Chapter 708 - The Seat Next to Her
—In the end, those ten-odd minutes passed in what felt like a single instant.
That was all thanks to Nono-san, who, despite seeming to goof around the whole time, expertly guided the conversation with her impressive speaking skills and technique. A true professional is on another level.
And now that the Nono-Haru Radio (LOL), which had been inserted into a spare moment, had drawn to a close for the time being… what followed was the regularly scheduled program.
In other words,
"Ugh, you're a mess. How pathetic, big bro."
"Good work out there."
"Alright, what's the plan? Same as always, it's tough when they just tell us to chat freely."
"And same as always, we can just rely on the 'letters' we've received, can't we?"
"…Out of curiosity, who's going to be reading them?"
"Irori-senpai can do it, just like last time."
"I said this last time too, but why me—"
"You did great as the 'personality' last year, Irori-kun. You looked really cool."
"Where's the box of letters? Hand it over already."
—And so, just like that, Nono-san departed with a cry of "Finally, break time!!!" and in her place, our Eastern Faction's turn began, all of us gathered in the spacious area that doubled as the announcer's room.
The allotted time was thirty minutes. What was required of us was 'casual banter,' a loose form of entertainment that ironically becomes more difficult the more you think about it.
Essentially, our current lively chatter was already considered a job well done.
After all, this segment is just meant to liven things up during the break. At its core, as long as we can provide something like background music or a radio show to pass the time, it's a piece of cake for these battle-hardened rankers whose nerves are forged from super-alloys.
It goes without saying, however, that for a ranker who is not particularly battle-hardened, this situation, now past noon, is not kind to the mental state.
As usual, the two pipsqueaks immediately started poking at me. I had collapsed onto a sofa next to the host's table, half-dead. Having been dragged around by Nono-san and forced to squeeze out every last drop of my positive energy, I, a creature of the shadows, was naturally sinking into a sea of shame as I recalled my recent antics.
"Hey, hey, hey, get up, big bro. Time to move, time to move."
"You're still the main attraction. Do your best."
"Stop it, please give me a break…"
But my two tiny seniors were merciless. As I tried to become one with the cushion, they each grabbed one of my hands and, with the feeble strength of their pure-magic builds, pulled me up with a series of tugs.
"Nooo… I already did my best earlier…! Can't I take a break now—"
"No way. Nono-chan told you, right? That was just a fill-in slot. It's meaningless if you slack off during the main event. Now get up!"
And with that, I was forcibly dragged from the sofa.
"Alright, take your seat! Now, make sure you provide the demand with plenty of supply."
I was tossed into my predetermined "designated seat"—which was, of all places,
"Hehe… Good work out there. Are you alright?"
"I'm not alright, but… well, I'll do my best…"
None other than the seat next to my master.
Yeah, I get it. I can read the room. Now that the [Sword Saint], who had a change of heart for some reason, has come out into the open… this is the scene everyone wants to see.
The world is probably thinking: Just show us the master and disciple interacting already.
In that case—
"Oh, in that form?"
"Well, if I'm sitting next to you as your disciple, this form is probably better, don't you think…"
It wasn't out of defiance towards the audience who were no doubt enjoying the spectacle, but I nonchalantly reactivated [Trance] in this space where the forced transformation had worn off.
When I offered a weary smile in my familiar form,
"Yes, I suppose so… Both versions of you are adorable, of course, but it's true that I feel more strongly that your original form is 'my disciple.'"
She responded just as naturally with a comment that was difficult to react to, her smile soft and airy.
I have to admit the sight of my master, smiling so naturally as if nothing was wrong, was truly precious. But for me, who had to be concerned about everything, the simple feeling of warmth was instantly overwhelmed by a mix of shame and discomfort.
"Ui-chan is brutal."
"Such a doting master."
"She's really showing off, huh."
The muttered reactions from the usual trio of large and small opposites probably spoke for the other five as well. It's terrifying to even think about the reaction from the venue and the rest of the world.
On top of that, it's somehow even scarier that my 'teacher' herself is acting cooler than anyone. I'd almost be more at ease if she were glaring at me and muttering about mincemeat like usual—
"Alright, now that things have settled down, shall we begin?"
"Yeah. Let's just read a few at random."
As if my gaze meant nothing, Irori, who simply sent a slightly teasing look my way before brushing it off, nodded at Hina-san's voice and shook the box in his hands.
And so, as I had the rather rude thought that this guy looked ridiculously out of place holding festive items like this or the fireworks from that one time, he ignored his junior colleague and…
"The first one is… —Hah."
After a thoroughly infuriating reaction,
"For [Haru the Acrobat]. It says, 'A word for your master, please.'"
"Why?! Not another one of these 'a word for someone' things!"
As he announced the first letter's contents with a genuinely amused expression, I let out a heartfelt groan of 'give me a break' and collapsed onto the table.