"Yuu-chan, how's Hime's condition?" I asked, feeling a little better.
"She's fine, probably just regular fatigue," she replied.
I turned around and saw Zev walking slowly toward us.
His clothes were already dirty and messy; it seemed he was affected by the explosion earlier.
"I'm really grateful to the three of you. Without your help, those goblins couldn't have been defeated," said Zev.
I stood up and looked at him.
"It's no problem. Besides, this mission was actually pretty fun," I said with a small smile.
—
After that, Zev told me he would return home first, then come back to pick us up.
If he didn't return, how would we get home? None of the three of us still remembered the way to Max-san's house.
So it was better to wait patiently for Zev to come back, even though I didn't know when that would be.
Yuu-chan was still busy casting healing magic on Hime. She looked very focused.
I shouldn't disturb her. If I did, she might hit me.
If I had healing magic, maybe I could help Yuu-chan heal Hime's condition right now.
"Yukito-sama, what do you think about the magic Hime just used?" asked Yuu-chan, though her gaze remained fixed on Hime.
I felt confused and a bit surprised since she suddenly asked something like that.
"Of course, it was terrifying and amazing, right? I could only stand there in silence, watching that incredible power," I replied, also looking toward Hime.
"I wonder, when did she master that magic?" Yuu-chan asked again.
Hmm… if I had to guess, maybe…
"Maybe a long time ago? Before we met her?" I answered, half-randomly.
Well, I didn't really have a proper answer for Yuu-chan's question.
Besides, she suddenly asked me about Hime's magic — how could I stay calm?
Yuu-chan shook her head, then spoke softly to me.
"Hime only mastered this magic a few days ago. Back when you were still trapped in Weinz's world," she explained.
Hearing that, I was immediately surprised. For some reason, I felt happy, yet also a strange feeling I couldn't describe.
"While you were still asleep, she asked me to train with her, and in the end, she managed to master several spells, including that one," she continued.
"Well, that means you two trained really hard, didn't you?" I asked in return.
Lis-san had said at that time that the two of them were training outside. So of course, their abilities must've improved.
"Then, do you know why Hime was training when there wasn't any danger around?" Yuu-chan asked again.
At that time, I was asleep, so of course I didn't know what was happening outside.
Most likely, she just wanted to get stronger, right? Usually, people train so they can become stronger.
"Hime just wanted to get stronger, right?" I asked.
"One of her reasons was to be able to protect you, Yukito-sama," said Yuu-chan.
Of course, I was surprised to hear what Yuu-chan said.
—
I know my magical ability is very small, and that's why I always rely on Yuu-chan and Hime.
I'm sure their strength is more than enough to face any enemies before us.
There hasn't been a problem so far, and I always thought my assumption was correct.
But I never once asked either of them to protect me.
Even though their powers are amazing, that doesn't mean I feel like I have to be protected.
But for Hime, she actually wants to protect me with her strength.
I don't mind that — in fact, I'm really happy to hear that Hime wants to protect me.
But somehow, when Yuu-chan said that, I felt like a weak man.
Like someone hiding behind girls, standing still like a rock.
Only able to watch them fight and defeat the enemy.
It seems I should start saving money to buy a sword. I can't keep hiding behind them forever.
——
"Yukito-sama, are you daydreaming?" asked Yuu-chan, noticing that I hadn't answered her earlier.
"A-ah, I'm not daydreaming..." I replied.
Seriously, I always have this habit of spacing out whenever I'm thinking about something.
"Alright then, when Zev comes back, please carry Hime on your back, okay?" said Yuu-chan.
"She probably won't wake up anytime soon, so you're the only one I can rely on to carry her back to Max-san's house," she continued.
I sighed lightly. It seemed I had no choice but to do it.
"Yeah, yeah... I'll carry her," I said.
—
Not long after that, Zev returned, bringing Max-san with him.
Max-san looked surprised and relieved, as all his recent worries had disappeared.
I immediately lifted Hime's body onto my back and began carrying her.
This was the first time I'd ever carried Hime.
The last time I carried a girl was when I was with Rosa-chan.
Hime's body weight was almost the same as Rosa-chan's, so it wasn't that hard for me to carry her.
But honestly, right now, my hands were touching Hime's thighs, which felt so soft.
It felt like I was holding a pillow.
No, no! I shouldn't be thinking like that.
I knew Hime's clothes were only a little longer than her knees.
But that outfit made it so my hands couldn't touch her thighs directly.
If I could, maybe I'd already be drowning in pleasure right now.
"Yukito-sama, your face looks like that of a pervert, you know," said Yuu-chan.
I turned to her and saw her staring at me sharply.
It seemed she noticed that I looked happy just because I was carrying Hime.
Maybe my cheeks had turned a little red earlier, that's probably why she noticed.
"N-no, I'm not!" I said, trying to sound innocent so she wouldn't get suspicious.
Hah… luckily after that, she didn't bring up the topic about me and Hime again.
And we finally arrived at Max-san's house again, without any obstacles or problems.
—
Max-san told me to put Hime in one of the rooms. I followed him and laid Hime's body on the bed.
She still hadn't woken up; it seemed she needed more time to fully recover.
Meanwhile, Yuu-chan said she would stay with Hime in that room. Well, if that's what she wanted, I couldn't stop her.
"Yuu-chan, let me know when she wakes up," I said.
"Of course," she replied from inside the room.
I quietly closed the door and sat down in front of Max-san and Zev.
"Yukito, we're really lucky to have gotten help from people like you!" said Max-san.
"Like Zev said before, this..."
Max-san handed me a small pouch that jingled when I held it.
It seemed to be the money Zev had mentioned earlier.
"The amount's correct, so you don't have to worry," he continued.
Alright then.
"I'll take it. We'll head back once one of my female friends wakes up," I said, explaining to him.
It would be too troublesome to return to the guild with Hime in her current condition.
So to be safe, I'd wait until she woke up before leaving.
—
Zev left the two of us again, saying he had more business outside.
Seriously, Zev seems like the kind of person who likes to leave people behind. Proof? He already had something else to do again.
Well, as a merchant, he probably had a lot of things to take care of. And I shouldn't think badly of people like that.
After Zev left, Max-san immediately asked me,
"Yukito, how did it feel to carry a girl~?" he asked.
"Why are you so curious about that? Are you trying to interrogate me?" I replied.
He just laughed softly at my response.
"By the way, your female friend is really strong, huh? I heard from Zev," he asked.
I nodded, meaning what he said was true.
"That girl has way greater power than me. In fact, I'd say she can protect herself just fine," I answered.
"Let me warn you..." said Max-san.
"It can be dangerous to get involved with a girl who wields power like that."
"Even if she's strong, sometimes they become arrogant, which could lead to... unsavory relationships with other men," continued Max-san.
It's understandable that he thought like that, but...
"Hime's not that kind of girl," I said.
Max-san didn't reply; it seemed he wanted to hear what else I had to say.
"Even though she has such great power, I'm sure she'll never be consumed by it."
"The Hime I know is kind, always looking after me... I could even say she's always watching over me," I said.
I wasn't really sure myself; I just said that so Max-san wouldn't dig any deeper.
"Then, what do you think of that girl?" he asked again.
"A beautiful girl I can rely on to protect me," I continued.
Seeming satisfied, Max-san smiled at my answer.
Then he told me that now it should be my turn to protect Hime.
It seemed it really was time for me to have a weapon.
If I couldn't use magic, then at least I should learn to wield a sword.
——
Was there something wrong with what I said about Hime earlier?
Hime really is beautiful and kind, even though when we first met she immediately pressed her lips against mine.
And I could say she's probably a yandere, but that doesn't change the fact that she's a girl I can always trust to help me.