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

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TL Notes:
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Chapter 344


This chapter is from Usato's perspective.

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

　The morning training I do in the Demon King City of Velhazar had practically become part of my daily routine.
　I run through the streets, where there are few people around, and then have a light spar with Nero-san, who trains at the training grounds further ahead.
　There is a lot to learn from training with Nero-san, who is far above me in skill.
　From how to move in battle, to applications of magic power control, and even instinctive movements in combat, he makes me realize through actual combat what I am lacking.
　And, although it may sound a little strange, unexpected participants often show up at these morning training sessions.

"Take this!!"

　A swirling torrent of flames came rushing toward me.
　Facing it as it approached with the heat, I thrust out my right arm covered by a gauntlet and unleashed Healing Magic Burst Palm.
　The flames were blocked by a wall of shockwaves———and immediately afterward, Amira-san came slashing at me with tremendous force, cutting through both the flames and shockwaves with a wooden sword in hand.

"Haa!!"
"Hmph!"

　I knocked away the continuous slashes that came one after another from the very first strike with my gauntlet, and threw a punch with my left fist as well.
　However, my opponent was a skilled fighter on par with Koga.
　Without creating any distance between us, we continued to exchange attacks and defenses without pause.

"This isn't the sort of training you do first thing in the morning, is it?!" (Usato)
"You'll be fine! Just humor me and let me blow off some steam!!" (Amira)
"That's asking a lot!" (Usato)

　I mean, I just fought a Devil yesterday.
　This isn't the first time Amira-san has shown up for early morning training.
　She comes by about once every five or three days and joins Nero-san and me for a sparring match.

"Blowing off steam? Did something unpleasant happen?" (Usato)
"No, it's just that my skills get rusty from doing nothing but paperwork. I simply get frustrated if I don't move around." (Amira)
"I see..." (Usato)

　These days, Amira-san is no longer a soldier in the Demon King's Army, but is working for the people of the demon race.
　I understand that she is the warrior type, so I suppose she uses opportunities like this to relieve her stress.
　As for me, sparring with her is also quite fruitful, so I have no complaints.

"Shouldn't we keep our distance?!"
"I prefer close-range combat over mid-range combat." (Amira)
"It's simple and straightforward...!!"

　Otherwise, she wouldn't use a sword, right?!
　Most opponents can be dealt with using her fire magic, so you might think that fighting her at mid-range is the real threat, but this woman is strong enough to keep up with Senpai's movements normally, and as Nero-san's disciple, she's also quite formidable with a sword.
　So, since it's difficult to create distance from her by ordinary means...!!

"Whoops"

　I make it look like I'm going to attack Amira-san by raising my right fist, then slam my fist into the ground.

"Healing Instant Punch!!"
"Muh!?"

　At the same time as the direct impact on the ground, I make the magic power run wild, creating a cloud of dust.
　Good, now's my chance to―――,

"Take this!!"
"!"

　Flames are fired from about five meters away.
　If I use a shockwave, I might end up in the same situation as before.
　Then...!!
　I use Magic Power Circulation to move the Elasticity Enhancement to my right leg!
　I kick off the ground and swing my leg up with force, releasing the magic power coating my right leg forward.

"Healing Elastic Wave!"

　The magic bullet containing Elasticity Enhancement, released along with my kick, changes into a crescent shape, cutting the flames cleanly in two before heading toward Amira-san.
　It surprises Amira-san just as she is about to charge at me―――but she cuts through it with ease.

"Interesting! Show me more of your techniques!!"
"If that's what you want!!"

　The flames must have reduced its power?!
　But as a technique used on the spur of the moment, it was pretty good!! I meet Amira-san's charge head-on.

"Healing Disruption"
"!"

　In between attacks, I release waves of Healing Magic to dull Amira-san's senses.
　I try to take advantage of the opening to launch an attack, but flames pour out from her, forcing me to retreat.

"Fire is really troublesome, isn't it?"
"The same goes for you. No matter how many times I take it, your technique is still strange. I can't believe it throws off my rhythm this much..."

　I can still fight through its effects to some extent, but this is only a sparring match.
　Amira-san isn't using the technique that covers her in armor of flames.

"Next, I'll use Healing Afterimage Fist...!!"
"I'm not letting this end yet...!!"

　My body had warmed up quite a bit, so I thought I'd start applying more techniques.
　Just as Amira-san and I were about to charge forward, a shadow suddenly stepped between us and caught my fist and the wooden sword wrapped in Amira-san's flames with his bare hands.

"It's about time you guys stopped."
"Master!?"
"Nero-san?!"

　Nero-san, the blond demon who had been watching our sparring the entire time, looked at Amira-san and me with a slightly exasperated expression and let out a sigh.

"You two are getting too carried away. Are you planning to destroy the training grounds?"
"No, I think that's Amira-san's fault!!"
"Wha?! It's cowardly of you to try to escape all responsibility yourself!!"

　My techniques basically don't have much destructive power!
　The only exception would be things like Explosive Bullet, so I can say that I had nothing to do with destroying the training grounds!
　Amira-san looked at me as if I had betrayed her, but Nero-san sighed once again and pointed in a certain direction.

"Then what do you call that hole you made in the training grounds?"
"..."

　The ground where I had raised a cloud of dust earlier with Healing Instant Punch was, to put it mildly, badly gouged.

"I'll fix it..."
"Hmph, that's what happens when you try to leave all the work to someone else."
"Amira, you burned the ground of the training grounds too, so you help."
"Yes..."

　After that, Amira-san and I used shovels to level the ground of the training grounds.
　Honestly, this wasn't the first time something like this had happened, so it scares me how used to it I've become.
　After spending about ten minutes finishing the work, we decided to take a short break and have a little chat at the edge of the training grounds.

"So, it turns out that one of the people who came to the Mobile Rescue Squad was actually a Devil and a pervert."
"Fumu"
"Master!? Isn't that something you should react to more than that!"

　Nero-san nodded without showing the slightest sign of surprise, prompting Amira-san, who had been drinking water from her canteen, to shout and immediately retort.
　She quickly turned to me and pointed a finger at me.

"Oi, why is there a devil at your place? Did you report this to the Demon King-sama?"
"Ah, I was planning to go after this."
"You should have gone sooner!! A Devil is an enemy force we're currently fighting, isn't it!?"

　That's a valid point.
　It’s just that this isn't exactly an emergency.
　When I had Nea check on her this morning, apparently she was just sleeping normally in the barracks.
　... Though, for some reason, she had apparently been thrown out of her room.

"I figured the Demon King would let it slide."
"Well, that person probably would."
"Kuh, ohhhhh... I can't be too hard on him because Master is here...!!"

　The Demon King was already aware of Vina-san's presence in the first place.
　Maybe the reason he came to see our training was also to check on her, and it's even possible that everything that happened up until we discovered that Vina-san was a Devil was all part of his plan.

"Because if I report this, that person is definitely going to burst out laughing. Having that person laugh at me so happily is the one thing in this world I can't stand the most."
"...Fufu"
"What exactly is so funny, Nero-san...!!"
"Usato, stop picking a fight with my Master!!"

　Amira-san stops me as I stand up and try to pick a fight with Nero-san.
　Even against an opponent who is stronger than me, I'll give it my all...!

"No, I'm sorry. It's just that your situation is far too amusing."
"Come to think of it, can Master even laugh?"
"This person actually laughs quite a lot."
"..."
"Uhm, why did you punch me just now? That really hurt."

　As one of the strongest members of the Demon King's Army, her physical strength is no ordinary thing either.
　The fact that she can break through my biceps like that means she's seriously strong.

"I can't stand knowing that you know my Master better than I do...!!"
"No, no. I think he just thought he couldn't let himself smile in front of his disciple, Amira-san."
"...How did you know?"

　Amira-san punched me in the shoulder again.
　Through the course of our sparring, I had realized that, surprisingly, this person was quite expressive.
　And I had also realized that, in a different way from Rose, he was awkward when it came to relationships with other people.

"To begin with, Amira-san wasn't there, so you don't know."
"W-What don't I know...?"
"The shock of something even more dangerous than Senpai suddenly appearing..."
"Is there really something even worse than that...?"

　Even from Amira-san's perspective, Senpai must have been quite something.
　No, what am I going to do about Vina-san?
　I suppose I should make her my familiar...but for the sake of my mental well-being, I really don't want to...

"The Devil, you see...as a condition for cooperating with us, she tried to become my servant..."
"...Fufu"
"What exactly is so funny, Nero-san...!!"
"I just saw this exact exchange earlier, too!"

　Repeating the same exchange as before, I return to my original position.
　Amira-san seems to be extremely exhausted for some reason, but I wonder what happened?
　No, I have absolutely no idea.

"Ah, by the way, Amira-san."
"What is it?"
"I forgot to tell you earlier, but Ark-san is here. Why don't you go meet him?"
"...Muh, the one I fought in Hinomoto, huh?"

　Since I had heard that they fought in Hinomoto, I brought it up thinking that perhaps she should talk to him.
　I had heard that their battle was intense, but Ark-san also spoke about it with some satisfaction, so perhaps there was something about that battle that had left an impression on him.

"That's right. I'll go meet him."

　Once Amira-san nodded, I looked up at the sky.
　... I should probably head back soon.

"Haah, I have to go see the Demon King after this. He's going to laugh at me again..."
"...Fufu"
"What exactly is so funny, Nero-san...!!"
"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?! And Master, please don't play along with it!"

　Somehow, I've grown closer to both Nero-san and Amira-san.
　This experience alone makes me feel like coming to this city was worthwhile.

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

　After finishing a somewhat serious training session in the morning, I returned to the barracks and had breakfast and such before deciding to head to the mansion where the Demon King lived, taking Nea and Vina-san with me.

"Hahaha, how is it that you always manage to defy my expectations this much? What, are you trying to kill me by making me laugh so hard my stomach twists?"
"Vina, punch the Demon King!"
"Eh, no, um, that's a bit much... Ehehe...!!"
"Calm down, Usato. Vina, don't go either."

　I let out a sigh as I watched Vina-san hesitantly try to approach the Demon King.
　I've started to realize that I tend to get worked up whenever the Demon King provokes me.
　In this room were the Demon King and his maid Ciel-san, along with me, Nea in her owl form, and Vina-san in her Devil form, with the Demon King watching Vina-san with great interest.

"Well, well, I was wondering what you were planning when you infiltrated this guy's unit...but it turns out you were simply after information on me and Usato, as well as the details of Magic Power Circulation."
"That's the job I was forced to do. My fellow Devils were really scared of Healing Perception, so I was sent in because I was the least motivated among them."
"Hou? Then why did you go out of your way to reveal your true identity?"

　When the Demon King asked with a mischievous grin, Vina-san pointed at me.

"I did it so that this person would become my Master."
"This is too funny. This Devil isn't lying, is she? What in the world are you, anyway? It would be impossible not to laugh at this."
"Usato-san, don't you attract too many strange people...?"

　Ciel-san looked at me sympathetically, but the Demon King was just too much.
　For starters, I don't even understand why Vina-san considers me a total sadist, and the real total sadist is standing right in front of me.

"You don't know much, do you?"
"Yes, because we are Devils."
"It is rare for your kind to form groups in the first place. Considering that your kind would normally immediately try to kill anyone who was weakened, you seem to be quite an unusual one."
"I had a lot to think about while I was sealed away."

　The more I learn about them, the more twisted the Devil race seems.
　I understand that Vina-san is particularly strange, but even the others seem abnormal in that they don't show any sense of camaraderie.

"But having a Devil on our side is a good situation."
"What will happen to Vina-san?"
"Fumu..."

　The Demon King rested a hand on his chin and pondered my question.

"For the time being, I don't recommend making this Devil your familiar."
"Why would I have to make this person my familiar?"
"Eh, he immediately denied it with a smile..."

　Ciel-san seemed taken aback by how casually I said it.
　As for making her my familiar, setting aside whether I like her or not, I think it's better not to do it. Given my position, bringing a Devil along with me would likely cause all sorts of problems.

"N-No way... But then again, being treated like that isn't so bad either..."

　Is this person invincible...?
　Why is she squirming like that? That's a turn-off.

"Now that Devils as a whole are considered a threat, you seem to understand that it would be dangerous to take her around with you as your familiar..."
"Yes. So, would it be all right if you kept an eye on Vina-san for me?"
"Eh?"

　Vina-san turned around at the bewildered voice that came from my words.

"That's probably the only option for now."
"Eh? U-Uhm, Usato-san?"
"Vina-san"

　I spoke to her as gently as I could, seeing the troubled expression on her face.

"There's no need for me to become your master or anything like that. To begin with, you're my subordinate. Isn't that enough?"
"Eh? It isn't enough..."
"...?"
"Ah, it is enough..."

"Hey, Ciel, look. I just subdued a Devil with nothing but a silent smile."
"She seems pretty desperate herself, which makes it even more..."

　She nodded...
　If she had insisted on coming along by force, things would have become quite troublesome.
　For the time being, Vina-san was placed under surveillance by the Demon King's magic.
　But even though she was being monitored, it wasn't particularly strict. She was still allowed to stay in the barracks and train as usual.

"...Ugh... This isn't quite what I wanted..."

　For some reason, she didn't seem satisfied with the arrangement at all.

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

Author's Notes: 
Amira was completely flustered by Nero and Usato, who turned out to be surprisingly good at going along with things.

Vina was thinking, in an instant, something along the lines of, "This isn't quite the situation I imagined, but being treated like this isn't so bad either... actually, I kind of like it."