kscans

Chapter 408 - Popularity (On a Global Scale)

"――――Alright, who's next?!"

A wry smile was all I could manage as the voice echoed from the floor below.

It wasn't just exasperation. This feeling was probably a kind of secondhand embarrassment—the kind you get when someone close to you is bathing in an unbelievable amount of attention.

A mixture of a cringey restlessness and an indescribable, heart-pounding elation. It was a bizarre form of self-defense, a way to mask the chaotic emotions I couldn't quite control.

But really, a wry smile wasn't appropriate at all.

With the same brilliant smile I'd seen over and over again in countless videos, she mowed down one undeniable powerhouse after another, right from the front lines. That figure was—

"—Quite dashing, isn't he?"

"Nngh...!"

Feeling as if her heart had been read, the young artisan cleared her throat to cover up a cough. Watching her—Nia's—reaction, Iris just smiled serenely.

This was the first time she'd ever attended a place like this—an 'after-party' for combat players. To be precise, she'd been invited several times before, but this was her first time actually accepting and showing up.

Even though she'd once had her name etched into the Western rankings, she still felt out of place, mingling in a circle of title holders from other factions who were beings from a higher plane.

On top of that, the invitation had come from the [Sword Queen] herself, who was sitting right next to her, which sent her level of trepidation soaring. Ever since receiving the sudden message last night, she hadn't known what to do with herself.

A love rival—that was undeniably true. But at the same time, they were currently allies in a joint front against a certain difficult individual, so getting into a contrived squabble felt... wrong.

Besides, it was impossible. She didn't want to fight with anyone, especially not the famed 'Princess'...

It wasn't a matter of her being on a pedestal so high Nia couldn't even see her. It was because she, who so proudly embodied the 'cherished ideal,' was someone most players felt a pure sense of respect for.

Simply put, if asked if she was a fan, Nia would have no choice but to nod. Most people probably felt the same way—she was just that kind of person, someone you couldn't help but admire unconditionally.

"I know my invitation was sudden, but I hope I haven't put you out."

"Ah, no, not at all, of course not...!"

And that's precisely why it was so hard to deal with her.

While Nia didn't go so far as to worship her, the fact that this person she had no reason to dislike was her love rival... No matter how many times she thought it over, she couldn't quite accept it as reality. To have a rival like that in her very first romance...

"...Formal speech."

"Ah, yes! My apologies..."

"Formal speech."

"Nn-geh...!"

The whole situation was so incredibly difficult, it was making her dizzy.

◇◆◇◆◇

"Hmm... So I guess that's how it is, nyaa."

"From the looks of it."

"...He's got his hands full, doesn't he?"

"You go, Har-kun. What a lady-killer."

At a table just a short distance from the 'duo' who were watching the floor below, the gathered women directed their intrigued gazes and voices toward the presumed maidens in love.

Also present was...

"Ahaha..."

...one partner, who, as usual, was being swarmed by the little red and blue figures, offering a vague smile, unsure how to react.

"Well, considering his position and the amount of attention he gets, it's not strange for him to be popular."

"But a giant killing of this magnitude, and a double kill at that, is unprecedented."

Mi-na and Ri-na were clearly enjoying themselves, but since there was nothing to refute in their statements, no one raised any objections.

As the gazes of the silver and indigo-haired girls, who had been intently watching in the same direction, shifted in unison as if by unspoken agreement... perhaps she sensed their stares through some virtual-world extrasensory perception.

The 'target' of their attention shivered slightly, an uncomfortable and awkward expression on her face.

Yet, as she effortlessly flattened the forty-eighth challenger who saw an opening and charged at her with a foolish blunt weapon, it seemed her concentration was still very much intact.

"I want to support them, but I wonder what the public's reaction will be."

Though Hinayo couldn't deny she was enjoying the spectacle along with the others, she naturally felt a sense of 'worry' at the same time, without contradiction.

And so, to the words she muttered as if to herself...

"Shouldn't be a problem, right?"

...Mi-na answered with an exceedingly carefree voice. And, as if on cue, her partner picked up where she left off.

"Even if people try to stir up trouble, they've picked the wrong target. If she's involved, the flames will be extinguished far faster than they can spread."

"Nyahaha. There are so many fans who'd agree with anything Iris-chan says that all her follower communities are basically at max-level self-policing."

Lux's subsequent agreement was filled with what could only be described as unconditional faith. And to that, Hinayo had no objection.

It all came down to the immense trust placed in the 'Princess' who had achieved world conquest through her unparalleled 'power,' 'talent,' and 'heart.'

She was a figure whom even renowned celebrities from around the globe openly professed to be 'fans' of. While there would undoubtedly be many who would lament her falling in love—

"Yeah, it'll be fine."

Mi-na's lighthearted conclusion said it all.

The cries of sorrow might be vast, but the voices of blessing would surely be even more immense... That much was guaranteed by the sheer popularity the [Sword Queen] had built up.

――――However,

"If it's two of them, he might need to watch his back at night."

"That's true."

"Well, I suppose so..."

"It's tough being a lady-killer."

"Ah, haha..."

Including the other popular girl, there was a high probability that things would get messy in a different way.

---

A full-blown war erupts worldwide between the 'Unforgivable Faction' and the 'If They're Happy, It's Okay Faction.' Since there's no time to deal with such things, the main story will basically ignore it.