Spin-off: Four Demonly Kings; Fairy Godfathers
Part 3 (END) of: Kaguya's Dilemma arc
Kaguya has been found, and the aftermath.
After Momoka, Urato and Inasuke opened the human-sized door to RC ∞ came tense silence, so tense the veins of anyone present could burst at any moment. Fáelán knew not how to react beyond staring back and forth between Kaguya and the other three.
It was a while before Kaguya finally stood up.
The first to approach him was Urato. However, he said nothing. Instead, the first gesture of welcome he had for the teammate he had spent much time and energy looking for was immediately, ruthlessly, slapping him across the face.
The sound echoed through the room, Kaguya and Fáelán both were shocked. The pain pulsed through the former's cheek, but still Urato refused to speak a word. A steely look on his face, he turned and left.
Following up on this warm display of welcome, Inasuke lunged at Kaguya and screamed, "Don't stand there looking all innocent, you filthy garbage human! In fact, I refuse to call you a human; you are a cruel, selfish and all around evil piece of trash wearing a human skin. Have you any idea how much you matter to Shigisawa-sempai? And yet you left her without saying a word, breaking her heart and guilt-tripping us into hunting you down. All this on top of enslaving her and making her attend to you even on missions… I will never forgive you for this, you make sure of that!"
His outburst was cut off by a slap to his face – Momoka's. "Shut up! Shut your venomous mouth right up! Don't you dare say another word, you vile little liar!" she yelled at him. Kaguya remained still as a tree, not making a sound.
Fáelán yet stood to the side, the one most stunned by the entire spectacle.
The entire trek back to RC 381 and RC 🤘 was a journey of silence. Urato had headed home first, so Kaguya, Momoka and Inasuke walked, not speaking, not even looking at one another's face. Momoka was closely behind her master, but wasn't carrying his suitcases – he was wheeling them himself, and didn't seem willing to hand them to her like he normally would.
Once RC 381's screen door slid closed behind the group and Inasuke with his mini disappeared behind a mysterious doorway into RC 🤘, Momoka finally broke the silence. "Kaguya-sama," she said to her master, who still yet had his back turned to her. "What happened? What made you do this?"
But instead of a reply, Kaguya whirled around and, with as much strength he dared muster, slapped her. The blow did not make her stumble or fall backwards, but was enough to hurt.
Momoka's eyes went wide. It was as unexpected from her sweet, pleasant master as it could be, both the slap and the harshness he spoke to her in afterwards, "If I stay, I'm useless dead weight who can't be worked with. If I leave, I'm a cruel jerk who breaks your heart. If I didn't tell anyone I was leaving, I'd make my coworkers worry for and look for me. If I did, I'd be guilt-tripping you into begging me to stay. What on earth do you expect me to do then?"
Momoka still stared at him blankly as though having died on the spot. Then, as quickly as he gave in to his outburst, he descended into panicked stammering, both hands cupping her face. "Momo, I'm sorry. Look at me. Are you alright? I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
Momoka said nothing, even when he calmed down somewhat. She only looked at him quietly, her pink eyes gazing at his dark.
Kaguya sighed, then continued, "I strive not to be a master like Oda Nobunaga, killing in cold blood cuckoos that didn't sing for him. Hosokawa Tadaoki, beheading over thirty people because he thought they didn't kowtow to his son enough. Or that ever-blasted Bakara, who did the atrocities she did to Otegine, Tomiyama and Inasuke-kun because they weren't little lapdogs licking the ground she walked on. Heaven creates no man above man, nor man below man; I am your master and you my maid, but in the end you and I are equally human. Your master or not, I have no rights to expect that you put loyalty to me above your life, freedom and happiness.
"I've been putting you through enough trouble by bringing you along on a journey that's only mine to make, what ground do I have to expect you to continue to saddle yourself with my worthless presence? There's no denying that I've become a burden on the people I'm working with – Tomiyama and Inasuke-kun hate me and can't work with me, you always have to assist me rather than focus on the missions or enjoy yourself. I eventually came to the realization that you all are better off without me, and I have no rights to demand that I be accepted regardless. That is why I left without telling any of you; Tomiyama and Inasuke-kun won't miss me, and you can befriend them without having to worry that you have betrayed me."
His hands still yet rested on Momoka's cheeks. She continued to be speechless, but for a different reason; the look in Kaguya's eyes left her feeling quite indescribable.
A second later, she said at last, "What are you saying? You are never a burden, and I'm not saying this out of a sense of obligation. How can I just freely go on with you no longer in my life? Can't I make friends, have fun and be loyal to you? However much assistance you need from me, I don't mind, and not just because I'm your maid. You are very special to me, and my life, my pleasures, the circle of friends I have, none of it would be complete without you. So please…"
"You too are very special to me," Kaguya said, moving his face closer to hers. "That's why I want you to lead the happiest life you can."
"Then please stay, let me be by your side, please always be a part of the circle of friends. Then I'll be happier than you can imagine."
Momoka moved her face even closer; it was inevitable that their lips touched in a kiss tender and warm. The kiss soon ended, but the sweetness lingered, made even lovelier by Momoka's whisper into Kaguya's ear,
"Even though you're not Oda Nobunaga, allow me to be your Mori Ranmaru."
"I furgive ya, I guess," Urato said to a grovelling Kaguya. "C'mon, sit up 'lready. Yer hotter when yer a haughty lil' snob."
Inasuke however gave a different input, "You're still a scum, and nothing will ever convince me otherwise. But it's not the same around here without you, and Shigisawa-sempai doesn't seem able to live without you, so welcome back, and never – I repeat never – run away again."
Kaguya didn't need any other response; he went from grovelling to hugging both Floaters, while Momoka giggled behind him.
