CH 25

Chapter 25 – Small Pitfall

“This guy is terrible.”

“Ah?”

“He took my prey, messed it up, shoved it in some weird thing, and swung it around.”

That was the first thing Milka-chan said as we drove back to the Casemaian defense line.

This guy she was referring to was me.

It’s true that we drove home on a bumpy road, so the little elf was like a pinball in the car. It’s also true that I killed the cavalryman by making mincemeat out of them with shotgun bullets. Half the reason I did that was to save you (the other half was a personal grudge), though.

Don’t point at me with your eyes like you’re looking at a dog that’s behaving badly. I’m going to cry, and you’re going to have a 34-year-old on the ground thrashing around and crying.

Before I could retort, Milka was slapped on the back of the head by the elf man.

“That hurts! What are you doing, Conell?”

He’s the same elf that told us that Milka was missing. I wonder if this is the same elf that told us the war was starting.

Conell, was it? I learned it, but it’s probably useless. I’m not sure I’d be able to distinguish him if he got mixed up with the other elves.

“Apologies for your rudeness.”

“To him?”

“Of course. …But first, did you thank him properly?”

“Thank him? For what?”

The elf girl, who was slapped again, looked at me with a grudge.

I don’t know. The reason for this is because she disregarded the advice to hold on to the car and bounced around. She got mad at me for opening the wound, but that’s because she refused to put on her seatbelt.

When we got back to a safe place, I realized that we should have just transferred to the edge of the plain. I’m not going to worry too much about consuming magic power now that there’s still time before the battle. Well, it’s too late now.

“The war is about to start, and you didn’t come back, you bothered the busy adults to search for you, and you even had to fight with the cavalry that chased you.”

“I-I could have defeated those people by myself!”

He slapped her again. Stop it. That kid’s brain is going to be destroyed. Even if it’s just that, she’s kind of an idiot.

“You say you were able to defeat it, Milka, but what’s your weapon?”

“No, I don’t have one right now… but! That’s because!”

“If Yoshua and Myrril hadn’t gone to save you, you’d be dead.”

She was slapped again. She clenched her teeth as she turned her head and clenched her hands to hold back her tears, shaking with anger, frustration, embarrassment, or whatever. Yeah. I understand. There’s something about that kind of non-negotiable, non-apology feeling you get when you’re that age.

That’s fine, but don’t look at me, little elf. You’re being beaten up because of your bad attitude and mouth, not because of my orders or responsibility.

“Alright, that’s enough. You are not to be sent into battle with us. And you will not have the elves’ weapons.”

“…!!!”

Milka tried to argue with Conell, but she was frightened by the cold eyes and the killing intent that she found in him and held her tongue. The face of a handsome gentleman who is really angry is quite frightening.

“Because I took the liberty of going on a reconnaissance mission? Because I didn’t show these guys any affection? For that alone…”

“That’s the problem before that. You can’t be trusted.”

“!”

She looked more frightened than shocked. Milka’s eyes looked red and blurred again. The color and the light were much stronger than before.

…Red?

“You have no respect for your comrades, and you have no intention of apologizing for the trouble you’ve caused. Your incompetence is dragging people down and putting many of them in danger. Who would want to fight with a fellow like that?”

“…!”

“You can just die on your own, but don’t drag my… our precious friends into it.”

The taciturn elf’s sudden tsundere turn did not please me either. Milka ran away, and Myrril followed her.

I was left behind with the handsome elf, and I had a bad premonition.

No, not a premonition, exactly. It was a conviction based on skill. An ability that I’m sure I’ve acquired through my improved status. It wasn’t gospel for me; it was probably a curse.

“Conell, right? Can I ask you something?”

“Anything?”

“Do you remember what you were telling us about the color of Milka’s eyes?”

“…? Blue. You’ve seen it. That’s the blood of the Northern Elves. It’s rare around here.”

“Are there any subhumans with red eyes?”

“I’ve heard that there are human rabbit people in the northern continent. We have no contact with them because of the ocean between us.”

The depths of my stomach grow heavy. A malicious observer, that’s what it is. The eyes of those with malicious or hostile intentions are visible in red. I also saw a faint green horizontal line above Conell’s head. I knew it was an HP bar, damn it.

I think Milka’s was red, too.

“…Okay. So, one more thing. That girl, have you noticed anything different since Milka came here?”

Conell’s complexion changed.