Chapter 7 - Bye-Bye, Buddy
◇You have defeated the [Host of Mush]◇
◇Title Acquired◇
• 『Slayer of the Host of Mush』
• 『Conqueror of the First Hardship』
• 『Weaver of Bonds』
◇Skill Acquired◇
• [Weapon Darts]
• Axel Tempo
◇Skill Growth◇
• [Multiple Weapon Aptitude] ⇒ [All Weapon Aptitude]
"—Ughhh…!!"
A bunch of combat results and other logs were scrolling by, but I had bigger things to worry about—I completely blew it. I let my excitement get the better of me and showed my crazy side to a pure, innocent, beautiful girl.
It was a first for me. All I could remember was that my mind had short-circuited somewhere along the way, sending my speech and personality flying off in a weird direction. To be honest, I barely remembered most of it.
Is that what happens when I get too hyped…? A shocking new discovery about myself after eighteen years of life…
And what was I doing juggling a great axe and a greatsword like that? That's not how you're supposed to play this game! I don't think… I don't know, maybe it is!
The sound of consecutive level-ups is so loud! Right now, I need to figure out how to erase the image of a madman that's undoubtedly burned into Sora's mind—
"Um…"
"Hyuh…!"
I wasn’t even ready to face her reaction, but Sora’s voice as she approached made a strange sound escape my lips. I cautiously turned to face her and saw a complex, unreadable expression on her face.
She was probably trying to smile. Seeing that familiar earnestness just made me feel even worse.
"Look, um… I-I’m sorry you had to see that…"
I managed to stammer out an excuse, unable to meet the pure girl’s eyes.
"Ah, ahaha…"
And that was her response. Yep, “ahaha” is right. Ahahaha, dammit! I can hear the sound of a flag I hadn't even raised yet snapping in half! GUAAAAHH!!
It’s not like I saw Sora as a potential romantic interest beyond a simple “oh, she’s cute,” but imagining my category in her mind changing from “a pretty nice guy” to “a madman who cackles while throwing deadly weapons” was a critical hit to my mental state.
While Sora laughed awkwardly, I lacked the mental fortitude to offer any more excuses. Heartbroken, I hung my head and quietly opened my status screen.
Allocating stats in an MMO is a blissful, heart-pounding experience… It’s gentle on a wounded soul…
Sensing my distress as I absentmindedly started assigning points, Sora began to panic, trying to find some words of comfort—when suddenly…
"Um, Haru-sa—wha…?!"
"Huh?"
Suddenly, the ground of the circular clearing where we had fought the boss began to glow. It wasn't a dangerous light, but a soft one. This feeling…
"Teleportation… again?"
It was the same sensation I’d experienced once before, when I was transported from the cave to the forest.
Sora and I looked at each other, and in that instant, we were enveloped in light and whisked away to somewhere else.
◇◆◇◆◇
A brief sense of weightlessness, the strange feeling of the surrounding air and atmosphere shifting all at once—experiencing teleportation for the second time in my life, I slowly opened my eyes.
My first impression of the scene that unfolded before me was—
"—Wow…!"
—perfectly summed up by the excited gasp that escaped Sora's lips a moment before my own.
"Oh?"
"Hey, are those newbies?"
"Seriously? That's rare."
"Two new players in the same faction at this time of year? Must be family."
"Could be a couple."
"What? Guilty."
"Your jealousy is showing."
"Ugly."
"Shut up, you're all single too!"
"But seriously, when was the last time we saw a newbie? This is great."
"A girl! A precious girl! Welcome to Istia! Let's be friends!"
From the dim, claustrophobic forest, we had been transported to a vast, open space brightly illuminated by dazzling streetlights. Before us spread a townscape straight out of a fantasy world, with beautiful buildings topped with colorful roofs. At its center, as if by tradition, was a magnificent fountain plaza, adorned with a giant sword motif.
But it wasn't just the scenery that exploded into view; the voices of the players milling about washed over us in a great wave of noise.
…Ah, by the way, that last excited voice belonged to a woman. No need to call the cops.
Judging by the comments, it seemed that new players like us choosing to join Istia were a rare sight. We drew a considerable number of curious stares—
"Definitely a couple."
"Yeah, look how close they are."
Hearing that, I glanced to my side.
And now that they mention it, my left arm feels… strange.
"—S-Sora-san."
"Yes!"
I called out to Sora, whose face was unusually close. The girl, completely captivated by the beautiful town and the lively players, looked up at me with sparkling eyes—oh, did you notice? Yes, her face is extremely close.
Her whole body is close, actually. I don't know when it happened, but during teleportation, there's a moment where you lose all sense of your body. Being unused to it, my senses must have been off, and I hadn't noticed until now.
Of course people would mistake us for a couple when she’s clinging to my arm for dear life. Ahaha, this soft, warm sensation…!!
I offered my sincerest thanks to [Arcadia] for so faithfully recreating the feel of human skin, all while hiding my true feelings behind a polite smile. Meanwhile, Sora, realizing the situation, jumped back with a speed that made a shwing sound, her cheeks flushing crimson.
"I-I'm sorr…! I'm so sorr—?!"
"No, it's fine. It's totally fine."
If I moved my facial muscles now, I was certain they would slacken into a stupid grin. With that conviction, I kept my polite smile—my iron mask—firmly in place. Across from me, poor Sora was writhing in embarrassment.
"Looks like a rom-com just started."
"What? You lookin' for a fight?"
"Hey now, don't be rude to the new players."
"Isn't being rude to a happy couple more of a praise, or rather, a declaration of defeat?"
"Cute."
"So cute."
"Can't see her face, but based on her voice and gestures, I'm betting she's a genuine beauty."
"A man can dream, can't he?"
"Who's that average-looking guy? Someone shank him for me."
"Just kill me instead. I'm so jealous I could die."
"Let's go to the arena. I'll let you use me as a punching bag."
Having put on such a textbook-cute display in front of everyone, Sora had become the target of their playful teasing.
She seemed to be in a light panic, but she could clearly hear their comments. Her cheeks grew even hotter, and it looked like she might start steaming at any moment… wait, is that actual steam coming from her head? So the game even has cartoony gags like that—
"H-H-Haru-san!! Um, for today! Thank you so! Very!"
"Huh? Ah—"
"MUUUUUUUUUUUUCH!!!"
As if to expel all her embarrassment at once, she let out an astonishingly loud shout—and with an effect similar to teleportation, Sora vanished from the world of [Arcadia].
"………………Huh… ?"
It was the girl's ultimate move: the escape logout.
"Announcing the departure of Presumed Beauty-chan."
"Alright, show's over."
"Haha, she ran away. Sucks to be you."
"Poor guy."
"Lmao."
"Seriously, lmao."
"That was fun. Good luck, newbie."
It seems that even with avatars, everyone's interest in a beautiful girl is the same. The moment Sora logged out, almost all the senior players lost interest, either scattering or returning to their own conversations.
The party was disbanded the moment she logged out. I had planned to ask for her friend code when we parted ways if we got along, but I hadn't done it yet.
Which means I have no way to contact her… I don't think this is the last time we'll see each other, but I have no idea when that will be.
"…………………………Um, how do I log out… Right."
Struck by a not-insignificant sense of shock and loss, I quietly logged out of the virtual world, feeling a strange, indescribable emotion.
I awoke from the dream a little before 9 PM. The first thing I saw was the face of my mother, who had held back her nagging and saved dinner for me since it was my first day. The whiplash from seeing a beautiful girl (Sora) to seeing my mom dealt an indescribable amount of damage, and I couldn't help but let out a deep sigh.
My mother, upon seeing the incredibly disappointed look on my face the moment I saw her, got a vein popping on her forehead. Needless to say, I received my second lecture of the day.