"Is everyone all right?"
Tachibana Kirika hurried over, her expression grave as she looked at Luo Shu and Takina Inoue. Once she saw that neither had suffered any serious harm, she immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
"Chief."
Takina Inoue, who had been standing guard at the door, came forward. After a moment's hesitation, she apologized:
"I'm sorry. I failed to stop the enemy and wasted the opening Luo Shu created."
"Stop her?"
Seeing how Takina Inoue was blaming herself, Tachibana Kirika couldn't help smiling. She patted Takina Inoue on the shoulder and said:
"Takina, against an enemy of that caliber, I'd be thanking my lucky stars if you managed to escape alive. And you were thinking about stopping her?
"If the Demon Hunters' Seven-Star Demon Hunter, Sharon the Pure, were that easy to deal with, I wouldn't have been so nervous when I heard the news."
"You really ought to take it easier on yourself."
Tachibana Kirika patted Takina Inoue on the shoulder again, offering her some comfort.
Then she walked over to the doorway and looked at Luo Shu, who had recovered somewhat but was still a little pale. She raised a hand and lightly punched his chest.
"Nice work, our ace."
"I'd rather have a bonus than verbal praise," Luo Shu said, unable to resist rolling his eyes at the compliment.
He had only wanted to coast along. How had he ended up becoming their ace?
While Luo Shu was grumbling inwardly, Tachibana Kirika smiled and patted his shoulder.
"I'll approve your special bonus. If it doesn't come through, I'll pay you out of my own pocket!"
With that, Tachibana Kirika reached out, pulled Luo Shu into an embrace, and planted a kiss on his forehead before letting go.
"Consider that an advance on your bonus!"
"Help