I Was Sent to an All-Female Frontline Unit to Get Rid of Some of the Trouble, but the Most Beautiful Girls Who Are Rumored to Hate Men Love Me So Much That I Have a Hard Time at Night

Chapter 11: Night (3)

“Eh!? H-Here, tonight…!?”

“Yes…”

Saying something like this is almost like admitting I’m lonely on my own.

That’s why, even though I’m nervous, I also feel embarrassed.

But I couldn’t stop myself from suggesting it.

“T-Tonight, you want to stay together…? T-That means… you’re inviting me…?”

“Yes.”

“…!?”

Right now, I’m asking Elena if I can stay with her for just a little longer.

“S-So that’s what you mean…? Wait, wait!”

Elena turned her face away from me and muttered something under her breath so quietly that I couldn’t hear.

But she was speaking rapidly.

“Normally, saying you want to stay together at night is basically that kind of invitation, but Finn wouldn’t mean it like that… But he’s still a boy, so it’s not strange if he’s interested in those things… A-Anyway, I need to figure out what Finn really means…!”

After whispering to herself, Elena nodded once. Then, with her cheeks flushed red, she turned back to me, looking somewhat tense.

“Um… I’ve said this many times, but until now, the frontlines have only had girls, so I haven’t really prepared for… that kind of thing…”

“Prepared…?”

I just want to be with Elena.

So…

“Is preparation… even necessary?”

“Eh!? Y-You’re going to do it without any preparation!?”

“Eh…? Do… what…?”

What is she talking about?

“A-Ah… S-Sorry? It’s nothing, really.”

Elena turned her face away again and mumbled in a small voice.

“Finn definitely didn’t mean it that way! What am I even thinking…!? But… but… if Finn is asking me to stay with him at night, and I do nothing… can I really…”

I was so focused on my own thoughts that I hadn’t really noticed much else.

But looking closely now, Elena was acting a little strange.

…Could it be?

“I’m sorry, Elena… If this is a bother to you, it’s not like I absolutely have to—”

“It’s completely fine! Really! If Finn wants me to stay with him, I’ll stay as long as he wants!”

Elena interrupted her murmuring and turned to me with those words.

“Elena…!”

Overcome with joy, my voice rose slightly, and Elena smiled at me gently.

“But Finn, you look really sleepy. Instead of sitting on a chair, why don’t you lie down on the bed? I’ll stay by your side until you fall asleep.”

“Thank you…!”

Feeling grateful for Elena’s warmth—something I’d already felt so many times tonight—I followed her toward the bed in the room.

I pulled the blanket over myself and lay down on the bed.

“This bed… it’s so soft and comfortable.”

“I’m glad. I put a lot of thought into choosing the best materials.”

Elena’s gentle voice echoed in my slightly drowsy mind.
I felt like I could fall asleep at any moment.

“It feels a bit bad to have you sitting next to the bed the whole time while I sleep, so if you’d like, why don’t you lie down too, Elena?”

“Ah, are you sure? You just said the bed was soft, and now I’m curious about how it feels—… Wait, what!?”

“What’s wrong…?”

“U-Um… a-are you really okay with it? Me… getting into the same bed as you…?”

“Of course! I don’t see any reason why not.”

“…!”

Elena has been so kind to me.

She waited outside my room, looking out for me.

And now, she’s even listening to my selfish request.

There’s no reason she shouldn’t be allowed on the bed.

As I reassured myself, Elena took a deep breath.

“C-Calm down, me… Finn doesn’t mean anything weird by this… He trusts me, that’s why he’s saying this… I can’t betray that trust… But still… if I don’t do anything in this situation…!”

“Elena?”

“N-Nothing! Um… If you’re really okay with it, then maybe just for a little while…!”

“Yes!”

I lifted the blanket, and with her cheeks flushed red, Elena climbed onto the bed and lay down beside me.

And immediately…

A pleasant scent tickled my nose.

“Elena… You smell really nice.”

“…! W-Well, I just took a bath! You smell nice too, Finn!”

“Really? I guess you can’t notice your own scent.”

“Yeah, exactly!”

“Elena, you—”

As I spoke and turned to face Elena…

“…!?”

She had just taken a bath.

That meant she wasn’t wearing her military uniform.

Compared to usual, she was dressed much lighter.

And since she was lying down, her large chest was visible through the gap in her clothes.

“S-Sorry…!”

“Eh…?”

I quickly averted my gaze and turned my entire body away from her.

“Why are you apologizing—oh… Did you see my boobs?”

“…!”

Hearing her say it so bluntly made my face burn even hotter.

Embarrassing, embarrassing, embarrassing…!

“I-I’m really sorry…! I didn’t do it on purpose…!”

“You don’t have to apologize… If anything, knowing that you’re aware of me like that is…”

Elena trailed off, then continued in a soft voice.

“Anyway, I’m not mad, so come on, look this way?”

“…”

Her voice was so gentle that I slowly turned to face her again.

Even now, seeing her up close, she looked absolutely beautiful.

“Finn… You really did your best today. You can rest now.”

As she spoke, Elena gently stroked my hair.

Did I really do my best…?

Looking back, today was so eventful it was hard to believe it was just one day.

As Elena stroked my hair, a sense of relief washed over me.

Drowsiness hit me all at once, but before I fell asleep, I wanted to say what was on my mind.

“Elena… Thank you for staying with me all day today… I’m really glad I met you.”

“…!”

Even as sleep pulled at me, I continued.

“Because of you—”

“Don’t, Finn…”

“The future I was so anxious about…”

“Not with those words…”

“Feels so much more exciting now…”

“If you say something like that, I—ah…”

“…”

“Even your sleeping face is adorable… You really did great today. Good night, Finn.”

As my consciousness faded into sleep…

I thought I could hear Elena’s voice, gently smiling over me.

◆◇◆

After Finn fell asleep.

Elena got up from the bed, carefully tucked the blanket around him, and turned off the magical lamp in the room.

Then, she quietly left the room.

She climbed the stairs and entered her own room—then, the moment the door shut,

She jumped onto her bed and rolled around in frustration.

“Geez, Finn…! You were so defenseless, with that cute face, inviting me into bed, getting all flustered over my chest…! If it wasn’t me, there’s no way anyone could have resisted! And what if I had actually done something to you!?”

(Up until now, I’ve only been surrounded by awful guys, but when it comes to someone like Finn… No, it’s not just that. More than interest, I…)

She remembered Finn’s words from earlier.

—”I’m really glad I met you.”

For the first time, she was feeling this strongly about another person.

This was something the Elena from yesterday could never have imagined.

(But… after meeting a boy like him, I guess it’s inevitable.)

A guy she liked.

Completely defenseless.

Inviting her.

Sleeping next to her.

Acknowledging her as a woman.

Thanking her.