Another World’s Highest Guild Leader ~I’m the weakest in the guild, but I can’t quit the guild because of the heavy love of all the guild members~ - Chap 54: Who in the World am I?

“Are you serious about leaving the guild?”

I replay Lulu’s words in my mind.

(…Why did she bring this up suddenly? Did Celis spill the beans? What to do, what to do… I can’t pass it off as a joke this time…)

As I ponder, I fall silent.

Sensing my discomfort, Lulu, sitting a little away, moves closer and hugs me.

“…Lulu?”

“Don’t abandon me…”

Her voice is nasal, filled with sadness. Just then, Lulu’s towel knot comes undone, and the towel floats away in the bath, revealing her smooth, finely textured skin and slender figure.

This is no time to be distracted by her body.

“Wait a minute. Let me explain.”

I take her by the shoulders to create space and calm her down.

“Explain…?”

“Yeah, explain.”

…I have no choice but to be honest when she looks this desperate.

“Back then, I thought about leaving because I was the weakest in the guild, and it was just full of handsome men and beautiful girls… That was a frivolous reason.”

“That’s the reason… But Crow!”

“Strong, right? That’s what you want to say.”

“Yes…”

I have the power to survive in this world, but as someone reincarnated, being just ‘strong’ wasn’t enough.

“You might not believe it, but I came from another world. In my previous life, I was bullied for being ugly. But I pretended to be fine, enduring it until my life ended.”

I wanted to be a fantasy novel-like strongest and unrivaled protagonist in this other world, the opposite of my previous self.

But having cheating abilities is just insurance not to die, not a guarantee of being the strongest. Mastery requires skill.

I never surpassed my companions, but I didn’t resent them. I respected them honestly.

They had a drive from not sparing efforts and retaliated against those who had abandoned them.

I left that behind in my previous life. I never made an effort, just pretended to be strong and ended my life.

“Since then, the thought of leaving the guild lingered in my mind… During the time in the Succubus country, at the guild leader exchange, in the Beastman country, and even today.”

“…We all felt the same. No one believed it was just a joke back then.”

“So, I wasn’t able to deceive you after all. When we went to the Beastman country and saw Garga and Horus overwhelming others with their strength and efforts, I realized they were amazing. I never made any effort despite being bullied. Of course, I think you and the others are amazing too.”

Lulu smiles, but her expression remains stern. She must have realized by now.

“You all will be fine. You’ve acquired the power to overwhelm those who abandoned you. The problem is me. I thought living a life protected by everyone was enough. But seeing everyone’s hard work up close, as a leader, made me want to accomplish something myself. So…”

“No… I don’t want to hear it!”

“Mp!?”

Lulu covers my mouth with her hand, determined not to let me speak. This is a side of Lulu I’ve never seen before.

Gently stroking her head as she presses her hands against me, she relaxes her grip. I lower my hands and say:

“Hey, Lulu.”

“What…?”

“Thank you for protecting me all this time, for supporting me as the vice leader. And… for being with me even before the guild was founded.”

“Crow, Crow… Please, don’t say those words…”

With her voice nasal and trembling, I continued speaking to her.

“I want to come back strong enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with you. So I am… leaving the guild.”

“I won’t say it as a joke anymore.”

Next time, it won’t be a joke but a real departure.

That day, I decided. So this isn’t a joke.

She must understand that.

Lulu’s face looks like she’s about to cry, a tumult of emotions.

“Well, it’s basically like training. If I stay in the guild, everyone just kills too quickly.”

“…No.”

“Hmm?”

Lulu suddenly throws herself at my chest and cries out.

“No… I can’t live without clinging to you…! I’m still immature! So I want to keep learning from you—”

“It’s okay, Lulu, you’re strong. The world is full of far more amazing people than me. You all can survive in any environment.”

“No… an environment without you…”

Her eyes are teary, shimmering beautifully as she gazes into mine.

We stare at each other for a few seconds.

“I am…”

Lulu grabs my shoulders, her grip firming. Her lips slowly approach mine——

——I stop her with my hand.

“Eh…”

“…Sorry.”

Whether it’s a comforting kiss, an attempt to stop me, or something else, I don’t have the right to accept it.

“I’ll go ahead and get out.”

I head towards the exit. Reaching the changing room, I collapse to the floor, exhausted.

My heart aches because I saw Lulu crying as I left.

“I am leaving the guild.”

◆

I had become strong for someone important, but that strength was causing him anxiety.

I had always thought he would be by my side. I took for granted his troubled yet trusting care for us.

Now, even my kiss is rejected. I can’t do anything.

…Crow will be gone.

From my side, from my sight.

I hate it, hate it… hate it, hate it, hate it…

No matter how selfish I am, he’s serious about leaving the guild.

Tears drop into the bath.

I’m crying… I haven’t called since the day my parents were assassinated. I thought I wouldn’t cry again.

That’s how important and dear Crow is to me.

“I am, I am…”

◆

Bright sunlight floods in, announcing morning.

I open my heavy eyelids.

…I did something terrible to Lulu yesterday—

“Good morning, Crow.”

“Good morning… eh?”

I’m supposed to be alone in this large room, yet there’s another voice. Lulu is beside me.

“Uh, why are you here, Lulu?”

“That’s obvious, isn’t it?”

She tucks her hair behind her ear and comes closer.

A soft sensation on my lips.

…Wait, she kissed me.

“Hey, Lulu!? This is wrong… mm, mmm!?”

She wraps herself around me as I hesitate, pressing her lips against mine more intensely.

The final temptation.

Her eyes are tearful as if she’s about to cry.

“Phew… I love you, Crow.”

“…!”

And then, whispering seductively in my ear, she murmurs.

“…No more being oblivious.”

Oblivious.

That’s exactly what I was.

I still don’t know the moment I changed everything…

——The story is just beginning.