Absolute Duo Vol 3 Chapter 2

Our cla.s.smates jumped into the sea one after another and we were the only ones left on the s.h.i.+p.

“Okay, I will jump in first so follow me after I do that. I will go right to you so, please rest a.s.sured. Remember to grab my shoulders when you surface.”

“U-un……I am counting on you, Tomoe-chan.”

Miyabi and Tachibana were discussing their actions after they enter the water.

On the opposite side, Tora and Tatsu were-------fighting as usual------and were making a ruckus about a match of who would swim to the sh.o.r.e first.

(Ya-re Ya-re, I don’t know if they are close or bad with each other as usual………)

“Fufun. Don’t think you will win against me with swimming, Tatsu, Tooru!!”

“Eh, me too!?”

“What are you surprised for, it’s normal.”

“Is it normal………?”

The rabbit ear homeroom teacher talked to me with a grinning smile.

“Oi oi, now is the only time you can act happy and talk about matches you know? That’s because the current around here is complex. You will meet pain if you take it easy-------rather, feel the pain, Kuhahaha.”

(I’ll give up taking him as an opponent. And I mean everyone.)

We got tired of those disgraceful words from a teacher (as usual) and decided to head out.

Tora, Tatsu and next Tachibana made a magnificent plunge which was so good it made me think they might have been in the swimming club during their middle school years. However-----

(……I saw something.)

Since we were going to swim with our clothes on, which meant the clothes everyone were wearing now would be------our school uniform.

Thanks to that, I could vividly see the inside of Tachibana’s skirt from the boat when she jumped off.

“To-Tomoe-chan, I am coming.”

Just when I was thinking of a way to delete that vivid memory, Miyabi jumped in this time.

Different from Tachibana, she pushed down her skirt girlishly and *Pyon* jumped in from the stairs feet first.

However, since she only pushed down the front part of her skirt, I could see from behind and-----

(………I saw something again.)

Let’s forget it. I did not see anything.

*Don* A water column was produced and Miyabi’s face popped out from the sea surface after a while.

“Miyabi are you okay?”

“Un, somehow I guess……?”

*Splash**Splash* Miyabi dog paddled to Tachibana before placing her hand on her shoulder.

Since Tachibana learned an old swimming method, used when a person wore armor because it is a step towards mastering her martial arts, it looked like she was taking it easy even though Miyabi was holding onto her.

“Just as expected. Well then, we------wait, now that I think about it Julie. You were resting when we were swimming with our clothes on last week but, are you going to be alright suddenly?”

When I recalled and asked Julie who took a rest during the previous water training because of her bad condition-----

“It’s okay……….I think.”

Even Julie would show uneasiness like I thought.

Well I think she would most probably be alright if it is Julie.

“Okay, let’s go.”

“Ja---”

*Doboon* a flashy landing sound was produced and I entered the sea from the tip of my toe to my head.

It felt good in the sea for my sunburnt skin but, my uniform was sticking to me making it hard to swim.

I felt this during training but, the water resistance of normal clothes was different from a wet suit making me lose stamina excessively. This was something I knew already, but it will be quite hard to swim to the island in this condition.

When I showed my face on the sea surface, the refres.h.i.+ng sight of the blue sea and white clouds expanded in my view. And after I took a deep breath while looking at the summer scenery, there was a voice coming from above my head.

“Tooru, I am coming.”

With the sun at the background, after Julie stood at the s.h.i.+p’s fence-----she jumped into the sea.

The form was magnificent and it would not lose to what Tachibana did just now. Not only me but Tachibana and Miyabi also raised a voice of admiration at the appearance of her diving into the sea like a mermaid.

*Toboon* a sound was produced and the silver girl entered the sea together with a small water column.

(As expected from Julie)

That jump made me think she has no other bad skills other than writing literature----limited to only j.a.panese.

(No, she is bad with boats too.)

When I apologetically shook my shoulders at the new information about Julie I found out an hour ago----

“……….Err, Tooru-kun.”

“Julie isn’t coming up though…………..”

“Eh……..?”

Although I checked the area to confirm their words, there are no signs of Julie showing her face on the sea surface.

“””……………..”””

There was an additional 5 seconds of silence & standby.

“Julie------------!?”

“*Cough*, *Cough*……!!”

I grabbed Julie’s arm when she was sinking into the darkness and brought her back to the sea surface.

After she came up to the surface, Julie breathed in oxygen filled with the smell of salty water.

After she repeated breathed wildly while grabbing hold of my shoulders, I talked to her as soon as she calmed down.

“Are you okay, Julie.”

“Ja-Ja---………..Thanks to you I somehow managed………..Thank you very much, Tooru………”

“But even so, it is kind of unexpected that Julie can’t swim.”

“Sorry. There was no custom to swim in Gimle……….”

I agreed when she told me that. It is probably unthinkable to swim in the seas or rivers in a cold country like Gimle. Judging by the way she put her words, I could guess there are no warm water pool facilities there.

“I thought I could managed if I learned by imitation, but it was no good. Whether it’s the seasickness earlier or just now, I have been only causing problems to Tooru today…………”

I made a lively smile to Julie who dropped her shoulders in disappointment.

“Don’t worry about something as small as that. We are a > so helping each other is normal……well, even if we weren’t a >, I think I would still want to save Julie.”

“*Giggle*. That goes for me too, Tooru. But even so, the sea water really is salty huh. I know this already but, I never would have thought I would confirm it in this way.”

I could only laugh at Julie’s sentence.

“Alright, we have to head to the island soon. We will lose to Tora and the rest if we take our time. Julie, I will carry you on my back from this point on.”

“Ja--- Thank you very much. By the way Tooru.”

“Hn?”

Even though I failed the start dash from an unexpected trouble, I thought I should still be able to make a recovery-----that was what I thought………..until I heard the next sentence.

“Where are Tora and the rest?”

“Heh………..?”

I checked the surroundings thinking that there should not be that much of a distance made when I saw Julie tilting her small head-----

“Ah-re?”

It was not like there was a distance made.

It’s true that that the distance between us is very big but, Tora and the rest did not move much from the boat.

Which means we were the ones that got separated from the boat.

“This------we got washed away?”

It probably happened when I dived down to save Julie.

“……….Now that I think about it, she told us the water currents were complex here.”

“Yeah there was that talk before…………what’s more, it seems we are still being washed away. It looks like distance between here and the s.h.i.+p is getting bigger even at this moment. Looks like it’s going to be tough heading back there……….”

“Sorry, Tooru………….”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s not like the island got further away. Lets head there while watching out not to counter the current. Julie don’t let go of me, okay?”

“Ja---”

Before I started swimming, Julie made a hand gesture to Tora and the rest that we would be heading to the island like this.

After a while, Tora and the rest separated from the s.h.i.+p and headed toward the island.

I confirmed that and we started to move too.

40 minutes might have pa.s.sed since I started swimming.

I could hear nothing but the sound of the waves and my breathing.

Julie was keeping quiet. It’s probably in consideration to avoid causing any burden to me who was swimming.

(I guess there is 1.5 kilometers left to the island maybe? Just a little bit more……..)

The moment I thought that---------

*Bara**bara**bara*………….The sound of a helicopter mixed with the sound of the waves.

It was just pa.s.sing this southern sea--------there is no way that is the case.

I knew who that helicopter belonged to.

“To--------o------ru-----♪”

In the door of the helicopter hovering about 30 meters above us, a girl leaned forward and waved her hands.

Lilith=Bristol. With her Yellow Topazblonde hair swaying, the girl looking at me with those Sapphire blueblue gemstone eyes that makes one think of a deep sea, was an Ojou-sama that transferred to Kouryou academy 2 months ago from UK. She is a little selfish but has a lively personality; she is also the owner of a > like me and because of that, she is an existence called > but…………..actually, she was someone I am bad with.

“Sorry. For. The. Wait-------Chuu♥”

Lilith raised her voice to avoid getting it erased from the sound of the helicopter and threw a kiss over to me but------

“…………….”

I moved my head for some reason.

“Hey, Tooru---!! Why did you dodge my kiss of love!?”

I got scolded.

---Back to what I was saying, those words that came from Lilith’s mouth just now were the reason why I'm bad with her.

Yes, this gold girl has taken an odd liking to me and would actively show her favors to me------incidentally, she has no hesitations in declaring me as her future partner. What’s more, she would do things like link our arms every time, and those intentions for physical contact are extremely problematic for a young man like me.

“Tooru--, can you hear me!?”

“Ah………Sorry--, I did not hear you!!”

“What did you say!? Ah—mouu. Enough, I will go there now so wait there for me!!”

“O-ojou-sama!?”

Her butler Sara showed panic at Lilith’s announcement.

“………….!? …………!! …………..!!”

The gold girl did not listen to her butler who was shouting in disorder and-------started taking off the clothes she was wearing.

“Wait, Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhh!?”

Although I was surprised and shouted, since her body with excellent proportions was wearing a swimsuit, I *Hoou* made a sigh.

“Wait, what are you planning to--------!?”

Even though I shouted, I knew what she was going to do. I knew it but, I still shouted.

“Wait for me, Tooru. I am heading there now-----♪”

The gold girl winked and threw her body to the sky without any hesitation like she was in a diving contest.

---late by a moment, the gold arrow pierced into the sea.

“Hi, Tooru♥”

After some time pa.s.s, Lilith floated right near us.

“………….Yo, Lilith. Sara looks very upset up there you know………….”

“It’s okay it’s okay. I told you this before, but that girl is a little too overprotective.”

No matter if she is an >-----who just became > from the > like me a few days ago-----but still nonetheless, I think it is a little pitiful to call her overprotective when you jumped into the sea from the helicopter that high up.

When I looked up thinking that, Sara's and my eyes met and she was glaring at me.

(It’s not my--------I guess maybe it is my fault…………)

Without a single care to her butler’s condition, Lilith sent a hand sign telling her to head to the island first.

The helicopter headed to the island not long later but, Sara was grinding her teeth while glaring at me to the end. Thanks to that, it feels like I could hear the sound of her teeth grinding which was supposed to be inaudible to me.

“Haa………..just what were you thinking to make you jump into the sea.”

“Isn’t it obvious that I want to be with Tooru. More importantly, why are you sticking that close to that girl?”

Unsatisfied------rather, she is unsatisfied I guess. Lilith looked at Julie.

“……………..I can’t swim”

“Well, that’s it. I have to support my partner as a >”

“………….As a > huh?”

Lilith narrowed her eyes as if she wants to say something.

“Then, I will also receive support as your future partner♪”

Faster than her words, she rode on my shoulders.

“Wait a second Lilith! You can swim, right!?”

“I cramped my legs.”

“Like h.e.l.l I would believe you when you have that easy expression on!!”

“…………..You will burden Tooru. Please don’t count on Tooru if you can swim.”

“Oh my, that goes for you too; you won’t be bothering Tooru if you learn to swim immediately you know?”

The gold girl replied back easily towards the discontent silver girl.

Julie tightened her grip.

(Again huh…….)

After Lilith enrolled, this type of rivalry between them had already occurred many times.

The reason was because of the claim of the gold girl wanting to make me her >. It seems because of that one sentence, an alert signal was being issued inside Julie that there might be a chance I might get taken away from her.

Thanks to that, she would often flare up against Lilith’s actions and words, like what was happening right now.

However, since Lilith doesn't show any concern of it and her leisurely att.i.tude does not crumble at all, I think it’s okay to say it’s lucky if it will not reach a big quarrel.

Personally in my mind, I felt that Julie holding onto my clothes tightly to avoid letting me get taken away was a little cute but, it's fundamentally a way to mediate them.

“Haa……….I get it I get it. Julie, you aren’t causing any burden to me so it’s okay. That’s why, Lilith it’s okay to hold on to me like that.”

“Tooru………..”

“……………It’s okay. I like causing trouble for Tooru but, this type of trouble is not good. Sorry to be so selfish.”

After she said that, Lilith *Topuun* dived into the sea and------showed her face a few meters ahead.

“Tooru. Let’s have a compet.i.tion to see who reaches the island first as a mood refresher.”

“……………But I am carrying Julie.”

“It’s a handicap, a handicap♪ Isn’t that okay since your opponent is a girl. Ready, Go♪”

“Wha!? Tha-that’s dirty!! I didn’t say a single word that I would accept the match!!”

She might have not heard me or she was ignoring me (most likely the latter) and, Lilith started swimming toward the island.

(Whether it’s Lilith or Tora, why are there so many people around me that are this combative?)

Although I sighed after seeing the gold girl take the lead, I do not hate that type of aspect.

“Tooru, what are you going to do?”

“Let’s see………..losing is annoying, so let’s chase her. Hold on tight.”

“Ja----♪ I will not let go.”

Around 20 minutes pa.s.sed since I started swimming after Lilith----

With the endless repet.i.tion of the waves as my BGM, I am currently collapsed at the beach while making a 大 sign.

“Good work, Tooru………..”

“It is my overwhelming win, Tooru♪”

“I-I completely forgot I was in my uniform.”

What’s more my opponent was wearing a swimsuit unlike me; there was no way I could do anything.

“But, it is quite amazing that you finished swimming with that speed without resting…………..I might not be able to get much sleep if I have Tooru as my husband I think?”

What are you talking about.

“So, what are we going to do next? Rest for a while?”

“Sorry. Let me do that……..I can’t move now as expected……..”

After she heard my words, Lilith *Pupuu* spurt out before saying [You worked too hard] and laughed.

“Understood, Tooru……….having a rest would help me too.”

I got curious why it would help Julie too, and asked what she meant-----

“It feels disgusting because my clothes are wet……..especially my underwear.”

“If that is the case, then I guess I will rest until Julie’s clothes dry off.”

“Ja---. Thank you very much.”

The silver girl nodded------and put her hands inside her skirt.

[Julie!?][Wha-what are you doing!?]

“Ah………….So-sorry….*Hyau*”

I quickly looked away just when her underwear was about half-way taken off.

The last scream was most likely because of the coldness when she put it back on.

“I will go dry it off at the shadow of the rock over there.”

After Julie said that, she disappeared to the rock------the moment I thought that, her face popped out from there.

“You can’t come over here, Tooru.”

After saying that, she hid her lightly blus.h.i.+ng face behind the rock again.

“………….Is that girl an airhead?”

“Well, a little…………”

Thanks to that, crazy things would sometimes occur in my normal life, but I was not careless enough to let that slip out of my mouth.

“Fuun…………..”

“A-alright, I guess I’ll take a small afternoon nap.”

I closed my eyes to run away from the sights that seemingly want to say something.

“Oh my, are you going to sleep? You are quite a blockhead to choose to sleep without having a fun strawberry talk with a swimsuit beauty alone at the beach.”

“That’s because sleeping is the best way to recover stamina. Sorry but, let me sleep for 30 minutes.”

“Okay, It’s alright. Then I will------”

*Fuu*……..a shadow suddenly appeared.

“Lilith?”

When I opened my eyes, Lilith sat down to interrupt the falling sunlight and looked at me as if she was peeking in.

“It’s somewhat easier if there is something blocking the sun, right?”

“A-aah………..but won’t you be hot……?”

Today’s sunlight was strong and the blazing hot sun s.h.i.+ning down was burning the skin.

“I don’t mind for 30 minutes. I just want to let Tooru to have a good rest.”

“…………I am happy for those feelings but, the sorry feeling is stronger as expected.”

“I am doing this because I want to anyway, so it is not something Tooru has to worry about. I've got sunblock on too anyway………..but if you are still worried about it then, I guess I’ll have a gift of grat.i.tude.”

“What should I do?”

When I asked back, Lilith placed her finger on her lips and made a charming mischievous smile.

“A good morning Ki-ss♪”

“----!?”

“An advance payment is alright too you know?”

Her hair brushed my ears and Lilith’s lips got closer.

Those red lips that make one think of a rose.

“It’s okay, really, it’s okay! I don’t need any shade as expected! I’ll just accept only those feelings!!”

My eyes were stolen by those lips for an instant, but I immediately regained my composure and turned my back to Lilith.

I got expose to the sunlight because of that and since I was going to fall asleep like this in the first place, I gave up having a blind over me.

My heart was *dokun**dokun* beating hard. Although I knew it was going to be alright, I was worried that Lilith might hear it.

“Mouu [3C 1], Tooru-kun you are so shy♥”

Even though I heard chuckling from her, I continued closing my eyes and didn’t reply to her.

She then made some shade for me again.

“………..I won’t give you a kiss.”

“It’s okay. Instead, I get to keep Tooru’s sleeping face all for myself♪”

“Hey you……….”

“I can’t?”

Honestly speaking, having my sleeping face get seen by a girl is embarra.s.sing------but, I felt that this much was alright; maybe because I was too tired or because I accompanied the girl called Lilith.

“I get it……..Thanks, Lilith.”

“I don’t mind. Don’t make me say it twice, my husband♥”

After a while, I woke up and most of the tiredness was out of my body and my clothes were almost dried off.

“Now that I think about it, why were you late?”

Right when Lilith was talking nonchalantly, I asked the question that suddenly popped into my mind.

Even though she had some distance with the other cla.s.smates, Lilith had completely blended into the cla.s.s now because she was unexpectedly sociable and Tachibana chipped in after >. There was no way she would think of not wanting to go together but………

“I got left behind when I was picking my swimsuit. Seriously mouu, waiting for 1 hour at least is okay right? I wonder what they think about the >”

(So that is why you were wearing a swimsuit under your uniform…….)

Lilith might have seriously thought that she could ease off on the clothed swimming after doing that.

(No no, we are going to train so wearing a swimsuit is bad.)

But since she managed to finish her clothed swimming training properly, it is okay to think that she has already understood the technique and there should not be any problems.

Incidentally, the boat departed following the strict schedule without caring if the > Lilith was late or not. Tsukimi said [The Ojou-sama would probably come later with her helicopter] and laughed; her prediction was beautifully on the mark.

It happened then-----when I was making a small wry smile when I recalled that.

“Ah……!!”

A small scream echoed from the rocks.

When I looked over thinking what happened, a white bird flew towards the sea and Julie was extending her hand towards it.

“What happened, Julie?”

After I got near her and asked, Julie told me about what happened in a somewhat fidgety manner.

“Tha-that’s…………my underwear got blown away by the wind…….”

“Huh…………..?”

I opened my mouth blankly at the unusual reply and looked at the white bird again-------rather, it was just right about the time I saw her underwear fall into the sea. Her underwear got swallowed by the waves just like that and could not be seen anymore.

““…………...””

I returned my sights back to Julie and she was holding the sides of her skirt tightly.

(Which means, she isn’t wearing------)

“Tooru. It's not good to stare.”

Julie's cheeks were faintly blus.h.i.+ng, her eyebrows were slightly frowning and she was staring at me with upturned eyes.

I unexpectedly felt shocked at the cuteness which was different from usual.

We gave up on the underwear that disappeared into the sea and headed for the lodging house in the end.

Although Julie was usually defenseless, it looks like she is quite embarra.s.sed since she was not wearing anything now, and was following behind while pus.h.i.+ng her skirt at all times.

We reached a cove at the beach which was surrounded by 10 meter tall cliffs.

But it’s not like it stayed that way for a long time. We continued walking a bit farther and discovered a somewhat gentle rock surface.

“Looks like it is easy to climb from here…………but before that, Lilith please sit there for a while.”

Lilith did what I told her and sat on a small rock; I then bent down in front of her.

After that, I tore my uniform and covered her feet with it.

“This is better than being barefooted.”

“Fufu, thank you, Tooru. That consideration itself makes me happy. Thanks to that, I really want to make you my >-----”

“Tooru, let’s go if we have already finished preparing.”

Julie slipped in as if to interrupt Lilith’s words. Of course, it was done deliberately.

Lilith shrugged her shoulders while getting up and took the front before heading out.

However, when she started climbing up with her swimsuit on, I had trouble on where to put my sights.

When I lift my face, Lilith’s b.u.t.t would definitely enter my view.

What’s more, since people would take many unthinkable poses as far as rock climbing was concerned, I could only think awkward thoughts while climbing up.

Of course, I tried not to look up as much as possible.

………Because of that, I almost fell many times.

There was a circular ridge when we finished climbing the cliffs.

It was at this moment that we first found out this island was a caldera. [3C 2]

It was hollow within the cliffs we climbed from and a forest covered completely with trees spread throughout.

The building we can see in the middle was probably our lodging spot. I could see a wide s.p.a.ce like a hall and its surroundings.

“It'll take about an hour I guess?”

“It's questionable whether we could reach it or not before the sun goes down."

The gold girl pointed at the falling sun and agreed with my measurement.

This time, the silver girl opened her mouth.

“The wind is blowing hard here, so I want to get down fast, but………”

The silver girl was pus.h.i.+ng down her skirt desperately, in opposition to the wind blowing through the mountain ridge.

Although I felt sorry at that appearance, I spurted out.

“You are evil, Tooru……….”

“Lilith. Be careful of the branches on the ground.”

She turned around and talked to me.

“Thank you, Tooru. It is okay.”

The light s.h.i.+ning in the complex forest got dimmer when it turned into the evening and the times we got stuck in the tree roots got more frequent if we did not pay attention. This was especially true for Lilith, who looked like she was having a hard time walking since she only had cloth covering her feet.

I tried asking her if she wanted a piggy back once but she refused, saying that this was what she gets for joining up with us with only a swimsuit on.

(Lilith is someone that basically does not ask help from anyone else.)

She could do almost everything-------more specifically, I have not seen anything that Lilith could not accomplish at this current point. Accompanied from the education of her parentage, she was the embodiment of accomplished literacy and martial arts.

Nonetheless, it was different now. She could not perform a normal task such as walking.

(All of us are in a pinch so, I think it’s alright to count on each other at times like this though……….)

When I looked back again while thinking that, I could see Julie having a hard time with a different problem compared to the gold girl. Whenever there was a big obstacle we had to cross over, she would be concerned with my sights and at the same time------her skirt, making it hard for her to walk. I am trying my best not to look behind in consideration but, it couldn’t be helped since we had to drop our movement speed.

And because of that, the 1 hour I guessed at at the ridge got pa.s.sed a long time ago and the sun had already set.

“Time of disaster huh……..”

That name was suitable for this time period; the darkness inside the forest got even darker and it was really eerie here.

Of course, the darkness is not giving us anything beneficial-------

“Ouch……..!!”

There was an anguished voice coming from behind------she probably stepped on a branch or stone.

“Sorry, Lilith. I missed that.”

“It can’t be helped since it’s this dark. It is not your fault, Tooru.”

“Even so, sorry. If there is something that can brighten-------”

I suddenly remembered the existence of an object when I said that half-way.

*Kachiri*. Light shone out when I pressed the armband’s switch.

“Uou, it’s brighter than I thought.”

I did not expect much since it was a small light but, the light was as strong as the ones from torch lights.

“Fufu, that is helpful…………..so, since you have forgotten about this, I think it’s okay to say that Tooru was at fault for the previous matter just like I thought?”

“Sorry…………”

I clapped my hands together and apologized to Lilith who was raising the side of her mouth mischievously.

After 5 minutes since I started moving with the light guiding our footsteps, I could see light from far away.

I made a sigh, when I saw the artificial light coming out of the building.

“Ya-re ya-re, we finally arrived.”

I told the girls that we are close and advanced while pointing the light forward.

Just like bugs attracted to flames------- this was probably what they are seeing.

“----, Tooru!!”

“Uwah!?”

Lilith who was walking behind me, suddenly pulled my collar strongly.

I did not have the leisure to ask why.

That was because, something scratched the tip of my nose immediately.

*Ka*! Something pierced into the tree trunk.

“This is…..!?”

“The next one is coming!!”

I was wondering if it was a double-bladed knife, but when Lilith’s voice suddenly jumped to the side, I could once again hear something piercing into the tree trunk. She rolled on the ground using the momentum from her jump and hid behind the trees to avoid the attack which had been continuously targeting her while she was rolling on the ground.

(I see. The light is the target………!!)

I noticed the reason why the aim was so precise and shouted towards my female partner.

“Julie, turn off the light!! It will be targeted!!”

“-----! Ja,Ja----!!”

A light coming from a further distance disappeared, after she shouted while turning it off.

At least she won’t get sniped with this.

---That thought was overly hasty.

Something accurately aimed at us as if they could see through the darkness.

Even though I used the trees and stared in the direction that the knife flew from, I could only see the dim forest continuously spreading out and could not see the enemy attacking us.

(An enemy…..!? On a deserted island like this……!?)

Although I was thinking that was impossible, we were currently being attacked.

I acknowledged the facts and switched my awareness to think of the enemy’s ident.i.ty.

Is it an a.s.sa.s.sin sent into the academy like Tsukimi?

Or maybe it’s those battle suit guys that we fought 2 months ago?

Or is it a totally different enemy?

My thoughts stopped when the sound of metal clas.h.i.+ng echoed.

(Oh no! Julie and Lilith got targeted!)

Even though I looked towards the direction where the echo of the sword clas.h.i.+ng was coming from, I could not see any moving shadows.

It seemed we were separated more than I thought.

(d.a.m.n it, I have to go to those two fast………!!)

Julie and Lilith were not in their best conditions and I am the only one who could fight at full strength.

However, I stopped my legs when I was about to run towards the corner where the sound echoed from.

---No, I had no choice but to stop.

That’s because a shadow was standing there blocking my path.

It was covered with black clothes and the face was hidden with a hood; that unidentifiable appearance made me think of a demon living in the darkness.

“I met the demon during the time of disaster huh.”

I made an ironic smile towards the shadow.

---But, that smile turned into bewilderment in an instant.

The moment the > danced around those black clothes.

And the moment those > took shape and transformed into a weapon.

“A >…….!?”

Part 2

There was a surprise attack in the darkness. On top of that, the ident.i.ty of the enemy had not been confirmed even though some time had past since the battle started-----

Normally, she would be maximizing her cautiousness and concentration.

Yes, normally.

However, Julie’s concentration had remained in disarray even after the moment the attack came.

The first attack was aimed at Tooru. Julie was also targeted immediately after Lilith shouted, and this event occurred right after she jumped away. The moment she landed her skirt flipped up.

“------!!”

She pushed down her skirt in a panic and looked towards her >-----Tooru.

The boy was making a stern expression towards the darkness----the direction the attack had come from----and was not concerned about Julie.

(It is safe, right…….?)

It was only for an instant and what’s more the surroundings were dark------but since the lights were still on, she could not determine whether he saw her or not.

But she had no time to indirectly confirm this with Tooru.

“Julie, turn off the light!! It will be targeted!!”

“----! Ja,Ja---!!”

Although she quickly turned off the light, she still received attacks since her position had been completely exposed to the attacker a few moments ago.

Julie pushed her skirt down while jumping away.

“What are you doing. Hurry up and manifest your >!”

With a low tone voice, an order came from Lilith.

“……….I know.”

Normally, she would be moving her attention to the matter at hand, but that was just how much the girl was in disarray.

(I have to concentrate……….!)

She was surrounded by the silence of the dark forest when she stopped moving.

The wind would sometimes shake the trees and the *Zazaza*, the sound of leaves brus.h.i.+ng each other……..was produced------

The attacker aimed for that single moment to launch the attack.

*Gikiin*!! *Giin*!! She used the > she manifested and deflected the flying object.

“> huh. So our enemy is a ninja?”

Even though Lilith saw the object that got knocked down and made that comment, her voice currently was not reaching Julie.

Julie's skirt would sway each time and she would knock it down, deflect and dodge; her concentration crumbled each time she did that.

(Where is Tooru…..!?)

She would look around the surroundings for Tooru, especially right after she made a big dodge.

She would be relieved that he could not be seen around but still felt uneasy at the same time.

Julie knew Tooru as someone who would still run to his comrades, no matter how injured he was, to prevent them from getting hurt. Since she couldn’t see him now, it would probably mean that something had happened to prevent him from running over.

If that was the case, then Julie thought that she had to defeat the enemy as fast as possible and run over to him herself but-----

“Kuuh………!!”

The enemy did not allow that and continued attacking from a distance. Since the attacks were mostly flying objects, Julie could only remain defensive because she could not close the gap.

Of course, the situation would change if she could close the gap, but she was hesitant in attacking when she thought of the possibility that she might be seen.

(What should I do………….)

Even though the reason was because of her own mistake, Julie hated the enemy for attacking in this situation.

(But Tooru might be in a big trouble, so now is not the time to be hesitating like this………!!)

On the other side, Lilith was a.n.a.lyzing the enemy calmly.

(Quite fast………but, not as fast as Julie.)

Lilith gave the silver girl a high score in that particular point of her battle technique.

Especially the way she moves her body; she had already experienced that first hand during the previous >. At that time Julie was impatient and she was able to deal with the straight forward and simple attacks without any difficulty. However, if she had attacked in a calmer manner then, the battle would probably have been more complicated.

Of course, Lilith thought that her victory still would not have changed.

Anyhow, there was a great difference with the movements of the girl holding the > standing beside her and the enemy attacking them right now.

(…………The problem would be that the enemy’s movements are not straight.)

The enemy changes the course path suddenly by kicking off of the abundant trees. The enemy would move in the opposite, upward and diagonal directions on the terrain; adding on, the biggest problem would be that the enemy uses the darkness to its maximum advantage, making it hard to confirm the precise location.

The gold girl could do something if she closed the gap, but she could not move because of a reason different than Julie’s. She probably thought that it was going to be hard to corner the opponent because she only had a cloth covering her bare feet, making her unable to bring out her optimal performance.

That was why she decided to concentrate. She would concentrate and prepare her > after predicting the enemy’s movements.

“…………There!! ----Kuh!?”

*Ga*. The long barrel backfired and the bullet shot to who knows where because the tip slammed on the surrounding trees.

(The reason why the attack was done here was to use the trees as a cage huh………not bad!)

Lilith made a fearless smile toward the enemy’s fighting style.

The > pierced through the darkness towards that smile but------

*Gikiin*!! Julie used her blade and slammed it down before standing in front of Lilith as if she was protecting her.

“…………..I never asked for your help.”

“Ja---. I just did it on a whim.”

Lilith did not say any more to that un-honest reply and returned her consciousness to the enemy.

(Not bad at all.)

Whether it’s the place selected for the surprise attack, or the timing, and more importantly-----the ability to match up with those who are >, even though she could not display her real abilities------Lilith was giving a good showing.

“Well then………..What should we do huh. It would be nice if there were more s.p.a.ce at least………..”

“………….So it will be okay if there is more s.p.a.ce, right?”

The silver girl dropped her sights and confirmed the feeling of her surroundings towards Lilith’s mumble and asked.

“You got a plan?”

“If you jumpsoar to the heavens in an instant-----I will make it for you”

Lilith opened her eyes wide for an instant but immediately understood Julie’s intentions.

“So, let’s do it in the next timing.”

“Ja---”

After Julie nodded, she looked at her feet again.

They were currently surrounded by thickets just reaching to their knees. Tooru was not nearby. It seemed the enemy was feeling superior right now and would probably avoid coming closer.

(It will be okay with this…….!!)

Soon-----that time came. The moment the > was thrown towards the girls, the girl with Yellow Topazblonde hair jumped straight up and the girl with Silver BlondeSilver hair sank her body in the opposite direction.

Julie spun her body while sinking-----and at the same time, used her blades to cut in a circle.

*kiin*……….!!The attacker certainly heard a high-pitched sound. It was not the clas.h.i.+ng echoing metallic sound of the > getting deflected and knocked down like what had been happening until now.

Then what was that, the answer appeared right in front the moment the attacker had that question.

*Mekimekimekimeki*…………….!! The cage trapping the silver and gold girl was-----

The trees collapsed in a radial manner.

---No, the silver girl had cut them all down.

“Wha……….!?”

The enemy could only be shocked at the girl who changed the scenery with a power unfitting her small body in one move----and because of that, a small chance was born.

The gold girl did not miss that chance and------

A gunshot echoed immediately right after.