「Let’s run away, onii-chan」
「Eh……」
That’s a pretty extreme thing to say all of a sudden, Ralina-chan……
Even now, the tree Jered-kun climbed is being slammed into over and over by the Wild Boar, and you’re saying we should abandon Jered-kun and run…….
「A Wild Boar is still not an opponent we can beat」
「That may be true, but……」
「So it can’t be helped」
「It can’t be helped……?」
Jered-kun is my best friend, and he’s not someone I can just write off as “it can’t be helped”……
「Jered-kun would probably think it can’t be helped too」
「Well, if it’s Jered-kun, he might think that, but……」
「For our sake, Jered-kun would gladly become a sacrifice」
「No, no……」
Even if Jered-kun really felt that way, isn’t that something we’re not supposed to say from our side?
Isn’t that a line only the person themselves is allowed to say?
「Please. I’m worried about you, onii-chan……」
「Ralina-chan……」
「This really can’t be helped. It’s an unavoidable sacrifice……」
「A sacrifice……」
Previously, I had collected hair for resurrection, just in case someone close to me died.
My family, and five people outside my family.
I decided on five slots for non-family, so unfortunately Jered-kun didn’t make the cut.
At the time, I remember jokingly saying――
『Jered-kun was sacrificed……』
But still, I never imagined it would come to this.
A close friend whose hair I hadn’t kept, Jered-kun, has fallen into a critical situation at the worst possible moment.
He’s really about to become a sacrifice……
If we manage to get through this fight safely, maybe I should ask to collect Jered-kun’s hair too……
Maybe I should ask Nana-san to increase the number of hair collection slots……
「Ah, onii-chan. Look at that」
「Huh? Ah, Jered-kun noticed us, maybe?」
Jered-kun had been looking down at the Wild Boar from the tree with a troubled expression, but it seems he noticed Ralina-chan and me. He looks at us with a surprised expression.
「Um, should I wave at him for now?」
「Eh……?」
To encourage Jered-kun, I wave my hand with a smile.
Even so, being waved at in this situation, he clearly cannot wave back with a smile. Jered-kun has a very awkward expression.
And Ralina-chan beside me also has an awkward expression.
「Hm? That is……」
「I think it means run away」
「Yeah……」
Jered-kun, who had shown troubled, surprised, and exasperated expressions, now looks panicked and makes gestures as if to drive us away.
He is probably trying to tell us to run because it is dangerous.
But after being shown that kind of self-sacrificing spirit, there is no way we can just run away――
「Let’s run away, onii-chan」
「Eh……」
「Jered-kun is saying that too, so let’s run, onii-chan」
「Hmm……」
「Let’s escape and survive, and live our lives together to the fullest for Jered-kun too」
「Don’t just kill him off on your own…… And besides, even though he’s in serious danger himself, he’s still worrying about us that much. I can’t abandon a best friend like that」
I could feel an intense sense of friendship from Jered-kun.
There was no way I could run away and leave behind a best friend like him.
For now, to show Jered-kun my resolve, I clenched my fist and gestured toward him.
「――Alright, I’ve decided」
「We’re running away?」
「No, not running away…… First, there’s something I want to ask you to do, Ralina-chan」
「Something you want me to do?」
「I want you to make a wall or dig a hole around here with 『Earth Wall』」
To stop the Wild Boar from easily reaching us, I want her to build a barricade with earth magic.
「Once that’s done, Ralina-chan――go back to the village and call for help」
「Eh…… What about you, onii-chan?」
「I’ll stay here and keep an eye on Jered-kun」
「Why……! That’s…… I mean, it’s true I’d be faster alone than with you, onii-chan, but……」
I never said that, and I wasn’t even thinking it.
……But well, I guess that’s true. You’re right.
「Then, Ralina-chan, please」
「No! Absolutely not!」
「Ralina-chan……」
No, this is already decided. No matter what, I have to make Ralina-chan accept it.
Ralina-chan is being extremely stubborn, but I’ll do my best to persuade her.
Well, somehow or another, Ralina-chan is the kind of girl who listens when I seriously ask. It should work out.
◇
It took almost thirty minutes to convince her……
Ralina-chan was far more stubborn than I expected.
While listening to the dooon dooon sounds of the Wild Boar ramming Jered-kun’s tree, I ended up persuading her for nearly thirty minutes……
「Alright, I’ll go back to the village……」
「Yeah. Thank you, Ralina-chan. I’m counting on you」
From the end of the persuasion to the completion of the barricade, a bit over thirty minutes passed.
With that much time, she could have gone back and forth to the village with time to spare.
It feels like we wasted a lot of time, but at least the barricade is finished, and Jered-kun is still safe.
By the way, Jered-kun has jumped from tree to tree twice.
The tree he was on got broken by the Wild Boar’s charge.
Seeing that, he actually seems pretty okay.
「Onii-chan, please stay safe……?」
「I’ll be fine. Thank you」
「If anything happens to you, onii-chan, I’ll never forgive that boar」
「Y-yeah……」
「I won’t forgive Jered either」
「Please forgive Jered-kun……」
Saying some rather ominous things, Ralina-chan finally started running toward the village at full speed.
next chapter: 『Paralyze Arrow』 went in completely, but……
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