◇Sumire's POV◇
"Eugene-sama!!"
A handsome boy with brown skin hugged Eugene-kun.
Uh, he is a boy…right?
He looks girly.
"It has been a while… Wait, not really. You doing well, Miguel?" (Eugene)
"Yes! What about you, Eugene-sama? Why are you here?" (Miguel)
"The plan was to subjugate Vepar, but it has gotten troublesome." (Eugene)
"…True. You were still here, Eugene-sama? A notice for civilians to evacuate was given. You are not from the Federation's army, right, Eugene-sama?" (Miguel)
"I am technically in a special unit of the Federation army. The subjugation target is gone now though." (Eugene)
"If you don't have anything to do, how about going to our place? I would like to introduce Eugene-sama!" (Miguel)
"I have no pressing matter to attend to, but I have company…" (Eugene)
Eugene-kun glanced at me.
Looks like the boy noticed me for the first time.
"My apologies. To think you had company! I am Miguel from Greta Island!" (Miguel)
"Nice to meet you… I am Sashiogi Sumire. I am in the same party as Eugy-kun." (Sumire)
"Ooh, so you are someone from the same unit as Eugene-sama?! In that case, you must be a worshiper of Erinyes-sama as well! Then, go ahead and come too, Sumire-sa—mgh." (Miguel)
Eugene-kun swiftly covered the mouth of Miguel.
"Miguel-kun, try not to say that too loudly. Also, Sumire is unrelated to Eri." (Eugene)
"That's… My apologies!" (Miguel)
(Hm?)
Strange words came out from the boy.
Erinyes refers to that Demon Lord Eri-san, right?
The one that has a contract with Eugene-kun and has a lewd relationship with him.
This boy worships that Demon Lord-san?
Uh, worshiping the Demon Lord in the South Continent is popularly known as being in the Snake Cult, but I also learned in the history class in the academy that devilkins are a mix race of demons and humans.
Does that mean Miguel is a devilkin?
I could see red eyes and small fangs when he opened his mouth.
(People who worship Demon Lords and have inherited the blood of demons, huh.) (Sumire)
It is a bit scary when I think about it like that, but Eugene-kun doesn't seem to be that bothered by this.
Or more like, he is the man that has put his hands on the Demon Lord Eri-san…
There's no way he would be bothered by this.
"Sumire, I am thinking of greeting the compatriots of Miguel. Want to come with me?" (Eugene)
"You are welcome to, Sumire-sama!" (Miguel)
There's apparently a lot of skilled mages within the devilkin.
It seems like Eugene-kun wants to see their magic since the opportunity has been presented.
He is so studious.
I hesitated a bit and decided to refrain.
I don't worship the Demon Lord-san. We even fought against her in the Zenith Tower, and she is a love rival.
"Then, I will be borrowing Eugene-sama." (Miguel)
"Alright." (Sumire)
"I will try to not be too late." (Eugene)
Eugene-kun and Miguel walked off to an evacuation area at the corner of the island after saying this.
The island country of Miguel is apparently included within the predicted damage of the Darkness Dragon.
I came to an isekai, so my homeland is in a far away place, but their homeland is going to be trampled by a Great Demonic Beast in the near future.
(This world is harsh…) (Sumire)
I knew that though.
"Haah…"
I return to the lodge.
My mind was tired and I laid down completely exhausted.
My room is a room for two with Sara-chan, but she is not here.
Sara-chan is an upcoming Holy Maiden from Caldia, so she has already evacuated to a Flying Ship.
I am currently occupying a two person room.
I closed my eyes and was assailed with drowsiness even though the outside of the window was still bright.
I couldn't tell if it was a dream or reality anymore. Just how much time went by in this spaced out state?
*Knock knock*
Someone knocked on the door.
"Come in." (Sumire)
I answer with a drowsy face.
Is it Sara-chan?
But this is the room of Sara-chan too, so there's no need to knock.
The one who opened the door and came in was a beautiful blonde with blue eyes.
Eugene-kun has taught me that the black and red military uniform she is wearing is a trait of the Grandflare Empire.
That said, I know almost no girl from the Empire.
"Oh my, you are alone, Sumire."
"Airi-chan?!" (Sumire)
The childhood friend of Eugene-kun and a big shot that will be the next Empress.
She is by no means someone who would show up by mistake all of a sudden.
"Uhm…Why are you here?" (Sumire)
I notice after asking.
There's only one reason Airi-chan would come.
It is to meet Eugene-kun.
"I thought it would be about time Eugy would be coming to the lodge… Looks like not yet." (Airi)
"Eugy-kun went to the place of the devi—mage that he met just recently. He is apparently going to be taught magic." (Sumire)
I learned in class that it would be better to not mention devilkins in public too much.
There's apparently people who get discriminatory.
I don't think Airi-chan would be like that though.
"...Hey, Sumire." (Airi)
"What?" (Sumire)
Airi-chan directed a dense gaze at me.
"That way of calling him Eugy-kun… You didn't call him like that before, right?" (Airi)
"R-Really?" (Sumire)
Yeah, I didn't.
I was jealous of Airi-chan for calling him Eugy, so I tried imitating her and called him Eugy-kun.
(Wait, I can't tell that to the person herself!) (Sumire)
"I see…" (Airi)
Airi-chan placed a hand on her chin and stared at me.
Looks like she totally knows.
""...""
Silence ruled the room for a while.
At that moment…
*Pam!*
The door opened.
Entering the room without knocking means…
"Are you here, Sumire?! I have something to talk to you—wait…eh?!"
Sara-chan saw Airi-chan who was in the room and opened her eyes wide.
"! …Nice to see you, Upcoming Holy Maiden-sama. I am intruding." (Airi)
Airi-chan looked like she was flustered too. Her voice had a bit of agitation.
"Why are you… Aah." (Sara)
Sara-chan had the same question as me and got the answer soon after.
"Hey, Sumire-chan, is Eugene not with you?" (Sara)
"Eugy-kun went to the place of a friend." (Sumire)
"Friend as in Claude?" (Sara)
"No, not Claude-kun but a cute boy named Miguel." (Sumire)
"Don't know that name." (Sara)
"He is apparently a boy from a place called Greta Island." (Sumire)
"Oh my?"
"Eh?"
Airi-chan and Sara-chan reacted to what I said.
"Greta Island… If I remember correctly…" (Airi)
"The hidden village of the devilkins that worship the Demon Lords." (Sara)
Uwa, the two discovered it.
Could it be that they know about all the islands of the Blue Waters Federation?
"Aah, so that's why." (Sara)
Sara-chan, who knows about the contract with the Demon Lord-san, seemed to understand what was going on here.
"Eh?! Is that okay? Eugy is close with the devilkins?" (Airi)
Airi-chan is flustered here.
"More importantly, next Empress of the Grandflare Empire and princess, Airi. Eugene is not here, so can you please leave?" (Sara)
Sara-chan looked cold here.
I have learned in class and from Eugene-kun…about how badly the Holy Union and the Empire get along.
Airi-chan didn't change her complexion at all.
"Oh my, I am a good friend of Sumire. There should be no issue in being here, right?" (Airi)
"Uuh." (Sumire)
It is true that we can talk carefreely, but can we be called friends?
"Sumire-chan? Your only friend is me, right? Right?" (Sara)
"Uuh." (Sumire)
I feel like 'only' friend is a bit wrong.
There's also Leona-chan for example.
"Good grief, the people of the Holy Union are so possessive. It is fine for someone to have more than one friend, and it is fine to have many lovers too." (Airi)
Airi-chan muttered this.
"That's right, good friends are…wait, eh?" (Sumire)
I was about to agree, but stop speaking in the middle of it.
The friends stuff is one thing, but however many lovers?
"This is why people of the Empire are just… Your sense of morals is nonexistent!" (Sara)
"What did you say?! I don't want to hear that from brick heads like the Holy Union!" (Airi)
""...""
Sara-chan and Airi-chan glare at each other.
At that moment…
*...Knock knock*
The door opened with that knock.
The person who opened it was…
"Eugy-kun, welcome back!" (Sumire)
"Sumire, I am home. Sara, you are back to—Airi??" (Eugene)
Eugene-kun came back and froze when he saw us 3.
He hesitated for a moment and then slowly…tried to close the door.
"Where are you going, Eugy-kun?" (Sumire)
I grab the right hand of Eugene-kun.
"Welcome back, Eugene." (Sara)
Sara-chan grabbed his left hand.
"Eugy, I have been waiting for so long!" (Airi)
Airi-chan hugged Eugene-kun.
I see~.
"Sumire… Sara… and… Airi?" (Eugene)
Eugene-kun was grabbed tightly by us 3 and was trembling like a puppy which was a bit cute.