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“We will eliminate the evil sorcerer and bring back justice and freedom! Once that’s done, we’ll be welcomed into the now peaceful village and live happily ever after…!”
Said Ameriko with a confident smile while stretching on the bed.
Ameriko and Himeno changed into their sleepwear, and were positioned in the center of a large bed. The environment was warm as they talked, and it felt like some sort of pajama party.
“That is quite the optimistic expectation, Ameriko.”
Said Himeno, who was lying on the bed while hugging a large pillow.
“Optimistic? No no, it’s important to have victory in mind. It’s all about positive thinking.”
Said Ameriko while giving Himeno a thumbs up, who responded with a vague smile.
They had no way of knowing when the sorcerer and his followers would attack, and needed to work out a plan for when it happened. Having that said, it was mostly Himeno who was concerned.
They were thanked by Chai’s family, and welcomed into the village. The villagers celebrated the arrival of the heroes, and Ameriko and Himeno were treated as their guests.
They were taken to a ‘traveler’s inn’ ran by the village, where they could eat and use the hot springs free of charge. The warm water from the wellspring and the amenities were all very pleasant.
The interior of their room was reminiscent of a southern resort, and it was lit with indirect lighting. There was one double bed in the center, and a sweet flowery smell lightly hung in the air.
Although Himeno had previously asked for them to be put in separate rooms, they would be staying in the same one.
It was getting late, and she just wanted to go to sleep… But Ameriko had on her face the expression of an athlete right before a game, and started stretching.
“Being positive is fine, but we need to make preparations and carefully put together a plan. Success is all about laying the groundwork.”
“Okay. You think too much Himeno.”
“Do I!? You think too little!”
Said Himeno with an unsure expression as she hugged the pillow tighter. Ameriko tried to pull it away.
“It’s fine, we just have to win.”
“W-what I am trying to say, is that we need to analyze our enemy.”
For some reason, they started a tug of war over the pillow.
“The sorcerers? It’s a cult crazy about the occult.”
“If you know your enemy and know yourself, in a hundred battles you will never be defeated. We need a concrete counter-measure. To achieve victory, strategy is more important than the battle itself. If we lose in this world… That means death.”
Himeno’s argument came straight from Sun Tzu’s ‘The Art of War’. Ameriko put her finger on her brow and started thinking.
“I do have a strategy.”
“Hou?”
“Smack them down with a direct frontal strike with all of our firepower. Strike first and win. Vanquish evil no questions asked. That’s how we fight.”
“You really are…”
Himeno groaned as she rolled with the pillow. It was just like Ameriko to propose such a strategy.
That was how Ameriko fought ever since they arrived in this world, shooting vital points and pushing through. This worked against non-intelligent monsters, but it would probably not be as successful against the sorcerer and his followers.
Himeno laid face down on the bed, and opened a document.
“Himeno…?”
“This was written by Chai’s sisters.”
Ameriko was on all fours on the bed, peeking at the document. It was written with foreign characters she had never seen before, but Himeno read it aloud while tracing it with her finger.
“The sorcerer who destroyed the kingdom, Liu Kinfei, has immense and inexplicable power. It’s his slave sorcerers who attack villages, and oppress and exploit them.”
“Himeno, you can read that?”
“It is strange, but it just pops into my head. I have no idea why, but I can understand it. We probably cannot deal with the sorcerer or the followers the same way we have dealt with everything else.”
“What do you mean?”
“It says here that every attack bounced back, being nullified by their powerful barrier known as ‘Invincible Defense’. They borrow power from the true sorcerer, but they were once wizards and witches who served the kingdom, whose hearts were destroyed by Liu Kinfei. Now they are under his control.”
“An invincible barrier… So they have shields?”
“Apparently. We have no way of knowing how strong it is, but at the very least we know it is strong enough to block magic attacks from the kingdom’s wizards and witches, and physical attacks from its warriors.”
“But I can’t see it blocking my bullets. When the time comes, I’ll summon a large caliber rifle or a machine gun.”
Ameriko’s confidence was unshakable. Her soul had absolute trust in the power of firearms.
“I think so as well. I believe in your power.”
“Yes.”
Their faces were very close, as they looked at each other with serious expressions.
“I do not think you will lose, but.. We still need a strategy.”
“Alright. What kind of strategy?”
Ameriko and Himeno said quietly.
“When the enemy comes, I will be the vanguard.”
“You…!?”
“Yes. Even if regular slashes do not work, my long distance slashes may get through. After we see how strong they are, how they move, and their weaknesses… You can strike.”
“Okay. Then I’ll snipe them from a rooftop.”
Ameriko would need to summon an appropriate rifle, but she was confident she could do it if given enough time.
“I see, that might not be so bad.”
“Then it’s decided. Let’s go to sleep.”
“Yes… I am getting sleepy.”
Himeno plunged into the bed face first.
“Himeno, there’s one thing that’s absolutely vital to make sure our strategy is a success.”
“…What is it?”
“Trust. Intimacy as partners.”
“I guess…”
“Then let’s kiss.”
“…Ah?”
Himeno turned around, and Ameriko grabbed her face on both sides while moving hers closer.
“Ok? A kiss is the first step towards showing affection. It’s alright, it’s like a french greeting.”
“Oh… Wai…!”
“Hn… Simple, right…!?”
Ameriko kissed Himeno on the cheek, which was enough to bewilder and petrify her.
“Okay, next lesson! Let’s touch our lips just a bit.”
“W-w-w-wait… Puh!?”
“Hn…! See? Simple, right?”
Ameriko kept saying it was simple with bloodshot eyes, and wiped the drool on the corner of her lips with the back of her hand.
“T-that is enough. That is enough affection so… Fuah!?”
Himeno tried to escape, but was tackled in the style of American football.
“It’s alright. For the next one, we’ll open our mouths just a little. Open lips, open minds.”
Ameriko approached her while whispering sweet words. She definitely wanted to put her tongue to use.
“Hn… Ah… Hn!?”
“Okay. Hn… Ahh…”
Ameriko’s lesson continued until Chai tumbled into their room on the verge of tears, saying he finally escaped from his sisters.
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DAMN YOU CHAI!!! Ameriko was about to get herself an animal girl!!! Hope you get nut checked!