Chapter 84. But I Refuse!
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The incident... Cough! The accident was perfectly resolved.
There were no casualties, and the only losses were an expensive dress, a bunch of outrageously costly defense systems, and a statue so valuable no one dared to guess its price.
Yeah, the damage was huge!
"Consider it a lesson learned," Luvia, completely unbothered by her two bare legs on display, twirled her drill-like braid. "It was worth it."
Is this what rich people say?
Lesson learned, indeed.
Cyd, lying on the table, glanced at the oversized, overly fancy parfait. "I'm telling you, the lesson is only worth it if you actually remember it. Do you really understand?"
"Of course~" Luvia crossed her legs. "I completely understand that your fighting skills are way better than mine."
"Um... Miss Luvia, I don't think that's what he meant," Gray cautiously interjected.
"Hm? Is there another meaning?" Luvia asked, entirely unconcerned as she continued eating the overly decorated parfait.
"That magic circle going out of control was clearly due to overcomplicating things," Cyd sighed, propping his chin on his hand. "A little more attention could have avoided a lot of unnecessary trouble and losses, like... this time."
"Ah~ I get it," Luvia said, pushing the parfait aside.
"Oh~ The hyena is being obedient this time?" Reines crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow in interest.
"That's quite rude. I can be well-behaved too," Luvia pouted.
If it weren't for you kneeing me into the wall... I might have believed you!
"Well~" Reines spread her hands. "For you, this is just small change. After all, you did buy out this department store on a whim."
"Hehehe, when you find something valuable, of course, you should seize it without hesitation," Luvia chuckled, covering her mouth.
And that's why your family is called hyenas.
Reines sighed and glanced at Gray, taking a belly-baring outfit from the golem maid Trimmau. "The incident is resolved, so we should get going."
"Oh ho ho~ I can offer quite a few treasures~" Luvia's eyes gleamed as she looked Gray up and down.
"Umm..." Gray shrank back slightly.
"I should head back too. I won't join the girls' gathering," Cyd stood up and stretched.
"What a shame. I was hoping to learn some of your fighting techniques," Luvia sighed regretfully.
"Oh~ Have you taken a liking to him this time?" Reines's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Just to be clear, he's not someone you can just snatch away."
"Huh!?" Luvia raised her voice.
"I'm leaving," Cyd decisively... slipped away.
"Wait... wait a moment! I'll go with you!" Gray stood up in a bit of a panic.
It might be rude, but if she stayed, she'd end up as these two's doll. Being shy and not good at refusing, even if she protested, she'd end up obediently wearing whatever they gave her.
Reines looked at Gray for a moment before snapping her fingers. "Alright, go ahead. But you'll have to wear that outfit back."
Gray was initially a bit happy, but after hearing the second half, she couldn't keep smiling.
This outfit... it's shoulder-baring!
And to make it worse, Trimmau put the bag with her clothes inside her stomach.
"Ahahaha, your clothes got eaten! Why don't you just go naked—ahhhh!"
Add was mercilessly shaken by Gray as if he were a spray can, his boxy body clattering inside the cage.
In the end, Gray could only cover her face while wearing the shoulder-baring dress Reines had meticulously chosen, following behind Cyd. To top it off, she was holding a strange cage in her right hand with a weird cube inside, drawing the attention of passersby to the peculiar but beautiful girl.
"Ugh..."
Unable to bear the intense stares, Gray crouched down like a wounded puppy, burying her face in her knees.
I knew it... I'm so weird...
"Honestly..."
A jacket gently draped over Gray's shoulders, the warm temperature from it making her instinctively relax. The hand extended in front of her and the concerned tone made Gray think of Lord El-Melloi II.
"Master.. Thank you, Mr. Cyd." Gray took Cyd's hand and stood up.
Unfortunately, it wasn't Lord El-Melloi II standing before her, but Cyd.
"Have a little confidence," Cyd said, pulling the jacket's hood over Gray's head. He couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy as he saw her relax.
"It's okay. I'm fine like this," Gray said, raising her left hand to hold her right wrist, smiling slightly.
"Ah~" Cyd took the cage from Gray's hand and tossed it lightly. "What is that guy even thinking?"
"Hey! Kid, stop tossing me around!" Add shouted angrily. "Do you want me to bite you to death?"
"Add!"
"Well~ Stop bothering Gray so much. Right now, she's just a normal girl taking a break," Cyd said as he adjusted his scarf. Black scales emerged, resembling a Venus flytrap, and swallowed Add.
"Uwaaa!"
"Add... is gone!" Gray exclaimed, wide-eyed.
"Don't worry, I just put him somewhere he can scream to his heart's content," Cyd winked. "Let's take it easy today."
As for where Add ended up? Who knows~
"Thank you," Gray bowed.
"There's a girl in front of me who needs saving," Cyd lifted his left hand and lightly tapped Gray's forehead with his finger. "Why wouldn't I save her?"
Gray's eyes sparkled with admiration. The thirteen glowing bands on her armlet and Cyd's sunny smile made the word "hero" naturally come to her mind.
"You've saved many people, haven't you?" Gray gazed at Cyd with some admiration.
"No, not many," Cyd shrugged as he began walking toward the station.
"But in the myths..." Gray followed behind him, "You kept saving people, bringing hope to those in despair."
"It would be nice if there really were such a person in this world," Cyd sighed. "A Hero of Pure White, the kind the people hope for. His existence would be hope itself. But I know, I'm not that great, nor that selfless. Sometimes, I feel like the person they sing about is someone completely different."
"No! To me, you are that person!" Gray said firmly.
Cyd was taken aback, then smiled as he reached out and ruffled Gray's hair. "Thank you. You really are a sweet kid."
Gray blushed and stammered, lowering her head. "You're welcome."
Even though she knew the young man before her might be unimaginably old, his appearance was still youthful, and this was the first time she had been so close to someone like this.
"By the way, since you're dressed so nicely, why not let your master see it?" Cyd suggested, raising his index finger.
"No way!"
"But isn't your outfit with Reines?"
"Um... Mr. Cyd, please help me," Gray pleaded, tugging on Cyd's clothes and looking up at him with puppy-dog eyes.
"Honestly~ You're such a troublesome kid~" Cyd sighed as he ruffled Gray's hair again.
"But I refuse!"