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Chapter 93: Toast
The day following the celebratory feast.
"Well then, a toast to our victory in the War Game!!"
"Cheers!!"
Welf led the toast, and they all raised their mugs filled with drinks. And so, the victory celebration began.
"Man, we really did win, didn't we."
"Honestly, I still can't believe it."
Despite having just defeated the Apollo Familia—a mid-tier faction boasting over a hundred members—with a mere six people, Welf and Mikoto still couldn't quite process their victory.
"Lili is absolutely never doing something like that again!!"
"S-Sorry..."
"Ahaha..."
The plan for Lili to utilize her transformation magic to infiltrate as Luan had originally been Tsuna's idea. Lili had agreed because there was no other sure way to win. However, having been exposed to the constant stress of not knowing when her disguise would be blown during the infiltration, Lili glared at Tsuna as she complained.
Tsuna apologized to Lili with an apologetic expression, and Bell watched them with a wry smile.
"Still, to think this is our farewell with Sir Sawada..."
"Even though we finally ended up in the same Familia..."
"Honestly, losing Sir Tsunayoshi is a severe blow..."
Remembering that Tsuna was returning to his country, Mikoto and Welf felt lonely. Lili also felt lonely, but at the same time, she deeply felt the loss of him leaving the Familia.
Tsuna boasted overwhelming combat prowess and was their Familia's sole healer. That directly tied into increasing their survival rate in the Dungeon and the profits they could earn. In other words, the disadvantages of Tsuna leaving were just too immense.
"U-Um, about that... Actually, the plan for me to return to my country has been canceled..."
"Eh!?"
The three of them, who had been feeling somber, froze in shock upon hearing Tsuna's words.
"I-Is that true, Sir Sawada!?"
"You don't need to be considerate of us, you know!!"
"No... Reborn said he could make me stronger in Orario... so I'm half-forced to stay in Orario now..."
Placing his right hand on the back of his head, Tsuna explained with an apologetic expression. Meanwhile, learning that Tsuna wasn't returning, Welf and the others broke into bright expressions.
"...We did it!! With this, our earnings won't drastically decrease!!"
"L-Lili!!"
Overjoyed, Lili's eyes sparkled as her true feelings slipped out. Bell was dismayed by her remark.
.....
Meanwhile, in the kitchen.
Mr. Sawada...
Ryuu was washing dishes in the kitchen. Having been told that he was returning to his country, Ryuu was feeling slightly down.
"Ryuu, are you okay? You haven't seemed yourself since this morning..."
"I'm sorry for making you worry, Syr."
"Did something happen between you and him?"
"N-No!! I was absolutely not thinking about Mr. Sawada!!"
"I just said 'him', I never said anything about Tsuna."
"Gasp!"
Falling hook, line, and sinker for Syr's trap, Ryuu couldn't argue back and flushed bright red.
"I've been wondering for a while now, but why do you like Tsuna, Ryuu?"
"What are you blurting out all of a sudden, Syr!?"
"Because I couldn't believe that the Ryuu would fall in love with someone. So I wanted to know."
"It's a misunderstanding!! I harbor no such feelings for him!!"
"Then are you okay if Tsuna dates another girl?"
"Gasp!"
In response to Syr's question, the image of Daphne clinging to Tsuna's arm and going on a date flashed through Ryuu's mind. And her chest felt like it was going to burst.
"T-That has nothing to do with me..."
"Liar. You have a look on your face that says you don't want him looking at any girl other than you."
"T-That's not..."
However, she couldn't deceive Syr's eyes, and her inner heart was completely seen through. Unable to retort, Ryuu lost her nerve and averted her gaze from Syr.
"You shouldn't deny your feelings, Ryuu. Those feelings aren't a bad thing, you know? If you just keep holding it in, you'll end up suffering forever. I don't want to see you like that."
"Syr..."
Syr took Ryuu's hands in both of hers and said that with a slightly sad expression. Seeing Syr's face, Ryuu regained her composure.
"Before, when we went to the 18th Floor... he protected me..."
"He protected you?"
Ryuu began to tell Syr about how Tsuna had put his life on the line to protect her during the battle against the masked figure. But Tsuna was a rookie adventurer who had just arrived in Orario and hadn't yet made a name for himself. Syr felt something was off about him protecting a Level 4 like Ryuu.
"And he stopped me..."
When the Astrea Familia was annihilated by Evilus, Ryuu spiraled down a path of vengeance. There was no one who stopped her or protected her. She refused to drag others into her vendetta, and realistically, there were scarcely any warriors strong enough to protect a Level 4 adventurer anyway.
And after her revenge was over, Syr and Mia had saved her. But looking back since that day two years ago, Tsuna was the only one who had stopped her when she tried to run down the path of revenge.
I see... So she too...
During the War Game, he made them think he had taken an illusionary Apollo hostage, sealing their movements and buying time for Bell to defeat Hyakinthos. But she understood that the reason he had intentionally transformed into Daphne and revealed his hand was to ensure that Daphne wouldn't be branded a traitor after the battle was over.
She also understood that his provocation of the anti-Apollo faction members was to show the public that the anti-Apollo faction members were victims, and that not everyone in the Apollo Familia was evil. Drawn to his unwavering kindness, both Daphne and Ryuu had developed feelings for him.
"But he will be leaving Orario soon..."
"Eh?"
"I don't know the full details, but... it seems he is returning to his country..."
"I see..."
Hearing Ryuu's words just now, Syr understood why Ryuu had been lacking energy.
"Then why don't you go to Tsuna's country too, Ryuu?"
"W-Why would you suggest that!?"
"Well, if you do, you won't have to part ways."
"T-That's too extreme!!"
"Is it? If I found out Bell was leaving Orario, I'd chase him anywhere."
Syr placed an index finger on her cheek and tilted her head slightly, speaking with a wondering expression.
"Perfect timing. Tsuna is here right now, so let's go tell him. Tell him you want to be with him."
"L-Like I could say that!! Or rather, that would be a confession!!"
When Syr said that, Ryuu denied it with a bright red face.
"So that's how it is, everyone, please help Ryuu out."
"Understood, meow!!"
"We'll lend a paw for Ryuu, meow."
"It's for Ryuu's happiness, after all."
"What!?"
When Ryuu looked back, Anya, Chloe, and Lunoire were there, eager to jump on Syr's proposal. Never expecting anyone besides Syr to be eavesdropping, Ryuu was utterly horrified.
"Behave yourselves!!"
"You're such a handful, meow!!"
"Hurry up and go, meow!!"
"L-Let me go!!"
Lunoire, Anya, and Chloe grabbed Ryuu's clothes and tried to forcefully drag her along, but Ryuu resisted with all her might. However, facing three opponents, even the mighty Ryuu was dragged away.
"W-What is that...?"
The sight of Ryuu being forcefully dragged entered Bell's field of vision. The other members noticed it too, and Tsuna and the rest watched the scene in dumbfounded silence.
"Mr. Tsuna— Ryuu seems to have something she wants to tell you, could you come over here for a second?"
"Syr!! Please don't say anything weird!!"
"Perfect timing. I had something I wanted to tell Ryuu too."
"Gasp!"
Tsuna stood up from his chair and approached Ryuu. The moment she heard Tsuna's words, Ryuu's face turned bright red in panic.
"Now's our chance, meow!!"
Seizing the opening when Ryuu panicked, Chloe gave the signal, and the three of them pushed Ryuu's back, sending her flying right in front of Tsuna.
"U-Um... what did you want to tell me...!?"
Thinking that she might be about to get confessed to, Ryuu's heartbeat accelerated faster and faster, feeling as if it might burst.
"Remember when I said I was returning to my country?"
"Y-Yes...!!"
"T-This development..."
"What kind of development, meow?"
"Idiot!! It's obviously the pattern where he wants to convey his feelings before going back to his country!!"
Seeing Ryuu turn into a maiden in front of Tsuna, Chloe, Anya, and Lunoire whispered among themselves.
"That got canceled."
"Huh...!?"
Never having thought that the talk of Tsuna returning to his country would vanish, Ryuu was stunned into silence out of sheer surprise.
Meanwhile, because it differed from their expectations, Chloe, Lunoire, and Anya face-faulted. Syr couldn't foresee this development either and could only offer a wry smile.
"Although, I'll still return to my country someday. Anyway, I look forward to continuing to work with you."
"I-Is that so..."
"So, what did you want to tell me?"
"Gasp!"
Between having misunderstood that she was going to be confessed to by Tsuna, and the flow dictating that she now had to be the one to confess, Ryuu's face turned completely red once again.
"I-It's nothing!!"
"Guh!?"
To cover up her embarrassment, Ryuu ended up delivering an uppercut to Tsuna. Tsuna went flying with tremendous momentum and pierced straight into the ceiling.
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