Chapter 543 - The Send-Off
—Early in the morning, I woke up.
The moment I did, a soft knock knock knock came from the door. It was a timing so perfect it would have been impossible unless someone had been waiting right there. I let out an exasperated smile and got up.
Only one person came to mind. When I opened the door, a flash of gold confirmed my guess, and I sighed again, this time with exasperation.
“It’s five in the morning, Sora-san. I told you, you don’t have to force yourself to see me off.”
“…But I said I would,” she replied.
Her very first words were laced with a pout. Yet, she didn’t hesitate to deliver a headbutt followed by a nuzzle, so she wasn’t so upset as to enforce a no-touching rule.
Well, you see.
Sora-san had told Alicia something along the lines of, ‘I don’t mind lending him to you at all,’ but as the day drew closer, it seems she’d accumulated quite a bit of jealousy.
Even I couldn't organize and read the full contents of her heart, and she wouldn’t let me decipher the intricate progression of her emotions anyway.
So, all I could correctly read was what was at the very forefront of Sora’s heart. The single, powerful phrase of emotion she was directing at me as she acted spoiled.
But I’m still your partner, you know—it said.
I know. I know that. I really do. You are an absolutely adorable creature.
“Once this goes well, I’ll be back to being a boring person with no particular plans. When that happens, let’s go to all sorts of places together again, just the two of us. I have an infinite number of places I want to go.”
I was also aware that her jealousy had another layer. And so,
“If our schedules line up, we can even go with Alicia, the three of us.”
This was a statement that might have earned me a slap from a different person, but the amber eyes looking up at me from my chest—though still slightly dissatisfied—shone with happiness.
“…It’s a promise. I want to try hanging out with the three of us.”
“You bet. Alicia adores you, after all. She’d probably jump at the chance and clear her schedule in a flash.”
It wasn’t just directed at Alicia, who was about to have me all to herself today. It was also directed at me, for being the one to have Alicia all to myself.
The trio that once jumped into that ‘hellhole.’ As people who had walked a unique fairytale together, Sora must have some inexpressible feelings for Alicia as well.
That’s why she didn’t like being the only one left behind—a very childish, self-centered, and yet adorably precious jealousy.
Anyway, if she didn't let go in the next thirty seconds, I was going to be seriously late for our meeting… Just as that thought started to trouble me, Sora let out a small, resolute “Nn,” and took a light step back—
“Well then, take care!”
With masterful footwork, she got behind me and gave my back a firm push.
When I turned around, her smile was as clear as the blue sky, without a single cloud.
“Yeah, I’m gonna go raise some hell!”
I raised a fist and gave a cheerful reply, and Sora’s cheeks puffed out in the slightest bit of dissatisfaction.
Sorry about that, partner.
For some reason, I was just unbearably embarrassed to simply say, ‘I’m off.’
◇◆◇◆◇
—Early in the morning, I woke up.
The moment I did, a soft knock knock knock came from the door. It was a timing so perfect it would have been impossible unless someone had been waiting right there. I let out a small smile and got up.
Only one person came to mind. When I opened the door, a flash of black confirmed my guess, and with another faint smile, I prepared a word of thanks.
“Good morning, Helena. Thank you for being up so early.”
“Good morning, Iris. It is nothing out of the ordinary.”
Her speech was sharp and detached, a clear departure from her real-life self.
I had worried a few times in the past about my friend’s refusal to drop her mask, even when we were alone… but after learning that she thoroughly enjoys the entire experience, including the surprise and other emotions stemming from the gap between her real and virtual selves, I’ve tried not to mind.
However,
“Today is the day. How are you feeling?”
“In top form.”
A little while ago, I wouldn’t have made such a gesture. I playfully flexed both my arms—
“That is excellent. I shall await good news.”
A little while ago, she wouldn’t have shown such an expression here in the virtual world. A genuine smile escaped her relaxed cheeks, and I was happy.
I was so happy that I thought about saying something more—but in this moment, I felt that my feelings would be better conveyed through silence.
“Helena.”
“Yes.”
“I’m off.”
A single, simple farewell.
When I offered it, she stared blankly for a few seconds, then…
“…Take care.”
…she smiled gently and replied.
◇◆◇◆◇
“—…Been waiting?”
“No, I just got here.”
“This feels like a date.”
“Isn’t it one?”
“…Is it okay if this is a date?”
“The final judgment is up to you. Though I do question whether a boss fight where I plan to go on the biggest rampage of my life can be called a date.”
“Then, it’s a date. I want it to be a date.”
“Is that so. Alright then, a date it is.”
Early morning, at the meeting spot.
Both were dressed for stealth in covert cloaks. They were at the very top of the tallest clock tower near the Great Bell Tower, the center of the safe area.
On a cramped foothold that was probably not even designed for people to stand on, two figures stood side by side as if it were the most natural thing in the world, exchanging words as calm as the quiet morning.
“Is the schedule still okay?”
“Mhm. We’ll do the final adjustments there.”
“Okay. In that case, let’s get going before someone spots us.”
“Mhm—…Hm…?”
The young man naturally held out his hands, but the young woman tilted her head in response. Seeing her reaction, the young man, who had acted out of habit, froze—and after a winding back-and-forth, the young woman’s body was cradled in the young man’s arms as if she were a ‘princess.’
The young man was simply regretting his mistake.
The young woman, on the other hand, had a complex expression. Contrary to an atmosphere that suggested she was more than just okay with it—in fact, quite satisfied—her face was a mixture of happiness, joy, jealousy, and other emotions.
The two, a study in contrasts in terms of the information they conveyed, exchanged a few more words, and then—
“Alright, let’s go. Time to go—ah, good morning, Alicia.”
“Yes, let’s go—mhm, good morning, Haru.”
The young man’s legs kicked powerfully against the air, and in an instant, their figures vanished.
This is definitely a date.