Suzuki Satoru: “Everyone…. Yggdrasil is shutting down in a few days…”

  Yuuji’s eyes widehe moment he saw the message Satoru had sent in the group chat.

  The shutting down of Yggrasil was not shog o anyone, not even those in Satoru’s world. The annou for its shut down had been made and known for long before, and rumors of it, even longer.

  To most, the shutdown of a long-since-dying game which its main pyer base had left it for a long time was not special in any way. Many would simply brush it off or perhaps reminisce about the game they’ve pyed years ago for a few moments, before simply accepting it as regur information.

  But to Satoru, it was a massive aating news.

  Yggdrasil was not simply a game to him. It was… his escape. A world much better than his own with reality much more preferable to him than his real world. A world where his life was filled with excitement, wonder, friendship, and a sense of belonging. A world he escape to when his work and the dreary toxic world had bee too much for him to handle for the day.

  The escape he had been ging onto for dear life for the st few decades, trying his best to keep it from disappearing even if his friends had long since aba, was now disappearing in a few days.

  Although he was not pletely alone now, the disappearance of something that had been a massive part of his life must’ve still beeating to him.

  Even through text, Yuuji could feel the sadness and loneliness he must be feeling right now…

  Yuuji began typing on his phone and respoo him.

  Tsubakihara Yuuji: “Satoru-san… Are you okay?”

  Suzuki Satoru: “I’m… fine. I’ve been trying my best to cope with it for a while now, so… I’m doier.”

  Kiryuu Aika: “<3 <3 <3!!! Sending you lot’s of love, Satoru-san!!!”

  Lelouch Lamperouge: “We are here for you. Please tell us if you need anything.”

  One by ohe members of the group began sending him encing and f messages.

  Suzuki Satoru: “Thank you very much, everyone. I truly appreciate your feelings m(_ _)m. It is only thanks to everyohat I’ve not been moping around in Nazarick lifelessly.”

  Suzuki Satoru: “I am actually here to get your advi what I should do before the “transfer”. I’ve been doing a few things, but… I want to know what I should be doing more to prepare.”

  Tsubakihara Yuuji: “I see… What have you been doing, Satoru-san?”

  Suzuki Satoru: “I’ve been raiding some dungeons ay bases to gather as many resources as I .”

  Suzuki Satoru: “I’ve also been cheg Nazarick’s treasury to see what we have and what we’d need, and buying a ton of useful and powerful cash items.”

  Shiba Tatsuya: “How about increasing the levels of the NPCs?”

  Suzuki Satoru: “Ah yes! I’ve also been increasing the levels of the Pleiades and the area guardians. I’ve also been s out their ons and iory to give them an upgrade.”

  Chiba Erika: “Hm, I think you’ve prepared well enough. I ’t think of anything to add…”

  C.C: “ I am still a bit unfamiliar with the world you will be transferring to, so I won’t be able to offer any good advice.”

  Lelouch Lamperouge: “I would reend you stock up on information gathering items to bolster your intelligeheriwork.”

  Tsubakihara Yuuji: “I agree with Lelouch. And… well perhaps this is not something to do in Yggdrasil, but perhaps you buy a profi ma or leadership to help you? Perhaps busioo.”

  Suzuki Satoru: “Yes! I was just thinking of doing it! Thank you, Lelouch-kun, Yuuji-kun! I’ll take your advice!”

  Satoru currently has the Etiquette and Insight profi addition to the Charisma passive skill he had just received from the mission to Lelouch’s world. And although they would help him in his ag, it’d be better if Satoru could truly act as a leader and perhaps not be absolutely clueless on ma and business.

  Kiryuu Aika: “Don’t fet to ge Albedo’s settings too!!!”

  Suzuki Satoru: “A-Ah… That’s right. I’ve… actually been thinking about it, but I don’t have any good idea yet…”

  Satoru wao erase the setting of being a “slut” Albedo had that would bee a reality upon his transfer. After all, even though it was his good friend Tabu himself that gave that setting, he didn’t want Albedo, who he saw as his own daughter, to follow that setting.

  That said, he didn’t know what he should ge it to. Repg it with “Loves Momonga” was denied immediately by him and everyone in the chat group. Satoru himself didn’t want to pce such feelings upon his own daughter forcefully, and he wouldn’t have in the anime if he k would bee a reality.

  That said, he also didn’t know what he could repce it with that would not go against her own nature and Tabu Smaragdina’s “gap moe” setting on her.

  Kiryuu Aika: “Hehe~ Don’t worry! I’ve actually prepared it!!!”

  Suzuki Satoru: “Oh? Then by all means, please tell me, Aika-san.”

  Yuuji waited in bated anticipation along Satoru and the others, as Aika typed her response.

  Kiryuu Aika: “Fufu~ You make her a “Goudere” who will only love her destined one~!!!”

  Suzuki Satoru: “Gou… dere?”

  Yuuji also tilted his head slightly. He had never heard of the tem “Goudere” before… Was it simir to Tsundere or Yandere…?

  Chiba Erika: “Aika, what’s a goudere?”

  Kiryuu Aika: “Let me expin!!! Goudere is the best dere there is!!! “Gou” means overwhelming, and dere means love. So a Goudere is someone whose love and passion for their beloved is overwhelming!!!”

  Kiryuu Aika: “She’s the kind of girl who would put their beloved above everything else and wants to help their beloved achieve anything they wish! And she’ll let nothing stop her from realizing her beloved’s wishes!!!”

  Suzuki Satoru: “I see. That… does sound like the Albedo in the anime…”

  Kiryuu Aika: “That’s right! Albedo in the anime is a Goudere! So, iy, we won’t be ging much of her settings. Just that she’ll be free to choose whoever her beloved would be!”

  Suzuki Satoru: “I see…! That is a great idea, Aika-san. I would also like for her to find someone she truly loves and be as devoted as she was in the ao them…”

  Towards Albedo, who he saw as his own daughter, Satoru’s wish was to see her be happy and safe, and find someone she could truly be in love with and spend a life of happiness with that person.

  Well, he won’t accept just ao be his beloved daughter’s partner… And he also won’t let it be ahat might cause a disruption within his family.

  But, this was still a good idea.

  Suzuki Satoru: “Thank you very much, Aika-san. I’ll be taking your advid modify her settings now!”

  Kiryuu Aika: “Uhn~ You’re wele~”

  Suzuki Satoru: “Then, I’ll be returning to Yggdrasil for now and tihe preparation!!! See you guys soon!”

  Tsubakihara Yuuji: “Good luck, Satoru-san.”

  Lelouch Lamperouge: “+1”

  Shiba Tatsuya: “+1”

  Chiba Erika: “+1”

  C.C: “+1”

  Kiryuu Aika: “+1”

  With the group disbaemporarily as everyouro their activities, Yuuji put his phone ba his pocket, and tio apany the girls in their exploration.

  And soon, they quickly made their way back to the mansion, picked up by Stel, so they could arrive before diime.

  --------------------------------X--------------------------------

  The cold night wind blew gently as Yuuji, uurbed in the slightest by such small breeze, sat silently on a chair in one of the balies on the sed floor.

  A wine cup filled with water, because there wasn’t any other type of cup in the household aside from cups normally used for fancy alcohol, rested on the marble table before him.

  After finishing dinner and taking a bath, Yuna, Nina, and Sena decided to have a girls’ night to catch up and tell stories from the time they were separated.

  And given they gather in Sena’s bedroom, Yuuji decided to remove himself from the gathering, to Yuna and Nina’s disappoi, and spend some time uhe night sky.

  He chatted with Aika, Erika, C.d Mayumi on his phone. And while waiting for them to reply, he went through his iory and explored the shop for a bit to see if there’s something that could help them with the mission in Satoru’s world.

  He didn’t know if he would join… But Aika would most definitely ask Satoru if she could join so could gain a power that would allow her to protect herself better in her world.

  With the matters about the Fallen Angel and the ining flict between Rias’s peerage and the Phenex, she wahe power that would allow her to, at the very least, keep herself safe from those flicts.

  And Yuuji also wished the same for her.

  But, the world of Overlord was dangerous. Although she’d be surrounded by powerful beings and she would also gain a powerful ability from the “suppiven by the group chat, there was still the existence of “World Items”.

  In the Overlord World, World Items are extremely powerful and are capable of affeg even max level pyers and NPCs, such as Satoru and the other members of Nazaribsp;

  Even Aika might not be safe from such items…

  Although she has an SSR, Aika’s Full-Body Potential Unlock didn’t give her any prote against magical effects. She might be able to resist the effects ur magic items and magical effects. But Yuuji doubted she’d be protected from a magical effect from a World Item, such as the brainwashing effect of the “Downfall of Castle and try” which was owned and used by the Theocra the Overlord anime

  But, there was a way to resist the effect of a World Item. That is, to have another world item themselves.

  Someoh a world item would not be affected by the effects of another world item.

  Thus, if Aika were to borrow one of the World Items that beloo Ainz Ooal Gown, she’d be able to resist other world items.

  This fact gave Yuuji a bit of peace… But Aika still o get stronger.

  After all, they won’t be able to rely on World Items all the time… As powerful as they were, each World Item still has a dowhat would make them “bao exist in the game.

  For instahe “Downfall of Castle and try”, which could affect even a level 100 NPC Character, could only be used to charm 1 target at a time and could not affect the Ptinum Dragon Lord, Tsaindorcus Vaision.

  If she were to somehow enter the dragon lord that gave even Satoru and Albedo a tough fight… Yuuji didn’t even want to imagine what would happen to her.

  So, he would o find something that could help protect her if he couldn’t be there to do it before she gets stronger…

  “Ah… So you’re here.”

  Yuuji snapped out of his daze and turowards the entrance of the baly to see Sena’s father, Tenma, standing there.

  He was dressed in a gray yukata with his hands slipped in his long loose sleeves, with a small smile on his face as he looked at Yuuji.

  “Kashiwazaki-san.”

  Just as Yuuji was about to stand up and greet him, Tenma waved his hand and approached him, taking the seat beside him.

  He leaned ba his chair and looked up to the night sky, the moon shining brightly in the midst of the starry darkhat enpassed everything.

  “Hah… Let me rex here for a little bit. I just mao escape from those two, and I need a pce to hide for a while.”

  “Aah… Escape…?”

  Tenma let out a deep sigh and shook his head as he pihe bridge of his nose.

  “Those two… They’ve been talking non-stop since dinner… And Stelle has been revealing every single embarrassing and dark memory I’ve been trying my best to suppress to Mira…! It’s like highschool all ain…!”

  “A-Ahh… I see…”

  From his words alone, and the trembling of his hands, Yuuji could feel the embarrassment and pain he’s suffering…

  But… All he could do was give him an apologetic look and his pity. For he has no power to do anything about it. No man in the world does… Not when it es to their wife/beloved.

  “Hah… Well, fet about that. How have you been, Yuuji-kun? The st time I saw you, you were just this little thing. But now, you’ve grown so much… I couldn’t help but wonder how you’ve been all this year.”

  Yuuji smiled softly and responded.

  “Thanks to the loving family I’ve been blessed with, I have been living well. And I’m n my best to be able to repay them for the love and care they’ve given me…”

  “Good man. Oh, and I’ve also heard from Mira that you’ve been dipping your toes into iment. She bragged about how talented you are.”

  “I’m still just an amateur pared to my mother, but I am learning as much as I so I may one day support them on my own, ahem live a life without the o worry about money.”

  A look of surprise fshed across Tenma’s face. This… wasn’t the sort of response he’d expect from a child his daughter’s age.

  His eyes fshed with intrigue and admiration as he observed Yuuji more closely now more than ever. His impression of Yuuji had raised several levels now in his mind.

  “I see. I wish you good lu your endeavor. And if I may give you one piece of advice from someone who had dove into that world a bit earlier… Don’t bite more than you chew.”

  The words of advice from a man who had reached the heights few could attain reverberated deeply. Although he was now far beyond Tenma in terms of assets thanks to the group chat, Yuuji took his advice seriously as one from someone who attained such heights with his own ability.

  “Thank you very much for your advice. I have taken it to heart.”

  Tenma nodded, his lips curled into a gentle smile, as Yuuji bowed his head in gratitude.

  “Well then. I’ve e not only to escape the dies. I came to find you to ask you something.”

  “What would that be?”

  Tenma shifted his gaze towards Yuuji. His eyes looked straight into his.

  “Your trip this afternoon. How did it go?”

  A look of surprise fshed across his faot expeg a rather normal and mundane question to e from him when he looked so serious.

  But, Yuuji answered as seriously as he could.

  “It went very well. We had a lot of fun, and I believe the girls have reestablished their friendship quite well. They’ve been full of smiles all day long.”

  Tenma’s lips curled into a small smile. His eyes softened as he seemingly imagined his daughter ughing and having fun with friends she never had since her childhood.

  The elegant, posed figure of the established man of nobility and position simply melted away, leaving behind the loving figure of a father who cared for his daughter dearly.

  “I see… I’m gd.”

  He leaned back to his chair as a moment of silence fell betweewo.

  The gentle night breeze blew past them as the rustling of leaves and faint cttering of branches from the forests all around them resounded in the background.

  “How about you? What do you think of Sena?”

  Yuuji’s eyes widened in surprise once more, not expeg such a straightforward question to suddenly be asked…

  He turo Tenma, and saw him gng at him rexedly with a small smile on his lips.

  He asked the question casually, as if asking him for the weather. But from his eyes, Yuuji could tell how serious he was with this question.

  He was him closely. His eyes and ears carefully dised the few words he was going to say for lies and untruths.

  It would’ve been nerve wrag to be observed so closely one noticed his true iion behind his rexed demeanor. But Yuuji kept his calm, for he had nothing to hide.

  “Sena… The words she says could be very sharp and rude, and she could also be brash at times. But… I do now that those tough and spiky exterior were meant to protect her true nature, which is kind, shy, and well meaning.”

  Yuuji leaned back to his chair and shifted his gaze up to the night sky. The stars twinkled ever so faintly as the moon shis light brightly.

  “I had quite a bit of fun teasing and pokiough exterior so I could enjoy her cute reas. But all in all… I feel very fortable when I’m with her and I’m gd we could be friends again.”

  Silence fell once more betweewo. Before a loud, r ughter erupted from Tenma, causing Yuuji to turn to him in surprise.

  “I see I see! Hahahaha! I’m gd you think of her that way!”

  Tenma stood up, stretched his arms and body, and turowards Yuuji once more.

  “You’ve put me in a good mood. So I’ll have you apany me for a drink to relish in this mood!”

  A look of surprise fshed across his eyes. But seeing as Tenma wouldn’t back down from his demand, Yuuji let out a sigh and smiled helplessly.

  “I’m still a minor, Kashiwazaki-san… So I’ll just have water.”

  “Good man! Hahahaha! Let’s go!”

  Tenma walked briskly bato the manor, his wooden sandals g away, and Yuuji quickly followed after.

  They reached Tenma’s room, and he brought out a bottle of wine from his special stash in his room, a ahead with his drio the night while Yuuji apahe man with all his shenanigans that began happening more and more as more wiered his system.

  By the end of it, Tenma passed out oable, f Yuuji to pick him up and put him in his bed, before leaving the room aurning to his.

  VergsX