kscans

Chapter 530 - The Lady-in-Waiting

—And so, an hour after Helena-san and I happened to encounter each other on the beach.

"Ah, yes, that's it. That's exactly it. He always, always deliberately pretends to be spontaneous, and even though his mind is sharp, he plays the part of a carefree fool."

"Ah, well, that's just his role-playing, isn't it? The gap between when he's joking and when he's serious is just too wide… It's not quite 'playing the fool,' but something similar."

"It's a bad habit he's had since before he ever set foot in the virtual world. The face he shows in his private life and at work are like two different people. He's always been like that… When I was a child, I never would have dreamed that my father was an adult in a responsible position, like the head of a corporation."

"Hahaha… you mean he was even worse when it was just family?"

"Even worse. What little dignity he had was shattered into a thousand pieces."

"Oh, Goldow…"

—And so on.

For some reason, we clicked in a strange way, and neither of us could stop talking. Right now, the topic of 'a daughter's complaints about her father' was in full swing, but it's not like we'd been on this one subject the whole time.

We talked about me, we talked about her, we talked about someone else… for some reason, the conversation never stopped, and there was no end in sight.

It was already the middle of the night. I knew I should probably head back and get some sleep, but…

"Still, it's a strange coincidence… or perhaps that's an overstatement. It's possible that my father and yours may have crossed paths at work somewhere."

"Nah… they're in the same industry, but the scale and positions are too different. It's probably not possible."

Now the conversation had shifted to the common ground between our fathers, and once again, it seemed set to continue. This time it was Helena-san who brought it up, but in terms of who started the next topic, she and I were about even.

It wasn't quite that we 'got along,' but what was it?

For the record, the common point between Helena-san's father, Goldow, and my father, Haruka Ayumu, is that they're both 'involved in construction-related work.'

However, while my father is an architect at a small-to-medium-sized company, Goldow was apparently the former head of one of the top five companies in the country. We're talking completely different levels.

My father is an ordinary corporate warrior, incomparable to Helena-san, who for a time worked as his secretary. If they were spoken of in the same breath, my flea-sized heart would probably burst.

Of course, as his son, I genuinely respect my father. A working man's back is a cool sight to behold.

—And for some reason, my unusually loose tongue had even let that slip. As expected, she gave me a fond look, but I suppose it didn't matter.

"You respect your father. Does that mean you're interested in his work as well?"

"Nah… not really. I respect my mother too, you know."

"Then, is it flowers?"

"If I nodded now, you'd think I was joking, wouldn't you?"

The question she threw into the conversation was, in a sense, the kind that touched upon the worries of a university student. I dodged her second, likely joking, query with a jest of my own and was rewarded with a soft smile.

The 'flowers' she mentioned referred to flower arrangement. That's the work of my mother, Haruka Rin.

Honestly, I've never had more than a 'parent's job' level of interest in either of them. In fact, to begin with…

"It's embarrassing to say, but I've never seriously thought about my future career path."

In middle school, I was a nervous wreck. In high school, it was that whole thing. And now, my university life is this. What was the 'dream for the future' I wrote about back in elementary school?

I feel like it was something about wanting to be like 'someone,' but I've forgotten.

"Realistically, what do you think? At this point, the idea of leaving the virtual world and becoming an ordinary nobody… honestly, it feels like that's not really possible anymore…"

I'm not going to get all sentimental now, and besides, looking back on all that won't shake my now-stable mental state.

It must have been my imagination that Helena-san was silently watching me for a few seconds.

"…You're right. We have already become 'somebodies,' recognized by ourselves and others. I wouldn't call it boring, but unlike the real world with its limited colors—we exist in a virtual world overflowing with vivid hues."

In my case, it's Yotsuya Development, but the practical financial reasons provided by massive backers like sponsors and contracted companies, coupled with the mental fulfillment that comes from continued success in that world—these two reasons are gradually changing my heart.

Even if we rankers are exceptionally special, the change that Arcadia, the other world created by Arcadia, has brought to the human condition is immense.

There must be countless people, including myself, who feel they can't go back.

"I'm the same. Just between us… there are nights when I can't sleep, wondering what will happen when this 'dream' comes to an end."

"…I see. So, I take it tonight was one of those nights?"

"Well, who can say?"

She feigned ignorance, but she probably had no intention of hiding it. With a somewhat lonely expression and a sad droop of her eyebrows, the Lady-in-Waiting—looked nothing like that 'Queen,' and…

For some reason, without hesitation, I opened my mouth to address the sense of unease I'd been feeling for a while, without thinking it rude or disrespectful.

"…The Southern Faction's strategist and the 'Princess's' right hand, the 'Queen'—by any chance, is that a title you gave yourself, Helena-san?"

"…"

"Of course, I'm talking about the stage before it was recognized by others and became a nickname… not that you announced it yourself, but more like you intentionally spread the moniker."

The serene black eyes stared at me. We held each other's gaze for a few seconds without blinking, the gentle sound of the waves as our BGM—then, a sigh. And then, a smile.

"You have the face of an ordinary boy, but you are a frightening person."

"I'm not scary, I'm just a harmless younger guy."

After another joke, Helena-san suddenly sat down right there on the sand. It would be tactless to say anything about her clothes getting sandy.

"Why… is it even necessary to ask?"

She waited for me to sit down as well, as if to say 'might as well,' and then posed her question. It felt presumptuous to start spouting my theories with a smug look right after being called scary, but…

If I was going to hesitate, the time for that was long past.

"Well… for one, the real-world Helena-san is quiet, but you have a soft atmosphere and a sense of humor; you're a kind older sister. You're too different in many ways from the stoic [Lady-in-Waiting] in the virtual world, so I figured it was ninety percent role-playing."

The other reason was even simpler.

"And besides, you absolutely adore Ashe, don't you? Enough to orchestrate a 'Southern Faction get-together' just to help the lonely princess make friends."

"…"

Before the trip began, Ashe had mentioned that 'Helena originally planned it.' At the time, not knowing her true nature, I found that strange.

Could the sharp, intelligent, and rational-looking [Lady-in-Waiting] Helena really have proposed such a party-animal plan as a 'real-life offline meeting'?

In my mind, a scenario where Ashe made an unreasonable request and Helena-san struggled to make it happen felt more plausible. Or maybe Goldow had pulled some strings.

But after meeting her in person and speaking with her true self, I was convinced—or rather, I thought it was a fifty-fifty possibility.

"So, it was a choice between two options: either you enjoy playing the queen… ahem, the queenly role-play, or you snatched up the role of the queen for someone else's sake."

It was just a possibility. A gentle, intelligent, and attentive woman—and from what I heard, deeply devoted to Alicia White—I thought maybe there was a story like that behind it all. A playful guess.

That's why, when I first spoke up, it was only a 'maybe,' but…

"…As for her expression, Iris still has that artistically perfect default poker face, you know."

"Wow, you just said something incredibly rude."

"Three years ago… she wasn't as calm or composed as she is now. Her mysterious silence could have been mistaken for 'unfriendliness,' and her ice-like beauty could have been seen as 'intimidating.' The world didn't know Iris as well as it does now."

"…"

I couldn't keep up the witty retorts and simply listened in silence.

"At that time, she was already worthy of being the [Sword Queen], but the people looking at her weren't ready—so, a substitute was needed. Someone to take on a stern, sharp image in her place, title and all."

Confirming my theory, she spoke brightly, seemingly unconcerned.

Was she not concerned now, or had she never been concerned? As a newcomer who had just met her, I couldn't tell—but,

Just like that [Heavy Tank] who had thanked me for his 'master' with such a matter-of-fact expression.

"Perhaps it runs in the family. Fortunately, I seem to have a talent for acting as well—I've been enjoying my other self more than I expected."

"…I have nothing but respect for that entire relationship."

It seemed the 'loyal retainers' of the Southern Faction were, without a doubt, the real deal.

As I stood there, dumbfounded at this modern-day knight, the sharp Queen of the South, Helena-san, offered me a gentle, soft expression and a natural smile.

"Haru-san."

"…What is it?"

From the atmosphere, I somehow knew what words were coming next, and my hesitation was audible in my voice. It was utterly pathetic, but I couldn't help it—

"Please continue to look after our princess from now on."

"…I-I will do my utmost, staking my life upon it…"

The expectation and responsibility woven into her words of entrustment were so heavy that it was all I could do to keep from crumbling, body and soul.

After all, a 'knight'… is not a role that suits me, the [Acrobat].