When I woke up, a stone's throw away was a black, curled hairball-like object.

I'm saying something that doesn't make sense, but there's really a black hairball in front of me that tickles the tip of my nose.

 

"yes......?"

 

Is this the dormitory of the rescue team?

As far as I can see out the window, it still looks bright, but .......

 

"Why ...... here?"

 

When I was fighting the Demon Lord's army, I was doing my best to get all the knights free from the fireballs falling from the sky...... Maybe I fainted again?

As I slowly retraced my memory, a black furball in front of me moved, two ears stood up, and red eyes turned to me.

 

"Kyu!"

"Oh, Kukuru, it was you. I thought it was ticklish."

 

What I thought was a black furball turned out to be the leader's pet, Kukuru, a noir rabbit. Kukuru puts his face to my cheek and kisses me in a friendly gesture.

As usual, it is a demon that deceives people like a demon.

When he gets up from the bed where he is sleeping while stroking Kukuru, he finds something black lying on the floor.

If you look closely, it was an owl with rolled eyes.

 

「…… Nea?"

「…… Huh!? Why, I'm on the floor!?"

"That's what I want to hear."

 

Nea, who has been transformed into an owl, was sleeping on the floor for some reason, but what does that mean?

She woke up to my voice, found Kukuru on my shoulder, and spread her wings wide as if to express her anger.

 

"Oh, oh, it's your fault!? You threw me off the bed!"

Queue

 

Nea flutters her wings as she pushes Kukuru out and lands on my shoulder, but I have no idea what's going on as I watch from the sidelines.

Does it mean that he was knocked down by Kukuru while he was sleeping in bed?

 

"Whoa! Whoops!"

"Well, calm down. I know that this is the dormitory of the rescue team...... Why am I here? Who is the leader? Is everyone safe?"

 

He asks Nea, who is threatening Kukuru on the opposite shoulder, about the current situation.

 

"You slept for three days after the battle was over, and the moment after that attack from the sky was over, you collapsed."

「…… Well, I have a memory of that, too. So, everybody ......."

"All the people in the rescue team are safe, Rose was seriously injured in the fight with Nero, but for some reason, she's pining for it. But you were so tired that you didn't wake up right away, so you were brought here."

「…… I see."

"By the way, the only members of the group who have returned are me and Ferm, and the others are treating the wounded in the war zone."

 

…… Rose is seriously injured?

I didn't think I was going to come out unscathed against Nero Argens, ....... But I'm glad that Nea seems to be in good spirits.

I'm sure they're still taking the initiative to act as a lifesaver.

The truth is, I should go back, but I don't think the reason I was sent back here was just because I was tired.

Just as he was about to get out of bed, the door to his room opened and a dark-haired boy, Nak, walked in.

He let out a surprised cry as I got off the bed.

 

「…… Mr./Ms. Usato! You've woken up!!"

"Oh, Nak, I'm here."

"Welcome back!"

 

Somewhat relieved by Nak, who greets me cheerfully, I finally stand up.

 

"In the castle while we're away?"

"Yes, I helped out a lot. When I heard that Mr./Ms. Usato had returned after the battle, I came back here."

"That's ......."

 

I'm so glad I'm back alive.

It's like my home in this world.

As he pondered this, Nak gave him a huffed expression, as if he remembered something.

 

"Yes, Amako Mr./Ms. and the others are preparing meals."

"Amako?"

"Yes, it seems that I had foreseen that Mr./Ms. Usato was going to wake up, so I just went to cook a meal with Suzune Mr./Ms. ......."

"What? Seniors are here?"

 

Sure, I was hungry, but I didn't expect my seniors to be here.

No, I'm glad to see that you're safe.

 

"Kazuki is coming, too."

"Kazuki too...... Then I need to get down as soon as possible...... Nea, Nak, I'm going to get dressed, can you wait for me downstairs first?"

"Hey, Nak, I'm going."

"Oh, yes!"

 

Nak chases Nea as she flutters her wings out the door.

When I put down the kukuru on my shoulder and tried to change my clothes, I suddenly saw a group of clothes hanging on the wall.

 

「……」

 

It was a team uniform that Rose had fixed, but it got dirty again due to the battle, and it was hard with small scratches and Mr./Ms..

There are some feelings that I can't get through.

Some people couldn't be helped.

 

"Still...... I'm ......."

"Kyu?"

 

Kukuru tilts his little head and looks up at me, and strokes him again.

And remember. In the middle of the battle, the leader of the group who saved me when I was about to be stopped by Nero Argens.

 

「…… Kukuru, your master is a great man."

 

What you lose will never come back.

Feeling helpless and regretful doesn't stop me.

After all, even after the battle is over, the conflict with the Demon King's army is not over.

 

●

 

When I finished changing my clothes and went downstairs, the downstairs was more lively than I expected.

Kazuki, Nak, Ferm, and Nea were sitting on the chairs at the long table where the tough men were always sitting, while Senpai and Amako were standing and picking up dishes and food.

In terms of time, is it around noon?

Even so, the scenery is so calm that it is hard to believe that three days have passed since that battle.

 

"Oh, Usato-kun! You're coming down!"

"Senpai......"

 

Noticing this, the senior smiles like a flower and beckons to me.

From the looks of it, I'm glad that both Senpai and Kazuki seem to be fine.

Relieved, he tries to sit down in the empty seat next to Kazuki when Amako approaches him.

 

"I'm here, Amako."

「…… Yep, welcome back. Usato"

 

As she takes the bowl of bread she is holding, she talks to me.

Maybe he was taking care of me when I was unconscious?

Seeing Amako with sleepy eyes, I lightly touch her shoulder and apply a healing spell.

 

"Did I make you worry?"

"yes, I believed that Usato would be fine."

"I ...... it, but thank you."

 

Once I thanked her firmly, Amako looked away a little and had a troubled expression on her face.

 

"Well, there's something I want to talk to you about later."

"What do you want to discuss?"

"Yes."

「…… I get it."

 

When she answers, Amako goes back to the kitchen with her senpai.

What is it? I seemed to have thought about it, but is it something to do with prescience? Somehow, it was like the time of the Evil Dragon and the Land of the Beastmen.

…… No, I'll talk about that later, but for now, let's sit down.

While placing the bowl of bread on the table, he greets Kazuki who is next to him.

 

"Good morning, Kazuki."

"Good morning, you're finally awake. Usato"

 

Anyway, after exchanging greetings with Kazuki again, I was thirsty, so I took a sip of the water I had on hand, and Ferm, who was sitting diagonally in the seat in front of me, was glaring at me with a slightly unfaithful look.

 

"You've finally woken up, you've slept too much. You."

"Have you slept that long?"

"You've slept too much for three days."

 

I didn't want to pass out as much as possible.

I smiled wryly, and Nea, who was resting her elbows on the table next to Ferm, spoke.

 

"This isn't the first time he's passed out, has he? I've fainted and collapsed at least three or four times during my travels."

"What, you're lying, aren't you?"

 

Seeing me with a subtle expression, Ferm pulls me in disbelief.

No, well, I'll admit that I'm going to faint every time there's an incident.

As I was thinking about this, I looked at Ferm and remembered what I had been worried about all this time during the battle.

 

「…… Oh, yes."

"What is it?"

"I'm glad I was able to break off my assimilation with you...... It could have stayed that way all along. Hahaha"

 

For me, it's hard to be assimilated with Ferm for a long time.

It's not that I don't want to be with this girl, it's just that it's hard for both of us to stay in school clothes all the time and be with her all the time.

I say this somewhat jokingly, and Ferm, who is terribly dismayed, glares at me even more.

 

"I'm sorry I couldn't be separated from you! First of all, don't forget that it's just my magic liking you!"

"Oh, yes, yes...... I'm sorry, aren't you?"

 

It was her own magic, so it wasn't a good thing to make fun of. In Ferm's case, unlike me, he may have taken it quite seriously.

Ferm wonders what he thought of my apology, and begins to groan with his head in his hands.

 

"U~......"

"Pooh, you're not being honest."

"Noisy"

 

He's grinning as he talks to me, and I'm going to leave Ferm to Nea.

As I was looking at the food on the table, feeling hungry somehow, Kazuki called out to me this time.

 

"It looks like we've both made it home safely."

"Yes, it was really hard...... yes, it's a wonder I'm here now."

 

I ...... how many times I almost died.

I didn't feel alive when I stopped Nero Argens in his tracks.

 

"It reached Kazuki and Senpai, didn't it? The Weapon of the Brave"

"Ah, I'm a gauntlet like Usato, and Senpai is a sword."

"Senpai is a sword, well, yes, in a way, it's predictable......

 

In fact, I had a feeling that a senior would have a sword or a chain sickle, or a weapon with a cool image.

Combined with the electric shock, it looks like it will look good when they are fighting.

Kazuki is a gauntlet like me...... Could it be something like a wristband wrapped around the wrist of the left hand? Mine is a bangle, but it's completely different from Kazuki's.

 

"The first time I used this, Shenlong...... I've talked to Farga."

"To Falga? What is he?"

"How to use it...... After that, I feel like he gave me advice to try to shape my heart."

 

Falga-sama has helped me.

He must have been tired from making ...... armor for the two of them.

If I could, I would like to see you again and thank you.

 

「…… The end of the battle with the Demon Lord's army?"

 

I hear from Nea and Nack that the battle is over, but I don't feel like it at all.

In fact, it even seems that the situation is not over yet.

 

"Kazuki, what's going on in the Ringle Kingdom now? It's not like after the last battle, is it?"

"Yes, we won the battle, but the damage we suffered in that last attack was too great. Right now, everything is moving in a hurry and there's not enough time to celebrate the win."

「…… Are the wounded knights still on that battlefield?"

 

Kazuki nods at my words.

The reason why there are no lifeguards here is because they are treating the injured in the war zone.

Perhaps Gerna, who came with an extra force, is also participating, so I should go there after waking up from fainting.

Rather, I want to go there as soon as I can.

 

「…… I was the only one who was sent back to the Lingle Kingdom just because I fainted, right?"

"Ah, it seems to be the same reason why we were sent back here."

"...... with Kazuki and Senpai?"

 

I didn't expect that much.

When it comes to the involvement of two heroes, it may be something serious.

 

"Wait, I've brought you food!"

"It's almost like that."

 

While I was thinking about this, a senior and Amako appeared from the kitchen carrying a plate of food on it.

Looking at the two of them, Kazuki relaxes his grim expression.

 

"The food has been served, let's talk about it later, Usato, you're hungry, aren't you?"

"Yes, I haven't eaten anything in three days."

 

Whatever I do, I need to get back in shape first.

When Amako sits next to me and Senpai sits in front of me, Senpai smiles at me as usual.

 

"I'm so glad you woke up."

"Hahaha, that's an exaggeration......"

"I'm exaggerating, because without you, I'd be ruined."

 

…… What does it mean to be ruined?

I don't know if I'm saying it out of seriousness or joking.

I know you're worried about me, so I'll take it that way.

 

"Usato-kun, don't take yourself too lightly."

"What?"

"I'm sure everybody is worried about you, including the guys here."

「……」

 

Even seniors who are usually playful will decide exactly when it comes time to decide.

That's why I don't think I miss this person......

 

"Hey, why are you sitting next to me?"

"yes?"

 

While I was thinking about this, Ferm was talking to the senior sitting next to me with a troubled face.

For a moment, the senior reacted in a daze, but soon his expression became his usual calm and confident expression.

 

"I'd love to talk to you...... It's your first time talking to them face to face, right? My name is Suzune. Can I touch the horns?"

"How can you talk to someone who almost killed you normally......?"

"Heh, that's a thing of the past, if you're Usato-kun's friend, it's no exaggeration to say that you're my friend......!"

"I know that's not right! I've never had a proper conversation with you!"

 

Oh, the usual seniors.

No, if there is no rut, I would be happy, but the seniors are too good and that ferm is being pushed.

 

"I really want to be friends with the tsunderebok silver-haired brown demon tribe! Ferm! Let's make friends with me!"

"Wow!? Usato, help! This guy can't understand people's language!?"

 

But even if Senpai is okay, what about Kazuki?

He, like his seniors, was almost killed by Ferm--the Black Knight.

He lowers the hand that was on his chin and speaks to Kazuki, who was watching the exchange between Ferm and Senpai next to him.

 

"Kazuki ...... about Ferm."

"Hmm? I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a ......."

 

Kazuki's gaze turns to Ferm.

 

"When you see him like this, and you look at him here, you know he's not as horrible as he was back then."

「…… Let's see. From my point of view, she's changed."

"Besides, you moved to help Usato, didn't you? Then I don't have to worry about it."

 

If Kazuki says so, is it okay?

With a sigh of relief, he looked at Ferm and Senpai, who was holding onto the chair Nea was sitting in while he was looking away.

 

"Nea, swap seats! I don't want to get tangled up with this guy! This guy, that's it! Just like Uluru, he's a troublesome guy!"

"I hate it! You sit there as a sacrifice to Suzune!"

"You, you!!"

 

Nea clings to her seat with Mr./Ms. and Ferm tries to steal the chair somehow.

Seeing the two of them, the senior's expression brightens as if something flashed.

 

"Ferm, it's okay to swap my seats!"

"Nea, you're a companion too!"

"Whoa!?"

 

A noisy but fun spectacle that has nothing to do with fighting.

A smiling senior, and Ferm and Nea with desperate faces.

Amako, Kazuki, and Nak look at them with a wry smile.

I looked around at them once more, and finally felt relieved, and reached for my first meal in three days.

_____________________________________________

Even at the beginning of the year, he was still a cheerful senior.

Maybe it's the first time I've had a conversation with Ferm since the Black Knight.