Suffering of the Beloved Ones
After a war council, the United Front chose to march into the former United Kingdom of Mercenary territory.
The idea was that this would be the best way to capture the Nord army that had disappeared. Of course, this was not the only reason, but there was also the reason that it was necessary to head for the original battleground in order to implement the measures being taken by the Luine Kingdom, the details of which are still being kept under wraps.
Thus, although several small countries withdrew, the joint front, which still boasts a total of 200,000 troops, crossed the border and invaded the territory of the former United Kingdom of Mercenary. Soon after crossing the border, the united front achieved its objective.
The Nord army showed itself.
A sword was swung down with force. Ren held up his sword to defend himself, but the impact knocked him slightly off balance.
The person would not miss that opportunity. A kick from a blind spot struck Ren. Ren managed to duck and dodge, only to be hit by another kick from the opposite leg.
Somehow, he managed to prevent a direct hit to his face by putting his hand in between, and as it was, Ren jumped behind. As he rolled on the ground several times, he opened a wide gap between them and stood up.
"…Were you this strong?"
"Because I was training earnestly from morning till night."
"From morning till night. That's not fair. I'm too busy to spend that much time."
"That's pathetic, but that doesn't mean I'm going to forgive you. Please die a quiet death."
"No."
With many armies watching from afar, the two men once again took a stance and faced each other. Why is this happening――
The Nord army suddenly appeared in front of the advancing united frontline forces. The first to leap toward them was the army of a small country. It was a reckless assault, but they had a plan.
A knight advances out of the army that has advanced to the front of the Nord army. The knight who took off his helmet was a man with dark eyes and black hair. He was one of the heroes.
The hero challenged Ren to a duel. This is an ancient custom of knights on the battlefield. The custom of valuing a one-on-one match still exists in this world.
Of course, it is not necessary to accept the offer just because it is made. However, if you do, you must be prepared for a significant drop in the morale of your army. If you lose, it will be even worse, so the right thing to do is not to fight if you cannot win, but the norms of knighthood get in the way of that. Most of them are ashamed to run away and accept a duel even if they know they will lose.
However, Ren doesn't recognize any knightly code. He probably despises them. Those who knew Ren thought that he would never accept the challenge, but to their surprise, he accepted the duel.
And now the fight is on.
The other hero was Yamase Kou, who was in Class B. His title was that of a gladiator, which was common in Class B. A pure warrior type with excellent skills in swordsmanship and fighting techniques.
Yamase's body is one size bigger than when he was in the academy. The sword blows and kicks from his well-trained body are not as fast, but they are very powerful. He crushes the enemy's defense from the front. Such is his fighting style.
Every time they meet swords, every time he blocks a fist or a kick, Ren is knocked off balance or blown wide open by the power. By all accounts, Ren is outmatched.
Yamase saw this as a great opportunity to make a name for himself and attacked Ren. Unable to withstand the onslaught, Ren was finally pushed completely and fell to the ground. Yamase's sword is immediately shot from directly above him.
The unexpected conclusion―― the moment many people thought so, they saw Ren rolling on his side and dodging the sword.
Yamase, whose sword was avoided, had too much momentum and was leaning forward. Ren's sword thrust deeply into Yamase's side.
Yamase slowly crumbled to the ground. Ren then thrust his sword into Yamase's chest to finish him off. Yamase's body trembled once, and he never moved again.
A groan and a disappointed voice spread out from the united front.
But it didn't end there. Another knight stepped forward. Another man with dark eyes and dark hair. He was a hero from another country.
"I'm next!!"
"No, wait! I'll deal with him!"
"I'm first!"
More knights came forward one after another. Many of them were heroes.
The reason was simple, they had heard rumors that Class C Akira had put up a good fight, and they thought they might have a chance in a one-on-one duel.
The question was whether Ren would accept a duel. Ren's personality was one thing, but he was an emperor, not a knight. Even if he wanted to, it was normal for those around him to stop him.
However, Ren accepted the duel, and even though he lost in the end, Yamase pushed Ren to the very limit.
If he defeated Ren, the Nord emperor, he would surely be the most successful man in this war. Many knights were coming forward to claim such an honor, and they were determined not to let it go to someone else.
However, they were met with words that seemed to throw cold water at them.
"Don't! Everyone is being deceived! Ren isn't serious about fighting! Ren is left-handed!"
Manami's cries reached the ears of the knights who were requesting a duel. Hearing this, many of the knights turned their attention to Ren. The faces of some of them suddenly clouded over when they saw that Ren was gripping the sword with his right hand.
"That voice is, Hasegawa-san!? Could you please get out of the way!"
Ren's voice, which was somewhat tinged with ridicule, continued. His words proved that what Manami was saying was true.
"Well, it's fine. Hayashi-kun and Yamagiwa-kun challenged me to a duel. Also, who are you? You're not a hero."
"…………"
The knight pointed by Ren did not answer his question.
"Well, it's fine. I don't care about anyone but the heroes. Hayashi-kun and Yamigawa-kun. I accept your offer of a duel, so come forward quickly."
Even though they were told to come forward, they did not immediately move forward. It was as if Ren was declaring that he could win even against two opponents.
"No way~!? Are the heroes going to run away!?"
Ren called out in a provocative tone to the two, who hadn't been able to come forward. The two of them don't take the provocation either. The one who took the provocation...
"I'll be your opponent!"
It was Yuya.
"It's here... no interruptions! You'll have to wait for your turn!"
"The two will abstain!"
"It's not for you to decide! In the first place, it was the two of them who made the offer! I won't allow them to withdraw!"
"You'll be killed by me anyway! It's no use fighting with those two!"
"As expected, you're an idiot! Even if I die, I'll kill as many people as I can before that! That's what normal people think!"
"...I don't think it's normal."
Yuya muttered words that unusually gained the sympathy of those around him.
"I can't hear you! Did you say something!?"
"......Anyway, you two, stop! I'll deal with him!"
"If it ends up like this... Then this is the end of the duel! You'll have to follow the rules!"
"What!? Ah, wait!"
Yuya tried to stop him, but Ren left without a care. Yuya hurried to follow him, but was stopped by the others.
"Why are you guys stopping me?"
"Kisaragi, you. Have you not learned the code of knighthood?"
"...I was taught properly"
"No one mustn't interfere with the duel."
"It's common sense."
"We must respect the victor, even if he is our enemy, and guarantee his safety."
"……What's that?"
"I knew it, you didn't learn that."
"I was taught properly."
It's not that he hasn't learned. He just doesn't remember.
"Then you know, right? We're not supposed to surround a winner and take him out. That means we're not going after him."
"No way..."
"How can there be a duel if we don't follow this?"
"...It can't be helped. We'll do it next time."
"Can Kisaragi win?"
"Of course?"
"I see... then I'll leave it to you."
"Yeah, leave it to me."
The knights around him are reassured by Yuya's confident answer. The only one who possesses the title of [Hero] is Yuya. The Nord emperor, Ren, is a very strong man. Since Ren, the Nord emperor, was stronger than they had imagined, they had no choice but to rely on Yuya.
However, they do not understand that Yuya's confidence has no basis. Perhaps because he had too much outstanding power, Yuya was not good at recognizing the strength of others. But it does not matter, because he thinks he is strong.
◇◇◇
Ren, who had disappeared from the presence of the united front army, had sent Ran, a magical beast, running to his next destination. Surrounding him were the men known as Ren's Kingsguard.
"Did Hasegawa-san see me fighting with my left hand? I don’t remember."
Ren had been thinking about this ever since the duel ended. As a result, because of Manami, the strategy ended up with a half-assed result. As for Ren, he had to think about the cause of the failure.
He muttered to himself, but his voice reached Shizuku, who was with him.
"Do you use your left hand for anything other than swords?"
"......When you say that, I can't say for sure. But my handwriting is originally right-handed, and I'm sure I've always used my right hand to eat."
"Why the right hand?"
"I corrected my handwriting after being persistently told by my English teacher. Eating was intended as training. Did I use my left-handed in the original world? But, I always ate meals alone. In P.E.? But we were segregated by gender."
"I wonder if she were watching Ren from afar?"
"Huh? Why would she do that? I never talked to her when we were in the original world."
"...Insensitive."
"What?"
"Nothing."
Shizuku is not so good-natured as to go out of her way to make an enemy of Manami here. She raises her guard against Manami to the maximum within herself, and then she changes the conversation.
There was something that bothered Shizuku more than Manami.
"More than that"
"What?"
"Are you feeling unwell?"
"...Not really."
"Don't lie. You look really pale."
"It's because I exercised in a sleep-deprived state. It will be fine in no time."
"It's not just now. It's been happening all the time. Do you think I haven't noticed?"
"We are in the middle of a war. In my position, I'm always busy."
"That's all?"
"What else is there?"
Even Shizuku knows there is something else. But she also knows that Ren won't talk about it easily.
"I've been alone all night."
"......That's what you're talking about after all?"
"That's right, but it's a little different. It's not just me, you're also keeping Rin-san away."
"……No such thing"
"Don't lie. Why are you holed up in your tent all by yourself?"
"I'm not alone. Luna is with me."
"That's suspicious. Why are you two alone?"
"Shut up."
"If I don't ask, no one else will."
"...Enough. Get off."
"Eh?"
"Get off!"
"W-wait!?"
For Shizuku, who had expected Ren to try to round her up, this reaction was unexpected.
He forcefully lowered Shizuku, who was riding behind him, to the ground, and Ren ran off ahead of her.
"No way! What am I going to do!?"
"Go ride on an extra horse!"
"...I asked to ride with you because I'm not good at it."
In everyday life, it would be fine, but Shizuku still can't handle a cavalry horse on the battlefield. So even though Ren didn't like it, he let Shizuku ride with him.
"With me"
"Rin-san! Thank you!"
"I feel sorry for the horse if it's someone else. Run can carry two people."
"I am on the thin side. Well, my breasts and buttocks are bigger than Rin's."
"……Have it your way"
"Ah, I'm sorry! I'm joking! Please give me a ride!"
Despite being pierced by Rin's cold gaze, Shizuku managed to get her to share a ride.
The one Rin is riding is Run, the same magical beast that Ren was using. Its size is different from that of a normal horse. They should be able to sit comfortably.
"...You're too close."
Shizuku, who is in close contact with Rin's body, can't stand it and complains.
"It will shake. I'm afraid I might fall."
"...At least, relax a little more. It's hard to ride when you're clinging to me."
"Okay"
Shizuki loosened the arm around Rin's waist as instructed. However, her posture, which is closely attached to her back, remains unchanged.
"Wait?"
"Rin-san smells good. Where did you get this perfume?"
"I'm not wearing any such thing."
"Is this what your body naturally smells like? ......Amazing."
While talking in an enraptured voice, Shizuku is getting closer and closer to Rin. Not only that, but she has begun to run her hands all over Rin's body.
"Smooth skin"
"W-wait a second?"
"I wonder if Ren likes shapely breasts rather than size? I can't compete with the slenderness of your hips."
"...You perverted woman! Get off!"
Rin tried to shake off Shizuku's hand, who was touching her body, and tried to knock Shizuku off, but Shizuku was clinging to her and wouldn't let go.
"I-I'm just joking! No, it's not a joke, it's Rin-san's fault! Rin-san's [charm] got me!"
"Don't tell me you're in heat for me, a vampire!? Even though you're a woman!?"
"...Huh? Could it be that women don't get lustful?"
"Of course not. The [charm] of the vampires is directed towards the opposite sex. I wouldn't say it's completely, but it has little effect on the same sex."
"...Then why does it work on me?"
"It's just because you're a nympho."
"Nympho… To hear words like that coming from Rin-san’s mouth…"
"Pervert! Get away! Get away from me right now!"
"No! Just now was really a joke! Hey... wait a minute!?"
"I won't wait! Get down now!"
"No! Front! Look ahead!"
"Even trying to deceive me..."
Despite saying this with her mouth, Rin turned her gaze forward. The moment she saw what she saw, Rin made Run run as fast as it could.
Ran whose size can be seen well even from a distance. Ran walks slowly without running. She couldn't see Ren, who was supposed to be riding it.
Run closes the distance in a short amount of time.
"What happened!? What about Ren-sama!?"
Around Ran, there are royal guards walking with horses. Rin asked the royal guards.
"On Ran."
"Eh?"
"His Majesty is covered with a cloth."
Just as the guard said, there is something covered with a cloth on top of Ran. From the swelling, she knew that Ren was under it.
"Why?"
"He suddenly collapsed."
"That's... is he hurt?"
"It seemed that Ran knew, so it stopped just before His Majesty fell. Thanks to that, we were able to support him."
"I see. But is it safe to move? Should we stop and rest a little?"
"About that, Luna-sama."
"Luna? Is Luna here?"
"She is walking while pulling the reins of Ran."
"……Ah"
Rin was not able to see due to Ran's large body, but there was indeed a girl walking in front of Ran. Rin jumped down from Run and hurried to Luna's place.
Luna was walking in front of Ran with her head down. She holds the reins, but only in appearance. Even if Ran is not guided, it will walk on its own.
"Luna……"
"Hmm"
"What about Ren-sama?"
"He is sleeping."
"Sleeping? Is he really sleep-deprived?"
"Well, that's right."
"Why, until he collapses."
"I don't want to. But that's what Ren wants."
As always, Luna is a little short on words and they don't understand what she's saying right away. Ren is the only one who can understand Luna's words immediately.
"Make it a little more clear."
"It's noisy every night. Ren could make it go away as much as he wants, but he doesn't do it."
"...Could it be a spirit?"
"That's right. It's not right to resent someone for being killed in a war. They shouldn't have participated in it."
"Enemy…… Ren-sama? If it were Ren-sama, he would be able to erase them or even force them to heaven."
"...He said he couldn't do that to his friends."
"But they hate Ren-sama."
"It is because he had done something to make himself resented. He says that it is wrong to erase them from the world because he doesn't want to be resented after having used such spirits' resentment against them so many times."
"No way..."
"I'm glad he fainted. The timing was perfect. Now he can rest for a while."
"Yes, but nothing has been resolved. The battle is still going on. It's just the beginning."
"...Ren decided. Luna respects that."
"But then Ren-sama."
"I won't let that happen. Luna will protect Ren."
"……I see."
The only person Luna says she will protect is Ren. Rin doesn't think anything of it either. She does not care about the sacrifices of others as long as she can keep Ren alive. She is even willing to give up her own life.
Rin is prepared to do so, but even so, she is saddened by it. She doesn't know what made her sad. She just felt pain in her chest. A wave of emotion that she didn't know what it was hit her, and she stood there stunned.
Luna didn't care about Rin and moved forward.
"...Rin-san."
It was Shizuku who approached Rin. She had noticed that something was wrong with Rin and was staring at her with worried eyes.
"……Even now"
"What?"
"Even now, are spirits the only friends of Ren-sama?"
"Rin-san..."
She speaks in honorifics to Shizuku. With just that, she knew that Rin wasn't in a normal state.
"No matter how much I think about Ren-sama, as long as I'm alive, it won't reach me..."
"No. It's not!"
"No. Wrong! I don't want that!"
"Rin-san?"
"I shouldn't be greedy. I shouldn't think I'm special just because Ren-sama held me..."
"That's wrong. Rin-san is special. You're a special person to Ren."
"But I... to him..."
"No, don't think about it. There's no point in comparing yourself to the dead."
"...Yes. I know this too. Even though I know... I'm... greedy..."
Rin's voice grows thin. Seeing her fragile appearance, Shizuku involuntarily hugged Rin tightly.
"We are alive. There are things we can do because we are alive."
"I……"
"Rin-san is also tired. You've been acting a little strange lately."
"Me?"
"Is it because you haven't been able to spend much time with Ren lately? But that's a luxury. I couldn't be around more than Rin-san."
"...I'm sorry. What am I doing."
Rin seems to have calmed down a bit thanks to Shizuku, who gently comforted her.
"You were a little upset because Ren fell down."
"Yes"
"As expected, Rin-san has a good scent."
"Eh?"
"…I comforted Rin-san."
"Y-yeah"
"I want you to thank me."
"...Thanking you."
"Once, just once, I want to hug Rin-san."
"Hug..."
"Not in this state. It's more like that thing."
"You perverted woman! How dare you, at a time like this!"
"Just once. That leaves me with a lot less to regret, if not all, but a lot less."
"……You?"
Rin is bewildered by Shizuku who says that with a smile. She knew that when she said she wanted to hold her, she meant this. And she knew the meaning of the word regret.
"Even I'm prepared to die for Ren. However, the opportunity hasn't come yet. That's why I don't think I can win against Harumoto-san."
This should be the same for Rin. Even if it wasn't put into words, the feelings that Shizuku wanted to convey were understood by Rin.
"……Thank you"
"Are you just going to say thank you only in words?"
"...Die. Perverted woman."
Rin and Shizuku are competitors, but they are also comrades. The two of them had a common thought that they both wanted to be loved, but gave up because they thought it would never come true.
Those who fell in love with Ren, a truly troublesome being, had come to share something in common with each other before they knew it.
This was the first time the two of them realized this.
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