While Usato, claiming to be a decoy and leading the water tentacles, we entered the ruins that existed in the lake.

I thought now that I should actually act with Usato, who has healing magic, but in that situation, I made the mistake of deciding to move out of the way of Usato, who would buy a decoy and leave.

―――Ruins submerged in a lake where half of the city has sunk.

The ruins themselves were submerged in water, but there was a film of air at the countless entrances leading inside, and beyond that, there was no water, just a pitch-black space.

 

"You guys, check your luggage now, you know what's going to happen, so know what you're carrying."

"Ha!"

 

The subordinates follow Koga's instructions and check the luggage they Mr./Ms. carrying.

As I watched the situation, I ...... behind me. We looked up at the entrance we had entered.

 

"The entrance was closed from the moment I entered."

"Ah, it looks like someone who made this trap wants to lock us up here."

 

The entrance we entered was now blocked by a stone wall.

I lit a torch right away, so it wasn't completely dark, but it would take me longer to explore the ruins than I expected.

 

"Kannagi, can you break it?"

"I can...... However, the ruins themselves may collapse due to a bad impact. It's possible that they will be crushed by the water pressure at a time difference, and it's dangerous to think in terms of clairvoyant magic."

 

If that's the case, can't we break down the wall?

It seems difficult to join up with Usato.

 

"Uh-huh, I've gotten into that kind of place for the time being.

"He'll be fine."

"Yes, I'm sure they're already in the ruins."

"I'm scared of your comments, which I have known the longest."

 

Koga's cheeks twitch at the words of Nea and me.

In fact, I don't think there is enough strength in that water to capture Usato.

 

"It's easy to forget, but me and Usato have a familiarity contract, so if something happens to him, we'll know right away."

"Hey, is that so, what is Usato like now?"

"I'm very energetic."

"I can imagine what it'...... like."

 

If Nea says so, don't worry.

In the first place, I will definitely foresee a future in which Usato is in danger.

While thinking about this, Kannagi, who was wary of his surroundings, spoke to Koga.

 

"Koga, we should move on as soon as we can get back on our feet."

"Hmm? Why?"

"We probably won't be able to join up with Usato, we have the same goal, maybe we can join Usato, if we go ahead and head to our destination."

「…… I'm sure he'd think the same way."

 

After putting his hand on his chin and worrying for a few seconds, Koga scratches his head in annoyance.

 

"Hah, I'm not very good at using my brain like this, but first we need to make our way through these brooding ruins, Hannah is over there, and Usato will be fine."

"Whew...... Captain! Mr./Ms. Hannah is pretty mentally good, so I think I'm quite worried!!"

 

One of his subordinates, Mr./Ms. Nono, points out that Koga is thinking.

 

"Hannah certainly looks like she's going to have a hard time."

「…… yes, it looks like a lot of work."

"It seems to me that the two of you 'looking hard' are referring to something else......?"

 

Nea and I nodded at Kannagi, who seemed to be pulling back.

No matter how much we spend together, Usato's behavior exceeds our expectations.

It's hard to be swayed by that...... On the flip side, it's also because I trust him to show me how to overcome any situation.

 

●

 

「…… Ahh......hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

I dived into the lake, but I didn't see where the Kogas had entered, so I jumped into the hole I had made for the time being.

I was going to look inside for a while and look for another entrance, but the hole I soon entered was blocked by a rock and I couldn't get out.

 

「…… It's dark."

 

Attach the healing bullet you created in your hand to the wall.

The green light of the healing magic illuminates the passage, and while checking for a solid foothold, he creates multiple healing bullets and throws them to the end of the passage.

 

"There is no response to the healing sense...... Are you okay then?"

 

There are no enemies around.

While checking it carefully, I bring out Hannah Mr./Ms. and Rune, who were wrapped in dark magic behind my back.

Mr./Ms. Hannah, still holding Rune, gets off my back with a stumbling stance.

 

"What, is it here......?"

"In the ruins, it looks like they're trapped."

"No, why not!?"

"It's fun to dive."

 

The reply was a kick to the shin.

I wonder if the woman of the demon tribe also holds a grudge against my shins.

 

"Calm down, it's an ogre joke to liven up the place."

"It's a fine joke if anyone other than Usato-kun says it, but if Usato says it, it doesn't seem like a joke ......!!"

"Do you think I'm the one who says it's really fun to swim in this situation......?"

 

It's a normal shock.

At this point, Rune, who had been listening to the exchange between me and Mr./Ms. Hannah right next to me, woke up.

 

「…… Hmmm, good morning......"

"Good morning, do you want to eat sweets?"

"Mr./Ms., please keep this person away from my lamb and rosé."

 

Mr./Ms. Hannah doesn't hesitate to offer her portable food from her small bag, and Keira says to me as she pulls it off.

I think it's bad to be a worse person than your seniors under limited circumstances.

Well, I know that I like small children, or rather, the existence of children, so I don't feel that dangerous.

Rather, as someone who knows Mr./Ms.'s past, I have mixed feelings because I understand the feeling of overlapping my sister with a young child.

Sighing at all this, I sat down and knelt on the ground to meet Rune's gaze, munching on my portable food.

 

「…… Rune, I'm going to explain the situation now. Calm down and listen to me."

"Mugu...... Ahh

 

Explain to her how she came to be in the ruins.

I don't have time to go into detail because of the situation, but Rune nodded in understanding.

 

"You might have Shea here, right?"

"We don't know that yet, but I think it's a possibility."

"That's fine, I'll follow you."

 

I'm worried that Mr./Ms. Hannah will relentlessly poke me in the side from behind, but I know what I need to do from now on.

 

"Maybe Amako and the others are going to join us as they go into the ruins, so we'll go into the ruins and join them."

"Well, I don't think it's a good idea to break it and move on, and I think we should move forward here."

 

Mr./Ms. Nagi, Koga, and his subordinates are over there, so it's more than enough in terms of strength.

On top of that, there's Nea and Amako, and as long as there's nothing too much going on, you'll be fine.

 

"Let's move on...... Well, before that."

 

I hand the healing bullet in my hand to Rune.

 

"Why are you giving this to me?"

"It's a light, and it's going to light up your feet."

「…… Wow, don't poke around. This"

 

Rune curiously touches the healing bullet.

It will disappear over time, but then you can give it to me again.

 

"Hey, and to Mr./Ms. Keira and Hannah."

"Thank you!"

"It's really weird and useful, ah, the wielder is like this, but the healing magic is warm......"

 

Don't call me a bad person......

Kira seemed to want it somehow, so I gave it to her for the time being.

Now, when everyone has a light, I point ahead.

 

"Did they all have healing magic?" Let's start exploring!!"

"Oh!"

"Oh."

"What's that weird motivation ......?"

 

These four people will join Amako and the others while exploring ...... ruins!

To that end, let's start by navigating through this ruin shrouded in darkness!

 

"But it's a lot bigger than it looks from the outside."

"Sure, it's like a maze inside, it's creepy."

 

What on earth was this place built for?

As you walk through the ruins while throwing magic bullets and searching for them with your healing senses, you will see things like patterns carved into stone pillars and walls.

 

"I'm pretty sure it's from Rune's ancestors...... When you can build such a civilization in such a dangerous land, the contents of the ruins do not seem normal."

"Does that mean that humans of my species may still be out there somewhere?"

「…… I am sorry. I can't say that it's not a possibility...... That's all I can say right now."

 

Mr./Ms. apologizes to Rune as if she doesn't want to give her hope.

 

"You don't have to apologize, it's not like I'm going to change if I meet the same race anymore, it's just that we look the same, and that's all I can trust you."

"Rune-chan ......."

"But you're a little scared, stay away."

 

Oh, Mr./Ms. fell to her knees.

With a wry smile on his face, he radiates his magic power forward, and detects two reactions to the magic detection.

I hold Hannah Mr./Ms. and Rune behind me by the hand.

 

"Usato-kun?"

"Shhh, there's somebody. There are two of them, and since the healing magic doesn't work, it may be a corpse prepared by the demon side."

"Then I'm behind you, so please protect me."

 

Isn't that too immediate?

 

"I feel like you can at least support me with phantom magic......"

"What...... Ah, but Usato-kun doesn't have my illusion magic, so it's okay to involve you normally. Then leave it to me!"

 

Have you ever been so happy to be attacked in the back by ...... allies?

Well, Mr./Ms.'s phantom magic is powerful, so if the battle is about to drag on, her support will come in, so we get closer to the place where there is a reaction.

 

「…… Mmm."

 

What came out was a fairly large space.

It seems to be a wider passage than before, but I check to see someone grating on the wall at the end of it.

When I made a healing spell in my hand and lit it up, I found ———、

 

"Gee, Usato-kun......!?"

"Mr./Ms. Owl!?"

 

There was Mr./Ms. who looked at me and twitched her cheeks, and one of the dark wizard twins who revived the corpse that had attacked me shortly before I was grabbing the hem of her clothes for some reason.

 

"Oh, oh, it's Usato-kun.

"Hello, Mr./Ms. Awl. That's a miracle."

「……」

「……」

 

A strange silence reigns in the ruins shrouded in darkness.

It's an unexpected situation, but given what we've done and why we're in this situation right now, missing her out is not an option.

 

"Rune"

「…… You're an enemy, aren't you?"

"No...... But you've got the other one."

"Okay."

 

At the same time as I emit my magic, Rune also puts on a robe of dark magic.

Engulfed in black flames, she transformed into a panther-like animal and at the same time jumped on the dark wizard child next to Mr./Ms..

 

"My sister Mr./Ms. was attacked by a monster that I don't understand well!?"

"I'm your opponent!"

"Huh!? Oh, that's right, isn't it?! I've raided it many times!!"

 

Mr./Ms. Owl absorbs the healing flying fist that was released instantly with shock magic.

In the meantime, he approaches close at once and wields the healing magic he wears in his hands.

 

"The fact that you're here means that the devil is also here!!"

"Ah, it's going to be a little complicated ......!!"

 

Even though I was upset, Owl Mr./Ms. blocked my fist with a sword in a sheath pulled from my waist.

Each time he wields his arms, he creates a magic bullet and shoots it as if it were flying with the momentum of his fist as he fights.

 

"So I wonder if you'll listen to me for a while!!"

「…… Talk?"

 

The opponent also seems to be blocking the attack and has no intention of drawing his sword, so he pulls his fist and distances himself.

Mr./Ms., who had a relieved expression on his face when he saw me pulling over, looked confused when he saw the healing magic bullet with a pale green light attached to his arm, shoulder, and side.

 

"Huh? Hey, why do you give me a magic bullet?"

"Don't worry.Not yet・・There are no explosive bullets attached. I wanted to talk to you before I get you in earnest."

 

As it is now, it is nothing more than a healing magic ball with normal potency and weak potency.

However, if the battle resumes as it is, the next attack will be a combination of explosive shells and system reinforcement.

 

「…… This is a normal magic bullet, isn't it?"

"Yes, that's a normal magic bullet, right?"

"I don't know, my gut feeling like this is bad."

 

Subconsciously aware of the dangers of that healing magic bullet?

…… As expected, he was entrusted with the role of Rose's second-in-command.

Her ability to detect danger is reminiscent of Rose's psychic "intuition".

 

「……」

 

Mr./Ms. is not hostile towards us.

…… No, this person hasn't been hostile all this time, but he doesn't seem to be going to fight here.

And none of the twin dark wizards that Rune is holding back seem to be resisting.

I sigh and loosen my stance.

 

"What do you mean?"

"Let me explain it succinctly...... We've gotten separated from the devil."

「…… Huh?"

 

Diverged from the devil?

Under what circumstances would Mr./Ms. on the devil's side be diverted?

In the first place, wasn't the series of events so far set up by the devil?

________________________________________

Encounter with Owl here.

And it was Usato, who could easily attach a magic bullet to the owl so that it could be blown up at any time.