Chapter 791 - From My Home to My Home, and Then to My Home
“—Ah.”
“—Oh.”
After about an hour of keeping them company, I left the faction headquarters and returned to my familiar home—the clan home. As the dazzling light of the teleport faded, I bumped into a familiar face.
I was just thinking that we might miss each other again today, just like yesterday. I was debating whether I should call her again, wondering if calling two days in a row would be too clingy.
Whether or not her special training with the one they call [Screen] was finished, it seemed my partner had returned before me… The moment she saw my face, a sound escaped her lips and her expression instantly brightened.
It looked like she was trying to keep her cheeks from breaking into a soft smile.
Then, she shot me a look. Was it aimed at her own face for betraying her, or was it aimed at me for making her face do that?
Despite looking happy, there was a hint of a pout, as if she were slightly displeased. With that adorably complex expression on her face, she trotted over and—
“Oof…”
—delivered a critical hit, pitting her forehead right into my solar plexus.
Of course, dodging was not an option. So as I braced for the negligible impact with a bashful, wry smile… a few seconds passed.
“…Good evening.”
She must have successfully composed herself. She pulled away slightly, but from point-blank range, she offered a greeting with her lethal upward glance—whether she was aware of its power or not was debatable.
“Hey, good evening. How’d it go on your end?”
By now, I’m used to such deadly moves. If I let myself get taken out by every little thing, I’d run out of lives in no time, so it’s best to either brush it off or endure it.
And so, I tried to sound as casual as possible as I let my hand fall onto the top of her golden head and changed the subject.
“It was tough, but she was kind. I learned a great deal.”
The innocent girl accepts everything with innocence. My hand, my smile, my words—she sees right through it all and entrusts herself to me anyway.
She’s really something.
“Well then, I’ll be looking forward to seeing you shine tomorrow.”
“Hee hee…”
Just a light pat on the head is all it takes to get this reaction. She really is something else.
And then, after what felt like less than a few minutes…
“Oh? Are you good already?”
“Mmm… Don’t make me sound like a clingy kid.”
You kind of are one, though, I thought, but kept it to myself. Understanding Sora’s intention as she finally pulled away completely, I asked the question, and she replied with a smile that contained a hint of bravado.
“Let’s do our best tomorrow.”
“Yeah. It’s a race to see who gets MVP.”
I had already told Sora about my plans for later tonight. In situations like this, my partner is the type to be wonderfully understanding and not make a fuss.
“Well then… goodnight, Haru.”
“Mm. Goodnight, Sora.”
I don’t need to worry about making her put up with anything. Our trust in each other is more than sufficient, right down to the part where she’ll demand I make it up to her later.
So we exchanged a simple goodnight, and just as simply, we passed each other.
“…?”
Wait, isn’t she going to log out in her own room? The thought struck me a moment too late.
“—Hah!”
“Whoa—!?”
She made a move as if to touch the front door, which also functions as a transfer gate, then launched a surprise attack. A light weight slammed into my back as she hugged me with all her might, and I couldn't help but cry out in surprise.
“…You’ve gotten mischievous, haven’t you?”
But when I turned around, all that remained was the blue afterglow of a teleport. Wherever she went, I’m sure Sora was feeling quite pleased with her successful prank.
What is this? Is my partner just too damn cute? As that thought bubbled up, I composed my slightly flustered emotions and headed for my destination.
Not to my own room, but to the room of a certain clan member.
And so, I approached the door with a nameplate that read [Ui] in unbelievably masterful cursive, and without knocking, I opened it without hesitation…
“Man… I’m not used to this.”
Spread out before me was a familiar scene.
A bamboo grove, rustling leaves, the sound of a gentle breeze. Amidst this purely Japanese-style setting was a slightly out-of-place Western-style cottage—the ‘entrance’ I had just come through, which had been newly added.
Other than that, this was the same as always: my master's castle.
As for what was going on, it was the result of her doing whatever she pleased.
[Rear Truffles, Secret Key of the Divine Hall Loving the Outer Heavens]—this was her Terror Armament, the one that had left even the [Sword Queen] dumbfounded. It was a setup where its unique domain had been connected to the other-dimensional space that is our clan home.
I don’t understand it at all, but it can’t be helped. Just like with Anima, it’s generally impossible for anyone but the owner to truly understand the unique equipment in this world.
In fact, with so many items out there that even their owners don’t fully comprehend, it’s probably healthier to just throw understanding to the wind and vaguely accept it… oh.
My eyes met a pair of gray ones, belonging to someone sitting on the veranda a short distance away.
And at the same time…
“Ooh…?”
A completely unexpected sight jumped out at me, and a confused sound escaped my lips. It wasn't that the scene itself was strange, but…
It was certainly a rare sight.
“Good evening…?”
Given the situation, I kept my voice low as I approached. In response—my master, who had a small girl resting on her lap, smiled softly and returned the greeting.
“Good evening. She’s already asleep, so you don’t have to whisper.”
“Oh, I see.”
She’s asleep, so there’s no need to worry about being loud. In the context of this virtual world, that meant her consciousness had already departed from her body.
Her light beige hair was splayed out, her eyelids were closed, and her chest rose and fell with quiet, steady breaths. Ri-na looked for all the world like she was simply alive and sleeping, but this is what logging out outside of a safe zone in Arcadia looked like.
Technically, Ui-san’s domain is considered a ‘safe zone,’ but due to its various special properties, logging out here leaves the body behind… which is why this happens.
“…So, what’s up?”
“Hee hee… I wonder.”
Incidentally, if anyone were to try anything untoward with a player sleeping in this domain, divine punishment would be dealt by the domain itself. The security features are top-notch.
Putting that aside, let’s talk about our guest. [Yueltemis, Cradle of the Divine Hall], now connected to our ‘home,’ should be systemically part of the clan home, but it's possible to invite outsiders using a member's authority, just as we invited Natsume-senpai the other day.
So there’s nothing strange about Ri-na being here. The question is why. Did Ui-san bring her, or did she tag along…?
“…”
Well, I guess it doesn’t really matter. An avatar without a consciousness is now truly no different from a doll, but there must have been a harmonious and peaceful scene leading up to this.
A man shouldn’t be so boorish as to pry. Better to stay quiet and appreciate the sacredness of the moment.