______
「「「「Waaaaaaa!!」」」」
「Nuo!?」
When Kazuya entered the castle in the centre of the fort city, in order to meet the duke; it was flooded with soldiers who heard about the Imperial Army retreating, who gave shouts of joy, along with the residents of the city.
「I heard about it!! The one who beat the Imperial Army was you!! Thank you very much!! Really, thank you very much!!」
「Oh? Well, thanks. Please let me through!!」
「Where did sir come from?」
「Brother, come find me later, I’ll treat you to some liquor!!」
「No, so let me through!!」
「Hmm, what’s this?」
「Wha–!? Wait, that shouldn’t be fingered!! It’s a grenade!!」
Since the news had been passed down about the Imperial Armies retreat. Kazuya was completely encircled by soldiers and the residents of the fort city, who had taken shelter within the castle walls. It was not possible to easily advance.
「Well, that was an experience. Are you okay, Chitose?」
「Yes, somehow」
Kazuya, who had broken through the encirclement somehow, finally arrived at the location the soldier told him about.
「Everyone except Chitose and me, wait here」
「「「Understood!」」」
「――Excuse me」
Kazuya makes the soldiers from the 1st squad wait outside, as he knocks on the door and then enters the room with Chitose.
Inside the room there were two women who looked exhausted, with dark circles around their eyes.
One of the girls seems wrapped in a strange feeling. Her body is supple and thin and her chest area has no bulge…..it’s small….
And the small girl….lady has blonde hair rolling down her back.
The other person was a real beauty, with a tall figure and a long ponytail that extended down her back.
As Kazuya was glancing at the two women, the duke opened her mouth.
「…..I don’t know who you are, but you saved us. Because of your efforts, the Imperial army was temporarily repelled, you have my thanks」
Kazuya had in fact met Karen once before. However, since he was wearing a helmet and sunglasses at the time, he must have looked just like every other soldier.
「Oh~~~~~? I just came to return a personal debt. My name is Nagato Kazuya, I am the leader of Parabellum」
When Kazuya removed his sunglasses and helmet whilst saying so, Karen’s eyes grew wide in shock.
「It’s you!?」
「….Karen? You know him?」
Karen’s subordinate; the witch Maria, asks in a surprised voice.
「Oh. Yeah, a little bit」
Mary was a little confused about the vague answer given my Karen, but she dismissed it nonetheless.
Kazuya met Karen after saving Iris’ party from the group of bugs. The first town they stopped at was the fort city. They stayed there for 2 days whilst they collected the necessary resources to continue their journey, they also carried the injured people to the church (In this world, the Church acts as a hospital as well)
He met Karen on the second day (It was not a good encounter…)
The details of the meeting will be saved for a later date, however in short. Kazuya was exploring the town whilst incognito and bumped into someone. The resulting collision lead to that person being pushed down and having her lips stolen. That person was Karen.
At this point you could probably call them acquaintances.
「……」
……I’m being stared at
Karen was staring at Kazuya with an expression as if she wanted to say something. However, there was a risk of Mary convicting Kazuya upon learning about it. So she merely coughed and continued.
「Cough!! anyway you guys really saved us. There is a victory celebration tonight, you absolutely must participate. We will talk later」
「Understood. In return, I hope that you allow us to walk around the fort city freely」
「…..well, if you want. I’ll arrange for you to walk around freely, except for the restricted areas. Is this okay?」
「Well」
「Then, see you in the evening」
Saying so, Karen subtly suggests that Kazuya should leave.
「Yes, in the evening」
Kazuya who made the promise with a smiling face, left the room with Chitose.
———-
Inside the command tent he had set up, he had just received the reports from the other squads.
「Well, did you hear the report?」
「Each squad is continuing their duty without problem. Damages are as follows; in the 2nd squad there are 2 lightly injured people. In the 3rd squad 1 seriously injured person and three lightly injured. In the 4th squad, 2 seriously injured people, 4 lightly injured people and 1 dead person」
Damage to the 4th squad is large as expected……
「The state of the enemy troops?」
「The fort city is still surrounded. But there is no sign of movement. The enemy headquarters is also the same, it doesn’t look like there’ll be any movement for at least 2 days, due to the enemy suffering heavy losses」
「I see…..please tell each squad to rest up. Gather the injured people here as well, I can heal them with my ability」
「Understood…….master?」
「Yes? What is it, Chitose>」
Chitose floats back a gentle smile at Kazuya’s reply.
「What did you mean by “personal debt” with the duke that you said a short while ago….could….you….tell…me….slowly….later?」
Chitose aura darkens suddenly, it’s almost pitch black.
「….ah….well….it’s difficult to say….it’s a trivial thing, nothing Chitose has to worry about….」
It was an accident, but Chitose might not see it that way, he did kiss Karen after all…..
「…..does master make it a habit to do trivial things?」
「That…no…it is….」
「That’s good then. So we can slowly and carefully talk this out?」
「……」
Kazuya wasn’t used to deceiving Chitose, he dug his own grave with his replies; silently nodding as if accepting his fate.
――――――――――――
Night.
A small party was held to commemorate the victory over Imperial Army.
With liquor in one hand, Kazuya was leaning against the wall resting (Due to the “adult” punishment from Chitose), watching the soldiers and citizens talking back and forth.
Chitose herself had errands to run and so left early.
「……」
After Chitose had left, Karen silently approached.
「Can I help you, Duke?」
When Kazuya asks Karen in a deliberately polite way, she glares sharply at him.
「It’s too late to speak to me in such a tone, please talk to me like before」
「Are you sure? Then I’ll do so」
After replying as so, there was silence between the two people. Until Karen muttered casually.
「……for the commoner man who pushed me down and stole my lips to save us….I guess the world is full of mysteries」
「Naturally, that was an accident」
「….you are going to pass off taking a virgin duke’s first kiss away as an accident? You have no idea how many times I though about cutting your head off after that」
「Even if it was as bad as that, can’t you call this making amends to a debt? Call it compensation」
「……well….wait!! You came here with such a reason!?」
After Kazuya muttered his reply, Karen’s expression hardened like stone, then switched to a shocked expression, as if she can’t believe what she’s hearing.
「Reason……well I guess that was part of the reason. The other reason was to help Karen」
「―――!?」
Karen who had heard the words of Kazuya, turned away with a boiling red face.
In the mind of Karen – Kazuya went into battle to atone for stealing her lips.
In other words, he went into the battlefield where he might die for her.
= I want!!
Her thinking was like that of a young maiden after a prince.
「I haven’t even prepared my heart…..to say such things to suddenly. Our difference in status would also cause a problem. We could give dating a try?」
Seemingly having made up her mind, she looked up at Kazuya with a face as red as an apple.
「Oh that’s right, we still have to help Beretta」
But Kazuya didn’t hear Karen’s words as she was talking in a low voice.
「……I already have a woman」
「Oh?」
In the mind of a maiden like Karen, she was convinced that this other girl “Beretta” was the reason. She experienced mixed emotions; from jealousy to irritation, yet finally settled on lovestruck in an instant.
「Do you know….Beretta? The lady who is the deputy of the 2nd knights? I think you have her younger sister here. Have you heard the name Zara Colt?」
「…..yes. I think I’ve met her before.」
「….oh? Is there something wrong?」(TLN: If you guys don’t get it, Karen was jealous because she thought that Kazuya was in love with Beretta, since he mentioned her. But he only mentioned her because he was looking for her sister, when she realised this she felt embarrassed)
When Kazuya asks Karen an honest question, she trembles a little.
Kazuya saw the appearance of Karen and began to have a bad feeling.
–GOGOGOGO!
At that moment, Kazuya had the illusion that flames were burning behind Karen’s back.
「Why do you say such confusing words!? Insensitive man! Dummy head!」
–DOSUN!
「GUHA!?」
A straight right hook was thrown into Kazuya’s stomach.
Kazuya couldn’t react in time to Karen’s sudden violence, he could only crouch on the ground holding his stomach.
Karen then walks away from Kazuya with trembling shoulders.
After that, Chitose returned and saw Kazuya’s beaten appearance.
「Wha, Master!!!!! AAAAAA!!!」
All that filled the air was the heartbreaking cry of Chitose.
_________
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