kscans

Chapter 440 - The Sky Clears and Time Moves On

Mixed with the sound of water, a light clattering could be heard.

The profile of the girl efficiently washing the dishes was as adorable as ever. However, the self-proclaimed maid knew that behind that prim and proper expression, a whirlwind of unspoken 'complaints' was brewing.

"Oh, come on. Please stop being in a bad mood already."

"What's there to stop? I'm not angry."

It had been a while since the 'incident the other day,' when a mysterious protest in the form of hijacking all the housework began. Although she didn't show it on her face or in her words… the slightly cooler tone than usual was proof that she was sulking.

What a predicament. From the moment she had invited that young man into the mansion, Itsuki had been on the girl's side through and through.

Lying about the girl's father coming home was only to make her tidy herself up so she wouldn't meet the man she loved in a disheveled state.

Shoving the young man—Haru Kasuga—into the room and closing the 'lid' was done out of trust that he would do something about it as he declared, and to cut off her master's escape route… or rather, to give her a little push.

What came after was even more difficult. She had to suppress her boundless curiosity… no, no, her anxiety, and had restrained herself from eavesdropping, behaving herself perfectly.

To be treated so coldly after all that was just too much.

And it was all clearly the fault of 'him,' the one who had swept in and taken everything. Unforgivable Acrobat—well, jokes aside.

"Even though you won't be able to see him for three days, are you planning to go off while you're still fighting?"

"…In the real world, it's only for an hour."

"My, what a lonely thing to say."

She put on a show of mock crying, but it seemed the girl took it as teasing, as she finally began to puff out her cheeks.

I swear, I'm not just teasing her for the fun of it. I'm teasing her seriously because Itsuki's young mistress is too adorable to not tease.

Besides, in the end… she knows that the honest, kind, and sweet girl will always make up with her if she does this.

"There, there. Please give me my daily dose of young-mistress-ness, for I am about to die of loneliness."

"…"

Standing next to her and spreading her arms wide, the girl—Sora—glared at the smiling maid for a good ten seconds, as if to intimidate her, before…

"…H-Hey, no, that's not fair, wait, wait—Honestly, this girl!"

She deliberately worked up a fresh, beautiful lather, piled the pure white 'weapon' onto both hands… and began to chase after her all-too-honest sister, ready to counterattack.

◇◆◇◆◇

"You know, your way of life is just too damn hectic. Just watching you from the sidelines is exhausting, beyond 'fun.'"

How do you manage to stir up one event after another without a break—he said, his words full of complaint, but the amused expression on the crimson artisan's face couldn't be hidden as his hands moved with a speed that belied his relaxed tone.

I have no idea what he's doing, but I can tell it's something technically amazing. Despite the precision of his movements, each motion is so ridiculously fast that staring at it for too long makes my eyes and brain feel like they're glitching.

"Yeah, well… if it were up to me, I would've liked to live a peaceful life, you know."

"Hah, not a chance. You were probably just born under that kind of star—there, done. Try it on again."

"Ah, right. Thanks."

Even as he laughed me off, at this point, even I couldn't argue. I took the proffered item from the workbench and instantly equipped it with my switching skill.

The new outfit, handmade by Nia, was worn by my transfigured body with its flowing white hair. In place of the deep blue of the provisional [Maristake Boots] that had been protecting my feet, there now appeared a brilliant white, perfectly suited for the beautiful, white-haired, blue-eyed girl avatar.

Combined with the half-gloves I was already wearing, the military-uniform-meets-kimono-inspired [Sakura Hanaori] now formed a seamless whole. It was a testament to their incredible coordination.

As always, it was a combination of the main top and bottom, gauntlets, and boots, but I've gotten so used to this style and have never felt it lacking. This set, too, felt 'complete,' bringing a sense of reassurance.

"How is it?"

"Yeah, it's absolutely perfect."

The names are apparently [El-Orte] and [Lupe-Orta]… I still don't get the meaning, but it sounds stylish, so that's fine. The performance is more than enough, so I have no complaints.

Both were based on the leftover feather scraps from when Nia created the [El-Gran Stasia], with the missing parts supplemented by materials from enemies inhabiting the same snowy mountains—

That was the original plan, but after I reported that I had, for one reason or another, defeated Epel after leaving the request with him… he burst out laughing, declared, 'Alright, hand it all over,' and an unscheduled remake was decided.

Even though the completed design could be reused, it must have been quite a death march… but that's Kagura-san for you. He splendidly managed to bring it to completion.

The half-gloves, with more than half of the back of the hand exposed, were my first non-fingerless pair. But I can't feel them at all; it's like I'm a hundred percent barehanded. Yet, the grip is solid, and it feels like I could firmly grasp a sword, a katana, or a blunt weapon.

The boots, perhaps to match Nia's [Sakura Hanaori], are asymmetrical, with one over-the-knee and one below-the-knee. The left, which has the full-leg tights, is below the knee, and the right, which was completely bare, is over-the-knee. The longer one on the left has a somewhat complex double-layered structure, and trying to put it on normally would probably be a struggle. Thank goodness for my switching skill.

With so many asymmetrical elements, you'd think the design would feel disjointed… but the fact that it still fits together perfectly is, once again, a testament to his skill.

Both the gauntlets and the boots are colored a faint, bluish-white derived from Epel. Paired with the outfit, the overall finish is predominantly white.

…You know, I wear a lot of white in this virtual world, don't I? Well, whatever.

"As ordered, I didn't add any extra gimmicks and focused purely on performance. They're made from the materials of a quasi-raid-scale monster, even if it was a field enemy, so they're genuinely top-tier."

"Man, thank you again and again for the death march and everything—… By the way, was this truly adorable fluffy stuff necessary?"

I asked, flicking the fur trim on both my hands and feet with my finger. Kagura-san's reply was, "Nia was being a pain about it."

So we've found the culprit. I'll remember this, you little rascal.

"Well, for now, time's up. Check how they feel over there. If you have any complaints, I'll take your order after it's over. And for that other thing, too."

"Got it—whoa, time's really getting tight… Well then, here's to our mutual success!"

"Yeah, go run wild like you always do."

Well, I probably won't be sticking my nose into any major commotions this time… At any rate, we bumped our outstretched fists as usual, and our farewell was over in a flash.

Exchanging a smile with my personal artisan, I rushed off to my partner's side.

Ten minutes until our meeting time. I could make it if I walked, but if I don't hurry, knowing her—and here they come.

【Nier】 — 'I think it'll be fine, but if you don't show up, I'll cry.'

【Nier】 — 'I'll cry for real, so you'd better be ready.'

"I get it, I get it…!"

Whether she was just anxious or had no faith in me, I let out a wry smile at the endless stream of messages and just ran.

One week after the annihilation of the 'White Throne.'

In other words, today, the day the countdown clock had pointed to. Three and a half years after the service began, Arcadia's first-ever official event—

The stage of the [Starry Paradise], filled to the brim with the unknown, was about to raise its curtain.