CH 38

When we returned from the monster subjugation, I heard a scream.

Someone might have been injured.

When I asked Rodo to take me there, he was reluctant. There was a person from the Sixth Corps who lost one arm and was being suppressed by a healer.

Seems like the pain caused him to rampage so the others can’t heal him.

A lot of blood flowed out from his missing limb.

If the bleeding wasn’t stopped as soon as possible, he’ll die from hemorrhagic shock.

And yet, they can’t begin healing since he’s rampaging.

I wish he just fainted, but that didn’t seem to work.

But I’ve seen this injured person several times.

“Disappear.”

When I thought of his previous appearance, the arm below his elbow that should have been lost, reappeared as if he was never injured.

The injury was gone, but this person hadn’t woken up yet.

The shock from the injury might have caused his neural response to go wrong.

No wonder he’s still rampaging.

“What *****? Didn’t the injury heal?”

Rodo called out to him, not giving him any slack.

In this world, aren’t they concerned about mental issues?

Even the healers, who’d usually heal people, coldly looked at the man.

Is it okay once the injury was healed?

Is there anyone here who can give psychotherapy?

I made Rodo put me down then approached the man and stroked his head before he could notice.

It made him calmer and his gaze turned to me.

“Hand, see, did.” (Look at your hand.)

I spoke slowly and the man dreadfully looked at his hand.

“…I have a hand!”

The man, who saw his hand, glanced at it with amazement.

In the meantime, I climbed to the bed beside him.

“Injury, healed. …hurt, right? Painful, right? …but, all right. Worry, no need. Hands, here, exist.” (Your injury is healed. It must have hurt, but it’s all right now. Don’t worry since your hand is over there.)

When I stroked his head, he silently shed tears.

I understand that you get injured in this profession, but in this world, places, where disabled people can work, is not good.

They’re all physically strong people so they probably wouldn’t bother hiring people with disabilities.

In particular, they couldn’t go back to being a soldier.

I heard that you can get a job as long as you are humanized, but I feel like the people in this world aren’t very flexible.

…the typical one was Rodo.

When Rodo can no longer be a soldier, he still has the charisma to draw people.

But even though Rodo can bring together a lot of people, he can’t stand on top of them. Moreover, he showed no signs of aiming above his current position.

In other words, if Rodo is injured and can no longer be a soldier, he’d become a hobo who can’t do any housework.

He can live while being taken care of by the person he admires, but that’s it.

Rodo will not be able to do any other work.

“All right. Soldier, continue, can. Scary, then, retire, can.” (You’re all right now. You can continue being a soldier but if it’s scary, you can also quit.)

If he remembers the fear of being injured and couldn’t move on, there’s also the option of quitting.

Soldiers seemed to be well paid, but if he didn’t want to die, he can quit.

“…Thank you.”

I was hugged.

Apparently, he wants to remain a soldier.

I’ll be an adult since the other person was just injured and hurt mentally.

I don’t like being hugged, but I also don’t want to reject someone who’s crying.

“Did your best, right? Good boy, good boy.”

This felt like when my younger brother cried, so I stroked his head──

“Don’t touch Kou!”

Rodo forcibly removed the arm around my body.

Moreover, with great force.

“*, ******.”

The man said something in a hurry.

He must be apologizing.

It wasn’t “I’m sorry”, so it’s probably something like “I deeply apologize”.

Since it’s the same words the Third Corps used when apologizing to Rodo, I recognized that those words of apology are said super politely.

I want to learn honorifics soon, but Rodo wouldn’t teach me.

Even when I ask Ren or Ruu, they’d only tell me a word or two.

I also have to remember the past form and progressive form.

Then I want to pronounce the words properly.

Meanwhile, Ren and the others came back.

“Thanks for your hard work.”

I waved at them but received no response.

He’d usually smile and stroke my head.

But everyone’s eyes were on the man who was just healed.

Also at Rodo who’s holding me up.

Looks like he’s glaring for some reason…

Isn’t it just a hug?

Maybe he just stumbled on the person who gave him kind words.

They asked if I healed him and I affirmed.

The people behind Ren said something excitedly, but unfortunately, I didn’t catch it.

I have to learn and hear more words spoken quickly.

I couldn’t study at all yesterday, but I have to resume from today.

There are still many things to remember.

While I was thinking about that, the frozen man from Rodo’s eyes bowed in front of me.

“Thank you. ****, *****. *******!”

He’s emphasizing something, but I only knew the words “Thank you.”

Did he say something good like he can continue being a soldier?

I’m not sure, but it can’t be helped since I don’t understand.

“Work, do your best.”

When I gave him a friendly smile, he had an unpleasant lovestruck face.

…eh? What is this?

Did I set a weird flag?

I’m only going to respond to Rodo.

So troublesome.

I hope it’s just my paranoia.

However, it didn’t end to my dismay.

He was so motivated that he went around everyone after having lunch.

As expected, he seemed very happy at being a soldier again.

…but Ren said something interesting and when it reached Rodo, he was in a bad mood.

What did he say?

Is it because I have a bad feeling about it that I don’t want to hear it?

Rodo didn’t even put me down from his knees.

Not only during the meal but also after.

Did his possessiveness worsen?

When I returned to my original form, Rodo didn’t want to show me to anyone, so he wanted me to be smaller again.

I thought that Rodo would be more relaxed in this form.

But his overprotection accelerated compared to when he was my guardian.

Did I do something that would make him overprotective?

Even though I was hugged, it was just part of mental care.

Even adults wanted someone to take care of them.

I used to hug Rodo and cry, so I thought he’d understand.

But now, I’m being hugged with the feeling of “Don’t want anyone to touch!”

Nothing could loosen the strength of that arm.

“Down, do.” (Put me down.)

“…”

Even when I asked him to put me down, he’d shake his head.

Moreover, he’s still in a bad mood.

Rodo even fixed me to his body with a cloth.

Face to face, just like when riding Sig.

“Rodo?”

“Patrol, like this.”

“…”

Like this?

Though he had the image of a calm adult, the current Rodo has a strong possessiveness and has become a man that wouldn’t listen to others.

(I don’t think there’s any merit in monopolizing me…)

Even though we passed the dating stage and went straight to marriage.

Besides, didn’t I say that I like Rodo?

What is he worried about?

Maybe as an Akinist…this is the peculiar habit of Akinists like I’ve heard?

…I’m not sure.

In the end, I was fixed with a string-shaped cloth, so it’s difficult for me to use magic, making Rodo defeat all the monsters with his sword.

My lightning strikes produced a strong burning smell, but…the monsters being slashed with a sword was unpleasant because it spewed black-purple blood.

Even when slashed, it’d still move slightly…

Is it like a lizard’s tail?

However, even though it’s been split in two, it’s disgusting to see it jerkily move.

Cutting it in two is icky.

My mind won’t rest unless I gave it a shock so that it wouldn’t move anymore.

Is freezing it the best?

Freezing it seemed troublesome since once it’s thawed, it’d look disgusting.

It might be better to freeze the blood and cells together.

(Let’s do that next time.)

And let’s forbid Rodo from using swords.

I’m about to vomit.

Let’s get him to swing his sword where I’m not looking.

Yes, let’s do that.