The sun is setting in the western sky.

　As night is coming, it seems that Toluga's army has decided to build a base and camp here today instead of pursuing it.

　The construction of the base is taking place in a corner of the wilderness that was used as a battlefield.

.............

　I watched it from the top of the Empress' ship.

　The expressions on the faces of the Toluga warriors working on it were bright.

　They had defeated about 50,000 of the Black Great Ape, while less than 10,000 of them had been killed by the Toluga army.

　A complete victory.

　That's probably why the atmosphere is so cheerful.

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

　About 10,000 people died.

　10,000 people who were smiling and talking to each other have died in a matter of hours.

Death in battle is the 'pride' of being a warrior.

　His Majesty the Empress Ameldas said so.

　But I.........

　I looked up at the red sky that was tinted with dusk.

　The wind that blew was cold, and in the distance was the black shadow of the Demertus Mountains.

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

　I exhale.

'I'd like to see Miss Illtimina...'

　Or so I thought.

　She and Mr. Kilt had gone to the battlefield, and she still hadn't come back.

　It was then.

'Ma, ma'am!'

　On the deck, Solstice ran towards us.

　She looks kind of pale.

　Behind her, there is also the figure of Portia and Torchia.

　What's going on?

　Turning back to me, Solstice said desperately with a face like she was about to cry, forgetting to catch her breath.



　Huh...?

　For a moment I didn't understand the words that were delivered in this way.

　However, the content of the message was enough to penetrate into me with time and make the blood flow from my entire body--.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇.


Miss Illtimina!

　We immediately ran to one of the first aid tents where the wounded gathered.

My sister Irna has been injured and her leg has been bitten off.

　That was the one news brought by Solstice.

　There were more than a hundred wounded people lying in the tent.

　I looked around, pale, and saw that in one corner, there was a bed with about twenty Truga warriors gathered together.

　That's where Kilt-san is, too.

　She noticed us and raised her hand.

　As we approached, the Toluga warriors split off to the left and right and opened up a space for us.

　Beyond that.

"Merle.

　I saw Illtimina lying on the bed, looking at me with a surprised look on her face.

　Its right leg.

　Her trousers were torn above her knees, and the cloth was stained bright red.

　However, underneath it, a beautiful white skinned bare leg was stretched out, as if the recovery magic had already been used.



　From the state of her pants, I could tell she'd been bitten off her right leg.

　I bit down on my lip.

　Solstice looked like she was about to cry and held her mouth.

''Ilna sister........''

　There are big tears in her eyes.

　Turkia cringed at this situation, and next to her, Poe remained expressionless.

　Illtimina-san made a surprised face at our reaction.

　Then she chuckles.

'It's okay, you two. We're already done regenerating.''

　Then he stroked Solstice's and my heads, in turn.

　But I'm not reassured.

(Because Qualina-san had to quit being an adventurer due to the same injury.)

　Qualina Fasse, a beastman on the Adventurer's Guild staff.

　She reached the White Mark Adventurer, but was bitten off her leg by a dragon fish, and although she was able to regenerate, her leg was left with a permanent injury.

　As a result, she retired from being an adventurer and became a guild employee.

　Recovery magic isn't a cure-all.

　It's like surgery.

　That's why we can't be relieved even if the leg had been regenerated.

　I don't know if you can understand that.

Don't worry.

　Kirt said.

'The best user of recovery magic in the Kingdom Knights took care of Irna. He is a better user than Sol, don't you think?　So the odds of permanent damage are very low.

　Then he smiles, trying to reassure us.

　........Really?

(But never, ever, right?)

　With that low probability, there is a possibility that Illtimina-san's leg could be left with a permanent injury.

　If that happens.........

　If that happens.........

(Don't)

　When I imagined it, I felt like I was going to cry.

　Solstice's expression was dull, as if she was thinking the same thing.

　Illtimina-san and Kilt-san looked at each other, as if they were troubled by the two of us who were worried.

　............

　Then Kilt-san told them how Iltimina-san was injured.

　Iltimina-san was fighting on the battlefield as a member of the 47 adventurers' group under Kilt-san's direction.

　And on that battlefield.

"There are isolated 'toluga warriors'

　It was a troop of about three hundred men, and it was completely besieged by a group of 'Black Great Ape', which was probably too far out of the front line.

　The adventurer group went to their aid and ate through the siege.

　It then became a bulwark until the warrior group escaped.

　The problem was that at that moment, Iltimina was shouting instructions to the 'Toluga Warriors'.

　She's the interpreter.　

　She's the only one who can speak the Toluga language, that's why it was her job to tell the Toluga Warriors the exact escape route that Kirto-san was giving them.

　The highly intelligent 'Black Great Ape' and the others noticed that.

　And Iltimina-san was intensively targeted.

　Illtimina fought back desperately, and Kilt and the rest of the group of adventurers supported her, but the unstoppable wave of attacks from the Black and Silver Monkeys left her with a single blow to her leg.

　Nevertheless, the 300 Toluga Warriors managed to escape.　

　Kilt and the rest of the adventurers also secured the injured Illtimina and quickly retreated to the point where the recovery team was located, leaving her in their care and returning to the battlefield.

　And now.

"Foces, la tuna.

　That's what one of the Toluga warriors who had gathered in Mr. Illtimina's bed said.

　One of the words, I believe, was

"Thank you.　

　It should have been a thank you for that.

(Oh, right.)

　The 20 or so 'Toluga Warriors' here are from the 300 warriors who were saved.

　And they seem to have come to apologize and thank her for being their benefactor.

　To them, Ms. Illtimina smiles calmly and responds in fluent Toluga language.

　She then shook hands with the representatives of the warrior group.

　The 20 or so "Toluga Warriors" thanked us as well and left the "first aid tent".

　We see them off.

　Then I looked back at Illtimina.

You did a lot of work to save those people, right, Illtima-san?

　squeak

　I labored over that as I held his hand.

　Illtimina-san looked surprised, but immediately smiled happily.

'Thank you, Marle.'

　squeak

　Those fingers squeeze my hand back.

　Soltis also squeezed my other sister's hand and let out a voice that sounded like she was about to cry, "Iltimina sister.......

　Laughing at such a sister, Iltimina-san squeezed Solstice's hand back as well.

　Seeing that, Torkia was in tears.

　''Pom, pom.

　Poe's expressionless face remained blank as he patted Solstice lightly on the back in a soothing manner.

　And Mr. Kilt.

"Merle, Sol.

　He put his hands on our heads as he called out our names.

Irna will be fine now," he said. But she has lost too much blood. She needs to rest for a while.

　Ah......

Yes.
Yeah, sure.

　I nodded and Solstice wiped her eyes with her arm with a guffaw and replied.

　Kilt-san laughs.

　Then he turned his gaze to Ms. Illtimina.

I'm sorry I put one of you through the ringer.
No.

　Illtimina smiled at Kilt-san's apology.

　Kilt-san smiled too.

'Tonight, you can get some rest. Don't worry about what's going to happen tomorrow.
..........

　cough

　A little apologetically, Illtimina-san nodded.

(Starting tomorrow...?)

　Then we left the 'first aid tent' at Kilt's urging, leaving Illtimina alone.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


　When I left the tent, it was nighttime outside.

　The wind was cold.

　A wooden fence had been built around the base and many bonfires were being lit.

　Many of the Toluga Warriors were standing near the base.

This is to prepare for the night attack of the Black Great Ape.

　Since a cabin is prepared in the Empress' ship, we head for it.

..................

　A few times, I look back at the 'relief tent'.

　When that happens.

All right, listen up.

　Mr. Kilt said in a serious voice.

'Irna's leg is fine,' he said, 'but it has just regenerated and is still not working properly. But it has just regenerated, and it still doesn't work properly. If you push it too hard, there's a high chance of permanent damage.

　Ah.....

　With those words, we finally came to an idea.

　Kirt-san nodded at us as we realized.

　His golden eyes stared at us.

'Yes. From tomorrow, you will go to the battlefield without Irna. And you will all bear that in mind.

　I told him so.