/
Chapter 7 – Military Reinforcement
The day after the mock battle.
I had taken the day off to rest, but in the evening, Finne came to my room.
“Haruto, it’s been almost a month, how are we going to attack Glicente?”
As soon as she entered the room and sat down on the chair, I turned my head away from Finne who asked me. Reason being, you know?
Finne was wearing a thin white negligee. It was quite revealing.
I covered my excitement when I invited her into my room, but I couldn’t look directly at her.
“…If we attacked head-on with our numbers, we would be outnumbered. But once we sneak into the castle, I think we can handle the rest.”
“Is it really that easy to infiltrate?”
Well, elves are a race that are skilled in magic. And if there’s one more advantage, it’s…
“Elves are used to moving through trees, they should be able to climb the walls of buildings reasonably well. So, if I were to train them in covert operations…”
Finne didn’t seem to follow.
“Tomorrow we resume training again.”
“Fufu, you look like you’re having fun.”
When she said that, I put my hand on my face, and the corners of my mouth had indeed turned up without me noticing.
“I guess so. I seem to be enjoying the situation for some reason.”
“I’m enjoying watching it too.”
Finne smiled. My heart started to beat faster at the sight of her smile.
“It’s late. We should probably call it a night.”
I said, trying to remain calm…
“Oh, yeah. Can I, uh, s, stay with you, for tonight, if that’s okay?”
“…What?”
Finne looked at me with her cheeks flushed and her eyes upturned.
“Is it, not okay?”
“No, I didn’t say it’s not okay…can I ask why?”
“Yes. Um, e, everyone told me to go to bed with Haruto already, you know…”
Tears were welling up in Finne’s eyes. I can’t refuse this now, can I?
I opened my mouth with determination.
“Okay. It’s a small bed for one person, is that okay?”
“S, sure.”
I sat down on the bed alongside Finne, who was blushing more and more.
I’m acting like it’s nothing, but my heart is racing like crazy.
“H, Haruto.”
“Yeah?”
“Um, c, could you please shut your eyes?”
Finne asked with a serious expression on her face as she blushed.
I did as she asked and closed my eyes.
And then——I felt a soft touch and a faint heat on my lips.
It was a few seconds, maybe even a few minutes. After what felt like a few seconds or minutes, the feeling left me.
“…Eeh?”
I involuntarily let out such a silly sound.
Finne, on the other hand, sounded dazed and faint.
“I, uh, I’ve never kissed anyone before, so…”
At those words, my heart started to pound and the wall of reason came crashing down.
I’m also a man. I need to properly respond to Finne’s feelings.
I put up a soundproof barrier in the room so that no one could hear us or come in.
Then I put my hand on her shoulder and gently kissed her small cherry-red lips.
“Mmm…”
The moment our lips met, Finne was closing her eyes.
I then pushed Finne down and fell onto the bed.
“Should I, turn off the light?”
“Y, yes…and, uh, please be gentle with me…”
“Of course.”
It was a full moon. With the lights in the room out and the moonlight shining through the window, the shadows of Finne and I overlap.
～
——The next morning.
I woke up and got up.
Finne was sleeping peacefully next to me, looking happy and sound asleep.
“Mumbling…I love you, Haruto…”
Seeing Finne like that, I smiled. I’m sure she’s having a happy dream.
As I slipped out of bed and put on my clothes, I muttered to myself, remembering last night.
“I really did it with Finne…but, is she really okay being with someone like me?”
I sat down on the bed and gently stroked her head, and she took my hand and held it tightly, as if she would never let go. She adored me and loved me so much. Was it tactless of me to think that way?
But then I noticed movement outside the door. Crap, I thought I released the barrier just now.
“Hey, stop pushing will you!? We’re going to get caught!”
“Be quiet! I can’t hear anything now!”
No, I on the other hand can hear you loud and clear!
“Hey, Kusel! Stop pushing so hard!”
“I’m not pushing! Whoa!”
At last, the door came open. Or rather, they’re actually barging in!
The moment Mogami, who was at the very front, came into the room, I approached him with ground shrink and gave him a punch in the stomach.
With a dull thud, Mogami’s eyes rolled back and fainted.
I can’t let you see what Finne looks like right now, so forgive me Mogami…well, you can only blame yourself for barging in.
I looked at Iris, Suzuno, Kusel, Ephyr, and Asakura, who barged into the room alongside Mogami.
“…All right. Let’s have a little fun before we train, shall we?”
The five of them took one look at the unconscious Mogami——and shook their heads as best they could.
They probably realized that it won’t end as just having a little fun.
“I knew you were there last night. Which is why I made a barrier.”
Iris whispered, “so that’s why we didn’t hear anything”, she muttered regretfully.
Iris, you’re just a child, aren’t you?  Are you old enough to be interested in such things?
“I don’t see Tendo or Shinonome.  I’m sure they saw this coming.”
“So that’s why they went outside to escape…”
When Asakura told me this, I looked out the window and saw that they were both training together.
“Yawn~…h, huh? What are you all doing here?”
Finne woke up rubbing her eyes and asked thus , probably still sleepy.
“No, no, it’s nothing!”
“But first, Finne, put your clothes on”
Suzuno was blushing, so I tossed the clothes over to Finne.
Then Finne noticed her outfit and blushed.
“Well, uh, uh, mm…”
“Your skin is so shiny.”
Ephyr muttered as she turned to gaze at her.
“Indeed.”
Kusel nodded her head in agreement.
“Uh, no, no, this, this is, umm…Haruto!”
Finne’s face turned even redder, and she finally called out to me for help.
“Huh…you guys, just get out of here. I’ll double the training course.”
Hearing this, the five of them immediately responded in unison, “we’re gone!”
Then Kusel pulled the unconscious Mogami by the neck, and the five of them left the room.
“It’s so noisy early in the morning …”
“It sure is.”
Finne’s face was still a little red, but she seemed to be enjoying herself.
～
When the day’s training (which included covert operations) was over, Aegan and the other elves were gathered for a strategy meeting.
“Gaining access into the country is easy. The problem is getting into the castle.”
“The castle, huh?”
Aegan answered after pondering for a moment.
“I think it’s possible——no, definitely possible!”
The others nodded at Aegan’s words.
They must be proud of the effort they’ve put in, which is very encouraging.
“Well said. We need to get the castle under control quickly this time. I will be counting on you guys.”
Well, it would be easy for me to overrun the castle by myself, but this is also a revenge mission for the elves. I shouldn’t do this alone.
“Yes! Leave it to us!”
“It’s settled then. I’ll leave the date and time of the operation to Aegan.”
After some discussion between Aegan and the others——
“How about we finish the preparations in a week, and go ahead in ten nights?”
A night raid. I’m sure they have tight security at night, but…I’m sure these guys can handle it.
“Let’s go with that. But don’t neglect your training for the duration of the week we have to prepare. If your body slows down, it will affect the battle”
“Understood. We’ve been reminded of that enough.”
That was the end of the meeting for that day.
We’ll just do what we can.
～
For the next week, we continued to train, as there was nothing special to prepare.
Iris was the one who grew the most during the past month of training.
.
<table>NAME: Iris Arclaidh Perdis LEVEL: 31 AGE: 14 SPECIES: Human UNIQUE SKILLS: Gale Rush SKILLS: Sword Arts Lv5</tbody></table>
<table>Physical Boost Lv5</tbody></table>
<table>Lightning Magic Lv4</tbody></table>
<table>Wind Magic Lv4</tbody></table>
<table>Dual Wielding Lv4</tbody></table>
<table>Social Etiquette* Lv8 TITLES: First Princess of the Perdis Kingdom</tbody></table>
<table>Haruto’s Fiancee</tbody></table>
<table>Unique Skill User</tbody></table>
.
She’s even stronger than Tendo and the others at the time we reunited.
I can’t even imagine my classmates other than Tendo and his friends—the other heroes are any stronger, in fact, she can even take on two heroes at once with these.
She used to be reluctant when I invited her to mock battles, but now Iris is the one proactively inviting me. I can only hope that she doesn’t become a musclehead like Kusel.
When she saw me using the dual-wielding skill, she said, “I would like to dual wield too!”, so I taught it to her, and she acquired the skill in a short time. Guess that’s what you call talent.
And her unique skill is also quite powerful.
.
<Gale Rush>
User transforms into an avatar of lightning.
Agility and reaction time are quadrupled.
The power of wind and lighting magic is increased threefold. The physical boost skill is strengthened three times.
.
And as for weapons, she said that a single sword was difficult to use, so I made her dual swords.
.
<table>NAME: Magic Sword Tonitrus RARITY: Phantasm NOTES: Increases the power of lightning magic by twofold.</tbody></table>
<table>When equipped with the magic sword Tempest, physical ability is doubled.</tbody></table>
<table>A magic sword molded by Haruto.</tbody></table>
.
<table>NAME: Magic Sword Tempest RARITY: Phantasm NOTES: Increases the power of wind magic by twofold.</tbody></table>
<table>When equipped with the magic sword Tonitrus, physical ability is doubled.</tbody></table>
<table>A magic sword molded by Haruto.</tbody></table>
.
It is a set of two magic swords that are strong enough on their own, but have a synergistic effect when equipped together.
Iris was as happy as a child when she received the swords, but froze when I told her what they could do.
However, she is now quite proficient in using them.
Even now I’m having a mock battle with Iris, and every now and then she executes some very good attacks.
“You let your guard down!”
“Whoopsie, not quite.”
I said that, deflected and evaded Iris’s sword with my hand that was partially hardened by my diamond skill, and flew backwards.
“You almost cut me in half”
“Yeah right, not even close! How can you deflect a magic sword with your bare hands?”
“That’s what you call ability.”
“Damn it! I’m going to be serious this time! I won’t stop even if you beg me to!”
What? Is she perhaps? Angry?
A storm blew, and Iris was covered in lightning.
The next moment, a sword was right in front of me.
However, I fended it off not with my beloved sword, but just an iron sword that I pulled out on the spur of the moment.
“How are you able to parry that with just an iron sword?”
“Maybe I’m just that good?”
In fact, I’ve strengthened the sword by pouring a huge amount of magic power into it.
Iris swung her sword at full speed, but I blocked all of it.
“Hmmm. You’re getting more accurate, but there’s still a lot of unnecessary movement”
With that, I tuned up my sword speed as well.
“No way…why are you suddenly so fast?”
“Well, this is what happens when I get a little serious myself. I mean, I’m not even using a physical boost right now…”
At these words, Iris’s movements stopped, but only for a moment.
“…Eh?”
I took advantage of the moment and stabbed my sword towards her neck.
“And, It’s over. But you’re stronger than before, that’s for sure.”
“…Were you being serious when you said you didn’t use a physical boost?”
“Yeah, I was.”
Iris was shocked, but then she returned to her usual bullish expression.
“T, then I’ll make you use it next time!”
“Let’s see. Guess I’ll be looking forward to it then.”
Then I patted Iris on the head and smiled.