kscans

Chapter 518 - Two Pairs Who Know Each Other Well

"—Hey, how's it going?"

"That's my line. And here I thought you were dead drunk just a moment ago."

I called back in response to the steady knock, and the one who entered the room was, as always, a man whose presence was far too immense. Though we weren't that different in height, his body was so large that I almost looked up to him, a physique that still seemed untouched by ‘old age.’

This was the second time we'd met in the real world, the first being last year. However, after two years of interaction in the virtual world, we were long past the point of feeling awkward or tense around each other.

Irori, who had been sitting on the bed fiddling with his phone, gestured toward a chair. Goldow didn't seem to mind the casual treatment, merely glancing over.

"As always, I can never tell if you're a strong drinker or a weak one."

"I'm the type that gets to enjoy it the most, y'know? Get good and drunk, then sober up in a flash."

"You should take better care of your body. You're the one who keeps saying you're not young anymore. Don't come crying to me if your daughter chews you out in front of your juniors again and you lose what little dignity you have left."

"Ain't it a little too late for that?"

"I'm telling you to keep it from getting any worse, General Commander."

A comfortable conversation with someone so much older.

While I didn't mind this atmosphere now, it had thrown me for a loop at first. In the real-world dojo, elders were to be respected without exception, so I found it difficult to act so casually with my seniors.

It wasn't a matter of which was better, just a simple difference in our environments.

"Man, June is still nice and cool. Easy weather, can't complain."

"Don't sleep with your stomach exposed and catch a cold."

"...Irori, are you getting more and more naggy by the day?"

"Well, perhaps it's because the number of people who make me say this and that has increased."

As I said that, a mischievous grin spread across my face, and I sighed internally. A mistake. It seemed the trip had loosened my tongue as well.

"Really, can't complain."

"...And you're getting more and more like an old man with your teasing by the day."

Well, it's not like—

"So? From your perspective, how's he been lately?"

"What's there to say? He's the same as he's always been—an infinitely cheeky and immature junior."

"Kuh... Kahaha! To be acknowledged by the 'Supreme,' draw with the 'Strongest,' and become the key to defeating the 'White Throne'—and now you're gonna cut down the guy who's getting all this attention and praise from around the world? You don't pull any punches."

"I have no intention of giving him an unfair evaluation."

"I know, I know. It just means that in your eyes, you can still see all that room for him to grow—it's only been three months since he entered the virtual world, after all. He really is a monster."

"Even so, I think you tend to overestimate him."

"You think? Well, I'm aware I've got some pretty high hopes for him."

"Just go easy on him so he doesn't break."

"Haru's a lucky guy, blessed with such a kind senior."

"...And I'm telling you to stop with the teasing and that smug grin of yours."

—Just two men of different ages, enjoying a moment like this.

Letting the wind carry them, sharing an honest conversation wasn't so bad.

◇◆◇◆◇

"Oh? Perhaps you're in the mood for a late-night snack?"

"Unfortunately, my stomach is quite full from a certain someone's party course. May I have some tea, please?"

The party was over, the cleanup was done, and after a short rest in my room, my energy was recharged in a flash. It came as no surprise to me that I had returned to the kitchen as if it were the most natural thing in the world—and neither I nor the “comrade” who appeared a few minutes later felt any sense of surprise at our actions.

We’d known each other for three years now, both in reality and in the virtual world. We were used to each other.

"Okay. Iced or hot?"

"Hot, please."

"It's cool this year, isn't it?"

"It's still just the beginning of summer. In fact, we might need to be careful not to let our bodies get too cold."

As she said that, her upward glance was probably for that very reason. As ever, their family ties seemed enviably strong.

"Haha, it seems totally possible he'd sleep with his stomach out and catch a cold."

"...I should probably check on him quietly in the middle of the night, just in case."

"It must be tough having a father who's such a handful."

Being able to make such a rude remark was only possible because of a certain level of trust. There was no need to worry about whether the unspoken words—You all look so happy, I'm envious—were getting through.

—And so, while enjoying the conversation, I rummaged through the cupboards for a while to fulfill her order. From a bewilderingly diverse selection of tea leaves, I chose one at random and poured hot water into the pre-warmed teapot.

After I finished pouring and watched the leaves unfurl, I looked up.

"...Haha."

"Fufu..."

Realizing they were making similar expressions, Uni and Helena exchanged glances and let out soft, relaxed laughs.

"...That's a relief, isn't it?"

"Yes, it truly is."

"Of course, I can't say there isn't some frustration that a newcomer who appeared like a comet snatched him away."

"Yes, it truly is."

"Still, I'm glad. A game is only fun when you have someone to enjoy it with."

"...Yes, it truly is."

Just today, in the span of only a few hours, how many times had they seen her with such a relaxed expression? Thinking back on it, they couldn't stop the smiles from spreading across their faces.

As people who were captivated by her presence, her sword, her very being.

"We've been rewarded. Me, for desperately clinging to the second seat, and you, her right hand, who has supported her all this time—it feels like a weight has finally been lifted from our shoulders."

"I can't say that. We were just the ones who fell for her and dedicated ourselves to her of our own accord."

"It's fine. She knows everything that's in our hearts, thank goodness."

That's why she says it to them, over and over.

Both now that she has changed, and in the past when she couldn't—again and again, she says, "Thank you."

Even though those should be our words to her.

In this day and age, we got to experience a role like 'knights serving a princess,' as if it were a joke. Even if our strength fell short, we did our best, stumbling along the way. Compared to the life I had been casually wasting before I met her, it goes without saying how vividly it colored my world.

We gained a precious experience, a passion, a new color.

The powerlessness and other hardships we'd accumulated over three years seemed to have vanished completely in the face of this bright, clear feeling.

It wasn't for nothing. I will proudly declare that we have reached this place.

"Let's have another toast, shall we? Even if it's just with tea."

"It's modest, but that's nice too. It suits us supporting characters."

He poured the herbal tea into two cups he'd prepared and handed one to Helena. Without clinking their cups, they each gave a small lift—a modest toast—and then...

"...What is this, I wonder?"

"...I'm not sure. It's a flavor I've never tasted before."

At the strange taste of the nameless tea leaves he'd chosen at random, the two of them tilted their heads in unison.