You Can't Go to the Underworld Without My Permission (3)
With a pistol in one hand and my deployed shield in the other, I walked slowly toward the cluster of monsters. The beastly ticks only barked and growled, refusing to approach me recklessly. I could see the ones scattered to the sides hiding behind car wreckage, waiting for an opening, but they clearly lacked the courage to charge right now.
[Mama. Should we provide support?]
At that moment, Heracles's voice came through the headset. I chuckled and replied.
"No need. How's the rescue going?"
[We've saved everyone we could. Team 3 will handle the area with the crashed vehicles.]
"Glad things are going smoothly. What about the aircraft?"
[Yes. There were sporadic engagements, but we shot them all down.]
"Really? I didn't hear anything."
Strange. Was I that focused? Or did they use suppressed rifles? Thetys had definitely been firing at the aerial monsters, so the shots should have been audible.
"Got it. I'll wrap this up quickly and head back."
[Understood, Mama.]
Maybe the monsters didn't appreciate how leisurely I was chatting with Heracles. The ones that had been sniffing around suddenly charged at me all at once. One from the left, two from the right. A coordinated attack this time.
Good... spread out and come at me.
I pressed my large deployed shield against an overturned truck nearby and began closing the distance. The one charging straight at me suddenly lowered its head, and a volley of spikes flew toward me.
Thud! Thud-thud!
This time the spikes embedded properly into the shield, but there was no way they'd penetrate armor as thick as the rear plating of an armored vehicle. The monster's spikes merely quivered shallowly on the shield's surface.
"My turn, then?"
Before the creature could lift its head again, I extended the pistol and pulled the trigger.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three shots in rapid succession. The first drilled through the head of the one coming from the left, while the second and third punched clean through its neck. The monster slammed into a car parked beside it at full speed, and with a heavy crash, it stopped moving.
Two more.
The remaining pair on the right either saw their comrade fall or reacted on instinct, firing another barrage of spikes.
Thud-thud! Thud!
They only stuck into the top and bottom of the shield again. Not a single hair on my body was harmed, but I narrowed my eyes slightly.
They were aiming for the legs and head, weren't they?
Even without eyes, their aim was precise. Not that it mattered in the end.
Bang-bang!
Two more shots. The monster's head burst apart and it collapsed onto the asphalt, but the last one used its fallen comrade as a stepping stone and lunged so close I could see the green saliva dripping from its maw.
"This ends here."
Flash!
With a brilliant burst of light, the green observation window at the center of the shield shone like the sun, unleashing the hidden flashbang directly into the monster's face.
Shame to waste one, but oh well.
Flashbangs weren't cheap, but it beat dying. The blinded monster staggered, completely losing its balance, and rolled straight toward my shield.
I gripped the shield handles with both hands, lowered my stance, and braced for impact.
Thud!
Before I could even take a breath, the monster slammed into the large shield. The shock traveled up my forearms to my shoulders, but I didn't take a single step back.
"Wanted a hug from Mama, huh?"
Too bad. I don't do ugly dogs. I'm the kind of woman who suits cute puppies.
Pomeranians, Maltese... anything but these green-drooling monster ticks.
While entertaining that silly thought, I pressed the pistol to the head of the creature whose eyes and ears were still ringing from the flashbang and fired one last shot.
Bang!
As the final gunshot echoed, the monster's tongue lolled out and it went limp.
Finally quiet.
I flicked the headset mic with my tongue to bring it closer to my mouth.
"Situation resolved."
[Good work, Mama.]
"Thanks~ Cheiron~ Any word on incoming personnel?"
[Yes. Senior healers have arrived on the rescue helicopter.]
"They don't need me, right?"
[Probably not...]
"Then we're done here. Time to go home."
I pushed the mic away again with my tongue and pressed the button on the shield's handle. With a series of mechanical clicks, the massive shield folded back down to a portable size.
"Whew~ Let's get some fresh air~"
I leaned the shield against the wrecked truck and removed my helmet with the headset attached. A cool breeze brushed across my face. My slightly sweat-dampened hair fluttered in the wind, and the bangs stuck to my forehead tickled my eyebrows. In the distance, the faint sound of the rescue helicopter's rotors reached my ears, and the thick blue fog that had been hanging over everything seemed noticeably thinner.
With my helmet hanging from the shotgun slung across my back, I walked slowly back toward the rescue workers and my teammates. The atmosphere had changed completely from earlier. Real healers in white coats were extending their hands over patients, whose expressions looked far more peaceful than when I'd treated them.
That's proper healing. Not like me, beating people with a club.
Lightly injured people who didn't need a healer were boarding ambulances under the escort of police and hunters who had arrived late. Rows of ambulances, busy rescue workers, and police officers weaving between them. The chaotic accident scene was gradually regaining order, as if by magic.
"Haah... glad it ended on a good note."
"Nice work, ma'am."
"Good job, everyone."
My teammates, gathered together, greeted me warmly. I smiled back and was about to return the greeting when I suddenly felt other gazes on me. A quick glance confirmed the culprits: the rescue workers who'd been with us earlier, the police who'd arrived late, and even the healers treating patients in the distance were all stealing looks at me.
Heh heh heh... even on the battlefield, image management is important.
I didn't mind the attention. In fact, it felt pretty good.
Of course it does~ I've worked my ass off to maintain this look!
Skin care, hair care, keeping my figure. Even in combat gear with guns, a girl has to stay pretty.
Enjoying the spotlight, I perched on the guardrail where my teammates were sitting. Thetys ran a hand through his sweat-dampened hair and looked at me.
"What's wrong? Planning another weird prank?"
He always did that hair thing when he was about to mess with me.
"No, it's just... you're a healer too, right, ma'am?"
"Yeah. So?"
"Then why don't you wear a white coat like those healer folks over there? Or... maybe you'd prefer a nurse uniform? Anyway, something like that?"
I couldn't help but laugh at his words. This guy really knew how to say the right thing sometimes.
"You said something nice for once~ A coat wouldn't suit my figure anyway."
I gave Thetys a few hearty pats on the back. He winced, clearly in pain, but whatever. He'd be fine~ Fine~ I'd heal him later.
"That hurts, ma'am..."
"Does it? Sorry~ I'll treat you later~"
"That treatment scares me more than the injury..."
"Ahem~ Want me to tell you why I can't wear those coats? You'll be disappointed."
"Yes! Please tell us!"
"Medical malpractice? Or some tragic backstory...?"
Even the goggle-wearing teammates' eyes were sparkling. Everyone's attention was focused on me, and even the injured nearby and rescue workers resting on the ground perked up their ears.
Caught off guard by the sudden interest, my voice rose without meaning to.
"Heh~ It's nothing special~ It's just... I don't have a license in that field~"
"Huh? Seriously?"
"That's the only reason?"
My teammates reacted in their own way—stomping their feet or slapping their thighs—looking like they'd just lost some bet. Even the rescue worker who'd been listening quietly let out a few coughs, clearly having expected some dramatic story.
"Hey! Did you think I was some kind of National Intelligence Service torturer? If I used anesthesia, I could fix people up painlessly and cleanly just like those healers over there!"
"Then just wear anesthesia and do it?"
"That's what I'm saying—the license is the problem! Even hospitals said they'd scout me immediately if I had even a two-year associate's degree!"
"Then why don't you?"
"Well, that's... that's..."
My voice dropped for a moment before exploding again.
"Because I'm stupid, okay?!"
Yeah... my fatal weakness. Thanks to my depressingly average brain, I was stuck wrestling with green-drooling monster ticks instead of doing something else. Shooting guns and swinging shields was something my body could remember, so I'd managed somehow, but medical law, anatomy, nursing... no matter how many times I read them, nothing stuck.
"Puhahaha! That's so like you, ma'am!"
"Thanks to that dumb brain of yours, you've saved way more people than those doctor types over there!"
"Exactly! Who cares about a license if you can't even save lives like our ma'am does?"
My teammates burst into laughter, teasing and comforting me all at once, and even the resting rescue workers started chuckling. The fearsome image of Big Mama wielding a massive shield and freely handling shotguns and pistols vanished without a trace.
In its place emerged my true nature—my secret wish. Something pitiful, fragile, and girlish.
"Oh come on, you guys..."
Without thinking, I covered my face with both hands. The metallic scent from my gloves brushed against my burning cheeks. The same hands that had just blown apart monster heads were now busy hiding my embarrassment... what a joke.
I wish... I could just stay like this...
As my teammates' laughter grew louder, I glared at them through the gaps between my fingers.
Just you wait. I'll get my revenge later, you traitors!