Chapter 30: The Worst First Impression

“What’s with that person? He’s absolutely oozing malevolence.”

“Is it really that bad?”

Lilina, walking beside me, stuck out her tongue and nodded vigorously while looking up at me.

“It’s not just bad; I wouldn’t even want to get close to him.”

With that, Lilina squinted her eyes and glared at Kane.

…Despite being so clingy to Kane in the anime, Lilina now seemed to utterly despise him.

“He’s completely different from you, Lloyd-sama. Completely.”

“Maybe so. But, I wonder…”

I struggled to respond to Lilina’s comment, who was sighing heavily beside me. The first impression she had of Kane was clearly terrible.

I had brought Lilina to the Adventurers’ Guild with the hope of introducing her to Kane, but it seemed her first impression of him was far from positive.

I intended this for Lilina’s happy future, but… what should I do now?

“Lloyd-sama?”

“Wait a moment. I need to think.”

While I looked at Lilina, who tilted her head cutely, I groaned in frustration.

The situation was so unexpected that I was at a loss for what to do.

“Hm? Oh! Isn’t that the poorly dressed blonde Lloyd!”

As I was wracking my brain, a loud voice suddenly called my name.

That voice was the same one that had been shouting at the tavern staff earlier.

So, that means…

When I cautiously looked up, I saw Kane, tipping back a glass of alcohol.

Despite having been bullied by Lloyd and seeming timid whenever he mentioned Lloyd’s name, Kane was now arrogantly calling out to me.

Also, didn’t he just say something about Lloyd’s hair being poorly dressed?

“What’s with that person? I can’t tolerate someone insulting Lloyd-sama!”

Lilina said, drawing her dagger while still glaring at Kane.

I was shocked by Lilina’s reaction and hurriedly grabbed her hand to stop her from drawing the dagger.

“Wait, wait, Lilina! It’s okay. I’ve done enough to warrant that. Both to him and to the other adventurers and the people in town.”

Now that I thought about it, Lilina had reacted similarly when Kane belittled the protagonist.

But, I was the villain, disliked by everyone.

I never expected Lilina would get so angry just because someone said something about Lloyd.

Who would have thought the heroine would confront the protagonist like this?

“But that person spoke ill of you, Lloyd-sama.”

Lilina said, puffing out one cheek in a pout.

Seeing her cute expression, I couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

“Thank you. Just knowing that you feel that way makes me happy.”

As I said this and patted Lilina’s head, she puffed up her cheeks but wagged her silver ears with a little twitch.

Yeah. It seems like she’s calmed down a bit.

“Hey, Lloyd! Aren’t you going to greet Kane?”

This time, it was Zard who loudly called out my name.

Where did the Zard who used to flatter Lloyd while mocking Kane go?

It seemed he had firmly established himself as one of Kane’s entourage.

I gently patted Lilina’s head, who was glaring at Zard, and then looked at Kane’s table.

“Well, shall we go? For the greeting and introductions.”

“Introductions? Who are you going to introduce?”

“I told you, there’s someone I want you to meet, Lilina.”

“Someone you want to introduce… Wait, Lloyd-sama, are you serious?”

Leaving the surprised Lilina beside me, I headed towards Kane’s table.

“Long time no see, Kane.”

“Oh, it’s been a while, Lloyd.”

Kane, with Rena and Emi clinging to his arms, looked up at me with a smirk.

That face seemed to look down on me, carrying an air of triumph.

In that moment, he resembled the Lloyd from the anime.

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