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 82: Progress (2)

After finishing dinner, I spent a little more time chatting enjoyably with everyone.

Then I took a bath and waited in my room for the time I had promised to spend with Elena tonight.

“I wonder what she wants to talk about…”

Since coming to this frontline, a lot has happened.

Especially today—it was really tough, with the fight against Narcissus and learning that this frontline unit had become enemies with the higher-ups in the Luvankrum Empire’s military.

Whether the talk was about that or something completely unrelated.

As I thought about such things and let time pass, there was a knock on the door.

“Yes!”

I opened the door right away, and there stood Elena in light clothing, her cheeks slightly flushed.

She must have just gotten out of the bath, because a sweet scent different from usual drifted over.

“Elena!”

“S-Sorry to keep you waiting, Finn-kun! C-Can I come in?”

“Of course.”

I nodded and invited Elena in.

Elena spoke with a somewhat hesitant tone.

“U-Um… T-Today, I was thinking maybe we could talk on the bed again instead of chairs… What do you think…?”

“Got it! Let’s do that.”

“Th-Thank you…”

I moved to the front of the bed with Elena, who looked tense, and sat down on the bed right away.

I thought Elena would sit on my bed next—

“…”

But Elena stood still for a moment, just looking at the bed.

“Elena…? What is it…?”

When I asked that, Elena snapped out of it with a “hah” and said hurriedly.

“N-No! Th-Then I’ll sit next to you, Finn-kun!”

“Yes.”

As she said, Elena sat down beside me.

“U-Um…”

Elena started to say something.

But the words did not come.

A short silence followed, but then Elena, looking restless, opened her mouth as if she had thought of something.

“C-Come to think of it, a lot happened today!”

“Yes, that’s true.”

The battle with Narcissus, the thoughts of the higher-ups that Narcissus revealed.

And the opposition between this Luvankrum Empire’s military frontline unit and the Luvankrum Empire’s military higher-ups.

Today was without a doubt a major turning point for our future.

“There are probably a lot of things we need to think about from now on… But being able to spend time like this with you right now makes me really happy.”

“…! I-I feel the same—I’m really happy to be spending time with you, Finn-kun!”

“Elena…”

As I felt joy from those words,

“…S-So, about what I wanted to talk about today…”

Elena started with her cheeks flushed and a somewhat shy look, so I listened quietly.

“Um… D-Do you remember a while ago when you said you wanted us to have a relationship where we could freely share our feelings for each other?”

When Elena asked that, I clearly recalled the words I had said a few days ago to Elena, Sephia, and Norn—

“I… want to have a relationship with Elena, Sephia, and Norn—of course with everyone else too—without holding back, without walls, where we can more… more freely share our feelings for each other in our own ways.”

I nodded and answered.

“I remember. Those feelings haven’t changed at all, even now.”

“R-Really… I-I feel the same as I said back then—I want that kind of relationship with you… I want to tell you all my feelings.”

The feelings we have for each other.

If we could share all of them, how happy that would be.

“But… even though I said it myself, how do we actually share our feelings freely? I’ve thought about whether there’s a way to express them beyond words, but I have no idea…”

“Th…! That’s…! Um…!”

Elena raised her voice high.

Her ears turned red too, and with a very shy expression she looked into my eyes and said.

“A-Actually, there’s something I want to do with you about that… But before I talk about it, can I ask one thing?”

“Yes, what is it?”

“F-Finn-kun… Um… H-How do you feel about me!?”

“…Huh?”

How I feel about Elena…?

The sudden question caught me off guard.

But I could tell this conversation was very important, and that Elena was facing her own feelings while desperately trying to tell me something.

So I put my answer into clear words.

“You’re very kind and always stay by my side… You also have great strength, so I feel gratitude and respect at the same time.”

“Gratitude and… respect…”

“Yes. And with those feelings in my heart… someday I will definitely become strong enough to protect you.”

“Finn-kun…”

Hearing my answer, Elena opened her mouth again.

“I think you’re very kind too, and being with you is fun. The way you work hard is cool, and I absolutely want to protect you.”

But, she continued.

“That’s not all—I want to connect more deeply with you… I want to connect and tell you all my feelings. Not just what I said now, but the other feeling I have for you…”

Another feeling toward me…?

After a short silence,

Elena pressed her lips together once, then said with a look of firm resolve.

“It’s the continuation of what I wanted to ask earlier… Finn-kun… Have you ever seen me as a girl?”

“…!?”

As a girl.

In other words, as a woman…

Or more clearly, have I ever looked at her in a way different from our relationship so far, as the opposite sex…?

Or rather…

“Th-Th-That…! S-Someone like me, thinking of you that way—”

I started to say that,

but my words stopped unconsciously.