Chapter 559: A Final Gift from a Friend
Chapter 559: A Final Gift from a Friend
“Right. That’s how it is. In the end, this sea might just be filled with our tears.”
I muttered in a deliberately exaggerated, theatrical tone, putting on a sorrowful expression. But in response to my attitude, the girls only gave me looks of pity.
“No. I mean, I was just trying to make a joke like that.”
“I know. This one understands everything. So, how about you throw that away first? It’s dirty. Dirty.”
As if she were soothing a small child, Diana stood on her tiptoes and spoke gently, stroking my head.
Right now, that gentleness hurt so much.
“Dirty?! Setting aside the fact that you’re treating me like a child, you’re calling Paulson dirty?! There’s no way I could throw him away! Right. Like you said, Paulson is dead! But on my back, within this heart! He lives on as one with…!”
“Hic! Mr. Guwon…!”
Seeing me choke up with emotion, Leia seemed unable to bear it any longer. She covered her mouth with her hand, whipped her head to the side, and whimpered.
Ah, no. Angel! That’s not what I meant!
Startled, I reached a hand out to my angel, but she simply took my hand in both of hers and squeezed it tight, as if to reassure me.
“It’s okay. It’s really okay, Mr. Guwon.”
With those words, she wrapped an arm around my waist as if to support me and guided me forward.
Right. We were currently in the town on the 4th floor.
And I was currently being surrounded by my girls, as if under their protection, and escorted to the teleportation circle.
“Ah, no. I’m really…!”
“How about we talk after you put that down first?”
Matilda murmured, looking at me with eyes full of compassion, showing no signs of entering her pink mode despite being so close to me. At her words, I hastily stuffed what was once Paulson into my inventory.
But that only made Matilda’s gaze fill with even more pity.
“No, I mean, this is still an item I got from killing a monster! It’d be a waste to throw it away, right?”
“…Uuu. Mr. Guwooon….”
Of course, my excuse had no effect whatsoever.
No, Silvia. Could you please not look like you’re about to cry? I’m the one who wants to cry here.
Besides, you see? When you put your mind to it, you can be this close to me and be perfectly fine.
Alright. Then I’ll use this chance to try the Apostle Appointment as soon as we get home….
This really isn’t the atmosphere for that, is it? Yeah. I know.
I had no choice but to let my girls drag me along.
“Hey! Guwooooon! You son of a biiiitch!”
And when we arrived at the Guild via the teleportation circle, Alicia was waiting there for some reason.
Moreover, she was still incredibly angry, though I couldn’t figure out why.
Seeing as her usual trio wasn’t with her and judging by her reaction, it looked like she had been waiting specifically for me.
Why the hell is she so pissed off? I have no idea.
But this might be an opportunity.
When I ran into her on the 4th floor before, I was so intimidated by her aura that I just ran away, but things are different now.
Alicia’s rage might be the perfect catalyst to reverse the gloomy atmosphere currently enveloping our party.
And when I thought about it, there was no reason for me to be scared. I hadn’t done anything wrong in the first place.
“Ooh! Alicia! Long time no see!”
“You’ve got some nerve running your mouth like that! Huh?! Today, you’re gonna get…!”
“What do you think you’re doing to someone who’s hurting!”
Alicia, who seemed to have taken my greeting as a provocation and was about to fly off the handle, was blocked by our Hero.
As expected of the Hero. She’s standing up to that ferocious aura without flinching.
“Huh?! You’re not involved, so get the hell out of… wait? Hurting?”
“That’s right! Guwon is in a mentally unstable state right now! So stop interfering and get lost, will you?! You’re not involved! I have a deep relationship with Guwon, so I need to take him home and take care of him!”
“M-Mentally unstable? What are you talking about?”
“You know what Guwon went through on the 4th floor, don’t you?! Then couldn’t you have predicted how he’d react when he went back there? Or are you too thoughtless to even figure that out?!”
As she spoke, Sara pressed herself tightly against my side and hugged one of my arms to her chest.
Wow. Wooow… Sara, you’re really…
I mean, I understand her words getting harsher than usual since she’s always been wary of Alicia, and I get that she’s angry at Alicia’s rough language.
But still, wow…
“Wh-Wh-What…!”
Alicia, having been verbally pummeled after throwing the first punch, was left reeling.
Yeah, I get it. Sorry. Our Hero has a tendency to punch you in the gut with her words when she’s angry.
“So the reason you couldn’t come to the 4th floor… and the reason you went right back to the ice cave from the 4th floor… No. Hey. Still, what was that about seeing me later?”
But Alicia’s toughness, befitting an executive of the strongest clan, wasn’t just for show. She quickly composed herself and looked at me, her voice much calmer than before.
She still wasn’t completely in her right mind, though, as she spoke to me without even glancing at Sara.
Given her usual personality, she would have flared up at Sara’s words.
“Huh? You just saw, didn’t you?”
“…Ah. Yeah. Right.”
Alicia let out a deep sigh at my answer.
Now that her anger had subsided once, it seemed she didn’t care anymore.
So, putting it all together, the reason Alicia was angry was that she had planned on exploring the 4th floor with me?
The things we said before entering the dungeon were meant as an invitation to go together, and she was mad because I agreed and then stood her up?
…I see. That’s a good reason to be angry.
And now I finally understood why my girls had made those faces when I suggested going to the 3rd floor.
If you knew, you could have told me. I had no idea.
Well, my girls tend to be wary of Alicia, so I can’t blame them for not telling me.
There’s nothing to worry about, though. She’s a friend, a friend.
“If you understand, then move.”
Sara tried to push Alicia, who was still blocking our path, to the side.
She didn’t budge, though.
The standoff continued for a while.
Just as Sara’s arm, gripping Alicia’s shoulder, began to tremble, it was Alicia who spoke first.
“So. What, your trauma resurfaced? You weak little thing. I hear you’re being hailed as the Saint and all these days, but I guess a chick is still a chick. What a helpless guy. Still, as the one who officiated your adventurer debut, I can’t just leave you be. Want big sis to give you a piggyback ride?”
Moreover, she wasn’t speaking to Sara. She completely ignored Sara, who was trying to push her aside, and spoke directly to me.
And in a deliberately nonchalant tone, at that.
Even though Sara could exert a power that couldn’t be explained by stats alone, it seemed she was no match for Alicia in terms of raw strength, given the overwhelming level difference.
Alicia’s own Strength stat was probably much higher, too.
“Eek! We can’t leave because you’re blocking the way! We’re in a hurry!”
This time, it was Sara who began to be consumed by rage at Alicia’s reaction.
“Hmph. Don’t you worry. If I carry him, we’ll get there much faster.”
Of course, Alicia wasn’t the least bit intimidated by Sara.
No, I get why Sara is reacting that way, but Alicia, do you really need to get into a battle of wills with Sara like this?
Sure, I understand you’re mad because Sara spoke harshly to you, but you were the one who ran your mouth first.
Anyway, I had a feeling that if I let this continue, their confrontation wouldn’t end as just a simple war of nerves.
Well, even so, I didn’t think Sara would start a full-blown fight in a situation like this.
To Sara, I was her top priority, and right now, she thought I was in a very unstable state.
Still, it would be best for me to intervene, right?
“Both of you…”
“Miss Alicia.”
But before I could speak, Diana opened her mouth.
“Huh? Ah, yes.”
Alicia initially answered in a relaxed tone, but after confirming who had spoken to her, she immediately switched back to formal speech.
It seemed that even a wild horse like Alicia found it difficult to stand on equal footing with Diana.
“I will not say it twice. We are in a hurry. Step aside from my husband.”
D-Diana?
Hearing Diana’s uncharacteristically high-handed tone, as if she were crushing someone under her heel, I snuck a glance at her face.
…She’s super pissed, too.
With Alicia continuing to block the path when she felt every second counted, it seemed that even Diana couldn’t hold back her anger.
After all, this was about me, not someone else.
No. It wasn’t just Diana.
Looking around, I saw that not only Sara and Diana but all of my girls were glaring at Alicia.
“Hey. Alicia. Let’s talk later. That’s enough for today! Okay? Got it?”
“Uh, uh. Yeah…”
I quickly spoke to Alicia, gesturing for her to step aside.
Alicia, who had only been focused on Sara, finally seemed to notice the others’ reactions and moved aside with an awkward expression.
And as soon as Alicia moved, my girls tried to rush me out of the Guild without so much as a goodbye.
“Huh? Guys! Wait a minute! I have to report our return to the Guild…!”
“I’ll do it!”
Blocked by Silvia’s commendable action, I was ultimately hauled off to the mansion without even getting to say hello to Rachel.
And as for what happened after that….
“Here, Mr. Guwon. Say ‘ahhh.’”
“Ahhh.”
“Hehe. Yes. Ahhh. Mmm. Hehe. Is it delicious?”
“Y-Yeah. It’s delicious.”
“Guwon, how does this feel? Is it refreshing?”
“Y-Yeah. Sara’s massages are always the best.”
“Then, with a comfortable heart, don’t think about anything and just entrust your body to my touch. You don’t have to think about anything complicated.”
“How about here? I’m quite good at this, you know.”
You get the picture, right?
Yes. I was currently being cared for by my girls as if I were a patient.
And all five of them were clinging to me.
Leia sat beside me, feeding me fruit. Sara and Matilda were on either side of me, massaging my arms and legs.
“How is this? Activating your mana like this should calm your body… H-Hey, you. Do you want me to make this part comfortable, too? C-Can’t you hold on for just a little bit?”
And Diana had her hand on my lower abdomen, infusing it with mana and circulating it. Apparently, this had a calming effect.
As Diana’s hand fidgeted on my lower abdomen, my Dick would occasionally get hard and touch her hand, but Diana didn’t blush and get angry like she usually would.
No, I mean, her face did turn red, but far from getting angry, she spoke in an apologetic tone and even stroked my Dick over my pants.
What would she do if I told her I couldn’t hold on?
I heard the devil’s voice whispering in my ear, tempting me to try, but I managed to hold back by mustering all my reason.
No matter what, it wasn’t right to use a situation like this to satisfy my desires.
“Uuuuhhh…”
And finally, as for Silvia, it seemed she clearly remembered all the times I had hugged her for what I called “Silvia-therapy” to heal myself.
Even though she’d lose her mind and wasn’t even conscious most of those times.
So now, Silvia was pressed tightly against my back, trembling.
Yeah. Honestly, it was healing. But to keep this up…
“Guys. I’m not really mentally unstable…”
“Here, Mr. Guwon. Say ‘ahhh.’”
“Ahhh. N-No. I mean!”
Angel! That’s cheating! When you say ‘ahhh,’ I can’t help but open my mouth and accept it reflexively!
“My dear husband. What did this one say?”
“To not think about anything and relax my mind.”
“To this one, it appears my husband is thinking about something, however?”
“No. I mean, this is… Mmph!”
With one hand still on my lower abdomen, Diana pressed her body against mine and kissed me.
“Aah! Diana! That’s cheating!”
“Mmm. Mwah. My husband’s mind seemed troubled, so I am merely helping him relax. Mmm…”
No. I’m telling you, I’m really fine.
Somehow, resisting was starting to feel futile.
Besides, this scene right now.
This scene where all five of them are clinging to me, trying to do something for me.
Isn’t this the classic image that comes to mind when you think of a harem?
Why do I need to refuse this?
No. Still, taking advantage of a situation where my girls are pitying me due to a misunderstanding is…
My internal conflict continued for the rest of the day.