Something humanoid emerged from under Keira's feet and behind her.

He was as slim as a scythe, with sharp claws that were distorted like a sickle, and there was no face on his head.

A monster created by Kira's dark magic.

As she tries to swing her claws down at Kira, I go to her aid with full acceleration using bouncy and magical outbursts.

 

"Whew!"

 

He grabs Kira and kicks her away from her claws with her paws that are filled with bouncy magic.

I'd like to say healing, but I can't say healing, near Keira.

No, it'...... better than that!

 

"Keira, are you okay!?"

「…… Wow."

 

I looked at Kira holding her, and she turned blue and closed her eyes.

Are you unconscious?

I have her examined by Nea on my shoulder.

 

"It looks like you've lost your magic and passed out."

「…… Is that the cause?"

 

At the end of his line of sight, he sees a black figure smashed against a tree and trying to get up.

I feel indescribably uncomfortable with the humanoid figure trying to get up with a lukewarm behavior.

 

"I'm sorry, Usato, if I'm not mistaken...... I ...... this guy is going to be like this.'

 

Ferm looks at the black figure and mutters regretfully.

 

"It's my fault if you say that, I wish I had thought a little more about how she ...... feeling."

"Reflect on it later!" I'm coming!!"

「…… Whew!!"

 

He holds Kira with his left arm, shields it with dark magic, and frees his right arm.

I held my right arm as it was, and glared at the humanoid figure that had shifted to a posture that seemed to jump on me.

 

"Usato, that's Keira! That's Keira's "I'd rather be dead!!" It's a monster of dark magic created by emotions!

"Oh! Nea, the spell of restraint!"

"I get it!"

 

As far as I could see from my feet, Kira and that humanoid were connected by magic.

If her magic is being drained now, we need to do something about it quickly.

A black humanoid figure jumps out with an eerie roar.

 

"Jaa!"

"Restraint and healing!"

 

Spread your arms and restrain the humanoid arms that jump at you at the same time.

Sliding my feet and instantly moving to the side of the humanoid, I put my fist on its defenseless torso and slammed my full force into the healing fist from close contact.

 

"Healing Continuous Fist"

 

It was a blow because the opponent was not human, but the humanoid body was shattered in an instant.

Looking at the remnants of black magic disappearing in the air, I couldn't help but be stunned.

 

"It's surprisingly fragile......?"

"It's just a reflection of a momentary feeling...... Or? If that's the case, Kira's magic may still be retrievable!"

 

There is no sign of magic emanating from Kira, who is wrapped in a dark magic robe.

No problem...... I can't say that.

It can be said that the situation has worsened.

 

"Usato, let's move this child to a safe place first."

「…… Ahh

 

Nodding at Nea's words, he heads towards the village with Kira in his arms.

I can't be irrelevant anymore.

If you've gotten this far involved, you should hear from Mr./Ms. Gref about Keira's past.

 

●

 

I returned to the village with Kira, put her to bed, and then called Mr./Ms. Gref to talk to her.

I also told him about the conversation I had with her in the woods, and he shook his head with a devastated look on his face.

 

"I didn't expect Keira to be so cornered......

 

The room with the bed where Keira is sleeping.

I sit in the chair beside her and say an apology to him as he nods.

 

"I'm sorry, I'm ...... with you."

"No, it's not your fault, it's my fault that I couldn't understand her anguish......

 

Keira's words with tears in her mouth.

I don't want to hurt anyone.

It makes your loved ones unhappy.

She wanted to follow us because she didn't want to hurt anyone.

Even after hearing her tearful plea, I couldn't take her.

Our mission is to "defeat the Demon Lord", so we get Kira, a child who doesn't know anything, into a dangerous matter.

Above all, our purpose is to make Kira, the demon race, unhappy.

 

"Mr./Ms. Gref, tell me about Keira's past."

"If you're a dark wizard, you know what I'm talking about, right?"

 

It was Ferm who taught me, but he said what he thought in me.

 

"Do you mean to send a damned child?"

「…… Just hearing his name makes me angry. How dare you let a demon kill your child alive...... It's a horrible act that doesn't even make you feel guilty."

 

He took a deep breath as if to suppress his anger and continued.

 

"Kira is a child who was abandoned by her biological parents."

 

To be honest, I didn't want to hear a terrible story about parents trying to tell their children lies and have monsters kill them.

I suppress my emotions and listen to Mr./Ms.'s words.

 

「…… It was in the monster's den that I found him on the journey."

"Did Mr./Ms. Gref drive the monster away?"

"No, the monster was already dead."

 

Does that mean someone helped Keira?

I asked, and he shook his head.

 

"Kira just crouched on the ground, trembling, while beside her was a four-legged wolf-like black monster that stopped the demon that was the owner of the nest."

"...... like a wolf?"

 

It's a different form than it was when I was there.

Does the form change depending on the emotion at the time?

 

"After the black monster disappeared, I took Kira back to the village, because I mistakenly thought she had accidentally wandered into the monster's nest. …… Now that I think about it, it was a mistake to take this child back to the village where his parents lived."

「…… What happened?"

"I was taunted, and Keira's parents were like, 'Why are you back?' and 'Don't do anything extra.'"

 

These are parents who want their children to be eaten alive by monsters.

I didn't expect to get a decent response, but this is ...... It's no good.

 

"It ......was so ugly to see them spew cruel words at a child of less than ten years old that they couldn't even put into words, and instead of condemning their actions, the people in the village looked at me and Kira as if they were troublemakers."

"Keira, why would you do such a terrible thing...... This is too absurd."

 

If I had been there, I wouldn't have the confidence to keep my anger in check.

He clenches his fists as hard as he can, as if to hold back his anger.

 

"And I was so tired of it that I took Keira in."

「…… Thank you for talking to me."

 

I bow to Mr./Ms. Gref who has finished speaking.

He laughs helplessly and stands up with his wand.

 

"I'm going to check on Rose and Lamb, I'm going to keep an eye on Keira, so you can rest."

「…… I get it."

 

Nodding to Mr./Ms., he leaves the room with his cane.

Then, Amako came into the room as if to pass him.

 

"Usato, how is Kira?"

"I've used a lot of magic now, so I'm just sleeping."

 

I look down at Kira, who is sleeping with Amako, who has moved to line up with me leaning against the wall.

I'm sleeping peacefully now, but I'm worried about when I wake up.

 

"What can I do for this child......

 

You can do it if you just want to teach magic, but you can't do much more than that.

I can't take her on our journey for her own sake, and I've told a big lie to Keira.

 

"Somehow, this kid looks like me."

 

Suddenly, Amako looks into Kira's face and says something like that.

 

「…… That's ———."

"It's not about looks, it's not about age, it's not about height."

"Oh, wow."

 

Three consecutive raging waves.

How much do you care that you won't even refute it?

 

"It's not like that, it's that I asked for help the first time I met Usato......."

"At that time?"

"There's been a lot of things since then, but we've persevered and gotten through it."

 

After Amako asked for help, she traveled to several kingdoms and finally managed to save Mr./Ms..

There was a lot of trouble along the way, but we were able to make it to the end.

When I think about it, I feel like I'm used to this awkward situation.

 

"It's still too early to give up."

"That's what I wanted to say."

"Really?"

 

Amako said so with a dodgy face with her index finger up, and Ferm was stunned.

First of all, when Keira wakes up, let's talk to her properly, and then decide what to do with her magic.

 

"That's it, Usato."

"Hmm?"

"I'm talking about those ruins......

 

As she makes up her mind to face Kira again, Amako tells her about the ruins.

 

"I still don't think it's a good idea to go to the ruins, but if you think that maybe the 'Katana of the Brave' that is in the ruins might be necessary for us......

「…… Honestly, I'm thinking the same thing as you."

 

If we go into the ruins, we might get what we need, but it's too late to go in and something happens.

However, while thinking so, you may regret missing this opportunity.

 

"That ruin is too dangerous no matter how you look at it, and it seems that it is not a matter of simply taking the sword home and finishing it."

"Yes......."

 

In any case, the decision has already been made, so it will not be a matter of going to the ruins.

I have some regrets about the hero's sword, but it's much better than poking a snake through the bushes.

…… Is it time to go back to everyone?

 

「…… Hmm?"

 

Is it because of my mind? It seems that Kira's hand has moved now.

No, he still seems to be asleep and doesn't seem to be awake.

I don't particularly care, so I take my eyes off her and talk to Amako.

 

"Keira will see Gref, Mr./Ms., so let's go back to everyone."

"Yes, I understand."

 

After checking on Kira one more time, she leaves the room with Amako.

It's hard to talk to Mr./Ms. about Keira, but I have to share information with everyone.

 

●

 

This dream was different.

My father Mr./Ms. and mother Mr./Ms. are lying, and the appearance of me heading to the monster's nest is the same.

The next thing I saw was a memory of me being abused by the people who had been Mr./Ms. my father's Mr./Ms. and mother's help.

 

"Why did you come back alive!!"

"I can finally live with peace of mind!!"

"You shouldn't have been born!!"

"What I wish I had been quietly bait for the monsters!!"

 

Repeated swearing.

I don't want to hear it, so I put my hand to my ear and crouch down.

Then, gradually, the voice disappeared, and the scene in front of me changed completely.

 

"Gref...... Lamb, rosé ......"

 

What I saw was the smiling faces of my precious family.

But I wasn't the only one among them, and the moment I thought so, the scene changed again.

The next thing that came out was the figure of Gref and the others sinking into a sea of blood.

 

「…… That kind of......! It'...... a lie."

 

The dead figure of a loved one who can be called a family that has been brutally chopped up.

At the center of the red-colored scene was me, covered in blood.

I can't even look away from the scene, so I raise my voice in anger.

 

"Wrong! I'm going to hurt the Grefs!!"

―――Really?

 

I hear a voice in my ear.

He shakes his head, desperately denying it, and the voice continues.

 

―――If this continues, your loved ones will die. Not only did I fail to control dark magic, but I was chopped up and brutally killed.

"I haven't decided that it will happen yet!"

 

―――There is only one path left from the beginning. There is no other way but to follow Usato.

"I can't do it, I'm ...... rejected by Mr./Ms. Usato!"

 

But that beastman child is with me.

「…… That's it."

 

I thought it was unreasonable.

Why is this kid good, but I'm not?

Wasn't she the one who said she was the same as me?

What's the difference between her and me? Because you're a beastman? Because it's a demon tribe?

But Mr./Ms. Usato is a demon, not a reason.

Why am I the only one who refuses?

 

It's because I'm not strong enough.

"Strong, huh?"

 

If I'm strong, if I prove my strength, he won't complain.

"How do you ...... that?"

 

He asks in a stagnant voice.

Then, the voice was slowly speaking to me, as if telling me.

 

―――You should know the truth. I was listening to him.

「…… Katana of the Brave"

 

I heard the story of Mr./Ms. Usato and others in my sleep.

It was the story of the hero's sword that Mr./Ms. and the others were looking for in the nearby ruins.

As long as you have that, will you really be accepted as a friend?

 

―――If you recognize me as a friend, I'm sure they'll take you with me. Then you don't have to be afraid of your power anymore, and you don't have to hide yourself as a dark wizard.

"If I take the katana of the hero, I will ...... it to Mr./Ms. Usato."

 

I don't want to hurt anyone.

I don't want to be alone.

I don't want to be abandoned.

These thoughts were spinning around in my head, my choice———、

 

●

 

When I woke up from the nightmare, the view outside from my room was shrouded in darkness.

When I saw that the sky in the distance was still coloring, it was still night, but I got up anyway.

There are things that need to be done.

Feeling overwhelmed with anxiety and frustration, I put my hand on the window of my room.

 

"Yes, yes, Keira, I'm sure you'll be accepted as a friend. yes, I'm sure. …… Whew!"

 

Even when he woke up from his dream, the voice he heard in his ears had changed to a clear voice that was pleasant to his ears.

But I didn't care about that, my thoughts converged on a single goal: to get the Hero's Katana.

_______________________________________

This time, the "enemy" knows all about Usato.

The reason for Keira's mental instability was that she was having nightmares and anxiety almost every day.

 

And here's the information embargo.

A child of the demon tribe named Kira———、

 

・ Looking for someone you can rely on (Amako)

・ Abandoned by parents (nak)

・ I wish to be with Usato's for my own sake (Eva)

・ I am willing to die for the people I care about (mission) (Leona)

- I want someone who understands dark wizards (Ferm)

 

The above elements are incorporated.

It's Tenkomori ^q^