I’m Not Doing This With A Friend

✿

In the meantime, Fjord said in a humorous tone, as if he had seen me approaching the fallen monster.

"Leen. Don't get too close. If you don't do it right and the magic goes off, It'll run away, right?"

‘I guess you thought I'd be scared.'

Well, Fjord, who said so, said it took a long time to get used to the monsters, so it was not unreasonable to think so.

I pulled out the dagger hanging from my waist and shoved it into the heart of the monster.

It was a nimble movement that showed no hesitation.

The short dagger was enchanted with freezing magic and pierced the monster's body, which had become harder and mAore precisely, the part with the core.

From what I saw, it was a neat skill.

Surprised, Carson and Fjord's mouths began to open.

I casually put my hand into the monster's body, then turned around and asked.

"I'm sorry. What?"

Swoosh~

Looking at them, I relied only on the senses of my hands to find the core.

I searched the body of the monster expressionless, but when I caught something hard in my hand, the corners of my lips went up.

"I found it!"

When the core was removed from the monster's body, dark red blood dripped below my hand.

It seemed that people who didn't know the circumstances behind it would have greatly misunderstood it.

While the two men were still stiff, I approached them with the dagger I had laid down next to me and the core I had just pulled out.

Fjord stared at me and slowly stepped back.

"…Could you put the knife out and come closer?"

"Oh, I forgot."

Only then did I realize that I was still holding the knife and took out my handkerchief. Then, after wiping the blood from the dagger, I put it into the sheath.

Fjord looked at me with a distant gaze and glanced at Carson.

He was still covering his mouth with his hand as if he had not recovered from the shock. When I looked closely, his eyes were also trembling.

"Yeah. Still, it's unusual to not be surprised upon seeing that."

As Fjord nodded weakly, Carson took a short deep breath as if to calm down his startled mind.

"Leen, you're so cool…!"

As if there was no reversal, Fjord seemed to be terrified.

"…A person who's not normal and an outsider."

Carson, who was looking overwhelmed, came running to me with an expression that seemed to realize something.

Several magic circles came around me. It was a multi-casting that some wizards couldn't even dream of.

"It was really cool, but I'll take out the core from now on. Leen's hands got dirty."

"It's something everyone has to do."

The blood dripping on my hands was wiped away by his magic.

Cutting the ham that goes into the sandwich in the morning, and even the accidental cuts.

Carson shook his head.

"No. If I use magic, I can take it out without getting blood on your hands."

"…Really? I didn't know it could be used like that. Then it would be a different story. I'll ask you in the future."

It seemed better to entrust everything to Carson than him making a fuss every time I took out the core from the monster's body.

From next semester, I watched Carson's magic, thinking that I should stay calm without even mentioning that I would follow him.

For now, the only magic I could tell was that magic that cleansed my blood-stained and the magic that refreshed my body.

It feels like the fatigue is gone, I don't feel tired?

I don't know what magic ‘rest‘ was. But it won't be anything that could harm me. I don't know when I started trusting him so much.

"Hey, Carson! Could you do something like that?"

His gaze shifted naturally to the voice containing anger. It was Fjord.

Carson, who was looking at me to see if there's anything else to cast magic for, narrowed his brow as if annoyed.

"What?"

"In the meantime, I took out the core! You're so disgusting. He didn't even look at me even when I shouted!"

"Oh, my. I just remembered the idea of using magic to take it out."

"That must have been bad!"

It was the same fight as usual.

I left the two fighting hard and started walking down again.

Then they immediately stopped arguing and followed me.

✿

We've collected quite a few cores since we knocked down the first monster.

When I looked up at the sky, the sun had already risen in the middle of it. It seemed that the time had come to take out the sandwiches.

As if noticing my thoughts, Carson suggested it first.

"Leen, you must be hungry. Shall we eat something?"

Could it be that the Fjord was invisible in Carson's eyes? Or maybe he just doesn't care?

I had a strong feeling that it would be the latter. Feeling sorry for Fjord, I took care of his human rights.

"Okay. Fjord, how about you?"

"I don't care either."

Fjord smiled lightly and winked to say ‘thank you'.

I said as I rummaged through my bag to get the sandwich.

"But seeing you say that, everyone must have brought something to eat. I guess I ‘made' a lot for nothing."

Fjord held up his empty hand.

"It's not me. It's Carson."

"When the two of us come here, we tend to starve. But I can't starve you, Leen."

Carson seemed to take food out of subspace at any moment, but suddenly stopped moving with eyes widened.

"Wait a minute, Leen. You've ‘made' a lot?"

"Yes. I made some sandwiches to share with you when you're hungry."

"Ha-handmade?"

"Yes."

"..Wo-wow!"

Carson, who had just stood still, staggered as if dizzy, then crouched down on the floor.

I could hear him muttering quietly. He said that it was the best subjugating monster, and that he would definitely come without any hindrances next time.

After a while, Carson approached as if nothing had happened and smiled broadly.

"Shall we have lunch now?"

I thought that Carson would like it. But when I met his eyes full of expectation, I felt a little burdened.

I asked, putting back the sandwich case I was about to take out.

"What did you bring?" (Leen)

"Food waste."

"…?"

"Garbage. It's… what I brought."

I laughed inside because I knew roughly what pattern it was. His consideration made me feel happy.

"Wow. So you were trying to feed me food waste?" (Leen)

When I spoke jokingly, I was embarrassed by his gaze for a brief moment.

"It's not like that, but I meant that the food was mixed up in the subspace even though it was fine at first."

It was such a shallow lie that even a freshman in junior year wouldn't believe it.

Frowning in disappointment.

"Oh no. I was looking forward to it, but it's a pity."

"…But looking at it now, I think there are some that are fine."

As soon as Carson said he was sorry, he corrected his words and began to take food out of subspace.

Corn soup with a savory smell and roasted duck. Salad with high-quality cheese and steamed dishes with various spices.

In an instant, the wide mat was filled with all kinds of food.

Perhaps because they were even in the middle of the space, the steam was like freshly made food.

"…Wasn't that too much?"

"It's nothing."

He smiled brightly as if it were nothing.

I closed my bag, relieved that I didn't take out the sandwich first.

"I'll have a long time eating just by what you brought. Then I'll put mine back."

Forever.

"No…!"

I was shocked as if I had heard something that Carson shouldn't have.

"Unless you give me a sandwich!"

"If not?"

As soon as Carson opened his mouth, he rolled his eyes for a moment, not knowing what to say.

"I won't let you eat all the food I brought…! So that it's fair."

This guy knows how to make threats.

I certainly didn't want to hide my sandwich until I gave up on that supreme feast.

As I stared at Carson and thought I should give him a sandwich, he's eyes suddenly trembled and looked troubled.

"Do you think I'll give up just looking at you with those pretty eyes?"

‘I just saw it.'

Speechless, I forgot to take out the sandwich and stared at him.

How long has it been? Carson, who was still staring at me, cried, holding a fork with trembling hands.

He let go of the knife gently.

"Sandwiches are okay! It's okay! Whoo… it's really okay. Eat well, Leen."

It doesn't look okay at all.

I silently opened the bag, took out the case with the sandwich and put it down.

"If you want to eat it, just say you want to eat it. It's a little shabby compared to the food you brought, but let's eat together."

"…Really?"

"Yes."

Carson's face quickly turned to joy. Then I asked in a low voice if I only remembered something.

"…Fjord?"

I blinked at the case containing the sandwich. Even if it wasn't the food that Carson brought, it was a large amount that I was worried about the remains.

"Caon. Let's not be rude with food."

"…Okay."

It was gloomy, but his voice was brighter than before. That's how we start eating.

Unlike taking the tableware of the food Carson brought, the two picked up my sandwich first.

Carson just stares at it for a long time as if it's a waste to eat it, and Fjord bites straight at the sandwich.

Fjord, who tasted it first, exclaimed as if it was amazing.

"It doesn't taste like a sandwich I know. It's like something familiar, but it's the first time I've tried it."

I knew it. The corners of my lips lift up in a sense of exaltation.

"But it's not bad, is it? It's because there's a special sauce that my dad taught me."

"Yeah. I was surprised because it was unique, but it wasn't bad. It's delicious."

In Fjord's evaluation, Carson, who was curious about the taste, closed his eyes and cut down the sandwich.

Munch, munch~

Seeing Carson eating the sandwich I made made me feel happy.

‘Did Dad feel the same way?‘

"How is it, Caon?"

Carson hugged the case full of sandwiches with a reminiscent face.

"It's delicious…!"

"I'm glad it fits your taste. I've made a lot of them, so if there's any leftovers, take it with you Caon."

He looked at me with an overwhelming expression.

"Is Leen an angel?"

"That's not something that could make me an angel."

In a good way, I'm taking care of him. If I just say anything, he'll take care of the leftovers.

With a chuckle, I removed the leg of the roast duck and put it in my mouth, but somewhere there was a rustling sound.

I thought it was a monster, so I pulled a poison stinger out of my pocket. Then Carson shook his head.

"It's not a monster. I used magic to set a barrier."

"Then, it must be a person, who came to hunt monsters like us?"

"It's very likely."

Trying to guess with a low voice, someone appeared through the grass.