kscans

Chapter 333 - A Distance So Close, Yet Untouchable

"Alright, good night!"

"Good night."

"Yeah, good n—…hey, that was fast."

I let out a wry smile as the two little ones logged out of the virtual world without even waiting for a reply. My hand, which had been raised in a wave, was left hanging awkwardly in the air.

The echoes of their high-tension "Good night" quickly faded, and the Round Table room was filled with silence.

The only reason we moved here was because you can't fully log out from an instanced area like the training grounds. It wasn't as if we were about to move on to the next event—

"We've got stuff tomorrow, too. Let's call it a day."

"Okay…"

My partner seemed to be at her limit, the exhaustion making her drowsy. Once I saw her off to the real world, I'd take care of one last thing and then wrap up for the day.

"It's fine if you log out right here. When you log back in, you should appear in the plaza at the castle entrance."

"I understand…"

Somehow, every word she returned was… fuzzy.

I've only spent a few late nights with Sora, but I don't remember her being this out of it even in the middle of the night on the day of the victory party… Is she sleep-deprived?

She did look sleepy this morning.

"—Whoa! Hey, hey, go back to the real world before you fall asleep. You're a young lady, you know. Don't go acting unseemly… I won't be responsible if that maid of yours scolds you."

She wasn't quite nodding off, but she swayed next to me while rubbing her eyes. I quickly steadied her, my words colored by the memory of that mysterious maid I haven't encountered since.

I heard that Natsume-san is Sora's 'caretaker.' I don't know the specifics of their relationship, but it would be a shame if she got an earful for this.

Even without that, it's better for players to maintain a sense of 'normalcy' as much as possible.

I know the common wisdom is that falling asleep in the virtual world provides a better rest than sleeping in a normal bed in [Arcadia], but…

I've come to realize recently that maintaining a moderate boundary between the real and virtual worlds is important. For us players who travel between the two, leaning too far in either direction can easily throw our minds and bodies out of balance.

"I know… You're the one who shouldn't stay up too late and oversleep, Haru."

"You don't need to worry about me—is what I'd like to say, but I have a bit of a track record."

Well, that aside.

"Sora-san."

"…"

Is something wrong?—I didn't need to say the words. My questioning gaze was met with her averting her eyes, pretending not to notice.

They say many people's hands get warm when they're sleepy, but does that carry over to our avatars in the virtual world?

Because right now, my left pinky finger is feeling quite warm, thanks to a certain someone.

Five seconds, ten seconds of silence passed—

"…Um… I'm sorry. It's not really… anything…"

Sora gently let go of my hand. Her sleepy eyes remained, but her face was troubled as she took half a step back. I was troubled myself, but it seemed we were both wondering what was going on.

Could it be that she was sad to say goodbye? —I might have been able to say that before.

"You worked hard today. Get some good rest, okay?"

"…Okay."

Right now, all I can do is say that in a deliberately calm voice.

I have no intention of changing how I cherish Sora as my partner. And as her fake fiancé, I plan to do everything in my limited power to protect her.

However, it goes without saying that I must not cross the 'line' as before, and from now on, I must be even more careful.

To ensure that the words I direct at my partner do not stray from the bounds of 'trust.'

…Lately, Sora has stopped holding my hand as often. I'm not foolish enough to need confirmation to understand 'why.'

So, this tonight…

"Good night."

"Yeah, good night."

I'll chalk it up to a whim, brought on by her sleepiness.

Right now, I'm sure that's what I should do.

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"—Idiot."

The moment she returned to the real world, that single word escaped her lips as she lay in the darkness.

"Idiot."

Why did I suddenly feel so lonely when we were saying goodbye?

"Idiot."

Was it because we spent the whole day together, more than ever before?

"Idiot."

Even though I'm trying to hold back, why does my hand reach out without thinking?

"…Idiot."

—When I know it will only cause him trouble.

He only touches her when it's necessary for gameplay. And she herself correctly understands that fact. That distance is built on mutual trust.

Needless to say, it's completely different from her, who reaches out in order to touch.

She has to stop being so clingy. She, who has neither the resolve nor the right, can't be so needy with him. It wouldn't be fair to the people who are seriously pursuing a romance with him.

If only she could just commit to being his little sister and indulge herself, but—

"…What is wrong with me?"

She, who can't even commit to that, is a greater mystery to herself than anyone else in the world.

And so, she slapped her leg in a petty tantrum that wasn't quite frustration—and the VR rig, detecting the movement, opened its cover as if to say, "Get out already."

"…It's cold."

The chilly air from the air conditioner brushed against her lightly-clad skin. The girl gave the rig a petulant slap, then immediately bowed her head to the machine and said, "I'm sorry."

She felt utterly ridiculous.

She knows she's still a child, emotionally immature, but her mind isn't simple enough to let herself off the hook with that excuse.

I'll have forgotten by the time I wake up—wishing for such a miracle, Sora threw herself onto the bed and pulled the blankets over her head.

It was an unladylike gesture that would have surely earned her a lecture from Itsuki.

—Ah, good night.

"…………"

She unconsciously recalled the gentle voice she had heard last… and the mere memory made her cheeks soften. She was truly hopeless, she thought with a weary sigh.

"Good night"—whispering to no one in particular, the girl gently closed her eyes.

As her breaths, which faintly disturbed the silent darkness, transitioned into the rhythm of sleep—

It seemed it would take a little longer than usual today as well.