Chapter 270

Chapter 270 – Hiiro’s Return to Xaous

While the pale Arnold was being preached by two little girls, Crouch was still rubbing her face on Hiiro’s back. It’s as if she was delighted by his own scent.

At times like this, Putis, one of the 《Gabranth Tbree》 would usually come and get Crouch without questions asked. However, this time, that person didn’t came even if Hiiro waited forever.

As he was worrying about what happened, as if Crouch heard his thoughts, she raised her face to Hiiro while her ears twitched cutely.

“Nyafufu~, were you perhaps waiting for Putis-nya?”

“….who knows.”

“Even if you wait for her, she won’t come-nya~”

If Hiiro responded to a person who had a delighted face like that, it would only bring more pleasure to that person, so Hiiro simply listened while making his usual poker face.

“Nyafufufu~….. That’s because while Putis was sleeping I scribbled a lot of things on her animal-character cosutme!”

“…..ha?”

“About this time, Putis must be desperately trying to remove the graffitis. Although I feel bad for her, that’s revenge for depriving most of the opportunities I could had with Hiiro-nya~!”

Apparently, she’s smarter than what her idiotic looks give. Well, she’s still a childish pitiful character though.

“Oh, that’s right-nya!”

“Hm?”

“Hiiro, please call me Syrup from now on nya.”

“…..ha?”

“Crouch is my alias in the army which Leowald had named me so nya. Syrup is actually my real name nya.”

According to what Hiiro heard, this ‘Syrup’ was too cute when she entered the army. The enemy wouldn’t take her seriously and her ally soldiers would underestimate her even though she was a strong ally. When she consulted this to the Beast King, he recommended changing her appearance through the use of 《Binding》 .

Of course, Leowald proposed this knowing the special characteristics of her 《Binding》. Her 《Dark Binding》 can materialize her own shadow and wear it.

And the appearance of the black panther was born. Moreover, once her shadow was worn, her offensive and defensive power is raised.

And because of such appearance, and also through Leowald’s introduction, she had been called Crouch. Those who knew her true identity as a little girl called her with her real name, but according to her, those person are few to be counted. So in order to maintain the pride and respect towards her, she kept using the name Crouch for a long time.

With the exception of her seniors, Crouch hadn’t revealed her true name those who did not know of it. Because she had been used to being called Crouch, it somehow felt embarrassing to be called by her real name anymore. So she only reveals her true name to people she was pleased with.

And the way she said it to him was plain evidence that she was pleased with him. Hiiro did not why he was liked, for the time being he must deal first with their current appearance.

“I see, then release me Cat girl.”

“Uuu~ I told you to call me Syrup nya~!”

Syrup’s cheeks inflated as she roughly rubbed the top of her head on Hiiro’s back. It seriously hurts.

“Crouch-san! How long are you going to embrace Hiiro-sama!”

When the sermon ended, Hiiro glanced at Mimiru’s direction. There he found a crippled Arnold reflected behind the two little girls.

(Because you’ve fought once for the sake of a country, doesn’t mean you know the ways of the world already)

Although Arnold was struggling for his growth for the first time in battle, now Hiiro couldn’t the trace of that courageous person from before.

“Crouch-san!”

“I don’t wanna nya!”

“Crouch-san!”

“I DON’T WANNA NYA!”

Because Syrup keeps rubbing her head, the pain was accumulating quite a lot. Hiiro tried to prepare his magic to escape from this predicament when….

“….found you.”

A chilling voice resounded from the spot. Then for some reason Hiiro’s body trembled…no, it wasn’t his body that trembled. The cause was the white cat that was clinging at his back.

In that spot he found Putis wearing her pretty animal costume character. However, there is also a sense of intimidation from the charm of Putis appearance, it felt like the two guardian Deva kings. Here and there, he could see wrinkled portions on her costume that was probably the effect of removing Syrup’s graffitis.

And for some reason, if Hiiro wasn’t hallucinating, there was a black aura gushing out from her…

“….Kuro?”

Again, a chilling voice that seems to tell directly to the brain. Hiiro clearly understood the intention of the anger that was mixed in as soon as he heard it.

(She’s definitely angry… well, anyone would be if they scribbled on the clothes they always wear.)

Behind Hiiro, he could feel Crouch, or rather Syrup shaking. She should be aware of Putis’ existence behind her. But rather than looking, she buried her face on his back while trembling from fear.

It’s as if she was a young girl trying to sleep by wearing the futon over her head while saying ‘I don’t want to see scary things’ repeatedly

However, the existence that fuels her fear steadily approached her step by step. Then the moment Syrup couldn’t bear the sound of the approaching footsteps, she instantly left Hiiro’s back and started running away from the place. But,

“N-nya?!”

“…where…do you think you’re going?”

Putis caught up with her in an instant and blocked her path.

(Hou, she’s fast)

In face of that speed, Hiiro felt impressed by how fast she came towards Syrup. Another factor that fueled Syrup’s unshakable fear of her.

“H-help me nya! Hiir—!?”

Syrup instantly retreated her steps and tried to come towards Hiiro’s location, but before she could do so, her tail was caught by Putis.

“…..you need to be punished.”

Putis put power in the hands grasping Syrup’s tail.

“Unyaaaaaaaaaaa!?”

It apparently seems that Syrup’s tail was her weakness as she fell to ground. She raised her face as she pleaded with teary eyes to Hiiro. Although Hiiro understood that she wanted help, the one who saved him was Putis, so he’ll lend his assistance to Putis alone.

“Unyaaaaa~ Hiiroooooooo~”

Syrup looked like a pitiful lamb as she was dragged by tail as it is. Hiiro did not know what kind of punishment awaits for her hereafter, but at the very least, may she have a safe trip.

Mimiru and Muir who witnessed everything from the beginning to the end were both wearing dumbfounded expressions. Hiiro sighed in relief when Syrup finally left the place. Then the girls faced Hiiro’s direction and said,

“It’s unusual for Hiiro-san to come with this timing, do you need something from the garden?”

Muir politely inquired Hiiro.

“Yeah, I have some business with you two and also that crippled old man over there.”

“I see. How can we be of assistance then?”

“Well, you see I’m returning to 【Evila】 after this.”

“ “ Eeh!? ” “

At the same time, both Mimiru and Muir raised their voice in surprise.

“Oy, is that true?”

Arnold seemed to have resurrected and inquired as well.

“Unfortunately, yeah. I haven’t conquered that ‘library’ yet.”

For Hiiro, Muir knew that books are indispensable for him. So she didn’t say anything and only looked down from her spot.

“Oh, so you are going home already? It will be a little lonely here.”

Among them, only Raive, Arnold’s elder sister, responded with a refreshing feeling to it.

“A-are….you really returning back, Hiiro-sama?”

Mimiru squints her eyes sadly as she spoke with a trembling tone. It seems Muir who was besides her also felt the same. When Hiiro saw such faces, he recalled his time in the child-care facility.

Children who are being cared by foster carers have always showed this kind of face. Especially the children’s attitudes whom Hiiro had taken care of. There are some who weeped wanting them to be taken along by him.

However, at that time and even now, Hiiro had always done the same things for them.

*Flick* *Flick*

Upon lightly flicking the forehead of those two,

“Let’s meet again.”

When they raised their hands to their foreheads almost at the same time, their cheeks dyed from embarrassment.

“….not fair”

“…. I agree.”

Contrary to their spoken words, their cheeks were softly smiling. Raive who saw the two‘s expression was quite pleased while Arnold was grinding his teeth, mortified.

This chapter is scrapped from readlightnovel.org

“Now then, old man.”

“W-what do you want!”

“….why the heck are you crying?”

“L-like hell I am! Geez, just continue what you wanted to say before!”

Strangely, Arnold was shedding tears for some reason. Raive who saw such an appearance dropped her shoulders in disappointment and murmured, ‘Why can’t this child be honest for once…’

“Try not to die until we meet again.”

“Don’t casually leave such ominous remarks!”

“Well, I heard that hentai characters have a long life compared to the usual, so I think you’ll be just fine.”

“Where the heck did you hear that! As if that’s true!”

Taking a glance at Camus and Tenn similarly making their farewell, Hiiro approached Arnold and quietly whispered to him.

“Protect Chibi and Blue Ribbons”

“…ha?”

Arnold had a face as if he wanted an explanation for that.

“What’s wrong?”

“….I also told the same thing to the Beast King, I heard that the Predecessor Demon Lord is collecting unique individuals in his possessions.”

“Y-yeah.”

“I’m sure you know right? Chibi’s race.”

“…..!?”

Arnold’s face stiffens upon hearing Hiiro’s words.

“Oy, are you saying he is targeting Muir?”

“Who knows, but it’s a possibility.”

“….but why include Mimiru-sama?”

“That guy has a special ability.”

“A special ability?”

“Yeah, the Predecessor Demon Lord would likely target her also if he knew her ability.”

“…so that’s why you wanted me to protect them?”

“Yup.”

The two of them silently matched their eyes for awhile. Then Arnold lightly made a sigh and said,

“Then why don’t you stay here and protect them?”

True. Arnold has a point with his words, but,

“I said before right? There are things I still have to do.”

“…. in any case, it would be books right?”

“If you know, then don’t ask twice.”

Of course, not just books, he wanted to train on his 《Grand Red Aura》

“….haa, but at least, Leowald-sama knows of this too, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Then it’ll be fine. The country itself will protect these children. And Muir is my daughter!”

His eyes burned with a strong belief that says he would protect them at all cost.

“Nice answer. Besides I made an insurance if anything bad happens.”

“N? What insurance?”

“It’s nothing. I just thought that you’re still sultry as ever.”

“What did you just say you brat!”

Although Arnold closed on him with a fierce look, it was pointless as Hiiro hurriedly retreated from his spot.

“Anyway, keep that in mind and take care.”

“Leave it to me. Or perhaps I should say that if you’re worried about those two…. Ah!? Oy, are you perhaps i-i-i-i-i-i-inlo….”

“Be relieved. I am not.”

“I-I see”

He placed a hand on his chest as he made a sigh of relief.

“Then what is it? You’re awfully strange for paying attention to the needs of another person.”

“….I don’t know really.”

Hiiro glanced towards Muir and Mimiru happily chatting with the others. And then, he looked up into the sky slowly. That star isn’t present since it wasn’t night time.

“….probably just a whim of mine.”

“Just a whim huh?”

“I just don’t like having that conceited Template Maou do as he pleases”

“Haa, let’s just leave it at that then.”

Without change, Hiiro turned his back on Arnold and went towards Tenn and Camus.

“Ah, aren’t you going to meet master?”

“About that, I visited her beforehand. Told her I was indebted to her for the week I had been in here.”

The method to control his body power in order to use the 《Grand Red Aura》 was taught by Rarashik. Because she had taught him all the basics, he only needed to train intensively for it hereafter.

“I see. Then, don’t die either man.”

“Waste of words. I won’t die.”

While saying that, Hiiro wrote the character 『Transfer』 and called out to Camus and Tenn. Hiiro had stayed a little longer than he planned but, he was satisfied by his stay as he gained a lot of things that benefited him.

While thinking of coming back to a feast prepared by Raive, the three people returned to 【Xaous】