Sense of Kinship (7)

The devices were handed over and boxes were moved. A list with the names of items was passed, and support procedures were carried out along with comfortable conversation.

Suddenly, the blue hat next to Iris caught my eye. There was a round mark on the front, which seems to be the symbol of the faction.

“How’s the situation?”

“There’s no need to worry. Our military strength is overwhelmingly advantageous. There are a few rankers affiliated with the enemy faction, but they’re nothing compared to my skills.”

“According to the Association’s report, we were informed that there are also some injured.”

Erica engaged in the conversation with a rather serious expression.

“Ah… well, that’s true…”

Iris slightly averted her eyes and then countered while pulling a large box placed on the table.

“You’ve sent medical equipment too. Given that the world lacks medical personnel… well.”

“It’s certainly a good world for terrorism!”

The two glared at me. I neatly ignored them.

As I was half-listening to the conversation, I saw the woman next to Iris whispering to her.

A short time passed.

The finishing touches were exchanged and the conversation came to an end.

“I wonder what it is?”

“What?”

The round table became quiet as Iris left her seat as soon as it ended.

“It seems like she keeps talking in circles to end the conversation quickly.”

“She’s definitely just showing off when she’s not even busy!”

“Please stop saying such things.”

As I avoided the glaring eyes, I saw the exit Iris had just gone through. It was the door leading out of the conference room.

“Shall we go look for her?”

“What? How?”

There are many ways.

A human figure flickered beyond the glass of the opposite exit.

I pushed Erica against the wall. I took out my knife and held it to her throat.

“Aah! What are you doing now!”

Erica’s skin was slightly cut by the blade. Seeing the blood flow out, desire welled up.

The door of the opposite exit opened. A woman in uniform entered while looking at a report.

“Leader. I’m sorry to interrupt the conversation, but…”

I raised my body heat and saliva overflowed in my mouth. My vision turned slightly red.

“Iris! Where’s Iris!”

I shouted in a low voice. The woman was startled and hesitated.

“I’ve come to assassinate the leader of the faction! Bring her to me quickly! If not, this innocent hostage will lose her life!”

Erica looked at me as if she couldn’t believe it.

Seeing that, I moved my lips without making a sound.

Act. Hostage.

“Ha.”

Seeing an opportunity, I took a posture of embracing Erica’s neck from behind with one hand. Erica, who had now taken a position as if resigned to whatever happens, muttered in an emotionless voice.

“Please save me.”

“Look at this trembling girl!”

The woman floundered, unable to follow the situation. Her gaze turned to Erica, who couldn’t even act with her face and had lowered her head.

“Should I stab? Should I stab? I’m really going to stab!”

“Aah!”

I pushed Erica against the wall once more. For a moment, colorless pupils flashed.

Cold sweat broke out.

The woman reluctantly opened her mouth.

“…I’ll guide you.”

“You should have done that from the start.”

That aside, I continued the act to the end.

“Are you crazy?”

“Did I do the hostage situation well enough to go crazy? Actually, everything I know is from movies… Aah!”

I wanted to answer Iris’s words, but I couldn’t even finish my sentence.

“Bear with it? If you keep making noise, I’ll make it hurt more.”

The pain in my forehead intensified. Erica, who had flicked her finger hard, lifted my bangs again.

“Did you enjoy the hostage situation?”

Smack.

“Aah!”

“Does it hurt?”

That’s my line. I’m supposed to say that.

“You don’t know anything.”

I blurted out and then thought of an excuse. At that moment, Iris grabbed her forehead and waved her hand at the woman who had been watching the situation in bewilderment.

“It was a joke. You can go.”

“Ah, yes…”

Smack.

It really hurts.

“What don’t I know?”

“It’s boring to just ask Iris to take us normally. Above all, my reason for existence is to torment you.”

Smack!

“Ow! It really hurts!”

Iris, who was watching from the side, flinched. I desperately appealed with a look asking for help, but was neatly ignored.

I should have treated her well usually.

I pondered for a moment.

I have no intention of doing that.

“Haa… really.”

Erica sighed and let go of her hand that was holding my hair. My bangs groaned in the freed space and the loosened strands settled on my forehead.

“I’m sorry for causing a disturbance.”

“No… well, Aureli needs to be educated like this.”

Iris showed a sour expression, as if she didn’t know how to react to this sight.

Erica turned her gaze. I followed suit. There was a door in front of us at the end of the corridor. Iris put her hands on her waist.

“It’s the medical room. I was about to check on the condition of the injured.”

A moment of silence passed. Iris averted her gaze.

“Are you personally participating in the treatment?”

“I don’t have healing stats… It’s more like relying on medical equipment.”

As we entered the medical room, a large space appeared. Inside the room covered in dark colors, beds and equipment were placed next to them.

Several hunters who appeared to be injured groaned.

Silence fell.

Suddenly, my arm was pulled. My body leaned. Erica dragged me and stood me in front of the injured.

“How is it?”

“What?”

“I’m asking how their condition looks.”

I lowered my gaze. All I can understand is related to blood.

“Just so-so.”

“Can you help?”

“I don’t know?”

“Then I’ll set up the healing formula, so just participate a little. We can’t hope for complete recovery with just medical equipment.”

What are you talking about?

“Why should I?”

“What?”

“Why should I do that?”

Erica looked at me calmly. I looked back at her.

“You seem to be mistaken, but I’ve never forgotten my true nature.”

“Can’t you listen to me just once? After receiving so much care from me.”

“I don’t want to?”

Erica’s eyebrow twitched. I pointed at her with my finger.

“I don’t know when you started expecting kindness from me, but it’s meaningless. No matter how much affection you pour on me, I won’t budge.”

“Says the person who cried and clung to me.”

“That’s right. Your embrace was warm. I wanted to stay in it all day.”

I smiled slightly.

“But what can I do? No matter how well you treat me, I only feel it as a momentary pleasure.”

My voice trembled without me realizing. It was hard to lie.

“Oh, is that so? All that clinging and hanging onto me saying you liked me, was just a moment’s fun?”

“Yes. It was so fun to act spoiled with you!”

Shouldn’t you and I not have this kind of conversation in the first place? Even after the day we first met, shouldn’t we have continued to check each other and prevent an invisible chain from binding our two bodies?

But the relationship had already twisted, and Erica and I were accepting it. That’s why this conversation now was my last struggle.

“Your violence earlier was really thrilling too.”

“…Still such a foolish person.”

Looking at her snow-white pupils, the desire to be embraced again boiled up. I could barely withstand it with the patience I had hardened myself.

“You hate it, right? You’ll continue to hate me in the future.”

I smiled while meeting her glaring eyes. The hand that had been caring for me until just a moment ago had disappeared, and its owner was somehow returning to her original place.

It was a conversation where one axis of the gear wheel was misaligned, but I think there’s no problem since I finished it well.

“I should have flicked your forehead until you cried and clung to me.”

“What a shame!”

“Go away. Go to the corner, raise your hands, and kneel down.”

“Okay!”

I obediently went to a corner of the spacious medical room and took my place.

As I knelt on the cold floor, I felt a chill. I raised both arms. As the sleeves of my dress that came down to my wrists fell, the cold air made my arms sting.

“You should have just obediently listened.”

“It’s meaningless since I’m already sulking.”

Iris glanced down at me and folded her arms.

“You look happy even though you’re being scolded?”

“I feel good no matter what Erica does to me.”

“You’re a complete idiot, aren’t you.”

I stopped as I was lowering my arm to tidy my hair.

…I can’t move without Erica’s permission.

When I turned my gaze, Erica was applying formulas in front of the injured. It seems to be healing-related, judging by the green color.

Iris also turned her gaze.

“Isn’t she gentle? She’s kind. How can she be so pretty?”

“You’ve completely fallen for her, haven’t you?”

“This is love, isn’t it?”

“Being loved by Aureli… this is really serious.”

“Are you dissatisfied?”

“What if I am?”

“I’ll go ratatata like a year ago, that’s all.”

Iris laughed softly. My arms started to hurt. I tried to lower them slightly but met Erica’s eyes.

I hurriedly pretended not to notice.

“Treating injured people in the medical room of a place she was dispatched to for support…”

“I glanced around earlier, and it looks like Erica can handle the treatment process alone. If I step in, I’ll just be a hindrance to Erica.”

“Huh? Suddenly making excuses?”

“Still, I said harsh things in front of the injured. Not that I particularly care.”

It might feel bad if I say I have no intention of treating these things that were just lying quietly on the bed.

“Is this also part of the process of becoming human?”

“At least you’re aware that you’re a crazy species.”

“Of course.”

It would have been a line to put emotion into normally, but I had to maintain a gentle tone because I was mindful of Erica.

“Aren’t you a complete idiot?”

“As much as Iris?”

“I’m not an idiot, you know?”

“What an amazing fact.”

I smiled slightly.

“It’s okay. You’re not a bad kid after all.”

“Didn’t you just call me a crazy species?”

“That’s that.”

I do seem like an idiot.

“I don’t know. I still don’t understand. I’d rather Erica called me a bad woman.”

I wish she would define me like that.

“I think Erica would think that way?”

“Actually, I’ve been condemned in that sense a few times.”

“Aren’t you a complete idiot?”

I do seem like an idiot.