kscans

Chapter 519 - Azure Sky

By the time I realized my fatal mistake, it was already too late.

All I could do was look back on the past and pile on the regret. You only truly appreciate something irreplaceable once it's gone, and I could only curse myself for having grown so accustomed to its presence that I mistakenly thought, "It'll always be there."

It's embarrassing to admit, but I won't be able to sleep tonight because of this.

Thanks to the nap I took during the trip, the impending night was a little less daunting than usual, but still... even when I tried to surrender to sleep, my consciousness just wouldn't drop, as if it were snagged on something.

To put it simply, Liliania Vroubèry was in trouble. Why?

—Because she had forgotten her body pillow.

I'd gotten so carried away by the chain of surprise events that I'd forgotten my partner, my companion through literally every single day. It was the blunder of a lifetime. Instead of hemming and hawing about things like, Isn't it embarrassing to bring my own body pillow on a trip? I should have just arranged to have it delivered.

I haven't been able to sleep without it even at home since I was a child, and combined with the triple punch of travel excitement, an unfamiliar ceiling, and an unfamiliar bed, a peaceful night's sleep was a distant hope.

To top it all off, the heart-pounding anxiety stemming from the “confession” that was suddenly dropped during the party earlier meant a sleepless night was all but guaranteed. At this rate, I'm in for a serious lack of sleep in the coming days.

If only the sleepiness debuff from the other day's event could be implemented in the real world.

"...Ugh... hmph..."

No matter how many times I slammed my head into the pillow, it wouldn't be enough to knock myself out—I'm sleepy, yet I can't sleep. What a childish trait.

Brimming with frustration, I considered just storming over to the person I had a crush on, who was probably in the middle of studying. No, but I'd feel bad for interrupting their time together, and while I can't say I don't feel jealous or possessive or any of those other emotions, putting myself in their shoes, I know that time alone together is precious and important and something to be happy about, and as a maiden, I feel like I have to respect that, and I can't help but wonder if that princess is actually being all sweet and clingy right now, and when I imagine that, any thoughts of her as a rival or a competitor are in danger of being blasted away by her radiance and sheer preciousness, I mean, really, what is she, and when she says something like "I like you" straight to my face, it's impossible for me not to like her back, it doesn't make any sense, I've been thinking this for a while but Iris, or rather, Alicia White, doesn't just have the aptitude to be a 'Princess' but a 'Prince' as well—

Knock, knock, knock.

"Hh—!?"

Just as I was pretending to be lost in a swirling, unclear vortex of thought to escape reality, my ears picked up the sound of a modest knock, and my body shot up on the bed.

Without a doubt, it was the door to my room. As expected of a property owned by the White family, the guest rooms were so well-built that I wouldn't mistake the sound for one coming from the next room.

I was about to go to sleep when I remembered I'd forgotten my body pillow and was subsequently dying inside, so I obviously hadn't made any plans with anyone for the night.

If Haru had been free, I might have worked up the courage to make some kind of move... but he was a first-year university student and seemed to be struggling with his studies, so I decided to hold back, at least for the first day.

As for the days to come, I'm not sure if my patience will last, so my plans are undecided. Anyway,

"...?"

—Who could it be? I couldn't call out to ask, so I just slowly opened the door.

Given the group of people here, I wasn't particularly wary, but I was still wondering what I would do if a man other than him was standing there... As I peeked through the tiny gap, I saw that it wasn't someone I'd have to look up at.

"Ah...! U-um, I'm sorry to bother you while you're resting."

She was the only one in our group shorter than me, with a small, delicate frame. The girl, who was four years younger than me—a fact I had to double-check when I first heard her age—spoke clearly, though cautiously.

"Could I have just a little of your time?"

Her beautiful, large, sky-blue eyes blinked as she looked straight at Nia.

◇◆◇◆◇

Come to think of it, we'd only ever exchanged words a handful of times. And most of those few interactions were the kind of harmless exchanges that arise from the positions of 'artisan and customer' during a fitting.

Things like, Is this too tight?, Raise your hands, please, or Excuse me for a moment. At most, that was the extent of it. The times we'd messed around... or rather, the times Nia had one-sidedly messed around with her, were always when her partner was in the same place.

It wasn't that Nia was scared to be one-on-one with her or anything like that; it was more that she was being considerate of Sora.

That's because this girl, from the very first time they met in the virtual world, had always been the same—her expression would change noticeably depending on whether he was by her side or not.

It was so obvious when she was tense and when she wasn't, and I'd been secretly smiling to myself about it for a while now. Haa, how cute. And that feeling hasn't changed, even now that their relationship has clearly shifted.

This younger girl, who was just as cute in person as her avatar... Nia, who was usually the one being doted on, was quite seriously smitten.

"—U-um... R-really, please don't trouble yourself...!"

Come on, now. It'd be tense if we were just sitting face-to-face, right?

A few minutes ago, I had pulled Sora, who had come over with a serious air and said the cutest thing—"I'd like to talk"—into my room and unceremoniously made her sit on the bed.

The girl, fresh from what looked like a shower, had already tidied her properly dried hair... but well, that aside, it'd be rude to call it just fiddling, but it would be easier for both of us if we were doing something.

With the older girl standing behind her, gently combing her beautiful black hair, the younger girl froze with an indescribable expression, a mixture of embarrassment and humility.

Of course, I had gotten her consent, albeit a bit forcefully. This was definitely not sexual harassment.

"...It's shorter in the real world, so I don't think there's much fun in styling it."

It's soooooooooo much fun. I could do this forever.

"F-forever is a bit... As for me, I'd like to try combing your fluffy hair, Nia-san. I've always admired soft-looking long hair."

Oh? But I'm jealous of your silky smooth hair, Sora-chan!

I output my 'words' to the phone I'd placed right next to Sora, and a pleasant exchange unfolded, one that made me grin so much I thought I might be dreaming—but,

"...Um, Nia-san."

Neither of us intended for it to end there, nor did we think it would. Seeing the serious tone that slipped into the pause in our conversation, Nia silently stroked the girl's hair, prompting her to continue.

"...About, um... about how things are now. I won't apologize. I want to say I'm sorry, but I don't think this is something I should apologize for, so I won't."

I just listen.

"The result was that I ended up stirring things up... and even though you looked like you didn't mind me, it ended up like this anyway."

To the inner thoughts she painstakingly weaves.

"I'm a child... I don't want to say this, but compared to you, Haru, and Iris-san, I really am just a child who only thinks about herself."

And I marvel at how her exposed voice holds not a single shred of fear.

"But still... I— —I love Haru."

"..."

The girl's eyes as she turned to face me were a perfectly clear, radiant sky-blue.

"So, um... It's very late, but please, forgive me."

Her innocent, embarrassed smile was, as always—unchanged from the first time I saw them standing together—so perfectly suited to him.

...And for that very reason,

Hmmmm, what should I do?????

"Ah, au... U-um, I know this is really late to be bringing this up, but...!"

I mean, Sora-chan, you're just too much of a formidable rival in so many ways, you know? If we're talking forgiving or not, there's no way I can forgive you—you're super cute, you're his partner, and you're younger than him!

I can't exactly welcome her entry into this rivalry with open arms, but.

"S-super...? Um, does being younger have anything to do with it? Personally, I feel like it's more of a debuff..."

Hmm? Well, that guy has a soft spot for younger girls, doesn't he?

"From my perspective, it seems like he's weaker to older women...?"

Oh, right. Maybe he's not weak to younger girls in general, just to you, Sora-chan.

"If anything, I feel like I'm the one who's weaker to Haru..."

Yep, no good, can't forgive you. Sora-chan, you're breaking the rules! You're strong in every way! In fact, it's not like this is late or anything; I've had you pegged as my strongest rival from the very beginning!

"Hh—! E-eh, eeeeeh...!?"

As a friend whose relationship is still new—and as a friend I hope to deepen that relationship with from now on. As a substitute for a blessing, I pulled her small body into a tight hug.

It would be a lie to say I wasn't happy that the heart of my cute, cute junior player was now clear.

...Well, that was the official reason.

Ah, no good. Sora-chan, sorry, I know this is sudden, but can I offer you the role of body pillow?

"Eh? H-huh? Wha—? Wh-what is it? Body pillo—wha!? Um, w-wait, what's with the sudden—!? What are you going to do to me!?"

I'm not going to do anything, so don't worry. Just lie next to me for a bit, that's all.

"Um, we've basically just met! Me! I don't know what you're suddenly talking about, but sleeping next to you all of a sudden is a little scar... Nia-san, you're strong...!?"

Fundamentally, Nia, a lover of cute things, had been exposed to the girl's cuteness one-on-one and couldn't take it anymore—combined with her lingering sleepiness, she had simply gone berserk.