Chapter 19: To My Beloved

When I woke up, I found myself lying on my back, looking up at the starry sky.

“Are you awake, Master?”

Still in a daze, I heard a voice call out to me. I swiveled my head to see Rose sitting on the ground, working away as always. Just a few hours ago, she didn’t have a lower body, but now she was back in perfect condition. Berta had managed to retrieve the bag of tools that we’d lost during the landslide. Rose had used the spare parts inside it to reassemble herself. This was one of the advantages of a puppet-type monster.

However, things weren’t so simple for everyone else. What really hurt us right now was that Lily, the only one who could use powerful grade 3 healing magic, was down for the count. Pretty much everyone was injured, so we couldn’t move about as we wanted to. We couldn’t even reunite with Shiran and Kei because we were now quite far away from them.

In the end, we’d asked Berta, whose wounds were relatively shallow, to go bring the two of them to us. After Shiran turned into a demilich, she couldn’t use healing magic. Given our current situation, the only one who could use healing magic, at a barely passable level, was Kei. Because of that, we’d asked her to start with Iino and Gerbera, who’d suffered the deepest wounds.

During her treatment, Iino had woken up, and we’d briefly explained what had happened. Surprisingly, after she quietly listened to our story, she’d quickly fallen back to sleep. Maybe she simply didn’t have the energy to react in any way. We would probably have to talk it over again with her tomorrow.

Gerbera was also exhausted from the battle, and she’d fallen asleep in the middle of her treatment. Her legs were folded up, and she was snoring away peacefully. Kei was curled up with Ayame in her arms, leaning against Gerbera’s leg and sleeping herself. This scene of meager happiness brought a smile to my face as I tried to stand up.

Just then, something pulled on my clothes. I looked down to find Katou lying next to me, close enough to make my heart pound.

“Mmm...”

She let out a defenseless moan. Her girly hand gripped the top of my sleeve.

Now I remembered. Since my injuries had been relatively minor, Katou had cast healing magic on me. Because of her consistent training, she could now do so. Having said that, she could only use grade 1 magic. It sped up the natural healing process a little and worked slightly as an anesthetic, but its effects were rather limited. Even so, an accumulation of small stones could make a mountain. That was a bit of an exaggeration, but the repeated use of her magic had had a proper effect.

“Mana has been constantly casting healing magic on you, making sure to take rests every now and then,” Rose told me. “Please thank her later.”

“Sure thing.”

I gently removed her fingers from my clothes and stood up. Matching my movements, a shadow raised its head.

“Second King.”

“Berta?”

The two-headed wolf turned to face me.

“We’re really indebted to you,” I told her.

“It was my king’s command. Don’t concern yourself over it.”

Berta’s response was cold, but I shook my head to refute her. “So you say, but that doesn’t change the fact that you saved us.”

Berta remained silent.

“Thank you, Berta,” I said, then cocked my head. “What’s wrong?”

Both her pairs of eyes, filled with the light of intelligence, stared at me for a while.

“I already knew this, but you’re very different from my king,” Berta said, waving her tail about casually. “No... Never mind... My king has commanded me to see to your safety. Be at ease.”

Berta lay down on the ground, folded her forelegs, and rested both her heads on them. She closed her eyes, having no intention of conversing any further.

“Takahiro.”

I gazed at the tentacles waving around at Berta’s waist as Shiran called me from the other side of the campfire.

“Rose and Berta are with us,” she said, “and I will also warn everyone of any impending danger. Please leave things here to us.”

Shiran pointed up at the sprite dancing about in a happy-go-lucky manner and smiled. I smiled back, though a bit chagrined that she had seen through me so easily. I thanked her and stepped away from the campfire.

◆　◆　◆

I walked off, guided by the mental path. The girl I was looking for wasn’t all that far away.

“Lily,” I called out to her.

Lily, who was looking up at the sky, turned my way. The stars were at her back. I felt a sense of déjà vu watching her smile among the glittering scenery. It was a strange sensation. I knew this image from somewhere... As I thought of that, I looked at the sight before me and—

“You’re awake, Master.”

Her voice brought me back to reality. Before I knew it, that mysterious sensation had vanished. I scratched my head awkwardly.

“I see you’ve recovered enough to move about,” I said.

“Aha ha. I’m still nowhere close to fully recovered, though,” she replied, smiling.

There was no color to Lily’s skin. Her upper body, shaped like a girl sprouting from her slime bottom, was totally transparent. Everything from her voluptuous breasts to the fascinating curves of her waist were made of slime.

“Master, how’s your condition?”

“My body still feels a little heavy, but I’m mostly recovered. Katou put in her best effort and all.”

I took a seat right next to where Lily’s upper body was. This was a normal distance between us, one I’d gotten very used to. The only difference now was that Lily wasn’t leaning against me.

She intertwined her fingers in front of her and quietly remained still. She lowered her eyes, keeping them fixed on her hands and her body below her waist. Her fingers weren’t fully formed. It wasn’t only her skin that hadn’t taken shape, but also the minor details of her body.

I gave her a sidelong glance. “Hey Lily, can I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“Did you awaken Mizushima Miho’s...a visitor’s power?”

During the battle with the Mad Beast, Lily had broken through the manashackles and participated in the fight. She’d then shattered the limits of her mimic slime abilities. The way she’d fought, using the many abilities of the Woodlands’ monsters she’d eaten, was almost as extraordinary as the Great White Spider of the Depths.

Her last attack against the Mad Beast had been especially impressive. The weight of that single blow had even surpassed Gerbera’s strength. All that together was enough for me to assume she’d acquired some new power.

“Mm. I did.” Lily pulled back just slightly, a strange smile on her face. “Just having a wish deep within the soul will manifest an inherent ability... I’ve always been running away from my wish.”

She once more looked up at the sky.

“All this time, I hated myself for being nothing more than an unsightly monster,” she continued. “However, I also accepted this aspect of myself in equal measure. I wanted to surpass my own walls, just like you did. That was the only way I could stand by your side with pride.”

She wanted to accept the unsightly monster she was. Was that Lily’s wish? A visitor’s inherent ability was a reflection of their own wish. While drawing out the monsters deep within her body and surpassing her limits through partial mimicry was one aspect of her ability, it was also a physical expression of her desire.

“I’m going to get much, much stronger,” Lily said, gazing off into the stars.

She still wasn’t used to her newly acquired power. Once she had grown accustomed to it, she would absolutely be much more capable in combat. But it was clear that wasn’t all she’d meant. Lily was going to continue walking down her path so that she could become someone suitable for her master. To that end, she believed she could become infinitely stronger. That conviction gave her power. That was her way as a servant.

“Seems like quite the hurdle, huh?” I muttered to myself bitterly.

To become a master suitable for her, I had to continue putting in just as much effort as she did. It really was a tall order. Not that it was a bad thing, though.

“Oh. Sorry,” Lily said, her earnest smile crumbling as she turned my way. “About not being able to use my magic right now, I mean. Even though everyone needs treatment...”

“There’s nothing to apologize for.”

Lily’s power was tremendous, but it had also exhausted her far more than anything before. That final attack she’d used against the Mad Beast had significantly burdened her body. She was so exhausted she couldn’t even use her regular mimicry right now, let alone her magic.

That was why she couldn’t form a human body right now. The price she’d paid balanced out the power she’d gained, I suppose. Or perhaps this was a part of the ability Lily now possessed, exposing her side as a monster and accepting that aspect of herself. That had been her wish, after all.

Seeing Lily giggle by my side, I—

“Mmmm?!”

—put my hand to her cheek and gave her a light kiss. Lily looked absolutely shocked by this. She was so surprised, in fact, that her upper body lost its shape for an instant. After sprouting back up, Lily held her lips with both hands and leaned back about fifty centimeters away from me.

“Wh-What are you doing?” she asked.

“Do you have to ask?” She was being so precious that it made me want to tease her. “Do you not want to?”

“I-I do, but...”

Lily waved both her hands. Slime dripped from her incomplete fingers. When she saw this, her expression clouded over.

“Actually, are you really okay with kissing me as I am right now...?” she asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Isn’t it gross?”

Oh, I get it now. She was worried about her current form, which was why she hadn’t snuggled up against me like she usually did. Now convinced of this, I moved over, sitting back down right up against her, and embraced her. The softness in my arms was different from that of a girl. There was a peculiar elasticity to it. The surface of her skin was silky smooth and chilly. I pressed my lips against hers. This too felt different from usual. I could taste Lily on my tongue.

“Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-Wha—?!” Lily shrieked.

I parted my lips from hers and stared at her point-blank. “Aren’t you a little too flustered?”

We’d kissed many times before this. Actually, we were close enough to sleep together. Even if my pounding chest and the crushing love I felt was the same as the first time we made love, it was odd for her to be so shaken by this level of affection after all this time.

“I mean...” Lily started weakly, the ends of her eyebrows drooping. “This is the first time you’ve been so proactive.”

So it was pretty much all my fault. I couldn’t say anything to that. It felt like she was calling me a spineless dolt, even though I knew she hadn’t meant it that way. Not that I could make any excuses...

Having said that, tonight was different. Sometimes it was important to express myself through actions rather than words. Lily had acknowledged herself as a monster and overcome the wall inside her. Her current state was a result of that. In that case, it was my role to accept her. No matter what Lily was, I would continue to love her forever. If doing so could help her accept herself, then...

“I love you, Lily.”

“I love you too, Master... From the bottom of my heart.”

I embraced my beloved monster in my arms and shared a deep kiss with her.

Extra Story 1: A Good Push ~Katou Mana’s POV~

The file practically danced in her hands.

“You look like you’re in a good mood, Rose,” I said.

Rose kept to her work but turned my way. We were all alone right now, so she wasn’t wearing her mask. Her facial features still seemed inorganic, but she’d gotten rather good at smiling lately.

“Is your mood maybe because of Lily?” I asked.

Lily was currently recovering from the major incident that had happened the other day. Still, her bond with Majima-senpai had deepened because of it, so even though she still needed time to fully recover, her days passed by in happiness. I remembered how delighted Rose had been to see her older sister like that.

“You can see through me so easily, Mana. Yes, Lily is one reason for my mood.”

Rose stopped working and put down her file. I realized what she wanted and handed over a smaller file lying nearby.

“This one?” I asked.

I’d spent a lot of time watching Rose work, so I had a rough understanding of her process. I could now figure out what she was going to do next.

“Thank you, Mana.”

“You’re welcome.”

The fact that such a trivial exchange made me happy was something I’d only discovered after coming to this world. Thinking of how I’d once completely given up on happiness, times like these were an unexpected but prodigious boon to me.

“So, Rose, you said Lily is one reason?” I asked as Rose started filing again. “Meaning there’s another?”

“Yes. I was just thinking of Gerbera.”

“Aah...”

I hadn’t heard the exact details, but apparently Gerbera had expressed her feelings to Majima-senpai, and he’d reciprocated them. I was honestly a little surprised. He had a very typical...or rather, rigid, view of love. I was impressed that Gerbera had managed to get him to capitulate. The Great White Spider’s staggeringly destructive charge had quite the effect, it seemed.

This was something to celebrate. It was of course a great thing for Gerbera, but it was also great for Rose. Gerbera had broken through Majima-senpai’s rigid nature.

For Rose, who was fundamentally reserved and generally took a step back from things, this was good news. However, one could also say that she’d had the initiative taken away from her.

Rose didn’t care the slightest bit about any of this. On the contrary, she was genuinely pleased that her little sister was happy. This was very much like her, and I found it quite charming, but I believed just a little panic would be good for her. At this rate, she wouldn’t make any progress no matter how much time passed. Someone had to give her back a good push.

“Rose,” I said after thinking it over, “isn’t it about time you take off your mask in front of Majima-senpai?”

She dropped her file and it tumbled across her lap.

“What...did you say...?” I could practically hear rusty creaking as she turned her head stiffly toward me. “Show my master my face?”

“Yes. You can make some pretty normal expressions now, so I think it’s about time.”

Nothing would start until she took that one step forward. From what I could see, now that Rose was dressing like a woman, Majima-senpai was starting to be conscious of the fact that she was one. It was about time to try the next step.

“B-But it’s still somewhat unnatural looking...”

“Stop saying that, Rose,” I said, thrusting my finger at her face. “It’s not a bad thing to be a perfectionist, but you won’t get anywhere like that. There’ll be no end to it if you criticize everything with such a high demand for perfection. You need to reach a point and stop.”

I stared at Rose’s daunted expression, a reflex she’d practiced numerous times. I knew very well how much effort she’d put into these expressions beneath her mask. There was a little peculiarity left, but that didn’t take away from Rose’s charm.

“But will it really be all right?” Rose asked, lowering her gaze to the ground. “Won’t I offend my master?” she muttered helplessly.

Even though she was always so reliable, she had no confidence when it came to herself. She was so innocent, and it made her so sweet.

I stood up and walked over to Rose’s side. I lowered myself to my knees and matched her eye level as she raised her head.

“It’s okay. As you are now, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. I guarantee it.”

“Mana...”

“On the contrary, you might make him go weak in the knees,” I added jokingly.

“So long as Lily and Gerbera are around, I believe that is unlikely,” Rose said, finally breaking into a smile. “You’re right. It would be rude to you to constantly doubt myself after you’ve helped me so much.” She paused, then gave me a reassuring nod. “Very well. I’ll gather my courage.”

“Do your best, Rose,” I replied, returning her nod as I smiled. “Now that it’s decided, I suppose we should discuss what needs to be done.”

“Yes. Could you verify with me one more time whether there’s anything strange about my expressions?”

“Of course. We need to be careful with our final adjustments, after all. There’s a ton of other stuff to do too. The new clothes we asked Gerbera for are already done, so all that’s left is to pick out the right accessories. The timing is also important...”

There was plenty to talk about. I really did find this fun. I wanted Majima-senpai to know all about this innocent and adorable facet of Rose as soon as possible. Thinking of the day that her efforts would be rewarded, I couldn’t suppress the exhilaration in my heart.

Extra Story 2: My Relationship With Him ~Iino Yuna’s POV~

“It’s just not healing...” I let out a small sigh, unable to bear my boredom.

There was a bandage wrapped around my outstretched leg.

After catching up to Majima Takahiro’s party, I fought them...and by some twist of fate, I’d ended up in a joint struggle with them. A day had passed since then. The wound I’d suffered at Katou’s hand still hadn’t healed.

My body was sturdier than average. My frame was strong enough to support my outlandish speed. But I wasn’t just a fast runner. My natural recovery speed was also faster than the norm. This was why I thought my own body was abnormal.

Despite this, Katou’s knife had cut deep enough that my body couldn’t heal itself easily. In this case, it should’ve been the knife’s sharp edge that terrified me, but if pushed to say it, I was far more scared of the wielder’s tenacity. In truth, I’d seen her in my dreams last night. I was scared she would show up again tonight.

“My apologies, madam,” said Kei, the girl who had been casting healing magic on me. She looked troubled.

“Huh? What about?”

“It’s taking a long time for you to recover because my abilities are insufficient.”

So she said, but Kei’s healing magic wasn’t bad at all. I probably would’ve recovered completely by now with grade 3 healing magic, but I’d heard grade 2 healing magic was what the average specialist used. Considering her age, she was actually quite skilled. She was doing very well, going as far as taking breaks whenever her mana ran out, then continuing right away when she could.

“Kei, I don’t think you have to worry about that,” I said in as light a tone as I could. “I’m grateful you’re treating me at all.”

Not to borrow somebody else’s words, but I could’ve been abandoned in the middle of the mountain with my wounds as they were. I shuddered at the thought. I couldn’t thank Kei enough.

“Actually, I think you could afford to act a little more self-important,” I added.

“I-I can’t possibly do that!” Kei yelled, waving her hands about in a fluster and closing her eyes. “That would be far too disrespectful.”

I couldn’t suppress my twitching smile. There was a wall between Kei and me, one difficult to surmount. It was perfectly natural, since I was revered as a savior in this world. The reason it itched at my mind now was because I’d seen how close she looked with Majima whenever they talked.

It wasn’t just Majima either. Kei also spoke with Katou like a normal girl. None of the locals had ever treated me like that. I’d never seen them treating any other visitors that way either. We were heroes here. That was all we could be. Something inside my head kept telling me this.

Maybe that was why a younger girl humbling herself before me, but not before Majima and Katou...made me realize how wrong that felt.

“Madam, um... You’re not going to hurt Takahiro anymore, right?” Kei asked.

It felt even more wrong when she said such a thing with that courageous expression of hers.

“Kei,” a reproachful voice said, cutting into our conversation. “Yuna has promised not to suddenly attack us after she’s healed. It’s rude to doubt her.”

“S-Sorry, Shiran.”

“There’s no use in apologizing to me. Please forgive Kei’s discourtesy, madam,” Shiran said, her tone grave.

Next to her, Kei also lowered her head in a deep bow.

“Oh, um, don’t worry about it. You don’t need to apologize...” I said, waving my arms in front of me.

My arms then fell to my sides, pulled down by gravity. Their stiff attitudes toward me created a divide between us.

“I’m going for a walk,” I said with a small sigh.

I stumbled my way to my feet as Kei widened her eyes.

“Huh? Are you all right, madam?” she asked.

“I can’t run yet, but I can at least walk around slowly.”

“But what if a monster shows up?”

“Not a problem at all. Even if I can’t use my legs, I can still fend off any monsters.”

My slender sword hung off my waist, and I also had Takaya’s blade. Fort Ebenus had lent it to him, so I had decided to take responsibility and return it to them. Normally, it would be faster for me to run and hit my enemy than use some kind of long-distance attack, but as I was now, it was just about right for me.

“Be careful, madam.”

Turning my back to her stiff and formal voice, one that felt like it maintained the unsurpassable distance between us, I walked off.

◆　◆　◆

I walked along the riverside with my eyes to the ground. This was rehabilitation, in a sense. I could feel all the stress that had accumulated from being immobilized melting away. The Kitrus Mountains were actually a danger zone where monsters lived, but that wasn’t really a problem for me. It would’ve felt great to dash through the wind, but unfortunately I couldn’t do that right now.

It was the right choice to come out here for a change of pace. In addition to moving my body around, I felt liberated just from being on my own. Though I had promised that I wouldn’t fight them anymore, Majima, his servants, and his travel companions were all still wary of me. It was uncomfortable being around them.

“Although, it makes sense that they’re like that...” I mumbled to myself.

Yes. It made perfect sense. This wasn’t just because I’d been their enemy at one point in time. Even now, there was something about Majima Takahiro that remained stuck in my mind. That was where the problem lay.

Of course, I didn’t think of him as some inhuman beast. Majima wasn’t a bad person. The reason I felt strange about it was, in a sense, because of the affection they all showed him. His servants were a given, but Shiran deeply trusted him, and Kei was genuinely attached to him. There was so much intimacy to their relationships that it shocked me. If Majima was in fact a villain, those elven girls, who each had such a pristine character, wouldn’t have formed such a bond with him.

Above all else, I’d seen with my own eyes how Majima risked his life for his servants. After spending some time around him, I could easily imagine him desperately fighting in the same manner during the attack on Fort Tilia. At the very least, he wasn’t the type to commit a crime to fulfill some selfish desire. That was an undeniable truth.

However, at the same time, one thing remained in the corner of my mind. To be brief, I still couldn’t forgive him. The girls by his side probably sensed this too. That was why they were wary of me.

“Do you need something?” I said, bringing my dragging footsteps to a halt and turning around. A transparent girl stood before me. I felt my face twist a bit. In a way, she was exactly what I’d been thinking about. “You followed me, Lily?”

My voice was stiff. I felt a desire to reject her that I couldn’t wipe away. It was the monster who’d stolen the late Mizushima Miho’s form. Unlike when I first met her, I could tell she was a monster at a glance due to the aftereffects of the battle with Takaya. She was wholly a slime in the shape of a girl. Having said that, she was still modeled after Mizushima Miho. That single truth pricked at my heart.

Back in my own world, I’d been acquainted with Mizushima Miho. She hadn’t been part of my friend group, and we hadn’t been close enough to go out together on weekends, but we’d chatted every now and then at school. Whenever I remembered her, I found I couldn’t accept the monster before me.

“Did you have something to say to me?” I asked curtly.

I wasn’t going to hide my attitude. This way, I could convey my displeasure. However, the girl showed no signs of shrinking back.

“Nope. I didn’t have anything to say,” she said, a slightly troubled smile taking shape on her transparent features.

“So why did you follow me?”

I glared at her suspiciously, and then her smile changed. It was only the slightest change...but a definitive one.

“I mean, it looks like you’re not going to forgive Majima. I thought there was no choice but for me to come out. That’s all.”

Her words were incomprehensible, and I scowled at her. I thought she was making fun of me, so my tone grew rather thorny.

“What do you—”

In the middle of asking, I sensed something out of place and stopped. She had just said “Majima.” Did his servant Lily ever refer to him by name? Besides...she’d said, “there was no choice but for me to come out?” Who? Come out of where? Her wording didn’t make sense.

She stared at me, looking serious. The discomfort swelling within me came out of my mouth in the form of a question.

“Who are you?”

The girl before me was...different. A certain conviction began forming in my mind.

“I wonder? Who indeed?”

An impish giggle tickled my ear. It was a different girl’s voice, one very similar to Lily’s. I’d heard it before. Her smile drew my eyes toward her. How strange. This slimy representation of a girl felt far closer to the real Mizushima Miho than Lily’s perfect mimicry. In other words...

“It can’t be... Are you Mizushima? The real one?” I asked.

“Bingo,” she answered ever so casually. She was acting just as I remembered her.

“No way... You’re kidding me...” I murmured in a daze.

“I guess it’s normal to be shocked. I mean, I never thought it’d turn out like this myself,” she said, nodding repeatedly in agreement. “They say you never know what life has in store for you, but there’s gotta be a limit, right?”

It really was Mizushima. Having said that, I still found it hard to believe.

“What on earth ha—”

“Oh, sorry. Actually, I don’t really have that much time to chat,” Mizushima said, cutting me off apologetically. “I mean, I came out like this using mimicry, but I can’t maintain it all that long. Things might be different after I get used to it, but right now...you know.”

Mizushima’s sudden appearance shocked me, but apparently there were drawbacks. Given the limited time, we couldn’t talk about whatever we wanted.

“Do you mind if I get my business out of the way before my concentration breaks?” she asked.

“Your business? What is it?”

Even in all the confusion, I urged her forward. There was a lot I didn’t understand, but since she didn’t have the time, I had to give up on getting answers. I had to hear what she wanted to say.

Seeing that I was ready to listen, Mizushima gave me a satisfied nod and cut to the chase.

“I’d like to get rid of the tension between you and Majima.”

“What? Why would you...?” I said, bewildered by the unexpected statement.

Mizushima thought it over for a bit, trying to find the words to convince me.

“Hmmm. I mean, you got mad at Majima for my sake, right? Seeing you two get along so poorly because of that troubles me, you know?”

“How?”

“Um, how do I put this... I’m happy you got angry on my behalf, but I’m actually satisfied with my current circumstances.”

This confession overturned the very foundation of all of my assumptions.

“Satisfied? Huh? You’re not angry?”

“Nope.”

I didn’t really mean to ask, but she confirmed it with ease. It was as if she’d never really worried about it, like the answer was perfectly obvious to her. She didn’t seem intent on going into more detail, perhaps because of the lack of time, so I had no idea what had brought her to that conclusion. Nevertheless, I could tell she was being truthful.

“Sooo... There’s no reason for you to be angry at Majima, Iino.”

This was quite the shock. It completely changed my stance on Majima Takahiro. I couldn’t tell whether Mizushima realized this as she continued with a smile.

“Iino, I’d like for you to get along with him.”

“G-Get along?”

“Yup. You’re both so serious, so I think you’re actually pretty compatible.”

She had said it so casually, but the idea was outrageous. Or not. Maybe it wasn’t outrageous? I couldn’t tell anymore. My mind was a mess.

“How about it?” she asked.

“I don’t really know...”

I couldn’t find the words I wanted to say to her. I remained silent for a good ten seconds, when rustling leaves broke the awkward silence, causing my body to jolt.

“Oh, there you are, Lily,” Majima said as he came out of the thickets.

A girl with gray hair and a mask, probably serving as his guard, stood behind him.

“Huh. You were with Iino?” he said.

“Yup,” Lily answered.

The two of them started talking as if nothing had happened.

“What were you two up to?” he asked her.

“Hmmm. Nothing serious.”

The girl was no longer Mizushima Miho. Maybe she withdrew when Majima showed up. Or maybe she ran out of time.

“I saw Iino walk off, so I was a little worried and followed her,” Lily said.

“Um, Lily, you’re much weaker right now than she is, so I’d prefer if you kept still.”

“’Kaaaay.”

Lily then turned my way. Making sure her face was at an angle where nobody else could see her, she mouthed, “It’s a secret.” Which girl was she now? Even though I didn’t know the answer, I nodded back to her, when I suddenly met Majima’s eyes.

“You too, Iino,” he said.

“Huh? ‘Me too’ what?”

“I know you don’t consider this place dangerous, but you’re still injured. You shouldn’t wander around carelessly on your own.”

He was grimacing, but he was just worried about me.

“Huh? Uhh...”

I was at a loss for words because of what Mizushima had just told me. Her words still rang in my ears.

Me? Get along...with Majima? If Mizushima was actually satisfied with her circumstances, then there was no reason for me to be hostile toward Majima.

Furthermore, I needed to reconsider my stance on Majima Takahiro. What kind of man was he, exactly? The way he staked his life to protect what was dear to him was praiseworthy. His resolute expression when he came to ask me to fight Takaya by his side was still burned into my mind. His serious personality was something I actually favored, and just maybe, parts of him reminded me of my strict dad.

However, at the same time, the thought of getting along with Majima made me terribly tense. I didn’t know why, exactly... I didn’t...but maybe that was natural. Either way, he’d said so many harsh things to me. I’d also said a whole lot to him. He’d openly told me that he hated me, anyway. And he’d called me a dumbass...twice.

I suddenly felt angrier than before and frowned.

“What’s up?” Majima asked curiously.

“Nothing.”

“What’s got you so pissed?”

I glared at Majima as he made a face like I wasn’t making any sense.

“I just happen to hate you too,” I said.

“That came out of nowhere...”

I walked by Majima as he grumbled. I pretended not to notice Lily’s know-it-all smile, dragging my injured leg and leaving them behind.

I doubt I’ll ever get along with Majima.

Actually, it’s impossible.

It definitely won’t happen.

Like hell I’ll let it happen.

Who’s the dumbass here?

I hate him too.

What a hateful guy.

I hate him!

That was how I felt about Majima Takahiro. As such, I never wanted him to look down on me and call me a dumbass again.