kscans

Chapter 664 - A Visit to a Gentle Place

—This is old news by now, but the game systems that make up the virtual world of the VR device [Arcadia] are, in many ways, completely off the rails.

To say you can ‘do anything’ in a game is a common marketing phrase, but in most cases, it’s a deceptive claim that ultimately leads to the disappointment of “it wasn’t as great as they said.”

But here lies the exception. While the list of examples is endless, in Arcadia, there is nothing that cannot be done by those who play the game.

As long as it doesn’t violate ethics or denigrate the ‘game’ itself, this virtual world tolerates any and all forms of ‘creativity.’ While those two restrictions can be chains, it’s still an insane level of freedom incomparable to existing games.

For example, building bridges called portals across a vast world.

Many games can do that, but there aren't many online games where players can assign an administrator to a facility used by all players, and where players—not the management or developers—are allowed to take control of the game’s systems.

Currently, there are countless portals in Arcadia’s main field, the [Garden of Divine Creation], limited to a hundred-kilometer radius around the initial Great Bell Tower.

And the vast majority of them, practically all of them, are open to all players without any restrictions… but the truth is, it’s in a ridiculous state where they could all be frozen and made unusable at any moment at the sole discretion of the ‘administrator.’

So who is this ‘administrator’? It’s none other than the representatives of Arcadia’s players, their heroes, idols, and charismatic leaders—the ones who bear the title of ‘ranker.’

It’s a great responsibility, but considering the current state of the rankers, it’s just one of many. Iris currently lends her name as the [Sword Queen] to serve as the representative, while the actual management is handled by [General Commander] Goldow and [Lady-in-Waiting] Helena.

In any case, that’s why the primary means of long-distance travel in Arcadia, the portals, are in the hands of the faction tops, the ‘rankers.’ Of course, as representatives, they manage them in a way that contributes to the general player base, never betraying the trust placed in them…

—Well, you could call it a privilege in exchange for shouldering the trouble and responsibility.

At the proposal of the former third seat of the Eastern Faction, Goldow, a secret mechanism was implemented. A small number of exceptions—twelve locations, to be precise—had ‘keys’ with specific conditions attached. By teleporting through them in a short, sequential order, a path to a linked location would open.

This was done for no other reason than to hide the dwelling of the secluded [Sword Saint].

The reason this became necessary in the first place… is that no matter how much of a moral paragon Arcadians may be, there are limits to self-control for any human.

It’s a famous story in the virtual world that the [Sword Saint] Ui once opened her dojo and created a place of learning. Even after she closed its gates, there was no end to the players who would visit, thinking, ‘It wouldn’t hurt to just get a quick piece of advice.’

Honestly, you can’t blame them.

Those who wished to meet her, to seek her guidance, had no ill will. And the [Sword Saint] herself didn’t think poorly of those who came out of admiration and respect—but,

It was simply, hopelessly, a matter of too many people.

Well, it couldn’t be helped. The pitfalls of overwhelming fame.

One, two, three, four… a total of twelve times. Starting from the first portal in the main player district, the [Safe Area], I repeated the sequence of teleports, arriving at a bamboo forest.

By now, I can reach this place as easily as breathing, but back when I was still getting used to it… back when I wasn't consciously aware of my ‘memory’ gift, I messed up a few times and had to start over from the beginning. The teleport sickness was awful.

“—Still, I never would have thought the final destination would be a place that doesn't exist.”

I muttered to myself as I took in the scenery, unchanged since my master’s departure.

The sound of bamboo leaves rustling in the gentle breeze. Ah, even after just a month, how nostalgic, this castle of my efforts… and again, I never imagined this whole place was an entirely different world.

One of the secrets known only to a select few.

Kagura-san mentioned there were four in the world, or five including me, but that must have been with the caveat of ‘only those that have been confirmed’—…

“…, ……”

……………….

…………………….

…………………………—So, are we good to go now?

“...Um, I thought this might be my first welcome back, but am I mistaken? Is this actually ‘hide-and-seek’? A training method to follow up ‘tag,’ maybe?”

I was pretending to talk to myself, but that was a direct question.

And the person playfully hiding in the shadows of the bamboo grove knew that I knew they were there… and knew that I knew that they knew, but still, they sent me an amused gaze without revealing themselves.

However, she was not one to ignore a direct question.

“—Fufu… I wanted to surprise you, but it’s a shame.”

A small footstep rustled the fallen leaves, and a gray figure emerged in the darkness.

Giving in gracefully, the figure that stepped forward was, as always, petite—yet, once in my line of sight, she exuded a serene and overwhelming presence.

“I was surprised, though. I was just wondering if you’d acquired that kind of playful side.”

“Oh? I feel as though I have shown you this side of me many times before…”

“Hmm… I feel like it was about twenty percent more… childish, maybe?”

“That… yes, perhaps. I got into a bit of mischief on this long journey, so I may be afflicted with an unbecoming childishness right now.”

“It’s not unbecoming. No, it’s not unbecoming.”

“...Why did you repeat and emphasize that twice? In what sense is ‘childishness’ not unbecoming for me? May I ask for a reason? Could it be that your perception of my—”

“My revered master is the embodiment of gap moe, a perfect fusion of invincible maturity and innocent childishness, with no contradiction or awkwardness whatsoever. Yes.”

“You said that very quickly…?”

And the fact that she sounded genuinely impressed by that is yet another reason why she is my revered master—and with that.

“Welcome back. You must be tired from your long journey, Ui-san.”

“Yes. I am home, Haru-kun.”

The woman who looked like a young girl, dressed in travelling clothes different from her familiar do-gi, let her gray hair sway and her gray eyes crinkle in a gentle smile.

And so, the question I had prepared to ask her the moment she returned safely,

“By the way, my master, how did you get back?”

“...A-chan seems to have told you something undesirable, has she not?”

I asked without hesitation, overflowing with affection.