SSS-Rank Extra: I Got a Chaos System-Chapter 18: An Idiot’s Farewell

The inn was warm, the fire crackling merrily in the hearth, and the scent of freshly baked bread filled the air. It should have been a comforting scene.

It should have been.

Kazuki, however, sat slumped at the table, staring down at the pathetic, dried-up leftovers Lillian had unceremoniously dumped in front of him. A piece of bread so hard it could be classified as a blunt weapon. A half-eaten stew that had long since lost its warmth. A slice of cheese that smelled vaguely of regret.

Lillian, sitting across from him, took an elegant bite of steaming-hot, freshly cooked meat. The juices dripped onto her plate. The rich aroma filled the air.

Kazuki's soul left his body.

"You," he said, voice hollow, "are a monster."

Lillian sipped her warm tea, completely unbothered. "Eat your food."

Kazuki poked the stale bread. It did not yield. He tapped it against the edge of the table. It made a sound. A solid one.

He looked up, aghast. "Are you trying to assassinate me?"

Lillian took another bite of her meal.

Kazuki picked up the bread, sighed dramatically, and took a single, painful bite. His jaw creaked. He chewed, suffering. He swallowed, barely.

Then he placed the bread down, folded his hands neatly, and looked Lillian in the eye.

"I forgive the bandits."

Lillian snorted.

Kazuki, with the solemnity of a man at death's door, picked up his spoon and sipped the cold, lifeless stew.

Then he let out the most tragic, pitiful noise a human being had ever made.

Lillian smirked. "Oh no, don't stop on my account. Suffer dramatically."

Kazuki did. With gusto.

The innkeeper passed by, took one look at Kazuki's broken expression, and whispered, "...Do I need to call for help?"

Kazuki nodded solemnly. "I fear it is too late for me."

Lillian finally, grudgingly, slid her extra plate of food toward him. "Fine."

Kazuki immediately perked up. "I take back everything. You are an angel."

Lillian rolled her eyes.

With his suffering momentarily postponed by a good meal, Kazuki leaned back in his chair and exhaled. "Alright. Now that I have been revived, let's talk about what happens next."

Lillian raised an eyebrow. "You mean how you're leaving?"

Her voice was steady—too steady.

Kazuki, sharp as ever when it came to other people's feelings but not his own survival instincts, caught the hesitation beneath her words.

He tilted his head. "You don't sound thrilled about that."

Lillian clicked her tongue and turned her attention back to her plate. "Why would I care? It's your decision."

Kazuki narrowed his eyes. "That wasn't an answer."

She sighed, stabbing a piece of meat with more force than necessary. "It's the obvious choice. The village is safe. The Hydra will keep it that way. You don't belong here, anyway."

Kazuki smirked. "Ouch."

Lillian huffed. "You know what I mean."

He did.

She was right—this village wasn't his place. It never had been.

But the way she wasn't looking at him, the way she seemed just a fraction more tense than usual...

Kazuki rested his chin in his palm, considering. Then, grinning, he leaned forward.

"You could just say you'll miss me."

Lillian immediately scowled. "I could also throw you back into a snowbank."

Kazuki gasped, placing a hand over his heart. "So cold. So cruel."

Lillian rolled her eyes, but the tension in her shoulders didn't ease.

Kazuki sobered slightly. He nudged his plate aside, tapping his fingers against the table. "You're coming with me, right?"

Lillian hesitated.

For just a second.

Then she scoffed, leaning back in her chair. "Obviously. Someone has to keep you from getting kidnapped again."

Kazuki exhaled, relieved. He grinned. "Glad to know my suffering is your main motivation."

Lillian smirked. "It's entertaining."

Kazuki laughed, shaking his head. But there was something lighter in the air now, an unspoken understanding settling between them.

Neither of them really needed to say it.

"The Hydra should remain here," he said, more to himself than anyone else. "It'll keep the village safe, and... well, I don't think I should be traveling with something that could level a city by accident."

Lillian hummed. "So you're finally being reasonable."

"Hey," Kazuki huffed, "I've always been reasonable."

Lillian stared.

Kazuki cleared his throat. "...Anyway." He set his cup down. "The problem is convincing the fanatics."

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And that was the real issue. The villagers worshipped him. They believed he was destined to guide them, to lead them. They wouldn't want him to leave.

Which meant he had to lie through his teeth.

As Kazuki pushed his empty plate away, a satisfied sigh escaped him. "Alright. That was worth the suffering."

Lillian rolled her eyes but didn't argue.

The inn had quieted, most of the patrons having turned in for the night. The fire in the hearth burned low, crackling softly in the silence.

Kazuki stretched his arms over his head, groaning. "Welp. Time to sleep before tomorrow's grand event: lying to an entire village."

Lillian snorted. "You make it sound like a festival."

"For them, it is." Kazuki stood and stretched, his limbs sluggish from exhaustion. He glanced at Lillian, smirking. "You better not steal my blanket again."

She scoffed. "Then don't hog it."

With that, he turned and headed for the stairs, leaving her at the table.

Lillian didn't move immediately.

She tapped her fingers against her cup, gaze drifting toward Kazuki's retreating figure.

Her lips parted slightly—like she wanted to say something.

But she didn't.

Instead, she finished the last of her tea and leaned back in her chair.

The fire flickered, casting shadows along the wooden walls.

Outside, the wind howled.

Tomorrow, Kazuki would face the villagers.

And after that... they'd leave.

Lillian sighed and finally stood, shaking off whatever thoughts lingered in her mind.

"Idiot." She muttered it under her breath, though whether it was meant for him or herself, she wasn't sure.

Then she snuffed out the candle and followed him upstairs.