The sudden rush of cool night air, the flickering firelight, and the furious glare of Ichinose combined to paint a tableau of dramatic confrontation. All eyes, sharp with suspicion and burning jealousy, were fixed on Riku and Erina, still locked in their intimate pose. The very air in the small tent crackled with tension, thick enough to cut with a knife.
Erina, however, was in her element. Her mischievous grin remained, broadening slightly as she met the collective gaze of the angry women. She didn't move, didn't flinch, maintaining her position pressed against Riku, her hand still clasped in his. She even leaned into him a fraction more, as if to emphasize their closeness.
Riku, on the other hand, felt a cold sweat prickle his skin. This was exactly the kind of direct confrontation he usually handled with blunt force or strategic withdrawal, not… this. He could feel the furious energy emanating from the women, a palpable wave of possessive anger directed squarely at Erina. His own 'handsome' aura seemed to amplify the jealousy, making the situation even more volatile.
Ichinose was the first to speak, her voice trembling with barely suppressed fury. "Erina! What do you think you're doing?!" Her eyes, usually calm and analytical, were blazing. She looked from Erina's smug face to Riku's bewildered one, then back to Erina, as if trying to decipher a complex, infuriating riddle.
Erina finally broke her intimate pose, stepping back from Riku, but still keeping his hand firmly in hers. She faced Ichinose and the angry mob, her expression a picture of innocent surprise mixed with subtle defiance. "Doing?" she asked sweetly, her voice dripping with mock confusion. "Why, Ichinose, I'm simply... spending time with my Riku. As he requested." She squeezed Riku's hand, a clear signal.
Riku flinched, almost pulling his hand away, but Erina's grip was surprisingly strong. He forced himself to maintain a serene, almost detached expression, trying to look like a man perfectly comfortable with his 'lover' defending him.
"His request?" Ichinose scoffed, taking a step forward. "He just shouted 'Enough!' at everyone barely a minute ago! And he clearly looks... uncomfortable!" She pointed an accusatory finger at Riku, who immediately tried to adopt a more 'comfortable' expression, which probably just made him look constipated.
Erina chuckled, a soft, alluring sound. "Oh, Ichinose, darling, you simply don't understand the complexities of a man like Riku. He's... deeply private. He expresses his affections in his own unique ways. Sometimes, his 'enough' means 'I can't stand to be away from you any longer!'" She batted her eyelashes innocently, then turned a melting gaze on Riku. "Isn't that right, my love?"
Riku felt a shudder run through him. "Indeed," he managed, his voice sounding oddly strained even to his own ears. He tried to project an image of a man utterly smitten, but the effort was immense.
Anya, the married woman from earlier, pushed her way to the front of the group, her face contorted with anger. "Don't you dare lie to us, Erina! He's our leader! He gives us strength! You can't just claim him like that!" Her eyes were burning with a desperate, furious longing directed at Riku.
Elara, the scout, stepped up beside Anya, her voice sharp. "What did you do to him, Erina? Did you trick him? He looked so lost just minutes ago!"
Erina's composure didn't waver. She raised her free hand, pressing it gently to Riku's chest, right over his heart. Her eyes met his, a silent challenge passing between them, daring him to break character. "Tricked him?" she scoffed, a genuine laugh bubbling up. "My dear, the only trick here is how long it took him to finally admit his true feelings for me. Riku and I... we've had a special connection for a long time, haven't we, Riku?" She turned to him, her eyes wide, expectant, daring him to lie.
Riku felt trapped. The combined glare of the angry women, the pressure from Erina, and the chilling thought of the System's eye on him. "Yes," he forced out, the single word feeling like a betrayal of every principle he held dear. "A very... special connection." He even managed a weak, awkward smile, which probably looked more like a grimace.
The words, however, were enough. A collective wail of outrage erupted from the women. Lena, the shy teenager, burst into tears and ran off. Mrs. Clara wrung her hands, looking utterly distraught. Anya and Elara looked ready to physically assault Erina.
Ichinose, however, remained rooted to the spot, her face a thundercloud. Her initial shock had faded, replaced by a cold, furious calculation. "A 'special connection'?" she repeated, her voice low and dangerous. "For a 'long time'? Is that why you were so desperate for him to 'trust' you with 'strategic insights,' Erina? Was this your 'strategy' all along?" Her gaze flickered to Riku, a silent accusation in her eyes, betraying a sense of betrayal that cut deeper than any casual flirtation.
Erina's smile tightened just a fraction. "Ichinose, don't be ridiculous. This has nothing to do with strategy. This is... love." She leaned her head dramatically on Riku's shoulder, batting her eyes at the furious crowd. "Pure, unadulterated affection."
Riku wanted the ground to swallow him whole. He could feel the tension radiating off Ichinose, a barely contained fury that promised consequences. This 'strategic alliance' was going to cost him dearly, not just in tea leaves and favors, but in the fragile trust of his most vital comrades.
"Love?!" Ichinose exploded, her voice echoing in the confined space. "You two? I don't believe it! Riku has too much sense! He's too great for... for this!" She gestured wildly at their posed intimacy.
Erina simply raised an eyebrow, a triumphant glint in her eyes. "Well, perhaps Riku is more human than you gave him credit for, Ichinose. Even a strategist can fall in love, especially with someone who truly sees him." She tightened her grip on Riku's hand, making him wince internally. "Now, if you'll excuse us, Riku and I have... important things to discuss. Very private things. Don't we, my darling?"
Riku merely offered another strained, forced smile, his mind already calculating the immense damage control he'd have to perform after this display. He had successfully, disastrously, fended off the masses. But at what cost? The real battle for his sanity, and his leadership, had just begun.