Kuro no Maou

Chapter 161 The Witch’s Lonesome Drinking

(Fiona pov)

I drank a fruit wine which didn’t really taste that good.

This alcohol with slight sweetness and quite bitterness was one of the cheaper drinks in Spada and was thus, also the favourite of the common people, or so a talkative cat beastwoman employee had told me.

The cat-girl was currently running around, setting up the various tables in the diner of the of [Cat’s Tail]. I will also need to order again in some time as well.

Appeasing my thirst with the drink with quality proportionate to its price, the alcohol made my body a bit hotter.

“.......I, shouldn’t get drunk too much.”

Currently I’m stuck in what you could call a dilemma.

Kurono-san who had sunk in disappointment and Lily-san who was sobbing in despair; the reason and cause behind their sadness was completely different to each other but it doesn’t change the fact that both are currently mentally unstable.

Even I felt sad for what happened at Alsace, and was also worried for Kurono-san. Lily-san was, well, paying for her own mistakes, no, I’m worried for her as well.

But, that doesn’t change the fact that as a result, I’m the only one who is still in a completely flat state and that everytime I look at those two, my heart aches badly.

I have very less experience in staying in contact with people so I don’t know how should I talk to them at such a time.

I’m not stressed that I’m unable to talk to them, I’m more stressed by the fact that I don’t even know how to call out and talk to them.

At times when you start loathing yourself, it’s better to start drinking, or so my sensei had said I think but, yeah, I can’t really accept this.

Thinking back, I could only remember times when sensei had become completely drunk and I had to look after her and not to mention, she didn’t even fix her problem either.

I thought this now after emptying 2 bottles of the fruit wine.

“haa, what should I do, Kurono-san?”

Currently, the biggest problem is Kurono-san.

During the incident at Alsace, we really did get the worst tragic conclusion but now we can’t do anything to change it.

In the first place, we tried to take on the Crusaders with such few numbers and it wouldn’t have been weird if we had been completely annihilated either.

The appearance of an Apostle was completely out of our estimations but it’s not like we hadn’t thought that we could be annihilated, at least, I and Lily-san did expect that.

I truly feel sad that every adventurer was killed in action but, at least I, have already accepted it as the worst conclusion and at the same time, I feel slightly disgusted of myself for the fact that I wasn’t as worried as Kurono-san.

But still, as for the refugees that are alive, because of the actions they took, I only felt anger and didn’t feel anything anymore for the victims on their side.

Those people didn’t even try to know how much Kurono-san thought of them and worked hard for them.

If Lily-san hadn’t jumped out, I might have burned that whole place to the ground. I was irritated enough that I really would not have thought that as a joke.

Thinking that way, Lily-san really took actions coolly and calmly.

Without creating any uproar, she quickly created distance between them, it was a perfect move, it’s not something I could have done——but, to think that even that dependable Lily-san would fall so much into depression just from a few words from Kurono-san.......

The current situation would be completely resolved if Kurono-san can recover again.

And, not just in the calculating sense, even I personally find it painful to see Kurono-san in such a state.

Kurono-san, a foreigner who came from another world, the leader of [Element Master], led the adventurer alliance against the Crusaders, strong, and a gentle person.

He accepted me, relied on me, expected of me, and called me a member of his party, his comrade.

On the other hand, Lily-san is completely cool-headed and clever. She possesses cruelness to make anything work towards her own benefits. The only reason why she took me in her party was because she saw some merits in it.

But even then, Lily-san who looked at people with absolute advantage or disadvantage, was much more impartial and fair than the God of the cross religion. Only someone like her could accept a reckless rampaging witch like me.

In that sense, I am thankful towards Lily-san as well as respect her. I haven’t known her for very long but I do feel a sense of camaraderie with her.

But as expected, having faced with absolute trust and affection from Kurono-san makes me happy without any need for logic and makes me feel comfortable. Enough that I feel that I will never be alone again.

That’s why—–yes, that’s why, I’m the most scared right now.

What if, Kurono-san stopped being an adventurer? What if he dissolved the party?

“Something like that.........I really don’t want to happen.”

Every possibility of being separated from him makes me scared.

That’s the worst conclusion for me.

Even though I finally met them, people who would accept me, precious people I want to protect.

“But, I.......”

Couldn’t find any words to say to him.

Pathetic, extremely pathetic. I feel regretful that I had actually been living alone without communicating much with people.

If I am his comrade then aren’t I supposed to become his strength especially at such a time? But I don’t know what should I do right now.

I need to do something, but what, I do not know——I am facing such an unsightly and foolish trouble really.

And, just when I was caught up in all such negative thoughts,

“Fiona.”

I heard a voice.

There’s no way I would mistake it. That was Kurono-san no doubt.

“Kurono-san?”

Raising my face, it was really Kurono-san who was standing there.

“It seems I made you worry, sorry.”(kurono)

And Kurono-san spoke the words of apology, but, his face was different from the time we had parted, it felt somehow much clearer.

Aah, I see—–this person, before I could do anything, recovered by himself, he was able to recover by himself. I understood that.

“No, it’s fine as long as you have returned safely.”(Fiona)

At the end, I could only hate myself who couldn’t do anything but, rather than such petty and trivial thoughts, I am feeling simply happier for the fact that he has returned.

“Welcome back, Kurono-san.”

“Yeah, I’m back.”

Really, I’m so glad. It seems I can still stay by his side.