kscans

Chapter 315 - Confirming Normal Operation

The morning after a soul-crushing sandbag experience where I was beaten to a pulp by a gaming princess, an experience that cannot be recounted without tears.

With no time to savor the freedom of the weekend, I booted up [Arcadia] and dove into the virtual world. The safe area was bustling with players, even this early in the morning.

If it was like this in the corner of town where I was headed for our meetup, I could only imagine what the central area was like. As expected of the other world rumored to 'never drop below a seven-digit concurrent player count.'

It was exactly 7:00 AM real time. I wonder what the ratio of early risers to all-nighters was.

"—...Nn, fwaah."

As I was vaguely watching the flow of players, an utterly adorable voice reached my ears from beside me—my partner was letting out a delicate yawn.

So cute. The cheap pride I'd held as a light gamer had been shattered, and now a high-purity dose of 'healing' was seeping into my freshly wounded heart.

"It's been a while since we've started this early."

In any case, if she noticed me staring, I'd get an earful for sure. I averted my gaze and spoke.

"It's been a while, and it's also a first. To decide on a whole day and go on an adventure, I mean."

Sora replied in a tone that was somehow more 'dazed' than usual.

Are you sleepy? The cuteness overload is killing me. Should I fire off a wake-up [Rocket] for you?

"I'm looking forward to it."

As she said that, a heart-melting smile bloomed on her face, and I died a noble death.

I was struck by the selfish interpretation that this might be one of those 'too excited for the field trip to sleep' situations, which doubled the damage—

"Ehehe..."

Ah, she seems to be in a wonderful mood, so whatever. I guess it's fine.

Worst case, Sora-san can take a nap while we're 'on the move'... but wait, does sleeping in the virtual world even count as sleep?

Seeing people like Genkotsu-san, it seems possible to sleep, but—

"Nn, ah—I-I'm sorry, I was a little out of it...!"

Then, as if she had just realized it, Sora's voice gained a core of clarity as she lightly patted her own cheeks.

She must have been aware that she was acting a bit strange. The girl tried to hide her embarrassment, gently kneading her slightly flushed cheeks.

What is this?

Are we doing a 'cute-only' broadcast today???

In all likelihood, the casualties this time might not be limited to just me, so I humbly suggest that she refrain—

"Oof."

"Stop thinking weird things... and, um, please get in between them, okay?"

Despite the fact that I was definitely not making a goofy face, Sora, who had already read my foolish thoughts as if it were a matter of course, poked me in the side.

Landing a clean hit with her slender fingertips, the girl looked at me with an anxious expression, as if to impress the point upon me.

"I know, it's fine. The three of them—"

Wait, I don't really know one of them.

"...I don't know Tomo, but you don't need to worry about the two guys."

"Um, you know. From a normal person's perspective, anyone with a rank is—..."

With a smug look, I pointed to myself, cutting off her predictable, hesitant words.

My unspoken message of 'If you're going to say that, I have a rank too' was met with, unfortunately, only a deadpan stare.

Jokes aside, and not to mention whether the 'young lady of the Yotsuya family' is a normal person or not... I really don't think she needs to worry about things like status.

Why? Because, reluctantly, in the current Arcadia—

—It's the Acrobat.

—Crown.

—The Acrobat is here.

—The girl next to him is that one...

—His rumored partner, huh?

...As the voices of the passing players reached my ears, Sora, too, was no longer just a 'regular player.'

It all started with the victory celebration that served as her 'debut.' Since then, she's been by my side, constantly in the spotlight, so it was only natural.

She's already recognized by countless players, and rumors about her circulate online day and night, cementing her identity as 'the Acrobat's partner.'

To this fact, I have only one thing to say.

"Sorry."

Even though I know it's unnecessary, I can't help but say it.

Every player in this world has passed [Arcadia]'s screening process.

They possess a certain level of morals, so we won't be subjected to the kind of tactless stares you'd give a spectacle—but it's a fact that we'll inevitably draw attention.

It can't be helped that people will look.

If you see a 'famous person,' it's natural to make them a topic of conversation with the person next to you.

It's something you just have to accept, the price of fame—however, it's obvious that Sora is not comfortable with that kind of thing...

Well, what's obvious is—

"It's mutual, you know."

—the reply that comes back, of course.

Her hands, which had hovered in the air for a moment, unsure of where to go, were clasped behind her back.

Maintaining a distance of half a step, my partner smiles serenely beside me.

It's nothing complicated.

To fulfill the promise we made that day to 'protect each other.' It was she herself, and no one else, who chose to be by my side—

"..............................Hey, you think they're dating?"

"I don't know... maybe... I'd say it's about eighty percent?"

"The atmosphere is INCREDIBLY good, isn't it?! This early in the morning...!"

""—...""

Three presences, three figures, three unreserved stares and three unconcealed voices.

This is beyond a mere blunder. Why didn't I notice them when they were right in front of me?

—Why didn't I, and why didn't Sora, notice until they were this close...!!

My body stiffened, then began to tremble, and finally—or rather, lastly, my partner began to emit 'smoke.' With a heavy heart, I tore my gaze away from her... and slowly turned to face forward.

It's not like we were exchanging those kinds of words. However, looking back, I can't deny that we might have been creating a certain kind of atmosphere—

An exasperated face.

A troubled face.

And a smile sparkling with curiosity.

Seeing those easily predictable expressions, I felt a cold sweat break out along with my embarrassment.

"Ah, you finally noticed—Yo, Haru! It's been since the Four Pillar War!"

"Haha... It's been a while."

"Hey there! Good morning!"

Tiger☆Luc—I mean, Torakichi, Maru II, and Rinne... -san? -chan?

The faces of the 'enemy' I had various run-ins with during the 10th Four Pillar War, where I, the [Acrobat], made my debut—the trio of rank-holders from the Northern Faction, Nortalia.

The members who had agreed to join our party for today's 'expedition,' a lineup that was luxurious, or rather, overpowered... And the very first thing I did, even before greeting them, was—

"— Please forget what you saw! ...!!"

—with a desperate plea, I bowed my head at a speed only my agility stat would allow.

And in the meantime, the other person—

"It's not... It's not like that... It's not!"

—was frantically flustered, trying to convey to these new acquaintances that it was all a misunderstanding.