I reincarnated as a losing heroine, the hero’s childhood friend who lost to the main heroine, so I switched jobs to alchemist

Chapter 19: The attack of the Demons

"The next time, it will be me, the one returning to the village of Emme."

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.
When we said goodbye, my childhood friend looked very happy and smiled with his eyes squinting into the shape of a crescent moon.

"I'm looking forward to it."

With those words and a gentle smile, Lucas went back to the village of Emme.
I'm still very worry about our village that was attacked by a demon, but I have made up my mind and will make time as soon as possible to go home and talk with everybody.

But apart from those worries, the two days I spent with Lucas were really enjoyable, and I was able to relax both mentally and physically.
I went back to my room thinking to talk tomorrow and try to arrange my schedule to go home as soon as possible.

"I'm so sorry!"

The one who apologizing with his front head touching the ground is... my professor in chief, Mr. Kasper.

Apparently, he wanted to apologize to me for the other day at the tavern.
Admittedly, having to support talking with a badly drunk Mr. Kasper puzzled me, but it wasn't enough for me to want him to beg on his knees, but I suppose it would have been terrible if Vake wouldn't help me.

"Mr. Kasper, don't worry about it... you seemed to have been quite drunk..."
"Eeek! That's not good! It was a terrible thing for a Master to do!　Please forgive me... I can't say what, but let me do something to atone for my sins!"

Rubbing his head against the floor, Mr. Kasper strained his voice as he did so.
Perhaps because they heard the unusual sound, a lot of people from superior classes gathered around us.

"Laura, what's going on?"
"... Well, the other day I saw a drunken Mr. Kasper making a ruckus in the town... maybe he caused troubles to her"

Perhaps it was Chelsea's voice, but someone from behind her answered to Lina-senpai's question.
"Oh, I'm sorry for bothering you"
I apologized to them gentle, this time synchronization was really a problem...
But more than that, I have to do something about he, who is kneeling down in front of me.
Mr. Kasper, said he wanted to make amends...
Well, when you're in a situation when you don't know what to do, try to figure out something else first.
...I wonder if the two of them are close enough to drink together on holidays.

"Oh, yeah. Is Mr. Kasper a good friend of the Knight Commander, Mister Vake, right?"

Mr. Kasper looked up at the sudden question.
His forehead was covered with marks from pressing it in the ground and dust since the floor hadn't been cleaned properly lately.

"It was not necessary to go that far"
I said, deepening my bitter smile, as I opened my mouth to ask Mr. Kasper again, who looked unsure.

"He was drinking with you, right?"
"Ah, ah...yes. We know each other for a long time now...since I came here and from then on, we've been talking and going for drinks sometimes when you're both free... and--- I'm really sorry!!!"

Mr. Kasper, who apparently remembered the events of the other day again in the course of the conversation, lowered his head with more momentum than before.

I was startled by the sound of the thug, but I said, "That's enough!" Strongly trying to stop him before his head cracks the floor.
It was obvious that they were close, but it was quite a strange combination.
He may have a strong relationship with the Knight Order because of the delivery of the recovery medicine, but I honestly couldn't find something in common for them to get along... with Vake! Who has a stout body and heavy armor, and Mr. Kasper, who has a thin body, a shaggy-headed and big round glasses.
"I see. I wasn't expecting Mr. Vake to there yesterday, so I was a little surprised."

At my mutter, Mr. Kasper raised his head.
Please, don't look me like that, don't take weird conclusions before knowing the truth...

"Laura-chan, do you admire Mr. Vake?"
"Huh?　No...well...you know...he's a famous person..."
I can't naturally say, "I've known him for a long time," so I'm choosing my words appropriately.
Nevertheless, this feeling I've for Vake is very similar to longing....

Mr. Kasper's words weren't wrong, so I nodded slowly but surely.
Then, poof, his eyes lit up even more.
The gleam in his eyes made Mr. Kasper's thoughts palpable.

"I get it! Atonement, I'll introduce you to Mr. Vake!"
I was honestly delighted by those words, as expected...

Wanting to talk to Vake properly for once... However, my hesitation about whether I should be overreaching, and my refusal to create new misunderstandings, prevented me from nodding my head meekly at Mr. Kasper's words.
However, Mr. Kasper, who is completely oblivious to my inner conflicts, quickly got up.
And, "Here we go!" He said as he cheerfully pushed my back in forward direction.

"You're going.... now?　What about the training!"

"You're taking half a day off under the authority of me! Your boss!　Little Chelsea is on free study time too! You two are both excellent!"

Mr. Kasper said something outrageous to me, who was confused.
But it's a good thing to meet him and know more about the Knights, who I'll be helping on a future with my recoveries potions.

Trying to see the reaction of Chelsea, but Lina-senpai and her, were both stunned on the place.
In the end, I left with Mr. Kasper pushing my back to move forward.

　*******

Shouting in the air.
Dust rising in the air.
The dull, echoing sound of iron.

Suddenly we came to the Knights' training grounds, and the one who greeted us was...

"What's going on now, Kasper?"
"Ah!"

It was the Knight with the pale green hair who had accompanied me to the relatives room during Arnold's exam two years ago.
I couldn't help but raise my voice before thinking.

"I never thought we would meet again like this... From the time you told me you belonged to the Knights Order, I thought we would meet again... somewhere... if I became an apprentice of alchemist..."

At the sound of voice, Knight and Mr. Kasper looked at each other and to me.

"Laura, do you know Mr. Olivelle?"

"...I'm sorry...I'm sorry...no, um..."

I remember him, but that doesn't mean that the other side does. "Do you remember me?"　I'm not the kind of person who can ask that.

"You... have passed the exam!　Congratulations."

...I can't believe that he remembered that moment of the conversation for two years!
Startled, I took a few steps forward without noticing.

"Do.. do you remember me?"

"Yes, of course. I thought you were a very bright young lady... and from the moment you told me, I thought ' she'll definitely enter at her first try!"

... Smiling.... Prince Charming's smile....
A glittering light seemed to dance around Mr. Olivelle.
He looks like he could have appeared in the world of shoujo manga.
And he remembers! It only makes a better impression of him as a great person.

"Hey, hey, hey, you're trying to make me fall for you in such a natural way ~~ Deputy Commander~~"

As I was looking at Mr. Kasper with envy as he knows so many people and can make jokes with them so distended, I thought it would be wonderful if he could be more like Mr. Olivelle.
The voice of a man I had grown accustomed to hearing appeared.
"I think you are referring to Mr. Olivelle."

I looked back in the direction the voice came from, and there, as expected, stood Vake.
Maybe he was in the middle of training, or maybe he was taking a break, but he walked up to me while wiping his face with a towel.
He held a wooden sword in his hand and wore no armor.

"Kasper. What's the matter with you?"
"This is the girl you should be looking for, not me but Laura, she's in love with Mr. Vake! So..."
"Didn't you promise to introduce me in a decent way this time?? To atone for your sins for what happened the other day?!!"

Apparently, you can see through it all, uhmm?
Mr. Kasper took some steps back as Vake smiled broadly.
Mr. Vake looked at me, he came close to Mr. Kasper, who had fallen completely silent.
Then delivered a powerful blow over his head, and looked back at me.

"You've to choose more carefully, Miss Laura, this guy's help is only bad news"
"No, no!　Um -- I'm sorry to bother you at work-- but I'll be home soon! But-- it's a pleasure to meet you!"

It was nice to be able to talk with him, but I guess he was probably in the middle of training, so I'll just sit and see what he's doing.
Of course, if it's not his day off, but maybe he's taking a lunch break...

I should have said it properly! Saying that I'll come back again when he has time to talk.
Feeling remorseful now, I bowed my head, and then.

"Are you sure you're the apprentice? You're a lot more mature than Kasper!"

Vake laughed loudly.
I was stunned for a few moments by the excessive laughter, and then I laughed as well.

"The old me" knew it, but ... he's a really pleasant person.
When we're together, I feel like he is radiant like the sun...

After a few laughs, Vake tapped me on the shoulder a few times and told me, "I'm not sure what to do."

"I'm sorry I don't have time to talk with you right now as I'm training the youngsters, but I hope you'll take a look at our training, Miss Future Alchemist."

　*******

A member of the team was swinging a sword.
Another member of the group was taking a stand.
Mr. Olivelle, a member of the Order who is being trained by Vake, took me around to see the training scenes.
At the moment, I'm having a drink with Mr. Olivelle at the rest hut near the training ground.
Mr. Vake told me to wait here because he was about to finish today training.

"You've been practicing that much every day?"
I asked Mr. Olivelle. Then he replied emphatically.
"The Chevalier Order does not lack training not even one day, in order to keep this country safe, let alone the safety of the royal city. Unlike the alchemists, if you volunteer, there is almost no exam and you can get in without any trouble."
"That aspiration is wonderful."

He volunteered to be a knight in order to protect his people...
I honestly think it's great to have that aspiration in himself.
"If I had been born a man, I don't know if I would have been able to set such a lofty goal."

Mr. Olivelle laughed happily at my words, and

"We'll take good care of you too, Laura."

For the tenth time on this day, he gave me a prince's smile.
The fact that he is able to say such things so bluntly... he's a natural womanizer? Or something like that?
No, I think he's a caring person, he's the kind of person who looks at the other person properly.
However, I was worried that with his sweet words and gentle actions many women may have misunderstood his intentions and suffered later because of it.
I had a pleasant conversation with Mr. Olivelle for a while.
He had a wealth of topics to talk about, and his conversation and smile were uninterrupted.
A harmonious, comfortable air.
While I was enjoying this experience to the fullest and deepening my friendship with Mr. Olivelle when "it" happened.* Crash * * Clang, Clang * * Thiii *

Suddenly, a deafening sound pierced my eardrums.
Apparently, the window of the hut was slightly open, and despite being indoors, it was a crash too loud that nearly break my eardrums.
So much so that I knew from the sound alone that something "unusual" had happened.

I looked around in fear.
At that moment, the door was opened wildly.
"Deputy Commander, there's a horde of demons in the North Forest!"
"It's on a scale never seen before!"　
"How did that even scrape through the eyes of the guards, so close to the city!"

--it was a sudden report.

A horde of demons.
It's also close to the city.
The event was too sudden for me to grasp the situation.
I just opened my mouth, and stared at the young knights standing near the entrance.

Mr. Olivelle, on the other hand, stood up quickly.
And said in a clear and loud voice.

"Evacuate the people of the city to the royal castle!　Right away!　4th to 6th squadrons on guard!　The rest of the squad--"

"The Commander has already led the first squad out!"

"I'll be out in a minute!　The second and third squads, and all squads since the seventh, stand by the northern castle gate!"

He delivered the instructions calmly and quickly.

After receiving instructions, the Knights hurriedly walked out of the resting hut.
I could barely react to the loud clang of the door.

"The demon is just around the corner."
"We have to evacuate."
Then, Mr. Olivelle went away with his team, heading out to take down the demons, I followed.

The scale has never been greater.
How did he slip through the eyes of the guards?

The words of the men from earlier reverberated in my head.
... Just like the village of Eme, the royal city is being attacked by demons as have never been seen before.

"Laura, can you go back with Mr. Kasper and the others on your own?"
"...yes."

The prince's smile that was there earlier has completely disappeared, and Mr. Olivelle looked into my face with a dignified expression.
Still trying to reassure us, the tone of his voice was trying to be gentle.

I nodded, and Mr. Olivelle walked away, before leaving me behind said.

"I'm sorry for the rush, but let me show you around again another time."

After bowing his head firmly, Mr. Olivelle ran out.

He is a caring person until the very end.
I called out to him as he was moving away from me.
"Oh, take care...!"

My heart is pounding noisily.
I took a few big, deep breaths to calm it down and ran to the alchemist department room.
If I don't leave early, Mr. Kasper and the others will be worried.

Running through the hallway... In my mind, the smiles on Olivelle's face and Vake's....

"No way."

I stopped in my track without thinking.
The possibilities that came into my mind made me hesitate for a moment, but soon I started running again but at full speed.
I had to hurry back to the alchemist room and prepares a recovery potion!

Yes, there's no time for evacuation!
I'm sure all the alchemist masters on the castle are working on the recipe by now!
I have to help with that!

I ran, as if to shake off the possibilities that flashed through my mind.

"Perhaps, this time-- this demon attack--- Vake will suffer a serious injury to his right eye!"

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