Chapter 1117 - Staying Up Late with a Friend
—In the starry sky event, the Zoodiac group is being hailed as the 'strongest' elite group that built the 'best' tourist spot among the countless current groups.
It started because a certain someone (Haru), who hadn't yet fully settled into his position, didn't exercise any self-restraint and ran through the first event while enjoying it to the limit with the general forces.
The group members, who were showered with brilliance at close range as much as they wanted, were every single one of them inspired, and as time passed, many are now transitioning into 'extraordinary' forces. While they don't reach the top tier that would be selected for the Four Pillars or 'Colored' raids, there are some here and there who are, at worst, only one step behind (only slightly inferior).
Since at least one 'rank-holder' is always stationed in such a group, it's no wonder. It has become a lineup that simply goes the way of excessive combat power.
Other groups that are eager to catch up and overtake them are also making a name for themselves, but... somehow, the Zoodiac forces' enthusiasm is never-ending, and they continue to pull away at full speed.
To be honest, they have reached a level where a 'rank-holder (guardian)' is no longer necessary.
Because they are there, and because they have publicly stated that it's okay to rely on them, the necessity arises. Even if the "insurance" at the very back were to disappear... probably.
They would already be able to complete all the event processes without any danger.
...In other words, what that means is.
The slot that was once held up as a 'guardian deity' or 'protector' has now basically become a bored seat where one only occasionally lifts their waist with a "heave-ho," which is why—
"..............................Ngh... fuha... ah............"
In the quiet night, the sigh of a stretching kitten echoed.
Even if she looked up, no stars could be seen, and what covered the canopy was the land instead of the sky. It's a scenery unique to the [Alvnikro (Mirror-Surface Sky Realm)] where one is teleported during the event, but by the fifth time, she felt used to it.
If one wanted to see the stars unique to the virtual world that were always moving around busily, one had to look horizontally. One had to strain their eyes toward the far distance sandwiched between that land (over there) and this land (here)... or so,
Not that she had a hobby of stargazing.
"................................................"
Leaving aside the general forces. Even leaving aside the extraordinary forces. With the awareness of being in a position that jumped out even from the top tier, and with the pride of being at the pinnacle as a perception-type player.
...And, with the fact that she was basically bored.
Counting from the third time, this was the third time.
Since she was invited by her cheeky junior and came dragging along, it was the third time. She had become used to spending time on the watchtower during the night watch, which had already become a natural habit.
...No, rather than being used to it.
"..................I don't like it."
A routine once every two months. Regarding this, she had been won over to the point of enjoying the comfort somewhere... she didn't like it, or something.
With an emotion that she hesitated to verbalize, it wasn't interesting, or something.
"............Haaah."
A sigh, one.
Looking down, it was a magnificent base that she had to say was spectacular, continuing to expand. While capturing every end of the "strings" that surrounded the entire perimeter and even extended deep into the forest in her consciousness, Natsume set about fulfilling the duty she had snatched up alone— ...yes,
Normally, she should have concentrated on fulfilling it while enjoying a quiet time alone,
That was the usual... but.
"—I-ya-ha—... no matter when I see it, no matter how many times I see it, I have no idea what's going on."
Tonight was unusually quiet, with a familiar presence next to her. In that case... receiving the voice that was relaxed and spaced-out in her ears, Natsume let a small smile escape.
It was unconscious. If it were a certain cheeky junior as the opponent, she would never show it; it was a gentle smile that was also relaxed.
With no reason to pull it back, she kept it on her face.
"If it were understood after seeing it just a few times, I'd be out of business."
Natsume rolled the words back with a thornless voice and a joke, responding to her friend (Nia).
"As expected of a rank-holder... that, you know. Strings? It looks like not just dozens, but hundreds of them are moving freely and flexibly, but what's going on...?"
"Even if you ask me what's going on..."
Their avatar heights shouldn't be that different, but the reason she looked smaller than herself was probably because of her extremely fidgety behavior.
The way she was resting her chin on the watchtower's railing and blinking her large indigo eyes was truly cute—the kind of 'girl motion' that Natsume herself was bad at.
"Don't you run out of hands...? Ah, actually, are there hundreds of them growing out, just that I can't see them?"
"There's no way that's true."
She didn't think she was envious, but she didn't dislike watching it. Aside from Natsume, there would be very few people who dislike a 'good girl,' a 'straightforward girl,' or a 'cute girl.'
"It's simple. I use a string to manipulate a string, and then I use that string to manipulate a string that manipulates a string with a string—"
"Ah, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Nia was the one who was wrong to ask—...!"
"Heh."
"Can you stop that way of laughing, it's cool and stylish and makes me feel frustrated—"
—And. It was only natural to let her cheeks relax during such a precious time.
"...So, aren't you sleepy? It's okay if you don't stay with me."
"I'll stay with you. Because I'm not sleepy—"
According to her, during the conquest reproduction work of that guy and Ri-na. She had apparently watched with interest for about the first hour, but she got bored halfway through and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep or something.
So the arrival of the sleepiness debuff unique to the starry sky event was delayed, and she wasn't sleepy yet. Thinking it was a peaceful episode, she let another smile escape...
"...Falling asleep."
"Ugh, don't say it over and over. I felt a bit apologetic for falling asleep next to him while he was working hard—"
"—Hmm, next to him (..)? Whose? In what way?"
The "strings" she was manipulating with her ten fingers... and the "strings" she was entangling and weaving beyond them... in all of them, there were no abnormalities. In that case, to kill time, Natsume set about teasing her friend.
"The bed? His shoulder? Or maybe his lap?"
"Eh, um, cho— cho-cho... wh-what is it. Why did you suddenly flip a switch—"
"I guess Ri-na-senpai occupied the lap as if it were natural... so, considering your 'next to him' comment, falling asleep while leaning on his shoulder is the most likely..."
"Hey, wait, stop it, it's scary, don't wastefully use a rank-holder's insight—"
"And knowing that guy (Haru), I bet when you woke up, it was a lap pillow... that's my guess."
"Really, Natsume-san...!!!"
And so, it was pleasant. A night watch alone is go— not bad, but a lively night watch with a friend next to her once in a while isn't bad either. Especially if it's not just a friend, but a comrade-in-arms who has gone through a life-or-death situation with all her might... it was truly, unbelievably so.
"It's okay. Nia is cool as she is."
"I don't need such tacked-on consolation!"
"Oh, but it's my true feelings."
It was a time she didn't dislike, a time she could think of as pleasant.
Even more so, in addition to the two of them (that).
""—, —, —""
Ever since they had started the night watch and called them out together, the whole time.
"............................Nia, I'll say it as many times as it takes."
"Ah, yes. What is it?"
On the watchtower's railing, just like one of the 'hosts' who was resting her chin. Two adorable figures were frolicking together with their small bodies; even if there were no voices, if they livened up the place—
"When the two of them are together, it's just so cute I start getting dizzy..."
"That's really true."
In the true sense, there was no such thing as boredom anywhere.
The ones frolicking were two "small mice" whose small bodies were filled with the starry sky. One of them was Vis, whom Nia followed... the official name she had been secretly told was [весна (Visna)], and
Slightly smaller than Vis, with pale cherry-blossom-colored twin stars in the positions of both eyes.
The name of the other one was—
"—[Kirsch]."
"—!"
When called, it came in a straight line. It nimbly ran along the railing and jumped onto Natsume's shoulder, rubbing its whole body against her neck as if it were the most enthusiastic expression of affection... her cute servant.
It was the second 'Zodiac King' that she had finally found (discovered) in the forest last time.
"Ah, really, truly............ I'm glad I started Arcadia..."
"Uwah, there's so much emotion in that..."
And so, next it was Nia's turn to smile.
Beside Natsume, who had started pampering the "small mouse" with a face that was completely melted and doting—a face she would never, EVER show to a certain someone (Haru) until the end of eternity.
The indigo-colored girl began to tease her friend, who wasn't just cool but also had a clearly cute side, as a revenge—and the long night passed quickly and peacefully.
I want to be the railing. I don't mind if it's on the opposite side where I can't be touched or seen.