Volume 2, Chapter 1 Part 3

“Sumika. You yourself, just where did you go until now?”

“Today the sun light is strong, so I had already said that I’m going to buy drinks for everyone. Didn’t you listen?”

“Now that you mentioned it, it feels like I heard something like that before I slept.”

“Geez-“

Looking astonished and making a deep sigh, Sumika put the vinyl bag where the beverages she bought were in on the sheet a little roughly.

After that she directed a criticizing gaze at Homura once more.

“During the time I went to buy everyone’s drink in this heat, the sole male in this platoon was taking a nap under the parasol on the lap of the platoon’s female member. You are really having an enjoyable vacation aren’t you? Are you a lord from somewhere?”

“It doesn’t really matter isn’t it? If it’s about those brats Chikori are already taking care of them, I got nothing to do even if I’m awake see.”

“Well, that might be so but…”

It had also been mentioned before but, Homura’s magic power that was too enormous made him extremely insensitive of other people’s magic power.

Leaving the observation to Shiori who specialized in detecting enemies while Homura who specialized in battle was standing by at her side, considering that arrangement from the point of the right man in the right place, it couldn’t really be said as a mistaken choice.

Sumika also knew about that, so she couldn’t find words to argue back there.

In the first place what made Sumika dissatisfied was another matter entirely―

“But, you don’t need to go as far as having a lap pillow… something like that, looks like you two are lovers… doesn’t it…”

“I couldn’t hear you because your voice was too small just now.”

“No, nothing at all-!”

- puff*, while her cheek reddened Sumika waved around her hands and immediately covered her leaking out jealousy.

Correct, it was jealousy.

In regards toward Kamishiro Homura, Hoshikawa Sumika was harboring a faint awakening of love.

For Sumika, who piled up hard work, strongly wishing to become an existence that could save a great number of people like Homura since she witnessed the moment of Homura putting down <Demon King Typhon> with her naked eyes, Homura was exactly an existence that she aspired to.

But this aspiration, after she by chance was now in the same platoon as Homura and got to know a lot more about the person called Homura, it was changing into a definite love to the degree that she was self-aware of it.

Already, it was changing into a strong feeling that couldn’t be described as a mere aspiration.

From such Sumika’s point of view, the sight of Homura relaxing using Shiori’s lap pillow was not something that she could really welcome.

But, toward such a girl―

“But you come back in a good timing, leader. Actually my knees are quite tired already right now. That’s why I’m sorry to bother you, but can you do me a favor to replace me, I wonder?”

“Eh…-!?”

Suddenly, Shiori proposed an unexpected suggestion.

“Re, replace you said, you mean with the la, lap pillow!?”

“Yes.”

Shiori nodded surely as if it was nothing.

But as for Sumika, she really couldn’t be calm about it at all.

Imagining herself giving Homura a lap pillow―

Just picturing that made her brain feel like it was boiling.

“Do, doing that is impossible-, that’s impossible you know! That, I, with a man, doing lap pillow… I’ve never done that-… perhaps Homura-san won’t feel comfortable.”

“It’s going to be fine. Leader, you have thighs that are far more suitable for a lap pillow compared to someone like me.”

“I, is that so…”

“Ain’t that saying it’s chubby in a roundabout way-buhe-!?”

Shiori dropped her palm with all her strength on the face of Homura who was going to say something needless.

But, Sumika at this time didn’t have any composure to mind about what Homura was going to say.

What her wise brain as a S-rank magician was currently processing was, the figure of Homura sleeping comfortably using her lap pillow.

―That’s great. Really great.

What a happy scene that was.

Although she refused in mostly reflex just now, Shiori’s proposal was truly something that made her mouth water for Sumika.

That’s right. Without action there was nothing that could be obtained.

Whether in training as a magician or love, such fact didn’t change.

(In addition, there is also a distance that can be felt between me and Homura-san compared to Chikori-san and Shiori-san.)

This was the time to be brave.

Sumika resolved herself so and wringed out all her courage.

“I understand-. It’s a little embarrassing but, I’ll do my best…-“

And then while her face was reddening to a degree that it seemed like steam would burst out, Sumika dropped her waist on the sheet with a plop,

“By all means…-! Homura-san……!”

Even while closing her eyes tightly from embarrassment, she invited Homura. But―

“No that’s fine already. Somehow I’m wide awake during the talk here.”

“Eh?”

In the first place, even the lap pillow from Shiori was not something that Homura wished himself

It was something that had already happened without him noticing when he woke up, so there was no reason at all to continue until even Sumika needed to take the baton.

That was why Homura turned down Sumika’s offer and stood up alone. ―Then,

“Ah. Homura-kun. From behind you.”

Suddenly, Shiori said that with a surprised face.

Behind. Was there something behind him? When Homura turned back,

“Bu-!?”

Suddenly, along with an impact that struck his nose, Homura’s field of vision turned dark for a moment.

“A volleyball is flying at you.”

“…Say that without cutting off in the middle.”

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