The magician――I take off the hood and smile at Chase and Carlos.

「Fu~ it somewhat went smoothly, didn’t it!」

Then, Chase looks at me with tired eyes and sighs.

「You…… haa~」

Carlos clapped on his shoulder while holding back his laughter.

「Kuku…… yeah, it went smoothly」

When I tilt my head to the side, finding the two’s behavior strange, Lyle comes and approaches Chase.

「Captain! Carlos-san too! Please, properly explain this! Suddenly appearing in front of us, letting the five go to request for the aid, disappearing again, telling us through telepathy “no matter what happens now, pretend to be calm and composed,” I understood that Gais and others had betrayed us, but just what is going on!?」

「C, calm down, Lyle」

Chase tried to calm down Lyle, but then Roy approached with a smile on his face.

「That’s right, Lyle. Captain and co. will give a proper, convincing explanation. For example…… for example, the reason for making this little, adorable child doing something so dangerous…… right, Captain?」

――Zoku

Chills ran through my back even though that smile was directed towards me.

(Hii! His eyes are not smiling at all…… Chase is…… ah, he’s subtly trembling…… is Roy-san fond of children? He’s worried about me…… nevertheless, there are many good-looking people among the beastmen, aren’t there?)

Lyle has a short hair and a refres.h.i.+ng, athletic feeling, he’s a wolf person just like Liam. Roy is a pretty person with a shoulder-length hair tied behind, he’s a fox person like Chase. Ethan is a black panther, Carlos a white tiger. Leone is a lion.

(Still, they look so mofumofuably pleasant~ I wonder if it’s no good to touch them)

While thinking about such things, Chase spoke to me.

「O~i, may I a bit?」

「What’s the matter?」

As I trotted over, Roy dropped on his knee and bowed his head.

「Once again, I’m Roy. Thank you very much for your cooperation during this matter」

「Ah, please raise your head!」

When I was feeling frustrated, Lyle came and lowered his head too.

「I also want to express my grat.i.tude…… thank you」

「Umm, it’s really alright」

When I was troubled, not knowing what to do, Carlos came to the rescue.

「Oi, oi, leave it at that. Jouchan is troubled, you know?」

「「Yes」」

First of all, we spoke about Chase’s and my negotiations, the search for the hidden room, about everyone’s medical treatment and about the doubts of a traitor.

「What to say……」

「That’s quite extraordinary, so what happened next?」

「Ask that this fellow. We have moved as this fellow said, after all」

When Chase says so, the two turned their gazes towards me.

「U~mm, you see――」

Let’s go back in time a little――

「Everyone, please gather up for a little」

When I say so, the beastmen gather around me.

「In case the five who went to request aid are connected to the traitor…… at worst, it’s likely that the aid won’t come」

――Zawaa

Unrest ran through the beastmen, but Chase and Carlos agreed.

「Certainly…… if I were in their position, I would pretend to go for the help and make up excuses that the aid can’t come…… what do you think? Carlos」

「Yeah, it will be probably like that…… say, Jouchan. Do you have any ideas?」

「Yes…… but, in order to succeed, cooperation of everyone here and the six people outside is necessary」

「Say it! I want to return back with everyone…… for that reason, I will cooperate with anything!」

「Leone-sama…… alright」

When I looked around, everyone was nodding, so I explained the plan.

「First, as planned at first, Chase and I will go towards the meeting place. If possible, I would like to secure a safe, s.p.a.cious place on the way. After joining up, we will leave behind few people while the others will go request for aid. Then, after returning to this room and transferring everyone to the safe place, and after confirming whether the five who went to ask for the aid returned, Chase and I will go towards the meeting place once again, and obtain information regarding the traitor from them…… how about it?」

「It certainly is a good plan, but there’s a problem, Jouchan」

「I know…… in order to hear the information, we have to do it before the relief aid the five went to get arrives…… it’s a game against time…… therefore, Chase」

「Yeah, let’s hurry…… Leone-sama, everyone, I understand your anxiety, but this is the only chance we have…… won’t you entrust this to us?」

Everyone powerfully nodded while looking at us.

Then, Leone-sama said.

「Thank you both」

「Ha!」

「Yes」

At that time, Will pulled on Chase’s clothes and called out to him.

「Otousan, are you going?」

Chase got on his knees and patted Will’s head.

「Yeah, I will definitely return…… let’s return to our country with everyone」

「Un! Otousan, Oneechan too, be careful, okay?」

「…… Ou」

「Thank you, Will-kun」

(He said Oneechan! Will-kun is so cute~ I want to mofumofu him~ I should ask him when this matter ends――)

「Oi…… we should go」

Chase spoke to me, interrupting my thoughts.

When I looked at Chase, he was looking at me with a tired expression.

(No way…… were my thoughts exposed!?)

「R, right! Then, let’s go……『Stealth』……『Transfer』」

While everyone was surprised at our disappearance, I immediately warped us out of the room.

――Shun