Kaede-chan was flustered right in front of me and when I looked around at the room—which was way too cute to be called an inn—I figured it out.

…No way, I got taken to the protagonist’s house…

“Are you okay!? Just now, the end of your right arm came off and a ton of blood came out!”

Ah, so that’s why she had bandages. Huh?

My right hand came off?

Thinking that, I look at my right hand.

“…It’s here.”

Even when I open and close it, nothing feels wrong.

“Why? You should’ve been seriously injured until just now…”

Yeah, I’m surprised too. But she definitely said it would regenerate… right? She did, didn’t she!

“It’ll heal, I told you.”

Huh.

I didn’t just say that out loud though.

For a second I thought I’d leaked my inner voice without noticing, but I felt Aruka’s presence inside me, so she probably said it.

Wait, you can control my body!?

‘You were noisy. When you scream, my ears hurt too.’

A slightly irritated voice ran through my head.

Is that okay? I’ll feed you again, you know?

Well, not right now.

Anyway, I try speaking properly.

My throat is super dry right now, it’s hard to talk.

“…More importantly, you got dirty, didn’t you. Sorry.”

What was probably blood that flowed when I regenerated had stained the spot where I’d been lying.

So I apologized honestly.

I tried to bow, but since I was lying down, I tried to raise myself first—and she stopped me.

“No! Even if you regenerated… an injured person is still an injured person, so please rest!!”

She said it in a strong tone.

Once she gets like this, she’ll force her opinion through no matter what.

I’ve seen it properly in the original, okay!

“I’ll be right back! I’m going to bring something!” she said, opening the door and running off somewhere.

I was thinking I’d just zone out until she came back, but suddenly someone grabbed my hand.

‘…’

The right side of the futon that had been flat until now was bulging up.

Yeah, I get it from the vibe alone.

“Aruka.”

When I lifted it, Aruka was there after all.

I could only see from her shoulders up. She was probably hiding inside the shadow. Convenient!

Without caring that she’d been found, she was feeling around at my right hand.

She kept pressing her hands against it and stroking it over and over like she was checking, so it was kind of ticklish.

It’s a perk, but there’s such a thing as too much too, you know!?

I tried to slip away and sit up, but suddenly I got dizzy and toppled sideways from my shoulder.

‘Ah—’

Aruka sounded like she was about to say something, but then her presence suddenly vanished.

“I’m back~!”

The protagonist returned.

“…You?”

And she’d brought one of the protagonist’s group with her, the so-called tsundere sorcerer, Misora Hori.

“…You?”

The girl lying on Kaede’s bed didn’t look like she had a body built for fighting at all and she was in the place Kaede brought me to.

“…Who?”

She looked at me and said that.

* * *

“I got into danger and there was someone who saved me!

A huge bug, bam! She took it down in one shot!!

…Then she collapsed and I’m taking care of her right now.”

That was about all Kaede had told me.

Today I just happened to not have a mission, so I went to Kaede’s place and it seemed she’d woken up at the perfect timing and Kaede went, “Misora-chan, help me carry stuff too!” and shoved a bunch of things into my hands.

Does this girl really have that kind of power?

It’s not like I don’t trust Kaede, but I couldn’t help doubting it, so I tried asking.

“Hey, is she really strong?”

“She is! I told you she saved me!”

“Did you forget already!?”

While Kaede pouted angrily at me, I looked at the girl on the bed slowly drinking the water Kaede had given her.

Maybe she noticed she was being watched, because she looked back at me with eyes that made it impossible to tell what she was thinking.

Then she opened her mouth.

“…Who are you?”

I take pride in my strength. The way she said it, like she truly didn’t know me, irritated me a little.

“You don’t know? I recently became an A-rate, which is rare around here.”

“I don’t know.”

I snapped.

“Come out. If you’re strong, you can win, right?”

I don’t like being looked down on.

Her answer to the duel was yes.

* * *

So I just suddenly got challenged to a fight.

I knew she was aggressive, but is it really just whoever she feels like? Or is she in a hurry?

Either way, my body had recovered, so I got off the bed and decided to follow Misora.

“Hey! Wait, Misora-chan!!”

The protagonist shouted, trying to stop her, but Misora didn’t stop walking.

Maybe she realized she couldn’t catch up, because while I was still in the room, she grabbed me and spoke to me quickly.

“Misora-chan won’t stop once she says that… I’m sorry… Are you really okay? Your body too, if you use your power again—”

Ah, she’s worried about me. Yes!!!

Then there’s only one thing to do, right?

“It’s fine. I can fight. …Just in case, stay as a witness.”

“Yes! …Ah, right, I’m late—my name is Kaede Kazeno. Over there is Misora Hori!”

Kaede-chan said that while pointing toward the window.

Looks like she was already outside. Like she was saying hurry up, she pointed with her chin.

Then I should give my name too, so she remembers it.

“…I’m Karua. …Nice to meet you, Kaede.”

Don’t mention that my voice shook from nerves.

“The match ends when one side runs out of mana, surrenders or can no longer move, no killing. Is that acceptable?”

“Fine.”

“…Understood.”

“Then… Begin.”

The moment the signal came, Misora used her monster’s power and pulled a horn-like slender sword out of subspace.

If I remember right, Misora’s contracted monster is a unicorn knockoff. I think it was an all-rounder type that could handle both magic and swordsmanship.

“What’s wrong? Are you getting scared now that it’s too late?”

She provoked me while watching my reaction.

I see. So I can use it, right? Then—

Self-harm, here we gooooo!!!!

“Manifest.”

The die rolled in my head again. This time, the result was….

Right ear.