After the two of them finished eating, I asked Yoshino a question, following the commander’s instructions.
“Um, Yoshino. Why is it that you don’t fight back, even when the AST attacks? Is there a reason?”
“I... don’t like... pain... I don’t like... scary things, either... I’m sure... those people... don’t like... pain... or scary things... either... So...”
“I see...”
“But I’m weak... and a coward... so I can’t do it alone. If it hurts and gets scary, I can’t hold out anymore... my head gets all mixed up... and I’m sure I’d do terrible things to everyone... So... Yoshinon is my hero... Even when I get scared, Yoshinon says, ‘It’s okay’... and then it really is okay... So—”
Before Yoshino could finish, I gently pulled her into an embrace and patted her head.
“H-Hieta-san...?”
“It’s all right, Yoshino. I understand how you feel. I’ll definitely find Yoshinon for you. But please don’t blame yourself so much. Yoshino, you’re not a coward. If anything, you’re a brave person who knows how to care for others, respect them, and empathize with them. Strength doesn’t come in just one form. Some people are strong in body, some in spirit, and some in heart. In your case, Yoshino, you are strong in heart.”
I stepped back slightly and knelt down so we were at eye level.
“So please don’t put yourself down. And don’t rely only on Yoshinon, either. I’ll protect you, and so will Itsuka-kun. Even if I can’t become your [Hero] in Yoshinon’s place, I can be the [Knight] who stays by your side and protects you. Will you allow me the honor of serving you?”
As I spoke, I lowered my gaze and held out my right hand to Yoshino. After a moment of hesitation, she placed her hand in mine.
“Th-thank you...”
When I looked up, her face was bright red.
“Haha. It’s my honor to serve you, Yoshino.”
“Um, Hieta...”
“Yes? What is it?”
“Kotori says to turn on the intercom...”
At Itsuka-kun’s prompt, I activated the intercom, and the commander’s voice crackled through.
“Sigh... Yoshino’s affection for you has reached MAX.”
I was speechless. Ah, right. For Itsuka-kun to seal her, her affection had to increase first.
“T-that’s...”
“Forget it. From the moment she met you at the department store, her affection for you was already higher than her affection for Shido. This route’s a bust.”
Cold sweat began to bead on my forehead and trickle down my cheeks. If the sealing failed, Yoshino would continue to be hunted by the AST. And that would likely be my fault.
As I spiraled into thought, the door suddenly flew open and Tohka burst in.
“Shido! Sorry! I...”
The moment Yoshino saw Tohka, she scurried away. Tohka, seeing Itsuka-kun together with Yoshino, frowned, slammed the door shut with a loud bang, and left.
“Well, this is turning into a problem.”
“[Shido, Hieta, we’ve found Yoshinon’s location for now.]”
In the middle of the chaos, the commander provided a way out. She had located Yoshinon.
“What? Where is it?”
“How should I put it... it’s a bit of a pain.”
The location the commander revealed was Tobiichi’s house. Since I couldn’t go, Itsuka-kun went in my stead.
While Itsuka-kun headed to Tobiichi’s residence, I waited aboard the [Fraxinus].
“[Hermit has manifested!]”
“AST has appeared! Commencing attack!”
Once Itsuka-kun reached the house, Yoshino manifested. The AST was already on her, pouring a hail of bullets into her from behind.
Watching the scene, I hesitated. Should I really go? Only Itsuka-kun could perform the sealing, so was it right for me to interfere? If the seal failed, wouldn’t Yoshino be unhappy? Thoughts swirled through my head, leaving me frozen.
“Hey. What are you doing? Why aren't you going?”
“...What?”
“You said it yourself. You’d be the [Knight] protecting that girl. So why are you just standing there?”
“But—”
“Cut the excuses. You want to save her, don’t you? Don’t think about Shido’s route. That girl already likes you anyway. So hurry up and go, you idiot [Knight].”
The commander’s words snapped me out of it. Yeah. What was I doing, standing around overthinking after I’d just promised to be her knight? What did the "route" matter?
“Send me over.”
“Now that’s more like it.”
With those words, I was teleported.
******
-!)^)^!@_^)!!!!
In the distance, the rabbit monster let out a shriek and exhaled a blast of ice. The shields deployed by the AST members froze over instantly, sending them crashing to the ground.
The rabbit monster then began to move again, putting distance between itself and the AST.
“After it!”
The woman who appeared to be the AST leader attempted to chase the rabbit monster with Tobiichi at her side, but—
-Crackle!
“Like hell you will!”
She was halted by a bolt of lightning flying in from the flank.
“You!”
“[Knight]...!”
Both of them glared at me. Yes, look at me!
“You cowardly cowards! Picking on a little kid again, are you? And especially you, the one standing next to the white-haired girl! What, are you so eager to be an old lady?”
“What are you talking about!!!”
The AST leader launched an immediate attack the moment she heard the words "old lady." As expected, women everywhere despise that term.
“No matter how much you deny it, it won’t change a thing! Old lady!”
“Don’t call an unmarried woman an old lady!!!!”
Even as the AST leader rained attacks upon me, every single strike was blocked by my [Havel's Greatshield]. From behind the safety of the shield, I continued to hurl the phrase “old lady” at her relentlessly.
“Old lady~ old lady~ it’s such a fun song!!! Maybe I should sing it too!!!!!”
“Shut up!!!”
Great! Keep attacking! That’s it!
“You bastard!”
Before I knew it, Tobiichi had closed in, attempting to cut me down with a sword that looked like something out of a sci-fi movie. The instant I saw the blade, I rolled away. Tobiichi, as if anticipating my move, kept swinging without pause.
“Nice! Tobiichi!”
Seeing me fail to counter and simply scramble away, the AST leader looked delighted. But hey, I can still talk!
“Is it because you’re an old lady? Your physical ability is worse than a child's, so you’re stuck cheering from the back while the kid does all the work. How hilarious!!!”
“You’re in no position to make fun of me!”
Tobiichi shouted, increasing the tempo of her strikes as she listened to my taunts. Her attacks grew faster, and the window for my rolls became tighter and tighter. When I glanced at the sky, it seemed the leader had already gone after Yoshino.
That left me with one option: keep Tobiichi occupied with taunts until Itsuka-kun brought Yoshinon back. Even if I couldn't defeat her, I had to buy time.
“You said your name was Tobiichi, right!”
“Don’t call me with that filthy mouth of yours!”
“Haha! What’s the matter? Tobiichi is your family name, and your given name is Origami, isn’t it!”
At that, her attack speed surged. Taking advantage of her momentum as she closed in, I unleashed [Lumos Maxima] right in her face.
“Useless!”
“You crazy bastard!”
Tobiichi must have anticipated the light; the moment she drew her staff, she closed her eyes. No, how did she know that!
“That’s not the important part right now!”
If light wouldn’t work, I had to go physical. While Tobiichi’s eyes were shut in preparation for the flash, I quickly widened the distance and swapped my staff for the [Warped Sword]. I immediately took my stance and shouted, “Wasn’t your boyfriend Itsuka Shido? He was pretty ugly!”
“Don’t insult Shido with that mouth of yours!!!”
Enraged by the taunt, Tobiichi opened her eyes and charged.
Stay calm. Not yet. Not yet.
I slowly exhaled and timed it. The moment Tobiichi entered my range, I would unleash the lightning of the Warped Sword.
One, two.
Three! Now!
-KRAKAKAKAKAK!
The powerful lightning from my Warped Sword collided with Tobiichi’s deployed shield, producing a deafening explosion. Even then, Tobiichi continued to swing her sword at me.
“Ghk!”
In the end, my left arm was sliced. But by then, the tide had already turned in my favor.
-Crack!
With a sound like shattering glass, a crack appeared in the shield. Seeing the opening, I quickly brought the Warped Sword down and smashed the barrier to pieces.
“What—!”
“Too late! There’s no escaping now!”
MUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDA!!!!!
With my battle cry, countless wounds opened across Tobiichi’s body. Stab wounds bloomed all over her as the accumulated blood loss finally triggered a massive bleed burst.
“Eight seconds have passed!!! WRYYYYAAAAA!!!! Fall!!!”
“Kuhk!”
Once the bleed procced, Tobiichi coughed up blood and collapsed unconscious.
“Phew... I’d better hurry and go after Yoshino too.”
Just in case, I healed Tobiichi with [Emergency Treatment] and left the area.
Comments (0)
Please log in to leave a comment. Login or Register