-quick movement, he plays the cutlass wielded by Shea with his cage hand.


    "Ha ha!¡¡How fast!"


    After all, the body itself is just a human being.


    Is it a sign that I can''t harm Shea?


    ......It''s easy to neutralize a move like this.


    "......"


    He opens his clenched fist and thrusts out the bottom of his palm covered with healing magic.


    Shea smiles at me and takes my palm strike with her shoulder.


    She looked at me in disbelief, her expression distorted with pain.


    "Why, Usato ......?


    "Don''t act so bad!"


    "What?"


    I know you''re going to do that. ......!!!


    I can see that you''re trying to create an opening by pretending to be Shea and inviting my sympathy!


    He grabs her by the shoulders and restrains her with his palm strike.


    "Keira!¡¡Nia!"


    Keira''s cloak transforms and wraps around Shea''s body.


    Nair''s restraining spells flow into her body as if to overlay the cape, and her body is completely immobilized.


    "Okay, that''s it..."


    "The spell of release."


    A voice comes from inside the cloak that should have restrained him.


    "You''re talking about the liberation spell!"


    Instantly, Nair''s magic bursts into pieces, and the cloak that had enveloped her body is torn to pieces.


    The magic is the same, but Keira''s cloak is also ripped ......?


    In Shea''s hand is a cutlass with a blade of white light...is this the same light magic as Kazuki''s?


    "Should we be so preoccupied with the sword?¡¡We''ve already caught this one (????), right?"


    "Huh?"


    Shea''s hand on the basket was concentrated with the magic of light magic.


    It overflowed and popped, carving lacerations on her white skin, but despite this, she kept her smile on her face and kept on casting her magic power.


    I immediately understood what she was doing and tried to shake her arm off, but before I could do so, the cage hand disappeared from my right arm.


    "System reinforcement sealed!"


    "!"


    ......They took your cage hand away from you.


    Shea, however, shot several light magic bullets at me from her uninjured right hand.


    "Usato, light magic!¡¡You have no basket hand..."


    "Healing Sink."


    A technique that Mr. Ahl taught me.


    He uses the magic in his hands to channel the light magic backwards.


    "Huh?¡¡You played light magic with your bare hands?


    "...... tsk."


    Once I had regained my composure, Nagi-san jumped out from behind me at a furious pace.


    She cut through the threads of dark magic and came at Shea, and then she grabbed a sword and put it to her neck...?


    "Oh, I can cut off your head now, can''t I?¡¡Kannagi!"


    "......."


    Ms. Nagi swung down her sword, which stopped just short of Shea''s neck.


    I was unintentionally relieved, but Nagi''s expression remained grim as he glanced at Shea at close range.


    "Ha ha. That''s right Kannagi, you can''t cut. You''re that kind of guy."


    "What do you know about me?"


    "Yes, I know."


    Shea looks at the black sword stopped just short of his neck.


    Unlike when she looked at me, she turned her gaze to the black sword around her neck with clear hostility and mockery toward Mr. Nagi.


    "I don''t want this unholy sword. ...... if you don''t want to kill me, get out of my way."


    "Ah!"


    Shea reaves Cutlass with light and makes Mr. Nagi retreat, then she grabs the sphere that may contain the handbag she just took from me and pulls out the contents.


    She then grabs the sphere that would have contained the handbag she had just taken from me, and pulls out the contents.


    "...... I was surprised. Even this body of the original user can''t be restored to its original shape. Is that how much he is recognized by the divine dragon Farga?"


    "...... were you trying to turn it back into a sword?"


    Did you need hisago''s sword to control the light magic?


    Unfortunately, it had become my own personal weapon, so it didn''t seem to take the form of a sword.


    "I''m sorry, but it''s mine. I''ve been looking for it for a long time. I''m sorry you need it, but..."


    "Do you think I''m weak just because you took my cage hand from me?"


    He took your cage hand?¡¡What does it matter?


    I can''t use my fist of lineage explosion or outburst of healing magic anymore, but that''s a trivial matter.


    I have trained myself not to be dependent on the cage hand, thinking that one day I will return the cage hand to Mr. Farga.


    It is a fact that I have been wronged even in .......


    I feel really sorry to Mr. Farga.


    "....... That response is a bit unexpected. No, you''re lying. You''re not even a little bit attached to this?¡¡This is a legendary piece of equipment.


    "The only thing you can trust in the end is your own body. ......"


    They looked at me as if I were looking at some creature they didn''t understand.


    And I cannot understand why they are looking at me the way they are looking at Nair on my shoulder and at Korga, who has come to stand next to me.


    I don''t care about Neah, but Koga is closer to me. ......!


    While she was almost indignant, Esta came up to her and whispered to her.


    Master. I''m telling you, he''s an idiot. I could tell just by the way he carried me on his back today, so it''s not worth it to talk to him badly. If you''re not careful, it''ll spread to the master."


    "What''s that too scary ......"


    I can hear you!¡¡Don''t you talk about people like they''re a virus!


    Then Shea puts away the bracelet as well as the fragment of the Demon Lord''s power and looks at her hand, which is now damaged by the forced reinforcement of the system.


    "Ah, my hand hurts, and I haven''t finished strengthening my ...... lineage yet. I can''t win against a strong person with this body. It''s good to know that. ......Well, is it time to go?"


    !¡¡The magical patterns attached to the other six disappear, and six spheres wrapped in light appear.


    Shea nods in satisfaction as he holds them in his hands, which are different from light magic.


    "Extraction complete. Yes. Esta, you can give the others back to him since you have no more use for them.


    "Yes, sir."


    The corpses of six people, except for Mr. Ahl, are thrown to the ground.


    I hurriedly catch them with my cloak and glare at Shea as I slowly lower them to the ground.


    "What did you do ......!!!"


    "You''re a real pain in the ass, you know that? Your position and your abilities are so mismatched that you''re everywhere. This would be much easier to deal with if you were a brave man.


    She puts her hand on Mr. Ahl''s cheek and smiles at him as he remains motionless.


    "That''s why you need a tool to harass me, isn''t it?"


    "......Usato, don''t worry about me."


    It can''t be good. ......!!!


    We can''t just let them take Mr. Ahl.


    But the bottom line is that someone has taken over Shea, and the worst part is that Shea is not that important to the person who took over Shea.


    It is possible that they are bluffing, but even so, we can''t touch her on the off chance that they might. ......!


    "Esta."


    "Hmm, another one''s hiding."


    Another thread of dark magic pulls something.


    With a scream comes Leri, the first demon to run away without his companions.


    ......... I mean, he''s been hiding nearby the whole time.


    "I haven''t forgotten about you too, Leahy!"


    "Hiiii, I''ll do anything you say!¡¡I''ll lick your shoes!¡¡Just don''t make me disappear!


    "Mmm. Shut her up.


    A string is lightly tightened around his neck, and he falls silent.


    Shea moves the limp Reaali and the motionless Mr. Awl behind her and looks at me again.


    "I don''t want you involved anymore if I can help it. I don''t know what you''re going to do, and it''s just too much trouble to deal with you. ......"


    That''s a really terrible thing to say, even for an enemy. .......


    Shea looks really disgusted and once again strengthens my resolve to get involved in this matter.


    "You might be happier if you just abandon the spirit of this body, you know?¡¡For you and for Shea.


    "Help me," he said.


    "Huh?"


    The first time I saw him, I didn''t recognize him, and the second time he asked me for help.


    At that point, she must have been worried, scared.


    That she was turning into someone she wasn''t.


    "I don''t care what you''re up to. I don''t care what you''re up to, as far as I''m concerned.


    "You tell me ......."


    "As long as Shea needs help, I''m not going to back down."


    "......!"


    She rolls her eyes and feigns surprise, making her eyes look sharp.


    For the first time since I came here, I stare back at her without saying a word in response to her hostility.


    "Then you can do whatever you want. Either way, I can''t touch you now. I''ll just let you go home.


    A white pattern spreads out at Shea''s feet, enveloping Esta, Leali, and Mr. Ahl.


    This is the magic of the transition that I saw in Mearaq.


    When I saw it slowly spreading, a small lion jumped out from behind me.


    "Rune!


    <>


    The lion cub is engulfed in blue-black flames, and before the white pattern can close, Lune jumps back inside and takes on the form of a little girl.


    "Oh, hey, what''s wrong?¡¡Roone, do you want to come to our side?"


    "...... Shea, I''m with you."


    "....... I see, then you''re welcome."


    Rune stands up in the light and looks at us.


    Keira, seeing the apologetic look on her face, jumps out of her cloak and calls out to us.


    "Rune!¡¡Why ......!"


    "Because Shea is ...... going to be ...... alone again if we let her go now!¡¡Like me!"


    "Oh, Rune. You''re ........."


    "That''s why I have to go with her, someone has to be there for her. ......"


    You know how dangerous it is.


    And yet, Roone chose to follow Shea.


    I looked at her in silence and nodded my head in agreement.


    She nodded her head and opened her mouth in a pattern of magic filled with white light.


    "Hey, guys. I''m sorry."


    At the moment such a voice was heard, the magic circle of transition was activated and the girls disappeared completely from the scene.


    ---Who or what is possessing Shea?


    The turmoil comes to an end, leaving many mysteries unanswered.

 425 - - 377th episode.

    Kayla disappeared after capturing the power of the Demon King.


    Shea took the power of the Demon Lord with her, and she herself was possessed by someone and disappeared with Lune by means of a transfer spell.


    Although we were able to recover the corpses of the other six except for Mr. Ahl, ...... she was also taken away from them.


    The result of the case was not so good.


    "...... Usato, you can eat now."


    "Hmm, thank you."


    We were resting around a campfire in a place surrounded by stone buildings.


    We used a lot of magic today. .......


    We look at the scenery around us, munching on a grilled fish on a wooden skewer that Amaco gave us.


    "A city in decay, huh?"


    The place where we escaped from the ruins is a different town from the one we entered.


    It was a bit smaller than the city, but it was larger, and above all, there was a large building like the cathedral that used to be the exit of the labyrinth.


    However, the city was surrounded by a deep forest, and its structure was somewhat reminiscent of Hinomoto.


    We escaped to such a place and soon met up with Amako and the others who were waiting near the exit, and set up camp tents in the city to take a rest.


    "It''s been a really hard day, hasn''t it?


    "Yeah, totally."


    Amaco, sitting next to him, replies.


    Korga, my men are resting in the camp tent, and Keira, by my side, is sleeping wrapped in a cloak, holding Neah in her owlish state.


    Keira must be very tired.


    "I made you do something reckless. She really saved my life.


    Bullyn is now sleeping in the back where Amaco and I have our backs to him.


    The only ones awake now are me, Amako, and Mr. Nagi, who is sitting across the fire from us.


    "What you said earlier, is this ...... shea person conscious?"


    "I can only speculate, but I think she is conscious."


    The being that possesses Shea is of a very cautious nature, and is also good at bargaining to a certain extent.


    It is hard to believe that she would be able to wipe out Shea''s spirit so easily, which would have a hostage effect on me and Mr. Nagi.


    I agree with Usato.


    Mr. Nagi, sitting in front of me across the fire, agrees.


    "The people who haunt Shea Garmio are very calculating. I think they are quite troublesome when they have not even let the Demon King and Falga-sama be aware of their existence until now."


    "...... You seemed to know Ms. Nagi."


    "At least I don''t know her."


    .......


    "Is that Shea''s personality, Mr. Hisago?"


    "......"


    Ms. Nagi casts her eyes down in response to my question.


    I don''t want to doubt Mr. Hisago, who is a benefactor to her, but the situation is such that I must be sure of this.


    We only know about Mr. Hisago by the power of the Demon King, and that is only one aspect.


    He was a brave man, after all.


    After a short silence, Mr. Nagi opened his mouth.


    "He was blunt and sometimes I didn''t know what he was thinking, but he never overlooked anyone in need and ...... above all, he would never take an innocent person hostage. And ......."


    Mr. Nagi pressed his forehead as he spoke.


    He looks as if he is in agony.


    "To be honest, I don''t want to think that a guy who takes over a girl''s body is a hisago. ......"


    "That''s very earnest. ......"


    "Just the thought of my father, who speaks in such a stilted manner, imitating the tone of a girl younger than me makes me want to cry. ......"


    "Ah, haha ......"


    Nagi-san looks rather seriously depressed and I laugh at her.


    When she looked up, her eyes were tinged with a purple light.


    "Shea''s thing is not Hisago himself. I was right, generally speaking.


    "...... the other Nagi?"


    "Yeah. I just took over.


    She stood up with a start, revealing her other personality, and then she moved to sit down next to me in the vacant ...... seat as if nothing had happened.


    "Hmm?"


    "Hmm?"


    What?


    "I''m just moving in closer to make it easier for you to talk to me. Don''t worry about it."


    "Oh, yeah. ......"


    You didn''t mean anything by it.


    It''s true, it was a little inconvenient to talk across the fire.


    I should have known.


    "I was looking at him with the same view I share with Kannagi. Usato, he wasn''t hostile toward you, but someone in ...... Shea was clearly hostile toward us."


    "Hostility?"


    Anger, murder, jealousy, you name it. If Kannagi had been beaten up by Hisago and turned on him, it''s hard to imagine Hisago''s personality turning on Kannagi with such bad feelings."


    If Mr. Nagi says so much, it is safe to assume that hisago''s memories have not manifested themselves as his personality.


    "Then, who is that ......?"


    "I don''t know that either. They seem to be withholding information. I think their intention is to confuse us by not revealing the core information.


    "That''s really nasty. ......"


    More cunning than the devil, huh?


    Perhaps we should be more suspicious of her every word.


    "......, it''s time to get back in character."


    Nagi-san closes her eyes as if she has finished talking, and falls down as if leaning against me, so I hurriedly support her shoulders.


    She shifts to a position where she rests her head on my shoulder, and after a few seconds she opens her eyes.


    She opens her eyes after a few seconds.


    "Are you all right?"


    "No, no, no, no, it''s nothing!


    Nagi-san wakes up with surprising speed, and I laugh.


    He is so reliable when he is fighting, but he looks his age in such a situation.


    Well, I guess I''m too young to say that.


    Kannagi, you can''t keep on like that, can you?


    I know. I know, but ......!


    Nagi replied to Amako, holding her face with her hands.


    As I watch this exchange, I notice a presence approaching quietly.


    "Veena-san, it''s still too early for you to take your turn, isn''t it?"


    "It''s too early for you to take over, Ms. Veena," I heard her saying, "I heard you cursing me and having a good time.


    .......


    "Mr. Vina, you''re not ready for your shift yet, are you?"


    "Oh, what?¡¡Did you just rewind time?


    The time has just rewound?" I avoid Mr. Veena''s blurbs, whose engine is still running at full throttle, by using my skills trained by my senpai.


    I am pleased because I responded to her in a proper manner.


    A little ruthlessness is necessary for smooth conversation.


    "Just as well, Veena-san, I''d like to hear your opinion."


    "Well, I don''t have the slightest idea, but ......"


    Well, I guess you''re right.


    He seems to have some kind of a cooperative relationship with the devil since he entrusted Mr. Ahl and the others to him, but I don''t think he''s so naive as to show his tail there.


    While I was thinking that it could not be helped, Veena-san, who seemed to be in a panic for some reason, opened her mouth.


    "Well, um, is it possible that the demon who gathered us together may have been in contact with this Shea guy behind the scenes, ...... or something?"


    "That''s pretty vague. When we were gathered, Veena was there too, wasn''t she?¡¡You didn''t mind?"


    Veena looked away from me awkwardly.


    "Even though we were gathered, I didn''t care who gathered us. ......I honestly don''t think anyone knew who gathered us, did they?"


    "......"


    "Usato, I understand your exclamation, but demons are such creatures. They really don''t have any sense of camaraderie.


    I should have known that, but even looking at it again, I am more stunned than appalled at the sloppy gathering on the devil''s side.


    Is it because they are immortal or is it because they live momentarily in a good or bad way? ......


    "Rest assured. I was taught by you ...... and changed."


    Did you just try to say "spanking"?


    When I looked at Ms. Vina, who was acting suspiciously, she had a radiant smile on her face.


    "I have learned to have compassion for others and to share joy with them. Now, the members of the corps are my one and only friends with whom I have shared many hardships and joys."


    "Ms. Vina, ....... If you''ve changed so much, then I guess it''s safe for me to go back to the Lingle Kingdom."


    "Yes. ......"


    I tilt my head to Veena, who stiffens." ?"


    "Actually, I have evil feelings for everyone in my unit!¡¡More so for you, Usato-san!


    "I was a fool to look at you even for a moment. ......"


    I was rather serious about reviewing it. .......


    Well, I know that Veena has changed, as I was watching her training, so I won''t say anything more.


    "Are you going back to the Lingle Kingdom as soon as you get back to the Demon King''s territory?"


    "No, you will still have time to stay there for a few more days. Well, I''m sure I''ll lose that time too with reports and all..."


    I''m depressed to report to the Demon King.


    We couldn''t recover the power of the Demon Lord, and we couldn''t rescue Shea either.


    The only good thing is that the search for the demon realm, which is our main goal, is going to be successful.


    "Just because there is a civilization, it means there is an environment where people can live. Maybe there are people like Rune who live deep in the forest. It''s not my job to find out, though. ......


    I have only made a signpost, and the rest will be left to the people in the demon king''s domain.


    That would be the job of Koga, Amira, and Nero.


    Kannagi and I will return with you to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    "Are you and Mr. Kanoko done?"


    "Yes. I know you''re fine, and they sent me and Kannagi away too.


    I looked at Nagi and she nodded with a wry smile.


    When I have more time, I would like to go to Hinomoto again too.


    "...... and I''ll have to bring the bodies back to the Lingle Kingdom."


    The bodies of six people except Mr. Ahl.


    Their bodies, which had been treated in some way in the course of their magical work, existed like dolls, in their original form, undecayed and undecaying.


    They''re being kept in Keira''s cloak for now, but I''ll have to take them out as soon as we get back to the demon king''s territory.


    "Huh. ......"


    He looks at his right hand.


    It''s a cage hand now.


    I look at the bonfire, accepting the fact that I have lost the key to my defense.


    "...... I have something to do, too."


    "Hmm?¡¡What should we do ......?"


    "Now that I''ve lost my cage hand, I should really try to find a way to fight without it."


    It''s not that he has supported my fight since Mialak until today.


    Even though I am not aware of it, the fact that I lost my cage hand will create many obstacles.


    For that reason, I will look back at my fighting style once again.


    "Elasticity


    Create a magic bullet with elasticity from the palm.


    Then, I stretch the magic bullet to cover my forearm.


    To the naked eye, it looks as if a green film of healing magic is covering his right arm, but when he puts his hand close to the campfire ...... to test it, no heat is felt.


    "Usato, what is it?"


    A replacement for your lost cage hand. I call it a healing coating.


    ""......""


    What are you trying to say, Amako, Mr. Nagi?


    "Wow, you have excellent taste. It''s my kind of devastating!"


    Veena praises my work, but for some reason I don''t feel like I''m being praised.


    This is just a hastily made thing.


    It is not as strong as a basket hand, and with the whole arm covered, it is impossible to create magic bullets from the hand.


    Instead, I just came up with ...... which can stick to the opponent or stick to the wall in response to a blow.


    I''ll make do with this for the time being.


    "Okay, I''ve decided. When I get back to the Ringle Kingdom--"


    "When I get back?"


    I''ve been vaguely using magic for a while now, and I''ve never had any trouble with it.


    But now that I''m going to use this new technique of magic, I have to look at myself more closely.


    I''m going to go see Mr. Welshy again to learn how to use magic.


    "I feel sorry for Mr. Welsey, so don''t do this to him: ......"


    Why stop when you''re just going to get a lesson: ......?


    I have to go there because I have been summoned to learn about the application of magic.

 426 - - Talking quietly, Ill be by your side

    I couldn''t stand the sight of Shea being enveloped in light.


    The thing inside Shea that is not Shea.


    It is tormenting her and trying to do something.


    I really wanted to save her, but I don''t have the power to do so.


    I''m sorry, guys.


    So I chose to stay by her side.


    I feel really bad about what I did to Usato and the others.


    They tried to help me and look for Shea together, but I ended up acting selfishly and causing trouble.


    But ...... I was still worried about her.


    "Wow!"


    The moment I was enveloped by the circle of light, I was in another place.


    A large stone building.


    It was a small place compared to the ruins I had just been in, but I moved to that place in an instant and looked around me in confusion.


    "Whew, that was a lot of work. ......"


    "Shea ......"


    Shea, who was nearby, was standing tall.


    She took one look at me as I called out to her, and then spoke to the demoness who was controlling the strings.


    "He''s a nuisance after all, isn''t he?


    "Why didn''t you just disable him right then and there?"


    No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.¡¡You saw how he repelled the light magic with his bare hands?¡¡That''s not human skill.


    You''re right, Usato''s moves are not human.


    But the bitter look on his face suggests that he is telling the truth.


    "You think if you take away his cage hand, he''ll be a little upset, but he doesn''t react and tries to fight back, doesn''t he?¡¡I was so chilled that time. ......!"


    The trowel he took from Usato?¡¡Shea''s shoulders slumped as she looked at the bracelet-like object she had taken from Usato.


    "And then there''s Kannagi and Koga, the former corps commander. If we had fought in that situation, we would have lost.


    "If you''re holding hostages, you have the upper hand in the fight, don''t you?¡¡What if they''re dead?"


    That''s a lie.


    "Huh?"


    ......!¡¡Was it a lie ......?


    You said you didn''t care about Shea. .......


    "I''ll be in real, real trouble if this body dies. It''s going to ruin everything. She was acting like she could afford it, but secretly she was in a big hurry."


    "Huh, ......, that''s too haphazard, isn''t it?"


    "I wasn''t worried about being killed if I was dealing with a lifeguard who prioritizes human life and a kanagi. The only uncertainty was Koga, but Esta had him under control. That was a big help. That''s my best man."


    "That''s no problem."


    Having said all that, Shea stands tall once more.


    "I know Usato is a pain in the ass, but considering what we''re planning to do, we''re destined to be involved no matter what.


    "I don''t want anything to do with that thing. I''ve had a really bad experience with him."


    "Specifically?"


    "....... I don''t want to tell you."


    Shea''s words made Esta hold his forehead, his bloodless face smeared with exhaustion.


    Chuckling at him, Shea puts his hand on his cheek.


    "Unlike a brave man, he is not bound by his position and can go wherever he feels the need to go. The worst part is that he belongs to the Kingdom of Lingle. ...... that kingdom will not spare Usato''s help."


    "Can you predict where he''ll go next?"


    "I can, but ...... uh, this could get messy again. Well, ...... we can talk about this later."


    Shea breaks off the conversation and looks down at Aul, who is lying on the floor tied up nearby.


    Shea smiles at Esta, who is barely conscious, her eyes vacant and her mouth moving slightly, as if she is satisfied.


    "Take her to your room. I''ll play with her later.


    "You''re going to wipe out my mind?"


    "Don''t be afraid. That doesn''t make any sense. Your original mind is still here, and it can be used as a weapon against Usato.


    "......"


    For a short time, we were companions in the ruins together.


    I have no power to stop him when he is about to suffer so badly. .......


    I feel a frustration in my body that I have never felt even in the forest where I grew up.


    I still have to be with her,...... and I have to be with her,.......


    "Well..."


    Shea finally turned her attention to me after seeing Esta off with Aul.


    Shea stared back at me with fear in her eyes, which were cold and not kind, and for some reason his smile deepened.


    "I didn''t expect you to come this way ......, but I welcome you. Rune."


    I''m not going to help you do anything bad.


    That''s fine. I just needed a sponsor.


    A caretaker?


    What do you want me to do?


    Shea ignores my question and holds up two fingers.


    "There are two rules. The first is that you don''t leave this building. Don''t even think about running away, okay?¡¡You''ll be dead then, won''t you?"


    "...... What''s the second rule?"


    She kneeled down on the floor so that she was looking at me.


    She brought her face close to my ear and whispered,


    "You must not reveal anything about me."


    As soon as she said these words, her body became weak and she collapsed against me.


    I rushed to catch her in my arms, and she looked up with a soft "no......" in her voice.


    "......Ah, what''s that?¡¡Why am I here......?"


    "...... Shea?"


    "What, Roone?¡¡You brought me here?"


    Shea had no idea what had just happened, and I couldn''t hold back the tears that welled up in my eyes.


    It''s Shea.


    Not cold eyes, but warm and kind.


    With my vision blurred by tears, I hugged her.


    "Siaaaaah!!!"


    "Noooooo!¡¡She is so strong!¡¡What''s inside is coming out!


    I hugged her as hard as I could.


    When I released her arms, she looked around me and at my face alternately in confusion.


    "What the hell is going on?¡¡We were in the forest before we fell asleep, weren''t we?¡¡I have no idea what''s going on!


    I finally understood the meaning of the word "caretaker" here.


    I am the one who takes care of the bad guy in Shea while he sleeps .......


    I can be there for her when she suffers, but I can''t do anything about the cause of her suffering.


    ---I can be there for her, but I can''t do anything about what''s causing her pain... but I chose that.


    There is no turning back now.


    I chose to be there for Shea in a selfish way.


    ---But I''m not the only one trying to help her.


    I was only with her for a short time, but I understand.


    I know that Usato will come to save her.


    "I''ll do my best too. ......!!!"


    My job is to support and protect her until then.

 427 - - quiet talk, his last journey

    After I sealed that bastard away, I gave up my identity.


    I gave up my name and everything else and set out on my last wandering journey.


    Along the way, I set up in various places, while at the same time continuing to hunt demons that incite human malice.


    I have nothing against demons.


    But their way of life is nothing but poison to those who live in this world.


    They corrupt people and cause wars in order to gain fear.


    I have done my last work for the future, for the people of the world I will put to the test.


    "Huh. ......"


    In the deep forest where the rain is pouring down.


    I sit down in the shade of a large tree to take shelter from the rain and look up at the cloudy sky.


    "Six, huh?"


    Staring at the six balls of light floating in the air from my deep cloak, I look back on my journey so far.


    I have extinguished demons as soon as I found them.


    But not all of them.


    Only a limited number of them have remained sealed in my possession.


    I wonder if I should put them through the same trials as that dragon.


    We have left enough trials behind.


    All that remains is for the people of the future ...... to face the challenges of their time.


    I knew it would be too difficult to leave the devil as it is. It would be impossible to cope with an evil dragon, an evil demon king, and a demon in a normal way.


    ---But on the other hand, I don''t care about the future.


    I don''t care about the future.


    "...... is a terrible face."


    I look into a pool of water on the ground, and my own face on the pool makes a self-mocking sound.


    My reflection on the surface of the water was not that of a living person.


    Scarred cheeks, long hair and beard, and eyes as black as the darkness that had been cast into them.


    It was as if I had reverted to the time before I was summoned to this world, when I was dead and alive.


    "The original world of ......?"


    A life that should have died in the original ...... now distant other world.


    Pierced by spears held by warriors too numerous to count, I thought I could finally die.


    I had lost my wife and daughter to illness,


    Lost a battle ineptly,


    His lord, to whom he had sworn allegiance, was killed,


    I was about to lose even my own life in the end, but I survived in this world.


    Even in such a world, there was constant strife.


    People fight each other for land and food.


    I laughed to myself at the joke that the world had supposedly changed, but nothing had changed at all.


    But in such a world, I met a young child with the ears and tail of a beast.


    I named the child <>, who showed the face of my daughter, Hinagi, who was supposed to have died of an illness.


    "......I''m sorry."


    The words of apology spilled out unconsciously.


    To tell the truth, I had not been able to face Nagi.


    She reminds me of the remains of my daughter and wife, whom I buried in the ground with my own hands.


    But still, I guess his presence has saved me.


    "......"


    But the world is too cruel for such a little bit of luck.


    The small kindness of people is trampled down by more malice.


    No matter how many people I have saved, a little distortion can change the words of gratitude and good intentions.


    Like that girl who laughed at me in Samaritan.


    That''s why I..,


    "......What the hell do I want ......?"


    I whisper such a thing now.


    Despairing of the people of today, I bet on the future.


    I''ve done a lot of dirty work for it.


    I betrayed Nagi, who trusted me.


    I myself know that I cannot stop now.


    I stand up, forcing my creaking, screaming heart to stay together.


    "...... let''s end this."


    The last demon is where we''re headed.


    We will destroy him, and the devil will disappear from this world.


    I''m going to get rid of it.


    "Yes, there is. There''s a monster."


    In the target village, there were indeed signs of the presence of a demon and villagers who were frightened by the presence of the demon.


    Unexpectedly, the villagers were frightened but did not seem to be visibly harmed.


    This is a bit unusual for a demon who manipulates the human mind so skillfully.


    "Fearless! It looks like a man. It has wings and horns like a demon.


    "...... where is it?"


    In a hut on the edge of the village. You''re an exterminator, aren''t you?


    I nodded at the man with the rough tone.


    It''s not that unusual to find an exterminator who disposes of demons.


    It''s a good first step.


    "If you''re going to exterminate them, do it quickly, will you?¡¡You''re a nuisance in that house.


    The man''s voice was tinged with unusual disgust as he said this.


    "Has anyone lived in that house before?"


    "What the hell are you asking me that for?"


    I''m just curious. It doesn''t mean anything.


    The man clicks his tongue in annoyance and looks in the direction where the hut might be.


    "There was a woman living there. She''s the daughter of some nobleman. She was disowned for something she did. She used to be a pretty girl, but since she came to the hut, she''s been a bit worn out, and to tell the truth, she''s kind of creepy.


    What does this woman have to do with demons?


    "...... don''t know. She''s already dead.


    I guess they don''t want to talk about it.


    And I guess how the people in the village treated the woman who came to this village.


    I don''t know much about the nobles, and I don''t want to know them willingly, but I am strangely curious about them.


    "Back to the question, what did this demon do to this village?"


    Of course it did! They steal our food. We don''t have any food to sell to that monster!


    "Sell ......?¡¡He came to your store to buy something?¡¡As a customer?"


    "Yeah."


    The man chokes up at my question.


    The gazes of the people around me become sharper in response.


    Sensing hostility toward me as a stranger and a warning not to "go any further," I quietly back away.


    I apologize for asking such a strange question. ...... I''ll be at the cabin after dark."


    "Please. ...... but when you die, ......"


    "Yeah, it''s none of your business."


    --- Not so unusual.


    There are many villages that do not welcome strangers.


    In fact, those who accept them unconditionally should be suspected of some kind of trap.


    ......Lingle was a nice place in that sense.


    It was the first and last time I ever received such open and honest hospitality.


    It''s funny now that I left the country at the end of my stay, wondering when the assassins would come.


    "The world is still a rough place ......"


    Defeating the Demon King does not immediately restore the world ...... to the desolate hearts and minds of the people.


    I should have known that, but the fact that I knew that left my heart stagnant.


    Once I leave the village, I get ready and head for the hut.


    "There it is..."


    The sun is setting and darkness surrounds us.


    I find a hut a short distance outside the village and approach it, drawing my iron sword.


    "...... there you are!"


    There is a demon inside this hut.


    I sense it by its presence and push open the door with magic to illuminate the darkness.


    It is a neat little room.


    A place with a minimum of furniture and dishes, and I hear a small breathing.


    I shine the light toward the voice that sounds as if it is stifling my fear.


    And there it is..,


    "......!"


    He lowered his gaze (...)---and then his eyes met mine.


    A small shadow trembling in the corner of the room.


    "Oh, shit."


    The sound of my sword falling from my hand, or the cracking of a broken heart.


    I looked into the fear-stained eyes of this horned creature with inhuman wings, and for the first time I cursed my own bad luck.

 428 - - Character + Skill Introduction

    Name Rune


    Race Elf, Demon


    Magic Dark magic (fire)


    A girl who lived in an area inhabited by dangerous demons. She is half demon and half elf, and uses dark magic.


    Until a few years ago, she lived in the forest with her mother, but after her mother''s death from illness, she has lived alone in the forest.


    She has never met any other human being except her mother, and she feels a kind of familial love for Seer Garmio, the first human she has ever met.


    Although he is mentally young, he understands right and wrong and is honest enough to apologize immediately when he has done something wrong.


    As for his abilities, he has not lived in a forest infested with demons for a long time, and he defended his territory as the leader of his troop by attacking and attacking with dark magic that turns into flames.


    Dark magic can transform itself into a lion''s lion''s lion''s lion''s lion''s lion''s lion''s lion''s lion''s lion''s lion''s lion''s lion. He even surprised Usato by mastering the use of outbursts of strain enhancement.


    When fighting together with Usato, she assumed the form of a small lion and assisted him in battle.


    He has affectionate feelings for Usato and Keira and trusts them enough to want to go to the Demon Lord''s territory with Usato and the others if it were not for the Shea incident.


    Name Esta


    Race Demon


    Magic Dark magic (thread)


    One of the demon sisters resurrected by Shea Garmio.


    Before her death, she was a bandit who plundered and did other evil deeds, and finally died in a fight to the death with her betrayed sister, who eventually fell together.


    She was revived because of her powerful dark magic ability of thread amputation, but she has a certain trust in Shea Garmio, who revived her.


    Originally, she had no intention of revealing that she was still conscious, but after being repeatedly exposed by Usato''s bizarre behavior, she decided that further acting would be futile and revealed her true identity.


    Although he is aloof, inside he is mentally deranged, tormented by love and hatred for the sister who betrayed him.


    Name: Esta''s sister


    Race Demon


    Magic Dark magic (thread)


    One of the demon sisters resurrected by Shea Garmio.


    Before her death, like Esta, she was a bandit who plundered, but only for the purpose of survival.


    When Esta betrayed her, she threw herself into a duel to stop Esta.


    Although she was the better fighter, Esta, betrayed by her only relative, was outmatched from beginning to end, despite her desperate attempts to persuade him.


    Realizing that persuasion was no longer an option, she decided to kill Esta, and died with him in the process.


    When her corpse was roused by Shea Garmio, she never regained consciousness --- but her body itself was moving to stop Esta.


    To stand by Esta''s side and stop her.


    It was her only wish that had never been fulfilled before her death.


    Name: Shea Garmio (???)


    Race Human (???)


    Magic Light Magic


    An unidentified entity in the body of Shea Garmio.


    Its purpose itself is unknown, and even its words are unreliable.


    She has known of Usato''s existence for a long time, but became wary of him around the time the Demon Lord was defeated.


    Although she finds Usato troublesome, she does not have much hostility toward him. However, she is not very fond of him because he always does things that are beyond her calculations, and she was walking a tightrope when she met him at the ruins.


    Additional techniques of Usato


    Healing Bakubouhiken


    A healing explosive projectile launched with the healing flying fist.


    It consumes a lot of magic power, but it comes out faster than throwing and has penetrating power.


    Healing Sink


    A technique that Usato has mastered in his own way, based on the skills he learned from Ahlulu.


    By manipulating the magic in his body, he has succeeded in passing on the enemy''s attack by combining his own magic power with the enemy''s attack and magic power.


    However, it is almost impossible for anyone other than those with excellent reflexes such as Usato to master this technique, since it requires the ability to recognize the attacker''s attack itself.


    This technique is capable of parrying even light magic, which can make anything it touches disappear.


    The healing system bombing fist


    This technique was invented by applying the phenomenon that the degradation of a strain that comes into contact with a strengthened strain causes a powerful explosion.


    With both hands equipped with the system reinforcement and the system degradation, he can deliver a powerful attack by applying a two-stage blow and a shockwave.


    The healing power is higher than that of a normal explosive because the magical power itself is a lineage enhancement.


    Healing Coating


    A technique hastily devised by Usato to replace his lost cage hand.


    This technique improves defense by covering the arm with elasticity-enhancing magic power, but it is not as strong as the baskets, and has the disadvantage of not being able to create magic bullets--a disadvantage that is not present in the other techniques.


    --- However, this technique can be used in combination with magic spinning to move to all four limbs at the same time.


    In addition, this technique can also be used to move by sticking to an opponent, blocking his movement, or even by sticking to a wall, making it a technique that actually specializes in completely different movements from Kagote.

 429 - - 378th episode.

    Many things happened in the realm of demons.


    Encounter with Rune, half demon, half elf.


    The labyrinth hidden in the decayed ruins.


    A joint struggle with Mr. Aul.


    The battle against the demon Kyra.


    And a chance encounter with Shea, possessed by a mysterious presence.


    The results are probably not very satisfactory.


    We achieved our main goal of exploration, but we lost the cage hand, could not secure the Demon Lord''s power, and could not save Shea.


    I would be lying if I said I did not feel regret over this, but I must first do my part.


    I must return to the Demon Lord''s domain and report the results of my search for the demon territory.


    In order to do so, I must first get out of this forest safely.


    On the way back to the Demon Lord''s territory, we were naturally attacked by demons.


    There are many kinds of demons, including large ones that have yet to be confirmed, and every time we are attacked, we see more and more new ones.


    And this time..,


    "Gah, aah!"


    A wolf in human form.


    <>


    Nodding at the sound of Keira''s voice.


    Warwolves...... are humanoid but only intelligent enough to use simple tools, and they are nasty creatures that attack in groups.


    We are currently under attack by a pack of such war wolves.


    "There are so many!¡¡We must fight them off while protecting the non-combatants!


    "Yes!"


    I give the order and the battle begins.


    I confirm that my men are protecting Hannah and Amako, and face the five war wolves that are approaching before me.


    "Werewolves. I''ve never encountered them before."


    "Uluru ......!¡¡Gah!"


    A war wolf approaches with a club raised in the air.


    It is an intelligent creature that uses weapons, but its attacks are all about power.


    You can deal with it as much as you want. ......!


    "Ah!"


    He lowers his right arm to catch it as quickly as he can.


    The cage hand is gone.


    He puts elasticity-enhancing magic on both arms, and parries the club as it is swung down.


    "Hmph!


    He flows through the attack with a "yo-yo" feeling and instantly transfers his magical power to his right leg with his magical power spinning, and then he hits a spinning kick with a lot of momentum.


    The leg dug into the monster''s side... and its body was blown away by the elasticity.


    "Gah!


    ?¡¡Oh!


    It''s coming next!


    Seeing their comrades who were blown away, two of them attacked.


    Just as before, he parries their attacks with his elasticity, and as soon as he gets close enough to them, he hits them with a blow to the jaw, knocking them unconscious. --- Immediately after that, he attaches his magic power to one of the stunned ones, and throws it at the one that tries to attack him.


    "Gah!¡¡Gah!


    The warwolf realizes that the body of the comrade he hit does not move away from him, and struggles as he falls to the ground.


    You can''t move, can you?


    The spell of restraint and the elasticity-adjusted magic bullet.


    The combination of the two, glued together, seals his movements.


    "Not bad for a simple device."


    Disabling without wasting power.


    It is likely to be applied in any number of ways by using this and other magic power tools together.


    "What, Usato? What''s that magic power on your arm ......?


    It''s a healing coating.


    "What the hell. ......"


    I don''t hear anything ......!


    He turns around and lightly strikes his forehead with his palm.


    "Healing blindness!"


    "Caw!"


    The magic that has left its arm sticks viscously to the face of the demon, taking away its vision.


    Naturally, the confused monster swings its arms to keep me away, but I calmly grab its thick paw and throw it away.


    The demon arcs through the air and crashes into a tree from behind, sticking to the thick trunk of the tree.


    "Gah!¡¡Aah!


    The creature, which had been stuck to the tree from behind, flailed its limbs as if in a panic.


    "What did you do to it? What did you do to it?


    "Before I threw it, I put a spell on his back. It has your binding spell attached to it."


    Well, the binding spells just immobilized the demon, the magic, and the tree, so that it couldn''t move.


    It''s not that difficult.


    "A combination of binding spells and healing coating ...... would be the healing adsorption fist, if I had to name it."


    "Huh, you''re doing weird tricks again ......"


    If you restrain a body in a normal way, a half-hearted restraining spell will break it, but if you restrain a body in an inaccessible place such as a wall or the ground, or if you stick a fellow body to another as you did before, you can restrain a body more easily than if you stun it.


    "This way, you don''t have to hit them unnecessarily."


    "...... That''s pretty useful when you think about it."


    The magic disappears over time, so it is safe to say that safety is also a consideration.


    "Healing coatings. It seems to have more applications than I thought."


    "Hey, can you stop calling me that?¡¡It makes me feel stupid. ......"


    That''s a really bad thing to say.


    Where do you get off being so stupid ......!


    "Keira, magic is the power of ...... application."


    <>


    "Don''t teach Keira anything weird!¡¡What if she turns out like you?


    Please don''t make it sound like it''s a disgrace to be like me.


    Little by little, I feel like I am covering the hole created by the loss of my cage hand with my technique .......


    However, it is only a means of defense, not a replacement for the robust defense of the basket hand.


    We should not be satisfied with the healing coating, but should improve our techniques more.


    I think we should not be satisfied with the healing coating and should improve our techniques.


    We continue through the forest, fighting off demons, and finally overcome a towering cliff by flying over it with Keira''s cloak, and continue through the forest until we finally arrive at the demon king''s territory.


    Including the return trip, it took about two weeks.


    I don''t know if it was a long time or a short time for exploration, but I think the density was quite high.


    "Well, Usato-kun. Please run with me on your back."


    "That''s a very different reaction compared to the first time. ......"


    Hannah, who had finished her work of understanding the terrain and making a map by entering the Demon Lord''s territory, said something like that to me.


    I was going to go back home in less of a hurry than on the way there, so I thought about refusing, but then I thought about it and realized that I had put Hannah through a lot of hardship, so I decided to walk with her on my back.


    "Well, I''ll get in too."


    <>


    What surprised me here was that both Amaco and Keira wanted to ride.


    Maybe they thought I was a carriage or something. ......?


    No,......, I don''t mind at all.


    Even if I have more people on my back, I weigh less than a burin.


    Are you sure you''re okay with that? Your back''s going to be in a big mess!"


    "It was like this in the ruins, so I''m fine."


    "I have a simple question, what were you doing in the ruins?"


    While exchanging such words with Koga, he transforms his cloak to create three seats on his back.


    Amako, Hannah, and Keira sit down in that order and start walking home.


    "Keira-chan!"


    "Yes?¡¡Yes?"


    Suddenly, I hear them talking behind my back.


    "Why are there partitions on both sides of me?¡¡I can''t see Amako''s and Keira''s faces.


    "Is this necessary?"


    "What?"


    You don''t need it, do you?"


    "Yes, yes. ......"


    I think he''s already lost it in more ways than one.


    Keira seems to be a little wary of Hannah, knowing that she is a little bit dangerous.


    "Usato, what did Hanna-san do to you?"


    "Listen, Amaco. This guy seems like a decent guy, but under very limited conditions, he''s going to get seniority."


    "...... Wow."


    "Usato-kun. Can you please stop talking nonsense?"


    It''s true.


    I sigh in annoyance as Hannah tugs at the hood of my uniform from behind.


    "I''ll have to report this to the Demon Lord when I get back. ...... haha."


    "You''re really disrespectful to the Demon King, aren''t you?"


    I sigh, and Koga tells me this, partly to tell me how depressing it is to see me ...... and partly because of my disappointment in having failed in my mission.


    In the end, I could not retrieve the power of the Demon King.


    "It''s just not worth it, not being able to fulfill my mission..."


    "But that''s just one of the objectives of this search. The main focus is on the investigation prior to the exploration of the demon territory. We''ve accomplished that and I don''t think the Demon Lord has any complaints.


    I''ve done my part, huh?


    Well, objectively speaking, the search was a success.


    "Usato-kun, you have no common sense, but you are strangely disciplined, aren''t you?"


    Hannah, who is sitting in the back chair, enters the conversation.


    "It''s better that you''re not as carefree as Koga-kun, but it is indeed troublesome to see you in a depressed state."


    ""That''s a terrible thing to say ......""


    Me and Coga mutter the same thing.


    But, I guess Hannah''s right, I might be too much in my own mind.


    "Well, I guess this is the last request from the Demon King, and I''ll be returning to the Kingdom of Lingle after my two-month term.


    "It''s going to be quiet without you. Physically."


    "Usato-kun, you''ve been making quite a racket in town, haven''t you?"


    Stop talking about people as if they are the cause of the noise.


    Here Amako comes out of her seat and starts talking proudly.


    "It''s business as usual in the Lingle Kingdom."


    "So it''s quiet over there while Usato is gone?"


    "No. No. Usato''s colleagues are there too.


    "Seriously, ......?"


    By the way, Kannagi has also been confirmed as a member of the rescue team.


    "Ah, haha. ......"


    Koga''s cheeks are finally drawn back at Nagi, who looks slightly embarrassed.


    "Isn''t he overpowered?¡¡Where is your organization headed?"


    We are not an organization for fighting.


    Let''s explain to KOGA the current state of the rescue mission, just in case.


    "When the war was going on, the role of the lifeguard corps was to secure and treat the wounded during the war, but now that the war is over, the main purpose of the corps is to be deployed in case of disasters and other emergencies.


    "Wow."


    "Well, we usually run something like a clinic, but there is a clinic run by Uluru and her brother in the ...... castle town, so we rarely get visitors."


    They are dispatched in case of emergency to save lives.


    Nowadays, the lifeguard corps might be in the same position as the fire department or the Self-Defense Forces.


    "I see. I guess a lot of things have changed..."


    "...... No, what are you talking about like it''s someone else''s business?"


    "Heh?"


    I sigh as Koga looks at me with a puzzled look on his face.


    "The members here are going to work for the demon people, aren''t they?


    That''s what this unit is for.


    I look behind me at my six men, not wanting them to be the only ones to hear.


    "This search is not the end of your role. It is just the beginning. Your efforts are indispensable as we explore the realm of demons. That''s why I''ve trained myself and I''m sure the Demon King will be relying on you from now on."


    It''s that Demon Lord.


    I''m sure that''s why he allowed me to train the troops.


    And I myself have been strict with them because I thought their growth would be good for the demon tribe.


    "Koga, you are a captain too, so make sure you do your best."


    "......, huh, I can''t help it."


    Coga scratched his head and nodded.


    When I first met him, all he wanted was a fight, but I guess he''s changing somehow.


    You''ve got people to support you."


    "....... Hey, wait a minute, dude. What are you trying to put Senri and me together like this for?"


    "No one said anything about Senri-sama?"


    "d*mn ......!"


    I''m teasing you a bit, but I think Senri-sama''s presence has also been a good influence on Koga.


    I think they are similar and can have a good relationship regardless of their intentions.


    "That''s the kind of guy you are. ...... No, I''m not going to do that. You''re even worse than I am. ......"


    "....... Hey, wait a minute. Can you stop trying to stir the pot and then coming back to yourself?¡¡It''s like I''m in a really bad situation."


    "......"


    Why do you look at my back and then look away?


    I was normally impatient, knowing that Koga''s unprecedented reaction was not a joke at all.

 430 - - 379th episode.

    After two weeks of searching, we returned to Verhazal.


    We were welcomed by the people of the city and temporarily disbanded, and I headed with Koga to the former Demon King''s castle ......, or mansion, where the Demon King was.


    I was prepared to be reprimanded at least a little, so I was a little nervous when I reported to the Demon King about what had happened in the Demon Realm..,


    "Are you trying to laugh me to death, by any chance?"


    The exact opposite of the reaction I had expected came.


    The Demon Lord laughed in a wicked way for a while, and then opened his mouth to me and Koga, leaning his back against the backrest of the chair.


    "It doesn''t matter that my power has been taken away from me. From what I''ve heard, it sounds like you''ve used up most of the magic in your body. I won''t be able to use it properly for a while.


    "Will you be able to use it again in a while?"


    "It will take some time.


    It''s true that the fragment of the Demon King''s power was almost losing its power after he kept on using his magic to defeat Kayla.


    In the sense of neutralizing it, the mission may have been accomplished.


    "...... but even if the power is depleted, it could be used as a receptacle (...). We have to think about that possibility."


    "What kind of ...... is that?"


    "It is possible that the enemy''s plan was to overthrow the demons that you have run amok."


    That''s not impossible. .......


    Kayla was mentally deranged and it would not be surprising if she had some kind of mental attack on Shea.


    ...... though it is a possibility that I don''t like to think about.


    "The very existence of a mixed blood between a demon tribe and an elf tribe with dark magic is surprising. Perhaps the persecuted demons with dark magic fled to the realm of demons, and finally coexisted with elves living in the depths of the forest. And what did you do with her?


    "....... I made her become a little lion and we fought together."


    "Korga."


    "Don''t lie to me, Usato. You were flying around with the acceleration of exploding flames of dark magic.


    He grunts at Koga, who corrects him on the side.


    Ciel, the Demon King''s lady-in-waiting, hears his correction and speaks to the Demon King in a low voice.


    "Master, what do you mean by exploding flames and accelerating?¡¡I don''t understand it at all. ......"


    "Ciel. Ciel. Imagine. You hold a gunpowder in your hand and when it explodes, it blows up, right?¡¡That''s it."


    "Er, ......."


    Ciel, how many times do I have to look at you like that?


    "We should finally think about moving forward with our plan to entrust you with a dark wizard."


    "You''re kidding, right?"


    It''s becoming less of a joke. There are fewer people than before, but even now there are many who avoid dark wizards. We need an organization or a place for them.


    ...... Eh, you really don''t think this is a good idea?


    I''m a little impatient with the demon king who is thinking seriously.


    "Anyway, it''s a long way off for the time being. You still have too much work to do.


    "...... I guess so."


    There is much work to be done.


    That''s true.


    "I''m going to change the subject again. ......"


    The Demon Lord''s gaze turns to my right arm.


    Or more precisely, my lost cage hand.


    "They took your cage hand, too?¡¡Someone as powerful as you?


    "By strengthening the lineage of light magic, right?"


    Then you''re lucky it was just a cage.


    That''s what I''m thinking right now.


    If it had been my healing magic or something more important that was taken from me, I would have been in trouble.


    It may be that I could not do it because of the incomplete reinforcement of the lineage of ...... shea.


    "Does it hurt you to have your cage hand taken from you?"


    No.


    "Of course."


    The Demon King sits deep in his chair with a smile on his face, wondering what is so funny.


    "The essence of the sacred dragon''s armor is to promote the growth of its owner. Eventually, it will no longer be needed and will merely be a convenient weapon.


    "I''m sure Master Falga will be very angry if he hears this ......"


    "He''d rather laugh. It proves that humans can go on their own without relying on the power of the divine dragon.


    That''s one way to think about it.


    I wonder if Kazuki''s baskets, Senpai''s sword, and Leona''s spear are the same thing.


    The power that will eventually be able to do things without armor---a kind of anticipation of possibilities.


    "But if someone in Shea Garmio wanted your cage hand, he must have needed a weapon to assist his light magic.


    "As far as I was concerned, I didn''t think she was very good at what she did. It was as if she had been forced to activate ...... the lineage enhancement as well. ......"


    "Shea Garmio itself is also incomplete, or should I say unfinished. I just hope the finished product is not as out of the ordinary as Hisago. ......"


    Shea''s lineage enhancement remained incomplete.


    I still remember the sight of her bleeding from her injured arm due to the forced reinforcement.


    "Can you pull off the entity that is controlling Shea?"


    "It''s hard to say at this point."


    The Demon Lord answers my question.


    "Even I cannot unconditionally pull off something that has possessed me. The first step is to catch it.


    "...... understand."


    Should we have caught Shea then, even if we were a little pushy ......?


    No, we could have let her die.


    We shouldn''t think only of ...... what-ifs.


    "We''ll check the details again in the report.


    Yes, sir.


    "Hmm?¡¡No, I''ll leave the reports to your assistant Hannah. Didn''t you hear?"


    I didn''t think so.


    That''s very kind of you to say, but you could have at least said something to her.


    "But I''m sure Koga and I can at least write a report for you. ......?"


    "No, I''m not good at writing reports."


    I can only wonder how you were able to be the commander of the second corps. ......?


    Maybe you left it to your subordinates......?


    "You guys should get some rest. Especially Usato, I know you''re tired, even if you''re only feeling well with your healing magic."


    "...... understand?"


    Do you know who I am?


    It''s the Demon King, isn''t it?


    He''s right. I''m pretty tired too.


    I took a rest during the search, but I hardly had time to rest my mind. Besides, I was surely nervous as the second in command.


    "At ......, I''ll take a break from your kindness."


    "Mm."


    Let''s use Mr. Aruk''s quarters today.


    I don''t want to intrude on Koga''s room.


    ...... But first, I had a favor to ask the Demon King.


    I have a favor to ask you.


    What?


    "I need you to prepare a coffin for the recovered body. ......"


    I''ll have to get confirmation of this.


    I''m sorry to keep you in Keira''s cloak forever, and I have to prepare a place to put Mr. Ahl''s colleagues until we return to the Lingle Kingdom.


    Then we''ll make the arrangements ourselves.


    Understanding the situation, the Demon King passed the message on to Ciel-san.


    After a few more confirmations, Coga and I left the office of the Demon Lord.


    The Demon King''s office.


    When I left the house of the Demon Lord, I found Keira, Amako, Nea ......, and Senri at the entrance.


    They probably heard that we had left and literally flew in.


    As soon as she saw Koga, she jumped on him with a big smile on her face.


    "Mr. Kohga!"


    "Look out, Mr. Koga!¡¡Guard the healer!


    "Usato!¡¡Hey!


    He immediately grabs Koga''s shoulders as he tries to escape and moves him into the path of Senri-sama''s pounce.


    I watch him as he is embraced by her, and I approach Amako and the others.


    "I''m sorry. Sorry I kept you waiting."


    "No, it''s okay."


    Where are Nagi and the others?


    They took their luggage to the dormitory first. I waited here for Usato.


    I guess they unloaded the usual stuff from Keira''s cape first.


    It must have been quite a lot, but with Nagi''s strength, it should be a piece of cake.


    So, how was your report to the demon king?


    He laughed at us anyway.


    "Of course."


    "It would be funny if you didn''t laugh."


    That''s how Amaco and Nea reacted.


    Nair, who has transformed into an owl, is on his shoulder and speaks to Keira.


    "Keira, the demon king has prepared a coffin for us, so let''s put the body in it.


    Yes. Yes, sir.


    "...... sorry. I shouldn''t have made you carry me."


    Even though he was given a special technique to make him look like a doll, he was still carrying a corpse.


    Keira does not look the least bit unhappy about this, on the contrary, she smiles and shakes her head.


    "You have nothing to apologize for, Usato-san. I''m fine."


    "You''re strong, you know that?"


    "You''re really solid, aren''t you, girl?"


    "Heh heh."


    Amako patted Keira''s head in admiration.


    Amako looks at her squinting her eyes pleasantly, and then turns her attention to Koga, who is being held by Senri-sama.


    "Welcome back, Mr. Koga!¡¡I, myself, have been waiting for your return for a day and a thousand years. ......!


    It''s only been a couple of weeks!


    Aren''t you married for making me wait?


    "The punishment is too heavy for the crime. ......!"


    He''s going full throttle.


    I laugh when I see Koga trying hard to pull Senri-sama, who is clinging to him, off of me.


    "Welcome back, Usato-san!"


    Yes, I''m back. Did something happen while we were gone?


    Well, if the Demon King is here... I know there''s no big commotion...


    "That''s right. We assisted the demon tribe with the personnel dispatched from Lingle Nirvarna.


    "I see. Perhaps you are too, Mr. Uluru?"


    Yes. She also took the initiative in interacting with the demon people. She even made friends with them.


    You''re a terrible communicator, ...... Uluru, to make friends with royalty like that.


    But I''m glad she''s doing well too.


    We are going to stay at the dormitory where Mr. Aruk and the others are staying today, so we can hear a lot of stories from Uluru-san.


    We have some things to do later. ......


    "Hey, wait, Usato. Are you going to leave me in this situation?"


    Koga, with his arms firmly around Senri-sama, ...... hugs me and asks me for help.


    I could shake him off if I wanted to,...... but he''s not that honest.


    "Well, no,...... I can''t do anything about it even if I intervene here,......."


    "Stop acting like a sensible person only at times like this!¡¡Do something weird like you always do!


    That''s absurd.


    To be frank, if you interfere with Senri-sama and Koga, Senri-sama will usually get upset, and Koga will end up in trouble.


    So I left the place waving my hands to Koga and Senri-sama.

 431 - - Thirty-eighth.

    After placing the bodies of Rose''s men in the coffin, we first took Keira to her guardian, Mr. Greff.


    Keira had been on a dangerous journey for two weeks, and Mr. Greff was relieved to see her return safely.


    After dropping Keira off, I took Amako and Naea to the dormitory near the training center where Nagi and Hanna were staying, and I headed to the dormitory where the personnel dispatched from the Kingdom of Lingle were staying.


    "Bulrin is ...... well, he''s sleeping. I knew it."


    "Fugoo."


    As soon as he checked the stables, Bulrin was curled up like a ball on the straw.


    As you smile at him, the door to the stables is opened and a girl with cream-colored hair comes out.


    "Ah!¡¡Welcome back!¡¡Usato-kun!


    "Oh, yes. I''m home.


    I''ve been waiting for you!¡¡Come on in, come on in!"


    A smiling Uluru-san takes my hand and leads me inside the dormitory.


    The room I had used only when I first arrived here seemed to be still available, so I put my luggage down there, change my clothes, and go downstairs to the living room where Uluru-san is.


    In the living room, not only Mr. Uluru, but also Mr. Ark and his colleague, Mr. Krumea, are there.


    What''s that?¡¡Where are the others?"


    It seems that Mr. Alk is in the kitchen preparing dinner, but there are only two people at the table, Mr. Kulmir and Uluru.


    Mr. Krumea answers my question.


    "I''m making the rounds. I''ve been assigned to help guard the city while Mr. Usato is out exploring.


    "Oh, I didn''t know that. After I left? ......"


    I''ll be helping out with security. ...... That''s how accepted I''m supposed to be.


    "Hmmm...and help out around town and stuff. We got to know each other really well."


    "It''s been hard work here, though. Uluru-san, your energy is as great as Suzune-san''s."


    "Ha ha ha."


    Mr. Uluru isn''t exactly a lifeguard.


    As I laugh at their conversation, Uluru-san looks at me and tilts his head slightly.


    "It''s been a long journey, hasn''t it?


    "What?"


    "You must be pretty tired to be that tired."


    ...... maybe it''s on your face?¡¡I thought the Demon King could not be helped, but I never thought Uluru-san would recognize me.


    As I put my hand on my cheek, Uluru-san puts his finger on my chin, smiling wryly.


    "I don''t work in a clinic, do I?¡¡There is no patient that I can''t spot.


    "I can see why Ms. Olga is so uptight about you."


    "Heh heh."


    If you think about it, you''re right.


    She sees more patients than I do.


    "Don''t be too rash, okay?¡¡I know you pass out all the time."


    "Yes. ......"


    I don''t know, it''s a rare way to be scolded, so it''s normal to feel it.


    Let''s be honest and reflect.


    It''s true that I''m being reckless.


    I''ll rest for a while. Even the Demon King told me so.


    "Did the Demon King tell you that too ......?"


    Mr. Krumia looks surprised.


    The image of the Demon King in the general public is a scary one.


    "Sorry to keep you waiting.


    And here, Mr. Aruk brings us some food.


    Stew with meat and vegetables, salad, and other dishes that we have grown accustomed to from the time when he gave us the letter are lined up on the table.


    ......I wonder if I should have invited Amako and the others?


    Hanna and Nea are cooking dinner over there.


    "Your cooking is delicious, after all.


    "Ha-ha-ha, it''s worth the effort."


    Without this man, the journey to the letter would have been much darker.


    As I was tucking into the food with this in mind, Aruk-san, who was sitting opposite me, opened his mouth.


    "It must have been hard for you to explore the realm of demons.


    "Ha-ha-ha, that''s already ....... But it was quite fun to see so many different kinds of demons."


    "Are you a demon? ...... May I ask?"


    "Yes, you may."


    I told him about the demons I had encountered in the realm of demons.


    Huberd and the venom monkey, and the giant sea dragon I encountered in the ruins.


    As I explained the details of my mission, Mr. Krumeier, who was interested in my story, crossed his arms in admiration.


    "A huge demon?"


    "It was about the size of an evil dragon. Perhaps that was the one called Nushi.


    "How did you fight them off?"


    "......"


    I know I''ll get a lot of flak if I say that I flew through the air like a jet plane and fired magic bullets like a missile to scare ...... them off, so I''ll just keep it vague.


    "I frightened him a little and escaped while he was scared."


    "...... I see."


    "....... No, I don''t see what you mean, do you, Mr. Aruk?¡¡We''ve obviously just had a conversation."


    I thought I was muddying the waters, but Mr. Aruk guessed what I was saying. .......


    But I feel bad for that water dragon.


    I had no choice but to destroy its territory, and I got it into a fight with Kayla and knocked it out.


    "Hoo Bird and Venom Monkey were so different from what we knew them to be."


    "What do you mean?"


    "They were more ferocious and bigger."


    "Wait a minute, I don''t want to imagine..."


    Huberd looks like a cute blue pigeon, so when Mr. Uluru hears this, he pulls in his cheeks.


    "We also encountered a big bull demon, didn''t we?"


    "Wow, how big is it?"


    "About three times as big as Bullein."


    "HUGE!!!?"


    It''s bigger than the size of a normal cow.


    But it''s still small compared to the evil dragon.


    "He didn''t have a name, so we named him Twin Hornbill. Twinhornbull for short.


    "Oh, I see."


    "......I''m still on the same level as Suzune-san ......"


    I hear you, Mr. Krumeier.


    Mr. Krumeier waves his hand to the side in a panic as I look at him with a stern stare.


    "Or, a demon that has adapted to its environment and grown in size, a demon that was thought to be extinct ......... I think Suzune-san would be in trouble if she knew about this..."


    "Yes, I''m going to brag about it as soon as I get back to the Lingle Kingdom."


    "Didn''t I just say I was going to be in trouble ......?"


    You''re going to regret this, but I''m going to tell you.


    If I ever get the chance to go to the realm of demons again, I''d even like to bring my senpai along.


    It would definitely be fun.


    "Now that you have returned from your exploration of the realm of demons, will you be returning to lead the search party again, Usato-dono?"


    "...... hmmm."


    I ponder Aruk''s question for a moment.


    I don''t think I need to be in charge of the troop anymore.


    I have taught them how to train, and I know they will continue to train even after I am gone.


    We are leaving soon. I will give them some guidance at the end, but ...... I will leave the rest to Koga."


    "Usato, are you sure you can trust him?¡¡He''s quite ......"


    "He may be a bit of a rascal, but he''ll get the job done. He is trying to change, just like the current demon kingdoms.


    Well, what can I say ...... I consider them friends.


    I don''t know how they feel about it, and I''m not going to say it to their faces now.


    "So I thought I would help you with your work until the day you return."


    "Well, then, Usato, why don''t you join us?"


    "Together?" "Together with ...... what?"


    About security?


    Uluru-san smiles at me as I tilt my head.


    "Helping the demon tribe!"


    "Oh, you just said that."


    "Yes!"


    ...... might be a good idea.


    My work here is almost done.


    I still have a long way to go before I return to the Kingdom of Lingle, and more importantly, I''ve been training my men for the past month and haven''t had much contact with the people of the city.


    "I think people here have a pretty good impression of me. I''m probably just some weirdo running around town."


    "I don''t think he''s anything more than weird, but I don''t think he''s wrong.


    "It''s not like the Lingle Kingdom, you know."


    I''m aware of that.


    I didn''t go easy on him because of his training.


    It is not my intention to return home with the former soldiers of the Demon Lord''s army being afraid of me, and the general public perceiving me as a strange person.


    In fact, I have not been able to change the impression that the soldiers had on me during the war, and in fact, it is getting worse.


    So, why don''t you try to appeal to the public and clear up the misunderstanding?"


    "Well, Mr. Usato?¡¡Isn''t there any misunderstanding when you say appeal to humanity?


    "Let me help you, ......!"


    Yes!


    We have to be serious if we''re going to do this.


    There must be a lot of things to do here, where reconstruction has just started.


    Let''s help, even if it''s only a little.


    "Hmph, I guess you could call it a traveling rescue squad, the handyman version of the town ......!


    "This is going to be fun!"


    "Yes!"


    I nodded to Uluru.


    We''ve settled on a plan for our return to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    Now we have ...... or ...... more things to think about.


    "Mr. Nero, huh?"


    Mr. Nero is deeply involved in the deaths of Rose''s men.


    I wonder if I should tell him about them in their coffins. .......

 432 - - 381st episode.

    Two days have passed since my return to the city.


    I was more mentally exhausted than I had expected, and slept until noon the day after my return. Since I had told my unit in advance that I was going to take a day off, I might have had a day of "nothing" for the first time since I came to this city.


    After two days of rest and recovery, I decided to train early in the morning to acclimatize my body.


    "Ah!"


    A slash grazes my forelock.


    The attack, which my eyes can barely catch, is so sharp and sophisticated that it''s a challenge just to avoid it.


    "Your consciousness is still being pulled back to the time when you still have the basket hand!"


    "Yes ......!!!"


    I don''t know how many times I''ve had to train early in the morning with Mr. Nero.


    Today, for some reason, neither Nagi nor Amira were invited, so it was just the two of us, him and me.


    --- correcting my fighting style since I lost my cage hand.


    That''s what I had asked Nero to do for me in this training.


    "I''m sure that this new technique has a certain amount of defensive power. But not as good as the old baskets."


    The healing coating on his left arm is ripped off by the wind magic released.


    I avoid the cleave with a backflip and land on the ground, and with my arm covered with magic power again, I take a ready stance to meet the blade of wind that Nero had released.


    "Healing flow!"


    "...... hmm."


    He is slightly surprised at my success in passing on the wind''s magic power by applying a magical spinning motion.


    This is the first time I''m showing you ......!¡¡If this can pass Nero''s slash, I''m willing to be a little aggressive!


    He steps hard with his elasticity-giving magic and strikes at me, accelerating with the recoil.


    "Healing Afterimage Fist!


    "Interesting move as usual! But..."


    Nero tries to aim accurately at me without paying attention to the magical afterimages, but he doesn''t even look at me and blows away the healing bombs that I put inside the afterimages with the wind.


    "I''m used to your bad habits."


    What?


    I told you, I can''t get through.


    Ugh!


    The protruding hilt of the wooden sword pierced my abdomen. ......!


    I''m not sure if they''ll see through my half-baked technique!¡¡But!


    "Hm?"


    The green magic attached to the handle of Nero''s wooden sword.


    It adjusts the elasticity of the sword, and the clinging magic blocks the movement of his hand!


    "Healing adsorption fist!¡¡Ha ha ha!¡¡You shouldn''t touch me so carelessly!


    "Sometimes I wonder if you''re on the human side."


    He covers both hands with magic and strikes Mr. Nero.


    You don''t have to hit him directly!


    Just make him defend himself, and I''ll attach my magic to him and slow him down!


    I''m going to change that smug look on your face!


    "That''s good spirit! I''m sure I''ll be able to teach you too.


    He swings his fists, strikes with kicks, and attacks with all five parts of his body.


    The dynamic movement is different from the defensive fighting of Kagote before---a fighting style similar to that of my master, Rose.


    "That''s right. Attack more greedily."


    Yes!


    With each fist, the wind covers Nero''s body.


    If this was a mock battle in which I had not used my wind armor and had taken it easy on him, now he had decided that I was an opponent he should fight with magic.


    "I''m going to hit him with some force, can''t you?"


    Yes!


    The wind blows away the healing magic that I had attached to him to impede his movement, and Nero is free.


    He pointed the tip of his wooden sword at me, and as if to draw back, he attacked me with extraordinary speed, gathering the air around him as if to engulf it.


    I was so fast that the air around me was swirling around me.


    "Well done."


    The outcome of the mock battle remained the same, with the result that I was beaten to a pulp.


    The opponent was a monster just like Rose.


    Although I was disappointed with the result, I felt really grateful to him for going along with my training.


    "At first, I was pulled by the habits I had when I had a cage hand, but you seem to have gotten used to it.


    "Yes, I managed to ......"


    I had an idea to train my dulled body again, but I was still very tired from the mock battle with Mr. Nero.


    But it was quite a productive time.


    "You are flexible in your thinking. You will soon learn new ways to fight. I see you''ve already ...... developed a few strange tricks."


    I''m aware of that.


    Well, it''s no wonder they call me eccentric.


    It''s actually an insidious technique that attaches magic to the opponent and makes it hard for him to move.


    "But it''s just like you. It''s even more annoying than a good attack."


    Is that a compliment?


    "Of course I''m complimenting you."


    He must really mean it as a compliment, even though he has a straight face.


    In fact, I knew that it would work well enough in a real battle when I made Nero think that it was a troublesome technique.


    "Losing the cage hand is a good opportunity. From now on, don''t limit yourself to using only your fists, but search for various ways to fight, and you will become stronger.


    "Various ways of fighting?"


    I''m not really good with weapons. .......


    So, like throwing or kicking?


    "Take a look at Rose''s fighting style from the last fight. He uses not only his own body, but also the things around him such as stones and wood as weapons.


    "...... I see."


    It means that they are not only self-contained through physical combat, but also utilize the terrain around them.


    Throwing rocks at them is stronger than throwing magic bullets. ...... I wouldn''t do it because it''s too dangerous to throw it at people.


    "Thank you very much. I think I''m getting the hang of it."


    "I''m glad I could be of service, even if my advice was a bit rubbish."


    I can''t believe I''m so clumsy: .......


    "I''m not good at teaching people anything, apparently. The fact that Amira is the only one I''ve ever had as a student is proof of that."


    "No, I think Nero is the type of person who needs to have a certain level of ability to teach others."


    He seems to be a sensible man.


    The level of competence that he/she is looking for in a partner is unconsciously high, so that the person being instructed may not be able to understand and may drop out.


    "At least I have benefited from your advice."


    "I see. ......"


    "I already have a master, so I can''t become your apprentice."


    "Hmmm, I think Amira would be distraught if I did."


    He smiled at my joke and relaxed his shoulders.


    Then, after about ten seconds of thoughtful silence, he opens his mouth to me again.


    "Usato, I heard that you recovered the body of Rose''s unit ......."


    "...... yes."


    I nodded to Nero''s words.


    I wasn''t sure whether or not to bring up the subject, but the fact that Mr. Nero brought it up must mean that he was ready for it.


    "Are you going to see him now?"


    "......Yes, I think so. I''ll let you know.


    I decided to take him to the place where the body was found without exchanging too many words, considering his feelings.


    I was so happy to see him.


    The coffins were placed in a building near his mansion, which resembled a church at first glance, where six coffins containing Rose''s men were placed.


    When we open the door and step into the deserted building, we see the coffins illuminated by the morning sun shining through the window.


    "......"


    "......"


    Nero did not speak a word on the way here.


    The same was true after we entered the building, where he remained silent, looking down at the coffin.


    "He''s not here, but Mr. Ahl says he has no grudge against the demon tribe."


    "...... the warrior who defended Rose?"


    "Yes."


    We have already heard that Mr. Ahl defended Rose when she tried to attack him, and that she was ...... with her wounds.


    "You look like you''re hoping he''ll hate you."


    "...... I guess so. I''ve done that much."


    He relaxes his shoulders lightly after saying that much, and speaks again.


    Rose has gotten over it in the first place, and Mr. Ahl holds no grudge.


    ......I know it''s not my place to say this, but .......


    "The rest is about whether or not Nero can forgive himself."


    "......"


    "......I honestly don''t care either way. Because either way, you''ll still be living your life."


    Yeah, right. That''s right.


    I look at him nodding and decide it''s okay.


    I sigh lightly and cower my shoulders.


    "I can''t say anything more. I''m not qualified to speak highly of you.


    "You''re too harsh."


    And don''t say anything out of line or you''ll get the leader of the group to say something he shouldn''t!¡¡I don''t want him to get mad at me.


    He''s a tough guy.


    That''s the kind of man he is.


    He is strict with people, but I think he is strictest with himself.


    He smiles a little at my words and turns to face forward.


    "Can you leave me alone for a minute?"


    "Sure. I''m going to go to ...... to see the Demon Lord for a while.


    "Yeah."


    At this hour, the Demon Lord is probably already awake.


    I leave Nero in the building.


    "Just like the Commander, he''s a clumsy guy. ......"


    Although they are different in type, Rose and I are similar in our clumsiness.


    With this in mind, I proceed to the demon king''s mansion next to the building, and find a big-built demon tribe standing at the entrance.


    "Oh, he knows we''re coming here, doesn''t he? ......"


    Sighing at the sight of the Demon King, I approach him and call out to him.


    "Are you sure you want to be out so early in the morning?"


    The Demon Lord uncrosses his arms and cower his shoulders while leaning his back against the wall of the building.


    "What, I''m just going for a walk..."


    "It''s interesting to see the Demon King walking around, isn''t it?"


    "A healed wizard running around town like a dog would be interesting, too."


    ""......""


    Silence, as if to gauge each other''s timing.


    They glare at each other for a moment, and then the Demon Lord speaks up.


    "Nero is a difficult man. Nero is a difficult man. He will not easily break the commandments he has set for himself.


    "I think it''s fine the way it is, though."


    "Well, that''s just the way I am."


    Why am I swearing now?


    I''m usually confused by the abruptness of it.


    "Well, I''d say Mr. Nero is more respected than you.


    I don''t like the idea of being respected by you.


    They sigh, glancing at each other lightly.


    What do you mean by creepy, creepy?


    "I heard that Shea Garmio was sucking something out of the corpse, so I did some research myself.


    I switch my thoughts to the Demon King, who suddenly starts talking to me.


    Shea was sucking something out of the six people. ...... I don''t know what it was, but I wonder if the Demon Lord found out something.


    Did you find out anything?


    "She''s been drained of her magic."


    "!¡¡Magic, sir?¡¡You mean that magic that you''re using to remove the magic?"


    It''s not that convenient.


    Shaking his head, the demon king denies it.


    "Magic and the soul are closely related. Even if it is magic, there is a certain amount of work and cost involved when magic itself (????) is extracted from a living person. At least, that''s the kind of magic I know."


    The first thing that came to my mind was Kanoko-san, who was deprived of her magic power by a magical tool called "Twa" in Hinomoto, the land of beastmen.


    She had fallen into an unawakened sleep because she had been deprived of her magical power.


    Then, the magic that Shea was using is ......


    "It should be seen as taking magic from the dead. I have a few ideas myself."


    If that is the case, then the six were extracted from the magic they possessed.


    "I don''t know what they took the magic for or why, but as far as I''m concerned, they''re not going to use it for anything."


    "If they just use your magic, you''re not much of a threat. ......"


    Their magic is only strong when those six work together.


    Just using them is not that much ......, but I''m only worried about the fact that they took only Mr. Ahl with them.


    I don''t see the point in talking about this forever."


    "...... yeah."


    "You have a few days before you return to the Lingle Kingdom, what do you plan to do?"


    Isn''t that a strange thing to ask?


    Is it an assumption that you are going to do something?


    I am disappointed at the Demon King''s unreasonable recognition, and tell him about what I decided with Mr. Uluru and others two days ago.


    "I haven''t had much opportunity to interact with the people of the town for some reason, so I thought I would help the town until my return.


    "....... Are you insane?"


    I don''t know why they questioned my sanity.


    How can you say you want to help the city and get this much ......?

 433 - - 382nd episode.

    After talking with the demon king about what I was going to do and having him question my sanity for some reason, I returned to my lodgings, had breakfast, prepared myself, and headed for the training area where all the members of the team were.


    I had told Koga and the rest of the team to gather there in advance, so by the time I arrived, all the members of the team were already there.


    "Okay, Koga is here too. Thank you very much, Senri-sama."


    "Hmm, I like doing it too."


    "Sleepy ......"


    I thanked Senri for his good mood and looked at Koga, who yawned and looked very sleepy. But I''m glad you came.


    "So, what are you doing here with us?¡¡Training?"


    "No, I wanted to talk to you today."


    Elle''s voice makes me look at them.


    Elle, Nono, Veena, Kevin, Wal, and Sein.


    I am deeply moved to see them again after a month of training.


    "I will be returning to the Lingle Kingdom in the near future. You all know that, don''t you?


    "Yes. ......


    "Time to say goodbye ......?"


    "d*mn it, there''s still so much you haven''t told me. ......!"


    Kevin, Wal, and Sein are crying.


    It was awkward at first, but now they''ve become so close that they''re sorry to say goodbye. .......


    "Mr. Elle, these men ......"


    "Nono, training changes people. ......"


    "From my point of view, I think you two are pretty different too.


    Elle and Nono are poking Veena''s flanks from both sides.


    They had grown up so much that they looked different from the others.


    "I trained my heart out, but I never thought that ...... there would be six of us left in the end."


    "Yeah, were you planning to have less at the beginning ......?"


    "You didn''t think you were going to lose Koga''s men too? ......?"


    Koga and Senri-sama are whispering in the back, let''s continue the conversation.


    "From now on, you will work for this city under Koga. You will have a lot of work to do, from exploring the demon territory to rescue operations in case of emergencies."


    """......"""


    "But I am confident that everyone who has gone through the rigorous training will be able to overcome the challenges."


    Hah!""""


    I''ve trained my mind well.


    They will be able to overcome most obstacles.


    "....... What, Usato?¡¡What about me?"


    At this point, Ms. Vina steps out pointing to herself.


    "This is the place, isn''t it?¡¡I''m an important demon in terms of my position, so you''re going to take me back to the Lingle Kingdom, right?"


    "Hu......"


    Smiling at her words, I reply.


    "Ms. Vina. This is where you live, isn''t it?"


    "Hyun...... want you to take me there. ......"


    You can''t take Ms. Veena with you.


    She''s a demon, and I don''t know what will happen when we bring her back to the Lingle Kingdom and let her meet with her senpai.


    If you''re not careful, you might cause a terrible chemical reaction.


    I want her to stay in the demon king''s territory in the first place.


    "I''ll leave you to the Demon Lord. ...... is just a pretext."


    "Tatemae ......?"


    "If you''ve changed the way you lived before you were sealed, you should try spending a little more time here freely."


    All the demons I''ve seen in my life don''t consider their friends as friends, but Veena recognized everyone in the troop as proper friends.


    Her words and actions must have changed since before she was sealed.


    "You like it, don''t you?¡¡Don''t you like it here?


    "That''s ...... true, but..."


    Then perhaps you shouldn''t leave. If the Demon Lord decides that you are no longer a danger to him, you will be able to move more freely.


    As I spoke, Ms. Vina''s gaze turned to the five members of the team.


    Elle crosses her arms and turns away from me.


    "......There''s someone scarier than the devil, so it''s a little late for that, don''t you think?"


    "Mr. Elle, ......"


    The term "more frightening than the devil" struck me as odd, but they accepted it regardless of the fact that Ms. Vina was a devil.


    "Well, that''s that then, Koga, please."


    "I''ve been forced into this mess. Well, I''ll take it in my stride."


    I think that''s fine, because it''s more like a cog in the cogwheel.


    But I''m a little worried, so I''m going to ask Amira to be a little concerned about it.


    "I''ve finished my mission to explore the demon territory, so I''ll be leaving the leadership today.


    What are you going to do until we get back?


    I''m going to help out around town.


    "......"


    Why do I have to be so subtle about it?


    What the hell do they think I do in the city?


    I''m not...


    I told the others that I was stepping down from my leadership duties and left the place for the time being, and I immediately joined Uluru and the others to help out ...... in the city, helping out with security.


    The other participants besides Uluru and the others were Amako and Naea.


    Nagi was supposed to come too, but Nair told him not to come today because he would be too conspicuous, so it was just me, Nair and Amako in the owl state who joined us on the first day.


    "Mr. Alc, Mr. Krumia. Please take good care of us today."


    "It''s nice to meet you, too."


    "Nice to meet you, sir."


    The main purpose of the security is not to be so formal, but to look around the city and help anyone who is in trouble.


    Sometimes they ask for help in advance, but the general purpose of today is to go around the city and help people.


    "Seeing this group of people reminds me of the trip to the letter office," he said.


    "Burlin is sleeping in the stables, but ...... yes, he is."


    I nodded to Aruk''s words.


    Uluru-san looks interested and moves to stand next to me.


    "When you say you handed over the letter, you mean the trip you took to Samaritan and Mearaq, right?"


    Yes. I think it was about ...... two or three months. It was a trip where a lot of things really happened. ......Krumia, you were with your seniors, weren''t you?"


    Yes, I feel the same way as you do, Mr. Usato.


    I was traveling with my senpai, of course.


    ......The trip was hard, but the experiences and connections we made there live on today.


    "What was the hardest part?"


    "All of it."


    "All of it?


    I''d say it''s a bad choice: .......


    I mean, there was something going on in Lukvis, Samaritan, Mearaq, and the land of the beastmen....


    The case of Nair reviving the evil dragon is the most difficult in the sense that it will have an impact on the future. .......


    "Hey, hey, what are you going to do about it?¡¡What''s the point of just walking down the street?"


    Nair''s voice trembles a little as if she has a premonition and tries to blatantly change the subject.


    Not wanting to dredge up the past, I take her suggestion and change the subject.


    "Mr. Aruk, do you know where you are going?


    "We are heading for the area where the city is being developed since we know that we can get some help from Mr. Usato.


    "When you say development ......, do you mean places where they are building buildings, roads, etc.?"


    That''s right.


    I''ve been through that area many times as part of my training.


    You certainly can''t have enough hands there.


    "I''m sure your healing magic can help those in need in the city, and there are many things you can do.


    "I see. ...... In the meantime, we can always expand our healing senses."


    As if to make good on my promise, I radiate the magic weakened by the deterioration of my lineage around myself.


    "It''s kind of relaxing to be near you, Usato-kun.


    "I have just started radiating healing magic," he said.


    "But it feels more like I''m getting a feeling of being fluffed up than receiving normal healing magic."


    Like sonar, it emits magic power at regular intervals to determine the location of people around you.


    The effective range is about 10 meters, and although the magic itself dissipates quickly, it is enough to walk around the city.


    "Are you sure you can use the magic power now, Usato-dono?"


    "The degradation of the system also helps to reduce the consumption of magic power.


    "It''s starting to feel like you''re not just doing healing magic anymore, but something different from a wizard. ......"


    I chuckle to myself as Mr. Krumia looks a little taken back.


    Personally, I''d like to make it easier for people to learn this kind of deterioration, but it''s quite difficult to do so.


    "...... hmm?"


    I detect five children coming toward me from an alley within my magic detection range.


    It''s obvious that they are kids who live here, but two of them are kids I know.


    "Ram, Rose."


    "Oh, Usato, my brother!"


    "Hello!"


    The twin demon children under Mr. Gref''s protection, Ram and Rose.


    Seeing them running toward us out of the alley, I, Nair and Amako said good-bye to Mr. Aruk and left for a while --- but for some reason, Uluru followed us.


    "Why Uluru-san?"


    "Hmmm..."


    Don''t get excited.


    I kneel down on the ground to make eye contact with the two who came this way, while paying attention to the fact that Uluru-san, whose eyes are sparkling, has become a bit of a senior.


    I look at the other children who are asking about us from the alley, and then talk to them.


    "Were you playing with your friends?"


    "Yes!"


    Do you want me to call your sister?


    I''m a little worried about the kids playing alone, but if Mr. Greff allows it, I guess it''s okay.


    Besides, this place is not far from where he lives.


    "What''s wrong with your brother, Usato?¡¡He is walking normally.


    "That''s because sometimes I want to walk too, you know?"


    "Pfft!"


    Amaco, you''ll have to prepare yourself later.


    But why do they think I''m always running?¡¡Do they think I''m a tuna or something?


    "Be careful not to go too far, okay?¡¡You don''t want Mr. Gref to worry, do you?"


    "Yeah. That''s why I try to play close by.


    "Great."


    You are not related to me by blood, but I can see that you trust Mr. Gref.


    I felt no need to be so careful and was about to leave when ...... I suddenly thought of giving him something.


    The actual "I''m not sure how much I''m going to be able to do with it, but I''m sure I''m going to be able to do it.


    "Here you go."


    "What''s this?¡¡Slime?"


    "It''s soft."


    "Yeah. It''s a healing slime. It will disappear over time, though."


    I''ll give him the bullet, or healing slime for now.


    The two who hold it in their hands, which is made of dark green magic with a slightly increased concentration of magic power and processed with elasticity, their faces light up with a "wow".


    "Thank you, Usato!"


    "No problem. You can give it to them too.


    "Yes!"


    See you later!"


    I wave them off as they run to their friends in a good mood.


    Uluru-san calls out to me.


    "Are you used to children, Usato-kun?"


    I''m always there for you.


    Hey, Usato. Are you talking about me?¡¡Usato?"


    Amako looks up at me and smacks me in the face, and I am amused.


    Payback for laughing at me earlier: ......!


    "But ...... the kids were scared of you in Hinomoto, but not here, as you proved."


    "I think Usato got what he deserved that time."


    "It doesn''t change the fact that he''s a monster who chopped the ground with a piece of firewood instead of chopping it with an axe."


    You''re still the same old lucky guy.


    I sigh as the cheeky commentary from the little fox and the little owl brings me back to reality at once.


    "Usato, by the way, how long does it take for that thing to disappear?"


    "Well, I guess so. ....... If you don''t treat it roughly, it should last for an hour or two, right?


    It won''t last up to half a day, as expected.


    I didn''t make it that consciously.


    As I think about this, I notice Mr. Uluru''s eyes looking at me hungrily.


    "Please visit ......."


    "Thank you, Usato-kun. ......!!!"


    No, thank you.


    "Wow, it''s supposed to be the same magic, but it''s so different from mine!"


    ....... Is there really a demand for healing slime ......?


    When I get back to Lingle Kingdom, should I get permission from the castle and try to sell it?¡¡No, wait, stick adhesive healing magic bullets on the affected area ......, no way, healing compresses are possible ......?


    "Nah, where are you tired?"


    "What?¡¡What? Tired areas?¡¡Hmm, your eyes are tired from reading late last night.


    "All right, put this over your eyes."


    Sanity?


    Why do I have to question my sanity twice a day?


    Despite her babbling, Nair remains in her owlish state as she attaches slime-like magic bullets to the tops of her eyelids.


    It looks like an owl with its eyes covered, which is a curious sight. .......


    "How is it?"


    "Uh-oh. ......"


    You sound like my uncle, is he ok?


    Nair groans for a few seconds and opens his mouth with magic attached to his eyes.


    "This is going to sell!"


    The feedback was very step-less, but it seems to be effective.


    "I like that it''s sticky but not too strong. It''s good because the moderate vibrations of the healing magic slowly spread around the eyes, which is normal.


    Nair is enjoying the magic bullet attached to her eye with oohs and aahs.


    It seems that she doesn''t intend to take it off for a while.


    "Let''s start a business when we get back to Lingle Kingdom. I''ll leave the management and other things to me and Suzune, and all you have to do is to produce magic bullets.


    "Ha-ha, that would be interesting."


    "...... I can also order a magical tool to store magic power from Samaritan ......."


    I''m really serious about this.


    Let''s change the subject here, since it''s going to get complicated.


    "Amaco. How''s Hannah doing?


    I look from Nair, who is mumbling something to Amako.


    She was walking along without a care in the world and put her hand over her mouth.


    "Ms. Hanna finished her report yesterday and she got a late day off today," she says.


    "Then we should leave him alone."


    "Yes, I see that you have a hobby of tending to your flower beds, and I think that''s a good idea."


    Caring for flowerbeds, huh?


    Oh, so that''s why when you were in the demon''s territory you were filling bags with soil and handing them to Keira while everyone was out of sight.


    She didn''t want us to know, so she didn''t tell us.


    "Hannah helped me a lot and I''m sure I gave you a hard time... so I''ll send you some flower seeds when I get back to the Lingle Kingdom..."


    "Yes. It seems that not many flower seeds are available in the demon king''s territory yet.


    It is recovering, but it will take time.


    I can see it now.


    "Whoa."


    Mr. Aruk''s voice makes me look forward.


    I notice that the streets lined with buildings have changed drastically, and a townscape of unfinished buildings and lumber on roughly cleared roads spreads out before my eyes.


    The demon king city of Verhazal, which was originally built as a battlefield, has now begun to transform into a city that welcomes many demon tribe members.


    The fortress has been torn down, and the area has been expanded to accommodate the people.

 434 - - 383rd episode.

    We were immediately assigned to help with the reconstruction work in the city under the name of the "traveling lifeguard squad".


    Since Mr. Aruk and others had already offered to help us, we were able to get into action without any difficulty.


    ......Well, we did get a few strange looks.


    "Yes!¡¡If you are injured or tired, please come to me!


    Uluru-san is applying healing magic to the people who are working on the reconstruction of the city, and Krumia-san is standing by her side as her escort.


    She seems to be well received, and people are gathering around her to receive her healing magic.


    I, on the other hand, am .......


    "Here we go!


    I was carrying a bundle of lumber on my shoulder.


    I was helping them because I have no building skills and it is easier for me to help them if I can make use of the extra power I have.


    >


    <>


    <<>


    I feel like I''m being looked at like I''m looking at a monster.


    I know that. ...... I know that. .......


    "d*mn, if I don''t make a human appeal,...... but I don''t want to cut corners here,......!¡¡How can I ......!!!"


    "Why don''t you just give up like normal?"


    "Usato is human, but he''s not human, so I don''t think there''s anything appealing about him."


    Shut up!¡¡Shut up, you little girls!"


    He calls back to Nea and Amako, who are sitting in a row on a pile of wood, and carries the wood to the designated position.


    Looking at the lumber, the mature demon man who was giving the instructions approached me with a look of admiration.


    "Wow, you really have great strength. You..."


    "I''ve been working out."


    "I don''t think it can be explained just by working out.


    Fact, it''s because I work out. .......


    I can''t think of another word for it.


    "I thought it would raise eyebrows, but I guess my son was telling the truth. ......


    In case you''re wondering, what did your son tell you?


    I''m sure it''s not a good question, but I''ll ask it anyway.


    "He said he''s a man who looks like a man but acts like a demon. I thought it was a lie at first, but when I saw it, I had to believe it.


    "Heh, heh ......"


    Isn''t this the soldier who encountered me in my ridiculous form, Devil Usato, in the final battle?


    I''m sure there are other rumors spreading. ......... or I''m afraid to ask any more questions.


    "Well, is there anything else I can do for you?"


    "Well, you''ve already taken all the lumber away so fast. We''ll have to wait for the next one to come. ...... Oh, that''s right. Can you help me clear the road over there?


    Road clearing?


    It''s the work to make the road easy for people and wagons to pass.


    He nodded at my words and continued to explain.


    We''re a little shorthanded. The young guy who recently joined us is a bit gutless, so the work is running a bit behind.


    If that''s the case, I''ll take care of it.


    "Oh, well, take this and head to the end of the road."


    This is a hoe.


    I imagine it''s used for farm work, but is it also used in situations like this?


    "Okay. ......Nea, Amako, let''s go!"


    ""Yes!""


    I carry the hoe to the next job site, making sure that Nair, who has transformed into an owl, has jumped over my shoulder.


    "You''re getting used to it.


    "I''m good at hard work."


    My human appeal is just a bonus.


    My first priority is to interact with the people here and contribute to the recovery effort.


    "You seem to be busy too, Aruk-san."


    "Yeah, I guess so."


    As we walk, I look in the other direction and see Mr. Ark cooking food in a large pot.


    He is helping to cook meals for the people working here ......, and as if by surprise, the women of the demon tribe who were in charge of cooking are gathered around him.


    Mr. Aruk looks annoyed, but it means that he is accepted by the people here,......?


    "Hey, is this the same ...... as in Hinomoto?"


    "It''s the same as it was in Hinomoto."


    It reminds me of the hidden village where Rinka lives in Hinomoto.


    I had a good time arm-wrestling with the beastmen that time.


    "Next time I visit Hinomoto, I''ll stop by the hidden village."


    "Yes. Linka and everyone in the village will be happy to see you.


    The people of that village are like comrades-in-arms who fought to save Amaco from captivity.


    Well, is this it?


    We find a half-built road at the end of a plot of unfinished buildings.


    Ahead of the road, there was a deep forest, and in front of it, there were soldiers of the demon tribe who were watching for any attacks by demons.


    "I see, they are expanding the town little by little."


    "Will they build an outer wall when it''s finished?"


    This indicates that the city is still a work in progress.


    Then I should do my best to be a part of it.


    With this in mind, I reach the end of the road and find several male demons taking a rest.


    "Why are there healing wizards here?


    We are here to help you.


    "Yeah, yeah, yeah!


    I laugh and explain how I came here to the man who turns pale when he sees me.


    He nodded his head in understanding, though still awkwardly, as if he had cooled down a bit.


    "Well, if that''s the way it is, I understand. Are you harmless?¡¡I know you''re ......, but!¡¡Don''t cause problems!


    I''ll take care of it.


    "I wonder if he''s okay. ......"


    Don''t worry, nea.


    I''m not going to cause any trouble.


    I nodded to the man who was pulling away from me, and as I was about to carry the hoe forward, I saw a familiar face in my field of vision.


    "...... hmm?¡¡You guys..."


    "What?"


    "Oh, ah...... you''re ......?


    Two demon boys look at me and drop the hoe in their hands.


    I look at them, one with dull blond hair and the other with gray hair almost black, and I remember.


    "You two were in the first day of training, weren''t you?"


    Two young boys from a bad-looking tribe of demons who arrived on the first day of training for the unit.


    I remember them well, the way they sneered at me and spat at Keira.


    Well, they were gone by the second day.


    "You''ve got the wrong guy!


    We haven''t done anything wrong!


    But I''m afraid we''ve traumatized them.


    They think it''s someone else''s fault, but it''s my fault.


    "Don''t be afraid. I have already forgiven you for what happened.


    ""What?""


    They are sorry and above all, Keira has forgiven them, so I don''t intend to do anything more about it.


    ...... Well, as far as I''m concerned, I was just doing the training I was supposed to do the next day.


    "Are you working here after that?"


    "Hi,......I volunteered for the corps just for fun and my mom got really mad at me and asked me to help out here,......."


    "Me too. ......"


    "I see."


    I kind of guessed it was just for fun, but ...... that''s how it happened.


    I guess the work is digging up the ground and making a path?¡¡It would be better if they could do it with earth magic, but it seems they don''t even have enough people to use it.


    "Okay, I''ve been assigned to help out here, so let''s do it together.


    "No, sir?"


    "No, I don''t mind. We are almost the same age, and you are more senior to me than I am to you.


    I would rather be a liability to you if I don''t know the work.


    But since I said I would help, I have to do it right.


    I''ll be watching closely.


    "Yeah."


    As soon as Amako moves a little distance away from me, I raise my hoe and slam it into the ground.


    "Nuh!"


    I put another force on the hoe, which is now deeply in the ground, and dig it up.


    ---I see, the load on my arms, my back, and my whole body...


    "Interesting ......!"


    "Hey, what''s the point?"


    I swing my hoe through the sound of Neah''s voice in my ear.


    "...... that guy is digging up the earth like a jelly ......."


    "What''s going on with the soil around here, it''s heavy with rubble and stuff. ......"


    And the soil is tough to beat.


    It''s going to be an unexpectedly good workout. ......!


    I''m sure it will be a good workout.


    Lunch break.


    After having some soup made by Aruk and his friends, I sat down on a reasonable sized stump and had a lunch break with the two demon boys, Hiruku and Eige, who I had just gotten to know better.


    "I''ve seen you many times in the city, but you''re outrageous. ...... You''re moving more than we are, and you don''t look tired at all."


    "And that goes for you, too, doesn''t it?"


    I laugh as I reply to Hilk''s withdrawn gaze, now that we''ve gotten to know each other a little better.


    It is true that I am not tired, but I was not the only one who was recovering with healing magic.


    "I''m sure you and the others who were working with me aren''t tired either.


    "That''s true, but ......, when were you using your healing magic?"


    "I''ve been using it for a long time. You just have to look hard to see it.


    I was constantly releasing waves of weakened healing magic.


    Its performance may be small, but it is certainly effective.


    "...... I feel like punching us in the face on our first day of training. ......"


    "Oh, ......."


    "Ha-ha-ha."


    That was sharp.


    It''s my fault for trying to see things from the beginning, but I didn''t expect to be licked so blatantly.


    "If you had kept your attitude the same, I think you would have gotten a good deal.


    "No, no, no, you can''t. No, no, no, you can''t. You can''t just walk up to a guy who looks scarier than an ogre.


    "I was really scared, you ......."


    I''m being treated like I''m insane in my own words.


    ...... Well, they needed people like that, so they weren''t wrong.


    We moved with our family from a village far from Verhazal. So we had to find a place to work and then we saw the sign for your unit and ......"


    "So you just took it as a blessing in disguise."


    "I know it''s stupid. I was confident. We weren''t in the demon army, but we were the strongest in the village, and I thought we''d have an easy time.


    "Now I regret it so much."


    Eige''s face turns pale as Hirk lets out a dry smile.


    So both of them were on a roll.


    Growing up in the closed space of a village, they must have had a prejudice against dark magic.


    "So we ran away and my parents were pissed off to death and introduced us to this place."


    "But the good news is that the work here is a lot better than your place, in terms of hardness."


    You''ve only been there a day and you''ve been through quite a trauma.


    Your parents are pissed off at .......


    "...... what''s wrong?"


    "No, nothing. You know...!"


    Something''s coming.


    The sound and presence of something are approaching from the forest beyond the simple barricade.


    Nair and Amako, who were having lunch a little ways away, come to join me.


    "...... is it a demon?"


    "Looks like it. Amako, did you see it?


    "...... yeah. It''s already showing itself. ...... here it comes.


    At the sound of their voices, demons rush out of the forest.


    Wolves, wild boars, bats, and a variety of other demons charge toward us, causing turmoil in the surrounding area.


    >


    >


    >


    Soldiers on guard duty try to stop them with magic and spears.


    But the horde is so numerous that they will not be able to hold them off for long.


    Amaco.


    "Roger that. Go get Mr. Aruk, will you?


    While asking Amako to call Mr. Aruku in case of emergency, I keep my eyes on the barricade that is holding back the horde of demons and call out to Eige and Hiruku.


    "Both of you, evacuate the people here!"


    What about you?


    "Nuh!


    He throws a healed explosive that he created instantly, and hits Fallbore who jumped over the barricade with a leap.


    Fallbore was hit by the magic bullet in mid-air and flew backward ---- and fell to the ground. At the same time, the explosion bullet that was absorbed by Fallbore detonated and scattered a shockwave.


    >


    >


    >


    >


    ...... You''ve stopped the demons in their tracks.


    The sudden shockwave has brought the excited creature back to its senses, and it has stopped moving.


    The demon must have sensed me as the immediate threat, for it has sharper senses than humans.


    "I''ll take care of that thing, so take care of everyone here.


    I tell them as they look up at me in stunned amazement, and head for the barricade with Nair perched on my shoulder.


    "I''ll help you deal with the demons.


    "Huh?¡¡What the hell are you talking about?¡¡You''re the only one who can...


    No, let him do it.


    Captain?


    The other soldier puts his hand on the shoulder of the soldier who is not saying anything.


    His voice seemed to tremble.


    "So, but ......"


    "He''s the healing wizard who fought the Demon Lord!¡¡Hey, can you handle that thing?


    I can.


    If it''s just a demon coming at us head-on, we can handle it well enough.


    "Okay, if ......, we''ll keep the demons out!"


    "Yes, sir. We won''t let any of them through from here.


    They''re scared, but they''re relying on me.


    He must have encountered me in some way on the battlefield.


    "Here we go."


    I jump over the barricade and stand on the ground to face the swarm of demons that are threatening me.


    They''re not coming at me.


    "Maybe they instinctively know they shouldn''t take you head-on. Still, the fact that these guys aren''t backing down means ......"


    "You mean there''s a boss leading the pack?"


    Nair nodded at my words.


    As we crossed our arms and glanced at each other, the demons suddenly parted to make way for each other, and three of them emerged from the clearing.


    "Viii......"


    ""Geeee.""


    Standing over three meters tall with dark skin.


    A demon with sharp fangs and muscular body... an ogre.


    That ogre looks familiar.


    "Isn''t that the one that attacked us before we ran into Keira here?¡¡The one that was blown up by your elasticity?"


    "That''s him. ......"


    The one we fought before when we entered the demon king''s territory.


    He''s been through a lot since then.


    He''s become the boss of a big pack and now he''s leading even more demons to attack a city full of people and food.


    "Va!¡¡Va!


    I wonder if they remember me too, the ogre...... boss ogre lets out a menacing roar.


    Oh, oh!


    Uh!


    Vaah!"


    My two fellow ogres are trying to stop it, but the big ogre ...... tries to attack me angrily.


    It seems that it is not too happy with the result of the previous battle.


    Being beaten up by a mere mortal is a big blow to his pride.......


    "Va-ah!"


    He steps roughly out of the pack and stands in front of me.


    The demons behind me don''t seem to be attacking me, so..,


    "So you want to go at each other one-on-one."


    "Va!¡¡Va-va-va-va-va-va!"


    Is this some kind of a duel between the leaders of the herd?


    The herd behind them is threatening but not making any move, so they might be trying to stay put until the end of the fight.


    That''s good for us!


    I was going to hit them all back in the woods, but I prefer one-on-one if I can minimize the damage.


    The boss ogre, perhaps taking my smile as a sign of approval, let out a self-motivated yell and raised his club in his right hand.


    "Ooooooooh!


    >


    A crushing club blow from the top of the ogre.


    Hearing the screams of the people behind me, I lightly strike with my slap hand, which is covered with magic power, to change the trajectory of the cudgel. The boss ogre''s eyes roll back in his head as his attack is easily deflected.


    I make a clenched fist...,


    "Va!"


    "...... hmph!"


    He slams his fist into the abdomen.


    The ogre takes a step back, instantly pulling back his fist, which has sunk deep, and falls to his knees, clutching his abdomen.


    "Gah ...... cack,a......!"


    "......"


    The ogre stares down at me, writhing in pain, as I look down at him without taking a stance.


    Humiliation, anger, fear, frustration.


    With eyes filled with humiliation, anger, fear, and frustration, he leaps at me with his arms outstretched.


    Vaah!


    "Healing Afterimage Fist!"


    I created an afterimage of magic power and evaded the attack as if I could slip through it, and then I drove my right fist out from my side into the ogre''s jaw---and instantly cut off its consciousness.


    "Ah, va......"


    Gurun!¡¡The boss ogre, with its eyes flashing white, collapses to its knees on the spot.


    The threatening voices of the demons and the voices of the demon clansmen who screamed in grief became silent as if they were lying on the ground.


    """......"""


    ...... completely cut off consciousness so there is no immediate wake-up call.


    With a light sigh, he grabs the ogre''s arm with one hand and throws it to the two he thought were his companions.


    The two bodies fell to their knees as they caught the massive ogre, which was more than three meters tall.


    "Get them out of here!"


    "What?


    Don''t you ever come near here again.


    "Gee,gee ......"


    A fainted boss ogre and two ogres looking back and seemingly lost.


    ...... If you keep fighting, you''ll just get killed.


    Now that you have an excuse to retreat unharmed, you should just retreat. .......


    I sigh and brush my bangs and shout angrily, "It can''t be helped.


    "Get the hell out of here!


    "Get the hell out of here!"


    The two of them look frightened at my shouts and run away with the boss ogre in their arms. The strongest boss ogre is easily knocked down, and the demons in the herd move in a hurry, returning to the forest as if they were being pushed back.


    "I will show you the difference in power. It''s an effective method against demons that act on instinct.


    "I hope they learn their lesson."


    This time I made sure to beat him one-on-one instead of using the inexplicable technique of elasticity.


    If they admit defeat with that, they''ll be ...... okay for the time being.


    "...... phew."


    When I''m done, I look up at the sky.


    It''s a beautiful blue sky.


    The environment in the Demon Lord''s territory has improved a lot compared to before.


    ...... Let''s not escape reality.


    Nair! Behind you! What''s going on?


    "Uh,...... well, I''m on your side, okay?"


    I could already tell by those words what kind of stares they were giving me behind my back.


    I may have overdone it, even if I was trying not to cause any damage. .......


    No one was hurt, so it doesn''t matter. ......

 435 - - 384th episode.

    Although we were attacked by demons, the rest of our assistance went off without a hitch.


    My plan to show off my human side completely failed. ...... Well, if you ask me which is more important, the safety of the people here or my impression, it''s the former without thinking.


    So I decided to resign myself to the fact that I will still be seen as a monster and work as hard as I want.


    "Hmph!"


    He thrusts a log as thick as the girths of three people combined into the hole he dug in the ground with great force.


    With a "thud" sound, the log stands vertically---the frame of the outer wall---and I let out a light exhale and relax my shoulders.


    "Usato!¡¡Help me here!


    Oh, heavy!


    Without even a moment to catch my breath, I run over to Hilk-kun and Eige-kun, who were working on the same project nearby, and lift up the log that was about to lean.


    The log was a size smaller than mine, but it was too heavy for two demons to lift.


    "Thank God!


    "Be careful, it''s not something you can lift recklessly."


    "What are you, a man who can lift without recklessness? ......"


    "I work out."


    "No, I''m scared."


    It wasn''t my intention to be on the same job as these two, we just happen to be on our way to help out with all the heavy lifting. ...... We''re getting to know each other somehow.


    "You two simply don''t have enough muscle, do you?¡¡I could ask Coga to recommend you guys to rejoin the squad. ......"


    No, thanks!


    "No, I don''t want to ...... train. ......"


    It''s not like I''m going to train you.


    Well, the people here are former soldiers of the Demon Army, so they''re pretty well-trained, but these two are almost the same as ordinary demons.


    "Well ...... there''s no need to force yourself to train your body."


    Demons have always sought the power to fight, but from now on they will need to learn other fields.


    In that sense, the same can be said for me who has decided to live in this world.


    "Oh, hey, what are you laughing at ......?"


    "Are you thinking of something that will send us to hell ......?"


    "No, why would I be."


    Do they think I''m thinking that just because I''m laughing ......?¡¡Isn''t that just plain unreasonable?


    After the three of us have pushed the lifted log into the ground, I leave the two of them for the moment.


    It''s time for a break, I should sit down and rest a little too.


    "Whew!


    "You''ve really lost your cover, haven''t you?"


    Nair, who was wearing my group uniform as a cloak, says something like that to me.


    When did you go to ......?¡¡As a sunshade?


    "I don''t have to hide it anymore.


    "...... indeed. It''s probably impossible to fix now."


    Three days since I started helping out.


    I''ve been helping out in different parts of the city, moving from place to place.


    It''s all hard work, like what I''m doing now, but I don''t have to think about appealing to people anymore, so I''m allowed to do it to the best of my ability.


    "Well, the sun is shining more often now, and it''s getting really hot!


    "Maybe it''s because the demon king''s power has been removed."


    Originally, sunlight did not penetrate the demon king''s territory because it was covered by thick clouds.


    If this was caused by the power of the Demon Lord that was buried in this land, then it is no wonder that this environment has changed.


    Good work, Usato-kun!


    Uluru-san!


    It was Uluru-san who arrived, looking as energetic as ever.


    I receive a hand towel and a water bottle from her and finally take a break.


    "You''re good at hard work, aren''t you!


    "I''m sure that''s all he can do."


    "Of course not. Usato-kun is a healing magician too!


    Uluru-san says as he closes the distance to Nea, who stares at him and says, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry.


    Uluru-san, who specializes in healing, is the reason I am able to do the heavy lifting in the field, so N¨¦a is not entirely wrong.


    "Hey, why are you wearing Usato''s uniform?¡¡Let me in too!"


    "Hey, don''t come in here because it''s too hot!¡¡Don''t you have one of your own?


    Uluru-san laughs as she gets into it with Nair.


    You really have a way of closing the distance.


    This forcefulness is something I don''t have.


    "I''m really glad you''re here, Mr. Uluru."


    It would have been hard for me to be the only one.


    Thanks to Uluru-san''s dedication to healing magic, we were able to train our troops.


    Usato-kun, that''s my line.


    "What?"


    "I mean, thank you for bringing me here."


    Uluru-san laughs at my puzzled look and continues to speak.


    "I''ve been working in the clinic as a healing wizard for so long that I hardly knew anything about the outside world. I was happy with that, and I never thought of leaving the clinic because I was worried about my brother."


    "I didn''t realize that."


    You were so worried about Olga that you were overprotective.


    "But now your brother has met someone with whom he can have a good relationship. Nack has grown up to help out at the clinic in the little time I''ve seen him. ......"


    "Hmph, Nack works hard every day, too."


    I''ve grown mentally and physically since my days in Lukvis.


    I think I''ve grown a little taller lately.


    That''s why I secretly made up my mind to come here and try to change myself.


    "Do you think you can change?"


    "I don''t know. But I''m enjoying my life here.


    That''s good.


    At least as far as I could see, Uluru was smiling the whole time.


    "And it''s fun to see how Usato is becoming more and more like Rose."


    "Oh, you''re kidding me. ......?"


    "No, it''s not a lie. You look just like Rose when you are training.


    Mr. Uluru tells this to a stunned Nair.


    I''m not that I''m not happy to be told that I look like my master, but for my part, I still think I''m not there yet.


    "...... hmm?"


    While talking with Uluru-san, I suddenly notice a shadow approaching us from the sky.


    ......Keira?


    She was wearing a cloak of dark magic and came at me with great speed, and as soon as she landed on the ground, she came up to me.


    "Kiila?¡¡What''s wrong?


    "Ugh, Mr. Usato!"


    I took her in my arms and checked her expression, and I saw that something was wrong.


    I couldn''t believe that Keira was so upset. ......What''s wrong?


    "Oh, umm...!¡¡Mr. Usato!¡¡Ram is ...... ram!


    "First of all, please calm down. I''ll listen to what you have to say.


    He places a hand on her shoulder with healing magic to calm the distraught Keira.


    Keira, who had regained some of her composure with the healing vibrations, raised her voice to me with tears in her eyes.


    "Ram has been kidnapped with the girl I was ...... playing with!


    ---Ram has been kidnapped.


    As soon as I hear those words, I take Keira in my arms and put on the cloak of dark magic.


    I''ll ask him about the details later.


    First of all, I soar high into the sky with the force of a leap, and stop at a position where I can look down on the whole city.


    "Mr. Usato, I''ve been looking for you from the sky, too. ......"


    Keira, cover your ears.


    He made sure that Keira covered her ears with her hands and took a deep breath.


    I let out my voice in a single gulp, and shout out my partner''s name.


    "Bulllyyyyyy!!!!".


    My voice echoes through the city, followed by a moment of silence.


    But right after that..,


    >


    We hear a reliable yell from the inn, and we descend to the ground.


    Once we landed on the ground where we used to be, Nair, who had grasped the situation, immediately spoke to us.


    "Keira, you said that Ram was kidnapped, where was he taken?


    By the outer wall.


    When you say by, do you mean outside?


    No, it''s the inside. Somehow they made some kind of hole in the outer wall ...... maybe from there ......"


    Was it planned or ......?


    At least it wasn''t a spur of the moment thing.


    It seems to me that they knew where the children were going to play and acted accordingly.


    "People with black cloths wrapped around their faces," he said. Only Rose was able to hide in the shadows and was saved, but the children who were with ...... Ram were taken away ......."


    Keira grips the shoe that is left behind tightly.


    It probably belongs to Ram, who had left it there.


    "What''s Rose doing now?"


    "She''s with Gref. I''ve already informed the guards and they will send a search party soon. ......"


    They''re already working on it? .......


    But I don''t feel safe.


    "Usato, they''re probably on ......"


    "Yeah."


    A premeditated crime.


    He targeted children of the demon tribe, who are easy to kidnap.


    They hid their faces.


    We can''t be sure yet, but it''s likely to be slavers or those who deliver them to slavers.


    Did he take advantage of the time when the demon king''s power was weakened?¡¡There might be a good number of them when they kidnap several children at once.


    That''s gutsy.


    I was prepared.


    I thought there would be people like that.


    In fact, I had encountered bandits in my early days in this world,...... but this time I was mad too.


    The foundation has been laid for a compromise between demons and humans. We can''t let this ruin that.


    "Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!"


    Bulrin appears behind me with a cloud of dust and sniffs, looking very motivated.


    I pat him on the head for running here in response to my voice, and he quietly burns with anger.


    "...... Don''t think you can escape!"


    I am sure that those who have just kidnapped our children are thinking this way.


    The relationship between demons and humans is still a bit iffy, so as long as they get out of the demon king''s territory, they should be safe.


    As long as we hand over the children, we are in control.


    It doesn''t matter if they are human or not. I''ll chase them to the ends of hell.


    Even if I manage to escape from the demon king''s domain, I will chase after him across the country.


    If necessary, I will turn to the people I have come to know on my journey to catch up with them.


    I will search day and night... and I will make them understand what it is that they have offended.


    Bulrin, can you follow the scent of the rum?


    Grua!


    Yes. ...... Mr. Uluru. Tell the Demon Lord that I''m moving and to track my magic.


    "Okay!"


    He can do that much.


    I really want to call Amako and Nagi, but time is of the essence now.


    Uluru rushes away and I unfold my cloak.


    "Keira, let''s go save your family!"


    "!¡¡Yes!!!"


    Keira jumps into the cloak with a mighty leap, and I see Nair perched on my shoulder as an owl, and I run off with Bulrin.


    Kidnapping a child must be a premeditated crime.


    Then they must have a base of operations somewhere.


    "I''ll show you why I''m feared by the devil. ......"


    "You tell me yourself. ....... But I feel the same way as you now. ......!


    "Grua!"


    I stare ahead, nodding at Nair, who is very motivated.


    I''m going to get you out of here.


    So don''t give up until then. ......!

 436 - - 385th episode.

    Our father and mother are gone.


    We were walking alone in the dark forest when we were rescued by Uncle Gref, who was ...... alone with the demons to protect us.


    With him was my sister Keira.


    She had a much darker face than the bright sister we have now, but we lived with her and before long we became a family.


    After that, we stopped traveling around the demon king''s territory and decided to live in the city.


    We all came to live together in the house and made friends.


    There was a happiness that I thought would never come.


    But we didn''t ...... realize that people were approaching us who would destroy those happy days.


    "Let''s look at the outer wall of the city.


    It was Cal, one of the kids I have been playing with since I came to live here, who said that.


    We''re not going to go outside the walls, we''re just going to look.


    There are few people here, and they don''t get angry if we play a lot.


    With this in mind, me, Rose, and my friends Cal and Mee started to play near the outer wall.


    After a few more days of the same, we decided to play as usual today.


    So we all headed for our usual playground when we were kidnapped by someone who hid his face from us.


    When we woke up, I, Cal, and Mee were in a small iron cage, and people were watching us.


    People other than my brother Usato.


    People who are totally different from the demon tribe. They have a smirk on their face with cloudy eyes that are different from those of my brother.


    "I didn''t think it would be this easy to catch a demon kid!


    A blonde human with a piercing haircut laughs dirty in front of me.


    Kal and Mee are awake, but they are just as frightened as I am and unable to speak.


    ......Rose isn''t here, which means he hasn''t been captured......?


    Is she alive?


    You want to find out?¡¡Hey!


    Hey!"""""""""


    He kicks me hard, and the cage rattles.


    We let out an inaudible scream and the three of us huddle together, while the human men laugh again.


    "It was worth the risk, wasn''t it?"


    "Yeah, I''m sure my client will be satisfied. No way. Three kids from the demon tribe.


    Now all we have to do is get out of here."


    Inquiries: ......?


    Could it be that these people kidnapped us to make slaves......?


    A chill runs through me as I get to that thought, a chill that chills me to the core.


    "That part should be easy. We didn''t leave any tracks, and there''s no way they could follow us unless they have a very good sense of smell.


    "I''m sure they''ll come after you, but when they do, will you be okay?"


    "I''m not worried, but... Well, if they do, I''ll take care of them.


    One of the largest of the men raised his left arm, which was covered with dull silver iron, with a clatter.


    Just by looking at his large body, you can tell he has a scary face and long hair.


    The man with such an appearance looks at us as if he is mocking us.


    We have Jefri-sama, the Iron Flame! He''s going to give us a run for our money no matter what the little demons do to us.


    The person who utters the word "Jefri" to himself picks up a piece of fruit on a nearby desk.


    What are you doing ......?¡¡The person grabs the fruit and crushes it with force.


    Jeffri threw the fruit on his hand into his mouth and smiled wickedly, even though the pulp was splattered and the juice stained the floor.


    "Even demons are nothing in the hands of this steel arm!"


    I''m counting on you!


    I paid a lot of money for you!


    The men are screaming again.


    We can only huddle together.


    I''m afraid ...... help is on the way.


    I wonder if they''ll take me anywhere.......


    If they make us slaves.......


    I can''t stop thinking of bad things.


    "Well, the client said something about that. He said there''s a guy who''s been sent to the demon king''s territory."


    What about him?


    I told you to watch out for him because he''s a healer who did a great job in the war against the Demon Lord''s army.


    When the man says this, the group is quiet for a moment, but after a few moments, they all start laughing loudly again.


    "A healing magician!¡¡That''s a lie anyway!


    It''s a made-up lie anyway!


    "What is this healing magic you''re talking about?¡¡That?¡¡That''s the one that heals you by punching you and flipping you off!¡¡That doesn''t make any sense!


    "You''re right. You''ve been giving me a lot of advice, so I was curious."


    ...... about Usato''s brother?


    They make fun of him so much, but don''t they know about him?


    "I''m no match for that kind of healing wizard. He''s not worth being afraid of.


    The story seems to end with the voice of an iron-armed man named Jefri.


    "We''ve still got some time before we leave, so why don''t we have a drink?"


    "Oh, yeah. Let''s celebrate a successful mission!


    From there, the men open the door and go away.


    As the last man is about to leave... the other man, who was about to leave first, pushes him back into the room.


    "!!!?¡¡What the ......"


    "There''s got to be a lookout. I''ll take over for you later, you go ahead."


    "Oh, man, what the hell."


    A blond man with a piercing haircut reluctantly returns to the room, sticking out his tongue.


    "d*mn, it''s creepy being in a room with a demon kid."


    I shudder at the swearing and try to avoid eye contact as much as possible.


    I want to escape somehow, but there is no way I can get out of this ...... iron cage.


    How can I .......


    "What?"


    "Mi, what''s wrong?"


    She looks at the window.


    It is already dark outside, and from the bottom of the cage, she has no idea what the view outside looks like.


    But there is something like a bird by the window.


    "A owl?"


    I muttered, and moved closer to the cage to take a closer look... the shadow I thought was an owl had somehow turned into a cat.


    Huh?¡¡I thought it was an owl. ...... was I imagining it?


    ...... Oh, he''s dexterously trying to open the window.


    "Oh?¡¡What''s this?¡¡A cat?"


    The man approaches the black cat, which is scratching at the window as if it wants to be opened.


    "Cute, isn''t it ...... obvious?"


    The man opens the window with a smirk and invites the cat in.


    "Hey, you want some of this?"


    He was about to offer the dried meat he was about to eat as a snack when... he stopped unnaturally.


    We tilted our heads at the man who was shaking his body slightly and his eyes were vacant.


    We looked at the cat in wonder, and saw the cat''s red eyes glowing.


    "---Get out of my room.


    "Okay. ......."


    The empty-eyed guard staggers out of the room with unsteady steps.


    The black cat, who did indeed speak human language, sighed lightly and came down in front of the cage in which we were locked up.


    "It''s a steel cage, isn''t it? It''s going to be hard for me to open it.


    "What, who''s ......?"


    "Who''s the cat?"


    "He''s talking. ......"


    We are surprised to see a talking cat, and the cat gives us a look of surprise.


    "Oh, you can''t tell with a black cat, can you? Is it easier for Ram to recognize me in this form?


    With that, the cat is enveloped in light for a moment and turns into a familiar owl.


    "Well, you''re my brother Usato''s ......."


    "Well, I haven''t had a chance to reveal myself, but I am Naea, Usato''s messenger. I''m here to help you."


    ....... What?¡¡Mr. Owl can talk?


    I thought he was just a normal demon like that .......


    "But a messenger demon? ......"


    "Yes, Usato is here. I came to check on you and your friends first. ......"


    Mr. Owl---Nea took off the small cloth around her neck and pulled out a green ball-like object from inside.


    I noticed that it was the same magic bullet that my brother Usato had given me three days before, although the size of the ball was different.


    "Please crush this with your hand."


    "What, why ......?"


    "By crushing the magic bullet, you send a signal to Usato. --- "The kidnapped children are safe. You can go all out. ......."


    I looked at the magic bullet containing Usato''s healing magic and nodded to Cal and Mee who were in the same cage with me and smashed the magic bullet with both hands.


    At that moment, with a small bang, a beautiful green magic power enveloped us.


    I was so happy to see him.


    An abandoned village hidden deep in the mountains.


    We had set up our base in an abandoned place that no one would ever see.


    It''s a rough place, but it''s got a good house, so it''s sheltered from the wind and rain, and it''s out of sight. The best thing about it was that it was not far from a city full of demons.


    There is no better place to do this "job".


    I''m glad it worked out.


    "Yeah, and it''s a kid, right?¡¡It''s more than worth it."


    It was a difficult request, but I''m in a good mood now that it has gone so well.


    At least the reward is a world of difference compared to kidnapping those kids with no family.


    "But how could you have prepared the way to the demon king''s territory? That merchant.


    I nodded at the voice of one sitting opposite me.


    "I heard the Demon Lord''s army was defeated, so they built a bridge out of wood. They even had it assembled and hidden in the woods so that no one would find it.


    We''d have ended up in the river, too, if it hadn''t been for us.


    "It''s a risk you''re willing to take. The river is watched.


    The river that runs between the demon kingdoms and the human realm is watched over by Mialark and Lingle.


    That''s what you have to do to keep them from finding you.


    That''s why I''m here.


    So what are you going to do when you get paid?


    "Of course I''m gonna drink and do whatever the hell I want. Do you think I''ll do anything else?"


    I guess so.


    My job is so easy now that it would be foolish to earn serious money.


    Besides, we''re giving jobs to people who don''t have any relatives.


    We should be thanking them.


    It''s the same with the demons.


    They''re demons anyway. I don''t care what they do to the people who started the war. I''m giving them a chance to make amends for those who died in the war.


    "You didn''t participate in the war!"


    We all laugh at the sound of his voice.


    When we heard about the war with the Demon Lord''s army, we ran away to a country where we wouldn''t be harmed.


    "War is not a ...... thing for us?"


    As we say this, we suddenly realize that there is someone else standing outside in the torchlight.


    The sun has completely set, and the figure is illuminated red in the darkness.


    The hood covering his head and the black cloak covering his entire body are swaying as if melting in the darkness.


    <>


    The man in the unnaturally shimmering black coat stood there motionless, looking through the hood at the house we were in.


    "...... Hey."


    The others, noticing the tension in my voice, look out their windows and take out their swords.


    "Are they after you?"


    "No, they''ll find out too soon."


    "He''s probably just some moron with a sense of justice who came to save a kid or something."


    ---That''s creepy.


    It''s just a shadow, barely recognizable as a person, but other than that, I don''t know what to make of it.


    While I was feeling a sense of unease somewhere in my heart, Jefri stood up with a belligerent smile on his face, slamming the bottle of sake he was holding into the table roughly.


    "I thought kidnapping a kid wasn''t enough!"


    Jefri smiles a lecherous smile as he clinks the steel cage hand on his left arm.


    Oh dear, the most troublesome one is motivated.


    He can''t get away with this.


    "He''s a reckless son of a b*tc*. I''ll take care of him. After I''ve beaten him."


    He turns his attention out the window from Jefri, who is walking out of the house.


    Jefri steps out of the house and walks toward a figure with a comfortable gait.


    If you look closely, you can see that there is a height difference between the two, and Jefri is a head taller than the other.


    "Oh, man, that''s it.


    "Did you try to scare me with your looks?"


    How many shots to kill you, you want to bet?


    "What the hell, man?


    Jefri sticks out his left arm.


    His iron arm, which crushes fruit with its grip alone and can break even a rock, approaches the figure.


    Everyone, including me, was expecting him to be blown away like a piece of trash.


    ---Gooo......


    That wasn''t the sound of a man being hit.


    The iron arm that Jefri was about to slam into was caught by the palm of the mysterious shadow.


    "Come on, Jefri, don''t go easy on him!


    Are you trying to play with me?


    He laughs as he comes to his senses at his friends'' jibes.


    Yes, yes, I hired him because of his skills.


    There''s no way he can be beaten by a demon, let alone a human being.


    ......Is it my imagination or does Jefri''s face look distorted in the torchlight?


    <>


    <>


    Jefri is surprised and tries to back out,


    No matter how hard he tries to struggle, his outstretched fist does not move from where it is held.


    "Oh, come on."


    "Isn''t something funny ......?"


    The sun was completely hidden by the mountains and darkness surrounded us when Jefri let out a scream that we could hear, and flames shot out of his unclasped right hand.


    <>


    Instantly, a blinding light of flames and a flash of green spread across our field of vision.


    With that, the torchlight that had illuminated the outside went out, and the outside was enveloped in complete darkness.


    "Jefri!¡¡What are you doing?


    What''s going on outside?¡¡Get the lights!


    I can''t see out there!


    We rushed to turn on the light in the room, but something smashed through the window and blew out the magic tool.


    What the hell is it this time?


    What the hell did that bastard do to me!


    When we light up our feet with the other tool, we see the thing that has broken through the window.


    It is..,


    "This is Jeffrey''s ......."


    You''re lying. ......


    This is the reason why Jefri is called Flame Iron, and he boasted about his steel basket hand.


    It was the only thing lying on the ground.


    "......!?"


    The steel basket hand is warped beyond recognition, and the marks of a hand (...) are clearly engraved on it as if it had been crushed.


    Did the demon tribe do this ......?


    No!¡¡From my experience, there is no way that demons can grip a piece of steel with one hand!


    That''s not what I''m talking about!¡¡I never heard of such a monster!


    calm down!¡¡---Ah...


    There''s something behind the guy making the noise.


    Something black reaches out from the shadowy figure, wraps around the legs of the others, and pulls them into its body with great force.


    "Aaaaaaah!¡¡Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?"


    Leaving a sound of scratching on the ground, the comrade is dragged somewhere and disappears into the darkness.


    Immediately after that, the screams cease, and there is a sickening silence.


    Everyone in the room is motionless.


    We could only freeze, unable to make a proper judgment of the situation that had just occurred before our eyes.


    ---At that moment, a green light gushed out for a moment.


    "Geba?


    What the hell?


    Something slammed into the wall, followed by the sound of something falling to the ground.


    Immediately after that, something lurking in the darkness attacked the others.


    "No, no!


    A green light is emitted, and at the same time, the others disappear.


    Without knowing what they looked like or what they were doing, the skilled men and women who had gathered there could do nothing but shout.


    What the hell is going on?


    What is it?¡¡Is it a monster?¡¡Are they demons?


    I can''t see anything!


    And if I try to swing my sword as hard as I can in a place like this, I''ll hit one of my allies!


    How can they be rampaging in the dark like this?


    While they were in confusion, something green crossed their field of vision at high speed and hit their comrade who was just next to them.


    "What?¡¡What?¡¡What, stick to me ......!


    Something sticky and sticky, something suspiciously glowing green.


    The glowing thing shines on his face, and he contorts his face in fear as he tries to peel it off... and it explodes in front of his eyes.


    "......?"


    I''m stunned as it blows up in front of me with a flash of light and disappears into my pitch-black field of vision.


    Is he dead?


    Does it explode when you touch it?


    I try to check if he is alive or dead, but I can''t hear his voice anymore.


    "I can''t see it, help..."


    f*ck!


    No, no, no, no, no!


    Gabbo!


    Something is storming around the room, and my friends are screaming and crying.


    It''s an unbelievable situation that my brain refuses to comprehend.


    I''ve been placed in such a situation..,


    "Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah ......"


    ---I had no choice but to curl up like a child with my hands over my ears by the wall.


    "Aaaaahhh!?"


    My heart could not bear the sound of my friends'' screams and the sound of something breaking out... I held my ears, but my heart could not bear the despair that was entering my body.


    "I can''t stay in a place like this. ......!


    I don''t care about the demon kids or the money anymore!


    If I stay here, I''ll definitely end up like my friends!


    We''re up against a monster that may or may not even be alive. There''s no way I can fight them properly!


    I don''t want to die!


    I crawl on the floor and groping my way out into the corridor.


    The creature is still attacking our comrades.


    Then get out while they''re still using us as bait!


    What the hell is this?


    There they are, pinned to the wall with their eyes glazed over.


    There is something green and translucent stuck to his mouth, and another green thing between his back and the wall.


    "Hi-Hi-Hi?


    The first thing that came to my mind was the worst imaginary image of these creatures being tied up alive as bait.


    "Ah, ah, ah... ......"


    The green light that stands out in the dark just looks like something you can''t see.


    I fall back awkwardly and something hits my back as I back up.


    "---oh..."


    There''s no wall behind me.


    The screams of my friends that had echoed so loudly could no longer be heard.


    Silence reigns in the corridor, and the only sounds are my terrified voice and the demonic breathing of something other than me coming from right behind me.


    "Oh, oh, oh. ...... sorry. ...... sorry. ...... sorry."


    Don''t look behind you.


    If you look, it''s over.


    But my body turns around as if against my will..,


    ¡ñ


    <<>


    Someone''s scream echoes through the house again.


    The voice makes my shoulders shake, but I don''t feel scared.


    My brother Usato is fighting.


    Nair had told me about it beforehand.


    "He''s doing it so spectacularly!"


    N¨¦a, who had dexterously lit her magic tool with her foot to brighten the room, spoke fluently.


    "She''s really mad at me this time, so I''ll be fine now.


    "You mean my brother Usato?"


    Yes, I heard you were kidnapped.


    ......After all, your brother hasn''t changed at all since we first met.


    When he saved my uncle, he didn''t even show the slightest sign of hesitation.


    "Actually, Usato never really gets angry with me, but when he does, I''m scared to the point of feeling sorry for him.


    "Yes, that''s right. ......"


    "When Usato lost his temper at Samaritan''s Alley..."


    >


    A scream interrupts Nair''s voice as it gets closer, and a stabbing blond man rushes in, opening the door vigorously.


    "...... Ah, you''ve been hypnotized by fear. It''s possible, seeing that man right now."


    "What the hell is that thing!¡¡Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!¡¡I didn''t hear that!"


    The man holding the door behind his back spits out foul language, while Nair is trying to convince him otherwise.


    The man who looked around us quickly looks at us locked in the cage and smiles a wry smile.


    "Yeah, that''s right, we can use the kids as bait. ......!!!"


    He looked at us with bloodshot eyes and we cowered.


    Nair came down in front of the bars in his owl form to protect us, but... suddenly, Nair lowered his outstretched wings.


    Just as she wondered what had happened, an arm came through the door that the man had stopped behind her back.


    "Gee!


    The arm, which was extended above the elbow, grabbed the man''s chest without hesitation and lifted him up with tremendous force.


    The sight of him stunned us.


    "Who are you going to take hostage?"


    "What?


    Hmph!


    Ignoring the man who was floating in the air and flailing his legs, the owner of the voice dragged the man into the corridor, breaking ...... the door, and disappeared from our sight.


    <<>


    A green light flashes from the broken door.


    And the screams we''ve heard so many times are gone this time.


    Just as the men''s voices are no longer heard, there is the sound of footsteps, and in comes Usato''s brother in a black cloak.


    "Phew... ...... is all taken care of..."


    Usato came to us with a look of deep relief.


    He was still looking at us with a terrible look in his ...... eyes.


    "I''m glad you''re okay. You did a good job, Neah.


    "Usato, your face is not back."


    "Oops, I shouldn''t have."


    He ruffled my hair and immediately became the sweet older brother we all know and love.


    I''m not scared of him now, but he looks like this .......


    "Keira, it''s okay to leave now, okay?"


    "What?"


    I was stunned by the sound of my brother''s voice, but right after that my sister jumped out of her black cloak and appeared in front of us.


    "Ram!¡¡Are you okay?¡¡Are you hurt?


    "Sis!"


    I almost cried as my sister checked to see if I was hurt, almost jumping on the cage.


    "Usato, I''m going to find the key to the cage..."


    "Hmph."


    He lightly grabs the door part of the iron cage and clicks it.¡¡and removes it with a light sound.


    "Oh, yeah. You didn''t need to do that. I knew that... ......


    "You''re safe now. ......"


    The cage that had kept us locked up was now broken, and I finally became aware that we had been rescued, and tears began to well up in front of my eyes in relief.


    "Sis!"


    "I''m so glad......I''m so glad......"


    She hugged me and started to cry aloud.


    I noticed that Kal and Lu also jumped to Usato''s arms and cried as much as I did, but ...... that''s how scared I really was.

 437 - - 386th episode.

    The kidnappers numbered 15.


    After subduing them all and rescuing the kidnapped children, I first tied up the kidnappers and then cast Nair''s binding spell on them and locked them in a room of an abandoned house.


    "That''s it!


    "Well, let''s get the kids out of here."


    After confirming that we had locked them in, Nair and I went to call Keira and the others.


    The three children, Ram, Kai, and Mee, seemed to have calmed down considerably and looked relieved when they saw me coming in.


    Now that all the scary people are gone, let''s go outside.


    "Your words are the scariest thing I''ve ever heard."


    Nair gives me a sharp rebuke, and I walk out of the abandoned house, cloaked with Keira, lifting the children up as if to put them on my cloak.


    It is dark around me, so I light a healing magic light in my right hand to illuminate my surroundings.


    "Hmm?"


    """......"""


    Smiling at the children who look up at the glowing magic bullets with curiosity, I give them the other three magic bullets I have made.


    "Thank you!¡¡Thank you, Usato!


    "Wow!"


    "Wow!"


    It''s a relief to see you back in good spirits.


    I hope the experience at ...... was not too traumatic for them.


    "Is Keira okay now?"


    I whisper to Keira, who is still in her cloak, and a slightly dejected voice comes back.


    .


    "The one who kidnapped our children. It''s no wonder."


    When we seized the kidnappers a little while ago, Keira''s magic went out of control.


    At that time I was able to control it and subdue the kidnappers. ...... I don''t mind about this at all.


    "It was only with your help that I was able to save the children."


    If they had taken him away, we could have been in trouble.


    "Well, I''m just relieved that you didn''t use the last resort."


    What were you going to do, by the way?"


    I hear Nair''s voice on my shoulder, and I smile, imagining what might happen if I did.


    "To push you into a corner with all the help I could muster."


    "Wow, your friendships are so great, it''s honestly terrifying. ......"


    It''s going to be especially scary around Mr. Lucas. .......


    I can see why he likes you so much, so it''s not that I don''t like you.


    With this in mind, I exit the abandoned house where the kidnappers are locked up, and soon after, I hear loud footsteps and Bulrin jumps into the room.


    "Grrr!"


    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, but it''s not easy for you to get out of control against a half-baked guy..."


    "Hmph!"


    "Yeah, I''ll bring you lots of food later."


    I laugh at him as he punches me in the leg, and the children on the cloak on my back come out.


    "Oh my God, it''s Bulrin!


    "It''s the demon my brother always carries on his back. ......"


    "Did you come with ......?"


    Bullein sniffs as he catches the children''s attention.


    He looks back at the children, patting them on the head.


    "Give him some credit. We wouldn''t have found you if it weren''t for him."


    "Yes. ...... then. ...... great bulllin''!¡¡That''s great!"


    Thank you!


    "Thank you!" "Gruaaaah!"


    In fact, we wouldn''t have found this place without him.


    I was smiling to see Bulrin being patted by the children, when I noticed the presence of several people approaching the place.


    He quickly steps in front of the children, but soon realizes who is approaching and relaxes his posture.


    "Oh, I thought it was over already..."


    "You''re early, Kohga."


    It was Coga who leaped out of the forest and landed in front of me.


    He walked up to me, not looking particularly tired, and looked relieved when he saw the children behind him.


    "I see the kids are all right."


    "Yeah. We were able to save him before it was too late."


    Maybe the Demon King sent us there.


    Koel and the other five and Nono on the flying dragon arrive a little later.


    ......?¡¡Is that Ms. Hanna riding the flying dragon with Ms. Nono?


    "Yes, thank you Sean,...... is that Hanna-san?"


    "Mmmmmm!"


    Ms. Hanna got off the flying dragon silently and approached me with a glare.


    She glances at the children before quickly turning her gaze back to me and waving her arms in the air..,


    "You stupid idiot!"


    He slapped me with a goo.


    When I tilted my head, Hannah-san glared at me again with teary eyes, holding her hand.


    I told you not to move without my permission!


    I''m sorry. I thought I would be too late if I didn''t help you soon. ......"


    "Then you should at least let me know!¡¡Or maybe you should let me go with you and let the thugs who kidnapped the children be punished!


    I''m really letting my personal feelings out.


    Huh?¡¡Actually, isn''t he the one who is the angriest?


    "At any rate, I''ll show the kidnappers you''ve caught a vision of the most horrible demon in the world ......"


    Hannah, you can''t do that.


    What? Why?


    Nair says to Hannah, whose distinctive side tails seem to stand on end.


    Well, she''s too stunned to cast an illusion spell..,


    "I''ve already seen that horrible demon."


    You mean you can''t do it.


    I did it with the intention of punishing her a little. ....... I don''t think it''s any better than Hannah''s illusion magic.


    "d*mn it, don''t do something more terrible than my illusion magic!


    "Is this unreasonable?"


    And why are you assuming that I''m doing more terrible things than the illusion magic that Hanna-san shows you?


    Isn''t that strange?


    She looks a little disappointed, and I''m a little taken back when Koga starts talking to her.


    "Our mission is to rescue the children and to get the people who kidnapped them."


    "I knew it... the Demon Lord gave the order?"


    "Oh. The Demon Lord laughed. You started moving even before I gave the order. The Demon Lord''s magic followed you here.


    Koga points behind him with his thumb and sees a magical design floating in Nono-san''s hand on the back of Sean the Flying Dragon, which seems to have been given to him by the Demon King.


    The geometric pattern in the shape of an arrow is pointing toward me, so I guess he tracked me with it.


    "So, let''s talk about the next step: ......"


    I nodded, noticing that Koga''s gaze had turned to the children behind me.


    This is not a good story for them to hear.


    "Mr. Nono."


    "What!"


    I called out to him from behind and he braced himself.


    I turn around with an onomatopoeic snap and tell him what I want him to do, wondering about his mysterious posture.


    "May I leave these children in your care for a moment?


    "Oh, yeah,......, that''s totally fine!"


    ...... Are you sure you''re okay with this?


    Well, Keira is a strong woman, so as long as nothing too serious happens to her, she should be fine.


    The first thing to do is to make sure that you have a good time with your children.


    "You understand that we are going to take them to the city and detain them, right?"


    "Yes."


    Of course, there is no way we are leaving them here.


    This is probably a big problem in the city.


    "So, the problem is that the demon tribe is in a precarious position in the eyes of the rest of the world.


    "...... you feel like maybe you can''t interrogate them or something?"


    We''re on our own.


    I guessed what Coga was getting at when I asked him this.


    In other words, it is possible to interrogate them if I am present.


    As I was convinced of this, Ms. Hanna, who was moving with me, raised her index finger.


    "Well, it''s just a pretext. After all, Usato-kun, who is an outsider, took them into custody at his own discretion. This is very different from what we have caught him.


    "I see. ......"


    If we catch them only by the judgment of the demon tribe, there might be problems afterwards, but this time I caught them first, so I can treat the kidnappers as bad guys, I guess.


    That''s why the Demon Lord wanted you to go there in the first place.


    He went straight to the rescue, though."


    "Ah, haha ......"


    Coga and Hannah laugh at the words.


    I went with a bang, but under the circumstances it might have been a bad idea. .......


    "The interrogation is going to be easy. It''s just me, Hanna, and Usato here. It''s a full course of making them throw up with charms, illusion magic, or fear.


    What about the fact that I''m a natural.


    ...... but they need to tell me how to get into the demon king''s territory and who they hired.


    "The surest way to do that is to get them to tell us what they know and then round them up at their rendezvous point."


    "I''m sure they don''t expect every single one of them to be caught either. ......"


    I''ve got my magic senses and Bullein''s sense of smell to make sure of that.


    I caught them without letting any of them escape, so the people who might have asked for the kidnappers will not know that they have been caught.


    "Captain, I brought these guys here ......"


    "Oh ...... hmm?¡¡Oh, come on. ......"


    Coga smiles a wry smile when he sees the fainted faces of the kidnappers who have been brought in.


    "What could have done this to their faces?"


    "They look worse than we do after training. ......


    He''s got a look of fear in his eyes, but to be honest, if we don''t scare him this much, he''s still going to repeat himself.


    But .......


    "I don''t think I did anything more than pass out."


    "Specifically?"


    I''ve knocked people out in the dark and attached them to walls with magic.


    "It''s turned into fear in another direction. No wonder she fainted with a face like this.


    Koga looks at one of the kidnappers who has fainted and makes a face like, "Wow," while looking at him.


    I wondered if I was unknowingly doing something creature-like like in a horror movie or if I was ......?


    "So, how did these guys do?"


    "I don''t ...... know, because I knocked them out without letting them do much of anything."


    "Hmmm. Well, normal is no standard when it comes out of your mouth. If you can control it by holding back, then that''s all you can do."


    Then why did you ask?


    Actually, the strongest one was the first one who came out with an iron cage on his arm, but I was able to sink him without any trouble.


    Fifteen kidnappers.


    After carrying them all out of the abandoned house and tying them up again, Koga gives instructions to his men.


    "Oh, well, let''s load some of them on the dragon boats and we''ll carry them on our backs.


    I''ll help you.


    Carrying people is my specialty.


    I tried to help him, but he waved his hand to the side faster than I could do it.


    "You don''t have to do that.


    No, I''d say I''m the real deal.


    "We''ll carry these guys, you go get the kids back to their parents."


    "Coga ......"


    You''d be surprised at how much you care.


    In the beginning, he was a guy who would start fights with me out of the blue, but ...... it makes me feel very emotional.


    "You ...... have become a lot more rounded ......."


    "All right, let''s hit each other at the early morning training tomorrow. I''ll beat you to a pulp. ......!


    "Huh?¡¡Great. I''m gonna beat you to a pulp.


    "The conversation is flowing so fast, I think it''s going to capsize."


    "These people are really ...... already."


    Nair and Hannah glanced at Coga regardless of their dismayed mutterings.


    I wonder if they are planning to get up early in the morning. .......


    Senri''s efforts are paying off.


    "If that''s the case, I''ll take advantage of your kindness.


    "Oh. ...... Oh, and as soon as you get the kids back to the house, go see the Demon Lord."


    "Okay."


    I hope I made the Demon Lord happy again. I can still picture his funny smile.


    With a sigh, I walk with Hannah to Keira and the others who are with Nono.


    "Keira, we''re done here, let''s go home.


    "Yes!"


    Keira slips into the cloak and pulls it over my shoulders.


    She transforms the cloak and spreads it wide to make it easier for people to get in.


    "Okay, you can get in."


    Then be my guest."


    Hannah was the first one to get in, and she looked so familiar.


    The children got in after her.


    They had ridden the boat once before when we left the abandoned house, so they got on without any confusion.


    "Burin, you can ride too, what do you want to do?"


    "Grua!"


    Bulrin shakes his head to the side to indicate with his head that the kidnappers are being carried out.


    "Are you going to help us with the cawgaws?"


    "Gua!"


    You want to get rowdy ......?


    But if that''s the case, he thinks, and pats Bulrin''s head and tries to let him handle it... and then Nair, who was on his shoulder, moves to Bulrin''s head.


    I''ll go home with him, then. I can deal with him when the binding spell is broken.


    "Grua!"


    "I''ll feel safer if Nair is with me. I''m going to take the girls home now, take care of them.


    Yeah, you too.


    I tell Kohga that Bulrin and Nair will help him take them away, and I fly up into the night sky in my cloak.


    The children squeal with delight at the view of the forest from the moonlit sky.


    "Wow!


    I''ve never been this high up!"


    "Me too!"


    It''s not every day you get to fly in the sky.


    That''s how special Keira''s magic is.


    "It''s dangerous to fall! Now, you can hold on to me, okay?"


    Hannah said ...... no, she wouldn''t.


    "Usato, big brother..."


    "Hmm?"


    I laugh at Hannah, who seems to be the only one who is satisfied, and Ram calls out to me.


    "All the humans I''ve met so far have been kind people, but the people who kidnapped us ...... weren''t."


    "...... I agree. I''m sorry you guys had to go through that. I''m so sorry."


    I think Ram has met me and the people of the Lingle Kingdom who were sent to the city.


    But it was other people who wronged these girls today.


    ...... There must be a certain number of such people outside the demon kingdoms. It''s not surprising that these children have suffered a great deal of emotional trauma because they have seen such people''s malice this time.


    "It''s not your fault, Usato!"


    Ram denies my words.


    I am surprised at the brightness in her voice, and she continues to speak.


    "I know there are people who are afraid of humans. I know that there are people who are afraid of humans, because there are people who are afraid of demons just like us.


    <


    "That''s why I''m not afraid of you, Usato!¡¡Because he came to save us!"


    "That''s right!"


    "I''m not scared at all!¡¡And he was so strong!


    They both say to me as if they are following Ram''s lead.


    Not scared, huh?


    After scaring the kidnappers so much, these words from the kids make me a little sad.


    "It''s funny ...... that Usato isn''t scared of you. ......"


    "Hannah, would you like to walk back to the city alone?"


    "You''ve lost if you think I can walk home alone, haven''t you?"


    That''s funny, why am I losing?


    I was puzzled by the fact that Hannah had become mentally stronger than when I arrived in the city, and we continued to fly toward the city.

 438 - - The 387th.

    The rams were safely delivered to their guardians.


    Mr. Gref, who had been worried about Ram until late, thanked me with tears in his eyes and gave me a very itchy welcome.


    I am glad we were able to save him.


    I am sincerely happy to have been able to help them.


    "Can I make a play about your struggle?"


    "Can I be mad?"


    I reply to the Demon King, who cracks a terrible joke at the beginning of our meeting, with a blue streak on my forehead.


    The Demon Lord, on the other hand, is leaning his elbows on the table in his study, his mouth twisted in amusement.


    "Please don''t joke about this."


    "That was a masterpiece to make a joke out of."


    "...... were you watching by any chance?"


    "Of course I was.


    With these words, the Demon Lord summons something that looks like a crow, with a magic spell floating beside it.


    This is the one that was watching me at the time of the final battle of .......


    As I am sitting on a chair, a cup of tea made by Ciel is offered to me as I am remembering the magic.


    "Your appearance, Usato-san, was amazing, wasn''t it?"


    "Ha, ha."


    "It was like a ghost, appearing and disappearing from the darkness. ......!"


    I''m not a big fan of ghosts. .......


    I drink my tea, smiling at Ciel-san who says this to me as if she were commenting on a movie.


    "But you''re a thing, aren''t you? You''re a good one. You''ll do better if you don''t tell me what to do and just let me swim.


    I''ll take that as a compliment."


    But I am glad that things turned out well this time, but some problems could have been caused by this arbitrary decision.


    ...... should reflect on that.


    "I''ve been remotely watching you charge like a wild boar, and I''m happy to see the hilarity that ensued."


    "I''m glad I could meet your expectations. ......"


    The Demon King is in an even better mood when he says this with his shoulders slumped.


    "At any rate, you did a good job.


    "Just because it turned out to be a good result doesn''t change the fact that I acted on my own."


    "Still. That doesn''t change the fact that you rescued a young child. ---Thank you.


    Eh ......?


    Ciel-san, who was standing by me and the Demon King, rolled her eyes at the words that came out of the Demon King''s mouth.


    "I never thought the day would come when I would be thanked by you. ......"


    "I''ve never seen the Demon Lord say thank you before."


    "Aren''t you guys being too rude?"


    The demon king sighs with his brow furrowed at the reaction of Ciel and me.


    I was really surprised.


    But I guess this incident must have been troublesome for him too.


    "As for the people we captured, we''ll hand them over to them.


    "Koger told me I would be present during the interrogation?"


    Yeah, it''s more convenient that way.


    I know that, so I have nothing to say.


    As for me, I want to know how to get into the Demon Lord''s territory and who hired the lackeys.


    Couldn''t you have prevented it from happening this time?


    That''s my fault. I''m not going to make excuses.


    "...... No, I''m sorry I sounded like I was blaming you."


    I know that the Demon King is in trouble, and I apologize for my thoughtless remarks.


    He is the one who stabilizes the environment of the Demon Lord''s territory through magic and is the core of the reconstruction of the city.


    "Now that we have the outline of the expanded city, we are going to devote more manpower to guarding the city. I myself will finally be able to finish one of the tasks, so I can also activate the sensing type of magic.


    "Then I guess we can rest easy from now on."


    I guess this incident was really in the wrong place at the wrong time.


    It was a success because it took place before the Demon Lord put more effort into guarding the place, and normally we wouldn''t even be able to get close to it, would we?


    Nero will be in charge of the security.


    "What, no way. ......"


    We can''t even get close to the city.


    But it''s too good to have Mr. Nero in charge of security.


    So much for the recent turmoil.


    What''s more?


    Yes. Yeah. Make yourself comfortable.


    So it''s personal from here.


    I take a cup of tea to calm down and listen to what the Demon King has to say.


    It''s about a girl named Keira.


    Yes?¡¡What about Keira?


    She seemed to be the focus of my attention when we had talked before, but what did she have to say ......?


    I wondered, and the demon king, leaning his elbows on the table, continued.


    "The girl will be entrusted to the Kingdom of Lingle."


    "What about ......?"


    I was taken aback by the proposal, which skipped several steps.


    What, sending Keira to the Lingle Kingdom?¡¡It doesn''t even sound like a joke. ......Why would the Demon King say such a thing?


    "I''ve told you before that her magic is very rare. I''ve been made aware of that once again, including in this case."


    "So much for ......."


    "Yes, the devil knows how useful she is. It is not unlikely that they will take her as a pawn, as a hostage to you."


    ...... not so low, huh?


    Keira''s magic has that much potential.


    "I could probably protect her myself, but as you can see, we''re a bit short-handed. But as you can see, we are short-handed.


    "I''m not going to stay in the Lingle Kingdom forever, either."


    I have an approximate location in mind for my next stop when I return to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    In that case, it would not be a good idea to leave Keira behind in the Lingle Kingdom.


    "Don''t get me wrong. I''m not leaving her with you personally.


    "What?"


    I''m saying I''m putting you in charge of your own lifeguard unit.


    "...... I see."


    The words of the Demon Lord make sense to me.


    Not me, but the lifeguard.


    "It''s true that any being that comes near the Commander will be able to strike back.


    "Your master is as outstanding as Nero, you know."


    The question is whether or not Rose will take the story. ...... should be fine on this one.


    I''m sure she will accept it even though she seems to be in trouble, because I know her character.


    "I''ll explain it to Keira anyway."


    "Yeah, I''m sure they''ll agree anyway."


    "Eh ...... is that right?"


    I''m sure he''ll be more than happy to go along with you.


    He''s already convinced.


    But even if it''s the Demon King''s proposal, it''s still a bit of a long shot.


    I will explain it to Keira as a proposal from the Demon King.


    I''ll explain it to Keira as a proposal made by the Demon Lord.


    When I left the hall where the Demon King was and returned to the dormitory where Aruk and the others were staying, I found Bulrin and Nair there after taking the kidnappers back to the city.


    Nair, who had been sitting on Bulrin''s back waiting for me, waved to me when she noticed me.


    "I''m back now!"


    "Guah!"


    Welcome back. I just finished reporting to the demon king.


    It seems that the kidnappers have already been taken away and they just need to rest.


    "You did a great job today, Bulrin. You can rest now."


    "Grua!"


    If it weren''t for him, we wouldn''t have found those kids so fast.


    After a pat on the head and a squint, Bulrin enters the stables and lies down.


    The familiar sight makes you smile and then you talk to Neah.


    "What are you going to do after this?"


    I''m tired and I''m going to sleep here. Hannah will go back over there and she will explain the situation to you.


    It''s getting late.


    I nodded to Nea''s words and went into the dormitory where I usually stay and found Uluru in the living room.


    It seemed that she had been waiting for our return, too.


    "Usato-kun!¡¡Are the children all right?


    I replied, worried when Uluru-san came up to me with great force as soon as she saw me.


    "Yes, they are. Yes, they are safe and unhurt because we rescued them immediately. They are safe and sound now that they are with their guardians.


    "I see. ...... Thank goodness."


    With that, Mr. Uluru let out a breath and sat down in his chair as if he were weak.


    He must have been worried about the children for a long time.


    "What about Aruk and the others?"


    "Oh, I forgot to mention that I saw Aruk and the others when they were taking the kidnappers away. Maybe they''re watching or checking on you?"


    "N¨¦a, you''re right, they went to the people they caught just before Usato came here."


    I see what you mean.


    It would be a big problem if we provoked them or something and offended them.


    I can understand why Aruk and the others are on their way to prepare for such a situation.


    Uluru-san... were you okay by yourself?


    "I''m fine. And I was waiting here because I knew Usato would be back soon.


    It will be lonely without anyone when I get back!¡¡Uluru-san smiles cheerfully.


    You were waiting for me .......


    Uluru-san claps his hands and looks at me and Nair.


    "Oh, Usato-kun, N¨¦a-chan, are you hungry?


    "Uh, yes."


    "You look so hungry."


    Come to think of it, I haven''t eaten anything since lunch.


    Suddenly I''m very hungry.


    "I was too worried to eat anything, so I''ll make you something now!"


    I see Uluru-san running to the kitchen in a flurry, perhaps feeling relieved and energized.


    "She''s really healthy, isn''t she?


    "That''s why I brought you here."


    One of her strengths is her ability to treat everyone with open arms.


    I myself am partly helped by this.


    Quiet time passes for a while as I listen to the sound of Uluru-san cooking dinner in the kitchen.


    I meditate and pass the time by spinning my magic without thinking about anything in particular..,


    "Hey, Usato."


    "Hmm?"


    --- Nair calls out to me unexpectedly.


    I look at her elbows on the table, and she says something rather languid.


    We''re going back to Lingle Kingdom soon, aren''t we?


    "Yeah, I guess so."


    There is little more for us to do here.


    I''m done helping the Demon Lord, and the troops are ready to train without me.


    I would like to stay a little longer, but rules are rules, and I can''t extend my stay at my own discretion.


    "I''ve really enjoyed my life here, after all.


    "Well, that sounds like fun. ...... in many ways."


    ...... has some connotations.


    I glance at Nair and she hurriedly changes the subject.


    "Where are you going to go next?"


    Next?


    After the demon king''s territory. I know you''re going back to the Ringle Kingdom for a while, but haven''t you decided something?


    You''re being too hasty.


    I want to see how my senpai is doing in the Lingle Kingdom, and I want to see how much Nack has grown up in Ms. Olga''s clinic.


    "......I''m not going right away, okay?"


    "But you''ve already decided, haven''t you?"


    I can''t help but shrug my shoulders as Nair smiles at me, as if he knew what I was going to do.


    I guess I''ll just have to tell N¨¦a.


    "The next place I''m thinking of going to is Calm Helio, I think."


    Why?


    One of the reasons is that it''s Shea''s hometown.


    When I talked with Shea in the poisoned land where the demon king''s power was sealed before, I heard about her hometown and her family.


    If Sia''s family lives somewhere in Calm Helio, I would like to find out if there is any information about Sia''s safety and what is possessing her.


    "Shea also said that she found Mr. Hisago''s body near her hometown. That''s where she implanted the memory."


    That''s a good point. We should look into it.


    Hisago''s body.


    If it was there, there must be some clue.


    "But we can''t move right away. Today, the Demon Lord asked me to do something for him again.


    Yeah, what now?


    "To take Keira to the Kingdom of Lingle."


    "...... Huh?"


    I explain the same thing to Nea, who has almost the same reaction as me.


    At first she seems doubtful, but as soon as she hears what I have to say, she is convinced.


    "As for me, I have no complaints, but ......"


    But?


    "But?" "Nack''s in trouble."


    "Uh, yeah, I guess so."


    I think Nack might be in trouble because he suddenly has more friends his own age.


    Maybe he couldn''t make many friends in Lukvis because of his surroundings.


    "And Suzune, too."


    "....... Senpai will be fine."


    "Hey, maybe you''re paralyzed by Veena and Hannah, but Suzune is pretty good, too, you know?¡¡She''s the hardest to deal with because she''s not afraid of you.


    I''m a little scared of my senior''s reaction when I took Keira to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    And since Keira will be in the care of the lifeguard, she will inevitably have to live in a dormitory with her senpai. ...... Yeah ...... let''s let Nair and Ferrum do their best.


    "......I''m getting chills, but it''s just my imagination, right?¡¡Usato?¡¡Why are you looking away?¡¡Usato?"


    "Oh, by the way, I''m hungry."


    "Look at me ......!!!"


    Nair leans forward and grabs my head between her hands, trying to turn me forward, but I fight back, straining the muscles in my neck.


    "Ggggg!!!!¡¡I can''t turn around at all!


    I wonder how Ferrum is doing.


    She seems to be getting along with her senpai somehow, but I''m sure she''s going to hit me when I get back .......

 439 - - 388th episode.

    Three days have passed since we captured the kidnappers.


    In the meantime, we had to interrogate them, and we were able to extract information from them more easily than we had expected .......


    Well, with Nair''s special human ability and Hanna''s magic, they had nothing to hide, but the fact that the kidnappers looked so weak was probably one of the reasons.


    <<>


    No, I feel sorry that I have been affected so much already.


    But it was worth it. The information we obtained was useful for both us and the demons.


    I think I understand why the Demon Lord finds you interesting.


    "Don''t you understand?"


    After the interrogation, I was even more dismayed by what Amira said to me as I was slumped over in the other room.


    This man was also present at the interrogation, but he seemed to be a little taken aback by the reactions of the kidnappers.


    "There''s hardly a time when this guy doesn''t try something funny."


    Koga, who was sitting opposite me, said this with amusement.


    "I''m not always doing interesting things," he said.


    "You''ve been doing some crazy shit all the time, at least for the past two months."


    You''re right, "always" is a bit of a stretch: ......!!!


    What the hell do you think I am?


    Your messenger and Hannah were all over the place.


    "I''ve learned that when the interests of a bad girl duo coincide, it''s a big deal. ......"


    Both of them had a very strange way of interrogating people.


    I couldn''t see them, but they were probably showing me some of their memories of when I caught them as an illusionary magic.


    In doing so, Nair was verbally chasing them down.


    <<>


    <>


    >


    During this time, both of them are smiling the whole time.


    It was really devilish of them to catch up with me like a fish out of water even though I was right behind them.


    I am left wondering why they were shaking at times when they saw me. ...... Well, let''s not worry about that.


    "But you got the information you needed."


    "Yes, I''ll just leave the rest to the higher-ups."


    An assembled bridge prepared for the clandestine infiltration of the Demon Lord''s territory.


    The names and identities of the slavers who hired the kidnappers.


    The place and time they were supposed to deliver the kidnapped children.


    I conveyed this information to the Kingdom of Lingle in Hooverdale.


    "You can rest assured that we will not be able to do so until we have captured the main group of people. But at least we should strengthen our security to prevent such a thing from happening in the future.


    At first glance, this may seem like a solution, but there are still many issues that need to be addressed in the Demon Lord''s territory.


    As I was thinking this, suddenly someone knocked on the door of the room we were in.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Amira-san responds to the knock.


    It''s probably a security guard, but what''s going on?


    <


    "To Usato?"


    "I haven''t heard anything. ...... Keira?"


    Well, if that''s the case, it''s a little quicker, but .......


    I asked him to let me in, but it was not Keira but Amako who came in.


    "Is Usato there?"


    "Oh, it''s Amako. Did you come alone?


    "I was with Kannagi until halfway, but she said she had to talk to the Demon King, so I came here alone."


    So that''s how it is.


    Well, now that Amako is here, I guess I''d better get Nair back and head to my next appointment.


    I''m going to see Keira now.


    "I don''t mind. Do you want to go check on Lam?


    "Yes, that''s one thing, but I also want to talk to Keira."


    "Talk?"


    Amako tilts her head and I think it''s a good time to explain to Amira and Koga that the Demon Lord has proposed to leave Keira in the care of the rescue team.


    After listening to the explanation, the three men looked surprised but satisfied.


    "You''re going to send that girl to the Lingle Kingdom ......? I see. It''s true that the current demon king''s territory is unstable in some areas, so it would be safer to leave her with you guys.


    "Well, Keira''s dark magic is a rare type. I can understand your concern that demons might target her.


    It''s quite different compared to the aggressive dark magic of the Kogas.


    But then again, Koga himself has only recently discovered the strange ability of altering himself, so I guess I can''t speak for others too much.


    "Couldn''t Koga fly too if he wanted to?"


    "Of course he could, but even if he flew with my magic wings, he would just be gliding. Keira''s magic is unusual because it doesn''t matter if it''s wings or not, it floats.


    "...... indeed."


    Keira''s dark magic is more like floating than flying.


    It''s not that she''s flapping her wings, but that she floats on a mysterious principle, so perhaps the demon king appreciates that part of her magic.


    "That''s why we''re going."


    "Oh, I''ll take care of the rest. "Oh, I''m sure Amira will take care of the rest.


    Hey, leave it to others.


    Koga glances at Amira, who is smiling at him, and she is smirking at him, looking rather angry.


    "Oh, come on, what''s with that smile? It''s creepy. ......?"


    "Kkkkkk, it''s about time."


    What?¡¡What are you...


    At that moment, the door opens with a bang, almost onomatopoeic, and a girl with long braided hair --- Senri-sama --- bursts into the room.


    "I heard that Koga-san takes his work seriously!


    "What?¡¡Senri?


    I called her in advance.


    "You guys don''t have a connection!"


    ...... Oh.


    I introduced her to Amira during the early morning training today when she mentioned that she would like to talk to Senri, but I didn''t ...... think it was for this?


    "Oh, so that''s why Amira-san said she wanted to talk to Senri-sama before she came here."


    Yeah, we got along better than I thought we would.


    "Yes, we met once and became friends!"


    It''s like they became friends through physical language or something. ......?


    I was surprised at this, and Koga, looking desperate, pointed at me.


    "You can''t be serious!¡¡You, Usato!¡¡You''re responsible for helping..."


    "Ah, ah!¡¡Amako!¡¡I''ll be there as soon as I can!


    At any rate, I went outside with Amako and closed the door before the fire could spread to me.


    After that, I hear Koga''s vindictive voice, but ...... well, I hope he''ll do well at this point.


    "What''s next, Usato?"


    "I''m going to pick up Nair, who''s in the other room, doing his dirty work."


    We walk to the room where Neah and Hannah, a pair of evil women, are currently working on a plan to further interrogate the kidnappers.


    As I do so, Amako, who was walking next to me, looks up at me.


    "Is it true that Keira is coming to the Lingle Kingdom?"


    "As far as I''m concerned, Keira''s will is the highest priority, so she''ll have to make the final decision.


    As in the case of Ferrum, it is the person''s will that counts first.


    We can''t force them to leave because Keira''s family, the Grefs, are here.


    "But I think Keira will do well in the rescue group ......."


    "I''m sure we''ll get along somehow."


    He may be only a child, but he has not been traveling with Mr. Gref for a long time.


    He probably knows more than I do when it comes to travel experience.


    The problem is the tin.


    "....... Like Nair, do you guys think he''s dangerous?"


    "I don''t think he''s dangerous, but I do think he''s weird."


    Amako''s words are very sharp.


    "What does Usato think of Suzune?"


    "What do you think ......?"


    That''s a bit of a change of pace.


    Amako looked up at me in distress and continued to speak.


    "For some reason, I''ve never heard of anything like that."


    "Hmmm ......"


    I don''t know, it''s like a being that cheers me up when he is around me.


    It''s hard to describe in words. .......


    I thought about it for a few seconds and managed to answer with a groan.


    "I don''t tell him, but I respect him ...... and think he''s a great person. I''m not going to tell ...... him, but..."


    "Say it twice: ......."


    I''m too embarrassed to tell him.


    He''s going to either make fun of me or be embarrassed.


    "Well, here we are."


    We arrive at the room where Nair is, knock on the door, and open it.


    And then..,


    "Hmmm, how about we use Devil Usato here to scare them even more and make them throw up?"


    "Uh-huh, that sounds good. Since these idiots are probably doing a lot of evil things they haven''t confessed yet, let''s make them tell us all about their other crimes along with their screams of fear.


    ""Mmmmmmmmmmmm.""


    ""......""


    Once the door is closed, Amaco looks at each other and sighs.


    I was kind of glad they were on our side.


    I wonder if I''ll have to get in on the duo''s shenanigans now at .........


    I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do anything about it.


    We take N¨¦a, who has been misbehaving, with us to the house where Keira and her friends live.


    Since we had told them in advance that we were coming, Ram and Rose greeted us right away and we went to talk with Keira and Mr. Greffe.


    "---That''s why."


    "A proposal from the Demon Lord. Keira, what do you want?"


    I quickly explained what I wanted to do, and Mr. Gref nodded his head and asked Keira.


    Well, I don''t think I''m going to get an answer right away, so I pause for a moment and..,


    "I''ll be there."


    "What?"


    "I''m coming."


    So, immediate answer ......?


    I was surprised at Keira''s answer, as if she was already leaning forward on the table, but Amako and Nea seemed to know exactly what I was talking about.


    "Well, I guess you''re right.


    "I don''t need to see it as a premonition."


    I was the only one who didn''t understand. ......?


    No, but it''s the Kingdom of Lingle, right?


    Even though it''s a neighboring kingdom, it''s far away from the demon king''s territory,...... and isn''t it great that you can make a decision or something so quickly,......?


    I want to go to Lingle Kingdom!


    I''m going to be away from Gref for a while.


    "I''m fine!"


    "I''m fine!" "Fine"?


    I looked at Mr. Greff and he nodded his head with a wry smile.


    He nodded his head while smiling at me. "I know it''s Keira''s own choice, but I have no reason to oppose leaving her with you guys.


    "Yes, is that so?"


    I wouldn''t do it to those guys, would I?¡¡You''re the only one I''m trusting with it.


    Mr. Gref''s words of trust make me a little itchy.


    "In fact, I''d say your organization is the safest place on the continent. Ha-ha-ha."


    "No. ......... Oh, maybe. Ha-ha-ha."


    I was about to deny it, but then I thought of Rose and the other members of the rescue team and realized that I was not mistaken.


    Nagi will be here just in time for Keira''s return. .......


    "But I''m worried about whether she''ll be able to manage on her own."


    Oh, then don''t worry. Nair and Ferrum are also in the lifeguard dormitory, so you won''t have to worry about that. There are also other children of the same age.


    And the seniors.


    Ferrum may be a little sloppy, but Nair is quite a caring person, so you can trust him to take care of you.


    "I can''t help it. I''ll take care of her.


    "You''re not even a little bit surprised."


    "What did I say?"


    Amako mumbles in a whisper, and Nair stares at her with a stern stare.


    ...... But Keira is coming to the Kingdom of Lingle?


    She''s only known the Demon King''s territory up until now, and this will be her first chance to get to know the outside world.


    "Keira, good luck!"


    "Yeah, I''ll be your best pupil. ......!


    "Oh, oh ......?"


    It is amazing that he is so motivated.


    "...... Lingle Kingdom, huh?"


    Soon our two-month stay will be over and we will return to the Kingdom of Lingle.


    Although we have lost some of our baskets in this short time, we have gained a lot in terms of technology. But I know that it is not enough.


    The challenges are endless, but we will continue to move forward as we have in the past.

 440 - - 389th episode.

    Many things have happened since I was sent to the demon king''s territory.


    I trained Koga''s men, recruited and trained new troops.


    I even retrieved a fragment of the Demon King''s power, which he had requested.


    Looking back, it was a very intense two months, but the end was near.


    "......"


    I visited the building next to the house of the Demon King, where the bodies of Rose''s men were laid to rest, and I touched the coffin in which they were buried and kept my eyes down.


    I touch the coffin in which they are buried, and my eyes fall to the ground.


    And Mr. Ahl will be released from the hands of the devil.


    I mutter this with a sense of determination and remove my hand from the coffin, calling out to Keira, who is standing by my side.


    "...... Keira, please."


    "Yes, sir."


    A shadow crawls up from under Keira''s feet and changes into the shape of a cloak.


    The cloak spread wide on the floor and sucked in the six coffins like a bottomless swamp.


    "They''re in!"


    "Thank you. Well then, let''s get back before we keep the others waiting.


    "Yes!"


    I smile at Keira, who seems to be in good spirits, and leave the building.


    "We are leaving now, have you talked to Mr. Greff?"


    "Yes, I did. Gref was kind enough to send me off. ...... I''ll miss him a little, but I''ll be sure to send him lots of letters.


    "I see."


    "The hard part is that Ram and Rose are starting to beg to go, too.


    "Ha, ha."


    As expected, Ram and Rose are still too young.


    But I''m glad to see that neither of them has been traumatized by the incident the other day.


    "You''re only going to be under the protection of the lifeguard, so you''re not obligated to participate in any training or anything like that.


    "Yes, I''ll do my best. ......!"


    "Uh-huh. ......?"


    You know what I mean?


    You seem very enthusiastic.


    "Before we meet up with Aruk-san, we have to tell the Demon Lord to ........."


    I was planning to leave the building with Keira and stop by the Demon King''s mansion next, but when I see a large figure standing in front of the entrance, I approach him with a smile on my face.


    "Aren''t you busy?"


    "Yes, I am. I''m taking time for you. You should be grateful.


    --- Before we could show our faces, the Demon Lord was already waiting for us in front of the entrance to the hall.


    He is tall and intimidating, so he has a great presence just standing there with his arms crossed.


    The Witch King shifts his gaze from me to Keira, and his eyes narrow.


    "So you''re Keira!"


    "Yes, yes!"


    Keira is a little intimidated by the Demon King, who is not only a good opponent but also very intimidating.


    Thinking it''s understandable, I talk to Keira.


    "Don''t worry. The Demon King is not as scary as he says he is, and he will forgive a certain amount of rudeness.


    You''re too rude, though."


    "See?"


    I smile through the Demon King''s words, and Keira nods her head, albeit awkwardly.


    Maybe he prefers a casual way of speaking rather than being overly respectful.


    "Next stop, Calm Helio or thereabouts?"


    You know what I''m talking about.


    "I didn''t expect to find his body in a country associated with the heroic. I have a bad feeling about this.


    "Please stop trying to flag things in a weird way: ......"


    To be honest, I''ve been feeling it for some time.


    In the first place, there is even a possibility that there are more troublesome incidents happening in that country that involve me and my senpai.


    No, the trouble the Demon King is worried about might be that.


    "I''m not particularly worried about you, but don''t stray too far from the crowd.


    "I''m sorry, I''m only human."


    What a thing to say, this guy.


    The demon king, whose mouth twists in amusement at my quip, flips his hand lightly and turns his back to me.


    "I''m looking forward to seeing what you''re going to do now, Usato.


    With these final words, the Demon Lord returned to his mansion.


    I sighed as I was left there, and Keira looked up at me.


    "The Demon Lord and Usato-san are good friends, aren''t they? ......"


    "Ha ha ......"


    If not having to pay attention to each other is what we call being good friends, then maybe we are good friends.


    Maybe ...... no, though I''m sure that the King and I would never say it out loud either.


    I''m sure he''ll never say it.


    Keira and I left the pavilion and headed for our lodgings.


    I was told that everyone else was at their lodgings preparing for their return, so I went back to my room to carry my luggage as soon as I got back.


    "Usato-dono, we are ready for you.


    Yes, sir. Mr. Aruk.


    I nodded to Mr. Arc, who called out to me through the open door, and I took my luggage and went out into the hallway.


    "Are you going to meet up with Senri-sama and Helena-san later?"


    "Yes. We are going to meet them at the outer gate of the city. The demons will come to see us off at that time.


    Seeing them off.


    That''s a little embarrassing.


    When I went outside the inn with Mr. Arc, Keira, Uluru, Amako, Nagi, and Nair were already waiting for us, and behind them, Krumia and the knights were loading their horses.


    Behind them, Krumia and the knights are loading their horses. Among them is Bulrin, who is wearing a special saddle, and when he notices me, he slinks up to me.


    "Guah!"


    "Good morning, Bulrin. Good morning, Bulrin. You''re doing a great job of listening to Mr. Krumia.


    "Gua!"


    Uluru calls out to me as I place my bags on his back, patting him on the head as he makes one more noise and taps his foot.


    "Good morning, Usato-kun!


    "Good morning, Mr. Usato!"


    "Good morning to you too, Bulrin!"


    "Gru!"


    Uluru-san reaches out to pet Bulrin casually after me ......, but Bulrin sniffs and avoids his hand.


    It seems that in Bulrin''s mind, the treatment of senpai and Uluru-san is still the same.


    She looks at the hand that cut the void for a moment in dismay, then puts her hand on her head as if to fool me, and turns back to me with a tremble in her voice.


    "H-Hmmm, Usato-kun, did you forget something?"


    "Uh, uh, no, I''m fine. In the first place, I only have a change of clothes and some books in my luggage.


    I have my books too, so don''t forget them!"


    Nair says this to me as I reply to Uluru.


    Don''t worry, I put my book in my bag. I''m sure you''ll be able to find it at ....... Or, since it''s your baggage, why don''t you just carry it?


    I''m sure you''ll be fine, Mr. Nagi.¡¡We are going to Lingle Kingdom from now on.


    Hm?¡¡Yeah, don''t worry about that.


    I had not been able to ask him until today for some reason, so I will ask Mr. Nagi about going back to the Lingle Kingdom again.


    I should be considerate about this, since it is as if I had called him when he was relaxing in the land of the beastmen.


    "It is enough for me to have seen with my own eyes what my sister and her family have created and spun out into the present time. Besides, it seems that the lifeguard is very accepting of me.


    "Yes, I can assure you of that."


    I have already informed the Commander about Ms. Nagi in advance, so she should be fine.


    Besides, with a physical ability like hers, I''m sure she can participate in the lifeguard training, and I''m looking forward to training with her.


    While we are having this conversation, Uluru-san suddenly approaches Nagi-san.


    "I''m surprised too!¡¡I didn''t know that the new member of the group is such a beautiful person!


    "I can''t believe she''s so ...... beautiful!


    "You''re beautiful!¡¡It''s like Amako just grew up!¡¡Can I call you Kannagi-chan from now on?


    "Chan!


    Nagi is a little taken back by the girl''s comic ability with a big smile on her face, but she looks away from him, perhaps embarrassed.


    Come to think of it, Nagi-san is about the same age as senpai and Uluru-san, isn''t he?


    "Hey, Usato. Do you think Uluru is calling me small or promising?


    Amako looks up at me next to her and says something like that, but it''s very hard for me to answer. .......


    I think it''s time for Amaco to start growing taller.


    "Oh. ...... Usato-dono, we are ready to move."


    "Yes, sir. Keira, are you ready to get into the cloak now?"


    "Yes!"


    With a "Yes!", Keira steps into her cloak, and the cloak is attached to my shoulders.


    Now I am ready to go.


    We will now head for the outer gate where we will meet.


    I am ready to go.


    In front of the outer gate, there were already soldiers sent from the Kingdom of Nirvarna, led by Ms. Helena, and the princess, Lady Senri.


    And in front of her stood Koga with a bewildered look on his face, his hands clasped in a way that would prevent her from escaping.


    "My Lady K?ga, I have enjoyed so many sweet memories of our honeymoon with you."


    "You''re the one who stormed into my house on your own, aren''t you?"


    "It has become my daily routine to see your sleeping face every morning, but I will miss you tomorrow."


    "That''s what you said when you came to live in my house on your own, right?"


    "I train hard every day..."


    "Your expressions are a little weird.¡¡You''re trying to fill the outer moat by planting false rumors around us!


    The outer moat has already been filled, so we''re just trying to catch up now.


    "I think we''re in for something more serious than that!"


    Koga is getting upset with Senri, who is making comments that could really be misunderstood by those who don''t know anything about the situation.


    I have already said goodbye to my men, so they are not here, but Nero, Amira, Hannah, Keira and ...... Gref who came to see Keira off are here.


    "It looks like you''re going back to the Lingle Kingdom."


    Yes. Thank you for spending two months with me in training.


    No, I''ve had my fair share of fun.


    I thank Mr. Nero, who has recently been assigned to the city guard, again.


    He has been a great help to me during my training.


    "Do you have any message for the Commander?"


    "No, I don''t need to. He and I are going our separate ways.


    "I see. ....... Well, I''m sure you''ll get a very strong response if you tell them.


    I wonder if Mr. Nero has been able to look forward.


    Only Mr. Nero himself can know that, and I don''t think I''m tactless enough to bother asking him that.


    But ...... I feel that he is no longer lost when we are talking like this.


    Thank you for all the help you''ve given me, Hannah.


    "It''s true, it''s true. It''s been really hard since you came."


    Ha-ha-ha.


    I laugh at her as she says this while turning her head to the side.


    I''ve caused her a lot of trouble and taken care of her too, you know. But I think we''ve gotten along quite well.


    "...... huh?"


    "Isn''t it a bit rude to sigh in someone''s face?"


    "No, you see. The other day, there was talk that you and Amira-san might be given a new position by the Demon King. ......"


    "What kind of position?"


    "It''s something similar to an intermediary between the Demon King''s Domain and the Lingle Kingdom. ...... I''ll be visiting the Lingle Kingdom frequently from now on."


    I see. It is true that the number of exchanges between the Lingle Kingdom and the Demon King''s Domain will increase in the future, and so will the number of such jobs.


    I can understand why the Demon Lord would entrust such a role to Amira and Hannah, whom he trusts.


    "So I sigh when I think that I will see Usato-kun''s no-nonsense face again."


    "Well, I''ll show you the lifeguards then."


    "Oh, I don''t like it. ......"


    I tell her without changing my smile.


    "Don''t worry. Almost all of us are resistant to illusion magic.


    You just said, "Don''t worry!¡¡What''s there to be relieved about?


    Well, I mean that you can talk naturally without having to go out of your way to deceive others.


    Of course, I have nothing personal ...... against you.


    "So, you''re the last one."


    "I ain''t the last one to like you."


    Koga, who is the last to speak, sighs as he looks sideways at the smiling face of Senri-sama.


    We''ve been talking for a while now, haven''t we?


    "Wake up early in the morning."


    "Oh."


    "Take your work seriously."


    "Oh."


    Don''t fight with anyone.


    "Are you my guardian or something?"


    That''s about all I have to say.


    I feel like I''m going to see this guy for some reason, and it doesn''t feel like a goodbye.


    "No, there''s nothing more to say than I thought there would be, and I''m confused.


    "You mean in front of him? ......"


    Coga scratches his head in dismay.


    He''s going to have to lead the troops now, isn''t he?


    I have to act as a person who is firmly in a higher position, not as an appropriate person as when I was the commander of the second corps.


    I myself am not in a position to speak highly of myself, so I can''t say this or that. .......


    "Well, I''m sure you''ll get along just fine.


    "That''s easy for you to say, really."


    They''ll do whatever it takes.


    At least Koga has grown up in the last two months.


    "Keep up the good work, kooga."


    "Ha, ...... got it."


    Coga nodded with a wry smile.


    With those last words, I get on the back of the burin.


    ......Though a lot has happened, the two months in the Demon Lord''s territory have been fun in their own way.


    "After all, the most archenemy of all is Usato-san,......!"


    "Hey, Usato. Senri is staring at me. ......


    "Oh, don''t worry about it. ...... yeah."


    Maybe Koga will have a harder time after this.


    Somehow, with this thought in my mind, I start to move forward to return to the Kingdom of Lingle.

 441 - - 390.

    After saying goodbye to Koger and the others, we left Verhazal and headed for the border of the Demon Lord''s territory, the Great River, traveling by horseback as we had done on our previous trip.


    The road was better paved than the one we had traveled on the way there, so we were able to reach our destination smoothly.


    And here we parted from Senri-sama ...... and Nirvarna''s group.


    We have had a very productive couple of months.


    No, thank you very much for all your help.


    He accepts the handshake offered by Mr. Senri.


    I thought he was an extraordinary person when he came to the city......No, he''s still an extraordinary person, but now that he''s calmed down somewhat, he seems more rational and intelligent.


    ......Well, he gets a little out of control when Koga is involved, but I guess that''s part of his charm.


    "So, Mr. Usato, may I have a word with you ......?"


    "......Why are you tightening your handshake?"


    Senri-sama suddenly tightens his handshake so that I can''t escape, and I pull my cheeks back.


    "Actually, I have a sister, the third princess..."


    "Uh, no, that''s ......."


    D¨¦j¨¤ vu!


    Another pattern of people being set up on blind dates without their consent?


    Senri-sama giggles at my unintentionally tense face.


    "I''m just kidding. I have a younger sister, but she''s only five years old.


    "Shhh, don''t do that, it''s bad for the heart."


    It''s payback for the other day."


    I can''t say anything when they put that out there: .......


    As I was patting my chest in relief, Helena and the others behind Senri-sama had the same expression on their faces as I did.


    "Senri-sama, please don''t do that, we who are listening to you were also harassed. ......"


    "Heh."


    Helena''s shoulders drop as she smiles mischievously at him.


    Chuckling at the exchange, I call out to her this time.


    "Thank you very much, Helena-san.


    "I''m the one who wants to thank you. Thanks to you and Mr. Koga, Senri''s outburst was kept to a minimum."


    That was minimal ......?


    Perhaps he was planning to challenge anyone to a duel of engagement?


    That would be a terrible story.


    "What are you going to do now, Senri-sama?¡¡I mean, what about Koger?


    Of course, I will report this to your father.


    I''m in a lot of trouble, depending on what it is.


    Even though he had forgiven me somewhat, I felt sorry for Koga if he proceeded without question, so I tried to admonish him.


    "That''s..."


    "You don''t have to tell everyone.


    But she interrupts my voice and smiles.


    It was a cheerful smile, different from the kind of smile that ...... I had seen in the past, where I could feel her fighting spirit.


    "I have already found my feelings, so I will take time to deepen our friendship from now on."


    "!¡¡Then I guess it''s going to be all right."


    "Yes, now the real engagement duel begins!"


    I don''t know about that line, but I think Koga is in for a rough ride.


    But then I felt like cheering for Senri-sama.


    "Please come to the Kingdom of Nirvarna this time. A warrior of your caliber would be most welcome.


    "I''m also interested in the national culture of Nirvarna, so please let me know if you are interested."


    Yes. I look forward to seeing you again.


    She exchanges a few words with Master Senri and then sends off her and the warriors of the Kingdom of Nirvarna.


    The Kingdom of Nirvarna is full of physical people.


    I would like to visit there someday if I have a chance, because I am very curious about what kind of training they have.


    I would like to visit there someday if I have a chance.


    It was getting late at night, and we decided to camp at a watchtower near the river.


    Nagi-san was going to serve us dinner, so we helped him and waited for the dinner to be ready.


    Aruk and the others were keeping a watchful eye on us, but I myself was also emitting weak healing magic vibrations and sensing healing around me, and since there were two people with precognition magic, there was almost no chance of a surprise attack.


    "Okay, it''s done!"


    Nagi-san stirs the soup in the pot and distributes a bowl of soup to each person.


    The soup is cooked with wild plants and dried meat for portability.


    The soup is flavored with herbs and other ingredients, and the seasoning is just right, so that it seems to permeate the entire body from the stomach down.


    It has a delicious sweet and sour taste.


    "I ground up a few different kinds of nuts. I''m relieved to see that the flavors are coming through."


    Nagi-san looks a little embarrassed, but the food is really delicious.


    I''ll bring some to Mr. Aruk, who is watching over us, later.


    "This used to be my sister''s ...... specialty."


    "My ancestors?"


    Nagi nodded at Amako''s words.


    She looked at the soup in the bowl in her hand and smiled as if remembering the old days.


    She smiled as if reminiscing about the old days. "My sister was a kind person, even though she was a bit of a goofball. I made you worry until the last time I saw you. ......"


    "She was like a mother to you."


    "Yes, it is. He really was like Mr. Kanoko. The way she would disappear as soon as you took your eyes off of her, ha ha ha."


    Mr. Nagi gives a half smile as if he really feels it.


    However, I can understand that her sister was an important family member for Nagi-san. I think it must have been a strange feeling for her to be working together with her descendants, Amako and Kanoko.......


    "Well, as for me, it''s good that I''ll be on cooking duty more often."


    "Until now it was just Alec. Now that the number of people in the dormitory has increased, it would be better if there were more people who can cook.


    "Oh, I don''t want you to get your hopes up too much ...... because I''m rather unfamiliar with formal cooking ......."


    Mr. Nagi is somewhat dismayed by Nair and Uluru.


    It is true that with the addition of a new dormitory and the increase in the number of members, Alec, who is always in charge of cooking for the lifeguard corps, is going to have a heavy workload.


    On the other hand, some of the other tough guys ...... are never allowed to stand in the kitchen, and I can chop vegetables and handle fish, but I''m not very good at cooking.


    But well, I''m sure you''re a good cook.


    "You can do anything, Suzune. Her personality is a little strange.


    He is a perfect superhuman who would be impeccable if he didn''t show his true character .......


    Well, for me, I feel that the senior who is just like her is more like <>, so now I feel uncomfortable with the perfect one.


    "At last, tomorrow we''ll be in the Lingle Kingdom. ......"


    As I was thinking this, Keira, who had been sitting quietly next to me, looked down at her plate of soup and muttered something like that.


    Uluru-san overheard her muttering and called out to her in a bouncy voice.


    "Keira, are you looking forward to Lingle Kingdom?"


    "Yes, I am. I''ve only known the inside of the demon king''s territory!¡¡I''m glad to know the outside world!


    Keira nodded happily at Uluru''s voice.


    The streets of Lingle Kingdom have a different atmosphere from that of the Demon King''s territory, so Keira might be surprised by it.


    "And I''m looking forward to meeting Mr. Ferrum!


    "Yeah, I''m sure Ferrum will be pleased too."


    She was the most accommodating to Keira.


    ...... I''m afraid she''ll think I''ve recruited Keira to the rescue squad and hit me on the way out.


    "...... hmmm."


    But I wonder if Ferrum and his senpai are getting along.


    I''m sure he''s fine, but I really don''t know how Ferrum is doing.


    "I''m looking forward to seeing you when I get back, Usato-kun."


    "Yes, I''m sure she''s learning a lot from Olga-san."


    Helping out at the clinic sounds simple enough, but in fact, it is to watch Mr. Olga, an expert in healing magic, work his craft at his side.


    I am looking forward to hearing what he sees and learns from working with Olga.


    I will have to introduce Nack to Keira then, too.


    "Yes, I''m looking forward to it. Yeah, really."


    We''re about the same age.


    I know that neither of them are quarrelsome, and Nack is also normal with Ferrum, who is a demon, so I''m sure they''ll be fine.


    "......Nea. Is it possible that Keira has a rivalry with Nack?"


    "Maybe it''s a possessive desire to be the best pupil. Well, she''s cute for her age.


    "Should I tell Usato?"


    "You don''t have to tell him, because he doesn''t want to know about this kind of thing. It''s not like we''re fighting.


    Amako and Nair are whispering something.


    I couldn''t hear much over the crackling of the bonfire, but ...... yeah, not much to pursue.


    I stretched out once and rested my back against the sleeping Bulrin, who was curled up behind me, and took a breath.


    "I''m sure you''re fine, but I''m sure Kazuki is worried about you."


    Kazuki is still living in the castle, although his senpai has joined the lifeguard corps.


    I''m sure he''s worried about me too, so I''ll have to go see him as soon as I get back to the Lingle Kingdom.


    I have a lot of stories to tell him.


    "But we have a lot to do back in the Lingle Kingdom.


    The first thing to do is to report to the castle and submit a copy of the document that Hannah prepared for me in the Demon Lord''s territory.


    Next, tell Rose about Keira.


    Also, return the remains of Rose''s men to their families.


    Check on Nack, who has asked for Olga''s help.


    There is probably more if I organize my thoughts, but this is about all I have to do as soon as I get home.


    "...... Now all we have to do is get Ms. Welsey to teach us about magic."


    "Oh, were you really going to do that ......?¡¡I thought you''d forgotten by now."


    It''s not possible to forget something that has to do with training.


    Nair looks surprised, and I reply seriously.


    "As long as the demon forces are around, no amount of preparation will be enough.


    "It''s the kind of nuisance you really don''t want to make enemies with."


    "Even if you don''t corner them, they''re going to start doing weird things, and that''s scary because you don''t know what you''re dealing with."


    "Since we''ve been working together, I''ve come to understand the double meaning of Amako''s phrase, . ......"


    I am a little depressed when I am told in the order of Nair, Amako, and Nagi-san.


    I am aware that I am doing something strange, and I know that it may end up being meaningless, but I also know that the failure can lead to new ideas.


    "But well, it''s been a long time since I''ve been in the Kingdom of Lingle, so I''m going to forget about work and just go about my daily life."


    "As expected. I''m sure the king will forgive you ...... or maybe he''ll even force you to take a break since he thinks you''re usually working too hard."


    So much for ......?


    I was going to do some serious training and stuff like that, but I didn''t ...... think that was going to work either. ......?