After I separated from Olga-san, I ran just like Rose told me to. It was at this time that I started heading towards the castle itself.
Along the way, I got a lot of attention from other people⊠they looked surprised from seeing my outfit.
I wonder if it was really okay for the Rescue Squadâs eccentric practices to be viewed by others.
As for my matter of running around the castle, I would have preferred to run inside rather than at the edge of the outer walls. It was just that Bluerin was on my back and I didnât think they would let me in.
While thinking so, I reached the castleâs entrance gate.
As expected, the gate was huge. I didnât get a chance to get a good look at it since I was abducted by Rose before but⊠Indeed, the door that protected the castle was quite profound.
While I was overpowered by the impressiveness of the door, I stepped up to where the guard was.
The guard was wary for a moment upon seeing me but as soon as they saw my uniform, their expression changed.
âYou are the Rescue Squadâs Usato-dono, am I correct?â
âYes butâŠâ
What a dispirited person.
âWhat business do you have here today?â
âI want to go inside of the castle but⊠Is it okay to let this guy in as well?â
Letâs just see if Bluerin can enter the castle.
âThe Blue Grizzly cub yes? Rose-sama has already given permission, I think there should be no problems!â
âEehh! Is it really okay to let a monster inside the castle grounds!?â
âRose-sama has guaranteed that itâs safe, therefore, itâs fine.â
Just when did Rose give permission� Was it when I was returning back to the kingdom?
Probably while she was filing out that report, she granted permission for Bluerin to enter the castle. She also expected that I would take Bluerin along with me inside of the castle. Moreover, this person was really trusted. Just who was Rose exactly?
Other than the fact that she was the Rescue Squadâs leader, I knew nothing else about her.
âWell, Iâm going inside, is that alright?â
âNo problem. Here, come on in.â
Carrying Bluerin on my back, I headed inside of the castle.
⊠If Bluerin were to attack anyone inside, Iâll use any means to stop him.
âYou canât go acting violently okay?â
âGu~â
âYouâre really carefree. Do you really understand?â
Bluerin was completely relaxed on my back.
Looking at him, it seemed like I didnât need to worry too much.
Just as I entered the inside of the castle, I started running again.\nMy destination was the castleâs training grounds. I havenât been there myself but I could probably navigate there from my past conversations with Kazuki.
âI heard itâs a large plaza.â
I could really only depend on this one clue that stuck out from the rest⊠It was laughable but I should be able to easily find it given its size.
As I was turning around, I found a big square plaza.
Most likely, this was the training spot.
ââŠâŠOh.â
A large number of knights were training with wooden swords. From the looks of it, the fight with the Maouâs army was drawing near.
Getting closer to the training grounds, I surveyed around. While loitering around on the side, it was then that I caught sight of one girlâs figure with black hair.
That was Inukami-senpai wasnât it?
âInukami-senpai!!â
*
Currently I, Inukami Suzune, was in development of my so-called certain kill move.
As the name implied, it was a move that would kill the opponent without fail and bring certain death.
Seeing as magic training was almost over, I chose to polish it a bit on the side over here. It could help me live, no matter how slim the chances of that were.
However, although I was calling it a certain kill move, it was mostly nonsense since I was just simply shooting out lightning⊠It wasnât much different from normal.
I heard that boys were well-informed about this kind of stuff but I couldnât rely on someone like Kazuki. That kid was indifferent about things like these.
âInukami-senpai!!â
âFuun?â
It was a voice I havenât heard in a while.
Facing the direction from where the voice was coming from, I could see the other friend who came along to this world with us.
Usato-kun was running towards me as he faced me.
Seeing his figure, my body stiffened like stone.
On Usato-kunâs back was a blue bear.
âUsato-kun, that bear on your back isâŠ?â
âAah, this is a monster and itâs a Blue Grizzly cub. Heâs obedient and doesnât attack others you know?â
Saying so, Usato-kun let the bear down on the ground. After doing so, he squatted down and gently stroked the bearâs head.
I wonder why Usato-kun was together with a monsterâs cub.
âActually, I was in a survival lifestyle in a forest full of monsters for 10 days. Various things happened and I ended up getting attached to this little one.â
âI-Is that so? That explains why I havenât been seeing you at the Rescue Squadâs lodging house.â
I had the temptation to ask about what he experienced in a forest full of monsters. But I knew I probably shouldnât inquire too much.\nLeaving that aside, Iâm curious as to why he was here.
âDid you come here to see me today?â
âLast time Kazuki and senpai came to me so, I thought I would drop by here while I was training. âŠ.Huh? Kazuki isnât here?â
My teasing question ended up being easily passed and ignored.
Despite receiving shock from that, I replied to his question,
âKazuki-kun left the kingdom early in the morning. He did so with the intention of accumulating some actual fighting experience with monsters. Perhaps you guys passed each other?â
âAh, is that so? ⊠If thatâs the case, how about senpai?â
âIt wouldnât be good if both of the heroes left the kingdom, and so Iâm just staying at the castle. You donât need to worry about Kazuki-kun, Sigris is with him. However Seria is in a bad temper because Kazuki-kun wasnât here in the morning.â
âHahaha, thatâs indeed serious. But Iâm glad, I wonât need to be worried if thereâs someone to accompany him.â
Usato-kun breathed a sigh of relief.
Fufu, thinking of your friend now are you?
Still, I really couldnât help but be curiousâ
âGuruu~â
âNn? Youâre already feeling sleepy, Bluerin? You havenât been moving that much, so you shouldnât be tired at all rightâŠ?â
It was this bear.
It was the first time Iâve seen a wild bear and looking at it in person, it was awfully cute. It reminded me of a panda that I saw during my childhood.
It was thought that bears were brutal creatures, and that the average person felt fear from seeing one.
However, in front of me was a bear with sleepy eyes that was stretching itself⊠I simply couldnât see it as a target of fear.
No, I had to affirm of its cuteness for myself.
âUsato-kun, is it okay if I touch it!?â
âPlease donât suddenly let out such a loud voice. You startled me.â
âS-Sorry.â
I ended up getting excited without helping it.
That wasnât good, wasnât good⊠I needed to settle myself down more.
âIf itâs touching, itâs no problem. If he bites, Iâll heal you back.â
âBiting, thatâs quite a scary thing youâre sayingâŠâ
However, I received permission.
While my heart was beating quickly, I extended my hand.
Coming into another world and being able to brush such an animal⊠What good luck, this was surely fate.
At the instant my hand approached the bearâs headâ\n\nHowever, while Bluerin was biting, Usato-kun was smiling. He was only bitten for a few moments but I felt like his hand was really red⊠I probably shouldnât worry about it too much.
This was surely Usato-kunâs love⊠Yes.
A short while later, Usato-kun pulled his hand out from Bluerinâs mouth. While Usato-kun had a somewhat transparent face, he looked at me.
I wonder if it was painful.
âThat reminds me senpai, what are you doing here?â
âThatâs really abrupt. âŠ..Err⊠here I wasâŠâ
âYou were training?â
What should I do? I couldnât say I was thinking of my certain kill move here.
Usato-kun was really diligent in his training but despite that I was here worrying about something like this. If he knew about it, my face as a senpai would collapse and be in complete ruin.
âM-Magic training, that was what I was doing.â
âIs that so? I was thinking that since it was senpai, you might have been trying to think of your own original technique or something.â
Usato-kun, are you an esper?
Did I happen to do something careless to make you think so?
However, this was a good opportunity. Iâll try to casually ask to get a hint for my technique.
Iâll throw questions at Usato-kun and see.
Usato-kun showed a suspicious facial expression towards me but he faithfully answered my questions.
We conversed for 10 minutes but then Usato-kun got up and approached Bluerin.
âWell, I should get going soon.â
âEeh, youâre going already?â
âI still have my training thatâs why. Iâll come again so⊠hey, Bluerin, stop sleeping and wake upâŠ.. Geez, I guess I have no choice.â
Lifting Bluerin up, Usato carried Bluerin on his back.
Although it was a cub, he was able to easily lift such a large bodyâŠ. He had been improving himself.
With regards to him leaving, I felt a little reluctance to part but there was no need to be disappointed since he could visit again.
âDo your best, Usato-kun.â
âYes, and senpai please do your best in thinking up of a good technique.â
âWha!?â
âWell thenââ
Before I could reply, Usato-kun had already ran out and left the training grounds.
âŠâŠ Good grief, I got one point taken from me. Well, as one would expect, you would notice after asking so many similar questions.
âNow then, I should continue doing my best for a bit longer.â
But Iâve noticed that Usato-kun has gradually gotten quite frank with me.
Well it was fine, it wasnât to the extent that I really minded it, and it didnât feel too bad.