The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic

Keira is gone.

When Mr. Gref came running to the abandoned house where we were resting late at night, I had a bad feeling about what he said.

It was obvious that Keira was in a deep depression.

But there was no way she could not see the danger of going out alone in the dark.

Intuitively sensing that something big was about to happen, I calmed down the panicking Mr. Greff and Rum and Rose, who had started to cry, and immediately set out to search for Keira.

Since we couldn't let Mr. Gref and the others out at night to search for Keira, I asked him to watch Ram and Rose while we split up and went into the forest to look for Keira.

"Burlin!　Do you remember the smell of Keira?

"Grua!"

Please, you're our only hope!

The fastest of us and the older man searched for Keira, relying on Bulrin's sense of smell.

Kazuki, Leona and Amako are searching in the vicinity of the village.

"Hey!　What about from the air?

"No, she's not here!　I mean, you guys are going too fast!　You should be more in tune with me in the sky!

I hear Néa's panicked voice coming from the sky, but neither I nor my senpai nor Bulrin intend to stop her.

The forest at night is quite dangerous.

There are demons that take advantage of the darkness to attack, and above all, I am worried that Keira's own magic will harm her.

"Usato, this direction is ......"

Yes, I know.

<

I nodded at the sound of Ferrum's voice coming from within.

In the direction that Bullein is heading --- the huge ruins.

A chill runs through me as I wade through the bushes and emerge into the wilderness where the ruins are located.

As we go, the armor of the brave heroes of my senior and me unfolds on its own.

"......It seems that coming here was a given."

"I guess so."

The older man, who has shifted his gaze to the scabbard in which the sword is stored, replies with a wry smile.

We are now in an open area, and Nair, who had been flying in the sky, comes down to my shoulder.

"Usato. Did Brulin tell you that Keira is just down the road?"

"Yes. I'm not sure if we can make it on our own, so why don't you bring Kazuki and the others?"

"Yes. And there's someone up ahead.

"...... see it from the sky?"

"From a distance, I saw one person and a flying dragon-like creature. I don't see anyone else. ......

He controls a flying dragon.

Are they soldiers of the Demon King's army or ......?

While I was pondering what to do, an older student who was listening with me spoke to Nair.

Nair, you go and get Kazuki and the others. I, Usato, and Bulrin will check on them, and if necessary, we will arrest them.

"Yes, all right. Take care."

Nair jumped up from my shoulder and soared into the sky, flying through the night.

Once she is out of sight, we try to get closer to whoever it is that is near the ruins.

"Be quiet, Bulrin, okay?"

"Grrr!"

"Gruuu."

One unnecessary squeak.

I look at my senpai.

"Senpai, please don't interrupt me in an emergency situation.

"Yes. ......"

The senior is dejected.

He regains his composure and moves forward, and as he does so, he sees debris at his feet.

"It's a wilderness, but there are rubbles here and there, aren't there?

"It doesn't look like it's been preserved, so I guess it's just rotting away. ...... Maybe it's even worse on the inside. We need to find Keira as soon as possible. ......"

"Yeah."

We continue to walk through the shadows, hiding behind what seems to be the wreckage of the ruins, and we find a demon woman making a bonfire at a little distance from the ruins, surrounded by the wreckage, just as Nair had said.

.

"I guess it's not unrelated ......."

"...... You are talking something to the flying dragon. Let's eavesdrop a bit."

The woman, who was standing idly in front of the fire, was talking to the red flying dragon beside her.

We move behind the rubble to eavesdrop and listen.

>

<>

I see...cows. The land of the beastmen is rich in nature, and I'm sure there are wild cows there.

He is muttering something soothing and far removed from the problems we are facing.

However, there was one name in the woman's words that I could not miss.

"...... Koga?　Is he here?"

<

"Don't say it. ......"

Ferrum seems to understand the troublesome nature of the cohort, as he is fed up with them.

But if he's here, he's probably seen Keira coming through here, isn't he?

"Sir. He might know what happened to Keira."

"If he was here, it's possible he saw you. ...... Oh, why don't you just ask him, Usato, in demon mode?　

"Nice idea. Well, let's get started: ...... ferrum."

The black magic that covers me transforms me into a white-haired, brownish demoness.

I still can't get used to having my hair change color, but it's just for looks, so I'll just have to put up with it.

"...... Okay. I'll go ask him.

"I'm counting on you, Usato-kun!"

"Grrr!"

He nods to his senpai and Bulrin, steps out of the shadows, and approaches the demon woman.

The woman and the flying dragon immediately turned their heads in alarm as they walked, kicking debris as if to make their presence known.

The light of the bonfire was casting a shadow on the woman's face, but I could see that she was very much alarmed.

"What the hell?

"Gyuu!"

What the hell is ......?

I throw my hands up in the air and call out to her, caught up in the anachronistic phrases.

"Excuse me. I saw a light... ...... Um, are you from the Demon Lord's army?"

"...... hiccup!"

What?"

For some reason, the female demoness backs away when she hears my voice.

She immediately came back to herself, shook her head and gave me a twitchy smile.

"It's nothing. I am a soldier of the demon army. Who are you?

I'm a traveler. I'm a traveler. I've been looking for a child who was with me on ...... my journey, and I've lost him. She is a girl of about 12 years old with gray hair. ......"

"...... Sean, have you seen him?"

"Gyu......"

The woman looks at Hiryu and shakes her head slowly.

Wow, they are communicating like me and Bulrin.

"Well, if you like, I can help you find it.　Me and Sean can find him from the sky.

"...... please."

Right now, Keira is more important than my feelings.

Maybe I can find her from the sky.

"For now, please come this way. I can't see her face from up there.

He seems to be a nice guy, though it's complicated from the standpoint of having fought many battles with the soldiers of the Demon Army.

...... Of course, the Demon Army isn't just fighting out of spite.

"Oh, I know it's hard for you to stand, so please sit down.

Yes, yes. But--"

"First of all, you need to calm down. Just give me a description of your child and my partner Sean and I will fly out to find him or her!"

Sean?　That name sounds familiar. Where have I heard it before?

Twisting my head, I nod at her words and approach the campfire.

Finally, I can make out the woman's face. .......

"Hmm?　You are ......"

I think he was a subordinate of Ms. Hannah, the leader of the Third Legion who fought in the battle against the Demon King's army. ......

I heard that she ran away during the Demon Lord's attack, but how did she end up here?

---Wait a minute, she knows my face.

No, I'm in demon mode now, so I should be able to fool her into thinking I look like someone else.

"But your clothes are very distinctive.

"Really?"

"I've seen creatures dressed like that too, but they move like crazy. It is definitely not a being that can be defined as human.

"Yeah, yeah. ......"

"Oh, excuse me. I'm Nono Herestea of the Flying Dragon Cavalry of the Demon King's Army. ...... what?"

She sat down on a stone diagonally in front of me and looked at me and stiffened as she introduced herself.

Okay, I'll just tell her right here that I'm a demon and act like I know what I'm talking about.

"Hee, hee!　Akuma!"

"Yes?"

"He's got horns!　True form?　He ripped off his human skin!

Wait, first of all, the premise doesn't hold anymore.

Why did we think he was a demon all along?　Why do you think he revealed himself?

When I couldn't say anything to her in her confusion, she fell backward, her face contorted in fear.

"You don't mean to kidnap a child?　And you came here to look for me and Hannah, whom you missed?

"Hey, calm down a bit..."

"--- Kyu."

When she saw me, she screamed in terror and fainted.

As if to catch up with my bewilderment, the flying dragon beside Nono threw out its limbs and fell to the ground.

Even its wings were rubbing against the ground.

The scene is chaotic beyond imagination, and I can't say anything.

>

"Why are you apologizing ......"

<>

Ferrum apologizes to me with a complicated look on his face.

Perhaps unable to see the situation, the senior and Bulrin come out from the shadows with subtle expressions on their faces.

"......Usato, what did you do to this girl?"

"This is the man I took prisoner during the battle with the Demon King's army. ......

"I see. I get the gist. Then I guess I'll have to go to ......."

I'm not convinced you'll be satisfied there. ......!

It can't be helped now that it's come to this. Let's give up the air search and wait here for Kazuki and the others.

As for the flying dragons---they are curled up beside Nono and scared, so we don't have to be on our guard. As for the flying dragons, we know why they are scared. .......

"Bulrin, do you know which direction Keira is?"

"Grrr!"

With a sniff, Bulrin points his paw beyond the darkness.

Beyond the darkness was the only place that was not rubble, the only place that still had some form left.

The only remains that were still in shape.

We met up with Kazuki, Leona, Amako, and Nea, and we were ready to enter the large ruins.

"Usato, are you sure you can leave her alone?"

Leona looked at Nono who was lying unconscious.

She seems to have been shocked a lot, so she won't wake up for a while, but ...... well, she'll be fine.

"I don't think it's a problem. They saw my face, but they probably don't recognize me as a ...... human being. ......"

"Oh, really?"

I say with a self-mocking laugh, and Leona looks a little taken back.

Well, there's also the other reason that if I try to harm Nono, the frightened flying dragon by my side is likely to resist with all his might.

"Worst case scenario, we might end up in a battle with KOGA ......?"

I don't want to fight Coga at a time like this, but it's that guy.

I'm sure he'll try to get Keira involved in the fight or make some other silly threat.

...... Worst case scenario, we'll all beat him to a pulp.

Usato.

"...... hmm?"

As I was thinking this, Amako, with an owl-like nea on her head, called out to me.

"I think that prediction is inevitable now," he said.

Yes, of course.

"So, you know. I've been thinking about it. ......"

Amako turned her head down, looking a little uncomfortable.

When I kneel on the ground at the level of her gaze, she opens her mouth in confusion.

"I was wondering if someone was leading us to do what we did.

"Guidance?　The one in your dreams?"

Maybe. I mean, he's kind of shady and suspicious.

If Amaco feels that way, he must be pretty good.

...... is getting creepy all at once.

"From my point of view, Keira seemed to be getting more and more cornered. Maybe it's because of the feeling that Usato might abandon her, but if that's not the case,...... she might be manipulated in some way."

"......Nea, is it possible?"

"I honestly don't know. But if you can fool my senses, you must be a great magician. It's possible that ...... you could have guided her thoughts so that she would act on her own initiative."

Someone might be manipulating Keira behind the scenes.

She was afraid that she might hurt someone, so she tried to lure us here by taking advantage of her emotions.

Keira was afraid of her own dark magic, and she didn't trust herself.

Still, not wanting to hurt her family, the Grefs, she turned to me and tried to learn how to use dark magic, but somewhere deep down she was convinced that she herself could not do it.

I don't know who she is, but if she was taking advantage of her kind-heartedness, not wanting to hurt anyone...,

"...... No."

Let's not have preconceived notions.

Our first priority now is to find Keira and keep her safe.