Chapter 392: The Cost of Making a Point
[…What now?]
Seated in his room, Tsutomu slumped into a chair as he stared down at the strange paper card he had brought back from Amy’s room.
To return to his world, he now needed at least two permissions, and only those who had gotten through the hundredth layer alongside him were even eligible, limiting his choices to Amy, Garm, Daryl, and Amira. Worse still, the card was cursed with a cruel stipulation: each denial would increase the number of required approvals, as if designed by a sadistic behavioral scientist.
He held no resentment toward Amy for unknowingly refusing it the first time. If anything, he suspected that God had handed her the card knowing she would react that way. But with Amy still unwilling to help, he could not afford another rejection. One more denial, and his return home would only become that much more difficult.
That left Garm or Daryl. Both had known him for a long time, but whether that familiarity would make them less or more likely to approve his departure… that was difficult to predict.
[Korinna and Xeno would probably let me go, though…]
Those two were the most mature members of Absolute Helix, were both educated in the Royal Capital, and possessed sound judgment. They were not particularly close to him, which might make it easier for them to grant permission without emotional baggage.
But they were currently attempting the hundredth layer with their own party. Even if he wanted to ask for their help, it was not an option right now. And if their other party members, especially Diniel or Leleia, caught wind of it, things would not be pretty.
[…Dammit. If I knew things would end up like this, I never would’ve done that.]