Dargris’ Battle
“Leave me alone!”
Rene says and dashes out of the classroom. Dargris, whose cheek was slapped, was just looking dumbfoundedly at the door Rene dashed out of. As I was thinking of what I should do
“Mornin’, Lei”
Cait came beside me. Emma, who looks at Dargris worryingly, is also beside him.
“Morning, Cait. So what in the world is this all about? ……does it possibly has something to do with that girl?”
Cait nods when I say that. As I thought huh. I ask Cait the reason it ended up like this, and it seems they’d been bickering since he entered the classroom. That’s why he doesn’t know the reason it ended up like that, but he says that judging from the bickering, it has something to do with that girl.
I can’t leave it as it is either, so I head towards where Dargris is. Come to think of it, Ely is……sleeping. She can sleep without care even with that ruckus huh.
When our classmates around realise that I came in, they start secretly talking amongst themselves. It’s probably about what happened yesterday, but for now, Dargris’ matter comes first.
“Yo Dargris. She slapped you good huh”
“……Lei huh. You were watching huh”
“I mean, I’m going to see it if you guys do it in the middle of the classroom. Ely is probably the only one who didn’t see it. She’s sleeping after all. ……you’re not going to chase after her?”
“It’ll be a repeat of just now even if I chased after her. In that case, not chasing after her is bett……”
“Haa, you’ll definitely regret it afterwards if you don’t chase after her here. Even so, are you fine with it?”
When I say that, Dargris raises his hanging face and grabs me. Cait and Emma try to stop him, but I stop them.
“Then what are you saying I should do! Even if I chase after her, it’ll just end up in a quarrel like just now! Rene won’t listen to what I have to say, and she also hates Alma! So it’s meaningless even if we talked any more than this, right!”
“Did you hear that from Rene personally?”
“Eh?”
I grab the collar of Dargris, who raises a confused voice at what I asked, this time around.
“Did you properly talk to Rene? Did you ask Rene the reason that she’s angry at you? Did you?”
“Th, that’s……”
“Didn’t it end up like this because you give in to Alma’s advances and complicate things? You like Rene, right? Then why won’t you tell her properly! It has been on my mind since before; Dargris and Cait, both of you convey your feelings way too little. That’s why both Rene and Emma are worried!”
“You’ll properly convey your feelings to Rene. In addition to that, make sure to apologise and also have her acknowledge Alma’s matter. That’s probably the only way. Rene too probably didn’t say those things from the bottom of her heart”
When I say that and let go of my hand, Dargris nodded slightly, softly said, ‘Thanks’, and left the classroom. What a handful, geez. ……why are Cait and Emma blushing?
◇◇◇
“Haa, haa, gusu, Dargris, you idiot! Gusu”
I ended up dashing out of the classroom after losing control and slapping Dargris. And by the time I realised, I’m here……which seems to be the training ground huh. I’d come all the way to such a place before I know it.
I take a seat at the audience seats. Haa, I actually know it as well; that I’m the one who’s at fault; that I’m just being stubborn and not acknowledging Alma. Besides, it’s not like Dargris and I are, lovers or anything.
We’re just childhood friends who were born in the same year and the same village. It was a small village, so there are only Dargris, me and a handful of other people who are closely-aged friends. Amongst them, we, who were decent in Magic and Swordsmanship, were taught various things by the retired Captain-san who was in the village.
It has always been just the two of us ever since then. At that time, I was dragged by the overly energetic Dargris to all kind of places and got scolded by Okaa-san.
“I wonder since when did I like Dargris……”
By the time I realised, we were always a pair, so we skipped over those feelings and the two us being together had become a given. But ever since Alma came, I finally realised that it’s not something that’s a given. I, just dislike having the spot next to Dargris taken by Alma.
“I’m, the worst……”
“Oh, isn’t that a woman. What is she doing?”
“Being lonely by herself. How about it? Wanna hang out with us?”
“We’ll make you feel good, you know?”
3 men say and approach me. What’s with these fellows? The colour of their neckties are green, so I think they’re third-years though. They smile disgustingly and approach me.
“No, thank you”
When I say that and try to leave this place, a pain strikes my left arm. When I thought, ‘What!?’, and took a look, my left arm was being grabbed by a man.
“Hey, it hurts! Please let go!”
I try to shake him off somehow, but as expected, I’m no match against a man’s strength. And before I know it, my right arm was also grabbed by another man.
“Although she looks like a country bumpkin, she’s the cute kind”
“Aah, if it’s like this, it looks like we’ll be able to have some fun”
I was grabbed by both my arms and pulled. If it comes down to this, I’ll even cast Magic
“Earth Magic Rock「Oops」 Kyaah!”
When I try to cast my Magic, I was slapped on the cheek by the third man. He then glares at me, grabbing both my cheeks.
“If you use Magic, you’ll have a permanent scar on your face, got it?”
The man then takes out a knife from his breast pocket and slaps it on my cheek. ……how frustrating. To think that I am helpless against people like this. I could do nothing but glare at the man.
“Let’s strip her here, shall we”
“Won’t somebody come?”
“It’s alright, I tell you. It’s homeroom period now, so nobody’s gonna come”
The men then touch my body, trying to strip my uniform. No! To think that I’m being touched by somebody besides Dargris! I struggle, trying to break free somehow, but as expected, there’s too much disparity in our strength, and I can’t break free.
“Tsk, don’t struggle!”
“Guu!”
Because I’m struggling excessively, the man snaps and punches my abdomen with all his strength.
“Geho! Geho!”
I end up shedding tears at the overwhelming pain. If it’s going to end up like this, I should’ve quickly conveyed to Dargris my feelings. It’s useless even if I regret at this point huh. ……I can’t give Dargris my first time huh. The moment I thought that and was about to shut my eyes
“You bastards! What are you guys doing to Rene!”
I heard the voice of the person whom I’m currently thinking of the most. When I open my eyes and look at the training ground’s entrance, perhaps he ran here, the figure of Dargris who’s breathing heavily was over there.
And seeing me, who’s being grabbed, Dargris starts running.
“Tsk, what’s with that fellow? Get him”
One man grabs me from behind so that I can’t escape, and the remaining two ready their knives so that they don’t let Dargris pass.
“Noo! Dargris, run away!”
In comparison to that, Dargris is heading over empty-handed. This is bad! Dargris is going to be in danger like that! Thinking that; I tell Dargris not to come, but Dargris ignores it and runs over.
“Oraa!”
Dargris punches one man and dodges the other man, who slashes at him with his knife. Dargris rode on the momentum and had an advantage initially, but because he’s concerned about me and he’s being surrounded by two people, little by little, he’s being cornered.
“Dargris! Forget about me and run away!”
No matter how much I shout, Dargris ignores it and exchange blows with the men. Dargris is becoming battered from the wounds of being punched and the wounds of being slashed by the knives.
My tears are pouring out just from looking at that figure of Dargris. Why is he going that far for my sake. Why won’t he run away. I’m just a childhood friend, right? Why? Tell me why? I think over and over again.
“You’re not too bad huh. Are you this woman’s boyfriend?”
The man who’s grabbing me smiles disgustingly and questions Dargris. Even while Dargris is exchanging blows with the men
“……that fellow, is my woman! My beloved woman! So don’t you bastards touch her with your dirty hands!”
he says that. Tears pour from my eyes unceasingly. But they’re not tears of sorrow like just now; they’re tears of joy from hearing Dargris’ feelings.
Dargris punches and sends the two knife-holding men flying, and head towards my direction. The man who was restraining me is visibly flustering, and he thrusts his knife at me.
“Yo, you! Don’t come closer! If you come any closer, I’ll stab this woman! Got it!?”
However, Dargris pays no mind to such things and walks over.
“Try damaging even a strand of Rene’s hair. I’ll bloody kill you”
The man becomes frightened and goes, ‘Hii!’, at the killing intent Dargris releases. And then, the man’s strength weakened for a moment. I take that opportunity to break free from the man’s hands.
“Ah”
“Clench your teeth!”
The man lets out a voice at the fact that I broke free, but Dargris closes in on the man like he’s changing place with me, and then he punches the man’s face and sends him flying. The man, who ate Dargris’ right hand that’s clad in Magic Power in full, was blown about 3 meters away and fainted as it is.
“Dargris! Are you alright!?”
However, I was more worried about Dargris than such men. I rush over to where Dargris is right away. Immediately after
“Kyaaa!”
Dargris hugged me tightly with all his strength.
“Rene. I like you! I caused you to worry about various things, and there’s also the matter with Alma. There may be plenty of things to think about from now on. However, I want you to be with me. I want you to walk the future with me! I like you, Rene!”
I couldn’t raise my face. I mean, if he sees this kind of face
“Rene?”
But Dargris doesn’t care about something like that; he holds my face between both his hands and faces it upwards. Wai, you, you can’t!
“Puu, what kind of face are you making”
He saw that my face is currently grinning from overwhelming happiness, on top of being sopping wet from the tears of joy that are pouring out unceasingly.
“……I mean, I’m too happy. Dargris. I also like Dargris! I also want to spend my life with Dargris!”
I convey to Dargris the precious feelings that I’m feeling now. Dargris, who was making a slightly worried-looking face, hears my words, and laughs, ‘Fuu’, and then he carries on to bring his face closer.
“Rene”
“Dargris”
I close my eyes as it is, and Dargris and I…….
