Chapter 147 – Elflandia
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“This···. It’s a big deal…”
Raon, who was breaking out in a cold sweat, pressed his lower stomach tightly and bit his lip as if in anger. It is felt. What he had been dormant for a while was now active again.
Unpleasant feeling that seems to be rooted deep inside his body is spreading throughout his body. Raon tried to suppress the movement of the parasite as much as possible somehow, but he still had a hard time resisting.
It is a monster that has already been rooted in the body for a long time. Rather, the monster’s pulsation was getting stronger, as if mocking Raon’s resistance.
“Now, wait a minute… Why?”
“The parasite in my body… It seems to have started working again…”
“Yes?”
Rien looked at Raon with her perplexed eyes.
I had been focusing on the battle in Area 39 until just now, so I didn’t have time to listen properly. But even so, Rien already knew the story that elves were currently being manipulated by parasites.
“Well, then… Am I going to be controlled by the parasite again?”
“Maybe···. It looks like it will…”
In the middle, Raon, who was sitting on the floor, raised his head and said to Rien.
“…Commander Lien. I’m sorry, but I think you’d better subdue me now. Even though I’m handcuffed…”
“Repressive…?”
“Yes···. Anything is fine, so use magic to…!”
At Raon’s urgent voice, Rien had to ponder while biting her lips. Even if it’s suppression… It was because my head was complicated about what kind of magic to use.
Even though Rien was a wizard, it didn’t mean that she had mastered anti-personnel magic. After all, being a commander was meant to assist the pilots.
As such, all of Lien’s magical abilities were concentrated in her observations. Of course···. That doesn’t mean she hasn’t mastered offensive magic at all. Because she should have at least some means of self-preservation.
However, the problem was that all of the attack magic Rien could handle were killing magic to kill the opponent, not to subdue them.
Raon could die if he used offensive magic recklessly.
Then it’s difficult Because she is an important collaborator who will tell us about the circumstances of Elflandia.
So, in the moment of agony, Rien had no choice but to make a passive choice. She decided to use elementary level elemental magic rather than offensive magic.
Rien, who finished her judgment, immediately began to cast her spell.
Soon after, the air around her began to gather and gather at her fingertips, and Rien shot the compressed air directly at Raon.
────!
Before long, Raon’s body hit by the magic flew away, and he hit the wall with his back and fell limp. It was as if she had lost consciousness.
Seeing Raon fainting, Rien was relieved.
“Whoa… This should have been enough… Uh?”
However, as soon as she finished her murmur, Rien’s face began to harden. It was because Raon, who raised her head, was staring at Lien.
There was no warmth in Raon’s eyes. She is a flat-eyed, devoid of any emotion. Seeing her eyes, Rien felt a chill run down her spine.
What is in front of her now is something wearing Raon’s shell.
Was that what she said about being controlled by a parasite?
Just when Rien realized the meaning, Raon, who was lying on her floor, kicked her to the ground.
At that moment, only the sharp intent to kill shone coldly in his dry eyes. At that gaze, Lien felt her legs loosen up.
It may sound pathetic to the rest of her unit, but Rien had never physically fought anyone before. To be honest, Rien’s physical abilities were poor enough to be at the level of her children.
She was always observing the movements of the bugs in the Aegis, so she did not have enough time to train her body.
“Ugh?!”
It was when Rien hurriedly retreated from Raon. She was in such a hurry that Rien couldn’t take a few steps and her leg got twisted and she fell.
And aiming at Rien, Raon mercilessly rushed at him.
“Huh?!”
It’s the worst. Grinning her teeth at her own absurd mistake, Rien squeezed her eyes shut with her terrified face on her face.
“·······”
And how many seconds have passed? No matter how long she waited, the pain never came. Instead, all I could hear was a thud and the sound of something falling helplessly.
Wanting to know what the sound was, Rien carefully opened her eyes. Then, as she stunned Raon, who pounced on Lien, she saw the figure of Netoru, who was slowly laying her on the floor.
“Commander. Are you okay?”
Dry voice. However, what is contained in it is the warmth of caring for the other person. Lien, who had been listening to the voice in a daze, blinked her eyes. Perhaps because her appearance was strange, Toru tilted her head.
“Commander?”
“Ah···. Yes? Ah···. I’m fine, I’m fine.”
Rien, who had come to her senses belatedly, stood up from her seat, laughing awkwardly at her and brushing the dust off her buttocks.
“Netoru. But Mr. Raon…”
“It looks like the bug inside your body has awakened.”
Netoru looked at Raon with her complex eyes and said.
“I’d better take him to the infirmary first.”
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Raon, who had lost consciousness, was moved to a hospital room with a sleeping magic enchanted. Raon’s husband, Kargon, was also sleeping soundly, occupying one of the beds in the hospital room. It was because when he returned to the unit, he enlisted the help of Asuna and put him to sleep with sleep magic.
Originally, sleep magic doesn’t work well for rational beings, but it didn’t matter to the two of them, perhaps because they were being manipulated by a bug.
“I will come back to check on you when the situation is resolved. It’s not yet time for me to leave.”
When Rien saw that Raon was asleep, she went back to Aegis. A fierce battle with the bugs is still going on in Area 39. As she said, it was not time for the commander to be away.
Of course, there is practically nothing that Lien in the city can do to get involved in the affairs of Area 39, which is far away.
But just like before, she had to keep an eye on her because she didn’t know when the rangers might infiltrate again. Due to the nature of the rangers, if there was a slight gap in the commander’s observation area, she could re-infiltrate at any time.
So, in fact, the members of Unit 393 were currently waiting around the city to be able to move at any time. So that if a ranger is observed, it can respond immediately.
Then, if a battle really broke out, Netoru would also have to sortie immediately.
“…Netoru. So, are you saying that Natsuo is being manipulated by bugs like Raon?”
Karen, who had been watching Raon together in her infirmary, spoke to her after a long time had passed after hearing about her parasite from Toru.
She originally intended to talk when things were sorted out, but
Karen also saw Raon, controlled by the bug, attack Rien inside the Aegis, so she had no choice but to explain.
“Probably, it will. The Ranger who took Natsuo was also being manipulated by the bugs.”
“···Okay?”
Is it too much of a shock? Karen’s expression darkened considerably. She pursed her lips, unable to hide her melancholy expression. Besides, she was in a situation where she even missed her ranger who took Natsuo with her.
She might have joined the bugs by now.
“…Netoru. Will Natsuo be able to return to normal?”
“Well···. She has to find a way somehow.”
“What if she keeps being manipulated by bugs? Mr. Raon also came to his senses and was manipulated again.”
“That···.”
Karen lowered her gaze to the floor as Netoru slurred her words.
“You’re not supposed to fight Natsuo, are you? If Natsuo suddenly appears as an enemy riding a holy cavalry like the elves that appeared today…”
“·······”
“Me···. That’s really… Nope···. As much as that…”
Netoru fell silent at Karen’s crying voice.
How will the bugs who took Natsuo try to use him? As Karen, who was filled with tears in the midst of such doubts, headed to her door, Ne Toru asked.
“Karen. Where are you going?”
“Just···. I’ll go get some fresh air.”
After Karen disappeared from her hospital room, Netoru turned her head and looked at Raon in her bed.
She wasn’t, but she was a woman who had been restless since coming to the base. She said she never knew when she would change.
She was constantly afraid of parasites in her body.
So Raon explained the situation in Elflandia in detail to Netoru while returning to her unit.
She just in case she gets manipulated by the bugs again.
In that respect, judging from the story I heard from Raon.
Maybe I’ll really get into a holy cavalry fight with Natsuo. Then the problem is after that.
Is it possible to defeat Natsuo and then restore him to normal?
In order to do so…
“…A way to kill parasites?”
Netoru looked at the unconscious Raon and was lost in thought.
Says Leon. It was said that the parasite resided in his magical nervous system. He said that the reason he was able to come to his senses was because of the recoil that came when the genital bottle was destroyed…
Then, if you check the magical nervous system…
“·······”
Worth a try.
But before that, Netoru let out a deep sigh and turned his back.
It was because he was concerned about Karen leaving her room. He must be outside crying endlessly by now.
…Netoru didn’t want to see Karen cry any more over this.
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The night wind brushes my cheeks. However, there was no sign of cooling down the tears in his eyes. Karen, who was out on the balcony, looked blankly at the night sky.
…Natsuo seems to have been infected with a parasite.
To be honest, Netoru’s words felt somehow unrealistic. Did the bugs shooting guns and shells even have the ability to take human bodies?
However, he couldn’t deny Netoru’s words. Didn’t you actually see Karen with your own eyes? That’s the abnormal Natsuo figure.
Furthermore···. At that time, she even admitted to the fact that there was an unknown monster taking Natsuo’s body.
─This, you found out too soon. Are you also a childhood friend? I like my eyesight better than I thought.
It was definitely Natsuo’s voice. However, her tone of voice and attitude were by no means Natsuo’s. Something unpleasant that literally covered Natsuo’s shell.
That’s what Karen was able to notice at once. No matter how much she looked like Natsuo, the inside felt completely different.
Then the question is
—Karen… Sorry···. But she’s patient… Are you sure you’ll be fine? Huh?
Did Natsuo truly mean that she was forcibly taking off my clothes in her room at that time, or did she have no choice but to do so because of her bug?
───That’s why I can’t give up any more. How can I give you to another man
Perverted feelings. Perverted thinking.
“·······”
Karen reached out and touched the bandage wrapped around her own neck, recalling Natsuo’s face and eyes as he strangled her.
But Karen couldn’t recall the face of Natsuo she saw in her room. Rather than being confused and not remembering… Because she was just scared.
At that moment, obviously, Karen… She was feeling scared. To a boy she has been friends with for a long time.
As I recalled that incident, her body trembled against my will. Her breath is choked and her limbs tingle. Her head and body were refusing to remember what had happened in the room.
It was then that her vision was disturbed and even the sound of Karen’s breathing was disturbed.
Widely-.
“…!”
Karen looked back in surprise when someone grabbed her by the shoulder from behind her. Looking for someone, a man with faded golden hair… It was Netoru.
“…Netoru?”
But it was at that moment when Karen called his name.
Kkok…
“Ah? Now, wait a minute…”
Karen’s eyes widened. Because all of a sudden Netoru took her Karen into her arms.
“Go, suddenly… What’s this?”
“Karen.”
Netoru whispered as he placed his chin on top of Karen’s head, who was taken aback by the sudden embrace.
“···Don’t worry. Natsuo, I’ll save you somehow.”
“·······”
It is an infinitely sincere and resolute voice.
Thanks to this, the movement of Karen, who was struggling in his arms, stopped in an instant.
Instead, Karen squeezed the hem of his dress and pursed her lips.
Don’t worry… Netoru was always like this. He always told Karen not to worry.
But Karen knows. That Netoru is not a man who speaks lightly. And with what kind of resolution he is saying this now.
The reason why I am following you and holding you in my arms right now is probably because I am worried about my continued crying. For some reason, that fact made Karen weep even more.
“Don’t worry… Really, can I trust you?”
“Of course.”
Tohru’s answer made Karen burst into tears again.
It’s stupid. Was I a crybaby like this?
I don’t know how many times I’ve already cried today. Even in front of one person.
However, it was strange that Netoru’s arms felt relieved and comfortable, so the tears didn’t stop.
…In such a landscape where time seems to have stopped.
Karen murmured in Netoru’s arms.
“···Huh. I will believe you.”
