Read The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic

118 - - The nineteenth.

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　The night of the fight with Leona.

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　I was still at the training ground, training alone.

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　The training was not so strenuous, but slow and quiet, different from the way I had been doing it before.

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"Strike without unnecessary force."

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　He kept his feet half a step apart, his sides tightened, and his fists pushed out not only with his arms but also with his entire body.

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　Muttering to yourself, you thrust your fist out slowly and forcefully.

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　Aruk-san and Leona-san told me that I had too much power.

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　It is true that I have been driven by my power.

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　Until now, I have been able to defeat my opponents only with pure physical strength, so I did not consider it as a problem, but against an opponent like Leona, who plays with me only with pure skills, I am nothing but a sitting duck.

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"...... It's a shoken-tsuki, though, no matter how you look at it."

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　In the end, I ended up in a stance similar to the Shokken Strike used in Karate, but Aruk-san says that this stance is the one in which the strongest blow can be made.

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"Stand your feet on the ground," he said. That's a good way to put it."

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　The image is that of transmitting power by twisting the body, and finally striking with the fist.

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　Aruk-san compared my fist to a mallet.

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　He said that my fists are large and powerful, but they are meant to blow away the enemy.

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　And what I should aim for from now on is a piercing, spear-like blow.

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　An attack that "pierces" the core of the opponent, rather than spreading out.

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　It is my ideal attack now. ...... that will surely send the opponent's consciousness flying and easily break down even his defenses.

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"Phew......"

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　But it is difficult.

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　It is impossible to change in a short period of time what we have been doing until now, without changing our consciousness.

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　Of course, I don't think I can do it right the first time.

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　I'm not as good at fighting or sword fighting as I used to be, and I'll have to work steadily as I always have.

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"Well, everything is a challenge. ......

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　There are no shortcuts in training.

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　No training is wasted.

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　The muscles I have trained will never betray me.

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　In other words, I can only do what I can do now by continuing to train.

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　I took another deep breath and was about to ready my fist again when something fell from the sky onto my shoulder.

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"Hmm?　Nair?"

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"You look like you have a lot of free time to train!"

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　I looked over my shoulder and saw Nair there, transformed into a black owl.

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　I look at her with folded wings at my side, take a breath, and retract my fist.

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What's wrong?　You're going to lock yourself in the library after dinner. ......"

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"Oh, um, yes. I was on my way and I saw Usato, so I came to check on him. I thought he might be training alone."

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"I'm sorry, I've been lonely."

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　He replies with his mouth a little agape.

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"What were you doing at ......?"

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"What do you mean, training?"

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I asked him what he was training for.

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　It's rare that Nair shows interest in my training.

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　Normally she seems to be uninterested, but I wonder what kind of wind she is blowing.

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"Is it a posture ...... training?　I feel like I'm going back to the basics ...... to master the winning technique, one-pointed healing magic Seiken."

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"Wow, what an ostentatious name ......, you're going to kill him, to say the least. To be more specific, a wind tunnel will form where you hit him. What, is that a technique that kills the opponent once and then brings him back to life?"

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No!

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　That's some kind of crazy move!

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　It's too scary!

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This is also a training for power control, so you don't have to worry about it.

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"Force control. That's a pretty messed up ...... order. From my point of view, isn't that the first training you should learn?"

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...... well, when you get to be as good as I am.

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"My eyes are really swimming. ......"

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"Gosh. ......"

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　I was training to run, not to fight, so I couldn't think about controlling my strength.

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　I take a deep breath and squeeze my fist into my waistband as if to fool myself, making excuses inwardly.

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　He takes a step forward with his left leg and assumes a half-stance.

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"Hmph!"

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　As he exhales, he thrusts out his right arm, which is drawn back to his waist.

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　The fist, which is drawn out from the hip position, rotates half-rotate and breaks wind.

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"......"

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　I slowly pull back my fist and pull my foot back, releasing the tension.

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　Nair, who was watching me on her shoulder, nodded her head meaningfully.

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"I don't know, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't by force."

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"I guess it would be nice if it did, but I'm not there yet. ......"

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　What we are doing now is mainly to correct our posture. Eventually, we should be able to do this in combat.

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"Huh, how strong do you want to be in the end, Usato?　If you don't start weighing yourself soon, you'll become a monster above all monsters."

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"What's a better monster than a monster? ......"

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　I mean, am I already a monster? .......

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　Finality, I hadn't thought of that. I still want to grow up to be recognized by Rose as a goal, but if I want to combine it with my current training, I have to .......

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"I want to be able to push and reason my way through a situation."

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　If you can't break through by force alone, then you must strike the most appropriate blow after assessing the opponent's attack with your eyes, and if the opponent can't be overcome by logic alone, then you must strike him by force.

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　In other words, you should be able to fight by using both.

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　At my words, Nair puts her wings to her mouth as if to draw back.

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"That should never be compatible. ......"

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"It's not impossible, is it?"

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　For that to happen, though, I'd have to be able to do the other training with Leona well.

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　I've done that one a few times before, so it shouldn't be too hard.

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"Well, you might have to do that with that dragon guy Kalon..."

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"Yes, it is. But I don't think I can win on my own.

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　I'm not bragging.

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　I am just a person who is not physically capable of doing anything. For me, there are more things that I cannot do.

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I have friends I can count on.

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"Does that include me?"

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What?　What are you talking about? That's a pretty new question.

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"What?"

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　I regretted it fiercely after I said the words.

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　I realized that I had said something rather embarrassing to Nair.

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　Why does my mouth move like this, with my spinal reflex?

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"......"

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"...... ne, nea?"

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　Néa, who had turned her head slightly at my words, dropped from my shoulder and, with a flash of light, took on the form of a vampire, a dark-haired, red-eyed girl, and looked me straight in the eye.

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"What's wrong?"

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"I knew I had to tell you. ......"

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　...... what?

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　I wonder what he would say to me in such a formal manner. I have no idea.

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　Don't tell me that Nair didn't even consider me as one of his friends or something?　If so, I'd be quite shocked. .......

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"Thanks."

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　But contrary to my imagination, the words she mumbled were her thanks to me.

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　I don't understand the meaning of her words, and I let out a crazy voice.

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"What?"

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"It was my fault, and you took the responsibility to cover for me."

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　.......

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　Ruminating over her words in my head, I silently approach her and put my hand on her head.

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"......"

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"U, Usato ......?"

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　I looked at her puzzled, and with a stern expression on my face, I poured healing magic into her head as if to wrap it around.

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　The cheeks were slightly reddening, and Nair's eyes were glazed over.

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I'm not sure what to say.　I don't have a fever or anything!　You're so rude sometimes!

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"......?

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Don't be surprised!

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　Nair shakes off my hand and is indignant with anger that has no place to go.

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　Maybe he was really expressing his gratitude in an honest manner earlier. ......?

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"No, I'm just surprised that you could thank me so honestly ...... and wondered if there might be something wrong with you. ......"

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"The way you worry about me makes me very angry. ......"

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"No, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

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　I apologize to her for my sulking, and she turns to look at me with her arms crossed, as if she has regained some of her good mood.

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　But I never thought I'd see the day when Nair would thank me.

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　I had thought that she would never say such words because she is not an honest girl, but I guess she has grown up in the course of our journey, hasn't she?

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Or did she think I was the kind of guy who would abandon you without a second thought?　I'm a little offended by that.

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"That's not true. But Usato has an important trip to make, and Amako has a goal to help her mother, so abandoning me was the best thing ...... to do in that situation. ......"

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"That's exactly the wrong move. I'm not going to move on without my fellow travelers."

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　If I had abandoned Nair right then and there, I would have regretted it for sure.

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　I would probably feel so guilty that I would drag it out for the rest of my life.

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　I don't want that, and I consider myself a part of her traveling companions.

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"Besides, I'm sure Miss Farga knew all about it, didn't she?"

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"I knew that too. I knew that, too... I felt it was almost pointless to hide anything from him. ......"

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　Mr. Farga made me choose.

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　I don't know what his intentions were, but I can say for sure that he didn't force me to fight to the end.

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"Well, it's like the dish that eats the poison," he said. Now that I have made you a member, I, your master, must take responsibility for you."

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"What's that ...... about me being poison?"

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"It means that I accept you, all your problems and everything."

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　When I say this, Nair seems to be at a loss for words and falls silent.

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　Huh?　Is that not what I meant in the first place?

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　Well, I guess she understood the nuance of my words, so it doesn't matter.

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　He stands up tall on the spot and relaxes his arms. Even though we had a dinner break, I was tired of doing the same training continuously from noon onward.

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"Well, I'd better call it a day. Let's go back to the castle.

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"...... yeah, yeah."

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"?"

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　I walk toward the castle, tilting my head at Nair, who for some reason is not very articulate.

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　Then Nair, who had somehow transformed into an owl, silently flies to my shoulder. I wonder a little about her meekness, but it doesn't bother me too much, so I enter the castle with Néa.

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　We walk through the castle corridors in silence for a while, and then I spot a maid carrying a wooden box in front of us.

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"Ah, Mr. Usato. And you must be Néa. Good evening."

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Good evening. What are you doing here?"

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　We exchange greetings and I look at the crate she is holding.

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　It looks like it contains a lot of empty bottles. ...... Could these be potions?

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　The maid looks a little disappointed at my question.

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"It's an empty bottle of potion. I am disposing of the ones that Master Norn used.

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"Are you all right, Master Norn?"

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　Only the Norns can maintain the wards of Mearrak.

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　My healing magic has taken care of that, but it's not enough.

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"He has a strong sense of responsibility, ...... so he may be weak, but he never gives up. In fact, the potion's effect is minimal. Before Usato-sama came, I was really close to my limit.

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"I see. ......"

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　Yesterday, when I met Master Norn for the first time, he was indeed in a terrible state.

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　His face was devoid of life, dark circles were visible under his eyes, and he was so exhausted that it was a wonder he could even stand.

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"I can't help it. Master Norn's will is firm ......, so all I can do now is take care of myself."

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"...... why did you stay?"

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　Why didn't this man run away like the others?

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　That can be said for all the people left in this castle except for the maid.

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"Simply because Master Norn and Leona couldn't leave him alone ....... I was told to run away with everyone else, but I found myself still here."

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"I wonder if Master Norn and Leona were planning to fight here alone at first ......."

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　With Mr. Farga there, it would be three people to be exact, but it would still be reckless.

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　Don't tell me that Mr. Farga knew we were coming?　......It's possible, he could have been waiting for us beforehand.

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"You two are too stubborn. You should have relied a little on us who are close to you, but you say that you are the only one who can do it all,...... and Leona has been pushing herself even harder than Norn,......."

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　The maid is so angry that you can almost hear her onomatopoeia. But her anger was also purely out of concern for Lady Norn and Leona.

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　......Leona is pushing herself too hard, huh?

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　Maybe it has something to do with the fact that yesterday Mr. Farga called her "Leona the Brave". Why did Ms. Leona, who has the title of "brave", call Ms. Karon "who was supposed to be brave"? ......It's a topic that I, as an outsider, can't carelessly get into, but...... ...... hmmm.

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"Oh, yes!　I was going to ask you something next time I see you!"

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"Yes?　What is it?

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　Seeing me groaning in annoyance, the maid, perhaps remembering something, starts to talk to me.

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　She nodded and pulled out a piece of paper from her skirt pocket with a smile on her face.

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　It was a slightly brownish paper.

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　It was filled with writing, and in the middle of it, in large letters, there was a big ...... something ...... .......

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　......This is ......!

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　This "article", which could not be mistaken for anything else, made a big impact on my mind,

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"Hey, I'm feeling a little sick, so why don't you go to your room and ......?"

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　I grasped the situation with a speed that even Amako's precognition magic could not match, and tried to retreat, but at the same time my body was bound by a binding spell that Nair had invoked on my shoulders.

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　Suddenly my body is immobilized, and I stiffen, unable to break the binding spell due to my agitation.

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"Let's listen to me a little more! Hey, Usatoh!"

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"Ne, neaaa...... you betrayed us, ......!"

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"What?　What are you talking about?　What do you want to ask the maid, Usato?"

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　Over my shoulder, I see a burly-looking owl.

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　The maid tilts her head at our exchange, but at a word from Nea, her smile returns to her face and she shows me a carefully folded piece of paper.

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"I found this this morning!　This is about you, isn't it, Usato-sama!　The healing magician who promised the hero a future!　The portrait was totally different, but I'm very interested in it!"

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　The maid's words, which showed no hint of evil intentions, pierced deeply into my soul.

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　She showed me the article about my senior and me.

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　I was so shocked and embarrassed that my face repeatedly turned blue and red.

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"Hahaha ......, it's just a rumor. There's no way that I'm a match for a brave man.

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"...... hmmm. I see. ...... Let's put it that way."

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　I barely managed to fake it, but the maid still stared at me with suspicious eyes, and the next moment she was smiling again, carefully putting away the article in her hand.

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　Did you manage to fool me ......?

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　It's just like you to attack me directly from a faraway place. .......

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　And there's even a strange rumor about us having "pledged our future to each other" or something!

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　What is this, already known all over the continent?　I'm so embarrassed I'm tempted to roll around on the spot!

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　I wonder what my senpai in the distant place thinks about this article.

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　I parted from the maid after exchanging a few words with her, and with a small sigh, I walked down the passageway illuminated by the lights of the magic tools.

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