Volume 4 Chapter 38 The Back Of My Head Is Happy, But...
The bandit boss had died - more like half-vanished - which was the final blow. The surviving bandits threw down their weapons and surrendered. They all ended up in chains.
"If you saw something like that, anyone would surrender."
What Rudel was pointing at was the deep mark left by the Great Magic Blade, which seemed to cut through the bandits' hideout like butter. The force was so strong that it pierced a part of the rock wall, creating a new entrance.
The bandits must have been terrified by that destructive power aimed at them. Either way, if they didn't have to fight anymore, that was the best outcome.
The capturing of the surrendered bandits and other tasks were being handled by the advance mercenary group, Mikage, and Gaddis.
After looking in that direction, Rudel turned his worried gaze towards me.
"So... are you okay?"
"Well, somehow."
I'm lying down on Kyunei's lap, feeling too lazy to even raise my hand to answer.
It's not that I want to enjoy a beautiful woman's thighs, or that I'm slacking off. It is true that I feel a happy softness on the back of my head, but I do consider the timing and circumstances, and I understand that now is the time to work.
However, even though I know that, I can't move right now.
"It doesn't seem like there are any serious injuries after scanning. Just plain exhaustion."
"That exhaustion is serious, though."
Kyunei smiles wryly and strokes my cheek, but I can't even grip her hand if I wanted to.
Below my neck, my senses feel dull as if they belong to a different creature. Lifting my arm a little is the most I can do, and even the slightest movement is a struggle.
Without a doubt, it's the effect of using Balmung.
I didn't plan to use the Great Magic Blade at first. But in that moment, when I got angry at the boss of the bandits, my chest felt hot and I remembered the feeling of facing the evil dragon before.
――To borrow Gram's words, "my soul trembled."
I let myself feel that sensation and activated the Great Magic Blade to blow away the bandit boss.
Even though I was partly acting out of anger, I had killed a "human."
"............"
Come to think of it, what came to mind was the "demon" I killed in the previous incident in the royal capital.
At that time, the situation was such that I didn't have the luxury of thinking about that fact. But after things settled down, there were times when I remembered the feeling of piercing the demon's head with the tip of the blade. Each time it came back to me, an invisible weight seemed to press on my back.
And now, it felt like that weight had increased by one.
Defeating monsters that attack on instinct is different from that.
The sensation of taking the life of someone who literally shares the 'same breath' is incomparable.
I didn't even think I wanted to taste it if I wanted too. It's a burden I'd rather not carry if I could help it.
However, if it's necessary, I won't hesitate.
I realized this when I heard the bandit boss' words. If I hesitate, my loved ones might get hurt.
So, once I decide to do it, I won't hesitate. I'll carry as much weight on my shoulders as needed.
"...Still, every time I use it, it feels unbearable."
I try to lift my hand somehow, but I can't even make a fist; my fingers just tremble.
Balmung's destructive power is indeed tremendous, but the subsequent exhaustion is too great. This time, it was fortunate that his subordinates surrendered when the bandit boss disappeared. But if this had been right in the middle of the area infested with monsters, it would have been chilling.
'Even though the first time was rough, things are better now. You're more conscious and not completely exhausted anywhere from the backlash, partner. Repeating this feeling of exhaustion a few times also makes it slightly better.'
Gram, who was next to me, said this smoothly.
In other words, it means that I have to experience this terrible fatigue at least a few times. I feel depressed.
"Yukina-san."
Just when I felt like sighing, Aina arrived. And a moment later, a ball of light rose high in the sky.
"All the bandits have been captured. I sent the signal, so I think the guild will send reinforcements in half a day."
"Yeah, good job."
Obviously, the mercenaries who came here after accepting the mission cannot take all the surrendered bandits back to town by themselves. There are also people we rescued.
Therefore, it had been arranged to launch a signal using magic tools once the neutralization of the bandits was completed. Similar to what was used during the promotion exam or the demon attack, it didn't produce as loud a noise but instead emitted light in the sky for a long time.
As Aina had said, within half a day, personnel dispatched from the guild would arrive here. Once we handed over the restrained bandits and the rescued people to them, our job would be mostly done.
"I'm sorry for leaving everything to you. I feel really bad about it in this situation."
"N-No, not at all. Thanks to Yukina-san, the bandits' resistance was almost non-existent. So... thank you for your hard work."
Aina said so, then averted her gaze. Making her feel obliged like this was intensely embarrassing. I had to stand up right away.
—Glance... Glance.
Aina keeps glancing over here shyly, then quickly looks away and fidgets. After a moment, she glances back again.
"Oh my."
It seems like something's up with Aina. I wonder what it is. I'd really like to know too.
However, my gaze, which seemed eager for her to tell me, was blocked by Kyunei's prominent chest.
"Hey, Aina-chan. Would you like to switch with me if that's okay?"
"Huh!? Oh, um... well..."
Perhaps Kyunei's suggestion caught her off guard, as Aina's face suddenly flushed red, and she made a strange noise, clearly flustered.
"Um... p-please."
Eventually, still blushing, Aina nodded with her head down.
At that moment, Kyunei lifted my head and gently lowered it to the ground. The fleeting softness just before vanished from the back of my head.
"Well then... excuse me."
"Hmm?"
Then Aina lifted my head and placed the back of it on her thigh. I felt at ease with the softness that was different from Kyunei's.
"How is it... Does it hurt?"
"No, I'm happy."
"That's good."
What does that mean? I don't really understand, but I'm happy with the feeling of happiness on the back of my head and the two big things that take up most of my field of vision, so I won't say anything.
"It's sweet! Sweet enough to say this in my mouth! I'm getting heartburn! But it's so beautiful that I can't take my eyes off it! Ughh, it's painful! As expected of the hero I admired!"
Rudel was saying something like he was broken, but I couldn't hear him well because I was concentrating on Aina's lap pillow. I wonder if you should have helped Gaddis instead, I want to say to him now.
--Just so you know, a little while later Mikage comes along and, once again, after a similar exchange, she ends up giving me a lap pillow as well.
And so, the request to defeat the bandits was completed successfully without anyone missing.
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