A huge black shadow, like a turtle, was approaching us.

　I look around.

　On the ground, there are six people, Kirt-san, Solstice, General Dardios, Frederica-san, Rapt, and Recto Alice, lying on the ground.

　They don't move even a twitch.

　Underneath their bodies, a bright red pool of blood is spreading.

(.........ah.....)

　Fear was taking over my mind.

　My arms and legs were shaking and I couldn't escape.

　As I stood there, she appeared in front of me with a white spear in her hand and stood in front of the black shadow.

(----)

　She smiles at us and starts to run to fight the black shadow.

　No.

　We have to run, they'll kill us!

　I try desperately to chase after it, but my feet are slow as if I'm in the mud, and somehow I can't catch up.

　My back is getting farther away.

　Crying, I desperately reached out my hand.

(Illtimina-san!)

　The moment I screamed, a rainbow-colored sphere appeared at the end of my palm.

　Von.

　The brilliance was released like a bullet, hitting the giant black shadow like a turtle and dissipating it with stupefying ease.

(.........eh?)

　Popping iridescent particles.

　A glittering glow, dancing around the world like snow.

　At the center of it all, I stand there, dumbfounded, with my hand outstretched, and the iridescent glow that spreads across the world increases in its light.

　The moment that shimmering light fills all of my vision - I wake up.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇.


　The first thing that caught my eye was a ceiling made of cloth.

　A lantern was set up on a metal pillar near the ceiling, and a candle flame was swinging within it.

(.........dream?)

　I realize that.
　Apparently I was lying on a cot in a large tent.

　My hand is now stretched out to the ceiling of the tent.

　Poof!

　With a light sound, he dropped his outstretched arm onto the blanket.

(I'm kind of tired...)

　And with that in mind.

Oh, you're up?

　Suddenly, I heard a voice from the side.

　I tilted my head and saw Solstice standing there, wearing glasses. In her hand, she had a wet towel.
　Folding it up, she sat down in a round chair by the bed.

'Good morning, Merle,'
Good morning.

　A short answer.

　Then he looked around again.

　Without a doubt, we are in a tent.

　Tables, chairs, shelves, and other simple structures are lined up, and besides the two of us, there are no other people in sight. There is a tub of water beside the bed, and she puts a wet towel on my forehead.

(Cool and pleasant.)

　I let out a gasp.

　She told me.　

"This is a ground camp.
Terrestrial...?

　I couldn't help but ask her back.

　She asked in surprise, "You don't remember? He rolled his eyes behind his glasses.

(Speaking of which...)

　After defeating the Tyrant Turtle at the lowest level, I remember escaping from the ruins, which had begun to collapse, holding everyone on the wings of the Divine Armor and escaping to the surface. But the details of the memory are dim, and it feels like it was a dream.

''Well ... sort of.''
Yes.

　At my honest answer, she nodded and

Well, it can't be helped. Merle was a wreck when he got on the ground.

　I continued to do so.

　Then she told me the part I didn't remember, the part that I didn't remember, the part that happened after I got on the ground.

　She told me that I flew out over the ruins and managed to crash-land into the tree line with everyone in a daze, holding everyone in my arms.

　But soon after, I fainted.

　It is said that many parts of his body, which had been unable to endure the excessive amount of "divine energy" flowing through it, had begun to malfunction.

　Not only skin lacerations, but also muscle fiber tears, organ failure.　
　And.

Merle's heart stopped once after that.

　The girl who tells you with a serious expression.

(.........seriously?)

　If it wasn't for Kilt-san's heart massage, Iltimina-san's artificial respiration, the use of 'healing spirit water' and Solstice's hard-earned recovery magic, I would definitely have died.

　I feel a little pale.

　After that, General Dardios carried me on his back after I managed to survive, and we were moved to the ground camp.

　Incidentally, during the move, Kilt-san was badly injured, Illtimina-san had a broken bone and other injuries, and Solstice had run out of magic power, so Rapt and Frederica-san helped Kilt-san and Illtimina-san respectively, and Lecto Alice was carrying Solstice on her back.

(They're all fully wounded, aren't they?)

　Then he managed to get to the base on the 4th day before.

(Huh?)

...four days ago?
Yes.

　Solstice nodded.

'Merle, you've been asleep for the last three days.

　...........
　Oh, really?

(I can't believe I slept for three days, that's why I'm so tired in the streets.)

　It was oddly satisfying.

'What about everyone else?'
I'll be outside. I've been watching in turn so that Merle could get some rest. It's just that it was my turn now.

　Yeah.

"Thanks, Solstice.

　I smile and thank him.

'So I wasn't the only one looking after you,'

　He cowered his shoulders like that, but he smiled somewhat relieved that I was awake.

(Yeah, I should thank everyone for that.)

　And I'd love to see your face.
　Especially that gentle smile of Illtimina-san's.

　Thinking that, I raise my upper body to get out of bed.

(Oh?)

　I looked closer and saw that my top was naked, perhaps it was for therapy.　

　As if Solstice had gotten a little flustered.

I mean, you don't want to make any sudden moves.

　I warn you.
　Somehow my cheeks are red.........

　zukiin

Huh.

　A tremendous pain shot through my entire body and I lost my balance and almost fell off the bed.

''Wha........stupid!

　Solstice hurriedly tried to support me, but her posture was poor, and she just fell to the floor with me.

　Thud!

　Solstice on her back.
　I, whose upper body was naked, was covered by the girl in close proximity to her, on her face.

''.........''
..........

　Ugh, wow.....

　There was the face of an astonished girl at a very close distance where their lips were about to touch.

　Her tiny body was so hot, and her breasts, which I had thought were flat, had a surprisingly firm bulge in them. Its elasticity was now pressed against my chest, soft and crushed.

　And it smelled good.

(Sort of like sweet milk...?)

　I'm going to want to stay like this forever.

　... no no no no!

I'm sorry.

　I apologize.
　I'm sure my face is bright red.

　And then I saw that Solstice had turned red too.

I don't want to hear it. Just get out of my way!

　He looked like he was about to cry.

(............)

　Cute.
　Honestly, I thought to myself.

　Shaking off the desire to be born, I try to sit up, but the throbbing pain makes it hard to relax.
　It's as if it's not my body.

　Munch.

'Huh!　Wh-Where do you want to touch me?
I'm sorry.

　He couldn't help but apologize to the screaming Solstice.

　And then the cloth, the doorway to the tent, opened with great force.

Sol, what's up?
I heard a loud noise, what's going on?

　Kilt-san and Illtimina-san walked into the tent.

　Immediately, they noticed us and stiffened up.

(.........Ah....)

　From the side, it is a scene of a topless boy draped over a crying girl.

　No, no, no, no!

　No, no, no, no, before I can explain.

What's going on?
What?
Sir Merle?

　Rapt, Recto Alice, and Frederica-san also came over, and immediately stiffened up just like the previous two. They all look like they were turned to stone by Medusa.

'What, what's the matter?'

　And finally, General Dardios shows his face.

'.............'
..........

　Our eyes met.
　Like a bear, he stroked his beard with his big fingers.

Hmm. Even though you've just finished being sick, you're a real jingo-dono. You're pretty active, ha-ha!

　The sound of joyful laughter echoed throughout the tent.


　◇ ◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇.


Merle?　I've told you so much that if you can't stand it, you should go to me...

　While saying this, Illtimina-san picks me up from above my own sister, who is unable to move her body.

(I, no, she says, no.)

　I was a little upset at the sad look on her face.

　Then

I thought that's what Lord Marle was doing with Lord Illtimina... but is it actually his sister, Lord Solstice?

　Even Frederica-san, dressed in military uniform, is mumbling such things while alternately glancing at our faces, holding her mouth and blushing her cheeks.

　I was stunned.

　ghetto

(Aita!?)

　Suddenly, Solstice kicked me in the shins.

'Stupid Marl.'

　I can say away with a bright red face and immediately turn my back to him.

(............)　

　I want to cry.

　I let go as if my soul has been drained, and Mr. Kilt chuckles and gestures with both hands to hold something down.

'Well, guys, calm down,'
..........
In your head, Merle wouldn't do anything like that. We're all a little overzealous with Merle's awakenings.

　Ugh, Kilt-san.

　Her voice calms the air in the place a bit, and I quickly explain the situation, 'I was in pain and couldn't move.

'Well,'
I didn't know that.

　Your sisters finally agree.
　

　And when Kirt-san nodded, "I see.

"Recto Alice. ....Is Merle's body okay?

　That's what I asked the beautiful woman from 'Divine Fangra'.

　She opened her third eye and nodded widely as she shone that red light on me.

''It's not a problem. You can still have a large amount of inflammation all over your body, but it's the kind of thing that will heal as long as you keep resting.
Okay.

　Kilt exhales a breath of relief.
　His hand reaches out and crinkles my hair.

'Totally reckless,'
'Yeah I'm sorry. .... but at the time, I knew I had to do it, even if it was reckless.

　She smiled at my answer, "I see.

(She didn't sound angry.)

　I'm glad.

　Relieved by that, I ask the opposite.

'Were Kirt-san, Illtimina-san and the others injured?
That's not a problem.

　Illtimina looks happy to be concerned.

'I've only broken my left leg and my ribs.
A broken rib pierced my lung, but other than that I only broke my arm and leg. Fortunately, I wasn't left with any lasting effects.

　

　But the two of them are used to the expression on their faces, 'It happens all the time,' and their treatment has been completed in the past four days.
　Is this much of a normal injury when you're a demon hunter?

　And once again, I thought that the 'recovery magic' in this other world is really great.

(Because even with such a serious injury, you'll be healed in a few days.)

　But maybe it's a difference in personal vitality, but my healing seems to be the slowest.
　It's a bit pathetic.

　And then Rapt came in front of me.

"Here, Male. Here, Male, I'll take care of you.
What?

　In his proffered right hand, there is a metal ball the size of an iridescent baseball, glowing with iridescent colors, the size of a baseball.

　Could this glow be a

'God's Armor,'

　As if reading his mind, Rapt replied.

　The moment he received it, ripples of iridescent colors spread across the surface of the sphere.

(It's heavier than I thought.)

　Contrary to appearances, it looked like it weighed about three kilos.
　But if that much sand-like particles could fit into such a volume, it felt a lot lighter.

(Maybe the weight and volume can be controlled to some extent?)

　That's what I thought.

　And.

Keep this one close at hand.

　Rapt puts his hands on his hips and says

The first thing you need to do is to get your hands dirty. It's an amount that won't even be a burden to Marle if it's just for life support, and it won't cause the "divine armor" to starve to death. Well, since Marle was in that state this time, we were able to give him the "divine energy" and take care of him.

　It was.

'Thanks, Rapt, Recto Alice.
Yeah, no problem.
Pfft, don't worry about it.

　When I thanked him, he smiled and waved his hand, and Lectoris responded with an adult smile.

(............)

　I stare at the sphere in my hand.

　A beautiful rainbow-colored metal sphere - many people sacrificed a long time and a lot of time to obtain this "divine armor".

　More than the mere weight, it seemed to me that this had 'various weights' residing in it.

''..........''
..........
..........

　I noticed that everyone was also staring at the 'Divine Armor'.

　Then, Frederica-san asked me in a thoughtful voice.


..........
'Was that ... what Lord Marr did?

　I didn't have an answer.

　I wasn't aware of it.
　But those three hundred Arun Knights may have been an illusion that I unconsciously created with my own hands by manipulating the Divine Armor.
　Maybe it was the result of remembering their dependable backs in a dire situation.

(.........but)

　Still, I felt like that scene was the last thing the souls of the Arun knights scattered across the land had lent their strength to.

　No, I wanted to think so.

　So.

The Knights of Arun are great, aren't they?

　I muttered that much.

''.......... I see.

　Hearing this, Miss Frederica smiled wistfully and lowered her beautiful blue eyes.

　General Dardios, with a very gentle expression on his face, placed his large hand on his daughter's shoulder.

　Everyone else is also watching silently.

　Phew!

　At that moment, I felt a soft breeze blowing even though I was inside the tent.

(............)

　It shook our hair, and then it was off somewhere far away.

　I laughed.

　The sphere in my hand spread out in small, beautiful rainbow-colored ripples, as if something (...) had touched it, and then it disappeared quietly.