kscans

Chapter 778 - Gold and Silver

"────Anyway, enough of the pointless chatter."

Now then, was that their true feeling, or a hopelessly out-of-character attempt to hide their embarrassment? After a conversation that I suppose could be considered a step forward in our 'friendship', Yurayura-shi looked up to the sky again.

They watched the 'starlight silhouette' that flew with particular freedom among the whimsically moving stars.

"Hurry up and call it. We've wasted enough time already."

"Yeah, yeah."

Their tone was as blunt as ever, or perhaps they'd just returned to their usual self. 'Did we really take a step forward in our friendship?' I questioned my previous thought, but I complied.

In my heart, I called out to my 'servant' through the path that connected us, even from a distance.

In that instant,

"────Wha, ah…!?"

Sapphire, responding with glee to its master's call, switched from a leisurely, silent circling overhead to a sudden dive. It brought Sora-san, who had been waiting for me in the sky while we finished our pointless but necessary exchange, down with a small scream.

Incidentally, at this point, my riding along with her was just one step short of being unnecessary.

With the implementation of [Stardust Beasts], players could now obtain tamed beasts that could be ridden, and with that came the Rider skill, which has slowly begun to appear among the player base. My dear partner recently etched that very skill into her status, so as long as we weren't flying at top speed, there were no problems.

Meanwhile, the actual master of the beast shows no signs of acquiring the skill. Why is that?

"…Heh, I see."

Putting aside my own secret sorrow, [Screen] looked at the massive beast that had, despite its dynamic and powerful appearance, landed as silently as a well-behaved child, and smirked.

"You two seem to have a connection with 'dragons,' huh."

"Well, I don't know about that."

They were probably referring to the matter with [Novem, the Earth-Governing Dragon]. The self-proclaimed traveler, who seemed to know 'something' that the rest of the player base, including myself, did not, offered me a frivolous, knowing smile, but since I had no idea what they were talking about, I could only tilt my head in response.

More importantly, what I wanted them to focus on right now was…

"Um…"

…my partner, who was frozen stiff before a stranger, on the back of Sapphire, who was happily rubbing its beak against my face. After letting out a scream, she had skillfully absorbed the shock of the landing.

However, before I could make my request, the silver eyes shifted from the 'dragon' and met the amber ones that had been sending a look of reserved interest their way.

"You're the Acrobat's partner. Sora, right?"

"Y-Yes! Um, it's nice to meet you…! I look forward to working with you!"

And, just as I expected, Sora-san was a bit intimidated by [Screen]'s intimidating face, which was, as always, gruff, sullen, and could be taken as somewhat hostile in all directions.

As if she thought she'd be eaten headfirst if she made a mistake, the moment she was addressed, she performed a Level 100 deep bow that was quite endearing.

"…………"

"What is it?"

For some reason, their gaze shifted again, and the silver eyes, tinged with an indescribable color, looked at me as if observing something strange.

"Are you really her partner?"

"Sorry for being an impolite guy who's completely unsuited for a polite and beautiful girl, okay??"

I wonder if I can flatter myself into thinking this lighthearted jab is also a sign of our deepening friendship.

When I gave a sullen reply to their joking confirmation, which was directed at me this time instead of Sora, he or she just snorted and dismissed it.

Hey, you started it. Take responsibility and see it through.

"It's okay, Sora. This person might seem like this, but in public they're known as 'Yura-choro'. The 'tsun' act will peel away in no time and they'll become 'dere-yura,' so you don't have to be scared."

"Huh? Don't be ridiculous, that's not what I'm known as 'in public.' You show a slightly nicer side and this is what I get? I'll kill you, you little brat."

"Yep, that's a demerit for the refreshingly foul mouth! Please try to be a 'polite teacher' who's suited for a 'polite and beautiful girl'!!!"

"I'll grind you to dust."

"Changing the words doesn't change the direction—Hyaaah!!"

After that bit of farce, I sent a rock cannon, which had come flying from above with no incantation, soaring into the distance with a somersault kick.

"See? Like I said. Their mouth is a little foul, but they're not a scary person."

"O-Oh… huh?"

"How in the world did you watch that and conclude I'm 'not a scary person'? Idiot."

With that amusing introduction out of the way, my role was successfully completed.

"────I'm counting on you, Yurayura-sensei. Ah, I'm not kidding, I'm being serious, so I'm really counting on you. This is no joke, [Screen]."

"Tch."

"Hey, did you just click your tongue at me?"

"I get it, just go already. Don't worry, I won't lay a hand on her."

"Hey, stop that. That's not what I'm worried about."

Seriously, are you a guy or a girl?—I swallowed that particular question, as it pertained to their real-life privacy.

"Sora."

I looked at her. Our eyes met, and in her amber irises… unlike the shrewd reality of our world, I saw the slight shyness characteristic of her virtual self, the one I knew so well.

"I-I'll be okay…!"

It seemed she was trusting my guarantee more than she was scared of the intimidating new person. She clenched both fists, showing her admirable determination with a single nod.

"Let's both do our best!"

"Okay, that's the spirit."

For the upcoming [Green Connect] raid, [Screen] Yurayura's name was, of course, not on the list of selected members due to their abilities being 'dangerous' in a broad sense.

However, that didn't mean they had no role to play. This was it. They were to be the training partner for none other than my partner, the one the world calls the [Maiden of the Scales], Sora-san.

I recalled our recent battle.

I recalled the endless barrage of bullets, which, while fewer in number than my partner's thousand swords, was no less of a threat. I recalled the overwhelming battle sense that had chased me down, me, who had been granted the title of the virtual world's fastest after trampling over every restriction.

That's why there was no room for doubt.

"…! Once again, I look forward to working with you!"

"…………"

"Yurayura-shi, your reply."

"Tch."

"A reply, not a tongue click!"

"I know, you're so annoying…!"

Their difficult personality aside… I could see a future where that, too, would quickly be melted away by Sora-san's ultimate angelic attribute, so it was truly fine.

"Cut the unnecessarily stiff formalities. As long as you do that, I'll look after you."

"O-Okay…!"

"Good. …Also, while we're at it."

Scratching their head awkwardly, they seemed to hesitate over whether to say something or not. In the end, they opened their mouth and muttered to this person—

"'Yura' is fine. …For both of you."

—that as a person to whom I was entrusting my precious partner, there was nothing lacking, nothing to worry about.

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A classic trope of a clumsy delinquent and an innocent beautiful girl. But rest assured, the main romance route is locked. The real question remains: are they a guy or a girl?