The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic

"Sis, I hear Usato is up to something again."

Kyou said something like that to me at the end of the school day.

My only response was a subtle "not again ......" expression on my face, but then I wondered what he had done this time. That ton of healing wizardry is .......

"As I recall, he was making a lot of noise this morning about Nack not being there, too. ...... Does that have something to do with it?"

"I don't know. But I overheard him say he's pretty pissed off."

"He's pissed ......? Usato?"

They look scared, but for some reason I can't imagine them being angry. Well, I guess they are training at a rented training ground, so I'll go check it out and see what's going on. I have seen Usato running with a blue grizzly on his back once, so I am not surprised anymore.

I pack my baggage and move toward the training area where Usato and the others are likely to be.

As we move forward without much conversation since it is not that far away, we notice that all the students on the road pass each other with a complicated expression on their faces.

"......?"

I wonder, but it is nothing to be concerned about, so I continue on my way.

Soon we arrive at the entrance of the training area. There are quite a few students near the entrance, all of them looking at the center of the training area, as if they are paying attention to something.

I look around and see Amako, a blonde girl with a familiar cloak sitting in the shade of a tree near the entrance.

He tries to call out to her, but he is mortified when he sees her face.

Her eyes are somewhat enlightened, as if she is looking into the distance. I felt a great sense of discomfort in her eyes, which seemed to have a different blankness to them than usual, and as I tilted my head, Kyou, who was following behind me, tapped me on the shoulder.

"Hey, sis. ......"

"Hmm, what's wrong?"

"Is that ......?"

For some reason, Kyou, who had turned pale, was shaking his finger and pointing toward the training area. What is it? He turns his head in that direction and exclaims, "I can't believe I'm doing this.

"......"

Oddly enough, it is the same reaction as the day before yesterday.

But this time, the power was different.

After all, ---- Usato was smiling a miserable smile as he stomped on Nack's back, who was lying on the ground.

"...... And you think you're running seriously with that? Do you think that makes you a full-fledged healing wizard? Come on, you can still run, right? ...... Get up quick, you slow wretch. Do you know how much time is being wasted while you're lying there in a heap?"

"Ha, hahi ...... yes."

The boy, his feet covered with a thin layer of healing magic light, has moved off Nack's back, and now Usato is urging him to get up on his toes. With his pleased grin and his abuse of even the fallen, he was a different man from the still mild-mannered one of yesterday.

Nack gets up with a grunt and tearfully runs as Usato urges him to do. Usato is staring at him from behind, as if stabbing him in the back.

He is gritting his teeth, tapping the ground with his toes in frustration, his teeth peeking out from between his lips like an animal, and his eyes glaring like a hawk's. The look on his face is indescribable.

Of course I was confused by his abnormality.

"What? Hey, hey, who is that?"

"Sis, I can't believe it, but it's ...... Usato."

That thing? Maybe some ogre snuck into the academy?

I mean, there's hardly any trace of him! No, you look the same, but you've been replaced inside and out! I'm more surprised than I was two days ago! What happened between this morning and now! At least when I saw you this morning, you were normal!

Confused and unable to believe that the person in front of me was really Usato, a more frightened-looking Usato leaps from his upright position with blinding speed.

I quickly followed him with my eyes, and he leapt and moved behind Nack, who was running, and kicked him lightly as if pushing his back with the flat of his foot as he ran with tears in his eyes. .........?

"Ugh!"

"You can't do this, Nack. We need to work on our healing magic."

Looking down at him with cold eyes, Usato grabbed Nack's head and forced him to face him.

"I told you to be aware of your magic, didn't I? So what, you're serious about ...... concentrating to the extent that you can unravel it with a little poking, right? If you're serious about it, I'd like to see you show a little of your true colors, Nack."

"...... but ......, I'm not used to it. ......"

"Hmm? It's been two days, remember? --- Do you really think that's a reason? Unlike me, you're starting from a place of learning magic, so you should be able to do it much faster. Yesterday I would have forgiven you, but not today. What I'm looking for from you is not the word ."

The tone of his voice is as warm as ever, but his voice is so cold that it makes one shiver.

It has an intimidating, chilling effect that sends a chill down my spine. Usato smiles at Nack, who shivers and looks away.

"You said that, didn't you? You said you wanted to beat up that cocky little b*tc* and pay her back for everything she's done."

"Well, you can't say that much ......."

"What?"

"Yes, I said it! Meena, I want to smash you so bad! I want to beat them to a pulp!

Nack replies in a hushed voice with his head in his hands.

The content of the conversation is so disturbing that I shudder regardless of whether or not there is a point of contention. It was such a spectacular scene that even she could not help but feel sorry for him, as if Meena had seen it.

In fact, the students who had gathered here for the purpose of training were all speechless, looking at Usato and Nack.

"I see...I see...but...but...but...but...but...but... Are you really serious about what you do? From my point of view, you're doing your best, right? But, you know, my training doesn't require a lot of hard work."

Nack looks as if he doesn't understand Usato's words.

I myself don't understand what he is trying to say. What does he mean that we don't have to work hard?

"I don't mind the word 'hard work' either. But that's not the point. It's not about the training that makes you feel like trying hard. That's not the way to train to be a healing wizard. What's the use of trying if it's just hard and painful training? You just get sick of it, don't you? Nothing is more useless than relying on abstract words to support oneself. So there is no need for a sense of accomplishment, no need for a sense of fulfillment, no need for words of exertion, nothing but the results obtained through the benefits of healing magic."

Usato said quickly.

I see, so you are asking me to be a puppet who just trains hard without thinking. ....... I honestly think it's a very ...... efficient and terrifying way of thinking, to cut off everything you gain along the way and to use all of that training as a source of your own strength.

But if we continue such training, we will surely run away from it. At least I would run away. I am sure all the students here must feel the same way.

"Don't try so hard. You've got to give it your all so you can't even feel that way. Are you a lickspittle healing wizard if you don't give it your all? What you're doing is simple, all you have to do is run without losing focus. There's nothing to get used to. Or are you saying I'm crazy to look left while looking right? If you don't have time to come up with some lame excuse like it's impossible because you're not used to it, just go for it."

"d*mn, ugh. ............"

"I will make you strong. I'm going to heal you as best I can, no matter how much you get hurt in the process. But if you go into this with that kind of half-hearted desire for results---I'll stop being so hard on you. I feel like an idiot for helping you half-heartedly.

"I'm not ...... halfway, I'm not halfway!"

Then give it your all. You have no strength, no endurance, and less than average reflexes, so there's only so much you can do. Do what you can, even if you can't. If you can't do it alone, we'll do it together.

He roughly releases his grip on Nack's head and slowly raises himself up from his half-sitting position and looks down at Nack. I can't see his face from here, but he must have a very serious expression on his face, because I can see Nack looking up at him.

"Come on, get up. If you don't stand up here, you'll be a failure in the truest sense of the word.

Knack, maybe you could break.

The training that Usato has shown you is, so to speak, extremely dangerous and without regard for yourself. Even if your body is fine thanks to the healing magic, there is no way your mind can endure it.

It is rather strange that Usato would have been able to overcome it.

Unlike our thoughts, however, Nack roughly wiped away the tears from his eyes and stared back at Usato with a fearful look in his eyes.

"! ......I'll do it,......I'll do it,......I'll do it,......I'll do it,......I'll do it,......I'll do it,......I'll do it!

Nack gritted his teeth tightly, shook off Usato's hand, and started to run, almost staggering.

Although he is running dangerously, a faint but shimmering green aura surrounds his body, indicating that he is concentrating on what Usato said.

His attitude toward training is clearly different from yesterday's. .......

"Kukku...... kuuuuuuuwaaaaaaah!!!!"

Desperate.

There is no better word to describe him right now.

Usato, who had been staring at him with his arms folded behind his back, exhaled in relief and returned to his usual gentle face with a reassuring smile.

It seems like a touching scene, but for those of us who are watching, the situation seems to have been resolved without us knowing what was going on.

"Hm, this is a very nostalgic scene. ......"

! ...... sir."

A tall woman, Ms. Carla, appears near us, still stuck in confusion and shock. She is a teacher of magic who is in charge of our class. She has a somewhat difficult personality, but she is one of those rare teachers who treats both beasts and humans equally, and is therefore a person who is looked up to by her peers who attend this school.

She has a happy smile on her face, but does she know the reason why Usato is like this ......?

As I look at her questioningly, the teacher turns to me, perhaps noticing my gaze.

"Hmm, Kiriha and Kyou? ...... I see, you're the two who were staying with Usato, aren't you?"

"...... yes."

There is nothing too strange about knowing that Usato is sleeping in our dormitory.

The question is ...... what the teacher thinks about it. The teacher smiles at me when I get all defensive.

"You don't have to be so cautious, I won't do anything. I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

"...... Usato is human and we're beastmen, right? It's pretty funny from someone else's point of view, isn't it?"

"You guys don't mind having him stay at your place, do you? That gives you a general idea of how he treats people. You've never met anyone like that before."

I can't say anything back.

Certainly there has never been anyone as messed up as Usato and Suzune. Kyou is getting used to being Usato, but there's still something about him that I can't get over. It's not a bad feeling, that's for sure, but it's definitely something frustrating.

As I was struggling with these complicated feelings and distorting my expression, the teacher turned his attention to Usato again.

"That was probably an act. His teacher was more devilish than Usato because of his hands and legs. But even with that, he looks enough to remind me of her. It's a pleasure to see them ...... as they don't look so much alike, but they are so much alike. ......"

"What, acting ......? Are you saying that was on purpose?"

And he casually said something outrageous, this guy.

The person who is more awesome than that Usato who is spewing out curses that make the air tremble with an ogre-like expression is the person who imposed the reckless training that he mentioned during the first day of training, right?

...... I can no longer see my master as a human being.

"It's impossible to strengthen in a short period of time without doing so. In fact, his training yesterday was too gentle. I don't know what happened to him, but I think he is finally training like a healing magician. It's a sight I was used to seeing when I was in the Kingdom of Lingle, ...... but to see it now here in Lucvis, it's very emotional."

"Wow. ......."

I think there is a clear discrepancy between what she says is typical training for a healing magician and what we know is typical training for a healing magician.

"Either way, the next three days, including today, are sure to be fruitful for him. Well, it's inevitable that his personality will be corrected a little. Ha-ha-ha-ha."

He says this jokingly and smiles pleasantly.

It is a joke that I would understand if I were to see a spectacular training in front of me like this. I smile at Kyou, who, like me, is unable to take a joke as a joke, and my eyes shift to the setting sun.

"I think I'd better go home now. ...... It's going to take a while for Usato and the others to get there."

I'll go pick up Satsuki.

I'll take care of it.

I'm glad I came to watch Usato's training, but it took longer than I thought it would. I'm still tempted to watch him, but I think it's time to go home.

I'll leave it to Kyou to pick up Satsuki from school. ......Amako should probably go home with Usato and Nack, given the way she's been acting. I'll just bow to the teacher and leave.

"Stop running around like a fool! Run as fast as you can!

"Aaaaah!"

"...... I'll make more dinner tonight."

Somehow, that's what I thought when I saw Nack running like a maniac.

In the end, Usato, Nack, and Amako came home just after I had finished cooking dinner. By that time, Kyou and Satsuki had already returned, so it was inevitably a dinner of the six of us.

But .......

"Ugh, wow ...... it's delicious ...... aagh ...... I'm alive ......"

"Na, nak ...... there's no need to eat anything while crying."

Nack returned home while being carried by Usato, and as soon as he woke up, he brought the dinner he had prepared to his mouth. As he was shoveling down his soup with tears and snot running down his nose, I was having mixed feelings about whether I should be happy for him or not, when I saw Usato sitting opposite him smiling at me.

"Ha-ha-ha, you're overreacting, Nack."

"No, no, no, it's your fault. I mean, your personality is totally different from when you were training."

"I was pretending to be my master. It was intentional, wasn't it?

"You didn't do it on purpose! You were happy to do it, you know!"

"Shush, that's rude! I hope you don't lump me in with those sadists! Amaco! Tell that to Kyou! You've met the Commander before, haven't you!"

"Frogs are frogs, aren't they?"

"Hey, what does that mean?"

"It's a beastman's word! It means "blood is blood" or something like that!

"Thank you, Satsuki. But you know, that's not what I meant. I meant why Amako said that to me. ......"

"Oh, that way? Then Usato's master is like an ogre."

"...... Let's not make it sound like I looked like an ogre in training, from the way we've been talking. Right?"

No, you're an ogre.

"Yes, it's an ogre."

Kyou, let's go outside for a minute.

Why am I the only one?

The dining table was lively with gibberish. Nack is in the middle of it all, not paying attention to the noise, and he's shoveling his food into his mouth, so I sigh, put down the scoop in my hand, and ask him what's on my mind.

Is Nack going to be okay?

"Ugh ...... okay, what do you mean?"

"I was just wondering if you're not afraid of Usato, since he trained you so hard."

I wonder if he is not disgusted by all that training.

Nack's eyes widened a little at my words, and he turned to me and opened his mouth, troubled.

It's true that I'm scared, but it's also what I wanted.

"...... I see."

Nack is thinking in his own way, too.

Moreover, the look in his eyes has clearly changed from the first time we saw him to something stronger.

Something must have happened between this morning and noon.

"And we think that Usato-san from the training session and Usato-san now are different people."

"Oh, yeah, ......."

I felt as if all the light had gone out of Nack's eyes at once.

As my cheeks twitched at the sight of Nack's dry smile with no light in his eyes, Usato, who was playing with the other three, turned his head toward Nack who was talking with me as if he remembered something.

"Oh, yes. Nack, I have something for you.

"Something I should give you? Is it something related to ...... training?"

Hmmm, something similar. Maybe you don't need it, but just take it.

With that, he took a stack of papers ...... out of his pocket and held out a notebook to Nack.

"...... what do you use this for?"

"It's a diary. I recommend that you start writing in it today if you can, but you don't have to if you don't want to."

"Oh, so the training of a healing wizard requires you to write in a diary. Is that it? Like writing down a record of your growth and development?"

"Ha-ha-ha, it's not that cool. It's not that cool. It's more like a trick to get through hard training. I also kept doing it because the Commander told me to, but thanks to the ...... diary, I was able to keep training and not lose sight of myself."

"? ...... not lose yourself?"

"Why do you keep a diary? Mr. Usato."

I thought a diary was for writing about yourself, not losing yourself.

"To escape the reality of the training that's coming. Well, maybe Nack, who only has two days, doesn't need it."

"......"

That's not a diary: .......

I can't put it in any other words, but I assure you. It's a diary, not a journal. ......usato

Nack looks at the diary he was given with a puzzled look on his face.

Usato is pondering over it as if he misses it while he is puzzled.

Seeing the two of them who have established such an uneven master-disciple relationship, I was a little anxious about the training that Nack would be given tomorrow.　

Afterwards, the noisy and lively dinner was over.

While everyone was free to go back to their rooms, I quickly finished cleaning up the dinner, and checked and prepared for tomorrow's breakfast. I am the only one who can cook, so I am in charge of all the food in this dormitory.

Therefore, if I am not careful, I might end up skipping a meal, which is a terrible situation, and I have to be careful how I manage the money to buy food since it is limited.

Well, money is not so much of a problem for me since I work with Kyou at a restaurant owned by a suburbanite whom I have a good relationship with.

"......Got it. ......Ummmmm..."

I finish getting ready for tomorrow and slowly stretch out.

Now what am I going to do after this? I could go back to my room and study, or I could take a quick bath and go to bed since I have an early start tomorrow.

With a sigh of relief, you leave the kitchen for the living room with its tables.

"Nobody's here ......?"

Everyone has gone to their rooms, so it's not surprising that no one's here. I remember Nack took that diary with him when he went back to his room.

I wonder if he will write in it since Usato gave it to him. I wonder if he'll write it down correctly since he's so meticulous, despite his bad eyesight.

Smiling at the thought, I head for my room to get a change of clothes.

"...... is there someone outside ......?"

I hear a bang, like something exploding, and turn toward the door leading outside.

...... thieves? But no one has ever come all the way to this place before, and there's hardly anything worth stealing. With the basket hand on the wall attached only to his right arm, he puts his hand on the door and slowly peeks in through the opening.

In the space outside, lit only by the moonlight, you see a figure.

"......?"

He grips his right arm with a basket hand in front of the suspicious figure he sees.

However, as my eyes gradually became accustomed to the darkness, the figure was revealed to me, and I involuntarily lost my composure as to the true identity of the figure.

"What is it ...... Usato? ......"

"Hmm? Hey, isn't that Kiriha? What's wrong?"

Usato, who turned his head to look at us, tilted his head to see if he noticed that we had opened the door. I'm glad I'm not the thief.

I wish you wouldn't worry me unnecessarily anymore.

It's natural to be concerned when you hear noises outside. What were you doing out there?

I was practicing a little magic.

This late?

Usato and Nack would normally be in bed by now.

"I was thinking of using it in tomorrow's training, so I thought I'd practice it while I still can."

"Healing magic? You already used it."

When I was running the knacker, or when he fainted.

He smiled confidently at my words and suddenly raised his right hand and began to knead his magic. Green magic overflowed from his hand and formed into a sphere, which settled in his hand. Obviously, this is not the cloaking magic that Usato had used when he was fighting Halfa, but a release magic similar to mine and Kyou's. .......

So Usato was practicing to release healing magic as a magic bullet.

When I was convinced, Usato suddenly grabbed the magic bullet in his hand, twisted his upper body, and shook his head...

"Hmmm!

"...... throws ......, eh?"

What kind of magic bullets do you send out!

The magic bullet, which was sent out in a too absurd way, hit the wooden box in front of him with great force, making the popping sound we heard earlier, and then it scattered to pieces.

Stunned, I looked at the spot where the magic bullet had struck, and for some reason, Usato had a proud expression on his face. He told me that he had no talent for releasing magic power, so he had to make do with brute force, and that's how he ended up in such a mess.

Magic is not something that can be managed by brute force. .......

"Just right. Kiriha, stand there for a moment. I'll see if it works.

"No, I don't want to! Because it's clearly caged in physical power!"

"It's healing magic, it'll work."

"There's no way I can take a fastball like that just because it's healing magic! What kind of super power do you have to throw it to make it fly like that?

"Well, it's just ...... arm strength."

I still think this guy is a monster. .......

He never ceases to amaze me with the crazy things he can do with his sunny face.

"Wow, I've been surprised ever since you came to ......."

"You keep surprising me, ......, you keep doing things that surprise me."

When we first met him, but when he was fighting with Halfa, when he was training with Nack, and when he came here with Amako, he behaved in ways that I never expected.

You never know what he will do.

.......

"I thought all humans were cold."

Just because they have different ears and tails from other people doesn't make them human.

Even that Halfa is not so different because the standard of distinction is not beast or human but strong or weak, and I still can't believe that we are having a human-like discussion with a human like Usato now.

"As for me, I thought I was treating him normally. ......"

"It's funny because you can treat them normally. I heard that to most people, beastmen are not people at all."

"...... I don't think so."

That's the way it is in this city, or even in this world. On the contrary, I wonder why Usato can talk to us like that.

I look at his troubled expression and think, "What the hell.

He did nothing wrong. I was about to say a few words of apology, but before I could open my mouth, Usato, sitting on top of the crate that had just been hit with a magic bullet, interrupted me with a nostalgic remark.

"It's common sense in this world,...... but I'm not from this world, so it doesn't matter."

"...... Huh!"

The words were so unrealistic that I sounded stunned.

"It's called summoning the brave, and I'm the one who got caught up in the two brave men who were summoned to the Kingdom of Lingle and got summoned.

"Brave man means ...... that you really were as brave as the story says!"

"? What else is on ......?"

What else is it? ...... It has been a human custom for the last few hundred years that those who have distinguished themselves in battle or those who have been personally chosen by the king of a country are revered as those who are worthy of the name of "hero. At least that's what my students think.

Even now, there are a very few who have the of brave. However, they are not truly brave, but only a title.

However, the heroes Usato is referring to --- Inukami and Kazuki --- are genuine heroes summoned from another world, just like the heroes who sealed the Demon King hundreds of years ago and single-handedly kicked out an army of demons. And if Usato himself was born in the same world as the heroes, then his extraordinary power makes some sense.

"So you got caught up in a hero who came from another world. ...... I can see why you're so strong."

"Ha-ha-ha, I'm different. I just have a little more magic power than most people, and what I have now is the result of my training.

"I think that's the problem."

It is frightening that you have no special talents, yet you are as good as the bravest of the brave.

When I think about it, it's funny to compare Usato, who has only physical attacks, with a brave warrior who has a powerful system of magic, but I can't help but think about it.

"I digress. Well, what I'm trying to say is that I, who come from a different world, don't understand the discrimination in this world either. I mean, there are no demons or subhumans in my former world, so it's rather rare to find people like you.

"...... even more so, aren't you afraid? You can read about me at ......."

I'm surprised that there are no subhumans or demons, but if that were the case, wouldn't they be rather uncomfortable with me and Amako, who are subhumans they've never seen before?

"I'm not afraid.

But Usato brushes off our words.

"We have unusual ears and a tail that humans don't have. Our eyes and noses are many times better than humans, and our ...... arms are strong enough to put a big crack in a big rock."

"I could smash you to pieces like that, too."

Well, I didn't say shattered. ......?

No, no, no, don't let them push you.

"You look more like a demon than a man. ......! Some demons actually speak human language! No matter how human they look, they are definitely different! We are!

"Then I'm an ogre, too. Because, as you said, if I have a part that's not human, then I'm like a demon.

"You're a monster ...... like an ogre, but you're a human being."

"Now, I'm really bothered that you just reworded it as monster, but let's leave it at that. ......"

His eyebrows twitch, but he turns his body toward us with his arms crossed.

"To be honest, I don't care what you call humans or beasts. That's why I can't make sense of your endless questions and answers, and no matter how many times I repeat them, my perception will never change.

After all, I don't even feel bad feelings from Usato.

He smiled a smile that remained benign, regardless of our first meeting.

"To me, you're nothing but a cosplay girl with ears and a tail."

"Huh? Kosupure?"

"......I've moved a little bit of Inukami-senpai's bad side. ...... Forget what I said earlier. ......"

"? ...... well, okay."

"...... Kohon. Kiriha, I somehow guessed that you're in some kind of trouble. But I dare say that to me, human, beast, and demon are no different. I am out of tune with the people of this world from the very beginning, and I don't think I need to be in tune with them. Inukami-senpai would have answered your question whether he is afraid of me<<> and "

"......Huh,huh,......What's that, you're trying to impersonate Inukami?"

"Don't ever tell him. He's the kind of person who blushes at this kind of thing. ......"

Usato, who raised his voice a little and tried to imitate Inukami's subtle resemblance, couldn't help but smile. I should have been frustrated and suspicious earlier. .......

"I see. ......"

Maybe my worries over the past few days were just that simple.

I was afraid to recall the feelings I had when I came to Lukvis, feelings that I had almost forgotten, like when I still had hope for the human existence, unlike now.

I had seen so much of the worst in humanity that I didn't want to be betrayed, and I didn't want to be abandoned by the people I had believed in. I tried my best not to trust people and not to let them into my heart, but in the back of my mind, I kept having conflicting feelings of .

I guess I was thinking too much. ......

When Usato and Amako appeared in front of me with these thoughts in my mind, they easily awakened feelings that had been smoldering in the back of my mind. I had been mired in doubt and suspicion since then, but now I finally understood my feelings and the person of Usato.

You are a strange person after all. Your magic is not normal, and your attitude towards us is not normal. And when you're training, you're beyond weird, you're just abnormal.

"Yeah, ...... too scattered ......."

"That's still a compliment. It's because of you that Amako found you and Nack is now able to stand up to you. And I get to talk to you like this."

"I don't feel like I'm being praised, but ...... well, whatever."

I found out too late, but it's not too late.

I've been waiting for this for years.

It was my purest wish when I came here.

I want a human friend.

A childish, childish, foolish wish, but I no longer have the faith that it will come true.

But if I can make it come true now, in the reality in front of me, I can ...... step forward once again.

First of all, ...... let's try our best to make friends with this strange person in front of us.