Understandably, There are Consequences. (12.4)

…

"Hat-kun, I really like your idea of not dangerous!" Hiryute gave a gleeful laugh as she cheered on her fellow Familia members. The students I'd promised to take in from Loki were all working their way through several Minotaurs. Working together, dodging and evading in the styles I told them to develop, they were more than capable of matching the oversized bulls. The short-haired amazon was watching by my side with Urga in easy reach. Lyon was scouting ahead. The blonde elf changed into her 'adventuring' attire before we left for the Dungeon. "Yay! Go Liss! Go Teri! Take out their legs first!"

"It isn't dangerous, not by a longshot, since we're only going to Rivira." I lightly protested against Hiryute's words. Of course, I was aware of the fact that the Middle Floors were considered very dangerous. However, with a Level 6 and 4, a party of Level 2s, I'd yet to raise a finger. So, technically, I hadn't made a decision that the sly Amazon approved of, i.e. a dumb decision. "Not only that, but I'm sure that Loki-sama wouldn't have liked for me to ignore my part of the deal. I missed last week due to my unfortunate circumstances, so I'm making it up as quickly as possible."

"I doubt that, Hikigaya-kun. Loki-sama most probably wouldn't have approved of this if she had the chance to speak to you." Due to the fact my skill wasn't activating due to lack of danger, Lyon was easily able to sneak up on me. Really, I shouldn't be letting my guard down in the Dungeon, but it was very hard to feel endangered when I had a Level 6 Amazon with an Adamantium Twinblade keeping me out of trouble. By trouble, of course, I meant any strenuous activity. The first kobold I tried to destroy had been turned to paste with a single punch. The same thing happened again and again until I realized that I truly wasn't going to be able to fight today. "Am I not correct, Hiryute?"

"Eh, Loki-sama doesn't force us to do anything besides go on expeditions that Finn plans, Gale-chan!" Eh? A nickname already? Hiryute, you're giving those away quite freely, now that I think about it! Hmmm, didn't Yuigahama always make up nicknames for everyone? I guessed there could be some personality similarities between the two, maybe even some intellectual parallels, but physically… well… Yuigahama and Hiryute were just complete opposites. "Eh, Hat-kun, why do I feel like I need to punch you really hard for some reason?"

"…please, don't." I cleared my throat even as a shiver of fear crawled down my spine. Dangerous territory, that was. Mocking a pettanko generally resulted in comedic violence. However, this was Orario. Comedic violence was simply violence. Women are scary when they caught you, but a female Adventurer may as well be written down as a probable cause of death. I moved the conversation elsewhere. Thankfully, I had an escape route present. "Lyon, any sign of the Goliath?"

"None. It appears that the rumors are true." Lyon gave a swift, sharp nod. I wondered how the blonde-elf's hood managed to stay so secure despite doing so. While I had to give her points for the leaf motif, the rest of her outfit was still exaggeratedly for the sake of fanservice. The same went for Hiryute, of course. I'm sorry, you two, but it seems as though the outfits Zaimokuza made for you two are entirely for the sake of appealing to young males who can't get girlfriends. One day, I shall avenge you. Maybe, I'll buy you both some pants. Or an entire outfit. That sounds like a good way to get back at the pervert author and pervert audience. Perverts. "The chamber where it typically forms is lacking in luster. I stayed within it for a few moments, simply to check, but nothing formed."

"We kicked the Dungeon's butt so hard that it's still knocked out a week and a half after!" Hiryute gave a small jump and raised her hand. It was a typical, Genki-girl jump. It would've been less terrifying to witness if not for the massive twinblade as heavy as a carriage that she thrust into the air without any sign of effort. I didn't know what I was thinking to even consider annoying my guard. There are easier ways to commit suicide. Better ways. Ways that didn't end with me humiliated by a young woman who just reached my chest. "Go us, Hat-kun! Hooray!"

"Indeed, well done." Lyon chuckled at that declaration. My goodness. Is the world about to end? The blonde elf noticed my look and went scarlet immediately. "Those dead eyes of yours are disturbing, Hikigaya-kun." Embarrassed, already!? After all the work I have to go through to even achieve the slightest amount of results, Hiryute manages to make you flustered in less than five sentences!? Lilies! There were lilies most definitely involved in these shenanigans! "I've done nothing to deserve being watched by them."

"Eh? But Hat-kun's eyes are so fun!" Eh? The smile on Hiryute's face froze me in place. I was a poor animal right before a speeding car. The short-haired Amazon had a sly smirk on her face as she ceased jumping and suddenly leaned against me. As I kept control of myself, showing no sign of a response, she squirmed and gave a low giggle. "Heh! Look at his eyes, they're so wide! Everything else about him doesn't move when I do this, but his eyes are always fun to watch!"

What are you saying!? I'm in perfect, complete control over my body. There's no way in hell that my eyes would be surprised so easily! I'm the stoic, calm Sensei, dammit! You, Tiona Hiryute, are most certainly lying-.

"Ah, yes, indeed. That indeed is very entertaining to watch." Lyon gave a slow, sagely nod. I barely managed to suppress the building panic in my system. No. Please. Don't say it's true. "Given his mask, his eyes are the best method to know if he is truly embarrassed."

…I wished I was in a coma again.

…

"I'm sorry." Those particular words felt strange as they came from me. I didn't know if it was because I could count the number of times I've apologized with one hand, meaning I wasn't well-practiced in the habit, or because I really just couldn't stomach admitting I was in the wrong. I hoped it was the former, because I don't think I can live with the latter. I, at the very least, should be able to understand when I'd made mistakes. "I shouldn't have left you all behind."

Arde, Erisuis, Nelly, and Laulos were in better shape than when I last saw them. There were no signs of wounds on their bodies and their equipment was all new. They must have visited Crozzo the last time they left Rivira. I'm sure that if anyone walked into the inn and saw us all gathered around a table, they'd be wondering if there was something strange going on. Five individuals, all clad in similar clothing, wasn't normal outside of the Guild in Orario.

"…Sensei, you know when you apologize, you also promise that you'll never do it again." Arde, as expected of my first student, spoke first. My Pallum student had her arms crossed and sat directly opposite of me. Everyone else present at the table gave nods of affirmation. I knew that she had claimed seniority, but I hadn't expected everyone else to actually deferr to her. I suppose that I'd been out of touch with my students for quite a while. "Can you really say that you won't do anything like that again, Sensei?"

"…" I was about to say yes, but I caught myself before I did. I couldn't help but give a slight chuckle. Looks like my students knew me better than I expected. They knew that I couldn't make that promise. I shook my head. I was sincerely at a loss at what to say. No. I just didn't want to say what I had to. Like a coward, I was hesitating to tell them the truth. They deserved better than a lie. "No. I can't."

"For someone who's so ruthless, Sensei sure is too kind for his own good." Erisuis sighed. My Chienthrope student's arm had been reattached. The silver limb seemed faintly burnt. I guessed that given how expensive it was, she was still glad to have received it, despite the fact it was next to useless in a fight. "You know, Sensei, you should really trust in us more. We might not have as much as you, or be able to heal ourselves as well as you can, but you taught us."

"Yeah! We're not weak!" Nelly spoke up, giving a quick nod. My most energetic student didn't seem at all perturbed. If anything, she was on the edge of her seat. There were things going unsaid on her end, since she had been in good enough condition to follow me at the end, but she wasn't the sort to dwell on small matters. Perhaps it was because she was in such a large Familia, but she often looked towards the larger picture than the small. "We know what we're doing, and even if it was dangerous, we could've still worked together to do it better!"

"Indeed, they're correct, and you know it Sensei." Arde spoke again. There was some hesitation in her voice. My Pallum student was expectant. I knew what was coming and she did as well. While Erisuis and Nelly had spoken up… "You need to stop coddling us, Sensei. You've taught us well. We would've risked our lives to rescue Cranel."

It was compromise. One that didn't make anyone happy, but one that everyone could live with. No. This wasn't a mutual decision. Not all of my students worked together to come to this conclusion.

So, as I expected, Laulos spoke up.

"That's it? That's what the three of you are going to say?" I took Laulos in not because she wanted to or needed to become stronger, but because of her personality. Driven, single-minded, and never willing to back down. All the personality archetypes to be expected of a protagonist. I had offered to train my red-haired, human student for that sole reason. I knew that she'd never stand for such a compromise. She stood up and glared at each of her fellow students in turn. Her eyes narrowed as they latched onto mine. "You knocked me out! You forced everyone to take care of me instead of helping you! Everyone here might feel sorry for you because you lost your arm and-."

"Laulos!" Arde rose to her feet. My Pallum student's voice was undoubtedly angry. "Do you have any clue what you're saying!?"

"Do any of you!?" Laulos shot back, turning her attention to Arde. "You just want to fight at his side!? We're doing that already! If we're in danger, you all know that he'll just keep being an idiot!" Arde, despite acting calm and collected, wasn't someone capable of confronting other people. I wasn't surprised at the silence that came forth as Arde instinctively stepped back. Of course, Laulos took that as her victory. "We all know that a day will come when one of us is in danger, when everyone else is injured and tired, and he'll just do it again! This time he lost an arm and a week of his life, what'll happen the next time!?"

Arde, Erisuis, and Nelly all had no answer to that.

So, Laulos turned to me, she removed her mask and placed her hat on the table.

"Sensei, I respect you, but we both know you don't take people at your side into consideration." Laulos held my gaze without an ounce of hesitation. "No. What you always consider the most is your opponents. You always know how to defeat them the best, most efficient way possible. So that's what I'm going to do." Indomitably, she stood before me. "My Familia is your enemy right now. You came here to get us to help you aid Cranel. You need us."

I already knew what Laulos was going to say, but I couldn't find the words to dissuade her from her choice. Indeed, I'm sure that amongst my students, Laulos took my lessons closer to heart than even Arde.

"So, until you swear that you'll stop trying to get yourself killed, I'll be your enemy." Laulos finished. Her steps echoed against the newly-constructed building as she made her way out. But, before she left it fully, she stopped. "Isn't it easier this way, Hikigaya? Just say the word and I'll fight at your side."

Though Laulos waited for a small eternity… I said nothing.