While I thought about what to do with the Black Knight, I noticed a figure of a person swinging their sword outside. It was probably Kazuki. I decided to go out of the castle to see.
As soon as I got closer, I could make out that it was indeed Kazuki.
"Fuhn!"
Kazuki was trying his best. I didn't want to get in way but as I started moving away, Serisama appeared from behind a nearby tree while chuckling.
"Ara, Usato-sama."
"Hello, Serisama. When did Kazuki start training?"
"He just started a few minutes ago. I'm a bit worried about his stamina… he's been pushing himself ever since his last encounter with the Maou army."
"I feel a little strange… Is Kazuki really doing 'training' right now? Compared to what I have to endure in my training…"
"…Umm, are you okay? Your eyes are scary…"
Eyes? What's wrong with my eyes? I wonder why Serisama had a pale face right now… At any rate, I turned back to look at Kazuki. He was swinging his iron sword with all his might… He did seem to be doing everything he could….
"—Huh? Usato…?"
Kazuki noticed that I was next to Serisama. He returned the sword back to his scabbard and walked closer to us while wiping off his sweat.
"It's been a while!"
"I've been a bit busy with my training recently."
Although I don't know if you could call what I've been doing to be 'training'.
"I heard from Inukami-senpai, you'll be going to the Beast Kin's country to help a beast child from here."
"Well, it's not been decided yet. That's still up to Lloyd-sama. But if possible, I do want to help her."
"About that…"
Serisama seemed to have something to say and she looked towards me and Kazuki. Since she was Lloyd-sama's daughter, she might know something.
"Usato-sama's wish to go to the Beast Kin country will probably be granted."
"…W-wait a minute. So easily? Shouldn't you normally think about it a bit more?"
It hasn't even been one week. Did they already reach a decision? No, it was too fast… There must be something else.
"Father will send you to other countries with letters that ask for the cooperation to defeat the Maou army. It was unfortunate but we couldn't obtain their help last time we sent letters… But the circumstances are now also different."
"Different circumstances…?"
"We were able to successfully repel the Maou army. It was a narrow victory that made use of Kazuki-sama and Inukami-sama's powers but not everyone knows that. Additionally, there should have been much more casualties…"
"If Usato didn't save me there, I would have been…"
But Kazuki didn't continue. Did Kazuki not want Serisama to hear that he could have died?
….Well, leaving that aside.. I'm more concerned about the letter from Lloyd-sama. If what Amako said was true, it might not necessarily been a bad thing for this country to have lost the recent fight. It would let the other countries know that the Maou army was a threat and they might be more willing to lend a hand.
"…But it would probably be difficult to get the Beast Kin's country cooperation… They're hostile towards humans and all… It would be good if I could save Amako's mother."
"Nothing has been set in stone yet. But it won't change the fact that the letters will be sent to each nation. This might even bring more troubles to Usato…"
"I've received a lot of help from this country, don't worry about it. This is nothing."
Compared to training with Rose, this was exceptionally more comforting… Huh, why do I keep comparing everything to Rose's training now…? This wasn't really the most normal standard for comparison…
"Well, I'll ask for the specifics when I get an audience with Lloyd-sama. I'll be training until then. Then, I should return soon."
"Ehh, you're already going back?"
"Fufufu, Kazuki-sama, Usato-sama is probably very busy."
It's not like I was really busy but after seeing Kazuki's training, I felt like I had to be doing something too. I was only going to another country to heal Amako's mother in the beginning… But I didn't think that I would now go to each nation to obtain their cooperation as well.
However, it was an important task that was necessary for opposing the threat in front of us. This country could be referring to as the frontlines, since it was the closest to the Maou territory. Therefore, other countries would most likely offer their help to defend this area but…
It was just a thought but… The other nations might not be completely aware of the threat yet.
It appears that a lot of time has passed since the Maou's previous reign… People will forget and not remember the fear that their reign brought. If it wasn't for Amako… Inukami-senpai and Kazuki would have been… But if we had lost the previous fight, it could've also served as something like a smoke signal to the neighboring countries…
"Well then, Kazuki-sama… Would you care to go into more detail about what you were saying before?"
"H-hahaha… Sorry."
I gave a wry smile as I heard the two of them talking from behind and headed for the lodgings.
Today, that healer called Usato came by.
After he kept on giving his complaints to me, he quickly left. Why did he come here? Was he making sure that I wouldn't escape?
Well, even if I ran away… I would be chased down by this Kingdom and the Maou army… That would be a pain so I don't plan on running away.
But the story changes if I get the death penalty…
I was restricted with bindings that sealed my power but it wouldn't interfere with my ability to escape and kill anyone who gets in my way. After escaping, I would probably distract myself by talking with the King before that healing magician comes and kills me I guess…
"…Well that's what I had in mind before but…"
—Just what's with these people?
They didn't torture me and their security is really lax. Did they just like to keep people locked up? I was getting a little irritated. Do they want to keep me locked or do they want to let me go? Decide already, dammit…
If I think about it, the strangest one was Usato.
He healed my injuries and he specifically came to see me… There was definitely something wrong inside of his human head.
"What should I do now…?"
I unfastened my helmet and exposed myself to the open air. I felt a comfortable sensation from the warm jail cell as I leaned my back on the wall to think.
If I returned to the Maou's side, I would just go back to my every day normal boring life. But if I remained here, I would just be stuck in this jail. I didn't really mind that much, I didn't find it disagreeable for Usato to come and visit me. I wasn't used to being approached like that so I didn't really know how to respond today.
I could hear someone descending down from the stairs. Was it the guard? No, I usually hear a metallic clanking sound when they come. I could only hear footsteps this time.
I wore my helmet again and focused my eyes on the staircase.
—I could see a woman with green hair that wore a white uniform through the darkness. I was wondering who it was but then I remembered Usato's complaints from today… It was probably the Leader he kept talking about. It was someone who the Third Commander was cautious of and another healing user apart from Usato.
"Yoo."
The leader of the Rescue Squad, Rose.
"I came here on the request of Lloyd but.. you're quite the… reserved fellow."
"What did you come here for?"
Nearby, there was a stool that the guard usually uses… Rose sat on it like an outlaw and the corners of her mouth distorted into a smile while she looked at me with her eyes.
It was very clear that she was genuinely the superior of Usato.
"You have two choices, yeah?"
"The first is to spend your whole life here… But Lloyd-sama has offered another alternative…"
Rose used two fingers to display her intentions. Just what does she want to say..? If I'll be killed then I'll…
"If you're going to kill me, then just kill me already."
"Hey hey, you're really a hasty fellow, aren't you?"
The carefree Rose stood up from her seat and retrieved a key from her bosom to open the cell's door. She briskly walked in and sat again while looking over me.
"The alternative that Lloyd-sama gave is really troublesome but… I'm to beat you until you've turned into a new person and crush your previous character… You'll become a good citizen."
"…………Hah? Are you some kind of idiot— GUHHAAH!?"
At that moment, I felt a tremendous impact on my head as my helmet vanished in an instant. I was unconsciously welled up with tears from the sensation as Rose seemed to be looking at me in admiration.
"I see, it looks like healing magic really is effective… But well, it's a hindrance right now…"
The pain wasn't a problem but my head felt like woozy and I felt unstable. What's with this woman? She was bad news, there wasn't anyone this wild and violent when I lived with the demons. My plate body started to disappear as well… It might've been due to the fact that Rose had even stronger healing magic than Usato. Rose who had lost her grip due to my armor disappearing, grabbed me by the neck with my clothes instead and raised me up. She then started to continuously punch me…
While feeling a strange sensation from my neck, the magical power flowed through my entire body and my armor completely disappeared.
"W-wait a minute…"
My armor could absorb and counter magic… It was a rare tool and I always relied on it so when it disappeared so easily, I couldn't help but panic. I was frightened as I looked at the woman in front of me…
"To be honest, you have no right to refuse. We don't have the time to mind people like you in this country right now. Even so, I'll take you away because I want to."
"Ah, y-you're lying…"
"Starting from today, you'll be an underling for the Rescue Squad… I'll beat everything into you so prepare yourself."
Everything was happening so fast that I couldn't keep up. I was wrong, this country wasn't that soft. Rose easily lifted me and carried me over her shoulder… I harbored a terror that I had never felt before.
"Bluerin! Just one more lap!"
"Guruaaaaaah!"
After returning back to the training grounds, Bluerin and I did nothing but run. I always used healing magic to run but this time around, I tried to run without using any.
There wasn't any special reason behind it but I've recently learned the pleasure of trying various different things while training.
My fatigue kept building up as I didn't use any healing magic while running. I feel like I understand what Rose meant when she said I only received a passing mark… And the fact that I rely on healing magic too much.
I had to be able to fight without using healing magic. If a monster from something like an RPG appeared that could seal my magic, I would be nothing but a body of flesh.
"…I see now, Leader wanted me to notice this which is why she kept on sending me flying!"
Healing magic was important. But the origins of the Rescue Squad was based on building the physical body… I felt like I've finally been enlightened and reached the truth behind this training—
"You've got it wrong, idiot."
"Gehaah!?"
I was running but before I knew it, Rose appeared and kicked me hard from my sides. I rotated three times before landing. After getting up, I gave a sigh as Rose called me an idiot.
"I told you to rest today."
"No, well… I just naturally ended up moving here… Nn?"
Rose was carrying something over her shoulder. It wasn't moving but it did seem to be breathing… It looks like it wasn't this evening's dinner. No, if it really was to become our dinner… That would be scary.
Nevertheless, I seem to recognize this silver hair…
How should I say it? It seemed to awfully resemble that Black Knight who was confined in the basement…
The 'brute' in front of me seemed to notice me inclining my head to the side and casually dropped off the silver haired girl onto the grass.
The girl who had been dropped off had a pale face as she looked bewildered at her surroundings. When she noticed me, she became speechless.
I was also at a loss for words.
"W-why did you take someone like her along with you!? Isn't this the girl that's inside the Black Knight's armor!?"
"Someone like a demon, aren't they interesting? This one is quite durable, they should be worth forging."
"No no no, that's not the point…"
"Their magic is sealed so it's not like they can do much. Well just in case, I'll be the one to watch over her."
"If that's so then… I'm not too worried."
What the? You should hurry up and say so if it was like that. I was needlessly surprised for nothing. The girl was dumbfounded as she looked at the exchange between me and Rose.
"….What will I do from now on…? What will happen to me…?"
"For the time being, why don't you write a diary today?"
You'll probably want to escape reality by writing in that diary after a few days…