kscans

Chapter 896 - Crowns Gather at the Throne

And so, just before 11 PM.

"Drive on."

After seeing Alicia and Nia off to their respective rooms where their own arks awaited, I took an hour's break before once again lying down on my bed and uttering the key phrase to cast my body into the virtual world.

In an instant, my consciousness was drawn in along with my physical senses, without any sense of unease.

It was truly like falling asleep, seamlessly drifting from reality to a dream without being aware of the break in consciousness—no, it was more like being guided there.

"——————…"

I, Haru Kasuga, awaken as Haru the Acrobat, fourth seat of the Eastern Faction, Istia.

Behold, world! Ready, set, go!

"Hup!"

I sprang up, launching myself silently from the bed. I kicked off the void, then the wall, and spun in mid-air—a quadruple axel is for chumps, my avatar was in a super high-speed continuous rotation.

And then, one second later.

"Alright, top form."

As I stuck the landing, I confirmed my condition was perfect.

Although it felt like 'just a moment ago' that I had been going all out in the festival-like chaos of the event's final day, I hadn't seemed to have accumulated any noticeable fatigue.

My spirits were so high I wouldn't mind charging into the Key Tree right now—well, tomorrow is Sunday, so I suppose I could get away with playing around, but first, I have plans.

Knock, knock. A knock sounded on the door of my clan home room.

Only fellow clan members are allowed to knock on this door, with the exception of a few specially permitted friends and acquaintances. That narrows the possibilities down to four, making it easy to discern their habits.

This knock, reserved yet unable to conceal a budding impatience, belonged to—

Alright, let's open the door and check my answer.

"…!"

And so, a perfect score. Reflected in my eyes were large, shining amber orbs.

"Good work out there, Sora. Been a few hours."

"…It's been three and a half days. —Good work out there, Haru."

My precious partner was, as always, no matter the time or place.

She was an angel who couldn't help but let her cheeks soften into a smile just by seeing my face. As I reflexively and unconsciously returned the smile…—well, as expected,

"Hehe…"

"Ah, please don't mind us…"

"No, do mind us. Save the flirting for after you've taken care of business."

…it was only natural that I'd get teased by the other clan members who were, of course, lined up behind my partner. I meekly accepted the gazes of gray, black, and hazel eyes, and then,

"Alright, shall we go?"

Just as Tetra said, let's go take care of business.

◇◆◇◆◇

"—Heeey, Haru-san, have you been well?!!!!!"

"It hasn't been long enough to ask if I've been… okay, stop, calm down, that's too much force."

After a peaceful journey under the protection of Tetra, Lord Undying, we entered the Southern Faction's war base, [El Faria, Knight's Royal Castle], and its assembly hall, the 'Southern Throne.'

The moment they saw me enter alongside the other members of Clan [Azure Sky], a certain troublesome fan and eighth seat of the North, Lady [Bell-Mail], came flying at me as a greeting, but I swiftly subdued her with a tangle of shadow threads…

"Oh my… It seems everyone is here."

"We're not late."

Just as my master, Lady Ui the [Sword Saint], said, the vast, conference-room-like space was filled with the diverse and colorful faces of just under forty people. As Tetra had mentioned, we had arrived five minutes before the scheduled time, but it seemed we were the last to get here.

Still, there was no need to worry or be formal at this point.

"Yo, Haru. How many weird events did ya run into this time?"

"I told you, stop talking about me like I'm some kind of weird-event-generating machine."

That was Tiger Lucky, who, like a charging boar—or rather, a tiger—was the first to engage me. And then there was,

"That earthquake everyone who participated felt… that was your doing, wasn't it?"

"Unfortunately, I was on the receiving end of that one, too. I wonder what it was."

…Auerin, who casually threw an arm around my shoulder. And then,

"HEEEEY, big bro!!! How was your vacation with your 'little sister'—"

…the red one, who I dealt with by tying him up in a second cocoon mid-charge…

"Yo."

"Yeah, yeah, see you in a bit."

…and of course, there was the little kitten-sama, [Thread-Weaver], Nacchan-senpai-sama, who was sitting quietly in what was likely her designated seat as the seventh ranker of the Southern Faction, propping her chin on her hand and giving me a lazy wave when I looked her way.

Everyone here was, to a greater or lesser extent, an acquaintance or friend with whom I had a connection.

I was no longer an outsider. It's kind of moving, in a way—whoops.

"Urgh…!"

As I was quietly getting lost in my thoughts, a set of 'muscles' with incomparably more power and less consideration than Auerin's earlier descended upon me.

It was an impact that would have definitely knocked me out if this were my real body. The culprit behind such an act was, of course…

"—If everyone's here, let's get this started."

…the de facto leader of the Eastern Faction, though not the number one, the second seat, Lord [General Commander].

And so, Goldow, completely ignoring me as I tapped the powerful arm wrapped around my neck, continued his excessive doting on his junior and directed his gaze forward.

To the very throne of the 'Southern Throne.'

"Yes, you're right—Helena."

"As you wish."

At the word of the majestically seated [Sword Queen], Alicia's right hand, the [Lady-in-Waiting] who had once seized the title of 'Queen' by her own will, stepped forward.

And so, after a moment of camaraderie.

"Everyone, please be seated. We will now begin the meeting regarding the main conquest of the Key Tree."

With the words of Lady Helena, her eyes shining with the light of intellect,

the grand strategy meeting of all the assembled rankers began.