Chapter 37 (1/2)

Chapter 37 Choice

That night, as I walked through the corridor to Utano-san’s rooh ht seem unreal but women in maid uniforms are really nice to look at

While thinking of such foolish things, I reached in front of Utano-san’s room That said, there were only a few rooms between mine and her room When we had been suroup so we decided that it’d be convenient to have have our rooms close to each other just in case There was no other ulterior motive behind it……at least I’d like to think that

In front of her rooht right now but it has been a long tiht, so I ended up feeling a bit nervous unconsciously Also, I’ive me as well

Cal myself down, I knocked twice

“?”

But there was no response Feeling a bit letdown, I knocked again Since I could see light seeping out froap in the door, she should be present in the room I waited for a while, but still there was no response

Is she really not in? When I tried listening inside a bit, I heard a bit busy sound It seems like she’s in some kind of hurry

“Please, come in”

Just when I was about to knock again, finally a response cah the door

What the hell was she doing? As I opened the door while confused, I realized that another person was inside the rooh at as heavy as KNIGHT I met in the afternoon, he was stillman dressed in nice clothes His thin eyes moved towards me

“Long time no see, Renji-san”

“Oh, Kuuki It’s been a while”

“Yes It’s been an year I was really worried when you were carried in all injured you know?”

As he walked towards hts uy still surpasses me by quite a bit Even in this other world, I’ve not ives off the iht so at times as well

Kuuki extended an arm towards and I took it as we shook hands with each other

“No, seriously, I was afraid you won’t open your eyes ever again”(kuuki)

“Don’t speak of such unlucky things That Koutarou’s cheat is alwaysme seem like I’d die already anyway”(renji)

“Haha, true You are always dying according to his cheat aren’t you?”

“……It’s not a laughing matter you know?”

But well, considering that I never did actually die, I guess it can becao matter as well Why the hell is his De? Am I simply that easy to kill or his cheat just broken? I hope it’s the latter

Leaving that aside,

“Did you grow in height again?”(renji)

I feel like I have to look uptired

“It see already’, as well”

“It’s not so that can be stopped on an order you know……but still, share soht with me damnit!”

“Renji-san, you’re pretty tall already though”

That’s true I’rew more

“Are you guys done talking?”

As we laughed together, a somewhat tired voice came When we both looked towards the source of it, the ht now she wasn’t in her usual robe but in a coee-like dress made of some soft cloth Above that she also wore a thick shawl Her flaxen hair had been undone and she was giving off a co froic lamp, her beauty wasthis woman called Utano Yuuko, was completely charmed for a second

But well,…… even though she had her are in her chest area I looked only for a second but still I quickly looked away so as to avoid getting noticed As a man, it can’t be helped that my eyes wander like that

The bookshelf in her room that had clearly had an increased number of books from before came into my view She had a lot back then as well but there were only 2 shelves But now, covering all of the walls……except theto let light pass through, there were a total of eight shelves lined up And each of them were filled with notes and books

Even on her work table, there were lots of books neatly lined up I concluded that she was quickly cleaning up her rooh I think it was probably too late since Kuuki was already there She’s not really good at cleaning and stuff like that If it was her back then, there’d probably be books lying around not just on her desk but also the floor

Finally, I aze towards her directly

“Welcome, you’re late”(utano)

“I had so a bit more than I had planned”

While scratching my cheeks I moved forwards I probably shouldn’t say that she was the one that still ht, sweet ss similar to perfumes used by nobles in this world as well, Utano-san didn’t seem to be interested in theht now Kuuki toldthe perfume but it seems that’s not the case here

“So?”

“H”

It seems in the past one year, she has become a bit more womanly as well No, well, I did see her as a proper wo careless and undisciplined when in private even though she acts perfect in front of others so I was si like a perfume I became a bit more conscious of Utano-san as a woman as she looked at me confusedly

Re about what happened in the afternoon, another reasona very wo of that, suddenlyflowers……I guess I prefer dus over flowers, stomach/food before romance The phrase truly fits me

“Ara, have you not had your meal yet?”(utano)

“……I was sleeping after all Well, I’ry, I’ll be fine”(renji)

“That won’t do Renji-san You’re still recuperating, you need to take proper nourishment as well”(kuuki)

“Yeah, yeah”

I sat down on the sofa in the centre of the roo on such a soft sofa after such a long ti on wooden chairs for a while now As I smiled wryly at that fact, Kuuki sat down on the opposite side of the table I’ll just ignore thatif I minded it anyway

Seeing that I had sat down, Utano-san rung a s for it, the door was knocked instantly and a woer than me and Utano-san I think

I blankly looked at Utano-san as she ordered theher order like that, as if she was used to it, somehow suited her She really looked cool at tiet scolded by her saying that ‘cool’ is not a compliment for women

When she was done and turned back towards us, our gazes met

“What is it?”(utano)

“Nothing, I was just thinking that this sofa is really great”(renji)

“People don’t usually come here but this is still the royal castle after all If I didn’t arrange for at least this quality of things, others start co”

Well nobody comes probably because they’re afraid of her Deep inside she has a good personality but her eyes/gaze is definitely scary We can tell since we’re used to it but for others I guess it’s not that easy

In contrast, Kuuki has a very gentle and likeable looking face His extreht entle expression, he’d be the one people would depend upon in every village we reached

“It seee has her own sorts of troubles, eh?”(renji)

“You’ll understand thereat Hero”(utano)

Seeing her speak those words with a sense of confidence, I could only shrug my shoulders I really want to not understand her those sorts of troubles, if possible When I looked in front, Kuuki was also nodding his head at Utano-san’s words Since he’s living in the castle as well, I guess he has to deal with such things as well I guess

“I’m really not suited to be a Hero”(renji)

“True I’e either”(utano)

“Oh no, no”(Kuuki)

While hearing Kuuki’s slightly sarcas a bit of a gap in between And with a dry sound, placed the black gement on the table

“So that’s the Demon God’s heart, eh?”(kuuki)

“It’s just a fragh Wait, Kuuki, you hadn’t seen it till now?”(renji)

“Yes, Only the King, O’brien-dono, Aya and your friend called Mururu have seen it till now”(utano)

What’s up with that choice If Aya was allowed to see, asn’t he? As if noticingwryly I don’t really think you need permission like that to speak, you know?

“I ay on a can I came back just very recently”(kuuki)

“Ah, I see”(renji)

So that’s why there were so less people during the afternoon

“You seem busy”(renji)

“Yes, very much so Recently, monsters have been a bit too active”(kuuki)

“The Knight Orders are a bit low on people right now The 1st Order till the 4th Order are especially busy right now Especially Yuuta-kun, since he specialises as the [shi+eld]”(utano)(T/N: Yuuta is Kuuki’s first naot)

“You’re being depended upon a lot, eh?”(renji)

“I’m happy for that but, really, I want to take some rest now”(kuuki)

I could only give a wry s wish for that so desperately Kuuki’s cheat is [The shi+eld of Protection] He simply has no replacement

After all, with Kuuki there, everyone would be safe even if a dragon-class monster appeared Kuuki Yuuta wished for a [shi+eld to protect everyone] That was made true as a protective barrier created by Kuuki with him as the centre It even had the ability to decided what all the barrier would protect voluntarily as well Whether it be a dragon’s breath, a high ranking deic that don’t differentiate between enemies and allies, his shi+eld has protected us from all that countless times

Since he has such an ability, hefor the front lines countless times

“You’re attached to the 3rd Knight Order, right?”(renji)

“Though I’m still inexperienced, I have been made into the vice commander as well”

“That’s an a achievement”(renji)

When I said that, he scratched his cheeks e him like he always did, I felt happy as well

“He goes on dates with the princess as well so, though busy, he’s pretty happy it seems”(utano)

“Wai-!”(kuuki)

“……hou You did get along with her back then as well, I guess”(renji)

“Renji-san as well!”

Seeing such a tall and handsouy blush like that, now I feel jealous Goddamnit To have a princess as your lover, how envious is that? But still, finally he did it eh Soon after ere su with her Before anyone realized even Seriously, just e let hiot close to the country’s princess Unlike his face would suggest, he gets to work fast That’s how he is This h, since everytith

“So when are you getting married?”(renji)

“I can’t right now!?”(kuuki)

“hmmm, ‘not yet’ eh?”(renji)

Well, their feelings aside, they also have both their positions to mind as well The princess and the saviour/Hero of the country There’s also the status inside the castle as well—–well, once he becoht Order, there won’t be any problem

“Aah, c’one off topic too much Yuuko-san!!”(kuuki)

While I teased Kuuki as red-faced, I picked up the black fragth but it didn’t break I guess it’s useless without Ermenhilde

“Is it fine to just destroy it?”

“It isn’t as simple as it looks The Spirit God is involved as well after all”

“I guess that’s true as well”

“………And noe’re suddenly back on topic, can you guys stop already?”(kuuki)

While listening to Kuuki’s tired voice, I returned the fragment back to the table The Demon God’s heart Since I was the one who once broke it, I know The Spirit God does have the ability to break a fragment like this Probably, better thanthat, he must have a reason to do so In the first place, I broke it one year ago on the Abenel?

“I just want to destroy this as fast as possible, to be honest”(renji)

“You can’t it ht be necessary to the world from hereon”(utano”

At her words, ment

“The heart of the De the world?”(renji)

“Recently,very weirdly You should have realized that as well, right?”(utano)

Fuer to my chin

I could rere that appeared inside a village out of nowhere, a descendant of the De them

Kuuki seems to be busy due to the erratic movements of monsters as well and even that lazy Spirit God decided to take action There ht now

“Now that I recall, that De about resurrecting the Demon God and whatnot”(renji)

“Yes, I heard about it as well That also seems one of the reasons”(utano)

“What do you mean?”

“The ones who created this world were the Goddess, the Spirit God and the Deht?”

Saying that, Utano-san raised 3 of her fingers And then, she bent one of them We killed the De supported by the Goddess and the Spirit God

“But, those 2 alone cannot support this world That’s because this world was created in such a way that it needs three pillars to sustain itself”

“Yeah, I know that as well”

During ht about it many times as well Since those three created the world, would there be no effect if one of the that it’s due to that thelike this?

That demon said that they wanted to revive the De the Deh The descendants are born directly from the power of the Demon God Monsters were birthed by the Demon God as well but the descendants held power far more than them so they stood above normal monsters and even the Demons That’s why normally, the descendants would be the ones to use monsters and the Demons for their use, not the other way round

“I’ into it but I think, since we killed one the 3 pillars, the balance of the world has been destroyed”(utano)

“The fact about how the Goddess creates humans, Spirit God creates demi-humans and beastmen and the Demon God creates monsters and Demons?”

“Yes, according toon the Abenelm continent”

I see I guess that would be the first place to be affected But since it was related to only monsters and demons, I didn’t thinkinto it, did she send people to Abenelm That sounds like trouble, really Monsters, deiants rare on these continents run rampant over there

And if it really is as she says, then I’m not unrelated to this problem After all the reason behind the weird actions of the monsters………the one who killed the Demon God wasa sigh And above all——if the Demon God is necessary for the worldasshole

“About that, I think we should get an Oracle fro?”(utano)

“Why are you askingfrom her in the past one whole year”(renjii)

“……well, you’re the most probable ones she’d contact after all After all, she only gives you all sorts of work”

“Don’t et depressed”

“Isn’t thatagood thing? You’re liked by Astraera-sama It would be considered an honour, you know?”(kuuki)

“Shut up That woman is nowhere near as nice as it sounds”

She isn’t annoying but she is kind of a pain sometimes In any case, she troubles me a lot, with all of her requests Noruess reality doesn’t work like fantasy What kind of side character gets more problems than the main hero?

As I bent my lips in dissatisfaction, the door was knocked When Utano-san gave a reply, the e tray with alcohol and souess its as expected of a le sound

“Well, let’s leave the troublesome talk for later”(renji)

Theon the table The alcohol kept on the table was high class, I could tell with a single glance……Well, I guess it’s to be expected

Making the maid move away, Utano-san poured the for me In replacelasses were filled with an amber coloured liquid and the smell of the liquour mixed with the smell of those flowers froan drinking and we really will stop talking about the important stuff

“Utano-san, where’s Ermenhilde?”

“Eh?”

Wait, I’ll be the one troubled if you look at me so confusedly, you know?

“You haven’t met her yet?”

“Well, neither Yui-chan nor Anastasia knew about it Fafnir didn’t either”

Instead, I was coh by Fafnir

“She’s at the place you want to go to the least right now”(utano)

“……aah”

I instantly knehere she was froave an ard sigh again

I wonder how she saw lass while looking at me amusedly

“Oh right, I thought it was oddly silent So Eru-san wasn’t with you”(kuuki)

“I’ll tell Er her noisy, definitely”