Vol. 1 - Ch. 108 - After-action Review Meeting

Having lost their leader, the pack tried to flee, but knights were more than competent enough to prevent that from happening. A majority was hacked by Suzunami-san, Dante-san, and Rangra-san while the remaining Dark Wolves who escaped into Clover Valley were exterminated by Romambo-san that had been lying in wait there.

Thus, the Dark Wolf pack subjugation battle in Baron Brier's territory ended on a safe note, albeit with one injured coming out of it.

After the battle, a review session was held with everyone.

Rosetta-san said they were required to create a report, so she asked for a detailed retelling of what had happened at the scene when we were surrounded by the Dark Wolves.

Amidst this, I noticed her gaze was a bit... prickly whenever she glanced at me. Was this what they called tsundere? Though I didn't sense any 'dere-dere' element from her business-like gaze. Hmm, maybe that was how a tsundere reacted in reality...?

Anyway, going back to the details of the report--- it happened when we were trying to flush out the pack of Dark Wolves toward the designated place inside the siege when their leader, 'Black Lightning,' mounted an attack on us.

It was just my guess, but he was apparently disgruntled by my detection range, which was actually quite wide due to my wind magic.

The Black Lightning and its mate were different from their peers, as they were capable of neutralizing passive sonar (Enhanced Hearing Magic) by disturbing the mana around themselves, which created a 'zzz' like sound from detection magic tools.

I narrowly managed to avoid the attack when I noticed the disruption of mana, jumping forward with my active sonar skill (Enhanced Vision Magic). However, Manon-san couldn't and received a claw strike from the mate of Black Lightning.

I swiftly informed Dante-san about the enemy's specialty and that the Dark Wolves had been gathering here from other places in succession.

Dante-san's judgement was to hold the stalemate as it was.

There was a chance that the Dark Wolves might run away once I stopped using my active sonar that was getting on their nerves, but there was an even bigger danger of further assault.

However, as long as we knew there would be following attacks, it wasn't actually that tough to defend against their them with my magic and Dante-san and other's abilities.

Besides, if Black Lightning that led the pack decided to target a section of the siege by chance to make their escape, I was sure that the siege wouldn't be able to hold them back.

We concluded that it was best for us to keep them stuck here and, if possible, take down that boss. Besides, even if we couldn't finish the boss, Captain Suzunami and Rosetta-san would surely come to check as long as we held them down here.

With Captain Suzunami's strength, it should be possible to mow down a great majority of the Dark Wolves even if not completely.

In light of Manon-san's injury, the group's safety, and the success of the mission, Dante-san's decision couldn't have been any better.

In the meantime, the small fries among the Dark Wolves jumped around here and there to create a diversion. However, the boss and his mate didn't come to attack us again after the initial surprise attack.

"And well, just as we were stuck in a stalemate, Captain Suzunami and Rose jumped into the fray. You guys were really lifesavers. Rose, too, thank you."

Dante-san conveyed his appreciation with his usual gentle smile. It was quite hard to imagine he was the same person who had been going wild with a demon-like expression in the battle earlier.

Though Rosetta-san shook her head in response to his gratitude.

"No, you shouldn't be saying this to me. If anything, we should have arrived earlier, and it was a flaw in my plan to split much of the manpower toward the valley.

I can't apologize enough for the trouble my hindsight has caused you all. Manon-san even got injured."

It wasn't a lie per se, or if anything, it was indeed the truth. Though I actually don't need to close my eyes.

This was also my first time using a mask on a mission, so I just brought it thinking it would help in training to lessen my reliance on my vision.

Well, the fact that it was a night mission and everything was so dim without the usage of magic was another matter. It was just that physically blocking my eyes with a mask gave me a deeper impression of using my 'Mind's Eye' and it also tickled my chunni heart, so I just kept it on.

I mean, the main reason was I felt it was cooler that way.

Of course, I would have to be an idiot to say this when Rosetta-san was crying, so I just said the right explanation with false motive.

I took a quick glance at Rosetta-san. She was looking at me with a wide-eyed expression.

"Wind magic... So that's what you mean. I thought that 'The wind whispered to me' was just to tease me."

......Ack, it seemed like my best signature phrase did nothing but to invite some serious misunderstanding.

Now that I think about it, I was an idiot to care about face angle with the mask over my face.

But at the very least, that prickly sensation had completely disappeared from Rosetta-san's gaze.

"Heavens, no! I just didn't have enough time at that moment, so I tried to put it in the shortest way possible...... Though I guess it just made things harder to understand. Of course, I had no intention to mock you either!"

I hurriedly rectified my meaning and brushed off my pick-up line like it didn't matter.

Or at least, that was what I intended, but Suzunami-san's lips curved into a huge grin while chiming in---

"Oh-ho? 'The wind whispered to me', huh? For a random line, it's quite poetic, no? Say, you just didn't happen to prepare that cool pickup line beforehand and used it to score some brownie points with my adorable Rose in that tense situation, right?"

Immediately, everyone looked at me with their teasing or skeptical gazes.

My face turned scarlet after having my motive seen through.

I gingerly turned to glance at Rosetta-san who muttered 'Cool line?...... What was cool about it?' in puzzlement while looking at me with a crystal-clear gaze.

""Pfft!""

A sudden laughter escaped many throats on hearing that.

Kah, I wanted to lock myself in the restroom right away, but Suzunami-san didn't release her grasp over my shoulder.

Since all my paths to retreat were closed off, I slid down the laughing old man mask, which I had put on my head, over my face.

The sound of everyone's laughter echoed into the mountains that night.

E/N - Yep, totally expected that after his attempted flirting. Poor guy... Not ????FiNd updates on n(o)/velbin(.)com