kscans

Chapter 595 - Slowly, Slowly Surfacing

"—...Sorry, I'm okay now. I think I was just a bit more shaken up than I thought, but it's just plain frustration, not something to get all worked up about, so you don't need to worry so much, you can let go now... let go, you...!"

"Nyeh? Your younger-boy mode has been so rare lately, so just a little longer... ah, fine, fine, I get it! Don't glare at me for real!"

In terms of time, it was only a few minutes. But the fact that I had indeed allowed myself to be comforted fueled an endless stream of shame, and I kicked my own spineless self back into gear.

Gathering the output of my slowly recovering avatar, I struggled, and Nia, though reluctant and teasing, released my head and hopped off the armrest.

"Honestly, you're such a shy one."

"Don't get cocky."

"Hmph. So cute."

"Tch..., ..."

Given the recent situation, whatever I say now will just sound like a sore loser's whining or a younger boy's bravado. I did my best to ignore the feeling of my body temperature rising from the indigestible shame—

"Hey, why did you have to get even cuter right now?"

"When your body gets smaller, the sofa subjectively gets bigger, enhancing the feeling of being buried."

I activated 《Trance》 without warning, and in response to Nia's question, I threw back the most random excuse imaginable while sinking deep, deep into the cushions.

It's not that I was trying some cunning, last-ditch effort to escape my embarrassment by burying not just my face but my entire body in the sofa. I had simply decided to focus on resting my tired body and was wisely attempting to increase my recovery efficiency.

"Hey."

"Yes."

"This blushing, pouting, cushion-buried beautiful girl is too cute. Can I take a picture?"

"No."

And so, unfortunately, from Nia's perspective, the situation had apparently become even more hopeless. It's truly regrettable—no, it's not like that at all, so it's fine.

"Aww... Well then, um... hmm..."

"I told you. Don't worry about it so much."

Perhaps she was wondering whether to return to the previous topic, now that the current one had reached a conclusion. I stuck a hand out from the sea of cushions at the hesitating Nia and waved it back and forth.

And just like that,

"Okay, then—if your selection match duties are over, does that mean you have no plans for the rest of the day? I don't really know anything about the Four Pillar War management stuff, you see."

That's all it takes.

Her ability to switch gears so completely with just a word or two is a simple yet powerfully appealing quality of hers.

...And so, the ramblings of a man steadily falling into a swamp are irrelevant.

"Well, I'm pretty much free. I'll get called if something comes up, but basically, all the rankers besides Goldow and the Mina-Rina duo are free to do as they please."

That said, we each have our own quotas... we're still asked to 'do what we can' to earn funds for the faction's operational costs, as usual.

But it's not a significant burden, not even a small one, so it's safe to treat it as 'nothing.' It seems to be more of a gesture to show that we're contributing to the faction in a visible way as top rankers.

"Oh, so that's how it is. So Istia-like... I mean."

"Well, Hina-san often assists Goldow, and Tetra seems to support Mina-Rina a lot, so the only ones who are truly free to do as they please are me, Irori, and Gen-san, the three battle idiots."

"Oh my, oh my? Did you finally admit to being a battle junkie?"

"Not a junkie. Just that my priorities are especially skewed that way, I'll admit that much."

And it's not like we're slacking off, either.

Those of us who are particularly skewed toward combat are desired by many to 'be as we are,' so we just continue our lives of training.

Besides us rankers, there are plenty of other reliable members of the faction.

—I'm going on a bit of a journey.

My master said that last month, and went off to find a 'self worthy of being Rank 1.' And so, the Eastern Faction supports each other and is united in its own way.

...Two months ago. As for the tenth seat who was re-nominated, I still haven't had a chance to meet them, so I can't say for sure. I'll just have to wait for our fated encounter—

"So, so, does that mean you're free this afternoon? If so, what a coincidence, Nia-chan, who was left all alone by someone, is also free—"

"Ah... Sorry, I'm going to watch the rest of the selection matches, so I can't today."

"Aww! I knew it! I was just hoping, you know!"

I casually soothed the pouting Nia... and was scolded for 'casually soothing' her. With a heart that felt surprisingly lighter than before I came here, I let out a sigh.

My thoughts, now with some room to breathe thanks to someone, turned to the as-yet-unseen senior who, nine times out of ten... no, almost certainly, had been brought back into the fold through my involvement.

Goldow had said something like, "He'll probably just show up randomly one of these days," but... I wonder when 'one of these days' will be.

Personally, I'd like to meet him soon.

Lord [Screen], the first Trickster, who they say gave the [Sword Saint] a loss in a one-on-one fight.