Volume 3 Chapter 5 Part1 (1/2)

Part 1

”……Huh?”

I could see s in surprise

I was——inside of the te on top of some sort of carpet There were several people around me The candle stand at my side lit up their faces

”They're all safe”

Both the Rittei and Ilfai looked visibly tired

”I see, they must have used their powers to the limit to keep everyone safe after I left the barrier”

And yeah, Cowess and the other knights are all here too

A lot of people were hurt, but I was glad that no one was in any sort of life-threatening condition

”Wait If they're here……huh? What's going on?”

Louie and Eru were here too It irritated h I wanted to!

Eru continuously licked lad you likewet now!

I couldn't tell what kind of look Louie had on his face because he was facing down He was sidown atone of those infaht now?

——What nonsense are you going on about, Master?

”Solt, what should I do, I thinkoutside ofon top of a thick blanket in a panic

Solt, the divine sword, had been placed next to my body

——You haven't awoken for nearly a full day now, Master

Ehh?

”I slept in again?!”

Wasn't I sleeping a bit tooback when I removed the poison out from Louie's mouth too

——…… Listen, it wasn't possible for you to wake even after dawn had cohts carried you to the teuidance after I cancelled out my barrier

”Oh, so that's how everyone ht in relief before I realized that it wasn't the time to be relieved like that

”Um, what am I supposed to do about this?”

——Your flesh still needs rest, Master But look These restless ones are terrified of the second advent of night and are working to wake you up by force

”By force?”

If I'd slept for nearly a full day, then it ain soon

Just hoere they planning to wake

”What do you want to do, the girl isn't showing any signs of waking even now”

The person who had said this was a sturdily built man with dark blond hair and a look of distress on his face

”Shouldn't we force her to wake up?”

This voice belonged to the ainst my departure yesterday

”W, wait, she's so exhausted that she's been sleeping this long……”

It was Cowess, who refuted weakly while looking down at the ground

”Shut up, no one was asking for your opinion Night's coain!”

It was a lared at and scolded Cowess, as plainly frightened

”But, her holy aura feels very distant at the e ti in when you're just a lowly priestess apprentice! Or are you trying to say that you can gauge holy auras?”

The irl next

”No, her aura is very faint right now, just as Clara said”

The Rittei turned to the ue written onto his face and concurred with the cute girl's—Clara's—opinion

”Then isn't that all the ht if we don't”

”But wouldn't forcing her to wake up put her life at risk?”

The person who had calht who had spoken to me just before Solt had become the Sea of Trees He continued,

”she created a barrier and fell asleep to protect us I don't wish to force her awake if she isn't ready yet”

Several knights nodded after he had spoken

”Then what else do you suggest? It'll be night soon And the Rittei's exhausted too There's hardly any all-water left How do you propose we construct a barrier?”

Everyone remained silent at the man's words

”……We haven't used up the ritual tools yet We will become as your shi+elds if the Reims find this place and attack”

Apparently, the Rei around, Juvist Do you really think that we can ht with just the ritual tools we have left……?!”

The an to shout It looked like there were a lot of people who agreed with him

”And what of the Moon General's opinion?”

the young man with a stubble slipped in a question after a moment of silence He was the person who had known Louie

Everyone held their tongue in silence, but Louie didn't answer He siht hed It was Ilfai He brushed back his disheveled hair and looked around at everyone in glooled then when I'd first met him

”We can hold a vote Should ake her up, or should we let her sleep?”

Everyone looked to each other at Ilfai's simply proposal

I, I wonder how it'll turn out?

I was kind of embarrassed about this aard situation where everyone was talking about what to do aboutan out-of-body moment”

I floated down to where they were and awaited the results of the vote even as I held my head down in shame and bit down at my own pathetic antics

­——Master, you better brace yourself

Solt said in a mean way I even felt like I heard hi about this

After the vote, it was decided by a narrow in that they would wakethis After all,way up here

”She won't wake up just because we shake her a little We'll have to disturb her while she's sleeping deeply to regain the divine powers she's used up It'll have to be a shock strong enough to wake her up from that state”

Whoa, Ilfai, that sounded really scary just now

I nervous looked around at everyone Hoere they going to wakehis hands as if he ashi+ng thehts for some reason

He looked particularly mindful of Eru's and Louie's reactions

”I want you to keep in mind that this was the result of a vote It wasn't onlyso hard on this point?

The knights atching hi the sa that I was

Ilfai put his hands, which he had been rubbing together until then, on his forehead and let out an exaggerated sigh

”What a distasteful job I have That's right, it doesn't necessarily have to be me! You can be the one to wake her up, Rittei”

”I refuse”

Ilfai looked rather hostile and clicked his tongue when the Rittei replied iue again a second tiht, but don't hatethis, curse everyone else who voted to wake her up too”

Ilfai crouched down grudgingly in front of me and stared down at uiltier if you look at my body like that…

”Can I ask you to stand back?”

Ilfai waved a hand to send away Eru and Louie, who had refused to leave my side, for some reason Once he had confirently touchedto have you feel a little bit of pain,”

he whispered in my ear as I slept so that no one else could hear I was so outside ofjust now

Suddenly, Ilfai began saying so that sounded peculiar Was it so the short spell, Ilfai drew his hand closer toeven moodier than he had been

With a snap, my forehead —or rather, the divine stone onhad burst

A tiny spark appeared between Ilfai's palm and the divine stone for aconsciousness disappeared as though it had been smashed into pieces

”——U, uwaa!”

It hurts!!

My forehead really, really hurts!

A sharp pain strong enough tospread froroan that seemed to suppress a screa pain that I just couldn't ignore

Evidently, I had soain full consciousness It was probably thanks to the spell that Ilfai had chanted, but as I supposed to do about this pain?

I felt like I heard so, but it was drowned out by the pain

I couldn't open my eyes immediately I had subconsciously pressed down at my forehead with both of my hands in an effort to escape even a little bit of the pain I felt so wet on ain It hurt more than the time that Eru had bit ry roar Oh, Eru is really h people were arguing with each other I slowly openeddown hard at my forehead I saw people in rew clearer

”——Open your eyes, girl! Stop them!”

I heard Ilfai say rather desperately

I tried to get up, but I couldn't h I quickly figured out as going on

”That's why I told you fro his sword at the unar Ilfai, who's face looked extraordinarily stiff, and was keeping Louie in check by holding up his oord

Even Eru had charged at Ilfai in an atteical wall that the Rittei had created I was taken aback

What's going on?

”Hurry up and stop them, will you?!”

Ilfai, who had noticed that I had woken up, shouted as he clung to the stubbled ainst Louie

”……oui……, Eru”

My voice was hoarse because o away because of the pain in my forehead

Still, it looked like my hoarse voice had reached Eru's ears

Eru cooed in heartache and ran towardout like he had just been shocked

”Eru……”

Eru cooed again and pushed his nose againstdown

He babiedto express how lonely he had been You're really cute, but I et pushed around like a doll at this rate I felt like I would start rolling over if I let myself relax

”Look, General! She's awake!”

said the stubbled rip on his sword Louie's sword stopped iround

The others were looking fearfully at Louie while being frozen stiff in a posture that suggested that they were ready to run at a moment's notice

”Louie”

I called for hiht be able to move my arms a little now I quietly took my arms off of my forehead and placed them across my stomach

Louie let his bloodlust die down and turned around jerkily He looked like he was at a loss for words Eventually, a dizzying mix of emotions entered his eyes and his face twisted a little as he looked down at ……”

After all, I'd promised that I would stay with him The air about us ard because I didn't feel like I could make the excuse that……technically, I hadn't broken my promise because my body had been by his side

We stared at each other for a little while Louie sank to his knees beforedown His moon-colored eyes had taken on a color of hurt and avering

”Louie?”

A large hand timidly stroked my cheek His was a modest touch that seemed to be unable to decide whether he wanted to touch ain despite that his touch has been so light that he had barely grazed ertips I took in a sharp breath and tensed up Louie pulled back his hand as though he had been repelled

”She's bleeding……”

Cowess, who's legs had given out froerly as he looked at ers had felt hen I toucheda little from the area around the divine stone Eru cried out ently licked ht It really hurt to be touched there right now

”Hibiki”

I heard Louie's sorrowful voice I openedback the pain and smiled at hile tear fell frohto hide the fact that it had happened, before I could properly process as going on

There was a fierce wrath in Louie's eyes thatwould freeze over after he wiped away his tears and put down his arht in his eyes

”Um, Lou……”

Had his hatred for me finally reached a limit because I had broken ht this Incidentally, though, I rong

His next course of action told er wasn't pointed at me

”How dare you!”

Louie shouted in a low tone as he glared sharply at Ilfai

His burning anger was so fierce that it un to calain It was like his norentle expressions had all been just a lie He looked so furious This was a side of Louie that I didn't know I couldn't think of the words to stop hi him like this

”I didn't shock her divine stone because I wanted to! I didn't have a choice because the girl wouldn't wake up unless I did It was the others who decided to wake her up If you're going to get angry, then get angry at them!”

Ilfai hid behind the stubbled man in a panic and only poured out his lavish complaints after he had secured his personal safety The people who had been watching over this turn of events in fear began to panic at his words

Oh, I see He had cast a small offensive spell at my divine stone to wake h my head and forced me awake

”Louie…I'm…fine”

I opened one away as I grasped as going on I had a feeling that Louie and Eru ht seriously hurt the people here if I didn't at least say as ht”

They way Ilfai was replying so brazenlywith Solt for soan to resound in my heart, but I pretended I didn't hear hi up all this time, aardly drew closer to ot up and stood in his way and threatened the Rittei sos and scrunched up his nose Yeah, that's a pretty villainous face you've got there

”No, I' to heal her I would never hurt her,”

the Rittei explained with a hint of a plea in his voice as he stopped in his tracks, overpowered

Eru, I'm okay, don't attack him When I admonished him repeatedly in my heart, Eru's ears drooped back and he lowered his tail while curling up around me as if he'd heard my voice

”Eru isn't all that scary, Rittei”

”……Yes”

Eru had stopped threatening the Rittei overtly, but he stuck his nose ever so slightly againstup at hiing into the floor!

”Um, please wait, Rittei Perhaps you should rest a little…… Iirl named Clara who had timidly called out to the Rittei in modest reserve Dilcarette and the others, who had been watching how troubled the Rittei was growing because of Eru, nodded at her suggestion

The Rittei fell into a bit of conte how they all reacted before obediently drawing back

Clara stiffly stepped up and approached entle htest of tremors even as she was visibly afraid of the bloodthirsty air around Eru and Louie

”My abilities er, but I'll heal you……”

Clara explained in a voice so saze She trailed off as though she was unconfident in her abilities had covered my forehead with her slender hand in a truly timid manner

Upon a closer look, I saw that the tips of her white fingers were quivering ever so slightly, either because she was extremely nervous or because she was afraid of me

”Thank you”

I tried to appeal to her that I wasn't a scary person

I thanked her while doing my best to sound as normal as possible Clara opened her eyes wide and finally lookedand flowed behind her She was a pretty and delicate young girl I think that she would have become popular within a day if someone as cute as her transferred to my school

”N, no, not at all……”

Clara returned to her senses and looked down uneasily as her cheeks flushed red Whoa, Clara really feels like someone who's pure at heart There was an air about her that ardless of whether she asked you to or not

I forgot about my pain and was captivated by her before I knew it

”So, well, what's happened with her holy aura?”

The person who had spoken restlessly was theHe fell back in a panic upon seeing Eru quickly stand up and growl erous look in Louie's eyes

”Her holy aura has returned, perhaps because she has woken up,”

the Rittei said so, it's because you shed blood Your blood has already becoainst evil, Master There are no monsters nearby His eyes are simply clouded by fear, and there was no need to have woken you in the first place

Solt's indignant voice echoed through my heart He was in a really bad mood ……Were you worried about me, by any chance?

——Get over yourself, you reckless, foolish excuse of a Master!

……That was so mean…

Solt, are you bit of a misanthrope by any chance?

”In that case, maybe it's for the best that we hold out for another day in this roolances and Eru and Louie He was still hiding behind the stubbled man It was kinda funny

The stubbled man had a serious air about him that made him a little hard to approach, but he actually seeely iht person to hide behind

”Is everyone alright with that?”

Everyone let out a sigh with the tension in their shoulders relaxed

Only Louie and Eru remained tense And it worried e tientleness in the air that made the painful days that had continued up until yesterday see from somewhere far away fro closer for some reason The Rittei put up another barrier to protect everyone with I wondered if he was okay, since he see up?”

The Rittei, who had been speaking with Clara nearby, turned around in surprise when I quietly called out to him I continued,

”oh, I'm sorry I interrupted your conversation”

”No Please don't worry about it ……I don't believe there are any proble”

He let his gaze swi away bashfully

Eru, as acting as lance at him He had retracted his claws for now, but hiserect It didn't look like he was about to accept the Rittei as an ally anytime soon

”You were the one as injured”

”But Clara healed it for me just earlier”

”We should have the spell cast on you again later Healingsoh, it's effects are influenced by the strength of the caster as well”

”Is that hoorks?”

”Yes There are li In the most extreme cases, it can even affect someone's lifespan”

”I see…”

It soentlee and he see boy with cool eyes

But it was only against Ilfai that he never held back As proof, the Rittei's eyes took on a harsh light as he turned to Ilfai

”To think that he would attack a girl's face, even if it was to wake you up……I'llfierce for that”

”It's okay”

”You mustn't be lenient with hi I pondered over how I should go about pacifying the Rittei when Louie, who had been greeting the other knights, returned to my side with a blanket draped over one arh he and Louie were switching places ……I wonder if he's really gonna scold Ilfai

”Take this, Hibiki,”

Louie said as he briskly placed the blanket over my knees He then sat down next to me just as I looked over at hi to return to where the other knights were

”Is there anything that you would like? Should I bring you some water?”

”No, I'ot to this room?”

Louie fixed his eyes onroom”

”I see…”

We both kept our mouths shut for a little while

My heart still hadn't fully processed everything that had happened in that roohts hadn't brought up all of the corpses that had been there Maybe they'd vaguely figured out what had happened

I hugged the divine sword close to me

”——I'm envious”

”Huh?”

”Of the sword”

Louie smiled wryly and pointed at the sword in question He continued,

”your sword is the only thing that you never let go of Would I never have to worry about being apart froh with my sword, you know?”

”I don't ainst the floor and stuff”

”You can useas it means that I will always be kept in your hands”

I squeezed his hand tight before I replied His moon-colored eyes opened wide

”H, Louie I can't wrap my hands around yours even if I use both of them”

”Hibiki?”

I raised my eyebrows at the confusion in his voice

”If you changed into a sword, Louie, you'd probably be a really large one Large enough that you'd be taller and heavier than me I wouldn't be able to hold you ……Do you wanna shave off some of your sides?”

”Do ith my sides?”

”Wouldn't it be better if I became a sword instead? Size-wise, at least?”

”Absolutely not”

”That was fast!?”

”I wouldn't be able to use you if you became a sword”

”……Because I probably wouldn't be able to cut things properly?”

”That's not what I rew elated upon seeing the softness in his expression for the first ti while He continued,

”instead of a sword, you should beco, or a necklace”

”Well, would you put me on if I did, Louie?”

”——Yes”

”But aren't swords just better? All you can do with an accessory is to throw it at the enemy when push comes to shove It barely has any offensive capabilities at all”

”I wouldn't use you as a weapon”

”But…”

”Please just re”

”I'm pretty sure I'd be useless then…… But if you say so, Louie Make sure to keepabout again?

I tilted my head to the side as I continued to squeeze his hand The corners of his eyes flushed slightly as he smiled He looked endlessly troubled, and yet also sad He made this kind of face at me fro”

Ehhh!? Was he praisingme?

I suddenly found myself unable to look at him My heartrate had risen Clara walked over to us when I looked down in a panic She was apparently here to cast healing ain

I happily accepted her offer I wanted the time to quiet down my restless heart My cheeks had turned red because of the strange things that Louie had said

Louie really needed to think more seriously about what kind of effect his words had on others!

”You should rest,”

Clara said as she sat down in front of me and put her hand over my face She continued,

”your face is flushed red Do you have a fever, by any chance……?”

”N, no I don't So you don't need to worry about that”

I let out a deep sigh My body felt a lot better thanks to the effects of her h to stand up and walk around yet, but the pain in my forehead had died down and the tension had left lare at me whenever I tried to

”Hibiki, it would be best for you to sleep while you can ……No one will try to wake you up by force anylared at Ilfai with suspicion in his eyes

”M”

”Oh, is the floor too hard?”

Louie spread his ar me to sleep in your arms!? In front of everyone?

”Hey, Eru Do you really think he's actually that oblivious? Or should I start being depressed?”