Translated: Sei, MTL-sensei-tachi
Edited: Sei, Grammarly no Danna
Source: Syosetu
Thank you for your support FrankMagri
TL Notes:
My family is facing an unexpected financial challenge. If you are in generous mood. Please support us.
We would be forever grateful for any contribution, big or small, to help us overcome this difficult time. Thank you
Chapter 328
Healing magic is truly terrifying.
The guy next to me, whose legs had stopped moving and who was falling behind, is forcibly restored to full condition by the light of healing magic, and then forced to keep running.
His body no longer feels fatigue.
But his mind, unable to keep up with the constant demand to give everything he has, is steadily worn down.
"Keira! How’s the view from up there?!"
"I can see really well! It’s high up and fun!!"
Just listening to the conversation, it sounds heartwarming.
That is, if not for the sight of a healing mage carrying a Blue Grizzly on his back, with little Keira-chan riding on top of that...!!
"If you spot anyone about to collapse or trying to slack off, let me know!!"
"O-Okay! That’s a big responsibility! I’ll do my best!!"
"Good girl!!"
Correction!! The content of the conversation is terrifying too!!
So that was a lookout role!? That’s what it meant?!
"Ah, Usato-san! That person looks like they’re about to collapse!!"
"Eh, that’s bad. ...Come on!! If you’ve got time to pass out, just run!! Are your attitude and your mouth the only things that’re in good shape?! You good-for-nothing!!"
"Ngubhii!?"
The man who had been hurling insults at Usato and Keira-chan went blank as he started to collapse, but before he could, Usato’s healing magic and angry shout struck him directly.
In an instant, he was dragged back to reality and desperately moved his legs, running.
"Fu, fufu, this thrilling feeling of not knowing when I'm going to get yelled at...! Ah, I think I'm getting addicted to it...!!"
"Shaaaaawn!! Give me poweeer!! Shaaaawn!!"
"Someone, please help me..."
And the guys next to me are such perverts it feels like my spirit’s about to break...!!
As for Vina, the fact that she’s openly getting excited without even trying to hide it anymore is just plain terrifying!!
●
——— read on seireitranslations.blogspot.com ———
By the time we finished running twenty laps, we were so exhausted that we collapsed right there on the training grounds.
I-I never imagined we’d actually be forced to run at nearly full speed...!!
"Alright! Warm-up’s done!!"
Just hearing the word “warm-up” is enough to break my spirit...!!
We finally reached the training grounds, and as we collapsed, utterly exhausted, Usato's voice descended before us, plunging us into despair.
I keep thinking this, but why does he not look tired at all!?
Isn’t that totally unfair?!
He was running while carrying a Blue Grizzly on his back!!
While we lay there, barely able to breathe or even get up, Usato crossed his arms thoughtfully.
"...Can’t be helped. Ururu-san, please use healing magic."
"Okay, Okaaay!"
"Everyone, stay hydrated!!"
Seeing the state we were in, Ururu came running over as if she were used to this and began casting healing magic on us as we lay collapsed.
"You ran a lot. I think your name was El-chan... right?"
"Eh, y-yes, that’s right."
I had talked to her to investigate Usato.
I didn’t expect her to remember even my name, so I was genuinely surprised. Then, Ururu gently took my dirt-stained hands in both of hers.
"It’s okay. You’ll be able to get through this. Do your best, alright!"
"Ah, yes..."
...Hah!?
Th-that was close! I almost got flustered, even though I’m not into that sort of thing.
Are all healing mages this... eccentric? O-or maybe just intense...? Th-that’s scary. Way too scary.
"She’s so kind..."
"A-An angel..."
"A goddess..."
Looks like everyone else has completely fallen for her, too.
Well, I can’t really blame them, I think to myself as I moisten my throat with the canteen I was handed.
"Alright, you’ve had enough rest, haven’t you."
Once everyone had finished using healing magic and rehydrating, Usato looked around at us.
With his arms crossed and that slightly displeased expression, he somehow looked perfectly composed, so much so that he seemed like a completely different person from yesterday.
"S-scary..."
"D-Devil..."
“Demon King…”
"Who said you could chatter? ...Time for the next training session."
Once things had quieted down, Usato gave the next instruction.
He casually raised both hands and brought them together with a sharp clap.
"Every time I clap, you do one push-up. It's not that difficult, it's a simple workout."
"Okay everyone, spread out and get ready for push-ups!" Usato instructed cheerfully, and we all placed our hands on the ground and got into the push-up position.
The instructions themselves didn't sound too difficult.
"Ururu-san, be ready to use healing magic at any time."
"Got it!"
"Hannah-san, anyone who tries to take it easy, give them a penalty with illusion magic."
"Ueeh, you're going that far...?"
"Keira, I’ll teach you the basics of mana circulation starting now, so wait a bit, okay."
"Yes! Please take care of me!!"
I could’ve sworn I just heard something about penalties with illusion magic.
While I was thinking that, Usato clapped his hands, the signal for push-ups ringing out.
And then, what was that?
From the hands he clapped, something like particles of healing magic seemed to spread out into the surroundings.
"Well, if it’s just push-ups, I’ve done thousands of them back when I was a soldier..."
If that’s all it is, it’s no big deal.
If healing magic is being used, then even more so.
"..."
A clap sounds.
We do a push-up.
"..."
A clap sounds.
We bend our arms.
"..."
A clap sounds, and we push up again.
This simple, monotonous training just keeps going.
We can tell our bodies are constantly being healed by the healing magic.
We’re confident we could keep going like this forever.
But the question remains, when is this going to end?
Even as I think that, Usato keeps clapping.
We can’t stay empty-minded anymore, and unnecessary thoughts start creeping into our heads one after another.
The time between each clap feels endlessly long.
What exactly are we even doing?
This is... really hard.
Even though I shouldn't have been tired, my body was starting to become unresponsive.
The steady rhythm of clapping becomes painful to hear...!!
"Uhm, excuse me!!"
"Hmm, what is it?"
Even when someone raised their voice, the clapping didn’t stop.
The man who gathered the attention of everyone, except Vina, who was in a blissful trance, forced a strained smile as sweat dripped down his face and asked Usato.
"W-when will this be over?"
"...The end? I haven't decided when it's going to end."
Y-You haven't decided yet...?
Usato met the man's gaze, who was stunned, and continued speaking without any hint of malice.
"That’s why I’m not counting."
And then, clapping began to echo through the quiet training grounds once again.
●
——— read on seireitranslations.blogspot.com ———
Eighth day
My mind is dying
I can no longer even think of it as “painful”
Rising thoughts are worn away, scraped down bit by bit
In the end, I can’t think about anything at all
Ah, I see
This is Sato
———
"Phew"
"Haanh!?"
Someone suddenly blew into my ear, and I tumbled right off the chair.
Venus, with her hand to her mouth, looked down at me with a big smile on her face.
"S-s-s-s-s-stop it!! You startled me!"
"Well, you were mumbling to yourself and furiously scribbling in your notebook... so I thought I’d check. Have you come back to your senses?"
"...Eh?"
Why am I even writing a diary?!
And what is this terrifying content?! What was I writing unconsciously!?
The last thing I remember is collapsing onto the bed in the dorm after training ended...
And then the next thing I knew, I woke up because of Vina’s prank and fell off my chair.
"More importantly, why are you even here?"
"Don’t you remember? Nono-san and I are staying in your room starting today?"
"...Ah, that reminds me..."
Originally, this was a soldiers’ dormitory, and during the war I hadn’t been living here alone.
After the war ended, some soldiers left, and as a result, it ended up being like having a single room...
Now, among the new recruits gathered through the enlistment, the two few female members, Nono and Vina, were assigned to live here.
"So, where’s Nono?"
"She’s over there on the bed, unconscious, just like you were a moment ago."
"Ah~..."
Looking over, I see Nono sunk into the bed like a corpse.
Well, I had been the same, so I can’t really blame her.
"But still, he's just like I'd heard he was. Ufufufu."
"Why are you still so energetic...?"
No matter how I look at it, Vina is so energetic compared to me and Nono, and I honestly wonder why.
"I love seeing people cry or suffer, I really love their emotions."
Why am I sharing a room with this person!?
I know I'm the one saying this, since I was using a four-person room all to myself, but can't we move her to another room now?!
"But more than that, I also love experiencing that kind of thing myself. Personally, I think I prefer that even more... Fufu."
"You pervert!!"
"Ahh!"
Don’t make weirdly suggestive sounds!!
What even is this dangerous person?! Where has she been hiding until now?!
Please, just let me rest while I’m in the dorm...!!
"...Hm? Areh, where's Nono?"
Nono, who was sleeping in the bed just a moment ago, has disappeared.
Did she wake up? No, even so... hmm?
"And her belongings are gone too..."
"Hmm... This is that. She ran away."
She ran away, huh...
Well, she’s basically the kind of girl who joined up specifically to get away from Usato, only to end up subjected to Usato’s training anyway. Honestly, I don’t really have a reason to stop her--,
"It's just the two of us, El-san."
"I'm definitely going to bring Nono back!!"
I cannot stay in a room alone with this pervert!!
Seriously, I feel my safety is at risk, so I immediately dash off to bring Nono back.
●
——— read on seireitranslations.blogspot.com ———
To me, that healing mage is still a traumatic presence.
He keeps appearing wherever I go, so he’s probably completely targeting me at this point.
And on top of that, even Hannah-san...!!
"She’s become the puppet of a demon...!!"
I have to escape, even if it's just me.
With that resolve, I grabbed my belongings and slipped out of the dormitory, running into the dark night road.
"First, I need to meet up with Shawn..."
As for what to do next, I’ll think about it later.
As long as I have my reliable partner, Shawn, we can handle anything.
"Okay, let's keep going like this——"
"Areh? Nono-san?"
"Nhii!?"
From behind.
A presence and a voice emerging from the dorm’s backyard darkness made my whole body shiver from the depths of my stomach.
"H-Healing mage...!?"
"Haha, it’s outside of training hours, so Usato is fine."
With a seemingly friendly smile, he approached me, and I quickly hid my luggage.
T-That devilish figure from that time flashed through my mind.
He stepped into the light and bowed to me.
"Sorry for startling you the other day."
"Eh..."
"I was infiltrating the Demon King’s territory at the time, so I had to be in disguise. I didn’t expect you to be that shocked... I heard from Hannah-san that it seems to have become a bit of a trauma for you..."
I was honestly surprised that he was apologizing normally.
W-what?! He's switching between personalities just like he did during the day...!?
... Maybe Hanna-san has also let her guard down, so perhaps he isn’t actually that bad of a “devil”...
"Well...it was wartime, so I don't think there's any need to apologize."
"I'm not a devil or anything like that. That was just my friend's ability making me look like a devil or something."
"Isn’t that also kind of dangerous...?"
I wondered, vaguely, how on earth you could make someone look like a devil or a member of the demon race?
As I was thinking that, Usato, looking slightly relieved, started speaking.
"Ah, I heard from Hannah-san that Nono-san has a wyvern companion named Shawn, right?"
"Y-yes, that's right... Don’t tell me something happened to Shawn!?"
"? No, I thought it would be too difficult to take care of the dragon from here, so I brought him to this stable."
So that means Shawn is here...?
Could this person actually be a good human...?
"I did think I should get your permission first... but for some reason Hannah-san rushed me."
"T-thank you very much."
"I also have a partner, Blurin... a Blue Grizzly, so I understand how important companions are."
As former soldiers, we all knew that this healing mage had a Blue Grizzly as a partner.
...In that sense, maybe he really is just like me and Shawn.
"So now you can focus on training without worrying about anything else."
"Eh?"
"If your partner is nearby, it’s easier to stay focused without getting distracted."
Areh? Does this mean I can’t run away anymore?
Because Shawn was brought here, I basically can’t leave this place...!?
"Could it be...?"
Did he bring Shawn here so that I wouldn't be able to leave...?
Given how drastically he changes during training, I can’t even tell what this man is thinking. I can’t tell whether what he just did came from good intentions or not.
The only thing I know for sure is that I can’t run away anymore.
"Ah, eh, well... I, training..."
"Yes?"
"I-I want to qu... I mean, what was the point of today’s training...?"
I just can't bring myself to say I want to quit training...
In response to my question, Usato smiled a little awkwardly.
"I assumed the demon race members would already be physically well-trained, so I thought I’d focus on training the mind instead."
"The mind...?"
"Yes, from what I've heard, the monster realm is an environment where you never know when you might be attacked by a ferocious monster. What's required there is the concentration to constantly be on high alert and the mental strength to maintain your sanity in a harsh environment."
And then... Usato suddenly clapped his hands together.
The same sound I heard during push-ups today sent a shiver down my spine, a really unpleasant feeling.
"Hih"
"So, in terms of training strategy, I thought it would be better to strengthen the body while pushing the mind to its limits. ...Is that alright?"
"It's okay..."
No, it's no good, the trauma is etched into my body.
I’m even scared of how I almost reflexively started doing push-ups.
"You look tired, so it’s probably not good to keep you talking too long."
"Y-Yes..."
"Well then, I’ll head back to the dormitory as well."
I can't tell which is the real him—the scary face he had during training or the face he has now.
Or maybe both are real—either way, it doesn’t make it any less terrifying.
"Well then, I look forward to tomorrow as well!"
"..."
"Hm?"
"Y-yes, I look forward to it..."
I answered in a trembling voice as Usato tilted his head in mild confusion.
With that, it seemed to be over. He turned away from the dormitory and walked off into the dark night road.
"...I-I can't escape..."
I wanted to escape from the healing mage.
But at the same time, today’s training had been way too intense.
And because Shawn had been brought here, I’d lost any chance to casually move around.
"Hah, could it be that Hannah-san knew this would happen...!? Y-y-you've betrayed me...!!"
"I thought you'd left, but what are you doing standing in front of the door...? Nono."
El-san, who had come out through the door behind me, looked at me in confusion.
Even so, with my hands on the ground, all I could do was cry out in anguish at this hopeless situation.
——— read on seireitranslations.blogspot.com ———
Author’s Notes:
*Usato and Hannah moved Shawn purely out of good intentions.
Usato was acting out of a sense of "there's nothing scarier than something with no end in sight".
0 Comments
Post a Comment