Seeing Shea being enveloped in light, she couldn't help herself.

It's not Shea in Shea.

He's tormenting Shea and he's trying to do something about it.

I really wanted to blow it up and save Shea, but I don't have the strength to do it.

 

"Guys, I'm sorry."

 

That's why I chose to stay by Shea's side.

I think I've done something really bad to Usato.

He tried to find Shea with me and help me, but in the end, I acted selfishly and caused trouble.

But...... Still, I was worried about Shea.

 

"Wow."

 

The moment I was enveloped in a circle of light, I was in a different place.

A large stone building.

It's a small place compared to the ruins I was in earlier, but I moved to that place in an instant and looked around in confusion.

 

"Whew, it was already hard......

"Shea ......"

 

Shea, who was in the immediate vicinity, was stretching herself.

After glancing at me as I called out, I spoke to the demon woman who was manipulating the thread.

 

"He's a nuisance, isn't he?"

"You should have made it impossible to start again on the spot, right?"

"No, no, you can't. You repelled the light magic that makes matter disappear with no questions asked, didn't you? It's not a human skill."

 

It's true that Usato doesn't move like a person.

But it seems to be true when he says it with a bitter face.

 

"If you take the gauntlet, you're going to be a little upset, and you're going to try to fight back without reacting, right? That's when my liver got really cold......!"

 

The trowel you took from Usato? Looking at what looked like a bracelet, Shea shrugged.

 

"And then there's Kannagi and Koga, the former legion commander, and if we had fought in that situation, we would have lost."

"If you're holding hostages, you can have the upper hand, right? It's okay if that body dies anyway, right?"

"Oh, that's a lie."

"Huh!?"

 

……!? Lie...... Was it?

I ...... he said he didn't care about Shea like that.

 

"If this body dies, it's really, really bad, and everything is ruined. I had a lot of time to spare, but I was very impatient inside."

"Huh...... It's too haphazard."

"I didn't have to worry about him getting killed if it was against the life-saving team and Kannagi, the only uncertainty was Koga, but he was held back by Esta. That was helpful. He's my best pawn."

"That's right."

 

With that in mind, Shea straightens up again.

 

"I don't care about Usato, but considering my plans for the future, I'm destined to be involved no matter what."

"I'm sorry to have anything to do with it, because it was really bad."

"What exactly?"

"......, I don't want to say it."

 

At Sia's words, Esta pressed her forehead together, her bloodless face oozing tiredness.

Smiling wryly at him, Shea puts her hand on her cheek.

 

"Unlike the hero, he is not bound by his position and can go where he thinks he needs to go, and the worst part is that he belongs to the Ringle Kingdom. …… I don't think that country will spare any help to usato."

"Can you predict where he's going next?"

"I can, but...... Ah, this is going to be troublesome again. Well...... I'll talk about that later."

 

Shea cuts off the conversation and drops her gaze to Awl, who is lying on the floor tied up nearby.

Barely conscious, she has hollow eyes and her mouth moves slightly, smiling contentedly as she talks to Esta as she speaks.

 

"Carry her to her room, and I'll play with her later."

"Do you want to erase your mind?"

"Don't say anything scary, that doesn't make sense. The original spirit remains, so it becomes a weapon against Usato."

「…… Huh?"

 

It's only for a short time, but it's a companion who has walked through the ruins together.

I don't ...... that such a person is about to be mistreated, but I have no power to stop him.

The frustration that I had never felt even in the forest where I was born and raised torments my body.

Still, I'm ...... Shea I need to be by Shea'...... side.

 

"Well, and."

 

Shea, who saw off Esta who took Awl, finally turns her attention to me.

He glared back at Shea's unkind, cold and frightened eyes, and for some reason his smile deepened.

 

"I didn't expect to come to this side...... I wouldn't go so far as to say that, but I'm happy to welcome you. Rune"

"I'm not going to help you with anything wrong."

"That's fine, I just wanted a caretaker."

 

Buzz, crap?

What are you going to do to me?

Ignoring my question, Shea holds up two fingers.

 

"There are two rules: first, don't leave this building. Don't think you're going to run away badly, right? Don't you think your life will be gone then?"

「…… What's the second one?"

 

So Shea knelt on the floor to make eye contact with me.

Shea brought her face close to my ear and whispered———、

 

"Don't reveal me."

 

Yes, as soon as I said the words, Shea's body weakened and she collapsed on me.

I hurriedly hugged Shea, and she looked up with a soft voice, "Uh-huh......."

 

「…… Oh, that? Why am I ...... here?"

「…… Shea?"

"What, Rune? Are you here for me?"

 

I couldn't hold back the tears that welled up in Shea, who didn't know what had happened.

Shea.

It's not cold eyes, it's warm and gentle shea.

With her vision clouded by tears, I hugged Shea.

 

"Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

"Nuguwa!? Powerful! What, what's inside!?"

 

I involuntarily hugged him as much as I could.

When I untie my arms, Shea looks at me alternately with my surroundings in confusion.

 

"What's the matter!? Eh, we were in the forest until we went to bed! I don't understand the situation at all!?"

 

At this point, I finally understood the meaning of the word caretaker.

I ...... the caretaker of the bad guy in Shea while he sleeps.

I can be there for Shea as she suffers, but I can't do anything about what is causing her to suffer.

 

But I was the one who chose it.

 

There is no going back.

He chose to support Shea by his side in a selfish way.

 

But I'm not the only one trying to help Shea.

 

We were only together for a short time, but I know.

I'm sure Usato will come to help Shea.

 

"I'll do my best, too......!!"

 

My role is to support and protect Shea until then.

________________________________________________________

Shea, who was walking quite a tightrope (?) Was.