The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic

With the battle against the Demon Lord's army approaching, there is only so much I can do.

One of the few things I can do is to organize all the members of the group in place of Rose as the deputy leader.

At the central base, while Rose was attending a strategy meeting with Sigurth and the others, I was confirming my role again in front of the members of the group and the three new members.

"Olga in gray, Uluru. And Mr. Gerna, Ms. Kate, and Mr. Scharn. You are all here to treat the wounded. But if the soldiers of the demon tribe come here, please run away as soon as possible. It is no exaggeration to say that your presence is a lifeline for those who are fighting.

"I'll save people all the time!"

"Umm, Url...... now, I don't think you need to be so enthusiastic......."

I nod to Uluru, who replies cheerfully.

He must be anxious too, but we are grateful that he is still cheerful.

I look from Uluru and Olga to Gerna and the others.

Ms. Kate is smiling at us, but Mr. Gerna and Mr. Scharn look anxious.

"Once again, if you feel your life is in danger, run away immediately. No, ...... if you want to run away at this point, be honest with me."

"...... No, I'm here to help heal those who are hurting. I'm not going to run away now because I'm scared."

"Now that I'm here, I want to fulfill my mission too!???I haven't even met the brave Suzune-sama yet, and I can't die even if I die!"

Gerna and Kate say words that express their determination.

Gerna reminds me of Nack, even though they are different in age. His straightforward personality is reassuring.

Kate says ...... that she will not let her senpai see her until the battle with the Demon Lord's army is over. I don't want her to be like "I really don't have any regrets," even if it's just a joke.

Mr. Sharun nodded his head deeply at their words, so any more words would be uncalled for.

Now let's go to the tough guys and Ferrum.

"I'm sure you know what you're doing, but let me make sure for Ferrum's sake..."

"...... yeah."

"The role of the black uniform is to rescue the wounded on the battlefield and provide first aid with recovery magic. Do you understand?

You don't have to remind me, I know exactly what I'm talking about.

With a huff, Ferrum turned his head away.

Ferrum herself is a small girl, but she is a demon. She is a demon trained in the lifeguard corps.

Even if she is not as good as me and the others, she has the ability to change her clothes with the help of dark magic. Even if she loses her power of reversal, she is still invincible on the defensive.

Hey, Usato.

"Yeah?"

I look at Tong who called out to me.

His arms crossed, he relaxes his shoulders, smiles, and opens his mouth.

"I never called you until just now. Before the battle, I thought I'd give you a chance.

"What?"

"Deputy Commander. We'll save our wounded comrades and come back alive. Well, it doesn't suit me to call you sub-commander, but I'll call you that during this battle.

When Tong said this, the other strongmen followed suit, smiling.

They had only called me "kid" or "Usato" until now. .......

I took a step back and held my mouth in shock.

"Are you guys ...... going to die ......?"

I'm not going to die!"""""""

The crisp atmosphere of the previous session was broken, and the whole group was thrown into a tizzy.

I don't like to say this either, but I can't help but be puzzled when someone says something like that.

"Can't you really read the air?

"Are you kidding me, ......????We're embarrassed too!

"He must have muscles in his head too, ......!"

"No, it's just that the air is like a lifetime goodbye. ......"

The guy who looks bad suddenly says something good--what is commonly called a death flag.

I myself am frankly perplexed at being called a vice-commander out of the blue. I thought they were equals, so the way he calls me as a superior officer is a little creepy.

Still, it is hard not to be happy to be called sub-commander.

"Well then, I'll have to do my best not to get my ass kicked by you guys."

"Oh, if you show any sign of weakness, I'll snatch the vice commander's position from you as soon as I can.

If I could. I'd take my revenge."

After exchanging a few words with Tong, I look at my friends here again.

Everyone here has a role to play. Some of them are dangerous, some of them are important, and a momentary lapse of attention can mean the difference between life and death.

Usato, what about me?

As I was thinking about this, an anxious-looking Nair tugged at the sleeve of my uniform.

I smiled and put my hand on her shoulder.

"Nair is my support. That's all."

"Not too much, is it?"

She came close to me with tears in her eyes, and we broke up the meeting.

The meeting was over.

My second night at the base.

Outside the tent, I could see the soldiers, but they were somewhat tense.

Perhaps it was because the Demon Lord's army was approaching. Whether it was fear or elation in anticipation of the battle may differ from person to person, but without exception, everyone here was not in a normal state of mind.

Looking at them with a sideways glance, I continue my steps as if weaving my way between the tents that have been erected.

The reason why I am out of the base of operations as a lifeguard is because Rose has called me to the wall that has been erected near the front line of the base.

If you want to talk to me, why don't you do it in a tent or something????I thought, but for some reason I didn't say anything about it and went to the place Rose had called me to.

"...... was there."

When we arrived, Rose was standing on a watchtower that had been built as an addition to the wall, quietly looking out over the plain in the direction of the Demon Lord's territory.

I silently climbed up the ladder on the wall and approached her.

"Usato?"

"Yes. ......So, why am I here????I just heard about the strategy meeting.

What we do is not so different from the last time we fought.

Right after the battle started, I and Rose in white would concentrate on treating the wounded at the base of operations, and when the battle was getting serious, we would go out and heal the wounded on the spot by running across the battlefield.

"I simply wanted to talk to you. You don't have to put that much effort on your shoulders."

"I see. ......"

He does as he is told, relaxes his shoulders, and places his hands on the edge of the watchtower.

I look around at the plains again and think how beautiful the scenery is. The plains as far as the eye can see are illuminated by the moonlight from the sky and look different from the daytime.

The thought that this place will soon become a battleground and be deserted ...... makes me feel a little disappointed.

"I've left you in charge since I came here, are you doing well as deputy commander?"

"Yes????Yes, of course.

"Then that's good. I'm glad to see you're doing okay.

"Commander."

What?

"It's ...... creepy when you're nice to me all of a sudden."

The reply was an elbow to me.

I took the blow with centrifugal force squarely in the chest and managed to hold on with my foot.

"Which one? Give me your face. I'll give you what you want.

"So, so, so sorry. ......!"

I apologize in a hurry to Rose, who approaches me with clapping hands.

Elbows without defense are too scary.

"Huh ......, I was just trying to be considerate. You'll always be a cocky little boy."

"Yeah, not so much. ......"

I wasn't complimenting you.

Rose let out a sigh of exasperation and turned her gaze back to the plain.

Her gaze seemed to be looking not at the plain in front of her, but beyond it.

"Is Nero Agence coming ......?"

"It's just a hunch, but I think it's coming."

As far as I've seen so far, his intuition is basically right on the money, isn't it?

He is so accurate that he can even sense the invisible magic of Mr. Farga.

But if a demon swordsman of great power is coming, just from what I've heard.....,

"Are you going to take on the Commander?"

"......"

Rose did not open her mouth.

She did not seem upset, nor did she seem to deny it.

When I was worried by her silence, she finally spoke.

"If he's on his way here, I guess he wants to fight me."

"...... revenge, sir?"

I don't know about that, but I don't think he's happy with the way the battle ended.

Nero Agens ordered his men to launch a desperate attack in order to take out Rose and the other members of his unit at the time.

And yet, he was unable to defeat Rose. Is that what Nero couldn't stand ......?

...... Actually, there is something I have been wanting to ask Rose about since she told me about her past.

I think I can ask you now.

"Do you also have a desire for revenge?"

"No. No. That kind of thing is long gone.

The answer was so simple that my shoulders relaxed.

I am relieved by the answer, but then I wonder about it.

Nero Agence is a valued subordinate of Rose's and an avenger of her friends. Isn't it natural to want revenge against such an opponent?

"I had something to do. I don't have time for revenge.

"Are you a lifeguard? ......"

"Yeah. Besides, they wouldn't want that, would they?"

...... You mean Mr. Aul and his friends.

Once again, Rose's former subordinates reaffirmed the magnitude of their presence, and suddenly Rose let out a laugh.

"But I'd like to punch him in his clear face again.

"You've suddenly become a bit of a ruffian, haven't you?"

I pity Nero Agence, who would be seriously beaten by you.

No, he's a dangerous opponent if he was able to fight with this man.

"Excuse me, Commander. If I encounter Nero Agence..."

We should run. You're not ready yet."

"...... when you can't seem to escape?"

I could immediately imagine a situation where someone was seriously injured near Nero Agens.

If I ran away, he would surely lose his life, and even if I fought to save the wounded man, there was no way I could remain unscathed in a fight with an opponent equal to or greater than Rose.

When I asked such a question, Rose answered without looking at me.

"Survive with all your might."

"Survive? You mean fight?"

"Even if I told you to run away, I know you would try to fight. Then do your best and wait for help.

How belligerent do they think you are? .......

But if you go on the defensive at all costs, you might be able to buy some time against someone as good or better than Rose.

Though it seems like he would have his head blown off the moment he goes on the offensive.

"I thought I'd ask while I'm at it ......."

"Yes?"

He turns at the sound of Rose's voice.

"Are you going to use your healing punch?"

Healing punch?

A punch that heals the person it strikes.

I immediately understood what Rose was trying to say.

"To be honest, it was a mistake to teach you that trick. It's the kind of attack that heals the enemy. It consumes a lot of magic, and more importantly, it heals the person you're supposed to be defeating. You know that, don't you ......?"

Yes, of course I know that.

The healing punch is the most useful technique in terms of disabling the opponent unharmed.

But it is also a useless technique in a fight.

In the first battle, I used it as a means of self-preservation so that I would not overdo it, since I did not know how to go easy on my opponent, but this time the scale of the battle was too different.

There are far more people I have to heal, and the area I have to cover is much larger.

In such a situation, there is no way I can use a healing punch that consumes unnecessary magical power.

"I will use the techniques I have developed during my travels, but I will not use techniques that will heal the opponent. I have a mission as a white uniform.

"...... I see."

Besides, you don't have to use a healing punch to stun your opponent. I'm sure you'll be fine.

I have not had a rough journey.

I have stunned the brainwashed Mr. Arc at the time of the evil dragon, Mr. Fegnis and his men at Samaritan, and the beastmen soldiers who protect the country at Hinomoto.

...... No, it's really quite disturbing when I think about it again.

"It looks like you're doing better than I thought."

"...... you were worried about me, by any chance?"

I turned to Rose with a smile on my face, and a shock slammed into my forehead.

I groaned from the unexpected shock, and Rose smiled at me with the decoupage in place.

"Ha, I wasn't worried. I was just making sure you didn't screw up.

"That said, I don't think I'm going to decapitate you. ......"

"It doesn't matter now, does it?"

It certainly didn't hurt that much, though.

I lean back against the edge, rubbing my forehead.

I relax my shoulders and look up, from here I can see the entire base, which is in the opposite direction from where the plain is located.

"......I'm going to have to work hard."

The sight of so many tents, the light from the campfires, and the dappled shadows of people strengthened my resolve once again.