Now that the battle with the Demon Lord's army is just around the corner, there is only so much I can do.

One of the few things I can do is to lead the group on Rose's behalf as deputy leader.

At the central base, while Rose was participating in a strategy meeting with Mr./Ms. and others, I was reconfirming my role in front of the three members of the group and the additional personnel.

 

"Olga in ashes, Mr./Ms. Uluru Mr./Ms. and then Gerna, Kate, Mr./Ms. Sharn Mr./Ms.. Mr./Ms. please treat the injured here. However, if a demon soldier comes here, please flee as soon as possible. It is no exaggeration to say that Mr./Ms.'s presence is a lifeline for those who fight."

"I'm going to help people!"

"Oh, Uluru...... I don't think I'm going to be that kind of person right now......

 

I nod to Mr./Ms. Uluru, who responds cheerfully.

I'm sure he's anxious, but we're grateful that he's still acting cheerful.

Uluru shifts her gaze from Mr./Ms. Mr./Ms. Olga to Gerna.

Kate Mr./Ms. is smiling, but Gerna and Sharn Mr./Ms. look worried.

 

"Again, if you feel your life is in danger, run away immediately...... If you want to get away at this point, be honest with me."

「…… No, I'm here to heal people who are hurting. I'm not going to get scared and run away."

"Now that I'm here, I want to fulfill my mission! I haven't even met Suzune-sama the Brave yet, and even if I die, I won't be able to die!"

 

Utter words that express the determination of Mr./Ms. and Kate.

Guerna reminds me of Nak, even though she's a different age. I feel relieved by his straightforward personality.

What about Kate Mr./Ms....... yes, let's not let them see their seniors until the battle with the Demon King army is over. Even though it's a joke, I don't want it to be something that I really don't remember.

Mr./Ms. also nodded deeply at the words of the two of them, so any more words would be wild.

Then it's time for the tough guys and Ferm.

 

"I think you know, but I'll check it out for Ferm's sake."

「…… Ahh

"The role of the black clothes is to rescue the wounded on the battlefield and provide first aid with healing magic, you know?"

"I don't have to tell you to tell me, but I know it."

 

Suddenly, Ferm looked away.

Ferm herself is a demon tribe, albeit a petite girl. It is also a demon tribe trained by the Life Rescue Team.

Even if she is not as good as me or the tough guys, she has clothes that can be changed by dark magic. Even if you lose the power of reversal, your invincibility in defense will not change.

 

"Hey, Usato."

"yes?"

 

I look at the tongs that called out to me.

He crossed his arms, relaxed his shoulders and opened his mouth with a smile.

 

"I haven't called you before, but before the fight, I'm going to acknowledge you."

"Huh?"

「Deputy Leader・・・。 We'll save our wounded allies and come back alive. Well, it doesn't fit my nature to call you the Deputy Commander, but I'll call you that for the duration of this battle."

 

Tong said, and the other toughmen followed suit, grinning and smiling.

These guys, who until now only called "boys" and "Usato", are .......

I took a step back and pressed my mouth in shock.

 

"You guys...... Are you going to die......?"

"'Don't die!?'"

 

I broke the crisp atmosphere of the previous time and was struck all at once.

I don't want to say this, but I can't help but be confused when people say that.

 

"You really can't read the air!?"

"It's a lie...... We're embarrassed!"

"It's not muscles up to the head, this guy......"

"No, it's like a goodbye in this life......

 

The bad guy suddenly says something good – the so-called death flag.

I myself am honestly confused when I am suddenly and obediently called the deputy leader. I thought they were equals, so I didn't know how creepy they were called as superiors.

Still, it's hard not to be happy to be called the deputy leader.

 

"Then I'll have to do my best not to get kicked out of it."

"Oh, if you show up unworthy, I'll take over the position of deputy leader in a hurry."

"If I can, I'll take revenge."

 

After exchanging a few words with Tong, he looked at his friends here again.

Everyone here has a role. Some of them are dangerous, and some of them are important because a moment's relaxation can affect your life.

 

"Usato, what am I?"

 

While I was thinking about this, a worried looking Nea pulled the sleeve of my uniform.

I had forgotten about her, so I smiled and put my hand on her shoulder.

 

"Nea is my support, that's all."

"Isn't it a little too messy!?"

 

While soothing her who was coming to her with tearful eyes, the place was dissolved.

 

●

 

It was the second night after coming to the base.

When I stepped out of the tent, I could see the soldiers, but their appearance was somewhat tense.

Perhaps it's because the Demon Lord's army is getting closer. Whether it was fear or elation in the face of battle may vary from person to person, but not everyone here without exception was able to stay calm.

With a sideways glance at them, I walked through the tents that had been erected.

The reason why they are leaving their base of operations as a lifeguard is because they have been called by a wall built near the front line of the base by Rose.

If you have a story, why not do it in a tent or something? But somehow I didn't put it into words, and I headed to the destination as Rose said.

 

「…… I was."

 

When she arrived, Rose stood on a lookout tower that had been built into the wall, where she looked silently in the direction of the plains, the Demon Lord's domain.

Without a word, I climbed the ladder on the wall and approached her.

 

"Usato?"

"Yes...... So why am I here? I heard about the war council earlier."

 

What we do is not so different from the last battle.

In the immediate aftermath of the battle, Rose and I, dressed in white, concentrate on treating the wounded at the base of operations, and when the battle is in full swing, we sortie and run across the battlefield to heal the wounded on the spot.

 

"It was just a story, and you don't have to put a lot of pressure on your shoulders."

"Is that so......?"

 

I do as I am told, relaxing my shoulders and resting my hands on the edge of the lookout.

When I look around the plains again, I think it's a beautiful scenery. The plains as far as the eye can see are illuminated by the light of the moon from the sky, giving it a different look from the daytime.

Considering that this place will soon become a place of battle and will be desolate...... It makes me feel a little wasted.

 

"Since I came here, I've been left to you, but are you able to make it as a deputy leader?"

"What? Yes, of course."

"It's okay, I'm relieved that you're doing well."

"Leader"

"What?"

"When you are suddenly kind, you ...... It's creepy."

 

The reply was an elbow to me.

I received a centrifugal blow in the chest, and I managed to stand on my feet and endure it.

 

"Which, give me your face. I'll do as you wish."

"Susu, soot, I'm sorry ......!"

 

He hurriedly apologizes to Rose, who approaches him with her hands fluttering.

The defensive elbow is too scary.

 

"Huh, ...... you cared so much, you're always a cheeky little boy."

"Oh, not really......

"Don't compliment me."

 

Letting out a sigh of dismay, Rose turned her gaze back to the plain.

His gaze seemed to be looking beyond the plains in front of him.

 

"Nero Argens ...... Are you coming?"

"It's just a hunch, but it's coming."

 

As far as I've seen so far, this person's intuition is basically correct, isn't it?

It's so accurate that it can even detect Farga-sama's invisible magic.

But if a demon swordsman with tremendous power comes just by listening to the story, maybe——、

 

"Are you going to deal with the Leader?"

「……」

 

Rose didn't open her mouth.

He doesn't seem to be upset, but he doesn't pretend to be in denial.

I was worried about her silence when she finally spoke.

 

"If he's coming here, he's going to fight me."

「…… Is it revenge?"

"I don't know, but I don't think he's happy with the outcome of that fight."

 

In order to get rid of Rose and the rest of his troops, Nero Argens ordered his men to attack with desperation.

And yet, he couldn't defeat Rose. That's what Nero can't stand...... Is that what you mean?

…… In fact, there was something I had been wanting to ask about Rose for a long time.

I feel like I can hear it now.

 

"Do you have any desire to take revenge on the leader?"

"No, it's long gone."

 

He answered so easily that my shoulders relaxed.

I'm relieved by the answer, but then I wonder next.

Nero Argens is Rose's most important subordinate and the avenger of his colleagues. Isn't it natural to want to take revenge on such a person?

 

"I've got work to do, and I don't have time for revenge in the first place."

"Are you a lifeguard......?"

"Oh, and I don't think they want that either."

 

…… Are you talking about Mr./Ms.?

As he reaffirmed the significance of Rose's former subordinates, Rose suddenly smiled.

 

"But I'm not going to punch him in the face again."

"All of a sudden, the conversation became a big deal."

 

I can't help but feel sorry for Nero Argens, who will be beaten by you.

No, at the point when I was able to fight more than evenly with this person, was he also a terrible opponent?

 

"Well, Captain, if Nero Argens and I run into each other—"

"You should run away, it's too early for you."

「…… What if you can't escape?"

 

I immediately imagined that there was a seriously injured person in the vicinity of Nero Argens.

If I escaped, he would surely lose his life, and even if I fought to save the wounded, there was no way I would be able to fight an opponent equal to or better than Rose and stay unscathed.

When I asked such a question, Rose replied without looking at me.

 

"Surpass with all your might"

"Do you mean to fight?"

"Even if I tell you to run, I know you're going to fight, so do your best to get help."

 

I don't know how belligerent they ...... supposed to be.

But if you go all out on defense, you might be able to buy time against an opponent who is as good as or better than Rose.

It seems that the moment you go to attack, you will be decapitated.

 

"I thought I'd ask you right now......

"Yes?"

 

I turn to Rose's voice.

 

"Are you going to use a healing punch?"

"Healing punch, huh?"

 

A punch that heals the opponent who hit it.

I immediately understood what Rose was trying to say.

 

"I'll be honest with you, it was a mistake to teach you that technique, it's a healing attack for the enemy. It goes out of its way to consume magical power, and most importantly, it heals opponents who should be defeated. That is...... You know what?"

"Yes, of course I know."

 

When it comes to incapacitating an opponent unscathed, the healing punch couldn't be more useful.

But it's also a meaningless technique in battle.

In the first battle, I used it as a means of self-defense so that I didn't overdo it, but this time the scale of the battle is too different.

There are far more people that I need to heal, and the scope that I have to cover is also expanding.

In such a situation, there is no way that you can use a healing punch that consumes useless magic power.

 

"I'm going to use the applied techniques I've developed during my travels, but I'm not going to go out of my way to heal my opponents, because I have a mission as a white-clothed person."

「…… I see."

"Besides, you don't have to use healing punches to stun your opponent, so I think that's fine."

 

It's not like Itachi has been on a tumultuous journey.

During the Evil Dragon, he stunned the brainwashed Aluk Mr./Ms., in Samariar, he stunned the Fegnis Mr./Ms., and in Hinomoto, he stunned the beastman soldiers who protect the country.

…… No, when I think about it again, it's a lot of noise.

 

"It looks better than I thought."

「…… Did you worry about me?"

 

The moment I turned to Rose with a smile on my face, a shock slammed into my forehead.

As she groaned at the sudden shock, Rose was smiling as she held up her decoupin.

 

"Ha, I wasn't worried, I just nailed it so you wouldn't me."

"But I don't think there's a decoupin......

"I don't care about that anymore."

 

It certainly didn't hurt that much, though.

Rubbing my forehead, I lean my back against the edge.

Relax your shoulders and look up, and from here you can see the entire base in the opposite direction of the plain.

 

「…… I've got to do my best."

 

When I saw the tent of the Mr./Ms., the light of the bonfire, and the dotted figures, I was reassured.

__________________________________________________

Healing punches, seals.

If you think about it, it was Usato, who used a technique that had only disadvantages from the beginning.