“Where did Priscilla-san go?!”
When I went to the independent guerrilla unit, everyone was working hard under Christine-san’s command.
“…Priscilla is over there…”
Priscilla-san was standing proudly on the castle wall. She seemed to have plenty of time since she hadn’t transformed into a Lycanthrope yet. Alala and Rossa were beside her, but where was Rufina’s Sand Dragon?
“Christine-san, can you explain the situation…”
The enemy’s Sand Dragon remained at a distance, wary of Orietta’s Railgun, and maintained a defensive magic barrier. After the Troll’s rock-throwing attack ended, Rufina recalled the Sand Dragon and brought out Rossa.
Rossa came towards the guerrilla unit, but Rufina’s whereabouts were unknown. A flashy fire was rising near the North Gate, so I assumed she headed there.
Priscilla-san and Alana had climbed onto the castle wall, but they seemed to be bored due to Rossa’s magic and were now sitting down.
As soon as I climbed the castle wall, Rossa disappeared. I thought Rufina had returned due to reaching her magic power limit, but that made me more worried about Rufina, who might be depleted.
“Oh, you’re late. It seems you’ve earned quite a few points.”
Her tone, which didn’t feel like praise, conveyed Priscilla-san’s displeasure. There wasn’t a single drop of blood on the castle wall, let alone dead Orcs. It seemed Rossa’s magic prevented us from even being able to mount the castle wall.
“Did you want us to fight this boring battle?”
It’s good that you’re safe, isn’t it? Wiping out enemies with ranged magic attacks. If you can defeat them without getting hurt, there’s nothing better.
“I’m glad you’re safe. …The enemy here seems to be retreating.”
“Rossa, that idiot, used flashy magic, so I had no chance. In the center, Rufina’s flames or poison smoke are rising, and when I tried to get down, Christine gave me a heart attack, and I was writhing on this narrow castle wall.”
It seemed quite rough. Was Alala tasked with keeping an eye on the rampaging Priscilla-san? Thank you for your hard work. After listening carefully to Priscilla-san’s story, I petted Alana’s head.
Alala was delighted, pure and good. Perhaps seeing this, Priscilla-san grabbed my collar and pulled me close, bringing her face near mine.
“I didn’t come here to fight this kind of battle. Die once, you piece of trash.”
Due to the height difference between us, I had to stand on tiptoe and was awkwardly pushed to the edge of the castle wall, about to be thrown off. Are you planning to throw me to the bloodthirsty horde of Orcs without my shield or halberd?
“W-, wait a minute, Priscilla-san. I- I have something planned for you…”
“Huh!? What do you mean, what do I have planned?!”
Well, I don’t have anything planned. It’s just an excuse. But if I don’t think of something, I might be thrown off without any weapons.
“I- I can’t tell you now, it’s a secret. Chu.”
I kissed Priscilla-san’s hand as a final gesture, but she didn’t see it as a joke. With Priscilla-san taking another step forward, I was now forced into an arc, standing as if about to fall backward.
“I’m going to fall…”
Seriously, you shouldn’t take my joke seriously.
“A- Alana is listening. It’s a secret between us.”
“Just us…”
After saying that, I was thrown off the inside of the castle wall. Although it was a castle wall, it was a reinforced two-story house made of Earth Magic, and even when I took a tumble, I still hated kissing the ground.
“You better not forget it!”
Is Priscilla-san, standing proudly and shouting loudly on the castle wall, my enemy? Please stop shouting at me. People might mistake it for the enemy climbing the wall.
Before long, the enemy retreated. The Giants were annihilated. The Sand Dragons, due to their defensive magic to block Orietta’s Railgun, couldn’t fire their magic rocks, and many were engulfed in explosions by Sophia-san’s Platinum Laser. Rufina and Rossa’s magic continued to prevent them from even touching the walls.
Deprived of their offensive power, the Demon Army was forced to retreat. This could be called a great success for the White Lily Corps. This should help a little with repaying our debts.
“You guys, don’t run away!”
The one who couldn’t play an active role was making a god-like ruckus atop the castle wall, and it was only a matter of time before her rage turned towards me. I should escape before that… No, I should check the surrounding situation. I had Christine-san confirm the situation around her and then ran towards Orietta as if escaping.
With Godspeed, I wouldn’t lose even in ‘tag.’ I reached Orietta’s turret without anyone catching me.
In front of the turret, a wall of earth had been created, semi-encircling Orietta. Nearby, two six-meter-class Golems, some with significant damage, stood guard. Orietta remained in a prone firing stance, and Richarda-chan was hiding behind the turret.
“Orietta, Richarda-chan, are you injured? The battle is over, you don’t need to be so tense. The enemy has fled.”
As I said that, Orietta stood up in her armored suit, and Richarda-chan staggered towards me.
“Richarda-chan, are you injured? Are you okay?”
Richarda-chan replied firmly, “Yes,” but the tension of her first battle was evident in her unsteady footing.
“Orietta, explain the situation… You seemed to be missing quite a bit towards the end.”
Orietta, who had stood up, opened the front of her armored suit and jumped down. Her white school swimsuit was dazzling.
“One of Richarda-chan’s Golems was destroyed~. But thanks to that, Ori-chan is unharmed~.”
The adorable girl in the white swimsuit, who didn’t look like she had just annihilated ferocious giants, replied in her usual tone. That white school swimsuit really suits her.
“Good work. How much Railgun ammunition do you have left?”
“Regarding the Railgun, there’s a problem~. I have about sixty shots, but the barrel of the Railgun seems to be bent~.”
So that’s why I was missing. And I fired twenty thousand gold worth of ammunition, what a lavish expenditure. I wonder how much I’ll get for the Giants.
“Is the Railgun unusable?”
“It’ll be fine if we replace the barrel with a spare~. There’s only one spare~. To make a new one, I need money and time~.”
Money, I can manage, but time is something I can’t control. However, the Railgun is a powerful weapon, so I definitely want it. I’d be happy if they could make the ammunition cheaper.
“Understood. Please hurry with the replacement. We’ll need it for the next time, and continue with the production of spares.”
“Understood~.”
Orietta brought her right hand to her forehead as if saluting. Hmm, the salute with the white school swimsuit is cute and nice.
“How was it for you, Richarda-chan? You don’t seem injured, but how was your first real battle?”
“I-, I’m also okay… I was nervous, but I’m okay.”
For her first battle, this is to be expected. Magic rocks were flying around the turret, creating artistic shapes. One Golem was destroyed, indicating the intensity of the battle, but Orietta’s unharmed state showed how excellent Richarda-chan was.
“Good work. After this, please go to the guerrilla unit and report. Dinner will be served, so pick up Orietta’s share and wait there… Gwah! That hurts! What is this!”
As I was talking to Richarda-chan about what to do next, my arms were grabbed from behind as if being hugged. Why is the armored suit moving?!
“Orietta, the armored suit is moving!”
My upper arms were grabbed, and I couldn’t move. And it seemed like a lot of force was being applied, as I couldn’t budge at all.
“It moves automatically for simple movements~.”
I see, it can do that too. An automatic doll, an automaton? If this is mass-produced, we might be able to defeat the Demon Army. And then… why am I being held so tightly that I might get bruises?
“Orietta, it hurts, it hurts. Why are you doing this?”
I realized it as I said it. It’s the usual pattern. Orietta was this forceful, she’s grown up, Orietta. I’m happy and sad.
“Of course, it’s to receive a reward~. Ori-chan worked hard~. I claim the right to receive a reward~.”
I knew it. Honestly, I need to report to Rufina afterwards, and there’s also Priscilla-san. Doesn’t Orietta need to replace the Railgun barrel too?
“Richarda-chan is also a member of the White Lily Corps~. We’ll receive the reward together~.”
Don’t say unnecessary things. She’s only temporarily under my care, not a member of the White Lily Corps. What are you saying to Richarda-chan, who is still just a ‘bud’?!
“Can’t you receive your reward from the Guild?”
Yes, exactly! Your reward will be paid by the Mercenary Guild. The White Lily Corps, my reward is non-existent. Please consider my situation, having to forcibly pay the members.
“Richarda-chan, go report to Christine-san! Hurry… Gguugh!”
The pressure intensified, and the armored suit squeezed my entire body. The armored suit doesn’t just amplify Orietta’s strength, does it? What if it starts moving on its own, how do I stop it? The suit itself vibrates at super-high frequencies, providing considerable defense.
“Richarda-chan, the reward from the Captain is truly wonderful~. It would be good for Richarda-chan to experience it too~.”
As Richarda-chan took a step forward at Orietta’s sweet words, I said with my remaining strength.
“Go!”
Richarda-chan seemed to snap back to reality and ran towards the stairs. Perhaps it was my terrifying expression.
“Was that okay~? Richarda-chan looks delicious too~.”
“Guh, guhah.”
The armored suit tightened further, preventing me from speaking. I could barely breathe; my body creaked.
“Ori-chan will monopolize it~. I’m eating~.”
Two hours passed, and I was unceremoniously tossed from atop the turret like a pierced sock into a trash can, and then released. Richarda-chan was sitting below the turret, hugging her knees and looking down.
“Um, I… I…”
What was she going to say to me when our eyes met? I interrupted her words and said quietly.
“Richarda-chan, remain on standby at the turret. Continue your mission.”
I said only that and left the turret. It’s too early for Richarda-chan to bloom into a ‘flower.’ For now, please remain a cute ‘bud.’ It would be nice if you could find someone who can make beautiful flowers someday.
How much weight do the words of the battered Captain hold?
