Chapter 986 - side.girls: Sora
"—…Mm."
Stirred by the distinctly different environment, I opened my eyes.
The warmth of the futon was pleasant, and the morning air was slightly cool against my skin. The air felt clear, not just in my imagination, likely because of the mountains and sparse population. I quietly breathed it in.
"…, ………………"
Sora took in the scene before her—not the unfamiliar ceiling, but something else.
At almost zero distance, Nia’s stunningly beautiful face was slightly contorted as if in an uncomfortable sleep. Carefully, carefully, trying to muffle any sound, Sora shifted her body away from her.
And so, she successfully returned to her own cold, empty futon. Mission complete. With the weight lifted, Nia’s peaceful sleeping face returned. Confirming that she hadn't been noticed, Sora let out a breath—and a few seconds later.
"You're quite unrestrained when you're sleeping."
"Ugh…!"
A cool voice, perfectly suited to the chilly morning, came from behind her. Despite her body temperature having dropped from the cold futon, her cheeks flushed with heat.
When she turned around,
"Good morning."
"…Good morning."
Following Nia, it was another breathtaking sight to wake up to.
Her pure white hair sparkled in the morning sun streaming through the window. Behind the plain white curtains, her garnet eyes shone—a beauty that, no matter how many times I saw it, seemed unreal. She smiled, her casual sleepwear oddly suiting her perfectly.
And so, having exchanged greetings, there was only one thing to do.
"P-Please… keep this a secret, okay?"
Though better than I used to be, I pleaded with her to keep the top-secret information about my less-than-ladylike sleeping posture to herself.
It was obvious who I was asking.
"Fufu… I'd think your maid has already leaked it, though."
"Itsuki-san is Itsuki-san, so it's fine, and Haru only half-listens to her anyway…! But if you say it, Iris-san, I won't be able to deny it at all…!"
"I'm glad to see how much you trust me."
Beside her already folded futon, Iris sat on a cushion, a brush in hand as if she had been tending to her hair, and played with her words teasingly.
When we first started interacting, I was surprised that she was 'this kind of person,' but now, I find no sense of incongruity in the rich emotional expressions that come from her placid face.
She's incredibly reliable, her very presence a source of comfort, so beautiful it's hard to approach… but in truth, she's an irresistibly cute older woman.
One of the people Sora admires.
"Nia… let's let her sleep a little longer, shall we?"
That woman shifted her gaze, her eyes—filled with the same color of affection she had shown Sora, which made me blush—reflecting Nia's sleeping face. She smiled gently again.
Then she looked back at Sora and beckoned.
"Come here."
"Huh?"
"Your hair. I'll brush it for you."
"Huh… eh, um………………"
And then, pat, pat. She patted the cushion she had prepared in front of her.
This devastatingly powerful gesture, which would be overwhelming regardless of whether it was directed at the same or opposite sex, was thrown at me right after waking up. Sora hesitated between obeying and declining.
"………………P-Please."
"Come on over."
The time it took for temptation to overpower shyness was a mere three seconds.
◇◆◇◆◇
"Alright, as planned, I'm heading out for a bit."
"Have a good time!"
"Mm, be careful."
Past the early morning, around eight o'clock. A while after the six of us had breakfast, continuing from last night's dinner, Haru announced his intention to go out as he had previously shared.
Apparently, he was going to show his face to some people who had helped him in high school and were worried about his current situation. It seemed like a very fitting errand for someone back in their hometown.
"Haru."
"Yeah?"
He seemed a little different from usual. Was it just because he was back home… or was there something more? It's not like I try to see through his every thought all the time, so I couldn't read his inner feelings completely.
Besides,
"Have a safe trip."
"Yeah. I'll be back."
He seemed to be in a good mood, that much was certain. So, with no intention of prying, I sent him off with a smile. My partner grinned back and left the house.
—And so, what were the five of us who remained to do?
"Well then. Shall we… honey?"
"Yes, yes… Uh, well. I was thinking of starting some baking, so if anyone's interested—ah, yes. In that case, Lilia-san, could you help me?"
His mother nudged him with her elbow, his father proposed a plan, and Nia enthusiastically raised her hand in response… Just like yesterday, it was time for the second day of our get-together.
It seemed they had hit it off over a shared 'hobby' that was a bit too complex for Sora to understand. His father, who had been trying to maintain a calm demeanor, seemed less tense around Nia.
"What are we making?"
"All sorts of things. I'll try to make a variety, at least, to entertain you three young ladies."
Though there was still a slight awkwardness between them… considering they had only known each other for about half a day, they entered the kitchen with a surprising degree of familiarity.
Putting aside the coincidence of their shared hobby, that was her strength.
She can be friendly and approachable to anyone if she chooses to be. It's a skill that not only Sora, but also Iris, lacks. It's something to be envious of.
—And so, three of us remained.
I glanced to my side and saw the garnet eyes looking back at Sora.
"…—Mother."
"Oh, what is it?"
Iris spoke first.
"I have some messages to send, so I'll be excusing myself to the guest room for a little while."
"Oh my. You really don't have to worry about us, but………… uh, well… Are you sure? Could it be that you pushed yourself to come here despite being incredibly busy?"
"Not at all. It's something like a daily routine for me."
"That sounds so cool… It's not a particularly special turn of phrase, but coming from you, it's amazing."
She spoke, and just like that, the conversation flowed smoothly, punctuated by a single smile.
"I'll be down in about an hour."
Iris, also known as Alicia White, also known as the proud Sword Queen of the virtual world, disappeared upstairs, exuding a genuine air of composure that was undoubtedly the most profound among the six of us.
""………………""
—And so, the remaining two of us.
"Hmm… Sora-chan?"
"Y-Yes!"
"The 'what should we do now?' I can propose has two options. We can join the baking, or we can talk about that 'princess-prince' over there. She's definitely more handsome than Haru, that girl."
"…Ah, haha."
She, too, had become quite friendly with his mother on the first day, just like his father and Nia. So, Sora laughed and brushed off his mother's half-serious, half-joking comment—
"…Um, Mother…"
"Yes?"
"I heard that you're a teacher of flower arrangement…"
"Ah, yes, that's right. …I have lots of photos if you'd like to see?"
"Yes, I'd love to see them!"
There was only one option: dive in.
When it comes to getting to know the 'family' of someone important, there's no time to be timid.
The top-tier handsome people in Arcadia are the Princess and the Mother.