kscans

Chapter 169 - Dress Up

“You seem to be in a good mood, Haruka-kun.”

It was the fifth day since my university life and training had begun. During lunch, I was crashing with what I called the Toyama group, who had quickly gotten used to me—though, looking at the group’s overall dynamic, it was more like the Ashiwara group. The four of them, anyway.

It wasn’t like we had assigned seats, but Kaede, who naturally ended up next to me every day, was the one to point it out.

“Ah, yeah, just a little.”

Toshiki and Mizuki were exchanging thoughts over an open notebook, likely having had some ideas about the lecture. To my side, Shoko poked at her dessert while watching them. Ignoring them, I turned to the eyes peering at me from the side and replied, “It’s nothing major.”

I’d gotten a grasp of everyone’s personalities over the last few days, and Kaede was slightly—just a tiny bit—similar to Sora.

The way she’d blink her large eyes and peer into my face like this… and how, probably unconsciously, she’d get a little too close when she did.

Also, she’s probably a rich girl. Her posture, her subtle mannerisms, and the way she’s always observing her surroundings, never failing to be considerate… Her good upbringing was plain to see.

She was bound to be popular during her time at university. As evidenced by the occasional glances from the guys around us, she was a cute girl, after all.

—If this were before I had spent so much time interacting with fantasy beauties and bombshells in a virtual world, I might have fallen for her in an instant, just like any of those other guys.

Yeah… the Sword Saint’s lap pillow was a weapon of mass destruction.

“What is it, what is it? Is it something I can hear about?”

“Hmm? Uh…”

Of course, I was keeping the fact that I was a user of [Arcadia]—a ‘player,’ as the world called it—a secret. So I couldn’t just give a simple “Of course.” Instead, I offered the polite smile I’d perfected at my part-time job.

Things would have been different before I joined the ranks, but I’d stumbled my way into the lowest seat among the top players who were now being hyped up even in the real world.

I had no intention of revealing anything that would connect Haruka Nozomi to [Haru], especially not while pretending to be a regular person—besides, I wasn’t the type to go around bragging, “I’m an Arcadia player!”

I’m well aware that in the real world, my sober personality leans toward the introverted side.

“How should I put it… Ah, right. It’s like, an o-r-d-e-r-m-a-d-e o-u-t-f-i-t i-s a-r-r-i-v-i-n-g, you know?”

Still, I could stay in the flow of conversation without revealing it was about the virtual world. As I smoothly uttered the not-quite-a-lie, Kaede gave me a surprised look, as if to say, “Huh.”

“You’re surprisingly into fashion, Haruka-kun. Do you get all dressed up and head out on the town on your days off?”

“Huh…? Ah, no, it’s nothing that impressive.”

That part was a lie.

Not only was it “impressive,” but it also wasn’t “mine,” nor was it “arriving.”

“I see… Hey, let me know when you really have some free time, okay? We’ve finally gotten to know each other, so I’d like to hang out outside of university, too.”

It wasn't that she'd lost interest, but perhaps the word “holiday” that she’d just used had steered her thoughts. She was pressing me with the same confirmation for what felt like the dozenth time, and I just smiled back, “I know, I know.”

Currently, due to the hectic pace of the virtual world, I’d been constantly turning down the four of them, but I had promised them I’d have free time after April.

I was looking forward to it myself. It felt like something out of a coming-of-age story, and what’s not to like about that?

◇◆◇◆◇

—Now, that aside…!!

◇ [Harunia] Talk Room ◇

[Haru]: Yo!

[Haru]: It's a fine day today, how's everyone doing!!

[Nier]: …………

[Nier]: What's with that energy. It's so different from usual it's kinda creeping me out

[Haru]: What do you mean, what's with it?

[Haru]: You're partly to blame for getting my hopes up so much. You'd better take responsibility.

[Nier]: Yeah, I get it, but still…

[Nier]: You're pissing me off. I'm gonna smack you one when I see you.

[Haru]: Why???

[Haru]: Anyway… it's done, right?

[Nier]: Heheh, of course.

[Nier]: You can get your hopes up even higher. I'll meet them two hundred percent.

[Haru]: A god was here among us…

[Haru]: Lady Nia the Divine.

[Haru]: Should I bring an offering or something?

[Nier]: You're really starting to piss me off. Three smacks now.

[Haru]: But why???

[Haru]: By the way.

[Haru]: ‘Harunia’ kinda sounds like ‘hernia’.

[Nier]:

[Nier]: SHUUUUUT UUUUUUP, IDIOT!!!!!

◇◆◇◆◇

“—One customer, comin’ right up!!”

“Wh-wha…!? What, wha… what is this…!?”

“I told you!! Stop bursting in like that!!”

Friday, for about an hour starting at 5 p.m.

I was lying in wait for Sora-san’s regular login time, since her real life was busy but she could pop in for a bit. The moment she appeared, I practically kidnapped my partner and delivered her to Nia’s Atelier.

I entrusted Sora, who was staring wide-eyed at Nia as the artisan smacked me three times as promised, to her care. Then, not wanting to get in the way of the fitting, this guy made a swift exit.

And then—

“—————————………………”

“—!?……?…………!?!?!??”

“I’m frightened by my own talent…”

After waiting for the master’s permission, I once again set foot in the atelier of the jewel crafter—no, the divine tailor. There, I came face-to-face with a literal ‘angel.’

It was, for all intents and purposes, a dress of the sky.

The main body was a magnificent gradient of pure white to sky blue, flowing from the sleeveless top down to the flared skirt. The hem of the knee-length skirt, which billowed out softly, was adorned with decorations reminiscent of the ‘feathers’ it was made from, and the tantalizingly sheer fabric offered a glimpse of her slender legs.

Draped over her shoulders was a short cape of a blue deeper than the skirt. Its texture was slightly different from the dress itself, and it seemed to glitter faintly depending on the angle.

The contrast between the red and blue—while stark—was a color scheme that perfectly complemented the [Crimson Rabbit Choker] sparkling at her neck. It was flawless.

Every last detail, from the intricate decorations to the overall design, was so exceptional it could only be described as “Nia-chan is the best,” leaving me with no other words. But Kagura-san had also done some unexpectedly amazing work.

Clad in her new outfit, the girl’s hands and feet were protected by the [Meteor Serpent] series. The materials were the same as mine, but they had taken on a completely different form.

Crafted from a fabric of deep navy blue dotted with white specks, like stars scattered across the night sky, were a pair of dress gloves that reached her upper arms and a pair of lace-up long boots.

The boots, while different in shape, were as sturdily made as my own deep boots.

Yet, they didn’t clash with the soft, airy impression of the main dress. In fact, the solid foundation they provided at her feet seemed to accentuate the charm of the dress even further.

But the gloves were what truly deserved special mention. As per Sora-san’s request, the fingers were open—a fingerless style that hooked around the middle finger. From there, the color traced a delicate gradient up her arms, from navy to sky blue, and finally to pure white, like the transition to dawn.

And as a final touch, the [Floating Meteor Fragment]s adorning the tops of both the gloves and boots had been polished to a brilliant shine, transformed into teardrop jewels that cast a gentle, subdued glow.

Kagura-san is incredible… I had no idea he had such delicate skills…!!

Of course, Nia too… no, they were both gods. Through the divine work of these two masters, the very incarnation of cute had manifested here—!!

““So damn cute—…!!””

Nia and I spoke the exact same words in perfect sync, our hands clasped near our mouths in a pose of reverence. Unlike Nia, I was probably making a pretty creepy face, but at this moment, I didn’t have the capacity to care.

Sora-san, still in a state of confusion, was fussing over her exposed shoulders, the openings at her sides, and her knees that peeked out with every sway of the skirt. She was so cute that it was game over. I have no regrets in this life…

“U-um… Um…! What, is… th-this…!!”

I collapsed onto the sofa as if in a daze, and Nia, drawn in by the same force, hugged Sora from behind as if it were her birthright.

Sora, being held like a doll and at the mercy of one of the artisans who had crafted this surprise new outfit, could only sink deeper into confusion.

As she looked back and forth between us, the ones who had unilaterally orchestrated this and then been knocked out by the result, the victim (our guest) could only panic, unable to even form a complete sentence.