The Elemental Sword Demon King
Episode 181: Time to Return
(I'm really stupid. Obviously now, I can be a little more frank.)
As he sighed, something wriggled under the blanket. Perplexed, she pulls the blanket to find the spirit of the Hell Salamander shrouded in soft warm flames.
"Flame?!" Summoning that fire spirit, Victoria suddenly felt very touched. Obviously Salamander was also in a very weak state, but she remained by Victoria's side to provide warmth.
"Grrr?"
"Y-yes. As a master, I have to believe in that man." Encouraged by Salamander, Victoria rubbed her eyes. Patting her face, she tied her hair with her favorite ribbon.
"That's right, I can't give up. Kaizo must be alive."
His spirit was renewed, he got up and started eating breakfast with a big mouthful. This was not a proper attitude for a woman who came from a previously prestigious family, but now was not the time to worry.
He had to recover his energy as quickly as possible in order to search for Kaizo, but right at this moment, the clattering of footsteps sounded. The entrance to the tent was opened with a punch.
Aura arrived, her face clearly panicked by saying, "Victoria, it looks like we have found Kaizo!"
****
POV: Kirigaya Kaizo
_____________________________________
A few hours passed after that. Kaizo returns to the stronghold of Team Salamander. At the hidden entrance covered in the forest, his comrades had already come out to greet him, yet they looked furious.
"Seriously, how much are you trying to worry us!?"
"Bu-not that I'm so worried or something!"
"Enough, Kaizo is always reckless!"
"I-I'm sorry." Facing the anger of the three young ladies, Kaizo could not help but back down and apologize for an impulse toward a mistake he had not made.
(It was only for a day, but obviously they were very worried.)
Victoria's ruby-like eyes were filled with teardrops, "Hiks, hyx."
(For some reason, she seemed to be crying.)
"H-hey, Victoria!?" Kaizo frantically placed her hand on her shoulder.
"Stupid! Seriously, I'm so worried, Wuaaaaaah!" Clenching his fists, he smashed into Kaizo's chest.
Facing Victoria who acted like this, Kaizo gently stroked her head, "Victoria. I'm sorry."
"Wuahhhhh, hiks, bo-fool!"
Aura whispered silently in her ear, "Since she was worried about you, she cried all night."
"Is that so?"
Victoria's face immediately flushed red and tried to deny, "Bo-lie! I'm not crying!"
"Geez, trying to fool us is pointless."
"However, it's great that Victoria's okay." Smiling wryly, Kaizo continued to caress his head.
"Y-yes. All thanks to Kaizo."
Her face flushed red, Victoria lowered her gaze. Then as if finishing himself off, he bit his lips hard, "Ka-Kaizo!"
Fiddling awkwardly with his fingers, his head bowed and said, "Umm? I-I've decided, from now on, I'll be more dear..."
Suddenly, Kaizo spoke, "Ah, right too. Just a minute."
"Eh?" Victoria was really surprised.
"No, before that, I have something I have to report to everyone first."
All the girls tilted their heads in confusion.
Kaizo turned around and waved her hand at the trees behind her, "Karmila, you can get out now."
"Yes." Yeah."
From the depths of the trees came a rustling sound. A girl with dark brown hair, Karmila, appears.
"Eh?" Victoria and the girls all exclaimed in shock.
Karmila stepped forward and politely lowered her head towards Victoria and the others, "It's nice to meet you all."
The young ladies fell silent.
"H-hey, Kaizo?" Victoria's shoulders trembled, "This very adorable child, who is he?" Saying so, the red ponytail stood upright like a fiery pillar.
"H-hey Victoria? Why are you angry?"
"I-I'm not angry. Absolutely, not angry at all!"
"Kaizo, I can't believe you're this kind of man!"
"Seriously, what's going on!?"
"Could this be a kidnapping!?"
(Somehow, it feels like there's some kind of very embarrassing misunderstanding.)
Fortunately, Karmila who cleared things up said, "I am Karmila Freya, the leader of the Rupture Division who represents the Rossvale Kingdom."
"Carmilla Freya?! Then, you proposed an alliance?"
Meeting Victoria's question, Karmila nodded, "Yes, together with Kirigaya Kaizo, we have sworn to form an alliance."
"I swear?"
The words of Karmila made all the young women excited.
"I decided to form an alliance. So, is there something wrong with that?"
"N-no, it's okay, but..." Victoria began to frown, "when the Spirit Contractor exchanged the Oath, I remembered the ritual..."
"A kiss from both sides is necessary, right?"
Eve and Aura immediately glared at Kaizo while recalling the ritual from the vow to make an alliance with the other team.
"Hmm?"
"You did it, Kaizo?"
"No-no, let me explain."
As soon as Kaizo's gaze wavered, no girl failed to catch him.
"Kaizo, please answer honestly!"
"Well, yes, I did, but only in hand."
"I don't believe you, to think even an innocent thirteen-year-old girl isn't safe with you."
Despite Kaizo's stammering explanation, the young women's gazes remained extremely cold.
****
In the end, Kaizo had to spend quite a while to clear up the misunderstanding.
(Why should they be suspicious to this degree?) Tilting his head in confusion, Kaizo was lying on a mattress inside the tent. His body fatigue was still there, so he intended to take a nap until dinner.
As for Karmila, she felt sure to entrust it to Victoria and the girls. The young lady looked quite happy with the arrival of a young girl, as if getting a spoiled little sister.
(Of course, Karmila looked quite troubled by his side.)
"Kaizo, are you still awake?" Victoria's voice rang out from the entrance.
"Yes." Yeah."
Hearing Kaizo respond, Victoria walked in lightly carrying a bandage in her hand.
"What's that?"
"Time for a new bandage. You're still hurt, right?"
"Ah yes, sorry."
Kaizo stretched out her hand as Victoria gently wrapped the bandage on her hand. Somehow the silence felt a bit awkward.
Kaizo wanted to say something, but could not find the words. Probably because they spent almost every day together until now.
Splitting up for a day seems to have disrupted their rhythm. Moreover, given the fact that Victoria was crying for him out of worry, it felt a bit embarrassing.
"Hey, Kaizo?"
"Hmm?"
Victoria was the first to speak up.
"About that, I'm sorry. Umm, I suspected you."
His unusual attitude caused Kaizo to frown, "Did you eat something strange?"
"Secretly, I'm just apologizing honestly!"
"I-I Understand!"
(Yes, this is normal Victoria.)
As she wrapped Kaizo's arm in a bandage, Victoria spoke softly, "Ah, ever since Brother Monica left, I've always been alone."
Seeking strength impatiently, he was constantly at odds with upperclassmen and the Hybrid Knights.
At that moment, he understood nothing. He regarded everyone around him as his enemy, in other words not needing a peer. Not trusting anyone and trying to be strong alone.
(That's really what he believed at the time.)
...
*Connected.....
*Note: This story is fictitious. If there is a similarity in the name of the character, the scene, or the story, it is a mere coincidence and there is no element of intentionality.