Chap 83: I’m the Leader, But I’m Being Pawned Off?

Right… This heavy atmosphere, what am I gonna do about it.

The air was still heavy.

“Maaan, this air is foul. So foul, it doesn’t feel like it belongs in this world. Right? Don’t you think so too, Shie-chan?”

“Rue… I really think you should read the room and be quiet right now, you know?”

Her younger sister, Ruela, was grinning, while her older sister, Sierra, shot back with a sigh.

I thought having Sierra and Ruela here might lighten the mood a little… but it only made the air heavier.

We’re back to square one… and I feel like there’s nothing I can do about it now.

Besides, it won’t do any good if I say something.

This isn’t on me, and it isn’t on Ceris, who brought up the topic in the first place.

Unless someone else speaks up, this is hopele—

“…I understand.”

Lulu opened her mouth, her voice soft.

It was a quiet voice.

But everyone in the room held their breath, hanging on her every word.

Staring straight at Ceris, Lulu spoke, her tone even.

But her voice had a core of steel as she said this.

“Ceris. I will give you our answer tomorrow.”

“Is that so.”

“Yes. So I expect you to return Crow to us tomorrow. Absolutely. Let’s go, everyone.”

Lulu spun around and walked briskly toward the Guild House exit.

“Eh! Lulu-san, you’re leaving?! Are you really gonna let them keep Kuro-kun?”

“Alma-chan. We should follow Lulu-san’s lead here.”

Alma and Lafia moved to follow… and then, one by one, everyone else headed outside.

And the ones left were the three from Crimson Rose, me, and the Guild Master, Zois-san.

“Hah… For crying out loud, you guys had me on edge… What I wanted to say is just what Ceris told you. I’m counting on you for the Elf Country matter. You can get the details from Ceris. I’ve still got paperwork to do, so I’m heading back.”

Zois-san let out a huge sigh and walked away into a back room.

“So… where am I supposed to go back to?”

I’d like to get out of here, too.

Seeing how Lulu and the others were acting, it’d be hard to go back to the mansion where all of us from Devil’s Triumphant Return (Nightmare) live.

I mean, this is all because Ceris said she’d be taking me in for some reason.

“You can stay with Crimson Rose for tonight. By the way, Crow. Did you… do something?”

“No, I haven’t done anything?”

I’ve just been standing here this whole time.

Seriously, I haven’t done a thing.

“Ah, no. I’m not asking about right now. I mean, did you say something important to Lulu… very recently?”

“!!”

I was shocked by Ceris’s words.

Because… she’s right.

‘By the time I come back again, I want to be strong enough to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you. That’s why… I’m leaving the guild.’

The words I had decided I would never again say as a joke.

I said them to Lulu.

And I meant it.

‘No… I can’t imagine a world without you…’

Maybe that’s why Lulu’s eyes had filled with tears.

‘Phah… I love you, Crow.’

And though I don’t know why… she kissed me.

Right now, I seriously want to leave the guild.

Lulu, at least, should understand that perfectly.

“Crow. From the look on your face, it seems my hunch was correct, wasn’t it?”

“W-Well, yeah.”

It’s less of a hunch and more like… you can see right through to the answer, can’t you, Ceris?

Seriously, you’re so sharp… I guess that’s partly because she’s my master, huh.

“In that case, Lulu saying she’ll give her answer tomorrow… probably has a double meaning.”

“A double meaning?”

I tilted my head, but Ceris just let out a light laugh.

“Well, you’ll find out eventually. Anyway, we have permission from Lulu, the vice leader of Devil’s Triumphant Return (Nightmare), so, Crow. Shall we go home together? To us, to Crimson Rose.”

Come to think of it, didn’t Ceris say earlier that I should stay with Crimson Rose tonight?

No… no, no, no, no!!

“No way! Crimson Rose doesn’t have any guys, right?! It’s a no-boys-allowed zone! I hear they’ll kill you if you’re not careful!”

This is scarier than the Elf Country.

“It’s not like I’ve forbidden men. It’s just that everyone else does that on their own.”

“That ‘everyone else’ is the important part, you know!”

With her stunning looks and charisma, Ceris has an incredible number of female fans.

Their passion, their trust, and a whole lot of other things are just as incredible.

“Sierra, Ruela, you guys say something, too.”

Tell her there’s no way I can go to Crimson Rose, let alone stay the night.

These twin sisters adore Ceris, too.

And since they’re founding members of the guild, their devotion is considerable.

I’m sure they’ll back me up—

“Crow-san. Is there anything you’d like for dinner? I can prepare dishes from any genre.”

“And at night, you can play with me! Just like old times, you can use your 【Creation (Create)】 to make some cards or an Othello set. If you lose… fufu, you’ll have to do what I say♪”

“For dinner, I’d love to have some of Sierra’s stew for the first time in a while. At night, we can play cards or Othello, whatever game you want, Ruela… wait. Is it already decided that I’m staying over…?”

Far from objecting, they’re already planning out the evening.

“It is because Ceris-sama has given her permission.”

“And Ceris-sama said it was okay~♪”

I see. So it’s the pattern where, because Ceris said I should stay over first, they have no choice but to go along with it.

For both of them, it’s… ‘As Ceris-sama wishes.’

Yep, they must worship her.

“We can continue this conversation when we get there, can’t we? Now, shall we go, Crow?”

In the end, I couldn’t refuse… It looks like I’ll be having a sleepover at Crimson Rose’s place tonight.

I hope I make it back alive.