CH 47

Rain of confinement

***---***

The sky seen through the trees began to be convered with black clouds.

I chose a place that is a little higher than the surroundings, and a little into the forest from the highway, and started preparing the camp a little early.

Eventually, raindrops began to fall, and by the time the tents had been set up, it was already raining.

The tents are soaked with sap and are waterproof, so rainwater does not soak in, but the sound of rain and humidity that hits it made me feel uncomfortable instantly.

Of the fifty people who participated in this actual battle, there were twenty-seven boys and twenty-three girls, six tents of ten tents are for the boys, and four tents are for the girls.

Six people will sleep in the tent meant for five people, but if it is a small girl, there seems to be no problem.

I asked Kondo-san and Novice Takayama to act as the coordinators for the boys, and Motomiya-san and Sagara-san to act as the coordinators for the girls.

I asked them to gather at one of the tents, to talk about what happened, understand their future plans, and to prevent anyone from treating everything as a joke after this.

We also talked about future rescue operations and persuaded them to cooperate.

"... That's what I've done so far and my plans for the future ... Do you have any questions?"

The moment I asked the four people, Motomiya-san suddenly bowed with a vigorous sound.

"I'm sorry, Kokubu was working so hard, but I complained unreasonably and even slapped you ..."

"Yeah, it was pretty painful, but it's okay, it was easy to misunderstand with me having proceeded with the rescue operation without telling anyone."

"That ... that won't let me be at peace ... hit me too! Take the plunge! Don't hesitate!"

"No, no, I can't do that ..."

The mistake was just a small mistake, to be at one's wits end over one mistake, there's no way I can accept her demand.

"Yeah ... that's right, you can't do it in a place like this ... you have to be in front of more people ..."

"Huh ... what are you talking about? Motomiya-san, what are you talking about?"

"In front of lots of people's eyes, I will get knocked down after being cursed as a slut or a sow, then grovel wretchedly ..."

"No, wait, wait, if I did that, I would be a lowlife."

"Rather, kick and trample me ... kya!"

"Ao, return to your senses!"

"Auu ... Takako, I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, she almost never shows it in front of the boys, but sometimes Ao goes in a strange direction ... well, it's as you see."

Sagara-san's slap on the back of her head finally stopped Motomiya-san's rash actions.

I was scared because her eyes were slightly rolled back.

"And I also said something terrible ... I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry ... I didn't know, but I'm sorry."

Sagara-san and Kondo both bowed their heads.

And then, speaking of the Novice Hero Takayama ...

"It was bad for us to have misunderstood ... but Kokubu, this plan is too naive, if you could do this and you also got rid of the bracelets, you could kill the knights and catch and torture Camilla. Shouldn't we just take them hostage and ask the other royals how to return?"

Novice Takayama's opinion caused the other three people, along with the boys who were present in the tent to nod in agreement.

I feel that the idea is too radical, probably because they have been opressed at the garrison in Lastock.

Or, as Takayama says, am I too naive?

"Takayama, the other day, a horde of more than 200 rock ogres rushed at Volzard, the city beyond the forest."

"Rock ogre? What kind of monster is that?"

"Height is 3 meters or more, and it is a monster wearing hard muscular armor that a sword cannot easily cut, and it can only be defeated by a skilled adventurer. For someone at your level ..."

[ Even if there are more than 10 people, they will be beaten. ]

"Even if there are more than 10 people, they will be beaten."

At Reinhardt's words, the four look at each other and imagine the appearance of a rock ogre, but they don't seem to understand.

"That ... how was Volzard? Was it okay?"

"Oh, it's okay because Reinhardt and the others have annihilated the rock ogres."

"Is that skeleton so strong?"

"Yeah, somehow ... it feels like he's in a different dimension."

Unlike the last time when I killed a group of orcs, they didn't see them actually fight, so they didn't have any idea of their strength and the questions kept piling up, Motomiya-san and the others seem to be getting more and more confused.

"Weren't the rock ogres subdued? It was done by the skeletons you're using, Kokubu? If so, wouldn't it be even easier to kill them all."

"Yeah, if I wanted to do it, I could do it, but since I'm still in the middle of explaining, can you listen to the end?"

Novice Takayama seems to be frustrated, probably because I don't accept his idea.

"I heard from the people of Volzard that when a horde of monsters happens, the Devil's Forest becomes more active for a while."

"More active meaning more monsters?"

"Well, to put it simply, as Sagara-san says, it also means that the possibility of monsters rushing the cities near the Devil's Forest will increase."

"So what do you want to say, say it clearly!"

"Takayama, who will protect the city of Lastock if a monster attacks the city?"

"Huh? That is ..."

It seems that not only Takayama but also the other three people noticed the intention of my story.

After the four thought about it, it was Takayama who first opened his mouth.

"That's the way it is, they're just reaping what they sow, what does it have to do with us?"

"Wait a minute, you've never been out of the garrison, so you don't know, but there are women, children, and elderly in the city, right?"

"Of course, outside the garrison is an ordinary city, so ordinary people live in it."

After hearing my answer, Motomiya-san glares at Takayama.

"I'm against carrying out a massacre, if we kill all the knights, and then the people in the city are killed by monsters, it's the same as if we killed them, even if we didn't do it directly."

"Well, that's ... I think it's okay to let that skeleton protect the city, and then it's okay to kill all the knights."

"What's that, you want to leave everything to the skeleton? But if Kokubu is against it, the skeleton won't move, right?"

"Yeah, I'm not going to ask Reinhardt to do that."

"Which side are you one! Do you want to be on their side!"

It seems that Motomiya-san and Sagara-san are against a massacre, and while Kondo is thinking, the boys present with Takayama seem to be in favor of killing everyone.

"In this world, medical care is not as advanced as in Japan, so even if you have cecum, you will die. Besides, it takes about 20 years, effort and money to raise just one knight. I don't agree with the idea ..."

"Then what should we do! Funayama was killed by them. Even though everyone is in a terrible situation, are you telling me to just meekly accept it?"

"I'm not telling you to just meekly accept it. Rather, Takayama has no right to say such a thing ... You lived a very good life ..."

In one statement, the color of the eyes of the boys who were present changed.

Everyone saw Takayama flirting with Celia.

"Well ... oh, I had a hard time ..."

"You were taking a bath with Celia ..."

"Why do you know that ..."

"Oh Takayama ... Tell me more about that story ..."

"Yes, as Kokubu says, you don't have the qualification to say anything about it ..."

"We were in a terrible situation, but this is ..."

Ah, the boys' eyes are scary ... What if I told them that he crossed the line with Celia?

"Yes, yes, putting aside the execution of Takayama, anyway, I'm just putting the knights to sleep. I can kill them any time, but I don't dare to kill them ... I'm thinking of using it as material to give us an advantage over the enemy in negotiations. Anyway, it's best to go home, and then proceed with financial compensation, don't you agree?"

"I agree."

"I think that's fine, too."

"I generally agree, but I think it's better to explain the plan to everyone before implementing it."

"Okay, anyway, it's impossible to get everyone together and explain in this rain, so let's talk more about it after arriving at Volzard."

Motomiya-san, Sagara-san, and Kondo-san agreed, and the boys who were present seemed to be trying to figure out how to execute Takayama.

Takayama, who was taken to the corner of the tent, seems to be cross-examined while sometimes looking sideways for help, but of course I have no intention of helping.

When I was watching Takayama's cross-examination while grinning, Sagara-san asked me a question.

"Hey, why does Kokubu know how Takayama lived?"

"Ah, that's an application of the magical shadow movement of the darkness attribute ..."

They were surprised to hear that I was diving into the shadow world, scouting Lastock's garrison, contacting and caring for the chairman.

"It's pretty cheat to be able to use even the light attribute ... But you can see anywhere, you didn't peep on Yuika's bath time, right?"

"Uuee, th, th, there's no way that's true ... su, such a thing as peeping ..."

"Yeah, you didn't do that."

"O, of course ..."

"But there is a bathtub in Yuika's dormitory, right? We only have a big tub to hold water. It's fine in summer, but don't you think it's too cruel at this temperature?"

"Sure, at this time, it's miserable isn't it..."

"Isn't that right? So Kokubu-kun, them being miserable ... why do you know such a thing?"

It's dangerous, I remembered the situation where there wasn't even a bathtub and the temperature dropped, and I inadvertently blurted it out.

"Well ...? Well, that's ... yes, the boys are, so I wonder if the girls are the same ..."

"Saying such a thing, truth is you really burnt each and every girl's nude figure into your eyes, didn't you?"

"I won't do that, if I see the girls that are crying, wanting to return, I'd be a devil if I got excited ..."

"Hmm ... what did you see ...?"

"Eh ... no ... wh, what is it ..."

"Kokubu-kun, will you come to our tent for a moment ... come on!"

"Yes ..."

After that, I was taken to a tent for the girls, and after a stricter cross-exaimation than Takayama, I confessed to seeing the chairman and Camilla's bath times, and my stock crashed.

"Kokubu, the worst ..."

"Guha ..."

"This will be reported when Yuika comes."

"Hey, that's ..."

"That is a waste of a cheat, right?"

"Gufu ... I can't deny it."

"Maybe it's a little cool ... I thought such a thing, I wonder what's wrong with my feelings?"

"That's, sorry ..."

"How about Volzard? It seems like you're peeping at the city we're evacuating to."

"I haven't done it, I haven't done it in Volzard."

Even if I desperately deny it, her cold gaze just pierces me.

[ Kent-sama ... It's about time for dinner ... ]

"Oh yeah, this time I asked the garrison cafeteria for dinner."

Last time, the five were so impressed with the decent meal that I decided to move from the canteen of the Volzard garrison via shadow move so that I could serve warm meals along the way.

"Dangerous, the meat of the stew is so soft."

"Bread ... Bread is so fluffy!"

"Fruits haven't been around since, no, tears have come out ..."

It seems that my stock crash has been stopped with the powerful support of a warm and delicious meal.

After distributing the meals to everyone, I also hurriedly finished a meal while reporting the progress to the five remaining in Volzard at the garrison cafeteria, and then headed to Donovan-san to report the progress.

Donovan-san is still in the middle of overtime work tonight, and when I think this is my future, I drip sweat from my eyes.

"Good evening ... Donovan-san."

"Hmm, what happened Kent, did something go wrong?"

"No, this is ... just garbage in my eyes."

"Yes, tha'ts fine, but ... is it going well?"

"I rescued everyone ..."

Heavy rain is also pounding on the windows of the guild.

"I see, are you getting stranded ..."

"Yes, I haven't gained as much distance as last time, and if the weather doesn't recover, tomorrow and beyond ..."

"Yes, but usually you won't be in the Devil's Forest on a rainy day, so you won't have to worry about being chased. If the road is muddy, it will be difficult to track with a horse."

"Then, should we wait for the weather to clear without rushing?"

"At least it's better after the heavy wet rain has stopped."

"Okay, I'll come back to report tomorrow evening."

"Um, I understand."

After finishing my report to Donovan-san, it is time to report to the chairman.

When I went to the garrison room, I heard the chairman screaming.

"What summoned as a soldier, don't screw with me! Fifty, fifty companions ... what's the actual battle for, isn't it just to get killed by monsters!"

Erna, the caretaker, seems to be troubled at what words to return to the chairman who is screaming with her hair a mess.

"This time, it seemed to be an unexpected situation for the knights, and we didn't expect this to happen from the beginning."

"This time ...? Then, did you mean that you sent them to the actual battle with the intention of killing from the start for the previous actual battle? Murderer ... This murderer!"

"No ... see here, it's a figure of speech ... We didn't intend to have them killed last time."

"But they're dead ... No one is back, if you add Kokubu and Funayama, 57 people are already dead, you didn't mean it? Don't screw with me! Murderer!"

"We really didn't mean that ..."

"Shut up! I don't want to look and see a murderer's face! Get out!"

"I, I understand ... if you'll excuse me."

Pressed by the chairman's sharp words, with her eyes wide and brimming with tears, Erna bowed and left the room.

The chairman knows about the rescue operation, so this should be acting, but it's too real and a little scary.

After seeing off Erna, the chairman turns off the lights in the room and glares at the wall on the side where the bed is placed.

After leaving the chairman's room, Erna moved from the living room to her room, looked into the chairman's room through a peephole, and then separated in surprise.

The next moment, a loud impact sound was heard from teh wall.

The chairman, who saw the peephole open, walked up fiercely and kicked the wall with all her might.

"Don't peek like a mouse!"

The chairman's yelling seemed to reach her ears even through the wall, and when Erna sat down on a chair in her room, she sighed and held her head.

By the way, the chairman's words pierced my heart.

What would happend if she found out I saw her bath time?

Speaking of the chairman, she sits on the bed with her back against the wall and shakes her shoulders while facing down ... she is enduring laughter.

Yeah, the acting ability of the chairman, it's wonderful.

I'm worried that she might be acting even when she's with me.

Sitting in a chair and holding her head, Erna sighed again and looked up at the wall.

She was looking at the wall for a while, but then she shook her head gently, then with stealthy footsteps walked out of her room, cut through the living room, and went out into the hallway.

Perhaps she will go to report to Camilla.

[ Then, Fred can you check on Camilla? ]

[ Roger that ... ]

I asked Fred to monitor Erna and I called out to the chairman.

"Yu, Yuika ..."

"Kent, where are you?"

"Shh, lower your voice. Erna went out, but be careful because there is a knight on the stairs."

"Sorry ..."

While coming out of the shadow of the table, the light was turned on, and the chairman walked up to me with a light step and hugged me tightly.

"You rescued everyone, right?"

"Of course, but the rain is stalling us ..."

Even in Lastock, it's raining so hard it's banging on the windows.

"Are you all wet?"

"No, the tents I borrowed from the warehouse here are good and they don't leak."

"Eh! Are you taking equipment from here?"

"Yeah, because it costs money to buy."

"Ufufufu ... amazing, after all Kent is amazing."

"Yeah, I'm not great, it's because the people around me come up with ideas."

"But it wouldn't have been possible without Kent, right? Kent is amazing."

No, no ... I'm embarrassed when the chairman praises me face to face.

But this may be a chance.

"Um, Yuika ..."

"What ...?"

Well, the chairman who tilts her neck while hugging me is so cute ... wait, now's not the time for thinking about that.

"I have to apologize to Yuika ..."

"Kent? To me? There is no such thing, even though you support me so much ..."

No, there is, it hurts my heart to think that I betrayed her trust.

"Oh, that ... when Takayama came the other day."

"Well, Takayama-kun ... when he came to give me some incomprehensible advice?"

"Yes, at that time, I was actually watching form the shadows ..."

"Well, that's right ... but it's for me, right?"

"Uh, yeah, of course, that's right, and when Yuika was talking to Takayama, Erna had a terrible look ..."

"Is that because I said I would participate in the actual battle?"

"Oh yeah ... that's why I was a little worried ..."

"You were worried?"

"Um ... what kind of conversation will Yuika and Erna have and what kind of relationship will they have ..."

"Well ... but Erna can't know about the rescue operation, so I have to continue acting, right?"

"That's right ... but I was worried ..."

"Hmm? What's wrong, Kent?"

"Well, that ... I was worried, and I kept watch over the situation after that ..."

"What happened after that ... eh!"

After Takayama returned, the chairman's face, upon remembering what she did, turned red explosively, and immediately after that, my sides were squeezed hard.

"It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, I'm sorry, I was just worried."

"Kent, how much did you see?"

The tone of the chairman's voice is one octave lower.

"Um ... almost everything ... it hurts, it hurts, it hurts!"

"Did you look at the other girls?"

"Uh ... ju, just a little ... it hurts, it hurts."

"No way, Camilla too?"

"Guu ... yes ... it hurts, it hurts, my sides will break ..."

Chairman, she's not using body strengthening magic, but it hurts a lot.

The chairman's eyes glow suspiciously under her well-shaped eyebrows that are lifted up.

"Responsibility ... will you take it?"

"Hey ...? It hurts, it hurts, what should I do ..."

"If you have an affair, I won't forgive you ..."

The smiling chairman's eyes aren't laughing at all.

With a creaking sound, my whole body starts to go pale.

[ Kent-sama ... the caretaker is back ... ]

"Yu, Yuika ... Erna is coming back ... when the rescue ends, I'll do it properly ..."

"It's a promise ... okay!"

Tonight's farewell wasn't a kiss, but Fred pulling me into the shadow while my sides were being crushed.

Hmm ... I'm sorry, even just one peeping case makes this situation, so if Manon and Beatrice are involved ... Uuh, the chairman is really scary.