kscans

Chapter 23 - The Guy Who Falls in Love in Two Days, That's Me

Leonhard's consciousness surfaced, and he sat up reflexively.

Next to him, the jacket he had been wearing was neatly folded.

Something felt off about his back. No, there was nothing wrong. When he touched it, he found an All-Purpose Bandage had been carefully wrapped around him. The wound from that horn was already closed.

And this tent... it was more comfortable than he'd imagined. It was a little narrower than a single bed, but he could stretch his legs out. The floor seemed to inflate slightly when spread out, so his body didn't ache.

"...This thing is incredible, really."

Just as he muttered in admiration, a thought struck him.

--Where was Mireille?

He hastily dressed and went outside. There, in the red glow of a fire she had built just as he'd taught her, Mireille was working with her dagger in hand.

The fire was burning cleanly, and next to it were butchering tools and jars laid out in a row. Fur, magic core, eyeballs, meat... everything was neatly sorted, and some items were already bottled.

"Mireille."

When he called out to her, she turned around and...

She was covered in blood, just as he'd expected.

(Well, that was bound to happen...)

"Ah! Leonhard-san! You're awake! I'm so glad..."

A smile broke across her face, and tears welled up in her eyes. She started to run toward him, then glanced down at herself and stopped. It seemed she was conscious of her appearance.

"It's dangerous here. ...How was I saved?"

Leonhard walked over to her as she kept her distance.

"I, I'm sorry. I... did it again."

According to her, right after the battle started, she had rummaged through her adventurer's bag for anything useful and happened to find a Sleep Orb.

"It's extremely effective, but... it has the side effect of putting everyone nearby to sleep. It's just for experiments. But it was all I had..."

She explained that the version sold in the shop was an improved model with a needle attached that could put only the enemy to sleep with pinpoint accuracy. She carefully detailed the improvements, sniffling through the second half of her explanation.

"Why are you crying? I was saved because of it."

"Because... you weren't moving at all, Leonhard-san... and I brought the tent you told me not to bring..."

"Ah, the recognition-inhibiting tent."

He hadn't expected to encounter such a monster just one kilometer from the tower. It was completely his misjudgment.

Rather, he was saved thanks to Mireille. He could tell just by looking at her face how much she had worried after the Sleep Orb proved too effective.

"...No, I was saved by your quick thinking. Thank you."

"You should still be lying down. I'll roast some of this ox-like monster's meat after I finish butchering it."

(Hey now, she's tough...)

"No, how effective is that tent's recognition-inhibiting feature?"

"For one day, it's safe within a one-meter radius of here. Plus, I scattered this monster's blood around the area, just like when making a monster-repelling bell. Weaker enemies won't come near."

"...You butchered the Helkaarn by yourself?"

"Hehe, it seems my dagger is useful as long as the monster isn't moving. ...It's a bit embarrassing, though."

To think that the girl who had struggled with a single slime could go into a peerless state, albeit with an unconscious monster, the moment she recognized it as a material.

He never thought he would be helped to this extent by the person he was supposed to be protecting.

He was supposed to be saving her, but he was the one being saved. ...It was a little pathetic.

"Your clothes were torn, so... I'll mend them after I finish this."

Saying that, Mireille stepped a little closer and gently touched the torn spot with her fingertips. Through the cloth, the warmth of her finger seeped in.

"...It's torn more than I thought. I'll get a needle and thread ready, so please take it off and give it to me later."

The moment she looked up, their eyes met at close range.

Tokun, a sound echoed deep in his chest.

His breath hitched, just a fraction of a second too late.

(Hey... the guy who falls in love in two days, that's me, isn't it...)