Chapter 1008 - Now... Sleeping...
Nightfall.
"Um... if I may be so bold. Is it alright if I say something that's been on my mind?"
"...?"
"What is it, Nya-chan? Wanna start a pillow fight?"
"Is something the matter?"
Indoors, inside yet another of the Traveler's many treasures recorded in his notebook: a luxurious, fully summonable, two-story log house that served as an instanced lodge.
The women were all gathered in the second-floor bedroom, each already tucked into their own bed. From between the comfortable mattresses and the fluffy, warm blankets, four distinct voices chimed in.
Among them, one decided she just couldn't hold it in any longer.
She wanted to voice something that had been on the tip of her tongue ever, ever since they had all met up, and now that everyone had truly let their guard down, was it finally okay to say it?
As Nia raised her hand while still lying down, three pairs of eyes turned toward her...
"So... and I know this is super late to ask, but... what kind of gathering is this???"
"...Ah, haha."
"Fufu..."
"Nheheh~"
In the darkness, her voice, clearly identifiable as nothing but endlessly troubled, was met by three separate hints of laughter. It seemed they had all been thinking something similar, to varying degrees.
It wasn't a question about why this particular group had gathered; she knew that much.
It was more that the combination of people felt exquisitely unfamiliar. The party had taken the form of a strange mix of close friends, a near-total stranger, and someone she'd barely ever spoken to, which made things, well...
"............I've made you feel reserved, haven't I? I'm sorry."
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no! No, that's not it at all...!"
Well, that was, in fact, the heart of the matter.
The one who was troubled was primarily her. The renowned Sword Saint-sama, whose fame was so great it was no exaggeration to call her one of the top players in the virtual world. And the self-proclaimed wannabe acrobat, that little boy (?) whose title made one tilt their head every time they heard it.
The issue was that the girl in blue, who had no connection to either Ui or Kanata, was feeling just a tad reserved. The reputation of Milmarinus being friendly to everyone was a gross overstatement; in reality, Nia was the type to basically freak out in front of big names.
It couldn't be helped.
They had exchanged formal 'nice to meet yous' the moment they met today, but after that, things had gone exactly as planned. A certain someone she was fond of had launched into a day-long training marathon—and not metaphorically—so her interactions with the others had been limited to a few words during dinner.
"Come to think of it, we've only been in the same place a handful of times... haven't we?"
"Yes... I'm sorr..."
In such a short amount of time, the aura of the Sword Saint hadn't dimmed in the slightest—and that was setting aside Nia's personal circumstances entirely.
"............It is... a strange combination, isn't it?"
Her voice was already sleepy and dazed.
At that moment, the other three undoubtedly had to set aside their own thoughts and let their cheeks soften at Sora's gentle agreement.
Sora, Ui, and Lux were all connected as acquaintances, friends, and comrades-in-arms. But adding Nia to the mix suddenly turned it into a strange combination.
No one could quite put it into words, but it just felt... odd.
"Hmm. Nya-chan, you don't like U-chan?"
"Please stop, I'm begging you, that's not it, it's one hundred percent nerves."
It went without saying that Lux and Nia were old friends with a decent history.
"............They're both wonderful people. ...You'll become friends... in no time."
"Sora-chan, you're really something else, Sora-chan. You're being unfair. Big sis thinks that's unfair, you know."
And it went without saying that Sora and Nia were best friends, a relationship miraculously formed atop a complex history.
"We have so many mutual friends and acquaintances, yet it's strange how we never had the chance to meet... Fufu. Then again, that's entirely my fault for being such a shut-in."
"Ah, eh, um... yeees..."
This, right here, was the problem.
And because not just Sora but also Lux was simply watching over this problematic situation—whether out of consideration or amusement, it was unclear—this was the usual result.
Since they both knew each other's personalities, you could say it was born of trust. Plus, Nia had the past experience of having successfully befriended the Sword Queen.
Never mind that ninety-nine-point-nine percent of that success was due to the efforts of Alicia White, a woman who embodied 'perfection' and 'invincibility' in every sense of the words. The experience existed, so it existed.
That's why Nia wasn't truly, genuinely troubled deep down in her heart...
............Or so she thought.
""............................................""
What should I do? she couldn't help but wonder.
And she knew, without a doubt, that the other girl was likely thinking the same thing.
I'll admit it. It's because I'm way too conscious of it. The fact that she... the Sword Saint, the 'Master,' is undeniably a special person to that idiot I'm in love with.
"..., ............"
And then, there was a woman's intuition.
That she, too, sees her 'disciple' as an undeniably "special person."
Because she just couldn't help but see it.
"............, ..., ............ Gnnnhh, ........................"
"She's groaning. Nya-chan is groaning. U-nya-chan."
""U-nya-chan...?""
Lux was saying something.
Then a supremely healing duet of dazed and soft voices repeated it.
This was no time for that.
It was a very simple matter—she was just plain scared. She'd heard about it, she'd seen it, she'd known about it, but seeing it in person, with her own eyes, she was terrified by the real thing.
She was certain it wasn't a 'romantic' thing at this point, but they were mutually in love. This master and disciple.
Seriously. For real. No wonder Sora and Iris were jealous. She'd wanted to meet her, and she was happy to have met her, but...
Ah, I've finally met her, she thought, an involuntary wry smile on her face. It was that intense.
"............What a charmer. Guilty as charged."
This was all his fault. The reason Nia had buried her mouth in her blanket and let out a tiny, inaudible whisper was entirely, completely his fault.
Unforgivable. Truly, truly...
...If he doesn't try his absolute hardest to win me over, I'll never, ever forgive...
"—Then, how about we try something like this?"
...him, she thought. Just as she began to stew in her thoughts, a voice sliced through them.
"Why don't we go around... and confess... our ideal... type... of boy?"
At long last—the Sword Saint-sama show, by the Sword Saint-sama, had begun.
"................—Huhh??"
And the only one to let out a bizarre, dumbfounded cry was Nia.
Neither Lux, who was radiating a vibrant aura as if to say 'what's the big deal about bedtime?', nor Sora, who was already halfway into dreamland, showed any signs of surprise.
That's right, Nia didn't know yet. The true nature of the person known as Ui, the Sword Saint.
Nia did not yet know.
"Isn't it a classic? Deepening your bond during a sleepover with some love talk in bed."
"L-Love talk..."
She didn't yet know the true face of the 'demonic Yamato Nadeshiko' who made not only Sora, but even Alicia White jealous, despite not even being on the same stage.
She didn't yet know what she was like—a kindred spirit to that certain someone she loved, who forged her own path and ran over all in her way with her radiance.
"Well then, it's settled..."
"Wh-What's settled...!?"
"Shall we hear from Nia-san first?"
"Why me!?"
"I'd love to hear. What is it about Haru-kun that you love so much?"
"Now the topic has changed completely...!"
Night. In the deep of night, when even the Stardust Beasts were sleeping soundly.
Unbeknownst to the others, the youngest among them had already started letting out soft, sleepy breaths. Curled up quietly in her blanket and listening intently, a grinning Lux knew.
She knew that the supremely my-pace, invincible, and sublime Sword Saint would have the little blue girl completely won over... in no more than thirty minutes.
- [Actor After Outer (The Welcoming Haven is Dust)] Anima: Book, Fourth Tier
One of the Anima recorded in Lux's travel journal.
It is a house. It is a house made of wood. It is a comfortable house.
It welcomes you. It welcomes all of you. It welcomes every one of you.
Relax. Be at ease. Now, now, sleep.
It's okay. It's safe. You can rest assured.
As long as you are human.
That's what it's like. It's a very comfortable, large log house.
By the way, next time: The self-proclaimed #2 junior, alone in the boys' room with his crush, dies.