Inukami-senpai and I were able to safely return to the Kingdom.
After we met up with the Bluerin and the guards, we were informed to go back as there was a search party dispatched by Lyngle Kingdom looking for us.
It seemed that the guards felt responsible and frantically searched day and night for us. After taking care of the bandits, the robed guard was the one who went to report back about our disappearance. I had to make sure to properly thank them afterwards.
After arriving back at Lyngle Kingdom, we headed towards where the King was in order to inform him that we were safe. I left Bluerin with the guard. It seemed the both of them got along with each other before I knew it. Of course, it was also to keep a certain someone from trying to touch Bluerinā¦
Inukami-senpai and I entered the reception hall. The King was here along with Rose, Sigris, and an elder called Sergio who was present during our summoning.
There were no palace guards. Did they have that much trust in us already I wonder?
āOohā¦ Usatoā¦ Suzune, itās good that you are both unharmed.ā
After the King confirmed our safety in person, he let out a sigh of relief and sat down on his throne. He seemed to be quite exhausted and this showed how worried he was. For now, I should express my apologies for the trouble weāve put the King through.. or so I thought but Inukami-senpaiās words came first.
āWeāre sorry to have made you this worried and anxious.ā
āNo, thereās no need to apologize. Rather, I should be the one saying sorry. Iām sure this journey was harsh on the both of you. Sorry, Usato. If I didnāt tell you to participate in this training with Suzuneā¦ā
The King being too good of a person was actually making this somewhat difficult. While I felt troubled over his words, I somehow managed to form a response.
āNo Iā¦ Iām really fine. If I had to say it, Iām used to situations like these, thatās whyā¦ā
āUsed to it?ā
That was a slip of the tongue.
There might be consequences if I answered honestly here.
āAah, i-itās nothing! In my previous world, I would go to forests a lot!ā
āI-is that soā¦ā
Wait, why was I covering for Rose here?
ā¦.Donāt tell me Iāve been trained by Rose on an unconscious level too?
Suddenly, Rose faced me and gave a faint smile.
This dreadful sense of defeatā¦
āKuh.ā
āUsato-kun?ā
āItās nothing of concernā¦ yes, nothing.ā
I couldnāt let Inukami-senpai suspect anything.
āā¦..Incidentally, Usato, is everything going alright with your training in the Rescue Squad?ā
This was the one question I didnāt want to answerā!
Just a few moments ago I deceived him somehow but I didnāt expect this question to come so soon.
ā¦What should I do? To be honest, compared to fighting with the Blue Grizzly, this was more nerve wracking. Rose was here as well, I should prepare myself for what happens after I replyā¦
āIā¦. Iām doing well, y-yeah.ā
āI seeā¦ I was honestly worried. But youāre doing well huhā¦ Iām glad.ā
My heart hurts.
It felt like something heavy was trying to crush my heart. While my pangs of conscience were suffocating me, the King seemed to be talking to Sergio.
āKing Lloyd, soonā¦ā
āI understand, even without you reminding me, Sergioā¦. Usato, Suzune. The both of you are probably tired. Take it easy and get some rest.ā
With the Kingās permission, we left the throne room.
However, how should I say itā Rose was the same as always butā¦ Sigris and Sergioās faces seemed grim. They were both relieved after seeing that we were safe but after that, they seemed to be worried about something. At least that was the feeling I got.
āā¦ā¦If itās just my imagination, then it should be fine.ā
āUsato! Senpai!!ā
āW-wait for me, Kazuki-sama!ā
āKazuki and Seria-samaā¦ā
While walking inside the castle with Inukami-senpai, Kazuki was running towards us while out of breath with Seria-sama.
Come to think of it, weāve caused Kazuki to really worry about us.
āItās been a while, Kazuki.ā
āItās been a whileā¦ Not! After I woke up, Usato and Senpai went missing after being attacked by monstersā¦. Iā¦. I was incredibly worried you know!!ā
āAh, sorry.ā
I felt really ashamed.
While Inukami-senpai and Seria-sama were talking, Seria-sama looked over at both of our exchanges and giggled. Her smile was very charming. As expected of a princess, her every action was extremely elegant.
āFufufu, when Suzume-samaās group went missing and Kazuki-sama heard about it, he quickly got changed and started running in search of you two.ā
Senpai, who was trying to liven things up, poked fun at Kazuki.
If thatās so, I shouldā
āAs for Inukami-senpai, she ended up being hated by a small monkey.ā
āT-thatāsā¦ Youāre being a bully, Usato-kun!!ā
āUsato, a small monkey?ā
āActually you knowā¦ Inukamiāāāā
āItās nothing at all, right?ā
Inukami-senpai covered my mouth. You donāt want it to be exposed that much huh, Senpai. But Iāll just casually tell Kazuki about it later.
Kazuki and Seria-sama tilted their heads to the side while Senpai was flustered. They seemed to be thinking of something as Seria-sama and Kazuki noted our behavior.
āTheyāre getting along so well.ā
āThat does seem to be the caseā¦.ā
It appeared that the Princess was having another misunderstanding. Kazuki doesnāt notice it butāāā.
This could be bad. Knowing Senpai, she might try to play along with this misunderstanding and take it furtherā¦
In reality, I could see the corners of Senpaiās mouth distorting into the shape of a crescent moon.
āNo, thatās not the case.ā
ā!?ā
After saying those words, Senpai looked shocked and retreated. No, I meanā¦ You should at least try to restrain yourself a littleā¦ Itās impossible I guess.
āI see, how unfortunate~.ā
Seria-sama, that smile wasnāt an āunfortunateā smile at all. It seemed that even though the world has changed, girls still liked to gossip about love relationships. Weāre not particularly in a relationship though!
āAh, by the way Usato, Rose-san is amazing~ā
āWhat are you saying all of a sudden!?ā
To think that Roseās name would come out from Kazukiās mouthā¦
That person and Kazuki should have had almost no contact with each other, or at least that was supposed to be the case. While trembling with fear, I waited for Kazukiās next words. If he says something like āI really admire and look up to someone like Rose, please let me enter the Rescue Squad!āā¦ Even If I have to knock Kazuki unconscious to stop him, Iāll do it.
āWhen you guys went missing and I tried to go searching, I was stopped at the castle gates by Roseā¦. I was being serious and gave everything I had butā¦ I couldnāt do a single thing against her.ā
āThat person, itās because sheās everything but normalā¦ā
She could easily lift Bluerin and me up while running at full speedā¦
Even the snake that I cornered until I was on the verge of death was defeated in one blow by herā¦.
And now Kazuki held an image of something like a hero towards Roseā¦ My expression couldnāt help but stiffen.
Thatās not good, not good at all Kazukiā¦ That personās not a hero since sheās a healer who plays the role of a villain.
Shiru: Anyone interested in helping me translate check? You might not do anything for weeks or even months and when you do, you at most only have to check one or two lines when Iām not 100% sure of its accuracy. If you donāt mind my inconsistent schedule, Iām also looking for editors and proofreaders.