CREDIT TO ISHMAN FOR EDITING

08. A Doll’s Devotion

Synopsis of the previous chapter:

A relaxed stroll in the forest with the girls.

I had a hot time with them all. (Physically)

Chapter 8.

Before the day set, we decided to return back to the cave that we previously used as our hideout

Lily and rose have night vision so they are our main fighting force, ... or rather, "rose doesn't have sensory organs like eyeb.a.l.l.s", unlike us humans.

For those unfamiliar with the forest at night, the danger in advancing through the forest with poor visibility skyrockets.

I am concerned that there is a risk that we could get into trouble were we to stay here too long, so for this reason we returned to the cave and immediately started to prepare a meal.

Today’s dinner is a quite a feast.

After all, we’re eating all of the meat from the two-meter long wolf in one go.

The processing of the meat starts with bleeding it, therefore we left it for Rose; after that we just have to cook the cut-up pieces.

The scent of grilled meat fills the cave.

I unconsciously swallowed my saliva.

Then, the result is...

“Haa...”

I was tricked.

That is, how I honestly felt.

Honestly, this was to be expected.

It looks like rubber but it’s hard as rock.

It’s not something edible.

Although I have heard that carnivores have tough meat, it doesn’t seem to be on that level though. It was wrong on the level of preparation.

I don’t know what went wrong though.

I don’t even know how to bleed it, so of course, I don’t know how it affected the taste.

In the first place regarding the knowledge of how to dress a kill, it seems to have come from a book or something that Mizus.h.i.+ma Miho read, and Lily pulled from her memories.

There’s also the possibility that monster’s meat already went bad.

I now appreciate the excellence of modern j.a.pan’s meatpacking companies.

Oh well, although the taste of the food was a bit disappointing, this is a great source of protein.

It has been a while since I was this full; I thoroughly appreciated the food.

Lily didn’t seem to think it was bad, she’s gulped down the food with enthusiasm.

Kato-san didn’t complain about the hard, unpalatable meat, she merely shoveled it down her throat.

“Sorry.  ...I will be excusing myself first.”

Kato-san must have been tired, she ate her food and immediately went to sleep.

“You must be exhausted.”

Kato-san looks small, far from the entrance, and wrapped up in the blankets that were taken from the bed in the cabin.

From her sleeping figure, I could hear her softly snoring.

Coupled with a somewhat young appearance, she doesn’t seem all that different compared to me.

I too am a little tired.

I guess I will sleep early today as well.

As I thought that, I moved to my usual sleeping spot in the cave.

Then, Lily released my arm and stepped in front of me.

She turned around with both arms out to embrace me, her lower body in her slime form.

“Go ahead, master”

A surreal spectacle like always.

But, from now on this will be my daily life.

“Lily. Kato-san is...”

“It is fine, she’s already fast asleep.”

As Lily said, Kato-san is softly snoring and comfortably sleeping.

I guess it’s alright.

To begin with, Lily’s true form is not a secret that needs to absolutely be concealed.

At first it was concealed just to be safe, but if it comes down to it I’ll gladly reveal the truth.

With that said, there’s no real need to hide it.

With the first day ending, I am able to roughly grasp Kato-san’s condition.

Of course, she doesn’t have the energy to do anything.

Simply put, she just silently follows us around like a robot merely moving it’s feet.

Not an empty husk, but in a state similar to it.

And then… err.

What was it.

There are probably other reasons, but right now my brain isn’t working too well.

Anyway, I guess it’s time for bed.

Speaking of a full stomach, I didn’t know it gave a sense of being satisfied like this.

I’ll stop trying to stay awake, Lily “was growing” next to where I sat.

I felt like the exhaustion was slowly leaving my body from my back. Involuntarily, “whew”, a sigh leaks out.

“Master, are you sleepy?”

“Ahhh…….”

With a half-hearted reply, I lean against Lily’s delicate body.

“Why Master, you’re quite the light sleeper. You woke quite a few times this morning, you know?”

“...un, ahh, yup”

“Somehow, master, that’s cute”

Saying that in an awfully happy voice, Lily wrapped her arm around my arm.

By the way, Lily is currently wearing the jersey that was looted from one of the guys last night, naturally she has no underwear for her upper or lower body.

Therefore, a blissful elasticity bounced against my upper arm.

It isn’t limited to me, any man would enjoy this.

It may be because my brain is rotten but, it even relieved some of my exhaustion.

Two people on a sofa, snuggling like lovers, I was enjoying this while letting time flow by.

“...Hn? What are you making, Rose?”

As I was turning in for the night, letting my thoughts wander as I fall asleep, my attention suddenly focused on Rose’s arm.

Today rose went on her daily patrol like Lily does, and cut a tree down near the campfire.

I requested that she make arms and armor.

Looking back at today’s battle, if it wasn’t for the large s.h.i.+eld she made, I would have been seriously injured, or, even worse, killed. It’s an unspectacular job, but it played a large role.

This Rose is currently shaving a piece of the wood she cut down, and it seems to be different from a weapon or armor.

Rose requested something of me, appearing to hesitate about something.

It’s difficult to understand her because her face is flat and doesn’t have any facial expressions, but she stopped moving entirely, in order to hesitantly answer my question.

However, Rose is family so it isn’t an option to refuse her request.

Rose comes to me and faces me, kneels down on one knee, and reverently holds out the item that she was shaving earlier.

“Sorry for interrupting your work just now. Now, this is… umm”

I am puzzled, so I try turning it over, to look at it as a whole.

“Is it an arm?”

It’s still rough around the edges, that would be because it’s still in the process of being made.

It was clearly a human body part that had features like an arm.

I am perplexed by this, why would Rose make such a thing, I have no idea why.

When I tilted my neck, Rose held out her arms.

I looked at her arms that she casually presented.

Before the s.h.i.+mmering red campfire, her wooden arm started to s.h.i.+ne.

It’s rigid.

“Tha- That’s…..!”

The tip of the wooden arm.

One of Rose’s fingers, it had been charred.

“That time in the battle with the Fire Fang today!?”

My sleepiness got blown away.

“Ah, d.a.m.nit. I didn’t notice at all.”

I held my head with one hand, dazed as I was―

That I missed it is exasperating.

“Oi, speaking of, you. Were you keeping it hidden by chance?”

I felt a feeling of discomfort come through the link.

Bullseye.

“Geez.”

I released the air in my chest, blowing it out in frustration.

Can’t be helped, I’m not really in a position to scold her.

Rose probably didn’t want to worry me, so she stayed quiet.

Besides, the frustration that I feel now, it’s more directed at my inept.i.tude.

I shouldn’t vent on her.

In the future, I need to pay more attention towards her well-being.

But, there is one thing that I would like to confirm now.

“Can we somehow mend it with Lily’s Magic?”

“My recovery magic is only rank three. It cannot heal lost body parts.”

“If I'm not mistaken, recovery magic to heal lost body parts is rank 5, a special rank isn't it.”

My otaku friend usually talks about hot cheat-ability news in great detail, and consequently I also became very knowledgeable about magic. …Thinking back, I wonder if he’s doing fine. But I guess we can’t go back to those days of idle idiotic talks

“I see. That’s why Rose is making a prosthetic arm.”

If it’s like that it makes sense.

That’s what I thought, but after I said it, Rose refuted it by shaking her head.

“What do you mean?”

I’m having trouble understanding, so Rose takes the arm back from me.

Rather than an explanation, it seems she will demonstrate for me.

Rose temporarily places the arm on the ground in front of me.

Then, Rose removes her burnt arm from the elbow, and then attaches the new in-construction arm in its stead.

The parts fits with a ‘Click’, echoing through the cave.

While I watch it, the finger that had yet to be carved suddenly moves.

“...Woah!?”

It might be that because it was just placed, or even, because it is still in the process of being finished, its movement is a bit awkward.

But, it’s certainly moving.

After her demonstration, Rose re-attaches her old arm. Of course, this one moves smoothly since it’s the original.

“By any chance, can you change your components? Like arms or feet?”

Well now, this is a surprise.

As I thought ‘how useful and convenient’, there’s no way it’s possible.

It’s a simple construction, I wonder how the h.e.l.l it works.

…No, that’s wrong.

It being simplistic is precisely the reason.

Originally, Rose’s body is a wooden doll’s, something that’s not supposed to move. It’s a mystery, most likely monsters have strange powers―――maybe it’s magical power.

Thinking along that line, it isn’t weird if the new arm is able to move like the original one.

Rose had remained quiet about the matter of her arm, trying to deal with it on her own.

But, I don’t need any more surprises.

“Rose. I’m going to give you an order now.”

I turned and faced Rose.

“Besides making armor, you will now also make spare arms and legs. ...No, actually, prioritize that. You should always carry spare parts as often as possible.

Rose refusing my command is not an option.

Her consent was sent through our link.

But, I also sensed a sliver of doubt in her, I could feel it through the link my ability created.

“Is it weird, for me to order you to make your own arms and legs?”

To my question Rose gave a nod.

It seems like she really doesn't understand.

I almost let out a sigh.

If she really didn't understand my intentions, how should I say it… heartbreaking.

It’s a sad thing, that is why I feel a certain kind of responsibility.

I felt disturbance inside Rose who seems to have received my feelings.

"I'll just say it but, ‘in the middle of the battle if you lose your hand or leg you can recover fast’ is not the reason that I was thinking of. I won't lie by saying that there is no such thinking, though."

Rose became even more dumbfounded and was completely frozen.

It was very troubling.

How to say it so that she can understand what I mean.

To her who serves me so bravely.

I thought about it, tried rephrasing it, and found a simpler solution.

“Hey, Rose.”

I picked up Rose’s wooden hand, stroking the burnt finger.

It is what Rose had lost for my sake.

Even if it can be restored as if nothing happened, the fact that she had made a sacrifice will not change.

“This might be hard to understand, but I think of you and Lily as extremely important companions to me.”

There isn’t anyone else I can trust in this world except Lily and Rose.

The Family might grow larger in the future, but even then, it’s not like the girls’ will lose their value.

“Well, tend to your body from now on if possible. This is not an order. It is a personal request.”

Me wanting to fight, something like that is probably nothing more than a lie.

Nevertheless, this was my real motivation as of now.

Rose has returned to being just a doll and stopped moving.

As I think about how she can come back from rigor-mortis in just a few seconds, Rose kneeled and deeply lowered her head.

She separated her fingers from me, however a peculiar warmth remains inside of me.

“Please raise your head, Rose. It’s good as long as you understand that.”

Though it is just a vague feeling, and even though Lily and Rose are a family, I feel a slight difference on their stance regarding me.

Lily was quite frank.

There is her tone, but even her att.i.tude is more approachable.

Surely this is because I desired a place to take a load off my mind.

I really am being healed by her.

I believe it is most definitely because Lily consumed Mizus.h.i.+ma Miho's remains at that time that she gained the power to mimic humans.

Then, how about Rose’s mental structure?

In this respect, I think she is also quite different from Lily.

That is, she is steady and stern.

Just like a soldier, she’ll silently accomplish her duty, or something like that.

For example, she did that today.

Facing those students’ corpses, she took the lead of the dreary work that would have disgusted anyone else.

Of course there’s the problem with feelings, but there’s also the possibility to be infected by bad diseases if the rotting corpses were to be touched carelessly.

Lily didn’t do that because she had a lot of opportunity to touch me, or so I think.

As the result, Rose did the dirty job alone.

If I think more about it, even today only she know that her finger was lost because of the injury.

―― self-sacrifice from her loyalty.

That is Rose’s essence.

If Lily is the healer of my heart, then Rose might be here more specifically to eliminate physical dangers.

Thinking along those lines, then, to make this cruel world a little more secure, Rose will likely comply with my wishes.

Just by looking at her, I can’t help but think so.

If that’s correct… No, even if it isn’t.

Because she didn’t have any demands, and her presence became thin, I must not forget her devotion.

I must repay her devotion.

No. I want to reward her myself, I think.

“You should’ve been able to talk.”

What you want, what you expect from me, I want to hear it from your mouth.

“If Master desires it, surely, we will fulfill it some day.”

In the place of Rose who doesn’t have a mouth, Lily answered my mutters, while hugging me from the side.

“Because, we are family.”

“Lily…”

Lily was saying it seriously, her feelings were pa.s.sed to me.

I am able to feel it.

To my family, created for my sake.

I wonder what can I return to them.

“That’s nice.”

At that time, those words came from Kato-san who was watching us while wrapped in a sheet.

“How enviable.”

“...You were up, huh.”

I almost forgot her existence, and was a little surprised.

Kato-san who had her body wrapped in a slightly dirty white sheet, without changing her posture, had her eyes open and stared at me.

“After all, Lily-san was a monster too.”

“You heard it, huh.”

“The last part, just a little bit. Besides… Lily-san is now in such a form.”

Kato-san saw with her own eyes that Lily’s lower body had become that of a Slime.

I see. I can’t deny that.

“A little while ago, suddenly… I woke up. …I’m sorry.”

“No. That’s probably because I made noise. Besides… that ‘after all’ means that you noticed it since the beginning, right?”

“... yes. That, I’m sorry.”

“It isn’t necessary to apologize. It was me who remained silent.”

If anything, it was me who had a secret to apologize for.

Because there wasn’t a reason to talk about this circ.u.mstance, so there’s no need to apologize.

“Just for reference, how did you notice?”

“Let me see. Against the Fire Fang, Lily-san didn’t even move one step.”

“That’s certainly so. But, didn’t you think that she was a person with a cheat ability?”

“She kept calling you Master.”

Well, we were found out.

When I understood that, Kato-san looked down like she was troubled, and then looked at me again.

“... besides, more than anything… because she had the appearance of Mizus.h.i.+ma-senpai.”

“You were acquainted with Mizus.h.i.+ma Miho?”

“Yes.”

Just for a moment, Kato-san dropped her gaze.

Maybe, she was recalling about Mizus.h.i.+ma Miho that pa.s.sed away.

“I’m sorry that I didn’t say anything.”

Kato-san lowered her head.

“Until yesterday, I was moving together with Mizus.h.i.+ma-sempai.”

“I see.”

“You are not surprised?”

As for Kato-san who had confessed another circ.u.mstance, wondered about my att.i.tude.

“I had thought about such a possibility. Although only as one of many possibilities.”

There was the common point that both were attacked by those male students.

And, Lily who had Mizus.h.i.+ma Miho’s memories, knew of the existence of the male students in that cabin.

Originally, Mizus.h.i.+ma Miho with Kato Mana, were together in that cabin.

I did not confirm it with Lily, to have as much as possible, consideration for the privacy of Mizus.h.i.+ma Miho.

I do not have the right to do as I would like with the memories of the deceased.

I simply feel indebted to Mizus.h.i.+ma Miho. A long as there’s no imminent risk to me, I plan to not touch her “Memories” aside from her “Knowledge”.

“Did Kato-san escape with Mizus.h.i.+ma Miho from the colony?”

“Yes. That I was able to live until now… it was thanks to Mizus.h.i.+ma-senpai and an acquaintance…”

It was a gloomy voice, but while Kato-san answered my question, she also sounded gentle.

――The day of the Colony’s collapse.

Katou-san was running away along with a group of female students, from the student body that had turned into a mob.

Mizus.h.i.+ma Miho was in that group. Their previous connection was not significant now that they were teleported to this world, however, they were still senpai and kouhai from the same club.

TL Note : senpai = senpai, kouhai = undercla.s.sman

Like I did, they escaped from the colony, but luckily for them, they received protection from cheat ability users from the Protection Unit.

Unfortunately, the group was broken up by the riot. The two of them, Katou-san and Mizus.h.i.+ma Miho, were protected by a boy from the Protection Unit and fled to the cabin.

I don’t know how it works but, the mysterious stone in the cabin had the power to repel monsters. The boy from the Protection Unit knew about the stone, so the two girls waited at the cabin with supplies while he went to search for the first Expedition Unit to bring help.

A place not being attacked by monsters, I suppose that cabin was a correct judgement in that regard for a pair of weak females.

He did not take into account the insurgents that destroyed the colony, he didn’t take into account the desires of evil people.

As a result, Mizus.h.i.+ma Miho and Katou Mana were promptly a.s.saulted by some male students that found the cabin by chance.

It’s just that, blaming the male student who chased after the first Expedition Unit, I think that’s a bit too severe.

In the first place, the first Expedition Unit was created for the purpose of contacting other humans by escaping the forest; if they perchance withdraw and come back to suppress the insurrection force, since every single one within the expedition were elites with high morals, no one will actually know about the outcome.

Even if they have the advantage in amount of hackers, their war potential will vary.

For example, my Monster Tamer ability is one of the considerably weak cla.s.ses.

At the same time, it’s one of the “Unique Ability” since it’s quite rare.

Cheat abilities usually come in the form of physical strength or magical power, such abilities are especially useful in actual combat.

However, that’s just the majority.

The ones referred to as “Warriors” usually are in charge of defence of the colony and forest explorations. If I think about the abilities and cla.s.sify them, then there’s “those that manifested abilities that took on easy-to-understand form” category, and a rare category of “abilities that belongs to a cla.s.s of its own”.

Getting off topic.

Anyway, the combat efficiency of hacks is usually high in capacity, there are also some differences depending on type.

As a matter of fact, the body-enhancing hacks are way stronger compared to others; it’s quite rare in numbers though. Only a dozen people got those hacks.

Third-year Nakajima Kojiro of the “Sword of light”, the student council president from our previous world, was actually leading a new student council in this world, composing of powerful and famous people, and in the same grade of me there’s “Void Beast” Todoroki Miya or something I think.

The others are: “Heavenly Dasher” Iino Yuna, Hibiya Kouji of the “Absolute Slash”, “Dragon Man” Jinguuji Tomoya; all of which are very well-known.

Although the details of their hacks were not told, it is said that they can easily take on dozens of monsters simultaneously, those are some real premium hacks.

In other words, it’s a hotspot of a monster of a student council, that alone is an over-kill.

“Takaya-kun was a typical warrior so…”

The boy from the security force, named Takaya Jun.

He judged that traveling through the forest and protecting two schoolgirls at the same time was impossible.

And just like that, they decided it’s best to siege inside the cabin for the near future.

With such a plan, he left the two girls there.

Although the resulted turned out quite miserable, at the time, only G.o.d knew if that was for the better or worse.

“...wait a second. Wouldn’t this mean that the First Expedition Unit might be on their way back already?”

I suddenly realize a troublesome dilemma as I listen to Katou-san’s story.

"Yes, probably. It’s up to Takaya-kun’s situation, however.”

“There’s also a possibility that they are coming to the cabin.”

“Yes. ...huh, Senpai? Is this, by any chance, something, bad?”

"It’s not that’s it’s something bad, but...”

Up to this point, we were lurking within the dense forest, so the possibility of encountering other hackers is relatively low.

However, as long as that cabin exists, the possibility that was infinitely close to zero will be changed considerably.

――I do not trust humans.

In addition to that, we’re facing a group of intelligent monkeys; they have absolutely no credit too.

That was the only lesson I learnt from the day of the Colony’s destruction, one filled with despair, disgrace, and violence.

Much more so, each and every one of that group still have powers way beyond what I can resist.

Thinking like such, ditching the cabin was, in fact, the most correct answer.

However, it’s quite troublesome with this Takaya guy knowing about the two girls residing within, if they are not inside then he will know that there are other humans within the vicinity. And this hideout of a cave of ours was not that far away from the cabin. If our luck runs low, there’s a possibility that this place may be found.

I wonder if I should move our base of operations to a faraway location.

This is a question that needs to be considered seriously.

“Huh… Senpai?”

As I get too absorbed in my imagination, Katou-san’s call wakes me up to reality.

“Haha, sorry. What’s up?”

Katou-san stared at me with a serious face.

“There’s something that I wanted to hear.”

“What?”

“What happened to Mizus.h.i.+ma-senpai?”

To that question, I hesitated to answer for a brief while.

“...She died.”

I did not deceive her, because Kato-san asked with a resolute expression in her face.

“We dealt with the corpse. The result was that, Lily’s current appearance does not cause any disturbance within me.”

Editor’s Note: Nfi, sorry m8’s

“...Is that so.”

Did she already guess such a thing from her intuition; Kato-san does not seem to be surprised.

However, large droplets of tears begin to fountain from her eyes.

“Mizus.h.i.+ma-senpai...”

This girl who was mourning for the death of an acquaintance, kept crying quietly for a while.

“...Sorry. Even though we were in the middle of it.”

Editor’s Note: “it” obviously is referring to their vertical boogaloo - but no really, blame the TLrs

“It’s alright.”

I shook my head.

I hate humans and distrust them greatly, but I am no devil that will blame a young girl for mourning her acquaintance’s death.

“Please don’t mind it. Please don’t be modest about these kinds of thing.”

“Hai.”

Editor’s Note: Hai means okay. :seriousface:

“If Takaya is able to come back with comrades from the Expedition Unit, everything would be great. Then, you will most likely be safe Kato-san.”

I changed my plans.

Although I thought it was a pain in the a.s.s a while ago, in order to secure Kato-san’s safety, it’s necessary to come into contact with those monkeys.

In such a case, that group needs to have their morality properly intact, it does not necessarily have to be the Expedition Unit, but I don’t want to have anything to do with other humans as of now. We cannot rule out the possibility of rapes either.

As previously planned, I will just send Kato-san to them all the while making the least amount of contact as is possible; I do need to see if the group can be trusted or not though. Let’s just go with that for now.

“Is that fine?”

“Yes. ...Well.”

“Hm?”

“Senpai...?”

Kato-san looks up at me from below as I sit on top of the Sofa-part of Lily’s body.

“After you secure my safety… what will senpai do?”

“I will not come along with the Expedition Unit.”

I replied promptly without any hesitation.

Once there’s no Kato-san, I will quickly make my escape from this location.

By all means, me coming into contact with the Expedition Unit was only for Kato-san’s safety.

I will never give up on my family.

“Why? Just like a while ago too... you were making a sour face then.”

Basically, the obvious behavior for the meek Kato-san is: eats and obeys in fear.

But it seems that her condition is getting better, even if such is the case, what was her reason for asking this.

Anyway, I do not intend to lie. Therefore I will honestly answer.

“I don’t trust them. That’s all there is to it.”

“You meant... the Expedition Unit has no credit...?”

“Of course it will be a group that’s trustworthy, they have to be able to at least provide a girl with protection or else that’s no good after all. About me though, it’s on a more fundamental level… it’s the whole human race as a whole."

I shook my head.

My mouth was distorted with a bitter self-mocking grin.

“I personally have a small history with humans, but just to sum it up, I have come to stop trusting others... I just can’t. I decided so myself amidst the fall of the Colony that day."

“...Ah.”

As she hears my words, she realized that she had hit a sore spot. Kato-san loosens her stressed frown sorrowfully.

Even she herself had experienced some that day.

She knows about them. The ugly parts of mankind.

Hence, there is only one difference between me and her.

I, who was saved from death by Lily, a monster, had only seen the ugly parts of those monkeys, while she, who was guarded and helped, would have witnessed humanity’s beautiful side.

...Haha, whatever.

Didn’t Kato-san in a sense already experience more cruel things than I had?

――Trust - let's try just once more..

――It's not, like, every last human is evil.

In this situation, when I said “I cannot trust humans anymore”, she can only conjure sympathy from her heart―for she cannot even begin to imagine, the h.e.l.l I experienced.

Everything that happened to us up to this point can be considered lucky.

If I have to pick between which one I like doing, I would definitely prefer protecting a girl over abusing her.

Editor’s Note: No, I don’t know how these sentences inter-relate either.

To be honest, the fact that Kato-san didn’t fear me was strange.

If I were her, I would try to run away from me at the first chance I get.

This is not a hypothesis. It’s a physiological matter.

“Senpai... also encountered danger on that day, I see.”

Nevertheless, Kato-san is now feeling pity for me instead.

“...but, senpai, you have the power to control monsters, right?”

“I’ve only awakened to this power after the colony’s destruction, I was saved by Lily in here as I was on the verge of death. ...haha, actually no. I was killed and reborn here in this place.”

The pain was carried along with the voice.

Lily draws closer and embraces me tightly with her body.

I give her my thanks by patting her head, then I sent to Kato-san who was sitting against the wall a question.

“So, Kato-san. I was almost killed by a beating from three of my cla.s.smates that I sat next to in cla.s.s. Just try picturing it. My seat-neighbours laughed and kicked as I roll around on the floor helplessly, they laugh at me with scorn. It was quite a spectacle. After experiencing such a thing, why should I ever think of trusting another human?”

“... then, what about me...?”

Kato-san asks me timidly, I let out a strained smile.

“Didn’t I say that it’s a difficult topic?”

“So-, sorry.”

Kato-san seems ashamed and bows.

“Ho-,However...”

Kato-san looks up, moving her line of sight from Lily who is snuggling up to me then onto Rose’s figure.

“What’s wrong?”

“However senpai… you treasure Lily-san and Rose-san right?”

I see.

I do not trust Kato-san since she’s an ‘other’ as I previously stated, but my behaviour toward Lily and Rose are treated with strangely great trust.

Well, from another’s perspective, this is a mystery.

From my perspective, this kind of nitpicking is a little bit unpleasant.

“They are my family. My companions. They have the credit, and I believe in that credit.”

They cannot be grouped in the same category as humans ――I cannot say the same thing about Kato-san.

But, this is my utmost honest intention.

Editor Note: ????

“Is that, so.”

Kato-san muttered softly.

“...I’m envious, after all.”

I do not know how to answer her.

Indeed, to Kato-san who has no power to fend for herself, my power is something to be envied.

While thinking of such trivial matters, as I cast my mind back to reality, I found her staring intensely at me within the dimly lit cave, I jump in surprise.

A pair of eyes, s.h.i.+ning with brilliance, yet within them lingers traces of paranoia, I am being stared at by such eyes.

I think I had seen this somewhere, I then suddenly remember.

It was the same as our first meeting; those are the very same eyes that gazed upon me inside the cabin.

“Mas.h.i.+ma-senpai.”

While I was being crushed by the pressure, Kato-san once again opens her mouth.

At that moment, expressions vanished from her face like that of smoke disappearing, instead, a lethargic expressionless face surfaced for but a moment.

...It is just my imagination, right?

“There is also that matter with Takaya-kun.”

“Ha, haha.”

I totally lost the timing to ask.

She might not answer honestly when asked either, but well, things that don’t really matter can stay as matter-not things, I suppose.

At any rate, I have no idea what is going on in Kato-san’s mind, so from now on I will have to be vigilant around her.

I decide so, as I listen to what Kato-san has to say.

“So about Takaya, what’s the matter?”

“Yes. Let’s a.s.sume that he came into contact with the Expedition Unit and came back, I don’t know if it’s a good idea to have a face to face meeting with him since ...there’s a problem."

“What do you mean?”

“It’s just... Takaya-kun is Mizus.h.i.+ma senpai’s childhood friend so...”

I glance towards Lily.

“Me?”

“Yes. With your current appearance Lily-san, I’m sure he will...”

“Are they a couple?”

“Ah, no. It wasn’t, that way, it’s just...”

Is it hard to say because this is related to other people’s privacy?

“It’s just that, he’s kind of... with Mizus.h.i.+ma senpai.”

I understand, such a thing is awkward to be spoken here.

“Mizus.h.i.+ma Miho was such a beauty after all.”

I nod deeply.

“Moreover, she has a good personality too. I can’t count the males that I know of that were in love with her with both of my hands. If her childhood friend is a boy then it wouldn’t be strange that he too is in love with her, although it’s a bit cliché.”

Takaya Jun guarded Mizus.h.i.+ma Miho and Katou Mana, even leading them to the cabin; his actions were not based on kindness or a sense of duty.

Of course, if we interpret this a bit maliciously then he was doing it with ulterior motives.

“For Takaya, Mizus.h.i.+ma Miho is someone that he would stake his life protecting.”

“Yes.”

“When he sees Lily using the appearance of his beloved, he might attack us out of rage.”

“That is correct.”

However, this truly is c.u.mbersome, I have already made the resolution to meet up with the Expedition Unit too.

No. It’s fine. I’ve already decided once.

“Understood. Lily will be lying as low as possible for that duration. And worst case scenario we can just have her cancel her mimic ability when she’s in front of that guy.”

“That should be perfect.”

“Thank you for warning us about the danger.”

All things considered, this piece of information was the result of protecting Kato-san.

Although Kato-san is safe guarded, the risk when coming into contact with this Takaya guy is still there.

If I had not met Katou-san last night, then surely I would have spent even more time in this cave.

We wouldn’t know about the possibility that the Expedition Unit knows about the cabin and is coming back, there’s also the possibility of Takaya encountering Lily in her Mizus.h.i.+ma Miho’s form.

Because the bomb’s explosion radius and timer are unknown, it is best to prepare a counter-plan beforehand. At least, that’s what I think.

“Though I can only express my grat.i.tude, I promise to protect you properly until we meet up with the Expedition Unit, or at least until you arrive at a safe location.”

“...Thank you very much.”

Kato-san bows.

Her mouth that was almost hidden away along with her expression by her bangs moved slightly.

“However, to express my grat.i.tude...”

“Hm?”

I asked since I didn’t catch it properly, Kato-san shook her head.

Those are the pair of eyes that s.h.i.+ne brilliantly while a trace of paranoia lingers within.

“No. There’s nothing.”