第４２５堀：頑張ったよ (Part2)
My heart was screaming, so I sprinted toward the man closest to me.
"What could a shrimp like you possibly—*crunch*!?"
"I can hit you."
I threw a jab as a test, and it connected. He stumbled. This was my chance to follow through. Like I was working a punching bag...
*Hit, hit, hit, hit!!*
And for the finisher—the Jewel-Crushing Kick!!
"...Ngh!?"
Perfect. The weird sound he made meant I’d hit a vital spot. It turns out Mauve and the others were right when they said that if a man attacks you, aiming for that spot is the best strategy. Still, why does that area hurt so much? Being a girl, Hiiro doesn't really get it.
But wait, I can't get distracted. There were other enemies. I’d forgotten about them because they hadn't attacked yet.
"Oh, Hiiro. Are you finished?"
"Hiiro, you can move quite well, can't you?"
When I turned around, it looked like Vilia and Dressa had already taken down the rest of them.
"Yeah. Vilia was scarier, so it helped me do my best."
"...You aren't complimenting me, are you?"
"No, I think Hiiro means it as a compliment."
"Probably, maybe?"
"Why are you phrasing it as a question!!"
"Ahaha!"
Just as we were laughing, someone appeared from behind Vilia and Dressa, ready to bring down a sharpened piece of lumber on them.
"Sister!! Behind you!!"
I screamed instinctively, but it was too late. They hadn't reacted in time. If things kept going like this, they would be...
"Yoink."
"What!?"
"Eek!?"
Instead of being skewered, Yuki suddenly appeared and stopped the man. He caught the raised lumber in his hand.
"Damn it!! Let go!!"
"Sure, sure."
"Guh!?"
Yuki let go just as he was told, and the man’s momentum sent him crashing headfirst into the wall.
"Noooooo...!?"
That looked incredibly painful. He was rolling around on the ground.
"You told me to let go, so I did. Is this a comedy sketch? Well, it saves me the trouble of pinning him down. Ria, Cleena, help me bind them with rope."
"Sure thing!"
"Mhm. Got it."
As Yuki said this, he pulled out a rope and began winding it around the people rolling on the floor.
"That should do it. Now, for your first serious real-world combat, I think you did a good job, but that last bit was a lapse in judgment."
"I-I'm sorry."
"Y-Yeah, my bad."
"I-I am so sorry, Brother!!"
"If you’re reflecting on it, that’s fine. They say you should tighten your helmet straps after a victory. That’s when you’re most vulnerable. It’s a good lesson. It’s hard to truly grasp it without experiencing it, after all."
"Yeah. I understand now. Hiiro won't let her guard down again."
"I-I was saved. Th-thank you."
"I have realized my own immaturity. Brother, thank you so much. But, why are you all here?"
"It’s simple. We were tracking your actions via call."
"You went out of your way to come here?"
"Calling it 'out of your way' isn't quite right. You are all precious to us. You are our students and our friends. Since we were the ones who involved you in this for our own reasons, this much is merely our duty."
Hearing that from Narjia, the tension finally drained out of me, and tears began to well up.
"Narjia..."
"Mhm. You did well, Hiiro. As your sister, I’m very happy."
"I-It was scary."
"Mhm. You’re safe now."
"Waaaaah!"
I cried out loud for the first time in a long while. Narjia didn't even care that my tears were staining her clothes; she just kept holding me.
"Are you two alright?"
"Are you hurt anywhere?"
"Oh, yes!! No, wait—I was scared too."
That was Vilia who answered. That’s a lie; she was raring to go from the start. She did something so dangerous, I should tell Yuki...
Just then, I caught Vilia’s gaze.
*Don't you dare.*
The sheer intensity of her stare made me start crying all over again. I couldn't stop myself anymore. After all, it really was terrifying.
"There, there."
My only salvation was Narjia holding me.
"Hm? What’s wrong, Dressa? Are you hurt somewhere?"
"N-No!! There’s no problem!! I’m fine!!"
"Is that so?"
Ah, so Dressa got hit with Vilia’s silent pressure too. As expected, Vilia is scary.