kscans

Chapter 601 - To the End of the Footprints

'You smell like other girls.'

"Yep, a delightful trio of otaku members. Should I introduce you?"

'No, I'll pass...'

Was that a joke or not? I fired back a deadpan counter to Nia, who had thrown a terrifying line at me the moment we met.

It was six in the evening. After all the commotion, I finally made it home just as the sun was beginning to set.

Having shouldered even more fatigue from the after-party, I was too weary to bother with the few dozen steps to my room and collapsed onto the large waiting sofa in the dorm's entrance hall.

'Didn't you say it was something like a party to unwind? Why are you more tired?'

"Well, you know, stuff... It seems being exhausted is the default setting for youth."

Not that it wasn't fun, though. But as with anything, if you're going to have fun with all your might, you can't avoid mental and physical fatigue. It can't be helped.

I turned just my head to catch her 'words' and spouted some nonsense... which was naturally possible because, as one could guess from our bumping into each other right at the entrance, she was here for a reason.

It seemed Liliania Vluveli had been diligently welcoming someone home again today. She puffed out her cheeks in a deliberately dissatisfied manner.

'Not fair. You have to have a youthful time with me, too.'

"I think we're having a very youthful time right this very moment..."

It's embarrassing to say it myself, but this current situation is the very definition of that youthful 'it,' isn't it? A textbook case of aoharu in more ways than one.

'Ah, a message from the princess. She said she's busy with stuff again today, so you don't have to wait up.'

Nia shook her phone screen, on which she had typed with her usual lightning-fast flicks while poking my cheek without permission. It was obvious who the direct term of endearment referred to, and the subject was undoubtedly about tonight's dinner.

In other words, it would be just the two of us at the dinner table again tonight—however, Nia lately...

'Mmm.'

"Whoa, hey...! You really are like the youngest child. And you call yourself an 'older sister'."

Rather than being happy about the opportunity of being one-on-one, she tended to feel lonely about Ashe's absence.

Her target shifted from my cheek to my stomach, and she rested her head on me with a soft thud. I tried to give her a light poke, trying not to be too conscious of it, but the slightly dispirited Nia didn't react.

No, seriously... our neighbors to the left and right have become so close it's worrying for their future in more ways than one. At first, it seemed Ashe was the one with the bigger crush, but the straightforward and openly affectionate 'princess' quickly captured Nia's heart.

I kind of knew it, but this girl is easy.

And once she gets attached, she goes all in. That's her nature. She's started showing her lonely side to Ashe, whom she now considers almost family.

And Ashe, being the caring person she is, dotes on Nia, and thus their mutual feelings were sealed.

The 'romantic rival' atmosphere has faded so much that recently, it's not uncommon to see the two of them happily interacting while I'm left out, even when all three of us are together.

It's not my place to say, but are you guys really okay with that? That's the feeling I get.

"Ashe is one of a kind, so I can't say I don't get it... but the other day, Mitsueda-san was sulking, saying, 'She hasn't come crying to me lately'."

'What are you doing having secret talks with my best friend? Unforgivable.'

"It was less a secret talk and more a guardian's meeting—Guh... Oh, guh...!? Stop, you...! How are you an older sister...?!"

With a firm grip, I stopped the caramel-blonde ball of fluff that had started thrashing about and pushed myself up from the sofa.

Oh well. If she wants attention because she's lonely...

"Nia, you free after this?"

'? I don't have any particular plans, but...'

"Okay. In that case—"

Perfect timing. I was going to ask her after confirming her schedule, but...

"Let's have an early dinner and go out. ...In the virtual world, that is."

'Huh?'

It probably wouldn't hurt to just sweep her off her feet.

◇◆◇◆◇

"Nia-san, good even—"

"Hi, good evening!"

Changing scenes to the virtual world, Arcadia. In a corner of the nearly deserted, quiet 'city'.

My partner, who was also on summer vacation like me, answered my call without a hitch, though she had been busy the past two days. The three of us, plus alpha, had gathered on the spur of the moment.

Barely getting a greeting in, Sora was captured by Nia in a now-classic move, her cheeks being affectionately rubbed. Leaving them to their mochi-like interaction...

"—Whoaaaaaa! This is amazing, so pretty, such a treasure! Awww man, I knew my eyes weren't mistaken! I'm the best!"

"Could you lower your voice just a little?"

Slightly away from the bonding Sora and Nia.

I was unveiling the 'Sakura' in its transformed state within the dueling field, and my wry smile only deepened as I was subjected to the usual high-octane tension.

"So that's it...! Kagura-chan and Enra-kun, huh...! Wow, that's amazing, maybe I should have them make me something cool, too!"

"Well, feel free... Is that enough for now?"

"Okay, okay! Thanks, Har-kun!"

The pleasure's all mine—I said as much, dispersing the activated [Atiomart -Sakura=Memento-] and ending the duel system simultaneously. The goddess's power to rewind the results of such frivolities would kick in, so there was no need to worry about the terrifying price of the magic-power manifestation weapon.

"So, that's about it. It might have been the result of a gacha, but thanks for the great item."

"Not at all! I've got plenty of similar stuff, you know!"

"...Haha, I see. I'll pretend I didn't hear that."

The one who had just said something arguably more terrifying than the price of the Sakura Memento was none other than the original owner of the [Sacred Cherry Amber], the number one ranker of the North.

As expected, she had been completely oblivious to the events of two months ago, having no interest in worldly affairs, just like a certain `Screen`. It took a while to explain everything to her.

I wanted to thank her for the Sakura Sword, a key part of the excitement. When I told her that, Lux, whom I hadn't seen in a while, laughed without a care in the world and slapped me on the back repeatedly.

Her arm, not heavily invested in STR, didn't produce a massive impact, but when the target's VIT is practically nonexistent, an impact that's 'average' by superhuman standards can become 'extreme' by mortal ones.

My vision shook violently with no sign of stopping, and my wry smile deepened—until suddenly, my body was pulled with a jerk, and I was scooped up by a helping hand.

"You can't do that, Lux-san. As you can see, Haru is more frail than anyone else here."

"The undeniable truth stings..."

It seemed Sora-san, who had apparently decided to rescue me, was now giving Lux a sidelong glance, all while dragging the indigo-haired girl with her—she hadn't escaped from Nia, it seems.

It was a gaze that was quite comparable in its lack of mercy to the one she usually directed at me, her partner.

They had teamed up again in the last event, just like the one before, so they must have deepened their friendship even more. At the time, she had been whining, saying things like, "I wanted to be with you this time," and, "You're just going to flirt with Nia-san again, aren't you?"...

Personally, I welcome the expansion of Sora's friendships. It's not that I'm trying to act like her guardian, but—well, that doesn't matter right now.

What I should be focusing on this very moment is,

"Sora-san, we're in public."

Reprimanding my partner for her reckless behavior, clinging to me as if it were the most natural thing in the world, with two spectators right nearby.

Next, I would have to peel off Nia, who had switched her clinging target from Sora to me in a show of opposition. A sigh escaped me, not from embarrassment, but from a chaos that exceeded my expectations.

And most likely—

"...It doesn't matter, does it? There are no strangers here. And it's a foregone conclusion that Lux-san will tease us anyway, even if we behave."

"That's right, that's right, just give up already!"

"Ahaha, you're so popular, Har-kun. You should have invited Ar-chan, too."

And so, it was like this.

When Sora-san, who had job-changed to a clingy child, didn't hold back, this party had no one to stop her... It was unexpected, or rather, it was my bad luck that Nia and Lux were on such close, unreserved terms.

"Oh, Nya-chan. I found a bunch of pretty stones again, so I'll give you your favorite ones."

"That's a huge help, but I told you I won't take them for free. I'll properly appraise them and buy them from you, so show me later. And don't go anywhere until I'm done looking, okay?"

"Okay-dokie!"

—And so, it was like that.

Perhaps I should have thought things through a bit more before gathering people on a whim... but it's too late for regrets now.

We were not in the 'Safe Area'—the main district built by people in the [Garden of Divine Creation]. Instead, we were at the site of the second 'city,' where the foundation work had just been completed and expansion was underway.

Approximately ten thousand kilometers from the Great Bell Tower of Beginnings. At the new base, where the 'Alv Portal' was scheduled to be opened to the public soon... in a corner of the provisionally named `Frontier`.

"Alright, shall we get going? Lead the way, `Traveler`-dono."

"Okay-dokie, leave it to me! As long as I remember!"

"If you're going to say leave it to you, then please promise me that part."

"Ah, haha... Please take care of me—Why are you sticking to me! That's not allowed, Lux-san, I'll get angry even if you're just teasing!"

"I don't think she's thinking about anything, Sora-chan. Ah, I'll just be dead weight."

And so began a scene from a very lively, unconventional party.