“What’s that about ‘the enemy will die’? Just saying random stuff, Makoto… [Meteor]!” (Lucy)

Lucy said with an amazed tone and then hit the frozen monsters with a giant rock. 

The monsters and the ice break with a loud crack.

Right now we are standing on top of the frozen sea.

“Uhh…so cold~. Can I go back?” (Aya)

Even when Sa-san was weaning cold protection equipment that looked like a fluffy down jacket, she was still trembling. 

Furiae-san was puffing out air on her hands going ‘haah haah’.

Even those natural actions of hers are alluring.

“Sa-san, you can’t, you are a Hero. Princess, you can return to the tent if you are cold” (Makoto)

“Eeh?! Takatsuki-kun, you bully!” (Aya)

“It is okay. I am used to the cold. Also, I would feel bad about resting on my own, so I will stay here.” (Furiae)

While I was talking to my comrades, I heard the loud voice of Captain Ortho.

“Subjugate all the monsters before they free themselves! Don’t waste the chance that Hero Makoto-dono has created!” (Ortho)

““Yes sir!””

The Sun Knight followed the captain’s orders and attacked the frozen monsters. 

As for me…I am not doing anything.

I gave it a cool name like ‘Eternal Death Blizzard’, but in reality it is just an ice magic spell with a wide range. 

It may have immobilized them temporarily, but it doesn’t reach the point of death. 

The lifeforce of demon lord subordinates is apparently high, so they can begin moving after the ice melts. 

Right now we are breaking the monsters with ice and all. 

More than 10,000 frozen monsters.

That’s quite the manual labor. 

Moreover, I don’t have a proper attack mean, so I was just watching.

“Spirit-sans, Spirit-sans.” (Makoto)

I tried talking to them, but they must have gotten satisfied with the attack just now, they were going ‘kya kya’ and having fun, not listening to me at all.

Looks like I have to wait a bit before I borrow more mana from them.

“They aren’t lowering in numbers at all!” (Lucy)

Lucy was complaining as she continued shooting her magic.

If she were to use her specialty that is fire magic, the ice would melt, so she is using Stone Bullet.

“Sorry about that, Lucy.” (Makoto)

“Hmm, I don’t really mind. Treat me to something next time.” (Lucy)

I apologized for having her be the only one working, but she responded with a big smile. 

How manly, Lucy.

After a bit, she went ‘Ah, right’ as if she had thought up something and turned over here with an impish look.

“But it is unfair for me to be the only one shooting magic, so use Synchronization to shoot magic.” (Lucy)

Saying this, she sticks really close to me, and she made me grab her staff.

I could feel her high temperature. 

(…[Synchronization].) (Makoto)

I held the staff of Lucy and her shoulder, but her hand gave me a stink, and I could feel that the mana of Lucy and I were repelling each other. 

Hmm, so it really won’t work.

“Sorry, Lucy. Looks like we can’t sync properly.” (Makoto)

When I said this, Lucy laughed and sent me a sidelong glance.

“Geez, that’s not it.” (Lucy)

Lucy wrapped her hand around my neck, got on her tiptoes, and looked up at me. 

“When we are synchronizing, this is how we do it, right?” (Lucy)

She looks at me with her big eyes, and her face gets close enough to the point that our noses could touch. 

“L-Lucy-san?” (Makoto)

“Here, Makoto. Hnn.” (Lucy)

Saying this, Lucy closed her eyes.

The lips of a beautiful elf were approaching.

…Are you telling me to kiss? Here?

But we are a party, and I can’t have Lucy do all the heavy work. 

Also, I am in a sense the party leader.

Yeah, it can’t be helped.

When I resolved myself and was about to kiss Lucy…

*Rumble Rumble Rumble*

I felt like I heard that kind of loud sound.

““……””

Sa-san and Furiae-san were looking judgmentally over here.

“L-Lucy, let’s leave the kissing synchro to emergencies!” (Makoto)

I hurriedly separated from Lucy.

“Ah, is that so.” (Lucy)

Lucy returned to a normal position unamused.

“Makoto, you coward.” (Lucy)

(Coward indeed.) (Noah)

I understand Lucy saying that, but for some reason, Noah-sama said it too.

After that, Lucy and the Sun Knights continued defeating monsters, and in around half a day, all the monsters were defeated.

◇◇

“‘The 1st Division fought the army of the Sea Monster King Forneus today’, is what you said?” 

This was the first thing General Yuwein said when Captain Ortho reported this in the war council that was opened on the evening of that day. 

It sounded calm, but it could also be heard as a slightly exasperated tone. 

“What’s the meaning of this, Captain Ortho? This seems to be different from planned.” (Tariska)

General Tariska urged the continuation calmly. 

“Yes, we fought the Demon Lord army. With the Water Country’s Hero Makoto-dono here—” (Ortho)

“As I thought, it was the fault of the Evil God Apostle!” 

Before Ortho-san could finish, the Pope concluded that I am the reason.

…Well, that’s true. 

“This time’s war is one that will decide the fate of the continent. There really is a need to eliminate the variable that is the Evil God Apostle! Now, he must be punished impartially at once! Behead him!” 

The nobles of the countries were nodding at this. 

What does he mean by impartial…?

As for my acquaintances, Hero Olga, Prince Leonard, and Sakurai-kun were making faces as if saying ‘Aah, as expected’.

I thought Oracle Esther would be complaining for sure, but she was unexpectedly silent. 

She is making an annoyed expression though.

“Well, wait, Pope Roma. Ortho hasn’t finished talking. Also, I was the one who allowed the Water Country’s Hero to fight the Demon Lord army.” 

“…You did, Great Sage-sama?! Why did you do something like that…?” 

“Your Holiness, it seems the Great Sage-sama has her own thoughts regarding this. Ortho, report the results of the battle and the casualties of our side.” (Yuwein)

General Yuwein returned the topic to the war. 

Captain Ortho stands upright. 

“Yes sir! Reporting. Demon Lord army monsters: 10,029; 1st Division casualties: 0!!” (Ortho)

“““……”””

No one said anything after the words of Captain Ortho.

…The Captain was counting the numbers of monsters, huh.

“There weren’t any noteworthy demons within the army. It is as Esther-sama said. Their objective wasn’t to fight us, but solely for diversion.” (Ortho)

Saying this, Captain Ortho finished reporting.

But all the people in the projections had their eyes opened wide or were making dubious expressions.

General Yuwein was the first one to speak.

“Ortho, you said you fought a demon lord army of more than 10,000, right?” (Yuwein)

“Yes, that’s exactly right, General!” (Ortho)

“…Why was the enemy wiped out while our side had no casualties?” (Yuwein)

The people were nodding. 

Looks like everyone wanted to know. 

“With the Spirit Magic of Makoto-dono here, all of the more than 10,000 monsters were frozen. We then destroyed the incapacitated monsters.” (Ortho)

“Is that even possible…?” (Yuwein)

“Well, with the magic that he used to save the Fire Country’s capital, it would be possible…” (Tariska)

General Yuwein and General Tariska were saying this as if finding it hard to believe.

I actually used a different method from that time in the Fire Country’s capital though. Oh well, that’s fine.

“Ahahahahaha! I see, I see!” 

The Great Sage-sama was smacking her laps and laughing. 

On the other hand, the Pope was glaring over here with a bitter expression.

By the way, Gera-san had a bitter expression too. 

…I feel like he is gonna say I am stealing the march again.

“And so, General, what will you do about that so-called punishment? There’s no casualties though.” 

The Great Sage-sama asks about my fate. 

“It goes against the plan, but the objective of that plan is to preserve our forces. There were no casualties, so there’s no punishment.” (Yuwein)

Saying this, he wrapped up the topic. 

“Now then, about the reports of the other regions.” (Yuwein)

“Yes! Then, from the 2nd Division…” 

After that, long and boring reports continued.

They were all reports about not battling after all.

I glanced at the projection of Princess Sofia, and she was puffing her cheeks as if saying ‘geez!’.

I obviously didn’t wave my hand this time around and simply gave her a wry smile. 

The war council continued till late in the night…and it was tough not to fall asleep in the middle of it. 

◇Sasaki Aya POV◇

I woke up late in the night. 

“Kuu~…” (Lucy)

I hear Lu-chan sleeping at my side. 

Her breath is warm.

Now that I think about it, the inside of the tent is cold, so I clung to Lu-chan as I fell asleep.

“Aah, her clothes are disheveled again.” (Aya)

I sigh as I fix the collar of Lu-chan a bit. 

Lu-cha has bad sleeping habits. 

For some reason, she would slowly take off her clothes while she is sleeping. 

But well, Takatsuki-kun told me that I also have bad sleeping habits though.

Compared to that, Fu-chan always looks beautiful as she sleeps like a princess…wait, what? 

“Fu-chan?” (Aya)

There’s no one in the futon. 

Is she in the toilet?

I touched the futon, and it was cold. It doesn’t seem like she left just now, but a while ago. 

“Hnnn…” (Aya)

I was bothered by something, so I went to the deeper side, onto the shared space of Takatsuki-kun that’s divided by a simple partition.

The tent is shared by 4 people, but Takatsuki-kun said adamantly ‘men and women shouldn’t be sleeping in the same space!’ and made a partition.

“He really isn’t here.” (Aya)

Well, that’s the usual.

Takatsuki-kun uses most of the time he is awake in training.

But there’s something that bothered me. 

Takatsuki-kun and Fu-chan had disappeared late in the night at the same time. 

Now, what should I do? 

“Uwa, cold!” (Aya)

I went outside the tent. 

The night wind took away the heat of my body.

“This is definitely the fault of the Spirit Magic of Takatsuki-kun…” (Aya)

I complained as I wore several tens of layers of clothes.

I walk in the campsite of the Sun Knights.

The only light source is the moon and the stars, but I was raised in Laberintos, so this is no different from daytime. 

I passed by a number of what seemed like night lookouts. 

I asked them all if they had seen Takatsuki-kun, but they all shook their heads to the sides.

Hmm, can’t find Takatsuki-kun.

Searching blindly isn’t efficient. 

At these kinds of times…

I closed my eyes and had my ears, nose, and sixth sense work on full power. 

Takatsuki-kun Takatsuki-kun Takatsuki-kun Takatsuki-kun Takatsuki-kun Takatsuki-kun Takatsuki-kun Takatsuki-kun Takatsuki-kun Takatsuki-kun Takatsuki-kun Takatsuki-kun Takatsuki-kun…where are you?

(I feel like it is over here.) (Aya)

I trust in my instinct that I honed in Laberintos. 

I noticed that the scent of Takatsuki-kun in the air was getting stronger. 

There’s no doubt it is over here! 

The place is a plaza that’s slightly further away from the campsite. 

There’s a small fountain closeby. 

There’s two people close to that fountain.

I saw the back figure of Takatsuki-kun and Fu-chan speaking under the light of the moon, at a distance that their shoulders could almost touch. 

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