172 Episode 65: A Long Night Comes (2) (1/2)

Me and Al went into the woods after Raini and the knights of the escort headed to the shelter on my orders. The moonlight is dazzling today and I don't have any trouble seeing it.

The demons that come towards you while you go through the woods are instantly processed by the magic unleashed by me and Al to roll into the earth. That's how we push each other into the back of the woods without ever stopping. We were silent with each other, but Fujial opened his mouth.

”... I didn't know I was going to be shouldering you”

”Yeah, not at all.”

Our edge broke off once. We were supposed to be a couple in the form of kings and queens, but that future never came.

Al was worried about the current state of the country and bore his sins in search of strength at the end of his complex emotions for Anis. And since each other's paths away, I never thought the day would come when we'd be shouldering each other like this.

”Al, you're gonna rendezvous with the acrylic first, right?

”Oh. I'm afraid the acrylic hasn't moved much from a certain point. In other words, you are likely to have encountered the cause of this stampede. Crush it first. Otherwise, a bunch of demons just keep running. If successful, they could retreat the herd of demons as it were.”

”… convenient, its foe magic”

Al says he can roughly measure the number and distance of demons by spreading a wide range of mists mixed with a part of himself called blood.

This power is used to grasp the situation and, as commander, Al has led the knights and adventurers. They say this is the result of Al's focus on vampire research after he headed to the border.

”If you gather a little fog to signal, you can give easy instructions even if you're far away. It is difficult to operate when the distance is too far away…”

”So can you give directions to acrylics, too?

”I'm encouraging you to rendezvous, because it's only a one-sided signal from here. Still not away means I still can't get away from the spot, I guess.”

Demons have also jumped from behind Al in the middle of the conversation, but Al releases the ice spear he created in the air without turning his gaze to him and tailors him to stop stitching it to the ground.

Al sprays fog in the air, so you can also sense imminent demons from behind with fog. That's why Al is prepared against surprise attacks, and I'm only able to focus my consciousness forward, too.

(As long as the race of vampires is really horrible......)

The power of a vampire is still a little different from simple magic, and it seems to me to have a wide range of its applications.

The situation where such vampires are in the canvas kingdom and may be turning to enemies gives me chills. Again, you can't leave it like this. Once we have cleared this matter up, we must put in place measures for the Cambus Kingdom in earnest.

”Is the acrylic straight as this?

”Oh, you just watch ahead. I'll be your eyes.”

…………

”... what, eyes like that dove was shot by an arrow”

”No.... when you say that to me, I feel really bad.”

”Oh, so am I. Why should I shoulder to shoulder with you?”

I said as Al looked at me like he was going to throw up evil. I'm also restless with Al alongside my shoulders.

If you're shouldering like this, it's because you don't like it, but you realize you're pulling over yourself that Al dumped you.

I'm sure that's mutual and doesn't make us feel very good about each other. It's like an ancient wound is hurting, I can't help feeling that.

”... I wonder if I could have looked straight at you with this power when I was still my fiancée”

”Impossible assumption.”

to Al's whining. I said with my nose ringing. Al snorted the same way in my response.

”You must be. So this is just a sentiment for each other”

”... is it that on your face, I am”

”It's also a boon to vampire power. Absolutely, you can't line up your shoulders without abandoning being a person, and you can't even see for yourself? I don't like it, really.”

”Did you know? I can still remember my anger, can't I?

”That's my first ear. Even at the end of the world, it's a habit to look like that.”

I'm just a little muddled by Al, who tells me to be sarcastic, but I feel that talking to Al can relieve the tension just as well.

I once didn't know so much about it. I'm holding onto my distance from Al now. I have that feeling.

I guess what we lacked was words and meshing each other's will. We should have told each other that we didn't like each other, even if that was painful.

As the fog cleared up, I felt like something I had been panning about for years would unravel. That puts strength into my feet. The pain of the old wound never disappeared, but that seems good.

Understanding also progresses because it becomes clearer. Perhaps our compatibility is not very good. It doesn't bother me if we keep a certain distance, but if we get too close, we can see each other's shortcomings better.

Once I was only conscious of Al's appearance, so I didn't earn Al's trust. I strongly believe now that if we wanted trust from Al, we needed to communicate it straight without hiding our hearts and minds and without falsehood.

So shall I put my feelings on the table for a little while too? There's no one else but Al, is there?

”... To be honest, it's surprising. I can't believe Al was such a hobby.”

”... Hey, wait. What are you talking about?”

”Is that the kind of girl you associate with your own will?