Chapter 556 - Escape Girl(s)
【Sora】: Hello.
【Sora】: If you have time
【Sora】: It's really okay if you're busy, but I would be happy if you could contact me.
【Haru】: Sorry for the late reply. Just saw this
【Haru】: Totally free. No plans for the rest of the day
【Sora】: Qui
【Haru】: I'm waiting for your reply, so whenever
【Haru】: Qui???
【Sora】: no thats
【Sora】: That's not right. Please, don't worry about it.
【Sora】: You did well yesterday. Congratulations on your victory.
【Haru】: Why thank you very much
【Haru】: Sorry I didn't message you yesterday
【Sora】: I figured you must have been exhausted and fallen asleep.
【Sora】: Please don't worry about it.
【Haru】: Haha, you nailed it
【Sora】: So, um.
【Haru】: Totally okay. I'll log in now
【Sora】: I know you're tired, so you don't have to push yourse
【Sora】: I haven't said anything yet.
【Haru】: Oh, was I wrong?
【Sora】: You were not wrong.
【Sora】: Then, I will
【Sora】: I will be waiting for you.
◇◆◇◆◇
In Arcadia, the game, you have to be registered as friends to know if a specific player is logged in.
Conversely, even if you are friends, the only information you get is their 'login status.' Their location isn't displayed on the list, so you need to exchange messages to meet up with a friend you're looking for.
It's a different story if you have a partner contract. For instance, if you're both in the same general 'stage,' like on the field of the [Garden of Divine Creation], your directions will appear on each other's radars... but that's about it.
In any case, it's fundamentally impossible to find a specific person's exact location on your own in this game—
Or at least, it was supposed to be.
"—Go, Sora-san, you're pulling away! Keep it up, you can do it!!"
"Be quiet and stay still!"
It was a scene that was the complete reverse of our usual dynamic.
We were in the safe area of the [Garden of Divine Creation]. My partner, Sora, dashed across the rooftops like a seasoned light warrior, and in her arms was a helpless young girl (a guy).
We were both wearing our incognito gear, the [Stealth Rat's Cloak], and Sora had further enhanced her body with the <
"—Hey! Come on! Why are you running away—?!"
I have no idea what method she used. It was the self-proclaimed fan (Rinne-chan), who had instantly located me right after I logged in, met up with Sora, and transferred from the Istia district to the shared field.
"U-Um! I just ran on instinct when you told me to! But just like Rinne-san is saying, why are we really running?!"
"Hey, you two! Stop, please stop, I won't do anything—!!"
"See! She says she won't do anything!"
Even while shouting, seventy percent confusion and thirty percent bewilderment, the fact that she didn't let her hesitation stop her feet showed how much her mental fortitude had grown—but you're still naive, Sora-san.
I won't do anything, so stop?
Haha, Rinne-chan. How about you get rid of that crazy, over-excited, hardcore-otaku look on your face before you say that! The only reason that's even borderline acceptable is because you're a beautiful girl!!
"Don't listen to her! Think of it as the voice of something no longer human...!"
"Isn't that a little too rude...!?"
"Like I care! If that thing in its excited state catches me in this form, you can assume I won't be returned today!!"
"Wha-nya, buh, uh... Th-that would be a problem...!!"
"Then full throttle! Lose her!!"
"I can hear every single word you're saying!!!!"
As expected of a pro of 'sound.' She's terrifying—but still.
"Hmph... —Hyah!"
"Ah... Noooo! That's cheating...!!"
Deciding to make a clean getaway, Sora dashed up a path of magic swords she laid in the sky. At the same time, I heard the voice of our pursuer from behind, sounding genuinely frustrated.
Even the great [Sound Armor (Berumail)] can't walk on air; I learned that straight from the source. It was a tidbit I picked up when she was teaching me various martial arts techniques recently.
And the reason we were so desperately fleeing stemmed from that same occasion. Apparently, my transformed appearance struck a chord with her. Or rather, the chord exploded. In any case, she tries to roughhouse with me, and it's impossible to deal with.
Seriously, in my current state, if I get caught, I won't be able to resist one bit—
"..., Hh... u-um! Haru! I can't keep this up for much longer...!"
"Oh, crap, my bad! Sorry, can you lend me the Scales real quick!"
I was acting so casually that I'd let my guard down, but Sora can only maintain her mid-air maneuverability using magic swords as footholds for about ten or so seconds at most.
As she shot into the sky, she let out a genuinely pained voice. I hastily apologized and made my request—and <
My weakest-of-all-time Lv.1 stats were now supplemented by... yep, just as I thought, Sora-san read my mind. We don't need to coordinate for something like this.
"Sapphire!"
The great wings of stardust emerged from the shadows, scooping up Sora's body along with me in her arms. Combined with the MID: 300 she lent me and the pluses from my equipment, I could secure enough summoning time for a while—
"Uwoah...!?"
"Wha—...?!?!?"
The dragon took the momentum from the girl who had soared up the path of magic swords and climbed above the clouds. And now, with our usual roles reversed...
"Ya, waah...!?—Haru! Do something!!!"
"I'm so sorry, I'm really sorry, there's nothing I can do, forgive me, I'm sorry!!"
The blessing of my super-evolved transport skill, <
Sora, bearing the full, raw weight of two people, screamed against the raging gale, while I, having lost both my stats and skills, could do nothing but shout apologies and profess my helplessness—
And so, after all that, a few minutes later.
Somehow, we managed to escape danger. Now on the back of Sapphire, who had shifted to low-altitude, safe-and-steady flight, we were buffeted by a wind that was just barely tolerable...
"Haru."
"Yes."
"Prepare yourself."
"YES, MA'AM."
Having racked up another enormous debt, I had no right to complain. It goes without saying that I spent the rest of the time groveling and doing everything in my power to get back into my partner's good graces.
—A helpful explanation (?)—
Their encounter was a complete coincidence (the stealth effect was pierced by Rinne-chan's super-strong perception skill), and at first, she was just approaching to congratulate them on their victory.
However, she noticed the protagonist was in his transformed state, which flipped a switch. Sora-san, seeing her friend's on-the-verge-of-going-berserk expression, instantly chose to flee, princess-carrying the idiot and snatching him away. Witnessing this ultimate-tier spectacle caused Rinne-chan's switch to explode, and she evolved from a human into an otaku.
After she calms down, Rinne-chan will send a dejected apology message.
The idiot and Sora-san went on a crazy long walk after this.
And the many passing players were just left confused, wondering, "What in the world was all that commotion about..."