Translated: Sei, MTL-sensei-tachi
Edited: Sei, Grammarly no Danna
Source: Syosetu

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TL Notes:
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Chapter 339


This time, the story is from Keira's point of view.

——— read on seireitranslations.blogspot.com ———

　While Usato-san was holding them back, I headed toward the camp where Koga-san and the others were, bringing Shia-san with me.
　I was worried about leaving Usato-san behind alone.
　To be honest, I wanted to fight alongside him, but even from my perspective, I understood why he didn't want Shia-san, who was clearly acting strangely, to fight.

"...Shia-san, let's take a short break."
"A-Are you okay?"
"Yes. I'm just a little tired."

　Since I was used to flying alone, carrying another person while flying was a bit difficult.
　Once I was sure we had flown far enough, I landed in the forest to take a short break.

"It doesn't end up like this when Usato-san uses my magic..."

　This is probably another trait of my Dark Magic.
　Since the cloak reflects the wearer's strength to a certain extent, there are probably all kinds of differences between when Usato-san uses it and when I do.

"Usato is holding them off by himself..."
"If it's that person, I'm sure he'll find a way through."

　Usato didn't let us escape on a whim; he acted on it because he judged it to be the best course of action.
　Even if there were many enemies, if it's that person, I'm sure he'll find a way somehow.

"After a short break, we'll fly again. Once we meet up with Koga-san and the others... with our allies, we'll head back to support Usato-san."
"Usato's... comrades"

　As she murmured that, Shia-san suddenly frowned and placed a hand on her head.
　... She had been reacting like this while we were flying as well. I was starting to get a little worried.

"Uwh..."
"S-Shia-san...?"
"S-Sorry. Ever since I ran into those guys, I've been feeling dizzy..."

　I still don't know much about Shia-san.
　Right now, I know she's in a terrible situation, but I have no idea what I should do or how I can help her.

"Once we meet up with them, there's another Healing Mage, just like Usato-san. Please hang in there until then...!"

　Maybe Ururu-san will be able to do something.
　But Shia-san kept holding her head, letting out pained groans.

"B-But there are Devil presences in the direction we're heading..."
"Eh! Are you saying they've gotten ahead of us?!"
"N-No, those Devils are still behind us... Ugh."

　Could this be due to some kind of psychological influence, similar to what happened to me?
　The other Kannagi-san's mind had become unstable because of the terrifying dragon known as the Evil Dragon... could the same be happening to Shia-san...
　For now, I should focus on helping her calm down first.

"Take slow, deep breaths. It's going to be alright..."
"......!"
"I know how you feel because I've been through something similar."

　I slowly approached her as she collapsed to her knees and crouched on the ground, then gently rubbed her back.
　Just then, something like a glowing sphere rolled out of the bag slung over her shoulder.
　She noticed it at the same time I did, and with trembling hands, picked up the object that had rolled onto the ground.

"W-Why do I have this..."
"Shia-san, that..."

　A sphere emitting a warm light.
　Inside, it was something like a black vortex that looked strangely familiar.
　———I took out the crystal that Usato-san had given me, said to contain the Demon King's power, and compared it with hers.
　The containers were different, but the black power inside looked almost identical.

"Could that be the Demon King's...?"
"I-I don't know! I shouldn't have anything like this!! Because this is———"

　Shia-san was visibly shaken.
　Seeing the genuine confusion on her face—not an act or a lie—only deepened my doubts.
　Maybe... I should wait for Usato-san...
　I had a really bad feeling about taking Shia-san to meet up with the others like this...

"No, that's not it. I... I'm... It can't be... But... ah, ah..."

　She suddenly froze, staring intently at the sphere.
　Without a word, the light returned to her eyes, which had looked almost vacant for a moment. Her voice still trembling, she slowly backed away.

"It was me (ore)..."
"Eh...?"
"I (ore)... I took this from a Devil...? I did it myself, so why did I forget...? H-Haha...? Have I finally lost my mind? I can't take this anymore..."

　I had no idea what was happening, but.
　This situation felt very similar to what happened with Kannagi-san.
　The other Kannagi-san, who had reasoned with me and invited me to the ruins, ended up clashing with Usato-san after he rejected her proposal, following a series of incoherent words and actions.
　The way Shia-san was losing her composure now was frighteningly similar to how Kannagi-san had been back then.

"...I'm coming over to you now, okay?"

　But that didn't mean I could just leave her like this.
　I knew because I had been through something similar myself.
　Being left all alone was terrifying... and painful.

"D-Don't come any closer!"
"!"

　As I slowly tried to approach her, Shia-san stopped me in a stern voice.
　When I saw her forcibly restraining her own right hand—which was reaching for the sword at her waist—with her left hand, I stopped in my tracks as well.

"I'm sorry... I don't want to hurt you...! If I let my guard down, I'll try to take that power you're carrying from you, even if I have to use force...!!"

　Is she reacting because I'm carrying the Demon King's power...?

"I'm leaving this place. You need to get to somewhere safe as quickly as you can..."
"What about you, Shia-san?"
"...I don't know what I'll do, but I'll leave so I won't cause trouble for you all."

　I can't leave her like this.
　I absolutely can't.
　But I can't stop her... even so, that doesn't mean there's nothing I can do.

"Shia-san"
"Before I end up doing something to you, I..."
"I'm not going to stop you, so please wait a moment."
"...Eh?"

　I looked at the fragment of the Demon King's power that I had taken out to compare.
　Lightly gripping the crystal that contained it, I turned around and hurled it away with all my strength.

"Eii!!"
"Eeeehh!?"
"...Alright."

　For now, I threw the crystal containing the fragment of the Demon King's power far enough that it was out of sight, then walked over to her.
　Shia-san looked back and forth between the crystal that had flown away and me, completely bewildered.

"Eh? Eh? Eh?"

　Kneeling down in front of the bewildered Shia-san, I took the spare food and a water flask out of my cloak and packed them into the large backpack I had been told to carry beforehand.

"Please take this with you. It has food and water inside."
"B-But..."
"I can't stop you. This is about the only thing I can do for someone who's suffering like you..."

　She was hungry, and her clothes were tattered as well.
　I'll pack in the blanket and cloak I brought for emergencies too... After all, we'll be returning to the city afterward anyway, so I might as well pack in everything I can.

"Thank you, Keira. ...Please tell Usato... I'm sorry..."
"If you say something like it's a final farewell, Usato-san is going to get mad, you know?"

　Saying that, I practically forced the backpack into Shia-san's hands.
　Cradling the backpack in both arms, she finally let a smile appear on her face.

"I'm sure Usato-san will come to save you."
"...Mm"
"Please don't give up. I think... no, I'm certain that person won't give up."
"...Thank you"

　Shia-san got to her feet and, still hugging the backpack, disappeared deeper into the forest.
　After watching her leave, I took a light breath, then went to retrieve the crystal containing the fragment of the Demon King's power that I had thrown away earlier.

"Pull yourself together, me..."

　I'm worried about Shia-san, but I've done everything I could.
　Maybe there was a better way to handle it... but I'll reflect on that later.

"First, I have to meet up with Koga-san and the others!!"

　Usato-san might still be fighting!!
　Maybe... no, even if it's only the slightest chance, he could be in trouble!!
　To help him if he's in that situation, I have to meet up with Koga-san and the others as quickly as possible!!

"Then I'd better get going———"
"Alright, caught up with you!!"
"Kyaaaaaaaah!?"

　The moment I was about to take off, I let out a scream as Usato-san burst through the bushes behind me.
　Eh, eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhh!?

"Usato-san!? What about the pursuers?!"
"It's okay! I blasted them away with Healing Magic, so I don't think they'll be chasing us!!"
"You blasted them away with Healing Magic!?"

　N-No, there's nothing strange about this person sending people flying with Healing Magic.
　The real issue is that, even after being surrounded by eleven enemies, he doesn't have a single noticeable injury.
　More importantly, he caught up to me just by running... The more I think about it, the more absurd that is...?

"You're not a fake disguised by a Devil... No, of course not. That's impossible."
"Why did you accept it so quickly...?"

　No one but this person would ever describe sending someone flying with Healing Magic so casually.
　In that sense as well, the Usato-san standing before me was unquestionably the real one.
　But...

"I think... I finally understand, at least a little, how Amako-san and the others feel."
"...Fuh."
"This isn't something to laugh about, is it?"
"Yes..."

　Even though I wasn't trying to blame him, he ended up apologizing.
　Seeing Usato-san look so dejected, I realized I'd gone too far and hurriedly changed the subject.

"A-Anyway, I'm really glad we managed to meet up safely!!"
"I'm glad you're safe too. As for Shia... I guess I didn't make it in time..."
"...Yes"

　Usato-san seemed to have already guessed what had happened. Seeing that Shia-san was nowhere around, his expression turned grim.
　For the time being, I slipped beneath the cloak and clung to Usato-san as I told him everything that had happened with Shia-san.

"So she had been carrying a fragment of the Demon King's power without even realizing it..."
[Most likely]
"...The training is canceled."

　As we flew through the sky, Usato-san listened in silence before quietly muttering those words.

"The moment we arrive, we'll go stop her. It's still before sunrise, but..."
[I understand that this is an urgent situation. ...At worst, I'll just sleep inside the cloak, so there's no need to worry.]
"So that's another thing your magic has in common with Ferum's..."

　Ferum-san's Assimilation works the same way, too?
　...Mumumu.

——— read on seireitranslations.blogspot.com ———

Author's Notes:
The Demon King's orb keeps getting thrown around and dropped, treated without much care.
Before they went their separate ways, Keira gave Shia plenty of supplies to carry.