kscans

Chapter 918 - Good Morning, Saintess

—10:00 AM. I woke up.

My body felt light as a feather, every sense sharp and clear—in prime condition compared to my real body. In other words, this was the second time today that my consciousness had greeted an avatar in the act of waking up.

"………………Ah."

I swung my legs off the bed with perfect normalcy, and a second later, I realized I’d forgotten my morning wake-up jump routine. It wasn’t so much a sleepy brain… as it was simply,

"…I’m still out of it."

Last night. I must have gotten a share of the fluffy feeling from the celebration and was still carrying it with me.

My head was still a bit fuzzy.

I’d fallen asleep while talking with Nia, each of us in our own rooms but right next to each other in this world. After a few hours of rest, I’d woken up in the Ark, then without a second thought, dove right back into the world of dreams. I was that blissfully dazed.

It wasn't like I came here for any particular reason.

And the fact that I unconsciously opened my friends list and searched for a certain someone’s name was surely just my imagination.

"…………"

What am I even doing?

Instead of being here in the virtual world, I could just knock on the door of the room next to mine in the real world—

"……………………"

Just as I was thinking that, knock knock.

It seemed someone had come to visit my room before I could visit theirs. Since I’d just checked my friends list, I knew it wasn’t the blue-haired girl who was still occupying my thoughts even after the day had changed.

And so, my brain, having perfectly memorized the list of names I’d just glanced at, instantly pulled up the ‘memory’…

"—Morning. What’s up? It’s rare to see you at this time."

"—Morning… I was bored, so."

My deduction from the cross-reference took less than a second.

When I opened the door, it was a given that I’d find not blue, but light blue (Ri-na) standing there.

"Are idols free on a Monday afternoon?"

"Not always, but… a university student definitely shouldn’t be, right?"

"That’s true. But due to various circumstances, I am, regrettably, a delinquent university student."

"For a ranker in the virtual world, prioritizing this side of things is considered ‘excellent’ by society’s standards, though."

"That’s one value system I just can’t seem to get used to…"

I was playing hooky from my lectures today.

Considering the possibility that the birthday party for the renowned [Milmarinus] might extend into the next day, I had already sent in my notice of absence. So, it would be weird to show up now anyway.

That aside, the flow of our conversation felt surprisingly smooth—including the matter of the advice she gave me yesterday, I was starting to feel a new kind of familiarity with this tiny, little-sister-wannabe of a senpai… Well, I was aware of it.

I’m seriously too easy. Am I going to be okay?

"…How was it?"

And so, right on cue. Words that, without even asking, I could tell were about how yesterday’s birthday party went. I gave a thumbs-up in reply to Ri-na, who was tilting her head.

"I think she was happy. Thanks for the advice."

I couldn’t give her a physical object, but I wanted to convey my feelings somehow. I was nothing but grateful to her for racking her brain with me over such a troublesome problem.

An extremely busy idol, taking the time to do so.

"Mm."

"…Yes, yes, as you wish."

And then, as if to say, “My payment, please.”

I deliberately and casually ruffled the hair of the little sister who presented her head to me. She seemed to like it, as her soft, childlike cheeks relaxed and melted even further.

…As I’ve said many times, she is cute. And the fact that I don’t entirely dislike it is the most difficult part.

"Mm… —Alright then, see you."

Then, after receiving her report and reward from me, she gave a single stretch. Maybe she was sleep-deprived too; she let out a small noise that was not quite a yawn and opened her system window.

She was probably going to log out right away.

"Huh, that’s it?"

"That’s it. I was just curious what happened as a result of the advice I gave you, that’s all."

I was expecting her to demand more of a reward, so I was a little thrown off. And so, when I couldn't help but ask if she was satisfied, Ri-na replied with a briskness that was rare for her lately, acting like a good kid.

She really is a good kid at heart… or so I thought, feeling impressed with my younger senpai who has, for now, become a troublesome little sister—for all of ten seconds.

"…By the way, you weren’t, by any chance, waiting all this time just for that, were you? Or, you didn’t happen to predict the exact moment I’d log in and come online at the same time, like some kind of psychic, did you?"

I tried asking the question that had suddenly popped into my head.

"………………Fufu."

On the verge of logging out, just before she was enveloped in the light of world transition…

"…Which would make you happier?"

The little sister (or whatever she is) who vanished leaving behind the bewitching smile of a little devil had indeed become a troublesome existence, and I was left alone, letting out a wry smile and a sigh.

—And troublesome things tend to chain together.

A clear sound like the ringing of a bell. The system voice announcing an incoming message. I looked at the notification icon blinking in the corner of my vision and opened the “letter” with a mental command. It was…

【Sayaka】: Good morning. If you have a moment right now—

It was a letter of invitation from the Saintess.

◇◆◇◆◇

"—Good morning, Haru-sama."

"Ah… g-good morning."

The designated location was, as one would expect, a convenient place for us to gather without worrying about prying eyes: inside the Key Tree Maze.

It was the deepest part of the eighty-sixth layer we had recently conquered. The boss floor, which had become a safe zone after we defeated the floor master, some stylish black-robed fellow named [Yumiel the Ecstatic] who spammed magic.

And so, the moment I used the direct teleport after entering, my faint hopes were dashed. What that meant was… the Saintess who greeted me with a beaming smile was flanked on her left and right by…

"I apologize for summoning you so suddenly."

"No, no, not at all…"

No brothers (stoppers). That was the meaning.

This was a grave situation. It would have been strange to just turn her down now that we were in a party and working together, so I had carelessly accepted the invitation, but perhaps I’d been hasty.

Less than ten seconds after meeting her, as I was already on the verge of giving my choice a failing or questionable grade…

"If you would be so kind, please sit here."

Pat, pat.

One thing I’ve learned from adventuring with her is that, aside from the bewitching aura she constantly radiates, her actions themselves are often innocent and pure, with a hint of childishness. The Saintess (Sayaka-san) patted the spot next to her, inviting me over.

She must have been excitedly preparing while waiting for me, because on the floor was a cushion sheet with a star pattern—that is to say, a slightly childish design.

She patted the spot next to her, where she herself was sitting with her legs tucked to the side in a modest mermaid-like pose. Pat, pat.

"…Then, if you’ll excuse me."

—She’s not a bad person, you know… I truly think that.

I don’t sense any ill will, nor do I sense even a hint of what you might call, in vulgar terms, ulterior motives. And because I continue to find such a person ‘scary,’ a mysterious sense of guilt has recently started to sprout within me.

I unequipped my boots and sat down next to her, maintaining a distance appropriate between a man and a woman.

"…Ufufu."

And then, this. It made me reconsider whether her bewitching aura was just my imagination. She had the look of a girl purely in love… —No, let me rephrase that.

After spending some time with her, I might be starting to get a faint grasp of what’s in her heart. Taking that into consideration, if I were to rephrase it correctly…

"…So. What shall we talk about?"

It was the heat of pure, innocent adoration, so intense it might burn you if you touched it carelessly.

"Let’s see… it’s hard to choose—ah, then…"

In other words, with that same childlike innocence…

"I heard a rumor that you enjoy songs, Haru-sama…!"

"And where might that rumor have sprung from…?"

Today, as always, it seemed she wanted to talk about nothing but [Haru] the Acrobat.

---

I’m sorry for the wait. It’s the Saintess’s turn.

By the way, the mermaid sit, or side-sitting, is bad for your pelvis, so be careful. It’s no problem for an avatar in a virtual world, so go ahead and sprinkle that elegance around!!!!!