Chapter 27

Previous Summary:

Avoiding the Mamiru Flag!

9

I woke up the next day.

Fortunately, my continuously depleting magic power seemed to have stabilized by the time a day had passed. Since the cause was unknown, I couldn't be sure, but it seemed safe to relax for now.

I was told that Gerbera had been by my side, continuously sending me her magic power until my condition stabilized. Even the resilient Gerbera, who is known for her toughness, seemed to have been exhausted by the task of using her magic power and concentration. She fell into a deep sleep as soon as she confirmed I was safe.

Come to think of it, she had mentioned that she wasn't good at handling magic power.

I really caused her a lot of trouble.

"Thank you for your hard work."

As I stroked her white head, her spider legs clicked softly. Her face, softened by a sense of accomplishment, was a beautiful sight.

***

"Thank you so much this time."

I called out to Lily, who was behind me.

The two of us had moved to a small room set up in the Arachne's nest. This was the "bathroom" that Rose had built while we were away. It was a simple space with a partition and a large enough tub for a person to fit in.

No one else was in the isolated space. It felt like a long time since Lily and I had been alone together.

"Regarding my treatment, and also Gerbera's condition, you really helped me out. I don't know what would have happened without you... I'm sorry for the trouble I caused."

"It's fine, really."

Lily responded to my apology with a wry smile and then cut my hair with the scissors Rose had made. My hair, which had grown during the month-long survival, was uneven due to being burned by the balloon fox's fireball. I had asked Lily to cut it to an even length. Since I usually got cheap haircuts, I had no complaints about letting her, an amateur, do it. As long as it didn't look terrible, it was fine.

"You said it before, but I am everyone's big sister. I just did what was natural."

"Right. I remember you saying that."

"Actually, I want to praise Rose. I never thought she would acknowledge Gerbera like that."

"Right. I thought it would take longer. I was even worried that Gerbera's failure to protect me might cause a rift between them."

"I felt the same. I thought she was more stubborn. But Rose was thinking about Gerbera in her own way."

"Right."

"Of course, Gerbera also worked hard. I think she definitely deserves the MVP for today."

As Lily talked, the hair she cut fell onto my body, which was covered only by a towel around my waist.

I was half-naked because I thought I might as well wash off the sweat and dirt while washing the cut hair.

Lily was also there to help me bathe.

The reason was that my body still wasn't moving well.

This wasn't a side effect of receiving magic power from Gerbera, but simply due to physical weakness from exhaustion.

I was so tired that I couldn't move properly.

Fortunately, at least for now, there were no other signs of problems. I had no pain, and the only marks were some burn scars on my arm and the faint traces where the iron vine seeds were removed.

Of course, it was possible that I hadn't noticed any other issues yet. I needed to be careful, especially since the reason for the loss of magic power remained a mystery.

"Right. Gerbera's efforts saved my life. Lily and Rose did too. Everyone has grown without me noticing..."

While listening to the pleasant sound of the scissors cutting my hair, I couldn't help but sigh.

"I didn't notice at all. It's a sign that my perspective was too narrow."

"That's understandable, isn't it?"

It seemed she had finished cutting my hair, and Lily started to trim the ends with a snip of the scissors.

"I know how much you care about us. The discord between Rose and Gerbera was a big problem for you. The more important something is, the more you might overthink and overwork, which is normal for a human, I think."

"Normal, huh?"

"...Ah. Master, close your eyes."

After finishing the haircut, Lily filled a small bucket with water and started washing my head.

Her slender fingers combed through my hair, tickling my scalp. The water poured on my head trickled down to my chin and then to the floor.

With my eyes still closed, I continued the conversation.

"You might be right, Lily."

"Hmm?"

"I was overthinking and overworking, as you said."

Reflecting on it, my decision to face a swarm of balloon foxes, which were new enemies, might have been a result of my anxiety.

"I was so anxious to do something that I nearly died. And because of that, I almost caused a decisive rift between Rose and Gerbera..."

After Lily wiped me clean, I immersed myself in the water-filled tub.

While warm water would have been better, just being able to take a water bath was refreshing enough.

However, my mood dampened the experience.

"It's pathetic. I'm supposed to be the leader guiding you all."

Perhaps because my mood had relaxed a bit, the words I had been suppressing deep in my heart slipped out.

"I'm never calm, and I get so caught up in personal issues that my plans are full of holes. I can't even solve your problems."

Facing the brink of death due to a lack of magic power, I wondered why things had come to this. Reflecting on the series of events, the answer was clear.

It's because I'm not good enough.

Lily said my anxiety and overworking were "normal."

But being normal isn't enough. I am the master of these monster followers.

I ended up making such a big mistake because I lacked the ability to be a proper master. Thanks to Lily and the others, we managed to escape the danger, but that was just a result. The fact remains that I couldn't do anything.

They have grown, but I am a failure.

"I was anxious, overworked, and couldn't do anything. I didn't gain anything."

The sigh felt heavy, as if it were rotting in my chest.

"It's really pathetic."

"Master..."

Lily, who had half-carried me to the bathtub because I couldn't muster the strength, now leaned over to look at my face.

Her large eyes stared at me intently.

When I looked back in confusion, she lowered her gaze.

She seemed to be thinking about something. ...What could she be thinking? I couldn't read her thoughts.

Lily raised her face.

A smile bloomed on her face like a flower.

"But... isn't that understandable?"

It wasn't a gentle word of comfort.

Her smile had an unusual intensity.

"L-Lily..."

Sensing something ominous, I tried to move back unconsciously. But I was in a tub, and there was nowhere to go.

I wanted to pretend I didn't notice, but unfortunately, we had a bond. Lily's heightened emotions were clear to me, and she didn't seem to be hiding them either.

"I'm actually quite angry about what happened, Master."

With a slightly frowning expression, Lily, now on her knees, leaned in closer.

Her gym uniform got wet from the water in the tub, but she didn't seem to care.

When I tried to lean back, she followed, and her frail hands grabbed my upper arms to prevent me from escaping.

"Why didn't you consult me? Why did you keep everything to yourself? Why didn't you rely on us?"

"Rely on us? What are you talking about? That's impossible."

"Is it a misunderstanding?"

I nodded and defended myself.

"If it weren't for you, I would have been in the stomach of a monster long ago. Even I know that much. I can't think of you as unreliable."

"Can't think of us as unreliable, huh? ...Yeah. I guess so. I guess that's true."

Lily nodded rather easily.

A bittersweet smile appeared on her lips.

"You're right, Master. You don't think of us as unreliable, do you?"

With a somewhat sad smile, Lily said to me.

"But you don't rely on us."

"..."

"You think of us as reliable, but you don't rely on us. ...Am I wrong?"

"..."

This time, I couldn't find words to deny it.

It was a fact that I had kept everything from Lily.

The incident with Rose and Gerbera, the problem with Kato-san, and even the issue with my vision. Even when I leaned on Gerbera, it was only because it happened that way. Initially, I had tried to cover it up. There were other small things, like the vision problem, that I had kept to myself.

I had been carrying my problems alone, without relying on my reliable companions.

When pointed out, it was clear that I had this tendency.

However, I had my reasons.

"I have the responsibility to lead you. This is part of that responsibility."

I am the master of the followers, including Lily.

As a master, if my followers have problems, I must solve them.

If I have problems, I must solve them myself and not burden my followers.

This is the responsibility of a leader, even if I am not fully capable.

I can lament my lack of ability, but there is no problem with my stance.

That's how it should be.

"But that's not right."

However, Lily shook her head, her flaxen hair swaying.

"Why can't you understand? If you keep everything to yourself, it's only natural to fail."

"Because it's my lack of ability."

"What's wrong with lacking ability? Isn't that why we, your followers, are here to support you?"

Her slightly upward gaze, as if pleading, made me flinch.

Her eyes, unable to contain the emotional fluctuations, swayed like the surface of a lake.

It had enough destructive power to shake the petty pride I had held.

"Of course, I know that, too. I know you have a strong sense of responsibility. I know you tend to blame yourself. I know, but..."

Tears began to fall from Lily's eyes.

"It's inevitable to keep things to yourself... but at least rely on us a little."

"Lily..."

I suddenly remembered.

When I returned, badly injured after falling into the balloon fox's trap, Lily initially seemed flustered, but then she seemed to maintain her composure and treated me.

Given what I knew about Lily, it was understandable that she would panic.

She didn't show any tears.

But that doesn't mean she was unaffected.

She had suppressed her own turmoil under a mask of composure. In her own words, she had acted as a "suitable eldest sister." She had been holding back until now.

But now, it was just the two of us.

Lily had no reason to act strong as a sister.

"I was scared. I thought you might die..."

Lily, who had suppressed her own turmoil and fulfilled her responsibility as the eldest sister, was no longer the same girl who had just gained her human form by consuming Mizuhashi Mihō.

She had changed.

For what?

I couldn't say I didn't know, even if my mouth were to split.

Of course, it was to "support me," as she had said.

But if I, the one she was trying to support, didn't rely on her, her efforts would be in vain.

The same went for Rose and Gerbera. They were also working hard in their own ways to support me.

I thought I was doing my best, but I must have been doing something wrong. The tears in front of me were proof of that.

However, this wasn't the time to wallow in regret.

I had something else to do. I couldn't afford to make the same mistake again.

"...I'm sorry."

Reaching out to the crying Lily, I pulled her into an embrace.

Lily didn't resist. Instead, she leaned into me.

As I hugged her tightly, she sobbed in my arms. I realized again how much I had burdened her.

***

We stayed like that for a while.

Strangely, it was a peaceful time. If we could have been this peaceful, we might have avoided such a failure.

Eventually, the sound of her sniffles faded away.

"...This is based on the knowledge of Mizuhashi Mihō, but..."

Lily, who seemed to have calmed down, spoke.

"There are different types of leaders."

"Types?"

Lily nodded.

Her bangs brushed against my chest, tickling slightly.

"Powerful types who lead people forward, charismatic types who attract people..."

"Neither fits me."

I chuckled.

"Yeah, that's true."

Lily didn't deliberately contradict my words.

"But, Master, we don't want to follow such people."

"..."

"You said, 'I'm never calm, and I get so caught up in personal issues that my plans are full of holes. I can't even solve your problems,' right? But..."

Lily looked up at me.

"A leader who is always calm, never worries about anything, solves all problems, and has the power to save everything is a kind of ideal."

By turning my lament into a statement, Lily revealed the image I had of myself as a master of my followers and called it an "ideal."

"I think such a person would be wonderful if they existed. They would be the hero in a fairy tale that everyone dreams of. It's impossible to deny."

Lily slowly shook her head.

"But even if such a person existed, we wouldn't want to follow them. Because that's not 'you.'"

In Lily's eyes, I could see my reflection, listening to her words.

She was looking at me, the person here and now, intently.

"I don't like an idealized version of someone. I can't like a fantasy. I like the Master who tries to do something for us, even if it's not enough. Whether it's enough or not doesn't matter."

"...But I'm your master, and I need to lead you as a leader. If I'm not capable, that's a problem, right?"

"No, it's not."

Lily pressed her flaxen head against my chest.

"Then, would you abandon us if we were useless?"

"Of course not!"

I immediately denied it.

"Of course not! That's impossible!"

"...Yeah. I thought you'd say that. Hehe. As a follower, I shouldn't be happy about this, but..."

Lily raised her face, a faint smile on her lips.

"But I am."

Lily gently cupped my cheeks with her hands.

"But, Master, if that's the case, I want you to understand that it's the same for us."

Lily's palms caressed my cheeks tenderly.

"Let us support you. Rely on us more. Don't overwork yourself. It's okay to be not enough. We, as followers, need to work together... and I think that's true for you too."

"Me too...?"

"Yeah. I think that's the form we should take."

The form we should take.

Lily's words were something I had never considered. Because, to me, it was something that didn't need to be considered.

I had believed it was unnecessary to think about it.

I thought I had to lead you.

I had decided that it had to be that way.

But it's not something that can be decided unilaterally.

As Lily said earlier, there are various types of leaders. Each leader's style must be considered based on their own qualities