Chapter 91 - Leader

While Ethan was still deep in thought, Ais replied

"I can go in both..as well. I don't mind which one we go.. if I can hunt monsters.."

Her words brought Tiona to laugh as she replied

"That's so like you, Ais!"

Nodding slowly, the two continued to talk while Lefiya looked at both..

"I t-think it's the same for me too.."

These words, brought Ais, Lefiya and Tiona to look at Ethan as the latter was in his own world.

"Ethan?"

Shaking his arm lightly, Ais was the first to 'bring him back'..

"Sorry. I was actually thinking about which floor to go, but ultimately the decision should be up to the person in charge.."

With an 'ah', Tiona smirked as she replied

"Yes, that person won't be me. Honestly I also know that all I can do is punch, so I'll leave the position for someone who can guide us.."

At these words, Ethan shook his head

"It's not like all you can do is punch. Regarding combat, the thing you practised the most was to throw punches, right? That means you actually never tried anything else. Even if you aren't born with the nature of guiding others or being an intellectual, it doesn't mean that it isn't possible to become good at that too if you want to."

His reply surprised her, mainly because nobody ever tried to correct her, not even the members of her own familia. Grinning with a light blush on her face, she didn't say anything more while he was slightly confused.

'Did I say something I shouldn't have? She seems happy, but maybe I exaggerated again...'

He knew why she would be happy about his words, but he didn't understand the extent of the happiness he brought her.

By slowly raising her hand, Lefiya got the attention of everyone as she weakly added

"I-I'm not suited to be a leader..."

Nodding in understanding, Ethan looked at Ais who, upon being stared at, pointed at herself while tilting her head in confusion. Sighing, he came to understand that, from the group he created, he was the 'only one' that could try to make the party work.

"...Don't blame me if I won't be able to guide you rightfully. I never tried to be the leader"

The grin on Tiona's face became even more evident as she replied

"That's because you actually never tried! All you did was focus yourself on learning magic and fighting in general. If you concentrate enough I'm sure you can do it!"

Hearing his own words ending up against himself brought him to smile while she lowered slightly to be able to look at him from the bottom up as she added

"These words give a certain effect of security, don't they?"

Looking away, he nodded while deciding it was inevitable.

"Right. I will be your leader. I don't know how to do it but I'll be in your care.."

His words brought them to nod as Tiona cut him down.

"There's no need for stuff like that! As party members, we would have to watch each other shoulders even if you weren't the leader, so that's fine!"

Without actually replying to her, their talk was about to end before Ethan remembered he was supposed to choose in which floor they will go.

"I would like to go to the 19th floor, but as I said, it will only bring us more difficulties with the poison contained in the monsters... So, I think it's better to go to the 17th. What do you think about this?"

Immediately identifying himself as the leader, Ethan knew that the only one that will give him a real answer was..

"I think the same... Even though someone like Ais or Tiona would have no problems with poison, my barrier can't protect against poison like Riveria's barrier..."

Looking down while silently thinking about how useless she was in this party of people who were anything but normal, she didn't say anything more while Ethan released a heavy sigh..

'I don't understand why my words can't reach her as I would like...'

Glancing at Ais to make her understand she had to release his hand for a moment, she did so without saying anything while he approached Lefiya.

"How many times I have to tell you the same thing? I invited you in the party because I thought you were useful. You don't really know how obvious what you are thinking about is..."

Placing a hand on her head, she instinctively closed her eyes while he gave her a few pats before releasing her. This action, brought a blush on her face even more evident than usual as she didn't receive his 'affection' for a while.

"Have more confidence in yourself..I don't want to see you like this another time."

Whispering this, she had her mouth open as everything she wanted to say couldn't get past her throat.

After this, Ethan returned to Ais while she stared at him as if she was waiting for something...

'I think...'

Taking her hand in his, she nodded as Tiona looked at Lefiya with a 'knowing' smile. Approaching her while Ais and Ethan were busy talking, she whispered in her ear

"What did he whisper to you..? Your face is all red"

Her words brought her back to life as she looked at her before gulping

"H-He..said nothing!"

'How can one person be so interesting..? I want to find out on my own..'

Remembering the conversation she had with her twin concerning whether she was serious about Ethan or not made her sigh. She isn't a person who normally thinks too much about things, but this point could become really important in the future. She knew he wasn't strong enough to defeat her, but her instincts still skyrocketed in certain situations, as if he were at a level she couldn't even imagine...

Glancing at him, Tiona decided to just live free from these thoughts as she knew that continuing to think about it wouldn't get her anywhere anyway...

While she returned to them, most parties already decided where to go and already formed a strategy to fight based on each others combat capabilities. Seeing this, Finn smiled as he activated his [Command Howl].

"I can see most of you already chose which floor you will go. Move to the right if your party will go to the 17th floor, move to the left if your party will go to the 19th.."

With his instructions clear, the parties split in two as Finn observed how many parties wanted to go in both floors. Seeing the party with Ethan going to the 17th floor disappointed him a little, even though he was the first to know that he was in the familia only from a couple of weeks.

Thinking about this, he brought a hand on his chin while, in no time, everyone had split in two main forces.

Seeing this as well, Finn nodded as he finished his last speech with a declaration.

"While we will be split in two forces, I will be the leader of the force that will enter the 19th floor, while the Captain of the Hephaestus Familia will be the leader of the second force that will enter the 17th floor. Now that everything is ready, I ask for the last confirmation. Are you ready..?"

"I see that you are. Now the time has come for our paths to divide. We will meet here as previously established."

Nodding, the first to reply was, obviously, Tsubaki.

"You heard him, right? let's show these monsters what we are capable of!"

Her words resonated with most adventurers who, upon hearing her words, started to cheer out loudly as others quickly followed behind her. While the force lead by Tsubaki was directly heading towards the 17th floor, Finn smiled as he started to walk on his own towards the 19th floor...

---

"Woah, they're really fired up"

Saying this, Ethan could almost sense how much excited the various parties were...

"Yeah, I think this exaggerated reaction is because we had too much time to rest!"

Hearing Tiona's words, he felt confused until she, with a smile, added

"they got used to doing their best from the beginning, to fight for materials and to improve their techniques more and more, now that they have a lot of experience, having an expedition where they do nothing all the time must have made them particularly stressed, and now they are venting that feeling!"

Her words brought his eyes to widen as he didn't think Tiona would come up with such a complicated explanation. But, without minding it, he replied

"I see, so they are basically in abstinence"

Hearing this, Tiona laughed as she nodded her head

"Nobody ever described adventurers like this, you really are special, Ethan!"

Deciding to step in the conversation, Lefiya added

"I don't think the situation is like t-that.."

Approaching her, she saw as her blush was still showed on her face.

"How can you stay in this state for so long?"

Confused, Lefiya and Ethan brought their attention to her while she added

"Look at her, her face is still red from before"

Turning to look at Lefiya, she replied with a 'what..' before understanding what Tiona said. Placing her hands to cover her face, she replied nervously

"I don't k-know.."

Seeing how much she was struggling to reply, Ethan glared at Tiona as he shook his head

"Stop teasing her, Tiona."

Sighing, she wanted to add something more but, she found herself unable to because Tsubaki said

"By the way, I don't plan on fighting with all the parties in one place. it is more efficient to divide us into groups of 3 parties. Before we arrive I want you to be already split in 5 groups, okay?"

Ethan knew Tsubaki was a great leader, but he was still surprised by how much easy it was for her, and Finn, to give commands to a whole group of adventurers...

'I have to be a good leader as well. Even though I don't plan on being in this position for much time, it's still my duty..'

Finding this determination, he held Ais' hand more tightly as she 'smiled'

"I guess I have to find some party who wants us in their group.."

Looking around, he wasn't really searching for someone he knew, but..

'Right! I completely forgot about Ryuu!'

Seeing her talking with a woman, Ethan brought Ais with him as the two quickly approached her.

Feeling someone behind her, Ryuu turned around and saw the two.

"Hyogumi-san, Sword Princess...I thought you went to the 19th floor"

Shaking his head, Ethan replied with a smile

"We don't have someone able to defend against poison, so we decided to go in the 17th"

Nodding in understanding, Ryuu was about to say something but, before she could, Ethan added

"Can you introduce me to your party leader? I want to join the group your party will be in."

His words made her point her finger towards a person with short, spiky black hair and brown eyes. Remembering well who the person was made Ethan sigh as Ryuu called him.

"Nord-san.."

Hearing Ryuu calling him, Raul turned his head to look at her before he immediately recognised who the person next to her was.

"Ryuu-san..Do you know Ethan?"

Being asked this question, Ryuu nodded without hesitation as she answered his question

"He's.. an acquaintance"

Remembering the 'first encounter' they had brought Ethan to sigh as he nodded

"I came here to ask you if you wanted to be in the same group.."

Hearing this, Raul's eyes widened as he was surprised by his words.

"W-Well, I guess it's fine? I have no particular preferences..."

Nodding, Ethan headed back to bring Lefiya and Tiona next to their group while Raul sighed upon seeing that he was temporarily gone.

---

(I have a discord server. discord.gg/cpVr5X8 If you enter it, you can join the Qienta Familia! play a lot of fun games, but, obviously, that's not all, I post there images regarding things you may see in the story, such as the [Twin's Digimon] and [The Devoted Heart].)

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(Alternate Titles:"Cliff-kun? Yes, sorry", "Lefiya: Tiona! Moo...don't tease me!", "Lefiya's blush is back at full force!!")