Chapter 36: Lost it All

“Dulcinea, how could you!?” Emilia cried.

When Tommy looked at her, he saw how frail she looked – like a shell. A deception, he was sure, she was hallowed out emotionally.

“I wanted you to come home. I missed you,” Dulcinea sobbed, hugging her legs and rocking back and forth.

It was a good show. Tommy wasn’t buying it.

“No, literally, how could you?” Emilia clarified. “You’re my familiar, you shouldn’t be able to lead me to danger, or lead danger to me…”

Emilia had said a familiar couldn’t lie to her directly, so Dulcinea had spun the truth. Her vagueness got around the bond, but it had given Tommy enough to be suspicious.

“He said it was to keep you safe, that you wouldn’t be able to survive in the world without him…” she said, her sobs miraculously stopped.

Yeah, Tommy knew fake crying when he saw it. He grabbed Dulcinea’s arm and pulled her up so she was standing.

“H-hey! That hurts!” she snapped, trying to pull away from him.