"I'M SAYING I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU, YOU DUMBASS!"

"..."

"..."

"...C-Come again?"

"Y-You're really going to make me say it again?!" Buku whined in a mixture of embarrassment and rage.

"Uh…no? You don't have to, I guess." I shrugged nervously, sounding completely unsure of myself. "I heard what you said."

"And…?" She asked, much quieter this time.

What the fuck do I say?!

"Buku, I have a girlfriend," I explained slowly, trying to understand this whole situation. "A girlfriend who happens to be your best friend!"

"I know that!" Buku shouted; I could hear the anger and sadness in her voice, but there was something more there. She sounded… desperate. "I know you're with Momonga; I've known that since the moment you two got together!"

"Then-"

"Because I can't keep standing on the sidelines!" She declared, cutting me off.

"Buku…"

She remained quiet, her slime form looking at me, waiting—begging for an answer.

"Buku, I care about you, and of all the people in the guild, there are few I can say I value more than you…"

"...But I'm not e-enough." She finished, her voice cracking in despair.

"It's not that!" I shook my head quickly. "Buku, you're an amazing woman, and any man would be incredibly lucky to have you!"

"But not you?"

"..."

"I'm with Momonga, Buku…"

"So that's how it is." She choked out. "I… was just too late."

I stared at her silently, not knowing what I could say to make her feel better. I could go on and on about how much she meant to me, but it wouldn't change the fact that I had committed to Momonga. To stay together, love each other, and, most of all, not betray one another.

My hands were tied.

She said nothing else. Instead, her avatar was enveloped in light, and she disappeared, logging off of the game.

God, I know I did nothing wrong, but I felt like such a massive piece of shit.

This wasn't how I wanted to end my night.

— Later —

"Kakuei, what do you want for dinner?" Megumi asked, her back facing me as she began putting on her apron.

I honestly didn't even feel like eating. I felt empty, yet I had no room in my body for food.

However, I was cheered up by the sight of Megumi's hips swaying as she pulled different processed foods out from the cabinet.

"I'll eat anything you cook."

She paused momentarily and turned toward me to give a heartwarming smile before continuing with an extra pep in her step.

Seeing how happy she was… it brought me joy.

I couldn't possibly tell her about what happened before I logged off. I didn't necessarily know how she'd react, but I knew for a fact that it couldn't be in a positive way.

Her best friend had gone behind her back and asked me out.

Hell, under normal circumstances, they may never be friends again if I were to tell her.

And I didn't want that.

I meant what I said. I cared for Buku. I wouldn't say I'm in love with her or anything, but she means a lot to me. Honestly, had Buku told me how she felt before Momonga confessed, then I likely would have been watching Buku cook for me right now.

It's such a shitty situation, and I can already tell that no matter what happens, this won't end happily.

— Ulbert (The Next Day) —

Ulbert Alain Odle logged into Yggdrasil with an internal smile.

He had gotten out of his hellish workplace an hour early!

That never happens!

Things were looking up, and what better way to spend this extra time than playing with his friends!

Considering how early he'd gotten out, most of the guild likely wasn't on, but there would definitely be a few exceptions.

As Ulbert entered the Sixth Floor of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, he watched Kakuei and Touch Me clash blades within the massive arena.

"Having fun without me?" Ulbert asked, immediately earning both players' attention.

"Ulbert!" Touch Me shouted in surprise. "You're on early! Did you get fired…?"

"No, I just got off early!" Ulbert cheered. Truly, he was on top of the world, and nothing could get him down right now.

"Happy to hear that man." Kakuei nodded toward Ulbert, and the goat-headed demon had to ignore how lackluster his leader's words were, as if he was just saying them for the sake of saying them.

"I suppose that spar didn't cheer you up," Touch Me sighed, bringing his hand to stroke his armor-covered chin. "Perhaps we can go into a dungeon?"

"Maybe later, Touch Me." Kakuei shook his head and walked deeper into the arena. Ulbert watched as the strongest warrior, and Yggdrasil stopped before the two-floor guardians of the Sixth Floor, Mare Bello Fiore and Aura Bello Fiore, both creations of BukuBukuChagama. The Spider of Lust just stared at them, and honestly, it was starting to creep Ulbert out.

"...Touch Me."

"Don't worry, Ulbert. If he starts acting up, I'll cuff him," Touch Me assured. "Sure, it will be a shame, but if he wills himself on minors, then he deserves to face righteous justice!"

"Let's hope he keeps his Sin to himself." Ulbert snorted.

— Momonga —

Kakuei had been…weird all day.

She didn't know how to describe it, but he was much less talkative than he normally was. Whenever anyone talked to him, he'd try to end the conversation as soon as possible.

Something was definitely wrong.

She had already tried speaking with him to no avail. He insisted he was fine, saying that he was just in a flunk and it would pass over in time, but she couldn't help but be worried.

Their world was very dangerous, and her mind started to wander to the more morbid possibilities that Kakuei could be acting like this.

Did he accidentally find out something about the megacorps, and is he keeping it on quiet mode to avoid rousing any suspicion?

It was a long shot, but considering the nature of their work, it wouldn't be too surprising.

Building foundations for Megacorp workplaces is a common occurrence for them in their jobs, so who's to say Kakuei didn't head off during work one day and listen into a conversation he shouldn't have?

She hoped she was wrong, though, because if she wasn't, and the megacorps knew Kakuei had dirt on them-

They'd kill him.

And she couldn't keep going if he left her alone behind.

No, she had to get to the bottom of whatever was bothering him!

They were in this together; his life was hers and vice versa.

She let out a sigh, fully processing just how bad things could go if the worst-case scenario were their reality.

God, she wished she had Buku here to talk with her. It was already getting late, and Buku hadn't even logged in once all day.

It was unlike her, and Momonga worried for her as well, but thebut she the thought of losing Kakuei consumed most of her attention.

If Kakuei didn't tell her what was wrong soon, she'd have to take her thoughts to Ulbert. He's the smartest person she knows, and if anyone can figure out the next course of action in any situation, it's Ulbert.

— Peroronchino —

He logged off of Yggdrasil and pulled the dive console off of his face. A tired yawn escaped his lips as he sat up on his bed.

Another good day in a world that wasn't real.

Every time that thought crossed his mind, he was pulled back into the hell they called day-to-day life.

He wished he could stay in Yggdrasil…forever. In fact, most people likely shared his wish.

But it was just that… a wish.

The reality was different. It was nasty. Reality is a cruel truth, one they had to tolerate day by day until their bodies gave out and they keeled over, never to get up again.

That was the fate that awaited them, and the only thing that kept him going every day was the fact that he had it better than most people in the world, and he had his sister.

Who was he to give up when others in positions worse than him wouldn't? And more than that, giving up was never an option when he had his sister taking care of him.

They may argue and fight a lot, but there is nothing Pero wouldn't do for his sister. He'd sooner take the hardest job this world had to offer and quit Yggdrasil forever than leave her to face the world by herself.

And speaking of his sister.

As he stood up, a groan of strain escaped Pero's lips. He was sore all over from work, but it wasn't like he wasn't used to it.

He made his way to his sister's room, wondering why she hadn't gotten on today.

She shouldn't have had to work late. Her hours were much better than his, considering she typically got to choose them, and there wasn't much work involved in saying lines—at least not physically.

Pero knocked on the door to his sister's room and waited. Frowning when he got no response.

*KNOCK*

"Sis, you up?"

*KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK*

"Leave me alone," he heard from inside. Her raspy and dry voice caught him off guard.

"Are you sick, sis?"

"Just go."

"Yeah, nah." He frowned and walked over to the kitchen, where they kept the keys, and grabbed her bedroom key. He made his way back to her room, unlocked the door, and was taken aback when he saw his older sister sitting on the bed, curled up in sheets with dried tears clinging to her face.

"...So, you're gonna tell me what's wrong?"

— Chapter End —

Beta Reader: Basilisk