The day after the successful rescue of Haru and the others… The villagers, who had been extremely weakened, were gradually regaining their health after  eating the delicious food provided by Ark Dominion.

Although they had been subjected to considerable torture by the researchers, they still have a mysterious being’s body. With proper treatment, they would regenerate at a speed that was incomparably faster than that of a human.

And most of them were former members of the Great Beasts Alliance, so since many of them were old acquaintances within the Hundred Beasts Legion, they got along very well.

「Thanks to everyone, I am able to meet with you all again like this.」

「Haru! You’re back, nyan! We were so worried about you, nyanzo!」

「Welcome home, wan… I’m so glad you’re safe, wan… I’m so happy, wan!」

「Arara, it seems the cat and dog duo have become even more of a crybaby than before!」

While the mysterious beings from the village initially feared Haru, her gentle personality soon won them over, and they accepted her without any problems. Even the Zako Fighters, who are notoriously weak to beautiful women, were already starting to form a fan club for her.

「I made some “niku-jaga” (meat and potato stew) for all my new friends. I hope you all enjoy it, nodesuga……」

「Delicious! Delicious, ui! It tastes like mom’s cooking, ui!」

「If it’s food cooked by a beauty I could eat as much as I want, ui! More, ui!」

「Ara ara, Ufufu! It seems like it’s going to run out in no time, desuwa!」

With her long, chestnut-colored hair that softly wafts a pleasant fragrance, and her gentle, serene smile reminiscent of the Virgin Mary, Haru is like a warm ray of sunshine illuminating the harsh and often brutal atmosphere of the Ark Dominion’s underground secret base. Her black, flowing tunic, reminiscent of a nun’s habit, also seems to have a captivating effect on the hearts of the zako fighters.

「Okay, all the children who want an extra serving, please line up here.」

「「「Yeeeees, uii!!」」」

「Ufufu, what a good children you are!」

Of course, being a family of General Bearion was a major factor in her being well-received. But above all, the fact that Haru herself was actively trying to build relationships with the mysterious beings meant that she quickly established herself as the “mother figure” of Ark Dominion.

「It sure is packed! I was wondering where all our members were… so they were all here, huh?」

「Ara, Deathgreen-sama, welcome! We’re having a dinner gathering to foster camaraderie, so please feel free to join us and enjoy the meal.」

When Rintaro spoke to Haru, her face immediately brightened up.

「Well, if you don’t mind, I’d like to have a little something to eat too. But is it okay to have so many people coming in all at once like this? Won’t that cause any trouble?」

「That’s absolutely not a bother at all! I’m so grateful that everyone is so kind to me and treats me as a friend… I’m at a loss for words to express my gratitude, desuwa!」

Haru said this with such a cheerful smile that it was hard to believe she was a villain. No wonder the zako fighters of the heinous legion were easily swayed by her.

While thinking such things, Rintaro brought a bite of Haru’s nikujaga to his mouth.

「……! It’s delicious!」

「Well, I’m glad you enjoyed it, desuwa! By the way… if Death Green-sama would be okay with it… perhaps I could prepare some other dishes for you next time?」

「Oh, that’s a good idea. Please do that when you’re free. Samecchi will definitely be happy about it.」

「Yes, with pleasure!」

After finishing his dish of meat and potato stew, Rintaro cleared his dishes and left the dining hall. Haru watched his back with a warm, heartfelt gaze, knowing that he was someone who had saved her life.

「Haa… what a wonderful gentleman, Death Green-sama…!」

…………

Rintaro had already noticed the intense, almost fiery gaze that Haru was giving him.

「Nononono, wait a minute! Isn’t that girl supposed to be General Bearion’s girlfriend, or something?」

After leaving the cafeteria, Rintaro muttered to himself in a corner of the hallway, facing the wall.

Rintaro isn’t so oblivious to the positive, or even stronger, emotions directed towards him. However, things are different when the person in question is the woman of General Bearion.

「I don’t mind that, but… that could easily escalate into a conflict between the two armies…!」

Yes, if a love triangle were to develop among the four executives who support Ark Dominion, it could potentially escalate into a major problem that could even cause the entire organization to collapse. However, it’s also true that he couldn’t help but feel a little flattered when a beautiful woman gave him such admiring looks.

「Hmm, I think I should probably consult with General Bearion about this… But those sleek, elegant nun’s robes…… well, they’re quite…… fufu……」

Rintaro was standing with a smug grin on his face, staring at the wall. Then, his eyes were suddenly covered by a cold hand.

「Guess who?」

「Wah!? That voice is…… Is it Mayuzumi?」

There was no need to ask further; it was clearly the voice of the kouhai who greatly admired Rintaro.

「Who is that person who, despite almost causing the entire army to be wiped out by his recent reckless actions, is still acting so foolishly and recklessly?」

「ouch ouch ouch ouch!! My face!! My face is caving in!!!」

After barely escaping the hand that was forcefully pressing down on his eye sockets, Rintaro glared at the perpetrator of the heinous crime, his eyes filled with tears.

「I nearly lost both eyes there……」

「If that happens to senpai, I’ll give you one of my eyes.」

The junior who pulled that dangerously reckless prank, Kirika Mayuzumi flashed a wink at Rintaro. It sounded like she was joking, but Kirika was exactly the type who might actually do it.

「Don’t sneak up on me from behind like that, it’s bad for my heart!」

「Sorry, I just love seeing your surprised face, so I couldn’t help myself.」

「Don’t say that with a straight face. It makes it hard to know how to react.」

「Actually, there’s one more thing I need to report that might be quite troubling.」

Rintaro adjusted his glasses, which had slipped off his face due to the sudden “Guess who?” question, and then asked with a displeased expression.

「……Is it something that I absolutely have to know?」

………………

…………

……

Ark Dominion Secret Base, Grand Banquet Hall. The space that always radiated a warm, friendly atmosphere as a party venue was now enveloped in a tension as thick as a minefield.

At the center of it all was Colonel Usanyi-chan, the bunny-eared military uniform-wearing, eye-patch-wearing girl.

「Come on, eat as much as you like to build up your strength. It’s fried chicken, your favorite!」

「Colonel Usanyi-chan…! I do love fried chicken, but this isn’t food, uii!」

「What, you bastard? Are you saying that you can’t eat my cooking?」

「Ui! I’d be happy to accept it! Ui!」

Before the eyes of the captured zako fighters, tied to chairs, lay a large pile of fried chicken. The sadistic instructor, whip in hand, smiled maliciously as she urged the soldiers to eat.

「Itadakimasu, ui…… Thi- This…… What is this, ui……? Rubber Band Fried Chicken……？」

「……This one looks like a dumbbell, judging by its shape, ui. If we eat something like this, we’d probably die, ui.」

A whip crackling with electricity flew toward the zako fighters whispering among themselves.

「I won’t tolerate any leftovers, you weaklings! Electric shock whip!!」

「Aggyaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!」

「Hyiiiiiiii…… I will eat, ui, I’ll eat it, so please spare my life, uii!」

Is this perhaps an attempt to counter Haru’s “dinner party”? However, it looked more like a death game where participants were forced to play a kind of Russian roulette with deadly poison.

Colonel Usanyi-chan, wearing a maniacal grin, had clearly lost her mind. Beneath that plastered-on smile, her red eyes were bloodshot and gleaming.

Hiding at the entrance to the banquet hall, Rintaro and Kirika peered through binoculars at the hellish scene unfolding before them.

「That’s…… That’s certainly a troubling report……」

「Right?」

---

Note: As of this translation, this is the final chapter posted on nsyosetsu. This story will continue once more appear.

<230: Reunion, Embrace