In the end, I managed to conquer the area with the help of Rifai and some of my members who were already there. Tiara, Kahfi, Joko, Elvina, Helena, Bagas, and Pretty completed the quest before the time limit ran out. Until now, I had no clue what the food was and only knew that they had finished with difficulty.
Bagas sent me a video message in the Chat Menu. The video shows the faces of Tiara, Helena, Kahfi, Joko, and Elvina who look happy smiles while carrying the NPC who is conscious and has no poison in his body. I'm sure, they are struggling to find the purpose of the quest, it can be seen from their faces that are smiling happily as if they have won the battle alone. The video lasted only a few seconds, and under the video were the words, "Thank you, Sensei! We are proud to be your students. Once again, thank you!" from Bagas.
At that time I just smiled and said to myself, "Tch. It is the leader's job to make the members comfortable."
"How do you know that?" Tiara asked, curious, and kept looking at me with each other.
I hope, I hope Tiara knows that she has ever smiled because of her friends. Yeah, I hope Tiara isn't sad anymore.
"How shall I say."
"What?"
"I am a penny..."
No, this is not the time. Better, take it slow.
"Sen? What is that?"
"That's... cement two wheels."
"What do you mean?"
"You know, there is a saying, "If you build a country using cement on two wheels you will get happiness, even get food that comes down from heaven." So, try to use the cement two wheels to get happiness."
"You're so weird. That's not the proverb is true. The truth is, "Together with the coolies, build the country," that's all, no food has come down from heaven. Why did you add it?" Tiara smiled a little. "Very weird…"
"Is that so," I said while looking at her smiling face, before finally, I said in a low voice, "Thank God. You look beautiful when you smile, Tiara."
"Hm? Did you say something?"
"Not."
After I responded while shaking my head slowly, Tiara showed her smartphone screen at me while saying:
"Are you sure you want fried rice? Don't want anything else? Before I ordered it."
"You don't need anything fancy, that's all. It's not that I want to eat crab, huh, no, I just don't want to bother you. After all, eating crab is very difficult, especially if you have to pull out the shell first. So it's better, I'll just order fried rice."
When I said that, several times I glanced here and there and blushed, and Tiara just looked at me with an expressionless gaze as if I was a fool.
"O-Oh…" Tiara was surprised after I said that and went back to operating her smartphone. "S-So, you want crab, huh?"
"Not! I-I just want fried rice. It's not like I can't finish crab meat by myself. I just want to eat fried rice."
"Is this what it's called, Tsundere Food?"
"A-Anyway, I want to eat fried rice!"
"Okay, I'll-"
"Uh, but crab is fine too. No, no, no. I'll just fried rice."
"So what are you doing, huh!?" Tiara stood with her hands already clasped. "Hurry up and say!"
"Eh? She is angry. I… order crab meat… no, just fried rice."
"Ci..." Tiara looked at me and her hands were clasping hard as if she wanted to hit me.
Knowing her intention, she wanted to hit me, I burned a cigarette, blew the smoke upward, then said, "I think I'll just order martabak."
"What's a martabak, huh!?"
Tiara's hand flew towards me, I immediately closed my eyes and was terrified. However, her hand never came towards my face. I opened my eyes slowly.
"Hm?"
When my eyes opened, I saw Tiara muttering while holding her hand with the other.
"Hold on, Tiara. Hold on, Tiara. You can do it."
Tiara is cool, even though she already looks angry with me, but still able to endure it. Cool.
But before that, why is her hand so light hitting people? Since the first time I met her in the EOA game, I was always getting hit by her. When I first met her in real life, I was also hit by her. Why? Why is Tiara so fierce with me? Why did she hit me? Why?
Tiara glared at me and said, "You... Hurry up and decide!"
"I want meatballs." I looked at her with an innocent, innocent face.
"You are…"
***
"Bu-e. Full."
I didn't expect Tiara to buy everything, meatballs as an appetizer; fried rice and crab meat as the main food; sweet martabak as a dessert. My stomach is full now, I can't even move. And strangely, Tiara only ate crab meat, without helping me eat anything else.
It's not that I'm greedy when it comes to food, it's just that I appreciate the food Tiara has bought with her money.
This is bad... this is bad. I can't move from the bench, it's dangerous. This is bad... this is bad.
"Thank you. Thank you for the food, it's so delicious, it even makes me unable to move. Bu-e."
"It doesn't matter, I'm also quite entertained because of you. Somehow, I feel comfortable around you, even though it's our first time talking like this. You're just like my leader first."
"Your leader?" I pretended to ask as if I didn't know anything.
"No, just forget it." Tiara turned away from me.
"Hey, come on say, I wonder why I look like your leader. I can be a friend to confide in you. So, just say it."
I know Tiara well, even those five people too. Among them, Tiara was the one who often heard her other people's troubles and helped. But unfortunately, when Tiara was restless, no one helped her, it was because she hid her anxiety.
I often hear Tiara talk a lot when we are alone. Whether Tiara realized it or not, she even told me all her worries. Tiara always talked to me about many things, such as about the condition of the guild, guild members who didn't make donations, even talking about her hatred for someone. Even so, every time Tiara shared her restlessness, she still hit me too. Just because has boxing martial arts, so Tiara casually uses it on me. If not in-game life, I might have died a long time ago.
"Before that, I want to ask you something."
"What is that?" I asked.
"Do you think humans can change?"
"Yes, can. What's wrong?"
"Is that so. No wonder my leader changed."
"But, it contains conditions as well."
"What do you mean?"
"Normally, when a human changes, he must be going through a state where he has to change himself. For example, a teenage boy has to change his character because he has become an adult. Or, a thug who used to be naughty, now changes because he gets more fun things than having to bully other people."
Eh? Wait a minute! Why am I talking about myself, and Rifai as well? Eh? Why, why, why?
Tiara put her hand on her chin as if in thought, then said, "Is that so. But… but it's a little different."
"Different?"
"I feel like he's not him. The change in him was too significant, even to the point of annoyance at Bagas. Oh, Bagas is my friend."
"Yes. Then?"
"Changes in him do not make sense, previously ridiculous, ignorant, do not care about the members, like being unclear, often talk by himself, annoying, solitary, selfless, insolent, shameless, not a good leader, stupid too, likes not attending meetings, like to be very pretentious when fighting, cannot dependable, like to walk here and there without knowing the destination, relinquishing the responsibility of a leader to me, teaching useless things..."
Hey, there are so many bad sides to me.
After Tiara talked about my ugly side, she continued, "Now he's turned into the opposite. Isn't this strange?"
I smiled forcefully and said, "Looks like your leader is really bad, huh, even you explain so many bad sides to me."
"Eh? Is it true?"
I think, Tiara subconsciously said that to me. Even so, why do I look bad in her eyes, huh?
"Even though he's so bad, but I like him that way more than now." Tiara turned away from me and looked at her glass as she played it. "He... he makes me comfortable, I like him." Tiara's cheeks look red. After that, Tiara looked at me seriously. "It's not just me who likes him, but everyone. So, it doesn't mean I l-like him."
For some reason, Tiara blushed and looked away.
"Are you cold?" I asked. "Your face is flushed. Can't my jacket warm you? Then…" I took the candy out of my pocket and handed it, "Eat this candy."
Tiara took it and said, "What are you doing..." Tiara paused when she saw the back of the candy wrapper which reads, "Don't Give Up!" and her eyes filled with tears as if she wanted to shed tears but was held back. Then, Tiara looked at me with a smile and said, "Really, you look… like him."