"Guard...," Nagao repeated Lady Megumi's last words.
"Dogs...?" Adolph did something similar.
"What is your true aim, Lady Megumi?" Mr. Schmidt asked bluntly after being silent before.
"You guys should've understood, right?" Lady Megumi casually spoke up. Her eyes kept looking at the three of them.
The three of them looked at each other. Realizing the condition of them, Lady Megumi spoke again,
"I'm only making an offer. It's all up to you. How's that? Interesting offer, don't you think, Mr. Eddie?" Lady Megumi turned to Mr. Eddie while smiling.
Getting that smile, Mr. Eddie just kept quiet and didn't speak. The head butler did the same. Thanks to those words, a tense-silent atmosphere started to come between them.
Out of the many people, abruptly, only one person acted differently,
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!" he laughed loudly. It was so loud that it filled the dining room. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!" Even that person was laughing so hard. His hand hit the dining table several times. Those acts made plates and glasses move several times.
"Nagao, what's wrong with you?! Your behavior isn't funny, you know!" Adolph spoke in an irritated tone.
"Hoho! You don't usually laugh like that, Nagao. Is something going through your head?" Mr. Schmidt asked while rubbing his chin.
"Mr. Nagao! Please behave yourself in front—??!" When Mr. Eddie spoke, his words were stopped by Lady Megumi's hand. Seeing that reaction, Mr. Eddie immediately fell silent.
While turning towards Nagao, Lady Megumi commented,
"You laugh as if you're happy about that. Or, is that an insult to me?"
Firm words mixed with angry emotions left her mouth, causing several people to react.
Mr. Schmidt just sighed as he looked at Nagao. Adolph, via a movement of her hand under the table, pinched Nagao's thigh...
*sreek*
"Ouch-ouch! Stop it, Adolph!" Nagao protested at her demeanor. "You pinching too hard!"
"You're the one who can't read this situation, you block-head!" Adolph replied.
"Oh yeah, hehe," Nagao replied casually. "Hah~! My stomach is so tired from laughing,"
"God damn it!" Adolph protested at him. "You better answer her question before she misunderstands."
Realizing Adolph's words just now and seeing Lady Megumi's unusual smile, Nagao remembered something...
(Based on what The Silhouette of the Little Boy said, Lady Megumi is a control-freak and sensitive person. If his prediction was right, I'll just try to follow his instructions.> Nagao started to clear his throat.
Immediately, he gave his response,
"It turns out that your joke made me laugh, Lady Megumi. I didn't expect that, you know," Nagao immediately paused. "However, what made you offer us the title?"
"One of the reasons is that you guys have talents which, perhaps, could be of use to me," Lady Megumi said in a calm tone. "How about that?"
Nagao thought silently at her words...
(As he expected, she has a tendency to be a control-freak and sensitive. Even so, I'll try to confirm again for the previous two traits. And it ends up in the form of exploitation with her statement just now? This is interesting. Let's provoke this woman a bit more!)
Just a few moments after he fell silent, Nagao returned to throwing his words in a relaxed manner that was covered in sarcasm,
"Talent? You mean... talent was almost raped by you, Lady Megumi?"
The head butler immediately ran toward Nagao in attack mode. Seeing this incident, Adolph and Mr. Schmidt immediately reacted toward Nagao, making a wary stance. At the same time, Mr. Eddie reacted,
"Withdraw your words, Mr. Nagao!" replied Mr. Eddie angrily. "Your words have discredited kindness—"
Before Mr. Eddie spoke clearly, his words again being cut off by a stern shout,
"ENDS IT, NOW!" Lady Megumi shouted firmly and contained strong emotions. Her voice had echoed in the dining room.
"??!" The five of them were surprised with different expressions. Mr. Eddie started to get scared. A few drops of sweat dripped from his forehead. The Head Butler also stopped the action. Simultaneously with that, Mr. Schmidt and Adolph began to lower their guard.
As for Nagao starting to mumble...
(Hoho, this is getting interesting. Let's see what your true colors are!) While smiling faintly.
It didn't take long for Lady Megumi to look back at Nagao,
"I don't care about your sarcastic attitude. However," Lady Megumi started to stand up. Walked up to Nagao and started tugging at his collar with her intimidating gaze. "You should've realized who gave you a place to shelter,"
"Should I?" Nagao stared back without the slightest fear. Their pupils met each other.
They had been doing this for a while. Then, Lady Megumi removed his collar and said,
"Like it or not, forced or voluntary, you've to follow the rules here. When in a different culture, adapt what they do." She immediately returned to her seat.
Immediately, Lady Megumi announced,
"This dawn. Don't be late. Now, you may go when you're done eating," while walking away from the dining table. "Butler, take them out after they finished." She immediately left the place.
Nagao and the others looked at her leave. Go towards one of the doors...
*Tap* *Tap* *Clerk*
Eventually, after eating, the four of them were escorted to the exit by the head butler.
...
While on the way back, Mr. Eddie gave his response to Nagao,
"That political dance you did just now almost shook my position, you know?!" He sighed. "So, what dance do you want to do next?"
Had not time to answer yet, Adolph also gave her response,
"You idiotic bastard! You saw the butler's behavior earlier, right?! He almost threatened you twice!" she continued grumbling. "What's your real goal, you block-head?! You almost cut off all of our heads. Lucky she didn't do that!"
"HAHAHAH! Your audacity really makes me shake my head, Nagao!" Mr. Schmidt commented.
Nagao immediately gave his response,
"She won't do that. I'm sure,"
"Oh yeah?! So what if she kicks three of us out here?! Put aside Mr. Eddie, we'd be easy for the enemy's target. You understand?!" Adolph retorted in annoyance.
"If that were the case, she wouldn't be making the offer to us twice," Nagao replied casually. "For Mr. Eddie's question just now, thus far, that's enough. I will see the situation and future progress," he said while turning to Mr. Eddie.
"Then you just want to kill my political ways. I can't let it,"
"Ease and don't worry about that," Nagao responded to his response. "Your politics willn't be disturbed. In fact, this benefits you too,"
"How can you be sure about that?"
Nagao paused for a moment. Then, he said,
"For a while before coming here, I thought about this possibility. Coupled with her response just now, isn't that more than enough of a possibility for this to happen?"
Mr. Eddie was silent when he heard Nagao's statement. Soon, he replied,
"You're the fire that's poisonous and wild at once," Mr. Eddie commented satirically.
"Hoho, your satirical rhetoric is already in play."
Finally, They rushed back to Mr. Eddie's residence. Although he said that, Nagao also thought within himself...
(At least, with this way, our positions are secure. It remains only to carry out the next plan!)
***
I've been observing the changes he's going through...
How did he respond...
How is he mentally answering...
How did he react when I stared at him back then...
That gaze... that was so nostalgic... and became his characteristics...
Brave yet rebellious...
...
While sitting on the balcony, I drank several mineral water that the head butler had given me. With a night featuring many stars, I enjoyed these atmospheres. Not only I but the Head Butler also joined while standing beside me.
Unbeknownst to me, the head Butler spoke to me,
"Lady Megumi, is that okay with the attitude earlier?"
"You mean about Nagao's attitude?" while shaking the glass filled with mineral water. "It doesn't matter. After all, he's always been like that..,"
"Always? Ah," Butler said politely. "Nevertheless, are you sure about your statement, Lady?"
"What do you mean?" I turned my head slowly towards him.
"According to what you told me before, there are a lot of humans out there, and this doesn't include half-monster humans. Based on that, are you sure that man is the person you've been looking for?" Head Butler spoke politely. "Forgive me if my words are unpleasant, My Lady. But I have to do this considering your safety,"
"It's okay," I shook my head gently. "I understand the gist of what you're saying, Albert. However, I can confirm it's him." I said with certainty.
Albert immediately fell silent upon hearing what I just said. While enjoying the night, I muttered...
(This time... I have to!)
Suddenly, Albert said,
"However," Albert paused for a moment. "If he was a different person, would you have done the same thing as before?"
Hearing what Albert said, I quickly stood up. While drinking water, I walked to the balcony edge.
When I reached there, I leaned on the balustrade with both hands. With the moon behind me and shining brightly, forming a black shadow. Began to cover my whole body.
Without saying much, I answered,
"You know the answer already, don't you?" while giving a throat-slitting gesture. "Do it in a few days if they don't have any means of progress. The rest is up to you."