Thomas chuckles, "Hoo, who is she, Boss? Is she your other woman?"
"My relationship with her is none of your damn business, now shut your mouth and listen to me." I snap at him.
(What was I doing before?! Thomas is my bestfriend!)
He is taken aback by my response and he fell silent. I knew Claire looked me, as she felt uneasy with my sudden change of tone. The others are looking at me with anxiously and none of them dares to speak right now. I smacked the table so hard that it hit Ello who is asleep on his chair. As he yelps in surprises, he fell from chair.
"Eh?! What?! L-leader?! What's w-wrong?!" He looked at me with confused expression.
"If you want to sleep, sleep on your room and leave this place RIGHT NOW. But IF you want to stay alive for the next battle then sit still and listen! What will it be sleepyhead?" I growled at him and he realized what I mean.
"Throw away those fake eyes." He is surprised that I noticed his ruses and immediately removes the fake eyes.
(No, this is wrong!)
"Where are Ayumi, Jordan, Erica and Robert? Are they wandering somewhere?"
I glared at all of them and turned my head around. All of them shook their head but nobody dares to speak. Before I can speak any further, Erica entered the room followed by Robert, Ayumi and Jordan.
"I'm sorry I'm late Commander, I—"
"Save your breath for the battlefield. Now sit or stand anywhere you want, NOW!"
Erica looked at me with a bit anxious expression and she stands on my left side. Ayumi and Robert also gave me same expression and they choose to sit near me. I looked around again and I found Jordan with bruises on his face. I chuckled at him and I praised his face that looks manlier than before. Jordan can't do anything except thanked me for my praise with pained expression.
(Why did I say that?!)
"Now…lastly, where is that talking spider? Is she still sleeping?" I stand up and I walked out from the room.
"Psst…hey what's wrong with Leader, Ed-san?" Hearing that question, Eddy can only shake his head.
"Rather than whispering nonsense like that, don't you understand that all of you have made him upset until now?" Zikiya scold everyone with her stern gaze.
"W-what do you mean, Zikiya-nee?" Tim asked her with troubled expression.
"You were conducting strange and unproductive experiments, neglecting his orders and teasing him until he reaches his limit. Don't you know that you have ruined his focus and triggered him so badly that he acts like a completely different person?"
I walked to the dining hall and I found her sleeping in a hammock with strange sleeping position on the ceilings. I walked on the wall and cut the entire web she created quickly with my heated sword. She crashed onto ground with her back landed first. Then, I jumped down and grabbed her by the hair.
"Ow…ow…ow…! It hurts! What are you doing Haru-chan?!"
"Shut up."
I teleported back to the meeting room and threw her directly on the table. She landed on the table violently that she bounced and hit the wall. Everyone on the room yelps in surprises and then looks at me with terrified expression. Rania tries to stand by grabbing the table. Blood is flowing out from her nose and mouth where she hit the table.
"Wake up right now or I will cut down you at once…" I started to draw my sword as Rania fell to the ground.
"Where is your eagerness like when you teased me and laughed at me last night Rania? Did you use all of them already?" I walk to her with my sword drawn fully already.
"Ishizaki-sama, Rania-san is…!" Zikiya stand in front of me and tried to help Rania stand.
"I'm the one talking here, not you…Priest." I responded with anger in my voice.
"I-I'm fine, Zikiya-chan…I can sit by my own…" Rania struggled as sit on the chair then she coughed blood. Looking at this, Zikiya immediately cured her with her magic and Rania completely healed.
"Done fooling around?" I questioned her as I stared her down.
"Yes…" Rania replied with weak voice as she is still trying to catch her breath.
"Then, let's begin this meeting. None of you are allowed to speak before I am finished addressing you." I instructed them as I sheath my sword.
(Thankfully Rania-san isn't in her [Demi-Human Mode]. Otherwise, she would be hitting other party members who sit on the right side) Rean sweated nervously while glancing at Haru's face.
Haru started the meeting by explaining their mission again. He gave his party members information about their objectives, destinations, how long they will be in wilderness, the people that must be saved or killed, the number of enemies, the number of United Forces, geography structures, enemies' characteristics, team division, checkpoints and many others. Then, he checked the supplies by reading the papers that my divisions' leaders gave to him and do a simple calculation on it. He also checked the spare weapons and armors that they need to bring to the main encampment.
Upon checking the reports, Haru suddenly realize that his party members' personal equipment needs to be maintained quickly. He wrote everything that the craftsmen need to do, gave it to them and asked them to work right now. He asked the people who have [Alchemist] and [Pharmacist] Extra Class to prepare the potions again as well as herbal drugs. After receiving his orders, they nodded and ran to the crafting room.
He asked the Scouts to draw detailed maps of the northern area, and scouting for possible escape route and battlefield zones. The United Forces have given Haru detailed maps of the area, but in this situation, He can't always rely on them since they will be fighting separately. So, Haru decided to make the detailed maps on his own with the United Forces' maps as the basis.
Haru asked The Priests to make more [Savior's Tear] Potion as an anticipation since they have the ingredients, recipe and people who can make it. Zikiya nodded and rushed to the crafting room after hearing that. He also asked The Druids and Sages to make "nature traps" and beasts for extra trick and force even though He needs to force Yavia and Iveno a bit. They understand his words very well and quickly go to work. He was felt a bit uneasy after that, but now Haru needs to be assertive in order to ensure his party members' survival.
Meanwhile for The Mages, Haru ordered them to create magic scrolls with destructive effects that can be activated instantly. He wrote the spell list that needs to be created. At first, they were confused and reluctant to do this. But after Haru gave them a proper explanation, they agreed to create the scrolls he requested.
He tasked The Enchanters, Puppeteers, Mentalists and Summoners to create at least ten strategies for this battle and they are doing that while creating the necessary magic items that they will use for this battle. The discussion itself was intense until Bard Division barged in and tested their musical instruments on there out of blue. Of course, Haru kicked them out immediately and asked them to go to empty room near kitchen.
Then, Haru excused himself from the meeting room and He leaves the strategy creation to Vetto and Mikazuchi who keep arguing to each other. He headed to the entrance, passed through Crafting Room and Laboratory that Erick created. He saw Khazim and the others were busy maintaining Razzle and Ed's weapon while Zikiya and her team were busy creating [Savior's Tear]. He also saw Luna and Erick were discussing about the scrolls and sometimes, he heard she snapped at him.
After walked for a while, Haru reached the entrance and returned to the spot where he sat before. Now, he tried to focus my mind while settling his gaze at the demonic phenomenon that occurred far north from him. Then he is taking notes in his book, mainly about the roles that his team members must do in battlefield. He stopped writing and then he is looking at that demonic scenery, now he sees the red rain has rained down on Gaia once more.
"That's terrifying right, Aniki?"
"Robert, go back to your task."
"I will go after you hear my out." Robert breathes in and out, and then he smacked my shoulder lightly.
"Aniki, you are too serious because you are afraid of losing something. If you keep acting like this, everyone will DIE." After Robert whispered that frightening words to my ear, he walked back and called someone.
"Nee-san, Aniki is here!" He waved his hand and jumped down. Shortly after that, a woman came and hugged me from behind.
"It is scary isn't it, Haru-san? We will go there tomorrow." After that, she kissed my head from behind. I don't say anything to her and keep looking at "that scenery" far from me.
"Haru-san…" Now she placed her head on my head and put her hands around my neck.
It feels comfortable somehow but why…but why it feels like…this is will be the last? As I ponder, I closed my eyes but suddenly she pulled me and placed my head on her chest. I opened my eyes and she is looking me with calm expression, but her eyes…why her eyes are showing me something deep and sad emotion…
"Ayumi-san…I—" She suddenly covered my mouth with her hand.
"Sssttt…sssttt…It's okay, you don't need to tell me. Please just relax…for now…while you can." Then, she rubs my head gently with her hand. I was silent for a bit but suddenly she asked me something.
"Haru-san, you…have been holding back this whole time, haven't you?"
"Yes, I have…" I closed my eyes again.
"But you don't need to go that far…" Somehow, her voice is calming for me.
"They are always joking, they aren't serious, they are slow to take action, they act alone, they are refusing order, they are still childish and egoist. Don't they understand they are now in life and death situation?" I said that with a bit of anger in my voice. But she, she doesn't say anything and just smiled at me.
"Derre, Swirreev Heveinoirre Falconia…avergee ley yerdo lowwee Gaia fae'erdel atge Wina an ley-ges-orr-eonr" (Dear, Wise White Falcon…please look down at Gaia when you are flying high on Wina to not overlook everything happened around you and where do you belong)
I am surprised after she said that with straight face and empty eyes. Those words…those words are wise words from ancient language of Holy Elf with meaning of "Don't judge the people from their look and don't forget from where you born" in human language. Then, I closed my eyes and tried to remember everything that happened around me until now. I tried to correct myself.
However, I don't understand how I could be very harsh to my other party members, from snapping at Thomas until throwing Rania. I can feel something…something vile has altered my soul and darkened my sense.
Why I always hear creepy yet sweet voices that are always whispering to my ears and doubting me whenever I made a decision, why I always feel a chilly wind crawls on my skin while sipping cold death and lies into my innocent mind whenever I tried to move forward to better future.
Why are many unseen hands always dragging me into bottomless abyss without light called "salvation" in every nightmare that I had whenever I slept and tried to correct myself. Lastly, why I always see a mouth that is always licking my wavering heart while spurting sinful words into my head whenever I tried to run from reality. Pathetic….
"Everyone…including me…is terrified too. However, we must do our best to keep our rational mind intact by throwing jokes at each other. The jokes of death and calamity whose can't be heard nor understand by the oblivion or star itself."
"Everyone…including me…are obeying your order. However, we must do something in order to supersede your order. Even if we must break [The Laws] created by Gods themselves to achieve that."
"Everyone…including me…will obey your command. However, we must do something in order to protect your honor and of course, yourself. Even if we must massacre the entire population of Gaia to protect that."
"Everyone…including me…is scared of the truth. Because it will destroy everything that we have built. In order to protect it, we must hide it deep in shadow. We also tried hard not to stain your kindness and mind."
"Everyone…including me…are committed to you and we love to finish our task fast. However, we must slow down because we don't wish to leave you in the Abyss of Nothingness. We must be with you, anytime and anywhere…in order to become your sword, shield, limbs, lantern and armor. We are afraid if you turned blind or your pride was hurt by the pigs."
Yes, she is right. I was the one who is this entire time blind and afraid. I'm afraid of losing and I'm also afraid to hold responsibility for what I did. I think…I'm still naïve and foolish rather than my comrades who always with me. I was stupid enough not to realize what they did to me until now and tried to overcome everything by myself to show off to them that "I'm capable as a Leader". I realized I can't stand or walk alone again, because they are here with me and for me. For that purpose, I must be there with them.
She…she began to tell everything that happened before. She started from Robert, Rania, Ed, Aprillia, Thomas and others who shielded the carriages from giant scorpions. Robert lied to me on his report because he tried not to break my focus when I was dealing with the wolves on the left side.
She told me about Robert, she said Robert killed the Treants, Vampires and Mothmen secretly every night along with Del, Joe, Anna and Erick. He often goes to patrol by himself or with Jack, every night and they killed the beasts that roam near our tents. He also was being thoughtful by casting [Silent Field] not to wake any of us.
Erick who always creating potion, poison or explosive flask every time he had a free time in order to protect us if something happened. He also keeps extra potions for me if I am injured. She also told me about Tim that is always cheerful in any situation to lift everyone's mood. He also keeps acting reckless in order to warn every person of the danger around us although it may cost his life, but he trusts his comrades will save him at any cost.
…Then, She was silent for a while and taking a breath deeply. She closed her eyes for a while.
"Rania…Rania-san is always tying us upside down." She sighed.
"Yeah, it is her hobby and nature." I glanced away. I remember that scenery…that (lewd) scenery was still playing in my mind. Why I can't forget that? Am I turning into pervert like Toval right now?!"
"Yes, but that was not mere tying techniques…" She sighed again and opened her eyes. I responded her statement by looking at her.
"She used specific binding techniques from Arachne Race to check our body and I learned that from the book that I found in her bag. You know, they can use their web to check the inner organs of their preys. So, Rania often tied us upside down whenever she had free time to check our organ's condition as well as our bones." Hearing that, I surprised a little.
"I remember when Anna's hand struck by a big wood, on the night when she played with her body, she realized that there was a fracture on Anna's hand and she quickly asked Zikiya-san to cure her. I think, Rania is actually a nice person but she always hides it…"
"But those sexual harassments aren't included." Upon hearing that, she laughed a little.
"You know she always sleepy on the day because she often going patrol or hunting at night. She also prepared herself by learning new combat techniques every night." I went silent after hearing that.