After bathing, it was time for the meeting. Kaguya Gojōno changed—once again—into a kimono.
It was a troublesome outfit to put on, and even more unsuited for combat.
Since there wouldn't be any outings after this and it was basically bedtime, she still wore it anyway—proof of how particular she was.
You almost had to wonder if she'd trained her swordsmanship up to top-tier Orario standards just so a kimono wouldn't hinder her in a fight.
The moment she sat down, Kaguya noticed Ryuu slumped with her head hanging low.
"What's wrong with this useless elf?"
"That's what we're about to talk about—don't rush."
Alise knew exactly why. Her own mood was also heavy—she was just forcing herself to hold it in.
"So it really is something sad… This useless elf isn't even snapping back at me."
Kaguya was honestly surprised.
Normally, even if Ryuu got insulted into stupidity, she'd still blush and protest.
Whether it was "useless elf" or "repressed elf," neither was a label Ryuu could tolerate.
Seeing her this obedient today felt… unsettling.
Once everyone had taken their seats, Alise started by bringing up Cid's situation.
The instant she said he was leaving, Kaguya panicked.
"What happened? Did someone bully him?"
Her gaze swept over the others, but their expressions were even more confused than her own.
And thinking about it, her comrades weren't that kind of petty person.
"Ryuu—don't tell me it's you… ah, never mind. A useless elf like you probably couldn't."
Kaguya looked straight at Ryuu. But her suspicion only lasted a heartbeat.
Ryuu simply wasn't the type to offend people like that—and Cid wasn't fragile enough to run away just because of her.
Even though Ryuu looked like she'd done something wrong, with her personality she'd blame herself even if she hadn't done anything at all.
That was just how the "useless elf who's only good at fighting" operated.
"?"
Even in her low mood, Ryuu couldn't help lifting her head.
What did she mean, "couldn't"?
After suspecting everyone, Kaguya finally turned that suspicion onto herself.
"…Don't tell me it's because of me?"
In the Astraea Familia, the most vicious mouth belonged to Kaguya.
That little elf Ryuu had more than once been verbally eviscerated into shutting down completely.
"No, no—Cid told me before that the way you talk is really distinctive, Kaguya. He said it looks cool."
Alise waved her hands quickly, killing Kaguya's spiral of self-blame on the spot.
If even Ryuu hadn't been chased off by Kaguya's poison tongue, there was no way Cid would leave just because he got scolded a little.
Kaguya let out a breath—then couldn't help laughing awkwardly.
"He really is different. Aren't men supposed to like the 'refined young lady' type?"
Kaguya had a very particular hobby:
First, she'd pretend to be a gentle, traditional yamato nadeshiko—then, the moment someone got fooled, she'd shred them with the crudest, sharpest insults imaginable.
Watching people's faces crack from the whiplash gave her an incredible sense of satisfaction.
Between her voice, clothing, and presence, she could play the perfect nadeshiko. She'd even gone through strict training in the past.
In Kaguya's experience, it always worked.
People loved seeing her dressed that way.
But apparently, in Cid's eyes, she was cooler when she was insulting people.
"Still… you shouldn't describe a girl as 'cool.' That brat really needs a beating."
She said it like that—yet a smile unconsciously crept onto her face.
Fine. The kid had taste. Next time she "trained" him, she could go a little harder.
"Astraea-sama, then what's the actual reason?"
Lyla—the Pallum—got impatient with Alise's dragging pace and turned to the goddess directly.
In terms of strength, Lyla ranked near the top of the familia.
…Near the top from the bottom.
"If Cid leaves, then I'll be the weakest in the familia! Don't tell me that's happening! Can't we persuade him to stay?"
Lyla didn't want to be the one at the very bottom.
Her alias was 'Cunning Mouse', and her brains contributed plenty to the familia.
But even if she had value elsewhere, she still didn't want to be dead last in combat power.
The moment she heard Cid was leaving, her sense of crisis exploded.
Cid, don't go—if you go, how am I supposed to live?!
And the more she thought about it… the more she unexpectedly understood him.
She didn't want to be the lowest-ranked one. Cid probably didn't either.
And he was a guy—so even if he didn't show it, he must've been anxious inside.
Lyla could practically picture Cid under too much pressure, secretly crying by himself—quietly dropping "little pearls" of tears.
Realizing that, she felt like a terrible strategist for overlooking something so important.
Disgraceful!
"That child only wants a change of environment," Astraea said with a gentle smile, soothing her familia. "Boys grow up, and they start wanting to stand on their own. So no one did anything wrong—Cid simply has his own thoughts."
If anyone had to be blamed for Cid wanting to leave, Astraea felt the responsibility should fall on herself.
After talking with him, she reflected seriously.
She didn't like accepting members casually—and she tended to favor girls.
So even though Cid had been her very first familia member, she'd delayed for a long time and never found him a male companion within the familia.
Cid probably wasn't insecure… but he probably really was lonely.
Was that why Artemis also only recruited women?
Astraea even felt that in the future, maybe she shouldn't accept male members at all.
Aside from the special case that was Cid, anyone else likely wouldn't truly be accepted by everyone.
"…Ah…"
While Astraea explained, Alise—no longer needing to keep up the cheerful face—finally let a hint of melancholy show.
In her eyes, Cid wanting to leave was entirely her fault.
Not letting him join meetings, not letting him know the danger—yes, it was meant to protect him.
But looking at the outcome… they had isolated him.
No one else had done anything wrong.
It was her, the captain—her, the sister—who had failed.
Even if the goddess advised caution, even if Cid himself didn't want to participate…
The one making the final calls had still been Alise.
If only she'd been more decisive…
That gloom lasted only an instant.
In the next blink, she was the passionate girl of blazing fire again.
"Alright. Astraea-sama is right. Tomorrow night we're sending Cid off—everyone needs to prepare a sincere farewell gift. We can't let him think we were really rejecting him."
With that, Alise set the tone.
No one objected. They all began thinking about what to give him.
In all their time together, Cid had never harmed them.
If an important companion was leaving—and they couldn't stop it—then the farewell day had to be done properly, with full ceremony.
"What should we get him?"
"Cid doesn't really have any particular hobbies…"
"If we have to say something—Alise has led him astray, so sometimes he pays attention to some pretty weird places."
"Cid's grown up, hasn't he?"
Hearing the discussion, the familia's only Amazon, Iska, lit up.
She'd thought of a unique gift.
And hey—she was an Amazon.
Being bold would be perfectly reasonable, right?
They talked it over, and at some point, someone fell quiet.
Then gradually, every conversation died out until the meeting room was silent.
The atmosphere grew heavier after Cid's matter was settled.
Not because they couldn't accept his departure—
But because what came next was far more serious.
Cid leaving wasn't even the main topic of tonight's meeting. It had been sudden—an interruption.
Alise's expression turned unusually solemn, finally carrying the full weight of what a captain should look like.
"Based on our investigations these past few days… we can confirm it."
"The top-tier forces of the Dark Faction are all in Orario right now."
"And next… will be the decisive battle that determines Orario's future."
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