Chapter 446 - Feet on the Ground, Fly High
"—Y'know, I only caught a glimpse, but you've gotten even better, haven't you? As expected of Nia-chan! I can't afford to slack off either!"
"What are you talking about? You're the polar opposite of 'slacking off' and always give it your all..."
"And his outfit was made by you too, right? You're still so good at making clothes for both guys and girls, it's amazing. I'm jealous!"
"That's just a case of 'the grass is always greener' from someone who's specialized. A true top-tier artisan doesn't envy someone who's a jack-of-all-trades."
"...I don't know the details, but aren't you in a position where you can't call yourself a jack-of-all-trades either? Countless jewelers and tailors would probably quit their jobs if they heard that."
"Yes, exactly! Her boyfriend makes a good point!"
A while had passed since we met up with the unexpected celebrities, a pair of artisans that included Nia's friend.
Whether it was because we had hunted all the monkeys in the area, or because they were wary of the 'monster' and stayed away, we were enjoying the returned peace, walking through the forest and cheerfully getting to know each other.
Well, the 'cheerful' part was mostly just one person.
"For the record, I'm not her boyfriend."
I debated whether I should be vague out of consideration for Nia's feelings... but I decided it was best to be clear. In response to my denial, I was met with a smug grin.
"Oh really? And that's why she's acting like that?"
"She's talking about you, Nia-chan. Let go of me already."
"No way! It's your fault anyway for cozying up to him whenever you get a chance!"
...shouted the indigo-haired girl now dangling from my left arm, joining the cheerful commotion. She openly showed her wariness, hissing "Shah!" at her friend.
Are you a cat?
"I'm not exactly cozying up to him..."
"Well, I am, but."
"So you admit it."
Anyway, this Nonomi-chan person. Her character was hard to grasp. On the surface, she seemed friendly, the embodiment of affability, but her sense of distance was unique, and I felt a subtle 'line' she maintained.
She was probably the type of girl (?) who would instantly shut down any guy who misjudged that distance. I had no way of knowing if it was an act or her true self, but I decided I should be careful and not let my guard down just because she was a friend of a friend—though, this was just my personal take, so it might be needless worry.
"Of course I'm cozying up to him! He's the star of the moment, everyone's talking about him, from his dramatic, explosive debut in the Four Pillar War to the recently released battle to subjugate the [White Throne]. Getting on his good side couldn't hurt, right?"
"I feel like you're currently incurring the 'loss' of making your friend wary of you, though."
"I got to see my cute friend's cute jealous face, so I'd say it's a net positive! Thanks for the treat!"
"She's so energetic..."
But still... considering Nia was hissing but didn't seem genuinely angry, their relationship must be one where that kind of behavior was acceptable.
In that sense, maybe I didn't need to be so on guard.
"—Nonomi, that's enough. You shouldn't tease her just for fun."
The fact that her partner was acting as a stopper in a consistently calm tone was another reassuring factor.
It wasn't that she immediately listened to him... rather, it felt like she was flooring the accelerator on the assumption that he would stop her.
"I know, I know. Sorry, Nia-chan—Alright then, shall we have a serious discussion about what to do next?"
Nonomi-chan offered a bright smile and an apology to her pouting friend before instantly flipping a switch and putting on a serious face.
I probably shouldn't say it, but her expression looked so much like Nia's that I almost laughed.
"We know there are other pairs within meeting distance. If we want stability, we should probably expand this circle," Ittetsu began.
"Either that, or we join a large group that might have already formed. In any case, I feel like nothing will start until we get out of this forest," Nonomi-chan added.
"...Actually, maybe it's not a bad idea to clear some space and make a base here? This forest had a pretty good variety of materials. And we do have someone who can do that," Nia finished.
The opinions were laid out, starting with Ittetsu-san, then Nonomi-chan, and ending with Nia. Because of that last suggestion, all three of them naturally turned their gazes to me.
I mean, if they asked me to, clearing trees would be a piece of cake, but—
"If you're okay with me using my full strength, I can provide something that will make it much easier to decide on our next course of action. What do you want to do?"
I'd already single-handedly scattered the approaching threat, so maybe it was too late to be considerate. However, if we were to treat this situation as the kind of event where everyone has fun thinking together... I figured I'd also get more out of it by enjoying it with my feet on the ground.
Therefore, I planned to restrain myself from actively doing whatever I wanted. If necessary, and if asked, I had no problem acting as a convenient tool—in fact, I'd be happy to. So, I'll leave the decision to my companions.
"Hmm... out of curiosity, what were you planning to do?"
I wasn't sure if she'd read my intentions from my words, but Nonomi-chan tilted her head thoughtfully and asked.
In response to her question, I simply pointed my index finger "up" as if it were the most obvious thing in the world—
"I'll check out the whole forest from the sky."
"""Ah..."""
When I stated the simple method as if it were obvious... setting aside their individual fame, the three of them, who were likely just normal people in terms of stats, all looked impressed, as if to say, 'Oh, there's that option.'
This must be one of those divergences in thinking that happens between combatants and non-combatants.
—And so.
"...Alright then."
"Sorry to trouble you!"
"Go for it!"
"Yep, leave it to me—Alright!"
Destination: the sky. Time for a quick run.
Divergence between combatants and non-combatants: ❌
Divergence between the Acrobat and everyone else: ✅
That's the kind of guy you are.