Chapter 339 - Lighting the Fuse
After confirming the abnormality of the `Colored` Monsters, which seemed to kick the very foundations of existing games—or rather, the entire 'PvE' genre—to the curb.
Are you a professional event coordinator?—Under Helena's masterful guidance, which I couldn't help but wonder about, the meeting proceeded so smoothly it felt anticlimactic.
Perhaps it was less of a meeting and more of a get-together and confirmation of what was to come. After all, regarding the first topic of the current ranker 'slots', exactly ten people were gathered here, excluding Mi-na and Ri-na.
Other than that—I suppose it was a venue to get approval for my partner, who currently holds no 'achievements,' to be entered as a special participant.
"Well then, with a unanimous vote..."
She looked around at all the raised hands, excluding mine and Sora's.
Helena, who had served as the moderator throughout, gave a single nod and turned her gaze to my partner, who was sitting stiffly in a distant seat with a tense expression.
"We will officially welcome Sora-sama as a member of this extermination battle."
"No objections!"
The `Traveler`'s particularly bright voice overlapped with the `Lady-in-Waiting`'s calmly stated result, without a moment's hesitation—and with that, the final topic was concluded without a hitch.
It was a foregone conclusion; there was no need for me, her partner, to say anything. With the strong recommendation from Mi-na and Ri-na, who had seen Sora's abilities as a player firsthand, the motion was passed.
When Arcadia's most powerful artillery cannons praise someone as 'a talent capable of filling the hole we're leaving,' the persuasiveness of their words speaks for itself.
As for Sora herself, she was frozen solid with modesty—
"—Hey, junior."
"Huh? What is it, senpai?"
Just as I was secretly letting out a sigh of relief, though not showing it on my face, Irori, next to me, spoke up. Sensing a hint of exasperation in his tone, I glanced sideways to see the Blonde Samurai giving me an exquisitely irritating smile.
And before I could glare back at him and ask what his problem was—
"You're grinning from ear to ear."
"No way, that's so embarrassing."
Having my poker face pointed out after it had unknowingly crumbled, I stealthily pulled up the hood of my outerwear.
And all the while, I felt the gaze of the 'Princess' on her throne—
who had remained as still as a statue throughout the entire meeting.
◇◆◇◆◇
"Hey, hey, Crown-kun! I've been looking forward to meeting you!"
Just as the discussion concluded and a relaxed atmosphere began to fill the room,
a flash of spring green flew at me from a distant seat, and before I knew it, my hand was grabbed at lightning speed and forced into a handshake.
"Uh, hello... It's an honor to meet you too."
"I've heard sooo much about you from Tora-kun and the others! I didn't see the war or whatever so I don't really get it, but he was so happy he'd made a new friend! Thanks so much!!"
"Ah, ha... Um, well, your seniors have been a great help to me as well—"
"Oh man, you're great, you really are! What's great is your name, Crown! Crown! Royal Crown! Treasure! It's so exciting!"
"Um, that's not actually my name—"
"B-y t-h-e w-a-y! That hair ornament is suuuuper pretty, it looks like a real treasure! I was just wondering if you'd pretty please tell me where you found it—"
"Okay, I get it, fine! If that's how you wanna play, then I won't hold back either! Hey, you're too close, get off me, you're annoying!!"
"Whoa, so energetic!!"
She was, after all, the North's number one ranker. I mercilessly grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and threw her with a gender-equal pitch, but the incarnation of smiles simply did a flip in the air and landed with ease.
"Get back, Sora, she's dangerous...!"
"Ah, haha..."
She must have been taken aback by the sudden start of this comedy.
Sora, who had come over and frozen with wide eyes, I sheltered behind my back, glaring daggers at the dangerous individual approaching with a strange, shuffling motion.
This one's bad news... I can't read her thoughts...!!
"You make friends with anyone at lightning speed, don't you, big brother?"
"In a way, that's his greatest talent."
"Do you have a condition where you'll die if you don't get caught up in some event?"
You three can talk! Mi-na, Ri-na, and you, Blonde Samurai... Hey, you, top of the East (Goldow), stop holding your stomach laughing and stop the top of the North for me—
"Lux."
"Oh, A-chan."
—And then, salvation came like the wind.
A figure of blue and silver appeared silently beside the flashy-haired girl, deftly lifted her by the scruff of her neck, and subdued the dangerous person in an instant.
""—""
Our eyes met for just a moment... but unfortunately, I couldn't read the Princess's inner thoughts from the garnet eyes I was seeing for the first time in a while.
Alicia quickly averted her gaze from me and turned to the woman she was holding up by her own hand.
"I always tell you. I know you don't mean any harm, but you have to consider the other person and hold back. You can't do that."
To be honest, seeing her act like that was a little unexpected.
Or rather, maybe it's just that I haven't seen that side of Alicia much...
"Ah... heheh, my bad, my bad. It's been a while since I've been back in town, so I guess I got a little carried away."
And speaking of unexpected, this was too.
In the span of a few dozen seconds, I'd pegged the `Traveler` as the type who doesn't listen to others, yet here she was, instantly deflating after a scolding from Alicia.
What's up with you two? Are you friends?
"—Haru."
"—...Hm?"
A familiar voice called out to me as I was zoning out.
However, no one in this room knows that Alicia and I have a... well, whatever kind of relationship you want to call it. Helena seems a bit suspicious, but Alicia probably hasn't told her everything either.
For a few reasons of my own, I haven't even been able to tell my partner, Sora, until today.
Therefore, I felt a flicker of fear, but—we had already decided how we would act in front of others in preparation for this moment, so I had no choice.
"What?"
"She's not a bad person. I want you to get along with her."
"If you say so, then she probably is. Okay."
"Mmm... She's just a little... different."
"Whether it's 'a little' is debatable, though."
"We're not really in a position to talk."
"When you put it like that, I can't really argue..."
Without putting on any particular act, we spoke as we always did.
And when we were done, we broke eye contact without hesitation.
"Oh, my."
"Well, now...?"
"Eh, what?"
"Well, this is..."
"Hoho?"
"Wait a minute, seriously?"
"No way, is that how it is?"
"Hmm..."
"Ah... so that's how it is."
"...?"
—Indistinguishable words from multiple people reached my ears at once... and in a room like this, there were few, if any, who were 'oblivious to subtleties.'
The familiarity we had hinted at without hiding it, at Alicia's request, had undoubtedly been read loud and clear by every single one of them.
And that, of course...
"Eh—... eh?"
...included my partner, who was staring with her big, round eyes wide in astonishment.
".............................. Wha...!?"
She looked at me, then at Alicia, then back at me, then at Alicia again—and as her confusion visibly deepened, I debated whether it was okay to look away.
For now, the duty of supporting my partner, who had started to sway from the shock... well—
"Gotcha!"
I'll leave that to the red-headed girl who sensed the abnormality and rushed over.