Chapter 248 - Flight from Reality
"—……………Milady?"
"Please don't say anything."
Monday, after a family weekend. As usual, it was just the two of them at the dining table.
Today's main course was rolled cabbage. The girl had more than average motivation, was deft with her hands, and a quick learner; she had already been declared a 'master' in the culinary arts by her 'teacher,' the self-proclaimed maid—
—and she was desperately averting her gaze from the 'cabbage rolls and meatball soup' majestically plated before her.
The soup was colored with large, diced fresh tomatoes and garnished to look somewhat presentable with onion chips and parsley flakes… but this was,
"Well… it's not wrong. They are properly rolled cabbages."
"Ugh…!"
Even Itsuki had almost burst out laughing when the girl started simmering the cabbage rolls, having completely forgotten about the ground meat she had so carefully prepared.
Well, things like that happen. Seeing her in such a state all day, Itsuki had a feeling she would mess something up even when she volunteered to make dinner as a distraction.
She probably couldn't sleep last night, her excitement never fading. She overslept and missed breakfast preparations—something she usually sulked about if Itsuki took the job—and then went to school without her bag.
She seemed to have acted 'normally' over there, but as soon as she got home, she collapsed on the sofa without even changing. When Itsuki gently urged her to rest in her room, she walked off in a daze and crashed into the closed door.
It was clear that her feelings… or rather, her heart was in turmoil, but this was a bit much. If she could rewind the day with a camera in hand, Itsuki wouldn't hesitate to offer the contents of her useless bank account to the gods.
"Are you sure you'll be alright meeting your 'Knight-sama' tonight in this state?"
"…!"
With that one deliberately placed word, the girl—Sora—jumped, and in an almost artistic motion, the meatball she had scooped onto her spoon fell off.
…Under normal circumstances, as her 'milady,' this would warrant an immediate scolding, but fortunately, she hadn't dirtied the table or her clothes, so Itsuki decided to let it slide for today.
The 'little sister' sitting across from her big-sister figure, who had just swallowed her meddlesome comment, eventually put down her spoon that had been hovering uncertainly and looked down with a pained sigh.
"Will it be alright for me to see Haru…?"
I'm quite sure it will not be alright—swallowing those words as well, she took a fraction of a second to think.
"Just go hug him and kiss him (like you always do)."
"…………I'll do my best."
While secretly teasing the girl who was finally starting to be tossed about by her own 'emotions,' the self-proclaimed maid, who watched over her adorably expressive milady, began to enjoy the handmade meal with a wide smile.
◇◆◇◆◇
"At this point, it almost feels like I'm 'home'…"
A return from reality—is that it? Hah, not funny.
The current time is 6 PM, real-world time. Since then, Kaede had returned to the room and dropped a 'bombshell,' which led to more convoluted discussions about my future… and just like that, time flew by—
For now, at least, it's been decided. Tomorrow, I will be surrendering myself to the most powerful corporation in Japan—no, in the world.
'Yotsuya Development'—in other words, to the creators of this virtual world… of [Arcadia].
Right, and with that, my brain is shutting down. I mean, seriously… how am I supposed to keep up with this?!?
Why?! Why is this happening?! I mean, I was prepared for someone to contact me, but why?! Why the developers themselves?!?
It makes absolutely no sense. I can't follow the plot, and it's terrifying. Will I even make it home alive tomorrow? Am I going to be erased or something???
Ever since the panicking Kaede burst into the room and told me the name 'Yotsuya,' my memory's been a bit hazy, to be honest. I'm guessing everyone else who was there is in a similar boat.
Even Mizuki, who was kind enough to drive me back to my apartment, left me with the slightly bugged-out farewell of, 'Take care.'
…………Wait, that's not what she meant, right? She didn't say that because she expects me to disappear tomorrow and it was her way of saying a final goodbye, right?
So—when faced with a situation that is pointless to think about, that can't be helped, that is utterly unchangeable, what should a wise person do?
There are probably many theories, but I always do this.
"I'll just forget about it."
That way, I can extend my happy time just a little longer. No matter how much I think about it, if the future is set in stone, there's no point in crying, screaming, or struggling.
For some people, there might be meaning even if it's pointless, but not for me. Sorry to say that the real world has started turning into another world itself these past couple of days, but for now, I'm still head over heels for this virtual world.
This is the true meaning of escaping reality—again, not funny.
And speaking of not funny, this isn't either.
――――――――――――――――――
◇Status◇
Title: Acrobat
Name: Haru Lv: 100
STR: 300
AGI: 350
DEX: 100
VIT: 0(+50)
MID: 0(+350)
LUC: 300
◇Skill◇
・Gandharva
[Blink Switch] + [Combo Accelerate] ⇒ [Construction] Up!
[Flip Stroke]
[Whirlwind]
[Exchange Voltate]
[Greed's Precept]
・Active
[Reflect Blower]
[Breath Moment]
[Ignition] ⇒ [Rocket] Up!
[Floating Leaf]
[Fatal Leak]
・Passive
[Embodied Protection]
[Awakening Blow]
[Heavy Attack Manipulator]
[Adamant Sky Dash]
[Rabbit Run] ⇒ [Hare Real] Up!
[Fateless Jumper] ⇒ [Land Insulate] Up!
[Floating Star]
[Trickster of Zenith]
[Dangerous Light, Fast Recovery] New!
[Cutting Body, Unyielding Advance]
[Guardian's Cradle]
[Telepathy]
◇Arts◇
【Kesshiki Ittoryu】
[Flying Water]
[Striking Iron]
[Heavenly Snow]
[Withered Flame]
[Seven Stars]
[Blade Thunder]
Secret Art: [Bound Wind]
――――――――――――――――――
Four skills evolved, and one new one acquired. It feels a little underwhelming after all those intense battles, but the growth rate from PvP in this game is mediocre to begin with.
Considering it's close to the growth I saw during my half-month training session with Ui-san, this much progress in a single day could be called remarkable.
…If the 'growth' was something I could be genuinely happy about, I wouldn't be groaning with such a complicated look on my face.
Tonight's 'celebration' is at 9 PM real-world time, same as when the war started last night.
Perhaps because it's still a bit early, or maybe because this place doesn't really function as a hangout spot, I logged in to find myself alone at the empty Round Table, staring at my status.
Seriously, what am I going to do about this? More than half of my evolved skills have transformed into monsters that I'm not sure I can even handle.
[Fateless Jumper], or rather, [Land Insulate]-kun, which received a straightforward, honest buff, seems like such a model student now.
Well, relatively speaking. That skill itself has the weird effect of 'adding a critical hit chance to jumps,' so…
But still. At this rate, I might actually be weaker now.
What the hell is this giant time bomb called [Rocket]? Honestly, it's so bad I want my semi-partner, [Ignition]-kun, back.
"…This is bad."
If I go to tonight's 'celebration' like this, it's probably going to be a disaster.
I mean, I have no idea what we're going to do, but it's probably… no, it's definitely not going to be a prim and proper gathering from start to finish.
I'd bet on it—they're absolutely going to make me do some crazy stunt, calling it a 'performance' or something.
Like, for example, arranging a rematch with Irori for entertainment. And if that happens, the only thing I can show off in my current state is 100% pure patheticness.
Including my master who's enjoying her retirement, I'm not even sure how big a crowd is going to gather, but at the very least…
"After what happened yesterday, I can't look uncool right away…"
Especially not in front of that one person—my partner, who I'm already planning to meet tonight.
I dismissed the status window, rose from my chair, and held up the 'Key' to open the portal. What kind of reactions would I get when I walked around outside in this virtual world now…?
"…Alright."
Trying my best not to think about it, I stepped into the light.
Merry Christmas, Sora is cute.
*I've tweaked the status display a bit. Might change it again soon?