Volume 5 Chapter 36 It's The Morning After, But...
──The morning after the big fight between the Jingin Family and the Kahlua Family, I spent the night on a temporary bed prepared on the 2nd floor of the tavern, stifling a yawn as I descended to the first floor.
The chairs and tables that were originally set up to accommodate customers had all been pushed to the walls, replaced by a large number of injured individuals wrapped in bandages lying on sheets.
"Good morning, Yukina-kun. Did you sleep well?"
As I descended the stairs, Kyunei greeted me with a smile. Beside her was another injured person wrapped in bandages. Despite the painful bloodstains, their sleeping face looked peaceful.
"...You haven't slept since yesterday, have you?"
"Oh, can you tell?"
"You've been up all night since yesterday, right? Don't push yourself too hard."
Compared to usual, she had a weak smile, and there were dark circles under her eyes. Her beauty wasn't really affected by this, but she felt embarrassed for sleeping so carelessly.
"Don't make a difficult face. Staying up all night for treatment is something common for doctors. I know my own limits. Besides, Yukina-kun and the others worked hard outside before me. It's just my turn next."
──In short, in the recent conflict between the Jingin Family and the Kahlua Family, the casualties barely reached zero.
However, this was like walking on thin ice, where one wrong step could lead to a large number of casualties.
Weiss unleashed a monster that threw the square in front of the tavern into chaos amidst the conflict. However, the mercenary group led by Reed's subordinate quickly intervened, turning the tide. Additionally, Aina, who had sensed the disturbance and emerged from the tavern midway, played a significant role.
Even without fully understanding the details, she sensed the seriousness of the situation. She delivered a firm voice to those in the midst of chaos, instructing those who could move to carry the injured into the tavern and guiding the evacuation, sometimes providing magic support.
Furthermore, in place of Reed, who was engaged in combat, Aina had somehow taken command of the mercenary group. Perhaps her charismatic voice naturally compelled obedience, as before she knew it, she was directing the rough mercenaries like extensions of herself. Aina's charisma in this regard is truly remarkable. There are probably people who became fans of Aina after this incident.
Now, the tavern turned into a temporary clinic, and under Kyunei's instructions, the injured were brought in. Regardless of whether they were Jingin or Kahlua, they were all healed without discrimination if they were injured and unable to move. When the monsters barged in, any hostilities were put on the back burner. After all, the enemies were attacking indiscriminately without a care in the world.
Thanks to the movements of the Reed Mercenary Group, the members of the Jingin Family, Aina's command, and Nikyou's encouragement, the evacuation of nearby residents proceeded smoothly. While some houses and shops near the square were destroyed, there were no further casualties.
Although some suffered serious injuries from the monsters, thanks to Kyunei's diligent treatment, there were no fatalities. Not only her, but also the doctor whom the Jingin Family was close to was woken up in the middle of the night and joined the effort, which contributed to this outcome.
However, the victims of the monsters were overwhelmingly from the Kahlua Family delinquents rather than members of the Jingin Family. Even though there was a numerical difference, the delinquents outnumbered the Jingin Family by a significant margin. The delinquents had not been informed about the appearance of the monsters, which caused even more confusion.
"Oh, Kyunei-chan. Good job."
When I turned my gaze, I saw Reed approaching us while yawning. He had also been fighting the monsters until the end. He ended up collapsing and lying down.
Kyunei seemed like she was about to return the greeting, but her expression turned sour.
"Hey, you have an injury on your arm. Not good, you should have told me about it yesterday."
Indeed, upon closer inspection, there were scratches on Reed's arm. They weren't deep, but covered a wide area, with dried blood making it look a bit painful.
"Oh? Just put some spit on it──"
"Never mind that, come here."
"Oh, okay."
Feeling the overwhelming pressure without a word, Reed was impressed and followed along.
While she might have her thoughts as a doctor, I couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy about Kyunei's behavior.
Kyunei cast healing magic on Reed's offered arm, and the wound started to close up.
"Geez. I know mercenaries are rough, but you should take better care of yourself. It'll be a big problem if you leave scars, you know?"
"Hehehe... If Kyunei-chan heals me, I'll be more careful next time."
Initially reluctant, Reed now wore a sloppy smile as he received direct healing from Kyunei. While I can easily heal minor wounds myself, maybe I should deliberately leave them untreated. No, that would just worry Kyunei if I purposely left scars.
'Even my partner's brain isn't fully awake yet in the morning. Your thoughts are going in a strange direction.'
I was taken aback by Gram's tsukkomi. My head still felt heavy and groggy. Perhaps my consciousness hadn't fully awakened yet.
While I was pondering this, it seemed like the treatment had finished, and Reed was in a very good mood. However, on the other hand, perhaps due to increasing fatigue, Kyunei sighed deeply with eyes cast down.
"Phew, I'm getting a bit tired. Yukina-kun, come here for a moment."
"What's wrong, Kyune──i!?"
"Mmm──"
Before finishing my sentence, my mouth was sealed by Kyunei's lips.
It was truly sudden. Moreover, it wasn't just a light touch, but a deep and intense one.
I was surprised with my eyes wide open, but Kyunei, with closed eyes, was thoroughly enjoying my lips. Perhaps due to the closeness, the dark circles under Kyunei's eyes visibly faded, and the complexion of her entire face improved. It seems she was absorbing my energy to recover.
With her hands around the back of my head and on my back, I couldn't move my face, but I managed to turn my gaze to the side somehow. Reed was left speechless, his mouth hanging open as he witnessed the kiss between me and Kyunei. Well, anyone would be at a loss for words if they suddenly witnessed such a passionate kiss right in front of them.
"────Ah, that was enjoyable."
As our lips parted, Kyunei spoke in a cheerful tone, as if she had just downed a drink after finishing work. She must have been quite exhausted after all.
"Thank you, Yukina-kun. Thanks to you, I feel much better now."
"Yeah, that's good to hear, uh-huh."
To those unaware of the circumstances, it might have seemed like we were just being lovey-dovey with each other, but it was a small price to pay.
"I'm going to take a little nap now. If anything happens with the patients, feel free to wake me up without hesitation."
Not only physically, but also mentally energized, she climbed the stairs to the second floor with a light step, leaving Reed, who was still a bit dazed, far behind in astonishment.
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