The King had personally announced that the Maouâs army was approaching and the news spread throughout the kingdom. The soldiers were nervous and the citizens felt uneasy.
As for what the King planned to do against the Maouâs army, we would be confronting them on the plains.
The leader of the knights, Sigris, would be taking command of the army while the two heroes Kazuki and Inukami-senpai would follow him. It was uncertain if we would win but there was no doubt that the outcome of this war depended on the heroes and the Rescue Squad.
It could be said that I had some responsibility in regards to carrying injured people back from the vanguard. I was formally just a high school student so it was a situation I couldnât really imagine.
After the Kingâs announcement, everyone in the Rescue Squad gathered before Rose in the dining room.
Although we assembled, Rose wasnât saying anything. She just folded her arms and her eyes closed in front of us.
âAnego, just what isâŚ?â
Alek posed a somewhat reserved question as he seemed to have grown tired of waiting.
âNn? âŚAh, there are still some guys who havenât arrived yet. Wait for a bit.â
âHavenât come?â
âSorry for being lateâ!â
âW-wait, Uluru.â
The pair of siblings entered the dining room. It was Orga-san and Uluru-san. I see now, Rose was waiting on them. Uluru-san looked around familiarly and when she discovered me, she gave a friendly smile and waved. âŚ.How should I return that greeting?
âYou came at just the right time. Sit down.â
âYes.â
âAlrightâ. Itâs been a while, everyone.â
Perhaps she didnât know fear but Uluru-san greeted Tong and them lightheartedly. A normal girl would scream and run away against this group, what an amazing person. However, when seeing these people in the same room together, it felt like it didnât match up. Â It was similar to seeing bandits and a graceful girl in the same space.
Orga-san and Uluru-san sat in the neighboring seats close to me. Orga-san then said âyesterday was the first timeâ and I didnât know how to respond. This person was similar to Kazuki and really pure. I didnât want to react and say any unnecessary things.1
But now everyone was here. Wasnât this the first time this happened since I came to this world?
âYouâre all here it seems, Iâm going to begin talking now.â
As expected, weâll be discussing about the upcoming war?
Orga-san and Uluru-san should have already been informed by the King in the morning as well.
âIâm sure you know but the Maou army has come. âŚWell, theyâre frantically building a bridge at the moment but it doesnât change the fact that theyâre coming.â
You were to one who destroyed it after all.
Even if one intended to disrupt their bridge operations, just how does one person destroy a bridge? If it was me, I guess I would throw a tree or something.
âAfter two days, our army will advance to confront and repel the Maouâs army. As the Rescue Squad, weâll be accompanying them and setting up our encampment on the plains⌠Itâll be different from last time and will be a much harsher fight.â
âYes!â
âYES!â
Everyoneâs responses were strange as expected. Werenât Orga-san and Uluru-sanâs voices being drowned out?
ââŚ.Especially Usato and Uluru, both of you are entering a war for the first time. Donât let your guards down.â
So it seemed like Uluru-san didnât participate in the last war⌠If that was so, it was Orga-san who treated people last time.
âŚ.A few years ago, Uluru-sanâs age was still only around a student in middle school. It was an age that was too young to be participating in a war.
After that, Rose finished talking and we dispersed.
âOi Orga, I have something to talk about.â
âYes? I understand.â
As I was exiting the room, Rose called for Orga-san.
It seemed like it would be a complicated conversation and while thinking that I should quickly exit, suddenly, Uluru-san grabbed my arm.
âW-what is itâŚ?â
âOnii-chan has business with Rose-san thatâs why Iâm bored.â
âBored⌠is it?â
âUsato-kun⌠I heard about it, you ran around town while carrying a Blue Grizzly.â
âYeah, thatâs right but.â
âI want to see it~â
âErmâŚ..â
âIt should definitely be cute~â
âItâs ferocious soâŚâ
ââŚâŚ.â
âItâs this wayâŚâ
âThank you!â
I was so weak! If it was Inukami-senpai, I could probably deceive her somehow yetâŚ.. Even though she was similar to Inukami-senpai in age, the feeling was completely different! Kuh, this little girl sure is capable.
I took the smiling and cheerful Uluru-san to visit Bluerinâs stable.
Inside, there was one small animal that seemed to be free as it was lying down and yawning. I felt that its body has gotten a bit bigger⌠This guy really needed some genuine exercise soon.
After seeing Bluerinâs appearance, Uluru-san abruptly got closer to him and spread out her armsâ
âI-itâs dangerous!!â
âCute~â
Wait, in this case, it was Uluru-san rather than Inukami-senpai. In terms of their purity, they were as different as heaven and earth. Towards these pure intentions without any ulterior motives, other than me and the guard who escorted us (and Rose), Bluerin would probably allow others to touch him as well.
âGwuo!â
âEpu!?â
âUluru-san!!?â
Bluerin repelled her. Using his arm, he threw Uluru-san towards the bundle of straw. Bluerin, you⌠Just what kind of standpoint are you viewing from to judge others? Good grief, you remind me of someone.
As I was flustered, I hurriedly took out Uluru-san from the mountain of straw. It seemed that from her expression she received a bit of shock but she firmly caught on my shoulders. Since she could grip so strongly, it seemed like she wasnât injured.
I felt that her eyes were a little wet but it was probably best to avoid asking.
ââŚ.Usato-kun.â
âY-yesâŚâ
âI want to see you pet him.â
âI understand. But could you please let go on my shoulder now?â
Nails⌠Your nails were digging into me and it was painful. Just how mortified are you, Uluru-san?
For the time being, I extended my hand towards Bluerin and petted him normally.
âSee.â
âT-then this time I will!â
âGwa.â
Uluru-sanâs right hand was immediately knocked down.
Her right hand, having lost its destination with nowhere to go, moved towards her face to cover the tears that were flowing out.
Iâm sorry for our Bluerin causing trouble.
However, rescue had arrived for Uluru-san who was feeling down.
On her shoulders was a small black animal that had jumped up there with a âpyonâ.
ââŚ.K-Kururu-chanâŚ.â
âKyu?â
Yes, it was the Noir Rabbit. It was also Roseâs faithful pet, Kururu.
This was the monster that played with my innocence. Kuh, arenât you too cute tilting your head like that?
âKyu kyu.â
âDid you come to comfort meâŚ.? Thanââ
âKyu.â
âAhââ
Kururu rubbed its cheeks with Uluru-sanâs. However, the small one then jumped off from her shoulder and moved to mine. This rabbit, could it not read the mood? It was the worst situation; Bluerin was next to my right hand while Kururu was on my left shoulder. And in front of me was a spaced-out Uluru-san with her mouth wide-opened.
Silence took over.
âGuah.â
âKyu.â
You guys, be silent.
This was bad. It felt awkward. Extremely awkward. Follow-up, follow-upâŚ.. It was no good. I couldnât think of any good words to say. Inukami-senpai was Inukami-senpai, which was why it would be easy to break this deadlock of a situation if it was her.
ââŚ..Uuu.â
It was on the verge of burstingâââ!!
Speaking of which, originally this situation became like this because of this rabbit that jumped onto my shoulder. I picked the rabbit up with my right hand and held it out to Uluru-san. It was useless to resist after looking at Kururuâs cute and round pupils.
Uluru-san accepted Kururu without speaking and used both of her arms to hug it.
âT-today, Bluerin seems to be in a bad mood you see! Well then, letâs go out! Uluru-san!â
While holding Kururu in silence, Uluru-san went out.
For now, we started walking towards the house. Uluru-san didnât conceal that she was shivering. What was going on? She seemed to be like a completely different person from before.
âHey, Usato-kun.â
âHyaâŚâ
Uluru-san suddenly spoke. It wasnât my fault that I couldnât suppress my voice.
âRose-san, sheâs a scary person right?â
âWhatâs this? Why are you suddenly saying something thatâs obvious?â
âUsato-kun, youâre saying it to that extentâŚâ
In what ways she was scary, I could talk to Uluru-san for a long time about it. That was fine with me, Iâll be sure to teach you how scary she truly is.
âAââ
âI mean, when we first entered⌠That person seemed to have some sort of devotion when she gave out the training. âŚ..The result was that Onii-chan couldnât continue the training and went on a different path but⌠During that time, Rose-san was really scary. But that person never talks about herself soâŚâ
ââŚ..I didnât notice at allâŚ.â
In the beginning, I thought the training Rose gave was the âdefaultâ after all.
âThe training was probably similar to the one youâre receiving now.â
âBut yes, but Iâm already fine now! Although I really thought I would die at first!â
After hearing my words, âfufufuâ Uluru-san laughed.
I donât think itâs something to laugh about, Uluru-san. After that, we exchanged a few more words before arriving at the entrance. Uluru-san placed Kururu down on the ground from her shoulder and then faced me.
âThis is just my opinion Usato-kun. That person is probably very fragile.â
âNo, thereâs no way.â
âHahaha, I think itâs cruel to give an immediate reply like that.â
Fragile⌠In what kind of meaning?
She gave me a bitter smile seeing as I couldnât grasp the meaning.
âTo begin with, that person is really a brute! Recently, she has softened a bit in her attitude but she only shows it occasionally and Iâm treated like usual most of the time!!â
âU-umm, Usato-kun?â
âThat time when she threw me into the forest, the hardships I went through⌠While I was a little moved that she was watching me in the forest, thatâs that, and this is this!! They are separate! I really thought I was going to die at that time!! Whatâs more, her being 25 years old! That really surprised me!! Sheâs got this pointlessly adult-like attitude, I didnât think she was still in her 20s!!â
ââŚ.My condolences, Usato-kun.â
Why did you apologize for that? Nânn? There was a strong amount of pressure on my headâ
âOuch!? Ow ow ow ow!!â
âYou sure said a lot of whatever you wanted, huh? AAH?â
In front was Uluru-san, in the back was Rose. Or rather, since when? Then I saw Rose giving a side-glance towards her shoulder, it was Kururu. âââAgain!! It was you!! Just like your outward appearance, your heart was pitch-black! You!!
While I was overwhelmed by the pain and couldnât talk, Rose started having a conversation with Uluru-san.
ââŚ.It looks like Iâll have to give you a little talk or it wonât do.â
âDonât tease him too much, Rose-san.â
âThatâs impossible. âŚ.Orga is inside waiting. I already explained everything to him, you can get him to tell you.â
âYes, see you~ Usato-kun.â
I was abandoned by Uluru-sanâŚ.!?
Releasing my head from her grip, my body fell without strength as Rose caught me. Rose took me under her arm and while a blue vein formed on her forehead, she took me inside the house.
Being carried like this again⌠I didnât even mind it anymore, anything was fine.
Referring to the first time they sat together.
Kurokata: Next time, I think I will probably start the âVs Maou army arcâ.